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!

 

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #3 + Update

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted at The Book Date where bloggers look at what they’re currently reading and what’s up next in their TBR!

Hello! So after a week out, I’m back! Of course, I’m still pretty upset about Cookie passing away, but he led a great life and brought me so much happiness that it would be unfair to him to mope around.

So thanks to this little one. I’ll always miss you!

Also, on Sunday I went all the way down to Folkestone for the award ceremony of the HG Wells Short Story Competition. I was a shortlisted author for the Junior Prize which was extremely exciting. However, I didn’t win, but I don’t mind too much because hey I’ve been published again in a great anthology! If you’re at all interested, you can actually buy the anthology already on Amazon. So if you want to (no pressure), then check it out here: http://amzn.eu/dK97Uzu

So, anyway, what have I been reading?

What I Read Last Week

Just over a week ago, I finally finished my ARC of Gilded Cage by Vic James. I actually really enjoyed it, more than I thought I would, especially the characters and overall world-building. I found it really engaging, however, looking back there definitely was a lack of diversity.

It was very white, upper-class Britain, which is fair enough because the upper-class here are pretty much stuffy white people, but not every character in the book was an aristocrat. Plus the ruling elite in Gilded Cage wasn’t so much an age-old wealthy family thing, but a ‘who has magic and who is the most magical’ thing, so magic wouldn’t just be exclusive to white people. But anyway, maybe that’ll be rectified in the next book; it would be good to possibly see characters from other parts of the world and how magic (known as ‘Skill’) is handled in their country.

Check out my review here.

What I’m Currently Reading

I’m currently about halfway through A Darker Shade of Magic and I’ve been struggling to put it down! I’m really enjoying it so far, especially the world-building, which is just mind-blowing. However, I do have a few issues, which I’ll be talking about in my review soon.

Up Next

After A Darker Shade of Magic will be Gemina, which I am unbelievably excited for. I’ve heard that it’s even better than Illuminae, something I thought totally impossible, so fingers crossed I love Gemina!

Have you read any of these? Did you enjoy them? Let me know in the comments below!

 

 

The Sunday Post #20

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

Another very busy week! Last week, I mentioned that I hadn’t posted because my hamster had fallen seriously ill with pneumonia. However, he’s made a miraculous recovery and is pretty much back to normal. In fact, he seems to have even more energy than he’s had for the past few months! He’s got his final injection of antibiotics tomorrow and then the course is complete. Fingers crossed the pneumonia never rears its head again.

Also, we adopted our cat on Thursday! She’s settled in surprisingly well and has already found her favourite spot on one of the sofas. Hopefully she’ll begin to see this as home and understand she’s not going to be neglected again.

As far as posts go this week, I only managed to post twice as I’ve been busy with animals. Because I didn’t find the time to post a Sunday Post last week, I’ll include the posts from the week just gone too:

• 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

So, after nearly three very busy weeks where it was almost impossible to find the time to read, I finally finished my ARC of Gilded Cage! I really enjoyed it and was actually surprised by how complex the characters were. You can check out my review above.

I’ve now started on A Darker Shade of Magic, like I’ve been saying I would for weeks. I’m about eight chapters in and really enjoying it so far. It’s my first V.E. Schwab book and, if this book continues well, it definitely won’t be my last.

Once I’ve finished A Darker Shade of Magic, I have to read Gemina. I adored Illuminae and I can’t wait any longer; the only reason I’m not reading it this second is because I’ve been promising to read ADSOM for so long! Plus, I’ve heard that it’s somehow better than Illuminae which I didn’t think could actually be possible!

My song of the week has to be ‘Dancing In The Dark’ by Rihanna. I’m not normally much of a Rihanna fan but this has been playing nonstop where I work in Lush and it’s from the soundtrack for a Dreamworks cartoon, so it’s quite cute. Have a listen here:

ARC Review: Gilded Cage by Vic James

Gilded Cage by Vic James

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Dystopian

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

My Rating: 

Synopsis: Our world belongs to the Equals — aristocrats with magical gifts — and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England’s grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.

