Tag: Book Blogger

Fawkes 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date June 20, 2020
No Comments on Fawkes 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Title: Fawkes
Author: Nadine Brandes
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Publication Date: July 10th, 2018
Pages: 448
Publishers: Thomas Nelson
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes Cover – Top shows older buildings on the Thames with the title in the middle & a broken white mask on flames in the lower portion of the cover

I absolutely loved this book and just flew through it! I read Romanov on audiobook a little while back and enjoyed it but Fawkes is even better!

Firstly the world building in Fawkes is incredible! Everything is so detailed and very well explained. I felt so immersed in this world from the very beginning which I loved! Nadine Brandes has a way of writing that just grips me and makes me want to not put the book down. The magic system of this world is also super interesting and unique. It was explained really well too which means there was very little confusion as to what was going on.

The characters were awesome! All the side character were very fleshed out and I loved learning about them and their backgrounds and seeing their journey throughout. Emma was a badass and I loved her attitude and personality! It was awesome learning about her throughout the book. Thomas was very well written and I really enjoyed seeing his struggle with right & wrong and battling with what to believe from others.

The plot was very unpredictable and super gripping. I had no idea what to expect with this book & I honestly think that is the best way to go into it! It was so amazing and such a rollercoaster of a journey.

I also just want to mention that I really enjoyed the discussion and topic of Racism in this book. I love that it was both questioned and discussed as well as being historically accurate to the time period. I think this was really well done!

Overall this is well worth the read and I highly recommend it to any fantasy or historical fantasy fan! I am very curious to check out her other books & keen to see what she comes out with next!

My copy of Fawkes by Nadine Brandes with glittery gold sprayed edges (Custom Sprayed by Dusk Angel Store)

Have you read Fawkes or Romanov? What were your thoughts on them? Did you enjoy them as much as I did?

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog.

Book Depository
Hardcover

Angus & Robertson
Hardcover

Amazon Australia
eBook
Hardcover

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Tags 5 Star Review, Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Book Review, Bookish, Books, Fawkes, Nadine Brandes, Review, Spoiler Free Review

Reviews

Alice 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date June 15, 2020
3 Comments on Alice 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Title: Alice
Author: Christina Henry
Series Name: The Chronicles of Alice
Genre: Fantasy Horror Retelling
Publication Date: June 28th, 2016
Pages: 304
Publishers: Titan Books
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis

In a warren of crumbling buildings called the Old City, a hospital echoes with the screams of the poor souls inside. Inside, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood…Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago.

Trigger Warning: Very in depth discussions about Rape throughout nearly the whole book

This book is definitely not what I expected. I knew this was an Alice in Wonderland retelling but I did not read a synopsis and had not heard talk about it. I read The Girl in Red by Christina Henry a month or so ago and really enjoyed it! So when I was looking for something to read and saw Alice I decided why not.. Needless to say this was completely unexpected!

So at first it was a bit of a shock discovering that this was a dark gory horror retelling of Alice in Wonderland. However after the shock I actually really enjoyed it! There were definitely some messed up parts throughout but still super interesting & I got super hooked on this one from early on.

This book was completely unpredictable even though it was loosely following the Alice in Wonderland story line. The story was simply gripping and I found myself not wanting to put it down and just wanting to find out what crazy shit was going to happen next.

I enjoyed the 2 main characters we follow, Alice & Hatcher. They were both really well written and developed nicely over the course of the book. I also enjoyed the side characters (as characters, most of them were horrible people, let’s be real). There were such a mixture of traits in the side characters and they were very well written. I found myself absolutely hating some of then and then questions over motives. Christina Henry just has a way of writing characters that make you super invested in what happens to them (whether good or bad).

My only real downfall for this book and the reason it didn’t receive 5 stars was the ending. I had the same experience with The Girl in Red as well. For me the ending just seems a little lacklustre. There were tonnes of build up to the end but then the end just happens in one chapter and that’s it. It was a little disappointing after such an interesting and gripping book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and definitely will be continuing the series sometime in the future. I can’t wait to see what Christina Henry does with the story of the Red Queen in this dark retelling and there is also a novella bind up, Looking Glass, available which I’m super keen to suss out. If you are into dark fantasy then I highly recommend but be warned that there is a very high trigger warning for Rape in this book…

Have you read Alice or any of Christina Henry’s other works? Let me know in the comments what your thoughts were! I’m definitely interested in picking up other books by Christina Henry but not sure where to go next.

