Author: Nicole Sweeney

Book Review: Eerie Exhibits – Victoria Williamson

Book Review: Eerie Exhibits – Victoria Williamson

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: March 6 2025
Publisher: Silver Thistle Press
Pages: 225
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: I received a copy of this book as part of The Write Reads review tour
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Five unnerving tales of the weird and uncanny from award-winning author Victoria Williamson.

A room full of screaming butterflies.
An unsettling smile on the face of a carved sarcophagus.
A painting that draws its viewer into the disturbing past.
A stuffed bear that growls in the dead of night.
And a shell that whispers more sinister sounds than the sigh of the sea…

Dare you cross the threshold of the old Museum and view its eerie exhibits?

Review

Eerie Exhibits is a collection of strange and unnerving short stories that all centre around the exhibits in an old museum. This is a dark and gripping collection of tales that were incredibly well crafted and entertaining.

All five of the stories are set in the same museum and some of the same characters are mentioned in multiple stories. I enjoyed all five stories immensely and I thought Williamson did a terrific job of creating a tense, uneasy atmosphere throughout the stories. These horror tales explore both supernatural horror and the horror of real life, with the stories focusing on a range of subjects including grief and parental abuse. Williamson does a magnificent job creating complex characters that feel well fleshed out in only a small number of pages.

The stories are well written and while short, each one manages to pack a punch. My favourite of the five stories had to be Et In Arcadia Ego, which was an incredibly compelling story with a few moments that sent a shiver up my spine. I also found it fascinating that Williamson took some of her inspiration from trips to Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow. Being local to the museum, it is somewhere I have visited many times and after reading these I am definitely planning to visit again soon. A gripping short story collection, Eerie Exhibits is a terrific read if you’re looking for something short and creepy, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Victoria Williamson.

Book Review: Making a Killing – Cara Hunter

Book Review: Making a Killing – Cara Hunter

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: DI Adam Fawley #7
Release date: 13th February 2025
Publisher: Hemlock Press
Pages: 359
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley and I bought a hardback from my local bookshop
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

When Nick Vincent, producer of true-crime show Infamous, hears about an explosive new angle on a high-profile case—the 2016 murder of an eight-year-old girl in Oxford—he leaps at the chance to send a researcher to verify the claims.

Two months later, a dog walker discovers a woman’s body, bound and buried in a shallow grave in the woods. Forensic evidence links the corpse to the disappearance of that same child.

DCI Adam Fawley, the original investigating officer, is called in to run the enquiry. And he remembers the case well—he arrested the child’s mother for murder. A murder he now knows she didn’t commit.

The investigation raises more questions than answers. What connects the two crimes? Where has the dead girl been all these years? How did she manage to disappear? For Adam Fawley, this is personal…

Review

Cara Hunter is back with a new installment in the DI Fawley series. When a body is found in the woods, forensic evidence links it to one of Fawley’s old cases. He got the culprit – a woman convicted of the murder of her daughter, and now it looks like she might have been innocent. Will Fawley be able to uncover the mystery behind his old case, as well as discover who killed the person in the woods?

I am not a police procedurals reader in the slightest, but there is something about Cara Hunter’s books that are so addictive, so completely unputdownable, that I snatch them up as soon as they are released. Making a Killing was absolutely no exception, it was gripping, utterly compelling and full of twists and turns. Of course, the ending was one I did not see coming and I loved every minute of the story.

One of the things I always really enjoy about this series is the way Hunter includes different media, such as newspaper clippings and interview records. It always makes the story feel more realistic. I enjoyed that we get to see Fawley and the team after a jump in time, seeing how their careers and home lives have changed. I also loved the way Hunter connected the story to her standalone novel Murder in the Family, I thought this was such a clever touch and hope we are going to see more of the Infamous series in the future.

This was such a terrific read and I ended up reading the second half of the book in a single sitting. If you’re looking for a crime series with brilliant characters with each installment keeping you completely hooked, you definitely need to pick up the DI Adam Fawley series. A thoroughly entertaining tale, I cannot wait to see what case Fawley takes on next.

Book Review: The Price of Power – Michael Michel

Book Review: The Price of Power – Michael Michel

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Dreams of Dust and Steel #1
Release date: April 2nd 2025
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 700
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: The author kindly sent me an E-ARC to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Prince Barodane could not hold back the darkness. Not even in himself. He laid an innocent city in its grave and then died a hero.

In his absence, war whispers across the land.

