Review: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han

September 27, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Series: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #1
Release Date: 15th April 2014
Pages: 355
Publisher: Scholastic Books
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this from my local Waterstones.

Synopsis

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

Review

So I’m going to be honest and say that I picked this up after all the buzz around the Netflix movie. I hadn’t seen the film and this book sounded as far out of my comfort zone as it was possible to get, so it was a pleasant surprise when I loved the book and the movie as well.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before has really touched my heart – it’s such a sweet and cute story and I think it’s wonderful that it’s getting so much recognition at the moment – recognition it really deserves. Lara Jean is a really fantastic character, she’s so adorable, she lives in her head spending more time imagining things than living them. She’s relatable and shows an immense amount of character depth in this book.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the family dynamic. Lara Jean and her sisters have lost their mother at young age, and so are incredibly close. It was really fascinating to watch their relationship change and grow, especially as Lara Jean has to deal with her sister moving to the other side of the world. Kitty is my far my favourite character, she’s hilarious, wild and the best kind of character.

The book is obviously cheesy and a little over the top but it will honestly give you all kinds of warm feelings. Whilst I normally prefer much darker and more action packed books, it was really nice to read something fluffy and light. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the perfect summer read, and I’m so looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see what happens next to Lara Jean and Peter.

Waiting on Wednesday #2 – Girls of Paper and Fire – Natasha Ngan

September 26, 2018September 24, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 5 Comments

Synopsis

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It’s the highest honor they could hope for…and the most cruel.

But this year, there’s a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she’s made of fire.

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it’s Lei they’re after–the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king’s interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king’s consort. But Lei isn’t content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable–she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she’s willing to go for justice and revenge.

Thoughts

Welcome to another waiting on Wednesday! I am dying to get my hands on a copy of Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. It already has so much buzz around it and I’ve seen a ton of five star reviews for this book on Goodreads already. It sounds like it’s going to be a heart stopping wild ride of a book and I can’t wait until release day. It also has such a stunning cover that I can’t wait to have on my bookshelves. I have a request in for a Netgalley copy of this so I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I might get approved. If not Girls of Paper and Fire is releasing November 6th from Hodder and Stoughton and I will be running out to the shops to pick up a copy then!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books By My Favourite Authors That I Still Haven’t Read

September 25, 2018September 24, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

This is going to be a slightly embarrassing Top Ten Tuesday because this is one of my really terrible habits. I have so many authors that I love and I read one of their books and I buy everything they release and then I never read it. I could probably do a top 20 for this but here we go with top 10 books by my favourite authors that I still haven’t read.

1. State of Sorrow – Melinda Salisbury
I absolutely adore Melinda Salisbury’s Sin Eater’s Daughter series. It broke my heart and made me stay up all night and is honestly just one of my most favourite works, so when I heard she had a new book out full of magic and politics I was dying to read it. It came out earlier this year and have I read it yet? Nope.

2. Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom – Leigh Bardugo
This is probably the worst one. I love Leigh’s writing and have read everything else she’s released but for some reason I still haven’t read these yet. I know I’m going to adore them and they will no doubt be five star reads, but for some reason they continue to stare at me from my shelf, continually unread.

3. Sharp Ends – Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie is one of my all time favourite authors so when this came out I went to three different bookshops to see if they had it in stock and eventually got a copy. That was in 2016 and for some reason I still haven’t read this gorgeous looking book yet.

4. The Winter of the Witch – Katherine Arden
Now I know this doesn’t actually come out until next year however I am incredibly excited to read it and it is my most anticipated release of next year. I’ve had it for a few weeks now and I still haven’t picked it up, hopefully I will get to it soon because I’m dying to know how it all ends.

5. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – George R. R. Martin
I pre-ordered this beautiful book when it came out a while ago and this is another one I still haven’t gotten around to. I’ve read one of the stories previously so I’m going to say that it kind of counts towards reading it?

