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The Queen of the Tearling series - Erika Johansen

This has to have been my favourite read(s) of 2018. Three books form part of the series, so beware, if you aren't looking to be miffed about a spoiler, then perhaps skips to another review The first book that caught me hook, line and sinker would be the series namesake, The Queen of the Tearling which introduces us to a headstrong Kelsea Glynn, under the care of an aunt and uncle who were sheltering and training her for the day that she would have to claim her birthright as heir to the Tearling throne. Not your average 19th birthday, especially when greeted by rather dismissive soldiers (Queens Guard thank you) who don't really have much faith in her abilities to rise to the occasion given the flibber gibberty her mum was and of course, the death defying high-speed and super violent physical path to the actual throne. I savoured each page of this book, seriously. I loved that Kelsea was 'thick', stubborn and brave when we are all so accustomed to irresistible waifs. We also meet her infatuation i.e the Fetch - super mysterious and deadly in equal measure- who also rather indelicately states that she is 'too plain' to be his type.  Kelsea put an end to the human shipments to Mortmesne as commanded by the Red Queen, and this causes her seemingly insurmountable issues, however with the help of her mysterious sapphires which have suddenly sprang to life after being dormant on her chest, Kelsea slowly garners the respect of her Guard and her subjects.
Thrilling read, truly
The Invasion of the Tearling, book 2,  is where the Tearling defends itself from the the onslaught of war brought about by an infuriated Red Queen due to the suddenly stopped human shipments. The sequel of the trilogy begins in a way that see's Kelsea and the Tearling in the perceived weaker stance. Weaker, because she has less control over the events that the magic sapphires bring about - trances or 'fugues', that give her glimpses into the past which, in their gem-like wisdom, the sapphires are actaully trying to help her we find, eventually. Past events most significantly focused on the life of Lily in the days before the Crossing. Lily, who later becomes the wife of  of William Tear and who Kelsea creepily begins to physically resemble. We also get more involved with the Arvath which is basically the Church, and meet Row Finn, the mysterious and super scary handsome spirit who promises victory with and extended hand, and doom with the other.
 Darker, deliciously so.
In conclusion, the Fate of the Tearling pretty much will blow your mind - definitely not the end I expected and I couldn't decide whether I was super impressed or just annoyed and disappointed.We learn much more about the Red Queen of Mortmesne after Kelsea had surrendered herself and her sapphires at the end of book 2. Jailed by the Red Queen, who, is haunted by 'the dark thing, we come to learn that the sapphires are loyal to the Tear line and only work for Kelsea - the true queen. We also find out that while the first sapphire belonged to William Tear, the second was the creation of Row, who, in his rather ghostly form, would rather much like his gem back. Commanding an army of zombie kids that he'd stolen, killed and somehow convinced he is their daddy,  he becomes a formidable enemy to Kelsea as well. .Her trances continue all the way through William Tears death, Lily s death and the fall of the better world, the dream of Tear's Blue Horizon.
If I were to rate these books, it would 5 stars each for book 1 & 2 simply for being so addictive & engrossing, and 5 stars for the last book of the trilogy mainly because no one could see that coming...

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Reclaim Your Heart - Yasmin Mogahed 

I missed Yasmin Mogaheds tour in SA, but having seen her YouTube lectures, I was so impressed to realise that her writing is just as passionate and influential as she is as a speaker. This book takes the reader - most likely Muslim female - through the Islamic and philosophical angles of her reflections on life. On attachments, heartache, abandonment, hardships and the every day struggle the soul endures. It speaks to the strength that lies in sensitivity and the freedom that comes with a reliance and deepest love for God. I wouldn't call this work a self-help as its deepest roots denote from Islamic beliefs, however I wouldn't  call it religious either as much of her conversation is psychologically  based. Poetry completes this exceptional work and you have to marvel at how deeply the writer understands her own self.

