Tag: Books to read

Top Ten Tuesday – Unread Books on My Shelves I Want to Read Soon!

Posted on April 23, 2024April 23, 2024 by fantasyst95

Just like every bookworm, I have a stack of books on my shelves waiting and begging to be read. In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I feature some of the unread books I will look to prioritise in the coming months.

Are you intrigued for today’s Top Ten Tuesday list? Let’s get stuck in!

The Ember Blade

The Ember Blade is my first feature in this Top Ten Tuesday and a fantasy by an author I haven’t tried before. I love the sound of the synopsis and I confess I was a little biased by how beautiful the cover is!

I’m excited to try a new author! Whilst I do love to return to firm favourites, I try to stretch myself now and then with something new. This is in the safety net of my favourite genre (fantasy) and does have some typical tropes of the genre. Still, I’m interested to see how the author takes these and plays events out.

The book has an average 4.2 star rating on Goodreads with over 5000 ratings. It sounds promising! The only factor I need to consider is that this book is over 800 pages long. I need to try and split out some of my larger reads so I’m not bombarding myself all at once.

Spare and Found Parts

In contrast, Spare and Found Parts is a relatively short read that will take me out of my comfort zone.

Combine science-fiction with a steampunk vibe, toss in some romance and an epidemic, and you have quite the setting! It’s unusual and not like anything I have ever seen before. I picked up a copy of the book precisely for this reason.

This book is also great in that it will make for a great read in between some of my larger ones – as both a shorter read and its unusual setting. It will be a complete change regardless of what I read around it!

Les Miserables

Les Mis is an epic classic that I’m looking forward to getting to! At the same time, it is going to be a mammoth read. I need to pick it up as and when I’m in the mood.

I’ve had a quick read of the first few pages and the overall impression was good. I was worried initially that the writing style might be a little bit tricky, but didn’t find this with the sample. I’ll have to try and spread this out from some of the other chunky reads on this list. I can’t read too many large books at once.

Wolves of the Calla

Speaking of chunky reads, Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King is another such book in this Top Ten Tuesday post. It’s also the fifth book in The Dark Tower series, which is an ongoing read.

As I’m trying to pick up and finish more series this year, Wolves of the Calla is a natural choice. It means then I will have just two books left afterwards to complete the series.

Not only that, but I have really enjoyed each book in The Dark Tower series to date. They are cleverly written and I enjoy the diversity of Mid-world versus Earth in various time periods of history. It’s an interesting contrast and I hope to see more of in future books. We’ll see!

The Devil and the Dark Water

After reading The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I’m looking forward to picking up a second book by Stuart Turton.

I featured this book in a First Lines Friday post and I loved the introduction to this book. With this in mind, I hope to pick this up before long as a change of genre and to re-explore the writing of an author I hope to read more of in future.

The Bone Collector

I have been threatening to read The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver for the longest time! It’s been sat on my shelf for some time and it’s time to give it some love!

I recall we’ve owned a copy of the book this long because I distinctly remember my sister getting a copy of this whilst she was at university… about six and a half years ago!

Maybe time to pick it up, no?

Fool’s Errand

I’ve been trying to get to Fool’s Errand for a couple of months anyway. Robin Hobb is fast becoming one of my favourite authors of all time. I have loved and rated each book in the Realm of the Elderlings series 5 stars so far.

Fool’s Errand will be the seventh book of the series that I pick up. Will I keep up the streak of five star ratings? I sincerely hope so!

Obsidio

Obsidio is the last book I need to read in Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman‘s The Illuminae Files. Although the stories are angled towards a young adult audience, I have a really enjoyed the books and characters so far.

With this being the last in the series, it makes sense to pick up this final book. I want to see events I have read so far wrapped up, but also to mark the series as complete.

I love Top Ten Tuesday posts like these as they are often great reminders to get to these final books!

Master of Sorrows

I’ve been trying to get to Master of Sorrows for a couple of months as well, but I’ve not managed it so far. It’s a book I pulled out of my TBR jar, so I do need to pick it up before long. At the same time, I’m not taking anything else out of that until this book is finished!

I’ve heard rave reviews about this book and series so far. Had I not pulled this out of the jar, I probably would have held off starting this series. However, the jar has spoken and so I will be picking up this book very soon.

Elektra

I have read another book by Jennifer Saint, Ariadne. I’ve also come to enjoy Greek mythology from other writers such as Pat Barker and even Stephen Fry.

Greek mythology is not my strong point, but that is precisely why I’m trying to pick up more books in the genre. It also makes an interesting change from my usual preferences. I’m always trying to read out of my comfort zone, but this is a comfortable step as I’ve already tried the author once before!

As books on this list compare, it’s one of the shortest ones I can pick up. In that sense, I have a lot of flexibility as to when I can read the book.

Have you read any of the books I feature in today’s Top Ten Tuesday? Do you have any books you would recommend I pick up first?

