Lore Of The Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

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A library with a deadly enchantment. A Fae lord who wants in. A human woman willing to risk it all for a taste of power. In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu’s village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile-her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn’t been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors. She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she’s after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own. As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she’s forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she’s not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.

This one was ok. I liked the characters but the chemistry between our main character and the love interests felt off. I like the world, the magic and the premise but you can tell it set up for a series. I think it wasn’t quite long enough to get your teeth into and the pacing seemed off. Some parts seem rushed whereas others seemed to drag. We were told about the set up to parts and then reflect on parts but nothing much between. I’m am curious enough to read the next in the series to see where it goes.

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

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The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be eighty, you have just over four thousand weeks. Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening todo lists, our overfilled inboxes, work-life balance, and the ceaseless battle against distraction; and we’re deluged with advice on becoming more productive and efficient, and “life hacks” to optimize our days. But such techniques often end up making things worse. The sense of anxious hurry grows more intense, and still the most meaningful parts of life seem to lie just beyond the horizon. Still, we rarely make the connection between our dally struggles with time and the ultimate time management problem: the challenge of how best to use our four thousand weeks.

This was really good with great insights and humour used to study how we use our time ineffectively. That we are all guilty of pushing ourselves to get our to do’s done when in the long run, it’s not really that important. Many ‘self help’ books give you things to do to improve your life that are not sustainable by pushing you to achieve more in less time. This is different because it doesn’t do that. Burkeman tries to get you to not care so much about achieving everything and to go after what is more important. I really enjoyed this and I will be trying to put some of the points into use. I will be reading more of Burkeman’s books in the future.

A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness

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Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

I absolutely loved this. I loved the characters. Matthew is a great character. He is strong with a softer side. He’s so protective. Diana is also likeable. I really like the relationship between them. It’s got plot twists and keeps you guessing. There’s a little spice. Deborah Harkness’s writing style is easy to keep up with and I couldn’t put it down. The world is beautifully built, you can really imagine the settings. I read the majority of this in one day and cannot wait to pick up the next in this series.

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

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The story follows the journey of a young mermaid princess who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a human soul.

The little mermaid has always been one of my favourite tales. I love the characters and the story. I feel really connected to the mermaid and understand her longing for a different life. The only thing that marked it down for me was that it was so short. It could be fleshed out a lot more. Plus the mermaids love for the prince is a little too instalove. She doesn’t really know all that much about him but is willing to give up her whole life and family for him. I do like Hans Christian Andersen’s writing, so I will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.

A River Of Golden Bones by AK Mulford

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A sleeping curse. A fallen court. A secret twin. Twins Calla and Briar have spent their entire lives hiding from the powerful sorceress who destroyed their kingdom… and from the humans who don’t know they are Wolves. Each twin has their own purpose in life: Briar’s is to marry the prince of an ally pack and save the Golden Court. Calla’s purpose is to remain a secret, her twin’s shadow… the backup plan. No one knows who Calla truly is except for her childhood friend-and sister’s betrothed-the distractingly handsome Prince Grae. But when Calla and Briar journey out of hiding for Briar’s wedding, all of their well-made plans go awry. The evil sorceress is back with another sleeping curse for the last heir to the Golden Court. Calla must step out of the shadows to save their sister, their kingdom, and their own legacy. Continuing to hide as a human and denying who she truly is, Calla embarks on a quest across the realm, discovering a whole world she never knew existed. Outside the confines of rigid Wolf society, Calla begins to wonder: who could she be if she dared to try?

I really liked the premise of this one. It started well, I liked getting to know the characters and discover the world and I liked the ending enough to read the next in the series. But for me the middle felt a little slow and harder to try through.

The Dirt by Motley Crue

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Whiskey and porn stars, hot reds and car crashes, black leather and high heels, overdoses and death. This is the life of Mötley Crüe, the heaviest drinking, hardest fighting, most oversexed and arrogant band in the world. Their unbelievable exploits are the stuff of rock ‘n’ roll legend. They nailed the hottest chicks, started the bloodiest fights, partied with the biggest drug dealers, and got to know the inside of every jail cell from California to Japan. They have dedicated an entire career to living life to its extreme, from the greatest fantasies to the darkest tragedies. Tommy married two international sex symbols; Vince killed a man and lost a daughter to cancer; Nikki overdosed, rose from the dead, and then OD’d again the next day; and Mick shot a woman and tried to hang his own brother. But that’s just the beginning. Fueled by every drug they could get their hands on and obscene amounts of alcohol, driven by fury and headed straight for hell, Motley Crüe raged through two decades, leaving behind a trail of debauched women, trashed hotel rooms, crashed cars, psychotic managers, and broken bones that has left the music industry cringing to this day. All these unspeakable acts, not to mention their dire consequences, are laid bare in The Dirt.

After reading Nikki Sixx’ books and loving them, I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately I was let down. It just seemed like sex, drugs, rock and roll and a lot of fighting within the band. I did like that each chapter focused on a different band member. But parts of it just seemed to drag for me. I guess it just wasn’t for me.

A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

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The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever. On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal’s son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments. Savine dan Glokta – socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union – plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control. The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another…

This was ok but I don’t think it was as strong a start as the first trilogy is this world. I do like the characters and I loved the return of some more recognisable favourites. The world is well built and expands on the universe well. I do like Abercrombie’s writing. He injects humour in some of the darkest moments. I think this is a good start to the next trilogy and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

Play Dead by Harlan Coben

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The mysterious drowning death of her husband, Boston Celtics superstar David Baskin, sets fashion model Laura Ayers off investigating his death, and as she draws closer to the truth, her own life is suddenly in danger.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were really enjoyable. I really liked Laura. And David seemed like a good character until his death. Mark was a likeable character. He played like he was shy but I could see right through it. I was suspicious of TC throughout. That’s the power of Harlan Cobens writing. You don’t know who to trust. Because of this the atmosphere was off putting and creepy at times. I liked the settings. Partly in Sydney and partly in Boston. This might have biased my review slightly as I hold a strong connection to both. Although the plot had many twists and turn, I did guess part of the plot quite early, but that didn’t take away from how much I liked Coben’s writing. I found it very hard to put this book down, I managed to read over 500 pages in just 2 days. I really cannot wait to read more from Harlan Coben.

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

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Is it ever too late to leave the friend-zone? Hi, my name is Bree Camden, and I’m hopelessly in love with my best friend and star quarterback Nathan Donelson (so is half of America, judging by the tabloids and how much the guy dates). The first step is admitting, right? Except, I can never admit it to him because he clearly doesn’t see me that way, and the last thing I want is for things to get weird between us. Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for us! Everything is exactly how I like it! Yes. Good. (I’m not crying, l’m just peeling an onion.) Our friendship is going swimmingly until I accidentally spill my beans to a reporter over too much tequila, and now the world seems to think me and Nathan belong together. Oh, and did I mention we have to date publicly for three weeks until after the Super Bowl because we signed a contract with…oops, forgot I can’t tell anyone about that! Bottom line is, now my best friend is smudging all the lines and acting very un-platonic, and I’m just trying to keep my body from bursting into flames every time he touches me. How am I going to make it through three weeks of fake dating Nathan without anything changing between us? Especially when it almost-sort-a-kinda seems like he’s fighting for a completely different outcome? Send help. XO Bree

I absolutely loved this. The characters were just brilliant. I loved Nathan. So sweet and strong. Dotes on Brie. Bree is also likeable. She wants everything to help Nathan and is the only one who can see he’s struggling. I like that they are striving to achieve each others dreams. As a football fan and an ex dancer, I like the football references but there could have been slightly more ballet. I love the slow burn romance. The will they won’t they. That they both love each other but won’t admit it to the other. I really liked the writing. It was so addictive that I couldn’t stop turning the pages and managed to read it in one sitting. It is a fade to black, we never get the spice I was craving by the end but I like the way it ended. I will definitely pick up more from Sarah Adams in the future.

Play Of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell

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Damelas Shademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel. He has precious little hope of escaping the wrath of the Vixen, the most feared duellist in the entire city, until he stumbles through the stage doors of the magnificent Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law provides a temporary respite from his troubles – until one night a ghostly voice in his head causes Damelas to fumble his lines, inadvertently blurting out a dreadful truth: the city’s most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer. With only the help of his boisterous and lusty friend Bereto, a beautiful assassin whose target may well be Damelas himself, and a company of misfit actors who’d just as soon see him dead, this failed son of two Greatcoats must somehow find within himself the courage to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids come for his head.Oh, and there’s still that matter of the Vixen waiting to duel him…

This was really good. I had such a fun time with it. I absolutely love Sebastien De Castell’s writing style. He is great at writing characters. Damelas is an excellent leading character. I really got behind him and wanted him to succeed. I enjoyed all the side characters and they bounce off each other perfectly. The atmosphere and world building are excellently written. This author can really write an action scene that puts you right there with the characters. The thing I absolutely love about Sebastien De Castell’s writing is his humour and his injection of emotions. One minute you’re fearing for the characters lives and the next you are laughing your head off. I also listened to the audio and the voice actor Joe Jameson does an amazing job of bringing these characters and story to life. I cannot wait for the next instalment of this series.

Thank you to Quercus Books for the advanced copy of this book.