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.

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.

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

Lord of Shadows

*****

5/5

Lord of Shadows is the brilliant sequel to Lady Midnight as it really does not suffer from the problems middle books often do. It is well written, has a fast paced plot, lots of action and full of romance. In this novel, we have gotten to know many of the secondary characters better especially Kit, the twins, and Diana and I feel that all of the characters have developed significantly in this book. The one little problem I had with this book was where was Cameron? I got the impression from the first book he lived nearby and I could not understand why we did not see him in this book.

Emma made a few mistakes in this book but they were all made with the best intentions but she is still loyal and determined. Julian is very protective of his family but we got to see his darker side in this book as his is more cunning and calculating and we can see his jealousy with Emma and Mark’s relationship. There was an awful lot of romance in this book, including lots of love triangles but my favourite had to be Kit, Ty and Livvy as I grew to love them and their relationships with each other.

This book ends on a massive cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the final book in the Dark Artifices series Queen of Air and Darkness. I would recommend Lord of Shadows to fans of Lady Midnight and this series to those who enjoyed Clare’s other Shadowhunter books. 

Lady Midnight

*****

5/5

Cassandra Clare is back on top form with Lady Midnight after the disappointing last 3 Mortal Instruments and Clockwork Princess, as I loved this book and it is the best one she has written so far. This book is full of action and mystery with fantastic characters and a heartbreaking romance. I was not expecting the villain to be who they were but thinking back it was obvious and I love when authors are able to do this.

Julian has been unable to have a childhood as he has had to give up everything to be a parent to his siblings, this means that he has grown up being cunning and ruthless when it comes to protecting his family but also that he is responsible, mature, and caring. Emma did not interest me as much as Julian as she felt similar to other characters in the Shadowhunter world, as she is daring, reckless, determined and tough. The rest of the Blackthorn family are interesting and engaging characters who are unique and have their own voices and personalities.

I am a little worried that there may be a love triangle with Julian, Emma and Mark in the next book Lord of Shadows and I really hope this doesn’t happen as I am getting bored of them in Clare’s work and I really like the forbidden love angle of Julian and Emma’s romance. I would recommend Lady Midnight to fans of Cassandra Clare’s other books. 

Freeze

****

4/5

Freeze is a very enjoyable second book in the Midnight Ice series. It is action-packed, romantic and well written. It is fast pace and a nice easy read with a story which was a little bit less predictable than Frost.

Pandora feels betrayed and lonely but instead of giving up she fights to discover the truth about herself and is determined not to let anyone influence her or betray her again. I like the new character Naya as I feel that her story is going to be important and that Pandora will need a friend in the next book. Sam is still an enigma even when we learn more about him, but does he really want what is best for Pandora. Jax is guilt ridden and is torn between his heart and what he believes is right.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next one Fracture. I would recommend Freeze to fans of the first book Frost.

Frost

****

4/5

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

Frost is a very enjoyable paranormal novel which is fast paced. It is set in the same world as the midnight fire series, I have not read them yet but it did not impact the story or my enjoyment of it. However, what stopped this book from getting a higher rating was that the story was predictable and not all that original.

Pandora is sassy and independent but is also hurting and is running from her past and while she is a thief, she is ultimately battling wrongs. Jax has good banter with Pandora and is protective but he is suffering from guilt. Sam is very mysterious and I felt I did not get to know him very well but I guess we will discover more in the next book.

This book ends on a cliff-hanger and I am looking forward to reading the next book Freeze. I would recommend Frost to fans of YA paranormal books.

Smells like Weeia Spirit

***

3/5

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

Smells like Weeia Spirit is a fun paranormal crime series with a bit of romance and action. This book was fairly predictable apart from one incident which truly surprised me and it was brave and unexpected from Elle to do this.

Danni is dedicated, intelligent and she is finally getting a hang of living in Paris and being ignored by her boss. Sebastian is the same as ever handsome and loyal, and Iaen is the perfect balance to Danni and they are a really good couple.

I am enjoying this series and am looking forward to reading more of Danni’s adventures in Paris. I would recommend Smells like Weeia Spirit to fans of the first 2 Weeia Marshals books and those who enjoyed the Weeia series.

The Boy with Words

***

3/5

Thanks to C. E. Wilson for giving me this book to review.

The Boys with Words is an enjoyable book with plot twists, especially one major one near the beginning, and mystery. The romance was sweet but I did not enjoy it that much as it was not practical and I was not a fan of how it ended. There was a lot of missing plot points and unanswered questions such as with shade and the dictatorship.

White is inquisitive and stubborn but also can be distant and got frustrated easily. Kes is accepting, nice and rational but he is not very tactful and over protective. Would have liked to learn more about Salt, Pepper and Shade as I felt their stories had unanswered questions.

I felt that the ending was too open-ended and I would have liked it concluded a bit more fully. I would recommend The Boy with Words to fans of C. E. Wilson’s other books.

One Wish Away

***

3/5

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

One Wish Away is an enjoyable and fast paced paranormal book. While some parts of the book were light, I found it was much darker than I was expected. I found this story very predictable especially as most of the story twists where mentioned in the synopsis.

Marielle struggles with trust issues and has a fear of abandonment and because of this she can be emotionally distant, but she is also selfless and kind. Faris is cocky, sensitive and emotional but he is a bit too protective and it is almost creepy.

This is an enjoyable book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I would recommend One Wish Away to fans of YA paranormal romance novels like Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young.

The Secret City

***

3 Stars/5

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

The Secret City is an enjoyable paranormal sequel to The Secret Fire which is fast paced. There more romance in this book and more action but I never felt worried about whether Sacha and Taylor would survive. One touch in this book I liked was the use of different symbols at the start of each chapter to show whose POV it is, out of Taylor, Sacha and Louisa.

Taylor is struggling to learn control of her powers but is more confident than she was in the last book; however, I still found that she was just too perfect. Sacha feels useless and is unsure how he can be helpful in stopping his curse, which he is growing more fearful about as it draws closer. I like how sweet the romance between Sacha and Taylor is and how they would do anything to keep each other safe. We get to learn more about Louisa and her past in this book which I liked.

I found the ending anticlimactic and I cannot tell if this book is the end of the series. I would recommend The Secret City to fans of the first book The Secret Fire.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

Gypsies, Tramps, and Weeia

***

3 Stars/5

Thanks to Elle Boca for giving this book to review.

Danni has completed her training to become a marshal, the police sworn to protect Weeia hiding among humans, and is surprised to receive a good assignment in Paris. However, when she gets there Danni discovers that not all is as she was expecting, with an apathetic boss, an office in shambles and her predecessor Marshals dying under mysterious circumstances. Despite the risks, Danni is determined to do her job, even if some in Paris believe they are above the law.

Gypsies, Tramps and Weeia is an action-packed book set in the Weeia universe. It is enjoyable and really well written, especially when describing Paris. This book also had suspense and humour.

Danni is persistent and determined to do a good job and to prove herself, she also comes across as blunt and abrupt but that is just a front because she is really insecure. There are a few secondary characters but only one really stands out in my mind, Iaen, as he is cocky, charming and a loveable rogue. I liked that Ernie was in this book and I hope he is in more of the future novels.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I would recommend Gypsies, Tramps and Weeia to fans of the Weeia series. 

Firebolt

**

2 Stars/5

Elena has been on the run all of her life with her father, even though she has no idea why, that is until a dragon kills her father. She wakes up in a mystical land called Paegeia, and is soon enrolled in a new school where she meets lots of new people, including those who are able to change into dragons. Elena is struggling to learn everything she needs to be able to understand this new world she finds herself in, and with a long thought dead sorcerer back and Elena has to find a way to save her new home.

Firebolt was an OK book which in some points I found entertaining but mostly I found it to be predictable, forgettable and the story didn’t pick up until near the end. It felt too teenage for me and had too much school drama and the relationships, both romantic and non-romantic developed way too quickly.

I felt Elena was very immature for a 16 year old, for example blushing whenever anyone mentioned sex, and gets over the death of her father and arriving in this new world too quickly and I just generally was not a fan of her. However, I did like some of the secondary characters, like her two friends Becky and Sammy. On the other hand the boys irritated me as Lucian was too perfect and his relationship with Elena seems very superficial. Blake was mysterious and a jerk and I do not get why so many people like his character.

I have heard that the following books go downhill and I am not sure I want to carry one with The Dragonian series. 

Passenger

*

1 Star/5

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

Etta is just about to perform on her violin, a skill she has been practicing since youth at the expense of everything else, when everything changes. She is pushed through a time portal and is transported to a ship in the year 1776 which is captained by a man called Nicholas. Etta discovers that she is a legacy and that the Ironwood family is holding a loved one hostage. Will Etta be able to get home or will she be stuck in the past forever?

I really could not get into Passenger as the pacing was very slow and the story did not grab me as it focused on small unimportant details. The main problem was that I was detached and did not care about what was happening to the characters.

Etta is obsessed with her violin and getting back to her right time but I did not care as it focused too much on her internal thoughts and she is self-absorbed and whiny. I liked Nicholas a bit better as he was determined to fight for a better life no matter what other people thought.

I could not finish this book and stopped reading at 37%.

In the Garden of Weeia

***

3 Stars/5

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

Ernie has been given a fresh start but he has fallen in with a wrong crowd. When he has been charged with a crime he didn’t commit, Ernie is sentenced to do grub duty at the Marshals academy for a year. He tries to keep his head down but he cannot resist a challenge and gets swept up in a sinister plot which could cost him his life.

In the Garden of Weeia is the enjoyable spin-off novella set after the events of the Weeia series. It is fast paced and interesting to see the Weeia world without Amy and her family and how much impact they have had on this world. That being said the action in this novella didn’t really happen until late in the story.

Ernie is a likeable character and I felt closer to him than Amy because we are similar as he is geeky, shy, rebellious and quick. However, I was not fully invested in the secondary characters but that is not surprising as it is a novella, and hopefully if Elle decides to continue this story we will get to know more about Amanda, Harry and the Marshals.

In the Garden of Weeia is an enjoyable novella and I hope we will get to see more of Ernie in the future. I would recommend this novella to fans of the Weeia series. 

Unelmoija: Paradox

***

3 Stars/5

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

Still reeling from the death of her mother, Amy is trying to learn more about her powers when Vlad interrupts her loved ones and her life again. He tells them that his father Klaus is going to destroy all of Florida if he does not kill her father Thomas. Klaus is sure that Thomas is responsible for his father’s death but she is able to convince him to use her powers to discover what really happened. What she discovers doesn’t just impact her father and Klaus but has dire consequences for those she loves and they will have to make a choice that will change everything.

Unelmoija: Paradox is the fifth and enjoyable conclusion to the Weeia series. It is well written and has a lot of tension but it was not the fastest paced. This book also had twists and turns even if I did predict some of them.

Amy has grown since the first book and thinks things through a bit more but she is still active, resilient and good natured. Duncan and Kat are just as good and interesting characters as in the other books as they are both motivated people and are resourceful, especially when it comes to helping Amy. We also got to know Amy’s maternal grandparents better and I really liked how easy going and kind they are.

I was not expecting the ending but I was not a big fan of it as I felt it went on for too long. I would recommend Unelmoija: Paradox and the rest of the Weeia series to fans of YA paranormal novels.