Saturday, 6 March 2021

Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #2) by Leigh Bardugo - A Review

 


Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo, the 2nd book in The Shadow and Bone trilogy which is a YA fantasy publishe in 2013 by Henry Holt and Company.

The second book in the Grishaverse world is as fascinating as the first one I liked how the story continues but to be honest I needed more Darkling in it. What can I say , he has become my favourite. 

We are introduced to a new character in this book. A notorious privateer who will play a great role in the story. I liked that in this book the characters evolved , with the best example being Alina who became a strong woman with a power to save her country. Mal on the other hand continues to be of no interest to me. And then we come to Nikolai Lantsov who has the whole package. He is smart, funny, charming, cunning and a true fighter for his country.

Continuing with book three asap.

Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long. 
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.


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



Thursday, 4 March 2021

A Little History of Economics (Little History) by Niall Kishtainy - A Mini Review

 



Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing A little History of Economics by Niall Kishtainy which is a non-fiction book about the history of economics. It was published in 2017 by Yale University Press. I  have read the Greek translation published by Patakis Publiscations and translated by George- Menelaos Asteriou.

It is a very well-written and informative non-fiction book. The author through short chapters recounts the contributions of key thinkers like Adam Smith, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes and many more. He also examines topics such as the invention of money and the Great Depression. 
In a sentence, this book summarizes the development of economic thinking until the present day. 
It is written in a way that even younger readers can understand it.

I would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about economics and its history.

Rating: 4 Stars

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

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

February 2021 Wrap up

 Hello everyone!!

February has ended and we are ready for another monthly reading wrap up. This month I read 8 books and from them only 2 were physical copies, the rest were ebooks. Nowadays, I tend to read more ebooks because of my little girl as she wants to grab my book if I am reading a physical copy. 




Anyway, let's get to the books...
As always I will link any reviews that I have already posted.

The Near Witch - V. E. Schwab

I loved this book as much as the other works of V. E. Schwab that I have read so far. First of all, I love the setting. It feels so atmospheric and mysterious at the same time. The book reads like a fairytale.

Rating: 5 Stars





The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic - Leigh Bardugo & Sara Kipin (Illustrator)

This is an atmospheric collection of short stories. They are full with revenge, sacrifice, love and betrayal. There are six stories and all of them all beautifully illustrated. My favourite was Ayanna and the Thorn Wood.

Rating: 4 Stars




The Tailor (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1.5) - Leigh Bardugo 

This is actually a scene from The Shadow and Bone told from Genya's point of view. 
It's a great insight into Genya's life and it makes you understand her character and why she did what she did a little better.

Rating: 4 Stars




Shades of Magic Vol. 3: The Rebel Army (Shades of Magic Graphic Novels #9-12) - V.E. Schwab

It is actually a prequel to the main series as we follow King Maxim Maresh when he was still a prince. We are back in the world of Shades of Magic and its incredible magic system. It felt so good to be back in this world even if it was for a short time.
I read this volume I believe in an hour and I loved every bit of it.

Rating: 5 Stars


The Real J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created Middle-Earth - Jesse Xander

Reading author biographies is one of the things I like to do and especially if they are about an author I like. That is the case with this book. Jesse Xander has done an incredible research about J.R.R. Tolkien and that shows in his writing.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received an ARC of this books but all opinions are my own

Check out my review here


Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1) - Leigh Bardugo 

I have said it for other books too, but I should have read Six of Crows earlier. I finished it this month and it is certainly a five - star read for me. 
I loved the story of an impossible heist and I really liked the setting of it. 

Rating: 5 Stars





Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers & Children - Judy More

Great information about the child's first six years of eating more healthy food and introducing them in a more healthy diet.
Full of useful nutrition information as well as many easy and tasty recipes.

Rating: 4 Stars





Daybreak  - A.J. Navab

Let's start with the most important thing. I really liked Daybreak!
It is an action packed fantasy book with an interesting world-building and magic system.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received a free copy from the author but all opinions are my own.

Read my review here


That's it for my February reading!
Have you read any of them? 

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

Tuesday, 2 March 2021

2021 New Releases Weekly - March 2nd

 Hello everyone!!

Well, it's time for this week's new releases post. This time we look at books published in the week of March 2nd. There are a lot of books that are in my most anticipated list, but 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.




Let's start...

Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3) by Victoria Schwab 

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows ... unless it's the other way around? 
Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while travelling for her parents' TV show. 
But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself. 
Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet... 





Genre:  Middle Grade Fantasy
Sequel to: City of Ghosts
                 Tunnel of Bones
Publisher: Scholastic Press


In the Quick by Kate Hope Day

A young, ambitious female astronaut's life is upended by a fiery love affair that threatens the rescue of a lost crew in this brilliantly imagined novel in the tradition of Station Eleven and The Martian. 
June is a brilliant but difficult girl with a gift for mechanical invention, who leaves home to begin a grueling astronaut training program. Six years later, she has gained a coveted post as an engineer on a space station, but is haunted by the mystery of Inquiry, a revolutionary spacecraft powered by her beloved late uncle's fuel cells. The spacecraft went missing when June was twelve years old, and while the rest of the world has forgotten them, June alone has evidence that makes her believe the crew is still alive. 
She seeks out James, her uncle's former protégée, also brilliant, also difficult, who has been trying to discover why Inquiry's fuel cells failed. James and June forge an intense intellectual bond that becomes an electric attraction. But the love that develops between them as they work to solve the fuel cell's fatal flaw threatens to destroy everything they've worked so hard to create--and any chance of bringing the Inquiry crew home alive. 
Equal parts gripping narrative of scientific discovery and charged love story, In the Quick is an exploration of the strengths and limits of human ability in the face of hardship and the costs of human ingenuity. At its beating heart are June and James, whose love for each other is eclipsed only by their drive to conquer the challenges of space travel.

Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Random House

Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft

He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness.
Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend—the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself. 
The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths. 
With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall. 
Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night. 
Love makes monsters of us all.

Genre: Fantasy YA
Publisher: Wednesday Books

Covet (Crave #3) by Tracy Wolff

I may have reached my breaking point. As if trying to graduate from a school for supernaturals isn’t stressful enough, my relationship status has gone from complicated to a straight-up dumpster fire. 
Oh, and the Bloodletter has decided to drop a bomb of epic proportions on us all... 
Then again, when has anything at Katmere Academy not been intense? 
And the hits just keep coming. Jaxon's turned colder than an Alaskan winter. The Circle is splintered over my upcoming coronation. As if things couldn’t get worse, now there’s an arrest warrant for Hudson’s and my supposed crimes—which apparently means a lifetime prison sentence with a deadly unbreakable curse. 
Choices will have to be made...and I fear not everyone will survive.


Genre: YA Fantasy 
Sequel to: Crave
                 Crush  
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Red Tigress (Blood Heir Trilogy #2) by Amélie Wen Zhao 

Fans of Children of Blood and Bone will love the sequel to Blood Heir. The second book in an epic fantasy series about a princess hiding a dark secret and the con man she must trust to liberate her empire from a dark reign. 
Ana Mikhailov is the only surviving member of the royal family of Cyrilia. She has no army, no title, and no allies, and now she must find a way to take back the throne or risk the brutal retribution of the empress. Morganya is determined to establish a new world order on the spilled blood of non-Affinites. Ana is certain that Morganya won't stop until she kills them all. 
Ana's only chance at navigating the dangerous world of her homeland means partnering with Ramson Quicktongue again. But the cunning crime lord has schemes of his own. For Ana to find an army, they must cross the Whitewaves to the impenetrable stone forts of Bregon. Only, no one can be certain what they will find there. 
A dark power has risen. Will revolution bring peace--or will it only paint the streets in more blood.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: Blood Heir
Publisher: Delacorte Press

The Queen's Secret (The Queen's Secret #2) by Melissa de la Cruz

Lilac's birthright makes her the Queen of Renovia, and a forced marriage made her the Queen of Stavin. But being a ruler does not mean making the rules. For Lilac, taking the throne means giving up the opportunity to be with love of her life, the kingdom's assassin, Caledon Holt. 
Worse, Cal is forced to leave the castle when a horrific set of magical attacks threatens Lilac's sovereignty. Now Cal and Lilac will have to battle dark forces separately, even though being together is the only thing that's ever saved them. 
In the riveting conclusion to Melissa De La Cruz's fantasy duet, love and magic are at war, and victory rests on a knife's edge.





Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: The Queen's Assassin
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Phoenix Flame (Havenfall #2) by Sara Holland

Maddie thought her problems were over. She saved the Inn at Havenfall—a sanctuary between magical worlds—from the evil Silver Prince. Her uncle the Innkeeper is recovering from a mysterious spell that left him not quite human. And there are still a few weeks of summer left to spend with her more-than-friend Brekken.
But there’s more work to be done to protect the Inn—Maddie must put an end to the black-market trading of magical objects and open the Inn’s doors to the once feared land of shapeshifters. 
As she tries to accomplish both seemingly impossible tasks, Maddie uncovers secrets that could change everything. What if saving everyone means destroying the only home she’s known? 
This next breathtaking fantasy from the bestselling author of Everless is perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.


Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to: Havenfall
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) by Cassandra Clare 

The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel. 
Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade. 
But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace. 
Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Sequel to : Chain of Gold
Publisher: Walker Books

A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan #2) by Arkady Martine 

An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options. 
In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire—face the impossible task of trying to communicate with a hostile entity. 
Whether they succeed or fail could change the fate of Teixcalaan forever.

Genre:  Science Fiction
Sequel to: A memory called empire
Publisher: Tor Books



The Councillor by E.J. Beaton

This Machiavellian fantasy follows a scholar's quest to choose the next ruler of her kingdom amidst lies, conspiracy, and assassination. 
When the death of Iron Queen Sarelin Brey fractures the realm of Elira, Lysande Prior, the palace scholar and the queen’s closest friend, is appointed Councillor. Publically, Lysande must choose the next monarch from amongst the city-rulers vying for the throne. Privately, she seeks to discover which ruler murdered the queen, suspecting the use of magic. 
Resourceful, analytical, and quiet, Lysande appears to embody the motto she was raised with: everything in its place. Yet while she hides her drug addiction from her new associates, she cannot hide her growing interest in power. She becomes locked in a game of strategy with the city-rulers – especially the erudite prince Luca Fontaine, who seems to shift between ally and rival. 
Further from home, an old enemy is stirring: the magic-wielding White Queen is on the move again, and her alliance with a traitor among the royal milieu poses a danger not just to the peace of the realm, but to the survival of everything that Lysande cares about. 
In a world where the low-born keep their heads down, Lysande must learn to fight an enemy who wears many guises… even as she wages her own battle between ambition and restraint.

Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: DAW

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme 

For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner's daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling. 
When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love.

Genre: Fantasy YA
Publisher: Tor Teen




And finally on March 4th

A Trial of Sorcerers (A Trial of Sorcerers #1) by Elise Kova

Ice is in her blood. 
Eighteen-year-old Waterrunner Eira Landan lives her life in the shadows — the shadow of her older brother, of her magic’s whispers, and of the person she accidentally killed. She’s the most unwanted apprentice in the Tower of Sorcerers until the day she decides to step out and compete for a spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. 
Pitted against the best sorcerers in the Empire, Eira fights to be one of four champions. Excelling in the trials has its rewards. She's invited to the royal court with the “Prince of the Tower,” discovers her rare talent for forbidden magic, and at midnight, Eira meets with a handsome elfin ambassador. 
But, Eira soon learns, no reward is without risk. As she comes into the spotlight, so too do the skeletons of a past she hadn't even realized was haunting her. 
Eira went into the trials ready for a fight. Ready to win. She wasn't ready for what it would cost her. No one expected the candidates might not make it out with their lives. 
This is the first book in a young adult, epic fantasy that's a tale of competition, coming of age, distant lands, elemental magic, and romance. It's perfect for fans of the Legend of Korra, Truthwitch, and A Sorcery of Thorns.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Silver Wing Press

These are some of the new releases of this week.
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

Monday, 1 March 2021

The Sirens call by Alonna Williams - Book Tour

 


Hello everyone!!

Today I am excited to feature The Siren's Call by Alonna Williams which is a lower YA book and it will release on March 5th by Blue Gingham Publishing.

Thanks to Literary Bound Tours for hosting this book tour. Check out here the schedule of the tour and don't forget to visit the other hosts.


Title: The Siren’s Call
Author: Alonna Williams
Publisher: Blue Gingham Publishing
Release Date: March 5, 2021
Genre: Lower YA
Format: Paperback, Ebook


Synopsis
“Oh little one, the darkness is waiting, oh little one, run from it if you can; come little one, where the light can find you...”

This was a familiar shanty to Manchester born, Trevor Henderson; having grown up being mesmerized by stories of swashbuckling rogues, adventurous pirates and captivating aquatic creatures, he was no stranger to sea shanties. These tales instilled in him a longing for the sea.
Upon turning sixteen, he begins hearing whispers in the night, coaxing him to leave his posh life behind and follow his dreams; when Trevor finally takes the risk, he’s swept away on an adventure he never expected. 
He soon learns the truth about his own identity and history, causing him to wonder if he should have set foot outside his comfort zone...