As always, I’m really excited to hear from you!

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books on My Autumn To-Read List!

Posted on September 20, 2022September 18, 2022 by fantasyst95

Hello everyone and welcome to today’s Top Ten Tuesday post. In today’s post, I’m going to be talking about ten books that I hope to fit onto my Autumn TBR. The official title for this week’s theme is your ‘Fall TBR’, but I’m a Brit, dammit!

I have been reading quite a lot of late, and I’m excited to continue with some books that make up a series, and pick up some new and more seasonal reads. Now the nights are starting to draw in, we are heading into my favourite time of year. I enjoy the dark nights; it justifies cozying up with a cuppa, a blanket, and favourite books. Let’s dive into today’s Top Ten Tuesday post and get into what I plan to pick up in the next few months!

Assassin’s Quest

I have been really enjoying Robin Hobb’s writing of late, and so I would love to pick up Assassin’s Quest in the not-too-distant future. This is the last book of the first trilogy that contributes to the wider Realm of the Elderlings series. Whilst events of the first two books are fresh in my mind, I would like to conclude this opening trilogy.

Malice

I recently featured Malice in another Top Ten Tuesday post – that one talking about some of the oldest books on my TBR. This one is the oldest book that I physically own, and I would like to finally get around to it. If I really enjoy it, then it is yet another fantasy series, and new author, that I can dive into.

I did start this particular book between six and seven years ago. However, I only got a handful of pages in and I can’t remember a single thing! It will be great to start this from scratch and see what this book is all about!

Blink of the Sun

Blink of the Sun is a fantasy book, of which I own a review copy. I signed up to review this book on BookSirens, and this review is due towards the end of October. The synopsis caught my eye, and as the genre (epic fantasy) is right up my street, I am hopeful that this will be a fun read, as well as a comfort read.

Babel

Along with Autumn, Babel gives me dark, moody vibes that I’m really looking forward to exploring. The tone is significantly different from the books I have listed so far in this post. However, Autumn is the best time to read this type of book. Having sampled a very small part of the book, I think Autumn will be the perfect time of year to read it.

The opening involves a child being discovered in a house riddled with plague. Whilst I don’t know the rest of the story, I have been assured that it gets darker from there.

A Thousand Ships

I am really into Greek Mythology at the moment. Earlier this year, I read Pandora’s Jar, also by Natalie Haynes. I really enjoyed that particular book, and so I wanted to read another of hers that features the Trojan War. There is another book on that topic that I read after reading Pandora’s Jar (Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker) and both of these books were a pleasure to read. I cannot wait to see how Natalie Haynes’ book on the same topic differs from Pat Barker’s.

Dear Child

Dear Child is also the kind of vibe that accompanies Autumn nicely. It is a psychological thriller that is based around a kidnapping and subsequent attempt to escape. Other than that, I have deliberately kept my knowledge of events in this book vague, so I can uncover the story as it develops.

I haven’t read anything like this lately, so not only am I looking forward to the dark vibe, but also for a change of reading scene.

Starsight

A couple of months ago I read Skyward, the first book in Brandon Sanderson‘s young adult series of the same name. I have been wanting to continue with these books, especially as I already own a copy of Starsight ready to pick up. Whilst the events of the first book of fresh in my mind, it will be the perfect opportunity to pick it up – I already physically own it. It’s also the only science-fiction book on this list. I am really enjoying the genre and even though it’s aimed at a slightly younger audience, this is a really enjoyable read.

The Wastelands

There has to be a Stephen King novel on every Autumn TBR, but the book I’m featuring is the third book in The Dark Tower series, The Wastelands. Whereas some of the books on this list have been added because I would like to continue with series that I have been working on of late, The Wastelands is the exception to that group. It has been some time since I last picked up a book from The Dark Tower series. With that in mind, I would like to get started with reading this again. I already own the entire series and it’s sat on my bookshelf begging to be picked up.

Queen of Our Times

In light of recent events, I have been inspired to read a book about Queen Elizabeth II, who is arguably one of the greatest and most influential British monarchs. Queen of Our Times is written by the official Royal biographer and it has fantastic feedback. It is also a fairly recently published book, and discusses her reign during the likes of the COVID-19 pandemic and also touches upon her Diamond Jubilee. I fully expect that more books will come out in the future that cover out the entirety of her brain, but I would like to pick up a book about her in the near future. This one looks perfect to me!

If We Were Villains

Along the same lines as Babel, dark academia as a genre is appealing to me and Autumn will be a perfect time to pick it up. If We Were Villains centres around a troupe of actors who specialise in Shakespeare. I have heard great things about this book and again, I already own a copy which is ready to read.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Top Ten Tuesday post! What books are you picking up as part of your Autumn TBR? Do any of the books in today’s list appeal to you? As always, let’s have a chat in the comments!

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Top Ten Tuesday – Books to Read If You Love… Fantasy!

