historical fiction

Top Ten Tuesday – Series I Want to Read

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 20 Comments

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It is time once again for Top Ten Tuesday! This week’s theme is Top Ten Series I’ve Been Meaning To Start But Haven’t. I’m going to do a mixed bag with this one and add in series I have started and need to finish. As always, be sure to check out The Broke and the Bookish for other Top Ten Tuesday posts and themes. (This post got a little long. Whoops! Ten points to the Hogwarts House of your choice if you make it to the bottom. )

 

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The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…

I just started on this series maybe two days ago and I feel like I’m definitely going to be continuing with it.At the beginning of a series there is usually a lot of set up that needs to happen which is slow going to get through which can get tiresome but this seems like it is going to be a great read.

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Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore
Eight years have passed since the young Princess Bitterblue, and her country, were saved from the vicious King Leck. Now Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea, and her land is at peace.

But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run the country on her behalf since Leck’s death, believe in a forward-thinking plan: to pardon all of those who committed terrible acts during Leck’s reign; and to forget every dark event that ever happened. Monsea’s past has become shrouded in mystery, and it’s only when Bitterblue begins sneaking out of her castle – curious, disguised and alone – to walk the streets of her own city, that she begins to realise the truth. Her kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year long spell of a madman, and now their only chance to move forward is to revisit the past.

Whatever that past holds.

Two thieves, who have sworn only to steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, who possesses an unidentified Grace, may also hold a key to her heart . .

I’ve read the first book of this trilogy, Graceling, and the third book, Bitterblue, which I absolutely adored. Somehow I managed to skip the second book, Fire, which I’ve been told is the best of the three. I find that hard to believe because I adore Bitterblue. It’s my safe harbor book when life gets a little too heavy. Need to read Fire to see if it really is the best of the three.

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her … but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead … quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

I finished the first book in this series last week and I was unimpressed, I’m sorry to say. However, I’m told the next book in the series is fantastic so I’m going to give it a shot. I want to fall in love with them like so many other people have.

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Stalking Jack the Ripped by Kerri Maniscalco
Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

I stumbled across this series on another blog just a few days ago and can’t wait to get started on it. I’ve always had a fascination with Jack the Ripper and love finding books that include him. So far this series has two books out with a third announced.

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Cruel Beauty Universe by Rosamund Hodge
Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex’s secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

I have this book as a requested hold at the library right now and am hoping they get it in soon. When a fairy tale retelling is done well it is a thing of wonder and I hope this one is.

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Menagerie by Rachel Vincent
When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger’s Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she’s forced to “perform” in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other “attractions”—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she’ll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Ever since I read The Night Circus I’ve had an interest in books that include an odd circus. Weirdly specific, right? Right now the Menagerie series has two books published and a third announced.

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Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth series by L.J.M. Owen
Archaeologist Dr Elizabeth Pimms thoroughly enjoys digging up old skeletons.

But when she is called home from Egypt after a family loss, she has to sacrifice her passions for the sake of those around her.

Attempting to settle into her new role as a librarian, while also missing her boyfriend, Elizabeth is distracted from her woes by a new mystery: a royal Olmec cemetery, discovered deep in the Mexican jungle, with a 3000-year-old ballplayer who just might be a woman.

She soon discovers there are more skeletons to deal with than those covered in dirt and dust.

Suitable for readers young and old, Olmec Obituary is the first novel in a delightful cosy crime series: Dr Pimms, Intermillennial Sleuth. Really cold cases.

I bring this book/series up every couple of weeks and I still haven’t been able to get a hold of it. The only way I can find it is as an overpriced e-book and I want a hard copy which, apparently, is difficult to find outside of Australia. I want it. GIMME!

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Thomas De Quincey series by David Morrell
Gaslit London is brought to its knees in David Morrell’s brilliant historical thriller.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir ‘Confessions of an English Opium-Eater’, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier.

The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey’s essay “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.” Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.

