Review: The Oxenbridge King by Christine Paice

★★★★☆ | Book 68 of 2024

The Oxenbridge King by Christine Paice is an intricate interweaving of historical fiction with the 21st century that deals with life’s big certainties, love, death, grief, truth, and family. In the beginning, the book follows a young man named Deadalus, a monk at the Abbey of Stern in the late 15th century during the end of the reign of King Richard III before his defeat at the battle of Bosworth. The narrative follows Daedalus in his heartbreak over the death of his king, and the soul of Richard, stuck in ‘Threadbare’, unable and unwilling to pass to heaven with the guilt and the grief of his choices on his shoulders. Then, we have Molly Stern, the Trembles, and Edward Farraday living in Oxenbridge in 2013, navigating life and loss in the 21st century.

Before battle with your beloved, fortify the body with toast and Marmite.

The story was inspired by the discovery of the bones of Richard III in 2012 under a car park in Leicester, and while the reinterment of the remains certainly does have its place in the book, Richard III acts as this tenuous link between all of our characters, playing a different role in the lives of each of them. You don’t need to know anything about Richard III or English history to enjoy and appreciate all this story has to offer. The narrative is very character driven, which will not be for everyone, but it certainly was for me. Without a doubt, it’s a weird, strange tale full of human emotion, and the best way to enjoy it is to let the story unravel in front of you, because it will all make sense in the end.

They take notice of him without knowing why. His body at peace with all the contradictions it inhabits. Confidence does that. Confidence in purpose, in the corridor of knowing between the outside and inside.

Raven (yes, an actual raven) was undoubtedly my favourite character in this book, and the sheer ingenuity behind the story is a wonder to read. From reading this, I would like to read more of Paice’s work because her prose is enchanting. The seamless transitions between character perspectives gives the narration an intimate quality that allows the reader a front row into the lives of these delightfully English characters. These characters, their thought processes and interactions felt so real, whilst the entire story had a completely unreal, dreamlike quality. A lovely, strange book that I enjoyed immensely!

“Out of all the souls on the battlefield, this one truly believed he was good. So I shows him, in his great and stumbling afterlife, he’s both good king and bad king. It’s a balancing thing.

Review: Twilight Cities by Katherine Pangonis

★★★★☆ | Book 48 of 2024 — another exquisite book from Katherine Pangonis.

Twilight Cities: Lost Capitals of the Mediterranean is Katherine Pangonis’s second book, with her first being Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule. Twilight Cities is dedicated to the history of five prominent and ‘lost’ cities from history: Tyre, Carthage, Syracuse, Ravenna, and Antioch. This book seamlessly blends Katherine’s personal experiences and travels through the modern areas and ancient remains of these once glittering jewels of the ancient and medieval world, and the sweeping histories of each of the cities from their inception to their decline and transition into modern spaces. Interwoven through the historical and archaeological evidence for these places are the myths and legends, most significantly their founding stories and legendary figures associated with them. Katherine’s sparking prose sweeps the reader along for the ride, as if you were walking alongside her.

The book has been dedicated both to the people of the Mediterranean that Katherine came across on her travels, but also those who lost their lives and livelihoods during the devastating earthquakes of 2023. This catastrophic event that rocked the city of Antakya (ancient Antioch) is often referred to through her own personal experience with the natural disaster, and essentially becomes another layer in the long history of the city. It gives the reader a feeling both of sadness, and of heightened awareness of the ‘sameness’ of the ancient world and the modern.

The names of Tyre, Carthage, Syracuse, Ravenna and Antioch have endured, but the true reality of the ancient cities have been lost. These cities are not the same as they were, and their glory has dimmed. But a city only dies when the ideas it was built with fade, as much as when fires tear down its walls or earthquakes shatter them. The ideas of these cities have persisted. Their memories remain. Not always necessarily in the minds of the residents, but preserved in texts, and the stone monuments that still grasp the earth around the Mediterranean. The air in these cities hang heavy with legend. (254)

Each chapter, which is dedicated to a different city, begins with Katherine’s personal history of the city. This includes her first visit to the city (such as her first visit to Syracuse at the age of twenty-one), and also gives the reader an insight into the city today and what you might expect to see if you were to visit. Then, each city is explored chronologically, starting with the founding of the city (both real or mythological), and then moves through time to the present day. By the end of the chapter, the reader is left with an intimate knowledge of the changes the city has gone through, it’s periods of strength and weakness, and all of the different groups of people who one called it home. This breadth of information is conveyed through the use of surviving texts with the archaeological remains of the cities.

