REVIEW: GOING POSTAL

Author: Terry Pratchett
Series: Yes, but you can absolutely read the Discworld series out of order
UK Publisher: Corgi
UK Release date: 2005
Genre: Fantasy

Moist von Lipwig was a con artist and a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork’s ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. But he’s got to see that the mail gets through, come rain, hail, sleet, dogs, the Post Office Workers Friendly and Benevolent Society, the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. Maybe it’ll take a criminal to succeed where honest men have failed, or maybe it’s a death sentence either way. Or perhaps there’s a shot at redemption in the mad world of the mail, waiting for a man who’s prepared to push the envelope...

Being a big fan of Terry Pratchett's other books, and the TV version of this book, you can easily imagine my thoughts after reading Going Postal. It didn't disappoint; in fact I loved it.

When I tell you about the main protagonist, Moist von Lipwig, you may wonder why I loved it so much. Moist was a con artist, swindler and trickster. I shouldn't have liked him, because he stole, cheated and lied at every turn. And when he wasn't doing that, he was running away like a coward. But I did really like him and I found his story to be captivating, humorous and fast paced. Perhaps it was because of his witty narrative and charisma. Or perhaps it was because he started out at his lowest point - on the hangman's noose - and from there he could only go up. He struggled to see the error of his ways, and continued to manipulate people into being on his side, however it wasn't done maliciously. And because he ended up caring for the people in the post office, it turned out to be a good thing. In fact, this quick wit, bravado and fast mouth, were the very things needed to bring life back into the post office.

In his typical style, Terry Pratchett included plenty of humour and wit. I smiled and giggled my way through the book. However there was also a moral element to the story. Vetinari, the leader of Ankh-Morpork, may be fearsome, but he is also fair. He doesn't just punish Moist von Lipwig for his crimes. He offers him a choice, and a chance at redemption.

The story held plenty of action, twists, turns and surprises. And of course, a handful of weirdness. I love the way Terry Pratchett took something so normal, like post and stamps, and turned it into this fantastical and frantic race to succeed, and do right by the common people of Ankh-Morpork. I have no idea how stamps came into being in our own world, but it was fascinating to see how the idea of them developed in this story.

Once again Terry Pratchett creates magic on each page. If you love a book with fantasy, humour and bold characters, then please read this!

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: BLACK SPRING

Author: Alison Croggon
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Walker
UK Release date: 3rd January 2013
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Inspired by Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, BLACK SPRING reimagines the passionate story in a fantasy 19th century society sustained by wizardry and the vengeance code of vendetta.
Anna spent her childhood with Damek and her volatile foster sister Lina, daughter of the Lord of the village. Lina has magical powers, and in this brutal patriarchal society women with magical powers are put to death as babies. Lina’s father, however, refuses to kill her but when vendetta explodes in their village and Lina’s father dies, their lives are changed forever. Their new guardian Masko sends Anna away and reduces Lina to the status of a servant. Damek—mad with love for Lina—attempts to murder Masko, then vanishes for several years. Anna comes home five years later to find Lina about to marry a pleasant young farmer, and witnesses Damek’s vengeful return and its catastrophic consequences. (Goodreads)

Black Spring is a re-imagining of the classic Wuthering Heights, embellished with fantasy elements. The story includes witches, wizards, and a strange vendetta that must down through families to enrich the King's coffers.With these fantasy elements, Black Spring will appeal to a new, younger audience that may not have already read Emily Bronte's classic, as well as fans of the tale.

I was surprised that in this retelling, the key plot points stayed the same but the character names had changed. Because of this, the start felt very different to the original and I had a little trouble trying to equate the characters in this book with the original (although I do realise that each book should be read on its own merits, and not compared, it is difficult for me to do with such a well known book). Having said this, I think the new names better suited the new setting and fantasy elements, rather than the historical, British feel.

The addition of the family vendettas, wizards and curses gave a more ominous backdrop to the doomed love between Lina and Damek, as well as adding interest and action to the plot. For me, it also gave credence to Lina’s (aka Cathy’s) behaviour and went a little way to explaining her drastic change in demeanour. Yes, I understand that Damek’s leaving would have caused Lina to be deeply upset, but I also think such a strong willed young woman would have more strength of character. And of course the wild character of Lina was perfectly suited to being a potential witch.

Just as with the original, Alison Croggon has created an atmosphere of gloom and despair in the isolated village, and this gloom haunts the characters throughout. If you enjoyed the original and like fantasy, or if you want to read a dark tale of despair, then Black Spring will be perfect.

Rating: 4*

MY TOP 5 YA BOOKS OF 2012

In order to pick out my 5 favourite reads of this year, I've very strictly had to pick only books that were released this year. Even so, it's been really hard to whittle my list down, as there have been so many good reads, but I've managed to pick one for five different sub genres within YA.

Dystopian - Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Published by Bloomsbury, October 2012

It's been hard to pick a favourite dystopian because this genre has bloomed. But I picked Breathe because the story is completely immersed in a ruined futuristic world which is so easily imaginable it's scary.

The world is dead. The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.
Alina has been stealing for a long time. She's a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she's never been caught before. If she's careful, it'll be easy. If she's careful.
Quinn should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it's also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn't every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.
Bea wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they'd planned a trip together, the two of them, and she'd hoped he'd discover her out here, not another girl.
And as they walk into the Outlands with two days' worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

You can find my review here.


Paranormal - Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Published by Simon & Schuster, January 2012

As the plot counted down Nicki's remaining time before she is taken back to the underworld, the tension grew and grew. A very gripping story.

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.
Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.
As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

You can find my review here.


Science Fiction - Partials by Dan Wells
Published by Harper Collins, February 2012

I loved this book because of the post-apocolyptic setting and the strange partials that Kira is off to hunt. Nothing in this books is what it seems though.

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.
Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

You can find my review here.


