Getting To Know... Me - Nerdish Mum!! (And A Cheeky Announcement)

As I've had a couple of weeks break from Getting To Know... to catch up on reviews and other things (see my announcement at the end), I thought it would be fun to do a Getting To Know... with me! So instead of writing my own questions I asked in Book Connectors (an awesome book group on FB and Twitter full of authors and book bloggers) for questions that I could answer and I got some absolutely great ones! This is a bit nerve racking now being in the hot seat but here goes!

What is the inspiration behind your blog name, Life Of A Nerdish Mum - Mairead of Swirl and Thread

When I first set up my blog, the idea was to blog about all the nerdish things that I get up to, to share my experiences and meet other people who like the same things as I do. So Life Of A Nerdish Mum just made sense as I was already Nerdish Mum on twitter. This included reviewing books and comics etc and the book review side of things has just bloomed so much it's the majority of what I post now, but I still do blog about other things too and there is more on it's way (sneaky hint about my announcement below).

What made you decide to be a blogger, how long have you been doing it and how long do you spend each week doing it? - Marie Campbell author of Baby

After having my little guy, Mini Nerdling, in 2013 I ended up with quite bad post natal depression (which goes well with my normal anxiety and depression *sarcasm*) and I needed something that was just about me so I set up my Twitter account and dived into the nerdy/geeky community. I discovered an amazing group called IGGPPC (International Geek Girl Pen Pal Club) and they have loads of groups that are just so friendly. I obviously was drawn to the book group (Iggleworms) and everyone was talking about what book challenges they were going to be doing for 2015 and how they were going to keep track of them. I made the decision to start up a blog that would be a place to review each of the books that I read for my chosen challenges as well as a place to share my experiences of cons and other such things that I went to. So on the 1st of January 2015 my first blog post went up and I've been blogging ever since. For the first year I only really published my posts and never shared them or promoted them in any way until probably about a year into it when I became more and more involved in the book blogging community. As to how much time I spend each week, it varies but I can tell you it's a full time job! I am a stay at home mum during the day, I work six evenings a week and until recently I volunteered one morning a week helping children aged 2-5 with speech delays. Every bit of my spare time (hahahahaha) is spent either reading or blogging. When I'm prepping for my Getting To Know... feature as well, it takes even more time as I like to personalise my questions as much as possible so I research each participant so I can ask the most interesting questions I can manage,

What else do you write aside from blogging and what inspires you to write these things? - Chantelle Atkins author of The Mess Of Me

I used to write articles for Teddy Bear Times as before I had my little guy I made collectors style teddy bears and I somehow ended up working for one of the most well known teddy bear magazines. I also write letters which I absolutely love doing when I have the time as I have met some absolutely wonderful people through being a pen pal and I keep a couple of journals, one book and one bullet, These really help keep me organised, focused and motivated which is really important to me.

I am also in the process of writing my own novel, it's all laid out I just need to finish writing it. Other than it being fantasy I won't give anything else away ;)

I wondered how you deal with books that you start with a view to reviewing, but find you really don't like, do you always finish them? Do you always write a review? - Peta Rainford, author of Isabella, Rotten Speller

I am very lucky in the fact the the books I have received for review have all been good (so far anyway) as I try to only accept ones that I think that I will enjoy. I have a real problem with not being able to put a book down though even if I am hating it, I came very close last year to putting my first ever DNF (on a book I chose myself from the library), but I felt so much readers guilt that I finished the whole darn thing!! I will always leave a review though good or bad for a few reasons; firstly that it'd look weird if I liked every single book that I ever read, I don't think anyone has got that lucky. Next, good or bad, a review on a book is good for the author as it gets their book more audience and I try to be as constructive as possible and a lot of the time I explain that the reason I don't like something is that it's just not for me rather than it being bad. The only thing I would do differently if my review was "negative" is that I wouldn't tag the author or publisher on social media and I probably wouldn't promote my blog post like I do when it's positive review.

What do you find most fascinating about your feature Getting To Know... and is there something that you've learnt that you can use in your own reading? - Susan of The Booktrail

I find each and every person I interview fascinating. I love finding out about people and each person is so different from the last and the next. There was something I did learn which I think is invaluable to both readers and writers from Anna Osborne, author of Walking Wounded, (Anna's Getting To Know... is here) who is also a chiropractor, make sure you stand up and pace around every 20 minutes so that you don't damage your back.

