The Power of Three

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Charles J Butler for giving me this book to review.

There are three planes of time, the land of fire, home of the demons, the land of the living, home of men, and the land of clouds, home of the angels. When angel Kamilah discovers a sinister plot, she becomes trapped on the land of the living. With the help of her new friends, Jed, a farmer, Kacey, a sorceress, and Ratty the rat, Kamilah must stop the Gates of Agalon being opened before it is too late.

The Power of Three is an enjoyable fantasy novel with an interesting story idea with adventure and friendship. However it did info-dump a bit in the beginning and the pacing did slowdown in the middle of the story.

Kamilah is a naïve, compassionate and loyal character who wants to explore this new world and discover things about it. Jed is courageous and clever but is also capable and kind. Kacey needed to learn how to believe in her powers and herself but I was not a fan of how often she winked. I can be very irritated with talking animals but with Ratty I understood his motives and he was not too cute.

The ending leaves it open for more books but had a good solid ending. I would recommend The Power of Three to fans of YA fantasy books.

The Iron Rider

****

4 Stars/5

Princess Leena is a dragon rider, humanity’s protection against the Shadow, but she has not forgotten her homeland and the tyranny it faces under her father. When the Shadow’s phantoms threaten Da’astiku Leena returns home to prove to her people that love is more powerful than fear or hate.

The Iron Rider is a really enjoyable final novella in Leena’s story and the A Dance of Dragons series. It is action-packed, fast paced and also both romantic and sad in places. Leena has grown stronger with each novella and feels more responsibility for her country and she is still very relatable and likeable. This book is a really good conclusion to this series and I recommend this series to fans of YA fantasy books.

The Phoenix Born

****

4 Stars/5

Jinji has discovered that Janu is alive and that the Shadow who killed her family shares his body. Rhen is the rider of the fire dragon, who has been awoken after a thousand years and has saved the city of Rayfort. Rhen and Jin have been shown a vision that the Shadow’s phantom armies are coming and that only the four elemental dragons can stop them. Jin knows that killing Janu will end the Shadow but she protects her brother and tells no one, knowing they would put the fate of the world before Janu. As Rhen and Jin try and find the rest of the dragon riders, they have to make impossible decisions which could tear them apart as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

The Phoenix Born is the really good final book in the A Dance of Dragons series. It is really fast paced and I got pulled into the story as it has action, romance and suspense. The characters are three-dimensional and really well written and the main focus of the story.

Jin is conflicted in this story as she hates the choices she has to make, but has grown in confidence, in both herself and her powers, as the series has gone on. I really liked how much Rhen loved Jin, and how brave, loyal and clever he is. I would have liked to have learnt more about the dragons as in this book they did not have that much of a personality.

I really liked how this book ended and how it was all wrapped up. I would recommend The Phoenix Born the rest of the series A Dance of Dragons to fans of magical YA fantasy books.

The Bronze Knight

****

4 Stars/5

Princess Leena has arrived in Rayfort, determined to warn the princes about her father’s plans, but she discovers that the situation is more dire than she was expecting. When Jinji and Rhen are sent away, Leena is left with a decision, to run or to stay and help fight.

The Bronze Knight is a really good companion novella and I really liked seeing the story told from Leena’s POV, and although it is short it does not lack story. Leena is in a dark place at the beginning of this story but she finds a ray of hope when in Rayfort, she is still strong-willed and determined. I like how Cal is back in this series and how he has changed since his father’s betrayal and has become less rule abiding. I would recommend The Bronze Knight to fans of the rest of the A Dance of Dragons series.

The Shepherd's Crown

*****

5 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Children’s for giving me this book to review.

WARNING – Spoilers in this review from the very beginning

In The Sheperd’s Crown, we say goodbye to both a much beloved character, Granny Weatherwax and to Sir Terry Pratchett himself. At the beginning of this book, Granny Weatherwax dies, and leaves her cottage and her responsibilities to Tiffany Aching, along with the headache of dealing with a boy with magical talents who wishes to be a witch not a wizard. When the Elves learn that Granny is no longer protecting the Dancers, will Tiffany be able to keep them out of Lancre and the Disc, whilst proving that she is able to fill Granny’s shoes?

Tiffany Aching continues as her intensely practical (and possibly slightly irritating) self, although in this book she realises that she can’t do everything herself, and she needs to ask for help sometimes. Geoffrey is an interesting character, in Sourcery, we had a girl, Esk, want to be a wizard, and now we have a boy wanting to become a witch. Also, Geoffrey’s idea with the sheds made me smile.

I believe that Sir Terry wrote Sheperd’s Crown knowing that it would be his last, and has allowed us to return to the characters and locations which were fan favourite’s. He has written with his usual humour and wit, although he maybe didn’t have time to add the final polishing touches. He has tied up several loose ends in Lancre and the Chalk.

