Bridie's Book Abyss

THE BEAR AND THE NIGHTINGALE by KATHERINE ARDEN “Nay, it is the coming storm. The first sign is fear. The second is always fire. Your people are afraid, and now the fires burn.”  ―  Katherine Arden ,  The Bear and the Nightingale If you’ve ever spent longer than five minutes in my presence then you will know that Uprooted by Naomi Novik is my favourite book of all time. So when I heard about this new book that is supposed to have a similar feel and premise to Uprooted I drummed my fingers together like an evil villain and adopted the following facial expression - Picking up The Bear and the Nightingale, I was 90% sure I was going to love it. I sat there with my nose buried and waited for the story to suck me in… and I waited… and waited… and before I know it I’m 300 pages in like… oh… The story revolves around a small village on the edge of the Northern Woods of Rus’ (that’s medieval Russia to you and me). Within this village dwells Vas...

NEVERMOOR: THE TRIALS OF MORRIGAN CROW by JESSICA TOWNSEND “The point is—as far as the Society is concerned—if you are not honest, and determined, and brave, then it doesn’t matter how talented you are.”  ―  Jessica Townsend ,  The Trials of Morrigan Crow One average day at work there appeared a box on the staff room table. And in that box was bounty of proof copies of new children’s books. And among that plethora was a midnight blue book with golden foil stars. And I thought ‘ooh pretty’ as I hissed like a cat at all the other clamouring booksellers and claimed it as my own. The book I had picked up was Jessica Townsend’s debut novel NEVERMOOR: The trials of Morrigan Crow . I judged a book by its cover and boy did it pay off. Morrigan Crow is a cursed child, destined to die on the eve of her eleventh birthday. But her passing will not be mourned, as her curse has brought misfortune and calamity upon her family and to the general public of ...

Why Hello there. Look at you stumbling upon my blog. If you love books and are partial to a healthy dose of sarcasm and cynicism, then continue on.. My name is Bridie and I am a self-confessed Bookmaggot. Aside from being a bibliophile I am a professional Actress. And on top of all that I work part-time as a Bookseller in one of London’s largest bookshops. It’s safe to say that I know my way around a bookshelf. But that wasn’t always the case. When I was little, I struggled with reading, and was always a few steps behind the level I should have been for my age. Even into my late teens I always felt drawn towards books, but would shy away from the commitment of reading. Then in my early twenties a well-placed recommendation sent me down a spiral. (BEWARE - uncharacteristically soppy sentences ahead) - it left one of those gaping holes inside that only a great book can leave and the only way to fill it seemed to be to search for a replacement. Except then I found another book that...