Power-hungry highborn dispatch spies and assassins to the shadows as they maneuver for the throne, while an even greater threat rises in the South. Monsters and cultists flock to the banners of a mad prophet determined to control reality…and then shatter it.

Destiny stalks three to the brink of oblivion.

A dead prince who isn’t dead. Barodane buried his shameful past in a stupor of drugs, drink, and crime. Now, he’d rather watch the world fall apart than wear the crown again.

An orphan with hero’s blood who’s forced to make a harrowing betray her country or sacrifice her first love.

And a powerful seer who has no choice at all–her grandson must die.

If any of them fails to pay the price…

The cost will be the world’s complete annihilation.

Review

The Price of Power is the first in a new epic fantasy series that follows three main characters – a mad Prince who everyone thinks is dead, living a life full of drugs and crime, a princess destined to inherit the throne but afraid she won’t live up to her family name and a powerful seer with no choice but to kill her grandson.  If they fail in their quests the world will end, but what will it cost them to succeed?

This book absolutely sucked me in right from the very first chapter and I did not want to put this one down. The Price of Power is the sort of book that has you so addicted that you dive back into the book at any opportunity, even if only for a few minutes. I adored this book and it will without a doubt be one of my favourite reads of 2025. This is a dark tale that I thought was well paced and executed really well, the plot was gripping and the last hundred pages or so of the book had me on the edge of my seat. I also thought the world building was excellent, it felt incredibly detailed and well fleshed out and very much gave me A Song of Ice and Fire vibes.

The Price of Power is very much a character driven story and I grew really attached to the complex characters that Michel has created in this story. I really liked all of our main characters but the one that stuck out most for me is Prince Barodane. He is a character struggling with grief and the mistakes he has made and he was overall just a fascinating character. I also really liked Ishoa and her ice tiger Rakeema. Each character felt very distinct and I am so excited (and a little scared) to see what will happen to them all in the next installment in the series.

If you love fantasy stories that are full of political intrigue, bloody action and captivating, compelling characters this is definitely a book you do not want to miss. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I am counting down the days till the release of book two.

Book Review: War Song – Michael Michel

Book Review: War Song – Michael Michel

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: May 14 2023
Publisher: Indie-Published
Pages: 87
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: I received a copy free from the author
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Admar’s future is a path paved with broken glass. Each step forward living under Scothean tyranny cuts away another piece of his humanity. Right down to the very bone.

But even a meager life as a miner is better than a pointless death. A sister, a mother, a lover, all lost at the uncaring hands of the Scoths, have left him with nothing but memories and ash for comfort. While stories like his are all too common, they still aren’t enough to stoke rebellion among the oppressed.

If Admar is to find hope amid the brutal occupation of his homeland, he’ll have to question how deep his convictions go. For with every crack of the enemy’s whip, he’ll know torment. With every swipe of their axes, he’ll know suffering. And every moment he refuses to act will drag him further from his destiny.

Maybe there are no more heroes left…or maybe they’re waiting to be made.

Review

War Song is a short novella set forty seven years before the events of The Price of Power. The story follows Admar, a man trying to survive living life under Scothean rule. Everything has been taken from him and Admar has nothing to live for. When Admar finds himself in a slave camp, he sees the spark of rebellion, but will he be able to find the strength to stand up against the Scothean tyrants?

This is my first read from Michael Michel and it absolutely hooked me from beginning to end. It was a dark, bloody, gruesome read and I can definitely see those comparisons to Joe Abercrombie. Michel’s writing was gripping and I was absolutely swept up in the story of Admar and Danath. The story was well paced and the plot was well executed. I ended up reading this in a single sitting and I thought it was an excellent way to be introduced to the world and Michel’s writing. Reading this has definitely made me even more excited to pick up The Price of Power and see where the story will go next.

I really liked the characters in this story and Michel managed to pack tons of character development into such a short number of pages. I loved that despite this being a pretty dark tale, Michel weaves a glimmer of hope throughout the story. If you’re looking for a grimdark fantasy novella with fascinating characters, a bloody rebellion and plenty of action, War Song should absolutely be your next read.

Book Review: The Last Gasp of Midnight – Thomas Howard Riley

Book Review: The Last Gasp of Midnight – Thomas Howard Riley

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: April 11 2025
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 47
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: I received an e-copy of this book free from the author’s newsletter
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

A duel to the death in three parts. A conversation of sorts between the last two men left alive after a brutal battle.

One soldier from each side. Both want to survive. Neither can walk away.

Review

The Last Gasp of Midnight is a short fantasy novelette that packs a huge punch. The story follows two soldiers who are on opposing sides of a battle. They are the last two left alive and only one can walk away. Both soldiers have their own, desperate reasons for trying to stay alive but which will be victorious, and at what cost?

I’m not a particularly big novelette reader as I tend to prefer stories that are a bit longer, but I thought this story was executed perfectly. It was gripping right from the outset and I devoured it in a single sitting. The writing was engaging and I thought the fight sequences were really well written. This is quite a gruesome story and there were definitely a few descriptions that were particularly dark and bloody.

While this is an action packed tale, what I didn’t expect was that it would be an incredibly emotional one too. This story definitely tugs on your heart strings, and I loved it from start to finish. If you’re looking for a dark, gritty fantasy story you can read in an afternoon I would highly recommend The Last Gasp of Midnight. I thought this was a fantastic read and I can’t wait to try more from Thomas Howard Riley.

Book Review: Rose/House – Arkady Martine

Book Review: Rose/House – Arkady Martine

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: March 11 2025
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 128
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

Basit Deniau’s houses were haunted to begin with.

A house embedded with an artificial intelligence is common. A house that is an artificial intelligence, infused in every load-bearing beam and fine marble tile with a thinking creature that is not human? That is something else altogether. But now Deniau’s been dead a year, and Rose House is locked up tight, as commanded by the architect’s all his possessions and files and sketches are confined in its archives, and their only keeper is Rose House itself. Rose House, and one other.

Dr. Selene Gisil, one of Deniau’s former protégé, is permitted to come into Rose House once a year. She alone may open Rose House’s vaults, look at drawings and art, talk with Rose House’s animating intelligence all she likes. Until this week, Dr. Gisil was the only person whom Rose House spoke to.

But even an animate intelligence that haunts a house has some failsafes common to all AIs. For all AIs must report the presence of a dead body to the nearest law enforcement agency.

There is a dead person in Rose House. The house says so. It is not Basit Deniau, and it is not Dr. Gisil. It is someone else. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes—has shut up.

No one can get inside Rose House, except Dr. Gisil. Dr. Gisil was not in North America when Rose House called the China Lake precinct. But someone did. And someone died there. And someone may be there still.

Review

Rose/House is an engaging sci-fi thriller that centres on Rose House, the work of famous architect Basit Deniau. This AI house has been shut up since Deniau’s death a year ago, allowing only one person to visit – Dr. Selene Gisil, his former protégé. When the police receive a call from Rose House stating there is a dead body on the premises, Detective Maritza Smith has no choice but to investigate – but how did the person get in and more importantly, who killed him?

This little novella was such a fascinating read that I raced through it in a single sitting. I thought it had such an interesting premise and the story was so well executed. Martine keeps you guessing right till the end and I absolutely loved the way Martine built the tension and unease of Rose House.

This story is full to the brim with atmosphere and I really enjoyed Martine’s beautiful, dream like writing style. Rose/House is a really unique and compelling story and if you’re looking for a sci-fi thriller that will stick with you long after reading, you definitely don’t want to miss this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can’t wait to read more from Arkady Martine.

 

Book Review: The Notorious Virtues – Alwyn Hamilton

Book Review: The Notorious Virtues – Alwyn Hamilton

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments


Series: The Notorious Virtues #1
Release date: 27 March 2025
Publisher: Faber Books
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

A glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

Review

The Notorious Virtues is the first in an all new YA fantasy series from Alwyn Hamilton. The story follows two young women who must compete in a competition to decide who will be the heir to their family. The Holtzfalls own everything, they are the most wealthy and magically gifted family in the country. Nora always thought she would inherit after her mother, but when her mother is found murdered, Nora must compete against her cousins for the chance to inherit, while also trying to uncover the truth about her mother’s murder. Meanwhile, Lotte has spent most of her life living in a Convent, only to discover she’s actually a Holtzfall. Lotte is suddenly thrust into a new world of glitz and glamour but most of her family want her dead. Will Lotte and Nora be able to survive this deadly game and uncover the truth behind their family?

I read Alwyn Hamilton’s Rebel of the Sands series a long time ago and absolutely loved it. It remains to this day one of my favourite YA fantasy series so I was incredibly excited to pick up The Notorious Virtues and I must say, this has got to be one of the most addictive, compelling stories I have read in a long time. I ended up reading this till the wee hours of the morning and had to force myself to put it down to get some sleep.

