It is official! Schwab never ceases to amaze me! This book was so wicked, and dark and intense: I couldn't get enough; I confess, when I first startedIt is official! Schwab never ceases to amaze me! This book was so wicked, and dark and intense: I couldn't get enough; I confess, when I first started reading this, I missed Lila and Rhy and the crew from ADSOM (I still do), yet, in August and Kate, I have found two additional favourite Schwab characters. I loved everything about this book, EVERYTHING! Not only was there never a dull moment; but there was so much action and excitement and suspense! I could not have predicted what would come next; and oh boy, did I love those twists and turns? oh yes! and by the ending! I was gasping! there were moments between the characters that had me totally feeling; and others left me shocked! my eyes were so wide by the time I finished this; I had no idea how it would end and I was completely blown away; and had all of the chills! This is definitley going on my favourites and I can't wait to read "Our Dark Duet!"...more
I was sent a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't impact my thoughts on the book in any way.
This was definI was sent a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't impact my thoughts on the book in any way.
This was definitely an interesting read; I generally don't read horror/murder mysteries much, so it was great to experience that genre; coupled with an Australia outback setting, this book definitley made for a shocking reading experience.
I mean that in the best way, because I was constantly intrigued by this story. As more and more of the fantasy elements started to get woven through, I wondered how much they would impact the story, and what the repercussions would be on Ari. The way the author wrote these fantasy elements, as these terrifying shadows to start with, was pretty terrifying! I actually felt like they were leaping off the page! and all throughout the book, I felt this sense of unease; I knew some crazy twists were coming and I want wrong.
Like honestly, this was crazy! I never could have predicted what paths Rachel and Noah would have gone through; both characters had me feeling all the feels! Like Ari, our narrator, I was wandering if I could trust them, especially given what happened to Noah earlier in the story.
All in all, this book had me engaged from the start, and my mind was constantly guessing what would come next! Thank you to the author Andrew C Jaxson for the review copy. I definitely recommend this if you're looking for a refreshing, spooky read!...more
Okay, let’s start with what I liked – I have read a fair few of these ‘Decide Your Destiny’ books, it’s definitely safe to say, like anything, I’ve enOkay, let’s start with what I liked – I have read a fair few of these ‘Decide Your Destiny’ books, it’s definitely safe to say, like anything, I’ve enjoyed some more than others. This one, I was excited about, because it’s Ten and Martha...
I love Ten and Martha: One of my first Ten episodes was ‘Blink’ and I instantly fell in love with the dynamic between these two. Of course, I then, as I rewatched, began to learn about Martha’s unrequited feelings, and felt so sad for her – but man, I admire her so much for so many reasons! And I agree with Donna, she did make The Doctor more human!
Anyway; I totally digress, but I only really liked how Ten and Martha were portrayed. I felt David Tennant and Freema Agyeman reading their lines, and I could picture them doing their characters actions; so that was great.
However, the writing was definitley a let down. I felt like after the first few choices, my excitement was dwindling, and the sheer repetitive nature of the book. I felt like one choice led back to the start of the story, at first, then things stopped making sense and tying together! Like, honestly! Also, a fourth character was brought in, his journey, as it were, jumped a lot throughout the book, but regardless of what I chose…nothing made sense!
However, I do credit the author for getting Ten and Martha down so well, not all authors can do such a thing!...more
I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins Australia in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my thoughts on the book itself.
NoI received a copy of this book from Harper Collins Australia in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my thoughts on the book itself.
Now, over at Bookstagram, I had seen this book floating around, and I must say it is something that intrigued me, so when I was offered a chance to review this piece, I was excited.
However, my experience reading this one was not as nearky enjoyable as I hoped; whilst the writing was at times, gloriously vivid, there were times when I felt like the characters and their interactions got bogged down in the description of what was going on, rather than show what was happening. I also felt like there was too much world and word building; I honestly felt like the author was trying to do too much as once; and I confess I definitely got overwhelmed trying to keep up with the plot, the characters, the settings and the story.
Although there were fleeting moments when I did enjoy the characters interactions, these were minimal, purely because I felt like amist the plot, the characters didn’t have room to grow, both on me and as themselves. I found their conversation to be repetitive and their interactions to be borderline immature at times, not to mention unrealistic. I mean, when Dara and Nahari met, you could tell what was coming, and honestly some of their dialogue made me cringe! And when plot twists came about, they were so random and sudden; they made no sense! Therefore I couldn’t allow myself to get caught up in the magic that was this book, purely because I felt like it was lacking…
I’ll leave it there, thank you to Eliza Auld over at Harper Collins Australia for organising a review copy. ...more
My heart! This book had me in pieces from the start; It was like I hadn't been away from these characters, all emotions and actions were heightened, aMy heart! This book had me in pieces from the start; It was like I hadn't been away from these characters, all emotions and actions were heightened, and I loved every word. Some scenes had me laughing, some had me crying, so there was definitley feels aplenty: a character I was apprehensive about after the devastating events in book 1? I was loving them in this book! angst everywhere! my heart ached for Karou, my queen! she went through so much and I was so proud of her throughout! I don't want this series to end! I am in awe of Laini Taylor's writing; she's easily a new favourite author!...more
That was freaking amazing! Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman have most definitley done it again! Illuminae is one of my favourite books and Gemina is evenThat was freaking amazing! Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman have most definitley done it again! Illuminae is one of my favourite books and Gemina is even better! From the start, I loved Hanna, Nik and Ella, and I loved the links to Illuminae! This whole book gave me chills; it was exciting from the word go; and oh so magical! I couldn't wait to see what was coming next, and every moment had me laughing, crying, or in shock: sometimes; a mixture of the three! The storytelling format was freaking amazing, the whole book, from the direct messaging to the surveillance, felt like I could see everything play out in front of me! And then even more elements were brought into the story, and with those illustrations: so visual!! I loved every minute; and reading it with one of my greatest friends made the experience even more amazing!! and it left me hanging for more!! and my energy levels are bouncing from finishing this!! So crazy; bring on Obsidio!...more
Throughout 5 books we have come to know 7 demigods, some old, some new. We and they have been through literal hell and back, and then some. So much waThroughout 5 books we have come to know 7 demigods, some old, some new. We and they have been through literal hell and back, and then some. So much was leading up into this final installment, and as this series had fast become an all time favourite, you can presume I didn't want to let these characters go. This was such a nail biting finale! I was on the edge of my seat throughout and I felt like everything was heightened: the prophecies were reinforced and some characters knew what they had to do! Rick's writing remains flawless and exciting as ever: and so emotional too! There were times in this book that I was cheering, laughing and crying: but seeing everyone come so far, and our heroes'' friendships develop and seeing them lean on one another, and how much they all appreciate each other, was perfect! I couldn't predict what way the final battle was going to go, and even though I feel like it wasn't the big epic finale that was foreshadowed, seeing our demigods step up to the battle was so nerve wracking and exciting!
I'll miss these characters but I know it never ends, really....more
I recieved a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my thoughts on the book: however, II recieved a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my thoughts on the book: however, I must say I was hooked from the word go! The plot, the concepts, the characters, and the writing was honestly so brilliant, vivid, heart breaking and awe inspiring! There was never a dull moment and I could picture everything as I read it! The writing was full of emotion, and Makepeace is such a brilliant main character! She went through so much and my heart was with her every step of the way! The word and world building was brilliant and there were plot twists aplenty! definitley something I would revisit and recommend to everyone; so many unique aspects that I haven't seen anywhere else!...more
that was fantastic! such a brilliant first installment in what I can only imagine will be a crazy but epic adventure! I utterly love the fact that thethat was fantastic! such a brilliant first installment in what I can only imagine will be a crazy but epic adventure! I utterly love the fact that the story was so visual! a lot of the storytelling element was through images, and the art absolutely captured the character's feelings! from the first page I was definitely feeling emotional from what happened, and that only increased as the story went on! I felt so many feelings and I can't wait to see what comes next!...more
I received an ARC of this book from Penguin Books in exchange for an honest review, this does not impact my thoughts on the book. A Map of Days had beeI received an ARC of this book from Penguin Books in exchange for an honest review, this does not impact my thoughts on the book. A Map of Days had been one of my long anticipated releases, although it occured to me that I ought to give the first three books in the Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children series a re read, so I could dive in to A Map of Days with full knowledge on the Peculiar world. And I’m definitely glad I did, for the series quickly re established itself as a fast favourite, and my anticipation to see where this next installment would go, was real! When I started the book, I couldn’t put it down and I just found myself so engaged with the story, that I dreamt about the characters, it was oddly wonderful and of course, all sorts of peculiar! I was actually amazed by this fourth installment, it felt like the best yet! There were so many moments where the characters’ decisions surprised me, but in a good way, eg Emma, Jacob, Millard and Enoch feel like they were sheltered too much by their ymbrene, Alma Peregrine, and I felt like they never would have complained about her in the previous books! The character growth of my beloved Peculiars was totally on point, and there was a fair bit of emotional angst, which I loved! Throughout the original series, I often found myself wondering about Grandpa Portman and his life helping and aiding the Peculiars, so I was thrilled that this book answered some of those questions! And I love how it allowed for that important chat between Emma and Jacob, I definitely found their discussions to be very bittersweet, and I couldn’t decide who to side with, because I understood both their feelings where Abe was concerned. Bronwyn and Millard had always been my favourite characters throughout the first three installments in the series, so I was happy that both of them had significant page time throughout this book! Millard especially had some adorable scenes, which totally made me smile, and Bronwyn introduced one of my favourite new terms of exasperation: “oh, fiddlywinks.” This was such an addictive, nail biting read! I couldn’t have anticipated some of the twists and turns throughout, and the writing was perfectly atmospheric and chilling! When we met new characters, I didn’t know who was trustworthy, and I love how reckless some of the Peculiars had become! I feel like there were things that these characters did and thought in this book, that I never thought they’d do, let alone think! But the end! My heart! I found the ending to be so unexpected, yet exciting and hopeful for what might come in book 5! I feel like some character traits had become full circle, which was good to see, but at the same time, slightly confusing but understandable, however, I want everyone to be happy! You can definitely say that A Map of Days is my favourite installment in this series yet, let alone a new favourite altogether! I feel like I could infinitely read all of the books about Jacob and the Peculiars, so I can’t wait to see where this story goes! Thank you again to Penguin Books for sending me a copy of this book to read and review, I couldn’t get enough!...more
I loved every minute of being back in this glorious, stabby world! It's just so dark and fabulous- I fell in love with it all over again and was everyI loved every minute of being back in this glorious, stabby world! It's just so dark and fabulous- I fell in love with it all over again and was every bit as hooked and addicted as the first time! Can't wait to read The Wicked King!...more
**spoiler alert** This one definitely caught me unawares, I had it in my TBR for a good while, and then happened to stumble across it at Target unexpe**spoiler alert** This one definitely caught me unawares, I had it in my TBR for a good while, and then happened to stumble across it at Target unexpectedly, and so I grabbed a copy and quickly became more excited to read it. The cover instantly drew me in and when I started the book, I was instantly hooked, the writing was fast paced, the setting was so vividly captured, I felt like I was there with Romy, who I pretty much instantly adored. I longed to know what would happen next, and I honestly felt like this could’ve been a potential favourite. When ‘J’ entered the story, the intrigue was definitely raised and I was dying for the characters to meet! I love how Romy found solace in one of her favourite tv shows, whilst being alone in space, she was constantly tormented by her demons, whether it be her anxiety, paranoia or general feelings of not being wanted. J had his own angst, and I love how the characters e-mail communications really felt like the two were confiding in one another. And I wanted to know what would happen next!
And then, plot twist.
For me, it practically killed the vibe of J’s character, like really? I get why the author did it, but I felt like it made NO SENSE?! And it came out so suddenly, and I hated how it all made Romy feel. Way to play with all our emotions, I felt like J’s character was unnecessary, after what I read! The ending felt very muddled, but aside from that, I really loved this book!...more
**spoiler alert** This was such a fun read! I loved the authors’ previous book, My Lady Jane, and I had been looking forward to this one immensely! I **spoiler alert** This was such a fun read! I loved the authors’ previous book, My Lady Jane, and I had been looking forward to this one immensely! I felt like it would be a fun, and frivolous read and I definitely wasn’t wrong! Initially, I wasn’t sure what I’d think of the re-imagining, Jane Eyre being one of my favourite books of all time, but once I immersed myself in the story, I loved every moment! The premise was a lot of fun, I mean, Jane Eyre, a seer? And her creator in real life, Charlotte Bronte, a character in this book too? I loved that concept so much, and I loved more so that Charlotte and Jane were such close friends! Seeing them interact was just fabulous and I love how the book was told in both their points of view, along with Alexander. He was such a sweetie! I felt like my heart was with him a lot, I mean, he lost his father at a young age and had always wanted answers, I mean, who wouldn’t? Alexander’s growing friendship with Charlotte was utterly precious and endearing, as was ghostly Helen! She was such a sweetie and I had a feeling I knew what might happen with her character and was quite saddened by the end! These characters have all been so memorable, I feel like I could just read infinite books about them! And I love how Branwell got some page time too, having just recently come out of reading The Brontes: A Life in Letters, I felt like I knew the Bronte family on such a familiar level, so it was great to jump in to this frivolous read where they all just leapt off the page so well, I couldn’t get enough! You might ask, ‘it sounds like you really loved this, so why only four stars?’ Let me tell you, dear reader…. The aspects of the Jane Eyre story itself being woven in, you know, this being a Jane Eyre reimagining, just didn’t do it for me completely. I mean sure, I loved the angst between Mr Rochester and Jane, and initially I thought it would traditionally follow the classic tale, but things started to spin more into chaos, ghosts were inhabiting people’s bodies and I kind of found myself getting lost in all the accusations, Did Mr Rochester kill Alexander’s father as initially thought? Well reader, you’ll have to pick up the book and find out! All in all, a refreshing and humorous spin on such a classic tale and it was the reimagining of these characters that really shone for me! Can’t wait to see what The Lady Janies think up next!...more
**spoiler alert** Ahhhh oh my goodness what a fabulous reimagining of such a classic tale! This was honestly so perfect, I hardly know where to begin!**spoiler alert** Ahhhh oh my goodness what a fabulous reimagining of such a classic tale! This was honestly so perfect, I hardly know where to begin! It’s actually made me see all the characters in such a new way, and changed how I think about the classic story and all its characters!
Literally, there were a lot of twists and turns in this one that I didn’t see coming! It was brilliant! What the author did, how she twisted some characters and changed up their story arc from the original text, and the movie (I pictured the re make cast in their roles, I could see them saying their lines and performing the actions perfectly!) I definitely felt all the nostalgia for Mrs Potts and Chip! There was something that the author did, with Mrs Pott’s husband that I honestly did not see coming; and by golly it gave me ALL the chills! And honestly, the idea that it was Belle’s mother that cursed the Beast? Utter brilliance! This here actually provided a lot of awesome in the storytelling, it was told with multiple points of view, firstly from of course Belle, but then her father, Maurice! I loved learning about Belle’s parents, and honestly the book was just brilliant! It’s definitely become a fast favourite and I can’t wait to read the author’s other retellings! I’ll definitely read this one again too!
**spoiler alert** What a wonderful way to rejoin the world of the Iron Fey! I loved the first four installments in this series, Ash, whilst brooding a**spoiler alert** What a wonderful way to rejoin the world of the Iron Fey! I loved the first four installments in this series, Ash, whilst brooding and mysterious, always has had his intentions clear, Meghan, the human but also faerie queen, and Puck, the always loyal and protective best friend, as well as an equally snarky and sassy fae cat, Grim, made for some fabulous, angsty and fun reading! So when I started reading this, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia, having realised how much I missed these characters and this world! The story of The Iron Legends is broken down into three short stories, starting with… Winter’s Passage, where Meagan and Ash are en route to the Winter Court, home of Ash and his family. This one took place early on in the series, I remember the pre Meghan and Ash angst, where neither of them can really act on their feelings, because Ash is a son of Winter, his mother being an enemy of Meagan’s father’s court. I loved being immersed in those early stages of the books, having loved all the angst between Ash and Meghan, yet rolling my eyes at the cringey aspects of it all! It’s just glorious! I felt like as I was reading this first story, recollections of what happened throughout the series was coming back to me, and I could definitely feel like these short stories set the scene for the next few books! In Summer’s Crossing, I felt like this one was my favourite, purely because it was told from Puck’s POV! I loved how his humor really shone through this story, he kept making sarcastic quips towards Ash, I mean, one thing I loved about the first few volumes in this series was the history between Ash and Puck, I mean, they were rivals and enemies and once best friends! Their banter in this short story was great, and I felt like Puck was the same as I remembered him, always wanting the best for Meghan and wanting her happiness, even when Oberon proposes a bargain that could have been tempting, if only…. But it’s here in Iron Prophecy, where things start to really build for the next volume of stories. Taking place after the conclusion of the first volume, Meghan, now Iron Queen, is faced with a chilling bargain, after seeing a prophecy that will come to light after the birth of her son, involving her brother too. Honestly, this made me have all the chills, and I kind of thought Meghan’s reaction was a bit surprising, but then again, if I think about it, she has always been an optimist, and I do honestly hope that there will be a way around the events of the prophecy to come to light, because otherwise, things are going to be intense! Overall, I loved these three short stories, and it was definitely what I needed to be reminded of how much I enjoyed the first four installments of The Iron Fey, and I’m definitely excited to continue the next volumes!...more
The Chronicles of Narnia is such an endearing series, full of magic and wonder; I have reached the end of my re reads, I only read the first 3 books aThe Chronicles of Narnia is such an endearing series, full of magic and wonder; I have reached the end of my re reads, I only read the first 3 books as a child, likely that it's because I got distracted by other books😂 so when I continue the next books, I don't know what to expect, which is exciting and nerve wracking, hah. Lucy, Edmund and Eustace all matured so much throughout this book, I loved the scene where Eustace came into contact with a dragon, it was so thrilling and satisfying seeing him redeem himself! There was no ounce of the brat that Edmund once was and Peter and Susan's presence were definitley felt! I loved all the creatures too, especislly Repicheep, he's such a precious little mouse, and I loved the comradiere between Caspian and everyone! CS Lewis has such a cozy writing style, I love how I picked this book up and I easily felt like I was swept off to Narnia, which is definitley one of my favourite settings!...more
I was definitley excited to re read this book, when I read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, I found that I had a whole new appreciation for theseI was definitley excited to re read this book, when I read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, I found that I had a whole new appreciation for these books as an adult. I felt a total sense of wonder, and nostalgia! I loved seeing Susan, Lucy, Edmund and Peter interact! Their sibling bond is one of my favourite things about this series! I loved their friendly banter, and their love for one another had only grown deeper since those magical, albiet somewhat scary events of book One! They have all come so far! Especially Edmund, in the first book he was such a whiny kid, not paying any heed to Lucy, but now he definitley stuck with her! And that made me so happy; he learned from his mistakes!
I love how this story was told from two points of views; and storytelling; at the start we have Susan, Peter, Edmumd and Lucy in the ‘present’, and then suddenly they find themselves in an unfamiliar land…or is it? *wink*
And whilst this is happening, Prince Caspian learns that everything he believed was definitley more than just lore. I cannot tell you, oh, the chills I felt! It was such a magical read throughout, the writing is so dreamy and wonderful, I could picture all the animal characters and loved seeing everyone interact! This is such an enchanting series and it is rich in nature! The Narnia world is so vast: yet another I would never want to leave!
A brilliant read, a perfect continuation to a wonderful series! I am so glad I decided to re read this series as an adult; and I’m excited to re read and read the others! ...more
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