tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3541679356769973412024-02-19T05:40:03.422+00:00Uncorked ThoughtsUncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-4857024156366634862018-02-16T08:30:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:03.660+01:00BLOG TOUR: The Toy Makers by Robert Dinsdale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello everyone!<br />
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Today I have the talented Robert Dinsdale on the blog answering a couple of questions about his latest novel, <i>The Toy Makers</i>. This magical tale is completely breathtaking and not one to miss.<br />
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<i><span style="color: #990000;">The Emporium opens with the first frost of winter. It is the same every year. Across the city, when children wake to see ferns of white stretched across their windows, or walk to school to hear ice crackling underfoot, the whispers begin: the Emporium is open! Christmas is coming, and the goose is getting fat…<br /><br />It is 1917, and London has spent years in the shadow of the First World War. In the heart of Mayfair, though, there is a place of hope. A place where children’s dreams can come true, where the impossible becomes possible – that place is Papa Jack’s Toy Emporium.<br /><br />For years Papa Jack has created and sold his famous magical toys: hobby horses, patchwork dogs and bears that seem alive, toy boxes bigger on the inside than out, ‘instant trees’ that sprout from boxes, tin soldiers that can fight battles on their own. Now his sons, Kaspar and Emil, are just old enough to join the family trade. Into this family comes a young Cathy Wray – homeless and vulnerable. The Emporium takes her in, makes her one of its own. But Cathy is about to discover that while all toy shops are places of wonder, only one is truly magical...</span></i><br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Thanks for your time Rob and welcome to the blog! Could you tell us a bit about your latest novel, The Toy Makers?<br /></b><br />
The Toymakers opens on a winter night in 1917, when the doors of Papa Jack’s Emporium – London’s premier merchant of toys and childhood paraphernalia – opens its doors to the public for the Christmas season. Papa Jack’s Emporium is a toyshop feted by a generation; its old Russian owner, Jekabs Godman, survived a Siberian labour camp and emigrated to London to spend his life making toys for those less fortunate than him. The Emporium is now a sprawling store where the joys of childhood get crystallised and magic might just be possible. But the wars of the 20th century are being waged outside its doors and the glory days of the Emporium might not last forever…<br />
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<b> The subject is much different to your previous novels. What inspired you to go down the route of magic?</b><br />
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A lot of it was to do with the birth of my daughter and the very particular kind of joy that brought into my life. In the past I’ve written novels about childhood (Little Exiles), surviving horrific moments in history (Gingerbread) and brothers at war (The Harrowing) – but in The Toymakers I was determined to approach those ideas through a new lens. A huge part of it was allowing myself to get swept up in the joy of imagining things again – something I think I was in danger of losing along the way. I dug out all the old notebooks and sketchpads I wrote and scribbled ideas in when I was a boy, and was reminded: writing doesn’t have to be hard work. It should be fun as well. I’m hopeful that the book works like this as well, as a kind of love letter to the imagination…<br />
<b><br /> What was your favourite toy as a child? How would you have handled The Emporium?</b><br />
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I had a raggedy dog on wheels that we called Patch. He’s still around somewhere, fraying apart in the attic in my old childhood home… <br />
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I like to think I’d have been one of those trying to camp out in the Emporium overnight, finding myself a hollow between the shelves and exploring it after dark – but my mother would never have allowed it…<br />
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<b> Were there any particularly difficult bits to write when writing this book?</b><br />
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I don’t want to give away too much, but the novel isn’t all sweetness and light. The Emporium is like childhood preserved in amber. But the reality of life is we can’t stay young for long, being a child is formative but fleeting, and sooner or later the magic starts to fade. There’s war and bereavement and a marriage coming apart in the novel, but perhaps the hardest thing to write is that bittersweet feeling of growing up. <br />
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<b>You're a dab hand at the publishing process now. Which are you favourite and least favourite bits of getting a book out into the wild?</b><br />
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I don’t know if anyone is ever a dab hand! I certainly don’t feel like I am… Every book’s different and has a different journey. I can be terrible at editing my work – I always find that a really gruelling part of the process – and the nerves of course kick in when the book is about to be released into the world to find its own way. With The Toymakers there was one thorny edit I had to sink my teeth into, but it made the book what it is and, difficult as it was, it was absolutely worth the effort. <br />
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<span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-toymakers/robert-dinsdale/9781785036347" target="_blank">Waterstones </a>| <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Robert-Dinsdale/The-Toymakers/21439625" target="_blank">Hive </a>| <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Toymakers-Robert-Dinsdale/dp/1785036343/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1518623746&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon </a></span></div>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-56651378229699943492018-01-26T08:30:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:03.885+01:002018 Anticipated Reads: Part 4Hi everyone, here is my fourth and final post on my most anticipated reads of 2018!<br />
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Let me know what titles you are most looking forward to in 2018 in the comments or over on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/_LeahReads_" target="_blank">@_LeahReads_</a><br />
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<b><i>Nineteen Eighty-Four </i>by George Orwell</b><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">OK so this isn't a new title, as you all know, but this is one of my all time favourite books and I'm a bit of an edition collector! This year Penguin are releasing a stunning edition in the Penguin English Library collection and I'm absolutely besotted by the cover. Get on my shelf!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36863724-nineteen-eighty-four"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1502150032l/35757828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1502150032l/35757828.jpg" width="204" /></a><b><i>Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares</i> by Pierce Brown, Rik Hoskin</b></div>
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I am a huge Pierce Brown/ Red Rising fangirl and a Howler from head to toe, so when this graphic novel was announced set in the world of the best-selling books, I knew it was something that I was going to have to have. The artwork looks to be stunning and I can guarantee that the writing is going to be perfection. </div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/978-1524104924"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516390291l/33795549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Immortalists: The New York Times Top Ten Bestseller" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516390291l/33795549.jpg" width="207" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/978-1524104924"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/978-1524104924"><br /></a><b><i>The Immortalists</i> by Chloe Benjamin </b><br />
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Something I have been trying to do more of lately is to read wider and to journey back into adult fiction. <i>The Immortalists </i>sounds absolutely amazing following the paths of two siblings who must decide whether to follow the prophecies predicted to them by a fortune teller. It sounds mystical and intriguing so I can't wait for it to pop out onto the shelves.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33795549-the-immortalists"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-35958774307080133032018-01-22T08:30:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:04.043+01:00REVIEWS: State of Sorrow, The Treatment, CleanHello everyone!<br />
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I haven't reviewed a book in what feels like a very long time, but it's something that I would love to start up again. Writing full length reviews wasn't working for me anymore, particularly working in the publishing industry. I have decided to do short and snappy reviews instead featuring a few books that I have read lately.<br />
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Today's include <i><b>State of Sorrow</b></i> by Melinda Salisbury, <i><b>The Treatment</b> </i>by C. L. Taylor and <i><b>Clean </b></i>by Juno Dawson.<br />
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<span style="color: #45818e;"><b><i>State of Sorrow</i> by Melinda Salisbury</b><b><br />Publication Date: 1st March 2018, Scholastic</b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #45818e;">My Rating: 4.5* </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34640572-state-of-sorrow"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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I have been coveting <i>State of Sorrow</i> ever since I read the sampler at YALC and was over the moon when my pal at Scholastic sent a copy over. Needless to say, this book did not disappoint. We follow the path of the chancellor's daughter, Sorrow in her quest to navigate her grieving world. In true Mel Salisbury fashion, this book is packed to the brim with deception, political upheaval and magic, love and heartache and so many twists and turns to keep you flying through the pages. The plot weaves together so beautifully and intelligently with every small detail counting towards the ending; it's truly a delight to read.<br />
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<i>State of Sorrow</i> reads as book #1 in a series and following that ending I am so ready for the next book. It's one to look out for, and if you're a die hard Mel Salisbury fan you will most certainly not be disappointed.<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498215536l/35261805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Treatment" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498215536l/35261805.jpg" width="201" /></a><b><span style="color: #45818e;"><i>The Treatment </i>by C. L. Taylor</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #45818e;">Publication Date: 19th October, HQ </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #45818e;">My Rating: 3.5*</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35261805-the-treatment"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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<i>The Treatment</i> was a fascinating read which allowed me to dip my toe back into a dystopianesque society, something that I have missed reading lately. It is a fast-paced thriller which kept me on the edge of my seat, for the most part. The story follows the path of two siblings as they navigate a government facility which is brainwashing 'troublesome' teenagers into the perfect citizens.C. L Taylor built relationships between the teenagers beautifully and I found myself getting fully immersed in their struggles and rooting for their escape.<br />
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I loved the concept and the subtle jabs at both the UK and US government, but where this book fell down for me was the ending. I didn't feel that it was as strong as the rest of the book, unfortunately.<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1512856882l/34850295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Clean" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1512856882l/34850295.jpg" width="208" /></a><b><span style="color: #45818e;"><i>Clean </i>by Juno Dawson</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #45818e;">My Rating: 4.5*</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34850295-clean"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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<i>Clean </i>is one hell of a ride. This book is brutal, unflinchingly honest and so hypnotic. It is such a timely and important book. I haven't read many books featuring drug addiction in teens but this was such a unique take. It takes place in a rehabilitation facility and features a variety of characters suffering with a variey of disorders, from drugs to OCD, self-harm to anorexia. This is a book that will absolutely blow you away but it's one that I hope is read as widely as possible. It's eye-opening, emotional and I really didn't want to leave Lexi in those final pages. I desperately wanted to continue reading her story.<br />
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<i>Clean </i>is my first read of Juno Dawson's fiction titles, and the power with which she wields her words blew my mind and I am more than sure to be picking up more. Please be warned that this book will contain many triggers, so please be careful when going in.Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-56907924931455687832018-01-19T08:30:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:04.140+01:008th Annual End of Year Survey 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey everyone!<br />
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I'm a little late to the party this year since we're already half way through January, but I love doing this survey hosted by Jamie @ <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2017/12/8th-annual-end-of-year-survey-2017-edition.html" target="_blank">Perpetual Page Turner</a> and didn't want to miss it! 2017 was a huge whirlwind and disaster zone for me so it's nice to have this survey to reflect back on and look over all the wonderful books I read and hope to read in 2018!<br />
