Blog Tour: Bride of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes

 Well, today is a blog tour day! And it's a good one, in fact, I can say it's one of my favourite reads of the year.... but that may be because I have a weakness for Fae books, and one of my favourite reads from the younger years had Trolls in it (or as they are called in this book Troldefolke).

Here's the book:

A shunned princess. A reluctant king.

A marriage that could save both their kingdoms . . . but destroy their hearts.

Though she is the oldest daughter, Princess Faraine lives in the background, shunned from court and kept out of sight. Her chronic illness makes her a liability to the crown, and she has learned to give place to her beautiful, favored younger sister in all things.

When the handsome and enigmatic Shadow King comes seeking a bride, Faraine is not surprised that her sister is his choice.

Though not eager to take a human bride, King Vor is willing to do what is necessary for the sake of his people. When he meets the lively Princess Ilsevel, he quickly agrees to a marriage arrangement.

So why can’t he get the haunting eyes of her older sister out of his head?

When disaster strikes and the marriage alliance is compromised, Faraine suddenly finds herself forced to take her sister’s place . . . regardless of her new husband’s desires. Can she find a place at Vor’s side as his queen? Or is his heart forever closed to the woman who deceived him so cruelly?

Well, first of all I have to talk about the beautiful cover we can see here - which is even better in person because there is silver foiling!! You all know how much I love a good silver foil.... But not only that the actual details on the cover are beautiful, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the series covers look like.

Now, onto the actual contents of the book. I said earlier that it may be one of my favourite reads of this year, but I have seen that the next in this series is also out this year (and I WILL be reading it), and to be honest after that ending I can expect that the next book will take my heart even more than this one did, so it may be put down in the list of favourites very soon. I think the chemistry between the two MCs, Faraine and Vor,  when they meet was one of my favourite things about this book, and then everything that happens after between them was amazing to read.

I love Faraine as a character in this book, and gosh did I wish it went a bit differently for her and Vor overall, but we shall see how that will go when it comes to the next book! I do love them both as characters, but Faraine really interests me, and I'll be intrigued to see how her God given power changes over the next few books.... I have my theories!

We see a little bit of the Trolde world in this book, but not very much as the beginning focused on the human world and the marriage process, however the world building in this just makes you think there will be many more places to explore in the coming books - we get told about the different types of Fae, and the size of the Trolde kingdom so I can't wait to see more of that (hopefully) in the future as what we have seen of the Trolde kingdom so far seems beautiful and Sylvia has written the Fae world fantastically so far - it really draws you in and wants you to read more and more.

I could talk about so much more when it comes to this book, but I will wait until the next book to see if my theories work out or not. Overall, I give this book: 5 cats!

Don't forget to check out the other stops on this blog tour too, and I hope to be back with a review on book #2 soon!

Blog tour: Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

 I'm so excited to be on the blog tour for the newest release from Christopher Paolini - Fractal Noise! Make sure to check out the other stops on the tour too, and grab a copy of the book as it's out now! Here it is:

On the planet Talos VII, twenty-three years before the events of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, an anomaly is detected: a vast circular pit, with dimensions so perfect that it could only have been the result of conscious design. So a small team is assembled to learn more – perhaps even who built the hole and why. Their mission will take them on a hazardous trek to the very edge of existence.

For one explorer, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. For another, a risk not worth taking. And for xenobiologist Alex Crichton, it’s a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe. But every step they take towards that mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. Ultimately, no one is prepared for what they will encounter.

So, Christopher Paolini is one of my favourite authors, and as soon as he started telling us about branching into Sci-Fi, I knew I'd be picking up whatever he wrote. It was definitely worth it, and now he's gone and wrote a prequel to the beast of a book that is To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. I would say, if you are a bit worried about starting the giant TSiaSoS, you could very easily read this book as a standalone, or read it first if you want to start small. There's nothing in this that would confuse you or make you not understand what was happening, everything in it is well explained, so you can definitely read this first if you want to jump into something smaller to begin with!

Now getting into the actual book - this was definitely a fascinating read. The characters were so well written, each having different motives for going to explore the new planet. The MC and narrator, Alex, was especially an interesting person to read the POV of. Although you were exploring the new planet, and had lots of information thrown at you about that, you also get to read about his reason for exploring - the death of his partner. It can be a bit hard hitting at time as the book leans on that, but you really get to see his struggles with grief and at times you really feel like you are living it with him and I just found that such a thought-provoking way of reading - not one I've really dealt with before in a book, but one I would definitely read again if they're written as well as this was.

