Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Books I Still Haven’t Read

---

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature from The Broke and the Bookish, now hosted by ThatArtsyReaderGirl. Expect a new top ten list every week!

---

| Top Ten… Books I Still Haven’t Read |

Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday! This week we’re looking at the books which have been gathering dust on your TBR the longest.

If you’re anything like me, then your to read list is dominated with series that you’ve started and left incomplete. Before you know it, you’ve got a mountain of books tumbling off your shelves in need of reading as you struggle to claw your way out from under them. Such is the life of a fantasy addict.

After rifling through said mountain, I bring to you my Top Ten… Books I Still Haven’t Read – a list comprising some of my all time favourite authors whose work I shame myself in neglecting. Realising you have a problem, they say, is the first step to recovery… so here’s to catching up in 2018!

| 1. |

Lord of Chaos

Book Six of The Wheel of Time

by Robert Jordan

Lord of Chaos, Book Six of The Wheel of Time, has been on my to read list for years. Years. Four whole years and six semi-whole months if we’re being exact and open to the full weight of judgement. I even have the next three books in the series sitting on the shelf next to their predecessor! But, with a list as long as my arm and a mind ever prone to distraction, I still haven’t got round to reading them… 2018 will be the year! I’m sure of it. Honest.

| 2 |

Half the World

Book Two of Shattered Sea

by Joe Abercrombie

I’ve been to see Joe Abercrombie more times than I can count on my hands and have more signed books than is entirely right from an author who has published ten books. This hasn’t stopped me however from relegating Half the World and its successor, Half a War, to the metaphorical mountain of doom! Having read half the book and finding myself moving house in June 2017, it was left behind with so many book friends to keep my parents company until I could furnish my library with bookcases. Eight months later and the problem has only just been rectified. Little steps. 

| 3 |

The Air War

Book Eight of Shadows of the Apt

by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Shadows of the Apt series is one of my fantasy favourites and Adrian Tchaikovsky has only gone from strength to strength since its publication. But even with a love as great as this, actually making my way round to reading The Air War has taken considerably longer than expected. With only three books remaining in the series, and with numerous additional offerings from its author, it’s about time Book Eight was dusted off.

| 4. |

Words of Radiance

Book Two of the Stormlight Archives

by Brandon Sanderson

No matter how big a Brandon Sanderson tome is, it’s never quite big enough to satisfy my cravings for more. Yet even with an addictive master storyteller like Sanderson I stay true to form; leaving Words of Radiance, the second book in what might be my favourite Sanderson series, gathering cobwebs on my bookshelf. And with Oathbringer now providing familial company to its predecessor, it’s high time Words of Radiance got the attention, and the dust off, it deserves.

| 5. |

Tower Lord

Book Two of Raven’s Shadow

by Anthony Ryan

The first book in the Raven’s Shadow series, Blood Song, was a tour de force in the fantasy genre and one of my favourite books of 2015 (yes, it came out in 2012 but I neglected to read it for several years – why change the habit of a lifetime). However, with Tower Lord and Queen of Fire still on my book mountain, and several intermediate short stories, the adventures of Vaelin Al Sorna are, for me, still very much in their infancy. 

| 6. |

The Crimson Campaign

Book Two of the Powder Mage Trilogy

by Brian McClellan

Promise of Blood was undoubtedly one of my favourite books of 2016 – to say it blew me away would be an understatement, this series opener was phenomenal. In spite of this unwavering praise and the bloody pedestal upon which Mr. McClellan has now been raised, The Crimson Campaign still remains unopened, unread and appears only as ornament on my overcrowded shelves.

| 7. |

King of Thorns

Book Two of The Broken Empire

by Mark Lawrence

King of Thorn, the sequel to Prince of Thorns, has been abandoned to shelfdom for far too long. The excitement following the completion of its predecessor soon gave way to forgetfulness and King of Thorns was doomed to spend year upon year as a top shelf dust collector. But no more! The vacuum has been enlisted, the shelves have been cleaned and the second novel in The Broken Empire trilogy is in sight once more.

| 8. |

The Skull Throne

Book Four of the Demon Cycle

by Peter V. Brett

The Daylight War, the third book in Peter V. Brett’s Demon Cycle left us on more than a metaphorical cliffhanger and, following its completion, The Skull Throne took very little time winging its way to me. But this signed hardback has become little more than a decoration as book upon book put it to the back of my mind, if not the back of my shelf. But with the release of The Core last year, The Skull Throne has made it to the head of the queue.

