All Good Things..
13 December 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Ten Highly Anticipated books for 2017, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic.
Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To For The First Half Of 2017
Oh My Giddy Aunt – how many great books are due out next year! A. LOT. I had no problem with this post – here are but a few books to tempt your fancy (Whoops, I went over slightly):
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Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence – due April 2017
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With Blood Upon the Sand (The Song of the Shattered Sands #2)
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Winter of the Gods (Olympus Bound #2) by Jordanna Max Brodsky – due February 2017
- The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden – due January 2017
- Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough – due January 2017
- City of Miracles (The Divine Cities #3) by Robert J Bennett – due April 2017
- Heartstone by Elle Katharine White – due January 2017
- The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy #1) by Jen Williams – due February 2017
- Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – due February 2017
- Brimstone by Cherie Priest – due April 2017
- Gilded Cage by Vic James – due February 2017
Okay – I went over – but I really could have gone on, and on!
And, for those of you who like the bright and sparkly things, feast your eyes on these:
Dear Santa..
29 November 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Christmas list, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic.
Ten books to buy as presents for people who like ‘x’:
This week I’m choosing options for people who like a certain type of book – books I would pick for people looking for ‘x’
- The classics retelling – Longbourn by Jo Baker, a different take on Pride and Prejudice. I loved this, told from the ‘downstair’s perspective. I also have Eligibile by Curtis Sittenfeld waiting to be read too which might also make a similar list – hopefully. These are two books I know my dad would love.
- Romance – The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons – I don’t do romance but I’ll make an exception for this – because Alexander. Read it and then come back and tell if I’m wrong.
- Time travel – Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – again, I’m not overly fond of time travel (or romance) and this book mixes both but in a really good way.
- Short stories – Monstrous Little Voices. I don’t tend to like short reads but this book is great. A collection of short stories set in the worlds created by Shakespeare. No need to be an expert – I’m certainly not one. All of the stories interlink and they’re just really well done – which isn’t a surprise given the authors involved. Emma Newman, Jonathan Barnes, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Kate Heartfield and Foz Meadows.
- Urban Fantasy – Seanan McGuire’s Toby Daye series. A great series that I’m absolutely loving. If you know somebody, currently looking for a new UF series then add this one to our shopping list.
- Contemporary YA – 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough. This was a great read, Mean Girls sort of meets Gone Girl – for want of a better description.
- YA Fantasy – for those just dipping their toes into the world of fantasy – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.
- Hardened fantasy fans who want something different and unique – The Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence.
- Sci fi for people who want more accessible sci fi – Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel. I’ve just read this and loved it.
- And, this one is blank – so you can all suggest a book you’d buy for somebody.
Sci-fi movie fest! #RRSciFiMonth
15 November 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #RRSciFiMonth, Broke and Bookish, Movie freebie, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is :
Movie Freebie

Given that November is Sci Fi Month (organised by Rinn Reads and Over the Effing Rainbow this is a fun event that celebrates sci fi) I’m going with science fiction movies and here are ten that I always enjoy:
1. Alien – I love this film. It’s dark and downright scary. I recall years ago watching a documentary about the making of the film and one story stood out to me – which was about the shooting of the ‘chest burster’ scene where the alien breaks out of Kane’s chest. Apparently the other actors – although they knew that the alien would be, literally, bursting out, they weren’t aware of all the special effects in terms of the blood and viscera. The scene was a one take effort and the stunned surprise that you witness was real as opposed to actual acting! I think that’s a great story. I have no idea if it’s true but the scene is brilliant!

2. Star Wars – and I’m talking about the first film now (as I refuse to call it No4). No funny story as such but a whole bunch of quotes – guess the character:
“You don’t need to see his identification … These aren’t the droids you’re looking for … He can go about his business … Move along.”
“I find your lack of faith disturbing.”
“Boring conversation anyway. Luke, we’re gonna have company!”
“Into the garbage chute, flyboy!”
“What a piece of junk!”
3. Jurassic Park. I thought maybe a little bit of useless (or incredibly useful depending on your pov) info about the main star – the T-rex. One of the largest built animatronics. 20 feet tall and weighing 17,500 pounds (which, wow!) The roar was a combination of a baby elephant, tiger and alligator. The breath was a whale’s blow and the sounds of the T-rex tearing apart a Gallimimus were created by recording a dog attacking a rope toy!

