rapid reviews – Bibliophile Book Club

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hi guys,

I’ve got some more mini-reviews for what I’ve been reading lately!

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven

The accident that killed Eddie left an indelible mark on Annie. It took her left hand, which needed to be surgically reattached. Injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie’s life is forever changed by a guilt-ravaged mother who whisks her away from the world she knew. Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally found happiness.

As the novel opens, Annie is marrying Paulo. But when her wedding night day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey – and an inevitable reunion with Eddie, one of the five people who will show her how her life mattered in ways she could not have fathomed.

The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

I really liked The Five People You Meet in Heaven when I read it so I was eager to check this one out. And while it was still a nice read, I found it to be less enchanting than the first one. I think I just wanted more Eddie because he was such a pillar in the first book. That being said, Annie’s story is still a good read, and I liked how it was all interwoven. I think if you loved the first book, you’d enjoy this one!

Snapshot

Anthony Davis and his partner Chaz are the only real people in a city of 20 million, sent there by court order to find out what happened in the real world 10 days ago so that hidden evidence can be brought to light and located in the real city today.
Within the re-created Snapshot of May 1st, Davis and Chaz are the ultimate authorities. Flashing their badges will get them past any obstruction and overrule any civil right of the dupes around them. But the crimes the detectives are sent to investigate seem like drudgery – until they stumble upon the grisly results of a mass killing that the precinct headquarters orders them not to investigate. That’s one order they have to refuse.
The hunt is on. And though the dupes in the replica city have no future once the Snapshot is turned off, that doesn’t mean that both Davis and Chaz will walk out of it alive tonight.

Snapshot by Brandon Sanderson

I found the premise of Snapshot really clever, but I felt like I never got into it properly. I liked the idea, and its a short book, but it fell a little flat for me. I really wanted to enjoy it, especially as I had never read any of Sanderson’s work before. But I think I’ll be sticking to the sci-fi/fantasy side of his stuff.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

I decided to start re-reading this series because I haven’t read them since they came out, and I wanted a little comfort reading. I can honestly say I loved this as much now, as I did when I read it the first time. It is magical, heartwarming and a really great start to the series. I love it as much now, and I can’t wait to read all of the others!

Loyalty

Don’t look back. That’s where the danger lies.

With Grace left reeling from choosing between Hayden and her family, she knows she needs to accept her decision.

Meanwhile as the youngest leader of Blackwing, Hayden is coping with the demands placed on him to keep the camp alive. Can he protect his friends from their violent rivals? And should he trust himself to do the right thing?

Demand loyalty. Protect your family. Trust no one.

Loyalty by Megan DeVos

I am loving this series. It has so much action, and I love the relationship that is developing between Grace and Hayden. There is a lot of “sexy-tension” (thanks to Ellen, this phrase will always make me laugh!), and in a way, it reminds me of Bella and Edward in Twilight! There is so much more going on than that obviously, but I enjoy watching their dynamic changing as the series progresses. I am eager to read the next book in the series as I find I CANNOT put these books down when I start them!

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hi guys,

I’ve got another batch of reviews for you all today. I counted how many reviews behind I am, and my current tally is 29… TWENTY NINE. I have four of these posts to do though, so that will clear 16 books from my “to review” list!

Unnatural Causes

Meet the forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd.

He solves the mysteries of unexplained or sudden death.

He’s a detective in his own right.

And he has one, ultimate and pressing question to answer:

How did this person die?

Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd

I love a good medical memoir, so when I spotted Unnatural Causes I was definitely interested to read it. Richard Shepherd is a forensic pathologist who has dealt with some of the UK’s biggest tragedies and this is his story.
At times it is a difficult read due to the fact that it deals with “mans inhumanity to man” as he says himself, and it is not nice to read about. His own personal journey and emotions were well written, and it is definitely an emotive read. Recommended for sure if you like medical non-fiction.

That’s Not What Happened

It’s been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah’s story – that she died proclaiming her faith.

But it’s not true.

I know because I was with her when she died. I didn’t say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah’s parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight . . . but I’m not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did – and didn’t – happen that day.

Except Sarah’s martyrdom is important to a lot of people, people who don’t take kindly to what I’m trying to do. And the more I learn, the less certain I am about what’s right. I don’t know what will be worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up . . .

That’s Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

This book deals with the aftermath of a school shooting and how it has affected the survivors. It is also one girl’s quest to tell the truth about that day. It is a raw and dark look at what can happen to those affected by grief and survivors guilt. It wasn’t what I was expecting but it was still an interesting read.

The Last

BREAKING: Nuclear weapon detonates over Washington

Historian Jon Keller is on a trip to Switzerland when the world ends. As the lights go out on civilisation, he wishes he had a way of knowing whether his wife, Nadia, and their two daughters are still alive. More than anything, Jon wishes he hadn’t ignored Nadia’s last message.

Twenty people remain in Jon’s hotel. Far from the nearest city and walled in by towering trees, they wait, they survive.

Then one day, the body of a young girl is found. It’s clear she has been murdered. Which means that someone in the hotel is a killer.

As paranoia descends, Jon decides to investigate. But how far is he willing to go in pursuit of justice? And what kind of justice can he hope for, when society as he knows it no longer exists?

The Last by Hanna Jameson

The Last isn’t released until early next year, but I was lucky enough to get a proof at Harrogate in July so I picked it up a couple of months ago. I ended up reading it in a couple of sittings. Dystopian fiction made even scarier by the fact that the events in this are plausible given the current political climate made this a dark and disturbing read. There are also nods to the crime/psych thriller elements that sure to please avid readers of the genres!

Ink

Picture a world where every significant moment is tattooed on your skin for ever. When Leora’s father dies, she knows he deserves to have all his tattoos removed and made into a Skin Book to record his good life. But when she discovers that his ink has been edited and his book is incomplete, she wonders whether knew him at all.

Ink by Alice Broadway

In need of a change of genre, Ink seemed like a good place to start. I loved the premise and I was eager to see what the author would do. There is a lot of scene-setting/world-building as it is the start of the series. I found it a little slow to get going due to this, but I would definitely read the next books in the series for sure!

That’s it for this batch of reviews, and I will hopefully have the next few up next week so make sure to look out for those! 🙂

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hey guys,

I’m back again with another batch of recent reads for review. I swear, I’ll get back to fuller reviews soon, but this is really helping me clear the backlog of books…

I think! 🙂

The Gods of Love

Meet Frida: divorce lawyer, cynic and secret descendant of the immortal love god Eros. She’s about to have a really bad day . . .

When a handsome but clearly delusional man named Dan bursts into Frida’s office and insists that she is fated to save the world, she has him ejected faster than you can say ‘prenup’.

But a creepy meeting, a demon or three and one attempted kidnapping later, Frida is beginning to face the inconvenient truth: Dan is in fact The Oracle, the gods of Greek mythology are real and Frida herself appears to be everyone’s only hope.

The world is doomed.

I had seen this one popping up on social media, and Ellen had read it too so I figured I would give it a shot. I actually enjoyed it more than I expected! It is a super fun read. It reminded me of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it was. Anyway, yeah it was definitely a quirky read, with some unexpected turns in the story. I would happily pick up book 2 whenever its out!

The Gods of Love by Nicola Mostyn

World After

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what’s left of the modern world. When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige.
Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels’ secret plans, where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can’t rejoin the angels, can’t take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

Ok. So I loved Angelfall. It was a cracking opener to the trilogy and it set everything up really well for the subsequent books. Enter World After. I got about halfway into it and it just kinda got stuck. I found it lost pace, and there was a lot of focus on lesser characters, when all I wanted was Penryn and Raffe! Less explosive than Angelfall, but it was still an ok middle for a trilogy. I will definitely be buying book 3 because I need to know what will happen with these two characters!!!

World After by Susan Ee

Night School

Jack Reacher is having a bad day.

It would be a dumb idea to make it worse.
Reacher sees a West Point class ring in a pawn shop window. It’s tiny. It’s a woman cadet’s graduation present to herself. Why would she give it up? Reacher was a West Pointer too, and he knows what she went through to get it.

All he wants is to find the woman.

He’ll have to go through bikers, cops, crooks, and low-life muscle.
If she’s ok, he’ll walk away. If she’s not … he’ll stop at nothing.

Best advice: stay out of his way.

I love the Jack Reacher series of books, and The Midnight Line was no exception. Reacher is like a dog with a bone in this one. Spotting a West Point Class Ring in a pawn shop while on a bus rest stop, he wants to know who owned it and why it was pawned. So begins a story that ticks along slowly, unfolding layer by layer until we are presented with the unexpected towards the end of the story. I really enjoyed The Midnight Line, it was a great story and it kept my attention. Not quite the Reacher of old, but still a goodie all the same!

The Midnight Line by Lee Child

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (aka Confessions of a Shopaholic)

Meet Rebecca Bloomwood.

She has a great flat, a fabulous wardrobe full of the season’s must-haves, and a job telling other people how to manage their money. She spends her leisure time … shopping.

Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can’t. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The letters from the bank are getting harder to ignore. Can Becky ever escape from this dreamworld, find true love, and regain the use of her credit card?

I was eager to read a non-crime book, and this one was on my TBR for ages. I actually love the movie, so I was interested to see how different (similar) they would be to each other! I’m not going to lie, I spent a lot of the book comparing it to the movie, so I can ony imagine what I would have been like if I went about it the other way around! I definitely enjoyed this one. It was light-hearted, fun, and it definitely catered to my shopaholic heart. Although I am not as bad as Becky, thankfully! I actually went and bought the others in the series after finishing this one, so its safe to say I enjoyed it!

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Ok! That’s it until the next batch. If I have time, I have a couple of actual reviews to get done so keep an eye out for those too!

Until next time, happy reading 🙂

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hi guys,

I’m back again with the next batch of reviews, and these are all books I have read in the past couple of months. I actually think I’m up as far as August now so YAY! 🙂

Percy Jackson and The Battle of the Labyrinth

Half Boy. Half God. ALL Hero.

Honestly, blowing up another school was the last thing I wanted to do.

As the son of a Greek God, I’ve had my share of near-death disaster – and now my arch enemy Luke wants to invade our camp via an ancient labyrinth.

If he succeeds, thousands of bloodthirsty monsters will attack. So it’s goodbye sunshine, hello darkness as four of us descend into the terrifying underground and beyond . . .

So I ploughed through these, begging the library to get them in if they weren’t available on BorrowBox and I’m so glad I did. These books are just so much fun, I love the relationships between the characters, and I really enjoyed the plot in this one. Plenty to keep me turning the pages and it made me eager to read the final book in the series!

Percy Jackson and The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Angelfall

It’s been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Including making a deal with the enemy.

Angelfall had been on my kindle for ages and in need of a change I picked it up one night to read. I was hooked immediately. I feel like I’ve gone through a thing of reading about fallen angels, as Laini Taylor has angels in her books too. And before either of these series, I hadn’t read any! Angelfall was a great opener. Chock full of action, avenging angels, the odd bloodbath, genuinely tons of stuff to keep me reading. I was so glad I had book two waiting for me as well because this one ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. Definitely recommended!

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian

Most people get presents on their sixteenth birthday. I get a prophecy that could save or destroy the world.

It happens when you’re the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea.According to an ancient prophecy, I turn sixteen and the fate of the entire world is on me. But no pressure.

Now Kronos, Lord of the Titans, is beginning his attack on New York City. And the dreaded monster Typhon is also heading our way. So it’s me and forty of my demi-god friends versus untold evil . . .

I was so sad to get to the end of these books. Honestly, it left me a bit bereft because I had devoured them and become wholly invested in everyone’s fate. The Last Olympian was a fitting end to the Percy Jackson books though, and while there are no more of his exploits to read, there is a TON of other books in the Camp Halfblood universe. I can’t recommend this series highly enough, for both kids and adults. Wildly entertaining, and with real heart, these are books that have so much going for them that it’s hard not to love them!

Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Hold Back The Stars

Ninety minutes.

A few years from now, not too far in the future, two people meet.

It is a classic story of boy meets girl.

Except that it’s not.

When we find them, they have an hour and a half left.

Unless they can save themselves, they won’t survive.

The clock is ticking.

Hold Back The Stars confused me a little if I’m honest. I enjoyed it, but I kinda got lost a little bit on the way. I know loads of people have read this and loved it, but I think that because I got lost I found it hard to stick with it. But I did. And it was a lovely story.

Hold Back The Stars by Katie Khan

Have you read any of these? Would you? Let me know 🙂

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hey everyone,

I swear I feel like I’m repeating myself every time I start one of these, but there are only so many ways I can introduce these review posts I guess! So, with that in mind, here’s some more reviews on what I’ve been reading lately!

The Extinction Trials

Betrayal. Sacrifice. Survival. Welcome to The Extinction Trials…

In Stormchaser and Lincoln’s ruined world, the only way to survive is to risk everything. To face a contest more dangerous than anyone can imagine. And they will do anything to win.

But in a land full of monsters – human and reptilian – they can’t afford to trust anyone. Perhaps not even each other…

The Extinction Trials was a super fun read. Packed full of action, and DINOSAURS! It was different to what I was expecting, but I couldn’t put it down. Its got some great characters, a Hunger Games-esque plot and it was just really good escapism!

The Extinction Trials by S. M. Wilson

Evie’s Year of Taking Chances

It’s Evie’s birthday and the start of a year she’ll never forget. An emotional story of love, friendship and grabbing life by the horns.

Evie’s job has always been her safe haven. As a librarian in the little town of Becton she loses herself in books – after all it’s far easier to read about other people’s problems than set about solving her own.

Then, one birthday, everything is turned upside down. A mysterious parcel containing a beautiful book with a poignant inscription arrives for Evie. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for Evie and she’s inspired to try and find her real mother.

Evie’s search leads her to meet handsome author Noah Jones. Charming and intelligent, Noah seems the perfect catch but what Evie doesn’t realise is that he is hiding something – a key to Evie’s past.

As Evie gets closer to Noah and discovering her mother, she must take a giant leap of faith. Can she embrace the new and make this her year of taking chances? And if she does, will she get her heart broken?

Evie’s Year of Taking Chances was a book with subject matter close to my heart. Being adopted, I found it was dealt with really well and with great sensitivity by the author. It was an emotional read, but it was also really heartwarming. Not my usual kind of read to be honest, but not one I’ll forget in a hurry!

Evie’s Year of Taking Chances by Christie Barlow

Dreams of Gods and Monsters

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz … something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of ? And does anything else matter.

This is the third book of the trilogy, and I have to be honest, I felt so let down by it in comparison to the first two books. I was hoping for a satisfying resolution to the events of previous book, but it just didn’t make sense to me. I so badly wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t hit the spot for me!

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Desperately Seeking Heaven

Love always comes when you least expect it, at least that’s what PA Alice Fletcher tells herself as she looks forward to another Friday night of trash telly and wine-for-one. But what happens when the unexpected is daytime TV crush Jimmy Mack, and he’s sitting on your couch watching the news…of the accident that claimed his life?

Soon, Alice finds her ordered life turned upside down by helping Jimmy right the wrongs of his life so he can cross over to the ‘other side.’ But most unexpected of all is Alice’s growing realisation that her gorgeous ghost has taken up residence in her heart as well as in her home.

Being in need of lighter reads lately, I started this one because it sounded like it would be exactly what I needed, and it was for the most part. It is definitely an easy read, but you kinda have to suspend belief a bit. It reminded me of Just Like Heaven, the movie with Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo. I loved that movie, so I think that’s why I got on with this one. Light-hearted, romantic and playful, Desperately Seeking Heaven was a nice read!

Desperately Seeking Heaven by Jill Steeples

That’s is for this post. I think I have at least 3 or 4 more of these to come between now and October so do check them out!

Happy reading 🙂

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hi everyone,

Another batch of mini-reviews for you all again today. I didn’t realise just how many of these I had to do until I wrote out the books that need reviewing, so there will be a good few more of these posts, haha!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance.

On the one hand, she’s a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family.

Raised half in our world, half in ‘Elsewhere’, she has never understood Brimstone’s dark work – buying teeth from hunters and murderers – nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself.

Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

I had been meaning to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone for years, so I finally picked it up during the summer to read. My husband had actually read it before me and kept telling me I should read it as I would enjoy it, and he wasn’t wrong. I loved Karou, and the story was really interesting. I couldn’t put it down once i started reading, and I was eager to find out what was going to happen. We had been to Prague this year too, so the location was easy to keep up with as it was familiar. A really great start to a series and definitely recommend it if you enjoy fantasy!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

You’re still alive in alternate universes, Theo, but I live in the real world where this morning you’re having an open casket funeral. I know you’re out there, listening. And you should know I’m really pissed because you swore you would never die and yet here we are. It hurts even more because this isn’t the first promise you’ve broken.

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 the future…

I have seen Adam Silvera’s name a lot this year, so when I saw History in my local library I figured I would give it a go. I actually think I read the whole book in one day. It was one of those kinds of books where you just have to keep reading. While I had some issues with the main character and his actions at times, I still found myself compelled to keep reading to see how it would all go. I enjoyed this one, as it was a departure from my usual reads.

History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

About A Girl by Lindsey Kelk

Tess Brookes has always been a Girl with a Plan. But when the Plan goes belly up, she’s forced to reconsider.

After accidently answering her flatmate Vanessa’s phone, she decides that since being Tess isn’t going so well, she might try being Vanessa. With nothing left to lose, she accepts Vanessa’s photography assignment to Hawaii – she used to be an amateur snapper, how hard can it be? Right?

But Tess is soon in big trouble. And the gorgeous journalist on the shoot with her, who is making it very clear he’d like to get into her pants, is an egotistical monster. Far from home and in someone else’s shoes, Tess must decide whether to fight on through, or ‘fess up and run…

I haven’t read a book like this in years. When I say like this, I mean the light-hearted, girly kind of books. They are not something I would usually pick up, but that is exactly why I went for it this time. It is fun and it kept me turning the pages. Escapism is what I was after, and I found it with this one. A perfect holiday read!

About A Girl by Lindsey Kelk

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living – one without massacres and torn throats and bonfires of the fallen, without revenants or bastard armies or children ripped from their mothers’ arms to take their turn in the killing and dying.

Once, the lovers lay entwined in the moon’s secret temple and dreamed of a world that was a like a jewel-box without a jewel – a paradise waiting for them to find it and fill it with their happiness.

This was not that world.

Back to the second book in the series, and while it didn’t capture my imagination as much as the first one, I was still hooked and invested in the characters. Taylor’s world-building is really good, and it is easy to get pulled into the story. An enjoyable second installment, but it definitely left me wanting more!

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Until next time, happy reading 🙂

Recent Reads Rapid Reviews

Hey everyone,

I’m back with the next batch of super speedy reviews, and I’m still catching up so I think these four books were read back in June. It feels like AAAAAGES ago!

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Queen of Flame and Fury, was murdered before her eyes. Ten years later, Theo has learned to survive under the relentless abuse of the Kaiser and his court as the ridiculed Ash Princess.

When the Kaiser forces her to execute her last hope of rescue, Theo can’t ignore her feelings and memories any longer. She vows revenge, throwing herself into a plot to seduce and murder the Kaiser’s warrior son with the help of a group of magically gifted and volatile rebels. But Theo doesn’t expect to develop feelings for the Prinz.

Forced to make impossible choices and unable to trust even those who are on her side, Theo will have to decide how far she’s willing to go to save her people and how much of herself she’s willing to sacrifice to become Queen.

I really enjoyed Ash Princess. I borrowed it from the library as I had seen it pop up on BorrowBox a couple of times so figured I’d give it a go and I’m glad I did. It’s got strong characters, an interesting and twisty plot and I found it really engaging. It’s a YA fantasy book, and it kind of reminds me of Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J. Maas’s books, so of course I was hooked early on. Definitely recommended if you enjoy these authors!

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

‘I’m still playing games. This is just the deadliest yet.‘

Darrow is a rebel forged by tragedy. For years he and his fellow Reds worked the mines, toiling to make the surface of Mars inhabitable. They were, they believed, mankind’s last hope. Until Darrow discovered that it was all a lie, and that the Red were nothing more than unwitting slaves to an elitist ruling class, the Golds, who had been living on Mars in luxury for generations.

In RED RISING, Darrow infiltrated Gold society, to fight in secret for a better future for his people. Now fully embedded amongst the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his dangerous work to bring them down from within. It’s a journey that will take him further than he’s ever been before – but is Darrow truly willing to pay the price that rebellion demands?

I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t love Red Rising. It was only ok for me, but boy oh boy did Golden Son redeem that! I was sucked back into Darrow’s world, and I was absolutely blindsided with how things went in this one. There is so much going on, lots to take in, but I was absorbed in this one compared to Red Rising. I loved Golden Son, and I am dying to read Morning Star to find out what happens next. Highly recommended if you’ve not read it already!

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Blood Lines by Angela Marsons

How do you catch a killer who leaves no trace?

A victim killed with a single, precise stab to the heart appears at first glance to be a robbery gone wrong. A caring, upstanding social worker lost to a senseless act of violence. But for Detective Kim Stone, something doesn’t add up.

When a local drug addict is found murdered with an identical wound, Kim knows instinctively that she is dealing with the same killer. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet.

Desperate to catch the twisted individual, Kim’s focus on the case is threatened when she receives a chilling letter from Dr Alex Thorne, the sociopath who Kim put behind bars. And this time, Alex is determined to hit where it hurts most, bringing Kim face-to-face with the woman responsible for the death of Kim’s little brother – her own mother.

As the body count increases, Kim and her team unravel a web of dark secrets, bringing them closer to the killer. But one of their own could be in mortal danger. Only this time, Kim might not be strong enough to save them…

Angela kindly sent me a copy of Blood Lines as I was playing catch up with the DI Kim Stone books so I was eager to read it! Not only does it bring back one of my fave baddies, Dr. Alex Thorne, but it’s chock full of tense moments! So much so that I actually had to put this book down for a couple of weeks before I could finish it. It was absolutely brilliant though, and I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series!

Blood Lines by Angela Marsons

Percy Jackson and The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

Half Boy. Half God. ALL Hero.
It’s not every day you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.
But when you’re the son of a Greek God, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a Goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.
Oh and guess what. The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive . . .

Another rip-roaring read here. This series is just so much fun that it’s impossible not to enjoy them while reading. I love Percy and this book was no exception. Witty, fast-paced and with plenty of monsters to fight, the Titan’s Curse was another brilliant read. Super fun for children and adults alike!

Percy Jackson and The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan

So that’s it for now. I’ll have another one of these posts up soon as I’m still working my way through the backlog of books to be reviewed! The joys of taking a break 😂

Until next time, happy reading 📚