16 Jan 2019

WWW Wednesday #18


WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words

WWW stands for three questions:


What are you currently reading?

I've decided I wouldn't hold back this year and would read chunky books. I've always put them aside because I wanted to finish my Goodreads challenge, but this year I set the bar at only 25 books so I'm free to roam the realm of huge books. 

The first in line is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. 
I'm currently 439 pages in, almost halfway through!


I'm also reading The Balance of Heaven and Earth, a historical mystery by Laurence Westwood.


What did you recently finish reading?

by Kirsten Weiss


My review is coming soon!


What do you think you'll read next?

by John Steinback


My other resolution for the year is to read classics, at least one in every couple of months. I miss classics. East of Eden will be a perfect place to start.

Please share a link to your WWW post below so I can see what you are up to these days! :)
 

15 Jan 2019

Review - A Murder of Crows by Annie Kirke

Title: The Murder of Crows (The Ravenscourt Tragedies #1)

Author: Annie Kirke

Release Date: 1 November, 2018

Synopsis:

A dead father.

A missing Spirit.

An ancient manor with way too many locked doors.

But Abigail Crowe won't let locked doors, corsets, or the straight-laced rules of Victorian society get in the way of finding the truth behind her father's death. Of course, where illegal magic is involved, things are rarely as simple as they appear. Screams in the night, an insane gardener, and a murder blamed on her late father are only the beginning. Could her father actually be a murderer? What is Uncle Edward hiding in the attic? And perhaps most importantly—which family secrets are worth keeping locked up?


I received a free ebook copy of this book from Dying Arts Press in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

I was a lucky girl; 2018 went out with a bang for me reading-wise. A Murder of Crows by Annie Kirke was the last book I read in 2018 and to tell the truth I'm grateful I could finish the year with such a delightful novel.

Abigail Crowe's father died and his spirit disappeared. Not long after, Abigail's mother brought her and her brother to this strange mansion where screams pierce through the walls at night. The uncle they haven't seen since she and William were little, most probably tampers with forbidden magic. The grounds around the house are off limits after sunset. There are closed doors wherever they go and Abigail keeps thinking about how her father couldn't deliver a probably important last message to his family. She suspects foul play. The living members of her family might be in danger too...

I was pleasantly surprised by this lovely gothic detective story

Abigail, the young protagonist is hell-bent on finding out who murdered her father. It seems like he passed because of natural causes but she thinks she knows better. His spirit never showed during his resting (where the departing usually say their final goodbyes) and it was enough to raise her suspicion.

I enjoyed the pacing and how the tale was put together – there is real detective work; Abigail and her brother William are fiercely looking for answers and with the help of memorable side-characters (Emily, who Abigail keeps calling "Keeper of the Dead" and Beatrice the gardener who acts crazy most of the time) they soon start getting glimpses at the bigger picture.

The environment in which they investigate is dark and menacing, the mansion holds secrects just like the people who inhabit it. The fantasy/paranormal bits that colour the story (like the magic and the presence of spirits, fey creatures and even zombies) are all nice touches, they definitely make the world of the book engaging. There were quite a few scenes that were playing out in cemeteries and.. well yeah... you can imagine, the mood was set. Loved them!

I kind of knew where the author was leading me (which was not a problem at all, I bore in mind that the book is marketed for a younger audience), but still, the ride was so worth it! A Murder of Crows is a clever execution of a series of clever ideas, and it's only the beginning of a series. I have to say the bar is high, however I'm sure the author can work her magic in the second instalment too. I'm more than willing to join Abigail on another adventure.



14 Jan 2019

Favourite books of 2018


Hi Lovelies! 

Long time no see, I know, but we've moved again and I've been without internet for some time...

But don't fret, now I'm back and I'm ready to show you my absolute favourite books of 2018!

The following novels are in no particular order, I adored all of them and recommend them wholeheartedly.


by Stephen King


The best horror book I've read last year, hands down. A vampire story that goes back to the roots of the genre, it definitely deserves to be mentioned on one page with Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire


by Anita Diamant


The Red Tent showed me that a Bible story can actually be turned into an ode to women. This novel made me feel good about my own femininity and opened my eyes to my companionship with other women. A masterpiece!

Read my review of The Red Tent here.


by Amy Trueblood


I really walked the sky while reading Amy Trueblood's novel. A book about rightful ambition, friendship, family and love. And so much to learn about barnstorming!

Read my review of Nothing but Sky here.

 

by Hester Fox


This was a very much anticipated title for me and it did not disappoint. It's very rare to find a well-written gothic romance these days and Hester Fox's book was a mix of so many things I usually enjoy... It was a real treat for me.

Read my review of The Witch of Willow Hall here.


by Mary Ann Shaffer, & Annie Barrows


I was blown away by the history of Guernsey and the characters that the writers had created to tell it. The movie was good but – as always – the book was better! 


Honourable mentions:

Claire's Last Secret by Marty Ambrose

Read my review here.

Mrs Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca

Read my review here.

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Read my review here.


What were your favourite books of 2018?

25 Dec 2018

Christmas is here!


MERRY CHRISTMAS, FRIENDS!


I hope you are all home and spending the holidays in the company of family and good books!

I wish you all the best in the world; love and peace and prosperity!

I'd like you to know guys that it means the world to me that you accompany me on my bookish journey and visit this blog regularly! 

You are the best, you truly are and I feel blessed for having you around!


Here's my Christmas read this year:


A Muder of Crows
The Ravenscourt Tragedies #1
by Annie Kirke

Synopsis:

A dead father.

A missing Spirit.

An ancient manor with way too many locked doors.

But Abigail Crowe won't let locked doors, corsets, or the straight-laced rules of Victorian society get in the way of finding the truth behind her father's death. Of course, where illegal magic is involved, things are rarely as simple as they appear. Screams in the night, an insane gardener, and a murder blamed on her late father are only the beginning. Could her father actually be a murderer? What is Uncle Edward hiding in the attic? And perhaps most importantly—which family secrets are worth keeping locked up?



What are you reading under the tree? 

23 Dec 2018

My first physical ARC!!!


Today I'd like to feature a book that is special to me becuase this is the first ARC I received in physical form. 

Christmas came early for me when Laurence Westwood was kind enough to send me a paperback copy of his novel The Balance of Heaven and Earth all the way from England. I immediately added this beauty to my January TBR.


Synopsis:

I have been unable to write a judgement that does not seem to offend my conscience, or indeed Heaven, in some manner. Because I do not wish to influence your thinking unduly, I have destroyed all my personal papers and notes in regard to this dispute, preferring you to start afresh. Forgive me for this. All I ask is that you consider and examine Jade Moon most carefully before coming to a decision. I find her fascinating and unsettling in equal measure, and fear the consequences of a wrongful judgement. I will say no more.

My sincerest best wishes to you and your family,

Magistrate Qian
Fifth District, Chengdu Prefecture
1st day of the 2nd Moon, 1085

So ends the letter of welcome (and of warning) to Magistrate Zhu, newly arrived in the remote border town of Tranquil Mountain. He has travelled far from his extensive family estates on the outskirts of Kaifeng – the glorious Song Dynasty capital – hoping to find atonement for past mistakes.

Yet he quickly discovers that Tranquil Mountain is anything but tranquil. The town is beset with simmering tensions since the death of his predecessor. Before Magistrate Zhu even has time to accustom himself to his inexperienced and wayward constabulary and the lowliness of his new surroundings, there is a mysterious murder, rumours of ghosts and blood-thirsty bandits out on the streets, and a disturbing kidnapping to solve – as well as the tragic and tangled legal circumstances of the local heroine Jade Moon to unravel.

For the balance of Heaven and Earth to be maintained, and to prevent catastrophe coming to Tranquil Mountain, Magistrate Zhu is well aware that not a single injustice can be allowed to stand. As he struggles to reach the correct judgements, he realises he has no choice but to offer up his career and perhaps even his own life for the greater good. And, in so doing, he discovers that as Jade Moon’s fate rests in his hands, so his fate ultimately rests in hers.  



I haven't read many books set in China, let alone 11th century China, so I'm looking forward to dive into this mystery piece, which I'm sure will be a rare treat.

Review to come in January...

21 Dec 2018

Review - I, Guinevere by -C.K. Brooke


Title: I, Guinevere

Author: C.K. Brooke

Publication Date: October 14, 2018

Synopsis:

Your legends have it wrong. Arthur never pulled that sword out of the stone. I did. I, Guinevere.

On the winter solstice, a mysterious sword in a stone appears in the churchyard. Not even the mightiest of the village men can remove it, until fifteen-year-old Guinevere gives a try. The sword heeds the unsuspecting maiden, proclaiming the unthinkable: she is the blood of Pendrakon, heir to the vacant throne of Camylot.

