tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5149843367530216612024-03-15T07:20:21.053+00:00The Review DiariesThe Review DiariesRosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.comBlogger654125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-52310497171153298082023-03-06T10:00:00.022+00:002023-03-06T10:00:00.219+00:00Review: Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn<p><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv9ODcpcks_7b2_WsUe4y_i6C3dLRQcdr2cXke8Y3mFlBLDZ2dVONo53GHolgZhft0lQgnXwy_UfIHTEygsFGocYgHP-J24udDS724A68ySLWCo4gSXYhyX7TJsJ8GocsnLGydfYfbc3pqAtxIVXv0rFZ5P2jrwSUAfUI4Zlh5pEeBAlzPkZLLA6Dcxw" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="327" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv9ODcpcks_7b2_WsUe4y_i6C3dLRQcdr2cXke8Y3mFlBLDZ2dVONo53GHolgZhft0lQgnXwy_UfIHTEygsFGocYgHP-J24udDS724A68ySLWCo4gSXYhyX7TJsJ8GocsnLGydfYfbc3pqAtxIVXv0rFZ5P2jrwSUAfUI4Zlh5pEeBAlzPkZLLA6Dcxw=w262-h400" width="262" /></a></span></i></b></div><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Thank you to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review</span></i></b><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><p style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>Publication date: 9th March 2023<br /></b></i><i><b>Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks<br /></b></i><i><b>Pages: 368</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that's their secret weapon.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. But now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates their real-world resourcefulness in an age of technology.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses-paid trip to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realise they've been marked for death.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">To get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They're about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman - and a killer - of a certain age.</span></i></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I adore Raybourn’s historical novels so I was fascinated to get stuck in to her latest novel, and whilst very different from her previous fare, this is no less delightful. Billie is a fantastic protagonist who offers us a human and flawed view into this crazy world. I loved how real she was, how grumpy, how very hacked off she was with the situation thrust upon her. I was rooting for her right from the start, even through the darker, grittier morally grey moments.</span></span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3cbb5ddf-7fff-8ae2-9b29-f2ec4b15720d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Raybourn is particularly skilled at creating intriguing shades of grey characters who are delightfully human in their navigation through the story, and this is no exception. I loved the juxtaposition of the present day older ladies and the pieces of history that fit in to round out the story of how they came to be the women they are today in the situations they’ve found themselves in.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This had all the trademarks of Raybourn’s work, whilst also feeling fresh and exciting, further cementing her place as a favourite author of mine. I loved it, and I’m desperately hoping we get more in the world of the Museum, even if Billie is getting her well deserved retirement.</span></span></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2R_x81lOBt-OWe4om5yAV4D4WBTrtsaqeUYY4X6dHEO5tiqCYgfXEeL_XA7E4xTdkJaHJQ3F2OHyvFapVau2SdSKQxoMejtpVAT56sobQ4cQZMDbzXjJn1_oFug4u-ig1mTJROeIeZ_O1bxnniEBU_nGP9rkWfs0ByLdJkZUpL3rm12z5F0g29rwwoA/s200/4Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="48" data-original-width="200" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2R_x81lOBt-OWe4om5yAV4D4WBTrtsaqeUYY4X6dHEO5tiqCYgfXEeL_XA7E4xTdkJaHJQ3F2OHyvFapVau2SdSKQxoMejtpVAT56sobQ4cQZMDbzXjJn1_oFug4u-ig1mTJROeIeZ_O1bxnniEBU_nGP9rkWfs0ByLdJkZUpL3rm12z5F0g29rwwoA/s1600/4Stars.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-73383461521441078802023-03-02T10:00:00.004+00:002023-03-02T10:00:00.225+00:00Review: The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page<p><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRojcWWhF-gYnMs82nIcOEvDBYVtVF7BLYxzatrF6HdPEEf3ylDNU08Zei8C7dabG1unkR18nr3E5mrBELpS7RcDTPK-WaFw2ycvrH68TZ1jHLCT_RCLjiSgHQ1YDWBwovUr7hwWRC0RMXzfr9PGowxN4WyhYfSNlSXCB35_8a-im_Haq8QzpU8YsA8g=w273-h400" width="273" /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thank you to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review<br /></span></span></i></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Publication date: 16th February 2023</span></i></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Publisher: Orion
</i></b></span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Pages: 384</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i> <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Among the cobbled streets of the Somerset town of Frome, Lou is embarking on the start of something new. After the death of her beloved mother, she takes a deep breath into the unknown and is opening her own vintage clothes shop.<br /></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">In upstate New York, Donna has just found out some news about her family which has called into question her whole upbringing. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress, and the fact it is currently on display in a shop in England.<br /></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">For Maggy, she is facing life as a 70-something divorcee and while she got the house, she's not sure what to fill it with now her family have moved out. The new vintage shop in town sparks memories of her past and reignites a passion she's been missing...<br /></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Together, can these three women find the answers they are searching for and unlock a second chance at a new life?<br /></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">It's never too late to start again...</span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRojcWWhF-gYnMs82nIcOEvDBYVtVF7BLYxzatrF6HdPEEf3ylDNU08Zei8C7dabG1unkR18nr3E5mrBELpS7RcDTPK-WaFw2ycvrH68TZ1jHLCT_RCLjiSgHQ1YDWBwovUr7hwWRC0RMXzfr9PGowxN4WyhYfSNlSXCB35_8a-im_Haq8QzpU8YsA8g" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A charming plot set in the lovely Frome, this had all the markings of a cosy read that I’d zip through in no time. However, whilst I did enjoy the interweaving stories of the three women, and the ways their lives connected it didn’t hit all the marks for me.</span></span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-66c111df-7fff-fc17-eaef-a7119e446376"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ultimately it was a quick and relatively enjoyable read, but sadly lacking in substance. I was excited to read this one, but never really connected with it. The writing style just didn’t work for me personally, a lot of telling the reader and dumping lots of information at once rather than exploring and allowing it to unfurl naturally. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also found the exploration of grief and loss of Lou’s mother to be rather flat and unrealistic. This is a particular bugbear of mine following the loss of my own mother, and I know won’t be a problem for many readers, but for me personally it just didn’t sit well.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">However I really loved the theme running throughout of second chances, hope, and finding a new lease later in life. This will definitely be one that many people will love, it just didn’t quite spark for me as I had hoped it would.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08LIC130SKFgAjRaoaq5bb3kHvflQXmCyum_B4DQ7PJZsD5Tj2Hv9WxK1gMoHJW1otJ9ejjOjUYxCDFD1R5qJA1GdkNPTucWHuQYOc8pV9jVYuKLoCtghAKFZKiXIiEow-KwRnPRJYCCSrfHay_ejRhd5lD_Z476b-Q8Dwi4bONflCSWCpZZZluztRQ/s200/3Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="64" data-original-width="200" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08LIC130SKFgAjRaoaq5bb3kHvflQXmCyum_B4DQ7PJZsD5Tj2Hv9WxK1gMoHJW1otJ9ejjOjUYxCDFD1R5qJA1GdkNPTucWHuQYOc8pV9jVYuKLoCtghAKFZKiXIiEow-KwRnPRJYCCSrfHay_ejRhd5lD_Z476b-Q8Dwi4bONflCSWCpZZZluztRQ/w200-h64/3Stars.png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><br /></span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-52459448910612213532023-02-28T11:16:00.000+00:002023-02-28T11:16:04.948+00:00Review: A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon<p><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiweZAIezCXIqmikFfPUAOxPHXxv00SDsGo7PYqwqbS9FYhyZ36A9vaPi2Csmj6riRtbEgMpPsjmtiIJWQ0zXNgM4_vLL6VeBIOt63uGZ46GafCBKgPVu9_8nSxkkeSKpdam_CWsTyRSGSrV2jXgS8XDE0OAyCncr6IfOy0-g5rw10Qse5nf4xpg4MuKQ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1664" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiweZAIezCXIqmikFfPUAOxPHXxv00SDsGo7PYqwqbS9FYhyZ36A9vaPi2Csmj6riRtbEgMpPsjmtiIJWQ0zXNgM4_vLL6VeBIOt63uGZ46GafCBKgPVu9_8nSxkkeSKpdam_CWsTyRSGSrV2jXgS8XDE0OAyCncr6IfOy0-g5rw10Qse5nf4xpg4MuKQ=w260-h400" width="260" /></a></span></i></b></div><b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Thank you to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review</span></i></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>Publication date: 28th February 2023<br /></b></i><i><b>Publisher: Bloomsbury<br /></b></i><i><b>Pages: 880</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">The stunning, standalone prequel to the <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">New York Times </span>bestselling <span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Priory of the Orange Tree</span>.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory's purpose.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother's past is coming to upend her fate.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Intricate and epic, Samantha Shannon sweeps readers back to the world of </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">A Priory of the Orange Tree</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">, showing us a course of events that shaped it for generations to come.</span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Priory of the Orange Tree is one of my favourite fantasy epics - sweeping in scope, lush in vivid rich details, and breath taking in its audacity. Which meant that I had both high hopes and huge fears when it came to A Day of Fallen Night - how could it possibly compare? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I should not have worried.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Priory will always be excellent, but A Day of Fallen Night is a masterclass that showcases Shannon’s growing talent. She is a force to be reckoned with, a writer who can craft incredibly rich and detailed stories and never lose their reader for an instant. Fallen Night is a behemoth, an epic 880 pages long, but none of that feels bloated or unnecessary. Instead it is a tapestry of interweaving characters and plots, layered over years, coloured through time, and embroidered with the acts of humanity that make it feel raw and real to the reader.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have struggled over the days since finishing it to articulate fully how I feel about this book. It’s hard to distil it down to a few choice words and phrases. Instead, I will simply press the book into people's hands with the instruction to read it. Read it and fall in love with the world, with the characters, with the scope and force of this novel. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is a masterclass in writing, an epic to rival big name fantasy epics, but frankly executed better and with a richer and diverse world. This is one that I will revisit time and time again, and I’m already excited to explore it through the audiobook.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-da44f58b-7fff-2e0a-54ca-296ed5222109"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Add this to your to read pile, you won’t regret it.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQXXSeqeDkwOFkbvlvlmq2kJXbeSfQy3ijyrr6VV0oiI2_h7F_L3v7Tskrbm7Pbo-y2JP9BmuPSwqdkXuoyti8nCWRhxeDwba8wjLAwGxc-RpRyfNc5jD9TpD7Jn1Ol__96QSUYR0s-r0aS7OOBb99kK9KrCz-npaZmqMa8mH4EvuZMpKDFocg6TycQ/s200/5Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="200" height="39" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQXXSeqeDkwOFkbvlvlmq2kJXbeSfQy3ijyrr6VV0oiI2_h7F_L3v7Tskrbm7Pbo-y2JP9BmuPSwqdkXuoyti8nCWRhxeDwba8wjLAwGxc-RpRyfNc5jD9TpD7Jn1Ol__96QSUYR0s-r0aS7OOBb99kK9KrCz-npaZmqMa8mH4EvuZMpKDFocg6TycQ/s1600/5Stars.png" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-49794938902783435522021-04-06T09:30:00.005+01:002021-04-06T09:30:00.233+01:00Review: Eva and Eve: A Search for My Mother's Lost Childhood and What a War Left Behind by Julie Metz<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLTqkfAFrvo-mrHX57xFCCE-aOgGp6DlCPZjOXZ4gXsU3hai3HvYAknIlWqnls78zUwttwLDV9WnubWkHnCgiqVgfnhIf7zjxPW30ulfYdXrZkhZrV3N7mDpap3XZak3ocU1IR4cPIC3K/s640/Eva+and+Eve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="424" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLTqkfAFrvo-mrHX57xFCCE-aOgGp6DlCPZjOXZ4gXsU3hai3HvYAknIlWqnls78zUwttwLDV9WnubWkHnCgiqVgfnhIf7zjxPW30ulfYdXrZkhZrV3N7mDpap3XZak3ocU1IR4cPIC3K/w265-h400/Eva+and+Eve.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review<br /></span></i></b></span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-6a7ed6c5-7fff-10d8-0fff-110b93458111"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Publication date: 6th April 2021</i></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Publisher: Atria Books</i></b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>Pages: 320</i></b></span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">author of the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New York Times</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bestselling memoir </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perfection</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> returns with an unforgettable account of her late mother’s childhood in Nazi-occupied Austria and the parallels she sees in present-day America.</span></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>To Julie Metz, her mother, Eve, was the quintessential New Yorker. Eve rarely spoke about her childhood and it was difficult to imagine her living anywhere else except Manhattan, where she could be found attending Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera or inspecting a round of French triple crème at Zabar’s.</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>In truth, Eve had endured a harrowing childhood in Nazi-occupied Vienna. After her mother passed, Julie discovered a keepsake book filled with farewell notes from friends and relatives addressed to a ten-year-old girl named Eva. This long-hidden memento was the first clue to the secret pain that Julie’s mother had carried as a refugee and immigrant, shining a light on a family that had to persevere at every turn to escape the antisemitism and xenophobia that threatened their survival.</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interweaving personal memoir and family history, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eva and Eve</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> vividly traces one woman’s search for her mother’s lost childhood while revealing the resilience of our forebears and the sacrifices that ordinary people are called to make during history’s darkest hours.</span></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I adored “Perfection”, Metz’s memoir, and have incredibly fond memories of being curled up in front of the wood-burner drinking tea and reading, so I was delighted when the author contacted me offering a copy of her latest book to review.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am, on the whole, a fiction reader. It takes a special kind of book to pull me out into the world of non-fiction, and Metz never fails to captivate me with her glittering words. This book caught on a particularly raw nerve following the death of my mum, and I felt a sense of kinship with Metz as she deals with the grief of her mother’s passing in the first section of the book, and how keenly she feels the loss of the pieces of her mother’s past that she’ll now never have the chance to ask about. That feeling of loss, of loneliness, of the need to understand and fill in the blanks that she never felt able to ask about due to a tumultuous relationship, are the driving force of the story as she picks up, puts down, uncovers a little more of the mystery and then is swept up in her own life again for a while.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whilst on the surface it is a book about her mother, ultimately it digs into a host of lives that impacted the incredible events that culminated in her mother’s escape from Nazi occupied Vienna. Whilst sometimes keeping such a host of people straight in my head was bewildering, I loved Metz’s attention to detail and how she worked to uncover all the pieces that created this whole. It is a sprawling, beautiful book, that examines the family before, during and after such a cataclysmic and traumatic event, as well as uncovering those who made the escape possible, and Metz’s own exploration of the story and the people who helped her along the way. Her own retracing of her family’s steps added additional layers of colour as she found small ways to connect her present to the past and stand where her mother once stood. It is part an expression of grief, part examination of the America Metz was experiencing at the time of writing and the political upheaval and parallels to her mother’s story, and part love letter to her mother - a truly extraordinary woman.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With a delicate touch, Metz weaves all of this together into an incredible whole, and I found myself quickly captivated and desperate to snatch moments to read further. Indeed, I found myself missing Julius, Anna and Eva’s company in the days after I finished reading. I liked the quiet joy that pervaded their lives in Vienna before 1938, and felt keenly the desperate fear and determination that threaded through their escape.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is an incredible and thought provoking book that opened my eyes to a slice of history I found I was shockingly ignorant over, and humanised it further with brief snatches of fiction as Metz imagines what life was like for her mother and grandparents in a life altering handful of years. Beautiful, poignant, and filled with love for her lost mother, this is an incredible book that I would not hesitate to recommend.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, serif; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKo1FcWkNixrWyRxnaShSptatep2uchxLIQQcsd1ozObP6rkhP9a8NhDBUQOAW9_as0mOzribUhWBDNHTOlvxKYXdmSFfKArR3giKxAETCCQB0kmHLR_D3tuTMSUCvrL5axyvQX2poVBQ4/s200/4Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="48" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKo1FcWkNixrWyRxnaShSptatep2uchxLIQQcsd1ozObP6rkhP9a8NhDBUQOAW9_as0mOzribUhWBDNHTOlvxKYXdmSFfKArR3giKxAETCCQB0kmHLR_D3tuTMSUCvrL5axyvQX2poVBQ4/s0/4Stars.png" /></a></div><p></p></span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-27250711574428461202020-07-15T11:00:00.000+01:002020-07-15T11:00:05.631+01:00Review: Aix Marks The Spot by Sarah Anderson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2W0BVhwfTB4j3b3Lyh-fVxfLIF9ZYvfNoXWkdxXD-6rFOI_bTpeIFpaXODB_3TW0YHAOk6RHAnVSQtG7Z0McAwIFe7nZdrfUnSQsQ5Ld-JCOn3a47EdW7zPSufhwJLyeLOkwW14_Kyvzs/s1600/Aix+Marks+the+Spot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2W0BVhwfTB4j3b3Lyh-fVxfLIF9ZYvfNoXWkdxXD-6rFOI_bTpeIFpaXODB_3TW0YHAOk6RHAnVSQtG7Z0McAwIFe7nZdrfUnSQsQ5Ld-JCOn3a47EdW7zPSufhwJLyeLOkwW14_Kyvzs/s400/Aix+Marks+the+Spot.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publications date: June 16th 2020</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: Seabreeze Books</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 380</b></i></span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Jamie has been dreaming of this summer forever: of road trips and intensive art camps, of meeting cute boys with her best friend Jazz. What she didn’t count on was the car accident.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Exiled away from her family as her mother slowly learns to walk again, Jamie is sent to Provence and trapped in an isolated home with the French grandmother she has never met, the guilt of having almost killed her parents, and no Wi-Fi. Enough to drive a girl mad. That is, until, she finds an old letter from her father, the starting point in a treasure hunt that spans across cities and time itself. Somehow, she knows that the treasure is the key to putting her shattered family back together and that whatever lies at the end has the power to fix everything.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Armed only with a high-school-level of French and a map of train lines, she must enlist the aid of Valentin, a handsome local who’s willing to translate. To save her family, she has castle ruins to find and sea cliffs to climb; falling for her translator wasn’t part of her plan… </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">After living in France for several years, and experiencing the whole wildly out of water experience of moving to a country where you cannot for the life of you get the words you know to come out in a coherent fashion, I am always keen to find books that distil that experience out onto the page. And this one does, but also doesn’t. It’s a curious mix.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good things first: I really loved exploring the south of France. There were places that I’ve been to before and I shrieked delightedly at my husband that they were visiting Cassis. And places that I’ve never experienced that I immediately added to the itinerary or our next trip. It made me feel homesick for excellent coffee and pastries and the food. It transported me straight into the middle of a hot French summer, where you can barely think beyond the sound of the cicadas. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">However (you knew it was coming, didn’t you) I just couldn’t connect with Jamie. Whilst I completely empathised with the fish out of water experience, and struggling to keep up in a country where you aren’t fluent, I found her to be incredibly unlikable and frustrating. She is convinced that she’s been exiled to France because her parents hate her, and yet the few interactions she has with them early on do nothing to provide a basis for that. She struggles with the language yet makes zero effort to learn. She finds other tourists with their loud, obnoxious English conversations to be mortifying, yet can’t seem to understand that she is exactly the same.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s a light and quick read, and one that I enjoyed up to a point. But it never really finds its feet because it is weighed down by how frustrating I found Jamie. She wasn’t someone I wanted to spend time with - half the time I just wanted to shake her. However, as a book that catapults you right back into the heat of a summer in France it was a good escape.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-8BPaRK6PJzLuOaAaOI-9dWKVm5w0WG_ptYGWkmA47Su1q2mOTvNC_G9dzd2OpGDulbKTYTpbZ3tzpAfrM-W_LV9QAvXlDvu7ChzC7G6h6C558E9c1WR4I0PmTs0sM1jLl8UaA8m8qqq/s1600/2Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-8BPaRK6PJzLuOaAaOI-9dWKVm5w0WG_ptYGWkmA47Su1q2mOTvNC_G9dzd2OpGDulbKTYTpbZ3tzpAfrM-W_LV9QAvXlDvu7ChzC7G6h6C558E9c1WR4I0PmTs0sM1jLl8UaA8m8qqq/s1600/2Stars.png" /></a></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-71910038985551059992020-07-13T11:00:00.000+01:002020-07-13T11:00:08.383+01:00Review: Sisters of Sword & Song by Rebecca Ross<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbryIj5KjymvrZEBSRFYfFuUWFCMu14ZlTPgeuF2ZQAdPezBoonEo4QJkg4JJr1zZipVxU1Ge0-Ct4CdlC8Tqwtx0V8MrOqIFFLuMzElcPV-C-dmL2mIiIRuKsr3gP3udm_9IibUCvtt3m/s1600/Sisters+of+Sword+%2526+Song.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="635" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbryIj5KjymvrZEBSRFYfFuUWFCMu14ZlTPgeuF2ZQAdPezBoonEo4QJkg4JJr1zZipVxU1Ge0-Ct4CdlC8Tqwtx0V8MrOqIFFLuMzElcPV-C-dmL2mIiIRuKsr3gP3udm_9IibUCvtt3m/s400/Sisters+of+Sword+%2526+Song.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publications date: June 25th 2020</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publisher: HarperCollins</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pages: 432</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queen’s army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander and charged with murder.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Though Halcyon’s life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyon’s sentence, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rebecca Ross hit my auto-buy author list with her debut novel, and this (her third outing with a truly beautiful standalone novel) has cemented that position. It’s a truly beautiful novel, and the fact that it’s contained in a single book rather than investing in a new series just made me love it more. It’s refreshing in a world full of trilogies to be able to enjoy a book on its own.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I adored the world that Ross created, filled with Gods and relics and myths. It’s very reminiscent of ancient Greece, with its own twists and magic seeping into every crevice. Frankly I’d love a masterclass from Ross in world building, because she is just </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so good</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and with every story she tells, her world building becomes more complex and brilliant.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s a beautiful plot, tripping along from piece to piece and drawing you further into the world. But truly, the characters are what bring this to life. The sisters particularly are so complex, layered and their growth is so wonderful to watch. I was initially curious how the two differing voices would work in this story, but as it unfolds it becomes more obvious precisely why you need to hear both voices. Evadne and Halcyon demand to be hard, and their love for each other is what propels the book. They are two sides to the same coin, and I fell for them hard.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was a standout book for the year. It’s filled with gorgeous prose, engaging characters, and fully immerses you in a stunning world. It’s a book that has stayed with me long after reading, and will be a story I return to again and again.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYZImAnqtn0kZIdi-rY4xl5QAxfSmFeU3NkTlLHtgyeWyTj-yYBgmm_sRKdFEzfxjMQ3ko06kvaWidJYUYB9wwKUltC4bevXW6N_kMyd8LymdR7YTS7AJxAW41wPfAH93TZ3dYmM2dphh/s1600/5Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYZImAnqtn0kZIdi-rY4xl5QAxfSmFeU3NkTlLHtgyeWyTj-yYBgmm_sRKdFEzfxjMQ3ko06kvaWidJYUYB9wwKUltC4bevXW6N_kMyd8LymdR7YTS7AJxAW41wPfAH93TZ3dYmM2dphh/s1600/5Stars.png" /></a></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-27398891162986760282020-07-10T11:00:00.000+01:002020-07-10T11:00:08.967+01:00Review: The Betrothed by Kiera Cass<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQxCJtAC-kjI3hcvtm_n_0SwxsMBM4JLrv7M1-pwfUf82RqYiMr_FP6NBYw2J0e3NHp3OecCRugoe2K9Q7X9p4tZ0Jhv4N_KVJ-30wjUJJ3V0z0Rw3iGn7TBWkx6M-NydZXXGTfb5EAAp/s1600/The+Betrothed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQxCJtAC-kjI3hcvtm_n_0SwxsMBM4JLrv7M1-pwfUf82RqYiMr_FP6NBYw2J0e3NHp3OecCRugoe2K9Q7X9p4tZ0Jhv4N_KVJ-30wjUJJ3V0z0Rw3iGn7TBWkx6M-NydZXXGTfb5EAAp/s400/The+Betrothed.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review</b></i></span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-8a4e2ac1-7fff-7437-1127-83c8626135a8"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: 5th May 2020</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 400</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do not expect anything deep and meaningful with a Kiera Cass book. On the whole, they’re light, fluffy romances, that don’t really require too much thought and yet are highly addictive books. Which was exactly what I needed when I picked this up, and precisely what I didn’t get. There wasn’t really anything to redeem it - the character’s are flat caricatures that never develop or turn into anything worth sticking with. There is little to no plot until the last part where suddenly what could have been an entire book's worth of plot is rammed in and has little to no emotional resonance because of the aforementioned rubbish characters and lack of time spent developing the plot that’s shoved in. And insta-love. Oh boy, the insta-love. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There were a couple of characters I would have been interested to have a book from, but nothing is really developed.In short, it is an absolute hot mess, that I’m staggered made it to being published. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX19gAZEOHEgxgPTQcAL5_-DPX_S3DZFsRto4eNYjggVYeD-K4OjeDfG135Q_wHcEDT-LYt0mW3bZw340B0MhGcbbbktS7R5oXQhLWNPM78K6yjb3244wgT-9FRPEwt7PleuJW7gY6OYk/s1600/1Star.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwX19gAZEOHEgxgPTQcAL5_-DPX_S3DZFsRto4eNYjggVYeD-K4OjeDfG135Q_wHcEDT-LYt0mW3bZw340B0MhGcbbbktS7R5oXQhLWNPM78K6yjb3244wgT-9FRPEwt7PleuJW7gY6OYk/s1600/1Star.png" /></a></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-54441992382912599352020-07-08T14:08:00.000+01:002020-07-08T14:08:05.223+01:00Review: The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7Ery_Yp2rE7vJCCJGDw7asSi9ddSM98LRBeu8dfkAgB6sn3Xelff6p48U7mraFU3BsppVJ9dhVvQZizk4cJGDXF-oM22npMJtxQuV-m0heMGS6FuS1yFY7TdNFi0CaKGirGnSrDM_fwR/s1600/The+Gravity+of+Us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7Ery_Yp2rE7vJCCJGDw7asSi9ddSM98LRBeu8dfkAgB6sn3Xelff6p48U7mraFU3BsppVJ9dhVvQZizk4cJGDXF-oM22npMJtxQuV-m0heMGS6FuS1yFY7TdNFi0CaKGirGnSrDM_fwR/s400/The+Gravity+of+Us.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spoilers below, proceed with caution.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to Netglley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-a0f6c56d-7fff-2c27-ce8a-45a53cc3aa6f" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publication date: 17th May 2020</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publisher: Bloomsbury</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pages: 313</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, seventeen-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another “Astrokid,” and finds himself falling head over heels—fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a way to reveal the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Expertly capturing the thrill of first love and the self-doubt all teens feel, debut author Phil Stamper is a new talent to watch.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This book had all the marks of a read that I was going to adore, but sadly ‘The Gravity of Us’ just didn’t pull me in. Part of this was due to not really connecting with Cal, as he often came across as completely selfish and didn’t give any consideration to what was going on with those around him. But the majority of this was due to slightly dubious issues of consent running throughout.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are two big instances of this, and they completely marred my enjoyment of the rest of the novel. Firstly, when Cal knows there are cameras on himself and Leon, and that Leon isn’t out, yet chooses to take Leon’s hand and have an intimate moment with him that he knows is being filmed and will eventually be broadcast. Leon is unaware of what’s happening, and only finds out when the footage is released. There’s a brief moment where Leon is horrified about what has happened and the knowledge that Cal knew and acted with intent, but then it’s completely forgotten about and never discussed or resolved.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The second instance is the entire relationship between Cal’s parents. Cal’s father applies for the space programme without talking to his wife about it at any point. He then uproots the entire family and completely disregards his wife’s anxiety and wishes. Now maybe these are dealt with in conversations that Cal isn’t privy too, but it doesn’t seem like it, and the entire portrayal left me with a bad aftertaste.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The idea is intriguing, but it never really flies. I wanted to like it so much, but ultimately I just felt frustrated and disheartened by the issues I’ve outlined above, and they coloured my overall enjoyment of the book.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZpFMOgvo-plhCGb2H6LvpVEFXwVoslaBAP9uxzNNLfQe7vv9oq9jA7RSysCwjv6b-kQ_FuDfqkUXX0ic3Fjm1utjgVC2mA-CxhCf_GjeCs-vmLGods-9PYoYsmZJXM-K-FcFimfKFeR_/s1600/2Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZpFMOgvo-plhCGb2H6LvpVEFXwVoslaBAP9uxzNNLfQe7vv9oq9jA7RSysCwjv6b-kQ_FuDfqkUXX0ic3Fjm1utjgVC2mA-CxhCf_GjeCs-vmLGods-9PYoYsmZJXM-K-FcFimfKFeR_/s1600/2Stars.png" /></a></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-69170719268845133342019-04-30T11:00:00.000+01:002019-04-30T11:00:22.541+01:00Books I'm Squeeing About in May<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEerNiEExKBHQpiPLSH2Zl5Rsa5fy4-udcZYzziyiHlKHhd7UqPOWn-P6sYgtP5ZG_iZjBP473QlK9vzQJe_dxkyD4sbOcVZHUTwhMeBHFEuxHDxJji3nhWLJAyPIWExfpxaJagI5E4UXT/s1600/Squeeing3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="602" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEerNiEExKBHQpiPLSH2Zl5Rsa5fy4-udcZYzziyiHlKHhd7UqPOWn-P6sYgtP5ZG_iZjBP473QlK9vzQJe_dxkyD4sbOcVZHUTwhMeBHFEuxHDxJji3nhWLJAyPIWExfpxaJagI5E4UXT/s320/Squeeing3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spring is sprunging, and there are new books on the horizon! Which is excellent news for my brain, and terrible news for my bank balance and book shelves. I need to build new bookshelves...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are the excitingly beautiful bookish delights hitting our shelves this month that I can't wait to get my hands on!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7X6P7cWskxYjFtgClA2zVT6sBEsUMVRDorvNfV2E0CUm9-DzYbgGBmJrzc7PtFfjkJ1sHBrn5Nd9nr80khM8rtvJOZy3lYfHE7dLCLpbD6r5_E4vD9RVOD5bMmzMpB-Mo5t9JPoLRxF_/s1600/915%252BYnMe9YL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1053" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7X6P7cWskxYjFtgClA2zVT6sBEsUMVRDorvNfV2E0CUm9-DzYbgGBmJrzc7PtFfjkJ1sHBrn5Nd9nr80khM8rtvJOZy3lYfHE7dLCLpbD6r5_E4vD9RVOD5bMmzMpB-Mo5t9JPoLRxF_/s400/915%252BYnMe9YL.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">May 1st 2019</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>When Nadya prays to the gods, they listen, and magic flows through her veins. For nearly a century the Kalyazi have been locked in a deadly holy war with Tranavian heretics, and her power is the only thing that is a match for the enemy's blood magic. But when the Travanian High Prince, and his army invade the monastery she is hiding in, instead of saving her people, Nadya is forced to flee the only home she's ever known, leaving it in flames behind her, and vengeance in her heart. As night falls, she chooses to defy her gods and forge a dangerous alliance with a pair of refugees and their Tranavian blood mage leader, a beautiful, broken boy who deserted his homeland after witnessing his blood cult commit unthinkable monstrosities. The plan? Assassinate the king and stop the war. But when they discover a nefarious conspiracy that goes beyond their two countries, everything Nadya believes is thrown into question, including her budding feelings for her new partner. Someone has been harvesting blood mages for a dark purpose, experimenting with combining Tranavian blood magic with the Kalyazi's divine one. In order to save her people, Nadya must now decide whether to trust the High Prince - her country's enemy - or the beautiful boy with powers that may ignite something far worse than the war they're trying to end.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everything about this screams excitement to me. Magic! Fantasy land! War! Politics! Basically I need more things to filled "The Priory of the Orange Tree" shaped hole in my heart. Gimme!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aLNX_V7r7WhD4fwL3Vwff2zyEsgIwgRMYRN6GXuzuz2pYGBAwP1MoDnlB74D2PKrhcU9Pht9SiJC46L-lytH1rii0fl_ePW-VlMwCMwLn8VzDLnkzwj9s5gqjwnbxvlJZJ8ZdxfoJBbM/s1600/51JoQ%252Bx7vWL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aLNX_V7r7WhD4fwL3Vwff2zyEsgIwgRMYRN6GXuzuz2pYGBAwP1MoDnlB74D2PKrhcU9Pht9SiJC46L-lytH1rii0fl_ePW-VlMwCMwLn8VzDLnkzwj9s5gqjwnbxvlJZJ8ZdxfoJBbM/s400/51JoQ%252Bx7vWL.jpg" width="261" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">May 2nd 2019</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After escaping from imprisonment under the brutal Kaiser, Theodosia is on the run, plotting to take revenge and reclaim her rightful place as queen of the enslaved Astreans.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thousands of miles away from her people and her throne, Theo and her friends must work to gather an army. And the only way is to auction herself as a bride – to the kingdom who will pay the most. Freedom always comes at a price and with the Kaiser closing in, she must rely on her wits to identify who she can really trust.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know, I know, I still need to read the first book. But I<i> know</i> I'm going to love it, and I can still desperately want the sequel even not really knowing what's happening... I don't have a book problem. Really, I don't...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xsiLJlgPc4fQdYvlsfcNEZqpwvroydVlr9YyC0s7P9XU_qGsVRssw9MOUivM6fCx8IgtdVzsm7ImzH3254_0dqlvwfibzNWtIftMRYFG8KzrFeu-C2BsD8-nQa8ThBvv4J5L2TOwhqbW/s1600/51FyXWWcB1L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xsiLJlgPc4fQdYvlsfcNEZqpwvroydVlr9YyC0s7P9XU_qGsVRssw9MOUivM6fCx8IgtdVzsm7ImzH3254_0dqlvwfibzNWtIftMRYFG8KzrFeu-C2BsD8-nQa8ThBvv4J5L2TOwhqbW/s400/51FyXWWcB1L.jpg" width="260" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Bride Test by Helen Hoang</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">May 7th 2019</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, not big, important emotions - like grief. And love. He thinks he's defective. His family knows better - that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly refuses to consider a relationship, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. So when the opportunity arises to go to America and meet a potential husband, she can't turn it down. This could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn't go quite as planned. Esme's lessons in love seem to be working... but only on herself. She's hopelessly smitten with a man who's convinced he can never return her affection.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Esme's time in the United States dwindles, will Khai let his head catch up with his heart? Will he find the strength to let go, and let love in?</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've seen so much buzz about this one already, and it just sounds amazing! I really need to read "The Kiss Quotient" too, but I cannot wait to get my hands on this!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFGhc7XQPV8y2YmxGlDNsXVzrdy7CVveTSseBltOX7HgRQqw123Pqq9sueZRYBGS8ZlVRLAtSnehsQ23iPidnuW86s3ncMZn4pFl0TbX5i9BMIxLSdkFWQ9aDhNyP9FPbn_izq7SQZbUT/s1600/81GAVXbDTVL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFGhc7XQPV8y2YmxGlDNsXVzrdy7CVveTSseBltOX7HgRQqw123Pqq9sueZRYBGS8ZlVRLAtSnehsQ23iPidnuW86s3ncMZn4pFl0TbX5i9BMIxLSdkFWQ9aDhNyP9FPbn_izq7SQZbUT/s400/81GAVXbDTVL.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Romanov by Nadine <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: purple; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Brandes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">May 30th 2019</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>The history books say I died. They don't know the half of it. Anastasia "Nastya" Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family's only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them... and he's hunted Romanov before. Nastya's only chances of saving herself and her family are either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn't act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya's only dabbled in magic, but it doesn't frighten her half as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her... That is, until she's on one side of a firing squad... and he's on the other.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I adore stories about the Romanovs so this just sounds amazing and exciting and I really hope it lives up to the hype, because I want to love it so bad!</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There you have the books I can't wait for this month, now tell me some of yours in the comments below!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-33849578987468633372019-04-23T11:00:00.000+01:002019-04-23T11:00:00.531+01:00Top Ten Tuesday: The first ten books I reviewed on The Review Diaries<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wrY46sKM2n3xF6lPUe8tLzMNDXWb5xnXTpdOAY9xGvMG9_xqfbg1ujz8w8b3vaYecSVsDpIvfgfgjtf97oNuklDE6pMuGr1Uz3fUok6lXLmB-UrnDoel29ndz1fDxQCiv2CvFZTtdP_a/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wrY46sKM2n3xF6lPUe8tLzMNDXWb5xnXTpdOAY9xGvMG9_xqfbg1ujz8w8b3vaYecSVsDpIvfgfgjtf97oNuklDE6pMuGr1Uz3fUok6lXLmB-UrnDoel29ndz1fDxQCiv2CvFZTtdP_a/s320/TTT-NEW.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbUJ-miIQ3yzl9yek-TetQVSq82qHzccP9NvWG72gAXlXam5HYzhj7ZMJku9RfjDrScWODdbVCq0U_0-oSnpIQXljloZEZcYKRizzQJqdnkXE7eUgtf8dDKh_KcuFqDI2DyhrJUoTL_ZP/s1600/TTT-NEW.png"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArBj4vDb1fkD6oW7AinAQgoGfF2A7mAXsRF5AX53aRlLWMDGiiGfZjOfVYRDptsUWKUc7QqSuVetnrFIz7NUHRXSjrwewsOo5LnFs0X9jSzs9TrSYAcsFpJ6hryrv1RcnlHxPrgULeMJY/s1600/TTT-NEW.png"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the fabulous Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl. You can join in with <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/">future topics here!</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ah those were the days! The ones when I first started blogging and frankly was not the best, but I was young and bright eyed and eager to share my love of the books with the world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It's been nine years, and looking back I fear that I somewhat questionable taste in some of my first reads and reviews for the blog. But it's always fun to dig them out and see how far I've come. So without further ado, here are the first ten book reviews I wrote for this site!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvj59iNiuqPRE9qFPgn_W355cAgu3-uctA77x151zHHmaSQUbbfeHAEqjss7Il8wywoh3qhx91ILGXeNUZoBXSOO1JZ_m_ytj-jTkt2o9hkNoQXlLJ6PBSDUzWRJlByqJCpDhZAd6m307/s1600/matched.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="199" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvj59iNiuqPRE9qFPgn_W355cAgu3-uctA77x151zHHmaSQUbbfeHAEqjss7Il8wywoh3qhx91ILGXeNUZoBXSOO1JZ_m_ytj-jTkt2o9hkNoQXlLJ6PBSDUzWRJlByqJCpDhZAd6m307/s200/matched.jpg" width="124" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Matched by Ally Condie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A weirdly strange dystopian that never managed to capture my heart enough for me to finish reading the trilogy. It was still enjoyable, and I can recall a few of the details of the story, but not enough to make me want to revisit it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-matched-by-ally-condie.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYTP9_a8jUJ8pYPVFSxyV_jNy6_FM4bfOOxROkbhyphenhyphenb6-E4hwOUoihzHtG1MZxUN31aSboLg-U_uRZrM9nVx4w55TrDAgDiCod-28Xo4StXdBo82aq5UZPVDvbGuNgI7qEU7fhIkoMK7R0/s1600/fromnottinghill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="221" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYTP9_a8jUJ8pYPVFSxyV_jNy6_FM4bfOOxROkbhyphenhyphenb6-E4hwOUoihzHtG1MZxUN31aSboLg-U_uRZrM9nVx4w55TrDAgDiCod-28Xo4StXdBo82aq5UZPVDvbGuNgI7qEU7fhIkoMK7R0/s200/fromnottinghill.jpg" width="138" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">From Notting Hill with Love... Actually by Ali McNamara</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Gosh I still love this book. A pitch perfect romance that takes some of the best parts of my very favourite rom coms and weaves them into a truly stunning debut. It's been years since I last read this one, but I'm feeling super nostalgic now and want to go back for a re-read!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-from-notting-hill-with-love.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn_kf-lLm8sC1zMvGhNqNH27IcdEpV0ipJ5wVVTR27z0KdU9f7X3nQyiT4mxTeGL1sMxXOv7wmCu71K7i1YbbVVtDSkHgncn8jArfFHKJPvuIVwXN66mDW_qK1rrrprt8teaKj8r7qPGA/s1600/darkroadtodarjeeling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="205" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOn_kf-lLm8sC1zMvGhNqNH27IcdEpV0ipJ5wVVTR27z0KdU9f7X3nQyiT4mxTeGL1sMxXOv7wmCu71K7i1YbbVVtDSkHgncn8jArfFHKJPvuIVwXN66mDW_qK1rrrprt8teaKj8r7qPGA/s200/darkroadtodarjeeling.jpg" width="128" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Deanna Raybourn still holds my heart for the best historical murder mystery novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. This book marked a shift in the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, stepping away from the will they/won't they of the first three novels, and showcasing what life together looks like for Julia and Brisbane. I still love this book and I revisit it frequently.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-dark-road-to-darjeeling-by.