What world from a story you've read is the one that you'd least like to live in; and conversely, the one that you'd most like to inhabit? - Karl Drinkwater author of They Move Below

There's quite a few that I'd hate to live in like Panem, The Phase, The Glade and other such places, though thinking about it they are all post apocalyptic/dystopian so I'm pretty sure I shouldn't want to live in them haha! Also anywhere like Gotham City, Star City or Central City, I couldn't cope with the constant threat of one bad guy or another.

The one I'd most like to live in is actually really hard, I think it'd have to be Discworld! Terry Pratchett just created an amazing world full of both good and bad.

What's the best and worse thing about blogging? - Lorraine of The Book Review Cafe

The best thing is the people! The bloggers and authors and publishers that I've got to know have all been so wonderful and welcoming. I am extremely awkward when communicating so I don't always comment or interact too much, but no one minds and I'm always made to feel so at home with everyone. I finally met my buddy reader a few weeks ago which was so nice after knowing her for over two years and I'm hoping to meet more people in the future.

The worst thing I think is the guilt - you feel guilty for saying no, you feel guilty for taking too long to read a book, you feel guilty for not sharing other peoples blogs as much as you'd like, you feel guilty for spending so much time blogging, you feel guilty that your review is too long/short....the list of guilt is endless. But it's all worth it!

I'd like to know what made you decide to review books in the first place and how you find the books? - Harriet Springbett author of Tree Magic

I've enjoyed reviewing books since I was little. My local library when I was in primary school had a kind of book club in which you could progress through the ranks by reading books and writing reviews for the librarian to read. My primary school was also very into books and having us write reviews so I had a solid foundation in writing reviews when I'd finished a book. I did fall out of it for a while until I discovered Goodreads and the online book community. As to where I get books, 95% or more of my books are books that I buy myself or get from the library, it's only been in the past year that I have started receiving books from authors and publishers, but even then if it is a book I adore, I go out and buy my own copy to make sure I'm supporting the author.

Which book that you've read do you really wish you'd written? - Linda of Linda's Book Bag

Oooooh there's a few for this one (I'm allowed more than one right?) - The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis, The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub and The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. In fact I could go on and on!

What was the first book you remember from your childhood? - Jane Cable, author of The Cheesemaker's House

I still own a lot of my childhood books so that'd be cheating to just look at them, but the first book I really remember reading myself and it really sticking with me was The Sixth Seal by Mary Wesley. I had read things like the Chronicles of Narnia, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Hobbit etc before it, but this one really stood out to me. I had borrowed it from the library and I wrote a book review for school about it (I think I was in year 5) and I even decorated the edges of my review with pictures I'd drawn from things that happen in the book. I always remembered this book and so as an adult, early twenties, I decided I needed a copy of it and I went out and bought it. I've read The Sixth Seal again about two or three times since then and I still absolutely love it.

What is your favourite genre to review? - Alison of Ali's Romance, Thriller and Christian Fiction Book Reviews

I always say that fantasy is my favourite genre, which is the truth. However, I don't like to read just one genre of book, I love classics, non fiction, YA, middle grade, horror, crime, children's etc etc. I could never set myself just one to read as I'd always feel like I was missing out. Since book blogging I have also read books in genres that I never thought I would read and have thoroughly enjoyed reading them so it's always good to keep an open mind.

And that's it! Phew that was pretty intense, but I hope you all enjoyed that as much as I did! Thank you so much to all the authors and bloggers that gave me questions, it is greatly appreciated and I hope I did justice in my answers!

Now onto my announcement! As well as reading, my other number one love is music! I have always been a HUGE music fan and have been to countless gigs over the years. From pop to classics to heavy metal, I love it all (though I am a full on rock chick when it comes down to it). So to include this part of me in my blog, I will now have a monthly feature where I interview bands. I cannot explain how much this excites me and I am really looking forward to my first one going live this Friday the 7th of April. I really hope that this is exciting for you all too and that you'll come join me on Friday when I interview John Lov, the guitarist of Ascendia. (Check out one of their music videos here)

A Look Back Over My Bookish 2016

Today is my blog's second anniversary (woohoo!) and I thought it would be interesting to look back at my 2016 in books and to look forward to what will come in 2017. 

