There has come a point where I feel like I’ve been neglecting certain genres, or at least I haven't given them a proper chance. I’ll be the first to admit that I'm not usually the biggest fantasy/paranormal reader, with the last time I really got stuck into a series was with Hush Hush, Fallen, and maybe a Jennifer L. Armentrout at some point…

Yes, that was something of a ‘phase’, and truth be told, I did enjoy those books back then (around seven years ago). Would I re-read them? Well, you never know – but I think it’s safe to say I might judge them a little differently today.

Those thoughts aside, I’m genuinely looking to once again branch out with an open mind and try something new. I’ve been reading some fantasy novels sporadically over the past few years, though 2018 is as good a time as ever to finally dedicate more space on my shelves and in my reading schedule to shaking things up a bit.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (The Grishaverse #1): How have I not read a Leigh Bardugo book yet? The hype speaks for itself so my expectations are high, but since Six of Crows is also on my list, I'd better get to this series first. 

Year One by Nora Roberts (Chronicles of the One #1): Even with Nora Roberts being such a prolific writer, this would be the first of hers I've explored. It might not fit quite so neatly into the fantasy genre, but the magical elements, dystopian edge and dark, gritty premise definitely has me intrigued. 

Thief's Cunning by Sarah Ahiers: I actually read Assassin's Heart not too long ago and enjoyed it overall, thanks to the thrill of those huge betrayals and twists towards the end. I'm hoping to see more worldbuilding in this sequel.

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb: Another book on assassins, but I couldn't go past Robin Hobb. Her works take up a sizeable chunk of our sci-fi/fantasy section at the bookstore I work at, and I could swear I have a copy of this floating around on my shelves somewhere - it's time to bring it back out and finally read it.

Wintersong by S Jae Jones: I ordered a copy of this for myself recently after seeing other bloggers rave about it, and the musical element really piqued my interest.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (The Infernal Devices #1): A re-read! I really loved this book when I first visited it years ago, and I want to continue with the series. My one concern? The love triangle. On the other hand, the historical setting in Victorian London is what I'm really here for. 

Uprooted by Naomi Novik: A book that's been sitting on my shelf at home that I still haven't gotten to, and that's going to change.

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman: I've only read Neil Gaiman's graphic novels of The Graveyard Book, The Sleeper and The Spindle and Hansel & Gretel which were all brilliant. I think reading short story collections is a useful way to gain a broad overview of how an author writes, and Fragile Things looks like a promising place to start. 

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward: I haven't read any stories about vampires since Twilight, so this should be interesting. 

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: It's without a doubt that Patrick Rothfuss writes absolutely beautifully, and I think I really need to read this book a second time before Wise Man's Fear to truly appreciate it. 

What fantasy writers do you swear by?

Shadowhunters Series Giveaway! (AU)

With the exciting screening of Cassandra Clare's 'Shadowhunters' series on Netflix, there are also new editions of the books in the series (and they look pretty amazing).

Thanks to the lovely people at Walker Books Australia, I'm giving away one full set of the books to a lucky Australian winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think of these new covers, and cover re-designs of popular series in general? 

Review: Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray
Series: The Diviners #2
Released: 26th August 2015
Published by: Allen and Unwin
Genre: YA Paranorma/ Historical
Source: Publisher
Pages: 613
My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Book Depository | QBD

The longing of dreams draws the dead, and this city holds many dreams. After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O’Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. With her uncanny ability to read people’s secrets, she’s become a media darling, earning the title “America’s Sweetheart Seer.”

Everyone’s in love with the city’s newest It Girl…everyone except the other Diviners. Piano-playing Henry DuBois and Chinatown resident Ling Chan are two Diviners struggling to keep their powers a secret—for they can walk in dreams. And while Evie is living the high life, victims of a mysterious sleeping sickness are turning up across New York City. As Henry searches for a lost love and Ling strives to succeed in a world that shuns her, a malevolent force infects their dreams. And at the edges of it all lurks a man in a stovepipe hat who has plans that extend farther than anyone can guess…

As the sickness spreads, can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld to save the city? In this heart-stopping sequel to The Diviners, Printz Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Libba Bray takes readers deeper into the mystical underbelly of New York City.

Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

If ever there was a series which luminously envisages 1920's New York in all its wanton glory, this is it. Lair of Dreams is a satisfying sequel to its amazing predecessor, and though it doesn't quite live up to the truly horrifying supernatural twist of The Diviners, it was definitely a creepy tale. This is a story which follows the characters we have come to know and love, along with some new additions - in their personal struggles with newfound fame, romantic escapades and most importantly stopping a deadly spirit from killing the people of the city while they sleep. 

Another day closes. The sun sinks low on the horizon. It slips below the Hudson, smearing the West Side of Manhattan in a slick of gold. Night arrives for its watchful shift. The neon city bursts its daytime seams, and the great carnival of dreams begins again. 

Dreams are so often imbued with a wistful golden hue, but in the dark lair of the supernatural - a nightmare is just as likely. You wouldn't be able to tell on the surface though, as Libba Bray's meandering prose reads beautifully. All that you would expect to see from a book set in this era is there - from the speakeasies for the new generation of hedonistic youth to the bootlegged liquor which sustained them. Beneath the glitz however lies the undercurrent of racism and prejudice which was prevalent at the time, as the 'Chinese Sleeping Sickness' works its way across the population and innocent immigrants are blamed. The author has truly captured the multifaceted nature of the time, and I love reading books set in the 1920's because there was so much going on, and it's the perfect setting in this case for Evie and her comrades to step into the limelight.

Evie came into her own once again in this story, but this time with fame attached. As the 'Sweetheart Seer' she seemingly has everything a girl could want - primetime on the radiowaves and everyone knowing her name. But at what cost? With a romantic facade thrown into the mix, more Diviners coming onto the scene and Mabel, Jericho, Theta and Sam getting caught up in the drama - there is both personal and paranormal trouble on the horizon. With a subtle alternating focus on what each of the characters were doing, as well as a new spotlight on Diviners Henry and Ling - everybody has their time to shine and their own journeys converge brilliantly at the climactic end of the spectrum when the spirit world collides with the real one.

It was as if all time and space were unfolding at once around them, a river without end. The borders of their lives vanished; they flowed through time, and it through them, till they didn't know if these things they saw had already been or would come to pass.

It's fascinating that there were those little reference to psychoanalysis from Freud and Jung included, and how the unconscious mind can work. Not only that, but there is definitely room for more in hopefully a third book as there are loose ends to tie up and a renewed sense of wariness at the end of this one. What this book does so well is create a sense of mystery which leaves you wanting more. It isn't necessarily screaming out to you when there are so many other elements at play, but wow I would love to see more from this world and how hopefully all the Diviners we've met so far in the series have their roles.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While this is a mammoth of a book, there is never a dull moment. Libba Bray has impressed me with this sequel, which will be sure to captivate readers once more with a thrilling mystery and vividly depicted historical setting. If you've read The Diviners then you have to read this, and if you haven't yet then what are you waiting for!?

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I Didn't Click With

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. This week I've  picked the top ten characters that I just couldn't connect with. 

1. Mollie from Those Girls by Lauren Saft



Talk about bitchy teenage girl behaviour. To the extreme. Mollie just made me cringe every time she said something and took revenge in a form that was TOTALLY out of line and disgusting.

2. Lily from Well, This is Awkward by Kate Forster



Oh please Lily - do us all a favour and grow up. She is the perfect example of what 'not to do' at a party and no, it isn't possible to say 'piss off' 'politely'.

3. Madame Bovary from Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert




I have to admit, I DNF'd this book - I did find it boring and the characterisation was part of that.

4. Rebecca from The Word Ghost by Christine Paice

I found the ghosts and cultural references to the 70's way more interesting to read about than the MC unfortunately.

5.Ethan from Beautiful Creatures Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

He's not necessarily a 'bad' character, just a mellow one who isn't than dynamic as the main character.