A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.

Abi is a servant to England’s most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family’s secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?

A boy dreams of revolution.

Abi’s brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.

And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.

He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinion of the book in any way.

It’s taken me nearly three weeks to read Gilded Cage. However, that isn’t because I didn’t enjoy it. On the contrary, I loved it, but life just kept getting in the way! This isn’t a book that’s easy to put down, yet I will say that if you do have to put it down for a few days, it’s not difficult to get back into the story and reorient yourself.

That’s all down to the fact that this book is seamlessly written, with an intriguing, fresh plot, a richly woven world, and complex characters. I’d heard great things about Gilded Cage before I started, so I was eager to begin. I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

Let’s start with the plot. In an alternative universe where some members of the population possess the power of magic, these people with ‘Skill’ have mostly ascended to the higher ranks of society. In some parts of the world, they’re shunned, but in Europe they rule over the Skilless masses as a magical elite. The Skilless must serve the elite, known as ‘Equals’, for ten years as slaves.

The story is written from the third person POV of a number of characters, each chapter focussing on a different one, and this gave a great feel for the world, allowing us to see this society from different perspectives, as well as learning more about the motivations of the main characters.

Mostly, the chapters centre on Abi and Luke Hadley, brother and sister. The Hadley family have all signed up to get their slavedays over and done with together. However, the family find themselves split up, with Luke carted off to the slave town of Millmoor, a large, almost Victorian slum-like industrial complex, and the rest of the family – Abi, little sister Daisy, and Mum and Dad – are sent to work for the most powerful Equal family in the country – the Parva-Jardine’s.

I found the chapters in the two locations of Millmoor and Kyneston (the Jardine estate) equally interesting, although perhaps Kyneston piqued my interest a little more. However, the two settings provide a great contrast and really set two different tones. You have the dirty Millmoor, with rumblings of rebellion, and the picturesque Kyneston, where everything isn’t quite as perfect as it seems.

I liked both Abi and Luke as the two most central characters, but I really did enjoy the entire cast as a whole. It’s quite a large cast of characters, all complex and clearly drawn. There are no characters that feel like stereotypes, or like the author just has a check list of stock characters she’s ticking her way through. Instead, even a character such as Bouda Matravers, engaged to Gavar Jardine (Heir to the Jardine estate), could easily have fallen prey to the ‘bitchy girl’ stock character, but she didn’t. Whilst she certainly was bitchy, she had much more depth to her. She was motivated, headstrong and very intelligent. I really enjoyed the couple of chapters from her perspective as, even though I didn’t particularly like her, I admired her ambition.

My favourite characters as a whole though, I would say, are the three Jardine brothers: Gavar, Jenner and Silyen. I liked the complexities of Gavar’s character; initially, he just seems very brutish, when in reality there’s much more to him and he does have a soft side. Silyen, however, was my favourite. The youngest brother, Silyen possesses the most Skill. He’s dark, mysterious and very cunning. Not always likeable, I’ll admit, but I was hanging on his every word and looked forward to scenes involving him. He was definitely one of the best characters I’ve read about this year.

In terms of the writing, I enjoyed the style. It was fresh and didn’t seem like Vic James was trying to emulate any other author. It was often detailed, yet not boring. However, my one small gripe with this novel, though not big enough to affect the rating, is that some events were kind of glossed over. We’d learn about them in passing rather than get to see them. There were a few times where I was a little disappointed I wasn’t privy to this conversation or that event, and would have liked them to be included. However, it may have been that there was a strict word count that Vic James needed to adhere to; YA books aren’t often allowed to be quite long.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Gilded Cage. This is definitely one of my favourite YA books of the year and I’m really excited to continue with the series, especially because of the climactic ending that, thankfully, didn’t fall flat, and the character of Silyen. Also, as you can see from the blurb, there is a romance, but it didn’t overpower the plot. If, like me, you’re sick of insta-love and cringe-worthy ‘swooning’, you’ll be glad to know that there’s none of that here.

