A Break

Hi all,

I have been struggling with reviewing books at the moment, as you may have noticed. This is due to both personal and health reasons and this means I will be taking a break from blogging for a while, reading books I want to read rather than ones I have to read. I will write up the reviews of the books I have received from NetGalley in time but I will not be as consistent with my uploads and will not be accepting any requests from authors.

Thanks for your understanding

The Fallen Vampire

***

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for giving me this book to review.

The Fallen Vampire is a fun dystopian paranormal novella, which has a very interesting premise. However, I would have liked more world building as the setting seems so fascinating. Chloe is a good character but seems like a typical teenager whose life revolves around a boy she fancies rather than keeping herself safe. I would recommend The Fallen Vampire to fans of Angelfall by Susan Ee and Kingdom of Ashes by Elena May.

Witch's Sacrifice

***

3/5

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

Witch’s Sacrifice is an enjoyable fantasy book, with good world building. However, it did not grab my interest as the plot seemed a bit meandering at times and I could not relate to or connect with any of the characters.

Marizza is a determined person who is caring of those she is close to. Salvia is a character who is a bit odd, because I could not really picture as at some points she seemed to act her age but at other times she acted much younger. It is similar with Artiro as he is 100 years old but he acted like a cocky and self-assured teenager.

While Witch’s Sacrifice did not hold my attention, I would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy books set around the sea.

Red Winter

***

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Barclay Publicity for giving me this book to review.

Red Winter is an enjoyable paranormal fantasy book based on Japanese mythology which I really liked, however, when I started reading, I was surprised that it was set in the real world as the description implied it was set in a fantasy setting. The story was a bit slow to start but I did start to pick up. I also really liked the art in the book as it helped me picture the scene and the characters.

Emi is very innocent and dedicated but she also has an inner determination and loyalty. Shiro is such a flirt who seems very carefree but he is one big mystery which is not fully revealed. Katsuo seems like the only person, before she meets the Yokai, who truly cares for Emi rather than who she will be.

I enjoyed this book and is was good reading an urban fantasy book based upon Japanese mythology. I would recommend Red Winter to those who liked The Secret Fire by C J Daugherty and The Hundredth Queen by Emily R King.

Archenemies

***

3/5

Archenemies is the enjoyable sequel to Renegades and all of my favourite characters were back. There was action, romance and a unique take on the good vs evil fight. However, I felt that not much happened and I wish Meyer had stuck to the plan of the series being a duology as, apart from the ending, there was nothing noticeably important that really happened.

I liked the conflict Nova felt in this book as while she is totally loyal to her unusual family, she doubts herself and whether either side is correct, but this did mean that we did not see much of the kickass Nightmare as I would have liked. Adrian did not have as much character growth as I would like as he had the same problems and worries as the first book but he is still kind and inquisitive.

The best part of this book was the ending as it was so action packed and I couldn’t predict what was happening next. While I did not like this book as much as the first, I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to the final book in the renegades trilogy. I would recommend Archenemies to fans of the first book and those who enjoy superhero stories.

Trials of Magic

**

2/5

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

Trails of magic is a paranormal book full of magic and sisters who have different personalities and their relationship with each other. However, this book did not capture my attention and I struggled to care about the story. Aurie is responsible, caring and determined to be the best. Pi is reckless, shrewd and more outgoing than her sister. While I can see why people enjoyed Trials of Magic I just did not seem to connect with the story or characters.

Evermore

**

2/5

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

Evermore is the sequel to Everless, and while it is fast paced and I wanted to know what happening next, I was disappointed with it. I was not a fan of the romance as it developed way too fast and I ended up rolling my eyes at most of it as it takes up a lot of the story and Jules’s thoughts. I felt the world building was not good as it seemed like everywhere they needed to go was only a couple of hours horse ride away and everything seemed convenient and shallow as they would go from one point to another with no depth or sense of discovery.

Jules is way too impulsive and puts herself in danger almost constantly but she is desperate to find the truth and discover a way to stop Caro. Liam is a good character who is intelligent and has a thirst for knowledge. However, all of the characters, both new and old, felt flat and I didn’t care much about them.

I was underwhelmed by this book but I am hopeful that I will enjoy what Holland writes next. I would recommend Evermore only to those who loved the first book Everless.

Nightblood

***

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me this book to review.

Nightblood is the good final book in the Frostblood saga. It has good pacing and I felt it had more world building than the previous books especially as the gods and goddesses feature even more in this book. However, I felt there should be have been a little less romance drama and more story drama.

I was not a fan of Ruby in this book, I know she was not in complete control of her actions but she never helped herself and seemed to be enjoying causing the drama rather than talking to people and trying to mitigate it. Arcus is still serious and feels responsible for everyone but he did come across as very possessive and I can see why people are not a fan of him. I had the opposite problem with Kai, he was too cocky and blasé when they were trying to save the world and too interested in Ruby romantically when everyone should really be focusing on the main issues.

While I did have problems with all of the drama in this book, I still enjoyed it and I am looking forward to reading what Blake writes next. I would recommend Nightblood to fans of the first two books in the Frostblood Saga.

Sea of Strangers

**

2/5

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

I struggled to connect with Sea of Strangers, despite me enjoying the first book Island of Exiles. This book is a dark fantasy world which has complex cultures and lots of diversity, however, it is very slow paced. I might not have liked this book as much is it has been a while since I have read Island of Exiles and I had trouble remembering what had happened and who everyone was.

Khya seems to have become a natural leader and I have always been a fan of Tessen, so these two were the highlight of the book.

Unfortunately, I just didn’t click with Sea of Strangers but I seem to be in the minority so if you enjoyed the first book, I would recommend you read this sequel.

The Last Namsara

***

3/5

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

The Last Namsara is an enjoyable fantasy novel with dragons, action and forbidden romance. This world was complex and the story had a unique twist I did not see coming.

Asha is fearless but is also carrying around a lot of guilt and wants to prove that she is not wicked like people think. I much preferred Torwin, compared to Asha as he fights for what he wants, sees the true value of things and does not give up. However, while I like both Asha and Torwin, I was not a fan of their romance, as there was too bigger difference in the power within the relationship and I could not understand why he liked her. The other characters could have had more development as I felt I didn’t know them that well and I hope we get to know them better in the next book.

While it was not perfect it was a good debut book and I am looking forward to reading the next book The Caged Queen. I would recommend The Last Namsara to fans of The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski and Dragon Trails by Ava Richardson.

Hero at the Fall

****

4/5

Hero at the Fall is the really good final book in the Rebel of the Sands Trilogy, which is action packed and fast paced. This book has a lot of twists and I really enjoyed the world building. I love the relationships in this book, but especially the platonic friendships as they were really well written. There are a few deaths in this book but there was one which really got me as I loved that character.

Amani has matured a lot since the first book but she still doesn’t believe she is a good leader as she doubts herself and is always listening to the negative thoughts in her head. Jin was a bit better in this book as he doesn’t flee at the first sign of trouble but he does come across as jealous and aggressive when it comes to Amani but with a couple of chapters set from his POV I did understand him a bit more. All of the other characters were brilliant, even those who are the bad guys, as everyone felt like a real person with their own motivations and beliefs.

The ending of this book was brilliant and it was good seeing what happened to the characters in the future. I would recommend Hero at the Fall to fans of the first two books in the trilogy, Rebel of the Sands and Traitor to the Throne.

Traitor of the Throne

***

3/5

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

Traitor to the Throne is the enjoyable second book in the Rebel of the Sands trilogy but I did not like it as much as the first book. The main problem I had was that a important story point happened between the two books and it was key to so many of the characters motivations, that it would have been so useful to have included it in a prologue so people know what happened. This book is more political than the previous book but it was still good as we get to see more of the Sultan and how he truly believes he is what is best for his country.

Amani is still brave and sassy but she is not as impulsive or selfish as she was before because she thinks more about her actions and how they affect not just her but those she cares about. Jin is hardly in this book which was disappointing as I don’t like the troupe of separating couples in the second book to add drama. The characters from the first book are back but I loved the new characters as they add something new to the story but especially Sam as he is cheeky and charming.

While not as good as the first book I still really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading Hero at the Fall. I would recommend Traitor to the Throne to fans of the first book, Rebel of the Sands.

The Beautiful Ones

***

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for giving me this book to review.

The Beautiful Ones is an enjoyable romance novel which has a hint of fantasy. This disappointed me as with very minor changes it would have been a historical book, and I am much more interested in fantasy books than historical romance books. The story was slow-paced but that meant that we got to know the characters better.

Nina is a naïve character but that did not stop her from being straight talking. I was not a fan of Hector at all as he was such a user who was too trapped in past, and while he did change in the second half of the book by then I didn’t care. In some ways Valerie was my favourite character as I could understand her motives and I like baddies who know what they want and will do anything to accomplish them.

I was disappointed that the story was not as much fantasy as I hoped but the book was still an enjoyable read. I would recommend The Beautiful Ones to fans of romance novels with a hint of fantasy.

Nobody's Pawn

****

4/5

Nobody’s Pawn is the good final book in this trilogy and it is still fast paced and I did not want to put the book down. I really liked the slow burn romance, the world building and the commentary about gender roles. It answered all of the questions I had from the previous books and I did not predict where the story was going at all.

Noll has really matured in this story as she is more forgiving than before while also willing to step up to responsibility of people’s expectations of her as well still being as passionate and adventurous as before. Ailill seems more relaxed in this book but still has so many secrets which seems to take their toll on him. While the other characters are interesting and I enjoyed getting to know them, I wish I could knock some sense into most of them as everyone seemed to be thinking with their hearts but never with their heads and no one seemed to actually have the conversations they need with anyone.