6. Alaska from Looking For Alaska by John Green

UH OH. 'I didn't like a character from a John Green book!? SHOCK HORROR.'

Seriously though, Alaska simply didn't resonate with me. Yes, she is the 'manic pixie dream girl' and there were some sad and philosophical moments, but for whatever reason I simply couldn't click with her and how she treated others. 

7. Tia from Riot by Sarah Mussi

Tia just didn't click with me as a narrator - and her constant use of 'flipping' made me question the breadth of her vocabulary. 

8. Riley from This is How it Ends by Jen Nadol

He just irritated me with his immaturity. And the almost-love-triangle didn't help. 

9. Sam from September Girls by Bennet Madison

Don't even get me started on this one. Like Those Girls, the overkill of foul language and insinuations just did not work for me at all. 

10. Mimi from The Disappearance of Lizzy Ross by Jessica Schein





She's the rich, quintessential mean girl  with a drug addiction who just didn't develop in this book - I didn't know what to think.

What characters have you not connected with?

Mini Reviews: A Soulprint for the Haunting where There Will Be Lies and Miracles

As you can probably tell from the title, this post is going to include my condensed thoughts on a range of books (with titles that can make some pretty interesting sentences). 

Soulprint by Megan Miranda
Released: 12th February 2015
Published by: Bloomsbury
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Source: Publisher
Pages: 368
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Bookworld | Book Depository

Alina Chase has spent her entire life in confinement. With the science of soul-printing now a reality, she is 'protected' for her own safety - and the safety of others - because her soul has done terrible things ...or so she's told. When Alina finally breaks out of prison, helped by a group of people with unclear motives, she begins to uncover clues left by her past life that only she can decipher. And she may not be as innocent as she once believed.

Can Alina change her future, or is she fated to repeat her past and face the consequences?

Thank you to  Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Soulprint for me is a book that had a great premise and overarching concept, but I just couldn't connect with the characters or the story as much as I would have liked. The futuristic, pseudo-scientific ideas of 'stealing souls' and having the implications of that be so far-reaching for people was definitely interesting, and not something I've seen too often in YA. The only book I've read which has a similar idea is 'What's Left of Me' by Kat Zhang.

I feel her in me - the parts of her I like, the parts I struggle against, all of them - and I gather her close. 

In any case, while the beginning was hard to get into, the pace did start to pick up after that, and Alina's character underwent some development. Dealing with the soul of a criminal isn't easy, and what did add to my interest for this book was her internal struggle and conflict regarding her identity and differentiating her own character from the other soul to contend with.  

FINAL THOUGHTS

In all, this was a satisfying read with an idea that believable enough to keep you reading.

There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake
Released: 6th January 2015
Published by: Bloomsbury
Genre: YA Mystery
Source: Publisher
Pages: 464
My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Bookworld | Book Depository

In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car. Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon. All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality.

Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody. Award-winning author Nick Lake proves his skills as a master storyteller in this heart-pounding new novel. This emotionally charged thrill ride leads to a shocking ending that will have readers flipping back to the beginning.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

Well I can definitely say that There Will Be Lies is unique..albeit really strange. As a thriller it definitely keeps you guessing, and with an unreliable narrator even us readers call into question. With an unconventional writing style and structure, strong narrative voice and a twists coming from every direction - I did end up enjoying this book despite its intrinsic weirdness.

Shelby had lived a really sheltered life with her domineering mother before being hit by a car when everything changes. We are first told this by Shelby herself, and it's interesting how the whole story is her recapping what's happened - all in her very sarcastic narrative voice. She was definitely an interesting character to read about, and while you may be taken aback by all the conversations being in italics at first, there is an explanation. What I still couldn't figure out though was what the parentheses were in different places - was it a part of a conversation she couldn't understand or is there some other explanation? Regardless, she was a complex character, and her confusion and frustration as to what the heck was going on is something that I could resonate with - because for the most part I felt the same.

