Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!
Hi all! I’ve definitely been more controlled with my book buying over the past few weeks, and this week I just received one book from a publisher which I’m excited for.
Ramesh is an ‘examinations consultant’. He is a cog in the wheel that keeps India’s middle classes thriving. When he takes an exam for Rudi – an intolerably lazy but rich teenager – he accidently scores the highest mark in the country and propels Rudi into stardom. What next? Blackmail. Reality television. Grotesque wealth. And after that? Kidnap. Double-kidnap. Reverse kidnap. In a studio filled with hot lights, with millions of eyes on the boys, and a government investigator circling, the entire country begins to question: who are they?
I’ve been enjoying thrillers more recently and I’m excited by the prospect of reading this one, which is a little different to what I’d usually pick up.
The first Nought Prime Minister, Tobey Durbridge, is about to go on trial for the murder of notorious ganglord, Dan Jeavons. Tobey insists he is being framed. There were ten seats at Dan’s dinner party the night he was killed and each guest had their own reasons for wishing him dead. Sephy Hadley was one of the guests that night. Haunted by the idea that she didn’t do enough to stop the death of her first love, Callum McGregor, Sephy will not sit quietly and wait for accusations to fall on her now. She has her children to protect.
After reading and really enjoying the 5th book in this series, Crossfire (review here!), I definitely had high expectations for the 6th and final book. Although I did enjoy this one, it sadly didn’t quite meet my enjoyment of Crossfire.
We start this book exactly where Crossfire left off, with tensions running high and politics at the forefront. At the end of the last book in this series, I was in disbelief at how long Blackman had managed to keep particular storylines running without it feeling boring or like it was dragging on too long. This book is almost 500 pages, but like the others in the series, it was super easy to read and really enjoyable.
I didn’t quite fly through this one like I did Crossfire, but I could have read it a lot quicker if I had the time to pick it up a bit more. I read the last 200 pages in around a day, and I liked the short chapters to keep the story going. I liked the characters, but there were some aspects of this book where I felt like I should have felt more emotional than I was.
I also feel like there was just so much going on in this book, and I struggled to follow every aspect of the story by the end without thinking about all of their characters and their motivations. I also feel like it did stop us from seeing a large amount of character development, which may have been why I didn’t feel such a connection to them.
The way racism is weaved throughout these books is so cleverly done, and I admire how there are aspects of this book that reflected events of even the past few years. It shows how prevalent racism still is in our society over 20 years after the original Noughts & Crosses was published, which is both shocking and sad.
I will always admire Malorie Blackman and the world she has created within this series. I’m so glad I’ve read all of the books and followed Sephy through her journey.
The war is over. The war has just begun. Three times throughout its history, Nikan has fought for its survival in the bloody Poppy Wars. Though the third battle has just ended, shaman and warrior Rin cannot forget the atrocity she committed to save her people. Now she is on the run from her guilt, the opium addiction that holds her like a vise, and the murderous commands of the fiery Phoenix—the vengeful god who has blessed Rin with her fearsome power. Though she does not want to live, she refuses to die until she avenges the traitorous Empress who betrayed Rin’s homeland to its enemies. Rin’s only hope is to join forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who plots to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new republic. But the Empress and the Dragon Warlord are not what they seem. The more Rin witnesses, the more she fears her love for Nikan will force her to use the Phoenix’s deadly power once more. Because there is nothing Rin won’t sacrifice to save her country . . . and exact her vengeance.
This series has been such a rollercoaster for me so far. I went in expecting this one to be a political high fantasy full of war and conflict, but the start of the first book began in a very different way. This series began with Rin moving to a magical academy in the north of her country, and I really loved the premise it presented. The initial day-to-day narrative of Rin’s life in the academy really drew me into the story, and I honestly thought the book could have ended up as a 5 star read.
Sadly, as the story went on, I realised that the war narrative I expected would come back. After the first part of the book, it became much closer to what I was expecting before I went into the story. There are definitely some content warnings across this series for violence, sexual assault, gore, genocide and more, so please go into these books with care!
Between us, we have the fire and the water.
The second book, The Dragon Republic, starts from where we left off at the end of the first book. The story continues with the war, conflict and political battles of the first. Although I find this interesting, and it’s what I expected from the series, I definitely wanted to be back in the initial phases of this story.
