#book lover
Book haul ! I’m so excited to read all of these books. Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me an arc of Blood to Poison by Mary Watson it sounds amazing! What books have you bought, borrowed or received recently? I hope you are having a wonderful day.
[ID: a book stack photo on a white sheet with a cream knitted cardigan in the foreground. The books are: Blood to Poison, Gideon the Ninth, Dark Emu, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Mo Dao Zu Shi, A Lesson in Vengeance, and The City of Brass].
BOOK REVIEW: Wendy, Darling by A. C. Wise
For those that lived there, Neverland was a children’s paradise. No rules, no adults, only endless adventure and enchanted forests all led by the charismatic boy who would never grow old.
[ID: a flatlay photo of a hand holding the book Wendy, Darling on a white sheet with a book laying open underneath].
Title:Wendy, Darling
Author:A. C. Wise
Published by: Titan Books
Publication Date: 01/09/21
Australian RRP: $19.99
Genres:Fantasy, historical fiction
Pages:336
Format:Paperback
Rating:3.5/5
Synopsis:
For those that lived there, Neverland was a children’s paradise. No rules, no adults, only endless adventure and enchanted forests all led by the charismatic boy who would never grow old.
But Wendy Darling grew up. She has a husband and a young daughter called Jane, a life in London. But one night, after all these years, Peter Pan returns. Wendy finds him outside her daughter s window, looking to claim a new mother for his Lost Boys. But instead of Wendy, he takes Jane.
Now a grown woman, a mother, a patient and a survivor, Wendy must follow Peter back to Neverland to rescue her daughter and finally face the darkness at the heart of the island.
Trigger Warnings: homophobia, misogyny, bullying, physical abuse, torture, racism,
Review:
Wendy, Darling is a unique twist on the story of Peter Pan. It follows Wendy as an adult as she navigates life after Neverland. Wendy, Darling also follows Wendy’s daughter Jane as she is taken away to Neverland by Peter Pan. I was so intrigued by the premise of this story, and I liked how it captured the darkness of the original Peter Pan story by J. M. Barrie. However, I felt the ending was drawn out, and the climax scene lost some of the tense atmosphere that had been building up throughout the story. Jane and Wendy were interesting characters to read about; they both had different approaches and feelings regarding Neverland. It was heartbreaking to read about Wendy’s life after Neverland at St Bernadette’s. I liked how Wendy, Darling touched on important topics such as motherhood, friendship, mental health, sexuality and misogyny.
Overall, If you are looking for a dark reimagining of Peter Pan, I recommend picking up a copy of Wendy, Darling.
Thank you to New South Books for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
BOOK REVIEW: Luminous by Mara Rutherford
Her sister has been taken, and the only boy she’s ever loved has disappeared. To get them back, she’ll have to use the magic she’s always feared.
[ID: The book Luminous sits on a white sheet with a lit candle in a candle holder and a fanned out book blurred in the background].
Title:Luminous
Author:Mara Rutherford
Published by: Harlequin Australia
Publication Date: 05/01/22
Australian RRP: $19.99
Genre:fantasy, young adult,
Pages:384
Format:Paperback
Rating:4/5
Synopsis:
Her sister has been taken, and the only boy she’s ever loved has disappeared. To get them back, she’ll have to use the magic she’s always feared.
Liora has shone from within ever since a star collided with her house when she was a child. Since that day, she has spent her life indoors, only venturing out on the brightest days when her magic can’t be detected. For discovery could mean falling prey to the king’s warlock, Darius, who uses mages’ magic to grow his own power.
But when her worst nightmare comes to pass, and Darius discovers her, she’s not the one taken. Instead, he demands that her younger sister return to the capital with him to work under his watchful eye. To make matters worse, Evran, Liora’s childhood friend and the only one who knows her secret, goes missing following Darius’s visit, leaving Liora with no one to turn to.
To find Evran and to save her sister, Liora must embrace the power she has always feared. But the greatest danger she’ll face is yet to come, for Darius has plans in motion that will cause the world to fall into chaos and Liora and Evran may be the only ones who can stop him.
Trigger Warnings: grief, death, animal death,
Review:
Luminous is a young adult fantasy story filled with magic, stars, shadows, love and family. From the first chapter, I found Liora’s story intriguing. Mara Rutherford’s writing was enchanting; the twists and turns of the story kept me reading until the end.
