Monday 30 November 2015

The Masked City


The Masked City
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Tor! 
Check out my review of The Invisible Library, the first book in the series! 

Librarian-spy Irene is working undercover in an alternative London when her assistant Kai goes missing. She discovers he's been kidnapped by the fae faction and the repercussions could be fatal. Not just for Kai, but for whole worlds.

Kai's dragon heritage means he has powerful allies, but also powerful enemies in the form of the fae. With this act of aggression, the fae are determined to trigger a war between their people - and the forces of order and chaos themselves.

Irene's mission to save Kai and avert Armageddon will take her to a dark, alternate Venice where it's always Carnival. Here Irene will be forced to blackmail, fast talk, and fight. Or face death.
 




"This is a place built to store books, by people who wanted to preserve books, and used by people who want to read those books. I am not alone."
Well guys, I'm just going to put it straight out there...once again Cogman has written a book that immediately hits my "Favourite Books of the Year" list. Seriously. This has been one of my most anticipated books since I read The Invisible Library in December last year. I've been waiting and waiting and getting more and more excited and then there was a cover, and then the book was finally in my hands because Lauren over at Tor is freaking awesome!

Straight up, there is no second book syndrome here guys, don't worry. In fact this book is kinda tied with the first book, I can't quite decide if it's better or not, so I'll settle for both being freaking AMAZING! I dived back in to this world head first and you know, it's the world and it's the bookishness, but it made me feel like coming home. I love the world, it feels homey to me, I get it. I get Irene and I get her job.

You open up the book, and the first thing you see is an extract from the Student Librarians Handbook and I was just like "yaaaaaass! I'm back!", it prodded my memory, and gave me some in depth knowledge of the Fae and Dragons before we got stuck in with the book. I knew it was all going to kick off with that lot from the blurb but reading  the extract I was like.....something's going to go down and it won't be good! It was such a good way to bring you back to the world of the book, and show you the way Librarians are taught to think and gives you more information about the species of the world before you get started. Or ya know...refreshes your memory about them! 

Right from the start you're pulled back in to the book, yes by the characters and the world and everything but the atmosphere really grabbed and next thing I know...I'm back in Irene's world. I loved how atmospheric Invisible Library was and I was so pleased this book continued it on. Genuine chills down the spine, excited shivers kind of atmosphere. The atmosphere in this book is something you can practically feel and it helps set the scene and helps you get a feel for whichever setting it is you're in as you're reading. It helps to bring the world alive and brings you in to the story as you feel what the characters are feeling, the tension, the suspense the danger and so on. 

We're already familiar with the world, and the atmosphere, like I said, brings you straight back in and it all comes flooding back from the first book so it's like you never left. The alternate Irene is residing in is an alternate London, kind of Victorian era with steampunk and so on, and it all formed in your mind as you were reading. The buildings shot up out of the fog, as the characters materialised. 

The world building in the first book blew my mind, and in this book...I can't even. We don't stay in Irene's alternate, oh no, we see the Library again. I've got to say I love the visuals for the library! But more than that, we travel to another alternate. It's an alternate Venice and it's just so damn decadent and colourful and mysterious and kind of creepy with the fog and the secret police just appearing out of nowhere! Venice is one of the places I most want to visit, and Cogman really brought it to life for me, I got a feel for the place itself as well as the one created in the book for the Fae to reside in, and it was so vivid. So so vivid. I felt like I was there and I was loving all the visuals being thrown out not to mention the unique twists like a Fae prison in a....unique location! 

There's immediate action in the book, the plot is moving in to motion and the intrigue is starting right from page one. There is no faffing about, straight in there! The thing about these books, is that there are so many little threads that all come in to play at the beginning and weave together to start the plot, and then more and more threads are added, and you end up with this delightfully complex plot to sink your teeth in to and you end up being constantly surprised by the twists and turns to it. You had to work out who'd taken Kai, why, to what end, what their motivation was, what the bigger picture was and so on. There's still Alberich hanging over things and I was just waiting for him to pop up and now next book I'll be waiting for him and a character from this one to be all "surprise...I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me!". 

There was always something going on, you've got some political power struggle with the Fae, the whole thing with the Dragons and the Fae and you're glued to the book and finding it impossible to find a place to put it down. I genuinely went to a gig last night and I was stood there like...."I wonder how Irene's going to rescue Kai, and THEN try and escape, because this is going on..." and so on and so on. You're constantly intrigued, and the next book has been subtly set up, so subtly that you don't even realize it until the end! The thing is, while the plot is complex, the book is easy to read. There's no drawn out descriptions and explanations. Any mention of events from the previous book are concise. The pace of the book has you rocketing through it, and the flow is so perfect. 

