The Hanging Tree

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me this book to review.

Suspicious deaths are happening, places are being blown up, and it seems that Lady Tyburn’s daughter is involved.  Peter owes Lady Ty a favour, which she is calling in to hide her daughter’s involvement, and it seems that Lesley and The Faceless Man are part of the whole mess too.  How will Peter, and his boss Nightingale, survive this magical mayhem?

I really enjoyed this book, as I also did the previous books, because Ben Aaronovitch brings a lot of humour and local knowledge to what should be everyday policing situation.  However, when River Goddesses, and others of the magical community are involved, and the investigating officers are a wizard and his apprentice, what starts off as everyday, rapidly turns into anything but!

Peter Grant is a brilliant main character.  He is a very down to earth person who tries to quantify magic scientifically.  He is a very multidimensional character, who has other interests outside of policing and magic – he is interested in science, history and architecture, and is dating Beverley Brook, one of the River Goddesses, a tributary of Mother Thames.

I enjoyed The Hanging Tree, it feels as if it was written for the Harry Potter generation, where magic has grown up a bit, and it also has Terry Pratchett style humour which makes you laugh out loud.  I would recommend this book to fans of the previous Ben Aaronovitch books, also to fans of Terry Pratchett, Jasper Fforde, and grown-up Harry Potter fans.

Closer to the Chest

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me this book to review.

Closer to the Chest is a very enjoyable book which goes at a variable pace which starts off slow and builds to a crescendo by the end. The story can be a bit predictable as it follows the outline of many other Mercedes Lackey books, it does not mean it is any less enjoyable for that.

My favourite character is Nicholas, because whilst most Heralds are meant to be practically perfect, Nicholas shows that they still have some human foibles. The villains are a new one, and it can be predictable because you know that they're going to be beaten however it is always interesting to find out how they lose, and why they're doing this.

I enjoyed Closer to the Chest and would recommend it to readers of the earlier Magsseries and readers of other Mercedes Lackey books.

Fall of Thrones and Thorns

***

3 Stars/5

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

Synopsis

War hurtles in, a typhoon over the sea.

After Bree’s life was torn apart, Nereidium had represented a haven to her. A place that – if she could save it – was beyond the King’s reach.

And, at last, she’s arrived upon its shores. But things in Nereidium are not what they should be.

The land is plagued by a rash of mysterious earthquakes, the likes of whichj it’s never known. The governors are distracted by old traditions, while Bree and her friends grapple with changing identities and the sense that the longer they wait to take action… the greater the danger from Egria grows.

Bree is tired of living under the shadow of King Langdon’s power. And she’s tired of waiting for him to be the first to act.

In this final chapter of the Threats of Sky and Sea series, it all comes down to Nereidium or Egria. To Bree or the King. It’s kill… or be killed.

And not everyone will escape the battle unscathed.

Review

Fall of Thrones and Thorns is the enjoyable conclusion of this trilogy, which has action, world building and a bit of romance. However, this book didn’t capture me as much as the previous two books as the first half of the book was slow and didn’t grip me and the second half was too fast paced and confusing. I liked that we got the POV from Bree, Aleta and Caden but I felt lots of the storylines seemed to appear in this book without any mention of them in the previous two books, for example the shaker plot.

Bree is struggling in this novel with her new responsibilities and people’s expectations of her, but I felt that she didn’t really care about her people or her new home and all she ever thought of was about her friends, what is going on in Egria, and how things are done differently in Nereidium.  Caden is still protective and intelligent, but I didn’t feel there was any growth to his character in this book. I found Aleta to be my favourite in this book as she wants to discover who she is now that her life has been turned upside-down, where she belongs and what to do with her future. 

The ending was rushed and I was not a big fan of how all of the side characters had coupled up as it seemed really unrealistic but I did enjoy this book. I would recommend Fall of Thrones and Thorns to fans of the first two books Threats of Sky and Sea and Riot of Storm and Smoke.

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Followed by Frost

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgally and 47North for giving me this book to review.

Followed by Frost is an enjoyable fantasy romance book. It is fast paced and well written but it is forgettable.

I really did not like Smitha at the start of the book as she is self-centred and looks down on everyone, but I get the feeling we are not meant to like her. However, as the story continues you discover how lonely, brave and mature she has become but I also wished she had kept some of her backbone. I felt Death/Sadriel was a wasted character as I wish we got to know him better as he is more complex. I guessed who the love interest was as soon as we met him, but it was a slow building romance and thankfully no insta-love or love triangles.

I enjoyed this book and I hope to read Holmberg’s other series The Paper Magician. I would recommend Followed by Frost to fans of fantasy romance.

Forever Mars

***

3 Stars/5

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

Forever Mars is an enjoyable sci-fi story which is faced paced. It is predictable but also action packed. There is more world building in this novel compared to the previous ones but I would like it if there was more.

Liberty has good instincts and will do anything to fight for justice. Lok is a new character and he is likeable as he is trying to understand humanity and friendship. However, I am bored with Slow Fly as the baddie now, as I know that Liberty and MCPF will beat him, and I hope in the next book there will be a new villain.

