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!

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

Title: A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher: Blue Box Press
Year: September 2020
Pages: 484
Series: Blood and Ash #2
Genre: Fantasy (New adult)
Reading Time: 2 - 6 Mar
Binding: Kindle
Goodreads

Stars:
★★★★★

Blurb:
A Betrayal…
Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.
A Choice….
Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.
A Secret…
But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.

Review:

 I enjoyed this one more than the first, probably for a few reasons. Firstly, there wasn't a big reveal that I guessed within the opening chapters which I then spent the next few hundred pages waiting for. That made the first book feel very slow for me and this was so much better. I appreciate a lot of reviews say nothing happens. It's a lot of world building but there certainly is some action.

 I said in my review of the previous book that Poppy was naive. What I enjoy about this book is that she is slightly humbled by the fact that everything he thought she knew turns out to be lies. It made her slightly more relatable than she had been in the first book. Her insecurities felt more tangible and realistic. Her general hot-heatedness continues and whilst it annoyed in the previous book it is more justified in this one. It does, however, result it very, very repetitive interactions with several of the characters. I'm genuinely sick of a few of the phrases in this book at this point. This comes in hand with the fact that I just don't feel this writing is amazing. It's clear this is not a fantasy author, use of modern words screams wrong and some general strange descriptions. I also noted (amid current comments after Illumicrate have updated their exclusive cover to make Poppy larger) that there are wild inconsistencies in the writing about height. In a certain water scene the water level is above Poppy's breast but only just above the navel of another character, but they are still able to stand chest to chest and the character is able to lean their forehead against theirs? Erm, as a short person . . . No. It seems to switch from being able to brush lips at ease to having to crane her neck to be able to look them in the eye. I'm not one that takes massive notice of character descriptions however when people are arguing online about body shapes and you see these inconsistencies in the writing you can really only shake your head in wonder.

 Let's talk about other characters because we get a lot of new ones and they're all relatively exciting. Cas is good fun, overprotective and incredibly stressed out but he's still (repetitively) flirtatious and a source of general humour in the book. Kieran is a grounding character that I'm glad has presence and the increasing Wolven characters is great because there are a clear range of personalities within that group. As are the few introduced Atlantians. As I've mentioned, this is a lot of world building so these are all brand new people for Poppy and they also need to learn to trust her.

 In terms of action, we pick up from a pretty wicked little cliffhanger and I can understand why people feel little happened. I thought the pacing was a good balance of action, arguments and travel during the worldbuilding. After all, everything we knew from the first book was shattered in those last few chapters so we have to shift our understanding. There is some action, I'd daresay a similar level to the first book. The stakes have heightened, we know it and Poppy knows it. There's a real element of uncertainty in the opening chapters and we develop past that point with good progress and hiccups along the way. Part and parcel of the action and our characters is the sexual tension. I was hoping for more as I was left a little disappointed by how long we waited in the first book for the release of that tension. I was hoping there wouldn't be another build up in this book but there was. There's a little more spice than previously but I'm clearly smut addicted because it wasn't nearly enough for me given how much the characters talk with innuendos and flirtation. It's really annoying because I can't understand why so many people are convinced there's loads of it. Hey, my standards are clearly skewed. 

 I'm not going to lie, if you had problems with the previous book then they weren't really solved. The writing is the same, problematic issues are the same. I really enjoyed the book but I can certainly see why people aren't necessarily satisfied but I'm not always looking for a masterpiece. Sometimes I just want a bit of smut and fun.

 That ending though, damn. I'm so glad the next book isn't that far away.