Monday Highlights #27

The idea is to just link your favourite blog post from the past week (for example a post you're very proud of or just had a lot of fun making) and then I, and hopefully others, can discover new blogs to follow and interact with and discover more posts from blogs we may already follow!

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

Sunday Post 8th October 2017

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 Reading Reality 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:

• Monday Highlights #26
• Clare's September Wrap Up and October TBR
• Clare Reviews: Odd & True by Cat Winters
• Clare Reviews: Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassell

Books We Got This Week:

Clare:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay: I LOVE my growing collection of these editions. They are so, so gorgeous and I am looking forward to the day when they are all released.

Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan: I really want to read this soon, I am planning to read The Dark Prophecy first though, they may be different series but all Riordan books tie together so I prefer to read them chronologically.

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray: I feel like I've been waiting forever for this! Will be buddy reading it this month with Vera @ Regal Critiques and we are both excited for it!

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: I've been wanting to read this since it was released but for some reason it was really hard to get in the UK. But this new edition just released and I found it and grabbed it up!

Dragon Age, Books 1-5: Fun fact - I am obsessed with Dragon Age. OBSESSED. So when I found out there were books set in the world WRITTEN by people who wrote the games I obviously had to get them. I will probably be reading these very soon!

Mass Effect, Books 1-4: Again, love the Mass Effect games. Not as much as I love Dragon Age but still excited about the world and excited to read more stories set there.

27 Hours by Tristina Wright: I've been waiting to read this all year. It is right near the top of my anticipated releases and I am definitely, definitely going to be reading it this month.

Mirror Mirror by Cara Delevigne: I love Cara as a model and as an actress so I am intrigued to see how I like her as an author as well. The plot sounds very interesting and I did read the first page on the way home from Tesco and enjoyed that.

Reading Update:

Ann:

Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings: 5 stars, I wasn't planning on reading this book yet but after getting back from London and having it sat on my shelf waiting to be read I couldn't resist.

Hush Hush Series: 5 stars, this is a series that I have read several times before but I was in a reading slump again so I figured that rereading it would help get out of the reading slump and it did!

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins: 4 stars, I loved the violence of this book and the twistedness of the murders but I did not however enjoy the romance as it distracted from the plot of the book.

Clare:

The Treatment by C.L. Taylor: 4 stars, This was very tense and had some great characters. The action did lag at times but for the most part I really enjoyed this!

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins: 3 stars, If this had more horror and waaay less romance I would have adored this. I did enjoy it but the overly sappy and honestly quite boring romance really detracted from my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada: 3.5 stars, Loved the brutality of the dystopia - and its been a while since I've read a dystopia because I was getting bored of the genre, but this one was definitely original. I really liked the main character but again, could have done without the romance. (I love romance I do, but it has a time and a place and when it dominates a plot I get frustrated).

Next Week on the Blog:

• Monday Highlights #27
• How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse (featuring our Brother)
• Clare Reviews: S.T.A.G.S by M.A. Bennett
• Would Our Favourite Characters Survive a Horror Movie?
• Werewolves vs Vampires: The Showdown
• Clare Reviews: Breaking by Danielle Rollins

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

Clare Reviews: Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel

Title: Black Bird of the Gallows
Author: Meg Kassel
Format: E-Arc
Source: Received via Netgalley
Pages: 300
Rating: 4.5/5

Blurb: A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.
What’s more, she knows something most don’t. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

I was initially nervous about this book. Socially awkward girl meets mysterious new neighbour and supernatural shenanigans follow? Haven't I read that story before? But no. No I have not.

In a lot of ways I found this to be comforting and nostalgic. It does have the same sort of feel to it as many older YA books do - the Lux series springs to mind. For the first half of the book I was amazed that I was so enjoying a genre I thought I had lost interest in. But that is where Meg Kassel excels. The writing and the characters were so strong that I was immediately hooked and the familiar became charming rather than tiresome. Added to this however is the fact that this book is so very unique. I know, I just spent a lot of words on how familiar this feels. Yet somehow this is one of the most unique books I have read all year. Somewhere in the combination of very, very creepy plot line, strong and realistic heroine and adorable romance was a story so excellent I just know I'll be remembering it for years to come - and re-reading it plenty too.

The main character, Angie, was thoroughly wonderful. She was strong and flawed, funny and damaged and I wanted to befriend her so badly. She had leaped off the page and into my heart before I had finished reading the first page so obviously I was very invested in her getting a happy ending! The other characters were also strong although I would have liked to have seen more of them. The relationships were very intriguing - I adored the loving relationship Angie had with her Dad for example, and her close friendship group - but the book was so short and packed full of excitement that we didn't get as much of an opportunity to observe these relationships.

