Series: The Great Silence #1
Release date: February 4th 2025
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 529
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.

A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.

But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire’s proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse.

Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days—the Great Silence.

It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save…

Review

The first in a new series set 200 years after the events of The Empire of the Wolf trilogy, the story follows ambassador Renata Renier as she embarks on a diplomatic mission to a mysterious race of mermen, desperate to find out about an event known as ‘the great silence.’ What Renata uncovers is an arcane horror that could destroy everything she holds dear, but with the Empire on the verge of war, will there be anybody left to save?

Richard Swan’s Empire of the Wolf trilogy is one of my favourite series of all time so Grave Empire was one of my two most anticipated releases for 2025. I was excited to see where Swan would take this story with it being set so much later than the events in The Justice of Kings. I ended up absolutely devouring this dark and gripping tale and while it was my first read of 2025, it will without a doubt be one of my top reads for the year. Swan has created a fascinating world and I loved seeing how things had changed 200 years later. The story was well paced and I definitely found myself thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it. This is a completely new story so you can read it without reading the first series, but there are lots of little references towards the Empire of the Wolf. The story kept me guessing, there were plenty of twists and turns and lots of fast paced action scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Swan does an incredible job creating these fascinating characters and each POV had such a strong voice. I thought Renata was a fantastic protagonist but I similarly also really liked Peter. There are some incredibly dark and creepy moments in this story that are guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine. I loved that the characters were complex, often working to their own agendas and made mistakes. They felt so real I cannot wait to see where Swan takes them in book two.

If you’re looking for a unique and engaging fantasy story full of action, adventure, magic and some mermen with armoured sharks, this is absolutely a must read. I highly recommend this enthralling tale and I am counting down the days until the next installment.

Release date: January 7 2025
Publisher: Quercus Books
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC from Netgalley and then I bought a hardback from Waterstones
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James’s deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuition—she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life.

When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved.

But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he’s not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny’s death, but in the end, she’ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.

Review

A Sea of Unspoken Things is the newest release from Adrienne Young, author of The Unmaking of June Farrow. The story follows James Golden, a woman who returns home to the remote rural town where she grew up following the death of her twin brother Johnny. When she arrives she feels like Johnny hasn’t really left and as she begins to delve into his life, she discovers he had more secrets than she thought. James has questions surrounding Johnny’s death, but will she be able to uncover the truth and the many secrets that surround the town of Six Rivers?

This is my first book from Adrienne Young and I completely devoured this. It was atmospheric, gripping and so well paced. I must admit this is a bit different to what I would typically read – the fantasy elements are very light – but I really enjoyed this mix of fantasy, mystery, and family drama. Adrienne Young has an absolutely beautiful writing style and her writing completely swept me away in this story. I loved the small town setting in the book and Young’s writing really brought to life this isolated community hidden in the trees.

This story is very much about relationships and grief. Young does a brilliant job of diving into James’ past, the reasons she left Six Rivers, her relationships with Johnny, with Micah, and other people in the town. The characterization in this book was terrific and I felt like James could have been a real life person. The mystery kept me engaged right till the end and while I did guess where some of the plot was going, the final reveal was definitely a surprise.

A Sea of Unspoken Things is a gorgeously written story, full of atmosphere and mystery. If you’re looking for a book that will have you gripped right till the very final page, this is definitely one to pick up. I didn’t want to put this book down and I cannot wait to read more from Adrienne Young in the future.

Release date: September 15 2022
Publisher: Mantle
Pages: 371
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley and I bought a physical copy from Waterstones
Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis

‘There is one question that devours me still. Why didn’t I close my eyes?’

Medusa is the only mortal in a family of gods. Growing up with her sisters, she quickly realizes that she is the only one who gets older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.

When desire pushes a God to commit the unforgivable, Medusa’s mortal life is changed forever. Her punishment is to be turned into a Gorgon: sharp teeth, snakes for hair, and a gaze that will turn any living creature to stone. Appalled by her own reflection, Medusa can no longer look upon anything she loves without destroying it. She condemns herself to a life of solitude in the shadows to limit her murderous range.

That is, until Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .

This is the story of how a young woman became a monster. And how she was never really a monster at all.

Review

Stone Blind tells the Greek myth of Medusa, a young woman whose life is changed forever by the Gods. When Medusa finds herself transformed into a Gorgon her life will never be the same again. Medusa shies away from her sisters, living a life of solitude until one day Perseus arrives on a quest to retrieve the head of a Gorgon.

Natalie Haynes is an author I’ve always wanted to try and this is my first time reading a book from her. I really enjoyed her writing style and the story was really easy to get into. I ended up reading this really quickly and I thought Haynes had a very accessible writing style. As this is a Greek myth retelling there are quite a lot of characters and I felt Haynes did a great job of making each character have a distinct narrative voice. I enjoyed the way Haynes portrayed the Gods, with all their scheming and bickering to get what they want.

My one disappointment about this story was I felt it didn’t really bring anything new to the table. I’ve read a number of other Medusa retellings in the past so perhaps that’s why this didn’t click for me in the same way as it has for other people. I also felt given the book was focused on Medusa, she wasn’t actually in the story an awful lot. I would have loved to see more character depth and a greater focus on Medusa herself. Overall Stone Blind is an engaging Greek myth retelling and while I didn’t completely fall in love with it, I would definitely be keen to try more from Natalie Haynes in the future.

Series: Edinburgh Nights #4
Release date: November 7 2024
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 400
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Ghoststalker Ropa Moyo learns a shocking truth about her family. But after she confronts her grandmother with the revelation, Gran is murdered and Ropa is now the prime suspect on top of dealing with her loss. Ropa races to uncover the real murderer, and soon finds a connection to an old magical cult. They are trying to take control of Scotland by resurrecting an army of the dead, led by a dark lord. She’ll have to use all her magic and hard-won skills in her biggest challenge yet.

