Month: January 2021

Recent Reads: Death Masks by Jim Butcher (The Desden Files book 5)

Posted on by Pam

My review:?????

Death Masks by Jim Butcher is book 5 in the Dresden Files series, so spoilers ahoy!

Harry is challenged to a duel by Ortegas, a Duke of the Red Court, who wants to end the war,  Susan is back in town, and Harry has been hired to find the Shroud of Turin, which has been stolen and is thought to be in Chicago.  So, it’s an average week for Harry!

We meet some new characters – Butters, the polka loving Assistant Medical Examiner, the Archive and Kincaid.

I love this series, and I’m really enjoying going back through the series!  If you enjoy urban fantasy, you’ll probably enjoy this series!

Death Masks by Jim Butcher was published on 5th August 2003, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Jim Butcher on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

My reviews for previous Dresden Files books are below:

Storm Front (book 1)

Fool Moon (book 2)

Grave Peril (book 3)

Summer Knight (book 4)

Recent Reads: The Coffinmaker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride

Posted on by Pam

My review:???

The Coffinmaker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride is a book that I would describe as gritty crime.  There’s things being done in an underhanded way, descriptions of things that are a lot more gruesome, and it’s all a lot more grey compared to cosy crime.

A house is falling into the North Sea, and when the garden reveals human remains,  that means this is a house that the police need to see.  Ex-Detective Inspector Ash Henderson is brought in on the case,  which has the media eager for more information, and everyone wants answers.

This is the third book in the Ash Henderson series, and you can tell that.  There was enough to know that you were missing past events.  I think reading the books in order would make more sense.

The Coffinmaker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride was published on 7th January 2021 and is available on Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Stuart MacBride on Twitter, Facebook, and his website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HarperCollins.

Recent Reads: Blood Metal Bone by Lindsay Cummings

Posted on by Pam

My review:???

Blood Metal Bone by Lindsay Cummings is set in a world of magic, where Sonara comes back to life after being sentenced to death by her mother for her brother’s disappearance.  She comes back as a Shadowblood, one of those who has shadows for blood and have powers.

Sonara is still hunting for her brother, and so when the object that took him returns, she must find answers.

This is a mix of fantasy and science fiction, and was an enjoyable read.  

Blood Metal Bone by Lindsay Cummings was published on 7th January 2021, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Lindsay Cummings on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and her website.

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to HQ. 

Recent Reads: The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal (Lady Astronaut book 3)

Posted on by Pam

My review:?????

Spoiler alert as this is book 3 in the Lady Astronaut series!  I’ve put links to my reviews for books 1 and 2 at the bottom!

The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal is set during the same time as book 2, except it’s from the point of view of Nicole Wargin, and we learn more about the sabotage and terrorism from the Earth First group.

I really enjoyed this book, and seeing things from a different perspective.  I had that moment of reading the beginning, and thinking ‘of course!’. It made so much sense to tell us what happened when we heard so little on Elma’s trip to Mars in the second book!

The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal was published on 26th November 2020, and is available on Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Mary Robinette Kowal on her Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Rebellion Publishing.

This is book 3 in the Lady Astronaut series, and if you’d like to read my reviews for the two previous books, please look below:

The Calculating Stars (book 1)

The Fated Sky (book 2)

Recent Reads: Fantasy Titles from Bloomsbury 2020 – excerpts from A Vow so Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, We Are Bound by Stars by Kesia Lupo, The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon, Dark Art by Steve Feasey and Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Posted on by Pam

Fantasy Titles from Bloomsbury 2020 has excerpts from A Vow so Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, We Are Bound by Stars by Kesia Lupo, The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon, Dark Art by Steve Feasey and Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.

Most of these extracts are from book 2 onwards in a series, and you would need to have read the previous book/s in order to make sense of what is happening! 

A Vow so Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer is the final book in the Cursebreakers series.  In two months time, Grey is going to attack Emberfall.  We see some of both sides.  I felt quite lost with all of the characters, so you do need to have read the previous books!

I’ve reviewed A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas before, so you can read that review here.  This was in the book as the fourth book is due out on 16th February 2021 (in the US at least!).

We Are Bound by Stars by Kesia Lupo is book 2 in the We Are Blood and Thunder series. This is a YA fantasy series, set on an island where Beatrice is a conduit for the wishes of a god. Livio is the first male rules in centuries, but his magic is out of control.  

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon is the fourth book in the Bone Season series.  This was another book where I could tell how much I didn’t know!  It’s set in 2060, and Paige is on the run, and having flash backs to being held.  

Dark Art by Steve Feasey is the second book in the Whispers of the Gods series, and is a fantasy book. Kelewulf is in search of an artefact, the heart of a god. Lann is struggling to keep control of the Dreadblade. 

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke is set in an infinite labyrinth, with few characters, and odd happenings in the labyrinth.  This is a book I’ve heard a lot about, and would need to read the full book!

I was given these excepts in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Bloomsbury.

Recent Reads: The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker is about 3 friends, 1 in England, 1 in Australia and 1 in the US who swap their Christmas locations, like in the film The Holiday.

I thought this was a fun read, with added romance, and a lot of Christmas events.  I enjoyed seeing the different ways they celebrated in Australia, Colorado compared to England.

The Christmas Swap by Sandy Barker was published on 16th October 2020, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Sandy Barker on Twitter, Facebook and her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to One More Chapter.