tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80332498388787709082024-02-07T10:54:54.651+00:00ACityofBooksACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.comBlogger343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-9077383805340138342023-03-12T21:00:00.000+00:002023-03-12T21:00:16.458+00:00Who Is ACityofBooks?<p>Ah, yes, nothing like starting out with a slight identity crisis followed in quick succession by the onslaught of an existential crisis. </p><p><b>Who is ACityof Books?<i> Who am I?</i></b></p><p><b><span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>Well, hi and hello, I'm Lauren. Although the only time I introduce myself like that anymore is to the likes of clients, media and the government, so for now, call me Lolly. It suits me a lot better. And ACityofBooks is who I've been on the internet for as long as I remember; special shout out to Cassie Clare.</p><p>Despite what my Official Est date is for ACityofBooks, I've been blogging since I was 15. For those who want to be rude and guess a gals age, that means I've been blogging since 2013/4. I've always been a big reader, haunting social spaces where people would talk about books and fandom and that soon turned into me discovering blogging and the rise of booktube. I wanted to write more about the books I was reading, what was I enjoying, connect to a community that had taken me in. Which coincidentally, this is also when I discovered what PR was, what it could do and despite my creative writing academics ended up leading me down the path of where I am now. </p><p>So what does this mean? Why am I here now typing words into a world where maybe 3 people might see them?</p><p>Because I love writing. I love writing about other people's writing. I love tv and films and theatre and worlds that people have created and publishing granted me the ability to smell and touch and step inside.</p><p>It's been a long long long time since I wrote my own. And that's okay. Baby steps. </p><p>Let's keep this casual - post when I feel like talking about something I've read or watched recently. Working full-time has been part of the reason I've stepped back completely, but my god! I have missed it. Missed just sitting down and letting my fingers fly across the keyboard. My recent read is what inspired me. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yp5xJOxBb-vhEUCSnTSOIefUZRaCGa9WSHnkXC5oRxsvbZyEvpusWscWLu3HaFu0fZ9a2ka4E7F2dfCqgwkOI-DJsJJ0DcgrToDg7qM1BX96LYwlUnokj5VMfrvaakekaBG8KCldz7utj358ZsIlaKlo_MD_7wrItI6PwXJcIsHYxJSpCl6n_mAr/s1599/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-03-12%20at%2020.57.52.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1599" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yp5xJOxBb-vhEUCSnTSOIefUZRaCGa9WSHnkXC5oRxsvbZyEvpusWscWLu3HaFu0fZ9a2ka4E7F2dfCqgwkOI-DJsJJ0DcgrToDg7qM1BX96LYwlUnokj5VMfrvaakekaBG8KCldz7utj358ZsIlaKlo_MD_7wrItI6PwXJcIsHYxJSpCl6n_mAr/w400-h185/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-03-12%20at%2020.57.52.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I've been making my way through the Lockwood and Co. series by Jonathan Stroud. I could not believe I had never thought to have picked these up before. In truth, I may have committed sacrilege and watched the Netflix adaption first. If teen Lolly could see me now, they'd be attempting to cleanse my sin with sage whilst grasping a worn copy of The Screaming Staircase. But these characters? Oh these idiots - they've very quickly become comfort characters. My heart has never ached so much in years at three lost teens finding home within each other - its exactly what I had needed. </p><p>From here I'm not sure where I will go. Will it be reviews? Weekly updates on what I've been enjoying? I'm not sure. I've got some exciting things coming up personally; like my first trip abroad! But I'm making this promise to myself: it's going to be whatever and whenever I feel like and I kind of like having that. </p>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-87352343988109079332021-05-10T18:31:00.003+00:002023-03-08T22:17:41.400+00:00Blog Tour | Master Artificer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndHLCBBVDO60p7s-eD8MDsM1TqZpOf7O3bUNz7iqzasKHOPq-kgzFeNFmGz467AYcJp-lNdnTYgFFI2fGNvvqy-CZOllIV1Mk-1X9uSK4WbsLKZalbXwcjwEkZFnn-XDkEEC1Eis9rEc/s2609/20210510_112926.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2609" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndHLCBBVDO60p7s-eD8MDsM1TqZpOf7O3bUNz7iqzasKHOPq-kgzFeNFmGz467AYcJp-lNdnTYgFFI2fGNvvqy-CZOllIV1Mk-1X9uSK4WbsLKZalbXwcjwEkZFnn-XDkEEC1Eis9rEc/w640-h296/20210510_112926.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80I6sxISFi_o3P0s9yRqQR6OZbRC3-JEJeb0ZOkfBM0MddAOKpJkyQta6j7g13OX1wjsISqHFT_htneV5pu2p2RaO7VY_1MZ9A-ZeN07kI-Ra2lKucpO7y1juXgtGWAbFanJG6M915UE/s475/Master+Artificer.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80I6sxISFi_o3P0s9yRqQR6OZbRC3-JEJeb0ZOkfBM0MddAOKpJkyQta6j7g13OX1wjsISqHFT_htneV5pu2p2RaO7VY_1MZ9A-ZeN07kI-Ra2lKucpO7y1juXgtGWAbFanJG6M915UE/s320/Master+Artificer.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Master Artificer (The Silent Gods #2)</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;">Justin Call</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40769579-master-artificer" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></div><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;">⭐</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">UK Publisher | Gollancz</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">UK Release Date | May 6th, 2021</div><div style="text-align: center;">Format | Hardback</div><div style="text-align: center;">Page Count | 866</div><div style="text-align: center;">RRP | £25</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></i></b><blockquote style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you to Gollancz for this finished copy, </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">in exchange for an honest review. All opinions that you'll read here are my own. </span></i></b></blockquote><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></b></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/s2480/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/w640-h134/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div>Annev has avoided one fate. But a darker path may still claim him.</b></div><div><span>After surviving the destruction of Chaenbalu, new mysteries and greater threats await Annev and his friends in the capital city of Luqura. As they navigate the city's perilous streets, Annev searches for a way to control his nascent magic and remove the cursed artifact now fused to his body.</span></div><div><span>But what might removing it cost him?</span></div><div><span>As Annev grapples with his new magic, Fyn joins forces with old enemies and new allies, waging a secret war against Luqura's corrupt guilds in the hopes of forging his own criminal empire. Deep in the Brakewood, Myjun is learning new skills of her own as apprentice to Oyru, the shadow assassin who attacked the village of Chaenbalu - but the power of revenge comes at a daunting price. And back in Chaenbalu itself, left for dead in the Academy's ruins, Kenton seeks salvation in the only place he can: the power hoarded in the Vault of Damnation...</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/s2480/2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/w640-h134/2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span>Earlier today, I posted up my review of book one in the The Silent Gods series, Master of Sorrows, which you can check out <a href="http://www.acityofbooks.co.uk/2021/05/book-review-master-of-sorrows.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /><br />After speeding through the last 100 pages of Master of Sorrows, I am so grateful for past me for waiting for the sequel before starting this series. Master Artificer begins a matter of hours after the conclusion of book one and throws you straight back into the story. I'm going to have to be careful to not give anything away here so this might have to be brief. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>In book one, Call perfectly planted the seeds for the controlled chaos of book two. Driving the story from being a dark fantasy that had revitalised stale tropes and characters types, into an epic narrative that weaves a web across a continent. Be warned though, this book definitely still feels just as dark as its precedent, if not more so. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was really hoping that with the sequel this would go from a close-third narrative a teenage boy to utilising the use of multiple POVs to bring a wider depth of characters, setting and magic. And it did exactly that, with a phenomenal execution of style and pacing that left me tantalized to turn the page, start the next chapter and follow the network of characters in all their moral intricacies. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my review for Master of Sorrows, I mentioned Myjun and the way we left at what felt like only the start of her story, which we get to see in this novel as she and Kenton shift into the antagonists of Annev's story and his slow progression into this dark lord vision that is being hinted at. I really enjoyed reading from there POVs, and the way in which Call handle consequence.</div><div><br /></div><div><span><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtOIE4Q2zTj3_X0Knma5a5BbF9go951QI4cj-A2zwNFwM8mPvEw13gcHDLxfxn08zove6iYZM1BOJItV-tokz3PToiRGt-toh4nvQ9-j0W6hi2l1xQHYbBowuW_ESw-joGKqsDzeok6I/s1200/Artificer+Blog+Tour+Asset.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtOIE4Q2zTj3_X0Knma5a5BbF9go951QI4cj-A2zwNFwM8mPvEw13gcHDLxfxn08zove6iYZM1BOJItV-tokz3PToiRGt-toh4nvQ9-j0W6hi2l1xQHYbBowuW_ESw-joGKqsDzeok6I/w400-h209/Artificer+Blog+Tour+Asset.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJU6rxhMHfCs7ozfD4n8RzND8POA03WuxvQ9POjRqJH9Mmf9zfuE9V4Itui48pfoYbNN5axj5sFxZF_bCGqA17ByD3YvIGV4C5RiHHvyd3_vzquiVIj4AgEWkll9owisNDTwtz_hiOW8/s2480/The+Books+%25284%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJU6rxhMHfCs7ozfD4n8RzND8POA03WuxvQ9POjRqJH9Mmf9zfuE9V4Itui48pfoYbNN5axj5sFxZF_bCGqA17ByD3YvIGV4C5RiHHvyd3_vzquiVIj4AgEWkll9owisNDTwtz_hiOW8/w640-h134/The+Books+%25284%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/w200-h143/Lauren.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-42188859364499200552021-05-10T15:00:00.172+00:002023-03-08T23:27:08.975+00:00Book Review | Master of Sorrows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvNn2E1_RokGJ3DlZzeaYrblwbfWK-DfeINKYV7WPNew0k1JdCXMXTawLr9jZ7DpohX7L286L1P96b-35TNjQSLwYLcB9S9n_3czG9cTBj_GnOd6GzvnPhKWI6KAq_OHKhSLcoU5yAbg/s2609/20210510_112720.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2609" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvNn2E1_RokGJ3DlZzeaYrblwbfWK-DfeINKYV7WPNew0k1JdCXMXTawLr9jZ7DpohX7L286L1P96b-35TNjQSLwYLcB9S9n_3czG9cTBj_GnOd6GzvnPhKWI6KAq_OHKhSLcoU5yAbg/w640-h296/20210510_112720.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqr_tSbTHFHu_bYNShTlRqXGNs4WXYyUcJZfSmODrMLyoON3cDMliy6zJILe18W7A-jTLRHazOaODGNuVlNoW6a_NjGNU-zFjLLd7Nb4KBE5BRfdhv9uThbjaPmEapzQC0DoIMJ3PL-f4/s475/Master+of+Sorrows.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqr_tSbTHFHu_bYNShTlRqXGNs4WXYyUcJZfSmODrMLyoON3cDMliy6zJILe18W7A-jTLRHazOaODGNuVlNoW6a_NjGNU-zFjLLd7Nb4KBE5BRfdhv9uThbjaPmEapzQC0DoIMJ3PL-f4/s320/Master+of+Sorrows.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Master of Sorrows (The Silent Gods #1)</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Justin Call</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39927538-master-of-sorrows" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><i>UK Publisher </i>| Gollancz</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><i>UK Release Date</i> | Feb 21st, 2019</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><i>Format</i> | Hardcover</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><i>Page Count </i>| 577</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><i>RRP</i> | £14.99</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><b><i><blockquote>Thank you to Gollancz for this finished copy (despite it taking me two years to read it), in exchange for an honest review. All opinions that you'll read here are my own. </blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span></span><span></span></p><a name='more'></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/s2480/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/w640-h134/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" width="640" /></span></a><p></p></i></b></span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><i>The Academy of Chaenbalu has stood against magic for centuries.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Hidden from the world, acting from the shadow, it trains its students to detect and retrieve magic artificts, which it jealously guards from the misuse of others. Because magic is dangerous: something that heals can harm, and a power that aids one person may destroy another.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Of the Academy's many students, only the most skilled can become Avatars - warrior thieves, capable of infiltrating the most heavily guarded vaults - and only the most determined can be trusted to resist the lure of magic.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">More than anything, Annev de Breth wants to become one of them.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/s2480/2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/w640-h134/2.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Master of Sorrows</i> is a coming-of-age, dark fantasy debut that broaches into the epic. A debut that promises an expanding, unravelling plot that has you buckled in for the ride.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Annev de Breth is a seventeen-year-old acolyte at the Academy, with a promising future as an Avatar, someone who is tasked with the challenge of retrieving magical items and bringing them back into the safety of the hidden walls of the village and locked into the vaults. When I say I put this off for the longest time purely because not only is this a fantasy written by a man, but the protagonist is a teen boy in a fantasy novel, and apart from Fitz (Robin Hobb) I just don't typically vibe with that. However, Annev felt like a breath (sorry) of fresh air from my previous bad experiences. He still felt like someone on the cusp of adulthood that reflects the coming-of-age tag, yet, still lead to a complex character that proved his intelligent and worth time and time again. Often within the plot, thinking logically outside the box to lead to dubious consequences, but I could see his way of thinking whether it was the right way or not.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I think my biggest gripe for this, was that the opening felt rather slow. This is definitely one of those books where you're going to have to give it to the 200 page mark to decide whether this is the book for you. This was completely made up for the fresh and compelling storytelling that becomes of the second half of the novel, as the world began to unfurl, as Annev's map circumference expanded.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This is a weird one for me; as frustrated as I felt at the lack of women, or the very small amount of time we see of them felt very deliberate. Annev is in a very male dominated setting. The acolytes are separated to train away from the witwomen of the Academy, and outside of that Annev spends his time as a training deacon with his guardian and mentor, Sodar Weir. The most prominent women on page is Myjun, Annev's love interest that he does spend a large proportion moony-eyed over. After the ending though, I feel like this is not going to be the case and I look forward to hopefully seeing the complexities of Myjun and her journey in Master Artificer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJU6rxhMHfCs7ozfD4n8RzND8POA03WuxvQ9POjRqJH9Mmf9zfuE9V4Itui48pfoYbNN5axj5sFxZF_bCGqA17ByD3YvIGV4C5RiHHvyd3_vzquiVIj4AgEWkll9owisNDTwtz_hiOW8/s2480/The+Books+%25284%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJU6rxhMHfCs7ozfD4n8RzND8POA03WuxvQ9POjRqJH9Mmf9zfuE9V4Itui48pfoYbNN5axj5sFxZF_bCGqA17ByD3YvIGV4C5RiHHvyd3_vzquiVIj4AgEWkll9owisNDTwtz_hiOW8/w640-h134/The+Books+%25284%2529.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s320/Lauren.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><p><br /></p></div>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-84729846261866282262021-03-26T13:06:00.003+00:002023-03-08T23:27:55.217+00:00Blog Tour | All The Murmuring Bones<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkdvW2VAfRoqZ_awXqyfckKGzCKMktwiyoG8GCqfF8E-d70zGVtHhCXevR6f1cwRaWE28RviawofCeJNuNvmEZ1le3r72K84B0F8CyAwQvIteYkz3FUuZ3Z3uvY9KFwV5Nm8haVzGPHQ/s2609/20210326_101520.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #f8f8f8;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2609" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkdvW2VAfRoqZ_awXqyfckKGzCKMktwiyoG8GCqfF8E-d70zGVtHhCXevR6f1cwRaWE28RviawofCeJNuNvmEZ1le3r72K84B0F8CyAwQvIteYkz3FUuZ3Z3uvY9KFwV5Nm8haVzGPHQ/w640-h296/20210326_101520.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #f8f8f8;">Photo taken of Kindle</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"></div><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZw4jEDzUrZhlRstQAZ5btWOs9Bhdj8S-ZE7fuorqYn9fZSMupNJ1gTWg2DPF2lhtnPMHBPu1v5IfrST4BxJaU-AWj9zI7m_ppsM2llxkGaR8urdGu8_BYhQHzbUamEcEc7tDHC3Q62w/s475/ATMB.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZw4jEDzUrZhlRstQAZ5btWOs9Bhdj8S-ZE7fuorqYn9fZSMupNJ1gTWg2DPF2lhtnPMHBPu1v5IfrST4BxJaU-AWj9zI7m_ppsM2llxkGaR8urdGu8_BYhQHzbUamEcEc7tDHC3Q62w/s320/ATMB.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #f8f8f8;"> ihiygbjg </span> </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>All The Murmuring Bones</b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A.G. Slatter</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55302941-all-the-murmuring-bones" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Add to Goodreads</span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">UK Publisher | Titan Books</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">UK Release Date | April 8th, 2021</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Format | Paperback</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Page Count | 368</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">RRP | £8.99</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Thank you to Titan Books for this Netgalley arc, in exchange for an honest review; and thank you for the opportunity of this blog tour. All opinions that you'll read here are my own. </span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/s2480/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/w640-h134/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div>Long ago Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the Mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and sea; of strong women and the men who seek control them.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/s2480/2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/w640-h134/2.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">Other families might have stories of curses, cold lads and white ladies, but we have old gods, merfolk and monsters.</span></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>All The Murmuring Bones</i> is a Gothic folk-tale, that pays a tithe to the dark atmospheric lore of the sea. An all-consuming tale of a young woman, Miren, who must pave her way beyond the tradition of old, and make for her own freedom from the men who wish to control her and the desperation to restore the power that once gave the O'Malley's their power over the town of Breakwater. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia;">There's an old woman, though, with plans and plots of long gestation; and there's the sea, which will have her due, come hell or high water; and there are secrets and lies which never stay buried forever.</span></blockquote></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Breakwater, as well as the other towns we encounter in All The Murmuring Bones, is very much a Fantasy 19th Century Irish backdrop where magic, while still thriving, is something old and forgotten with the remnants of Kelpies, Mer, and Ghosts still wander as a remaining reminder of the land's history. Serving as the perfect setting for a story of a family that once owed their power to the child sacrifices that they made as payment to the Mer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><blockquote>One for the house, one for the Church and one for the Sea.</blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Throughout, I came to deeply adore the characters, in particular the female characters, who all seemingly fit around each other like some form of knot that comes from complex and matriarchal family dynamics. They were all fierce, a force and all have a found strength that I deeply admired, despite the obstacles that they posed to Miren. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>All The Murmuring Bones</i> is not one I would recommend if you don't like lyrical, ornate prose. As well as overall this felt a lot more literary and character-driven, which slowed the pacing; this is something I really love, but I know that this isn't going to appeal to everyone. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a child, I had a fascination with mermaids, and have been searching for years for a book that as an adult reader, could connect with and fall in love with.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">All The Murmuring Bones</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> achieved that for me, encapsulating the Gothic genre and utilizing it to heighten the fantastical elements and enamor me with rich, inviting prose. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Despite this being labeled as a Mer book, they were more an omniscient threat to the protagonist, in addition to the fantastical elements of Slatter's worldbuilding and I really vibed with that. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">This is definitely for fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden; for fans of alluring prose, fierce women, and dark folklore. A.G. Slatter is an author to watch, and I cannot wait to see what she will bring with her next release, <i>Morwood</i>, which is set for release sometime in 2022.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmOShl-PIDBFrqXmdlcNvqAD4UPY7lxyt8MqJEiX4BHVuGC0wwSk5_StR8vVB3ExyaJXCF8AtwjKje7qxo121qM6mv3E5PLHitIaFfQZFUcl6iDnTQnNMOFHf0JJsuf-iu65vgOVwvrI/s2000/ATMB_blog+tour+banner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmOShl-PIDBFrqXmdlcNvqAD4UPY7lxyt8MqJEiX4BHVuGC0wwSk5_StR8vVB3ExyaJXCF8AtwjKje7qxo121qM6mv3E5PLHitIaFfQZFUcl6iDnTQnNMOFHf0JJsuf-iu65vgOVwvrI/s320/ATMB_blog+tour+banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s320/Lauren.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><p><br /></p></div></div>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-77423549430967046132021-03-04T15:00:00.280+00:002023-03-08T23:30:05.755+00:00World Book Day Celebration | Diverse Books for Kids & Teens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbKvSgPhGo7OOM-80Z5q6GUZnnBAjrHznzXsMSlhs-Z9DnG6gBQTYwNsg-7YdG87VMaRBfh8GCQXwUbjEg0aKfSIPDXpdBFx6pYN_TSyQr9CEgJ1cB-wo7I4LRFK2_8X6J456Ee8-CsY/s1640/bookshelf+with+confetti.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1640" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbKvSgPhGo7OOM-80Z5q6GUZnnBAjrHznzXsMSlhs-Z9DnG6gBQTYwNsg-7YdG87VMaRBfh8GCQXwUbjEg0aKfSIPDXpdBFx6pYN_TSyQr9CEgJ1cB-wo7I4LRFK2_8X6J456Ee8-CsY/w640-h336/bookshelf+with+confetti.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZu8ZlaWpsI-gDnPq48mgg299tukFg4U1OEX_DKhyU5NwtnAdahw5JJwb09od851Pjvci_kJ7bFAYjTFHZ23_pjdQZBjuLMqkD7LDFDDP7Vsdr4NastR7cds6weYFFcOe24m9WkB-E4Zc/s300/me+but+in+hamster+form.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="168" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZu8ZlaWpsI-gDnPq48mgg299tukFg4U1OEX_DKhyU5NwtnAdahw5JJwb09od851Pjvci_kJ7bFAYjTFHZ23_pjdQZBjuLMqkD7LDFDDP7Vsdr4NastR7cds6weYFFcOe24m9WkB-E4Zc/w112-h200/me+but+in+hamster+form.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I were a meme, I'd be this little guy.<br />Always.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have quickly forgotten what it means to be organized and get things written up in preparation for the cool happenings of bookish events. When I got the notification reminder, I may have panicked a little.<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you've made it this far, welcome, thank you for following whatever hyperlink you clicked on. It means you're here and about to get three more stellar diverse reading recommendations to check out the next time you're adding books to your shopping cart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz-t1A68eww9J3UoHiX9G-3F0qWYT-BsUdsTw1s-V2LXU3n26xhGuk7bbsg1Vxef1ivWx4Om1o4yEqgiMkPFWshO56B7K-V-KyOe2kD837hfSDOmIhWQ1CO7KK845dDtXgdraPqGV4sQ/s400/a+blade+of+black.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJz-t1A68eww9J3UoHiX9G-3F0qWYT-BsUdsTw1s-V2LXU3n26xhGuk7bbsg1Vxef1ivWx4Om1o4yEqgiMkPFWshO56B7K-V-KyOe2kD837hfSDOmIhWQ1CO7KK845dDtXgdraPqGV4sQ/w131-h200/a+blade+of+black.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><b>A Blade so Black (The Nightmare-Verse #1) </b></span><p></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">L.L. McKinney</span></i></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40311600-a-blade-so-black" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Goodreads</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Synopsis</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she's ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head... literally.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why You Should Read It?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have been on a quest for an Alice in Wonderland retelling that spoke to me and incorporated all the storytelling elements that I have found I love at this point in my life. A Blade so Black is multifaceted with great depth that I haven't come across before; well-developed characters, high stakes, and a world that, and take this in the best way possible, I would never like to live in. Both the author and main character are black, and this book does lightly touches upon some elements of racism and police brutality.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglU2yg6XuHfXgD5Bj9r-kT09A1jgFapfYIyUVOy6woPiUmndBP9W_eEl0QdS5CPdZLprG3zSCNj0mTVHbQ5B_9RoFc4yDhvu9kM1epMRAOfz0jlCNF7rXGcOWvmcMthekxUFyQWW7B7sI/s961/Other+Words+for+Smoke.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglU2yg6XuHfXgD5Bj9r-kT09A1jgFapfYIyUVOy6woPiUmndBP9W_eEl0QdS5CPdZLprG3zSCNj0mTVHbQ5B_9RoFc4yDhvu9kM1epMRAOfz0jlCNF7rXGcOWvmcMthekxUFyQWW7B7sI/w133-h200/Other+Words+for+Smoke.jpg" width="133" /></a></div> Other Words for Smoke </span></b></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i> Sarah Maria Griffin</i><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42118080-other-words-for-smoke" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Synopsis</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> The house at the end of the lane burned down, and Rita Frost and her teenage ward, Bevan, were never seen again. The townpeople never learned what happened. Only Mae and her brother Rossa know the truth; they spent two summers with Rita and Bevan, two of the strangest summers of their lives... Because nothing in that house was as it seemed: a cat who was more than a cat and a dark power called Sweet James that lurked behind the wallpaper, enthralling Bevan with whispers of neon magic and escape. And in the summer heat, Mae became equally as enthralled with Bevan. Desperately in the grips of first love, she'd give the other girl anything. A dangerous offer when all that Sweet James desired was a taste of new flesh...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why You Should Read It?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I read this in one sitting, two years ago, and it still remains embedded in my heart. I debated what book I wanted to put down for LGBTQ+ representation, and funnily enough, the struggle was between two phenomenal Irish voices, and as much as I adored <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40545833-all-the-bad-apples" target="_blank">All the Bad Apples</a>, it's the way Sarah Maria Griffin writes that first all-consuming crush, all in enriched lyrical writing that has never left me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you're interested in hearing more, I wrote a <a href="https://www.acityofbooks.co.uk/2019/08/review-other-words-for-smoke-gifted.html" target="_blank">review</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU7gkfOve_tM2NyQ3qwVHtKp39bzuhF-NvtmVNVa5HhrYbSimReotHu95ItZhw0uzqkuVUyD2RXuJJcD0tvJ1ipjL1IRB7159-Ff2E7iZM0IcNze5Puo7S9DluaFm2sd6WO3AqznDKbU/s475/An+Ember+in+the+Ashes.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMU7gkfOve_tM2NyQ3qwVHtKp39bzuhF-NvtmVNVa5HhrYbSimReotHu95ItZhw0uzqkuVUyD2RXuJJcD0tvJ1ipjL1IRB7159-Ff2E7iZM0IcNze5Puo7S9DluaFm2sd6WO3AqznDKbU/w132-h200/An+Ember+in+the+Ashes.jpg" width="132" /></span></a></div><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes #1)</span></b><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sabaa Tahir</span><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39722196-an-ember-in-the-ashes" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Synopsis</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">When Laia's grandparents are brutally murdered and her brother arrested for treason by the empire, the only people she has left to turn to are the rebels.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">But in exchange for their help in saving her brother, they deman that Laia spy on the ruthless Commandant of Blackcliff, the Empire's greatest military academy. Should she fail it's more than her brother's freedom at risk... Laia's very life is at stake.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">There, she meets Elias, the academy's finest soldier. But Elias want only to be free of the tyranny he's been trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are interwined - and that their choices will change the date of the Empire itself.</span><p><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">Why You Should Read It?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you're looking for an action-packed YA high fantasy, then look no further. When this first came out it was quite hyped up as a standalone, that I feel like as it became a quartet, people don't hype up the series as much as they should. A fusion of Roman and Middle-Eastern inspired mythology, this world is one of the YA fantasies I would greatly like to re-enter and read more from, with well-developed characters that quickly stoke their way into my heart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Looking for more recommendations on this fine World Book Day? Why not check out the previous post from <a href="https://bookswithben.co.uk/" target="_blank">Books With Ben</a>, or onwards to <a href="https://sifaelizabethreads.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Sifa Elizabeth Reads</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">You can see today's schedule below, and special thanks to Charlotte, over at Wonderfully Bookish, for organizing us today!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN0CvKD3iV3r-sJ12fBmHCw1aJqwVed8GpdG2u87HD7Nq9mpkx_hFBovMlsCADpubtic79JbhzIUjEUy6X_llhm5MRE7jhMHaOudyiAF_Vl-RoZiYTbd205niutcdHUm9tMASGbcwh04/s1640/List+of+all+bloggers+graphic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1640" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN0CvKD3iV3r-sJ12fBmHCw1aJqwVed8GpdG2u87HD7Nq9mpkx_hFBovMlsCADpubtic79JbhzIUjEUy6X_llhm5MRE7jhMHaOudyiAF_Vl-RoZiYTbd205niutcdHUm9tMASGbcwh04/w640-h336/List+of+all+bloggers+graphic.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s320/Lauren.png" width="320" /></a></div></div></div></div>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-25485683284208435882021-01-09T20:03:00.009+00:002023-03-08T23:30:35.886+00:00Where Have I Been?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKztKSkSH1DGy7sfpgXBAnlpcOqSUUqIVtjMyyZOwtci86xNfun7oQWsbKmYP-rE_3wIzzkGr_FW4inUzrsyYXXfw1fZ-QHbUNllIZsuorODDbob8qXhC0_xsp1Un-BgFRFvby6z9NFs/s2609/20210109_173459.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2609" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKztKSkSH1DGy7sfpgXBAnlpcOqSUUqIVtjMyyZOwtci86xNfun7oQWsbKmYP-rE_3wIzzkGr_FW4inUzrsyYXXfw1fZ-QHbUNllIZsuorODDbob8qXhC0_xsp1Un-BgFRFvby6z9NFs/w640-h296/20210109_173459.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Hello! </p><p><br /></p><p><i>*looks at date of my last post*</i> </p><p><br /></p><p>Well... This is awkward. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>If it was not entirely noticeable, by my complete lack of posts last year, I took a little break from the book community last year. It wasn't intentional until about October when I tried to write comprehensible reviews for two books I had adored and just couldn't do it. I had somehow lost my love for sharing my thoughts about the stories I was reading; Book Twitter (where I predominately lurk) has felt less and less about reading and more about the drama, the 'tea'. And while sometimes things need calling out it's the same three topics that keep coming back up. I just couldn't take it anymore. So I put my Twitter into semi-hiatus mode, ignored as much as I could, and just let myself read when I felt like it or play video games.`</p><p><br /></p><p>It did me a world of good! In 2020, I picked up a crochet hook for the first time since I was 15. I didn't think I could still do it, but within moments of getting the hook and wool home, I had the starts of a granny square blanket. I've since made a cardigan, a few octopuses, completed a commission for Dragon Egg Dice Bags and I would love to maybe do some ivy and forget-me-not garlands for my shelves. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6e3tqd_hOaNYeblbPOqyPa1yXJECPHsOxD0knJHgRjt4dUIYIHBsdKmzd_lN6A5RlZvFtUOUujx0gYOojYcptEbqqGB_49SwYOcXORI58_9pw4ZT9PtEdxnF-gujWGhkX8zd4gatgpU/s2048/IMG_0257.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6e3tqd_hOaNYeblbPOqyPa1yXJECPHsOxD0knJHgRjt4dUIYIHBsdKmzd_lN6A5RlZvFtUOUujx0gYOojYcptEbqqGB_49SwYOcXORI58_9pw4ZT9PtEdxnF-gujWGhkX8zd4gatgpU/w640-h426/IMG_0257.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Just at the end of the second lockdown, I began to cross stitch for the first time ever! Currently, I am working on some silhouette pieces of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer, and Ciri (pictured below). I've always wanted to learn to embroider and I'm slowly making my way there. I think I'm going to try blackwork next and then start practicing harder stitches. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKjDkN6_c84vln1aCGuTQW_F0XenXKeR054CFXuYvqk5fL3_l_UYPW-mo7QIpaXTzgj0Fj2G5EAK3ZBCQYBj9C3s17cjX4RVm9uqqd9wFAhNHxvNUuqu4J0HMFJV7vatzwNrkBhyM23I/s2609/20210109_191906.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2609" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKjDkN6_c84vln1aCGuTQW_F0XenXKeR054CFXuYvqk5fL3_l_UYPW-mo7QIpaXTzgj0Fj2G5EAK3ZBCQYBj9C3s17cjX4RVm9uqqd9wFAhNHxvNUuqu4J0HMFJV7vatzwNrkBhyM23I/w640-h296/20210109_191906.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I am loving it as something to do while I watch something on the TV or chat with friends over discord. Oh, Discord, my salvation when I needed to socialize outside close circles and talk books, music, and crafting. To all the new servers I joined in 2020: thank you for adopting me into the pride with great warmth and love.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>So what next?</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Well, I don't know. I've missed this. Writing about stories... writing stories. I want to take it easy in 2021, even though I may have signed up for Susan Dennard's Story a Month challenge on top of everything else. I might share what I write ... probably not though. We will see.</p><p><br /></p><p>My two biggest goal for 2021 is posting once a week. Sometimes it'll be a review, sometimes a blog tour, sometimes a few thoughts, sometimes something else completely. The second is something I've always aimed for, but am yet to achieve: reaching that "owned TBR zero". I woke up one morning in November, and just took one look at my shelves, and began piling books into an unhaul bag. ARCs that I felt if I really wanted to read them, I could rebuy them, or I'd owned for years and lost all interest. Tastes change and my shelves weren't reflecting the types of books I love anymore. I'm now under 90 books and considering I read 100 last year, it's entirely possible to at least half that. If I reach that then I've succeeded. </p><p><br /></p><p>When I started blogging, you feel like you have to have these grand shelves and unbroken spines. Or at least when I first started. But at the end of the day, all that matters is that I've bought the books, or have been gifted to read and do what I want with (<strike>ARCs excluded - stop overpricing books to sell ARCs Ms. Alsberg</strike>) so in short: fuck it. </p><p><br /></p><p>For now, though, I'm off to reread The Bone Season series for the fourth time in preparation for The Mask Falling to come out at the end of January. </p><p><br /></p><p>Come find me on my socials, <a href="https://www.twitter.com/acityofbooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/asprigoflavender" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Until the next time, stay safe.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTicVOw2rNqdiAyDfAZsmxrY4_okGfwCBQWGNICe2FZlfSxszkTo4vuO1OAf6QmIL8Z7K-hYCELSwZGRWtVu9TATCMgsVI-Nh_D2Cuf8vk9hmJoMZMMPfYcvLol7qEtahG77bPdvTqiVw/s2611/20210109_174723.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="2611" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTicVOw2rNqdiAyDfAZsmxrY4_okGfwCBQWGNICe2FZlfSxszkTo4vuO1OAf6QmIL8Z7K-hYCELSwZGRWtVu9TATCMgsVI-Nh_D2Cuf8vk9hmJoMZMMPfYcvLol7qEtahG77bPdvTqiVw/w640-h296/20210109_174723.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s320/Lauren.png" width="320" /></a></div>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-75884043489299490622020-10-24T11:17:00.000+00:002020-10-24T11:17:19.020+00:00TBR | Series Scaredown and Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon<p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lauren attempts another readathon? More likely than you think.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I don't know how or why, but I always forget about <a href="https://deweysreadathon.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Dewey's Readathon</a> until it's about an hour before starting. I literally have it penned on my phone's calendar. Thankfully, my cider-addled brain preemptively thought of buying snacks before the 10pm curfew a fantastic idea.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">I haven't been reading as much as I was at the start of the year, and already know there is no way I'm going to be able to read all of these in the next 24 hours, so what I don't finish will be continued through the week for TheBookMoo's Series Crackdown - <a href="https://thebookmoo.wordpress.com/2020/10/07/series-scaredown-2020/" target="_blank">Scaredown edition</a>. </span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Ghosts of the Shadow Market</b> by Cassandra Clare; Sarah Rees Brennan; Maureen Johnson; Kelly Link and Robin Wasserman <strike>(</strike><i><strike>I need to finish the last two short stories in this collection)</strike></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Bone Garden </b>by Heather Kassner</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The Deck of Omens</b> by Christine Lynn Harman</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Wychwood</b> by George Mann</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Frankenstein</b> by Mary Shelley. </span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80SGuC97xy6BfBPfpq17NuzoT05I9POpypKEm1ar7sqBqyBOYWuwKd1Y7LSzAcgAC2XzBoPIhAV_Ye5rpjr-OB9XM0ugN2NRq5Q9GL6uYG1xXY6dbNa4U3aA5w3AKAlm9TIV36gGGwX0/s2609/20201024_120729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2609" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj80SGuC97xy6BfBPfpq17NuzoT05I9POpypKEm1ar7sqBqyBOYWuwKd1Y7LSzAcgAC2XzBoPIhAV_Ye5rpjr-OB9XM0ugN2NRq5Q9GL6uYG1xXY6dbNa4U3aA5w3AKAlm9TIV36gGGwX0/w640-h296/20201024_120729.