In ‘Murder as a Fine Art’, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

My love affair with good historical fiction knows no bounds. I recently got a copy of the first book in this series at an excellent price from Thriftbooks and am very much looking forward to reading it. I’m saving it for a rainy day and sour mood but still itch to pick it up every time I walk by my book case.

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Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn
“LET THE WICKED BE ASHAMED, AND LET THEM BE SILENT IN THE GRAVE.”
These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife, Julia, and a roomful of dinner guests.

Prepared to accept that Edward’s death was due to a long-standing physical infirmity, Julia is outraged when Brisbane visits and suggests that Sir Edward has been murdered. It is a reaction she comes to regret when she discovers the damning paper for herself, and realizes the truth.

Determined to bring her husband’s murderer to justice, Julia engages the enigmatic Brisbane to help her investigate Edward’s demise. Dismissing his warnings that the investigation will be difficult, if not impossible, Julia presses forward, following a trail of clues that lead her to even more unpleasant truths, and ever closer to a killer who waits expectantly for her arrival.

I have quite the love of Raybourn’s other series, The Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, and see no reason why I wouldn’t fall for Lady Julia Grey as well. Historical fiction? Check. Mystery? Check. Bad ass leading lady? Check. Not to mention Raybourn’s writing itself is just lovely. If there weren’t so many books in this series I’d have started it already but once I get started I know I won’t want to stop.

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The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.

The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.

A high-action story written with a poet’s hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.

I’ve been wanting to start on this series for a while but, I have to say, it’s a little intimidating. Just the first book is 662 pages which is a bit of a monster (at least for my attention span) and Rothfuss’s reputation precedes him. I’ll start on this series one day when I’m feeling like conquering the world or something.

 

I got seriously long winded on this one, folks. Sorry. I probably could have left out the book descriptions but I like having them here. That way someone can go, “Yeah! I want to read that, too!” after just giving the description here a quick peruse without having to go look the book up. For getting to the end, as promised, ten point to your Hogwarts House! (Go Ravenclaw!)

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Throwback Thursday – June 15

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 2 Comments

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Renee began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that were published over a year ago. Books that were published over a year ago are almost always easier to find at libraries or at a discounted sale price. As I have been sifting through my TBR list and purging those books that no longer hold my interest, I came across several from years past that I’d love to share with you!

 

GraveMercy

Title: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Published: April 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.92

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

 

I stumbled across this book while browsing Goodreads one day fairly recently and immediately wanted to read it. How had I not seen it before? It sounds right up my alley. Luckily, since it has been out for a few years, I was able to get it at a good price from ThriftBooks. There are a few books on my TBR before I get to Grave Mercy but I am genuinely excited about reading it. Fingers crossed that it lives up to expectations! Lately, I’ve been enthralled by books with women as assassins and that are up to general bad-assery. If you know of any books that fill that bill please let me know in the comments!

 

Find this book on

Goodreads |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK  |  Thriftbooks  |  Book Depository

Book Life Tag

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ Leave a comment

It’s the start of a new week and, here at Literary Weaponry, what would that be without a Monday tag? This week I’ll be doing the Book Life Tag which I saw over at Thrice Read. Part of why I enjoy doing these tags is because it encourages me to go back through the list of books I’ve read. I get reintroduced to old favorites, stumble back across authors I loved and had forgotten about, and reminds me of the books, both good and bad, that I’ve had the pleasure to read. This tag was created by Crazy For YA.

 

Who would your parents be?

This is terrible, but scrolling through the books I’ve read I noticed that all the parents in them are either dead or absolutely horrible. Why is that a thing? Can a good protagonist not have decent and alive parents? That is disturbing.

Who would be your sister?

Paige from The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon. I love the characters Shannon has created but sometimes I think dear Paige needs a swift kick in the rear end. Who better to give it to her than a sister?

Who would be your brother?

Stoker from The Veronica Speedwell Mysteries by Deanna Raybourn. He is intelligent, cranky, moody, eccentric, and a whole lot of fun. He is also protective as a brother, I would think, should be.

Who would be your pet?

