July Wrap Up!

August 8, 2020August 8, 2020 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Today I’m back with a July Wrap up. Things have been slowly returning to normal and I’ve been in work more so I’ve had less time to read. I did manage a total of 8 books, so lets dive in!

1. Music and Malice in Hurricane Town – Alex Bell
This was a book I picked up on a whim and ended up absolutely loving it. It follows a young girl living in a magical New Orleans as she becomes wrapped up in the murder of the cajou Queen. Forced to find out who killed her, Jude goes on a whirlwind adventure through the underworld of Baton Noir. It was a really gripping read and I ended up racing through it. (4.25/5 stars)

2. The Dark That Dwells – Matt Digman & Ryan Roody
This epic space adventure was my favourite book of the month. Full of action and adventure, I couldn’t put this one down. It’s a brilliant blend of science fiction and fantasy, following four strangers who become swept up in an epic adventure to stop an ancient evil from returning. I loved everything about this one, from the world building to the character and I highly recommend picking it up. (5/5 stars)

3. If I Had Your Face – Frances Cha
If I Had Your Face follows a group of women living in contemporary Seoul. In this society plastic surgery rules all and everyone is obsessed with looking beautiful. Each women is dealing with her own struggles of living in this society and it was such a fascinating story. The writing is gorgeous and I definitely recommend if you’re looking for some gripping contemporary fiction. (3.75/5 stars)

4. Harrow Lake – Kat Ellis
I absolutely love horror movies so when I heard about this story about the daughter of a famous horror movie director, I was instantly hooked. The story follows Lola as she returns to her mothers hometown and the place where her father filmed his cult classic. When she arrives she finds a town stuck in the past, with a number of mysterious secrets. This book was brilliantly creepy and I had such a fun time reading it. It’s a perfect read for Halloween! (4.5/5 stars)

5. Hinton Hollow Death Trip – Will Carver
Hinton Hollow Death Trip is completely unlike anything I have ever read before. It follows Detective Pace who is returning to his hometown after many years. The story is narrated by Evil, as over the course of a few days he inspires and nudges people to do evil things. This story has really short snappy chapters that had me turning pages faster and faster. (4/5 stars)

6. The Gilded Wolves – Roshani Chokshi
This is one I’ve wanted to read for a while and it was so much fun. A heist style novel about a group of individuals looking to steal magical artefacts, it very much gave me Six of Crows vibes. I really liked the characters and the plot was excited but I would have liked a bit more of a chance to get to know the world and the magic system before diving into the main story. (3.5/5 stars)

7. The Cry of the Lake – Charlie Tyler
This debut thriller might be short but boy it packs a punch. The story is set in a small town and follows a number of characters during the disappearance of a young school girl. When her body is discovered police find evidence to suspect one of her teachers. The evidence appears too neat, raising suspicions in police officer Annie and the suspect’s daughter Flo. But who would want to frame him and why? Full of twisty secrets, this was a mysterious and gripping read that I ended up reading in one day. (4/5 stars)

8. The Resident – David Jackson
This book honestly freaked me out so much. Serial killer Thomas Brogan is on the run when he finds refuge in an abandoned house. Whilst exploring he discovers he can access the homes of the neighbours through the attic and decides to have some fun while he’s lying low. I live in the type of house where this seems possible so it definitely creeped me out. A completely terrifying read, it hooks you in right from the very first page. (5/5 stars)

So those are the eight books I read in July! If you’ve read any of these I’d love to know what you thought as well as what books you’ve been reading in July!

May Wrap Up!

June 13, 2020June 13, 2020 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

May was another great reading month and I managed to read seventeen books in total. I’m going to keep things quite short because getting through seventeen books will make this post absolutely massive, but I will link full reviews if you want to find out more – lets dive in!