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I decided to skip the 'Your Blogging/ Bookish Life' section this year because I really haven't been all that present here and didn't have much to say.<br />
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<b>Number Of Books You Read: </b>95 - fell short of my reading challenge for the first time!<br /><b>Number of Re-Reads: </b>Two<br /><b>Genre You Read The Most From: </b>Young Adult <div>
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<b>1. Best Book You Read In 2017?</b></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31716900-red-sister" target="_blank">Red Sister</a></i> by Mark Lawrence. A brilliant fantasy that follows a Convent who also happen to be assassins...<br /><br /><b> 2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23403402-a-darker-shade-of-magic" target="_blank">A Darker Shade of Magic </a></i>by V. E. Schwab. I know, don't hate me. I adored <i>Vicious</i> but something about this one just didn't tick all of my boxes.<br /><br /><b>3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? </b></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32613366-the-hate-u-give" target="_blank">The Hate You Give</a></i> by Angie Thomas. I knew things were still really bad, but this book gave me a hell of an education and I'm so grateful to Angie for that (but also so fucking angry at people).<br /><div>
<b> <br />4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?</b></div>
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Probably <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35294739-this-is-going-to-hurt" target="_blank">This is Going to Hurt</a></i> by Adam Kay. It talks about his time as a junior doctor in the NHS and it's equal parts funny, disgusting and upsetting. It's one I'd urge you all to read.<br /><br /><b>5. Best series you started in 2017? Best Sequel of 2017? Best Series Ender of 2017?</b><br />I read a couple of really good opening books to series this year. I think the best one was probably <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30240773-three-dark-crowns" target="_blank">Three Dark Crowns</a></i> by Kendare Blake, but I also loved <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32505753-ash-princess" target="_blank">Ash Princess</a> </i>by Laura Sebastian, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34728667-children-of-blood-and-bone" target="_blank">Children of Blood and Bone</a> by Tomi Adeyemi and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34514480-undercover-princess" target="_blank">Undercover Princess</a> </i>by Connie Glynn. </div>
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Sequel wise, I weirdly didn't read any. That's so bizarre and I hadn't noticed that until just now! Best series ender I only really read one and that's Sarah J. Maas, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23766634-a-court-of-wings-and-ruin" target="_blank">A Court of Wings and Ruin</a></i> but I loved it.<br /><br /><b>6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2017?</b><br />I mean he is by no means new, but new to me and that's Stephen King. I read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35890397-it" target="_blank"><i>It</i> </a>and he absolutely blew my mind!</div>
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<br /><b>7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35668923-the-sun-and-her-flowers" target="_blank">The Sun and Her Flowers </a></i>by Rupi Kaur. I never read poetry, ever, but I devoured this and looking forward to picking up <i>Milk and Honey.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i><b> 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?</b></div>
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Oh my god, Sarah Pinborough's <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34089775-behind-her-eyes" target="_blank">Behind Her Eyes</a>. </i>THAT BOOK IS CRAZY. That ending! Believe the hype because this book is a corker.<br /><br /><b>9. Book You Read In 2017 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?</b><br />Hmm, I'm not a huge re-reader but probably <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30240773-three-dark-crowns" target="_blank">Three Dark Crowns</a></i> by Kendare Blake so that I can get stuck into <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34567771-one-dark-throne" target="_blank">One Dark Throne</a>. </i></div>
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<b>10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2017?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30622162-sleeping-beauties" target="_blank">Sleeping Beauties</a></i> by Stephen and Owen King is gorgeous.<br /><br /><b>11. Most memorable character of 2017?</b><br />Pennywise from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35890397-it" target="_blank">It</a>. </i>That is one character that I'll never forget ha.<br /><br /><b>12. Most beautifully written book read in 2017?</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35611139-a-skinful-of-shadows" target="_blank"><i>A Skinful of Shadows</i> </a>by Frances Hardinge is stunning. Her writing is so lyrical and beautiful.<br /><br /><b>13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2017?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32613366-the-hate-u-give" target="_blank">The Hate You Give </a></i>by Angie Thomas. She has truly opened my eyes. </div>
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<br /><b>14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2017 to finally read? </b><br />Can I say <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35890397-it" target="_blank">It</a></i> again?<br /><br /><b>15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2017?</b><br />'i stand</div>
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on the sacrifices</div>
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of a million women before me</div>
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thinking</div>
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<i>what can i do</i></div>
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<i>to make this mountain taller</i></div>
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<i>so the women after me</i></div>
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<i>can see farther.</i></div>
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<i>- legacy, </i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35668923-the-sun-and-her-flowers" target="_blank">Rupi Kaur </a></div>
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<b> 16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2017?</b><br />Shortest: <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27968947-gratitude" target="_blank">In Gratitude</a> </i>by Oliver Sacks (45 pages) </div>
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Longest: <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35890397-it" target="_blank">It </a></i>by Stephen King (1,166 pages) </div>
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<br /><b> 17. Book That Shocked You The Most</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32613366-the-hate-u-give" target="_blank">The Hate You Give</a> </i>by Angie Thomas<br /><br /><b>18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)</b><br />Controversial non-fiction relationship between the British people and the NHS.</div>
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<br /><b>19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year</b><br />I really liked Lottie and Ellie in <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34514480-undercover-princess" target="_blank">Undercover Princess</a>. </i>Such a hilarious friendship.</div>
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<br /><b> 20. Favorite Book You Read in 2017 From An Author You’ve Read Previously</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34564400-it-only-happens-in-the-movies" target="_blank">It Only Happens in the Movies</a> </i>by Holly Bourne. Holly is so good at writing teenagers and my heart went through the ringer with this one!</div>
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<br /><b>21. Best Book You Read In 2017 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:</b><br />Again probably <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32613366-the-hate-u-give" target="_blank">The Hate You Give</a></i> but so worth it.</div>
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<br /><b> 22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2017?</b><br />Harry from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34564400-it-only-happens-in-the-movies" target="_blank">It Only Happens in the Movies</a></i><i>.</i> Teenage me would have definitely been crushing hard.</div>
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<br /><b> 23. Best 2017 debut you read?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32596689-the-taste-of-blue-light" target="_blank">The Taste of Blue Light</a> </i>by Lydia Ruffles. It was so intriguing and heart-wrenching with some really beautiful writing. </div>
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<br /><b> 24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23466115-the-wolf-princess" target="_blank">Wolf Princess</a> </i>by Cathryn Constable. I felt the chill of Russia through the pages in this sweet middle-grade read.</div>
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<br /><b> 25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29611124-the-house-at-pooh-corner" target="_blank">The House at Pooh Corner </a></i>by A. A. Milne. I am a sucker for anything Winnie the Pooh and it was so nice to go back to my childhood. </div>
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<br /><b>26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2017?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29779231-when-breath-becomes-air" target="_blank">When Breath Becomes Air</a> </i>by Paul Kalanithi basically broke me. A non-fiction account of Paul Kalanithi, a doctor who lost his life to cancer, it's not a book that you'll forget about in a hurry. </div>
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<br /><b> 27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?</b><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34852046-marlena" target="_blank"><i>Marlena</i> </a>by Julie Buntin is a brilliant adult debut. </div>
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<br /><b> 28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?</b><br />Probably <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29779231-when-breath-becomes-air" target="_blank">When Breath Becomes Air</a>. </i>It's so heartbreaking.</div>
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<br /><b> 29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2017?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32708944-the-descent-of-man" target="_blank">The Descent of Man</a> </i>by Grayson Perry purely because there are so few books in circulation that explore how toxic stereotypical masculinity is. It's such an interesting book.<br /><br /><b> 30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32613366-the-hate-u-give" target="_blank">The Hate You Give</a>. </i>I'm still fuming.</div>
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<b>1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2017 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2018?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13518102-salvage" target="_blank">Salvage </a></i>by Alexandra Duncan. This has been on my TBR for years and I really want to read it, so I hope I'll get to it this year.</div>
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<br /><b>2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2018 (non-debut)?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33876216-iron-gold" target="_blank">Iron Gold</a> </i>by Pierce Brown. I adore his writing and can't wait to get stuck back into his world. </div>
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<br /><b> 3. 2018 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35883046-everless" target="_blank">Everless </a></i>by Sara Holland. It sounds like an incredible YA fantasy!</div>
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<br /><b> 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2018?</b><br /><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36512753-grey-sister" target="_blank">Grey Sister</a> </i>by Mark Lawrence. I can't wait to see what Nonna gets up to next!</div>
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<br /><b> 5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2018?</b><br />To try and post something at least once a month in 2018. Last year was the worst year to date for my blog with a total of 8 posts being written and no reviews... </div>
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<br /><b>6. A 2018 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone (if applicable):</b></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35658909-i-am-thunder?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">I Am Thunder</a> </i>by Muhammad Khan. This is such an important read and I really think it will be a huge book for 2018. </div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-40760596493621010352018-01-14T13:40:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:04.268+01:002018 Anticipated Reads: Part 3<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy New Year!</div>
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There's been a bit of a delay in part 3 of my 2018 anticipated reads but I started a new publishing job last week so everything has been a bit of a whirlwind! It's all very exciting and I feel like I've finally settled into what I want and the company I work for seems absolutely perfect.<br />
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Anyway, on to my next three anticipated 2018 releases:<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511802940l/29749098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons, #3)" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1511802940l/29749098.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><i></i></b><br />
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<b><i>Catwoman: Soul Stealer</i> by Sarah J. Maas </b></div>
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I've recently just finished Marie Lu's take on <i>Batman</i> and have Leigh Bardugo's <i>Wonder Woman</i> sitting on my shelves waiting to be devoured, so I really cannot wait to get stuck into <i>Catwoman</i>. I've been really getting into DC this last year through reading the DC Rebirth series and I'm looking forward to reading more. Catwoman isn't a character that I know a whole lot about, and SJM is one of my all time favourite authors so looking forward to getting stuck in!<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29749098-catwoman"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.hachettechildrens.co.uk/assets/HachetteChildrensBooks/img/book/410/isbn9781526360410-detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://www.hachettechildrens.co.uk/assets/HachetteChildrensBooks/img/book/410/isbn9781526360410-detail.jpg" width="239" /></a><b><i>Mary's Monster: Love, Madness and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein</i> by Lita Judge </b></div>
