Christmas Book Haul

Hello again! I hope you all had a good Christmas. It’s been a quiet yet busy one for me, so I hope to catch up on everyone’s blog posts over the festive period when things calm down in the New Year.

But anyway, I thought I’d showcase the additions to my TBR this Christmas. I pretty much spent all of my Christmas money on books so there are quite a few here. It’s gonna take me a while to get through all of these, especially because my TBR before Christmas was already about 15 books long. But I think this is the first time I’ve ever had a TBR pile so big and trust me it feels good.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

I’ve heard so many good things about this series so I am really excited to get stuck into it. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a fan of WWII literature, so this sounds great as a spin on that genre.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Another series I’ve heard a lot about, albeit mixed things. I really like the premise so I’m willing to put aside any of the negative reviews I’ve seen and make my own judgements.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

I really enjoyed Marie Lu’s debut dystopian series, and you can find my review of Champion, the final book, here. I’m hoping this new series lives up to my expectations. I’ve read great things about it, especially with its diversity.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Now, I haven’t really had a good track record with Stiefvater. I bought Shiver when it was first released and, whilst I loved how bleak the opening and setting was, the book quickly jumped into instalove and it really put me off. It was too similar to Twilight to really hold my interest so soon after that phenomenon, so I decided that Stiefvater wasn’t for me.

However, I’ve seen everyone raving about this new series of hers so I’ve finally decided to give it a go. I’m a little hesitant, especially as I really don’t like the cover, it looks very kiddy, but all the rave reviews have persuaded me to give Stiefvater another chance.

Slade House by David Mitchell

I’ve mentioned before on this blog how big a fan I am of David Mitchell. Cloud Atlas is one of my favourite books, and you can find my review for The Bone Clocks here. This one sounds creepier than his usual stuff so I’m very excited for it.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

I’m not the biggest YA contemporary fan in the world, but if one of them is getting good reviews then I listen. This is definitely one I’ve been excited to get my hands on for quite a while.

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne

This YA contemporary series sounds like it’s the new Confessions of Georgia Nicolson, which is hands down one of the funniest YA contemporary series to ever be written and is a staple in any British girl’s teenage years.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

I read Six of Crows not that long ago (review here) and I really enjoyed it, although I did think that there was so much hype I was expecting some kind of masterpiece and of course it was never going to live up to that. But anyway, it was still amazing and I’m excited to finish the series.

The Call by Peadar O’Guilin

This sounds unbelievably good. Creepy Irish YA horror? Count me in.

The Trees by Ali Shaw

This book is described as “does for trees what Hitchcock did for birds”. This is a apocalyptic novel (my favourite) about trees (…um?). Yes, you heard that right, but it’s received a lot of praise and I’m down for anything that’s apocalyptic.

SS-GB by Len Deighton

This is another alternate WWII history novel and it’s regarded as a classic. The BBC are also adapting it for TV so that should be good, especially after the success of The Man in the High Castle as a TV adaptation.

In a Land of Paper Gods by Rebecca Mackenzie

Every year my parents buy me and my sister a surprise book each for Christmas and this was mine. It’s set in China during WWII and sounds like it’s going to be a profound yet fantastical read.

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

This is another I’ve heard a lot about and I’ve been after it for quite a while. It sounds amazing and I love the cover.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

I’ve also been after this for quite a while too. I’ve seen a few mixed things, I think that mainly the prose was too purple for some, but I don’t really mind purple prose as long as it’s effective and benefits the plot. I’m sure this will live up to my expectations.

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

I’ve been extremely excited for this because it’s supposed to be Sabriel crossed with Romeo and Juliet and if you follow my blog then you’ll know Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series is my favourite. I’m hoping this is as amazing as it sounds.

Have you read any of these books? Did you love or loathe them? Or do you want to read them? Did you get any books for Christmas? Let me know in the comments below!

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Review: Gemina (Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Gemina (Illuminae Files #2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Genre: Sci-Fi / Young Adult

Publisher: Rock the Boat

My Rating: 

Synopsis: Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

My Review

If you’re new to the Illuminae Files, then please give yourself a late Christmas present and get started on this series ASAP because wooooow is it good. You can check out my review of Illuminae here.

So how did Gemina compare to Illuminae? Well, just like Illuminae, I’ve given Gemina five stars. Once again the epistolary form really benefits the novel’s storytelling and character development. The plot jumps between the different formats and characters seamlessly, weaving a web of intrigue and questions. I was worried that a new cast might put me off a little, but actually I really enjoyed them, and Kaufman and Kristoff drop enough hints about the impending arrival of the Hypatia to keep you interested, as well as throwing a fair few spanners into the works.

