FANTASY FRIDAY - BOOK REVIEW - Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers - J.R.R Tolkien - Physical Book - 4*

BOOK REVIEW

LOTR - The Two Towers - J.R.R Tolkien (released 1954)

*book links are affiliate links which means that I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The third stage of my LOTR journey (The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring being parts one and two). I picked this up from the library the week after I finished The Fellowship of the Ring but did hit pause to read a few more pacy palette cleansers before cracking this one open. I was captivated by the story but had found the pace and cadence tricky to get into, so I hoped this one would be easier to immerse myself in! 

BOOK REVIEW - FANTASY FRIDAY - Two Twisted Crowns - Rachel Gillig - Audiobook - 4*

 

BOOK REVIEW

Two Twisted Crowns - Rachel Gillig

After reading the first in the Shepherd King duology, One Dark Window, a few weeks ago (check out that review here) I couldn't wait to start with this second and final part. I had been captured by the magic and story, and I wanted to know what was next for Ravyn, Elspeth, and Nightmare in their search to free Blunder from the mist, the curse, by finding the remaining Providence Cards to complete the deck. 

FANTASY FRIDAY - BOOK REVIEW - Still the Sun - Charlie N. Holmberg - Digital Book - 4*

 BOOK REVIEW

Still the Sun - Charlie N. Holmberg

*this review contains affiliate links - see my profile for more info

A common theme amongst my digital reads is the freebies I get from Kindle/Amazon First Reads. This one is no different. I loved the design of the cover and the bright colours. Basically, I am easily pleased! I didn't read the blog at all so went in blind, my only clue was that it was in the fantasy genre. It would seem that the floodgates to fantasy have now opened and I am being drawn to them, left, right, and

FANTASY FRIDAY - BOOK REVIEW - Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R Tolkien - 3*

BOOK REVIEW

Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R Tolkien

Lord of the Rings is an absolute classic of Fantasy and literature, so it was bound to be on my list at some point. After eventually completing The Hobbit in June (see my review here), I borrowed the first book of the LotR trilogy from the library. I appreciated The Hobbit for what it was but the writing style was out of my comfort zone. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy the next book, as I anticipated the style to be similarly verbose and, dare I say it, dull in parts. But, I decided not to shy away. It is a classic

BOOK REVIEW - FANTSAY FRIDAY - One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig - Audiobook - 4*

BOOK REVIEW

One Dark Window - Rachel Gillig

Welcome back to Fantasy Friday, and welcome to my book review of the romantasy read, One Dark Window, by Rachel Gillig. 

Why this book? I loved the cover art firstly, gothic and creepy, giving me Little Red Riding Hood vibes. I also liked the premise of a hidden brain demon, which I suspected would add a dynamic that steers clear of the trope of a woman who needs to be rescued, who is weak without her man, you get the drift.

Fantasy Friday - Episode 3 - The High Fantasy Experiment

FANTASY FRIDAY

My education (and therefore yours!) continues this week as we explore some of the sub-genres of fantasy. I have been looking for great fantasy books to add to my TBR but, since fantasy covers practically all eventualities, I need to narrow it down. I think that what's put me off fantasy in the past is that I have read a book in a sub-genre that hasn't been my cup of tea, assumed that's all fantasy (and spent my life not realising that some of my favourite books are classed as fantasy) and ignored any book I considered to be in that category. To work out what I like, and what I don't, an experiment is in order.  

My goal is to select and choose at least one book or series from some of the most popular sub-genres, read and rate them, and use my gut feeling to know where I lean in preference. I'll also be doing some in-depth research on the sub-genre specifically so that I have an understanding of what's meant to be happening!

First, let's look at the first sub-genre in my experiment:

HIGH FANTASY

I would argue that High Fantasy is the most well-known and thought of fantasy sub-genres. High Fantasy books are set in a world that is completely different from our own. Not necessarily a different planet (that takes us into the realms of sci-fi). Earth, but not the same. Places, countries, realms, and geography can be similar or entirely constructed and it is usually inhabited by magical or mythical creatures and beings (like dragons, fae, gnomes, and elves). Humans often live in these worlds too, sometimes having magical powers. 

