Nina Rodriguez knows a hidden magical world run by ruthless cabals is hiding in Los Angeles. When a giant magic beast kidnaps her sister, Nina must confront her past (and her demons) to get her sister back and reclaim her life. Don’t miss the first collection of the smash-hit neo-noir fantasy series!
I’m very on the fence about this one! If I could rate this graphic novel based on the color palette and artwork alone it would’ve been a solid 5 stars. This is the type of artwork that I’m an absolute sucker for. Everyone and everything is simply gorgeous–the setting, the character expressions and personalities physically expressed. Jen Bartel’s work is seriously impressive.
That said, the storyline and characters didn’t work for me. I didn’t enjoy a single one of the characters and I was especially frustrated with Nina. I understand she went through a terrible thing in her childhood from the night of the earthquake to losing her mum at such a young age, and that those events basically spiralled until young adulthood to where she is now. But her character was incredibly annoying and weak. Trying to follow her thoughts and mood was like trying to catch a swing that’s going in the opposite direction as me all the time. The flow felt a little stilted and didn’t really connect. And her moods! Oh my goodness. For example, MINOR spoiler: one minute she’s hating on Clint hardcore and then the next minute, they’re holding hands and almost kissing? I’m sorry but what and why? I think Clint’s character might have been the only one who was half-decent, but we also don’t really know that much about him yet. Other than that he has great fashion sense lol
The story was also very reminiscent of The Wicked + The Divine. While I thought the powers of the paragons and the use of gems was a unique aspect of the story, I continued to feel confused throughout this whole volume. We didn’t really get any answers about anything, and I know that this is only the first six issues, so hopefully in the coming issues things will become more clear.
That said, as much as I enjoyed the artwork, I don’t think I’ll be continuing on with this graphic novel. I’ll just continue to enjoy the artwork 🙂
Have you read Blackbird?Love it? Hate it? Meh about it? Let me know in the comments and let’s have a little chat!
Goodreads: The Flatshare Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit Rating:
Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey each have a problem and need a quick fix. Tiffy’s been dumped by her cheating boyfriend and urgently needs a new flat. But earning minimum wage at a quirky publishing house means that her choices are limited in London. Leon, a palliative care nurse, is more concerned with other people’s welfare than his own. Along with working night shifts looking after the terminally ill, his sole focus is on raising money to fight his brother’s unfair imprisonment. Leon has a flat that he only uses 9 to 5. Tiffy works 9 to 5 and needs a place to sleep. The solution to their problems? To share a bed of course… As Leon and Tiffy’s unusual arrangement becomes a reality, they start to connect through Post-It notes left for each other around the flat. Can true love blossom even in the unlikeliest of situations? Can true love blossom even if you never see one another? Or does true love blossom when you are least expecting it?
Just before deciding whether to pick up this book or not, I saw that someone said that reading this book was like receiving a (long) warm hug(s), and now that I’ve finished reading it I couldn’t agree more. This was a very fast, funny, heartwarming read but there’s also more depth to the story than I originally anticipated. Despite the darker elements to the story, I couldn’t resist (literally) laughing out loud through so many parts of the book. I love British humor and the characters were so adorable!
Content warning: gaslighting and abuse (emotional).
The story is narrated in alternating perspectives between Tiffy and Leon. A lot of people have commented on how annoying Leon’s chapters because of how they’re written, but I actually really enjoyed how it’s written to reflect his character. Not just in mannerisms, but how Leon thought was exactly how the chapter was written. I found that unique! I adored Tiffy’s and Leon’s characters and I really enjoyed how their relationship grew throughout the story. Their system of leaving post-it notes around the flat was not only so sweet, but I found it an interesting and intimate way to get to know a person. It’s like the short form of full on love letters, and even though they were often about mundane thoughts/observations, I thought their personalities managed to really shine through. Tiffy and Leon also reminded me a lot of other characters that I’ve read (and loved!) in different books.
Tiffy’s quirkiness, bright wardrobe, and total comfort in her skin reminded me a lot of Hazel (Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating) and Louisa (Me Before You)! I liked that she had a strong and vibrant personality. She obviously has her insecurities, and the further we read, the more things begin to unravel for Tiffy’s character. Her experiences left me feeling sad and so incredibly angry too; I definitely wanted to punch someone in the face on her behalf! But her character is so strong and seeing her stand her ground was very empowering.