This is not the type of book you'll read once in your life. No, this is a reminder when the chips are down that all pain is temporary and for the bruised and battered a comfort when times are at their toughest.

*Image copied from www.yasminmogahed.com/reclaim-your-heart/

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The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

I'd love to be one of those people who can proudly say that they've read the famous poems the Iliad and Odyssey written by Homer centuries ago - but I'm not. I do though, have enough pop culture reference to know that this is a pretty unusual love story - or is it? This book is a take of the famous siege of Troy, however the famous tale is more of a staging of the epic love between Achilles and his Patroclus. While the original works apparently do not make reference of the relationship between the Greek hero and his friend as being romantic, there are some who interpret it as such. And this is what Madeline Miller has so brilliantly depicted in scenes depicted against the rich antiquity of ancient Greece and famous mythological legends. There is something indulgent about being able to fine comb through a such a legendary tale with all its heroes in such great detail. Where emotions, reactions and the more extended nuances of human experience are generally not covered in poems.
Not your average love story, but an epic read.
*image credit to Goodreads

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Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Diana Gabaldon

As it often happens, when an author becomes famous for a particular character(s) in a series, the rest of their works don't necessarily receive the same publicity as what initially made them famous. Such I think is the case with this trio of short stories written about Lord John - remember him Outlander fans? Dashing Lord John who was mistakenly in love with a certain brawny, coppery haired Scot i.e one of the protagonists hence the significance of Lord John
Interestingly, Diana Gabaldon introduces the books (compilations') history as a foreword and it comes with a warning - don't expect to read about any of her more famous characters although due to Lord Johns unrequited affections, we often get to see the writing alluding to a certain said Scot.
A compilation of three short stories i.e Lord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John and the Succubus and lastly, Lord John and the Haunted Soldier. Highly suspenseful and not what I had been anticipating honestly, but no doubt exquisitely written nonetheless. There are other Lord John novellas about (apparently a highly adaptable character) which I'm sure are just as good.

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A Column of Fire - Ken Follett

The most recent installment of the Kingsbridge series, A Column of  Fire may be the best yet. We see major acts designated to historical heavy weights like Queen Elizabeth 1 and the rival for her throne Mary, Queen of Scots and former Queen of France. Starting at the cusp of the Elizabethan Golden Age, the book has the traditional Kingsbridge novel flair - intelligent male & female protagonists who should be a couple but due to her dutiful (in this case staunch Roman Catholic) nature, they will not be together for many years. Cue ambitious parents who would be nobility though the marriages of their daughters; the necessary and ambitious zealots (cathedral town after all); the intelligent and interesting people surrounding the protagonists and of course a few brutes . But the best parts of this read are the scenes that their set in: the religiously brutal pre-Elizabethan era in England; the slaughter of St. Bartholomew's Day when the streets of Paris were painted red by all the Protestant slaughter; the intrigue and and power struggles in the French palace; the transfer to the Elizabethan crown where the monarch is described artfully in a way that makes her more than just a historical juggernaut giving credence. The same can be said about the Guise's of France and the tragic Mary to name but a few. True historical figures and events are narrated so much and guide much of the of premise that the back of the novel includes a section to help the reader distinguish true from fictional characters
A Column of Fire is a spectacular culmination of the writers pattern of turning real events into vivid fictional narrations, more so  than the other Kingsbridge novels. The tapestry of this read is richly coloured by real historical events and will have you glued in no-time at all.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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World Without End - Ken Follett

