Weekly Wrap Up : 22nd December 2019
22 December 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Deeplight, Frances Hardinge, Weekly wrap up
This has been a busy week I’ve only managed to fit in one book this week but it was a very good one that I should be reviewing soon.
So, here’s what I’ve been reading:
- Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
Next scheduled reads:
- Forever and a Doomsday by Laurence MacNaughton
- Where Gods Fear to go by Angus Watson
Upcoming Reviews
- King of the Road by RS Belcher
- Queenlayer by Sebastien DeCastell
- The Absinthe Earl by Sharon Lynn Fisher
- Deeplight by Frances Hardinge
I’d love to know what you’re reading this week.
Fun Meme : Book Bloggers A-Z
I saw this A-Z over at Bookforagers blog and liked the look of it so much I decided to give it a try. I understand that this originated with The Perpetual Page Turner.
AUTHOR YOU’VE READ THE MOST BOOKS BY:
This is a difficult one – because I can be persistent with series that are long – so for example, Charlaine Harris True Blood (13 books?), Rachel Caine Morganville Vampires (15), Seanan McGuire’s Toby Daye – can’t remember where I’ve got up to with this one maybe about 8 or 9. I’ve read quite a bit of Neil Gaiman (15) and Sarah Pinborough (11 or 12) but I think at the moment Mark Lawrence is probably my most read author at (I think) 16 books.
BEST SEQUEL EVER:
This is a tough question! Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse immediately springs to mind because I loved Trail of Lightning so much that I didn’t think it was possible to top it – but then along came No.2 😀 Also,Council by Snorri Kristjansson was a great sequel as was A Time Of Blood by John Gwynne.
CURRENTLY READING:
I am currently reading Where Gods Fear to Go by Angus Watson (which is No.3 in the West of West series) and I’m also listening to King of Assassins by RJ Barker (which is also No.3 in the Wounded Kingdom series.
DRINK OF CHOICE WHILE READING:
Well this depends on the time of day. If it’s the morning, more than likely coffee. If it’s the afternoon a cup of tea. In the evening it’s not unheard of for me to have a glass of wine or a cup of chocolate.
E-READER OR PHYSICAL BOOK?
E-Reader – Kindle. I know. Who’d have thought that would be my answer just as short a time as say five years ago. I love books. There’s something so different about reading a physical book that is lacking from other forms of reading and I also can’t deny the pleasure in a well stocked book shelf or two – but, I enjoy reading on my kindle so very much that there’s really no turning back at this point. Yes, I don’t get to feel the pages or smell the paper and ink of a new book, but, my kindle is automatically backlit which is great when you’re out and about and it’s getting dark. I can highlight paragraphs, names or chapter headings – or pretty much anything else – in about 10 seconds flat, I can click on a word and be provided with an immediate definition, my place is automatically saved, I will never run out of books when I’m not at home, I can carry a whole library’s worth of books on holiday and still actually have clothes in my suitcase and I’m not likely to be found smothered by a huge book that has literally fallen on top of me when I’ve nodded off due to reading into the early hours. Basically, I love books, they’re my first love and I’ll never fall out of love with them, but practicality wins the day for me. E-book every time.
FICTIONAL CHARACTER YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DATED IN SCHOOL:
Jean Tannen. He is definitely all mine – I will fight you. The end. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.
GLAD YOU GAVE THIS BOOK A CHANCE:
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. I love this book, and I’ve read all this author’s other books since and loved them as well. Beautiful writing, gripping gothic stories and just compelling reads.
HIDDEN GEM:
The Girl with Ghost Eyes (The Daoshi Chronicles #1) by M.H. Boroson. I loved this book more than I ever anticipated and I want everyone to read it.
IMPORTANT MOMENT IN YOUR READING LIFE:
Starting blogging. When I first started blogging it was really just to keep a diary of my reading more than anything else but as a result of that I’ve made lots of blogger friends and their recommendations have led me to so many new and exciting worlds. Definitely a defining moment in terms of taking my reading tastes into new and unexpected directions.
JUST FINISHED:
Deeplight by Frances Hardinge. I will be reviewing this soon but the downlow is this is a great read. Brilliant world building, well imagined myths surrounding dead Gods, excellently written and with great characters.
KINDS OF BOOKS YOU WON’T READ:
I don’t know whether I’d say ‘won’t’ so much as ‘don’t usually’. Romance immediately springs to mind. I don’t mind a story that has romance included, I just don’t want to read purely about a romance. I don’t tend to read military style or hard sci fi reads and these days I never read non-fiction – but who knows what the future holds?
LONGEST BOOK YOU’VE READ:
I’ve read a few chunky books over the years but I think Lord of the Rings by JRRTolkien was possibly the longest.
MAJOR BOOK HANGOVER:
I’ve changed my mind about twenty times already with this question so the very next book that pops into my head is IT: A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by CA Fletcher.
NUMBER OF BOOKCASES YOU OWN:
One. Let’s just say I’ve been ruthless with my books and not discuss it ever again.