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<i>Frankenstein</i> is one of my all time favourite classics. I loved reading it, I loved studying it and I love Mary Shelley. This book sounds fantastic and is publishing for the 200th anniversary of<i> Frankenstein.</i> Taken from the Wren & Rook website this book is going to be everything I want it to be:</div>
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<i><i>Part biography, part fantasy and part feminist allegory, Mary's Monster is an engrossing take on one remarkable woman. And her monster.</i></i><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34506916-mary-s-monster"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1515664280l/37909789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Run, Riot" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1515664280l/37909789.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="208" /></a><br />
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<b><i>Run, Riot </i>by Nikesh Shukla</b></div>
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Author and editor of <i>The Good Immigrant </i>Nikesh Shukla has penned his first young adult novel and I cannot wait to read it. The book sounds like it will be <i>Orangeboy</i> meets <i>The Hate You Give </i>and is part of such an important movement. I have learnt so much from reading these books and have realised how ignorant I have been to the extent of the things that still happen today. I have so much more to learn and I can't wait to get stuck in. This is one that should be on everyone's TBR pile.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37909789-run-riot"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-82891719829353932892017-11-30T16:56:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:04.396+01:002018 Anticipated Reads: Part 2Hello everyone! I'm back with round 2 in my most anticipated 2018 reads. I love the chance to lose myself in new worlds and 2018 promises to be a corker. Here are another three books that I am looking forward to next year:<br>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507281999l/35883046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Everless" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507281999l/35883046.jpg" width="210"></a><br>
<b><i>Everless </i>by Sara Holland</b><br>
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I am a sucker for YA fantasy so when the cover alone popped up on my radar I was intrigued. Set in the land of Sempera, the rich control everything including time. Hours are bound in iron coins and allowing the rich to live for centuries and the poor to bleed themselves dry. It sounds like <i>Red Queen</i> meets <i>In Time</i> and I can't wait to sink into this world.<br>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35883046-everless"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png"></a>
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<b><i>How Do You Like Me Now?</i> by Holly Bourne</b><br>
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I would read Holly Bourne's shopping list, so when it was announced that she would be releasing her first adult book I knew it was going to be something that was going to be shooting to the top of my TBR pile. Pitched as 'a blisteringly funny, honest and moving exploration of love, friendship and navigating the emotional rollercoaster of your thirties' it sounds like a book that is right up my street. Although not quite 30, all of my friends are starting to get married or have babies so this sounds like a refreshing and hilarious book that will resonate with many of us!<br>
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<https: book="" from_search="true" how-do-you-like-me-now="" show="" www.goodreads.com=""><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png"></https:>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499973107l/35018908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Queens of Innis Lear" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499973107l/35018908.jpg" width="210"></a><b><i>The Queens of Innis Lear </i>by Tessa Gratton</b><br>
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It's a fantasy retelling of <i>King Lear</i> and that is literally all I needed to know. <i>King Lear</i> is my all time favourite Shakespeare play and when I stumbled across this book there was no hesitation in my mind about needing it in my life. The erratic decisions of a prophecy obsessed king leaves the Innis Lear without its magic. The islands only chance is the realm has of survival is the crowning of a new monarch to resurrect magic and to defend the land. With the king refusing to crown an heir until the longest night of the year, the sisters prepare for war. How good does this sound?!<br>
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<https: book="" show="" the-queens-of-innis-lear="" www.goodreads.com=""><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png"></https:></div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-24167257113955522852017-11-16T15:38:00.002+00:002020-09-15T15:24:04.524+01:002018 Anticipated Reads: Part 1Hello everyone! With 2018 just around the corner, I thought I would start compiling my most anticipated reads that are coming in 2018. This next year promises a wealth of wonderful books and I can't wait to get my hands on them!<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482474951l/29217027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga, #4)" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482474951l/29217027.jpg" width="210" /></a><br />
<b><i>Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga #4) </i>by Pierce Brown </b><br />
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First up is the next book by Pierce Brown - <i>Iron Gold</i>. Howlers get ready to unite because I am absolutely buzzing to sink back into the world of <i>Red Rising! Iron Gold</i> takes place a decade following the end of <i>Morning Star</i> and peace hasn't come about quite so smoothly. Darrow, the hero from the previous trilogy is once again thrown into a final desperate mission to save the people that he loves.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29217027-iron-gold"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor #2) </i>by Mark Lawrence</b></div>
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<i>Red Sister</i> is one of my most beloved books of 2017. I devoured it and I couldn't get enough of Nona Grey and her story. Every page held something and the writing was flawless. <i>Grey Sister </i>cannot come quick enough! This next book will see Nona choosing her path and I am just so excited to sink back into this world.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35715280-grey-sister"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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<b><i><b><i>State of Sorrow </i>by Melinda Salisbury</b></i></b></div>
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I nabbed an early sampler of this gem at YALC this year and it goes without saying that this is going to be a bloody brilliant book. The sampler had me wishing for more. The snippet I read was written beautifully and the blurb sounds wonderful. Mel Salisbury is a genius writer and I think we will be safe in her hands for another emotional whirlwind of a book!</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34640572-state-of-sorrow"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is my first of four posts where I'll be highlighting my 12 most anticipated reads of 2018. Let me know what books you can't wait for! There's always room on the TBR :). </span></div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-75813822103684594522017-10-05T17:27:00.002+01:002020-09-15T15:24:04.650+01:00Super Thursday: My Wishlist<div class="tr_bq">
Hey guys! So today is Super Thursday in the book world where 505 hardbacks are released into the wild. It's one of my favourite bookish days - I love seeing all of the new books released and the excitement that comes with it. With so many books flying out, I thought I'd showcase some of my personal highlights that I can't wait to get my hands on. </div>
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<b><b>Mirror Mirror by Cara Delevingne and Rowan Coleman</b></b></div>
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I am a sucker for coming of age stories especially one that's mixed with mystery and complicated female friendships:</div>
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1505990429l/34570982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mirror Mirror" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1505990429l/34570982.jpg" width="203" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34570982-mirror-mirror?from_search=true"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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A gripping coming-of-age story that explores identity, sexuality, friendship and betrayal for fans of WE WERE LIARS, GO ASK ALICE and THE GIRLS.</div>
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Friend. Lover. Victim. Betrayer.</div>
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When you look in the mirror, what do you see?</div>
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Sixteen-year-old friends Red, Leo, Naima and Rose are like anyone their age: figuring out who they are and trying to navigate the minefield of school and relationships. Life isn't perfect, but they're united by their love of music and excited about what the future holds for their band.</div>
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That is until Naima dies in tragic circumstances, leaving behind only one word. 'Sorry'.</div>
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What awful truth was she hiding? What dark secret was lurking behind her seemingly sunny persona? And how did Red, the self-styled protector of the group, fail to spot the warning signs?</div>
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While Rose turns to wild partying and Leo is shrouded by dark moods, Red sets out to uncover the truth and find out what - or perhaps who - was responsible for Naima's death.</div>
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It's a journey that will cause Red's world to crumble, exposing the dark and dangerous truth behind the fragile surface of their existence. Nothing will ever be the same again, because once a mirror is shattered, it can't be fixed.</div>
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<b>It Only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne</b><br />
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I absolutely adore Holly Bourne's books. I picked up the sampler of this at YALC and demolished it. It promises to be warm, funny and important in classic Holly style.</div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496228354l/34564400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="It Only Happens in the Movies" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496228354l/34564400.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34564400-it-only-happens-in-the-movies?from_search=true"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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Audrey is over romance. Since her parents' relationship imploded her mother's been catatonic, so she takes a cinema job to get out of the house. But there she meets wannabe film-maker Harry. Nobody expects Audrey and Harry to fall in love as hard and fast as they do. But that doesn't mean things are easy. Because real love isn't like the movies...</div>
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The greatest love story ever told doesn't feature kissing in the snow or racing to airports. It features pain and confusion and hope and wonder and a ban on cheesy clichés. Oh, and zombies... YA star Holly Bourne tackles real love in this hugely funny and poignant novel.</div>
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<b>The Book of Forgotten Authors by Christopher Fowler</b><br />
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This book sounds like such a little gem. I'm looking forward to picking it up and discovering forgotten authors.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34100964-the-book-of-forgotten-authors?ac=1&from_search=true"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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Absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder. It makes people think you're dead.<br />
So begins Christopher Fowler's foray into the back catalogues and backstories of 99 authors who, once hugely popular, have all but disappeared from shelves.<br />
We are fondly introduced to each potential rediscovery: from lost Victorian voices to the twentieth century writers who could well become the next John Williams, Hans Fallada or Lionel Davidson. Whether male or female, flash-in-the-pan or prolific, mega-seller or prize-winner - no author, it seems, can ever be fully immune from the fate of being forgotten.<br />
These 99 journeys are punctuated by 12 short essays about faded once-favourites: including the now-vanished novels Walt Disney brought to the screen, the contemporary rivals of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie who did not stand the test of time, and the women who introduced psychological suspense many decades before it conquered the world.<br />
This is a book about books and their authors. It is for book lovers, and is written by one who could not be a more enthusiastic, enlightening and entertaining guide.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are you guys looking forward to picking up today? </span></div>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-48101768145616485872017-10-02T16:13:00.000+01:002020-09-15T15:24:04.778+01:00I Put A Spell On You: Halloween Reads <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGokMPfEvsFz6783Dcqz-dHd9xud1bghWiAYgfkQk7ZPTsXTVuSonv_V2UowENxwwwwzVwtUpSKkb5F8zro44hIIvya9HBBTJiFlZWxc0g40VTtvX17tGzc__ALQWe04QNAuEIS5pkMSRW/s1600/halloweenbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="700" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGokMPfEvsFz6783Dcqz-dHd9xud1bghWiAYgfkQk7ZPTsXTVuSonv_V2UowENxwwwwzVwtUpSKkb5F8zro44hIIvya9HBBTJiFlZWxc0g40VTtvX17tGzc__ALQWe04QNAuEIS5pkMSRW/s320/halloweenbook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/6-great-halloween-books-for-kids-of-all-ages/" target="_blank">(c) Barnes & Noble</a></td></tr>