| 9. |

Calamity

Book Three of The Reckoners

by Brandon Sanderson

After reading the first two Reckoners novels, I was lucky enough to win a hardcover copy of Calamity through Goodreads; but this fortune still didn’t exempt Calamity from an early life on a pile of books. Now restored to the illustrious rank of the shelved, the third book in The Reckoners series has more than a little chance of being read this year.

| 10. |

Golden Son

Book Two of Red Rising

by Pierce Brown

My natural aversion to Young Adult fiction was overcome by the glowing reviews received by Red Rising. They didn’t exaggerate, I was not disappointed – Red Rising is incredible. But all incredible books should have a successor that remains unread for far too long and Golden Son has no problems in assuming this position. Recommended to friends long before I even remembered to read it, Golden Son is definitely earmarked for 2018.

Which books have you left to gather dust on your shelves for too long? If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and sign up!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Waiting on Wednesday: The Core

---

Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine.

---

| Waiting on Wednesday: July 12 |

The Core

Book Five of The Demon Cycle

by Peter V. Brett

---

Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett brings one of the most imaginative fantasy sagas of the twenty-first century to an epic close.

The war begun…

For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them.

Two heroes arose—men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Painted Man, tattooed head-to-toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat—and emerge victorious. Ahmann Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Ka—the final war against demonkind.

But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold dear—a Swarm. Now the war is at hand, and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen’s wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army.

Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen, and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the Swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evil—from which none of them expects to return alive

---

To be published by Harper Voyager on 28th September 2017

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

 Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Books On My Reading Wishlist

---

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday – a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 

---

| Top Ten… Books On My Reading Wishlist |

Welcome back to Top Ten Tuesday! It’s been a while since I compiled a list of top tens but, one year on, it seemed like an update was in order! From the old, to the new, to the unpublished – here’s my reading wishlist for 2017:

| 1. |

The Waking Fire

Book One of Draconis Memoria

by Anthony Ryan

Claydon Torcreek is a Blood-blessed, able to channel the powers contained in the blood of wild drakes. While his brethren serve as elite spies and assassins, Clay prefers the life of a small-time criminal in the dangerous slums of Carvenport.

Yet war is coming, and it seems Clay is going to end up on the losing side – unless he can track down a legendary drake, whose powerful blood might just be enough to achieve victory. Clay has handled many things in his time (most of them illegal) but nothing as priceless as his nation’s future.

| 2 |

American Gods

by Neil Gaiman

After three years in prison, Shadow has served his time. But as the days and hours until his release tick away, he can feel a storm brewing.

Two days before his release date, his wife Laura dies in a mysterious car crash, in adulterous circumstances. Dazed, Shadow travels home, only to encounter the bizarre Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a very strange journey across the States, along the way solving the murders which have occurred every winter in one small American town.

But the storm is about to break . . .

Disturbing, gripping and profoundly strange, Gaiman’s epic novel sees him on the road to the heart of America.

| 3 |

Red Sister

Book of the Ancestor – Book One

by Mark Lawrence

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

| 4. |

The Core

Book Five of The Demon Cycle

by Peter V. Brett

For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Then two heroes arose—men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Painted Man, tattooed head to toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat—and emerge victorious. Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Ka—the final war against demonkind.

But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold dear—a Swarm. Now the war is at hand and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen’s wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army.

Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the Swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evil—from which none of them expects to return alive.

| 5. |

Knight’s Shadow

Book Two of The Greatcoats

by Sebastien de Castell

The Greatcoats have found the heir to the throne . . . but now they must keep her alive, against all the odds.

Falcio Val Mond has completed the final task given to him by the late King Paelis: he has found the King’s Charoites (well, one at least). But his task isn’t over, and now he, Kest and Brasti must protect the girl from those her want her dead.

That would be simple enough, if it weren’t for the renegade Knights and legendary Dashini assassins, getting in their way, not to mention the Dukes, who are desperate to hold on to their power at any cost, or Trin, the merciless daughter of the ruthless Duke of Rijou and the cruel Duchess of Hervor, who is determined to be Queen of Tristia. Of course, the fact that the heir to the throne is thirteen years old doesn’t help, nor the fact that every day brings Falcio closer to dying from the poison running through his veins.