I’ve read the first few books on audio, and I’ll definitely be picking up the last one as an audio version too. I find it much more accessible to listen to than read, and it helps with the pronunciations of names and places too! If you’re going into this series, I’d recommend trying out the audiobook if it appeals to you.
I’m quite sure that together, we can take on the wind.
Overall, I will be finishing this series but I am constantly hoping we’ll be going back to a more day-to-day narrative about Rin’s life, which I unfortunately don’t think we’ll see again. But I’ll hold out for the glimmers of the kind of narrative I loved in the first book!
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!
Hi everyone! I’m doing so much better with book buying at the moment – there’s only one book I bought in the past week that I can remember, and it was a pre-order.
Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways. Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from. Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?
I received my second copy of Gallant, the signed Forbidden Planet edition with these beautiful black sprayed edges.
Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he’s made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier. Because Cadno isn’t just any fox: he’s a firefox – the only one of his kind – and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail. Swept up into an unexpected adventure to protect his flammable friend, Charlie’s going to need to find the bravery he never thought he had, if he’s going to save the last firefox . . .
This book was everything I love about middle grade – a delightful adventure story full of family, friendship, and an animal companion! Charlie is exploring the castle in his town when he comes across a hidden doorway, and is given a firefox to take care of and protect from the world beyond the door.
Charlie has to hide the magical fox from his parents, as his dad is a firefighter and would freak out if he found a fiery animal in the house! While trying to care for the fox, who he names Cadno, he is also trying to protect him from a sinister monster from the world beyond the door.
There was so many amazing aspects to this book that I loved so much. I read it in just a few sittings because it kept me gripped and was beautifully illustrated with drawings by Laura Catalan. Charlie was bullied throughout this story and he was supported by his two friends, Roo and Lippy. I loved seeing Charlie grow throughout this story with the support and help from his friends, family and his little firefox.
The Queer rep in this book was so lovely, Charlie had two dads and it’s just part of his everyday life. This was hardly discussed throughout the story and was just normal. I loved it. And obviously, the best part of this book has to be Cadno. I want a firefox please! He was so cute and was such a lovely and genuine way of moving the plot forward.
I’d highly recommend this one to anyone of any age, and I can’t wait to recommend it to kids at work throughout the month! I’m really happy to say this is the Waterstones children’s book of the month for March.
Helen has it all… Daniel is the perfect husband. Rory is the perfect brother. Serena is the perfect sister-in-law. And Rachel? Rachel is the perfect nightmare. When Helen, finally pregnant after years of tragedy, attends her first antenatal class, she is expecting her loving architect husband to arrive soon after, along with her confident, charming brother Rory and his pregnant wife, the effortlessly beautiful Serena. What she is not expecting is Rachel. Extroverted, brash, unsettling single mother-to-be Rachel, who just wants to be Helen’s friend. Who just wants to get know Helen and her friends and her family. Who just wants to know everything about them. Every little secret…
I don’t read that many thrillers, but this one really gripped me from the first page. With short chapters from many points of view and no one to be trusted, I couldn’t put it down. This book is set in Greenwich, which appealed to me as a place I’ve been a number of times and I could picture the setting quite well.
One of my main hesitations going into this book was about the characters – I often find that I can’t connect with a thriller because of all of the characters being unlikeable (this happened with The Guest List by Lucy Foley). But even though I wouldn’t say any of the characters are particuarly likeable in this book, they’re difficult to hate and I sympathised a lot with Helen, the main character.
Trying to work out where it all began, where it all started going wrong.
The plot was wild and thrilling, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. The more I read of this book, the more I found myself drawn into the pages, not wanting to put it down until I’d found out what was going on. I kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it, just waiting until I could pick it up again. Although I had my suspicions, I never guessed where this was going to go and was definitely surprised by the intricacy of the plot twists!
Despite having more than one point of view, I followed the story easily and didn’t particularly enjoy one more than the other. I liked the balance of the perspectives and the short chapters meant I just wanted to read one (or five!) more before I put the book down. The ending felt a little flat, but it kind of felt like any ending would after the amount of lead-up and tension we had throughout the rest of the story.
And I suppose the real answer is it started years before you could have ever imagined it did.
