Stella Prize 2018 Shortlist
Hello and Happy International Women’s Day!
Today has been a very big day for literary prize. Today we see the announcement of The Women’s Prize longlist along with The Stella Prize shortlist.
Category: Reading Challenge
December 2017 Wrap Up
Hello!
I am here with my December 2017 Wrap Up! These are the book I read in December.
I read a total of 6 books—2 YA, 3 Historical Fiction, and 1 Fantasy.
Onto the ratings!
★★★★1/2
The Constant Queen (Queens of Conquest #2) by Joanna Courtney
I love Elizaveta has a character. She is strong willed and determined to live beyond the societal restrains placed on women—it’s nice to know that women have been fighting for equality for a few centuries now. I will admit that this book does focus more on the romance side of things, which I think comes down to the fact that Elizaveta and Harald’s married was first and foremost a love match. So I would’ve loved to see more of the culture of Russ and the Norsemen along with this key events in Harald Hardrada life, but again he’s not the focal point of the books so it didn’t bother me too much.
The way Courtney handles Hardrada’s other marriage was something I was interested in. This had to be a tough situation without adding the stubborn and headstrong nature of Elizaveta’s personality. And I think Courtney does a wonderful job. While there is some jealously and power plays between the two women at the start of their marriages, overall they became close friends and learned to live in harmony.
With this series overall, I think Courtney does a fantastic job over portraying and giving life to historical figures who are remember predominantly for a) who their husband was, b) who their father was and c) who their children are.
The Conqueror’s Queen (Queens of Conquest #3) by Joanna Courtney
I love how this books seems to round out the whole series. Courtney has done an amazing job of showing us just how connected these three kings were are just how dangerous it can be for you when Fortune’s Wheel turns. I would love to see another novel that goes in William and Mathilda’s reign, but hey I greedy like that. Mathilda is an amazing character, she wasn’t the wilting flower that we seem to think of medieval women has. She chose her husband and ruled in her own right beside him. I think she’s amazing and would love to read more about her. Also I enjoyed seeing a slightly softer side to the Bastard Duke.
So many of the characters of the first book, The Chosen Queen, feature in this one that I almost want to start the series again so see what I missed the first time around. Overall I adore these books and they’re definitely ones I will revisit time and time again. The best thing about this series as since it’s so interconnected and runs over the similar span on time it doesn’t matter which you read first.
Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1) by Kerri Maniscalco
I have a full review for this one so I’ll keep my thoughts short here. This book was a big surprise for me. I’d originally planned on reading it just to get to the squeal. I enjoyed Maniscalco’s twist on Jack the Ripper. For me, since I’m not a mystery reader, I didn’t see who Jack the Ripper was until the big reveal and I was pleasantly surprised. If you love well-written historical fiction with strong female characters and a dash of murder I think this one is for you.
The Christmas Court (Queens of Conquest #3.5) by Joanna Courtney
This was the perfectly little story to rear on Christmas Day. You get a look into how we celebrated Christmas in the 11th century—a part form the no electricity and the mandatory church not too much has changed. This book focuses on the Christmas in 1051 where William Duke of Normandy is invited to Edward the Confessor’s court. And where it is claimed the English King names his Normand cousin as his heir. What I liked about this novella is that is told from the perspective of a English lady—who does make a brief appearance in The Conqueror’s Queen. I enjoyed seeing these events unfold from an outside and more bias point of view. I love Courtney’s writing and an very sad that I seem to have read everything she’s written. I can’t wait to see which era she tackles next.
Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2) by Kerri Maniscalco
Since this is a sequel I will keep this review short, I might do a spoilery review on it so I can talk about all the things I loved.
I adore this just as much as the first book. An Indian Jones styles mystery in Vlad the Impaler’s gothic castle is exactly what this reminded me of. Hells yes for kick ass females, I really hope we see more of Daciana and Ileana. Can’t wait to see what gothic adventure comes next!
★★★
Angels’ Blood (Guild Hunter #1) by Nalini Singh
Since we all know just how much Singh’s other series I thought I would give this one ago and overall is was a pretty entertaining read. I really enjoyed the world, in particular how the angles created vampires and enslaved them. Overall there was something that didn’t quite gel with me. The romance between hunter, Elena and Archangel, Raphael, moved quickly from no-thank-you-I-am-not-interested-lets-keep-this-professional to I love you and didn’t work for me. I am not sure if I will carry on with this series.
That’s it for me. Comment down below and let me know what you’re favourite read in December was.
Until next time, happy reading!
