Book Review: The Cruel Prince – Holly Black

February 3, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Series: The Folk of the Air #1
Release Date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Pages: 370
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I was sent a copy of this book through ReadersFirst.
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Review

This is such a perfect book. I couldn’t put it down and I definitely didn’t want it to end. The Cruel Prince is the first in a new series from ‘Faerie Queen’ Holly Black, and I can totally see why she deserves that name because this book is so stunning. Books about the Fae are not something I read particularly often, though I recently read An Enchantment of Ravens and really enjoyed it. With that in mind I decided to give this a go, and boy was I not disappointed.

Jude Duarte has become my most favourite character ever. She’s a strong woman, she wants to be a knight and fend for herself and she doesn’t expect others to do the work for her. She’s brash and determined, she makes mistakes and works hard. Black portrays her so realistically and so humanly, that I could not help but love her. She’s a fantastic protagonist and it’s so exciting to watch her grow and evolve. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other amazing characters. I loved Cardan and Vivi and The Roach too.

For me what made this book really stand out was the lush, vivid settings and the plot that kept me guessing. Each character in this book has their own motives, and everyone is playing a game. I was never sure who to trust, who was being honest and who wasn’t. So many times I’ve read a book and I’ve guessed what’s going to happen, but that definitely wasn’t the case with The Cruel Prince.

The book is pretty fast-paced and there’s plenty of action and excitement to keep you on the edge of your seat. If you love faerie stories, or you’re a fan of the immensely talented Holly Black, you need to pick up this book now, you won’t regret it.

Lost-A-Thon TBR!

February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

It’s February already and I haven’t participated in a readathon! I love readathons so when I stumbled across the Our Lost Library Lost-A-Thon I couldn’t resist making a TBR and joining in. This readathon started yesterday, but it’s also a month long so I figured I had plenty of time to catch up. There are tons of different reading prompts and there’s no way I’m going to get to them all but I thought it would be fun to pick a book for each prompt and that gives me a whole lot of different choices throughout the month. The point of this readathon is to read older books that you have on your TBR but for me I might mix in some new releases that I already have on my shelf that I’m just dying to read!

New Year, New Book: A book you were given as a gift.

Long Term TBR: A book that’s been on your TBR forever

A Book Less Than 250 Pages

A Book More Than 350 Pages

Finish A Book You Started

Discounted Discoveries: anything you got on sale

A Book By A Female Author

Finish A Series: 1 book or 5, it’s up to you!

New To You Genre: a genre you don’t really gravitate towards

Historical Conversations: a book that makes you think

Classic With A Twist: modern versions of classics (I’m stretching this a little buy oh well)

Deadly relationships: Domestic thrillers, paranormal romances

Diverse Graphic Novel/Comic Book/Manga (I don’t own much in the way of graphic novels on my TBR and I don’t have any manga so I cheated on this one)

Twenty-Somethings in Space

Female Fantasy

Middle Grade Retelling: Fairytale Retelling (Cheating again, I don’t have much middle grade on my TBR!)

A Book With A Love Triangle

Mystery Genre Pick: Contemporary

Faith, Courage or Strength: words used in the synopsis

A Red Book

TBR Jar Pick: Sky in the Deep

Buddy Read: Buddy reading with my boyfriend

Book Rec from OLL

Passion Project: something you’re passionate about – Batman!

Free Choice

So those are my choices for Lost-A-Thon! I’m not sure how many I’ll get to – definitely not all of them but if I could read 10/12 I would be so pleased. Are there any you think I should prioritise – I’m honestly dying to read them all – if you do let me know below!

Book Review: The Fandom – Anna Day

February 1, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

Series: The Fandom #1
Release Date: January 4th 2018
Publisher: Chicken House
Pages: 403
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly gave me a copy of this book at YALC 2017.
Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis

Violet’s in her element. Cosplay at the ready, she can’t wait to feel part of her favorite fandom: The Gallows Dance, a mega book and movie franchise that she and her friends know EVERY WORD of (canon and fanfic included).

But at Comic Con, a freak accident transports Violet and her friends into the story for real. And in just the first five minutes, they cause the death of the heroine, and get taken prisoner by the rebel group she was supposed to lead to victory.

It’s up to Violet to take her place, and play out the plot the way it was written. But stories have a life of their own, and when you change the script in one place, the rest gets revised too…

Review

How many times have you read a book and wished you could go and visit the world in which it’s set? We’d all love to go and visit Narnia or Hogwarts or Middle Earth, but what would you actually do when you got there, and more importantly how would you get home?