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Hey guys! Long time, no speak? Things have been a little hectic in my personal life these last few months so the blog has been a little neglected. October seems like the perfect month to bounce back! I love Halloween and adore the Autumn so today I'm bringing you some of the books that I'm looking forward to reading this Halloween.<br />
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<b>The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell </b><br />
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Bloomsbury's newest imprint Raven Books is bringing out some absolute corkers in its debut year. <i>The Silent Companions </i>is a book that has been on my radar back from when I worked at the company back in January. Inspired by Susan Hill and Shirley Jackson, I knew this was going to be a book that I saved up especially for Halloween.<br />
This book is pitched as a 'Gothic ghost story which is set to send a shiver down your spine' and follows a newly married and newly widowed Elsie. The description is giving me all sorts of <i>The Little Stranger </i>vibes and I can't wait to get stuck in!<br />
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Add to your TBR on Goodreads:</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34600633-the-silent-companions?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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<b>The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles </b></div>
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<i>'The nightmares tend to linger long after your screams have woken you up ...</i>'</div>
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<i>The Taste of Blue Light </i>has been on my radar for the longest time. From the two different colour proofs to the pure subject matter of the book. I'm intrigued by what happened to Lux Langley. What happened to her over the summer? Why was she in hospital? <i>Why are her dreams etched in red?</i><br />
With a quote from Louise O'Neill and Sara Barnard, I knew it was going to be a book that was right up my street.<br />
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Add to your TBR on Goodreads:</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32596689-the-taste-of-blue-light?from_search=true"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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<b>Sleeping Beauties by Stephen and Owen King</b></div>
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OK I feel like I have been waiting for this book FOREVER. Ever since Hodderscape started the teaser campaign I was hooked. The plot: <i>What might happen if women disappeared from the world?</i> I knew there was no way that I wasn't picking this book up. Having just read <i>It</i> for the first time, I am in the mood for more Stephen King writing in my life and this father/son collaboration seemed like the perfect thing! </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30622162-sleeping-beauties"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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<b>Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough</b> </div>
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<i>'Don’t trust this book. Don’t trust this story. Don’t trust yourself.'</i></div>
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Sarah Pinborough's latest book has been storming the book charts since publication and it's no surprise. It sounds like the perfect psychological thriller to curl up with during the Halloween month. A marriage that looks perfect on the outside but why is he so controlling and what is she hiding? I can't wait! </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31285838-behind-her-eyes"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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<b>Nevernight by Jay Kristoff</b><br />
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I may be late to the party but I don't think there is a more perfect time to get stuck into a new fantasy series than October! Love for this series is absolutely everywhere and having read <i>Illuminae </i>I am so ready for more of Jay Kristoff's work.<br />
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<i>'The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student.The shadows love her. And they drink her fear.'</i></div>
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<i>Nevernight</i> sounds like it'd be perfect for fans of <i>Red Sister</i> by Mark Lawrence so I cannot wait to get stuck in. As a huge fantasy fan, I am excited to follow Mia on her journey towards destroying the empires. </div>
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Add to your TBR on Goodreads:
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29845906-nevernight"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are you guys planning on reading through October and for Halloween? </span></div>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-61162239191567120002017-03-12T09:00:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:04.907+01:00BLOG TOUR: Masquerade - Laura LamIT'S FINALLY HERE! If you've been following my blog from the start, then you know I've been a huge fan of Laura Lam's Micah Grey series and how sad I was when Strange Chemistry went under. Since then, Laura's published the amazing <i>False Hearts</i> with Tor and now we will finally have the third and final book in the Micah Grey trilogy. Following on from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29502206-pantomime?ac=1&from_search=true">Pantomime</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29502079-shadowplay">Shadowplay</a>,</i> the trilogy will finally be complete and I am so excited! So without further ado, here is a snippet from <i>Masquerade </i>with an explanation of the research behind it from Laura<i>:</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Fete at the
Palace </span></b></div>
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<i>I couldn’t believe I
was able to go to the Snakewood Palace for one of their summer fetes, Winnie. I
wish you could have been there to see it. It was the most magnificent display
I’d ever seen in my life, and I don’t know how any celebration could ever top
it. But it must be possible, for this was just a “small party”, as they kept
calling it, not a birthday or other grand event. But the food, and the glass
globes, the music, the gowns! It made our debutante ball at Sicion’s Ballroom
look like little more than a country hall with some garlands thrown about. I
still can’t believe my luck. When no one offered for me after the debutante
ball, I thought my life was over. But now I’m lady’s maid to my cousin, and
perhaps here at court I’ll find myself a husband after all!</i></div>
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<i>— Letter from Lady
Tara Cypress to Lady Winifred Poplar<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Every chapter in the Micah Grey
series has a short found document at the start, ranging from a variety of
sources: history books, diaries, songs, poetry, and more. It’s basically a
sneaky way to add in more worldbuilding and detail about Ellada & the
Archipelago. </div>
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Micah Grey, when he went by the
name of Lady Iphigenia Laurus, lived a life of privilege as the daughter of a
noble family. Tutors, music lessons, debutante balls—the works. Yet this life
didn’t fit, and so Micah ran away to join the circus in book one, as you do.
Lady Tara Cypress was someone he knew in his previous life. She’s very much
embracing that world she was raised in, but I’m hoping in this excerpt, a hint
of desperation is creeping through. Tara and Winifred have been raised with
expectations, and there’s the fear of not fitting in and having those
milestones slip by. There’s of course more to both of these women than the
yearning for a husband, but in this world, as in the Victorian era, a mate is
fairly essential for financial security, with love often not factored into the
equation at all. </div>
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<b>If you buy <i>Pantomime</i>
or <i>Masquerade</i> & send your receipt
to Laura, you can claim a free 10k short story, “The Mechanical Minotaur,” set
in the same world. If you buy all three, you can claim 60k of free fiction as
well. <a href="http://www.lauralam.co.uk/the-masquerade-pre-order-drive/">More
details here</a>.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>About the Author</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JmBeQzHPGhaDEGXyZ2cZkNO03U0MokelnM0uG1JcrFK8aCU6evLyfwLy-riF-Hje7YvnebZqqCyvoDLp08vzL3h7mIK29-AYwk_KjOkoBw8GwjPm5NNaNdVd1zRetz3wI3i4Xk6CUdvJ/s1600/Laura+Lam2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JmBeQzHPGhaDEGXyZ2cZkNO03U0MokelnM0uG1JcrFK8aCU6evLyfwLy-riF-Hje7YvnebZqqCyvoDLp08vzL3h7mIK29-AYwk_KjOkoBw8GwjPm5NNaNdVd1zRetz3wI3i4Xk6CUdvJ/s200/Laura+Lam2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-size: 12pt;">Laura Lam</span></b><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">was raised near San Francisco,
California, by two former Haight-Ashbury hippies. Both of them encouraged her
to finger-paint to her heart's desire, colour outside the lines, and consider
the library a second home. This led to an overabundance of daydreams. She
relocated to Scotland to be with her husband, whom she met on the internet when
he insulted her taste in books. She almost blocked him but is glad she didn't.
At times she misses the sunshine.<b><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">‘</span><i style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pantomime</i><span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> by
Laura Lam took me to an exotic and detailed world, peopled by characters that
I'd love to be friends with . . . and some I'd never want to cross paths with’
Robin Hobb on </span><i style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pantomime </i></b></div>
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“A fantastical, richly drawn, poignant take on a classic coming-of-age
story . . . a vibrant tale told with surety and grace” Leigh Bardugo author of
The Grisha Trilogy</b></span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">For more snippets check out the rest of the blog tour!</span></b></div>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-58771679087915067622017-02-24T14:27:00.001+00:002020-09-15T15:24:05.035+01:00We're Going Through Changes...Hello hello hello everyone. You may (or may not) have noticed that this blog has been looking a little bare these last two years, and in all honesty, it's in part to do with me, and in part to do with the changes in the blogging community. Since I last posted a life update, I have been lucky to have 3 different jobs in publishing, with the most recent starting on Monday, I've attended so many different music gigs, my first festival, lost my best friend and greatest dog known to man and fallen out of love with my blog... it's been pretty hectic. Be warned, this is going to be a long and rambling post.<br />
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On the job front, I feel so bloody lucky to have had such varying experiences in the publishing industry. My first job was a temporary role as PR and Marketing Assistant at Hachette Children's. This was so much fun and was so sad that it was temporary. From there, I went on to be a UK Sales Assistant at Bloomsbury for the Adult list. I learnt so many amazing things there and I truly feel like I can appreciate publishing as a business even more so now than I did when I first entered the industry. I finished at Bloomsbury last week and as of Monday will be the Communications Assistant for Pan Macmillan Children's. I really couldn't be happier. I feel like things have come full circle and I'm going back to where my heart belongs.<br />
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Anyway, back to this blog.. I <i>never</i> feel inspired to write reviews anymore. I find that I just love to talk about the books that I've read with people in person and ultimately, I never feel like I have the time. I work on a computer all day, my commute is an hour each way, and to be honest, when I get home all I want to do is curl up with a good book or watch some trashy TV. I've lost that oomph to pick up my laptop and write a review. I've known or awhile that things are going to have to change. I don't want to close this. I love my little corner of the internet and want to keep posting. Hell, this thing is what helped me get into the industry that I love. There's no way that I am abandoning it.<br />
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I want to find new ways of writing about books; from guest posts, to my top ten whatever, to more blog tours. I just know that I can't keep beating myself up about not reviewing books and not being that active on here. Adding on to this, reviewing books is also difficult with my job. A lot of books that I read are Young Adult and I occasionally feel uncomfortable in talking about them. Of course I am open and honest about books, but my career will always come first and I want to be 100% transparent here. I will never post a false review or recommendation on this blog and will always keep my work and blog separate.<br />
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This feels like a very bitty post but to try and get back this blog, I want to write about more than books. I'll be writing about music (a huge part of my life now, as per this post's title), books, personal experiences, politics, food, London living and just a wide variety of stuff. I'm going to try and hold myself to this - perhaps a post a month? I was 21 when I started this blog and I'm now 26. I've changed a lot and don't feel like this blog represents me or my interests anymore. I'm excited to open this blog up further and to see what I produce with it. Watch this space?Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-80066473987721572272017-01-23T08:30:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:05.161+01:00BLOG TOUR: The Watcher - Ross Armstrong<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Today on the blog, Ross Armstrong author of the psychological thriller The Watcher stops by to talk about 'viewers' and how Alfred Hitchcock influenced his work.</b></i></div>
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When I first stood considering the amount of life you can see when your neighbours are blessed with floor to ceiling windows, I was aware that this story may have been told before.</div>
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I decided to regenerate Rear Window both because I think we’re living in the third or fourth generations of stories; remakes are made of remakes, which get turned into television series. And because Hitchcock’s perverse eye for social detail was something relevant that is often hinted at but rarely met head on. I wanted Alfred to be deafeningly loud in the mix. At this stage, we are all avid watchers; hoovering up culture night by night, making new tales difficult when the old are so readily available at a small cost and the touch of a button. So I wanted my hero to be very aware of him, a Hitchcock scholar even, but still powerless to stop herself carrying out the mistakes she’d seen occur in his films.</div>
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However, Rear Window was far from the first version of a ‘looking’ story I’d seen. My first was Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery, in which a neurotic city couple believe they’ve seen a man in their building dispose of his wife. But then I also loved The Burbs, where Tom Hanks and his bored suburban friends become heroes by uncovering a murderous family in their otherwise humdrum neighbourhood. In fact, before I’d ever seen Rear Window, I’d also clocked up Peeping Tom, Disturbia, The Conversation and Sliver. Which are respectively about the disturbed, escapist, obsessive or erotic power of watching, or listening.</div>
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I wanted to piggyback onto these stories and subvert them in many ways, but most importantly by passing the leering eye onto a woman. Yes, other than the couple in Allen’s film, these movies ‘viewers’ are all male. Such strange thrills, it seemed, are generally reserved for men. Indeed, in a 1975 essay by film critic Laura Mulvey, she asserted that cinema itself had a ‘Male Gaze’. How much more transgressive might it be, I wondered, to write a woman with these powerful, somehow liberating, psycho-sexual opportunities.</div>
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‘He likes to watch’ has become a cliché phrase. ‘She likes to watch’ is apparently a far more unsettling concept.</div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464741536l/29482719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Watcher" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1464741536l/29482719.jpg" width="209" /></a><b>Title: </b>The Watcher<br />
<b>Author: </b>Ross Armstrong<br />
<b>Series: </b>None<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>HQ, Harper Collins<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29482719-the-watcher?from_search=true" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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The Girl on the Train meets Rear Window, The Watcher is an absolutely addictive and on trend commercial psychological suspense read, with a captivating unreliable narrator and some powerful narrative twists. She's watching you, but who's watching her? Lily Gullick lives with her husband Aiden in a new-build flat opposite an estate which has been marked for demolition. A keen birdwatcher, she can't help spying on her neighbours. Until one day Lily sees something suspicious through her binoculars and soon her elderly neighbour Jean is found dead. Lily, intrigued by the social divide in her local area as it becomes increasingly gentrified, knows that she has to act. But her interference is not going unnoticed, and as she starts to get close to the truth, her own life comes under threat. But can Lily really trust everything she sees?</blockquote>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-10316633078000673632017-01-16T07:57:00.002+00:002020-09-15T15:24:05.287+01:00BLOG TOUR: Gilded Cage - Vic James<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Today I have the wonderful Vic James on the blog talking about the location inspiration behind Gilded Cage, her debut novel and Wattpad sensation! Gilded Cage by Vic James is the first installment of the Dark Gifts Trilogy. It is published in paperback 26 January 2017 by Pan Macmillan £7.99</b></i></div>
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<a name='more'></a>GILDED CAGE is the UK, right now … with one big difference. It’s ruled not by a democratic parliament with a monarchy, but by magically gifted aristocrats.<br />
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All the rest of us must endure ten years of service: the ‘slavedays’. These are spent either in worktowns, or on the great estates of the aristocracy.<br />
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But let’s start with a wall, because the Drax Wall in Dorset is where the whole world of the books began. It’s one of the longest walls in Britain, with more than 8 million bricks, and runs along a main road that leads to the beautiful south coast – we’d drive along it when I was little, going on our summer camping holidays.<br />
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I always used to look at that wall and wonder what was behind it (the Drax estate is so large that you can’t see the house from the road). I also used to ask who it was meant to keep out … or in!<br />
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So when the idea for GILDED CAGE and the Dark Gifts trilogy came into my head – a world where 1% of the population has magic and lives as aristocrats – I knew that the Drax Wall had to be part of it. The book’s opening scene is a girl trying desperately to escape from inside the wall. A few chapters later, a magical gate opens in the wall to take the Hadley family inside to begin their days.<br />
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What they find inside the wall – the great estate of Kyneston – began as another Dorset location, Kingston Lacey. This is a gorgeous and decadent house now owned by the National Trust. Peacocks roam the grounds and the walls are hung with gilded leather and astonishing art.<br />
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While some stately homes today can seem fusty and museum-like, Kingston Lacey is so elegant it’s as if the aristocrats who once owned it still lived there. To turn it into Kyneston, I gave the house two immense wings (like Castle Howard, most famous for being Brideshead) – but these glitter and gleam with the power of magical Skill!<br />
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Just because nicking character names from places is so much fun (look at JK Rowling’s Flitwick and Snape), I stole the names of nearby hamlets Winterbourne Zelston and Lytchett Matravers for two characters.<br />
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And then there’s the magical estate of Orpen Mote, which we meet in a dream-like chapter that takes place entirely within the memories of one character. This is Ightham Mote, a stunning medieval manor house in Kent. I changed nothing about it except for the name! The way the house sits in a moat which holds a perfect reflection of it, captured perfectly the blend of real and unreal I wanted for this uncanny place.<br />
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Place is so important for me, to make the Britain of the books feel real. GILDED CAGE’s sequel, TARNISHED CITY (out in September), is London-focused, and I’ve had such fun reimagining it for that book!<br />
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<b>Links:</b><br />
Drax Wall http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/20/03/1200325_25725f80.jpg<br />
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Kingston Lacey https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/kingston-lacy Ightham Mote https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote<br />
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Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Leah, and for loving GILDED CAGE! If anyone has any questions – come and find me on twitter @drvictoriajames<br />
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<b>Vic James</b> is a current affairs TV director who loves stories in all their forms, and Gilded Cage is her debut novel. She as twice judged the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize, has made films for BBC1, BBC2, and Channel 4 News, and is a huge Wattpadd.com success story. Under its previous title, Slavedays, her book was read online over a third of a million times in first draft. And it went on to win Wattpad’s ‘Talk of the Town’ award in 2015 – on a site showcasing 200 million stories. Vic James lives and works in London.<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468915098l/26168646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts, #1)" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468915098l/26168646.jpg" width="210" /></a><b>Title: </b>Gilded Cage<br />
<b>Author: </b>Vic James<br />
<b>Series: </b>Dark Gifts #1<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Pan Macmillan<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26168646-gilded-cage" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
<blockquote>
NOT ALL ARE FREE.
NOT ALL ARE EQUAL.
NOT ALL WILL BE SAVED.
Our world belongs to the Equals—aristocrats with magical gifts—and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England's grandest estate lies a power that could break the world.
A girl thirsts for love and knowledge.
Abi is a servant to England's most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of the noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family's secrets might win her liberty, but will her heart pay the price?
A boy dreams of revolution.
Abi's brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution.
And an aristocrat will remake the world with his dark gifts.
He is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?</blockquote>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-16832861241757532942016-11-04T12:30:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:05.414+01:00REVIEW: The Black Key - Amy Ewing<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475295323l/31144003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Black Key (The Lone City, #3)" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475295323l/31144003.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>Title: </b>The Black Key<br />
<b>Author: </b>Amy Ewing<br />
<b>Series: </b>The Lone City #3<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Walker Books<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>6th October, 2016<br />
<b>Series Reviews:</b> <a href="http://uncorkedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/review-jewel-amy-ewing.html">The Jewel</a>, <a href="http://uncorkedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/review-white-rose-amy-ewing.html">The White Rose</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31144003-the-black-key" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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The third book in Amy Ewing's New York Times bestselling Lone City trilogy, The Black Key is perfect for fans of The Selection and Red Queen.
Violet and the Society of the Black Key are preparing to launch an attack on the royalty, and Violet has a crucial role to play. She must lead the surrogates as they infiltrate the Auction and break down the walls of the Lone City. But with her sister, Hazel, imprisoned in the palace of the Lake, Violet is torn. In order to save her sister, she must abandon her cause and her friends and return to the Jewel.</blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a>This was such a perfect ending to one of my all time favourite trilogies. Amy Ewing can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes. Finding out that the Duchess of the Lake was holding Violet's sister hostage at the end of <i>The White Rose </i>had me diving headfirst into <i>The Black Key</i>. There was no way I could hold back - I had to find out what was happening! I was excited to see the ultimate climax of this trilogy and to hopefully see the downfall of the royalty, particularly the Countess of the Stone.<br />
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I absolutely loved meeting so many new characters and seeing what each surrogate could do with their powers. I also loved that Violet didn't let her relationship with Ash hold her back at all during the rebellion. She is as impulsive, strong and badass as ever and throws herself straight back into the hands of the Duchess of the Lake to save her sister and end their reign. Seeing Garnet defy his mother again and again was a pure joy and I loved learning more and more about Lucien. There is so much depth to these characters and I would happily read stories from all of their point of views. I feel so attached to them and I just want to know how everything plays out for them following the ending.<br />
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<i>The Black Key </i>is such a powerful book and I found myself crying, laughing and feeling full to the brim of frustrating as events unfold. Hazel suffers some absolutely awful horrors at the hands of the Duchess and we once again meet with Frederic, the torturer of Raven. The battle was everything I wanted and I would love to read it from all different point of views. I'd love to know what Ash got up to in his efforts with the rebellion. I just want more and more and more. I had the ultimate book hangover at the end of this.<br />
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<i>The Lone City</i> is a perfect trilogy and one of my all time favourites. I can't wait to read more of Amy Ewing's work because this was just beautiful. She is one talented author and I would definitely recommend picking these books up!<br />
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-27388848668863272932016-11-03T14:25:00.000+00:002020-09-15T15:24:05.540+01:00REVIEW: The White Rose - Amy Ewing<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443365011l/25431440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The White Rose (The Lone City, #2)" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1443365011l/25431440.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>Title: </b>The White Rose<br />
<b>Author: </b>Amy Ewing<br />
<b>Series: </b>The Lone City #2<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Walker Books<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>1st October, 2015<br /><b>Series Reviews:</b> <a href="http://uncorkedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/review-jewel-amy-ewing.html">The Jewel </a><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25431440-the-white-rose" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Matched, this is the second book in the Lone City trilogy, following on from Amy Ewing's shocking and compelling debut novel, The Jewel.
Violet, Ash and Raven have escaped the palace of the Duchess of the Lake, but Regimentals are hunting for them across the city. Nowhere is safe, and they are dependent on Lucien and his secret society for survival. If they can reach the safety of the White Rose then Violet may be able to help Lucien in his plan to rescue more surrogates. For one surrogate, however, it is already too late. Violet's best friend, Raven, is pregnant. And in the Jewel, surrogates cannot survive giving birth. </blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a>I can't tell you how happy I was to sink back into the world of <i>The Lone City</i>. This series is something that just keeps getting better and better with each book. Following the hellish cliffhanger that <i>The Jewel</i> ended on, I was desperate to get stuck into <i>The White Rose </i>and find out exactly what was unfolding behind the scenes with the royalty and rebellion! <i>The White Rose</i> picks up right where <i>The Jewel </i>ended and we're thrown into the mania of Violet's attempt at escape. This was such a tense starting to a sequel and set the tone for the entire book.<br />
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I was so excited to discover more about the world that Violet, Ash and Raven live in and it did not disappoint. Amy Ewing has created such a three dimensional and fascinating world that it's impossible not to get sucked into it. I genuinely feared for the lives of everyone involved and found myself being constantly surprised by the events. The thing I loved the most was how much this series developed. The women;s powers are expanded and we are introduced to a whole new history of Violet and her ancestors. It's such and interesting read and I loved the connections with nature.<br />
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The way this world is woven together is magical. Plans to overthrow the royalty are expanded with so many twists and turns. I loved seeing Violet and Raven finally begin to come into themselves and to plot revenge and freedom. This sequel gives us such a great insight into these characters and I found myself horrified by who Raven had become thanks to the Countess of the Stone. Such good and evil characters created and I just can't get enough. Amy Ewing is one hell of a writer and it's safe to say that I will read anything that she writers.<br />
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-85562622325588069342016-10-17T15:49:00.002+01:002020-09-15T15:24:05.666+01:00Discussion Post: Homeless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For those of you who have known me for a few years, you will know that I've been living in London for roughly two years. London is a vastly different world to anything that I was used to back in the Welsh Valleys, but I've slowly but surely started making this place my home. The differences in behaviour, in the culture, the lifestyle and the scenery were all completely overwhelming to me. I loved that shops were now open late and the ease of public transport, but hated the fact that everything was so completely jam packed with people. I think the one thing that really hits me the most about living in London though, is the sheer amount of homeless people and the class divide.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I am 100% aware that there are homeless people across the entirety of the UK. Across the world! London just seems to have such a high number of homeless people condensed into one place. I encounter people struggling every single day. I walk to Foyles on Charring Cross and there is this same little old man that I watch slowly wither away each week, I come out of Tottenham Court Road tube station and there is at least six different people - the same people that I see everyday - trying to keep warm. Homelessness isn't something new. This isn't something that's breaking news to people unfortunately, but it's something that upsets me so much. I try to give and help as much as I can, but there's only so much a person can do.<br />
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The reason I'm writing this blog post now, on my book blog, is something that happened to me on Friday last week. I was walking to the tube with a Waterstones bag full of books that I'd already read but was taking home with me; I needed to free up the cluttered desk. As I was walking, I saw a young man sat on the floor, his knees propped up and a book open in his hands completely immersed in his book. He had a little sign propped up on his feet saying: <br /><br />
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'Any spare change would be appreciated, I'm trying to save £9.50 to buy a new book'</div>
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I walked past, got to the traffic lights and couldn't seem to bring myself to cross. I had a bag full of books that I'd already read, and the fact that this man was sat on the floor, feeling so very lonely, so cold and hungry and all he is asking for was £9.50 for a new book? It completely broke me. Why shouldn't he be able to have a new book? I walked back and stopped to talk to him. I asked him if he would like a new book, and he just looked up and ever so quietly said yes please. I pulled out my read and well-loved copy of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25877135-illuminae">Illuminae</a> </i>and gave it to him. He was so grateful for this and me being the awkward bod that I am just nodded and shuffled off. </div>
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This occurrence hammered home to me exactly how awful a situation homeless people are in. I know it might seem silly, something as trivial as a request for a book, but books are so damn important to me and it broke me to see that this poor guy couldn't afford food, toiletries, a bed but wanted a book. It made me so god damn angry at this government and at this country. How on earth are we, a first world country, failing people so badly? How has this happened? How can we have homeless people sat on the same street whilst a Ferrari blasts down the road? How is this OK and why is nothing being done about it? How can those in government right now sit there in all of their luxury whilst people are being denied their basic human rights?</div>
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I guess it takes something that you can 100% relate to and care about to make you feel completely differently about a situation. I already cared about the homeless, I already try and help as much as I can, but there was just something that was so close to home about this guy. Granted, there are probably some of you reading this thinking; 'Ha! You got fleeced mate' or 'Probably didn't even want a book, wanted money for blah, blah, blah...' But do you know what? I don't care. Maybe he didn't want the book. Maybe he wanted money. And if he got that money, he's entitled to do whatever he bloody well pleases with it, just like we do. But I hope he got the same amount of enjoyment out of that book that I did.</div>
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This took on more of a rant than I expected, and I hope this doesn't come across as holier than thou. I just felt so upset about this occurrence and this is just not OK. Something needs to change and that change needs to start now. </div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-38340221917591730042016-09-20T09:00:00.000+01:002020-09-15T15:24:05.792+01:00BLOG TOUR: Frost Like Night - Sara Raasch<div style="text-align: center;">
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Hi all! Today I'm taking part in the blog tour for <i><b>Frost Like Night</b> </i>by Sara Raasch. <i><b>Frost Like Night </b></i>is the final book in the <i><b>Snow Like Ashes</b></i> trilogy and I'm so sad that it's ending! This has been one of my favourite series of the last few years and I'm so excited to see how it ends. <i><b><a href="http://uncorkedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/review-snow-like-ashes-sara-raasch.html">Snow Like Ashes</a></b> </i>and <i><b><a href="http://uncorkedthoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/blog-tour-review-ice-like-fire-sara.html">Ice Like Fire</a></b> </i>blew me away and I can guarantee that the finale will be no different. Look out for my review coming up in future posts! Today I'll be sharing with you my favourite quotes from the series, ones which have really resonated with me and are so beautiful. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Favourite Quotes </span></b><br />
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<i>“Sometimes placing our belief in something bigger than ourselves helps us get to a point where we can be enough on our own, magic or no magic.” </i></div>
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― <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6947727.Sara_Raasch">Sara Raasch</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/24221752">Snow Like Ashes</a></b></div>
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<i>“Don’t let fear take hold of you—fear is a seed that, once planted, never stops growing.” </i></div>
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― <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6947727.Sara_Raasch">Sara Raasch</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/24221752">Snow Like Ashes</a></b></div>
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<i>“No matter what happens, no matter who turns on me, no matter what pompous swine thinks he has power over me, I am still me. I will always be me.” </i></div>
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― <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6947727.Sara_Raasch">Sara Raasch</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/24221752">Snow Like Ashes</a></b></div>
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<i>“Horrible things have happened to us, are still happening to us, will happen every day for the rest of our lives, probably. What defines us is not our ability to never let them break us--what defines us is not letting them own us. We are the Thaw, and we will not be defeated by memories or evil men.”</i> </div>
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― <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6947727.Sara_Raasch">Sara Raasch</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/24241274">Ice Like Fire</a></b></div>
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<i>“If stubborness were all that was needed to be a good queen, I'd rule the world.” </i></div>
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― <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6947727.Sara_Raasch">Sara Raasch</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/24241274">Ice Like Fire</a></b></div>
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<i>“Permanent peace and balance is an impossible goal. Far better would be to strive for a general state of equality, so that no matter what evils one kingdom might conjure, they would never be undefeatable.” </i></div>
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― <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6947727.Sara_Raasch">Sara Raasch</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/24241274">Ice Like Fire</a></b></div>
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<b>Title: </b>Frost Like Night<br />
<b>Author: </b>Sara Raasch<br />
<b>Series: </b>Snow Like Ashes #3<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Harper Collins<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>20th September, 2016<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28512486-frost-like-night" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.
Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.
Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.
Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.
As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything.</blockquote>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-47878858547937447922016-08-04T15:36:00.000+01:002020-09-15T15:24:05.918+01:00REVIEW: Lie With Me - Sabine Durrant <a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1459172726l/29636224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lie With Me" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1459172726l/29636224.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>Title: </b>Lie With Me<br />
<b>Author: </b>Sabine Durrant<br />
<b>Series: </b>None<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Mulholland Books<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>28th July, 2016<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29636224-lie-with-me" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
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It starts with a lie. The kind we've all told - to a former acquaintance we can't quite place but still, for some reason, feel the need to impress. The story of our life, embellished for the benefit of the happily married lawyer with the kids and the lovely home.
And the next thing you know, you're having dinner at their house, and accepting an invitation to join them on holiday - swept up in their perfect life, the kind you always dreamed of...
Which turns out to be less than perfect. But by the time you're trapped and sweating in the relentless Greek sun, burning to escape the tension all around you - by the time you start to realise that, however painful the truth might be, it's the lies that cause the real damage...
... well, by then, it could just be too late.</blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a>This book was absolutely perfect for this time of year. I read this in the British 'heatwave' which seemed to be intensified by Durrant's descriptions of hot, humid weather in Greece. <i>Lie With Me</i> was a cracking thriller, filled with intrigue, questionable behaviour and ambiguous characters. I didn't really know what to expect going into this book - the cover caught my eye and the blurb is delightfully vague.<br />
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I will admit that initially I wasn't keen on the book. The main character Paul is so easy to dislike and I found his narration so irritating. This quickly slipped by however as the plot began to unfold. I found myself fascinated by a character that was so self-absorbed, so unable to tell the truth but also so smarmy and awful. Paul's narration makes for uncomfortable reading, particularly with his views and sexualisation of both women and young girls. Paul however, isn't the only awful character. There is something so unsettling about each individual in this book. I found myself on the edge of my seat constantly and just trying to figure out what was going to unfold.<br />
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<i>Lie With Me </i>is such an intensely uncomfortable and claustrophobic read. Durrant had me trapped on this little Greek island, suffering alongside the characters and wishing for the end of the holiday. The revelation wasn't something that I was expecting and I found myself devouring the final few chapters. I loved that this book was jam-packed with unreliable characters and a past that we are subjected to so painfully slowly. This is a book that I shoved straight into the hands of my house mate after finishing and has definitely got me in the mood for more thrillers!Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-40789658644616952272016-07-14T15:59:00.002+01:002020-09-15T15:24:06.043+01:00Top 5 Books: January-June 2016<div style="text-align: center;">
Hi all! It’s been a little while since I’ve posted properly on here. It’s been difficult to keep it up with my job and also, my laptop conked out so it’s been a case of grabbing some time when I can to get material ready.<br />
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I thought I would do a quick round up of my top 5 reads of 2016 so far because these books have been BRILLIANT. It’s a fairly diverse mix of Young Adult and Adult, Contemporary and Fantasy/ Sci-Fi and I’ve found that the majority of them have been real thought provokers. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">All The Rage</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Genre: YA, Contemporary</span></b></div>
