Category: For Fun

End of Year Book Tag!

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In today’s End of Year book tag post, I’m taking part in a book tag that the lovely Misty @ Misty’s Book Space tagged me in. I’m a little late to the party with Just 11 days left in the year…. But it’s just a bit of fun!

Let’s get stuck in!

 

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I only have one book on hold at the end of this year, and I won’t finish it in 2023.

Earlier in the year I started listening to Queen of Our Times. Whilst I am enjoying the book, I ended up putting this on hold to pick up at a time where I was better suited to this type of non-fiction.

December’s reading list is already christened (and I’m not likely to finish that either). I’ll have to pick this up again in 2024!

 

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

I wouldn’t describe myself as much of a seasonal reader. At times I do, but not consistently. As a result, I have nothing seasonal on my reading list for December.

I had a couple of seasonal reads in October / November. Ironically, I didn’t pick either up at the ‘right time’. In October, I started The Shining on Halloween but ended up reading most of the book in November. A second read, based loosely on the Gunpowder plot, would have been an ideal read in November. I didn’t get to it at all though. Maybe next year!

 

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

I’m only eagerly anticipating one release, and that’s not until next year. I’m not one for keeping too much of an eye on upcoming books in any case, but doing this End of Year book tag post so late in the day would limit my choice for 2023 releases. I feel like the savvy author would have published them in time for Christmas gifting.

The only book I am looking forward to releasing in the near future, and I have a pre-order of, is Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff. The book comes out on the 29th February 2024 – you bet I’ll be re-reading the first book in February so I can pick this up in March!

 

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

I have a reading goal of completing more than 15 non-fiction books by the end of the year. As of this post, I’m close to that goal. I’ve read 14 and I have the last two books on the go.

Currently, I’m listening to How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and physically reading The Success Code by John Lees.

If I have to prioritise a third book to finish off the rest of my December TBR, it will be Chaos and Order. I’ve agreed to read and review the book, so that’s a priority over the others. But for that, I’d have had a hard time choosing one as I have a number of great books on the list.

 

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?

Gemina is a contender for that title. After reading and loving Illuminae earlier in the year, I wanted to pick this sequel up before the end of the year to keep up momentum.

One of my goals is to continue with series, (and spoiler alert, this is likely to continue into 2024). With this in mind, picking up a detailed, but easy to read mixed media book that’s a sequel to a 5* read just makes sense!

 

Have you already started making reading plans for 2024?

I have started making plans, although nothing is set in stone yet. At the beginning of the year I typically set myself reading goals and this is also my intention in 2024.

A fair amount of work is going on behind the scenes to take stock of where I’m at with my reading, the books I own etc and this will likely shape my goals next year. Honestly, I don’t expect my ‘core’ reading goals to change drastically, but watch this space. I may yet change my mind!

I also think I’ll be setting myself some blog/social media goals for the first time. However, that’s all to be worked out in the next couple of weeks and I’ll be sharing these with you in January. 

 

I hope you have enjoyed my end of year book tag post. Are you looking to complete any goals before the end of the year? Are you setting any for 2024?

 

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First Lines Friday – 15/12/2023

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It’s the end of another working week, so congratulations… we made it! In today’s First Lines Friday post, I am excited to feature a young adult novel I discovered through the Currently Reading podcast.

For today’s First lines Friday post, I set myself the challenge of featuring a book I don’t yet own. When I prepare these posts, I typically gravitate towards books I already own, whether that’s physical or on kindle. It’s easier to sample those and find a great intro, as they are more readily to hand. However, I wanted to break that habit. With a wealth of information at our fingertips, that’s not the only way I can fulfil this post.

Today’s First Lines Friday introduction is short and snappy, but gets the point in an interesting way! Shall we take a look?

 

The room where they at last found him was so cold, they wondered at first if he had frozen to death. Face as white as snow, skin as cold as frost, lips as blue as ice. His expression seemed, to the police, perfectly peaceful. As if he had passed away in the middle of a very lovely dream.

Except for the blood.

Blood always tells its own story.

