Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor - A Review

Today's review is about Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor which is the first book in the Strange the Dreamer duology. It is YA fantasy with romance. 

This book is magical and lyrical. The story, the world, the characters. I loved it!!!

Laini Taylor writes so beautifully. The descriptions of the places, the characters, the feelings where just amazing. It was like you were experiencing the story from the inside. 

Lazlo and Sarai were just perfect. Lazlo is a librarian and a bookish scholar who  spent the majority of his time researching Weep, a town that once had a rich history, stories, and magic and that now everyone has forgotten. I loved him!!

I am looking forward to read the next book, Muse of Nightmares, because that ending left me wanting more.

Rating: 5 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads

Since he was five years old, Lazlo Strange has been obsessed with the mythical lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to go in search of it. Then a stunning opporunity presents itself - in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legandary warriors - and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

You can buy this book from Book Depository using this link (affiliate link)

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho - A mini Review

Today we are talking about The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho which is published by Tor. com. 

It is a a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

I really enjoyed reading this novella which is about a group of thieves and a young votary of the order of the pure moon who end up together in complicated situations.

I liked the writing and the atmosphere of the story. The found family aspect was very well done. It is a quite and character-driven story. I also liked that it included queer elements in it.

I would prefer it if it had more action as wuxia fantasy tends to be.

Rating: 3 Stars

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

Stalking Jack the Ripper (SJTR #1) by Kerri Maniscalco - A Review

Today's review is about Stalking Jack the Ripper (SJTR #1) by Kerri Maniscalco, the first book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.

These books were in my TBR for a long time, so it was time to get started. I don't know why I hesitated so long. Maybe because I have heard many things about them.

Well, after reading Stalking Jack the Ripper I can say that I really really like it and I can't wait  to read Hunting Prince Dracula (especially since it takes place in Romania where I live now).

Anyway, back to SJTR, It is a historical fiction YA book based on the story of Jack the Ripper (obviously). We follow Audrey Rose and Thomas in their attempts to find who Jack the Ripper is. 

Kerri Maniscalco writes beautifully and I  loved how she combined the real events with the fictional. 

The story is full of twists and turns until the very end. At some parts, where they described the victims, it was a little bit creepy. Audrey Rose is an intelligent character that pushes the boundaries of societal norms in Victorian London without any hesitation. She is ahead of her time. Then we have the incredibly charming Thomas, he is sassy and smart. 

While pursuing Jack the Ripper they come closer and the relationship between them is perfect. They are a very powerful couple. 

To sum it up, Stalking Jack the Ripper is a very good story with suspense and great characters (Thomas for me). 

By the way, at the end we get to find out who Jack the Ripper is but you won't see this coming.

Highly recommend it!

Rating: 4 Stars

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

You can buy this book from Book Depository using this link (affiliate link)

Last Descendants (Assassin's Creed : Last Descendants #1) by Matthew J. Kirby - A Review

Today we are talking about Last Descendants (Assassin's Creed  Last Descendants #1) by Matthew J. Kirby . 

It is set in the Assassin's Creed universe that I love which is why I picked it up in the first pace.

It was a good book but I didn't enjoyed it as much as the other Assassin's Creed books. The story was good and it was executed good enough but my main problem was the fact tat the majority  of the story took place in the present and not in the past, as I am used to by the other books. I prefer the Assassin's Creed books I read to be entirely in the past and not mentioning Abstergo and Animus at all. 

That said I will continue with series.

Rating : 3 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads

Nothing in Owen’s life has been right since his father died in prison, accused of a crime Owen is certain he didn't commit. Monroe, the IT guy at school, might finally bring Owen the means to clear his father’s name by letting him use an Animus—a device that lets users explore the genetic memories buried within their own DNA. The experience brings Owen more than he bargained for. During a simulation, Owen uncovers the existence of an ancient and powerful relic long considered legend—the Trident of Eden. Now two secret organizations will stop at nothing to take possession of this artifact—the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order. It soon becomes clear to Owen that the only way to save himself is to find the Trident first.

Under the guidance of Monroe, Owen and a group of other teenagers go into a memory they all share within their DNA: the 1863 Draft Riots in New York City. Owen and his companions will find themselves tested on the gritty streets of New York, and their experiences in the past will have far-reaching consequences in the present. 

