Reading Round-Up: Jan/Feb 2016

As it's the start of a new year, I've decided to start a new regular feature here on TWG. I've seen a lot of other book bloggers do a regular round-up of the books they've read and acquired over a certain period of time, so it's about time I kicked off my own bi-monthly reading round-up!

Book Review: Langston's Daughters by Juliette Harper

Last Updated: 31 May 2021

AD* | Kate, Jenny, and Mandy. Langston Lockwood’s daughters.

His tyranny drove them away. His suicide draws them home. They inherit his land, his millions, and his mysteries.

Meet the women of the Rocking L and the men who come into their lives. Together, they begin the journey to discover the truth about The Lockwood Legacy. From the pain of the past, they find the strength to build a dynasty.

Book Review: My Stratford Friend by Dominick Reyntiens

Last Updated: 31 May 2021

AD* | "I have hanged more men for what they have written than for what they have done."

This quote from Queen Elizabeth I’s most savage enforcer, Richard Topcliffe, goes straight to the heart of the world that surrounds Tom Wickham – a stable boy who, by the circumstances of his birth, becomes young William Shakespeare’s closest friend.

Warwickshire was one of the last Catholic outposts of Tudor England. History is written by the victors, but this is a story of a torn and bloody country as seen through the tear-stained eyes of the vanquished. The layers of Tom and Will’s turbulent environment are peeled back, revealing passion, love and desire fighting for oxygen on the face of a spiralling mountain of fear and retribution.

The Bloggers vs Compers Debate

The debate between bloggers and compers has been going on for what feels like forever. Both sides think they're in the right, which means things have a tendency to get a little heated when one side says something the other disagrees with.

But for those that don't know, what's it all about?

Book Review: The Bluffer's Guide to Social Media

Last Updated: 31 May 2021

AD* | Instantly acquire all the knowledge you need to pass as an expert in the world of social media. Know what to say, what not to say, what to post, what not to post, and what excuses to make if you don't know the difference between a tweet and a dweet, or even a retweet (which, any tweeple worth their salt will know is always called an RT).

Never again confuse a LOL with a ROFL, a selfie with a shelfie, or Godwin's Law with the Streisand Effect. Bask in the admiration of your fellow social media aficionados as you pronounce confidently on the chances of Facebook going the way of Friends Reunited and Bebo, and why MySpace could be the Casio keyboard of the 21st century.

Above all don't hold back when it comes to saying what you really think of trolls, pointing out that there has never yet been one who had a healthy mental attitude, a steady job and the requisite intelligence to write anything worth reading.

Do ask: What's the point of Tumblr?
Don't say: I've got this great idea for a blog on cats that look like biscuits.

Book Review: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Last Updated: 31 May 2021

AD* | She’s more gunpowder than girl - and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumour has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him... or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

Theatre Review: Les Misérables at Queen's Theatre, London

Les Misérables, the world's longest-running musical, and probably my favourite musical. It was the first 'serious' musical I saw (excluding the likes of Disney classics High School Musical and Camp Rock) and it really kickstarted my love for theatre.

Book Review: Chameleon Soul by Mia Hoddell

Last Updated: 31 May 2021

AD* | After one fateful night, Raine Wilkins’ life has never been the same…

Two years into a relationship with Formula 1 driver Teo Coates, Raine walks out of his life without offering an explanation. To shield him from horrifying events that are best kept secret, Raine breaks her own heart and the heart of the man she loves. And left with no choice, Teo is forced to abandon Raine to finish his race season.

However, Teo always wins, and losing Raine’s heart has only made him more determined to reclaim it…

Now, a year later, he’s back, and she’s his only goal. But Raine is no longer the same girl he left behind; she’s broken by the past and struggling to cope with each day. Unbearable memories have her nights plagued with fear, while her days are spent deliberately hiding away to avoid triggering full-blown panic attacks. Therefore, when Teo returns as England’s favourite driver and demands answers, all of Raine’s careful planning is destroyed.

She is thrown into the one place she never wants to be - the spotlight.

Her newfound fame as Teo’s public girlfriend raises old dangers and exposes her to a group who will stop at nothing to tear them apart. If Raine and Teo are to be together, they must confront their past. However, only Raine knows the truth behind what happened during that sinister night, and revealing her secrets may cause Teo to leave for good.​