Tag: book review

Book Review: The Rise of the West – Gregory Kontaxis

Book Review: The Rise of the West – Gregory Kontaxis

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: The Dance of Light #3
Release date: May 23rd 2025
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 524
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: The author kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

The soil beyond Wirskworth’s walls is blood-stained after Elliot’s last battle against Walter’s forces. Though the enemy was defeated once again, the war is far from over. Elliot’s army lies in ruins, and no allies remain in the kingdom.

As Elliot searches for a way out with Aleron and Sophie in Elmor, devastating news arrives—a loved one has been murdered, and Walter’s power has reached unprecedented heights. The truth behind these events remains elusive, but one thing is clear—the end is fast approaching.

The darkest chapter in The Dance of Light series is set to alter the fate of Knightdorn forever.

Review

The third installment in the Dance of Light is here, and it’s the darkest one yet.

Following on from the events in book two, Elliot has defeated Walter Thorn’s forces once more, but this definitely isn’t the end – Elliot’s army is decimated and he has very few places to turn. Will our hero be able to stop Walter before it’s too late and what will the cost be?

The Dance of Light series is one that I’ve had on my TBR for a little while now so with the release of book three I decided to binge all three books (plus the prequel novella). I ended up binging the whole series in a week because this was such a gripping, action-packed fantasy tale.

Book three is definitely the darkest installment yet, and I found it particularly gripping. It’s full to the brim with political maneuvering, vivid battle scenes and some twists I absolutely did not see coming. If you love classic fantasy mixed with some Greek mythology woven in, you definitely don’t want to miss this series.

Kontaxis does a brilliant job creating this really intriguing world that feels real. Knightdorn feels like it has a rich history and I love all the different mythical creatures we meet. In terms of characters, I have really grown attached to them over the course of the three books, and I’ve loved seeing Elliot grow as a character as the story has progressed. I really enjoyed Kontaxis’s writing style and I am already counting down the days till the release of book four. If you’re looking for a series that will take you on an epic journey, with characters you can’t help but root for, now is the perfect time to pick up all three books in The Dance of Light series.

Book Review: Blood on Her Tongue – Johanna Van Veen

Book Review: Blood on Her Tongue – Johanna Van Veen

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: March 25 2025
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Pages: 368
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

“I’m in your blood, and you are in mine…”

The Netherlands, 1887. Lucy’s twin sister Sarah is unwell. She refuses to eat, mumbles nonsensically, and is increasingly obsessed with a centuries-old corpse recently discovered on her husband’s grand estate. The doctor has diagnosed her with temporary insanity caused by a fever of the brain. To protect her twin from a terrible fate in a lunatic asylum, Lucy must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister’s condition, but it’s clear her twin is hiding something. Then again, Lucy is harboring secrets of her own, too.

Then, the worst happens. Sarah’s behavior takes a turn for the strange. She becomes angry… and hungry.

Lucy soon comes to suspect that something is trying to possess her beloved sister. Or is it madness? As Sarah changes before her very eyes, Lucy must reckon with the dark, monstrous truth, or risk losing her forever.

Review

Blood on Her Tongue is a dark and intriguing gothic horror tale that follows a woman named Lucy who is travelling to stay with her twin sister Sarah who has become unwell. When Lucy arrives she finds Sarah is deathly ill and has been diagnosed with temporary insanity caused by a brain fever. Lucy’s terrified Sarah will be committed to a lunatic asylum, but when Sarah starts acting even more strange Lucy discovers just what lengths she will go to in order to protect her sister.

This was a really fascinating story and it felt like such a unique take on a gothic vampire tale. Veen does a brilliant job creating a really tense, creepy atmosphere and I really enjoyed that this was set in The Netherlands in the 1800s. I really enjoyed Veen’s beautiful writing style and the story was well paced. I did think the latter half of the book was a bit chaotic and far fetched in places, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this sinister story.

Blood on Her Tongue very much explores the sibling dynamic and I loved seeing how their relationship evolved as the story progressed. Their relationship was often messy and chaotic and I really liked the way Veen portrayed that. This is a dark and bloody tale and I was completely fascinated by the bog bodies – something I’d never heard about until I read this book. If you’re looking for a Victorian horror tale with vivid writing, an atmospheric setting and well developed characters, you won’t want to miss Blood on Her Tongue.