1. Pine – Francine Toon
This was a leftover read from the OWLS Magical Readathon, which I ended up really enjoying. A beautifully written tale about life in the remote Scottish highlands, it was full of secrets and a brilliant sense of atmosphere (4/5 stars)

2. Dangerous Remedy – Kat Dunn
Set during the French Revolution, this story of daring heists, politics and a hint of magic was everything I wanted it to be and more. I absolutely raced through this fast paced tale and I’m so looking forward to book two. (4.5/5 stars)

3. The Book of Koli – M R Carey
This was my first time reading an M R Carey book and it was such a clever tale. A post-apocalyptic tale where even the trees are out to get you, one young boy dreams of being more than a Woodsmith. But when he manages to wake a piece of old world tech the consequences could be much higher than he anticipated. (4/5 stars)

4. Dispel Illusion – Mark Lawrence
The third and final book in Mark Lawrence’s Impossible Times trilogy, I absolutely loved this one and it was one of my favourite books of the month. I’m so sad to say goodbye to these characters, but Lawrence created a brilliant ending to the story. (5/5 stars)

5. Shade’s Children – Garth Nix
Shade’s Children was one of my favourite books growing up and I read it over and over so I thought it would be fun to revisit as an adult. It was just as dark and creepy as I remember it being and I absolutely loved it. It’s such a cleverly written tale and I can’t wait revisit more of Nix’s books in the future (5/5 stars)

6. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J K Rowling
After revisiting Shade’s Children I figured I might revisit the Harry Potter series and reread them as it’s been a few years since I read them physically, the last time was via audiobook. I really enjoyed this and was planning to continue on with the series however in light of J K Rowling’s recent comments, this has been put on hold. (5/5 stars)

7. In Plain Sight – Marion Todd
This fast paced tale set in Fife in Scotland follows DI Clare MacKay as she attempts to solve the case of a young child being kidnapped. A twisty and intriguing police procedural, I ended up really enjoying this one and will definitely be picking up more of the series (3.75/5 stars)

8. The Elite – Kiera Cass
Since the announcement that The Selection series was getting a Netflix adaptation I decided it was finally time to dig my copies out and give them a go. I read the first one and thought it was fun so went ahead with book two. In much the same vein it was light and fluffy, full of drama and the luxury of castle life. (3/5 stars)

9. All Your Twisted Secrets – Diana Urban
I must admit to being a little disappointed in this one. I thought it was going to be like One Of Us Is Lying, but found the story just a little bit too far fetched for my tastes. The story of five teenagers locked in a room with a bomb, and they must decide which one of them to kill so that the rest can live. (2.5/5 stars)

10. Burn – Patrick Ness
This was my third time reading a book by Patrick Ness and I think this is my favourite one so far. The story of an alternate 1950s America in which dragons live alongside humans, it was an intriguing story and one I found difficult to put down. (4/5 stars)

11. Aurora Burning – Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
One of my most anticipated releases of the year, this was everything I was hoping for and more. Squad 312 are back, and the stakes are even higher than they were last time. The book ended on the most awful cliffhanger and I’m already desperate to find out what’s going to happen in book three. (5/5 stars)

12. The Deck of Omens – Christine Lynn Herman
The conclusion to The Devouring Gray duology, The Deck of Omens was an interesting sequel. I preferred book one in terms of the story, but it was fascinating to get answers to the questions left in book one and Herman wrapped up the duology nicely. (3.75/5 stars)

13. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – Suzanne Collins
I must confess to be massively disappointed in this one. I loved The Hunger Games growing up and I was so excited by this prequel but I really disliked Snow and I struggled to slog through the second part of the book and the only bit I really enjoyed was the last fifty-eighty pages. (2.5/5 stars)

14. Highfire – Eoin Colfer
This crazy and unique tale is follows Verne the dragon – one of the last of his kind as he ends up taking on a human familiar and becomes tangled up in a drug war and sinister plot from the local police Constable. Action packed and full of humour, this was a really fun read. (3/5 stars)

