Ys VIII: Fin. You guys, I did it! I’m 3/3 for the games you all have voted that I finish next! And THANK YOU for this one! Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is one of the best games I’ve played in a long time! What should I finish next? . . . . . #beatthebacklog #beatthegame #retrogaming #retrogamer #gamecollection #gamecollecting #gamecollector #oldschoolgaming #oldschoolgames #videogames #gamer #gaming #classicgaming #classicgamer
📖 The Night Before Christmas by @jpcarterauthor 📚 @avonbooksuk 🗓️ October 2023 ➡️ Swipe For Synopsis 💬 Another fantastic installment of this series, I really look forward to winter and another release.. The setting was a bit eerie and I didn’t know which way it would turn. So many fantastic characters, it was hard to know who to trust tho! The only tiny minor negative for me is Annie, she’s too nice and unrealistic, l’m sure most of us would have a moan about being stuck with the baby all the time, she doesn’t even give James a “Ffs, not again! 😂😂. Roll on book 5! This is a must read series. #bookreview #bookstagram #bookblogger #atmosphericreads #thriller #fiction #2024reads #mrsbookburnee #beatthebacklog #alexpine #jpcarter #dcijameswalker #bookseries
Here’s Mays Book Shape Challenge! Last month was a raindrop, so to complete the phrase, May is a cute flower. Aprils showers bring... May flowers! (I picked all of these books at random, based off the color of their cover; not based on: whether I read them or not—most of which I haven’t, sense why they were closest). #reading #readingchallenge #readingdare #bookdare #bookchallenge #alphabetchallenge #beatthebacklog #monthlythemes #monthlychallenge #bookshape #bookshapechallenges #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
★★★★ I love this book, always have. And now watching the Netflix series (only part 1 of season 3 has been released at this time) I love the book even more as we see more of the nuances of their relationship and how it has developed across the books and into their own love story. Having read the books several times before, I love it more because of the TV series and all of the things missing from that, which just makes the books even better. I really enjoyed how Penelope Featherington was just a background character in the previous books, but now she comes to the forefront and marries a Bridgerton. One of the key aspects of the previous books, Lady Whistledown, is revealed in this book (most people probably know who it is, but I won’t reveal it here for those who don’t know). My absolute favourite scene is the very last one before the epilogue where Colin and Penelope finally reveal their secret, all to thwart Cressida. It’s beautifully done and if the TV series doesn’t do that moment right, with Colin declaring to the whole ton how amazing Penelope is, I might well boycott the rest! I also loved how Penelope defied convention and defied society to marry a Bridgerton and got the happy ending she so deserves. I loved the scene where Colin and Penelope walked into a Featherington family gathering, and how Felicity had seen what none of the rest of her family had, even her mother to the last moment couldn’t believe that Penelope would marry a Bridgerton. The only thing I can say really is that I didn’t enjoy it as much as Benedict and Sophie’s story. The TV series may have ruined Anthony and Kate’s story, which I really enjoyed in the book, but they don’t get to do that with Colin and Penelope’s story. Theirs is the ultimate friends to lovers’ romance and it’s so beautiful. @juliaquinnauthor #Bridgerton #PenelopeFeatherington #ColinBridgerton #JuliaQuinn #BookReview #Book #Review #Books #Bookstagrammer #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #Reader #Reading #RegencyRomance #Romance #HistoricalRomance #FriendsToLovers #EnglishRegency #HautTon #BeatTheBacklog #BookBlog #BookBlogger #BookBloggerish
★★★★★ ‘An Offer from a Gentleman’ is my favourite ever Bridgerton book! I just love the Cinderella style story and how she manages to get one over on her stepmother in the end, after all of her cruelty. That was the best scene where the Bridgertons, the Reilings, and Sophie are all together and everything comes together, seeing both Sophie and Posy come into their own. It’s very well written and the story keeps moving along at all times. However, taking place in Regency London changes the tempo as there are more social boundaries to observe and consequences for actions. I love the equivalent of the Ugly Sisters (Rosamund and Posy), and how one of them turns out not to be so evil after all. It goes against the Cinderella stereotype. I absolutely loved Sophie as well – she is stronger than she knows. I have to say that I am still annoyed that Bridgerton the TV series missed out Benedict’s story but given the state of the first two seasons I’m also very worried that they’d screw it up so badly. The TV series has made Benedict a horrible character where in the books we see a beautiful arc that we’re not seeing on screen. But, back to the book, I’d forgotten how great it is actually, and I was laughing and emotional at various points throughout. It’s the fastest I’ve read a book in a while! Julia Quinn has a brilliant writing style and makes her characters so engaging, and you want to find out more. The family dynamics keep me coming back to this series. #BookReview #Bookstagrammer #Bookstagram #JuliaQuinn #Reader #ReadersOfInstagram #Reading #BeatTheBacklog #BookBloggerish #BookBlogger #BookBlog #BookReviewBlog #Bridgerton #Bridgertons #Review #Book #Books @juliaquinnauthor
★★★★ I really enjoyed this story, and the relationship between Kate and Edwina was quite beautiful. Edwina wanted to find love, while Kate didn’t appear to want anything but Edwina’s happiness (my pet peeve in the recent Netflix series was how their relationship was manipulated and ruined). The idea of love is explored here, and how we can recognise it and the importance of accepting and welcoming it when it comes. Anthony Bridgerton is probably my very favourite Bridgerton because he has such an acute sense of his own mortality, and he truly believes it is a reason not to fall in love, but he knows that he needs to produce an heir. The chemistry between him and Kate was tangible from the start, and Edwina didn’t seem to particularly enjoy Anthony’s attentions, though she was also aware that she needed to make a good match. There are some brilliant comedic moments that made me laugh on the train, even after several reads. I like that the marriages in this series not necessarily come at the end of the book. Love has so far been found once the betrothal and wedding has already happened, so it’s interesting to see Anthony and Kate already being committed to each other but still trying to figure out exactly how they feel about each other. I don’t think I’ll ever get bored reading these books because the Bridgerton dynamics are so brilliantly done and there is so much interplay between the siblings and their mother which makes the story come to life. I think Anthony is particularly important as the head of the family, so it’s nice to see him get his happy ending and start his family, beginning to overcome his fears with the help of his wife. It’s a lovely novel. #BookReview #Bookstagrammer #Bookstagram #JuliaQuinn #Reader #ReadersOfInstagram #Reading #BeatTheBacklog #BookBloggerish #BookBlogger #BookBlog #BookReviewBlog #Bridgerton #Bridgertons #Review #Book #Books @juliaquinnauthor
Summer Island, by Kristin Hannah I’ve read most of Kristin Hannah’s books, so I was surprised to find this one, which was an early novel for her. Written in 2001, the story explores the lives of Nora Bridge and her 2 daughters who she left behind years earlier when she walked out of her marriage. #book25 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #beatthebacklog #tbrshelf #summerisland #kristinhannah
