Wishing For Wednesday #56

Get excited for this WFW! 
First up is the next book in a series that I've been reading for a while, I shouldn't really call it my guilty pleasure series, but it kinda is. Either way it's an awesome series and I'm seriously excited for it!
Next up is one of the most awaited books for any Game Of Thrones fan, maybe it'll tide you over until the next book, but then again...maybe not. 

Angel Dares

Angel is impulsive. Disguising her savant ability to control water doesn't come easily to her. Then she meets the broodingly handsome Marcus at a music festival where they're both performing, and finds herself all at sea. For when he sings, her soul answers with its own music. Like the tide, their mutual attraction cannot be held back, but Marcus's mistrust of Angel's gift is even stronger. How can they ever be together if Marcus is unable to accept who Angel is or what they could mean to each other? And with the net closing in on the Savant community it's time for everyone to choose a side. 

Angel Dares is out October 1st, pre-order your copy....here!
Add it to your TBR....here!

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms

Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin’s ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. These never-before-collected adventures recount an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living consciousness.

Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there was Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals—in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg—whose true name (hidden from all he and Dunk encounter) is Aegon Targaryen. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead for these two . . . as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.

A Knight Of Seven Kingdoms is out October 6th, pre-order your copy...here!

Add it to your TBR....here! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Finished Series I have YET To Finish

I really need to start doing this more regularly, the topics are always make me think "OH NO how can I narrow it down!?" or require me to really sit and have a think! This weeks theme is one I really had to kinda narrow down....my TBR is terrible! 

So this week is the series that have finished but that you haven't finished reading. My problem is that review books I'm sent take priority over my TBR, and I seem to always be lucky enough to be sent a fair few, which means my own books get bumped lower and lower, which I don't actually mind.  I usually have time to read one or two, but I keep buying books even though I know I won't be reading them for a while! I actually  have had to separate my TBR into different shelves....next in series, series, first in series, standalone to keep track of what's what! So there's a fair few series I've started but haven't actually gotten around to finishing just yet! And ya know, sometimes I'm just not in the mood to read a book that happens to be like the next in a series. So anyway...here we go. 

1. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
This is one of my favourite series so you'd think I'd have finished it ASAP, but I actually have half the series left. Although from what people where saying after each book came out it's probably a good job I'll end up reading them all one after the other! 

2. The Lynburn Legacy by Sarah Rees Brennan
I literally have the final book left, I'm just waiting for a time when I can re-read the others and then read this straight after, because I love this trilogy! 

3. Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan 
Okay so I've actually only read the first one, the others are sitting on my shelf waiting for the opportune moment to read them. I will get there...eventually! 

4. Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter
Literally read these ages ago and the last one has been sitting on my shelf since it came out. I'm aiming to read ones like these, when I've only got one left, next after I'm all sorted with reviews! 

5. House of Night by P.C And Kristin Cast
I have two left in this series to read, but I still need to buy the last one. My issue is that they changed the covers halfway through, so I've been buying the US covers so they all match! There's nothing I hate more than covers changing midway through a series! 

6. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
I think the series had the last few books coming out around about GCSE/A Level time so I didn't have much time for regular reading. I have the last three books to read before I'll allow myself to buy Royal Wedding and read it.....but I can't actually locate the last three books in my house! 

7. The Lost Boys by Lilian Carmine
I reviewed the first one on NetGalley and then bought an actual copy, and I have bought the other two, I just haven't gotten around to reading them yet! 

8. Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
Again, I read the first one years ago! I have all the others because my nan was reading them as well so we pre-ordered them and everything, but I haven't gotten around to reading them myself yet. 

9. Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
I started reading these because my friend had started and was talking about them, I've read the first three, and I have all of the others except for the latest one, but as usual....I'll get there eventually! 

10. The Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine
Yes, another of my favourite series that I rave about! I have one left! Well two actually, I appear to have missed a book in the middle of the series somehow! So technically two but seeing as I only realised last year, I'm not sure there's much point in me going back to read it! 

The Blackthorn Key

The Blackthorn Key
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher!

London, 1665. Fourteen-year-old Christopher Rowe is apprenticed to master apothecary Benedict Blackthorn. In Blackthorn's shop, Christopher learns the delicate secrets of transforming simple ingredients into powerful medicines, potions and weapons. His beloved master guides him with a firm, steady hand - instilling him with confidence and independence that prove increasingly vital as Christopher learns of a mysterious cult preying on the most learned men in London. The murders are growing closer and closer to home and soon Christopher is torn from the shop with only a page of cryptic clues from his master and the unambiguous warning: 'Tell no one'. 