Leon’s quiet character, the total opposite of Tiffy, reminded me a fair bit of Josh (Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating) and a bit of Khai (The Bride Test). His relationship with Richie was so heartwarming and the dynamics reminded me a bit of Khai and Quan too because yes, Richie reminded me of Quan and I WANTED MORE. Leon’s character grew on me very quickly. I related to how he didn’t waste his energy on just anybody but saved it for the people he cared about. Although he’s not always talkative, smiling and laughing, when it does happen it’s like magic. He lights up and I loved that! He’s really just a sweet, sentimental, hopeless romantic of a cinnamon roll and boy, could I relate.
The reason I’m not giving this a full five stars is because I was pretty annoyed with the reaction from Gerty towards the end, and similarly, I felt the conflict between Tiffy and Leon wasn’t necessary. They were all fairly mature characters throughout the story, so why then in the end did they have to jump to the worst conclusions? I completely understand it’s easy to do in the heat of the moment, but I felt that (at least for Leon) it was completely out of character. Plus, it was resolved so quickly that it might as well not have happened. Regardless, I really enjoyed this, it definitely lived up to the hype for me, and I would definitely read it again on days when I feel like I need a warm hug from a book. Now in all seriousness: can has a Leon in my life? 😅
Have you read The Flatshare?Did it live up to the hype for you? Loved it? Hated it? Meh about it? Let me know in the comments and let’s have a little chat!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be talking about:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
I just finished reading The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary last night and I absolutely LOVED IT. Reading this book was like receiving all the warm hugs. I honestly loved Tiffy and Leon so much and I really enjoyed the way their relationship grew. Tiffy’s character went through a significantly bigger development/change in the story, but I liked how Leon’s character opened up too, yet still remained true to himself. I still have to write my review for this book, which I thought I could squeeze in today, but no. Why is it always so hard to write reviews? I also finished I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young last night. Read my mini-review!
What are you currently reading?
IT’S HAPPENING, FOLKS. Yes, I know I’ve said it one or twice before, but this time, it’s really happening. I’m finally picking up Aurora Rising (Aurora Cycle #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff! I started reading at the tail end of my lunch break and I’ve already laughed out loud several times, enjoyed imagining the first cheeky character we’re introduced to and I can’t wait to find out what else is in store! Is it too soon to claim that I’m invested after only reading the first chapter? I’ve still going with The Good Kill: A Killian Lebon Novel by Kurt Brindley. Really hoping to finish it soon! 🤞🏽
What will you read next?
Next up are three books that I’ve been looking forward to reading with some buddies over on bookstagram. I might actually pick up Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston before the other two, seeing as I know I will speed through this one. I think I’ve only read one not-so-shining review of RW&RB, but all the others have been positively glowing, so I’m excited to see if this lives up to the hype! I’m looking forward to reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. This’ll be my second book by her, but if it’s anything like The Nightingale, it’s going to slaughter me 😂 I haven’t heard that much about A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult, but Picoult has been a long time favorite of mine since high school. She has a wonderful way of telling stories that always immediately sucks me in. The topic she covers in the book is also very relevant to today’s sociopolitical climate too, so it should be an interesting read!
What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books? Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂
Simon was a heartwarming, LGBT romance and I feel like the whole book was the epitome of the high school experience. This story was full of great friendships, hilarious and very quirky family relationships, as well as awkward and sometimes cruel high school experiences. I think Albertalli did a really great job of capturing the mind of a closeted gay teen and his struggles with coming out. Simon’s character was so endearing. He was sweet, caring, a bit of an oddball and actually pretty wholesome. I loved that everyone was so supportive of him! His exchanges with Blue were adorable and I really enjoyed how their relationship transformed from flirty friends to love as they opened up to each other. They were so pure and I wanted to give them all the hugs! That said, parts of this story really bothered me, and it specifically related to the friendship between Simon and Leah, who was his supposed ‘best friend’, but was almost wholly absent in his story. Having already read Leah’s book, I have my issues with her character as well, but for claiming that they’re so close, they’re not really? For some reason this really bothered me a lot 🙂 In the end, everything (obviously) sorted itself out and it was an uplifting story that left me feeling happy and content.