Mini Review The Night in Question by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson . These books are so fun to read! I loved being back with Alice and Iris and their crew of crime-solving friends as they solved this case and even got to know more about the celebrity Mona Moody that we learned about in the first book. This book is very fast-paced because of all the people involved and because of how Alice and Iris must figure out who the suspect is and how this connects to the past, before the local police catch on to what they are doing and arrest them for interfering with a case. I read this book in two days because I needed to know who it was and how it all connected together with so much time in between the two cases. . The Night in Question has everything from secrets, murder, lies, rich people being terrible humans, and history! . . . . . . . #thenightinquestion #beatthebacklog #bookreview #bookstagram #mystery #agathachristie #readersofthelatearc
I’m in the book reviewer state of having read a lot and not written my reviews straight away. Can you feel my pain? 🤣🤣🤣 Here are the few I am working on tonight. Have you read them? #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookblogger #beatthebacklog #readingmyshelves
Electric God, by Catherine Ryan Hyde Hayden Reese has had a tough life, and his anger continues to get the best of him. Does this stem from his childhood, when his younger brother died? Catherine Ryan Hyde is a master at writing books about damaged characters and overcoming obstacles. #book24 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #beatthebacklog #tbrshelf #catherineryanhyde #electricgod @catherineryanhyde
★★★★ I really enjoyed this latest instalment in the Giordano Bruno series. I had to listen towards the end on double speed to finish it before my loan time expired, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of it. It’s weird because I sometimes put off starting some of the historical fiction I have set in the sixteenth century because I spend so much of my time there writing my own nonfiction books, but when I start them I really love them. The characters in this one were all fascinating and it was good to see Bruno have to confront someone from his past when he was in a monastery. At times, I did get the characters mixed up and forgot who was who as the mystery and connections were quite complex. Probably not a story you should be listening to while doing something else! Bruno and Besler’s relationship was great, kind of the glue that held this one together as Besler looks up to Bruno and Bruno is trying to guide and educate the young man. Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor, was a strange character – I don’t really know anything about him, so I don’t know whether he was really like portrayed in the story. But I really enjoy this series. Having one set in Prague was fascinating as I don’t know the city and I’m not really very familiar with the Holy Roman Empire at this time, so hearing about the religious and alchemical controversies of the time, with John Dee at the centre, was really fascinating! Alchemy as the title meant I wasn’t sure when I delved into this one quite what I was letting myself in for, but it was cleverly handled and engaging, and it didn’t at any point feel like a farce, which books about alchemy and necromancy can sometimes veer into. Here’s hoping for more adventures with Giordano Bruno and the scrapes he gets himself into across Europe. I am hoping for a return to England at some point though! #SJParris #GiordanoBruno #Book #Review #BookReview #BookBlog #BookBloggerish #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #ReadersOfInstagram #Reader #Reading #MurderMystery #HistoricalMystery #Prague #Alchemy #JohnDee #FrancisWalsingham #RudolfII #BeatTheBacklog #BookReviewBlog #Audiobook #Borrowbox
★★★★ I do love a good Horrible Histories book! They just never seem long enough and some of the things I find most interesting I want more information on. But that’s the nature of a children’s book and I can remember absolutely adoring these books growing up, and still loving them on my rereads over the last few years. What I liked about this one on Gruesome Great Houses is that it goes through houses by period, through the Normans, the Tudors, the Stuarts, Georgians, and Victorians. Some houses survive and some have been lost over the years. The interspersing of the cartoons with the text works really well and some of the houses I had never heard of which was interesting and lots of them have ghost stories as well as gory histories. It’s a lovely light and funny read, brilliantly illustrated by Martin Brown with comic strips and jokes throughout. I prefer the original covers rather than these redesigned ones though, they had more of a vintage feel. But I love that it still has an index! A history book isn’t a history book without an index frankly, even if it is a funny children’s book. #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #TerryDeary #HorribleHistories #MartinBrown #BeatTheBacklog #ReadersOfInstagram #Reader #Reading #BookBloggerish #BookBlog #BookBlogger #Book #Review #GruesomeGreatHouses #BookReview #Books #BookReviewBlog
A slower month in April for me with a few shorter reads. Enjoyed all of these 🥰 #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #scottishbookstagrammers #goodreads #2024readingchallenge #thestorygraph #thestorygraphchallenge #readthelibrary #library #beatthebacklog #readers #graphicnovel #non-fiction
Game 7 of 2024 Beaten - Fallout New Vegas This one was a replay, inspired by the TV series that I absolutely loved. I played through New Vegas originally way back in 2013 and it left a lasting impression, although I've not been back since. Revisiting it 11 years later on handheld hardware has been a blast and I discovered lots of new things and did many missions that I didn't on my first play. There's still plenty more content in the game for another playthrough, so I will definitely be doing that at some stage, although I don't intend to wait over a decade this time 😂 If anything I enjoyed it even more this time around, the range of choices and dialogue options make for such a strong story and I loved being able to bring it to a close at my own pace, a real strength of the Fallout series In my original playthrough I sided with the NCR, whereas this time around I sided with Yes Man and went for an Independent New Vegas. Also really pleased to hit 7 games beaten with so much left of the year. I know it's a small number compared to many but I only managed 8 games last year and not managed a decent number since before I became a dad, and there's still 7 months to go! How many games have you beaten so far this year? #fallout #newvegas #falloutonprime #fallouttvshow #falloutnewvegas #falloutseries #falloutgame #steamdeck #steamdeckoled #pcgaming #pcgames #pcgamer #gamebeaten #gamecomplete #beatthebacklog #videogames
★★★★ I do love a good Horrible Histories book! They just never seem long enough and some of the things I find most interesting I want more information on. But that’s the nature of a children’s book and I can remember absolutely adoring these books growing up, and still loving them on my rereads over the last few years. What I liked about this one on London is the chronological format and information on lots of different things like crime, jobs, places, and accounts of different people, and not just the rich and famous. The format is great, like adverts and newspaper articles to tell the stories. As it is part of the Horrible Histories series it doesn’t shy away from the gruesome and horrible aspects and leans into them instead. I imagine it could easily engage children and teenagers who are less interested in more traditional history. It’s a lovely light and funny read, brilliantly illustrated by Martin Brown with comic strips and jokes throughout. I prefer the original covers rather than these redesigned ones though, they had more of a vintage feel. But I love that it still has an index! A history book isn’t a history book without an index frankly, even if it is a funny children’s book. #Book #BookReview #Review #London #TerryDeary #HorribleHistories #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #BookBlog #BookBlogger #BookBloggerish #BeatTheBacklog #BookReviewer #BookReviewBlog #Reader #ReadersOfInstagram #Reading