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Series Scaredown 2020 is running from October 23rd - November 1st. Run by <a href="https://thebookmoo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">TheBookMoo</a>, the goal is to get to those series that we always say we're going to read and never do. However, as it's Hallowe'en, this round has a spoopy twist. You can still sign-up, <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeU3Wa3im8o12FYepnqitqFptmiyJtss4rp9Ie2ya5Cb2wtpQ/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Depending on how much I get run during Dewey's, in the best-case scenario, I will be adding these to my TBR:</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>One Dark Throne</b> by Kendare Blake</span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Time of Contempt</b> by Andrezj Sapkowski</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">What have you been reading whilst I've been away from my blog? Will you participating in Series Scardown or Dewey's? Let me know! </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><strike><span style="font-family: georgia;">This post was fun - why don't I blog more often? </span></strike></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s320/Lauren.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><p></p>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-71475749963662681372020-09-07T09:04:00.001+00:002020-09-07T09:04:04.220+00:00Book Review | The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQufTMdVK3rtYQJtQCMMdeM_BcK4lh_-QOig-sT6Ze1SuVAAq0_shN0Vsfv6IqlQDcKRvxwD6kbOZY52NKb35-7IkZ2t39kpIqgI15XmnDpdVdIY82SLZug06xKD9VAIu0UAJuhwKgmQ/s475/the+ballad+of+songbirds+and+snakes.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQufTMdVK3rtYQJtQCMMdeM_BcK4lh_-QOig-sT6Ze1SuVAAq0_shN0Vsfv6IqlQDcKRvxwD6kbOZY52NKb35-7IkZ2t39kpIqgI15XmnDpdVdIY82SLZug06xKD9VAIu0UAJuhwKgmQ/s320/the+ballad+of+songbirds+and+snakes.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</span></b></p><p></p><p>Suzanne Collins</p><p><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">⭐</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">⭐</span></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53034698-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></p><p>UK Publisher | Scholastic Books</p><p>UK Release Date | May 19th, 2020</p><p>Format | Hardback</p><p>Page Count | 517</p><p>RRP | £18.99</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/s2480/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJouvCvNfgfeCOHFpxMZSJhWTtS82k9jTdRaOeZ3sB_dRyvL-0tYStrcKE56v__6hJU81xiylDX1gN5g9qFH0y0n53Fx9wvRsoH_MFxvpTu1ddLIWxg9Zf7bd1sj1VKxr8OeXeI6H7Gd4/w625-h131/The+Books+%25283%2529.png" width="625" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-almighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.</span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favour or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/s2480/2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtncddbXqQ7iDpNHBJ9-sJjpQV82nB4MBFa2hQH0qySliM5Jm679zpv4uhiu4RQmWfzujIYPC0qnv7WPlNNWhLthwiyTUE-LZhsG3dzwT321cT1iuHzfVaOaJIghz6_H6fRdPED4iClFQ/w625-h131/2.png" width="625" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Hunger Games were not always the revered spectacle the Capitol annually celebrates; but rather we see them as the stark, cruel reminder of the cost of war, and the way in which people in power use it to exert control over freedom of will. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</span><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> follow Corialanous Snow, later to become President of Panem, as he embarks on a mentorship to District 12's 10th Hunger Games tribute, Lucy Gray Baird. </span></span></span></p><p><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: georgia; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let's start with: I'm not as bitterly disappointed as I was anticipating; three stars is still a good rating. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I touched on this in my Heartless review, but books of 'villain origin' just don't interest me. I don't find them interesting as someone who loves well-written antagonists, as they often leave me feeling like they are redundant stories or whatever the inverse of creativity is. Especially with scenarios like this one, in which the crying out for a prequel has always been there. But, as they say: "be careful for what you wish for". </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: georgia; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2bb71ce1-7fff-0c69-e9e8-c08d7e58790b"><span style="color: #222222; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thoroughly enjoyed how Collins engaged in worldbuilding, especially over the allusive start to the Games that gets glossed over in the original trilogy as it is expanded upon in this book. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suzanne Collins’ has a gift for creating a vision of a government that is struggling to enforce a totalitarian regime and regain strength after an act of people’s rebellion. This dichotomy between control and chaos makes for an engaging read, drawing the reader in to pay attention to the political landscape and form a discourse to current affairs.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here are my problems with Ballad: I didn't think this book benefitted from being from Coriolanus's perspective AND I thought this book was too long.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Coriolanus Snow grated on me for being everything I despise, which I knew we were going to get, but his background story didn't make for a compelling or necessary read. I feel like I would've gained more insight into this era of politics in Panem without Snow, by giving me a protagonist to connect with. Furthering on from this, Lucy Gray Baird felt nothing more than a manic pixie dreamgirl and would have benefitted from having her perspective, giving her agency in the story other than the writing songs and being a love interest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Overall, this is a novel <span style="color: #222222; white-space: pre-wrap;">of contemporary making, forming a commentary on capitalism and the current political landscape. For this, I still think <i>The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</i> is a worthy read, however, I think it could have benefitted from a different angle.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJU6rxhMHfCs7ozfD4n8RzND8POA03WuxvQ9POjRqJH9Mmf9zfuE9V4Itui48pfoYbNN5axj5sFxZF_bCGqA17ByD3YvIGV4C5RiHHvyd3_vzquiVIj4AgEWkll9owisNDTwtz_hiOW8/s2480/The+Books+%25284%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="2480" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJU6rxhMHfCs7ozfD4n8RzND8POA03WuxvQ9POjRqJH9Mmf9zfuE9V4Itui48pfoYbNN5axj5sFxZF_bCGqA17ByD3YvIGV4C5RiHHvyd3_vzquiVIj4AgEWkll9owisNDTwtz_hiOW8/w640-h134/The+Books+%25284%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s559/Lauren.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05f0fucyojcHG1TPPHmiOj6HQndiumTDwQVMojfCqxgQUG_dFM1NMrE4W_44uw50HnnfrYbFn5dcFHRX-IsddrZeUBKmsh_5qB4tnwEOHx-TIJZIA828v7YbjmDu5l6lP6AkH2-OEdOA/s320/Lauren.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p></p>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-86711630280622771552020-07-29T15:22:00.003+00:002020-09-07T09:17:26.017+00:00August TBR | Series Crackdown & Tome ToppleFor someone who finished one book in the entirety of July, I'm really being overambitious for August. Two of my favourite readathons are coming back and I'm determined to go for more than the 10 pages I managed last month. For two weeks of the month-long edition Series Crackdown, I will be focusing on the Tomes on my TBR, so I get to do both. I told you. I'm gunning for it in August.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Series Crackdown</span></b><br />
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Series Crackdown is the brainchild of Mel over at <a href="https://thebookmoo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">TheBookMoo</a>. We all do it; we read the first books in a series never to pick up its sequel, or worse, we buy all the books in a series and never start them. The goal for this readathon is to dedicate a period of time to tackle those books. Usually, this readathon is 10 days long, however, this round just so happens to be the 10th incarnation, and to celebrate, Series Crackdown will be going from the <b><i>1st - 31st August 2020</i></b>. <div>
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Teams are back for this round; I will be joining Steph's (<a href="https://twitter.com/eenalol" target="_blank">@eenalol</a>) Team Duologies and reading the group book: <i><b>State of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury. </b></i><br />
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What I love about this readathon is how chill it can be - I just like making things difficult for myself apparently.<br />
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For more information on who Team Captains are, or for just more information, check out TheBookMoo's blog post <a href="https://thebookmoo.wordpress.com/2020/07/23/series-crackdown-10-0-details/" target="_blank">here</a>, and follow the official <a href="https://twitter.com/SeriesCrackdown" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/seriescrackdown/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> account.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tome Topple</span></b><br />
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Created and hosted by Sam over at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ThoughtsOnTomes" target="_blank">ThoughtsonTomes</a>, TomeTopple is a readathon for all those big books that we all buy and then giggle nervously over. It is THE readathon for fantasy lovers and bibliophiles everywhere.<br />
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Starting August 8th - August 21st, the goal is to read books 500 pages or longer. And like the Series Crackdown, Tome Topple is just as chill. There are challenges that you can participate in, but because I am aiming for all of the challenges in the other readathon, I'll be focusing on reading big books and having fun.<br />
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Those books include:<br />
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<li><b>Blood Upon the Sands</b> by Bradley Beaulieu</li>
<li><b>The Ruin of Kings</b> by Jenn Lyons</li>
<li><b>The Fifth Season</b> by N.K. Jemison</li>
<li><b>The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</b> by Suzanne Collins</li>
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You can find out more by checking out the announcement video, <a href="https://t.co/zODPFm9B6s?amp=1" target="_blank">here</a>, and the official <a href="https://twitter.com/Tome_Topple" target="_blank">Twitter</a> account.</div>
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-74524175740364200012020-06-30T13:32:00.001+00:002020-09-07T09:17:09.258+00:00Top Ten Tuesday | Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2020<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Blimey! My book buying ban really went out the window during the lockdown; but my pre-order list is teeming with some fantastic, diverse fantasies that I cannot wait to sink my teeth into. So I'm saying this is a win-win. Today' I am going to be sharing my top 10 that are currently on my radar.<br />
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Top Ten Tuesday is the brainchild of The Broke and the Bookish and has since been taken over The Artsy Reader Girl. You can find upcoming topics, here.<br />
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From left to right:<br />
1. <b>The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue</b> by<i> V.E. Schwab</i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51029810-the-invisible-life-of-addie-larue" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | October 12th<br />
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2. <b>Piranesi </b>by <i>Susanna Clarke</i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50202953-piranesi?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hXhOV1fwpe&rank=4" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | September 15th<br />
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3.<b> Forest of Souls</b> by <i>Lori M. Lee </i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45554589-forest-of-souls?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=XEeUerYfZf&rank=1" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | July 1st<br />
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4.<b> A Song of Wraiths and Ruin</b> by<i> Roseanne A. Brown</i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49629448-a-song-of-wraiths-and-ruin?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ezL9xfq6I1&rank=1#" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | July 9th<br />
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5. <b>The Year of the Witching</b> by <i>Alexis Henderson </i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49789629-the-year-of-the-witching?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PDKdapNPz2&rank=3" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | July 21st<br />
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From left to right:<br />
6.<b> Star Daughter </b>by <i>Shveta Thakra </i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52781202-star-daughter?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=zWRP4Bz4dg&rank=1" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | September 3rd<br />
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7. <b>Cinderella is Dead</b> by <i>Kalynn Bayron </i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48855787-cinderella-is-dead" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | August 6th<br />
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8. <b>The Dark Tide</b> by<i> Alicia Jasinka</i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52411049-the-dark-tide?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=WGxTBQ0eMB&rank=2" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | August 4th<br />
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9. <b>The Bone Shard's Daughter</b> by <i>Andrea Stewart </i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49104844-the-bone-shard-daughter?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=L5tgJjWZXe&rank=1" target="_blank"><i>Add to Goodreads</i></a><br />
Release Date | September 10th<br />
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10. <b>Black Sun</b> by <i>Rebecca Roanhouse </i><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892360-black-sun?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nohCTl5YZN&rank=3" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a><br />
Release Date | October 13th<br />
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<i><b>Are any of these books you are looking forward to? Have I missed any that you think I would love? Let me know and come join me in the comments!</b></i><br />
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<br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-39629421830093248932020-06-29T06:52:00.000+00:002020-09-07T09:08:52.195+00:00Book Review | Queen of Coin and Whispers (#gifted)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Queen of Coin and Whispers</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Helen Corcoran</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">⭐⭐⭐⭐</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53134071-queen-of-coin-and-whispers" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Publisher | O'Brien Press</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Release Date | June 2nd, 2020</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Format | Paperback</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Page Count | 464</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">RRP | £11.99</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="background-color: #f3f3f3; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13.2px; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">DISCLAIMER: I received this book from the publisher for free. All views and opinions remain my own. </b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When Lia, an idealistic queen, falls for Xania, her new spymaster--who took the job to avenge her murdered father--they realise all isn't fair in love and treason.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Lia won't mourn her uncle: he's left her a bankrupt kingdom considered easy pickings by its neighbours. She's sworn to be a better ruler, but if she wants to push through her reforms, she needs to beat the Court at its own games. For years, Xania's been determined to uncover her father's murderer. She finally gets a chance when Lia gives her a choice: become her new spymaster, or take a one way trip to the executioner's axe. It's an easy decision.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When they fall for each other, their love complicates Lia's responsibilities and Xania's plans for vengeance. As they're drawn together amid royal suitors and new diplomats, they uncover treason that could not only end Lia's reign, but ruin their weakened country. They must decide not only what to sacrifice for duty, but also for each other.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have waited for longer than I thought it would be necessary for the YA industry to feed my insatiable desire for a book that centers on political intrigue and serve it with a side of queer </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">romance. Thank you to The O'Brien Press for gifting me a copy.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Queen of Coin and Whispers is a duel perspective YA fantasy. First, we have Lia, the recently-crowned monarch who is determined to right the wrongs set by her Uncle that have lead to the kingdom to almost bankruptcy; and then we have Xania, a cynical, intelligent woman hell-bent on uncovering the truth behind her father's death and exact revenge. When a mutual close friend, Mathias, introduces Xania to Lia and suggests her for the role of the Queen's Whispers (spymaster). What we have here are two very different women, both with compelling with points-of-view, that works together to create two dynamic voices that I didn't struggle with who was who. </span><br />
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As well as the two protagonists, the majority of the cast of characters are women, of all different backgrounds, in power. They were nuanced, each recognisable with their own set of trials and tribulations. It was a breath of fresh air to see!<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>I found the romance to be compelling, because these woman were both strong and capable people, for different reasons, and so became complimentary to each other's personalities without either one becoming lesser than to fit. I found it the gradual love to be realistic, staying well clear of that insta-romance trope that seems to be the bane of my existence in YA fantasy. </div>
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And didn't I mention that Corcoran has incorporated so much on page queer rep? Lia and Xania are lesbian, and Xania is also demi. But then, there's also the supporting characters, who Corcoran so casually mentions significant others of the same sex, and it's accepted. There was no homophobia (accept the part where they would prefer Lia to marry a man to produce and heir)!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Now, onto my favourite part, the politicking. For once we see the title of Queen as a job, with it's own responsibilities. There are the usual murder and betrayals that fall to the forefront, but Corcoran manages to brilliantly show the cogs of the wheel that Lia and Xania must fit together in order to keep the queendom of Edar ticking and produce the changes and results Lia is determined to make. The discussion and meeting were never glossed over, making for a highly entertaining read, even when grain distribution was up for debate. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">I want to briefly mention the cover because I'm obsessed. Designed by Emma Byrne, this really evokes the rich tapestry of love, betrayal, and the delicate decadence that can be found in any corner of historical royal courts. It's so wonderfully simple and doesn't rely on overly complex graphics. I really hope to see more of Byrne's work in the future! </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Helen Corcoran's debut cements Irish YA fantasy as something that shouldn't be ignored. </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Queen of Coin and Whispers</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> is here to say lesbian rights and is a must-read for anyone interested in the interworkings of statecraft.</span></span></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">HELEN CORCORAN grew up in Cork, Ireland, dreaming of scheming queens and dashing lady knights. After graduating from Trinity College, Dublin, she worked as a bookseller for over a decade. She lives in Dublin, writing fantasy novels and haunting coffee shops in search of the perfect latte.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Helen can be found over on <a href="https://twitter.com/hcor?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, or on her <a href="https://helencorcoran.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>.</span></span><br />
