Review: Evermore

Evermore by Sara Holland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There was a moment during this read where I was convinced I'd get to the end and find a 'to be continued' sign. I couldn't see how things could be wrapped up. In the end, I discovered they could be, not very satisfactorily. Nothing happened for a very long time, then everything happened, then the book ended. It was really just frustrating to read.

It's not an awful read, but Everless was so good in the end I expected more from this.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


I realise Liam is still holding my hand. He brushes his thumb against my palm, so lightly that I'm not sure if I'm imagining the warmth brush against my skin.
My throat tightens. Inside the safety of these walls, I feel plucked out of time ... far from Caro's reach, invisible to everyone in Sempera but Liam, standing in front of me. Suddenly and all at once, I want to pull him in.

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Review: This Lie Will Kill You

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another entry in the growing 'teen mystery' genre. This is reminiscent of Christopher Pike's Weekend; a group of teens all played a part in hurting another, and are now being made to confess after being lured to a party. It's a simple story, with several twists, some of which I saw coming and some I didn't. It's hard to strike a balance between 'boring flashbacks', 'too much information in the wrong order' and 'destroyed all the tension' but Chelsea has managed it. Some things still weren't quite clear to me at the end, but nothing that affected the storyline badly.

A good, tense read.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

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Review: The Compleat Ankh-Morpork

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A hilarious guide to Ankh-Morpork and its' many wonders and delights. This is not a book for a PTerry newbie, but established fans will adore reading through the ads and articles and poring over the map to find all their favourite spots. Just remember to pay your Guild fees and don't go into the Shades alone!

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Review: Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories by Noel Streatfeild
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautiful set of short stories by Noel Streatfeild, all set around or featuring Christmas in one way or another. Like most of Noel's stories, dancing and theatre feature heavily. These are quite oldfashioned stories now, but that only adds to their charm. This is a fantastic collection for children of 8 to 11.

But the case was not back in half an hour, nor was it back by dinner time on Christmas Day, though it was not for want of trying. The police promised to let the Wards know the moment there was news. Jock's Scoutmaster rang other Scoutmasters, and they rang the guides, and the guides rang Brown Owls, until finally there did not seem to be a street within miles of South Kensington where someone was not asking 'Do you know a little girl called Emily whose grandfather is staying with her for Christmas, whose birthday is in December?'
It was, of course, a miserable Christmas for the Wards.

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Christmas Opening Hours

Our Christmas opening hours, lovely customers!

Fri 21: 8.30am to 8pm 

Sat 22: 9am to 6pm 

Sun 23: 10am to 6pm

Mon 24: 8.30am to 4.30pm


We reopen Thursday 27, 10am to 6pm. 

Friday, Saturday, Sunday all normal; 

Mon 31, 8.30am to 5pm.

We're closed Tuesday 1st and back to normal after that! We hope to see plenty of you over Christmas week.

Review: Ogre Enchanted

Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I never thought thought I'd be back in the world of Frell, but here it is, and it's every bit as magic as it was in Ella. Evie is just as fascinating a character, Lucinda still as annoying, and I loved slowly figuring out the connections between this story and Ella - although this one stands completely alone, so you can read it without knowing anything about Ella. A fantastic read, and I hope to return to Frell again another time.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

I wouldn't endanger anyone else in this quest. I'd go alone. If I succeeded, I'd be welcome anywhere, at least for a while, even as an ogre. I could live at home again and wouldn't have to eternally miss Mother and Wormy.

When I rejoined humanity, I might save someone whose gratitude would progress to love. Then, if I could set aside the memory of Master Peter, I might return the feeling, because saving someone's life was almost as good as drinking a love potion.

Yes! I would go to the dragons' Spires. If I died trying to get purpline, my end would sadden only two people, neither of them myself.

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Review: Of Blood and Bone

Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The middle book of a trilogy is always a bit strange. This one skims over most of the ten years since the end of the previous book, reintroducing us to a few main players from last time and the new characters of this one. I did find it a challenge to remember who a few of the characters were, although that's probably more about me than about Roberts' skill.

A few moments jarred me, such as Fallon being on the end of three angry kisses from two different guys, and her calling her uncle's woman a whore. On the whole, though, this was an enjoyable read, tense in spots, and I'm very much looking forward to reading the final title in a year's time.


I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


She learned of a world that had existed before her birth. A world crowded with people, a world of huge cities with towing buildings where people had lived and worked. In that world people had traveled routinely by air and sea and road and track. Some had even traveled into space, and to the moon that hung in the sky.

Her mother had lived in a great city, in the City of New York. Fallon knew from the stories told, from the books she devoured, it had been a place full of people and noise and light.

A wonder of a place to get, one she viewed to see someday.

She imagined it often at night when she lay awake watching the fairies dance outside her window.

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Review: The Missing Barbegazi

The Missing Barbegazi by H.S. Norup
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fantastic adventure story set deep in the snowy mountains. The skiing terminology threw me at first; I figured most of it out from context, but it was quite unfamiliar to me. It didn't really matter, anyway, because I got swept up in the adventure story. This is a fascinating story of a young girl meeting the Yeti like creature her grandfather was scorned for believing in. I hope it's going to be a series, as a couple of minor story threads are left at the end, but if not it works fine on its own. A great read for Christmas.


I received a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.

He uncovered the sky-blue carrier and snaked his way backwards through the tunnel, keeping a solid grip on the handles of the sack.

Back inside, he whistled triumphantly.

"It brought the berry gift!" Bowing, with a flourishing movement of his hand, he split the carrier open with one of his sharp claws. Clear, see-through bags tumbled out, revealing the abundance of berries.

Maman looked in wonder at the growing mountain of wild strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. There were even some of the large cultivated strawberries that Gawion loved.

"Nourishment," she said. "We are saved." The desperate gleam in her eyes made Gawion wonder just how close to starvation they'd come.

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Review: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fantastic read. An alien invasion, maybe, designed to make all of humanity work together. (With a horrible cliffhanger, it has to be said.) The plot was fabulous, keeping just the right level of tension, and April May was the perfect combination of insightful and thick as a brick, depending on the subject. I'm desperate for the next book, I want to know what happened to everyone and where they all are now.