In 2016 I read 134 books and this included

11 Classics

6  Children's Books

34 Adult Books

5 Short Story Collections

35 Graphic Novels and TPBs

25 YA Books

3 Non Fiction Books

14 Mangas

1 Poetry Book

Of these

11 were library books

10 were books lent to me

63 were physical books

and 50 were ebooks

I made some really good choices as my ratings were overall very high with an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars

66 were 5 star reads

39 were 4 star reads

18 were 3 star reads

10 were 2 star reads

and only 1 was a 1 star read

I widened my reading horizons this year and I read a lot of books I wouldn't have done thanks entirely to my buddy reader F. I also discovered some amazing new authors and book bloggers through The Book Connectors which is just such a wonderful group of people. I also changed up the formats I choose to read and have introduced short stories and I even tried an audio book. Overall I'm pleased with my book choices over the year. 

I also started my feature Getting To Know... which has luckily been really popular and I have really enjoyed bringing that each week as well as meeting new people along the way. 

I did go to one bookish even this year which was all the way back in June (though I've been super naughty and not blogged about it) and I went to the Enid Blyton Exhibition which was absolutely lovely. 

Onto 2017

Going forward I have decided on a few goals - not challenges or resolutions - just goals that I'd like to aim for if possible. 

• Read 100 books 
• Continue to read more classics
• Improve my total of non fiction books and read at least 5 in 2017
• Learn to say no to reviews as there are only so many hours in the day
• Always write my review no later than the day after finishing a book unless there's a REALLY good reason
• Go to a bookish event
• Complete more of my outstanding series
• Read more of the books I already own
• Allow myself to not finish a book if I'm just not enjoying it

I'm looking forward to continuing Getting To Know... which comes back on the 3rd of January and I have some more features planned that I think will be really exciting as long as I can pull them off. 

There will be a few changes coming to my blog too as I'd really like to incorporate more blog posts about comics and snail mail and possibly even my journey learning to cook. But we'll see how things go, just the thought is exciting though. 

So a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has joined me over the past two years, it makes me so happy every time a single person reads a blog post or leaves a comment. It really means a lot so thank you. 

Have you made any goals or resolutions for 2017? Let me know what you've got planned! 

Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 8

I can't believe I am on day 8 and this is all going to be over in a few days! I really hope people have been enjoying this look back of my personal stand out books from each month this year. 

Day 8 - August Book - Beetlebrow by Ben Parker

Beetlebrow, the first book in the ‘Beetlebrow Trilogy’, is an intricately plotted, emotional and intensely engaging story about two teenage girls, Beetlebrow and Pook, thrown together in a life or death adventure taking place in a sinister, hostile and threatening world. The two will need all their resourcefulness to succeed in a daunting quest: to deliver a cryptic, vital message to the distant eastern city of Dalcratty. 

The growing love Beetlebrow and Pook feel for each other brings them closer together as they confront challenge after challenge, not the least of which is an encounter with the citizens of Essum, whose morality and culture is founded upon interpreting a half-finished painting. 

After you read Beetlebrow, your life will never be quite the same.

My Thoughts

The tag line of "After you read Beetlebrow, your life will never be quite the same" is actually quite true as I still think a lot about the story and the characters and I am really looking forward to the next book in the trilogy which I am hoping will come some time soon in 2017. 

This book took me by surprise as I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I first picked it up. I fell in love with the main character Beetlebrow and I felt like I was with her on her journey. I thought the world building was excellent as the lands were familiar enough to feel like you knew them but different enough for you to know they weren't real life locations. The desert in particular was particularly brutal and I could feel the heat pouring down on me. 

Beetlebrow also has one of the best descriptions about love that I have read and it has really stuck with me. The basic gist is that there are no words good enough to describe how good it is to be with the person you are in love with, except worded MILES more brilliantly! 

One last thing, I really think that a lot of important representation is included in this book and it was good to see a lot of different things from the usual YA that I read. To see my full review the link is here. 

I'll be back tomorrow with September's book and I still just can't believe how quickly these days are going! Are you all prepared for Christmas yet?

About The Author

I was lucky enough to have Ben as a guest on my Getting To Know... feature so for more information about him, please check out that blog post here. 

