This is going to be one of those blog posts where I just sit down and write it out, before my inner critic gets her hands on it (she can be scary).

Oh man, you guys. I am so proud of myself for getting through stuff lately, but also feeling so many things and today am feeling just so, so tired. The glands in my neck, which I now associate almost exclusively with chronic fatigue flare-ups, are pounding with pain, making the bones in my face hurt.

I am just getting over my fourth? maybe fifth cold of this year (three have been super bad), and I thought I was doing okay until I woke up today feeling that bone-deep exhaustion.

I have been testing my boundaries, asking myself questions. Cleaning and sorting all of my stuff is part of that, and I have let go of about 400 books, not to mention three giant bags of clothes, shoes, and bags, a load of bed linen, and many old plush toys. I am working on releasing old documents right now, and then I will move onto the more nostalgic items, like photos. I am confronting so much about myself that I held to be absolutely true and finding that...it's actually not. Things I thought I had let go of are still here - this isn't always bad, and it's making me want to get back into things that I thought I had grown out of.

The next week or so is going to be kind of huge for me. It feels like, because I decided to clear many things out and organise myself properly, the world is going 'oh okay, try this on for size then!'. I have a job interview soon, which will be my first in over three years, and then next week I have another (small) hospital procedure to get through. [I am being deliberately vague here, I am just not ready to share everything yet.] I have a social thing coming up which is a big deal for me, and I am thinking about returning to some old things/starting some new things that appeal to me.

Ultimately this means that I feel cracked open a lot of the time. And I am trying to sit with that, because it is okay to feel that way. It's okay to feel overwhelmed and, in moments of great overwhelm, to want everything to go away. Those things hang around for a while to remind you of what feels right and what feels forced, and then they move on, and you find yourself in a new area.

I am looking forward to that new area, whenever I manage to arrive at it.

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Book Review: Way Down Dark by JP Smythe

I love reading. Books are amazing. They are a form of escapism, yes, but they are also inspiration, joy, and... well. Goodness. I think in some ways I have used my appetite for reading to define parts of my personality, so it made sense for me to review some of what I read! Here we go...

goodreads

Title: Way Down Dark
Author: JP Smythe
Series: The Australia Trilogy #1
Publication Date: July 2nd 2015

Synopsis: "There's one truth on Australia. You fight or you die. Usually both. Imagine a nightmare from which there is no escape. This is a hell where no one can hide. This is a ship of death, of murderers and cults and gangs. This is Australia.

Seventeen-year-old Chan's ancestors left a dying Earth hundreds of years ago, in search of a new home. They never found one.
The only life that Chan's ever known is one of violence, of fighting. Of trying to survive.
But there might be a way to escape. In order to find it, Chan must head way down into the darkness - a place of buried secrets, long-forgotten lies, and the abandoned bodies of the dead.
Seventeen-year-old Chan, fiercely independent and self-sufficient, keeps her head down and lives quietly, careful not to draw attention to herself amidst the violence and disorder. Until the day she makes an extraordinary discovery - a way to return the Australia to Earth. But doing so would bring her to the attention of the fanatics and the murderers who control life aboard the ship, putting her and everyone she loves in terrible danger.
And a safe return to Earth is by no means certain."

My thoughts: Those who know me will see the blurb above and realise that this book was not really on my radar at all - the grit and horror of it may appeal to others, but unfortunately not to me. And I think that is a big part of the reason why I found it almost impossible to read this book. It was so dark and soul-draining that I found myself resenting the idea of reading it, and that led to me skim-reading for a very large chunk.

The other things that bothered me were the characters - I think their backgrounds and general traits were well-constructed, but I found it hard to tell the voices apart. Everyone seemed to talk in the same tone, and the writing had the same tone, too. It made it hard to know when someone else had started talking.

I definitely think that this book has potential for people who are more interested in dystopian books, and those who love grit and a bit of horror, but I am just not one of those people.


I received an unsolicited review copy of this book from Hachette.

You would like this book if: you like dystopian/sci-fi mash-ups; you like a bit of grit and horror in your stories, and don't get depressed easily.

Tea to drink while reading this book: Tea wouldn't work. Just coffee. No milk or sugar.

Rating:  5/10

If you'd like to keep up to date with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads here!

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Book Review: The Divine by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, and Boaz Lavie

I love reading. Books are amazing. They are a form of escapism, yes, but they are also inspiration, joy, and... well. Goodness. I think in some ways I have used my appetite for reading to define parts of my personality, so it made sense for me to review some of what I read! Here we go...

goodreads

Title: The Divine
Author: Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, and Boaz Lavie
Publication Date: July 14th 2015 from First Second Books

Synopsis: "Quanlom is an obscure Southeast Asian country mired in a vicious civil war; Mark is an ex-military explosives expert from Texas with a dead-end job and a baby on the way. When Mark's old buddy Jason comes calling with a lucrative military contract to Quanlom, Mark ends up signing on for way more than he expected. In a place where land mines and ancient spirits exist in equal measure, the two men must choose their allies carefully in order to survive.

From world-renowned artists Asaf Hanuka and Tomer Hanuka and writer Boaz Lavie, The Divine is a fast-paced, brutal, and breathlessly beautiful portrait of a world where ancient powers vie with modern warfare...and nobody escapes unscathed."

My thoughts: '...fast-paced, brutal, and breathlessly beautiful...' I think I can agree with that. This book is really confronting on many levels, and I didn't always (in fact, hardly ever) felt comfortable reading it. But I still think it was an extremely interesting read, and the art was just so beautiful that I found it hard to put down - I was challenged, but I still read this in one sitting (it helps that it isn't super long, either).

The characters are as powerful as the story and the gore contained within it - they are confronting and seem to represent more than what you see on face value. The two boys on the cover, in particular, are quite intriguing and, while there is very little exploration into their back story and abilities, you still find yourself entranced by them.

A lot of this book is quite graphic - gore, in particular, is used regularly - so just be warned of that. I do think it lent something to the power of this book and wasn't used wastefully, but I was still a little overwhelmed at times. The artists' knowledge of the human body is detailed, to say the least, and that comes across amazingly in the artwork.

I do think a few things were lost due to how short the book is and, while I believe the compact nature of the story is very good, I would have liked to have seen more exploration of the characters simply to understand their motivations and backgrounds a little better. Also, I want to understand a little better why Jason is such a jerk (sorry, my opinion there, but seriously), even if the background just says 'because he was born a jerk'. I just found myself wanting more.

Overall, I don't think I will be rereading this one (to avoid gore-induced nightmares), but I will most likely be sharing it with friends so that it can continue passing on its amazingness.


I received a review copy of this book from First Second Books (thank you!).

You would like this book if: you enjoy powerful graphic novels with a deeper message; you don't mind a bit of gore.

Tea to drink while reading this book: don't drink tea. you may throw it up when the gore happens. :)

Rating:  8/10

If you'd like to keep up to date with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads here!

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Book Review: Ophelia by Jackie French

I love reading. Books are amazing. They are a form of escapism, yes, but they are also inspiration, joy, and... well. Goodness. I think in some ways I have used my appetite for reading to define parts of my personality, so it made sense for me to review some of what I read! Here we go...

goodreads

Title: Ophelia
Author: Jackie French
Series: Not a series as such, but the second book Jackie French has put out where she has rewritten or tweaked Shakespeare's female leads.
Publication Date: July 1st 2015

Synopsis: "She is the girl who will be queen: Ophelia, daughter of Denmark's lord chancellor and loved by Prince Hamlet.
But while Hamlet's family stab, poison or haunt one another, Ophelia plans a sensible rule, one filled with justice and delicious cheeses. Even if she has to pretend to be mad to make it happen, Ophelia will let nothing - not even howling ghosts - stand in her way.
This is Shakespeare's play, but with what might also have happened behind the scenes. And this story has a happy ending."

My thoughts: I reviewed I Am Juliet last year when it come out and found it really good, but a little bit dull at times. Ophelia I found to be perfect. The difference here may be that I studied Hamlet in high school and I guess I have never really let go of my interest in it, and finally being able to read a different, interwoven story that connects with Hamlet's was fascinating - I loved that Jackie French wanted to give Ophelia a voice here.

And I liked Ophelia - she was the most wonderful mix of roles and personality - how she acts around the King and Queen and her father outwardly and then seeing within her to hear what she is actually thinking made for very interesting reading. She is also not immune to love and lust, and yet she is very considered and logical about things. Basically, a character that I could really get behind and as I am writing this I want to dive back in and maybe read the alongside a copy of the play...

As with I Am Juliet, lines from the play are interwoven into the story, and it adds a great sense of beauty and homage to Shakespeare. Some of the research and history of the play and a few things within it are included in the end, as well, and I really loved how much French introduced cheese into the story. Seriously. It made me hungry.

I don't think I can really keep raving about this for much longer because, really, you ought to just go read it for yourself and see if you like it. I think French really brings out the tragic humour of the play, and brings a certain level of 'seriously? why are you doing that?' to the action and intrigue. Seriously, just go read it. I loved it.


I received a review copy of this book from HarperCollins (thank you!).

You would like this book if: You like Hamlet and always wanted Ophelia to get a bit more of a say; you like cheese...

Tea to drink while reading this book: There wasn't much tea drinking in this book, so I would recommend a fruit tisane - perhaps something lingonberry or citrus - to reflect the drinking of wine and ale that happens so often in this tale. Perhaps Twinings Raspberry, Strawberry and Loganberry? I want to try that now...

Rating:  10/10

If you'd like to keep up to date with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads here!

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{2015} June Reading

Books bought/received:
~ Uprooted by Naomi Novik
~ Stone in the Sky by Cecil Castellucci (Tin Star Book 2)
~ Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johanssen (The Queen of the Tearling Book 2)
~ The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell
~ Prudence by Gail Carriger (The Custard Protocol Book 1)
~ The Divine by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, and Boaz Lavie (review)
~ A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (A Darker Side of Magic Book 1)
~ The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan
~ A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway (The Baskerville Affair Book 1)
~ Ophelia by Jackie French (review)
~ Zarkora: The Fyrelit Tragedy by Nicholas and Alison Lochel (Zarkora Book 1) (review)
~ Way Down Dark by JP Smythe (The Australia Trilogy Book 1) (review)
~ Frostfire by Amanda Hocking (Kanin Chronicles Book 1) (review)
~ Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking (Kanin Chronicles Book 2) (review)
~ The Simple Act of Reading edited by Debra Adelaide (review)
~ Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (gift)
~ The Shape-Changer's Wife by Sharon Shinn (gift)

Books read:
~ A Table in the Orchard by Michelle Crawford
~ Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise by Gene Luen Yang, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Gurihiru, and Dave Marshall
~ Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Rift by Gene Luen Yang, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Gurihiru, and Dave Marshall
~ The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows (review)
~ The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell
~ Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Book 14) (review)
~ The Blackmail Blend by Livia Day (Cafe La Femme Book 1.5) (review)
~ The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan
~ The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer
~ The Divine by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, and Boaz Levie (review)

Phew!~
That was two long lists to compile there... and I feel sure that I have missed some things. Let me just say as a blanket statement here: I bought and received a lot of books this month, and I read a few. If you read nothing else in this post, at least you know that much!

I have been recovering from some serious burnout this month that is actually still going on - you only have to glance at my other posts to see it so I won't talk about it here. But that has influenced how much I have been reading, and what I have wanted to read this month.

A Table in the Orchard was just such a beautiful book, and I was reading it at a really turbulent time. It talked about moving to a country house in Tasmania, getting chickens, picking apples. Lots of amazing things that I have always wanted to do and I felt so comforted by this book. I have made one of the recipes out of this book (each chapter has one or two) and I hope to make more soon.

Avatar made a reappearance this month and I absolutely loved it. More please?

All of my reviews books will have links so you can see my thoughts, but I will just quickly mention that The Truth According to Us and The Blackmail Blend were standouts for me. They both gave me some of the comfort and intrigue that I was craving this month.

The Bookshop Book! Okay. I may have formed a bit of an obsession with Jen Campbell this month... I discovered her youtube channel and just started binge-watching everything she had put up. She has such interesting taste in things which kind of reflects my own taste to a certain extent (she likes dystopian stuff more than I do for sure, but she also loves Haruki Murakami!), and she is just such a lovely person that I decided I wanted to read The Bookshop Book. Imagine my delight when I found it in a local bookshop that I love! I gobbled this one up pretty quickly and it was just such a comforting read to learn about different bookshops all over the world.

Speaking of Jen Campbell, she also recommended a book on her channel known as The Gracekeepers, and even chatted to the author in a video. After hearing about it a few times, I decided to pick it up and oh my goodness I adored it. This is not doing good things for my Jen Campbell addiction, as it then made me want to read more things that she liked, and that is how I finally picked up Amanda Palmer's book The Art of Asking. And I loved that too. The obsession continues...

So, what are you reading at the moment?

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