Photo credits: monicore - pixabay Edited by Vaishali C O M B I N E D C O M P L E T E M A Y / J U N E R E A D I N G !! Hello lovely reader! How have these past two reading months been for you? If, like me, you've received a chunk of book post, then I'm sure you're grinning enough to frighten a cheshire cat. After finishing up with my ARC copy of Rebecca Crunden's sci-fi dystopian, 'A Touch of Death', i jumped on my laptop, then to my email to request the rest (wondering if that would be too big an ask) and the author kindly sent over the rest of The Outlands Pentology set (signed, sealed and delivered), which i now proudly own in paperback! If that wasn't enough, i also received my ARC of L.L. Macrae's 'The Iron Crown'. The cover love was huge and while I've never read anything from the author, I'm so eager to get stuck into this fantasy; I’m new to dragon lore but after reading Abigail Owen’s The Rogue King, I now desperately look forward to more of these fire-breathing beasts. From Kirby Peterson, who kindly engaged in an inspiring guest post with me just last month in due importance to the subject of Body Sovereignty, I was sent a copy of her prosetry collection titled 'Sunflowers'. Thank you dearly to every one of you for my copies of your hard work. On a separate but book-related note, I’ve somehow ferried an influx of book review requests. I was as overwhelmed as I was excited; my reader soul wanted to say yes, my body declared a strong no and my mind dwelled and duelled a bittersweet symphony between the two. I’m always honoured by each and every author for each and every request; to share your stories with me is to trust a book-loving stranger (the best kind though, surely) and I thank you with brain-fogged sincerity for putting your wonderful stories on my map and your careful words in front of my searching eyes. I also want to send out my heartfelt apologies for every request I had to turn down. Although I’d love to help out every one of you, my chronically ill mind/body wears the pants in this unsweetened relationship; It’s a radical but militant partnership. A separate thank you message to the authors who sent their unconditioned understanding, well-wishes and compassion. I’ve always seen it the sign of a beautiful person when someone can remain grateful and understanding even when their wants aren’t met. Even though I offer you alternative opportunities, you treat me as though I gave you a yes and not a no - and are grateful anyway. I would cross that intimidating reviewer/writer barrier (one I strongly believe should exist only in the kingdom of fiction) and give you a socially-distanced hug for that alone. I’ve spoken to many of you who are wonderful people as much as you are writers; thank you for sharing those compact bits and pieces of your lives with me! Before I get to the point of this wrap-up, here are some pictures of my bookish post! 1) Kissing Micky by Ellen Devlin - Rating ★ ★ 2
As always, and while this is just a launch of personal judgement, I urge you friends, bookish comrades, bookworms-in-arms to try Kissing Micky because while I didn't enjoy it, it is very easy to get lost in his kisses. C O N T E N T_W A R N I NG: Mentions drug violations and a past heart attack. Adult content with swearing and multiple sex scenes. You can find my full Goodreads review of 'Kissing Micky' here! - 2 S T A R S to Kissing Micky 2) A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden - Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ 4
Rebecca Crunden envisions a dystopic habitat where the rich live uncaring and the starved sit apart in an organised regime of oppression, one where real freedom is as marginal as the mass population. While every written element of this fashioned fantasy world heightens the despotic setting, it’s the measure of these characters, whose lives are made visceral with urgency and uncertainty that is so strong. This is a world where anyone can become an enemy to king and kingdom by chance and misstep, where nobody is encouraged to have a mind outside of law. C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: General warnings and descriptions for abuse, violence, blood and torture. Mentions severe punishments as execution, authorised rape, beatings and whippings. Also mentions drugs and exhibits instances of smoking and drinking. Describes some specifics of declining health and emaciating bodies. There are also attitudes inclined to death and mildly describes a suicide attempt. You can find my full review of 'A Touch of Death' here! - 4 S T A R S to A Touch of Death 3) Dyrwolf by Kat Kinney - Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ 4
