Top Ten Tuesday : Books With an Adjective In the Title
22 March 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books with an adjective in the title, 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:
Books With an Adjective In the Title
- The Great Witch of Brittany by Louisa Morgan
- This Charming Man by CK McDonnell
- The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
- The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
- The Drowned City by KJ Maitland
- The Two Faced Queen by Nick Martell
- The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
- The Rising Tide by Sam Lloyd
- The Red Monarch by Bella Elis
- The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandell
Top Ten Tuesday : Books on my Spring 2022 tbr
15 March 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Spring TBR, 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:
Books on my Spring 2022 tbr
I’ve missed a couple of TTT posts recently but was keen to take part in this one as it gives me a good chance to look at some forthcoming books that I’m excited about. For ease I’m including April, May and June as the months of Spring – I know this isn’t strictly the correct dates but there you go. So, here are 10 books off my Spring TBR.
1. The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne, release date 14th April. I’m nearly bursting at the seams waiting to read this one. I’ll be picking it up very soon. I absolutely loved The Shadow of the Gods.
2. Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher, release date 26th April. This book sounds like a great combination of everything I love. Check out the description here.
3. Land of the Dead by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi, release date 26th April. OMG I am loving this series and can’t get enough of it. I nearly broke my laptop frantically requesting this one from Netgalley and being approved absolutely made my day. A fantasy series that imagines the strang partnership of Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde battling against all sorts of strange critters.
4. Elektra by Jennifer Saint, release date 28th April. Oh yes, I am all over the Greek mythology retellings at the moment. I can’t get enough of this sort of book and loved Ariadne by this author.
5. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel, release date 28th April. Because Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel are absolutely brilliant reads so this is one of my auto, go to authors.
6. The Girl and the Moon by Mark Lawrence, release date 28th April. I can’t wait to pick this one up and see how everything concludes. This is another auto-pick up author for me – he’s a genius with words.
7. The Night They Vanished by Vanessa Savage, release date 5th May. I already read this author a couple of years ago and enjoyed her writing and this one sounds very intriguing indeed.
8.The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper, release date 12th May. ‘The life of a courtesan in Pompeii’ oh yes, I can’t wait to read this. I really enjoyed The Wolf Den and want to follow Amara’s journey.
9. The Seawomen by Chloe Timms, expected publication 14th June. A debut novel this one and it sounds very interesting indeed, I simply couldn’t resist.
10. In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan, expected publication 21st June. This book sounds amazing and I absolutely love the cover. I’m super excited to have a copy of this and can’t wait to tuck in.
That’s it for me this week. I’ve had to select just a few from each month but will outline each month’s books in more detail at the start of each month. This is just a Spring snippet. What’re you all waiting to read this Spring?
Top Ten Tuesday : Dynamic Duos
22 February 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Dynamic Duos, 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:
Dynamic Duos
I’m not sure that these are all necessarily ‘dynamic’ but they’re definitely duos from books that I love:
Locke and Jean from Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series. These two are one of my favourite duos. They’re both entertaining, they come up with the mother of all heists and yet seem to get into no end of mischief trying to pull them off. Definitely a great series and one that I can’t wait to read more of.
Toby and Tybalt from the Toby Daye series of books. Toby and Tybalt are both fae, Toby a changeling and Tybalt the King of the Court of Cats (this is massively over-simplified). Toby is a great character that I really like and Tybalt, well lets just say it out loud – he’s a bit of mind candy. Yum. I loved this series and need to get back on board and catch up.
Jalan Kendeth and Snorri ver Snagason from the Red Queen’s War trilogy by Mark Lawrence. I loved this pair and in fact this series. This couple are definitely the oddest couple to travel and adventure together. Jalan is a self confessed coward and Snorri seems to run toward danger whooping and hollering. I still think that The Wheel of Osheim (the concluding book) is one of my all time favourite reads and in fact now I’ve sat here thinking about it I’m thinking a reread might be in order.
Mercy and Adam from the Mercy Thompson books by Patricia Briggs. I love this series and part of the reason is because of the solid way that Briggs writes the relationship between Mercy and Adam. They have problems, they’re not perfect, but they love each other and their family and pack. The series that keeps on giving.
Tomas Piety and Sergeant Bloody Anne from the War for the Rose Throne trilogy by Peter Mclean. This is one compelling series to read about. Dark and gritty expertly mixing fantasy and gangster with the resultant bloodshed and violence that you might expect. I decided on Tomas and Anne because they’ve been through such a lot together. Priest of Bones is the first in series. My review is here.
Wydrin of Crosshaven and Sir Sebastian Caverson from The Copper Cat series by Jen Williams. This is another favourite series and a couple of characters that I just adored. There is another character that joins the pair but Wydrin (or the Copper Cat as she is affectionately known) and Sebastian have travelled together through thick and thin and have a great friendship and level of trust.
Joron Twiner and Meas Gilbryn or Lucky Meas. Joron and Meas make a great partnering in this series. I’m not going to say anything more because there lies the land of spoilers and I don’t want to ruin this read and the joy of discovering what it’s all about for others. So, what else can I say – adventures upon the high seas, sea dragons, fantastic world building and great characters that you can’t help but become attached to – The Bone Ships is the first in the Tide Child series by RJ Barker and it’s an absolute stunner.