Ben Parker was born in Ealing, London in 1983. He started writing as a teenager, inspired by Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road'. His early interest in the Beats took him to Louis-Ferdinand Céline and Patrick White, whose work inspired further writing in literary novels. With an exposure to Alan Moore, Robert E. Howard, and Petronius Arbiter, his interest in adventure stories was piqued, and his work continues to tread the fine line between the excitement and emotion of thrilling, fast-paced "page-turners" and the more esoteric drives of satire and the systems of society evoked by "high-minded" literature.

His first novel, 'Beetlebrow', was inspired by thoughts about past civilisations, and how a person could navigate through worlds where everything is against their success. It is in the portrayal of the filthy, bustling streets of ancient Rome, or the alleyways, "rookeries" and make-shift communities of Victorian London which continue to inspire him towards how a person might survive in such an environment. 

Getting To Know... Linda Hill

Today is my last Getting To Know... of 2016 and I am extremely delighted to be welcoming book blogger Linda Hill of Linda's Book Bag to Life Of A Nerdish Mum! 

You have an absolutely wonderful (and busy) blog, Linda's Book Bag, what inspired you to set this up?

Thanks for your kind words about the blog! I set up Linda's Book Bag because I wanted to share my love of books. I'd been a reviewer on the reader panel for https://www.lovereading.co.uk/ so I was already sharing reviews there and years ago I used to review teenage fiction for Hodder to see if it would be suitable for inclusion as class readers for KS3. Both these things made me feel it would be good to have my own blog where I could write about the books I'd enjoyed. Since then, it's grown and I also have guest posts, extracts, interviews and giveaways, especially to support those independently published authors who don't have a huge budget behind them for publicity.

On average how many books do you read in a year? Do you set yourself an annual goal?

Normally I would read between 150 and 200 books a year, but life has been tricky of late and I have hardly had any time for reading. I set myself a challenge on Goodreads to read 125 books this year and at the moment I'm on 106 but I have several reviews that I haven't added there yet as they are for blog tours coming up.

Do you have a favourite place to curl up and read?

Ideally it would be in the sun in the garden or on a beach, but anywhere will do. I really like long haul flights as I can get into a book and just read for the duration, so I suppose you could say a plane seat is a favourite place to read too - even in cattle class!

Do you have a particular way of organising your bookshelves or are books just placed where they fit?

You know, I used to be the most organised person in the universe, but now I'm so overwhelmed by books that they are everywhere. I have three book cases in the sitting room and one on the landing, 300 books under the spare bed, a huge set of shelves in my study (about a third of which is represented in the photo) and then a few (cough) awaiting a place on the side in my study too. That's after taking over 2000 between my husband and me to the Sue Ryder charity bookshop in Spalding over the last three years as we were supposed to be clearing out!

When you're not reading what would we find you doing?

First and foremost I'll be drinking tea. I'm addicted to it. After that I'll be outside. I love to garden and have an allotment. I spent 30 years moaning that our garden is too small so my husband organised an allotment for my birthday to shut me up and I'll often be seen there amongst my leeks and beetroot. We go for lots of walks and love to travel too. We've been all over the world from Antarctica to Zambia and have booked Lapland for our next trip followed by Uganda, where we will be trekking in the hope of seeing gorillas in the wild as wildlife is a huge passion too.

You were an English teacher, is that where your love of reading came from, or have you always been a big reader?

No, definitely not. I was a late reader. My sight is really poor and as I have an older sister who used to read with me, as my parents were so poor they were always working, no-one realised and it wasn't until I got glasses at the age of 8 that I really began to read. It was a miracle that those smudges had a shape and were letters that formed magical words. After that there was no stopping me and I read as much as I could as often as I could.

When you were a teacher, did you have a favourite book to teach as part of the curriculum?

Gosh, that's a tricky question. I always enjoyed teaching Macbeth as it's so dramatic and accessible. I loved reading Of Mice and Men with my students, although every time I taught it I still cried at the end and I think some of them thought I was mad. However, not a book, but a poem sticks in my mind most - Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen. I had a top set of absolutely wonderful 15 and 16 year olds. We had been studying the war poets and it just happened that I was teaching them over the two minutes' silence at 11AM on one 11th November. I'd shown them the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth (the episode when they go over the top and are slaughtered) and then we read and discussed the poem. We finished, by chance, exactly as the bell rang for the silence and at the end all of us were in tears. It was so moving I've never forgotten it.