 

 

The Kingdom – Jess Rothenburg

 

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 352

Audience: Adult / Young Adult

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Publication Date: 28 May 2019

 

 

Goodreads – The Kingdom

Welcome to the Kingdom… where ‘Happily Ever After’ isn’t just a promise, but a rule.

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species–formerly extinct–roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful “princesses” engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time… love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana’s memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty–and what it truly means to be human.

 

My Thoughts…

The Kingdom is unlike other books on my reading list, and I liked the sound of the premise. It’s for that reason that I added the book, and it is because of the introduction in today’s post that I am excited to be picking it up soon! If you read my Top Ten Tuesday – Winter TBR post earlier this week, you will know that I’m looking to pick up the book in the next three months.

Having looked back at the episode in which Meredith featured her experience of reading The Kingdom, I’ve reminded myself that this book has elements of mixed media. That’s something I have discovered and enjoyed reading in 2023, and I’m actively looking to include more books in this style in 2024. The story is told through a combination of courtroom testimony and the memories of the main character… an AI.

In the podcast, Meredith also shares that the book is a great insight into some of the backstage things that happen in theme parks. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to one, but I’m looking forward to the setting and exploring that in more detail.

Meredith loved this book, and it made for a quick read for her. I’m hopeful for the same myself, and it gives me the chance to pick up something unlike anything I have read before.

Have you read The Kingdom by Jess Rothenburg?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – 2023/2024 Winter TBR

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Over the course of 2023 I’ve been sharing Top Ten Tuesday seasonal TBR’s, (Spring, Summer and Autumn here) and today is no exception! In today’s post, I share the top 10 books I would like to prioritise reading in winter of 2023/2024.

I have a lot of books on my reading list and a rough idea of some of the goals I would like to set myself for reading in 2024. Some of them are a continuation of goals I set myself in 2023, and it’s with these in mind that I have put together this Top Ten Tuesday list.

Are you interested to see which books I intend to read in the next three months? Then, without further ado, let’s dive in:

 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

The first of the books on this list are ones that I am picking up throughout the month of December. It feels appropriate to feature them first, given that I will be physically getting to them first.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a book I have intended to read for a while, but chose to expedite and pick up as a mood read last month. I went and watched the film in the cinema and I loved the story. A combination of a busy festive period so far, and I suspect, knowing what happens in the book, has meant that reading progress is a little slower than usual. However, I am enjoying the content. Given that I’m getting into the meat of the book now, I’m hopeful to finish the book soon!

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People

The second book on this list is another I intend to pick up in December. Contributing towards my non-fiction reading goal, I’m looking to finish How to Win Friends and Influence People before the end of 2023.

A further motive I have for picking the book up sooner rather than later is because I feel the content will complement a workshop I attended at work recently. Like I did with a similar communication course, I decided to follow that up with a relevant book (Surrounded by Idiots) and that worked really well the first time. I found exploring the content again in more detail in audio, helped cement what I learned and practised in that workshop.

 

Gemina

The last book I feature in this Top Ten Tuesday post that is relevant towards my 2023 reading is Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Technically this book does contribute towards a reading goal of picking up and carrying on with series. However, the main reason I want to pick the book up is because I enjoyed the first one earlier this year and I don’t want to leave it too long before picking up the sequel.

This series is also a fun one to read as the story is told in mixed media format. That is something I have discovered this year and I have really enjoyed it! I’ve tried the format in multiple genres (sci-fi and mystery) and it works really well in both cases. I have quite a few books that I intend to read in December, and although Gemina is one of the longer ones, it will also be one of the easiest to read. I’m looking forward to it for the enjoyment factor alone!

 

The Hunger Games

As I briefly mentioned above, I have intended to pick up The Hunger Games trilogy again since watching and enjoying the films on TV not long ago. At the time, I didn’t realise that the film for the prequel was about to be released and that’s why they were showing. Once I found out, I decided that I was going to read the prequel and the series again in full, together!

I am currently reading the prequel, so I don’t intend to leave it too long before I go back in to the main series. By my reckoning, it’s been about 10 years since I picked up this original series and I’m curious to see how the experience will differ from last time!

