A tiny January wrap up

January was a pretty good reading month.  I have read 40 books so far (with 2 days left in the month), but I'm really happy with what I've read so far.

I managed to finish the Firekeeper Saga - after 12 years of looking for the books! - and I think I've mentioned it in most of the video's I've made recently that I had at least filled in the missing gaps in my collection.  It is a wonderful fantasy series that has no sex, sexual violence, graphic violence, nor does it have any swearing as such.  Truly, if you are hesitant about reading fantasy series because of the violence and graphic sex that usually accompanies a lot of fantasy books, then please try this authors work.  Okay, announcement over.

Apart from that I've reread a few of the Stephanie Laurens books, contemplated picking up The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as The Great Zoo of China, but decided that steamy tropical weather was not conducive to a good reading experience so I'm waiting for autumn to kick in.  Cold Comfort Farm is giving me some problems.  I put it down the other day (I'm 48 pages in) and I just don't feel the urge to pick it back up again.  Flora isn't a character that I am drawn to, but I hope once I get into the story again, that will change.

I don't have any solid plans for next months reading.  I'll choose another classic from my #aclassicamonth list, but that's about all.  I'm not even sure if any of the authors I read have any new releases in February, so I'll play it by ear.

Thank you for tuning in to my little rambling chats.  I hope to see you all next time, and until then,

 

T5W - Favourite Maps

Sorry that I haven't been able to update regularly.  Having carpal tunnel in both wrists really sucks and puts a limit on what you can do.  But, I'm determined to get some of August's T5W topics up so here goes nothing ;-D

Looking at maps can often be a disappointing experience.  Most of the time, it's just a boring old layout, with nothing to distinguish it from any other map in a book.  But sometimes you stumble across a gem, or two...

Yes, this is just a standard line map that can be found in nearly any fantasy book, but one of the reasons this map made it into my top 5, was the adorable wolf pair located in the top left corner (next to a very small compass).  Very simple to understand, and contains all the relevant locations from the book.  Not too daunting to take in.  Maps very similar in the following 5 books in the series, but alter due to characters movements.

Had to include this map for obvious reasons - and this naked cover map is hiding underneath a very sweet dust jacket for the second book in the Theodosia Throckmorton series, Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris.  Love the antique quality of the map, and the limited colour palette.  Reflects the era that the books are set in.  Find myself trying to find places from other books on this map.

Yes, another cover map, but this is quite different from the above map.  I love the way that the designer has used typography to form the map.  So intricate, and would be amazingly time consuming to make.  Would love a large version to put up on my wall.  The limited colour palette works very well, and having the Thames River is red, like blood, makes this very eye-catching indeed.

Source: http://www.harrypotterplatform934.com/products/marauders-map (via Google Images)

This would have been my ultimate map if only a copy of this awesome map had come with the book! The movies showed such a beautiful rendition that I think we wish all maps were like this.  But since the movie map is the only one we have {but you can purchase a copy online Own the Marauder's Map!}, then I have no choice but to put the Marauder's Map in second place.

What more can I say about this.  The maps in The Hobbit are just gorgeous.  I love the hand drawn quality, and the multiple languages used.  It looks amazing, and you just want to grab it and go in search for the Lonely Mountain yourself ;-D

As always, T5W was created by the lovely Lainey over at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {HERE} if you would also like to participate. 

Thanks again for stopping by, and let me know below what your favourite bookish map is.  Did it make my list?  Let me know ;-D

Until next time,

The Dragon of Despair is M.I.A

It doesn't happen very often, thank God, but when it does it can ruin your reading experience.  Yes, that fabulous foible known as lost mail.

Waaay way back on the 24th March I ordered two out of print (OOP) books that I desperately need to continue on with the Firekeeper Saga series by Jane Lindskold.  I own the first two books, ordered books 3 and 4, and bought book 6 brand new (with book 5 on my wishlist).  Everything went as expected, order was confirmed through AbeBooks.com, and I sat back as I waited to get my books.  And arrive it did, well the first book, Wolf Captured, anyway.  Exactly on the due date of 22 April. 

Fast forward nearly another month, and I'm still waiting for the postie to bring this hardcover book to my door!  Finally - having annoyed my trusty post-lady enough - I decided to find out what I could from the UK seller.  Fired off an email, and within 24 hours I had a reply... just not the one I'd hoped for.

Since it has been more than 10 days since they posted the item, and it's soooooo overdue, they can only conclude that the package has been 'lost in transit'.  WTF?!  They refunded my money without any questions - not that I'd even asked for one in my query - I just wish postage was included in refund as that was way more than the book cost!

So that's that.

My only hope is that it turns up one day.  Perhaps it's held up in customs, or has just been misplaced as I haven't been able to find another copy of the book that's in good or better condition and still affordable and I can't read the other 3 books until after I read this one.  Oh, and before you ask, yes I have looked for a copy at both my current library, as well as my old library, and no one has a copy!  I've been trying to inter-library loan (ILL), but it's not a popular book.

The frustrations of ordering online.  Keep your fingers crossed for me, my lovelies, that I may read this book yet ;-D

Until next time,

 

T5W - Series I want to start in 2015

Good morning, my lovelies!  Today is another T5W, and I've been looking forward to this 'topic' since I found out what the January topics were.  I'm not sure about you, but I have a lot of series.  Some only have 4 or 5 books (Parasol Protectorate, or Lily Bard), but most range from 10 - a whopping 40! (Obsession in Death is the 40th book - and there is no signs of it stopping yet!).  So in reality, the last thing I need is more series on my shelves.  But when you find a series that really grabs your attention, you know you're guaranteed at least a few more books that will be great - I hope?  

Without further delay, here are my Top 5 Series that I will be starting this year from there.  Wish me luck...

PS. I'm hoping that Atemis Awakening is the start of a series - and not a duology or trilogy.

So, we've come to the end of my 'Series that I want to start in 2015' post.  I hope you found a book or two that you'd like to try.  Oh, and if you've read some of these feel free to let me know what you thought of them in the comment section down below ;-D

If you'd like to participate in Top 5 Wednesday, it's open to anyone.  Check out the Good Reads Group {here} and as you know T5W was created by the lovely Lainey over at GINGERREADSLAINEY

Well, that's it for another week.  Until next time,

 

First book haul of the year

So over the last three days I was bad and bought my first books for 2015.  On Saturday I went into my local bookshop and couldn't resist taking home with me The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Such a beautiful cover, and it feels lovely and suede-like as well which is a bonus.

Then on Sunday I went online (originally just to check my email) and found my way to the Book Depository - for the first time this year! - and bought some classics (Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by R.L Stevenson and Orlando by Virginia Woolf) as well as the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicles, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  This book has been well represented on YouTube and I've held off till now as I'm still not sure that I'll like it.  But you've got to take a chance on a new book every now and then.  Unfortunately now I have to play the waiting game.  I won't get the books till the end of the week at the earliest.

Yesterday, Monday, I went to town and happened to find the hardcover of Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes plus a discounted copy of The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (down to $5!).  The plain Penguin cover copy of Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov was on sale as well, and I couldn't resist the beauty that is A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray.  That cover is so gorgeous.  I've resisted buying this for the last couple weeks, but finally caved.

Finally when I was at the counter paying for my books there was a box beside the register that had some free audiobooks.  Ever the sucker for a good audiobook I sorted through them and found the last remaining copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland read by Miriam Margolyes.

In all I've had a great week in terms of new books.  Hopefully my Boxing Day Sale order from Book Outlet will turn before the end of the month - order includes Red Shirts by John Scalzi, Artemis Awakening by Jane Lindskold, Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong and Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski - and I have two orders to pick up before the end of the month from local outlets as well.  So if I add those (Snugglepot & Cuddlepie by May Gibbs, Clash of Kings/Feast of Crow/Storm of Swords 1 & 2 by George R.R. Martin, plus The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly) I've totally exceeded my monthly quota for books!  Oh, and I need to order some new releases for early Feb by then too!

So many books, not enough bookshelves ;-D

I hope you have luck finding some great books this month and until next time,

 

Top 5 over 500!

Hello, and welcome to another Top 5 Wednesday list!  This week we are demolishing our shelves, trying to find our top 5 books over 500 pages.  Yes, that's right - 500 pages!  Luckily I do have rather a few huge books on my shelves but as I was riffling through I realised that a few of them were in my TBR shelves.  Bugger!  Can't put those in my top 5, so this is what I ended up with...

 

Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold

608 pages

This is the first book in the Firekeeper Saga, and essentially is about a girl who lost her parents when she was a young child and happened to be found and taken in by a pack of intelligent wolves.  Years later, they send her back to the humans {as they'd promised her mother} and the humans think that she is the lost heir to the throne (I think?) and there is a lot of political manoeuvring involved.  Set in an equivalent medieval era, it is a great introduction to Jane Lindskold if you love adult fantasy.

PS - this item is no longer available on Book Depository, etc.  Can find it on sites like AbeBooks.com {that's where I just ordered mine from ;-D}

 

Divine by Mistake by P.C. Cast

698 pages

This is the first book in Cast's Partholon Trilogy.  The story revolves around Shannon Parker, a teacher, and during her summer vacation she purchases, at auction, a Celtic vase and finds herself magically transported to the world of Partholon where she becomes the Goddess Incarnate of Epona and must find a way to return to Oklahoma before war erupts - oh, and she is married off to a centaur! ;-D

Much better than her series with daughter, this is an light, adult contemporary/fantasy trilogy.

 

 

Gladiatrix by Rhonda Roberts

582 pages

I love it when I can plug a great book from an Australian author!

When time travel was invented, everyone thought it would solve their problems. But for 22-year-old Kannon, it's about to turn her life upside down. Left for dead in the Blue Mountains when she was just a baby, Kannon has now discovered that an American Time Marshal, Victoria Dupree, could be her real mother. But Victoria has gone missing in ancient Rome while investigating the Hierophant, the mysterious leader of the Isis cult.  Kannon desperately wants to find Victoria, but the US National Time Administration is standing in her way ...

So amazing!  The next two books in the series have been published, Hoodwinked (set in the 20's I think), and Coyote (which is set in Wild West USA).

 

A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

521 pages

I love this series, and stumbled across A Kiss of Shadows when it was first published way back when.  It is an adult contemporary fantasy series with explicit sex scenes, so if that's something that bothers you then I'd recommend you either skim those scenes, or try another book.  This series is NOT FOR YOUNGER READERS!

Merry Gentry, princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, working as a private investigator specializing in supernatural crime. But now the queen's assassin has been dispatched to fetch her--whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Merry finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt's plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. 

The reward: the crown--and the opportunity to continue to live. 

The penalty for failure: death.

 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

690 pages

A world of witches, daemons and vampires. A manuscript which holds the secrets of their past and the key to their future. Diana and Matthew - the forbidden love at the heart of it. When historian Diana Bishop opens an alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library, it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordered life. Though Diana is a witch of impeccable lineage, the violent death of her parents while she was still a child convinced her that human fear is more potent than any witchcraft. Now Diana has unwittingly exposed herself to a world she's kept at bay for years; one of powerful witches, creative, destructive daemons and long-lived vampires. Sensing the significance of Diana's discovery, the creatures gather in Oxford, among them the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist. Diana is inexplicably drawn to Matthew and, in a shadowy world of half-truths and old enmities, ties herself to him without fully understanding the ancient line they are crossing. As they begin to unlock the secrets of the manuscript and their feelings for each other deepen, so the fragile balance of peace unravels...

OMG! Such an amazing trilogy!  Can't say enough great things about these books, and would recommend anyone who loves magic, witches, forbidden love and history to pick up this book!

plus an

 

At just a smidge under the 500 page limit - 487 pages to be exact - I had to include Written in Red by Anne Bishop as an Honourable Mention as I love this book so much!  While not targeted as a YA fantasy, this book is a great read for anyone (of any age!) that loves shapeshifters, elemental beings, vampires with a difference, and other magical beings and wants to segue into adult fantasy. 

This is the first book in The Others series, the second book, Murder of Crows, is currently out in hardcover/trade while the third - and hopefully not last - book in the series, Vision in Silver, is due for release next March!   I so want an ARC copy of ViS! - if anyones listening {*hint hint *} :-D

So if you loved Written in Red and are looking for more of Anne Bishop's books that are aimed at an adult audience, then I would highly recommend that you try her Black Jewels series.

You'll might have noticed 3 a glaring omission from this list.  There is no LOTR, nor any Harry Potter books.  I've tried to stay away from YA (sorry The Diviners and Harry!), and I only read LOTR every couple of years and since it was originally published in 3 parts, I don't really think I could put it here - that and I didn't want to be that predictable ;-D

Okay, so that's me done for another week.  I hope you found something new to read, and if you want to find out more about this series, it was created by the lovely Lainey at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {here} if you would also like to participate.

If you have any questions, or comments, I'd love to hear from you... and you know what to do down below ;-D

So until next time,