Hamilton’s writing is beautiful and engaging and she has created such a fascinating world in this story. I loved the glamour and the decadence, it felt very 1920’s New York with magic. The story is quite quick paced, full of twists and turns and there’s plenty of tense, edge of your seat moments. The world-building was excellent in this story, everything felt incredibly detailed and I found the magic fascinating. There’s a bit of everything from mind reading to weather magic.  There are quite a lot of moving parts to this story and I think Hamilton did a brilliant job weaving all the narratives together. There’s family drama, a murder mystery, a competition and a spot of romance. This story definitely has something for everyone and I cannot wait to see where the story goes in book two.

Hamilton’s characters are well crafted in this book and I loved both Nora and Lotte. Nora might look like the spoiled heiress on the surface but she’s so much more than meets the eye. I really liked the banter between Nora and August and I thought their dynamic was excellent. The story focuses on four different POV characters – Nora, Lotte, August and Theo. I thought they were all really well developed and each character’s story arc felt very compelling.

Overall The Notorious Virtues is a gripping, unforgettable fantasy tale, one that will have you gripped right till the very last page. If you’re looking for a story that’s unique, full to the brim with magic, mystery, conflict and rebellion, you absolutely don’t want to miss this one. It will absolutely be on my favourite books of 2025 list.

Book Review: Clockwork Boys – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: Clockwork Boys – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Clocktaur War #1
Release Date: March 18 2025
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

In the first book of this touching and darkly comic duology, a paladin, a forger, an assassin and a scholar ride out of town on an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes.

When forger Slatee is convicted of treason, she faces a death sentence. But her unique gift for sniffing out magic (literally) earns her a reprieve—of sorts.

Along with a paladin, Caliban, possessed by a demon, her murderous ex-lover, and an irritating misogynist scholar, Slate sets off on a mission to learn about the Clockwork Boys, deadly mechanical soldiers from a neighbouring kingdom who have been terrorising their lands. If they succeed, rewards and pardons await, but they must survive a long journey through enemy territory to reach Anuket City.

And Slate has her own reasons to dread returning to her former home.

Slate and her crew aren’t the first to be sent on this mission. None of their predecessors have returned, and Slate can’t help but feel they’ve exchanged one death sentence for another. Her increasing closeness to Caliban isn’t helping for the first time in a long time, Slate might actually care about surviving.

Review

Clockwork Boys is the newest captivating fantasy release from T. Kingfisher and like all the T. Kingfisher books I’ve read in the past, I absolutely could not put this one down.

The story follows an unlikely group (headed by Slate the forger) as they attempt to infiltrate enemy lines and discover the secrets behind the clockwork boys – the mechanical soldiers that are destroying the kingdom’s army. The mission is likely a death sentence but can this ragtag ground band together to survive the mission and uncover the truth?

I really love Kingfisher’s beautiful writing and this book hooked me right from the very first chapter. This is an engrossing, well paced read and I thought the premise was such a fascinating idea. I cannot wait to see where the story will go in book two and I’m already counting down the days till it releases.

While I really enjoyed the plot of this story, my favourite aspect was the characters. I loved this little group and I really enjoyed seeing the dynamics between them, especially as the story progressed. I thought Slate was a brilliant main character and I particularly liked seeing how things developed between Slate and Caliban.

Clockwork Boys is a unique, engaging fantasy tale, full of T. Kingfisher’s trademark wit and banter. If you’re looking for an entertaining adventure story that will keep you hooked till the very last page, you won’t want to miss Clockwork Boys.

Book Review: Shroud – Adrian Tchaikovsky

Book Review: Shroud – Adrian Tchaikovsky

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: February 27 2025
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 436
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

They looked into the darkness and the darkness looked back . . .

New planets are fair game to asset strippers and interplanetary opportunists – and a commercial mission to a distant star system discovers a moon that is pitch black, but alive with radio activity. Its high-gravity, high-pressure, zero-oxygen environment is anathema to human life, but ripe for exploitation. They named it Shroud.

Under no circumstances should a human end up on Shroud’s inhospitable surface. Except a catastrophic accident sees Juna Ceelander and Mai Ste Etienne doing just that. Forced to stage an emergency landing, in a small, barely adequate vehicle, they are unable to contact their ship and are running out of time. What follows is a gruelling journey across land, sea and air. During this time, Juna and Mai begin to understand Shroud’s dominant species. It also begins to understand them . . .