So, if you’re looking for a new YA series to sink your teeth into, especially an interesting, unique dystopian filled with magical realism, then I highly recommend this series. You seriously don’t want to miss out.

Gilded Cage will be released 1st Dec in e-book format, with the paperback out 26th Jan.

Have you read an ARC of Gilded Cage? Are you excited for the release? Let me know in the comments below!

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I’ve Added To My Wishlist Lately

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week’s theme is 10 books you’ve recently added to your TBR. I’ve changed it to ‘wishlist’ because I class my TBR as books I actually own that are sitting on my shelves waiting to be read. My wishlist, however, is on Amazon and it’s where I’m constantly adding new books so I can keep track of all the ones I want.

So, here are 10 books I’ve recently added to my Amazon wishlist:

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig | YA Historical Fantasy

It was the kind of August day that hinted at monsoons, and the year was 1774, though not for very much longer.

Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times – although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix’s father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix’s existence rather dangerously in question …

Nix has grown used to her father’s obsession, but only because she’s convinced it can’t work. But then a map falls into her father’s lap that changes everything. And when Nix refuses to help, her father threatens to maroon Kashmir, her only friend (and perhaps, only love) in a time where Nix will never be able to find him. And if Nix has learned one thing, it’s that losing the person you love is a torment that no one can withstand. Nix must work out what she wants, who she is, and where she really belongs before time runs out on her forever.

I’d heard a lot of good stuff about this book but, for some reason, it never really appealed to me. But after reading Jackie’s review @ Death By Tsundoku I was convinced to finally give it a chance and add it to my wishlist. Also, it has a diverse cast!

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin | Fantasy

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky – a palace above the clouds where gods’ and mortals’ lives are intertwined.

There, to her shock, Yeine is named one of the potential heirs to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with a pair of cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother’s death and her family’s bloody history.

But it’s not just mortals who have secrets worth hiding and Yeine will learn how perilous the world can be when love and hate – and gods and mortals – are bound inseparably.

Another book I added to my wishlist because of Jackie @ Death By Tsundoku! Plus that cover is just wow.

They Mostly Come Out At Night by Benedict Patrick | Fantasy

Lonan is an outcast, accused of letting the monsters that stalk the night into the homes of his fellow villagers. Now, he will not rest until he wins back the heart of his childhood love and reclaims the life that was stolen from him. However, locked safely in his cellar at night, in his dreams Lonan finds himself looking through the eyes of a young prince…

Adahy has a destiny, and it terrifies him. How can he hope to live up to the legend of the Magpie King, to become the supernatural protector of the forest and defender of his people? But when the forest is invaded by an inhuman force, Adahy must rise to this challenge or let the Wolves destroy his people.

Watching these events unfold in his sleep, Lonan must do what he can to protect his village from this new threat. He is the only person who can keep his loved ones from being stolen away after dark, and to do so he will have to earn back their trust or watch the monsters kill everyone that he holds dear.

I can’t remember who, but someone on WordPress reviewed this book a day or two ago, which is why it’s on my wishlist. If you’re that blogger, then let me know and I’ll add a link to your review here! This sounds like a very dark and creepy fantasy.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro | YA Mystery

Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe and the only people they can trust are each other.

There are a lot of Sherlock ‘retellings’ out there, but I’m hoping this is one of the good ones. I’m also excited to see a female Sherlock!

The House of Birds by Morgan McCarthy | Contemporary

Oliver has spent years trying to convince himself that he’s suited to a life of money making in the city, and that he doesn’t miss a childhood spent in pursuit of mystery, when he cycled around the cobbled lanes of Oxford, exploring its most intriguing corners.