Bookmark, random bit of paper or dog ear?

I nearly passed out when I saw 'dog ear - NO! NEVER! Though I have to admit, I have scores of wonderful bookmarks but more often than not it's whatever I have to hand - nail file, pen, specs, post-it, passport.

Do you have a favourite author?

Every time I read a book that touches my soul the writer becomes a favourite author. And since I began blogging there have been so many that it's impossible to say. From the classics it has to be Thomas Hardy.

Will we see a book by you in the future? If yes, what genre can we look forward to?

I have actually got my name on around 18 books as author and editor but they are all non-fiction resource books for teachers and students so I don't feel they count! I began NaNoWriMo in 2015 and have completed 26,000 words of a novel which could loosely be called women's fiction. I didn't finish it then as my husband was diagnosed with cancer on 6th November and that took all my time and attention. Since then 2016 has been so fraught waiting for my husband to get the all clear in February and again in September after more surgery and then the near death of my Dad from sepsis and the actual death at full term birth of our great niece Emma that, I didn't have the emotional energy for writing. I was going to complete it this November in NaNoWriMo, but when November arrived I'd spent 3-6 hours a day for the previous three and a half months visiting my Dad in hospital after he had a terrible stroke in July and supporting my Mum. Dad died on 9th November and the funeral was 25th with all the arrangements that causes so perhaps I'll do my own DeWriMo instead!

Thank you so much to Linda for taking the time to join me and answer my questions and for sharing with me so much.

To connect with Linda

Blog - https://lindasbookbag.com/

Twitter - @Lindahill50Hill

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LindasBookBag/?fref=ts

Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 7

Day 7 - July Book - A Single Drop Of Perfect & Other Stories by Jessikah Hope Stenson

A Single Drop Of Perfect 
Carla’s on the cusp of adulthood. As her final weeks in the family home draw to a close she struggles to keep a grip on her true self. With her boyfriend hundreds of miles away, Carla battles with loneliness, finding comfort in unexpected places and experiencing moments of perfection that can never be replicated. 
What Isla Did 
Isla was young, brave and creative. She is remembered as a golden girl and their beloved daughter, but no one can be perfect. 
The Lemon And The Lake 
June and Max are exploring the gorgeous countryside of Granada. However, where there’s perfection, there’s horror. 
Wounds 
Helen’s new husband Steven brings his dog Wilf into the family home. When Helen’s eight year old daughter Maisie finds herself in hospital, suffering from a vicious dog attack, Steven has a lot to answer for. Moral and ethical questions arise when Helen is determined to have Wilf put down in spite of Steven’s desire to keep is beloved pet alive. 
The Edge Of A Smile 
Walking home at night, university student Heidi is accompanied by a stranger named Bryony. Both of them have secrets which will destroy the other.

My Thoughts

I had read very few (if any) short story collections before reading A Single Drop Of Perfect as honestly they'd never really appealed to me. When I had the chance to read A Single Drop Of Perfect I read the synopsis and it really caught my interest and I knew I wanted to read it. I'm so very glad I did. as I stated in my review (here), "A Single Drop Of Perfect is a collection of five short stories and I think each one is definitely its own drop of perfect."

I really think that each story is as strong as it's predecessor and I really related to a lot of the characters. The two stand out stories for me at the time, Wounds and What Isla Did, are still my two stand out stories now. Though I remember all of the stories very clearly considering how many months ago (and how many books I have read since) that I read them. Both of the stories involve children, so it may be that I'm a mum that they took hold of me more than the others. 

Even though this was Jessikah's debut book, you genuinely can't tell with the quality and maturity of the writing. I said at the time I was looking forward to what came next from Jessikah and I have since enjoyed her debut thriller which I absolutely loved! (My review for Trace This Scar is here).

This book encouraged me to start reading short stories and short story collections meaning I have discovered some new authors and have really enjoyed reading some shorter, quicker reads. It feel very satisfying to read something so interesting but finish it so quickly. 

Tomorrow I'll be back with day 8 and my stand out book from August. Do you enjoy short stories? Have you got a favourite collection that you'd recommend?