6. Road Brothers – Mark Lawrence
I am dying to pick up a copy of this and I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I have no excuse because it’s been out for ages and I still haven’t went and ordered a copy. I love Mark Lawrence’s writing style so I have no doubts that this is going to be an amazing book.

7. Pretty much everything by Sarah J Maas
I’ve read the first two Throne of Glass books plus The Assassin’s Blade and I really loved them. I haven’t read the rest of the series or the ACOTAR books yet (though I own every single one of them) so I really need to catch up on this series that so many people love. I’m hoping that perhaps with Kingdom of Ash coming out I can binge read them. (Maybe).

8. The Corset – Laura Purcell
The Silent Companions is honestly one of the spookiest books I’ve ever read and I adore the story and the gorgeous writing style. The Corset came out recently and I was so excited when I saw it in my local Waterstones but I still haven’t gotten around to reading it. Can I make an excuse and say I’m holding off till Halloween to read this one?

9. Immortal Beloved – Cate Tiernan
Cate Tiernan was one of my favourite authors growing up and I still really love her Sweep series and the Balefire books. I own the three Immortal Beloved books but I’ve never actually read them and I think that perhaps I’m nervous I won’t enjoy them as an adult given how much I loved her books as a teenager. I definitely need to bite the bullet and get around to it at some point soon, even if it’s just to make space on my TBR!

10. Touch of Power – Maria V. Snyder
Maria V. Snyder’s Study series is insanely good. Even after taking a break and coming back to them years later, this series is just so so good. If you haven’t read it honestly this would be my one recommendation, read Poison Study. Anyway despite loving this series I’ve never read her Healer series, despite owning them all – another one I desperately need to get to.

So that’s my Top Ten Tuesday for the week! What are some books by your favourite authors that you haven’t read yet? Or do you manage to keep on top of them all? And if you’ve read any of these please let me know what you thought – it might be the kick I need to finally pick them up!

Book Review: City of Ghosts – Victoria Schwab

September 24, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 6 Comments

Series: Cassidy Blake #1
Release Date: 28th August 2018
Pages: 285
Publisher: Scholastic Books
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this from my local Waterstones.

Synopsis

Cassidy Blake’s parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn’t sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn’t belong in her world. Cassidy’s powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

Review

This is my first time reading a book by Victoria Schwab, but it certainly won’t be the last. Dark, sinister and a whole lot of fun, this is everything you could want in a paranormal middle grade book.

Middle grade normally isn’t the kind of book that I read but this sounded like such a fascinating read that I couldn’t resist. After racing through it in a single sitting I am now desperate for more of Cassidy and her best friend Jacob.

Everything about this book was well done. The characters were wonderful and well developed, the pacing quick but not to the point where there was no chance to get to know the world and the magical elements.

One of my most favourite things about this book was the creepy/ horror myth element to it. Our main villain is definitely that kind of scary creature you hear about as a child to ward you away from going somewhere you’re not supposed to. Schwab handles it in a really skilled way and I definitely felt unsettled at times. City of Ghosts is an absolutely perfect read for the autumn and is a wonderful Halloween ghost story.

The other thing that drew me to City of Ghosts is the setting. I live in Scotland and went to University in Edinburgh so it’s always amazing to see somewhere you know described in a book. I loved the dark and spooky way that Edinburgh was portrayed, and it definitely made me fall in love with the book and the city even more.

If you love dark and spooky tales this is definitely a book to pick up. It’s fun, engrossing and an excellent introduction to the writing of Victoria Schwab.

Book Review: The Hazel Wood – Melissa Albert

September 23, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Series: The Hazel Wood #1
Release Date: 30th January 2018
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 359
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the uncanny bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a cult-classic book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, the Hazel Wood, Alice learns how bad her luck can really get: her mother is stolen away―by a figure who claims to come from the Hinterland, the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: “Stay away from the Hazel Wood.”

