I really shouldn't be at all surprised that yet another Matthew Reilly has crept onto my favourites list. I adored this, sordid moments and all. This is an atmospheric delight as we romp through history in the midst of a thrilling mystery.
I'm pleased to say that this didn't disappoint following on from the first book - plenty of dragon chaos ensued! I'm still really enjoying this world and the devilish politics going on. There was certainly some interesting character development happening, and I'm no closer to really understanding where I stand with Jehal.
Gosh, I absolutely adored this. I've had this book on my shelf for the longest of times and have been so hesitant to pick it up because the average rating on Goodreads just isn't that great. Because, excuse me, this is brilliant? I don't know how this isn't on everyone's list for dragon-loving fantasy readers.
It's no secret that I'm a great admirer of anything that Kate Quinn writes – and this is certainly no exception. This book was everything I wanted The Midnight Library to be. A magical library set in another realm (an in-between sort of realm) where you can live in your favourite novel and escape reality.
This was genuinely awesome. I loved every minute and I really loved the full-blown Irish sass of the main character, Kinch.
This is a hard book to describe in detail – it's sat with me for some time since I finished it, and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience. But to put my finger on what exactly made this so good, is difficult. The book has a quiet, complex atmosphere – it's a sophisticated novel of family ties, the plight of women and the scandalousness of witchcraft.
I loved Lucy Adlington's writing in The Red Ribbon, and while this is non-fiction rather than historical fiction, I loved her writing in this just as much. This is a very poignant and well-researched novel on a group of women who survived Auschwitz in part thanks to their sewing abilities.
I really am a big fan of Brusatte at this point. Having read The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us before this one, I knew I would be in for a good time and it didn't disappoint.
This is clearly the book where everything gets real. Being part 2 of book 3, things went up a gear in terms of battles, character deaths and general plot progression. I lost count of the number of times I was shocked in this book!
A new favourite for my list, to be sure. What's not to love in this adorable cosy fantasy? This lived up to the hype and beyond for me.
Upside-Down Books 