I honestly wish that this last novella was longer! It was so funny at times, I loved how everyone was trying to get in contact with Magnus about Alec I honestly wish that this last novella was longer! It was so funny at times, I loved how everyone was trying to get in contact with Magnus about Alec and giving him advice, it just shows how much they all grew to care about one another. Some of these voicemails, actually no, most of them, were hilarious, and I loved the references to Church and Chairman Meow; honestly I think my favourites of these voicemails were from Izzy and Simon! They were so endearing!
And this concludes The Bane Chronicles, which was honestly a refreshing and fabulous read! I loved the time jumps and how it covered so many feelings and characters throughout the Mortal Instruments and it definitely gave a taste of what’s to come, in a sense! And I for one, CANNOT wait!
Merged review:
I honestly wish that this last novella was longer! It was so funny at times, I loved how everyone was trying to get in contact with Magnus about Alec and giving him advice, it just shows how much they all grew to care about one another. Some of these voicemails, actually no, most of them, were hilarious, and I loved the references to Church and Chairman Meow; honestly I think my favourites of these voicemails were from Izzy and Simon! They were so endearing!
And this concludes The Bane Chronicles, which was honestly a refreshing and fabulous read! I loved the time jumps and how it covered so many feelings and characters throughout the Mortal Instruments and it definitely gave a taste of what’s to come, in a sense! And I for one, CANNOT wait!...more
I absolutely devoured this book! It completely blew me away! Once I got into the story, set after the events of the first movie, of course – where AurI absolutely devoured this book! It completely blew me away! Once I got into the story, set after the events of the first movie, of course – where Aurora is trying to maintain her Realm. There’s definitely troubles, though, as the Fae folk can’t help but notice some of their kind are going missing, not turning up without a trace or even a whisper of their whereabouts! As it happens, not all is exactly healthy with the human realm, with a traitor in their midst, plotting the downfall of not only all of the Fae but also some of their own! What stood out to me the most when reading this and I wasn’t surprised at all given the impact of the previous and first installment, Malificent, was how much love and heart that was embedded throughout this book! Between Aurora and Maleficent, and of course the to be wedded Aurora and Phillip. Of course though, this is where it started to get angsty and heart wrenching, it was just so heartfelt! I felt the characters pain and hurt! See, Aurora and Phillip as we know utterly adore one another, but Aurora adores Maleficent too, essentially she’s the surrogate Mother that raised Aurora so beautifully, I just felt how much they love one another!The hurt when Maleficent thinks Aurora would choose her future Mother-In-Law over her (it just hurt so much!) and the anger that built in Maleficent at this, only to be escalated by finding out that there are actually more Dark Fey, more of her kind….just, wow! But really, what catapults everything into chaos is a dinner plotted by …well, I’m not at all going to say, but lets just say someone has a huge hidden hatred for the Fey! What followed was such an epic, nail biting quest for revenge, but with a hope of literal unity between the humans and Fae! An absolute must, must read for any Disney fans!
For more of my book reviews, check out my blog - brooklynthebookworm.wordpress.com :)...more
My reviews can be found on my book blog: brooklynthebookworm.wordpress.com
A Curse So Dark and Lonely had been one of my most personal anticipated relMy reviews can be found on my book blog: brooklynthebookworm.wordpress.com
A Curse So Dark and Lonely had been one of my most personal anticipated releases for a long time, one that I’d always been looking forward to reading – I mean Beauty and the Beast retelling? Sign. Me. Up. Earlier this year I was gifted an ARC and finished copy of A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Bloomsbury Publishing, so I knew there was no better time to read A Curse So Dark and Lonely. Oh boy. This book. My heart!  From the very start, Brigid Kemmerer drew me in to this freaking fabulous world! Starting in Washington DC, we meet Harper, definitely not quite your regular narrator, but honestly, I loved her instantly! I was drawn into her family struggles, her dying Mother and her brother doing what he can to repay perhaps nasty people that he got caught up with, and of course Harper wants to help them! She feels so helpless, but she’s definitely not one to stand by and do nothing, not one to let anyone suffer in silence! I just love that about her! Its when she hears a scuffle near where she’s keeping watch for her Brother, but sees a man supposedly attacking a woman – amazing Harper jumps right in and helps the girl, only to then find herself transported altogether to another world, along with the man we learn is Grey, the right hand man of The Crown Prince of Emberfalll. Urban Fantasy is always a favourite genre of mine and I just think Brigid Kemmerer has written one of the best novels of the genre! From the very beginning I was drawn in, absolutely engaged with both Harper and Rhen’s points of view and I just love how Harper wasn’t one to back down to Rhen, constantly challenging his notions, wondering why more people of Emberfall aren’t being helped, when people seem to be so impoverished and the Royal Family themselves (Rhen being the sole survivor to a horrible curse attack), being reduced to mere whispers. I instantly adored both Rhen and Grey – Rhen, the brooding prince, tormented by this horrible curse that for so long has been not been able to break, and the loyal Grey, who is just so trusting of his Prince, refusing to kill him even when Rhen begs him to do so! See, neither of them know if there’s even a way that this wretched curse can be broken, I just felt so sad for them both! I mean, knowing Beauty and the Beast lore as I do, I knew there would be way more than meets the eye with Rhen’s curse, but I still couldn’t wait for things to reveal themselves! The hopeless feeling that Rhen felt throughout this book, so certain that the people of Emberfall would be doomed from this monstrous curse, my heart! Honestly, he had just been feeling like this last season, when Harper had come into his