March Wrap-up 2016

This is going to be a long one so bear with me. I read quite alot this month so I am not going to go into too much detail, but all of these have reviews on my Goodreads account (click here to check it out and feel free to add me) and if you want a more detailed review of any of these books then let me know in the comments. I have written this in order of star rating (low to high) rather than chronological order. Let’s get started – I read 10 books, 3 of which were on my kindle. 

 The Wolf in the Attic / Paul Kearney ★★

*I received an advanced reader’s copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

It will be released May 10th 2016. Set in 1920’s Oxford, it follows Anna (a Greek refugee) as she tries to escape her grim reality. I read this on my kindle. This was not for me. So if it sounds interesting to you then give it a go, but for me it didn’t work. I just found it lacking – throughout the book I was questioning where it was going and the point of it all. I didn’t find the plot all that engaging and I wasn’t invested in the characters, although I did quite like the odd friendship between Anna and Luca. The pacing was abit off as well – it is slow in the beginning and then a load of stuff happens at the end. I don’t know, but this wasn’t for me.

 

Wide Sargasso Sea / Jean Rhys ★★

This gives voice to Bertha Mason, the madwoman in the attic from Jane Eyre. I wasn’t a huge fan of this one either. I liked the concept of giving a voice to this unknown woman, but it did not work in my opinion. First of all I did not get on with the writing style, but that is personal preference. Secondly I thought the portrayal of her descent into madness was abit unrealistic and just didn’t make sense to me. I am glad I read it though, and it is an interesting look into a woman we knew little about. If you love Jane Eyre than maybe check this out as well.

 

Risuko / Dave Kundler ★★

*I received an advanced reader’s copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

It comes out June 15th 2016. This follows Kano Murasaki (or Risuko) as she is sold by her mother and must find her place in her new surroundings, possibly saving everyone in the process. I read this on my kindle. Once again this was not for me. Sorry for getting abit repetitive.  I wasn’t engaged or invested in the plot or characters, and I will admit that I did skim read some sections. Something that bothered me was the portrayal of women on their periods as mean and grumpy – all of the women were portrayed this way and I just find that very frustrating. The setting is an interesting one however, and I think a lot of people would find this a fun, entertaining read, but it didn’t quite work for me. It wasn’t bad or anything, I just couldn’t get into it.

Vision in Silver / Anne Bishop ★★★

This is the third book in the Others series and so I am not going to go into plot because of spoilers. I read this on my kindle. I have to admit that this series is abit of a guilty pleasure of mine. It is not something I normally reach for and I know it’s not particularly well done, in terms of character development and pacing, but it is kind of addictive. It’s a solid, entertaining read, and I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series.

A Tale of Two Cities / Charles Dickens ★★★

I have to admit that I appreciated this for what it is, more than I actually enjoyed reading it. This was the first Dickens I have read since I read Great Expectations in school. It took me awhile to get into the writing, and even then I wasn’t totally engaged with it. I think I will try more Dickens to really get into the flow of his writing. Overall I did enjoy it, but I didn’t love it.

 

 Assassin’s Creed: Underworld / Oliver Bowden★★★★

My mum actually saw this in our local bookshop and she very kindly got it for me. I absolutely love the game Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and so this was just a really fun, entertaining read for me. It follows characters that we know from the game, but gives us more backstory on certain characters such as Ethan Fyre and Henry Green. I really enjoyed it. If you liked the game then you will probably like this.

Ship of Destiny / Robin Hobb ★★★★★

The third and final book in the Liveship Traders trilogy, which is the second trilogy in the Realm of the Elderlings series. I am not going to go into plot because it is the last book, but you can check out my spoiler-free review of the trilogy, by clicking here. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought it was an amazing conclusion to a great trilogy. I am very excited to read the next trilogy and would highly recommend this trilogy, especially if you love character-driven fantasy.

 

The Bone Queen / Alison Croggon ★★★★★

This is a prequel to the Pellinor series and follows Cadvan in his earlier life – it is set after an event we learn about in the Pellinor series. Of course I absolutely loved this. It was great to be back in this world with characters we know and love, as well as some new characters. If you liked the original series then you will love this and if you haven’t then you need to check it out – it is one of my all time favourite series.

 

Fudoki / Kij Johnson ★★★★★

This is a mix between fantasy and historical fiction. It is dual narrative following Harueme and the cat, then warrior women Kagaya-hime. Both narratives are engaging and I personally can’t say that I felt one was better than the other. This book is so unique – it is a beautifully written quiet adventure that will have you engaged to the very end and wishing that it won’t end. The setting of 12th century Japan is fascinating to read about, especially from the perspective of a high class woman. If you are interested in Japanese culture, history and/or mythology then I think you will really enjoy this.  I absolutely loved it and would highly recommend.

 

The Ruins of Gorlan / John Flanagan ★★★★

Book 1 of the Ranger’s Apprentice. We follow 15 year old Will as he is chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice (the shadowy/elusive protectors of the Kingdom). As his training progresses, he will come to release that a large battle is brewing. Even though this is a middle grade fantasy, I had no issues with it in terms of writing and I think this can be enjoyed by a wide range of people. This was a great first book of a middle grade fantasy series and I will definitely be checking out the other books in the series.

 

Let me know if I should split my wrap up next time so it’s not so long, or whether you are happy with it as is. I did also start Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss in March, but didn’t manage to finish it. What are some books that you read this month?

 

See you next time

Pippa