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog!

Book Depository
Paperback – Left cover
Paperback – Right Cover

Angus & Robertson
Paperback – Left Cover
Paperback – Right Cover

Amazon
Paperback – Left Cover
eBook

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

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Tags 4 star review, Alice, Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Book Review, Bookish, Books, Christina Henry, Review, Spoiler Free Review

Reviews

The Cuckoo’s Calling 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date June 13, 2020
1 Comment on The Cuckoo’s Calling 💫 Spoiler Free Review

Title: The Cuckoo’s Calling
Author: Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Genre: Adult Mystery
Publication Date: February 13th, 2014
Pages: 550
Publishers: Sphere
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis

When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. A war veteran, wounded both physically and psychologically, Strike’s life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s complex world, the darker things get – and the closer he gets to terrible danger.

A gripping, elegant mystery steeped in the atmosphere of London – from the hushed streets of Mayfair, to the backstreet pubs of the East End, to the bustle of Soho – The Cuckoo’s Calling is a remarkable debut. Introducing Cormoran Strike, it is a classic crime novel unlike any other book you will read this year.

This is the first book I have read by J.K. Rowling outside of the Harry Potter universe and I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!

My main negative for The Cuckoo’s Calling was that there were a few points in the story that simply felt slow. I didn’t hate these portions as you were still generally getting some information regarding the mystery but I would of liked even more if it was a bit quicker paced.

As for the positives I have many more! I really enjoyed both the main characters Robin & Strike. I loved Robin for not giving up on a career path she was enjoying, even if it wasn’t the most ideal situation. I also really enjoyed how conscience she was of others and what she could do to help them. That was actually super refreshing compared to some of the main characters I’ve been reading of recently. As for Strike I enjoyed how he handled situations & his way of thinking. It was awesome to see some disability rep for him as well and I loved that we got a sneak of the backstory behind it which I think helped build his character in general.

I really enjoyed the setting of this one from the office to the streets of London. I’ve actually been reading a lot of books set in London recently (by accident) and I think this one set the most vivid image in my head due to the descriptions throughout the book.

Lastly, I have to briefly mention the plot. No spoilers of course but I really enjoyed it! This was a well thought-out mystery and I really enjoyed how we slowly got all these ‘clues’ that could of lead to any number of people but then something totally unexpected was revealed in the end! Completely unpredictable and I loved it.

Overall, I do recommend this book but just be warned it can be on the slower side. I will definitely be continuing the series after I grab book 2 (for some reason I own book 1 & 3 but not 2. 🤷🏻‍♀️).

Have you read The Cuckoo’s Calling? What were your thoughts?
Also have you read any of J.K. Rowlings other works (besides HP)? Are they worth me looking into?

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate link for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog!
*There are multiple available covers for The Cuckoo’s Calling.*

Book Depository
Paperback – Teal Cover
Paperback – Silver Cover
Hardcover – Silver Cover
Paperback – Movie Cover

Angus & Robertson
Paperback – Teal Cover
Paperback – Silver Cover
Hardcover – Silver Cover
Paperback – B&W Movie Cover
Paperback – Movie Cover

Amazon
Paperback – Blue Cover
Hardcover – Silver Cover
eBook

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

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Tags 4 star review, Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Book Review, Bookish, Books, J.K. Rowling, Review, Robert Galbraith, Spoiler Free Review

Challenges/Readathons

Bookopoly ReadAThon 💫 Announcement!

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date June 11, 2020
No Comments on Bookopoly ReadAThon 💫 Announcement!

Yes, I am hosting ANOTHER ReadAThon! I had an awesome idea and I just had to go with it. Let’s jump straight in as this will be a long one!!

