My favourite reads so far this year
3 July 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Best books from the first six months of 2019
I’ve decided to go for a six month ‘best of’ list. I must admit that this was tough. I seem to have read A LOT of great books this year so narrowing it down to ten was just too difficult. I’ve highlighted 11 favourites below. The complete list of books I’ve read so far this year is at the bottom of the post. Most of them are linked to reviews – there are just five still outstanding. Here is a small selection of some of the excellent books I’ve read so far in 2019 :-
- The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
- The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
- The Strawberry Thief (Chocolat #4) by Joanne Harris
- Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence
- A Time of Blood by John Gwynne
- A Boy and His dog at the End of the World by CA Fletcher
- Westside by WM Akers
- A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay
- Priest of Lies by Peter McLean
- The Corset by Laura Purcell
-
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
My past six months of reading:
- The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
- Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
- The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
- The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan
- The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell
- Murder Theory by Andrew Mayne
- Out of Nowhere by Patrick LeClerc
- Fog Season by Patrice Sarath
- The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons #1) by Jenn Lyons
- Thornbound (The Harwood Spellbook #2) by Stephanie Burgis
- The Taking of Annie Thorne C. J. Tudor
- White Stag by Kara Barbieri
- Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter
- The Anointed by Keith Ward (one of the SPFBO finalists)
- Bound by Mark Lawrence
- Symphony of the Wind by Steven McKinnon
- The True Queen by Zen Cho
- The Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty
-
Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik
- The Strawberry Thief (Chocolat #4) by Joanne Harris
- The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins
- The Dollmaker by Nina Allan
- Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence
- Aching God (Iconoclasts #1) by Mike Shel
-
The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters
- Sowing (The Purification Era #1) by Angie Grigaliunas
- The Binding by Bridget Collins
- A Time of Blood by John Gwynne
- One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
- The Brotherhood of the Wheel by RS Belcher
- Emily Eternal by M G Wheaton
- A Boy and His dog at the End of the World by CA Fletcher
- Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse
- Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
- Ruthless Magic by Megan Crewe
- Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
- The Gods of Men by Barbara Klos
- The Furies by Katie Lowe
- Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
- Westside by WM Akers
- A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay
- King of the Road by RS Belcher
- The Poison Song by Jen Williams
- We Ride the Storm by Devin Madson
- Orconomics by J Zachary Pike
- Council by Snorri Kristjansson
- Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
- The Red Stained Wings by Elizabeth Bear
- Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa
- Queenslayer by Sebastien DeCastell
- Priest of Lies by Peter McLean
- The Fall by Tracy Townsend
- Limited Wish by Mark Lawrence
- Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
- The Corset by Laura Purcell
- The Whisper Man by Alex North
Can’t Wait Wednesday : Turning Darkness Into Light by Marie Brennan
3 July 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Can't wait Wednesday, Marie Brennan, Turning Darkness Into Light, Wishful Endings
“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 : Turning Darkness Into Light by Marie Brennan, I am so looking forward to this book – I love the author, I love the Lady Trent books and I love this over. Excitement am I. Plus – we’re now going to tread in Lady Trent’s granddaughter’s footsteps which sounds awesome.
As the renowned granddaughter of Isabella Camherst (Lady Trent, of the riveting and daring Draconic adventure memoirs) Audrey Camherst has always known she, too, would want to make her scholarly mark upon a chosen field of study.
When Lord Gleinheigh recruits Audrey to decipher a series of ancient tablets holding the secrets of the ancient Draconean civilization, she has no idea that her research will plunge her into an intricate conspiracy, one meant to incite rebellion and invoke war. Alongside dearest childhood friend and fellow archeologist Kudshayn, must find proof of the conspiracy before it’s too late.
TURNING DARKNESS INTO LIGHT is a delightful fantasy of manners, the heir to the award-winning Natural History of Dragons series, a perfect stepping stone into an alternate Victorian-esque fantasy landscape.
Due for publication August 2019
Childhood Favourites
2 July 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Childhood Favourites, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic is:
Childhood favourites
I’ve come up with a few here although I couldn’ t really speak to the accuracy of what age I was when I first picked them up. I’ve cut and paste some of the descriptions directly from Goodreads to give an idea about each book although I think they’re all very well known so it’s more than likely not needed – but, better to have it and not need it I suppose:
The Borrowers by Mary Norton – Beneath the kitchen floor is the world of the Borrowers — Pod and Homily Clock and their daughter, Arrietty. In their tiny home, matchboxes double as roomy dressers and postage stamps hang on the walls like paintings. Whatever the Clocks need they simply “borrow” from the “human beans” who live above them. It’s a comfortable life, but boring if you’re a kid. Only Pod is allowed to venture into the house above, because the danger of being seen by a human is too great. Borrowers who are seen by humans are never seen again. Yet Arrietty won’t listen. There is a human boy up there, and Arrietty is desperate for a friend.
Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum – When Dorothy and her little dog Toto are caught in a tornado, they and their Kansas farmhouse are suddenly transported to Oz, where Munchkins live, monkeys fly and Wicked Witches rule. Desperate to return home, and with the Wicked Witch of the West on their trail, Dorothy and Toto – together with new friends the Tin Woodsman, Scarecrow and cowardly Lion – embark on a fantastic quest along the Yellow Brick Road in search of the Emerald City. There they hope to meet the legendary, all-powerful Wizard of Oz, who alone may hold the power to grant their every wish.
The Famous Five by Enid Blyton – The very first Famous Five adventure, featuring Julian, Dick, Anne, not forgetting tomboy George and her beloved dog, Timmy! There’s a shipwreck off Kirrin Island! But where is the treasure? The Famous Five are on the trail – looking for clues – but they’re not alone! Someone else has got the same idea. Time is running out for the Famous Five, who will follow the clues and get to the treasure first?
Grimm’s Fairytales – For almost two centuries, the stories of magic and myth gathered by the Brothers Grimm have been part of the way children — and adults — learn about the vagaries of the real world.
The Hobbit by JRRTolkien – ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.’
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter – Peter and his sisters are told to go gather blackberries and not to go into MacGregor’s garden because Peter’s father was made into a pie by MacGregor after being found in the garden. Peter, who is wearing a new coat, promptly disobeys his mother, stuffs himself with vegetables, gets spotted by MacGregor, loses his coat and barely makes it out of the garden alive. When Peter gets home, he is given chamomile tea for dinner. Peter’s sisters, who listened to their mother and stayed out of the forbidden garden have a regular dinner.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame – Meet little Mole, willful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant Toad. Over one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they’ve become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly, and friendship. And their misadventures-in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their Wild Wood-continue to capture readers’ imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son, The Wind in the Willows is a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis – Narnia …. a land frozen in eternal winter … a country waiting to be set free.
Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia — a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change … and a great sacrifice.
My final book is a mystery and I literally mean I can’t remember the title or the author and yet it was a book that I loved – it was a book of about 8 or 9 stories. They were all quite unusual. One of the stories was a small child drawing figures in a book. At night the figures all came to life and were very unhappy with the little child for drawing them so badly. Like that one, the other stories were all very unusual – I only wish I could remember what the book was called.
???
And, I’ve left the tenth spot open for your suggestions.
Priest of Lies (War for the Rose Throne #2) by Peter McLean #PriestOfLies
2 July 2019
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #PriestofLies, Peter McLean, Priest of Lies, War for the Rose Throne #2
Today I’m really pleased to be taking part in the blog blast organised by Jo Fletcher Books which coincides with the release of Priest of Lies. The second book in a series that I highly recommend. See details about the other blogs taking part in the banner below and give them a visit if you have the chance.
Before I start this review I would just give a warning that it might contain spoilers for the first in series, Priest of Bones (my review is here).
I am loving this series. It’s everything good that I hope for when I pick up a book. The storyline has clearly been well plotted. The strong foundations established in the first book are really well utilised and built upon here. The characters are really coming to life and I find myself absolutely fascinated about what will come next. On top of that we get to explore more of this world and that, coupled with wonderful pacing, made this a totally gripping read.
Once again the Prince of the People, Tomas Piety, priest, soldier, gangster, liar?, narrates his tale. Piety has a very compelling way of telling his story. He’s not a charmer precisely but he has enough self confidence to allow him to be refreshingly frank and this openness makes him a flawed but much more likable, or understandable character. He certainly manages to get himself in a fix but it all feels really plausible – like his hands are tied and his choices limited.
Tomas has rebuilt his empire, he’s doing well, in fact if the measure of a man was judged by the weight of gold in their coffers then Tomas could be standing ten feet tall. Of course, there is a but. His marriage is a sham. A cover for the intrigue carried out by Tomas’s wife, Ailsa, in the name of the Queen’s Men and in fact Tomas finds it difficult himself to forgive his wife for the carnage wrought by her plotting at the end of the first book. On top of this the scheming continues. Tomas has achieved his goals, he’s won back his turf, and so the Pious Men can’t help but wonder why they’re trying to expand into other territory when this involves increased risk to the remaining gang members. Basically, the Queen’s Men – in the form of Tomas’s wife are not yet finished. War is looming and the only way to keep the fighting and carnage at bay is to stop the infiltration of the enemy at the door and this time around that involves a detour to the capital.
I thoroughly enjoyed this little jaunt. It added an extra layer. In Dannsburg Tomas is very much out of his depth. His reputation doesn’t extend this far and he finds himself, instead of a big fish in a little pond he’s a little fish in a big pond where political sharks are circling and getting ready for the kill. This was such a great change of tack. The capital is very different to Ellinburg and the nobles’ disdain and casual indifference towards Tomas, his provincial accent and the small threat he poses to them is like a wake up call. Tomas finds himself very much in need of Ailsa’s calm head and careful counsel although he does occasionally resort to brute force. Even so, Tomas has to be careful, just like everyone else in the capital. Speak out too loudly and you will simply disappear overnight. The trip certainly gives Tomas a new found respect for his wife.
In terms of the characters the author really takes the opportunity to beef them up. Of course, some characters have more page time than others – particularly once Tomas leaves Ellinburg for the capital but, even with the change in place I still felt like I had the opportunity to know everyone a little better. I can’t deny that my favourites are Billy the Boy and Bloody Anne and I confess that the attachment I feel towards them is a little worrying – you just never know these days whether your favourite characters will survive or do something hideously treacherous and turn everything on its head .
The world building. I get a great sense of place with this series. I think when I reviewed Priest of Bones I mentioned that the place feels almost Dickensian. The twisty streets, dark alleys and abject poverty of The Stink sharply contrasting with the wealth and opulence of the nobles, especially in Dannsburg. Small surprise that some of the action has a French Revolution type feel when the poorest members of society finally snap. I love the easy way that the place simply springs into the mind’s eye.
Overall I had a really good time with this in fact I think it exceeded my expectations by surpassing the first. It still has that raw brutality and doesn’t shy away from bad language and violence but it is by no means as dark as some of the grimdark books I’ve read.
Incredibly entertaining, a great narrative voice and an ending that makes me anxious to pick up the next book in series. This is a tale of an ambitious character, a slightly jaded world weary guy who’s successes only help to push him in a direction that doesn’t seem to make him happy. The more wealth, power and respect that Tomas achieves the further away it pushes him from those he really cares about. Be careful what you wish for I suppose.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Rating 5 of 5 stars
#SPFBO5 My first batch of books
Today is the official start of the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off. As with previous years I have divided my 30 books into five batches of six books (selected using a random sequence generator). Each month I will highlight that month’s selection at the start of the month, providing details about the books and the authors. As the month progresses I hope to have a clear favourite out of each batch – although things don’t always go to plan of course – I will provide mini reviews for each book and hopefully a full review for each semi finalist – which I’m thinking should be five books in total. The aim being to then choose a finalist from those semi finalists.
I’d like to wish everyone the best of luck and I hope you all enjoy the competition.
On a separate note, if any of my authors wish to pay me a visit for either an interview, a guest post, or anything else then let me know. Also, if any of my books have audio versions available then let me know – I’m happy to use audio too.
Without further ado here are my six books for July:
The Courier’s Code (The Kingdom of Bolaji #1) by T.S. Valmond
A rebellious teenage princess with a day job?
Rasha enjoys the independence that comes with being a professional courier with a perfect record in the Bolaji kingdoms, that is until she’s tasked to deliver a mysterious package from the tenth king to the prince of the first kingdom.
