Blog Tour Review - If Tomorrow Doesn't Come

I have a blog tour review for you! Brace yourselves, as I don't normally write reviews for blog tours if I can help it. Mainly because I'm always worry about what would happen if I said yes, then I read the book and go "Oh no, I don't like this. Now what?"

But with this, I knew I had to make an exception as when the Write Reads emailed and I read the synopsis for this, I got very excited. A book that tackles queerness, mental health and it's going to be beautiful and yet, utterly heartbreaking. SIGN ME UP!

Title and Author: If Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. Jude

Publisher: Penguin Random House Children

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by UK publisher and PR Blog Tour Company, The Write Reads, in exchange for an honest review/reaction for blog tour. 

Buy From (Affiliate): Bookshop.org

On the morning that Avery Byrne plans to kill herself, the world discovers that an asteroid is heading to Earth and there is only nine days left to live. 

With time running out, Avery rushes to get home to be with her family and the girl she's been in love with her whole life. But can Avery try and save her family, the girl she loves and, maybe, even herself...

Audiobook Review - Eragon

• Title And Author: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
• Publisher: Random House (Corgi)
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Audiobook
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Borrowed from local library via BorrowBox
• Length: 528 Pages or 16 Hours 22 Minutes

At the beginning of the year, I said I was going to try and read the whole Inheritance Cycle and His Fair Assassin series. I failed. I fully accept that I sucked that sticking to my reading plans (hence why I NEVER do “This is my TBR for the month” list). But I did want to try and read this series all the way through. I have read Eragon years ago and I did enjoy myself hugely with it. So, when I was on my library audiobook app and I saw this, I requested it. 

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone, he thinks it’ll be worth something. Maybe he could sell it for meat. But he can’t and, almost overnight, his simple farm boy life is shattered as the stone isn’t a stone but a dragon’s egg. Soon, the egg hatches and, as Eragon and the dragon (who he needs Saphira) bond, both are thrown into a dark world beyond the farm…

Book Review - The Fork, The Witch and The Worm

• Title And Author: The Fork, The Witch and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
• Publisher: Penguin
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by ED PR in exchange for an honest review
• Length: 320 Pages

As you know if you have followed the Pewter Wolf in the past month or so, I’m planning to read Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini through 2019. Or try to (they are meaty books!). I planned this back in late summer 2018. So when this collection of short stories was announced to go with the series, I added it on my radar, but with the plan to read AFTER I completed the four book series. 

However, when the lovely people at ED PR sent me a copy and told me “Oh, you can read this as an entry point to the series if you are a newbie to the world or readers of the series can read now as a tie-them-over till when the fifth novel set in the world comes out (oh, Christopher has said he’s planning to write more novels set in the world of Alagaësia but following new characters, so companion novels technically)”, I decided that I would read this collection before I go to Eragon (which would be a reread to me as I read this YEARS ago but never carried on due to the following novels lengths!). A bit of a refresher and, hopefully, a nice way to ease self back into the world of dragons… 

Set a year after the events of Inheritance, Eragon is trying to find a new home for the dragons. But with that, comes duties. Trade agreements, guarding dragons, dealing with elves and Urgals. But three things happen that, hopefully, bring Eragon a much needed-distraction and new perspective: a vision from the spirits of the dragons past, an unexpected visitor and an Urgal legend.

The Fork, The Witch and the Worm

Like I told you guys earlier this week, I'm planning on reading two series this years. The first is His Fair Assassin series by Robin LaFevers. The second is the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. It's one of those series I read YEARS ago (ten? Twelve?) when the first book, Eragon, came out and loved, but got scared of the sequels due to length.

Anyway, when I decided to try and return to this world, the collection of short stories set after the fourth and final book, Inheritance, was announced so I need I was going to add to my reading without even thinking about. So, when the lovely Sian at ED PR asked if I would be involved in this blog tour to celebrate The Fork, The Witch and the Worm, I jumped at the chance.

Acting as both an entry point for new readers and loving return to fans, this collection takes place a year after the events of Inheritance, Eragon is struggling with find a new home for the dragons and riders while coping with a never-ending sea of tasks. But a vision, a surprise visitors and an exciting legend gives Eragon the distraction and new perspective Eragon needs...

I am currently reading this collection of three stories at time of writing this post and I am having a blast and can't wait to return to this world in the coming months. So, to share my excitement, I have a small extract to share with you!

Now, before I hand you to the extract, I want to thank Sian at ED PR for asking me to be involved in this tour. Super kind of you and a great way to kickstart my Year of Blood and Magic reading! And, if you want to know more about Christopher Paolini and the world of Alagaësia, you can check out paolini.net or say hi to him on Twitter at @paolini (Also say hi to his sister, Angela, on Twitter at @Angela_Paolini as she is not only the inspiration behind beloved character in series, Angela the herbalist [who my extract is about! SO EXTRA LOVE PLEASE AND THANK YOU!] by also wrote  within the collection. But where you ask? I'm not going to kiss and tell. A dragon would kill for less...)

RIGHT, ONTO THE EXTRACT!

#re3 - Artemis Fowl

I read Artemis Fowl years ago - actually, read the first three books in the series. And I really enjoyed them back in the day. But, for one reason or another, I never carried on after the third book - Artemis Fowl And The Eternity Code - in the series. I think there was a cover change or maybe I felt that  it was the right place for me to stop.

But recently, over the past year, I have been wanting to going back and reread Artemis. Mainly the first 2 books - Artemis Fowl and Artemis Fowl and Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident - as I have warm feelings about them. Maybe if I get sucked into them again, I will reread Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code and want to carry on and read the rest of the series that I have missed out on. Plus, with Disney making a movie based on the first book (something I discovered back in the summer), I knew it was time...

But would it still stand up to my memory... I mean, this was firs published in UK in 2001 and a lot has changed. For example - that cover. I hate this cover! I much prefer the original - the shiny gold cover that, if anyone annoyed you, you can reflect light off it and use it as a weapon... if I can find it, will pop it down below somewhere!

Any, let's get past the cover and talk about the book, shall we?

Artemis Fowl the Second is a criminal genius and, at only twelve, is plotting his biggest money making scheme to date. If he's going to restore the family fortune, a bit of kidnapping will have to do.

But to kidnap a fairy?

When Artemis kidnaps Captain Holly Short of the LEP (Lower Elements Police), he doesn't realise that the world he's about to discover has highly armed, highly dangerous and extremely high-tech - fairies that will fight back.

Artemis Fowl might have underestimated them and, in the process, could trigger a cross-species war...

I couldn't help smiling while reread this. I forgot so much detail and yet, remember the basic plotline so I flew through. It was fun, and that's why rereads are a good thing to us readers/bloggers.

I think if I discovered this when I was 12, I would have devoured this series. This could have been my Harry Potter if I was 12 when this first came out. But I was in my late teens when this came, hence maybe one of the many reasons I didn't carry on with this series.

There is one or two things that niggle at me (the timeline in the first few chapters are off - Artemis seems to take place over a series of weeks/months whereas Holly takes place over a night, but there is no telling them apart due to how the scenes are written). Plus, I think it could have a few extra pages due to some pacing.

But, this was fun and I loved returning to this world. I am very much looking forward to read Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident in the coming few months (soon!) and, hopefully, this will spur me on to read the rest of the series.

Press Release - DC Icons Coming To The UK!

Ok, I know. I am very rare when I put Press Release up on the blog. It has to be news that makes me jump up and down in my chair and go "I HAVE TO SHARE THIS ON MY BLOG BECAUSE ARGH!!!". And I feel that this warrants that. And hopefully, you guys will be excited too.

I have to thank Ryan from Empire of Books (who has a puppy! A CUTIE PIE PUPPY!) for getting me in the loop and then Sarah from Penguin Random House Children's UK (that's a mouthful!) who saw my tweets and asked if she could send me the email in question because I wasn't on her radar. Hence the squealing!

But... guys, this sounds good! And all I can think of here is "BRING ME WONDER WOMAN!", "This is gonna be awesome!" and "Please don't screw this up!"

Audiobook Review - The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner

When I was offered to review the audiobook of this, I jumped at the chance. I am only just getting into the late Terry Pratchett's writing so seeing this intrigued me. A collection of short stories for younger readers? Sold.

Follow-up to the previous collection, Dragons at Crumbling Castle, this collection of fourteen short stories - including one or two that inspired Terry's later stories. Short stories that range from wizards, talking statues, a town in the the Wild Wild West (of Wales), gnomes, trolls, and a time-travelling TV to name but a few...

This is quite a short audiobook - just under 4 hours - and it was a fast listen for me (a shock for me, but with me cycling to and from work the past few days, it made the cycle fun!). And I loved how short and bitesized each story was.

This collection is of Terry's early short stories, taken from the local newspaper he worked at. And while I liked these stories, a tiny part of me felt a tad uneasy over this collection. I'm not sure why, but I could help but feel a hint of cashing in on this. I'm not sure why I felt this way - I hope am being a little sensitive over this but I couldn't shake that feeling away.

There are some stories in here I liked more than others - The Blackbury Park Statues is my favourite out of these. And these stories are aimed for a younger audience - middle grade readers (oh, how I disliked this term) but I think most Terry Pratchett fans will enjoy this.

Audiobook Review - Chasing The Stars

So, here we are. My first Malorie Blackman novel - well, audiobook. But you, dear readers, know what I mean. This is my first novel - not short story - and this was given to me by Leanne at Midas PR (on behalf of Audible.co.uk). This came from an email chat where I asked for a few audiobooks as part of last month's Murder Month and I said I would need something when the murders get too much. Leanne mentioned a few upcoming titles and I instantly locked on Chasing The Stars and got quite excited when Leanne went "Ok, let me grab you a credit so you can preorder this". 

Inspired by the Shakespeare play, Othello, Chasing the Stars follows Olivia and her twin brother, Aidan, alone on a spaceship after a virus wiped out the whole crew - including their parents - and are trying desperately to return to Earth. On the way, they see something. A human settlement on a hostile planet under fire. Vee tries her best to save the humans, but only saved 22. 

One of the 22 is Nathan. As soon as they see each other, both Nathan and Vee begin to fall for each other hard and dangerously fast. But things take dark and murderous turn. Secrets, lies, jealousy, murder. Sometimes love won't save the day... 

Before I go any further, I must stress one word in my write up. Inspired. This novel is inspired by Othello. I have to state this as I believe some of you guys who know Othello inside out will read this and will be very surprised over the differences between the book and the play. 

I enjoyed myself with this audiobook. I liked it, but I know that this is one of those stories that will split you. You will like it or loathe it. 

Let' start with why I liked it. I got hooked in within the first few chapters as things were thrown at you. It got my attention and once everyone met, I enjoyed seeing how they interacted, and the events that followed. The mysterious "accidents" and the claustrophobic atmosphere of being on a spaceship and someone causing these accidents... the tension was delicious for me (and I love a good mystery - hey, maybe I could have put this story as one of my Murder Month reads...!)

The characters - Vee and Nathan - were the main driving force of the story for me. Within a few chapters, I had to know what happened to them next. I believe that because this book was duel chapters (Vee would read one, Nathan would read the second and back&forth we go) and the narrators of the audiobook (Georgina Campbell and Matthew Morgan) helped me with this. Both made me warm to the leads instantly and make me both like them and, at times, want to shake them and say (as Nathan's mother said to him) "My hand is itching to give you an attitude adjustment slap". Both are flawed and damaged characters and when the plot turned dark and their relationship goes south, we saw Vee consumed with jealousy and self doubt whereas with Nathan, we saw his pride get hurt and his unwillingness to see things from Vee's point of view. And they not wanting to communicate - oh, the amount of times I would mentally shout at my iPod "Talk! Communicate! You need to talk to each other about this!"... I don't read books often that, when a relationship disintegrates, it's both people in the relationships who are at fault. It usually one person who "ruins" it and the other is the innocent party. So, reading this was oddly refreshing for me. 

However (I didn't want to say but), this book isn't perfect and I know some of you guys will dislike this book for 2 or 3 reasons. 

The first is side characters. Now, I love a good side character. Just given a small nugget of information and they become a person. They feel real. But, this doesn't feel like it happened. This book focuses so much of Vee and Nathan that other characters don't really get room to breath. There's only one minor character that I thought was written well and that was Nathan's friend, Anjuli, and that was because I had an instant reaction to her and I saw her very clearly in my mind. But other characters, important characters such as Aidan (Vee's twin brother) and Catherine (Nathan's mother), didn't feel fleshed out. They felt a little flat, and these characters (along with one or two others) really needed to be fleshed out more. 

The second reason is the insta-love element. There is no getting away from it. Vee and Nathan's relationship is very insta-love and some of you guys are gonna hate it. I never saw it as insta-love but two very damaged souls (Vee being alone on a spaceship for 3 years after watching the whole crew dying and Nathan being a slave and suffering physical and mental abuse, and both desperate for love) meeting and falling into an intense relationship that flares into life before dying and turning into something toxic and hideous. I enjoyed this, but I know some of you won't. You will scream at their instant connect and fume over them going "This is happening too fast" thoughts... 

The third thing is a mix of plot and ending. Now, I admit I don't know much about Othello, so I went into this story blind. But I found the twists in the plot a little weak and predictable. I didn't get all the plot twists, mind, - there was one I didn't see coming, but once it was revealed, I was surprised I didn't see it sooner. But there was one that I saw coming almost from the start and was surprised no one else saw it! I don't believe this is the author's fault, but I wish there was more twists and mystery to hide the truth. 

The same goes with the ending. The ending isn't concrete enough for my tastes. I don't mind endings like Chasing the Stars had, but in this case, I feel like I needed something more. 

I enjoyed this, but I feel that this will divide readers... But I am excited to read Noughts and Crosses, which is sitting on my Kindle as I type... 

GoodRead - Arsenic For Tea

I haven't read the first book in the Wells and Wong series, Murder Most Unladylike. Before you say anything, I know... I know. I am a bad UKYA blogger. This is one of those books that everyone in the blogsphere LOVES and I do have a signed copy (thank you, Foyles!) on my TBR shelf, but when I saw Arsenic for Tea, I wanted to read it. Plus, I wanted to know if I could read Arsenic for Tea without reading Murder Most Unladylike...

Best friends Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong solved one murder. But can they solve other? When they go to Daisy's home, Fallingford, for the Easter break, they should be celebrating Daisy's birthday. Expect that's not the case - so Daisy is naturally annoyed. A mystery man has appeared and his arrival upsets the balance of the household.

And when he suddenly becomes ill and then dies, everyone close to Daisy is a suspect. And when the clues point to one person in particular, the Detective Society have to discover who the killer is - no matter the consequence...

As you guys know, I do like a good murder mystery and this was delicious reading. It was as if someone had dared Agatha Christie to write an Enid Blyton story and this was the end result. A story that was fun and addictive read, strong leads (I like Hazel a lot, but Daisy is a tad spoilt for my taste but I think she's meant to be!) and a mystery that leaves you guessing till the very end.

What is interesting about this book is, because of the time this series is set - the 1930s - we see things that I think people who like to brush over. There is hints of casual racism aimed at Hazel - racism from people who are "nice" - and we see that this upsets Hazel, but it's still unnerving to see this and go "People used to think this was accepted". Am very happy that Robin Stevens tackles this and doesn't shy away from Hazel's reaction and her feeling alone.

It was a fun read, though I do think you should read Murder Most Unladylike before as the events of book 1 were mentioned.

I do think some of you guys will think this is a bit young - it could be classed as a middle grade book rather than a YA read - but it was fun! A fun read and a good crime read (which is bad as I want to attack all the Kathy Reichs I own!), but I can't wait to read Murder Most Unladylike as soon as I find time so I am up to date when book 3 in this series, First Class Murder, comes out at the end of July of this year...

#re3 - Clockwork

As you probably know, I have been in a reading slump (something I hate! Will write a blog post on this in the future) so I have been, the past few days, reading very short stories/novellas to get out of it and I have, so far, managed to read two (The Fisherman's Net by Laura Lam and now, Clockwork [or All Wound Up] by Philip Pullman). And, barring my Harry Potter #re3 challenge, this is my first #re3 of the year so, yes, LET'S GET CRACKING WITH MY #RE3 QUESTIONS!

WHY DID YOU REREAD CLOCKWORK?
Reading slump. I fell into it and I just wanted to read something quite short till I got back on my reading feet. Plus, as part of the His Dark Materials Readalong with a few other bloggers, I wanted to read Philip Pullman before I reread Lyra's Oxford and The Collectors and read Once Upon A Time In The North.

WHAT WAS YOUR HONEST OPINION OF THIS BOOK WHEN YOU FIRST READ IT?
When I audiobooked this the first time, I really enjoyed it. I liked how, even though this was a middle grade book, how layered it was. How it hinted at little things and they grew over the short space of time the story took hold. Plus, I had discovered this book just after I discovered Northern Lights and The Subtle Knife so nothing could fault it at the time.

WHAT IS YOUR HONEST OPINION NOW THAT YOU HAVE REREAD THIS BOOK?
I can see that this is a middle-grade book. I am too old to read this, but I liked the little hints that mature readers got (for example, what happened to Fitz at the end of the book).

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO TELL US?
Unlike the audiobook, there is some sections of the story that is put in boxes (like footnotes) and you have to read them at just the right moment so it doesn't upset the flow of the story. But in the audiobook, they are slotted in perfect and as they are very short, it never felt upset and distracting.

BECAUSE OF THIS BOOK, WILL YOU REREAD ANY BOOKS WITHIN THIS SERIES?
As this is a standalone, no. But I am going to read Lyra's Oxford, The Collectors and Once Upon A Time in the North as part of the His Dark Materials Readalong as I am going to read more from this author. I might read Philip Pullman's younger-aiming books in the future. Maybe The Firework-Maker's Daughter...

GoodRead - The Dagger in the Desk

So, on my way home from the Fire Sermon blogger event, rather than read the book the event was about, I wanted to read something quick and addictive. I had a short train journey and the London Underground today was busy and I didn't want to use my newly signed copy as a weapon. So, to stop this from happening, I read my kindle and I read the eShort of Lockwood and Co. The Dagger In The Desk.

And yes, I haven't read the first book in the series. I KNOW! The great Jim from YA Yeah Yeah gave me a copy and it's sitting on my TBR shelf, waiting. And, as it's about ghosts, I'm trying not to give it eye contact. Otherwise, I am doomed. 

In Dagger In The Desk, London's (ok, not our London but another London) most talented psychic detective agency (and ghost hunters) are called on to investigate a ghost in St Simeon's Academy for Talented Youngsters. A ghost that lurks in the shadows, is angry and carries a very sharp and very real dagger. Will they survive the night...? 

I sped through this and I wished I have read the first book in the series, The Screaming Staircase. This was fun, fast-paced and funny. I can imagine The Screaming Staircase having very scary moments (one of the reasons am quite fearful to read ghost stories - am a bit of a wuss). 

But I flew through this and am very excited to read this series. Fans of the first book, I feel, will love this. It will tie you guys over till book 3 comes out later this year. 

For those of you curious over this series and wondering if this would be good starting point to see if you like the writing, I would say yes. You get a feel for the world (though I think Screaming Staircase will do a better, more in depth job) and with this, you get a tiny galley of the ghosts and an sneak peek of Screaming Staircase so if you like it and want to read more, you can read that and see if you like it.

I chose not to read the sneak peek as I want to be surprised when I read Screaming Staircase, but I had such fun reading Dagger in the Desk that I hope to enter this world again very soon...