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-80482275051537778902020-06-28T14:46:00.001+00:002020-09-07T09:18:17.762+00:00Book Tag | The Mid-Year Book Freakout <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Hello!<br />
Lauren, here (cause who else would it be, let's be honest) and we are<i> finally</i> into the second half of the year-that-crawled-out-of-Hell.<br />
In summary, I am way ahead of my Goodreads goal, already hitting 57 out of 100 (thank you lockdown); my blog went silent for longer than I had intended; and I am back to square one of finding a job. So, swings and roundabouts, as they say.<br />
The Mid-Year Book Freakout tag was created by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB8OrYHBvM8&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">ReadLikeWildfire</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Wh0rPGfRg" target="_blank">Earl Grey Books</a>.<br />
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<b>1. What is the best book you've read so far in 2020?</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Migration</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Helen Marshall</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42607151-the-migration" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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I really tried avoiding books that deal with apocalypses, pandemics, and grief quite early on during the lockdown. It had been a while since I had read the synopsis, so I didn't know that it featured a virus pandemic and the death of a loved one.<br />
Marshall, just had this way of writing that even after finishing the book, it stuck with me and kept making me think. It was exactly the kind of speculative fiction that I wish I had the guts to pick up more often. A tender exploration of hope and human morality. If you can handle reading about this subject, it is one that I completely recommend you check out.<br />
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<b>2. What is the best sequel you've read so far in 2020?</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Bloodwitch (The Witchlands #3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Susan Dennard</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41594838-bloodwitch" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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I still can't believe that I put off reading this for the best part of a year. I ended up taking part in Rachael Marie's weekend readathon (before I knew all the terrible things she has said and done) and picked up Truthwitch for a reread. And the rest is history.<br />
This is, by far, my favourite book in the series. So many revelations. So much character growth. BAEDUAN.<br />
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<b>3. What new release haven't you read yet, but want to?</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">A Song of Wraiths and Ruin</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Roseanne A. Brown</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49629448-a-song-of-wraiths-and-ruin?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=eR5mBomSHy&rank=1" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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I don't think this is actually out in the UK until July 9th, but I know in the states it's been out since the start of June.<br />
This just sounds exactly like the kind of YA fantasy I tend to reach for. Inspired by West African folklore, this is a duel perspective fantasy with slow-burn enemies to lovers (WITH PINING). AND THE COVER?! Wow. If anyone knows who the cover artist is, please let me know!<br />
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<b>4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">V.E. Schwab</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51029810-the-invisible-life-of-addie-larue" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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*pretends to be shocked*<br />
I feel like I have been waiting an age to read this; maybe since it was mentioned during V's This Savage Song UK Tour?<br />
I've seen the pieces that have been posted of V's socials and have teared up many times at just the brief encounter I have been allowed to see. I know Titan Books have created a sample of the first 100 pages, but I am so terrified to read it. Just, please, be Vicious-level phenomenal.<br />
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<b>5. What is your biggest disappointment read so far in 2020?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08RsL9kqWsx0wZjbhF55wZMlZGJEJY9VXJXMNmmo-WDvdC68KhfjAsms6oLtQGXtEqW5e6k_Y2f78XeT3Ku6PBa1coVVTvQMOjRK7abAvAbl_W-P2ouSKksuJY87bXdC0doTU0Vs8__Q/s1600/Wonderland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08RsL9kqWsx0wZjbhF55wZMlZGJEJY9VXJXMNmmo-WDvdC68KhfjAsms6oLtQGXtEqW5e6k_Y2f78XeT3Ku6PBa1coVVTvQMOjRK7abAvAbl_W-P2ouSKksuJY87bXdC0doTU0Vs8__Q/s200/Wonderland.jpg" width="128" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Wonderland: An Anthology</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46256783-wonderland" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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This is the second of Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane's anthologies that I have read this year. I really loved Cursed, and the stories that had been curated for that collection, so I had high hopes for Wonderland.<br />
Then it crashed.<br />
I only really like L.L. Mckinney's, which acted as an extension for her A Blade so Black trilogy (I really must get to that), and the rest was either not my cuppa or eeeehhhhh.<br />
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<b>6. What has been the biggest surprise?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwp7wjimFIQK8S2MvBKx4Dw0bjFEBAc9-yC6_onwCfznfFYBptCtGXwryMgXiqebKres3BHqlWPWesqCuKHDQ1Xo1Xy_042oJTuLD2cqETabqzwYa1M0WJdPMLL6zQ_MHIM_t3F5LZw/s1600/SI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRwp7wjimFIQK8S2MvBKx4Dw0bjFEBAc9-yC6_onwCfznfFYBptCtGXwryMgXiqebKres3BHqlWPWesqCuKHDQ1Xo1Xy_042oJTuLD2cqETabqzwYa1M0WJdPMLL6zQ_MHIM_t3F5LZw/s200/SI.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Skein Island</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Aliya Whiteley</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51829717-skein-island" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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This is one that I have just finished. I was initially intrigued by the blurb when it landed in my inbox, and then got worried when I saw quite mixed reviews. It is certainly not a book for everyone and comes across as a bizarre mix of mythology, horror, and literary fiction.<br />
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<b>7. Have you discovered a favourite new author (debut or new-to-you)?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bb_z5E7NErt1rqal6PEGeL2LwG4MukV-GkPAZujcS6CRiU5y0TsAlu_LjaNGKvU_2wTjSNuX3d8utE5877VJKfQuA8giNhO9Ek7v_sB8h-4dnXq-4EUlZ0vrDKHhK-TbFQ9VOPqtqoU/s1600/GALCB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bb_z5E7NErt1rqal6PEGeL2LwG4MukV-GkPAZujcS6CRiU5y0TsAlu_LjaNGKvU_2wTjSNuX3d8utE5877VJKfQuA8giNhO9Ek7v_sB8h-4dnXq-4EUlZ0vrDKHhK-TbFQ9VOPqtqoU/s200/GALCB.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Get a Life, Chloe Brown</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Talia Hibbert</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43884209-get-a-life-chloe-brown?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7HaKG9CxGN&rank=1" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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Looking through the books I've read this year, I've come to realize that there aren't that many contenders, except possibly Helen Marshall and Aliya Whiteley. So, I'm cheating with this one because I haven't even finished this book. Let that be an indicator of how talented Talia Hibbert's is as an adult-romance author.<br />
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<b>8. Newest fictional crush?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIK0aUd0FdGbbY6V7SzGVzA4M8Tp_a_GMAOnKYtvXqiA8j4KbqNb0gbeGFERDrbO6NFu6WDiCDXT0C_wOik4yP_0andq5Kg9RI8qvPfbq8g4B4Xfb6he_yf1AlzcX1JaftuMM-xDsjt8/s1600/atos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIK0aUd0FdGbbY6V7SzGVzA4M8Tp_a_GMAOnKYtvXqiA8j4KbqNb0gbeGFERDrbO6NFu6WDiCDXT0C_wOik4yP_0andq5Kg9RI8qvPfbq8g4B4Xfb6he_yf1AlzcX1JaftuMM-xDsjt8/s200/atos.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">A Throne of Swans</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Katherine & Elizabeth Corr</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50066713-a-throne-of-swans" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I struggled with answering this question last year, for the exact same reason - I just don't get book crushes anymore?<br />
That being said, I really loved Lucien Rookwood from A Throne of Swans and the developing relationship with Aderyn.<br />
It wasn't perfect, and perhaps moved a bit too quickly for my liking, but it was still top tier swoon.<br />
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<b>9. Newest favourite character?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IHKz5XdlNNlXwy_12JqnXLl9FPET5lVcAQYAwXUIvEp6hShMepojz5G4fwcTMx_Ou_fM7v4SrgIHUPb1dll23jY9HGnUX7Xqm_cJpoXDjMoikSlu4uTvThgqinupuy54o3PwlHOoqN0/s1600/Sta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IHKz5XdlNNlXwy_12JqnXLl9FPET5lVcAQYAwXUIvEp6hShMepojz5G4fwcTMx_Ou_fM7v4SrgIHUPb1dll23jY9HGnUX7Xqm_cJpoXDjMoikSlu4uTvThgqinupuy54o3PwlHOoqN0/s200/Sta.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Strangeworld's Travel Agency</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">L.D. Lapinski</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46123742-the-strangeworlds-travel-agency" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46123742-the-strangeworlds-travel-agency" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></div>
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Feel like I'm cheating again for this question, because I'm not just talking about one favourite character, but two.<br />
Flick and Jonathan, from L.D. Lapinski's The Strangeworld's Travel Agency.<br />
Their dynamic reminded me so much of the relationship between the Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler that it just made my little heart happy. I can't wait to see where Lapinski takes her series, with the multitude of worlds we can visit and the chaos that Flick could wreak.<br />
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<b>10. Have there been any books that have made you cry?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0OdRgrblhD4Rld7JBzUu4rCQSuiYBX9j-IiT2iZ3Plh35d97DfIhY_OSO6zbjxdiafLEA1nWnhrD-ZTNeovZNb2B31JscFDl7Qp7Sw5DGVBwW9Mialt-BsF3WRCYNlcr90XeP1H6j8I/s1600/Geekerella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0OdRgrblhD4Rld7JBzUu4rCQSuiYBX9j-IiT2iZ3Plh35d97DfIhY_OSO6zbjxdiafLEA1nWnhrD-ZTNeovZNb2B31JscFDl7Qp7Sw5DGVBwW9Mialt-BsF3WRCYNlcr90XeP1H6j8I/s200/Geekerella.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Geekerella</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ashley Poston</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33224718-geekerella" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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I did not expect to cry reading Geekerella. At all. I was hoping for cute, fluffy romance that would have my heart soaring for the afternoon. However, you know the scene in Disney's Cinderella, where the sisters are ripping apart her mother's dress? When we came to the equivalent in Poston's writing, I just couldn't push through that without unleashing the tears. My mum is no way like Catherine, however there was something about the unwillingness to accept Elle and Elle's father's love of a Sci-fi show and how that has shaped her into the person she is. As well as how a SFF can act as a lense to learn about the world, doesn't mean that we can't be grounded in "reality" really got to me.<br />
<b>11. Have there been any books that have made you happy?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04mgq8U4OO2BA1FpaYU0GO0afJmAPzrlGgNM8aELHnBMuaXrIkQ3J1KbKWrlvy3s9AMHytlP0fgvD08a8eqBKPPjnunmiScdqX_F8QLmgJA8GMVODG1Rei7ReyLRXZBuOmwVgsT7JL4M/s1600/tsr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04mgq8U4OO2BA1FpaYU0GO0afJmAPzrlGgNM8aELHnBMuaXrIkQ3J1KbKWrlvy3s9AMHytlP0fgvD08a8eqBKPPjnunmiScdqX_F8QLmgJA8GMVODG1Rei7ReyLRXZBuOmwVgsT7JL4M/s200/tsr.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Stone Rose</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Jacqueline Raynor</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13378464-doctor-who" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13378464-doctor-who" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></div>
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I got sad. Bought the audiobook. Its narrated by David Tennant. Best money I've ever spent. Do I need to say more?<br />
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<b>12. What is the most beautiful book you've bought this year (or received)?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudZ01P88tQZ8hDFdudaL2nH25t2AiM4m20pV1I-v6FBDXSzox9XevJ2M-XdCRCo3Ct_zZRmJW5ELqO2BJfipzBym-zeX8qsXeQYFdkIKW7KUg9UfbM-H5WzTyWbqg6NJ9Kb9LNtGhskE/s1600/QoIL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudZ01P88tQZ8hDFdudaL2nH25t2AiM4m20pV1I-v6FBDXSzox9XevJ2M-XdCRCo3Ct_zZRmJW5ELqO2BJfipzBym-zeX8qsXeQYFdkIKW7KUg9UfbM-H5WzTyWbqg6NJ9Kb9LNtGhskE/s200/QoIL.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Queen of Innis Lear</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Tessa Gratton</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40977310-the-queens-of-innis-lear" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40977310-the-queens-of-innis-lear" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></div>
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The Queens of Innis Lear made its rounds in the book community quite a while ago. The UK cover is just stunning.<br />
I was initally interested because of the cover and ended up finally buying a copy after reading the opening chapters whilst browsing Waterstones (remember when that was still a thing *sobs*)<br />
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<b>13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4yRlPlbwixklPl9njjM-rGxvNz868BAXcWjwIkKSdeVAlPWNYuPpg92-5L1IAQGQoB-3D4gMn8-w2bhJ0Y5aPLxePizhnen0fmYWxVdl-Fo3BM1m_Oq1__0l2dn70kUmVWVixmMoL18/s1600/thosw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4yRlPlbwixklPl9njjM-rGxvNz868BAXcWjwIkKSdeVAlPWNYuPpg92-5L1IAQGQoB-3D4gMn8-w2bhJ0Y5aPLxePizhnen0fmYWxVdl-Fo3BM1m_Oq1__0l2dn70kUmVWVixmMoL18/s200/thosw.jpg" width="129" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The House of Shattered Wings</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Aliette de Bodard</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29741643-the-house-of-shattered-wings" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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I have every book in the series, and yet, I am so intimidated to start the series. I mean the UK type font is tiny and I've heard this can be quite confusing. I still remain determined though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNCrEGBC7tBJAMFNIpBKGKJiY67VEac7w1vsSpyt1fo41hYmH5Mv2QoM_mDnRGdyfLD9-6f2wMlWG5Z0k9isf-I2-APTjDfSiFPkKqEJhIaOzn1MSTUn-7MnfqrDzWPSNNsmTgGdoFEw/s1600/dotc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNCrEGBC7tBJAMFNIpBKGKJiY67VEac7w1vsSpyt1fo41hYmH5Mv2QoM_mDnRGdyfLD9-6f2wMlWG5Z0k9isf-I2-APTjDfSiFPkKqEJhIaOzn1MSTUn-7MnfqrDzWPSNNsmTgGdoFEw/s200/dotc.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Descendant of the Crane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Joan He</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52368339-descendant-of-the-crane" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a></span></div>
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I know this has been out, technically, since 2019, however Descendant of the Crane has only just recently been released by Titan Books over here in the UK. Again, this sounds like the kind of fantasy that I will really enjoy... fingers crossed.<br />
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<br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-76172745360574957402020-06-23T12:37:00.003+00:002020-09-07T09:10:11.494+00:00Review | Heartless (ARC)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: large;">Heartless</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Marissa Meyer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">⭐⭐</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31458203-heartless" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Add to Goodreads</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Macmillan's Childrens Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><i>UK Release Date</i> | February 9th, 2017</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Format | Paperback</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Page Count | 462</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">RRP | £7.99</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">DISCLAIMER: I received this book from the publisher for free. All views and opinions remain my own. </b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Long before she was the Queen of Hearts, Catherine Pinkerton was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">I'm not sure what I was expecting going into this one, but I don't think villain origin stories are for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The main struggle I had trying to read Heartless was it's pacing. It's slow to start; perhaps it could be argued that it's to help build a connection between character and reader.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> To build a bridge of empathy between myself and Catherine as her hopes for the future are explored and then cut short. Yet, I found myself slogging through it to get to the more interesting parts of the narrative ... and was still left disappointed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Catherine, as a character, was one that I found myself getting frustrated over. A lot of her inner monologue was spent in this spiral of whining, moaning, a</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">nd scrabbling to hang on to her dream of owning a bakery. I'm not someone who is typically bothered with naive protagonists, as long as they grow and learn as the novel progresses. I didn't get that with Catherine. A lot of the time we spend with Catherine at the start of the novel could have been better spent in the last act, and really make sense of her decisions and the consequences of her actions. Which I think would've really helped flesh out this interpretation of the Queen of Hearts' character.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The one (okay, there's two) saving grace was that I really enjoyed the romance aspect of the plot and Marissa Meyer's writing style. If you're struggling to stop snacking during the lockdown, this really isn't the book to be reading. Meyer's descriptions of scrumptious bakery delights were the real joy of reading this one. Just thinking of them is making me hungry.</span><br />