I think the suspense of getting closer to the centre of the hole they found on the planet was really well done - and the noise that the hole is making follows you through the book with a 'Thud' every few lines. I found this really good at keeping the suspense and also I think it really made you feel how much that noise would affect you if you were in the book too. I especially loved that it slowly got larger as you read, as if you really were in the book and could see how much it would affect the explorers the nearer they got.

I'll admit, I am a bit rusty in my sci-fi reading, so quite a bit of the terminology went over my head, but it was still a smooth read and I really didn't want to put the book down after starting it was so gripping. I think that the writing was so good, because even if you aren't the best with sci-fi terminology you can still pick up the plot and read along, and if you are a sci-fi buff then you'll love it too! 

Overall, I give this book: 5 cats!

Make sure to check out the other stops on the tour below, it's running until the 2nd June, and go pick up a copy of the book! It will definitely be worth it - and if you loved TSiaSoS in sure you'll love this too. I can't wait to see what else Paolini will come up with in the world of sci-fi!

Blog Tour: The Wood Bee Queen by Edward Cox

So, today is a review blog tour post for you all of this book. I got the email in my inbox asking if I'd like to be a part of the blog tour and the description on this book just jumped out to me (and the cover, I mean, come on how beautiful is it?!) so I knew I had to say yes!

Here's the book:

Somewhere in England, in a small town called Strange Ground by the Skea, Ebbie Wren is the last librarian and he's about to lose his job. Estranged from his parents, unable to make connections with anyone except the old homeless lady who lives near the library, Ebbie isn't quite sure what he's supposed to do next. His only escape from reality is his deep interest in local folklore, but reality is far stranger than Ebbie can dream.

On the other side of the sky and the sea, the Queen of House Wood Bee has been murdered. Her sister has made the first move in a long game, one which will lead her to greatness, yet risk destruction for the entire Realm. She needs the two magical stones Foresight and Hindsight for her power to be complete, but no one knows where they are. Although the sword recently stolen by Bek Rana, small time thief and not very good at it, might hold a clue to their location . . . and to stopping the chaos. But all Bek wants is to sell the sword and buy herself a better life. She's not interested in being a hero, and neither is Ebbie.

But someone is forcing their hand and playing for the heart of the Realm. Ebbie and Bek are destined to unite. They must find a way to stop the destruction of House Wood Bee, save the Realm, and just maybe save themselves in the process. All victories come at a price. The Oldungods are rising. And they are watching...

The first thing I will say about this book is that it was absolutely magical, and I loved that. If you've ever dreamed of being transported to another world, this is the book for you. Ebbie, the MC, is transported between the land that he's only ever heard of from myths and folklore (Strange Ground Beneath the Skea) and his modern day home (Strange Ground by the Skea) in this story, and it just really resonated with me and made me think of all the times I've ever wanted to visit magical lands that I have read about or heard about - if I could take his place I totally would. 

The main plot of the book is so interesting - it mixes some of the Gods we know, like Juno and Persephone, with new myths and superstitions and we also get to see just how Gods interferences can impact the life of the people who worship them. It was quite an interesting take on it, and showed what seems a bit like a chess game between two of the Gods involving the rest of the worlds that they look over which was such an intriguing concept to me.

Ebbie and Bek, two of the main characters, were written so well and you really started to like them as soon as you met them. Ebbie was especially easy to connect with as he was just as I imagined I would be if I took his place- full of wonder and awe whilst visiting the world that he has studied so much from back home. They were unlikely, and also slightly unwilling, heroes in this book and the way that they work together to help save the Realm is amazing - I particularly like Bek because as you learn more about her she just becomes a whole lot more likeable as a character.

I admit, I was a bit confused by the ending, but yaknow what - I liked that. It meant I can try and figure things out myself, and I'm sure it will mean it will be a fun book to reread. This is definitely one of my favourite standalone books of this year!

Overall, this is definitely a great read - it's a fast-paced, magical book that you can't help but love. I give this book: 5 cats! 

Don't forget to check out the other stops from the tour this week, which can be seen below!

Blog Tour: Queen of Volts by Amanda Foody

 So, I have been on the tours for all of the books in this series and I knew that when I saw that HQ were asking for people to join in with the third and final book, I had to be a part of it. My review for this stop on the blog tour is below!

If you are interested, you can find the previous book reviews HERE (Book 1)  and HERE (Book 2).

