Candyfloss & Dreams

Tag: reading challenge

11 Amazing Books I Am Eagerly Anticipating Reading in 2021

A list of eleven books arriving to bookstores and doorsteps in 2021 that I just can’t wait to read.
So many books, so little time. There are so many amazing books coming out this year that I can’t wait to read. They will no doubt make it onto my 2021 reading challenge of 80 books as many of them are preorders. I wanted to share 11 books I can’t wait to read in 2021. Will you be reading alongside me?

A Vow So Bold and Deadly

The final of the cursebreaker books. I am really excited to see how this trilogy will come to an end. I really can not call it but I know in A Heart so Fierce and Broken I was firmly on the side of Grey. I still like Harper and I can’t see her wanting to fight in this upcoming war so I’m really looking forward to seeing the end.

A series of books I love that is continuing: A Court of Silver Flames

I can not wait to get back into the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses which is one of my favourite series. I love these books and I’m so intrigued to get into Nesta’s head and see how she recovers from her trauma and kind of comes into her own. Some of the teasers I’ve seen have been so interesting so getting back into this world is just going to be amazing. I’ve ordered the Illumicrate mini box with the book, dust jackets and enamel pin. I probably own the most editions of this series as I have the audio books, the paperbacks with the new covers, the ebooks and the hardbacks with the new covers on order. I’ve also got a preorder of A Court of Silver Flames on order that’s been signed and includes a bonus Feysand chapter too.

The Crown of Gilded Bones

I loved From Blood and Ash and it’s sequel so knowing the next book is just around the corner is so exciting. Poppy and Hawke have quickly become one of my favourite literary couples in books. I love them together and I’m so interested to see what is in store next after THAT ending of A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire. I am currently saving up to buy the Illumicrate Collections box which I am super excited for as that will have From Blood and Ash merchandise as well as the Fairyloot special editions which will have the first three books and then a matching edition of the fourth at a later date.

Nameless

This one isn’t top of my list of reads but I am really interested in what will happen next after the events of Fable. The relationship aspect came so late into the story I kind of didn’t see it coming. Fable was one of those books that wasn’t quite what I was expecting and whilst it wasn’t one of my favourites, it’s a sequel I’m hoping will deliver. You can buy the first book in the series below.

Bone Criers Dawn – a fairyloot sequel special edition I’ve ordered

Bone Criers Moon was one of those underatted reads for 2020 for me that I really enjoyed but didn’t quite make it into my favourites. I feel like it ended far too soon and I can’t wait for the next part in the story. I’m so intrigued to find out what will happen next.

Witchshadow: The perfect blend between YA and NA can be found in the Witchlands books by Susan Dennard

This is my most anticipated read of 2021. I absolutely love The Witchlands books and I think I’ll do a full on review of them when I reread them before I hear Iseult’s story. It’s such a well thought out world with a diverse range of characters and I have loved every book so far. I still need to read the Sightwitch novella. It’s fundamentally a book about sisterhood against the odds with some enemies to lovers romance and such a well done intricate magic system. I need to write about this series.

Broken Web

This is the second book in the Shamonborn series following Forest of Souls. This was a twisty turny book that kept me guessing at every moment. I’m really interested to know what will happen next. This one has cool magic and dragons but also a lot of spiders.

Gods and Monsters: A Series of books I can’t wait to finish

The third and final book in the Serpent & Dove trilogy. After that ending with Blood & Honey I can not wait to see what happens next. I love Lou and Reid and I’m desperately hoping for a happy ending for them.

Once Upon a Broken Heart

The Caraval books are another of my favourite series. They’re just so perfectly magical. Once Upon a Broken Heart is set in the same world but focusing on Jacks, The Prince of Hearts and new character Evangeline (It is always strange seeing my daughter’s name in books!). I have my edition preordered already but if anyone does a special edition box I will be all over it.

Crescent City 2

After the first book House of Earth and Blood I am really intrigued to see what will happen next. Crescent City was such an interesting read bringing all kinds of magical creatures together and a murder mystery. I don’t know if we’re going to get another switcharoo relationship as is typical of Maas’ previous books. I would love to see a collectors box of this one come into play. I am hoping the book boxes allowed to do something with A Court of Silver Flames will allow this to happen if all goes well!

Kingdom of the Cursed

Kingfom of the Wicked was an absolutely excellent book. I loved every second of it even though it made me super hungry. The first book was one of my favourites of the year and I really want to know what is going to happen next.

