Series: The Coldmaker Saga #1
Release Date: November 2nd 2017
Publisher: HarperVoyager
Pages: 337
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I listened to this on Scribd.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Synopsis
Eight hundred years ago, the Jadans angered the Crier. In punishment, the Crier took their Cold away, condemning them to a life of enslavement in a world bathed in heat.
Or so the tale goes.
During the day, as the Sun blazes over his head, Micah leads the life of any Jadan slave, running errands through the city of Paphos at the mercy of the petty Nobles and ruthless taskmasters.
But after the evening bells have tolled and all other Jadans sleep, Micah escapes into the night in search of scraps and broken objects, which once back inside his barracks he tinkers into treasures.
However, when a mysterious masked Jadan publicly threatens Noble authority, a wave of rebellion ripples through the city.
With Paphos plunged into turmoil, Micah’s secret is at risk of being exposed. And another, which has been waiting hundreds of years to be found, is also on the verge of discovery…
The secret of Cold.
Review
Daniel A. Cohen’s Coldmaker is an intriguing story set in the city of Paphos – a place where the sun burns bright and Cold is the most valuable commodity. Micah, a Jadan slave, is forced to run errands all over the city, enduring beatings and criticisms from the nobles and taskmasters. As Micah spends his nights sneaking out in search of bits and pieces to tinker with, he encounters much more than he expects. When rebellion begins sweeping through the Jadan barracks, Paphos is soon rife with tension. Will Micah be able to survive the rebellion and discover the secrets of the Cold?
Coldmaker has a really intriguing premise and I was fascinated by the world and the idea of cold being the most valuable thing in the city. The story was engaging and I enjoyed learning more about the world and the power structure in place. Micah is an interesting protagonist – he’s a very likable character who wants to help make the lives of his fellow Jadans easier. Whilst I really liked Micah I didn’t really connect with any of the secondary characters and I wasn’t the biggest fan of Shilah who I found a bit on the irritating side.
Coldmaker is an enjoyable read, one that ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I’m intrigued to see where the series will go from here. If you’re a fan of dystopian YA books like The Hunger Games this will be a book you absolutely fall in love with.
Monstrous Heart is the beautifully written story of lighthouse keeper Arden Beacon. Finally taking up the profession she has always wanted, Arden travels to the coastal town of Vigil to take up her post, but things are not all that they seem – townspeople whisper that Arden’s neighbour Jonah murdered his wife, but can Arden discover the truth?
I read The Deep by Rivers Solomon last year and it was such a beautiful and haunting read that I was excited to try more from this author. The story follows Vern, a young woman fleeing the remote religious compound she has lived in all her life. She gives birth to two babies and tries to raise them without the influence of the compound or the outside world. As Vern and her babies fight for survival she soon learns something is wrong with her body. Not only is she experiencing hauntings, but her body is changing, making her more powerful than she ever thought possible. But the group she fled from will not let her go easily and for Vern to survive she must become more than she ever imagined.
The Heiress is a beautiful historical fiction tale that follows Anne de Bourgh, a side character from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Anne is the heir to her father’s estate and has spent much of her child under the influence of laudanum. From a young age she has been promised to her cousin Fitzwilliam Darcy. When Darcy’s engagement to Ms Elizabeth Bennett is announced Anne is cast aside and wonders what will become of her future. In order to escape the control of her mother Anne flees to London and takes up residence with her cousin John. Whilst there she shakes off the influence of her ‘medicine’ and takes her first steps into London society but will that be enough to allow her to take up the mantle of mistress of Rosings Park?
Good Morning, Midnight is an end of the world story following two different characters as they attempt to survive. Augustine is an astronomer living in a remote research facility who refused to evacuate with the rest of the scientists. Left alone he soon discovers a child named Iris who has been left behind. All alone Augustine must learn to care for the child and ensure their survival. Sully is a Mission Specialist onboard the ship Aether as it returns from a research mission on Jupiter. With no contact with Earth below them, they question what has happen on Earth and if the team will ever get home.
The Canary Keeper is the dark and compelling story of set in Victorian London. When a body is discovered on the banks of the the Thames an eye witness claims that the killer’s accomplice is a young Irish woman living London. Her father was hanged for murder and soon she becomes caught up in the murder, with the police accusing her of being the killer’s accomplice. In order to clear her name Birdie has to flee for her life and to trace the footsteps of the man she is accused of killing. Her search takes her to the remote town of Orkney where she begins to find that there is more to this murder than she could possibly have realised.
The Elite is the second book in The Selection series, and picks up straight after the events of book one. We continue to follow America Singer as she participates in the competition to be the wife of Prince Maxon. As the number of girls competing whittles down the stakes become higher, but so do the secrets.
The Cold is in Her Bones is the dark and compelling Medusa retelling you didn’t know you needed.
Magic For Liars first caught my eye when I saw it described as ‘Veronica Mars at Hogwarts’ and while this is a murder mystery set at a magic school, the story was very different from what I expected. Dark and twisty, the story follows Private Investigator Ivy Gamble as she is asked to investigate the death of a teach at a secret magic school. A school where it just so happens her estranged twin sister Tabitha works. Struggling to uncover the truth when everyone around her has magic and she doesn’t, Ivy must face the truths of who she is, and use everything she’s got to uncover who carried out such a gruesome murder.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 