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All The Rage was such a tough but oh so important read. Courtney Summers has written such a hard-hitting, no holds barred young adult novel about rape and society’s attempt to constantly blame the victim. It’s harrowing and emotional; definitely not one to miss. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Morning Star</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Genre: Science Fiction</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443271492l/26818907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Morning Star (Red Rising, #3)" border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443271492l/26818907.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26818907-morning-star" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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A conclusion to an epic trilogy. Morning Star sealed the deal and solidified the Red Rising series up there in my list of favourite series’. This book was full of action, drama and it was so intelligently written. A real thought-provoker about politics and war. A true beauty to read and I cannot wait for the Iron Gold trilogy! </div>
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<b><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Winner’s Kiss</span></b></b><br />
<b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Genre: Fantasy, YA</span></b></b></div>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1456147173l/25526307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3)" border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1456147173l/25526307.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25526307-the-winner-s-kiss" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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Another fantastic conclusion to a trilogy. The Winner’s Kiss gave me the biggest book hangover for the longest time. I didn’t want to say goodbye to Kestral. This book packed a punch and I loved seeing the story come full circle. Beautifully written and I can’t wait to read more of Marie Rutkoski’s work.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Me Before You</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Genre: Contemporary</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359617637l/12649718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)" border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359617637l/12649718.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12649718-me-before-you" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
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This was one I picked up on a whim because of the film – and I really hate watching a film without reading the book first. Me Before You was such a moving, beautiful and funny little book. I laughed, I cried and I couldn’t wait to read more. Another thought-provoker that has raised my awareness about the struggles of a living with a disability.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Underwater</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Genre: Contemporary, YA</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442941781l/26799477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Underwater" border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442941781l/26799477.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26799477-underwater" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a></div>
Underwater broke my heart and then put me back together again. This is a book that tackles mental health, agoraphobia in particular and it so, so perfect. As someone who has lived with this, I thought the portrayal was so very real and so important. A beautifully written, hopeful little book; it’s one I want everyone to read. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you read any of these books? What are your top 5 books of 2016 so far?</span></div>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-48796508459348008532016-06-30T09:00:00.000+01:002020-09-15T15:24:06.171+01:00BLOG TOUR: Valley of the Dolls - Jacqueline Susann <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I am so excited to be a part of the 50th anniversary blog tour of <i>Valley of the Dolls</i>. This modern classic has had a glamour make over to celebrate. Check out the new jacket below!</div>
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<b><span style="color: #c27ba0; font-size: large;">*Praise for <i>Valley of the Dolls*</i></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Decades
ahead of its time . . . Mesmerizing . . . The equation of emotional
dependencies with drug addiction in one comprehensive personality disorder is,
if anything, more chic today than in Susann’s time.”—<b><span style="color: #7f6000;">Mim Udovitch, </span><i><span style="color: #7f6000;">Village
Voice Literary Supplement</span><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Jacqueline
Susann’s questioning of glamour and fame, so unsettling in its honesty, crept
into my head and stayed there, lingering for years until I was finally able to
give it my own expression.”—<b><span style="color: #7f6000;">Lori Goldstein</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Exciting
news for all you modern Dolls<i> </i>(#squadgoals)
and aspiring millennial readers . . . the story feels more relevant than
ever.”—<span style="color: #7f6000;"><b>Micaela English, </b><i><b>Town &
Country</b><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“<i>Valley of the Dolls</i> remains a
pop-culture touchstone: a gleefully salacious story of friendship, sex,
backstabbing and pills (or ‘dolls’).”—<b><span style="color: #7f6000;">Alexandria Symonds, <i>T: The New York Times Style Magazine</i></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">*Information on<i> </i></span><i style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">Valley of the Dolls</i><i style="color: #c27ba0; font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">*</i></div>
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<li><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: "times new roman";">Fifty years ago, in 1966, Valley of the Dolls achieved the No.1 spot on <i>The New York Times </i>bestseller list, and stayed there for an unprecedented 28 weeks.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: "times new roman";">Virago Modern Classics designer hardback and merchandise (notebook and mug) are also available and designed by Biba, Barbara Hulanicki.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: "times new roman";"><i>Valley of the Dolls</i> remains the all-time pop-culture classic, a pioneering work that tackled drug addiction, women's rights and gay rights, profoundly influencing generations of cultural figures from Gloria Steinem to Lena Dunham.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: "times new roman";"><i>Valley of the Dolls </i>has sold over 40 million copies in 30 languages. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #7f6000; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large;"><b>*Purchase <i>Valley of the Dolls*</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Valley-Dolls-VMC-Jacqueline-Susann/dp/0349008329/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1466690531&sr=8-3"><b>Paperback</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jacqueline-Susann-Valley-Dolls-Hardcover/dp/B009XPWDW6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1466690930&sr=8-6&keywords=valley+of+the+dolls+virago"><b>Special Edition Hardback</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Valley-Dolls-Mug-Jacqueline-Susann/dp/0349008035/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466690847&sr=8-1&keywords=valley+of+the+dolls+mug"><b>Mug</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Valley-unlined-notebook-Jacqueline-Susann/dp/0349008043/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466690912&sr=8-1&keywords=valley+of+the+dolls+notebook"><b>Notebook</b></a></span></div>
</div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-14066569837148096182016-04-18T08:30:00.000+01:002020-09-15T15:24:06.297+01:00REVIEW: The Square Root of Summer - Harriet Reuter Hapgood<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458232499l/27420164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Square Root of Summer" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458232499l/27420164.jpg" width="211" /></a><b>Title: </b>The Square Root of Summer<br />
<b>Author: </b>Harriet Reuter Hapgood<br />
<b>Series: </b>None<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>5th May 2016<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27420164-the-square-root-of-summer" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My heart is a kaleidoscope, and when we kiss it makes my world unravel...
Last summer, Gottie’s life fell apart. Her beloved grandfather Grey died and Jason left her – the boy to whom she lost her virginity (and her heart) – and he wouldn’t even hold her hand at the funeral! This summer, still reeling from twin heartbreaks, Gottie is lost and alone and burying herself in equations. Until, after five years absence, Thomas comes home: former boy next door. Former best friend. Former everything. And as life turns upside down again she starts to experience strange blips in time – back to last summer, back to what she should have seen then...
During one long, hazy summer, Gottie navigates grief, world-stopping kisses and rips in the space-time continuum, as she tries to reconcile her first heartbreak with her last. The Square Root of Summer is an astounding and moving debut from Harriet Reuter Hapgood.</blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a>I think it's safe to say that <i>The Square Root of Summer</i> is high up on many book lovers wishlist for this year! I was so very excited when a gorgeous proof copy dropped through my letterbox and dived head on into it. It explores issues of grief through a whole new lense. It mixes grief, physics and what appears to be time travel to create this moving book. This is such a clever and intriguing book and I was excited to see where it was going to take me. I enjoyed this book, but there were certain aspects of it which stopped me from giving it a higher rating.<br />
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I thought that this book handled grief and mourning in such a beautiful way. It was completely original and I felt that seeing Gottie drop back into the past gave this book so much more emotion and power. It is very beautifully written, with an intriguing cast of characters and a great plot. I felt that it so accurately portrayed what it's like to draw back from those close to you in your attempt to cope with loss. My heart went out to Gottie and her family on so many occasions and I was intrigued to see where the story was going to go.<br />
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This is quite a strange little book. It took me a little while to get into it, the science is much more prominent in it than I thought it would be. As someone that doesn't have the greatest of strengths in the science and maths field, these were the bits that I enjoyed the least. Don't get me wrong, everything is explained and the book is easy to follow on, but I just couldn't connect with the physics aspect of the book. It was this and the 'time travelling' elements of the book that I didn't really get on with. It seemed a little disjointed and I couldn't always follow the flow of Gottie's subconscious.<br />
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<i>The Square Root of Summer </i>is an intriguing novel which portrays grief in such a delicate manner. Although I didn't love the book, I would definitely recommend picking it up for a read and will be looking for more from Harriet Reuter Hapgood in the future!Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-61702578626550768242016-04-14T08:30:00.001+01:002020-09-15T15:24:06.426+01:00REVIEW: Underwater - Marisa Reichardt<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442941781l/26799477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Underwater" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442941781l/26799477.jpg" width="210" /></a><b>Title: </b>Underwater<br />
<b>Author: </b>Marisa Reichardt<br />
<b>Series: </b>None<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Macmillan Children's Books<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>7th April 2016<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26799477-underwater" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a>
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“Forgiving you will allow me to forgive myself.”
Morgan didn’t mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive—first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then herself.
But Morgan can’t move on. She can’t even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she’s underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school.
When it seems Morgan can’t hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside.
Underwater is a powerful, hopeful debut novel about redemption, recovery, and finding the strength it takes to face your past and move on.</blockquote>
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Oh this book. This beautiful, beautiful book. <i>Underwater </i>has secured itself a snug little space up there with my favourite books of all time. This book broke me and built me back up again. How on earth is this a debut? It's absolutely stunning and such a perfect and sensitive portrayal of what it is to suffer with panic attacks and agoraphobia. I don't even know where to start with this review except to say that the first thing I did after finishing this book was to hug it to myself. <i>Underwater</i> is absolutely jam packed with emotion, intrigue and love and I just loved it so very much.</div>
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<i>Underwater</i> follows the life of Morgan as she suffers through her panic attacks, agoraphobia and anxiety following a traumatic event at her school several months earlier. We gradually learn about what happened at her school and at the guilt that she harbors. The reveal is slow and torturous, which only added to the book. I felt Morgan's pain so very clearly and the drawing out of the reveal felt like she was finally letting us in and trusting us, just as she is her councilor. As someone who has personally suffered with a panic and anxiety disorder and was agoraphobic, I related to this book so much. Events are different but all of the emotions that Morgan experiences were so very real, from the beginning to the path to recovery. It invoked all of the emotions and I really wanted to wrap her up and hug her.</div>
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An aspect which I didn't expect to love as much as I did was the introduction of Evan. When I first read this on the synopsis, I'll admit that I did have a little eye roll moment, but I take that eye roll back x100000! Evan was everything that he needed to be in this book. He was there for Morgan when she needed him the most. He was a rock and, I don't want to say to much and spoil anything, but he is such a solid, present figure and we all know how important it is to have someone that cares about you when you're having a tough time. I finished this book wanting more from these characters. I didn't want to let them go. I wanted to know more, I wanted to follow them further. I wasn't ready to let go of this beautiful story.</div>
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<i>Underwater</i> brought out so much emotion in me. Reading this on the tube was such a bad idea - the constant tearing up was a tough one to hide. I couldn't recommend this book and I'm so happy that more and more YA novels are tackling tough topics such as mental health. This is a stunning debut; please do pick it up! </div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-39008962995330171822016-04-13T16:00:00.001+01:002020-09-15T15:24:06.555+01:00REVIEW: The Winner's Crime - Marie Rutkoski<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426366476l/24979831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426366476l/24979831.jpg" width="211" /></a><b>Title: </b>The Winner's Crime<br />
<b>Author: </b>Marie Rutkoski<br />
<b>Series: </b>The Winner's Trilogy #2<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Bloomsbury<br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>12th March, 2015<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23276983-the-winner-s-crime" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
<blockquote>
Lady Kestrel's engagement to Valoria's crown prince calls for great celebration: balls and performances, fireworks and revelry. But to Kestrel it means a cage of her own making. Embedded in the imperial court as a spy, she lives and breathes deceit and cannot confide in the one person she really longs to trust ...
While Arin fights to keep his country's freedom from the hands of his enemy, he suspects that Kestrel knows more than she shows. As Kestrel comes closer to uncovering a shocking secret, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth.