Dates

Round 1 of the Bookopoly ReadAThon will go for the entirety of July! From 12:00AM on the 1st of July till 11:59pm on the 31st of July!

The Bookopoly Board

You are welcome to download this image and enlarge to print out or simply download it and zoom in to see it better. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the text any bigger or the information simply wouldn’t of fitted.

The Basics

For this ReadAThon all you have to do is roll 2 dice and make your way around the board earning or losing points based on the spaces you land on and what is required for each space. Pretty simple but we have added some fun elements like quizzes & bonus challenges throughout!

Also, if you roll a double when making your way around the board you simply roll again. Roll doubles, move your marker, roll again and then complete the challenge in that space. This is the same as in the actual game to keep it easy.

Different types of spaces

Property spaces
All you have to do when you land on one of these is Read a book that fits the challenge and once you do you Earn the specified points & then take your next roll.
We have tried to keep the challenges broad but if you simply do not have a book that fits the challenge you can read something that is kinda similar but doesn’t quite fit and still earn full points or read something that is the opposite. Get creative with it. As long as you can justify the book you chose then you can earn the points.
If you land on the same property space twice throughout the month you can either complete the challenge again and earn more points OR skip and roll again but not earn any points.

Treasure Chest & Adventure Spaces!
These replace the Community Chest & Chance spaces on a normal Monopoly board. For both of these you will need to complete a Quiz. You can always find the Quizzes linked in our Twitter Bio.
The Treasure Chest Quiz will result in you receiving a Treasure Chest Card where you could earn or lose points depending on which you get. If you land on this square more than once you will need to retake the test to receive another card but for the second time you must answer the quiz questions the opposite of what you first answered them so that you can discover a new card.
The Adventure Quiz is a story based quiz where you make decisions based on the scenario in the story. There are 3 possible outcomes and you will either earn or lose points depending on which you get. If you land on this quiz for a second time simply skip and roll again.

These spaces replace the Luxury Tax/Income Tax spaces on a real Monopoly board. Landing on either of these means you lose points and you will continue to lose points every time you land on them.

Book Shelf Spaces!
The Book Shelf spaces replace the Train Stations/Airports on normal Monopoly boards. For these squares there is also a Reading Challenge which functions the same as the property spaces, however you have the ability to earn bonus points with these squares! You can land on any Book Shelf space and complete the challenge more than once. If you complete 1 challenge you receive 100 points, if you land on a 2nd Book Shelf space and complete the challenge you received 150 points, 3rd is 200 points & 4th is 250 points. This counts for all of the Bookshelf spaces, so first you could land on the left most Book Shelf, complete the challenge and get 100 points & then the next time you could land on the right side Book Shelf, complete the challenge and get another 150 points. You do not have to land on and recomplete the exact same space just to get the bonus points.
This is slightly hard to explain but hopefully this makes sense! Any questions simply comment below.

This one is pretty simple. We wanted to incorporate a Harry Potter feature because Harry’s birthday is in July when we are having the ReadAThon!
If you know what your Hogwarts House is already then that is awesome! If you do not simply head over to the Wizarding World website and take the quiz to find out. Once you know your house simply complete the corresponding challenge!
Gryffindor: Read a book with Red on the cover.
Slytherin: Read a book with Green on the cover.
Hufflepuff: Read a book with Yellow on the cover.
Ravenclaw: Read a book with Blue on the cover.

You receive 100 points for completing a sorting hat challenge!

I decided to include a Reaping space to share in the excitement of the release of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (The prequel to The Hunger Games).
For this one you actually get to make a choice in the Reading Challenge you receive. Simply chose any of the 12 Districts and complete the corresponding Reading Challenge.

District 1: Read a book with Gold on the cover
District 2: Read a book with a weapon on the cover
District 3: Read a book that features advanced technology
District 4: Read a book that features the ocean/lake/creek/etc.
District 5: Read a book with a powerful message or with someone seeking power
District 6: Read a book that features travel
District 7: Read a book with a tree/plant on the cover
District 8: Read a book with a colourful/rainbow cover
District 9: Read a book set in the outback
District 10: Read a book with an animal on the cover
District 11: Read a book that has a landscape on the cover
District 12: Read a book with a black cover

You receive 100 points for completing a Reaping challenge!