life, would be the last, for a cruel Enchantress who just loves using Rhen as a plaything to torture him, believing that he was doomed and that Emberfall would perish. The utter despair that Rhen felt definitely made for some heart wrenching moments, and throw in Rhen and Harper’s AMAZING chemistry and honestly this book had my feels in constant distress! I mentioned how I loved how Harper wouldn’t back down and would constantly rile Rhen, but as they grew to know one another and opened up about one another’s heartache, Harper feeling helpless and lamenting over her ailing Mother and missing her Brother, and Rhen of course being the only member of the Royal Family to survive the beastly attack. Every moment of this book was utterly exquisite, I love how shrouded in darkness the story was, with a little bit of hope. I so needed Harper and Rhen to be happy and for Grey too be too! Which may or may not have been too much to ask! But truly, do read this book! It is likely my last read for 2019 and definitely became one of my all time favourites, and cemented Brigid Kemmerer as one of my new favourite Authors! The twists and turns and revelations were definitely keeping me on tenderhooks throughout – Harper longing to go home and be with her family, yet she can’t deny a fierce level of protectiveness she’s built up towards Grey and Rhen, friendships she’s forged as Princess of Disi, which may just be one of the cleverest quips I’ve read about and it just held so much significance (Harper declares herself as such when she’s protecting a lowly family from some enemies to the crown and just how Harper and Rhen work on this supposed alliance, to rebuild and reignite people’s faith in Rhen, to gather an army, ahhh, this was just leading up to an ending of madness, epic proportions and did not disappoint! I’d reread it again if I could! I so cannot wait to reunite with Harper, Grey and Rhen in A Heart So Fierce and Broken – it’s going to be equally exquisite!...more
That was just the cutest reimagining of a classic story, such a sweet Festive Read! Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me a copy of this bookThat was just the cutest reimagining of a classic story, such a sweet Festive Read! Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read and review, full review to come....more
**spoiler alert** I picked this one up at Target a little while ago, always being a longtime Disney fan and always keeping my eyes out for these Twist**spoiler alert** I picked this one up at Target a little while ago, always being a longtime Disney fan and always keeping my eyes out for these Twisted Tales. I’ve found some to be amazing, As Old As Time is absolute perfection, although I didn’t at all enjoy The Beast Within. So I suppose some of them can definitely be hit and miss, like anything else. Let It Go, was definitely a hit! Firstly, I loved that Anna and Elsa were unknown to one another! The sisters that we know and love in the Frozen canon, haven’t even met in this reimagining of it! It worked so well and definitely heightened Elsa’s vulnerability as she was expected to take on the the Throne after her parents of course perish tragically at sea. Of course, enter everyone’s favourite warm hug loving snowman and Elsa has whispers of a red haired girl accompanying her every moment as a child, memories of playing with snow and ice, but Elsa can’t remember much else. Who is the girl? Of course, I pieced it together and it was just a lot of fun and angst reading about both Anna and Elsa trying to find their way to one another, once things are revealed! See, Elsa and Anna’s parents had to put the safety of both girls at the highest priority, naturally and so Anna was adopted by Queen Iduna’s best friend after Grand Pabbie removed all traces of one another from Anna and Elsa’s mind. Elsa, cursed with these snow powers, if she goes near Anna, her beloved sister will freeze! Knowing how close these sisters are in the canon Frozen world, I just couldn’t wait for them to remember one another and for the icy vortex which was taking over Arrendale to be over! There were definitely some bittersweet and emotional times throughout this novel, too. I mean, of course there were Anna and Elsa practically being strangers to one another, but there were also parts with Anna growing up with her adopted family, longing of Arrandelle! The irony, when she eagerly awaits her parents dear friend Freya, asking her if she’s ever seen the Royal Palace…. I’ve never once been a fan of Hans, I loathe him in his villainous ways! It was so ridiculous of him to try and win over Elsa, it was so clear that he only ever had power on his mind, being one of thirteen brothers, knowing he’ll never rule the Southern Islands, so he tries to reassure Elsa that she’s not alone, only to blackmail her and essentially does the same to Anna! He’s just so infuriating! This was just written so well and was so addictive to read! Every character was just written so well, they just leapt off the page! I feel like Jen Calonita wrote the characters we know and love so well absolutely wonderfully, she definitely did them justice! If you love Disney then you definitely don’t want to miss Let It Go!...more
I recieved an Uncorrected Proof and a final copy of The Starless Sea from Penguin Random House Australia in exchange for an honest review, all thoughtI recieved an Uncorrected Proof and a final copy of The Starless Sea from Penguin Random House Australia in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. To put it plainly, The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, did not disappoint me! This had long been an anticipated read ever since I read and loved The Night Circus and if it’s possible, I think I love The Starless Sea even more! To me, The Starless Sea is an ode to those that have felt lost, hopeless and helpless, to wanderers and lovers of the written word alike. To those that recognize themselves in stories and to those that love to immerse themselves in stories. The blending of reality and fiction in this book was executed PERFECTLY, in my opinion. There were fairytales interwoven after the chapters about the present day, where Zachary Ezra Rawlins starts his journey when he stumbles across a beguiling book, one which in fact mirrors his own childhood! These fairytales just added so much intrigue and magic in equal measure to The Starless Sea, where stories are saved and cherished and shared, yet equally fractured at times, pages torn out and scattered, only to be forgotten. But is a story ever forgotten? Do we ever finish a story?
