Series: Valkyrie #1
Release Date: January 2nd 2018
Publisher: Pan Macmillian
Pages: 319
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher sent me a copy of this book to review.
Rating: 4.75 stars
Synopsis
As one of Odin’s Valkyries, Malin’s greatest responsibility is to slay immortals and return them to the underworld. The balance of the world rests on her ability to carry out orders. But when Malin discovers that her mother spared the life of an immortal who was destined to die, her world is thrown into chaos.
As Malin wrestles with the knowledge that her mother might not be who she thought, she’s also thrust into the path of a gorgeous blue-eyed guy named Asher who needs her help slaying the rogue immortal who destroyed his family. Malin, along with her best friend and her ex-girlfriend, must decide where her loyalties lie…and whether helping Asher enact his revenge is worth the risk—to the world and to her heart.
Review
Amanda Hocking is an author that has been on my radar for a long time, I own a few of her books but I’ve never gotten around to reading them. I know so many people love the Trylle Trilogy so I was definitely looking forward to giving this a go. I loved this fast paced and exciting read and I am now definitely going to be catching up on all of Amanda’s books that I missed.
I always enjoy books with Norse mythology and Between the Blade and the Heart is chalk full of myths and legends. I loved the level of detail that Hocking put in, the story feels well plotted out and well researched. I also loved the dark, dank setting of a world full of demons and creatures. The world building is an odd mix, with run down buildings and dingy bars but also hovering bikes and other technology.
The book of course has plenty of action and fighting scenes, but there’s also a fair bit of romance too. I’m normally not that big a fan of romance heavy books but I felt the romance unfolded naturally and it wasn’t too in your face. I also really liked the characters. Our main protagonist Malin is a Valkyrie in training, learning her trade as well as school and dealing with a less than affectionate mother, she makes for a really fascinating character. She’s strong and brash and often tends to have her mind on things other than the end of the world. I thought she was a great flawed and likeable character. Joining her is a cast of secondary characters who were well fleshed out and definitely added an interesting mix to the story.
I really enjoyed this fun book and ended up reading it really quickly. If you like your books fast paced and full of action, you’re bound to enjoy Between the Blade and the Heart. Your only problem will be waiting for the release of book two!
The one thing I found about both We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud is that they were pretty quick reads. Genuine Fraud is just over 250 pages and tells the story of two young women, Imogen and Jule and their lives over the course of their friendship.The story is told in a series of different chapters which jump in time. I found this really grating, especially when I put the book down for a while and went back to it. I imagine some people will love this non-traditional way of telling a story but it wasn’t really for me.
The book is told from the perspective of young Zach, who is a powerful and fascinating protagonist. Navin does a fantastic job of bringing him to life, Zach along with the rest of the characters feel very realistic and complex, each dealing with their own complex emotions and grief as they deal with all that has happened. I definitely felt myself becoming attached to Zach, you feel for this clever young boy as he retreats into his books and drawings, while his parents attempt to cope with their grief.
Series: Tales From Algaesia #1
second part of the book being a memoir of the witch Angela. This part was particularly intriguing because it was written by Angela Paolini who was the inspiration for that character in the original books.
I’ve seen this book described elsewhere as a ‘fairy tale for grown ups’ and I think that’s incredibly accurate. In many ways it has that beautiful dream like quality, but with something darker lurking underneath. The story spans through two World Wars, and the effect that has on the emporium. The Toymakers is definitely the kind of book that you want to read when you have a good few hours just to sit and become completely absorbed in the story.
One of the things I really love about C. L. Taylor’s books is that they always keep me guessing. Psychological thrillers can sometimes be really predictable, but with The Fear I was constantly second guessing myself, completely unsure of what was going to happen next. This is an imaginative and twisty thriller and fans of Taylor’s work will no doubt enjoy it immensely.
To Kill A Kingdom – Alexandra Christo
Wild Magic – Tamora Pierce
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass – Lewis Carroll
There are some really interesting parts of the book, the last chapter which discuses her search for her family history is fascinating, as well as her personal stories about dealing with mental health however I had hoped that it would be an examination of mental health and a look at the science behind it, but it felt much more like a self help book for me. I also didn’t find many of the stories funny and this lessened my enjoyment of the book.
Surrounding the stories are a series of emails between Dani, the person trying to piece together the story and Quincey Harker, son of Jonathan and Mina from the original story. I thought this was an excellent touch and really brought the five stories together. While there’s only five stories in the book, I read through them pretty slowly, taking my time to really enjoy the different ideas.
This was a really fun and enjoyable read. The story is told in alternating points of view between the two characters and I really liked seeing things from each characters perspective. To Kill a Kingdom is a dark and sinster retelling of The Little Mermaid, but it is so much more gripping and enticing than the Disney version. The plot draws you in early on and I was eager to know how the story was going to end. I really liked our two main characters though I would have loved the opportunity to get more from the cast of secondary characters. Elian’s sister, Madrid and Khalia. I really enjoyed the banter between the Elian and Lira, and it was interesting watching their relationship develop,
The Bibliophile Chronicles 