Kingdom of the Wicked was one of my favourite books of 2020

January 27, 2021
Glass Sword Book Review 7/52

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard is the second in the Red Queen series and follows the story of Mare Barrow, a recently discovered Newblood as she evades the clutches of the new king. This book is quite different from the first being set all around the nation of Norta and features lots of new characters.

Mare is a pretty angry person that is very conflicted by her recent past and she is struggling with what’s expected of her. The relationships she has with the people around her are quite cold and held at an arms length throughout. There are some pretty gruesome scenes throughout the book which really go to show just how disturbed the king is.

I originally listened to Red Queen on Audible and then carried on the series by reading through for my reading challenge. I’m not sure how I really feel about this series just yet but I’m sticking with it because I do want to read on and find out what happens next however I have found myself skimming through some of the chapters. It’s not that it’s bad as the story is okay but some parts feel rushed that I wish weren’t and other parts feel lengthy and a bit like they’re just trying to fill out the plot. Some of the content is a bit too graphic for younger teenagers and it’s absolutely aimed at the older YA audience.

The thing is I’m not really sure I have much sympathy with the characters. I just don’t really know them well enough to decide whether or not I think of them as likeable or easy to relate to. None of the relationships are really very believable and it’s just clear that everyone is really angry. There is a lot of angst throughout the book and given the subject of a nation on the brink of rebellion after years of oppression you can see why. I’m interested to see how the plot continues in the next two books.

One of my goals for 2020 is to read 52 books or around one a week. Some might be new, some are ones I’ve had for a while or been meaning to read, some I haven’t quite finished yet and some will be recommendations from others. You can see all the books I’ve read so far on my Good Reads 2020 Reading Challenge.

April 2, 2019
La Belle Sauvage – The Book Of Dust #1 Review

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage is the first in a new trilogy by Philip Pullman. I first saw the His Dark Materials advertised in my school library when I was young and then went on to watch the film The Golden Compass. La Belle Savauge is a prequel to The Northern Lights book (The Golden Compass in the US) and I have really enjoyed getting back into the series. I first listened to the entire original His Dark Materials trilogy a few years ago thanks to Audible. *Contains Affiliate Links

I was gifted the first Book of Dust La Belle Sauvage for Christmas in 2017 but I have only just got around to reading it and it is the first book I am reading for my 2019 reading challenge. Below you will find what I thought of the book! People may be here for The Book of Dust review, I did not know it was a new trilogy until I was told but the next Book of Dust The Secret Commonwealth will be the second in the new trilogy.

La Belle Sauvage Review

La Belle Sauvage is the prequel to The Northern Lights and really sets up the scene for Lyra’s adventures. The main character is a young boy named Malcolm and his daemon Asta. He is an inquisitive, likeable and hardworking young boy that doesn’t really want to get himself into trouble but seems to be quite good at getting himself into some sticky conversations. La Belle Sauvage is very much an adventure story primarily set in Oxford in The Trout Inn and across the river in The Priory. Many characters from the His Dark Materials series are mentioned and introduced so it’s great to hear a bit more about them and their background.

For those familiar with the series Lyra is in La Belle Sauvage but instead of a scrappy, witty and courageous young girl we find her in The Northern Lights she is instead a young baby. However, for those that haven’t read the other series it really shows how important she is and how many people are really interested in her. The book also goes in to the exploration of Dust and what it is, talking about stream of consciousness and all sorts of other interesting things.

The book reads very easily and is a great adventure story for pre teens and those that loved the His Dark Materials trilogy. It’s a great read for parents to read to older children too although it’s a good 500+ pages so perhaps not one to do in one night. It actually took me around a week to read a hardback copy amongst parenting and family duties that I have to keep up with.

The book has a very pro secular stand point and quite anti-religion. There was a particular chapter in the book that introduces The League of St Alexander which really made me feel how children can turn against an authority very quickly if being told what they’re doing is God’s work, despite it not being morally good, just or kind. Morality is a strong theme throughout the story and doing what is right vs what is good is often what Malcolm feels he has to choose between.

2019 Reading Challenge

One of my goals for 2020 is to read 52 books or around one a week. Some might be new, some are ones I’ve had for a while or been meaning to read, some I haven’t quite finished yet and some will be recommendations from others. You can see all the books I’ve read so far on my Good Reads 2020 Reading Challenge.

January 16, 2019