All posts tagged: garth nix

Book Review – Goldenhand by Garth Nix

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Hello, everyone! So amid my flurry of writing job applications, I managed to squeeze in reading the latest installment in one of my FAVOURITE series. Goldenhand is the fifth book in this super awesome series. As normal, with this being a later book in the series, I want to avoid any spoilers of any of the books but you can go read my review on the first book, Sabriel, to find out more about the series, but in a few words it’s about: Magic, Necromancy (both good and bad), bells, and talking animals! I really enjoyed this installment, although Sabriel does still remain my favourite of the series. We get to revisit some of our favourite characters in this book (although perhaps not a much of the talking animals as I would have liked), as well as meeting a new POV character. Some parts of the romance in the book felt just a little too rushed, and just a little out of character (but that could just be my non-romantic cold, cold heart). Unfortunately, this was …

Book Haul!

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I haven’t done a book haul in ages because I haven’t been buying too many books. Mainly because I’ve been poor (as I’m a student and HR are terrible at doing their job) and I am actually really running out of place to put them. We are planning to renovate the library and do floor to ceiling bookshelves (it will be like 20-30 linear metres of shelves which will be amazing and I can’t wait!) but it hasn’t happened yet. But these are the guys I have picked up recently. So the the first books I picked up are The Hallowed Ones and The Outside by Laura Bickle. I read the first book and then it took forever for The Outside to come in the mail, but it’s here now and so everything is okay. We can all stop panicking. This series is about a young Amish girl who takes in an outsider during a vampire apocalypse. It has an awesome protagonist, and it’s super gory. I loved it. See my review of this one here: Book …

Pastry Book Tag!

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Bookwormaniac created (I think) this tag, and I saw it on Readwatchreviewblog and decided to tag myself because I thought it looks fun, even though my coeliac’s disease means that I have absolutely no idea what most of these taste like (except macarons which are usually gluten free! Whoo!). And I haven’t done a tag in forever. So, let’s start shall we? Croissant: Name a popular book or series that everyone (including you) loves.   A Court of Thorns and Roses. Tumblr is all about this series right now, and with good reason. It’s just so awesome. All of tumblr can’t be wrong. Easy. Next!   Macaron: Name a book that was hard to get through but worth it at the end. How are macarons easy to get through? they are so tiny and delicate. Anyway, although gone girl was incredibly addictive and I read it in no time, it was difficult for me as I actually know an Amy Dunn, and I’m still traumatised from my encounter with her. So terrifying. If you think Amy …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Witch/Wizard

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Hello, and welcome to my second day of the 12 Days of Bookmas where I will be recommending books to buy for yourself, or for others whom you deem worthy of presents. Today I will be giving you ideas of amazing presents for the Witch of Wizard in your life. 1 – The Illustrated Harry Potter This edition of Harry Potter is an absolute must have for anyone who enjoys Harry Potter. It is one of the most gorgeous books I own. I was expecting it to be beautiful when I bought it, but I wasn’t expecting it to be as beautiful as it is. I don’t think anyone could be disappointed to find this in their stocking. You can get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon. 2 – Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass This series is one that’s been around for years, and I only got into it this year. This book would be a fantastic buy for someone who you want to (subtly) turn into a complete bookworm. I’ve already forced this upon …

Book Review – Lirael by Garth Nix

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This is the second book in The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix (sometimes referred to as the Abhorsen series), if you haven’t read the first book in the series, Sabriel, you can check out my review here (if you like. No pressure). As with most of my reviews of sequels, this one will be short and will contain no spoilers of Sabriel or Lirael. What’s it about: Sensible girls, less sensible boys, Necromancy, and sassy talking animals. So the first book in the series, Sabriel, is about a young girl who is the daughter of the Abhorsen (Big Daddy Necromancer). When her father goes missing, she must travel through the Old Kingdom, which is full of dead things that want to eat your face, to find him. And the fact that Sabriel is one of the most sensible protagonists I’ve ever encountered, just makes this book lovely to read. So what about Lirael? Lirael is the story of two separate characters, about 14 years after Sabriel. The story of Lirael starts off with poor …