Review

The Legacy of Arniston House is the fourth installment in T. L. Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights series. We pick up after the events of book three, with Ropa now working for English magic. When Ropa discovers that her grandmother has been murdered, she must work to uncover who is responsible whilst also being the prime suspect in her death. Ropa soon uncovers a much more sinister plot to take over Scottish magic and bring back a dark lord. Can she uncover the truth behind Gran’s death as well as the truths about her own family?

I always look forward to the release of the next installment in this series and I completely devoured The Legend of Arniston House. Like the previous books this story is fast paced, gripping and has a brilliant protagonist. Ropa has such a strong narrative voice and I love seeing her continue to grow. In this book Ropa undergoes quite a lot of character growth as she learns who her family were and has to deal with the grief of losing her grandmother. She’s also still a complete badass and I read the last few chapters on the edge of my seat as I just had to know what was going to happen next.

The story is well paced and I love the way that Huchu brings the sights and sounds of Edinburgh to life in this series. There are plenty of twists and turns and some surprises that I was not expecting. The story has finished in a very intriguing place and I am already very much anticipating the next book in the series. If you’re looking for a unique and engaging fantasy series, this one is absolutely not to be missed.

Release date: May 23 2024
Publisher: Magpie
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I bought a copy of this online
Rating: 3/5 stars

Synopsis

Following a scandal at Vauxhall pleasure gardens, Camille is sent away to her reclusive godmother, who keeps a strict watch over her and her own sickly daughter, Lucy. Camille must stay away from everything she has known until the scandal is forgotten, keeping strictly to the small farmhouse in the woods. Away from the corsetry and curtsies of polite society, Camille finds herself surprisingly…free. She is also strangely drawn to Lucy, a pale, fragile girl who dreams of stars, but has never left the farm. Yet as Camille and Lucy grow close and cross forbidden boundaries, the fine balance of their woodland home begins to death stalks between the trees, claw-marks rake the doors and the moon rises to the song of a creature Camille has never heard before. Camille begins to realise her godmother was holding more than unladylike behaviour at bay…

Review

Moonstone is a YA fantasy story that follows a young woman called Camille who is sent to stay with her godmother following a scandal with a young man. Her godmother is a recluse and spends her days living in the forest and looking after her daughter Lucy who has a strange illness. As the two spend more time together Camille soon discovers there is much more to Lucy and her illness than meets the eye.

Moonstone is the YA debut of The Silent Companions author Laura Purcell. I have read a number of books from this author previously and given them all five stars so I was very intrigued by this one. Moonstone is very different from the gothic historical horrors I have come to expect from Purcell and while it did not grab me in the same way, this was still an enjoyable read. It was well paced and being just under 300 pages it was a pretty quick and engaging read. I did find the story somewhat predictable but that did not mean I was not intrigued to see how it all played out.

I liked Camille and Lucy as main characters and I thought Purcell did a good job of developing their relationship as they spent more time together. I thought the romance could have done with a little more development but overall I thought the story came to a satisfying conclusion. I absolutely love Purcell’s writing style and that definitely shone through in Moonstone. Whilst I didn’t fall in love with this one I am not necessarily the target audience so if you are someone who loves YA fantasy then Moonstone would definitely be your kind of book and I am of course very much looking forward to whatever Purcell writes next.

Release date: October 8 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 384
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Clem gets a call that is every mother’s worst nightmare. Her nineteen-year-old daughter Erin is unconscious in the hospital after a hiking trip with her friends on the remote Orkney Islands that met a horrifying end, leaving her boyfriend dead and her best friend missing. When Erin wakes, she doesn’t recognize her mother. And she doesn’t answer to her name, but insists she is someone named Nyx.

Clem travels the site of her daughter’s accident, determined to find out what happened to her. The answer may lie in a dark secret in the history of the Orkneys: a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft and murder four centuries ago. Clem begins to wonder if Erin’s strange behavior is a symptom of a broken mind, or the effects of an ancient curse?

Review

The Book of Witching is the newest release from The Nesting author C J Cooke. The story follows a woman named Clem who receives a call telling her that her daughter Erin is in hospital. All Clem knew was that Erin was on a hiking trip in the Orkney Islands but she soon discovers Erin’s boyfriend is dead, her best friend is missing and Erin has burns all over her body. When Erin wakes she doesn’t recognize Clem, but says her name is Nyx. Clem must travel to Orkney to uncover what really happened to Erin, encountering an ancient cursed book and the story of a woman wrongly convicted of witchcraft.

This is my fifth book from C J Cooke and it might be my favourite one yet. I’ve given all of Cooke’s books four or five stars so I had pretty high expectations for this one. It was dark, captivating and I could not put it down. I love Cooke’s writing style and the ability she has to completely suck you into the story. The mysteries in this book kept me guessing right until the very end and there were more than a few twists I did not see coming.

The story is set in present day, as well as following Alison in 1594 as she is accused of attempted murder by witchcraft. I really enjoyed the story in both timelines and Cooke does a brilliant job of bringing the two story arcs together.  The story felt incredibly well researched and all the small details that Cooke adds really brings Orkney in the 1500s to life. This book is so compelling and I was completely riveted by the complex and fascinating characters Cooke created in this story. This book has so many intriguing elements including witchcraft, a creepy book, cults, murder and mystery.  Cooke is also masterful at building a strong sense of atmosphere and I ended up reading the last 100 pages in one sitting. The Book of Witching was a brilliant five star read and it will definitely be in my favourite books of 2024. If you’ve been curious about this one I would absolutely recommend checking it out and I am dying to find out what C J Cooke will write about next.