Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves #29

Weekly Wrap Up...

Sadly I haven't finished anything this week. I have been out most days and I have had a poorly little girl. Also I have started Nevernight which is a huuuuge book. I am hoping to finish that either Monday or Tuesday because there is still lots left. But also I have only 3 days left at work before 6 weeks off. I hope I can manage lots of reading during my time off.



Stacking the Shelves...

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

I have been so so lucky this week. Two absolutely incredible and extremely beautiful books have arrived at my house this week. The first one being Lament for the Fallen and the second one is Caraval. I couldn't be more happy about either of those and I cant thank the publishers enough! Lament for the Fallen will be out at the end of this month and Caraval early 2017. Let me tell you the future of books looks amazing.

'Father, tell me a story?' asks Isaiah, moments before a strange craft falls from the sky and smashes into the jungle near his isolated West African community. Inside the ruined vessel the villagers find the shattered body of a man. His name is Samara and he is a man unlike any the villagers have seen before - a man who is perhaps something more than human.

With his city home of Achenia hiding in the rubble left by a devastating war, Samara has fallen 35,000 km to earth in order to escape the automated hell of an orbiting prison called Tartarus. As he struggles to heal himself, he helps transform the lives of those who rescued him but in so doing attracts the attention of the brutal warlord who rules over this benighted, ravaged post-21st century land. He is not a man to be crossed, and now he threatens the very existence of the villagers themselves and the one, slim chance Samara has of finding his way home and to the woman - and the world - he loves.

And all the while - in the darkness above - waits the simmering fury that lies at the heart of Tartarus . . .

Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their ruthless father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

Then, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation to Caraval finally arrives. So, Tella enlists a mysterious sailor’s help to whisk Scarlett away to this year’s show. But as soon as the trio arrives, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nonetheless soon becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with her sister, with Legend, and with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever. 

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I

Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly.
Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

So I have clearly done this all very very wrong. I have read A Court Of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury before I have started this one and of course I can't help but compare the two. And lets be honest this one isn't as good as the other two! BUT I still liked it, don't get me wrong, I just wish I have had read it first, so i could have grown with the books, instead of going back to the beginning.

This is the story of Celaena, an Assassin that has been caught and has spent a year in extremely tough conditions in the salt mines of Endovier. But one day she is given the chance to leave and take part in a competition to become the kings champion, offered by the Dorian the crown prince himself. She accepts the offer and travels to the glass palace. There she will have to go through several stages of eliminations, where she will have to win against other criminals. Celeana finds herself enjoying the lavish life at court in a strange way. But its her friendship with Captain Westfall and the prince's attention that is really interesting. Her competitors start turning up dead, what else is going on at court?

There is many things I rather enjoyed about this book. The touch of magic for example, Celeana's friendship with Captain Westfall too. But there was also some things that annoyed me, like the fact that Celeana is meant to be the most dangerous assassin in the  country and all I got is a girl that liked her fancy dresses and never did anything that would suggest she is a murderer. Quite the opposite, she was rather good and soft at times. Which is totally not what I expected at all and I find that in a way the book is being slightly miss sold.

But I still had good fun reading this and it certainly made me want to continue with this series. I have big hopes for the second book because I know how much Maas has raised the bar from A Court of Thorns and Roses to A Court of Mist and Fury. So if that's anything to go by...

I always feel rather strange when I read a book and don't love it as much as everyone else. But I'd rather be honest  then just go and follow the masses.

But once again, I didn't hate it, it's not the best one I have every read but it wasn't all bad.

All in all if you love this genre then I believe there is a very high chance you will love this one too. And I will pick up the next one hopefully in August and let you know what I think of this one.

WWW Wednesday (13th July)

 WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading...

Destined to destroy empires, Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student.

The shadows love her. And they drink her fear.

I have recently finished...

One Demon.

One Angel.

One Soul.

Josh lived a reckless, selfish life, so upon his death, escaping the eternal torments of Hell by assuming the role of a powerful, soul-corrupting demon is an easy choice. His first soul assignment doesn’t seem too hard: the mortal Camden is already obsessed with weapons, pain, and torture. If only Josh wasn’t distracted by Cam's beautiful friend, Grace.

Grace never expected to die violently at age sixteen, but now she’s an Angel, responsible for saving a soul. She can already see past Camden’s earthly flaws, so the job should be be easy. If only that handsome, playboy Josh would stop getting in the way.

It’s forbidden for an Angel to be with a Demon, so if Josh and Grace stop resisting each other, the results would be disastrous.

