megsbookishtwins's reviews
1177 reviews

“What's the matter Jaimy? Ain't-cha never seen a girl before?"

Jacky Faber is a ship's boy. But Jacky is actually a girl called Mary. After spending years begging on the streets for some pennies, Mary decides that life would be much easy if she were a boy. She gets herself onto the HMS Dolphin as a ship boy called Jack. Now she has to spend the journey trying to keep the 'Deception' from being figured out.

This was an enjoyable book with some fun characters. Mary 'Jacky' Faber is a favourite of mine. She is tough and funny. She earns the nickname 'Bloody Jack' after a fight with a pirate ship when she saves her friend Jaimy from a pirate. She has other skills which make her valuable - she can read and sew and this gets the attention of the captain and she becomes a value member of the ship - in some people's eyes. Jacky causes disruption on the ship, and nearly gets a friend hanged - but she is very brave about it. I really do admire her, and I also like watching her develop into a teenager, as well as her relationship with her friends and also Jaimy.

I also like the writing style. It is written how she would say it, and I personally liked this writing style as it felt like she was talking to you and it really did drag you into the story. It wasn't an action packed story and in places there wasn't really much happening at all, but I still found it interesting and it did keep my attention. That is also really saying something considering I was in a reading slump for a while and I started about 8 different books and couldn't really get into any of them.

Overall, it was a good read and I really did enjoy it and if you are looking for a good historical fiction then I do suggest you check this one out.

I received a copy free from the publishers via NetGalley

"Danger is everywhere in the sea, child. Death swims on a fast fin."

Serafina is a mermaid in the Mediterranean sea. She is a princess and is soon to be betrothed. However, during her betrothal her city is attacked, her people are hurt, and she has to run and fulfil her prophecy.

I was really in love with Jennifer Donnelly's other book Revolution, and I had requested this on NetGalley and I thought I just had to read it. I was a little disappointed. It is a very different book from her previous ones as it is about mermaids. Before Deep Blue I had not yet read a mermaid book. I imagine it would be quite difficult to write about mermaids, who live in the sea and still execute it well. It did sound promising in the beginning. The cities were very beautifully described. But I just think the whole mermaid thing was not done as best as it could have been. I did like the magic element, especially the mirror, I think that was done exceptionally well. There was a bit of an info dump at the beginning and I did not realise that there were a list of keywords and names at the end. Because I had a kindle copy, it probably would have been best for it to be at the front so I could have read it before I started the actual story.

I was not sure about the characters. They were not that great. Serafina got on my nerves a little bit. She was a little whiny, but I guess that is understandable considering she is a teenager, who is about to be betrothed to someone she no longer feels she knows. She did grow up a little bit and she took up her role quite seriously. Her best friend Neena, I found quite likeable. There was not really any of a love story or romance. There was a little at the beginning, but after that it was not mentioned. Which is good, because I would assume that the last thing that a girl, whose city has just been attacked and who thinks she has lost all her family, would care about is whether the boy she fancies, fancies her back. So that was definitely a positive.

Overall, it was an ok read, which did not take me very long. So if you are looking for a mermaid fantasy story about friendship rather than romance then I do suggest that you have a look at this one.

I received a copy free from the publisher via NetGalley

I am blind and deaf, trapped in the darkness with no sense of time passing. Not even sleeping. Not quite dead. The years of my life slipping past - wasted.

Thief's Magic revolves around Tyen and Rielle. Tyen is a archaeology student also studying sorcery. Tyen lives in a world where technology is powered by magic, but the magic isn't replenishing itself fast enough at the pace that it is being used. Tyen finds a book, who was once a girl called Vella. This book changes his life, and he beings to question the authority he believed in. Rielle lives in a world ruled by priests. It is not allowed for those who are not priests to use the magic in the world, yet there is a corrupter going around trying to tempt people. Rielle is also faced with decisions which change her life and she learns who she can and can't trust.