The narrative is so fluid, you go from the prologue, back in time to before the events of the prologue happened, then from there it smoothly takes us through the events leading up to the prologue event, and then past it. Not to mention how the little interludes are slotted in without seeming jarring or out of place. You smoothly go from Irene and what's going on with her, to a little interlude to give a nice little break and Kai's point of view. Not to mention more intrigue and pieces of the puzzle. 




The thing I loved most, or well...one of the things, in the previous book was the originality. There's a tonne more of it here. The premise itself is original, and everything I loved from the first book was back. The Fae and their lore, the Dragons and theirs. The Library and how it works. The alternates. The things in the alternates. We also see the alternate Kai resided in and it's such a brilliant contrast to the one they reside in. There's so many unique things about the settings, the alternate Venice for example! I don't want to spoil by being specific! I just love how original the book is and how it's kept up with all these little things here and there. 

Irene continues to be one of my favourite characters ever. In the first book I found her so easy to connect with and in this book it was like reuniting with an old friend. She's reintroduced with her entertaining and witty narrative and you kind of just sigh as you read, and think "it's good to be back" especially as she's in such a situation that only she would be in! She's Librarian in Residence now, and there's all this new responsibility and a new weight to her actions throughout the book, because it will impact that. There's no hunt for a book this time, well there is a bit, but not so much as the first book! Irene continues to make me laugh, to be badass in her own unique way, she's intelligent and she's just awesome. I love her, I really do! I loved that she's willing to ignore Library rules to go after Kai and save him, no matter how much trouble she would get in. 

There was a lot less Kai in this book, he was still here, we got some Kai time...but obviously not as much and I was kind of okay with that because while I'm looking forward to Kai and his nature, and the problems it may cause, I enjoyed seeing more of Vale. As well as, dare I say it, Silver. Not to mention the new characters! Vale in this book really struck me as a Sherlock Holmes kind of detective, and I knew he was going to do something, but I was still surprised when he popped up! Silver and his actions also surprised me, even though he was really trying to help himself, it was kind of cool to learn more about him and his past considering how big a presence he is in the alternate they all live in. 

What's doing brilliantly in this book, much like the first book, is the characters. They're all created so fantastically and with detail and depth. As you read about them you have an image of them forming in your mind and it's not just main characters. The secondary characters all get the same treatment. I kind of think Zayanna and Irene would make a good team so I'm slightly hoping to see her again! Not so much a certain Lady. The villain of the book was delightfully awful, and I really wanted to smack him one, I didn't much care for his power either! He was so well created that you could feel Irene's urgency to get away from him and the sense of danger when he was in a scene. 

What was super exciting, was meeting Kai's Uncle and seeing more dragons and learning more about them, but I'm completely  greedy and want more! I love dragons, I'm not going to lie and the way they've been done in this book just makes me excited to see more of them! We also learn a fair bit about the Fae, their legends, their history, how they tick. I'm intrigued by them even more so after quasi meeting The Ten. I just love the whole thing with the Fae and how they work and so on, it fascinates me and kind of just resonates with me, in a way. I feel like it's such a true thing in real life, everyone has their own story and they paint themselves a hero or a villain and so on and everyone they encounter is a character in the story of their life, so yeah! 

I must mention, right now, that I'm just waiting for Kai and Irene to be a thing. I sort of really, kinda ship them and this book just fuelled it really! There's no outright romance, but there are feelings, they don't take over the whole book and plot...but they are there and I'm waiting to see what will happen next with them. Mostly I just want more time in the world of the books! The ending of this book really didn't help...cliffhanger much!? It's a bearable one...just. But still. Cogman knows how to leave you wanting more and excitedly anticipating the next book without over doing it! I can't wait to see where we go next, I'm so up for exploring more alternates and I can't wait to see what happens to Irene next. After the first book I had some suspicions about her parentage and I'm waiting to see if I'm right! 

The Masked City is the second decadent and moreish instalment in a completely engrossing series that lets you get completely lost in the pages as you're sucked in to the world. There's plenty of action and a load of humour that has you chuckling as you read. The Masked City is one of those books that's so colourful and vivid, you can picture it like a little movie in your head and it begs to be adapted to the big screen. There's an atmosphere so real that you find yourself on the edge of your seat, biting your nails as you read scenes full of danger and suspense. The characters come alive, and it's one of those books you want to crawl inside and live in the world of so, so badly. There's a love of books to this series, and you can feel it in every page and connect to the world and characters through it. The originality is still there, saturating everything and making a story unlike any you've read before. This is one of those series I want to go on and on forever because the world being created is so extensive and the possibilities for this series are endless! 

The Masked City is kind of the perfect sequel and I am gutted it's over and kind of wishing I read slower! Having said that, there where some little bonuses that helped make the separation easier! Irene's favourite heists and Legends of the Library....definitely a nice addition to the book! 


Friday 27 November 2015

Black Friday.....Daemon Black That Is!

Hey guys!
This Black Friday I'm giving you the gift of Daemon Black. 
I know there's those of you following me who have no idea who the hell I'm talking about so, because I think I'm so funny/punny I couldn't resist not doing a post about the Lux series on Black Friday because ya know......Daemon BLACK. Yeah I know, you get it already! 




Coming out on the third, is Oblivion. The first Lux book, Obsidian, from the point of view of Daemon himself, so you know....that's exciting! The book is awesome, it's kind of perfectly done, I'm not going to lie to you! 

Seeing as that's going on, it's the perfect time to convince you all to read the other Lux books SO...

What Is Lux? 

It's a series of books, with five books in all (six when Oblivion is out) by Jennifer L Armentrout who has written two other completely awesome YA series, that you should also check out! There's also a little prequel novella that's the story of two other characters that has a big part of the main books! Oh and I nearly forgot, there's a standalone book that's a spin off that I haven't actually read or uhhh....bought yet. Shhhh! 

SO the good news is it's not too late to jump on the Lux train, and ya know...you can read them all in one go instead of the agonising wait in between books! 

What Is Lux About? 

Lux is about book addict and book blogger Katy, who moves to a new town and she moves right next door to the super hot Daemon and his sister Dee. Dee becomes her BFF. Katy is most likely a lot more luckier than any of us with her neighbours. 

Things should be a tonne of fun, but Daemon is arrogant, stab worthy and a general douche to her. Except for when he's not. *cos you're hot then you're cooooooolllldd, you're yes then you're nooooooo* 

So Daemon is doing his best to keep Katy away from his sister, but it's not really working out and he ends up doing what he was afraid Dee would do. After an incident a little secret comes to light. Nothing major. Just that Daemon and Dee are aliens, super freaking cool aliens with awesome powers who can stop time and stuff like that! 

The thing Daemon was most afraid of comes true. Thanks to his touch, Katy's lit up like a Christmas Tree and any of their enemies, who want to absorb their abilities, will spot her and she'll lead them straight to the Luxen. She has to stick close to Daemon until the alien mojo fades, which would be cool if she didn't want to strangle him half the time. Then there's the fact Katy just can't quite do as she's told...fair play really! History is repeating itself for the Luxen and that's not good news. 

But the series doesn't end there. If I tell  you about the rest of the series I don't think I'll be able to avoid spoilers, but let's just say, the alien mojo has an effect on Katy, and allies are actually enemies. There's a heap of betrayal.  There's a government branch that is shady AF, and they have to stop them to save themselves. Kinda crappy explanation from me but it's the best I can do! 




Why Should I Read Them? 

Because they're entertaining. They're funny, there's romance, there's actions, there's awesome aliens, there's originality and there's feels. As well as relatable characters, who have so much depth to them! Seriously the romance is just perfection. It brings the warm and fuzzies and you kind of can't help doing this: 



It's not straight forward, there's obstacles, but there's no silly love triangles. Seriously. I know you'll read the back of book two and be like "really?" but trust me. It's not an actual love triangle. 

There's electrifying (see, I'm punny!) fight scenes, suspense, true gasp out loud moments and downright hilarious moments. Not to mention you're never quite sure what's going to happen and the over arching plot is complex, with all these little threads leading up to the end. There's so much detail to the Luxen and their lore as it were, it's gripping and fascinating and just so damn original guys. Seriously. There's so many little bits added as the world of the Luxen is expanded upon as the books go on and more revelations come to light. 

If you get started now and you're fast reader you might even get done by the time that Oblivion comes out! 
I should also mention that Oblivion in eBook version is going to have book two and three from Daemon's POV as well.....how freaking exciting is that!? 

Reading Order: 

0.5 Shadows
1. Obsidian
1.5 Oblivion
2. Onyx
3. Opal
4. Origin
5. Opposition

So....there you have it. You know you wanna start it! Let me know if you start the books and LOVE them! Or ya know...drop me a comment if you want to know about the other books! 

Thursday 26 November 2015

Books I'm Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving guys! 
I'm not American, and therefore don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I do have American relatives and around this time of year I always end up contemplating what I'm thankful for! I recently did a photo challenge day for "thankful" and I thought it would be a nice idea to do a post of books that I am thankful for this Thanksgiving, and there are quite a few for various reasons, so I've tried to narrow it down a bit! 

1. Harry Potter
I really do try not to use this for EVERY post I do, but it's so hard because it's such a huge part of my life! You've probably all heard the story from me, you know, I always read a lot as a kid, but Harry Potter stepped it up a notch for me really, I really got in to reading through it. It was the first time I experienced eagerly awaiting the next book in a series, and the first time I went to a midnight release. I remember going at midnight to get Deathly Hallows and starting to read it immediately, having a nap basically and then getting up and finishing it. 

2. The Mortal Instruments & The Infernal Devices
Again, I'm fairly certain I've mentioned this before in one guise or another but it's also been a huge part of my life. I actually stumbled across Clockwork Angel at the library and ended up immediately going and buying my own copy, and then the first three Mortal Instruments books. I stumbled across these at a rather....blah time of life. I was in a reading slump, I wasn't as in to it as I used to be. I was still reading but I didn't have that "OMG have to read, the feels" kind of thing. There was no passion and this brought it all back. Not to mention rocking up to a festival and meeting friends of a friend and immediately bonding over these books, and fingerling about it and basically meeting one of my best friends. We all read Clockwork Princess together in one night and it was glorious. 

3. The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings
I came to this sooooo late, like the films had been out for a while, I hadn't even seen them and then one day I just had the urge to watch them....and I loved them. Being the bookish person I am, I then immediately went and bought the books and started to read them, except for The Hobbit which I'd had on my shelf and hadn't really started it. These books basically got me in to fantasy which got me in to a lot of other books that I love that I probably wouldn't have picked up without reading LOTR! 

4. The Hunger Games
I have a confession to make...I had the books...but I didn't read them until I had seen the first film. Sorry guys! I ended up reading all three in pretty much three days. These books, I can't even. So perfect, so many feels and I'm kind of including this because I just saw the final film the other day and it gave me feels and I was just kind of so amazed to be involved with the wait for films and the excitement, it was like Harry Potter almost hahaa. No but this was the first Dystopian book I had read and I ended up reading SO MANY good books because of it! 

5. The Princess Diaries & The Mediator
Okay so these two are my favourites, but pretty much every Meg Cabot book got me through my teenage years. Either with pure escapism, or the humour or in some cases with some sort of advice or something that I could take from the book and use in my own life to sort a problem. Made those years a bit more enjoyable! You have no idea how excited I am about a new Mediator book coming out! Not to mention the Princess Diaries one that I STILL haven't read! 

6. The Covenant 
So, I stumbled across Half-Blood on Amazon, and of course, it was only published in the US so I have the original covers, and the books are a bit unwieldy if I'm honest, but I LOVED them! You all know I love mythology and Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt, and this one was right up my street. I re-read this series, or the Lux whenever I need a pick me up. I actually didn't read the Lux until last year. LAST YEAR! I really do suck! Half-Blood was a gateway drug, I swear, I was hooked. Eagerly waiting for each new book in the series. I've read every single book of hers except for the ones she's written under J. Lynn and the Lux spin off book which I haven't bought yet...shhhh! I'm currently reading Oblivion and I'm just like....you know. I freaking love these books. They really do instantly lift my mood. I probably should have had this as number one but I didn't really do a ranking order just random!

7. Throne of Glass
These are just...I can't even. I got sent the third one to review, and I already had the other two on my TBR, so I finally got around to reading them all and I just fell in love straight away and they have such a place in my heart. The fandom, admittedly did have a falling out over Queen of Shadows but still. The story, the richness of it. It's like eating a really nice, rich slice of chocolate. You never want it to end, and you're savouring every bite, and then you're gutted because you scoffed it too fast. Perfection. 

8. Shadow Falls 
This is a series I always rave about, but no-one else seems to have really read. It's kinda creepy, what with all the ghosts, but it's got everything good you love in a book. It's one I really am due a re-read of to be honest, it's been a while! I've got the last two books of the spin off trilogy to read, everyone was going mad about the ending of the second book so I decided to show some self control for once, and wait until the final one was out to read it! I read these at a really crappy time in my life, and just got completely lost in them. 

9. Jane Eyre
I read this at school for my English GCSE. Never before had I ever read a classic. Well. I'd kind of read Dracula and The Secret Garden but it was more of a "it's free with the paper, and I have nothing else to read" kinda thing and I don't think I actually finished Dracula. So, this one was the first classic I read all the way through and actually liked. I read ahead of the class and everything and got way too in to the essay for the coursework. If I hadn't read this at school, I probably would have no classics on my shelf and wouldn't have read any others! 

10. The Diviners
THIS SERIES. There's only two and the sequel was out this year and I re-read Diviners and oh my god. I get SO pulled in when reading Diviners that I end up swaying towards a Diviners style when doing makeup and getting dressed and everything. I go full 1920's it's insane. I even went crazy for the Lair of Dreams review and made a playlist with all the songs and a few other finds, to go with it. These genuinely suck me in the entire time I'm reading and they're so decadent and kind of creepy and just completely glorious and I was really falling out of love with Historical kind of books and then BHAM. Historical setting AND kids with powers AND  a ship that I ship so hard I'll probably be emotionally compromised if they don't work out. 

What books are you thankful for?! 

Wednesday 25 November 2015

Wishing For Wednesday #66

This Wednesday the reads I have for you....I can't even! 
These are the two books I've been anticipating for AGES, and I've been anticipating them insane amounts. Seriously, I'm impatient but these have been driving me mad waiting for them! I'm gonna end up reading them over Christmas I think, because I like a holiday TBR and yeah
The sequel to The Invisible Library....I freaking LOVED The Invisible Library, and I've been so freaking excited for the sequel and it's finally here.......soon it will be real and I can read it and just....oh my god I can't wait! Also....THAT COVER! 
Then there's Oblivion. The first freaking Lux book from Daemon's point of view...I don't even have words for the excitement I feel for this book. I'm totally gonna end up buying it twice as well because like...physical copy to go with the other Lux books and then eBook for the extras....because why not?! 

The Masked City


Librarian-spy Irene is working undercover in an alternative London when her assistant Kai goes missing. She discovers he's been kidnapped by the fae faction and the repercussions could be fatal. Not just for Kai, but for whole worlds.

Kai's dragon heritage means he has powerful allies, but also powerful enemies in the form of the fae. With this act of aggression, the fae are determined to trigger a war between their people - and the forces of order and chaos themselves.

Irene's mission to save Kai and avert Armageddon will take her to a dark, alternate Venice where it's always Carnival. Here Irene will be forced to blackmail, fast talk, and fight. Or face death.
 


The Masked City is out December 3rd, pre-order your copy...here
Add it to your TBR...here



Oblivion

Experience the epic love story of OBSIDIAN as told by its hero, Daemon Black…

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it. 

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are. 

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can't stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game. 

Falling for Katy—a human—won't just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen...

Oblivion is out December 3rd, pre-order your copy....here!
Add it to your TBR....here!

Thursday 19 November 2015

November TBR

It's that time of month, when the review books are done and you turn to your TBR shelf or pile, depending on how unable to resist buying books you are, to decide what to read for the rest of the month. 
I've been in such a re-read kind of mood, and I've been desperate to re-read a certain series that I love because it always cheers me up, so I've spent last week doing that, I'm actually typing this on Saturday and by the time you guys read this...I will have finished the re-read! Anyway, I've been procrastinating from reading for no particular reason at all, I'm not really in a reading slump so it doesn't make any sense. It's been taking me longer to read books than usual and it's annoying. 
Considering I'm nearly done with the re-read I figured it was time to work out what I'm going to read for the rest of the month. I have quite the stuffed TBR shelf and it was a challenge working it out!




As you can see, I've got 6 books, two of which are the final books in my re-read, but I may or may not end up reading more than the ones I've chosen...depending on how fast I read and what other stuff I have to do! 

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

Midnight Frost is the fifth book in the Mythos academy series, and in my re-read. Like I said, I've been in a re-read mood anyway, and considering how things are going, I was desperate to get to this one as it always cheers me up, even if it is a liiiiiiitttlleeee bit cheesy sometimes! 

Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

Killer Frost is, obviously, the final book in the series. I'm really hoping to have finished this on Sunday, which is tomorrow for me as I'm writing this and like.....way past for you guys reading this! You'll be able to tell by when I post my Currently Reading photos if I managed it! This book doesn't half give me the feels though! 

A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter

A Mad Zombie Party is the surprise fourth book in the White Rabbit Chronicles series. Originally it was just a trilogy but then the author was like "here have a fourth book". I am excited to read it, really I am, and I picked it for this month because towards the end of October I actually re-read the other three, so I figured I'd read this while the last book is still semi fresh in my memory. I am kind of nervous however, considering what happened in the last book and what's probably going to happen in this. I might get really annoyed hahaha. 

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker 

Ever since this book came out I've been itching to get hold of it, and when Halloween rolled around, I finally picked it up because ya know...Halloween. But with everything going on in October I didn't actually have the time to read the abundance of Halloween books that I wanted to, it was all review books mostly! SO, I figured I'd finally read it this month! 

The School For Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

So, I won the entire trilogy in a competition last month, and I always see people raving about these books, so I figured...why not read the first one. This will probably end up with me reading the other two books right after, so I probably should have included them in this but we'll see! 

At First Sight by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This has been sitting on my TBR shelf since it came out, which is quite a while I think! I'm a huge fan of the authors books, I've read everything by her except for this....obviously, and the new The Naturals book. I'm torn with that because at the minute it's only out in hardback and all my other books are in paperback and it'll probably annoy me if I get the hardback but then I really want to read it so yeah. #BookishProblems right?! 

Let me know what's on your November TBR down in the comments! 



Wednesday 18 November 2015

Wishing For Wednesday #65

It's Wednesdaaay!
Which means I have some new reads you might be interested in! 
I've got some fantasy, the second in a series to be specific and you know it's a good one because of who the author is! 
Aaaannndddd I've got the third book in a dystopian series that I fell in love with on NetGalley! I've been waiting aaagggesss for this book! 

Angel Of Storms


Tyen is teaching mechanical magic at a school respected throughout the worlds. News arrives that the formidable ruler of all worlds, long believed to be dead, is back and enforcing his old laws - including the one forbidding schools of magic. As teachers and students flee, Tyen is left with no home and no purpose... except the promise he made to Vella, the sorcerer imprisoned in a book. Tyen must decide what he is willing to do to free her.

After five years among the tapestry weavers of Schpeta, Rielle's peaceful new life has been shattered by a local war. As defeat looms, the powerful Angel of Storms appears and invites Rielle to join the artisans of his celestial realm. But what will he require in return for this extraordinary offer?


Angel Of Storms is out November 12th, pre-order your copy....here
Add it to your TBR....here


Queen

PAWN...CAPTIVE...QUEEN?

Kitty Doe is a Blackcoat rebel and a former captive with a deadly connection to the most powerful and dangerous man in the country, Prime Minister Daxton Hart. Forced to masquerade as Daxton's niece, Lila Hart, Kitty has helped the Blackcoats take back the prison known as Elsewhere. But Daxton has no intention of ceding his position of privilege—or letting Kitty expose his own masquerade. Not in these United States, where each person's rank means the difference between luxury and poverty, freedom and fear...and ultimately, between life and death.

To defeat the corrupt government, Kitty must expose Daxton's secret. Securing evidence will put others in jeopardy, including the boy she's loved forever and an ally she barely trusts. For months, Kitty's survival has hinged on playing a part. Now she must discover who she truly wants to be, and whether the new world she and the rebels are striving to create has a place in it for her after all.
 

Queen is out November 24th, pre-order your copy....here
Add it to your TBR....here!

Monday 16 November 2015

The Iron Warrior


The Iron Warrior
Rating: 5/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of NetGalley 

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all.

He killed me.

Then, I woke up.

Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever.

Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.
 


I have waited SOOOOO long for this, it feels like years, it may have been, I lost all sense of time waiting for this book! Although I did comfort myself with the Talon books so I can't really complain! I remember how things where left off, how could I not after that ending!? So I eagerly started reading, and I was immediately sucked back in to the world and the story as if I'd never been away. I was immediately pulled in and glued to the page, reading as fast as I could. I managed to read it in one sitting, and ya know, I started out kind calm. Excited, but calm. But as the story thundered towards the conclusion, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen and how it could all be resolved. I should have more faith in Julie Kagawa by now to be honest, but I was still getting nervous looking at the % left. 

I can't remember what I said about the second book and the characters, but in this book, it has to be said....I really wanted to smack Kierran one. Badly. I know he has his reasons and everything, and he's Meghan and Ash's son so I should love him, and I did like him back in the first book but by the time this book has rolled round...I'm like "NO BAD KIERRAN, I DON'T LIKE YOU ANYMORE" he's a little bit of an evil douche, and I did wonder at points towards the end if he could be stopped, if he could be saved. As I was reading, all his reasons came flooding back and I was like "okay.....there are other ways....but okay". So yeah, Kierran, I spent a lot of the book disliking him and then at the end I actually felt sorry for him because I was like "that's not really fair but he was kinda evil for a while". 

It's like Kierrans romance, in the beginning I was like "aww", by the time this book rolls around I'm kinda like "I'm not sure I like you" about Annwyl, because ya know....it is kind of all her fault! Sorry guys, but Ash and Meghan will forever be my favourite and Ethan will forever be the kid from the Iron Fey trilogy. I'm so protective of my little precious's, and I'm like "HELL NO" at everything going on in the book. So, with that in mind, with their romance I'm kinda like, well....I prefer Ethan and Kenzie's really. That being said....I was not expecting the ending to their romance that there was, and I was like "NOOOOO" because as annoyed at the two of them as I was, I was just not expecting it. So yes. Well done Kagawa for shredding my feels. What a scene. 

The world Kagawa has created is truly magical, and it really springs to life as you read. Not just the Fey realms either, but the human world as well, when we see it briefly. After reading all of the books, going back in to the world was like going home. Everything was familiar, but at the same time it was a little bit bitter sweet because it's the last book and the last time you'll be in the world. We completely got to back to Tir Na Nog and I loved that, but we didn't get to see much of it! The Forgotten's "realm" as such, was suitably creepy and dark. Each of the realms has it's own atmosphere and it's one you can really feel, which helps to bring it to life and I just want to live in the world of the Fey that Kagawa has created, forever! 

We also venture in to a certain area of the Fey realm and it has to be said...I loved the incredibly creepy carnival and I laughed way too hard at Kenzie being all "The bearded lady" in distress. I found that scene hilarious as well as creepy, I'm not sure if I was supposed to find it funny but I did, and it was definitely really creepy. I might have second thoughts about going near one in the future. 

I just really love Kagawa's take on Fey, particularly the Iron fey as well as the Forgotten. Razor is my fave, and there where was a completely heart stopping moment regarding him and I was like "NO MY FEELS". I just can't get over all the Iron Fey, let alone the other Fey. I love reading all about them and I will never not go on about them for ages, so I'm trying to keep it concise now. I've got to say, you get to see a certain part of the Fey realm that was exciting and....interesting, shall we say. 

Kagawa writes truly excellent female characters as well as male. They're always strong, don't back down and courageous and Kenzie just continues to completely slay and be utterly awesome. She's one of my favourites, alongside Meghan herself. I love all the Meghan and Ash scenes but it's so strange reading about them as parents at the same time, because not long ago I was reading all about them in their own story! Anyways, I truly love Kenzie as much as I love Ethan, and I'm so onboard their ship! I've loved watching the pair of them develop over the course of the book, Ethan has truly changed and it's been great to watch. The romance developed so perfectly as well. 

We see lots of old faces in the book, Puck....I freaking love Puck, not going to lie, he makes me chuckle to another degree! We saaaaawwww Thin Man and Grimalkin, and Leanansidhe! I actually really felt sorry for her, I've got to say, but then she showed up and went full badass joining Ash and Puck and being all "dire last stand" and I seriously loved her a little bit more. She's always been a favourite of mine, even if she shouldn't have been, cos of the whole trapping people things. She makes me laugh and I'd always wanted to know more about her, so getting to see her go full badass was kind of awesome. 

There are some truly epic fights in this book, and I love reading them because I feel like I'm there with them. If only I was that badass though! They really grip you and have you on the edge of your seat and I love it when ones thrown in because they're always well written and, I'm assuming, correct. I wouldn't know because I'm not, ya know.....a badass fighter! Speaking of badass...I just HAVE to mention Mab. She was super scary in the other books but there's a moment in this book that makes me completely love her because she's basically all "NOT MY GRANDSON YOU BITCH"/ "Not today bitch" and I'm like " OMG MAB YES!!!!". I now firmly love Mab. 

So, the plot comes to it's epic conclusion, after many twists and turns that had me freaking out. Julie Kagawa writes what I like to call "throw across the room in a  feels meltdown" books. My feels are shattered every time I read one of her books, because of what she does to her characters! This was no exception. I was so close to throwing the book more than once! Especially with some of the plot twists, I really did not see the majority of them coming and kinda just had to roll with it. This being the last book, it was even more emotional to be honest! 

The plot is wrapped up perfectly. Seriously, the ending is freaking perfect and when I read the last bit I was squealing "aaaaawwwwww" and kicking my legs about for no reason at all! I'm so sad to see the series come to an end, but it's been one hell of a ride. As much as I loved this final book, it made me so sad because I wanted to keep reading the Fey series forever, and stay in the world with the characters forever. To be perfectly, 100% honest, this book had a completely perfect ending. I kinda just sat there staring at the last page of the book thinking about the whole thing and basking in the perfectness, as well as the feels that it's all over. I think fans will be pleased, much like I was. As much as they wish Kagawa would keep writing Iron Fey books! I'm now rambling in an attempt to keep the magic of the books going, even though they've finished so I'll stop now and repeat....this book is awesome. It's the perfect ending to a fantastic series. Get on it! 

Friday 13 November 2015

Sherlock Holmes and the Necronomicon


Sherlock Holmes and the Necronomicon
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Borrow
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Following his encounter with the vampire Selymes, Sherlock Holmes embarks on an Arctic expedition under the assumed name of Thomas Sigerson. During his excursion, the great detective uncovers strange and dark forces at work, and only learns that some mysteries are best left unsolved!

As the GoodReads synopsis says...Sherlock Holmes does indeed meet H.P. Lovecraft in this Holmes story. The artwork for this particular graphic novel was very well done, not at all cartoony, very dark and realistic, as well as detailed. The setting of Victorian London was beautifully created and very authentic! It's actually the art giving it a high rating and I was tempted to give it four for the art alone. 

The dialogue added to the authentic feel of the setting and the narrative was all very straight forward, I didn't really have a problem with it. I was expecting the supernatural elements to the story when I received the novel to review, and I was most intrigued as to how they would be worked in to a Holmes story. I have to say, it was very well done and I actually enjoyed the blend of Victorian England being so authentic with Holmes and all the supernatural goings on. There was no Watson however?! No Watson in a Holmes story?! What was going on with that? Perhaps I missed something, as I've realised this is a follow on from a previous Holmes story. 

Anyway, everything comes together very well and the plot was good. I've given it three stars however because I just didn't find myself engrossed in it or glued to the page. My mind was wandering as I was reading and I found myself focusing more on the artwork rather than the words, and I did find myself a bit bored once or twice, which is a shame because I did enjoy the blend the novel had going on as I said. I'm not really sure what it was either? Perhaps it was the dialogue and the phrasing, perhaps I thought the pace was a little bit slow, it could have been any number of things but it was just disappointing considering how fantastic the artwork was and how much I enjoyed the addition of the supernatural. 

Thursday 12 November 2015

Dangerous Days In Ancient Egypt


Dangerous Days In Ancient Egypt
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Think that Ancient Egypt is just a load of old obelisks? Don't bet your afterlife on it. 
Ancient Egypt should be deader than most of our yesterdays. After all it was at its height 5,000 years ago. Yet we still marvel at its mummies and under over its pyramids. It's easy to forget these people once lived and laughed, loved and breathed...though not for very long. 

These where dangerous days for princes and peasants alike. In Ancient Egypt- a world of wars and woes, poverty and plagues- life was short. Forty was a good age to reach. A pharaoh who was eaten by a hippo ended up as dead as a ditch-digger stung by a scorpion. Unwrap the bandages and you'll find that the Egyptians' bizarre adventures in life were every bit as fascinating as the monuments they left to their deaths. 

As a child, I was, much as I am today, obsessed with history. What was a child obsessed with history to read?! Horrible Histories. Even as a child I didn't read the kind of history books I read today, namely thick books with tiny type, or actual text books just for the fun of it. I had quite the collection of Horrible Histories books, as well as the Science and Geography ones, I used to read them yeah, but I also used to use them to help me with homework or in the case of Science, just plain understand what the hell I was being taught. Science was not a strong point of mine, to be honest. I'm actually quite sad that I ended up taking them all to the charity shop a few years ago, when I was a teenager and trying to make my room 'minimalistic'. It is not, nor will ever be that, but I didn't know that then. Anyway, off they went, and I do regret it. Perhaps one day I'll buy them all back. 

I'm now, supposedly, an 'adult'. It's like Terry Deary knows how much I miss the fun of Horrible Histories, because here he is with a book that, at least to me, seems a lot like Horrible Histories...for adults. This is the fourth book, I'm actually surprised I haven't stumbled across the others before and I'll be adding them to my list! 

Anyway, we all know I'm obsessed with Ancient Egypt above all other time periods, not really sure why, but whatever. So it's not really a surprise that this caught my eye. I have to say, while the book had a lot of things that I already knew....it also had a lot of things I didn't know. For instance, the day to day lives of the peasants of Ancient Egypt. The book contains a hell of a lot of information....but it's concise. There's no tiny font and endless pages. It's maximum information without being boring. 

There's Did You Know boxes, timelines, bullet points, lists, quotes and more as well as paragraphs of information. The book is divided in to different sections, and each is packed with little mini sections. Different rulers, different archaeologists and so on. There where actually some female archaeologists that I, shamefully, had no idea existed. 

Dangerous Days in Ancient Egypt is perfect if you want to know more about the time period without having to read endless pages. It's easy to read and easy to understand without being too dumbed down. It's amusing and makes you chuckle every so often. It was brilliantly written to be honest, the same tone as Horrible Histories from what I remember, almost chatty, some sarcasm, plenty of wit. There's even a bit about curses. We all love a good curse don't we? 
















Seriously, I couldn't resist using a Mummy GIF anymore, be thankful I only used the one! 

Dangerous Days in Ancient Egypt is an informative, yet fun read, and has plenty of knowledge to share with you including a step by step guide to mummifying someone! There's even a grave robbers guide in case you fancy a change of career. This book brought me a good couple of hours of entertainment and it's great to have the format of Horrible Histories, but changed up for adults to read, Deary makes history fun and he always has, and not a lot of history books manage to do that, they're usually quite dry. I'm excited to see what period of history he will cover next! 

If you want to pick up the other books we have.....

-Dangerous Days In The Roman Empire
-Dangerous Days On The Victorian Railways 
-Dangerous Days In Elizabethan England

The Roman one has a freaking Carry On quote on the back and I laughed for way longer than I should have! I'll definitely be getting around to picking these up, and I really think you all should too! 




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