Wednesday, August 31, 2022

August Wrap-Up

 

 

 WHAT I READ

 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - hardback - 4.5/5 stars

Misogynation by Laura Bates - audiobook - 4/5 stars
 
 
 

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa - hardback - 3/5 stars

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec - eARC - 3.5/5 stars -  read my review here

 

 

Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Cόrdova and Natalie C. Parker - eARC - 2.5/5 stars - read my review here

Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis - paperback - 3/5 stars


 

 

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl - audiobook - 4.5 stars

 

 

 

HAULED BOOKS

Physical books:

 


Kindle copies:


NetGalley ARCs:


My thanks to the publishers.




BLOG POSTS

August TBR

Blog Tour + Guest Post + Giveaway - Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin

Can't-Wait Wednesday - Carrie Soto is Back




CURRENTLY READING

 

The Atlas Six (The Atlas, #1) by Olivie Blake

A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood 



What did you read in August?


Friday, August 26, 2022

Review - Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite edited by Zoraida Cόrdova and Natalie C. Parker

 

 


Title: Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite

Edited by: Zoraida Cόrdova and Natalie C. Parker

Pages: 304

Publisher: Titan Books

Release Date: 25th May 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Eleven fresh vampire stories from young adult fiction’s leading voices!

In this delicious new collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out―and going out for their first kill―and other bold, breathtaking, dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.

Welcome to the evolution of the vampire―and a revolution on the page.

Vampires Never Get Old includes stories by authors both bestselling and acclaimed, including Samira Ahmed, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Tessa Gratton, Heidi Heilig, Julie Murphy, Mark Oshiro, Rebecca Roanhorse, Laura Ruby, Victoria “V. E.” Schwab, and Kayla Whaley.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley*

 

 

 

This anthology features eleven YA short stories, all focused on vampires.

Each story has a different voice and take on vampires and is followed by a short piece by the editors.

Honestly, the main reason I requested this book on NetGalley was because it features V.E. Schwab's 'First Kill' short story. This ended up being my favourite of the stories, and I enjoyed the characters, the writing and wished it was longer.

Unfortunately, there were only a handful of the other stories that fully engaged me, and there were a couple that I skipped through as I couldn't get into them, unfortunately.

The concepts were all interesting.

I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

 

Overall, this was a mixed read. 

 

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Review - The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

 

 
Title: The Witch's Heart
 
 Author: Genevieve Gornichec

 Pages: 384
 
Publisher: Titan Books
 
Release Date: 4th May 2021
 
 
Blurb from Goodreads:
  
When a banished witch falls in love with the legendary trickster Loki, she risks the wrath of the gods in this moving, subversive debut novel that reimagines Norse mythology.


Angrboda's story begins where most witches' tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love.

Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin's all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger.

With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she's foreseen for her beloved family…or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age.


Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop





My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley*

 


 

Angrboda is a witch who survived being burned alive by Odin for refusing to give him the dangerous knowledge of the future that he sought.

While recovering in a distant forest, Angrboda is visited by the trickster Loki.

Angrboda falls in love with Loki and together they have three unique children. Angrboda is determined to protect her children but knows that she must be careful with how she uses her damaged powers in order to stay hidden from Odin.

Can Angrboda and her family remain concealed in their forest home? Or does fate have other plans?

 

As a fan of Norse mythology, I was excited to read this book, especially as I didn't know much about Angrboda.

Angrboda was a likeable and relatable protagonist. Despite the hardships that she had been through, Angrboda didn't wallow in self-pity and cared a lot about others. I enjoyed seeing how she interacted in different situations.

Loki was an interesting character, as was Skadi the huntress, who I would like to find out more about.

The plot was interesting and held my attention throughout. I did wonder at one point if the book would drag, because there was still a lot of the book to go, but it didn't, luckily. The emotion really hit me at one point, and I had to fight back tears.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I thought the author did a good job of making the mythology easy to understand, incorporating it well into the story.

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.