Thank you, Sir Terry for 32 years of brilliant Discworld novels. R.I.P

Cutlass

***

3 Stars/5

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

Pirate Barren Reed has had only one thing on his mind for the last 5 years, to get revenge on his brother, William, who murdered their father. He decided that the way to force a fight with William is to kidnap his fiancé, Larkin Lee, however, Larkin is more trouble for him and his crew than they were expecting. However, Barren discovers that there is more going on than his revenge, and Larkin and him are tasked with finding the powerful gem, the bloodstone before his brother does.

Cutlass is a likeable swashbuckling pirate fantasy story, with action, romance and politics. It has an interesting if predictable story but I was not hooked into the story and did not keep my interest.

Barren is rash and cocky, and is determined and obsessed to get his revenge and not good at listening to advice, but he is very loyal to his crew. Larkin is tenacious and can hold her own but I found it very hard to connect with her. The character I most liked was Leaf, the Elven prince as he seemed to be the voice of reason.

Some people seem to love this book and I can understand why but it did not capture my interest enough. I would recommend Cutlass to fans of YA pirate books.

Poison Princess

***

3 Stars/5

Everyone believes that Evie is a typical popular girl but she has a secret, she keeps on seeing horrifying hallucinations and plants seem to be attracted towards her. When the flash, an apocalyptic event, hits, Evie realises that her hallucinations where actually visions of the future. Desperate for answers she gets help from wrong side of town, former classmate Jack Deveaux to get her across the country safely. With an ancient prophecy being played out, Evie is not the only person with special powers but do they mean her harm?

Poison Princess has a very interesting story idea with the tarot cards and the Arcana and has so much potential. However, I feel very conflicted about this book, as when I was reading it, I did not want to put it down, but once I had I didn’t feel the need to carry on reading it. The first part was very boring when they were at school but it did pick up after the flash, although I would have liked to see more of the aftermath of the flash and the first few days of it rather than skipping it.

I was really not a fan of the two main characters, which was the major reason for me not enjoying this book as much as I could of. I don’t like Evie as at the start she is the type of popular girl who thinks she is everyone friends but only in a shallow way and she looks down her nose at everyone who was not like her. She was not much better after the flash as she was naïve, really not fit to survive in this new world and fights against her powers which could save her life.

Jack was such a jerk as he was misogynistic, possessive (and not in a good way) and has a massive chip on his shoulder. I really liked Matthew and I felt very protective of him. I thought Evie’s mother was portrayed as being a bit of a baddie for sending her off to the CLC but I felt that she was trying to help her daughter as best she could.

I am not sure if I want to read the next book or not but I would recommend Poison Princess to fans of dystopian books with a hint of the paranormal.

Curio

*

1 Star/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Zonderkidz for giving me this book to review.

Gray Haward detests the Chemists, the rulers of her small western town, but she has always taken their potion which helps people survive. When her best friend, Whit, is punished by the chemists for protecting her, Gray decides to take risks, but when the chemists find out she retreats to the safe haven of her grandfather’s shop. However, there she discovers an even greater secret, a world full of porcelain and clockwork people.

I was very confused by Curio as the world building was not very good and I had no idea what was going on, but it did seem to have an interesting story idea. Gray was rebellious against authority, and seemed a nice and helpful character but I didn’t really connect with her. I am sure that those who love steampunk novels will enjoy this book but the writing style and lack of world building put me off this book and I had to DNF Curio at 27%.

Paladin

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Perfect Analogy publishing for giving me this book to review.

Sam is a Paladin trainee, who despite his size has great potential and skill with a sword. However, Sam is not what anyone thinks, he is actually Lady Samantha, daughter of the Duke of Haywood, who after the death of her mother is more interested in killing demons than becoming a wife. She is being trained by her hero Tristan Lyons, the man who saved her life. Tristan is also training Braeden, who is a half demon with a dark past. As demons are wreaking more havoc than ever and rebellion stirring in the west, a war is coming and Sam must pick a side but will it cost her the secret of her identity, her life or the life of her friends?

Paladin is a really enjoyable fantasy book with adventure, romance, and a great friendship and comradery between the three main characters. It is fast paced and has three different POV. There was lots of awkward and funny moments in the book but I would have liked to have seen more of the training at the fortress. I am glad there was not really a love triangle between the three main characters.

Sam is stubborn, fierce, caring about her friends and would fight for them, and has a big mouth and never backs down. Tristan is the typical hero as he is brave, handsome, loyal and courageous and I think I liked him more than Braeden as I prefer good guys. Braeden is a bad boy who is just as stubborn as Sam, and because he is a half demon, he has built walls around himself.

Even though I guessed who the villain was going to be this book ends on a cliff-hanger and I hope there are more books in this series. I would recommend Paladin to people who enjoyed reading books by Tamora Pierce.

Raining Embers

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Sage’s Blog Tours for giving me this book to review.

Synopsis

Palmer Tash always follows the path of least resistance. He has an unusual disability involving his hearing. But in theocratic Latysia, being different isn’t a good thing, so he conceals his problem.  Brier Chastain’s malady is even more debilitating, and she often must take to her bed for long periods. Her days are spent in meaningless pursuits as she awaits an arranged marriage. When Palmer and Brier are kidnapped on the same night, they meet and discover that their so-called disabilities are actually budding powers. They are the incarnations of Order and Chaos. With their country on the brink of war, the two must step into their predestined roles and learn to take control of their own destinies.

Review

Raining Embers is an enjoyable YA fantasy novel, with adventure and magic. The first third of the book was slow but it did pick up. However, I was disappointed that Palmer and Brier’s disabilities were not as big in the story as they appeared in the synopsis and really played a very small role in the story.

Palmer is protective, smart and rule-abiding, and generally a good guy but I found it hard to connect with him, and the other characters. Brier is spontaneous and acts before she thinks, but I did not like how she was portrayed at the start as an alcoholic spoilt teen. I felt very sorry and protective of Rosette and I hope we get to see more of her back story in later books. Similarly I wish we knew more about Cerise and how she is able to shapeshift. I was confused about the romance in this book as I was unsure if Palmer and Brier were meant to be a couple or just friends.

Raining Embers had a very action packed ending and I would recommend it to fans of YA fantasy novels.

You can buy Raining Embers at Amazon UK

The Heir

****

4 Stars/5

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing about her parent’s selection 20 years ago. While she loves the story, she does not want to repeat it as she wants to postpone getting married for as long as possible and is too busy learning to rule. However, life as a princess is never her own and her parent convince her to go through with a selection to distract her country from its problems. Eadlyn is not used to this many boys trying to win her affection, and while some hold no interest for her, a few start to creep into her heart but will she be able to find her own happily ever after?

The Heir is the fourth book in the Selection series, although it is more of a companion novel, and I found it much more enjoyable than the second and third Selection books. It is fast paced and interesting to see the selection from the other side of the process. It is obviously romantic but it also had a lot of politics.

I was not a big fan of Eadlyn as she was spoilt, self-entitled and bratty which makes her not very likeable, but I did warm to her in the second half. Now the boys, most people’s favourite is Kile, who is an adventurous bookworm who wants to explore. There is Hale who is charming and confident, and Henri who is a very sweet character, but I don’t think that Eadlyn will chose them. My favourite is Erik as I feel him and Eadlyn have a deeper connection than she does with the other boys.

This book has a cliff-hanger ending and I am looking forward to reading the next book The Crown but I am a bit worried, as the original series went downhill with each book. I would recommend The Heir to fans of the first three selection books.

Angel of Storms

*****

5 Stars/5

After spending five years living in her new home, Rielle meets the Angel Valhan again and he offers her a chance to live on the home world of the Angels as an artist. When one of his allies abandons her on an empty world, she almost dies but is rescued by the Travellers, people who trade from world to world, and Rielle starts to make a new life for herself. 5 years after leaving his world Tyen is a teacher at an academy for magic, however, he is forced to leave when the Raen, ruler of all the worlds, has come back and has outlawed the teaching of magic. While travelling between worlds trying to find the long searched for answers to restore Vella he meets the Raen and to save his live he makes a deal, Tyen will spy on the rebels and in return the Raen will try and restore Vella to her human form. Are the Angel Valhan and the Raen the same person and if so what is his plans?

Angel of Storms is the brilliant second book in the unique Millennium’s Rule series. This book has really good world building, storytelling and I love the magic and the ability to travel between worlds. The first half of the book was slower than I was expecting but it did pick up in the second half.

Rielle is quiet and creative, and is still naïve and wants to please people, but this books shows that she has learnt to make her own decisions and discovers who she is. Tyen is idealistic, likes to discover more knowledge and is clever, he is not a violent person, hates betraying people and wants to protect others. However, unlike most of Canavan’s books I felt the secondary characters were lacking as part from the Raen and Baluka I didn’t really feel like I got to know anyone or care about them. Also I did not feel that Vella was as bigger part of this book as the first one and I missed her a bit.

I am glad that Tyen and Rielle story seem to have more influence on each other’s life’s than the previous book. I cannot wait to read the third and final book in this series Successor’s Son. I would recommend Angel of Storms to fans of the first book in the Millennium’s Rule series Thief’s Magic

Uprooted

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me this book to review.

Agnieszka loves her home and village, even if the corrupted woods, full of a dark power and creatures, is on its border. The villages must rely on the cold wizard Dragon to protect them and keep the woods at bay, but it comes at a terrible price, every 10 years he takes he takes a young woman to serve him in his tower, and when they come back they are changed. With the next choosing fast approaching, everyone knows that he is going to pick Kasia, Agnieszka’s best friend and total opposite, as she is graceful, beautiful and brave. However, Dragon surprises everyone by choosing Agnieszka, and she discovers things she never knew about her kingdom, Dragon and herself.

I enjoyed Uprooted as it has an interesting story concept, full of magic and has a gothic and dark beauty and the beast feel to it. The main problem that I had with this book was I had heard a lot of amazing about it and I think my expectations were way too high. It had a good world but did have a slow pace, and it was too wordy and while the romance was a slow burn it did have a Stockholm feel to it.

Agnieszka is accident prone who has a knack of getting her cloths dirty, and is tough and tenacious, but is also very realistic and a normal person. I was a bit disappointed with Dragon as he was a human not an actual dragon, but he is a perfectionist and a loner and I did not like how he treated Agnieszka. Kasia was too perfect as she was beautiful, talented and kind but she was an interested character and wouldn’t have minded some scenes from her POV.

While I was a bit let down by this book as it didn’t live up to the hype, I did enjoy it. I would recommend Uprooted to fans of Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.

The Novice

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Children’s Group for giving me this book to review.

When Fletcher, a blacksmith’s apprentice, discovers that he has the ability to summon demons he has to flee from the only home he has known and travel to the Adapt Military Academy, after his demon attacks another boy. When he gets there he meets lots of new people and races. He has a gruelling training to become a battle mage and fight in the war, but he has to catch up with the children from the noble houses. As Fletcher finds himself in the middle of powerful forces with only his demon, Ignatius, that he is able to fully rely on. With the fate of an empire in his hands, Fletcher has to decide where his loyalty lies.

The Novice is an enjoyable YA or younger fantasy novel which deals with big issues such as racism and elitism. I found it was a slow read (however, this could be because I had a cold while reading it) and a bit predictable. I would have liked to have seen more of Fletcher’s training, as we did not read much about it in the book.

Fletcher is loyal, ingenious and looks out for his friends, and I am glad he was not written as though he is the chosen one and is not good at everything. Ignatius is a very sweet demon, and I felt the demons in this book reminded me of the His Dark Material’s Daemons. Two of Fletcher’s friends are Othello, who is friendly and want to change dwarf rights, and Sylva, an elf who I feel has lot more to give in the next book.

I liked this book and I look forward to reading the next book, The Inquisition. I would recommend The Novice to fans of Harry Potter and The Iron Trial. 

A Gift of Poison

***

3 Stars/5

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

Briand is the orphan niece of a cruel lord, she has very few friends and everyday her life is tormented by malicious guards and servants. Just before she is sent to the wildlands, practically a death sentence, she unlocks a hidden power and becomes involved in a rebel plot and her life changes forever. She is held by a group of rebels led by the enigmatic Kael, who want her to do the impossible and call up the sleeping dragons. With the usurper prince’s Seekers searching for her, is Briand able to know who to trust?

A Gift of Poison is a likeable fantasy novel with magic, adventure and a hint of romance. However, I did not find this book as engaging as other books by Kate Avery Ellison.

Briand is someone who wants attention but goes about it totally the wrong way and while everyone says she is brave and has spirit I could not see it, but she was likeable. Kael reminded me a bit of Valek from Poison Study but not as protective and more judgemental. I did not understand why the characters treated Briand so badly, especially at the end of the book, as she had proven herself and is destined to save everyone, everyone treated her as if she was worthless.

It had a bit of a rushed ending but I would recommend A Gift of Poison to fans of Ellison’s other books. 

Winter

*****

5 Stars/5

Princess Winter is adored by the Lunar people for her kindness and her beauty, despite her scars, but this makes her stepmother Queen Levana hate her. Cinder, along with her allies, have “kidnapped” Emperor Kai from his wedding with Levana, so that they can slip into Luna, rescue Scarlet, gain the support of the people and overthrow Levana. However, when the group is separated, hope looks lost and it seems they will be unable to prevent Levana becoming empress and taking earth for herself. Are Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and Winter able to stop Levana and find their happily ever after?

Winter is the Brilliant fourth and final book in the Lunar Chronicles and I love this series ability of giving each book their fairytale elements and in such a unique way. It is very faced paced as I read it in just over a day and considering this book is over 800 pages long, that is good for me, and it never became dull of boring at any time in the story. Meyer is amazing at giving each character equal amount of book time and none were pushed to the side-lines. In Winter there is lots of romance, action, humour and revolution.

Cinder is just as resourceful, determined and sarcastic as she is in previous books. However, now she is on Luna the more she feels the responsibility and knows what will happen if she fails. Scarlet and Wolf have the hardest journey in this series but they have such a strong bond, and Scarlett is just as stubborn, gusty and no nonsense as she has ever been. Cress is sweet and innocent still and the character I related to the most, although I wish I had her tech skills, but I think she is braver in this book and makes sacrifices for the best of the group. I liked Winter as she is kind and selfless, but because we the readers are only just getting to know her, I found it harder to be interested in her part of the story. I love Iko, but I am a bit disappointed that she didn’t find her “prince”, even though I felt it was a bit hinted at, and I hope there will be a short story which finishes her happily ever after.

Kai impressed me in this book as he is left out of the loop for quite a bit of the story but still plays his part and never doubts Cinder, and will do anything for his country and I like that he is intelligent, capable and just a little bit awkward. I feel very sorry for Wolf in Winter and he has changed the most as a character and has had the hardest time, but you never doubt his devotion and loyalty to Scarlet. Captain Thorne has got to be one of my favourite characters with his witty banter, cockiness and charm, and I think in this book he becomes the hero Cress believes he is. I found it harder to connect to Jacin than the other men, probably for the same reason as Winter, but he is sardonic, very protective and fierce.

I felt this book had the perfect ending and I am going to really miss this series, and I am really looking forward to reading Heartless next year. I would recommend Winter and the entire Lunar Chronicles to fans of YA books, Sci-Fi novels and fairytale retellings.

The Lament of Sky

*

1 Star/5

Thanks to B. B. Wynter for giving me this book to review.

Lilyth is the last remnant of the Rhai-Angof, but cannot remember anything before a year ago and she has spent that year in a school. When the school and everyone inside is destroyed, Lilyth is saved by William, a man she does not know but who claims to know her really well.

I found The lament of Sky too confusing as I was lost about what was happening, especially in the first chapter. I really did not the characters, particularly William, as they were all horrible, the only exception was Lilyth but I did not care much about her. I did not enjoy this book and DNF at 21%.

Thorn

***

3 Stars/5

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

15 year old Princess Alyrra has had no choices or comfort from her rank with a cruel family and the courts contempt, and now she is forced to marry a foreign prince. However, when on the journey to her new home and betrothed, she is betrayed by a magical attack and her identity is switched with another woman’s but this gives Alyrra a freedom she has never had before. Alyrra starts her new life as Thorn, a simple goose girl, however, Prince Kestrin seems to be paying her more attention than the woman he believes is his fiancé. Will Alyrra choose to walk away and save her life or return to court and save Kestrin’s but at the cost of her own?

Thorn is a retelling of Goose Girl, which I am not too familiar with. It is not the fasted paced novel but enjoyable, it has romance, a bit of action and some unexpected twists. The plot and story was interesting but it is not the type of story which is memorable. This book was much darker and has more serious elements than I was expecting.

Alyrra/Thorn is a sweet, quiet girl who is honest and tried to right wrong but was strongminded and likeable. Kestrin is protective of his country, suspicious of Thorn and could not figure her out and is also brave. However I found there was more chemistry Thorn and Red Hawk the Thieflord who has a sense of justice. I also liked that the villain was relatable as I understood her motives.

I liked Thorn and would recommend it to people who enjoy reading YA fairytale retellings.

Hat of Keepings

**

2 Stars/5

Thanks to D C Vincent for giving me this book to review.

Sara is a high school student and also a witch on the side, who is happily juggling her life until her best friend and her witness another witch murder, which starts a chain of events. Everyone believes that the last of the blood witches died in a war that killed a lot of witches including Sara’s mother, but Sara knows that one has survived and is among them in her circle. The only thing that can save her and her friends is to destroy an enchantment before the blood witch gets their hand on it. Is Sara able to become a fully trained witch in time?

Hat of Keepings is an ok paranormal novel with mystery and action but I found it hard to get into. It was a long read and had a slow pace but had an interesting story idea.

I found it hard to connect to the characters but found Sara thoughtful, resourceful and clever. There are a few secondary characters including Jane who is chatty, impulsive and a bit hot-headed, and Melissa who is smart, intense and can be intimidated.

I found it hard to get into this book but I would recommend it to people who like paranormal novels about witches.

The Fading Dusk

****

4 Stars/5

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

Synopsis

In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder - murder by magic.

Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars.

Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side?

Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?

Review

The Fading Dusk is a very good fantasy novel with action, mystery and romance. It was very fast paced and I stayed up late into the night as I really wanted to find out what happened next. I really liked the city of Dusk as it had an atmosphere and reminded me of London in olden times. However, I would have preferred more world building especially about the old wars as it influences the story but is not explained very well.

Irina is a very likeable character who developed a lot in this book as in the beginning she was quiet and sometimes lacks confidence, but she becomes more self-assured and proactive. Leonid is grumpy but is also is a good leader who is protective and has good instincts. Aden is charming in an awkward kind of way and is friendly, and is a big fan of Irina. There is a love triangle in this story, which I usually do not like, but, it really did not develop the way I was expecting, so I did not mind it. I hope Coreen appears in the next book as this story did lack female characters.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next one in this series and other books by Melissa Giorgio. I would recommend The Fading Dusk to fans of Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M Lee and Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne.

The other tour posts are at Xpresso Book Tours

You can purchase The Fading Dusk at Amazon UK and Amazon USA

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Bonded

***

3 Stars/5

Bonded are three likeable NA novellas based of Grimm fairytales. However I did find that the novellas had a much slower pace than I was expecting.

Cinders          **

Cinderella is now a princess but life is not as perfect as she imagined, as a mysterious man from her past is stirring in the back of her mind and she begins to wonder if her marriage is real or just magic? Cinders is a twist on Grimm’s Cinderella as we get to see what happens after the happily ever after. I really could not connect with Cinderella as she was very indecisive and selfish, and I really did not like how she acted about the people her choices affected. The ending was rushed and left me feeling unsatisfied and is definitely not a HEA.

Thirds             ***

Issina is abused and hated by her mother and sister as she has no magic, and only finds comfort with her animal friends and the elves living in the woods, however the elves have a plan for her but does she want to do it? Thirds is my favourite novella in this book as it was faster paced and has more mystery than the others. It was also based on the Grimm’s story One-Eye, Two-Eyes, Three-Eyes, I did not know this fairytale but it did have a bit of a Cinderella feel to it. Issina is a kind character, who is lonely and looking for affection, but I did feel she was way to forgiving. This novella has a happier ending than the others.

Scales            ***

Serina is a young fairy who happily lives in the Realm of the Fairies, but when her mother is killed she defies law and follows her sister into the human realm but is she able to discover the cost of promises and the potential for darkness in her heart. Scales is a prequel to sleeping beauty and was enjoyable but because I knew what was going to happen it was predictable. However, I did feel it was the most action-packed and romantic of the three. I liked Serina as she was sweet and naïve and I felt I could connect with her the most. However, I did not like her sister, Aeline, as she has such a different personality to Serina and emotionally blackmailed her all the time. This novella has a bittersweet ending but I still liked it.

Bonded is an enjoyable collection of novellas and I would recommend to fans of fairytales.

Candidate

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Rachel Carter for giving me this book to review.

20 year old Ryiah is a black mage of combat but she wants to be The Black Mage, the role she has dreamed of becoming and in a year she will have a chance at the Candidacy. However, she will be going up against the only person she has been unable to beat, Darren, the non-heir and her fiancé. In the meantime she has to prove herself but Jerar is on the brink of war and needs all the allies it can to save lives. Is Ryiah able to prepare for the Candidacy and coping with the responsibility of being Darren’s future wife, and will she be able to cope with what will come after?

Candidate is the very good third book in the Black Mage. It was fast paced and unpredictable, which meant that I stayed up late into the night to find out what was going to happen next. This book had action and more politics than the previous books, but while there was lots of romance, I did not feel it was a much or as intense as I was expecting considering Ryiah and Darren are able to be a couple now.

Ryiah is happy at the start of the book but is also struggling as people are paying more attention to her and think she has gotten everything because of Darren rather than her hard work. But she is still full of passion and determination but I did feel she put her ambition above other more important priorities. I liked how we got to know Darren better in this book, more about his past and want makes him tick, and we saw how much he cared for Ryiah. One thing that I missed in this book was Alex and Ella as they were very important characters in the previous books but they were hardly in this one.

This was a really enjoyable book and I am really looking forward to the next and final book Last Stand, but one thing is for sure it will be hard to predict what will happen next. I would recommend Candidate to fans of the first two books in the Black Mage Series, First Year and Apprentice. 

The Golden Braid

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for giving me this book to review.

Rapunzel is a sheltered young woman who lives with her protective mother. One day Mother Gothel decides they need to move again to protect Rapunzel from men who want to marry her. On the road they are rescued by a knight, Sir Gerek, but he ends up being injured, which is the opportunity Rapunzel has been looking for as her only desire is to learn the skill of reading, which Sir Gerek begrudgingly agrees to teach her. As Rupenzel gets used to her new city she discovers that her life is about to change forever.

The Golden Braid is a cute and enjoyable YA fairytale retelling of Rapunzel, but I was expecting more of a fantasy novel than a historical one. It is fast paced with a sweet slow romance but was predictable. I have not read The Princess Spy but I did not feel it affected the story as I did not know this book was sort of a sequel.

Rapunzel is a sweet, kind-hearted girl who has a thirst for knowledge, and because of her mother, is distrustful of men. Gerek was moody, brave and surly at the beginning of the book, but as the book went on we found he was thoughtful, smart and good, however, this backfired for me as I preferred the early gruff Gerek. Mother Gothel was unpredictable and until half way through I could not figure out is she was meant to be the baddie, like in the original story, or just trying to protect Rapunzel.

The Golden Braid was an enjoyable book and I would recommend to fans of fairytale retellings, and other books by this author.

The Immortal Heights

***

3 Stars/5

Titus and Iolanthe have the seemingly impossible task of stopping the tyrant Bane. To do this they must get into his fortress, in the heart of Atlantis, to his crypt and destroy his original body. But standing in their way is the fact that they are in the middle of a battle in the Sahara and there are prophecies which have them doubting that they are able to complete their task. Will Iolanthe, Titus and their allies be able to defeat the Bane and overcome the obstacles in their way?

The Immortal Heights is the enjoyable final book in the Elemental Trilogy, however, it is my least favourite as I found it harder to get into and I generally felt underwhelmed. At some points in the book it seemed to jump from one thing to another without any explanation, but I did like that we got to see more of Atlantis in this novel as it has been an important part of the previous books. However, I did not find the romance as good and intense as the previous books.

Iolanthe is still stubborn and is determined but as the series has developed she has become more selfless and fierce, and she never gives up. Titus is what a leader and ruler should be, as he always has a plan and is intelligent but also is protective and has leant to open up to people. Kashkari plays a bigger role in this book than the previous ones, as well as his sister-in-law and unrequited love, Amara, and they prove themselves to be loyal friends and willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

The ending was predictable but I still enjoyed this book and series. I would recommend The Immortal Heights to fans of the first two books of the Elemental Trilogy, The Burning Sky and The Perilous Sea.

Revolution for Vengeance

****

4 Stars/5

Valerie Carter, genetically engineered super soldier turned vengeful rebel, continues her quest for vengeance for the murder of her family, and finds herself also driven by the need for justice and fairness in their widely unequal society where the privileged make the rules, break the laws and take all of the wealth.  She has her rebel friends at her side and the loyalty of her former comrades in arms to call on as she sets about righting the wrongs of society.

Revolution for Vengeance is the satisfying final book in the Dark Vengeance trilogy.  The pace is fast and engrossing and the conclusion feels right and complete.  Occasionally the fast pace made me need to go back a few pages to pick up on small but relevant details I had skimmed over – my fault for wanting to rush to find out what happens next!

Valerie remains a driven character and very much the main character as I felt that Hanna and Demi were left slightly more in the background in this book.  However, her focus has diverted slightly from pure vengeance, and has become more involved with changing the social inequality that was responsible for the murder of her family, and less about her need for pure vengeance against the person responsible.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend Revolution for Vengeance to people who have read Reason for Vengeance and Crusade for Vengeance and to fans of classic Sci-Fi novels.

Queen of Eventide

**

2 Stars/5

Thanks to Matthew Ward for giving me this book to review.

Maddie’s life has fallen apart and she has moved back home to Nottingham to try and sort her life out. However, she gets caught up in a war she could not imagine, with the Dark Lady. As the Dark Lady’s influence grows, Nottingham is turning aggressive and Maddie is being pursued across the city and the realm of Eventide. With the help of old and new friends, can Maddie discover the truth before it is too late?

Queen of Eventide is a paranormal/fantasy novel which has a twist on the story of Robin Hood. There was nothing wrong with this book but I just could not get into it and I was not drawn into the story.

I found it really hard to connect to Maddie, especially as I felt she was too hard on her mother, but apart from that she was a normal person with a lot of issues, although I could not figure out her age. I liked Charles King as he was quirky and flamboyant. All the other characters were flat and I did not really care about what happened to them.

Queen of Eventide had potential but I could not get into it and DNF at 55%.

Reflected

***

3 Stars/5

Wounded and betrayed by the boy she loves, Elora is heartbroken and on top of that she has a destiny to battle her father, twin and their evil Dark Seekers. Together with her friends Aaron, Teya and Matthew, Elora must gather ingredients to defeat the prophecy that has affected her life. However, can she resist the temptation of the man she still loves or will she plunge the world into eternal darkness.

Reflected is a likeable sequel to Foretold which has action, suspense and romance. However, I did find it predictable and I felt it harder to connect to the story.

Elora has the weight of the world on her shoulders and feels betrayed but she is not afraid to face a fight and is headstrong but she was still too perfect. I like how we got Zak’s POV in this book as I felt we got to know him better, and I felt there was more chemistry between Elora and Zak in this story as they both felt like they did not belong. Elora’s best friends Aaron, Teya and Matthew are in this story less than the previous book as apart from Teya and Aaron’s relationship we did not learn much more about them. I also liked that we got to know Silva better and discovered how her brain works.

I found the ending very confusing as it switched POVs too often but I did not see what happened coming. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next novel Fated. I would recommend Reflected to people who enjoyed the first book Foretold.

Foretold

***

3 Stars/5

Elora Walker is a vanguard recruit, someone who protects people from Dark Seekers, and wants to be a best and make her mother proud. When Elora is accepted into Nikolia Compound she thought she would be just like everyone else and be free of her mother’s pressure. Especially as she has a group of friends inclucing, her childhood friend Aaron, and Teya, Matthew and Zak. However, there is a big secret in her past which links her to a faceless stranger, and the Vanguards are in danger.

Foretold is an enjoyable paranormal novel, with action and romance. This book is about the battle between good and evil but I did find it a bit slow. I felt that the world of Vanguards, especially who the Ignari were, was not clearly explained.

Elora is a likeable and strong heroine who is relatable in some aspects as everyone has felt the pressure to live up to someone’s expectations, but I did find she was just too good everything she tries. I liked Teya and her back story, and I feel it may play a more important part in later books. However, I feel that we did not get to know Matthew as well as Elora’s other friends, as all I really know about him was his powers not his personality. Romance wise I preferred Aaron more than Zak as I felt they had more chemistry and I felt he always wanted what was best for her.

I guessed what was going to happen at the end but it was still enjoyable and I look forward to reading the next book Reflected. I would recommend Foretold to fans of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Hollow's Charge

**

2 Stars/5

Thanks to Arielle LeClair for giving me this book to review.

Magic has been lost and is taboo in the Three Lands for hundreds of years but a forgotten magical place, the Hollow, needs a new Keeper and Rosaleen has been chosen. However, one catch is that she must usurp the false and tyrannical Queen Asta and find a mysterious woman with an ancient royal bloodline and quickly before war is waged with a friendly neighbouring country. With help of both old and new friends Rosaleen must betray her house and country and become a fugitive to avoid capture before it is too late?

Hollow’s Charge is an OK fantasy book but I did find it hard to get into and it was slow. However, the story idea was interesting with adventure and magic, if a little bit predictable.

Roseleen is not a pushover as a character but does have doubts and can be gutsy. Rolan is protective, caring and loyal.

Hollow’s Charge had great potential but I found it too slow and hard to get into.

Charmed Deception

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Egmont USA for giving me this book to review.

Sable is the only daughter of a talented wizard and she is fascinated with magic but she lives in a land where women are not allowed to have powers or they will be imprisoned. However, one night she sees a ghostly figure but the girl is not a ghost but someone called Never, who is being used because of her unique magic. As Sable tries to help Never, she is wary of people who are staying in her home, especially Reason, a new guest with a secret that he is searching the house for, and her father’s colleague Lockton, who is seemingly interested in what Sable is up to and why she is interested in magic. Sable is willing to help Never but is she able to do it without risking her own life?

Charmed Deception is an enjoyable YA fantasy novel set in a regency type setting. I found the first third of the book to be very slow but it did pick up as the book progressed and I got more into it. It was predictable and a bit clichéd with a sweet romance but I was not a fan of the weird names.

Sable is a strong-willed and interesting character who I liked but like so many books set in a regency setting she was too modern in the way she behaved and thought, especially with her upbringing and class. I liked the main love interest as he was open minded and was not perfect (apart from looking handsome but a YA book cannot have an ordinary looking man). I would have liked to know more about Never and I did not ‘feel’ her friendships with Laurel and Mason as they were nothing like her.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more by this author especially if there is another book in this series. I would recommend Charmed Deception to fans of You Are Mine by Janeal Falor and Breathing Frost by Alyxandra Harvey.

Devil and the Deep

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Megan Tayte for giving me this book to review.

Synopsis

STORM CLOUDS ARE GATHERING, AND THEY WILL RAIN BLOOD.

Scarlett is living her happy-ever-after, back in the real world. Only the ‘happy’ part is proving problematic.

For starters, there’s the isolation. Being a Cerulean among humans is fraught with risk, so her time with people can only be fleeting. Which means being with Luke but not being with Luke.

Then there’s her Cerulean light, her power over life and death. Less awesome talent, as it turns out, and more overwhelming responsibility. And it comes with rules – rules that are increasingly difficult to obey.

But what’s really pushing Scarlett to the precipice is something much bigger than herself, than her life in the cove. A force to be reckoned with: Blood.

When long-buried truths are exposed, will Scarlett keep her head above water – or will she drown in the blood-dimmed tide that is unleashed?

Review

Devil and the Deep is a very enjoyable paranormal book which is just as good as the previous three books. Unlike the last book there was more romance and less action but it is still fast paced. It felt like this book was building up to the final book in the series, and most of the revelations that happened I had guessed but it did not spoil my enjoyment. The one minor problem I had with this novel is that I wish we had seen more of what happened with Scarlett when she returned to Luke after the last book, rather than being told.

I liked Scarlett as she is wanting to balance everything, and is kind and wants to help people, but I did think that by now she would have learnt that keeping secrets never ends well. I really like Luke as he is struggling to come to terms with everything, but he never takes it out on Scarlett and he is very protective of those he cares about.

Jude is less of a prominent character in this book compared to Wild Blue Yonder, but he is still a caring friend and ally. Cara is her lively self and I am glad that her character has not changed too much. Another thing I am glad about is that the characters we have that we have gotten to know on Cerulea do play a part in this book and do not disappear entirely.

I really enjoyed this book and there are still lots of unanswered questions, and with the cliffhanger ending I am looking forward to the next and final novel Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully. I would recommend Devil and the Deep to fans of the rest of the Ceruleans series.

You can purchase Devil and the Deep at Amazon UK and Amazon USA 

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Cage of Deceit

****

4 Stars/5

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

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion- she is beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona- that of a vigilante- to hunt down criminals and help her people first hand.

Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighbouring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matter worse, the prince has a nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.

Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life.

Review

Cage of Deceit is a really enjoyable YA fantasy novel which is fast paced and very addictive as I read it in under a day. I have not read the prequel series to this book, True Reign, but I did not feel I missed much and could easily read it. It has a slow-build romance but not as much action as I was expecting, but I foresee more in future books. I kind of got a Pride and Prejudice feel to this book as it had a lot of first impressions and how they can be inaccurate.

Allyssa is a fighter, stubborn and does not like to feel trapped however, is not very curious as people keep on mentioning that they have important things to discuss with her but she never wonder about what it might be. Odar is handsome and charming but is more suited to court life that politics and strategy. Jarvik is intelligent, distrustful and can be cautious and arrogant.

The ending would have been a big cliffhanger if I had not guessed the twist from very near the beginning of the book but it was still a good ending. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series and the original series in this book. I would recommend Cage of Deceit to people who enjoyed The Orphan Queen and fans of YA fantasy books.

The other tour posts are at Xpresso Book Tours

You can purchase Cage of Deceit at Amazon UK and Amazon USA

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