I don’t even have to think about this one. The Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. How can I resist that cantankerous feline? He is my spirit animal.
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“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice. 

“You must be,” said the cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”

 

 

Where would you live?

There could be no place better than V.E. Schwab’s Red London. A hint of the familiar with just enough magic and mayhem to make it interesting. I think Cheshire and I would do well there.

Where would you go to school?

Is there any other possible answer for this besides Hogwarts? I mean, honestly…

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Who would be your best friend?

Kris from Anne McCafferey’s Catteni series. She is brave, adventurous, resourceful, and has a good head on her shoulders. While I am happy to have adventures I need someone logical and thoughtful with me to keep us out of trouble.

Who would be your significant other?

Yes, I am going with someone from A Court of Mist and Fury. No, it’s not Rhysand. He turned into too much of a lap dog in ACOWAR to hold my interest. Nope, I’m going to take Azriel. Strong, brave, level headed, and he has that “I may be quiet but I have a lot going on in my head” thing going for him. You know it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for.

 

That’s it for this tag but it was a good one! I enjoy digging through the books I’ve read trying to find just the right answer. I won’t tag anyone but, if you do this tag, please link back to me so that I can see your answers! Have a lovely day, everyone.

 

Throwback Thursday – June 8

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ Leave a comment

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Renee began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that were published over a year ago. Books that were published over a year ago are almost always easier to find at libraries or at a discounted sale price. As I have been sifting through my TBR list and purging those books that no longer hold my interest, I came across several from years past that I’d love to share with you!

 

TheCollectorOfDyingBreaths

Title: The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose 
Published: April 2014
Published by: Atria Books
My rating: 4/5

A lush and imaginative novel that crisscrosses time as a perfumer and a mythologist search for the fine line between potion and poison, poison and passion…and past and present.

Florence, Italy—1533: An orphan named René le Florentin is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. Traveling with the young duchessina from Italy to France, René brings with him a cache of secret documents from the monastery where he was trained: recipes for exotic fragrances and potent medicines—and a formula for an alchemic process said to have the potential to reanimate the dead. In France, René becomes not only the greatest perfumer in the country but the most dangerous, creating deadly poisons for his Queen to use against her rivals. But while mixing herbs and essences under the light of flickering candles, Rene doesn’t begin to imagine the tragic and personal consequences for which his lethal potions will be responsible.

Paris, France—The Present: A renowned mythologist, Jac L’Etoile, is trying to recover from personal heartache by throwing herself into her work, learns of the 16th century perfumer who may have been working on an elixir that would unlock the secret to immortality. She becomes obsessed with René le Florentin’s work—particularly when she discovers the dying breathes he had collected during his lifetime. Jac’s efforts put her in the path of her estranged lover, Griffin North, a linguist who has already begun translating René le Florentin’s mysterious formula. Together they confront an eccentric heiress in possession of a world-class art collection. A woman who has her own dark purpose for the elixir… a purpose for which she believes the ends will justify her deadly means. This mesmerizing gothic tale of passion and obsession crisscrosses time, zigzagging from the violent days of Catherine de Medici’s court to twenty-first century France. Fiery and lush, set against deep, wild forests and dimly lit chateaus, The Collector of Dying Breaths illuminates the true path to immortality: the legacies we leave behind.

 

This book was my first introduction to Rose’s writing and I’ve picked up several more by her since then. I simply fell in love. Typically when a book jumps between two different time lines, as this one does, I end up annoyed and don’t enjoy the book. I always feel like it interrupts the flow of the story but not in this case. Both the past and present flow together seamlessly.  This is a mesmerizing story and if you want to give any of Rose’s works a try I would definitely recommend this one first. It is the sixth book in her Reincarnationist series but you can easily pick up any of the books in the series without having read the others. The theme is ongoing but the story line, at least so far as I’ve noticed, is confined to each book. I would definitely recommend them.