“I try not to change, but I keep changing, in all these tiny ways… And every freaking time, I have to reintroduce myself to the universe all over again.”
Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Romance
Field Notes on Love is everything I thought it would be and then some. I loved the idea of a book being set on a train, two strangers coming together, and with ‘love’ in the title of the book, you know romance plays a big part of this story. Surprisingly, this was more than just a fluffy love story; it was about family, friendship, vulnerability and ultimately finding out who you are, what you want and what you’re willing to do to get it. The story was told in alternating perspectives. I liked that both Hugo and Mae were such down-to-earth characters, who were enjoyable as individuals as much as together. The almost instant connection between Hugo and Mae, which I would normally find cheesy and annoying, didn’t feel at all contrived. The family relationships were proper #familygoals. All their interactions were full of kindness, understanding, support and encouragement, plus I found Hugo being one of sextuplets very interesting. The siblings only make minor appearances throughout, but you can feel the love and connection between them, and their individual personalities shone. The banter within both families made me laugh out loud multiple times! Although the plot was fairly predictable, sometimes you just need a happy and fluffy read that leaves you feeling good after you finish the last page. The characters really won this book for me. If you’re looking for a good quick summer read, I’d highly recommend it!
“They could be anywhere and nowhere, but they’ve somehow found themselves here, and she’s suddenly grateful for it, all of it, for the extra ticket and the way it brought them together despite everything, the bigness of the world and the unlikeliness of a moment like this.”
The thing that drew me to this graphic novel was the artwork. The level of detail, the vibrant rainbow colors, and the cute characters that inhabit fairyland all made me want to pick up this comic! I loved how the bright colorful artwork juxtaposed with the very gore-filled story as we followed Gertrude’s bitter journey through fairyland to find the key to take her home. I guess I’d be bitter too after so long. Her tirades and deft “dispatching” of basically every character she crosses in fairyland, while admirable if you like that sort of thing, does get old after a while though. The storyline didn’t reveal anything new about why she’s still there after all these years, and I kind of wish we got to see more of the start to her journey, before she completely lost her mind, and became a bitter young woman trapped in a child’s body. I also wished we learned more about how and why children get abducted to fairyland in the first place! But maybe that’s too logical and serious for a graphic novel such as this? While I did enjoy it, Gertrude’s trajectory was basically the same through all scenes, so I’m not sure if I’d continue on with the series. I will say I’m curious to see what happens next, although considering it’s Gertrude fairyland may end up looking like a killing field sooner rather than later!, I just don’t know if I’m curious enough. The art work is definitely amazing though—I’m always attracted to bright splashy colors and the various inhabitants of fairyland!
Have you read any of these? Would love to know your thoughts on them if you have! Leave a comment below and let’s chat books 🙂
It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week is a Character Freebie and since I’ve just finished reading a book that reminded me why I love reading about books in books and characters who are passionate about books, I thought I’d do my post today on bookish characters that I’d like to befriend. Most of these characters might be from my more recent reads, since they’re fresher in my mind. Either way, I’d love to be friends with these fellow book lovers–I think we’d have so much fun reading?! Without further ado, here we go!
Elisabeth Scrivener from Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. This book and this lady is my inspo for choosing today’s topic. I would probably feel safe being Elisabeth’s friend in a library because I know she’s bad ass enough to protect me, if I can’t protect myself 🙃 She just seems like a really cool girl. Also, Sorcery has fast become one of my favorite reads this year so all I’m going to say is (please) READ IT!
Kya Clark aka Marsh Girl from Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Kya is… one of the strongest characters I’ve read in recent years. Her development and growth blew me away and I would love to hang with her in the marsh, exploring the beauty of nature that she captures through her books. I think she’d be an amazing friend to have, which is one of the reasons my heart broke so much when reading this book.
Tanner Scott from Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. It’s pretty obvious Tanner is a bookish character, especially since the book revolves around him writing a book within four months. Tanner sounds like he’d be so much fun to hang out with and his heart is so pure, I’d love to have him as a friend (so we can talk about books, boys and everything else).
Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I think the title of this book pretty much sums it up. Cath is a super relatable character (book nerd and fangirl) and I’d love to have met someone like her at uni (or even now, really). I feel your thoughts, girl.
Elizabeth Bennet from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. Although this book appears so often on my blog, I would be remiss to not include both the character and book in this list because Elizabeth is a classic bookworm. I love this book, and her character and I love that she values books and reading so much! I don’t know what it’d be like to befriend her, but I really want to be 😂
Penny Lee from Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi. She’s awkward, full of anxiety and totally absorbed in her make believe worlds, but I’d absolutely love to be Penny’s friend. I think she’d definitely make you work to be her friend, but it would be 100% rewarding. Buried deep under all that outer awkwardness, I think she just wants to be a cinnamon roll.
Matilda Wormwood from Matilda by Roald Dahl. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be friends with this adorable, witchy little bookworm? It’d be so much fun! Would avoid diabolical Trunchbull and her weirdo “parents” at all costs though!
Belle from In Bed with the Beast (Naughty Princess Club #2) by Tara Sivec. If you can’t tell, this is a retelling of Beauty & the Beast. This Belle works at a library and as the title suggests, gets to share a bed with a very sexy beast. I loved Belle’s nerdiness and all the facts she would spew at very inappropriate moments! If we were friends, I reckon I’d be laughing and reading 24/7, not to mention I’d learn so much!
Lazlo Strange from Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor. So at the end of this book, Lazlo becomes something more than just a Junior Librarian, so it’d be amazing to have a friend with such powers. But on the real, Lazlo is such a genuinely sweet, good guy who loves books and the stories as much as all of us book lovers (if not more)!
Honorary Mentions: (The OG) Belle and Hermione Granger. Obviously these two have to make it onto this list because they’re classics just as much as Elizabeth Bennett is and I’d love to be both their friends. Hermione would teach me so much magic (and just knowledge in general lol) and I would get lost in Belle’s (and Beast’s) library and basically end up living in that grand place.
Would you want to befriend any of these bookish characters? What character freebie have you done for today’s Top Ten Tuesday? Leave your link in the comments and let’s chat characters!
Goodreads: Sorcery of Thorns Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books Publication Date: 04 June 2019 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Panda Rating: (4.5 pandas)
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
Have you ever experienced the struggle of writing a review because you loved a book so much? That’s happening to me right now. I think Sorcery of Thorns might be one of the best YA fantasies I’ve read in a long time and I loved it so much that all I can think about saying is: ALL THE STARS. READ IT NOW! I honestly don’t think I disliked anything in this book, and as book lovers and readers, I think we can all agree on how rare it is to say something like that. TL;DR: The story, the characters, the world building and magic, and THE BOOKS IN THE BOOK made for an incredibly fun and magical adventure that everyone should read!
Y’all, this story was about libraries and books–but not just any old books–but magical books (grimoires) that have thoughts and feelings and are alive. Books that have been made of the most gruesome of things (eyes, faces, teeth), full of dark and evil. Books that need to be stored in Great Libraries so that they can be protected from the world, but also so that the world can be protected from them. Books that, if damaged, can turn transform into frightening and unstoppable monsters that ravage towns and steal lives. But there was also so much adventure, magic, sorcerers, demons, mystery, murder, plotting, friendship and romance in the story.
Books, too, had hearts, though they were not the same as people’s, and a book’s heart could be broken; she had seen it happen before. Grimoires that refused to open, their voices gone silent, or whose ink faded and bled across the pages like tears.
I was blown away by the worldbuilding and magical system that Rogerson developed in Sorcery. Her writing was spellbinding (yes) and the towns and winding paths of the library floors full of thousands of grimoires, came so much to life that I felt like I was there, surrounded by the intoxicating smells of ink, paper, and aetherial combustion. I loved that not everyone had magic in this world and the ones who did had to give a piece of themselves away for it. All sorcerers are bound to high-born demons from who they draw their powers from. No demon, no magic. The demons were sufficiently creepy and forming a bond with a demon would obviously result in some not-so-good stuff happening (duh). I should note here that there is an element of predictability in the mystery of the story, and it wasn’t surprising at all when you find out who the evil characters are, but that didn’t make me enjoy it any less.
