August Wrapup

Hey Readers….

I have had a mixed month for reading this month, I have finished 4 books this month and put down 2 books.

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I have put these two books down but this isn’t because I hated them, it was because at this time these just weren’t the books I wanted to read.

The Burning Chambers by Kate Mosse was a very religious based book and even though it was an interesting book I just wasn’t something I wanted at the time I picked this book up.

The City we Became by N.K. Jemisin, at the beginning of the book I was slightly confused but it has interested me and I do want to see what the whole plot is about. I will get back to this by the end of the year but just not this month

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I have really enjoyed everything I have read this month, I finished The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty on audiobook. This one is a re-read for me and I enjoyed it more than the first time I read it.

The Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien De Castell, this was read as an ebook, for an online read along and I am so glad I dived into it as it was a series I had been looking at for a while and just never picked up.

If It Bleeds by Stephen King is the first set of short stories I have read by Stephen King and I really liked them, there was one story I wasn’t too sure about but apart from that I felt they were the correct length for each story and the right amount of creepy and thought provoking.

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher is the 2nd book in the Dresden files series and I enjoyed this so much. This series is becoming a favourite of mine and I can’t wait to carry on with a book a month and dive further in the series with Harry Dresden.

Reviews for all these books will be coming in the next couple of weeks so make sure you keep your eye out for them.

What did you read this month? let me know in the comments below.

Review: Storm Front

Author: Jim Butcher
Pages: 384
Star Rating: ✪✪✪✪

Synopsis

Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he’s the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a—well, whatever. There’s just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks.

So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry’s seeing dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry’s name. And that’s when things start to get interesting.

Magic – it can get a guy killed.

My thoughts

Wizards and detectives! sign me up… as soon as I read that I was extremely interested and wanted to dive into this series.

Characters = 8.5

I thought the characters were extremely likeable and developed throughout the story. Harry Dresden is the main character and he is extremely funny. He makes some choices throughout, which sometimes where debatable and if made ever so slightly differently he would have had an easier ride but he was funny throughout about these choices.

Murphy is the female detective in the plot and she is a strong female character who doesn’t take anything from anyone but is still self conscience about how she is doing in the job role.

Atmosphere = 7

The atmosphere throughout was good and I felt all the moods and emotions, there were times were it lacked a little but it didn’t take away from the story.

Writing = 8.5

I really liked the writing style and the way it was written. It is written in first person and I think that adds to the way the story works.

Plot = 8 and Intrigue = 9

I really enjoyed the plot for this book, it was a murder/mystery detective plot with the twist of supernatural with a wizard detective consultant. This plot was everything I didn’t know I wanted in a book. It plot was just so intriguing and I think it was done really well.

Logic = 8.5

I gave the logic an 8.5 because I thought the choices the characters made where choices that made sense but if they made changes, for example, just communicating with another character, the choices would have had a better outcome now matter how logical they seemed. I could feel myself thinking “oh Dresden” when he just didn’t make that one little phone call.

Enjoyment =10

I loved this book and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience reading it. I dove straight into the 2nd book of the series and can not wait to see were the series goes.

overall the book got a 8.5 which equals a 4 star and I would highly recommend this series to everyone. One thing to note is that for some people it takes a couple of book to get in to.

What are your thoughts on this style of review? Let me know in the comments below

– Happy reading XO

Weekly update

Hey readers..

I am just going to do a quick little update on what I have finished reading and what I am currently reading.

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I have finished three books this week and put aside one book. Any ratings are done through the CAWPILE system by The Book Roast over on YouTube.

1. If It Bleeds by Stephen King – I gave this a 4 stars, following the CAWPILE rating system

2. The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty, this was a re-read for me and I really enjoyed this book a little more this time. I think is because I now know the characters. I upped my rating for 3.5 stars to 4 stars

3. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher, this is the 2nd book in the Dresden files series. I am loving this series so far and will definitely be carrying on with this series, this book got a 4 star from me.

I am currently reading Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. I am enjoying this book a whole lot more than the start of the first book and I cant wait to see what happens in this world and see how the development of the characters goes.

This week I will be going camping from Saturday till Monday with family so I am unsure how much reading I will get done this weekend.

I hope your all enjoying your reads, let me know what your currently reading or what you have recently finished in the comments below

-Happy reading XO

Review: The Way Of Kings

Author: Brandon Sanderson
Pages: 1001
Star Rating: ✪✪✪✪

Synopsis

According to mythology mankind used to live in The Tranquiline Halls. Heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms. And the Voidbringers followed…

They came against man ten thousand times. To help them cope, the Almighty gave men powerful suits of armor and mystical weapons, known as Shardblades. Led by ten angelic Heralds and ten orders of knights known as Radiants, mankind finally won.

Or so the legends say. Today, the only remnants of those supposed battles are the Shardblades, the possession of which makes a man nearly invincible on the battlefield. The entire world is at war with itself – and has been for centuries since the Radiants turned against mankind. Kings strive to win more Shardblades, each secretly wishing to be the one who will finally unite all of mankind under a single throne.

On a world scoured down to the rock by terrifying hurricanes that blow through every few day a young spearman forced into the army of a Shardbearer, led to war against an enemy he doesn’t understand and doesn’t really want to fight.

What happened deep in mankind’s past?

Why did the Radiants turn against mankind, and what happened to the magic they used to wield?

My thoughts

I enjoyed my read of this book and thought it was a solid start to a series, I have found with Brandon Sanderson’s books I do struggling at the beginning of some of them with the pacing but they pick up really quickly.

I loved the character Kaladin and really enjoyed learning his back story throughout the books built into what he is doing at the moment, it really made me understand him alot more and the choices he makes. I hope we hear more from his bridge crew in the other books.

I really want to learn more about the other characters. One of my favourite things about Sanderson’s writing is how he does his characters.

I am going to read the next book in the series in September and I am really looking forward to it

Have you read this book? What were your thoughts, let me know in the comments below

– Happy Reading xo

Review: Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven

Author: Bella Forrest
Pages: 402
Star Rating: ✪✪✪✪

Synopsis:

Being an empath has its advantages.

Harley Merlin can sense people’s emotions, among other things. It’s how she snagged her first job pinpointing cheaters at a casino.

But she has no clue where she got these freakish powers because she spent her childhood jumping from home to home in the foster system, and her father left her with nothing more than a cryptic note.

Then she crosses paths with a terrifyingly real monster. Which is when a mysterious and annoyingly arrogant young warlock named Wade Crowley steps in, introducing her to a hidden world of beasts, magicals, and covens riddled with secrets—as well as clues about her murky past.

Whether she likes it or not, this new world is where she belongs. But after a disturbing twist of events, Harley quickly realizes that her past is darker than she could ever have imagined. And that someone in the coven is out for her blood. With the help of Wade and her new friends, she must figure out who the traitor is and why they’re targeting her… Before the human and magical worlds dangerously collide.

My Thoughts:

This book is advertised as a book for fans of Harry Potter. I didn’t pick it up for this reason but I did like the sound of the book. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited on Amazon UK.

I did enjoy this book and the plot. The characters are ok, Harley is a little childish and does things which makes me roll my eyes but I am also enjoying the characters and the relationships they have with one another. The friendships are done really well and the “family” feelings are done extremely well and you can feel this throughout the book. Everyone looks out for one another.

I like the way the covens have been described and that the reader has had a little history of the covens explained so that we understand a little more at how they work.

This book was a fast read and did keep me interested, I didn’t get bored at any point. I always felt myself wanting to pick up the book at the end of every day. I have picked up the second book also on kindle unlimited and will carry on with the series at the moment to see where everything goes.

I would recommend this to people who would like a fast read.