July Wrap Up

So here we are at the end of another month and I think this month I finally managed to get into a reading/working/blogging/life routine. I've managed to read 6 books, which is better than last month. 

August should be a bit easier for me in terms of balance as I'm on school summer holidays so I'm not at work so hopefully I'll be able to keep up the reading pace. 

But for now, here are all the books I read in July. 

The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair 

Published 2nd July 2019 by Katherine Tegen Books

Star Rating - ***

Goodreads Challenge - 38/50

Review - Blog Review

Relics by Time Lebbon

Published 21st March 2017 by Titan Books

Star Rating - ***.5

Goodreads Challenge - 39/50

Review - Goodreads Review



An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass
Published 21st May 2019
Star Rating - ***.5
Goodreads Challenge - 41/50
Review - Blog Review 

Lord of Secrets by Breanna Teintze

Published 25th July 2019 by Jo Fletcher Books

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 36/50

Review - Blog Review

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Published 4th June 2019 by Tor Books

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 40/50

Review - Blog Review

Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan 

Published 10th September 2019 by Blink

Star Rating - *****

Goodreads Challenge - 37/50

Review - Blog Review

I had some great reads this month, especially Tiger Queen, hopefully next month is just as good, if not better. 

What was your favourite book that you read this month?

August TBR N.E.W.Ts Magical Readathon

In April I managed to complete all of my O.W.Ls for the Magizoologist career and up next is the N.E.W.Ts. For the Magizoologist you need to read 7 books which is doable for me, especially now that I'm on summer holidays from school. 

I'm not going to be too strict with this TBR, so I may change it up as I go through the month but I thought I would give you some idea of some of the things I would like to read. 

Care of Magical Creatures 
Acceptable: Book title that starts with the letter A, for Aragog. 
A Dress for the Wicked by Autumn Krause 

Exceeds Expectations: A book under 300 pages. 
All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell

Outstanding: Grab onto Fawkes tail - A book with a bird on the cover. 
The Sacrifice Box by Martin Stewart 

Charms
Acceptable: Read a book you think has a gorgeous cover.
The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner 

Exceeds Expectations: Read a comic/graphic novel/manga (or a book under 150 pages). 

Herbology 
Acceptable: Mandrake - Listen to an audiobook (if not green on the cover). 
The Edge by Tim Lebbon

Exceeds Expectations: Read a book between 350 and 390 pages. 
The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis 

As I've said these books are subject to change as I really need to prioritise my review copies but I'd like to get to as many of these as I can. 

You may notice I've left the graphic novel prompt blank as I don't read graphic novels so I don't really know what to read so I'd love some recommendations if you have some. 

What are you planning on reading in August? Let me know. 

Review - Lord of Secrets by Breanna Teintze

Lord of Secrets by Breanna Teintze

Published 23rd July 2019 by Jo Fletcher Books

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 36/50

I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Magic is poison. Secrets are power. Death is . . . complicated.

Outlaw wizard Corcoran Gray has enough problems. He's friendless, penniless and on the run from the tyrannical Mages' Guild - and with the search for his imprisoned grandfather looking hopeless, his situation can't get much worse.

So when a fugitive drops into his lap - literally - and gets them both arrested, it's the last straw - until Gray realises that runaway slave Brix could be the key to his grandfather's release. All he has to do is break out of prison, break into an ancient underground temple and avoid killing himself with his own magic in the process.

In theory, it's simple enough. But as secrets unfold and loyalties shift, Gray discovers something with the power to change the nature of life and death itself.

Now Gray must find a way to protect the people he loves, but it could cost him everything, even his soul . . .

With the humour of V.E. Schwab, the scale of Trudi Canavan and the deftness of Naomi Novik, Lord of Secrets is a heartwarming fantasy novel about saving the people you love without destroying the world (or yourself).

My Thoughts

I was kindly gifted a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for a review and I'm pleased to say that I really liked this story. I've been really enjoying diving into some more adult fantasy lately and I definitely think this one sits in that realm over YA. The story is simple but great, we aren't following some really complex plot with several storylines and perspectives and, although I do like that type of read, this one was a refreshing change. However, just because the story is simple don't think it isn't good because it really is. 

We follow our main character Grey who is an illegal magician and whose Grandfather has been kidnapped. Grey is tasked by his Grandfather to find a magical artefact and hide it in order to save everyone, it really is that simple. The plot was good, solid. It was interesting and kept me hooked throughout the story, it didn't slump or slow and kept the pace throughout. I really enjoyed the 'tomb raiding' and puzzle solving aspects of this book and I would of loved it if there had been more of these. I also really enjoyed the magic system. The way runes had to be scribed before they could be cast was great coupled with the after effects of magic, made the system in this book really interesting.