Not that I've researched this fact, but I could not imagine that any of Ken Follett's book reviews are ever negative. Exquisitely detailed, but not to the point of being cumbersome and yet just more than enough to let you know that some serious research has gone into it. Scenes are always described in the most vivid way to capture a readers interest, and keep it. The chronological sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, but not necessarily to the story line, World Without End continues in the town of Kingsbridge two centuries later and again centres around the cathedral. We see the generational successors of some of the previous books protagonists as the main characters and to some extent a similar contextualized theme i.e the unconventional but lovable and seemingly irresistible clever builder (Merthin), the duty bound but stubborn and independent female protagonist (Caris) and the avaricious & ambitious yet identifiable gentry(Ralph, Merthin's brother & his parents) who seem not only to only drink too much, but also will stop at nothing to become nobility. Like its precursor, the prologue of the book has a scene that ties the lives of the main characters together which unfolds later on towards the end. Being a cathedral-town, Of course, there must be a crazed zealot  (Godwyn) who indemnifies his power hungriness as a sign God-sent. And then there was the incredible Gwenda - sold, abused and poor, she is the most interesting of all the characters just because of the sheer determination that allowed her to reach above her social burdens.
If I had to pick at this book, it would be that the repetitive nature of some of the characters in comparison to the previous book is a bit too obvious - but then, I have read them in close succession.
An elegant read written by a thoughtful writer.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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Virgins - Diana Gabaldon

Its hard to believe that Diana Gabaldon isn't a thoroughbred Scot whose been rollicking in the Highlands her entire life to enable her to write about such convincing archetypal Scottish characters in the best representation of their particular colloquial of this 1700's. But no, she's not.
Being a full-on Outlander fan, I was drawn to this book because of the younger character of Jamie Fraser and his brother-in-law (not yet in this book though), Ian Murray. True to his trouble magnetic nature, the book starts out with an injured Jamie - pretty much the way Outlander does. Both he an Ian then go on an adventure that see's them travelling with mercenaries and their travels take them to Paris where they both have eyes for the beautiful - but sneaky we are later to find out - Rebekah.
A short piece or novella, this is my first read of Diana Gabaldon and I have to say my favourite part about the book was the three courtesy chapters of the Outlander book included at the end which in her authors note Gabaldon explains Virgins is the technical prequel for. We get this generous helping of Outlander so that the reader gets to meet the older and more experienced Jamie. Cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Outlander...

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Heaven Under Your Feet - Pregnancy for Muslim Women
Umm Hasan bint Salim

Last year when I was about 6 months pregnant I picked up this book at a local book store having heard that a reputable OBGYN based her pre-natal lectures on the principles espoused within the book. I read it and then life got busy. Almost a year later, I remembered the book which had been demarcated into a coffee table, patiently awaiting its next pregnant reader. High time for this review then hey?
As a Muslim mum there were definitely identifiable and helpful aspects to the book, particularly for a new mum who wanted to find the religious significance of this whole incredible experience. While I didn't really get that from the book, it did talk to me about how this incredible process impacts ones life from an Islamic female perspective, as well as the lives of our significant in the voice of someone who had obviously tread the path of pregnancy and mommy-hood.Written in a conversational tone, I could almost imagine a friend or aunt speaking to me as I read.
Finding some of the views too idealistic, the authenticated hadiths (narrations) were great, and the presence of helpful dua's (supplications) for different situations were nice too.
All in all a good read for the expectant Muslim mum-to-be who wants something more than the usual get-ready-for-baby literature.

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Living the Healthy Life - Jessica Sepel

I'm in awe of how honest Jessica Sepel is in her books, which is probably what attracted her huge fan base. Opening up about everything from her health struggles to her emotional issues with food, she is a super identifiable example for trying your best to live a healthy life. No diets, no extreme exercising or restrictive food regimes, the Jessica Sepel food creed is all about nourishing your body with food that's good for you and tastes delicious. Packed with nutritious and interesting sounding recipes that echo off what we saw in the Healthy Life, this book expands even further on her experiences and how we can all live better by healing different areas of our lives. I love how she incorporates different facets of the mind and body to give a holistic picture of healthy living - how the gut impacts the human system;  the impact of stress and imbalanced hormones; the relationship we have with ourselves etc
With 160 recipes there are at least 160 reasons to delve into this keepsake of a book, not including the eating plans and general good advice I guess we're all in need of in this super busy age.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan

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The Queen of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