While there are elements that speak to the YA crowd, the scale, the creative precision and range tells to a dynamic written piece of fantasy in Dyrwolf. Stylistically speaking, Kinney pictures a superb story with picturesque prose that graphically makes vivid the intensity of Lea’s hunt, the discovery within and the revelations without. C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: Non descriptive scenes of abuse, torture, whipping and describes blood and injuries. Mentions/implies suicide and child abuse. Also mentions hangings and a past rape in non-explicit terms. Only very few uses of mild profanity. With humans being enslaved and a society of discrimination, bear in mind that there are some strong themes. You can find my full review of 'Dyrwolf' here! - 4 S T A R S to Dyrwolf 4) Detour by Kacey Shea - Rating ★ ★ 2
You can get away with the big character flaws and imperfections with fantasy in a way you can't in real life, and that's what I love with romantic fiction (or any piece fiction) - we can suffer/endure through a lot and with amazing amounts of empathy. I'm also a reader who loves a good redemption story and i have a special fixation with watching characters renew themselves. To even prove me wrong. I can overlook a lot as long as I'm connecting with a book and its characters in a meaningful way, but Detour unfortunately follows a male singer that encompasses qualities i don't particularly enjoy in a leading star. C O N T E N T_ W A R N I N G: Mentions drugs/taking drugs. Sexual assault and an attempted rape. Plenty of Swearing. Mentions child abuse/assault. Also sexual situations and sex scenes. You can find my full Goodreads review of 'Detour' here! - 2 S T A R S to Detour 5) Crash Into You by J.H. Croix - Rating ★ ★ ★ 3
I did enjoy my first J.H. Croix romance. It might have lost traction for me along the way but the story still fosters that small-town every day draw as far as a good time-passing romance elapses. I love books that can down-scale unneeded conflict without a worry that there’s not enough of it while tailor-making a narrative fit to endow Daphne and Flynn's real needs, and that's what this book achieves. C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: Swearing and sex scenes. Mentions a past heart attack and deals with the death/grief of losing a child through brain cancer. You can find my full review of 'Crash Into You' here! - 3.5 S T A R S to Crash Into You 6) Take a Chance On Me by Lea Coll - Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ 4
Take A Chance on me is my first Lea Coll novel and where many romances misfire with traceable romantic developments combined with a carefully ferried plot that discusses important matter, Lea Coll writes a sweet, tense slow-burning story with emotional complexities that circumvent complicated situations. In other words, this story asserts and accentuates both while an honest love connection chimes steady, sweet and true blue. C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: Alcohol addiction/abuse. Mentions post-partum depression. Mentions underage drinking and vaguely details a sexual assault. Also mentions depression, suicide by overdose and mixing pills with alcohol. Minimal use of profanity and some bedroom scenes. You can find my full review of 'Take a Chance On Me' here! - 4 S T A R S to Take a Chance On Me 7) One Last Chance by Gina Azzi - Rating ★ ★ ★ 3
One Last Chance is not a book of big surprises and electric showdowns, but of real challenges and relatable growth. A nice blend of individual development, career-focus and friends/family comfort bolsters Daisy’s NA coming-of-age. C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: Mention a past death by cancer. Drinking, no explicit/graphic sex scenes. Sexual assault and some swearing. You can find my full review of 'One Last Chance' here! - 3 S T A R S to One Last ChanceI hope you've enjoyed my May and June reads, but more than that, I truly hope you've enjoyed your own. Stay safe and well, friends. I love interacting with fellow readers and hearing about reader opinion, so if you'd like to talk books or about your own recent reads, get in touch and comment below! H A P P Y R E A D I N G <3 --------------------------------------- M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read --------------------------------------- _________________________________________ R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● March/April Reading Wrap Up 2021 ● January/February Reading Wrap Up 2021 ● November/December Reading Wrap Up 2020 ● September Reading Wrap Up 2020 __________________________________________ SHARE ON FACEBOOK Leave a comment and let's talk...
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VaishaliBorn in the UK Archives
February 2024
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