Category: Bookish Stuff

Recent Reads #2 – Ravens, Retellings and Regency Romance

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

It’s nearly the end of 2024 and I just finished my last book of the year! I’ll be sharing my favourite books from this year soon, but for now here is a round up of some of the books I’ve read recently.

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I absolutely loved this book and it is definitely a new favourite. Margaret Rogerson’s writing was so good and just swept me up in the story and painted a beautiful and magical picture of the world. I never knew what was going to happen next and had to keep reading to find out. The romance between the protagonists is quite a big part of this book and I was rooting for them the whole way through and really willing Isabelle to realise her true feelings. Despite being quite short for a fantasy standalone, I thought the pacing was good and found it a nice change of pace to read a shorter fantasy novel. This was a perfect autumnal read and I am so glad I picked it up.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray ⭐⭐⭐.5 – This was a fun reimagining of Jane Austen’s work which sees pairs of characters from each of her books grouped together for a house party which is unfortunately interrupted by a murder. As this book is set after the events of Austen’s novels, it was fun to imagine how the characters’ lives evolved after the last pages of the original works concluded. However, there were a lot of POVs which switched quite frequently, making it not a very smooth reading experience as I felt it jumped around a little too often. I didn’t feel as intrigued by the murder mystery as I expected – because we see so many POVs, we know more than the two characters investigating do, so often when Tilney and Darcy discover something new, the reader already knows about it, which takes the excitement out of the revelation. Overall, this was a good read and I think it will appeal most to fans of Jane Austen.

Cities of Smoke and Starlight by Alli Earnest ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This novel, which blends science fiction and fantasy, drew me in from the start. The combination of Alli Earnest’s writing style and Magnus Carlssen’s narration made the audiobook a very enjoyable listening experience. This book has a very slow burn romance, some might feel it is too slow, but for me it felt a realistic speed for their relationship to progress since they start out hating each other. I liked the characters and world, but the plot was probably the weakest element. There were too many questions left unanswered at the end, which took some impact out of the final confrontation as I just felt a bit too confused by what was happening. Because I enjoyed the writing, narration and characters so much, I will continue with the series and look forward to seeing where the story will go next.

Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Sutanto ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This sequel to Dial A For Aunties was just as chaotic and funny as the first book. I loved being back with these characters again, especially the aunties. I felt so bad for Medi in this book that her own wedding got ruined this time. The ending, although I predicted some of it quite early on, was still satisfying and there were definitely plenty of surprising moments along the way. I’m looking forward to seeing what antics they all get up to in the next book!

An Improbable Season by Rosalyn Eves ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This YA Regency romance was just what I was looking for – a relaxing, easy-read audiobook. It did take me a little while to get into this one though. The novel is told in three POVs, and at first I found it hard to distinguish the three protagonists. This wasn’t helped by how similar their three names sounded when read aloud on audiobook. However, I settled into the story as the book went on and really enjoyed it in the end.

What books have you enjoyed recently? Chat with me in the comments!

Recent Reads #1 – Scandal, Mystery and Magic

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

It’s been a while. This year has ended up being quite a difficult one, and the unplanned hiatus I’ve been on the last few months was certainly far longer than I’d expected. In the spring, my long covid was flaring quite badly and then, because life loves a curveball, I got covid again in June. I had a month off work and another month of reduced hours, before going back to work as normal. The recovery has been slow and I’m still not back to feeling quite myself. But I decided I wanted to try and get back into blogging as I’ve missed doing my hobbies while I’ve been unwell.

Today’s post is a whistlestop tour of some of the books I’ve read while I’ve been away from blogging.

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin ⭐⭐⭐⭐– While Sophie Irwin’s new novel isn’t a sequel to A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, it does follow in a similar vein to the author’s first novel. I was once again thoroughly entertained and had lots of fun reading this novel. It was a light and fun historical romance. I’m looking forward to Sophie Irwin’s next book very much! 

Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – This was an interesting take on part of the Beowulf story I’m not familiar with. I felt very immersed in the historical setting of this novel and the author did an excellent job of including details which really brought the place to life. There were a lot of POVs which gave the novel an unfocused feel – it would have benefited from having fewer. Something just felt missing from this book. There were many great elements, but the way the story was told just didn’t pull me in or leave a lasting impression.

Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This book sure was a ride, and I certainly wasn’t able to predict what would happen next. It’s part mystery, part romance, part family drama. Some pretty odd and unbelievable things happen, and yet I found myself having a great time reading it. This was a really fun read and had some very amusing moments.

