Tuesday, June 30, 2020

5 Upcoming books we are excited about!

There are alot of books coming out at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. Here is a short list of the ones we are most excited for! (UK release dates)


1. Fable (expected release date 1st September 2020)

Blurb - Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.


2. Blood and Honey (expected release date 17th September 2020)

Blurb - The hotly anticipated sequel to the New York Times and IndieBound bestseller Serpent & Dove—packed with even steamier romance and darker magic—is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.

To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.


3. The Serpent's Curse (expected release date 13th April 2021)

Blurb - Evade the Serpent.

Heed the Curse.
Rewrite the Present.

Esta isn't a stranger to high-stakes heists. She's a seasoned thief who has no reservations about using her affinity for time to give her an edge, and she's trained her whole life for one mission: travel back to 1902 New York, steal the ancient Book of Mysteries, and use its power to destroy the Brink and free the Mageus from the Order's control.

But the Book held a danger that no one anticipated--Seshat, an angry goddess was trapped within its pages. Now that terrible power lives within Harte, and if given the chance, Seshat will use Esta to destroy the world and take her revenge.

Only Esta and Harte stand in her way.

Yet in their search to recover the elemental stones needed to bind Seshat's power, Esta and Harte have found themselves stranded in time with a continent between them. As Esta fights to get back to Harte, the Order is no longer the only obstacle standing in her way.

Saving Harte--and magic itself--will put even Esta's skills to the test. And all the while, another danger grows, one more terrible than both Seshat and the Order combined.



4. All the Stars and Teeth (Expected release date 4th August 2020)


Blurb Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.


She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer — the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder — and more peril — than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.


5. A Court of Silver Flames (expected release date 26th January 2020)

Blurb (so far) The war is finally over, and Feyre's sister Nesta shines in this stunning, sexy new book in the Court of Thorns and Roses series by global #1 bestselling author Sarah J. Maas

Review: MacBeth by William Shakespeare


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"Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble"

MacBeth is a short play written by William Shakespeare. It tells the story of a man who is prophesied to be king of Scotland and will do anything to ensure this fate. 

What i did like about this book 

  • The Witches scenes were my favorite part of this play. They add mystical and slightly comedical element to the story. 
  • I enjoyed the writing style - the poeticism and the way it flows. 
What I didn't like

  • MacBeth/Lady MacBeth - The reasoning behind their actions didn't really make sense.
MacBeth is a tragic tale, full of political machinations and bloody scenes. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading tragedies or plays.

4 stars 
 
✭✭✭✭

Review: City or Bones by Cassandra Clare


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" All the stories are true"

Clary is young girl living with her mother in New York City. When she goes for a night out with her friend Simon to a club called Pandemonium she witnesses an event which will change her life forever. Soon after, her mother goes missing and she finds herself involved with a mysterious group called Shadow Hunters who hunt demons. Clary is quickly pulled into their world and discovers that she may not be the ordinary girl she once thought she was.

What I liked about this book

  • The characters - I really liked the characters, especially simon. He is loyal to Clary through everything.
  • The story line - The story is full of action and twists that keep the reader interested from start to finish
What I didn't like 
  • The repetitive writing - several times throughout the book, a phrase is written then on the next page its repeated. I felt that it was quite distracting and took away from an otherwise good book.
For the most part I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this if you enjoyed The Infernal Devices series or fantasy books in general.

3.5 stars

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Monday, June 29, 2020

10 Fantasy series' that we love!

One of our favourite genres to read it fantasy! There's just something about reading about mythical people, creatures and places that feels great. Sometimes a bit of escapism helps with day to day life. So we've put together a list of 10 fantasy series' that we've read and loved. 

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1. Nevernight - This series follows Mia Corvere on her quest to get revenge on the people who caused the death of her father. Mia is no ordinary girl. She is Darkin, a powerful being who can control shadows. No one knows much about Darkin, but Mia will soon discover that she is a girl with a story to tell. 










2. The Last Magician -  Esta lives in modern day New York. Everyone who has an affinity for magic is drawn to New York and trapped there by a magical barrier called the brink. Magic used to be thriving but since the Brink was put in place those with an affinity have been systematically killed by a mysterious group called The Order. Esta uses her affinity for time to return to the past to obtain an object that can destroy the brink and save magic, But this will not be as easy as she thinks. 








3. Six of Crows - This duology depicts a group of six unlikely friends' mission to try and break into the most protected prison in the world, to rescue scientist Yul-Bayur. Yul-Bayur holds the secret to creating a drug that enhances the powers of any Grisha who takes it but with devastating consequences. Everyone wants this dangerous knowledge, but who will win in the race to obtain it. 