The book is supplemented with a map at the beginning to orient the reader within the wider region, and the geographical spread of the five cities of interest, as well as an insert of colour images depicted some of the key places and people explored in the book. Additionally, each chapter starts with a quote to set the scene, and a lovely illustration. If you listen to the audiobook (well-narrated by Katherine herself), a PDF is also supplied with these supporting graphics.

I thought this was a wonderful book, beautifully written (and narrated), bringing these once glorious cities back into the limelight. Their long, and sometimes arduous histories, are recounted in a way that lets each city have its own moment to shine, but also highlights its interconnectedness with the other cities featured in this book (as well as the wider Mediterranean world). Many figures pop up numerous times and some events are mentioned in multiple chapters which allows the reader to grasp how interlinked this part of the world is, and has always been.

Review: Buried: An Alternative History of the First Millennium in Britain by Alice Roberts

★★★★☆ | Book 18 of 2024 — another wonderful book from Alice Roberts highlighting stories of the dead in Britain, and what bones and burials can tell us about past people.

Buried: An Alternative History of the First Millennium in Britain by osteoarchaeologist and professor Alice Roberts is the second book in her trilogy unpacking Britains history through skeletal remains. Following from Ancestors which focuses on the prehistory of Britain in seven burials, Buried instead focuses on Britain in the first millennium CE, through Roman Britain, contact with the Vikings and the spread of Christianity across the country. Roberts utilises modern and up to date evidence including skeletal remains, archaeological evidence, and DNA research to interrogate what we know about Britain during this period, and how we know it.

Probably because it spans a period where there is more available evidence from various contexts, Buried, spends more time discussing the more general historical environment, and contextualising the burials within a wider picture. The first chapter delves into a fascinating Roman cremation burial at Caerleon called the ‘Caerleon pipe burial’ named so because of the lead pipe sticking out of the top of the lead canister full of cremated remains that would have once stuck out of the ground. Roberts discusses the potential explanations for this unique burial, while also highlighting the historical period of Roman Britain more broadly, and the history more specifically of Caerleon. You finish the chapter feeling as though you were taken along for the ride whilst Roberts evaluated the various possibilities of the person buried, and why they had a lead pipe connecting their burial to the living world above them.

This is the general set up for each chapter focussing on a different part of the United Kingdom, and a different burial. The second chapter explored a Roman villa associated with numerous infant burials, and another chapter introduces the overall concept of ‘deviant burials’ which essentially means irregular or strange burials, and this concept is introduced with the headless skeletons found at Great Whelnetham. These burials were decapitated, sometimes with the skulls found between the legs, and some were even prone or face down. Roberts discusses Anglo-Saxon history in Britain (and even delves into the issues of using the term ‘Anglo-Saxon’ in the first place) and broadens her discussion even further with the Staffordshire hoard and the issues archaeologists face when dealing with hoards of artefacts.

By the end of the book, after learning about Roman Britain, Anglo-Saxon history, Viking connections and even the very first churchyards used as cemeteries, the reader truly feels well versed in the various and wide-ranging burial practices that were utilised in Britain during the first millennium. I think Roberts does a wonderful job at connecting the modern reader with the ancient inhabitants of Britain, reminding us that they, like us, were individuals who lived lives that didn’t necessarily fit a mould, as highlighted with the range of burial goods, and the numerous deviant burials. A wonderful addition to this book was the colour images insert, and the lovely illustrations at the beginning of each chapter that set the reader up for the kind of burials and artefacts featured in the coming section. As with Ancestors, I feel like having maps throughout, or one map at the beginning highlighting all the areas discussed would be really beneficial, especially for those not from Britain.

Overall, this was a fascinating, well-written and insightful analysis of Britain in the first millennium, utilising the most recent evidence and the authors incredible expertise.

Review: Ancestors: a Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials by Alice Roberts

★★★★☆.5 | Book 16 of 2024 — one for all my archaeology enthusiasts and those interested in what our bones can tell us.

Ancestors: a Prehistory of Britain in Seven Burials is a focused yet detailed look at the prehistory of Britain, and particularly what burials, skeletons, ancient DNA and human remains can reveal about the long-spanning time from the Palaeolithic right up to the Iron Age. Professor Alice Roberts is an osteoarchaeologist and physical anthropologist, and she brings her expertise in all things skeletal to the fore in this book. Roberts takes the reader on a journey through time and around the United Kingdom, from the Red Lady of Paviland Cave dating to the Palaeolithic to the Neolithic ‘Tomb of the Otters’, to visiting Rushmore Estate and essentially doing archaeology of archaeology, and exploring the possibilities of modern technologies and ancient DNA.
Alice Roberts has included so much information in this one book, analysing seven burials from Britain’s prehistory, but going far beyond just the skeletons and remains themselves, it’s quite astonishing. The author doesn’t simply explain the remains, the person likely buried and what we can learn from them, but goes beyond this to consider wider themes such as sex and gender, burial rites and customs, and cultural beliefs. Various modern archaeological techniques are explained and utilised including isotopic analysis, radiocarbon dating, and ancient DNA and genome testing.

Beyond this, Roberts highlights issues related to each of these burials, including preservation bias and explanations of different taphonomic processes affecting remains and the archaeological record more broadly, issues of confirmation bias and those biases archaeologists of the 19th and 20th centuries brought to their works and analyses, as well as the simple fact that often, we can ever truly be sure of many things when it comes to archaeology, and the importance of delving into each potential explanation.

As someone not from Britain, I personally got a bit lost with the whereabouts of cities, areas, and sites mentioned, but perhaps there are maps in the physical copy that supplement this. Further, the only detraction for listening to the audiobook is not having any sort of imagery to help illustrate points made by Roberts, but overall I would still recommend the audiobook. Roberts has such a great way of narrating that makes you feel like she’s bringing you along for the ride! Additionally, the book begins at the Crick Institute in May 2019 and spends the first chapter discussing the exciting new ancient DNA works with the sequencing of a thousand ancient genomes. However, because of COVID-19, the project was placed on hold which meant that the new DNA information was perhaps not available for this book - here’s hoping the second book Buried includes some of what I am sure will be fascinating discoveries!

When reading through this book, you not only get incredible archaeological and historical information about these burials, but you also get a firm understanding of the modern context of the remains (i.e. where they are kept, if there is modern research happening on them etc.), as well as their historical context. This includes who initially found the remains, how they were excavated and handled, and broad contextual information about the find site, essentially bridging between their discovery, and this book.

Roberts’ self-aware and detailed discussion and analysis of the burials, the associated grave goods, culture and history (both ancient and modern) coalesce into a detailed, informative and enjoyable book that all lovers of prehistory and archaeology should read.

Review: The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

★★★★★ | book 82 of 2023 — a truly magical return to the world of Shades, through both familiar and new eyes. A must read for all lovers of the Darker Shade of Magic trilogy.

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab is the newest book in the Darker Shades of Magic world, initiating a new trilogy beginning seven years after the conclusion of A Conjuring of Light. In addition to the familiar characters of Kell, Lila, Rhy and Alucard, we are introduced to new characters like Kosika the White London Queen, Tes the tinkerer who can manipulate the threads of magic, and the new Queen of Red London (among others). It is a testament to Schwab’s skill that I loved being in the POV of Tes as much as I did the original characters and I am so looking forward to reading more from her POV (hopefully!). I have always liked White London POVs the least, but the inclusion of Kosika really held my interest.

Threads of Power incorporates a masterfully detailed plot, leaving the reader eagerly anticipating the next book. The world that we thought we were well versed in at the end of the original trilogy continues to be expanded as the secretive rebellion force The Hand is prowling the city with the intent of killing the royal family. Of course, chaos and adventure and magic ensues.

I think one of the aspects of this series that makes it so engrossing is that Schwab’s characters are unlike any other character I’ve read - there is no need for Lila to stop being pointy and geared for violence 95% of the time, and there is no need for Kell to stop being a mildly grumpy worrier 95% of the time. It doesn’t mean we don’t see a change in them, but they don’t stop being who they at their core, just because they are seven years older and in a different circumstance than they once were. Schwab represents the whole spectrum of humanity, and it is because of this, I think, that this series is still a favourite of mine. Seeing lovely moments between Kell and Lila, and between Rhy and Alucard made my heart melt, not to mention the personal growth they have all gone through. Reading this book truly felt like coming home.

If you have read the original trilogy and this new instalment, let me know what you think of it in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read!

Review: The Slavic Myths by Noah Charney and Svetlana Slapšak

★★★★☆.5 — I was provided a finished hardback copy from Thames and Hudson — thankyou!

Keep your eyes out for my interview with Noah and Svetlana that will be going up on YouTube with World History Encyclopedia very soon!

The Slavic Myths by historian Noah Charney and anthropologist and historian Svetlana Slapšak is a wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated book delving into various Slavic myths, gods, and supernatural figures and the history behind them. The Slavic Myths is structured in eight chapters, including the introduction to the book, and the Slav Epic. Each chapter includes a new retelling of a myth, reimagined by Noah and Svetlana, followed by a section on the history of the myth and numerous important features within it. This is not a compilation of everything we know about Slavic mythology, but instead, seven hand-picked stories accompanied by accessible academic analysis, allowing the reader, whether they be well versed in Slavic myth or brand new to the corpus of tales, to enjoy the stories, and if they wish, develop their understanding of the myths and history further. Readers of The Slavic Myths can read the book from cover to cover, or they can jump in and just read a chapter at a time — they can just stick to the compelling reimaginings of the chosen myths, or they can dive into the historical analysis of each section. Either way, with the book being a combination of retelling and non-fiction, it can be enjoyed by all!

Slavic mythology is not as clear cut as classical Greek and Roman mythology, there is no equating the Greek king of the gods Zeus with any king of the gods figure in Slavic traditions. Noah and Svetlana had a huge task ahead of them with this book, with Slavic mythology originating first as an oral tradition, and then only being written down in the 19th century, but with specific goals for lending authority and adding history to new cities, and overlain with Christian morals and motifs. As mentioned in the book, a ninth-century Slav would not necessarily recognise their myths today in the form they now take — however, Noah and Svetlana have essentially added a new layer to this ever-developing and rich corpus of stories, deities, and creatures.

This book was a wonderful introduction to Slavic mythology. Upon picking it up, I had a vague familiarity with Baba Yaga, her house with chicken legs, and the creatures of firebirds. Beyond that, I was completely unfamiliar with the Slavic pantheon, or the history behind the myths and tales. What really captured my attention (beyond the stunning woodcut imagery throughout the book), was the first creature, the vampire, which has its roots in Slavic myth. And not only that but in Slavic tradition, the vampire and the werewolf were intrinsically linked creatures! I learnt so much about the history and development of Slavic myths, and particularly enjoyed the analysis of folklore versus fairytales versus mythology, and the creation of myths with ‘mythurgy.’ I was intrigued to find parallels with classical Greek tales such as Jason and the Argonauts, to find hints of well-known fairytales such as Cinderella and her horrible stepmother and stepsisters, and aspects of Ovid’s Metamorphosis with the trials Venus has Psyche complete, all solidly within the world of Slavic mythology. I didn’t know that throwing a coin over my shoulder into a fountain or body of water originated as a Slavic ritual in fear of the dead — did you?

I could not recommend this book enough for those looking to dip their toe into some new myths, or for those who are looking to read a new version of their old favourite Slavic myth.

Review: Lost Cities of the Ancient World by Philip 'Maty' Matyszak

★★★★☆.5 | — I was provided a finished hardback copy from Thames and Hudson — thankyou!

You can also watch my interview with Maty all about this book on YouTube with World History Encyclopedia!

