January 2019 TBR

Hello everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope you have all recovered from the celebrations and are basking in all the hope of a new year before the dullness of January really starts. I always find January the hardest month of the year, it seems to drag by and just be dreary and cold without all the jolly festive cheer of December. To cheer myself up i’m planning on reading some amazing books this month!

The first one I need to prioritise is Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor. I’m doing this as a buddy read with my friend Jonny over at Jonnyslibrary. We have both had this book sitting on our tbr shelves for a while and as this is the year of the tbr takedown we decided to join forces for this one! This book follows a group of time travelling historians as they try to document history, but instead cataclysmiacally alter events that could threaten the very fabric of time itself. So dramatic! I’m all for time travel and sci-fi so I can’t wait to get lost in this one.

I’m hoping to carry on my Sebastien de Castell binge by reading Charmcaster, the third book in the Spellslinger series. I adore this series and it sweeps me off my feet every time. The last book had me startling Mr. Gingersnap out of his chair as I laughed raucously for whole pages at a time. The third book features Ferius and Kellen as they follow the Shadowblack epidemic further into hostile territory. When you pick up these books think of them as a cocktail of the Wild Wild West, magic and sarcasm!

Next on my list is The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare. Magnus is one of my favourite characters of all time. I love his flamboyancy and care-free attitude combined with his deadly seriousness if his loved ones are threatened. I am very excited to read this set of short stories about his life as it will help me understand him so much better ready for the imminent release of The Red Scrolls Of Magic later this year.

Photo from Penguin

My final book of the month is the much anticipated Winter Of The Witch by Katherine Arden. Now if you read my most anticipated released of 2019 post you will know this was right at the top of the list. This is the third, and final book, in this amazing series set in ancient Russia. It has strong feminist elements and features a truly fantastic range of characters. The Russian folk-lore is fascinating and really adds depth to the story. I am super excited to see where this story goes! 

I may add a couple of books to the list as I finish these ones, but for now that's it! What do you plan to read this month? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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Anticipated Book Releases 2019

Hello everyone, 

I hope you are all well and feeling ready to welcome in the new year! In my opinion one of the most exciting things about a new year is the next round of new book releases. I have been keeping my beady eyes on my favourite author's websites and being a total nerd have compiled a list of my most anticipated released for 2019.

I have no photos of these books as they aren't out yet!

So have my weekend breakfast book instead :-) 

Now this is by no means exhaustive and these are all follow-ups to series I am already reading so take a peek and let me know if you think I have missed any out: 

1. The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden 
2. Finale by Stephanie Garber 
3. Beneath the Twisted Trees by Bradley Beaulieu 
4. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo 
5. Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine 
6. Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab
7. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare 
8. Queenslayer by Sebastien de Castell

I think that's all of them! Whew I have quite a few exciting books to wait for. I am very excited about finishing off Caraval and Winter of the Witch as I have been reading these series for quite some time, but over-all Beneath the Twisted Trees and Queenslayer are my most anticipated releases! I love these high fantasy series. Both Beaulieu and de Castell have fantastic narrative styles that keep you turning the pages long after the lights should have been switched off. If you are a fan of intrigue, sorcery and complex character relations then you should definitely check out these two series. 

What are you guys excited to read next year? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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December 2018 Book Haul

Hello everyone! 

Time for another monthly book haul, yes I know it is just before Christmas, but I'll probably check in with another haul then. Unfortunately I have been unwell for most of this month so far and have been off work recuperating. This has meant that I have had a lot of reading time as with doctors ordering me on strict rest I haven't been allowed to do much else. Anyone who knows me will understand how frustrating this is as I am usually a very active person! However, I have been able to live vicariously through my favourite book protagonists! 

I have picked up quite a few books this month so far, which is a tad naughty, but hey ho it's the time of year for indulgence! 

The first book I picked up was Lyra's Oxford by Philip Pullman. This book is a short story taking place after the events of His Dark Materials and follows Lyra on an adventure through Oxford after a mysterious witch's familiar appears in her room. I love this world and have been catching up on the short stories in preparation for reading The Book of Dust next year. 

The next two books come as a pair, as I picked up the first and second books in The No1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. I loved the TV series of these books when I was younger and always wanted to pick up these books. They are a wonderful series following Precious Ramotswe after she sets up her detective agency in Botswana. They are filled with intrigue, laughter and heart warming events. I love how easy to digest these books are and they have a real feel good vibe. 

This year I have fallen in love with Sebastien de Castell's writing style, having dived into Spellslinger after Mr. Gingersnap surprised me with it for my birthday. I have been working my way through his books and picked up the third in the series - Charmcaster. This author is one of the funniest writers I have read for a while and he genuinely makes me laugh out loud. This series follows Kellen, a sub-par spell-caster and his adventures with his squirrel cat companion. They are both sarcastic and deeply flawed characters, but it makes them feel so real! Pick up this series if you love the wild west, magic and rude jokes! 

Next I picked up A Torch Against The Night by Sabaa Tahir. I devoured An Ember In The Ashes last week and felt an overwhelming need to continue the series as soon as possible. As usual I am late to the party with these books, but at least I can binge the first 3 books without the agonising wait for the next instalments. These books follow Laia and Elias as they navigate the dangerous world of the Martial Empire and the down-trodden scholar race. This book has magic, brutality, political intrigue and jaw dropping plot twists. If you haven't read these yet, join me in my late reading! 

In honour of me going back to work this week I have downloaded my next audiobook Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I always listen to audiobooks on my drive to and from work as I spend about 10-12 hours each week driving and I don't want to waste this precious reading time! Six Of Crows follows the dregs, a group of criminal misfits as they take on an impossible heist. Six Of Crows was a gripping new take on the GrishaVerse and I absolutely loved it, so I cannot wait to dive into the next one. These audiobooks have multiple narrators so each character has a unique voice, I especially enjoy this aspect of the books as it makes the listening experience so much more enjoyable.

The final book I picked up was Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor. I have never heard of this book and know next to nothing about it. A bookseller in Waterstones recommended it to me as a new sci-fi series to read. She described it as "time travellers who make hilarious mistakes" and as "one for the Doctor Who lovers". That had me sold! 

Have you read any of these? What have you picked up this month? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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