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-61821763519958672642020-04-29T12:42:00.000+00:002020-09-07T09:19:06.548+00:00Wrap-Up | Dec 2019<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's the last wrap-up of 2019. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm rather gutted to be typing that, but then again, a new year, a new decade. Bring it on!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year has been it's usual ups and downs, but that's exactly what happens over a large expense of time, nothing can be perfect all the time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(I'm editing this four months later, but what a year, ay? New year, a new decade.. pfft.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Obsidio (The Illuminae Files 0_3)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amie Kaufman; Jay Kristoff</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24909347-obsidio" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think my biggest mistake I made when I started this one, was to not revisit the first two books. Seriously. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Victoria Schwab</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40512862-city-of-ghosts" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still really loved this, even after a second read through. I've seen some people roll their eyes at the Harry Potter references, but I still stand by them, as they make sense for the age these books of Cassidy and whom these books are written for. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Victoria Schwab</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43876229-tunnel-of-bones" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, after reading City of Ghosts, I had to pick up the sequel straight up. What I love about Schwab's writing is that it doesn't feel like the dark themes of her YA and Adult books have been completely stubbed out. They're still there and just as prevalent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I really enjoyed how this one expands on the first book, with character growth of not only Cassidy, but her ghost bff Jacob as the mystery around his existence starts to creep up - I am really looking forward to seeing where Schwab takes this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Priory of the Orange Tree</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Samantha Shannon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40245976-the-priory-of-the-orange-tree" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I briefly mentioned this on Twitter (or maybe Goodreads?), but I am actually really disappointed that this didn't become a hard fast favourite. For me, it was the pacing that let me down. It started off quite slow, which is to be expected because of the world-building and character introductions - which I really like! However, it then felt like the ending changed that steady pace that was set and was rushed through. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Meet Cute</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Helena Hunting</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41063454-meet-cute" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Okay, this was so incredibly cute. I slipped and accidentally spent 6-hours straight laying in bed reading this one on my phone. I became invested in the characters, what trials they were facing and I am trash for falling for former-actors. The biggest down for me was the writing style. It relies a lot on being explanatory rather than descriptive so I felt like although I connected to these characters and how they were feeling, I couldn't make that decision for myself.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Meat Market</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Juno Dawson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41020256-meat-market" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Last month I found Clean in my local library and devoured it in two sittings, and the same could be said about Meat Market. Juno Dawson is doing something that no one has dared to do, nor have they been given the platform to expose some of the darker sides of the fashion industry. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Th</b></span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">rone of Jade (Temeraire #2)</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Naomi Novik</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28103247-throne-of-jade" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was a little bit disappointed with this one, despite still enjoying it. The story was slow with a lot of conflicts that I would have been more interested in if it were set in a different setting, as we spend two-thirds of the book at sea. In the final third, you finally get to China and learn about how they value and incorporate dragons into their society - that bit was fascinating!</span>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Holly Black</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39086641-the-wicked-king" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Okay, I get the hype. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was concerned that this was going to be a hate-to-love romance that gives into the toxicity of Carden's behavior; yet, there's a complexity to it that really ropes me in. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then there's the way Black has created this world of fae that pins it down as a story of fae that I have always wanted to find. I need more stories like this! Please!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Devoted</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jennifer Mathieu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40014583-devoted" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This one was a pleasant surprise. Found on my Kindle one night, I must have requested this title on NetGalley. I didn't enjoy this as much as her publishing debut, Moxie. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I enjoyed Rachel's narrative and the emotional journey she goes on especially with the division of her changing beliefs conflict with her family's devout Christianity.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Comical Tragedy or Tragical Comedy of Mr. Punch</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Written by Neil Gaiman; Illustrated by Dave McKeen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21556026-the-comical-tragedy-or-tragical-comedy-of-mr-punch-a-romance" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was eery and atmospheric, and I will never be able to watch Punch & Judy the same way again. </span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMt1jxK6cg_GOqKuCb_IweqZTp2Y-BxMyFoteu4CW6QkbfQizq_Qu5kDLQovxuXXQpXvYGc66GAOcj6__scQc03IiAYSBcF6nrCa2MpRmEzeBLU57Ccm04yzwBkKBgM_mRUmxWVO51xs/s1600/17265276._SX318_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMt1jxK6cg_GOqKuCb_IweqZTp2Y-BxMyFoteu4CW6QkbfQizq_Qu5kDLQovxuXXQpXvYGc66GAOcj6__scQc03IiAYSBcF6nrCa2MpRmEzeBLU57Ccm04yzwBkKBgM_mRUmxWVO51xs/s200/17265276._SX318_.jpg" width="134" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Lost Boy</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Greg Ruth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17265276-the-lost-boy" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm writing this four months after reading it, and I can't remember much of the story; although, it reminded me of Holly Black's Spiderwick Chronicles? Just with added creepy child doll and less fae-like creatures.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Doctor Who: Time Reaver (The Tenth Doctor Adventures #2)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Written by Jenny T. Colgan; Performed by David Tennant and Catherine Tate</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28426775-doctor-who" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't know how I ended up re-listening to this one and not the first adventure. I'm so glad that Big Finish exists. Honestly. These are so much fun and give me life. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Starless Sea</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Erin Morgernstern</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐+</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42730332-the-starless-sea" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Erin Morganstern knocked it out of the park with this one. I was expecting lyrical, soul-destroying stuff and she delivered. This isn't going to be for everyone; this novel is heavily reliant on the reader piecing the puzzle pieces together, switching between narratives like a puzzle box until it comes together. I'm obsessed!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christina Lauren</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40189670-josh-and-hazel-s-guide-to-not-dating" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">This was my first ever Christina Lauren book... EVER! It was cute. But, it didn't make me want to read their entire back titles, which with adult romance, is what I require. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Qn_spdM5Zg" width="560"></iframe><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dir. J. J. Abrams</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On reflection, I'm not as thrilled about the conclusion to the Skywalker storyline as I was when I first exited the cinema. There were so many things that I could spend all day writing about that was wrong with it, but by this point, half the internet has already spoken their mind on the matter that I don't see the point. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think I would feel madder about it if I hadn't taken my brother with me and had fun spending time with him, as I was in Bangor when the Last Jedi was released so I couldn't take him. He's enjoyment of the film certainly rubbed off on me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Series Three</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I don't do American comedy. The exceptions? Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel. This lived up to its previous seasons. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">(I really wish I had actually the written detailed notes when I had planned to because four months later and a whole lot of crazy has left me forgetting what points I had to make about this fantastic season.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">December worked out to be more stressful than I had wanted it to be. It was the first one in years in which we weren't living out of someone else's front room and had completely free reign as to how to decorate, what we were doing on the day and who we were spending it with. This also meant that Mum went a bit overboard with her want of everything to be perfect and exactly how she envisioned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyOZKeNwSI0zwSwEO74XjB08bW6kxfWJqhI49z0u1uy6DxZ7kYZzeXJWKinjEEzyi_hsRlYL8oOSFft9Kit1vPnwdEN15T6y_z66jOWj5qdqeSZpQ4ZvUL7VyL4K0nn4hQYE7id5gnug/s1600/20191225_115421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSyOZKeNwSI0zwSwEO74XjB08bW6kxfWJqhI49z0u1uy6DxZ7kYZzeXJWKinjEEzyi_hsRlYL8oOSFft9Kit1vPnwdEN15T6y_z66jOWj5qdqeSZpQ4ZvUL7VyL4K0nn4hQYE7id5gnug/s320/20191225_115421.jpg" width="180" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christmas was good. I got to spend most of it upstairs in my room reading, which is what I have always done on Christmas Day, and my Nan and Uncle came over for the turkey. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't tell my Mum and Sister (I'll never hear the end of it), but they got my present pretty spot on this year. I've been toying with repurchasing the RTD era of Doctor Who on DVD for a few months due to my nature to rewatch them more times than is good for me. But it's been years since I've listened to the episode commentaries and the confidential episodes. Surprisingly, I had not verbalized this at all, but my sister spotted this and it landed in my hands, on Christmas morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of course, I kept my annual tradition alive and rewatched The Christmas Invasion. And I'm sorry to say, I still know the script better than the back of my hand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-50927455303985094722020-03-11T12:45:00.000+00:002020-09-07T09:22:15.636+00:00Guest Post | Why we still need strong girls in stories?<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am delighted by being joined by author, Lari Don, as she celebrates publishing her latest title, Fierce, Fearless and Free. Not only does Lari's latest book put women and girls in the forefront of traditional myths and legends, but advocates a diverse range of cultures from around the world.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMhjyQnLI3fiyY1NbeqQJ6hPboVOb51mCoYLARZfPg-6eJSdqYe0XQIj8MqUJuceRUoExN7z3dLj2p-My01h8UecIVubTfU8KlS2HFjaZjw7VdratHbSKDfTRXN4cRFGVSNvXw7TiKWU/s1600/FFF_CVR_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMhjyQnLI3fiyY1NbeqQJ6hPboVOb51mCoYLARZfPg-6eJSdqYe0XQIj8MqUJuceRUoExN7z3dLj2p-My01h8UecIVubTfU8KlS2HFjaZjw7VdratHbSKDfTRXN4cRFGVSNvXw7TiKWU/s320/FFF_CVR_final.jpg" width="199" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't want to keep you for long, so let me introduce Lari Don talking about...</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Why
we still need strong girls in stories <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">We
all recognise the importance of young readers seeing themselves in stories, but
I believe we should also make sure it’s not just contemporary stories that are
inclusive and inspiring. We need to pay attention to the old stories too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Because
the old stories - myths, legends, fairy
tales and folktales – are the building blocks of many new stories. and they
have a strong hold on our culture and imagination. So, what are girls (and
boys) seeing when they look at many of our best-known traditional tales?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Stories
with no girls in them at all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Stories
about girls waiting to be saved by boys<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Stories
about girls who are given away as prizes (kill the dragon, marry the princess!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Stories
starring girls who are rewarded for being patient, enduring, polite, kind,
silent, passive or, of course, pretty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Is
that what we want to be showing girls and boys? I hope not! But we don’t have
to rewrite the old stories, we just have to search for the stories that have
always existed, in all cultures, about strong active girls who solve their own
problems and defeat their own monsters… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Stories
like: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The
myth of Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love and war, who fought a mountain
because he didn’t respect her and threatened the people who worshipped her.
This is a female character who flies her own chariot, wields her own weapons,
stands up for her own rights, and wrestles a mountain to the ground. (And songs
were sung to this goddess, praising her strength and power, more than four
thousand years ago. Strong women and their stories have always existed!) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The
Siberian legend about Altyn Aryg, whose father refused to accept that she could
lead a tribe, because she was a girl. So she set off to prove him wrong, searching
for a giant serpent that had devoured hundreds of male warriors, running into
its belly and defeating it with her strong sword-arm. This is a traditional
story that directly addresses sexism, and shows the father eventually
recognising his daughter’s courage and ability, and naming her as his heir. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">There
are also stories showing girls can be active and strong without wielding a
weapon, like the story of Kandek, an Armenian farmgirl who met a werewolf on
the edge of the forest, and used clever words and agility to escape the
werewolf’s claws and cooking pot …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">But
the most important thing about the stories I tell in Fierce Fearless and Free,
is that they are not aimed solely at a female audience. I tell these stories in
school canteens, classrooms, tents, and sometimes even caves and castles, to
girls and to boys. And I never get any complaints that I’ve told a story ‘for
girls’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Because I don’t just
share these heroine tales to make a point, I share them because they are really
exciting stories! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><b>Thank you, Lari! I couldn't agree more on the vitality of girls being able to read traditional stories and recognise themselves in those narratives. It's incredibly important in our development, and you're totally right - they are exciting stories that keep you enticed and engrossed.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-9bp7WtUiwT2r-mB_1F3OUBDATPyyq9HPaWERQ1f3bEFFLCAySdYZ5DTipVzKFrv2X0bKBCzqE9H3Kp6BcyHHPLjl_0fkjqD7ywJvvd1NpE1ybnO4uYxFaCOVa1yZkBc1N0djRfCxrA/s1600/FFF_CVR_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-9bp7WtUiwT2r-mB_1F3OUBDATPyyq9HPaWERQ1f3bEFFLCAySdYZ5DTipVzKFrv2X0bKBCzqE9H3Kp6BcyHHPLjl_0fkjqD7ywJvvd1NpE1ybnO4uYxFaCOVa1yZkBc1N0djRfCxrA/s200/FFF_CVR_final.jpg" width="124" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fierce, Fearless and Free</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lari Don</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51097217-fierce-fearless-and-free" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Release Date</i><b> |</b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> 5<sup>th</sup> March 2020<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Genre</i><b> |</b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> MG<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>Page Count</i><b> |</b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> 160<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"></span>
</span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>UK Publisher </i>|</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Bloomsbury</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Summary:<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A brilliant, inclusive collection of
traditional tales from around the world featuring amazing women and girls. Once
upon a time, there was a handsome prince who - no, that's not right! Once upon
a time, there were strong, fierce women who plotted, schemed, took action,
showed kindness, used magic and trickery, and made their own destiny. From the
long-haired Petrosinella who escaped the tower and broke the spell that the
ogress had cast over her and Nana Miriam who beat a hippo using politeness and
magic, to Kate Crackernuts who tried to save her stepsister from her mother's
curse, these are stories of girls doing it for themselves! With stories drawn
from all over the world, including China, Scotland, Armenia, Italy and Nigeria,
Lari Don presents heroine stories that don't leave girls sitting around waiting
to be saved by the handsome prince.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><b>About the Author</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">Lari Don is an award-winning
writer for young people of all ages. She loved Scottish traditional tales as a
child, and now loves gathering myths, legends and folktales from all over the
world to inspire her novels. Since becoming a full-time author, she has written
more than 30 children’s books, from picture books and early readers to
middle-grade adventure novels and a teen thriller. Lari is passionate about
visiting schools and libraries to share the traditional </span><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">tales she
loves, to show how those old stories can be used to inspire new stories, and to
encourage young people to create their own adventures. Fierce, Fearless and
Free is her fifth collection of traditional tales for Bloomsbury, returning to
the theme of her first, the bestselling Girls, Goddesses and Giants. She lives
in Edinburgh with her husband and two fierce, fearless and free daughters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">
</span><br />
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</span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">Website:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.laridon.co.uk/">www.laridon.co.uk</a></span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-no-proof: yes;"> <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://twitter.com/LariDonWriter">http://twitter.com/LariDonWriter</a></span>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 106%;">