And then there is the Greatcoats Lament . . .

| 6. |

Dead Man’s Steel

Book Three of The Grim Company

by Luke Scull

In the City of Towers, former rebel Sasha and her comrade Davarus Cole struggle to keep the peace between the warring mages who vie for dominion. But when the White Lady sends Davarus south to the Shattered Realms to seek allies among the fallen kingdoms, he finds that his hardest battle may be one fought within. The godly essence now residing within him offers power that could be used against the Fade—but with every death that feeds It, Cole risks losing a part of himself.

An association with a Fade officer grants the Halfmage Eremul a position of privilege among Dorminia’s new masters. He witnesses firsthand the fate that awaits humanity. But with his magic pitiful in the face of the Fade’s advanced technology, the Halfmage must rely on his wits alone to save whom he can…

And in the frozen north, the legendary warrior Brodar Kayne fights a desperate battle for his people. He is running out of time: an ancient evil sealed beneath the mountains is about to break free, an evil that is older than humanity, older than the Fade, older even than the gods—and it will not stop until the entire world is drowned in blood…

| 7. |

The Crimson Campaign

Book Two of The Powder Mage Trilogy

by Brian McClellan

Field Marshal Tamas’s invasion of Kez has ended in disaster. Stranded behind enemy lines and hounded by the enemy’s finest, Tamas must lead his remaining men on a reckless retreat through northern Kez to safety.

In Adro, Inspector Adamat wants only to rescue his wife. To do so, he must hunt down and confront the enigmatic Lord Vetus – but the truth he learns is far darker than he could have imagined.

The god Kremsimir wants the head of Tamas’s son, Taniel – the man who shot him in the eye. With Tamas and his powder mages presumed dead, only Taniel can lead the charge against the vengeful god and his invading army.

| 8. |

Calamity

Book Three of The Reckoners

by Brandon Sanderson

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when the Reckoners’ leader struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back…

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

| 9. |

The Blinding Knife

Lightbringer – Book Two

by Brent Weeks

Gavin Guile is dying.

He’d thought he had five years left—now he has less than one. With fifty thousand refugees, a bastard son, and an ex-fiancée who may have learned his darkest secret, Gavin has problems on every side. All magic in the world is running wild and threatens to destroy the Seven Satrapies.

Worst of all, the old gods are being reborn, and their army of color wights is unstoppable. The only salvation may be the brother whose freedom and life Gavin stole sixteen years ago.

| 10. |

Shadow’s Edge

Book Two of The Night Angel

by Brent Weeks

Kylar has rejected the assassin’s life. In the wake of the Godking’s violent coup, both his master and his closest friend are dead. His friend was Logan Gyre, heir to Cenaria’s throne, but few of the ruling class survive to mourn his loss. So Kylar is starting over: new city, new companions, and new profession.

But when he learns that Logan might be alive, trapped and in hiding, Kylar faces an impossible choice. He could give up the way of shadows forever, and find peace with his young family. Or Kylar could succumb to his flair for destruction, the years of training, to save his friend and his country – and lose all he holds precious.

Which books are on your reading wishlist? If you would like to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, head on over to The Broke and the Bookish and sign up!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Monthly Round-Up: January 2016

---

Welcome to The Monthly Round-Up. Join me as I look back on the past month to see which books I’ve read, the reviews I’ve posted, the goals I’ve completed and my all important Book of the Month!

---

| Books Read |

Well hasn’t January flown by! It feels like only yesterday I was putting together the end of 2015 post and here we are a month later. January has been a month of some fantastic reads, I only wish there had been time to write and post more reviews and continue with some of my more neglected features. Here’s hoping my scheduling will be a little better in February! (A wish that will no doubt be expressed at the close of next month!)

A definite highlight of this month was the exceptional crime thriller The American by Nadia Dalbuono, which had me on the edge of my seat and almost desperate for her next novel, along with Daniel Polansky’s brilliant The Straight Razor Cure. And of course there was the wonderful Read Along for Rosemary and Rue, the first book in the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire. This is a book which surpassed all my expectations and has more than peaked my interest in this urban fantasy series. A review will be forthcoming and a Read Along for book two, A Local Habitation, is planned for March.

Unfortunately I became far too distracted by other books to complete my personal goal of finishing all my ‘currently reading’ novels. I did however manage to cross two of them off my list! That means, yes! I finally finished The Daylight War! And it was certainly worth the wait. Whilst the first half had me a little nervous, the second half more than made up for it. The two preceding novels may have been incomparably stunning but The Daylight War certainly has its place as an (incredibly huge) intermediary novel. I just can’t wait to get stuck into The Skull Throne… and hopefully it won’t take me a year to read this one!

