Thursday 31 December 2015

My 2015 in Books

So proud of myself, I have managed to read more books then I expected. This completed my goodreads challenge.

(All pictures courtesy of Goodreads)

Haven't decided about my next years challenge yet. For now I will just celebrate  87 read books... Soooo many pages of greatness. 


Here are all the books I have read this year. What a fab year it's been! 






Wednesday 30 December 2015

WWW Wednesday (30th December)



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...



Blurb: In a perfect world, sixteen-year-old Phoebe Martins’ life would be a book. Preferably a YA novel with magic and a hot paranormal love interest. Unfortunately, her life probably wouldn’t even qualify for a quiet contemporary. But when Phoebe finds out that Dev, the hottest guy in the clarinet section, might actually have a crush on her, she turns to her favorite books for advice. Phoebe overhauls her personality to become as awesome as her favorite heroines and win Dev’s heart. But if her plan fails, can she go back to her happy world of fictional boys after falling for the real thing?


I have recently finished...


Blurb: An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."

Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.




Blurb: For fans of Lianne Moriarty, Paula Hawkins, and Tana French, an arresting debut novel of psychological suspense: a young journalist struggles to keep the demons of her alcoholism at bay as she finds her purpose again in tackling the mystery of a shocking headline-making crime, still unsolved after fifteen years.

Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.

Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.

The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.

In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.

Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995, Try Not to Breathe unfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.




Blurb: Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.



I plan on reading next...


Blurb: On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.




Blurb: Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that made - and destroyed - both men, a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War that had yet to be told?

Now is that time - time for the women of Troy to tell their story.

Thrillingly imagined and startlingly original, For the Most Beautiful reveals the true story of true for the first time. The story of Krisayis, daughter of the Trojans' High Priest, and of Briseis, princess of Pedasus, who fight to determine the fate of a city and its people in this ancient time of mischievous gods and mythic heroes.

In a novel full of passion and revenge, loyalty and betrayal, bravery and sacrifice, Emily Hauser breathes exhilarating new life into one of the greatest legends of all - in a story that has waited millennia to be told.





Blurb: Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village on the northernmost tip of Iceland, accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a local policeman, whose tumultuous past and uneasy relationships with the villagers continue to haunt him. The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by the murder of a policeman – shot at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark arctic winter closing in, it falls to Ari Thór to piece together a puzzle that involves tangled local politics, a compromised new mayor, and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik, where someone is being held against their will. Then a mysterious young woman moves to the area, on the run from something she dare not reveal, and it becomes all too clear that tragic events from the past are weaving a sinister spell that may threaten them all. Dark, chilling and complex, Nightblind is an extraordinary thriller from an undeniable new talent.


Tuesday 29 December 2015

Cover reveal! Time to say Goodbye by S. D. Robertson

I am so excited to do my very first cover reveal even more so because it's an absolute beauty!! I can not wait to read this and have my heart broken by this story. Here is the cover of the upcoming


TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

S.D. ROBERTSON

11th February 2016

#saygoodbye



A heart-rending story about the unique bond between a father and his daughter, for fans of JOJO MOYES and JOHN GREEN.

HOW DO YOU LEAVE THE PERSON YOU LOVE THE MOST?

Will Curtis's six-year-old daughter, Ella, knows her father will never leave her. After all, he promised her so when her mother died. And
he's going to do everything he can to keep his word.

What Will doesn't know is that the promise he made to his little girl might be harder to keep than he imagined. When he's faced with an impossible decision, Will finds that
the most obvious choice might not be the right one.

But the future is full of unexpected surprises. And father and daughter are about to embark on an unforgettable journey together . . .



Monday 28 December 2015

Try Not To Breathe by Holly Seddon


Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.

Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.

The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.

In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.

Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995, Try Not to Breathe
unfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.


Amy had been attacked and left for dead 15 years ago, since then she has been lying in a hospital vegetative state. Unable to communicate or respond. 