On top of this, there are usually other magical elements within these fantasy worlds. Objects that hold, draw, or create magical powers are examples of magical elements (like the necromancer's book in Bookshops and Bonedust). 

In the last few weeks, I have read two books that fit into High Fantasy, the Legends and Lattes Duology (see my reviews here and here). These are High Fantasy but are classed as cosy, they have only subtle references to the scope, scale, and grandeur of the fantasy world and, I would say, are a great way of easing into the style and storytelling, without nosediving. I've dipped my toe in the water, and feel ready to jump right in.

I've reviewed many top ten lists and highly rated high fantasy books and whittled down my selection. The obvious choices are Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. I, perhaps surprisingly, own a copy of The Hobbit, which is the precursor to the LoTR books. My hope is that I will gain a sound introduction to the world, its people, and the lore before getting into the real nitty-gritty of the main books. I haven't watched any of the movies so I am going in completely blind to it. 

The edition I have is a very fancy limited edition hardcover gift set with cool maps and cards that I bought second-hand (thrifty!) a few years ago (picture below). It's been keeping my shelf warm ever since then. Until now that is. 

I've made a start. Firstly, let me point out, I was totally unaware that this was published in 1937. That's incredible. To see how much of an impact these books are still having is a testament to the longevity of the stories. Even as a complete novice, Gandalf is a familiar name to me, I know what he looks like and some of his catchphrases "You shall not pass..." are still so relevant in today's culture and I love that. I'm also flabbergasted to find that it's geared toward ages 12 and up. Now I know nothing of the reading skills of 12-year-olds in 1937, but this prose is a mouthful. By page 23 I had looked up the definitions of:

Confusticate - to confuse, perplex, or confound someone

Depredations - the act of attacking or plundering (in the context I was reading, the dragons were attacking and plundering the Dwarves)

Bewuthered - a fully made-up word courtesy of Tolkien. The general view is that it means bothered, muddled, confused. Used with bewildered, as it was in the book, this made more sense. 

Perhaps these words were more common at the time that they were written. I experienced similar confusion when I listened to Edgar Allan Poe's work. The first time the narrator yelled "ejaculated" (to mean expressed enthusiastically) I nearly crashed the car into a tree. Anyway, I digress. 

I'll post my full review and pop a link here when I have finished this (and the series if that's where my reading leads!). 

What do you think are the greatest High Fantasy books? Let me know!

If, by some stroke of luck, you made it to the end of this and thought "Wow, what a great post, I'd love to read more!" you can FOLLOW MY BLOG by clicking the link and subscribing :) I also post bookish content over on Instagram Happy reading!

Fantasy Friday - Episode 2 - Fantastical Creatures

FANTASY FRIDAY

Last week, I decided to share my journey into the Fantasy genre, explore it with open arms and see where the adventure takes me. 

To the dictionary apparently. This is what scares me about Fantasy. The assumption is that people know what common fantasy beings are, and newbies are scared to ask stupid questions. Now, my brother is a Warhammer-playing dungeon master of the highest order. So I have heard the terms mage, orc, elf, and dwarf before (in what I assume is a fantasy context) and have played Magic the Gathering with him enough times to have a vague idea of what they are. My other half is a gamer dude with a similar passion for World of Warcraft, I've spent plenty of time watching Asmongold videos on YouTube. I get some of the references, so I'm a step ahead. Or am I?

Listening to both of Travis Baldree's books (Legends & Lattes, and Bookshops & Bonedust), I knew I was out of my depth. References to things were going over my head and my understanding of the fantastical beings was restricting my enjoyment. I went into research mode. I'm amazed I didn't create a spreadsheet. Maybe I still will. Here's what I learned* from those two books alone: 

*Please note, I might be wrong! I probably am! These are my assumptions based on a brief Google search, along with my limited WoW/Warhammer knowledge, and the way things are described in the two books I've actually read. Please don't judge me too harshly, but please do feel free to educate me, I want to learn as much as I can.  

Orc - Pretty much like Shrek but generally scarier, and more muscular. Human shaped, but taller, more broad and, erm, green. 

Succubus - Female, sensual, uses sex or her sexuality to get what she wants (I know some human versions of this!). Has a tail. 

Dwarf - Shorter and stockier than an Orc, still quite humanoid in presentation. 

