Blog Tour: Kingdom of Souls – Rena Barron

September 8, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Series: Kingdom of Souls #1
Release Date: September 3rd 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 496
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC of this through Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Magic has a price—if you’re willing to pay.

Born into a family of powerful witchdoctors, Arrah yearns for magic of her own. But each year she fails to call forth her ancestral powers, while her ambitious mother watches with growing disapproval.

There’s only one thing Arrah hasn’t tried, a deadly last resort: trading years of her own life for scraps of magic. Until the Kingdom’s children begin to disappear, and Arrah is desperate to find the culprit.

She uncovers something worse. The long-imprisoned Demon King is stirring. And if he rises, his hunger for souls will bring the world to its knees… unless Arrah pays the price for the magic to stop him.

Review

Kingdom of Souls follows Arrah, the daughter of two incredibly powerful witch doctors. She has a lot to live up to, and things are made worse by the fact that she doesn’t seem to be able to use magic at all. As she returns to the Kingdom she hears that children have been mysteriously vanishing and when she uncovers the reason why she discovers she might have to pay the ultimate price to stop an ancient evil being released.

I’ve really been loving dark, addictive fantasy books so this sounded right up my street. I was hooked straight away and this book ended up being a whole lot darker and grittier than I was expecting. It’s full to the brim with magic, sacrifice, demons and power. It does also contain quite a few trigger warnings, so please bear that in mind before reading.

The story is quite a complex one, there are quite a lot of characters and at times I found myself getting a bit lost with who was who. Our main protagonist Arrah is brilliant though, I really liked her perspective and she undergoes lots of character development as she goes from being a young girl desperate for magic to trying to stop the demon king at any cost.

The world building is also fascinating, the author has steeped the whole world in magic and lore and there’s so much detail surrounding the magic system, the gods and the demons. I really love when stories really built an in depth world and it really felt easy to fall into the world of Kingdom of Souls.

I really enjoyed the story in this one, it was gripping and engaging. I think this book would have been a five stars for me but I just felt the pacing was a little off in the second half of the book, losing its edge a little toward the end. Despite that I still thoroughly enjoyed Kingdom of Souls – it’s a dark, vivid tale of family, magic and sacrifice and it’s definitely worth checking out and I’m so looking forward to book two!

What’s On My Netgalley Shelf? #2

September 6, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

When I did this post a few months ago I thought it would be a way for me to try and increase my terrible Netgalley ratio as well as highlight some of the Netgalley books I’m excited to be reading. I have been struggling reading ebooks recently so instead of improving my ratio has gone down from 48% to 44%. I’ve been trying to limit my requesting, only asking for books that I really really want to read. I am determined to get this increased over the next few months and get some of these checked off my TBR!

1. The Black Hawks – David Wragg
Copy of book cover (62) I’ve seen a bit of buzz about this one on Twitter so when a Netgalley widget appeared in my inbox I was unable to resist the temptation to download a copy.

Life as a knight is not what Vedren Chel imagined. Bound by oath to a dead-end job in the service of a lazy step-uncle, Chel no longer dreams of glory – he dreams of going home.

When invaders throw the kingdom into turmoil, Chel finds opportunity in the chaos: if he escorts a stranded prince to safety, Chel will be released from his oath.

All he has to do is drag the brat from one side of the country to the other, through war and wilderness, chased all the way by ruthless assassins.

With killers on your trail, you need killers watching your back. You need the Black Hawk Company – mercenaries, fighters without equal, a squabbling, scrapping pack of rogues.

Prepare to join the Black Hawks.
2. Angel Mage – Garth Nix
Copy of book cover (63) I am so so excited for this book. Garth Nix is one of my favourite authors and I’ve read so many of his wonderful books. Angel Mage sounds brilliant and it’s definitely a high priority read.

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. . .

3. Imaginary Friend – Stephen Chobsky
Copy of book cover (64) I really enjoyed The Perks of Being A Wallflower and read it a few times growing up so I’m really intrigued to be try his latest novel. I’ve been putting it off a little because it’s so huge (700+ pages) but I’m hoping to get to it soon.

