#thechronicbookworm photography
Happy Heartstopper day! I’m so excited to watch Heartstopper on Netflix tonight!
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[ID: a flatlay photo of all four volumes of Heartstopper sit in the centre of a white sheet].
What books are you currently reading? I’m reading Eva Evergreen Semi Magical Witch, One Last Stop, The Atlas Six, and One for All. I hope you are having a great day!
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[ID: a book lays open on a white sheet, fake branches with brown leaves surround the book].
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.
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[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!
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[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].
“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!
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[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].
