Review Copies
7 October 2017
Stacking the Shelves (65)
6 October 2017
Review: A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)by V.E. Schwab
Published by Titan Books
Paperback (purchased)
Fantasy, LGBT
Witness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.
THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.
WHO WILL CRUMBLE?Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?
WHO WILL RISE?Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.
WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.
A Conjuring of Light was a perfect finale - and more so, a perfect book. It was over six hundred pages of emotional rollercoaster and adventure. It was brilliant journey! I loved absolutely everything, and I didn't want it to ever end. I need more, as simple as that. Any problems I had with the first two books in the series, I didn't have with this one. Everything just clicked and it was a stunning story. A Conjuring of Light is definitely one of my favourite books.
I highly recommend the Shades of Magic trilogy!
5 of 5 stars
If you want to read more detailed reviews of the first two books in the series, you can check out my reviews of A Darker Shade of Magic & A Gathering of Shadows.
4 October 2017
Review: The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan
The Lover's Dictionaryby David Levithan
Published by Fourth Estate
Paperback (purchased)
Contemporary, romance, poetry
We are all beginners when it comes to love, from those tentative first dates to learning how to live with, or without, someone. But how does one describe love? David Levithan's 'The Lover's Dictionary' starts where we all once started - with the alphabet.
I read The Lover's Dictionary last summer in London the best way one can read a love story like this - in the underground and in a coffee shop. The story is turbulent in a way only a true love story can be; it's falling in love, it's the troubles and hardships of that love, it's yearning and it's feelings in their purest form. The book is certainly unique - it's the alphabet of a love story, it's really short definitions of words that carry on the story - but the story itself is universal. Anyone who has ever been in love or in relationship can relate to the frenzy of feelings that it brings. This is a book that a reader need to experience by themselves, because it's hard to put it in words.
If you want to read unique love story, I do recommend The Lover's Dictionary. It's quick read and just so good. To end this review, here's one of my favourite quotes from the book:
yearning, n. and adj.
At the core of this desire is the belief that everything can be perfect.
4 of 5 stars
3 October 2017
ARC Review: Scorpio Hates Virgo by Anyta Sunday
Scorpio Hates Virgo (Signs of Love, #2)by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
e-ARC (received via NetGalley)
New Adult, LGBT, contemporary, romance
This year is all about healing the heart, Scorpio. It’s time to leave negative attitudes and stoic facades at the door and let others see the real, more vulnerable you.
Percy Freedman is not grieving. Absolutely not, take that back at once. No, he’s entirely sure that selling his dead aunt’s home and leaving the neighbors he’s known for years is the sane thing to do. Who in their right mind would keep the house that smells like all the hugs he’ll never have again?
Nobody, that’s who.
Well, except his cul-de-sac neighbors. They all seem to think some paint and new furniture will clean the emotional slate. They all want him to stay.
Even his nemesis, Callaghan Glover.
Especially his nemesis, Callaghan Glover.
Lured into a game of Sherlock Gnomes, Percy finds himself hanging out with his neighbors more than might be considered healthy. Along with juggling new and surprising verbal grenades from Cal, and his burgeoning friendship with Gnomber9, Percy is starting to wonder if selling might have been the grief talking after all . . .
That’s right, Scorpio. With a little patience, heartbreak might be a thing of the past . . .
Scorpio Hates Virgo was oh so slow burn, maybe even a bit more than the previous Leo Loves Aries. I loved this slow burn as much as I loved the previous one, especially since there were subplots which kept the story going so the story didn't loose any pace. And of course, the snark and banter between Percy and Cal made everything so sweet and interesting.
Percy, the main character, doesn't trust easily and tries his best to keep people at arms length. He's been hurt before - multiple times - and losing his Aunt Abby makes him want to escape the memories of Abby's house which he inherited. He's on the mission to sell the house to escape the memories he's unable to deal with. Percy was easy to identify with - the loss, the grief, and the trust issues. Despite all that, Percy was snarky and loved to banter, and he was also incredibly funny. Callaghan is the ultimate family guy because he puts his family first, and he's ready to lie a little to get what he wants but his lies don't hurt anyone. Cal's just adorable!
Percy insist that he and Cal are nemesis - or at least frenemies - but it's only his way to try to keep Cal at arms length. Cal's his straight neighbor and Percy doesn't want to get mixed in something that would only lead to heartbreak. Still, there's undeniable chemistry, such a slow burn and UST that's just so good. Both of them are so stubborn and headstrong, and their banter just makes it so adorable.
Scorpio Hates Virgo was full of neighborly games, funny moments, dealing with grief and loss, stubbornness, slow burn and UST, and absolutely adorable main characters. Plus of course, a cameo of Theo and Jamie from Leo Loves Aries, which was just brilliant to meet them again during the neighborly games (Theo's mother is Percy's neighbor).
In conclusion, I really loved Scorpio Hates Virgo and it just solidified my love for the Signs of Love series (which I really hope Anyta Sunday will continue in the future!) The story was so enjoyable and adorable but also dealt with more serious issues such as dealing with loss. I can only recommend Scorpio Hates Virgo, because it was such a brilliant and beautiful story.
5 of 5 stars
2 October 2017
ARC Review: Foxglove Copse by Alex Beecroft
Foxglove Copse (Porthkennack, #5)by Alex Beecroft
Published by Riptide Publishing
e-ARC (received via NetGalley)
LGBT, contemporary, romance
After a massive anxiety attack, Sam Atkins left his high-powered job in the City and committed himself to life on the road in a small van. Six months in, he’s running out of savings and coming to the conclusion that he might have to go home to his emotionally abusive family.
Needing time to think, he takes a walk through a copse by the Cornish roadside, only to stumble upon the body of a ritualistically killed sheep. As he’s trying to work out what the symbols around the animal mean, the sheep’s owner, Jennifer, and her nephew, Ruan Gwynn, come upon him.
Ruan is a kind-hearted young man with a large supportive clan, and since he and Sam feel almost instant attraction, he doesn’t want to believe Sam is a sheep-killing cultist. In fact, the moment he lays eyes on Sam’s miserable solitary life, he wants to rescue the man. But as the killings escalate, he and Sam need to stop whoever is actually to blame before they can concentrate on saving each other.
The Porthkennack series of standalone M/M romances that take place in atmospheric Cornish seaside is something that I have enjoyed quite a bit. Some I have loved a lot and some not but overall, I really like the Porthkennack series. Foxglove Copse was a story that I'm not sure how to feel about.
The blurb was intriguing and sounded something I'd love. It started all good, with Sam reflecting the professional investment banker life he left behind for much more simpler life in the road. Sam's anxiety was portrayed very well and it was easy to begun to root for him. Ruan, who Sam meets early on, was just a sweetheart who had plenty of love for his family and everyone else. I could see how good Sam and Ruan could be together and how they could help each other. Both were such easy to relate with! However, their romance suffered from a bad case of lack of character development. Too many of their conversations were off page and the sex was all off page - both something that I wouldn't expect from a M/M romance. It slowed down any character development and left the budding relationship distant.
Instead of developing Sam and Ruan as individuals or deepening their relationship, the focus shifted to the mystery and suspense. The mystery was good and the story was suspenseful, and I really liked that aspect, but the story should have been longer to develop all of the aspects of the story properly. Especially since around the half way in the magic talk came out of nowhere and the story started to be an odd mix of contemporary and magic. A world where magic didn't exist but a few characters tried to half-heartedly convince the reader that magic did exist - it was just weird and didn't work for me because I like the books to be either contemporary or fantasy, not an odd mix of both and neither.
I'm not going to give out any spoilers, but I have to mention that I don't agree with the ending at all. The culprit was 'punished' but it wasn't fair for the crimes the culprit committed. It simply wasn't enough. However, despite of these problems I had with the story, I enjoyed it. It was a quick read and I was taken by the story and wanted to know what happens. I really liked how Foxglove Copse explored more of the family clan dynamics in Porthkennack - mainly focusing on Lusmoores and Gwynns. And despite the lack of character development and deepening of the relationship, I still rooted for Sam and Ruan, because they were adorable together and good for each other.
Foxglove Copse was enjoyable story, even if all aspects didn't sit with me. I still liked it, and it added quite a lot for the overall Porthkennack theme and the seaside town history.
3 of 5 stars
Add on Goodreads
Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Foxglove Copse!
(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)
Wrapping the Month: September
What's greater way to start new month than taking a look at previous one?
My blogging inactivity continued in September, and for no good reason. I read quite a lot, binge watched plenty of Netflix, started third year at uni and had a small holiday when few of my relatives visited me here in Scotland. I'm trying to get back on track blogging wise, especially since the pile of reviews I need to write has grown quite a lot. That review pile will be my main focus on October blogging wise so hopefully there'll be plenty of reviews next month!
I'm still totally obsessed with the Nightrunner series as you can see. I got the last three books in the series plus The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, which has been getting such a buzz and sounds something that's going to be entertaining read.
September's reviews:
I was really bad in September and didn't write any reviews.
September was usual reading month for me; I finished total of five books. I'm in the middle of multiple books so next month might be even better for reading (if uni doesn't take all the time. Or Netflix). Anyway, here's what I read:
The rest of the year will be really busy because of all the uni deadlines I'll have. I'll try to get back to the habit of actually blogging and reviewing, and get this blog on track again.
Henna
24 September 2017
Book Tour + Giveaway: Yuletide Truce by Sandra Schwab
Yuletide Truceby Sandra Schwab
Release day: 22nd September 2017
Historical romance, Victorian romance, M/M romance, holiday romance
London, 1845
It's December, Alan "Aigee" Garmond's favorite time of the year, when the window display of the small bookshop where he works fills up with crimson Christmas books and sprays of holly. Everything could be perfect — if it weren't for handsome Christopher Foreman, the brilliant writer for the fashionable magazine About Town, who has taken an inexplicable and public dislike to Aigee's book reviews.
But why would a man such as Foreman choose to target reviews published in a small bookshop's magazine? Aigee is determined to find out. And not, he tells himself, just because he finds Foreman so intriguing.
Aigee’s quest leads him from smoke-filled ale-houses into the dark, dingy alleys of one of London's most notorious rookeries. And then, finally, to Foreman. Will Aigee be able to wrangle a Yuletide truce from his nemesis?
Get a copy here;
Quotes
from Sandra Schwab about the book;
Yuletide
Truce is a feel-good enemies-to-lovers holiday
romance that takes you on a sweeping journey to Victorian London, to fog-filled
streets and smoke-filled taverns, to Fleet Street, where news are made, and to
Bethnal Green, where once a crime lord ruled as supreme master. Meet those who
criticized a rich ruling class that clung to its old privileges, and those who
eked out a meagre livelihood on the streets of the metropolis. Yuletide Truce not a story about rich
people, but a story about two ordinary men — because everybody deserves a
happily-ever-after, and I want to challenge the idea that it's somehow only
straight, white, rich people whose stories deserve to be told.
Excerpt:
Now Mrs. Woodall’s smile diminished as her
gaze fell on the magazine Aigee was holding. “Oh dear. About Town? I take it the ‘Adonis of Fleet Street’ has struck
again.”
At the mentioning of Foreman’s nickname
among the London publishing world, a rush of heat washed through Aigee. Lord,
as if the whole situation wasn’t already embarrassing enough! No, to make matters
worse, Aigee’s body—well, his prick, he supposed—had also decided to take a
fancy to the very man who delighted in publicly bashing him.
It was ridiculous!
Beyond embarrassing.
And yet…
Well, Foreman was attractive, otherwise he wouldn’t have gained that particular
epithet. He was tall, with a lean, trim body, violet-blue eyes, ridiculously
long lashes, and a head of golden hair that tended to curl if he let it grow
too long.
Handsome like the devil himself.
No, not the devil. Some kind of arrogant
angel, tumbled to earth, probably thrown out of the heavenly choir because he
had spouted some profanity at a horrified archangel.
Author
Bio
She holds a PhD in English literature, and
in autumn 2015, she appeared on the BBC documentary Great Continental Railway Journeys to talk about another favorite
topic of hers, the Grimms’ fairy tales (while walking through a rather muddy
stretch of the Black Forest) (there were a lot of slugs, too).
She lives in Frankfurt am Main / Germany with a sketchbook, a sewing machine, and an ever-expanding library.