I had really high hopes for Thief's Magic. I had heard great things about Trudi Canavan, and as a fan of high fantasy I was really looking forward to reading this. At nearly 600 pages, it was a little intimidating. However, I was sadly disappointed. It had both good and bad times. It seemed more of a steampunk that a high fantasy, which is what I was expecting, but that wasn't one of the reasons that let this down, it was actually quite a nice addition. Thief's Magic really struggled to capture my attention. The beginning had a lot of info-dumping that made it a little hard to keep interested or on track. The story and plot didn't really start picking up until about 20-25% in. It started to get very intense. But then it lost it's magic at about 60% and I felt myself getting bored, and this book seemed to go on for ages. It is not that it was bad, but it could have been better. I still felt a connection with the characters which kept me going.

I really did like Tyen and his connection with Venna. He was passionate about archaeology and sorcery. Eventually though, I did get a little bored with his story, but I still cared what happened. He managed to get a relatively happy ending, and that was nice. Rielle was also a good character. The first and last parts of her story were the best. I preferred them over Tyen. Both Tyen and Rielle's stories were completely different, and I am assuming, in completely different worlds. I wasn't really sure about it, perhaps if there was just one story, it may have held my attention for longer. At nearly 600 pages, this would have been halved if it was just one story. No matter, though, I did enjoy each separate story, even if I lost interest at points.

The world building was one thing which was done really well and I do applaud Trudi Canavan for doing it so well.

Overall, it was an OK read, with some enjoyable parts and I probably would recommend if you are a fan of the author, or of high fantasy.

I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley

I loved that word: soulmate. We asked Grandma what it meant and she said, 'Two people who understand each other without talking about it. Two halves of a whole'.

Delia and Rhoda are female stunt pilots, one black and one white. They strive for a life where their gender or colour will not determine their life. A fateful accident kills Delia, Teo's mother. Rhoda wishes to live the dream for Delia and is determined to give a better life for Teo and moved to Ethiopia with her daughter Em. Both Teo and Em have to learn to adapt in a strange country, to learn a new language but they finally feel at home. Years later the family are at danger and are torn apart and separated by war and they try to make their way back to each other.

If any of you follow my blog you will probably already know what huge fan I am of Elizabeth Wein and her previous books Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire. So I was beyond excited to get accepted on NetGalley for Black Dove, White Raven, it is such a shame it took me so long to read it due to my life getting in the way. Just like Elizabeth Wein's previous books, this is a rich and powerful novel about family, friendship, hope and bravery.

Elizabeth Wein looks at both gendered and racial prejudices that Teo, Em, Delia and Rhoda experience in both USA and Ethiopia and I think she does it splendidly well. The characters were fantastically written - I never expected anything less - and were complex and their relationships were so well written and dynamic. That is definitely a strength of Elizabeth Wein, she can always write such realistic relationships and show that love that they all have for each other. I adored the relationship between Teo and Em, but also with Em's mother Rhoda. They were all so captivating together, but also individually.

The historical setting felt really well researched and so rich in detail. She doesn't sugarcoat the sacrifices and casualties of war, and the horrors which many people went through during the Italo-Ethiopian War.

While Black Dove, White Raven was not as heart-breaking and emotional as Code Name Verity, and probably not as captivating, I still found it to be a fantastic read. The start was fantastic and strong, as was the second half of the book, it started to get tense and exciting, but around 20%-50% the pacing was very slow, but it did not lessen my enjoyment.

Overall, I would definitely recommend for fans of Elizabeth Wein and Code Name Verity and those who have an interest in history and pilots and planes.

I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley

'If the city was a beast, I had penetrated its very centre. Seen the heart, in which was a thirst. If the city was a beast, it was now, for a short time at least, a sated one, bloated and content with its offering of blood.'

It is 1944 and Paris has just been liberated. Charles Jackson stumbles upon a man who seems to be drinking the blood of a young woman and he runs. Years later he returns to the city and he sees the man he saw seven years earlier, with a woman. He decides to follow them both and eventually falls for the fascinating woman and gets soon dragged into the mystery which shrouds the man.

