Reading round up (72)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week.

30th March

I read 77% of Death Marked by Leah Cypress, finishing it. I was a little unsure around the 1/3 mark but this was just as good as the first book!!

31st March

Didn't read anything today for some reason.

1st April

I started my Falling Kingdoms reread (25 pages read). I LOVE these books. My favourite epic fantasy by a long mile. I don't want to rush reading books 1 and 2 but I NEED to read Gathering Darkness. I have the shiny metallic hardback!!!

2nd April

The busiest day ever today!!! Seven and a half hours spent fixing The Forgotten second print edition before I get a round printed, another hour writing 1000 words. I only had time to read 24 pages of Falling Kingdoms, which I'm sad about, but I'm happy with my productivity output.

3rd April

Read 50 pages of Falling Kingdoms, bringing me to 100, and I still have NO time to read. This has been my worst reading week all year.

4th April

Because I am getting nowhere with Falling Kingdoms in the very short slot of time I have per day until I get over a writing wall that's stealing hours from me (what took me 1 hour is taking 5), I turned to graphic novels. I just wanted to actually finish something. I attempted Batman: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean (around 40 pages read) but I JUST CANNOT read the Joker's speech. The lettering is horrendous - it's scratchy red text over scratchy white. I stopped reading, and I'm pretty sad because Grant Morrison. But my eyes can't distinguish the words.

Instead I read volume 1: Days Gone Bye of The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman (144 pages) which I liked but I expected something a little better tbh. Didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Still, I'll definitely continue this series without a doubt.

5th April

I read 15% of The Singular and Extraordinary Tale of Mirror and Goliath by Ishbelle Bee which is AWESOME. I LOVE THIS ALREADY. Caps was necessary.

Books finished this week: 2
Books DNF'd this week: 1

For review:

The Stars Never Rise | Rachel Vincent

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

THE STARS NEVER RISE IS ON MY KINDLE. AND I CAN READ IT. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED IN MY LIFE!!!

Bought:

Temeraire | Naomi Novik

Blood Entwines | Caroline Healy

State of Emergency | Summer Lane (For my Saruuh Explores NA project)

Under Different Stars | Amy. A. Bartol

Dead Spots | Melissa. F. Olson

I also got these AMAZON FREEBIES:

Witch's Brew | Heidi. R. Kling

Purenet | HJ Lawson

Bound by a Dragon | Linda K. Hopkins

Emma | Jane Austen

Of Sea and Stone

Fire Study

Most Anticipated of 2015: A Book of Spirits and Thieves

I wanted to talk about the books I'm dying to have, but since I don't do the WoW weekly feature I don't really have somewhere to talk about those books. So these posts were born. It'll be a series of 6-10 posts, since I haven't decided how many I want to talk about, and they should be up every Friday as a temporary feature.

Today I'm going to talk about

A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes

expected June 23rd

New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes takes readers into exhilarating new high-fantasy territory with A BOOK OF SPIRITS AND THIEVES. Written in alternating perspectives that shift between modern-day Toronto and the ancient kingdoms of Mytica, Rhodes masterfully weaves the dark, magical world of her Falling Kingdoms series into an epic contemporary saga that will leave you breathless. 

Modern-day Toronto: A heavy leather-bound book written in an unrecognizable language is delivered to the Speckled Muse, the antique bookshop owned by Crystal and Becca Hatcher’s mother. When Becca opens it, she’s sent into a coma, leaving Crys behind to uncover a series of terrifying secrets.

Ancient Mytica: A merciless goddess hunts for the elusive treasure that will make her ruler not only of Mytica, but of all the unseen worlds that lay beyond it.

Modern-day Toronto: Rich and aimless Farrell Grayson finally has the chance to prove himself when the mysterious leader of a powerful secret society invites him into his fold.

Ancient Mytica: Maddox Corso has always been different, but never remarkable. Everything changes the day he meets a pretty, unfamiliar girl from a faraway land, only to realize that he’s the only one who can see her.

Fate has brought these young people together, but ancient magic threatens to rip them apart. 

More Fallen Kingdoms books? 

More Morgan Rhodes books? 

Books alternatively Canadian and set in Mytica?

Oh, I'm in heaven!! Is it June yet??????

Rebel Spring (Review)

Falling Kingdoms: Rebel Spring | Morgan Rhodes

Published by: Razorbill, December 3rd 2013

Genre: YA, High Fantasy, EPICNESS

Pages: 416

Format: Ebook 

Source: Purchased

Love, power, and magic collide with war in the second book of the Falling Kingdoms series

Auranos has fallen and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now united as one country called Mytica. But still, magic beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world...

When the evil King Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of events that will forever change the face of this land, forcing Cleo the dethroned princess, Magnus the reluctant heir, Lucia the haunted sorceress, and Jonas the desperate rebel to take steps they never could have imagined.

I loved Falling Kingdoms, but Rebel Spring is a thousand times better than even that. This book picks up a little while after the events of book one, with Jonas building his Rebel numbers, Cleo a prisoner in her own home and her family dead, the Damoras taking over everything they possibly can, Lucia in a coma from using too much magic, and Magnus helplessly in love with Lucia and forced to obey his father if he wishes to live. Safe to say, Rebel Spring hurts like a bitch. 

But it's worth it, so so worth it. 

This book is incredible, and I'm so blown away by Morgan Rhodes's style and how she makes each land of Mytica so vast and lush and unique. I'm in love with this series. And the Cleo/Magnus development in this book killed me. Their love/hate thing is like crack to me. Give me more. I need more Magnus thinking about his wife (dhfjfbfkjf HIS WIFE!!!) and her warming to him, and Magnus protecting Cleo, and (give. it. to. me.) Cleo protecting Magnus. Also them overthrowing Gaius and being the epic King-Queen duo the prophecy spoke of and reigning Mytica together, fairly and kindly.

Think I just wrote a rest of series wishlist. Morgan, can I have please?

((p.s. Prince Ashur needs to back slowly away from the Kindred. My babies Cleo and Magnus are going to find it together.))

 Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★★

Writing Style ★★★★★

Falling Kingdoms (One line review)

Falling Kingdoms: Falling Kingdoms | Morgan Rhodes
YA, High Fantasy, Paranormal

Characters ★★★★★

Setting ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★☆☆

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power—brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword. . . .

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

REVIEW

Enchanting high fantasy with a brilliantly woven plot and vividly detailed world.