Alice has long steered clear of her grandmother’s cultish fans. But now she has no choice but to ally with classmate Ellery Finch, a Hinterland superfan who may have his own reasons for wanting to help her. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began―and where she might find out how her own story went so wrong.

Review

As soon as I read the synopsis for The Hazel Wood I was dying to read it. Dark fairy tale stories? a mystery surrounding a reclusive grandmother and her creepy estate? Count me in! I really enjoyed reading The Hazel Wood but it didn’t turn out quite how I expected it would. It was dark and unsettling and I’m definitely looking forward to picking up the next instalment in the series.

book cover (14) The first half of the book I absolutely fell in love with. I loved the mystery surrounding the Hazel Wood. Where was it located? What was really behind the gates? There were so many questions and these creepy fairy tale characters kept appearing which made me desperate for me. At this point I felt the book could easily have been a five star all time favourite read, but for some reason as soon as Alice reached the Hinterland I felt the book fell a little flat. I felt like the story was racing towards the end and Id didn’t get the opportunity to enjoy it.

The story is a slow burner, but I enjoyed the little hints and clues that led up to Alice finding her way into the Hazel Wood. Alice was an interesting main protagonist, although she was pretty unlikeable and I felt some of her actions were a bit questionable. What I did really love was Melissa Albert’s writing style, I thought her writing was really beautiful and I loved completely absorbing myself in world of this book.

Despite being a little disappointed with the second half of the book I still think this is a really great read. It’s dark and enjoyable definitely gave me some serious Alice in Wonderland vibes. If you love your fairy tales with a bit of a twist, this is bound to be right up your street.
4 stars

Book Review: Through the Woods – Emily Carroll

September 21, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: 7th May 2015
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Pages: 208
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones
Source: I found a copy in a second hand bookshop.

Synopsis

It came from the woods. Most strange things do.’
Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there…

Review

This was a book that caught my eye in a second hand bookshop. Being only 50p I snapped it up and read it as soon as I got home. Dark, eerie and magical, I absolutely loved this book. I read it in one sitting and I’ve already had a friend steal it off me.

Through the woods features five different stories told in graphic novel form. The art is haunting and beautiful. The stories are told in a fairy tale style, but with a much darker and chilling twist. I really liked this section:

“Oh, but you must travel through those woods again and again… said a shadow at the window… and you must be lucky to avoid the wolf every time…

But the wolf… the wolf only needs enough luck to find you once.”

The book is a pretty quick read, and it’s the kind of thing you can find yourself absorbed in for a few hours. I loved the black and vivid reds of the artwork. In some parts it was quite grotesque and kind of reminded me of The Wytches. I thought each story was well written and developed and overall I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful set of tales.

Book Review: The Lost Witch – Melvin Burgess

September 20, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: 2nd August 2018
Publisher: Andersen Press
Pages: 336
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.

Synopsis

Bea has started to hear and see things that no one else can – creatures, voices, visions. Then strangers visit Bea and tell her she is different: she has the rare powers of a witch. They warn her she is being hunted. Her parents think she is hallucinating and needs help. All Bea wants to do is get on with her life, and to get closer to Lars, the mysterious young man she has met at the skate park. But her life is in danger, and she must break free. The question is – who can she trust?

Review

Growing up I really loved Melvin Burgess’s books. I’ve read Bloodtide and Bloodsong more than a few times so when I heard he was writing a story about a young teenage girl who discovers she has magical powers I added it straight to my wish list. I must admit that after reading it I was a bit disappointed and it didn’t really live up to my expectations.

I found the pacing for this book to be quite off, the first few chapters were incredibly slow and I had to put the book down for a week and go back to it – which isn’t really something I do. I then felt the later chapters that had quite important scenes in them completely raced through and I didn’t get enough detail.

I really liked the Norse mythology elements and the way that Burgess wove that into the world building and the magic the characters could do. I also found the characters really interesting, Bea has some tough decisions to make about her future and I enjoyed seeing her develop as a person and own up to her mistakes. I also really liked Silvis, the one character who seems to really want to help Bea survive. The writing style felt very different to other Melvin Burgess books I’ve read and although I enjoyed it I definitely preferred the style of his previous books.

