The Gilded Cage

Title: The Gilded Cage
Author: Lynette Noni
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: October 2021
Pages: 429

Series: The Prison Healer #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 3 - 4 Oct
Binding: NetGalley e-arc
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★★

Blurb: 

 Kiva Meridan is a survivor.
 She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.
 As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.
 Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.

Review:

 Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with the arc via NetGalley, I'm so grateful I was able to pick this up straight away after finishing The Prison Healer. I rated The Prison Healer 4/5 stars as I found the pacing a little slow, The Gilded Cage is the sequel so go and get yourselves on to the first book if you haven't read it already! For me, this did not fall in to the disappointing sequel we often see with a series. For me it was actually an improvement on the first book and I am absolutely pumped for the next book. Looks as though this is set as a trilogy so prepare yourselves, we're not done with these characters yet!

 There was so much going on with this book I could hardly put it down. I rarely finish a book in two days and that's how the 5 star rating has come in. I could put the first book down and give it paus as things slowly developed but in this book I just had to know what was coming next. I was addicted and have some catching up at work to do as a result!

 If you've read the previous book you're aware we're completely changing settings from the restrictions of Zalindov prison. Going outwards in to that fabulous map, we're based now in the capital and more specifically the palace. We do venture outside the walls of the city and of course have far more news of what's going on across the wider continent. It gives an opportunity for the world building that was restricted by Zalindov's lack of information in the first book. It's not overwhelming as we don't experience too much first hand but it was refreshing from the first book.

 We've got a range of new characters, I feel diversity was set up quite well in the previous book with LGBTQ+, disability and race coming in and we have some more characters hitting these areas. Not only do we meet and spend a lot of time with the royal but Kiva's family as well. Caldon is one of my new favourite characters, briefly seen in The Prison Healer but revealed in all his glory in this book. Kiva's family, well . . . I have conflicting feelings as I think most of us will. Kiva is still a little naïve, Tipp is still a sweetie and Jaren is still a romantic. I think we see growth in each of their characters, understanding their history, ambitions and lives outside of Zalindov.

 We get to delve more in to the fantasy element of this series in this book, seeing what Jaren is truly capable of as well as understanding more of Kiva's family magic and the history to it. I enjoy that the magic is relatively limited as to what and who has it, it makes it feel more organic and unique rather than trying to introduce a whole new world of magical capabilities. The displays are bigger and more frequent than the previous book bringing some further entertainment and understanding of what's at stake and the danger presented by some of our characters.

 The plot in terms of the overall series is still moving somewhat slowly, it still feels like the beginning to a much bigger series, there are many questions to be answered! However with all the expansion to the setting, magic and characters there are side tasks and stories coming in that kept me incredibly wrapped up and entertained. I'm almost annoyed I've read it. . . I want the next book NOW! The writing as with the prior book is easy to read, a good balance of description, dialogue and plot movement.

 I was pleasantly surprised by this instalment to The Prison Healer books, some fluff, much laughter, shock and sadness. All the feels and a fantastic expansion to carry us towards what is supposedly the final book in the series. Be prepared to leave with questions, or perhaps save yourself from the turmoil and wait until all the books are out!

The Prison Healer

Title: The Prison Healer
Author: Lynette Noni
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: April 2021
Pages: 403

Series: The Prison Healer #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 26 Sep - 3 Oct
Binding: Fairyloot Hardback
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 Here at Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself.

 Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and only one goal: stay alive.

 Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: Don't let her die. We are coming.

 The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

 But no one has ever survived.

 And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feelings that her trials have only just begun.

Review:

 As I've said before, I avoid reading blurbs of books I receive in book box subscriptions, it leaves more room for surprise. Typing out the blurb for my blog I realise quite how much is given away. Interesting indeed and makes the main reason this didn't get 5 stars (the pacing) seem even worse. Towards the end I looked back and realised how slowly this book seemed to develop and now I realise if I'd read the blurb I'd probably have been seething waiting for things to develop past the blurb.

 There are more characters to hate than like in this book but then what can you expect from a prison setting filled with murderers, rapists and thugs? Kiva is a driven character, driven by her role as a healer and driven by her ambition to get out of Zalindov. She is unliked by other prisoners and generally appears to be a relatable character until she appears to dive in to a pool of stupidity in volunteering for the Trial by Ordeal. Someone taking their job a little too seriously. . . Tipp is a wonderful young character bringing some energetic youth and a stutter to our otherwise dreary setting. Then come Jaren, Naari and even Mot. A mix of characters that are somewhat crazy, reliable, mysterious, teasing and more than they seem.

 The fantasy element to this book is subtle. It's briefly explained, with further background given part way through the book. We don't see an awful lot of the magic in this book but the foundations are there for expansion. I think the concept is strong and really enjoyed seeing how this all started and also gave a background to the wider setting of the world.

  We don't go outside of the prison, Zalindov, in this book so there is a small amount of world building given the lack of news coming in to the prison. It's appropriate and allows more detail to be given to the setting we're actually in for the majority of the book, time to expand later.

 All in all, it's quite a long book for the amount of content, there are the beginning of a really good series and I'm excited to see how it develops. My enthusiasm and the rating may not have been adequately explained by the above but the twists towards the end gave the whole book the elevation it needed for me.

The Devil Makes Three

Title: The Devil Makes Three
Author: Tori Bovalino

Publisher: Titan Books
Year: August 2021
Pages: 383
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Horror
Reading Time: 23 - 29 September
Binding: Illumicrate Hardback
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 When Tess and Eliot stumble upon an ancient book hidden in a secret tunnel beneath their school library, they accidentally release a devil from his book-bound prison, and he'll stop at nothing to stay free. He'll manipulate all the ink in the library books to do his bidding, he'll murder in the stacks, and he'll bleed into every inch of Tess's life until his freedom is permanent.
 Forced to work together, Tess and Eliot have to find a way to re-trap the devil before he kills everyone they know and love, including, increasingly, each other. And compared to what the devil has in store for them, school stress suddenly doesn't seem so bad after all.

Review:

 This is not a book I would have expected to pick up myself but that's the beauty of having subscriptions such as Illumicrate. Receiving something that may push the limits of what you may have picked and introducing some variety to our reading experiences. I think the general theme of the ink and books makes this a generally good pick for a book box subscription and with Illumicrate often toeing the line between adult and young adult this book perfectly represents a book that is young adult based on the main characters ages however has creepy and gory elements pushing it towards adult.

 This book is a major mix of genres, I don't think it fits cleanly in to any genre. Young adult in that it's characters are of the required age. Horror in the gore. Thriller in the suspense. Fantasy in the supernatural. Urban fantasy in the real world setting. Minor romance.

 The horror element is what is going to make people pick this up or stay far, far away. So let's talk about that first. I was not overwhelmed and I am by no means a horror movie or book fan, it's something I only occasionally venture in to however others on the Illumicrate readalong were switching their reading time to ensure they read in daylight and were getting very creeped out. We have gore, lots of gore. Some self harm so trigger warning there. There is general creepiness that you see in paranormal books. I thought it was pretty tame but it is all very subjective. Perhaps if it was a film I would have been worse, I think visuals get to me more than words.

 I thought the setting and immersion in to the real world as an urban fantasy was fantastic. A library being our main setting, what better way to appeal to readers? We're mainly set in the US but have references to the UK. It doesn't require a whole lot of world building and we're kept to a few other buildings and personal spaces so that it's more personal. What really impressed me was the situational setting, our characters experience money and health problems and it is just so relatable and real. It added a whole other element to the book for me outside of what I usually feel in fantasies I read more regularly.

 We centre around Tess and Eliot, two characters from wildly different backgrounds. Tess is overworked and stressed out due to family money troubles. She's got the responsibility of her sister (who's a little brat) and herself. Throughout the book it feels like she's somewhat burned out and it give this edge of blasé that I think dampened the horror elements when she experienced them. She's a trooper and just gets on with things which I can totally relate to. Eliot is a rich boy with and English accent and a very different motivation to protect his family. Separated parents with an ill mother, he is on a mission and his drive is admirable.

 I did get to a point during the middle where I felt the plot was moving quite slowly. It just seemed like nothing was moving and side characters and plot were introduced as a bit of filler. It got better and it didn't necessarily stop me from wanting to read at any point. It probably developed that same as a typical horror/thriller plot. 

 As much as young adult fantasy has it's tropes I think thriller and horror really lends itself to some clichés, the ending had me rolling my eyes at how cliché it as. I don't particularly care for things 'fitting the genre', that doesn't make it good. So I found a few areas were quite predictable in this way, not in that I knew where things were going like I often do with a YA fantasy but that I wasn't very often surprised by the book.

 As far as we can currently see this is set up as a standalone and I don't think has any business in expanding further than this, it was an enjoyable break from my norm but taking it further I think would be stretching the capabilities of the story too much. It was a good book, let's leave it at that!

Jade Fire Gold

Title: Jade Fire Gold
Author: June C.L. Tan
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: November 2021
Pages: 449
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 13 - 22 September
Binding: Netgalley arc
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

In an empire on the brink of war . . .
Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.
Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.
When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her lethal magical abilities.
But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

Review:

 I'm really grateful to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with this arc via NetGalley. Looks as though I am guaranteed a few copies of this book through my various subscriptions!

 We travel through this book from Ahn and Altan's perspectives. Ahn is a supposedly orphaned girl with magic in her veins that must be hidden at all costs. Altan is an orphaned royal, hiding from his families' murderers whilst he plots his revenge. Their paths could never have crossed yet they are linked by a greater purpose. It's not going out on a limb in terms of YA fantasy but you don't fix what ain't broke!

 Ahn is a fantastic character to follow, she has little ambition from the beginning which I find is somewhat relatable when you first step in to a book where you know nothing about the setting. She wants to know who she is, her Ama to be healthy and her belly to be full. Perhaps leaving the damn desert too. Simple things. She has a magical gift very unexplored in the beginning which also adds to the developing of her character throughout. She's somewhat naïve which can be irritating from time to time but then the book would have been over far too quickly!

 Altan is more sure of himself, or so he thinks. The would-be emperor that was ousted from the throne has a plan to return to his birth right. He is skilled in both combat and his own magical abilities. He's quite bitter, stubborn and generally a little stiff for my liking. The set up as a character is great though.

 The Asian setting is one I seem to be getting swamped by in 2021 but I am yet to be fed up of it. It provides for a range of settings such as desert, ocean, forests etc. The mythology is also somewhat of a mystery to me so I can't comment on how much of it is inspired by or lifted from it. It allows for a nice way to bring in the fantasy element including magic by our characters and creatures making an appearance. It's not overkill but well placed in the setting with good contributions to the plot.

 We've got a range of characters in both strong and manipulative men and women. Individuals with scarring and disabilities as well as LGBTQ+ relationships. A snarky and fun female assassin, a drunk yet humble emperor and comforting old lady. I can't go in to too much detail without spoilers.

 I really like the writing style. It was simple enough to read easily but not so much that it became juvenile. Nothing made me think the author was trying to had and there was a good balance of description, plot and dialogue.

 It occurred to me as I was reading that whilst there was plenty of action happening the actual plot was moving relatively slow and that this must mean the book was going to be a series. Alas, the story wrapped itself up quite quickly in the last 120 pages or so. This made the previous parts of the book feel even slower in comparison. Feels like some re-jigging could have fixed that and some of the really entertaining bits towards the end could have been extended.

 So, we have some romance. If you are expecting to be swooned you will be disappointed. The romance was lacking actual emotion and feeling. It was all snarky remarks, annoyed glances and avoiding each other. It was so frustrating and towards the end had me questioning how any kind of relationship could come from it.

 That epilogue though, damn! I'm gonna need that character to come with their own novel and I shall be there for it.

Six Crimson Cranes

Title: Six Crimson Cranes
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Year: July 2021
Pages: 454

Series: Six Crimson Cranes #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 6 - 12 September
Binding: Fairyloot Hardback

Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★★

Blurb:

 Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs in her veins. And on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

 A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

 Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to contain - no matter what it costs.

Review:

 Fairyloot have blessed me with dragon fantasy novels TWO MONTHS IN A ROW! Utterly magnificent. The dragons are briefly mentioned in the blurb above, hold their own in the beginning of the story and, it seems, will be a large part of the next book. That's it, I said it, the next book. Currently confirmed as a duology on the author's website. I can tell you now I'll be waiting for it!

 I seem to be finding myself in an Asian setting really frequently this year and it can honestly still be so different. Shiori travels a range of places and Lim sets up the world fantastically in this way (helped by a beautiful map in my version). We see the capital, the ocean and the snowy mountains just to name a few. 

 Shiori is a great character to follow. She's a female with a more modern mind, resentful of being married off to a man she doesn't know, and motivated by food. She's hidden her magic for years and thus hasn't really learned it's extent yet. She cares deeply for her family and is generally a pretty likeable character. Stubborn and impulsive, sure but not in any way that I found frustrating. It's a rare day I actually like a main character so this was an absolute win.

 The six brothers are our main other characters for the first portion of the book and Lim gives us a range of characters just within them. The intelligent, the stubborn, the joking, the understanding. There are enough of them to fill in a lot of side character space and no single time is spent on any of them quite enough to build up a dislike of any of the more stubborn brothers. 

 I really enjoyed our range of other characters. Seryu is great fun and with him as an introduction to a whole other world hosted by the dragons under the ocean is going to be fascinating. I'm excited to see more of him and his magic. Raikama was fantastically written and our other main characters only come in around half way through so I don't want to say too much. It was all fantastic though, the good and the bad intentioned characters.

 The other thing I enjoy about the Asian themed settings is that I have a little less of an understanding of their mythology and what kinds of magic are going to be present in their world. Dragons are a difference I'm aware of but it generally leaves me with a lot of wiggle room of understanding in terms of other magic. I enjoyed the magical integration in to the world, it wasn't too fantastical but subtly enough to work in a land where magic is forbidden.

 We change settings a few times in this book which amends the direction of what we expect from the plot. I think it was paced really well, it wasn't something I really thought about in this book in terms of think it was slow or moving quickly so that means it was likely just right for the story behind it.

 So . . . what are you waiting for? The second book to come out? Ah, understood.

This Poison Heart

Title: This Poison Heart
Author: Kalynn Bayron
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Year: June 2021
Pages: 370

Series: This Poison Heart #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 5 - 11 September
Binding: Owlcrate Hardback

Goodreads

Stars:
★★★☆☆

Blurb:

 Briseis has a gift: with a single touch she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms.

 When Briseis's aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents hope that surrounded by plants and flowers, she will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they never expected - it comes with a mysterious set of instructions, a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world, and generations of secrets. There is more to Bri's sudden inheritance that she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it.

 From the bestselling author of Cinderella is Dead comes an enchanting story about a young woman with the power to conquer the dark forces descending around her.

Review:

 Bayron's writing style is very easy to read which is really required when the plot begins in the last quarter of the book. Having said that, I genuinely wrote in my notes it felt kind of juvenile so this was certainly the young side of young adult.  As much as I enjoyed the overall premise of this book the plot took a really, really long time to go anywhere. The majority of the book is changing settings and meeting new people. A couple of interesting moments which make us think the plot is beginning and then managing to downplay it until the last few chapters. A bit disappointing. It was nice to see things tying together to a bigger plot but it took so long to get there that the mystery throughout the book built up to a point of frustration rather than satisfaction.

 The general story is actually very interesting. Plants are attracted to Bri, unnaturally so and react to her manipulations as well. A 'Poison Ivy' kind of gift. To then tie this in to a part of Greek Mythology was fascinating for me, it was not a story that I had heard before and it added an additional element to the book that elevated it slightly.

 The main character, Briseis, is Black, adopted, bisexual and wears glasses. Don't know what more representation you could want! She's a little naïve, which will either endear or irritate you. For a girl with parents like hers she's far too trusting of people. It was very at odds with her apparent background. She's oddly courageous but it's not in an impressive way. I feel like I've set her up badly, I actually quite liked her, she's a pretty genuine normal person but on reflection can't really pull anything else out to highlight.

 I'd like to say we've got a range of characters but I'm not sure that's quite accurate to say. Bri's adopted parents are two Black women, Mom and Mo. At first I really like them but after a bit I found them unbearable annoying. Their overbearing mothering was just a bit too much and cliché. They also exhibited a lot of. . . I don't know. Annoying mannerisms? I'm trying to tread carefully as I'm not sure in New Yorkers actually speak and act this way. I'm from the UK, we don't carry tasers or mace, don't burst into rooms carrying them. And I've never heard anyone talk the way they and Bri do, I was physically rolling my eyes and cringing at points.

 Other characters like Karter and Marie had interactions with Bri that were just unbelievable. No one becomes friends that quickly in a strange new town. Regardless of any later information, it came across strangely and is part of why I described Bri as I did above. Karter's clumsiness was unfounded, Marie's interest even more so. They just didn't seem well padded out characters.

 One this I did enjoy was the little input of details about hair care for Bri as a Black person. Not something I have seen before and a good, normal thing to be putting in to a contemporary setting. I have actually read a Black reviewer complaining about some of this and the dialogue feeling forced in terms of representation. I wouldn't necessarily be able to highlight the dialogue but perhaps that was what I was spotting up above? I can't really tell and of course it's very much for individuals to make up their own minds about!

 So, after the plot really opening up at the end it turns out more of the story is likely to come up in the second book. I can only see a second book in plans on Goodreads which isn't too much of a further commitment. I'd quite like to see the full extent of the potential of this premise, if I spot it in the library and wanted and easy read, I'd probably pick it up.

She Who Became the Sun

Title: She Who Became the Sun
Author: Shelley Parker-Chan
Publisher: Mantle

Year: July 2021
Pages: 411

Series: The Radiant Emperor #1
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Time: 22 - 30 August
Binding: Illumicrate Hardback

Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, a seer show two children their fates. For the boy, greatness. For the girl, nothingness.

 In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is only found in stories. The Zhu family is mystified as to how Zhu Chongba, their eighth-born son, will achieve his lofty future. But for a daughter, no matter how clever or capable, an early death would be no surprise.

 Yet when a bandit attack orphans the two children, it's Zhu Chongba who dies. Desperate to survive, his sister steals his identity to enter a monastery. There, disguised as a male novice, Zhu learns she can be ruthless to avoid her fate. But when her sanctuary is destroyed, Zhu is cast back into the war-torn world. To change her ending, there's only one thing she can do: claim her brother's great destiny as her own.

Review:

 Just to clarify, I know absolutely nothing about the history of China, so comparison to real historical events isn't going to happen with me. My interest in the subject has increased and I may very well go in to some research but my expertise is so low it's probably in my best interests to leave that to others! I also don't read blurbs of my book boxes, just join the readalongs so any links I could have made the chance to make in advance weren't given a chance. Helpfully the author has added a historical note at the beginning of the book for the setting which is always a fabulous idea.

 Despite what the blurb may have you believe, we experience more than just Zhu Chongba's POV in this book. They come in later and I don't want to spoil too much though. Our two main characters are Zhu Chongba who, as described in the blurb, was born female and identifies as male. An extremely dangerous situation in this time period. Our other main character is a eunuch with an appearance that could have you believing he is either gender. A very interesting duo. The determination behind each character is astounding and their backstories superb. Make no doubt, these are both dark characters and towards the end I begin questioning who I'm really rooting for.

 1435 China is of course a real world setting with issues such as famine, war and superstition. A small fantasy element is brought in by the presence of the ghosts seen by Zhu which I didn't expect whatsoever. I'm not sure we really got an explanation as to why they showed up or if I completely missed it. It did however add a new mysterious element to the religious side of things.

 In the Illumicrate discord I saw someone mention how slow they thought it was after 100 pages and I'm not sure they were reading the same book I was! We are with Zhu for the beginning as they meet the seer and then to the monastery. This was a few chapters and I felt we absolutely rocketed through this as a backstory. It gets us interested in Zhu and understanding how such thinking and ambition came about. We had continuous action throughout the book and I only had a feeling of the book being slightly slow in the middle as we began to be introduced to more characters. It was a brief section really halted by some long chapters but the quality of content in those chapters remained high.

 At this point I should highlight that this is a fantasy book and not a book I would classify as young adult fantasy. We see Zhu through a range of years ageing but the content of this book reminded me slightly of The Poppy War series in that it does not hide away from violence. It's not on the same level but doesn't shy away from a few quite brutal deaths and other acts of violence. There's also a short scene of sexual content which I was surprised by as it seemingly came out of nowhere. So you've been slightly warned.

 So why did this book not get the full five star rating? Questions. I have so many questions. Zhu's name? The ghosts? More I'm sure I'll find out in the next book. I also had a little trouble keeping track of some characters and completely missed the death of one side character, probably where things slowed down or too many names came in to play.

 All in all. . . I shall be keeping an eye out for this series as it continues and would recommend for fans of The Poppy War that are happy seeing a little less fantastical elements.

Fire with Fire

Title: Fire with Fire
Author: Destiny Soria
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Year: June 2021
Pages: 421
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Time: 9 - 13 August
Binding: Fairyloot Hardback

Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 What if the story we've been told about dragons is wrong?

 Dani and Eden Rivera were born to kill dragons, but that's the only thing the sisters have in common. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to everyday high school life. For Eden, slaying is her life. Yet they both agree on one thing: where dragons are concerned, it's kill or be killed.

 That is, until Dani actually meets a dragon and ends up forging a rare and magical soul bond with him. As they grow closer, she begins to question everything she thought she knew. Suddenly the one thing Eden and Dani always agreed on is the one thing that could tear their world apart. With Dani lost to the wrong side, Eden knows she'll have to risk everything to bring her sister back from the edge - even turning to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers for help.

 Now on opposite ends of an impending war, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they can imagine, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.

Reviews:

 Books are always a win when dragons are involved. Place it in a modern setting, referencing real life books and people and twining them in to the fantasy element? GOLDEN! I pretty continuously don't read the descriptions of books in my book box subscriptions, I just try and join in on the readalongs. This one was a very pleasant surprise from Fairyloot!

 Before I talk in some more detail about the characters I feel I should mention the representation covered by our characters. Our main family is made up of sisters Dani and Eden and their parents James (Scottish) and Analisa (Mexican) so immediate POC representation. Dani is bisexual, already out and proud about it so we've got a little of our LGBT. We've also got some references to panic disorders and anxiety. We share POVs between Dani and Eden and as the blurb suggests these are vastly different giving you some change in pace, setting and outlook throughout.

 More directly on our main two characters, Dani was your typical person of the modern age that's not interested in the family business. Training to appease the family but more concerned with just being a normal person. Total respect for that but Dani is really denying the fact that she's pretty badass! Girl is a weapon and damn good at what she's been trained for. She's realistically awkward in her high school life interactions and has all the background of working a job in the background. Her wanting to be normal is really well set up but she also shows real respect for the skills her family has. She resents the work but respects its importance, a good balance. I found her funny and relatable.

 Eden however is the reason this book got knocked down a star. Bitter was the undercurrent of the majority of her chapters and whilst I understand wanting the sisters to be different it made for an experience where I just wanted to skip Eden's chapters. Jealousy, whining, manipulation all make for a good character but not necessarily half the POV of a book. Top that with the difficult of some anxiety issues I feel this is actually a difficult topic. For me there needed to be a very big redemption arc for her general behaviour and for me anxiety and panic disorders are just a thin excuse. This is however, obviously, a subjective topic.

 I'll give you some one-liners on our other characters. A witty and dark humoured dragon that I absolutely loved, favourite quote being 'Try not to be a pedantic twit; it will make all of this much easier.' Genuine laughing out loud and getting weird looks moment for me. A well thought out sorceress with power and determination. You get a whole mix of funny and malicious side characters in this book but not so many that you'll lose track.

 I've already mentioned how I like the integrating of the modern world in this fantasy but I really enjoyed the general magical concept. Dragons are awesome, period. Soul bonds between humans and dragons, rare but empowering? Wicked! Sorcerers coming about in a way I'll let you read about? Insane! Love. Love. Love.

 In terms of pacing, I was pretty happy with the was this story unfolded. Yes there were some side-elements going on that came in and slowed it down but it all felt genuine to the story rather than forced. 

 Overall, if this story is going to continue with a series I'm very, very likely to follow it up!

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz

Title: The Dressmakers of Auschwitz

Author: Lucy Adlington

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Year: September 2021
Pages: 317 (excluding notes)
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reading Time: 14 - 25 July
Binding: NetGalley arc

Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

At the height of the Holocaust twenty-five young inmates of the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp - mainly Jewish women and girls - were selected to design, cut, and sew beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women in a dedicated salon. It was work that they hoped would spare them from the gas chambers.
This fashion workshop - called the Upper Tailoring Studio - was established by Hedwig Höss, the camp commandant's wife, and patronized by the wives of SS guards and officers. Here, the dressmakers produced high-quality garments for SS social functions in Auschwitz, and for ladies from Nazi Berlin's upper crust.

Review:

 Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an early copy of this book via NetGalley. I want to preface by saying it was extremely unlike me to request this kind of book. I'm not a big reader of non-fiction unless it's my studying. I am not a history fan and especially likely to avoid any subject of the second World War. I moved schools and ended up studying it three separate times, all of which were desperately boring and ended up putting me off the subject of history completely. So the fact that this pulled my attention is, quite frankly, a small miracle!

 I love how this book came in to being with Adlington's other non-fiction and fiction previous publications. It's certainly plenty of time to research and build the span of knowledge shown on the Upper Tailoring Studio and it's attendants.

 Adlington doesn't just give us the view of Auschwitz but takes us from the beginning of the Nazi's impact on the fashion industry. How businesses were uprooted and handed over, how the armbands came in to being and how Jews were stripped of all they had before they even reached the concentration camps. There is so much more to the build up towards the concentration camps than I realised.

 Adlington has done extensive research in to the dressmakers as well and gives us plenty of insight to their lives before the Upper Tailoring Studio. Their families, their plans, their skills. It's truly impressive how much she's found.

 When we reach Auschwitz it is some time before the Upper Tailoring Studio is formed, the dressmakers arrive at different times for different reasons. They experience horrors and talk of the general life of Auschwitz and the various other horrible work they endured there. I was also shocked to see mentioned that the idea of the gas chambers came from the treatment of lice. I do question this as I tried to look it up later and found very little answers, the only mention of the same method being conspiracies that the Holocaust never happened. Not a great source to have any kind of connection to but a fantastic insight all the same.

 There are chapters post-Auschwitz, not for all the dressmakers and not all that make it fully through the chapters. It's fascinating to see how their experiences differed after the war.

 There is a real load of interesting information about a largely unexplored detail of Auschwitz here however. I feel like we really didn't hear very much about working in the Upper Tailoring Studio. It's formed, part of the resistance and then over very quickly. I would have liked to hear more about their working conditions and any further stories it feels like there are. True to the title however this is about the dressmakers and their story rather than the studio itself.

 I really enjoyed Adlington's writing, informative but still interesting. Well paced within in each chapter and an excellent introduction.

 This renewed my interest in one day making a trip to Auschwitz, I'm convinced it's an experience we should all have given it's still such recent history. I'll be glad to have the nuggets of information from this book when I do.

Daughters of Sparta

Title: Daughters of Sparta
Author: Claire Heywood

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: July 2021
Pages: 334
Genre: Retelling/Mythology
Reading Time: 12 - 14 July
Binding: NetGalley arc

Stars:
★★★★★

Blurb:

 As princesses of Sparta, Helen and Klytemnestra have known nothing but luxury and plenty. With their high birth and unrivalled beauty, they are the envy of all of Greece.
 Such privilege comes at a high price, though, and their destinies are not theirs to command. While still only girls they are separated and married off to legendary foreign kings Agamemnon and Menelaos, never to meet again. Their duty is now to give birth to the heirs society demands and be the meek, submissive queens their men expect.
 But when the weight of their husbands' neglect, cruelty and ambition becomes too heavy to bear, they must push against the constraints of their sex to carve new lives for themselves - and in doing so make waves that will ripple throughout the next three thousand years.

Review:

 Well that is one way of kicking myself out of a reading slump, find a book I'm extremely biased to like given that I'm a woman with a love of Greek mythology stemming from childhood. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an early copy of this book via NetGalley, I truly appreciate it!

 The majority of us know the story of Helen of Troy, the Trojan War etc. I was first introduced to the story in primary school around the age of 9 or 10 when it was the base of our school play. I always take up on books, tv or fil on Greek mythology with great interest and as with all childhood obsessions some of the details have slipped away in the past few years despite the love still being there. What a book to reignite my fire of love for these myths!

 It's been lost to my memory or was just omitted from the stories I learned that Helen of Troy ever had a sister. It completely escaped my notice that she had as equally an interesting story. Over the course of this book we explore the minds of Helen and her older sister Klytemnestra over the course of their early lives. It's not a side of the story I've seen explored before and I feel it's a side that everyone should be given and suggested to think about more openly. These women weren't the villains some of the stories lead us to believe. They were women suffering under the rulings of cruel men and suffocating times that is accurate for so many until recent years. You can't help but sympathise and feel angered by the usual focus of these stories is on the bloody Trojan war. But I digress. . . 

 As I said, following the two sisters. The sharing of perspectives through the story and over the years provides a good balance. As much as I can empathise and change my opinion of Helen she is still vain and selfish whilst her sister is more considerate. You see them grow from childhood to womanhood, motherhood and then the stories we all know. I completely forgot Helen of Troy was supposed to be a mother but her story and how that develops in to the myth we all know is just so incredibly relatable. It's not a new issue and yet women are still met with scorn and judgement for it. Motherhood has a high price to pay and yet we see Klytemnestra pay it again and again. The contrast of their personalities and stories as they become mothers is so refreshing and mind opening as you work your way through the book. I imagine everyone will feel they relate to one more than the other but I can tell you this made me understand more from the other side than ever before.

 I suppose I'm being a bit cryptic given it's a story we largely know. I'm talking about childbirth and being a mother. How cut out for it different women are. Unfortunately all women in the past were really considered good for many years ago and that still enrages me. But also, what else was there we had to do? Women's lives were so controlled by the whims of men. I wouldn't have survived it and it makes me think women before had the strength of patience that ascended what any of us do now. That and fear, I suppose.

 I'm getting very held up on the reality of women. Don't get me wrong, this book is supposed to have us thinking about the perspective we don't see to often. It was perfect for that. The story telling is well paced, moving across years as needed and looking in on some of the less action filled moments to give you a feel of what more normal life was like for Helen and Klytemnestra and how even that could be trying. I think the dialogue fits well for the time period, though I'm obviously no expert and the writing fit as well. Good descriptions and insights to Helen and Klytemnestra's thoughts.

 There is not a lot else to say. It is the story we know, told from the women's perspectives. It is going to challenge how you've thought about it before whilst also confirming the same story you already knew. It was wonderful, captivating and stimulating. I have a rush of want to pick up some more Greek mythology and find some more women of history to look in to. A must read for any fan of Greek mythology, I want all and any special editions!

The Colours of Death

Title: The Colours of Death
Author: Patricia Marques
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: June 2021
Pages: 372
Genre: Thriller/Fantasy
Reading Time: 19 June - 11 July
Binding: NetGalley arc

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

The Murder
In the Gare do Oriente, a body sits, slumped, in a stationary train. A high-profile man appears to have died by throwing himself repeatedly against the glass. But according to witnesses, he may not have done this of his own accord.
The City
Lisbon 2021. A small percentage of the population are diagnosed as Gifted. Along with the power comes stigma and suspicion.
The Detective
In a prejudiced city, Gifted Inspector Isabel Reis is hiding her own secrets while putting her life on the line to stop an ingenious killer.
A violent and mysterious crime. Suspected Gifted involvement. A city baying for blood. And a killer who has only just begun . . .

Review:

 I haven't delved in to a thriller in some time and this book has just served to remind me why I really, really enjoy the occasions I do pick one up. Not to mentioned this mystery is edged with fantasy elements, such a wonderful blend of my favourite genre in here. The fantastical element is a real stroke of genius worldbuilding, I'd liken it to the X-Men with fewer variations of types of mutants but all the same prejudices and attempts to even the playing field. It's always an interesting concept to explore what happens to those that develop in to more than just human and how those of us previously at the top of the food chain will react to that position being threatened. It creates a tensely loaded environment which is perfect for a thriller/mystery set in modern day Lisbon.

 Adding in our main character as a detective, what more could you ask for? Taking me back to my CSI watching days we follow Isabel as she delves in to a more complex job than she's ever had before with added complications of her own life. As a Gifted investigator she's paired with a new Regular partner, to keep her in check or cause her more trouble? All part of the fun and a relationship I very much enjoyed seeing develop. There isn't an awful lot to say about many of the characters, they all strike me as what you'd expect and I enjoy there's not an attempt to overcomplicate or move away from the real story by having too many twists and turns.

 It looks as though this is Marques' debut and even with an arc version I really enjoyed the writing, a good balance of description and story progression. As I usually note, if I don't notice it then it's working well. There weren't any actions that didn't end up with a point and other actions were that of making us understand a character's habits as we should in a detective story where we need to see the finer details.

 I really thought at one point I had the whodunnit nailed but nope! Relatively close but not the full picture, another win for Marques.

 Another point I noted, very little or no romance. I have predominantly read YA over the last few years and it practically always involves some romance. This was refreshingly free but gave us some interesting little spats and teasers with old and new relationships. Don't expect anything.

 I really, really enjoyed this book. My only complaint is a sharp ending that didn't allow me tie some loose ends I'd like to have seen. One very pointedly not revealed and some others just left in the past. I wanted that satisfaction though!

The Lights of Prague

Title: The Lights of Prague
Author: Nicole Jarvis
Publisher: Titan Books
Year: May 2021
Pages: 413
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy
Reading Time: 18 May - 14 June
Binding: NetGalley arc

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 In the quiet streets of Prague all manner of mysterious creatures lurk in the shadows. Unbeknownst to its citizens, their only hope against the tide of predators are the dauntless lamplighters – secret elite of monster hunters whose light staves off the darkness each night. Domek Myska leads a life teeming with fraught encounters with the worst kind of evil: pijavice, bloodthirsty and soulless vampiric creatures. Despite this, Domek finds solace in his moments spent in the company of his friend, the clever and beautiful Lady Ora Fischerová - a widow with secrets of her own.
 When Domek finds himself stalked by the spirit of the White Lady - a ghost who haunts the baroque halls of Prague castle – he stumbles across the sentient essence of a will-o’-the-wisp captured in a mysterious container. Now, as its bearer, Domek wields its power, but the wisp, known for leading travellers to their deaths, will not be so easily controlled.
 After discovering a conspiracy amongst the pijavice that could see them unleash terror on the daylight world, Domek finds himself in a race against those who aim to twist alchemical science for their own dangerous gain.

Review:

 Thank you firstly to Titan Books for granting me access to an e-arc via NetGalley, I really couldn't resist that cover! This book made me wish I could go back to Prague and walk the streets over Charles Bridge, it's always wonderful to have some kind of connection to a fantastical book because the setting is a real place you can experience and refer to.

 We've got some classical paranormal creatures here, just with names I've never seen before. Pijavice (vampires) are the most common in the book and I very much enjoyed the complexity of their underworld. The last time I read about vampires was the midst of my teens when Twilight was at it's pinnacle. I've since enjoyed various films but not read too many books with the creatures, it feels like they were given a break after being in the limelight for so long and I am so excited to see them coming back to more popular books! We touch on a few other species and it's kept to few enough types that it's not an overwhelming amount of information like it can be for other fantasy books.

 Domek is a really lovely character. Built like a bear and a softy with the drive to get the work done. His role as a lamplighter is the perfect base and job for a story like this to get going. The set up is quite seamless this way, who would even question that those with jobs starting in the dark of the night are actually specially equipped to battle the supernatural? This concept could honestly span a whole series and come out with incredible new content every single time. I wouldn't be mad if it went that way at all.

 Another character we experience the story through is Ora, a lady ahead of her time. I understood all of her actions, there was no disagreeing with her rash decisions which I often do with female characters but she was logical whilst emotional. A character I could just really get along with, she's got all the situating she needs to be the kind of woman she is. Wealth, status, I might even have survived such terrible times for women if I had some of the freedom she did. Her status is not without it's own tragic backstory but I'll let you traverse that with her.

 We have a small but plentiful range of other characters, charming, violent, manipulative. The whole lot. Kája and Cord were delectable, I wish we had more of them both. All I will say is not to become too attached to many of our characters. There is violence and distraught in this book, not too extreme but enough to keep the plot really moving.

 We've got plenty of action in this book but I can't really comment on the pacing. I admit I was distracted by exams which meant I took a while reading this. I found it a little too easy to put down and leave so I don't have a clear picture of the pacing if I were to read it normally. Thinking back on the level of action it was probably fairly well paced with mystery and a little bit of complexity as we move in different circles between our two main characters. Crossing paths ever so often was very, very fun. These two have good chemistry throughout. I also really enjoyed the writing style, if I don't notice the writing it's generally a good thing. If I notice the writing style it's because it was too simple of overly complex, too much description or something else that's generally irritated me. When I don't notice anything it's because I'm enjoying it too much to take a minute to stop and really appreciate it.

 All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am hoping for more like it!

Girl One

Title: Girl One
Author: Sara Flannery Murphy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ)

Year: June 2021
Pages: 355
Genre: Thriller
Reading Time: 18 Apr - 18 May
Binding: NetGalley arc

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 The world knows them as 'The Homestead Girls'. Nine women who raised nine 'miracle babies' on an experimental commune in rural America.
 But after a suspicious fire at the ranch kills both the doctor behind the pioneering experiment and one of the youngest of the girls, the mothers and their children are scattered across the country, some embracing the media spotlight, others refusing to talk about it.
 Now years later, Josephine Morrow, aka Girl One, is studying medicine, following in the footsteps of her beloved mentor, when she is called home to discover that her mother has vanished, while her house has been trashed. If Josie is to find her, and find her alive, she will need to track down her estranged sisters and finally confront the secrets of their dark past – before it is too late.

Review:

 It's been a little while since I opened my reading range to a mystery/thriller and I picked exactly the right one. Hints of the paranormal push their way through making me feel right as though I was in my usual fantasy comfort zone. Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this release for review!

 Can we just comment on the beauty of this cover for a moment? Red is my favourite colour and I love the simplicity of a consistent pattern and but I only just noticed that these are DNA strands, stroke of genius! It definitely drew me to request this arc on NetGalley.

 Thinking on the base concept that underlines this book, it's not completely unique to Murphy and she credits other work within her acknowledgements which I admire. The idea that women could conceive without men has certainly been explored by others but I can't bring to mind anything that I've read or watched that was focused on this. Points for all of the above. The experiment takes place in the 70s, where views of females were developing as was science. A perfect setting to explore all the terrible reactions that centre from superstition and misogyny.

 Maybe it's a result of having grown up in a time when these issues were under more challenge then ever or just me being naïve but I didn't initially realise that the idea of men being unessential to reproduction would actually threaten men. This is an important topic to cover as it does bring up a trigger warning in the book, mentions of rape. I think in a book exploring reproduction it is a little bit of a given that this would happen, it's a recollection of events without any major detail. There are men in this book threatened by the power of the women in this book and it's thrilling because there's a range of them. One particular detail I love about some of the most despicable men is that they aren't even given a name and I genuinely believe there's power in that itself. As though they're not important enough to even deign being addressed.

 With this being a thriller a large portion of the book is build up and tension, I don't mind it at all as there are a lot of characters to cover and new details to learn. I enjoy that there's a small mix of following Josie and news reports taking you back to when the experiments were taking place, it's the kind of flashbacks you would expect from a televised mystery, to look back on the source data as you unfold further details. I liked these as shorter chapters to relieve a little bit of tension every so often so you could unveil more about the history of these girls. We get a lot of build up and the final part of the story seems to have only a short reveal. I didn't necessarily get left disappointed, I was hoping for a few more answers from specific characters but things were mostly wrapped up and the events were satisfying.

 I mention feeling this had a little bit of fantasy adoption in the book, it came a bit out of nowhere and I loved the addition to the story. I feel like the idea of solo female reproduction in itself is a fairly sci-fi like element and I don't want to spoil anymore. I enjoyed it very much and the consequences that some of the characters received as a result was enough to make me rage, takes me back to hundreds of years of mistreatment of women that are different and it's just unbelievable all that we've been subjected to.

 Am I going to talk about representation, a little? It's a very female centred book, I don't think there was a lot of mix in race, a small amount of LGBTQ+ and these only really become apparent later in the book. I personally don't find it to be an issue, the setting makes it difficult to explore any further and would just add complications that this thriller doesn't need.

 That being said, we've still got a range of characters in this book. Headstrong women, scared women, women with ambition and secrets and rage. We get a little bit of everything. We have a man in the mix too, he's a welcome addition for a little difference, some guidance as another investigator with an outside view from one of the Girls. I only wish he'd been there at the very end, I think he deserved that.

 I believe this is a stand-alone, it seems like there could be a possible expansion but I think that's just the fantasy reader in me always expecting a series. There's nothing to indicate another book will come at this stage but if there were I'd certainly pick it up. 

In the Ravenous Dark

Title: In the Ravenous Dark
Author: A.M. Strickland
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Year: May 2021

Pages: 390
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 1 - 5 Apr
Binding: NetGalley arc
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★☆☆

Blurb:

 A pansexual bloodmage reluctantly teams up with an undead spirit to start a rebellion among the living and the dead, in this dark fantasy by A.M. Strickland, author of Beyond the Black Door.
 In Thanopolis, magic is rare - and closely controlled. Those blessed - or cursed - with power are kept under constant guard, assigned to undead spirits who watch their every move.
 Ever since her father died to save her from this fate, Rovan has kept her magic a closely guarded secret - until an accident exposes her powers for the world to see, and her tenuous freedom comes crashing to an end.
 Brought to the royal palace against her will, and thrust into a maelstrom of intrigue and deception, Rovan is drawn to two people she cannot fully trust: Lydea, a beguiling and rebellious princess struggling against her own destiny, and Ivrilos, the handsome, powerful spirit she has been bound to, who can control Rovan, body and soul.
 Together, they uncover a terrible secret that could destroy everyone in Thanopolis - the living and the dead. To save them, Rovan will have to start a rebellion in both the mortal world and the underworld, and find a way to trust the princess and the undead spirit vying for her heart - if she doesn't betray them first . . .

Review:

 Thank you firstly to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an early copy of this book.

 If you're looking for a queer fantasy full of action and magic, look no further. I simply don't think I've ever read a book with representation like this and I enjoyed finally seeing exactly how this can be written in to a fantasy setting. As I've always thought, words like pansexual and nonbinary don't often exist in a fantasy setting unless you're bringing in very modern language. Yet Strickland managed to explain the circumstances without crossing that line and the language in explaining it was all so simple. The conversations flowed so easily, a real breath of fresh air which makes you wish it was this easy in real life. It's made clear that there isn't complete acceptance in this world but other than a few mentions here and there it's not problematic to the plot and so isn't given much space to become a problem, just as it should be!

 Having said that, a quick few content warnings that I can quickly recall: blood manipulation, gore, death, referenced suicide, forced marriage, threats of rape, alcohol usage and some thinly veiled sex. It's definitely an upper range YA book but can you really expect a fantasy around people called 'bloodmages' to be anything other than that?

 We open on a rather explosive chapter which I very much enjoyed as a part of setting the scene before jumping in to the main setting a few years later. We're reading in first person from the perspective of Rovan and that allows you to immerse in her emotions and thoughts wonderfully. There's a rush of feelings through the whirlwind of action in the beginning of the book. We get a chance to catch our breath in the middle as Rovan attempts to understand her new surroundings which inevitably goes a little . . . wrong. Then we're straight back to that action and I absolutely tore up those last hundred pages!

 Let's talk about our characters. Rovan is a fiery woman, obviously traumatised after witnessing her father's death but also strained by her efforts to remain undiscovered among people that would fear her for her power. I can understand how much she wishes to escape and have the drive of someone so constantly wronged. It years worth of resentment that we see unleashed over the course of this book.

 Japha is so lovely, such a beautiful soul that was so pleasant to read. One thing I enjoyed about having their pronouns was realising that I haven't seen they/them pronouns being used very widely yet. I had a slight confusion sometimes thinking I was reading about multiple people and hope I get to meet more nonbinary characters so I can get used to it. Loved their humour and glamour. Just loved them.

 I struggle to speak about much of the other characters because they all felt a bit shallow. They didn't go much further past their initial introduction and so I didn't get a deep feeling for any of them which is a little bit of a shame. We certainly have a whole host of strong females to root for, they also follow a goddess so even the light swearing is female empowering. It would probably be too much if there wasn't some gender enforcing and forced child bearing going on (awful but mostly mentioned rather than seen in the book).

 The setting is lovely despite us seeing relatively little of the world. We don't need to see any more Strickland balances a lovely level of description in to the plot to help you picture the world. The magic system is wonderful and interpreted differently across the people. There is a pressing need across the world giving weight to the actions of our characters and a whole world to explore which is a want I can always relate to.

 So why did I end up with only three stars? Well, past the great idea and action when I thought more deeply in to some elements of the book I just felt they were a little shallow. As I mentioned with the characters, I didn't feel much in the way of personalities coming through which is sometimes a sacrifice with constant action furthering the plot. One of our first verbal fights around a lot of the banter results in body shaming which for me is just a no, no matter how little. There's also a whole lot hinging on love when all I really saw was lust. There was no real development of feelings especially within such a short time frame, it just starting getting called that after a few kisses.

 Next point is likely to be controversial and very subject to opinion. I myself am a part of the LGBTQ+ community but felt there was some small issue here. Lots of representation in the characters as they were introduced, great. I did get to a point half way or so though the book where another character was revealed as LGBTQ+ and I just rolled my eyes. Everything up until that point had felt quite organic and then, for me, that was just too fit in. We ultimately end up with straight people as the antagonists and cheaters which isn't great. Not something a lot of people are likely to notice but once you do doesn't exactly leave a great taste in your mouth. 

 Having said this, it's not something that can't be smoothed over by a less detailed reader and I'm sure there will be many people that love this book as they look for some older range YA fantasy. I know I'm still likely to look out for Strickland's future books!

Lore

Title: Lore
Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Hyperion
Year: January 2021
Pages: 466
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 11 - 31 Mar
Binding: Owlcrate Hardback
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 Every seven years, the Agon begins.

 As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals. They are hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

 Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory after her family was murdered by a rival line. For year she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man - now a god - responsible for their deaths.

 Yet as the hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek her out: Castor, a childhood friend Lore believed to be dead, and Athena, one of the last of the original gods, now gravely wounded.

 The goddess offers Lore an alliance against their mutual enemy and a way to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to rejoin the hunt, binding her fate to Athena's, will come at a deadly cost - and it may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

Review:

 If I needed anything to remind me of my love for Greek mythology, it was this. Greek mythology entwining with the modern day world is not a new concept (I still really need to finish those various Percy Jackson series) but this is a very different way I'm seeing it integrated. Violence is a given and in an event that only occurs every seven years giving Hunters the opportunity to obtain the power of the gods? Bloodshed, references to the myths and allegiances we can't be sure to trust, it's all good for me. 