About The Author

Jessikah Hope Stenson is a 20 year old author, book blogger and journalist. She currently studies English at the University of Exeter where she is also the Editor-In-Chief of PearShaped Music Magazine. In her spare time, she enjoys slam poetry, listening to Paramore and curling up with a good book.

Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 6

Half way through and I have my stand out book from June which I was actually lucky enough to be part of the blog tour for, my post is here. 

Day 6 - June Book - Deadly Harvest by Michael Stanley

A young girl goes missing after getting into a car with a mysterious man. Soon after, a second girl disappears, and her devastated father, Witness, sets out to seek revenge. As the trail goes cold, Samantha Khama – new recruit to the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department – suspects the girl was killed for muti, the traditional African medicine usually derived from plants, sometimes animals, and, recently and most chillingly, human parts. When the investigation gets personal, Samantha enlists opera-loving wine connoisseur Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu to help her dig into the past. As they begin to discover a pattern to the disappearances, there is another victim, and Kubu and Samantha are thrust into a harrowing race to stop a serial killer who has only one thing in mind …

My Thoughts

This was my second Michael Stanley book, my first being A Death In The Family which I read and reviewed all the way back in 2015 (my review for that is here). I've mentioned in both my reviews previously but as it's one of the reasons I think this book stands out to me, I'm going to mention it again. The fact that these books are written by more than one person is just amazing. I've read books before that are co-authored and you can tell which section or chapter is written by each author, but it is just not that way with the Detective Kubu books. The writing is all smooth and cohesive so when I first discovered it was a two man team I was really shocked. 

Another reason this book stands out is the characters. I adore Detective Kubu, he is just such a wonderfully well rounded character. I love the fact that he's such a family man and is in a happy marriage, adores his kids and he is really close with his parents; It's such a nice touch when books are dealing with crime and darkness to have one shining light of joy to keep the balance. 

I really feel that I have learnt a lot from reading Deadly Harvest in particular about Botswana. The books have introduced me to Setswana, one of the languages spoken in Botswana as well as different traditions and cultures, all interspersed with police work and family life. The subject of Deadly Harvest also introduced the darker side of the culture and I ended up doing a lot of my own research following reading it which is good as I love books that make me want to expand my knowledge and really know about the subject they have brought up. 

Overall though I am specifically saying that Deadly Harvest was my stand out book in June, I would definitely recommend the Detective Kubu series as a whole. 

About The Authors

Michael Stanley is the writing partnership of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Michael lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Stanley in Minneapolis.
We have travelled extensively in Southern Africa and have a special love of Botswana, where our detective novels are set.

Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 5

Welcome back to Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas and I'm onto my stand out book from May, almost half way through already! 

Day 5 - May Book - Whispers Of Bedlam Asylum by Mark C. King

Even the splendour of Victorian Age London was not without its faults. In its heart is one of the darkest places in human history, Bedlam Asylum. The whispered rumours of brutality, fear, and hopelessness turn out to be only the beginning of its cruelty. One man is trying to protect his family by uncovering the worst of Bedlam's hidden secrets. One woman is following in her late husband's footsteps to try and help those that can't help themselves. They will both find that looking for evil does not necessarily make one prepared to find it.

My Thoughts

Whispers Of Bedlam Asylum is Mark's second novel and the second book following main character Sigmund Shaw. (You can read this as a stand alone if you so chose though). Sigmund is one of my favourite characters from this year and I adore his dedication to his family and his honour. In fact all of the characters in Whispers are absolutely brilliant. There are two really amazing, bright, strong and independent women in Charlotte an Sarah. And there are two excellent male side kick characters in Chief-Inspector Holmes and Basil an inmate in Bedlam Asylum. 

I mention it in my full review here, but I have to mention again that it's rare when an author gets the perfect balance of world building and character development, but I think it's done in Whispers. I could perfectly picture the Victorian London that the author wanted me to and scenes in the asylum were intense, I also want to meet the people I am reading about. 

Whispers Of Bedlam Asylum will stay with me for a long time and I will continue to love Mark's work. I currently have The Tomb Of Hannu waiting to be read which I need to get to ASAP! 

I'd never have thought I'd be recommending a historical fiction, action adventure with some steampunk elements book, but here I am doing it because this book is just THAT good. 

Tomorrow well be onto day 6 already and I will have my stand out book from June, so please come back to see what I recommend. 