I liked this book and am looking forward to reading the next book. I would recommend Forever Mars to fans of the first two Mindcop Dossiers books.

Fairy Queens: Books 5-7

*****

5 Stars/5

OF SAND AND STORM

Of Sand and Storm is the very good 3^rd novella in the Fairy Queens series and like the others it is fast paced, well written and has good world building. However this is the darkest of the books as it deals with difficult issues such as slavery and sex trafficking. I would suggest you don’t read this story until you have read the previous books otherwise it could be confusing. One thing which lets this story down is that it had insta-love which I am not a fan of, and I got the impression from Winter’s Heir that Cinder would not have a love interest.

Cinder is determined, protective and like all of Amber’s protagonists she has strong inner strength. However, she is the most damaged of the heroines with a coping mechanism in numbers, and not surprisingly Cinder is not very trusting. The love interest, Darsam, pretends to be flippant and cocky but is actually selfless, kind and gentle. Ash and Storm would do anything to protect Cinder and want her to have a better life than they did.

I love this series and I am looking forward to reading what Amber writes next. I would highly recommend the Fairy Queens series to fans of YA fantasy novels, especially to those who like Maria V Snyder and Trudi Canavan’s books.

DAUGHTER OF WINTER

All Elice has ever known is the never-ending isolation of the Winter Queendom. She has no company apart from her immediate family, including her mother, the Winter Queen, and the animals that she heals, but all that changes when a ship crashes and she rescues the lone survivor, Adar. Elice wants the freedom to see the rest of the world but when she discovers that the world is in more turmoil than she ever knew, will she be able to escape her mother?

Daughter of Winter is the brilliant and magnificent third book of the Fairy Queens series. It is very addictive and it pulled me into the story. Also, it has some action and a hinted at romance. Unlike the other books in this series the POV is from both Elice and Adar rather than just the heroine. One tiny problem with this book is that I was confused about the timeline and how people are the ages they were.

Elice is resilient, creative and innocent because she has been sheltered all of her life. She also reminded me a bit of Senna from Amber’s Witch Song series. Adar is cocky, talkative and easy-going but also protective and a bit mysterious. I was sad to see how different Ilyenna is and how cold and distant she has become.

I love this series and I am really looking forward to reading the fourth and final book in the series Winter’s Heir. I would recommend Daughter of Winter to fans those who have read the Fairy Queens series and to those who are fans of YA fantasy books.

WINTER’S HEIR

Winter’s Heir is a fantastic end to one of my favourite series and it ties up all of the loose ends and unanswered questions nicely.  Like with all of Amber’s books it has very good world building and is a fast paced page turner. This book had more romance than Daughter of Winter, and it had a kind of Romeo and Juliet vibe to it.  One thing I love about this series is that the characters are relatable and never give up.

At the first half of the book Elice is less sure of herself and is still very naïve but this lessens as the story continues. She is sweet natured,  gentle, empathetic and has an inner strength, like all of Amber’s Heroines, and is determined to gain her independence and freedom. Adar is more serious in this book as he faces very difficult choices and is conflicted about what he should do. However, there is still some of the charming tease there and I felt we got to understand more about him and his life than in the last book. There are lots of returning characters from the previous books, which was interesting to see how they have changed, but also there were some new characters, my favourite being Cinder, and I am looking forward to learning more about her in the last novella.

This book is a brilliant conclusion to the main story of the Fairy Queens series and I am really looking forward to reading the last novella Of Sand and Storm when it comes out. This book hints at future books set in the distant future in this universe which I cannot wait to read. I would recommend Winter’s Heir to fans of the Fairy Queens series, and this series I cannot recommend highly enough to fans of YA fantasy books. 

Fairy Queens: Books 1-4

****

5 Stars/5

OF ICE AND SNOW

Otec has always been the overlooked son of an overflowing house. When a young woman, Matka, one of the highmen staying in his village, wants to look for a plant, he is happy to help. When he is away, his home is attacked he must find a way to save his family but can he trust Matka as he is not sure if she is friend or foe. Is Otec willing to become the leader he never thought he would be.

I really enjoyed Of Ice and Snow, the prequel novella to Winter Queen as it tells us of how Ilyenna’s parents met. It is fast paced and full of action and Amber wrote from a male POV well.

I really liked Otec as he feels like he is the useless son who is not good enough, but he is brave, kind and very protective of his family. I liked Matka as she is willing to help people she doesn’t really know but I would have liked some chapters from her POV as it would have helped getting to know her better.

I really liked this prequel novella and I hope to read the rest of Daring Hearts soon. I would recommend Of Ice and Snow to fans of Winter Queen or any of Amber Argyle’s other books.