A huge thank you to the amazing team at Pantera Press for sending me a beautiful finished copy of Weapon and inviting me on the review tour to celebraA huge thank you to the amazing team at Pantera Press for sending me a beautiful finished copy of Weapon and inviting me on the review tour to celebrate the finale in Lynette Noni’s Whisper duology – all thoughts are my own. If you’ve been following my blog and/or bookstagram, then you’ll well know that Lynette Noni captured my heart in the first two installments of her The Medoran Chronicles, so even before I realised I was on the review tour for Weapon, Whisper had long been on my radar. There’s eternal mixed emotions when reaching a climax of a series, a final installment. There’s excitement, of course, but sadness at knowing that this indeed will be the last novel to feature such beloved characters. Every moment of reading Weapon was perfect! Often I am a pretty fast reader, but I found myself reading this beautiful book so very slowly, not wanting it at all to end, and now that I have, I just feel all of the feels! All of the best ones, of course! For Lynette Noni has captured such an amazing, unique, unforgettable reading experience and I just did not want to say goodbye to Alyssa! Her transformation into a seemingly nameless girl when I first met her in Whisper, where she was subjected to such monstrous treatment, my heart just went out to her! Alyssa Scott has become one of my new favourite characters, that’s for sure. I love her sheer determination and fierce protective nature and loyalty to her friends, as well as her yearning to know what happened to her and her family all those years ago. How did she come to be at Lengard? I was just so entranced and on the edge of my seat to find out! I feel like there was a lot riding on Weapon and throughout the novel I was constantly thinking “How can this all get wrapped up with such a number of pages left?” Just when things seemed clear and I thought I knew what might be coming:  I’m still at a loss for words, truthfully. Weapon might just be my favourite book that I’ve read this year! Not only the character developement of Alyssa was mesmersing, but after the cliffhanger ending with a certain character, seeing them interact with Lyss definitely had my feelings…well, feeling! I loved the notion of not at all being able to predict what would come next, to say this was a roller coaster of a finale feels like an understatement! Quite possibly not since Raelia, had I been filled with such an etheral hope, despite Alex’s predicament in that book and Alyssa’s situation in Weapon, there were definitely times when I was worried for Lyss, Cami and Ward. But the hope, that there could and would be a world where Speakers could live and not have to worry about every word they uttered, where they didn’t have to feel fear at every turn, I so longed and hoped for this, too! In turn, the Whisper duology has just been one of the most unique and vivid books I’ve read! I shall cherish so many memories from reading these books and I know that my mind will often wonder back to these characters and think about what they’re up to. Definitely one of the very best duologies I’ve read, and I know I’ll reread them many times over. Honestly, if you’ve not yet read these books, go for it! Pick them up, they’ll grab you right away and not let go!...more
A huge thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of A Heart So Fierce and Broken to read and review, all thoughts aA huge thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of A Heart So Fierce and Broken to read and review, all thoughts are my own. I’m in literal shock. To say this is a game changer of a second installment in a series feels like an understatement! A Heart So Fierce and Broken was and is utterly perfection, heart wrenching, wicked and had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning! I should start by mentioning Harper and Rhen don’t feature a great deal in this book, but even so, I feel like their presence, especially Rhen’s, is definitely felt throughout! Given the utter magnitude of the revelation that we learnt as A Curse So Dark and Lonely, to say that there was a lot riding on what would come next would be an understatement! A Heart So Fierce and Broken is definitely more than a worthy successor to A Curse So Dark and Lonely, honestly, I loved it every bit as much as the first book! From the very beginning where it’s learnt that the people of Emberfall are hearing whispers that the supposed Princess of Disi is nothing but a fraud, and hearing that there’s a rightful Heir, Rhen’s half brother, who is actually alive and could have a stronger claim to the throne! I mean, knowing what I knew put me in such a frenzy of fangirl feelings! I just wanted everyone to be happy and peaceful and okay, but as I mentioned this book being such a gamechanger that it was…. Nothing can ever be the same! But my heart loved every moment of this feels destroying novel! I loved reading more from Grey’s point of view, his character literally going through such a transformation as revelations come to light!! His development even throughout A Heart So Fierce and Broken was utterly phenomenal, even though he was apart from Rhen, my fangirl heart loved how much the King of Emberfall weighed on his mind – see, prior to Grey’s identity becoming known, Grey always had put Rhen first and I knew and felt that the former Kings guard would have done anything for him! But alas, my heart! I felt like nothing would be the same between the characters that quickly consumed all of my feelings! I love how, once again, I had no idea what was to come! Although, I must admit that there was a reveal that I knew needed to be announced, l knew it would lead to such a heart wrenching conversation between the two most affected! A Heart So Fierce and Broken