I really enjoyed this series and I am very much looking forward to reading more of Mcnulty’s Books. I would recommend Nobody’s Pawn to fans of the first two books in this trilogy, and the trilogy to those who like surprisingly deep and twist filled YA fantasy books.

Nobody's Lady

****

4/5

Nobody’s Lady is the second book in The Never Veil trilogy and it is just as good as the first book. It is fast paced and I was hooked to the story hoping to discover what was going to happen next, as there seems to be a lot more going on than I was expecting and only The Lord seems to know what is going on. I really enjoyed how different the men and women were, and how they interacted with each other was fascinating. I can also understand both sides and what they might be feeling, although a lot of the problems could have been helped with just people talking to each other.

I like Noll more in this book as she has learnt from her past and is willing to acknowledge her mistakes which makes her come across as less selfish. I wish we could have seen more of Ailill as his and Noll’s dynamic was so enjoyable and there was not enough for me. Like the last book I was not the biggest fan of Jurij as he was acting so whiny and like the world revolved around him.

I really liked this book and with that cliffhanger and a lot of mysterious to discover I am really looking forward to learn what happens next in Nobody’s Pawn. I would recommend Nobody’s Lady to fans of the first book, Nobody’s Goddess.

Nobody's Goddess

****

4/5

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

Nobody’s Goddess is a really good YA fantasy novel which is deeper than you might think as it is about choice, freewill and how power can affect how the different genders treat each other. There is a bit of a beauty and the beast theme to this book but there is so much more going on in the story. Well written and with a few twists I did not see coming but I was a fan of the fact that all but one of the questions I had in this book were answered by the end.

Noll is defiant and passionate but also lonely, however, she is also selfish and seems like the person who wants what they cannot have. There was a lot of interesting characters in this story, such as The Lord, Alvilda and Avery but I did not understand Noll’s attraction to Jurij as he was very blah.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next two books in this series. I would recommend Nobody’s Goddess to those who want to read a thought-provoking YA fantasy book.

Ensnared

***

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Pikko’s House for giving me this book to review.

Ensnared is a sci-fi retelling of Beauty and the Beast which was interesting but it is predictable and an unlikely story, which I felt needed more world building. Both of the main characters had major mental health issues because of their past and I wish these were addressed in some way and I felt that their relationship was not healthy or good for each other as they enablers for the other and were dependant solely on each other.

Alainn is a likeable character who is loyal, protective and stubborn, and Lorccan is a very mysterious genius. The secondary characters were not as fleshed out as Lorccan and Alainn which meant I did not care much about them.

While I enjoyed Ensnared, it did not grab me as much as I had hoped, and I would recommend it to fans of The Mad Scientist’s Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clark.

Storm Watcher

***

3/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Weapenry Co-Op for giving me this book to review.

Storm Watcher is an enjoyable contemporary middle-grade book about overcoming fears and dealing with grief. This book is not like any of Maria’s other books and while it is not my favourite of hers, it still has her brilliant writing style.

Luke is such a sweet and sensitive kid but he is tougher than he first appears as he is determined and very clever. Like all of Maria’s books the relationships in this novel make the story and I especially liked Luke’s with Megan and Lightning.

While not my normal genre of book I still enjoyed Storm Watcher and would recommend it to people who like coming of age middle-grade books.

Throne of Lies

***

3/5

Thanks to Sara Secora for giving me this book to review.

Throne of Lies is an enjoyable fantasy novel which is full of romance, secrets and a mystery. It raised a lot of questions and hardly answered ant of them and the relationships between the characters seemed to establish very quickly. The main problem with this book is the pacing as the first half of the story could have easily been told in half the pages, and it really drags the story.

Amethysta is self-centred and a dreamer who longs to have control over her own life. Soren is the pretty standard hero, perfect, brave and protective, but I wished that there was more depth to him. Ark is mysterious and a bitter character but who grows to be a kinder than he first seems.

I liked Throne of Lies and I would recommend it to fans of Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson and the Stolen Royals series by Kelsey Keating.

Skyward

****

4/5

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

Skyward is an excellent new sci-fi book from Brandon Sanderson. It is a little slow paced but that led to great world building and character growth. While I really enjoyed this book, it did not read like Sanderson’s other works, but that did not stop it from being and action-packed book, full of unexpected twists and a mystery which will keep you guessing.

Spensa is a determined, rash and angry teen who is always putting on a front by acting like a hero from old stories to hide the fact that she feels like a complete outsider and wants to prove herself to everyone. M-Bot is cheeky and arrogant character while also being apprehensive and I really liked him, although while reading I felt he behaved in a feminine way. I liked all of the characters, especially Skyward Flight team, as there was so much character development and the banter maked me understand and root for them.

This book is really good and I hope there is a sequel as there is so much more to discover in this universe. I would recommend Skyward to people who like Sanderson’s other books or to fans of good sci-fi novels.