Contemporary-athon TBR!

September 16, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 10 Comments

So last month I managed to read thirteen books. This month has been pretty busy and I was ill for a week so I haven’t gotten through that many books yet (current tally is 5 books). I’ve also been really enjoying reading contemporary books recently which is absolutely not my usual genre. I figured the perfect solution then was to join in with the contemporary-athon, which is happening from the 17th to the 23rd of September and is hosted by @BookHangover_ on Twitter and Youtubers Page and Pens, Chelseadolling and MyReadingIsOdd.

There are seven challenges and I doubt I’m going to manage all seven but I will try and see where we end up!

1. Read a book with orange on the cover
I toyed with a few different books – my first instinct was to go with I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman but I spied Another Place by Matthew Crow on my shelves and I have been meaning to read it forever. I tried to go with shorter books so I can get through all seven, but this sounds like a really gripping read and it has orange on the cover!

2. Read a book that is dark/taboo/spooky
I found it difficult to pick just one book for this because I have quite a few spooky books I’m dying to read. I decided to go with Easy Prey by Catherine Lo as it’s coming out in October and means I can get a review up when I’m done. Easy Prey is a mystery following three high school students who are suspected or releasing racy pictures of a teacher online. Each of them has a motive, but which one is guilty? This sounds so intriguing and I can’t wait to read it!

3. Read a diverse book
I first picked up The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas because I still haven’t read that yet (I know I’m terrible), but I’ve really been loving the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before books so I thought I could round off the series with Always and Forever Lara Jean. I really enjoyed the first two and I raced through them so hopefully that will help with reading seven books in such a short time period!

4. Read a book in a non-traditional format
I was a bit unsure about what this meant but the description says it can be anything whether that’s a graphic novel, an audiobook or a ebook. I had a look at my audiobooks and I didn’t have anything that fit the bill but I do have a ebook of Sarah Nicole Lemon’s Valley Girls, so I picked this. I loved Done Dirt Cheap so I’m hoping this is just as good! I’m not a big ebook person as they tend to give me headaches, but I do also have a physical copy and can cheat a little!

5. Read a book with your initials on the cover
For this I’m going with The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente. I was sent this by the lovely folks at Quirk Books a couple of months ago but I haven’t had the chance to pick it up. It looks so cute and fun that I thought it would be the perfect choice. My initials are NLS so they all appeared on the cover too.

6. Read a book by a new to you author
Pretty much every book I picked up for this readathon fitted this category. I’m hopeful that if I don’t get all seven read I can double up with this challenge as well. In case I manage to fly through them all I’ve gone for A Thousand Perfect Notes by C. G. Drews. I got this in an Illumicrate and have been meaning to read it ever since.

7. Read a predicted five star read
This was another that I had loads of choice for but I ended up going with The Accidental Bad Girl by Maxine Kaplan. I’ve been meaning to read this for ages and it sounds so good. After getting caught hooking up with her best friend’s ex boyfriend, Kendall just wants to keep her head down and graduate but she is drawn into a web of drug dealing after her online identity is hacked and used to steal from a dealer. It sounds so intense and gripping and I really hope it will be a five star read!

So that’s my Contemporary-AThon TBR. Are you participating in the readathon? If you are what are you reading? And if you’ve read any of these let me know if you enjoyed them or I should swap them for something else!

Book Review: The Humans – Matt Haig

September 16, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: 23rd April 2014
Publisher: Canongate Books
Pages: 304
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones
Source: I picked a copy of this up from a second hand bookshop.

Synopsis

After an ‘incident’ one wet Friday night where Professor Andrew Martin is found walking naked through the streets of Cambridge, he is not feeling quite himself. Food sickens him. Clothes confound him. Even his loving wife and teenage son are repulsive to him. He feels lost amongst a crazy alien species and hates everyone on the planet. Everyone, that is, except Newton, and he’s a dog.

Who is he really? And what could make someone change their mind about the human race. . . ?

Review

I read How To Stop Time by Matt Haig and absolutely loved it. I’ve heard amazing things about The Humans so picked it up as soon as I saw it in a local bookshop. Our narrator is an alien sent to planet Earth to erase any mention of a mathematic equation that will far advance the human race. What follows is a set of awkward encounters as the alien attempts to navigate life on Earth.

This book was completely different to what I expected. There were plenty of really funny moments as the alien attempts to understand why we do the things we do and I really enjoyed this unusual concept, however the main focus of this story is what it means to be human. It read like an in depth study into human nature.

