Waiting on Wednesday: A Song Below Water

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday by Lois

Originally created by Jill at Breaking The Spine, and adapted to Can’t-Wait Wednesday by Tressa at Wishful Endings, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week I am waiting on
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

Publication Date: June 2nd, 2020

Goodreads Summary
The Originals meets Nic Stone’s Dear Martin in Bethany C. Morrow’s debut YA, A Song Below Water, about two best friends discovering their magical identities against the challenges of today’s racism and sexism.

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

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3Dec2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Holiday Reads

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lois

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and Bookish and hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

Happy Tuesday to you all. The countdown to Christmas is well on its way and what is Christmas without books? There are books for every occasion and there is nothing more festive than tucking into a book to get your holiday spirit going. Now, I’m choosing to spotlight books I’ve read that might not be conventional Christmas books, but are atmospheric for the winter.

1. Beartown by Fredrik Backman: My current read and I am 99% certain that this book will be a 5-star read and make me an emotional wreck. Now, Beartown does not take place over Christmas, but it does focus on a Swedish small-town dynamic, ice hockey, and sports culture. These elements combined offer an air of foreboding and tension, but it’s also a perfect combination for a wintery book.
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30Nov2019

Midnight Movies: The Statistical Strategy in Sport, Tense Historical Drama, and a Monster Movie Knock Out.

Posted in Film Friday, Midnight Movies by Lois

The festive season is upon us and, like many of us, I have every intention of indulging in all the Christmas classic flicks. However, in the last month, there were several films that both surprised me and delighted me with brilliant performances, insightful storytelling, and one ridiculous festive film.

The King

An understated historical feature that spotlights the brutality of war and court manipulation. Some may say the film lacks action, but this allows the spotlight to fall on our main protagonist, newly crowned King Henry V, a man so dismayed by the destruction of war that he emotionally distances himself from his father, Henry IV. As king, he seeks to unite England and bring peace between nations. Timothée Chalamet stole the show as Henry V, alongside Joel Edgerton’s Falstaff, his closest ally and former warrior. There is a subtle nuance in their performance that is incredibly effective as we get to visually and emotionally witness the exhausting toll war takes on a man’s mentality. As tensions mount between the French and English, we are treated to a suffocating battle culminating in a visually striking reminder of the brutality of war. The King is a period drama that finds its strength in performance and substance.
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27Nov2019

Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel Spy

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday by Lois

This week I am waiting on
Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: June 23rd, 2019

Goodreads Summary
A reimagining of the story behind Agent 355–a New York society girl and spy for George Washington during the Revolutionary War–perfect for fans of Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key and the novels of Julie Berry.

Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman body floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather–and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she finds herself eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass the information on to George Washington’s Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty–but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true “355” and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.

Veronica Rossi has already demonstrated her versatility as an author and her ‘Under the Never Sky’ series is still one of my favourites. I love the concept of this book and I am curious to see how Rossi explores the historical components of ‘Rebel Spy.’ I have no doubts that she will deliver a thrilling tale of deception and war.

Have you read a Veronica Rossi book?
What’s your most anticipated book?

26Nov2019

Reasons To Read Lord of the Rings: A Trilogy Review

Posted in Review by Lois

The Lord of the Rings has had an incredible influence in the world of literature and film. The film franchise paved the way for fantasy films, proving that epic fantasy can be visually and emotionally engaging, building a franchise that has a lasting legacy on the industry. None of this would have been possible without J.R.R. Tolkien. This post highlights the many reasons you should read the Lord of the Rings.

Characterisation

The most distinctive difference between the book and the film is in the characters. The changes in the film, especially with Aragorn’s reluctant leader persona, benefitted the dramatic tension in the film. However, the book sees him assert his role quite early on in the series with a clear understanding of his destiny. The dynamic between the fellowship was particularly compelling as the bonds that bound them were tested and loyalty wavered under the influence and threat of the one ring. Continue reading →

20Nov2019

Waiting on Wednesday: Girl, Serpent, Thorn

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday by Lois

This week I am waiting on
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Publication Date: May 12th, 2020

Goodreads Summary
A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

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19Nov2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Changes in My Reading Life

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday by Lois

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and Bookish and hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

Over the years a lot has changed, especially in my reading habits. I’ve gone from not reading at all to devouring books and everything in between. A lot of circumstances can have had an impact on my reading habits, but these are the most notable changes in my habits.

1. Reading Less

Image result for i'm not reading gif

The sad reality is that, as most of you know, I’m not reading as much as I use to. A couple of years ago I would breeze through 30+ books a year. Fast forward to today and I can just about get to 10. I’ve never been a fast reader, but it’s still quite a change in my reading habit. A lot of factors contribute to this reason. Time and mood are the main contributors to this habit. Nevertheless, it is what it is, and as I will explain later on I’ve long accepted that I just can’t read as much as I use to. Continue reading →