Tag: Fantasy

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is a case of bookstagram made me do it. Fantasy or magical realism is not my usual go-to genre, but this book seemed to be getting so much love that I felt I needed to give it a go. Especially as it was a bargain price on Kindle (yes, I have one, no it is not substitute for a real book, and yes I am pretty sure I will still be buying just as many physical books).

This was just a fantastic story. Two rival journalists who seem to wind each other up, Iris and Kitt, both have the ambition to be the best at what they do, yet neither is satisfied with the current hand that they have been dealt. However, they have both been finding solace in the letters that they have been writing to ‘strangers’, thanks to their magic typewriters. Kitt is expected to make a match arranged by his father. And Iris has recently lost her brother to the war (is he still alive?) and her mother to an accident. So, both make the decision to become war reporters, and report on the war raging between the gods – bringing them closer together and forcing them both to re-evaluate their relationship.

Kitt and Iris are fantastic characters, and this is a wonderful story – I can see why it has become quite the success it has. This is not heavy fantasy, and it is as much about the relationship between Kitt and Iris as it is the fantastical world in which they live, and, of course, the war between the gods. This is a book that will appeal to those who like a good story as much as those who like a good fantasy. It has definitely left me keen to read the second book of the duology, and I can be a nightmare for remembering to do that (I have still only read 2 of the 3 ‘Shadow and Bone’ stories – and I really enjoyed those, so I have no idea why number 3 is still sitting on my shelf).

Do not fear the hype; give ‘Divine Rivals’ a go – especially if you want to dip your toe into the world of fantasy – this could be a great place to start.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

May appears to be the month for me to read outsdie my comfort zone. ‘Shadow and Bone’ is not a book I would ever had picked up before, as it is YA fantasy. Yet bookstagram and Netflix made me do it – and I do not regret anything.

I am no YA fantasy – or any fantasy – expert, despite Mr Bookwormandtheatremouse being a huge fan of the genre. However, I was gripped with this this book from the first page. So much so, I was finding sneaky reading time before work as I need to know what going to happen. So, it is safe to say that this is a page-turner.

I am probably the last person in the world to read this book, but I still do not want to spoil it just in case there are still some bookworms who need to pick the book up. However, what I loved about it is that there was a clear plot (as sometimes fantasy is all over the place – yes I said that) and there is a strong female lead in Alina. She demonstrates great strength and dedication to the things she believes are right. She may be a little misguided at moments, but she soon realises her mistakes and makes some better decisions.

I cannot wait to read the second book in this trilogy, and become even more immersed in these novels and this world.

Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is a book that I have seen all over social media and front of store in all the bookshops. So, of course, I was influenced to give it a go, even though it is probably something that I would not have picked up without the hype. However, the hype was totally correct – this novel is pure joy.

A translated novel – although you would not realise – there is none of the clunkiness you sometimes have with books when they are not in their native language.

This novel is full of emotion from the very first moment. One seat, in one cafe, can transport you to moments in the past (and the future on one occasion) and, although you can not change the past (or the future), it leads the characters to reflect and react. Throughout the story, there is a strong theme of love and respect, which leads to all sorts of emotional encounters and – at the same time – is truly wonderful.

This is a book that I want to tell everyone to read, because it is thought-provoking and beautiful. A modern twist on simple fantasy that is impossible to put down. Take a risk, try something new, you won’t be disappointed.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This was a novel that I had seen all over the bookstagram. It was something that piqued my interest, I am not going lie – mainly because I loved the cover. And the cover did not let me down – it is, in fact, possibly a perfect cover.

I was drawn into the excitement of the novel from page 1. It reminded me a little of ‘The Hunger Games’. How dark is ‘Caraval’ as a real-life game, and who exactly will turn out to be ‘Legend’? He certainly appears to b the a darker ‘Greatest Showman’.

At points, the story doesn’t seem to have the pace that is created from the start. Yet, if you stick to the story, it certainly picks up, especially when you find yourself trying to figure out exactly who each character is. Nothing and nobody ever seems to be quite as it should.

However, it is again a novel with a strong female lead in Scarlett. Throughout the adventure, she discovers just how strong she is, eventually standing up to those who have made decisions for her all her life.