The characters were really great too. Our main character Grey was actually quite complex. He wasn't 'good' but he always tried to make the right choices. He was arrogant at times and definitely wasn't used to working with people but his development over the course of the book was interesting and I enjoyed reading from his perspective. I also enjoyed our 'villain' character Jaern. He was another complex character, one that always had an agenda but as a reader you were often left guessing as to what that was. He wasn't outwardly evil but he was manipulating and calculating and that's what made him so fun to read about. I also enjoyed our side characters however, I feel these could of been developed a little bit more.

Overall I thought this was a really great debut novel. It was a fun and fast paced read with some interesting and complex characters. I'm not sure if this is part of a series or not. Goodreads says it is however, the conclusion of this book seemed pretty conclusive. That being said I will definitely be picking up anything else this author writes in the future.

Overall Rating 

WWW Wednesday 24/07/19

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words where you talk about your reading plans for the week by answering three questions. 

I really enjoy reading peoples WWW Wednesday posts so I decided to take part myself and here is my first post. 

What are you currently reading?

I'd seen this book around lots on Booktube and I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy. In this story we follow a PI who does not have any magical powers as she investigates a murder in the magic school that her sister, who does have powers, also works in. I'd heard a few mixed things, especially from people who had been describing it as an adult Harry Potter, but I'm really loving it. 

What did you recently finish?

This is another one I was lucky enough to be gifted by the publisher, I was actually gifted the whole trilogy. I gave this one 3.5 stars. I loved the concept and the ideas and the execution was fine but there were a few instances where it got a little bit graphic. I'm excited to carry on with the series though. 

What do you plan to read next?

I'm taking part in the Beach Bash board game over on the TBR and Beyond Facebook group so my next read will depend on the next prompt I land on. I am however trying to fit my review copies into these prompts so it will probably be one of these. 

I'd love to hear all about your WWW Wednesday, let me know. 

Review - The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair

The Beckoning Shadow by Katharyn Blair

Published 2nd July 2019 by Katherine Tegen Books

Star Rating - ***

Goodreads Challenge - 38/50

I was gifted a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Vesper Montgomery can summon your worst fear and turn it into a reality—but she’s learned the hard way that it’s an addicting and dangerous power. One wrong move and you could hurt someone you love.

But when she earns a spot in the Tournament of the Unraveling, where competitors battle it out for a chance to rewrite the past, Vesper finally has a shot to reverse the mistakes that have changed her forever. She turns to Sam Hardy, a former MMA fighter who’s also carrying a tragedy he desperately wants to undo. However, helping heal Sam’s heart will mean breaking her own, and the competition forces her to master her powers—powers she has been terrified of since they destroyed her life.

My Thoughts

I was gifted a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for review. I was really drawn in by the synopsis, a fantasy story set in a contemporary setting is one I haven't read in a while and I was keen to dive in. Unfortunately, although I thought the plot was interesting,I think this could have been executed better. As I just said, I enjoyed the plot of this story. It has a really interesting premise, although it was a bit tropey. We follow our main character, Vesper, who develops powers that she doesn't want. Things happen in her life and she ends up amongst others like her, taking part in an underground fighting contest to win a prize she desperately wants however, not all is as it seems. I liked the idea of the underground fighting scene and I really enjoyed all of the different types of magic in this book. However, I think these aspects were underdeveloped, especially the magic, and I would of loved if they had been expanded on a little bit more. I thought the writing style was good. The story itself was fast paced and I read it quite quickly, even though the book is nearly 500 pages long. It wasn't as complex as I usually like though, as I said before there are aspects of the story I would of liked to have been expanded upon. It read very much like your typical YA story. The main thing that let this book down for me though was the main character. I didn't really like her very much and I struggled to connect with her. I found Vesper to be very whiny and full of self pity. There was a point at about 100 pages in where I nearly DNFed this one because I was getting fed up with Vesper's attitude towards everything however, the plot kept me going. I didn't feel she had much character development and spent most of the book being quite negative about herself and her situation rather than finding ways to resolve her problems. I thought Sam was quite sweet but Vesper's personality meant that I found myself struggling to enjoy their interactions and relationships. Overall I thought this one was just okay. I definitely would of enjoyed it more had I liked the main character I think. I think this is going to be a series based on Goodreads however, this book finished quite conclusively and therefore I don't think I will be continuing on. Overall Rating

A to Z Reading Challenge Mid Year Check In

So who can believe we've reached half way through the year already. I'm not sure if it's just me but the years seem to be moving more quickly than ever. Anyway, here I am today with my mid year check in for the A to Z reading challenge hosted by Ginger Mom and Company. 

