March Readathon Madness!

March has turned out to be a huge month for readathons. This month I attempted 4 readathons and had a pretty bad start on all of them! However, I did get in some good books, even if some of them missed the actual readathon dates and I managed to catch up a bit by the end of the month. These are all recurring so if you like the look of them you can join in for the next round. I plan to join in again for all of these.

Graphicsathon

Most of my library reservations didn't arrive till the day after it ended but I still enjoyed the three I did manage in that week. The Sprite and the Gardener by Rii Abrego & Joe Whitt was particularly cute but my favourite was one I read the week after, Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker. I'm so glad I listened to the many, many recommendations for this one.

Monsters University

I just couldn't find many books that fit the keywords so didn't rack up many points. I still managed to read 8 books in the right genres though. My favourite was Wendington Jones and the Missing Tree by Daniel Dockery, an exciting adventure across the world to discover the Tree of Life.

Trope-ical Readathon

I generally don't like the typical tropes so wasn't sure about this one but when I read about it, it sounded lots of fun. I like month long challenges best too, a week is too restrictive. The other good thing here was that I could include the books I read for the other readathons, apart from not accepting graphic novels for the prompts which I thought was a bit of a shame when novellas were still included! I loved the book I read for the Multiple POVs trope which was The Last One to Fall by Gabriella Lepore. This one kept me guessing all the way through.

A Year in Aeldia (Magical Readathon)

As a bonus, this one lasts all year with 1 prompt a month but is actually part of an ongoing multi-year readathon. I've been doing this for a few years now and always look forward to the next round in April. You can start at any time and there's even a video to help newbies catch up. For March, I had to Fight a Giant and read Lore Olympus: Volume 5. I've really been enjoying this series but I'm trying not to read it all at once.

 

 

 Spotlight on...
Lesser Known Monsters by Rory Michaelson

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Today's post is a spotlight on the 10th place runner up of last year's BBNYA competition. Add it to your Goodreads shelf here.

Book Summary

Being the chosen one isn’t always a good thing...

Oscar Tundale is not a hero. Anxious, indecisive, and awkward, he can barely get through a normal day. Now he’s about to find out monsters are real. Oscar’s friends: brave, stubborn Zara, and hyperactive, paranoid Marcus, might help discover what hunts him, and unravel the truth about the handsome doctor he pines for. But only heroes can save the world, so maybe the best Oscar can hope for is to not end it by accident.

The LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS series is a dark queer fantasy featuring diverse characters on a found family adventure. Perfect for fans of horror and paranormal romance who seek LGBTQ+ heroes.

Author Bio

Rory Michaelson is always doing too many things, and rarely the ones that they ought to be. The Lesser Known Monsters series includes Rory’s debut novel and short story collection. They were born and raised in the UK, love stories in all forms, and are easily bribed with cookies.

You can follow Rory on Twitter (and other social media platforms) for shenanigans @RoryMichaelson, or subscribe to their newsletter at RoryMichaelson.com.

The Spectaculars by Jodie Garnish

Book Summary

Beyond the gateway, in the Hidden Peaks, live the Spectaculars - magical performers, with special powers gifted from the stars. They can levitate you out of your seat with a song, make a costume that will turn you invisible and create a snowstorm with a dance.

When Harper joins The Spectaculars at their travelling boarding school, she can't wait to learn all kinds of magic. But when the song of the Four Curses comes to life, and a terrifying creature threatens everything, she must use her new powers to save her school...

While dreams come true at the Wondria, nightmares might just be lurking in the wings.

I loved the very mysterious start to the book and Harper is a great protagonist, a heroine who prefers dragons to knights in shining armour! I was also pleased that for once, the class bully wasn't the best at everything and favoured by all the teachers. 

I was awestruck by this whole world which is built around spectacular performances and theatres. All running on Star-Stuff! There is so much to amaze, like a train that turns into the Grand Wondria Music Hall and Theatre, the Dreamscape Transit System that lets you visit with people in your dreams, and the super-cool lessons that the apprentices learn. Can you Imagine a cable car system that runs on the complaints of commuters, that would be extremely efficient in London!

The mystery of the four curses was cleverly written and I must admit it kept me guessing all the way through. I could not work out who was behind the sinister events and actually suspected completely the wrong person.

Author Bio

Jodie Garnish is a playwright and performer, usually based in London. She studied Drama at the University of East Anglia before going on to train at Drama Studio London. She has had plays produced at various London theatres and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which were critically acclaimed. Her career as a performer, including in shows designed for young people, has allowed her to shape the world of The Spectaculars, as well as giving her good insight into what young people love.

Find her on Twitter and Instagram

There are plenty of exciting cocktails to choose from at the Wondria shows. I decided to try making a Black Cat Cosmo and had fun with the food colouring. I probably used a bit too much and now I'm concerned about what I look like while drinking it! To make it, shake up the following with ice - 30ml vodka, 30ml triple sec, 45ml cranberry juice, 15ml lime juice and a dash of orange bitters. Add some black food colouring to get the gorgeous colour.

 

Spotlight on...

These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

These Violent Nights won 11th place is the BBNYA competition last year! Today I'm joining the blog tour with a spotlight to let you know all about the book! Add it to your Goodreads shelf here.

Book Summary

Once upon a time, inhabitants of another world tore a hole through the universe and came to Earth. They called themselves Suriias, and rivalled humans in knowledge and skill with one great exception: they had magic.

War followed. Humanity lost. And three hundred years later, humans are on the brink of extinction.

Orphans Thorn and Thistle live in hiding. They are the last of their families, the last of their friends. They scrape by, stealing to survive and living on the streets or hiding in sheds. But even under the brutal regime of the Suriias, there are places where humans can mingle in secret with magical sympathisers, and one night Thistle gets an unexpected offer of marriage from a Suriia with high standing and friends in all the right places. For Thistle, it’s a chance at safety and comfort; for Thorn, it’s a chance to find the ones who killed her parents.

And so the pair move into the capital city of Courtenz. An urban monstrosity of magic and might, false friends and flying cars, drones and death tolls, the new city promises a fresh start – and new love – for both.

But if there’s one thing Thorn knows for certain, it’s that dreams can swiftly turn into nightmares.

Author Bio

Rebecca Crunden is an indie author of fantasy and science fiction who lives in Ireland.

 Alex Neptune: Pirate Hunter by David Owen

Book Summary

Join Alex Neptune, the boy with the power of the ocean in his hands, on his second adventure - perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and Dragon Realm!

Alex Neptune is struggling to get to grips with his new oceanic powers...so the last thing he needs is Haven Bay being attacked by pirates in a ship made of rubbish. The marauders are hunting for the missing egg of the elusive water dragon - and Alex is determined to reach it first to stop them stealing its power.

Along with friends Zoey and Anil - plus a clumsy seal, a lock-picking hermit crab and some seriously menacing otters - Alex sets out on a treasure hunt to a secret shipwreck where they must face three monstrous challenges.

When I started reading I didn't realise this was actually book 2 of a series but luckily it didn't matter. It works fine as a standalone and there's enough explanation at the start to know what's going on. First off, I loved the friendship between Alex, Zoey and Anil. They were all so supportive of each other, despite any differences they had. Though Alex kept doubting his powers and strength, the other two were great at boosting his confidence. I thought there were quite a few suspicious characters, and it was hard to know who to trust. I could just imagine how hard it was for Alex! I'm not entirely sure about sea otters living in a boy's bedroom and hiding in his trousers but a grandpa with an ice cream van definitely gets my vote.

Author Bio

Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a BA Creative Writing course for three years, David Owen's debut novel, Panther, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and was followed by three further highly acclaimed YA novels. Alex Neptune is his first series for younger readers, born of his love for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt friendships. Find him on Twitter or Instagram

To make a Funky Pirate Daiquiri, shake the following ingredients with ice - 50ml rum, 15ml cinnamon schnapps, 15ml lime juice, 7.5ml grenadine and 15ml chilled water. Then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.