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

You can buy this book from Book Depository using this link (affiliate link)

Cult Writers : 50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know by Ian Haydn Smith - A Review

I have said it before and I will say it again. I really like books about books, authors and the art of literature in general. So, Cult Writers  50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know by Ian Haydn Smith was a no-brainer for me.

I liked the way it was written and the selection of writers it included. Through this book I learned about authors I wasn't familiar with but I also learned more things about favorite authors. 

I should also mention that the illustrations done by Kristelle Rodeia were very good and perfect for the book. 

Cult Writers  handpicks 50 notable figures from the modern world of literature and explores the creative genius that earned them the cult label, while celebrating the works that made their names.

What makes a cult writer you may ask? Whether pioneering in their craft, fiercely and undeniably unique or critically divisive, cult writers come in all shapes and guises. Some gain instant fame, others instant notoriety, and more still remain anonymous until a chance change in fashion sees their work propelled into the limelight.

In Cult Writers Ian Haydn Smith introduces 50 novelists deserving of a cult status. The literary genres and subjects explored within these writers’ pages are rich and diverse – acting as mirrors of their genius minds: from Irvine Welsh’s gritty Edinburgh streets, to Ken Kesey’s drug-fuelled madness; from feminist trailblazer Sylvia Plath to the magical realism of Angela Carter. Discover little knowns with small, devout followings and superstars gracing the covers of magazines: each writer is special in their individuality and their ability to inspire, antagonize and delight. 

If you are a book lover, I believe that this books should be on your bookshelves.

Rating:4 Stars

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

New Releases: June 2020

Well, it's time for another New Releases post. 

This time we are talking about books being released in June. As I said before this list is of course incomplete as it includes only books that I am interested in and the majority of them are in the Fantasy genre.

So without further ado let's jump into the books. As always the titles are linked to Goodreads. 

June 1st

Queen of Coin and Whispers (Queen of Coin and Whispers #1) by Helen Corcoran

Genre: Fantasy / LGBTQ+ / YA

Publisher: The O'Brien Press

June 2nd

The Court of Miracles (A Court of Miracles #1) by Kester Grant 

Genre: Fantasy / Historical fiction / YA

Publisher: Knopf Children's

Burn by Patrick Ness

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Publisher: Walker Books

Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl & Melissa de la Cruz 

Genre: YA Historical Fiction / Retelling

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

June 9th

Cult Writers: 50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know by Ian Haydn Smith, Kristelle Rodeia (Illustrations)

Genre: Non Fiction / Books about books

Publisher: White Lion Publishing

I will have a full review up on publication day

The Boundless  (The Beholder #2)  by Anna Bright

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Sequel to: The Beholder

Publisher: HarperTeen

The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien: The places that inspired the writer's imagination by John Garth

Genre: Non fiction / Reference

Publisher: Frances Lincoln

June 11th

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - 20th Anniversary edition by J. K. Rowling

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury

The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy #3) by S.A. Chakraborty

Genre: Fantasy

Sequel to: The City of Brass

                  The Kingdom of Copper

Publisher: Voyager - GB

On June 30th it is published in the US.

June 16th

The Circus Rose by Betsy Cornwell

Genre: Fantasy / YA / Retelling

Publisher: Clarion Books

June 23rd

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Tor.com Publishing

I will have a full review up on publication day

Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross 

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Publisher: Harper Teen

Forest of Souls (Shamanborn #1) by Lori M. Lee 

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Publisher: Page Street Kids

Seasons of the Storm (Seasons of the Storm #1) by Elle Cosimano

Genre: Fantasy / YA

Publisher: Harper Teen

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry 

Genre: Fantasy / Historical Fiction

Publisher: Redhook

June 30th

TRUEL1F3 (Lifelike #3) by Jay Kristoff 

Genre: Science Fiction / YA

Sequel to: LIFELIK3

                  DEV1AT3

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

These are some of the new releases of June 2020.

Are you excited about them?

Do you have other ones on your radar that I should know of?

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

May 2020 Wrap up

Hello everyone!

It's time again for my monthly reading wrap up. Today we are talking about the books I finished in May. Also, how we are already in June? Time flies...

In May I participated in Medieval - A - Thon, a readathon organised by Holly from Holly Heart Books in YouTube. It was very fun reading all these books to fulfill the prompts. Before I will go to the books I read let's see how I did . You can check out my TBR for the readathon in a previous post here.