This book also plays really well with current levels of social media. In ten years it'll probably be quaint, but right now it's just right. Really good insight.

A brilliant book over all. And don't worry, sci fi phobes, it's not really about the alien at all.


Of course, I immediately had the Dream again. And again, I didn't think much of it at the time.
You might think it's weird that Andy and I hadn't figured out the Dream yet, but it was a pretty boring dream and, in general, talking about even interesting dreams to other people is dull as hell. I try not to do it under any circumstances because of how much I hate it when other people do it to me. And besides, Andy and I probably had said a total of four words to each other that day.
I did talk a bit more with Robin, but Robin had not slept yet. And so, though he almost definitely had the Dream in his head by this point, he had no way of knowing that. He'd know soon enough, as would at least half of the people on that airplane and a number of others I interacted with at the airport.
You can go ahead and add that to my list of accomplishments;
April May, former pet detective, dairy supply heiress, initiator of First Contact with space aliens, video blogger, and patient zero for the world's first and only know infectious dream.

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Review: How Winston Delivered Christmas: An Advent story in twenty-four-and-a-half chapters

How Winston Delivered Christmas: An Advent story in twenty-four-and-a-half chapters by Alex T. Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Winston is a very clever little mouse. He knows about Christmas and Santa, so when he finds an undelivered letter on Christmas Eve, he knows there's only one thing to do. After all, everyone deserves to feel special at Christmas...

This beautiful book is divided into 24 chapters, one for each day of December, interspersed with activities, games and decorations. It's a very clever idea and I expect it will become a Christmas tradition in a lot of households. Poor Winston and his struggles will make for a fantastic read.

(And I very much hope he gets to meet up with his friends again!)



As (Winston) looked around he spotted a curious object set up nearby. It was a large toy building a bit like a doll's house but it looked more like a barn or a stable. Inside several statues were standing on a bed of clean, sweet-smelling straw. There was a woman in blue and several men. Some were dressed in fancy clothes and others were dressed like farmers and there were even some pretend sheep standing beside them. Everyone was looking at a tiny wooden box in the middle. It was filled with straw and inside, fast asleep, was a tiny model baby.
That does look like a nice place to have a sleep, Winston thought, and he yawned. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt if he just had the tiniest of naps there beside the baby? But as he began clambering into the scene the choir finished singing and the congregation clapped. The sudden noise made Winston stop sharply in his tracks. He waggled his whiskers.
'Winston!' he said sternly to himself. 'Fancy thinking about having a nap when you haven't finished your Important Job!' And with a flick of his tail, he forced himself to pad down the aisle and back out into the cold night. He thought about the little baby asleep in the wooden box full of straw and promised himself that, as it was Christmas, he would come back when the letter was delivered and have a nap in that nice peaceful building while candles flickers warmly around him.

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Review: Through the Water Curtain and other Tales from Around the World

Through the Water Curtain and other Tales from Around the World by Cornelia Funke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read a lot of folk and fairy tales. I know a lot of them. This is a fantastic collection of lesser known folk tales. I knew (versions of) three of these, but they were all very enjoyable. Cornelia Funke's musing on each title are thought provoking, but not too deep for young children. The compact size and lovely illustrations will make it a great gift this Christmas. A fantastic addition to Pushkin's collection.


Back home the old father sat in the choom with his youngest daughter, waiting in vain for the storm to abate. But the blizzard redoubled its force, and it seemed the camp would be blown away at any minute.

"My daughters did not heed my words," the old man reflected, sadly. "They have angered Kotura even more. Go to him, my last daughter, though it breaks my heart to part with you; but you alone can save our clan from certain doom."

Youngest daughter left the camp, turned her face into the north wind and pushed the sled before her.

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Review: Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's a trend in fantasy books. Maybe it's always been there and I'm only noticing it now, or maybe it is getting more popular. The trend is to drop the heroine - or hero, but it's usually a heroine - into the middle of a situation they know nothing about, and have everyone refuse to explain anything to them for whatever reason. I understand this is meant to hook people in and make them want to know what's happening, and sometimes it works really well! David Eddings' Pawn of Prophecy did it almost perfectly. This book - not so much, sadly.

But once I got past that point and Morrigan started actually being told things, this was a good read, full of interest and excitment. I loved picturing the school and Nevermore - the living map may be my favourite thing in a long time. I'll read the next one, because hopefully now we're past the explanation-y bits.

(Am I the only one who kept picturing Jupiter as Skulduggery Pleasant? Just me? Ok. ::slinks away::)


I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Light Between Worlds

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A sweet little story, not quite what I was expecting but still beautiful in its way. Perhaps deliberately, it evokes the most famous portal story of them all, and the comparisons are good. This story stands up to CS Lewis, and that's a high bar to reach.

There were a couple of things that threw me - Ev talks about being crowded in her brother's car because of her luggage, then later in the same holiday explains how she has barely any luggage because most of it's still at school; Philippa tells Jack "No one bothers with Philippa, they call me Philippa." Apart from those, though, it's a lovely meditation on love and lose and home, wherever that may be. A fantastic read.

(It is a little strange that Jamie isn't mentioned in any of the promo material, though!)

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


Philippa takes a step away. She's quiet for a while before answering, and when she speaks, her voice is colorless. "Even if you can't promise to keep Evie safe, I did.So I suppose it'll be up to me as always, to look after her and to get her home. If that means helping to hold off your war until you're ready, then so be it."
Cervus rests his head on her shoulder, and at last she turns, throwing her arms around his neck, and burying her face in that ruff of rust-red fur. I creep away, knowing she's said things she won't want me to overhear.

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Review: Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart

Rejoice, A Knife to the Heart by Steven Erikson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A unique look at First Contact. I've never seen a book, movie or TV show handle it in quite this way. I liked seeing all the different points of view, although like other reviews I thought there were a lot of people to keep track of.

I enjoyed this book and I'll happily read more in the series, because like many books nowadays it ended on an awful cliffhanger!


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


"Imagination is like a muscle. It requires exercise. Stay trapped in this world with all its mundane necessities, and it won't be long before your imagination - the gift you were given in your childhood - atrophies, and when that happens, why, you've lost something precious that even nostalgia won't bring back to you, no matter how much you long for what was. With the death of your imagination, you lose wonder. But you need wonder. You need it to stay sane, and you need it to keep your heart from turning into stone."

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Review: Villain

Villain by Michael Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another breathless, gory adventure story from Michael Grant. I'm half enjoying, half terrified to keep reading this series; every time I think the stakes can't possibly get any higher, I'm proved wrong. The Battle of Las Vegas is horrifying in every sense of the word.

I'm in awe of the way Michael can sow in hints early on, throw away moments that later become very important. It takes real skill and I'm looking forward to seeing how everything pans out in a year.

I've taken a star off, though, because it's been a year since I read Monster, which had a lot of characters and a lot happening, and it took me a while to remember who everyone was and what the connections between them were. A Previously On or recap would have been very much appreciated. This was a problem with the original series too, though, so I don't expect any progress on it.

I can't wait for the next book, but I also don't want this series to be over!

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


"I believe there's a reason for everything that happens, you know? Which means you were given this power for a reason." Saffron looked intently into his eyes. "Things like this don't just happen. This is part of some larger plan. You were meant to have this power, which means you were meant to use it."

Dillon nodded along, not quite convinced, and still half thinking he would just tell Saffron to strip off her robe and her bikini and... But his thoughts were not alone in his head; the Dark Watchers, his audience, were listening. And they were liking what they were hearing. He could sense their pleasure, their anticipation.
"Well...okay," Dillon said with a shrug. "How do we start?"
Saffron smiled. "Let's start with school and work outward."
Dillon winced. "You want me to be a superpowered Dylan Kebold? I'm not into killing people, I'm just trying to have a few laughs."
"Don't be silly, Dillon. You don't need dead bodies, you need living slaves. And, of course, one other thing."
"What?"
"A queen, Dillon," she said. "You need a queen."

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Review: Distortion

Distortion by Victor Dixen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The bad point first, just to get it out of the way; the quality of the translation has slipped a little in this book. In my review of the last one, I said I hadn't realised it was a translation until I'd finished reading. That's not true in this one, where everyone seems to have become quite formal suddenly, and some of the descriptions are strange.

But! Apart from that, this is a fabulous book. Tension remains high, characters are recognisable while still being allowed to grow, learn and change, and a few more characters are added to the roster. The technology all seems plausible to my sci-fi-fan mind, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where Victor takes our hapless contestants next. Roll on book three!

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Review: The Dog Who Lost His Bark

The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF I KNEW THIS BOOK WOULD MAKE ME CRY AND I READ IT ANYWAY I AM IN WORK ARGLEBARGLE right. This is a beautiful story about a boy and a dog who help each other heal after some bad things. There's a touch of fantasy to it, but not enough to detract from the story. PJ Lynch's illustrations are, as always, fabulous and add just the right tone to the story. Buy it. In fact, buy one for you and one to give away, because you won't want to share it.

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Review: JW Untitled Autumn 18

JW Untitled Autumn 18 by Jacqueline Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jacqueline goes back to the old days with her new novel, My Mum Tracy Beaker. Tracy has matured a little, but she's still a spitfire, charging into situations without thinking. Her daughter, Jess, is one of Jacqueline's 'timid, bookish' heroines, and Cam features hugely, along with other characters from the Tracy Beaker trilogy.

I won't spoil the story for you ... if you've read enough Wilson books, you'll recognise it anyway ... but it's a good read with engaging characters. A great Christmas present for the nine year old in your life.

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Review: The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A lavishly illustrated version of the most famous folktales of the Wizarding world. Chris Riddell's signature style lends itself beautifully to these stories, and you'll see something new each time you look at them. The pick of this year's Potter titles for any fan.



The warlock was sure that he must be an object of immense envy to all who beheld his splendid and untroubled solitude. Fierce were his anger and chagrin, therefore, when he overheard two of his lackeys discussing their master one day.
The first servant expressed pity for the warlock who, with all his wealth and power, was yet beloved by nobody.
But his companion jeered, asking why a man with so much gold and a palatial castle to his name had been unable to attract a wife.
Their words dealt dreadful blows to the listening warlock's pride.

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Review: Bah! Humbug!

Bah! Humbug! by Michael Rosen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A perfect Christmas story, cleverly entwining lines from A Christmas Carol into a new story, echoing the message contained in it. A child might need to know the story already - I suggest A Muppet Christmas Carol, still the best version ever - in order to get the nuances, and there's a reveal about the main character's sister that's slightly hidden until about halfway through, but overall it's a fantastic read for any time of year. Perfect.

(I was slightly unsure how old everyone was, which is not a huge concern but worth noting; I'm not even sure which sibling is older, not that it matters to the story. They're something between eight and eighteen, anyway.)


Eva thought of how angry Harry had got when a spot appeared on his face.

"It's just a spot," she had said to him.

"I hate it, I hate it, I hate it," he had shouted at the mirror.

"Maybe shouting at it will scare it away," Eva had said, which, even in the midst of his rage, had made him laugh.

...

And now, in the show, Harry was making everyone laugh with his 'pimple'.

No, not Harry, she reminded herself. Scrooge. Mr Scrooge.

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Review: Dry

Dry by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a dystopian fan and an armchair prepper - meaning I know a bit about it; please don't invade my house looking for supplies, there aren't any - this book was a strange read. On the one hand, the number one rule of prepping is don't tell anyone you're prepping. No one should have known that Kelton's family had anything stored away. On the other hand, every other aspect of this is pretty much perfect. I'm restraining the impulse to go out and stock up some water now. (See above re no supplies in my house.)

The Shustermans have obviously researched this very carefully, and it shows in the different viewpoints and POVs scattered throughout the book. I did have to reread the end a couple of times to make sense of it, but at that point I was flying through the pages so it's probably my fault!

A brilliant, chilling read.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


"If you're getting this report, and you're in the Southland right now - there is a mandatory evacuation," says Anderson Cooper. His image is accompanied by shots of military personnel helping families evacuate onto massive trucks, handing out water to long lines of people. "Evacuation centers are being set up throughout Southern California in school gymnasiums, churches, and malls - but there seems to be a staggering number of people who are choosing not to cooperate with these government mandates."
"Look on the bright side," I say. "At least malls have a purpose again."
The next shot shows mobs of people flowing like a human river down a winding road, and disappearing beneath a forest canopy. "These families are making their own way toward Lake Arrowhead and the Big Bear Lake area, but reports on the ground tell us that people who have been entering many of these woodsy areas aren't coming out on the other side..."
Everyone watches silently, and then I turn to Kelton. "Hey, bug-out boy - If they're not making it through the forest, what makes you think we will?"
"I told you, we're not going where they're going."
And that's good - because if all those people aren't getting to the high lakes, there's only one of two places they're going. And neither of them are places you come back from./78

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Review: Ladybird Tales of Adventurous Girls: With an Introduction From Jacqueline Wilson

Ladybird Tales of Adventurous Girls: With an Introduction From Jacqueline Wilson by Ladybird
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this time of year; the beautiful anthologies and collections start piling in, almost too many to read. This one I definitely made time for. Five folktales from around the world, each featuring a brave, clever girl who solves problems on her own.

You'll know Gretal and Hansel, of course, and probably the Snow Queen, but the others may be new to you. Each story is illustrated by a different artist, so there's plenty of styles to look at and enjoy. I love collections with stories I haven't read before, and this one certainly delivers on that.

Fantastic. Put this one on the Christmas lists.



"If she doesn't go, then neither do you," said their mother.
So off the three sisters went, down the long path to the sea.
"Don't you go anywhere without us," Tisha said to Tamasha, as she and Tosha rushed into the waves, laughing and splashing.
Tamasha sighed. I would much rather be searching for a tree to climb, she thought. But instead she paddled at the water's edge.

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Review: Magical Myths and Legends

Magical Myths and Legends by Michael Morpurgo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful collection of famous myths and legends. Each story is retold and illustrated by different people, so there's a wide variety of styles on offer. Children are sure to find something to enjoy in this collection.

I've taken a star off for two reasons; apart from one story these are all European in origin. How lovely to have a collection like this be truly international? And my other reason; John Dougherty, retelling the Irish story, used the English version of Finn MacCool rather than the proper Irish.

Those are relatively petty problems, though, and this is a fabulous book that should be under many trees this Christmas.


Robin was running, running, running for his life. Behind him a gang of burly men shouted. Robin glanced back. The soldiers were getting closer! They were going to catch him.
But robin was a quick thinker. He saw a clump of bushes and quick as a wink he leapt into it. He lay safely hidden in the leafy damp as the soldiers pounded by.
Robin lay as still as a stone, breathing as quietly as he could. 'Safe at last!' he thought.
It was then he saw that the leaves and bushes all around him were moving...they were moving towards him!

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Review: Impostors

Impostors by Scott Westerfeld
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fantastic read. I've read Uglies, but not in quite a long time, and I still was able to follow this perfectly. I'm very eager to know what happens next! I'll have to watch out for the next one, hopefully not too long from now.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


He takes my right hand. Something electric goes through those knitted bones. "Don't apologize, Rafi. And don't worry. I'll make sure Jefa keeps her promise."
He touches his lips to my hand. Just for a moment.
"J'en mettrais ma main au feu," he says.
I'm staring at my hand, at his lips.
The cyrano translates in my ear - I put my hand in the fire.
What do they mean, those words? That kiss? Is this how they seal promises in Victoria? Or is it the start of something else?
I don't know anything about kissing.
His dark eyes lock with mine. No one looks at me this intently, except Naya, when she's sizing up my weaknesses. I feel measured, scanned, defenceless.
Then Col lets go and turns towards the hallway.
"We should get back to the party," he says.
I nod dumbly. Suddenly that swirl of music, fire, and projectiles seems safer than being alone with him.

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Review: And the Ocean Was Our Sky

And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is up there with A Monster Calls as Patrick's finest work. This is amazing, a fantastic re imagining of Moby Dick from the whale's point of view, with real thought put into how the whale society functions. Absolutely amazing. I'll be looking forward to seeing the real illustrations, but even the samples here add immeasurably to the story. Just fantastic.


Update: I've now seen the finished work, and it's amazing. Dream like pictures in just enough detail; most are in black and white, so the occasional flash of colour really pops and stands out. Buy this for the illustrations, even if you don't like the story.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


"I do not wish to kill you," I said, surprising myself by saying it out loud, though quietly, for only Demetrius to hear.
"That much is obvious," he said, though not happily. "You have let me live far beyond kindness out of your own fear." He dropped his head. "But you will kill me. Before the end. And nothing between whale and man will ever change."
I breathed from the bubble in my throat. There was no further delay I could make. He said he did not know what the upside-down ship meant, so he was right:
I would kill him.
And that would be the end. So many ends.

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Review: Ogre Enchanted

Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I never thought thought I'd be back in the world of Frell, but here it is, and it's every bit as magic as it was in Ella. Evie is just as fascinating a character, Lucinda still as annoying, and I loved slowly figuring out the connections between this story and Ella - although this one stands completely alone, so you can read it without knowing anything about Ella. A fantastic read, and I hope to return to Frell again another time.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

I wouldn't endanger anyone else in this quest. I'd go alone. If I succeeded, I'd be welcome anywhere, at least for a while, even as an ogre. I could live at home again and wouldn't have to eternally miss Mother and Wormy.

When I rejoined humanity, I might save someone whose gratitude would progress to love. Then, if I could set aside the memory of Master Peter, I might return the feeling, because saving someone's life was almost as good as drinking a love potion.

Yes! I would go to the dragons' Spires. If I died trying to get purpline, my end would sadden only two people, neither of them myself.

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Review: Vox

Vox by Christina Dalcher
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

A difficult one to review. I like the idea, and it was handled well, but I wish the enemy hadn't been regular Christians. A new sect would have been much easier to take.

I didn't follow a lot of the science...I really hope it's not that easy to create aphasia in someone...and there seemed to be a lot of lucky coincidences along the way. Sometimes life is like that, of course. I liked this, and I'll read more books by the author, but it's not one of my top books for the year.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


The clock on the lab wall says five. I have less than forty eight hours to make what I know will be an irreversible decision.

My parents, this baby the size of an orange inside me, and Lorenzo balance on one side of the scale. Patrick and the kids, on the other. Two seemingly inevitable but different fates hang over each choice like a storm cloud. Stay and wait for Reverend Carl to rachet up his terrible game, or go and watch Europe crumble to its knees, close up, front row, best seats in the house.

Next to me, Lorenzo inches closer, enough so that our hands touch. It's a solid feeling, those fingers of his brushing mine.

But it's not enough.

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Review: That's Not What Happened

That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've seen other novels by Kody Keplinger; The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend, Shut Out. I've always thought they looked interesting, but I've never gotten around to reading them. I'll be changing that at my first opportunity. Kody is amazing.

It's a sadly current book, the story of a school shooting from the point of view of the survivors. As I write this, the Texas shooting is still in the news. By the time the book publishes, it'll be some other shooting.

The book is mostly from the POV of Lee, a teenager who was shot at, but not physically injured, during a shooting rampage in her school. A legend has built up around one particular victim, Lee's best friend, causing townsfolk to harass and abuse another survivor who tried to correct it. Lee knows the truth and is finally ready to come forward, but it's not going to be as simple as she thinks.

I started crying within a few chapters and never really stopped. This is an incredible book, heartfelt and real, showing a range of coping mechanisms used by the six survivors - forgetting, faith, happiness, ignoring, medication and alcohol. Each choice is treated and right for that person, although the alcohol user stops during the course of the novel, and no one is demonised for how they cope.

My only tiny problem, and it's very common across a lot of media, is that while initially a couple of the survivors were against Lee's plan, in the end they all came around and agreed it was for the best. Why couldn't they have dissenting opinions that were right for them? However, I see this a lot and it's not by any means a deal breaker.

I also loved that Lee is asexual. It's comparatively rare still, but gaining ground and it's nice to see. It's great to have books to recommend to people, especially like this when it's not a major focus, just a part of who she is.

A fantastic read. I'll definitely be trying more by this author.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

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Review: The Island

The Island by M.A. Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very difficult book to review. The idea of it is brilliant; posh private school kids are stranded on an island, and the only one with any survival knowledge is the oppressed bully, leading to a reversal of the 'natural' order of things. (Even at that, though, there's never any mention that they should be boiling their drinking water, not even a "I curse the lack of equipment, as boiled water would be much safer" or anything like that. Minor complaint, I know, but still.)

It's an interesting read, and I was never tempted to put it down. Parts of it are difficult to read, though. Link, our 'hero', goes through some ugly phases, and though they're understandable they're still not easy to read. His parents also put me right off near the end. The rest of the characters are mostly ciphers, which is of course the whole point. And the ending of this one wasn't nearly as upsetting as the ending of S.T.A.G.S.

I'll definitely continue reading MA Bennett, and I hope to read many more.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

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Review: Tarot

Tarot by Marissa Kennerson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fantastic read and a very clever idea. Turning the Tarot into different worlds is a brilliant idea. (Let's hope it helps me remember when I'm trying to learn them...)

I liked Anna, although I thought she recovered remarkable quickly from her sixteen years locked in a tower and showed very few after effects; a good sleep and a nice meal seemed to take care of everything. I'll accept 'magic' as the excuse there, though.

A brilliant read, and I'll be looking forward to reading more in the series.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


Anna felt a deep pit in her stomach. She wondered briefly if she should offer him the truth. He might think she was being absurd, but she was more afraid of what might happen if Daniel believed her. She had history with the people of Cups now; unfortunately, not all of it was built on the truth.
Which was the very reason why she couldn't tell him what she'd seen. Anna had placed them in grave danger by associating herself with them, but she also couldn't bear the thought of losing the friends she'd made.
No, she had to discover exactly what was happening and exactly how to fix it. She would figure out how to protect the people of Cups from the Hierophant King. To tell them the truth now would only scare them.

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Review: The Last

The Last by Hanna Jameson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good, but not fantastic, entry into the post-apocalyptic genre. I liked the characters, at least the ones that didn't meld into a faceless blob of 'others', but nothing much seemed to happen. They stayed at the hotel for a while, there were fights, they met some other people, they met some other other people, then it ended. It wasn't bad at all; the POV character is a history professor and his musings and asides are really interesting. However, the ending doesn't answer most of the questions, and even though I saw it coming I still didn't like it much.

Worth reading, but not amazingly fantastic.


The end of the world is a fairly comforting concept, because - in theory - we wouldn't have to survive it. Maybe what's been f***ing us up, more than anything, hasn't been finding a way to cope with the world ending but finding a way to cope with the fact that it didn't.

An ending is easy. This terminal waking up, morning after morning, isn't easy. Repairing and rebuilding isn't easy either. I think that's why I've been so angry, so desperate to believe Arran's paranoid theory about purgatory, why I wanted to believe that the girl in the water tank had died for a more important reason than men's continued violence.

Instead of a conclusion, we've been offered nothing but more life.

I don't know how to come to terms with that.

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Review: The You I've Never Known

The You I've Never Known by Ellen Hopkins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A difficult one to rate. I didn't like Ariel's romantic choices, in that she was seeing two people at once and not telling them about each other. I liked the rest of her character, though, and I liked the style of the book. But, like another reviewer, I kept waiting for something described in the blurb to happen. It didn't happen until page 400. That's a long time to be waiting.

Not an awful book, but not a great one either.


Abuse?

I'm not abused.
Am I?

Dad's only hit me
a few times.
Open-handed.

And only when I
deser-
Wait.

I really was thinking
deserved it.

But that's not right.
I never deserved it.
Never deserved his
ugly words, either.
Not to mention
what happened tonight.

Oh my God.
I'm a mess.

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Review: Girls of Paper and Fire

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

What a fabulous, clever book. Lei is a very strong heroine who knows what she wants and goes for it. She is a little prone to snap judgements, but at least she'll correct herself afterwards, which is something. I can't wait to read more on the series and find out what happens... especially after that ending!

Be warned, there is rape (man on woman), consensual sex (woman on woman) and a prostitute who talks openly about seduction. None of this is graphic but it's quite clear.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


During the first days of my confinement, I’d tried the breathing technique Mama taught me over and over again to no avail, unable to find comfort in it. Light in, darkness out. Trapped in that tiny room, there only seemed to be darkness, and though I wanted to be set free, I also knew that the moment I was, it would be straight back to my Paper Girl life. And to the King.
But then Wren came along with her stolen food and warm hands, and a spark of something—the barest quiver of light—entered the room. And after that, my breaths came a little easier, a little brighter. Not quite golden, but…sun-touched.
Now I shoot Wren a look out of the corner of my eye, Aoki’s chatter wrapping around us.
She offers me a brief half smile in return. “All right?”she mouths.
I nod. And while it’s not exactly the truth, it isn’t a lie, either.

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Review: Deception

Deception by Teri Terry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's rare for the second book in a trilogy to live up to the first. This is one of those times. Although I didn't like the time jumping aspect ... we covered a stretch of time with some characters, then the same stretch with other characters ... I enjoyed the story very much. There's less focus on the epidemic itself and more on the survivors and immune, this time around. Kai, Shay and Callie all have their parts to play, making and breaking alliances with other characters along the way.

As with Contagion, I saw a couple of plot twists coming before they hit, but others took me by surprise. A lot of things wouldn't have happened if people had just talked to each other, but that's common to a lot of novels, I haven't counted it against this one.

A fantastic read, I can't wait to read the third and see how everything ends up.


That's when I realise there are no windows or doors; at least, none that I can see. There must be: how else did I get in here?
That weird feeling of being watched is still on my skin, as if eyes leave fingerprints I can feel. Could there be a hidden watcher?
I swallow again.
"Hello?" I say, tentative. My voice feels rusty, like I haven't used it for a while.
I try again, and this time it is stronger. "Hello? Is there anybody there?"
My voice seems to echo off the bare walls, ceiling and floor, and bounces back to my ears.
No one answer. Can't anyone hear me?
Panic is rising up inside, waves that build and build, and I'm shaking. Where am I? I don't want to be here.
"Let me out of here! Let me out!"
I say it, louder and louder again, until I'm screaming.

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Review: The Day of the Triffids

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A classic of the science fiction genre, one I've read before but not for several years. I wondered whether I would still enjoy it, since I know the ending and most of the story beats. It's so old fashioned, after all; maybe without the 'newness' I wouldn't like it.

Needless worry. It's old fashioned, especially with regard to the women, but the tone fits well. It's definitely a cozy catastrophe; anyone writing this story today would make much more of the breakdown of society. Wyndham glosses over most of that.

The Triffids are a much smaller part of the story than I remembered from my previous reading, but the rest of the book is interesting enough without them. I can't wait to reread in another few years...


"In the time now ahead of us a great many of these prejudices we have been given will have to go, or be radically altered. We can accept and retain only one primary prejudice, and that is that the race is worth preserving. To that consideration all else will, for a time at least, be subordinate. We must look at all we do, with this question in mind: 'Is this going to help our race survive-or will it hinder us?' If it will help, we must do it, whether or not it conflicts with the ideas in which we were brought up. If not, we must avoid it, even though the omission may clash with our previous notions of duty and even of justice.
"It will not be easy; old prejudices die hard. The simple rely on a bolstering mass of maxim and precept; so do the timid; so do the mentally lazy-and so do all of us, more than we imagine. Now that the organization has gone, our ready reckoners for conduct within it no longer Live the right answers. We must have the moral courage to think and to plan for ourselves."
He paused to survey his audience thoughtfully. Then he said:
"There is one thing to be made quite clear to you before you decide to join our community. It is that those of us who start on this task will all have our parts to play. The men must work-the women must have babies. Unless you can agree to that, there can be no place for you in our community."


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Review: Floored

Floored by Sara Barnard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It always seems to happen that the books everyone is crazy about, I find fine but not amazing, and the books I stumble across on my own I find brilliant. This is a book everyone is crazy about. It's perfectly fine; a chance friendship that grows and deepens, becoming more important than any of the members could have imagined when it all began. But I found it just fine, not amazingly brilliant.

All the events take place on the same day each year, which means the first part of each new section is taken up with what happened in the year we've just missed. There's very little time to get used to the status quo before it shifts again. It's hard to connect to anyone in that short a time. And I personally found it hard to remember which character was which; Hugo and Dawson were ok, and after a while I got Kait, but the others just seemed to blur. It was hard to remember who was crushing on whom in which section.

I don't want to put anyone off; this is a perfectly fine teenage romantic novel, and I'm sure other people will really enjoy it. I liked Hugo's storyline, and the overall plot was good. There's nothing wrong with it at all. I think my expectations were just that little bit too high.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


I wait until David has staggered off, shaking his head in confusion, and then I can't control my giggles for a moment longer. I laugh so hard, my eyeliner really does run this time. All over my face, and I don't care.
I'm not laughing because it's particularly funny, or laughing at putting David on the spot like that, even though he really did deserve it. I'm laughing because...well, who knew it was so easy? To stand up for myself; to not be silenced; to tell my own story how I want to tell it. It's about power. Hugo realised he needed to start using his for good. I'm only just realising that I actually have some.
It's about time.
'Velvet,' Hugo says with a huge grin, 'you are bloody magnificent.'

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Review: The Restless Girls

The Restless Girls by Jessie Burton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful updating of a classic story. It still has the feel of a fairytale, helped immeasurably by Angela Barret's fabulous artwork, but there are touches of newness; a telephone, the daughter who love astronomy and the daughter who uses a typewriter. These things give it a feeling of being set anywhere, anywhen.

I loved the ending, too. A very clever solution to the problem. What a lovely message to give children - princesses can save themselves. Five stars.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


Frida walked, head held high, towards the curtain covering one of the windows.
When they realised what she was about to do, the advisors cried in unison for her to stop.
But Frida did not stop..
With one sharp heave, she pulled the curtain back, and a golden vengeance poured into the room.
'Insolence!' screamed the king, and in that moment it was hard to tell whether he was blinded by the light of the sun, or of his daughter.
Frida was moving like a spirit, curtain to curtain, pulling down the black drapes, advisors and maids cringing with their eyes closed, the dust swirling like gold notes around the throne as velvet and taffeta tumbled to the floor. Ariosta rushed to help her, and Bellina followed, then Chessa and Delilah and Mariella, then Polina and Emelia, then Flora and Vita, and finally Lorna and Agnes, twelve princessly pairs of hands making portal after portal of sunshine to flood the room.
No one could stop them,
no one dared go near them,
and thus their father's throne was nothing,
a chair, bleached white by the light of grief.

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Review: The Light Between Worlds

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A sweet little story, not quite what I was expecting but still beautiful in its way. Perhaps deliberately, it evokes the most famous portal story of them all, and the comparisons are good. This story stands up to CS Lewis, and that's a high bar to reach.

There were a couple of things that threw me - Ev talks about being crowded in her brother's car because of her luggage, then later in the same holiday explains how she has barely any luggage because most of it's still at school; Philippa tells Jack "No one bothers with Philippa, they call me Philippa." Apart from those, though, it's a lovely meditation on love and lose and home, wherever that may be. A fantastic read.

(It is a little strange that Jamie isn't mentioned in any of the promo material, though!)

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


Philippa takes a step away. She's quiet for a while before answering, and when she speaks, her voice is colorless. "Even if you can't promise to keep Evie safe, I did.So I suppose it'll be up to me as always, to look after her and to get her home. If that means helping to hold off your war until you're ready, then so be it."
Cervus rests his head on her shoulder, and at last she turns, throwing her arms around his neck, and burying her face in that ruff of rust-red fur. I creep away, knowing she's said things she won't want me to overhear.

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Review: The Rescued Kitten

The Rescued Kitten by Holly Webb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The strength of Holly Webb's books...one of their strengths, anyway...is the relatively predictable plot. Child has always wanted pet, child gets pet, maybe child can't keep pet/loses pet, child keeps/finds pet, everyone's happy. It's a formula that has seen Holly through more than forty of these books, and they're fantastic for newly confident readers who find comfort in familiarity. This story mixes things up a little...the newly discovered kitten isn't in any real danger, but her siblings and mother might be...but the core of the story stays the same.

The other strength of Holly's books is her writing. I often find myself tearing up as I read. Holly has certainly hit on a winning formula here, and long may it continue.


It must be her mother coming back to get her, the kitten decided. Her mother wouldn't abandon her like this. The kitten tried again to wriggle, and then mewed, as loud as she could. Find me, help me, take me home, I'm frightened!
Even though it was her loudest mew, the sound was still very faint. Hardly more than a squeak. She tried again, squeaking and tugging back against the wire as hard as she could. It bounced a little and she squeaked once more, with pain this time as the long fur on the back of her neck pulled and the wire pressed into her skin.
The noise was coming closer and she twisted her body, pulling to try and see what was making it, still calling faintly to her mother. But instead of a cat hurrying to rescue her, the kitten saw two frightened, wide eyed faces. She wrenched at the wire again and the cut on her neck went deeper. It hurt and she sagged down miserably. She was terrified and so, so tired.
She didn't understand. All she could do was close her eyes and hope that whoever this was would go away and then her mother would come.

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Review: Slave Day

Slave Day by Rob Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Slave Day was interesting, but it could have been so much better. Each 'chapter' is only a couple of pages long, and they move between eight different characters, so it's hard to connect to any of them. I couldn't pick out a 'plot', as such; it's just a bunch of stuff that happens on this one particular day. Maybe I missed something; I'd be glad to learn I did.

Because this should have been a brilliant book. It tackles real issues, issues that are very important now, and some of the characters are much better than others...Jen and Brendan spring to mind. As it is, though, it's only so so, and that's a real shame.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.



"I AM ROBERT E LEE, and you've named your school after me."
A couple of the same brothas who told me to speak up start booing. Boys better be booin' the speech and not the speaker. Some people got no sense of humour.
Stump Milton yells "Somebody shut him up."
Right, Stump. You tell fag jokes all day, last period Dr Pepper was spewin' out your nose when you were watchin' me pick up cotton balls, but this pisses you off. I look down at the next lind of the speech. Ain't no way I'm reading this. The warning bell rings, keeping me from havin' to flat out refuse.
I am Robert E Lee, and if you were a slave, I slept with your mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. You named your school after me.
I wonder if that's true.

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Review: Access Restricted

Access Restricted by Gregory Scott Katsoulis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A brilliant sequel to All Rights Restricted, picking up very soon after the end of that book. However, while it's been mere hours for the characters, it's been much longer for me and I found myself struggling to remember exactly what happened to what character when. A recap of some kind would have been very welcome.

That aside, though, this is a fantastic read. Speth's world expands in this one and we get to see a lot more of what's left of America. Saretha seemed much younger than her age this time, griping and complaining at Speth all the time. It grated on me but it never made me stop reading.

I think the series is over now; it seemed the right stopping point. But I'll be watching out for more by Scott.

Be aware the main character and others are tortured with electric shocks and nauseating patterns and sounds.


"How do you know? A name could be anything."
"Nah. They took our names, priced 'em out. You ever look at the Spanish Word$ Market? See what they charge? They don't want us to have a history. They don't want us to know each other and don't want us to know ourselves."
...
"Friends. Family. Words. Even our past. Cut us off from everything. Want us to have nothing, so we'll feel like nothing. They don't want your fight. S'why they hate you so bad. When they come to Indenture, they don't want anything left but strong hands and backs."

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Review: Ten After Closing

Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An exciting read about a hostage situation gone very, very wrong. I enjoyed all the parts in the 'now' section; however, I found myself skimming the past sections. I'm sure they were meant to make points about the characters, but I found them dull and uninteresting and I didn't need them to understand what was happening.

A great read, one I'll heartily recommend.


"Ok, everyone," Pavan whispers to us as he comes around the counter with Twitch's coffee. "Just calm down. Those guys will be back soon. If you're saying we're still defenceless, we'd better come up with a way to remedy that."
I'm such a stupid, useless ass.
Everyone's martyr...
Except it's the martyr's job to die. With my rash decision, I may have killed us all.

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Review: Exile

Exile by S.M. Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A great second parter to the series. I do wonder, if it keeps on, how many more excuses S M Wilson can find to bring the team back to Piloria? This one worked well, but five books down the line...

I've also taken one star off for all the times someone licked their lips. After a while it was really throwing me out of the story. But other than that, this is a fantastic read, full of action, adventure and heartbreak, and I can't wait to read the next one and see what happens now. It did end on an almost literal cliffhanger, after all!


Lincoln spoke clearly. "I told you I met Kayna. I told you I met Caleb."
Blaine nodded his eyes wide. Then something happened. Part of his brain must have clicked into gear. "But, what about..."
Lincoln gently slipped his arm around Jesa's back and edged her forward. "Blaine, this is Jesa. Your daughter. The person you just slapped." He watched as the words registered, then leaned forwards and kept his voice low. "Touch her again and I'll kill you myself."

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Review: And the Ocean Was Our Sky

And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is up there with A Monster Calls as Patrick's finest work. This is amazing, a fantastic re imagining of Moby Dick from the whale's point of view, with real thought put into how the whale society functions. Absolutely amazing. I'll be looking forward to seeing the real illustrations, but even the samples here add immeasurably to the story. Just fantastic.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


"I do not wish to kill you," I said, surprising myself by saying it out loud, though quietly, for only Demetrius to hear.
"That much is obvious," he said, though not happily. "You have let me live far beyond kindness out of your own fear." He dropped his head. "But you will kill me. Before the end. And nothing between whale and man will ever change."
I breathed from the bubble in my throat. There was no further delay I could make. He said he did not know what the upside-down ship meant, so he was right:
I would kill him.
And that would be the end. So many ends.

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Review: Me and Me

Me and Me by Alice Kuipers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've always been interested in the Many Worlds theory, and it's fantastic to read about it in a book this entertaining. Lark is a brilliant character, racked with guilt over something that wasn't her fault at all. That said, I liked World 2 Jade...where she saved Annabelle...better than World 1 Jade, where she saved Alec. Maybe that was part of the point, to show how someone's character can change very quickly in certain circumstances. If so it's clever.

A great read that should spark some fun discussions.



Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


I swim toward the screen, toward her. I feel like I might die the effort is so immense. But then, with a ripping feeling through my entire body, as if my insides are being torn from me, I'm there.
I'm standing on my street, looking at myself. Oh, my God.
She's me. She's wearing the same jeans, the same shirt, the same everything. Even the same makeup. But her hair only just reaches into a ponytail and is dyed red.
"Can you hear me?" I say to her. To myself.
"Oh, my God. I can hear you," she replies.

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Review: All of This Is True

All of This Is True by Lygia Day Peñaflor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A strange, meta novel about a novel, written in interviews, journal extracts and samples of the novel. I didn't mind the format, it's interesting, but the story itself didn't grip me, especially when I was basically getting it twice; the novel-within-the-novel mimics what's happening in the interviews and journals down to the word. I skipped about thirty percent in the middle and didn't feel I'd lost anything. It's interesting from a moral standpoint, though.

Enjoyable but not fantastic.

Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

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Review: The Fallout

The Fallout by Glasko Klein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A short, action packed novel about teens during an alien invasion. I hadn't realised it was part of a series, but I'd love to read more to get a fuller picture of what was going on elsewhere and what the full story was with the aliens. I'm impressed that a full squad of soldiers risked themselves for two teens, but I guess that's to be expected in this kind of story.

Easy, enjoyable read.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.



Nina was becoming less frightened and more frustrated by the moment. The Visitor was being thwarted pretty handily by an unlocked glass door, and Steve seemed to have switched his brain into some other mode that thought only in action star one-liners.

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Review: Next in Line

Next in Line by Vanessa Acton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A quicker read than I was expecting, but that's no bad thing. This is a cute story about expectations, wish fulfillment and being true to yourself no matter what. Carly read a little young to me, but not so much it was distracting. A nice story.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.


After the call ended, Carly looked around at her enormous, glittering new bedroom.
She was Charlotte Valmont, Princess Royal of the Kingdom of Evonia.
She was second in line for the throne.
And she had never felt so small.

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Review: Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix

Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was a little worried going into this one. Could it possibly be as good as Forest of a Thousand Lanterns? Second books are often weaker, what if this wasn't good, what if it spoiled the memory of Forest for me?

I shouldn't have worried. This is an amazing close to the series, with fantastic characters and even more of the wonderful worldbuilding I loved so much in Forest. I loved watching characters I knew turn back up in unexpected ways, playing different roles this time around.

I can't wait to see what else Julie has lined up for us. I'm sure it'll be amazing.


She didn't know if she would be successful. She didn't care to make grand, empty promises - to herself or anyone else - that she might be the ruler Feng Lu deserved. But if she ever reached that throne, she would try to be an empress of whom her family might be proud.
Yes, there was time yet to discover what sort of monarch she wished to be.
For if you wished it, you could light all the world.
Jade lifted the rose higher and raised her chin to face the darkness.

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Review: The Cursed Queen

The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great companion novel to The Impostor Queen, expanding on a race that were only 'savages' in that book. Ansa's struggles and race were fascinating. I do wish she hadn't gone back and forth quite so many times, as it makes her look weak and indecisive, but I wouldn't have any idea who to trust in that situation either!

Now I just have to wait for The True Queen to find out what happens!

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Review: Witch Born

Witch Born by Nicholas Bowling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A great look at a slightly alternate England. Alyce is a great character, and the changes to history have been cleverly woven into and through the history we know. I'd love to read more and see what becomes of the witch queen's daughter, and just how far she manages to alter things.


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