Discussion: All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness in one word...phenomenal!! I am in love with this series. The All Souls Trilogy is an adult historical PNR, and one of the best I have ever read!

 

 

 

I read the first book in the series, A Discovery of Witches back in 2011 and adored it. When I read the second book in the series, Shadow of Night in 2013, I devoured it and two years later, in July this year when I read the last book in the trilogy, The Book Of Life, I had so many feels. I cried, I was shocked, I smiled, I cheered and ultimately I fell in love forever with this trilogy!

 

To prove how much I love this series I re read the first two books in July in preparation for the last book and four months later, last month, I read all three books in the trilogy again!!

 

 

 

 

This trilogy has so much to offer, it's like a perfect recipe for my favorite book! It has vampires, daemons (daemons portrayed in an awesome way) and witches. We have a romance to rival the best romances ever. A couple who go against thousands of years of history. They have so many barriers against them not only people but themselves. There's amazing secondary characters who are both fictional and non-fictional (with added awesomeness) There's history galore and this can only be done perfectly by a real life Historian. The mystery and complicated storyline could only be written by a real life weaver that is author Deborah Harkness!

 

 

Book lovers out there can understand how much you fall in love with a book that feels like falling down Alice's Rabbit Hole to Wonderland. This series will live with me, like the tenth know of the weaver's spell, whole and forever!

 

 

 

 

Have you read this series? What are your thoughts on it? Have you ever read a series that has given you all the feels like this trilogy has for me?

Waiting on Wednesday #21

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're excitably anticipating.

Vendetta  (Vendetta #1) by Catherine Doyle

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When five brothers move into the abandoned mansion next door, Sophie Gracewell's life changes forever. Irresistibly drawn to bad boy Nicoli, Sophie finds herself falling into an underworld governed by powerful families. When Sophie's own family skeletons come to life, she must choose between two warring dynasties - the one she was born into, and the one she is falling in love with. When she does, blood will spill and hearts will break...

Expected Publication: January 1st 2015 via Chicken House

My thoughts:

I don't usually like retelling of stories but I love Romano and Juliet and this sounds like a great modern take on a classic!

Mini #Review : Ring of Roses by Mary Hooper

Book: Ring Of Roses 
Author: Mary Hooper
Pages: 72
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Read copy from library
Rating: ✪✪✪✪
 
Blurb:

Intensely powerful novel set in London during the height of the Plague in the 1600s. Abby is delighted to be appointed to the position of nursemaid in the well-to-do Beauchurch household. But it's the summer of 1665, and soon whispers are spreading through London that the Plague is returning. Can Abby keep herself and her small charge Grace safe, or will the disaster engulf them? A companion piece to Mary Hooper's bestselling 'At the Sign of the Sugared Plum'. Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 12+

Review

Some of you might not know but I love books set from the 1900's to 1940's when people struggled though many heartaches but still showed courage, love and family meant a lot more than it does nowadays!

Ring of Roses was such a powerful story of love and bravely. Of a young girl who cared for someone other than herself, for a baby, defenceless and relaying on this young girl to take care of her.

Mary Hooper depicted the Plague in a sensitive, powerful and true way.

Mini #Reviews : Books 7-9 of The Morganville Vampire Series by Rachel Caine

In October I went on a reading spree of The Morganville Vampire Books by Rachel Caine. You can check out my review of Glass House, book one in the series here & my mini reviews of books 2-6 in the series, here . Below is my mini reviews of books 7-9 of the series, there may be some spoilers, as they are just my thoughts on the series as a whole along with some thoughts on each book.

 

 

 

Goodreads

 

Fade Out ( The Morganville Vampire Series #6) by Rachel Caine

 

Rating: ✪✪✪✪.5

 

I really love this series. I love the characters, storyline, the twists and turns. However in Fade Out I felt the book dragged a tiny bit for a few chapters but then it got into the flow again, so I have decided to give it 4.5* rating.

A few thoughts on the series:

I like Shane and Claire together however, I always thought/felt from book one that it would have been Claire and Michael who got together.

In the end of Fade Out I am now worried Claire is going to become the next ADA and I don't know if she can really stop it happening.

I still am really enjoying this series and cant wait to read the next book!

 

 

 

Goodreads

 

Kiss Of Death (The Morganville Vampire Series #7) by Rachel Caine

 

Rating: ✪✪✪✪

 

So I have really been enjoying this series and I really did like Kiss Of Death, however I decided to give it a 4* rating as in this book the gang leave Morganville and head on a road trip that ends in trouble. Its a good story but I just didn't feel the super duper excitement I did in the other books. I think its because they left Morganville and I love all the additional characters in Morganville and the atmosphere wasn't the same. However I still really enjoyed it and cant wait to read the rest of the series.