About The Author

I was actually lucky enough to interview Mark back in June, so for more information, please check that out here.

Mark King is an easy-going writer with a talent for finding enjoyment in most any situation. He’s a lifelong reader whose literary interests include science fiction, adventure, thriller, and mysteries, to name a few. When not working or writing, he can be found watching movies, kayaking, associating with friends, and of course reading.

Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 4

I can't believe how quick these days are going, only 9 days left till Christmas! So today is day 4 of my Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas feature and my stand out book from April is a trade paper back. 

Day 4 - April Book - The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 1: The Faust Act by Kieron Gillen

Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critically thermonuclear floor-fillers Young Avengers and Phonogram reunite to start a new, ongoing, superhero fantasy with a beautiful, oversized issue. Welcome to The Wicked + The Divine, where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you're immortal, doesn't mean you're going to live forever. Collects The Wicked + The Divine #1-5

My Thoughts

I was sent the first volume of The Wicked + The Divine as part of a banned books swap that I took part in and though I'd heard loads of hype about it, I had no real idea what it was about as it just had never really appealed to me. I'm a typical super hero comics/trades/graphic novels reader so this was out of my comfort zone and I put it off for quite a while before finally reading it. 

From the witty title to the conversations between characters, the writing is absolutely top class. Everything seemed to work smoothly and the pacing was spot on for me. I loved the premise of Gods coming to Earth to become the most famous people in pop culture every 90 years. I loved the characters, especially Luci! Luci is snarky and interesting and dresses immaculately. 

When talking about this book, I have to mention just how stunning the art is throughout. I thought the people were all incredibly stunning and the colour palette really worked. So a huge shout out to Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson and Clayton Cowles. In comics the art is JUST as important as the dialogue and the balance has been struck perfectly in this volume. 

I was so pleasantly surprised about how much I enjoyed this book, it most definitely took me by surprise. I've been a lot more confident stepping out my comfort zone since reading The Wicked + The Divine so it has affected my reading in a positive way. 

So that's my April stand out book, have you ever read The Wicked + The Divine? What did you think? Are you a fan of comics/graphic novels/trades and if so do you have any recommendations for me?

About The Author

Kieron Gillen is a comic book writer and former media journalist.

Getting To Know... Sandra At Book Lover Worm

Today Life Of A Nerdish Mum is welcoming Sandra from Book Lover Worm to Getting To Know... 

Your blog, Book Lover Worm, is for all things bookish (and is wonderful). What inspired you to set this up?

Thanks! I started reviewing books, I think because I was aware more reviews got authors more awareness and I found it useful for me and my own records of what I'd liked and disliked.  After a while I realised that I was quite restricted in what I could do and wanted something that was more mine, than say Goodreads, so I started the blog and I'm really pleased with how it's doing given all the other things I have going on at the moment.

Looking at your reviews, you seem to have a preference for crime fiction, what is it that draws you to this genre?

I've always loved crime fiction. I started off reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and other things like that when I was younger and moved on to Agatha Christie (books and tv/films) and it's progressed from there.  I like all types of crime fiction from cosy mysteries to gory crime and psychological thriller.  On a basic level I like the mystery itself, who did it and why but I'm also intrigued by the inner workings of someone's mind, what drives them to commit a crime. Why someone commits a crime will always be specific to them and it's that individuality that I find fascinating.

When you're not reading what would we find you doing?

Probably reading! I started an MSc in September which involves a lot of reading so if I'm not reading fiction then I'm probably deep into non-fiction, research articles or legal stuff.  Apart from that I like gaming, though my PS3 is quite neglected just now.  I also like going to the cinema but also watching tv at home, I'm a sci-fi fan so enjoying watching boxsets of Stargate SG-1 and Star Trek Voyager just now. Having said that I also like Disney/Pixar films so you might catch me watching one of those if I'm having a rare afternoon off!

Do you have a specific way that you organise your bookshelves or are they a random hotch potch?

I have one shelf full of books I haven't read yet. I also have a separate pile of books I've been sent for review but other than that I arrange my bookshelves so that the tallest books are at one or both ends, smallest in the middle and then I arrange based on what looks best to me always keeping books by the same author together.  

On average, how many books do you read in a year? Do you set yourself an annual goal?