Lost Cities of the Ancient World by Dr Philip ‘Maty’ Matyszak compiles lost cities from around Europe, the Middle East and Asia into one volume, linking cities thousands of years and thousands of kilometres apart with the simple fact that in some way or another, they are or once were, lost. Following on from his earlier book Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World, Maty introduces and reacquaints his readers with cities that were abandoned, sunk or destroyed many years ago, and he does so in an engaging and exciting way. This book, aimed at the general history enthusiast, still includes pieces of fascinating history that those acquainted with the sites might not know. Despite being familiar with many of the sites explored in the book, I not only learnt something new about many of them, but was also introduced to various sites I had never heard of. Of particular fascination to me are the submerged cities of antiquity, lost to us beneath the waves and rising seas, which made learning about Thonis in Egypt one of the highlights of this book.

Lost Cities is a book that is so wonderfully accessible, so vibrant and full of incredible imagery, but also informative and a joy to read. The book is split up into general time periods ranging from the Neolithic and oldest cities of Çatalhöyük and Skara Brae to cities within and on the edges of the Roman world. This book could be read from beginning to end, travelling in time and space, or you could just as easily dip in and out, reading of Troy one day, and Palmyra the next. With that in mind, it would be difficult for this book not to capture everyone’s interest in some way or another, with the wide range of sites and civilisations discussed.

Considering the geographical and temporal range of the book, each city is presented drawing on a range of available evidence. Each place is shown on a map, and followed by the introduction of archaeological, and where possible, textual evidence of the city. For example, when discussing the infamous city of Troy, Maty draws upon the Iliad to discuss the mythological importance of the city, and for the city of Persepolis, texts composed by Darius the Great highlight the city's political importance. Overall, the interconnectivity of the ancient world runs as an undercurrent to the book with an emphasis on the trade and movement of people, things, and ideas.

Much like Egyptian Mythology - A Travelers Guide from Aswan to Alexander by Garry Shaw, Maty not only introduces the history of a city, its humble beginnings, times of strength and its descent into obscurity, but he also includes the city today. Great for those who want to know if these cities are still physically lost, or may want to visit them one day to check for sure that they really have been found, Maty divulges the current state of the city, and what a tourist today could expect to see when on a visit. This book does a wonderful job of introducing the most important sites in the relevant regions that have been lost in some way or another, and brings them back into the public consciousness. I thought this was a wonderful book introducing numerous important cities from the ancient world and would recommend it to those who love the ancient world, and those who love a book with incredible imagery.

Review: The Nightborn Duet by Carissa Broadbent

The Serpent & the Wings of Night ★★★★ | book thirty-one of 2023 | e-book

The Ashes & the Star Cursed King ★★★.75 | book thirty-two of 2023 | e-book

The Serpent & the Wings of Night, book 1 of the Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent had me obsessed by 20% in. It was one of those books that had me up until the early hours of the morning because I just needed to know what happened next. It didn’t necessarily do anything new, nor was there anything that screamed ‘unique’, but that didn’t take away my level of enjoyment. I thought Oraya was an incredible MC, she was conflicted and almost felt like an unreliable narrator in the sense that she had been so influenced and honed by Vincent, that as she moved through the Kejari, you realised just how little of her thoughts and beliefs were her own. But her growth in this book was so wonderful to read, and the dynamic between Raihn and Mische, and then Oraya’s growing relationship and dynamic with both of them, was a joy to read. The last 15% of this book had me barely breathing. I was stressed. I am such a sucker for a tortured love interest with a quick wit and eyes only for the FMC, and Raihn was absolutely no different. There is this one scene with Oraya, going out of her way to bring Raihn joy with the sun and the mirrors — I squealed and then almost teared up.

The Ashes & the Star Cursed King, unfortunately, wasn’t quite as enjoyable for me as the first book, however, it definitely gets points for being a dual POV. I loved LOVED being in the mind of Raihn, and I kind of wish we had that for book 1 (although I do understand and appreciate the character arc Oraya went through in book one, and how dual POV probably would have hindered that). Anyway, loved being in his mind, especially since we were in this completely shaken up, post-Kejari world. I wish we got more MIsche in this one, although by the sounds of it, the next duology in this series may just feature her as our new FMC. The angst, the growth, the character development, Raihn + Oraya, there were still parts of this book that I loved, it just didn’t have that ‘unputdownable’ quality to it. I can’t really go into it without spoiling something, but this duology is definitely an enjoyable, heartwrenching read that I would recommend to lovers of ACOTAR and romantasy in general. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book about vampires, and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

Let me know your thoughts if you’ve read thhis duology! Did you enjoy them?

Review: Arcadian Days by John Spurling

Arcadian Days: Gods, Women, and Men from Greek Myths ★★★ | Book thirty-five of 2023 | e-book

John Spurling has crafted a lyrical retelling of some well-known Greek myths, weaving these seemingly disparate stories together with subtle themes. The most prominent common factor throughout this collection of retellings is each features a prominent woman or female deity at the heart of the story. Where his first book, Arcadian Nights, centres around four figures based in the Peloponnese, his new book Arcadian Days features five of the best-known myths from all around Greece. These stories are Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis, and Odysseus and Penelope. Entwined through these overarching stories are smaller myths and other strong women, such as Atalanta, as featured with Jason and the Argonauts, and Penthesilea, the Amazon warrior who goes head to head with the great Achilles.

But if it is difficult for us sometimes to understand the motives of these gods, they themselves often seem unable to interpret the feelings of mortals (170).

This collection of myths draws upon the ancient Greek texts by Homer, Hesiod, and the three tragedians – Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides – while also incorporating Spurling's own voice to fill in gaps and weave a complete story. Arcadian Days has been written for the general public and would be a great starting point for anyone looking to read a new, accessible retelling of some of the most famous Greek myths. The author (as all have to when retelling myths) makes some specific translation decisions that strike me as something of a personal preference, and his clear choice for Achilles and Patroclus to be depicted as just close friends was an interesting decision amidst the fairly popular view that the relationship between these two warriors transcends simple friendship. Personally, some of the decisions Spurling makes with some of these stories and characters don’t feel like they are up to date with modern views and ideas. There were parts that made me think, ‘hmm, interesting decision.’ Of course, retellings are at the prerogative of the author, and what one person (me) may not love, may be someone else’s perfect cup of tea. That being said, it was still well-written and very engaging.

As the stories progress, Spurling often makes comments on the goings-on and offers potential explanations for decisions made by the players in the tale. It feels as though the omniscient author is speaking right to you, which makes the book feel more personal. This commentary seems to answer questions the reader may be thinking and makes fascinating contemplation over the role of the gods. Each myth is written in slightly different styles, with the retelling of Odysseus' journey in the last section written as Odysseus telling his own story to the reader. This helps differentiate the different tales, whilst also capturing the reader in different ways. The stories also explore what it means to be mortal, particularly with his quote in relation to the new armour created by Hephaestus for Achilles, requested by his mother Thetis:

Yes, it was also made to be a shield. And, with all these layers of metal, a real shield to be carried into battle so as to ward off spears and be battered by rocks and the strokes of swords. To submit to time and mortality, like its owner' (164).

Thank you to Pegasus Books for providing a PDF copy of Arcadian Days for review.

Mid Year Reflection 2023

It is coming up on halfway through the year, and what a busy six months it has been! I thought it would be a bit of fun to recap all that’s been happening so far in 2023, considering how much reading I’ve been doing, and how much life I’ve been living. I have been meaning to do monthly wrap-ups again this year, but with the speed at which 2023 has progressed thus far, I’m not surprised that I haven’t been able to get around to them. If I review the books (either here or on my Instagram), I will link to them throughout this post! I apologise for how long this has ended up, but I hope you enjoy!

January —

Probably my favourite month of this year so far since I spent it in the United Kingdom with my partner. We spent the whole month gallivanting around England, Scotland and Ireland, spending time with family and some of my favourite people in this world (Han and Erica). To finally get to spend time with these two lovely humans after being friends for so long was honestly such an incredible start to the year. Anton, Erica and I explored London and the British Museum, and Han, Alex, Anton and I spent a few wonderful, frosty days in Edinburgh. After not being able to travel for three years, getting to see incredible sites like Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, and Edinburgh Castle was my ideal start to the year. During this time, I started to get back into consistently reading and ended up reading the entirety of The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty. I gave the entire trilogy 4 ★’s, and I would definitely recommend them!

