WWW Wednesday | 26.01.22

Confession: I’ve been low on post ideas coming into this new year. I’m sure it’ll pass but for now, I thought I’d update you all on how my reading has been going and where it’s heading. WWW Wednesday is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and asks you to answer the 3 Ws – what did you recently finish, what’s your current read, and what are you reading next?

Seven Days in June – Tia Williams

I read Seven Days in June as part of my ‘Reviewing the Goodreads Top 10 Romance Novels of 2021‘ post and gave it 4 stars. It was so nice to read a romance with not only two black leads but one featuring a single mum who was also dealing with a chronic pain condition. SDIJ is a second chance romance story and although I don’t usually gravitate towards those, I liked this one. The connection between leads Eva and Shane was electric, their relationship issues more about timing than compatibility. The characters were developed well and I thought the balance between romance, drama, and levity was handled wonderfully. However, I wish there’d been fewer pop culture references, more info about Eva’s family, and an expansion on the past chapters to further support those events’ impact on the present. I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy more drama-type romances.

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The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive 1#) – Brandon Sanderson

After years of wanting to start this series but feeling too intimidated to do so, I am FINALLY reading The Way of Kings! I know, I’m as shocked as you are. I just felt super motivated all of a sudden and decided to embrace it while it lasted. Probably those start-of-the-year feels. At this point, I’m just past halfway (it’s 1009 pages long, FYI) so I’ve still got a long way to go, but you know what? It’s pretty great. There are a lot of things I don’t understand or remember about the world, but I assume that will come with time considering the scope of it. I’m really enjoying the characters and how their paths are connected but not directly yet. The first couple of chapters were somewhat jarring but since then I’ve been consistently engaged, which is a relief for a book of this size. I’m really looking forward to seeing how events progress in the second half. Perhaps, a new favourite series for me?

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One Night on the Island – Josie Silver

Once I finish my current mammoth read I’ll be starting my ARC of One Night on the Island by Josie Silver. I’ve actually had this on my Netgalley approval shelf for a while now but I’ve been putting it off so that I could get through all the books for my GR’s romance finalists post. However, since the release date is quickly coming up (Feb 17), I better get on it! It’s a forced proximity romance about a dating columnist, Cleo, who takes a trip to a remote Irish island to do a sensationalist piece on marrying herself. However, when she turns up at her luxury cabin she finds a handsome and stubborn American named Mack who insists it’s his and refuses to leave. With neither willing to budge and a storm fast approaching, the two decide to bunk down together. I really enjoyed Silver’s One Day in December so I’m hoping this will be a similarly good read. Guess we’ll see!

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I hope your reading for the year has gotten off to a good start and that you’ve got some interesting looking books lined up for the near future.

What are you currently reading? Thoughts about it?

WWW Wednesday | 01.12.21

I can’t believe it’s been more than a year since my last WWW Wednesday post. So how about we rectify that now? As always, this weekly meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words and asks you to answer the 3 Ws – what did you recently finish, what are you currently reading, and what’s up next? Here’s what I’ve been up to lately and what’s on the horizon…

Iron Widow – Xiran Jay Zhao

I was super excited to read Iron Widow after hearing so many amazing things. While I enjoyed it, I feel bad that I didn’t love it the way others have. The gritty, edgy aesthetic was great and I had a lot of fun with the machine vs alien battles. The vibe is very Pacific Rim and the technology/magic aspect was quite interesting. This is the first time I’ve read a book with a poly romance and I love that it did something different. However, I found the relationships with both love interests a little too underdeveloped to truly invest in them. The overall themes were good but it did feel like the book was screaming them at me most of the time, especially the feminist elements, and I wish there’d been more depth and nuance. Some of the world-building is also slightly lacking, weakening the ‘rage against the machine’ aspect. Zetian is a strong female lead and I found her easy to root for, but she can be quite rash at times and there’s definitely a hint of the ‘not like other girls’ trope. Overall, a good read, but I’m still tossing up whether I’d be interested in the sequel.