So let’s have a look at what literary delights consumed in January:

| 1. |

The American by Nadia Dalbuono

| 2. |

Occupy Me by Tricia Sullivan

| 3. |

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie

| 4. |

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

| 5. |

The Master by Claire North

| 6. |

Faith and Moonlight by Mark Gelineau and Joe King

| 7. |

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

| 8. |

The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett

| 9. |

Low Town: The Straight Razor Cure by Daniel Polansky

| 10. |

The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel

---

---

The American

by Nadia Dalbuono

---

| January Goals |

To finish ALL of the poor neglected novels which I am currently reading

1 of 4 | The Adventure of the Christmas by Agatha Christie

2 of 4 | The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett

Status: Incomplete

---

| Goals for 2016 |

Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge: 10/100 Books Read (10%)

Status: +10% in January

More goals and challenges coming up in a separate post!

---

| Reviews Posted |

The American by Nadia Dalbuono

---

Rend the Dark by Mark Gelineau and Joe King

---

                  

Best Left in the Shadows by Mark Gelineau and Joe King

---

The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

---

| Other Posts From January |

The Monthly Round-Up: December 2015

2015: A Year in Review

The Month Ahead: January 2016

Author Interview: Mark Gelineau and Joe King

Cover Reveal: Stranger of Tempest by Tom Lloyd

Bookish Beats: Moby – Play

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Bookish Resolutions for 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… 2015 Releases I forgot to Buy!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Classics I’ve Recently Added to my TBR

Teaser Tuesdays: January 05 – The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett

Teaser Tuesdays: January 12 – Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Teaser Tuesdays: January 19 – Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

The Friday Face-Off: January 01 – The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

The Friday Face-Off: January 15 – The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe

The Friday Face-Off: January 29 – A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Read Along: Throne of Glass – Part 1

Read Along: Throne of Glass – Part 2

Read Along: Throne of Glass – Part 3

Read Along: Throne of Glass – Part 4

Read Along: Rosemary and Rue – Week 1

Read Along: Rosemary and Rue – Week 2

Read Along: Rosemary and Rue – Week 3

Read Along: Rosemary and Rue – Week 4

Teaser Tuesdays: January 19

---

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays – a weekly feature hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Expect a new teaser every week!

---

| Teaser Tuesdays: January 19 |

Rosemary and Rue

Book One of the October Daye Novels

by Seanan McGuire

Urban Fantasy | 346 Pages | Published by Corsair in 2015

---

“”Maybe you can come back later? I’ll bake you some cookies…” Okay, that was it. I hadn’t had a chance to use the kitchen for anything more elaborate than coffee and fried eggs, and I’d be damned if some invading monster was going to beat me to it. I stepped into the living room, bat still held in front of me like a poor man’s broadsword. “You are not using my kitchen.””

~ Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

---

| Synopsis |

October “Toby” Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas…

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening’s killer.

Week One and Week Two of the Rosemary and Rue Read Along can be found here

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

---

| Join In |

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Please leave a comment with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Teaser Tuesdays: January 05

---

Welcome to Teaser Tuesdays – a weekly feature hosted by A Daily Rhythm. Expect a new teaser every week!

---

| Teaser Tuesdays: January 05 |

The Daylight War

Book Three of The Demon Cycle

by Peter V. Brett

Fantasy | 808 Pages | Published by Harper Voyager in 2013

---

“The prince put a foot on the demon’s chest for leverage as he tore the weapon free in a spray of ichor, turning with a shout to assist a pair of Cutters in their own battle. He growled as he put his spear into the back of the demon they faced, pressing in so close the wards on his armour flared.”

~ p. 110, The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett

---

| Synopsis |

Continuing the impressive debut fantasy series from author Peter V. Brett, The Daylight War is book three of the Demon Cycle, pulling the reader into a world of demons, darkness and heroes.

On the night of a new moon all shadows deepen.

Humanity has thirty days to prepare for the next demon attack, but one month is scarcely enough time to train a village to defend themselves, let alone an entire continent caught in the throes of civil war.

Arlen Bales understands the coreling threat better than anyone. Born ordinary, the demon plague has shaped him into a weapon so powerful he has been given the unwanted title of saviour, and attracted the attention of deadly enemies both above and below ground.

