October 2024 Round-Up
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May Contain Spoilers, So Read At Your Own Risk!!
I have made good progress on making my way through my TBR list throughout October. I finished three books and added another couple of books to my current reading list. I need to try to limit the number of books I am reading at any one time. Thankfully, I have been able to keep track of the various stories as they have been very different, but having such a long list of books that I am currently reading is making me a bit anxious. My lack of patience makes it difficult to limit myself, though. When I see that a book I am excited to read is available via any of my sites/apps, I find it hard to resist hitting the ‘borrow/request’ button. Plus, I then have deadlines to finish the book before it is returned/expired. Is anyone else the same way with books?
House of Earth and Blood, by Sarah J Maas - FINISHED 02/10/2024
My Rating:- 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
What a ride this book took me on. This is the first book in the Crescent City series. We are introduced to Bryce Quinlan, a half-fae woman who lives in a place called Midgard. She works for a powerful and scary sorceress at her gallery, Griffin Antiquities. When not working, she is a party girl who lives with her best friend Danika, a werewolf and the alpha in a group of wolves named the Pack of Devils. When Danika and her pack are brutally murdered, Bryce is given the task of finding out who did it by the archangels in charge of Crescent City, as she knows her best friend better than anyone. To keep her safe, she is given a bodyguard named Hunt. He is an infamous fallen angel who works as the archangel's personal assassin.
Throughout their investigation into the murders, Hunt is living with Bryce and her pet Syrinx, a chimera, to keep her safe and gets to know her friends and work colleagues, who include a fire sprite named Lehabah, who is a guardian at Griffin Antiquities and guards the books.
With the help, and in some cases hindrance of some of the citizens and holders of power within Crescent City, Bryce and Hunt are able to travel around, introducing us to the other areas of the city, which includes the Meat Market, which is under the control of the Viper Queen and the Istros River where we meet Tharion Ketos who is the Mer Captain of Intelligence for the River Queen.
Bryce is a well-written character who goes through the gamut of emotions throughout the book, from fun-loving to intense grief and anger and then determination and fear. Hunt is a man who has a lot of anger and resentment within, but he usually does a good job of keeping them all contained. He takes his assignment with Bryce seriously, even though he considers it to be essentially babysitting.
There are currently three books in the Crescent City book series, with a fourth in the works. It is a hefty book at 816 pages, but well worth the time commitment. The House of Earth and Blood is a fantastic introduction to the world of Crescent City, and I can’t wait to grab a copy of the next book in the series, House of Sky and Breath.
The Story Collector, by Evie Woods/Gaughan - FINISHED 06/10/2024
My Rating:- 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜
This is one of the most beautiful and delightful books I have ever read, and so far is one of my favourite books of 2024. It has folklore, fairies, magic, old tales, grief, love, mystery, drama and inspiration.
This book is mostly set in Ireland, and a little bit in America. We are introduced to Sarah, who is going through the worst time of her life. She and her husband have just separated, and she is at the airport on her way home for the holidays. She finds an article about an old myth about a tree in the west of Ireland. On a whim, she heads to Ireland to learn more about this tree.
There are two timelines to follow in this book - Sarah is living in 2011, and Anna is living in 1911. She is a young woman living with her parents in the same home Sarah is renting a century later. Sarah finds Anna's diary and becomes immersed in her story - meeting an American scholar named Harold, who comes to town to find out everything he can about Fairies. Anna becomes close friends with him, acting as his local assistant, and introducing him to the locals who have tales to tell about the local fairies.
The book follows Sarah and Anna as they walk through some of the challenges in their lives, as well as their tales of the fairies. Will they both end up happy and content in their lives? What do they find out about the local fairies and magic? Are they real? Read this beautiful book to find out. You won't regret it.
As the leaves turn and the chill of October sweeps in, there's nothing quite like curling up with a captivating read that embodies the spirit of Halloween. Enter "The Ravenswood Witch," a spellbinding tale that brilliantly weaves together mystery, intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural.
Set against the haunting backdrop of 1885, we meet a mysterious young woman, whose name remains unknown, desperately fleeing from an unseen force. Her journey leads her to a fateful encounter with the dashing Marcus Greybourne. A collision that results in her injury—a broken ankle—sets off a chain of events that entangles her in Marcus’s life in ways she could never have anticipated.
Marcus, charming yet enigmatic, convinces a local officer that she is his long-lost wife, Luna. The charade allows her the time to recover, but as she settles into the eerie Ravenswood Hall, it becomes apparent that the house holds secrets of its own. The tale of Luna Greybourne, the so-called Ravenswood Witch who has mysteriously disappeared, looms large over their interactions. The atmosphere is thick with eerie happenings—visionary glimpses of a woman wandering the grounds and ominous scratches appearing on furniture, hinting at the supernatural forces at play.
The narrative unfolds in dual timelines, shifting between the current predicament of our new Luna Greybourne and the world of Eloise, a privileged young woman existing months prior. Eloise’s seemingly carefree life, alongside her maid Rose, contrasts sharply with the tension and intrigue at Ravenswood Hall, adding layers to the unfolding mystery.
What truly draws readers into "The Ravenswood Witch" is its gothic charm reminiscent of classics like "Jane Eyre." The author shines in creating a rich atmosphere filled with spookiness and superstition, all while threading in a hint of romance that keeps the heart racing. The dynamics between characters are compelling—who can truly be trusted in a web of deception? What fate has befallen the real Luna Greybourne?
This 354-page novel is the perfect length for diving into on a cozy night by the fire, draped in a fluffy blanket, with a steaming cup of hot chocolate at your side. With its blend of suspense, eerie occurrences, and emotional depth, "The Ravenswood Witch" is a must-read for lovers of gothic stories and mysteries alike.
Prepare to be captivated by a tale that is as chilling as it is enchanting—this book is sure to keep you guessing until the very last page!
Dreamfever, by Karen Marie Moning - 70% Read
I have dropped the ball with this book. It’s the fourth book in the Fever series, and I started it on Kindle before I discovered the existence of Libby, Borrow Box and Net Galley. I’ve been more focused on my shiny new toys than this awesome book series, and I really need to get back into it. This is a completed series of books, with a huge 11 books in the series.
In this book series, we follow Mac (MacKayla) Lane, a young American woman who moves to Dublin when her older sister is murdered in the city. Her sister had left her a cryptic message on her phone, and with the police not getting very far in the case Mac decides head to Dublin to investigate herself. When there, she realises that there is a supernatural world existing within modern Dublin, and her sister, and now Mac herself are immersed in that world. She meets some interesting individuals, from Jericho Barrons, the mysterious owner of a local bookstore who allows Mac to stay with him with promises to teach her the truth about the hidden supernatural world in Dublin to V’Lane, an alpha Fae who makes women sex crazy, amongst many other strange and unusual beings.
In book four she thinks she has discovered who murdered her sister and is prepared to do anything and everything to bring the evil being to justice.
The series is full of supernatural beings, mystery, drama and a whole lot of intrigue. I still have most of the series to enjoy, and I can’t wait.
Powerless, by Lauren Roberts - 85% Read
I have heard so many things about this book, both positive and negative, and so when I found it on Libby, I had to borrow it and start right away. It is the first book in a trilogy, and I am loving it. It starts off quite slowly, and then the action stops and starts throughout the book, but it’s such a fantastic ride, and you are happy to be along for the ride.
In this first book, we are in the kingdom of Ilya, a world where humans are divided by their abilities or lack thereof. The King decreed that only the Elites were permitted in the kingdom, and the Ordinaries were banished. Some Ordinaries have been able to hide in the slums, keeping themselves to themselves.
We are introduced to Paedyn, an Ordinary who manages to stay alive by posing as a psychic and stealing food and cloth from the local vendors. She lives with her best friend Adena, who is a talented designer and seamstress. When she unknowingly saves the life of one of Ilya’s Princes, she is soon shocked to discover that she has been put forward to compete in the Plague Trials. She and the other competitors are to live in the palace and compete by using their Elite powers, something Paedyn is lacking. She ends up developing a close relationship with the Prince whose life she saved, the future Enforcer Kai and fellow competitor in the Plague Trials, and his brother Kitt, who is destined to be the King when their Father passes.
What lengths will Paedyn, Kai and their fellow competitors go to to survive the Trials? Who will survive?
The book is rather reminiscent of The Hunger Games, so if you are a fan of that series of books, you will probably love Powerless. The final few chapters are real page-turners - there were a few laughs, tears, shock, loyalty, love and betrayal. All inside 523 wonderful pages.
The Marlow Murder Club, by Robert Thorogood - 16% Read
I fancied a straight-up murder mystery this month since I have been reading a lot of fantasy books recently. This book seems to be a little like Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, which I adore. So far, this is a wonderful introduction to this series of books.
I’m only a few chapters in, but so far, it's so good. In this first book, we are introduced to Judith Potts. She is an older lady who lives just outside Marlow, and she loves nothing more than a crossword puzzle and a glass of whisky. Judith witnesses a murder when she is out swimming in the Thames. The police don’t believe her account, so she decides to investigate for herself.
This is as far as I have gone, so I’ll write up more in my November Round Up blog.
I had already borrowed this book from the library, but one of my book clubs on Fable announced that this would be the book of the week, so I was even more eager to get started with it. I heard gook things about it, and this is my first book by Olivie Blake, so I was excited to dive in.
It’s a very interesting premise.
I didn’t get very far into this book before I decided to DNF it. Nothing against the book; it was just bad timing on my part. I renewed it from the library a few times, but I didn’t make much progress as I had already started reading other books and was enjoying them. For the time being, I have returned it, but I will give it another go at another time. I might pick another book by Olivie Blake in the meantime.
Plans for November:
I want to finish the books that I have on the go in October, and I need to read more of my ARCs on Net Galley. I really want to improve my rating there, so I need to finish and review more there.
So that’s my October. Have you read any of these books? Did you enjoy them or DNF them? Let me know in the comments.