Below is a list of all of the books I've read so far that count towards this challenge and any reviews I've posted for these. I'm actually doing rather well however, the letters I have left for the remainder of the year are definitely a little trickier so I'm open to any book suggestions for these. 

A. A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinney - Review

B.

C.

D. Damsel by Elana K. Arnold - Review

E. Enchantee by Gite Trelease - Review

F. Final Girls by Riley Sager - Review

G. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - Review

H. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

I. In Fallen Woods by R N Merle - Review

J. James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra by Colm McElwain - Review

K.

L. Lord of Secrets by Breanna Teintze - Review

M. Music and Malice in Hurricane Town by Alex Bell - Review

N. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff - Review

O. Origin by Dan Brown - Review 

P. Poppy Haviland and the Secret of the Lively Widow by Micheal Barra - Review

Q.

R. The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons - Review

S. Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly - Review

T. Tangleweed and Brine by Deidre Sullivan - Review

U.

V.

W. The Wicked King by Holly Black - Review

X.

Y.

Z.

I really hope I can complete this challenge by the end of the year. As I said before I would love any suggestions of books to fit the missing letters. 

Are you taking part in any challenges this year? I'd love to hear about them. 

My Blog's Name in Books Tag

I've never seen anything like this around the blog-o-sphere so when I came across this tag on Elgee Writes (you can see her post here) I was super excited to try it on my blog. 

The aim of this tag is very simple, write your blogs name in books. You use the first letter of some of your TBR books to spell out your blogs name and at the same time share with people some of the books your excited to read. So without further ado, here we go. 

G - Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

E - Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

M - The Missing by C.L. Taylor

M - The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

A - Asylum by Madeleine Roux

S - Say Her Name by James Dawson

B - The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

O - One of us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

O - Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller

K - Killer T by Robert Muchamore

N - Now you See Me by Sharon J. Bolton

O - Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell

O - On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis 

K - The Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson 

Phew, who knew it was so hard to come up with books beginning with the letter K, and all those Os! 

Have you read any of these? Are there any here you would recommend I start with?

Review - Limited Wish by Mark Lawrence

Limited Wish by Mark Lawrence

Published 28th May 2019 by 47North

Star Rating - ***

Goodreads Challenge - 35/50

I was gifted a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

One choice. Two possible timelines. And a world hanging in the balance.

It’s the summer of 1986 and reluctant prodigy Nick Hayes is a student at Cambridge University, working with world-renowned mathematician Professor Halligan. He just wants to be a regular student, but regular isn’t really an option for a boy-genius cancer survivor who’s already dabbled in time travel.

When he crosses paths with a mysterious yet curiously familiar girl, Nick discovers that creases have appeared in the fabric of time, and that he is at the centre of the disruption. Only Nick can resolve this time paradox before the damage becomes catastrophic for both him and the future of the world. Time is running out—literally.

Wrapped up with him in this potentially apocalyptic scenario are his ex-girlfriend, Mia, and fellow student Helen. Facing the world-ending chaos of a split in time, Nick must act fast and make the choice of a lifetime—or lifetimes.

Game on.

My Thoughts

The second instalment of Mark Lawrence's sci-fi series, starting with One Word Kill, was an enjoyable one. I'm not going to go into too much detail of this book in this review as the story in this one does pick up straight where the first one left off and I don't want to accidentally include any spoilers. I will say though that I enjoyed this continuation and the where the story took us.

A lot of my thoughts for this one are similar to the first, so check out my review for that of your interested. The sci-fi time travel elements are still at the forefront of this story and in this instalment they have definitely been ramped up a level and, as a result, made the story that bit more difficult to follow. There were several times when I found myself a bit confused with the science and mathematical references however, that being said I still enjoyed the over arching plot of the story. I especially enjoyed the D&D scenes. These were really well described and they felt like a story in themselves. I can see why Mark Lawrence is such a prolific fantasy author after reading these chapters.

I also still enjoyed the characters in this one, especially our new characters to the series, Eva and Helen. I enjoyed how smart and witty these two were with just a hint of sarcasm, they were fun to read. I did however, find it more difficult to relate to the main character in this book, compared to the first. I think this was due to him being very focused on a lot of the scientific and mathematical elements that went over my head. That being said I still enjoyed reading from his perspective.

Overall I thought this was a good continuation in this series however, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as the first. The ending of this one felt quite conclusive too however, this is going to be a trilogy, with the final book being released later this year, so I'm keen to see where this series goes from here.

Overall Rating 

Children's Book Spotlight - Greedy Gertie by Salma Zaman

Greedy Gertie by Salma Zaman

Published 9th March 2019 by Blue Falcon Publishing 

I was gifted a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis (from publishers website)

Greedy Gertie is a wonderful waffle-eater! But when it comes to dancing, she’s no good at all. Gertie is in a wheelchair, and everybody knows you use your legs for dancing.

One day, Gertie discovers a bunch of animals doing wonderful, unique dances. They encourage her to join them, but Gertie refuses. She’s sure she will get in a muddle and mess things up… but the wise old owl has other ideas!

Will Greedy Gertie find her talent for dancing? Or will she stick to eating waffles like there’s no tomorrow?

Salma Zaman has written this uplifting tale to promote disability awareness and acceptance to young readers. In 2018, Salma won the ‘Yorkshire Women of Achievement’ award for her contribution to the arts.

My Thoughts

So here we have yet another colourfully illustrated children's book from Blue Falcon Publishing, they seem to be going great with these super fun children's books at the moment. This one has some fantastic diversity too. This book focuses on Gertie the Cow, who is in a wheelchair, and how she is able to join in and achieve alongside her friends. This story actually reminds me of a more popular children's book with a similar message but I like that this book focuses on a character in a wheelchair. I think this is really important to show children, and the story itself lends really well to some really important discussions about differences and supporting others. 

As with all great children's books this one is also written in rhyme which means the story flows well and it's really beneficial to children's language development. So, with some lovely colourful illustrations, a fun rhyming story and some important discussion topics I think this one would be a great addition to any child's bookshelf or teachers reading repertoire. 

Quarterly Wrap Up

I'm back with another quarterly wrap up, this time from the second quarter of the year, April to June, and all of the stats that go with that. 

This quarter I also read 17 books, seems to be my go to number, and I'm going to break these down further for you.  

Age Demographic

Middle Grade: 7

Young Adult: 4

Adult: 6

Genre

Fantasy: 10

Sci-Fi: 1

Contemporary: 1

Historical Fiction: 1 

Mystery/Thriller: 2
Dystopian: 1
Fairytale Retelling: 1

Source

Physical ARC/Finished Copy from Publisher: 7

eARC from Publisher/NetGalley: 1

Bought in 2019: 2

Owned Prior to 2019: 4 

Library Book: 3

Star Rating

1 Star: 0

2 Star: 1

3 Star: 5

4 Star: 9

5 Star: 2

Top 3 Books of this Quarter



Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Blog Review



Music and Malice in Hurricane Town by Alex Bell
Blog Review



Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead
Goodreads Review

So there are my stats for the 2nd quarter of the year. Not too different from last quarter but there's definitely more of a mix of ratings this time. 

I'd love to here about your favourite books of the year so far. 

Review - The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry

Published 18th June 2019 by Titan Books

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 34/50

I was gifted a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic "Little Red Riding Hood"...about a woman who isn't as defenseless as she seems.

It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined. 

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

My Thoughts

I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'd never actually read a Christina Henry book before this one but I do own two others and I'd heard good things about her work. Also, retellings are one of my favourite genres, if you can call them that, so I thought I would enjoy this one and I wasn't wrong. 

I know many of Christina Henry books have a dark twist to them and this one was no different. This is set in a dystopian world, where a disease called the cough has wiped out a lot of the population and the rest have been put into quarantine camps. However, is that the only thing wrong in this world? I loved our main character Red. She was such a strong female character who was determined to reach her goal no matter what. She faced up to whatever adversaries she came across with determination but didn't loose her morality which was nice to see. I also loved how diverse her character was, she was a POC with red hair and a prosthetic leg. She was also bisexual and this is seen briefly on the page but I have also seen it confirmed by the author on Twitter. Despite her disability Red kept going and didn't let this get in her way although, she did talk about the difficulties her leg presented her with which, I felt, kept the story a bit more realistic. 

I enjoyed Christina Henry's writing too. It was dark, gritty and to the point. It fit really well with the story, it wasn't flowery or lyrical. I loved the way the story unfolded as we followed Red on her journey and the reveals and developments that kept me reading. The ending was quite ambiguous too. There were some things we didn't receive a definite answer for although there was lots hinted at along the way. I don't usually like ending like this but I think this one fit really well for the story. I also liked that there wasn't any romance in this story as I'm not the biggest fan of romances and often in dystopian stories the romances can be a bit tropey but that wasn't an issue here. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book and the re-imagining of the classic Little Red Riding Hood. It was dark and gritty and didn't shy away from the gruesome and gory details so that is something to be aware of if your a bit squeamish. I will definitely be picking up some more Christina Henry sooner rather than later.

The Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

I've seen this tag absolutely everywhere, all over Twitter and Youtube and I've loved reading/watching other peoples answers so much that I decided to do it for myself. I'm not sure who the original creator of this tag is, if you know please let me know so I can credit them, but whoever you are, thank you!

How much have you read this year?

So far this year I've read 34 books. My Goodreads goal is set at 50 so I'm over halfway there, hopefully I can make my goal this year. 

Best book you've read so far in 2019?

I loved this book! I was a little bit intimidated before I started it because of the size but I needn't of worried, it was really immersive and compelling. 

Best sequel you've read so far in 2019?

Jay Kristoff has definitely become one of my favourite authors this year and this has turned out to be one of my favourite series of all time. 

New releases you haven't read yet, but what to. 

  

These are two books I was highly anticipating and bought on release day but haven't picked up yet. I actually want to reread the series that these books are part of which is why I haven't got round to them yet. 

Most anticipated release for the second half of 2019.

I loved The Night Circus when I read it a few years ago and I've been waiting for Erin Morgenstern's next book for a long time!

Biggest disappointment. 

I was really looking forward to this one. There was so much about it that I thought I would love and the cover is beautiful but unfortunately it missed the mark for me. 

Biggest surprise.

I was excited to pick this one up but also a bit wary because I'd never really read any adult fantasy before but I actually really enjoyed it. 

New favourite author (debut or new to you).

For me, this year, Jay Kristoff has definitely made his way up there with my favourite authors. I finished up the Illuminae series earlier on this year and I read Nevernight and I gave them all 4.5-5 stars. 

Underrated gems you've discovered recently.

    

I read and enjoyed all three of these this year. The first two getting a 4 star rating and the last getting a 5 star. All of these have under 200 ratings on Goodreads so I think they need more love. 

Rereads this year.

None yet. I have a few series I'd like to reread but we'll see if I get to them. 

Book that made you cry. 

None. I don't tend to cry in books but All the Lonely People by David Owen definitely gave me the feels. 

Book that made you happy. 

Again there isn't really a specific book that made me happy. All of the books I've read and enjoyed this year have made me happy in some way. 

Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received). 

This whole series is beautiful and even better by copy of Finale is signed. 

Goals for the rest of the year. 

To complete my Goodreads goal. 

To continue to take part in reading challenges and the community. I'm hoping to complete my NEWTs in August and I love the reading challenges over at TBR and Beyond.

To read and review all of my 2019 ARCs. 

Sorry this tag is a little bit late. I was hoping to do it in June, halfway through the year, but June has been a really crazy month for me. 

I'd love to read your answers if you've done this tag, if not let me know what your reading goals are for the end of the year. 

June Wrap Up

This has been my worst reading month so far this year. I returned to work this month after maternity leave so there has definitely been a drop in my reading and my blogging as I try and find a good balance between home/organising child/work. 

Overall I read 3 books and I am 75% of the way through a forth. I also took part in the A Game of Booksathon this month and, because we were able to use multiple prompts for books, I was able to complete 5 prompts. 

The Greatest Show of All by Jane England

Published 15th October 2016 by Barrington Stoke Ltd. 

Star Rating - ***

Goodreads Challenge - 33/50

The Written by Ben Galley

Published 1st January 2011 by BenGalley.com

Star Rating - ***

Goodreads Challenge - 32/50

Review - Blog Review

A Game of Booksathon prompts

Game of Thrones - The first book in a series

House Targaryen - A book with mythical creatures or dragons

The Girl in Red by Christina Henry 

Published 18th June 2019 by Titan Books

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 34/50

Review - Blog Review

A Game of Booksathon prompts

Daenerys - A strong female main character

House Stark - A book with a family dynamic or siblings

House Lannister - A book with a red cover

Hopefully July will be a bit more successful for me. The UK school summer holidays starts half way through July so I should be able to get some more reading in when I'm not at work. 

How many books did you read in June? Which was your favourite?