If Only, by Judith Arnold As Ruth Singer retires, she reflects on her life choices and wonders how it would be different if she made different life decisions! #book23 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #beatthebacklog #tbrshelf #pelhamnhlibrary #ifonly #juditharnold
Two books in a week! 😊 Ages since I've done that (not counting short stories). I enjoyed both. I've just finished The Spirit Engineer and it's brilliantly written, and I knew nothing about it beforehand so it was really interesting to find out from the author's notes that it's based on actual events. I'll be off down that rabbit hole now. Or should that be nai... I've read mixed reviews of All Good People, which I finished on Monday, especially regarding the ending, but I liked the plot overall. Personally I thought the ending worked well, and although I found some of the characters were a bit flat, it's pacy and I liked the dual narration. It's the author's first novel and I've read far worse from much more established authors! Now, what shall I read next??? #WhatShallIReadNext #TBRPileOfDoom #BeatTheBacklog #LibraryBooks
★★★★★ What a brilliant book! It contains so much information gleaned from the stories, and some extras tossed in by J.K. Rowling. I know Rowling is a little controversial at the moment, but these stories saved me during the darkest times of my life and I’m not going to forget that. Falling back into this world is relaxing and cathartic. I loved the lists at the back of things that are green or purple, price lists, the list of Ministers of Magic, and the order in which characters first appear and in which books. As much as this is based on the Harry Potter stories, there is some new information thrown in which doesn’t appear in the books which is nice, but I always want more new information on this world. Having read The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this brings everything together in a lovely collection. The book is exceptionally illustrated with most being double page spreads, and some pages folding out to create bigger spreads as well. The colours of the pages are chosen to match what is being discussed, whether it’s a particular place, or event, or item. The end papers are also really pretty. It’s just such a beautiful book. Some of the illustrations are eclectic, as there are multiple illustrators, but they seem to meld together well. It just brings the entire world of Harry Potter together in one book. The only thing I can say is that perhaps I wish it went into the stories themselves a little more and how things connect together. I also wanted to know more about the backgrounds of some of the students like Seamus Finnigan, Cho Chang, and Dean Thomas. #BookReview #Book #Review #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #WizardingWorld #HarryPotter #WizardingAlmanac #Almanac #Books #Reading #Reader #ReadersOfInstagram #BeatTheBacklog #JKRowling #BookBlog #BookReviewBlog #BookBlogger #BookBloggerish
★★★★★ I absolutely adored this book! Another brilliant story from Rebecca Raisin and the fake-dating trope worked really well; in some stories it doesn’t quite work but this really did. I loved it! I just can’t seem to get enough of Rebecca Raisin’s writing, I want to devour them faster than I think she can write them frankly. Evie and Georgios were such a cute couple, and I loved the idea of a book romance, of companionable reading with someone you love. The bookshop, Bibliotherapy, also sounds amazing and somewhere I’d like to go! The descriptions of Santorini were beautiful, a bookshop on the cliff sounds like the perfect place to go on holiday. The characters of the islanders and the dogs in particular were fantastic and kept you laughing throughout. With the dogs like Pee Wee, Houdini, and Lily the story was never dull – vanishing, stealing, urinating, and just getting attached to people, they were so cute, and I’m not a dog person. Floretta was also a great character who kept Evie and Georgios exploring and discovering each other. And hearing about how each of her husband’s died I kept bursting into laughter. I can’t wait for the next book by Rebecca Raisin and, in the meantime, I’ll keep working my way through her back catalogue! @rebeccaraisinwrites2 #RebeccaRaisin #BookReview #Book #Review #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #BeatTheBacklog #BookBlog #BookBloggerish #BookBlogger #BookReviewBlog #Reading #Reader #ReadersOfInstagram #ChicLit #Romance #FakeDating #SummerAtTheSantoriniBookshop #Santorini #Bookshop #Summer
Book Review: Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ Such an evocative book. I could picture (and smell) every scene. The language takes you there. It's a great mix of historical and myth. The blending of real people into the fiction was a nice touch and helped ground it in the period. I also enjoyed the relationships between the characters. All of them are so fully realised, and you could sense the back stories for them all even if you weren't told. I enjoyed unraveling mysteries and getting to know all of the characters. I liked how it explored jewellery making/designing, antiquities etc. - professions I know very little about. A very good book. #beatthebacklog #pandora #BookReview
Dreamland, by Nicholas Sparks Needed a light read after my last book. Sparks books are easy to fall into, light and predictable, but enjoyable! #book22 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #beatthebacklog #tbrshelf #NicholasSparks #dreamland
April Month Wrap-up! Can't stop won't stop. LEGO Star Wars was my novel introduction to LEGO games. Grasping the character of all 9 movies into episodic levels proved to be captivating and involved, while keeping a light and fun spirit that LEGO has kept throughout their various media releases. Short, but fun and enjoyable all around. Finished out the Turok Remastered series with 2 and 3. The trilogy overall was enjoyable and certainly brought back memories. Rough at times, but a nostalgic playthrough. PoP was real dope. Game had great reviews and didn't disappoint. Originally hesitant with the side scrolling fashion but it actually played out very creatively. Interest and excitement stayed relevant throughout the whole game. Cravings are at an all-time high now for The Sands of Time Remake!! TMNT was a short and fun co-op which we were able to smash through in one sitting. Classic characters and play style kept this exciting through the various levels and villains. You know the drill: backlog and new games. Stay tuned! Beat games: - LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Remastered - Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered - Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 💯 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge #lego #legostarwars #starwars #turok #princeofpersia #ubisoft #tmnt #beatthebacklog #achievementhunting #trophyhunting #microsoft #xbox #xboxseriesx #sony #playstation #ps #ps5 #playstationplus #psplus #gaminglifestyle #gamingnation #gamepass #gamer #gaming #videogames #gamers #gamersofinstagram
📚 April Book Wrap up 📚 I read 13 books (3266 pages, 45.15 hours): 2 #beatthebacklog 3 AD-PR. Mainly dark books, thriller and mystery genres, with blue or pink covers. Average rating 3.94⭐ My standouts 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 🩸The Twenty by @samhollandbooks 🐐How to Solve Murders Like a Lady by @dolbyhannah (ad-pr) 🐖 Circe by Madeline Miller What was your favourite book in April? #aprilroundup #aprilwrapup #AprilReads
