www wednesday – Wicked Witch's Blog

WWW Wednesday – January 26

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It’s Wednesday again. Doesn’t it come round quickly? Wednesday means that it’s time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I’m currently reading

I was attracted by this gorgeous cover in the library last week. It’s a series set in the early 1930s but not having read the previous books doesn’t appear to be affecting my enjoyment of this one. It’s about a murder that takes place in a theatre and I’m really enjoying it so far.

My second non fiction book of the year and it’s only January!! This is quite dry and Scientific in places so I’m reading it a little and often.

What I have recently finished reading

This was a really good alternative history novel. I reviewed it on Monday and you can read it here

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I’ve also been working my way along my Net Galley shelf and I finished this one on Monday. I love Erica James and this was just as good as her previous novels. I’ll post my review nearer to the publication date in March.

What I am intending to read next

I’m looking forward to this epic fantasy which has all of the traditional elements of a good fantasy novel. It was recommended by another blogger but sadly, I can’t remember who 😒 One of my resolutions this year is to try and keep better records of where I get book recommendations from.

That’s my current reading state of affairs. How’s your Wednesday looking?

WWW Wednesday 19th January

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I am currently reading

I have to admit that this is the book that I will be currently reading once I get home from work. Last night I finished The Appeal and didn’t start a new book. The Daniel Pursglove series is set in Stuart England in the years immediately following the Gunpowder plot. The first book was set in Bristol whereas this one is set in the grounds of Battle Abbey in Sussex. I’m looking forward to starting it later.

What I’ve recently finished reading

The Young HG Wells was my first non fiction book this year and I reviewed it here

The Appeal by Janice Hallett is a book that I have been waiting to read for months. It’s the story of a murder told through all the emails and text messages sent by the 15 people closely connected to the victim. I really enjoyed it although needed to flick back and check things a couple of times. It’s amusing in places too which is always good.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant was brilliant and I can’t believe that I haven’t read it before. More details are in my Sunday post here

What I’m hoping to read next

I’ve had a message from the library that this one is waiting for me to collect so I will be reading this one very shortly. I loved Raybearer and am really looking forward to the sequel.

And I’ve also got 20 books on my Net Galley shelf to read at some point 😃😃

That’s the current state of my reading. What does your WWW Wednesday look like?

WWW Wednesday – 12th January

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

Currently Reading

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff is a very dark (literally) fantasy novel. It’s set in a world where the sun has been darkened and the people are living in almost total darkness. This darkness has allowed vampires to rise and take over the world. Among the few people who can stand against them are the Silver Saints. The story is told by the last silver saint, Gabriel, as he tells his history to a vampire historian. I’m loving the book so far. The illustrations are also brilliant.

I’m also reading my first non-fiction book of the year. I’ve signed up for the non fiction reader challenge in an effort to read more widely this year.

Recently finished reading

This was a really interesting book. I didn’t like it at all to begin with as I didn’t really like the characters but having skipped to the end, I found myself having to read it properly as I couldn’t work out how the ending had been arrived at.

I really enjoyed this one and my review is here

What I’m intending to read next

That’s my current state of reading for this week. Have you read any of these? Let me know what you think in the comments. I would love to hear from you.

WWW Wednesday 5th January

It’s Wednesday and it’s the first Wednesday of 2022. That means that it’s time for the first WWW Wednesday of the year. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

Currently Reading

The Mask of Mirrors by M A Carrick is a brilliantly complex fantasy novel which I am really enjoying. I started it on Saturday night and am almost finished. To take 4 days for a book is almost unheard of for me but this is a mammoth book at over 600 pages and with a fairly small font. Also, it is a complex story with nobody really being what they first appear so I don’t want to rush it.

Recently Finished Reading

Jade City was brilliant. It’s an usual fantasy book, in fact, I would argue that it isn’t fantasy at all but Science Fiction or what used to be classed as Science Fantasy. There isn’t really any magic but rather powers that some people get by wearing Jade which could be have a Scientific basis rather than magical. Everything else is very real with rival gangs competing for control of the Island of Kekon. It’s very dark with lots of action and I loved it.