Luminous follows Liora a young witch who is in hiding and yet to learn the full extent of her powers. I loved finding out more about her magic and seeing it develop as the story progressed. The balance between light and dark magic in Luminous was interesting. At first, I wasn’t sure about the romance but as the story went on and I got to know the characters more, the love story felt more believable. I think what I liked the most about Luminous was seeing Liora’s self-confidence grow throughout the story.
Overall, Luminous was an enjoyable read. I recommend picking up a copy if you love fantasy stories about magic, love and family.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
“One must always be careful of books,“ said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
Have I finished Clockwork Prince yet? No , I don’t know why it’s taking me so long to get through, but I like that this book focuses more on Jem and Tessa as they are my favourite characters. The Tessa Gray candle by fictionbathco smells incredible! The scent is fresh air, white currant and dew. I hope you are having a wonderful day!
[ID: a flatlay photo of a bed next to a window. On the window sill is a black pumpkin ornament, and old books. On the bed is a white sheet with a cream knitted cardigan, a book lays open with a lit candle in a black tin].
What books are you most anticipating in 2022? My most anticipated book is Amari and the Great Game by B. B. Alston. Amari and The Night Brothers was my favourite book I read in 2021. I LOVED THIS BOOK! Amari and The Night Brothers is a middle-grade fantasy story about magic, friendship, family and mysteries. From the first page to the last I didn’t want to put this book down, the story was so captivating and Amari was such an interesting character. I’m so excited for the next book in the series! I hope you are having a magical day.
———
[ID: The book Amari and The Night Brothers sits on a wooden board with a fanned out book and a pair of glasses blurred in the background. Everything is sitting on a white sheet].
“It begins with absence and desire.
It begins with blood and fear.
It begins with a discovery of witches.”
- Deborah Harkness
I’m so excited to watch season 3 of A Discovery of Witches!
———
[ID: A flatlay photo on a white sheet with the book A Discovery of Witches open to the title page, an iPad sits above with an image from the tv adaptation. Lit candles sit on a stack of books to the right and a fanned out book sits in the bottom right hand corner with a pair of glasses in the middle].
21 Books I Loved in 2021
What were some books you read and loved in 2021?
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
-J. R. R. Tolkien
Happy birthday to Bilbo and Frodo Baggins!
———
[ID: a photo of my Middle Earth shelves featuring multiple editions of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion, candles, movie prop replicas and funko pops].
What books are you currently reading? I’m reading Howl’s Moving Castle, I’m really enjoying it. The story is so magical and I love the humour. I hope you are having a lovely day!
[ID: The book Howl’s Moving Castle lays open with an autumnal bookmark sitting on it, the book sits on a wooden desk with a window blurred in the background. A fanned out book sits off to the left and a Calcifer tin candle is lit, the candle lid sits on a blue book holder on the right].
How did your reading go in August? Any new favourites? I read 7 books and have two new favourites The Boy from The Mish and Before the Coffee Gets Cold both books are amazing!! I hope you are having a wonderful day!
BOOK REVIEW: It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams
Holly Fitzgerald has inexplicably woken up inside the body of an LA teenager called Trinity Byrne in 1980 - trapping Trinity in Holly’s forty-year-old body back in Melbourne, 2020. Mind. Officially. Blown.
[ID: A flatlay photo on a white sheet, the book It’s Not You It’s Me sits on a yellow jumper with a fanned out book and a black typewriter blurred in the background].
Title:It’s Not You, It’s Me
Author:Gabrielle Williams
Published by: Allen and Unwin
Publication Date: 31/08/21
Australian RRP: $19.99
Genres:contemporary, time travel, historical fiction, young adult,
Pages:288
Format:Paperback
Rating:4/5
Synopsis:
A literally life-changing novel about time travel, soulmates and serial killers that asks a very big question: Can you ever change your fate? This is award-winning YA author Gabrielle Williams’ most surprising, ambitious and dexterous book yet.
Holly Fitzgerald has inexplicably woken up inside the body of an LA teenager called Trinity Byrne in 1980 - trapping Trinity in Holly’s forty-year-old body back in Melbourne, 2020.
Mind. Officially. Blown.