Ratkin - Does what it says on the tin. Rat features, but stands, walks, and talks. Small (definitely in comparison to an Orc anyway). 

Fae - is a fairy. There are different types of Fae and this is the one I have found the most difficult to figure out. Legends and Lattes in particular only describe Fae in the passing, a Stone Fae, a Water Fae. I don't know if this means they have wings, are mermaids, are human sized, or similar sizes to each other. I imagine light-footed, elegant, sharp features, and clothes that match their element (grey for stone, blue and floating for water). I don't think that all Fae have wings. I read ACOTAR and they didn't seem to fly anywhere. Perhaps some Fae fly, just none I have met yet. 

Necromancer - This one I knew from playing Magic the Gathering. Necromancers raise the dead, speak to the dead, and use their 'raised' armies to cause havoc. In Legends and Lattes, the main villain is a Necromancer, she's beautiful and has a velvety beautiful voice, but when I hear that word, beauty isn't really what comes to mind. 

Griffid - I think this is a small creature with similar characteristics to a dog. However, it has feathers instead of fur. The character in Bookshops and Bonedust certainly acts like my dog anyway! 

Am I right in my observations so far? What books give great insight into the creatures, people, and beings that reside in fantasy worlds?

If, by some stroke of luck, you made it to the end of this and thought "Wow, what a great post, I'd love to read more!" you can FOLLOW MY BLOG by clicking the link and subscribing :) I also post bookish content on Instagram. Happy reading!

BOOK REVIEW - Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldree - Audiobook - 4*

BOOK REVIEW

Legends and Lattes - Travis Baldree

Following on from Fantasy Friday where I committed to leaping into the Fantasy genre with open arms, I started with a book many people suggest is a good introduction. It's classed as a 'Cosy Fantasy' and all I knew about it was that there was a Coffee shop. I chose not to read the blurb and instead to dive right in. Great decision! 

Now, I love coffee and what I really enjoyed about this story was that nobody in the town knew what it was apart from Viv (the main character). This meant that the descriptions were incredibly intense and vivid, really articulating the tastes, flavours, and smells, as though coffee wasn't a known commodity to the reader. Cinnamon Swirls, Chocolate Croissants, Lattes, Iced Lates, and Coffee to-go are brilliantly depicted as new beautiful inventions, mainly through the brilliant baker, Thimble, a fun character, and one of my favourites. I was salivating for half of the story!

My dabbles into the genre so far have been limited, so I was expecting bloodthirsty battles for the first half of the book and was reading too much into it at times. This didn't happen (though given Viv's history, there were inferences to battles of the past) and instead, I was treated to a beautiful story of hope, friendship, and love. 

Viv is an orc (I believe an orc is a big, green, fighting ogre) who has recently retired from the mercenary life and wants to start fresh. We follow her as she sets up her dream coffee shop, makes friends, builds her business, and falls in love. She discovers the true meaning of friendship and faces her biggest enemy - her perception of herself. Initially, she feels that her success is due to a magical folk story but soon discovers that she's successful because of who she is. A lovely lesson and message to convey. 

She is a very well-written character with lots of depth and I felt that I knew her well by the end of the book. Tandri, the succubus who doesn't do succubus things (I had to google this one, generally a demon who is notorious for seducing men) is a great addition who also added some great nuance to the story. I was yelling at Viv to KISS HER for the entire second half of the book, as I was invested completely in their journey together. Their picnic was just beautiful, I was grinning from ear to ear at how natural (and awkward) everything was. 

The audiobook that I listened to was narrated by the author, Travis Baldree, and it's clear that he knows his characters inside out, adding personality to each of them in a unique way. 

I was captivated from beginning to end, pulled in, enthralled, and left wanting to explore the stories further. The second book (a prequel to this one), Bookshops and Bonedust, will do just that, exploring Viv's life before the coffee shop. I can't wait to read it! 

If you're looking for a story with Fantasy elements, a cosy story of friendship, and a read that will leave you smiling, READ THIS BOOK! 

Check out my video review:

If, by some stroke of luck, you made it to the end of this post and thought "Wow, what a great review, I'd love to read more!" you can FOLLOW MY BLOG by clicking the link and subscribing :) I also post bookish content on Instagram. Happy reading!