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – I was immediately drawn into this story and both authors have great writing. There were also quite a few humorous moments which I hadn’t been expecting, so that was quite fun. The story alternates between the POVs of twin princesses who were separated at birth. There were two narrators for the audiobook which helped make the characters’ POVs distinct. Although I was hooked at the start, this book didn’t hold my attention all the way through. There was a lot of backstory, worldbuilding and set up. Perhaps the next book will have more momentum now that all the set up has been done, but I’m not sure I was captivated enough to keep reading the rest of the series.

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This witchy romance was such a fun, cosy read. I loved the magical house that shifts its shape and style with the residents’ moods. The humour was spot on, especially in the first half. While the second half took a bit of an unexpected turn which I wasn’t sure about, I still enjoyed finishing this one as I was invested in the characters and their story. Asides from the main character and love interest, there is also a great cast of side characters. I especially enjoyed seeing Josh and Sienna’s sibling relationship grow. The writing style and narration are what drew me in from the start. The author’s writing just really pulled me into the story and the audiobook narrator was just perfect for this book. I’ll definitely be checking out more books from this author and narrator. 

The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – This was a sweet Regency romance but I felt there was some detail or depth missing in places. It was quite a short book and possibly could have benefited from being a little longer. Some conflicts also felt too easily resolved. Having said that, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and particularly liked the female friendships the author explored. Though the story is fictional, the idea for the registry of ladies with fortune came from a real, similar historical document, and is an interesting springboard for the characters to meet. The ending was very satisfying with several happily ever afters for multiple couples.

What books have you enjoyed recently? Chat with me in the comments!

March & April 2024 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Work and medical appointments seem to have taken over 2024 so far, and I’m once again late with my wrap up. But, better late than never I suppose!

Dark Water Daughter by H. M. Long ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars – This adventurous pirate novel starts with a bang, opening on an exciting and intriguing scene as the protagonist faces the gallows. What drew me to this book was one of the narrators, Moira Quirk, who has been so fantastic on the previous audiobooks I’ve listened to. She was once again superb, capturing the mood and tone of every scene. The world building is creative and I enjoyed the epigraphs which provided a bit more insight into the magic. While plot and world building felt like the strongest aspects of this novel, along with the great writing and descriptions, the characters didn’t jump off the page. Some were stronger than others, but many of them were a little lacking in personality.

City of Vicious Night by Claire Winn ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 stars – I absolutely loved returning to this world and these characters in the sequel to City of Shattered Light. The author paints such a vivid picture of the world, and this instalment follows on excellently from the first book. I was gripped all the way through and couldn’t put it down.

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – After the dramatic ending of Empire of Storms, it felt strange to step sideways with Tower of Dawn in terms of the timeline, rather than following the plot straight on into Kingdom of Ash. However, I’m glad I did read this instalment, which follows Chaol on a different journey from that of Aelin and the others in Empire of Storms. I enjoyed seeing a new part of the world we haven’t been to before and meeting both new, and some returning, characters.

I have managed to keep up with my writing and have now reached 60,000 words! I’m very much over halfway but it still feels like there’s a long way to go before I reach the end.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!

February 2024 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

We’re nearly halfway through March and I’m only just posting my February wrap up – where has the time gone! Life has been busy lately with work and medical treatments, so I’ve not had as much time for blogging as I would have liked. I also went on holiday to Devon in February to celebrate my grandparents’ 90th birthdays, and it was nice to get together with the family.

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare ⭐⭐⭐.5 – I started reading this way back in 2022, so it took nearly two years to finish. I’m not much of a short story reader, so I’ve just been reading the odd story here and there. I enjoyed some of the stories in this collection more than others. The audiobook is narrated by a large cast and while some of the narrators were great, there were a couple that were very flat and just didn’t capture the story or characters at all.

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This is a Regency-inspired fantasy with beautiful writing and an excellent audiobook narration from Fran Burgoyne. I loved the characters, romance and magic. The protagonist is a dressmaker who can sew enchantments into her garments which imbue them with emotions and memories. There is also chronic illness representation which I found relatable and emotional to read at times.

I’m continuing to plough my way through writing this book! Progress still feels slow but there is progress nonetheless. Now that I’m over the halfway mark, I’m looking forward to getting to write some of my favourite scenes.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!

January 2024 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

The first month of 2024 is over and I had a great reading month! I finished three books this month and enjoyed them all.

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – It was great to return to the world of The Bone Season, which has such unique and detailed worldbuilding. Although I found parts of this book slow, the ending is action-packed and thrilling. The audiobooks for this series are fantastic. I’m looking forward to continuing Paige’s story in the next book in the series.   

Artfully Yours by Joanna Lowell ⭐⭐⭐.5 – This Victorian romance follows the relationship between an art forger and an art critic, a concept which immediately caught my interest when I was browsing for my next read. There were some humorous moments, but this novel also tackles some heavier subject matter too. I enjoyed the romance and the relationship between the protagonists, as well as the cast of side characters. I’d happily read a book about the sisterhood of artists! There is also disability rep and I found the descriptions of chronic pain especially relatable.

Fire Becomes Her by Rosiee Thor ⭐⭐⭐.5 – This Jazz Age-inspired YA fantasy is a great read which focuses on the development of the protagonist, Ingrid. This is definitely more character-driven than plot-driven, which was a struggle for me at times as I tend to prefer more plot-driven books, however I did appreciate how Indrid’s character arc was developed and executed. The protagonist was unlikeable at times, but I think that actually made it more interesting to see her grow and change. She had flaws and felt real. I would have liked a bit more detail in the worldbuilding to really make the settings pop, as that aspect could have been more vivid.

I got some new books this month as I had a voucher to spend from Christmas. I picked up A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon and Sheild Maiden by Sharon Emerichhs, as well as the Fairyloot edition of A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft.

January wasn’t the best month for writing. While I did write, I didn’t do as much as I would have liked. Sometimes though it can be good to have a short break from it to refill the creative well and come back fresh and excited (at least, that’s what I hope is going to happen in February!).

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!

2024 Reading Goals and Challenges

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

It’s the start of a new year which means it’s time to look at my reading plans and goals for the year ahead!

2024 Reading Goal – 20 Books

In 2023 I set my goal to 18 books and read 22! This year, I’m setting my goal at 20 books. I’m hoping I can read a few more than that, but I wanted to make sure I set an achievable target.

2024 Reading Challenge – Beat the Backlist

I don’t usually participate in reading challenges and I’m a mood reader so don’t generally set any kind of TBR. However, I do sometimes struggle with indecision about what to read and thought it would be fun to give a reading challenge a go this year. I picked Beat the Backlist as it’s fairly flexible with no specific requirement for the number of books you read.

Beat the Backlist is hosted by Austine Decker and involves reading backlist books published in 2023 or earlier.

There are a selection of optional prompts to help you pick your backlist reads. There are way more than I’d be able to read in a year, so I’ve decided to pick a few of the prompts to focus on for the challenge so I have a smaller list to work from.

You can find out more about Beat the Backlist here.

Fae or aliens

4-word title

Travel by ship

Retelling of a classic

Walk through history

Door on the cover

2023 debut novel

Between 300 and 400 pages

Neon coloured cover

Hotel, mansion, or castle

Have you set yourself any reading goals or challenges this year? Chat with me in the comments!

November & December 2023 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left2 Comments

Happy New Year! I can’t believe another year has finished and gone. 2023 had a lot of ups and downs. I’ve not been as active here as I would have liked. Things have been pretty bumpy with my health, but hopefully things will improve as I now have a new diagnosis which will help me manage it better. I read quite a few books in November and December and ended the year by exceeding my 2023 goal of 18 books by reading 22!

Every Duke Has His Day by Susanne Enoch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This book was absolutely charming and completely fun to read. I was thoroughly entertained the whole way through and laughed on more than one occasion. I adored the romance and was so happy with the ending I didn’t care whether it was predictable or not. Having been feeling a bit down, this was just the book I needed. If you’re looking for something light-hearted and fun, I would highly recommend this book.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This is a great YA fantasy with a touching romance and an interesting setting. It kept me reading from start to finish and had a heartbreaking ending. It’s not one of my favourite reads of the year, but I think that’s more down to personal taste than the quality of the book. This is an excellently crafted book and I would definitely recommend it.

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – The final book in the Grishaverse series! I can’t believe I’ve finally reached the end and won’t be returning to this world again. Unless Leigh Bardugo decides to go back to this world at some point, and I would be perfectly happy if she did. Rule of Wolves is a great conclusion to the series. Some old, favourite characters return which made it feel like a homage to the series as a whole and a bit of a farewell tour.

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – As I enjoyed The Bone Houses, I was looking forward to returning to the same world, with new characters and a new story. This was a fun heist story and there were some great twists towards the end.

Whisked Away at Christmas by Mahi Chesire ⭐⭐⭐ – I was looking for a fun, Christmassy read and came across this on Audible. The story centres around a prestigious baking competition and a second chance romance. While I enjoyed the story, I think I would have enjoyed it more with different narrators, as the ones chosen for this audiobook were a little flat and didn’t bring the story to life.

Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I love Arthurian stories and tales of knights, so I just had to pick this one up when I saw it. The audiobook narration is great and works really well for this one as the writing has the feel of being told a classic tale of brave knights. The ending leaves things open for a sequel and I’d be interested in returning to this world and characters if the author does write another.

I ended the year pretty well, reaching the midpoint of my novel which is really exciting. I’ve been working on it a long time now, so to reach this milestone feels like a great achievement.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!

September & October 2023 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

I’m a bit late with my wrap up – what happened to the first half of November?! We’re drawing towards the end of the year, it will be 2024 before we know it!

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – It’s taken me ages but I finally finished this series! This was a good conclusion to the trilogy and I always love reading Laini Taylor’s writing. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first two but it was still a great book.

Bride of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This romantasy novel had great chemistry between the leads plus plenty of magic and intrigue. The writing flows really well and drew me in right from the start. It was also great to see chronic illness representation which was well-written and relatable. 

Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran ⭐⭐⭐ – This is a standalone sequel to Queen of Coin and Whispers which starts well and has some fantastic moments, but the slow pacing drew this novel out too much for me. The trials are described as a ‘race against time’ but there is little urgency and the characters spend a lot of time wandering inside the mountain not really knowing what they are meant to do. There are many elements I enjoyed and there’s great diversity in the characters, but this one wasn’t for me. 

I made really good progress on my WIP on October, writing more than I have in a long time and managed to hit 40,000 words which I am incredibly pleased with.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!

Book Discussion: Melding Genres in Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Since we’re entering spooky season, it’s a great time to discuss Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth. One of my favourite novels, this book blew me away with its originality and creativity. Today I’m going to be looking at how Tamsyn Muir fuses genres to create a story which is both harrowing and humorous.   

This post may include mild spoilers for Gideon the Ninth.

When Gideon the Ninth opens, the titular Gideon is waiting for a shuttle to take her away from the Ninth House. At this moment, we are seemingly entering a familiar subgenre of science fiction – a space opera. Any illusions that this is a typical space opera, however, disappear when we are introduced to Gideon’s beloved longsword which, as it happens, she is rather skilled at using. A sword may appear to be a small detail to comment on, but this element, although small, sees the beginning of the fantastical creep into the story.

Said fantastical aspect of the novel comes marching in like a whirling storm when Harrow sweeps into the scene – a necromancer with the ability to create skeletal constructs with scraps of bone – and we know that this is absolutely, definitely not a typical space opera. There is something apt about necromancers in space. Outer space is vast, cold, empty, deadly.

Gideon and Harrow travel to the First House for a contest that will see the victorious party become a Lyctor. The sprawling and dilapidated manor they find themselves staying in brings a feeling of the Gothic into the novel. There is something incredibly eerie about the house. The necromancers and cavaliers of the nine necromantic houses are collected together in a building served by skeleton servants and devoid of any other life.

The necromancers’ abilities are tested through tasks in a basement laboratory, and they seek to understand the principles behind the necromantic tasks they accomplish. This layers an element of science to the magic that makes the necromancers’ skills seem more real. There is something unsettling in the way Harrow scientifically examines the tasks. It makes what appeared at the start to be a mysterious magic, to seem completely, plausibly scientific and real. There is no warmth in this magic. It is hard, cold and scientific.  

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July & August 2023 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging for the last few weeks as things have been a bit tough with my health and at work, so I decided to take a step back from other things like blogging. But I’m back to wrap up July and August. I might continue with bimonthly rather than monthly wrap ups for the time being and see how things go. I don’t want to give up blogging completely since I love it, but want to write and post at my own pace.

Mortal Follies by Alexis Hall ⭐⭐⭐ – This was a really well narrated audiobook with an interesting narrative device – the story is told from the perspective of a hobgoblin narrator observing the events. However, the book was a little darker than I was expecting from the description and bright, pretty cover. The plot felt meandering and I wasn’t keen on the love interest’s persistent nastiness.

A Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I finally finished the Shades of Magic series! This was a great conclusion to a brilliant series, though I did enjoy the second book more. I’m really glad I managed to finish this before the sequel series – Threads of Power – comes out later this year.

The Comeback by Lily Chu ⭐⭐⭐.5 – Lily Chu’s first book, The Stand-In was one of my favourite books from last year. It was such a fun, entertaining read with a great story. Sadly, I just didn’t click with The Comeback. It felt slow and I found the main character quite annoying a lot of the time, and didn’t like her attitude and choices in places. It wasn’t a bad book, but I didn’t love it either. The audiobook narration was great though.

I was really disappointed to miss out on Fairyloot’s Legendborn set so was excited when they did a reprint and managed to get them! They arrived recently and they are so gorgeous.

I wrote quite a lot in July and managed to hit 30,000 words which felt like a big achievement! I’ve been writing a lot slower because of my health so getting to 30k was very exciting.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!