Once There Were Wolves – Charlotte McConaghy

While this wasn’t the five-star read I was hoping for, I’m really glad I decided to pick it up. OTWW focuses a lot on environmental issues and I learned some interesting things about wolves and natural ecosystems. The blend of drama, mystery and romance was good (although, the latter was a little rushed at the beginning) and I found the conflict between the biologists reintroducing the wolves to the Scottish Highlands and the farmers compelling. I wasn’t sure about the writing at first but came to appreciate its beauty, especially when exploring heartbreaking themes of abuse & assault, painting a picture of gorgeous rural settings, or diving into MC Inti’s experiences with mirror touch synesthesia. I was also shocked at just how much CM managed to get me to care about the wolves themselves. I can definitely see myself giving McConaghy’s Migrations a read in the future.

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One Last Stop – Casey McQuiston

That’s right, I’m finally doing it (after saying that I will on this blog for what feels like forever!). At the moment, I’m around 120 or so pages in but, hopefully, I’ll get some more read tonight. So far, I’m liking it but there isn’t that absolute love feeling I had very quickly while reading RW&RB or the compulsive need to binge-read to the end. The characters are cute and diverse (the found family trope is always a winner) but I’m a little sad that I haven’t been laughing out loud as much as I did with CM’s debut. I’m also a litttttlllle worried that this will start to drag at some point, considering how long it is and how far in I am already. I might be completely wrong but I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

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Act Your Age, Eve Brown (The Brown Sisters 3#) – Talia Hibbert

I’m currently in the process of working on a 2021 romance reads review post so it’s highly likely that my next book will be Act Your Age, Eve Brown. I’m doing things a little out of order with this series as I’ve read the first entry but not the second. However, because you can get away with reading them as standalones and I just really loved the sound of this one, I’m doing it. It’s an opposites attract/enemies to lovers story set at a B&B, and I’m so keen! I’m hoping this will be a quick, comforting and cute (but still sexy) read. My only worry is that it’ll be a little too heavy on the smut as that’s one of the issues I had with Get a Life, Chloe Brown.

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That’s the latest from me. With only one more month left before 2021 closes, I’m thinking hard about what books I really want to squeeze in over the next few weeks. I’m still hoping to pad out my top ten reads of the year list a bit more with a couple of highly-rated books, but who knows? Wish me luck!

What’s your current read? How are you enjoying it?

WWW Wednesday | 5.08.20

After what seems like a millennia, it’s time for another WWW Wednesday post! This meme is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and asks you to answer the three Ws – what did you recently finish, what are you currently reading, and what’s up next? Here’s what I’ve been up to lately reading wise:

The Secret History – Donna Tartt

My current thoughts and feelings about this book are gibberish. It was what I expected and yet, at the same time it wasn’t. I was really worried that I wouldn’t like TSH but, once again, surprises do happen. The plot was super slow for the most part (definitely not everyone’s cup of tea), but somehow I was gripped for the majority of the 600+ pages. The characters were plainly terrible people but for a bizarre reason I couldn’t help sympathising with them, even as they progressively went further and further down the rabbit hole. And the questions! My god, the questions. I have so many still which will never receive definitive answers, and it’s driving me mad! I do have to say though, I wasn’t entirely sold on the ending and do feel as though one character’s spiral felt out of sorts with the first half of the novel. However, it’s definitely a clever and well executed book. I understand why it’s been so popular for such a long time and I’ll certainly be pondering it for the foreseeable future.

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Iron Gold (Red Rising 4#) – Pierce Brown

That’s right! Ah, ha! I told you I’d finally do it this year and LOOK. Okay, sure….I know I’ve said I’ll do it like fifty times by this point so I understand if you didn’t believe me. But the time has come, my friends! I already know it’s going to take me a while to finish it (mostly because I’m remembering from my first attempt that some of the characters’ storylines take their sweet time warming up) but who cares. I’m doing it. I’m hoping take two turns out much better than the original. So far I’m about 80 pages in, getting the lay of the land. I mean, there’s been a 10 year time jump since the end of Morningstar so a lot has happened. Plus, it’s going to take some time to adjust to going from being in one character’s head to four but I’ll get there. The plotlines are also more complex, so it does require focus to follow what’s happening but I trust Pierce knows where he’s going.

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Bookish and the Beast – Ashley Poston

This is the third entry in the Once Upon a Con series. While I read and really enjoyed Geekerella, I didn’t get around to the follow up, The Princess and the Fangirl. However,because I love Beauty and the Beast, I was really excited to be approved for an ARC on this one. It’s about a girl named Rosie who after accidentally destroying an expensive, rare book offers to work off the debt by cataloging and organising the owner’s home library. Currently living in the house hiding from some bad press is Vance Reigns, star of the popular Starfield movies, who just happens to be a massive jerk. Unfortunately, Vance recognises Rosie – he met her while cosplaying at a convention and told her some things about himself that he probably shouldn’t have. Now he wants her gone, ASAP. As you’d expect from a B&tB retelling, the two start to spend time together, get to know one another and realise that the other person isn’t so bad. Here’s hoping for another cute contemporary romance read!

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And that’s it for now. You’re all caught up. I have a feeling August will be a bit of a slow month for me in terms of the number of books finished but hopefully the ones I do read will be good ones. How has your reading been lately? Finished anything amazing?

WWW Wednesday | 20.11.19

I realised recently that the last time I did a WWW Wednesday was back in June so it seemed like a good time to change that. As always, this meme is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and asks you to answer the three Ws – what did you recently finish, what are you currently reading, and what’s up next?

I feel as though I waited forever for this to come out. The Nevernight Chronicle is one of my favourite book series so I had high expectations for the final entry. In the end, it wasn’t what I expected. For the first time since the beginning of book 1, I feel as though the pace dragged quite a bit, maybe because of the travelling? There was also more repetition than I would have liked and I’m still questioning certain plot choices. Overall though, it was alright – still Nevernight with the usual amount of violence, drama, romance, magic, gore and sass. I enjoyed the introduction of some new characters, the bonding between Mia and Jonnen was cute, and the ending was mostly satisfying. Could it have been better? Probably, but ah well.

Another book I’ve been eagerly awaiting like a kid on Christmas morning, and I somehow managed to score it the night before release day (woo!). At this point, I’m about 30 or so pages from the end but for something that’s only just over 300 pages, it’s not saying much. Why is the damn thing so SHORT??? I’m not even trying to read it quickly and yet, here I am already. The Queen of Nothing hasn’t felt as twisty, dramatic, and exciting as The Wicked King did, and the major plot complication did kind of make me kind of go, well, okay…Still, I’ve mostly enjoyed myself.

After two fantasy reads, it’s time for a YA contemporary to break up the stabbing (as fun as it is). I’ve been wanting to read this follow up ever since I finished Letters to the Lost a few months ago and now it’s finally the time. I’ve only got a few more books left until I reach my revised reading goal and I think I’ll breeze through this one. It won’t be a light & fluffy type of contemporary if the first book is anything to go by, but I’ve heard some great things. Some people have even said that they liked More Than We Can Tell better than LTTL. Excitement!

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How’s your reading been going lately? Finished anything exciting or is there something you’re dying to jump into very soon?

WWW Wednesday | 12.06.19

We’re getting towards the middle of the month so I thought it might be a good time for reading check-in in the form of WWW Wednesday. Hosted by Taking on a World of Words, WWWW asks the big three questions: what have you recently finished, what are you currently reading, and what’s up next?