“Ink and parchment flowed through her veins. The magic of the Great Libraries lived in her very bones. They were a part of her, and she a part of them.”
The characters were also just as amazing as the world and magic. Elisabeth was such a wonderful lead character. She was fierce, strong and determined, intelligent, open-minded and compassionate. Having (literally) been raised as an orphan in one of the Great Libraries, she has a strong affinity and connection with grimoires. The love and respect she had for them, and the sense of belonging she felt when surrounded by books was so relatable, and the relationship she had with them felt incredibly special. She wasn’t a perfect character but she was very real. Prior to the events of the book, she had never experienced the ‘outside world’, and didn’t know any different from what she was taught by the people who raised her, and those she looked up to at the library. Was her attitude and prejudice frustrating? Sometimes, yes. But her behaviour was so normal for someone with her background.
“Of course .” A wicked gleam entered his eyes. “But I only turn girls into salamanders on Tuesdays. Luckily for you, it’s a Wednesday, which is the day I drink a goblet of orphan’s blood for supper.”
Then we have Nathaniel and Silas, who were also fantastic characters that brought so much to the story. Nathaniel’s laidback attitude towards basically everything that came his way, even the situations Elisabeth ropes him into, made for some comedic interactions. He might be seen as typically fulfilling the trope of “warm-hearted character acting cold to protect others” but I was all for Nathaniel being that character trope! His sassy streak was strong and it provided some great levity to situations; not to mention how he so casually reveals that he’s queer! Pretty sure I fell in love with Nathaniel too. Plus, his relationship with Silas defies the odds of who they both are, and that made it so much more heartwarming. When it comes to Silas, I don’t know how anybody couldn’t love him by the end of this story! UGH.THAT ENDING. So. Much. Love. For. It!!!
Perhaps the only thing that I didn’t like about this book is the fact that it ended. I’m so glad but at the same time so sad that this was a standalone–there’s relief from not having to wait ages for a sequel, but regret that the story has ended and I have to leave this world behind. I really hope that Rogerson revisits this beautiful world she has created in Sorcery so we can come back for a new story!
Have you read Sorcery of Thorns or is it on your TBR?
I know that it’s Monday, but my Sunday ended on a really awful work-related disaster (for which I got a call at 9pm for), which absolutely drowned my mood with anxiety and anger, so I didn’t end up writing and posting my wrap up. But I still wanted to share my weekly recap. So, here we go with another Sundays Mondays In Bed With… meme, which dares to ask you what book has been in your bed this morning! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl. Come share what book you’ve been you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed with, or which book you wish you had time to read today!
It’s Monday, I’m moody AF because of last night’s news combined with sleep deprivation, and I wish I was still at home reading the book that I started this morning: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. I finished my last read (The Bear and The Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden–review coming soon!) in the wee hours of the morning today, and I felt like reading something ‘lighter’ before I have to start on some upcoming buddy reads of ‘heavier’ books. I’ve heard so many good things about the book that I’m giving myself a pat on the back for picking it up so soon after adding it to my physical shelf! 😂 I have a feeling it’s going to be a read that I’ll really love; I’m just a hopeless romantic like that. Curious to know what it’s about? Read the synopsis below:
Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey each have a problem and need a quick fix. Tiffy’s been dumped by her cheating boyfriend and urgently needs a new flat. But earning minimum wage at a quirky publishing house means that her choices are limited in London. Leon, a palliative care nurse, is more concerned with other people’s welfare than his own. Along with working night shifts looking after the terminally ill, his sole focus is on raising money to fight his brother’s unfair imprisonment. Leon has a flat that he only uses 9 to 5. Tiffy works 9 to 5 and needs a place to sleep. The solution to their problems? To share a bed of course… As Leon and Tiffy’s unusual arrangement becomes a reality, they start to connect through Post-It notes left for each other around the flat. Can true love blossom even in the unlikeliest of situations? Can true love blossom even if you never see one another? Or does true love blossom when you are least expecting it?
What book are you currently reading?
Despite the annoying ending to my Sunday, I had a pretty decent week. I traveled to Jakarta for work, got to visit my favorite bookstore (Kinokuniya) and brought home a small haul of books that I’m very pleased with! Most are recent releases that I’ve been wanting to read, but I also found In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, which I’ve been wanting to add to my shelf forever, I just couldn’t find any copies on this crazy little island! I also had a pretty decent reading week. I finished four books, but considering that I work full time, and I had a big workshop that I was preparing to facilitate last week, I’m quite happy with my reads. That said, I was pretty quiet on the blogging front but I hope to get back into the grind this week; especially since I have a few book reviews that I need to post!
It’s time for another Friday Favorites hosted by Kibby @ Something of the Book! This weekly meme is where you get to share a list of all your favorites based on the list of prompts on Kibby’s page. Sounds fun, right? This week’s prompt is: Books about Rebellion/Freedom. I almost didn’t write this post because I (somehow) missed this week’s prompt and only realized when I got a notification for Kibby’s post. Oops! So now it’s late, I’ve had a hellishly late night working up until 30 minutes ago (it’s now 11PM), so I’m gonna keep this short and sweet. I’m also going to not list the Lunar Chronicles for this post because I think that (and Illuminae) are my two most mentioned series for when I answer all these prompts 😂
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins. I decided to read these books with some friends before the second movie came out and it was wow. The world, the game, the rebellion. It was definitely crazy times but I loved every minute of it!
Divergent (Divergent #1)by Veronica Roth. After bingeing on the Hunger Games a few years ago, I had a hankering to keep on reading dystopian YA books, so I picked up Divergent and I honestly loved it? I didn’t enjoy all the books in this series the same, but they weren’t the worst books I’ve ever read (don’t @ me).
An Ember in the Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir. So much rebellion. So much chaos and fighting for freedom. So much suffering and loss. But also SO MUCH FUN?! Does that make me sound awful? I’m sorry but this series is amazing! I can’t wait for the final book in this quartet to come out in 2020.
The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renée Ahdieh. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, which I haven’t actually read (it’s on my hugemongous TBR). The fantasy and adventure is built around a romance, but it’s also about rebellion and fighting for freedom from an absolute snake of a man.
The Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson. This series was the first Sanderson I read and it solidified him in my list of favorite authors. This is truly epic fantasy full of strong, rebellious characters.
What are your favorite books about rebellion/freedom? I’d love to hear recommendations if you have them to give. Let’s chat in the comments!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words, which means I’ll be talking about:
What did you read last?
What are you currently reading?
What will you read next?
What did you read last?
I recently finished Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith and I really enjoyed it. I loved the idea of a book set on a train, two strangers coming together, and with ‘love’ in `the title of the book, you know romance plays a big part of this story. Sure, it sounded cheesy and maybe improbable in real life (kids, don’t try this at home), but it was enough to get my hopeless romantic heart thumping in excitement at the thought. What are books for if not to let your imagination run a little free? Surprisingly, this was more than just a fluffy love story; it was about family, friendship, vulnerability and ultimately finding out who you are, what you want and what you’re willing to do to get it. You can read my review up on Goodreads and I’ll be posting it up on my blog with a few other mini-reviews later this week!
What are you currently reading?
Oops, I did it again… I’ve currently got four reads going! I’ve gotten through big chunks on three of them: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After by Skottie Young, and Fix Her Up (Hot & Hammered #1) by Tessa Bailey. I couldn’t wait to pick up Sorcery because I’ve heard lots of great things (what’s not to love about magical libraries and books that come to life?!) and I’m 1,000% loving it so far. Fairyland is absolutely bizarre and the contrast between the gorey content and the bright colors and mostly innocent characters oddly really works? I’ve heard a lot about Fix Her Up–both the problematic things but also about the steamy scenes that are apparently really… steamy? Haven’t come up to those scenes yet, but I’m not sure I’m loving any of the men in this book. I’ve just started reading The Good Kill: A Killian Lebon Novel by Kurt Brindley just the other day. This was an ARC that released 01 July, but due to life in June being completely insane that slipped through the cracks but I’m hoping to finish reading it by this weekend! 🤞🏽
What will you read next?
So these have been on my list since the previous WWW because I’ve pushed them back (SORRY AURORA RISING) but I really want to get to them after I finish my current reads. I’m enjoying mixing up graphic novels with my other reads and I want to continue doing that! The graphic novels are Sparrowhawk (Sparrowhawk #1) by Delilah S. Dawson and The Magicians: Alice’s Story by Lev Grossman & Lilah Sturges. I’m really going to prioritize reading Aurora Rising (Aurora Cycle #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff soon too!
What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books? Leave me a comment and let’s chat 🙂
It’s that time of the week again, friends! We’re back with another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is: Childhood Favorites. Wowow. Did I love this walk down memory lane or did I love it? Writing this post was so much fun! Honestly, with my very terrible memory, I’ve pretty much forgotten the majority of what I used to read as a kid. But yay for Goodreads and Google because it really helped to jolt my memory. As a kid I would spend hours in the library; during play breaks and over lunch mostly to avoid bullies, and I’d beg mum to let me stay late after school so I could spend more time in there. It was my refuge and for always books have given me a sense of comfort and protection from the outside world. Here are some of the favorites that used to line my bookshelf at home.
Little Critter Series by Mercer Mayer. I loved this little guy. The stories were so sweet and cute and just looking at these covers makes me wish that I still had copies of these books. I read all of them multiple times!
Arthur Adventure Series by Marc Brown. Who doesn’t love Arthur, his friends, family and daily adventures?! I loved the TV series just as much as I did reading the books.
The Magic School Bus Series by Joanna Cole. The magic school bus was magical and I learned so much through this series. I always wished science was as fun as this in real life and that my teacher would be as cool as Ms. Frizzle. On the Ocean Floor was absolutely my favorite. I had a real thing for the ocean when I was a kid. At one point one of my childhood dreams was to become a marine biologist.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Do you remember the first book to ever make you cry? I’m pretty sure this book was the first one to make me bawl so hard. This was also the book that taught me that having dogs in books is not always a good thing because more often than not, your heart breaks at the end. I still remember how excited I was when I came home with this book–it was my treasure! Oh, the memories 🥰
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein. Oh my goodness, Silverstein’s books were my absolute favorite. These were the books that made me love poetry and the magic of playing around with words and rhyming. I’m pretty sure I checked out this book and Where the Sidewalks Ends from the library dozens of times. I definitely want to add all of Shel Silverstein’s books to my shelves!
Goosebumps Seriesby R.L. Stine. Anyone who knows me now would never believe that there was once a time I’d voluntarily read scary books. I’m pretty sure it was reading Goosebumps that turned me into the ultimate chicken because now I can’t stand the stuff—I’m just not made for it (sorry 🤷🏻♀️)! That said, my younger self used to love scaring the bejeezus out of myself because I had a whole load of these books. My favorites were the ones where you could “pick your own adventure” (basically a nightmare) and I’d go through the books again and again to read all the different endings. Fun times!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket #1) by Roald Dahl. My love for this book will never die. I remember being so blown away with the idea of this book — that there could be such magic in a factory full of choccies, sweets and all the wonderfully sweet (and unfairly forbidden) treats that I loved as a kid. This book and Charlie’s adventures in Willy Wonka’s factor was absolute magic to me and to this day, thinking about it still reminds me of how happy reading this story made me as a kid!
Animorphs Series by K.A. Applegate. OK, seriously, who remembers this crazy cool series!?Because I was legit obsessed with the Animorphs when I was in middle school. I loved the idea of shape shifting and generally kicking ass. I guess you could say this was my first foray into Sci-Fi. They were the best.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. Looking back now I realize how strong a character Karana is. I loved this story of survival and it was just a bonus that it was a story with the ocean and dolphins. I 100% would have perished on that island lol
A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle. I think this was the first book that I read in my early teens where I fell in love with romance in books. I was obviously already into boys and had loads of crushes, but this book made me want that summer love so bad! I was also part of the marine biology club in school at the time, so the fact that this story involves the ocean was even better. Funnily enough, every time I think about books I loved when I was younger, this cover is the first one that comes to mind, though I could (sadly) never remember the title, but bless Google. It’s amazing what you can find!
Did you read any of these as a child? What are some of your favorite childhood books? If you’ve done a Top Ten Tuesday post for today’s prompt, leave your link in the comments below and let’s chat 🙂
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