Christopher is seven years old. Christopher is the new kid in town. Christopher has an imaginary friend. The epic work of literary horror from the #1 bestselling author of THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.

We can swallow our fear or let our fear swallow us.

Single mother Kate Reese is on the run. Determined to improve life for her and her son, Christopher, she flees an abusive relationship in the middle of the night with Christopher at her side. Together, they find themselves drawn to the tight-knit community of Mill Grove, Pennsylvania. It’s as far off the beaten track as they can get. Just one highway in, one highway out.

At first, it seems like the perfect place to finally settle down. Then Christopher vanishes. For six awful days, no one can find him. Until Christopher emerges from the woods at the edge of town, unharmed but not unchanged. He returns with a voice in his head only he can hear, with a mission only he can complete: Build a tree house in the woods by Christmas, or his mother and everyone in the town will never be the same again.

Soon Kate and Christopher find themselves in the fight of their lives, caught in the middle of a war playing out between good and evil, with their small town as the battleground.

4. The Bone Ships – R. J. Barker
Copy of book cover (65) R.J. Barker is an author who I’m dying to read and just haven’t had the chance to pick up yet. I own the Age of Assassin books and think they look right up my alley, but I just haven’t read them yet. The Bone Ships sounds even more incredible, so I couldn’t resist clicking the request button.

A brilliantly imagined saga of honor, glory, and warfare, The Bone Ships is the epic laugh of a new fantasy from David Gemmell Award-nominated RJ Barker.

Two nations at war. A prize beyond compare.

For generations, the Hundred Isles have built their ships from the bones of ancient dragons to fight an endless war.

The dragons disappeared, but the battles for supremacy persisted.

Now the first dragon in centuries has been spotted in far-off waters, and both sides see a chance to shift the balance of power in their favour. Because whoever catches it will win not only glory, but the war.

5. Wild Savage Stars – Kristina Perez
Copy of book cover (66) I bought Sweet Black Waves at YALC last year and ended up completely devouring it on the train back to Scotland. I’m not normally one for romanc-y type fantasy novels but I really enjoyed this and I’m honestly just dying to find out what happens to Branwen next.

Inspired by the legend of Tristan and Iseult, Wild Savage Stars is the spellbinding sequel to Sweet Black Waves.

Branwen has a secret powerful enough to destroy two kingdoms.

Her ancient magic led to a terrible betrayal by both her best friend, the princess Essy, and her first love, Tristan. Now this same magic is changing Branwen. Adrift in a rival court, Branwen must hide the truth from the enemy king by protecting the lovers who broke her heart―and finds herself considering a darker path.

Not everyone wants the alliance with Branwen’s kingdom to succeed―peace is balanced on a knife’s edge, and her only chance may be to embrace the darkness within…

So those are some of the books on my Netgalley shelf! If you’ve read any of them I’d love to know what you thought, and if you use Netgalley what books you have on your shelf!

Book Review: Tunnel of Bones – Victoria Schwab

September 5, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Series: Cassidy Blake #2 (See my review of book one here!)
Release Date: 5th September 2019
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 272
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this from my local Waterstones
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.

She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass’s parents are filming their TV show about the world’s most haunted cities. Sure, it’s fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there’s true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.

When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter — and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.

And if Cass fails, the force she’s unleashed could haunt the city forever.

Review

I absolutely fell in love with Cassidy and her ghost best friend when I read City of Ghosts last year. A spooky tale set in Edinburgh, I was so eager for more. Tunnel of Bones was definitely high on my most anticipated releases list, and I ended up reading it in a single sitting.

We’re back following Cassidy as she goes with her parents to film a new episode of The Inspecters, and this time they’re in Paris. They visit all the iconic places, heading up the Eiffel Tower and descending into the eerie Catacombs. As she explores Cassidy awakens a spirit much stronger than those she’s faced before. Hellbent on all kinds of mischief and mayhem, Cass and Jacob have to find a way to send him back before he ends up haunting Paris forever.