The book also deals with some pretty difficult topics such as abuse both physical and mental, rape, murder and blaming the victim which came as a bit of a shock as it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. The book is certainly a dark one and was a bit of a struggle for me finish. If you’re interested in witchy stories that touch on difficult issues, this could be just the book for you but for me it was big disappointment.

Waiting on Wednesday #1

September 19, 2018September 16, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly post highlight an upcoming release that you’re excited about. This week my waiting on Wednesday is Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor.

Synopsis

In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.

Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice—save the woman he loves, or everyone else?—while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of.

As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?

Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.

Thoughts

I imagine this has been on everyone’s waiting on Wednesday at some point. I am 100% dying to read this book. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Strange the Dreamer and I absolutely devoured it. It was definitely one of my favourite books of all time and I’m desperate to know what’s going to happen next. I loved the world that Laini created and I’m so excited to dive back into it. I’m hopeful that perhaps my pre-order might even arrive a little early! Laini Taylor writes so beautifully that I know this book is going to be amazing. Muse of Nightmares is publishing 2nd of October from Hodder and Stoughton.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Autumn TBR

September 18, 2018September 16, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 6 Comments

It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! This week we’re talking about books that are on your autumn TBR. I’m terrible at sticking to a specific TBR but there’s a fair few books I want to get to over the next few months, so let’s dive in!

1. The Winter of the Witch – Katherine Arden
This appeared in the post the other day and is pretty much my most anticipated book of 2019. I love The Winternight Trilogy and I’m dying to know how it ends so this is definitely going to be on my TBR over the autumn. The Winter of the Witch is coming January 9th 2019.

2. Damsel – Elana K. Arnold
I was lucky to recieve a copy of this at this year’s YALC and it sounds like such a magnificent read. The story follows a young woman who wakes up in the arms of a prince. She has no memory of what has happened previously, but she is told she has been rescued from a dragon, and she will sit on throne beside this handsome prince. She soon learns however, that not everything is as it seems… Damsel is coming out October 2nd and sounds so so good!

3. The Girl King – Mimi Yu
This intense fantasy story follows two sisters as they become rivals in a war to become Emperor – ‘All hail the girl King.’ It’s being compared to the likes of Alwyn Hamilton’s Rebel of the Sands and Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes. I’m super excited to read it. This was another ARC that I received at YALC and I have been itching to read it. The Girl King is publishing 10th January 2019 from Orion Books.

4. Sawkill Girls – Claire LeGrand
Sawkill Girls sounds like such a good book and I’ve heard really amazing things about Furyborn too (I have a copy but haven’t gotten around to reading it yet.) “Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep. He’ll follow you home, and he won’t let you sleep.” I’m dying to read this one too so will hopefully get to it soon because it is definitely eyeing me on the shelf! Sawkill Girls is publishing 2nd October 2018 from HarperCollins.

5. Beneath the Citadel – Destiny Soria
This was another YALC book that I haven’t had the chance to pick up yet. The cover is stunning and a dark fantasy is definitely what I want to read when it’s dark and cold outside. I’ve seen a few really positive reviews of this already and I’m already predicting that it’s going to be a five star read. Beneath the Citadel is publishing 9th October 2018 from Amulet Books.

6. The Corset – Laura Purcell
I read The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell last year and adored it. It was the perfect Halloween read and genuinely scared the life out of me. The Corset sounds like it’s going to be just as dark and eerie and although it doesn’t publish until 20th of September, my local Waterstones already had it on the shelves. I picked it up straight away and I’m not I’ll manage to wait till Halloween to read it.

7. The Familiars – Stacey Halls
The autumn is always my favourite time of year to read witchy stories so I think it’s the perfect time to pick up The Familiars by Stacey Halls. This gorgeous book is a historical fiction about two women accused of witchcraft and looks like it’s going to be a stunning read. The Familiars is publishing 7th February 2019 from Bonnier Zaffre.