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTMAcxz-dzZKHWlou8Pp5geGOmAknfZQoAkyxTcIng21T8CsoTPzWrVUmRSgZ2roK1smHPrWYc9TJrqT4QwfIPls2yHCjj5sEXItDy550C-4lv6KlyWa1j4hedROzcYnmvEtRXdhu82VN/s1600/Entice+by+Carrie+Jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTMAcxz-dzZKHWlou8Pp5geGOmAknfZQoAkyxTcIng21T8CsoTPzWrVUmRSgZ2roK1smHPrWYc9TJrqT4QwfIPls2yHCjj5sEXItDy550C-4lv6KlyWa1j4hedROzcYnmvEtRXdhu82VN/s200/Entice+by+Carrie+Jones.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Entice by Carrie Jones</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have vague memories of a super cold setting, faeries, and some norse mythology thrown in, but I couldn't tell you anything more about this book. Oh, the covers are quite cool. Yeah, that's it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-entice-by-carrie-jones.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM49MpS1V5TiAKZSvN3yNBP8e2igX0XSR5qAc087Wt11x_BpSRCbVbHWKPBT4ssFqNztzGLl7ZUqi28GkyKTL6JR9GH_Q9egAsubEyboXkL13WlfDZhsvSoGO5lammNkvv631BzvPm-5GA/s1600/strictly+shimmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="211" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM49MpS1V5TiAKZSvN3yNBP8e2igX0XSR5qAc087Wt11x_BpSRCbVbHWKPBT4ssFqNztzGLl7ZUqi28GkyKTL6JR9GH_Q9egAsubEyboXkL13WlfDZhsvSoGO5lammNkvv631BzvPm-5GA/s200/strictly+shimmer.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Strictly Shimmer by Amanda Roberts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This was a terrible decision. No matter how much I enjoyed Strictly Come Dancing, this book was a poor life choice. I hadn't quite worked out how to review a book that I didn't like by this point, so I mostly just got frustrated. Spoiler alert, despite my intentions, I did not go back and subject myself to the second book - in fact I've no idea if it was even published.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-strictly-shimmer-by-amanda.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHgXuhaf13lkVBsuax3xDlM7zqLfJh2omnHnHf1SMMy9S4HVlexlIDcfaEMYszs6UOqkUJ_xlLwHY0aKLj6cp3dbmuhWFM2wYhg5LSc36SfGZ6UPb-Th_DTVZ4z9k3-fT-wUX4JxUS26E/s1600/InfiniteDays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHgXuhaf13lkVBsuax3xDlM7zqLfJh2omnHnHf1SMMy9S4HVlexlIDcfaEMYszs6UOqkUJ_xlLwHY0aKLj6cp3dbmuhWFM2wYhg5LSc36SfGZ6UPb-Th_DTVZ4z9k3-fT-wUX4JxUS26E/s200/InfiniteDays.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Despite my better judgement and general vampire fatigue of the time, I actually enjoyed this vampire filled story. What I most remember about reading this one, was the feeling of sinking into a good story and becoming utterly lost inside it. It's not one I've revisited since, but I have fond recollections of reading it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoqNkT-JO-X5rKYk-_sf4gkNxvG7VSBlWJ5Jpi6jogvUPFJptCYq2rxrjwJobEgO-MmQv_3LerYp7Xn-6VYAqrMGUK-Z-5DOh02IF9wsbUr16JtF5-w1A_rC4zYIRiKL8lbIq38N_jP_R/s1600/new+cardiff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="199" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoqNkT-JO-X5rKYk-_sf4gkNxvG7VSBlWJ5Jpi6jogvUPFJptCYq2rxrjwJobEgO-MmQv_3LerYp7Xn-6VYAqrMGUK-Z-5DOh02IF9wsbUr16JtF5-w1A_rC4zYIRiKL8lbIq38N_jP_R/s200/new+cardiff.jpg" width="124" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-infinite-days-by-rebecca-maizel.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">New Cardiff by Charles Webb</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I found the film (Hope Springs, starring Colin Firth) first and thoroughly love it, so I was intrigued to find out what the book was like. In answer, not at all like the film. A curious, fascinatingly written story, I found myself appreciating the book as its own entity and finished loving both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-new-cardiff-by-charles-webb.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEF9y2bea8wb9xmBZim5e_iczYUmkyAhxFWrWNNAtFci9uFC44PDJ7lQCArf0u6p1xNhwRCHgU0GX0hcwKx6pb-5FHTv9vk1wUW_ODA5_OdzpmNSOSfLYNuBNLms6N0eFpk8uLChlaG84X/s1600/desperate+duchesses.jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEF9y2bea8wb9xmBZim5e_iczYUmkyAhxFWrWNNAtFci9uFC44PDJ7lQCArf0u6p1xNhwRCHgU0GX0hcwKx6pb-5FHTv9vk1wUW_ODA5_OdzpmNSOSfLYNuBNLms6N0eFpk8uLChlaG84X/s200/desperate+duchesses.jpeg.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">When the Duke Returns by Eloisa James</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My love affair with Eloisa James was only really beginning way back when nine years ago. Thankfully it's still going strong, and her Desperate Duchesses series remains my favourite of all her works. Plus I love the UK covers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3YPir85AxuOBweglGubzeESG9WraZ2mWj_KMBzoXTluDQZWSCeo_11kQhiAxF5p8N0U3DKb4rVszdTSJ9NNAL6iaavaicZEUa1gEEcvStNHkdItQWT4UMgreuuoUFgSmYcCovEwk5QbD/s1600/entangled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="181" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3YPir85AxuOBweglGubzeESG9WraZ2mWj_KMBzoXTluDQZWSCeo_11kQhiAxF5p8N0U3DKb4rVszdTSJ9NNAL6iaavaicZEUa1gEEcvStNHkdItQWT4UMgreuuoUFgSmYcCovEwk5QbD/s200/entangled.jpg" width="129" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-when-duke-returns-by-eloisa.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Entangled by Cat Clarke</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A gorgeous debut novel I loved Clarke's writing, and have come back to her and her startlingly real stories many times over the years.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjr99nLO22w_0QJ6kAab6DMYrQlyAXJQyNJp5gweTjaQ0DAtVl6FYwxkb-VLzYlNWhicFI3v8-VqxK4HWny3H6ycnmEtlX0Q-MdMR3vkJKO29nNKT2Kx1L6-7mBN-KTpq32gY8k6Eg7EY6/s1600/girl+with+glass+feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjr99nLO22w_0QJ6kAab6DMYrQlyAXJQyNJp5gweTjaQ0DAtVl6FYwxkb-VLzYlNWhicFI3v8-VqxK4HWny3H6ycnmEtlX0Q-MdMR3vkJKO29nNKT2Kx1L6-7mBN-KTpq32gY8k6Eg7EY6/s200/girl+with+glass+feet.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-entangled-by-cat-clarke.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">This novel still makes me cry. All of Ali's do. It's beautiful, captivating, heart breaking, dark and twisty and filled with unexpected magic. It's a quiet novel that utterly ruined me, but I still think of it often.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-girl-with-glass-feet-by-ali-shaw.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So there you have the first ten book reviews I posted on this site! I have to admit, it's been a blast going back and digging through my first few posts - working out which books I started with and what I remember of them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments below!</span></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-70626125027428241932019-04-15T13:53:00.002+01:002019-04-15T14:06:53.599+01:00TV review: Game of Thrones S08E01 - Winterfell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS3DzuBHblKLp2yn4DnGOSfm-HqKJmN10REzsErVuS5mrMfsRbscW9ikkzpFaLlqxrHaBGYu-9hE9u9kjNQxrNL_LlK9lLw6NMKswj9j260uXq0f0-IndOwfBXc8nx0lsH6DaR1TMaqQh/s1600/got.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="830" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMS3DzuBHblKLp2yn4DnGOSfm-HqKJmN10REzsErVuS5mrMfsRbscW9ikkzpFaLlqxrHaBGYu-9hE9u9kjNQxrNL_LlK9lLw6NMKswj9j260uXq0f0-IndOwfBXc8nx0lsH6DaR1TMaqQh/s320/got.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After a nearly interminable wait between seven and eight, a mammoth re-watch of the preceding seasons, and far too many theories to count - season eight finally aired its premier episode last night and hit all of the right notes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Moving multiple people around on the ever moving chessboard as we set up for the big battle to come, this was a relatively understated affair that still packed a hell of a punch as we're thrust back into the world of Thrones.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Given that most people in the UK will have been sensible and<i> not</i> gotten up to watch the premier at 2am, my thoughts on the episode are below the cut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">First up,<i> that title sequence.</i></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TZE9gVF1QbA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TZE9gVF1QbA?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: right; float: right;" width="320"></iframe><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Sure we've always had some variation with the title sequence, giving us a little insight into who or where the episode might focus on, and the state of some of those places, but the sudden shock of a really different sequence was both glorious and terrifying. We're in the end game now...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I can't wait to see how this evolves as the army of the dead progress south and ice covers more of the map, and whether we'll see interiors of any of the other places we've become used to seeing from a distance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I'm also curious to see, if the army of the dead take Winterfell, how that might show on the map...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">The title sequence has always been beautiful, but this was on a whole other level. It shakes you up and puts the complacent watcher on an uneven footing, and adds a new layer to the already gorgeous titles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I loved all of the call-backs to the very first episode - it's really wonderful to watch so many things come full circle, and history repeating itself in so many ways. T<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">his is the arrival of a monarch at Winterfell with the full budget of the show backing it, and it's great to see the scope of the army and the North out to witness this foreign Queen arriving. It's also a chance for a) a sweet call back to a small child trying to see the arrival akin to Arya witnessing the arrival in the first episode, and b) Arya quietly watching all these people arrive. She's just a face in the crowd and no-one notices her as they ride past, but she's taking everything in, and watching her reactions is really wonderful.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It's an episode filled with reunions and pushing new characters together, which is always something exciting to behold. The episodes that bring together swathes of characters that we've come to know and love, and seeing how the dynamics shift and change are always glorious to watch. "Winter is Coming", "The Lion and the Rose", and "The Dragon and the Wolf" are particular stand out episodes that showcase smushing characters together and seeing what happens, and I loved the melting pot of tensions and groupings that we've been offered in this episode.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OgVxG6dxKHuwF66-sgf7_e5TJwTKqxvpMWp3rRgzlpQc6o19qEmPYEozWnPCB4AWfyGeMRHEGH94kkgKIN5LtLAaqSzgt2U9id5GauTl5e-X4lHNEzykiTD0ZgsU6tPqN-nOweAYDEw_/s1600/got-4-14-recap-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OgVxG6dxKHuwF66-sgf7_e5TJwTKqxvpMWp3rRgzlpQc6o19qEmPYEozWnPCB4AWfyGeMRHEGH94kkgKIN5LtLAaqSzgt2U9id5GauTl5e-X4lHNEzykiTD0ZgsU6tPqN-nOweAYDEw_/s320/got-4-14-recap-15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But before I get into some of my favourites - ALL THE STARKS ARE HOME. I mean, sure, Jon is technically not a Stark, but I don't care. My babies haven't been together since the first two episodes, and it is such a treat to see Jon reunite with both Bran and Arya. These were written and performed to absolute perfection, and my little heart overflowed with joy watching them. I also wanted to cry at the slightly evasive "once or twice" answer Arya gave Jon when he asked her if she'd ever had to use needle. Oh Jon, Arya is not the little girl you last saw, no matter the call backs we get to that girl during this episode. This feels a little like "Arya's past comes back in various forms." We get her reunion with Jon which mirrors so beautifully their goodbye in season 1. We get her reunion with the hound which is pitched perfectly for these two and their insanely complex relationship, and we finally,<i> finally</i> got her reunion with Gendry, which was both everything I had ever hoped for, plus sets up a fab and probably incredibly important new weapon. Any bets on Arya being the one to take down the Night King and his dragon?...</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKWXGgPWR4tmm0L_BQOaE6oUCwWRuwxmhK7iDFjxpo_8r9WnMUXgVxq_2JjItAUPDIxCmvEORFuArTS0JPsVRyIZP-nxf38lDGPpSAiv98KMbBSsVX7nPYRDxg5qmoO31VLZDERgagvuc/s1600/x360-6Q6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="513" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKWXGgPWR4tmm0L_BQOaE6oUCwWRuwxmhK7iDFjxpo_8r9WnMUXgVxq_2JjItAUPDIxCmvEORFuArTS0JPsVRyIZP-nxf38lDGPpSAiv98KMbBSsVX7nPYRDxg5qmoO31VLZDERgagvuc/s320/x360-6Q6.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The other reunion I was super stoked for? Sansa and Tyrion, because we have come a loooong way from Joffrey's wedding. Sansa is now an absolute powerhouse, and I love how Arya will straight up admit she's the smartest person she knows instead of casually chatting about peeling her face off. Sansa is one of the few people actively playing the long game and trying to look at what comes *after* the battle against the dead. Because sure, everyone may die, but what if they don't? How are we going to feed them all? She has been put through the wringer over the last seven seasons, and she has soaked up all those lessons like a sponge. She's been around the biggest and cleverest players, and she has outlived almost all of them. It's a huge fist pump moment to watch her use all that she's had done to her, all that she's seen happen around her, and to come out stronger for it. It was also nice to have her see right through Cersei's ridiculous ploy and to call out Tyrion for falling for it. Tyrion has suffered rather over the last couple of seasons because most of his scheming has failed. It's had to to further the plot, but it's been a shame to watch him go from one of the cleverest players to someone so easily duped. I really hope Sansa calling him out on it marks a distinct shift for him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Speaking of distinct shifts, this is easily one of the funnier episodes of Thrones, which I really wasn't expecting. It feels almost light hearted in a few moments, most noticeably the prolonged dragon flying sequence. Yes we need to see Jon flying a dragon to prep for when he inevitably flies into battle on one, yes it helps to cement his heritage, and yes it's great to see the banter between him and Dany prior to him mounting up, and him struggle to hold on whilst Rhaegal actively tests him with some excellent tricks, but it also is one of the longer sequences in a season where every moment counts. It's a curious choice that breaks the relentless doom, and allows for a bittersweet moment when Dany suggests they could just hide here forever - oh Ygritte I miss you still. But I did find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop and for something terrible to happen in that sequence - it's rare to get lighter moments now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">So many moments are tinged with sadness, with foreshadowing of what's to come. Theon going back to Winterfell (I can't help but wonder if the trailer with Bran speaking about everything leading to coming home isn't aimed at one of the Starks, but is in fact for Theon?) He's had such a story, and his redemption is almost complete. He has to go back to Winterfell, he has to face Bran and complete that circle, and I keep wondering about Yara telling him (many season ago) not to die so far from the sea...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFsb5AVGJvEyZBaNnBMmZW7uZ31XxuuZniqpzu6-232LGa3aEgHykZ3sQzbM1cJN-kOZjtPm0xEBQykDOPU0ehZTnEBAhWOTnddJ_jKUt08_P0xYgSi2NV87YLNVureSvilCZuhiy-msj/s1600/6016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFsb5AVGJvEyZBaNnBMmZW7uZ31XxuuZniqpzu6-232LGa3aEgHykZ3sQzbM1cJN-kOZjtPm0xEBQykDOPU0ehZTnEBAhWOTnddJ_jKUt08_P0xYgSi2NV87YLNVureSvilCZuhiy-msj/s320/6016.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";">I'm also thrilled to see Yara again - I have everything crossed for her delivering an epic smack-down for Euron this season, and I'm sure we're going to see more of her and the potential last stronghold for the living in a couple of episodes time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">We spend very little time away from Winterfell, aside from a few key moments for Theon and Yara, and to show Cersei has gone full on murderous by sending Bronn off to murder Jamie and Tyrion, whilst being decidedly disappointed at the lack of elephants. Same, Cersei. Her response to hearing the wall has fallen and the dead are moving south captures everything perfectly - "good."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This is not an hour of epic battles and insane moments, this (like many of the first season episodes) is a quieter affair that tightens up the dynamics and moves players and pieces into place for the battle to come. It doubles down on character development and motivation, which is something I found slightly lacking in season 7, and quite a relief to go back to again. "Beyond the Wall" S07E06 made me feel more than a little concerned about how the final season might play out (I'll argue it's one of the weakest episodes of Thrones) so it was reassuring to go back in and get to the heart of a lot of the characters that suddenly find themselves in close quarters, unable to quite set aside their differences. It's just a crucible waiting to explode, and it's simply a matter of which happens first - the army of the dead arriving, or the in-fighting reaching breaking point.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H5pz19PmxSauD1tdofIvGd2POto5nhwPVvEtK-c8e-Ago6MXUFVvGO7Ar0O2y6IjkRkkGgYtYsum3c93Z_M3V3FUZZBR9S7wKyLcb_fWEtwgvCEqoh9XlznJMQIHN7BvZbRk0DnxHpVO/s1600/game-of-thrones-season-8-image-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This is particularly obvious with both the interactions with Dany, and when other character's are talking about her. I really love the path we're being shown with Dany. She's always been someone to root for, and I still do. But we're also really having the problems highlighted. Yes she wants to free the oppressed, she wants to break the wheel, leave the world better than she found it, etc. But in these later seasons, she is also becoming harder, set in her ways, more fixated on others recognising her authority and lashing out at those who don't. It's referenced a lot - that she has this temper and these impulses and those around her are meant to curb them, but that's often<i> hard.</i> Tyrion has his work cut out for him most of the time, and it does send worrying signals that Dany, whilst initially the person who had the strongest claim to the Throne and seemed like the benevolent ruler who would do the realm the most good, is at times a little bit scary. After this latest episode I'm not so sure she's going to come out of this on top.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H5pz19PmxSauD1tdofIvGd2POto5nhwPVvEtK-c8e-Ago6MXUFVvGO7Ar0O2y6IjkRkkGgYtYsum3c93Z_M3V3FUZZBR9S7wKyLcb_fWEtwgvCEqoh9XlznJMQIHN7BvZbRk0DnxHpVO/s1600/game-of-thrones-season-8-image-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H5pz19PmxSauD1tdofIvGd2POto5nhwPVvEtK-c8e-Ago6MXUFVvGO7Ar0O2y6IjkRkkGgYtYsum3c93Z_M3V3FUZZBR9S7wKyLcb_fWEtwgvCEqoh9XlznJMQIHN7BvZbRk0DnxHpVO/s320/game-of-thrones-season-8-image-11.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And to have that really rammed home with what should have been a lovely scene - Sam and Dany coming face to face to really give him the thank you he deserved for saving Jorah. We as viewers like all of the people on screen, yet it suddenly becomes awkward and horrible when faced with what Dany did to Sam's father and brother last season. Sure Randall at least was very Not Nice and Sam Did Not Like Him (all totally justified) but equally, this woman who is meant to come and make things better, is admitting (without a shred of remorse, because she's a Queen and can't really admit wrong doing) that she burned Sam's family to a crisp. That's horrific to watch, and suddenly this good person who you've justified all her actions is a bit harder to like and justify. That's all compounded when Sam points out to Jon a few minutes later that Jon gave up his crown for his people, but Dany wouldn't do the same. It reminded me strongly of Robb beheading his bannerman in season 3 for butchering the Lannister boys. That was the beginning of the end for him, and I'm curious if we'll get any further echoes of that in Dany over the next couple of episodes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Power so often corrupts, and it's a really fascinating study in how these characters deal with power. Jon doesn't want it, he gives it up willingly if it helps his people. Yet the longer Dany goes with power, the harder she becomes, and the harder to reason with. She's always been headstrong, always defied what is expected of her, and often what she's been counselled to do. It's part of what makes her so extraordinary. But now she's so close to the throne and everything she wants, the blinkers are starting to close in and she's less tolerant of weakness perceived around her. I'm reminded of Tywin - "anyone who has to say I am the King is no King". We'll see where this goes, but I am fully on board for this journey, right to the end.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtXXjCSrZ1pjaTzZI0V3EeLfF3zYzbVZsZk5fwFHBT92sBxMmY3zvylBlkcIpZPiWqS2BlZFvGs8PE3-zkzx4SL7N7Q0RRlarY9xGawUgv37ojwm3s1YUBYF4EgdkKO3jfqONcApwR2RY/s1600/4972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtXXjCSrZ1pjaTzZI0V3EeLfF3zYzbVZsZk5fwFHBT92sBxMmY3zvylBlkcIpZPiWqS2BlZFvGs8PE3-zkzx4SL7N7Q0RRlarY9xGawUgv37ojwm3s1YUBYF4EgdkKO3jfqONcApwR2RY/s320/4972.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And let's talk about that end. It is a perfect full circle moment. Jamie Lannister has finally got to deal with the consequences of his actions, and have them rammed home in a way he never has before. When he first pushed Bran off the tower he didn't care, it didn't impact him at all. He never goes to see unconscious crippled Bran, and then he leaves Winterfell fully expecting to never return. Sure he's held hostage by Robb and Cat, and yeah he has a bit of a kerfuffle with Ned, but he has never had to actually face these consequences. It also helps that his time with Brienne has helped make him try to do the right thing, this is a Jamie that is actively trying to atone for some of the bad stuff he's done, and this is one of the worst that he suddenly has come face to face with<i> as soon as he gets off the horse.</i> Plus I love the power play that Bran must have thought through prior to this moment - where can I place my chair to have the most perfect moment of impact for this guy when he gets in?...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It's a really solid start to the final season, and definitely left me excited for what's to come. Bring it Thrones, the next five Monday's are going to be exhausting but totally worth it!</span></span></div>
<i></i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><i></i><br />Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-85081707080550864922019-03-29T11:00:00.000+00:002019-03-29T11:00:12.072+00:00Books I'm Squeeing About in April<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nJqXUGF5sJxF7IAEiOB0m5Slh4XxmEmIDmFugeXpmQ3eeprGvlu65zPcTb_LNHcSlm5IZidaLUci6tW23sG_veuRBNKslYmaLENPffDXIU67X6p0n-P4o7O925AA6h3y9bfqF8vXsWse/s1600/Squeeing3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="602" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nJqXUGF5sJxF7IAEiOB0m5Slh4XxmEmIDmFugeXpmQ3eeprGvlu65zPcTb_LNHcSlm5IZidaLUci6tW23sG_veuRBNKslYmaLENPffDXIU67X6p0n-P4o7O925AA6h3y9bfqF8vXsWse/s320/Squeeing3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're storming through this year, and yet more lovely books are finding their way into my little grabby hands this month. So keep an eye out for these gorgeous beauties this month when you find your way into a bookstore!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRSMYdTXYd9gBCtM40Jlwl8Z4rT-GDL_2rH5GuM9DPLyaTxCysWYbvba1Cbm-ucuXeYxVI7PgLEWSQFRknXrV6NSgip_Dywu_egOWEsUsjb85HwdsNx7bjUmcr6VqRVMwjIUL2U-7voER/s1600/71Zb80tuQVL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRSMYdTXYd9gBCtM40Jlwl8Z4rT-GDL_2rH5GuM9DPLyaTxCysWYbvba1Cbm-ucuXeYxVI7PgLEWSQFRknXrV6NSgip_Dywu_egOWEsUsjb85HwdsNx7bjUmcr6VqRVMwjIUL2U-7voER/s400/71Zb80tuQVL.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Descendant of the Crane by Joan He</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">April 2nd 2019</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own. Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she's thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father's killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer--a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira--a brilliant investigator who's also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love that we're finally getting more diverse fiction cropping up in mainstream publishing, and this gorgeous cover and blurb have me all kinds of excited for reading this one.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUEjRc-UFgxBUyMIKIQDbvLEto5uSAizSHIif-tDHICxb4-08pxYIdIMJm9eR0HQONePzVRWHiLy_GSv6L1Y7BF47dAgh3Aqly9YYuoRnm7MoAPKM0SMOk8vmjlyov2k2cKv1FD99QE_i/s1600/40170373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUEjRc-UFgxBUyMIKIQDbvLEto5uSAizSHIif-tDHICxb4-08pxYIdIMJm9eR0HQONePzVRWHiLy_GSv6L1Y7BF47dAgh3Aqly9YYuoRnm7MoAPKM0SMOk8vmjlyov2k2cKv1FD99QE_i/s400/40170373.jpg" width="260" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Boy Who Steals Houses by C G Drews</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">April 4th 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span id="freeText7325228563733937851" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Can two broken boys find their perfect home?<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />Sam is only fifteen but he and his autistic older brother, Avery, have been abandoned by every relative he's ever known. Now Sam's trying to build a new life for them. He survives by breaking into empty houses when their owners are away, until one day he's caught out when a family returns home. To his amazement this large, chaotic family takes him under their wing - each teenager assuming Sam is a friend of another sibling. Sam finds himself inextricably caught up in their life, and falling for the beautiful Moxie. <br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />But Sam has a secret, and his past is about to catch up with him.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I adored Cait's debut novel last year, "A Thousand Perfect Notes" and have been antsing for her follow up ever since, and now it is almost here! Behold the beauty! Seriously, her writing is amazing and I'm super excited.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTktv53FJVjEyHdJJA39wnYWhSusGtSXwoVikPtuoy3nt9Uth-Cigxf4uMzZI3QD4N3kIajWysiP7t4I9oT0w3l3XGEEeWEiRvO1gaaRcm3wZ4ftXfL8KkVsBsEpI-NpEi0N8_L1oLI7p/s1600/81NURs1XCBL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1056" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTktv53FJVjEyHdJJA39wnYWhSusGtSXwoVikPtuoy3nt9Uth-Cigxf4uMzZI3QD4N3kIajWysiP7t4I9oT0w3l3XGEEeWEiRvO1gaaRcm3wZ4ftXfL8KkVsBsEpI-NpEi0N8_L1oLI7p/s400/81NURs1XCBL.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTktv53FJVjEyHdJJA39wnYWhSusGtSXwoVikPtuoy3nt9Uth-Cigxf4uMzZI3QD4N3kIajWysiP7t4I9oT0w3l3XGEEeWEiRvO1gaaRcm3wZ4ftXfL8KkVsBsEpI-NpEi0N8_L1oLI7p/s1600/81NURs1XCBL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">April 9th 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">All Magnus Bane wanted was a vacation—a lavish trip across Europe with Alec Lightwood, the Shadowhunter who against all odds is finally his boyfriend. But as soon as the pair settles in Paris, an old friend arrives with news about a demon-worshipping cult called the Crimson Hand that is bent on causing chaos around the world. A cult that was apparently founded by Magnus himself. Years ago. As a joke.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Now Magnus and Alec must race across Europe to track down the Crimson Hand and its elusive new leader before the cult can cause any more damage. As if it wasn’t bad enough that their romantic getaway has been sidetracked, demons are now dogging their every step, and it is becoming harder to tell friend from foe. As their quest for answers becomes increasingly dire, Magnus and Alec will have to trust each other more than ever—even if it means revealing the secrets they’ve both been keeping.</span></i></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There's a special place in my heart for Alec and Magnus, and I feel for poor Magnus in his desperate desire for a holiday. Basically I can't wait for a novel that (finally) focuses on these two.</span></span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><br />Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-60148913104650613982019-03-26T11:00:00.000+00:002019-03-26T11:00:06.895+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Ten things your ears will thank you for listening to<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rETCZS2yntsoa_2jDXqKbXuttZh4OnHtO2DE9aG2kShJZu7-jwRP-hvlEiiHj9Tnybp6AP0diuwOG5v7lo-BpTvQ3gEBUi4eyhBvGQeLJUY8lM7yqG9lLHJGh7Z-_paswo0uXFqaXqXY/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rETCZS2yntsoa_2jDXqKbXuttZh4OnHtO2DE9aG2kShJZu7-jwRP-hvlEiiHj9Tnybp6AP0diuwOG5v7lo-BpTvQ3gEBUi4eyhBvGQeLJUY8lM7yqG9lLHJGh7Z-_paswo0uXFqaXqXY/s320/TTT-NEW.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbUJ-miIQ3yzl9yek-TetQVSq82qHzccP9NvWG72gAXlXam5HYzhj7ZMJku9RfjDrScWODdbVCq0U_0-oSnpIQXljloZEZcYKRizzQJqdnkXE7eUgtf8dDKh_KcuFqDI2DyhrJUoTL_ZP/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArBj4vDb1fkD6oW7AinAQgoGfF2A7mAXsRF5AX53aRlLWMDGiiGfZjOfVYRDptsUWKUc7QqSuVetnrFIz7NUHRXSjrwewsOo5LnFs0X9jSzs9TrSYAcsFpJ6hryrv1RcnlHxPrgULeMJY/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the fabulous Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl. You can join in with <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/">future topics here!</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Insomnia is kicking my butt at the moment, which is exhausting, but does leave me with a lot of time for listening to things... So, silver lining!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are ten things I think you should be listening to at the moment!</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Audiobooks</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwuf6_Wdx8XZkuMeAvHwGwqzJDVLCTzVJ3DLv_UBzjbs0gqHpG31RE6anzxutsI9w9EC3A5j4Qog4RXAPbNRCbQKl5OLHeWLKXayVpJplqLiMYZwIdlKo0D-Y-JIZekpQ-ZcPeeV6zgZJ/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwuf6_Wdx8XZkuMeAvHwGwqzJDVLCTzVJ3DLv_UBzjbs0gqHpG31RE6anzxutsI9w9EC3A5j4Qog4RXAPbNRCbQKl5OLHeWLKXayVpJplqLiMYZwIdlKo0D-Y-JIZekpQ-ZcPeeV6zgZJ/s200/th.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J Maas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When the world is particularly scary and my head is an in-fun place to be, I come back to this book. It's a special book that's got me through a lot of tough times, and I come back to it often. It doesn't hurt that it's a really wonderful narrator.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNpIT3RPVKxCAwKmMMDd_b49L1oLi4JxEVv2u2IHHtaQTNVaeQK1iHB99ExEwMMDEGX46iQNSOquBUWpNdOda_PqibtN-KOlg76bAcLX-eIGHzrGYIMahr7UJf3lPet2R9qFN8h4p7NkB/s1600/priory-of-the-orange-tree-blog-196x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="196" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNpIT3RPVKxCAwKmMMDd_b49L1oLi4JxEVv2u2IHHtaQTNVaeQK1iHB99ExEwMMDEGX46iQNSOquBUWpNdOda_PqibtN-KOlg76bAcLX-eIGHzrGYIMahr7UJf3lPet2R9qFN8h4p7NkB/s200/priory-of-the-orange-tree-blog-196x300.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I adore this book. It also took me completely by surprise. I wasn't a fan of Shannon's previous work, but I am hook, line, and sinker in love with this novel. Half way through, I'm trying to make it last as long as possible, and listening to it is a wonderful way to enjoy the story.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RPi1zLED59SQB4CXZaJ3CfI7LsCuBSuuH8LB1GPu7MF1x0zW_vFt6oKqdlKr_YU3svosZjFwjiQuyn5tvL1JHgXSxBC0TA9Ug9X_Z_sIsH7765mceE-Pp4pobjBWci3Iq2z8KrbAQMSR/s1600/thDP6BCJZS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RPi1zLED59SQB4CXZaJ3CfI7LsCuBSuuH8LB1GPu7MF1x0zW_vFt6oKqdlKr_YU3svosZjFwjiQuyn5tvL1JHgXSxBC0TA9Ug9X_Z_sIsH7765mceE-Pp4pobjBWci3Iq2z8KrbAQMSR/s200/thDP6BCJZS.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince by J K Rowling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There's something about this particular Potter instalment that is comforting in the dead of night. Maybe it's the slightly lighter feel of a lot of it, the time spent at Hogwarts, the lessons, the romance, the rivalry, Whatever it is, I love this audiobook, and particularly enjoy the feeling of coming home when we reach Hogwarts once more.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPB_c2AHNWNfLhFo2gLmW_M1fg57LIw7Jn1kGRqMxK_3PZEy-YwMqbCLHhvXebHnu7Mf8L3dtlcJ0N01REwk3Xm8hZFCTPIAXSxVFxew6yWE2PzZHysZaosOCbQF1E1oP9Uo76khTnH11i/s1600/10626594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPB_c2AHNWNfLhFo2gLmW_M1fg57LIw7Jn1kGRqMxK_3PZEy-YwMqbCLHhvXebHnu7Mf8L3dtlcJ0N01REwk3Xm8hZFCTPIAXSxVFxew6yWE2PzZHysZaosOCbQF1E1oP9Uo76khTnH11i/s200/10626594.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">One of the first audiobooks I ever listened to, this remains one of my favourites. It's an incredible story, with two wonderful narrators, and I've probably returned to Thisby more times through this audiobook than I have physically reading it. I adore it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgah47Jq308XFE9AX-e74SL2C-i6_LeQqUqRIWf38Hnx-ZK8TM5seg-4IanZFfIFv3fq6o7MWe_SpYKZ7J9D2pz_1yCuATwMd7Y15pAdbIo9ICnT7d-JFkGXDFfeClbnzoVwfUxjcdCWN/s1600/2014outlandertvcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="440" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgah47Jq308XFE9AX-e74SL2C-i6_LeQqUqRIWf38Hnx-ZK8TM5seg-4IanZFfIFv3fq6o7MWe_SpYKZ7J9D2pz_1yCuATwMd7Y15pAdbIo9ICnT7d-JFkGXDFfeClbnzoVwfUxjcdCWN/s200/2014outlandertvcover.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Outlander by Diana Gabaldon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Another incredibly good narrator, and a wonderful story that you can really lose yourself in. I really enjoy the rest of the series too, but there's something perfect and magical about this first book that I love coming back to.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Podcasts</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiM6u6mmCB7LHRv9NMFoCKhbh6eLV_1Vuv-XgO5PjMWHQYozVEvfG5dbk8MyZotFH57DwfIz2mMzWTd0RPF-m8RiMdwsG1D5MI3aHCCubYMcahfnzno24pM_pUd0qR6FAmdBjaZyCIAZfR/s1600/th4TLD3IER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiM6u6mmCB7LHRv9NMFoCKhbh6eLV_1Vuv-XgO5PjMWHQYozVEvfG5dbk8MyZotFH57DwfIz2mMzWTd0RPF-m8RiMdwsG1D5MI3aHCCubYMcahfnzno24pM_pUd0qR6FAmdBjaZyCIAZfR/s200/th4TLD3IER.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Adventure Zone</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you like fun? Then you should really be listening to The Adventure Zone. Three brothers and their dad formed a D&D group and insanity ensued. I'm slowly catching up with their back catalogue, and can frequently be found crying with laughter when I'm listening to this. I've now been banned from listening to it in bed after I woke my husband up in the middle of the night from laughing too loudly. However he is also a fan, so once I played him the episode I'd been listening to, all was (mostly) forgiven.)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsfY8FsROHRr0_elL5FwVumX5TI0DDPMGSvOOOHcbDpCv5Ij51A6B4Uu0y4yEOHUdFppJkSxiV6DfbxUANOlucd6-AWGy9WAZAbkxIBriEaVmhTBDZ-omM6GhK9U2DlwL8qA2kIUQLEGB/s1600/getting_curious_with_jonathan_van_ness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsfY8FsROHRr0_elL5FwVumX5TI0DDPMGSvOOOHcbDpCv5Ij51A6B4Uu0y4yEOHUdFppJkSxiV6DfbxUANOlucd6-AWGy9WAZAbkxIBriEaVmhTBDZ-omM6GhK9U2DlwL8qA2kIUQLEGB/s200/getting_curious_with_jonathan_van_ness.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Getting Curious with Jonathan van Ness</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everyone needs more JVN in their lives. I adore him on Queer Eye, I've loved the Queer Eye special episodes where he talks to each of the guys individually, and I love that he engages in such intellectual curiosity. He constantly wants to question and learn more about the world around him, whilst spreading positivity. I love this podcast.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhp1kWF_tsWru5iF7kSlNRdlMgDpftqHEI4cvgMkyfjibGEODDwiLJgEYT4blqNtlq0dMmwx9qDQRIhOvAYhLMl3T3cLhRzY1zekCDyq-DK_xBreDHFpnr-8OJI7g1GeNdqNB8yuoPKnb/s1600/th382S1IK7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhp1kWF_tsWru5iF7kSlNRdlMgDpftqHEI4cvgMkyfjibGEODDwiLJgEYT4blqNtlq0dMmwx9qDQRIhOvAYhLMl3T3cLhRzY1zekCDyq-DK_xBreDHFpnr-8OJI7g1GeNdqNB8yuoPKnb/s200/th382S1IK7.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why Won't You Date Me?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is definitely not for younger listeners. Filthy rude, but absolutely hilarious, Nicole Byer (host of Nailed it!) explores the crazy world of dating in this day and age.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H1ZbfHxMFc7mR7ZZwwW6RkOe3VPJmTab9fmNKRUDPot1bwlJgcmLPXkGIkR4m8hpFkcC6gPd16cIBsdlRpZ3q5EIO2c7bYgekCh8kjBucdAAp1_D9wlIXhzD7uWhEfCPMJdFVK8SXNFW/s1600/05773abc1a33dc2c5046ef5f0baf1a8931c6730e8522103c576181f61c611004a6ba8525eb702e947d93da5bc8fce637c7264c9872d4eb8784d1329bf87816cc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H1ZbfHxMFc7mR7ZZwwW6RkOe3VPJmTab9fmNKRUDPot1bwlJgcmLPXkGIkR4m8hpFkcC6gPd16cIBsdlRpZ3q5EIO2c7bYgekCh8kjBucdAAp1_D9wlIXhzD7uWhEfCPMJdFVK8SXNFW/s200/05773abc1a33dc2c5046ef5f0baf1a8931c6730e8522103c576181f61c611004a6ba8525eb702e947d93da5bc8fce637c7264c9872d4eb8784d1329bf87816cc.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Directionally Challenged</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcRgxApkEB7HErDLB65qBBPcQITaETBnpKAg42181A3XztuvLqRK6SuhUFUmIjCczf-SsCjGvKPe4B1nAGztrlJGamfydY4LrQ_06RnwpDmPTRUP0qfBbDy9ojPgLnMFtLchtZcp7S9d5/s1600/thNHY67K5B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Candice Accola and Kayla Ewell try and navigate being a thirty something and trying to have everything together. I've admired both women for a while, so I was really excited when they announced this podcast, and so far I'm loving it.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcRgxApkEB7HErDLB65qBBPcQITaETBnpKAg42181A3XztuvLqRK6SuhUFUmIjCczf-SsCjGvKPe4B1nAGztrlJGamfydY4LrQ_06RnwpDmPTRUP0qfBbDy9ojPgLnMFtLchtZcp7S9d5/s1600/thNHY67K5B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcRgxApkEB7HErDLB65qBBPcQITaETBnpKAg42181A3XztuvLqRK6SuhUFUmIjCczf-SsCjGvKPe4B1nAGztrlJGamfydY4LrQ_06RnwpDmPTRUP0qfBbDy9ojPgLnMFtLchtZcp7S9d5/s200/thNHY67K5B.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Drunks & Dragons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Technically I have not yet started this one, but it's on my list to listen to after a recommendation on The Adventure Zone. Essentially, a dungeons and dragons podcast with alcohol - expect hilarity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are my ten audio recommendations, now tell me some of yours! And have any of these piqued your interest?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-14686499838746772182019-03-14T11:00:00.000+00:002019-03-14T11:00:07.611+00:00Review: From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpBntLvGStJvF_oEFElQEDO0C8W6lMh1ejROnAjONk4GAgtqi0enZ7jRaDiASenmnoiHlnPwDudv8_x3daDjyHmVJizynePpYeOXT3EacN2lHCXq6xnvEwnF61FfKFwvF7WteJLQ3LGTh/s1600/36373464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigpBntLvGStJvF_oEFElQEDO0C8W6lMh1ejROnAjONk4GAgtqi0enZ7jRaDiASenmnoiHlnPwDudv8_x3daDjyHmVJizynePpYeOXT3EacN2lHCXq6xnvEwnF61FfKFwvF7WteJLQ3LGTh/s400/36373464.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: May 22nd 2018</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: Simon Pulse</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 330</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil's twin brother? Dream come true x 2.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">When mystery man N begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it's Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only </span>slightly <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she's fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she's got is not the one she's scripted. But will it be enough?</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, </span>From Twinkle, with Love <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I absolutely adored "When Dimple met Rishi" and was so excited about reading this second novel from Menon, so it was perhaps those high expectations that left me feeling so disappointed and crushed after this book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The biggest issue that I found was how unlikeable Twinkle was, and given that the entire book is told in her thoughts and feeling into her diary, that immediately becomes problematic. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even though you only have access to how Twinkle perceives everything, it becomes really clear really early on, that not only is Twinkle incredibly self absorbed, but she's also kind of a jerk, which makes a lot of the other character's responses to her hard to believe. Take Sahil - she treats him appallingly, and sure she has to answer for that a bit at the end, but on the whole Sahil just brushes is off and continues to make heart eyes at Twinkle which<i> doesn't make any sense given how she's behaving.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's a nice enough plot, a cool idea, and I liked a lot of the supporting characters, but my dislike for Twinkle coloured my entire perception of the book and left me feeling mostly frustrated and grumpy when I finished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you've yet to read any of Menon's work, I highly recommend checking out Dimple instead.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9w_aZZ0CIceotjZQ-wBfpHJxKpv6EFIryPMSBI7SYdwN9Bl1OOvlZ4LGRoMZieFk4UiHk3SVDxkinAovXgQHzmFnjAGFGC0vTEIIUQbpn7Ze9AdQS1SjrnWieL0UA4RO-Ivcw0imBcaUi/s1600/3Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="64" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9w_aZZ0CIceotjZQ-wBfpHJxKpv6EFIryPMSBI7SYdwN9Bl1OOvlZ4LGRoMZieFk4UiHk3SVDxkinAovXgQHzmFnjAGFGC0vTEIIUQbpn7Ze9AdQS1SjrnWieL0UA4RO-Ivcw0imBcaUi/s1600/3Stars.png" /></a></div>
<br />Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-75001784642317561292019-03-12T11:00:00.000+00:002019-03-12T11:00:01.862+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Standalone books I don't want a sequel for because they were perfect, but I still want to spend more time in the world<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbUJ-miIQ3yzl9yek-TetQVSq82qHzccP9NvWG72gAXlXam5HYzhj7ZMJku9RfjDrScWODdbVCq0U_0-oSnpIQXljloZEZcYKRizzQJqdnkXE7eUgtf8dDKh_KcuFqDI2DyhrJUoTL_ZP/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWbUJ-miIQ3yzl9yek-TetQVSq82qHzccP9NvWG72gAXlXam5HYzhj7ZMJku9RfjDrScWODdbVCq0U_0-oSnpIQXljloZEZcYKRizzQJqdnkXE7eUgtf8dDKh_KcuFqDI2DyhrJUoTL_ZP/s320/TTT-NEW.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArBj4vDb1fkD6oW7AinAQgoGfF2A7mAXsRF5AX53aRlLWMDGiiGfZjOfVYRDptsUWKUc7QqSuVetnrFIz7NUHRXSjrwewsOo5LnFs0X9jSzs9TrSYAcsFpJ6hryrv1RcnlHxPrgULeMJY/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #7a1a85; float: right; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 15.46px; margin-left: 15.46px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEc-r_oZhzOkWwxYKScz9uiytk-Q8QfNkAWiaPfVW4CqVH_pDlwu_ilLHVvLou1InfSamCBOcb5k9arw-_n3mDLHJ_hCZwUvY5kizqvNJ5LhSVHaquiSGZcdl7kaOMSHEaTRxEXiQvOeLR/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" style="background-color: transparent; color: #7a1a85; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the fabulous Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl. You can join in with <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" style="color: #7a1a85; text-decoration: none;">future topics here!</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well that title is a bit of a mouthful... And also is a little off-piste to what the topic<i> actually</i> is this week, which is standalone novels that I want a sequel for. But the problem is that a lot of the standalone novels that I love, I love because they are complete and whole entities on their own. I don't want more, but at the same time I wish I could go back and spend more time in the world... Dilemma.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoMNG22PX6lr2h1xHpqlF7htcpCIbU2QqbEYpvCtRkc-8wlZfXrPaSOHGS3gzSDe8gtznDcJkkjQKGQszPNXKLNQLDMXhw5XTBYSbW4V7ttkQ1wLToRbLZ4Y0nSEqgyZTWqM8lKNxN8ef/s1600/10626594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoMNG22PX6lr2h1xHpqlF7htcpCIbU2QqbEYpvCtRkc-8wlZfXrPaSOHGS3gzSDe8gtznDcJkkjQKGQszPNXKLNQLDMXhw5XTBYSbW4V7ttkQ1wLToRbLZ4Y0nSEqgyZTWqM8lKNxN8ef/s200/10626594.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are ten dilemmaful books that I both love and don't want more of at the same time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Oh "the sky, and the sand, and the sea, and Corr." I would happily sell my soul for a chance to go back to Thisby, but equally I love this strange and perfect novel so much that it might break my heart to get more of this story. As it is now, it stands as this pinnacle of wonder and magic that I adore in so many ways, and return to often.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can read my <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-scorpio-races-by-maggie.html">original review here</a>, and see how my feelings changed on my <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-scorpio-races-re-read.html">re-read</a>.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-sd-RNAPVhVHa9XDsHgHWM4HyW3PEQtMkvn5-j0EeaSe_vFe_YHdroHwPbYZY_Po6A5Mv9E7MtyrgWpBOQXPVSz9weIROdoeEVPkPMBW77yAY8JyOQGGvEVbw1ER77PCtYEnzuqtk_8o/s1600/20170404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-sd-RNAPVhVHa9XDsHgHWM4HyW3PEQtMkvn5-j0EeaSe_vFe_YHdroHwPbYZY_Po6A5Mv9E7MtyrgWpBOQXPVSz9weIROdoeEVPkPMBW77yAY8JyOQGGvEVbw1ER77PCtYEnzuqtk_8o/s200/20170404.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I just read this one a couple of weeks ago and I cannot get it out of my head. It was beautiful, startling, and utterly gripping. I can't shake the world from my head - the layered approach to the story, the characters that evolve over the course of the novel, the tightly compacted sprawling mess of world that is unknotted through these handful of interconnected characters. I love it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">You can read my full review <a href="https://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2019/03/review-station-eleven-by-emily-st-john.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdr5aC-4ZVrmdFMxS2Z2ZIqJDZCcspjmY2b84KpNJq2oJUX1rVVTwOxFehin4JW5M2yL54K64AMWUi-smTVG-qi-qH23e7WUOXMIjHaiF1wrmO0aYCVY37UpDIog4vUm5NCcdICFZ95fo/s1600/31114367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdr5aC-4ZVrmdFMxS2Z2ZIqJDZCcspjmY2b84KpNJq2oJUX1rVVTwOxFehin4JW5M2yL54K64AMWUi-smTVG-qi-qH23e7WUOXMIjHaiF1wrmO0aYCVY37UpDIog4vUm5NCcdICFZ95fo/s200/31114367.jpg" width="136" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">The circus arrives without warning... From the first, I was completely captivated by this lyrical, beautiful tale. There is nothing else quite like it. I could have spent so much longer exploring the circus tents alone, never mind spending more time with the characters. However as with everything on this list, it's another one that is perfect in its singular whole, and I wouldn't want to mess with that and risk being disappointed by a sequel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can read my full review <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-night-circus-by-erin-morgenstern.html">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fire by Kristin Cashore</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">After Graceling I never thought I could love another set of characters by Cashore in the same way as I did Katsa and Po. Then I met Fire and Brigan and I was utterly lost. This novel is gorgeous. A wonderful world, with complex and layered characters and such a stunningly beautiful story that weaves everything together. Yes we get a brief cameo for Fire in Bitterblue, but I want to just spend more time with Fire and Brigan in their day to day lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">You can read my full review <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-fire-by-kristin-cashore.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLpx-Ls8cdYKzZxC7yPbgjKzGzwIcKt5A2zttlkzCk84254ZMWshgUVRkduuu80Nx3QbgWft3ghd2clQy8IUSTJ_RmYWM7LDtOUCxDJiVmRkohPOQQLOugoCoOyQwkydvwWlrki4bA7VK/s1600/8270119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLpx-Ls8cdYKzZxC7yPbgjKzGzwIcKt5A2zttlkzCk84254ZMWshgUVRkduuu80Nx3QbgWft3ghd2clQy8IUSTJ_RmYWM7LDtOUCxDJiVmRkohPOQQLOugoCoOyQwkydvwWlrki4bA7VK/s200/8270119.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It's been well over a decade since I've read this one, so I don't remember details, more a vague blurry feeling from when I read it. I loved it. It broke my heart, I sobbed over this book in a way I rarely do. It was perfect and strange and wonderful and I wanted more, but at the same time not, because I loved it as it was. I think it might be time for a re-read.</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">Uprooted by Naomi Novik</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">My first foray into Novik's writing, this one made a definite mark. It was such a twisty tale, one that refused to be pigeonholed. Every time I thought I had a grasp of the kind of story being told, she'd flip everything on its head and leave me scrambling. It was a really exciting and vivid world, with some really wonderful character development, and I'd love to spend some more time delving into spin offs without touching on the main story thread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can read my full review <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2019/01/review-uprooted-by-naomi-novik.html">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHa8-D-h8QIMuOdVitxAnK2bTccJBoNdOyd1WLtatxk273SbE5CUxo2djogdu2E7FamtZcp1LOvPstboi4c2-_13GRjKQaKGx3e7-Zbx3wEG9EpaPkittJ3lVzLIruSMlEDFwoNWxLZY3W/s1600/30640834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHa8-D-h8QIMuOdVitxAnK2bTccJBoNdOyd1WLtatxk273SbE5CUxo2djogdu2E7FamtZcp1LOvPstboi4c2-_13GRjKQaKGx3e7-Zbx3wEG9EpaPkittJ3lVzLIruSMlEDFwoNWxLZY3W/s200/30640834.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">Speak Easy, Speak Love by George McKelle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Much Ado About Nothing, set in 1920s America. I didn't think this could possibly work, but work it did, and swiftly turned into one of my favourites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It's a wonderful retelling, full of favourite moments from the original, as well as fresh twists and new perspectives. I loved these characters so much, and was sad when I reached the end of the tale. Sure, that was the end of the play, but part of me really wanted to spend more time with these people, after the final act.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can read my full review <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2018/09/review-speak-easy-speak-love-by-mckelle.html">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I adore all of Sarah's books - they're sassy, filled with brilliant characters and wonderful twisty plots. "In Other Lands", her most recent novel, is a standalone that combines all of the above, with a brilliant Harry Potter esq vibe magic school. Don't worry, nothing that similar, but that gives you a feel for the scope and design behind the book. Years of schooling crammed into one book, the story doesn't feel rushed, giving you a wonderful view in on Elliot's life and world. Plus amazing romance, glorious characters, and an all round amazing story. I adore this book and I want more.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODqDRq4c-FxNwgn75-g6cJvmx6rspSepH-0DrVcTbAQJrsiPREB_d2TC6dXD3IGLthvXcqnJeypUSWCM0L2xxePFXmIwgYYxknD5BD2UHWGiRxsT1A1wd1j0Fy4HyxKwf278d8KOMW_m7/s1600/20308537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjODqDRq4c-FxNwgn75-g6cJvmx6rspSepH-0DrVcTbAQJrsiPREB_d2TC6dXD3IGLthvXcqnJeypUSWCM0L2xxePFXmIwgYYxknD5BD2UHWGiRxsT1A1wd1j0Fy4HyxKwf278d8KOMW_m7/s200/20308537.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">The Game of Love & Death by Martha Brockenbrough</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Oh this book. It's such a beautiful story, and one that haunts me to this day. I adored Flora and Henry, watching them come together and find themselves, each other, and their places in the world. The concept is stunning and Martha writes with a deft poetical magic that left me captivated and spellbound.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can read my full review <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2015/04/review-game-of-love-death-by-martha.html">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Quiet, haunting, this was such an unexpected delight when I found this one. Eowyn's debut was absolutely spot on, filled with desolation and loneliness, but suffused with a perfect, impossible to capture, magic. Even though it's been years since I've read this one, it's a story that hit some nerve within me and stayed embedded in my heart long after I finished it. One day I'll go back and recapture that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can read my full review <a href="http://reviewdiaries.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-snow-child-by-eowyn-ivey.html">here</a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There you have ten of my favourite standalone novels that I both want more of and really want them to be left solitary and perfect. It's a confusing state! Tell me some of yours in the comments below!</span></span></div>
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Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-27313893300302008532019-03-08T11:00:00.000+00:002019-03-08T11:00:01.596+00:00Review: The Planetary Omnibus by Warren Ellis<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGG9FD2kYPRFkvhdCVoJuIEZKJNHqFBOPhs3pj9zUYUszdS4drpkDbpf3AxGVx5cVDL-q0dgSvqmB2m9A6VdJk76wokPlqC8_X0VbqbNuXRgnhZentdagXNdlW8kH4S-PSkMEwUy_zEmm/s1600/17884045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="239" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGG9FD2kYPRFkvhdCVoJuIEZKJNHqFBOPhs3pj9zUYUszdS4drpkDbpf3AxGVx5cVDL-q0dgSvqmB2m9A6VdJk76wokPlqC8_X0VbqbNuXRgnhZentdagXNdlW8kH4S-PSkMEwUy_zEmm/s320/17884045.jpg" width="220" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: January 28th 2014</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: DC Comics</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 864</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #181818;">Planetary has been hailed as a timeless story that turned modern superhero conventions on their heads.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Written by Warren Ellis (</span>Transmetropolitan<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">) and with stunning art by John Cassaday (</span>Astonishing X-Men<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">), this critically acclaimed, landmark series took a look at the inter-dimensional peace-keeping force known as Planetary.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The trio on the ground includes Elijah Snow, a hundred-year-old man, Jakita Wagner, an extremely powerful woman, and The Drummer, a man with the ability to communicate with machines. Tasked with tracking down evidence of super-human activity, these mystery archaeologists uncover unknown paranormal secrets and histories, such as a World War II supercomputer that can access other universes, a ghostly spirit of vengeance, and a lost island of dying monsters.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">Oh Warren Ellis how good you are at wrecking me with your stories. I was first introduced to Ellis' work in "Transmetropolitan" (if you've not yet discovered this series of comics, do yourself a favour and get on that asap) and was curious to work my way through his other work. The Planetary Omnibus not only collects all of the Planetary comics in one place, but adds in three standalone stories, a whole host of artwork, and the original writing Ellis did when conceiving of the first comic to be sent to John Cassaday for artwork.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">It's a hefty tome, but one that is well worth investing the time (and wrist strength) into reading. There are some wonderful character appearances - the different iterations of Batman was definitely a favourite, along with a sneaky sort of cameo from Spider Jerusalem - protagonist from Transmet.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">I didn't find that it hit me with the same emotional impact as Transmetropolitan, but it was still an excellent story with some amazing characters. I was a little bit gutted to realise I'd run out of comics and had only special extras left to read...</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">It's a dark story, one that showcases Ellis's signature snark filled humour along with his sucker punches of emotion. One minute you'll be laughing, the next breathless from the impact of a well placed emotional blow. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: verdana;">It's beautiful, extraordinary in its scope and concept, and a wonderful collection to read. If you've never really gotten on to the comics train, Ellis is a great place to start. His work is a brilliantly crafted pantheon of stories and characters that I love to come back to again and again, now I'm on to find out more about The Authority, who crop up in one of the cross over mini arcs...</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #006000; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-19945406850812848362019-03-06T11:00:00.000+00:002019-03-06T11:00:01.900+00:00Blog Tour - Review: The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wAq0QwJJSi0Sl05LgdEU5rMRsnMcS_kHfVC0nkgFXdQaa1yoQiv9opbtar_ViSz77SlXol38yxSacPG5Z8T_TBv8b637XksY0DJVwaNdR91zsjtrOHyb902QaUlDYGjxws6m2jf4OcPQ/s1600/39080472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wAq0QwJJSi0Sl05LgdEU5rMRsnMcS_kHfVC0nkgFXdQaa1yoQiv9opbtar_ViSz77SlXol38yxSacPG5Z8T_TBv8b637XksY0DJVwaNdR91zsjtrOHyb902QaUlDYGjxws6m2jf4OcPQ/s400/39080472.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Huge thanks to Gollancz for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: March 7th 2019</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: Gollancz</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 352</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In this sequel to the instant </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">New York Times</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> bestseller, Camille, her sister Edel, and her guard and new love Remy must race against time to find Princess Charlotte. Sophia's Imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep the rebels from returning Charlotte to the castle and her rightful place as queen. With the help of an underground resistance movement called The Iron Ladies-a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely-and the backing of alternative newspaper The Spider's Web, Camille uses her powers, her connections and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and restore peace to Orleans.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">To celebrate the release of the sequel to the hugely popular 2018 book "The Belles", Gollancz have organised a blog tour of reviews. Don't forget to look out for the other reviews this week! </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I really loved "The Belles" so I jumped at the chance to take part, and was incredibly excited to find out what happens next to Camille, Edel, and Remy.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was a good follow up novel - Clayton takes the world and characters she introduced us to in the first, and builds on that foundation to provide an exciting conclusion. Camille particularly becomes a more interesting protagonist, fueled by her anger from the events of the first book. However, I would have liked to see her grapple with more inner conflict. Yes she was fighting for what was right, but she never really has any inner turmoil to overcome, which at times can be slightly frustrating, as you're only ever given her own thoughts and feelings to experience.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first half of the story takes its time, which slows the pacing down hugely. After the cataclysm of events at the end of the first book, I really wanted to drive straight back in, not hold back for as long as the story does. This lack of urgency, and a general feeling of the characters succeeding at all they attempt, means that there are points where the emotional resonance I'd hope for is missing, and I found myself coasting through some parts, rather than being fully engaged.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That said, you get an exciting (albeit slightly rushed) ending that really pays off a lot of the build up. I had a few minor gripes about how some things ended, but those are for a more spoiler filled review at a later date.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm really hoping that Clayton is going to give us a spin off book about the Iron Ladies, because I didn't feel like we got nearly enough time with them and I'd love to know more about them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a solid conclusion to the story, one that offers some more insights into this curious world, and leaves you feeling pretty satisfied with the final act. I was a little disappointed with some elements, but this duology is still definitely one I'd recommend. If you've yet to read The Belles, pick up a copy as soon as you can! And if you read and enjoyed it last year, this conclusion is worth the wait.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9PXQgfcPc6sEcKjlyYN_yxVZZvz81uwMBzlEHA2p1_IcbP5FsrMs8bpP_7DU2OK6DUlv885JbMpvSAVA6e5SG3Sq-2dlqdkNHum2bZX081SOuzwwqMalN2_4RaPxEdxFuSicmx2MSkuL/s1600/3Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="64" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX9PXQgfcPc6sEcKjlyYN_yxVZZvz81uwMBzlEHA2p1_IcbP5FsrMs8bpP_7DU2OK6DUlv885JbMpvSAVA6e5SG3Sq-2dlqdkNHum2bZX081SOuzwwqMalN2_4RaPxEdxFuSicmx2MSkuL/s1600/3Stars.png" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-63538558156410981012019-03-04T11:00:00.001+00:002019-03-04T11:00:09.329+00:00Review: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohKkKl70NWn_kqyV8JKfRYQsmSxZ_R7k-rHDyuGBF7e4-Loe32KttJYk9jiDgo1CzYJSzhlOQePseReBvMdtVvXbJEnJydSoGbpvAldMmM_g2jEDf4gSBnwbMwhJpRbGcdYkobhUFEQRa/s1600/20170404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohKkKl70NWn_kqyV8JKfRYQsmSxZ_R7k-rHDyuGBF7e4-Loe32KttJYk9jiDgo1CzYJSzhlOQePseReBvMdtVvXbJEnJydSoGbpvAldMmM_g2jEDf4gSBnwbMwhJpRbGcdYkobhUFEQRa/s320/20170404.jpg" width="207" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: September 9th 2014</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: Knopf</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 336</b></i></span><br />
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<span id="freeText14853287249180234182" style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be saviour, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor's early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theatre troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor's first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet.<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />Sometimes terrifying, sometimes tender, Station Eleven tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it.</i></span></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #004000; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">I popped into my local bookshop, "Mr B's Emporium of Books" and ended up looking at their staff recommendation shelves. One member of staff had picked four books, three of which were long standing favourites of mine, and one that I'd never come across before. Naturally I bought it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">And then I fell into this incredible story, and wasn't seen for several hours. I devoured it, I resented any time I had to spend away from it, I cried over it and laughed over it and felt myself unspool and reform slightly different after reading this. In short, all the signs of a truly excellent book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">It's a story about the end of the world. But it's also the story about a new world forming. It's about what really matters once you break down all of the pre-constructed ideas. But most importantly it's about people and relationships. Instead of falling into the trap of telling a world ending story on a world ending story scale, "Station Eleven" hones in tightly on a small group of people who are connected - some in obvious ways, others that you have to wait a while to find out how. It's about their stories in the years before the collapse, in the hours leading up to it, the days and years following. How each person adapts and responds to it - what makes them human coming to the fore.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">I loved how each person ties back to Arthur, how everything revolves around his perfectly normal death - the lynch pin that everyone else spins around. A defining, linking point of kinship. Each little thread that overlaps, doubles back and loops on itself until you have a gorgeously constructed, tightly woven tapestry.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">The writing is gorgeous, carefully constructed, haunting and engaging - I couldn't get enough of this beautiful piece. When I finished it, I simply sat staring into space until my husband asked me if he could do anything. I simply handed him the book and told him to read it. He did. He loved it too. And it prompted some really fascinating conversations about the book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana";">I can't believe I missed this book when it first came out, but I am oh so glad I've read it now. I can understand why that staff member put it up there with some of my other favourites, I'd put it there too.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwBLI4ayTXVy6FcHr5LcPmL0zSG8nUWDCoOlvxiEiyYGg22nw9ptcnCrngTczOSybXyeaEmrX9w7WrC8D_ZAmXWDUz_M8vrE8vkoPBQlfx9pTkUekjvKT2mC0yoTqEHECz56LIdH5oUhD/s1600/5Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwBLI4ayTXVy6FcHr5LcPmL0zSG8nUWDCoOlvxiEiyYGg22nw9ptcnCrngTczOSybXyeaEmrX9w7WrC8D_ZAmXWDUz_M8vrE8vkoPBQlfx9pTkUekjvKT2mC0yoTqEHECz56LIdH5oUhD/s1600/5Stars.png" /></a></div>
<i><span style="color: #b09600; font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-39568004760490731232019-02-28T11:00:00.000+00:002019-02-28T11:00:05.832+00:00Books I'm Squeeing About in March<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszcI060IgSHZdU_rYy3jclG_xGBxucDa0yqNWH3_Pdu_wbCpPULQE1RTp6DrK7lWKkKHyiH_d0Ahd1gythQILilyg4K9tbLZnP5dfrr4pxYDbxt07EZhBjaAW3tB5eBFCyTo0t7ec3Dbw/s1600/Squeeing3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="602" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszcI060IgSHZdU_rYy3jclG_xGBxucDa0yqNWH3_Pdu_wbCpPULQE1RTp6DrK7lWKkKHyiH_d0Ahd1gythQILilyg4K9tbLZnP5dfrr4pxYDbxt07EZhBjaAW3tB5eBFCyTo0t7ec3Dbw/s320/Squeeing3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Only a few books that I can't wait for this month, although I'll probably find some more as the month goes on... However here are the three books releasing this month that have piqued my interest and I can't wait to read. Including two story continuations from favourite books from last year!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZK7I3m2KDqSOFwlfY8KU15QUI32j-kE69yBlDD9egVJVndFfMLRjaaeE_rwuGTfdZ3OewNCjfH2tt36uyjH8h6bEIaPJnsNVn247x1889GOz-Dvtvvr_92aq5zJqsYzoxNsWUPb3TXQB/s1600/71CUAe-ZOeL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZK7I3m2KDqSOFwlfY8KU15QUI32j-kE69yBlDD9egVJVndFfMLRjaaeE_rwuGTfdZ3OewNCjfH2tt36uyjH8h6bEIaPJnsNVn247x1889GOz-Dvtvvr_92aq5zJqsYzoxNsWUPb3TXQB/s400/71CUAe-ZOeL.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">March 1st 2019</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><br />Keralie Corrington is a talented pickpocket in the kingdom of Quadara. She steals under the guidance of her mentor Mackiel, who runs a black market selling their bounty to buyers desperate for what they can't get in their own quadrant. For Quadara is a nation divided into four regions, each strictly separated from the other. Toria, the intellectual quadrant values education and ambition. Ludia, the pleasure quadrant values celebration and passion. Archia, the agricultural quadrant, values simplicity and nature. Eonia, the futurist quadrant values technology, stoicism and harmonious community. Four queens, one from each quadrant, rule as one. When on Mackiel's orders Keralie steals a particularly valuable item from a messenger, what seems like a routine theft goes horribly wrong. Keralie discovers she's intercepted instructions to murder the queens. Hoping that discovering the intended recipient will reveal the culprit-valuable information that she can barter with-Keralie teams up with Varin Bollt, the messenger she stole from, to complete his delivery and uncover the would-be murderer. But with Keralie and Varin each keeping secrets-and the lives of the queens hanging in the balance-everything is at stake, and no one can be trusted.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This does feel like it has echoes of several other books, but I'm a sucker for fantasy world building, thievery, and murder plots, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how this one stands up to my excitement.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><i></i><span style="color: purple;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><i></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6hFluZOiOrTBWFNAaGr6ogRuffKvtPmiwhtPC3Z9bH2Qqm6v8GvAfnXGtwwbOt_fGKn-_znsvikacR8pAoW-ZS0uEmtw3_iHibiFKM3ldTXDZgIZJLYyEWjMak6s60aej04k5ATDptXH/s1600/91svaKAfb6L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1043" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6hFluZOiOrTBWFNAaGr6ogRuffKvtPmiwhtPC3Z9bH2Qqm6v8GvAfnXGtwwbOt_fGKn-_znsvikacR8pAoW-ZS0uEmtw3_iHibiFKM3ldTXDZgIZJLYyEWjMak6s60aej04k5ATDptXH/s400/91svaKAfb6L.jpg" width="260" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Queen's Resistance by Rebecca Ross</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">March 7th 2019</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Finally, Brienna is a mistress of knowledge and is settling into her role as the daughter of Davin MacQuinn, a disgraced lord who returned to Maevana to reclaim his house. Though she’s just survived a revolution, one that will finally return a queen to the throne, she faces another difficult challenge. She must prove herself trustworthy to the MacQuinns. But as Queen Isolde Kavanagh’s closest confidant, she’ll have to balance serving her father’s house as well as her country. And then there’s Cartier Evariste, a wholly separate factor in her new life. </i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Now known as Aodhan Morgane, Cartier is adjusting to the stark contrast between his pre-rebellion life in Valenia as a master of knowledge and his current one as the lord of a fallen house. During his castle’s restoration, he discovers a ten-year-old boy named Tomas, whose past and parentage are a complete mystery. So when Cartier’s former pupil Brienna is as fond of Tomas as he is, he lets his mind wander – what if he doesn’t have to raise him or his house alone?</i></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>As the Lannon trial rapidly approaches, Brienna and Cartier must put their feelings aside to concentrate on forging alliances, executing justice, and ensuring that no one interferes with the queen’s coronation. But resistance is rumbling among the old regime’s supporters, who are desperate to find a weakness in the rebels’ forces. And nothing makes a person more vulnerable than deep-seated love.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally! I feel as though I've been waiting for this one for ages! I absolutely adored the first book in this series "The Queen's Rising" and it went straight onto my favourite reads from the year, with a very impatient and excited need to get hold of the second book immediately. Finally the time has come - read this series!</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><i></i><i></i><i></i><span style="color: purple;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUsdARq39D4KEN1SZCQPMnIMunGffO2HvHnXBeIlT_02_lwXsUqqKHSFLfAk4G4X8QTY5WPg11j_bLH0My8hQtBHWr0bj1R3wLcCdjv8Xq5avySsqA8GaSPC6zHCMlsLpBj6gq0jVP6EJ/s1600/61xTs36tvBL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUsdARq39D4KEN1SZCQPMnIMunGffO2HvHnXBeIlT_02_lwXsUqqKHSFLfAk4G4X8QTY5WPg11j_bLH0My8hQtBHWr0bj1R3wLcCdjv8Xq5avySsqA8GaSPC6zHCMlsLpBj6gq0jVP6EJ/s400/61xTs36tvBL.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">March 7th 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />Camellia Beaureguard is a Belle. She can make you beautiful. Though there is always a cost. With a price on her head, the evil Queen Sophia out for blood, and no idea who to trust, Camellia must race against time to find the ailing Princess Charlotte, who has disappeared without a trace. Sophia's imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep Camellia, her sister Edel, and her loyal guard, Rémy, from returning Charlotte to the palace and her rightful place as queen. With the help of a secretive resistance movement called the Iron Ladies - a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely - and the backing of underground newspaper the </span>Spider's Web<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">, Camellia must use her powers, her connections, and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and restore peace to Orléans.</span></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Belles was one of my surprise loves of last year, and it left me on a desperate cliff hanger needing to find out what happened. It's stuck with me for a year, and now it's nearly time to see what happens next. I really recommend picking up The Belles if you haven't yet.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Are any of these catching your eye? And are there any you think I should pick up this month? Let me know in the comments below!</span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-45496777206449862722019-02-26T10:28:00.000+00:002019-02-26T10:28:27.195+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Places I want to visit after reading about them<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3U-fEnqx70Iwrb23fGHf3u3Fh8tPEKV7zTqtMexlnEVgYzbXXuNkFql_V9lO6DfBQSXAvOp1ggf-hMJbPYqcW-qc_aM2h0QHUGEbAwbhk44peBo58QRZhotFifgdptPYLJy3CPWnzNvR8/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3U-fEnqx70Iwrb23fGHf3u3Fh8tPEKV7zTqtMexlnEVgYzbXXuNkFql_V9lO6DfBQSXAvOp1ggf-hMJbPYqcW-qc_aM2h0QHUGEbAwbhk44peBo58QRZhotFifgdptPYLJy3CPWnzNvR8/s320/TTT-NEW.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArBj4vDb1fkD6oW7AinAQgoGfF2A7mAXsRF5AX53aRlLWMDGiiGfZjOfVYRDptsUWKUc7QqSuVetnrFIz7NUHRXSjrwewsOo5LnFs0X9jSzs9TrSYAcsFpJ6hryrv1RcnlHxPrgULeMJY/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #7a1a85; float: right; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 15.46px; margin-left: 15.46px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEc-r_oZhzOkWwxYKScz9uiytk-Q8QfNkAWiaPfVW4CqVH_pDlwu_ilLHVvLou1InfSamCBOcb5k9arw-_n3mDLHJ_hCZwUvY5kizqvNJ5LhSVHaquiSGZcdl7kaOMSHEaTRxEXiQvOeLR/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" style="background-color: transparent; color: #7a1a85; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the fabulous Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl. You can join in with <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" style="color: #7a1a85; text-decoration: none;">future topics here!</a></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've gotten a lot of my wanderlust from reading - there's nothing like a well written book that opens up new places and makes you want to go and visit them for yourself. Some of them I've already managed to visit, but there are still plenty on my wish list!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana";">Here are five places that I would absolutely love to visit, and the books (and in one case TV show) that have inspired that.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzFvRa2C1PpegkU_OvLEouosqZ-p93c7IwKIMvQSPjbPosm0bR8vGyB6FMpr0GDXhyphenhyphenMAgrxGbc9VqPjzukOnLettW4lCH0iMwKvaOiJhjfhumPNhwmIS2AZ6vEUlHRRWZ-3W3uclyjBFZ/s1600/19503124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="293" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzFvRa2C1PpegkU_OvLEouosqZ-p93c7IwKIMvQSPjbPosm0bR8vGyB6FMpr0GDXhyphenhyphenMAgrxGbc9VqPjzukOnLettW4lCH0iMwKvaOiJhjfhumPNhwmIS2AZ6vEUlHRRWZ-3W3uclyjBFZ/s200/19503124.jpg" width="123" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Capri<br />"I Love Capri" by Belinda Jones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">One day, I will get there. This book has inspired my desperate yearning to visit Capri for nearly twenty years. I loved all of Belinda's books and exploring these romantic and beautiful places, but something about this book and the descriptions of Capri, has set off a desperate desire to see the place for myself. Who knows, maybe this year will finally be the year I escape to Capri...</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33BCBU87HrNYU9KUQe8WfU_CnSeTZNLcMQ45jyPBEZ8H47WOS7U331WVE3T-FKrO_9u_nQ-FiGwitBgR6yUc7RgW1sJ9d5NDebfwnBslB4o6Dv7D6KtNwgbhKpmcn1SZ477aJeL-wvQ1B/s1600/256683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33BCBU87HrNYU9KUQe8WfU_CnSeTZNLcMQ45jyPBEZ8H47WOS7U331WVE3T-FKrO_9u_nQ-FiGwitBgR6yUc7RgW1sJ9d5NDebfwnBslB4o6Dv7D6KtNwgbhKpmcn1SZ477aJeL-wvQ1B/s200/256683.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">New York</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This was the first book where I really felt an attachment to this city, where I found myself wanting to experience this slightly crazy place for myself. The seeds were planted many years ago reading "Drina dances in New York" by Jean Estoril - as well as wanting to sail there instead of flying, but that's beside the point... But it was with this book that that really flowered into a desperate need to see this city for myself instead of through the eyes of other people.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHgQQOSdSpnwvH7HxSeRMWCa2qKif1pP-h2VBTxvu7NyWdzOZZ9NYnbpK5NhibJTB0irdKLYstKY8DOiVbeuxijtKLNvEugr0GfaGoIm4i0XxB824JzPnws2BT48K-cHPQCxjWjsQWwqH/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="291" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHgQQOSdSpnwvH7HxSeRMWCa2qKif1pP-h2VBTxvu7NyWdzOZZ9NYnbpK5NhibJTB0irdKLYstKY8DOiVbeuxijtKLNvEugr0GfaGoIm4i0XxB824JzPnws2BT48K-cHPQCxjWjsQWwqH/s200/untitled.png" width="122" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Japan</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Ok, Japan is quite a large area compared to the other more specific places on this list, but it's more a specific event that I want to experience, and this book was the start of that. I desperately want to see the cherry blossom trees one spring. Every description, every instance in fiction, cements that desire, and the certainty that it would be one of the most beautiful things to witness.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohm22EaKYivNjTIe2_w-2eLQjDhlS75d4XqvK5a8HES4zHN2H9bZq7id_iusTEiPqxMiPywLsgMSjpvFPou45Kdnp2iF43XUJMAaRdwIhpxE3KcfbbqmkIofUes5n-BVCOVsA87vYN1CK/s1600/23590502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohm22EaKYivNjTIe2_w-2eLQjDhlS75d4XqvK5a8HES4zHN2H9bZq7id_iusTEiPqxMiPywLsgMSjpvFPou45Kdnp2iF43XUJMAaRdwIhpxE3KcfbbqmkIofUes5n-BVCOVsA87vYN1CK/s200/23590502.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Versailles</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Dragonfly in Amber" by Diana Gabaldon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">There have been several books exploring Versailles, but none has stuck with me like this one. I want to see this incredible place for myself, wander the halls, see all the opulence, and then find myself an incredible dress to waft around pretending I'm royalty for a while...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BfKLnXNbPxiAedorteUSVtL0JT6R2hLtirltIZ12i7IXHym2eBTYSeAcumYuUoxZFxhzNUuA9MucaEFmzqv7E2H8P24HBu-w15vVz2kCDVpHfTr2qmNAZU5gGb2my3jBodb8sXoHk0Wy/s1600/the-originals-le-grand-guignol-photos-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BfKLnXNbPxiAedorteUSVtL0JT6R2hLtirltIZ12i7IXHym2eBTYSeAcumYuUoxZFxhzNUuA9MucaEFmzqv7E2H8P24HBu-w15vVz2kCDVpHfTr2qmNAZU5gGb2my3jBodb8sXoHk0Wy/s320/the-originals-le-grand-guignol-photos-20.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">New Orleans</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">TV: The Originals / "The Casquette Girls" by Alys Arden</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">It just looks and sounds like such an incredible city, and I want to meander the French Quarter for myself. Over the course of five seasons of the show, New Orleans came to feel a bit like another home - and I wanted nothing more than to go and explore these streets for myself. Reading The Casquette Girls only cemented that feeling.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRGEKPgnv43qOddQpHDHprC5v4mXRDKRIFr6PVLkuO2rK9E5eAAQt8kFNkQc7gtmNmfsHgMIfpke_C3qw8VqGv9UKNQpTeSCLD1my8-Fa4ayjahAxYhnpNhsGMludtAJ4FyU8PT4S9pqb/s1600/10305156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRGEKPgnv43qOddQpHDHprC5v4mXRDKRIFr6PVLkuO2rK9E5eAAQt8kFNkQc7gtmNmfsHgMIfpke_C3qw8VqGv9UKNQpTeSCLD1my8-Fa4ayjahAxYhnpNhsGMludtAJ4FyU8PT4S9pqb/s200/10305156.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And five that I've managed to tick off already.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prague<br />"Daughter of Smoke and Bone" by Laini Taylor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Although I was incredibly sad not to be able to visit Poison (it's now a karaoke bar) it was still incredibly exciting to wander the streets of Prague and try and find some of the places that Karou goes to.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK90cBE1EsiJLACWwMB-WFqgvGJMNVwcxYsCqK0SFUM9OPgT3YsJKbgYqB3itC_HeEFVmC7JVUib6HdSc5B3xyonkQKDYwZcu50ObdlLfq1Yplnsv1z1hUpWZcXeKPX4D5V5sh9TUcfKs/s1600/17453983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK90cBE1EsiJLACWwMB-WFqgvGJMNVwcxYsCqK0SFUM9OPgT3YsJKbgYqB3itC_HeEFVmC7JVUib6HdSc5B3xyonkQKDYwZcu50ObdlLfq1Yplnsv1z1hUpWZcXeKPX4D5V5sh9TUcfKs/s200/17453983.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Paris</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Anna exploring Paris was exactly what I needed to make living in France less scary. So when I had the chance to take a few days to explore the city for myself, I was incredibly excited. Seeing all these places that Anna had described for me, and chasing in her footsteps was such a fun experience.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5cAjrR_IDs2wMi0wcjE84sLX8uyy5NurGjwgUVqminEjAoKV8Cg8W7NDyTgarFn6TOsAweYB5OZ9kNi-SIr1bVGpG3txNiCri_QL_IVreh1Zyc-sgp4IH2fCDLeaeSthEBYL6qNHn8kI/s1600/5293561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5cAjrR_IDs2wMi0wcjE84sLX8uyy5NurGjwgUVqminEjAoKV8Cg8W7NDyTgarFn6TOsAweYB5OZ9kNi-SIr1bVGpG3txNiCri_QL_IVreh1Zyc-sgp4IH2fCDLeaeSthEBYL6qNHn8kI/s200/5293561.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Edinburgh</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Dragonfly in Amber" by Diana Gabaldon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Alright, technically I had already visited Edinburgh (a lot) before I read "Dragonfly in Amber", but I happened to read this book whilst I was staying there. I read the chapters set in Holyrood Palace, and then spent the following day wandering the Palace for myself. There's something incredibly exciting about being able to find the places in reality after reading them in fiction.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjgIOZbQg_oQymlFwAhOnXf9CMX4YMYKGgq7fWSFKJVAYBRC6R1nH82Hs85dQa-o9ReZyAyhPD8nSBp_WZczKeJwUwIOjtDimY5ILFEHq0eGJNqqpB7AWXCY85JwmKZIrOm5ZZjfSlpIf/s1600/venice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="589" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjgIOZbQg_oQymlFwAhOnXf9CMX4YMYKGgq7fWSFKJVAYBRC6R1nH82Hs85dQa-o9ReZyAyhPD8nSBp_WZczKeJwUwIOjtDimY5ILFEHq0eGJNqqpB7AWXCY85JwmKZIrOm5ZZjfSlpIf/s320/venice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">Venice</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">Too many books to count...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Venice has always been on my desperate wish list. From exploring it in Belinda Jones' "The Love Academy" to more recent excursions in "The Book of Life" by Deborah Harkness. It was one of those magical places that I was terrified couldn't live up to my imaginings. Yet it did. It was an astonishing, incredible, wonderful place to visit. Full of colour and life and magic, it opened up before me as though lifted from my dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">Dubrovnik</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyxYnDB2iFdGh-_UuOXdE6TloYReDFXF_wMpPnzAspkcA54dkRsOfQPj6pjKc71SLoNuDsAZKbLB77Ftvmx_44hilGdp3TvPTTDtkdvLgHsEGB8lVkHTsm0dIPfh_kw120w7Mw1BX3HoT/s1600/dubrovnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="531" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyxYnDB2iFdGh-_UuOXdE6TloYReDFXF_wMpPnzAspkcA54dkRsOfQPj6pjKc71SLoNuDsAZKbLB77Ftvmx_44hilGdp3TvPTTDtkdvLgHsEGB8lVkHTsm0dIPfh_kw120w7Mw1BX3HoT/s200/dubrovnik.jpg" width="176" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana"; font-size: large;">"A Game of Thrones" by George R R Martin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Alright, technically this is based on the TV show, I admit. But after seeing so many of these incredible places stand in for locations in Weteros and Essos, I was desperate to see them in real life. It was incredible and really surreal to find the steps outside the sept of Baelor, to see the view from the blacksmiths that Gendry worked at, and to visit the insanely beautiful and peaceful island of Lokrum to find the Qarth garden party.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There you have mine, now tell me some of yours! What are some places you've been inspired to visit because of books you've read? And are there any you'd still love to go to? Tell me in the comments below!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><br />Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-70615883443043334422019-02-22T11:56:00.003+00:002019-02-22T11:56:52.863+00:00Review: China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZ-j0u03GVXEDftp69unHLZHTRUUTm3_2ZDmsNIQwnk3P80pzfYXw4lxcNCT0UKymtKR0P64ndqvA7IK4MWaSF1SN3T_QzSOL9fSeX-eSnkrAVt1immcg5BE4M0AtEdUZ79aG7SVbRd9z/s1600/22674105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZ-j0u03GVXEDftp69unHLZHTRUUTm3_2ZDmsNIQwnk3P80pzfYXw4lxcNCT0UKymtKR0P64ndqvA7IK4MWaSF1SN3T_QzSOL9fSeX-eSnkrAVt1immcg5BE4M0AtEdUZ79aG7SVbRd9z/s400/22674105.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: June 16th 2015</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: Knopf Doubleday</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 378</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiance willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won't be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore's It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia's most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, </span>China Rich Girlfriend<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it's like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well that was a waste of time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I felt mixed about the first book in the trilogy "Crazy Rich Asians", where I both guiltily enjoyed it and felt like it lost the plot towards the end of the book. However, I enjoyed the film a lot more than the book, and it was that that made me want to have a look at the second novel and see what happens next in this crazy world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ultimately? Nothing. It felt like a complete waste of time, where the majority of the plot is crammed into the first bit of the novel, and the final fifteen percent, whilst the middle is just one long protracted look at all these very rich people and the clothes they're wearing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I really loved the sparkling wit and the relationships of the first book, but that was all entirely absent in this second trip out. I had to push myself to keep reading and finish the book, and by the end was just incredibly relieved it was over at last. I didn't like the characters, they were flat and stilted this time and without that emotional connection any desire to see what happens was crushed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will I go back for the final book? Probably. But I imagine it will take a long time for me to forget the sheer awfulness of this one before I gear myself up for the final instalment.</span></div>
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Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-42647600360875359582019-02-12T11:00:00.000+00:002019-02-12T11:00:02.047+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Bookish Couples<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArBj4vDb1fkD6oW7AinAQgoGfF2A7mAXsRF5AX53aRlLWMDGiiGfZjOfVYRDptsUWKUc7QqSuVetnrFIz7NUHRXSjrwewsOo5LnFs0X9jSzs9TrSYAcsFpJ6hryrv1RcnlHxPrgULeMJY/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArBj4vDb1fkD6oW7AinAQgoGfF2A7mAXsRF5AX53aRlLWMDGiiGfZjOfVYRDptsUWKUc7QqSuVetnrFIz7NUHRXSjrwewsOo5LnFs0X9jSzs9TrSYAcsFpJ6hryrv1RcnlHxPrgULeMJY/s320/TTT-NEW.png" width="320" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEc-r_oZhzOkWwxYKScz9uiytk-Q8QfNkAWiaPfVW4CqVH_pDlwu_ilLHVvLou1InfSamCBOcb5k9arw-_n3mDLHJ_hCZwUvY5kizqvNJ5LhSVHaquiSGZcdl7kaOMSHEaTRxEXiQvOeLR/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" style="background-color: transparent; color: #7a1a85; font-size: 15.46px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 15.46px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the fabulous Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl. You can join in with <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/" style="color: #7a1a85; text-decoration: none;">future topics here!</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When a book chooses to put a relationship into the narrative, that can sometimes make or break the story. Done well, it can create something truly magical that keeps you going back to the story over and over.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm a sucker for a good romance, but here are ten of the relationships that have stayed with me long after I've finished reading a book.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQGlzJPa4520tv3_dKXS66emwzJFfJRo8rdHYUsIRrdG6yYzHz_xT_THGO-UUsEjRWjR8z42mHQ_qDRNZt21Gs1DGgRbK3FmDkrcyiKiifRCDOKKIsK_5W_h2JkjGvv74gepgCyPOjP-O/s1600/15827344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQGlzJPa4520tv3_dKXS66emwzJFfJRo8rdHYUsIRrdG6yYzHz_xT_THGO-UUsEjRWjR8z42mHQ_qDRNZt21Gs1DGgRbK3FmDkrcyiKiifRCDOKKIsK_5W_h2JkjGvv74gepgCyPOjP-O/s200/15827344.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Puck & Sean<br />The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“I say, 'I will not be your weakness, Sean Kendrick.'</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #181818; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Now he looks at me. He says, very softly, 'It's late for that, Puck.”
</span></i><br />Slow and creeping and utterly captivating, I adore the relationship that gradually builds between these two. A fascination with each otherness, a foundation of mutual respect and admiration, and a slow heat and intensity that rewards the slow build between them over the course of the book.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch1xVOp5EX5gplVvwE0JwfQ8nTRsrBHVkmVqj_bAUqdLczrW5kV_Cd3Cp9ROiXSJmCbEnaWYo6L62uPMPZMFIh3W3ehtb4fTyx0MSrmJqTcPB7YCZwZi3wK8ygjutgj6swJB-uFezdhgF/s1600/13611052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch1xVOp5EX5gplVvwE0JwfQ8nTRsrBHVkmVqj_bAUqdLczrW5kV_Cd3Cp9ROiXSJmCbEnaWYo6L62uPMPZMFIh3W3ehtb4fTyx0MSrmJqTcPB7YCZwZi3wK8ygjutgj6swJB-uFezdhgF/s200/13611052.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Celia & Marcus<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch1xVOp5EX5gplVvwE0JwfQ8nTRsrBHVkmVqj_bAUqdLczrW5kV_Cd3Cp9ROiXSJmCbEnaWYo6L62uPMPZMFIh3W3ehtb4fTyx0MSrmJqTcPB7YCZwZi3wK8ygjutgj6swJB-uFezdhgF/s1600/13611052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-left: 24px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgch1xVOp5EX5gplVvwE0JwfQ8nTRsrBHVkmVqj_bAUqdLczrW5kV_Cd3Cp9ROiXSJmCbEnaWYo6L62uPMPZMFIh3W3ehtb4fTyx0MSrmJqTcPB7YCZwZi3wK8ygjutgj6swJB-uFezdhgF/s1600/13611052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>“I would have written you, myself, if I could put down in words everything I want to say to you. A sea of ink would not be enough.' 'But you built me dreams instead.” </i></span></span><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is such a beautiful story, with a wonderful, haunting relationship threading throughout. I love the way these two express their feelings - how the circus arounds them reflects their love. It's beautiful and magical and I love coming back to these two.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><i></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVs7FuYK2dLnPcJQXla8QelveUDhmHraUQ8aQk2hxoH2zYyj6kGe-XmzN0QfZ33dk2w0765MOZ_4p6j94EccVGPAO33kkoIZHsgokidi804JCqaI2bsTToaJBRdHYVQK1-qN1AvG1-5k5/s1600/6250211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVs7FuYK2dLnPcJQXla8QelveUDhmHraUQ8aQk2hxoH2zYyj6kGe-XmzN0QfZ33dk2w0765MOZ_4p6j94EccVGPAO33kkoIZHsgokidi804JCqaI2bsTToaJBRdHYVQK1-qN1AvG1-5k5/s200/6250211.jpg" width="125" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fire & Brigan</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fire by Kristin Cashore</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>“I don't want to love you if you're only going to die.” </i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ4MC0LLLMJVi5b42A9eD_TBl1wdkW12tzWIXnskGBduTl1NTTxwqOx_R2cmFp4KNZHkq_1joRKTJ8b9v-KYpGbdlTd0GlCadnA7hdyKIv99HAZuU0TF8rH1apGJwiRBcAsmTX8h2wvAi/s1600/40909452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This book is one of my all time favourites. It's magical and wonderful and heartbreaking and beautiful, and I love Fire (and all of Cashore's heroines) fiercely. They are complex and flawed and wonderful. I love this quiet relationship that grows up until it has filled in all of their cracks and they couldn't be torn apart even if they tried. I love how hard and difficult and painful it all is, because it feels realistic. And I love the quiet intimacy and beauty that can be found around that. I love them.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbKMfC0ddJ-LJ2e__47YzSkYUjwEpUKjDfRNvI2awlSkyBXs0WeeGw8v86R9yHSDFc7mfu81F69NJdp2hB66uC2BQNshIundqOzYvlRGmQHyVc9Kj3vb8JjLIZsCbaYLbushjMLumAOSM/s1600/40909452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbKMfC0ddJ-LJ2e__47YzSkYUjwEpUKjDfRNvI2awlSkyBXs0WeeGw8v86R9yHSDFc7mfu81F69NJdp2hB66uC2BQNshIundqOzYvlRGmQHyVc9Kj3vb8JjLIZsCbaYLbushjMLumAOSM/s200/40909452.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Claire & Jamie</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Outlander by Diana Gabaldon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This love deserves the term epic. It truly is an epic love story, one spanning centuries and continents, and it's hard and realistic and wonderful. I adore watching these two come together, forced into proximity by circumstance only to come to respect, trust, and love the other. It is timeless and complex, and a meeting of two equals, which I adore it for.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1bjVWWc16rVK8JkKewD-G9O9xWOOl9s2MjyIedWKSaThqKK2IvP9fg_9LVjZJ84tc_Q4giDuh1B0PdwLmO3xi95Qd4q4ZWEneIK6PRx4Lb1hPxejNd5LHnfxjad3hqMsDhpbWmqBozB2/s1600/41150487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1bjVWWc16rVK8JkKewD-G9O9xWOOl9s2MjyIedWKSaThqKK2IvP9fg_9LVjZJ84tc_Q4giDuh1B0PdwLmO3xi95Qd4q4ZWEneIK6PRx4Lb1hPxejNd5LHnfxjad3hqMsDhpbWmqBozB2/s200/41150487.jpg" width="130" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alex & Henry</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Alright<i> technically</i> this book isn't released until May this year.<b> But</b> it is one of the best romances I've read. I'm completely in love with this book and these two boys, and I cannot wait until it's out in the world and I can squee about them properly. Forewarning, get this on your pre-order list, you're not going to want to miss this.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJsAPsbEtkED3FHPSp554UmtjvBPk1K8pFqLHUs16rO98muPvZOOnxDo8OX2nTCvXSY1s_06qBaKfzk_JUwbjNzXagn6B6qu-QAG8oUDR4RYPb0bOtPpwEacWaOnAzdS9Nntfqtddyq6R/s1600/6933131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFJsAPsbEtkED3FHPSp554UmtjvBPk1K8pFqLHUs16rO98muPvZOOnxDo8OX2nTCvXSY1s_06qBaKfzk_JUwbjNzXagn6B6qu-QAG8oUDR4RYPb0bOtPpwEacWaOnAzdS9Nntfqtddyq6R/s200/6933131.jpg" width="125" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Julia & Brisbane</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's dark and quiet, and doesn't overwhelm the mystery of the other stories interwoven around theirs, but I adore the relationship that builds between Julia and Brisbane. It's the kind of quiet, simmering thing that really takes its time, and is all the more wonderful for it. They want to protect each other, but aren't afraid to call the other out and engage in some fantastic verbal sparring. It's a meeting of two equal minds, and I love watching them together.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjck2MT2AAl_ysFLplmj9MP8_jZ6LGRPgLGy-XDEw7UlDfC1YY_A3gyDpBmdFCartOMK3q2jHmEqByJ1D21-1pRKd8SvpoMNd_nOhVahr53eV5358F7iG6P97UA8jv-sS8fh1TTlFwlqwk7/s1600/17927395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjck2MT2AAl_ysFLplmj9MP8_jZ6LGRPgLGy-XDEw7UlDfC1YY_A3gyDpBmdFCartOMK3q2jHmEqByJ1D21-1pRKd8SvpoMNd_nOhVahr53eV5358F7iG6P97UA8jv-sS8fh1TTlFwlqwk7/s200/17927395.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Feyre & Rhysand</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J Maas</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“I am broken and healing, but every piece of my heart belong to you.”</span></i></span><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This relationship is wonderful. I love the balance between the two of them. The respect and care that Rhysand offers Feyre. The fact that they're both a bit broken but they're working through it together. Whilst I love a bit of a bad boy in fiction, it always frustrates me when men treat their lady loves like a pile of poop. None of that here, and watching Feyre come into her own, secure and happy in the knowledge that she is loved for who she is, is something wonderful to behold. I return to this book so often I know it almost by heart, and this relationship is one of the reasons that I do.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFDvxXSPXuMdkSHJM6IeNPbOGEu5y_U2m6VRlVb9pxSp4EJdXFdxh1muASYhan_T0n7haJnq2UUq75Hkx-AyIGfvrtEhi0Ypq7GFKej0OkD6dUb1c1C1cMTNJTIK53CPxJlLax4EgwLEo/s1600/17347389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSFDvxXSPXuMdkSHJM6IeNPbOGEu5y_U2m6VRlVb9pxSp4EJdXFdxh1muASYhan_T0n7haJnq2UUq75Hkx-AyIGfvrtEhi0Ypq7GFKej0OkD6dUb1c1C1cMTNJTIK53CPxJlLax4EgwLEo/s200/17347389.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Adam & Ronan</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Raven Cycle quartet by Maggie Stiefvater</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh these two. Ronan is all sharp edges and anger, and Adam is dark and quiet and they are so damned perfect for each other it hurts, and I adore them. Maggie has announced there will be an offshoot novel "Call down the Hawk" focussed on Ronan, and I cannot wait for more of these boys.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6npBftfJAVjqDG_UmL3zsj4EZgDJAwE2HOcQQxJ6eiJzjR2Zyix0LX-isR7ABMJlpfVKrGD13_niux__yeFkhU4vvrdq2sKBep2by8ev1XOtnWDeMLBk8JCzhr5UTu4K1PPpC6fQmbWJK/s1600/1164672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="290" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6npBftfJAVjqDG_UmL3zsj4EZgDJAwE2HOcQQxJ6eiJzjR2Zyix0LX-isR7ABMJlpfVKrGD13_niux__yeFkhU4vvrdq2sKBep2by8ev1XOtnWDeMLBk8JCzhr5UTu4K1PPpC6fQmbWJK/s200/1164672.jpg" width="121" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Alanna & George</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the very first fantasy books I read, this quartet shaped my reading loves from the outset. And one of those was a complex relationship that evolved over the course of the series. Plus, George is just wonderful from the very first moment.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WnwfWBSPoJ0bvovb-2NAtv8M5kxp6Iqvs0VSCe8JDgifKjrRYzR1mhABuJY5B-O3XUrYEt7bKSbV_ftWfLKAJ23YdJx7jNetz2fFgbTQJkuVCUgd0MbjQdV7Xe3w2-m2ZtZISafUPuj4/s1600/10866624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DratN3xY2rJTAlsY4dp46Z_OzB_qTE2VDwEJEyX8hbIbRNGH3HFfCt3JowKVTBihL_f5U1yqAyUa048QG8Tv7a-KRN7AqCHFkrMq8SbufEsaavf04k-_ZQVkL2pFuDSqTDP8Z3Gq0oGj/s1600/10866624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DratN3xY2rJTAlsY4dp46Z_OzB_qTE2VDwEJEyX8hbIbRNGH3HFfCt3JowKVTBihL_f5U1yqAyUa048QG8Tv7a-KRN7AqCHFkrMq8SbufEsaavf04k-_ZQVkL2pFuDSqTDP8Z3Gq0oGj/s200/10866624.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kami & Jared</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Lynburn Legacy by Sarah Rees Brennan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“Hark,” he said, his tone very dry. “What stone through yonder window breaks?”</span></i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>Kami yelled up at him, “It is the east, and Juliet is a jerk!”</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I will never get over my love of Kami and Jared. They are sassy, brooding, snark pants, and I cannot fully articulate my love for them. And just compiling this list and looking at quotes from the series has made me want to go back and re-read them.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There you have ten of mine. Now it's over to you to tell me some of yours!</span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-21599327309977839132019-02-04T11:00:00.000+00:002019-02-04T21:48:56.193+00:00Review: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmI075OaVQxC7xLznrhGGR1oJzepVnhTGqspFU5ePWG7R0cZuVdNuE5klCCVfOobTL0ygG55LjcZh3YIiOZcOyUYuOD6ZRXcLuejT4HWHE_6StVMc4_ynK_Dntf1x-0d1GfnATNgH66Z9/s1600/36111620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="277" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmI075OaVQxC7xLznrhGGR1oJzepVnhTGqspFU5ePWG7R0cZuVdNuE5klCCVfOobTL0ygG55LjcZh3YIiOZcOyUYuOD6ZRXcLuejT4HWHE_6StVMc4_ynK_Dntf1x-0d1GfnATNgH66Z9/s400/36111620.jpg" width="232" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publication date: August 28th 2018</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Publisher: Avon</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Pages: 373</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span id="freeText9001789748268325487" style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The accidental governess.<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart... without risking her own.<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />The infamous rake.<br style="line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 0px;" />Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling... and he’s in danger of falling, hard.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #181818; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span></i></span><a data-text-id="9001789748268325487" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36111620-the-governess-game#" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #00635d; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The second in the "Girl Meets Duke" series, took me back to the characters I fell in love with in The Duchess Deal, then fleshed out Alex and The Bookshop Rake as they got their very own romance, and strengthened my love affair with Tessa Dare.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dare manages to bottle lightning with these books, creating that pitch perfect blend of wit, characters you root for (even when they're being idiots), interesting plot, and steamy romance. It's like magic, and I found myself laughing out loud at a lot of the scenes with the children. Daisy's inventive daily death, combined with the truly brilliant eulogy's provided by Chase made for some of the funniest moments I've read recently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you like well written romance this is for you. If you like well written characters this is for you. If you just like a good book that you can disappear into for a few hours and emerge from with a smile on your face, then this is definitely for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's fun, it's smart, and I am totally sold on this series. I can't wait for the third book later in the year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUcx_gBvAJLKPWLDWwfRobDnUzQuFCkulnkXVKpkQY-iHXHiWvEI3ofiFwfqNutL3S19H71Qy0j7lL9rvpWjLzhyYof8r661J6r4acWTlGQP8zcz6tiXXR1JIStORGPlKDViImd6IEsnM/s1600/4Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="48" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUcx_gBvAJLKPWLDWwfRobDnUzQuFCkulnkXVKpkQY-iHXHiWvEI3ofiFwfqNutL3S19H71Qy0j7lL9rvpWjLzhyYof8r661J6r4acWTlGQP8zcz6tiXXR1JIStORGPlKDViImd6IEsnM/s1600/4Stars.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-663104174716060332019-02-01T11:00:00.000+00:002019-02-04T21:45:26.400+00:00Books I'm Squeeing About in February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgurWF-rLJxj0XKeKM1iqTRh7yC8lQ4fWdJd8i0cx_nDYqdd6lL7vwnx5P4feUfASeR8g6iTyw1RrPxTFa8D4ewxBzFpjQjd-jlIGkhLAtGTjv-QAyBiLCG0KYZtTd5Dgb_u1nNGTNnvB/s1600/Squeeing3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="602" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgurWF-rLJxj0XKeKM1iqTRh7yC8lQ4fWdJd8i0cx_nDYqdd6lL7vwnx5P4feUfASeR8g6iTyw1RrPxTFa8D4ewxBzFpjQjd-jlIGkhLAtGTjv-QAyBiLCG0KYZtTd5Dgb_u1nNGTNnvB/s320/Squeeing3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We're already one down, eleven to go, which is terrifying, but I'm choosing to focus on the exciting books coming out this month instead. And oh boy what an incredibly busy month it is for new releases.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ-E2wyO_LI6k_0lx5FRVEbDM-dxwhDW8GleaEOd64chvlxfUQ2vOMJ9UaQL2EdtxW0LiA9OrqeNNB3pmvIjM9IANhJe64-qnZgziP_e8UeG4EF-eyKK8VbwcTQXXTNhXQLEmS8ftnUfF/s1600/A18aiWE9bmL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1055" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ-E2wyO_LI6k_0lx5FRVEbDM-dxwhDW8GleaEOd64chvlxfUQ2vOMJ9UaQL2EdtxW0LiA9OrqeNNB3pmvIjM9IANhJe64-qnZgziP_e8UeG4EF-eyKK8VbwcTQXXTNhXQLEmS8ftnUfF/s400/A18aiWE9bmL.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi</span><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/125014454X/?coliid=I2SUZ2EAOVYB6N&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">February 1st 2019</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Severin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Severin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Severin will need help from a band of experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can't yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much. Together, they'll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I adore Roshani's writing, and everything about this blurb has me excited. Historical, set in Paris, and with a thrilling cast of characters - I cannot wait to read this one.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGVZKXscwfXz9mMY9luUU6Pxze9QZV3vd2VMOZc47nnuVNAAAPXpax82kDlirP7Y7-s23w0oa05Zn37IDRRyECCGiqnZXzQ4MeuWyfM2Qtk3OboHwWMFBzMmZslZVNbHyClU1362rtQP-/s1600/81DgL6mImkL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1043" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGVZKXscwfXz9mMY9luUU6Pxze9QZV3vd2VMOZc47nnuVNAAAPXpax82kDlirP7Y7-s23w0oa05Zn37IDRRyECCGiqnZXzQ4MeuWyfM2Qtk3OboHwWMFBzMmZslZVNbHyClU1362rtQP-/s400/81DgL6mImkL.jpg" width="260" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">On the Come Up by Angie Thomas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1406372161/?coliid=IO4PGPW5ET48S&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it">February 5th 2019</a></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span><i></i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Bri finds herself at the centre of controversy and portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. And with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it – she </span>has<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.</span></span></i></span><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Latest novel from Angie Thomas. 'Nuff said really. Can't wait.</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BnyvIPJrnqfniGt3-ElEdWvDdAq5s-I9-fhWxYyHSw3v-VEJiwyokZBkeYZ3zfPf1my8fapX-MQycUJoSqLip5nF8izfJ3LDRRpopierCglaYfocJgcTedwOIBWCN3xGq2E3H-WGbqiO/s1600/37569347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BnyvIPJrnqfniGt3-ElEdWvDdAq5s-I9-fhWxYyHSw3v-VEJiwyokZBkeYZ3zfPf1my8fapX-MQycUJoSqLip5nF8izfJ3LDRRpopierCglaYfocJgcTedwOIBWCN3xGq2E3H-WGbqiO/s400/37569347.jpg" width="258" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1783448261/?coliid=I3QLOJOESVRWRS&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it">February 21st 2019</a></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></i></span>
<span style="color: black;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">When Sybella accompanies the Duchess of Brittany to France, she expects trouble, but she isn’t expecting a deadly trap. Surrounded by enemies both known and unknown, Sybella searches for the undercover assassins from the convent of St. Mortain who were placed in the French court years ago.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she no longer knows who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. When she discovers a hidden prisoner who may be of importance, she takes matters into her own hands.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> As these two worlds collide, the fate of the Duchess, Brittany, and everything Sybella and Genevieve have come to love hangs in the balance.</span></span></i></span><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll admit, I didn't enjoy the final book in the His Fair Assassin series. But the previous books were brilliant enough that I'm still pretty excited for the latest offering in this universe.</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: black;"></span><i></i><span style="color: purple;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz74c53SOxzsnA311p9n94T9EYU-nAZsVd1S7AQq5fMCEUIaYSC365oEnty4oF-eRe5CqG6e0NqI9nwCX0MpAYzAujPqDF51Q6-A2Oc_-LXKwrk_dxa49ipeYhkrrUf03pfddBRiVg92T/s1600/91gg3k713hL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1053" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz74c53SOxzsnA311p9n94T9EYU-nAZsVd1S7AQq5fMCEUIaYSC365oEnty4oF-eRe5CqG6e0NqI9nwCX0MpAYzAujPqDF51Q6-A2Oc_-LXKwrk_dxa49ipeYhkrrUf03pfddBRiVg92T/s400/91gg3k713hL.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Enchant<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 27.3px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">é</span>e by Gita Trelease</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1509895973/?coliid=I3T2KF11GHQOCL&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it">February 21st 2019</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries – and magicians...</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>When smallpox kills her parents, seventeen-year-old Camille is left to provide for her frail sister and her volatile brother. In desperation, she survives by using the petty magic she learnt from her mother. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Using dark magic Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine‘ and presents herself at the court of Versaille, where she soon finds herself swept up in a dizzying life of riches, finery and suitors. But Camille’s resentment of the rich is at odds with the allure of their glamour and excess, and she soon discovers that she’s not the only one leading a double life.</i></span></div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been so excited about this book for<b><i> months</i></b> and I cannot wait to read it. This month seems to be an excellent one for historical, magical books set in Paris. It's basically heaven.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><b></b><i></i><span style="color: purple;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/006264372X/?coliid=I19P567WJFVK03&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it">February 21st 2019</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Sora can move as silently as a ghost and hurl throwing stars with lethal accuracy. Her gemina, Daemon, can win any physical fight blindfolded and with an arm tied around his back. They are apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas—marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona.<br />As their graduation approaches, Sora and Daemon look forward to proving themselves worthy of belonging in the elite group—but in a kingdom free of violence since the Blood Rift Rebellion many years ago, it’s been difficult to make their mark. <br />So when Sora and Daemon encounter a strange camp of mysterious soldiers while on a standard scouting mission, they decide the only thing to do to help their kingdom is to infiltrate the group. Taking this risk will change Sora’s life forever—and lead her on a mission of deception that may fool everyone she’s ever loved.<br />Love, spies, and adventure abound as Sora and Daemon unravel a complex web of magic and secrets that might tear them—and the entire kingdom—apart forever.</i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I need to get on and read the Evelyn Skye books already sat on my bookshelves, because I have heard nothing but good things about them, and everything about them makes me super excited. Must make time soon!</span><div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: purple;"></span><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufIESUmBXtUxuvLNOwcEnUxH7rhyphenhyphent31jVKjRYTk3tfzpRatoEnjdFqRklb_J7P3UnTc2osX2NN6vRzeRkaheaEg5G8ZMCqxCb4-wVWTTXfa1MpGPlos0BbJx433049mrA1GgyE1iGw_FY/s1600/91NFlj4YxAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="978" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufIESUmBXtUxuvLNOwcEnUxH7rhyphenhyphent31jVKjRYTk3tfzpRatoEnjdFqRklb_J7P3UnTc2osX2NN6vRzeRkaheaEg5G8ZMCqxCb4-wVWTTXfa1MpGPlos0BbJx433049mrA1GgyE1iGw_FY/s400/91NFlj4YxAL.jpg" width="243" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">It's Getting Scot In Here by Suzanne Enoch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1250296374/?coliid=I2LR3NU76EWODI&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it">February 26th 2019</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER<br style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px;" />London socialite Amelia-Rose Baxter is nobody's fool. Her parents may want her to catch a title, but she will never change who she is for the promise of marriage. Her husband will be a man who can appreciate her sharp mind as well as her body. A sophisticated man who loves life in London. A man who considers her his equal--and won't try to tame her wild heart...</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>IN THE HIGHLANDS<br style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px;" />Rough, rugged Highlander Niall MacTaggert and his brothers know the rules: the eldest must marry or lose the ancestral estate, period. But Niall's eldest brother just isn't interested in the lady his mother selected. Is it because Amelia-Rose is just too. . . Free-spirited? Yes. Brazen? Aye. Surely Niall can find a way to soften up the whip-smart lass and make her the perfect match for his brother for the sake of the family.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT HOTTER.<br style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px;" />Instead it's Niall who tempts Amelia-Rose, despite her reservations about barbarian Highlanders. Niall finds the lass nigh irresistible as well, but he won't make the mistake his father did in marrying an Englishwoman who doesn't like the Highlands. Does he have what it takes to win her heart? There is only one way to find out...</i></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><i></i><span style="color: purple;"></span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I mean, it's February so of course there was going to be a romance on here... Plus the titles for Suzanne's books are becoming increasingly ridiculous and brilliant, and nothing make me snigger more than an entertainingly silly romance novel title. Gimme.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: magenta;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f-Iv3qYQQZZIKRDSUqodhz1LcflY03YnybM18DHLpqzfS5DvRbl5EGkSW_wltCspJL6OObuESzgfDxX3iPuTEFM89wGFlkdct2n8kvkF05LvK8qCOzIerBh3OVMngDVjcHus7bPKt2Xj/s1600/91U01xoK9dL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1061" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8f-Iv3qYQQZZIKRDSUqodhz1LcflY03YnybM18DHLpqzfS5DvRbl5EGkSW_wltCspJL6OObuESzgfDxX3iPuTEFM89wGFlkdct2n8kvkF05LvK8qCOzIerBh3OVMngDVjcHus7bPKt2Xj/s400/91U01xoK9dL.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="265" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0451490711/?coliid=I2LW70BKNDAOEK&colid=22QKG3A6FDOVV&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it">February 28th 2019</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; display: inline !important; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell is whisked off to a remote island off the tip of Cornwall when her natural historian colleague Stoker's brother calls in a favour. On the pretext of wanting a companion to accompany him to Lord Malcolm Romilly's house party, Tiberius persuades Veronica to pose as his fiancee - much to Stoker's chagrin. But upon arriving, it becomes clear that the party is not as innocent as it had seemed. Every invited guest has a connection to Romilly's wife, Rosamund, who disappeared on her wedding day three years ago, and a dramatic dinner proves she is very much on her husband's mind. As spectral figures, ghostly music, and mysterious threats begin to plague the partygoers, Veronica enlists Stoker's help to discover the host's true motivations. And as they investigate, it becomes clear that there are numerous mysteries surrounding the Romilly estate, and every person present has a motive to kill Rosamund…</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's always a good month when a new book from Deanna Raybourn is released. Sure I miss the Lady Julia Grey series, but I do adore some more time with Veronica, so rounding my month off with another instalment of her adventures sounds pretty darn perfect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There you have the books that I can't wait to get my hands on this month - tell me some of yours!</span></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-514984336753021661.post-87874286195837625292019-01-29T11:00:00.000+00:002019-01-29T11:00:01.475+00:00Top Ten Tuesday: The Ten Most Recent Additions to my TBR Pile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYYsmfFLnLQw7pAd5ssxsbHU2rnu4yB51XsjIVJnZ5D6yeimONhMvxDUjSPdVxC0uUPDiTH23RrZhWt4vcjwnXelPRQDGE-TzmGsWR6yNt6N7QoHFK9AjsmVGJ6lFtj2u1LBNUAn50uT8/s1600/TTT-NEW.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYYsmfFLnLQw7pAd5ssxsbHU2rnu4yB51XsjIVJnZ5D6yeimONhMvxDUjSPdVxC0uUPDiTH23RrZhWt4vcjwnXelPRQDGE-TzmGsWR6yNt6N7QoHFK9AjsmVGJ6lFtj2u1LBNUAn50uT8/s320/TTT-NEW.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Top Ten Tuesday is a feature hosted by the fabulous Jana at The Artsy Reader Girl. You can join in with <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/">future topics here!</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />The problem with to read piles is that they literally never end. They just grow bigger and more unruly until they fall over and crush us, thereby cutting short all dreams of ever finishing reading them.<br />So of course I've been adding to mine recently! Pretty much all of these are based on the blurb and/or cover, except for the Tessa Dare books, because apparently I'm just on a Tessa Dare binge right now...<br /><br /><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45n-0MJZk7hcAUUz9vBbhhQWviyn_0pA_TXS-XNDHpMcd837095IIcjC7s9-BijpjJVkCXhC3PZMJqIiyAU-1FoCQGcg3vgzPJgiGdxNj9tZqTUGyBRJTR4tUl9ombgREHIpacDv5IwTS/s1600/519zPLc4NoL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45n-0MJZk7hcAUUz9vBbhhQWviyn_0pA_TXS-XNDHpMcd837095IIcjC7s9-BijpjJVkCXhC3PZMJqIiyAU-1FoCQGcg3vgzPJgiGdxNj9tZqTUGyBRJTR4tUl9ombgREHIpacDv5IwTS/s320/519zPLc4NoL.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>‘I am a Duke. I’m not asking you to marry me. I am offering to marry you. It’s a different thing entirely.’</i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>When the Duke of Ashbury returns from war scarred, he realises he needs an heir – which means he needs a wife! When Emma Gladstone, a vicar's daughter turned seamstress visits wearing a wedding dress, he decides on the spot that she'll do.</i></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPkLNe_6kHoLlLUXtjNPId_TR0LTrTQtBclqjQqECr9nj9g4f-XBapgaCvIdfFZ_ZAlVyi32ctl57mZpnd1EvtNESo6tl5fS6rkVyO7heideSDjUf5k7CBj2cdC-p2Hn-WGmhWkrQqmRJ/s1600/51eSv2DzSOL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPkLNe_6kHoLlLUXtjNPId_TR0LTrTQtBclqjQqECr9nj9g4f-XBapgaCvIdfFZ_ZAlVyi32ctl57mZpnd1EvtNESo6tl5fS6rkVyO7heideSDjUf5k7CBj2cdC-p2Hn-WGmhWkrQqmRJ/s320/51eSv2DzSOL.jpg" width="199" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>His terms are simple:<br />- They will be husband and wife by night only.<br />- No lights, no kissing.</i><b></b><i><br />- No questions about his battle scars. <br />- Last, and most importantly… Once she's pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.<br />But Emma is no pushover. She has secrets and some rules of her own:<br />- They will have dinner together every evening.<br />- With conversation.<br />- And teasing.<br />- Last, and most importantly… Once she's seen the man beneath the scars, he can't stop her from falling in love…</i><br /><br /><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare</span><br /><i>Unexpected lovers find themselves together in Spindle Cove with A Week to be Wicked—the second book in Tessa Dare’s utterly delectable historical romance series. This Regency Era delight finds a restless British lord desperate to escape the quaint and too quiet small seaside resort he’s trapped in…and he gets much more than he expected when he eagerly agrees to escort a beautiful, brilliant, socially awkward lady scientist to Scotland.</i><br /><br /><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWqDwjmQWdfQZJILxdDd5n0HQWRpR3KLiASwPUC_yrxSLWdjHYlYbHwgAZarTGsca0kgE-5OuzV4Crmg-XCir2DeJWS9HBCWv5PZ0_hojRm5gBqC63o1nE3pyVEo6DSpDAUkoWpe0NsSo/s1600/71TIZ4qi8AL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1059" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWqDwjmQWdfQZJILxdDd5n0HQWRpR3KLiASwPUC_yrxSLWdjHYlYbHwgAZarTGsca0kgE-5OuzV4Crmg-XCir2DeJWS9HBCWv5PZ0_hojRm5gBqC63o1nE3pyVEo6DSpDAUkoWpe0NsSo/s320/71TIZ4qi8AL.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5T0agaYjKuWzjG3mk0X0wpQlysHi_N9ohLdpb4W6OS0ovOEkIKUG0e7fVLNGLQ1QOG1QhAplKW-i7GZ_TmpBRve_Jik6ww-iWwYc_VnpZRrA9oOQ8FDv3S0Ji1OSoW2BSzjmaGc4ghXL/s1600/71Cxj2hUCLL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5T0agaYjKuWzjG3mk0X0wpQlysHi_N9ohLdpb4W6OS0ovOEkIKUG0e7fVLNGLQ1QOG1QhAplKW-i7GZ_TmpBRve_Jik6ww-iWwYc_VnpZRrA9oOQ8FDv3S0Ji1OSoW2BSzjmaGc4ghXL/s320/71Cxj2hUCLL.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>When Edward “Teach” Drummond, son of one of Bristol’s richest merchants, returns home from a year at sea, he finds his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, all Teach wants is to return to the vast ocean he calls home. There’s just one problem: he must convince his father to let him leave and never come back.<br />Following the death of her parents, Anne Barrett is left penniless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne takes a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks and Anne longs to escape the confines of her now mundane life. How will she ever achieve her dream of sailing to Curaçao—her mother’s birthplace—when she’s trapped in England?<br />From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn together by a shared desire for freedom, but kept apart by Teach’s father, their love is as passionate as it is forbidden. Faced with an impossible choice, Teach and Anne must decide whether to chase their dreams and leave England forever—or follow their hearts and stay together.</i><br /><br /><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri</span><br /><i>Mehr is a girl trapped between two cultures. Her father comes from the ruling classes of the empire, but her mother's people were outcasts, Amrithi nomads who worshipped the spirits of the sands.<br /> Caught one night performing these forbidden rites, Mehr is brought to the attention of the Emperor's most feared mystics, who try to force her into their service by way of an arranged marriage. If she fails in their bidding, the gods themselves may awaken and seek vengeance...</i><br /><br /><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SnByntXtu4fLUWjBDpfBQmM0hlF-YIlzWqRaa0dMK5UAIPs4RLidhAAeSUaWEALy_3QjyO_OZqjGoq9kGP-cHUi0VA3SG8kealIiMf-nvvIR0JZ4lo089w3UqzDeiQNRScjdwRufdm7Q/s1600/51Y9Zn4wTeL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SnByntXtu4fLUWjBDpfBQmM0hlF-YIlzWqRaa0dMK5UAIPs4RLidhAAeSUaWEALy_3QjyO_OZqjGoq9kGP-cHUi0VA3SG8kealIiMf-nvvIR0JZ4lo089w3UqzDeiQNRScjdwRufdm7Q/s320/51Y9Zn4wTeL.jpg" width="199" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Ph dre n Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. Ph dre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Ph dre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Ph dre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws0ya1oH_GwuxdYUcQMss__XsiLt9wXhzj-uC6MzVDIokVHMeqOqnAUyz0cxEMjj_D-5neot3cGG9mr0gXABws7mycXvSKYuyBd8lPohsxvMNPUh5ZPd_hOTQ7FW8QNRTikGlkaOYAGDF/s1600/9109wewh-QL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws0ya1oH_GwuxdYUcQMss__XsiLt9wXhzj-uC6MzVDIokVHMeqOqnAUyz0cxEMjj_D-5neot3cGG9mr0gXABws7mycXvSKYuyBd8lPohsxvMNPUh5ZPd_hOTQ7FW8QNRTikGlkaOYAGDF/s320/9109wewh-QL.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The Brilliant Death by Amy Rose Capetta</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Teodora di Sangro is used to hiding her magical ability to transform enemies into music boxes and mirrors. Nobody knows she's a strega--and she aims to keep it that way. The she meets Cielo--and everything changes. A strega who can switch outward form as effortlessly as turning a page in a book, Cielo shows Teodora what her life could be like if she masters the power she's been keeping secret. And not a moment too soon: the ruler of Vinalia has poisoned the patriarchs of the country's five controlling families, including Teodora's father, and demands that each family send a son to the palace. If she wants to save her family, Teodora must travel to the capital--not disguised as a boy, but transformed into one. But the road to the capital, and to bridling her powers, is full of enemies and complications, including the one she least expects: falling in love.</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiiqqKl3wZaCMFHB0hvMsnvYWh2z6Vrv42g_MVSS2PDk13yqjdlX1QZe9d02Usn6T5L26_Fxg711H03sGXi9xb2jii1ItR8uPSu5sDkg_9qRnWNRtMEJWiom-vUtPN_E46cc1I-uXurpC/s1600/91KCQsbt09L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1053" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiiqqKl3wZaCMFHB0hvMsnvYWh2z6Vrv42g_MVSS2PDk13yqjdlX1QZe9d02Usn6T5L26_Fxg711H03sGXi9xb2jii1ItR8uPSu5sDkg_9qRnWNRtMEJWiom-vUtPN_E46cc1I-uXurpC/s320/91KCQsbt09L.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><i>A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.<br />A prince in danger must decide who to trust.<br />A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. <br />Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SV3DrTeiu2ZI_n-eEQnVtGFtNXE4lyBjuopfCukRXdQzslE9H75JVF4QqwHfyg9NaWmC4kOLWIP55Iat61LVHbHGODWY4kjsKNSPz1BObyShXgAjB_-JuFYi9hD1j6ML9oaLsL_1xw7h/s1600/81GAVXbDTVL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9SV3DrTeiu2ZI_n-eEQnVtGFtNXE4lyBjuopfCukRXdQzslE9H75JVF4QqwHfyg9NaWmC4kOLWIP55Iat61LVHbHGODWY4kjsKNSPz1BObyShXgAjB_-JuFYi9hD1j6ML9oaLsL_1xw7h/s320/81GAVXbDTVL.jpg" width="210" /></a><i>In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan's devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Romanov by Nadine Brandes</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The history books say I died. They don't know the half of it. Anastasia "Nastya" Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family's only salvation. But the leader of the Bolshevik army is after them, and he's hunted Romanov before. Nastya's only chances of saving herself and her family are either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn't act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya's only dabbled in magic, but it doesn't frighten her half as much as her growing attraction for Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her... That is, until she's on one side of a firing squad... and he's on the other.</i><br /><br /><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>A pilot raised in revolution. A princess raised in a palace. A world on the brink of war.<br />Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan's mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it's the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania--Aurelia's mother. Determined to avenge his wife's murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Athan's mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he's been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it--a war in which Athan's father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they've been raised to believe.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyENqv8yIAbCZTVb-22UxmnCtPGxxbmd3Q3gTW_kC-2cHInvVi0YG3PDY0GYm2S_WCLojr2V9lMXQHugmFP6eFTCrrxh7NkCITOCGD_icByEYFYoglHOstGRcKrkr-6VFMg-7q8otJyJyh/s1600/71Zb80tuQVL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyENqv8yIAbCZTVb-22UxmnCtPGxxbmd3Q3gTW_kC-2cHInvVi0YG3PDY0GYm2S_WCLojr2V9lMXQHugmFP6eFTCrrxh7NkCITOCGD_icByEYFYoglHOstGRcKrkr-6VFMg-7q8otJyJyh/s320/71Zb80tuQVL.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;">Descendent of the Crane by Joan He</span></span></div>
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<i>"Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own." Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she's thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father's killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer--a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.<br /> Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira--a brilliant and alluring investigator who's also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now it's your turn! What's made it onto your to read pile recently?</span></div>
Rosyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06460676250901770530noreply@blogger.com6