★★★★★ This is a brilliant book! I just wish parts had more detail but as it’s a children’s book you can’t have all of the information in it. So, I went and watched a very interesting documentary called ‘Secrets of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings’ and I still want to find out more! Luckily not long to wait until the next in this book series on the Romans, which comes out in October 2024 just in time for my birthday! I love the interplay between Greg Jenner and Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price, and the illustrations are fabulous by Rikin Parekh. The book is easy to follow along, in a chronological format, but with some interspersed sections like on Egyptian construction, or medicine. The chaos meter is a fun addition, along with the accuracy alarm, which highlights the fact that our understanding of history can change over time. Choosing to include dates, places, and names throughout means that it isn’t dumbed down too much, which I do sometimes think about the Horrible Histories series which does have a lack of dates in many books. The book respects that children can learn and can get engaged with the history. Ancient Egypt is probably a good place to start for the series because it is something that children will probably at least have some visual images of like mummies, and it has some of the chaos that no doubt draws children in. It’s reminiscent of a more modern Horrible Histories but I think I prefer Greg Jenner’s writing style to Terry Deary’s, and I love Horrible Histories anyway, but I liked the written interplay between Jenner and Price in this book. It’s a brilliant run-through of Ancient Egyptian history, I’d really recommend it, not just for children, but for anyone who wants a fun introduction to the period. @greg_jenner @egyptmcr #Egypt #AncientEgypt #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #BookBlog #BookBlogger #BookBloggerish #BeatTheBacklog #Reading #Reader #ReadersOfInstagram #Book #Review #BookReview #Books #TotallyChaoticHistory #RikinParekh #GregJenner #DrCampbellPrice
Book Review: Circe by Madeline Miller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a beautiful book (inside and out). I love the retellings/reimaginings, and Circe was one I didn't know much about. You know a book is good when you keep thinking about it and it makes you want to do your own research. The locations were so vividly portrayed, I could imagine being there. I enjoyed the exploration of witchcraft, divinity, and immortality. I was rooting for Circe, and loved her as a character. There are just so many good things to say about this book, and although it took me a little while to read, it wasn't because of flaws, it was because I was thinking about and unpacking things all the time. This will keep me thinking for some time. #beatthebacklog #BookReview #circe #bookrecommendations #beautifulbooks
The Silent Wife, by Kerry Fisher Maggie is the wife of Nico, whose wife passed away. Her stepdaughter hates her as does his mother who lives in the house next door. Massimo his brother lives close by as well with his wife Lara, who is equally unhappy. The family is extremely close and secrets are plentiful! #book20 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #tbrshelf #beatthebacklog #thesilentwife #kerryfisher
Here’s April’s Book Shape Challenge! A cute raindrop, because as they say, April shower bring... (I picked all of these books at random, based off the color of their cover; not based on: whether I read them or not—most of which I haven’t, sense why they were closest). #reading #readingchallenge #readingdare #bookdare #bookchallenge #alphabetchallenge #beatthebacklog #monthlythemes #monthlychallenge #bookshape #bookshapechallenges #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
What's your current read for this weekend? Good morning everyone! This morning's #coffeeandcurrentlyreading actually had nothing to do with Cloud atlas but I was looking around for inspiration and I'd bought this 30th anniversary special edition for my partner as it's his favourite book and it was too pretty not to include! (From @inkstonebooks , who packaged it with more bubble wrap then I've ever seen in my life 😅) Big GF brownie points were earned this week 😁 I'm actually reading Seven Devils by Elizabeth May and LR Lam. This is a Illumicrate bookbox book from 2020, so way overdue for this one!! Really enjoying this one, scifi can be a bit hit and miss for me but so far...big hit. Great characters and back stories , and I'm loving the flashbacks . Coffee is Beanies vanilla again as I can't finish them quick enough to have new and interesting flavours every week 😅 #sevendevils #cloudatlas #elizabethmay #lrlam #davidmitchell #coffeeandbooks #illumicrateeditions #beatthebacklog #tbrchallenge #bookboxbooks #anniversarybook #currentread #currentlyreading #scifibooks
April might be half over today, but I finally got my March wrap-up done! In March I started to get out of my reading slump finally and since then I’ve been enjoying reading again! . Q: how was your March?
A Little Love Story, by Roland Merullo My newest read is a revisit! I read this book years ago and fully enjoyed it. I recently connected with a childhood classmate and she shared her story with me about her illness (kartageners syndrome) similar to Cystic Fibrosis which one of the characters in this book lives with. I mentioned this story and thought I should brush up on the book to see if it still holds up and hoping my recommendation still holds value! #book19 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #tbrshelf #beatthebacklog #kartagenerssyndrome #rolandmerullo #alittlelovestory @thisiskartageners
Πας, Caryl Férey @agrapubs Βία, βία και πάλι βία σε ένα βιβλίο που με δυσκόλεψε πολύ να το τελειώσω. Δύσκολο μυθιστόρημα, που σε κάθε σελίδα σε κάνει να αναρωτιέσαι αν ο συγγραφέας υπερβάλλει. Ίσως ήταν καλό να μην το επιλέξω για την περίοδο της εγκυμοσύνης που διανύω... Προτείνεται σε όποιον έχει την εντύπωση πως είμαστε η Κολομβία της Ευρώπης. Όχι αγαπητοί μου δεν είμαστε η Κολομβία και ευτυχώς! Τέλος, προτείνεται σε όποιον αντέχει ένα πραγματικά σκληρό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα. #crimefiction #colombia🇨🇴 #bookstagram #beatthebacklog
Book Review: The Khan by Saima Mir ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a bit slow to get going, but once it did I was hooked. Elyas had my heart especially. All of the characters are complex and fully portrayed, not shying away from showing us both the light and dark. Though the switching point of view is at times confusing. I can see why it has been compared to The Godfather, it also has almost Batman vibes. It discusses home, and what makes a home. It explores the pressures and loyalty of family. It demonstrates the power that women hold and how that is wielded by different people and means different things. It's gritty and raw. A unique book, that reveals the truth slowly. #beatthebacklog #thekhan #BookReview #crimefamily
This Girl Is On Fire is the ultimate guide on how to live, learn and thrive in a life you love. However, it is not your average self-help book; rather than advice, TV star Andrea McLean serves up the raw, unfiltered truth. The book is perfect for seeing situations in a different light, just like Andrea has done. Her candid sharing of personal experiences makes this book empowering and relatable, almost like having a personal life coach at your fingertips. Packed with actionable steps and valuable takeaways, this book equips readers with the tools to make positive changes in their lives. I work in publishing and stumbled upon this book after it was recommended on social media by an author who I have previously worked with, whose books Andrea gives a nod to. I’m glad I read it and recommend it to others looking for a book that is raw and real. #thisgirlisonfire #AndreaMcLean #ITVLooseWomen #TVPresenter #HayHouse #selfhelp #personaldevelopment #readersofinstagram #readersofinsta #bookstagramuk #book #books #booklover #booklovers #bookworm #bookstagrammer #readers #booksofinstagram #booksofinsta #beatthebacklog