though, was an utter pleasure to read at every point! I’m already calling it one of my favourite books of the year! The alternating Points of View between Grey and a young Princess Lia Mara, elder daughter (but not Heir) of Queen Karis Luran, of an opposing Kingdom, whom of which does indeed know who the secret-potentially-rightful Heir to Emberfall is, and would stop at nothing to ally her kingdom with this Heir, and yes I’m being vague for those that are yet to read these books, but those of you that know what I mean, oh YOU KNOW what followed was just some of the most heartfelt shipping in existence! Lia Mara, she always knew that her Mother, the steely Karis Luran, would stop at nothing to elevate herself, in turn using her Heir as a pawn, Nola Verrin being powerless to stop her Mother’s resolves, but being almost equally ruthless as Karis Luran. As steely as Nola Verrin might be, I adored the heart to heart she had with Lia Mara, especially when things felt uncertain with their relationship, especially when things were looking terrifying for Lia Mara, but also especially when things took a mad twist near the end! I was literally so excited to see and learn how things fiercely went down! Earlier through the novel too, though, I couldn’t help but admire Lia Mara, she just wanted peace between everyone (which I was hopeful for as well, but I did feel a foreboding!), but Lia Mara even tried to bargain with Rhen! So brave! Her interactions with Grey were utter perfection, I loved their scenes together so much!! I also loved seeing Noah and Jake, especially how much the latter grew! His character development was perfection and his banter with Grey fabulous! We also meet some new faces, my favourites being Grey’s ally Tycho and Iisak, the latter being a creature known as a Scriver, although there weren’t any known to still be! I loved their scenes with Grey so much and it was just great learning about them all and reading about everyone as the story grew! To say that this was building up to something unbelievable feels like an understatement! This was all kinds of epic at every turn! I’m still reeling even though I finished this book on the 6th of January! I am already on absolute tenderhooks waiting for book 3! It’s going to be something else entirely! The epilogue was just unbelieveable and added yet another game changer element!! Thank you Brigid Kemmerer for creating yet another amazing story with constant turn of event, nail biting, feels inducing novel! And thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for sending me an ARC and final copy to read and review! I can’t wait reread already! ...more
Review to come on October 15th, which is the publication date in Australia of The Grace Year (in paperback). Thank you Penguin Books Australia for senReview to come on October 15th, which is the publication date in Australia of The Grace Year (in paperback). Thank you Penguin Books Australia for sending me a gorgeous finished copy of this book to read and review :)...more
I received a finished copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. This is such a moving and more I received a finished copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. This is such a moving and more often than not, a heartbreaking read! At its core, The Afterwards is a story about friendship and the extent one would go to save one’s best friend, as Ember does when she learns Ness tragically passes away during a terrible accident. It’s also a story of acceptance too, and coming to terms with something tragic. In that sense, I definitely think that this book is quite an important one, I haven’t personally come across a lot of Middle Grade Fiction that deals with addressing the death of a friend, but I was definitely moved quite considerably by The Afterwards. Yes, Ember does absolutely act irrational and dangerously when she believes she can bring back Ness from the dead, but did I blame her? Absolutely not – all throughout this book, I felt like I was in her shoes, if my best friend died horribly and if I felt there was a way to bring them back, would I try? Of course, who wouldn’t? All Ember has in life is her best friend, Ness, and her Dad, Harry. She and Ness do everything together, they walk to school and play and even share their lunches and equally divide a single chocolate biscuit. It was so precious and endearing reading about their young friendship and their cute interactions and sharing! Then, one day at school, Ember doesn’t see Ness, she doesn’t know what’s happened to her best friend, only she senses a not so great feeling within her being. Then one of her Teachers announces that one of their classmates has passed away after hitting their head whilst playing on the swings, not initially saying who, but of course we know, as Ember knows too, it’s her Ness who has passed away. Enter Ember’s odd Uncle, I say odd because initially I just thought he was just everyone’s quirky Uncle, but it soon became evident that there was more darkness than odd under the surface with him. See, it’s revealed that he lost his beloved Canine companion, and he wants to get her back too. When Ember finds herself unexpectedly but perhaps not surprisingly reunited with Ness, things definitely take a darker turn here. See, Ember finds Ness sort of in a state of limbo, neither fully alive but not fully dead in this gap between the present and reality. What follows is a profoundly moving journey, of friendship, acceptance, family and a helpful talking cat who’s wisdom definitely won’t be forgotten. There was also one twist in this book that I definitely didn’t see coming, focusing on Ember’s character, that it was definitely hard not to be equally horrified and moved by! I definitely recommend The Afterwards, I finished it in the space of a couple of hours, read it and I’m sure you’ll be moved, too.