I have become a Princess with my bow & arrow and also my goat and dog anima companions. I have added two sets of clothes in my wardrobe. 

Let's start...

The History Behind Game of Thrones: The North Remembers - David C. Weinczok

I enjoyed reading this non-fiction book about the history behind Game of Thrones. The author tried to connect the events, people, and places of Game of Thrones with real ones from the history of Scotland and he did a very good job.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Pen & Sword Books

Read the full review here.

How Your Crush - Amy Fellner Dominy

It is a sweet summer story about Mai and Anthony and their efforts to stop being attracted to each other.

Obviously things do not go as planned (not a spoiler!) and that's when the fun begins.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing.

Read the full review here

Cult Writers: 50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know  - Ian Haydn Smith

I liked the way it was written and the selection of writers it included. Through this book I learned about authors I wasn't familiar with but I also learned more things about favorite authors.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and White LionPublishing

Publication Date : June 9th

The Last Wish (Teh Witcher #0.5) - Andrzej Sapkowski

I knew these books existed but before the Netflix TV show I have never thought of them. Now after reading the first one, which is a collection of short stories that somehow are connected together, I am hooked.

Read the full review here

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water - Zen Cho

It is a a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

I really enjoyed reading this novella .

I received an eARC from Netgalley and Tor.com

Publication Date : June 23rd

Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants #2 - Tomb of the Khan - Matthew J. Kirby

The Assassun's Creed universe is one of my favourites and the same goes with the books. This one is like a spin off trilogy . The story and the writing were very good and I want to continue with the next one.

Bone Crier's Moon - Kathryn Purdie

Well, I don't know what to tell about this book. I really liked it but I was expecting something else from it according to the synopsis.

Read the full review here

That's it for May. I have great plans for June but we will see how it will go.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

Bone Crier's Moon by Kathryn Purdie - A Review

Well, I don't know what to say about this book.

Bone Crier's Moon by Kathryn Purdie is a Young Adult Fantasy book, it's kind of a retelling of The Dames Blanches story and it's published by Katherine Tegen Books.

I really liked it in the end but I had other expectations from it. As I said it is kind of a retelling of The Dames Blanches which sounds very interesting and I really liked the world building around it. 

It's also a hate - to - love romance trope which I wanted to be more prominent in the story as it's one of my favourite tropes in books. 

I liked the writing and the pacing of the book. There were some twists that I wasn't expecting and the ending left me wanting more.

Regarding the characters, my favourite was Sabine (who is a side-character) and Bastien. I liked that every  chapter was from the POV of a different character and I think it gave more to the story.

I am eager to see what will happen in the sequel, Bone Crier's Dawn which would be published in February 2021.

Rating : 4 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Bone ​Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.

Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.

Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.

Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina

You can buy this book from Book Depository using this link (affiliate link)

June 2020 TBR

I really liked doing last month's TBR post and I thought I could do it again for June. It's been awhile since I last stack to a tbr  so let's see how it will go.

First of all I want to read as much as possible from the arcs I have and I am in the middle of. Some of them have a release day for June and I want to have my reviews ready by then. 

On to my main tbr now we have:

(The titles link to Goodreads, if you want more info on the books)

The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass #0.1 - #0.5) by Sarah J. Maas

I have never read anything by SJM and I think now it's time to start. I chose to start with the Throne of Glass series and then move to the rest of her work.

The Girl in The Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden 

I have read the first book The Bear and the nightingale and I loved it, so I think it's time to continue and finish the series. 

Red Rising  (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown

This is a well loved series and I am interested to check it out and see what the hype is all about.

The Complete Maus (Maus #1-2)  by Art Spiegelman

This graphic novel is on my tbr for ages and it is quite some time since I last read a graphic novel like this.

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by Victoria Schwab

V. E. Schwab is one of my favourite authors and I am slowly going through her back-list . This one is next.

Ninth House (Alex Stern #1) by Leigh Bardugo 

This is the first adult book Leigh Bardugo writes and I am intrigued by the premise.

I will probably add one more book to my tbr and that will be the #booktalkwithwifey book for June. The girls always pick very interesting books for the readalong and I can't wait to see what this month's book will be.

That's it for my tbr for June I hope I can manage to read as many as possible from this list but I have my doubts as I have a baby girl at home and I will be doing some travelling this month.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina