Books – Page 64 – The Constellation of Moon

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars Review

Posted on November 7, 2017

This gorgeous book (*swoon over the cover*) was part of Book Box Club’s Outlaws box, and it was actually signed by the author (no bookplate) plus it had a lovely yellow ribbon bookmark as part of the book (why won’t all books have one?).

A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe

Fourteen-year-old Sante isn’t sure where she comes from, but she has a recurring dream of escaping a shipwreck in a sea chest as a baby with her lifelong companion, golden eagle Priss. In the chest was an African bamboo flute, a drum and a dagger inlaid with diamonds. Sante was found and raised by Mama Rose, leader of a nomadic group of misfits and gypsies. They travel around contemporary southern Europe, living off-grid and performing circus tricks for money. Sante grows up alongside two twins, knife-thrower Cat and snake-charmer Cobra, whom she is in love with. During a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They come after her to retrieve the treasures from the sea chest. Sante finds out that she is an Ashanti princess, whose parents probably perished in the shipwreck. After Cat rescues a beautiful red-haired girl called Scarlett from a gang, Mama Rose’s band are forced to flee the city. But Sante and Cobra stay behind, determined to find out more about her family and where she came from.

Rating:

This book was really hard to review. The premise of the story is very interesting and it touches on prostitution, human trafficking and it is written by an author from Ghana/Britain, which gives it even more richness. And come on, it has a travelling circus and even a hawk! (Find the hawk in the picture)

However, the pacing was strange, it was very character driven but it wanted to be a plot driven book and with the plot it has, it should’ve moved faster than it actually did. Instead there is a lot of flashbacks, dreams, magic and a lot of musings that don’t move much, and they also don’t change the characters much.

I can say the book has a lot of potential and it required a bit of a tidy up regarding how the plot and writing flowed through the book.

I found the plot intriguing but didn’t particularly enjoy the writing or the book (but I loved listening to Yaba read the first chapter, it was so amazing! She should totally read audiobooks because that voice is a treasure).

Moon recommends

I don’t have many African reads that come to mind right now, though this was actually set in Spain, and I can’t think of many books I have read dealing with the topics in this one. The closest I can relate to is the game Alice Madness Returns which is technically a retelling of Alice in Wonderland+Through the Looking Glass. I guess this means I should go read more books, of course I shall comply!

If you’d like to buy this gorgeous book, you can find it here.

Disclaimer: There is an Amazon Associates link, but if you choose to use them and buy from them, know that you’re just helping me buy more books and feed my reading needs. Book synopsis is from Good Reads.

Book Review

Blackbird (Proof) Review

Posted on November 1, 2017

So during YALC we were standing just next to the HQ stand while they were unpacking the Proofs for Blackbird so by fluke we were the first in line for it. Then, as we were in line for a signature from another author, I saw ND Gomes was signing next to us, so we queued to have our Proofs signed. Talk about being lucky!

Blackbird by N.D. Gomes

My name is Alex. I am fifteen years old, and I don’t know where my sister is. Or if she will ever come back.

On New Year’s Eve 5,000 blackbirds dropped dead. The same day Olivia McCarthy went missing from a small coastal village in Orkney.

Now Her younger sister Alex is on a mission to find out just what happened to Olivia. But does she really want to know all the answers?

Rating:

I keep saying this was an easy, light read and then everyone (bookish friends and non bookish boyfriend) corrects me to say the topic isn’t light and fluffy. But the writing is the kind of writing you can read quickly, without needing to re-read, or having to think too much. It is perfect for when you’re feeling a bit down and don’t want to struggle through a very complex read (LOTR anyone?).

Story wise, I do not understand the relevance of the blackbirds, except that it happened the same day and once or twice Olivia is compared to one, there is no connection with the murder or the events otherwise.

But that is my only real complaint. The murder flows well without going too slow or going too quick, and I liked how it explores the wreckage in the family, people forgetting Alex is kinda still alive and around, but also, the rest of the world is moving on, so this is well displayed.

I did guess soon enough who was the murderer but I didn’t know why, and a few other small twists, so that was good.

Moon Recommends

I don’t read many thrillers, suspense and such books in YA genre, but I do in adult fiction and the queen for me is Mary Higgins Clark. It is very hard for me to pick just one, since they are extremely amazing, so I will suggest Weep No More, My Lady mostly because it introduces her writing style but some of her characters that appear more than once (each book is usually standalone but some characters reappear in a few of them).

Of course, if you haven’t read Blackbird, go ahead and give it a go. You can find it here.

Book Review

Everless (Proof) Review

Posted on October 30, 2017

During YALC (Young Adult Literature Convention), I managed to get a proof copy of Everless (not the fancy one they are recently sending out and which I wish I had a copy of) by Sara Holland.

Everless
Picture by the delightful Nikki, idea by me.

Everless by Sara Holland

In the land of Sempera, time is extracted from blood and used as payment. Jules Ember and her father were once servants at Everless, the wealthy Gerling family’s estate, but were cast out after of a fateful accident a decade ago. Now, Jules’s father is reaching his last hour, and she will do anything to save him. Desperate to earn time, she arrives at the palace as it prepares for a royal wedding, ready to begin her search into childhood secrets that she once believed to be no more than myths. As she uncovers lost truths, Jules spirals deeper into a past she hardly recognizes, and faces an ancient and dangerous foe who threatens her future and the future of time itself.

Rating:

I should’ve posted this review sooner, but after I finished reading Everless, I was in a slump. I couldn’t make myself read another fantasy book that had anything similar to it because I’d compare it, and it was a struggle tofind a book to read.

When I got the copy of Everless, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, it sounded fun but light and I didn’t expect it to be a wow book. As seems to be the case, books I underestimate, blow me away.

The first few chapters introduce you to the world of Sempera, the Gerlings, blood iron, the myth of the Sorceress and the Alchemist, and of course Jules and her own world. It is a slightly slow introduction but it doesn’t feel too much like an info dump and I was glad for that.

Without spoiling anyone, I was quite pleased with all the sudden plot twists (the only one I could see miles away was the one regarding Liam) since they weren’t that predictable but they also weren’t illogical. I didn’t feel like the plot had been useless now that the twist was revealed. Instead it slowly fit like a good puzzle.

One other thing I really loved about this is that there is no insta romance, no crazy love triangles and any hints of romance are just that, hints. Romance doesn’t take main stage and it doesn’t fill in plot gaps (and if you take it away you don’t really loose anything plot wise).

So all in all, a good fantasy, with interesting concepts, refreshing story and ideas, no insta romance and love triangles, good plot twists. Worth the read. (The sad part is that the book hasn’t even come out yet and then add to that that I already want to read the next one!).

Moon recommends

You read this book then curl up in bed until the next one comes out because you need to know what happens next. Go watch In Time film with Justin Timberlake, it’s like it but also totally not like it, but somehow my mind linked them and it is a fun link. Read some high fantasy, or something unrelated. I started Warcross to cure my book hangover, but you can also read some Trudi Canavan (like Thief’s Magic) or Robin Hobb (like Assasin’s Apprentice)and you’d be in great magical territory.

If you’d like to pre-order/buy Everless, you can find it here.

Book Review

Six Of Crows Review

Posted on October 26, 2017

I had been reluctant to read this book after having read the Grisha trilogy. I did not like that. And I am still confused as to why they are called little Gregory, but that is just me knowing cultural bits of Russia (my little sister dreamed of marrying a Russian and moving there -don’t ask me why, we never really understood why- so she made sure we knew about the culture and the language, and you know, stuff… She does seem to have desisted of this venture, by the way).

Anyway, less family tales and more review, here it is.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he’ll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)

Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)

Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done – and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable – if they don’t kill each other first.

