A Court of Thorns and Roses * Sarah J. Maas

Feyre is a huntress. 

She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature come at a high price...

Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy's kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captors body bares the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked - but his piercing stare draws her even closer. 

Feyra has just one goal on her mind...to stay alive. But when a hunt to survive goes drastically wrong, she has to make a decision.

Be killed, as well as her family. Or go and live the treacherous fae over the wall. 

As Fayre tries to adapt to new life, she can't help but think that there is more than meets the eye with the High Lords, Tamlin and Lucien of the Spring court. 

As something grows between them all, something far worse is coming. Something, someone, more powerful than any of them can face...except one. 

Given a series of challenges, Feyre must determine her life, her strength and most of all, her love, for the good of the Prythian land and her home. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, is the first within the 'Court of Thorns and Roses' series and I absolutely loved it. 

Now, I'll be honest. At first I really didn't understand what the hype was about this series and trod carefully when I went into the book, but let me tell you something. I did not think I would love it as much as I did. 

It's jam packed with drama, suspense, romance, hatred - it's got everything a YA novel needs and so much more. The characters, the world building, everything about it is just wonderful. Even though it nearly gave me a cardiac arrest towards the end with everything that was happening, it was fast paced and really thought out. 

If you need a new series to read this year, then by all means pick this one up and give it a go, you will not be disappointed. 

I actually read this as part of a buddy read with the lovely Jess from Make Me Shakespeare and over the past few months I have gained a wonderful new friend, she's the most loveliest girl on the planet! 

I will be giving this book 10 out of 10

Circe * Madeline Miller

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. 

Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Circe isn't like all the other gods. She has never known what kindness is and has certainly never endured it from her family. What she does know is that she is different to the rest, she just needs to find her power. 

Through the years she comes to know of love, but knows more about death as everything she touches comes to an end. During a bitter feud, Circe tries her powers and succeeds, though not long after she is cast into exile by her own father. Helios, god of the sun and sky. 

Circe meets many along the way, through heartbreak and loneliness, though none compare to Odysseus. He's different from the rest, he understands her and her  magical ways, but not without a price. 

History is about to change, for better or for worse, who knows? But Circe and her powers are far more advanced then they thought, if only they showed her respect - for forces are about to come down on the gods and the land of Aiaia that only she can solve. 

Circe is Madeline Millers second novel, its the first book that I have ever read by the author and I seriously can't wait to read more by her. If you know me, you will know that my love for Greek Mythology is endless, I love everything about it and find it extremely fascinating. 

This book was nothing short of Mythology, the way that she has portrayed the goddess Circe is magnificent, I hadn't heard much of her character before but I feel that she is such an important one. The feelings that Miller gives you throughout the story is a mixed bag, I feel there was a lot of sadness for her character as no matter what she did it was never good enough for anyone, I felt very sorry for her but at the same time, she always stood her ground and was a very strong willed woman.

The book is like a breath of fresh air into the world of Mythology, and I feel that I have learnt quite a bit; its true, its rich and deep in mythology. The language and story telling used is wonderful, and its such a powerful, fascinating read. If you read anything this year, please make sure this one is added to your list.

I will be giving this book 10 out of 10

Everything Under * Daisy Johnson

It's been sixteen years since Gretel last saw her mother, half a lifetime to forget her childhood on the canals. 

But a phone call will soon reunite them, and bring those wild years flooding back: the secret language that she and her mother invented; the strange boy, Marcus, living on the boat that final winter; the creature said to be underwater, swimming ever closer. 

In the end there will be nothing for Gretel to do but wade deeper into their past, where family secrets and ages prophecies will all come tragically alive again.

Gretel knows how to light a fire, skin animals, make wind chimes and how to steer a boat. 

What she doesn't know is, how to commerce with people, how to live on her own or where her mother went. 

Her estranged, beautiful, wonderful, secretive mother. The one who would tell her stories of the creature in the murk, who would cook breakfast for her in the morning then let her camp out under the stars at night. Gretel was seven years old when she left her, not once did her mother look back, not even for the strange boy who went missing. 

Now an adult and on a mission to find her mother and bring her home, Gretel must navigate her way through society and deeper into her past than ever before. She must go back to The River, The Hut and The Cottage whilst speaking to people she never knew existed. Before it's too late and her fears consume her.

Everything Under by Daisy Johnson, is her second novel and I will most certainly be heading out to buy her first. 

I'll be honest, when I started reading the book I was thinking on just not finishing it, I was going to do the 'first fifty pages' and then put it aside, though I'm so happy that I reached that fifty page mark. 

This has easily become one of my favourite reads so far of 2019, I am quite surprised that I enjoyed it so much. The writing style is extremely clever, the storyline is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. I noticed whilst reading that the book itself is set out into three sections, however, you could quite easily read said sections in their own little way and it would still flow beautifully. 

I loved Gretel's character so much; strong, resilient and will not give up no matter what. The characters themselves are wonderfully unique, as is the story and I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I felt the book itself was a lot deeper than possibly intended, with themes of anxiety and depression, which was something that I admired.

If you have to read a new book this year, let it be this wonderful, clever read. You won't be disappointed.  

I will be giving this book 10 out of 10

Cape May * Chip Cheek

September 1957

Henry and Effie, young newlyweds from Georgia, arrive in Cape May, New Jersey, for their honeymoon. It's the end of the season and the town is deserted. 

As they tentatively discover each other, they begin to realize that everyday married life might be disappointingly different from their happily-ever-after fantasy.

Henry and Effie are the sweetest newlyweds going, when they travel to Cape May for a week for their honeymoon, they are happy to find they have the town to themselves, or so they thought. 

Carla is Effie's nemesis from childhood, when Effie learns that Carla is staying down the street with her lover Max, she isn't all too pleased.  

But when their invited round, Carla has no relocation of ever being this mean to Effie. With the drinks flowing, music playing and the elegant nights starting to set in, all is soon forgotten as the glamorous parties start to pull Henry and Effie in. 

Though will their marriage last when temptation is just around the corner? As truths are exchanged, lies are told and secrets are kept under lock and key...Can everything be as smooth sailing in their new life as the couple hoped? Especially on New Hampton Avenue.  

Cape May by Chip Cheek,  is the first novel written by the author. I liked the sound of the book as I felt it had the same feel as Tigers in Red Weather that I read a couple years back. 

Set in the 1950's I was drawn to the synopsis, I do love a book set in these eras and it was a good read. The story itself followed the lives of two newlyweds as they navigate through their first weeks of marriage and honeymoon on their own told by the young husband, Henry. 

The first section of the book I really loved, the plot flowed and it worked, there are a few moments where I got a little confused on who is who but then it started to make sense. However, towards the end of the book, and I'll be honest here and its just out of preference, I did get slightly annoyed with one of the characters and the story started to seem like you had picked up an entirely different book. 

With all that said though, I did enjoy the book and it was a quick enjoyable read. I would happily read more by this author in the near future. 

I will be giving this book a 6 out of 10

Cape May is Chip Cheek's debut novel and will be released on 30th April 2019 so be sure to check it out for yourselves and let me know what you think! Many thanks to NetGally and Orion Publishing Group for the advanced copy. 

How to Stop Time * Matt Haig

How many lifetimes does it take to learn how to live? 

Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old history teacher, but he's been a live for centuries. From Elizabethan England to Jazz-Age Paris, from New York to the South Seas, Tom has seen it all. 

As long as he keeps changing his identity he can stay one step ahead of his past- and stay alive. 

The only thing he must not do is fall in love...

Tom Hazard isn't your normal man, though he looks forty-one he is actually a lot older. He's mingled with the Fitzgeralds, worked for Shakespeare and Captain Cook and played for Aretha Franklin. 

But what if you didn't want to live through all the decades again? What if you were just so fed up, that all you want is a normal life? Though being normal in an underground society is hard, they will always find you and hunt you down. 

The only thing that keeps Tom going is the promise that he made all those years ago and he won't stop, can't stop until he has fixed it all. 

There are many ways to start a fresh life, to live another identity, to forget and move on. But there are also many things that Tom can never erase and Marion is one of them. 

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, is the first novel that I have read by the author and although it took me a while to get to grips in what was happening within the plot, once I got the hang of it, was beautiful.  

The story itself is very unique and well thought out, the history aspect and the way that Haig has moulded his story around the past is very clever. The only downside that I would have with this book is that in some places it did take a while to get into and it was a bit long winded at first, but I feel looking back now, that the story did need it. 

All in all I highly enjoyed this book and will most certainly be reading more by this unique author, if you have not yet read anything my Matt Haig, make this your first read.

I will be giving this book 8 out of 10

The Light Fantastic * Terry Pratchett

'What shall we do?' said Twoflower.
'Panic?' said Rincewind hopefully. He always held that panic was the best means of survival.

As it moves towards a seemingly inevitable collision with a malevolent red star, the Discworld could do with a hero. What it doesn’t need is a singularly inept and cowardly wizard, still recovering from the trauma of falling off the edge of the world, or a well-meaning tourist and his luggage which has a mind (and legs) of its own. Which is a shame because that's all there is...

Rincewind never seems to be able to get it right, no matter what he says or does in life. 

Last time we saw him, he has just fallen off the face of the Dicworld with his unassigned, utterly useless sidekick - Twoflower. 

Fortunately for them, they landed in a good place albeit in a different continent, away from home and in the company of Bethan, Cohen the barbarian and a bunch of talking boulders. The good bit being that they didn't die on impact. 

Though as always, trouble seems to follow Rincewind and with a rather large bounty on his head for the spell that got lodged in there in the first place (even though he doesn't know how to cast it) he starts to ask his usual question to no one in particular...'why me?'

Some, bloody Wizard alright!

The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett, is the second novel in the Discworld series and I can finally say that I got round to reading it, even though it only took another five years since reading the first novel. 

The story follows on from where it left off in The Colour of Magic , you get to see more of Rincewind and Towflower's friendship which I shall always treasure as its a loving relationship, the kind you get when someone is highly annoyed by them but they still care deeply for them.  

I must say, it did take me a while to read this one, as did when I was reading TCOM. In some ways the book is a little like the first where it quickens up in places then slows right down, there was quite a few things that I was getting a bit confused with, a bit like sensory overload (Though I suppose with a five year gap you would do!)

Never the less, I enjoyed it and the ending was great, I am sad to find out that the next book in the series, doesn't contain both the wizard and tourist but there are more books further down the series where they make a return appearance. I will continue to read the whole series as it is still very enjoyable with some highly hilarious moments in it.  

I will be giving this books 7 out of 10