Guinevere never dreamed she was born royalty. Now, between apprenticing the eccentric wizard, Merlyn; swordplay lessons with an abrasive—albeit, attractive—boy named Lance; and clandestine, magical meetings with the formidable High Priestess of Avalon, Guinevere is swept up in a whirlwind of training and preparation for her monumental new role as future queen. But invasions by the barbarous Saxyns and visitations from mysterious dark forces constantly warn that she may be in over her head. Can Guinevere defend the kingdom from the darkness and deception that threaten to seize it? Despite her doubts and the sinister forces working against her, can she harness the power to wield Exkalibur and rule the realm? Or is Camylot already destined to fall? 



My Thoughts:

I, Guinevere is a short retelling of the Arthurian legend, that turns the original story upside down, since yes! Arthur is barely in it (don't worry, you won't miss him at all).

If you like YA retellings that take a female side-character from the original tale and build up the well-known story around her, this novel is definitely for you.

Merlin, Lancelot, Morgan, Mordred – all the familiar characters are here, but Arthur is no king. C.K. Brooke wanted to give Guinevere a chance to shine making her Queen of Camelot (here Camylot). However, as all rulers she has to learn how to lead her people and through this book we are shown how she grows into a woman who believes in herself as well as in her country.

I enjoyed reading about the magic, obviously it added a little fairy-tale vibe to the whole affair. It was great Guinevere had the ambition to learn magic, because by it and with it she became a figure of connection between Camylot and Avalon.

The settings were enchanting, they had this old-world feeling; Avalon, the lake, castles, misty-foggy landscapes – they were magnificent.

Altogether, the book wasn't extremely action-packed, except for the end that I was very satisfied with (plot twist hey ho...).

Beware, this is YA so except some teenage drama (I, again, realized I'm too old for that uhh), but this can be overlooked if you are not into it, because the book really goes back to and draws much from the original Arthurian legend.

Once again, if YA is something you read a lot of and you also like retellings, you might want to give this novel a try.




About the Author:

C.K. Brooke is an award-winning indie author of over a dozen romance and fantasy novels. Her debut novel, THE DUCHESS QUEST (48fourteen, 2014), was selected by Shelf Unbound Magazine as a Top 100 Notable Indie Book of 2015, and her YA novel, SECRETS OF ARTEMIS, received the Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion Award in 2017. She is also the author of THE WRONG PRINCE, a Readers Favorite five star recipient and Global EBook Award Honorable Mention title, as well as the historical romance, CAPTURING THE CAPTAIN (Limitless, 2016), which was a RONE Award Nominee and a Finalist in the MMRWA Best Banter Contest. She lives in Michigan with her husband and son. Visit her at www.CKBrooke.com




Author Links:

Website: https://www.ckbrooke.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/ckbrooke
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ck.brooke
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/+ckbrooke
Subscribe to Newsletter, get a Free eBook: https://www.ckbrooke.com/subscribe
Join ARC Review Team: https://ckbrooke.com/street-team/


The blog tour was organized by:

 

7 Dec 2018

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #30


Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.


My current read is:

(Mythic Maiden)
by C. K. Brooke


Synopsis:

If you think you know the story of King Arthur and his mythical sword, think again. Your legends have it wrong. Here’s the truth: I was never married to Arthur, and he wasn’t a king. Because Arthur never pulled that sword out of the stone. I did.
I, Guinevere.

On the winter solstice, a mysterious sword in a stone appears in the churchyard. Not even the mightiest of the village men can remove it, until fifteen-year-old Guinevere gives it a try. The sword heeds the unsuspecting maiden, proclaiming the unthinkable: she is the blood of Pendrakon, heir to the vacant throne of Camylot.

Guinevere never dreamed she was born royalty. Now, between apprenticing the eccentric wizard, Merlyn; swordplay lessons with an abrasive—albeit, attractive—boy named Lance; and clandestine, magical meetings with the formidable High Priestess of Avalon, Guinevere is swept up in a whirlwind of training and preparation for her monumental new role as future queen. But invasions by the barbarous Saxyns and visitations from mysterious dark forces continually warn that she may be in over her head. Can Guinevere defend the kingdom from the darkness and deception that threaten to seize it? Despite her doubts and the sinister forces working against her, can she harness the power to wield Exkalibur and rule the realm? Or is Camylot already destined to fall? 


Book Beginning:

If you think you know the story of King Arthur and his mythical sword, think again.

Go on, I'm paying attention...


The Friday 56:

A grin broke through as I bent to retrieve my favored sword. 
It glowed lambent for me, grateful that I held it again.

I wonder if she'll have to use that sword.


What are you reading this week? Don't forget to share your link in a comment below!