There is a recurring star motif which was nice, and when there is this alternate reality shift into 'The Dreaming' it was interesting at first. However, once we had visited it a few times I did find myself just wanting to skip to what was happening in the much more thrilling real world. Who can be trusted? Can you tell a lie from the truth? Where are the boundaries of reality? This book definitely keeps your mind whirring as to all the possibilities, and at the end it does all come together in some way.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Though it took me a while to read this book, once I picked it up again I did find myself drawn into the web of lies and mystery as this unique story unfolded. If you're looking for a book that will keep you turning the pages to chase up the answers, then this is for you.

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Released: 21st June 2012

Published by: Simon and Schuster

Genre: YA Contemporary/Apocalyptic

Source: Publisher

Pages: 384

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads | Bookworld | Book Depository

Luminous, haunting, unforgettable, The Age of Miracles is a stunning fiction debut by a superb new writer, a story about coming of age during extraordinary times, about people going on with their lives in an era of profound uncertainty. On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray.

Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life--the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.

 With spare, graceful prose and the emotional wisdom of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker has created a singular narrator in Julia, a resilient and insightful young girl, and a moving portrait of family life set against the backdrop of an utterly altered world.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

I really loved The Age of Miracles the first time I read it when it was released, and now re-reading it has brought back the memories of why I did find it so fascinating and unputdownable. This is a book that takes a glimpse into the seemingly ordinary lives of people, faced with a situation that rocks the very core of their existence. The one thing that could seem so constant in our lives...that night follows day and the earth keeps spinning is something which we shouldn't have to think about - it just happens. Yet, it's so fascinating to read a story that takes what sounds so bizarre a situation and subtly explores one family in particular and how they react.

I should have known by then that it's never the disasters you see coming that finally come to pass; it's the ones you don't expect at all.

The phenomenon of 'the slowing' as it becomes known has a profound impact on eleven year old Julie especially. This coming-of-age story is unlike any other I've read. Not only did the characters all have their small nuances and have their own way of coping with this looming disaster, but Julia was very easy to connect with and likable. Sure, the pacing isn't zooming past, but the plot just flows really well and the writing is so lyrical and insightful. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Age of Miracles is one of the best coming-of-age novels I have ever read. It's a book that I've now re-read, and can see myself looking back at again in the future. I can't wait to see what Karen Thompson Walker writes next. 

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie
Released: 26th March 2015
Published by: Pan Macmillan
Genre: YA Paranormal/Horror
Source: Publisher
Pages: 301
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads | Bookworld | Book Depository

Based on the wildly popular YouTube channel, The Haunting of Sunshine Girl has been described as “ Gilmore Girls meets Paranormal Activity for the new media age.”

YA fans new and old will learn the secrets behind Sunshine—the adorkable girl living in a haunted house—a story that is much bigger, and runs much deeper, than even the most devoted viewer can imagine…

Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl was more of a paranormal YA novel, than one which truly had the ability to scare, but I still really enjoyed it nonetheless. It did have all the elements of what a good creepy story should have - an old house where there are strange noises, a ghost doing the haunting, and a main character who finds it hard to make people believe what she sees.

Now, I haven't read a good ghost story in a while, and I don't watch that many horror movies - but this did seem pretty mild. I think it did read in a somewhat cinematic fashion though, however the plot developments did happen quite slowly overall. We get a glimpse at the 'typical' signs of a ghost lurking - unexplained occurrences, a cold chill coming into the room and the inhabitant of the house trying to solve why they are there. Despite these apparent cliches, I still found myself somewhat invested in Sunshine's story. The cute friendship/romance in the mix was a nice touch to take a break from the real mystery at hand. Though the twist was one I saw coming, even then I found myself flicking through the pages wanting to know how it all would end.

FINAL THOUGHTS 

Though I wouldn't say this is a book to 'read with the lights on' necessarily (unless you are very easily freaked out), this is still a decent contemporary novel with a paranormal element. It didn't scare my socks off, but perhaps if I had read it on a 'dark and stormy night' then it would have.