This is a really profound and original novel and one that will stick with you. It’s quite a short book and I read it very quickly, but I was still talking about it a few days afterwards. So many people love this book and have rated it really highly however I had a few minor issues that made me rate this book a bit lower. I in no way think this is a bad book, I was felt really put off by the incredibly short chapters – some are only a page. It felt a bit jarring to the story and that lessened my enjoyment. My second issue was the vague ending which I didn’t really like. I won’t say too much about that because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but it definitely wasn’t how I wanted things to end.

The Humans is an interesting look into human nature with a fun and humorous twist. If you’re a fan of science fiction novels this is definitely one to be on your wishlist.

August Book Haul

September 15, 2018September 14, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 10 Comments

I say every month that I’m going to buy less books because my TBR is out of control (it’s in the high hundreds) but looking at this book haul I have another massive bundle of books to haul. So let’s dive in!

1. Labyrinth of the Spirits – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
I nearly screamed when this appeared through my letterbox. This mammoth book is the next in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books series, and it was definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2018. I’m planning a full reread of the series in September because it’s been a while since I’ve read the others. Labyrinth of the Spirits is coming September 18th from W&N.

2. Anarchy – Megan DeVos
I was on the blog tour for this gorgeous Dystopian novel and Megan kindly wrote me a guest post which I will have up again soon. I’ve heard terrific things about this book and it was massive hit on Wattpad before it was traditionally published. I can’t wait to see what’s in store! Anarchy is out now from Orion Books.

3. A Darker Shade of Magic – V. E. Schwab
I recently went to an event at Waterstones with V. E. Schwab, Christina Henry and Sarah Maria Griffin. I had a copy of Vicious with me but I ended up picking this up to get signed also. So many people adore this book so I’m hoping it lives up to the hype.

4. Darksoul – Anna Stephens
This was another book that I was absolutely dying to read. HarperVoyager kindly sent me a copy and I tore through it in a few days. It gave me such a book hangover and now I’m so upset I need to wait so long to find out what happens to my favourite characters. You can read my full review over here!

5. Sleeper: The Red Storm – J. D. Fennell
This is the second book in the Sleeper series from J. D. Fennell. I really loved the first one and was featured on the blog tour, so I was so excited when this came in the post. Even more exciting was to find I was quoted inside! Sleeper: The Red Storm is publishing October 25th from The Dome Press.

6. Catwoman: Soul Stealer – Sarah J. Maas
I ordered a copy of this from Waterstones and then ended up getting a copy in my August Illumicrate also. I really enjoyed Leigh Bardugo’s Wonder Woman and thought Marie Lu’s Batman was okay so I’m excited to find out how Sarah J. Maas handles Catwoman.

7. The Gilded King – Josie Jaffrey
The author kindly reached out to obtain a review for this gorgeous book and as soon as it arrived I picked it up. I’m almost finished it and I’m enjoying it so much. This paranormal fantasy is such an addictive read. She kindly signed it for me too so I can’t wait to add it to my favourites shelf!

8. Cold Iron – Miles Cameron
This was another blog tour that the publisher kindly sent me a copy for. I’ve never read anything by Miles Cameron but really enjoyed this original fantasy that plays on the themes of the traditional farm boy turned hero trope.

9. We Sold Our Souls – Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix writes these fantastic stories that are just perfect for Halloween. I so loved My Best Friend’s Exorcism so I can’t wait to get stuck into this one. I might even save it for closer to Halloween so I can have a bit of a readathon. We Sold Our Souls is coming 18th September from Quirk Books.

10. Impostors – Scott Westerfield
This is a new book set in the world of the Uglies series. I’m really excited to read this as it has been a long time since I read the Uglies books and I’m looking forward to diving back into Scott Westerfield’s writing. Impostors is coming 11th September from Scholastic.

11. A Torch Against the Night – Sabaa Tahir
I honestly picked this up because I’ve heard such amazing things about this series and it was a gorgeous hardcover that I couldn’t resist. I have (but haven’t read) An Ember In the Ashes so I’m hoping now I have another in the series it will guilt me into reading them.

12. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han
I think everyone bought a copy of this book in August. I picked mine up from Waterstones and read it really quickly. It was fun and light and I’m definitely planning on picking up the rest of the books in the series.

13. Falling Creatures & The Magpie Tree – Katherine Stansfield
I have been admiring these beautiful covers on Twitter when the publisher offered me the chance to review them. This historical fiction series seems very mystery focused and I’ve read some really terrific reviews about them. Falling Creatures is out now and The Magpie Tree is coming 19th November from Allison & Busby

14. Smoke and Iron – Rachel Caine
Allison and Busby also kindly sent me the next instalment in Rachel Caine’s Great Library series. I’ve really been enjoying this fast-paced series and I’m looking forward to finding out what the fourth book in the series has in store!

15. The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
This book has had so much buzz on Twitter already and I’ve seen a few bloggers say they read it in one sitting because it was so addictive. I was planning to read it a bit closer to the publication date but I’m probably not going to be able to hold off that long. The Silent Patient is coming 7th February 2019 from Orion Books.

16. What Was Lost – Jean Levy
It gets to this time of year and I get really in the mood for psychological thrillers and creepy tales, so when I got offered the chance to review this debut from Jean Levy, I jumped at the chance. It sounds dark and creepy and absolutely what I’m in the mood for. What Was Lost is publishing 13th September from The Dome Press.

17. The Familiars – Stacey Halls
This book is absolutely gorgeous. I love books about witchcraft (I love love loved The Witchfinder’s Sister by Beth Underdown), so I cannot wait to read this story of two women accused of being witches. This is another one that I know I won’t be able to hold off reading! The Familiars is coming 7th of February 2019 from Bonnier Zaffre.

18. The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood – Susan Elliot Wright
This was a surprise piece of book post that sounds like such a fascinating read. I’ve seen a few reviews already but they have been mixed so I’m excited to see how I find it. It’s described as ‘An urgent and important novel of love, loss, tragedy and daring to hope again.’ The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood is coming 21st February 2019 from Simon and Schuster.

19. Killer T – Robert Muchamore
I received this book through ReadersFirst. I read the first impression and thought it was really intriguing so I’m excited to see how the rest of the book plays out. The publisher had people dressed up in lab coats at this year’s YALC so that definitely made me excited to read it. Killer T is coming 6th September from Hot Key Books.

20. The Mermaid & Mrs Hancock – Imogen Hermes Gowar
There’s a little second hand bookshop in Pitlochry that I just adore and I go in every time I’m in the area. I popped in during August and I found an ARC of this beautiful book. I’ve heard amazing things about it so I quickly snapped it up and I can’t wait to read it!

So that’s my slightly ridiculous August book haul. Which books did you buy in August and have you read any of these? If you have, what did you think?

Book Review: Show Stealer – Hayley Barker

September 14, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Series: Show Stopper #2
Release Date: 2nd August 2018
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.

Synopsis

Hoshiko and Ben have been on the run since they burned Silvio Sabatini’s circus down to the ground at the explosive finale of SHOW STOPPER. But Ben’s mother will stop at nothing to track him down and get her revenge: backing him into a corner where he is forced to sacrifice himself to save Hoshiko. The deadliest show on earth has been resurrected and if Ben thought he’d seen into its dark corners as an outsider, the true extent of the horrors that lurk beneath the Big Top are about to be revealed as he becomes the circus’ new star attraction…

Review

Showstopper was one of my favourite books of 2017. As soon as Show Stealer came through the door I was desperate to pick it up and find out what happens next. Picking up just after Showstopper ends, this instalment had me on the edge of my seat and I could not put it down. Hayley Barker’s beautiful writing draws you in deeper and deeper until you completely immerse yourself in the action of this story.

As with the previous book the story is told in alternating chapters from Hoshiko and Ben. I really loved this narration style as you get to see how they both react to certain situations and what is happening to them when they aren’t together. Both characters are really fascinating – they come from completely different worlds but they’re both strong and determined to fight for justice.

One of the things I loved most about Show Stealer is that it really dived into the politics of the world. Things are changing but not everyone is happy about the idea of Dregs getting more rights and freedom. The world that this gripping series is set in is not a million miles away from the society around us. In that respect it makes Show Stealer even more vivid and brutal.

With the new cirque comes even bigger shows, and more horrifying moments. Show Stealer is action packed and you never know who is going to survive the night. After reading about them for two books you definitely become attached to the characters and there were more than a few heart pounding moments where I couldn’t believe what was happening to them.

Show Stealer really is an incredible sequel and I just didn’t want it to end. I have no idea what is going to come next but I cannot wait to see what’s in store. If you haven’t picked up this series yet then get buying because you absolutely won’t regret it.

Book Review: Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo

September 13, 2018December 12, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

Series: The Grisha Trilogy #1
Release Date: June 5th 2012
Publisher: Indigo
Pages: 358
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones
Source: I ordered a copy of this online.

Synopsis

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

Review

No matter how many times I read this book I never tire of it, it’s a beautiful book that I want to make everyone I know read.

Shadow and Bone is the kind of book that you finish and immediately need to rush out and buy the next book in the series (which I did). It’s a beautiful story full of action, romance and magic. The world building in this story is excellent, it’s gorgeously written, with a blend of magic and Russian folklore. Bardugo has created an immense world full of history and myth and the Kingdom of Ravka leaps off the page in full glory. It leads you to be completely immersed in the story and this beautiful land.

My favourite thing about this book was the magical elements and the way that Leigh Bardugo brought this to life. The Grisha are masters of the ‘small science’ and command a variety of different powers from summoning fire to stopping your heart. Children are tested all around the country in hope of finding new Grisha with new powers. They go to school together, and jostle and fight to be the strongest. The chapters in which Alina is training are perhaps some of my favourites, and part of the reason for that is it’s such a hard graft, she is not magically amazing overnight, she has to work and fight and push herself in order to harness her power.

This brings me to the characters, Alina is an interesting character – though she can be a bit whiny and spineless – the character development is great and she grows into a really fascinating protagonist. There are so many characters that I love. Genya, another Grisha who lives at the palace is fantastic, she’s witty and clever and is definitely one of my favourites. Without a doubt my favourite character has to be the Darkling. He’s the ultimate mysterious character – you’re constantly trying to guess what his motives are and what he’s really up to.

Shadow and Bone really is a fabulous story – it will keep you hooked right to the very end. I definitely advise you to start this one on a weekend, because you’re not going to want to eat, sleep or move till you reach the end.

August Wrap Up!

September 12, 2018September 13, 2018 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 12 Comments

I’m going to try and get better at posting my wrap ups a bit closer to the end of the month, instead of three quarters of the way through the following month, but we’ll see how that goes (ha!) August was a great reading month and I completed thirteen books, which honestly is probably the most I’ve ever read in a single month!

1. Sweet Black Waves – Kristina Perez

I started this book right at the end of July and it was the first book I completed in August. A retelling of the Tristan and Eseult legend, this book was full of magic and romance and I enjoyed it so much. There is so much detail and research put into this story and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. 4/5.

2. The Way Past Winter – Kiran Millwood Hargrave

I was lucky enough to win a signed proof of this book at YALC this year and it was the first book I picked up when I got home. I loved Girl of Ink and Stars and I absolutely flew through this, it’s beautifully written and full of magic and wonder. It’s already got a lot of buzz around it and fans are definitely not going to be disappointed. 5/5.

3. Shadow and Bone – Leigh Bardugo

I for some unknown reason have never read Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo. I’ve read Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm multiple times and I loved so many of the characters but have never completed the series. It seemed like time to rectify that, so I reread Shadow and Bone in preparation. I loved it just as much as I did the first time and the Darkling will forever be one of my favourite characters. 5/5.

4. Puzzle Girl – Rachael Featherstone

This is a fun and light contemporary romance about a young woman dealing with a break up and trying to further her career. It’s cute and enjoyable (with plenty of awkward cringy moments) and I really enjoyed the story. 4/5.

5. The Lost Witch – Melvin Burgess

I was a massive fan of Melvin Burgess growing up so when I received a review copy of this book I was so excited. I love books about witches and I thought this would be right up my street. Alas I was left a bit disappointed. I really like the way the Norse mythology was woven in but I felt overall it was a bit slow and I wasn’t really gripped by the story. 3/5.

6. The Humans – Matt Haig

This was a buddy read with my boyfriend and it sounded like something we were both really going to enjoy. The book is a quick read and it’s really fascinating looking at how humans and society view themselves. There were a few really funny moments and I liked Matt Haig’s writing style. I was however a little disappointed with the ending so I ended up giving this 3/5.

7. Show Stealer – Hayley Barker

I loved Hayley’s debut last year Show Stealer – it was one of my favourite books of 2017. I was really excited to find out what was in store next for these terrific characters and I wasn’t disappointed. This instalment is darker and much more focused on politics and intrigue, but I loved every second and could not put it down. 5/5.

