WWW Wednesday 1st June 2016

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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?

As always, clicking on the cover image will take you to the book’s Goodreads page.

1. What I’m reading at the moment

The Safe Word by Karen Long

The Safe Word by Karen Long book coverI met Karen at a blogger/author meet-up in London back in March. She was kind enough to send me a copy of her book and it’s taken me this long to read it. So far it’s gripping and I’m quite annoyed when I have to put it down!

The blurb: Toronto has become the backdrop to a macabre set of artistic installations: women kidnapped, tortured and horrifically displayed by a killer with a vision.

Only someone capable of understanding the killer’s creative desire will be able to stop the murders and D I Eleanor Raven is uniquely qualified. Driven by a complex personality she pursues only the facts, only the things she can see, but never casts a judgement.

But she also has a dark and dangerous secret – one that will threaten her very survival…

2. The last books I read

S.C.A.R.S. by Julia Ibbotson

SCARS by Julia Ibbotson book coverThis is a fun quest adventure for younger readers and children of all ages. I suppose a handy description would be: junior Lord of the Rings with contemporary interludes. Here’s my full review.

The blurb: Gavin is an ordinary boy with problems like everyone else, when he finds himself in an extraordinary situation and facing the fight of his life. People are calling him Gawain and sending him on a medieval quest. How has he found himself on a horse when he has never ridden one before? How come he has a sword in his hand and terrifying creatures bearing down upon him? He seems to have slipped through into another universe. But can he win the battle of Good against Evil, and can he save the land of Unor ̶ and more importantly, can he save himself?

AND…

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J MaasHmn. On the one hand this is, in many ways, better than the first book in the series: A Court of Thorns and Roses. However, it’s still far too long and even with all those many many pages to tell this part of the story, the author still crammed loads into the last few pages. Here’s my full review.

The blurb: Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

AND…

The Somnabulist and the Psychic Thief by Lisa Tuttle

The Somnabulist and the Psychic ThiefThis is exactly what you’d expect from the description. I enjoyed it and would definitely read the next installment of the Jesperson and Lane mysteries. I’ll hold back my review until nearer publication (on the 16th June).

The blurb: For several years Miss Lane was companion, amanuensis, collaborator and friend to the lady known to the Psychical Societies only as Miss X – until she discovered that Miss X was actually a fraud.

Now she works with Mr Jasper Jesperson as a consulting detective, but the cases are not as plentiful as they might be and money is getting tight – until a case that reaches across the entirety of London lands in their laps.

It concerns a somnambulist, the disappearance of several mediums, and a cat stuck up a tree . . . the links with the cat are negligible, but there is only one team that can investigate the seemingly supernatural disappearances of the psychics and defy the nefarious purpose behind them: Jesperson and Lane, at your service.

…brace yourselves… AND!!!!!!!!!!

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell book coverThis is a short story which was published for World Book Day. I haven’t given it its own review because there’s not much more to say than this was as cute as you’d expect from Rainbow Rowell, made me smile all the way through and laugh out loud at the end 🙂

The blurb: If you broke Elena’s heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she’s expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does. What she’s not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels. 

3. What I’ll read next

Passenger (Passenger, #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken book coverI was starting to despair that I’d be the last person in the blogosphere to read this. So I was delighted when I got approved for a copy through NetGalley (to be honest I didn’t think I had a hope!).

The blurb: In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home… forever.

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

And elsewhere on the blog…

stracciatella cake chocolate chip loaf sponge cake sliced

Last week I made stracciatella choc chip loaf cake.