I am going to start this review by saying this is not what I expected. I expected there to be a paranormal aspect. How wrong I was. I really did love Marcus Sedgwick's Blood Red Snow White, and I this is the third book of his that I have read, including White Crow, and both times I have been surely disappointed. Neither is as good as the first book of his I read and my expectations were very high going into both of them. I really did not like A Love Like Blood. It was sadistic and horrifying, so if you want a book with these things then I do suggest you give this book a go. However, for me, it just was not my cup of tea. The book revolved too much around blood, and It just freaked me out, and It was very disturbing to read.

I did not like Charles. He was too obsessed about the man, despite his life being put in danger, and also despite putting others life in danger. His friends, the woman he loved, his family, and the lives of people he passes. Yet he does not care. He chases the man determined to find the truth about him and he just will not let it go. He was told numerous times by his friend to drop it, because it was not worth it but he just did not listen. He was safe at one point, he was wealthy, but his drive for answers and revenge ruined all that and, ultimately, cost him his life, but not in the sense of death.

The end was horrific and I really did not like it. But as I said before, it may be your type of thing if you are looking for horror mystery, but it just was not my type of book.

I really do like Four, and this was a nice read to read from his perspective. If you are a fan of Divergent and especially Four, then I do suggest you give this a go.

"Sometimes people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piece you together in a way that makes sense to them. And if you don't know yourself very well, you might even believe that they are right. But the truth is, that isn't you. That isn't you at all."

Elise has spent her whole life being bullied. She tries to fit in, and tries to make friends but it just never works. One night she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets a group of people who change her life, and she eventually learns to accept herself.

This was a lovely little read. It is all about acceptance. It is a hugely relatable book if you have ever experienced bullying. Even if you don't have a passion for music, it is still relatable.

Elise has some great character development. She has a great passion for music, and she uses that passion to DJ and to give her love of music to other people, and help them have a great night.

There were some great characters, who all helped make Elise the person she is, who helped accept her for herself. Vicky was a favourite. She seemed so uplifting and she was a true friend to Elise. I wasn't a huge fan of Pippa for a little part of the book, but she eventually came around and lost her hate for Elise. I liked Char, but I loved the fact that Elise walked away from him.

Overall, a lovely and uplifting read that shows that being accepted by yourself is the most important thing.

'I understood that these people did not see me. I was two dead men. I was a burning farm. I was a knife. I was blood.'

Agnes Magnúsdóttir and Friðrik Sigurðsson have been convicted of murdering Natan Ketilsson and Pétur Jónsson. They have been given the death penalty and were to be executed by beheading. Agnes has been moved to a farm to wait for her execution and an Assistant Reverend Toti, who she asked for, has come to prepare her for death and bring her back to God. Agnes is telling her story.

It is such a shame that only two of my friends have read this because it is a stunning and beautifully written novel about courage, love and death. I bought this when I saw it in Waterstones who were having a buy one get one free sale and I loved the cover and I had heard good things about it so I thought I may as well get it and I am so glad I did. I loved it. I am fussy when it comes to my adult fiction. I either love it or hate it. I don't seem to have that problem with YA books, because I at least think they are okay. I think the problem is I find a lot of adult books dull and hard to relate to. But this was one of few that I actually really loved. I am trying to read out of my comfort zone and this was a perfect novel to do it with. I am a history buff. I love history, which may have been one of the reasons I loved this so much. I don't know if it is historically accurate or if it is more fiction, but I am aware that Hannah Kent researched a lot for this. Reading the Author's Note, Hannah Kent stated many thought Agnes was the leader and dominant one in the crime, but Kent gives another explanation and interpretation of events and I was pleasantly surprised by this thrilling and riveting read. It was a slow paced book, but I think it was needed. Her past was slowly revealed, as was what happened that night. The writing was splendid and it flowed so well. It felt so realistic, like it was actually Agnes saying those things. Wonderfully done.