This novel focuses on the main characters of Hanna Donnelly and Niklas Malikov fighting for their lives. I have to say that, whilst I really liked both of them, I think I prefer Kady and Ezra as protagonists, but only just. This is mainly because I struggled to put my finger on who Hanna exactly was – she felt a little like a watered-down version of Kady. Nik I preferred to Hanna; he was funny and crude, but once again he did share a lot of similarities with Ezra (and Ezra’s complexity was something I really loved and felt to be truly unique and captivating when it came to his character development).

That being said, I still really liked them. Maybe I was just trying to compare them to Kady and Ezra because I loved reading about them so much, but I at least thought Nik had a really interesting backstory. However, there was definitely one standout character for me in the form of Nik’s cousin Ella Malikova. She actually annoyed me ever-so-slightly at the beginning, but Nik makes a comment about Ella being full on and how it’s just her and, after that, I accepted her personality a lot more and came to enjoy any scenes involving her. She was witty, intelligent, crude like Nik, but also a realist and I liked that about her. And in addition to this (VERY MINOR SPOILER ALERT) she’s great disability rep. She doesn’t let anything stand in her way.

The rest of the cast consisted mainly of adults, same as Illuminae, which is why I think this is such an accessible series and definitely a crossover between YA and adult. There weren’t as many ‘big players’ in the adult cast as in Illuminae and I didn’t really become attached to any of them like I did with James McNulty, Winifred McCall and Byron Zhang, but it was still a large and interesting cast. Saying this, I probably didn’t become attached to any of the secondary characters as much simply because the majority of them here were the villains. But they were definitely compelling villains.

As for the plot, it was the strong point of the novel. Another complicated story with a myriad of sub-plots, I never got bored of it and couldn’t wait till everything collided for the big finale. Nevertheless, I do have a few critiques.

As you’ve already seen, I critiqued Hanna and Nik, feeling they weren’t quite as well-rounded as Kady and Ezra and how they felt too similar. Yet still I’ve given this book five stars. That’s because these critiques didn’t really effect my overall enjoyment of the novel. I still think it’s a pretty much flawless and incredibly unique series, and is 100% one of my favourites of all time. However, this is an honest review, and if I feel some things didn’t quite hit the mark, then I’m obviously going to point them out.

Anyway, after that ramble, my critique for the plotting is this: I felt that Kaufman and Kristoff tried to pull the same shock tactics as they did in Illuminae. Because of the similarities, these ‘shocks’ didn’t affect me. Something huge would happen and instead of my heart pounding or me actually sobbing for a good portion of the book (as happened with Illuminae) I actually just thought “nah, it’s fine, he/she will get out of this/hasn’t actually done that/won’t die”. And lo and behold, I was right. These big shocks that worked so well in Illuminae fell a little flat in Gemina because they were recycled. If you’ve read Gemina, you’ll probably know what I’m referring to.

And this leads to the fact that Gemina didn’t hit me quite as hard as Illuminae did. However, I think that’s down to the fact that Illuminae was just so new and different and daring. Once that’s been done, it’s hard to compete or improve upon it. Gemina did have lots of fresh ideas to contribute, I just wish there had been even more. Yet maybe if they had tried to push the boundaries even further than in Illuminae, the book might have become too unrealistic, which would have been even worse.

Overall, the new ideas that Gemina contributed (there were some big ‘uns) definitely outweighed the slight con of some recycled ideas. I wish this series won’t end and I’m going to be devastated when I’ve finished the final book. The entire thing is a whirlwind of action, humour, and emotion and, like I said in my Illuminae review, I don’t really know how Kaufman and Kristoff have pulled it all off.

I hope that my critiques haven’t deterred anyone because this is seriously one amazing series and I cannot recommend it enough; there were just a few very minor things I picked up on that I thought could have been tweaked. But all in all, Gemina was an excellent sequel; I think the wait for book 3 might just kill me.

Have you read Gemina? What did you think of it? Do you agree with my review? Are you planning on reading it? Let me know in the comments below!

Let’s Discuss: Reading Outside of Your Comfort Zone

So it’s been a very busy few months for me. I’ve barely had time to read and, when I have read, I’ve noticed I’ve gone for the same couple of genres: Sci-Fi and Fantasy.