 

Claire Huston / Art and Soul

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51 thoughts on “WWW Wednesday 1st June 2016”

  3. The Safe Word sounds really intense! Glad to hear the Somnambulist… lived up to expectations! I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that one after release. I hope you enjoy Passenger (don’t worry, I haven’t got it yet, either!)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • The Somnambulist was pretty much what I was expecting 🙂 Although there was room for improvement, I’ll definitely read the next one in the series.
      The Safe Word is very good. If only because it features some very competent police officers… which makes a nice change. I read so many thrillers with plots which rely on the police being incompetent or uninterested.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • I think I’ve given all SJ Maas’ books 3.5 or 4 stars which is indeed high praise (I’m so stingy with 5 stars). They’re always very entertaining, which basically guarantees them 3 stars from the get go 🙂
      My only concern with Passenger now is that it won’t live up to the hype… we’ll see!
      I’m just catching up on WWW posts and will head over to your asap.

      Like

      Reply

  6. I suspect Kindred Spirits will sneak into my reading list in the near future. I love Rainbow Rowell but haven’t had a chance to read it due to minimum page requirements on a reading challenge. I also haven’t read the Passenger and have been a bit wary as I’ve seen some mixed reviews. I might just wait and see how you rate it as I think we have similar tastes 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      • same here, if she ever wants to continue down that road I am on board! I’m heard some mixed reviews too, I’m sure that I’m going to read it at some point but just not anytime in the near future.

        Liked by 1 person

  10. The safe word sounds like my kind of book.Blurb looks good,promising.Lucky you to have the author too,she sounds nice. I hope you enjoy the rest of the book.I have seen The Messenger being mentioned a couple of times but I haven’t read it yet.Congrats on the ARC and I hope you enjoy the book.Happy reading.

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Even I read Passenger, you really are one of the last! 😂
    I so want to read Kindred Spirits, but I had to go through the other Rowell I have first. I love the title for The Safe Word, but I heard it was gruesome and intense so I’m not sure I should add it to my wishlist. I am really looking forward to your review of The Somnabulist and the Psychic Thief.
    Happy reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I KNOW!!! I think there are officially only 3 people apart from me who haven’t read it 😉
      I didn’t find The Safe Word that gruesome because its told be a detached 3rd person narrator so that gives us some distance. I think if we’d had first person it could have been a bit too intense. It would make great TV!
      Happy reading 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • I think they did produce Kindred Spirits in paperback but because it was for World Book Day I think there was limited stock. I’m sure you can get it secondhand though. I’m sure you would love it – it’s so cute. The only thing wrong with it was that it wasn’t longer 🙂
      Happy reading!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  18. I’m really glad to hear you’ve enjoyed The Safe Word because as you know it’s on my TBR too.

    I haven’t read The Passenger either but would like too!

    Thanks for visiting my WWW, I am running a day behind again! lol

    Like

    Reply

    • I think you’ll really enjoy The Safe Word. It does involve a female detective who is absolutely ace at her job but with a bit of a shady personal life though (though it’s not falling apart for a change!).
      Better late than never! Besides, yesterday I hope you were busy celebrating 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  19. I admit I’m intrigued by ACOMAF because of all the hype on social media, but I have no interest in reading the first book so I guess it’ll never happen hahaha. And I haven’t read Passenger either (probably won’t) so don’t despair!

    Liked by 1 person

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  20. The Safe Word sounds really good and I’m glad you enjoyed Kindred Spirits! Such a cute little novella… I’m looking forward to see what you make of Passenger by the way, since it has been on my wishlist for a long time and we seem to have similar thoughts about most books. 😉 Happy reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • It’s very good 🙂 If you like crime thrillers/police procedurals, you’re bound to enjoy it.
      Kindred Spirits was lovely. It could have just kept going I was enjoying it so much 🙂
      I’ve seen such mixed reviews of Passenger, but I couldn’t stay away from what sounds like a good time-travel story.
      Happy reading!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • I’m definitely adding The Safe Word to my wishlist! And I had the same feeling about Passenger, but I still haven’t gotten a copy yet… Happy reading!

        Liked by 1 person

  22. I haven’t seen your review for ACOMAF!!! I’ll go check it out! Also, it looks like you’ve been reading quite a lot. I look forward to seeing your thoughts on Passenger since it’s on my tbr list. Happy Reading!! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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