Between the Sea and Sky

***

3 Stars/5

All Esmerine, a mermaid, wants to do is to become a Siren and work with her sister, Dosinia. When Dosinia is believed trapped on the land by a human, Esmerine decides to rescue her, but changing her tail into legs means that every step is painful. In the capital city Esmerine meets a friend who she has not seen for years Alander who belongs to a winged race of people called Fandarsee, and together they search for Dosinia. As they get closer to Dosinia there rekindle their friendship but is it able to develop into more with them being from different worlds.

Between the Sea and Sky is an enjoyable, sweet fantasy novel with a fairytale feel to it. It is a bit slow paced and while it is predictable it is a nice romantic book.

Esmerine is a sweet and naïve girl but she never gives up and a likeable character. Alan is distant and cold to begin with but he does get better but I still struggled to connect with his character.

Between the Sea and Sky is a cute book and I would recommend it to people who enjoy light fantasy novels and the other book by Jaclyn Dolamore.

My Soul Immortal

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Jen Printy and Red Adapt Publishing for giving me this book to review.

Jack is always moving from one place to another because he does not die or age. When Jack moves to Portland, he meets Leah, the spitting image of the girl he loved who died over a century ago. As Jack begins to obsess about Leah, he also starts to question his sanity. When he is approached by the mysterious Artagan who claims to have information about what Jack is. As Jack and Leah grow closer, Jack realises he is putting her life in danger and will do anything to protect her and her soul.

My Soul Immortal is an enjoyable YA paranormal romance, which is romantic, mysterious and reminds me a bit of the TV programme Forever. It is interesting to have a paranormal romance novel to have to POV from a man, however, it came across to me that Printy did not fully research Britain, for example, while I am not a fan of cricket, I am fairly sure that you don’t score in it and the fans don’t wear jerseys.

Jack grew on me during this book, as in the beginning I could not connect to him but as I got to know him better I found him interesting, protective and caring, however, I felt he acted more like the age he looked than the age he actually was. I liked Leah as she is nice and kind although I felt she was a bit too perfect. Although I felt that I could not trust Artagan he was the most interesting person in the book.

This book ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and I hope there is another book in this series. I recommend My Soul Immortal to fans of Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper.

Raven

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and AltWit Press for giving me this book to review.

Raven was trained by her father to be a Reaper; a bodyguard/assassin, who believe that for every life they take, they have to save another. Since her father died, she has spent years redeeming lives so that she can settle down and marry the man she loves. But when she saves Darius, the young Baron of New Hope, from drowning she is drawn into a mission she cannot refuse. She must find the Wood Witch to stop the fits Darius has or his father will kill him as he fears Darius is possessed, however they are being pursued by the determined Captain Jack and another reaper who is very deadly under the orders of Darius’s father.

Raven is a very good YA steampunk/fantasy novel which is very well written and descriptive. It was a bit slow to start but really picked up after that and has lots of action and suspense in it.

Raven is a very tough girl but also has her vulnerabilities which she worked though during the book. I really like Jack as he is loyal but also knows what is right and wrong, and I really liked that he did not try and prove he was a better fighter than Raven, which is unusual in most books. I also really liked Darius and I am glad he is not as spoiled as he could have been, however, I knew who Monroe was as soon as I met him.

Even though the ending was a bit rushed, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next book about Darius. I would recommend Raven to fans of Throne of Glass and Nihal.

Abhorsen

***

3 Stars/5

Lirael has just discovered that she is the Abhorsen in waiting and with her sister in Ancelstierre it is up to her, along with Prince Sameth, The Disreputable Dog and Mogget, to stop The Destroyer from returning. They have to stop Sam’s best friend, Nick who is unknowingly helping the Necromancer Hedge free The Destroyer. With Lirael having a heavy burden with only the help of a single vision to guide her, they must travel far in both life and death to stop The Destroyer before it is too late.

Abhorsen is the good third book in the YA fantasy series the Old Kingdom and better than the previous book, Lirael. It has action and unique magic but still think this book and the previous book should have been combined into one book with less filler.

Lirael is stronger in this book now that she has found her true purpose but I still do not like her as a character compared to Sabriel. I liked Sam more in this book but this book did focus more on Lirael than him.

I enjoyed this book more than the previous book but I hope Clariel, is more like Sabriel than these two books. I would recommend Abhorsen to people who enjoyed Sabriel.  

Lirael

**

2 Stars/5

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr, as she is long past the age where she should have gained the sight.  She becomes a librarian, which has given her a purpose, learning charter magic and, with the help of the Disreputable Dog, stopping and destroying the evil in the library. At the same time, across the wall, in Ancelstierre, Prince Sameth is attacked by a powerful Necromancer. When he returns to the Old Kingdom, this experience has emotionally scarred him and is afraid to learn to be an Abhorsen, like his mother. Unknown to Lirael and Sam, their destiny’s are tied together as evil forces are growing on both sides of the wall.

Lirael is the second book in the Old Kingdom series, however, I did not enjoy it as much as Sabriel. Not much happens in this book, and I feel that this book and Abhorsen should have been merged into one.

 Lirael is full of self-pity and an annoying character as she thinks she is worthless and ugly while is actually powerful and attractive. Sam was not much better as, while I understand he was traumatised, he came across as an angst-filled teenager not a prince who is responsible for his people.

Lirael felt like an introduction for Abhorsen and I would recommend it if you want to read the next book. 

Sabriel

***

3 Stars/5

Spending almost all her life in a boarding school in Ancelstierre, Sabriel has little experience of the Old Kingdom and its magic. After her father the Abhorsen, a person who binds the dead and makes sure they stay dead, goes missing she must enter the Old Kingdom, with her limited knowledge, she finds help in Mogget, a mysterious magic spirit cat, and Touchstone, a young charter mage who has been trapped as a figurehead for decades. With threats mounting on all sides, will Sabriel be able to save her father, who is trapped in death, and stop the evil Kerrigor.

Sabriel is an enjoyable epic fantasy adventure with unique magic and an intriguing concept but an underdeveloped romance. While I never got bored I wish it was faster paced as it was a bit slow, and it was not as good as I remembered when I first read it when I was younger.

Sabriel is a likable, independent and mature teen who is not perfect, as she makes mistakes, but she learns from them. While I liked Touchstone I did not feel like we got to know him that well, but he was nice and brave. However, my favourite character is Mogget as he was funny and sarcastic.

Sabriel is a good and unique fantasy story and I would recommend to fans of the Healer series by Maria V Snyder and The Seven Kingdoms by Harry G Sherwin.

Doctor Mars

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to T A Uner for giving me this book to review.

In the early 22^nd century, Mars has been terraformed and is inhabited by humans. Liberty Rise is a gifted mutant, who is a member of the Mars Colonial Police Force, and uses her power to manipulate time, to help solve crimes. When a murder investigation involves the scientist Dr Hitzig, it threatens the safety of not just Liberty but all of Mars.

Doctor Mars is an enjoyable sci-fi/paranormal crime novella which has action and a bit of romance. It is fast paced which makes the book seem even shorter but it has a unique concept and a good setting.

All of the characters are strong, distinctive and interesting including the bad guys. Liberty is a very strong female character who is resilient and intelligent and I look forward to seeing more of her.

The ending had something I did not expect and this novella is an enjoyable introduction to the series and I look forward to reading the next book. I would recommend to fans of sci-fi crime short stories. 

Follow me Through Darkness

*

1 Star/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Spencer Hill Press for giving me this book to review.

Less than a year ago Neely Ambrose believed in the elders and her only worry was that she does not have the freedom to do want she wants. Then she discovers the elders plans and that her whole life has been manufactured. Now Neely is on the run in the dangerous wasteland and has 40 days to find out the truth and to save everyone she knows and loves.

Follow me Through Darkness is a young adult dystopia but I could not get into it. I was confused all the time during this book, as the main character already knew what was happening but us, the readers, were not told and I did not like it so I stopped reading it.

I could not connect with Neely but she seemed a nice enough character. Thorne did not interest me much especially as I was really confused by the twin thing. The only person who truly interested me was Xenith but he was not in it that much.

Unfortunately I could not get into Follow me Through Darkness. 

Broken Promise

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Jen Wylie for giving me this book to review.

After delivering the Prince to his home, Aro and her boys need to recover from this last year. They decide to stay in the city of Westport for the winter, to figure out what to do next, and to discover what happened to Aro’s brothers. However, not everything goes to plan as the Were King is displeased with the group’s disregard of Were law, and the Elves are displeased with the change in the Prince and use his only weakness, Aro, against him. Aro is forced to rely on a new ally, the ruthless pirate, Roan, with secrets and an agenda of his own, should Aro really trust him?

Broken Promise is the really enjoyable third book in the Broken Ones series. It is slower paced than the first two book, especially the first half. The second half is better as it is action packed and has bits of romance.

Aro has been though an awful lot in the last two books and I am glad she got a bit of a break in this book, even though I did get a bit bored of her moping after the Prince, but there are lots of people after her either to kill or use her. Kei and Prince are not in this book as much as I would have liked and I did miss them, but there was an interesting new character, Roan, as I never knew what he was thinking or what he was going to do next.

I really liked this book and am looking forward to the next book in the Broken Ones series. I would recommend Broken Promise to fans of Jen Wylie, especially those whose who enjoyed the first two books in this series, Broken Aro and Broken Prince. 

Collision

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Baen Books for giving me this book to review.

After Sera gives up her angelhood in return for John Murdock’s life, she is heartbroken to discover that he has lost all memory of her, his powers, and the Thulian invasion of Earth. Bella is still trying to come to terms with being the official leader of Echo, and Victrix is dealing with Overwatch now being an official part of Echo. How will all of them cope with their altered roles in post Invasion Atlanta?

I really enjoyed Collision; but whilst it was quite slow paced at the beginning, it more than made up for that with the end battle. However, the battle scenes took up an immense amount of the book which left less time for us to follow the characters.

I liked Sera in this book, as she is more human, and you can feel her pain at losing all that she had known, including John.  I really felt for Victrix throughout the whole series, as she has overcome extreme adversity, and still suffers emotionally whilst still coming through for Echo and the CCCP. I did feel that this book focused on John and Sera’s problems to the detriment of other story lines, and would have liked to see more of the underlying CCCP, and Verdigris arcs be shown.

I really liked Collision and would recommend this series to readers of other Mercedes Lackey and Cody Martin books.

With Tide and Tempest

****

4 Stars/5

Aemi is still struggling to adapt to life in Itlantis, with people believing she is part of the Nautilus plot, someone is trying to kill her again and her mother and sister have returned home to Primus. Still trying to find out information about her father and the Azure Institute, Aemi talks to Valus, the son of Arik Nautilus, the person who destroyed Celestrus. When Aemi receives word that her best friend Kit might be alive on the surface, she and some of her friends set out to find him but will they be able to avoid Nautilus’s men who petrol the waters?

With Tide and Tempest is the really enjoyable third book in the Secrets of Itlantis series. It is addictive, just like the other books in the series, and has action, twists and romance. However, I did find it a bit similar to By Sun and Saltwater, with them going off to investigate things.

Aemi is still as good as she was in the first two books as she was clever and strong but has learn to think things through more than she did before. My favourite newish character in this book is Valus because he is not what I was expecting.

I am really enjoying this series and am really looking forward to reading the next book For Wreak and Remnant as this book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger. I would recommend With Tide and Tempest to fans of the first two books in the Secrets of Itlantis series. 

By Sun and Saltwater

****

4 Stars/5

Life in Itlantis has turned out differently from how Aemi first imagined it, with her discovering that she is the heir to the Graywater family and a member of Itlantis high society. However, being one of the elite is not as easy as she would have believed, with Itlantis high society being fraught with rumours and accusations, multiple assassination attempts and she discovers that her father was executed for treason. Desperate for answers Aemi and her friends set off to Arctus, the ice city, but they discover more than they expected.  

By Sun and Saltwater is a really good sequel to Of Sea and Stone. It has plenty of twists and secrets, and it is fast paced and has action, mystery and romance.

I really like Aemi in this book as she has so much to deal with yet she is still strong and kind. There are lots of returning characters including Lyssia and Merclus and another character who I am glad reappears in this book. My favourite new character is Tallyn as he is not all he seems and really cared for Aemi.

This book is just as good as the last book and I am looking forward to the next book With Tide and Tempest. I would recommend By Sun and Saltwater to fans of the first book in the Secrets of Itlantis series Of Sea and Stone. 

Of Sea and Stone

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for giving me this book to review.

Aemi is a thrall in the Village of the Rocks, and has been for as long as she can remember. She dreams of travelling to Perilous, her mother’s home before her mother became a thrall and died. Aemi’s life changes forever when a ship emerges from the ocean, her village is burnt and she, along with some of the young men of the village, are taken to Itlantis, a world under the ocean made of glass cities. Aemi and her nemesis from the village, Nol, are made servants in a friendly household in the city of Celestrus, and are told not to tell anyone that they are from the surface or else they will be killed. Desperate to be free, Aemi plots to escape to the surface, but as she becomes friends with some people under the sea and the secrets and conspiracies of Itlantis, escaping is not as simple as she first thought it would be.

Of Sea and Stone is a very good fantasy novel and I found it hard to put down. It is fast paced, has a hint of romance, and action, it is also not as predictable as I thought it would be.

I liked Aemi as she was smart, resilient and struggles with her loyalties between her life on the surface and the people she has become friends with in Celestrus. Nol is an interesting character and I could never tell what he was thinking. I also liked the characters of Lyssia and Merclus and how they slowly became like a family to Aemi, and I hope we get to see more of Kit as I feel like he has a big part to play.

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one, By Sun and Saltwater. I would recommend Of Sea and Stone to fans of Stolen Songbird by Danielle L Jensen and Witch Fall by Amber Argyle. 

The Shadow of the Swarm

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Sweet Cherry Publishing for giving me this book to review.

Tallitha is trapped in the castle, Hellstone Tors, along with her brother, as she has been betrayed and is being forced to become one of the swarm. She is determined to free her Aunt Esmerelda who is trapped in the Bleak Rooms, a terrible prison, and to also break the pact before she becomes one of the swarm. With a mysterious boy following her, is she able to trust him or does he have his own agenda?

The Shadow of the Swarm is the enjoyable sequel to The Morrow Secret, and it has action, suspense and a mysterious and creepy feeling. I found this book more interesting than the previous book as it is not as slow and has more POVs.

Tallitha is not as trusting as she was in the last book but just as determined to do what she has set her mind to. With more POVs we also get to see what is happening at both Hellstone Tors and at The Winderling Spires. Quillam was an interesting character and I wish we could have learned more about him, and I was still really annoyed by Tyaas and I wish he would grow up.

I liked this book more than the last one and am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy The Dark Spell. I would recommend The Shadow of the Swarm to fans of the first book The Morrow Secrets.

You can buy The Shadow of the Swarm at Amazon UK

The Morrow Secrets

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Sweet Cherry Publishing for giving me this book to review.

Tallitha is bored with her life at Windering Spires and is unable to be the girl that the Grand Morrow wants her to be. Along with her brother Tyaas, she discovers that the family has a secret which could spare her from the responsibility of being the heir. Tallitha goes on an adventure through sinister forests and dangerous caves to find out the truth about her family’s past.

The Morrow Secrets is an enjoyable, creepy, and gothic children’s novel. It was slow especially when the characters were at Winderling Spires, however, it did pick up after they left. I like the illustrations in the book as it was nice to see how the people and creatures were meant to look like.

Tallitha is headstrong, loyal, and protective, however, it was said in the book that she was about 14/15 years old yet she acted much younger than that. All the other characters and creatures were really interesting and eccentric, however, I did get annoyed at Tyaas, Tallitha’s younger brother.

I predicted a lot of the twists in this book but it was still an enjoyable book. I would recommend The Morrow Secrets to fans of gothic fantasy books.  

You can buy The Morrow Secrets at Amazon UK

Captive

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin (UK) Limited for giving me this book to review.

Kitty is growing frustrated with impersonating the Prime Minister’s niece, Lia Hart, firstly, because her fake fiancé, Knox, is not letting her become more involved in the rebellion and secondly, she is unable to spend much time with her boyfriend Benji. While looking for information on the prime minister, she discovers that she has been watched by the Hart family long before she was masked. After trusting the wrong person, Kitty’s greatest fear comes true as she is sent to Elsewhere, a prison from which no one has escaped. With Kitty not knowing who to trust, will she give up or help the rebellion even when it might cost her everything?

Captive is the good dystopian sequel to Pawn with action, romance and violence. It is fast paced and full of twists, some of which I saw coming but some I did not.

I liked Kitty more in this book because, even though she is really easily deceived, she still fights for what she believes in and does want to be a pawn anymore. I also like Benji as he is kind, loyal and protective of Kitty without smothering her. There are lots of new characters in this book as well as people from the previous book, my favourite is Knox as I could never tell where he stood and if we could trust him.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking to the next book, Queen. I would recommend Captive to fans of the first book in the Blackcoats rebellion trilogy Pawn. 

A Tithe of Blood and Ashes

****

4 Stars/5

It has been 2 months since the blood moon and Lucy’s life is going great (apart from doing exams) with good friends and a perfect boyfriend. The Hel-Blar seem to be drawn to Lucy, but as she discovers the secret her parents have been keeping from her, is she willing to pay the price to make it stop?

A Tithe of Blood and Ashes is a really enjoyable short story and has everything I loved from the Drake Chronicles, action, romance and the Drake Brothers. I love Lucy, and all the characters, and I am not sure how they manage to get into so much trouble.  

I preferred this short story much more than The Longest Night and please Alyxandra can you please do a Lucy and Nicolas spin-off. I would recommend A tithe of Blood and Ashes to fans of the Drake Chronicles. 

The Perilous Sea

****

4 Stars/5

A teenage boy and girl are in the middle of the Sahara with no memories of who they are and how they came to be there, and all they know is that they need to avoid the people from Atlantis. 7 weeks earlier Titus and Iolanthe have spent the summer apart and are eager to return to Eton to spend time together and to find a way to stop Atlantis and the Bane. However, when Titus makes a shocking discovery it changes everything about their relationship and the mission. With Iolanthe coming to terms with her new role and Titus finding out if he should believe his mother’s prophecies will they be able to avoid the Bane’s grasp and find a way to defeat him.

The Perilous Sea is a really good sequel, just as enjoyable as The Burning Sky. This book had action, romance, suspense and twists, and does not suffer from middle book syndrome. This book is really interesting as it is written from both the past and the present and it was fascinating how the character got from how they were to the present situation.

Everything Iolanthe believes in is challenged in this book and she has to discover who she truly is but like the last book she is a bit too perfect and good at everything. Titus has an internal battle in this book and he really struggles with what to believe in but I liked him better in this book compared to the last. The secondary characters are interesting, especially the Eton boys as we got to know them better.

There is a big twists at the end of the book and I am really looking forward to reading the last book in the series. I would recommend The Perilous Sea to fans of the first book The Burning Sky. 

On The Run

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to I-Lanaa Twine for giving me this book to review.

3 years ago Jade’s mother disappeared and left a message which changed her and her father’s life forever. Now Jade and her dad have been moving around the country, never staying in one place for long, looking for clues about her mother. However, everything changes for Jade when she meets Derrick and she realises that all she wants is a normal life. But her secrets cannot remain hidden and the past catches up to them, and Jade has to fight to survive as her whole world is destroyed.

On The Run is an enjoyable paranormal/sci-fi book with action, romance and twists. The book felt a bit all over the place and didn’t flow very well, also the first half of the book had a different feel to it compared to the second half.

Jade in some ways was a normal teen with attitude and wanting more in life but is also very different as she is physically strong but emotionally weak as she had to grow up very quickly. While I liked Jade, I could not understand why people kept on falling in love and wanting to look after her really quickly. There are lots of interesting secondary characters such as Keith, the flawed but loving father, Derrick, the good looking boyfriend and Nuption, who is complex and sarcastic.

This is an enjoyable book and I would be interested to see what happens next. I would recommend On The Run to fans of YA paranormal or sci-fi books

Stolen Moon

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for giving me this book to review.

Katarina – a Royal Knight bound by honor and duty who steals a powerful relic from a sorcerer in a desperate attempt to save her kingdom from the clutches of a madman.

Ethan – a mercenary leader trapped between his growing attraction to Katarina and his responsibility to protect his friends from the evil pursuing her.

Zebulon – a malicious sorcerer waging war as though it’s a game, caring nothing for the lives he destroys in his quest for power.

Drawn together by a moonstone medallion – an indestructible relic with immense magical power.

Katarina steals the medallion from Zebulon and flees in the dead of night. Together with Ethan and his mercenaries, she struggles to stay one step ahead of the sorcerer and his minions in a race against time to save her homeland. Fierce battles, ravenous monsters, and bloodthirsty brigands – those are no surprise. But Katarina never dreamed her greatest obstacle could be falling in love.

Stolen Moon is a sweet and enjoyable YA fantasy novel which is the sequel to Shadow fire and is fast paced and full of action and light romance. However, there was a lot of parallels between this book and Shadow Fire as both the plot and romance were very similar.

Katarina is a very strong woman who has had a hard life but did not make her a harsh or uncaring person, but I did feel that she did not react liked most people would after their entire family just died as she seemed to get over it very fast. Ethan is the perfect hero as he is charming, protective and very loyal to his friends.

The romance is very sweet but the amount of time it took them to fall in love was even quicker and unrealistic than Shadow Fire. It was nice to see Ashlyn, Zane and some of the other characters we grew to love in Shadow Fire.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Light Chronicles series and whatever else Wheaton writes next. I would recommend Stolen Moon to fans of the first book Shadow Fire.

The other tour posts are at Xpresso Book Tours

You can buy Stolen Moon at Amazon UK

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The New Agenda

**

2 Stars/5

Thanks to Simone Pond for giving me this book to review.

Ava is determined to find Morray, so she looks into his past, but what she discovers is not what she expected. Teenage Morray has always believed in his father, who is the head of the Repatterning program, and all he wants to do is earn his father’s approval. When William and his mother are sent to an underground shelter he discovers the truth about the Repatterning program. William teams up with a rebel group to try and stop his father and save those who are left.

The New Agenda is the OK prequel to The City Center, it has a bit from after the events of the last book but mostly set in the not too distant future. I felt this book would have worked better as a novella as I felt the story had to be dragged out a bit, but that being said it was enjoyable to discover how the apocalypse began.

The main problem I had with this book is that I did not like William, even in the beginning, and I don’t think it is just because my view of him was coloured by from the last book. I was nice to see Ava and Joseph again, even if it was not for much, and what has happened to them after The City Center.

                      

I did not enjoy this book as much as The City Center and I hope next book Pond writes is about either Ava or a more likable character. I would recommend The New Agenda to those who have read The City Center. 

The City Center

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Simone Pond for giving me this book to review.

In the 21^st century the Elites created a man-made apocalypse which killed almost everyone, and those who survived either live in the Los Angeles City Center or are rebels who live on the Outside. Centuries later Ava Rhones is one of the potential successors to the Queen but she has always felt different from almost everyone else. A week before it is decided who becomes the Queen, she meets a rebel, Joseph, and discovers that her utopian home is not all that is seems. She escapes with Joseph to the Outside leading the City Center leader Chief Morray to obsessively hunt for her. With Ava falling for Joseph she has to decide whether to stay on the Outside or save her people in the City Center.

The City Center is an enjoyable YA dystopian novel with an interesting premise, action and romance. I felt it was too fast paced as I found it hard to connect to the characters or the story and I would have preferred more world building.

Ava is nice and adventurous and I think people can relate to her as she felt different from everyone else and wants to escape. Joseph is a normal YA hero, brave, loyal and kind but did not stand out, however, one thing I got annoyed at in this book is that it had insta-love.

This book has an interesting concept which I wish had been fleshed out a bit more but I am still looking forward to the next book The New Agenda. I would recommend The City Center to fans of Under the Never Sky or Fireblood. 

Into the Still Blue

***

3 Stars/5

Aria and Perry are determined to reach the safe haven of the Still Blue to protect the Tides and the surviving Dwellers. However, they are in a desperate situation with them stuck in a cave as the aether storms are getting worse and Sable and Hess have kidnapped Cinder for his abilities. Perry and Aria assemble a small rescue team to save Cinder and to get what they need to travel to the Still Blue. With the bonds of friendship being tested and the world dying will Aria and Perry be able to stay together and save everyone.

Into the Still Blue is the enjoyable final book in the Under the Never Sky trilogy, it was a bit predictable but fast paced. This series has action, adventure, romance and an interesting story.

Aria has grown in this series as has more confidence and has developed into a natural leader, with both the Dwellers and the Tides. Perry is the same from the previous books as he is strong, protective and loyal, but is also struggling with the loss of Liv. I also liked that Aria and Perry were together during most of the book as they are best when not separated. There are two other characters that I find really interesting in this book, firstly Sorren, as it is interesting how he has changed from a villain to one of the good guys, and secondly Roar as I felt very sorry for him and I like his relationship with both Perry and Aria.

This ended much better than most dystopian series as it ends just as satisfyingly as the first two books, and I am looking forward to what Rossi does next. I would recommend Into the Still Blue to fans of the first two books. 

Earth & Sky

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Children’s Publishing for giving me this book to review.

17 year old Skylar has always felt sensations that something is wrong with the world and no one else notices. She manages to hide it from those she loves but she thinks she is crazy until she meets Win, and she discovers the truth, that for thousands of years earth has been an experiment of alien scientists who manipulate history. Win belongs to a rebel faction who seek to stop the experiments and he needs Sky’s help as she has the ability to detect the shifts in history. With Sky and Win travelling back in time to collect a weapon from Win’s leader, every change in the past can affect Sky’s life and the travelling in time is unravelling the fabric of reality.

Earth & Sky is a YA sci-fi novel which reminded me a bit of the film The Adjustment Bureau, which is full of action, time travel and is fast paced.  However, I felt the world building was not the best, for example, the reason why the Kemyans are still experimenting was not the best explained.

I liked Skylar as she struggled for a long time with knowing she is not like everyone else and she was nice, but I did struggle a bit to connect with her. I really struggled to get on with Win, cannot put my finger in why because he was meant to be a nice and charming guy. There is potential for romance in the next book and I like that is was not a big part of the plot in this book.

Earth & Sky book has an interesting concept and would recommend to fans of YA sci-fi and time travel. 

The Empyrean Key

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to J L Tomlinson for giving me this book to review.

In Ardentia, Jahna has spent all her life living in the safety of Groden Cove with her two best friends, bloodthirsty Lilac and bookworm Silko, and her mother. But her mother will not tell her about their Narcean abilities or who her father is. However, Jahna’s fate is linked to the Narcean Soothsayer Friziel and the dying King Myole as evil is threatening war torn Ardentia. When Jahna learns about her lineage and the peace of Groden Cove is disturbed, Jahna, along with her friends are sent on a quest to restore an artefact called the Empyrean Key.

The Empyrean Key is a really enjoyable fantasy book, with action a slight hint of romance and vivid detail heavy story. The book was a bit slow especially the first half as it spend way too long in Groden Cove, but the second half picks up and gets better.

Jahna is a complex character, she comes across as a normal teen but is also protective and is desperate to find out about her past and her powers. Silko and Lilac are amusing but very different characters and really care about Jahna and the three make a dysfunction trio.

This is a good book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I would recommend The Empyrean Key to fans of YA fantasy books.

Aquila: From the Darkness

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to T L Searle for giving me this book to review.

Aquila has always kept herself distant from everyone, apart from her mother and her best friend, Aaron, who she is in love with, because she is not normal as she has wings. One day on an impulse Aqua finally reveals her true self to Aaron only to be rejected and she flees, but she is followed by Lucas and when she nears exhaustion he takes her to Celthia, a city carved into the mountain full of people similar to her called Angeli. When her home is attacked and her mother taken by the Angeli’s enemy the Dragone, Aqua must train to find and save her, but the master of the guard, Liam, does not trust her, though she has growing feelings for him. With Aqua different from everyone at Celthia and a boy August who is linked to her, will she find all the answers about her mysterious past.

Aquila: From the Darkness is a very enjoyable paranormal book, full of action, secrets, romance and unique species from any other book I have read. The book started out a bit too detail heavy but I got sucked into the story of Aqua, though it was a little bit predictable.

Aqua is a protective, determined and mature girl who has always had to hide who she is, but I did find it unbelievable that she was so brilliant at her training after only one month. All the characters are really well written and I liked them all, my favourites had to be Liam and August.

This book ends on a big cliff-hanger and I am really looking forward to the next book Aquila: Into the Light as there are lots of unanswered questions. I would recommend Aquila: From the Darkness to fans of YA paranormal books. 

Otherworld Nights

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Plume for giving me this book to review.

Demonology

Talia’s son Adam has always had a fascination with fire, and after his hands have started to heat up when he gets upset, she feels that she needs to know what is happening to him. She makes an appointment with Professor Vasic as the last place she can turn to in order to get answers, but will he be able to tell her what is happening with Adam?

Twilight

Cassandra is getting old, and tired of life, losing all interest in feeding, and having even less interest in making her yearly kill in order to survive the next year. Aaron returns to find her maintaining her existence, but will he be able to convince her to kill to last another year?

Stalked

Clay and Elena have never married, but he has decided that the least he could do is give her an uneventful honeymoon. However, the local mutt population are not cooperating. Will Clay be able to deal with the mutt without Elena learning of it?

Hidden

Elena and Clay and the twins head up early for the Pack’s Christmas gathering in Canada, and get caught up in the investigation of the potential murder by mutt of local kid Dillon Mitchell. Will they be able to find out who did it, and more importantly, be able to do it without the twins finding out their secret?

Otherworld Nights is an entertaining anthology of 8 stories set within Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series. Several of these stories have been published on her website previously, whilst several are new. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the Otherworld series, and is interested in learning more about the characters which we see there.

Tortured Souls

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Sea Dragon Press for giving me this book to review.

Kacie has always seen ghosts, and it has ruined her life, causing her mother to leave and her father to blame her, and causes nightmares every night of gruesome murders. However, her life changes when, at a party, her crush, Logan, saves her from a ghost and invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of people who investigate the supernatural. As they help Kacie control her powers, they are also looking into a haunted mansion where a demented cult leader, the Foxblood demon, murdered 13 children and is now using their souls to come back to life. With the Foxblood demon’s sights set on Kacie and the murdered children haunting her, will Kacie, along with Logan and the other members of the Orion Circle, be able to banish him before he possesses her.

Tortured Souls is an enjoyable YA paranormal novel with some action, creepy suspense and a sweet romance, which felt like a teen version of Supernatural set in a high school. It was a fast paced book but did slow down during the middle. One thing I did not like about this book was that everyone accepted easily that the paranormal existed and those who did not were portrayed as being closed minded and wrong.

Kacie is a nice normal teen who has had a hard time growing up, but I did find her a bit annoying and I felt she had to rely on others too often. There are lots of really good secondary characters in this book and I liked the sweet romance between Kacie and Logan and I liked that there was not a love triangle.

I did not enjoy this book as much Shadow Fire but it is still an enjoyable novel and I am looking forward to the next book in the Orion Circle. I would recommend Tortured Souls to fans of The Holders by Julianna Scott and Finding Sky by Joss Stirling.

Of Darkness and Crowns

****

4 Stars/5

Bale, the moon goddess, is residing in Prince Caben, darkening his mind and soul, causing him to hunt down the woman he loves and sacrificed himself for. But he is still hearing his old self telling him that he still loves Kal and that Bale is causing him to want to kill her. Kaliope, the leader of the reformed Nactue Guard, has vowed to look after Caben’s kingdom as well as finding a way to save him. With a traitor within her midst and her powers growing which she cannot control, her mission to save Caben causes conflict in the Nactue and may be clouding her judgement. When the time comes to destroy the goddess of chaos, will Kaliope be able to do it if it means losing Caben?

Of Darkness and Crowns is a very good new adult sci-fi/fantasy novel with action, a warped romance and unexpected twists. This book was told from the POV of both Caben and Kaliope and it is very addictive as I could not put the book down.

Kal is still strong and protective, but her loyalties are tested and she struggles a lot in this book with both with her responsibilities and with what happened to Caben. Caben is a really interesting character in this book as he is very dark and not the good guy we know from the last book, but you could still see hints of the old him, which makes you doubt if it is Bale which has changed him or if it is how he would react if he got power. I didn’t like the romance as much as the last book as they did not spend much time together and it was very twisted.

While I slightly preferred Of Silver and Beasts more than this book it is still really good and I am looking forward to the next book. I would recommend Of Darkness and Crowns to fans of Trisha Wolfe’s other books especially the first book in The Goddess Wars series, Of Silver and Beasts. 

Of Silver and Beasts

****

4 Stars/5

In the sand covered country of Cavan, when she is a child Kaliope’s father injects mercury into her, but she is saved by the goddess Alyah. Now as a 19 year old she is chosen as the head of the Nactue Guard, sworn to protect the Empress, but her first mission is to protect Prince Caben, heir of the neighbouring kingdom. When Cavan is attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope, along with hundreds of other citizens, are taken. Kaliope and Caben, and the strongest are forced to fight in a caged arena to become free. While trying to keeping them both alive and defending her heart from Caben and to save her empress’s life which is linked to a stolen relic, Kaliope discovers she is linked to Bale, the banished goddess of chaos but is she is able to stop her from awakening.

Of Silver and Beasts is a really good New Adult book, but I cannot figure out what genre it is, a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy, which is action-packed, romantic and with a dark atmosphere, though not what I was expecting. This book has an interesting mythology, and I wanted to find out what was going to happen next.

Kal has a fierce, strong and resilient exterior but this covers up a scarred interior that protects her heart but she is devoted to her friends and empress. Caben comes across at first as a spoiled prince but as we get to know him we discover he is brave, clever and has a bit of a fragile ego. The romance developed fast but considering the situation they were in it was not unrealistic.

I really liked this book and had a cliff-hanger ending and I hope the next book, Of Darkness and Crowns, is just as good. I would recommend Of Silver and Beasts to fans of NA sci-fi/fantasy books.

Whisper the Dead

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc for giving me this book to review.

The Lovegrove Cousins, Gretchen, Emma and Penelope, are adapting to their new powers but Gretchen is struggling because she is a Whisperer, which means she can hear other witches spells, but as she cannot control it, it makes her head feel like it is going to explode. Due to what happened with the Greymalkin sisters, the Keepers do not trust them and are watching them. The Keeper watching Gretchen is the rule abiding yet alluring Tobias Lawless. Magic is acting up in Mayfair with bones going missing and evil is stirring. As Gretchen tries to master her powers and to discover what is happening in London, will the cousins be able to prevent disaster?

Whisper the Dead is an enjoyable second book in the Lovegrove Legacy series which is an action packed YA historical paranormal novel. I don’t know what it is about this series but I just cannot get into it as much as I did with Harvey’s other books.

Gretchen is a strong, fierce character with a mind of her own but she came across to me as being too modern for the time this book was set, which makes her feel like a unrealistic character. On the surface Tobias comes across as a controlled and arrogant follower of the rules but underneath he is protective, kind and very loyal. It was nice to see Emma and Cormac in this book and I hope we get to know Penelope better in the next book.

This book is a fun paranormal novel with a cliff hanger ending so I am looking forward to the next book. I would recommend Whisper the Dead to fans of the first book A Breath of Frost. 

Sennar's Mission

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Open Road Integrated Media for giving me this book to review.

Sennar has been sent on a mission to the underworld to get aid for the war, but it is an almost impossible mission as nobody knows how to get there, and how they feel about the overworlders. Nihal is completing her training to become one of the Dragon Knights with the help of her mentor Ido, and she is getting more accepted and gaining more responsibilities. With past secrets being revealed, Nihal is struggling with dealing with her desire for revenge, and her mysterious past may be the key to winning the war.

Sennar’s Mission is the enjoyable sequel to Nihal of the Land of the Wind, which is full of action, fantasy adventure and a developing romance. That being said it definitely felt like a middle book, as it was slower than the last book, and some chapters felt like filler.

Nihal annoyed me less in this book as she seems to have grown up and has become less spoiled, she is a fierce and brave character who is protective of those she cares about. I like Sennar as we get to know him better than we did in the last book, he is really kind, wants to help people and is willing to do anything to stop the war even if it puts him in serious danger.

While I enjoyed this book, it did feel like it was developing the story for the next book, that being said, I am still looking forward to reading it. I would recommend Sennar’s Mission to fans of the first book in the Chronicles of the Overworld, Nihal of the Land of the Wind. 

Weighted

****

4 Stars/5

Raeth has been captured by the queen and is being held for information she does not remember about her Neumarian powers. Her only friend is Princess Semara, but as her tortures grow, Raeth becomes unsure if Semara is helping her or just trying to gain her trust. Will Raeth be able to escape or die before she betrays her brother and people?

Weighted is a prequel short story to Escapement and it is really enjoyable and gripping. It is interesting to see such an important part of Raeth and Semara’s history and adds depth to the first book.

I felt really sorry for Raeth in this book as she goes through so much pain in this book but never gives in especially as she is only 12. I also liked Semara as we got to see how selfless she is but also how conflicted she is between what she can see about Raeth and what her mother tells her.

It was really interesting seeing an important part of Raeth past and the bond that formed between her and Semara. I would recommend to fans of Escapement. 

Escapement

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Xpresso Books Tours for giving me this book to review.

Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.

Escapement is a really enjoyable YA dystopia full of action, suspense, romance, and unique powers. I found this book a bit hard to get into, but I think that had more to do with want was happening in my life at the time, rather than the book. This book is really well written as it has good world building and in-depth characters especially how the three main people interacted.

I really could connect to Semara as she is not perfect and very naïve, especially as she want to believe in her mother but is still willing to fight, to prove herself and always putting others before herself. Ryder is sacrificing and harsh character, but is also very caring and protective, especially over his sister Raeth. Raeth is a sweet girl who I wanted to protect but while scarred, she did not let it affect her too much.

I really liked this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of The Neumarian Chronicles. I would recommend Escapement to fans of YA dystopia novels like Perfection by J L Spelbring.

The other tour posts are at Xpresso Booktours

You can buy Escapement at Amazon UK

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