Since I haven't posted here for quite a while now, it probably comes as no surprise that I've decided to take a break from blogging.
At the moment, it's proving to be too much work alongside everything else that I have to, and want to, do with my time, and it's something that I just can't fit in right now. I'm not saying that I'll never come back to blogging but for now it's just not on the cards for me. I will, however, be leaving the blog up and live for those who still read reviews and I'll pop in with reviews now and again on Instagram @myendlessshelf. Thanks for reading! Rating: 4 STARS Genre: YA/Fantasy Series/Standalone: The Scholomance #2 How I got this book: ARC gifted by DelRey UK The dark school of magic has always done its best to devour its students, but now that El has reached her final year -- and somehow won herself a handful of allies along the way -- it's suddenly developed a very particular craving . . . For her. As the savagery of the school ramps up, El is determined that she will not give in; not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. But as the spectre of graduation looms -- the deadly final ritual that leaves few students alive -- if she and her allies are to make it out, El will need to realise that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules. This was another of my most anticipated books of the year.
I absolutely loved reading A Deadly Education last year and meeting El, Orion, and the gang. I loved the action, the snark and the danger, and following the cliffhanger ending, I was really looking forward to delving back into the story and finding out what other surprises were in store. Similarly to the previous book, The Last Graduate is mostly character, instead of plot, driven. It continues in the same vein, as El and her classmates are busy studying, building alliances and generally trying to survive and work out how to make it through graduation. El is her same fabulous, sarcastic self and her relationships really flourish in this book, both with her friends and with Orion. What I love about this book is how, amidst such a crazy, fantasy, out-to-kill setting, the characters are very real and vivid, and are realistic teens. Novik also gives more diversity through secondary characters in this book, and it's surprisingly sex-positive. I spent the entire book trying to guess where the cliffhanger, and the title of the book, would come into play and was rewarded with ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER that was just pure evil, if a smidge predictable. I am a tad frustrated by the ending, but mostly because I don't want to have to wait another year to find out what happens next!! Overall, this was a solid second book in a trilogy, providing a lot of character and relationship growth, with a cliffhanger that I have everything crossed WILL deliver in book three! Rating: 4 stars! Genre: Historical/Adult Fantasy Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from the publisher Welcome to the Winter Garden. Open only at 13 o'clock. You are invited to enter an unusual competition. I am looking for the most magical, spectacular, remarkable pleasure garden this world has to offer. On the night her mother dies, 8-year-old Beatrice receives an invitation to the mysterious Winter Garden. A place of wonder and magic, filled with all manner of strange and spectacular flora and fauna, the garden is her solace every night for seven days. But when the garden disappears, and no one believes her story, Beatrice is left to wonder if it were truly real. Eighteen years later, on the eve of her wedding to a man her late father approved of but she does not love, Beatrice makes the decision to throw off the expectations of Victorian English society and search for the garden. But when both she and her closest friend, Rosa, receive invitations to compete to create spectacular pleasure gardens - with the prize being one wish from the last of the Winter Garden's magic - she realises she may be closer to finding it than she ever imagined. Now all she has to do is win. TW: slavery (mentioned), mental health (depression), rape, infant abuse (violence), infant death, drug addiction
I had no idea what to expect when going into this, aside from the fact that it's published by DelRey, who have quickly become one of my favourite book publishers - their books never disappoint! The blurb gave me Tom's Midnight Garden meets The Night Circus vibes, so I was excited, but it was only when I started reading that I realised how dark and creepy this book is, which was so fantastic! It's a female-led, feminist fantasy centring around two main characters, Beatrice and Rose. Two women, two friends, whose choices lead them down very different paths revolving around the mysterious Winter Garden that came to Beatrice as a child. My favourite part of this book was the magic, which was incredible and beautifully woven into the story, from magical flowers that only open when you're grieving and clockwork creatures with souls; to a tiger made entirely of stars. The lyrical prose is beautiful, and the plot and characters carry the story well. There was never a moment where I felt bored with the story. There was always just enough mystery to keep me interested throughout. As you can see from the trigger warnings, there are some heavy themes that made it a much darker story than I'd expected. However, saying that, it was unexpectedly funny in places; through Beatrice in particular, who has a great wit. The only thing that disappointed me was the lack of diversity, but overall, I couldn't get enough of this dark and mysterious fantasy that's brimming with the most incredible magic. Highly recommended for fans of The Night Circus, Caraval and The Starless Sea. My 7yo, Rosie, has been getting the Tales by Mail book boxes for a few months now and I figured it was about time we shared an unboxing!
Before we get started, here's a quick recap of the August theme: Our August theme is THE STRANGER, THE BETTER and will be jam-packed with brilliantly brave, awesomely oddball characters, who are made all the better by being a little bit different! 🐙🤖 This box will include two new novels about eccentric characters on amazing adventures, themed surprises and collectable pages for your "Chronicle Files", including letters from the authors, quizzes, review cards and more! 📚 ABOUT THE BOOKS! BOOK ONE is a rip-roaring adventure about a young boy and his robot friend, who must save their doomed island from a terrible disaster! Can they conquer mechanical monsters, navigate an island dominated by nature and trust in new strange but brilliant friends to pull off a rescue mission like no other? 🤖🌴 BOOK TWO is set in a fabulously fishy town, where a young girl who loves telling stories discovers an extraordinary new friend. When she returns to shore with tales of a tentacled boy, she's met with disbelief, but the strangest thing about her new claw-clad buddy isn't his aquatic appearance... Together, this unlikely duo will uncover the truth about a secret that has long been buried at sea. 🐙 Okay, let's see what was inside! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: LGBT/Fantasy Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: eARC via UKTor, BlackCrowPR and NetGalley When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead. Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life. When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days. By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune's signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy. TW: Death, grief, loss, murder, suicide
After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, I had certain expectations about this book going into it, and I was mostly wrong. This book is not a sequel or a continuation of The House in the Cerulean Sea, but something entirely new and, for me at least, incredibly powerful. At the beginning of the book, we meet Wallace Price in his prime. A ruthless lawyer, in the process of firing a long-time employee in a way that shows he has no compassion or heart. TJ Klune delivers a character who should, on all accounts, be impossible to like. And yet, Wallace might just be one of the most relatable, empathetic characters I've ever read. I adore the emotional way in which TJ Klune writes, something I've enjoyed in his previous books, but never before has any book had such an emotional impact on me as Under the Whispering Door. I certainly don't remember any book where I spent at least 1/3 of it in tears. As someone who has lost loved ones, this book gives me hope for all of us, and reading it was an incredibly cathartic process. While it was emotional, the book wasn't by any means 'doom and gloom'. The characters and situations in the book had me laughing out loud and smiling at the sweetness and the possibility. The romance in this book is beautiful, with a found family at its core, and the perfect pairing between a complete cinnamon roll character and a grumpier character. "Wallace stared after him, burning like the sun." Only TJ Klune could write a book about death that’s so hauntingly and profoundly beautiful…but also makes you laugh out loud. I swear each book he writes is better than the last. "When we're lost, we need help to try and find out way again." I'm running a little bit behind with these unboxings, but determined to get them done before the August boxes arrive! 😅
Now, let's have a quick reminder of the June 2021 Illumicrate theme: Our book this month is a debut standalone fantasy inspired by Jewish folklore and Hungarian history. The only power-less woman in a pagan village, surrendered as a sacrifice, and the disgraced prince in disguise as a captain of the king's holy order, must work together first to survive a perilous journey, then to try and prevent the prince's brother from seizing the throne. If the plot is successful, it will mean a violent reign of cultural and ethnic cleansing. Together they could save a nation, if they don’t betray one another first. We loved this thought-provoking read with its rich fantasy world and perfect example of enemies to lovers romance. If you love Nina and Matthias of Six of Crows, you are going to adore this one! 💛 Our Illumicrate edition features all exclusive: cover, reverse dust jacket art by @warickaart, foil embossing on the hardback, stencilled edges and is signed by the author! This is one of our most stunning books this year and we adore it! Both the full box and book only option will come with a matching pin designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt! 💛 We’ve put a very aesthetic, woodsy box together featuring items inspired by Lord of the Rings, We Hunt the Flame, Among the Beasts and Briars, an officially licensed The Darkest Part of the Forest item and more! We’re pleased to announce this box will feature the next of our ‘Piece Your Own Story’ jigsaw puzzles! The latest @rosiethorns88 mug wont be in this box, instead it is in July's. 💛 The book at a glance 📚 Adult fantasy, standalone 💡 All exclusive cover, reverse dust jacket art by @warickaart, embossing on the hardback, stencilled edges and signed by the author 💫 Jewish main character written by Jewish author, M/F relationship I'm 100% sure I know what this book is since I had an eARC of it last month. Sadly, my head wasn't in the right space to read the book as an eARC so I'm hoping to get back into it with the physical book. Okay, let's open it up! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. Rating: 4.5 Stars Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer. When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom. But no one has ever survived. With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun. TW: Physical violence, murder, drug abuse/addiction, mental health/self-harming, rape/attempted rape, abandonment, death of a parent/sibling, imprisonment, slavery.
Well, that took an unexpected turn!! Before I get to my review, if you haven't seen the FairyLoot exclusive version of this book, go check out my April 'Hidden Identities' unboxing because this book is seriously one of the prettiest books I've ever seen. The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni centres around 17-year-old Kiva who lives in a prison after being captured by soldiers when she was a young child. Arrested at the time with her father, the old prison healer, Kiva has now taken his place tending to sick inmates and inducting new arrivals through a torturous ritual. Kiva is a really fantastic character. She's a great narrator, full of compassion, drive and self-preservation. She deals with a lot of pain and trauma both directly and through her patients, but she always seems to maintain hope that things will work out, despite the hardships she continuously faces. “Hope was a drug and Kiva, an addict.” The pacing of this book was really fast and fully swept me away, but the best thing about it was most definitely the plot. This was one of those books that leads you on a bit of false trail, leaving clues that have you pretty certain you've guessed the outcome and then the author drops a huge bombshell and leaves you reeling. It was very reminiscent in places to A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and some of the plot twists definitely had me thinking of books like A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik and The Folk in the Air series by Holly Black. I think this book would be a big hit with fans of any of the above books/series. The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni is full of edge-of-your seat tension, side characters that are integral to the plot, who really capture your whole heart and definitely left me wanting more. The ending is a masterpiece as the author delivers punch after punch of shocking reveals in such a thrilling and effective way that I really don't want to have to wait for the sequel. This was definitely a promising start to an exciting new fantasy series, and I look forward to seeing what Lynette Noni delivers in the next instalment. “My name is Kiva Meridan, and I claim her sentence as my own.” July was an amazing month for book boxes! Since both the FairyLoot and Illumicrate 'June' boxes were both delayed I ended up with a whopping 4 boxes all in the space of around two weeks.
I've fallen a little bit behind with blogging because things have been crazy at work lately, but I'm doing my best to catch up. Now, let's have a quick reminder of the July 2021 FairyLoot theme. There are some stories that can be retold time and time again without ever feeling like it’s the same story. We love finding fresh takes on our favourite tales that surprise us in new and magical ways, which is why we’ve dedicated this entire theme to them! 💜 In this box you can expect items inspired by Spin The Dawn, A Court of Thorns and Roses, The Star-Touched Queen, Cinderella is Dead and Heartless. We are thrilled to reveal that this box will include a stunning booksleeve with artwork by the one and only @rosiethorns88. 💜 Our featured book of the month is a story that we loved and draws from “The Wild Swans” and East Asian folklore. This whimsical tale has a princess in exile, a shapeshifting dragon, six enchanted cranes, and a curse that needs to be broken. The FairyLoot exclusive edition will have an UNIQUE COVER, STENCIL & SPRAYED EDGES, ARTWORK ON THE REVERSE OF THE DUST JACKET by @sallteas, FOIL EMBOSSING ON THE CASE by @sallteas and will be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. I'm super excited for the Cinderella is Dead and A Court of Thorns and Roses items. I have Heartless on my bookshelf (but haven't read it yet) and I just bought Spin the Dawn, so this might be one of the rare months where I know some of the fandoms. I also 'think' I know what the book is and only because I spotted it in Waterstones recently and had to force myself not to buy it. Okay, let's open it up! As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point so look away now if you don't want to see what's inside this box. Okay, so I felt like I'd had a much better reading month in July than I did in June, but according to my reading journal, that isn't the case.
I read a grand total of 3 books this month, started 1, and also finished 1 that I've been reading with my daughter. It's been a mixed month with 1 really standout book and the other two, not so much. As always, just click on the book title to head over to my full review, if there is one. Rating: 4.5 Stars Genre: Historical/LGBT/Greek Mythology Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: Bought Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear. Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart. This book was incredible, but not quite how I'd expected.
“There are no bargains between lion and men. I will kill you and eat you raw.” Like most people, I've heard this book mentioned A LOT but other than knowing it was a Trojan War re-telling, that it featured a queer romance, and that it was 'guaranteed to make me cry, I didn't really know what to expect. I'm a huge lover of Greek mythology, so much so that I'm writing my own Greek myth-inspired story, and after reading Lore by Alexandra Bracken earlier this year, I was desperate for a more adult mythology re-telling. I want to begin by saying that the prose in this book is beautiful, complex and completely immersive. I was transported to Ancient Greece the moment I started reading and found the entire world fascinating. Ultimately though, it was the characters, particularly Patroclus, that made this book incredible. He's a fantastic narrator, so well developed that I could hear his voice in my head, and my heart broke for him several times throughout the book. His relationship with Achilles seems simple at first, but it grows and changes, as the characters do, until it becomes something complex, gritty, and real, giving much more weight to the story than a simple romance. “Name one hero who was happy.” While the emotion in this story didn't bring me to tears, as I'd been promised (although the ending brought me extremely close) it was no less there. It made my heart heavy and light so many times, and while the pacing isn't particularly fast, the characters and the emotional writing kept me gripped from start to finish. So, if you think you'd enjoy losing yourself in Greek mythology, with a brilliant yet tragic queer storyline, and characters who feel real, you'll love The Song of Achilles. “We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.” |
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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