Ruc and Bien from The Empire’s Ruin, the first in the Ashes of the Unhewn Throne series by Brian Staveley. I haven’t read everything from this author (which I feel suitably ashamed about) but having read and loved Skullsworn I was absolutely determined to get on board with this new series as soon as it was available. Ruc and Bien make for some great reading (although my favourite of the story was Gwenna – who I absolutely adored) – the great thing about this book, in fact, and the reason why I loved it so much, is the characters. There are a good few to choose from and they’re all intriguing to read about and excellently portrayed.
ST and Dennis (a pet crow and pet dog) from Kira Jane Buxton’s Hollow Kingdom. I resisted reading this one for a while, I’m not sure why but my mind wasn’t totally convinced by a story told by a crow who teams up with a dog. Well, how wrong could I be – just a heck of a lot is all. This book (and the next) are brilliant. I loved ST and his canine companion. Highly recommended.
Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker are the leading partnership in the Stoker’s Wilde series by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi. I am loving this series. It’s a fantastic blend ‘a good epistolary style novel set in the Victorian era that is a reimagining of the lives of Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde’. Why wouldn’t you love to read about these two characters – obviously you would.
Top Ten Tuesday : Books Too Good to Review Properly
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:
Books Too Good to Review Properly
I like this prompt although when I first started making a list I felt like it was turning into a ‘best of’ list so instead I’ve looked back across a few years. I was actually trying to find those reviews where I actually say something along the lines of ‘I don’t think I can do this book justice in a review’ and I think I have found four or five reviews that say something similar. Plus a couple of reviews where I apologise for gushing profusely because I loved the book so much. Anyway, here are ten excellent books:
- The Ladies of the Secret Service by Constance Sayers
- The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
- Come With Me by Ronald Malfi
- The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd
- The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky
- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow
- The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
- The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
- Skullsworn by Brian Staveley
- Sea of Rust by C Robert Cargill
Top Ten Tuesday : February Book Tag
8 February 2022
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: February Tag, Month of Romance, Romance Freebie, 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:
A love freebie
My love freebie is going to be a tag that I’ve put together for the month of February (the month of romance) with ten prompts:
1.
The shortest month of the year – A short story or novella that you would like everyone to know about
My first book is a lovely novella called Snowspelled (the first in the Harwood Spellbook series) by Stephanie Burgis. A book that feels positively Austen(ish) with magic, elves and a nugget of a romance.
2.
Valentine’s Day – your favourite romance novel
I was torn with this one. Strictly speaking I don’t read romance novels – which isn’t to say that I don’t read books where romances play a part – but, I have read a few romances over the course of my reading life and I definitely had a few contenders for this one but I’ve gone for a book that definitely has longevity. The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Jamie and Claire make for some very entertaining reading.
3.
Leap Year – ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’ – the year for proposing. A book with your favourite couple
Again, quite a few favourite couples for this one but I’ve decided to go with another couple from a series with longevity and that have definitely been put through the wringer. Adam and Mercy from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I’m loving this series and I’m always anxious to return.
4.
Romeo – Could be a book boyfriend, could be your favourite male character
I have only one book boyfriend. I’m ridiculously faithful in this respect. My book boyfriend is Jean Tannen – best buddy to Locke Lamora (The Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. I don’t know what it is about this character that appeals to me but I just like him – and I can’t wait for the next instalment so that I can read some more of these two maniacsm shenanigans.
5.
Juliet – Could be a book girlfriend, could be your favourite female character
I thought to go with a longish series for this one such as the Toby Daye books or True Blood series but then I was scanning through my lists and realised that I loved the character Vasilisa from Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy. This is such a beautiful series of books that I highly recommend.
6.
Love Triangle – love it or hate it
Well, the first love triangle that popped into my head was the one between Bella, Edward and Jacob from Stephanie Meyers Twilight. Love it or hate it this is a book that really divided opinion. And, for a long time we had a lot of vampire stories flooding the market – not to mention a surge in love triangles. I can’t say I really enjoyed the relationship(s) between these three and I can’t deny it put me off the whole idea of love triangles.
7.
Enemies to lovers
Well, for this prompt I thought I’d go with a well tried, often (for me) reread classic. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I love this book and watching the change between Ms Bennet and Mr Darcy as they get over themselves and finally come to terms with the fact that they’re inexplicably in love – especially given the way Darcy originally proposed:
‘In vain I have struggled. It will not do! My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. In declaring myself thus I’m fully aware that I will be going expressly against the wishes of my family, my friends, and, I hardly need add, my own better judgement.
The relative situation of our families is such that any alliance between us must be regarded as a highly reprehensible connection’ – not exactly rocking the romance vibe is he.
8.
Sweet like chocolate – a book that is positively delicious
I’m going to go for the Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris. This is in fact the fourth in the Chocolat series but I think you could quite safely read this as a standalone. It’s an absolutely beautiful story, amazing writing, great characters and oozing with emotion. And chocolate.
9.
A Rose By Any Other Name – a book with a romance that you didn’t expect
The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart. This is the second book in the Drowning Empire series and I’m loving it. The romance between two of the main characters is only just beginning to bloom and it isn’t the main focus of the story by a long shot but it’s got a lovely slow burn feel to it. This is a story set in an absolutely fascinating world. The magic and creatures are incredibly unique and the characters are really well drawn.
10.
A book that broke your heart
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Well, it didn’t break my heart really but when I read this I was only about 15 and I so wanted the happy ending. Famous last lines notwithstanding at the end of this I just simply didn’t have the gumption to write my own happily ever after in my head. Ahh, how I loved this book though.
I’m not going to tag anyone in particular but if you fancy having a go at my Romance or February Tag then I’d love to read your choices.
Books and travelling with Lynn 