Sunday Post 11th October 2015

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. As always you can click on any of the pictures to be taken to the Goodreads page for that book if you're interested in finding out more about it.

Last Week on the Blog:

• Top Ten Bookish Things I Want to Quit/Have Quit
• Tuesday Teasers
• Top 5 Graphic Novels
• Wednesday Catch-Up
• Friday Reads

Reviews:

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn
• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• Pathfinder by Angie Sage

Books We Got This Week:

Clare:

Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd: So dark and gothic looking! I am excited!

Grim Shadows & Grave Phantoms by Jenn Bennett: I have already read these and you can see my thoughts on them in my Reading Update.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan: I have already read this and I loved it. I fully intended to write a review but I am ill and can't seem to form coherent thoughts so I never got any further than "this book is good and funny" which whilst accurate isn't very detailed. Sorry!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling: This may be my favourite book now. The illustrations are just so perfect and beautiful and I am annoying everyone around me by showing it off constantly!

The Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason: I have read this and I actually will be writing a review on this! I managed to make some notes whilst reading so when I am feeling slightly better I will get a review up!

The Next Together by Lauren James: I love the cover and I've been wanting to read this since it first came out!

Sing Down the Stars by L.J. Hatton: This sounds really unique and obviously the cover is gorgeous.

An Inquiry Into Love and Death/ Silence for the Dead / The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James: I loved The Other Side of Midnight (my full review here) so I had high hopes for these and I have read them now so you can see what I thought in my reading update.

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson: I've read a few reviews of this and for some reason the only thing that I really took in was that it's perfect for people who played The Oregon Trail when they were younger. And I did. And I loved it. So clearly I need this!

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: Do you have any idea how enormous this book is in reality? I really wasn't prepared! But I am really, really excited for this! This was one of my most anticipated books of 2015!

The Amazing Book is Not on Fire by Dan and Phil: I love their videos so it naturally follows I will love their book! Plus am I the only one who kind of wants to know "which of our dining room chairs represents you emotionally"? (Side note: I have now taken this test and I am the blue chair if anyone is interested!)

A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis: Amazon told me my copy would be delayed by two weeks and then only delayed it by two days! It's a rollercoaster! I am really excited for this because asylums and mystery and a seriously perfect cover!

An Inheritance of Ashes by Leah Bobet: This is one of those covers that is just way more beautiful in reality! I haven't seen many reviews of this so I'm not sure what to expect. But I am hoping for great things!

The Hanged Man by P.N. Elrod: This sounds great, psychics and royalty and the whole Victorian era! Perfect. Plus the cover is kinda creepy!
The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender: More asylums! I seem to have an obsession with them this week. Again, really excited!
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine: What is it about books about books that is just so appealing? Rachel Caine can be a bit hit or miss for me but I am hoping this is more hit less miss.
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys selected by April Genevieve Tucholke: I am not usually great with scary things but I am trying to get more into them this month - and this has so many of my favourite authors in it; Cat Winters, Leigh Bardugo, etc. I am going to be reading a story a day and then I'll get a review up when I've finished them all.

Outspoken by Lora Richardson: Received for review from the author. I really like the sound of this one and I look forward to reading it soon!

A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter: I read the first book a while back and remember a bad case of insta-love and the fact that this isn't remotely Alice in Wonderland (silly misleading titles) but I also remember quite liking the zombie element - which makes this series perfect for Halloween.
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs: Now that I have all three books I am looking forward to reading this series and hopefully understanding why everyone seems to love it so much!

Reading Update:

Ann:

I am very annoyed with myself currently because I still haven't finished The Hollow Boy because I have had a lot of homework to do and just haven't been able to find the time to read this week.

Clare:

I got ill around Wednesday this week and for a couple of days that threw me off completely but once the headache died down, being pretty much bed bound meant I had a lot of reading time. Which was a pretty good perk.

In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters: 5 stars. I loved this so much. Even when it broke my heart. So many twists and creepiness and Cat Winters' writing is so gorgeous.

The Cure For Dreaming by Cat Winters: 5 stars. Possibly my favourite of Cat Winters' novels so far. I was angry and scared and sad in all the right places! This is as close to perfect as a book can get in my opinion.
Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick: 2 stars. I didn't outright hate it but there was too much girl hate (the main character despised her best friend - and kept going on about needing a man to save her) and the mystery was just way too simple.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan: 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this, it was fun and fast paced and I am excited to see where the series goes from here. Also - there was an Annabeth cameo which made me so happy!

The Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason: 4 stars. I really, really enjoyed this, I will have a full review up on Thursday.
Otto Von Trapezoid And The Empress Of Thieves by Jesse Baruffi: 4 stars. I don't want to say too much about this but my review will be up on Tuesday so be sure to check it out! (Edit: My review is now up and you can read it here)
Grim Shadows by Jenn Bennett: 4 stars. I preferred the first book in the series but this was still a fun and quick read with a great romance.
Grave Phantoms by Jenn Bennett: 3.5 stars. I thought this was a good addition but the mystery/supernatural element wasn't as strong as in the previous two books. 

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James: 5 stars. This really scared me! I also really loved the romance.

An Inquiry into Love and Death by Simone St. James: 5 stars. There is just something about ghosts that creeps me out in books more than any other supernatural thing. It's probably because I actually believe in them!

Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James: 5 stars. These books are honestly so much creepier than I expected!

Classics Update:

Ann: I have had a lot of work to do this week but have made sure to be reading as much of Little Women as I could every day so I am making progress with Little Women.

Clare: 4.5 stars. I have finished Washington Square. I really liked it, it was shorter than a lot of his books and I've found that his shorter stories are usually my favourite - I adored Daisy Miller and The Turn of the Screw for example! I really liked Catherine, she was such an interesting character. It's strange to read a character who is not brave or intelligent or pretty - who is really incredibly boring and to be so compelled by her! Morris Townsend fascinated me as well, his motives were so suspect for much of the book and it was really interesting to me. I finished this book well ahead of when I had expected to so I am now going to read Henry James's The Pension Beaurepas which is again very short (this time only 64 pages) and will probably move on to some more of his short stories after that.

Next Week on the Blog:

• Cover Characteristics: Televisions
• Dessert Book Tag
• Wednesday Catch-Up
• Friday Reads
• What We're Watching

Upcoming Reviews:

• Otto Von Trapezoid and the Empress of Thieves by Jesse Baruffi
• The Chess Queen Enigma by Colleen Gleason
• A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis
• The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden

Clare: I am now on antibiotics and bed rest and I have a blood test next week so we may not be able to be as active in blogging this coming week, but we will do our best!

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