Book Review: (Don’t) Call Mum – Matt Wesolowski

Book Review: (Don’t) Call Mum – Matt Wesolowski

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: May 8th 2025
Publisher: Wild Hunt Books
Pages: 93
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me an E-ARC to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

HE ALWAYS COMES FOR YOU…

Leo is just trying to catch his train back home to the village of Malacstone in North East England. But there’s disorder at the station, and when a loud young man heading for London boards the train accidentally, a usually easy journey descends into darkness and chaos. The train soon breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and as night falls, something…or someone steps out of the distance. Is it a man or something far more sinister?
When one of the passengers goes missing, Leo fears that a folkloric tale whispered to him in childhood might be the culprit.

Review

(Don’t) Call Mum is a tense and gripping novella that follows Leo as he catches a train back to his home in Malacstone in the North East of England. There’s a disgruntled passenger who got on the train by mistake and things are tense onboard the carriage. When the train breaks down in the middle of nowhere as night falls, Leo and the passenger begin to sense something sinister. Is it just being stuck in the middle of nowhere? Or is there something far more sinister trying to board the train?

I absolutely loved Matt Wesolowski’s Six Stories series so I was very intrigued to pick up something else by this author. This little novella is dark, compelling, and best devoured in a single, heart pounding sitting. I was completely glued to the story and I could not look away from the page. Wesolowski does an incredible job of building this tense, eerie atmosphere that just builds and builds throughout the story. I loved the slightly claustrophobic train setting and the way Wesolowski was able to create captivating, well developed characters in such a short amount of pages. There’s Leo – who’s travelling home, thinking about his past and how life didn’t turn out quite how he thought. There’s Angus – the loud, angry young man who got on the wrong train. He’s exceptionally rude and it was so easy to instantly dislike him. I thought Jodie was also an interesting character, someone Leo befriends as they are struck on this strange train journey.

One of the things I really enjoyed about Six Stories was the way Wesolowski was able to craft these scenes that genuinely frightened me and the same was true about (Don’t) Call Mum. There are definitely a few moments that sent a shiver up my spine and had me on the edge of my seat. This is a captivated, excellently crafted tale so if you’re looking for a horror novella that’s dark, tense and chilling, this one should without a doubt be your next read.

Book Review: The Devils – Joe Abercrombie

Book Review: The Devils – Joe Abercrombie

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: The Devils #1
Release date: May 6th 2025
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 512
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Europe stares into the abyss.

Plague and famine stalk the land, monsters lurk in every shadow and greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions. Only one thing is certain: the elves will come again, and they will eat everyone.

Sometimes, only the darkest paths lead towards the light. Paths on which the righteous will not dare to tread…

And so, buried beneath the sacred splendour of the Celestial Palace, is the secret Chapel of the Holy Expediency. For its congregation of convicted monsters there are no sins that have not been committed, no lines that will not be crossed, and no mission that cannot be turned into a disastrous bloodbath.

Now the hapless Brother Diaz must somehow bind the worst of the worst to a higher cause: to put a thief on the throne of Troy, and unite the sundered church against the coming apocalypse.

When you’re headed through hell, you need the devils on your side.

Review

Lord Grimdark is back with a new book, and it’s a wild ride.

The story follows the Chapel of the Holy Expediency – a secret order of monsters who are sent on a mission to escort a long lost princess back to Troy in order to reclaim the throne and stop the coming apocalypse. There is no line these monsters won’t cross, no sin they won’t commit – what could possibly go wrong?

I completely devoured this book and it is without a doubt going to be my favourite book of 2025. Full of Abercrombie’s trademark humour, I could not put this book down. The story is compelling and cleverly executed – the premise hooked me in straight away and the story was full of action and adventure. There is of course plenty of intense battle scenes and bucketfuls of gruesome, gritty moments.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story of this book, where The Devils truly shines is the incredible cast of characters. I’ve come to expect exceptional character work from Joe Abercrombie but I think Abercrombie outdid himself in this novel. I completely fell in love with this group of misfits – there’s a magician, a werewolf, a vampire and an elf. I loved the utter chaos the group created as they band together in an attempt to survive this epic journey. This is such a compelling cast of characters and I cannot wait to see where Abercrombie takes them in book two.

The Devils is a wildly addictive, entertaining read. It’s a book that will have you on the edge of your seat, with characters you can’t help but root for. The Devils is a book you absolutely do not want to miss and I am counting down the days until the release of the next instalment.

Book Review: Eerie Exhibits – Victoria Williamson

Book Review: Eerie Exhibits – Victoria Williamson

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: March 6 2025
Publisher: Silver Thistle Press
Pages: 225
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: I received a copy of this book as part of The Write Reads review tour
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Five unnerving tales of the weird and uncanny from award-winning author Victoria Williamson.

