Showcase Sunday #1

So I found out about Showcase Sunday by going to the Books Biscuits and Tea blogsite and  the aim of Showcase Sunday is to highlight our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week, and this is my first ever Showcase! I haven't done one before because I have only just started to collect books to read again but I will share will you all the books that I have received this week :) 

The first of the bundle of books I want to share is The Spooks Curse by Joseph Delaney; The second sequel to the The Wardstone Chronicles. As soon as I finished the first book, I instantly went out to search for the second and I am currently in the middle of reading that one right now. My review for the first book in the Wardstone Chronicles, The Spooks Apprentice can be found here! Go check it out :) 

The second book I have picked up is The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R Carey. I practically bought this book purely on the basis of the amount of great reviews it has received and I didn't really think of looking at what the book was really about. To be honest though, the blurb doesn't give much away, but it did give me a feeling that something not quite right was hidden in this book and I just had to give it a go. I was definitely right though.. I'm not going to give anything away, but reading the first couple of chapters in this book and I was completely hooked. Go buy it! I already know this books going to be a keeper. 

The third book I managed to find is Half a King by Joe Abercrombie. I managed to get this book for just £4 seen as I had amazon gift vouchers I thought why not! I have heard that this book is an amazing, fantasy filled book with all the twists and plot points and wonderful characters that I would love to read about. I couldn't actually find a negative review about this book and that must mean something right? Can't wait to start reading this.

Book Review: The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

Author: Joseph Delaney

Title: The Spook's Apprentice

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Last Apprentice blurb:

Someone has to stand against the dark. And you're the only one who can.'

For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from evil. Now his time is coming to an end, but who will take over?

Many apprentices have tried . . . Some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive. Just one boy is left. Thomas Ward. He is the last hope.

But does he stand a chance against Mother Malkin, the most dangerous witch in the County?

The Spooks Apprentice is the first book in the Wardstone Chronicles that Joseph Delaney has created and falls under the fantasy/ adventure section on the shelves so was instantly I must buy for me. Also can I just say again as I have pointed out in a previous post that the actually book itself is beautiful. It is on the small side as in size, not pages but the book, and is created to make it actually look old and has a scaley effect to it, I found this very appealing.

Anyway, the main character of the book is of a boy, Thomas Ward and the whole novel is in his point of view, following his life through his eyes which Delaney does beautifully. He is the seventh son of the seventh son and of a young age of 13, it is the time where he must leave his family and is taken in by the Spook who deals with creatures of 'the dark' for a induction and is put through different tests to see if he can make it as a Spooks Apprentice. He then comes across the most powerful witch in the County, Mother Malkin and must choose wisely using his training, to deal with her and keep the County safe.

The Spook's, named John Gregory, job is to protect the County he lives in and around it from things that presumably go bump in the night such as Ghosts, Gouls, Demons and Witches who terrorize the land. The book is approximately a year of Thomas’ Wards life and is consistent as it takes us from the moment he is sent to the Spook to throughout his training where he faces difficulties and problems from the dark. 

The other main character of the story is Alice, which I found most compelling and she is portrayed as quite a dark horse and throughout the book she kept you guessing at whether she was a friend or foe. Her background is also very interesting and I am hoping she plays a big part in the following books.

Overall I think is an ideal book for the young adult group for who it is aimed. It does say that the book is scary, but in my opinion I didn’t find them scary.. creepy sure, but not scary but I really don’t think that this hinders the book at all. From the very first chapter (15 in total) the story begins to unravel superbly and keeps you wanting more after every chapter.Delaney has surely outdone himself now by created a gem of a book that includes courage, excitement, adventure, love and a sense of following your instincts. I would recommend this book to anyone and I am looking forward to reading the 2^nd novel in the series The Spooks Curse!   

Goodreads - Buy me! 

Holiday Haul!

So I am off on holiday from Sunday till next Saturday to Burnham on sea and I went out to buy some books to take with me and I would like to share them with you. 

So I guess from this selection you can kind of see the genres I am interested in, usually adventure, fantasy sort, but I do tend to swing to other genres as well. All of these are second hand from a number of second hand book shops, except from the top one, around town and I think it is a pretty good find! 


So first of the pile is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I got this from a place called Wigtown in Scotland which is actually called the booktown of Scotland and there are about ten cute little book shops all around for all ages and for different tastes and it is lovely there (and cheap!) So if you are a book enthusiast like me, make sure you go there at some point! 

Before buying this book I actually went online and typed in "Best fantasy books ever" and The Name of the Wind was always in the top 10 on multiple sites. The blurb reads: 

'I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during the day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the mintrels weep.

My name is Kvothe. You may of heard of me'

It really doesn't give much away and I am very excited to read this one as review ratings are extremely high and is said to be a really really good fantasy. 

o begins the tale of Kvothe—from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, to years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe as a notorious magician, an accomplished thief, a masterful musician, and an infamous assassin. But The Name of the Wind is so much more—for the story it tells reveals the truth behind Kvothe's legend.

passage from Patrick Rothfuss' website

*****

Next in line is The Spooks Apprentice by Joseph Delaney. This one like the others to follow are all from book shops around town.  This one I picked up just by coincidence. I have never head anything about this book or the author but it looks really interesting. Blurb reads: 

Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before him. Somehow Thomas must learn how to excorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the County, the horror begins...

I'm not sure if you can see clearly in the picture, but the book is actually gorgeous for first impressions as well, not just an interesting blurb. It's quite a small book is size but it kind of scaly and has a lovely finish to it. Can't wait to read this one! 

*****

Next is The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter, the first book in The Lords of the Underworld series.

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love . . .

Passage from here

From this it seems to me that this is a fantasy like book, but with some saucy romance thrown into it, which I am not familiar of, I don't usually read romantics but I guess I give this a go, I mean come on, look at that from cover! I don't think the butterfly tattoo suits those muscles though.. 

*****

And last but not least is Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan, the 2nd book. I thought the first one was so good I couldnt turn the 2nd one down. I have done a review on the 1st book, The Ruins of Gorlan which can be found right here!

'Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom's allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn - the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king's army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord's plans.They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil?

With bigger battles and higher stakes, John Flanagan's epic adventure charges ahead with this rousing follow-up to The Ruins of Gorlan'

I really do hope that the rest of these book are as good as the first! I see myself getting the whole lot of they are! 

*****

I actually cannot wait to go away and just get stuck into these books, look at the reviews, they all seem to be living up to expectations but I guess I will have to judge that for myself once I have read them! Once again. from the Sunday to Saturday of next week, I will not be able to add reviews or information onto here as I will be away from all devices. Hopefully I will have a couple of reviews coming up those for next week so stay tuned! 

- George