Dearna
Around the Year in 52 Book Reading Challenge 2017
Hello!
Today I thought I’d give an update my Around the Year in 52 Books reading challenge.
I first did this challenge last year, and read 42 out the 52 books I planned to read. Even though I didn’t finish the challenge it was so much fun that I thought I’d give it another go.
Around the Year in 52 Books as the title suggests, the goal is to read 1 book for every week of the year. The Goodreads group has set a different challenge for each week – for example, a book with blue on the cover.
Listed below are the books I’ve either read or am planning to read. The images that are black & white, along with the bolded prompts are the books I still have to get to.
1. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2016
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshanni Chokshi
2. A book with at least 2 perspectives (multiple points of view)
The Sultan, The Vampyr and The Soothsayer by Lucille Turner
3. A book you meant to read in 2016
The Rose & The Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
4. A title that doesn’t contain the letter “E”
Why God is a Woman by Nin Andrews
5. A historical fiction
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
6. A book being released as a movie in 2017
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
7. A book with an animal on the cover or in the title
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
8. A book written by a person of colour
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
9. A book in the middle of your To Be Read list
The Gods of Olympus: A History by Barbara Graziosi
10. A dual-timeline novel
Tony & Susan by Austin Wright
11. A category from another challenge (Booktubeathon – Hyped Book)
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
12. A book based on a myth
Cassandra by Kerry Greenwood
13. A book recommended by one of your favourite authors (Kirsty Logan)
The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick
14. A book with a strong female character
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Lani Taylor
15. A book written or set in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland)
The Constant Queen by Joanna Courtney
16. A mystery
Live by Night by Dennis Lehane
17. A book with illustrations
Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman
18. A really long book (600+ pages)
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
19. A New York Times best seller
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
20. A book that you’ve owned for a while but haven’t gotten around to reading
Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan
21. A book that is a continuation of a book you’ve already read
Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh
22. A book by an author you haven’t read before
Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims by Toby Clements
23. A book from the BBC “The Big Read” list
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
24. A book written by at least two authors
Loki’s Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr
25. A book about a famous historical figure
A Knight’s Tale: a Novel by Edward John Crockett
26. An adventure book
The Odyssey by Homer
27. A book by one of your favourite authors
Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
28. A non-fiction
Bad News by Anjan Sundaram
29. A book published outside the 4 major publishing houses (Simon & Schuster; HarperCollins; Penguin Random House; Hachette Livre)
The Battle for Troy: An Adaptation Homer’s Iliad by Alan Whiticker
30. A book from Goodreads Top 100 YA Books
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor
31. A book from a sub-genre of your favourite genre
Moon Chosen by PC Cast
32. A book with a long title (5+ words, excluding subtitle)
Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell
33. A magical realism novel
One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun
34. A book set in or by an author from the Southern Hemisphere
Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall
35. A book where one of the main characters is royalty
The Stolen Queen by Lisa Hilton
36. A Hugo Award winner or nominee
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
37. A book you choose randomly
Lucky Us by Amy Bloom
38. A novel inspired by a work of classic literature
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
39. An epistolary fiction
Dracula by Bram Stocker
40. A book published in 2017
Daughter of a the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
41. A book with an unreliable narrator
The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neil
42. A best book of the 21st century (so far)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
43. A book with a chilling atmosphere (scary, unsettling, cold)
See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
44. A recommendation from “What Should I Read Next”
Days of Blood and Starlight by Lani Taylor (recommended from The Wrath and the Dawn)
45. A book with a one-word title
Riders by Veronica Rossi
46. A time travel novel
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
47. A Book with a title, setting or subject having to do with a museum
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
48. A banned book
In Cold Blood by Turman Capote
49. A book from someone else’s bookshelf
The Hate Race by Maxine Benabe Clarke
50. A Penguin Modern Classic – any edition
Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan
51. A collection (e.g. essays, short stories, poetry, plays)
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
52. A book set in a fictional location
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
So I think I’m doing pretty well, if I do say so myself! Comment down below and let me know if you’ve set any reading challenges for the year and how you’re going with them!
Until next time, happy reading
Dearna
#TheReadingQuest Wrap Up
Hello!
These are the books I got through during #TheReadingQuest, which took place between Sunday 13 August to Sunday 10 September.
#TheReadingQuest Sign Up
I enjoyed the BookTubeATon so much that I’ve decided to take part in #TheReadingQuest! See my TBR on Instagram @wordsoftheroses!
Let me know if you’re joining it and what character you’ve chosen!
Hello Adventurers,
Welcome to #TheReadingQuest! I invite you to join me on a reading adventure based entirely on a video-game quest. In this challenge, you’ll be embarking on a journey to conquer your TBR pile through a series of stages. You’ll read new stories, gain experience, and level up a character of your choosing.
The quest will take place between Sunday 13th August to Sunday 10th September, 2017. All adventurers are encouraged to register their interest in the sign up form below, which will be open from now until Sunday 13th August.
I want to give a huge thank you to CW of Read, Think, Ponder. She is the amazing artist behind all of the character illustration you’ll see within this post. You can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and her stunning blog! Please go give her all your love, because I cannot think of…
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2016 Reading Goals
Hi all! I’m here today to share with you my, slightly ambitious, reading goals for 2016.
I have decided to part take in the Goodreads Reading Challenge but setting my goal at 50 books. I decided to set my goal low so not to make me anxious about my reading next year. Also it’s the first year I will be doing this challenge and I thought this would be a good starting point.
On top on this, I have decided to do not one but two reading challenge! The second challenge I will doing is another Goodreads challenge called, Around the Year in 52 Books. As the title suggests, the goal is to read 1 book for every week of the year. The Goodreads group has set a different challenge for each week – for example, a book with blue on the cover.
Listed below are the books I have hoping to get to next year! It will be fun to check in at the end of the year to see how well I stuck to my plan.
1. A book you meant to read in 2015, but didn’t: Skin by Ilka Tempke
2. A book set in a different continent: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind
3. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2015: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renne Ahdieh
4. A book by an author you discovered in 2015: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
5. A book with a title beginning with the 1st letter of your name: The Death House by Sarah Pinborough
6. The highest rated on your TBR: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
7. A book about books: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
8. A classic book with less than 200 pages: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
9. A book that was mentioned in another book: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
10. A book by an author you feel you should have read by now: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
11. A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
12. A childhood classic: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
13. Reader’s Choice: The Chimes by Anna Smaill
14. A book with one of the five W’s -or H in the title (Who/What/Where/When/Why/How): Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
15. A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago): The Song of Achilles by Madeline Millwe
16. A book from the top 100 mystery novels: The Women in White by Wilkie Collins
17. A book with a beautiful cover: The Forbidden by F.R. Tallis
18. A book on a summer/beach reading list: Goodbye for Now by Laurie Frankel
19. A non-fiction book: History of the Mafia by Neigel Cawthrone
20. A book with a first name in the title: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
21. A book from the Goodreads Recommendations page:Insurrection by Robyn Young
22. The first book in a new to you series: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Ashes
23. The next book in a series you are reading: Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman
24. A “between the numbers” book of a series (0.5, 1,5, 2.5, etc.): The Assassin’s Blade by Sarah J. Maas
25. A book whose main character is in a profession that interests you: Medea’s Curse by Anne Buist
26. A book everyone is talking about : The Dumb House by John Burnside
27. A book with a beautiful title (in your own opinion): After Alice by Gregory Maguire
28. A biography, autobiography, or memoir: Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
29. A book by an author who writes under more than one name: The Green Mile by Stephen King
30. A fairytale from a culture other than your own: The Tinder Box by Hans Christian Anderson
31. A work of young adult fiction: Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johanses
32. A historical fiction book: The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman
33. The 16th book on your TBR : The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
34. A book about mental illness: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
35. An award winning book: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingsolver
36. An identity book – a book about a different culture, religion or sexual orientation: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
37. A book that you’ve seen the movie of but haven’t read: Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
38. A book about an anti hero: Killing Sarai by J.A Redmerski
39. A poetry collection: No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay
40. A novella from your favourite genre: Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime by Oscar Wilde
41. A book about a major world event (fiction or non-fiction): The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
42. A top 100 fantasy novel: The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
43. A book about a thing that goes bump in the night: The Shining by Stephen King
44. A book you’re embarrassed to read in public: The Blood Countess by Tara Moss – purely for the cover
45. A book related to a hobby or passion you have: The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
46. A crime story: The Godfather by Mario Puzo
47. A book with a type of food/drink in the title: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Shop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
48. A dystopia: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
49. A book with a great opening line :The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
50. A book originally written in a language other than English: The Blue Fox – Sjon
51. A short story from a well-known author: Afterlife by Stephen King
52. A book published in 2016: The final book in Conn Iggulden’s The Wars of the Roses series – title not yet released
So there is my ambitious reading goals for 2016. Comment down below if you’ve read any of these or what your reading goals are.
Until next time, happy reading
Dearna