 

The Good Samaritan

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs has been on my reading list for a little while. I always intended it to be my first John Marrs book, but my TBR jar put paid to that plan when I pulled out The Minders.

Incidentally, this is my current audiobook listen as of drafting this post and my experience of both the book and the author is a great one. I’m always slower on audio, but that’s no reflection on the book. It’s just not my preferred format. I’ve been listening to the book for a few weeks now and I’m getting to the point in the story where events are really picking up. I anticipate listening to the audio more intently as I’m intrigued by the narrative, and also mindful that I have at least one other audio that I want to get through before the end of the year!

Based on my experience of The Minders, I’m looking forward to picking up The Good Samaritan. The plot itself is what caught my attention, but the writing style of The Minders makes me think that The Good Samaritan could be even better than I expect!

 

Unmasked

I’m undecided as to whether I’m going to set myself non-fiction goal next year, but I want to keep up with reading them all the same.

Unmasked is a book I discovered and added to my reading list in the last few months. I’m intrigued to pick up Unmasked as it explores what it is like to live with neurodivergence such as ADHD and autism. I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with autism as an adult and honestly, I’m intrigued to read this perspective! We are all different people, have different values and think differently. However, I’m curious to read and experience a neurodivergent perspective and understand better what that means and the impact it has. 

 

Undoctored

Along the lines of continuing with non-fiction reads, I want to pick up the third non-fiction book by Adam Kay on my Top Ten Tuesday Winter reading list, Undoctored.

I have already read This Is Going to Hurt and T’was the Nightshift Before Christmas and I loved both books. Incidentally, this author came up recently in a chat amongst my friends, and that reminded me that I still had this book on my reading list to pick up. Whereas the other books on this winter TBR are either more serious or detailed fantasy/sci-fi worlds, Undoctored will add a degree of comedy to my reading that I don’t include much otherwise.

 

The Auschwitz Photographer

The last non-fiction book on this Top Ten Tuesday list is one that caught my eye in The Works ages ago. Whilst I don’t yet own a copy, I will happily read or listen to this book in any format.

Don’t ask me what it is, because I can’t rightly tell you, but I love books set around or about World War II. In particular, I have read quite a few that centre around experiences of the concentration camps. Previously I’ve enjoyed fiction (inspired by real experiences) such as The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris. More recently, I’ve read more non-fiction on the topic, including The Diary of Anne Frank and just last month, The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield.

It’s a topic that I can (and clearly do) read over and over again!

 

The Measure

These last two books on today’s Top Ten Tuesday post are books that don’t necessarily contribute to any reading goal, but I want to pick up because I like the sound of them!

I added The Measure to my reading list just over a year ago. The synopsis grabbed my attention, and it immediately popped into my mind when thinking about what mood reads I might want to read in the next few months.

Imagine waking up one day and receiving a parcel that would tell you just how long you had left to live. Imagine the whole neighbourhood gets one, and the consequences that would cause. That’s the concept of this book, and it has some great ratings on Goodreads. I can’t wait to see if The Measure meets expectations!

The Kingdom

The Kingdom is a standalone fantasy novel, which makes it unique on my TBR. I am typically a series reader, but I am excited to pick up this standalone. What also makes it a little different is that it has an element of romance, and then different again, between a robot and a human.

Combine fantasy and science fiction with murder mystery, and you’ve got the components of The Kingdom. Told through courtroom testimony, we explore the truth of what happens to Owen through his accused murderer’s case.

Truthfully, I added this to my reading list because it is an interesting concept and very unlike anything on my reading list to date. I picking this up for the variety it offers to my reading!

 

Summary

Those are the books I’m featuring in today’s Top Ten Tuesday – Winter TBR.

Have you read any of the books I featured in today’s Top Ten Tuesday list? Do you have any books you would like to recommend me to pick up in 2024?

As always, I’m really excited to hear from you, so please get in touch!

 

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Shelf Control #72 – 08/12/2023

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Happy Friday lovely readers and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post. If you are reading this post as it goes live then I am out at a Christmas party. I’ve prepared today’s Shelf Control in advance of those plans… so hopefully I’ve managed to schedule the post correctly!