This story is so fun, it’s a wonderful spooky read and it’s absolutely perfect to cuddle up with on a dark autumn night. It has plenty of spine tingling moments, and I loved seeing the dark and eerie spin that Schwab puts on those infamous landmarks. The setting is fascinating and really comes alive in the story (I honestly can’t wait to see where Cass and the gang jet off to next!)

Tunnel of Bones also features a bit more character development, we learn more about best friend Jacob, and Cassidy starts exploring her powers as a ghost hunter. I enjoyed seeing plenty of familiar faces from book one as well as the introduction of some new characters, I particularly liked little Adele.

If you’re a fan of Victoria Schwab or you’re read the first book in the series, you’re going to absolutely love this one. If you haven’t had a chance to pick the first instalment up yet, these will make perfect Halloween binge reads.

Waiting on Wednesday: Dev1at3 – Jay Kristoff

September 4, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Synopsis

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.

After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon’s abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates—a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past.

Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana.

And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world.

Thoughts

This week for Waiting on Wednesday I thought I would talk about a release I’m really looking forward to, which is Dev1at3 by Jay Kristoff. This is the second instalment in the Lifelik3 series, and I really enjoyed the first book. It’s a fun and action packed science fiction tale, and I really loved the mix of action and sassy characters. I’m super excited to read Dev1at3 as this time around we follow a different character – Lemon Fresh, who was my absolute favourite in book one. The book has been released pretty much everywhere except the UK, so I’ve seen plenty of positive reviews (and I’m also super jealous that everyone else has got to read it already). They’ve also changed the cover art which I’m a little annoyed about, I definitely preferred the original covers. Despite that I’m excited to see what this next instalment will bring and I’m sure it will be full of Jay Kristoff’s trademark wit and style. Dev1at3 is publishing October 3rd 2019 from HarperVoyager.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Enjoyed Outwith My Comfort Zone

September 3, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 3 Comments

Today on Top Ten Tuesday we’re talking about books I enjoyed that were outwith my comfort zone. I’m pretty much open to reading anything except romance books so I don’t really have a strict comfort zone. I do tend to mainly read YA/Adult SFF so I’ve just gone for 10 books I’ve read this year that are not in those genres.

1. Last Time I Lied – Riley Sager
I finally picked up a Riley Sager book despite having had this and Final Girls on my shelf for ages. It was a dark and intense thriller and I really enjoyed reading it, it’s definitely made me want to pick up more from this author. It was a really dark and twisty read and really kept me guessing right to the end.

2. Night Film – Marisha Peshl
OH MY GOD THIS BOOK. This isn’t necessarily something I would have picked up but I saw some booktubers rant about how amazing it was and put it on my wishlist for Christmas. I’m so glad I did because it’s become one of my favourite books of all time. A thriller with a touch of horror/supernatural aspects, it was a fantastic read and I can’t wait to reread it in the future.

3. The Princess and the Fangirl – Ashley Poston
I really loved Geekarella so I was excited to dive back into the convention world in this sequel. It’s really interesting because it is both a love letter to fandom culture and highlights some of the problems associated with trolling and social media. It was really nice to see some of the characters from book one as well!

4. The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Holly Jackson
This was a fun UKYA thriller that was getting lots of buzz at YALC and I’m so glad I decided to pick it up. I don’t really read YA thrillers, I tend to gravitate more to adult but this was excited and full of twists that I would never have guessed in a million years. I really liked the main character too, she was a brilliant protagonist.

5. As Far As the Stars – Virginia Macgregor
This is the heartbreaking and emotional story of two young people who meet whilst they are waiting for family members at the airport. The plane crashes and the two try to understand their feelings for each other as they battle their grief. It was definitely a tear jerker, and a book I still think about months later.

6. Daisy Jones and the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid
Now this one definitely is outside my comfort zone. I would never have picked this up, just because it wouldn’t strike me as the kind of book I would enjoy. I’d probably think it was okay, but that would be it. On a whim I picked it up and my god I loved it. I had to try and not cry on my commute home from work and everything. If you haven’t picked it up yet it’s totally worth the hype.

7. The Puppet Show – M. W. Craven
This was another thriller that I ended up reading and could not put down. The first in a new series, The Puppet Show is a dark and gory story, but one that definitely has you on the edge of your seat. I don’t often rate thrillers 5 stars, but this one definitely was and I can’t wait to read book two!

8. What Lies Around Us – Andrew Crofts
I read and loved The Secrets of the Italian Gardener by this author a while ago and really enjoyed it so I was excited to read more of his work. I loved this one even more, the story of a ghostwriter sent to write a book about a famous actress, but it turns out there’s a whole lot more going on underneath the surface.

9. Two Can Keep A Secret – Karen M. McManus
This ended up being the second YA thriller that I really enjoyed. I didn’t enjoy this one as much as One Of Us Is Lying but it was still a fun and fast paced read and it has definitely solidified Karen M. McManus as one my favourite YA thriller writer. Can’t wait to see what she does with One Of Us Is Next.

10. Evidence of the Affair – Taylor Jenkins Reid
This is another one that I would never have picked up in a million years, but after loving Daisy Jones so much I thought I would give this novella a shot. Told in the form of letters between two people who find their spouses having an affair, it was honestly brilliant and I’m definitely going to try The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by the end of the year.

So those are the top ten books I enjoyed that were outside my comfort zone. What are some books you enjoyed that aren’t what you typically read? And if you’ve read any of these I’d love to know what you thought!

Book Review: The Poppy War – R. F. Kuang

September 2, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 6 Comments

Series: The Poppy War #1
Release Date: May 1st 2018
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Pages: 544
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I bought this in my local Waterstones
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

When Rin aced the Keju, the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies, it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard, the most elite military school in Nikan, was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Review

Pretty much everyone I know has read and loved The Poppy War. I must admit to being a bit nervous going in, I wasn’t entirely sure it would live up to the expectations I had set with so many people giving it five star reviews. I’m so happy to say that I absolutely adored this book, it is without a doubt one of my favourite reads of the year and I can’t wait to read more from R. F. Kuang.

The story follows Rin, a young war orphan who passes the Keju, a test given to every child in the Empire to determine if they should be admitted to the prestigious military schools. The country might be at peace whilst Rin is learning tactics and war, but unease is brewing with old enemies across the sea. Rin also discovers she can yield a shamanic power, but will it help save her people – or destroy them?

I honestly couldn’t put this book down. It’s quite a hefty book but I raced through this, finishing it in only a couple of days. I completely fell in love with the characters, they were so well fleshed out and there was plenty of character development. There were so many characters that I loved, Rin was fantastic and I loved Kitay and Nehza so much. I’m already scared to find out what will happen to them in the next instalment.

I recently went to see R. F. Kuang talk in my local Waterstones and it was fascinating to hear her explain how the story draws real life parallels with Chinese history. It really brought a whole new dimension to the story, and is definitely something I want to know more about.

The Poppy War is a grimdark tale and is therefore full of dark and gory scenes. It contains quite a high number of trigger warnings too so that is definitely something to consider before reading. All in all I found this book fast paced with a tense, exciting plot and a brilliant cast of characters. I’ve already picked up a copy of The Dragon Republic because I’m dying to know what happens next!

Hogwarts-A-Thon TBR!

September 1, 2019September 1, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I had such fun doing the N.E.W.T.S readathon last month I thought I might join in with this Harry Potter themed readathon too. Starting today, September 1st it is hosted by Georgi from @niffler_reads and @laureads on Twitter. It runs for the whole month and features 8 prompts, so let’s dive into my TBR!

Platform 9 3/4: Read a sequel
For this I’m reading Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff, as I imagine a whole load of other people are. It’s number one on my priority list so I figured I’m best reading it first!

Welcome to Hogwarts: A book over 384 pages
For this I’m going with Bloodchild by Anna Stephens. This is my other majorly anticipated book and it comes out right at the start of September so I should definitely get to it. According to Goodreads it has 503 pages, so it fits in nicely.

Sorting Hat: A book with your house colour on the cover
I had hoped to get to We Hunt the Flame during the N.E.W.T.S. but I didn’t manage to read it so I’m adding it on for this month. It has a blue cover and I’m a Ravenclaw so I should definitely get to it for this readathon.

Ghosts of Hogwarts: Read a contemporary
The New Boy by Paula Rawsthorne has been on my TBR for a while so I thought it would be perfect for this prompt!

Mr Ollivander: A book over two years old
Six of Crows is on my list of books to read by the end of the year and I still haven’t gotten to it so I’m adding it to this readathon for sure.

Diagon Alley: A book with lots of hype
I recently read and loved The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang and totally loved it so I would really loved to get to the sequel, The Dragon Republic, this month.

Flourish & Blotts: A random book from your TBR
I need to read A Shadow on the Lens by Sam Hurcom for a blog tour later in month. I’m really looking forward to reading this one, it sounds brilliant.

BONUS – Forbidden Forest: A book with dark themes
This is a bonus prompt if you read the other books, and for this I’m going with Crowfall by Ed McDonald because I honestly can’t believe I haven’t read this yet. I’ve loved the first two books and they’re dark and creepy so I’m sure Crowfall will be too.

So those are the books I’m hoping to read during Hogwarts-A-Thon! If you’re participating I’d love to know what you’re planning to read!

Blog Tour: The Song of the Sycamore – Edward Cox

August 29, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: August 22nd 2019
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 496
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

On the broken world of Urdezha, Wendal Finn died on the hostile plains of the wasteland, one more casualty in the endless war between the city-dwellers and the clansfolk. But now Wendal has returned to his home city of Old Castle, possessed by something he brought back from the wasteland, something old and best left forgotten. The spirits are calling it Sycamore, an ancient entity out to avenge all victims of murder. And in a city like Old Castle, no one is innocent.

With his mind trapped inside a dead body, Wendal can do nothing but watch as Sycamore turns him into a serial killer. Until the magicians take an interest in him. Preserving Wendal’s body and trapping Sycamore inside it, the magicians now have the perfect assassin at their disposal. Whenever they need an enemy removed, they can set the killer loose on Old Castle. Between these moments of horror, Wendal struggles to piece together the remnants of his former life. He wants to know why his wife died while he was fighting in the war, but no one will tell him, no one wants him to know. Left to his own devices, Wendal picks at the scabs that cover the dark secrets of the magicians and reveals a threat to every city on Urdezha.

The clans are massing. A supernatural storm is raging across the wasteland. It has already destroyed one city, and now it is heading for Old Castle. And the only one who might prevent oblivion is the murderous entity who the spirits are calling Sycamore.

Review

This is my first time reading a book by Edward Cox and I can tell you straight away it will not be my last. The Song of the Song of the Sycamore hooked me from the very beginning, and I could not put it down.

This complex tale tells the story of Wendal, who becomes a casualty of war and dies out in the wasteland. He awakes possessed by a mysterious entity known as Sycamore, a spirit hungry for vengeance. With no way of controlling the spirit Wendal must watch as Sycamore murders and destroys, all the while uncovering the dark secrets that surround the war between the people of the city and the clansfolk.

This is book is exceptionally dark and incredibly creepy. Told from both Wendal and Sycamore’s points of view, I loved getting to see things from both perspectives and Wendal/Sycamore made for a fascinating protagonist. The world building was also brilliantly done in the story and it was easy to dive into this complex world.

The plot was engaging and really kept me hooked from the outset. I almost missed my train stop on more than one occasion as I was so sucked into the story on my commute to work. The story has plenty of dark moments, murder and action as well as a bit of a mystery surrounding the death of Wendal’s wife. Each layer of the plot was blended together seamlessly and it made for an unputdownable reading experience.

The Song of the Sycamore is definitely one of the most original books I’ve read in a while, and if you’re looking for an action packed story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is one for you.

Blog Tour: Brightsteel – Miles Cameron

August 27, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Series: Master & Mages #3
Release Date: August 22nd 2019
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 448
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review

Synopsis

Every war come down to the flash of bright steel.

Even when the air is full of magic . . .

Aranthur and his friends have come together across different continents and realms with one purpose: to strike back against the forces which have torn a hole in the heavens and threaten to tear the world beneath them apart as well.

With time running short, and treason at home, there are battles to be fought on the field, in the magical arena, and in the ever-deadly realm of politics, and they cannot fail anywhere or everything will fall. Victory will require enemies to trust one another, old foes to fight together, spies to reveal the truth and steadfast allies to betray long-corrupt rulers.

Is Aranthur, a twenty-year-old student, really the master strategist to bring it all together? And can he and his friends build enough trust to overcome aeons of lies when their plans inevitably fall to pieces?

Do they even know, for sure, who the enemy is . . .

Review

The Master and Mages trilogy has been one of my favourite series of late, and I’ve absolutely loved each instalment in this fast paced and enjoyable tale. In Bright Steel Miles Cameron takes this epic story to even new heights, and I loved every minute of it. This is a brilliant series from start to end, and definitely should not be missed.

It’s difficult to talk about the plot of the third book in a series without giving away spoilers, but we continue to follow Aaranthur our protagonist from the previous two books. Aaranthur makes for a wonderful hero in this story and it’s really fascinating seeing him develop and grow over the course of the story. He is constantly pushed to the limit, and fighting that line good and bad. I really liked that he’s not your absolutely perfect hero, he makes mistakes, questions his judgement and grows as a person.

One of my favourite aspects of this series is definitely the writing. Cameron really sucks you in and Bright Steel has a really engaging plot that will keep you wanting more. It’s so easy to fall back into the story and the world building is incredibly well done. The story has something for everyone with plenty of action, politics, betrayal and magic.

If you’ve read the previous two instalments, you are definitely not going to be disappointed in the conclusion. If you haven’t had a chance to start this brilliant series yet, now is the perfect time to binge the entire series.

Blog Tour: All the Bad Apples – Moira Fowley-Doyle

August 25, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: August 1st 2019
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 352
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I was sent a copy of this book to review through Fantastic Flying Book Club
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

The day after the funeral all our mourning clothes hung out on the line like sleeping bats. ‘This will be really embarrassing,’ I kept saying to my family, ‘when she shows up at the door in a week or two.’

When Deena’s wild and mysterious sister Mandy disappears – presumed dead – her family are heartbroken. But Mandy has always been troubled. It’s just another bad thing to happen to Deena’s family. Only Deena refuses to believe it’s true.

And then the letters start arriving. Letters from Mandy, claiming that their family’s blighted history is not just bad luck or bad decisions – but a curse, handed down through the generations. Mandy has gone in search of the curse’s roots, and now Deena must find her. What they find will heal their family’s rotten past – or rip it apart forever.

Review

I have long been meaning to pick up a copy of Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle and haven’t gotten around to it yet, so when I spied this online I was really eager to read it. I’m so glad to say I absolutely loved this book and will definitely be seeking out her other works.

The story follows Deena, a young seventeen year old girl living in Ireland. Her free-spirited sister Mandy has gone missing and the rest of the family assume she has committed suicide. Deena finds a mysterious letter in Mandy’s handwriting alluding to a family curse that has destroyed so many of her ancestors. Deena goes on a quest to find her sister and discover the roots of this mysterious curse.

All the Bad Apples is a hard hitting story of family, of survival, of being who you want to be and I absolutely could not put it down. I raced through this book and ended up reading it in a day. I completely fell in love with the authors beautiful almost dream like writing and I got totally swept along in the journey of Deena and her family.

The story jumps around a bit in time, having chapters in the present day (2012) and jumping back to various time periods when Deena’s ancestors had dealings with the curse. I really liked the diverse cast of characters and there was lots of excellent representation too.

All the Bad Apples deals with a lot of really tough subjects including abortions, slut shaming and rape but they are handled well and it makes for a really hard hitting and emotional that I could not put down. If you’re looking for a beautifully told and incredibly important tale, this should definitely be your next read.

The Bibliophile Chronicles

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