Why’s that? Well, I do have a few books in my pile that aren’t my usual “thing” and I do make an effort to read a range of genres, but when you’re having a bit of a shitty time or you’re rushed off your feet, you want to do something you know you’re guaranteed to enjoy when you finally get some down time. For me, that’s reading. However, when it comes to books, there are a few genres I prefer; like Sci-Fi and Fantasy, but also sub-genres of Apocalyptic and Dystopian. So these last few busy and also sad months have meant I’ve retreated into my genre comfort zone.

But before I delve any further into my comfort zone and whether reading exclusively within it is a good or limiting thing, let’s look at the definition for ‘comfort zone’:

There are two slightly differing definitions, but I feel that both of them apply when it comes to reading.

But let’s not lie, we all do it. It’s okay to have a favourite genre, of course it is! Don’t think I’m saying there’s anything wrong with that. However, the idea that your favourite genre becomes so much of a ‘comfort zone’ that you don’t read beyond it – that you get too ‘settled’ and don’t need to make an ‘effort’ or ‘yield… results’ – is an idea that throws up a few questions.

Let’s start with the pros and cons of reading within your comfort zone.

Pros:

• You’re more likely to enjoy a book within your preferred genre
• Therefore, less likely to be a waste of time and money
• Becoming familiar with certain authors and reading your favourite ones
• More likely to read faster – good for reading challenges

Cons:

• You miss out on good books simply because they’re not in your favourite genre
• You miss out on different writing styles – definite con for those looking to write or study English literature

As you can see, there are more Pros. However, I am actually a firm believer that you should read outside of your comfort zone.

I never used to read outside of my comfort zone, at least not in my early teens. I would exclusively read YA and more often than not it would be Sci-Fi and Fantasy. I’d read the odd Historical one, but only if it were set during either of the World Wars, and also the odd Contemporary, like the Georgia Nicolson books by Louise Rennison, but only because everyone was reading them and they were quite funny.

Like I’ve said previously in this post, there is nothing wrong with reading only in your comfort zone, such as only reading YA, or only reading YA contemporary, etc. etc. However, I’m here to convince you that reading something a little different to your usual taste really is a good thing.

I only started reading wider when I was planning to do an English degree at university. That was from about 16 onwards. But still, that was only one or two slightly different books in my spare time, and whilst they weren’t YA they were adult apocalyptic fiction or WWI/II fiction. So, still not that wide, but I knew that you couldn’t go to an interview with a university and not at least be able to mention one Dickens book.

It wasn’t until I got to university that I really realised the benefits of reading outside of my comfort zone.

Getting my reading list for each course in first year, I looked up the books and would groan when I read the synopsis of many, or even just looked at the cover. They all looked so old and boring.

But then something miraculous happened: I actually enjoyed a lot of them. I was even enjoying books written in the 1600s. Hey, I couldn’t always understand what in God’s name was going on, but what I did understand was actually interesting. Things like Roxana by Daniel Defoe and The Monk by Matthew Lewis. Roxana was a somewhat feminist text that shocked the nation, and The Monk was just really weird and deranged but a lot of fun.

Then second year happened, then third year, and I discovered even more books I was surprised to find myself enjoying. I discovered a real love for Modernist Literature, and found my new favourite author in Virginia Woolf.

These were books I never would have even glanced at if it hadn’t been for the fact I had to read them for my degree. Of course, there were a number of books I thought were horrendous, but there were many more that I actually liked.

Do I still read outside of my comfort zone now that I’ve finished my degree? Not as much, I’ll admit, but I couldn’t read what I wanted for three years so I’m making the most of that at the moment. However, there are quite a few books on my radar that I now want to read because of the broad scope of genres and time periods my degree introduced me to.

I feel that you are definitely missing out on so many good books if you only read a few genres, especially if they’re quite limited genres, like only reading Dystopian novels, or only reading YA Dystopian. Being ‘widely read’ is so often seen as a snobbish phrase, that you’re being looked down on if you haven’t read all of the classics and Chaucer to boot. But if you love reading and you love books, why limit yourself? 

I do agree that you need to be ‘widely read’ if you want to write for a living or want to study English at university. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still read your favourite genres, especially YA. I still read it. YA is too often frowned upon as being ‘kiddy’ but, as I just said, if you love reading then why limit yourself? People who think YA is only for young adults are mistaken. Yes, it should have the intention of entertaining and educating young adults, but it can also do the same for adults. You’ll miss out on some very good stories if you skip out on YA, just like you’ll miss out on some very good stories if you only read YA.

This also relates to reading diversely. There is a lot of support for reading diversely at the moment and I think it’s amazing. Not only because it means that there is better representation for people of colour, or other sexualities, or people who have disabilities, but also because it means that it opens up the scope of novels, allowing people to read and learn about things they may not have previously heard of or understood.

After all my persuasion to read outside of your comfort zone, how do you do it? Here are some handy tips:

• Look at critics reviews – has a new book just come out that’s getting widely praised by reputable newspapers, magazines, etc. and/or winning awards? Then that’s probably a good book to try.
• Same goes for the classics – there are many ‘classics’ and they’re called that for a reason. It doesn’t just mean Dickens. Victorians not your thing? Try Modernist Literature and the likes of Virginia Woolf, Aldous Huxley, Evelyn Waugh, Henry Green, Patrick Hamilton and James Joyce.
• But what if nothing is really catching your eye in the other genres? Well then, read diversely! Like YA Contemporary? Then why not try reading about characters of other ethnicities? Or other sexualities? Or with disabilities? There’ll be lots in your preferred genre that you haven’t found yet.
• Enjoy Fantasy but running out of good books? Try YA Fantasy! Or vice versa. Go up or down in ‘age groups’ within your favourite genre.

So, discussion time! Do you try and read outside of your comfort zone? Do you agree that you should make an effort to do so? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Diversity Spotlight Thursday #2

Sorry I’ve been absent, again, for a week, but my boyfriend came to visit from Saturday to Tuesday and then I’ve been at work. I’ll try and do some blog hopping this weekend to catch up on what everyone else has been posting! Anyway, let’s get back to it.

Diversity Spotlight Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Aimal @ Bookshelves and Paperbacks whereby you feature three diverse books from these categories:

1. A diverse book you have read and enjoyed
2. A diverse book that has already been released but you have not yet read
3. A diverse book that has not yet been released

This week, my books are:

1. A diverse book I have read and enjoyed: The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

I’ve mentioned before on this blog how big a fan I am of The Member of the Wedding after studying it for my degree. It’s such a powerful book, wonderfully written, with quirky and loveable characters.

It depicts the life of Frankie Addams, a self-confessed tomboy, and her relationships with her father, her African American maid Berenice, her cross-dressing cousin John Henry, and her obsession with her brother’s wedding. The novel deals with the ideas surrounding gender and sexuality, as well as race. It’s honestly a brilliant and absorbing read.

2. A diverse book that has already been released but I haven’t yet read: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

This book has garnered many accolades and a lot of critical acclaim since it was released, and I have to say it sounds amazing.

Set during the pre-Civil War slave trade in America, the novel follows Cora, a slave on a cotton plantation, and her attempts to escape via a secret underground railroad. The full synopsis makes the book sound like it’s going to be a whirlwind of a read, but also very profound. This is one that I’m really excited to get my hands on.

Amazon UK | Goodreads

3. A diverse book that has not yet been released: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I’ve seen a lot of hype for this book recently and I’m really looking forward to it.

This is a YA contemporary inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, telling the story of 16-year-old Starr and the shooting of her unarmed friend by the police. I think this is definitely a book that is needed right now and hopefully it will open some eyes.

Amazon UK | Goodreads

Have you read any of these books? Did you enjoy them? Or do you want to read them? Let me know in the comments below!

 

 

 

My Most Anticipated 2017 Book Releases

There are quite a few books whose 2017 release dates I’m counting down the days until. And believe it or not, this list is just going to be a snapshot of some of the books I’m excited for. So hold onto your hats, because there’s quite a few.

The Burning World (Warm Bodies #2) by Isaac Marion | Post-Apocalyptic | UK Release Date: 7th Feb

Being alive is hard. Being human is harder. But since his recent recovery from death, R is making progress. He s learning how to read, how to speak, maybe even how to love, and the city’s undead population is showing signs of life. R can almost imagine a future with Julie, this girl who restarted his heart building a new world from the ashes of the old one.

And then helicopters appear on the horizon. Someone is coming to restore order. To silence all this noise. To return things to the way they were, the good old days of stability and control and the strong eating the weak. The plague is ancient and ambitious, and the Dead were never its only weapon.