Corner Spaces

Obviously we have the starting point, Go which is where you begin and will also collect 200 points every time you go past.

Next is the In a Reading Slump/Just waiting space. This is where you will sit if you are In a Reading Slump. To get out of the Reading Slump you have 3 options!
Roll a doubles on your dice within 5 rolls (If you don’t roll doubles within 5 rolls you must choose another option)
OR
Lose 100 points
OR
Use a ‘Get Out of Your Reading Slump Free Card’

Next is the Library. This is just to fill space. If you land on this space simply roll again and continue on.

Lastly is the Fall into a Reading Slump space. If you land on this one you must head on over to the In a Reading Slump square and follow the above rules. If you pass ‘GO’ do NOT collect 200 points.

Points Tracker

I have set up a Google Sheet for you guys to record your points & current position on the board. It is up to you to keep track of your points but this just gives you a place to put that information!

Bookopoly ReadAThon Google Sheet

Discord!

We have a discord for you all to chat on! We will also be hosting sprints on this Discord rather than Twitter, so make sure you come and join us!

Bookopoly ReadAThon Discord

Co-Hosts!

As well as myself, the creator of the ReadAThon, I have 8 co-hosts! I will link their Socials down below if they have book related socials they wish to share!

Eliza (Host/Creator)
Blog (the one you are on!)
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube

Haley
Blog
Instagram
Twitter

Elizabeth
Instagram

Erica

Laura
Blog
YouTube
Instagram

Leah

Lila

Patricia

Sherry
Instagram
Goodreads

Twitter

We also have a Twitter where we encourage people to share their current reads and progress around the board and tag us in it so we can see how everyone is going!

Well I think that is all the info you guys need! If you have any questions please comment them below or head on over to our Discord and there is a Channel for questions!

Let me know if you will be participating in Bookopoly ReadAThon.

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
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Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
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Personal Pinterest

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Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
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Tags Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Bookish, Bookopoly ReadAThon, Books, ReadAThon, ReadAThon Announcement

Challenges/Readathons TBR

HouseCupAThon, TBR Jar ReadAThon & June TBR

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date June 5, 2020
3 Comments on HouseCupAThon, TBR Jar ReadAThon & June TBR

**I’m sorry that the book cover images in this post are not all nice and sized the same like I usually do. You may have noticed that WordPress is not working like it used to when it comes to resizing images. I can’t get them to resize to the size I want.. Hopefully this is fixed soon but for now we are just going to have to deal with it… If anyone has a suggestion please let me know!!! It’s driving me insane and I spent over an hour yesterday trying to figure it out.**

FIRSTLY! DetectAThon has been postponed so I will not be participating in it as I planned. Just incase you watch my YouTube TBR and saw me talking about it. Unfortunately, i filmed & edited that before the announcement went up and I simply don’t have time to re-edit it.

HouseCupAThon is a Harry Potter themed month long ReadAThon for the entirety of June. TBR Jar ReadAThon is a readathon where you put the names of books in a jar and pull them out. So there won’t be an actual TBR for that one but just wanted to mention that I will be putting the HouseCupAThon books into the jar and pulling them out. TBR Jar ReadAThon goes from the 5th till the 14th of June.

HouseCupAThon

Tom Riddle’s Journal: Read a book by an author that uses a pen name or their initials

Obviously Robert Galbraith is J.K. Rowling’s pen name! So The Cuckoo’s Calling fits this challenge easily. I also thought it would be a good idea to read this as this is a Harry Potter themed ReadAThon and she obviously wrote both! Also, I love Mysteries. So hopefully I’ll enjoy this one.

The Howler: Read a book that has a character who must face the consequences of their actions

I won’t mention why but I think both Voldermort & Snape have to face the consequences of their actions in Deathly Hallows. So it definitely fits the challenge! I will be reading this one on Audiobook.

The Burrow: Read a cozy book.