Posted on November 16, 2021 by fantasyst95

I wanted to take part in today’s Top Ten Tuesday post as I have extensive knowledge and experience in reading fantasy novels. If you read my blog you’ll know I absolutely love fantasy and I have ever since I was a teenager.

I have significantly diversified since my teenage years (partly because I read that much fantasy I got bored of the same thing over again), but it’s a genre I always go back to. It’s like a comfort blanket to me; it’s always there for me to go back to and I do so regularly.

Naturally, having read a lot of fantasy books, I have distinct favourites from genre. And today, I’m sharing those favourites with you and why they make the cut.

Game of Thrones series – George R. R. Martin

There shouldn’t be any surprises that this is on my list… and of course it’s on the top of my list! There are so many reasons that I think this is fantastic and if you read my blog already you’ve heard it a million times before. The narrative is great, the writing is fabulous and the characters are so tangible that it doesn’t feel like you’re reading a book. Honestly, it’s amazing, and I won’t bore you with telling you why I think so all over again

Mistborn series – Brandon Sanderson

This was the first series I read by Brandon Sanderson and I stand by the fact that it’s my favourite. I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who has yet to try any of Brandon Sanderson‘s writing. It is a series, but it’s a very approachable one. If, like me, you love the idea of a magic system having a basis of science then this is definitely one for you!

The Kingkiller Chronicle series – Patrick Rothfuss

It has been so long since I picked any of these books up, and I’m still waiting for the last of the series, but I’ll never forget the impression this made on me as a teenager. For the reasons I love a Game of Thrones, I love this series as well. The characters are so detailed and know one of them perfect and they acknowledge this. The world building is also spectacular. The narrative style is also unique as the book is written as if the main character is telling the tale in recollection after the event. At the time I read this series, this was the first time I’d come across this technique. I think it really works!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone series – Laini Taylor

The reason the series is on the list is because I loved it, despite it having so many elements that I should have enjoyed. I’m not a big fan of romance, and typically YA is not my style (with a few exceptions) but I love this series so much that I read it in a matter of months. That’s unheard-of for me! Are usually drag them out for so long but I had to binge read this – it was that good!

The Raven’s Mark series – Ed McDonald

After I finished the last book of the series, Crowfall, I cried because it was over. How sad is that?! It will become apparent to you that a lot of the books on this list are designated so because the character development is far more than superficial. There’s character development, and then this character development and these books take them one step further. Ryhalt Galharrow is the kind of character you don’t want to like… but you can’t help it! Somehow addressing his faults makes him endearing to us as the reader. He is entirely human in his mistakes. He kills people, and has own selfish reasons for doing the things he does. But we also see the other human side of him – The part of him that is scarred emotionally and how he reacts to events in the book certainly demonstrates that.

Just go and read it, okay? And try not to cry like a baby like I did.

Gentlemen Bastards series – Scott Lynch

It’s hard to believe from reading the series that it is Scott Lynch‘s debut. The narrative is absolutely amazing and and I loved the crassness of it. It’s clever and witty and a fun read… Especially if you like characters of a less than honest nature!

Again, please go and read this. However-a word of advice: if you take offence to the swearing in the title, definitely don’t read this book. It doesn’t get any better!

The Broken Empire series – Mark Lawrence

I really liked The Broken Empire because again, it has a main character who from the beginning you don’t want to like but end up doing so anyway. This was the first series I read by Mark Lawrence and it’s inspired me to continue to read his works. I really liked the narrative and my teenage self really enjoyed these books. It’s series that I plan to go back and read again and that should tell you everything.

The Relic Guild series – Edward Cox

The narrative of The Relic Guild was so out there, and the series went on in a direction I completely didn’t anticipate from the beginning. That’s what I really enjoyed about this series. It was also very cleverly thought out and very easy to read considering the sophisticated magic and plot twists involved.

Harry Potter series – J. K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series is one of those eat you could pick up at any age. I first started reading these in my teenage years and you may know that I have picked these up again this year. I read the first five books so far. Even going back to the beginning, I found them really easy to read, but without being babyish. The plot and themes of the box get a lot darker for further on you go, so there is stark contrast to my last experience of the series versus restarting it. However, I really enjoyed going back and experiencing this again. It has been a long time since I picked these books up (I think I last read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows over eight years ago), But I’m loving taking the time to read them. It’s a classic series that is great for everyone!

Discworld series – Terry Pratchett

I love the Discworld series because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. But, at the same time, Terry Pratchett is able to include some quite serious themes, including gender equality, death, fame etc in a fun way. I would never have said that I would be a huge fan of satire, however the Discworld is a bit of this and I think it’s great. Put it this way – I have read 18 books from the series so far. That reminds me, I haven’t picked one up for quite some time. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about the next one!

Have you read any of the books listed in today’s Top Ten Tuesday post? Let me know in the comments! Or, do you have another favourite but I haven’t listed?