Fantasy - Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Published by Random House Children's Publishers, July 2012

Rachel Hartman's debut features a brilliant fantasy setting and a female protagonist with a secret. Such a great read!

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.
Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

You can find my review here.


Contemporary - Whisper by Chrissie Keighery
Published by Templar, July 2012

I loved the unique perspective of this book, as it shows how Demi copes with becoming deaf and trying to deal with all the usual teenage issues and communicating with everyone around her.

Fifteen-year-old Demi's world is shattered when she is left profoundly deaf by a sudden illness. Everything is different now, and Demi must learn to adapt to a new school, new friends and even learn a whole new language.

Whisper is a coming-of-age tale, about discovering who you are and where you fit in life. About friendships and first love and, most of all, learning to love the person you are.

You can find my review here.



What have been your favourite books this year?

REVIEW: UNDER THE NEVER SKY

Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Atom
UK Release date: February 2012
Genre: Dystopian fantasy

Worlds kept them apart. Destiny brought them together. Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim. Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive. If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers. (Goodreads)

When I first started reading Under the Never Sky, I thought I had made a big mistake. I’d been looking forward to reading the book for ages, and then when I started I was thrown into this strange futuristic world where the teenagers spoke with strange and silly futuristic slang and wore eye pieces to go into simulated environments. I didn’t think I could stomach a whole book like that. But then I realised that Under the Never Sky combines a future dystopian society with fantasy and paranormal elements. I just loved the way it felt like a fantasy story or something plucked from history despite it being set in a future alternative world; the savage outsiders still lived off the land by farming and hunting for food, lived by old fashioned ‘tribe’ rules, and in most cases shunned and feared modern technology like the eye pieces.

I loved how the characters changed and developed over the story. Aria was very vulnerable when she was first outside the pod. She didn’t know how to cope and struggled with the basic survival instincts. She was also very wary of Perry because he was different and, to her, a savage. Likewise Perry, with his heightened senses couldn’t stand the smell of Aria. But very slowly they both started changing; Aria adapting to the new environment and appreciating the caring, softer qualities of Perry, and Perry beginning to see Aria as a woman rather than a useless child.

One of the big reasons that Perry was so endearing to me, is that he was so caring of his nephew Talon. He looked after him like a brother or son, despite the tension between him and his brother Vale. His refusal to give up looking for him showed that he was caring and protective – perfect qualities to balance out a man that can also fight off predators and hunt for food!

To start with their was a lot of unease, wariness and resentment between the Aria and Perry. But as things started changing, there was obviously chemistry between them. As each did something little to help the other, you could see their feelings grow. I just adored this slowly blossoming ro-mance and felt they were perfect for each other despite the reasons Perry felt they couldn’t ever be together.

With Perry and Aria travelling across the land to get her eye piece fixed, there were plenty of opportunities for danger, fighting, hardships and little bonding moments. The cannibalistic tribe scared me, but in contrast the compound was like a little safe haven filled with historical artefacts and antiquities. Althought the time there was slower in pace, it certainly allowed for Perry and Aria to get to know each other better.

Under the Never Sky is wonderfully written by Veronica Rossi, with a beautifully crafted world that combines dystopian, paranormal and fantasy elements to create a gripping adventure of rom-ance and self discovery.

Rating: 5*

TRAILER TUESDAY: SCENT OF MAGIC & MYSTIC CITY

The purpose of my weekly trailer teasers is to highlight some fab books (and/or their related movies). First up in this week's trailer is for Maria V. Snyder's latest book. It is the second in the series, but I love the look of the trailer, and I love Maria's writing. I'm seriously thinking of starting reading this series... are you?

Scent of Magic will be published by Mira Ink on 18th December 2012. Put it on your Christmas present list!

Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

*****

Next up is the trailer for the amazing Mystic City by Theo Lawrence. This book has elements of the venetian canals, Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet - a must read! This book was published in October 2012 by Corgi, so you can already go get yourself a copy!

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

REVIEW: PANTOMIME

Author: Laura Lam
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 7th February 2013
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

R. H. Ragona’s Circus of Magic is the greatest circus of Ellada. Nestled among the glowing blue Penglass—remnants of a mysterious civilisation long gone—are wonders beyond the wildest imagination. It’s a place where anything seems possible, where if you close your eyes you can believe that the magic and knowledge of the vanished Chimaera is still there. It’s a place where anyone can hide. Iphigenia Laurus, or Gene, the daughter of a noble family, is uncomfortable in corsets and crinoline, and prefers climbing trees to debutante balls. Micah Grey, a runaway living on the streets, joins the circus as an aerialist’s apprentice and soon becomes the circus’s rising star. But Gene and Micah have balancing acts of their own to perform, and a secret in their blood that could unlock the mysteries of Ellada.

The rich setting for Pantomime encompasses elements of magic, fantasy and historical Victorian period. Ellada has all the finery of the rich upper class, contrasted against the poor and the beggars. Whereas Gene has all the luxuries of the rich, she still suffers from the restrictive traditions and formalities and from the burdens of a mother that wants her to marry well and be like every other girl coming of age. 

Then there is the circus; a whole different world in itself. As soon as you start reading Pantomime you are thrown into the Circus of Magic. I loved reading about what circus life is really like behind all the glitz and magic. There were so many different personalities and characters like the 'freaks' and clowns, and whilst I expected them to be like a big family I didn't quite expect the dark and sinister 'hazing' that Micah received when he started there.

The magical element in the story is Vestige and the mysterious Penglass domes. I wasn't really sure what exactly Vestige was, although it had a steampunk feel to it. I'm hoping that the world building and magic is explored in more detail in subsequent books, as there is so much potential for this to develop into something beautifully complex and colourful. Whilst this book focused more on the characters and their development, I would really love to find out more about the different countries and their dwindling magic.

