January 2024 Reading Wrap up

 Hello everyone & Happy Wednesday!!

I cannot believe that we are already at the end of January. This month felt like it flew by. 
Anyway, as it is the last day of the month , it is only appropriate to share my monthly reading wrap up.

January was a really good reading month as I managed to read 7 books  (2 ebooks & 5 physical books) and among then was my first 5 star read of the year.

In more detail, I read:

 The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward

The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward is the first book in The Soulfire Saga and it is an epic fantasy book and the beginning if a new series by the author.

Rating: 3 Stars

Read my full review here

 The Old Man of the Moon by Shen Fu (Penguin LBC #60) 

This is a very interesting story of a man who loved his wife very very much.

It is a true portrayal of enduring love and the challenges of marriage in 18th-century China It focuses on the couple's emotional journey and the power of their relationship.

Rating: 3 Stars

 Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs 

Ink Blood Sister Scribe follows a family tasked with guarding a trove of magical but deadly books, and the shadowy organization that will do anything to get them back...even murder.

Rating: 5 Stars

Read my full review here

Trimalchio's Feast by Petronius (Penguin LBC #21) 

This book contains a selection of The Satyricon by Petronius.

I do not know if it is the translation or the book itself but this one was not for me.

Rating: 1 Star

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon 

The Night Empire will rule all. Nothing can stand in the way of its might and power.  Little by little, year by year, the Hurricane Wars take more and more from those who resists the empire’s supremacy.  And yet, there is hope in the darkness.  One lone light stands against the empire.

Rating: 4 Stars

Review to come soon

Come Close by Sappho (Penguin LBC #74) 

I enjoyed reading this collection

Rating: 3 Stars

 The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip

A classic tale of an iron-willed young sorceress and her captivating menagerie.

I really liked reading this classic fantasy book and now I am intrigued to read more of the author's work.

Rating: 4 Stars

Review to come soon

How many books did you read in January?

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

Athina

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs - A Review

 "Some books should never be opened."

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs

Ink Blood Sister Scribe follows a family tasked with guarding a trove of magical but deadly books, and the shadowy organization that will do anything to get them back...even murder.

That brief synopsis was all I wanted to know before reading this book. I knew that I would love it from that sentence alone and I did. Ink Blood Sister Scribe is my first 5 Star read of 2024 and I think that if you are looking for a captivating and atmospheric tale of family, magic, and mystery, you should check this out.

I loved everything about it. The book is mysterious and adventurous and definitely a page-turner. I really liked the writing style and the storyline with all of its revelations and plot twists. It had my guessing all the time. 

I usually don't like that much contemporary fantasy but this book was so good that I hardly even noticed that. Finally, I really liked the magic system but I would prefer it if we learned more about it or if it was more present.

Rating: 5 Stars

About the book:

Joanna Kalotay lives alone in the woods of Vermont, the sole protector of a collection of rare books; books that will allow someone to walk through walls or turn water into wine. Books of magic.

Her estranged older sister Esther moves between countries and jobs, constantly changing, never staying anywhere longer than a year, desperate to avoid the deadly magic that killed her mother. Currently working on a research base in Antarctica, she has found love and perhaps a sort of happiness.

But when she finds spots of blood on the mirrors in the research base, she knows someone is coming for her, and that Joanna and her collection are in danger.

If they are to survive, she and Joanna must unravel the secrets their parents kept hidden from them - secrets that span centuries and continents, and could cost them their lives...

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

Athina

The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward (The Soulfire Saga #1) - A Review

Hello everyone & Happy Wednesday!!

We are in the middle of the week and so I thought that it would be nice to share with you a book review. 

 

The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward is the first book in The Soulfire Saga and it is an epic fantasy book and the beginning if a new series by the author.

It introduces readers to a world ruled by a dangerous immortal king, where souls fuel magic, and a supernatural mist known as the Veil threatens to engulf the land. It is a book set in a dark fantasy world and it has a lot of action. Set in a world of ancient myth and dangerous magic, The Darkness Before Them begins a heart-pounding adventure where a thief dares to seek vengeance - and finds herself on the path to war.

I really liked the writing style and how intricate the world building and the magic system was. I enjoyed the story despite finding it a little bit slow paced and complicated at the beginning. There are many twists and turns that make the book really engaging. There is a lot of political intrigue and many betrayals that you do not anticipate.

Rating: 3 Stars

About the book:

The start of a new epic fantasy series packed with intrigue, magic and adventure

These are dark times for the Kingdom of Khalad. As the magical mists of the Veil devour the land, the populace struggles beneath the rule of ruthless noble houses and their uncaring immortal king.

Kat doesn't care about any of that. A talented thief, she's pursuing one big score that will settle the debt that destroyed her family. No easy feat in a realm where indentured spirits hold vigil over every vault and treasure room. However, Kat has a unique she can speak to those spirits, and even command them. She'll need every advantage she can get.

Kat's not a hero. She just wants to be free. To have her old life back. But as rebellion rekindles and the war for Khalad's future begins, everyone - Kat included - will have to pick a side.

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

Athina

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood - A Review

 “He told me once that sometimes, with some people, it's not about winning or losing, That with some people, it's just about playing. Though for the longest time, I didn't really believe him.”

― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

Check & Mate was the first Ali Hazelwood book I read and it was a 5-Star read for me! I loved her writing style and now I need to read her other books too.

Check & Mate is a clever and sweet YA romance book, where we follow our two main characters Mallory and Nolan through their journey as rival chess players. I loved the tension and the banter between our main characters. It's actually an enemies-to-lovers book but not only that. I also really liked the story, it is heartwarming and engaging.

One of the main themes of the book is how male dominated is the chess space and I really like her approach on that matter. 

Rating: 5 Stars

About the book:

Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.

Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)

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

Athina