Hyperion by Dan Simmons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really can’t make my mind up on this one until I’ve read the second book. I understand that books 1 and 2 were supposed to be just one book a’la Lord of the Rings style, so I think it’s unfair for me to make a judgement having technically not read the ending.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the way the book was set out. Many others didn’t like the chapter setup, and how each of the stories were told, but I found it a refreshing way to delve in to the pasts of key characters, and to provide the reader with a host of unique perspectives to the core plot line. 

But the book felt wholly un-fulfilling as a standalone, and it’s a shame it was ever separated. You find out a significant amount of back story concerning the protagonists, yet little actually happens in real-time, with it subsequently ending on a huge cliffhanger. 

I will pick up the second book for sure, if for no other reason than to write a more complete review. View all my reviews

Soulless by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn’t expect to, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Okay, so some of the characters are a bit shallow, and vampires and werewolves have been done-to-death in books and TV recently, but I loved the witty dialogue, the melding of genres and the world Carriger created.

Alexia had me laughing out loud more than once, and her amusing exploits kept me page turning till the end. View all my reviews

Literary Britain as you’ve never seen it before! This original hand-lettered poster features 181 writers and is exclusive to The Literary Gift Company. Perfect for the bookworm or cartography obsessed person in your life.

You can purchase this lovely print for just £12 (via Explore)

A Dance with Dragons: Dreams and Dust by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A lot of people said that they didn’t like this book because it was slow and the focus shifted from the main characters to the not-so main characters.

But you know what, I really enjoyed the chapters that centered on minor characters. They really hammered home the point that the game of thrones isn’t just about the key characters, but that its effects are felt by everyone throughout Westeros and beyond.

Plus it was great to have some questions answered, and to catch up with some characters I had missed in Feast of Crows.

View all my reviews