Rating:

I gave this book a chance because Nikki suggested I should and she loved it. So I did. I can thankfully say I don’t regret it.

The book is a big jump from the Grisha trilogy and it is better written and the plot is more refreshing, it is more unique and there are less cliches. The characters are quite varied and it is all in all interesting. Of course, I have a soft spot for Inej (the rest are okay).

Story wise, I was a little annoyed that most of the book is them getting ready or looking back and making the journey to the actual heist, which feels like a filler and I wanted more of the actual action. And then we get to the heist and there is so little of it, it feels rushed.

It gets three foxes because I felt for the characters and I found this “world” better than her previous trilogy (I know this is a duology). I did enjoy it but it didn’t leave such a mark on me that I’d give it the extra foxes, so 3 it is.

Moon recommends

To give this book a chance if you, like me, didn’t swoon (or anywhere near that) for the Grisha trilogy. It is not a bad book and that is a good thing. I am not entirely sure which other book to recommend alongside this one. I don’t have many heist books in my repertoire that come to mind and the only books that came to mind as I read this was the previous trilogy. However, now I need to read Crooked Kingdom and maybe then I may suggest something else.

In all fairness, I can think of Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell as an interesting read if you liked Six of Crows, or maybe if you are into grim dark (caution because this is grim and dark), Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence (or anything by Mark Lawrence, you may enjoy Red Sister more, as it is a little less dark and grim). This second book is definitely all about anti-heroes, so make sure you know what you are getting into when you decide to read it.

~~Side Note: I did draw Inej for Inktober this year, so that tells you at least character wise there was a win for this book.~~

Books

Harry Potter Spells Book Tag

Posted on October 20, 2017

Anyway, I was tagged by Taiwo @ Stuffed Shelves. You should go check out her own post on this tag and her blog as is 🙂

This tag was created by Kimberlyfaye Reads. All spell graphics are credited to her.

AN UPCOMING RELEASE YOU WISH YOU COULD GET YOUR HANDS ON RIGHT NOW!

This one is hard to answer with just one. I have a huge list of books I want to get my hands on. There is: More Than We can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer, Renegades by Marissa Meyer, The Invasion by Peadar Ó Guilín, The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross, … the list really is long…

FAVOURITE SERIES STARTER

I love A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle. It starts off with the line “It was a dark and stormy night” because Madeleine thought she could pull it off despite it being so “cliche” and she did.

A BOOK THAT GAVE YOU ALL THE WARM FUZZIES

This is a very hard one for me. I rarely ever read warm fuzzies books (and it is only when you ask me to name one that I realise this). I guess the Redwall saga has a lot of moments when I’d love to be part of their banquets and be tasting their food and it has adventure and animals and it is just amazing, so I’ll go with that.

A BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

This is an easy one to answer. The one that always makes me cry is A Ring Of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle. It focuses on grief and death. The other one I would say is up there with ARoEL is Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer.

BOOKISH HERO OR HEROINE YOU WANT AROUND TO PROTECT YOU IN REAL LIFE

Can I choose someone like Aragorn or Eowyn? My life isn’t that crazy that the hero needs to be so amazing. I guess in a way, I’ve always wanted The Captain to be there which is why I created him, but he isn’t exactly a hero but he also isn’t an anti-hero.

A BOOK YOU INTENTIONALLY SPOILED FOR YOURSELF

Does reading the book and going like “I am sure this is going to happen” then skipping some chapters and “yes it is! see? I am sure now this will happen” and keep doing this until the end count? Because this happened most accutely with Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. I generally can guess plot and plot twists but this was one where I was like “nope, it can’t be” and it was every time, so I spoiled it for myself.

A BOOK YOU WISH YOU COULD MAKE EVERYONE READ BECAUSE YOU LOVED IT YOURSELF

After the Fire by Will Hill. It is blunt and it is brutal but it is also beautiful and amazing and so human and I just wish everyone would read it and try to see life a little bit different.

A BOOK OR SERIES YOU WISH NEVER ENDED

Dragonriders of Pern. I love Anne McCaffrey’s books and they are amazing, I wish she was still around and could keep on writing. I mean, it is dragons, it is space, there is time travel, there is a “shoulder” dragon (fire lizards), it is amazing!

A BOOK WITH AN UPLIFTING ENDING OR MESSAGE

There are several of them, I am trying to think of one I haven’t mentioned here already (because several on this post would also be candidates for this spell). I think I will say, Franklyn’s Flying Bookshop was an amazing ending and it made me happy.

A BOOK YOU WISH YOU COULD FORGET YOU EVER READ

There are few and far between and I can’t remember one I wish I hadn’t read though I am sure there are a few. But I probably have forgotten them already.

AN AUTHOR WHOSE BOOKS ALWAYS GET YOU OUT OF A SLUMP

There’s 3 amazing ladies: Anne McCaffrey, Madeleine L’Engle and Robin McKinley.

A SWOON-WORTHY HERO OR HEROINE

I love both Corlanth and Harimad in The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. And Aerin is kind of a hero in her own being for me (The Hero and The Crown by Robin McKinley).

A BOOK THAT MADE YOU TO STOP DOING ALL OTHER THINGS UNTIL YOU FINISHED IT

There are so many of them, but the most recent one was Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer. I had meant to read just a couple of chapters before bed and somehow stayed up late until I had finished it in one go.

A BOOK THAT WAS PAINFUL TO READ (FOR WHATEVER REASON) OR BROKE YOU

Lies Like Love by Louisa Reidd made me very thoughtful. It was kind of scary and at the same time, it could be true. Books with topics that are too close to some traumas in my life sometimes make it hard for me to keep reading but I try to keep up with them.

A BOOK THAT HAD YOU LAUGHING AT LOUD

Comics, I recently read Mikki’s Comic Book by Mikiko and it is so cute and funny, but of course, it isn’t the only one.

A BOOK THAT MADE YOU WANT TO SEND IT (OR YOUR E-READER) FLYING

Given to the Sea. Too many POV and not all of them in first person, and one of them is basically just filler because it is irrelevant to plot (part of plot but it could’ve done without it and not made a difference). The ending was atrocious and I kept trying to read and to like it but I just couldn’t.

BOOKISH WORLD YOU WISH YOU COULD VISIT

Pern. Damar. Deema.

A BOOK WITH A SHOCKING TWIST OR ENDING

Everless by Sara Holland. It was more unexpected and it actually was a pleasantly “oh wow” twist.

A CHARACTER DEATH THAT DESTROYED YOU

I don’t think any character death has destroyed me. I like characters but it doesn’t destroy me if they die.

BEST SERIES CONCLUSION

Would it be too geeky to say Return of the King by Tolkien? I think he ties things up amazingly, and specially for some of the characters like Faramir and Eowyn. It was a good mix of different endings, an ending that isn’t all the same for everyone but that “fits” each character. I liked that.

So now I’ve made all these book spells. Would you like to do some? (I will tag some of you on Twitter)

Please do tag me in your post and if I didn’t tag you but you’re interested in doing this, remember to link me to your post too!

Book Review

Everything, Everything Review

Posted on October 18, 2017

I borrowed this book from a friend because the film was coming out and I had to have read the book before, but then didn’t give it much thought. I grabbed it because I felt I should read it and that was that.

Want to guess who finished it in one sitting?

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Rating:

At first glance and after finishing this, I was pretty happy with the book. It is an easy read with a lot of space and is basically a love story. It also filled me because I had just been mentioning a day before reading it that I wished there was a book that talked about living with photophobia/light sensitivity (which is not the same as being allergic to the world). So I was in a good point to read this at the time.

However, I saw the plot twist early on and part of me feels bad about how the illness was handled. I admit I struggled to understand why the mother had to be a doctor, and how they managed to have the airlock, and then why they had a nurse coming and going, all those comings and goings, and all the food Maddie was having.

Either way, I’d say that it could’ve done better representing illness but as a light read it was good and a little bit different than usual.

Moon recommends

This book is the light and fluffy version of Lies like Love by Louisa Reid. Somehow I managed to read Lies Like Love first which is why I probably guessed pretty much all the plot here (the one in Lies Like Love is a bit more dark and slightly different). If you are in it for the romance then stick to Everything, Everything.

Book Review

Franklin’s Flying Bookshop Review

Posted on October 6, 2017

As soon as I saw this book I knew I had to buy it.

Franklin’s Flying Bookshop by Jen Campbell and Katie Harnett

Franklin the dragon loves stories and loves reading stories to people too, but everyone is too scared to even talk to him. One day, he meets a girl named Luna who, rather than being afraid, is fascinated to meet Franklin, having recently read all about dragons in one of her books. They instantly become friends and talk nonstop about what they’ve read: books about roller-skating, King Arthur, spiders, and how to do kung fu. Together they hatch a plan to share their love of books with others by opening a bookshop―a flying bookshop, that is―right on Franklin’s back!

Franklin, a well-read and peace-loving dragon, and Luna, a young girl with an independent spirit and an insatiable love of reading, make fantastic role models for young children. Franklin’s Flying Bookshop brings the magic of classic fairy tales into the twenty-first century through exquisite illustrations, and will enchant children as well as anyone who loves books.

Rating:

Reasons I loved this book:

This book has a lovely green dragon, Franklin.
Franklin loves reading. So many books to read.
Franklin wants to read to people.
Luna listens to Franklin.
They both love to read.
There’s books in it and fun things like a mice band.
Franklin makes his dream come true with help from Luna.

It is a really cute book with gorgeous illustrations (it is also a BIG book) and the wording is perfect for read out loud storytime. It made me laugh and it made me want to go to Franklin’s town and fly in the bookshop (how cool is that?).

Moon recommends

You try this book out, it is utterly gorgeous. I’m not that good at recommending children’s books but I can recommend the Dragonology book which is about the same size and makes a great companion. Any extra dragon books are a good idea. But do get this one, it is ever so lovely, and the illustrations.

(Moon showed this book to one of her friends and she ended up recommending to book to one of her friends and now we are a chain of “hey, go buy it, it is awesome, even if we are adults”).

If you’d like to buy a copy for yourself, you can find it here.

Books

The Guilty Reader Tag

Posted on October 2, 2017

So I wasn’t tagged to do this at all but I found it fun so decided to do it anyway. I am curious to see how “guilty” I am.

Question Number 1: Have you ever regifted a book?
Yes. I have had to move a lot and strip down to basics in the last 5 years, so I would gift away books I had finished reading that I thought would find a good home. Some of those were gifted books, some weren’t. Of course, none of them had deep meaning in having received the book, the ones that are a special gift I have kept.

Question Number 2: A book you’ve said that you read but you haven’t.
This one is tricky, because I don’t usually say I have read a book I haven’t. What may happen is I think I have read it and I actually haven’t and I am thinking about a different book. Usually this is because a) another book has the same/similar title or b) the plot is so much the same that I think it is that book.

Question Number 3: Have you ever borrowed a book and not returned it?
No. If I have kept a book it is because it has been gifted/given to me. I wouldn’t want someone to lose their book because of me.

Question Number 4: Have you ever read a series out of order?
Kind of. Some series I have started with the core books (like for Anne McCaffrey’s Pern series, the core is the Dragonflight trilogy but they are not the first chronological books to be read) and gone from them and grabbed here and there. I would read them as I got hold of them. I sometimes just want to read a certain book in the series and that is that.

Question Number 5: Have you ever spoiled a book for someone?
Not sure. I don’t think so. Most of my life there weren’t many people to discuss books with so there was no one to spoil. And nowadays I usually ask before dropping spoilers. Maybe I have without realising it?

Question Number 6: Have you every dog-eared a page?
Yes. For as long as I can remember I wouldn’t write notes or do anything to books, then a friend lent me Carlos Castañeda’s books and asked me to make notes on the margin, dog-ear the pages and all that since he wanted to find those notes when he re-read it. There were also his notes there so it was very interesting to see what had sparked his interest and some of the thoughts he had while reading it. After that experience I am more lenient, but it will depend on the book. Non-fiction, poetry and things like that are more prone to get marked than usual YA fiction.

Question Number 7: Have you ever told someone that you own a book but you actually don’t?
Probably. Mostly because as I mentioned before, my books were doing a quick turnaround and moving forward at some point in my life, so I may have had it then given it away and forgotten. But this is rare and I can’t remember a time this happened.

Question Number 8; Have you ever said that you haven’t read a book but you have?
No. I have read odd books and books that spark reactions like Twilight series or Flowers in the Attic (if you do not know what I am talking about, one word: incest) and don’t deny it at all. Don’t see why I should. My tastes have refined and some books I read genuinely because I was trying to find what the hype was (nowadays I mostly keep away from some rather than make myself go through reading it so I don’t DNF).

Question Number 9: Have you ever skipped chapters or pages in a book?
Yes. The most recent one was Daughter of the Burning City. As early as she has breakfast with her “father” I had suspicions and skipped a few pages and realised that I was right so my suspicious took better shape and I kept skipping until I had half read the book and half skipped it (and my suspicions were so point on that it was sad and annoying and I spoiled myself for it). I sometimes skip parts if I am considering DNFing the book and want to read forward to see if it is worth reading and it’ll get better. Usually, if I decide to keep going I will read what I skipped. Also when I was younger, my mum would only let me read adult fiction if I skipped the sex pages, so I would.

Question Number 10: Have you ever bad-mouthed a book?
So what exactly does this mean? Said bad things about it? I try not to but if the book is bad, it is bad. Can’t change that.

This is all my guilty reader tag, and I tag Maja and Nikki (once you read this, try doing it on your blog).

I guess I am a not too guilty about guilty things.

Book Review, Books

Letters to the Lost Review

Posted on September 28, 2017

I bought this book when Amazon had the 3 for £10 offer to complete the 3 books (I had two ready in my basket). Funnily enough, the book arrived damaged and Amazon had to replace it (I am so grateful for quick replacement, I had a new book the next day and they didn’t require I return the damaged one, so I ended sharing that book with a friend).

I just have to say I didn’t know what to expect from this book at all. I hadn’t read another of her books before.

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother’s death, she leaves letters at her grave. It’s the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn’t the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he’s trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can’t resist writing back. Soon, he’s opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither of them knows that they’re not actually strangers. When real life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. This emotional, compulsively-readable romance will sweep everyone off their feet.

Rating:

I wanted some light reading when I chose this book. I didn’t really know what I had just decided to do and how wrong I was going to be.

It is a light read in the sense of “you end up reading it in one seating and you don’t realise time has gone by”. But on the other hand it is anything but a light read. It is a book full of emotion.

Both Juliet and Declan are dealing with grief and issues stemming from it, having lost someone in their lives. The letters (and then emails) they start exchanging help them find themselves, and it gives them a safe space to talk about things they wouldn’t have otherwise.

The intricate details of relationships (and I am not talking specifically of romantic ones but just human ones) blew me away. Specially as you get to understand more about them alongside Juliet and Declan, and start to see things with new eyes just as they do. It also meant I kept asking myself if I wasn’t doing some of the same prejudice/ didn’t think of it that way kind of things in my own life.

One more thing I’d like to add is that this is a book about grief and loss, and it does so in a gentle way, full fo compassion, showing you grief is seen in many different ways, can affect many different aspects and show itself in many ways. Each one of us goes through it in a different way and we heal in different ways, and as we heal (or not) we may be ignoring the giref of someone else. Definitely an eye opener.

Moon recommends

You go and read this book right now. Seriously, please read it. It is worth it. The only other book I know that deals with grief in such an interesting way is A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle and it’s “prequel/companion” The Arm of the Starfish. I also recommend you read them in the order mentioned despite the fact Arm of the Starfish is a prequel, mostly because part of the things Adam decides to do are influenced by what happens before but knowing why he does them changes a little the feel of the book. Either way, try both.

You can buy a copy of Letters to the Lost here. (Also, apparently there is a sequel on Rev’s story!)

Books, Subscription Boxes

Outlaws Book Box Club

Posted on September 26, 2017

The long awaited Anniversary box for Book Box Club arrived and it didn’t disappoint.

Happy (late by the time this is published) Birthday Book Box Club, Kate & Libby, you’re awesome!

Since this is the anniversary box, let me tell you a little about my year with Book Box Club. I remember finding about the Enchanted Forest Box last year through Instagram. They had apparently sold out so I commented that it was a bummer I had missed out, but it turns out there was one last one left… So I obviously went and bought it there and then (I was at work and I snuck to buy it).

At the time I hadn’t tried as many book subscription boxes as I have today, but I was still unsure if this would be a box I would want to keep. The idea of the Clubhouse (a private group chat with the author, a month later) intrigued me and the fact that the girls were all up for the community aspect, which for a tiny account as I had at the time, I hadn’t seen much of that feeling and feltmore the blunt end of it.

The box surprised me, and I absolutely fell in love with it. That charm is still one of my favourite necklaces (considering I was and still tend to be an adamant “please do not send jewellry in book boxes” kind of person) and I am so happy about it.

You can see their first box and my not very polished bookstagram unboxing skills for taking pictures. I think they have improved in a year for sure (please, don’t tell me they haven’t if they actually haven’t, let me think I am improving, don’t burst my bubble).

Of course, the Clubhouse absolutely blew me away and the community has been one of the best things about Book Box Club. Destiny definitely had it for me to be part of the history of this box, including being part of one of the boxes and now making a bookmark set (maybe I will make a bookmark per box, how about that?).

And now, here we are a year later…

Starting from the theme card and going clockwise:

Maraunders/HP cards by The Imaginative Illustrator. They are utterly adorable and I am dividing between never wanting to use them and using them because they are so great.
A pair of Sante socks, which are really cute (too big for me). I have to say, one of the things I liked is that even though the socks are too big, they are not too girly, so I asked my bf if he would like to wear them and he was very happy to have a new pair of socks.
A personalised letter from Kate and Libby (see? Moon has stars around it. *swoons*) to celebrate their anniversary.
A shortbread biscuit by Nila Holden that looked so delicious I took the unboxing picture as quickly as possible so I could chomp away. It didn’t last long but it was delicious.
For this box, the girls also sent a second book, an ARC. They sent me Witch Born but there were like 10+ different options of the book you could get.
On top of the ARC is an Inej (Six of Crows) lipbalm by Oriandle. This is my absolutely utterly favourite lip balm. Caramel and cinnamon. Two of my favourite flavours/spices. I have been keeping it in my coat pocket to use when the wind dries my lips and then add a little bit and every time I do this it makes me smile and lifts up my mood.
There were also two samplers and a postcard from publishers.
The book for this month is a Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Baba Yadoe and it sounds very interesting, plus that cover is gorgeous!
John Green promoting pencils since there’s a new book coming out (you can see I am not his biggest fan, I think if I had been younger when I read his books I’ve loved them but not now sadly).
And finally a cute Robin Hood magnetic bookmark that is exclusive to Book box Club by Marked by Hephaestus.

It is a cosy, lovely box and I was very happy to receive it. I am looking forward to another year with you girls (because we’ve become friends and I have met good friends through this box!).

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