Unlike Arlen, Ahmann Jardir embraces the title of Deliverer. His strength resides not only in the legendary relics he carries, but also in the magic wielded by his first wife, Inevera, a cunning and powerful priestess whose allegiance even Jardir cannot be certain of.

Once Arlen and Jardir were like brothers. Now they are the bitterest of rivals. As humanity’s enemies prepare, the only two men capable of defeating them are divided against each other by the most deadly demons of all: those that lurk in the human heart.

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

---

| Join In |

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Please leave a comment with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Month Ahead: January 2016

---

In The Month Ahead, I will be rounding up the books I am currently reading, the ones I will start this month, and the ones I intend getting my mitts on… if I haven’t already! I will also be sharing any news about features or posts on Books by Proxy, and anything in the book world that has me all excited!

---

| Currently Reading |

Apart from the myriad of read alongs and review copies I’m making my way through this January, I’m going to make the most concerted effort yet to actually pick up my neglected tomes and finish them! The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett is a book I cannot wait to finish – it just doesn’t fit in a handbag so well… or at all! The same goes for Joe Hill’s NOS4R2. Jane Austen’s Emma (which is in fact a pocket sized book) and The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding are however small enough for me to cart about – so there can be no excuses! January is the month when these books will disappear from my currently reading pile and ascend to that golden and somewhat dusty top shelf where they can live out the rest of their days safe in the knowledge that they have been read!

---

| January Events |

The 2016 Sci-Fi Experience

Hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings

We’re already well under way with December behind us and The 2016 Sci-Fi Experience continues on throughout January! So expect many more reviews, teasers and sci-fi goodies to keep you going throughout the month.

---

Vintage Sci-Fi Month

Hosted by Little Red Reviewer

I’ll also be joining in with Little Red Reviewer’s Vintage Sci-Fi Month. I fear my foray into historic science fiction is supremely lacking so it’s about time I dusted the cobwebs off those older (and often considerably less hefty) tomes and discover just what made sci-fi what it is today.

---

The Rosemary and Rue Read Along

Organised by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 1 (Saturday 9th January)

Chapters 1-6 – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 2 (Saturday 16th January)

Chapters 7-14 – hosted by Lynn at Lynn’s Books

Week 3 (Saturday 23rd January)

Chapters 15-20 – hosted by Anya at On Starships and Dragonwings

Week 4 (Saturday 30th January)

Chapters 21-End – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

I’ve been looking for a new urban fantasy series for a while now and the October Daye novels look like a very fair prospect. My book is at hand, my time has been scheduled – so no late catch-ups for this series! This is one read along I cannot wait to get stuck into!

---

The Throne of Glass Read Along

Organised by Rinn Reads

7th January

Discussion of chapters 1 – 13

11th January

Discussion of chapters 14 – 27

14th January

Discussion of chapters 28 – 39

18th January

Discussion of chapters 40 – end

After enjoying A Court of Thorns and Roses and with the impending release of the next book in that series, A Court of Mist and Fury, I thought it was about time to sample some more of Sarah J. Maas’ writing. Despite hearing some very mixed reviews for this series (and usually at one extreme or the other), I’m looking forward to getting stuck into Throne of Glass. And with the promise of Read Alongs for the rest of the series throughout 2016, I’m sure this will be a year where I up my YA count.

---

Blog Tour: The American by Nadia Dalbuono

Review scheduled for 16th January 2016

---

| Book Haul |

I got a few books…

---

| January Goals |

To finish ALL of the poor neglected novels which I am currently reading

Status: 0 of 4 Complete

---

Have you picked up any great books lately or read any of those mentioned above? What are your goals for the month ahead? 

 Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Friday Face-Off: December 25

---

Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a new feature here at Books by Proxy. Join me every Friday as I pit cover against cover, and publisher against publisher, to find the best artwork in our literary universe.

---

| The Friday Face-Off: The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett |

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying the season, whether you’re celebrating or not! For this week’s Friday Face-Off we’re looking at the covers for The Daylight War by Peter V. Brett, the third book in The Demon Cycle. This is a book which, if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll realise has been on my ‘currently reading’ list for a ridiculously long time. A fact which has no bearing on the work of Mr. Brett whose Demon Cycle is a phenomenal series and which I cannot wait to continue – if I don’t get distracted by too many shiny new books!