This is apparently a debut novel for Erika Johansen and I love that a female writer so perfectly produced a must-read in a genre more typically dominated by men. Cherry on top, our protagonist is not the skinny-exquisitely beautiful-brave but mysterious usual formula for female characters in the fantasy genre, oh no, our Kelsea is chubby, loves her food and has truck loads of courage and spunk- just how we like'em.
The book starts out on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday when soldiers relucttanlty fetch her from the only  home shes ever known to escort her to the throne of the Tearling which, at that point is ruled by her corrupt uncle who not so secretly is under the thumb of the Queen of Mortmesne. Little faith is lended to her to actually get to the throne as assassins are in hot pursuit of her to make sure she never reaches the the throne. The lack luster faith of the soldiers quickly turn around when our Kelsea shows them that she's no 'dolls and dresses' type. And of course, she gets aided by the creepy Fetch who she secretly becomes smitten with.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, its darkly delicious and I would imagine inspired many a late night for the fortunate people who were smart enough to acquire the whole trilogy set together *Sigh*
The Queen of the Tearling is followed by The Invasion of the Tearling and The Fate of the Tearling.

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One Dark Throne - Kendare Blake

The sequel to the former Three Dark Crowns, the anticipation for One Dark Crown saw me mentally tapping a literary foot for almost a year. Now I know that this is more suited to the late teen market, but there is something just so riveting about the three very different sisters who are used as pawns to claim the crown of Fennbirn island. The book starts off in Greavesdrake Manor, home of the formerly weak queen Katharine, who very interestingly after being thrown into the Breccia Domain because of said weakness and trusting nature, emerges as a force to be reckoned with, which pretty much sends chills up the spines of everyone who once lauded power over. Queens Mirabella and Arsinoe are no less interesting either and we see each of the three queens finding their own voices and being used less as pawns.
This book is appealing enough to an adult, which means I wouldnt recommend it to a lower age group than the mid-late teenage sphere.
Gone are the days when a books entire tale was in a single thick volume - wait, were there ever such days?? - and so dear readers, we await the next installment with due anticipation *tap, tap, tap*
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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The Pearl Sister - Lucinda Riley

Its unfailingly interesting how Lucinda Riley takes the main mythological characteristics of each star of the Seven Sisters of Pleiades and uses it to create complex and likable characters. Though, it must have been no mean feat to write about Celaeno (CeCe to us, dear readers) who is known as the 'swarthy' or 'melon' of the constellation. Yes, I'm sure there is a perfectly respectable mythological elaboration on these characteristics, but I think we can all agree its not as epic as Maia's beauty or  Alcyone's leadership. Like her closest sister Asterope (remember the previous book about Star?), Celaeno is also known as less luminous than the other brighter stars of the constellation. This pretty much reflects our CeCe's view of herself in comparison to her other sisters, particularly Star.
Which is probably why CeCe's story is the most exotic of the lot thus far. We've been to Brazil for Maia, Scandinavia for Ally and then to England for Star - but none were quite as culturally fascinating as CeCe's story which takes us way back into the Outback (see what I did there?!) and across the Never Never and other places of less equally cool names. CeCe's ancestry is part Aboriginal and along with it comes the rich influences of the people of the land Australia, ironically one of the few places that she did not want to visit as a traveler. True to her spontaneous nature, the book takes us on a journey that starts in Thailand after she dejectedly leaves Star in England to find a life of her own and its here that she meets the mysterious Ace. Thereafter off we go to Australia where she finally understands the clue that Pa Salt left her and more importantly, herself.
This author truly has a gift for story telling and her research must take her all over the world to truly assimilate different cultures into each characters past - tough work I'm sure..
We await Tiggy's story coming in autumn 2018 with bated breath.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan

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The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