Fantasy Friday - Episode 1 - "I don't read fantasy"

FANTASY FRIDAY

Happy Friday! Happy Reading!

I've never considered myself a fantasy girl, I have always found stories that involve worlds that are like ours but different to be hard to immerse myself in. I focused too much on the lore, getting bogged down in the details. The epitome of fantasy was (and is, for me anyway) Lord of the Rings, where entire worlds and even languages are created within the stories, which I have always found intimidating. Perhaps you feel the same? If so, I may have some news for you so keep reading and see if I can change your mind! 

Speaking with a friend recently, I mentioned that I didn't read much fantasy and explained my reasoning (see above). She asked me whether I had read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter, or Alice in Wonderland. My answer was yes, the entire series for each of those questions. I was surprised when she told me that I do, in fact, already read plenty of fantasy. 

Mind = blown

I did some research. Broken down into its simplest form, fantasy is a genre that contains magic, magical creatures, fairytales, folklore, and much more. The stories can traverse the laws of the real world, creating lore and histories that don't have to fit the narrative or construct that the world presents to us in reality. It's not JUST Lord of the Rings. 

There's Portal Fantasy, where Narnia comes into its own. Stephen King's Fairy Tale, which I read last year on audiobook and LOVED is also considered a Portal Fantasy, as is Alice in Wonderland. 

How about vampires and werewolves? Yup, they're fantasy too. So Twilight can be added to my list!

A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair takes place in a world where the Greek Gods exist in contemporary society. Guess what? Yup, Fantasy! 

When I thought of fantasy, mentally I was leaping straight to High/Epic Fantasy, where Lord of the Rings and Song of Ice and Fire fit comfortably. These are the big worlds of never-ending possibilities, the ones that intimidated me. Intimidate no more, book foes, I'm coming for you and I am no longer afraid!

Am I the only person who hadn't realised how broad fantasy as a genre really was? I'm not sure what genre I thought these other books fell into and when I give it some thought, it's very obvious. My statements about not enjoying fantasy books were sweeping generalisations based on a tiny sample within a huge range of stories and worlds, along with naive assumptions. 

Having discovered that I have (and continue to) enjoyed many fantasy books in my time, I feel that it is high time I begin dipping my toe in the water a little more, exploring the genre with open eyes, and seeing where my preferences really lie. When I started this book blog, I really wanted to use it to expand my horizons, keep myself accountable, and start having even more fun with reading. This reading challenge will do that! 

The aforementioned Scarlett St. Clair book is the first of seven in a series in which the Hades and Persephone story is reimagined with a modern-day twist and a fair bit of spice. I listened to the first book as an audiobook which may not have been the best idea, especially given the spice levels, wandering around Tesco looking for egg noodles- I'm sorry, he did WHAT to her WHAT? - so I'll continue the series probably using digital or physical books instead, to save my red face. 

ACOTAR is also on my list given its popularity. I made my way through the first book, again on audio so will change to digital/physical (yup, for spice reasons, I feel like everyone around me can hear and, well you wouldn't watch video smut in public so it feels like the respectful thing to do!).  

While I may not finish a book a week for obvious reasons, there are some weighty tomes out there, and I would like to share my journey into the genre with more depth. So here we are, alliterating like champs with Fantasy Friday. 

I've started this week with Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree as I have heard that it's quite a gentle introduction into fantasy realms and realities.

Other than needing to Google what a Succubus was (I got the general gist from the book and was pretty much correct), to ensure that I understood, I'm getting on pretty well! I am about a third of the way through and enjoy the premise of a mundane coffee shop run by an Orc. Interested to know what this magic stone she has is all about though. (NOW FINISHED - REVIEW HERE - NO SPOILERS ON THE MAGIC STONE THOUGH)

What are your favourite types of Fantasy? What's your absolute must-recommend book? Help me fill up my TBR :) I'll be back next Friday with more updates and musings!

If, by some stroke of luck, you made it to the end of this post and thought, "Wow, what a great review, I'd love to read more!" you can FOLLOW MY BLOG by clicking the link and subscribing :) I also post bookish content on Instagram. Happy reading!