WINTER QUEEN

After the Shyle and there ally clan Argon are attacked by another clan the Tyron, 17 year old Ilyenna is mortally wounded by the Tyron’s Clan Chief’s son Darrien, but she is healed by the winter fairies and is offered the ability to become the Winter Queen. Unwilling to leave her family she declines this offer only to sacrifice herself as an Tiam, practically a slave, to Darrien to save her clan, along with other women of her and Argon clan and the some of the Argon men, including her brother’s best friend Rone.  While in captivity Darrien tries everything to break her mind, body and soul, however she discovers that the attack was part of a bigger plan to overthrow all the clans. Now Ilyenna has to decide if she is willing to sacrifice her humanity and warmth to become Winter Queen to save her people and those she loves.

Winter Queen is an incredible and magical YA fantasy book which I love by Amber Argyle. Even though this is darker and more grown up than the Witch Song series, it still has all the elements I love in a fantasy book, romance, adventure, magic and a strong heroine.

I really like Ilyenna as she is loyal to her people and no matter what happens to her, she is strong, kind and selfless. All the other characters are well written, even the bad guys, and there are so many characters that I have enjoyed getting to know.  I really like the romance in this book as it is mature but at the same time sweet and tender.

Even through the story did not go the way I thought it would when I read the blurb, it is more unique than I could have imagined especially the fairies as they play a very important part in this book but it is in a subtle way. I like the depth of this book and how the magic worked as the idea of the Balance is such a simple idea but is also very clever and complex.

I am not sure if the next book Summer Queen is a continuation of Ilyenna story or someone else’s from this world, but either way, I cannot wait to see what Argyle will do next and I hope it is released as soon as possible. I would recommend Winter Queen to everyone, but especially to people who like YA fantasy novels such as books by Maria V Snyder or Trudi Canavan.

OF FIRE AND ASH

For all of Nelay life she has seen fairies but her mother has told her that she must not let the fairies know she can see them or Nelay will pay a high price. However, when her father is bitten by a snake, Nelay’s only choice to save him is to turn to the fairies, but they require in that one day she must repay the favour. As all deals with the fairies come with a price, will this change Nelay’s life forever?

Of Fire and Ash is a very good YA fantasy novella, with an interesting look at the back story for Summer Queen. Although it is not a long book, it is enjoyable and a well-rounded story.

I liked Nelay as she was a nice and resistant little girl who was really caring. I did not like her brother, Panar as he was horrible and really jealous, and I think he is going to play a key role in Summer Queen. While I liked Nelay’s parents as they really cared about their children, I don’t believe that they didn’t see how Panar treated Nelay.

I am really looking forward to reading Summer Queen after this, and I would recommend Of Fire and Ash to fans of Amber Argyle, especially those who enjoyed the Fairy Queens series.

SUMMER QUEEN

Nelay never wanted to be queen, she wanted to become the most powerful priestess in Idara, but with an army sweeping towards her family she is willing to risk everything and to manipulate the king to get aid. She sets off on a journey across Idara with a band of tribesmen smugglers, led by the charming Rycus, in the hopes of getting to her parents on time. However, there are bigger powers at play and a deal made years ago will change Nelay’s fate forever. With a war waged between mortals, fairies and goddesses, will Nelay be able to stop Idara being turn to ash.

Summer Queen is the brilliant sequel to Winter Queen as there was action, adventure, romance and magic. There was never a dull moment in the book and I did not want to put it down, but I also never got overwhelmed with too much info either. While you don’t need to read Winter Queen to enjoy this book, I would recommend it as it is adds to the story, I would also recommend reading the prequel short story to this Of Fire and Ash as it gives a good insight into Nelay and her past.

I really loved Nelay’s character as she was brave, determined and willing do anything for those she cares about, even if they don’t deserve it. I also liked that she was intelligent and was never timid, while her character grew in this book she always knew she was capable. I also really liked Rycus as he was protective and balanced Nelay really well, plus I do have a soft spot for storytellers. Another character I liked was Nelay’s best friend Jezzel but I did wish she was in this book more than she was.

This is an amazing book and I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the Fairy Queens series, Daughter of Winter. I would recommend Summer Queen to fans of the First Book Winter Queen and the Fairy Queens series, plus Ambers other books, to all fans of YA fantasy novels.

Withering Rose

****

4 Stars/5

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

Withering Rose is the very enjoyable sequel to Gathering Frost, which is a unique twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast story. This story is fast paced, has good world building and an easy read. Also there is romance and a nice fairy-tale story.

Omorose is quiet and timid which makes her an unusual YA heroine, but she is also caring and kind. To begin with Cole is secretive and has a temper, but he is also sweet and very lonely.

The ending of this book gives clues to what is going to happen in the next book Chasing Midnight and I am looking forward to reading it. I would recommend Withering Rose to those who enjoyed the first book in the Once Upon A Curse series Gathering Frost.

Apprentice in Death

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me this book to review.

It is January 2061 and New York is recovering from the Festive Season, when a mysterious sniper starts a killing spree.  Are the victims as random as they seem or is there method in the madness?  Lt Eve Dallas is the primary investigator with the NYPSD. How will she and her team be able to find a killer who can strike from miles away?

I enjoyed this book, which is the 43^rd in the series because it goes back to the tried and trusted format of knowing who the killer is from an early stage, but the challenge is in trying to find and capture them.  As usual, the Eve Dallas and Rourke books have fast paced action, interspersed with logic, and some quite spicy bits.  While it is set in the future, it is in a world which you can imagine progressing from ours, which is not too dissimilar to the present, but with some very cool gadgets.

Eve Dallas is, as usual, focussed and intense, her husband, Rourke, is too good to be true, but I always enjoy reading about her NYPSD partner, Delia Peabody. She is such a grounded character, who, whilst dedicated to her job, also has everyday gripes and worries, such as the size of her butt, or whether she can afford those shoes! 

As usual, I enjoyed Apprentice in Death as J D Robb’s recent “in Death” books have been quite political or with lots of twists and turns, and this was a welcome return to the more “outthinking the bad guy” type cop book.  I would recommend Apprentice in Death to any readers of other J D Robb novels, people who enjoy reading Nora Roberts (same author, different pen-name), or people who enjoy good crime novels.

Nexis

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for giving this book to review.

                                 

Nexis is a really enjoyable sci-fi/dystopian novel which has lots of action, romance, mystery and a few twists. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat as it is fast paced especially once Ella has started her quest in Nexis. I loved the idea of Nexis and part of me would love for it to be real.

Ella has a hard time in this book as she is depressed and confused, and she is an outsider who does not fit in. However, she is also resilient and intelligent. Gus is confident, cocky and charismatic, and he is caring towards Ella and they have a real chemistry. However, he might have an ulterior motive and I could not tell who he was in the real world. I felt that the side characters could be more developed as the only one got to know is Meems.

I found the ending rushed and confusing but I am looking forward to reading the next book Redux. I would recommend Nexis to people who enjoyed Of Beauty and Beast by Stacey Jay and The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp.

Goldenfire

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for giving this book to review.

Goldenfire is a really good sequel set a couple years after Darkhaven, which left me on the edge of my seat as there was so much going on, lots of POV and a real page turner. There is action, romance and well written three dimensional characters with their own strength and flaws. I found the alchemy in this story interesting. However, while there were a lot of twists I guessed the assassin much easier than I did the mystery in the previous books.

Ayla is more confident in this book but does keep judging herself compared to her father and his rule, and she therefore has to shoulder a lot of the responsibility of ruling. Tomas is still loyal and determined but we also see him as a clever leader even though he does not see this as he has lots of insecurities about himself. I really like how mature and realistic Ayla and Tomas relationship is and shows they love each other while they still argue.

There are so many characters in this book, with people from the last book, Elisse and Sorrow, as well as the new Helm recruits like Ree, Zander and Penn. I was annoyed with Serenna’s character as in the last book she was willing to consider leaving being a priestess for Myrren but not for her own child, I felt that really did not fit her character.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to more novels in this world. I would recommend Goldenfire to fans of the first book Darkhaven. 

Bound by Love

****

4 Stars/5

Bound by love is the last book in the Elven Princess series and is a fun light read. This book is slower paced than the previous books but in a good way as there is more suspense and less action and constant kidnappings. This book also has more romance but it is very innocent and in a more fairytale fashion.

Arabella is intuitive, sincere and has grown stronger as the trilogy continued and does not give up. Robert has more responsibilities on his shoulders but he is still dependable, charismatic and diligent. Jocelyn comes across as unassuming but she is sociable and an empathic person and I feel she has become my favourite character in this series.

I did not see the twist at the end coming and I am looking forward to reading what Janeal Falor writes next. I would recommend Bound by Love to fans of the first two books in the Elven Princess series, Bound by Birthright and Bound to Endure, and this series to fans of light fantasy.

Bound to Endure

****

4 Stars/5

Bound to Endure is the second very enjoyable and fast paced book in the Elven Princess series. This book has non-stop action and a forbidden romance. This book is fun to read but more serious than the previous book, but it is not as dark as it very easily could have been.

Arabella is emotional and courageous in this book and is selfless when it comes to her country and people. Robert is friendly and considerate and also adventurous and versatile. I like that we got to know Abner better and while he is still aloof he comes across in a more good light. I also liked Jocelyn and how she was a good friend to Arabella but the friendship is not the healthiest as Arabella is very clingy to her.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the last book in this series Bound by Love. I would recommend Bound to Endure to fans of the first book Bound by Birthright.

Bound by Birthright

****

4 Stars/5

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

Bound by Birthright is a very likeable light fantasy novel. It is very fast paced with action, romance and adventure. However, the insta-love was irritating and for the most part I found the story predictable.

Arabella is naïve, friendly and impulsive and for the most part I liked her but she did act a bit too proper and self-centred and I wished she would realise what it is like for her staff. Robert is protective and hardworking while also being loyal and open minded. There are lots of other characters in this book such as the mothering but stern Constance, the elf hating Abner and Arabella’s maids Jocelyn and Emeline, but I hope they are more fleshed out subsequent books.

I did not expect that ending and it is going to make things interesting in the next book Bound to Endure. I would recommend Bound by Birthright to fans of Cutlass by Ashley Nixon and Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison.

Weeia on my Mind

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Elle Boca for giving me this book to review.

Weeia on my Mind is the second book in the Weeia Marshals series, which is an enjoyable Unban fantasy book. This story has mystery, action and romance and while mostly predictable there were a few twists I did not see coming. However, I get the feeling that Elle is not sure how she wants the series to progress, I could be wrong though, but it doesn’t feel as if it is working towards an end point like her previous series was.

Danni feels more secure in herself in this book and is determined to do a good job and to protect those in need, and is also short tempered and observant. Sebastien is considerate, friendly and easy-going but I was not sure if he was trustworthy as he seemed too perfect. I am glad Iaen is in this book but I hope in the future he is more part of the story instead of just the love interest.

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I would recommend Weeia on my Mind to fans of the first book in the Weeia Marshals series Gypsies, Tramps and Weeia and those who enjoyed the Unelmoija series. 

Of Sand and Storm

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Amber Argyle for giving me this book to review.

Of Sand and Storm is the very good 3rd novella in the Fairy Queens series and like the others it is fast paced, well written and has good world building. However this is the darkest of the books as it deals with difficult issues such as slavery and sex trafficking. I would suggest you don’t read this story until you have read the previous books otherwise it could be confusing. One thing which lets this story down is that it had insta-love which I am not a fan of, and I got the impression from Winter’s Heir that Cinder would not have a love interest.

Cinder is determined, protective and like all of Amber’s protagonists she has strong inner strength. However, she is the most damaged of the heroines with a coping mechanism in numbers, and not surprisingly Cinder is not very trusting. The love interest,  Darsam, pretends to be flippant and cocky but is actually selfless, kind and gentle. Ash and Storm would do anything to protect Cinder and want her to have a better life than they did.

I love this series and I am looking forward to reading what Amber writes next. I would highly recommend the Fairy Queens series to fans of YA fantasy novels, especially to those who like Maria V Snyder and Trudi Canavan’s books. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

*****

5 Stars/5

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the fantastic 8^th story in the Harry Potter universe, and I have not felt this nostalgic and sentimental about a book since I finished reading The Deathly Hallows. This story has the same atmosphere as the books and I loved being back in this magical world again. It is a very quick and easy, with an engrossing plot, twists and turn and lots of familiar faces. Like the books, it focuses on friendship and love but also looks at the impact and outcomes from the decisions from the original 7 books.

I had to get used to reading a script layout instead of a normal book format which I did but because it is not a standard book I missed the emotional depth we see in characters in novels. One criticism is that it has a fanfic vibe to it, with all the old favourites back, and one thing in particular I felt was there to power the story and to make fans happy rather than it making sense in the original books (will talk more about this later).

I struggled to get on with Albus in the beginning as he came across selfish and with too much angst but he did grow on me. He feels he is disappointment as he cannot live up to his father and is an outsider. While the story points out often the Harry and Albus are different I felt their personality and beliefs are very similar, which is probable why they clash and quarrel often. My favourite character in this story is Scorpius as he is an outsider and geeky (and proud). He is the sensible best friend who is a follower not a leader, and is also kind and lonely.

Harry is stressed as an adult as he has to deal with being thought of as legendary and his traumatic childhood which has still left some big emotional scars. I also think fans will like and understand his struggles with being a good parent and feeling like he is doing everything wrong. Hermione has become more confident and determined as an adult and has a lot of responsibilities resting on her shoulders but is still the same character we know and love. However, I was very disappointed with how Ron was portrayed in this story. This is because instead of having the complex and overlooked Ron from the books we have the Ron from the films whose only role is to be the joker of the group.

Spoilers!!!!

The main thing which made no sense to me in this story was Delphi’s parents for two reasons. Firstly I got the impression from the book that as Voldemort became less human he lost interest in having sex and generally he saw people were pawns just used to get him more power, so him fathering a daughter near the end of his life did not ring true to me. Secondly, whilst Bellatrix adored Voldemort and would have very happily slept with him, how come no one knew she was pregnant or had had a child including her nephew Draco?

Spoilers End

That being said I love this book as it adds to the story of Harry Potter without copying it, and I am desperate to watch the play soon, to see this story in the format it is meant to be seen. I will always want more books set in this world and while J K Rowling says this is the end for Harry, I would love more books set either in the past or future. I would recommend Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to everyone who loves Harry Potter and wants to find out what happens next. 

Six of Crows

****

4 Stars/5

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

Six of Crows is a very good fantasy heist book with edge of your seat action, complex twists and a dark and gritty story. I was scared that this book would not live up to it hype but it did. The main flaw in this book is that while practically everyone (except the villains) are teenagers, they never act like it and  behave more like people in their mid-to-late 20s. I did struggle a bit at the beginning but it really picked up when the crew leave Ketterdam for the heist.

All of the characters are complex, none are good or evil and there is a good banter between the 6 outcasts. Kaz is sharp, ruthless and a dangerous, genius mastermind who has built a wall around himself. Inej is strong both internally and externally, but she is also damaged, stealthy and cunning.

Nina is charming with a lively personality and while she is kind and feminine, she is also able to hold her own. Matthias is righteous, broody and throughout this novel has an internal fight between what he believes is right and wrong. Jesper is a joker, fun loving and is the comedy in the book. Wylan is the character I feel I know the least about as he did not have any POV but he is intelligent, shy and naïve.

This book has a massive cliff-hanger ending and I am looking forward to reading the next book Crooked Kingdom. I would recommend Six of Crows to fans of the Grisha series and those who like complex YA fantasy books. 

Winter's Heir

*****

5 Stars/5

Thanks to Amber Argyle for giving this book to review.

Winter’s Heir is a fantastic end to one of my favourite series and it ties up all of the loose ends and unanswered questions nicely.  Like with all of Amber’s books it has very good world building and is a fast paced page turner. This book had more romance than Daughter of Winter, and it had a kind of Romeo and Juliet vibe to it.  One thing I love about this series is that the characters are relatable and never give up.

At the first half of the book Elice is less sure of herself and is still very naïve but this lessens as the story continues. She is sweet natured,  gentle, empathetic and has an inner strength, like all of Amber’s Heroines, and is determined to gain her independence and freedom. Adar is more serious in this book as he faces very difficult choices and is conflicted about what he should do. However, there is still some of the charming tease there and I felt we got to understand more about him and his life than in the last book. There are lots of returning characters from the previous books, which was interesting to see how they have changed, but also there were some new characters, my favourite being Cinder, and I am looking forward to learning more about her in the last novella.

This book is a brilliant conclusion to the main story of the Fairy Queens series and I am really looking forward to reading the last novella Of Sand and Storm when it comes out. This book hints at future books set in the distant future in this universe which I cannot wait to read. I would recommend Winter’s Heir to fans of the Fairy Queens series, and this series I cannot recommend highly enough to fans of YA fantasy books. 

Reviews and health

Hi everyone,

Sorry about the lack of reviews recently my health has not been good. I hope to start reviewing again within a few days. 

Thank you for being patient with me 

Kirsty

The Mirror King

****

4 Stars/5

Prince Tobiah is on his deathbed after an attempted assassination by Patrick. Princess Wilhelmia is desperate to save him, partly because he is her only ally, but mostly because she loves him despite him being engaged to someone else. Wil is also determined to reclaim her country but she doesn’t want a war that would lead to death for both people in Indigo and Aecor kingdoms. On top of that Wil is worried about her magic and how it created wraith boy, and what implications will it have on the wraith that is growing closer.

The Mirror King is the very good second and final book in the Orphan Queen duology. It had lots of unexpected twists and turns and for the most part very fast paced, but in the middle it slowed and did not hold my attention. This book had intense action, good world building and a complex and heart-breaking romance.  I would suggest rereading The Orphan Queen as it does not catch you up that well.

Wil has become more indecisive in this book, especially after an important point in the story, and does not feel like she is good enough. However, while she has a lot of insecurities they were understandable and she admits when she has made mistakes, as well as being loyal and kind. Tobiah will do anything to help and protect his people either as the prince or Black Knife. He also faces a lot of difficult choices in this book and goes through a massive emotional journey.

The romance was heart-breaking and was complicated as so much stood between Wil and Tobiah, and I had no idea how there was going to be a happy ending, especially after an event at 43% of the way through. There were lots of three dimensional secondary characters such as James, Melanie and wraith boy, but I wish the villains where more interesting, particularly Patrick as I felt with not much effort he could have become a relatable bad guy.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more books from Meadows. I would recommend The Mirror King to fans of The Orphan Queen.

The Black Knife

****

4 Stars/5

Prince Tobiah has been beaten and broken, he has lost two people he cares about and on top of that his enemy Hensley knows his real identity. Tobiah has to stop Hensley trading the drugs to the Nightmare gang before it is too late and Skyvale will be overrun with firefly.

The Black Knife is the final prequel novella to The Orphan Queen and it is fast paced and full of action. I am glad I waited until all of the novellas were out before starting to read them as it worked well reading them as if they were one book. I really liked how we got to know how Tobiah became the person we know in the Orphan Queen and how he fights for what is right and to protect his people. I also liked the relationship between him and James and they are brilliant best friends and I hope we get to see more of them together in the next book. I am really looking forward to reading The Mirror King and seeing what happens next after that cliff-hanger ending. I would recommend The Black Knife to fans of The Orphan Queen.

The Burning Hand

****

4 Stars/5

After watching his tutor being murdered and discovering that Skyvale is under threat, Prince Tobiah is determined to stop the murderer Hensley. With guidance for Romily, a girl who knows the way around the rooftops, is Tobiah willing to risk his reputation or his life to make things right?

The Burning Hand is the third prequel novella in The Orphan Queen series and my favourite so far but also the darkest. I love getting to know Tobiah better and seeing how much he wants to help his country despite how corrupt it is. I also liked how clumsy he is compared to the vigilante we know and love. I also did not see that twist about James coming. I really enjoyed The Burning Hand and would recommend it to fans of Jodi Meadows Novels. 

The Glowing Knight

***

3 Stars/5

Prince Tobiah’s parents are pushing him closer to the new girl at court, Meredith, but he is distracted by the attack on his favourite tutor, Knight. When Knight plans on meeting the person Tobiah believes attacked him, Tobiah sets out to discover what his tutor is mixed up in.

The Glowing Knight is the second novella in this series about Tobiah. This book is action-packed and a fun read even though it is dark and deals with drugs. Tobiah is courageous and wants to discover the truth, and I felt sorry for him and how his parents treat him. For a novella there are a lot of characters some we know from The Orphan Queen but also some new. I would recommend The Glowing Knight to people who have read the first novella and The Orphan Queen.

The Hidden Prince

***

3 Stars/5

Prince Tobiah knows his life is sheltered but he wants a chance to gain more freedom. When he witnesses a crime at his 16^th birthday party he decides to risk everything and tries to find and apprehend the magical assailant.

The Hidden Prince is the enjoyable first novella of four, about Prince Tobiah from The Orphan Queen. It was very fast paced and well written, although it not worth the price considering there was not much too it. We get to know more about Tobiah and understand his frustration about the lack of control over his life, even though he is spoiled. We also get to see more of about James, Meredith and Chey. I liked this novella and I would recommend The Hidden Prince to fans of the Orphan Queen. 

Hour of Mischief

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for giving this book to review.

17 year old Janet has not had a good start in life and does not believe that she owes the Clockwork Gods anything. When I heist goes wrong and her gang and her ends up in prison she makes a deal with Itazura, the God of Mischief. To get her friends out of a deadly prison she must convince the gods to warn humanity about the danger they face from the Elder Gods. It is a lot harder than Janet was expecting especially when she is sure that Itazura is keeping something important from her.

Hour of Mischief is a very good steampunk fantasy novel. It is fast paced, has action, twists, mystery and a hint of romance. While good, I did found that the solutions to the problems were a bit easy. I like the mythology in this book with the Clockwork and seasonal gods, and the world that was created.

Janet is reckless, impulsive and sarcastic, but also loyal to her friends, no nonsense and insecure about failure and her mum. However, I did feel that Janet’s name did not fit her character. Itazura is cocky, sneaky and charming but while annoying he is also witty and respects and is protective of Janet. Laelatia is a fun and caring character. I hope we get to see more of the Pendulum gang in the next book.

There are lots of unanswered questions left at the end of this book and I hope they are answered in the next book. I would recommend Hour of Mischief to fans of Raven by Pauline Creeden and Thief’s Covenant by Ari Marmell.

Origins

***

3 Stars/5

Orphan stable boy Arcturus life changes forever when he reads a scroll and discovers that he has the ability to summon demons. Arcturus with his demon Sacharissa, are sent to Vocans Military Academy to learn about his ability but as the first commoner with this ability he finds he has enemies. With only Sacha on his side, Arcturus has to prove himself as a worthy summoner.

Origins is the prequel novella in the Summoner series, which is fast paced, enjoyable and easy to read, and it was great to see Arcturus’s beginning. While he is similar to Fletcher, I felt Arcturus is more street wise and I felt more protective towards him. After this novella I am hoping for some romance between Arcturus and Elaine Lovett in the next book. One thing I found irritating was that almost all of the adult characters from The Novice and The Inquisition were in this novella. I would recommend Origins to fans of the Summoner series. 

The Inquisition

****

4 Stars/5

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

Imprisoned for a year, for a crime he did not commit, Fletcher has to face the Inquisition who will decide his future. With the trial led by those who hate Fletcher they will do anything to see him suffer. When the origins of Fletcher’s birth came to light, he has little time to deal with it before the king announces a challenge that involves entering orc territory. The odds are stacked against him and he must use his cunning, demons and friends to defeat a new evil.

The Inquisition is the sequel fantasy adventure novel in the Summoner series, and I enjoyed it more than the previous book as I found it more gripping and not as rushed. I like how this book is Pokemon mixed with Lord of the Rings. It is fast paced and has lots of twists, even if some were predictable.  

Fletcher is kind, naïve and a natural leader, as he has matured since the last book, courageous and has a strong sense of right and wrong. Othello is moral, loyal and clever, and Sylva is bossy, eager to prove herself and sensible but I still think there is more to her than we have seen so far. I wish the bad guys were more complex and not so much black and white.

This book ended on another massive cliff-hanger and I am looking forward to reading the next book. I would recommend The Inquisition to fans of the first book The Novice.

The Crown

****

4 Stars/5

Thanks to HarperCollins Children’s UK for giving this book to review.

Princess Eadlyn has never felt more alone, with her twin brother married and in France, her mother just having had a heart attack and her father never leaving her side. Eadlyn must cope with running the country and finding love with one of the remaining boys in the selection. With everything in turmoil and the people not trusting her ruling ability, Eadlyn must make some hard choices about what to do with her kingdom, as well as her heart.

The Crown is very enjoyable final book of The Selection series. It is very fast paced as I stayed up very late just to see how it finished, and had some minor twists I didn’t see coming. There was not as much romance in this novel compared to the other books and while I was very happy about her choice and I felt it worked well in the story, I would have liked more.

Eadlyn is strong and a responsible and capable ruler who cared for her people and while spoiled would sacrifice anything for her kingdom’s happiness. Kile is intelligent, considerate and inventive, while Hale is confident and friendly. Henri is happy and innocent and Eric/Eikko is down to earth, shy and compassionate.

The Ending wrapped everything up but was a bit rushed. I am looking forward to seeing what Kiera Cass writes next. I would recommend The Crown to people who have read and enjoyed The Selection series, especially The Heir. 

Standing

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to China Dennington for giving this book to review.

Gale has always been afraid of the sea but when she rescues her sister from drowning, she discovers a group of technologically advanced mermaids who need her help. Because of her genes she can travel into the future and the mermaids need her, along with another human Force, to go to 2212 to stop the apocalypse. Will they be able to stop two tyrants before it is too late to go back to their time?

Standing is an enjoyable and unique story as it is mixture of paranormal, sci-fi and dystopia. It was predictable and a bit naïve story but still a fun light read. I tend to have problems with time travel but I liked this one. I feel the story could have been fleshed out a bit more with a 100 more pages. Also the beginning was too fast and I found I struggled to work out what was going on.

All of the characters are likeable (apart from the baddies) if a bit one-dimensional and I would have liked to have seen both good and bad sides of them and for them to act their age. Gale is intuitive, kind and a strong leader but I would have liked her to have panicked a bit when discovering everything rather than calmly accepting it. Force is smart, sensible but also fun-loving and curious.

While this book is not perfect, considering the age China Dennigton wrote this book, it was good and I look forward to seeing her grow her writing talents and see what she writes next. I would recommend Standing to fans of unique paranormal novels.

Azurite

**

2 Stars/5

Thanks to Megan Dent Nagle or giving this book to review.

Zora has been denied the right to be heir to the Samarian throne by her mother Queen Evangeline. Zora loves her country and the people but she is sent to Cara to be married off, but on the journey she discovers she can wield Ithillium. Will she be able to master her ability in time to save the country she loves from her own mother?

Azurite is a good story idea but I struggled with it, but this may be because I had a lot going on when I was reading it. I found it hard to figure out what was happening and why, and I feel there should not have been as many POVs as there was.

The characters are not the most compelling or complex, as while I felt sorry for Zora and how her mother treated her, I felt that it was too forced. I liked Milo and how his character was not who I was expecting him to be.

I found Azurite hard to get into and I DNF at 48% but I think I struggled with it because I was distracted by the ‘real world’ while reading it and I might want to give it another go sometime.

The Secret Fire

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving this book to review.

French teenager Sacha cannot die, until he turns 18, which will trigger his death and an apocalyptic event. Taylor is a straight A student who believes she is normal until she discovers that she can short out lights with her brain. They discover that Taylor is the only one who can save Sacha but they live in different countries and deadly forces are trying to stop them. Will they be able to break this curse in time?

The Secret Fire is a paranormal novel which is fast paced and has a hint of romance. I liked that this book was set in a different place than USA, as I feel that quite a lot them are set there,  I especially enjoyed the parts that were in the UK as I could relate to it.

Taylor is likeable but too perfect and good at everything, as she is responsible, considerate and hard-working. I preferred Sacha as he is wounded, sarcastic and comes across as rude and distant but this is a defence mechanism which hides how kind and lonely he is.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next book, The Secret City. I would recommend The Secret Fire to fans of the Ceruleans series by Megan Tayte and The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain.

Daughter of Dusk

***

3 Stars/5

Kyra has developed a tentative alliance with the palace but she is worried that her bloodline will be discovered and she will be hunted like the other Demon Riders. With the assassin James imprisoned, Kyra fears that he will give away her secret to save himself. With Kyra caught between two armies and with things becoming tense with Tristam she has few people she can turn to. Is she able to use her Makvani blood to help stop the hostiles or will that become the catalyst for more violence.

Daughter of Dusk is the enjoyable sequel to Midnight Thief, which was fast paced and full of politics and action but I still found it a bit forgettable and not as good as the previous novel. There was not as much romance in this book than I was expecting and while I found it to be realistic I did wish there was more in it.

Kyra is more decisive and capable than in the previous book and she has learnt to understand and accept both sides of herself. She is also caring about her friends and compassionate while also able to handle herself. Tristam is level-headed, honourable and tried to do what is right even if it will negatively affect him. I was disappointed with the part James played in this book as he was the most interesting character and he I didn’t feel his character was utilised as he could have been.

I enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more of Blackburne’s books. I would recommend Daughter of Dusk to people who liked the previous book Midnight Thief.