Shelf Control posts are a great way of taking a look at the books on my reading list, and admittedly, are nice, easy and formulaic post for me to draft on a deadline! Shall we get into it?

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Today’s book is an older fantasy novel that incorporates some of the most common tropes of the genre. Let’s take a look at the book:

 

The Dragonbone Chair – Tad Williams

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 672

Audience: Adult

Publisher: DAW

Publication Date: 25 Oct 1988

 

 

Goodreads – The Dragonbone Chair

A war fueled by the powers of dark sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, lies dying. And with his death, the Storm King, the undead ruler of the elf-like Sithi, seizes the chance to regain his lost realm through a pact with the newly ascended king. Knowing the consequences of this bargain, the king’s younger brother joins with a small, scattered group of scholars, the League of the Scroll, to confront the true danger threatening Osten Ard.

Simon, a kitchen boy from the royal castle unknowingly apprenticed to a member of this League, will be sent on a quest that offers the only hope of salvation, a deadly riddle concerning long-lost swords of power. Compelled by fate and perilous magics, he must leave the only home he’s ever known and face enemies more terrifying than Osten Ard has ever seen, even as the land itself begins to die.

After the landmark Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, the epic saga of Osten Ard continues with the brand-new novel, The Heart of What Was Lost. Then don’t miss the upcoming trilogy, The Last King of Osten Ard, beginning with The Witchwood Crown!

 

My Thoughts

When I added this book to my reading list, I had no idea that it was published in the 80’s or that it inspired George R.R. Martin. I added the book as I like the sound of the premise, and the fantasy formula is one I like.

Admittedly, there are some tropes in here that are used a LOT in fantasy. Sometimes I get a bored of them. However, as a reader of the genre these are near impossible to get away from. Usually, I try to change up what I’m reading in order to give myself enough of a break before coming back to these kinds of books.

Am I excited to pick up a book by a writer who has influenced more modern works? Yes! I’m also looking forward to reading something a little older than the usual books. I pick up to see how the genre and writing styles in general have evolved over time.

Have you read The Dragonbone Chair, or any others books in Tad Williams’s Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series? Would you like to? I’d love to hear from you!

 

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First Lines Friday – 17/11/2023

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Happy reading friends! Welcome to my First Lines Friday post to wrap-up this working week. I hope it’s been a good one?

When I decided I was going to be sharing another First Lines Friday, I decided to keep my options open. The last few times I have published this feature, I have set myself a challenge. Not so this week. Honestly, I had no idea of what I wanted to feature in today’s post. In hindsight, I can see why I left my options open and today’s feature feels like a natural choice. All will make sense if you’ve been reading my blog in due course.

Shall we get to today’s opening lines so we can enjoy my featured First Lines Friday extract together?

 

Coriolanus released the fistful of cabbage into the pot of boiling water, and swore that one day it would never pass his lips again. But this was not that day. He needed to eat a large bowl of the anemic stuff, and drink every drop of broth, to prevent his stomach from growling during the reaping ceremony. It was one of a long list of precautions he took to mask the fact that his family, despite residing in the penthouse of the Capitol’s most opulent apartment building, was as poor as district scum. That at eighteen, the heir to the once-great house of Snow had nothing to live on but his wits.

 

 

 

 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – Suzanne Collins

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 541

Audience: Young Adult

Publisher: Scholastic Fiction

Publication Date: 19 May 2020

 

 

Goodreads – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capital, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute… and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

 

My Thoughts…

I first read The Hunger Games series in my later teenage years. I can’t pinpoint the exact date I read these books as it predates my Goodreads account. Looking back on my Amazon order history (as I read the books on my Kindle), we are looking at dates between 2012 and 2013 for me reading this series. At that time, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes had not been published. In fact, it is quite a recent addition to the series.

This may not come as a surprise feature. If you have been reading my blog in the last few weeks, I’ve mentioned that I have been watching The Hunger Games films on TV. I hadn’t really considered why they were airing them, until I found out that there is an upcoming film release for this prequel. Then it all made sense!

Those films have made me want to re-visit the series anyway. However, when I do so, I am also going to read this prequel novel. Initially I had reservations as the reviews weren’t great. However, as a fan of the universe, I am willing to give it a try!

Have you read The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, or both? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Mainstream Authors I Haven’t Read

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I’m sharing a list of ten mainstream authors I have not yet read. Some of the authors in today’s post are ones I intend to read in future, but there are some that I don’t as well. Never say never though.

Let’s take a look at my list of authors!

 

Sarah J Maas

I’m of two minds whether to try Sarah J. Maas. As a fan of epic fantasy, I’m intrigued as to how these books sit in the genre. On the other hand, I’m not sure about the romance elements of the book.

I might try the first book and see how I get on from there.

 

Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare is another author I don’t have a particular plan to pick up as of writing this post. She is one I may try in future as an experiment though.

If I were to pick her books up, I feel like I’d start with what appears to be her core series, The Mortal Instruments. The rest seem to spin off in either direction from there, so that feels like the logical option.

 

John Grisham

I have 3 John Grisham books on my TBR as of writing this post – Rogue Lawyers, The Litigators and The Rainmaker. However, I’m yet to read to have read any.

I’ve featured some of these books on my blog via Friday features like Shelf Control and I’m excited to read them. If I go on to enjoy these, then John Grisham is an author I can go to town with reading more from. He has a lot of books!

 

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is a classic author, a defining voice in detective novels. However, I am yet to read any!

I don’t even have any on my TBR. Were I to try any of her books, I’d probably go with the one I’ve heard of the most… Murder on the Orient Express. Based on what I’ve read, I believe her books can be read reasonably standalone. If anyone has an alternative recommendation I’d be interested to hear it!

 

James Patterson

Although I don’t currently have any James Patterson books on my TBR, I don’t really know why not. I enjoy the genre he writes in, and he clearly does well for himself in terms of popularity.

Where would I even begin here? I honestly don’t know what book would be best, so any advice would be welcome here!

 

Patricia Cornwell

There is yet another crime fiction writer on this list. Seems like a trend at this point. Do I not read enough?

Post-mortem is probably the first book of hers I would read. The plot seems to have a forensic emphasis, which I would (morbidly) enjoy reading! I have a lot of appreciation for the discoveries that can be made as such a level. Is it a job I’d want? No. But, it’s compelling in fiction all the same.

 

Lee Child

My grandad was fond of the Jack Reacher books, and it’s for this reason that I have Killing Floor on my TBR. However, as of this Top Ten Tuesday post, I’m still yet to try this book and therefore this author!

If I go on to enjoy this book, it’s another expansive series to make my way through. Maybe it’s not want to start yet as I’m trying to reduce the number of series I have ongoing. But, I can pencil in for future!

 

Dan Brown

I’m familiar to some extent with The Da Vinci Code, and it’s the book that would immediately spring to mind if you asked me to name one written by Dan Brown. Although I think I would quite like the book, I haven’t as yet got any plans to pick up any books by this author.

In order to read The Da Vinci code, I’d have to read the first book in the series, Angels and Demons. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t particularly have any burning desire to either.

Maybe it’s one, I’ll get two in future, or perhaps not. Only time will tell!

 

David Baldacci

David Baldacci is another author that you could end up down a rabbit hole of all the books he’s written. As of writing this post, I do intend to pick up this author, and in particular, Memory Man.

Again, as I’m not looking to start any new series just yet, this is one I will park for now and come back to you later. I’m excited by the prospect of having lots of books his to read over time if I enjoy the first one.

 

John Green

The last author I feature in this Top Ten Tuesday is John Green. He has written solo and co-authored a number of books in his career. If asked to name one off the top of my head, I would naturally come out with The Fault in Our Stars. It’s the book, he is really well known for and received such such a good reception of that it has been made into a film.

Based on the sound of the synopsis, I’m not sure it’s a book I would pick up. Then again, I read Me Before You by JoJo Moyes as it is in the same realm of topic. I suppose you can never say never, but we’ll see.

 

I hop you have enjoyed today’s Top Ten Tuesday feature!

Have you read any books by the authors I’ve shared in today’s Top Ten Tuesday post? Are any of them on your reading list?

 

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Shelf Control #71 – 11/10/2023

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Happy Friday lovely readers and welcome to today’s Shelf Control post. Honestly, I’m glad I’m featuring a Shelf Control instead of a Well, I Didn’t Know That! post. Wednesday’s Vikings of Mann post, in terms of content, is very similar to this feature. I wouldn’t have been able to commit to undertaking a Well, I Didn’t Know That! as well.

Shelf Control posts are nice and easy… and give me a chance to get excited about the books I’m going to read! As always, let’s recap the purpose of these posts.

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

Today’s book is actually an omnibus, and currently the first chronologically in a developing, epic scale series. How epic you ask? Well, it has the same number of primary works as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. Intrigued as to what this is? Let’s take a look!

 

The Mage Wars – Mercedes Lackey

The Mage WarsGenre: Fantasy

Pages: 784

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication Date: 06 Sept 2016

 


Goodreads – The Mage Wars

 

Set around three thousand years before the rest of the Valdemar series, this is the ancient history of Velgarth and the story of Skandranon Rashkae, a gryphon with gleaming ebony feathers, keen magesight and acute intelligence. He is the fulfillment of all that the Mage of Silence, the human sorcerer called Urtho, intended to achieve when he created these magical beings to be his champions, the defenders of his realm – a verdant plain long coveted by the evil mage Ma’ar.

Together with Amberdrake, a Healer of body, mind and spirit, Skandranon will defend his nation from his evil counterparts created by Ma’ar, the makaar. The glorious city of White Gryphon will rise from the ashes, but it will take careful negotiation, spying and terrible war against the mysterious Black Kings to secure the stronghold. Even then, the elite guard force, the Silver Gryphons, will discover a greater terror lurking in the forests beyond the city walls…

The Mage Wars omnibus follows Skandranon and his lifelong friend, Amberdrake, and their children, as they seek to establish and defend a Kingdom of peace and tranquillity.


My Thoughts

I’m not committing to starting such a large series when I already have several ongoing. Maybe, because of the size, I should try to finish Discworld before I take this on.

Confession time – I picked up The Mage Wars, together with two other omnibus collections at Waterstones, on a whim. I did check out the books and the author enough to know that these books are very highly rated. I have never read any books by Mercedes Lackey before, but I can recognise potential in the general consensus of the reviews! Flicking through the other books she has written, and looking the average Goodreads rating – she has a good run! 

I love fantasy that involves complex magic systems and plot lines. This omnibus feels like it has all the components of a grand epic fantasy that I enjoy. Personally, I can’t wait to dive in and find out!

The other two omnibus books, I bought at the same time are The Mage Winds and The Mage Storms. I didn’t realise it at the time, but these books chronologically fall later in the series. It’s one of those scenarios where you could read the books in the order they are published, or in chronological order.

I haven’t decided which I’m going to do yet, so if you have any opinions and or experience with these books, I’d love to see what you think I should do? Which should I pick up first?

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Atmospheric Reads

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I’ll feature a variety of atmospheric books that I’ve read and would recommend to readers. The books vary in genre and the type of atmosphere they foster; a good number are spooky reads that would be ideal to pick up this month. However, I wanted to broaden the scope from that so there is something here for all readerships… so fantasy, historical and cozy readers… there are books here for you too!

Let’s check out the books that made it to today’s Top Ten Tuesday list!

 

Spooky Reads

 

The Trail

The Trail is a book I read recently and it has been released at the perfect time to catch on to readers who like to pick up something spooky in October!

If you would like to read my review of this book, then I’ll provide a link to it here. In summary, it’s a small-town and sinister read involving an old disappearance case. When Jess goes back to where her mother disappeared she finds resistance at every turn. Long buried secrets try to stay buried…

 

Pet Sematary

When a family move to an idyllic house on the edge of a wood, they get far more than they bargained for.