And only one can claim Cam’s soul.

I plan on reading next...

I don't actually know! For the first time in a long long time I haven't planned one yet. Will pick up one depending on what I fancy. But tbh Nevernight is going to take me some time so next week Wednesday I could still be reading that.

Review: Under Rose Tainter Skies by Louise Gornall

Agoraphobia confines Norah to the house she shares with her mother.

For her, the outside is sky glimpsed through glass, or a gauntlet to run between home and car. But a chance encounter on the doorstep changes everything: Luke, her new neighbour. Norah is determined to be the girl she thinks Luke deserves: a ‘normal’ girl, her skies unfiltered by the lens of mental illness. Instead, her love and bravery opens a window to unexpected truths …

An important and uplifting debut from a British author, which tackles mental health issues such as agoraphobia and OCD. 

Let me start by telling you that this has been the best book that I have read in some time. I have loved every second of it. This is the Story of Norah who is trapped in her house by her fears and OCD. She never  leaves the house unless its totally necessary and even that turns into her absolute nightmare. When her mother has to go away for a little while Norah meets her neighbour right at her door due to a rather strange chance encounter. She is fascinated by the new boy next door straight away, who also appears to keep finding reasons to come back, pushing her fears beyond her limits. Soon Norah finds herself questioning her own actions and changing routines she never thought would be possible to change one bit. Not only that, but for the first time ever Norah wishes she  could be out there having fun with Luke and everyone else...

This book has been absolutely outstanding! I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed it. It was eye opening and charming and in some parts even funny. It has completely warmed my heart. Norah is probably one of the most interesting characters I have had the pleasure of reading about. Complicated but completely good and likeable. Until this book I haven't known anything about Agoraphobia and I think this book has told me a lot, in a way that was never uncomfortable or judgemental. I feel like I completely understood how Norah was feeling at all times.

Luke is just dreamy, i mean come on who doesn't love a boy next door that treats you right and doesn't run away when you completely freak out on him. He is the perfect bookboyfriend!

If you don't know which book to pick up next, make it this one and i promise you, you will not regret it. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and there is literally nothing i could fault about it. It was perfection from the very fist page to the very last one.

Full of heart, totally eye opening and utterly charming, a must read!

Thank you to Chicken House for my copy of this incredible pink book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Under Rose Tainted Skies is out NOW and you need it in your life!

Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves #28

Weekly Wrap Up...

This week I have finished 2,5 books, yep one of the books I have only managed to get half way before I had to put it down. Tbf that is still pretty good considering I have spend 2 days in Ireland with my friends. Before I have left I have managed to finish Caramel Hearts and started Demon Road, which I then had to put down half way through and just could not go on. On my way back from Ireland I have then started Soul Crossed which I have finished today. I quite liked Caramel Hearts but not had much luck with the other two. But I am not letting it get me down and can only hope that I will seriously love the next book.

Liv Bloom’s life is even more complicated than that of your average fourteen-year-old: her father walked out on the family when she was young, her mother is in a recovery centre for alcoholics, and her older sister is struggling to step into Mum’s shoes. The only person she can turn to is her best friend Sarah, who gets out of scrapes at school and is a constant source of advice and companionship. One day Liv discovers a book of recipes written in her mum’s handwriting, which sets her off on a journey towards self-discovery and reconciliation – but a theft, a love rivalry and a school bully are just some of the many obstacles on the way.

Structured around real cake recipes, Caramel Hearts is a coming-of-age novel about love, disappointment and hope, and discovering the true value of friends and family, no matter how dysfunctional they are.

Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor sharp dialogue, DEMON ROAD kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves.

Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…

One Demon.

One Angel.

One Soul.

Josh lived a reckless, selfish life, so upon his death, escaping the eternal torments of Hell by assuming the role of a powerful, soul-corrupting demon is an easy choice. His first soul assignment doesn’t seem too hard: the mortal Camden is already obsessed with weapons, pain, and torture. If only Josh wasn’t distracted by Cam's beautiful friend, Grace.

Grace never expected to die violently at age sixteen, but now she’s an Angel, responsible for saving a soul. She can already see past Camden’s earthly flaws, so the job should be be easy. If only that handsome, playboy Josh would stop getting in the way.

It’s forbidden for an Angel to be with a Demon, so if Josh and Grace stop resisting each other, the results would be disastrous.

And only one can claim Cam’s soul.

Stacking the Shelves...