2 September 2017
Stacking the Shelves (64)
1 September 2017
Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Scorpio Hates Virgo by Anyta Sunday
Scorpio Hates Virgo (Signs of Love, #2)by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Release day: September 1st 2017
New Adult, LGBT, contemporary, romance
This year is all about healing the heart, Scorpio. It’s time to leave negative attitudes and stoic facades at the door and let others see the real, more vulnerable you.
Percy Freedman is not grieving. Absolutely not, take that back at once. No, he’s entirely sure that selling his dead aunt’s home and leaving the neighbors he’s known for years is the sane thing to do. Who in their right mind would keep the house that smells like all the hugs he’ll never have again?
Nobody, that’s who.
Well, except his cul-de-sac neighbors. They all seem to think some paint and new furniture will clean the emotional slate. They all want him to stay.
Even his old nemesis, Callaghan Glover.
Especially his old nemesis, Callaghan Glover.
Lured into a game of Sherlock Gnomes, Percy finds himself hanging out with his neighbors more than might be considered healthy. Along with juggling new and surprising verbal grenades from Cal, and his burgeoning friendship with Gnomber9, Percy is starting to wonder if selling might have been the grief talking after all . . .
That’s right, Scorpio. With a little patience, heartbreak might be a thing of the past . . .
“Scorpio Hates Virgo” contains sarcasm, sexual content, a slightly sappy HEA, and an unhealthy obsession with dinosaurs. It can be read as a standalone.
Get your copy;
Author Bio
Slow burn romance that quickens the heart.
Anyta is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.
Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.
Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian and French.
Member of Romance Writers of America.
Excerpt:
percalinary
noun /
per . cal . i . nary
Definition of PERCALINARY
: a reference containing words and their definitions and usage
according to Percy Freedman and Callaghan Glover
: a reference explaining the implied meanings of words as used by
Percy Freedman and Callaghan Glover
Example of PERCALINARY in
a sentence
My first time
watching Percy and Cal interact required frequent recourse to a percalinary to understand what the hell type of flirting these two were up
to.
To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here!
To win one of three e-copies of Scorpio Hates Virgo:
To win 2 grand prizes - 1 set of ecopy of 5 of Anyta Sunday’s favorite NA romances and 1 set of signed paperbacks of Leo Loves Aries and Scorpio Hates Virgo (open internationally):
Wrapping the Month: August
What's greater way to start new month than taking a look at previous one?
Oh, I read plenty in August. I read some of my new favourite books, met enchanting characters and got into adventure fantasy like no other. Reading wise, August was brilliant. When it comes to blogging, well, as you might have noticed, I was pretty inactive. I just spend my time either reading or binge watching movies/TV shows instead of blogging, which I feel a little bit bad about because I read so many amazing books but didn't get around writing reviews. As usual, I'll try to do better in September and during the months to come because I really like blogging and writing reviews. I'm just a bit obsessive personality when it comes to books/TV shows and when I'm on the binge, I hardly get around doing anything else (which is so bad for productivity).
I got two eARCs (Foxglove Copse & Scorpio Hates Virgo) and then these beauties. As you can see, I'm on a huge Lynn Flewelling binge read; I read Luck In The Shadows and absolutely fell in love with the Nightrunner series and I just can't stop reading them! I'm pretty sure I'll get the remaining three books in September because hello, I don't have any self-control when it comes to books I'm obsessed about. Speaking of which, I just had to get the US copy of Vicious. I firmly believe one cannot have too many copies of books they love.
August's reviews:
I was a bad blogger, and I didn't get around writing any reviews here. However, I did short mini type of reviews on Goodreads of all the Percy Jackson graphic novels I read: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters & The Titan's Curse.
August has been the best month reading wise this year as I read 10 books (okay, three graphic novels and seven books) - and four of those books were huge, from almost 500 pages to almost 700 pages. I'm ecstatic about that because I often feel intimidated by big books but lately I've been conquering them. Anyway, here's what I read:
I most likely won't have as good reading month as August for the last third of the year because uni starts again in September. My main goal for September is to actually blog more and write plenty of reviews of books I've recently read, so let's hope I'll get around all that!
Henna
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