Review: Distortion by Victor Dixen

So, I was so glad to get accepted on Netgalley for a copy of this, as I adored the first book in the series (my mini review for that can be found HERE)

But, here's this book:

Six girls, six boys: looking for glory and romance on Mars 

They thought they were masters of their destiny.

They are the twelve pioneers of the Genesis programme. 

They thought they were taking part in the most extraordinary of missions.

In fact, they are the victims of the cruellest of plots.

Leonor was looking for glory - and love - on Mars.

She thought she would be able to open her heart there. 

But what she has done is open up a Pandora's box of her past ...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am really into the space thing at the moment! I don't think I've read many before I started blogging but I'm seeing them pop up more and more often now and I am all for this, its such a wide thing to write about so there so many untapped opportunities in it, and I really think that this is one of them: speed dating in space.

Well, I say that, this is more of a 'will they colonise Mars' plot as compared to the last book, but it definitely had more of the romances in as the final couples get married and start their lives. It was definitely interesting to see the development, as in the last book the couples only saw each other for their speed dating sessions.

I also loved that the plot got even more twisted in this book, there are so many different twists and turns and little threads coming together, leaving you to ask questions and wonder what will happen and how everything will come together in the end - and oh gosh guys, this book is certainly left in an interesting place, I can't believe I have to wait until next year to find out what happens!

You definitely begin to connect with the characters a bit more in this book, as they finally all come together and you see their real personalities as opposed to their speed-dating personalities, and you see a lot more of the boys in this one too, which makes it a whole lot better.

Altogether, definitely a great second book, and one you'll be speeding through, and you'll definitely not want to put it down towards the end!

I give this: 4.5 cats!

Have any of you read this series? What do you think? And what are your opinions on space books? Comment below!

Blog Tour: Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

So, I got invited to be a part of the Blog tour for this brilliant new release, and I got offered a copy in exchange for a review (which I was so glad about as I was so excited for this book to come out!).

Here it is:

A single wish will spark a new dawn.

Every millennium the missing pieces of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers are hunted, for they hold the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish.

As a temple burns to the ground Yumeko escapes with its greatest treasure - the first piece of the scroll. And when fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai she knows he seeks what she has. Kage is under order to kill those who stand in his way but will he be able to complete his mission? Will this be the dawn that sees the dragon wake?

I haven't read many books that are in this kind of setting - with Samurais and spirits and Kitsune's - and as soon as I got into this I really wondered why I hadn't - it's so magical, and definitely something that keeps me interested throughout.

I admit, I had a bit of a problem keeping up with all the different titles and names of spirits, but who wouldn't when you're new to that world? I got the hang of it a bit more the more I got through it, and it was always fun when I found out I knew what something was as I had learnt - and I'm sure I'll learn loads more in the future books too.

It did take me a while to feel like things would pick up - there was a lot of travelling in this book, but everything was described so beautifully that I felt I was transported to this world, so as the characters stopped travelling when they found new places it was beautiful. I also definitely connected with one of the MCs Yumeko - I don't see how you couldn't as you felt like you were experiencing everything new with her, as she previously has never left the temple that she had been brought up in.

There were so many different characters met through the whole book - Yumeko was definitely a friendly person, which I loved, who helped people whenever she could. I'm sure you'll fnd yourself both loving and hating characters as you go along - I sure did.

I loved that this book alternated between the view of Yumeko and Tatsumi - which is strange as usually I don't get along too well with different POVs, but Julie wrote this perfectly and had me liking the differences between the two MCs - and I definitely hope to see the alternating POV in the next book too after all the twists that kept you hanging at the end!

Overall, this is a spectacular book, and I am already itching to get hold of the next one, but I guess I'll have to wait a while!

I give this book: 5 cats! (and more if I could, it really took me on an adventure)

Have you read this book yet, comment below? If not you should definitely go pick up a copy!

Keep an eye out for the other blog tour posts for this book too:

Blog Tour: House of Glass by Susan Fletcher

I got asked if I wanted to be a part of the blog tour for this book, and I jumped at the chance. It's been a while since I've done a non-YA tour and thought it would make a lovely change, and I was not disappointed by the book at all!

Even better is the book is out today, so go grab a copy! Here it is:

June 1914 and a young woman - Clara Waterfield - is summoned to a large stone house in Gloucestershire. Her task: to fill a greenhouse with exotic plants from Kew Gardens, to create a private paradise for the owner of Shadowbrook. Yet, on arrival, Clara hears rumours: something is wrong with this quiet, wisteria-covered house. Its gardens are filled with foxgloves, hydrangea and roses; it has lily-ponds, a croquet lawn - and the marvellous new glasshouse awaits her. But the house itself feels unloved. Its rooms are shuttered, or empty. The owner is mostly absent; the housekeeper and maids seem afraid. And soon, Clara understands their fear: for something - or someone - is walking through the house at night. In the height of summer, she finds herself drawn deeper into Shadowbrook's dark interior - and into the secrets that violently haunt this house. Nothing - not even the men who claim they wish to help her - is quite what it seems.

Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier, this is a wonderful, atmospheric Gothic page-turner.

So, you might know by now that when I venture from YA it is usually to historical fiction - I can't help it, it's always so refreshing and I love that, sometimes I think I should have been born in another time with how much I love historical fiction books. But, this book is set just before the start of the first world war, so it's a bit different than my usual historical fiction read.

One of the things I loved about this book was that it touched on so many things - war, woman's rights, and even a touch of mystery in the form of hauntings. It was quite a dark Gothic book with the old house and the haunting side of things, with little bursts of light from the mentions of the glass house and the flowers and plants etc. - and I did really love the mention of plants throughout as it really reminded me of when I was younger and would hear my grandparents discussing plants and gardening, it was a nice little reminder.

It also kept me guessing what would happen until the very end with the mix of different genres, would it be a romance, a horror, or just a normal historical fiction? I liked the mystery of guessing and the conclusion of the book really had me gasping - so overall it's definitely a book that keeps you entertained until the very end.

I adored the MC Clara. She was a narrator that you could really connect with as she recounted her younger years and her journey to Shadowbrook - I really loved the way she was her own woman and she really shook up the small town when she went to work at the house and had different views on things to others - I loved that she was so opinionated and outspoken for the time the book was set.

Overall, I give this book: 5 cats.

A I said, this book is out today, I would definitely go buy a copy if you like historical fiction with a touch of mystery. If you've read the book comment below and tell me your thoughts!