Harry Potter is my ideal for a cozy book as it’s a story I love and could reread happily everyday without getting bored. Order of the Phoenix was simply the next one I had to read in order. I’ll also be listening to this one on Audiobook.

Lockhart: Read a book with a love interest everyone loves

I’m not huge into romance so I usually don’t care for the love interests that everyone obsesses over. I chose Half-Blood Prince because of Harry’s love interest! Who doesn’t love her?! Again, reading on Audiobook.

De-Gnome the Garden: Read a book that you are thinking on unhauling

I was planning on unhauling The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender as I have just lost interest. I originally purchased this book as it was the Group Book of a ReadAThon last year but I never had the motivation to pick it up. Hopefully I will get to it this time and enjoy it.

Whomping Willow: Read a book with a tree on the cover.

There is actually a couple trees on Fawkes in the top scene, so perfect fit. This one has also been on my radar for a while. I have read Romanov by Nadine Brandes and really enjoyed it. So hopefully I’ll like this one just as much!

Following the Spiders: Read a hyped book

This book fits perfect because, lets be real, every book by these authors is hyped to all hell! I really enjoyed Aurora Rising so I can’t wait to jump into Aurora Burning!

Polyjuice Potion: Read a book in a non-traditional format or a format that you don’t read very often.

I am twisting this challenge a little bit. I’m instead reading a book that is not in ITS traditional format. Obviously The Hobbit is a novel however I will be reading the Illustrated Revised Edition! This one is a reread for me but I love this edition and my partner (who is not a reader) has agreed to read it with me. We will see if that happens but I hope so as I’m always trying to convince him to read!

Fawkes: Give a book a second chance

I did start Toil & Trouble a while ago during another ReadAThon but I chose to pick up the audiobook that time which was a mistake. I love audiobooks but as this is a short story collection and that chose a single narrator to do all the stories it got very confusing very quickly. Obviously it was the same voice for every story and the narrator used the same voices for different characters in each of the stories I read, so they all started blending together very quickly. I couldn’t’ follow it as I was just getting confused trying to remember what had happened in this story so far and not in the previous ones and such. It was just not ideal. I think for short story collections the publishers really need to chose at least two narrators and get them to alternate stories to make it easier on the readers… Anyways, that is why I’m giving this book a second chance and reading it physically this time.

Petrified: Read a book that you’re afraid to read

I am not exactly afraid to read Odd One Out, I am just worried that I will not like it as much as I did Dear Martin which was amazing! I have seen some pretty low reviews on Odd One Out which makes me a little worried but I’m going to give it a go and hopefully I will love it!

Required Reading: Read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets or any Harry Potter book

Goblet of Fire is the next Harry Potter book I need to read in my reread, so I put it on the list!

What are you most looking forward to on your June TBR??
Mine would have to be Fawkes or Aurora Burning!

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
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Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

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Tags Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Bookish, Books, HouseCupAThon, Read, ReadAThon, ReadAThon TBR, TBR Jar ReadAThon, TBRJarRAT

Challenges/Readathons

TBR Jar ReadAThon 💫 Round 8

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date June 2, 2020
3 Comments on TBR Jar ReadAThon 💫 Round 8

Yes, another ReadAThon! This one is short notice & also pretty low key compared to previous rounds! I felt like doing the ReadAThon so here it is! There won’t be teams or points or anything in this round as it’s so last minute. Let’s get into the basics.

Dates

5th June to 14th June 2020
Yes, this round is 10 days instead of the normal week or month long. Just for something different and I also have DetectAThon starting on the 15th and didn’t want to overlap too many ReadAThons as I’m also doing HouseCupAThon which is a month long.

How it works

This ReadAThon is pretty simple. First, pick a goal. I will be aiming for 7 books, but you can choose as many or as little books as you wish.
Next, grab a jar, or cup, or hat, it really doesn’t matter. Something you can put names into.
For the next step, you can do this one a few ways.
Option 1 is to put all the books on your TBR (physical, eBook, audiobook, whatever you wish) into a hat.
Option 2, you can pick some of the books you are most looking forward to and put them in a hat. Or you can also put the books that fit another challenge/ReadAThon you’re participating in and put them in the jar
Option 3, (this is what I will be doing), get a 2nd jar, in 1 jar put all the physical & eBooks books on your TBR into it and in the 2nd jar put all the audiobooks on your TBR. This way you can read both a book & audiobook at the same time.
Lastly, pick a name out of the jar and read that book, then pick another name and read that book and continue until you either hit your goal or run out of time in the ReadAThon.