What makes Pantomime different from so many other books out there is the big twist in the story. Actually I think there are two surprises. One I picked up on fairly early into the plot, as there were some little hints floating around. But the other I hadn't quite guessed, although it made sense when I found out. I can't tell you what these twists are, because it would completely spoil the story. But I will say that Pantomime will get you thinking, it will open your mind, and hopefully remind people that no matter what our differences everyone deserves to live their life how they want to, with freedom, equality, and respect. I also really admire Laura Lam for writing a book that dares to pick such a unique and slightly taboo topic and write it with really sensitivity.

Pantomime is a dark, gritty world where all the fun of the fair can turn sinister at any time.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: THE ASSASSIN'S CURSE

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Strange Chemistry
UK Release date: 4th October 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. (Goodreads)

Ananna is gruff, tough and most certainly rough around the edges. But as a pirate's daughter that has grown up aboard a pirate ship, who can blame her. She's not the sort of girl that I would want to meet in a dark alley, and to start I didn't take an instant liking to her. But she very quickly grew on me, as she  wouldn't take stick from anyone. I loved the way she could stand up for herself, fight her way out of a situation and give as good as she got. And despite her stubborn and coarse nature, she seemed to develop a little soft spot for the assassin sent to kill her.

I loved that Naji and Ananna were bound together by an Impossible Curse. There’s something very fairytale and romantic about the idea, and the fact that they had to remain within a certain proximity of each other meant they were forced to spend time together and get on to some degree. Although Naji was completely blind to Ananna and her feelings and also very reticent about sharing anything, I could see why Ananna might start to fall for him. Because Naji is an assassin that wears black clothes to cover his entire body and face, he has this dark, mysterious appeal. His scarred face gives him a vulnerable and self-depreciating quality.

The story is set in some magical, exotic and rugged places, from deserts, the ocean and a magical jungle on an unusual floating island. These different places add to the action and the plot and give the story a really mystical air. I'm really intrigued to see where Ananna and Naji might visit next and I really hope it's some where new, different and special.

Plot-wise, the story starts with Ananna running away and very soon after sees her and Naji set off on a journey fraught with danger and adventure. There is dark magic mixed in and strange women from other worlds. Like Ananna I didn't know who could be trusted, and coupled with being on the run this made Anannna's situation seem very scary. She seemed to relish a lot of this danger though, getting involved in the action whenever she could.

A slight pet peeve for me was Anannna’s use of incorrect grammar, to make her speech more colloquial and pirate-esque. She regularly used double negatives even when she intended for the end result to be negative. I'm not know sure why this bothered me so much, it just did. Despite this, I still really enjoyed   this book.

The Assassin’s Curse is a pirate fantasy bursting with romance, action and adventure.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: THE PECULIAR

Author: Stefan Bachmann
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: HarperCollins
UK Release date: 18th September 2012
Genre: Steampunk faery fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.
In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.
One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley--Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.
First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong. (Goodreads)

In The Peculiar, Bachmann has created an alternative England where a door to the faery world was once opened. This alternative world incorporates elements of Victorian England, gothic steampunk and magical fantasy, and is both wonderfully vivid in its opulence but also darkly dangerous. Since the destruction of Old Bath and the introduction of faeries to the country, there has been an uneasy alliance between humans, changelings (half humans half faeries), and the different types of faeries from sprites and gnomes to Sidhe. Neither side understands or trusts the other. And it is unfortunately the half bloods or changelings that bear the brunt of this prejudice and mistrust. I do love this world that has been built, but I do feel more could have been done to add depth and development to the characters.

My feelings towards Mr Jelliby are a little ambivalent. He’s the kind of upper-class gentleman that doesn’t like to rock the boat and is rather ineffectual. But despite the fact that he can be indecisive and cowardly, he doesn’t just idly sit back and let events unfold without trying to intervene. I’m not fully convinced this was down to character development, and I did sometimes doubt the believability of his actions. Would such a nervous character really be able to step up as the hero without more persuasion than just thinking ‘well someone has to do it’?

Poor changeling Bartholomew and his little sister have been forced to live hidden away from everyone else. It is only when the curious Bartholomew spots a mysterious lady magically whisk away his young neighbour, that he sets out into the wide world. I felt I understood and liked Bartholomew a lot more, with his desire to have a fairy helper and yet even greater desire to protect his sister.

The story is written in third person from Bartholomew’s and Mr Jelliby’s perspectives. Occasionally the perspectives overlapped, to give an omniscient narration within the same chapter. I found this a little  disconcerting, as my preference is to keep third person perspectives quite separate. Something that also stood out about the writing was that the story gave no context straight away to what the characters' motivations were. You are plunged straight into the story and have to figure out what is going on as the characters Bartholomew and Mr Jelliby do, and decipher what Mr. Lickerish might be up to. I actually liked this though, as I had to keep guessing and wondering how their paths might all cross and come together.

Despite some of the narrative and character niggles, I enjoyed The Peculiar as a visually splendid Victorian delight, mixing up steampunk and gothic, faery fantasy to create something that children will love.

You can read an excerpt of The Peculiar on Goodreads and you can also listen to Peculiar Pieces, the music written by Stefan Bachmann to accompany the book.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: THE CORPSE-RAT KING

Author: Lee Battersby
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Angry Robot
UK Release date: September 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Marius don Hellespont and his apprentice, Gerd, are professional looters of battlefields. When they stumble upon the corpse of the King of Scorby and Gerd is killed, Marius is mistaken for the monarch by one of the dead soldiers and is transported down to the Kingdom of the Dead. Just like the living citizens, the dead need a King — after all, the King is God’s representative, and someone needs to remind God where they are. And so it comes to pass that Marius is banished to the surface with one message: if he wants to recover his life he must find the dead a King. Which he fully intends to do. Just as soon as he stops running away.

Marius de Hellespont is a liar, cheat, thief and witty charmer. A little like Jack Sparrow, he seems to always land on his feet no matter what ridiculous situation he ends up in. And trust me, he ends up in a number of bizarre and unexpected circumstances, and usually on the wrong end of the law or moral compass. Particularly because he is now dead. Marius' initial response to his situation and duty to find a new king was to run away, and it makes him seem as cowardly and pathetic as you would expect a looter of the dead to be. Whilst his character developed and grew throughout the book, making Marius a just-about likable character, his daring, cunning and unreprehensible behaviour really made the story.

At first the writing tended towards the over descriptive, which sometimes slowed the plot down with its tangential diversions. But further into the book, the plot, dialogue and wit improved by bounds and had me chuckling away. In fact the story reminded me a little of the madcap adventures that befall Voltaire’s character Candide in his book of the same name. Both plots have a philosophical bent to them and involve a series of rather absurd adventures and mishaps.

Although some of the secondary characters could have benefitted from a little more fleshing out to avoid them feeling one dimensional, my favourite character was King Nandus, who had a slightly strange (and possibly inappropriate) affection for horses. Found in the underwater wreck of his groundbreaking ship, the skeletal form of Nandus unfortunately takes on a few too many horse-like qualities, which made the story both humorous and endearing. The fact that the poor man didn't even realise the truth of his situation made it all the more pitiful and comical.

Despite the darker themes of death, deception and looting, overall the story had an underlying moral and spiritual emphasis, as Marius very slowly started to see the error of his ways. I loved the rather maccabre idea of the dead needing a king to rule their deathly kingdom, and being able to extend their deathly grip into the mortal realm to get Marius and Gerd to find them a ruler. What on earth would their job be as a King of the Dead?

The Corpse-Rat King is an absurd and fantastical tale of a man about to learn the error of his ways the hard way.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: CARNIVAL OF SOULS

Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Harper Collins
UK Release date: 4th September 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

In a city of daimons, rigid class lines separate the powerful from the power-hungry. And at the heart of The City is the Carnival of Souls, where both murder and pleasure are offered up for sale. Once in a generation, the carnival hosts a deadly competition that allows every daimon a chance to join the ruling elite. Without the competition, Aya and Kaleb would both face bleak futures--if for different reasons. For each of them, fighting to the death is the only way to try to live.

All Mallory knows of The City is that her father--and every other witch there--fled it for a life in exile in the human world. Instead of a typical teenage life full of friends and maybe even a little romance, Mallory scans quiet streets for threats, hides herself away, and trains to be lethal. She knows it's only a matter of time until a daimon finds her and her father, so she readies herself for the inevitable. While Mallory possesses little knowledge of The City, every inhabitant of The City knows of her. There are plans for Mallory, and soon she, too, will be drawn into the decadence and danger that is the Carnival of Souls.

I have to admit I was a little dubious reading this one as I haven't exactly loved other books by the author in the past. But this book gripped me straight away, and I absolutely loved it.

The plot was a cleverly crafted, beautifully woven and complex web. The different subplots interplayed so fluidly that at points when I was thinking 'what the hell just happened?!', things came together and fitted like another piece in a jigsaw puzzle. The plot was a little like a chess game, with wild twists and turns happening as each character made their next move in the desire for power. (Sorry for all my game analogies, but as you can probably tell I think the plot was really well worked out, with such clever changes and huge surprises and revelations. Along with the world building and strong character motivations there were so many different layers to this story, but they all worked perfectly together.) There was also plenty of action and intrigue to keep me utterly captivated and guessing what might happen next, but honestly with this book I couldn't rightly predict anything!

To start, the world building with its history of wars and hostility between witches and daimons and changing between the human and daimon worlds, had me a little confused. But soon I became fascinated with The City and its Carnival of Souls. This daimon world was a little more brutal and violent than I had expected, and it harked back to medieval times where caste systems were still strongly adhered to and those at the bottom had to fight, steal, kill or whore themselves to survive. Danger lurked around every corner and the Carnival felt very dark and unpredictable. The stark contrast of the two worlds was brilliant, and although there was less action in Mallory's human world, it didn't make it any less interesting.

Carnival of Souls featured a large cast of characters, and each one was well developed with distinct personalities and very focused motivations that catapulted the action and created the shocking plot twists. I felt a little sorry for Mallory, raised in the human world and pretty much oblivious to the truth. She'd been sheltered by Adam for her own protection and although he'd trained her, her ignorance made her practically defenceless against daimons or witches. She also had no say in her life - Adam pretty much controlled what she did, who she saw and where they lived, and even Kaleb started making decisions that impacted her life without her knowledge or consent. Although this felt right within the plot and with an understanding of why Kaleb was making these decisions, it still felt wrong that Mallory was often used by people as a tool. I respected the fact that she didn't just fall straight into Kaleb's arms, and I would have liked to have seen a little more happen or shared between the pair to better understand why Kaleb liked her so much.

In terms of Kaleb, he was very dangerous and violent. But his past and low social standing left him pretty much no other option on how to survive in The City, so I couldn't help but feel for him. I also admit that I kind of fell for his tough exterior and caring protectiveness over pack member Zevi. He was an enigma, scheming away and making dangerous power plays, but I think his boldness and determination attracted me to him.

At first I was also a little uncertain of Aya, because she was so forthright, cold and brutal. But she grew on me as the story progressed and I admired her strength and courage. She wasn't immune to caring, asking for help but she was very clever.

With some of the characters I couldn't tell what they might be up to and whether they could be completely trusted but this just intrigued me more. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to the individual characters and in the greater was between witches and daimons.

Carnival of Souls is beautifully crafted and deliciously dark. A must read for this year.

