Blog Tour: The Dark – Sharon Bolton

June 3, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Series: Lacey Flint #5
Release Date: May 26th 2022
Publisher: Orion Books
Pages: 464
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of the book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

ONCE, SHE SAVED HIS LIFE…
NOW, HE’LL TAKE HERS.

When a baby is snatched from its pram and cast into the river Thames, off-duty police officer Lacey Flint is there to prevent disaster. But who would want to hurt a child?

DCI Mark Joesbury has been expecting this. Monitoring a complex network of dark web sites, Joesbury and his team have spotted a new terrorist threat from the extremist, women-hating, group known as ‘incels’ or ‘involuntary celibates.’ Joesbury’s team are trying to infiltrate the ring of power at its core, but the dark web is built for anonymity, and the incel army is vast.

Pressure builds when the team learn the snatched child was just the first in a series of violent attacks designed to terrorise women. Worse, the leaders of the movement seem to have singled out Lacey as the embodiment of everything they hate, placing her in terrible danger…

Review

Sharon Bolton is fast becoming one of my all time favourite thriller writers. Having read and loved The Split I immediately picked up as many of her books as I could and each has been, dark, twisty and difficult to put down. The Dark is absolutely no exception. The Dark is the fifth installment in Bolton’s Lacey Flint series and follows Flint as she stops someone attempting to throw a baby into the Thames. Flint soon learns this is just the start of a series of attacks against women and an extremist group might be the cause. The pressure soon builds as Flint and the team must work to stop the group before things get even worse.

Much like Bolton’s other books, I was hooked on this story right from the very first chapter. Bolton has a really compelling writing style and I was completely drawn into this fast-paced plot. As I have come to expect from Bolton there were twists I never saw coming and there were more than a few moments that had me on the edge of my seat. Bolton is brilliant at keeping you guessing, all the while building up the tension.

While The Dark has an utterly addictive plot, it also features some really well crafted characters. Flint is a brilliant protagonist, she is a strong female character with lots of mystery surrounding her past. I similarly liked DCI Mark Joesbury and I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between the two. Altogether The Dark makes for some really compelling reading. If you’re a fan of Bolton’s work or in the mood for something twisty and hard to put down, The Dark definitely has you covered.

Blog Tour: Misrule – Heather Walter

May 20, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

Series: Malice Duology #2 (See my review of book one here!)
Release Date: May 10th 2022
Pages: 480
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

The Dark Grace is dead.

Feared and despised for the sinister power in her veins, Alyce wreaks her revenge on the kingdom that made her an outcast. Once a realm of decadence and beauty, Briar is now wholly Alyce’s wicked domain. And no one will escape the consequences of her wrath. Not even the one person who holds her heart.

Princess Aurora saw through Alyce’s thorny facade, earning a love that promised the dawn of a new age. But it is a love that came with a heavy price: Aurora now sleeps under a curse that even Alyce’s vast power cannot seem to break. And the dream of the world they would have built together is nothing but ash.

Alyce vows to do anything to wake the woman she loves, even if it means turning into the monster Briar believes her to be. But could Aurora love the villain Alyce has become?

Or is true love only for fairy tales?

Review

Misrule is the second book in Heather Walter’s Malice duology. I read Malice last year and absolutely adored this dark fairytale retelling. Misrule was one of my most anticipated releases and it absolutely did not disappoint. Following on from the events in book one, Briar has been destroyed and Nimara (Alyce) now rules the dark court. Despite searching for decades, she has been unable to find a cure for the curse placed on Aurora and she remains asleep. Nimara will do anything to break this curse becoming even more of a villain in search of the cure. As she battles the Fae courts in search of answers she begins to wonder when Aurora finally wakes will she still love the person Nimara has become?

This book was so incredibly addictive. It’s the sort of book you just cannot put down and I ended up having a few very late nights because I stayed up reading. Walter’s writing flows really well and it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the story. I love the world Walter created in this duology and after reading this second book I’m going to read everything they publish. The story is quite fast-paced and there were plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged. I loved that Misrule felt much darker than Malice and the vivid descriptions of the dark court captivated me.

Walter does a fantastic job of creating these really complex characters. There is so much character growth and development across the two books. It was so fascinating to see Nimara grow into her role as Mistress of the dark court and I loved how the dynamics changed between Nimara and Alyce as things progress. In Misrule we get to meet a whole host of different characters and creatures but my favourite has got to be the Imps – they’re so mischievous and added a touch of humour to the story.

