March Wrap Up

Here we are, my reads from this March. I'm very impressed with myself, actually, as I read a lot and because 2 of those books have been gathering dust on my To Be Read shelf. The other 4 were all brand new releases, so we definitely got off the press! 

What did I think of these? Well...very good things!

Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning

GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was eagerly awaiting the release of this book, a continuation of the Fever series, but it actually took me a while to pick it up. I just wasn't in the mood. However, once I did pick it up I pliers through it quickly. If you haven't heard of the series, they are an urban fantasy series set in Dublin. The main character, Mac, is an American in her early twenties who flies to Ireland to try to investigate her elder sister's murder. This book is book 8 (I think) so to reveal the plot would be very spoilery. However, I was delighted by the appearance of a certain character, as I had imagined that happening many times, whilst daydreaming! I am still slightly frustrated by Mac's relationship with another couple of main characters, but I am hopeful these annoyances will either be plot points further along in the series or will get sorted soon! 

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Mercy Thompson books were the first ever Urban Fantasy I read. Or at least, books that I classified as such. I love Mercy's wit, bravery and attitude towards her life. I can't give much of this plot away, but I can say it's continuing Mercy's story in a world where werewolves and the fae are 'out of the closet'. War is brewing and Mercy is stuck in the middle.

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I've wanted to read this book for a long time, but I've never really read memoirs before. I knew I'd want to read it without anynother books distracting me, but I'm rarely in a 'read an entire non-fiction book in one go' mood (I tend to dip in and out). So I'm very glad I made time for this! You can tell this is written by a young person, as the writing style is less established and polished. However, that almost makes it even more inspiring as it reminds you of how young Malala is and how English is not her first language. As a teacher, I found all the information about education and learning very interesting as well. Malala is very inspirational, and this book reminded me why learning is so vital.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent 

GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Based on real life events, this book tells the story of a woman in Iceland who is sentenced to be executed for her part in a murder. She is sent to live with a family whilst waiting for the date of her death to be finalised. I was surprised by this book - the emotions and attachment really creep up on the reader AND the characters in the story. It was really interesting to read something based on a true story, because obviously we can never truly know the motives and feelings behind crimes that happened so long ago. I would recommend this to both fiction and history fans!

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can still remember the day that I first picked up City of Bones. It was literally the day it arrived in my local Waterstones - with the original UK covers! I actually ended up giving the book away (after devouring it in one sitting) because I was so horrified with the well known plot twist. Luckily, I still picked up book two when it was released and LOVED it. I resisted picking up this book for as long as I could - I know the pain of waiting for the next book in a Cassandra Clare series and I was trying to reduce that a little bit! It didn't last though :P I read this book either sat in a chair looking out over a beautiful Cornish beach, or on the 5 hour train journey back from Cornwall to London, and the time flew! 

Seven Black Diamonds by Melissa Marr

GoodReads rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It's been years now since I first read and fell in love with the Wicked Lovely series, and I've got to say I've yet to find a Melissa Marr series that I obsess over as much. I love those books! I really enjoyed this, but it didn't hit the same spot the WL books did. Perhaps it's because I was 16 when I read WL? I'll have to re read them and see if they have the same effect!

GoodReads Update: 27/100 read

2016 Reading Challenge:

A book and it's prequel - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas (January) Assassin's Blade tbr soon!

A Book Written by a Celebrity - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)

A Graphic Novel - River's of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch (January)

A Book Set in Europe - My Sword Hand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick (February)

A Book Set in the Summer - Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (February)

A Book Based on a Fairytale - The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire (February)
A Political Memoir - I am Malala (I think this counts!) by Malala Yousafzai (March)
A Book With a Blue Cover - Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (March)
A Book Set on an Island - Feverborn by Karen Marie Moning (March)
A Book Published in 2016 - Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs (March)

2015 challenge continuation...

A Book I was Supposed to Read in School (I read all the books I was supposed to when I was a student in school - I've now read this as a teacher) - Gangsta Granny by David Walliams (January)

A Book Based on a True Story - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (March)

Books from 2015 that I didn't read:

• A classic Romance
• A book that became a movie
• A Pullitzer prize winner
• Antonyms
• Published in the year I was born
• A book that made me cry
• Originally in a different language
• A book that was once a play
• A banned book

What have I read during February (and since I last posted here)

I have read a lot more than I expected to during February, but I was so tired during half term that I completely forgot to post!

The last book I wrote about here was....trying to read The End of Mr Y (and I failed).

Since then I have read:

Crown of  Midnight by Sarah J Maas
Burned by Karen Marie Moning (on my kindle)
Firelight, Moonglow and Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan (on my kindle)
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
Delilah by Eleanor Jong
The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

I finally got round to starting this series at the end of last year, and this month I read the second book in the series. I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of character development, and some huge plot twists. I love high fantasy, and this series so far seems really accessible. The characters are funny and great to read about. The third book was ordered straight away.

Burned by Karen Marie Moning

I had heard mixed reviews on the book before this in the series (Iced) but I read that in January and enjoyed it. This book returned to Mac's storyline, and I loved it. For those of you who don't know about these books; this is book number 7 in the Fever series. This series is urban fantasy set in Dublin, with a lot of adult content. I wish the next book was already here!

Firelight, Moonglow and Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

 I read these books on my kindle very quickly. They are a steampunk urban fantasy series set in Victorian London, and are the first three books in The Darkest London series. I had had Firelight on my To Be Read list on Amazon for a while. They are quite light-hearted and serious at the same time. They are a fun, quick read. These first three books are told from the point of view of three sisters (one sister per book) who encounter supernatural events in London. There are at least two more books, told from points of view of characters who are NOT in the family, but are introduced by Winterblaze. 