I absolutely loved the concept of this book. Violet and her friends are at Comic-Con, they’re having a great time and meeting the star of their favourite book turned film, The Gallows Dance. Somehow they end up travelling to the universe the book is set and have to find a way to keep the story moving, and keep themselves alive.

The story is action packed, and well paced. The story is multi-layered, Violet is attempting to keep on the track of the original story, Alice is forging a new story and Katie is being help prisoner. Meanwhile everyone is trying to figure out how to get back home. The group soon find that just because you know everything about a story, doesn’t mean you actually want to visit.

The one thing that surprised me about this book is how funny it was. The colourful swear words that Katie uses, how clumsy and awkward Violet is, adds another layer to these fascinating characters, and really made me fall in love with them. You really root for Violet and her little brother Nate. I also loved the references to well known YA books – “Just like Tris and Katniss.” This book really appeals to my inner fan girl, and I loved that.

The book is divided up into pretty short chapters, and that also helps to make the book feel even more fast paced and action packed. I definitely thought this was a unique read and something I’ve never come across before. I did feel there was a bit of repetition which jarred a little – Katie’s soft scouse accent must have been mentioned seven or eight times, but overall I really enjoyed this fun and excited story.

Waiting on Wednesday #12: Wicked Saints – Emily A. Duncan

January 30, 2019June 1, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

Synopsis

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy..

Thoughts

Wicked Saints first caught my attention on Twitter when I saw a few people talking about how excited they were for the upcoming release. The striking cover really appealed to me so I quickly looked it up on Goodreads and honestly after just the first few sentences of the blurb this book went on my wishlist. It sounds like it’s going to be an epic multi-POV story full of magic, war and mystery. I have wished for it on Netgalley and I am praying to the book gods that someone grants my wish. I’ve seen some excellent reviews for it already and one that suggested it was reminiscent of the Grishaverse so this is definitely high on my TBR! Wicked Saints is the first in the Something Dark and Holy Trilogy and is publishing April 2nd from Wednesday Books.

Book Review: The Feed – Nick Clark Windo

January 28, 2019January 28, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Release Date: January 30th 2018
Publisher: Headline
Pages: 355
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy to review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

It makes us. It destroys us.

The Feed is everywhere. It can be accessed by anyone, at any time. Every interaction, every emotion, every image can be shared through it.

Tom and Kate use The Feed, but they have resisted addiction to it. And this will serve them well when The Feed collapses.

Until their six-year-old daughter, Bea, goes missing.

Because how do you find someone in a world devoid of technology? And what happens when you can no longer trust that your loved ones are really who they claim to be?

Review

As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew it would be a cracking read, and I absolutely wasn’t disappointed. I read this book in two sittings on the train and just could not put it down. The Feed is brilliantly written and utterly terrifying at the same time.

The story is set in a future where our love of technology has expanded even further, all social interactions are done online in the feed, no one really talks in the real world anymore. The world over is addicted, but what happens when it goes down and people no longer know how to cope?

One of the reasons I loved this book so much was how believable it felt. We’re all already addicted to social media and this dystopian world seems inherently possible as a result. This made The Feed a really scary read, but at the same time I just couldn’t look away.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot, it is just a fantastic read that I wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone, but it is set after the feed goes down as a group of people attempt to go on living without the technology they were so addicted to. The characters are all very well executed, dealing with their own grief and horror at how the world has changed. The point of view changes throughout the book and it’s a great chance to see events from different characters perspective.

The book is excellently detailed and just a wonderful read. It’s also pretty topical, hitting on not just issues around social media but the environment as well. It was really fascinating watching characters attempt to understand one another through everyday interactions because they are no longer sure how. The Feed is a tense, gripping dystopian thriller that I guarantee is going to be one to watch in 2018.

Six for Sunday: Bookish Hates

January 27, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 4 Comments

Six for Sunday is a weekly post from Steph at A Little But A Lot. Each week features a different prompt and this week is bookish hates, so let’s dive in!

1. Insta-love

My number one pet peeve in books is insta-love. I’m not a big fan of romance books and those that have characters falling in love over a few chapters or over like a week really bug me – it really jars me out of the story and it tends to bother me for the rest of the book.

2. Series that don’t keep the same cover design

I really hate when publishers change the cover design mid series. I’m a big fan of long fantasy series so to have the next instalment have a completely different design really bothers me. It’s even worse if they’re a different sized book too (I have one Victoria Aveyard book that is bigger than the rest of the series and it bugs me to no end).

3. Dog earring books

I know this will divide some people but I really hate when people fold down the pages of the book. I don’t mind if the book looks read and worn or whatever – it doesn’t have to be pristine or anything but I do hate dog earring books and writing in them as well!

4. Cliff hangers

This is a kind of love/hate relationship. If a book has a major cliff hanger it obviously makes me really interested to read the next one but it often means I need to wait a long time for the next book to be released and I hate that feeling of being desperate to know what’s going to happen (I’m looking at you The Wicked King).

5. Waiting so long between books

This goes back to the long fantasy epics I mentioned earlier. I love long series that follow the same characters for multiple books but that often means waiting years for the next instalment – George R. R. Martin is my favourite author and I’m trying so hard to wait patiently for The Winds of Winter. Likewise Patrick Rothfuss and Scott Lynch have taken long breaks between instalments and I know there must be a reason for it but I do really hate waiting.

6. Characters with no back story

I love books where you really get to know characters and you can delve into their back story and watch them grow and develop, so when a character doesn’t really have a back story it kind of bugs me. This annoys me the most in villains who are evil for absolutely no reason – if there’s no motivation I tend to struggle to enjoy the story.

So those are my six bookish hates! What are some of your bookish pet peeves?

2018 Reading Survey!

January 26, 2019January 27, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 11 Comments

I saw this tag over at TV Addicted Bookworm and thought it looked really fun so here’s my 2018 reading survey!

Reading Stats

Number of books read: 142
Number of rereads: 18
Pages Read: 44,112
Genre you read most: Fantasy

Questions

1. Best book you read in 2018?
This is such a difficult question! I read so many wonderful books in 2018 but the book that really sticks with me is The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden. It was a beautiful conclusion to one of my favourite series of all time, it made me cry a couple of times and I’m honestly still trying to process it enough to write a full review.
2. Book you were excited about and thought you were going to love more but didn’t?This was probably Glass Town Wars by Celia Rees. I loved her books growing up so I was really excited to dive back into her writing but this one didn’t really click with me. It was a solid 3 star read but I was expecting something more.

3. Most surprising book you read (in a good or bad way)?
It definitely has to be Mirage by Somaya Daud. I expected to really enjoy this fantasy/science fiction story with doppelgangers and danger but I didn’t expect to completely fall in love with the story and characters. I need book two now!!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did)?
I’m not sure I really pushed anyone to read any particular book but I did talk a lot and post lots of pictures of The Sisters of the Winter Wood and a few people said they were going to pick it up. It’s such a beautiful story I couldn’t help but shout about it.

5. Best series you started in 2018?
This one is cheating slightly but it probably has to be The Folk of the Air by Holly Black. Technically I read The Wicked King in 2019 but can I started the series in 2018 and can confirm it’s the best thing ever.

Best Sequel?
This is definitely Darksoul by Anna Stephens. I’m a bit obsessed with the Godblind trilogy so this was an eagerly awaited release. I couldn’t put it down and it was a brilliant addition to the series. I just wish I didn’t have to wait for the next one.

Best Series Ender?
I shamefully didn’t finish that many series in 2018. I did finally finish the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo and I thought Ruin and Rising was the perfect ending to a series that has absolutely become one of my favourites.
6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2018?
That would definitely be Jay Kristoff/Ami Kaufman. 2018 saw me finally pick up The Illuminae Files as well as Likelik3 and honestly why did I not read these brilliant books earlier. I’ve since ordered the Nevernight books and I’m already really excited to dive into them.

5. Favourite cover of 2018?
It’s got to go to Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman. This book is gorgeous both inside and out and if you haven’t read it it’s definitely worth getting your hands on a copy because it was a big highlight for me in 2018.

6. A book you can’t believe it took you so long to pick up?
Vicious by V. E. Schwab. 2018 was also my introduction to V. E. Schwab but I can’t believe I’d never read Vicious before. It was so dark and addictive and an instant five star read. I really need to get around to reading Vengeful.

7. Which book made you cry in 2018?
The Letters to the Lost series made me sob in both instalments. I tend not to read books that make you cry but I actually read a few that made me shed a few tears. This heartbreaking series that deals with grief and family and dealing with abuse was impossible not to cry at.

8. Most action packed/unputdownable book you read in 2018?
The second instalment in the Raven’s Mark series was an unputdownable book for me. Ravencry was everything I wanted from the next book in the series. It was fast paced, tons of action and adventure and I raced through it because it was so so good.

9. Book you read in 2018 you’re likely to re-read in 2019?
I read Katherine Arden’s spooky Halloween middle grade Small Spaces this year and thought it was the perfect October read. It’s pretty short so I think I might make it a tradition to read it every Halloween because it’s a lovely creepy story.

10. Best book from outside your comfort zone?
I don’t read much contemporary fiction and 2018 was the year I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone and read more contemporaries. I read quite a few that I absolutely loved but one surprise was the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. I’d never had any intention of picking them up because they seemed too romance heavy for me but I binged the entire series and I thought they were brilliant.

11. Most memorable character from 2018?
I totally fell in love with Alosa from Tricia Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King. I read both books in this duology and I loved the headstrong and brazen pirate princess. This series is so addictive and I really wanted another instalment of Alosa’s adventures!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2018?
A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood really sticks out as one of the most beautifully written books of 2018. I completely fell in love with this dreamy historical fiction that brings to life a Gatsby-era romance.

13. Most thought provoking/life changing book of 2018?
The Feed by Nick Clark Windo was definitely a thought provoking read. An end of the world story after technology goes wrong it really made me think about society and our reliance on technology as well as how addicted we are to our phones. It’s a brilliant story and definitely one that’s stuck with me through 2018.

14. Favourite passage/quote from a book you read in 2018?
I don’t really do favourite quotes or anything like that but this one from My Sister, the Serial Killer definitely stuck out:

“The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder.”

15. Shortest and longest book you read in 2018?
My shortest was Warm Up by V. E. Schwab – a short story set in the world of Vicious at just 15 pages. The longest book I read was my reread of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at 744 pages.

16. Book that shocked you most?
Resin by Ane Riel. I have no idea what I was expecting with this book but it definitely wasn’t the twisted and spine tingling story that I read.

17. Best book you read based on someone else’s recommendation/peer pressure?
The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neil was recommended to me by a friend and I was a bit unsure but I’m so glad I picked it up because it’s a beautifully written reimagining of The Little Mermaid where she lives in a brutal patriarchal society.

18. Best debut you read?
This one has got to be A Blade So Black by L. L. McKinney. This kick ass Alice in Wonderland retelling is so full of action and adventure that it definitely became one of my favourites of the year.

19. Most vivid world building/setting?
For me Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron really stuck out. Set in Edinburgh the story really captured the heart of a city I love so it was brilliant to fall into this book.

20. Book that put a smile on your face/was the most fun to read?
I laughed so much at The Exact Opposite of Okay. It was a hilarious story and I’m so excited to see what Laura Steven brings out next!

21. Hidden Gem of the year?
I really loved Harley Quinn: Mad Love. This is an all new novel version of Harley’s origin story and it was brilliant to dive into a full length tale of how she becomes one of my favourite comic book characters.

22. Book that crushed your soul?
I’m probably starting to sound like a broken record but The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden. I’m probably never going to get over it.

23. Most unique read?
It took me so long to pick up Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Ami Kaufman but I’m so glad I did because the format is completely unlike anything I’ve ever read and I loved ever second of it.

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2018 that is first priority in 2019?
Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. I’ve put them off long enough and I really want to get to them before King of Scars comes out because I believe there are potential spoilers!

2. Book you are most anticipating (non-debut)?
My most anticipated release was The Wicked King by Holly Black. This post went up a little late so I’ve already read it but it was definitely worth the wait. Other than that I’m excited about A Curse so Dark and Lonely and All the Wandering Light!

3. Series ending/sequel you are most anticipating in 2019?
Bloodchild by Anna Stephens. This is the concluding book in the Godblind trilogy and INEEDITNOWW.

4. One thing you hope to accomplish in 2019?
Blog more consistently and try to post at least a few times a week instead of sporadically.

5. A 2019 release you’ve read already and recommend?
Stain by A. G. Howard. A gothic fairytale fantasy story, this book is really beautifully written and I think fans of her work are going to absolutely adore this one.

So that’s my 2018 reading survey! If you did a similar post I’d love to see your bookish stats for the year so send me a link!

Book Review: Shell – Paula Rawsthorne

January 25, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments

Release Date: January 4th 2018
Publisher: Scholastic Books
Pages: 416
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5

Synopsis

What if you thought you had died, only to wake up to find that your brain and eyes had been transplanted into someone else’s body?