Lies will come undone, and Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them in this second book in the breathtaking Winner's trilogy. <span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a>I can't believe that this was my second time reading <i>The Winner's Crime </i>and my first time reviewing it! I loved this book so very much. <i>The Winner's Curse</i> was one of my favourite reads of 2014 so I couldn't wait to get straight back into this world in <i>The Winner's Crime. </i>Needless to say, my re-read of this book only solidified my love of this book and series. Marie Rutkoski's world building is so vast and rich in this series, and the second book intensifies the situation further. Kestrel and Arin are one of my absolute favourite will they/ won't they couples in YA and I couldn't wait to see where their paths would take them in this novel.<br />
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I love the world that Marie has created in these pages. Every chapter captured my interest and it is such an unputdownable read. I found myself feeling constantly terrified for Kestrel under the Emperor and constantly wondering when or if she was going to get caught out as The Moth. The political relationships that are built are so captivating and I found myself holding my breath on so many occasions. Nothing is shied away from in these pages. Kestrel encounters torture as a test, is constantly put into questionable situations and has some ruthless run-ins with Arin. These scenes constantly broke my heart. I just wanted to push them together and make them realise how much they mean to each other! The frustration was real, my friends.<br />
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The alternating point of views between Kestrel and Arin were so great for getting a clearer picture of the full events which unfold. This also intensified their relationship and all of its miscommunications to the point that I wanted to scream. <i>The Winner's Crime</i> is such a fantastic sequel to <i>The Winner's Curse</i> and I was happy to dive straight into <i>The Winner's Kiss. </i>If you haven't read this series, I really don't know what you're waiting for. It's a bright, shiny diamond in the sea of YA fantasy fiction.Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-71522345293957536722016-03-16T17:13:00.002+00:002020-09-15T15:24:06.681+01:00REVIEW: Morning Star - Pierce Brown<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443271492l/26818907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Morning Star (Red Rising, #3)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443271492l/26818907.jpg" width="210" /></a><b>Title: </b>Morning Star
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<b>Author: </b>Pierce Brown<br />
<b>Series: </b>Red Rising #3<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Hodder & Stoughton<br />
<b>Source: </b>Review Copy and purchased<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>8th January, 2016<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26818907-morning-star" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
<blockquote>
Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society's mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.
Finally, the time has come.
But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied - and too glorious to surrender. <span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="text-align: left;">Now that, my friends, is how you conclude a trilogy. Morning Star is a bloodydamn marvel of a book and I can’t stop thinking about it. I laughed, I cried, I swore and I loved. I finished this book five days ago and have started some GRRM since, but even though my mind is in Westeros my heart is still in Lykos. It’s hard to believe that this is Pierce Brown’s first trilogy of books. They are so well written, so jam packed full of emotion and intelligence and I can safely say that I haven’t read anything else like it! For me, the most alluring thing about Morning Star is how much it made me think about war, human nature and how temporary everything is; how we’re all just a blip in the night but also how much we impact each other during the short period of time that we exist.</span><br />
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“In war, men lose what makes them great. Their creativity. Their wisdom. Their joy. All that’s left is their utility.”</div>
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Morning Star picks up several months after the end of Golden Son and things have definitely gone tits up for Darrow. Things start of so horrifically that I found myself cringing and wondering how he was going to get himself out of this situation. I found myself wondering where my favourites were gone and wondering what they were doing to help Darrow and the Sons of Ares. Things progress so quickly and I found myself savouring each page. I had no idea how Pierce was going to conclude this series and every chapter brought new surprises. Each character is developed even further and they are so well-rounded and fully formed that I find it hard to believe that they don’t exist (I actually glanced at the night sky at one point and played with the idea of Darrow and co residing up on Mars). </div>
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“Maybe that's just the nature of us, ever wishing for things that were and could be rather than things that are and will be.”</div>
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As always, Sevro steals the show for me. I adore everything that comes out of that guy’s mouth. I found it fascinating to see how Sevro would handle the death of his father and also how he would handle being Ares. His character showed so much depth and emotion. We get to see a whole new side to Sevro and it’s definitely a shock to read at first. He is so very human and feels so much despite his bravado. His and Darrow’s friendship is definitely my favourite fictional friendship that exists to date. I love how they bounce of each other, support each other, but also rough each other up. Tough love is ever present between them and their intellect makes for some comedy gold.</div>
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“If your heart beats like a drum, and your legs a little wet, it’s because the Reaper’s come to collect a little debt.”</div>
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Since finishing this trilogy, I’ve found myself saying ‘you need to read Red Rising’ to friends daily. This isn’t just pushing books. The thing that I found with this trilogy is that it is so damn relatable to everything that is going on at the moment. The corrupt politics, the unjust systems and hierarchical tendencies of our culture are all shown in these books. They are so gorydamn powerful and so, so emotional. Although this world is so corrupt, these books are so enjoyable and so easy to devour in one. I restrained myself with Morning Star and tried to make it last as long as possible. I was happy to stay in the world of Darrow, Mustang, Sevro and The Jackal. There is so much love and pain in these pages and it is such a captivating read.</div>
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“Man is no island. We need those who love us. We need those who hate us. We need others to tether us to life, to give us a reason to live, to feel.”</div>
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Red Rising is one of my absolute favourite trilogies. Pierce Brown isn’t afraid to be brutal with his characters, he doesn’t shy away from anything and everyone is expandable. I think that’s one of the things that kept me on my toes throughout the entire series. I was always questioning what was going to happen next or worrying about which one of my favourites was going to be taken away from me (too many for my liking! *cries*). These books pack one hell of a punch and I can’t wait to see how the world develops in <i>Iron Gold</i>. </div>
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Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354167935676997341.post-22441003060469267582016-03-02T16:38:00.001+00:002020-09-15T15:24:06.808+01:00REVIEW: Golden Son - Pierce Brown<div class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422246954l/24691646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden Son (Red Rising Trilogy, #2)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1422246954l/24691646.jpg" width="208" /></a><b>Title: </b>Golden Son</div>
<b>Author: </b>Pierce Brown<br />
<b>Series: </b>Red Rising #2<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Hodder & Stoughton<br />
<b>Source: </b>Purchased<br />
<b>Publication Date: </b>8th January, 2015<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24691646-golden-son" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_z1IumsVDJBI20nRvhx7NhUawxwGJ1tRt3EOTlkYzul_p0A8x0Owu1nYOF13Ej7SWf-c8cNmo4mwMqdRTKdj9hML5G6B9R-ll1ynAYWckN8Sd5SHi1p1-EseMBjKdtO2r2xrlYwsAMzv/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-d700d4d3e3c0b346066731ac07b7fe47.png" /></a><br />
<blockquote>
'I'm still playing games. This is just the deadliest yet.'<br />
Darrow is a rebel forged by tragedy. For years he and his fellow Reds worked the mines, toiling to make the surface of Mars inhabitable. They were, they believed, mankind's last hope. Until Darrow discovered that it was all a lie, and that the Red were nothing more than unwitting slaves to an elitist ruling class, the Golds, who had been living on Mars in luxury for generations.<br />
In RED RISING, Darrow infiltrated Gold society, to fight in secret for a better future for his people. Now fully embedded amongst the Gold ruling class, Darrow continues his dangerous work to bring them down from within. It's a journey that will take him further than he's ever been before - but is Darrow truly willing to pay the price that rebellion demands?<br />
Hic sunt leones.<br />
A life-or-death tale of vengeance with an unforgettable hero at its heart, Golden Son guarantees Pierce Brown's continuing status as one of fiction's most exciting new voices.</blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc932lgFR794S9H5tnH0OKyrH0WHdXag5uzJWkWRX78VsmAQLqxUuZ2I_FbdLt8maBgqcodx_Ahu-CYpVA3JztFBIAKR53FfkaySicbLrezM4LxpDQ4t4u5HbnX0HQ3htCY1vI4rgdcu5d/s1600/FIVE+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc932lgFR794S9H5tnH0OKyrH0WHdXag5uzJWkWRX78VsmAQLqxUuZ2I_FbdLt8maBgqcodx_Ahu-CYpVA3JztFBIAKR53FfkaySicbLrezM4LxpDQ4t4u5HbnX0HQ3htCY1vI4rgdcu5d/s400/FIVE+%25282%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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So I finished <i>Golden
Son</i> last night… I still don’t feel fully recovered to write this review.
Pierce Brown’s sequel to <i>Red Rising </i>is
definitely something to behold. <i>Golden
Son</i> is even darker, even more brutal and more compelling than the first
book in the series and it has secured a solid place in the list of my favourite
books. This book blew me away; I found myself devouring each chapter, eager to
read on and see where the characters were going to take me next.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">“I will die. You will die. We will all
die and the universe will carry on without care. All that we have is that shout
into the wind - how we live. How we go. And how we stand before we fall.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t think it’s always the best idea to write a review
when you’re feeling so bloodydamn speechless from the ending of this book.
Pierce Brown, you have a lot to answer for! My heart is broken and actually exclaiming
‘fuck’ and giving your boyfriend heart failure is definitely something to be
proud of. <i>Golden Son </i>picks up a
couple of years following the ending of <i>Red
Rising</i> and it<i> </i>is so full of
twists and turns – every chapter packs a punch and is full of surprises. Not knowing
which characters to trust, or what was going to happen next really kept me on
the edge of my seat. I couldn’t predict any of the things that happened in this
book and poor Darrow went for one hell of a ride. I felt like I was standing
right next to him throughout the entire book which made for one hell of an
experience. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">“Friendships take minutes to make,
moments to break, years to repair.”<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #181818;">One of the many things that captivate me about this trilogy
is the phenomenal world building and the intellect behind it. I have always
been fascinated by Greek mythology and it’s clear that Pierce knows his stuff. The
politics of the world are so dark yet not unfamiliar and I find myself
comparing the British government with the Gold’s in almost every chapter. One thing
that surprised me about this book was that I didn’t expect for so much of it to
be set in space. I absolutely loved that element to it and I just feel like
this world has so much depth and substance to it. It feels so very plausible
and real and I can’t get enough of it. <i>Golden
Son </i>is definitely a book which makes you think about your surroundings as
well as what’s occurring inside the book itself – this is exactly what I want
out of a book and it makes me so happy when it’s delivered. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">“Home isn't where you're from, it's
where you find light when all grows dark.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">I can’t get
enough of Sevro. He makes me laugh so much and he is such a perfectly imperfect
character. He’s so snarky, so full of cuss words, so funny but so loyal. I
think he is definitely up there with my favourite characters of all time. His
and Darrow’s friendship is such a joy to read. I love their interactions and I really
felt like we got a better look at Sevro in <i>Golden
Son.</i> It’s not just the world and Darrow that are evolving. Getting a closer
look at The Jackal and The Sovereign was fascinating; they are such murky
characters that I find myself savouring every morsel of information that we’re
given. I feel like each character is developed so perfectly that I feel like I personally
know them. I don’t know how Pierce manages to operate off of just one post-it
note per character! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“Tradition is the
crown of the tyrant.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="background: white; color: #181818;">Golden Son</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"> was everything I wanted it to be and
more. It was full of excitement, plot twists, plenty of characters to love and characters
to hate. This is a trilogy that I cannot get enough of and I’m reluctant to let
it go. There’s so much intrigue and emotion in these pages and they are unlike
anything that I have read before. I am so glad that I could dive straight into <i>Morning Star </i>because I don’t know how I would
have coped with that wait.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Uncorked Thoughtshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08920292583492212455noreply@blogger.com1