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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Outcast

***

3/5

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

The Outcast is an enjoyable prequel which is fast paced and a good addition to the Summoner series. However, there was no real jeopardy, even in tense situations, and it is annoying that practically all the adults from the main series featured in this book.

I like Arcturus as he is streetwise but also kind and courageous. I loved the growing friendship between Arcturus and Sacha, as they were very protective and caring of each other.

I enjoyed this book and being back the world of the Summoner. I would recommend The Outcast to fans of the main books in the series.

The Battlemage

***

3/5

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

The Battlemage is the enjoyable third and final book in the Summoner series. It had lots of action with a battle between good and prejudice, domination and greed. I would highly recommend rereading the previous books before starting this one as for the first third of the novel I was very confused about what was happening.

Fletcher has become more responsible in this book as he is a natural leader who fights for what is right but will defer to those who have more knowledge. I like Othello, Sylva and Cress, and I really like the friendship between all of the friends, however, for a good third of the book they were not around and I felt it really impacted the story.

I enjoyed this book and I look forward to seeing what Taran Matharu does next. I would recommend Battlemage to fans of the first 2 books in the Summoner series.

The Reviled

***

3/5

Thanks to Cynthia A Morgan for giving me this book to review.

The Reviled is an enjoyable fantasy book which is very descriptively written story of good vs evil. It did feel too fast paced which meant I struggled a bit to connect with the story and characters. However, the relationships, both romantic and platonic, were cute.

Ayla is feeling like she is being watched, and she is compassionate and insecure. Gairynzvl I found is a more interesting character as he is emotionally scarred and is caught between two worlds.

I enjoyed The Reviled and would recommend it to fans of Faerie fantasy books.

Scouts of the Apocalypse

***

3/5

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

Scouts of the Apocalypse is an enjoyable, fast paced zombie adventure. It was nice seeing how the skills learnt in scouting can be applied in different situations. However, the main thing that bugged me with this book was that, at least in the UK, scouts (and the leaders) are not perfect or goody two shoes, they are cheeky, normal realistic people who are more often than not eccentric and feel like outsiders.

Mike is an OK character but like with most of the people in this book, he was too perfect and good at everything, making me not worry at all that anything was going to happen to him or most of the boys.

All in all, Scouts of the Apocalypse is a decent read and if you like zombie apocalypse books then I would recommend it but if you are interested because of the scouts angle then don’t expect them to be very realistic.

A Stolen Crown

***

3/5

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

A Stolen Crown is an enjoyable fairytale fantasy book which is relatively light but does have some dark elements. It has adventure, romance, and secrets and was faced paced but predictable. I really liked the idea of the friendship between Rory and Cecily but it was not shown in the book as they were either ignoring or arguing with each other.

Cecily is insecure and naïve but is also selfish. Rory is hiding a secret, but also feisty and confident but cannot express her emotions.

The thing which disappointed me about this book was that the ending was very fast and not that satisfying. However, I did like this book and am looking forward to reading A Stolen Wish. I would recommend A Stolen Crown to those who enjoyed the first book A Stolen Kiss and those who are fans of fairytale books.

Heartless

***

3/5

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

I enjoyed Heartless but I think I would have liked it more if I was a fan of Alice in Wonderland as it is full of references, and also weirdness with I know it part of wonderland but I didn’t get on with it. It is well written like all of Meyer’s books but I did find it a bit forgettable. I would really recommend not reading this when on a diet as it will make you want to bake and eat with its vivid description of the food.

Cath is whiny, naïve, and has no backbone, and by trying to please everyone she ultimately pleases no one. Jest is mysterious and charming but no as interesting as some of Meyer’s other male leads.

While I still enjoyed this book, it did not grab me as much as Meyer’s other novels. I would recommend Heartless to those who enjoy the world of Wonderland or books about villain’s backstories.

The City of Brass

***

3/5

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

The City of Brass is an enjoyable fantasy book with excellently described world. This book is full of politics and oppression. It felt very slow for most of the book and it mainly just felt like an introduction to the next book. While I loved the Daevabad, I wish we had spent more time in Cairo as I wanted to see and learn more. Action-packed and with a bit of romance but it didn’t take over the plot.

Nahri was a brilliant character to being with as she was very independent and resourceful, with an amazing ability, however, when she got to Daevabad is really regressed and didn’t make any decisions and just lost her spark. Ali is very devout and knows his own mind, even if he is influenced by those near him. Dara was the most interesting character as he has a dark past and was very intriguing, I just think this book would have been better if we had had his point of view.

While this book didn’t live up to the hype for me, I plan on reading the next book The Kingdom of Cooper, as I feel the next book will be better without having to explain everything. I would recommend The City of Brass to fans of The Hundredth Queen series and Rebel of the Sands series.

Over Raging Tides

***

3/5

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

Over Raging Tides is an enjoyable pirate fantasy book. It had adventure, potential romance and betrayal. However, it felt like hardly anything happened in the book, when I felt like it was in the middle part of the book it was almost the end, which meant that the story and characters were underdeveloped. Grace was an interesting character who is willing to discover the truth about what happened to her mother. I couldn’t connect with Leo as I felt his loyalty to Grace were unrealistic, especially when he chose her over his brother. While this wasn’t as good as I had hoped I am looking forward to reading more about Grace’s story and I would recommend it to those who like YA pirate adventures.