When the package is accidentally opened her hidden royal past could be exposed, and she might lose her precious freedom for good. Worse than that the troublesome package could ruin her entire life.
If you want to escape into a young adult fantasy adventure on a faraway world, you’ll love this one.
Author Info :
Website : http://tsvalmond.com
Dissident (Forbidden Things #1) by Nikki McCormack
Ascard power can strengthen, heal and create. It also has great potential to destroy, enough to topple entire governments. Indigo’s country places strict limitations on the use of ascard so she must channel her talents into the healing arts or risk severe punishment. An orphan from a disgraced family, trapped by her father’s treason, Indigo struggles to reclaim her place in a society that has driven her into an abusive engagement.
Then a mysterious stranger from a neighboring country contacts her using ascard. He needs help escaping his prison so he can bring an end to his emperor’s oppressive rule or die trying. His unshakable devotion to his cause and the passion hidden behind his cool arrogance move her to help him at the risk of being branded a traitor herself.
When the politics of society bring them together a second time, Indigo decides to use her growing powers to help him fight his war. If only she dared fight for her own future with such passion. Perhaps she can find the courage to do so by helping the man she has fallen for win his revolution. She might have exactly the power he needs to succeed.
Author Info :
Twitter : Author_NikkiMc
Cry Havoc (Jack Frey #1) by Mike Morris
They say when the demons come, you either fight or you die.
The Black Dogs know this all too well. For three hundred years, the warrior priests have sacrificed their lives to keep the island nation of Abios safe from the flesh-eating Nostros, while the rest of the world fell under the demons’ savagery. However, an armada now stands poised to invade mankind’s last bastion.
Child thief Jack Frey is saved from the gallows and joins the mysterious order. Trained with the bullet and the blade, Jack finds himself on the front-line of a centuries-old war.
Across the Angel Sea, Lin is fighting for her life. As a slave of the Nostros, she knows death can strike at any time, either at the hands of her masters or her fellow humans.
Little do they know mankind’s fate lies in both their hands.
Author Info :
Twitter : scifimikemorris
Ghost by Jordan C. RobinsonRecently released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Paul is working a dead-end job with little hope for the future. But then he meets Lindsey, a girl that has the potential to change his world.
Their two seemingly incompatible worlds meet a third when a dangerous trio emerge to bring magic and devastation to Portland. Fortunately Paul’s powers are revealed to him, giving him a way to fight back.
Paul must find a way to win the perfect girl with a less than perfect situation while using his developing powers to save Portland from the trio that bring nothing but trouble.
Author Info :
Website : https://www.jcrbooks.com
Children of the Different by S.C. Flynn
Nineteen years ago, a brain disease known as the Great Madness killed most of the world’s population. The survivors all had something different about their minds. Now, at the start of adolescence, their children enter a trance-like state known as the Changeland and emerge either with special mental powers or as cannibalistic Ferals.
In the great forest of South West Western Australia, thirteen-year-old Arika and her twin brother Narrah go through the Changeland. They encounter an enemy known as the Anteater who feeds on human life. He exists both in the Changeland and in the outside world, and he wants the twins dead.
After their Changings, the twins have powers that let them fight their enemy and face their destiny on a long journey to an abandoned American military base on the north-west coast of Australia…if they can reach it before time runs out.
Children of the Different is a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel set among the varied landscapes and wildlife of Western Australia.
Author Info :
Twitter : leftblank
The Narrows by Travis M. Riddle
“I can show you how to enter the Narrows to find what you seek.”
Oliver and his friends have returned to their hometown of Shumard, Texas for the funeral of their close friend Noah. They each grapple with the loss in their own ways, trying to understand the strange circumstances of their friend’s unexpected death.
While visiting the site where the body was found, Oliver stumbles across a chilling discovery that he knows must be related to what happened to Noah. Wanting to protect his friends from these newfound horrors, Oliver takes it upon himself to venture into the grotesque otherworld known as the Narrows to learn what happened to his friend and find a way to bring him back.
Entering the Narrows is one thing, but will whatever he finds there allow him to leave?
Author Info :
Twitter : traviswanteat