8. Darksoul – Anna Stephens

Anna Stephens was my new favourite author of 2017. I loved Godblind more than any other book I read last year, and it has become one of my all time favourite books ever. This was probably one of my most anticipated releases of 2018 and it was so good I honestly can’t explain my love for this series. It’s dark, violent, gory and full of fascinating characters and I’m definitely thinking about rereading the books already because I just cannot get enough. 5/5 (all the stars!)

9. City of Ghosts – Victoria Schwab

A book set in Edinburgh? Sold! Now shameful secret time: despite owning quite a few of her books I’ve actually never read a Victoria Schwab book. Well after reading this gorgeous and spooky tale in a single sitting I am definitely going to be solving that problem. I hope there are plenty more books in this series because I am completely in love with Cassidy and her story. 5/5.

10. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – Jenny Han

I really love YA books but I mainly read fantasy and science fiction. I’ve tried a few contemporary YA books and often it takes me ages to read them because they just don’t grip me in the same way. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before had been getting so much attention because of the Netflix adaptation that I decided to give it a go and surprisingly I absolutely loved it. Fun and sweet and such an addictive read, I read it in two days and watched the film straight after. I’m now eagerly awaiting the rest of the series to be delivered because I need to know if it all works out! 4/5.

11. The Secret Deep – Lindsay Gavin

This was another book that I picked up at YALC which I thought was about mermaids. I found the story a little slow to start but ended up really enjoying it. The book definitely wasn’t what I thought it was – it focuses on science and the creation of new vaccines and was much more of a thriller. It’s a gripping read and one I’m definitely glad I picked up. 4/5.

12. Siege and Storm – Leigh Bardugo

I continued my reread of the Grisha books with Siege and Storm. I prefer the first book in the series but this was still an unputdownable five star read for me. Will I finally read Ruin and Rising? Who knows! 5/5.

13. Resin – Ane Riel

This was a gripping thriller that is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Centring on a family who live on a remote island by themselves, this story is dark and unsettling and I found myself thinking about it well after I’d put it down. This is a really original story and completely unforgettable.

So that’s my wrap up for August! What books did you read last month and have you read any of these – if you have what did you think?

Book Review: Darksoul – Anna Stephens

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

Series: Godblind #2
Publisher: HarperVoyager UK
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy to review.

Synopsis

The Wolves lie dead beside Rilpor’s soldiers, slaughtered at the hands of the Mireces and their fanatical army.

The veil that once kept the Red Gods at bay has been left in tatters as the Dark Lady’s plans for the world come to fruition. Where the gods walk, blood is spilled on the earth.

All that stands between the Mireces army and complete control of the Kingdom of Rilpor are the walls of its capital, Rilporin, and those besieged inside.

But hope might yet bloom in the unlikeliest of places: in the heart of a former slave, in the mind of a soldier with the eyes of a fox, and in the hands of a general destined to be king.

Review

This is the highly anticipated sequel to Godblind – one of my favourite books of 2017. I was so excited to receive a copy of this book and I honestly couldn’t wait to dive in. After reading the opening chapter I was completely hooked and ended up devouring this book in a few sittings. It’s dark, bloody and gripping and I didn’t want it to end.

Darksoul picks up right where Godblind leaves off, the Mireces are attempting to lay siege to Rilporin and the soldiers are holding it as best they can. This epic story alternates between the characters that we’ve already met in the previous book – but don’t get too attached because not everyone will make it to the end.

Much like the previous book this story is violent and full of the sights, sounds and smells of battle. Anna Stephens has such a fantastic way of bringing the action to life, and that is never more apparent than in this bloody battle. The fighting scenes are jam packed and I was practically on the edge of my seat to find out how it was going to play out.

I’ve seen comparisons between Darksoul and The Two Towers and I think that’s a really apt comparison. The whole book focuses on this one battle, but so much happens in this action packed few weeks. I love so many of the characters – they are so complex and fascinating. Each one is flawed, determined and fighting for his or her own desires. Everyone schemes and you never know what they truly want.

Darksoul certainly feels darker and more intense than the first book in the series, and the short alternating chapters definitely had me racing through the story. The story touches on so many subjects – not just fighting and war but friendship, family religion and politics. Darksoul is a magnificent gripping read that I loved just as much as book one, and I cannot wait to find out what’s in store next.