WWW Wednesday – June 7

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 9 Comments

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WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words and was formerly hosted by A Daily Rhythm. It is open for anyone to participate, even without a blog you can comment on Sam’s post with your own answers. It is a great way to share what you’ve been reading! All you have to do is answer three questions and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

The three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

AndIDarken

“On our wedding night,” she said, “I will cut out your tongue and swallow it. Then both tongues that spoke our marriage vows will belong to me, and I will be wed only to myself. You will most likely choke to death on your own blood, which will be unfortunate, but I will be both husband and wife and therefore not a widow to be pitied.”

And I Darken by Kiersten White. I keep trying to read this one but I’m only on page 125…for the last week and a half. It has such wonderful reviews and everything makes it sound like an awesome book. I’m attributing my slow reading and disinterest to my recent horrible reading slump. I’ll get there, though.

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“Do not listen to the mad ramblings of a broken man. He means none of what he says and only half of what he doesn’t.”

Kingdom Series Collection by Marie Hall. Certainly not my usual type of book but I wanted something quick, simple, and mindless and this fills the bill. This book contains three different stories featuring The Mad Hatter, a character meant to represent a non-asshole Gaston, and the Big Bad Wolf. The three have a fairy god mother and she has to find a perfect romantic match for each in order to save their lives. Great literature this isn’t but I’ve always had a soft spot for the crazy Hatter so why not…

What did you recently finish reading?

I have a big ole’ goose egg here this week. The last thing I “finished” was The Song of Achilles two weeks ago. Yikes! I usually get through at least a book and a half each week but I have just haven’t had the yearn to read. It’s getting depressing. Okay, it is far passed depressing. Help me.

What do you think you’ll read next?

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“I will die. You will die. We will all die and the universe will carry on without care. All that we have is that shout into the wind – how we live. How we go. And how we stand before we fall.”

Golden Son by Pierce Brown. I read Red Rising a few months ago and absolutely loved it. When I spotted this on a library shelf this week I had to grab it. Brown’s writing is incredible and I hope Golden Son lives up to the standard he set with the previous book. I’m almost afraid to start it, to be honest. With my current reading mood I don’t want to ruin what will probably be a fantastic story. Hm. Hopefully soon.

 

This reading slump is starting to tick me off, ya’ll. I love to read. I know I love to read. Why can’t I just enjoy it again?! To say that I’m frustrated would be an understatement. Maybe next week…

Top Ten Tuesday – Added to the TBR

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 9 Comments

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It is time once again for Top Ten Tuesday! Brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, this week’s theme is Top Ten Books from X genre you have recently added to your TBR. After a quick browse of my TBR on Goodreads, it was obvious I had to go with fantasy/historical fantasy novels. This surprised me a bit as a few years ago I would been hesitant to pick up a fantasy novel but that seems to be the majority of what I read now. As time has passed my reading preferences have changed and that’s fine. As you grow and change as a person you can expect your likes and dislikes to change and I’m okay with that.

 

The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen #1) by Alison Goodman – London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

Menagerie (Menagerie #1) by Rachel Vincent – When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger’s Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she’s forced to “perform” in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other “attractions”—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she’ll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell –

Stop the Magician.
Steal the book.
Save the future.

In modern day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Odd & True by Cat Winters – Trudchen grew up hearing Odette’s stories of their monster-slaying mother and a magician’s curse. But now that Tru’s older, she’s starting to wonder if her older sister’s tales were just comforting lies, especially because there’s nothing fantastic about her own life—permanently disabled and in constant pain from childhood polio.

In 1909, after a two-year absence, Od reappears with a suitcase supposedly full of weapons and a promise to rescue Tru from the monsters on their way to attack her. But it’s Od who seems haunted by something. And when the sisters’ search for their mother leads them to a face-off with the Leeds Devil, a nightmarish beast that’s wreaking havoc in the Mid-Atlantic states, Tru discovers the peculiar possibility that she and her sister—despite their dark pasts and ordinary appearances—might, indeed, have magic after all.

Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1) by Rosamund Hodge – Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence – I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin.

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore – Love grows such strange things.

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.

The Changeling’s Journey by Christine Spoors – Ailsa is dead. Leaving Morven the last surviving changeling in the village. Everyone knows it is only a matter of time before she too is dead. Desperate to find out why the fairies steal human babies, and to save her own life, she leaves her family behind, travelling north into the fairy kingdoms with her best friend.

One changeling’s journey to save her life will alter their world forever. (considering deleting this one from my TBR)

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand  – On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she’d become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn’t.

And then she died.

Now she’s stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge–as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly’s afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change.

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins –  A missing God.
A library with the secrets to the universe.
A woman too busy to notice her heart slipping away.

Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters and propelled by a plot that will shock you again and again, The Library at Mount Char is at once horrifying and hilarious, mind-blowingly alien and heartbreakingly human, sweepingly visionary and nail-bitingly thrilling—and signals the arrival of a major new voice in fantasy.

 

I think a couple of these may get the axe from my TBR list but for the most part they still sound interesting. I think Cruel Beauty, Wild Beauty, and The Library at Mount Char catch my attention most from the list. What books are on your TBR?

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My Life in Books Tag

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 3 Comments

Usually on Fridays I have a book review to share with you all. Today, I have nothing. I’ve been in a terrible book slump since I “finished” The Song of Achilles. Every time I pick up a book I get maybe two or three pages in and then end up slamming it down. So, instead of pushing myself to read, which would lead me to hate whatever I forced upon myself, I just decided to take a little break.

Instead of a book review, this Friday I bring you the My Life in Books tag. I found the tag over at Too Much of a Book Nerd. This tag was originally created by One World, Too Many Pages.

 

A Book for Each Initial

A– The Archived by Victoria Schwab

M– Mayan Mendacity by L.J.M. Owen

A– A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

N– Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

D– The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

A– A Madness so Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

AGE- COUNT ALONG YOUR BOOKCASE

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The 30th book on my shelf is A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin. My husband purchased me this entire series, in hardback, just after we got married which was five years ago now. I still haven’t read them all. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but reading them requires a lot of concentration. The older I get the less time I have for that. Sad.

A BOOK THAT REPRESENTS SOMEWHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL TO

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I have a complete and utter obsession with Ancient Egypt, especially the reign of the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten. This book focuses on his reign from the perspective of his Queen, Nefertiti’s, sister. I know it is not somewhere I could ever travel to because, you know, ancient, but I would love to at least visit the monuments they left behind.

 

FAVORITE COLOR

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Not only is this cover a lovely shade of purple but the graphics are also completely gorgeous. This book is set for release in August of this year and I cannot wait to read it. Early reviews are glowing and are saying that the writing is lyrical and lovely.

FONDEST MEMORIES OF 

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As a child my mother would read to me every night at bedtime. One of the first books I have actual memories of her reading to me was Searching for Dragons. I’ve turned back to this book time after time when I’m in need of something comforting. It’s the comfort food of books for me.

MOST DIFFICULT TO READ

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In college I took a Shakespeare class as it fulfilled some requirement or another for my English major. What did I discover when I took this class? I hate Shakespeare. Go ahead, fight me. It’s not that I don’t enjoy reading plays, because I do, but Shakespeare and I don’t get along. I got so irritated reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream that I gave up and borrowed a copy of the film from my roommate to watch so I wouldn’t have to torture myself any more.

WHICH BOOK IN YOUR TBR PILE WILL YOU GET THE MOST SATISFACTION/BIGGEST SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM?

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“What an odd choice, Amanda,” you might say. Yes, I suppose it is. However, I really want to read this book and I can’t find a flipping copy of it. I could pay 10$ and get a digital copy but I want this cover sitting on my book shelf. I can’t find a hard copy. Anywhere. The author is Australian and I’ve discovered the book didn’t have much of a foothold outside of the country which has made it infuriating to find. Once I finally get it, and I will, it will be so satisfying. My next step is to appeal to the publisher. Fingers crossed.