Extra Info

You can choose to pull the number of names you choose for your goal out of the jar prior to the ReadAThon or pull them out as you go.

Use the hashtag #TBRJarRAT so I can see what you’re up to (also if it is on Twitter or Instagram then you can tag the @TBRJarRAT page too.

So, some of you may have a few books from the same series still on your TBR. Join the club. So if this is the case, you can either choose to only put the 1st book (or the book you are up to) in the TBR jar OR you can put it in as the full series. So if you pick up that name, then you have to try and read all the books from that series that you have on your shelf.
This ReadAThon is very customisable, so do whatever fits you.

Are you planning on participating in TBR Jar ReadAThon this round?!
What are you hoping you pull out of the jar?

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

All the links!

Dusk Angel Reads:
Dusk Angel Reads Twitter
Dusk Angel Reads Instagram
Goodreads
Dusk Angel Reads Pinterest

Personal:
Personal Instagram
Personal Twitter
Lifestyle Blog
Personal Pinterest

Pets Insta:
EamesFurFam Instagram
RoxyTheHeelerX Instagram

Photography:
Automotive Photography Blog
Automotive Photography Instagram
Automotive Photography Facebook

Tags Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Bookish, Books, ReadAThon, TBR Jar ReadAThon, TBRJarRAT

Challenges/Readathons Wrap Up

May & Fantasy JourneyAThon Wrap Up

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date May 31, 2020
2 Comments on May & Fantasy JourneyAThon Wrap Up

It is the last day of May & also the last day of the Fantasy JourneyAThon! So, let’s chat about what I read in May and how I went during the ReadAThon!

After reading only 1 book in March & 4 in April, I actually managed to read 11 books in May! Which I’m super happy with. I read 3 eBooks, 5 Audiobooks, 2 Graphic Novels & 1 eARC which also happened to be a Graphic Novel.

Graphic Novels

Firstly let’s just mention the 2 Graphic Novels I read in May. I have spoken about them more in my Recent Reads & Currently Reading post, so I’ll just pop the covers up here!

eBooks

Next onto the eBooks!

Firstly I read book 2 & 3 in The Extraordinary Adventures of The Athena Club series by Theodora Goss! Which I absolutely loved!! European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman & The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl are Historical Mysteries with fantasy elements, which is right up my alley. I loved all the characters, the setting, the plots were super unique and unpredictable & I was just absolutely hooked on this story. This is definitely one I would consider rereading and Scribd happens to have the audiobooks, so this might just happen soon!
Next I read The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller and I actually enjoyed this one more than I thought I would when I started out. This is a YA Fantasy Standalone which sounded good to me, however, this is also a Romance and usually I’m not a huge fan but I actually really enjoyed this one. I enjoyed the characters & the setting. The plot was also unpredictable and just kept me hooked.

Audiobooks

Now, onto the Audiobooks

Firstly, of course I reread Philosopher’s Stone, Chamber of Secrets & Prisoner of Azkaban.
I also reread Quidditch Through the Ages which I especially love the audiobook for as it has bonus content of the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, which is not featured in the original book.
Then I was bored one afternoon and looking through audiobooks and started listening to The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky as it was short and thought would help with points for Fantasy JourneyAThon. I did not realise at the time that it meant ‘Getting Lucky’ in the sexual sense. So, that was an interesting read. Slightly funny but I don’t think it’s something that you really need to read for the story. It did help with points though, so all good!

eARC/ARCs

Lastly, we have the eARC that I read which was Kriss: The Gift of Wrath by Ted Naifeh & Warren Wucinich and I have reviewed this one so you can check that out HERE if you wish! This one just wasn’t for me and I didn’t understand the point of it really.

Fantasy JourneyAThon

The path I took included 7 books and I did use my Shadow Walker ability to jump from Garon to Mount Paedris.

Haroyell: Read a first book in a series – The Backstagers: Vol 1
Dupressa: Read a short book – The Backstagers: Vol 2
Garon: Read a book from your favourite genre – European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman
*SHADOW WALKER ABILITY TO JUMP USED*
Mount Paedris: Read a book with a map – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Maroo: Read a book with a monster – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Tryllin: Read a book featuring Royalty – The Shadows Between Us
Nialas: Read a predicted 5 star read – The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl

What was your favourite read of May?
Mine would have to be either European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman or The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl! They were both so good! I can’t choose.

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Tags Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Bookish, Books, Fantasy JourneyAThon, May Wrap-Up, ReadAThon, ReadAThon Wrap Up, Wrap Up

Reviews

Kriss: The Gift of Wrath 💫 Mini Spoiler Free Review

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date May 9, 2020
1 Comment on Kriss: The Gift of Wrath 💫 Mini Spoiler Free Review

Title: Kriss: The Gift of Wrath
Author: Ted Naifeh & Warren Wucinich
Genre: YA Fantasy Graphic Novel
Publication Date: September 17, 2019
Pages: 124
Publishers: Katherine Oni Press
Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis

For fans of The Graveyard Book and Through the Woods comes a different kind of YA fantasy graphic novel, in which a teen boy’s search for his destiny leads him into darkness.

Lean, ghostly pale, and permanently grim-faced, Kriss has always been an outsider in his small village. Not even his adoptive parents love him. Only Anja, the blacksmith’s daughter, brings kindness and friendship into the life of the sullen teenager. But Kriss is haunted by dim memories of his true father, Erikk Iron Tooth, the king of Darkovia.

When Anja’s mother is killed by a wild sabercat from the far north, the young girl’s world is shattered, and Kriss determines to avenge her. Armed with only a pitchfork, the skinny teen sets out to kill the beast, only to learn that it’s actually a dark spirit from Darkovia, come to bring him his destiny. The spirit grants Kriss the power to vanquish the mightiest foes, and commands him to reclaim his father’s kingdom. But his gift of power comes with a price — uncontrollable rage. And leaving the village would mean leaving Anja, the only person who’s always been there for him. Kriss must choose between his destiny and Anja, who needs his friendship more than ever. But his growing power, and the fiery anger that comes with it, threatens to make the choice for him, and burn everything he holds dear.

This was not exactly what I expected from this Graphic Novel. That’s for sure. This is going to be a short & sweet review because I really don’t have that much to say. Quite simply I just found it hard to follow & kinda pointless.

I don’t know if I just simply didn’t get the meaning behind this one but I just felt like it had no real purpose, message or plot to it. It was also super hard to follow and I still have no idea about half the things that happened in the story. According to Goodreads this is not even part of a series, so it isn’t like there is more to come that will explain what exactly was going on in this book.

I did enjoy the art style but that was about all that I can say positive about it. This Graphic Novel wasn’t exactly bad, it just wasn’t for me and left me confused.

Have you read Kriss? What were your thoughts on it?

Thank you to both NetGalley & Oni Press for providing an eGalley in exchange for an honest review.

You can order a copy for yourself at any of the links below.

You could also use my affiliate links for Book Depository if you would like to support this blog!

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Wrap Up

Recent Reads & Currently Reading

Post author By Eliza Eames
Post date May 7, 2020
5 Comments on Recent Reads & Currently Reading

So, it has been a while since I’ve posted a review or any post besides the recent ReadAThon announcement. I thought I would just make a post about why I was MIA as well as what I have recently read that I haven’t reviewed (and probably wont) & what I’m currently reading.

First off, I was in a massive slump! After February I did not feel like reading ANYTHING. Not even audiobooks. I also felt over posting on my Insta, YouTube & Blog. So I took a massive break from everything bookish basically.
Towards the end of April, I felt like reading, so I went on to Scribd (as I wasn’t at home, so didn’t have my books with me) and scrolled until I found something interesting. Since them I’ve been slowly reading some books & I’ve been doing some rereading on audiobook as well. I’ve slowly been getting back into my social platforms as well. I’ve been trying to post on Insta and then I decided to host a ReadAThon, which has been super helpful for my reading. I think I’m back and doing good and will be trying to post on here consistently again and also get back into reviews when I feel like it. Lately I’ve been simply reading and enjoying it rather than reading critically and thinking about my specific thoughts on the book as reading. I still haven’t gotten back into YouTube but I’ve been getting the feeling to want to film but just don’t know what to film. Oh well, I will get there eventually. Enough of that, now onto what I’ve been reading recently.

Recent Reading

As I said above I’ve been doing some rereading on audiobook. So I’ll start with those.

I reread the Truly Devious series via audiobook in April and really enjoyed it. This is one series that I could reread again and again and each time you would discover a new piece of information that you missed the first time around. I absolutely love this series and I will probably reread it again.

Now onto the new books I read.

Firstly, I read The Girl in Red by Christina Henry which is an apocalyptic loose retelling of Red Riding Hood. I absolutely loved this book except I was a little disappointed in the ending. I love the characters, the story line and I loved how the book jumped around in time to tell the story. As I said, the ending was a little disappointing as I found it a bit rushed and also a little convenient. Everything ended too easily in the end which I wasn’t a fan of.

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss was really freaking good! I absolutely loved this book. It is right up my alley as it’s a YA Mystery with a badass group of female characters and plenty of twists and turns. The characters are awesome and I love how action packed the book is. It’s also full of twists and turns and it completely unpredictable! Amazing book.

Next I read 2 Graphic Novels. Which I will only mention briefly as I will discuss them in depth during my Fantasy JourneyAThon Wrap Up. Super interesting series so far and I’m keen to get to Vol 3.

Currently Reading

I’m currently reading European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman which is the sequel to The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter and loving it! I’m also rereading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on audiobook and enjoying this as well. Of course!

What are you currently reading? Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Purchase any of the books mentioned from BOOK DEPOSITORY! World Wide FREE shipping and awesome prices? Can’t say no to that!

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Tags Book, Book Blog, Book Blogger, Bookish, Books, Currently Reading

Challenges/Readathons TBR

Fantasy JourneyAThon TBR

This is a bit late as it’s already Day 2 for me here in Australia but oh well! Here is my TBR for the Fantasy JourneyAThon! You can find all the info for the Fantasy JourneyAThon HERE!

Please note that I am a Shadow Walker for this Round and being a Shadow Walker allows you to jump from one path to another as long as it is not forward on the same path. I will be using this ability.

Haroyell: Read a first book in a series

The Backstagers: Vol 1 is the first book in The Backstagers Graphic Novel series. I’ve been meaning to read this one for ages so I thought now would be the perfect time!

Dupressa: Read a short book

Why not continue the series? For Dupressa I will be reading The Backstagers: Vol 2 as it is just over 100 pages, so definitely a short book.

Garon: Read a book from your favourite genre

My favourite genres are Fantasy & Mystery equally, so this time I will be reading a Mystery book called European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman which is the second book in The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club series.

JUMPING FROM GARON TO MOUNT PAEDRIS USING SHADOW WALKER ABILITY

Mount Paedris: Read a book with a map

I’ve decided to throw 2 rereads into my TBR. I have been in a massive slump, so I don’t want to push myself too much! So I will be rereading Harry Potter via audiobook for Mount Paedris. All the newer editions of Harry Potter I have feature a map, so this fits perfectly.

Maroo: Read a book with a monster

This one just fit perfectly, so I will be rereading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on audio for the Maroo challenge!

Tryllin: Read a book featuring royalty

I haven’t actually chosen a book for this but I will likely find an audiobook or graphic novel to fulfil this challenge later in the month!

Nialas: Read a predicted 5 star read

This one is book 3 in The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club series and I have loved book 1 and what I’ve read of book 2 so far, so I am expecting to rate book 3 with 5 stars as well! Fingers Crossed.