And, here's the book:

Return to the City of Sin, where the final game is about to begin…and winning will demand the ultimate sacrifice.

Only days after a corrupt election and brutal street war, one last bloodthirsty game has begun. The players? The twenty-two most powerful, notorious people in New Reynes.

After realizing they have no choice but to play, Enne Scordata and Levi Glaisyer are desperate to forge new alliances and bargain for their safety. But while Levi offers false smiles and an even falser peace to the city’s politicians, Enne must face a world where her true Mizer identity has been revealed…and any misstep could turn deadly.

Meanwhile, a far more dangerous opponent has appeared on the board, one plucked right from the most gruesome legends of New Reynes. As the game takes its final, vicious turn, Levi and Enne must decide once and for all whether to be partners or enemies.

Because in a game for survival, there are only losers…

And monsters.

Guys, I cannot get over this book, it was packed with action from the very beginning and it was just the best final book in the series. In this book you get to see even more POVs - Levi and Enne like usual, but also Sophia, Lola and Harvey as an added extra, it was great to get into the minds of even more characters and see what they were thinking during the whole process. I never thought I'd like a series where more and more POVs were added in each book, but for this series it works and totally changed my mind - it really helps you to see all the different points to the plot as the new game begins.

I mentioned in the King of Fools review that different points were slowly coming together, and in this book you finally see all of these drips of information morph into one big spectacular plot, with so many crucial points in previous books all making sense. Whilst reading this I had multiple 'lightbulb' moments, when I finally saw just what Amanda Foody had been planning and hinting at - it all came together and made this into the perfect finale to a series.

I won't spend too much time on talking about Enne and Levi,  but I will say I adored them in this book, the relationship between them is so beautiful, and their journey together throughout the series, although tumultuous, is so intense and in this book it all finally comes together and they make such an amazing team. I admit, I squealed at times in this book with the dynamic between these two, I just love it and I love their coupling.

The final moments of this book were sheer brilliance, and I think that Amanda gave us the best ending to the series there could have been, I won't spoil anything, but for me it was amazing and just what I wanted when I finished this series - I hope you all agree when you read it.

Overall, I give this book 5 cats! (as well as the series overall)

Make sure to check out the other stops that were on the tour as seen below!

Blog Tour: Storm of Ash by Michelle Kenney

There are no words to explain how excited I was to be a part of the blog tour for Storm of Ash, I've loved each book of this series and I knew that I wouldn't be disappointed by the finale, which turned out to be true. 

If you're interested my reviews for the first and second books are here: Book Of Fire [1],  City of Dust [2])

Here's the description for this one:

"As Talia treks back through the treacherous North Mountains, she knows only three things:

Pantheon has stolen nearly everyone she loves;

Her blood is the only control over the Voynich’s oldest secret;

And Cassius won’t stop hunting Arafel until every last outsider is destroyed.

Will Talia finally face her legacy and defeat Cassius before it is too late?"

Let's just start with one thing - this beautiful cover. I mean, what an absolutely amazing cover, and it just totally fits with the plot of this book so well, when you read it you'll soon find out just why it is as it is. 

Now that the oohing over the cover is over with, can I just say wow. Guys, this was everything I wanted from the last book in the series.... it's just the epic conclusion you need/want from any trilogy. Even if there were some heart breaking scenes throughout - it did definitely take me on yet another emotional rollercoaster like the last book (thanks for the feels Michelle). I couldn't keep up with all the emotions I was cycling through whilst reading this, but it was all worth it for how the series ended.

I have always said that Talia is such a good character, and in this book it was no different, she really had to navigate some difficult things throughout and she managed it brilliantly. I think that's why I like her so much, throughout the books you always see the shine of her outsider heritage, even in difficult times. I think 'feral cat' was definitely a great way to describe her.

Also, not spoiling anything but I'll just say I still love August, even with how much I like outsiders, I will forever be #teamaugust. Now I just need to find my own August in the real world *sigh*.....

One last thing: I seriously can't get over my love for Unus the Cyclops in this series.... He's such a beautiful, friendly character and rereading just made me remember all of that. The friendship between Talia and Unus is definitely one of my new favourite friendships from a series.

I really really hope to see more of this world that Michelle has built, but either way I know I'll be reading any future books that come from her.

Overall l give this book: 5 cats!

Have you read the series? If not I highly recommend them! And don't forget to take a look at some of the other stops on the blog tour for this!