 

 

 

Ghost Town (The Morganville Vampires Book #9) by Rachel Caine

 

Rating: ✪✪✪✪

 

So I started this series a few weeks ago and have been reading each in the series however I feel that because I have kept reading the series book after book that it has lessened how much I am enjoying them thus why I am going to stop the series at book 9 and read some more books in between. Don't get me wrong I still love the series it just feels that after 9 books it is starting to go a little flat. A word of advise to anyone starting this series don't read them one after the other!                  

 

 

 

 

 



Waiting on Wednesday #20

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're excitably anticipating.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

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The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this compelling, exhilarating, and beautiful story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

Expected Publication: January 6th VIA Penguin

My Thoughts:

I want to read more YA contemporary in 2015 and I think this book sounds like a great first 2015 contemporary read of the year!

#Review Do You Speak English, Moon? by Francesca Simon & Ben Cort #Giveaway

Book: Do You Speak English, Moon? 

Author: Francesca Simon

Illustrator: Ben Cort

Story Read By: Lenny Henry

Publisher: Orion Children's Books

Received copy for honest review

Rating: Story: ✪✪✪ Illustrations:✪✪✪✪✪  Audio: ✪✪✪✪

Blurb:

Do You Speak English, Moon? A little boy getting ready for bed looks up at the moon and wonders whether it can speak English as it shines all over the world. He tells the moon about his day - it's not lonely falling asleep when you share your day's adventures with the moon.

Review:

Do You Speak English, Moon? is a beautifully illustrated story for children aged 3-5 years. A little boy is getting ready for bed and decides to see if the moon can in fact speak English.  The little boy asks the moon loads of questions, only children ask. Children are always asking, " how", "what" and "why" and this is evident in the story. 

I loved the illustrations, there so bright and detailed, there is so much to see in each picture and will have children pointing out things and asking more questions. My favourite picture is a giant ice cream that is also a slide :)

Overall Do You Speak English, Moon is a great, colourfully illustrated story perfect for bedtime reading with your little ones! 

Audio Review:

With Do You Speak English, Moon? you get an audio CD of the story, read by Lenny Henry. I have never listened to an audio book before so I am know expert but I loved this audio book. When Lenny Henry is reading the story he really brings it too life. I loved that in between each question, for example "Can you see the sea? Can you see under the sea?" you hear the sound of the sea and it continues for each of the elements of the book and makes the story better. 

Do You Speak English, Moon? the book is great but the audio adds an extra element that children will want to hear again and again!

Giveaway:

x1 copy of Do You Speak English, Moon? 

Giveaway provided by publisher

Giveaway open to UK/Ire Only

Giveaway Ends: 30th November

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Reluctant Prince Blog Tour: Dreamcast & #Giveaway

Dreamcast!

Author Dani Lyn Alexander has picked who she would to like to play her leads in Reluctant Prince, if it was made into a movie. Dani Lyn Alexander picked:

Jackson Maynard played by Liam Hemsworth

Ryleigh Donnovan played by Chloe Moretz

*I do not own these images*

Blurb:

Betrayal lies cloaked in shadow.

Seventeen year old Ryleigh Donnovan is certain her life is cursed. Nothing ever goes smoothly, and her first job interview is no exception. An earthquake rocks the building, sending Ryleigh on a frantic search for her younger sister, a search which lands her in the hospital. Terrified they’ll push her for answers she can’t afford to give, Ryleigh flees with a mysterious stranger.

Jackson Maynard is about to be ordained as a Death Dealer, a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera, but first he must pass one more test. When he fails to acquire the human girl the prophet has chosen, he’s forced to stand trial for treason. Banished from his realm, he seeks out the girl from the vision, Ryleigh Donnovan, and together they embark on a journey to save his dying kingdom. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Reluctant Prince Goodreads

Dani Lyn Alexander Bio:

Dani-Lyn Alexander lives on Long Island with her husband, three kids and three dogs. She loves spending time with her family, at the beach, the playground, or just about anywhere. In her spare time, which is rare, she enjoys reading and shopping—especially in book stores. Some of her favorite things include; Bernese Mountain Dogs, musicals, bubble baths and soft blankets. She’s an incurable insomniac and has an addiction to chocolate.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Author Goodreads

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