Under the Whispering Door was good but I wasn’t as carried away by it as many other people seem to have been. I enjoyed the story and the redemption of Wallace Price who bore more than a passing resemblance to Ebenezer Scrooge. The relationships between all of the characters were lovely but especially the growing affection between Wallace and Hugo. It seemed a bit over drawn out to me and I wasn’t totally convinced by the way everything was tidied up so nicely at the end. It was an enjoyable read but I wouldn’t rank it as one of my top books of December.

What I intend to read next

One of my reading resolutions for this year is to read more non fiction so I picked this up in the Waterstone’s half price sale last week.

I’ve also got to attack my Net Galley shelf as my review rating plummeted from 82% to 77% yesterday as I had several requests all approved on the same day.

This will probably be my first pick off my shelf. It is based on the true story of how people in Denmark saved their Jewish friends and neighbours.

That’s my first WWW Wednesday for this year. What’s your Wednesday looking like?

WWW Wednesday 22nd December

It’s Wednesday and as it’s Wednesday again, it must be time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

Currently Reading

My current read is the third book in Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward series. Spensa Nightingale has escaped from the forces of the Superiority and is now in the Nowhere which is a part of space filled with fragments of land. It’s a very different book to the previous two in the series.

Recently Finished Reading

The Nightingale was an excellent read. It was very powerful and heartbreaking at times especially the scenes in the women’s prison camps.

The other three were all featured in yesterday’s post in my Christmas reads wrap up.

Next Read

Snow Drift will probably be my next read but it does depend on what mood I’m in once I’ve finished Cytonic.

This is the last WWW Wednesday post before Christmas so I’ll wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope that you all find at least one book under the tree on Christmas morning.

WWW Wednesday 15th December

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week

Currently Reading

This is certainly not an easy or cheerful read. We often read for escapism but I certainly wouldn’t want to escape to occupied France during WWII. It’s the story of two sisters Vianne and Isabella from the very start of the war through to the end and how they coped with the Nazi occupation. The two sisters are very different and behave in very different ways. Isabella wants to fight back and does everything she can to oppose the Nazis. Vianne has a daughter and is more careful about her actions. It’s an incredibly powerful story about the part played by women in the French resistance. The worst part about reading it is that it is all based on fact and people were treated in this way.

Recently Finished Reading

This was the final book in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy so that’s another series finished this year. I enjoyed it but it certainly wasn’t as gripping or memorable as the first book in the series. I really loved Karou in the original book but she got less vivid as a character as the series went on. The series was brilliantly plotted but as the plot got wider, I think that the characterisation suffered a bit.

Planning to read next

I think I’m going to need something a lot lighter after I’ve finished The Nightingale so my next read will be one of these two. I’m really looking forward to both of them.

That’s my WWW Wednesday for this week. Have you read any of these? What did you think?

WWW Wednesday 8th December

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

Currently reading
I have to confess that I have never read anything by Sally Rooney before and I didn’t see the TV series either. When I saw this on the library shelf last week, I thought I ought to read it to see what so many people love.

I have mixed feelings about it so far. I quite like the main characters but the level of introspection seems quite extreme. Is this really how 30 year olds see their lives now? I guess there is a real generation thing in this book which I don’t often feel when I’m reading. I am enjoying it and looking forward to seeing how it all works out though.

Recently Finished Reading

Raybearer – I loved this and my review is here

For the Wolf – I didn’t enjoy this one as much as I expected. Review is here

Christmas at the Beach Hut – I love Veronica Henry and have read all of the Beach Hut books. I’m not sure how I missed this one in the past but it was a lovely read.

What I expect to read next

This was another impulse pick off the library shelf but will hopefully provide a nice contrast to my other reads. I’m up to date with Net Galley as far as current reviews go. I haven’t got anything on my shelf with a publication date before Feb 2022 but there are some on there that I am really looking forward to reading so one of those might be next too.

What is your past, present and future reading looking like?

WWW Wednesday – 1st December

It’s Wednesday and it’s the first day of December. How did that happen??? As it’s Wednesday again, it must be time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here.

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I am currently reading

56790286. sy475 — Forfeit by Barbara Nadel

My current read is the 23rd in Barbara Nadel’s series set in Istanbul and featuring Inspectors Ikmen and Suleyman. I love this series for the characters and setting as well as the mysteries and this latest book is no different. Ikmen is now retired and getting a bit bored so is quite eager to help solve the latest murder. Suleyman has his son visiting from Ireland and should be on annual leave but can’t leave his job alone.

There is a big focus on the trans community in this book as well as a mystical side to the mystery. Who is the story teller and can he possibly be 300 years old? There are a lot of different plot strands to keep track of so it’s a book that I really need to concentrate on.

What I have recently finished reading

Songbirds was brilliant and you can read my review here.

The Christmas Escape was also a gorgeous festive read. I really want to go to Lapland now.

The Poppy War was a good solid fantasy read which I enjoyed. I have ordered the sequel from the library so hopefully will be able to read that soon.

What I am hoping to read next

50158128. sx318 sy475 — Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

This will hopefully be my next read. I have seen so many reviews and comments about this that I am really excited about reading it.

What are your WWW Wednesday books?

WWW Wednesday 17th November

The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What I am currently reading

This is my current read. It’s a book that I have wanted to read since seeing it in the bookshop during the Summer. I loved that sentence on the cover – Magic is the first sin. It must be bound. It sounds very ominous.

It’s an OK read but I’m not enjoying it as much as I hoped. A lot of it is set in a school and is focused on the mean girls theme which wasn’t what I was expecting. It’s good enough to keep me reading but not the book that I was hoping it would be.

What I have just finished reading

These two books were both amazing. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was just brilliant. It made me laugh out loud which doesn’t happen often with a book. I loved the character of Nina and her addiction to her planner and all of the characters in the book worked so well.

She wanted to drink less wine and more water. Nina wrote that down and then refilled her wine glass. Baby steps.
Sentences like that just really appealed to me. I can really relate to Nina.

Winter’s Orbit was brilliant too and I reviewed it here
Maybe that’s why I’m not enjoying Threadneedle as much as I though I would. I might be suffering by reading it straight after two books that I enjoyed so much.

What I am planning to read next

I can’t go for too long without reading a murder mystery and I love this series set in the Scilly Isles just off the Cornish coast so I’m really hoping for good things from this latest book by Kate Rhodes.

WWW Wednesday – 3rd November

It’s Wednesday again and so it must be time for WWW Wednesday. This is one of my favourite memes and I love taking part in it and reading everybody else’s posts. It’s currently hosted by Sam and it can be found on her blog Taking on a world of words which can be found here. The idea of WWW Wednesday is just to answer three questions about what you are reading, have just finished and are about to read so here goes for this week.

What are you currently reading?

This is seriously good. If you enjoy political thrillers, then this is a brilliant read or at least for the first third which is as far as I got last night.

It’s set in the immediate aftermath of an election with a thinly disguised Donald Trump having left a disorganised government behind him. The newly appointed Secretary of State and the new president hate each other. The president appears to have planned to discredit his SoS early on but an unexpected terror campaign means that they are forced to work together.

I’m glad that as a long time fan of West Wing and Madame Secretary, I have a bit of knowledge of the fictional workings of the White House which has helped to make sense of the different characters in those scenes. I was really engrossed in this last night and can’t wait to get back to it tonight.

What have you recently finished reading?

I began this at the weekend and honestly wasn’t sure if I would finish it as it didn’t really hold my attention at the start. I’m glad that I did persevere with it though as it definitely grew on me as I read.

It’s probably not a book to read in one sitting but each section is quite short as you move through the years from 1944 to 1979. I still felt a bit detached from the characters but I began to relax into the style of the author and to enjoy the way she writes. I loved the descriptions of Ulysees’ and his companions’ lives in Florence especially the section about the flood.

When I had finished it, I found myself thinking about it afterwards which I often feel is the sign of a good book.

What do you plan to read next?

I think I’ll relax a bit next with a cosy crime mystery for Christmas from my Net Galley shelf.

So that’s my past, present and future reading. I can’t wait to see what other people are reading at the moment.