Published by Voyager in the UK and by Del Rey Books in the US, the covers for The Daylight War are stunning, rich in colour and detail, yet remain distinctly different to give me more than a little trouble in choosing a favourite! One thing is for certain though – I am now determined to unearth this book and give it the attention it deserves! Take a look and see which cover is your favourite.

---

Voyager – UK Cover

 Artwork by Larry Rostant

“Yow. Lot of power going on there… They changed the background to a more Demon Cycle-style fading light, and on my request tweaked the knife a bit, and added more translucency to the veil for the stunning final version that went on to debut at #3 on the London Times Bestseller list.”

~ Peter V. Brett

Del Rey Books  – US Cover 

Artwork by Larry Rostant

“This cover grabs the eye from across the room and dominates whatever bookshelf you put it on, but it’s power is much more personal to me. My buddy Myke Cole (who also has Rostant covers on his UK books) always says of Larry’s art that there’s nothing more amazing than creating a character in your head, and then meeting them face to face. I know exactly how he feels.”

~ Peter V. Brett

---

| The Friday Face-Off: Winner |

Two awesome covers by one fantastic photographic illustrator – I honestly couldn’t choose a favourite! The Voyager cover is beautiful. I love that brilliant blue on the dark and atmospheric background and the typeface for this cover is without a doubt my favourite but… that red cover!  It’s rich and sultry and really captures the character of Inevera as she casts the alagai hora. Both of these covers are stunning and both are deserved winners. Bravo Larry Rostant- definitely a cover artist to look out for!

If you want to read more about the design process for these covers, Peter V. Brett has written a three-part blog post on their creation which can be found here. Happy reading!

---

Have you read The Daylight War? Which is your favourite cover? 

Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Month Ahead: December 2015

---

In The Month Ahead, I will be rounding up the books I am currently reading, the ones I will start this month, and the ones I intend getting my mitts on… if I haven’t already! I will also be sharing any news about features or posts on Books by Proxy, and anything in the book world that has me all excited!

---

| Currently Reading |

We’re already well into December but seeing as I forgot to post ‘The Month Ahead’ when it was truly ahead, I figured now would be as good a time as any. And of course I still haven’t picked up three of the books which have been languishing on my currently reading pile for some time now… but there is always hope for December… if I don’t get distracted by too many shiny new books! Having made their way to the top of said pile, the currently reading list currently includes Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut and The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard.

---

| Current Events |

The 2016 Sci-Fi Experience

Hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings

---

| Upcoming Events |

The Rosemary and Rue Read Along

Organised by Lisa at Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 1 (Saturday 9th January)

Chapters 1-6 – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

Week 2 (Saturday 16th January)

Chapters 7-14 – hosted by Lynn at Lynn’s Books

Week 3 (Saturday 23rd January)

Chapters 15-20 – hosted by Anya at On Starships and Dragonwings

Week 4 (Saturday 30th January)

Chapters 21-End – hosted by Over the Effing Rainbow

---

Vintage Sci-Fi Month

Hosted by Little Red Reviewer

---

Blog Tour: The American by Nadia Dalbuono

Review scheduled for 16th January 2016

---

| Book Haul |

So many fantastic new books! This month I’m very excited to have acquired Golden Son by Pierce Brown, The Copper Promise by Jen Williams and The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay – three books which have been on my to be read for a while now and which I cannot wait to read!

Pyr very kindly sent me Supersymmetry by David Walton which, after the brilliant Superposition, I’m looking forward to getting stuck into, and following the brilliant The Few by Nadia Dalbuono, I received The American from Scribe Publications and will be participating in the blog tour during January.

Along with Kay’s The Lions of Al-Rassan, I acquired Isaac Asimov’s Foundation as part of the Dragons and Jetpacks Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book of the Month, and after seeing the final film in the cinema, I finally thought it was about time to jump on the band wagon and read The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (yes – it’s about time!).

And last but not least we have Slow Bullets by Alastair Reynolds, a fantastic novella which I’ve already finished reading – review to come!

---

| December Goals |

To finish at least one of the poor neglected novels which I am currently reading

(The Daylight War, NOS4R2 or Emma)

Status: 0 of 1 Complete

To read at least one Christmas themed novel

Status: 0 of 1 Complete

---

Have you picked up any great books lately or read any of those mentioned above? What are your goals for the month ahead? 

 Follow my blog with Bloglovin