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

I love a good Philippa Gregory book. The Other Boleyn Girl (about Mary Boleyn ) is one of my favourite books ever, and I have read all of her Tudor Court books (my second favourite is The Constant Princess, about Katherine of Aragon). The Red Queen is the second book in The Cousins War series, and is the third one in the series that I have read. Perhaps it is more accurate to call them a 'collection' because these books don't really have to be read in chronological order. My favourite in this series so far (there are at least 2 I haven't read, although I have at least read the first three in collection) was The Lady of the Rivers - not least because I found out my family tree can be traced back to her! Anyway, I enjoyed this book because it added to the immersion in the rest of the series, taking into account the point of view of a character mentioned in The White Queen. Perhaps it might be useful to break down who each book centres on?

The Cousins War

• The Lady of the Rivers -  Jacquetta Woodville mother of Elizabeth Woodville (Lancaster House, then York House)
• The Red Queen - Margaret Beaufort mother of Henry Tudor (Lancaster House)
• The White Queen - Elizabeth Woodville mother of Elizabeth of York (York House)
• The Kingmakers Daughter - Isabelle and Anne Neville (I have not read this yet)
• The White Princess - Elizabeth of York wife of Henry Tudor and daughter of Elizabeth Woodville (I have not read this yet)
• The Kings Curse - Margaret Pole. (I have not read this yet, but it overlaps, timeline wise, with the Tudor Court series,

The Tudor Court

• The Constant Princess - a young Katherine of Aragon
• The Other Boleyn Girl - Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn
• The Boleyn Inheritance - Jane Boleyn, sister in law to Anne and Mary, set during Jane Seymour/ Anne of Cleves/ Katherine Howard time period. Katherine Howard is also a pov character, if I remember correctly. She links to the Boleyns because the Boleyn family is a branch of the Howard family.]
• The Queens Fool - a jewish girl living in court as a Royal fool, during Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I reigns.
• The Virgins Lover - Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley and Amy Dudley.
• The Other Queen - Mary Queen of Scots (I don't think I've read this)

Delilah by Eleanor Jong

This book is about Delilah, of Samson and Delilah fame. It centres on her character and imagines Delilahs reasons for the betrayal of Samson. I liked this book, but it is not one I would reread.

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

This is the sequel to The Bone Season, a urban sci-fi/ fantasy book set in futuristic London, if London had taken a very different path at the end of the 19th century. I really enjoyed the first book, and this did not disappoint, ending on a massive cliffhanger. I feel like these books are a good step between YA fantasy, and adult (I hate calling things adult as there is really no such thing) fantasy. The characters were interesting, the plot really exciting, and I love all books centred on London!

I also reread Fire by Kristen Cashore this month. I love that book, and all the characters, so much. If you have not read the Graceling series, do so now.

Clair's 2015 Reading Challenge:

• A book you read in a day - Dreamfever/ Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (3rd January 2015)
• A book with magic in it - The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson and Sarah Rees Brennan (9th January 2015)
• A book written by someone under 30 - The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon (21st February 2015)
• A book with a colour in the title - The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory (18th February 2015)
• A book that takes place in your hometown - The Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan (February 2015)
• A book set in a different country - Delilah by Eleanor Jong (15th February 2015)
• A book with nonhuman characters - Burned by Karen Marie Moning (February 2015)
• A book with a female author - A Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

~to be added to as time passes~

2015 Reading Challenge

Happy New Year!

It's been a while since my last blog post, but that is because I have been away (in Dublin!) for New Years. It was amazing.

I thought today would be a good day to kick off my 2015 Reading Challenge. I reread the majority of a series whilst I was in Dublin; I am going to count the last two as I am fairly certain I had already started the book before them prior to New Years Day.

Here is the 2015 Book Challenge, to remind you (and me!):

The two books (I'm going to count them as one, unless towards the end of the year I need to tick a few extra boxes) were Dreamfever and Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning. 

(I'm sorry they have the 'look inside' labels)

Now, there are so many categories this could fit into; none human characters, female author, foreign country (Ireland), friend recommendations, finished in a day, a book with magic). I thought there would be a reread category, but alas. Because of this, I'm going to put this book series in the 'read in a day' category :)

The categories these books (and the others in the series) can be placed in to gives you  hint as to the plot. This is an urban fantasy series about an American 20 something year old girl called Mac, who heads to Dublin after her older sister (who is also her best friend) is horrifically murdered. Shortly after arriving in Dublin she has her first accidental encounter with one of the Fae, and from this incident her already disrupted life begins to unravel further.

I love this book series. KMM has a fun style of writing that is really easy to read, and characters that are relatable and who develop really well throughout the story. There is a brilliant mix of urban fantasy and action, and a looooot of sex. A lot. If you do not like sex in your books, I would not recommend. If you do not like fantasy, I would not recommend. I would recommend if you were someone who has previously said that faeries (or the fae) are your least favourite 'supernatural' creature as they were wishy washy and boring. You'll finish reading these still disliking the fae, but not because they're boring!

I'm looking forward to the surprise extension of Mac's story; I thought the series was finished but there has recently been a new release. However, first I have to read the book Iced (set in the same world but with a previously encountered character as the POV). I keep finding it hard to get in to Iced, as the main character is harder for me to relate to, but I'm hoping that the recent release of Burned will help me power through.

Clair's 2015 Reading Challenge:

A book you read in a day - Dreamfever/ Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (3rd January 2015)

~to be added to as time passes~