WWW Wednesday 11th January 2017

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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 Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty

the-fifth-letter-by-nicola-moriartyI went a bit NetGalley mad before Christmas and this is the last ARC from that bundle. It’s not published until the back end of February so I’ll sit on the review until nearer the time.

The blurb: Joni, Trina, Deb and Eden. Best friends since the first day of school. Best friends, they liked to say, forever. But now they are in their thirties and real life – husbands, children, work – has got in the way. So, resurrecting their annual trip away, Joni has an idea, something to help them reconnect.

Each woman will write an anonymous letter, sharing with their friends the things that are really going on in their lives. But as the confessions come tumbling out, Joni starts to feel the certainty of their decades-long friendships slip from her fingers.

Anger. Accusations. Desires. Deceit.

And then she finds another letter. One that was never supposed to be read. A fifth letter. Containing a secret so big that its writer had tried to destroy it. And now Joni is starting to wonder, did she ever really know her friends at all?

2. The last books I read

The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

the-one-memory-of-flora-blanks-by-emily-barrThis book is published tomorrow, 12th January. I only have one thing to say: READ IT. READ IT ASAP.

A rare 5-star rating from me for this wonderful story. Need to know more? Read my full review.

The blurb: Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora’s brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend’s boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora’s fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.

With little more than the words “be brave” inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to Svalbard, Norway, the land of the midnight sun, determined to find Drake. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must “be brave” if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home.

AND

Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land

good-me-bad-me-by-ali-landI can see why this is already being hyped as one of THE books of 2017. Unfortunately, I didn’t love it quite as much as the majority seem to. Here’s my full review.

The blurb: Annie’s mother is a serial killer. The only way she can make it stop is to hand her in to the police. But out of sight is not out of mind.

As her mother’s trial looms, the secrets of her past won’t let Annie sleep, even with a new foster family and name – Milly. A fresh start. Now, surely, she can be whoever she wants to be.

But Milly’s mother is a serial killer. And blood is thicker than water.

Good me, bad me. She is, after all, her mother’s daughter…

AND

Miss Treadway & the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson

miss-treadway-and-the-field-of-stars-by-miranda-emmersonThere was a lot to like about this book, but I think I went into it with the wrong expectations. Here’s my full review.

The blurb: Soho, 1965. In a tiny two-bed flat above a Turkish café on Neal Street lives Anna Treadway, a young dresser at the Galaxy Theatre.

When the American actress Iolanthe Green disappears after an evening’s performance at the Galaxy, the newspapers are wild with speculation about her fate. But as the news grows old and the case grows colder, it seems Anna is the only person left determined to find out the truth.

Her search for the missing actress will take her into an England she did not know existed: an England of jazz clubs and prison cells, backstreet doctors and seaside ghost towns, where her carefully calibrated existence will be upended by violence but also, perhaps, by love.

For in order to uncover Iolanthe’s secrets, Anna is going to have to face up to a few of her own…

3. What I’ll read next

I’ll now be working my way through my latest batch of NetGalley requests and library holds! I also went a bit mad in the Kindle sale. So basically I have enough books to keep me going until the end of March. Bookworm problems, eh? Here are a couple of them:

The Hanging Tree (Peter Grant #6) by Ben Aaronovitch

the-hanging-tree-by-ben-aaronovitchThe latest installment in the Peter Grant series. It’ll be nice to catch up with Peter and get back to supernatural policing in London. My sister has reliably informed me that it’s good.

The blurb: The Hanging Tree was the Tyburn gallows which stood where Marble Arch stands today. Oxford Street was the last trip of the condemned. Some things don’t change. The place has a bloody and haunted legacy and now blood has returned to the empty Mayfair mansions of the world’s super-rich. And blood mixed with magic is a job for Peter Grant.

Peter Grant is back as are Nightingale et al. at the Folly and the various river gods, ghosts and spirits who attach themselves to England’s last wizard and the Met’s reluctant investigator of all things supernatural.

AND

Final Girls by Riley Sager

final-girls-by-riley-sagerA very very advanced ARC! I have a feeling this will either be superb, or a crushing disappointment. It’ll all hinge on how sympathetic the heroines are.