Alex has lost her husband and her job along with other things due to her drinking problem. Now her drinking could kill her. She is a journalist and she is determined to write a story about people with Amy's condition. She comes across Amy in the word by pure chance, remembering her story from many years ago she is instantly interested in knowing more. Her determination to write a health story turns into wanting to find out exactly what happened to Amy. 

Jacob is Amy's boyfriend from back in the day, now married and a baby on a way, he still visits Amy on a regular basis, without his wife knowing. 

Alex begins her investigations straight away, while battling with her alcoholism. She soon comes across Jacob who is helping her discover the truth. 

I absolutely enjoyed this book. I was gribbed from the first page to the last. This has been a truly amazing read. The writing just flowed and the characters were so believable and touchable. I enjoyed Amy, Alex and Jacob both in equal measures. 

To get a glimpse into Amy's mind while she is in a state similar to a sleep almost, is so interesting. To realise how much she notices around her and seeing how confusing her mind has become made this story esp unique. I wanted her to get better from the first hospital visit.

Alex is a very interesting character. The way she deals with her alcoholism has my mind blown. After loosing everything you can almost understand the deep hole she has fallen into. But it's the way she puts her everything into the story, despite her own fight, that makes her incredible. 

Jacob hasn't gotten over what has happened in the past, how can you when there has never been any closure. There is still so much he doesn't know. Amy is his secret and he feels like he hasn't got the right to move on with his life if Amy can't. 

But what really happened 15 years ago? Who has hurt Amy? What happened in the days leading up to her attack? Will the truth come out? Will Alex be able to get to the bottom of things? 

I couldn't stop turning the pages. I wanted all the questions answered. I couldn't figure it out, having many suspicions, changing every few chapters. I couldn't help but feel for Amy. What an awful thing to happen and what an awful way of life. It broke my heart, not only reading about Amy but also about her family and everyone who has been affected by this. 

This isn't just a very intriguing book, it has a lot of heart in it too. It's the sort of book that will have you feeling all sorts of emotions and stays with you for a long time. And most of all will have you guessing all the way though. 

Thank you for Corvus Publishing for my beautiful copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book will be released on 7th January 2016


Sunday 27 December 2015

Weekly Wrap Up and Stacking the Shelves

Weekly wrap up

I really wanted to love this one but I just couldn't. There was something missing and I can't put my finger on it. It was ok. I would rather have much more then just ok tho.



Blurb: An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."

Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.


I loved this one. Such a intriguing and thrilling read. My review will be up tomorrow.


Blurb: Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.

Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.

The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.

In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.

Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995,
Try Not to Breathe unfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.


Stacking the shelves



Thank you Net Galley for my 3 new books and extended extract of Thruthwitch. Here are the books I received of NG this week.


Blurb: On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.



Blurb: World War II, 1942. A court decision makes women subject to the draft and eligible for service. The unproven American army is going up against the greatest fighting force ever assembled, the armed forces of Nazi Germany.

Three girls sign up to fight. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr, and Rainy Schulterman are average girls, girls with dreams and aspirations, at the start of their lives, at the start of their loves. Each has her own reasons for volunteering: Rio fights to honor her sister; Frangie needs money for her family; Rainy wants to kill Germans. For the first time they leave behind their homes and families—to go to war.

These three daring young women will play their parts in the war to defeat evil and save the human race. As the fate of the world hangs in the balance, they will discover the roles that define them on the front lines. They will fight the greatest war the world has ever known.



Blurb: Nadette Lawson knows when you’re lying.

Every night for the past two years, the Balasura have visited her dreams, enticing her to enter their world. And every night she’s seen through their lies. Now, they’re tired of playing in the shadows and they begin to stalk her in the waking world. It’s no longer just an invitation; if Nadette doesn’t join them, they’ll take her family. Forever. She needs help, and the haven she’s seeking may be just out of reach.
Julian Teagan is a master of deception.