How do you fight an enemy that s in everyone? Can the world ever really change? With their home overrun by madmen, R, Julie, and their ragged group of refugees plunge into the otherworldly wastelands of America in search of answers. But there are some answers R doesn’t want to find. A past life, an old shadow, crawling up from the basement.

Warm Bodies is one of my favourite books of all time so I am dying for this sequel. In fact, I still haven’t read the prequel, because there’s been such a huge gap between Warm Bodies and The Burning World that I didn’t want to torture myself by reading the prequel New Hunger and having withdrawal symptoms. I’ll definitely have to read that soon.

Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza | YA Sci-Fi | UK Release Date: 1st March

Empress
Rhee, also known as Crown Princess Rhiannon Ta’an, is the sole surviving heir to a powerful dynasty. She’ll stop at nothing to avenge her family and claim her throne.

Fugitive
Aly has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a holo-vision show. But when he’s falsely accused of killing Rhee, he’s forced to prove his innocence to save his reputation—and his life.

Madman
With planets on the brink of war, Rhee and Aly are thrown together to confront a ruthless evil that threatens the fate of the entire galaxy.

I love a bit of Sci-Fi and this sounds like an interesting addition to the genre. Why do people think Aly has killed Rhee? Why do they think she’s dead if she’s not? Must be some nefarious stuff going on here…

The Beast Is An Animal by Peternelle van Arsdale | YA Fantasy | UK Release Date: 28th Feb

Alys was seven when the soul eaters came to her village.

These soul eaters are twin sisters who were abandoned by their father and slowly grew into something not quite human, something that needs to feed on souls to survive…

Alys and all the children in her village were spared by the twins, but having lost their parents and elders the children were sent to live in a neighbouring village. Afraid of facing a similar fate, the villagers in the children’s’ adopted home created a strict world where good and evil are as fundamental as the nursery rhymes children sing. Fear of the soul eaters – and of the Beast they believe guides them – rule village life. But the Beast is not what they think he is. And neither is Alys.

This sounds deliciously creepy and I’ve been really anticipating this book for quite some time now. It sounds like a very dark fairy tale a la the Brothers Grimm, with a bit of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village thrown in. Fingers crossed this is good.

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray | YA Sci-Fi | UK Release Date: 6th April

Noemi is a young and fearless soldier of Genesis, a colony planet of a dying Earth. But the citizens of Genesis are rising up – they know that Earth’s settlers will only destroy this planet the way they destroyed their own. And so a terrible war has begun.

When Noemi meets Abel, one of Earth’s robotic mech warriors, she realizes that Abel himself may provide the key to Genesis’ salvation. Abel is bound by his programming to obey her – even though her plan could result in his destruction. But Abel is no ordinary mech. He’s a unique prototype, one with greater intelligence, skill and strength than any other. More than that, he has begun to develop emotions, a personality and even dreams. Noemi begins to realise that if Abel is less than human, he is more than a machine. If she destroys him, is it murder? And can a cold-blooded murder be redeemed by the protection of a world?

Stranded together in space, they go on a whirlwind adventure through Earth’s various colony worlds, alongside the countless Vagabonds who have given up planetary life altogether and sail forever between the stars. Each step brings them closer – both to each other and to the terrible decision Noemi will have to make about her world’s fate, and Abel’s.

Ah, more Sci-Fi! I’m glad Science Fiction has become popular in YA recently; it’s not just for nerds you know! Well, this will be my first Claudia Gray book, unless I decide to purchase her Firebird series before then, but I’ve seen mostly good things about that series so it gives me hope that Defy the Stars will live up to expectations.

The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles | YA Science Fantasy | UK Release Date: 9th Feb

Every day, Zoe struggles to keep going. The cruel winter took her father’s life and left her angry and broken hearted. As she carries her little brother through a snowstorm that could kill him in minutes, her only thought is finding shelter. The cabin beyond the woods is far from the place of safety she hoped it would be, but it is there that she meets a man whose muscular body, marked with strange and primitive tattoos, hints at an extraordinary story. He has the power to light up the lake, and with it, Zoe’s world.

Zoe calls the stranger X. He is a bounty hunter, tormented by the evils of his victims, which course through his veins. X has never known anything but hate, until he meets Zoe. She shows him what a heart is really for and, if they can find a way to be together, just maybe, his pain can help Zoe forget her own.

I’ve heard that this book is quite strange, but a good strange, which definitely has me intrigued. As far as I know, it’s a blend of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, aka Science Fantasy, which is actually a really great sub-genre. I’m interested to see what this book is all about.

Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham | YA Historical | UK Release Date: 23rd Feb

When seventeen-year-old Rowan Chase finds a skeleton on her family’s property, she has no idea that investigating the brutal century-old murder will lead to a summer of painful discoveries about the past… and the present.

Nearly one hundred years earlier, a misguided violent encounter propels seventeen-year-old Will Tillman into a racial firestorm. In a country rife with violence against blacks and a hometown segregated by Jim Crow, Will must make hard choices on a painful journey towards self discovery and face his inner demons in order to do what’s right the night Tulsa burns.

One of the deadliest race riots in US history happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on a hot 1921 night when the economically and culturally thriving black community of Greenwood was burned to the ground. Dreamland Burning gives voice to this little-known moment in history, crossing historical fiction with a cold case mystery in a story that makes bold statements about how racial tensions have changed — or haven’t — in nearly 100 years.

This book sounds unbelievably good and seems like it’s going to shed some light on the racial tensions that still dominate America today. I’ve neglected Historical fiction this year and I’m sure Dreamland Burning will be one to get me out of that slump next year.

The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett | Post-Apocalyptic | UK Release Date: 1st June

It was the end of days, but a new beginning

After a virus wipes out most of humanity, Jamie leaves her isolated posting on the planet Soltaire and heads for Earth. She feels compelled to reach the Northumberland coast, to see if her ex-partner Daniel is still alive. Joining a band of misfits and fellow survivors, each with their own agenda, she struggles to understand her place in this new world. She’ll wrestle with loss and heartache in order to gain one last chance at happiness. And when she reaches earth, Jamie will face something that could destroy that precious second chance – for all of them.

Post-Apocalyptic and Apocalyptic fiction is my favourite genre and The Space Between the Stars sounds breathtaking. I’m not picky when it comes to this genre. I like big shoot-em-stories in post-apocalyptic wastelands, and I like bittersweet tales of loss and hope. This sounds like it’s going to be the latter, which is fine by me, and I am soooo excited to get my hands on it.

Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me by Lily Collins | Autobiography | UK Release Date: 7th March

In this groundbreaking debut essay collection, featuring never-before-seen photos, actress Lily Collins―star of Mortal Instruments and Rules Don’t Apply―is opening a poignant, honest conversation about the things young women struggle with: body image, self-confidence, relationships, family, dating and so much more.

For the first time ever, Lily shares her life and her own deepest secrets, proving that every single one of us experiences pain and heartbreak. We all understand what it’s like to live in the light and in the dark. For Lily, it’s about making it through to the other side, where you love what you see in the mirror and where you embrace yourself just as you are. She’s learned that all it takes is one person standing up and saying something for everyone else to realise they’re not alone.

By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Lily’s honest voice will inspire you to be who you are and say what you feel. It’s time to claim your voice! It’s time to live your life unfiltered.

I’ve never actually read a celeb autobiography; they just don’t interest me. Or rather, no celebs that I really admire have written an autobiography – until now. I like Lily Collins and this sounds like it’s going to be a light-hearted, honest read.

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco | YA Fantasy | UK Release Date: 1st April

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha–one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

I’ve seen a lot of hype for this and it certainly sounds good. I don’t enjoy necromancy, per se, because that would be weird and creepy, but it’s definitely something I like reading about after devouring my favourite series from the age of 13, the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. However, one thing about The Bone Witch that I think I might struggle with is how do you pronounce the protagonist’s name? Is it Tea as in the drink, or Tea like tee-ah? I hate not knowing how to pronounce names in Fantasy.

Frostblood by Elly Blake | YA Fantasy | UK Release Date: 4th May

In a land governed by the cruel Frostblood ruling class, seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has spent most of her life hiding her ability to manipulate heat and light – until the day the soldiers come to raid her village and kill her mother. Ruby vows revenge on the tyrannous Frost King responsible for the massacre of her people.

But Ruby’s powers are unpredictable… and so are the feelings she has for Arcus, the scarred, mysterious Frostblood warrior who shares her goal to kill the Frost King, albeit for his own reasons. When Ruby is captured by the Frost King’s men, she’s taken right into the heart of the enemy. Now she only has one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who took everything from her – and in doing so, she must unleash the powers she’s spent her whole life withholding.

This sounds a bit cliche, but I’ve seen people raving about the ARC so it’s on my wishlist on the strength of those reviews. Hopefully it lives up to the hype!

