Weekly Wrap Up : 11/03/18
Talk about the best laid plans. Haha, this week has been all about the best laid plans -going to hell in a handcart. Anyway, I got to read one book – yes ONE BOOK – and I’m 50% into my other book so …. And, today is Mother’s Day, so that was nice. Hope you’ve all had a good week.
Books read:
- Master Assassins by Robert VS Redick

Next Week’s Reads:
- Planetfall by Emma Newman
- The Bitter Twins by Jen Williams – I’ve read 50%
- Looking Glass by Andrew Mayne
Upcoming reviews:
- Starborn by Lucy Hounsom
- Envy of Angels by Matt Wallace
- The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (Vintage Sci Fi book)
- Semiosis by Sue Burke
- Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking
- Master Assassins by Robert VS Redick
I’d love to know what you’re reading this week.
On Mother’s Day
To all the women out there – I salute you. Mum’s, chums, aunts, grans, sisters, daughters, everyone. Have a great day. And, just for being you, here are a few fictional mums that I thought I’d share:
1. The Other Mother – from Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. She is one scary mother. *shivers*. Is there anything about her at all that is redeemable – I’m struggling to find it – although I suppose she’s acting true to character, even if that is rather dark and scary and with button eyes. I couldn’t miss her off the list though. Such a great book and a fantastic animation.

2. Molly Weasley from JKRowling’s Harry Potter. You have to love her, she’s super mumsy but also ultimately kick ass when needs must. You all know what I’m talking about:’
Not my daughter you bitch’
3. Cersei Lanister – GRRMartin’s Game of thrones. Her own ambition leads to the downfall of her children. Not an ideal role model for sure but makes for great reading and watching.
‘shame!’
4. Mercy – from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. She’s such a great friend and protector to Jesse (Adam’s) daughter. She knows when to say something and what to say, when therapeutic shopping is needed and when cookies are the only thing that will help.

5. Toby Daye’s mum from the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire – a mother who is largely absent. I can’t say too much about her because it will be all spoilery but she’s a woman who has lost her grip on reality and has largely taken herself out of the picture. However, she does make the odd appearance – and usually just when needed. I haven’t read all the series so I’m still finding out where her story arc takes me.

6. Phedre from Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series. Thank goodness for Phedre! Let’s just say that she goes to great lengths to rescue Imriel and then adopts him as her own. She is pretty amazing.
7. Mrs Bennett – from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Okay, she is a bit of a schemer, she does interfere a tad but her heart is in the right place. And, anyway, everyone knows that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in need of a wife. Right?
Tell me your fictional mums that must go on the list.
‘…but Icarus flew too close’
9 March 2018
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Dune, Frank Herbert, Friday Face off

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. This week’s theme:
‘…but Icarus flew too close’ – a cover featuring the Sun
This week I had a book that didn’t work out because there was only one cover, I had a book that did work but was a bit sneaky and so the book I eventually found was : Dune (Dune #1) by Frank Herbert:
I’m not sure which is my favourite this week. I think I have a joint favourite:
Which is your favourite?
Next week – a cover featuring a doll or puppet
Future themes:
16th March – ‘I got no strings to hold me down’ – a cover featuring a doll or puppet
23rd March – “When she was a child, the witch locked her away in a tower that had neither doors nor stairs.” – a cover featuring a Tower
30th March – ‘A little soil to make it grow’ – a cover featuring seeds/spores
6th April – “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” – a cover featuring a family
13th April – ‘lawns and rocks and heather and different sorts of trees, lay spread out below them, the river winding through it’ – a cover featuring a panorama
20th April – Where there’s fire there’s… – a cover featuring smoke
27th April – ‘Those darling byegone times… with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of torture’ – a cover that is positively mediaeval
4th May- ‘A Hand without a hand? A bad jape, sister.’ – a cover featuring a hand/hands
11th May – ‘Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth’ – a cover featuring a dinosaur/s
18th May – ‘Let’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs;’ – a cover featuring a gravestone
25th May – Trip trap, trip trap, trip trap – a cover featuring footsteps
1st June – clinging and invasive – a cover featuring creeping vines
8th June – Raining Cats and Dogs – a cover featuring a stormy sky
Waiting on Wednesday : Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) by Sebastien de Castell
7 March 2018
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Charmcaster, Sebastien de Castell, Spellslinger #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: Charmcaster (Spellslinger #3) by Sebastien de Castell – publication is very close! March 17th – which is just as well because I’m hooked to this series and can’t wait to read on.
The third book in the page-turning SPELLSLINGER fantasy series.
‘I was getting almost as good at running away from enemies as I was at making them in the first place. Turns out, I wasn’t running nearly fast enough.’
Kellen has begun to master his spellslinging and the Argosi tricks for staying alive, and he and Reichis have found a career that suits them both: taking down mercenary mages who make people’s lives miserable. But Ferius is concerned that Kellen is courting disaster . . .
Perfect for fans of The Dark Tower, Firefly, Guardians of the Galaxy, Terry Pratchett, Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.






