To Be Read Pile: Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

Blurb

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams - but he can't pull it off alone.

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist.

Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction - if they don't kill each other first.

Best Line:  The water hears and understands. The ice does not forgive.

What a ride! Ocean's Eleven with magic and more charm than even George Clooney can muster. Kaz Brekker is a street rat from the Barrel. A con man and a thief with greed as his master and a love of puzzles. When he is presented with the ultimate puzzle with a tantalising reward at the end, how can he be expected to say no?

So much happens in this book. It's a rollicking charge through a plot that never lets up. This book isn't just about a heist. It is the heistiest of heists. It is the heist-master other heists hike up mountains to learn from. If anything can go wrong it will, and the best laid plans are the ones that definitely aren't going to work out the way you want them to.

Every character in this is fantastic. I love characters with huge, obvious flaws they can't get past and everyone here scratches that itch for me. And the banter. The banter. This is Buffy-worthy levels of dialogue and the group dynamics are played perfectly. I found reasons to love all of the characters and reasons to be irritated by all of them in turn. They felt not only real, but like the kind of people I would happily hang out with for a few hours. Albeit with all of my valuables safely locked away on another planet.

I think my favourite thing about this book is how far it is willing to go. There are multiple times when a scene is set up and there is no possible way for the characters to get out of the situation, until it all clicks into place and suddenly the most unthinkable, horrible perfect thing is the only way things are going to go forward. I spent a lot of time screaming the word 'NOOOOOO' while I read this book.

If you like YA that is fast and smart with killer characters and killer twists, this is the book for you.

Get it here https://www.amazon.com /dp/B01175KE0M/

To Be Read Pile: Ollie Always - John Wiltshire

Blurb

Named after the main character in his mother's infamous Oliver novels, Ollie's been fighting his fictional namesake his whole life. It's a battle for identity he is slowly and inevitably losing. Ex-army PTI, Tom knows all about battles--the real ones that break soldiers. When he volunteers to help with the Oliver situation, Ollie hears more in the offer than Tom apparently intends, for Tom quickly informs Ollie that he's married. Which is absolutely fine, because Ollie isn't gay--that's Oliver. Tom and Ollie discover fairly swiftly that there is often a very fine dividing line between fact and fiction.

Best Line: Ollie’s cries turned into a wail of genuine and total distress. “I’ve put my hand in dog shit!”"

 

This was such a sweet, fun romance! Ollie is neurotic and ditzy and remarkably sweet when he wants to be. He's moved to New Zealand to escape the shadow of his mother's writing and maybe to write his own bestseller in the process. Unfortunately, he's become a little too enamoured with cat videos (we've all been there) and the sexy stranger who likes jogging past his house without his shirt (Haven't been there but I like what I've seen in the travel brochures) to get anything done!

Tom is a life coach who sees a man in some desperate need of coaching plus he's totally gorgeous in an ex-army I-will-solve-your-problems-by-taking-you-for-jogs type way. Not really the path to romance I would have chosen but it works for Ollie. Not that he's gay, of course. Oliver is gay. Ollie is... okay. Ollie is probably a little bit gay.

 I loved the interplay between Ollie's life and the fictional Oliver's. Oliver is a creepy, underage manipulator who uses sex to get what he wants. Despite their personality differences, Oliver's life has mirrored Ollie's but always just been a little bit better. If Ollie got into a good school, Oliver would get in, get perfect grades and probably be sleeping with the headmaster. Living with this constant comparison and knowing that his mother engineered it has left Ollie with an intense inferiority complex and makes every scene with his mother (who is blithely unaware of how weird the situation is)and her friends (hands down the best supporting characters ever) uniquely uncomfortable.

Word of warning. This is one of those books that didn't know when to quit. Chapter 21 has a sweet, charming ending that brought everything together in a way that leaves you feeling buoyant and happy. Chapter Twenty Two onwards is a mire of uncomfortable dithering and sex scenes that were better left somewhere far far away from the shining, silly perfection of everything previous. Do yourself a favour and just pretend that last quarter of the book doesn't exist. Do not make my mistakes.

If you like your romance sweet and silly and charming with just the right level of legitimate angst, Ollie, Always is an excellent choice to while away a few hours on your weekend!

Get it here https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01APNF1UK

Romance 101 – Week 12

Romance Tip 12:

- Book Trade!

Single? Books are magical. If you already read and have friend who read, you probably exchange recommendations all the time already.  Book recommendations are a little different from book trades though—I’m not suggesting you give away your favourite books, rather that you loan them for a short period of time.

Choose a book that you think a friend would love—but one they wouldn’t necessarily read on their own. Something outside their favourite genre. Something that if you simply recommended it and they looked it over, they probably wouldn’t pick up. They do the same for you and you both commit to reading the book in a week or a month, depending on what works for the two of you.

It’s a great way to expand your literary horizons and it gives you both something new to talk about.

Dating? For me, sharing books with lovers has always been one of the most intimate, important acts I can do. Books are so important to me and the characters and worlds within them so special, that sharing my favourite authors and series is a way of sharing a very special part of my soul. I don’t let myself be disappointed if my partner doesn’t love the same stuff I do, we all have different tastes, but I’d be very hurt if they didn’t at least try and read it.

Sharing books about our passions, regardless of if those passions are sci fi, gardening, finance, romance or Pomeranian sledding teams, is a fantastic way for our partners to learn more about our interests. There is nothing better than giving a partner a book they are doubtful about, only to have them love it and recommend it to their friends.

Reading together is a great way to spend time together, being intimate, without feeling like you have to be fully attentive. It will give you something new to talk about and, who knows, you might find a new favourite author or hobby!

Remember! It takes most authors between six months and two years to write a book. If you’re loaning and borrowing books, the author isn’t seeing any extra profit, no matter how much you enjoyed reading it. However you can do the author a huge favour by popping on to amazon or goodreads and giving their book a star rating, as well as writing a short review. You don’t have to write a novel of your own, just a few lines about what you enjoyed can really make an author’s day and help boost their sales.

Romance 101 - Week 2

Well, it’s been a tiring week with an icky flu interfering with my editing and blog posting. My head is still full of cotton wool and, well, mucus, but being sick doesn’t mean we can’t still be romantic. In fact, I think when you’re sick, little romantic gestures mean a whole lot more. Being exhausted and achy just makes us that much more appreciative!

ROMANCE TIP 02:

- The rainy day snuggle read-a-thon.

Single? Rainy days are the best days, as far as I’m concerned. Take a little extra time to make your rainy day at home a special one. Firstly, take the phone off the hook (and put mobiles on vibrate) and disconnect the modem. Lay out a good book, a fluffy blanket and a nice drink. Set up some candles, preferably scented, somewhere they are within your sight and can’t light anything on fire. Make sure you have good reading light.

Is there anything more romantic than curling up for a decadent day of reading, sipping cocoa and listening to the rain? If your chosen book is a sassy romance, even better! Escaping into another, more exciting world is my favourite way to spend a day. Live the life of your favourite heroine and daydream the entire afternoon—and don’t let yourself feel guilty about the housework you’re ignoring! Who knows, you might even come up with an idea for your own novel.

Dating? The best thing about dating is doing all the same things as a classy single girl, but with your partner there to warm your feet. Curl up somewhere and read together. Who knows? If you’re both reading something with a bit of ‘spice’ you might end up using the sofa and blankets for something else entirely…

Remember!

Reading books creates more neural pathways in the brain—literally making your smarter as you read. Also, there are some studies that suggest that cocoa is good for you, so you might as well eat some chocolate too. Time out, real time out, without any stresses or responsibilities is even better for you, and you deserve it.

Today’s tip is both romantic AND good for you.