An enticingly fat book (nerd alert), you know you're about to read something epic when the book in question has inspired not only a TV series, but also a video game. Written in the 1970's, to add to its illustrious accomplishments this book has been on various best seller lists for long stretches of time.
The writing itself reminded me of traditional male story writing - Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan etc, though there is no sign of sci-fi or fantasy in this book. Part of the fiction genre, its the first installment of the Kingsbridge trilogy that narrates the building of a cathedral superimposed over the trials and tribulations in the lifetimes of several protagonists - Prior Philip; Aliena; Ellen and Jack; Tom Builder and the despicable William Hamleigh.
The central topic of the book is the building of the cathedral at the Kingsbridge Priory and the lives of many characters are indirectly impacted by its construction. I would imagine that Follett must have researched the architectural trends of that time (12th century) in great depth as the most poetic descriptions in the book are about the architecture of various buildings and most centrally, the cathedral itself.
This book deepened the dark rings around my eyes as I could not put it down, its reputation as one of Britains great reads well worth the honour. Its succeeded by World Without End, and most recently, A Column of Fire.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan

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The Muse - Jessie Burton

Believable characters - that is one of the qualities that a great book has. Our protagonist here in The Muse almost makes me believe that I read her narrations in an accent apt to her Trinidad homeland. Odelle Bastien is a bright writer born in Trinidad who comes to London like many others in the 1960's to search for the dream. Her dream? To be a published writer. Instead she finds herself working in a shoe store for five years, struggling to gain an opportunity that is not biased by her skin tone. As fate would have it, she gets admin job at the Skelton Institute via the incredibly enigmatic Marjorie Quick. The book lightly touches on the racial challenges that Odelle deals with at that time, but more as to accentuate her and Quick as contrasting characters than for any other reason. 

Spiked with art related history in 1930's, this one may appeal to the fans of Picasso, having much of the books' story line set in the time of his popularity and the place of his birth - beautiful Malaga, on the Andalusian coast of Spain. 

I was genuinely surprised - not an easy feat! -  at the plot twist at the end. Author of the Miniaturist, Jessie Burton spell bounds with a fast developing plot and a refreshingly unconventional protagonist.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan

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Jessica Sepel - The Healthy Life

Just about exiting the 2-month post pregnancy crazy period, if ever there was a book that would make me run out in wild dash (well, almost!) to buy chia seeds, its this one. Compiled underneath a venerably wholesome looking cover with the extremely healthy looking Ms. Sepel, I opened the book to read with much skepticism. After all, are we not bombarded enough with trendy ways of eating and breathing and seeing and weeing etc?
Despite my doubts, I warmed to the read, particularly the easy recipes (no comments on the higher priced ingredients but for goodness sake it pays to be healthy?!) some of which I've already attempted to try - cue her mum Nicky's roast chicken and those tasty muesli bars . Espousing the merits of a cleaner and more health-conscious way of living and eating, Ms Sepel's written creed aims to take you on a holistic journey that doesn't end with a goal weight or a certain waist circumference, this is a lifestyle choice and eschews food excesses and any type of mental or physical toxicity that impacts overall wellness and mindfulness.
I'm particularly partial to the encouragement of giving the exercise a skip if it means that you are more in need of rest than activity. Guess that means I'm gona try to sneak in a cat nap..Looking forward to getting stuck into Living the Healthy Life
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan

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The Shadow Sister - Lucinda Riley

I await each installment of the Seven Sister series with delicious anticipation, savouring the pleasant surprise each time that each book has been thicker than the last. That's because I know that every volume will be richly decorated by a bygone era's accurately depicted historical background set within a fictional tale for my - and of course, your - delight.
The Shadow Sister is the heritage tale of Star, the third of the D'Apliese sisters and the most (seemingly) introverted and enigmatic of them all. Named after Asterope in the constellation, her whole life Star had been the quiet side-kick you may call it, to the fourth sister, Cece who is as boisterous and spontaneous as she is reserved and measured.
Finally looking into the clues about her heritage left by Pa Salt, Star's journey of discovery leads her to make unlikely friends, and through them is taken back a hundred years via the diaries left by her ancestors to understand where she came from. New friendships and employment also begin to challenge the comfortable and immovable bond with Cece.
Romantic, delectably rich in historical imagery and littered with flowery English characters, as usual I find myself awaiting the next installment of  of the series - Cece's journey in the Pearl Sister - with much anticipation.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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Lucy Diamond - The House of New Beginnings