I only started reading again a few years ago after not reading for ages due to a great deal of personal upheaval.  After the first year I discovered the Goodreads challenge and signed up so I could find out how much I read in a year but it varies hugely. For instance last year I think I read about 60 books whereas this year I'm already at 92 and it's still November, while I'm answering this, so I expect to reach at least 100 before the end of the year.  

What was your favourite book or series when growing up? 

I've already mentioned reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys but I also liked the Chalet School series and Sweet Valley High and a few of the Point Horror books. 

Bookmark, random piece of paper or dog ear?

Bookmark if I can find one or if the book is a special edition or fragile in some way, otherwise I dog ear I always have. I know lots of people don't like it but I find it really handy and it reduces the chance of losing a bookmark while on the train or out somewhere.

Do you have a favourite place to curl up and read?

I like reading in bed at night, I've posted the odd tweet to that effect, but if I'm not there I tend to be on the small sofa that I have which has a lamp and table next to it. This means I can have book, light, drink and snack all within easy reach. The lamp is bright enough to read by but not overly bright so it creates a nice, cosy corner of the lounge which is especially lovely in winter when it's dark outside.

Do you have a favourite author?

Now this is a tricky one! I have lots of authors I like, as I suspect does everyone, but there are a few that I always get impatient waiting for their next book to come out. Currently they are J.D. Robb (loving the In Death series!), Lucy Diamond, Rebecca Raisin and Rachael Lucas (always excited about their next books) and Paul Doherty and M.J. Lee (both write amazing historical crime fiction)

You recently passed a creative writing course, does this mean that we will see a novel from you in the near future?

I would love to write a novel, it's something I've thought about doing for years but never been sure if my writing was good enough.  The creative writing course showed me that while I am not currently a brilliant writer I can produce good work so hopefully, once things settle down or post MSc, I might manage to produce a full novel rather than just 2000 word stories.

Thank you very much to Sandra for joining for me! 

To Connect With Sandra at Book Lover Worm

Blog - https://bookloverwormblog.wordpress.com/
Twitter - @bookloverworm1

Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas - Day 3

Onto day three already of my Twelve Days And Twelve Books Of Christmas Feature and todays stand out choice from March is from a different format of book, a manga.

Day 3 - March Book - Attack On Titan: Vol. 1 by Hajime Isayama

In this post-apocalytpic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. Little is known about where they came from or why they are bent on consuming mankind. Seemingly unintelligent, they have roamed the world for years, killing everyone they see. For the past century, what's left of man has hidden in a giant, three-walled city. People believe their 100-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, but the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything.

My Thoughts

I only discovered manga and anime in 2014 when a good friend lent me the first volume of Black Butler and introduced us (me and the hubby) to the anime FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Since then we've watched a lot more anime and I have been trying out as many different mangas as I can. I've been intrigued by the hype surrounding Attack On Titan, but I didn't have the time to watch the anime so I asked my friend if I could borrow the first few volumes of Attack On Titan and he kindly agreed. 

This first book stood out so much to me as it really started off the series with a bang and you got almost straight into the action while getting to know the characters. I immediately fell in love with Mikasa, she is a really strong and badass female character. For me she really shone! The artwork was a lot more amateur than I had experienced with other mangas, but I actually feel that this added to the books charm and it has made it stand out in my memory (not in a bad way). The story was very different to anything I've read before and it was really exciting. I thought some of the ideas were so incredibly well thought out and actually sounded plausible like the harness the fighters wear to get around. 

I enjoyed this (and the second and third volumes) so much, I am now collecting my own copies of the manga as I want the whole collection in my library and I can't give a better recommendation than that. 

I will be back tomorrow with my April stand out book, I really hope you're enjoying this feature so far! Do you have any stand out books from the year? Have you read or seen Attack On Titan, if you have let me know what you thought. 

About The Author

Hajime Isayama (諫山 創 Isayama Hajime, born 1986) is a Japanese manga artist from Ōyama, Ōita. His first and currently ongoing serial, Attack on Titan, has sold over 22 million copies as of July 2013. He has mentioned Tsutomu Nihei, Ryōji Minagawa, Kentaro Miura, Hideki Arai and Tōru Mitsumine as artists he respects, but stated that the manga that had the biggest influence on him was ARMS.