Top 5 Tuesday: Reasons I Rate a Book 5 Stars

January 21, 2020January 21, 2020 | CJR The Brit

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm, see her original post here.

I don’t think I am a ‘critical’ reader by any means but I know what I like and I know what I love.

Over the past year I think I’ve been more picky about what rating I give a book so this topic was perfect for me!

Theme = Top 5 Reasons I Rate a Book 5 Stars

Pacing 🏃‍♀️

I’m one of those who wants it not too fast but not too slow. I want it all!!!!!

Writing Style ✒

If I don’t like the authors/books writing style it’s going to have an effect on what I think of the book.

Plot 📖

It needs to be interesting, make sense and have no holes! If there are holes, it totally takes my concentration away as I’m thinking about it!

Feels 😿😹

How the story makes me feel. I want all those feels! Well not in real life, just in the world that I am currently inhabiting!

Recommend 🏆

If I want to plaster the book all over social media, if I want to discuss with a book friend who has read and if I push the book on my book friends then it’s a winner for me!

What about you? What makes you rate a book 5 stars?

Review: A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 | CJR The Brit

I got this book in my Fairyloot box and followed along with their readalong….so good!

Title: A River of Royal Blood

Author: Amanda Joy

Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of marrow and blood–a dark and terrible magick that hasn’t been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Its last known practitioner was Queen Raina, who toppled the native khimaer royalty and massacred thousands, including her own sister, eight generations ago, thus beginning the Rival Heir tradition. Living in Raina’s long and dark shadow, Eva must now face her older sister, Isa, in a battle to the death if she hopes to ascend to the Ivory Throne–because in the Queendom of Myre only the strongest, most ruthless rulers survive.

When Eva is attacked by an assassin just weeks before the battle with her sister, she discovers there is more to the attempt on her life than meets the eye–and it isn’t just her sister who wants to see her dead. As tensions escalate, Eva is forced to turn to a fey instructor of mythic proportions and a mysterious and handsome khimaer prince for help in growing her magick into something to fear. Because despite the love she still has for her sister, Eva will have to choose: Isa’s death or her own.

A River of Royal Blood is an enthralling debut set in a lush North African inspired fantasy world that subtly but powerfully challenges our notions of power, history, and identity.

This is a debut from the author? Well it was fabulous! I took part in Fairyloot’s readalong but couldn’t help reading more than the intended chapters each day as I wanted it all!!!

Let me start off by saying I thought this story had fab world building. A world with a rich and tragic history where 2 sisters have to fight to the death to take the throne….only 1 can survive.

There was also a great backstory throughout the book that had me hooked!

I must admit I didn’t take many notes throughout this book but here are the bits I loved….

The magick system,

The characters; Prince Aketo, Falun and Bacha (although I found it odd that he just appeared and was accepted instantly but I get Eve was desperate!!!)

Whilst we are on the subject of Aketo (we were weren’t we?!) I will just say that I love him. Like actually loved him, horns and all!

But that ending….I need that next book and I need it now!

The Fairyloot Limited Edition of A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer arrived!

January 19, 2020January 17, 2020 | CJR The Brit

Look what arrived!!!

The Fairyloot special edition of A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer!

When I heard it had been delivered my heart gave a little jump!

It came with a postcard…

And a lovely holographic spine…..

It’s signed and has a ribbon bookmark………

And now to dive in and hopefully get the same feeling I had when reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely!

Funny Friday! Laughter is good for the soul….

January 17, 2020November 29, 2019 | CJR The Brit

January seems like the worst month of the year doesn’t it?!

The Christmas excitement is over, it’s cold, it’s a long month and the early December pay has ran out.

So I thought, let’s have some laughter…..and I think we all agree that there is nothing better than books!

(That owl though!)

Review: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

January 16, 2020January 3, 2020 | CJR The Brit

Title: Crooked Kingdom

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Welcome to the world of the Grisha.

Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties.

A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets – a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

It’s a good job this was an audio book or my kindle would’ve blown up from my tears!

Now that’s out the way I’ll say no more and get on with it (between sobs, I’m devastated!)

This book continues from where Six of Crows left off….getting Inej back and thwarting Van Eck.

I knew I wanted loads of action from this book. I wanted loads more Nina and Matthis. I wanted Kaz to get his finger from out his behind and get Inej!

And, oh my. Oh my. I am nearly lost for words. I got it. I got it all.

As in the first book, the world they live in was totally amazing, there was loads of action and I was totally hooked.

Even though I’m totally gutted where the plot went, I liked it. Also do you think there could be more? Like a where are they now?

Top 5 Tuesday: Books I Need to Read in 2020

January 14, 2020January 8, 2020 | CJR The Brit

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm, see her original post here.

Theme = Top 5 Books I Need to read in 2020

I’m not doing any backlist challenges this year so thought I would pick 5 books from my tbr that I want to read this year. PS picking only 5 was so hard!

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

I have heard so many good things about this book and when I read the blurb, I knew it was for me!

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

I love this series but I didn’t get to read this last installment before the end of last year so it’s on like kong in 2020!

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book was everywhere last year so who am I not to get it and read the hell out of it?!

First Girl Child by Amy Harmon

The blurb on this book totally pulled me in and, even though my tbr is BIG, this book keeps popping up in the forefront of my mind!

Lifelike by Jay Kristoff

My literary love affair with this author started in 2019 (yes I’m so behind!) and this is the next series I want to start.

How about you? What books do you want to get to in 2020?

Books I really need in February!

January 12, 2020November 29, 2019 | CJR The Brit

I am totally trying to cut down my book buying this year. I’ve decided that a ban doesn’t work on me, it’s like I regress to toddler-hood and get all the books!

I have a new plan (gotta love a plan!):

Point 1: Buy 3 books a month maximum (choose wisely and Fairyloot is not included in this!!)

Point 2: Add the rest to my wishlist and get in the months I don’t hit point 1.

Point 3: A gift card (that I don’t buy myself!!) means a free for all…grab allllll the books I can with it 😂

These are the 3 books I picked out for February. In fact there were only 3 I wanted, see how I am growing already!!!!!