Rating: 5*

Carnival of Souls is out today and can be bought as an ebook too :)

STRANGE CHEMISTRY LAUNCHES

I'm so excited that Strange Chemistry has finally launched. Strange Chemistry, as a 'younger sister' to Angry Robot, will publish modern young adult science fiction, fantasy and everything in between. They have an amazing lineup of authors and new titles coming out, some of whom we heard readings from at the launch earlier this week. The launch itself was a huge success and a very promising start to a wonderful imprint - not only did the books grab your attention, but the popping candy in test tubes certainly got me bubbling with excitement! Keep you eyes peeled on My Book Journey for a Strange Chemistry goody bag giveaway coming soon!

Below are the burbs for the first 5 books to be released, and you can read extracts of these titles on Strange Chemistry's website.

Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke - tbp October 2012
Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.
And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings - tbp October 2012
15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection.
In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Blackwood by Gwenda Bond - tbp September 2012
On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.
Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.
Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

Shift by Kim Curran - tbp September 2012
When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, he learns he's not so average after all. He's a 'Shifter'. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he's ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

Katya's World by Jonathan L. Howard - tbp November 2012
The distant and unloved colony world of Russalka has no land, only the raging sea. No clear skies, only the endless storm clouds. Beneath the waves, the people live in pressurised environments and take what they need from the boundless ocean. It is a hard life, but it is theirs and they fought a war against Earth to protect it. But wars leave wounds that never quite heal, and secrets that never quite lie silent.
Katya Kuriakova doesn’t care much about ancient history like that, though. She is making her first submarine voyage as crew; the first nice, simple journey of what she expects to be a nice, simple career.
There is nothing nice and simple about the deep black waters of Russalka, however; soon she will encounter pirates and war criminals, see death and tragedy at first hand, and realise that her world’s future lies on the narrowest of knife edges. For in the crushing depths lies a sleeping monster, an abomination of unknown origin, and when it wakes, it will seek out and kill every single person on the planet.

Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for Strange Chemistry's other titles which will be released in 2013:

Broken by AE Rought
The Holders by Julien Scott
Pantomime by Laura Lam

REVIEW: MAGIC STUDY

Please note: although I won't give spoilers for this book, there may be spoilers for the first in the series.

Author: Maria V. Snyder
Series: Yes, #2
UK Publisher: Mira
UK Release date: May 2008
Genre: Fantasy

With an execution order on her head, Yelena has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of her birth. With only a year to master her magic - or face death - Yelena must begin her apprenticeship and travels to the Four Towers of the Magician's Keep. But nothing in Sitia is familiar. Not the family to whom she is a stranger. Not the unsettling new facets of her magic. Nor the brother who resents her return. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her rare powers, a rogue magician emerges - and Yelena catches his eye. Suddenly she is embroiled in battle of good against evil. And once again it will be her magical abilities that will either save her life...or be her downfall.

Although Magic Study wasn’t as stunningly good as Poison Study, I still enjoyed the second book in the Study series. Yelena has a very different journey to make in this book, as she leaves Ixia and Valek behind. She still manages to make me smile, and she still learns and develops as a character. Her connection to Kiki, a rather wild and wilful horse, was very unexpected but I found their interactions very humorous and sweet.

I was really sad that Yelena had to leave Valek, as he’s such a dynamic character. But you don’t need to be too disappointed, as he pops up in the book with his typical deadly fighting moves and protectiveness over Yelena. Perhaps not as often as I would have liked but enough to keep me going.

With the introduction of Yelena’s family and the Magician's Keep, a wealth of new characters are invited into the story. Once again, Snyder is skilled at creating wonderfully real individuals, and also balancing the action packed plot against the character driven elements. And it must be said, the plot was just exploding with action. The downside was that the plot often felt repetitive - Yelena would go off on her to own to solve a problem and end up getting caught, tortured and very much in trouble. A little deviation and variety wouldn't have gone amiss.

Both Cahil, the surviving prince and apparent heir to the Ixia throne, and Yelena’s brother, did however really confuse me. They would blow hot and cold, and I couldn’t figure out their true characters. This wasn’t a downside though – I loved the fact that the characters were three dimensional; they had secret motivations and agendas and changing emotions. Like in real life, I couldn’t predict what they were both up to, and this made the plot more interesting.

Magic Study had a lot to live up to, and although it didn't surpass Poison Study, it was still an action packed fantasy.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: POISON STUDY

Author: Maria V. Synder
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Mira Books
UK Release date: 2007
Genre: Fantasy

Yelena has a choice – be executed for murder, or become food taster to the Commander of Ixia. She leaps at the chance for survival, but her relief may be short-lived. Life in the palace is full of hazards and secrets. Wily and smart, Yelena must learn to identify poisons before they kill her, recognise whom she can trust and how to spy on those she can’t. And who is the mysterious Southern sorceress who can reach into her head? When Yelena realises she has extraordinary powers of her own, she faces a whole new problem, for using magic in Ixia is punishable by death... (Goodreads)

First off I absolutely loved this book. In Poison Study, Snyder has created an amazing fantasy world, simple but extremely well written. Her writing style has a natural ebb and flow to it that makes it easy and pleasurable to read.

The main protagonist, Yelena, starts off as a criminal and prisoner in the Commander’s cells. Her only reprieve from the noose is the offer of a job as food taster to the Commander of Ixia.

Even when she is saved, she is vilified and shunned by everyone. I loved the fact that Yelena had such an interesting and dangerous role, having to learn about different poisons, whilst fighting off those that still looked down on her. It gave the whole plot a unique and different take.

Yelena was intelligent, brave, witty and tough. She's already been through so much and yet Poison Study has so much in store for her - but this one girl that gets up no matter how many times you put her time, and for that I adore her. Even though to begin with I didn’t fully know what Brazell and Reyad had inflicted on Yelena, I knew enough to feel sympathy for her, and I smiled whenever she was able to prove people wrong.

The fact that Yelena had to work for the most dangerous, lethal and ruthless man in the country added an extra element of danger. Valek was cunning, tricky, and brutal. Yet I loved seeing his soft side peek through, and see him protect Yelena. His character and personality was so magnetic and charismatic, that I was irresistibly drawn to him.