If they escape Shroud, they’ll face a crew only interested in profiteering from this extraordinary world. They’ll somehow have to explain the impossible and translate the incredible. That is, if they make it back at all.

Review

Shroud is the newest release from Children of Time author Adrian Tchaikovsky. The story follows a group of people on a mission to find planets they can use for assets and make a profit from. When they find a remote moon that seems promising, they name it Shroud and start to gather data. The surface is inhospitable and all research is done from the ship, however when an accident leads Juna and Ste Etienne stuck on Shroud, they face a horrifying journey across Shroud’s surface to find safety. As they attempt to find safety they meet those that call Shroud home and start to realise there is much more to these creatures than meets the eye.

This is my fourth book from Adrian Tchaikovsky and I could not put it down. This was such an intense, compelling tale. It has such an intriguing premise and I was captivated from the outset. Tchaikovsky does an incredible job of bringing this strange alien world and strange alien creatures to life. It all felt incredibly vivid and well crafted. I thought I knew where the story was going to go but Tchaikovsky took the story in directions I didn’t expect. I also really liked that not only do we get the point of view of Juna and Ste Etienne, but also we see things from the perspective of those that live on Shroud.

The story focuses very much on our two main characters and given they are stuck in a confined vehicle for a large portion of the story, it was fascinating to see the dynamics at play between Juna and Ste Etienne, particularly as they continue to battle such difficult conditions on Shroud. This is an expertly crafted science-fiction story that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. If you’re looking for a gripping, thought-provoking alien encounter story, Shroud should definitely be your next read.

Book Review: The Land of the Living and the Dead – Shauna Lawless

Book Review: The Land of the Living and the Dead – Shauna Lawless

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Gael Song #3
Release date: September 12 2024
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Pages: 576
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

The old world will die in flames…

Ireland, 1011 AD. Brian Boru is now High King of Ireland. His queen, Gormflaith, instructs their young son in his heritage – but only on his mother’s side. For Gormflaith, an immortal Fomorian skilled in fire-magic, intends to finally defeat the Fomorians’ hated foes, the Descendants, and establish control over Ireland. And if King Brian stands in her way, so much the worse for him…

Fódla, the Descendants’ spy in King Brian’s camp, treads a wary path. She must protect her magically powerful young nephew from their leader, Tomas, who will do anything to achieve his aim of the Descendants returning to the mortal world and ruling Ireland. And Fódla is on dangerous ground, for she has broken one of the sacred rules of the she has fallen in love with a mortal.

As the schemes of Gormflaith and Tomas come to fruition, the only possible outcome is war. Ireland has bled red and often… but the coming clash will be a battle for the ages. Strange alliances will form, old defences will fail, and the land will never be the same again.

Review

The Land of the Living and the Dead is the third and final installment in Shauna Lawless’s Gael Song trilogy. Following on from the events of The Words of Kings and Prophets, we find Ireland on the brink of war. Gormflaith is determined to beat the Descendants and see her son crowned High King of Ireland. Meanwhile, Fódla does everything she can to protect her nephew from the Fomorian leader Tomas. Tomas wants nothing to see the Descendants ruling the world and will stop at nothing to achieve his aims, but as war continues to brew, who will be victorious?

I have thoroughly enjoyed each installment in this series and The Land of the Living and the Dead was no exception. Lawless has crafted such a compelling tale and I was completely swept along in this story. This final book felt quite quick paced, and there is tons of action. There is lots of scheming and political intrigue and Lawless definitely gave us a few twists that I wasn’t expecting. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion, though I must say the ending was not what I expected (in a good way). The ending has definitely made me excited to see what Lawless is going to write next.

Where this story really shines is the brilliantly vivid characters. I’ve grown really attached to the characters in this series and I really like them all. Fódla is a great protagonist, standing up for what is right, protecting those she loves, and doing her best to support the Descendants. As much as I enjoyed Fódla’s POV my favourite had to be Gormflaith. She is so clever and cunning, she is completely ruthless and she will do anything to get what she wants. I loved watching her plot and scheme to achieve her aims, she has a really strong narrative voice and I thought she was an exceptional character, and I think I could read another ten books with her as the main character.

Overall this is an incredibly well plotted historical fantasy series, full of beautiful writing, captivating characters, and a gripping premise. If you’re looking for a series that is rich in detail and will keep you engrossed right to the very last page, this is definitely a series you need to add to your TBR.