A room full of screaming butterflies.
An unsettling smile on the face of a carved sarcophagus.
A painting that draws its viewer into the disturbing past.
A stuffed bear that growls in the dead of night.
And a shell that whispers more sinister sounds than the sigh of the sea…

Dare you cross the threshold of the old Museum and view its eerie exhibits?

Review

Eerie Exhibits is a collection of strange and unnerving short stories that all centre around the exhibits in an old museum. This is a dark and gripping collection of tales that were incredibly well crafted and entertaining.

All five of the stories are set in the same museum and some of the same characters are mentioned in multiple stories. I enjoyed all five stories immensely and I thought Williamson did a terrific job of creating a tense, uneasy atmosphere throughout the stories. These horror tales explore both supernatural horror and the horror of real life, with the stories focusing on a range of subjects including grief and parental abuse. Williamson does a magnificent job creating complex characters that feel well fleshed out in only a small number of pages.

The stories are well written and while short, each one manages to pack a punch. My favourite of the five stories had to be Et In Arcadia Ego, which was an incredibly compelling story with a few moments that sent a shiver up my spine. I also found it fascinating that Williamson took some of her inspiration from trips to Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow. Being local to the museum, it is somewhere I have visited many times and after reading these I am definitely planning to visit again soon. A gripping short story collection, Eerie Exhibits is a terrific read if you’re looking for something short and creepy, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Victoria Williamson.

Book Review: The Price of Power – Michael Michel

Book Review: The Price of Power – Michael Michel

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Dreams of Dust and Steel #1
Release date: April 2nd 2025
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 700
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: The author kindly sent me an E-ARC to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Prince Barodane could not hold back the darkness. Not even in himself. He laid an innocent city in its grave and then died a hero.

In his absence, war whispers across the land.

Power-hungry highborn dispatch spies and assassins to the shadows as they maneuver for the throne, while an even greater threat rises in the South. Monsters and cultists flock to the banners of a mad prophet determined to control reality…and then shatter it.

Destiny stalks three to the brink of oblivion.

A dead prince who isn’t dead. Barodane buried his shameful past in a stupor of drugs, drink, and crime. Now, he’d rather watch the world fall apart than wear the crown again.

An orphan with hero’s blood who’s forced to make a harrowing betray her country or sacrifice her first love.

And a powerful seer who has no choice at all–her grandson must die.

If any of them fails to pay the price…

The cost will be the world’s complete annihilation.

Review

The Price of Power is the first in a new epic fantasy series that follows three main characters – a mad Prince who everyone thinks is dead, living a life full of drugs and crime, a princess destined to inherit the throne but afraid she won’t live up to her family name and a powerful seer with no choice but to kill her grandson.  If they fail in their quests the world will end, but what will it cost them to succeed?

This book absolutely sucked me in right from the very first chapter and I did not want to put this one down. The Price of Power is the sort of book that has you so addicted that you dive back into the book at any opportunity, even if only for a few minutes. I adored this book and it will without a doubt be one of my favourite reads of 2025. This is a dark tale that I thought was well paced and executed really well, the plot was gripping and the last hundred pages or so of the book had me on the edge of my seat. I also thought the world building was excellent, it felt incredibly detailed and well fleshed out and very much gave me A Song of Ice and Fire vibes.

The Price of Power is very much a character driven story and I grew really attached to the complex characters that Michel has created in this story. I really liked all of our main characters but the one that stuck out most for me is Prince Barodane. He is a character struggling with grief and the mistakes he has made and he was overall just a fascinating character. I also really liked Ishoa and her ice tiger Rakeema. Each character felt very distinct and I am so excited (and a little scared) to see what will happen to them all in the next installment in the series.

If you love fantasy stories that are full of political intrigue, bloody action and captivating, compelling characters this is definitely a book you do not want to miss. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I am counting down the days till the release of book two.

Book Review: Rose/House – Arkady Martine

Book Review: Rose/House – Arkady Martine

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: March 11 2025
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 128
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

Basit Deniau’s houses were haunted to begin with.

A house embedded with an artificial intelligence is common. A house that is an artificial intelligence, infused in every load-bearing beam and fine marble tile with a thinking creature that is not human? That is something else altogether. But now Deniau’s been dead a year, and Rose House is locked up tight, as commanded by the architect’s all his possessions and files and sketches are confined in its archives, and their only keeper is Rose House itself. Rose House, and one other.

Dr. Selene Gisil, one of Deniau’s former protégé, is permitted to come into Rose House once a year. She alone may open Rose House’s vaults, look at drawings and art, talk with Rose House’s animating intelligence all she likes. Until this week, Dr. Gisil was the only person whom Rose House spoke to.

But even an animate intelligence that haunts a house has some failsafes common to all AIs. For all AIs must report the presence of a dead body to the nearest law enforcement agency.