★★★★ This book is so so funny – it’s brilliant! 4.5 stars really (come on Goodreads!), there was just a little something missing that I can’t put my finger on which stopped it being perfect. It’s not like anything I’ve read before. It’s a light and funny story with some more serious undertones but it’s not a romance, it’s about family and people, how we can reconnect with something thought lost, and make our own choices to determine the course of our own lives. What a brilliant story. Two sisters in their 60s who inherit a farmhouse desperately in need of renovations, but the sisters haven’t spoken in years. What ensues is lots of French builders renovating the house, some chaos, and decisions that the sisters have to make in terms of their lives and what they want their lives to look like. The characters just make this story come alive and the animals have their own personalities – Blanche the chicken, Hector the donkey, and Gigi the cat. Jenny and Kitty fight like sisters do and rile each other up, but there is a way back because they want to apologise but are both being stubborn and unsure how to reconnect. I was laughing out loud on the train into work, and I laughed so hard at one point that my cat leapt off me looking offended. If you want some fun but with a serious undertone about seizing the day and making the most of what you have, then this is the book for you. #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #ReadersofInstagram #Reader #Reading #MaddiePlease #SistersBehavingBadly #Book #Books #BeattheBacklog #Siblings #Sisters #BookReview #Review #BookBloggerish #BookBlogger #BookBlog #BookReviewBlog
Twice in a Blue Moon, by Christina Lauren 14 years earlier, Tate shares the secret of her identity to Sam, during a whirlwind vacation in London. After her trust has been betrayed her life is changed. 14 years later, their paths cross again. #book18 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #tbrshelf #beatthebacklog #waitingroomreads #christinalauren #twiceinabluemoon
On Wednesdays... Just starting this gorgeous edition of Legends & Lattes by @travis_baldree as part of a buddy read with @buddyreadbooknook 💖 #wednesdayswereadpink #wednesdaypinkstack #buddyreadbooknook #buddyread #beatthebacklog #spredges
Walking With Ghosts, Gabriel Byrne Irish actor Gabriel Byrne reflects on his childhood and growing up in Ireland to a working class family. Beautifully written, flows like poetry… #book17 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #memoir #tbrshelf #beatthebacklog #gabrielbyrne #walkingwithghosts
★★★★ Another brilliant novel from Beth O’Leary! Izzy and Lucas work at Forest Manor Hotel which is under threat of closure. The pair are usually put on different shifts, so they don’t have to work together but in the run-up to Christmas the pair have to work together. What follows is lots of competition, comedy, and riling each other up. Sparks fly as they work to return lost wedding rings to their owners. It’s a lovely thought to be able to do that, and some returns go better than others, it has to be said. Izzy and Lucas are so funny! I loved their constant sniping and teasing, obvious from the beginning they were meant to be together. Izzy is an outgoing, original, and seemingly adventurous character but we find out things about her past throughout the novel that explains why she is the way she is. In contrast to Izzy, Lucas is more aloof, withdrawn, and serious, but again there are things revealed throughout the story that explain his character. It’s fun to see how they draw each other out, without seeming to or intending to. I also loved Mr Townsend and how his story came together was beautiful in the end. The only character I didn’t like from the beginning was Louis and I was proven entirely right that he was creepy and smarmy, thinking he is better than everyone else. He’s awful. The other characters were brilliant, some great comedic moments from Arjun and Ollie in the kitchen, and Lucas’s family on video calls were so funny trying to get involved in his life. I always really enjoy Beth O’Leary’s books and once again I haven’t been disappointed! This was a funny, light-hearted story with some lovely emotional moments, not the same amount of angst as in other enemies to lovers’ stories. @betholearyauthor #BethOLeary #Bookstagrammer #Bookstagram #Book #Books #Reading #Reader #ReadersofInstagram #TheWakeUpCall #BeatTheBacklog #BookBlogger #BookBlog #BookBloggerish #Romance #ChicLit #Review #BookReview
Books 2024 Harmony, by Carolyn Parkhurst Camp Harmony located in the woods of New Hampshire promises families with children that have behavioral issues some help and solutions. Families dealing with children that have behavioral issues are willing to go to this camp in the woods to try anything the owner and ‘expert’ suggest. The prologue suggests different than what I’d expect! (Swipe) #book16 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #tbrshelf #beatthebacklog #harmony #carolynparkhurst @cparkhurst1
March Month Wrap-up! Backlog engaged. Phantom Liberty continued the engrossing and distinctive gameplay in the Cyberpunk world. Played from the base game directly into this, which kept no shortage of activity and content to pour hours into. Fitting DLC that keeps you wanting more and provided additional alternate endings. This was a great expansion. Started up the Turok Remastered series and finished off the first one. Certainly reminiscent of days past with the classic gameplay and, at times, challenging moments. Looking forward to getting through the next two next. April has some newer titles in sight - stay tuned! Beat games: - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty 💯 - Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Remastered #cyberpunk2077 #phantomliberty #cdprojektred #turok #beatthebacklog #achievementhunting #trophyhunting #microsoft #xbox #xboxseriesx #sony #playstation #ps #ps5 #playstationplus #psplus #gaminglifestyle #gamingnation #gamepass #gamer #gaming #videogames #gamers #gamersofinstagram
📚 March Book Wrap up 📚 I read 15 books (2988 pages, 61.52 hours): 7 #beatthebacklog 2 AD-PR. Mainly emotional and dark books, crime genre, with grey covers. Average rating 4.05⭐ My standouts 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The Push by @ashleyaudrain A Lady's Guide to Scandal by @sophie.irwin Remarkably Bright Creatures by @shelbyvanpeltwrites 🎧 What was your favourite book in March? #marchroundup #marchwrapup #MarchReads #crimebooks #thepush #aladysguidetoscandal #remarkablybrightcreatures #bleakhouse #WorkLifeBalanceReadalong #xoxo #themurderafterthenightbefore #BridgesToBurnReadalong #abundance #norsemythology #TheBay #blacklibrarycelebration #theseawomen #saynothing #audiobooks
★★★★★ Frankly I couldn’t fault this book. It was engaging to read, and the characters came across as real people which is really important when writing historical fiction. Don’t confuse Lucrezia d’Medici with Lucrezia Borgia, though the two are related – Lucrezia d’Medici (the subject of this novel) was married to the grandson of Lucrezia Borgia (Alfonso d’Este). It’s strange to think that while this story was happening in Italy, a young Elizabeth I was on the throne in England. The story plays on the popular culture insinuation that Lucrezia was poisoned by her husband, but with a twist. It was dark and emotional, and you knew how it would end in the broadest sense from the first chapter. The jumping between her last hours and following her story from childhood up to that moment really worked, and it’s often difficult to do. Lucrezia was an intriguing character and the perception of her by her family really affected her sense of self, so it was interesting to see how that played out. The author’s note at the end explained any changes made to the historical record in the novel and why they were made. Without knowing the history in detail, it didn’t seem like any of the changes were made just for the sake of it, they were made for clarity and consistency and didn’t change the journey or outcome of the story itself. On another note, the paperback cover is just beautiful! And I can completely understand why it was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023. Brilliant! #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #ReadersofInstagram #Reading #Reader #BeattheBacklog #BookClub #BookGroup #MaggieOFarrell #TheMarriagePortrait #BookBlog #BookBlogger #BookBloggerish #BookReviewBlog #BookReview #Books #Book
