Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And since I got/purchased quite a few books in the Christmas period, I thought it would be fun to share them!
Some of these are in my January TBR, so they won't be a surprise, but other than that, I bet they'll be a few that you won't expect!
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!
~Gifted~
As the title suggests, these are the books I was gifted by friends and Jordan. For 4/5 of these I gave them choices (three friends- one of them just went ahead and got me both options- you can decide how I feel about that)).
1. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, by Seth Grahame-Smith
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies opens with a plague sweeping the nation- and the dead are returning to life! Elizabeth Bennett is our fiesty heroine- determined to wipe out the walking dead- but she soon becomes distracted by the witty Mr. Darcy. Cue a number of funny, witty, romantic, badass scenes that deals with heartbreak, love, and of course, zombies, and we have our book.
2. Watermelon (Walsh Family #1), by Marian Keyes
- Claire has everything she wants. Good job, wonderful husband, house, and a new baby. Then, hours after she gives birth, her husband tells her he no longer loves her and leaves, leaving a newborn daughter, a broken heart, and a postpartum body she can't bare to look at in the morror.
- Trying to pick up the pieces that is her life, she decides to move back to Dublin, back to her childhood home.
- Claire is forced to move on, to stand on her own two feet.
- And that's when her ex-husband walks back into her life.
Not complicated at all, eh?
I can't wait to delve back into this series (and hopefully continue with book 3 afterwards, haha).
From here on out, you'll be seeing a lot of anticipated released from the last year. This is a first for me, because, for many years now, although I haven't deliberately gone against the curve of 'popular reading', I haven't really cared at all, when it was published. Whether it was 1950s, or 2000s, I've just read what I've fancied. So it's kind of nice to know that, in this instance at least, that my 'reading taste' is a bit more current.
3. Strangers in Time, by David Baldacci
And yet, the first book on the list is a historical fiction, taking place in the blitz! Hor ironic!
I've already described this book in my anticipated releases post last year (link is here) but I'll go through it once more, in case you don't fancy clicking.
Strangers in Time follows Charlie; a walkabout orphan, killing time, avoiding bombs until he can go up against the Germans- not knowing if the next blitz might be his last; and Molly, once a young girl, having returned home from the country to a London she no longer recognises.
The two orphans find eachother in chaos, and seek asylum in a lowly bookshop. The owner, widower, Ignatius Oliver, graciously allows them entry.
But, aside from Charlie and Molly's individual troubles, Ignatius is harbouring a secret- a secret that led to the death of his wife. As the three become their own version of a family, the main question is this- will their problems tear them apart from the only family they have left?
4. Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke
I've had so many people recommend this book to me. Even Jordan's Mum mentioned it to me at one point.
Piranesi is a fantasy, nominated for Readers' Favourite Fantasy in 2020. It really doesn't feel like this book has been out for five years. It really doesn't feel like a fantasy.
But it is. And that's really the only concrete thing I know about this book.
It sure sounds intriguing though.
"Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has.
Then messages begin to appear, scratched out in chalk
on the pavements. There is someone new in the House.
But who are they and what do they want?
Lost texts must be found; secrets must be uncovered.
The world that Piranesi thought he knew is becoming
strange and dangerous.
The Beauty of the House is immeasurable;
its Kindness infinite."
Confused yet? Yeah, so am I.
5. Katabasis, by R.F. Kuang
This screams acadamia, because it's Grad student Alice Law, endevouring to be the best- in the field of analytic magick, of course (couldn't be an R.F. Kuang fantasy without magic).
But to be the absolute best, she has to find a particular person. That person happens to be (rather inconveniently) in Hell.
What's worse is, her arch rival Peter Murdock is going after him as well.
Hell is nothing like what the Philosophers say- it's topsy-turvy, it's dangerous, it's sadistic- and like it or not, if Alice wants to achieve her dream, her and Peter are going to have to work together if they want to survive.
But will they survive without riping eachother to pieces first?
This has a feel of The Nevernight Chronicles to it, and as tough as I found the ending to that trilogy, I have a feeling that I'm going to like this a heck of a lot more.
Anybody else read this? Want to share your thoughts? My comment bar is below.
~Christmas Purchases~
1. Not Quite Dead Yet, by Holly Jackson
Holly Jackson's first adult murder mystery.
Loved A Good Girl's Guide to Murder TV show- and was eager to start something of Holly Jackson's published works.
This seemed perfect.
We follows Jet, who is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. At twenty-seven years old, it seems she is just waiting for life to start.
I'll do it later, she thinks. She has plenty of time.
Until she's violently attacked, on Halloween.
The doctors say she has at best a week, until her head injuries turn into a deadly anneurism.
Jet has never thought she has any enermies, but the violent attack is enough to open her eyes to who it just might be: her family, her ex-best friend turned sister in law, her ex-boyfriend. Her Childhood friend is the only one she can count on.
She has one week to achieve maybe the most important goal in her entire life.
Solving her own murder.
2. Among the Burning Flowers (The Roots of Chaos #0.2), by Samantha Shannon
I'm so behind on this whole saga, I have no idea where this book takes place.
All I know is I have to keep getting them.
I will pick up A Day of Fallen Night and read this, and then re-read The Priory of the Orange Tree, because I loved the first release, enough to purchase the other two without knowing much about them.
Samantha Shannon is one of the top fantasy authors in this day and age, and I feel so priviliged to be able to read about her vast worlds, her extensive characters, the heartbreak, the adventure, the romance, and most of all, DRAGON RIDING.
Dragon Riding. Should have led with that from the start.
3. The Survivor Wants to Die at the End (They Both Die at the End #2), by Adam Silvera
I mean, the title pretty much speaks for itself.
It feels pretty insensitive to give a description of my interpretation of the novel for this one. To be fair, it may not be. But I still don't want to risk offending anyone with the language I use (I'm just going to quote my blurb):
"What happens when you want Death-Cast to call?
Paz Darlo stays up every night, waiting for
the Death-Cast call that would mean he
doesn't have to keep faking his way through
this lonely life. After a devastating day, Paz
decides he's done waiting around for Death-
Cast. If they say he's not dying, he'll just have
to prove them wrong. But right before Paz
can die, a boy saves his life.
Alano Rosa is heir to the Death-Cast empire
that encourages everyone to live their best
lives, but he doesn't feel in control of his
own existence thanks to his father. And
with a violent organisation called the Death
Guard threatening Alano, his End Day might
be closer than he thinks. It's time to live.
Fate brings Paz and Alano together.
But they must survive the tragic trials
ahead so no one dies at the end."
I love Adam Silvera books, and I hope to love this too.
Okay! Those are all the books I was gixted/ purchased over Christmas! If you got any too, please comment down below! I love to read your comments!
Okay! That's everything I have for you all today!
I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon!
Byeeee!
-Abi xxxxxx
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