The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness.

Title – The Ask and the Answer
Series – Chaos Walking trilogy #2
Author – Patrick Ness
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 528 pages
Publication Date – February 1st 2018 by Walker Books – 10th anniversary edition
ISBN – 9781406379174
My Rating – ★★★★/5

Viola and Todd have reached Haven but it wasn’t the haven they were expecting it to be. Now they’ve been separated from each other. Todd is imprisoned and is forced into Mayor Prentiss’s new “order.” Viola has been recovering at a healing house full of women. While she’s being as an apprentice a group starts bombing the town. The decisions Viola and Todd make next could change them forever.

I received a copy of The Ask and the Answer from Walker Books Australia to review. This is the second book in the Chaos Walking trilogy. You can read my review of the first book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, here. 

I was a little frustrated with Todd in this book. Actually with both Todd and Viola. I just couldn’t understand why Todd went along with everything Prentiss had him do, all the horrible things, especially after Viola left. For me, Prentiss is such a twisted and horrible person and I just expected Todd would have done anything to get away from him.

Also, the way Viola and Todd kept doubting each other was very frustrating. Especially after everything they’d been through on their journey to Haven. I guess when you have people in your ear telling you things and everything points to them being right, it definitely could put doubts in your head. I’m just glad they eventually decided to make their own choices. Which is what I feel this is all about – having the strength to make your own choices in the face of horrible situations.

Both The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer have been very fast paced and enjoyable books. I couldn’t put all of them down. I’ll definitely be reading the last book in the trilogy, Monsters of Men, very soon.

At the end of The Ask and the Answer there was another short story or novella. This one took place before the Spackle War, which was thirteen years before the events in these books I think. I’m not sure how, or if, it will link into Monsters of Men but I’m looking forward to finding out.

*Thanks Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Title – The Knife of Never Letting Go
Series – Chaos Walking trilogy #1
Author – Patrick Ness
How I Got It – From the publisher
Pages – 496 pages
Publication Date – February 1st 2018 by Walker Books – 10th anniversary edition
ISBN – 9781406379167
My Rating – ★★★★/5

Prentisstown is unlike any other town. That’s because you can hear everyone’s thoughts in a never-ending Noise. There are no secrets in Prentisstown.

One month before Todd’s birthday, he comes across a place in the swamp where it’s completely silent and his life will never be the same again.

I received a copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go from Walker Books Australia to review. I haven’t read a lot of Ness’s books but I’d heard really good things about this trilogy so I wanted to finally check it out for myself. 

The synopsis for this book doesn’t really explain much but I also didn’t want to give too much away for the people who haven’t read it yet. Unless I’m the last one? Haha. Anyway, so much happened in this book I don’t even know where to start.

I loved Todd’s dog, Manchee. I thought he was hilarious. But I did find Todd kind of annoying in the beginning. I do understand why he did some things. I hated not knowing what was in the journal for most of the book and I probably blamed that on Todd.

The language, or Noise, in The Knife of Never Letting Go took me a while to get used to. Especially the slang. But once it because part of the story it didn’t bug me so much that the Noise had spelling mistakes. It makes sense though, Todd can’t read or write so his Noise wouldn’t be able to spell words correctly.

Like I said before, a lot happened in this book and I’m not going to spoil anything. But I will say that I liked this book a lot more that the others I’ve read by Ness. It had so many things that kept me coming back for more – secrets, lies, hidden agendas, alien-like beings and impending war – what’s not to love?

My copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go has a short story at the end called The New World. It’s in Viola’s POV and I really enjoyed it. I’m glad it was included in this edition.

I’m looking forward to reading The Ask and the Answer soon.

*Thank you Walker Books Australia for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.

February Book Haul.

I thought it was about time that I shared my February book haul. I know it’s a little late but better late than never I guess. 

So last month I got a total of 20 books. I bought ten and received ten to review.

I’d read three before but wanted different copies and out of the rest I only managed to read one last month.

I cannot believe how much my reading has slowed down since last year. But I am watching more TV at night now instead of reading so that might be why? But I like having a break from reading sometimes. I think I burnt myself out last year and three reading slumps were what came of it. Anyway, onto my book haul.

So the first book I got last month was Almost Midnight. I bought a copy of this randomly. I wasn’t looking for it. I do have a copy of one of the short stories in this book, Kindred Spirits, but haven’t actually read it yet.

This edition is really pretty in person, it had glitter all over the book. I don’t know when I’ll get around to reading it. Maybe if I fall behind in my reading challenge.

I’ve read a few of Rainbow Rowell’s books and I think my favourite out of the ones I’ve read might be Landline? But Fangirl is still on my TBR. I have a copy of that, I just haven’t gotten around to reading it yet.

The next book I also bought for myself. I actually sent money to my cousin in England to pick me up a copy of this because I loved the Waterstones edition and couldn’t find it on Book Depository. Well, I think it’s a Waterstones edition?

Anyway this is the first book in Philip Pullman’s new series. I have to confess that I’ve only read Northern Lights in the His Dark Materials trilogy but I really enjoyed it and I plan on continuing the trilogy at some point this year. Then I will pick up La Belle Sauvage.

This edition also has a daemon inside the cover. I think there were a few you could get but I can only remember three, the monkey, one that I think was Pan (??) and a cat. I got the cat. There are more photos of the book on my Instagram but I’m sure you could Google to see too.

I also finally got the Shadow and Bone trilogy last month. I’ve been wanting to read these for years but the library I used to go to didn’t have them and I never got around to getting myself a copy of them until now. But that doesn’t mean I’ll be reading them anytime soon. I’ve had books sitting unread on my shelves for years and yet I still buy more…

I do want to read at least the first book this year though. At least then I’ll know if I should get copies of the Six of Crows duology. I’ve been really tempted to just buy them now but I don’t even know if I’ll like this trilogy. Which is why I haven’t actually bought them even though the hardbacks are so pretty with their sprayed edges! I love these editions though and the box set even came with a map!

Another book I bought for myself. Well, this one is a graphic novel of a book. I loved Marie Lu’s Legend trilogy so when I saw this for only $3 I had to get it. I don’t read a lot of graphic novels. The last one I read was the Northern Lights edition. I don’t know if the other two books have graphic novels though…

I haven’t read this yet. I’m planning to read it if I fall behind on this years reading challenge on Goodreads because graphic novels are really fast reads. And I haven’t read this trilogy in years!

I also want to get this trilogy in hardback too because my copies are different sizes and it frustrates me. I like have a series be the same size.

The next book was sent to me from Walker Books Australia to review. I’ve heard really good things about Scythe and I cannot wait to read it. It’s actually on my March TBR but I don’t know when I’ll pick it up…

I can’t remember what this is about and I don’t want to assume things here because I’ll probably just be wrong so I’m not going to. Someone told me that it made her cry both times they read it. It takes a lot for a book. TV show or movie to make me cry. I think I cry more watching something than reading though but there have been books that have made me cry. I can’t remember what the last one was though. I just looked at my reading challenge on Goodreads and none of the books I’ve read this year have made me cry. So I guess I’ll see if this one does when I eventually pick it up.

The next two books were sent to my from HarperCollins New Zealand to review. Firstlife is the first book in a trilogy I think. I think it was something about you live your first life and then die and go on to the next one? Which is your actual life? Oh wow that is a crap summary but it’s been a while since I read the synopsis.

That ‘hot price’ on the cover really annoys me because I can’t take it off. Why do you do this to pretty books!!!

Anyway, Firstlife is on my March TBR too. I don’t have my TBR in an order of when I’ll read the books. I just pick up a book I’m in the mood for. I think I tried to have them in some kind of order once and it never worked. Looks like I’m a mood reader. Especially if it’s a contemporary. I have to be in the mood for one of them to read them.

HarperCollins NZ also sent me a copy of Zenith to review. I love sci-fi books but I haven’t been hearing good things about this and to be honest it’s kind of put me off a little bit. I mean, I’ll read it eventually because it’s a review book but I’m just not in the mood for it yet. I will say that my expectations have dropped though. I’m not going to go into it expecting to have the same opinion as everyone else but the things I’ve heard just aren’t making me excited to read it.

I do like the cover though and the story still sounds good. I kind of hope I like it but if it’s as bad as I’ve heard it is then I also don’t want to at the same time? I don’t know.

I bought the hardback edition of Illuminae last year when I saw it at a local store for $7. So obviously I had to have the other two in hardback. Gemina arrived last month and it is gorgeous! I love the Illuminae Files and can’t wait for my copy of Obsidio to arrive. It’s finally been shipped!!

I really want to re-read this trilogy but it’ll have to wait until later in the year or next year. I have too many review copies I need to read first.

If you haven’t read Illuminae and Gemina then I cannot recommend them enough. They’re so unique and amazing and Gemina has beautiful illustrations by Marie Lu too. I gave both books five stars and I’ve already read them twice. I actually re-read them when I heard Obsidio’s publication date had been pushed back.

Walker Books Australia sent me an ARC of Small Spaces to review. This is a debut novel (I think) and comes out in April. It’s also a YA thriller and I love thrillers so I’m hoping to pick it up soon.

I can’t remember what this is about. I do remember requesting it and I think I read a synopsis but I’m not sure. I think I read it last year… My memory is crap though.

I think this is also from an Australian author too. I don’t read many ‘local’ authors. I mean, Australia isn’t really local, I’m in New Zealand, but it’s not like Australia is that far away. And I know a couple of New Zealand authors that fall under the LoveOZYA category so I guess we share…

Allen and Unwin New Zealand surprised me last month and sent me a copy of Obsidio to review. This is the only review book that I received last month that I read. There was no way I was waiting until closer to the review date to read it. That would drive me crazy. My review will be up when Obsidio is officially released in New Zealand but I will say that I gave it five stars too. This trilogy was amazing! But I’m not saying anything else here. You’ll just have to wait for my review.

The ANZ edition is so shiny though! I had to angle the book away from me because I kept showing up in the cover. I can’t wait to see what the hardback looks like in person. I don’t think it’s shiny though.

The next two books I got because I am buying The Selection Series in the hardback editions. Now I have the first three. When I first picked up The Selection and The Elite a few years ago I heard The CW were making it into a TV show and I wanted to read the book first. Well that never happened but I did fall in love with the story and America and Maxon.

I didn’t acutally think I would because it’s kind of like The Bachelor except with royalty and also sort of dystopian. The third book, The One, has a lot more action. Well, when I say action I really mean death. Which I did not see coming by the way. I know people don’t like The Heir and The Crown but I did. Eadlyn was annoying at first but as she grew up I found her less annoying. 

I’m planning on buying The Heir, The Crown and Happily Ever After in hardback too. I’m not in any rush because I’ve read the series so I know what happens.

I was planning on re-reading them as I got them too but that hasn’t happened yet. Probaby because I need to catch up on my review books from last year and this year first. Taking a break over the holidays really put me behind and I haven’t caught up yet. I don’t even know if I will unless I stop requesting more books. Which I probably should. But there are so many good books coming out this year!

I bought a copy of The Librarian of Auschwitz from Book Depository when I saw it for $14. That’s not bad for a hardback in New Zealand. Anyway, this is based on a true story and has been translated into English. I haven’t read a book set in Auschwitz before so it’ll be different. I’ve read The Diary of a Young Girl a few times and Anne Frank Remembered, which was so sad but really good too.

My mother is reading this at them moment. Well, she’s been at 21 pages for the last two weeks so I can’t say she’s actually reading it. But she knows I won’t be picking it up any time soon so there’s no rush for her to finish it. I do want to read The Librarian of Auschwitz this year though.

Lighthouse Media New Zealand sent me a copy of Children of Blood and Bone to review. I’m actually reading this now and it’s so good! The release for New Zealand is the 13th I think so I have time to finish it and get my review up. I do recommend reading this though, it’s so good!!

I’ve also bought a copy of the Barnes and Noble special edition. I’m hoping it arrives in once piece. I’ve never bought anything from them before but I couldn’t pass up that edition! It’s so pretty. I also chose the cheapest shipping which means the longest. But I didn’t need it straight away because I have this to review.

But if you haven’t got a copy or weren’t planning on getting one then you definitely should! Or get it from a library! The magic and characters are amazing! And the cover is gorgeous.

HarperCollins New Zealand sent me a copy of The Queen’s Rising to review. This also has a pretty cover. And no I don’t remember what it’s about. But I’m assuming it’s about a queen.

This isn’t on my TBR for March but I think if I get time I might squeeze it on? But I’ll have to see what happens. So far I’ve only read The City of Brass, which was good, and I’m 3/4 way through Children of Blood and Bone. They are both big books though and my copy of Children of Blood and Bone has tiny text. Hopefully I’ll finish it in the next couple of days. And then I’ll figure out what I want to read next. I have six books to choose from. I also still need to post my March TBR…

So the last books I received in February were the 10th anniversary editions of the Chaos Walking Trilogy. These editions are beautiful and even have black sprayed edges. I’m hoping to read The Knife of Never Letting Go soon. I don’t have it on my TBR but hopefully my reading picks up again soon. I don’t know why it’s slowed down so much.

What books did you get in February?

– Aimee.

Series I Finished in 2015.

I finished a lot of series and trilogies last year.  Some of them I started before 2015. Anyway, I finished a total of 12 series in 2015. I don’t remember the order so I’m just going to list them here.

The Selection Series.
I read The One in 2015.
Technically it’s been extended with The Heir and The Crown but I’m still counting it.

Legend Trilogy.
I read Champion in 2015 and finally finished the trilogy.

The Mortal Instruments Series.
I read City of Heavenly Fire in 2015 (as well as re-reading the other five books in the series).

Heroes of Olympus Series.
I read The House of Hades and The Blood of Olympus in 2015.

The Starbound Trilogy.
I read all three books in the trilogy in 2015.

Bloodlines Series.
 I read The Ruby Circle in 2015.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy.
I read all three books in 2015.

Janie Johnson Series.
I read all six books in 2015.

The Pendant Trilogy.
I read all three book in The Pendant Trilogy in 2015.

Me Before You Duology.
I read both books in 2015.

Chaos Walking Trilogy.
I read all three books in 2015.

White Rabbit Chronicles.
I read all three books in 2015. Again, this series has been extended but I’m still counting the ones I read.

What series did you complete in 2015? Leave me and comment and let me know.

Aimee.

December 2015 Wrap-Up.

I read nineteen books in December. I’m just going to give my star ratings here because I’ll be doing full reviews of most of them. I’ve decided I’m not going to review the last three books in The Mortal Instruments series here.

Champion by Marie Lu – ★★★★
In the Skin of a Monster by Kathryn Barker – ★★★
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare – ★★★
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare – ★★★★
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare – ★★★★★
Cool Nukes by Des Hunt – ★★★
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness – ★★★
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes – ★★★★
Shadows of the Master by Emily Rodda – ★★★
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine – ★★★★
The Next Together by Lauren James- ★★★★
Moving Target by Christina Diaz Gonzalez – ★★★★
The Poisoned Emerald by Sarena and Sasha Nanua – ★★★
Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash – ★★★
Two Moons by Emily Rodda – ★★★
Demon Road by Derek Landy – ★★★★
Sanspell by Elizabeth Pulford – ★★★
The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare – ★★★★
Bragonsthyme by Elizabeth Pulford – ★★★

I’m glad I’ve finally finished the Legend Trilogy and The Mortal Instruments. Those are the two I really wanted to finish last year. Now I can start Marie Lu’s other books and I cannot wait for Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare to come out this year.

If I haven’t posted my review of these books yet, they’ll be up soon.

Have you read any of these books? Leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of them.

November Book Haul 2015.

I wasn’t expecting to get a lot of books this month. I did know that two were coming in the mail and I requested some but had no idea that I’d receive this much. I’m so thankful to all the publishers who sent me books this month.

The first book I received this month was a surprise from Hachette New Zealand.  When they left me a comment on Instagram telling me they were sending me a surprise I was thinking bookmarks or badges, something small. But a few days later I received the 10th Anniversary Edition of Twilight.
I was so excited I couldn’t stop stating at it.

I really didn’t expect to get this from Hachette NZ. I haven’t read it yet, I’ve been reading a lot of review books this month, but I’m hoping to get to it in December.

I’ve heard mixed reviews about Life and Death but I’m going to go into it with an open mind. I’ve already re-read Twilight so I can just skip that part of the book.

The next books I received from Walker Books Australia and New Zealand.

I’d heard really good things about Patrick Ness’s books and I’ve only read A Monster Calls. I’ve already read and reviewed The Knife of Never Letting Go. You can read it here.

My current read it The Ask and the Answer. Hopefully I’ll finish that soon and I’ll have a review up next month.

The next book I bought myself. As soon as I saw Ten Thousand Skies Above You I knew I had to have it. I loved A Thousand Pieces of You, you can read my review of that here.

I haven’t gotten to read this yet. Hopefully I will next year. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to fit it into December yet.

These covers are gorgeous. Which is just a bonus because the story is amazing and addictive but really hard to explain to people who’ve never heard of it.

The next books I received were from Scholastic New Zealand. I wasn’t expecting these at all so I was surprised when they were delivered one morning.

I’d never heard of any of these books before. I’ve read both The Murdstone Trilogy (you can read my review here) and Close to the Wind (my review will be up this week).

I still have Cool Nukes by Des Hunt to read. I think that’s released on December 1st here so I’ll be reading it this week. 

The next two books arrived one the same day from Hachette New Zealand. I’ve read and reviewed both of these books so I’m not going to go into them. I’ll link both reviews here (The Witches, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams).

I really liked both of these books but I did like The Bazaar of Bad Dreams more.

I received a copy of Their Fractured Light from Allen and Unwin New Zealand. I’ve read and reviewed both These Broken Stars and This Shattered World. Both of them I’ve linked here.

I really liked the first two books in this trilogy so was excited to read Their Fractured Light. I’ve read it but haven’t put my review up yet. It’ll be posted this week though. I loved it!!

I received The Next Together by Lauren James from Walker Books Australia and New Zealand. I’d seen it on Instagram lately and it sounded really good so I thought I’d see what it was like. I haven’t read it yet but I have flipped though the book.

I’ll probably be reading it after Cool Nukes.

The last books I received this month were from Allen and Unwin New Zealand. I think I requested them last month but I’m not sure.

Anyway, both of them sound really good and I can’t wait to read them. Plus, I love the butterfly on Ink and Bone. It’s so pretty.

So that’s my book haul for November. I don’t expect as many next month, I don’t really get books for Christmas.

Which book is your favourite that you got this month? Leave a comment and let me know 🙂

– Aimee.