What caught my eye most about this book was the lovely cover that seemed to scream enigma and  girly friendship - adventure to me. For the most part, I was right, particularly in the girly friendship -adventure prognosis.
Set in the seaside town of Brighton, England, the book follows three initially down-on-their-luck ladies who have all moved to the same apartment block at Dukes Square over the course of the past few months. Georgie, a twenty something resident of Stonefield who is confident and exuberant in nature follows her boyfriend to the town when he gets a 6-month architecture contract there. Charlotte, sombre divorcee who harbours the scars of a terrible trauma that has kept her completely anti-social and finally, Rosa, who upon finding out the man she loves was living a double life, promptly quit her high-flying job in advertising and moved to Brighton to become part of the minimum wage kitchen staff at the Hotel Zanzibar
A lightly written peace, I very aptly read this with a spectacular sea view in site. Great for an easy read where minimum mental taxation is desired and the expectation of a happy ending is guaranteed.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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Gail Schimmel: The Park | Blog Tour | Pregnant musings from a swollen belly...Reading about Rebecca

Early in Rebecca's pregnancy,  she finds herself enjoying a routine of procrastinating, drinking tea and stroking her belly. That pretty much sum's up my existence over the past few months.
Just like our protagonist, I'm expecting a bundle of (grief? angst? hysteria?) joy in the next few months and as I read about her exploits from the comforts of my highly pillowed bed, I found myself frowning through her anxieties, admiring her never-ending maternal juice and practically sighing in exhaustion on account of her overall busyness. She may then, have provided a book-realm crash course in what can be expected in the next few months. The unyielding defense for her (adopted) daughter; the desire to connect with similar situation moms and a potential for a supernatural compassion so powerful that it may attract curious types people with needs that are too big to voice out loud.
Like Rebecca, I too have a 'Sean' who colours my days with husbandly charm that will soon extend into the realm of fatherhood. And like Rebecca, I appreciate him and cannot imagine the struggles that the Lilith's of the world have to go through in terms of enduring abuse in a pregnancy and then raising a child alone. I've known incredible women who have been abandoned with their swollen bellies either through fate or someone's choice and I cannot sing the praises of these unsung heroes enough. You never quite realise the sacrifice and sense of overwhelming that goes into bringing life into the world until you have to see it through your own eyes. So as a reader you cannot help but develop a macabre compassion for the choices that Lilith has made.
So here's to the Amazon's that we walk amongst everyday, the ones who scuttle about with swollen bellies to make the lives of those around (and inside of) them work. And, especially to those who don't have the support to get up and say "Ok, lets do this" for yet another day.

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Coming soon.....

I'm excited to announce a new venture with Pan Macmillan, coming to the site on the 11th April!

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The Park - Gail Schimmel

Well written and sometimes witty is how I'd some up this book. Gail Schimmel certainly conveys a tone of motherly experience in this domestic-focused work. At times distracting a reader with the mundane daily domestic details that contribute to the tone of  Rebecca's overall situation, the book is divided into chapters titled with a 'good mother' checklist that we later find out was the little audit list of her troubled friend Lilith. After meeting Lilith and her daughter Ruby-Mae in the park with her soon to be ex-friend Rose, Rebecca and husband Sean's life slowly become affected in ways that they could not dream about. Without giving away too much of the book, I did find myself waiting through the first few chapters for something big to happen - the writing builds up the precipice of a juicy drama really well, and leaves you somewhat hanging until much later on. A great light read that would certainly appeal to the 30-50 year old mom target market.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan