Sunday Wrap Up 6th September

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, it's a chance to post a recap on the past week, show the books we have received and share what we plan for the coming week. Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Showcase Sunday is hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea and the aim is to show our newest books and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops or downloaded on to their e-reader.

Last Week on the Blog:

• August Wrap Up & September TBR
• Top Ten Characters You Just Didn't Click With
• Tuesday Intros and Teaser Tuesdays
• Top Five Fictional Cities
• WWW Wednesday and What Are You Reading?
• Clare: Inside & Out Tag
• Friday Reads and Friday 56 With Book Beginnings
• Cover Characteristics: Chess Pieces

Books We Got This Week:

Clare:

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas: You have no idea how excited I was when this arrived. I opened it in the car since it arrived just as we were leaving for the beach and then hugged it for god knows how long.

Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh: The sixth in the Survivors series I think and I am pretty sure there will be one more.

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell: Oh Fairy tale retellings. I can never seem to get enough. This finally arrived after weeks of Amazon delays! And it's so pretty!

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson: I love the artwork in this and I have been wanting to read a graphic novel for way too long.

The Uninvited by Cat Stevens: History, a creepy cover. I am not 100% sure what this book is about but I want to go in blind and I've heard great things.

The Other Side of Midnight by Simone St. James: I am fairly certain that I should be reading this nearer to Halloween, there's murder and seances! But I am too excited to exercise restraint.
Fire by Kristin Cashore: This is one of my favourite fantasy books of all time, along with Graceling, but I didn't own it. And now I have this cover which I personally prefer to the original.

Ann:

Timebound by Rysa Walker: I am currently reading this book and I am loving it.

Reading Update:

Ann: I haven't had a chance to finish a book this week due to going back to school but I am still reading Timebound by Rysa Walker.

Clare:

My reading this week was slightly impacted by the fact I am quitting caffeine. I tried the cold turkey method with disastrous results. It was not fun and I am now trying the slow cutting back method instead. Which is going slightly better. But I'm still tired and grumpy and headachey which meant I didn't re-read the Throne of Glass books as I had intended to and instead read more Regency! I did get back on track towards the middle of the week. 

Then Came You and Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas: 3.5 stars. These were some of her earlier books and it definitely shows. Her later books are more mature and well paced. I enjoyed these but I wasn't caught up in them the way I was with her Wallflowers or Hathaways series'.

Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh: 4 stars. I found this funnier than I had thought I would, but the mystery element lacked some oomph and although I liked the romance I didn't find myself enthralled by it as I have with the previous books in the series. A good installment though and I am looking forward to the next one. (Hoping there is a next one).

The Brigadier's Runaway Bride by Erica Ridley: 3 stars. I received this for review from Netgalley, (I have a full review on goodreads here if you're interested). But for me it was too short and not very well paced, although I liked her writing style enough that I might borrow some of her other books from the library - perhaps it was just this book I struggled with.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas: 4.5 stars. Wow. I had forgotten what a roller-coaster these books are. One minute I'm feeling triumphant then despairing then shocked then heartbroken. It's exhausting. In a really good way!

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas: 5 stars. I am not sure I could be remotely balanced or rational in any review of this book. I loved it. I loved the characters and the ending and every page along the way. I will admit this book felt fairly complete to me so I'm nervous about the next books and I am hoping they're not just there because - that they have a purpose. But I am excited for them nevertheless.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: 4.5 stars. I enjoyed this book and the romance and I am curious to see where she will take this series. But that riddle was so easy and it genuinely annoys me that it took Feyre half the book to solve it. I mean really!
Mechanica: 3.5 stars. An interesting take on the Cinderella story, but I agree with other reviewers who said that it did drag at times. I liked the ending but I thought it felt a little unfinished and also, for a book saying it contained fey there was very little fey. Almost none in fact. And since that was one of the most interesting elements I was disappointed.
Graceling by Kristin Cashore: 4.5 stars. It's been a long time since I first read this, but I got the urge to re-read it and I enjoyed it just as much, if not more than, I did the first time. 
Fire by Kristin Cashore: 5 stars. I know most people prefer Graceling to Fire, but I honestly just really love Fire herself, and the way her relationship with her father is described always fascinated me.

Classics Update:

Ann: I am currently on page 69 of Little Women and it has been brilliant so far.

Clare: I am currently 126 pages in to The Wings of the Dove and really enjoying it. I tried to read The Golden Bowl a couple of months ago and didn't get anywhere but I am loving the wit of this book. I still have a horrible feeling about the ending though!

Next Week on the Blog:

• Creatures of the Night Tag
• Top Ten Finished Series I Have Yet to Finish
• Top Five Favourite Things About Blogging
• Cover Characteristics: Keys
• Review: Timebound by Rysa Walker

You can also find us on Goodreads (Ann and Clare) and on Twitter (Ann and Clare) to keep up with what we are reading!