Blog Tour: Angel Mage by Garth Nix

Oh guys, you have no idea how excited I was when I heard that Garth Nix was writing a new fantasy book. He has been my favourite author for a long time, and I knew that I needed to read it as soon as I heard about it. I was lucky enough to be one of the people asked to be a part of the blog tour, and I jumped at the chance.

And well, I have to say that Garth Nix has struck again with yet another spectacular book that will drag you in and keep you reading until the very end.... Here's the book for if you were wondering what it was all about:

More than a century has passed since Liliath crept into the empty sarcophagus of Saint Marguerite, fleeing the Fall of Ystara. But she emerges from her magical sleep still beautiful, looking no more than nineteen, and once again renews her single-minded quest to be united with her lover, Palleniel, the archangel of Ystara.

A seemingly impossible quest, but Liliath is one of the greatest practitioners of angelic magic to have ever lived, summoning angels and forcing them to do her bidding.

Liliath knew that most of the inhabitants of Ystara died from the Ash Blood plague or were transformed into beastlings, and she herself led the survivors who fled into neighboring Sarance. Now she learns that angels shun the Ystaran’s descendants. If they are touched by angelic magic, their blood will turn to ash. They are known as Refusers, and can only live the most lowly lives.

But Liliath cares nothing for the descendants of her people, save how they can serve her. It is four young Sarancians who hold her interest: Simeon, a studious doctor-in-training; Henri, a dedicated fortune hunter; Agnez, an adventurous musketeer cadet; and Dorotea, an icon-maker and scholar of angelic magic. They are the key to her quest.

The four feel a strange kinship from the moment they meet, but do not know why, or suspect their importance. All become pawns in Liliath’s grand scheme to fulfill her destiny and be united with the love of her life. No matter the cost to everyone else. . .

So, this book has quite a few different POVs - something that I can't usually get on board with, but I had no issues here. All the characters personalities came through really well, and I feel like you really got to know all of the MCs separately - not one of the characters overshadowed any of the others which I found particularly wonderful. I know it's weird, but I did love Liliath's POV the most, and I actually really liked her as a character, she was one of my favourites despite everything that went on in the book, and I think that you really see her complex personality come through once the book concludes.

Most Garth Nix books have amazing world-building, and this one lived up to that reputation too, with different countries and different Archangels for each of them. It was such an interesting take on Angels being part of the world, and I loved hearing about all the different angels and their different 'scopes' that each has - it will be so fun to re-read this book now I have a physical copy with all the maps, it will be so much easier to visualise everything with how beautiful the maps are.

Well, if I don't stop now I'll just keep singing the praises of this book, so all I'll say is that if you are a fan of Garth Nix's previous books you won't be disappointed, so you should pick it up. I know this is a standalone book, but I really hope to see more of this world at some point - and I can't wait to get my hands on the bonus chapter in my Waterstones edition of the book when it comes!

Overall, I give this 5 cats (of course)

This book is out 17th October, you should definitely go and order your copy. Don't forget to keep an eye on the rest of the tour stops this month, with the first half shown below!

Blog Tour: King of Fools by Amanda Foody

So today on my blog I am part of the blog tour for the amazing King of Fools by Amanda Foody! I was part of the previous tour, and as soon as I was asked I knew I wanted to be a part of it as Ace of Shades was such as amazing book.

I was lucky enough to get an extract of the book for you all to see, so here it is:

This is a key beat from Jac's opening chapter--his first ever point of view in The Shadow Game series. Now that Enne and Levi have been made notorious by the events of the Shadow Game, Jac has become a wanted man entirely by association. And Jac has spent so many years as Levi's friend, listening to him go on about his destiny for greatness, knowing that Levi wanted this, that Jac has to unpack how he has now become collateral damage in his best friend's story.

**************

Jac struck a match and watched it burn like a votive candle. 

“I can turn on the radio, if you want,” Lola offered. “But Levi’s probably fine.” 

“I’d rather you didn’t.” 

“Afraid you’ll hear your name?” 

He inhaled his cigarette deeply. It was no secret that he worked with Levi; that he lived on 125 Genever Street in Olde Town, apartment 4C; that he covered the Wednesday through Saturday shifts at the Hound’s Tooth tavern. The whiteboots had probably already interviewed his boss, already rummaged through his home and what little he had. He tried to imagine what conclusion they could’ve drawn from his possessions. A loner, this one, they’d say. No decorations. No sentimentals. Jac had lived there for two years and still treated his place like it was temporary—a side effect of someone who’d never really had a home. 

