Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne M. Harris

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting On Wednesday hosted at Breaking the Spine.

A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne M. Harris
Expected publication: October 19th 2017 by Gollancz

I am as brown as brown can be,
And my eyes as black as sloe;
I am as brisk as brisk can be,
And wild as forest doe.
(The Child Ballads, 295)

So begins a beautiful tale of love, loss and revenge. Following the seasons, A Pocketful of Crows balances youth and age, wisdom and passion and draws on nature and folklore to weave a stunning modern mythology around a nameless wild girl.

Only love could draw her into the world of named, tamed things. And it seems only revenge will be powerful enough to let her escape.

Beautifully illustrated by (TBC), this is a stunning and original modern fairytale.

I've only found out about this book a few days ago so I'm still going crazy over it. And it will be illustrated! I know I'll have to get myself a hardcover copy of it. The cover is so gorgeous! ♥

Review: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life From Beginning to End by Hourly History

Title: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life From Beginning to End by Hourly History
Publication: November 13th 2016 by Hourly History
Genre: Nonfiction ~ History
Purchase (free everywhere): Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Leonardo da Vinci

Creativity is in our bones. It is found in our very DNA, something not known to Leonardo da Vinci or anyone else who lived in his day and time. All he did was to uncover the hidden genius which lay within himself, and he used that inner genius to the very best of his abilities.
Leonardo da Vinci is best known for some of the world's most masterful paintings, but he was so much more than merely another artist with paints and brushes. Born to a peasant woman in 1452, Leonardo would go on to astound the world he lived in with his artistry and his inventions.

Inside you will read about...
✓ Early Beginnings and the Italian Renaissance
✓ Leonardo's Personal Life
✓ Leonardo's Artistic Beginnings
✓ Early Paintings 1480s-1490s
✓ Paintings of the 16th Century
✓ Scientific Studies and Anatomy
✓ Engineering Inventions
✓ Later Life and Old Age
✓ Facts about Leonardo da Vinci

In this eBook, discover for yourself the brilliance of da Vinci. Uncover some of his best works of art, including the Mona Lisa, and see why he kept so many notebooks and observations about everything under the sun. See where his far-reaching talents led him, and how you can be more like Leonardo da Vinci than you ever thought possible.

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most intriguing people in history. I've always been fascinated with his life. So it's no surprise that I ended up really enjoying this short book. I even learned a few more things about him that I didn't know. I loved that.

My favorite chapters were 'Early Beginnings and the Italian Renaissance' and 'Facts about Leonardo da Vinci.' I've been very much intrigued about his early life so I thought that first chapter was great to start with. The facts about him were also very interesting to say the least.

It's a quick read so of course it's perfect if you want a quick read to learn a little more about Leonardo's life or if you're in between books (like I am at the moment.)

Overall, Leonardo da Vinci: A Life From Beginning to End was a book I really enjoyed. As usual with a 'Hourly History' book I'd really recommend it to any reader! 

Check out my other reviews:

The Black Death: A History From Beginning To End

Mayan Civilization: A History From Beginning To End

Vlad the Impaler: A Life From Beginning To End

More Hourly History reviews to come soon!

Review: Greek Gods: The Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology by Patrick Auerbach

Title: Greek Gods: The Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology
Author: Patrick Auerbach
Publication: December 6th 2015
Genre: Nonfiction ~ Mythology
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 4/5

The ancient Greeks believed there were a great number of gods and goddesses. These gods had control over many different aspects of life on earth. In many ways they were very human. They could be kind or mean, angry or pleasant, cruel or loving. They fell in love with each other, argued with each other and even stole from each other.

The ancient Greeks built great temples and sanctuaries to their gods. They held festivals in their honour, with processions, sports, sacrifices and competitions. Stories of the gods' exploits were told to children by their mothers and to large audiences by professional bards and storytellers. People today still enjoy hearing stories about the Greek gods.

This book tells the tales of gods and goddesses such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Athena and heroes and monsters such as Helen of Troy, Perseus, and Medusa will fascinate and engage your imagination.

Here is a selection of what you will learn:
The Creation and the Gods
The Olympian Gods (and a few others)
Prometheus, Epimetheus and Pandora
Psyche and Eros
Oedipus and His Children
The Trojan War

Learn more about Greek Gods NOW and scroll up to the top of this page and BUY it Now!

I was familiar with all of the mythologies and gods (being obsessed with Greek mythology like I am) in this book but that didn't even take away how enjoyable it was to read. It would also be a great book for those who are less familiar with them. 

There are quick introduction about the gods and goddesses, their names (and Roman names), who they are related to (although they're pretty much all related to each other) and other information like that. There are also chapters about Oedipus, the Trojan War (this was my favorite), Medusa, Heracles and more. 

Overall, Greek Gods: The Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology by Patrick Auerbach was a quick but very interesting and informative read about the Greek gods and the most known mythologies surrounding them. The writing style was simple and easy to read but also unique in its own way. Definitely a book I'd recommend.