Kingdom of Ashes

****

4/5

Thanks to Elena May for giving me this book to review.

Kingdom of Ashes is a really good paranormal dystopian novel which is fast paced and raised good questions about morality and what it is to be human. I love the mix of post-apocalyptic with the gothic paranormal the book has. I also liked that where was not any romance between Myra and any of the vampires in this book as it was refreshing and would have been detrimental to the story.

Myra is naïve and creative but she is also very self-centred which did not make her the most likable main character. Vladimir is cunning and ruthless and I feel we have only just scratched the depths of who he is and what he wants. Tristan is very loyal and big headed, and Armida hides her lack of self-worth with a mask of confidence.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading Men and Monsters. I would recommend Kingdom of Ashes to fans of Fireblood by Trisha Wolfe and The River Witch by Helena Rookwood

The Secret of Isian

****

4/5

Thanks to Serena Clarke for giving me this book to review.

The Secret of Isian is the final book in this trilogy and while I really liked this novel, it was my least favourite of the trilogy. Mostly because I did not feel the chemistry between Ander and Rimelda especially compared to the first two books. This book has quests and prophecies but also came across as heavier than the previous books as it deals with deeper issues.

Ander is humble, considerate and brave, who always thinks of others before himself. I was not the biggest fan of Rimelda as even though she is straight-talking and confident while also being secretive, she was just too good at everything which made her come across as smug.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading what Serena Clarke writes next. I would recommend The Secret of Isian to fans of the first two books in the series and those who like fairytale like fantasy novels.

The Alliance of Isian

****

4/5

Thanks to Serena Clarke for giving me this book to review.

The Alliance of Isian is the really good second book in the Isian trilogy. Unlike the previous book, this story was less about adventure and more about politics which but it was still just as good as it has a sweet romance and is fast paced. There is an interesting story about differing cultures and how you shouldn’t judge people based off stereotypes.

Gabrielle is a good and relatable character as you could understand her frustrations and feelings in this book but this did not mean she was afraid to stand up for herself. Alec is charming and thoughtful who is very protective and caring towards his people.

I really enjoyed this book and I am really looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy The Secret of Isian. I would recommend The Alliance of Isian to fans of the first book and those who enjoy light fantasy novels.

The Treasure of Isian

****

4/5

Thanks to Serena Clarke for giving me this book to review.

The Treasure of Isian is a very fun and enjoyable romantic fantasy book which has a fairytale feel to the world. The story is full of adventure, magical creatures and good world building. While predictable it did not stop the story from being a really good read and I did not want to put the book down.

Elani is a lovely main character as she is kind and hardworking but at the beginning of the book she lacks confidence and self-worth but it was a nice progression her developing them during the story. I was not the biggest fan of Garin as he seemed too proud and lacked patience and empathy towards Elani. However, he did grow on me as I saw that most of this is a façade and that he is an adventurous and determined person who cares for his people. One character I really liked is Ander as he is caring and truly an all-round good guy and I hope we see more of him.

I really liked this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book The Alliance of Isian. I would recommend The Treasure of Isian to fans of the Stolen Royals by Kelsey Keating and the Nine Princesses novellas by Anita Valle.

Tempests and Slaughter

***

3/5

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

Tempests and Slaughter is the enjoyable prequel to the Immortals series, about Numair/Arram and I loved learning about his background. However, the main problem I had with this book was that there seemed to be no plot or purpose, and only very brief hints of the bigger story at play. It almost read like Arram’s diary, which meant there is a lot of dull moments but it was well written and had great character depth.

Numair was always a favourite character of mine in the Immortals books and it was great to see him as this bright inquisitive boy with a thirst for knowledge and a person who is genuinely good. I found it hard to connect to Ozone, probably because I know who he is in later books and this coloured my opinion of him, he is quick to change emotions, going from kind, gentle and loyal, to moody, volatile and aggressive. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Varice on this book as, in Emperor Mage she came across as an air-head, but in this book, we get to see she is a lively and passionate person who is often overlooked because of her talents.

While I was a bit disappointed in this book I am still looking forward to reading the next book, The Exile’s Gift. I would recommend Tempests and Slaughter to fans of Tamora Pierce’s books, especially the Immortals Series.