ONE BOOK YOU’VE REREAD LOTS:
Probably Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier – I’ve also read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice a few times and also Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. I don’t really do rereads any longer to be honest. Something about too many books not enough time…
PREFERRED PLACE TO READ:
I really don’t have a favourite place. Of course I like to read in bed before I go to sleep, and on the sofa in the evening but overall I don’t think the location is something I consider, I can be sat in a grimey bus shelter on a rainy day so long as the book is good enough to suck me down that wormhole.
QUOTE THAT INSPIRES YOU/GIVES YOU ALL THE FEELS FROM A BOOK YOU’VE READ:
I would say the book I probably quote the most is Lord of the Rings – but I’m not going there at the moment – you’re welcome.
READING REGRET:
All the books I’ve neglected and left unread.
SERIES YOU STARTED AND NEED TO FINISH (ALL BOOKS ARE OUT):
I actually made a post about this some time ago – I must have had about 60 series on the go and was feeling quite ashamed. I’m currently trying to catch up with a few series but the series that I would love to pick up and complete is Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorn and Grim. I loved the first book and I own the second and third and yet I still haven’t picked them up.
THREE ALL-TIME FAVOURITE BOOKS:
I just don’t think I can narrow it down. Maybe three favourite authors. Mark Lawrence, Joanne Harris and Sarah Pinborough. ( *Walks away muttering under breath* Neil Gaiman, Brandon Sanderson, Laura Purcell, Alice Hoffman..)
UNAPOLOGETIC FANGIRL FOR:
Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
VERY EXCITED FOR THIS RELEASE:
Westside Saints by WM Akers. Another tiny mystery. My review for Westside is here – I loved this book, I hadn’t realised any more were planned so it makes me very happy that a new book is expected next year.
WORST BOOKISH HABIT:
No restraint whatsoever. I want all the books. I can’t help it – even as I buy yet more books that I know I can’t possibly find the time to read I’m still relentlessly looking for other books to add to my (electronic) shelves. I suppose there are worse habits out there but, seriously, I think I need help.
X MARKS THE SPOT – START AT THE TOP LEFT OF YOUR SHELF AND PICK THE 27TH BOOK:
The House on the Strand by Daphne DuMaurier
YOUR LATEST BOOK PURCHASE:
Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff.
ZZZ-SNATCHER BOOK (LAST BOOK THAT KEPT YOU UP WAY LATE):
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow.
Friday Face Off : Longest Night
20 December 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Dark and foreboding, Friday Face off, Little Darlings, Melanie Golding
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book, compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future week’s themes are listed below – I’ll be updating the list next week to include themes for 20202, if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout. This week’s theme:
Longest Night – a dark and foreboding cover
This week I’ve gone for a fairly recent book that I read. A compelling story that takes a mother’s worst nightmare and combines it with old wives tales and fairy folklore to achieve a creepy and sinister tale of child abduction. Little Darlings by Melanie Golding. Here is my review and the covers:
It’s strange the way that the most innocent things can be given a sinister feel, for example a nappy pin, booties or a pram.
This week my favourite is:
It was a choice between this or the pram. But there is a very insidious feel to this cover that isn’t immediately apparent. When you really look at it the title is being invaded by the creeping branches and thorns. It gives me the chills, although the lonely pram with the red swirling banner is also very effective.
Which is your favourite?
I’ve included events that I’m aware of so that you can perhaps link your themes up where possible (if you know of an event you’d like to share then let me know in the comments). I also have a list prepared for 2020 and so will set up a separate page soon for forthcoming themes. As always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment.
Next week – A cover that is glittery or sparkling
Future themes: (if you’re struggling with any of these themes then use a ‘freebie’ or one of your favourite covers) (I’ve added some new themes – some of these are slightly different, in order to avoid too much repetition I’m trying to make the themes more of a suggestion that everyone can interpret how they like
2019
27th December – the festive season – a cover that is glittery or sparkling
(2020 – January is Vintage SciFi month so I’ll be including possible themes to take that on board.
3rd January – New Beginnings – “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
10th January – vintage sci fi – “Live long and prosper.”
17th January – Horizon – “Your “beautiful” ship killed its crew, Doctor.”
24th January – Chinese New Year – Year of the Rat
31st January – First Contact – “Ack, Ack, Ack, we come in peace”
7th February – Lion- “Is that a lion with horns and a pitchfork?”
14th February – romantic – “thus with a kiss I die”
21st February – meringue – the puffy dress?
28th February – Leap Year – One Ring to rule them all – A cover with a ring
6th March – Skeleton – them bones, them bones, them dry bones…
13th March – Exotic – ‘That which yields, is not always weak”
20th March – Brown – a cover or covers that are brown
27th March – Freebie – choose one of your favourite covers
3rd April Fools – a trick of the eye – a cover that is more than meets the eye
10th April – Moody – a cover that is atmospheric,
17th April – out of focus – double vision or all a blur
24th April – Armour – ‘“Pretty armour doesn’t make a warrior.”
1st May – Canine – “And then there were cats, thought Dog.:
8th May – graphic novel cover – “Love belongs to Desire, and Desire is always cruel”
15th May – pink – as pink as cotton candy – any cover that is pink
22nd May – Sorrow – a cover that makes you feel sad
29th May – Silhouette – an island, a person, anything you like
5th June – Flight – any type of flight – to flee, to fly
12th June – The bodice ripper – exactly as it seems
19th June – Time – time waits for no one
26th June – Windows – windows to the soul?
The Land You Never Leave (West of West #2) by Angus Watson
19 December 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Angus Watson, The Land You Never Leave, West of West #2
The Land you Never Leave is brilliant. I loved it. Think of a strange mash up that involves a nightmare world of creatures from the Land That Time Forgot, add the bloodthirsty goings on and characters from Apocalypto add in some characters that feel as though they belong on the front of a Marvel comic or Watership Down. What can I say. It works. This is seriously a riot of a book. Just one question, why isn’t everyone shouting from the rooftops about this series. It’s so good. And Angus Watson – so funny, such hilarious banter and creative cursing, such adventures, such a great cast of characters and such bloodthirsty antagonists that made me fear that everyone would die – but then, after all, you die when you die! Wootah, just wootah. Did I just gush a little, I’ll hold back for the rest of the review. Or maybe I won’t.
I’m not going to talk about the plot at all. Also, this is the second in series and not to beat about the bush you need to read the first, I’m not joking, no diving headfirst into No.2. You’ll miss so much backstory, history, character development and actually a damned good read so please don’t deny yourself the pleasure.
So, what makes this series so good. It’s good fun but at the same time it’s bloody awfully terrible. The writing is really good, you simply fall into the series and become totally embroiled and the characters make you care. I loved some of them. I hated some of them, really hated some of them – you’ll know if you’ve read this. And it is of course gloriously over the top.
The characters, well, we have the Wootah – previously the Hardworkers or Mushroom People, now befriended by the Owsla, prior enemies but now joined in the same quest to save the world as foretold by a young Wootah Boy named Ottar. Finnbogi. what can I say about Finn – he’s like a walking hormone. He does come from a different planet and can’t understand women in the slightest. The Owsla are a bunch of genetically enhanced female warriors who kick some serious ass. They are the least likely bunch of misfits that you’ll ever read about but they grow on you so easily and so quickly.
In terms of the writing and style. This isn’t a book that pays attention to olde worlde style dialogue. It’s not trying to be historically correct, in fact far from it, This book isn’t taking things seriously, but, be warned, at the same time as having some genuinely laugh out loud moments, there are also some bloody and brutal moments.
This isn’t going to be a long review and that is not in any way a negative thing or a reflection of my feelings. Basically, this is a great read and I can’t wait to pick up the third. In fact I actually listened to the audio for this one and it was so, so good. I highly recommend it.
This series is the crazy over the top historical adventure that I didn’t know I wanted in my life. Vikings, crazy creatures, an insane plot and lots of death defying. I can’t remember bursting into so much spontaneous laughter for a long time whilst genuinely feeling over the top worried about the central characters.
Read this series. I implore you.
I bought my copy from Audible.
5 stars
Can’t Wait Wednesday : A Time of Courage (Of Blood and Bone #3) by John Gwynne
18 December 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Can't wait Wednesday, Julie Kagawa, Night of the Dragon, Shadow of the Fox #3
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that was originally created by Breaking the Spine. Unfortunately Breaking the Spine are no longer hosting so I’m now linking my posts up to Wishful Endings Can’t Wait Wednesday. Don’t forget to stop over, link up and check out what books everyone else is waiting for. If you want to take part, basically, every Wednesday, we highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week my book is : A Time of Courage (Of Blood and Bone #3) by John Gwynne. I need this book in my life.
Battle the dark
Reclaim the world
The Demon-King of the Otherworld is finally free. And armed with mighty new starstone weapons, Asroth prepares to lead his demonic war-host south. With the help of his dark bride Fritha, he plans to crush the warrior-angels and their allies.
In the shadows of Forn Forest, Riv and the surviving Ben-Elim hold a war council. After the catastrophic events at Drassil, they are desperate to unite those who would stand against Asroth and his army. So they fly west, to join the Order of the Bright Star. But Drem and the Order are besieged by a demon horde – and their fragile defence may soon shatter.
Across the Banished Lands armies are heading south, to settle ancient grudges and decide the fate of humanity. Drem, Riv and the Bright Star’s warriors will need every ounce of their courage if they are to join the final battle. But will their combined forces be enough to face down their greatest foe?
In A Time of Courage, angels, demons and heroes face the ultimate fight for the Banished Lands. Thousands of years of enmity will be put to the test, in the epic conclusion to John Gwynne’s mighty trilogy.
Expected publication April 2020
