Series: Monstrous Heart Trilogy #2
Release Date: April 2nd 2020
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3/5 stars
Synopsis
When Arden Beacon is sent to the lighthouse, she is simply a woman with a job to do. She neither seeks, nor expects, distraction. After years tainted by disappointment, Arden is finally taking up her family’s profession. She must prove herself worthy of her name, for she has nothing else.
But the coast she has been tasked with lighting is far from the world she knows – the salt-swept, backwater town of Vigil is battered by a sea teeming with colossal, ancient beasts. It is a place of secrets, rumours and tight-lipped expectations of a woman’s place.
More than anyone, the folk of Vigil whisper about Arden’s new neighbour, Jonah Riven, hunter of leviathans. He murdered his wife, they whisper – a perfect, golden girl, full of charm and potential. So very different to Arden Beacon.
They say he is as much a monster as his prey, but Arden cannot get this dark stranger out of her head.
A sensational debut novel perfect for fans of Outlander and The Binding. This is gothic, epic, romantic fantasy at it’s very best; a tale of magic, intrigue on dangerous waters.
Review
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 generally love books that are set on and around the sea so I was completely fascinated by the premise of this story. McKenna has a really gorgeous and lyrical writing style, one that catapults the reader into this unique world. I was most intrigued by the magic and the sea creatures though I did at times feel there wasn’t enough world building to really explain how it works. I did feel a bit lost in parts which pulled me out of the story.
Arden is a great main character, she’s complex and stubborn, determined to do what she thinks is right and uncover the mysteries surrounding Jonah Riven. The romance was a central part of the story but I was more interested in the other things that were going on. The story is an intriguing one and fans of books such as Outlander will absolutely love this one. Whilst I did get a bit lost I overall enjoyed the story and am intrigued to find out where things will go in book two.
For Your Own Good is the latest novel from thriller writer Samantha Downing. I’ve always wanted to try a book by Samantha Downing but hadn’t had the chance to pick one up. This sounded like a really intriguing read and I ended up being hooked immediately. This is a fast-paced story, full of twists and turns. The short chapters had me turning pages faster and faster and I ended up reading late into the night to finish this in one sitting.
Nick is the beautiful and moving new novel from Michael Farris Smith and is a fascinating look at one of literature’s most famous characters. The story centres around Nick Carraway, the narrator from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. We meet Nick long before he moves to West Egg and follow him as he attempts to survive life in the trenches. Struggling with all he has seen, Nick puts off returning home and goes on a journey of self-discovery, visiting Paris before ending up in the wild streets of New Orleans.
When I first heard about Ringlander: The Path and the Way I was immediately intrigued – partly because of that stunning cover – but also because it sounded like such a unique and engaging tale. In a world in which holes are beginning to tear between worlds, we follow Kyira, a young girl trying to find her missing brother. Her search will take her away from everything she knows – her home in freezing Nord to the bustling streets of Tyr. As Kyira fights to find her brother and stay alive reality begins to tear, forcing her to choose between the things most important to her: her family or her path.
The Shadowing is the latest novel from Rhiannon Ward and this compelling tale follows Hester, a young woman who learns of her sister’s death in a workhouse. Determined to find out how her sister ended up in such a place, Hester travels to Southwell for answers. Hester is told her sister was pregnant and that they both died of cholera, despite there being no outbreak at the workhouse. Hester soon learns of children going missing from the workhouse, and a sinister pale lady who takes them. Hester must uncover what’s really going on in order to find out what really happened to her sister, but will she be strong enough to discover the truth?
The Winter Garden is the magical new book from Alex Bell and the story follows Beatrice, who receives an invitation to a magical garden on the night her mother dies. She spends seven days exploring this strange and beautiful place, but when she returns no one believes it was real. When eighteen years later Beatrice is arranged to marry an English Duke, someone her father very much approved on. Beatrice cannot face the idea of being married to him and cancels the wedding, heading off in search of the mysterious garden. When Beatrice and her friend Rosa receive invitations to compete in a competition to create the most brilliant pleasure gardens, they discover the prize is a wish from the last of the Winter Garden’s magic.
A Master of Djinn is the first book in P. Djèlí Clark’s Dead Djinn Universe. I’ve been making my way through the novellas and short stories in this world and I was incredibly excited to pick up this full-length novel. The story follows Fatma el-Sha’arawi, an agent in Egypt’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. When a secret brotherhood ends up murdered in mysterious circumstances, Agent Fatma is on the case. When the murderer claims to be al-Jahiz returned, Fatma must work with her colleagues and girlfriend Siti to uncover who the imposter is or risk the civil unrest in Cairo spreading over the globe.
That Night is the newest dark and twisty thriller from Gillian McAllister and follows the Plant family. Whilst on holiday in Italy, Joe and Cathy receive a phone call – their sister Frannie has killed a man and needs their help. They decide to bury the body, pretend nothing ever happened. But as the police start asking questions, Joe, Cathy and Frannie must do everything they can to keep the truth from spilling out. But can you trust your family?
Poison Priestess is the second instalment in Lana Popovic’s Lady Slayers series. I really enjoyed the first instalment in this series – Blood Countess – so I was intrigued to see where Popvic would take the series next. The story follows Catherine 
The Bibliophile Chronicles 