Lit Lists – My Ultimate Zombie Apocalypse Survival Team

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Hello! It’s time for another Lit Lists I think, and for today I decided to list my ultimate Book Character Zombie Apocalypse Survival Team. And then I think I’m going to tag some other victims to do this list with me. As a scientist, precisely an immunologist, I think I could be pretty handy in any zombie apocalypse, what with my experience in developing vaccines and stuff. I would be pretty valuable in a post-apocalyptic world. So who would I want around me to protect me and ensure I survive long enough to develop a human-race-saving vaccine against the undead? 1. Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Not only is she one of the most bad ass fighters that exists, I’m pretty sure she can also scent out food (particularly the sweet kind) like a bloodhound. I would feel pretty safe knowing Celaena had my back. 2. Katsa from Graceling by Kristin Cashore. With an unnatural ability for fighting, Katsa would be absolutely indespensible in a zombie apocalypse. This girl is the one …

Lit Lists: Beloved Fictional Animals

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So this is my first of this new feature where I make a list of books (with photos. of course) based on a particular theme. The themes will range from very broad to very specific depending on where my little heart takes me. It could be a wild ride (probably not though. reading lists of books is actually a rather sedate activity now isnt it?). The books may also be either books I’ve read, am currently reading, or books on my TBR. I may also take requests for list themes. We’ll see. We all love fictional animals, often more than the people in the story. But they often go the way of Old Yeller (also a fictional animal, thus demonstrating my point). I don’t know for certain why this is, but I’m working with the theory that authors are just plain evil. Although many of the animals on this list do make it through the book/series alive and unmaimed, I’m sorry if this brings up any painful memories for anyone. 1. Manchee from The Chaos …

My top books of 2015 (so far)

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So we’ve reached the half-way point in the year. That wonderful time when we think “thank the stars that it’s half over” concomitant with “holy crap! how is it halfway through the year already!” I have to say I’m not particularly impressed with my progress with reading this year. I haven’t read anywhere near as many books as I wanted to by this point, but as I am in the final year of my PhD I will have to cut myself some slack. But here are my top five books of 2015 so far (in no particular order). 1. Golden Son by Pierce Brown I absolutely LOVED Red Rising and pre-ordered this one as soon as I could. Now while I know that I loved this book, I can’t really put my thoughts into any kind of logical thread. While I was reading it I was suffering from appendicitis/in hospital/recovering from surgery so I’m a wee bit scattered on it, but I know that I absolutely loved it! You can see my review of Red …

Someone deems me worthy for a Liebster Award + June Book Haul!

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So, first up, the wonderful Irene at Tea, Book, & Me has nominated me for a Liebster award (bless her cotton socks!) which is lovely. If you don’t know what a Liebster Award is, it’s an award for bloggers with under 200 followers. So the rules for the Liebster award are: Eleven Questions 1. What is that one quote that identifies you as a bookworm? Explain its significance. “It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” I think all bookworms are, in a way, the sum of the books they’ve read. 2. Do you love the smell of ancient books more so than the fresh new one you just bought? no. actually, the smell of really old books makes my nose sting. 3. Hardcovers, paperbacks, or ebooks all three, but mainly hardcovers and ebooks 4. If you love a book, would you want it to be adapted into a film? Why or why not? absolutely! I love to see how other people imagined …

Book Review: Sabriel by Garth Nix

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“Death and what came after death was no great mystery to Sabriel. She just wished it was.” When I picked up this book on a whim (it was on sale and the cover was so gorgeous) I wasn’t intending to read it right away. But then my husband decided to get a haircut and I started it while I was waiting, and then I couldn’t put it down. I’ve honestly been in a bit of a reading slump lately, and this book finally broke it. What’s it about: Sabriel’s father fails to arrive for a visit at her boarding school, and one of his monstrous dead servants arrives in his place, carrying a sack of her father’s necromancing tools. Sabriel knows this can only mean one thing – that her father is trapped somewhere within death and only she can find him. Taking up her father’s tools of a sword and set of bells, Sabriel must cross the magical wall into the Old Kingdom to find her father and learn what it means to be …