Review: A Superior Spectre

★★★/ 5

Author: Angela Meyer
Genre: Science Fiction, Literary fiction
Buy Links: Amazon , Book Depository
MVP: Leonara

Description:
Jeff is dying. Haunted by memories and grappling with the shame of his desires, he runs away to remote Scotland with a piece of experimental tech that allows him to enter the mind of someone in the past. Instructed to only use it three times, Jeff – self-indulgent, isolated and deteriorating – ignores this advice.

In the late 1860s, Leonora lives a contented life in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by nature, her hands and mind kept busy. Contemplating her future and the social conventions that bind her, a secret romantic friendship with the local laird is interrupted when her father sends her to stay with her aunt in Edinburgh – an intimidating, sooty city; the place where her mother perished.

But Leonora’s ability to embrace her new life is shadowed by a dark presence that begins to lurk behind her eyes, and strange visions that bear no resemblance to anything she has ever seen or known…

A Superior Spectre is a highly accomplished debut novel about our capacity for curiosity, and our dangerous entitlement to it, and reminds us the scariest ghosts aren’t those that go bump in the night, but those that are born and create a place for themselves in the human soul.

The TBR Purge – Part 2

The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Creeping but beautiful looking cover. Spooky mystery book.
Action:  Trash
Reason: Upon reading more of the summary it doesn’t sound appealing. I remember adding it after seeing a TV show called ‘The Kettering Incident‘ (omg so spooky – series Xfiles vibes), and it sounded similar. When I read the sample chapter I realized it wasn’t the same and it didn’t appeal to me as much.

The Diabolic by S.J.Kincaid
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Booktuber Regan raved about it. Also, stunning cover
Action:  Keep
Reason: It took me a while to decide whether to keep this one on my list. On the one hand the cover is still stunning and would look great on my book shelf and I love scifi books. On the other hand it looks quite thick and the summary doesn’t sound as appealing anymore. Regan recently read the second book and raved about that too, so maybe it’s worth keeping and giving it a go.

The Black Prism (#1) by Brent Weeks
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Another Regan recommends and entered book competition
Action:  Trash
Reason: Yeah, I’ve lost all interest in this book. I love a good magic system but upon re-reading the synopsis I’m a little bored.

The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Mysterious book + a story about a librarian – okay!!!
Action:  Keep
Reason: I think this one was a GR recommends and when I saw it involved a librarian and a mysterious book I thought, ‘That’s the book for me’. Given that it’s told from a males perspective I thought i’d still give it a go. It’s sounds pretty cool, but I’ve heard no one talk about it. That doesn’t always mean it’s a bad book – there is so much out there – so I think I will keep this one on.

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: I was on a scifi kick after reading Illuminae
Action:  Trash
Reason: This got super high ratings on GR but no one on my friends list has read it. I’m thinking about downloading a sample chapter to make up my mind. I’ll trash it for now but if I like the sample I will add it back. I think I would have to be in a space/sci-fi mood though.

13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Popular girl nearly dies from a drowning that she suspects was intentional.
Action:  Trash
Reason: This was a competition entry and was after I had watched 13 Reasons Why. I was on a bit of a high school murder kick and added it without reading much. I think I’ll trash it because it does sound a bit like netflix show Riverdale and I wasn’t real into that.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: So many people rave about it.
Action:  Keep
Reason: I’ve wanted to read something written by Tahereh Mafi for ages and this seems like a good book of hers to start with as everyone seems to have read it. The synopsis kind reminds me of Rogue’s backstory from Xmen and I loved her character. So it’s a pretty safe bet I will enjoy this one.

Angelfall by Susan Ee
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: It has Angels in it.
Action:  Keep
Reason: One of my favorite story lines ever introduced to the show Supernatural was about Castiel. I have been interested in Angels ever since I was a kid and I love reading all kinds of stories about them. I’ve read some good YA Angel stories and some not so great ones. I don’t think I have any other Angel books in my TBR so i’ll keep this one on for when I’m in that kind of a mood.

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Booktube recommendation.
Action:  Keep
Reason: This has been on and off my wishlist for a while. The cover looks super interesting and includes it’s own magic system. With a brother/sister dynamic I thought it sounded pretty cool – but I’m still unsure about it. It’s not on the top of my priorities to read, but I think it’s one of those ones that I will eventually get around to.

Red Vengeance (#2) by Margaret Stohl
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: I’m trash for anything Black Widow and I loved the first one
Action:  Keep
Reason: I absolutely loved the first book despite the fact that the book doesn’t actually revolve around just the Black Widow’s Red Room days. I plowed through the first one so I will keep this one because a)it will go nicely on the shelf with my collection of Black Widow comics and books and b) because I love Margaret’s writing style.

The Cresswell Plot by Eliza Wass
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Strict Godfearing father keeps his daughters locked up and one fights back
Action:  Keep
Reason: I love a good True Crime story and despite this being fiction it sounded like it was based off a true crime story. I struggled with the decision to keep this one. I don’t think I have time for it right now, but I want to read it to see how it will end. Plus a blogger I love raved about it so that’s another reason.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Exorcism – for days when I feel like reading something scary
Action:  Keep
Reason: There’s nothing I love more than curling up on a monday night and watching Ghost Adventures under a blanket with my mum. It’s our favorite mother/daughter activity and despite the fact that demon stuff scares me I think this might be a good halloween read.

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: The Novelisation by Jim Henson
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: I am TRASH for The Labyrinth
Action:  Keep
Reason: This is purely an indulgent book collection addition. I grew up with the movie The Labyrinth and as such would love to have this book on my bookshelf. A friend of mine has it and it looks glorious!

A book of Spirits and Thieves (#1) by Morgan Rhodes
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: It looked like a combination of Assassin’s Creed and The Magician
Action:  Trash
Reason: I added this because I thought my brother would like it. He had just let me borrow of his copy of The Magician and this book looked really similar. However I’m still live four book deep in that series and there is like a million to go so I don’t think I will bother with this one.

Falling Kingdoms (#1) by Morgan Rhodes
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: see above
Action:  Trash
Reason: see above

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Booktubers are going crazy over this book
Action:  Trash
Reason: Look, you know how sometimes there are books that everyone raves about but you just don’t see the appeal? This is one of them. Everyone from bloggers to booktubers rave about this book and as much as I want to read something by Victoria Schwab this kinda sounds boring. I’m not super into music and I think that’s why I’m not into this book.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Two words: Adam Silvera. Also memory wiping.
Action:  Keep
Reason: It’s been said that this book is similar to Eternal Sunshine on a Spotless Mind (which I LOVED). I have a love/hate relationship with memory wiping. On the one hand wouldn’t it be great to delete awful memories, but on the other hand, aren’t our memories what shape and define us? This is why I want to read this book. I love books that make you think.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peakcock by Matthew Quick
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Interesting name and booktuber recommendation
Action:  Keep
Reason: This sounds like a compelling read about a boy who kills his classmates or at least plans to. I don’t know what has happened to brought him here, but the in training psychologist in me is intrigued by the thought process.

The End or Something Like That by Ann Dee Ellis
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Ghost BFFs
Action:  Keep
Reason: It sounds a little like The Lovely Bones, which I love and had reread multiple times. The idea that the main character and her best friend planned how they would meet in the afterlife and that hasn’t happened yet really captured my attention.

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
Year Added: 2016
Initial Interests: Hidden machines in the earth – possible aliens?
Action:  Keep
Reason: I have been dying to read this one and apparently it’s even better on audio so I’m hoping to buy both at some point (or borrow from the library). I’ve heard that the sequel is even better so I’m super keen to find out what this is all about. The buried machines parts in the earth reminds me of the heads at Easter Island.

 

So that’s it for this month. Looking back I’m a little concerned that I didn’t cull that many, but at least some is better than none right?? Right???? 😛

Do you agree with my list? What have you trashed from your TBR pile recently?

Review: Warcross (#1)

★★★★★/ 5

Author: Marie Lu
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Buy Links: Amazon , Book Depository
MVP: Emika Chen

Description:

 For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

#FlashbackFriday – R.L.Stine

Happy Friday my lovelies! *waves*

What a week it has been. I’ve been madly trying to write as many blog posts as I can and scheduling them so that when I start uni back next week I’m not too stressed out. It’s my last week of freedom and leisure (and too many episodes of Real Housewives) before it’s full time study. It’s my last year so I really need to put my all in if I hope to be offered Honors.

Today’s #flashbackfriday is concentrating on an author near and dear to my heart. It’s R.L.Stine. I devoured books by this author and every spare bit of pocket money went on buying a Goosebumps book and then later on the Fear Street series.

My obsession with these books meant that my local librarian new me by first name basis and would put aside a copy for me as soon as they received one. The Goosebumps series was such as easy read for me during my primary school years (that’s middle grade for my US readers!), the downside being that I usually finished them overnight and then was left searching for a new one. The first book in the series, ‘Welcome to Dead House‘ is so burned into my memory that I still think about it from time to time. It was such a great twist and was the first time that I had read something like that.

For those of you who never read Goosebumps, each book is it’s own stand alone story. It’s always something creepy and scary (but only a little bit scary – like a PG version of Stephen King for kids). I look back at how many of these books R.L.Stine used to pump out and I wonder how he did it? How did he manage to write so much? What was his daily writing schedule like?

By the time I hit my tween years I had a new favorite, which was his Fear Street series for teenagers. I had every single book, read everything all the local libraries had and was constantly stalking my local book store for new releases. There is no one more bitter about the fact that one weekend when I was away with friends my mum ‘donated’ all my books to a library because she was sick of the towering stacks of books in my room and every time we moved house I had a dozen boxes dedicated to books alone. Needless to say, I didn’t talk to her for a good two weeks and every time I’m at a used book store I still look out for copies to buy back.

Moving on… Fear Street was a fantastic series for teenagers that dealt with teen life and what happens when murder, paranormal entities and horror happens. This series fueled my love for YA and the paranormal. Looking back I’m quite impressed by how well R.L.Stine a 40 something year old man at the time could write teenage girls so well without being condescending. That’s talent! While small parts of the books may be outdated for teens now (you will find no internet or cell phones here my friends), the books still stand the test of time and if I had a teen I would be shoving these towards them.

Did you every read any of these books growing up? What were some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments below as I’d be interested in reading what some of your childhood/teen years favorite books were.

Review: One Dark Throne (#2)

★★★★/ 5

Author: Kendare Blake
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Buy Links: Amazon , Book Depository
MVP: Arsinoe

Description:
The battle for the crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, the elemental sister once thought to be the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must confront the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

#FlashbackFriday – Enid Blyton

 

Hi lovelies! *waves*

This month I thought I would try out a new blog segment called #flashbackfridays where I will post every friday about a book or book series I loved growing up with. This week I chose the author Enid Blyton who was my first YA introduction to the literary world.

The Famous Five series was a series by Blyton that was a hand me down from my uncle (who is only 10 years older than me). I remember feeling so grown up as I read them all by myself and I loved that there were these kids a little older than me going on these epic adventures. The famous five consisted of Julian, Dick, Anne, George (Georgina) and Timmy the dog. When they weren’t at their boarding schools (what is it with YA fiction involving boarding schools that sound like so much fun?), they were off searching for lost treasure or solving crimes.

I remember at the time thinking this is how older kids live – no rules, no boredom, just finding treasure and solving crimes that stupid adults aren’t smart enough to solve. Now as one of those stupid adults I think, how come all these kids were so unsupervised and what in the hell were their parents doing?

I think it’s great for kids to have these kinds of fantasy stories and I hope people never stop writing for young adults. I used to love bedtime because it meant that I could curl up under my blankets in my bunk bed and read until mum would come in and tell me to go to sleep. I would then promptly switch on my dad’s torch that I had stolen from the garage and would read until I couldn’t keep my eyes open (or until I finished the book). It probably explains why I love to go to bed so early as an adult and read in peace.

Have you ever read any of Enid Blyton’s books? What was the first book you loved to read?

 

Review: Six of Crows

★★★★/ 5

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Buy Links: Amazon , Book Depository
MVP: Kaz Brekker

Description:
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he’ll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

• Break into the notorious Ice Court (a military stronghold that has never been breached)
• Retrieve a hostage (who could unleash magical havoc on the world)
• Survive long enough to collect his reward (and spend it)
  

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done – and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.

The TBR Purge – Part 1

After meeting some new friends and discovering a bunch of new blogs to fall in love with thanks to the #CroneBloggers tag, I spent the weekend reading and commenting on other bloggers pages. If you wanna check it out and read what it’s all about head over to Jenniely’s page.

One particular blogger This Dark Material really inspired me with her post about cleaning up her TBR pile on Goodreads. I thought that was such a wonderful idea because when I look back over my toppling list on Goodreads there are books there that I have no idea how they got there.

So once a month, for the next 5 months, I will be reviewing 20 books in my TBR pile and deciding whether the Keep or Trash the book. If you like this post or disagree with any of my choices, feel free to leave a comment down below and click subscribe to see more posts from me.

Review: They Both Die At The End

★★★★★/ 5

Author: Adam Silvera
Genre:  Contemporary, YA, UK edition
Buy Links: Amazon , Book Depository
MVP: Rufus

Description:
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

2017 Reading Challenge

Are we really already halfway through January? Last year flew past and with moving down the coast and the  many end of year parties/family gatherings I never got a chance to publish the results of my 2017 reading challenge. With full time study in mind, I kept my challenge goal low and only set out to read 20 books during the year of 2017.  To my surprise I managed to smash the goal and ended up reading 34 books last year. Below is a snap shot of all the books I read.