“I wasn’t in a good place not that long ago, but I have been lately, or at least in a better one,” he explained. He didn’t normally share these details with anyone, even ones so vague. But he needed to unload his thoughts on someone other than Levi, someone who could feel sympathetic without also feeling responsible. “I guess that’s gone now.” 

Levi and Enne had made sure of that last night. 

He squeezed his hand into a fist. He knew Levi hadn’t wanted to start that shatz investment scheme that got him invited to the Shadow Game. And Levi had looked out for Jac time and time again, so Jac didn’t feel he had a right to be angry. Hell, he was angry at himself for feeling angry. 

But Jac also knew Levi and his reckless dreams. And if Levi was safe right now, then Jac would swear some part of his friend was mucking pleased—even if Levi had put everyone around him in danger. 

But he didn’t say that. Instead, he bitterly spat out, “I hate this casino.”

Lola pursed her lips, and Jac waited for her to say something about how, while he’d sworn his allegiance to Levi willingly, she’d been forced to give Enne her oath with a knife at her throat. Or how good people did bad things, and bad things happened to good people, and neither they nor their friends could really call themselves good people anyway. She was annoying and wise like that. 

But all she said was, “Deal the cards. You’re clearly very vulnerable right now, and I intend to take advantage of that.” 

Jac snorted and tapped his cigarette ashes into the rim of a teacup as he slid back into his seat. 

“Enne will hate that, you know,” Lola told him. The teacup was porcelain, covered in some floral design that Enne would find pretty. Jac realized Enne, who’d only lived here for ten days, probably didn’t possess much she could call her own, so he retrieved his cigarette guiltily and pushed the cup away.

Lola leaned over and slid it back toward him. “But fuck them.” The corner of her lips slid into a smile. 

Jac barked out a surprised laugh, and the knots in his shoulders loosened. Over the next ten minutes of Tropps, the teacup’s bottom steadily grew coated in ash. 

*************

And that is all for the extract post, now I'll share a few thoughts on the book before this blog tour post ends!

First, I can't believe how action packed this book was, there were so many points all coming together I seemed to spin through reading all of the action - but it was written so well that I never felt like I was being overloaded or left behind with the plot.

Secondly, I just have to mention that there are now 3 POVs in this book - and one of them is Jac. I adored Jac as a character in Ace of Shades, and I was so excited to find out that he had his own POV in King of Fools, which is why I was so glad I got an extract of his first chapter in the series. Now, it wasn't only because of how much I love Jac that I was glad he got his thoughts out in this book - I think it was really good to get in a POV that shows just how Enne's and Levi's plans have effected the others in the books, and even how much it will effect them as the plans change.

On that point, I think Enne is such a complex and beautifully written character - warring with herself as to whether she should be the woman she was raised to be - or if she should accept that she enjoys being a street lord and living in New Reynes. Watching her change and grow is definitely one of my favourite things about the series, and I think she's going to grow even more in the future, which I can't wait to see.

I could write so much on this book, but I think leaving you with a small extract, and a small review is for the best, so I will just say this: GO READ THE SERIES. It's such a unique series, with a setting that I've not come across before and absolutely love, that I think everyone will get something from reading it. I can't wait to see where Amanda takes the next book after it was left where it was - I don't know how I'll be able to wait!

Overall, I give this book: 5 cats.

Make sure to check out the rest of the stops on the blog tour, below!

Blog Tour: Queen of Sea and Stars by Anna McKerrow

So, I havent posted in a while and thought I would get back into the swing of things by taking part in a blog tour! As you know I love all things fantasy, but this time I'm branching out to an adult fantasy book, which hopefully I'll be reviewing in the next few weeks!

Today's post is all about Anna McKerrow, the author of the Greenworld trilogy (Crow Moon, Red Witch and Wild Fire), Daughter of Light and Shadows and Queen of Sea and Stars.

Here's her most recently released book:

Faye Morgan, a hereditary witch, moves away from her tiny coastal village in Scotland to London to be with her new boyfriend, Rav. But though she hopes she can live a normal life in a new city, her blood bond to the realms of faerie can’t be denied. With a faerie war brewing, can Faye realise her destiny and discover who she really is? A tale of faery magic, desire and modern witchcraft.

For this blog tour I have a guest post from Anna about some of her favourite Witch books, so if you love Witchy books like me, you may find some interesting recommendations!

"I’ve loved all of these books, so for those of you looking for fiction and nonfiction about witchcraft, these are well worth a look:

The Sea Priestess / Moon Magic

Dion Fortune

The Sea Priestess and its sequel, Moon Magic, are some of the first books I ever read about magic. They’re novels, but they were intended to provide a kind of subliminal introduction to the principles of working with the moon and creating magic. They’re incredibly rich with wisdom, written by Dion Fortune, one of the most wise and talented women in British magic and the occult. There are other novels which are all great - read them all!

Faery Craft

Emily Carding

This is a wonderful introduction to faery magic and faery witchcraft with lots of hands on activities, if you feel called to the path of the fae!

The Serpent of Lilith

Stewart Farrar writing as Margot Villiers

This is another occult novel I recommend. I think it was written in the 50s or 60s hence my copy’s lurid cover and some of the sexual politics inside, but it’s a really interesting look at the “black” magic of the goddess Lilith and the (at the time) “white” magic of the goddess Isis from a western witchcraft point of view. Then, the dark feminine was very much feared in magical circles, but now, with a greater understanding of dark goddesses like Lilith and the rise of feminism, we recognise Her for her true transformational power.

Priestesses, Pythonesses, Sibyls: The Sacred Voices of Women who speak with and for the Gods, eds Sorita D’Este

I recommend all books from Avalonia Books, who specialise in witchcraft. This collection of essays from a variety of women working with different gods and goddesses as channels is very interesting.

Spellcraft for Hedge Witches: A Guide to Healing our Lives

Rae Beth

Rae Beth is a hedge witch, meaning that she works with nature-based folk traditions and works alone, not in a coven or group. This book is based on our connection to the realms of faerie as the natural elemental kingdoms, so it’s full of meaningful, caring and detailed faery witchcraft.

Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive

Kristen J Sollee

This nonfiction book makes the timely connection between sexuality, sexual freedom and witchcraft. Very interesting.

HausMagick: Transform Your Home, Create Your Sanctuary

Erica Feldmann

This is a rather lovely coffee table style book about earth/home magic by the owner of HausWitch, a funky witchy shop in Salem, Massachusetts which specialises in magic and modern home décor.

A Witch’s Mirror: The Art of Making Magic

Levannah Morgan

This is a very useful and practical book about traditional Devon witchcraft with lots of how to craft activities. It’s witch-craft, after all: all about making things.

Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex, Politics

Starhawk

Even though this was written in the early 80s, the political landscape today seems much the same as the one Starhawk describes in Dreaming The Dark. The book details how to use witchcraft in political resistance - #hexthepatriarchy, indeed.

Circe

Madeleine Miller

My favourite fiction book from last year. Madeleine Miller’s writing is intensely beautiful, writing the life of Greek mythology’s archetypal witch.

Practical Magic / The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

Even better than the film! Alice Hoffman is a wonderful writer and in these books she chronicles the lives of a family of witches in New York and its surrounds. It’s luminous, yet based in reality."

Do you think you'll read any of the suggested books? Anna's most recent book is now available to order, so go get your copy!

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!

Blog Tour: The Secret Legacy by Sara Alexander

So, today is my stop on the blog tour for this amazing book. I got a proof copy of this book at the HQ summer showcase, and I just flew through it. I was so glad to get a place on the blog tour.

Today, Sara is talking about her top 5 spots in Italy, as this book is set in the beautiful Positano, and I highly recommend buying a copy!



My Top Five Spots in Italy

Italy is my ancestral home and the one that has infused my identity with a passion for good food with a side of good yarn shared over a full table. I would like to boast that I have exhausted the country, delved into every mountainous crag, breath taking forest and turquoise bay it has to offer but I would be stretching the truth even further than a fiction writer. I have been lucky to visit a lot so far and my list of to-sees grows annually and with much pleasure – I haven’t told the family officially but I’ve day-dreamed my jaunt to Venice for the very near future.

Till then, here are some of the top places I have spent time in and would urge anyone to make plans to travel to.

1. Sardinia

I’m biased of course, because my mother is from this island and I feel like I’m very much descendant from that tribe of diffident cooks and storytellers that it’s famed for. Sardinia is a land of mystery and tumultuous history, it is jagged mountain silhouettes and breath taking turquoise sea coves with some of the freshest seafood you might ever have. Don’t stay hogging the beach though, there are fantastic archaeological sites dotted around the island as well as the spectacular Gennargentu national park at its centre.

2. Rome

This city seduced me a few years ago and we are still in the first throws of romance, where you struggle - or care little to - spy the fault lines in one another. I love the verve of this city, the swagger, the chaos, the unexpected surprises of antiquity as you walk through it. I adore the food, and how readily available it is. I love getting lost there, following my nose to the next nook or market. I’ve dodged the tourist crowds and let my wanderings take me further afield, and that’s something I would urge any traveller to do. I’m currently working on the second draft of a book set here so am indulging my imagination in retracing those steps with pleasure.

3. Positano

It is easy to fall in love with this cliffside town, especially if you catch it before half the world descends, just at the precipice of late spring. Take shoes that are made for walking not prancing because everywhere you go you’ll need to climb hundreds of steps. It makes digesting the twice-daily injections of gelato easier to digest. I love to escape uphill and walk the Path of the Gods, a fantastic hike that winds around the cliff edge for spell binding views of the Amalfi coast. I visited Pompei the last time I went to Positano and like the thousands of people who did so before me, left captivated by its spell. On my first visit to Positano in 2005, the idea of The Secret Legacy sprang into existence and gnawed at me to be written ever since.

4. Sicily

I was lucky to work on a film on location in Sicily and found it an intoxicating place. Perhaps it was the whole experience of being on set that added to the glamour of my memories there, but I loved the earthiness of the culture, the spice of its history, the clashing tones of the Sicilian dialect so different in rhythm from those on the mainland. I’d urge a traveller to make time to lose themselves along the coast around Noto, visiting the tiny towns that dot the east coast, fishing villages that are made up of one main street and small restaurant huts on stilts with narrow jetties that lead from the shore toward them where you can eat the freshest sea food in Italy. Take a plate and dive into their sea food antipasti buffets, squeeze one of their fresh lemons into a glass of cold sparkling water with a side of hearty red and you will have my version of heaven.

5. Cinque Terre

This is the area close to Genoa that is a cluster of picturesque villages with buildings painted dainty hues against the craggy dark blue coast. It is a ritzy part of the Ligurian world (I’m a lover of simple pleasures but pair it with regular dips in luxury), one where the hip Genoans take their swanky shoes on a well-heeled Sunday parade. This is the land of pesto so know that you will have a beautiful experience of that glorious garlic basil marriage. Make time to eat it with trofie, the traditional handmade pasta twists that are the perfect pairing to the sauce, catching every nuance of that lustrous olive oil, rich pine nut, tangy parmesan, fragrant locally grown basil and punchy garlic in one mouthful.

Buon Viaggio!

Blog Tour: Splinter by Joshua Winning

So, today is my stop on this blog tour, and I'm so excited to be sharing my review for this amazing book, which is the last in the series!

I've previously reviewed the past books as well if you want to read them (Book One, Book Two - mini review)

Here's the info for this book:

“All who stand against us shall perish”

The critically acclaimed Sentinel Trilogy comes to a thrilling conclusion in this final instalment of the dark fantasy series.

The world is falling apart around Nicholas Hallow. Amid rumours that the Dark Prophets have returned, a deathly gloom pollutes England, unleashing a savage hoard of nightmare creatures. Fighting the tide of evil, Nicholas returns home to Cambridge, where an old ally helps him seek out the mysterious Skurkwife, who could help Nicholas stop Malika and the Prophets for good.

Meanwhile, Sam Wilkins unites the Sentinels against the forces of darkness, but with Jessica's sanity slipping, and Isabel suspicious of her shadowy past, it's a battle that could cost the Sentinels everything.

To describe this book I will just say this: wow. This was the perfect conclusion to a thrilling trilogy, and it definitely kept you on your toes until the end guessing what would happen.

I am so happy I got to read this so soon after finishing the second book, it was left in a place where you knew you just had to pick up the next book, and I was not disappointed at all. I think I was most happy to finally get some backstory on Malika - she is one of my favourite baddies going now, and I have been waiting for more information on her since the first book - and Joshua came through. Her backstory was amazing (you'll just have to read it to find out how good it was).

I have to admit that this book will keep you gasping with some of the twists, there was so much that I wasn't able to guess what would happen, and usually I'm quite good at that. It was so action packed near the end that you kind of felt that you were there with them, it really helped you imagine you were in the midst of everything, and I love it when a book does that.

So, I'm giving this book 5 cats, definitely an amazing conclusion to a trilogy, and I'll always wish for more from this world that Joshua has built.

I highly recommend this series if you love a bit of fantasy with mystery mixed in, have you read any in this series? Comment below!

Blog Tour: Floored!

"I wake up with a jolt when one of the packages slides off the pile on my lap and into the footwell."

Oops, I must be careful with these packages, don't want to ruin them. I'm Sasha, and if you haven't heard, we're doing a big book launch party for the book that's based on our group's crazy meeting, and our lives afterwards.

I came up with this idea that we should do a blind date with a book for the table centrepieces. It's such an interesting idea, and everyone loved the sound of it, so I've got a boatload of packages all wrapped up nicely with a nice little description about the book on a tag.

Which one would you pick up?

"He was called a swot. The perfect friend. Perfect son. But is that all he really is? Family problems, friendship problems, work experience problems. What will he do now? This is all about him taking his chance, and what happens after."

"Sometimes life can throw you into mysterious places. This book is about a girl who was just trying to help out her dad when a chance moment changes her life. Could it have been different? Who knows. But this is the story of the dutiful daughter who finally realises what she wants."

"I bet you know all about quintessential bad -boys? How about rich bad-boys? The players? You may not know everything about this one. You'll just have to read to find out."

"I bet you think all teen stars end up with perfect lives? Not this one. 'Washed-up' is what many people describe him as, 'ugly', 'reverse-Longbottomed'. But what happens when he has a chance to find his way after a string of bad years? You'll have to read to find out."

"Ever wondered what it's like to lose your sight? To be paranoid that everyone knows it? This girl does. But she will meet a group of people that will change her outlook on life forever."

"You might think this is just a general romance, after all it does include a few Mr Wrongs. It's not. Instead, it's about a girl trying to find her way in the world and realise she doesn't necessarily have to live the life her upbringing would dictate to her."

I bet everyone's in for a surprise though, because (if you haven't guessed yet) all the books are the lovely new Floored book! We all thought that as it's so diverse it's kind of like having a book per person, so there should be a description for each!

Cool or not? We liked it so it's happening!

I can't wait to see you all at the launch party, we're hosting it up North somewhere because it's where we all met.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

And that's it from Sasha, but here's some info for the book, which is out soon!

The Breakfast Club meets One Day in Floored, a unique collaborative novel by seven bestselling and award-winning YA authors: Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Tanya Byrne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson and Eleanor Wood.

When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?): Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV, but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recognizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shouldn't be here at all, but who wants to be here the most.

And one more person, who will bring them together again on the same day every year.

Blog Tour: Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

I was asked to be a part of the blog tour for Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody, which comes out today! I'm so excited to share my review with you all!

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…

and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems. 

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.

This book really sucks you straight into the action. You get thrown right into the deep-end with this, as you follow Enne, the main character, into the City of Sin for the first time, so I felt like I was learning everything with her. I do admit though, it did feel like there was a lot of information thrown at me and I took a while to catch up at the beginning - but as soon as I started to understand everything I absolutely fell in love with this world.

I think if I had to sum up this book in a sentence it would be: a fantasy, dark and twisted version of Vegas all wrapped up in glitz and glamour. Bit of a mouthful I know, but that is essentially what I thought whenever I jumped back into this book - well that and it was fascinating. I think that if you are a fan of Caraval you'll definitely like this book, it has the same kind of vibes!

The thing I adored most was the relationship between Levi and Enne - it didn't jump right in (and I usually like that kind of thing) but instead it took time to build and I felt like it was more real than most relationships I read about, and I will forever be routing for them in any future books - they're just so cute together. And some of the scenes between them were absolutely beautiful and had me so wishful for something like their relationship. I think the one line that made me feel like that was when Levi said to Enne: "You impress me every time I'm with you". Such a simple line, but it stuck with me for some reason.

But, I can't keep talking about the ship, even if I wanted to! I also have to talk about Enne. Her character development was so complex and you could really see her developing throughout the whole book from one thing to another, from her old self to her new self - and I really can't wait to see where Amanda Foody takes her in the next book, especially because by the end of the book she really comes into herself and sees herself as new - the description of this is fascinating, as I'm sure you'll see when you read this book yourself.

I could talk about this book so much - I've even got little post-its in my book for bits I loved too much to forget, but I'll just say this: it's an intriguing book, full of mystery and little dark pleasures, and you should definitely read it if you get the chance. I give this book: 5 cats!

Thankyou to the HQ team for letting me be a part of this blog tour! Comment below if you liked the book or are planning to read it!