Strange the Dreamer – Laini Taylor

As I mentioned in my May wrap up, I went into this month doing a reread of Strange the Dreamer. Luckily for me, it was just as good the second time around. As someone who’s not usually a fan of flowery descriptions, I still can’t get over just how gorgeous Laini’s writing is. Some of her phrases… they’re like poetry. The world building in this one is also a high point for me and I love how the story somehow manages to have this whimsical tone at multiple points whilst also dealing with darker themes like trauma. Having finished this, I’m now finally ready to tackle…

Muse of Nightmares – Laini Taylor

Yep, finally. I bought this book right after its release and like usual, here we are, ages later. Muse of Nightmares is way too pretty to be sitting unread. So far, I’m about 200 or so pages in and enjoying it. I like the addition of the new characters and I’m interested to see where their storyline goes. It’s nice to be getting some clarification on certain things from book one and I’m glad each of the side characters from Strange the Dreamer have continued to get some time in the limelight, even with everything going on with Lazlo, Sarai and Minya.

Magic for Liars – Sarah Gailey

Weirdly enough, I was approved for an ARC of this one on the day it came out. It was kind of a head scratching moment. Anyway, I’ve started it, but it’s still very early days. I like the concept for this one – a non-magical PI trying to solve a murder at a school for mages – so I’ll have to see how it plays out. At this point I’m certainly intrigued enough to keep going. Fingers crossed it’s a good read and it doesn’t take me a million years to finish it.

All the Bright Places – Jennifer Niven

Next up I think I’ll be opting for something a bit shorter after two slightly longer reads which means it’s time for a YA contemporary. I’ve been hearing good things about All the Bright Places for years (it even won a Goodreads choice award back in 2015) so it’ll be nice to see what the fuss is all about, especially with the adaptation coming out…at some point. Hopefully I’ll end up in the majority opinion wise. It’s always so disheartening when I’m not *sigh*.

I hope June is progressing well for you all and that you’re finding plenty of books to add to your top ten books of the first half of 2019!

WWW Wednesday | 15.05.19

Time for a reading update! And as usual, I’m doing it in the format of a good, old WWW Wednesday post. The 3 big questions are: what have you recently finished, what are you currently reading, and what’s next?

Red, White & Royal Blue – Casey McQuiston | GR

I loved this book. It’s sweet, funny, sexy, and full of great characters. The novel is over 400 pages but it felt like it flew by. I don’t read a lot of new adult books but this is a great encourager to branch out more. All you really need to know is that the story revolves around Alex, the son of America’s first female president, falling in love with HRH Prince Henry of Great Britain. These two are for sure one of my new favourite ships. Alternate history has never been more fun or gay. My full review (of gushing) will be going up later this week.

Slayer – Kiersten White | GR

I’m a huge Buffy fan so you can imagine my reaction when I found out Kiersten was writing a new series set in its world with a brand new Slayer. I have a feeling I picked this up because I’d been working on completing a Buffy book tag right about the time I finished Red, White & Royal Blue. While I can’t say I’m absolutely living for it at this point, I certainly don’t mind it. The characters are fine, and I’m having a lot of fun finding all the little references and call backs to the show. However, I do hope the story picks up more soon. Also, could they maybe crap on Buffy herself a little bit less. The girl has saved the world only a gazillion times, okay?

The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss | GR

Yes, I’m still bloody going. It’s happening, okay? Just really, really, really slowly. I’m enjoying it a lot, I promise! 350 pages down and only like… 350 pages to go. Basically nothing. Hey, it’s not like the last book in the series is coming out any time soon. At this rate, I’ll finish the first two in perfect time for it, with all the details still fresh in my memory. See, I’ve thought this stuff out. It’s the perfect plan.

Aurora Rising – Jay Kristoff & Amie Kaufman | GR

What’s that? Oh, just the sound of me screaming in excitement. It’s here, it’s here, it’s FINALLY here. I’ve been waiting on this for a while and I’m sooooo keen. Space adventures, fun characters, potential end of the universe, the usual Kristoff-Kaufman dialogue, um…yes, please. I admit, I would have started this earlier but by the time I was able to get into store to pick it up, I was already stuck into Slayer. I’ve got high expectations but with all the great reviews popping up, I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.