4. Avatar. Production originally began in 1994 and yet the film didn’t premiere until 2009! This film may have cost A LOT to produce but it surely must be one of the most visually stunning pieces of work ever and here’s the original trailer if you want to have a gander:
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5. Matrix – maybe not everyone’s cup of tea but I loved this and it certainly set the bar for action scenes with the invention of Bullet Time (not to mention a lot of spoofs)! I love all the references in the film, e.g. Morpheus (Greek God of dreams). But I particularly like the Alice in Wonderland reference. ‘follow the white rabbit’.

6. Terminator 2 – great film – and surely has some of the best quotes ever! Well, you might not really ever have need of them but I like them – here are a few:
‘I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.’
‘Come with me if you want to live!’
‘Say… That’s a nice bike…’
‘Did you call *moi* a dipshit?’
7. 12 Monkeys – time travelling, post apocalyptic, neo noir – what’s not to love? In fairness though, I didn’t love this the first time I saw it! But then it just grew on me – like a mutated fungus!!!

8. The Fifth Element – funnily enough this is another Bruce Willis film (see above) and was also another film that took a little while to grow on me (yet more fungus – just call me a truffle!).
Leeloo: Leeloo Dallas mul-ti-pass. Korben Dallas: Yeah. Leeloo: Mul-ti-pass. Korben Dallas: Yeah, multipass, she knows it's a multipass. Leeloo Dallas. This is my wife. Leeloo: Mul-ti-pass. Korben Dallas: We're newlyweds. Just met. You know how it is. We bumped into each other, sparks happen... Leeloo: Mul-ti-pass. Korben Dallas: Yes, she knows it's a multipass. Anyway, we're in love.
And here: ‘Big Bada Boom!’
9. Interstellar – I think this film is fantastic. I definitely needed to watch it more than once though I will admit! Very clever and some mind bending scenes!

10. Finally, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The movie trailer (plus bonus points for spotting the Potter character):
‘These are the voyages of one blogger… to boldly read’ #RRSciFiMonth
8 November 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: #RRSciFiMonth, The Broke and the Bookish, Top Ten Tuesday

Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is :
Ten Books I’ve Added To My To-Be-Read List Lately

Given that November is Sci Fi Month (organised by Rinn Reads and Over the Effing Rainbow this is a fun event that celebrates sci fi) I’ve added quite a few sci fi titles to my tbr just recently:
- A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers – which I will be picking up in December as part of a readalong group – details on Goodreads.
- Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel – I’ve already completed and loved this book – I highly recommend it and my review is here.
- Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, Christopher Gibbs I love the sound of this one – recommended to me by Sarah over at Brainfluff
- Illuminae: The Illuminae Files: Book 1 (Illuminae Files 1) by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman – this is a book that has such positive reviews that I just can’t resist – next up for my sci fi reading.
- The Wolf Road by Beth Lewis – apparently this debut novel is described as perfect ‘for fans of Station Eleven – see above!
- Morning Star: Red Rising Trilogy 3 (The Red Rising Trilogy)by Pierce Brown – I loved the first two books in this series so it’s a bit of a mystery why I haven’t picked this one up yet – I think it may be part of my reluctance to finish series that I’m really enjoying!
- Leviathan Wakes: Book 1 of the Expanse by James S A Corey – another book that I’ve heard many many people wax lyrical about – I bought this for last year’s event but didn’t get the time to pick it up so hopefully this year will be the year!
- Defenders by Will McIntosh – another book that I’ve owned for quite some time – it could be bumped up the list for the sci fi event – sounds really scary to be honest!
- Or, if I want something a bit less scary by the same author Love Minus Eighty – which is currently sat on my wishlist (what to do – I suppose I should read the book I already own really!)
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Authority (The Southern Reach Trilogy, Book 2) by Jeff VanderMeer – another scary sci fi – at least the first one was so I’m just gonna make that assumption
Well, seriously, I can’t expect to read all 10 but I have already completed one and I’m taking part in a readalong during December for the other so realistically I’m hoping to put about another 3 of the others under my belt! We’ll see.