 There are some mixed responses and I can see where they're coming from. Pacing was a little slow in some places and I could put it down without the burning desire to start reading again. We got a lot of information and history, my top tip would be to use the character listing provided at the back. I got mixed up in the similar names a bit. I found the revelations of old and recent history unravelled in good timing along with the plot.

 We've got a little bit of diversity in our characters, though if I'm remembering correctly it was rather put on the back of two characters to show a lot of the representations. I really liked those particular characters and the rest of our characters presented a good range of personalities. Lore is all rage and violence, Castor is gentle and unsure whilst Athena is strong in many senses of the word. I wish there was a tad more romance but that would probably have resulted in another hundred pages or so.

 I enjoyed the fact that real work issues like misogyny were part of the book and addressed differently as the story was told from different points in time and recalled by different characters. In a current day setting it feels appropriate that a female main character would have issues with old mythology and growing up with those beliefs still ingrained in her world's beliefs despite the rest of the world moving on from this. Let's also face it, there are some bad-ass female characters in this book.

 Our plot is not as simple as it seems from the beginning and I'm glad to say that I didn't really predict any of the twists and revelations in this book, or any suspicions I had were not for the correct reasons. I have to say there was a lot of lying and manipulation to the point I'm not entirely sure what the truth actually was. . .

 Regardless, it's a strong book and it's been a while since I read anything that was so clearly a standalone from a book box. It's both sad I won't get more and excellent that it's not being overstretched. Seems like I still haven't gotten round to The Darkes Minds despite it having been on my TBR for a very long time. Maybe now I've read one of Bracken's books I'll be more likely to dip in to that series!

Red Tigress

Title: Red Tigress
Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Year: March 2021
Pages: 425
Series: Blood Heir Trilogy #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reading Time: 15 - 29 Mar
Binding: Illumicrate Hardback
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

 Ana Mikhailov is the only surviving of the member of the royal family of Cyrilia.

 She has no army, no title, and no allies, and now she must find a way to take back the throne or risk the brutal retribution of Empress Morganya.

 After years of ruthless oppression of the Affinites - those with the power and magic to control the world around them - under the old empire, the empress is determined to establish a new world order, no matter what the cost. Ana is certain that Morganya won't stop until she has murdered every single non-Affinite in the land.

 Ana's only chance of navigating the dangerous world of her homeland is to partner with Ramson Quicktongue once again. But the cunning crime lord has schemes of his own. For Ana to find an army and make a new future for her kingdom, one without bloodshed and oppression, they must cross the Whitewaves to the impenetrable stone forts of Bregon. Only, no one ban be certain what they will find there.

 A dark power has risen. Will revolution bring peace - or will it only paint the streets in more blood...

Review:

 I was excited to come back to the Blood Heir world after the read-a-long last month, we're left on a nice little cliff hanger after the last book so I expected to come in to some mad rushing as they flee from the scene. I daresay I found the beginning a little slow despite there actually being a lot going on and a fair bit of action. maybe I was just busy and ending up putting it down too often.

 Ana has had her eyes opened to a lot of what was wrong with her kingdom in the past but there is still a fair bit of naivety in her character. She sees hope very quickly and it does not take a lot to manipulate her, she needs to spend a little more time with Ramson to wipe that away. She continues to improve her understanding of things in her world, you'll see what I mean about half way through. Ana's power as a blood Affinite is not to be underestimated and we'll get a little more than her just throwing people backwards Merlin-style.

 Ramson, sweet Ramson. I feel for him in this book. Forced to head back to his home with enemies at every turn and friends he's reluctant to stick around for. His family is. . . very interesting. A fantastic new character introduction but I'm officially sick of the verb 'shrieked', no one shrieks and cries and laughs at every sentence. If they did they would have been killed already. It's a wrestle of Ramson's conscience and his family is even more brutal than was let on in the previous book.

 Linn is a bigger character than I really think was shown in the prior book, she was introduced far too late out of nowhere and feels like a bit of an afterthought now given a much larger role. It's bringing another layer to the world building which is wonderful and just mere hints of romance but this series so far is a bit lacking in that area. Her new accomplice is one you can easily work out from the previous book but that can certainly cause a few problems in the trust of our characters all together.

 So. . . we're expanding in this world. We got a really good picture of Ana's kingdom and the issues experienced by the people in Blood Heir and we're finally escaping to Bregon which we only saw through Ramson's memories. Here we're not just adding another country and set of characters to join the fight. There's more plot, more action and scheming and death. Oh, glorious!

 There is going to be a lot to cover in the final book of the Blood Heir trilogy. It's gonna be a big build up to those final chapters and I. Am. Excited.

The Vain

Title: The Vain
Author: Eliot Rahal

Publisher: Oni Press

Year: April 2021

Pages: 126

Genre: Graphic Novel

Reading Time: 25 March

Binding: PDF courtesy of Oni Press via NetGalley

Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★☆

Blurb:

Chicago, 1941. A blood bank is held up in a robbery, but no cash is taken—only blood. It's the latest in a string of similar robberies and as the United States prepares to enter World War II, FBI Agent Felix Franklin is certain it's part of a wider plot to weaken the United States by depriving it of its blood supply. But the truth is much more sinister.
The four robbers are vampires: immortal, physically powerful, and after decades of honing their skills, practically untraceable. But time goes on and the vampires—who call themselves The Vain—stay the same in a world that is rapidly changing around them. As security measures evolve, stealing blood is harder every day. And with every decade that passes, Agent Franklin gets closer to finding them. Capturing them. Ending them.
The Vain is a story about wild, eternal youth, reckless rebellion, endless love, and how in the end...maybe it is better to burn out than fade away.

Review:

It's been a while since I was attracted to a graphic novel by the cover but this one was just gorgeous, look at all that lovely red! The artists have done a beautiful job in this graphic novel. The colours and tone changes depending on our setting, time and narrator and I felt especially immersed, as though I were watching it play out on a screen and hearing it rather than reading. A good mix of gore and humour in the details.
This was not the typical setting I've seen for vampires (and I grew up with Twilight at it's peak and vampire books around every corner). I genuinely had to think about the logistics of being a vampire in a modern world. Blood bank heists, making most of the opportunity of war and being hunted for what you are. There's tension between the characters as they try to work out how to survive and I love the LGBTQ+ representation, it's shown and written very naturally.
Our main vampires have some . . . strange names but I can get past that. They're all different and I'd be very interested to find out more about their backgrounds and how they came to be as there's only hints of it shown. I really enjoyed the few human characters we also followed, you see their lives unravel over the years whilst the vampires are unchanged. I love the idea of the FBI investigating paranormal activity and the havoc it could create. Both to the lives it could ruin in the search for the truth and the violence committed in chasing and using such formidable predators.
We take a range of settings throughout the few chapters in this novel and I simply wish that each were a little bit longer. It would have given a chance to really explain and relax in to the new settings rather than having a narrator give a bit of an information dump. I would not have been opposed to a much longer story really building up the tension for the equivalent of each of these chapters, it would have been worth it!