Tag: books

Review: The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.
In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―losing the ones she loves―is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.
In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.
In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.
In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves… before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

I was hoping to save this one for Halloween/October time, but I was running out of standalones to read on Scirbd, so I made the decision to pick it up now. And as this book is so focused on all seasons, I actually don’t think there is a perfect time to pick it up anymore, everything works!

I really like the premise of this book and I can see why it became so popular so quickly. I enjoyed the elemental magic and the idea of climate change affecting the witches magic felt very important and relevant. I did read this one as an audiobook but it flew by and I feel like I would have read it super quickly if I’d have picked up the physical version.

But I like winter. Winter is the truest of the seasons. It’s what remains after everything else is stripped away. The leaves fall. The colors fade. The branches get brittle.

I liked the idea of Clara having this inner turmoil and it gave a solid plot for the story, but I can also see why some readers think she is a little annoying. Her naivety made her seem like a very young narrator and that, along with the romance, echoed Twilight era books for me. I managed to overlook this most of the time, but I think it’s worth considering if you’re going into this one.

I liked the love interest and the romance, and I feel like it made the book easy to like. The fantasy system was unique and I liked seeing the changing of the seasons, with snippets from another book throughout. It was such an easygoing fantasy that felt very approachable and easy to read.

And if you can love the earth, understand it when all the beauty is gone and see it for what it is, that’s magic.

Overall, this book isn’t without it’s problems but was very easy to like and I can see why it’s so popular! I’d definitely recommend it if you think you can overlook the younger tone.

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #78

On By Beth JonesIn Stacking the ShelvesLeave a comment

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 here with another stacking the shelves post with the books I bought or received this week. I received a few beautiful editions of a new favourite this week, and I also picked up a book for myself.

Goodreads | Waterstones

From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.

I picked this one up finally with a gift card that I had, as I’ve had my eye on the Waterstones exclusive paperback for a while and I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book!

Goodreads

My lovely friend Amy gifted me two copies of Gallant this week, the Illumicrate edition and the Barnes and Noble edition, with help from her friend Sam. Thank you so much to both of you, I love these copies and it’s so exciting to add to my V.E. Schwab collection!

What have you bought or received this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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April TBR

On By Beth JonesIn Wrap-Ups + TBRs2 Comments

Hi all! It’s a new month, so it’s time for a new TBR! I’ll actually be doing my TBR in two separate halves this month, because I’m doing a TBR for my mini golf game on YouTube (see the video below) and I’ll also be taking part in the magical readathon which I’ll write another post about soon.

So the books mini golf picked for me to read this month are….

Goodreads | Waterstones

Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the ‘Cemetery of Forgotten Books’, a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles that have long gone out of print. To this library, one cold morning in 1945, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel. Daniel is allowed to choose one book from the shelves and pulls out ‘The Shadow of the Wind’ by Julián Carax.
Captivated by the novel from its very first page, Daniel reads the book in one sitting. But he is not the only one interested in Carax. As he grows up in a Barcelona still suffering the aftershocks of a violent civil war, Daniel is haunted by the story of the author, a man who seems to have disappeared without trace after a duel in Père Lachaise cemetery.
Then one night, in the old streets of the city centre, Daniel is approached by a figure who reminds him of a character from ‘The Shadow of the wind’, a character who turns out to be the devil. This man is tracking down every last copy of Carax’s works in order to burn them. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julián Carax, and to save those he left behind.

I’ve wanted to read this for a while and the prompt second hand allowed me to pick it up!

Goodreads | Waterstones

I really need to continue with this series so I’m really glad I had the excuse to pick it up with the prompt a book you’ve had for over a year.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Skandar Smith has always yearned to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island, where wild unicorns roam free. He’s spent years studying for his Hatchery exam, the annual test that selects a handful of Mainlander thirteen-year-olds to train to become unicorn riders. But on the day of Skandar’s exam, things go horribly wrong, and his hopes are shattered…until a mysterious figure knocks on his door at midnight, bearing a message: the Island is in peril and Skandar must answer its call.
Skandar is thrust into a world of epic sky battles, dangerous clashes with wild unicorns, and rumors of a shadowy villain amassing a unicorn army. And the closer Skandar grows to his newfound friends and community of riders, the harder it becomes to keep his secrets—especially when he discovers their lives may all be in graver danger than he ever imagined. 

I wanted to get this one on my TBR before it comes out on April 28th, so I’m very happy to be able to get it on the list with the prompt odd page number.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Brilliant yet poor, Ramesh Kumar grew up working at his father’s tea stall in the Old City of Delhi. Now, he makes a lucrative living taking tests for the sons of India’s elite—a situation that becomes complicated when one of his clients, the sweet but hapless eighteen-year-old Rudi Saxena, places first in the All Indias, the national university entrance exams, thanks to him.
Ramesh sees an opportunity—perhaps even an obligation—to cash in on Rudi’s newfound celebrity, not knowing that Rudi’s role on a game show will lead to unexpected love, followed by wild trouble when both young men are kidnapped. 
But Ramesh outwits the criminals who’ve abducted them, turning the tables and becoming a kidnapper himself. As he leads Rudi through a maze of crimes both large and small, their dizzying journey reveals an India in all its complexity, beauty, and squalor, moving from the bottom rungs to the circles inhabited by the ultra-rich and everywhere in between.

This is the other book I wanted to read this month as it is our thriller of the month at work, and I chose it under the prompt new author.

Goodreads | Waterstones

In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

And last but not least we had shortest book, and the shortest book on my physical TBR came out as the first volume of Paper Girls! Mark bought me this one for my birthday and I’ve wanted to read it for a while. I’m also glad to have a graphic novel on my TBR for April.

What would you like to read in April?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.
Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college, or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own Spring Break plans (Operation: Lose Your Virginity) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.
On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper, for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to this one on audiobook and it’s a great quick read for summer! The audiobook was really enjoyable despite the narrator for one of the sisters (I forget which!) being a little annoying in my opinion, but I got used to it quickly. I liked the sisters and their relationship, which felt realistic and was interesting to see change throughout the book.

I liked the road-trip/travel aspect of the book which made it feel quite summery and fun to follow. It also gave the book a clear plot, which was quick and easy to read. The ending was definitely predictable but I also rooted for the characters, so I didn’t mind too much.

The two main characters were distinct which I liked but had similarities too – I related a lot more to Lulu than Milagro but both were enjoyable to read in their own ways. The side characters were distinctly under-developed though, and I don’t really remember anything about them a week after finishing reading.

This book was enjoyable enough but didn’t blow me away, and would have been much more enjoyable for me as a younger reader. But it was a fun and summery read!

★★★
3 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #77

On By Beth JonesIn Stacking the ShelvesLeave a comment

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.

Goodreads | Waterstones

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.

What have you bought or received this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Tidesong by Wendy Xu

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads

Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy—the best magic school in the realm—even though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she’s never met.
Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her magic with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir.
Lir is trapped on land and can’t remember where he came from. Even so, he’s everything Sophie isn’t—beloved by Sophie’s family and skilled at magic. With his help, Sophie might just ace her entrance exams, but that means standing in the way of Lir’s attempts to regain his memories. Sophie knows what she’s doing is wrong, but without Lir’s help, can she prove herself?

Inspired by East Aisan Culture, Tidesong is a graphic novel with Studio Ghibli undertones, following Sophie, a young witch who struggles with both her magic and making friends. Sent to live with her cousin and great aunt, Sophie is given more chores than magic lessons. She attempts to perform magic on her own, but becomes entangled in a world of underwater magic, shapeshifting and dragons. As Sophie attempts to improve her magic skills, she also challenges expectations from family and friends.

The illustrations are absolutely beautiful, depicting a cosy seaside town with a vibrant, striking colour palette. Sophie is a headstrong 12 year old girl who struggles with anxiety, and this is visualised throughout the story in separate thought bubbles. The story feels somewhat familiar and comfortable, but has a complex magical plot which is foreshadowed by a section of mythology at the start of the novel. Due to the target audience being younger readers aged 9-12, the mythology could be a little confusing and hard to follow, and requires a considerable amount of backstory for a short story presented in a graphic novel format.

In such a brief space, the story manages to weave together a heartwarming relationship between Sophie and her newfound family and friends, including Lir, a shapeshifting water dragon who is trapped on land due to Sophie’s backfiring magic. The character development can sometimes feel a little rushed, with the balance difficult to strike in such few words. Sophie herself struggles with anxiety and this is reflected in the way she is treated by her parents. The separate thought bubbles to show her anxious thoughts were striking and relatable to the reader.

Tidesong will be perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli, with a beautiful, whimsical and magical feeling similar to Kiki’s Delivery Service. Although aimed at a young audience, the book could be suitable and enjoyable for all ages. The font is legible and created from the author’s own handwriting. The story was heartwarming with a beautiful moral about friendship, family and self-acceptance.

★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Endgame (#6) by Malorie Blackman

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

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.

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

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!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Stacking the Shelves #75

On By Beth JonesIn Stacking the Shelves2 Comments

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.

Goodreads | Waterstones

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.

Goodreads | Waterstones

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!

What have you bought or received this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Edinburgh is a city filled with magical creatures. No one can see them… until Ramya Knox.
As she is pulled into her family’s world of secrets and spells, Ramya sets out to discover the truth behind the Hidden Folk with only three words of warning from her grandfather: Beware the Sirens.
Plunged into an adventure that will change everything, Ramya is about to learn that there is more to her powers than she ever imagined.

Like a Charm is the third book by the author of A Kind of Spark and Show Us Who You Are, both books I’ve read and really enjoyed. Elle McNicoll enters into fantasy with this book, with a magical realism story set in Edinburgh. There was a great balance of the real city and magical elements, making it very accessible and easy to read.

All of Elle’s books have great representation, and this one was no different. Our main character, Ramya, had dyspraxia, and this was discussed throughout her story. Not only will this allow so many neurodivergent children to see themselves reflected in it’s pages, but other children will build a greater understanding of those around them.

Ramya was a great strong female main character, and I love that all of Elle’s books have female main characters to provide role models for young people. The way the characters are discussed and the magical beings are used to discuss our differences and similarities was so well done.

This one was a really enjoyable middle grade and I’ll definitely be recommending it, but sadly I didn’t feel myself quite as addicted to it as I was with A Kind of Spark and Show Us Who You Are. It was still a super entertaining read and gave me goosebumps at the end, but A Kind of Spark still holds the top spot for me of Elle’s books.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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