Believe in the Impossible Readathon

I heard about this readathon on twitter and it sounded like so much fun. It's been quite a long time since I took part in a readathon or reading challenge and I was immediately interested in this one. I've persuaded a couple of my book buddies to join in too (@SophiaZarifis and @PagliSi) so hopefully we'll be able to discuss some of the same books.

The readathon is run by Gavin (@TheGavGav7) and runs through November on @Believathon. It consists of a group book, Frostheart by Jamie Littler, and 10 prompts. There's a very cool compendium with instructions and all the prompts as well as suggestions in case you can't think of a book to fit any of them.

Some of the prompts and my possible reading:

A book featuring magic - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend. I've had this book for a while and this is the perfect chance to read it.

An atmospheric or creepy book - Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab. I enjoyed the first book, City of Ghosts, but a lot of it was scene setting so I think this one will be even better.

A book featuring an animal character - Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge, I've already read some of her other books but this is her first and I think a homicidal goose should fit in well with this prompt.

Re-read your personal childhood favourite - this can only be Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr. I've never forgotten this book but somehow haven't re-read as an adult. (This one fits the creepy or atmospheric prompt too).

I also have a pile of other options plus many more on my kindle. I just have to figure out where then can all fit. Hopefully I can complete all the prompts, this will definitely help me with my towering TBR (to be read) and may save me from being crushed when it inevitably topples over me. I might have bought one or two (five) books for this too...

If you want to get involved, make sure you give @TheGavGav7 and @Believathon a follow and use the hashtag #Believathon if you want to share any of your reading. Look out for my updates on twitter and I'll update at the end of the month!

While I search through these piles of books, I've created a 'Believe in the Ginpossible'! Pour a double gin into a glass, add some blue shimmer and a dash of lavender syrup. Throw in lots of ice and stir, then add tonic to taste.

Shadows - R.J. Furness

(Sapphire Smyth & The Shadow Five #1)

Have you ever seen something you can’t explain? Did it vanish as fast as it appeared?

Perhaps that thing you saw was lurking in the shadows, and you caught a glimpse of it before it went back into hiding.

There’s a good chance, of course, that the thing you saw simply emerged from your imagination.

Or maybe, just maybe, it didn’t…

Shadows is book 1 of the Sapphire Smyth & the Shadow Five series. This is quite a short book, the first of a six part serial. I've read a few books this year in this format and I enjoy it as it keeps things fast paced and not too bogged down with detail. The downside of this is that it would have been nice to have at least a little more detail. There wasn't really enough time to really get to know the characters, though I expect this will be remedied in the later books. It would have been good to start just a little further back, to understand more about Sapphire's relationship with her foster family. Not knowing them at all, it is hard to feel the shock that she must be feeling at their behaviour. However, the prologue gives an intriguing glimpse into Sapphire's much earlier past and her parents.

Ben clearly knows a lot more about everything than Sapphire does, though he doesn't seem in a hurry to explain much to her. I don't really blame him as she can be kind of a bratty character and I really couldn't empathise much with her.  I'm not quite sure about their relationship as it sounds as though they are supposed to be really close but Sapphire definitely has trust issues from the start. Hopefully he will turn out to be a trustworthy friend.

I enjoyed the fantasy and wanted to know more about the shadows and where they come from, so far I can't tell if they are actually good or bad, I'm guessing they can be either. The book didn't leave me desperate to read more, though the titles of the next two books, Mermaids and Dragons, did pique my interest!

Here's my Shadowsmyth cocktail:

Mix 1 shot blue curacao and 1 shot chambord. Stir with ice to chill and strain into a champagne flute. Top with prosecco.

The Sapphire Smyth & The Shadow Five blog tour runs until 20th October so be sure to check out some of the other great tour stops.