Helped by his best friend, Tom, Christopher must decipher his master's clues, following a trail of deceit towards an unearthly secret with the power to tear the world apart.

Guys this was so good! Seriously I enjoyed every single page! I've been reading some pretty heavy books recently and this was such a nice break, it made me laugh but at the same time it had a complex plot going on and really kept up the intrigue so I was turning pages as fast as possible! I ended up reading it in one sitting after telling myself "I'm just going to read the first couple of chapters". 

I'm a history nerd and the bend of history and fiction was perfect, just enough history and research to give the book an authentic feel. Although I could have done without some of the smells that where described and could practically smell wafting off the page! You can easily disappear inside the world of the book, there's no boring pages and pages of historical showing off about how much research the author has done. There's a fair bit of history in the book but like I said....it's not overly done and is there to bring the world to life and make it authentic. I found the Author's Note particularly interesting as well as I had completely forgotten about the differing calendars and so on. 

The Blackthorn Key is fast paced, with a quest like vibe, a National Treasure for kids kinda thing. I enjoyed the different clues and trying to work them out along with the characters in the book, as well as work out who the main enemy is. I was completely wrong! The book was full of adventure and humour. I definitely chuckled a fair bit as I was reading, mostly at Christopher and Tom's antics.

It's got to be said, the book had a lot of heart to it with Christopher's relationship with his Master and then his friendship with Tom. It was also kind of sad and heartbreaking in one or two places, but this was balanced out with the humour. Christopher was a likeable character, his sarcasm was spot on and you liked him from the beginning. As you got to know him more, you felt for him more and more as he was struggling in the aftermath of his Masters death. You ended up rooting for him, and your connection to the character meant that there where some pretty intense scenes of suspense. Bridget the pigeon also deserves a mention I think! Christopher's bird BFF who kept turning up all over the place! It was a sweet touch. 

The book has a very nice murder mystery at it's heart. There's lots of threads to it because not everything is as it seems, so it's actually quite complex. These other threads slowly reveal themselves and the plot definitely thickens until you're trying to put all the clues together but still not quite managing to puzzle it all out. There where some surprising twists to the story and then a huge end reveal that had me shouting at the book! 

All in all The Blackthorn Key was a fun read with plenty of action and adventure to keep you turning the pages, and complex undertones that gives the book an edge. 

Wishing For Wednesday #55

It's Wednesdaaaaayyy....duh! 
So this week I've got, like I always do, some gems for you to add to your TBR's! 
First up is a book that caught my interest because of the synopsis and its setting, Gold Rush era America! 
Second is a new book from one of my favourite authors! It's the start of a new series I believe and I need it like....yesterday! 
As usual I've linked buy links and GoodReads links so ya know....what's one more book on the TBR!?


Walk On Earth A Stranger

A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? 

Walk On Earth A Stranger is out September 22nd, pre-order your copy...here! 
Add it to your TBR....here! 

Menagerie

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

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

Menagerie is out September 29th, pre-order your copy...here!

Add it to your TBR....here!

Poppy Pym And The Pharaoh's Curse

Poppy Pym and the Pharaoh's Curse
Rating: 4/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher 

Poppy Pym has grown up in the circus, eating candy floss for breakfast and learning about lion taming ... until her circus family decides she needs a more traditional education, and they send her to boarding school. At first, Poppy has trouble fitting in at St Smithen's, a school that is very different from the circus. But when an ancient Egyptian ruby comes to the school and dangerous accidents start occurring, it's up to Poppy to save her new home and solve the mystery of the Pharaoh's curse!

Well this book was a fun read, and a fun mix of different themes! We've got a boarding school, a circus, a mystery and some Ancient Egypt thrown in there all blended together to make an entertaining read! You all know I can be lured by anything involving Ancient Egypt and I loved the echoes in this book from real history. If you don't know what I'm talking about take a look at Tutankhamen and his "curse", you might find it interesting. 

Poppy Pym was an easy read, and fast paced, easily read in one sitting. There's plenty of action and plenty of humour thanks to the colourful cast of characters, particularly Poppy's circus family! They where a lively and interesting bunch! The mystery kept you intrigued as you tried to put the pieces together and work out who the culprit was. Overall it was a very well written, entertaining book with a fantastic heroine that will keep you laughing the entire way through! 

The Copper Gauntlet

The Copper Gauntlet
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Callum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to school in the magical world of the Magisterium . . .

It’s not easy for Call, he's struggling to deal with the revelations of Iron Trial . . . and it gets even harder after he checks out his basement and discovers that his dad might be trying to destroy both him and Havoc, I mean...what else could all the creepy ritual paraphernalia be for? 

Call escapes to Tamara's house where he find out Aaron has been there all summer being celebrated as the Makar...the weapon against the enemy. Upon their return to the Magisterium things only intensify. The Alkahest-a copper gauntlet capable of separating certain magicians from their magic-has been stolen. The Mages think it's the Enemy of Death....but Call knows it isn't. He knows exactly who's taken it but he can't believe it. 

Call, Aaron, Tamara and Jasper. Yes you read that right, Jasper, head off on a mission to retrieve the Alkahest but it would seem all isn't as it appears. The closer they get to their goal, the more dangers present themselves. But it couldn't be the Magisterium sending them...could it? Call and his friends are getting closer and closer to a dangerous truth, one Call doesn't want his friends to find out. 

As the mysteries of the Magisterium deepen and widen, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take readers on an extraordinary journey through one boy’s conflict -and a whole world’s fate.

This is a satisfying sequel to the first book, it has to be said! I loved the first book, I couldn't not love anything Cassandra Clare writes! This episode was a lot more action packed than the first, we don't spend a lot of time in the school, it's mostly in the world above as they go about their quest. We also get an interesting look at Tamara's family. I got some definite Harry Potter vibes off this book, but it's not actually anything like Harry Potter. We dive straight back in to the world and the action straight away, and the book keeps up a fast pace throughout. 

The world continued to be rich and original and exciting, it really does suck you in and I was kinda sad we didn't spend much time in the Magisterium this time, I love that place! The lichen and the toadstools etc. Either way, whether you're in the school or not, the book is so well written and atmospheric that you get lost in the world, and even the real world has it's own magical quality. 

I continue to love the magic in the book, the levels at the school, how the magic works, the wristbands and the different gems. We learn about a different gem in this book, but it's a spoiler alert so I'll leave you to read and find out yourselves! We also learn a lot more about Chaos magic and how it works and what it can do and so on, and we see a proper elemental, like....not a little lizard. 

The thing I loved about Call in the first book was that he wasn't perfect, he's got problems with his leg and can't do half the things he wants, and I thought it was unique for a main character to not be all super fit and muscly and active. While I liked Call, I did find him a bit...trying at times. In this book he's a lot less bratty, he's grown as a character and was a lot more likeable. Calls really struggling in this book with the revelations from the previous one and he's kind of analysing his own behaviour to see if he's an "Evil Overlord", the way he did it and it was written was actually quite humorous although sad at the same time because of how it was making Call feel. I really felt for him this book and was rooting for him. I know a lot of people might look at him negatively because of the times he resents Aaron, and you see it a lot in this book as he's struggling with who he really is and everyones all about Aaron and only cares about Aaron, rather than looking down on him for it, I could see where he was coming from. 

I loved the friendships between the three in the first book and those friendships where really tested in this book and it was sad to read. His friends didn't have the reactions I was hoping for which added some angst and conflict and made the book emotional. Although, not everything was hunky dory at the end, Aaron was hard to read, there could be some upcoming conflict between Aaron and Call. Tamara really divided my opinion in the book to the point she was annoying me, like after she did that thing and was bleating on about "you can tell me anything" like really? 

Jasper was in this book a surprising amount. I really didn't like him in the first book, I kept waiting for him to scream "MY FATHER WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS!", but at the same time I could understand him and where he was coming from and I actually wanted to see him more in the second book...which is this book...and he was in it loads...so yay! I wasn't expecting it really! Jasper isn't a complete douche, you get to know him more this book and understand what he's dealing with at home and how his snark is a reflex. He was actually quite nice once or twice and sort of came to seem like one of the gang, although in true Jasper fashion he's not getting all touchy feely about it. I really want to like him, but everytime I start to he does something a bit harsh and I'm like whhhhyyyy! 

There's lots of threads to the plot again which keeps the intrigue up as you try to work out what's going on,  and who's  behind what. There's plenty of twists and turns, some I did half guess at or see coming, but then others where completely surprising and I didn't see coming, so it was an equal balance that kept you guessing. Then there's another huge plot twist at the end which is game changing to say the least, and there's a nice new mystery ready for the next book. 

The Copper Gauntlet is a strong sequel, showcasing character growth and adding even more to the characters. More's been added to the world, and more intrigues to get you excited for the next book. I easily read this in one sitting because once you get started, it's kind of hard to find a place to put it down!