</span>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Follow the tour, see below for where to go next:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGbvaKSmiNzqX8c7I6ANuGo7BQ60oNM7Ic9hwZWL5xVHZ5cctJUDCT7JSfIeeT2Fo8pT09B7Nu410fPq1OwKp_XhVXKP8IDA8iHQALzLmXQaBy0qCOawXk0WpWDaKacNilzmAxaGqkdQ/s1600/Fierce+%252CFearless+and+Free+Banner2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1100" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGbvaKSmiNzqX8c7I6ANuGo7BQ60oNM7Ic9hwZWL5xVHZ5cctJUDCT7JSfIeeT2Fo8pT09B7Nu410fPq1OwKp_XhVXKP8IDA8iHQALzLmXQaBy0qCOawXk0WpWDaKacNilzmAxaGqkdQ/s640/Fierce+%252CFearless+and+Free+Banner2.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span>ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-61259565246571110492020-02-11T08:00:00.000+00:002020-09-07T09:31:58.907+00:00Wrap-Up | Nov 2019<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hello. It's February and I'm sat in the library using the wifi.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've missed blogging. I've missed writing my thoughts, writing reviews, taking part in the overall bookish discussions. Not having consistent wifi is proving a challenge; it takes a lot of motivation, as well as finding a specific time for me to set myself up somewhere to work on editing a draft to post. Usually, I write early hours in the morning when the house is quiet, and I feel like I'm on my own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm rambling, but there was a purpose to this: 2020 is the year where I'm really focused on my goals. I want to put the time in once a week to come to the library, write, edit and post, as well as limit spending on books so that I can tick off all the books that I own, and that are unread.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, let's go back in time a little bit. What did I read, watch and do in the month of November?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlSmCBUGvAagfhK-4LpAFmiNoru-9eSrwotV9BscxF-8oKRH23O6_O9-QEz4ogf89QBDE3PL1ZMrssqVqqBvp8P4ncK3r6BPwOZCCWQYL56mor_8NMnakFZHIdoJkl3wipCvlv0cSLbc/s1600/The+Books+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="1600" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlSmCBUGvAagfhK-4LpAFmiNoru-9eSrwotV9BscxF-8oKRH23O6_O9-QEz4ogf89QBDE3PL1ZMrssqVqqBvp8P4ncK3r6BPwOZCCWQYL56mor_8NMnakFZHIdoJkl3wipCvlv0cSLbc/s640/The+Books+%25282%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clean</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Juno Dawson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34850295-clean" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<i>First of all, I fell like I should mention that content warnings for this book consist of drug addiction and drug abuse. However, to list all warnings would mean that you would be reading this post all day. Please do additional research if you think that this might contain something triggering to you.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Clean was an unexpected read in the month of November, but it's one I'm glad that I did. I don't think the reality of drug addiction and recognizing what it means to be an addict isn't really covered in YA, or done in a manner that is an easily digestible read. Juno Dawson tackles this</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> heavy topic with heart and respect. What an important book! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6O3MpEaAxBJlwxOM5d7xyBAYZU57_M1b0L4M3J5dL_ZeskHABPqf_RBcwCvLsYtpb2FXA4L75fvskTI4n4RaLINGA2gYts4F4WLqSc_1R4Yz4pWX8fQ4g9iTK6NjRe4CWCDinyL73QOY/s1600/The+Missing+Girl+Shirley+Jackson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6O3MpEaAxBJlwxOM5d7xyBAYZU57_M1b0L4M3J5dL_ZeskHABPqf_RBcwCvLsYtpb2FXA4L75fvskTI4n4RaLINGA2gYts4F4WLqSc_1R4Yz4pWX8fQ4g9iTK6NjRe4CWCDinyL73QOY/s200/The+Missing+Girl+Shirley+Jackson.jpg" width="138" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Missing Girl</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shirley Jackson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36436081-the-missing-girl" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For me, the horror genre is split in two. You have horror and then terror; one is visual, the other is phycological. For me Shirley Jackson is one of the best of the latter - I love her short story The Lottery and the way it unravels. This just didn't cut it for me and was overall rather forgettable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvpNcxNkSc29BXiM7rms4ILf8au0Ct7eRZ29AO6DIRuqjoavM16hTeUYof6hyoEHOyLozWdzqsLRo29Isc64bDkR3OWG63Wn9pfGEu5IIkW_wv0a8hmZLaIBTdAqZB1LhNPst4FosaKo/s1600/The+Yearbook+Committee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvpNcxNkSc29BXiM7rms4ILf8au0Ct7eRZ29AO6DIRuqjoavM16hTeUYof6hyoEHOyLozWdzqsLRo29Isc64bDkR3OWG63Wn9pfGEu5IIkW_wv0a8hmZLaIBTdAqZB1LhNPst4FosaKo/s200/The+Yearbook+Committee.jpg" width="127" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Yearbook Committee</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarah Ayoub</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26241526-the-yearbook-committee" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I shouldn't have read this so close in succession to Clean, as they both used drugs to some effect, but The Yearbook Committee felt underdeveloped and juvenile.<br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PusrGLy0YuMwk8i6iXToLxEw7Kah7_Zp9wGvK0cpfB7T-DamjqrUfpHc0vNSqfXLAomQHQMIkn2uWDgVF7Tsoaml6lSHM2gk2wmBYE56mGrH4dZFCCEAvbA2IGL-tHXiBLZ9jyd2esg/s1600/A+Curse+So+Dark+and+Lonely.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PusrGLy0YuMwk8i6iXToLxEw7Kah7_Zp9wGvK0cpfB7T-DamjqrUfpHc0vNSqfXLAomQHQMIkn2uWDgVF7Tsoaml6lSHM2gk2wmBYE56mGrH4dZFCCEAvbA2IGL-tHXiBLZ9jyd2esg/s200/A+Curse+So+Dark+and+Lonely.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A Curse so Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brigid Kemerer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43204703-a-curse-so-dark-and-lonely" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts: </span><br />
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</div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I always think I'm done with Beauty and the Beast retellings and then one comes along and bites my ankles. This was fresh and didn't fall into the trap of Stockholm Syndrome and instalove that often personifies in YA retellings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iXgzMTBDfLM-7_ydLoeRIofFqaHhw3ooc2_39gxLUKb4fFhl2Ojqp4DLoNK5WQwdUxYthJM_2Z7c2y_sWbBAFLBMZE_s7xojRlUyXuMQYKvr26F99kjz9ETMcq2Eav119j9D21o1msQ/s1600/Fortun+The+Milk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iXgzMTBDfLM-7_ydLoeRIofFqaHhw3ooc2_39gxLUKb4fFhl2Ojqp4DLoNK5WQwdUxYthJM_2Z7c2y_sWbBAFLBMZE_s7xojRlUyXuMQYKvr26F99kjz9ETMcq2Eav119j9D21o1msQ/s200/Fortun+The+Milk.jpg" width="145" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Fortunately, The Milk</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Written by Neil Gaiman; Illustrated by Chris Riddell</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17206921-fortunately-the-milk" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have a faint recollection of reading this one afternoon in my then, local library, many moons ago. However, I had completely forgotten the existance of it until my little brother came home from school one night and proceeded to read it in one sitting... and then I did too. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a sweet story! One I definitely recommend to read to a kid - although, please don't randomly sit down next to one and start reading. Make sure you know them first!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXusdFzUcLTQrjDqq_eULzEq0S5ThdAhgO-2Ttq8tFiF1O-Pzw3-A2D6f6Ep_r4h2teD2_T_nYJi8SOX-g3bstB0UYf3TE1OUlYsW3p9vKen7vDj78Tug35UwTS9EB7y9FmzRTmhM26dg/s1600/The+nightjar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXusdFzUcLTQrjDqq_eULzEq0S5ThdAhgO-2Ttq8tFiF1O-Pzw3-A2D6f6Ep_r4h2teD2_T_nYJi8SOX-g3bstB0UYf3TE1OUlYsW3p9vKen7vDj78Tug35UwTS9EB7y9FmzRTmhM26dg/s200/The+nightjar.jpg" width="132" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Nightjar</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Deborah Hewitt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43263556-the-nightjar" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was sent to me by the lovely team at PanMac, after I had read the synopsis and the pitch. Unfortunately this one just fell completely flat on it's face and every time I thought it was picking up and moving in a direction I liked, the protagonist seemed to make illogical and ill-informed choices that left me wanting to shake her shoulder and tell her to get a bloody grip!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Temeraire (Temeraire #1)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Naomi Novik</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/891592.Temeraire" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been planning on doing a reread of Temeraire for ages, but just never got round to doing it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm really pleased did though, even though I didn't feel like it was quite a favourite anymore, I still really love the relationship between Temeraire and his rider, Lawerence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials #2)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Philip Pullman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24937356-the-subtle-knife" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm really loving my decision to reread Pullman's His Dark Materials at the moment, even though I have been holding off fro read The Amber Spyglass for months because I don't want to get to the end. (To be fair, I do own La Belle Sauvage if I ever feel inclined to return.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've said this before when I wrote about reading Northern Lights, but there is something wonderful about having left it so long that I don't remember a lot of the plot points and being able to put new meaning to the context of the world building and character relationships that I didn't quite understand as a young child. Much like Serafina and Lee Scorsby, which by the end of this book made me soft at how the lengths they will go for Lyra. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Graveyard Book</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Neil Gaiman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6687860-the-graveyard-book" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have some recollection of this story, but never of reading it. I'm pretty sure they were adapting this to a movie and tv show, with a cast and everything, because I remember it being featured on Blue Peter when I was growing up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That being said, is there a Neil Gaiman book that I will give anything less than four stars to? I loved how this didn't feel like one story, but an anthology of snippets of Bod's life growing up in this graveyard and how he developed in adulthood. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>All the Bad Apples</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Moira Fowley-Doyle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40545833-all-the-bad-apples" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My GOD! When I bought this last year, I had heard some fantastic things that made it sound like I was going to be a new favourite book; and it did not disappoint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>His Dark Materials</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Adapted by Jack Thorne</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is the adaptation that we all deserved! The cast was electric and magnificent, projecting us into the polar fantasy landscape that I have wanted to see visually since I first read the books... and then was left with a sour note after the 2007 adaptation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My only gripe was the handling of daemons. They were completely put in post-production which limited the interaction between humans and daemons. It wasn't apparent in the first couple of episodes but there's a scene in the book that is rather integral to understanding the bond that felt like it was downplayed by the alteration Jack Thorne made. (Can you tell I am TRYING REALLY HARD to not spoil anything?) And how Lyra's first instincts just felt like it missed the mark. Hopefully, this is something that get's taken on board as they go on to develop the final series.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, I am really glad I had decided to reread The Subtle Knife when I did because... spoilers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Carnaval Row</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Created by René Echevarria and Travis Beachum</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was hesitant about going into this. I'm not fond of either Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne and as the leading roles I was pretty 'eh'; its PR and Marketing were intense and were being hailed as "the next Game of Thrones" (see why I was terrified?). But, that being said, I think this was the best performance I have ever seen from Bloom and Delevingne. Along with the supporting cast such as Tamsin Merchant, Andrew Gower, Indira Verma, and Jared Harris: it was spectacular! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you love gritty detective noir and steampunk narratives, I think this one is definitely one to give a go.</span><br />
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As I briefly mentioned at the start of this blog post, I haven't had constant internet for the past several months. This is why in 2020 I have had to make the elective decision to spend more time at the library then I wish to.<br />
So.<br />
Hello. How are we all?<br />
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Not much else happened in November.<br />
I attended my first launch event as a work event rather than something to do in the evening. That was terrifying and I am pretty sure I looked just like the fool as I felt. Get me in a room talking books, I'm good. Handbags? Useless.<br />
At this point, life was getting a little too much for me. I was not going out, I wasn't reaching out to friends as much as I should and was keeping some stuff close to my chest. I'm not going to go into that here, either, it wouldn't be fair as it involves family members. Nor is it for me to talk about with a bunch of strangers on the internet.<br />
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<br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-16005891072758194542020-02-06T08:00:00.000+00:002020-09-07T09:42:09.745+00:00Book Haul | January 2020 (#Gifted)Let's go 3-for-3, how about that?<br />
Something that is finally relevant to the year we are currently inhabiting - there's a metaphor in there somewhere.<br />
This year I am really trying to make the conscious effort of reducing the books I am buying and requesting from publishers to try and reduce the TBR pile by a lot. It was going okay... until all the publicists unleashed their secret weapon; their blogger lists.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fragile Things: Short Fictions & Wanderings</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Neil Gaiman</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/862815.Fragile_Things" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Bought in a charity shop near work - I immediately picked it up when I realized that there was a few short stories in this one I have yet to read.**</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher </i>| Headline</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date</i> | 2007 (this edition)</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A Blink of the Screen</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Terry Pratchett</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13536811-a-blink-of-the-screen?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=FeWymp4jDW&rank=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**At a similar time, I picked this up for 50p. Short fiction is fantastic when I'm feeling slumpy and need to shake it up a bit.**</span></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Publisher</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> | Doubleday</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Release Date </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| October 29th, 2012</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Stars We Steal</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alexa Donne</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50867498-the-stars-we-steal" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Publisher </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| Titan Books</span></div>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Release Date</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> | February 4th, 2020</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjXYlQnSA5Evf_eGpwEWEkkE9Hemp9JiRM759EYP2nf_EyO8_0FM_jnEijWPyFv-OqKOHKgd6q3u_V0vB9Ol491X19KqDl-wNeMNa-IjdVpWragfW04afSK3zU-ygQdLE2AxfFbTAyWg/s1600/47936726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1562" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjXYlQnSA5Evf_eGpwEWEkkE9Hemp9JiRM759EYP2nf_EyO8_0FM_jnEijWPyFv-OqKOHKgd6q3u_V0vB9Ol491X19KqDl-wNeMNa-IjdVpWragfW04afSK3zU-ygQdLE2AxfFbTAyWg/s200/47936726.jpg" width="127" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Golden Key </span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Marian Womack</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47936726-the-golden-key?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ss4xBVMBxW&rank=4" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Publisher |</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Titan Books</span></div>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Release Date</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> | February 18th, 2020</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPErOy0ng8azLRANiNXlz3G6JI0PI5uehTR6BJqxtIkZc-QKPxk1QmH1XlDJJjP5J0BtgslKEyVGK2vttfHdIJkQuYAId9Mv2JOC6m5QKlOz9ROaG89nvAeLYpnzIxfBXGkMxdVZPfVY/s1600/the+bitter+twins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPErOy0ng8azLRANiNXlz3G6JI0PI5uehTR6BJqxtIkZc-QKPxk1QmH1XlDJJjP5J0BtgslKEyVGK2vttfHdIJkQuYAId9Mv2JOC6m5QKlOz9ROaG89nvAeLYpnzIxfBXGkMxdVZPfVY/s200/the+bitter+twins.jpg" width="130" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Bitter Twins (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy #2)</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jen Williams</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36383566-the-bitter-twins#" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**I recieved a copy from the publisher when it was first published, but I then passed it onto a friend after I had read it - so I bought a smaller paperback signed when I popped into Forbidden Planet.**</span></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Publisher</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> | Headline</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Release Date </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| August 8th, 2018</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdwXxOp_XAeE0allDLa-kEv4sdUolR9i04vF6Ne0PGZXHFYRv4VABzvPzyWar-E_Nh8SA_jA3L5bYl93SOZ8VEOYx59RrCDhIx_Bz9viS6J4FnsnyP1Cr3NptL-FpKazsM1cK5hrwy2Y/s1600/48408361._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdwXxOp_XAeE0allDLa-kEv4sdUolR9i04vF6Ne0PGZXHFYRv4VABzvPzyWar-E_Nh8SA_jA3L5bYl93SOZ8VEOYx59RrCDhIx_Bz9viS6J4FnsnyP1Cr3NptL-FpKazsM1cK5hrwy2Y/s200/48408361._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The Library of the Unwritten (Hell's Library #1)</b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A.J. Hackwith</span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48408361-the-library-of-the-unwritten" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Publisher | Titan Books</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Release Date | February 11th, 2020</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvToosdo93MQRRSwbdCgje2OPUZTxHZ2xa-cV-roawx70rXhHkJNenmxokTnbVjmk6FVKNDkGoLioIOLelnn9A7T-Q5G77rt07Ngy9G7H2ri_UNKGP5VipuJx4dEjVLYBntN9q_zSpYH0/s1600/34916578._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvToosdo93MQRRSwbdCgje2OPUZTxHZ2xa-cV-roawx70rXhHkJNenmxokTnbVjmk6FVKNDkGoLioIOLelnn9A7T-Q5G77rt07Ngy9G7H2ri_UNKGP5VipuJx4dEjVLYBntN9q_zSpYH0/s200/34916578._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">Bone Grier's Moon (Bone Grace #1)</b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kathryn Purdie</span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46249012-bone-crier-s-moon" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Publisher </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| Katherine Tegen Books</span></div>
<div>
<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Release Date </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| March 10th, 2020</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPgQZQ4TMxYvhcpjb5HQzpGsjMjUqUvLZWGXbs6kFC24sCt5cGuJFyZji9tPDVShPE8RM6-RExt5YxqsP43H2kB42fVqTjHXRPuL5NKIXjM8Ta_fBqR_c3orrG-i3abcG9B2GZDJtKks/s1600/45046606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqPgQZQ4TMxYvhcpjb5HQzpGsjMjUqUvLZWGXbs6kFC24sCt5cGuJFyZji9tPDVShPE8RM6-RExt5YxqsP43H2kB42fVqTjHXRPuL5NKIXjM8Ta_fBqR_c3orrG-i3abcG9B2GZDJtKks/s200/45046606.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">A Queen in Hiding (The Nine Realms #1)</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarah Kozloff</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046606-a-queen-in-hiding" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Publisher </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| Tor Books UK</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">UK Release Date </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">| January 21st, 2020</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyJ5urSG9ZfpwXCBKUGz0oxKlHpA09of8EHMuUZlMqItcLgFEAPn-W3iyvKZdadFA6nY7F1iKnKa-Wltrh7A2R54C1nsfMwS4vF3DplLoIsBfTwnHrK2baiKtVJuygQiRukxttHfaMRA/s1600/The+Books+%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="1600" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyJ5urSG9ZfpwXCBKUGz0oxKlHpA09of8EHMuUZlMqItcLgFEAPn-W3iyvKZdadFA6nY7F1iKnKa-Wltrh7A2R54C1nsfMwS4vF3DplLoIsBfTwnHrK2baiKtVJuygQiRukxttHfaMRA/s640/The+Books+%25285%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-14084288216764844532020-02-05T14:53:00.000+00:002020-09-07T11:49:33.187+00:00Book Haul | November - December 2019 (#Gifted)<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm still clinging on here to try and get better at this spending once a week in the library to try and write one blog post a week. However, my chaotic way of writing 5 posts, in tidbits, at the same time has meant that part two of yesterday's end-of-year book haul is ready and waiting to be put up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why wait when this was due to go up over a month ago?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KrgOC0emsSH8uRq6rKO6ItWkrwn728AA7D_hWFUxf6BO9zOvGG1sCPENrxIvh2Qbv-IpZk25yP-cjzEsR0hPro1yS4PUPbX3EHjtPSX5tLYYG_-tumyindAyBjGkvy-VIgnK2zX00Kc/s1600/November+December+Book+Haul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KrgOC0emsSH8uRq6rKO6ItWkrwn728AA7D_hWFUxf6BO9zOvGG1sCPENrxIvh2Qbv-IpZk25yP-cjzEsR0hPro1yS4PUPbX3EHjtPSX5tLYYG_-tumyindAyBjGkvy-VIgnK2zX00Kc/s640/November+December+Book+Haul.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>November </i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjWGZUPd7hcKbRV7ajQKPscV6cjz4Y9HtXr59fe1zK3gsdCdVzOCB1Mdkvt7_w5TUWB4wXkidbuAIH1iYnJ8U7D73wwcQg1c-pRmwXGGI8TN8ON-zkjERUphLm1EWRX_6up__GPEyrkw/s1600/42730332._SX318_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjWGZUPd7hcKbRV7ajQKPscV6cjz4Y9HtXr59fe1zK3gsdCdVzOCB1Mdkvt7_w5TUWB4wXkidbuAIH1iYnJ8U7D73wwcQg1c-pRmwXGGI8TN8ON-zkjERUphLm1EWRX_6up__GPEyrkw/s200/42730332._SX318_.jpg" width="136" /></span></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Starless Sea</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Erin Morgenstern</span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42730332-the-starless-sea" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**I had this on pre-order the moment it was announced, luckily I had a £10 Waterstones voucher to cover the cost**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Publisher | Harvill Secker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Release Date | November 5th, 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Zy-ZLjK0WtYhiHyCbq_mnbwRP6khL1OpKXZLGuLY9TaN9AFqjBr8wCWkWB5EH192JMjCIOFd8ohVpWsYFTyeC6-1CbnWt-CJ9S9alD3L9sTG8Oaq5f76puy5cl-4JBQLsCVx8V_ZRoo/s1600/47909347._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Zy-ZLjK0WtYhiHyCbq_mnbwRP6khL1OpKXZLGuLY9TaN9AFqjBr8wCWkWB5EH192JMjCIOFd8ohVpWsYFTyeC6-1CbnWt-CJ9S9alD3L9sTG8Oaq5f76puy5cl-4JBQLsCVx8V_ZRoo/s200/47909347._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The True Queen (Sorcerer Royal #2)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zen Cho</span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47909347-the-true-queen" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Publisher | PanMacmillan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Release Date | November 14th, 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTzfj0ELQvOe03dBHp3_tNIwpfeJmU03ejS2ntZ5TwgzRz8zgfxwEhl9uIWoxRAv2QVGo4ejIKiwIxvfskKviJVz3-oy-l0XTqvyZq36WF1Q_wETdcI97ozpj7vZJF3kNFtc9lozjgxA/s1600/43263178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1053" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTzfj0ELQvOe03dBHp3_tNIwpfeJmU03ejS2ntZ5TwgzRz8zgfxwEhl9uIWoxRAv2QVGo4ejIKiwIxvfskKviJVz3-oy-l0XTqvyZq36WF1Q_wETdcI97ozpj7vZJF3kNFtc9lozjgxA/s200/43263178.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Knight of the Silver Circle (Dragonslayer #2)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Duncam M. Hamilton</span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43263178-knight-of-the-silver-circle?from_search=true&qid=77ATaHoR25&rank=1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a></div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher | </i>Tor Books</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date | </i>November 19th, 2019</span></span></span></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">December</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyLR3J5vYHzDx5sqlIfPN-5gTnFNA3o-QzYKwLpBFVSqYy_yNWePul2CsrZStV17khfXE1iV_cDIFs8rNdPe_X7hiMHvAy2tVwHPHcvlXHK_ZjDaxsyOBmsA0KsuSkHqlLyguCtr-BAQ/s1600/42442934._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyLR3J5vYHzDx5sqlIfPN-5gTnFNA3o-QzYKwLpBFVSqYy_yNWePul2CsrZStV17khfXE1iV_cDIFs8rNdPe_X7hiMHvAy2tVwHPHcvlXHK_ZjDaxsyOBmsA0KsuSkHqlLyguCtr-BAQ/s200/42442934._SY475_.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Queen of Coin and Whispers</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Helen Corcoran<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42442934-queen-of-coin-and-whispers" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | The O'Brien Press</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date |</i> April 6th, 2020</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQEiUrpElgqWthoWLOh4IS6hNAvGvnYBpSZhqYnTSBgRBenpMRudWt75JYstJnvMI-vqiH7TtSZZ6kbwPyiBVU-o2h00HcORKMTOR8bU1bgZ7w364sY7T8nx2lOrcEpVJGccs-IV03bE/s1600/18300264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQEiUrpElgqWthoWLOh4IS6hNAvGvnYBpSZhqYnTSBgRBenpMRudWt75JYstJnvMI-vqiH7TtSZZ6kbwPyiBVU-o2h00HcORKMTOR8bU1bgZ7w364sY7T8nx2lOrcEpVJGccs-IV03bE/s200/18300264.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Northanger Abbey</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jane Austen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18300264-northanger-abbey" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">** This copy was gifted to me by one of the most generous souls, Moon, over on Twitter. Go visit her <a href="https://moonkestrelblog.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> and give her a follow. THANK YOU. THANK YOU! **</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PurnnBuUWa73jygdVYuCcA_zzASiTvdqG3Yj5Gk5x59RO_kCF_8391z1mEScqOyCoNqJbBzDUZM1GpqXswGET5PaRNCttJ3W2nLE5PHv1Fimrxo5zDgErmVLSDZ4Ss-afTJZ1dodY0E/s1600/50066713._SX318_SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PurnnBuUWa73jygdVYuCcA_zzASiTvdqG3Yj5Gk5x59RO_kCF_8391z1mEScqOyCoNqJbBzDUZM1GpqXswGET5PaRNCttJ3W2nLE5PHv1Fimrxo5zDgErmVLSDZ4Ss-afTJZ1dodY0E/s200/50066713._SX318_SY475_.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A Throne of Swans (A Throne of Swans #1)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Katherine & Elizabeth Corr</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50066713-a-throne-of-swans?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aBKpV4YRcF&rank=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher | </i>Hot Key Books</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date | </i>January 9th, 2019</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLZPGUXLgy5rwC7sY9Fk4FXpW4QclOzPyvg9R-K7fwyxKOEqoxVCsvPRyX6HOpBsLNoleRPDNZSDlhrh49LpyTPBWxHicqgX8pipG-Af-YaEoTUKF0Q77g32aRLnca2xgeRjSPh7-s8k/s1600/39281503._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLZPGUXLgy5rwC7sY9Fk4FXpW4QclOzPyvg9R-K7fwyxKOEqoxVCsvPRyX6HOpBsLNoleRPDNZSDlhrh49LpyTPBWxHicqgX8pipG-Af-YaEoTUKF0Q77g32aRLnca2xgeRjSPh7-s8k/s200/39281503._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicles #3)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jay Kristoff</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39281503-darkdawn" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>** I had a little Christmas money and the Waterstones exclusive edition was only £6; how would you be able to resist?**</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher </i>| HarperVoyagerUK</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date</i> | September 5th, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQT4tz-VfvRjnocYsG20Y4gAoZ7O0X_6scJkHjJ9G1OB0ZE2usMPRIVOYkkAK-F8lgo75ct5ne2j636Q6OYquvyXF3e0Zd-p9wYIt8UyYkc_p7w_L4ro6Udb8-cfgUpHqKf51xzA_B1U/s1600/23306321._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIQT4tz-VfvRjnocYsG20Y4gAoZ7O0X_6scJkHjJ9G1OB0ZE2usMPRIVOYkkAK-F8lgo75ct5ne2j636Q6OYquvyXF3e0Zd-p9wYIt8UyYkc_p7w_L4ro6Udb8-cfgUpHqKf51xzA_B1U/s200/23306321._SY475_.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (The Tales of Dunk and Egg #1-3)</b></span><br />
George R.R. Martin<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23306321-a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br />
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**This was gifted to me by the lovely Jenn over at Jenniely - go and give her a little love over on her <a href="https://www.jenniely.com/">blog.</a>**</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Publisher | HarperVoyager UK</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">UK Release Date | October 6th, 2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh9oXi4k2MrFURyLWQzr25AI1wsk_E9-xh0AZHQPFj_MQ0h9Ij2kh-KH0d88w_QlAVuZDZRQOAPqdKpdTOYqUuuHNLoRQYGlswdEct-eH7yyZXgMdJa-ABhvurmECQBKETHYfEKjClnY/s1600/25985840._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh9oXi4k2MrFURyLWQzr25AI1wsk_E9-xh0AZHQPFj_MQ0h9Ij2kh-KH0d88w_QlAVuZDZRQOAPqdKpdTOYqUuuHNLoRQYGlswdEct-eH7yyZXgMdJa-ABhvurmECQBKETHYfEKjClnY/s200/25985840._SY475_.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders #1)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Robin Hobb</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25985840-ship-of-magic">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>**I bought myself a copy (FINALLY!!) after no one in my family took the drastic hints of: can you buy me a copy of Ship of Magic for Christmas, please?**</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher </i>| HarperVoyagerUK</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| September 10th, 2015 (this edition)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyJ5urSG9ZfpwXCBKUGz0oxKlHpA09of8EHMuUZlMqItcLgFEAPn-W3iyvKZdadFA6nY7F1iKnKa-Wltrh7A2R54C1nsfMwS4vF3DplLoIsBfTwnHrK2baiKtVJuygQiRukxttHfaMRA/s1600/The+Books+%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="1600" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyJ5urSG9ZfpwXCBKUGz0oxKlHpA09of8EHMuUZlMqItcLgFEAPn-W3iyvKZdadFA6nY7F1iKnKa-Wltrh7A2R54C1nsfMwS4vF3DplLoIsBfTwnHrK2baiKtVJuygQiRukxttHfaMRA/s640/The+Books+%25285%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-15932594738613362962020-02-03T16:35:00.000+00:002020-09-07T11:51:52.407+00:00Book Haul | October 2019 (#Gifted)*taps mic*<br />
Hel - Hello? Is this thing on?<br />
Who knew I still knew how to open blogger and click on the new post tab?<br />
Am I really going to do this? Apparently so, because while I've been gone, I have bought and received so many fantastic books that I feel like it's a crime for not sharing them sooner. It's been four months since I last posted a book haul, so I'm going up to brake the final quarter of 2019 up into two posts: October and then November - December.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy_rRJ5bYiughAqP9MOLeN_gMRKTX4eOYf0sffr3RGap2apyjzh-Mbf1flbmSqKNjT6hT4XBBMplDfoKji2B4qNjC2fUJJxUznK7s4dgCGSAfdBBqUOHWliyyySOY06Qdoihv55JyTOY/s1600/26241526._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioy_rRJ5bYiughAqP9MOLeN_gMRKTX4eOYf0sffr3RGap2apyjzh-Mbf1flbmSqKNjT6hT4XBBMplDfoKji2B4qNjC2fUJJxUznK7s4dgCGSAfdBBqUOHWliyyySOY06Qdoihv55JyTOY/s200/26241526._SY475_.jpg" width="128" /></span></b></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Yearbook Committee</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sarah Ayoub</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26241526-the-yearbook-committee" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher | </i>HarperCollins</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i style="background-color: #f8f8f8; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">UK Release Date | </i><span style="background-color: #f8f8f8; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">January 9th, 2020</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzrNFSroyUYuCDxJYc0taBSOxXKJFiJrAgHTG73zNwf3ZK2hdhSl0Wj0pUyvJnGoCjGjAj43aUxI3POPjjjQM53NHe_XKBR4v4_QUZA55R-wk00qOMyHwARihrZQhb58Gj56LViO8Njk/s1600/43255070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzrNFSroyUYuCDxJYc0taBSOxXKJFiJrAgHTG73zNwf3ZK2hdhSl0Wj0pUyvJnGoCjGjAj43aUxI3POPjjjQM53NHe_XKBR4v4_QUZA55R-wk00qOMyHwARihrZQhb58Gj56LViO8Njk/s200/43255070.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Name of All Things (A Chorus of Dragons #2)</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jenn Lyons</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43255070-the-name-of-all-things?from_search=true&qid=wLZPq2q5YI&rank=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Tor Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| October 29th, 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPAxzcq84mPyjxf51RcQItRc2ZyInMdxGKxmKJDbwqA7YzvLDjKaEyX2ffqzCYHTH7WrRN7Vr0BKUX_sHF7wN0bnP70iAo-XZFH-BW-dQZur3E8evSFhkwYwc-L7MyFZiQ_lSU76kAmQ/s1600/48213826._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPAxzcq84mPyjxf51RcQItRc2ZyInMdxGKxmKJDbwqA7YzvLDjKaEyX2ffqzCYHTH7WrRN7Vr0BKUX_sHF7wN0bnP70iAo-XZFH-BW-dQZur3E8evSFhkwYwc-L7MyFZiQ_lSU76kAmQ/s200/48213826._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Skein Island</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aliya Whiteley</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48213826-skein-island" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Titan Books</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">November 5th, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONN6r20FTKv4WNFImVwzBlF_7hJctPqCgQ0xy9Pl3R5lKwItfY3t1MD4wrKC3sKrxli_RAr687ojZRHdzI6P29wdh88TXr8L5irtlUgC8XfU564EiawGuz38nAlZoUw4oxur-M1FMc1U/s1600/41724638._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONN6r20FTKv4WNFImVwzBlF_7hJctPqCgQ0xy9Pl3R5lKwItfY3t1MD4wrKC3sKrxli_RAr687ojZRHdzI6P29wdh88TXr8L5irtlUgC8XfU564EiawGuz38nAlZoUw4oxur-M1FMc1U/s200/41724638._SY475_.jpg" width="130" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Girl Lucky (The Valentines #1)</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Holly Smale</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41724638-happy-girl-lucky" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Bought during an Book Sale supporting a charity cause**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></i></b><br />
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start;">
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | HarperCollins</span></span></span></i></b></div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start;">
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| February 9th, 2019</span></span></span></i></b></div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBMm8xk9Sd_-ldZQeENjUokGa_gDBcFrUHKdB2A-iwFYM27ZGhrlNoQeziMLz-PhiZ5X7liKg1mxKz7nHVJaKLxtiofRai6y7eNC7JiP0b_YpegAk9LGjXhiEXDb9LEJZT3exACEQNsw/s1600/40189670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBMm8xk9Sd_-ldZQeENjUokGa_gDBcFrUHKdB2A-iwFYM27ZGhrlNoQeziMLz-PhiZ5X7liKg1mxKz7nHVJaKLxtiofRai6y7eNC7JiP0b_YpegAk9LGjXhiEXDb9LEJZT3exACEQNsw/s200/40189670.jpg" width="128" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Josh + Hazel's Guide to Not Dating</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christina Lauren</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Bought during an Book Sale supporting a charity cause**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span></i></b><br />
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start;">
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Piatkus</span></span></span></i></b></div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span></i></b>
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<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start;">
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| September 4th, 2018</span></span></span></i></b></div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdU-V-AmwJ-5u-rpLf-GA3Nu_zs18oEKWQJaNvigm4JcvTNlVB0kulyuLE6ZhaT6En78doES6nR7AF-rY1vht6Z6kc3g3knwqd_39K-RX8Lp8B17z-qrY8vyewn7nJueCjMMnSE4jRdc/s1600/45046552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdU-V-AmwJ-5u-rpLf-GA3Nu_zs18oEKWQJaNvigm4JcvTNlVB0kulyuLE6ZhaT6En78doES6nR7AF-rY1vht6Z6kc3g3knwqd_39K-RX8Lp8B17z-qrY8vyewn7nJueCjMMnSE4jRdc/s200/45046552.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Unspoken Name (The Serpent Gates #1)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A.K. Larkwood</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046552-the-unspoken-name" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Tor Books UK</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| February 20th, 2020</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv6MMHKoBXVr1JHdiqw3YQ2whnwQLjupTzv92kjhoUgJ-r3KbpYOyz1eNMjDZ7SjgtHkn1Z_YX74LDbhuZVSzy4fhmqSKy_1suqCfthmHlMLyKCBxOAY2KvbcjwJznKF_21pKGKqZ0tY/s1600/43697442._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqv6MMHKoBXVr1JHdiqw3YQ2whnwQLjupTzv92kjhoUgJ-r3KbpYOyz1eNMjDZ7SjgtHkn1Z_YX74LDbhuZVSzy4fhmqSKy_1suqCfthmHlMLyKCBxOAY2KvbcjwJznKF_21pKGKqZ0tY/s200/43697442._SY475_.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Warrior of Altaii </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Robert Jordan</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43683127-warrior-of-the-altaii" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Received from the publisher as a gift in exchange for an honest and truthful review**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Tor Books</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| October 8th, 2019</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Copper Promise (The Copper Cat Trilogy #1)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jen Williams</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18667112-the-copper-promise?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=iu1vnpY5pK&rank=1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Found in a local charity shop brand new for just short of a nugget - proper please to finally repurchase a copy.</span></span></i></b><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Headline Books</span></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| February 14th, 2014</span></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Victoria Schwab </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43876229-tunnel-of-bones" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**I treated myself in Waterstones, okay?</span></span></i></b><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Scholastic UK</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| September 5th, 2019</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKm9aN92OgdnoXp65wYrbkc_OMxqRxGDMnylAVxdp7_M08bqs1Y22gpMzP5MHMis8sDYS3YEv7T_-H-VykYRnPuVB_s7jp2BarUz4Hj608A8GevujrieZlj2qXBqTLNObLCiiKFopZAs/s1600/39895858._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKm9aN92OgdnoXp65wYrbkc_OMxqRxGDMnylAVxdp7_M08bqs1Y22gpMzP5MHMis8sDYS3YEv7T_-H-VykYRnPuVB_s7jp2BarUz4Hj608A8GevujrieZlj2qXBqTLNObLCiiKFopZAs/s200/39895858._SY475_.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust #1)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Philip Pullman</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39895858-la-belle-sauvage" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**Ditto.</span></span></i></b><b style="background-color: #f8f8f8; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">**</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Penguin </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date </i>| September 6th, 2018</span></div>