And that’s where I’m at reading wise right now. How is everyone else going? Is your current read grabbing you or are you already setting your sights on the shiny, attractive next one?

WWW Wednesday | 13.03.19

It’s time for another edition of WWW Wednesday, a post in which we answer the big three questions – 1) what have you just finished reading, 2) what are you currently reading, and 3) which book is up next?

Again, but Better – Christine Riccio | GR

Those of you who enjoy booktube will be familiar with Christine Riccio, or PolandBananasBOOKS. In May, Christine will be releasing her debut and I was lucky enough to be granted an ARC. This book is a YA contemporary set at university in London with a time travel element thrown in. It was a very mixed bag for me, there were some things I liked and quite a few I had issues with. Honestly, the first half was a 2 star read, maybe even less. It’s mostly the writing but, admittedly, the plot was boring me, too. However, once we hit the midway twist, the story picked up a lot and the writing noticeably improved, bumping my enjoyment up to about 4 stars! Then…it slowed down again, the characters did stupid things, and the book ended in a mishmash of super adorable, unbelievable, & rushed. I’m conflicted.

A Curse so Dark and Lonely – Brigid Kemmerer | GR

I’ve been waiting on this one for ages! I’m a huge Beauty and the Beast fan but, surprisingly, I haven’t read many retellings. Weird, right? At this point, I’m about 400 pages in (I’ll likely finish tomorrow). While it’s not the most amazing book I’ve ever read and I’m not crazy determined to devour it as fast as humanely possible, I’ve had an entertaining time with it on my morning commute for the last week. The characters are likeable (I love the fact that it features a MC with cerebral palsy still being a total badass) and I appreciate how BK has managed to keep so many elements of the original story but still (a) turned it into something typical of YA fantasy and (b) made it her own.

The Boy Who Steals Houses – C. G. Drews | GR

I can’t say much on this one yet as I’ve only started it this evening. It’s another ARC and this time from popular book blogger/bookstagrammer, Paper Fury. I wasn’t sure whether I’d be a fan of Cait’s writing style but the idea for this book was just so intriguing, I had to give it a go. It’s about a boy who breaks into people’s vacant houses and gets caught up when one family returns home unexpectedly. He ends up sticking around by virtue of the fact that the kids in the large family keep assuming he’s a friend of one of their siblings. So far, I’m really enjoying it, more than expected! I hope it keeps up.

The Name of the Wind – Patrick Rothfuss | GR

At last, after years of putting it off, I’ve finally begun this enormous monster. Last month I splurged and bought a super expensive, and ridiculously pretty, 10th anniversary edition. So damn worth it though. This thing is way too big to read on a train so over the last few days I’ve been making time before bed each night to relax and just read it for half an hour or so. I’m not worrying about reading goals or how long it’ll take to finish, I’m just taking my time, and gosh, it’s such a nice change. The story, itself, has been slow to start with (I’m like 70 pages in?) but I’ve been finding it weirdly enjoyable. I really hope this one lives up to the hype cause I’ll be massively disappointed if it doesn’t.

Daisy Jones & the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid | GR

As usual, I have a whole bunch of books on my TBR that have been sitting there for ages and what do I want to read? The book I purchased last week. Eh, I go where the reading momentum takes me. This is another one I’ve been super excited for, ever since I read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and fell in love last year. I know this book is very different in style (it’s in interview format) than her previous books, but I’m really keen to get stuck in. Maybe it’s because I just finished re-watching Bohemian Rhapsody and famous bands are on the brain? Who knows.

How’s things going in your reading world right now? Give me the low-down.

Have you read any of these yet? What did you think?

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

WWW Wednesday | 13.02.19

Welcome to another edition of WWW Wednesday in which we answer the big bookworm questions of the week – 1) what have you just finished reading, 2) what are you currently reading, and 3) which lucky book is making it’s way off your TBR and into your hot little hands next?