The blurb: Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

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

And elsewhere on the blog…

marshmallow-penguins-easy-christmas-festive-cooking-idea-with-kids

Chocolate marshmallow penguins. While I made these before Christmas, I haven’t featured them on a WWW post yet. Besides, I just want an excuse to post another picture of them 🙂

Claire Huston / Art and Soul

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63 thoughts on “WWW Wednesday 11th January 2017”

  5. I feel like we are going back and forth telling each other how much we love Flora Banks!! 🙂 I’ve not read anything by Ben Aaronovitch but I did contemplate starting this series a while ago!
    Those penguins are so cute! Thanks for visiting my post earlier 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. So many tempting books, from The Fifth Letter to The One Memory of Flora Banks. I love books about memory issues, although they are frustrating. I want to help the character along…LOL.

    Enjoy them all, and thanks for sharing. Thanks for visiting my blog.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I got to the bit in the blurb for The Fifth Letter where is said “they all decide to write anonymous letters confessing things” and I thought, “this isn’t going to go well!”. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens!
      Happy reading!

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      Reply

  12. I’ve already requested The One Memory Of Flora Banks after I saw your review, and I’m definitely going to keep fingers and toes crossed they will approve it. And I feel less bad about not getting Good Me Bad Me now I know you didn’t love it as much as most… I’ll probably still get a copy since I can’t resist serial killer stories, but now I know not to rush. 😉 I hope you will enjoy your books this week and happy reading!

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  13. Everyone seems to be loving The One Memory of Flora Banks! It’s on my TBR too but it’ll have to wait since I still have a lot lined up! But it doesn’t mean I’m not excited because I am especially with all the hype. Also, it’s too bad you didn’t like Good Me Bad Me quite well. I have a couple of thriller books on my next reads so I hope they turn out good. 🙂

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  19. The Fifth Letter sounds good and because you say I need to, I’ll get me a copy of Flora Banks! How adult is it? Suitable for teens? I wondered with the teenage protagonist.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I think Flora Banks would be fine for readers aged 13 and up. It’s an interesting case because although Flora is 17, thanks to her amnesia, there are many times she thinks she’s only 10.
      If this were a film, here in the UK it would get a 12 rating. There’s no violence or swearing (that I noticed. It can’t have been bad or I would remember!) and sex references are only that, we don’t get shown anything.
      I think it’s a perfect story for young women because although it starts off as a bit of a romance/quest, really it’s about a determined, brave young women taking control of her own destiny. It’s great.
      Rave over! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  20. I’ve seen so many good things about Flora Banks, I’m glad you liked it! The concept sounds really cool. And the penguins are adorable! I wish I could make cute marshmallows, haha. Happy reading and thanks for participating in WWW Wednesday!

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  21. Flora Banks is sooo good. I haven’t seen too many bad reviews so far and will second your recommendation that everyone read it asap.

    I think it’s probably safe to say that Good Me, Bad Me will be one of the most controversial books of the year. It’s definitely unsettling and uncomfortable (which I kind of liked).

    I was also tempted by the Fifth Letter but managed to resist. Will look forward to your review and no doubt kick myself for not requesting 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I’m so pleased I read Flora Banks so early in the year. It’s made me really optimistic about how many great books will be out there in 2017!
      I’m keeping my fingers crossed for The Fifth Letter. It’ll either be great, or the characters will be annoying! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  22. I’m in the same boat as everyone else on the Flora Banks book, I have heard so many great things that I cannot wait to get a copy.

    The Fifth Letter sounds really good, I can’t wait to see how you think about it.

    I’ve seen Good Me Bad Me, but it’s been mostly mixed reviews so I wouldn’t say you’re too far off from the norm there (not that it really matters though)

    Happy WWW

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  24. I’ve been a good girl and stopped requesting ARCs for weeks now, something I am really proud of 😀 I even reached the 80% ratio. Never thought I’d see this day coming. Who knows how long I’ll stay away 🙂 But I was less successful with buying books, January already counts 5 additions to my TBR…
    The Fifth Letter sounds very interesting, I love reading about life’s effect on friendships. Fiona Banks is everywhere right now! Good Me Bad Me suffered from the hype, I heard so much about it that I don’t feel like reading it for now.
    Happy reading!
    Those marshmallow penguins are so yummy!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I have now told myself I will stop requesting ARCs and ordering books from the library until I’ve read all the ones I have waiting for me 🙂 That probably won’t happen, but hopefully it’ll slow me down!
      At least Flora Banks lives up to the hype… so nice to start 2017 with such a good book.
      Happy reading!

      Liked by 1 person

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  25. I hope Final Girls is anything but a crushing disappointment! You already sold me on The One Memory of Flora Banks with your review, but each reminder has me wishing my TBR wasn’t already a monstrous mountain of must reads 😉
    Happy Reading!

    Liked by 1 person

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