Sorry there was no post last thursday. I very recently celebrated my 22nd birthday and I was super busy and didn’t have enough time to post anything. Now that the celebrations are over, I want to show you all the books I was gifted.

Plot: Shirayuki is an herbalist famous for her naturally bright-red hair, and the prince of Tanbarun wants her all to himself! Unwilling to become the prince’s possession, she seeks shelter in the woods of the neighboring kingdom, where she gains an unlikely ally—the prince of that kingdom! He rescues her from her plight, and thus begins the love story between a lovestruck prince and an unusual herbalist.

I have heard so many amazing things about this series and I have waited so long for the first volume. I cannot wait to get stuck in and read this!

Plot: In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma. Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals – the old art known as the Wit – gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility. So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

Like with Agatha Christie, Brandon Sanderson and Rick Riordan; I want to read all of Robin Hobb’s work as I have heard nothing but amazing things. Now I get to start at the beginning with this very exciting fantasy series.

Plot: The stark naked body was lying in the tub. Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder — especially with a pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before the sightless eyes. What’s more, the face appeared to have been shaved after death. The police assumed that the victim was a prominent financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey, who dabbled in mystery detection as a hobby, knew better.

So, I have actually listened to most of this series through the BBC Radio Drama Collections on Audible. But I know that when it comes to adapting stories for other media that reading the book is a whole different experience. I am super excited to read the original text of the stories I have been loving in audio format. I also want to read everything Sayers has written as well.

Plot: Ninety crime writers from the world’s oldest and most famous crime writing network give tips and insights into successful crime and thriller fiction. Howdunit offers a fresh perspective on the craft of crime writing from leading exponents of the genre, past and present. The book offers invaluable advice to people interested in writing crime fiction, but it also provides a fascinating picture of the way that the best crime writers have honed their skills over the years. Its unique construction and content mean that it will appeal not only to would-be writers but also to a very wide readership of crime fans.

Now, I have no intentions of ever writing a book. I did a creative writing a-level and barely passed it. Writing is not for me. But I do love reading about writing and especially when it comes to crime fiction so I am looking forward to getting into the nitty gritty and into the minds of these authors.