My #beatthebacklog pick. I'm determined to read some of my own books between tours and gifted books. The prologue on this book is epic! Swipe to read it. #currentlyreading #bookcasepick #mybooks #thriller
★★★ I enjoyed this book – it was good to learn more about some of the people I knew less about like Arbella Stuart, Grainne O’Malley, and Aemilia Lanier. I had only heard of Lanier in passing, knew she was a poet, and O’Malley I largely knew about through Greg Jenner’s excellent episode on her on his ‘You’re Dead to Me’ podcast. I have Sarah Gristwood’s biography of Arbella Stuart to read so I may now be bumping that up my list! There are a few errors throughout like referring to Henry Courtenay as 2nd Marquis of Devon when he was 2nd Earl of Devon and 1st Marquis of Exeter or saying that Perkin Warbeck claimed to be Richard Duke of Gloucester when he actually claimed to be Richard Duke of York. There were also some aging errors like Edmund Tudor being aged 24 on 1 November 1455 but aged 26 on 1 November 1456, and that Margaret Beaufort and John de la Pole being aged 3 and 7 on their marriage, but they were only born a year apart. Little things like this kept distracting me from what I was reading. I would say that we need to be careful applying the word ‘feminist’ to 16th century women as it is a modern concept, and these women were living in very different times. But I also think that this wasn’t necessarily a feminist view which I liked, though it does mean the title is a little misleading. Just personally for me, I don’t like to see a modern concept put on women living 500 years ago, others might, and that might just be a personal preference for me. Overall, I think this was a good examination of these women, particularly the ones which are less well-known where there is less confirmed information about them. It was very accessible for those with less knowledge which is really important – I love anything which makes history more accessible to those who love to learn but wouldn’t necessarily pick up a drier text. This is a great introduction to prompt people to look further into the women discussed, and women’s history more generally. #rebeccawilson #tudorfeminists #bookreview #book #books #review #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #readersofinstagram #reader #reading #beatthebacklog #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbloggerish #bookreviewblog #penandsword
Book Review: XOXO by Axie Oh ⭐⭐⭐⭐ What a delightful, addictive read. This gave me the warm fuzzy feelings. It was a nice look at dreams and love, head and heart. I don't know much about K-pop, but I got swept along with the fans and will probably be looking it up now! I liked that it wasn't just romantic love that was explored, but family, friendship, and fans! Also the love for a country, and it was almost a love-letter to food - goodness this book made me hungry. I can't wait to pick up the next book by Axie Oh "ASAP" ;) #BookReview #beatthebacklog #xoxo #kpop
Q. Where's your favourite place to read? Happy Saturday! Thought I'd try a #coffeeandcurrentlyreading for a change. First time braving the conservatory to read this year. I love how bright it is compared to all the other rooms in my house but not loving the reflections in this photo (say hi to my partners shirts hanging up to dry 😅 ) It's a shame I can't read in here all year but in winter its 🥶. (Here's to badly built British conservatories!) I'm about 2/3 of the way through Fire with Fire and really enjoying it. It's a contemporary YA standalone about two dragon slaying sisters, the characters are written so well and I love the fresh takes on dragons. This is a 2021 Fairyloot book that is part of my #beatthebacklog challenge. Oh and the coffee is Beanies Sticky Toffee Pudding Flavour In a fairyloot mug! Gutted I'm missing out on the Ideal Home show in London as I'm sick but staying in and reading all day is definitely not a bad way to spend a Saturday. #fairylootbooks #fairyloot #coffeeandbooks #firewithfire #destinysoria #tacklethattbr #marchreads #saturdayreading #currentread #dragonbooks #bookdragons #bookswithdragons
Here’s March Book Shape Challenge! A pot of gold at the end of a rainbow (and a cute little fairy—I don’t have a leprechaun figurine). (I picked all of these books at random, based off the color of their cover; not based on: whether I read them or not—most of which I haven’t, sense why they were closest). #reading #readingchallenge #readingdare #bookdare #bookchallenge #alphabetchallenge #beatthebacklog #monthlythemes #monthlychallenge #bookshape #bookshapechallenges #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
Book Review: Abundance by Jakob Guanzon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The structure of this book, with each chapter detailing the amount of money in the pocket, and the switches in time, was clever. It added tension to the book, and I often read with my heart in my mouth. Despite the often poor decisions (in my opinion), I cared for the characters and just wanted things to work out. It illuminated the struggles of the homeless, the previously incarcerated, and those without access to healthcare. This world doesn't give people a chance. It's not an easy read, but I was fully invested. I was sad to get to the end, and I know I will be thinking about Henry and Junior for a while. #BookReview #abundance #beatthebacklog
Q. What backlog book do you think you'll be picking up soon? We have a bit of a treat for today's post. My reading buddy today is my little man Winston. He's not got the same posing skills as Milly cat and he's not sure what's going on, why I'm placing a book next to him and taking photos. But look at his little face 😍 he's only 18 months old and he's got extra thumbs! I'll try and train him up as my little Bookcat model so he appears a bit more! Today's book is Blood Scion, this was the fairyloot April 2022 pick so you can see how long it's been on my TBR. No reason for not picking it up but very glad my "Beat the Backlog" resolution made me pick this one up. It's actually got a very similar feeling to The Blood Trials which I loved (which was published one month after this one) with its militaristic academy setting, lots of brutal killing and forbidden magic. Our heroine is far more reluctant in this one and younger, this being a YA. This book is heavily inspired by Nigerian and Yoruba mythology and it's so interesting. I'm about 2/3 of the way through and will likely be finishing this one today. Happy reading! #bloodscion #deborahfalaye #nigerianbooks #nigerianauthors #yorubamythology #yorubabooks #fairyloot #fairylootbooks #beatthebacklog #backlogbooks #2022books #blackauthors #tacklethattbr #tbrbooks #tbrbacklog #bookcat #catsandbooks
You've just gotten back to the office after some much-needed time off... and are greeted by enough emails to last you days. Instead of falling into a productivity black hole, make sure that you focus on your highest priority tasks: your email will still be there when you're done! #BackToTheGrind #EmailOverload #ProductivityHacks #FocusOnPriorities #WorkSmartNotHard #InboxInfinity #TaskManagement #BeatTheBacklog #StayProductive #PrioritizeAndConquer
★★★★ I actually started reading the second book in this series first and thought that I was missing something, not realising, and I had to go back and read this one! I don’t mind that there was more to the series than I first thought – I love Phillipa Ashley for a relaxing feel-good book. After reading this I’m excited to get back into the second book and find out how Demi and Cal’s story continues. The characters in this trilogy are a real mixed bag of personalities and it’s great seeing how they play off each other. Demi is a fiery character who speaks her mind and has some brilliant ideas, and it causes fireworks but has the makings of something very special. I’m glad this is a trilogy because there is so much more to go into with Demi and Cal, Isla and Like, and Mawgan, Robyn and Andi. I want to see Kilhallon surpass all expectations! It’s such a great concept and it’s been interesting seeing the concepts of the resort develop throughout the book despite all of the setbacks and complications. I want to see how the opening goes and the exciting potential of Demi and Cal’s joint venture. I think I’m more interested in that than their burgeoning relationship! I’ve never been to Cornwall, but these books make me want to visit! I love a Phillipa Ashley book, and I’ve still got a lot of her back catalogue to read so I’m very excited to keep reading! @phillipa.ashleyauthor #phillipaashley #penwithtrilogy #cornishcafe #cornwall #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #book #bookreview #review #reader #readersofinstagram #reading #beatthebacklog #ebook #kindle #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbloggerish #books #novel #bookreviewblog #fiction #chiclit #romance
These were my February '24 reads, all fitting prompts in my storygraph various challenges I've joined 🙈😂 #readers #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #scottishbookstagrammers #goodreads #2024readingchallenge #thestorygraph #thestorygraphchallenge #readthelibrary #library #beatthebacklog #graphicnovel #biography #horror #shortstorycollection
Book Review: The Push by Ashley Audrain ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Such a page turner. I was addicted. I'm not a parent, but the writing is so absorbing that you understand completely what the characters are going through and feeling. The characters aren't particularly likeable, but they are real, relatable, and fully realised. I cared what happened to them. It's dark. It's tense. And some bits made me sob. Incredible writing, that left me wanting more. It's not an easy read subject wise, but it made me think about what I would do in similar situations. Such a different book about motherhood than I have read before. Expertly done! #beatthebacklog #bookreview #thepush
The Kindest Lie, by Nancy Johnson Years after having a child as a teenager, Ruth’s husband is excited to plan for a child. Ruth however has reservations as her teen pregnancy was never shared with her husband. #book13 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #alwaysreading #beatthebacklog #tbrshelf #usedbooksuperstore #readingwhilecommuting #thekindestlie #nancyjohnson
★★ A revenge comedy sounded interesting, but I was disappointed. There wasn’t a lot of comedy, even dark comedy, and it was difficult to read. Perhaps because I’m not au fait with the culture and a lot of the language and terminology it just felt like a hard slog, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. One thing I did like was the interactions with the children. They’re just trying to make the best of their lives, whether it’s being cheeky, helpful, or trying to get one over on others. They were nice diversions and I wish there had been more of them. I didn’t like any of the women really, they were difficult to connect with, and not just because of the cultural differences between them and myself. They weren’t very likeable and there were a lot of contradictions in them which didn’t seem to make sense. Even when the women murdered their menfolk I wasn’t engaged in the story. It just felt a bit ‘oh well’, and it all happened ‘off stage’ as it were so you didn’t feel involved which was a massive let down in terms of the story telling. The climax in the last 30 or so pages was the best bit of the book, but the first half was so slow, it could easily have been condensed down to half the length without losing the story. I wouldn’t recommend this book unless you’ve got a particular interest or knowledge of the culture otherwise parts of it just don’t make sense, and I don’t like to keep Googling words and phrases when I’m reading fiction. I just want to enjoy it and this one, I didn’t. #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #parinishroff #thebanditqueens #banditqueens #fiction #novel #beatthebacklog #bookblogger #bookblog #bookbloggerish #book #books #murder #revenge #bookreviewblog #bookreview #review #ebook #kindle #reading #readersofinstagram #reader
Book Review: The Seawomen by Chloe Timms ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ I have never read anything like this before. Truly mesmerising and unsettling in equal measure. The mistreatment of women is nothing new (sadly) but the way this was explored in this book I feel was unique. There was a lot to disgust you, and it is really quite brutal and raw. It contrasts so well with the portrayal of the sea and the beauty of freedom. The journeys the characters went through were expertly portrayed, and I was moved and emotional. I liked how you were able to fill in things left unsaid with your own imagination. I was completely sucked into the depths of this book, and it will take me some time to surface. Plus, again, how beautiful is this cover!!! 😍 #beatthebacklog #bookreview #theseawomen #bookrecommendations
Audiobook review: Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe 🎧 ⭐⭐⭐✨ A comprehensive account of a long and bloody conflict. I didn't know much about the history, and it was communicated in a very accessible way through the lives and deaths of key individuals. The narrator although good, did have some odd pauses throughout that were a bit jarring. The audio also doesn't contain the notes, so I think for that reason this may have been better in print. #beatthebacklog #audiobooks #audiobookreview #audiobook #saynothing
February Month Wrap-up! And the games go on. Cyberpunk been on the list since its initial release in 2020, but of course glad I waited it out to get a completed version free of major issues. Graphics, gameplay, story - all were very dope and pristine. You already know, the DLC is coming up next. Bramble always looked interesting sitting there on Game Pass. Scandinavian folklore influenced this relatively light game, which also included some puzzles and horror aspects. Short runthrough, but it was cool to check out. Unravel was started back in 2016 when it came out and I finally got around to finishing it. With a steady flow and easy, cozy gaming, this was enjoyable. Finishing Unravel led right into the sequel, which brought in familiar elements, but also introduced a new collaborative and creative take on the title. Another short game, but a fluid and fun playthrough. Stay tuned for what's coming next! Beat games: - Cyberpunk 2077 💯 - Bramble: The Mountain King - Unravel - Unravel Two #cyberpunk2077 #cdprojektred #bramblethemountainking #unravel #beatthebacklog #achievementhunting #trophyhunting #microsoft #xbox #xboxseriesx #sony #playstation #ps #ps5 #playstationplus #psplus #gaminglifestyle #gamingnation #gamepass #gamer #gaming #videogames #gamers #gamersofinstagram
What I Read in February in books This month I mainly focused on my unhaul project and my actual reading of full books was a bit down. However, I am now even more excited to read my owned TBR. I have a few books I have to read in March but I am also participating in a Bingo for March-April and I’m looking forward to reading a lot in the next couple months. #bibliophile #booknerd #bookworm #bookstagram #booklover #bookaddict #igreads #booknerdigans #bookstagrammer #bookishfeatures #backlistreadingchallenge #readingchallenge #mountTBR2024 #2024BooknerdBacklistChallenge #BooknerdBacklistReadingChallenge @the.booknerd.copywriter