15. A Conjuring of Assassins – Cate Glass
The sequel to An Illusion of Thieves, this was another most anticipated release for me. The Chimera are back at it again, and this time the heist is on an even bigger scale. I love the world Glass has created in this and I can’t wait for the next instalment. (4/5 stars)

16. Girls of Paper and Fire – Natasha Ngan
Girls of Paper and Fire had a massive amount of buzz surrounding it when it first came out and I have been excited to read it for a long time. While I still really enjoyed this it didn’t quite live up to the hype and I felt the story was a bit slow and that the Demon King was a bit one-dimensional. It was still a fascinating story though, and I’m intrigued to see where the sequel goes (3.5/5 stars)

17. The Turn of the Key – Ruth Ware
This was my first time reading a Ruth Ware and my god it was creepy. I absolutely loved this and I’m definitely planning to pick up some more of her books in the near future. Inspired by The Turn of the Screw, this story features a strange ‘smart home’, creepy children, family secrets and so many twists you’ll never see coming. (4.25/5 stars)

So those are the seventeen books I managed to read in May. I’m not sure how I can top that in June but I’m going to try. If you’ve read any of these I’d love to know what you thought, as well as what your favourite book of June was!

April Wrap Up!

May 10, 2020May 7, 2020 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

April has been a crazy month, with most of the world being in lock down. It’s been a difficult few weeks but one positive is that it has given me loads of time to read. April ended up being a terrific reading month and I read 20 books. I’m going to keep this quite short otherwise getting through 20 books would make this post massive!

1. Magic For Liars – Sarah Gailey
This murder mystery set in a magic school was an interesting and engaging read. I had seen it described as ‘Veronica Mars at Hogwarts’ and I think that’s a pretty apt description! (3/5 stars)

2. The Cold Is In Her Bones – Paternelle Van Arsdale
I picked this up on a whim and found it to be quite a fun and eerie tale. The story of a village cursed by a woman who was cast out, young women in the village become possessed by demons. Quite a quick read and enjoyed the fairy tale like quality. (3/5 stars)

3. Viper – Bex Hogan
I’ve had a copy of this book for a while but I finally picked it up and I’m so glad I did. Bloodthirsty pirates, revenge plots and mysterious magical powers, I couldn’t get enough of this one and absolutely raced through it. (4.5/5 stars)

4. Prosper’s Demon – K J Parker
This extremely short novella follows an unnamed narrator as he exercises demons from the local people. It was a fun and fascinating tale the perfect quick read. A unique story, it definitely made me want to try more from this author. (3.75/5 stars)

5. Hold Back the Tide – Melinda Salisbury
I loved everything about this book. Eerie atmospheric setting, long buried secrets and a hint of something supernatural? I’m sold. The story of a young girl living in the Scottish highlands with her murderer father, it’s one of my favourite books of the year so far. (5/5 stars)

6. The Dark Knight Returns – Frank Miller
I thought I would revisit a graphic novel I haven’t read since University and it was such a fun reread. This dark tale follows Batman as he returns to save Gotham after many years. He’s older and not as capable as he once was, but that isn’t going to stop him. (4/5 stars)

7. Heart of Thorns – Bree Barton
Heart of Thorns is the first in a YA trilogy featuring a young woman forced to marry a prince but soon discovers she has powers that she will be hunted for. It falls into a lot of typical YA tropes, but it was a fun read and I’m interested to see what book two brings. (3/5 stars)

8. Bloodchild – Anna Stephens
Bloodchild is the third and final instalment in one of my favourite grimdark trilogies. Bloody, brutal and heartbreaking, it was everything I was hoping for and more. I already want to go back and reread the series. (5/5 stars)

9. Bookish and the Beast – Ashley Poston
Ashley Poston is a genius at creating these geeky retellings. Bookish and the Beast might be my favourite ever. I loved the way she worked in the fairy tale and it was also nice to get glimpses of characters we met in book one and book two! (4.5/5 stars)