4. A Court of Thorns and Roses - In a world where the humans live separately from the fae, Feyre Archeron lives with her father and sisters in a small house with very little in the way of resources. In an attempt to help her family, Feyre goes into the woods to hunt and kills a wolf. This act triggers unexpected events which will take Feyre into the fae land of Prythian.








5. The Cruel Prince -  Jude and her sister Taryn are two humans living the land of fairy. They have been living amongst the fair folk since they were children and know how to survive (mostly). Jude has aspirations higher than a human child should expect in fairy. After catching the eye of one of the royal family, Jude finds herself in a position she could not have imagined.  









 6.  The Mortal Instruments - Clary is young girl living with her mum in New York City. When she goes for a night out with her friend Simon to a club called Pandemonium she witnesses an event which will change her life forever. She soon discovers that she may not be the ordinary girl she once thought she was.










7. The Infernal Devices - When Tessa Gray goes to London to look for her brother who has gone missing she discovers a dark world which was previously unknown to her. She soon finds allies in the local Shadow Hunters, who help her on her quest. She discovers that her brother is involved with an underground group called the Pandemonium club who is intent on building an army of clockwork creatures in an attempt to take control of the british empire. Tessa and her friends set out to stop them, learning a lot about herself on the way.






8. Throne of Glass - Celaena Sardothien is an assassin who has been imprisoned in Endovier, a brutal prison where the inmates are worked to death. Celaena is given a reprieve when the prince of Adarlan comes and offers her a place in a competition to become the king's personal assassin. Celaena accepts and is brought to the palace to live whilst the competition takes place. There she discovers a hidden plot. Just as the kingdom is not as it seems, neither is Celaena.







9. A Curse so Dark and Lonely - Prince Rhen has been living in his own personal hell for who knows how long. He is forced by an evil sorceress to relive the same season over and over again, turning into a beast at the end of each season. Each time the season repeats more of his subjects are killed and the kingdom loses strength. To break the curse, Rhen must find someone who loves him. Rhens captain of the guard Grey heads out each cycle to retrieve a woman from the mortal realm in an attempt to break the curse. This time he inadvertently brings back Harper who is determined that she will not fall in love with the prince. As this is the last cycle the stakes are high. Will Rhen and Harper break the curse, or will Rhen be a beast forever thus dooming his kingdom?




10. Three Dark Crowns - On the isle of Fennbirn, each time a queens reign ends she gives birth to triplets. Each queen has a gift. Queen Katharine is a poisoner. Poisoners can consume the deadliest poison with no effect. Mirabella is an elemental who has the power to control storms and flames. Arsinoe is a naturalist. Naturalists can make things grow and tame creatures. In the end there can only be one queen of Fennbirn and the queens must fight to the death to decide who it will be. 




Thursday, June 25, 2020

Review: A Spectacle of Souls by Jessica Julien (Expected release date 7th July 2020)


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Caitlyn lives with her friend Vanessa in a small regular town, with a boring regular job and little in the way of future prospects. She suffers from severe headaches which the doctors have been unable to explain, meaning she has to medicate herself to keep them at bay. 

Everything changes when a stranger comes into the cafe that Caitlyn works in and hands her a flyer for the circus. It is soon revealed the circus is not as it seems and finds herself drawn into it. Caitlyn also discovers that she may not be the regular girl she thought she was. 

What I liked about this book

  • I actually really enjoyed the concept of this book. I liked the idea the the powers are an extension of their soul.
  • The circus theme - I love a circus themed book! The way the circus performances are described is great. I could really imagine it.
What i didn't like 

  • There are a few continuity issues with this book. Some things happened that just aren't in line with what happened previously. It made me doubt my memory a bit?
Overall i think that i would rate this book around 2.75. I think if the details were ironed out then this would have the potential to be alot better.


✭✭✬

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Review: The Night Country by Melissa Albert (The Hazel Wood 2)

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The Night Country by Melissa Albert is the second instalment in The Hazel Wood duology.

After escaping the Hinterland, Alice is trying to move on with her life along with her mum Ella. The Hinterland has collapsed, meaning that the people who lived there have now taken up residence on earth. Alice is drawn back into the Hinterland community when a few of its members turn up dead.

Meanwhile, Finch is travelling through other worlds with a mysterious stranger. 

When the story is following Alice its written in the first person. As she has been separated from Ellery Finch, he also has a few chapters in this book. Though these are told in the third person. 

What I liked about this book 

  • The duel plot lines - although this type of writing can sometimes be a bit confusing and hard to follow, it was not the case in The Night Country. The duel plot lines added an extra depth to the book and helped to expand the world.
  • The ending - don't want to say too much here, but the ending really tied everything together for me.
  • Same as with The Hazel Wood, I loved the fairy tales that are sprinkled through the pages of these books.
What I didn't like
  • Though I definitely liked her alot better in this book, I still am not really a fan of Alice.
The Night Country was without a doubt my favorite of The Hazel Wood duology.

4 Stars
✭✭✭✭
 

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Review: The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert.


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Whats the book about?

17 year old Alice and her mum Ella have moved from place to place for as long as Alice can remember. Each move closely follows a string of 'bad luck'. Alice has never met her Grandmother - Althea Proserpine, who was the author of a mysterious book called Tales from the Hinterland which holds dark fairy tales. Alice has not had a chance to read the book as it is impossible to find. When Ella receives news that her mother is dead, she decides that its time for them to stop running. One day while Alice is at school Ella goes missing. Alice and her friend Ellery Finch set out to find Ella but instead they discover more than they bargained for.

What I liked about this book
  • For me, the first half of the book was definitely the best part. The first 70% of the book focuses on Alice's search for her mum and the discovery that the world isn't as it seems. It felt like i was reading a murder mystery with an undercurrent of magic.
  • Althea Proserpines fairy tales - Ellery describes a few of the fairy tales that are said to be in Tales from the Hinterland to Alice throughout the book. These were a highlight for me as they are dark and the give an extra layer of spookiness to the story as a whole. 
  • The world building in this book is good you can really picture the environment as the story played out. 
What I didn't like 
  • I really didn't enjoy the last 20% of the book. The Hinterland was just not what i was expecting it be. Though i did like the halfway wood.
  • I did't particularly like the main character Alice. She is prone to anger out bursts, is judgemental and is pretty horrible to Ellery throughout the story. I get that this is meant to be part of her character profile but it just didn't do it for me.
The Hazel Wood is, for the most part, an enjoyable read. I would recommend this book if you are a fan of fairy tales, though the versions in this book probably aren't what your used too.

3.5 stars

✭✭✭✫

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Review: The House that Fell from the Sky by Patrick Delaney (release date 1 Sep 2020)

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Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The house that fell from the sky takes place in a city called Winterview. One day an ominous house appearance from no where. The house has awful effects on anyone when gets near it, particularly if they manage to get inside. The story centres around friends Scarlet, Tommy, Jackson and Hannah depicting the events which lead to them entering the house and the challenges they face inside.

The part leading up to the characters entering the house is quite lengthy but i think that this is necessary as it helps to build the characters and helps the reader to understand each characters individual perspective.

I really liked the characters especially Scarlett and my heart went out to Jackson throughout the book.

The descriptions and scene setting are really detailed its really easy to visualise what the author is trying to portray.

This book keeps you hanging through twists and turns that you wont see coming. Overall i really enjoyed reading this book.

4 stars
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Review: The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea by Kerrelyn Sparks (expected release date 25 Aug 2020)


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Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.

The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea is the 5th book in the Embraced series. Maeves sisters are now all queens in their own countries leaving only Maeve unmarried. She has plenty of potential suitors but the man she wants has been missing for two months and rumours of an embraced army have surfaced.

The book focuses on Maeves journey to find Brody and the location of the embraced army.

I really enjoyed this book. In fact i couldn't put it down and finished it in one night! 
It is magical, full of twists and the main love story is great. Though the instalove between the other two prominent characters was a bit much for me. The book is well written and captivating.

4 stars
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Book Review: War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen 4)

    


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War Storm is the 4th book in the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and brings the events of the series to a conclusion. The book is written from multiple perspectives giving a more dynamic look at the story.

What I did like

  • I loved Evangeline's chapters, she's such a sassy character. She was by far my favourite character in this book and I was rooting for her and Elane. 
  • Maven and Cal's chapters also brought a new element to the book. I think it was good to get a sense of their perspectives. It helped to better understand the reasoning behind their actions. 
What I didn't like 
  • The word 'sneer' is very over used in this book. A lot of authors have a word that seems to be their 'go to' e.g. SJM 'Indeed'. 'Sneer' is definitely Victoria Aveyard's over used word.

Overall the book was good, but do feel that the series dragged on a bit. Perhaps this series would have been better as a 3 instead of a 4. 

I would rate it 3 stars!
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