There is a dead person in Rose House. The house says so. It is not Basit Deniau, and it is not Dr. Gisil. It is someone else. Rose House, having completed its duty of care and informed Detective Maritza Smith of the China Lake police precinct that there is in fact a dead person inside it, dead of unnatural causes—has shut up.

No one can get inside Rose House, except Dr. Gisil. Dr. Gisil was not in North America when Rose House called the China Lake precinct. But someone did. And someone died there. And someone may be there still.

Review

Rose/House is an engaging sci-fi thriller that centres on Rose House, the work of famous architect Basit Deniau. This AI house has been shut up since Deniau’s death a year ago, allowing only one person to visit – Dr. Selene Gisil, his former protégé. When the police receive a call from Rose House stating there is a dead body on the premises, Detective Maritza Smith has no choice but to investigate – but how did the person get in and more importantly, who killed him?

This little novella was such a fascinating read that I raced through it in a single sitting. I thought it had such an interesting premise and the story was so well executed. Martine keeps you guessing right till the end and I absolutely loved the way Martine built the tension and unease of Rose House.

This story is full to the brim with atmosphere and I really enjoyed Martine’s beautiful, dream like writing style. Rose/House is a really unique and compelling story and if you’re looking for a sci-fi thriller that will stick with you long after reading, you definitely don’t want to miss this one. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can’t wait to read more from Arkady Martine.

 

Book Review: Clockwork Boys – T. Kingfisher

Book Review: Clockwork Boys – T. Kingfisher

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Clocktaur War #1
Release Date: March 18 2025
Publisher: Titan Books
Pages: 288
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

In the first book of this touching and darkly comic duology, a paladin, a forger, an assassin and a scholar ride out of town on an espionage mission with deadly serious stakes.

When forger Slatee is convicted of treason, she faces a death sentence. But her unique gift for sniffing out magic (literally) earns her a reprieve—of sorts.

Along with a paladin, Caliban, possessed by a demon, her murderous ex-lover, and an irritating misogynist scholar, Slate sets off on a mission to learn about the Clockwork Boys, deadly mechanical soldiers from a neighbouring kingdom who have been terrorising their lands. If they succeed, rewards and pardons await, but they must survive a long journey through enemy territory to reach Anuket City.

And Slate has her own reasons to dread returning to her former home.

Slate and her crew aren’t the first to be sent on this mission. None of their predecessors have returned, and Slate can’t help but feel they’ve exchanged one death sentence for another. Her increasing closeness to Caliban isn’t helping for the first time in a long time, Slate might actually care about surviving.

Review

Clockwork Boys is the newest captivating fantasy release from T. Kingfisher and like all the T. Kingfisher books I’ve read in the past, I absolutely could not put this one down.

The story follows an unlikely group (headed by Slate the forger) as they attempt to infiltrate enemy lines and discover the secrets behind the clockwork boys – the mechanical soldiers that are destroying the kingdom’s army. The mission is likely a death sentence but can this ragtag ground band together to survive the mission and uncover the truth?

I really love Kingfisher’s beautiful writing and this book hooked me right from the very first chapter. This is an engrossing, well paced read and I thought the premise was such a fascinating idea. I cannot wait to see where the story will go in book two and I’m already counting down the days till it releases.

While I really enjoyed the plot of this story, my favourite aspect was the characters. I loved this little group and I really enjoyed seeing the dynamics between them, especially as the story progressed. I thought Slate was a brilliant main character and I particularly liked seeing how things developed between Slate and Caliban.

Clockwork Boys is a unique, engaging fantasy tale, full of T. Kingfisher’s trademark wit and banter. If you’re looking for an entertaining adventure story that will keep you hooked till the very last page, you won’t want to miss Clockwork Boys.

Book Review: The Land of the Living and the Dead – Shauna Lawless

Book Review: The Land of the Living and the Dead – Shauna Lawless

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Gael Song #3
Release date: September 12 2024
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Pages: 576
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

The old world will die in flames…

Ireland, 1011 AD. Brian Boru is now High King of Ireland. His queen, Gormflaith, instructs their young son in his heritage – but only on his mother’s side. For Gormflaith, an immortal Fomorian skilled in fire-magic, intends to finally defeat the Fomorians’ hated foes, the Descendants, and establish control over Ireland. And if King Brian stands in her way, so much the worse for him…

Fódla, the Descendants’ spy in King Brian’s camp, treads a wary path. She must protect her magically powerful young nephew from their leader, Tomas, who will do anything to achieve his aim of the Descendants returning to the mortal world and ruling Ireland. And Fódla is on dangerous ground, for she has broken one of the sacred rules of the she has fallen in love with a mortal.