I hope you all enjoyed the tag and please feel free to do it if it tickles your fancy. Fingers crossed that I get out of this book slump soon. My library recently got in two books I’ve been dying to read and I want to be able to enjoy them. Have a lovely day, everyone!

May Wrap Up

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 3 Comments

MayWrapUp

The end of a another month and I believe my theme for this year is, “How in the world is this year flying by so quickly?” Wasn’t I outside yesterday watching fireworks for New Years? I also just nearly typed 2016 instead of 2017. I feel like I’ve missed this whole year so far. Despite my personal misgivings on the passage of time, I did get through a few books in May and wanted to go through a quick run down of them.

Read

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn – 4 stars
So far I have read two books by Deanna Raybourn and have loved them both. The Veronica Speedwell series is set in Victorian England. Ms. Speedwell is a forward thinking butterfly hunter and she along with her slightly cranky companion Stoker they solve perplexing mysteries. The dialogue is more of a witty banter which is very entertaining. Excellent books.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas – 2 stars
Yes, I am that jerk that didn’t like this book. It is currently sitting a 4.59 stars on Goodreads and I wish I had loved it as much as everyone else seemed to. The first two books in this series were amazing and I devoured them. The third one needed a hard re-write in my opinion.

The Haunting of Ashburn House by Darcy Coates – 4 stars
I don’t pick up a horror novel often but when I do I like it to scare the pants off of me and give me some nightmares. While I was reading this book I was terrified to turn off the lights or turn my back to an empty room. It was great.

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin – 4 stars
What is better than stumbling across a great book? I picked this one up on a mere whim and am so glad that I did. In this book we follow the first couple years of Queen Victoria’s reign. We get to witness her growth, intelligence, determination, and cunning. The young Queen impressed me and left me wanting to learn more about her.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – DNF – 2 stars
I will be the first to admit that it is my own fault that I didn’t like this book. When I see the name Achilles I expect daring fights, bravado, and bloody battles. What I don’t expect is a love story. If you have read any of my reviews you may have noticed I’m not that interested in love stories and I couldn’t bring myself to finish this one.

Watched

I have found myself watching Once Upon a Time toward the end of the month. I started it a few years ago and got annoyed watching them meandering around Neverland and turned it off. Kind of glad I’m giving it another shot because Hook and his guyliner is the stuff of TV legend.

In May I also got through the rest of season 2 of Reign. I’m still pissed about all that happened to Conde because the situation wasn’t entirely his fault. However, Greer is the shit. The. Shit.

So many people talk about Sense 8 I decided to give it a shot. I hardly got through the first episode. Too many characters, no clear plot, and very little personality. I just couldn’t do it.

Usually the only time I watch TV is while I’m making dinner but I found myself devouring Penny Dreadful season 2 whenever I had spare time. I love that show. It’s creepy, has carefully developed characters, and always keeps me on my toes.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Covers

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things on Our Reading Wish List

Top Ten Tuesday: Mothers in Literature

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Reads

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases

What Are You Reading Wednesday

WWW Wednesday – May 3

WWW Wednesday – May 10

WWW Wednesday – May 17

WWW Wednesday – May 24

WWW Wednesday – May 31

Other

Thank you, followers! – In May I also had the honor of hitting 150 followers and wanted to thank you all again for that! I love reading and having the opportunity to share my opinions on those books with you all. Since I started blogging I’ve met many wonderful bibliophiles and have truly enjoyed my discussions with you all.

 

 

 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – DNF

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 9 Comments

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This is going to be the first book I’ve taken the time to write about that I did not finish. Usually when I DNF a book I just pop onto Goodreads, leave a pithy comment, and go on my way. This one, I felt, deserved a little more attention. The Song of Achilles is currently sitting at a 4.26 rating on Goodreads and nearly every review I read was over the moon about this book. I figured it would be a slam dunk. Historical fiction? Love it. Greek? One of my favorite eras. Achilles? One of the most bad ass warriors in antiquity. Why wouldn’t I love this book? Let me explain…

This book isn’t a story about Achilles’ prowess on the battlefield. It is, in fact, not even told form his perspective. How are you going to title a book “Achilles” and then not tell the story from his POV? Instead we are introduced to the character Patroclus. Patroclus is the son of a wealthy ruler and his mentally unstable wife. His father has always been displeased with Patroclus because while other noble sons are strong, fast, and impressive Patrcolus is small, quiet, and (the father suspects) a bit slow. In my opinion he also had all the personality of a dead fish.