Pet Sematary is a great read for fans of horror. I read this book when I was relatively new to the genre and fell in love with it very quickly! It fits the ‘spooky read’ aesthetic perfectly with its dabblings in topics like life and death… or… something else.

 

Imaginary Friend

Most parents dismiss the ramblings of children and their imaginary friends… but sometimes you shouldn’t. Imaginary Friend is a chunky read, yet over its page count it slowly weaves a darker tale into what begins a seemly innocuous child’s life.

I’d especially recommend this to fans of Stephen King as well. I found the method and pace of storytelling quite similar.

 

The Taking of Annie Thorne

The Taking of Annie Thorne gave me chills at the end, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. The Taking of Annie Thorne is my second C.J. Tudor read. I thought The Chalk Man would be a tough act to follow, but apparently not! Both were candidates for this Top Ten Tuesday post and I would honestly recommend either.

This horror/thriller also involves children, and features the titular Annie Thorne, who goes missing for 48 hours. However, when she returns, her brother swears she isn’t the same girl who disappeared that short time ago…

This book is very cleverly written to keep readers guessing at every revelation. It’s a dark, sinister narrative… and I loved it!

 

Fantasy/Dystopian Reads

 

The Hunger Games

All my fantasy reads in this section of my Top Ten Tuesday post have dystopian themes. I confess that The Hunger Games came to mind quite quickly as I’ve watched the first two films on Sky in the last week or so. They happened to be on and I enjoy them. I now want to revisit the books though!

The oppression and stark discrimination, paired with brief glimmers of hope are integral to the setting, characters and plot of this series. That’s why I’m featuring them in this post. They are so well done that the reader cannot help but route for those oppressed to thrive!

 

Red Rising

Red Rising is actually quite similar to The Hunger Games… so if you’d like to read the premise of that book in a sci-fi setting, then Red Rising is perfect for you.

Darrow and his kin risk their lives every day to mine a precious resource that will one day help colonise the planet. However, he learns that he and his people are being lied to and kept in effective slavery to those of higher caste.

In order to exact revenge, he infiltrates his oppressors and plots to take them apart from the inside.

 

Crowfall

This final book in The Raven’s Mark series is fraught with desperation, and the setting, plot and characters all come together in a last ditch attempt to save humanity. Even the Gods are losing power to a mightier force than they. What hope does Ryhalt have of stopping the incoming tide of minions of the Deep Kings?

That’s the premise of this dystopian and war torn setting… and the atmosphere of danger and desperation is palpable throughout.

 

Historical fiction

 

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow

In As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, there is stark contrast between the love a woman has for her home country as it was growing up versus the war ravaged landscape she struggles to live in every day.

It’s easy to fall into a trap of indifference with foreign news, but it is books like As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow that make us open our eyes to the devastation. Salama works in a hospital, stitching up the countless innocent victims caught up in the war. She is far from safe. Hospitals are targets.

In this harrowing tale of a fight for survival, the stress of the war and the choices Salama has had to make in her duties literally haunt her.

 

Historical – Non-Fiction

 

The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank and her family go into hiding in World War II to escape the anti-Semitic treatment her people are exposed to. They are ultimately discovered in their annex and their fate is sealed. However, until such time, we relive the frustrations of living in a restricted lifestyle and confined space with multiple people. The underlying fear punctuates each entry, highlighting how it became a part of Anne’s (and her family’s) everyday life.

What makes the atmosphere most stark is that the words in Anne Frank’s diary spell out this young woman’s experience of real life events.

 

Cozy Reads

 

The House in the Cerulean Sea

Finally, I’ve chosen a completely different tone to round off this Top Ten Tuesday post.

The House in the Cerulean Sea, in summary, is about a man who doesn’t really belong in his world. As a special social worker, it is his duty to ensure the safekeeping of magical children. In his line of duty, he is sent to assess the most top secret orphanage. He expects to find chaos and danger – not the meaning of family and belonging.

Those are my atmospheric reads in today’s Top Ten Tuesday post. Have you read any of the books I featured today?

 

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First Lines Friday – 13/10/2023

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Good evening and welcome to today’s First Lines Friday post! I’ve set myself another challenge in today’s First Lines Friday post – to feature a book I intend to pick up and read before the end of the year.

This book is the second in a series by a much loved author. I first picked up the series in August 2020… over three years ago now! With my goal of trying to pick up and continue series I’ve started, this feels like the perfect book to pick up and make good on that promise to myself. It’s also a great series and a reliable author to revisit!

Are you curious about today’s feature? Let’s see if the introduction captures your imagination too!

 

I watched Calamity rise.

I was six years old, then, as I stood in the night on the balcony of our apartment. I can still remember how the old air-conditioner rattled in the window next to me, covering the sound of Father’s crying. The overworked machine hung out over a plummet of many stories, dripping water like perspiration from the forehead of a suicidal jumper. The machine was broken; it blew air, but it didn’t make anything cold. My mother had frequently turned it off.

After her passing, my father left it on; he said that he felt cooler with it running.

I lowered my popsicle and squinted at that strange red light, which rose like a new star above the horizon. Only no star had ever been that bright or that red. Crimson. It looked like a bullet wound in the dome of heaven itself.

 

 

Firefight – Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 420

Audience: Adult / Young Adult

Publisher: Gollancz

Publication Date: 06 Jan 2015

 

 

Goodreads – Firefight

They told David it was impossible – that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart – invincible, immortal, unconquerable – is dead. And he died by David’s hand.

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there’s no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs.

Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David’s willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David’s heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic – Firefight. And he’s willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

 

My Thoughts…

Brandon Sanderson is an author I can revisit in relative safety of enjoying whichever book of his I pick up. I’ve read 13 of his books so far (which feels like an auspicious number on Friday the 13th no less…) and I have a couple more shelved already. Every single one of the 13 books I have read to date has earned themselves a five-star rating from me. I literally couldn’t ask for anything better!

One of the greatest selling points I love about Brandon Sanderson’s writing is that he is able to reinvent completely different worlds, magical elements and fantasy settings with no series feeling the same. I particularly enjoyed how he advanced his original Mistborn setting to demonstrate technological and industrial advancement in the 200 years between each series. It takes courage to rework something great without unsettling a fan base.

Having not picked up this series for three years now, I’m keen to get back into it. The Reckoners is a trilogy; provided I can get stuck into Firefight without any trouble, I shouldn’t wait too long before completing the trilogy. Then, I can tick it off the list and assure myself that I am whittling down my LONG list of ongoing series… hopefully!

Have you read any books in this series, or any books by Brandon Sanderson on the whole? What do you think? Has today’s First Lines Friday inspired you to give him a try?

 

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Shelf Control #70 – 29/09/2023

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Happy Friday fellow readers and welcome to today’s instalment in my Shelf Control series. In today’s post, I feature a young adult novel by an author I have come to know and love every book I’ve read of his so far. I’ve recently picked up a young adult series by this author, and I’m eagerly awaiting publication of the next instalment!

As always, let’s recap the premise of this post and then get into the details of the book!

Shelf Control is a regular feature on my blog – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Rithmatist – Brandon Sanderson

The Rithmatist

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

Pages: 386

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Tor UK

Publication Date: 01 May 2014

 

 

Goodreads – The Rithmatist

More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

 

My Thoughts

One of my favourite things about Sanderson novels is that he grounds the magic systems built into his stories with some scientific element. I’m hoping that’s the case with this book as well. It is something he does very well, and even still, manages to do it in a unique way for each separate series!

Whilst young adult isn’t a genre I read all that much of, I still enjoyed the Skyward series, which has a similar audience to The Rithmatist. If this book is anything like that, then we can expect a lot of angst and a desire to prove oneself in the characters driving the narrative.

To date, I am yet to find a Sanderson book that I haven’t enjoyed! Given that I’ve read quite a few at this point, that is quite a feat. He is also a very diverse writer in terms of storylines and setting. I’m yet to find anything he hasn’t done well. I’ve already read and experienced great writing in a fantasy and science-fiction overlap, just as this book is.

I really can’t think of any reason why I should expect any different here!

Have you read The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson?

 

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