🎧📚 Monthly Wrap-up 📚🎧 In February I read 11 books (one was a script), 3 of which were AD-PR, and 9 #beatthebacklog not counting what I will probably read this evening, that is 2662 pages and 39.73 hours of audio. I mainly read dark, adventurous fantasies. Red was the colour of the month. Average rating 4.16 ⭐ so a good month! My favourites were... 🌹Fair Rosaline by @natashasolomonsauthor 🤳🏻Every Smile You Fake by @dorothykoomson_author (ad-pr) Did you read any of these? Other books pictured... Comfort Eating by Grace Dent The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt Shakespeare by Bill Bryson 🎧 The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse A Million Aunties by Alecia McKenzie American Fiction script (ad-pr) The Formidable Miss Cassidy by Meihan Boey (ad-pr) HP and the Philosopher's Stone 🎧 #monthlywrapup #monthlyroundup #februaryreads #Februarywrapup #fairrosaline #everysmileyoufake #comforteating #thegildedones #echo #shakespeare #thewinterghosts #amillionaunties #AmericanFiction #TheFormidableMissCassidy #harrypotterandthephilosophersstone #fantasy
Q. What was your favourite read of February? Was it expected or a surprise ? February 2024 Wrap Up Read: 8 TBR: 80 (from 82) So I read 8 which is pretty much my monthly target and means I'm about 1 book behind my year to date figure so not bad at all! My favorite read was a complete surprise . I have had The kIngdom by Jess Rotherberg on my TBR since 2019! I got it at Yalc along with 15 other books and it just got lost in Mount TBR. I just grabbed it as I wanted to take a spare away with me to my brothers wedding. And I LOVED It. It's Westwood meets Disney and is a futuristic Whodunnit kind of thing with excerpts from a trial and post trial Interview with chapters of prose of what actually happened. . One of my big goals this year is to make a big dent in my backlog, including reading all my 2019 books so a win win all around! . I also have no idea why jade fire gold didn't get it's sequel! I really enjoyed this one. ⭐🌟⭐🌟⭐ The Kingdom 🏆 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ Jade Fire Gold ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Relit Wolfsong Thorn ⭐⭐⭐ House of Flame and Shadow ⭐⭐ Fragile enchantment Vanishing throne #thekingdom #jessrothenberg #jadefiregold #houseofflameandshadow #wolfsong #suitcasefullofbooks #februaryreads #tbrreading #beatthebacklog #yalc #bookreading
Game 6 of 2024 Beaten - The Dark Pictures Anthology Little Hope The Steam Deck is really helping me to fly through games at the moment, and it was the perfect place to play through this atmospheric horror game by Supermassive Games. I'm a big fan of 'Choose your own adventure' style videogames and really enjoyed Supermassive Games previous titles Until Dawn, Hidden Agenda and Man of Medan so I had high hopes for Little Hope and it mostly delivered. The story is set in the town of Little Hope, an abandoned town with a dark history including witch trials and a family burnt alive in their own home. You are in a bus crash at the start of game and set off beginning to find the bus driver. Connections are slowly revealed between the games cast of character and the past events of the town. As with these types of games, the game plays out through a combination of dialogue choices, exploration and quick time events. These influence the way the story plays out and, most specifically, who survives. Story is at the heart of any game like this and for the most part I enjoyed the story and it's many twists and turns. One issue I did have was that I found it quite noticeable when the game was jumping from one cut scene to another based on my actions. It meant that the story at times felt a little disjointed and the story didn't flow as naturally as I've found it usually does in these games. I also didn't feel like the whole witch trials element of the story really paid off to anything, although it was interesting and provided some great jump scares. Have you played any of the Dark Pictures games? #thedarkpictures #thedarkpicturesanthology #thedarkpictureslittlehope #littlehope #supermassivegames #steamdeck #steamdeckoled #gamecomplete #gamebeat #gamebeaten #beatthebacklog #pcgaming #pcgames #pcgamer #videogames #games #gaming #gamer
Somebody’s Daughter, by Ashley Ford This memoir has taken me time to read, not because it’s not holding my interest, but because I haven’t been able to find the time. Ashley grew up in poverty and unstable home life. She knew her father was incarcerated, but wasn’t told why until she was a teenager. Living through a trauma in her early teens and coming to terms with who her father really is helped shaped who she became. #book12 #whatdarleneisreading #ilovetoread #readabook #alwaysreading #beatthebacklog #tbrshelf #memoir #ashleyford #somebodysdaughter
Book Review: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well I ordered the next book in the series as soon as I finished, so that says a lot! Just to say though, it is definitely more brutal than I was expecting, but then would have some moments that felt very YA. It felt a bit at odds, where sometimes I thought I probably would have enjoyed it more when I was younger, but then some bits I probably wouldn't have coped with if I was younger (I'm a tad squeamish). It took me a little bit to fully get on board with it, if I'm honest! Despite these moments, I overall found it a very good read. I looked forward to picking it up to see where the story was going. Although I thought I had it all figured out, I was glad to be surprised by it. These surprises enhanced my enjoyment of it and the ending especially made me very keen to continue this series. I liked the range of characters, and look forward to spending more time with them. It is a fresh fantasy, exploring themes you'd expect to find in books/films like The Handmaid's Tale or The Woman King, and serving this to a new audience. Loved reading this as a buddy read, thank you. #buddyreadbooknook #buddyread #bookreview #thegildedones #beatthebacklog
★★★★ I did enjoy this follow-up to ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ but I also felt that it lacked some of the flair of the first one. The story took longer to get going, and I wish to god Max Hastings gets his comeuppance in the next book! The mystery and fear of the first book was almost downplayed in this one, although the stakes were higher. I still really liked Pip and Ravi, more as the book goes on. Pip comes to terms with the fact that maybe she isn’t as much of a good girl as she’s led people to believe which has been expected of her, and she does things which seem right, even if they’re not sensible. She has a real moral compass, but she sometimes needs Ravi to pull her back and be the voice of reason, almost balance her out. The two just seem to fit together. I was interested to see Cara and Naomi more in this book as well, after finding out at the end of the last book what their father had done. You can track the mystery through, unlike some mystery books which it is pretty much impossible to solve because the clues aren’t made clear. I guess as this is aimed at slightly younger readers, it might have been entirely on purpose. It’s not entirely obvious who the culprit is, but you can follow it through, and you have the exact same clues as the narrator, which is nice, as she shares her reasoning and thought processes with you. I had figured out some things by the end but not others, which was a lovely combination. It’s a thrilling book, and despite my comments about it starting a little slower than the last one, not being straight into the action as it almost finishes the previous story, and about not getting the same sense of tension, and fear building, it is still a brilliant piece of writing, and very engaging. I actually nearly missed by train stop. Already bought the third one to read! #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #hollyjackson #goodgirlsguidetomurder #agoodgirlsguidetomurder #book #review #bookreview #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbloggerish #beatthebacklog #kindle #ebook #bookreviewblog #crime #murder #missingperson #thriller #mystery