The characters were great. So complex and they had so much originality to them and each had their own unique voices and personality. I liked the secondary characters very much. Margret, Steina, Jon, Toti and Lauga. I found Blöndal to be infuriating, yet his character was interesting and compelling, despite me disliking him, I found I could appreciate him. There's not much more I can say about the characters except they all seem to have so much passion, and I really did like how the family all grew fond of Agnes and didn't see her just as the murderess but as a person, unlike most other people. I really felt for Agnes and what she had been through, it wasn't her fault but she still paid for it with her life. Anyway, they were fantastically written characters.

I particularly liked Agnes' narration of the past. I enjoyed reading it and I felt in so much suspense about finding out what actually happened. Agnes was abused and betrayed and hurt and you could see that in her voice and her narration and I think she is a great character.

Burial Rites is a superb debut novel, and I will watch out for Hannah Kent because I am sure whatever else she writes will be just as good and I hope that there will be more from her.

People disappear when they die. Their voice, their laughter, the warmth of their breath. Their flesh. Eventually their bones. All living memory of them ceases. This is both dreadful and natural. Yet for some exception to this annihilation. For in the books they write they continue to exist. We can rediscover them.

Margaret Lea receives a letter from the famous author Viva Winter. Viva Winter has asked her to come along and hear Viva tell the truth. Viva Winter starts to tell Margaret a story about a pair of twins, named Adeline and Emmeline, and a house named Angelfield.

The Thirteenth Tale was a hit and miss for me. The writing was splendid, but slightly heavy for me. After a couple of chapters I would feel exhausted. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is why it took me longer than usual to finish this. I had to linger on every word for fear of missing something. However, the writing created the perfect atmosphere for the story. I couldn't have seen this story being told any other way. Therefore, the writing was both a positive and negative for me. The plot sometimes really caught my attention and I was being pulled along with the story, turning page after page, devouring it. But sometimes it completely lost my attention and I had to force myself to keep reading. So, why not rate it lower then, you ask? Well, that ending was magnificent! I had not seen the plot twist coming at all. I even had to put the book down for a little while to pull myself together and get my head on straight from the reeling it did from the plot twist. I just never saw it coming and it was something I would never have guessed, or even thought about for a fleeting moment. I adored how Setterfield managed to weave the story together, between past and present so delicately. Very well done.

I much preferred reading about Viva Winter's story than Margaret's. That is not to say I didn't admire Margaret as a character. I did. She was great. She had a passion for books that made her really easy to relate to. The fact that twins are the main focus of this book made it so easy to relate to, (I am a twin myself). I found that Setterfield got the feeling of being a twin spot on. They are a part of your soul, and would you lose them, it would feel as though you lost a part of yourself. There is a closeness of twins that many people don't get, but I think The Thirteenth Tale portrays the feeling really well. Adeline and Emmeline are both very interesting characters that really keep you invested in the story. But there were also so many others - Missus, John-the-Dig, and so many others I lost count of. All these characters are vital to the story and are written with so much care. I do applaud Setterfield on her characters.

A fantastic written book. It is such a shame that it was a hit and miss with me, but overall I did enjoy it and I would definitely recommend. I shall be reading more of Diane Setterfield

“Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.”

Just going to be a little ramble.

Victor and Eli were college roommates. They have a shared interest in researching those with extraordinary abilities. Experiments go wrong, and people get hurt. These experiment puts future events in place.

I was slightly disappointed with this. It was very hyped up so I went in with high expectations (I should probably stop doing that). I still really enjoyed it, but not as much as I hoped.

I liked the characters, and about the hero/villain thing, and that it's not always so clear cut about who is bad and who is good. I liked that about this book.

The plot was good, I liked how we got the flashbacks, yet the present day story and you had to wait a little at the beginning to understand what was actually going on in the present, after reading about the past.

Overall, a good read, and if you are a fan of science fiction and superhero stories.