Post 2 of 2
This is my #BlindDateWithABook; looks good! 🗡️
It was a #BookOfTheMonth selection.
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Half Sick of Shadows | 
Post 2 of 2
This is my #BlindDateWithABook; looks good! 🗡️
It was a #BookOfTheMonth selection.
I‘ve been on an Arthurian kick lately so opening Half Sick of Shadows first thing gave me literal chills! 🥶 A beautiful and joy-giving package, and I‘m so glad I participated I‘m going to post a separate photo of @AmyG ‘s clever book wrapping. Going to use the journal to record my daily tarot cards that I pull for my BFF and I.
pickThis was a King Arthur retelling told from the POV of his advisor and oracle Elaine. She sees dozens of possibilities for every event so this novel struggled with time- there were constant flashbacks and flash forwards and possible futures that interrupted the main story line and were sometimes hard to keep track of. But, I still enjoyed it and the new twists on this classic tale. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars!
bailedAfter 3 attempts to finish this book, I bailed at around 120 pages in. I gave it a good go. However, this King Arthur retelling just didn't work for me. The plot was so slow and the jumping around between past, present and future was confusing. The deal breaker for me was the characters. I just never cared about any of them. Total waste of time. 1⭐️
#FirstLineFriday @ShyBookOwl
"I will die drowning; it has always been known. "
pickBrilliant re-imagining of Camelot/Arthurian Legend from perspective of Elaine Astolat. https://cannonballread.com/2022/11/half-sick-of-shadows-elcicco/
so-soI don‘t do this that often but couldn‘t get into this idk I‘ll have to see if it‘s just a mood so for now this is my thoughts I couldn‘t get into the storyline as it places a favorite tale of mine in an awkward place… I will give it another chance at a later date but not really connecting for me 🤦🏼♀️
panPart of me adored this book. Part of me felt like I was reading some sub-par BBC Merlin fanfic. There is so much perfection in this book. Then lines that don't fit. A chapter than infuritates me beyond measure (chapter 32 - WTF WAS THAT ABOUT???). And a lot of drama. I should have stopped reading about halfway through. I was much less angry at this book then.
@bookspinbingo @thearomaofbooks #20in4 @andrew65
A line like this is almost laughable when the book is based off of The Lady of Shallot.... 🤦♀️
Chapter 32, WTF was that?? @mollyrotondo - i have no idea what i think of this book anymore.......
so-soIf I‘m being completely honest this book kind of hurt. Like it was one injury after another kind of hurt. Did I like it, yes, I rather suppose so. But I don‘t really know how I feel about it…..
pickA Camelot retelling and I loved everything about it. There are some new twists and turns and if you love a strong feminine driven story do yourself a solid and pick this one up! #aprilreadinglist #readingchallenge2022
so-so3✨The King Arthur story is not one I‘m completely familiar with, and this story changed some of the family dynamic I was used to from what I did know. Basically, there are 5 characters that are really good friends and trying to manage their fates as the oracle sees into their futures. I struggled with the audio version of this book because the visions came suddenly all the time and I wasn‘t sure what was going on. A fun read with magic elements.
pick4.6⭐️ I really enjoyed this book, and the twist that were added to the original legend. The characters were intriguing, and has interesting gifts. It was a good read. This is my first book by Laura Sebastian but will not be my last. This is also my #bookspin for #bookspinbingo
Running a little behind on this one. I am finishing the tagged book for my book club tomorrow. I‘m also trying to read Let it Snow and The Spectacular Now. I‘m likely going to start Son of a Witch tomorrow.
This King Arthur retelling was one of my favourites of 2021. #12booksof2021 #2021 #September #bestof2021
I think my favorite thing about reading Arthurian retellings is that technically they are ALL cannon. The legends have no known author and we‘re originally an oral story! So on that note say HI to my first Book of the Month book.
so-soI enjoyed this book. I like Arthurian tales and this one had an intriguing premise of it taking place through Elaine‘s perspective and her visions of the future. Sometimes the pacing was a bit slow and the going back and forth between visions and reality could be confusing. Overall it was a fun read.
pickI‘ve been a fan of all things Arthurian legend since I was small, and I loved this twist on the Camelot story. Told from the perspective of Elaine, the Lady of Shalott, the story jumps around from the youth of our heroes to Arthur‘s quests, and on to the tragic later events, presenting an original view on these legendary characters and stories. Beautifully written, and omg did it complicate the Lancelot feelings for my Team Arthur heart.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
bailedI read nearly 150 pages but I just was not enjoying this at all. I hated the jumps to the past I thought they were boring and I thought the characters were boring, what a slog. Disappointing because I love Arthurian stories and I was curious about how things played out but I just can‘t do it. Not for me, donating to the free library ⚔️
pick4 🌟
A beautifully written novel. I enjoyed this retelling of King Arthur and seeing his rise to the throne through the women in his life.
Starting my #doublespin book this morning. Hoping it's a good one. 🤞
pickKate Quinn called this author the next Madeline Miller and I had my doubts. But this Camelot retelling was incredible and I understand the comparison to Circe. Following Elaine of Shalott was fascinating, I had never heard of her. I was completely immersed in this world and never wanted it to end. A beautiful retelling that will stay with me for a long time. #mustread #highlyrecommend #bestof2021
pickIn high school, I went through a Camelot phase where I read any and everything to do with the Arthurian legends, so this was a bit of a nostalgic pick for me! I loved the new twist on the Lady of Shallott and the structure to incorporate not only the present and the past but flashes of the future really worked well here! I wish that the conclusion had felt a bit less rushed though! Otherwise I can‘t wait to see what Sebastian weird next! #BOTM
pickMore of a soft pick, as I really wasn‘t sure of this one for a while there. I felt some of the character choices and conflicts were too contrived to feel realistic, even in the framework of Arthurian legend, but in the end it worked for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
so-soGood Arthurian retelling. Slow in places, but overall interesting and enjoyable.
#BOTM So will the ego stroking from the box make me buy more books?😁🤔Came yesterday!
My box came!! I was able to get my BFF tote too, and I absolutely love it #botm
Selections made! What did you get for #botm ? It‘s my birthday month so Beasts was chosen with my birthday credit.
My June #botm picks! Plus the socks for completing the challenge.
✨ #BOTM ✨
⚔️ Arthurian Retelling? Absolutely. ⚔️
also picked The Martian as an add on because everyone says how great it was and it‘s been awhile since I‘ve gotten lost in a good SciFi 🌌🚀
My June #botm 📦
Not sure if I'm more excited about the books or the socks and pins. I'd love to go back in time and tell 10 year old me how psyched I'd be to be getting socks. 🙄 She'd think old me had lost my mind.