Overall Misrule is a brilliant conclusion – Walter managed to bring all the different threads together into a really satisfying conclusion. If you’re looking for a beautifully written story with a morally grey protagonist this duology is definitely not to be missed.

Blog Tour: Equinox – David Towsey

May 19, 2022May 19, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: 12th May 2022
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Pages: 368
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Christophor Morden lives in a world where everybody changes with the rising and setting of the sun. For every person contains two distinct identities – a day brother and a night brother. One never sees the light, the other nothing of night.

One evening Christophor, one of the king’s special unit of witch hunters, is woken early by a call to the city prison. A young woman has torn her own eyes out, and the police suspect supernatural causes. The investigation takes Christophor far from home, to a village on the edge of the kingdom.

There he will find his witch – and his night brother will find himself desperate to save her. And as this battle of the self rages, the witch’s ancient and apocalyptic ritual comes ever closer to completion…

Review

Equinox is an intriguing book that lured me in for a number of reasons. Firstly it has an absolutely stunning cover and second it’s a fantasy standalone – something I definitely don’t read enough of. The story also has such a fascinating concept that I couldn’t resist diving straight into it.

Equinox tells the story of Christophor Morden. Christophor lives in a world where everyone has two identities – one for the day and one for the night. One only ever sees the darkness and the other the day. Christophor is a member of the king’s special unit, whereas his day brother Alexsander is a musician. When Christophor is called to the city prison to witness a prisoner who has torn out their eyes. The cause is thought to be supernatural in origin, sending Christophor and his day brother on a quest to find the witch responsible.

Equniox is such a unique story – it felt like such a fresh take on the fantasy story. It felt wholly original and unlike anything I’ve read before. It was so fascinating to see these two characters who lead completely different lives and have completely different personalities inhabit one body. I really liked Christophor as the main protagonist and felt the story was well-paced. It did take me a little while to get into the story but after the first quarter of the book, I was completely invested in the story.

Towsey does a really brilliant job of creating that tense atmosphere, particularly as the mystery begins to unfold. The magic in this story is pretty dark and it was probably the thing that intrigued me most about this book. There are some moments that are on the creepy/gory side and Towsey doesn’t shy away from scenes that send a shiver down your spine. Equinox is a brilliantly told dark fantasy story that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you’re looking for some dark, gripping fantasy this should definitely be on your reading list. Whilst this is my first book from David Towsey, I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Blog Tour: The Girl and the Moon – Mark Lawrence

May 10, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

Series: Book of the Ice #3
Release Date: April 28th 2022
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 544
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

The fate of the world hangs from the Moon

The green world overwhelms all of Yaz’s expectations. Everything seems different but some things remain the same: her old enemies are still bent on her destruction.

The Corridor abounds with plenty and unsuspected danger. To stand a chance against the eyeless priest, Eular, and the god-like city-mind, Seus, Yaz will need to learn fast and make new friends.

The Convent of Sweet Mercy, like the Corridor itself, is packed with peril and opportunity. Yaz needs the nuns’ help – but first they want to execute her.

The fate of everyone squeezed between the Corridor’s vast walls, and ultimately the fate of those labouring to survive out on ice itself, hangs from the moon, and the battle to save the moon centres on the Ark of the Missing, buried beneath the emperor’s palace. Everyone wants Yaz to be the key that will open the Ark – the one the wise have sought for generations. But sometimes wanting isn’t enough.

Review

The Girl and the Moon is the third and final instalment in Lawrence’s unputdownable Book of the Ice series. Mark Lawrence is one of my favourite authors and The Girl and the Moon was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022. I absolutely loved every second of this story and it is without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year.

Picking up after the events of The Girl and the Mountain, the book is full to the brim with action and there were more than a few moments I was on the edge of my seat. I was hooked from the very beginning and I honestly had to force myself to put the book down. Lawrence has such a brilliant way of keeping the reader engaged and hungry for more. I’d be hard pushed to pick my favourite book in this trilogy because they have all been equally compelling.

Lawrence really does an excellent job of bringing everything together in this book and there were more than a few moments that I wasn’t expecting. I must admit that although I think the ending was brilliant, I’m sad to say goodbye to the incredible characters Lawrence has created. Yaz and her friends are so well crafted and I absolutely did not want to say goodbye to them. I won’t say much about the plot given this is the final instalment, but safe to say there is plenty to keep the reader hooked.

The Girl and the Moon is a rollercoaster of a book and one you do not want to miss. This is a multi-POV story and Lawrence manages to bring all the threads of their stories together seamlessly. Like all of Lawrence’s books the worldbuilding is excellent, the plot action-packed and the characters fascinating. If you haven’t yet had a chance to pick up this series (or any books by Mark Lawrence for that matter), I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Blog Tour: The Collarbound – Rebecca Zahabi

May 9, 2022June 8, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: May 12th 2022
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 352
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 other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities, and the oppression of the Kher community.

When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can’t remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn’t intend to give up now.

Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, fought beside them, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He’s never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar. Despite his fear of being discovered, Tatters decides to help her.

As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, The Collarbound follows an unlikely friendship between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.

Review

The Collarbound is a fiercely gripping fantasy tale that’s full to the brim with magic and mystery. Set in a world that has been torn apart by rebellion, we follow Isha as she arrives at The Nest as a refugee. Isha does what she can to fit in, but she has no idea what happened in her past or where her tattoo came from. Meanwhile, Tatters is one of the collarbound and knows the danger of rebellion. Whilst he’s determined to stay away from things, he can’t help but be drawn to Isha and the mystery that surrounds her. Together the two form an unlikely friendship as they seek to survive the rebellion and the secrets of their past.

The Collarbound is the kind of book that draws you in right from the very beginning. This is quite a slow burn story, one that slowly builds tension as we learn more and more. I found I was thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading it and it kept me intrigued and wanting more. I often felt on the edge of my seat, dying to know what was going on. Zahabi does a brilliant job of keeping the reader guessing, making for a really engaging read.

Zahabi has created a really fascinating world in The Collarbound and it felt like such a compelling setting. The worldbuilding felt well crafted and I loved learning about the mages and the khers. I sort of feel like I’ve only scratched the surface and can’t wait to see more of the world in the sequel. I thought the concept of mindbrawling was so fascinating and something I haven’t seen before. Similarly, Zahabi has a knack for creating really interesting, dynamic characters. Both Tatters and Isha were really compelling characters and I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. I also really liked Arushi and her family.

The Collarbound is a brilliant, engaging story, unlike anything I’ve read before. If you’re looking for a slow burn fantasy story that will have you reading long into the night, this should definitely be on your to read list.

Book Review: Nettle and Bone – T. Kingfisher

April 28, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

Release Date: April 26th 2022
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 336
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

A dark and compelling fantasy about sisterhood, impossible tasks and the price of power, from award-winning author T. Kingfisher

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra―the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter―has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince―if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra’s family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

Review

Nettle and Bone is a dark and addictive fairytale from T. Kingfisher, author of The Hollow Places. I have always wanted to try Kingfisher’s work but haven’t gotten around to trying it. When I got the opportunity to read Nettle and Bone I jumped at the chance and I’m so glad I did because Nettle and Bone is probably one of my favourite books of the year.

The story follows Marra – she is the youngest of three princesses from a small kingdom. Their political situation is balanced on a knife edge and they are constantly threatened with invasion from the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Marra’s sisters are married off to protect the kingdom, but Marra soon learns of the abuse her sister is suffering at the hands of Prince Vorling of the Northern Kingdom. Determined to save her sister she embarks on a quest to kill him and free her family.

Do you ever pick up a book and it is just exactly the right book at the right time? That was Nettle and Bone for me. I was immediately captivated by this story. I loved the fairytale feel of the story and how Kingfisher twisted this into something darker and more gruesome. I really enjoyed Kingfisher’s writing style and the story felt really well paced. This story is so vivid and clever, I honestly could not put it down.

Marra is an interesting protagonist, but the cast of characters that she brings along on her journey are what made me fall in love with this story. I loved the dust-wife, who can talk to the dead and has a chicken that may or may not have a demon in him. I also liked Agnes, the godmother who is much more than she seems. Kingfisher has a knack for creating these really fascinating characters and I am so looking forward to reading more of their work. There’s also plenty of clever, witty dialogue that had me laughing on more than a few occasions.

Nettle and Bone is a fun and fascinating read. If you love fairytales but you’d like something that’s a bit of a twist on the stories you know and love, this is definitely a must-read.

Book Review: The Shadow Glass – Josh Winning

April 10, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: March 22nd 2022
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 400
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

Jack Corman is failing at life. Jobless, jaded and facing the threat of eviction, he’s also reeling from the death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, but the film flopped on release and Bob was never the same again.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying childhood home, where he is confronted with the impossible — the puppet heroes from The Shadow Glass are alive, and they need his help. Tipped into a desperate quest to save the world from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with an excitable fanboy and a spiky studio exec to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy and ignite a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do Bob proud.

Review

The Shadow Glass is a fun fantasy adventure that tells the story of Jack Corman. Jack is struggling to make ends meet and is trying to cope with the death of his father – the director of the cult film classic The Shadow Glass. Jack returns to the family home he hasn’t been to in many years, planning to sell off one of the film props to a collector and clear his debt. What Jack finds is the puppets from the film are much more than they seem. Jack soon finds himself embarking on an adventure to save the world if Iri and everything his father loved.

The Shadow Glass is the sort of book you can’t help falling in love with. It’s an action-packed adventure and really well-paced. I sat down to read a few chapters one evening and before I knew it I had been sitting there for hours, completely sucked into the story. The story is very nostalgic of 80’s movies like The Neverending Story and I thought it was executed perfectly.

The Shadow Glass features some really great characters and I loved seeing them go on this epic adventure. Jack is a really fascinating protagonist – he’s coming to terms with what happened in his childhood and is starting to let people in again. The characters in The Shadow Glass are the sort you can’t help but root for. I also thought the villains in the story were well crafted too and while I liked all the characters, Toby was my favourite.

The Shadow Glass is definitely a new favourite and a book I can’t wait to reread in the future. If you’re a fan of old fantasy films, this is an absolute must-read and I’m already looking forward to what Josh Winning writes next.

Blog Tour: Crimson Reign – Amélie Wen Zhao

April 4, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment

Series: Blood Heir #3
Release Date: March 3rd 2022
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Pages: 496
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

The Red Tigress, Ana Mikhailov, has returned to Cyrilia, but the country she once called home has fallen under a dark rule. Across the land, the Empress Morganya is tightening her grip on Affinites and non-Affinites alike. Ana dealt a blow to the Empress when she and her allies turned back Morganya’s troops in Bregon, but she couldn’t stop Morganya from gaining possession of the last remaining Bregonian siphon: a dangerous new weapon with the power to steal Affinities.

Ana’s forces are scattered, and her tenuous alliance with the Cyrilian rebel group, the Red Cloaks, is becoming more frayed by the day. What’s worse, she’s lost her Affinity to blood and without it, Ana barely knows who she is anymore–or if she has the strength to defeat Morganya.

Morganya’s reign of terror is close to crushing the nation Ana was born to rule. And now Ana will finally face the sinister empress, but will she survive? Will anyone? And will her Empire welcome her back to the throne, or turn her out to survive on her own.

The Affinites and Non-Affinites of Cyrilia will determine Ana’s future, if Morganya doesn’t kill her first.

Review

Crimson Reign is the third and final installment in Amelie Wen Zhao’s heart pounding Blood Heir trilogy. Continuing where things left off in Red Tigress, Ana has returned to Cyrilia, fresh from fighting back Morgana’s troops in Bregon. Morgana is determined to solidify her rule and spread fear through Ana’s country. With her troops scattered is she strong enough to stop her?

The Blood Heir trilogy is a brilliant example of a compelling YA fantasy series. There’s something for everyone and each book in the series has gone from strength to strength. Crimson Reign is probably my favourite of the trilogy and Zhao does a brilliant job of rounding things off and bringing the story to a satisfying conclusion.

Like the previous installments, Crimson Reign is pretty fast-paced and I raced through it. The world is really intriguing and I love seeing the different affinite abilities. There is of course plenty of action and battle scenes and there were more than a few moments I was on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed Zhao’s writing style and I’m really looking forward to reading more from this author.

My favourite thing about this series has to be the characters. If you like plenty of banter between your main characters this series has you covered. Ana is a compelling protagonist, trying to make the right decisions for her people. Ramson very much steals the show but I also really liked Linn and the rather terrifying Sorsha. Crimson Reign is a highly addictive fantasy tale and if you’ve read the first two books in this series then this is definitely a must-read. If you haven’t picked up Blood Heir yet this is the perfect series to binge read.

Blog Tour: The Pantheon Series – C. F. Barrington

March 25, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Book One: The Wolf Mile
Book Two: The Blood Isles
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis Book One

Tyler is barely existing since the disappearance of his sister six months before. One evening three men hand him a silver amulet: the talisman of the Valhalla Horde. Tyler is about to go on a journey that will test him to breaking point as he searches for his sister and for meaning to his life.

A forbidden contest. An international game.

Bankrolled by the world’s wealthy elite and followed by thousands online, two teams of warriors vie for dominance … and the streets of Edinburgh run with blood.

Into this secret struggle steps Tyler Maitland, seeking his lost sister, and Lana Cameron, grieving her dead child. When they are accosted by figures in black hoodies and each handed a silver amulet, they recognize the Triple Horn of Odin – the talisman of the Valhalla Horde.

They are being recruited into the great game known as The Pantheon. And one day they will change everything.

Now they must risk their lives and join the ranks of seven ancient warrior teams which inhabit this illicit world. Their journey will be more wondrous and horrifying than anything they could have dreamed, taking each of them to the depths of their souls … and testing them to breaking point as they search for loved ones and for the meaning in their lives.

Let the Season begin.

Review

The Pantheon Series immediately caught my eye as soon as I read the synopsis. A deadly game played by teams of warriors on the streets of Edinburgh? What more could you want? I picked up this series and was immediately hooked. Book one follows Tyler who is still reeling from the disappearance of his sister six months ago. Desperate to find out what happens to her Tyler enters into a deadly game where he must use everything he has to survive.

The Wolf Mile is the definition of a page turner. I could not put this book down. I absolutely sped through 400 pages and immediately picked up The Blood Isles. The story had such a unique premise and I loved seeing Edinburgh brought to life in the pages. As you can expect the story is pretty fast paced and there is plenty of action that had me right on the edge of my seat. There are also some gory moments and the series has definitely given me Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones vibes.

The Wolf Mile is an impressive debut and The Blood Isles is a brilliant heart pounding sequel. This series is shaping up to be a really incredible trilogy and I cannot wait to see where Barrington takes the series in the next installment. Thankfully the wait for book three isn’t too long, so now is the perfect time to binge read books one and two!

Book Review: Extasia – Clare Legrand

March 24, 2022 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: February 22nd 2022
Publisher: Harper 360
Pages: 496
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Her name is unimportant.

All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain–an evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men.

She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw kissing in the elm grove.

Today she will be a saint of Haven. She will rid her family of her mother’s shame at last and save her people from destruction. She is not afraid. Are you?

This searing and lyrically written novel by the critically acclaimed author of Sawkill Girls beckons readers to follow its fierce heroine into a world filled with secrets and blood–where the truth is buried in lies and a devastating power waits, seething, for someone brave enough to use it.

Review

Extasia is a YA horror novel sent in a dystopian future. The story follows Amity a young woman who is about to become a saint of Haven – the last town on Earth. Amity wants nothing more than to become a saint and help protect her village from the evil that lies beneath the mountain. An evil that has been spreading and killing the men of Haven. As tensions begin to grow in Haven Amity must uncover the truth behind the killings and save the townspeople from destruction.

Extasia is a really interesting standalone novel and it felt completely unlike anything I’d read before. I really enjoyed the first half of the story, which felt a bit similar to The Year of the Witching. It was dark and I was fascinated with Amity uncovering the mysteries of Haven and learning how to control her powers. The story had a fantastic setting and was full of atmosphere but I felt towards the end that the story unraveled a little bit, there was a bit too much going on and the ending felt a bit rushed. Extasia feels like a brilliant novel in concept but missed the mark a little bit in terms of execution.

Despite enjoying the second half of the book less it was still overall an enjoyable read. The story is really fast-paced and I ended up reading it really quickly. I also liked Legrand’s writing style and it was easy to get absorbed in the story. I did also like the characters and while I’m not particularly a romance fan, I did think it was well done in this book. The story is a dark one and there are plenty of gory moments in this story. While this one was a little bit of a disappointment, I am definitely going to try more books from Claire Legrand. I have no doubt that fantasy/horror fans looking for a dark feminist tale will absolutely fall in love with this book.