When his girlfriend Kate inherits a derelict house – and a fierce family feud – she’s determined to strip it, sell it and move on. For Oliver though, the house has an allure, and amongst the shelves of discarded, leather bound and gilded volumes, he discovers one that conceals a hidden diary from the 1920s.

So begins a quest: to discover the identity of the author, Sophia Louis. It is a portrait of war and marriage, isolation and longing and a story that will shape the future of the abandoned house – and of Oliver – forever.

I’ve always been really interested in the World Wars and WWI/WWII fiction is one of my favourite genres. They’re often harrowing reads, but so engrossing, and I’ve heard good things about this book.

The Vagrant by Peter Newman | Sci-Fi | Apocalyptic Fiction

The Vagrant is his name. He has no other.

Years have passed since humanity’s destruction emerged from the Breach.

Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape.

As each day passes the world tumbles further into depravity, bent and twisted by the new order, corrupted by the Usurper, the enemy, and his infernal horde.

His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war.

What little hope remains is dying. Abandoned by its leader, The Seven, and its heroes, The Seraph Knights, the last defences of a once great civilisation are crumbling into dust.

But the Shining City is far away and the world is a very dangerous place.

I think someone may have given this a good review, which is why it’s on my wishlist, but either way it sounds right up my street! I’ve been severely lacking in any apocalyptic fiction recently and it’s my favourite genre! However, this book does have quite mixed reviews, so fingers crossed I like it.

Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn | Historical Fantasy

An ambitious warlord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands.

A stubborn father forces his younger son to surrender his wife to his older brother.

A mysterious woman seeks five fathers for her children.

A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne.

These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield.

I started Lian Hearn’s YA series, Tales of the Otori, years ago, but I was in that phase of skipping through books, spoiling the ending for myself, and giving up, so I never got past Across the Nightingale Floor. However, I’ve always been a huge admirer of Japan and its culture, especially in my early teens, and I finally got to go there a few years ago! So, as you can imagine, Hearn’s books are just my kind of thing as they’re set in a mythical medieval Japan. I’m determined to finish her YA series and hopefully start this new adult series in the future.

Timekeeper by Tara Sim | YA Fantasy | Alternate History

Two o’clock was missing.

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time–and a destroyed one can stop it completely. It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.

And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve. But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

This sounds sooooooo gooooood. An alternate Victorian England where time can stop if the clocks do? LGBTQ+ rep? Sign me up!

Flashfall by Jenny Moyer | YA Sci-Fi

Orion is a Subpar, expected to mine the tunnels of Outpost Five, near the deadly flash curtain. For generations, her people have chased cirium the only element that can shield humanity from the curtain’s radioactive particles. She and her caving partner Dram work the most treacherous tunnel, fighting past flash bats and tunnel gulls, in hopes of mining enough cirium to earn their way into the protected city.

But when newcomers arrive at Outpost Five, Orion uncovers disturbing revelations that make her question everything she thought she knew about life on both sides of the cirium shield. As conditions at the outpost grow increasingly dangerous, it s up to Orion to forge a way past the flashfall, beyond all boundaries, beyond the world as she knows it.

This sounds like it has a big similarity with Red Rising, namely a mining community on another planet who are the lowest in society and are fed lies about what’s going on in the outside world. However, it seems that’s where the similarities stop. Hopefully this book holds its own and doesn’t turn into some half-hearted regurgitation of Red Rising but, either way, it sounds pretty good. (Released in the UK on 1st Dec).

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova | YA Urban Fantasy

Alex is a bruja and the most powerful witch in her family. But she’s hated magic ever since it made her father disappear into thin air. So while most girls celebrate their Quinceañera, Alex prepares for Death Day the most important day in a bruja’s life, and her only opportunity to rid herself of magic.

But the curse she performs during the ceremony backfires and her family vanishes, forcing Alex to absorb all of the magic from her family line. Left alone, Alex seeks help from Nova, a brujo with ambitions of his own. To get her family back they must travel to Los Lagos, a land in- between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…

I’ve seen a lot of love for this so decided to add it to my wishlist. It sounds really intriguing (and diverse!) so I’m looking forward to buying this one.

And that’s it! What books have you added to your wishlist recently? Have you read any of these? Want to read them? Let me know in the comments below!

The Sunday Post #19

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

I’m sorry that it’s been another week where I’ve been pretty absent. However, I’m here to update you.

The last two weeks I was busy due to being horrendously ill, my boyfriend visiting, my Dad’s birthday and my job at Lush.

But this week? Well, my room is being completely redone now that I’ve moved home again permanently from uni. Last time I had my room done I was about 5 so it’s in desperate need of a makeover. So I’ve been busy with that, but also…

We’re adopting a cat!

She’s only a year old but has had a very rough start in life. Her owner neglected her and pretty much left her to fend for herself. She’s also had one litter of kittens already and miscarried a second litter. But now she’s hopefully going to have a much better life with us! We’re picking her up on the 15th and I am so excited!

So yes, I’ve been busy with my room and a cat. And because I don’t want my hamster to feel like he’s not getting any love, here’s an autumnal photo shoot of him (he’s a poser):

Anyway, enough about my animal obsession, here’s the posts from this week:

• Let’s Wrap: October
• My Most Anticipated November Book Releases

I’m still reading my ARC of Gilded Cage by Vic James. I haven’t read since Tuesday and I’m having withdrawal symptoms! But this book is really great so far.

And for the last billion years, I’ve been telling you all that oh I’m definitely going to read A Darker Shade of Magic next… But Gemina is calling my name. I even had a dream about it. A dream about a book I haven’t read. I think it’s a sign.

Anyway, we’ll see.

I also have a few posts planned! It’s just about finding the time to write them at the moment as next week is going to be even busier, especially since I’m visiting my boyfriend at the weekend. So please just bear with me! Normal service will resume in a couple of weeks, I promise.

INHEAVEN are a band I’ve been keeping tabs on for a little while now. I really like their sound – it’s a little punky – and I’m hoping they release something full-length in the near future. ‘Bitter Town’ is my favourite song. Check them out here:

My Most Anticipated November Book Releases

Recently, I’ve been adding a fair few books to my Amazon wishlist. Although that’s not really anything new, what was new was that a lot of the books I was adding seemed to have a release date of this November.

So, without further ado, here are some of the books coming out this month that I really want (but totally can’t afford).

 

This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston | YA Mystery | 15th Nov

No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won’t say who fired the shot that killed their friend, Grant; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them.

Kate Marino’s senior year internship at the District Attorney’s Office isn’t exactly glamorous-more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys’ case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families.

Kate won’t let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has personal reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she investigates with Stone-the aging prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot-she realizes that nothing about the case-or the boys-is what it seems. Grant wasn’t who she thought he was, and neither is Stone’s prime suspect. As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all-and if Kate doesn’t uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line including her own.

This sounds like it’s going to be a really interesting and creepy murder mystery, not to mention I love the cover!

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid | YA Sci-Fi | 1st Nov

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia – a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity inside her that is true and pure – more so than that of most humans she encounters. Amidst all the danger, action and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life – and the empire.

This one has already been released and so far I’ve seen some high praise for it! A few mixed reviews, but mostly good, so I’m hoping I’ll enjoy this when I get around to buying it.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon | YA Contemporary | 3rd Nov

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store―for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

This is another one that has already been released and I’m so excited to read it. I actually haven’t read Everything, Everything, but after hearing such high praise for it, I’m really looking forward to trying both books. I only have one YA Contemporary in my TBR pile at the moment so I definitely need a few more!

Scythe by Neal Shusterman | YA Dystopian | 29th Nov

In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (gleaned) by professional reapers (scythes). Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythe’s apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation they must learn the art of killing and come to understand the necessity of what they do.

Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice. And when it becomes clear that the winning apprentice s first task will be to glean the loser, Citra and Rowan are pitted against one another in a fight for their lives.

I featured this novel in one of my Waiting on Wednesday posts. I’ve never read any Neal Shusterman before but I know he’s very popular and this book sounds pretty unique.

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge | YA Fantasy | 3rd Nov

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou, share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on the Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding the Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo only wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . .

After I saw this book described as Sabriel meets Romeo and Juliet I just knew I desperately needed it in my life. For anyone who follows my blog, you’ll know that Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series is my all-time favourite, and I’ve reread Sabriel a dozen times over the years. This book sounds like it has everything I like, especially the undead. I also featured it a little while back for Waiting on Wednesday so I’m really glad it’s finally out!

The Clay Girl by Heather Tucker | Contemporary | 13th Nov

Vincent Appleton smiles at his daughters, raises a gun, and blows off his head. For the Appleton sisters, life had unravelled many times before. This time it explodes.

Eight-year-old Hariet, known to all as Ari, is dispatched to Cape Breton and her Aunt Mary, who is purported to eat little girls. But Mary and her partner, Nia, offer an unexpected refuge to Ari and her steadfast companion, Jasper, an imaginary seahorse.

Yet the respite does not last, and Ari is torn from her aunts and forced back to her twisted mother and fractured sisters. Her new stepfather, Len, and his family offer hope, but as Ari grows to adore them, she’s severed violently from them too, when her mother moves in with the brutal Dick Irwin.

Through the sexual revolution and drug culture of the 1960s, Ari struggles with her father’s legacy and her mother’s addictions, testing limits with substances that numb and men who show her kindness. Ari spins through a chaotic decade of loss and love, the devilish and divine, with wit, tenacity, and the astonishing balance unique to seahorses.

Someone in the book blogosphere gave this a glowing review, which is why I’m featuring it here. However, I can’t for the life of me remember who that blogger was or find the post! So, if that was you, please leave a comment and I’ll add a link here to your review! This sounds like such a wonderful and heartbreaking book.

What November releases are you looking forward to? Have you been lucky enough to read any of these books? Do you want to read them? Let me know in the comments below!

Let’s Wrap: October

Now that it’s been a few months since I graduated, all the months are kind of blurring into one because I don’t have a lot of structure. I’m still trying to work out what I want to do as a career (besides write books), but I’m taking my time as I want to be sure.

Other than that, not much happened, because I lead an exceedingly boring life, as you can see. I won a few competitions on Twitter, one to get a copy of Morning Star by Pierce Brown, the final book in the Red Rising trilogy which I’ve adored so far! The book arrived today and I’m so excited to read it. The other book I won was an ARC of dystopian crime thriller Yesterday by Felicia Map, which I featured here in Stacking the Shelves.

I also signed up for NaNoWriMo this November for my third try, but I’m just not feeling it. I love the community of NaNoWriMo – it’s so welcoming and helpful – yet I’ve never managed to come close to even hitting the 50,000 words. It’s just too much pressure and I’m not the fastest writer. I’ve been writing fine without NaNoWriMo the past few months so I think I’ll just do it at my own pace.

Anyway, let’s get started with the wrap-up.

• The Willoughby Book Club Unboxing #3
• Review: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
• Halloween Read-A-Thon
• It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #1
• Waiting On Wednesday: Scythe by Neal Shusterman
• Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• The Sunday Post #17
• Halloween Read-A-Thon Review: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
• It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #2 + Update On My Week-Long Absence
• Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Horror Novels On My Wishlist
• Halloween Read-A-Thon Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
• Stacking the Shelves | Sequels and ARCs
• The Sunday Post #18

I haven’t been nearly as active this month, mainly because I’ve been ill, but I’ll try and pick it up this November!

I’m nearly halfway through my ARC of Gilded Cage by Vic James and I’m really enjoying it. The characterisation is great, with a few of the characters being some of the best and most interesting I’ve read about in a while. The plot as a whole is also very intriguing. I’m now just hoping it doesn’t suddenly bomb or have a terrible ending. Fingers crossed!

After that, I think I’m going to try A Darker Shade of Magic, followed by An Ember in the Ashes. I’ve been talking about reading these two for sooooo long so I promise I’m going to get to them soon! After that, I’m thinking either a Historical novel or a Contemporary. Or Sci-Fi; I don’t know how long I can hold off from reading Gemina or even Morning Star. 

I have a few posts planned for this month and perhaps some discussions on writing, so keep your eyes peeled!

How has your October been? Have you read any of the books I’ve talked about? Are you taking part in NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments below!

The Sunday Post #18

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at The Caffeinated Book Reviewer in which book bloggers recap their week and look at what’s to come.

My boyfriend came to visit on Friday and just went home today so I was busy all this weekend and haven’t done any blog hopping. I’ll try and catch up next week! However, it was lovely seeing Mark as we’re currently doing long-distance after uni ended. It’s difficult but we’re managing it!

Anyway, that’s my little update. Here were the posts this week:

• It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #2 + Update On My Week-Long Absence
• Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Horror Novels On My Wishlist
• Halloween Read-A-Thon Review: The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich
• Stacking the Shelves | Sequels and ARCs

I finished my last book in the Halloween Read-A-Thon, The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich, which was sadly a bit of a disappointment. After that, I started my ARC of Gilded Cage by Vic James. I’m only a few chapters in but I’m really liking it. The atmosphere is great and the characters are intriguing, not to mention the opening was especially good.

After that, I was planning to start A Darker Shade of Magic but An Ember In the Ashes has been looking at me from the bookshelf. I’m really tempted to start that instead. However, I’ve had A Darker Shade of Magic longer.

I also got Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2) this week and whilst I’m itching to read it, I’m going to be patient and read some books I’ve had for longer first. Whether I can actually be that patient is another thing entirely!

Instead of music this week, I’m going to post a film trailer! Specifically, the new teaser for Guardians of the Galaxy 2. I am so so excited for this film, and even more excited for the Avengers Infinity War films when the Guardians will meet up with the Avengers. That’s going to be one strange encounter.

Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #2 + Update On My Week-Long Absence

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted at The Book Date where bloggers look at what they’re currently reading and what’s up next in their TBR!

So, why did I disappear for a week? Well, I fell ill and didn’t feel up to blogging. That’s basically it. Not all that dramatic, but it did mean I couldn’t go and visit my boyfriend this weekend, and I missed meeting Garth Nix, my favourite author! So it was a pretty crappy week last week.

I’m back now though and determined to do a bit of blog hopping this week to catch up on what everyone has been up to.

Anyway, what have I been reading?

What I Read Last Week

As part of Lauren’s Halloween Read-A-Thon, I read and reviewed horror classic I Am Legend. Whilst it was quite different to the Will Smith film adaptation, I thought the book was actually better overall. Check out my review here!

I Am Legend: 

What I’m Currently Reading

I’m still reading my second and final book for the Halloween Read-A-Thon, Dawn Kurtagich’s YA psychological horror The Dead House. It’s been a week since I started it and I’m plodding on, partly because I was ill and didn’t read for three days, and partly because I’ve been a little underwhelmed.

To put it simply, it’s just not scary enough and I think the plot is currently a little all over the place. I have about a quarter of the book left to go so I’ll have to see how it all wraps up. It’s certainly not a bad book, but there’s definitely room for improvement.

Up Next

I had actually been planning on reading V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic but I’m putting that on hold as I remembered I still have an ARC of Gilded Cage to read. I grabbed a physical copy at YALC this year and I was so excited.

The e-book is due for release this December and the paperback in January so I better get round to reading and reviewing to help you guys decide on whether you want to give it a go! I’ve heard great things from other ARC reviewers so far so I have high hopes for this book.

Have you read any of these books? Did you enjoy them? Or do you want to read them? And how has everyone’s week been? I’ve missed the book blogging community!