A huge thank you to Pan Macmillian Australia for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and review, all thoughts are my own. Wayward Son was a dream come true! I fell utterly in love with Simon Snow, Baz and Penelope aka Bunce, in Carry On, which became one of my all time favourite books! I remember immediately longing for a sequel, this was prior to Wayward Son being announced! So to say that this has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year is definitely accurate! When I first picked up Wayward Son, I felt like I’d reunited with dear friends after a long time apart! I thought about rereading Carry On prior to getting stuck into this sequel, but ultimately decided against it (also lack of reading time lately has certainly been a thing). However, it turns out, everything that happened in Carry On, came racing back to me in all its wonderful, glory of feelings! In terms of our main characters, Baz, the vampire and of course our hero Simon Snow, and his best friend Penelope, they remained as engaging as ever as narrators! I just felt so sad for Simon and Baz, after the climatic events in Carry On, Simon is definitely feeling useless and melancholy, as if he had lost his purpose. I just wanted to give him a huge hug! What’s more though, I wanted Baz to give him a huge hug! They’re all kinds of perfection, as individuals (not without their flaws of course, as Baz faces some personal demons and obstacles throughout this adventure). What an adventure it was, too! So wild and often dangerous, I cannot even begin to express how fearful I was for our gang! Even the usually confident-headed Bunce had some troubles throughout this book, I felt so sad for her at first, though I’ve always admired her steely loyalty to Simon (Agatha too) and her determination to see a mission out until the end. When Penelope detects that something is amiss with Agatha, as well as not liking seeing her best friend (Simon), in such a sad state, she initiates a road trip across America, in order to rescue Agatha from the trouble she may have got herself into, as well as rejuvenating Simon. I loved everyone’s points of view being carried across during their adventure, I could feel everyone’s determination and angst! As a result of Simon’s melancholy state, his relationship with Baz definitely took a tumble, which was so sad! However, I did enjoy both characters’ angst and could easily feel their love for one another, their just so precious! I need more of them in life! I honestly delayed finishing this book because I didn’t want it to end! I found myself surprised (in a pleased way), about Agatha’s story arc in Wayward Son, she’s never been a huge fan of her magic (or magic in general), and was trying to escape what is always going to be a part of her! I hoped she would see sense, I don’t think she ever bought into Braden’s insane ideals, (him being of an organisation with really not great intentions). The chapters with Agatha though were really engaging (and slightly unnerving, but wholly enjoyable, for I couldn’t decect anything that was coming! Who could our friends trust? I truly didn’t know! There was especially one character who enters our friends lives, I was so weary of him! I felt like he was earnest but I really wasn’t sure, and it kept me so curious throughout! I think that’s just one of the many engaging aspects of Rainbow Rowell’s wonderful writing! Also, how whimsical are their spells? I just love the odd incantations! I’m missing everyone already! Wayward Son is the perfect follow on to Carry On, with a whole lot of magic and excitement throughout! You will love this book!...more
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Bloomsbury Australia, all thoughts are my own. Equally fantastical, equally dark bI recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Bloomsbury Australia, all thoughts are my own. Equally fantastical, equally dark but completely magical and bittersweet, Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun is a novel which is, of course based on the film of the same name. The collaboration between Guillermo Del Toro and Cornelia Funke is so masterful! Both are master storytellers and this novel is just epic proof of that! Among all the fantastical creatures, the wicked trickster faun, the menacing soldiers, there is a lot of heart within this book, especially within that of our main character, Ofelia. Anyone who is familiar with this story knows how tragic the penultimate climax is, filled with so much magic and hope at the start, with Ofelia believing so firmly in her beloved fairy tales, only to experience adventure, promises, deceit and more heartbreak! The structure of this book was absolute perfection, within each chapter featured a fairy tale set within the same world and I feel like they mirrored what was happening in the story, what some of the main characters were going through, too. Ofelia was just such a precious main character, I mean I couldn’t help but just feel so sad for her! She lost her beloved Father and her Mother is newly pregnant to her second husband, a man Ofelia dubs The Wolf, for fear of him. He’s utterly menacing and horrible throughout, but it was definitely satisfying reading about his penultimate part in this tale, though after what happened with Ofelia, it was just so tragic! Another amazing character is Mercedes, a hose worker that works in The Wolf’s employ, and only has all of the love in her heart for Ofelia! I love how she did her best to look after the girl when she could, and I feel like, especially at the end, Mercedes wasn’t at all scared of him, which just made things completely satisfying even more! Throughout this book too there are some perfectly illustrious illustrations throughout, capturing the emotive, melancholy and dark tonethroughout this book! If you love dark fantasy with exceptionally vivid, lyrical and emotive prose, you definitely don’t want to miss this one!...more
A huge thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me an Uncorrectee Proof copy of one of my very most anticipated reads of this year, Supernova A huge thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me an Uncorrectee Proof copy of one of my very most anticipated reads of this year, Supernova in exchange for an honest review – all thoughts are my own. This was such an exciting roller coaster of emotions! As with any beloved instalment of a final series, I definitely wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters- and honestly I hope that there’s going to be more set in this world, because that epilogue was such a wicked teaser, too! Nova, one half of our main characters and narrators, had always thought that the Renegades were to blame for the tragic death of her parents and little sister, where were they, with their always promises to protect their people? They’re meant to be the Superheroes! So when we first meet her in Renegades, I completely felt her anguish throughout, her want to exact revenge. See, Nova has a particularly wicked power as one of the Archenenies, sworn to exact revenge on the Renegades, she’s even given herself an alias as one of them too! Between Renegades and Archenemies, things had been building up to one huge, epic finale of completely wild proportions! Every moment of Supernova was just that! Every moment was a race of not even knowing what would come next- see, chemistry has definitely bloomed between Nova and Adrian, two of our main characters, who still keep their aliases under wraps from one another – and everyone. I was honestly on such tenderhooks throughout, I felt that surely they would finally discover the truths about one another, and even though I knew there would be devastating repercussions from this, it needed to happen! But what was even more amazing, as is always the case with Marissa Meyer, who has longtime been a favourite author of mine, she spins a story one way, just as she had established a wicked build up of epic proportions, just when I thought everything was starting to make sense (which it had been, but I mean, just when things appeared to come to the surface and truths would arise), then BAM! Marissa Meyer weaves even more plot twists and brilliance into Supernova! What makes this final instalment so memorable and completely epic to me though, is just that Adrian and Nova have always been such likeable characters! Adrian, the son of two of the strongest Renegade gentlemen, who lost his beloved Mother at such a young age, who is so dedicated to justice in the world, who adores his little brother and will try his hardest to see that he can have as regular upbringing as someone in his fragile condition, his blind adoration of Nova, his utter dedication to his friends, he’s just amazing! Nova too, who just always wanted to bring her beloved Uncle back to fruition, who always thought that he was the only one who understood her, the only family she has left – Ace Anarchy, who wants nothing more than to reign havoc on the Renegades and end their supposed brainwashing reign, where they have always, according to him, called the shots in the town, as they’re the ones who people listen to, but Ace Anarchy thinks people shouldn’t have to put up with the seemingly contradictory ways of the Renegades, who preach about always delivering justice fairly but would speak of ending the lives of enemies without a hitch! Something which has also been prevalent throughout all three novels, I’ve found, but most specially in this one, is that Marissa Meyer always made me think about good versus evil, honestly, Nova especially has this weighing on her throughout the finale and her actions throughout are completely stellar! Even at times, I didn’t even know what she may do next, but it was an absolute wild reading experience finding out! Supernova is definitely going into my all time favourite books list, and frankly I think that I’ll be living in this one for a good while yet! Every one of those five hundred and sixty pages were freaking brilliant and had such excitement, the build up and final battle and of course aftermath were one I will NEVER forget! I really hope that we get more set in this world at a later stage, honestly, I would read an infinite number of books set in it!...more
I recieved a copy of Beast, along with Initiate and Unholy, from Penguin Books Australia in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. I can hardly believe that The Palace of Fires trilogy has now concluded! This trilogy completely gripped me by surprise in the best ways, and I definitely feel like I’ll miss these characters! It’s funny, I found myself not being the biggest fan of Baphomet priestess Kritta during Initiate, but I found myself feeling so emotional for her and what she goes through in this book! All throughout, I was wondering what would happen with her character and her two precious familiars, Andie and Bess, all of whom embrace their ferocity so boldly! Her chapters were so engaging as they have been in the previous two books, though there was definitely reminisce of Kritta’s banter with The Hag, which took place in Initiate, only now in Beast, she is finding herself up against a potentially even more dangerous and powerful enemy! The development of Beltane was quite interesting to read, meeting her in Unholy as The Hag’s protege, who would teach her all her endless wealth of knowledge, and I found myself enjoying their scenes in Unholy, but in Beast, I couldn’t wait for Belt to meet her end! After her crucial ploy in the fate of Angela Maguire, I couldn’t believe her character and how much hatred she must have built up within herself against goodness and her sheer determination to take the world over in her dark ways. This statement actually brings me back to Kritta, thinking that if the two weren’t so proud and competitive, they definitely would have been fierce allies! Their other common factor is that they’re both competing for the affections of Kevin Johnstone, who’s overall character development definitely took a pleasant turn as we find out where his true loyalties lay all along! Lily, as per always, remained every bit as fierce and brave as she always has been and to see her develop from just a young teenage girl to fully fledged Witch was just so thrilling and satisfying!! In Beast, Lily finds herself facing the titular demon that has been haunting her dreams for so long, the very same creature who was at the dealing exchange of Lily’s ancestor, the founding member of Cygnet, Jeanett Maguire. But it’s not just The Beast that Lily needs to worry about, there’s someone hot on her heels, promising to kill her when Lily is a worthy warrior, brave enough to fight this person to the death, for the Book of Light, which is of course the Cygnet spellbook which gets handed down from generations to generations, containing all of their worldly magic. Definitely all throughout this book, whether it was the page time of Lily, Kritta, Belt, or even the newly introduced The Pull (who literally pulls his victims limb from limb, honestly, the descriptions leave little to the imagination, it’s insane!), or of course Oliver and Marley, Cygnet’s recent recruits, or geek Gummi and spy extraordinaire, Kee, this one was a final installment that I could not put down! The writing all throughout felt like it was building up to one epic battle of good vs evil, dark vs light, and truthfully, whilst from the very beginning I have always been team Cygnet, I was so scared for Lily as she was going up against some pretty terrifying opponents! She never once wavered in fear though, which is pretty commendable, and this trilogy will be still staying in my mind for time to come! I had not heard of it, truthfully, until that day when the parcel arrived on my doorstep containing these three books, so once again a huge thank you to Penguin Books Australia for sending me the trilogy to read and review!...more
Wow. This was next level wild! Firstly, thank you Penguin Books Australia for sending me this trilogy to read and review - it's penultimate finale is Wow. This was next level wild! Firstly, thank you Penguin Books Australia for sending me this trilogy to read and review - it's penultimate finale is out on the 3rd of September, and I'm so on edge after reading this second installment! That cliffhanger ending was UNBELIEVABLE! I honestly cannot believe what went down on the last page, but it definitely feels like a battle of epic proportions is nigh for Cygnet and Baphomet- I feel so nervous for this finale! These books have been such a pleasure to binge, I found book 1 to be such a pleasant surprise and love how Bill Bennett wrote about different forms of magic, about that eternal battle of good and evil - and just seeing Lily develop from young, innocent girl to fierce and driven witch, has just been brilliant! This was such a nail biting second installment in The Palace of Fires series, I now have so many expectations for the final installment and will be reading it ASAP!
I recieved a copy of Initiate, along with book two (Unholy), and the forthcoming (September 3rd release) Beast from Penguin Books Australia in exchange for honest reviews, all thoughts are my own. Initially, I wasn’t too sure about this book, but by halfway I was well and truly hooked! I loved the changing points of view and I must admit I instantly adored Lily, our main character, who finds herself having to come to terms with some very shocking and not at all welcoming news! All Lily wants is her Mother back with her safely, so my heart instantly went out to her! I loved the mystery surrounding Angela’s disappearance and learning how a specifically dark sect of witches were after both Angela and Lily’s soul! It was so chilling reading about the supposed priest character, who would stop at nothing to ensure that he would deliver both girls to his Satanic master. However, the priest definitely isn’t the only ruthless player in this cast of white witches and dark witches, Kritta, a pint sized young lady with murder and malice on her mind, with ferocity at every turn and two familiars who she can wield at any point, she equally terrified and irritated me! I say irritated because I feel like I don’t quite understand why she longs to deliver both Mother and Daughter to her Master? I feel like I just wanted to shake her and be like “girl, chill!” – but she honestly had such a fierce and steel resolve and wouldn’t stop at anything to see that she would capture Lily, I must admit I did get a bit of a kick out of her determination and I do feel that she relied on her familiars, Andi and Bess (who I must admit had some fabulous banter, the two being jealous of one another and how both wanted to vie for Kritta’s attention). Do not get me wrong though, I’m definitely team Lily here! There was a scene where she is being guided by elder witch Luna, who warns her that in order to fulfill her destiny, Lily will need to face demons most deadly, forsake all her worldly goods, but she’ll have the potential to be one of the strongest witches in her lineage! I was loving it! I also utterly adored their worship ties to the Goddess Artemis and how they drew on her wisdom and guidance for strength and power too! Lily’s character growth was utterly magical! *pun intended* – this was just so much fun to read and so addictive throughout! At the start, Lily feels alone in the world, I mean, she loves her mum but she’s a bit weary of her mother’s constant packing up and moving around as soon as they got settled somewhere, but as the plot and mystery unfolds, I just felt like it was so satisfying learning about Lily’s magical heritage and about her fierce fight against the dark witches that would see her family lineage obliterated! This book is presented in third person narration, told from manga different points of view and as the story unfolded I just think it worked so brilliantly and vividly! Of course, we have Lily’s, Kritta’s and The Priest, but also there was Kevin, a school mate of Lily’s and someone who finds himself drawn in by her quiet mystery, but also finds himself deeply excited by Kritta’s wicked ways and after a specific scene where Lily has a vision of Kevin in the cave during a rather integral part of the story…well, let’s just say I’m very intrigued to see how their paths intersect! There was also a POV from a character appropriately titled The Hag, a witch who hates children with a passion and adopts stray cats with a rapid streak. I really enjoyed her chapters too, especially her utter lack of tolerance of Kritta and her familiars, something which definitely worked both ways, that’s for sure! Overall, a very exciting first installment in a very unique trilogy all about witchcraft, with a very unique mystery hidden below the depths! I know I’ll be getting into the second book in this series before long too!...more
Anytime I finish reading a Lynette Noni novel, her books always just fill me with a magical sense of awe and wonder, I mean I've only read the first tAnytime I finish reading a Lynette Noni novel, her books always just fill me with a magical sense of awe and wonder, I mean I've only read the first two installments in her Medoran Chronicles but I can't wait to resume them and I definitely count them among my all time favourite books and Whisper is definitely joining! I had long been so curious to read this beauty, only ever hearing the most glowing things about it from readers and just this year it was announced as the Gold Inky Awards Winner! So I knew that Whisper was going to be memorable! And when I found out I am on the review tour with Pantera Press for Weapon, I knew I had to dive right in! The first 100 pages were so fast paced and epic, filling me with so many questions! My heart instantly ached for Agent 684/ Jane Doe, as I instantly felt like she was such a likeable character and should just not be subjected to this horrible, beyond inhumane treatment that no one should be subjected to! But why? Who is she? What did she do? I had all of the questions just going through my mind as I first met our Jane Doe, wondering why she was so silent, wondering why she refused to utter even a single syllable, what must she have done in her past? Her narrative (by the way, I love how Whisper is told from her point of view, it really propelled me into the mind of her, being able to perceive her surroundings ever so aware as she was. I couldn't stop turning the pages, itching to know what was coming next! The reveals, as I read them were crazy insane good and had me shocked! Just when I thought I knew something, Lynette Noni would, as she does in her majestic way, spin it on its head and just leave me wanting more, in the best way, of course! I also loved the introduction of the other characters too, trying to figure out if they were trustworthy or what their true agendas were - Lynette Noni honestly creates such human characters, they all just feel so real! I loved the interactions between Jane Doe and Cami, Kael,her (Cami's) little cousins, namely Abby in all her childlike innocence, and Ward...he who nicknamed her Chip, as he was determined to chip away at her exterior, wanting to know her, wanting her to open up to him. From the get go, I absolutely loved their chemistry! Without going into it too much, I felt like I didn't know what his true instincts were, though I hoped and wanted to firmly believe that he does care for her, and I think, especially after that cliffhanger reveal, that he does! I felt that Whisper will remain one of the most unique books that I've read! I found the concept of Creators and Speakers to be so immersive! As Chip finds more about her abilities, why she is so integral to Vanik's plans.... I have chills as I think about this first installment of what I'm sure is going to be a knockout finale! I feel like the stakes were risen so high as Whisper unfolded, and we are truly set for a jaw dropping finale in Weapon! If you haven't yet picked up Whisper, do so because it is among the most unique, exciting, fast paced and addictive books that you'll read!...more
This was quite the remarkable feat! Just when I thought I knew what was happening, something else would come along and knock it out of the park! KatyaThis was quite the remarkable feat! Just when I thought I knew what was happening, something else would come along and knock it out of the park! Katya De Becerra is well and truly a brilliant storyteller, you never know what's going to come along next and I was truly wondering what was real and what wasn't throughout!...more
There was nothing about this book that I didn't love! It gave me alll the feelings, and then some! It has everything that I love in it, including a shThere was nothing about this book that I didn't love! It gave me alll the feelings, and then some! It has everything that I love in it, including a sheer exquisite f/f romance and a stunning fantasy setting with incredible magic!! I could not get enough of this book and Denna and Mare! I felt like I was living for their interactions! I loved their initial chemistry, I found myself dying for when they'd meet again - I love how Mare initially found Denna frustrating and tiresome, tired of her weary ways when it came to horse riding, but what I loved even more is how much the two grew to care for one another deeply! This book and these characters just wholly have my heart, and I'm lamenting that the sequel is so close but feels so far away!! I cannot wait for it! I need all the books about Mare and Denna, they've easily become one of my very most top beloved ships ever! And this book is hands down, one of my very most favourites ever! There was never not a time when I didn't feel engaged with this story! I love how it was told from both Denna and Mare's points of view, there were moments when I was able to get into their minds as they addressed their feelings towards one another, both internally (when they realised what they felt about the other, and physically, just when the two shared these perfectly delicious angsty scenes together, I just couldn't get enough! They're such a perfect contrast to one another, Denna, with her undying love and loyalty to her people, wanting to be an amazing Queen, wanting to help serve her people, wanting to help! Not being content (same as Mare), with just being confined to the general Queenly tasks of correspondence. Then there's Mare, so brash and unafraid to say what she thinks, determined not to be cast aside by the men in her family, determined to live a life of her own accord! She spoke up against the men in her family, her brother and Father, and I was so proud of her for doing so! When a member of the royal family is killed, she will stop at nothing to find answers, I just admired her determination so much!! I felt like how Coulthurst described Denna's magic was so unique! I felt like I could easily visualise those sparks, those licks of flames as Denna fought so valiantly to snuff them out, to even be rid of them (magic is really not supported by her new Kingdom), and Denna knows the risks are high if she's found out! But when Denna found herself not being able to control her powers, I was just loving these scenes! She never did anything bad with her magic, I mean, it did have not great consequences but I was all for it, as she was protecting Mare! My heart! The build up of both Denna's powers and Mare and Denna's romance just had me on tenderhooks throughout! I'm already so so excited to reread this!! Honestly, if you like fantastical fantasy with fabulous magic and a glorious female/female pairing, look no further! This beauty is definitely for you! And it has a prequel and a sequel! I'm so so excited for the next installment, I'm counting down the days! Thank you so much to the lovely Rachel for recommending this masterpiece to me!...more
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