WWW Wednesday 8th July 2015

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This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. A similar meme, This Week in Books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found.

Why not join in? Just answer the following three questions in a post and then put a link to that post in the Comments over at Taking on a World of Words.

The questions are:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. What do you think you’ll read next?

1. What I’m reading at the moment

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Never Let Me Go bNever Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro book coverI’ve only just started this. I first heard about it when the film adaptation was released, which I know quite a bit about, although I haven’t seen it yet. I’d like to read this first.

The blurb:

As children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy were students at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school secluded in the English countryside. It was a place of mercurial cliques and mysterious rules where teachers were constantly reminding their charges of how special they were. Now, years later, Kathy is a young woman. Ruth and Tommy have reentered her life, and for the first time she is beginning to look back at their shared past and understand just what it is that makes them special–and how that gift will shape the rest of their time together.

2. The last books I read

The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3) by James Dashner

The Death Cure by James Dashner book coverRead my full review here. A disappointing end to a promising trilogy. A series of chaotic incidents rather than a strong conclusion. Such a shame! 😦

What it’s about:

They’ve escaped the Maze and made it across the Scorch. Now will the survivors get their memories back and help WICKED save mankind from a lethal pandemic?

If you’d like some more background, read my reviews of The Maze Runner (Book 1) and The Scorch Trials (Book 2).

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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness book coverRead my full review here. I cannot praise this book enough. As close to perfect as a story can get, and all in a couple of hundred pages. Wonderful stuff. Get this book now. But be warned: unless your tear ducts don’t work, you should have tissues at the ready.

The blurb:

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming… This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

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Vicious by V.E. Schwab (Victoria Schwab)

Vicious by V.E. Schwab book coverI haven’t got round to writing a full review yet. But I can tell you this is terrific. Another 5-star effort from V. E. Schwab. Excellent characters and a master-class in plotting (in both senses of the word). Brilliant.

I also loved V. E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic: review here.

What it’s about:

I read this book without having a clue what it was about. And I think that’s best. If you’d like to know more before reading it, click on the cover image to go to the full blurb at Goodreads (which I think contains too many spoilers). I will say that this is a story of supernatural powers, ambition, betrayal and revenge. Oh, and there’s a dog. Mustn’t forget the dog.

3. What I’ll read next

Still no sign of my library order of Disclaimer by Renée Knight, so after the Ishiguro I have:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern book coverI’ve heard good things about this book! Fingers crossed I agree 🙂

The blurb:

The circus arrives without warning. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called “Le Cirque des Reves,” and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway–a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love – a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Have you read/are reading any of these? What are you reading? Let me know! 🙂

You can also find me on Twitter @ClaraVal and on Goodreads.

 Claire Huston / Art and Soul

34 thoughts on “WWW Wednesday 8th July 2015”

  2. I haven’t seen the film Never Let Me Go, but have read the book, which made me not want to see the film. The book is good but so chilling! It is so scary in its implications. I hadn’t read anything about it before I read it and it gradually dawned on me as I read it just what was happening. I agree that books are usually better than film adaptations.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I would have loved to have come to the book with no idea at all what it is about, but I think hearing things about the film has spoiled some of the big surprises. But this is why I think I need to line up some more cheerful reads.

      Thank you for visiting and happy reading! 🙂

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  4. Love love LOVE never let me go. I cherish my signed copy. The movie was pretty well done so I’ll be interested to see what you think when you get around to watching it.
    The Night Circusbis another favorite. I hope you enjoy that as well! Happy reading and thanks for participating in WWW Wednesday!

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. These books sound compelling. Thanks, as always, for the suggestions, Claire! I have so, so many books I want to read – can we just tack an eighth day on to the end of the week and devote it entirely to reading?

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  9. I have yet to read Never Let Me Go, I’ve heard lots of things about it! I’ll be looking forward to your thoughts on it.
    It’s too bad The Death Cure was disappointing, but at least you had A Monster Calls and Vicious to make up for it! They both sound great!
    The Night Circus is on my TBR as well, I hope you enjoy it! I’m thinking of getting to it some time this month or the next. 😉
    Here’s my WWW Wednesday, if you want to check it out:
    https://booksnacksblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/www-wednesday-14-july-08/
    Happy reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. I can’t wait to start A Monster Calls and Vicious! They sound like excellent reads. I have been wanting to read The Night Circus for ages, so hopefully I will be able to pick up my copy some time soon.

    Thanks for visiting myWWW!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. So glad you are reading Never Let Me Go! I love that book so much. I’m also excited that you plan on reading The Night Circus. It is absolutely amazing.

    I just added A Monster Calls to my GoodReads. It sounds interesting. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  15. I have to admit I didn’t finish the Night Circus, but it’s one of those ones I wonder if I should give another chance.

    I’m definitely going to look up A Monster Calls sooner rather than later after reading your review.

    Liked by 1 person

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