As the schemes of Gormflaith and Tomas come to fruition, the only possible outcome is war. Ireland has bled red and often… but the coming clash will be a battle for the ages. Strange alliances will form, old defences will fail, and the land will never be the same again.

Review

The Land of the Living and the Dead is the third and final installment in Shauna Lawless’s Gael Song trilogy. Following on from the events of The Words of Kings and Prophets, we find Ireland on the brink of war. Gormflaith is determined to beat the Descendants and see her son crowned High King of Ireland. Meanwhile, Fódla does everything she can to protect her nephew from the Fomorian leader Tomas. Tomas wants nothing to see the Descendants ruling the world and will stop at nothing to achieve his aims, but as war continues to brew, who will be victorious?

I have thoroughly enjoyed each installment in this series and The Land of the Living and the Dead was no exception. Lawless has crafted such a compelling tale and I was completely swept along in this story. This final book felt quite quick paced, and there is tons of action. There is lots of scheming and political intrigue and Lawless definitely gave us a few twists that I wasn’t expecting. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion, though I must say the ending was not what I expected (in a good way). The ending has definitely made me excited to see what Lawless is going to write next.

Where this story really shines is the brilliantly vivid characters. I’ve grown really attached to the characters in this series and I really like them all. Fódla is a great protagonist, standing up for what is right, protecting those she loves, and doing her best to support the Descendants. As much as I enjoyed Fódla’s POV my favourite had to be Gormflaith. She is so clever and cunning, she is completely ruthless and she will do anything to get what she wants. I loved watching her plot and scheme to achieve her aims, she has a really strong narrative voice and I thought she was an exceptional character, and I think I could read another ten books with her as the main character.

Overall this is an incredibly well plotted historical fantasy series, full of beautiful writing, captivating characters, and a gripping premise. If you’re looking for a series that is rich in detail and will keep you engrossed right to the very last page, this is definitely a series you need to add to your TBR.

Book Review: Hungerstone – Kat Dunn

Book Review: Hungerstone – Kat Dunn

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: February 18 2025
Publisher: Manilla Press
Pages: 400
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley and I bought a physical copy from Waterstones
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

For what do you hunger . . .?

Lenore is the wife of steel magnate Henry, but ten years into their marriage the relationship has soured, and no child has arrived to fill the distance growing between them. Henry’s ambitions take them from London to Sheffield, and with his success hinged on a hunt, an old tradition looms over the home; the hunt is a time to settle old scores. If a bullet finds a human home, then it is only that they were foolish to become prey. In the weeks leading up to the hunt, a carriage accident near their remote home brings the mysterious Carmilla into Lenore’s life. Carmilla, who is weak and pale during the day but vibrant at night, Carmilla who will not eat meals with the family, Carmilla who stirs up a hunger deep within Lenore. Soon girls from local villages begin to fall sick before being consumed by a terrible hunger . . .

Set against the violent wilderness of the Peaks and the uncontrolled appetite of the industrial revolution Hungerstone is a compulsive feminist reworking of Carmilla, the book that inspired a captivating story of appetite and desire.

 

Review

Hungerstone is a dark and addictive gothic tale from Dangerous Remedy author Kat Dunn. The story follows a woman named Lenore – married ten years to her husband Henry, their relationship has since become strained as they have been unable to produce a child. When Henry buys a crumbling mansion in a remote part of Sheffield, Lenore is tasked with bringing the house to life in time for the arrival of a hunting party. When Lenore and Henry stumble upon a carriage accident, they invite the young woman involved to stay with them, but Carmilla is not all she seems to be and when strange things begin happening in the house Lenore begins to wonder what they really know about their mysterious house guest.

This is my fifth book from Kat Dunn and given that I’ve given all her previous books five stars, I was very excited to dive into this one. I have to say I was completely captivated by this tale and I could not put it down. Dunn has a beautiful, vivid writing style and the descriptions of the wild countryside and the old house practically leaped off the page. Hungerstone is very much a book that sticks with you long after reading and I still find myself thinking about this book after finishing it several weeks ago.

All the characters in this story are keeping secrets and I loved seeing the different dynamics play out between Lenore, Henry, Carmilla and Clara. Dunn does an absolutely magnificent job of creating this tense, uneasy atmosphere and I really felt that tension build as the story progresses. This is a dark story full of feminist rage and it will completely suck you in. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of 2025 and I can’t wait to see what Dunn does next. If you’re looking for a Carmilla retelling that will have you turning pages long into the night, Hungerstone is a book you absolutely do not want to miss.