“Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” ― Roald Dahl
February's reading started off really well, but just after the middle of the month, I found myself floundering for time once again.
Most of these are really short, really quick reads, which I devoured during a readathon hosted by the lovely Ruby (at rubyraereads on Instagram).
I didn't get to read everything I had planned to read - I started The Night Circus in February but didn't get to finish, and I didn't have time to get to Shadowmarch - so those will spill over to my March TBR...
Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
I first noticed this book on Instagram by its cover (which is amazing - all of them) and the more I saw of it, the more I wanted to get it....
This is another book that is surprisingly good; a very clever read, witty and entertaining. I absolutely love a resourceful character, believably resourceful, and Kirin is certainly resourceful.
Young adult fantasy at its finest! Definitely a recommended read!
Rating : 4.5/5
The Novice by Taran Matharu
So far 2019 is turning into a year of discovery for me, as far as new authors go; Taran Matharu certainly didn't disappoint in his first book of the Summoner series.
I love how his writing is uncomplicated and clear; I love the world that he created and the magic system; and I love the characters, their diversity and interaction.
This is shaping up to be another epic series and I cannot wait to see what happens next!
Rating : 4/5
The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott
This is a book that I won in an Instagram giveaway a couple of years ago and has just been lying on my shelf ever since....
I can only describe this book as the love child of Swan Lake and Snow White.
New author for me, didn't disappoint; I love the writing style and the beautiful imagery she she creates.
Some parts are brilliant but other parts seem a little lacking... Love the MC and I feel that she was written exceptionally well!
Really enjoyable short read, but there's just something missing, though...
Rating : 3.5/5
Disney's Beauty And The Beast : Book Of The Film
I didn't know that Disney had such talented authors within it's halls; but, then again, with the likes of Stephen Chbosky on board, what else should I have expected?
Beautifully written, this book reads exactly like watching the movie, minus all the songs and their lyrics - I think I would have liked the lyrics to have been in there, too, just to add that additional spark of magic.
This, though, did not prevent my brain from inserting the musical sequences into their proper places while reading the book...!
Thoroughly enjoyable and a must have in any collection - even if you just get it to use for Instagram photos...
Rating : 5/5
Esio Trot by Roald Dahl
What can I say about this book? Short, cute, romantic, funny and all around awesome!
Roald Dahl has a magic pen and has always created the most lovely children's stories, filled with morals and life lessons, disguised in each adventure.
Rating : 4/5
Debt Of Bones by Terry Goodkind
Debt of Bones is the first prequel to The Sword Of Truth Series - which is my favourite series of all time - and tells the story of how the boundaries went up.
It is a nice short read but is packed with all the feels!
True to Goodkind's first few books in the series, this is well written and perfect; the main characters didn't need much of a backstory because it was provided in the main series, but they were still substantial.
If you're a fan of the series, then this book is a must read!
Rating : 4/5
Nancy Drew : The Secret Of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene
Believe it or not, but I grew up on the Nancy Drew series of books - my school library was constantly trying to juggle these books between me and the other students - even more so than with The Hardy Boys or The Secret Seven, to be honest.
Each Nancy Drew book is a quick read; action packed, fast paced and thoroughly entertaining. Highly recommended for your middle grade daughters and even for yourself!
These books were written almost 50 years ago; reading them now, compared to then, has changed my opinion of them, slightly (it appears to be age related, in my opinion) - I am reading with a more critical eye now than I was then...
Rating : 3/5
Switch Bitch by Roald Dahl
I was incredibly intrigued when I found this book at a second hand book store, that Roald Dahl had written a book that was not for children...
Switch Bitch is, essentially, a collection of all the stories that Roald wrote for Playboy Magazine in the late sixties, early seventies - I was curious to see the differences in writing style, etc.
The writing is relevant for the period it was written in, the stories intriguing enough to almost want to see where they end up; it was also incredibly boring!
Suffice it to say, I DNF'd (Did Not Finish) this book.
Rating : 2/5
Artemis Fowl : The Seventh Dwarf by Eoin Colfer
I have read, and enjoyed, a few of the Artemis Fowl books and I find them to be quick and entertaining.
A decent Middle Grade series, you can't go wrong letting your kids read these.
Rating : 3/5
Not to shabby, if I say so myself, lol. What did you read last month? Have you read any of these? Are you planning to? Let me know in the comments below.
Please don't forget to like and share. Until next time...
Keep smiling