10. Every Heart A Doorway – Seanan McGuire
This series has a lot of buzz so I thought I would try it on audiobook to see what the fuss was about and oh I’m so glad I did. I completely loved this magical story full of unique worlds and fascinating characters (4.25/5 stars)

11. The Lodger – C L Taylor
This short story is available to people signed up for C L Taylor’s book club. It was a fun read with a surprise twist at the end, but I would have loved for it to be a bit longer to give you the chance to get to know the characters. (2.75/5 stars)

12. Down Among the Sticks and Bones – Seanan McGuire
After loving book one so much I decided to dive right back into book two and this one was definitely my favourite. Jack and Jill are without a doubt my favourite characters and it was brilliant seeing them on the moors. (5/5 stars)

13. One Of Us Is Next – Karen M. McManus
I really enjoyed One Of Us Is Lying so was interested to see how Karen M. McManus would handle a sequel. It was interesting to revisit some of the characters from book one and it was a fast paced read, but I did guess the twists quite early on. (3.5/5 stars)

14. Strangers – C. L Taylor
C L Taylor has done it again with another fast paced and unputdownable thriller. Every time she releases a new book I need to just spend the day reading it because I know I won’t be able to put it down. (5/5 stars)

15. Beneath the Sugar Sky – Seanan McGuire
I am pretty much obsessed with the Wayward Children series at this point. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the previous two – I found Rini a bit on the irritating side, but I still completely love the world and the adventures they get up to. (3.75/5 stars)

16. King of Fools – Amanda Foody
WHY did I wait so long to pick this one up? Amanda Foody had me on the edge of my seat with this one. I really love the world she has created and I’ve become so attached to the characters. Equal parts excited and terrified to see how it all ends in Queen of Volts (5/5 stars)

17. In An Absent Dream – Seanan McGuire
I must admit that the Goblin Market was one of the worlds that intrigued me most. Lundy’s story is a really sad one and it made me appreciate her character all the more. (4/5 stars)

18. Firewalkers – Adrian Tchaikovsky
A story where the Earth is burning and three young people must risk their lives in the burning desert to repair solar panels for the rich, this was a gripping read. Featuring creepy AI’s and monstrous creepy crawlies, I really enjoyed this one. (4/5 stars)

19. Seeker – Cate Tiernan
Continuing my reread of the Wicca series with book number 10. It was interesting seeing things from Hunter’s perspective for a change, but I kind of missed Morgan. Looking forward to rereading the last five books. (3.75/5 stars)

20. Come Tumbling Down – Seanan McGuire
I was overjoyed to learn that the next book in the series would be returning to the moors. I enjoyed this one just as much and honestly would love a full length novel just of the magnificent characters McGuire has created in the moors. (5/5 stars)

So those are all the books I read in April! I still can’t quite believe I managed to read 20 books in one month, hoping I can do just as many in May. If you’ve read any of these I’d love to know your thoughts, as well as what books you read in April!

July Wrap Up!

September 15, 2019September 15, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

I’m a bit behind on posting wrap ups so I thought I would do a quick post of all the books I read in July! I moved house in July and things were a bit manic so I only managed to read a few books.

1. The Furies – Katie Lowe
The Furies follows a girl named Violet who is starting at the elite Elm Hollow Academy. There she is befriended by a group of girls who attend a study group focusing on Witch trials and the occult. The girls start to believe that magic is real, but when a former member of the group turns up dead, Violet starts to wonder if she can trust these girls, and what really happened to Robin. I adored this book so much. It’s definitely a favourite of the year it was dark and intense and I completely fell in love with the characters. I can’t wait to read more from Katie Lowe. Full review can be found here! (5/5 stars)