This book has certainly paved the way for more adventure, and I would be intrigued to see what happens next. After all, who wants to be left on a cliffhanger…?

Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I am about to make a bold statement: this is my favourite Pratchett ever (so far – as I am reading them in order).

I was late to discovering Pratchett. Mr Bookwormandtheatremouse is a big fan so I decided I should give the Discworld novels a go, especially once the beautiful hardback books were published.

I have to admit that sometimes I am not entirely sure what has happened in the stories but I have always enjoyed them. However, ‘Pyramids’ seems to have changed that. I managed to keep the thread of the story even without chapters (that has really taken some getting used to). ‘Pyramids’ is infused with Pratchett’s gentle humour and witty observations that create his Discworld parallels to our world. Their version of Ancient Egypt is highly ridiculous with a whole host of highly comical and equally ridiculous characters. Yet, the odd voice of reason comes in the shape of our hero, Teppic, his ghostly father and a camel (well, he offers thoughts of reason).

This book has certainly reignited my joy in being part of Discworld. I accept that chapters are not a thing and sometimes I will need a character list to keep me on track, but the escapism is totally worth it (and the giggles).

Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I saw an article not so long ago that suggested that there were not enough lead female characters in children’s fiction, but yet again I have stumbled across another: Tiffany Aching is one of the most fabulous female lead characters I have encountered.

Tiffany encompasses the idea that girls can be courageous and ambitious and will not let the world that they live in hold them back. In fact, it was interesting at the end of the tale that Pratchett highlighted the fact that successful and heroic females do not always get the recognition that they deserve, but they are confident enough in their own abilities that they do not need public adoration.

As I am sure you can see, I loved reading ‘Wee Free Men’. There was a charm to the book from the moment you picked it up. It was full of Pratchett’s usual wit and humour that works on so many levels (adults can always enjoy his children’s books as much as his target audience) and the voice that he gave the ‘pictsies’ was spot on. I often found myself chuckling as I heard their ‘wee’ Scottish voices throughout the novel.

The foe of Tiffany is the ‘Queen’, who kidnaps her younger brother. With the help of the pictsies and a mildly grumpy toad, Tiffany has to fight the dreams that the Queen creates for her to try and get her brother home. Her inspiration throughout is Granny Aching, who she gets her strength of character from. It is quite an adventure for all involved.

So, I think I may have found one of my new favourite characters, as it is rather a lot of fun to join Tiffany on her adventures.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Mr Bookworm and Theatre Mouse introduced me to Neil Gaiman about 7 years ago. Since then, I have become a massive fan of Gaiman’s work and, as there has been such hype about the TV series of ‘American Gods’ (how can there not be when Lovejoy is in it?), I thought I had best read the book first. This is a rule I have: try to read the book before I see any kind of adaptation.

I think this is the longest Neil Gaiman book I have read and it seemed to take me a while to get through it. Not due to lack of enjoyment, but due to real life getting in the way. I was, in fact, hooked from the moment I picked up this title – it does have quite a dramatic start and I constantly tried to sneak in a few pages wherever and whenever I could since then. I was fascinated about Shadow and his story and the mysterious Mr Wednesday from the word go, and you just get more drawn in as you are introduced to the vast array of colourful characters throughout the novel. You just want to keep turning the pages, as you’re always keen to find out what is going to happen next.

It does take some concentration to keep up with the tale as it marches towards the conclusion, but that does not take away from the enjoyment of the book. It is extremely clever storytelling when even the smallest incident turns out to have quite an impact on the story. So much is revisited that you wonder if you should have given each event more of your attention as it happened – which is something great that you’ll often find in Neil Gaiman’s stories.

The research and detail that has been put into this book to intertwine all the gods and folkloric figures from around the world as they converge in America (as so many different cultures have done) is commendable, and has left me with a desire to find out more about a number of them. Mr Bookworm and Theatre Mouse was quizzing me on if I had worked out who they all were, but I am happy to find out as I go rather then predict.

This book was a brilliant read and overall, for me, it has left me thinking about ‘Shadow’ and shadows: do we always know what is going on or what is going to happen? Do we need to be in the spotlight, or should we be looking at the magic of the shadows?