Overall, I enjoyed this one so much more than expected, and I’m really glad I picked it up. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who loves a thriller, or doesn’t read many but is drawn to the story, like me!
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!
Hi everyone! I’ve actually done a little better in the past few weeks with controlling my book-buying! I have borrowed a few books recently though, so I’m not making as much progress on my tbr as I’d like to.
When the Superflu wipes out most of the population, Jamie finds himself completely alone in a cabin in the woods – until an injured stranger crosses his path. Life is dangerous now and, armed with a gun, Jamie goes to pull the trigger. But there’s something about Andrew … something that stops Jamie in his tracks. Jamie takes him in, and as Andrew heals and they eventually step out into the strange new world, their relationship starts to feel like more than just friendship … But trouble isn’t far behind. As the boys make a perilous journey south, they’ll come face to face with a world torn apart and society in ruins. And who, or what, will they find waiting for them at the end of it all?
I received a proof copy of this book from the publisher, Hodder, this week! It looks so good and I love the cover, so I’m really excited to read it soon.
Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, her father’s older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don’t go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate’s western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood…
I also had my pre-order of the beautiful Waterstones edition of Gallant arrive. I’ve already read the proof copy, but I’m very happy to have the lovely hardback edition with beautiful sprayed edges!
Hi all! It’s time for my February wrap-up, and even though I still didn’t do amazingly in February with my reading, I did manage to read 12 books. That means I’m only 1 book behind my Goodreads goal now, and I’m definitely feeling like I can catch up! I also read some really good books in February and had a lot of 4.5 star and even 5 star reads.
If you fancy watching this as a video, it’s available below on my BookTube channel!
Two sisters. One throne. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown? Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she would steal her sister’s place in the palace. Trained from birth to avenge her parents’ murder and usurp the princess, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves. Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility including marriage into a brutal kingdom. Life outside the palace walls is a place to be feared and she is soon to discover that it’s wilder than she ever imagined. Twin sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other’s lives a whole lot better…
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?
Fifty-one years, nine months and four days have passed since Fermina Daza rebuffed hopeless romantic Florentino Ariza’s impassioned advances and married Dr Juvenal Urbino instead. During that half-century, Flornetino has fallen into the arms of many delighted women, but has loved none but Fermina. Having sworn his eternal love to her, he lives for the day when he can court her again. When Fermina’s husband is killed trying to retrieve his pet parrot from a mango tree, Florentino seizes his chance to declare his enduring love. But can young love find new life in the twilight of their lives?
Witty, intelligent Elizabeth Bennet has no desire for a marriage of convenience. And when she meets the handsome, wealthy Mr Darcy, her opinion of him is quickly set: he is aloof, selfish and proud – the last man in the world she would ever marry. Until their paths cross again, and again, and the pair begin to realise that first impressions can be flawed… But as Elizabeth and Darcy become entangled in a dance through the strict hierarchies of society, will there be space for true love to bloom?
Torn from the world of ‘Vicious’, where death is not the end, only the beginning of extraordinary powers… Three new “EO”s must grapple with their new abilities… and with those who would hunt them down! Featuring unseen character design galleries from Andrea Olimpieri and story commentary from V.E. Schwab!
Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, her father’s older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don’t go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate’s western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood…
Aspiring actor August Greene just landed a coveted spot at the prestigious School of Performing Arts in New York. There’s only one problem: His conservative parents won’t accept that he’s transgender. And to stay with his aunt in the city, August must promise them he won’t transition. August is convinced he can play the part his parents want while acting cool and confident in the company of his talented new friends. But who is August when the lights go down? And where will he turn when the roles start hitting a little too close to home?
There is something strange about Coraline’s new home. It’s not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It’s the other house – the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that if she ventures through that door, she may never come back.
Remember a time before cell phones could be found in every pocket? Or when even accessing the world wide web was something only readily available in a library? Back then letters still filled up postboxes and moments just felt so much more precious when captured on Polaroid film. Now life seems to move at the speed of light. Our memories are captured and shared with the world on social media platforms. And love, which is already capricious, can feel like it is moving at terminal velocity.
Drifters in search of work, George and his childlike friend Lennie, have nothing in the world except the clothes on their back – and a dream that one day they will have some land of their own. Eventually they find work on a ranch in California’s Salinas Valley, but their hopes are dashed as Lennie – struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy – becomes a victim of his own strength. Tackling universal themes of friendship and shared vision, and giving a voice to America’s lonely and dispossessed, Of Mice and Men remains Steinbeck’s most popular work, achieving success as a novel, Broadway play and three acclaimed films.
It’s difficult to pick a favourite for February as I really enjoyed a lot of the books I read – but If I had to choose it’d probably end up as a tie between Vicious and 5 Centimeters Per Second. My least favourite was sadly Love in the Time of Cholera.
How many books did you read in February? Which was your favourite?
There is something strange about Coraline’s new home. It’s not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It’s the other house – the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that if she ventures through that door, she may never come back.
Thank you to Mark for buying me this book! I loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane when I read it last year and I’ve been excited to read other books by him. Mark picked this one up for me, and although I was really hesitant going into this book because I do have a fear of dolls, I did still enjoy it a lot (I don’t think I’ll be watching the film anytime soon though!).
This book follows Coraline, who moves into a new house with her family that has a door in one of the rooms that goes to nowhere. However, one day, Coraline walks through the door into an alternate life and universe, where her parents have black-button eyes and papery skin and want her to stay.
Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist,
This story was so entertaining and very whimsical, in true Neil Gaiman style. I loved the atmosphere of this book and the alternate universe, and I could picture the world very well. This one reads like a middle grade fantasy for me, but I do think all of his stories have a very similar feeling in that sense and they all feel so whimsical.
There’s a beautiful author’s note at the start of this book which I loved, and it talks about how the story portrays bravery and courage through Coraline’s journey. I definitely felt this which I really enjoyed, and I can see why this book stays with people throughout their lives, as I’m sure it will stay with me throughout my life.
but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.
Although this didn’t blow me away enough to be a 5 star read, I did still really enjoy it and I can’t wait to dive into more of Neil Gaiman’s adult releases!
Sixteen-year-old Olivia Prior is missing three things: a mother, a father, and a voice. Her mother vanished all at once, and her father by degrees, and her voice was a thing she never had to start with. She grew up at Merilance School for Girls. Now, nearing the end of her time there, Olivia receives a letter from an uncle she’s never met, her father’s older brother, summoning her to his estate, a place called Gallant. But when she arrives, she discovers that the letter she received was several years old. Her uncle is dead. The estate is empty, save for the servants. Olivia is permitted to remain, but must follow two rules: don’t go out after dusk, and always stay on the right side of a wall that runs along the estate’s western edge. Beyond it is another realm, ancient and magical, which calls to Olivia through her blood…
Thank you so much to Titan for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As I’m sure many of you know, Addie Larue is my favourite book ever and I was so excited and honoured to receive a proof copy of this book! I was a little hesitant going into this one as the next book after Addie Larue, but I’ve read a few Schwab books since and I’ve definitely enjoyed them all for different reasons.
Schwab does an incredible job of writing such different plots but including the same feel and atmosphere in the writing itself. I can always feel when I’m reading a Schwab book, if that makes sense. Gallant is a YA story following Olivia, an orphan who only has a journal left of her mother. She then receives a letter from her uncle, inviting her to his estate, Gallant. When she arrives, she finds her uncle has died and the house is occupied by her cousin and the servants of the house. She remains at the estate, but is warned not cross the wall on the outskirts of the estate.
This book is kind of a mystery, kind of a horror, kind of a paranormal. It is a beautiful mixture of genres and I loved the atmosphere. It creeped me out in ways that I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I was reading it, and I definitely had chills. It also reads kind of like a fairytale, and was reminiscent of The Secret Garden with darker undertones.
This book was very character driven and has a slow plot, but I still found it very quick and easy to read. It’s full of illustrations and extracts from Olivia’s mother’s journal, which I loved and were so beautifully complimentary to the story.
I really loved this book and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it, and my only complaint is I wanted more. This book just didn’t feel long enough to me in places, and I wanted more detail, more emotional connection to the characters and more of the book overall. Although I don’t think anything will beat Addie Larue, or will be difficult to beat, I did still really enjoy this one.
The Books are Everywhere 