2. Aphrodite Made Me Do It – Trista Mateer
My quest to broaden my reading and try and read things outwith my comfort zone meant I picked up this gorgeous little book of poetry. Poetry isn’t something I read much of but I found myself really enjoying this powerful collection mixing feminism and Greek mythology. I definitely found some of the passages quite inspiring and I really want to try and read more poetry in the future. I love the eye-catching cover too and if you want to read my full thoughts you can check out my review here. (4/5 stars)

3. Wanderers – Chuck Wendig
Chuck Wendig is an author I’ve always wanted to check out so I jumped at the opportunity to read his laterest book Wanderers. This story was completely unlike anything I had read before and it had me hooked from the outset. The story a group of people who wake up one morning and just start walking. Nothing will stop them from walking and if they are restrained things start to go wrong. The story follows the loved ones of the walkers, attempting to stay with their family and keep them safe. This story was so addictive and even though it’s a tomb I raced through it. I can’t recommend it highly enough and I’ve already forced several family members to read it. (4.5/5 stars)

4. Night Film – Marisha Peshl
This is without a doubt my favourite thriller of all time. I got this book for Christmas and picked it up on a whim, but I’m so glad that I did. The story follows the murder of a young woman who’s father is a famous and reclusive film director. Disgraced investigative journalist Scott McGrath starts looking into the case after his previous investigation into the Cordova family cost him his job. As he delves into the mysteries surrounding the family he starts to wonder if there’s more to them than meets the eye. I honestly couldn’t put this book down, I loved it so much. I was constantly questioning what was real and what wasn’t. There are tons of really spine tingling moments and I genuinely had to google to see if Cordova was a real person because the story felt so real. Night Film is a brilliant brilliant read. (5/5 stars)

5. Lies You Never Told Me – Jennifer Donaldson
Lies You Never Told Me is a fun and fast paced YA thriller. The story follows two seemingly unconnected characters and the relationships they develop – one a young girl with her drama teacher and another a young boy with a manipulative and controlling girl. As both try to escape from their relationships things get more and more out of control. The story is interesting, with quite a few plot twists but felt very much like your typical YA thriller. The characters were quite one dimensional and I guessed the ending quite early on. (3/5 stars)

So those are the five books I read in July! Let me know if you’ve read any of these and what you thought and what books you’ve been reading and loving recently!

May Wrap Up!

June 21, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 8 Comments

I definitely feel like I’ve got my reading mojo back recently and in May I managed to read 15 books. Some of them are just little novellas rather than full books but I had a really interesting reading month overall, so lets dive in!

1. Exit Strategy – Martha Wells
I’ve steadily been working my way through The Murderbot Diaries on audio because they’re fun and interesting reads. This is the fourth instalment in the series and while I enjoyed it, I felt it was getting a bit repetitive. The narrator does a really brilliant job of bringing Murderbot to life and the whole series make for really quick reads. I’m caught up on the series now and looking forward to the next instalment which is due for release in 2020. (3/5 stars)

2. Sea Witch – Sara Henning
Sea Witch is a dark retelling which focuses on the Ursula character in The Little Mermaid. This was another audio book read for me and I fell in love with the characters. It was a fast paced read and the narrator was fabulous. I thought the book came to a really interesting conclusion and I assumed it was a standalone but there is a second instalment coming out which I’m really intrigued to read because I’m not sure where the author can go next. Full review is here if you want to know more! (4/5 stars)

3. Aurora Rising – Ami Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
I LOVED this book. The story of a bunch of misfits tasked with saving the galaxy was everything I needed and I’m crediting this book with pulling me out of my reading slump. I adored everything about this book from the characters to the fun, action packed plot. I’m already desperate for more and I’m absolutely going to reread this one soon. My full review for this is here if you want to know more! (5/5 stars)

4. Joker – Brian Azzello
This is a graphic novel I’ve had on my shelf for quite a while so I decided to pick it up one afternoon. I read it in one sitting and I did enjoy it, but it felt kind of forgettable? I only remember the very basics of the story. It felt very much like a crime story that happened to have Batman and Joker in it rather than a superhero tale. I wasn’t all that keen on the art style either, so overall it felt very average. (2.5/5 stars)

5. Wicked Saints – Emily A. Duncan
This was another book that I really really enjoyed. The magic system in this book really intrigued me and I really fell in love with the story. It could have done with a bit more character development and I’m hoping this is something that is addressed in the next book in the series. Full review for Wicked Saints is here! (4.5/5 stars)

6. As Far As the Stars – Virginia Macgregor
This book was so cute! The story of two characters with family members on a plane that has crashed, it’s a sweet and fascinating story as they attempt to deal with what has happened to the plane and explore their feeling for each other. It’s the perfect summer road trip novel and there are lots of really beautiful moments in the story. I took part in the blog tour for this so you can see my stop here if you want to know more. (4/5 stars)

7. Locked In – Mark Lawrence
I recently discovered some Mark Lawrence short stories that I hadn’t read so I quickly snapped up the opportunity to read them (they’ve available on his website). This one was my favourite, a quick and dark little story that kept me hooked the whole way through. A perfect read if you’ve got some time to kill and easily read in one sitting. (4/5 stars)

8. Quick – Mark Lawrence
This was another of the short stories. This one felt a bit shorter so I didn’t feel like I got the chance to get to know the character as much, but it was still a fun little story featuring a young man with strange powers – again this would be perfect if you were waiting for something and had a bit of time to kill – a fun and light read! (3/5 stars)

9. The Princess and the Fangirl – Ashley Poston
I love love loved Geekarella so I was super excited to read The Princess and the Fangirl and it was everything I wanted and more. The story is a retelling of The Princess and the pauper and features two adorable romances, one is also female/female and they were just the cutest! I really enjoyed reading this and it was so fun to see characters from Geekarella pop up. Kind of hoping Ashley Poston continues with this and does more of these geeky retellings because I’m obsessed. (4.25/5 stars)

10. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Holly Jackson
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this up. There was lots of buzz around this at YALC last year and I was interested to give it a go. It ended up being quite an intense, twisty thriller and every theory I came up with ended up being shot down. There were plenty of twists that I absolutely did not see coming. (4/5 stars)

11. The Selection – Kiera Cass
I finally got around to reading the first book in The Selection series and I totally get what everyone was telling me. It wasn’t exactly a ground breaking read but it was fast paced and I couldn’t seem to put the book down. It was an addictive story and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next. (3.5/5 stars)

12. Limited Wish – Mark Lawrence
This was probably my favourite book of the month and I’m pretty obsessed with this series. The second instalment of the Impossible Times trilogy was just as brilliant as book one and I raced through this book because I was just so desperate to know what was going to happen to Nick and the gang. Full review for this one can be found over here. (5/5 stars)

13. My Secret Lies With You – Faye Bird
This was a strange little thriller about a young girl who makes friends with a group of people on holiday. Someone they met last year has gone missing and the group attempt to unravel that secrets around her disappearance. This was another one that I finished very quickly, it’s an exciting readable tale that I think thriller fans will really enjoy. (4/5 stars)

14. Green Arrow: Midas Touch – Dan Jurgens
This was just not for me. I really like Green Arrow and picked up a copy of this New 52 graphic novel but I didn’t get on with it at all. I thought the story was quite slow, it was all action with very little plot. I didn’t feel like I got to know any of the characters and I didn’t really care for the art style. (2/5 stars)

15. Evidence of the Affair – Taylor Jenkins Reid
I saw a few booktubers talking about this novella written by the author of Daisy Jones and the Six. The story follows a woman who discovers her husband is having an affair and so tells the lovers husband all about it. The two strike up a friendship as they attempt to deal with their partners lies and secrets. It’s all told through letters and it was a really fascinating read. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author because this is the second time I’ve read something from her that wasn’t my kind of thing and loved it. (4/5 stars)

So those are all the books I read in May! I definitely found some new favourites and I’m hoping I can read just as many in June. Definitely let me know what you’ve been reading recently and if you’ve read any of these I’d loved to know what you thought!

April Wrap Up!

May 30, 2019May 31, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 8 Comments

I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus these last two weeks but I’m back and today I thought I would share my April wrap up. I seem to have managed to get out of the slump and managed to complete 12 books in April!

1. Daisy Jones and the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six is definitely not the kind of book I would normally read but it completely sucked me in and totally lived up to the hype. I ended up loving it way more than I thought I would and I can’t wait to read more from Taylor Jenkins Reid. My full review for Daisy Jones can be found here. (4/5 stars)

2. Muse of Nightmares – Laini Taylor
To coincide with the paperback release of this gorgeous book I was asked to participate in the blog tour. Muse of Nightmares is the sequel to Strange the Dreamer, a beautifully told fantasy story full of magic and adventure. I loved Muse of Nightmares just as much as I loved the first book in the series and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it. You can check out my stop on the blog tour here. (5/5 stars)

3. Sleep – C. L. Taylor
C. L. Taylor is fast becoming one of my favourite crime writers. Every single one of her books has had me on the edge of my seat. Sleep is a dark and twisty tale about a group of people staying at a hotel on a remote Scottish island. Everyone has secrets, but is one of them planning murder? I was completely shocked by the ending and I loved every second. Full review for this one is here! (4.5/5 stars)

4. Star Crossed – Minnie Darke
This was such a cute and fun contemporary story! Star-Crossed revolves around star signs and really brings a fresh perspective to the contemporary genre. I completely adored the characters and was hooked on the story. This was another blog tour that I participated in so if you want to find out more you can check out my stop here. (3.5/5 stars)

5. The Devil Aspect – Craig Russell
This book was so dark and creepy I couldn’t get enough. Craig Russell completely sucked me in with this story and I almost missed my train stop a few times because I was absorbed in the story. A mixture of historical fiction, horror and thriller – this story packs a punch and is full of excitement and quite a bit of gore. If you’re intrigued and you can find my full review here. (4.5/5 stars)

6. The Fandom Rising – Anna Day
Anna Day is back with a fun and exciting sequel to The Fandom. In this instalment some of the characters return to the world of The Gallows Dance and there’s an added mystery going on in the real world. It was great to return to the characters we fell in love with in book one and I really enjoyed the story. (Review here!) (3.5/5 stars)

7. Summer Bird Blue – Akemi Dawn Bowman
Starfish was one of my favourite books of 2018 so I was really excited to read Summer Bird Blue. The story follows a young girl dealing with the loss of her sister in a car crash. The story is emotional and I loved the connection with music, but I didn’t mesh with the characters in the same way I did Starfish. (3/5 stars)

8. The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes – Neil Gaiman
I absolutely adore Neil Gaiman but for some reason I’ve never picked up The Sandman graphic novels. I rectified that this month by reading the first instalment – Preludes and Nocturnes. It was dark and gripping and the art work was completely stunning. I’m really looking forward to continuing the series and can’t wait to pick up volume two! (3.5/5 stars)

9. Release – Patrick Ness
I picked this up while on holiday because it sounded like a really fascinating story about a day in the life of young Adam Thorn and a mysterious ghost that brings about the end of the world. It felt like I was reading two completely different stories and it left me feeling a bit disappointed. (2.5/5 stars)

10. The Hobbit – J. R. R. Tolkien
I’m trying to reread some of my favourite books of all time so I figured this was the perfect opportunity to reread The Hobbit. No matter how many times I read it I still completely fall in love with the story. It’s such a well written tale and I already want to reread it again sometime soon. I’m definitely going to try and reread the Lord of the Rings books before the end of the year too. (5/5 stars)