Poison’s Kiss by Breeana Shields | YA Fantasy | UK Release Date: 10th Jan

Marinda has kissed dozens of boys. They all die afterward. It’s a miserable life, but being a visha kanya a poison maiden is what she was created to do. Marinda serves the Raja by dispatching his enemies with only her lips as a weapon.

Until now, the men she was ordered to kiss have been strangers, enemies of the kingdom. Then she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows too well to be convinced he needs to die. She begins to question who she’s really working for. And that is a thread that, once pulled, will unravel more than she can afford to lose.

This is another one I’ve heard good things about. It also sounds a bit cliche with the whole ‘girl with a deadly kiss’ trope, yet the Indian folklore sounds really interesting. I just hope the author does it justice!

And those are some of my most anticipated 2017 releases! Are you excited for any of them? Have you read any ARCs? Let me know in the comments below!

Let’s Wrap: November

November was a bit of a weird month. Or rather, a stressful one. I’ve just been a bit overwhelmed with trying to sort out my life and then trying to nurse a sick animal – my hamster Cookie – and then he passed away. As you can expect, I’m still pretty upset about the whole thing and I really miss him; he was like a tiny dog! But he led a great life and definitely improved mine, which is all that matters. Some people don’t understand just how much personality these little animals can have, and how attached you become to each other!

So it hasn’t really been a fun month and, as a result, my blog went totally on the back burner. However, I’m now back (mostly) and have some ideas for new posts. So bear with me!

There were some plus points, I have to admit, like getting published for what I think was the seventh (???) time, which was pretty mind-blowing! It was for the HG Wells Short Story Competition and, whilst I didn’t win, just to be published was amazing.

And we also adopted a cat! She’s settled in really well and three days ago we decided to finally let her outside (she was getting very grumpy and taking it out on the furniture). Thankfully, she clearly knows her way back to the house and she seems much happier (so does the sofa).

• My Most Anticipated November Book Releases
• The Sunday Post #19
• Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I’ve Added To My Wishlist Lately
• Stacking the Shelves | I’m On a Book Winning Streak!
• Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favourite Sci-Fi Films
• ARC Review: Gilded Cage by Vic James
• The Sunday Post #20
• An Unfortunate Update
• It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #3 + Update

As you can see, this month wasn’t good for my blog, for reading, or for me in general, but thanks for sticking with me!

None! I only finished reading one novel and, whilst I started A Darker Shade of Magic in November, I finished it this month, so it doesn’t count. But if you want to check out the review, then you can find it here.

I’m currently reading Gemina and loving it! I’m about a quarter of the way through and I’m totally hooked, just like I was with Illuminae. I got a little bit confused at the beginning as to what was going on, mainly because I couldn’t quite remember all the events from Illuminae, but I’ve got a grip on it now and wow this series is just too good. So many interweaving plots yet it never feels confusing, with larger than life characters and an amazing format that really ramps up the tension.

So far, I like the two leads, especially Nik, who I probably like as much as Ezra. However, I think I prefer Kady as a lead to Hanna. I’m now just counting down the hours till the Hypatia turns up…

But what to read after? I’m thinking maybe An Ember In the Ashes as I’ve heard such great things about it. Or to change it up a bit from Sci-Fi and Fantasy and go for a YA Contemporary instead, a la How Not To Disappear by Clare Furniss. I’ll have to see what I’m feeling closer to the time. I have so many good books in my TBR pile at the moment it’s just so hard to choose!

Also, just as a little warning now, I probably won’t be posting from this Saturday to next Tuesday as my boyfriend is coming to visit and we haven’t seen each other in a few months, seeing as I bailed on him twice. But with good reason, I might add, aka a very sick me followed by a very sick hamster.

And that’s my strange and depressing month over and done with. Bring on Christmas.

How was your November? Any opinions on what book I should read next? Have you read Gilded Cage, A Darker Shade of Magic or Gemina? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult

Publisher: Titan Books, 2015

My Rating: 

Synopsis: Most people only know one London; but what if there were several? Kell is one of the last Travelers magicians with a rare ability to travel between parallel Londons. There is Grey London, dirty and crowded and without magic, home to the mad king George III. There is Red London, where life and magic are revered. Then, White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. But once upon a time, there was Black London…

 

My Review

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of parallel universes, or the multiple worlds theory, so what better than to read a book about four parallel magical London’s? I had heard so many great things about this series, and about V.E. Schwab in general, and as a result I was keen to give A Darker Shade of Magic a go.

So, after about two months of promising to read and review it, I have finally completed it. And I loved it!

I was hooked right from the beginning, mainly because V.E. Schwab’s writing style is great. It’s detailed, yet doesn’t overload you, keeps the story moving and has a great balance between action and the character’s thoughts. Yet the real winner here is the world-building. It’s fantastic. London is such a vibrant landmark, full of history and a mix of cultures. It’s the perfect city for magical alternate realities. Probably the only other city that could pull this off would be Paris, but London is the true winner.

I loved the clear differences in the London’s. The dingy mysterious London of the 1800s that we all know and love. Vivid, floral Red London. Dangerous and bleak White London. And then Black London, consumed by magic. I have to say, probably White London interested me the most because it was so creepy, along with the stories surrounding Black London, but Red London was also pretty interesting in its own right; it just didn’t have that scary-factor that I love. The four cities were definitely the highlight of the book and I loved learning more about them. I can’t wait to dive back in again whenever I get to the sequel.

Now, what about the other stuff? Characters and plot?

Well, I did like the characters, but they didn’t entirely capture me like others have. They were just fine. I have no complaints. I would have perhaps liked a little more development around Holland’s character, however, as he was interesting but I didn’t totally understand him or his motives. The same goes for Lila. I felt that her character arc needed to be fleshed out a bit more. She went from being all “I don’t care about anyone but me” to “I’ll risk my life to save Kell”. I knew that was the logical progression for her, but I never really saw the gradual change as it was a bit too sudden.

Kell, Rhy and the Dane twins were probably my favourite characters. Kell felt the most rounded, with lots of different sides to him. I couldn’t quite put my finger on who he really was, but not in a bad way; he just had a mystery about him. Rhy was witty, flirtatious and fiercely protective, and I’m interested to see how prominent a role he plays in the next two books. As for the Dane twins, they were interesting villains. Brother and sister twins is a trope I like in books, especially if they’re a bit evil, and Astrid and Athos definitely fulfilled that. Their mixture of strength and hunger was captivating.

However, I did have a few issues with the book, hence why I dropped a star in the rating. First off, the language was so inauthentic for the 1800s. No one in London in that time would use words like “okay” or “sure”. The words and the sentence structures of the dialogue were just too modern and American and it could be quite jarring. I don’t think you need to make your dialogue 100% authentic for the time period, as I know that can be a difficult task, but it seemed a bit like Schwab hadn’t even tried. Also, I can get behind the idea that maybe in Red or White London people might use “okay” because we don’t entirely know what time periods they’re supposed to be set in, but Lila Bard would definitely not be using those words or sentence structures, being from pre-Victorian London.

If you want to see a good example of just how people spoke in those times, then check out this clip from Ripper Street. The dialogue is very authentic and the script writers did a lot of research to make it so. Plus, Ripper Street is set in the 1880s-1890s, later than A Darker Shade of Magic in Grey London, and the way people spoke was still very wordy and formal.

As for the plot, whilst it was mostly sound and very captivating, it did have its issues. Firstly, I didn’t like the book being split up into sections of about four-five chapters each. That was something else that felt jarring to me and was unnecessary as the next section would pick up where the first one left off; there was no jump in time to warrant it.

Secondly, this isn’t really a spoiler but if you don’t want to know anything that happens, then skip this section: but there was a big inconsistency with a spell used. When Kell and Lila become intangible at one point, they’re described as being unable to even touch each other. Yet a few paragraphs later, they’re described as holding onto one another as they walk the streets. Also, Lila can’t pick up an apple, her hand going straight through it, but can hold a pocket watch. I thought the inconsistencies here would be glaringly obvious to author, agent, editor or proofreader. It’s just a small thing at the end of the day because it didn’t really ruin my enjoyment, but it’s quite an obvious and slightly annoying mistake.

So, those reasons are why I dropped a star from my rating. Without them, it would have been a 5 star read for me, and overall I did really enjoy it. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next, especially because this book felt like it could have happily been a standalone, so I’m intrigued to see how Schwab carries it on without the next couple of books feeling a little unnecessary. But all in all, I really liked it. Excellent world-building, interesting enough characters and smooth writing.

Have you read A Darker Shade of Magic? Did you like it? Dislike it? Do you agree or disagree with any of my points? Have you read and enjoyed any of V.E. Schwab’s other books? Let me know in the comments below!