Author Bio

Alonna Williams has been writing since she was a little girl. It started with a short story and soon progressed to novels. Aside from her debut novel, A Peculiar Royal, Alonna has worked on, and grew up with a Pirate series entitled, Pirates of the Withering Coast, which is her favorite series of all and is due out in 2021. When she's not writing you'll most likely find her dancing, whether it be, Tap, Ballet, Jazz or Lyrical, or watching a good classic movie or of course, bingeing Disney+.









SOCIAL LINKS:



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

Sunday, 28 February 2021

The Real J.R.R. Tolkien - The Man Who Created Middle-Earth by Jesse Xander - A Review

 



Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing The Real J.R.R. Tolkien - The Man Who Created Middle-Earth by Jesse Xander, which is a non - fiction book published by Pen & Sword and is been released tomorrow February 28th.

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Real J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created Middle Earth is a comprehensive biography of the linguist and writer; taking the reader from his formative years of home-schooling, through the spires of Oxford, to his romance with his wife-to-be on the brink of war, and onwards into his phenomenal academic success and his creation of the seminal high fantasy world of Middle Earth. "The Real J.R.R. Tolkien" delves into his influences, places, friendships, triumphs and tragedies, with particular emphasis on how his remarkable life and loves forged the worlds of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Using contemporary sources and comprehensive research, "The Real J.R.R. Tolkien" offers a unique insight into the life and times of one of Britain's greatest authors, from cradle to grave to legacy.

Reading author biographies is one of the things I like to do and especially if they are about an author I like. That is the case with this book. Jesse Xander has done an incredible research about J.R.R. Tolkien and that shows in his writing.
I learned many things about Tolkien regarding his family and career that shaped him and his work. I liked that the author didn't show us only the good things in Tolkien's life but also the darker part of it. That way we learned more about his personality and his relationship with his wife and his friends.

Highly recommend it to any Tolkien and Middle - Earth fan.

Rating: 4 Stars

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

Thursday, 25 February 2021

Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo - A Review

 


Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo which is the first book in The Shadow and Bone Trilogy also know as Grishaverse. It is a YA Fantasy book that was published in 2012 by Henry Holt & Company. 

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart. 

Shadow and Bone was for a long time on my tbr and after finally reading it I can say that I really really liked it. 
First of all I loved the world - building and the Grisha magic system. I also really enjoyed Leigh Bardugo's writing. 
For me this book has everything. Action, romance, intrigues and of course many tropes, which actually I enjoyed. 
I was reading it as a buddy read but I could not keep to the schedule because I couldn't put the book down. It was fast-paced and full of plot twists that I liked.
I really enjoyed  Alina as a character but The Darkling is and will be my favourite. 

As of writing this review I have already finished the trilogy because I couldn't resist. Why I haven't read it earlier?

Rating : 4 Stars

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

Wednesday, 24 February 2021

Daybreak by A. J. Navab - A Review

 

Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing Daybreak by A. J. Navab, which is a debut fantasy book self - published in November 2020. 

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive an copy of this book by the author. All opinions are my own.

Let's start with the most important thing. I really liked Daybreak! 
It is an action packed fantasy book with an interesting world-building and magic system. 
I liked that the book is taking place in Japan which is not so common and I also liked the multiple POVs. I loved the characters and the friendship dynamics between them and if I had to pick one I would choose Mirai as my favourite. 
The ending was exactly what I wanted for our protagonists.

It would be great if you had more stories in this world as I would like to see more of the magic system.

I highly recommend it! 

Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads
Protect the world. Preserve peace. Guard the secrets.

For centuries, Hunters have worked from the shadows to protect the world against Rev’ers. Ordinary people would call them demons but the Hunters knew these creatures for what they were. They weren’t possessed by devils, nor were they demons spat out of hell. They were just creatures from a world not found in any science books. No one on Earth knew of their existence, and the Hunters kept the balance. 
In a few short weeks, that balance will be destroyed. 
When Rev’ers go haywire and cause unpredictable destruction, Mafuyu, a Hunter, is tasked with protecting Mirai, an ex-Hunter that has left the organization for reasons not widely known, from Bezaleel. Legend has it that this First-Level Rev'er killed hundreds of men before he disappeared without a trace. Years later, he has resurfaced again. 
Mirai knows all about Bezaleel and First-Levels, but he’s been running from a dark and dangerous past. He fears that if the First-Levels get to him, then history will repeat itself. Then all of the effort he’s put in to guard crucial secrets, all of the sacrifices he’s made, will have been in vain. 
As the Hunters discover why their world has been tipped into sudden, unmanageable chaos, about Bezaleel and the Rev’ers, Mirai’s past unravels and reveals a world that no one, least of all Mafuyu, ever knew existed.