11. The Lives Before Us – Juliet Conlin
I absolutely loved The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days by Juliet Conlin so I was so excited to pick up her new book. This is such a beautiful and moving tale set during the Second World War. It’s full of heart and and it’s definitely a book I still think about even though I finished it ages ago. I can’t wait to see what Juliet writes next! (4/5 stars)

12. Emily Eternal – M. G. Wheaton
I’m pretty sure I read this book in a single day. Emily Eternal is a science fiction story about an AI named Emily who is designed to help human trauma. The sun is dying and Emily discovers a secret that might save humanity, she must go on the run with her human friends and attempt to stop the end of the world. It’s jam packed with danger, excitement and adventure. It’s definitely a must read. (4/5 stars)

So those are all the books I read in April! I had an excellent reading month with lots of really brilliant books and I’m hoping that it will continue for the rest of the year!

March Wrap Up!

April 21, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

Continuing the tradition of waiting till the very last minute to post my monthly wrap ups, lets dive into what I read in March!

1. One Word Kill – Mark Lawrence
This is the first in an all new science fiction series from Mark Lawrence – one of my all time favourite authors. It was such a fun and exciting read, full of time travel, crazy plot twists and brilliant characters. It gave me serious Stranger Things vibes and I’m honestly so excited to read the next book in the series. You can read my full review of this one here! (5/5 stars)

2. Monsters in the Mirror – A. J. Hartley
Monsters in the Mirror was such an exciting middle grade story. It was full to the brim with adventure and magic and I raced through it. I really loved the plot and I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author. I participated in the blog tour for this one so if you fancy reading my full thoughts you can take a look here. (4/5 stars)

3. Changeling – Cate Tiernan
Continuing my reread of one of my all time favourite series, I hit book number eight in the Sweep/Wicca series. This series is like my go to easy read, I completely adore the characters I definitely think it’s an underrated YA series. I’ve basically been reading one of these a month and I’m not sure what I’m going to do when I get to book fifteen – start all over again? (4.5/5 stars)

4. The Near Witch – V. E. Schwab
This is the recently republished debut by V. E. Schwab and I was really interested in reading it. I went to an event where she explained that she hadn’t edited it since it’s original publication, it was published exactly as it was back then. I really enjoyed the atmospheric setting and the witchy plot. It’s not my favourite Victoria Schwab book but I had a fun time reading it. Full review for this one is here! (3.75/5 stars)

5. Notes on a Nervous Planet – Matt Haig
Non-Fiction is something I would really like to get into more so I thought I would give Notes on a Nervous Planet a go. I really like Matt Haig’s fiction books so I figured this was a perfect opportunity. I opted for the audiobook which is read by the author so it was a really interesting listen. It was a fascinating read and I’m probably going to pick up a physical copy of this and Reasons To Stay Alive. (3/5 stars)

6. Other Words For Smoke – Sarah Maria Griffin
This was such a strange and unusual read. It’s a witchy story about a family living in a very odd house with things in the walls, dark powers and all sorts of mysterious goings on. It gave me Shirley Jackson vibes and I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about it once I’d finished reading. If you’re looking for something a bit different – I definitely recommend this one. (5/5 stars)

7. Burn For Burn – Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivan
I started to feel a bit slumpy after reading Other Words For Smoke so I opted for this fast paced and fun contemporary story about three girls getting revenge on the people that have made their lives hell. It was dramatic and a bit unrealistic but I got swept up in the plot and I’m eager to continue into book two. (3.5/5 stars)

So those are the seven books I read in March! It was a bit less than I would normally read in a month due to the reading slump hit but I’m hoping it will pick up a bit more towards the end of April! If you’ve read any of these definitely let me know what you thought, as well as the books you’ve been reading recently!

The Bibliophile Chronicles

Tag: books read

July Wrap Up!

May Wrap Up!

April Wrap Up!

July Wrap Up!

May Wrap Up!

April Wrap Up!

March Wrap Up!