February —

February was less exciting than January, unfortunately. I acclimated back to Australian summer and our timezone and got back to work after my blissful month off. I also got back into tennis and into volunteering at the Hellenic Museum. This month I enjoyed the warmth that Melbourne continued to offer, I took a pottery class and made a very cute, very wonky jewellery bowl, and spent a gorgeous afternoon at the hot springs with two of my favourite people. I finally visited Tori’s Cafe in the city with my lovely and talented friend Vickie (whose business TitlePieces is where I get all of my favourite bookish accessories), and I got an incredible opportunity to handle and pack away some ancient Cypriot pottery. As if this month wasn’t busy enough, I also had my orientation day for my Masters.

Amidst all of that, I still managed to read 9 books! The first book I read was The River of Silver, a small book with numerous novellas from different POVs — the kind of extra book everyone hopes for after finishing an incredible series. Then, I was off on my Lynette Noni spree, where I read all of her books I hadn’t yet read (The Prison Healer Trilogy and then her Whisper Duology). Just like when I read her Medoran chronicles in 2021, I was completely hooked immediately by both of these series, and proceeded to read all five books in the span of less than two weeks. Lynette Noni has quickly become one of my favourite authors of all time. After all of that fantasy/dystopian, I really mellowed with The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles which has quickly become three of my favourite Greek tragedies (although Antigone was already a fave). Then I finally finished The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien before embarking on my Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas reread.

March —

Here’s where life starts to get very, very busy! I officially started my Master of Archaeology this month, and I have a hell of a commute to get there. I also became VP of the Ancient Rome and Greece Club as if I didn’t have enough going on because teaching at a different university also resumed for me! I had three classes of the intro to ancient history and archaeology unit to teach, which was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. Most of this month was spent on the train, reading uni papers, doing assignments, prepping for classes, and drinking a lot of coffee. It took me most of the month to get back into a study routine, but luckily for me everything I was learning was interesting. This month I also turned 25! Mildly terrifying to think about, but I had a wonderful weekend with friends and family, it was low-key but lovely.

Now this is where the reviews stop, but because of how much I had to commute on public transport, the reading didn’t cease with a total of 6 books. On top of the readings for class, I continued my reread of Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fates, Queen of Shadows, and Empire of Storms, while also reading The Assassin’s Blade and Tower of Dawn for the first time. I am a sucker for a romantasy, and this series being more fantasy with a subplot of romance, is one of my favourite series ever.

April —

In April, family from the UK came to visit, so we spent many of our weekends playing tourist, drinking wine and having an all-around great time. We panned for gold at Sovereign Hill (and visited a beautiful bookshop in Ballarat), and spent a night in one of my favourite places, Lorne (on the Great Ocean Road). Continued to spend lots of time in the city and on the train, and continued to increase my caffeine intake as the semester progressed. During April, though, a highlight of the year — Supanova — took place! My lovely friend Amber (@waydes_reads)and I spent the day at the Melbourne Showgrounds, where we listened to author panels, bought lots of books, and met some incredible writers (including two of my favourite authors, Lynette Noni and Samantha Shannon). It’s always a really incredible opportunity to be able to talk to people you admire and tell them just how much you enjoy their work.

This month I finished three books as I had less and less time for recreational reading, I finished Kingdom of Ash which was an incredible finale to the series, and then clearly, I needed some comfort reads since I listened to the audiobooks of A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury — another Sarah J. Maas reread.

May —

This was a far less exciting month as we moved towards the pointy end of the semester. With lots of assessments and marking, comfort food and lots of coffee, I didn’t enjoy my social life quite as much as I had up until this point. Although for Mothers Day, my mum and I headed into the city for a candle-making class at the Hellenic Museum and then to lunch and cocktails. I did get a chance to relax at the end of the month, though, with a facial and massage and brunch at my favourite cafe in Mornington, Commonfolk.

In May, I finished my ACOTAR audiobook reread with A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames. Then I finally got around to finishing some new books that have been on my TBR for far too long — Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I read the Grisha Trilogy in 2018, and where I gave that a solid 3 ★’s, this duology was a solid 4 ★’s. It was the dialogue and the dynamic between the crows that really elevated this duology for me, although there is just something about Bardugo’s writing that stops me from really getting immersed in her books.

June —

What is crazy is that it’s already June! Looking back at the year so far, it has struck me just how much I have squeezed into only 5 and a half months. And, of course, unsurprising to everyone at this point, I have squeezed a lot into this month as well. Despite having many, many, many essays to mark, I have managed to go out for a delicious meal with my friends in the city, and I saw my favourite band (Ball Park Music), play twice in one weekend. Not to mention I met the lead singer after the second show and got a pic with him! For the third time this year, I got to tell someone who I admire how much I love their work (although I definitely made a complete fool of myself this time).

As of June 17th, I have finished 5 books. I finally got around to reading Elektra by Jennifer Saint — I adored it! It was so good, and I especially liked Cassandra’s point of view. I have found a new favourite series, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. I gave both Legendborn and Bloodmarked 5 ★’s and am truly obsessed (especially with Selwyn Kane). This month I have also finished Lightlark (2.5 ★’s) which had a good premise but poor execution, and The Serpent & The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent, which I had seen absolutely everywhere and it did not disappoint. It didn’t do anything particularly unique, but it was still addictive and very enjoyable. A must-read for ACOTAR fans. I am currently reading the second book in the Nightborn Duet The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King, as well as listening to the audiobook of Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin — both of which I am very much enjoying.

Well, that’s probably enough of that! I hope you enjoyed this little life and reading update/reflection. I hope your 2023 is going well! Let me know what your favourite read of the year so far has been, and your favourite month so far!

Review: Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Bloodmarked ★★★★★ | Book twenty nine of 2023 | audiobook / paperback

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn is the second book in the Legendborn Cycle which draws inspiration from Arthurian legends and weaves it into a twenty-first century American setting. This instalment picks up where Legendborn leaves off, and now the stakes are higher than ever with Nick abducted and Bree’s world completely turned on it’s head. This series beautifully handles important and difficult subject matter like grief and loss, trauma, and racism while being an empowering story imbued with magic and love — this series is an absolute gem.

This is one of those rare occasions that the second book in a trilogy was just as good as the first. Bloodmarked not only had me up until the early hours of the morning after reading it all day to finish it, but it is full of complex characters, incredible friendships and friendship-dynamics, a fleshed-out world with intricate magic systems, and a plot that doesn’t loosen it’s grip, even after the final page. We are introdued to many new characters as Bree’s world of the Legendborn and Rootcrafters expands, but Deonn has blessed us with so many incredible scenes with Sel, Bree, William, Alice and Nick. The dialogue in this series is one of my favourite parts about it, along with the personal growth and absolute badassery of our main characters.

“And... you're also the most wondrous being I have ever encountered, will ever encounter. And I believe there is nothing in this world that you cannot do.”

This is one of those books and series that will stay with me long after it is over for more ways than one. You can now find me impatiently waiting for the final book while obsessively re-reading my favourites scnes (*cough* Bree’s birthday *cough*).

Review: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn ★★★★★ | Book twenty eight of 2023 | audiobook / paperback

I have so many thoughts about this book but I have to keep this review short — i don’t want to spoil a single thing.

This book was raw, magical, heartwarming — it has consumed me for the past three days.
Bree, our main character, goes through an incredible journey — she works through and embraces her grief, her trauma. She learns about who she is — her identity is such a foundational aspect of this book — and as she makes her way through magic, her family history, the history of the world she has found herself in, and through it she finds friends, she experiences love and utter heartbreak.

This YA contemporary fantasy draws on the Arthurian legend, a whole body of lore that is slippery, with branches splintering off it as the legend developed through the centuries. Deonn has created something new within the world of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, she includes so many twists and turns in this story I could not stop reading.

I am hooked.

5 stars.
PS. I love Selwyn Kane.