I am in two minds regarding the romance. On the one hand it felt very insta-love in places as well as retaining that oh-so-creepy element so prevalent in YA where a centuries old guy falls in love with a teenager (I just struggle to get past that I really do). But they were so cute. Their conversations and interactions made me melt and I had a goofy smile on my face for much of their soppier moments. The romance wont be for everyone, but it also doesn't dominate the plot so those less interested in the romance will still have plenty to be excited for!

THIS should be on your Halloween TBR and if it's not - why not??? The whole concept of harbingers and beekeepers was deliciously creepy and the execution had me alternating between horror and goosebumps - a bee buzzed around my head whilst I was reading this book and I was terrified!

Whilst this definitely feels like a classic YA supernatural romance/mystery there is plenty new and exciting to discover in the novel and characters you can so easily fall in love with. Plus bees. That live in a man's mouth. And make people violent. Just. Such a wonderful read and I definitely, definitely need more from Meg Kassel. Soon.

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

Clare Reviews: Odd & True by Cat Winters

Title: Odd & True

Author: Cat Winters:

Pages: 368

Format: E-Arc

Source: Received via Netgalley

Rating: 5/5

Blurb: Trudchen grew up hearing Odette’s stories of their monster-slaying mother and a magician’s curse. But now that Tru’s older, she’s starting to wonder if her older sister’s tales were just comforting lies, especially because there’s nothing fantastic about her own life—permanently disabled and in constant pain from childhood polio.
In 1909, after a two-year absence, Od reappears with a suitcase supposedly full of weapons and a promise to rescue Tru from the monsters on their way to attack her. But it’s Od who seems haunted by something. And when the sisters’ search for their mother leads them to a face-off with the Leeds Devil, a nightmarish beast that’s wreaking havoc in the Mid-Atlantic states, Tru discovers the peculiar possibility that she and her sister—despite their dark pasts and ordinary appearances—might, indeed, have magic after all.

If you know me you'll know how much I love Cat Winters' novels. So it's pretty obvious that this was one of my most anticipated reads of the entire year and I was very excited when I got approved for it on Netgalley. And it did not disappoint at all. If anything this was more impressive than I had even expected.

Od and Tru were two of the most wonderful characters I have ever read. They were very different from each other - Od was the more obviously outgoing one but she had a lot of trauma to work through as well. Which means that, as a reader, you are constantly doubting her sanity and how much of what she says actually happened. Tru on the other hand was initially more sheltered but was so, so strong and independent and I absolutely adored her. She had an inherent goodness to her that never waned no matter what happened and I really admire that.

Their relationship was one of the strongest parts of the story. Sister relationships will always intrigue me because I have such an amazing sister. And I loved how utterly devoted to each other Od and Tru were whilst also arguing and disagreeing a lot. It felt very realistic and natural and so I was rooting for both of them more than ever. I not only wanted them to come through individually but also to have a strengthened relationship. Which definitely happened - with a lot of obstacles on the way!

The monster hunting/psychological element of the book was my absolute favourite though. Never before have I read a book that so skilfully played with my sanity. I jumped back and forth between "its all real" and "its all make believe" so many times and I had no idea how it would end up. I do think the ending was the best possible ending, I was very happy with how everything was resolved and wrapped up. And the epilogue was very special and precious.

I know this is a book I'll be re-reading often - especially now I've got myself a finished copy as well! It may even be my favourite Cat Winters book so far. And it makes me incredibly excited for whatever she may write next. It may not fit every Cat Winters fan because it is very different from her other novels in a lot of ways - but it is still her wonderful writing and evocative storytelling, gorgeous scene setting and of course amazing characters.

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

Clare's September Wrap Up & October TBR

September Wrap Up:

12. House of Ash by Hope Cook: Just a real disappointment. This wasn't as creepy as it hoped it was and the characters bored me enough that I didn't really care whether they made it through the book at all. The ending was just a bit too clean for me as well.

11. S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett: This seemed like a really interesting concept but it was ruined when the ending was spoiled right at the beginning. If you begin your book telling me who lives and who dies I'm really not going to be at all in suspense. And this story needed suspense.

10. Water in May by Ismee Amiel Williams: I really liked all of the characters and the plot was super compelling. I was put off by some hints of homophobia that I really did not want.

9. The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones: Really unique idea, I loved the demons - not so much the humans. I did race through this because it was very compelling but looking back on it there were some flaws. That said it was really enjoyable.

8/7. Burning and Breaking by Danielle Rollins: Burning was my least favourite of the two. It definitely comes across weaker - it isn't as compelling. But Breaking was very interesting - I loved the idea of, as the tagline says "What makes a girl a monster" and thought it was executed really well. So many of the characters were unlikable but in a really good way.

6. The Treatment by C.L. Taylor: This is almost dystopia except its set in the very-near-basically-now future. It was very tense and I love books where you never know who to trust. I was most intrigued by the sibling relationship (as always) and thought it was well done. I would definitely read more from Taylor!

5. The Diviners by Libba Bray: This was a re-read and one of my favourite books of all time. (I've placed it lower down to be fair on new reads). This is creepy, and beautiful and the characters are incredible and I am just so excited for the third book WHICH COMES OUT TODAY!!

4. Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel: What I actually love about this book is how classic YA it feels - yet still new. If you ever get nostalgic thinking of the Lux series or even the Twilight series but want amazing writing - then this is probably for you. This book reignited my love for YA which has been kind of waning lately!

3. Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu: Read this as part of an upcoming collab with Vera @ Regal Critiques and absolutely loved it. I'm not usually drawn to books about faith but Vera loves this book so much that I had to give it a try - and it was so good!! Interesting and tense and I was so, so attached to the characters.

2. Odd & True by Cat Winters: Cat Winters has literally never failed me. My review for this should actually go up tomorrow so keep an eye out for that - this was incredible. The sister dynamics were wonderful, the mystery had me on the edge of my seat and I thought the ending was incredible!

1. Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody: THIS BOOK! I wanted to re-read it the second I finished it. I want multiple copies of it. I just. Love. This. Book. The characters were amazing, the story was incredible and the setting made me actually want to dive into the book in a way I haven't wanted to since Harry Potter!!

Reviews Posted This Month:

• Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody
  

October TBR:

October shall forever be known as the month releases finally killed me. My bank balance will come for me on a revenge spree or my TBR pile will topple and crush me whilst I sleep. I'm actually feeling super daunted by how many books are releasing in October. And this isn't even all the ones I'm excited for!

I've also been inspired by Vera (whose wonderful wrap up post is here) to add some links to some of my favourite blog posts from other bloggers this month!

• Barb at Booker T's Farm reviewed Black Bird of the Gallows and I agree that I will never look at bees the same way again after reading it!!!
• If you're interested in gaming (which I am) you should definitely check out Puffin Zero's post on Destiny 2 which made me super anxious to play it!
• As a red-head I was excited to read Lauren @ Always Me's Top Ten Books That Feature Characters With Red Hair and she made some excellent picks!!
• Vera @ Regal Critiques discussed the Top Ten #OwnVoices Books she has read so far this year and you should definitely check out all the books on the list!!
• Ashley @ What She's Read showed which 5 Book Inspired Classes she would teach and I would 100% attend all these lessons!!

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

Monday Highlights #26

The idea is to just link your favourite blog post from the past week (for example a post you're very proud of or just had a lot of fun making) and then I, and hopefully others, can discover new blogs to follow and interact with and discover more posts from blogs we may already follow!

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

This Is Halloween...

We love Halloween. It is our second favourite holiday (just after Christmas) and whilst last year we stuck to some spooky reading - this year we are going all out!!

Look forward to reviews of some of the upcoming creepy releases of 2017 as well as posts that will (hopefully) get you into the Halloween spirit!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Clare and Ann x

Sunday Post 30th September 2017

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 Reading Reality 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:

• Monday Highlights #25

Books We Got This Week:

Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron: I've been going back and forth on whether to get this ever since it was released. Amazon had it for £3 this week so I took it as a sign and went for it! This looks like a really fun story.

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo: OMG so excited for this and it is genuinely the most beautiful book I have ever owned!

Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie: Picked this up at Waterstones because I couldn't resist. Its such a pretty book and although it does sound a little cliché it also sounds really exciting and could be more unique than I am expecting?

The next three were all gifts from the amazing Vera @ Regal Critiques!! So thank you very much to her!

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga: This is one I have heard SO MUCH about and I am super excited to dive into this. This also sounds very much Ann's kind of book!

Revived by Cat Patrick: I read the first book in this series (although I believe series is a loose term here) and really enjoyed it so I'm looking forward to this one.

Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser: Haven't actually heard much about this one but it definitely intrigues me and sounds very Halloween appropriate!

Reading Update:

Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel: 4.5 stars, I was in two minds about reading this initially. On the one hand I was intrigued but on the other didn't it sound very cliché? But then I got approved for it on Netgalley and I am SO GLAD I did. This was a refreshing mix of the nostalgic/comforting and the exciting/unique. The writing was excellent and the characters were very strong. I will have a full review coming soon.

S.T.A.G.S by M.A. Bennet: 2.5 stars, What sucks is I was REALLY excited for this one!! I had so much hope. But it was boring and predictable, I didn't much care about the characters and the concept itself did not ring true at all.

Burning by Danielle Rollins: 3 stars, I actually read this after Breaking because I'm an idiot but this is the first book in the series. I found it to be not as compelling as Breaking which is probably half my fault anyway!

Breaking by Danielle Rollins: 4 stars, Really compelling and interesting. Very unlikable characters but in a good way - just really enjoyed this. Full review coming soon!

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