8littlebookshelves

    Looking for your next read? How about an intriguing mixture of mystery, adventure, fantasy epic and drama? If so, I recommend Shadowmarch by Tad Williams, which is the first of a four-part series. It is a big read, for sure, but it´s full of great characters, suspense and fantastic twists and turns. Curious? Here are some more details (no spoilers, of course) ...   The Story of Shadowmarch At the uppermost edge of the northern kingdoms, towers shrouded in mist, lies Southmarch Castle. For hundreds of years it has remained hidden from the affairs of empire. Now its isolation can protect it no more. Southmarch is under siege; from both its neighbours, without, and the more insidious enemies who would destroy it from within. Even further to the north, within the ancient walls of Qul-na-Qar, in a land of silence and gloom, the Twilight People gather to hear Ynnir, the blind king, pronounce the dark fate of humankind. In the south, the Autarch, the god-king who ha...

      1. Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski   Content This story follows an abandoned young boy who wanders alone through the frozen bogs and broken towns of Eastern Europe during and after World War II, trying to survive. His experiences and actions occur at and beyond the limits of what might be called humanity, but Kosinski never averts his eyes, nor allows us to ...   My View Harsh and brutal is the journey of this kid. It is impossible not to be appalled by the world and to feel for boy, to feel his pain and to see what is transforms him into.      2. Where the Crawdads sing by Delia Owens     Content Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl, is sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens her...

It´s such a tough choice, simply because there are so many good cover designs out there ... And it seems, book covers keep getting better and better, more stunning, more creative, more innovative. Yet, I did manange to make up my mind and chose my favorite covers for 2022. Here they are: Top 6 Best Book Covers 6. The Book of Goose , by Li Why this one? It doesn´t even have anything special about it? To be honest, I just love these old paintings and how publishers use close-ups of certain scenes for a cover. And it goes so well with the actual story. I guess it´s really just a personal taste thing ...             5. Putin , by Short Contrast & minimalism - those are the two factors creating the eye-catching power of this cover. I must admit, I haven´t read the book yet, it´s still waiting on the shelf. The design, however, convinces me. The thing with minimalistic design is that there´s a narrow line on which it works before it´s too simple, meaning too ...

    The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo, a review I know, this book is old and has been talked about a lot, but it still is important to me and has had some impact on my life. That´s why it needs to be on this list. Plus, for travelling, this is one of the best reading options to take along. Why? Because it´s about a young man who sets out on a big journey … Santiago is the main character in The Alchemist . He is a shepherd in Spain and has a dream about a treasure at the pyramids – and he actually decides to go look for it. And so, his adventure begins. The book, however, is not only about what happens along his journey, but the things he learns, the mistakes he makes, the challenges he faces, the choices he is forced to make. It is a spiritual journey, too. The reason I, and I guess a lot of other people, like this story so much is because it is so universal and relatable. Everybody has to face difficult times in their lives, has to make up their mind and choose a path t...