Holly finds herself navigating a brand-new body, family and cute boy next door - not to mention rock band that might just make it, and potential kidnapper. Meanwhile, lies intersect with truth, hurtling both Holly and Trinity towards a dangerous fate as the connections between them grow deeper and stranger than either could have ever imagined.
Freaky Friday meets Pretty Little Liars - if the Liars were an all-girl punk band from the 1980s - in this highly original soul-swap story from the critically acclaimed author of My Life as a Hashtag.
Trigger Warnings: kidnapping, sexual assault, violence,
Review:
It’s Not You, It’s Me is a young adult contemporary/historical fiction story about Holly a 40-year-old woman living in Australia in 2020 and Trinity a Sixteen-year-old teenager living in America in 1980. Trinity and Holly’s souls are swapped and chaos ensues. It was hard to put this book down, the story was so engaging and you just wanted to find out what happens next. The soul swap was such an interesting concept, Holly and Trinity both cope with it so differently. I had a great time reading It’s Not You, It’s Me, it was an intriguing story about finding yourself, time travel, family and friendship.
Overall, If you are looking for a fun and interesting time travel story I recommend picking up a copy of It’s Not You, It’s Me!
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Happy New Book Tuesday, book lovers!
We have 4 new releases hitting shelves today—a stunning graphic novel (KISS NUMBER 8), a sharp contemporary novel about friendship (SQUAD), an exciting fantasy (BEWARE THE NIGHT), and a sweet contemporary about a college student with Auditory Processing Disorder (MEET ME IN OUTER SPACE).
Which of these 4 amazing new books would you read first?
Post link
Book Talk with Hilary Reyl, author of Kids Like Us
We have THREE new releases to share with you today!
•Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller (epic fantasy!)
•What We Buried by Kate Boorman (psychological thriller!)
•The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena (stunning contemporary!)
Which one would you read first?
Post link
Check out the Comics Will Break Your Heart book trailer right now!
A few weeks back, I received a package from a lovely woman my sister knows. Little did I know, this woman would turn out to be one of the most unique voices in literature I’ve come across. I finished her book in no time and I’ve been tossing and turning ideas in my head, trying to find out how I’m going to give this book a review that does it justice and is honest at the same time.
Rosehead is story about a girl *ahem, anyone singing the Nirvana song?* who believes her grandfather’s rose garden eats people. The story presents an intriguing interplay between elements of fantasy and mystery. I spent a large portion of my time reading this book stopping to think about whether I believed what was going on or whether the protagonist was making it all up. To me, it’s always an interesting experience having a seemingly unreliable protagonist - and I say seemingly, because the story unfolds beautifully.
Speaking of the protagonist, Lilith is an intelligent 12 year old girl. She is quite snarky for her age; which might seem unrealistic but I didn’t mind it. I’d rather read about unusual characters anyways. Despite her wit, I was constantly reminded that she really is just a child - through her arguments with her mother, temper tantrums and sense of adventure. I was always looking forward to her next excursion with her pet, Panther because that’s when things got really exciting.
Now on to the hard part, which is the things I didn’t like about the book. It’s hard to fault a book you like so much. That being said, I really would have liked more background in this book. I wanted to know more about her past, her “diagnosis” and her parents specially. I didn’t like that when it came to discussing what was wrong with Lilith, a few diagnoses were just rattled off (but that’s just me, I’m a med student and get irked by these things).
The book ended with a cliffhanger - which I’m not sure if it means there will be a sequel or it’s just to keep you wondering. I quite liked that the whole book kept me wondering about what’s coming next, but I would have preferred for the ending to come full circle if this is a stand-alone.
I have to applaud the author’s beautiful descriptive writing. She painted a beautiful and gory garden that I couldn’t stop picturing and I think would make for one heck of a movie. Like I mentioned before, she has quite a unique voice. I wish I could say more about the way she writes but I’m at a loss for words *pun totally intended*.
I’d like to thank Ksenia for the wonderful experience she provides through this book and for graciously sending it to me. And I hope this book reaches more people as it is highly underrated. Find Rosehead on Amazon.
I just watched a TikTok where a woman demonstrated how there is a finite number of books a person would be able to read in their lifetime and that, if you have an ever increasing tbr list (who doesn’t?), you will always be in a deficit and never read all that you would want to read…
…and now I am broken. I didn’t need to know that. Genuinely shed a tear.
“Here it is, a book that represents the wholeness that I built after everything toppled.”
Little Weirds, Jenny Slate
Friday Reads: July 7, 2017
Check out what our team is reading this week to gear up for the summer! Any one of these books would make a perfect beach, cottage, or pool side read.
Andrea, Digital Associate: I just finished Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder, it’s the final book in her Study series and a sad goodbye to her characters Yelena and Valek. I always love Snyder’s books for her remarkable world building and non-stop action—fights, kidnappings, assassination attempts, rogue magicians—it’s got it all. I can never resist starting series again after I finish her latest book. It’s hard to let go of the characters. My fingers are crossed for a Janco and Ari spin-off series. Readers can always use more Janco. ;)
Sarah-Anne, Marketing Intern: Yesterday I finished I Found You.It is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Jewell, and I’m now obsessed with her! This book has everything. It’s at once funny, tragic, and heartwarming – but also definitely a thriller. Jewell will have you believing you’ve got it figured out until she switches directions completely. And when all the pieces finally start coming together, it’s so satisfying. Easy to devour in one sitting, I Found You is as perfect for the beach as it is for a cozy night in!
Samantha, Sales Operations Associate: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a strange and wonderful debut novel. Eleanor is a completely unlikeable loner at the beginning, but I cared more and more about her as the story went along, and less and less about the scandalous secret past that’s alluded to throughout. Eleanor’s struggles to integrate with new friends and coworkers are both a profound meditation on loneliness, and also an underdog story of the very best kind. Definitely a book that will stick with me.
Post link
03.05.20 / Sense and Sensibility
“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us but what we do.”
The second outing of the 99 Fear Street trilogy brings a few new things to the mix, but not as much as I had hoped. I enjoyed the addition of Brandt’s character, and the ending was one of Stine’s better WTF moments. This is to say that my favorite parts of the book had very little to do with the titular house. Most of the haunting elements felt like a tired rehash of the first book, and we didn’t learn anything new about the motives or origins of 99 Fear Street. Cally is back as a ghost and totally evil now. I was frustrated by the lack of nuance with her character. I wanted to see the internal conflict between who she used to be and who the house had made her, but unfortunately, we never got to see that. It was a missed opportunity. Stine continues to demonstrate his hatred of house pets; I won’t spoil the particulars here on this recurring trope of the Fear Street series. You’ll have to wait until after the jump for that. Brandt’s storyline saved The Second Horror from being a forgettable slog, so kudos to that. It all made for a book that wasn’t nearly as bad (nor as good) as it could have been.
Score: 3
For my full, deep-dive, snark-filled recap with memes, gifs, and all the spoilers, check it out over on my website blog Fits of Nostalgia!
I’ll be reviewing the full 99 Fear Street Trilogy during the month of October. All of those, plus all of my other Fear Street reviews, can be found over on my blog too.
Post link
The First Horror is a really solid kick-off to the trilogy. It also works really well as a stand-alone novel, and I almost wish that it was. There were some genuinely creepy and brutal moments. It definitely scared me as a kid. I had forgotten the order of things, but I had very distinct memories of several of the scenes. I think this might be where my fear of rats originated from. The sibling rivalry between Cally and Kody worked really well. It played nicely into the strange things happening around them. For the most part, this was a pretty standard haunted house story. It had some really good moments that made it stand out (namely what happened to James) but it fell short of being something truly unique. One of the more frustrating things about Stine is that he rarely gives his villains compelling motives, and the house in 99 Fear Street is no different. It’s evil for the sake of being evil, but I want to know what it wants. This is forgivable to an extent since this is just the first of three books, but that means the next two need to raise the stakes and deliver. I have a sinking feeling that they won’t.
Score: 4
For my full, deep-dive, snark-filled recap with memes, gifs, and all the spoilers, check it out over on my website blog Fits of Nostalgia!
I’ll be reviewing the full 99 Fear Street Trilogy during the month of October. All of those, plus all of my other Fear Street reviews, can be found over on my blog too.
Post link
I’ll start out by saying that I have yet to give a negative review to a Christopher Pike book, so this will be my first. While Remember Me is rightfully celebrated as one of his best (and scariest) books, Remember Me 2 was a problematic mess. Its existence stands as a testament against making unnecessary sequels, even if the fans and publishers really want one. The book goes back and forth between the story of Jean Rodriguez, a Latinx girl living in a rough part of Los Angeles, and Shari Cooper, our protagonist from the first book who is now becoming further enlightened in heaven. While Jean’s story was both boring and laced with problematic representations of Latinx, queer, and disabled people, Shari’s chapters in heaven were insufferable, sanctimonious, and preachy. Literally, the only thing I liked about this book was the short story about the troll muse. It was shoehorned in and didn’t really fit with anything else, but I genuinely loved that story. The entire concept of Shari, the spirit of a rich white girl, being placed as a “wanderer” in the body of a troubled Latinx girl is problematic as fuck. This is a white savior narrative taken to a spiritual level. I get that it’s a product of its time, and that comes up a lot in these books, but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered one where the entire premise was this flawed. If you loved the first book, I recommend just stopping there and thinking of it as a stand-alone. I, however, am a glutton for punishment and will continue reading to see how this all wraps up in the final book of the trilogy.
Score:0.5
For my full, deep-dive, snark-filled recap with memes, gifs, and all the spoilers, check it out over on my website blog Fits of Nostalgia!
Post link
It Came From Beneath the Sink has a great title, a solid concept, and a unique monster. Unfortunately, it never managed to raise the stakes high enough for any of that to really matter. The characters are fine, the plot is technically fine, and it doesn’t rely on faulty villain logic to explain itself. Kudos to Stine for another great dog name; the cocker spaniel named Killer was a great touch. The book’s biggest crime is that it was boring. Stine had the opportunity here to get real weird and he didn’t take it. The Grool was gross and creepy, but it could have been way more powerful and menacing. I honestly think this concept had the potential to reach One Day at Horrorland orWelcome to Camp Nightmare levels of weird and fun, but it just kinda got stuck in the first act. It needed to do more than bring bad luck, or the bad luck needed to be way worse than it was. It Came From Beneath the Sink had all of the elements needed to make a greatGoosebumps book, but it ultimately fell short.
Score: 3
For my full snark-filled recap with spoilers, gifs, and memes to illustrate my very important points, check it out on my website blog Fits of Nostalgia!
Post link
So, I did not know when I read the first book in this series, A Touch of Darkness, that this was going to be a series. When I finish the first book, I was satisfied and had really liked it. I was happy with where it ended and I was happy with what I got. A lot of things have been left up in the air, but it was all right because overall the first book was great for what it was.
So when I stumbled across the second book, this book, in the series, on Amazon.com, I was very happy! One of the things that I love about these books, is that they do not end in cliffhangers. Each book is connected and tell a continuous story, but it does not stop at a horrible spot, where you have to read the next book right away to find out what happened. The next installment of the story is great and very important to read, but it’s not urgent. I love that about these books, and I love that about any book series in general.
A Touch of Ruin is good. In fact, it’s better than good! It has everything that I’m looking for in a good book. And as it is based on a mythology that I intensely like, the story of Hades and Persephone, I am that much happier that Scarlett St. Clair is doing such a good job with the retelling of this story. It is dark when it needs to be, sexual when it needs to be, and it has great lessons to teach each of us about the way natural forces work in the world.
I am at a stage in my life where I’m moving from young adult books, and I’m looking for good adult books, that can fill the void that those amazing young adult books did for me when I was younger. I have been having a really hard time finding those books, and if anyone knows of any great books that they can recommend to me, please go ahead and do so!! However, one of the book series that I feel like is really fitting that slot right now, of being a good story and not avoiding more adult situations, is this series.
So I highly recommend these to anyone who is 18 years or older. If you’re younger than 18 years old, please read at your own risk, because they do contain sexual situations. But I really like this series! There will be a third book, but as this one does not end in a cliffhanger, you can read it without needing to binge read all the books.
Below is the cover to the beautiful first book in the series!! Enjoy!!
Leather and Lace: Book One of the Southern Gothic Series
Vampire/human romance
M/non-binary relationship
Friends to lovers
Monster hunters who hang out at karaoke bars
The big himbo cowboy likes the smarmy goth vampire
Available Now
Post link
My shelves are arranged alphabetically (don’t hate) what about yours?
By genre & the order of my favorite authors
Post link