When Lucy, a teen diagnosed with terminal cancer wakes up cancer-free, it should be a dream come true. But faced with a life she didn’t choose and trapped in a new body, Lucy must face the biggest question of all . . . How far would you go to save the one you love?

Review

This book was so freaky. Imagine waking up in someone else’s body, but with your personality and all your memories? All your friends think you’re dead and you have to pretend to be someone else. Could you do it?

2018 marks the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and I couldn’t think of a better celebration than this fantastic retelling. This book is quite fast paced, developing quickly as Lucy adapts to her new life in a new body. I really like Lucy as a main character, she was flawed and at times difficult, but that made her all the more realistic. I also found her parents really complex and fascinating, attempting to understand their motivations and looking at how far they will go to keep their daughter alive.

Shell touches on a lot of different themes, doing what’s right, finding yourself, friendship, bravery and family are just some of them. These really help to hook you in, and I definitely felt for Lucy and her struggle to keep going despite everything she’s been through. She has to make a lot of tough decisions, but the book is all the more intense and gripping for that reason.

Shell definitely also has some twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The ending is quite a surprise and definitely gives you some food for thought. At times I found the book pretty dark and gory, but also dramatic and addictive. This is a superb modern retelling, and if you’re looking for something different to read, or you’re a fan of Mary Shelley’s version, you definitely need to give this a try.

Blog Tour: Slay On Tour – Kim Curran

January 24, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 3 Comments

Series: SLAY #2 (See my review of the first book in the series here!)
Release Date: January 10th 2019
Publisher: Usborne
Pages: 304
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review

Synopsis

SLAY are BACK…and this time they’re headed to Tokyo to track down another hell-raising demon. When they’re invited on tour with a super-cool band of holographic girls, SLAY find themselves whisked off around Japan – until strange things start happening on their tour train. Suddenly it seems it’s not just SLAY’s fans following their every move…

Review

Slay are back with even more adventures and demon killing! I read the first book in this series last year and adored it so I was so excited to get back to this fun and exciting story. This time round the band are in Tokyo and are joined by a band of holographic girls. Of course some odd things start happening and the band find themselves dealing with a new enemy – what could possibly go wrong?

Reading the first book I fell in love with Milly and the band and it was so wonderful to be back following their story again. Milly has become a member of the band and it’s wonderful to see her character develop as she takes on the role of Milo. The characters are all really well fleshed out and I love all the banter and fun moments between the band and of course their manager Gail.

As can be expected the story is full to the brim with action and adventure and I loved the sense of mystery – attempting to discover who was behind all the goings on. There were a few twists and turns too which definitely kept me hooked and eager to know more. I loved the new setting for this story, Curran weaves in the sights and sounds of Japan and it adds for another fascinating layer to this addictive tale.

Curran creates a multi-layered plot with the demon slaying, the band leading a double life, Milly pretending to be a boy and love triangle that has been developing throughout both books. I loved the way it all meshed together to create such a fun and exhilarating story. If you’re looking for a fun and fresh new series, these books are perfect for a weekend binge read.

Blog Tour: The Puppet Show – M. W. Craven

January 23, 2019January 20, 2019 by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 5 Comments

Series: Washington Poe #1
Release Date: 24th January 2019
Publisher: Constable
Pages: 352
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review.

Synopsis

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless.

When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of.

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant but socially awkward civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive…

Review

M. W. Craven’s The Puppet Show is the definition of gripping.

This dark and twisted thriller follows disgraced officer Washington Poe who is brought back into the force after a serial killer begins burning people alive in the Lake District. After discovering his name carved into one of the victims, Poe is forced to team up with analyst Tilly Bradshaw in an effort to uncover who is behind these murders and what that has to do with Poe.

This first in a new crime series is everything you could possibly want in a thriller novel. I read it so quickly because it was so fast paced and intense. When I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about what could possibly happen next. The Puppet Show features quite a few twists that I never saw coming and the finale was brilliantly executed.

I won’t say too much about the plot because I this is definitely the type of book to go in knowing as little as possible. One of the things that really caught my attention about this (other than the terrifying plot), was the immense amount of character development in The Puppet Show. Washington and Tilly are a really fascinating duo and I loved watching them work together to uncover the truth behind these murders. Washington is your tough rogue cop kind of character but pairing him with intelligent and super awkward Tilly makes for a really interesting dynamic.

In all honesty The Puppet Show is one of my favourite crime thrillers in a very long time. It will have you on the edge of your seat and you’ll be desperate for more of Washington Poe. Luckily the next instalment is due in June – so you don’t have too long to wait!