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-35561500091019726442019-10-31T12:13:00.000+00:002020-01-13T11:18:07.978+00:00Wrap-Up | October 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well... Blogtober went down the pan, didn't it? I do have all the blog posts typed up, but never had a chance to paste them into the web, take photos and then add all the links. Perhaps I'll save them, some I might put up in the coming weeks as they are most autumnal discussion posts and others I'll save and edit them for next year. I don't just like saving the planet, I like saving my words too.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Edited by Christopher Golden and Rachel Autumn Deering</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43793041-hex-life" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still need to post my review for this. I had planned to post it around the release date, however, things have gotten in the way. I really loved this collection and thought it was well thought out and put together. The Night Nurse is still giving me goosebumps.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Lie Tree</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Francis Hardinge</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23592175-the-lie-tree" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been really good at reading all the book titles that have just been sitting on my shelf for years. This was the second-longest titled I owned and honestly, I shouldn't regret reading it sooner, but I do. Atmospheric, suspenseful, and magical, Hardinge managed to balance history and the strange to create a masterful children's novel.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Devouring Gray</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christine Lynn Herman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42190061-the-devouring-gray" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A lot of these books I still need to type up my reviews and this is one of them. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, for the most part, the characters of Violet and Isaac. There's just something magical about small-town settings that just works for contemporary fantasy settings and Herman got the tone perfect.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span id="goog_351652950"></span><span id="goog_351652951"></span>Northern Lights (His Dark Materials #1)</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Philip Pullman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24937342-northern-lights" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My Thoughts:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I thought I remembered these books. That I knew the story, the characters and every plot nuance that Pullman put together in this wonderful novel. I was so wrong. The whole experience felt like coming home after being away for a long stretch of time. Nothing changes, the words haven't changed, but I have. My perception of the motivations and characters have changed; I've matured to a point where I can read other meanings into the prose. Just fantastic!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Of Sand & Malice Made (The Song of the Shattered Sands #1)</span></b><br />
Bradley Beaulieu<br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30986409-of-sand-and-malice-made" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><b>My Thoughts:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">A couple of months later, and my memory of this one is a little hazy. It was a fun little read and gave a little more backstory on </span><span style="background-color: white;">Çeda; although, I'm not sure if this will tie into book two and onwards, that's something I am looking forward to finding out next year.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">Stardust (2007)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">Dir. Mathew Vaughn</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">I finally managed to convince my brother to watch Stardust for the first time this month. The verdict: "It was good, but I fell asleep." So I'll need to try again, but maybe this time, not at 10pm? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">Stardust is one of my favourite books; the audiobook, alone, I've listened to twice this year. Although I felt guilty about marking it in my reading challenge twice. I understand quite a few folks that I follow, online, read it recently and didn't enjoy as much as I do. The film is a little more child-friendly than the book, but I'm okay with that because it makes for a fantastic fun adventure film. </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">Like I mentioned, Blogtober was a massive failure. And some people have noticed that I have gone a little radio silent. There are a few reasons for that, the main one being that for three days a week my time is taken up by my role as a PR intern. </span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">I am absolutely loving it so far! It has given me a real taste of what it is like to be working in the PR sector and so far - I can safely say that this is what I want to continue doing. I just wish I was working in the publishing or entertainment sector, instead of where I have ended up.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">As mentioned, Blogtober went downhill pretty quickly. As disappointed as I am, it did mean that I have some</span><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;"> good pre-written content. When I'll post it, it is another problem entirely.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: justify;">Apart from that, there isn't anything else that needs to be reported for the month of October. </span><br />
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-90579462980156532912019-10-25T07:00:00.000+00:002019-10-25T07:00:02.417+00:00First Line Friday| October 25th, 2019<br />
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<br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-69025623470263588022019-10-11T07:00:00.000+00:002019-10-19T12:56:59.357+00:00Blogtober | #FirstLineFriday: October 11th, 2019<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">It's that part of the week where I get to share what I am planning on reading by playing a little game. This idea was created by the wonderful Wandering Words. Here's the general gist: </span><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 5px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally… reveal the book!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Lie Tree</span></b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Frances Hardinge</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23592175-the-lie-tree?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Add to Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-lie-tree/frances-hardinge/9781447264101" target="_blank">Buy a Copy</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Publisher</i> | Macmillan's Children's Book</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>UK Release Date</i> | May 7th, 2015</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Format</i> | Paperback</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Page Count |</i> 410</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>RRP</i> | £7.99</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I featured this book on my October TBR, as I felt that this would be the perfect book to read in the lead up to Halloween. I really enjoyed Hardinge's A Skinful of Shadow this time last year, and even though I've had this book for over four years, I am still really excited to read this one.</span><br />
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-49714126572342437802019-10-10T07:00:00.000+00:002019-10-21T13:49:44.349+00:00Blogtober | Are You Ready for Sweater Weather?: Falling Leaves<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Blogtober | Are You Ready for Sweater Weather?: Falling Leaves <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First my internet went down, so I couldn’t access the website to post this up. Then in a sudden turn of events this blogtober, I have been offered an internship at a PR company. Which is why I’m now trying to play catch up, but I am positive there will still be thirty-one blog posts and one going up every day now I’ve had to time to get the library to schedule them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you missed my previous two posts on what Are You Ready for Sweater Weather is, or who created the tag, you can check that out here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3. What are some changes that appear bad, but you secretly love?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Change is ineffable. Whether it be the clothes you wear, the temperature, where you live or your job; something is always evolving. When I was thinking about all the changes that occur that surround books, publishing and the entertainment sector, I was left to reflect on how my opinion on adaptations has changed since the archaic days of a fangirl. If fourteen-year-old me could hear what I am about to say she wouldn’t be able to get up off the floor. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Adaptations are incredibly difficult to get right, let alone just writing the script. Trust me, I’ve tried, just for the hell of it. The most obvious reason behind this is not because the screenwriter is incompetent, but because of how vastly different novel writing and screenplays can be. Not only are they different in format, but are consumed as different media, offering alternate experiences. Furthermore, screenplays aren’t meant for general reading, they serve a different purpose. Think of them as instructional manuals to build a visual narrative, these then get interpreted by a director and/or a production team, and then consumed by you – the viewer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At this point, I'm not even going to give a spoiler warning, because a good pop-culture touchstone to exemplify this is to talk about Game of Thrones. There are a few changes that I will always not be a fan of, especially in how D.B. Weiss and David Benioff interpreted the characters when book material ran out. However, one change that I loved, and still do, is an added scene during Game of Thrones S1x03 – “<i>Lord Snow”</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In both media, there is a conversation between Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon whilst they are traveling due south to King's Landing. That is where the similarities end. In the book, this conversation could be split into two topics, the first being the reminiscent glory days of wielding a sword and shagging whores. The second is about the aftermath of the trident, Jaime Lannister's regicide of the Mad King, and Robert and Ned’s opposing opinions. At this point, it could be safe to assume we are onside with the Starks. Jaime Lannister has proven to be arrogant, dishonorable and potential child murderer – what is to stop unlawful regicide from being just another item on the list? <o:p></o:p></div>
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To contrast, the second part of the conversation never occurs between Ned and Robert. Instead, Benioff and Weiss add a scene where Jaime Lannister greets Ned Stark in the Throne Room. Here’s a transcript of the scene:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Robert and Ned discussing this over
a couple of beers. Furthermore, there’s a great sense of dramatic irony – as an
audience we know what Jaime has done to Ned’s son. This adds another layer of
tension and interest, as well as deepening the history between them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It had been a few years after I had
first watched this scene, that I realized that this scene plants the seed of
Jaime’s character arc through into series three. He explicitly relives and relays
those moments of the Mad King’s death to Ned Stark, as if he wants approval for
the honour-bound Stark. Quickly he is shunned as the Kingslayer, the name of
his past that will live on in the stories and songs of Westeros. It gave me caution
that Jaime was more complicated than the initial wrongdoings he acts out and
the air of arrogance that he presents. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-24885458222175979942019-10-09T07:00:00.000+00:002019-10-09T14:22:49.667+00:00Blogtober | Guest Post: A Home of Pages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello! Today I am merely introducing a blog post, rather than write one. I reached out on Twitter last month to see if anyone was interested in writing a guest post. <a href="https://ahomeinpages.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">A Home in Pages </a>reached out to me and agreed to write a little bit about their favourite Myth. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here is what they had to say: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hello dear readers! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First of all, thank you, Lauren, for having me. I am honored to be a part of this blog for a post. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halloween is upon us, and what is more Halloween then…a really good myth? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me tell you about my favorite one, a myth I pretty much grew up with: The Lost City of Atlantis. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">If one is to believe this myth, Atlantis was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world when it existed. The name comes from Plato, who writes in one of his works about the mighty kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many scientists think that Plato came up with this sunken kingdom only to strengthen and prove some of his theories. Others do not agree. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some even thinks the city has survivors who helped with the pyramids in Egypt and the statues on Easter Island.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They refer to the eruption of a volcano that wiped out a whole island. A volcano named </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thera. If one is to look at the text written by Plato, he places Atlantis' destruction at the same time that the volcano erupted. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, what is one to believe about this massive kingdom? Is it really just a myth or is it something so much more?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay safe and read happily // A Home In Pages</span></span></div>
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ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033249838878770908.post-1083310989133650962019-10-08T07:00:00.000+00:002019-10-09T13:51:16.321+00:00Blogtober | Are You Ready for Sweater Weather?: Pumpkin Carving<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Hello!<br />
<br />
If you don't know what this is, or what I'm doing, I'd recommend hopping over to my first blog post, <a href="https://www.acityofbooks.co.uk/2019/10/blogtober-are-you-ready-for-sweater_5.html" target="_blank">here</a>, where I tell you more about the creator of the tag. As well as what the hell I am doing with it.<br />
Today I will be responding to the second question.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>2. Pumpkin Carving - what is your favourite creative outlet?</b></blockquote>
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Growing up, I used to have 1001 different creative outlets. I know how to knit, cross-stitch, crochet, make charms with Polymer Clay, write, draw, sew, anything that I could put my mind and hands to, I did... Then my A-levels came along. I had to stop to focus all my time and energy on creating content for this website and getting passing grades, during a time I was facing homelessness.<br />
This carried on way into my degree. In fact, it wasn't until January that I made the sudden realization that I missed these other creative outlets. By that point, I was two and a half years into my degree and three since I had carved something physically into the world (electrical only submissions suck, even if I am saving the trees). The feeling of crafting something with my fingers, watching whatever repeats were on Dave (a UK TV channel) and feeling the satisfaction that having a product in my hands was because I had done it. So I made a junk journal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMBsA1O2NlFgbpSZyLfroocMPqzw6FbJYbSUl9dUFfDFBcOpufQvJzS21uEuI4YB0CuvxamaJAov9-P-9ZR3nRTm1vp3Zn-yDVImR4AfpT7be06U4nuoioxNbba4FzGyen8GuPdJc8Qo/s1600/IMG_0195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMBsA1O2NlFgbpSZyLfroocMPqzw6FbJYbSUl9dUFfDFBcOpufQvJzS21uEuI4YB0CuvxamaJAov9-P-9ZR3nRTm1vp3Zn-yDVImR4AfpT7be06U4nuoioxNbba4FzGyen8GuPdJc8Qo/s320/IMG_0195.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have been slowly documenting my University experience through<br />scraps and artistic expression since January.</td></tr>
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I can hear the cries echoing already. Why? Because I took a rather beautiful copy of a Charles Dickens book I had found in my local Charity shops, cut it up and rebound it with scrapbook pages. It was worth it. I'd do it again.<br />
My only goal was to create something I could look back at after University and remember that despite some really crappy starts - I met some of the most incredible people and did the most incredible things.<br />
My number one creative outlet is writing. So this made sense. I mean I did a whole degree, and now run an entire blog writing about other people's writing. However, one type of writing is not all types of writing. Blogging has been a great outlet for me since graduating, but it's not the same as coming up with another world, creating whole people and then inserting them into scenarios of conflict and resolution.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w6IVgJ30c3TWeL2GvhfgEHLroTrNGsrs8p0NJSE4A7p817F43kAW7i1Gc4SRestaqzQ52Rqjg6QImZwlVNabwyjLuCrGkDIy7rgM7WWdAPOSBv0ulu-CV0fWFRW6MGLn7itBftljyvk/s1600/myPanel.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="421" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w6IVgJ30c3TWeL2GvhfgEHLroTrNGsrs8p0NJSE4A7p817F43kAW7i1Gc4SRestaqzQ52Rqjg6QImZwlVNabwyjLuCrGkDIy7rgM7WWdAPOSBv0ulu-CV0fWFRW6MGLn7itBftljyvk/s320/myPanel.png" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Currently the cover page of my strange little zine.</td></tr>
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I've mentioned this in brief passing online, but let me give you a little confession: I haven't written anything in the 'creative' realm of fiction since I handed in my final portfolio since May. I've been terrified too. I reached a creative burnout, struggled with settling back home, and then never knew quite where to start.<br />
I remember being introduced to Zines when I was doing my Graphic Design and Photography A-Levels. Someone that I was friends with used to make beautiful ones, and still does (<a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ginabakershop" target="_blank">ginabakershop</a> - you should check it out if zines interest you) and I dabbled. Yet, it wasn't until I saw the author, Sarah Maria Griffin, tweeting about making her own and reading about why she loves them, did I think that was something I could do.<br />
It's been a slow process of relearning, and cringing at every sentence a past me wrote, but I'm loving this moment of feeling like this is a little piece of me. For me.<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
Do you do anything outside of reading, or running a blog? I honestly would love to hear about it! Seeing other people get creative, really gets my ideas going - I'm that one at a party asking hypotheticals.<br />
<br />
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<br />ACityofBookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03029609665352470940noreply@blogger.com0