Reading Roundup – 1st November 2013

November 1, 2013

On this week’s reading roundup I ended up getting sucked into Cassandra Clare’s/Joshua Lewis’s Shadowhunter’s Codex.  This is an accompanying book to Clare’s Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series.

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I hadn’t intended to read this right now; I have so many other books I need to read.  However, it was one of those times where you think you’ll just leaf through a page or two and the next thing you know, it’s three hours later and you’re half way through the book.  Cassandra Clare’s world is totally captivating and I REALLY want to just sit and marathon my way through the rest of the Mortal Instruments series (I’ve only read the first book, City of Bones) but I have other books I must read and review first.  The Shadowhunter’s Codex provides background information to the two series.  I have seen some very minor spoilers in there – for example, I didn’t know    about Simon’s status – but nothing that would spoil the series.

Although I am an advocate of ebooks, this is one book I would strongly recommend buying in hardback format.  Part of the fun of the book are Clary’s and Simon’s in-world notes in the margin of this Shadowhunter’s training manual.  In the hardback format, this is represented by what look like handwritten scribbles.  This has had to be translated into different fonts in the ebook and the formatting is often not quite accurate, leading to some confusion.

Added to my library this week

Joanna Trollope’s updating of Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.  This is part of The Austen Project series of books in which contemporary writers rework Austen’s classics to bring them into the modern world.  I picked this up in both Kindle and Audible formats – it’s narrated by Kate Reading who is one of my favourite narrators.  Expect a full review soon.

The second book I bought this week was Gennifer Albin’s Altered.  This is the second in her Crewel World series, which I enjoyed.  Head over to my review of the first book, Crewel, to see what it’s about.

It appears I must be going through some kind of second childhood because I have picked up some old childhood favourites.  This includes the first two in Helen Dore Boylston’s Sue Barry nursing series.  I adored these as a girl, although they feels somewhat dated now.  They are not available in e-book format, but I found them in paperback – one day I may pass them onto my young niece.  The other series I picked up was Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High about teen identical twin sisters.  Again I adored this when I first read them many years ago.  These are available in ebook format.

Continuing the childhood theme, I also received Phillip Pullman’s Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm free to review from Netgalley.  This seems an intriguing theme – mixing the writer of His Dark Materials with traditional fairytales.  Expect a review shortly.

Upcoming releases

After the crazy month of October when so many great books were released, I have nothing on pre-order for November.  My bank balance will be happy about that.  However, I have been active on Netgalley, and have received some upcoming books free to review.

Stella Bain.  The synopsis is: When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in.  This sounded intriguing, so I requested a review copy.

The Dream Keeper.  Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.  Again, this sounds a fun premise.  I will of course let you know my thoughts.

Sea of Shadows.  In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.  This is the first in a new YA trilogy coming out next year.

Finally, we have Erin M Evan’s contribution to The Sundering series, The Adversary.  I have reviewed both of the previous entries in the series here.

Which of these books interests you?  Let me know in the comments.

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