After Patroclus accidentally kills another boy he is forced into exile by his father. He finds himself at the palace of another ruler. I can’t remember his name and can’t be bothered to jog downstairs to grab the book to find it. This fellow collects the exiled children and trains them as warriors for his army. There, Patroclus meets Achilles who is the ruler’s son.

Achilles is admired by all the cast off children who clamor for his attention or praise. Achilles, however, gives his attention to Patroclus, the boy who is obviously terrible in combat training and doesn’t talk to anyone. Achilles chooses to make Patroclus his companion. Patroclus now instead of training with the other kids spends his time going to lessons with Achilles and accompanying him wherever he goes.

It is evident early on in their friendship that there are underlying romantic feelings. Once that point is made evident, that is all the story really focuses on for chapter after chapter. The Song of Achilles is not a story about a magnificent warrior. It is about two young people who fall in love and the trials and tribulations that can come from that. Maybe I should have read the other reviews a little more closely before picking this one up. I don’t like love stories. Had I been aware that this was a love story I would not have read it.

Now, I want to make clear that I do not give a donkey’s behind that the romantic aspect of this story is of a homosexual nature. I don’t care. I just wanted to make it perfectly clear that the reason I dislike this book was because of the story itself, not because of the nature of the romantic relationship. It is ridiculous that I have to bring this up but I will not have someone jumping down my throat about LGBT acceptance. Achilles could have fallen for a woman and the story would have been equally dull. Or he could have been into a perverted dendrophilia or have sexual thoughts about sheep. It still would have been dull. The nature of the sexual relationship of the story is not what made it bad for me. Are we absolutely clear? Good. Moving on.

Achilles spends years in training to be the best warrior that has ever lived. We don’t get to read about his training, mostly get told that he is doing it. For this to be a story with Achilles you know that Troy must become involved at some point. So, after 3/4 of the book where nothing worth noting happens, Achilles and Patroclus find themselves along the beaches outside the city of Troy. A massive army of Greeks has come to reclaim Helen and return her to her husband. Once more we are told that Achilles goes off to battle but we don’t get to see anything of it. He comes back to his tent and to Patroclus covered in blood but once more the focus of the story is their relationship, not Achilles deeds.

This is where I threw in the towel. Maybe the rest of the story is wonderful and exciting and everything I hoped it would be. I’m not going to be finding out. You know when you start watching a movie or TV series and most of it is boring and monotonous? You don’t continue watching it, do you? That is how I felt about this book. It was monotonous. The ratings for this story are mostly all positive and that is wonderful. I love that a book that features a healthy LGBT relationship is so accepted and appreciated. My problem, I think, is that I just don’t like a love story.

“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”

 

 

Throwback Thursday – May 25

~ Amanda @ Literary Weaponry ~ 7 Comments

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Renee began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that were published over a year ago. Books that were published over a year ago are almost always easier to find at libraries or at a discounted sale price. As I have been sifting through my TBR list and purging those books that no longer hold my interest, I came across several from years past that I have not yet had the opportunity to read that I’d love to share with you!

 

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Title: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Published: March 14th 2006 (first published 2005)
Added to TBR: December 2016
Published by:  Knopf Books for Young Readers

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

You ever feel like you are the last person in the world to read a book? I’ve been seeing this one every time I turn around for years. In fact, I just glanced through the information on Goodreads and 95% of my friends list has read it. How is that even a thing? It has become one of those books you use as starting point to compare other books to. “(Insert random book title here) is good but it is no Book Thief.” I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually. Maybe. Probably.

“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.”

What are some older books sitting on your TBR?