Snyder has also developed an amazing cast of secondary characters from the ‘power’ twins Ari and Janco, to some of the most sinister characters such as Brazell and Mogkan. Each one felt very real, with different traits and sides to their personality, and I liked that some characters you just couldn’t figure out at first. Were they going to be mean and pick on Yelena or could they be potential friends? The guessing and intrigue really kept me interested and on my toes.

Although some overarching elements of the plot were easy to predict, there were so many sub plots and twists that the story never bored me. I loved the mix of action, threat, and subtle romance.

A fantasy masterpiece, Poison Study, is a beautifully written story filled with wonderful characters and crammed with danger, mu rder and fighting.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: THE HEIR OF NIGHT

Author: Helen Lowe
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Orbit
UK Release date:
Genre: Fantasy

In the far north of the world of Haarth lies the bitter mountain range known as the Wall of Night. Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai, the Wall is the final bastion between the peoples of Haarth and the Swarm of Dark--which the Derai have been fighting across worlds and time.

Malian, Heir to the House of Night, knows the history of her people: the unending war with the Darkswarm; the legendary heroes, blazing with long-lost power; the internal strife that has fractured the Derai's former strength. But now the Darkswarm is rising again, and Malian's destiny as Heir of Night is bound inextricably to both ancient legend and any future the Derai--or Haarth--may have. (Goodreads)

When you start reading Heir of Night, you can’t deny that a hugely complex world and history has been built for the story. Helen Lowe has created an environment rich with different gods, heroes, magical items and even a spiritual world beyond the ‘gate’.

For me however, there were too many characters to focus on. I didn’t feel like I knew enough about each secondary character to make them substantial in my mind and I got a little confused between the characters to start with. I think this was compounded by the fact that there was a lot going on in the story - there was so much back history to learn and so many new strange things happening, like the hunt, that I really had to concentrate to keep up with the action. If fewer points of action and fewer characters had been fleshed out this might have worked a little better and I might not have struggled so much to finish. 

I also expected Malian the protagonist to be older than she was. At 13 years, I thought the story would revisit her after she had grown up, but in fact the story stayed with her at that age. As the only heir to the Night throne, Malian is vital to the clan surviving and has been brought up to know her duty, which is perhaps why she seems knowledgeable and mature. However she wasn’t treated with reverence by everyone, particularly her father, and I did feel a little sorry that other members of the household were dearer to her than him.

I liked young Kalan. No matter what he stood by Malian and protected her, and I can see a great relationship and partnership developing between them.

Heir of Night is a richly descriptive fantasy with masses of action and magical learning.

Rating: 3.5*

REVIEW: THE SWAN KINGDOM

Author: Zoe Marriott
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Walker Books
UK Release date: 2011
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy tale

When Alexandra’s mother is slain by an unnatural beast, shadows fall on the once-lush kingdom. Too soon the widowed king is entranced by a cunning stranger — and in one chilling moment Alexandra’s beloved brothers disappear, and she is banished to a barren land. Rich in visual detail, sparked by a formidable evil, and sweetened with familial and romantic love, here is the tale of a girl who discovers powerful healing gifts — and the courage to use them to save her ailing kingdom.

The Swan Kingdom is a retelling of one Han's Christian Anderson's fairy tales, The Wild Swans. Like a traditional fairy tale this story had magic, romance, the horrible step-mother, and a battle of good against evil. The setting really took me back in time with the wise women, herb lore, and the magical stone circle which reminded me of Glastonbury and Stone Henge. It was such a beautiful place; so when her new step-mother arrived and started wreaking havoc over the land I was incensed.

What I love about fairy tales, and this story, is the way characters aren't what they first seem. Zella, Alexandra's new step-mother, is beautiful and immediately enchants everyone in the Kingdom. But underneath you know something very evil and dark lurks. And in contrast, Alexandra is initially presented as the strange and ugly girl. But when as you read her honest and open narrative, you can't help but love her.

The writing style was very languid, poetic and descriptive. From the very first word I felt completely immersed in Alexandra's world. The rhythm of the story was slow and natural, but reading it didn't feel slow. There were plenty of high tension moments, threats of danger and undercurrents of romance. I would have liked to have known Gabriel, Alexandra's love interest, in more detail. But having said that you instantly know he is a good and kind man.

It has to be said that Alexandra was an ugly duckling; she disappointed her father, wasn't pretty and took after her mother as a wise woman. However I loved Alexandra's personality and the humorous thoughts she had to herself. She was courageous, brave and throughout the story developed into a strong young woman. Despite starting off shy and lacking in self confidence, she slowly became more able to stand up for herself and for her Kingdom.

The Swan Kingdom is a beautifully written magical fantasy fairy tale.

Rating: 4*

AUTHOR POST: RACHEL HARTMAN & SERAPHINA

Today I am really excited to have author Rachel Hartman joining me on the blog to talk about how she developed the world for her novel Seraphina, what sparked the ideas for it and how did she balance the world building against the characters.

If you've read Seraphina, or even if you're interested in writing, you really must read this insightful and funny account into what went into writing Seraphina.

The world came first, which seemed the natural order of things to me. There was no single moment when it came into being, no Big Bang or separation of the land from the waters. Rather, it came in bits and pieces over many years. 
I had my first inkling when I was twelve and had to write a narrative poem for school. Inspiration struck hard, and I wrote a long poem called “The First Adventure of Sir Amy,” about a little girl knight saving a king from an opera-singing witch. It was quite silly, but it established a number of things: the name Goredd (it rhymed with Fred, the name of Sir Amy’s horse); King Kiggleworth, who later became Prince Lucian Kiggs; and the presence of dragons.  

When I was sixteen, my father took a sabbatical year at Wye College, Kent. I was an avid reader of the English classics, and I was awestruck by the way literature intersects with real life in England. We walked the path of Chaucer’s pilgrims, lived near Jane Austen’s brother’s estate, and were just a short hop from places mentioned in David Copperfield. History was just as palpable and present. Roman walls seemed to converse pleasantly with Georgian houses and Norman churches. I conceived an abiding love for Medieval architecture. The texture of Goredd comes from Canterbury most of all, and from the bucolic hills and close horizons of Kent.  

After university, I wrote and illustrated a comic book for a number of years, and that’s when these disparate elements – things I’d seen, read, and invented – began to solidify into a unified whole. The comic was set in Goredd, and featured a girl named Amy (who was no longer a knight). My love of Medieval history had turned into a large collection of Medieval reference books; I studied the illustrations closely, absorbing details of ornamentation and the forms of everyday objects, and then tried to base my drawings in truth, which was often more astonishing than my imagination. I didn’t want the hackneyed Middle Ages that everyone already knew; I wanted to revive overlooked details and make them live again.  

From the material world grew the cultural world. I wanted there to be religion, or the trappings of religion that interested me most: cathedrals full of candles and statuary, shrines covered with offerings. I was wary of giving offense, so I invented my Saints, very different in nature from Christian saints. My people needed music and medicine, a national epic and history, neighbours and holidays. I put all these things in the comics, learning as I drew, as if my pen were teaching me. I sat back and watched it unveil the world. 

Of course there had to be dragons, because of the dragon in my poem. I soon discovered, however, that I did not enjoy drawing dragons. My dragons all looked like dogs. It was a disaster. I couldn’t bring myself to abandon the idea, however. Luckily, I hit upon a solution: the dragons could take human form.  

And that was the origin of shape-shifting dragons: an expedient of illustration that ended up being a tremendous wellspring of ideas, the happiest of happy accidents.  

So the world has been with me a long time, slowly accumulating detail and depth. I’m not sure whether other writers work this way, or whether it’s my own eccentricity, but once I had the world the characters were easy. The characters generally showed up whole and ready for work; I almost feel like a movie director, and they’re actors I’ve been working with for a long time. Some are what I’d call “utility infielders.” That’s my American roots showing. In baseball, a utility player is one who can play multiple positions. Maybe he’s not the best at any one position, but his flexibility is handy in a pinch. Josef and Lars are of this type; they’ve played a number of different roles over the course of many drafts. 
Having such a well-established world from the beginning allowed the characters space and time to stretch and develop. I must underscore, however, that the world never stops growing. Quighole, the dragon ghetto, was a recent development. I needed something concrete to keep people wary of dragons even after forty years, so I decided there should be an enclave of quigutl (small, flightless dragons who can’t take human shape) in the city. I was telling a friend about this over lunch one day, and she said, “But why do people find the quigs menacing? Are they aggressive pan-handlers?”  

I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at that suggestion. If it makes me laugh, it wins. That is why the book contains pan-handling lizards, and that is how a world grows, piece by piece.

Thank you so much Rachel for taking time to talk about Seraphina! Personally I would love to see Rachel's drawings, even the ones where dragons look like dogs! If you would like to find out more about Rachel Hardman and her book Seraphina you can find it here:

www.SeraphinaBooks.com
http://rachelhartmanbooks.com/

Seraphina was released earlier this week. You can read my review of it here or you can head on over to Amazon to grab yourself a copy.

REVIEW: THRONE OF GLASS

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Bloomsbury
UK Release date: 2nd August 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Celeana Sardothien is an infamous assassin. Yet the seventeen year old is living out the rest of her days imprisoned and set to work in Endovier’s harsh salt mines. All because she made the mistake of getting caught. So when the Crown Prince of Adarlan rescues her from the mines with an offer she can’t refuse, her freedom is finally within reach. She must compete as the Prince’s champion against twenty-three warriors, thieves and assassins to win a place as the King’s assassin and gain her future freedom. But as contestants start turning up dead, Celeana could be next unless she finds out who is behind them and what evil is lurking in the castle.

Throne of Glass was an easy and enjoyable read and I found it both captivating and fast paced. The world of Erilea and its surrounding countries is beautifully crafted and wonderfully written. The plot itself erred on the simple side, and in my opinion would have benefitted from more plot twists, action, and intrigue. However the story certainly had plenty of romance and sexual tension. There is also an underlying hint of fae and magic that permeates the story, although this has been squashed by the King of Adarlan and remains forbidden and lost. This exists as part of a huge backdrop to the story, where the king has been on a long campaign to domineer the surrounding lands. This aspect really intrigued me, and although we didn’t see much past the glass castle of Rifthold in this story, there is so much potential to find out about the political upheaval in these other kingdoms.

Celeana was a fiery, fierce and sassy protagonist. Her strength as an assassin meant she could be arrogant, daring and haughty. And yet her troubled and tortured past made her vulnerable as well as emotionally and physically scarred. The time she had spent in the mines left her starved and beaten but not broken. Her personality shone through, showing an incredible strength of will. This balance of courage and fragility made her an interesting and likeable character as well as a mysterious and attractive individual to both the Prince and Captain Westfall.

A big part of the plot was this love triangle between Celeana, Dorian the Crown Prince and Chaol, Captain of the Guard. I know love triangles can often put readers off, but her Chaol and Dorian are both great characters; both strong and kind in their own way. Celeana and Dorian shared interests in reading and had such witty and sharp dialogue exchanges; whilst with Chaol, Celeana was more like an equal able to challenge each other physically in training. As a reader I liked both men and did wish that Celeana would just pick one rather than continue to flirt with them both. I did however love the dichotomy these characters felt, not knowing whether to trust Celeana, and whether they should be locking her up or falling in love with her.

What really intrigued me about the story is how it began and developed. Sarah J. Maas started writing about Celeana on fiction press ten years ago and has written and published several prequels to Throne of Glass, all novellas looking at Celeana’s life as an assassin before her imprisonment. Sarah J. Maas admits that the story started by thinking what Cinderella might be like if she was an assassin. You can certainly pick up some classic fairy tale qualities and elements to the story, although here they are packaged in a dynamic, dangerous and epic style.

Throne of Glass is an epic YA fantasy debut filled with action, forbidden romance and magic, and a deadly heroine both dangerous and vulnerable in equal measures.

Review: 4*

EXCLUSIVE PREQUELS TO SERAPHINA & THRONE OF GLASS

This is a quick note to highlight the prequels to two YA fantasy stories...


FREE NOVELLA TO THRONE OF GLASS
Bloomsbury are kingly offering readers the chance to read the free prequel novella to Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, The Assassin & The Pirate Lord on SugarScape. It's only available for a few more days, so get reading. On this site you can also read a taster for Throne of Glass.

EXCLUSIVE PREQUEL TO SERAPHINA
Rachel Hartman has written a short prequel to her amazing fantasy, Seraphina, which is available for download on Scribd here.

I loved both of these books, so take the chance now to read the prequels and I would definitely recommend reading the books too!

REVIEW: THE GATHERING DARK

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Orion
UK Release date: June 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.
Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him? (Goodreads)

Fantasy is one of my favourite favourite genres, but sometimes when I read fantasy books I can get completely overwhelmed by the setting and world building and the history of the story. But The Gathering Dark wasn't like that at all. The concept of magic wielding Grisha living in Ravka was set up beautifully, so that it completely captured my imagination and was easy to read and get into. With the menacing Shadow Fold splitting Ravka in two, there was a sense of foreboding underlying and driving the plot. As Alina discovered some hidden powers, she was thrown into a completely new world which tested her, amazed but also surprised her.

I loved the idea that Grisha had hierarchies based on their gifts and area of expertise, whether that was healers or Fabirkators. From the outside, Grisha seemed magical, perfect and beautiful - a life of splendor. But on the inside there was actually jealousy, prejudice and fighting. With the Darkling at the top of that hierarchy, everyone deferred to him and fought for his attention. It was these psychological complexities that added so much intrigue as I tried to understand each of the characters and whether they could be trusted or not.

The Darkling was the most mysterious character of all; he was aloof, secretive and powerful. He would often disappear for weeks, coming and going as he pleased. As leader of the Grisha, he had this appeal and attraction surrounding him that people in positions of power often have, and like Alina I could feel myself drawn to him. Despite this, there was also something about him that felt a little dangerous and exciting but I couldn't put my finger on it and figure out what that was. But I liked the fact that he oozed mystery because it kept me guessing.

Alina was the kind of protagonist that I like, as she started off weak and vulnerable and to be honest a little snappy. But as she developed her gifts she became much more positive and happy. I liked the fact throughout the story she still kept her own sense of personality and didn't submit to everyone else's wishes.

Mal and Alina have had this close connection since childhood when they met in an orphanage. They've been best friends for years, but Alina can't help but feel something more for him. But he doesn't seem to notice her, which made me want to shake him senseless. To start with we didn't really see much of Mal, but later into the story he really came into his own and I have to admit I started falling for him a little. His protectiveness and caring side balanced really well against his manly, rugged, independent side making him the perfect hero to any story.

The Dark Gathering was a thrilling and enchanting fantasy; easy to read and hard to put down.

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: SERAPHINA

Author: Rachel Hartman
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Random House
UK Release date: 10th July 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

In the realm of Goredd, dragons and humans live side by side in a fragile attempt at peace. Their differences keep them apart; dragons believing humans are irrational, indulging in unnecessary emotions, and humans believing dragons are cold, dangerous creatures with no soul. When Seraphina is dragged into the limelight by her musical talents, she risks exposing her dangerous secret. But it is this secret that will help uncover a dangerous plot to upset the balance between humans and dragons.

Seraphina is a complex and captivating fantasy featuring dragons as we have never seen them before. They are able to transform into saarantrai or human form and live alongside humans. However the peace between dragons and humans is very precarious and tenuous. Neither side fully trusts the other and their differences makes them suspicious and wary of each other.

I love the fact that dragons are scientific, rational, logical creatures; they don’t understand or want human emotions, which sully the mind and infect their rational decision-making. Their lack of affection, sympathy or appreciation for art and music puts them at a distance from humans, which seems irreconcilable. And this is why I loved Orma, a dragon secretly living in Goredd in human form. He struggled to understand the emotions and physiological reactions he was feeling as a human, and yet he refused to ignore them. He was heartwarming and full of funny contrasts.

Although I struggled a little with the first chapter, once I got into the story I found it completely absorbing and captivating. There are so many different elements to the story from the extravagant world building, intriguing and multilayered characters, and underlying tension and prejudice between human and dragon kind.

As the female protagonist, I can’t think of anyone better than Seraphina. For someone so young she was mature, vulnerable, sassy, reserved and outspoken all at the same time. Despite wanting to live a quiet life, her talents as a musician draw her into the palace and into the public eye. Here she meets Prince Lucian, a strong man with his own insecurities. Their interactions and the slowly building romantic tension between them was charming and thrilling. A big plus for me was that Hartman didn’t feel the need to constantly remind the reader how attractive Prince Lucian was. His personality and Seraphina’s feelings for him did all the work, leaving me slightly infatuated and very fond of him.

The concept of Seraphina’s ‘mind-garden’ is unusual and strange and yet so brilliant. Here Seraphina controls and tends her ‘unruly’ thoughts to prevent her visions and breakdowns. Unusual characters and landscapes bloom in her mind and threaten to expose her secret. I won’t say more about this, but will only say you must give this book a read!

Seraphina is a beautifully unique and fascinating debut fantasy. I can’t wait to read more from Rachel Hartman.

Rating: 5*

You can check out the all-new Seraphina website here: www.SeraphinaBooks.com and view the trailer for Seraphina below: