On My Radar | January 2023

 

New year, a new set of books to add to my wishlist... 

Stacking the Shelves | September 2022

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality that highlights all the books you've recently added to your shelves. Here's all the books I hauled in September!  

Book Review (Blog Tour) | The Killing Code by Ellie Marney

Publication Date: 20th September 2022 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Format: Netgalley ARC

Target Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Historical, Mystery

→ Author's Site

Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Book Depository  • Indigo

• IndieBound

Synopsis

Virginia, 1943: World War II is raging in Europe and on the Pacific front when Kit Sutherland is recruited to help the war effort as a codebreaker at Arlington Hall, a former girls’ college now serving as the site of a secret US Signals Intelligence facility in Virginia. But Kit is soon involved in another kind of fight: Government girls are being brutally murdered in Washington DC, and when Kit stumbles onto a bloody homicide scene, she is drawn into the hunt for the killer.

 
To find the man responsible for the gruesome murders and bring him to justice, Kit joins forces with other female codebreakers at Arlington Hall—gossip queen Dottie Crockford, sharp-tongued intelligence maven Moya Kershaw, and cleverly resourceful Violet DuLac from the segregated codebreaking unit. But as the girls begin to work together and develop friendships—and romance—that they never expected, two things begin to come clear: the murderer they’re hunting is closing in on them…and Kit is hiding a dangerous secret.

Rating

My Thoughts

Mini Reviews | Elsewhere Girls & The Secret in the Tower

Cat has recently started at a new school on a sports scholarship, and she’s feeling the pressure of early morning training sessions and the need for total commitment. Fanny loves to swim and she lives for racing, but family chores and low expectations for girls make it very hard for her to fit in even the occasional training session.

Cat and Fanny have never met. They both live in the same Sydney suburb, but in different worlds, or at least different times: Cat in current-day Sydney, and Fanny in 1908. But one day, time slips and they swap places.

As each girl lives the other’s life, with all the challenges and confusion it presents, she comes to appreciate and understand herself and the role of swimming in her own life.

Rating

Elsewhere Girls by Emily Gale & Nova Weetman was a super quick read, following two girls in different era's who find themselves in each others bodies with the help of a magical stopwatch. I did enjoy this book, like I said it was really fast paced and was an interesting take on the Freaky Friday body swapping trope. 

I definitely enjoyed reading from Cat's perspective the most as she's stuck in Fanny's body in 1908 but the cultural differences made for amusing reading in both perspectives. The two girls trying to figure out the language, chores and ensuring their families don't get suspicious was very entertaining. I also really liked the message this book portrays, highlighting how different life was for young girls 100 years ago. Fanny dreams of going to the Olympics to swim but can't because she's a girl but seeing how things are in Cat's time gives her the motivation to keep following her dream. Likewise, Cat is struggling with her own swimming but an incident in the past gives her a new outlook. 

I did find it a little simplistic at times as well as not feeling overly connected to the characters but I think younger readers will get a lot more out of it. 

1485. Richard III is King of England. Henry Tudor’s invasion looms.

Jack Broom thinks that war and politics have nothing to do with him. He is a simple apothecary’s boy dreaming of becoming a surgeon – until soldiers mistake him for a boy of noble birth.

Narrowly avoiding being dragged to the Tower of London, Jack sets out on a perilous mission to find out who he truly is. With the help of his new friend Alice, he uncovers conspiracies, treason, and the deadly lengths people will go to for power.

Rating

Another historical middle grade that I read recently was The Secret in the Tower by Andrew Beattie. I've always been interested in the mystery of The Princes in the Tower AKA the disappearance of Edward and Richard, and the author takes this part of history and creates an exhilarating adventure.  

Jack Broom is a simple apothecary's assistant but through a case of mistaken identity, he finds himself embroiled in a war between kings and by teaming up with a new friend, he sets out to discover his true identity. 

Beattie does a terrific job of transporting the reader back to medieval London, the descriptions are vivid and the real life history is well developed. Jack is an extremely courageous and capable character for someone so young, he really has that hero energy. I also loved Alice, her quick thinking and resourcefulness really came in handy. I love when middle grades delve deeper into parts of history that younger readers might not have been introduced to yet and this is an excellent story to prompt further research into this area of English history. Overall, an exciting, high-stakes mystery full of twists and action that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Sunday Post (On A Monday?) | 18/09/2022

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

This was my manager's last week at work, her last day was Friday. We had a lovely party with lots of pizza and presents! Very bittersweet but I'm so happy for her to move on to her next adventure. 

This does mean we're now down a staff member and therefore we're probably going to be stretched tight a bit over the next few weeks whilst we look for someone new. 

Yesterday though was my nephew's 3rd birthday! We had a really fun garden party with lots of food, lots of goes on the bouncy castle and a surprise visit from Spiderman (my little brother dressed up as him and my nephew was completely in awe!). My sister even made his birthday cake and it looked amazing!    

Today, I went to an antiques fair with my brother and my dad and found a super cute jewelled owl pin for my sister's birthday and then later on we went to watch See How They Run. 

I finished three books this week! The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente was a whimsical tale that was extremely Alice in Wonderland-esque with lots of odd characters and riddles in there. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would cause at times it was just too much. 

I also finished House of Fiction by Phyllis Richardson (which took me an age to get through), a non-fiction that explores literary houses and the real life houses that the authors drew inspiration from. I sped through The Garden of Lost Secrets by A.M. Howell yesterday morning and thought it was a fast-paced historical mystery for middle grade readers, the mystery felt a little too low stakes for me at times but still a fun read.  

I'm currently reading:

 

★ Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus which is interesting just not one I'm reaching for very much. 

★ The Secret in the Tower by Andrew Beattie, another historical middle grade that draws on the mystery surrounding the Princes in the Tower, super fun and very close to finishing. 

★ I've just started The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder which is so fun already and I'm loving the treasure hunting aspect of it.  

I did go and watch See How They Run today, a really classic whodunnit surrounding the Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap and starring Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell. I thought it was really well done, I didn't guess the murderer and it was surprisingly funny! I loved all the 50's costumes as well! 

I haven't made much progress with either ER or SurrealEstate, only watching bits here and there and not fully finishing the episode. I'm too busy at the minute!

Whilst I haven't been watching the actual series, I have loved listening to the soundtrack of season 3 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. It's taking me back to my original Disney Channel days - SO much nostalgia. I especially love the cover of What Do You Know About Love from the Frozen musical.      

• Mini Reviews of some Netgalley ARCs

• Top Ten Tuesday - Books on My Fall TBR

• WWW Wednesday 

• The Killing Code by Ellie Marney (Book Review/Blog Tour) 

Let me know what you've been up to this week with a comment, whether it's reading, watching or just life, I'd love to know! Happy Reading!

August 2022 Reading Wrap Up

I'm pleased to say that August was a much better month for me with 9 books read (plus a DNF), it helped that I had a week off and a bank holiday weekend too. I enjoyed pretty much all of what I read so a fairly successful month. 

STATS

Alliana, Girl of Dragons by Julie Abe

I liked this Japanese Cinderella inspired story about a young girl desperate to escape her cruel stepfamily and flee her town but finds herself befriending a dragon and a witch which sends her on a journey to save her land. It definitely felt magical and I enjoyed the characters and the fairytale feel of it but I felt that there should have been more focus on the dragons and less on the endless list of chores Alliana had to complete. You can read my full review here. 

We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets  

Despite the mixed reviews, I enjoyed this contemporary novella about a young woman's spiral amidst her job of reviewing disturbing content for a social media platform. I was really captivated by the toxic workplace environment and the way that information spread across the internet can be so influential. I found the situation fascinating and disturbing in equal measure. I can understand why this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but I was gripped and read it one sitting. 

Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healey 

This was a much slower mystery then I was anticipating, revolving around a mother who's teenager goes missing on holiday but shows up after four days refusing to talk about what happened to her. I was expecting a dark mystery/thriller but this was a lot more literary, with a strong focus on the relationship between mother and daughter. I did find the characters extremely authentic in the way they spoke and acted and found the mystery of what happened to Lana intriguing. I think the beginning was really strong but parts of the middle tended to slow the pacing down. The strong writing helps to keep this from feeling dull and the ending left me surprised but satisfied.  

On Midnight Beach by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

One of my favourites of the month was this Irish YA set during the heatwave of 1976 and following a group of teenagers who discover a dolphin has taken up residence near their town's beach. I think it helped that I read this during a heatwave, I speeded through this book whilst sat outside in my garden baking under the sun! The writing is beautiful and vivid, it paints such a strong picture of life in 70's Ireland. I loved the direction the plot went in with the combination of the romance, the rivalry between two towns and the resulting tragedy. A really underrated gem of a book. 

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson     

Morgan Matson remains my go to for YA contemporary books. This is my fifth book by Matson and whilst it's probably my least favourite, it was still really fun and enjoyable. Her books are perfect summer reads and this one about a disgraced politicians daughter finding herself walking dogs for a summer job and falling in love a long the way is extremely adorable. I loved Andie's friendship group a lot as well as her rebuilding her relationship with her dad. I didn't adore the romance in here (although it was pretty sweet at times) and I also felt it was just too long at over 500 pages with lots of unnecessary chapters.   

Who is Tom Ditto? by Danny Wallace

A random library borrow about a man who's girlfriend disappears and he discovers she had an extremely odd hobby of following strangers in order to inject more excitement and spontaneity into her life. Through a group of people who share this interest he finds himself with new friends and a new outlook on life. This was one of those fine reads. Interesting plot, some comedic lines and easy to get through. I liked what it said about taking control of your life and not just doing the same thing every day, that you need to actually live. It didn't leave much of a lasting impression though. 

The Ghost of Gosswater by Lucy Strange      

An historical mystery middle grade that hit that spooky spot. Set in the late 19th century, a young girl is ejected from her family home after the death of her father but discovers that she wasn't his daughter at all. Now sent to live with her real father, she encounters a ghostly presence which brings up questions about her true family and the secrets they were keeping. An atmospheric read with an intrepid main character in Aggie. So many elements that I loved particularly the gothic mansion and the cemetery situated on a misty island!  

Beguiled by Cyla Panin

I really wanted to enjoy this one more then I did because I can't resist a fairytale-esque story especially when it involves wishes gone terribly wrong. When Ella's loom breaks she makes a request to the Bean-Nighe by the river for help and at first it feels to good to be true. She's making beautiful fabric and has become involved with a handsome, mysterious man. But the more she weaves, the more she finds that she may have bargained away more then she initially thought. I really liked this premise and I thought Ella was a strong, independent character who grows so much throughout the book. I struggled with the execution though as it felt sluggish at times and the overall arc was too obvious. You can read my full review here. 

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien    

It's annoying that I DNF'd the audiobook of this one in the end because I got almost 65% in but considering this is a 23 hour long audiobook, I still had a long way to go! Andy Serkis is an immensely talented narrator who really brought the story to life but it just wasn't holding my attention. It was just too long and there's way too many songs for my liking! This is a re-read so maybe I'll just stick to the physical books in future.    

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson 

I completely adored this paranormal/fantasy middle grade about a girl who can see death who teams up with a boy to discover who killed his parents and who is now hunting him down. This was wonderfully magical, I mean the setting is a sentient inn that delivers luggage and holds grudges! There's also a family with psychic abilities and a pet jabberwocky disguised as a cat! It was so much fun with an exciting plot and loveable characters. I cannot wait for the sequel! You can read my full review here.  

What did you read in August? Have you read any of these? Leave a comment below. Happy Reading!    

WWW Wednesday | 07/09/2022

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking On a World of Words that highlights three questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you'll read next?

 

What did you recently finish reading?

The Killing Code by Ellie Marney was such a fun read! I love that this was an historical mystery set during World War II about female codebreakers hunting a serial killer. The premise works really well, the mystery is well done and I loved the group of girls who use their skills to track down the murderer. Look out for my review closer to the release date. 

What are you currently reading?

It's taking me a while to get through House of Fiction by Phyliss Richardson. It's a chunky non-fiction about famous literary houses and where the author's got their inspiration from. The content is fairly interesting but it is slow and therefore I'm not reaching for it as much as I should be. Hoping to get the majority of it read this weekend. 

I picked up The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente on Monday and was immediately intrigued by the whimsical (and slightly odd) writing style. It feels very Alice in Wonderland and whilst I'm only around 50 pages in, I am excited to continue. 

I've taken a pause with listening to audiobooks on my commute for the minute and instead I've been getting my Kindle out on the train. I've started Elsewhere Girls by Emily Gale & Nova Weetman as it's a Netgalley book that I chose at random from the read now section. Two aspiring swimmers, one from present-day Sydney and the other from 1908, find they've swapped lives and must contend with the challenges of trying to get home. I like body-swapping books and hopefully this is also a fun read.

What do you think you'll read next?

I'm hoping to start on Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus in the next few days. This had a ton of buzz recently so looking forward to this one. 

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

    

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts? What are you currently reading and hoping to pick up next? Leave a comment or link your own WWW Wednesdays below for me to check out!

Sunday Post | 04/09/2022

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

Look at me joining in with a new meme! I wanted a little weekly wrap up post that includes what I've been up to/watching/listening to as well as books and I thought this was the perfect post to do that. I'll still be trying to post WWW Wednesday's more regularly but this is another fun post to do.  

On My Radar | September 2022

These posts are dangerous. I've already bought six books this month (blame the 99p Kindle deals for that) so I don't need anymore books, OK? Anyway, here's books that I really, really want...

Book Review (Blog Tour) | Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson

Publication Date: 6th September 2022 by Delacorte

Format: Netgalley ARC

Target Audience: Middle Grade

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

→ Author's Site

Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Book Depository  • Indigo

• IndieBound

Synopsis

Thirteen-year-old Annabella Ballinkay has never been normal, even by her psychic family's standards. Every generation uses their abilities to help run the Ravenfall Inn, a sprawling, magical B&B at the crossroads of the human world and the Otherworld. But it's hard to contribute when your only power is foreseeing death.

So when fourteen-year-old Colin Pierce arrives at Ravenfall searching for his missing older brother and the supernatural creature who killed their parents, Anna jumps at the chance to help. But the mysteries tied to Colin go much deeper than either of them expects. . . .

As the two team up to find answers, they unearth Colin's family's secret past and discover that Colin has powers beyond his imagination. And now the supernatural creature, one with eerie origins in Celtic mythology, is coming after him. If Anna and Colin can't stop the creature by Halloween night, the veil to the Otherworld could be ripped open--which would spell destruction for their world as they know it.

Rating

My Thoughts

Down The TBR Hole #100

It's my 100th post of this series so here's a bumper edition with 20 books!

 

Current TBR shelf: 3348

Last week's TBR shelf: 3354

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Book Review (Blog Tour) | Beguiled by Cyla Panin

Publication Date: 23rd August 2022 by Amulet Books

Format: Netgalley ARC

Target Audience: Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

→ Author's Site

Content warnings: Mild self-harm, emotional abuse, gaslighting.

Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Book Depository  • Indigo

• IndieBound

Synopsis

Ella is a 17-year-old weaver whose entire livelihood depends on her loom. She dreams of opening her own shop, but when her father died in debtor’s prison, she had to support herself by taking whatever clients she could get. In order to buy her supplies she goes into debt of her own, and when her loom breaks, Ella realizes she needs more help than a repairperson can give her. She, like everyone, has heard about the old washerwoman spirit called the Bean-Nighe who will grant any one wish—for a price.

 
But Ella is desperate, so she asks the Bean-Nighe to fix her loom. And it works. The loom is fixed, and she's creating beautiful pieces she could have never imagined before. All she has to do is feed the loom a drop of blood each time she weaves—a small price to pay for such magnificent silks. And when she brings two bolts to a rich client, she meets a mysterious young man named Callum and bargains for an invitation to his exclusive party. At that party, he's so mesmerized by her talent, he offers Ella a place to live and patronage for her art. It seems like Ella's fortune is finally turning for the better . . . until she begins to notice the loom taking more from her than she offered.

As she becomes entangled in the lives of the city’s rich, swept into Callum's allure, and trapped by the Bean-Nighe’s magic, Ella must figure out a way to secure her future while she still has a future at all.

Rating

My Thoughts

"Did the sun mind sharing the sky with the moon? Did they ever spar over who could shine brighter? Or maybe the sun and the moon worried about the stars outdazzling them."

I've been craving a fairytale-esque retelling and Beguiled certainly hit that spot. Ella is a weaver who finds herself trapped in debt she can't hope to repay and with a broken loom; her last hope is to pray to the Bean-Nighe, a mythical creature that grants wishes, to aid her. Suddenly Ella is weaving magical creations and is taken under the wing of a charming young man but as in every fairytale, you must be careful what you wish for.       

I really liked the premise of the story, I hadn't heard of the Bean-Nighe story before, it's a little reminiscent of the Rumpelstiltskin tale, and I enjoyed this foray into Celtic folklore. I always enjoy stories that take lesser known folk tales and weave them into something unique, giving them a wider audience. The plot is set up nicely and whilst there was a slight lull in the middle, by the last third the pacing really picks up and I did find myself unable to put it down. 

I loved Ella's character. It's no secret I like a determined, strong-minded MC and Ella was fiercely independent in her pursuit of a better life for herself. Her sacrifices to make her dream come true may seem naïve but you can't help but want her to succeed because of her resolve. Ella also grows in character a lot throughout the book, she comes to terms with her choices and faces the consequences head on.  

The writing is captivating, it has that fairytale quality to it whilst also feeling fresh. Panin writes these characters and their world so well, they know how to enchant their audience and create a enthralling story of morals and magic. 

I did find the middle of the story a little slow. I also thought that the overall arc of the storyline was very obvious so my intrigue suffered slightly too. I would have also liked the Bean-Nighe to have played a more central role. 

Saying that this is a enchanting story that blends fantasy and folklore really well. With strong female characters and a feminist twist, it questions what you'd be willing to sacrifice in order to get your hearts desires and enforces that everything comes with a price. 

Cyla Panin is an MG, YA and Adult Author who prefers to look at the world through a dusting of magic. 

After spending most of her childhood wanting to escape into the wonderful worlds her favourite authors created, she’s now using her own words to craft magical places. When not writing, Cyla can be found playing dinosaurs with her two young boys, watching swashbuckling and/or period TV shows with her husband, and, of course, reading. 

Her YA debut, STALKING SHADOWS will be out with Amulet, Abrams Fall 2021. She is represented by Chloe Seager of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV, and Film Agency.

Author Links:

 

Website

Twitter 

Instagram 

Goodreads

→  Tour Schedule

* I received an ARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes included in this review are subject to change. Massive thank you to Amulet Books for providing me with a review copy. A huge thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for letting me take part in the blog tour. 

Down The TBR Hole #99

 

Current TBR shelf: 3354

Last week's TBR shelf: 3360

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

Down The TBR Hole #98

 

Current TBR shelf: 3360

Last week's TBR shelf: 3367

The rules   

1. Go to your goodreads to-read shelf.
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 (or even more!) if you’re feeling adventurous) books. Of course if you do this weekly, you start where you left off the last time.
4. Read the synopses of the books
5. Decide: keep it or should it go?

WWW Wednesday | 10/08/2022

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking On a World of Words that highlights three questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you'll read next?

 

What did you recently finish reading?

I finished Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healey yesterday, a sort of literary mystery about a woman who's daughter goes missing for four days but upon her return refuses to talk about what happened as well as exhibiting some strange behaviour. I thought this was good, I enjoyed the writing and the overall atmosphere of it. It doesn't get as dark as I initially thought it would and it's slow but an interesting look at the relationship between mothers and daughters. 

What are you currently reading?

After finishing the 1963 radio dramatisation of The Hobbit, I decided to move on to the Andy Serkis narrated versions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy starting with The Fellowship of the Ring. Look, the audiobooks are looong so even though I've been listening to it on and off since the middle of July, I'm still only 44% in. Andy Serkis is just so captivating as a narrator though and I'm really enjoying it.  

I really should be focusing more time on Beguiled by Cyla Panin as I need to read it for a blog tour coming up at the end of the month, I'm just finding it hard to find time for it. It's building up nicely though, I'm 10% in and enjoying the fairy tale feel of it. I was always going to be intrigued about a weaver who makes a deal with a Bean-Nighe meaning she waves beautiful dresses but sacrifices a drop of blood each time. But these deals never end well...

A library pick that I know next to nothing about! On Midnight Beach by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick explores the summer of 1976 in Ireland where a dolphin is found at a local cove and four friends find themselves caught up in the frenzy. I've literally only read the prologue so don't have much to go on just yet. 

What do you think you'll read next?

Another library book that I picked at random is Who is Tom Ditto? by Danny Wallace. No idea what this book is about but seems like it could be a fun, upbeat read. 

Tom got a note from his girlfriend. It says she hasn't left him, but she's gone.

But where the hell is she? When is she coming back? And what is Tom supposed to do in the meantime?

With each new clue to Hayley’s whereabouts, Tom is forced to question whether he truly knows his girlfriend at all. Because who is Hayley really, anyway? Who is this other strange girl following him?

And who, for that matter, is Tom Ditto?

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts? What are you currently reading and hoping to pick up next? Leave a comment or link your own WWW Wednesdays below for me to check out!