99 Percent Mine – Sally Thorne | GR

Sally’s debut, The Hating Game, may have had its flaws, but it was still a pretty fun read and the same goes for 99 Percent Mine. I liked that the protagonist, Darcy, was confident and a little wild, but also slightly messed up. The set up itself is cute – Tom, the childhood friend, renovating Darcy’s grandmother’s house – and I also really enjoyed the fun banter between Darcy and Tom. Darcy’s shamelessly flirtatious and forward, and Tom’s kind of awkward. However, the book does seem to suffer from a few of the same issues I had with The Hating Game – the annoying macho/alpha maleness that occasionally pops out in Tom (which doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of his personality) and the fact that there’s very little actual plot. Also, the climax is a bit ‘what the…?’ because it’s just such a non-entity, as in, why is this causing so much melodrama? Otherwise, it’s enjoyably fluffy chick-lit.

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments 3#) – Cassandra Clare | GR

I told you guys I would continue my re-read, I told ya! And here I finally am (about two years after my re-read of books one and two, but moving right along…). Unlike City of Bones and City of Ashes which were slightly less impressive than my 15-year-old self thought they were, City of Glass is surprisingly just as good as I remember. Sure, some of the drama is a little frustrating when you already have all the answers to the story’s big twists, but the pacing in this one is spot on and the side characters are given more time in the spotlight. It’s just so much better! I should enjoy it while it lasts because City of Fallen Angels is next and, lord help me, the struggle will be real.

American Panda – Gloria Chao | GR

I’m kind of cheating a bit here because I’ve technically already started this, but as I’m only a couple of pages in, I feel it’s okay to classify it as ‘Up Next’. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this sweet, Asian rep, YA contemporary. I love the fact that it has a university setting, it’s an own voices novel, it has more to the plot than just the romance, and that it generally seems adorable. Even after a few pages, I can tell it’s going to be funny and that I’m going to fall in love with Mei. I usually read a lot of books by white American authors about white American characters, and I think it’s important for me to try and read a bit more diversely. I’m so keen to get properly stuck into this.

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What’s the situation with your reading at the moment? Current read, just finished and up next?

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

WWW Wednesday | 19.12.18

It’s time for WWW Wednesday (hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words) in which I pad out my blog (hey, at least I’m honest) with an update on what I’ve just finished reading, what I’m currently reading and what I’m planning on reading next (in this case, trying to cram in before 2018 is over). Interested? Of course you are! You clicked on this post. So here we GO.

To Best the Boys – Mary Weber (ARC)

This ended up being quite different from what I’d expected (no idea how because the blurb is an accurate description of the book). For some reason I expected the story to spend more time on the scholarship contest but they’re only in it for less than 40% of book. Some parts of the competition felt rushed and others lacked excitement. How we reach the end result is also a bit like, what just happened and why?

I liked Rhen as a protagonist – she was smart, strong and sassy. She’s somewhat similar to Audrey Rose from Stalking Jack the Ripper but less obtuse and silly. It’s also a fairly good feminist read (and does try to incorporate some disabilities, too) that manages to make several jabs at its fictional world and the real world simultaneously. However, one of the bigger issues I had was that I was kind of confused about the world – there was this strange blend of fantasy elements, consisting of mostly just random fantastical creatures, with an otherwise historical vibe which just wasn’t really explained.

An okay and reasonably entertaining read but not memorable.

Vengeful – V. E. Schwab

This was one of my most anticipated 2018 releases and finally, after having just reread Vicious, I’m doing the thing. So far I’m about 200 pages in. The non-linear structure is proving a bit more challenging to keep up with this time as there isn’t as big a difference between each time period. The plot is moving a little slowly at the moment but I don’t mind too much because I’m getting more info on existing characters and learning about some compelling new ones. Marcella is basically the definition of a badass bitch and I love it. Her character is proving a great addition for me. I’m really excited to see where this all goes.

Ugh. The age old question. I’m running out of time in 2018 and constantly thinking about how many books I can fit in before the end. I should probably consider some of the books I’ve started earlier in the year and got distracted from. One being…

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton

I started this book AGES ago. We’re taking four months, but I’ve always been determined to go back and finish it before the end of the year. It’s why I still haven’t taken it off my currently reading section on Goodreads yet. Anyway, I’m about 140 or so pages in and after this week I’ll have some time off to really get cracking on it. Things were starting to pick up where I last was in the story and the book has so many amazing reviews that I hope it ends up being a fantastic read, even if the start has been a bit slow for me to get into.

As usual, tell me what you’ve been up to reading wise. Good, bad, utterly forgettable?

And what books are you hoping to still try and squeeze into the rest of 2018?

WWW Wednesday | 21.11.18

Welcome to another edition of WWW Wednesday in which we answer the big book worm questions of the week –  1) What did you just finish? 2) What are you currently reading? and (the seemingly impossible), 3) What will you read next? This meme is hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

The Rules of Magic – Alice Hoffman | Goodreads

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy. Thrilling and exquisite, real and fantastical, The Rules of Magic is a story about the power of love reminding us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself. 

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While I’ve seen the film adaptation of Practical Magic, I’ve never read the book. However I heard so many good things about this prequel (and the cover was absolutely stunning) that I felt I had to give it a go. I ended up really enjoying it. It’s one of those very character driven stories that follows people through a chunk of their lives to allow you to get to know them, and share their ups and downs. Franny, Jet and Vincent are all very distinct characters and seeing them try to navigate adolescence and adulthood whilst dealing with the family curse in very different ways is more engaging than you’d expect. The writing is also absoutely lovely. If you enjoy magical realism, this is probably a good pick.

History is All You Left Me – Adam Silvera | Goodreads

Griffin has lost his first love in a drowning accident. Theo was his best friend, his ex-boyfriend and the one he believed he would end up with. Now, reeling from grief and worsening OCD, Griffin turns to an unexpected person for help. Theo’s new boyfriend.

But as their relationship becomes increasingly complicated, dangerous truths begin to surface. Griffin must make a choice: confront the past, or miss out on his future.

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My first Adam Silvera book and not disappointing at all. I knew going into this one that it was going to be pretty sad and I was definitely not wrong. I love how well Adam is able to paint such a real picture of how grief feels. By giving us more and more information about Theo, Griffin’s dead ex, as the book goes on, our own sense of loss seems to increase, too. I also really like the fact that Adam seems to show that people can have flaws and mess up but still be likeable characters. It’s really comforting and relatable at the same time. I have a feeling the end of this one is going to hurt. Like a gaping hole in chest hurt.

A Reaper at the Gates (The Ember Quartet 3#) – Sabaa Tahir | Goodreads

Beyond the Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

The Blood Shrike, Helene Aquilla, is assailed on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable, while the Commandant capitalizes on his madness to bolster her own power. As Helene searches for a way to hold back the approaching darkness, her sister’s life and the lives of all those in the Empire hang in the balance.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. But while hunting for a way to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would aid her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she’d have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that will stop at nothing to ensure Elias’s devotion–even at the cost of his humanity.

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This was one of my most anticipated releases for 2018. I bought it basically right after it was released and… as usual, I still haven’t read it. It’s pretty chunky so I’m expecting some major stuff to go down but I also need to find out what happens to Elias and my girl, Helene. Especially considering Elias’s “predicament” at the end of book 2. I have a feeling we’ll get some more magic and magical beings in this book so that’ll be interesting, too. Now, how do I fit this thing in my handbag without ruining it all to hell…?

And now you’re all caught up! There’s a bit over a week left in November (oh. my. gosh) so I’d love to end up finishing six books by the end of the month (aiming for 85 by the end of the year) but A Reaper at the Gates may prove a bit too long for that. I have a suspicion it’ll end up bumping over into early December but ah well. Still, things are going pretty good in the reading department and I’ve had quite a few enjoyable reads lately.

What are you currently reading and how’s it going? Is it living up to expectations?