8. The Sisters of the Winter Wood – Rena Rossner
This is another one that I think will be a perfect autumn read. When it arrived in the post I couldn’t stop staring at that stunning cover. It’s described as ‘filled with magic, folklore and the dangers of the woods’ so I think saving it for autumn is the right choice. The Sisters of the Winter Wood is publishing 27th of September from Orbit Books.

9. Vicious – V. E. Schwab
This is on my TBR because Vengeful is coming out and I still haven’t read Vicious yet. I know so many people love this book and I’m desperate to read it and see if it lives up to the hype. I haven’t read any of Victoria’s other books apart from City of Ghosts so I’m really looking forward to trying this one out.
10. We Sold Our Souls – Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix writes the perfect Halloween books (if you haven’t read My Best Friend’s Exorcism get on it!), and We Sold Our Souls is no exception. The story follows a lead singer who sells his soul for stardom. When the band he left behind finds this out they embark upon an epic journey to confront the man who ruined their lives. This sounds dark and intense and such an amazing read. We Sold Our Souls is publishing 18th September 2018 from Quirk Books.

So that’s the top ten books on my autumn TBR. I’m dying to read all of them but I’m so bad at sticking to TBRs so honestly if I manage to read half of them I’ll be pleased. What books are you dying to get to during the autumn?

Blog Tour: Puzzle Girl – Rachael Featherstone

September 17, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: 2nd August 2018
Publisher: The Dome Press
Pages: 320
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones
Souce: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.

Synopsis

Clued-up career girl Cassy Brookes has life under control until one disastrous morning changes everything.

When she finds herself stuck in a doctor’s surgery, a cryptic message left in a crossword magazine sends her on a search to find the mysterious ‘puzzle-man’ behind it.

Cassy is soon torn between tracking down her elusive dream guy, and outwitting her nightmare workmate, the devious Martin.

Facing a puzzling love-life, will she ever be able to fit the pieces together and discover the truth behind this enigmatic man?

Review

This is a fun and enjoyable read and one that I absolutely raced through. I enjoyed it because it was a fresh take on the finding Mr right story.

The story centres on a surprise conversation through a puzzle book, and the protagonists subsequent attempts to find out who the person writing back is. I don’t read an awful lot of chick-lit but I this struck me as a really interesting and unique take, so I was really excited to pick it up. It was definitely worth it, I really enjoyed Cassy’s antics as she attempts to juggle her work life and find out who this mystery man is.

As for Cassy herself she’s the perfect protagonist. Fond of making lists (much like myself) and prepared for almost every occasion, it’s really fascinating to watch as her obsession with solving the puzzle begins to take over her life. She spends less time with her friends and family, and begins to lose sight of what is really important, in order to solve the puzzle. She’s also far from perfect, she makes mistakes does things wrong and definitely lands herself in a few tricky situations.

I really enjoyed the work place rivalry within the story too. Cassy is up for a big promotion, but she’s not the only one. Her and Martin don’t really get along and it’s fascinating watching the plot develop as they attempt to undermine each other and get ahead.

Puzzle Girl is also set in London, and the mentions of the DLR and other little London landmarks make for a really nice touch, and add to the overall feel of the book.

The story develops at a good pace, and gives the reader time to come up with different theories, without being too obvious at who the mystery man is. For me that is often the down-fall of chick-lit reads, I can guess the ending before the first few chapters are over and that somewhat spoils my enjoyment. That didn’t happen with Puzzle Girl, you pick up little pieces of information along the way, and that makes for a really fantastic story.

If you’re looking for a fun and clever book to read – especially now the that the sun is shining a bit more – this is definitely one to pick up!

*This post originally appeared as part of the Puzzle Girl blog tour in August. I recently lost a lot of my content when I migrated sites and so am reposting as many of them as possible!