To survive, he has to convince the world his mother isn’t useless, that everything’s fine, otherwise he’ll lose what little he has left in this life. He knows the lying won’t be enough to keep him and his mother in the shadows, but it’s all he knows. The only light of truth is Orane, a Balasura who sees past Julian’s facade and challenges him to face the darkness.
Then Orane is killed, and Julian learns his mentor was far from innocent. The Balasura have hunted children like him for centuries, and their next target, Nadette is his one chance at finally being a part of something real. If Julian can just convince her to trust him…



Blurb: What is Kaycee willing to risk for the sake of love?
And what will she risk for acceptance?

In Sunshine, Tennessee, the main event in town is Friday night football, the biggest party of the year is held in a field filled with pickup trucks, and church attendance is mandatory. For Kaycee Jean McCoy, life in Sunshine means dating guys she has no interest in, saying only “yes, ma’am” when the local bigots gossip at her mom’s cosmetics salon, and avoiding certain girls at all costs. Girls like Bren Dawson.

Unlike Kaycee, Bren doesn’t really conceal who she is. But as the cool, worldly new girl, nobody at school seems to give her any trouble. Maybe there’s no harm if Kaycee gets closer to her too, as long as she can keep that part of her life a secret, especially from her family and her best friend. But the more serious things get with Bren, the harder it is to hide from everyone else. Kaycee knows Sunshine has a darker side for people like her, and she’s risking everything for the chance to truly be herself.


I received the next two by the author. Love the sound of them both.


Blurb: My name is Ruby Carter. I was a normal teenage girl who only wanted what every other teenage girl wanted- love and acceptance. But when my parents revealed a painful secret I couldn’t accept, and my boyfriend broke up with me the night before my eighteenth birthday, I turned into something beyond average. Betrayed and broken, I tore off in my car, into the storm, and straight toward my death. I was sucked into a dark and terrifying world I never knew existed, changing my life forever. That’s when I met him…

My name is Guy Stone. I’ve been told I have no heart- a cold, ruthless killer. And I liked the perception others gave me for it allowed me to shut out my past and focus on hunting down every last Unfortunate Soul, seeking my revenge. But the night I found her lying amongst the flames of the battle, helpless and confused, I caved, finding myself drawn to her dark innocence, unable to follow the rules. And by that one decision, not only did my life change forever, but I found myself falling for the one thing I despised the most: A vampire. My enemy. An Unfortunate Soul.


I bought this one for myself and I need to finish it before the movie.


Blurb: After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.


I got this absolutely amazing proof though the post this week too, thank you so much! 


Blurb:
In the early years of their love affair, Romilly was happy. She had worked hard for her stunning, modern house in one of Bristol's most fashionable suburbs. She adored her gorgeous, gap-toothed daughter and her handsome, kind husband. Sure, life was sometimes exhausting - but nothing that a large glass of wine at the end of the day couldn't fix.
And then a new neighbour arrived and everything unravelled. A glass of wine became a bottle; one bottle became two. Romilly's family were once everything to her. Now, after years of hiding the drinking, she must finally admit that she has found another love...


And last but not least I won this one in a competition on Twitter. It's been a really good book week.


Blurb: 'Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you've found an intimate picture of another woman on your fiance's phone...


Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiance is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne. Eve gets an unexpected seasonal surprise when handsome local vet Greg comes to her rescue one day, and continues to visit Eve's boat on a mission to transform her from Kitchen Disaster Zone to Culinary Queen.


But where does Greg keep disappearing to? What does Eve's best friend Daisy know that she isn't telling? And why is there an angry goose stalking Eve's boat?






Saturday 26 December 2015

TBR Booktag



I have seen many people do this but most recently bibliophilebookclub.wordpress.com and I was really inspired to do this myself. I think it's really interesting for myself too, giving my TBR pile some thought.

Here are my answers...

How do you keep track of your TBR pile? 

I don't at all with don't at all with my books that I have purchased, however I do with ARCs and NetGalley. I write those down in my calendar straight away and all try and fit them into a list of books I want to read next. I also have a separate folder on my kindle for ARCs and one for NetGalley books.

Is your TBR mostly print or ebooks? 

Ebooks for sure. Before I started blogging I would just randomly download books, some free some on offer. I have quite a few on my kindle. 

How do you determine which books you read next? 

Again there is a difference between my purchased books and my review copies. I try and review books close to publication date so that's how I choose those. My personal pile I just pick and choose depending what I fancy and if I have the time. 

A book that has been on your TBR pile the longest? 

Hardwired... From that phase after fifty shades where I felt like I needed similar books to follow. Still stuck in my shelve. 

A book you recently added to your TBR pile.

5th wave! I saw the trailer for the movie and that made me really want to read the book first. Had to order it straight away. Can't wait.



A book on your TBR pile strictly because of its beautiful cover?

Lots!! I am a sucker for beautiful covers. I love love love them! 


A book on your TBR pile that you never plan on reading? 

Well i have this folder on my kindle full of erotic books that were free to download. Any of those I probably won't read. I don't even know what I was thinking. 

An unpublished book on your TBR pile that you are excited for? 

Any unpublished book is still so exciting for me, I am new to blogging so I am still amazed people are willing to send me books to read. It's all so amazing and I am so greatful. Absolutely excited about all of the future releases.

A book on your TBR pile everyone recommended to you? 

Probably Dream a little Dream and After you. I really need to get stared on those. 

A book on your TBR pile everyone has read but you? 

I see Six of Crows everywhere. Anyone who likes YA has read it. This needs to happen! And soon. 

A book on your TBR pile that you are dying to read? 

Bookishly ever after, I am in love with the cover and it sounds amazing, that's the one that comes to mind straight away but really there is to many to mention. 


How many books are on your TBR pile? 

I had to check this of course. 27 physical books, 8 on Netgalley, 4 ARCs on my kinldle, 10 random free erotic books and 117 other books TBR on my kindle. That is a total of 166. That's not too bad right?  


(took the pictures before receiving 3 more books)


Thursday 24 December 2015

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen


An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."

Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.
 


Oh wow I don't even know where to begin. I can't decide if I loved it or hated it, maybe both. I gave it 3 stars on goodreads for now, because I guess it was ok. There is no other way to describe it then; I had a love hate relationship with it.

I was incredibly excited for this book and I kind of expected a lot from it, you know, like Red Queen kind of amazing. Maybe that's where it's gone wrong, the expectations were way up there. But why not? We want to be amazed. So I struggled through the first parts of the books. Not really feeling the characters or where the story are going. Don't you just hate when that happens? But I went on, and I kinda started liking it more. Some parts I really loved even. 

However I am not sure about this, but if this book is being sold for young adults then it's sold very wrong. Although the queen is young, nobody else is and neither is the story really aimed at young people. It kind of misses the vournable girl, that makes mistakes, that has a torn heart...that grows into herself through the book. Instead we have a young queen that sort of knows exactly what to do already.

What I also noticed is that even tho the book is about the queen the most, there is times you forget just that. The mace being another very strong character, or the Fetch and all of her queens guard. 

I am left baffled by some things too, like the crossing which I still don't quite understand. And while I was reading the book I fully expected it to take me to some battle, a huge ending, only to realise that with the next book being called 'the invasion of the tearling', the big action isn't going to arrive until then. 
It almost feels like this was just a very long introduction to the story and we missed out on the Big Bang. The plot was a bit of a let down to be absolutely honest.

Still I thought the book was ok, the characters strong (although some I liked much more then the queen), the world building was ok and the magic thrown in gave it a little bit of a twist. 

Shame ok just isn't enough, I so much wanted to love it. I am sorry that I didn't. 

Wednesday 23 December 2015

WWW Wednesday (23 December)


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...


Blurb: An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.

Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.

Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."

Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.


I have recently finished...


Blurb: Peggy Hillcoat is eight years old when her survivalist father, James, takes her from their home in London to a remote hut in the woods and tells her that the rest of the world has been destroyed. Deep in the wilderness, Peggy and James make a life for themselves. They repair the hut, bathe in water from the river, hunt and gather food in the summers and almost starve in the harsh winters. They mark their days only by the sun and the seasons.

When Peggy finds a pair of boots in the forest and begins a search for their owner, she unwittingly begins to unravel the series of events that brought her to the woods and, in doing so, discovers the strength she needs to go back to the home and mother she thought she’d lost.

After Peggy's return to civilization, her mother learns the truth of her escape, of what happened to James on the last night out in the woods, and of the secret that Peggy has carried with her ever since.


I plan on reading next...


Blurb: Amy Stevenson was the biggest news story of 1995. Only fifteen years old, Amy disappeared walking home from school one day and was found in a coma three days later. Her attacker was never identified and her angelic face was plastered across every paper and nightly news segment.

Fifteen years later, Amy lies in the hospital, surrounded by 90’s Britpop posters, forgotten by the world until reporter Alex Dale stumbles across her while researching a routine story on vegetative patients.

Remembering Amy’s story like it was yesterday, she feels compelled to solve the long-cold case.

The only problem is, Alex is just as lost as Amy—her alcoholism has cost her everything including her marriage and her professional reputation.

In the hopes that finding Amy’s attacker will be her own salvation as well, Alex embarks on a dangerous investigation, suspecting someone close to Amy.

Told in the present by an increasingly fragile Alex and in dream-like flashbacks by Amy as she floats in a fog of memories, dreams, and music from 1995, Try Not to Breathe unfolds layer by layer to a breathtaking conclusion.




Blurb: Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he’s unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half-naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life. An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24-hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose.




Blurb: Three thousand years ago a war took place that gave birth to legends - to Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, and Hector, prince of Troy. It was a war that made - and destroyed - both men, a war that shook the very foundations of the world. But what if there was more to this epic conflict? What if there was another, hidden tale of the Trojan War that had yet to be told?

Now is that time - time for the women of Troy to tell their story.




Tuesday 22 December 2015

My Top 10 Books of 2015

Here are my top 10 books!! They are in the order I have read them. This was pretty hard, I have read so many amazing books this year, so many different books. And of course I started my blog this year, which changed my reading habits a little too. But I enjoyed every minute of it. Here are my 10 favourite books out of the 84 I have read this year. Note some of them are a series and others just one book.

Shatter Me series 


I really enjoyed these books. They stayed with me all year round. And I always recommend this series to anyone who likes the paranormal/dystopian.


A thousand pieces of you 


This one was so very unique. I find a lot of the YA paranormal is almost the same. This how we surprised me a lot and I am looking forward to finally reading the next one.



Bad Romeo + Broken Juliet 


Never have I ever rooted for a couple as much as the one on this book. This has been a total emotional rollercoaster. I couldn't get enough!



Ugly Love 


I don't think I have ever cried as much as I have while reading this book, it broke my heard and made me binge read on her other books.



Stolen Empire Series 


Can't rave about these enough, not normally one to go for historical fiction, I am totally converted. Never a dull moment. I loved watching a shy girl becoming a strong empress. 



Alienated 


This has just been absolutely beautiful and probably my favourite book cover of 2015. 


Night Owls 


There is absolutely no doubt this book has my book boyfriend of the year. I miss him still! 


Red Queen 


This book left a massive impression and the next book is certainly my most anticipated book of 2016. Twist and turns I never saw coming. 



The Widow


Absolutely gripping all the way through, stunningly written. This book will be huge next year. So happy I got the chance to read this earlier.



The Theseus Paradox


Probably my biggest surprise of 2015 and the one I am still talking about. I hope to read much more from David in the future.