Despite feeling very ill and not managing to read at all for a few days, I have been able to finish two books since the last Reading Roundup post.

When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson (Jackson Brodie #03), was the first book. Here is the blurb:

“On a hot summer day, Joanna Mason’s family slowly wanders home along a country lane. A moment later, Joanna’s life is changed forever…

On a dark night thirty years later, ex-detective Jackson Brodie finds himself on a train that is both crowded and late. Lost in his thoughts, he suddenly hears a shocking sound…

At the end of a long day, 16-year-old Reggie is looking forward to watching a little TV. Then a terrifying noise shatters her peaceful evening. Luckily, Reggie makes it a point to be prepared for an emergency…

These three lives come together in unexpected and deeply thrilling ways…”

This my review on the Goodreads website:

When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kate Atkinson has such an unusual way of writing a crime novel. She builds up each of the main characters, layer upon layer, like an oil painting. Eventually all starts to become clear, into focus and the plot moves on.

I had only read one of her books in this series before choosing this one. As it happens, it was the sequel! So I already knew some of what was going to happen, which was a bit of a shame. Nevertheless, this was an enthralling read, leavened with a dark humour which is engaging.

I have another book in this series in my “To Read” pile and can’t wait to begin!

View all my reviews

My second book was A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir (An Ember in the Ashes #04). First we have the blurb:

“The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory–or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life–and love–he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save–or destroy–all that he knows.”

And this is my response:

A ​Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


To be honest, I was a little disappointed with this book. It should have been a great ending to a very good series. The settings, events, characters and plot lines were all nicely set up for a fantastic finale, but it didn’t quite work for me.

It’s as if the author lined up the characters and decided which ones to sacrifice and which ones to save. Which story lines to turn out nicely, with a satisfying and neatly sewn up ending, and which to unravel.

Then the chapters were far too short, with all of the chopping and changing of viewpoints being far too rapid fire.

I will almost certainly read future books as I can see potential for something fabulous. But this series, although it certainly had its moments, was not quite there for me.

View all my reviews

---

I am not quite sure which book I am going to choose next, so you will have to wait for next Wednesday’s post to find out!

Until then: Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📖📚📖📚📖

PS. You may have found some of this post a bit clunky and some of the usual elements are missing. That is because WordPress have decided to “upgrade” their blog editor and I am finding it very complicated and difficult to use. The old version was fine for me as I only want to write a straight forward blog with no “bells and whistles”, but I suppose that they need the paying customers who have monetised (urgh, what a word!) blogs. Anyway, I hope that I am capable of learning this new version!