Hosted by Tynga’s Reviews

This week I have only had one book arrive at my door, but not only was it a good one but it was also a surprise... The amazing Lydia at Titan Books has send me the sequel to Alice which is called Red Queen. Thank you very much, I am rather excited about this one.

The land outside of the Old City was supposed to be green, lush, hopeful. But the verdant fields are nothing but ash and hope is nowhere to be found. Still, Alice and Hatcher are on a mission to find his daughter: a quest they will not forsake even as it takes them deep into the clutches of the mad White Queen or into the realm of the twisted and cruel Black King. The pieces are set and the game has begun, and each move brings Alice closer to her destiny.

Review: Sing by Vivi Greene

America’s most famous pop star flees the spotlight to recover from her latest break-up in Maine—only to fall for a local boy and be faced with an impossible choice at the end of the summer: her new guy, or her music.

Multiplatinum pop icon Lily Ross’s biggest hits and biggest heartbreaks (because they are one and the same):


1. AGONY. (That feeling when her ex ripped her heart out of her chest and she never saw it coming.)
2. GHOSTS. (Because even famous people are ghosted by guys sometimes. And it sucks just as much.)
3. ONCE BITTEN. (As in: twice shy. Also, she’s never dating an actor or a musician ever again.)


But this summer’s going to be different. After getting her heart shattered, Lily is taking herself out of the spotlight and heading to a small island in middle-of-nowhere Maine with her closest friends. She has three months until her fall tour starts-three months to focus on herself, her music, her new album. Anything but guys.


That is . . . until Lily meets sweet, down-to-earth local Noel Bradley, who is so different from anyone she’s ever dated. Suddenly, Lily’s “summer of me” takes an unexpected turn, and she finds herself falling deeper and harder than ever before. But Noel isn’t interested in the limelight. She loves Noel-but she loves her fans, too. And come August, she may be forced to choose.

This book has been exactly what I needed. I haven't read anything contemporary in a while. Its all been either really dark and heavy or fantasy. Which, don't get me wrong, I do love, but this has been such a breath of fresh air. And so so much fun.

Lily Ross is a pop icon, but she isn't very lucky in love. Having her heart broken countless of times its happening to her again. This time she wants to handle things differently and when her friend suggests spending some time at her house on a small Island, Lily is convinced its the right thing to do. She wants to write new music ready for her upcoming tour. Together with her two closest friends she is loving her time on the Island, most of all because it appears to be the only place where she can be truly herself. When Lily meets Noel she finds herself falling for him, fast and hard. He couldn't be more different from all the boys she has dated before. But what will happen when Lily's life will catch up to her. Can Noel handle everything that comes with dating a pop icon? Lily will have to make a hard choice between her music and the new happiness she found on the island.

This has been such an enjoyable read. It was light, easy and quick to read. I have liked all the characters very much, most of all Noel, of course. But what I really enjoyed the most is the friendship between Lily and her two closest friends.

I don't think its ever a bad think to fall in love a lot, quite the opposite. It takes courage to fall again after you had your heart broken, time and time again. But also what better feeling is there then falling in love with someone for the first time. That is one reason I have really enjoyed Lily. Greene has captured falling in love in a really heart warming and believable way.

I love the idea of the Island, it sounds like the perfect place for me. All I would have to take with me is my kindle packed with books and I could be very happy in this idyllic place.

What I also loved about Lily is how down to earth she is even tho her success is so huge.

This has been an adorable book about falling in love, music, home, friendship and finding yourself.

Great fun that will put a smile on your face and warm your heart.

Thank you to Maximumpopbooks for my review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

WWW Wednesday (6th July)

 WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words. It’s open for anyone to join in and is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading...

Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor sharp dialogue, DEMON ROAD kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves.

Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…

I have recently finished...

Liv Bloom’s life is even more complicated than that of your average fourteen-year-old: her father walked out on the family when she was young, her mother is in a recovery centre for alcoholics, and her older sister is struggling to step into Mum’s shoes. The only person she can turn to is her best friend Sarah, who gets out of scrapes at school and is a constant source of advice and companionship. One day Liv discovers a book of recipes written in her mum’s handwriting, which sets her off on a journey towards self-discovery and reconciliation – but a theft, a love rivalry and a school bully are just some of the many obstacles on the way.

Structured around real cake recipes, Caramel Hearts is a coming-of-age novel about love, disappointment and hope, and discovering the true value of friends and family, no matter how dysfunctional they are.

I plan on reading next...

Destined to destroy empires, Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Six years later, the child raised in shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student.

The shadows love her. And they drink her fear.