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

Saturday, 20 February 2021

Sword of Destiny (The Witcher #0.7) by Andrzej Sapkowski - A Review

 


Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski which is the second short story collection in The Witcher series. As you probably know The Witcher is a fantasy book series translated from Polish and has also been made into a video game and a Netflix show.

Sword of Destiny is another collection of short stories set in The Witcher world where Geralt of Rivia has more adventures and meets his destiny. I love this world and the stories Sapkowski writes. 
In this collection we got to see more of Geralt's character and his relationship with Yennefer. We saw characters from The Last Wish but we were introduced to new ones as well. 
The relationship between Geralt and Ciri is like a father - daughter one and I really liked how this was shown. 
My favourite story is The Sword of Destiny where Geralt meets his child of destiny, Ciri.

I cannot wait to pick up the first full novel.

Rating: 5 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.
This is a collection of short stories, following the adventures of the hit collection THE LAST WISH. Join Geralt as he battles monsters, demons and prejudices alike...

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




Thursday, 18 February 2021

Book Series I want to read

 Hello everyone!!

Today we are going to talk about the book series that I want to read for a long time but I haven't yet managed to.




All of them are well-known and hyped series with excellent reviews so I am confident that I will like them too.

Without further ado let's start.




A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

I believe that everyone knows these books and if you haven't read them you have probably watched the HBO TV series. They are 7 books in total but only the 5 of them have been published already. It is unknown when the rest will be published.

The books in the series are: 
1. A Game of Thrones
2. A Clash of Kings
3. A Storm of Swords
4. A Feast for Crows
5. A Dance with Dragons
6. The Winds of Winter (not published yet)
7. A Dream of Spring (not published yet)




The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski

This is another well-known series that became more famous after the Netflix adaptation. There are also video games inspired by them. It consists of 5 main books and 2 short story collection and I have only read the short story collections.

The best and most recommended reading order:
1. The Last Wish [short stories]
2. Sword of Destiny [short stories]
3. Blood of Elves
4. The Time of Contempt
5. Baptism of Fire
6. The Tower of the Swallow
8. Lady of the Lake
9. Season of Storms [prequel]




Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I probably should have read these books earlier but you know what, never is too late with books. I have already read The Assassin's Blade which is a collection of five novellas.

The books in the series are:
1. The Assassin's Blade
2. Throne of Glass
3. Crown of Midnight
4. Heir of Fire
5. Queen of Shadows
6. Empire of Storms
7. Tower of Dawn
8. Kingdom of Ash




A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Another famous series by the same author which is kind of a Beauty and the Beast retelling if I am not mistaken. 

The books in the series are:
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses
2. A Court of Mist and Fury
3. A Court of Wings and Ruin
4. A Court of Frost and Starlight
5. A Court of Silver Flames



Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

I haven't read anything from Brandon Sanderson yet  and if I want to consider myself a fantasy reader I have to fix that asap.

Mistborn is an epic fantasy trilogy and a heist story of political intrigue, surprises and magical martial-arts action. The saga dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the hero of prophecy fails? What kind of world results when the Dark Lord is in charge?
This is a fantasy series, featuring one trilogy, a sequel quartet, several companion pieces of various lengths (from short stories to full novels), and future planned trilogies.
Books #1-3 are a trilogy to be read together.
Books #4-7 are sequels that take place 300 years later.

The books in the series are:
1. Mistborn: The Final Empire
2. The Well of Ascension
3. The Hero of Ages
4. The Alloy of Law
5. Shadows of Self
6. The Bands of Mourning
7. The Lost Metal (not yet published)


The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson's epic fantasy cycle tells the story of Roshar, a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain. It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. As brutal wars rage over the control of these magical weapons, an ancient text called The Way of Kings tells of ancient times, the Knights Radiant, and perhaps the true cause of the war. The Knights Radiant must stand again.

The books in the series are:
1. The Way of Kings
2. Words of Radiance
3. Edgedancer
4. Oathbringer
5. Dawnshard
6. Rhythm of War


If I keep searching I am sure I will find more series to add to my never-ending tbr but for now these ones will do.

However if you have anything to recommend I am all ears.

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