Tag: kat dunn

Blog Tour: Glorious Poison – Kat Dunn

Blog Tour: Glorious Poison – Kat Dunn

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Series: Battalion of the Dead #3 (See my review of book one  (Dangerous Remedy) and book two (Monstrous Design)
Release Date: June 9th 2022
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Pages: 432
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

The daring and dramatic conclusion to Kat Dunn’s epic C18th French Revolution trilogy ‘with lashings of lust, love, sacrifice, betrayal and horror’.

Robespierre is dead. The Reign of Terror is over.

As Royalist strength grows, the Duc de L’Aubespine plots a coup that will consign the revolution to history. With Olympe in his clutches, he believes nothing can stop him. But he’s reckoned without the intrepid Battalion of the Dead!

Reunited in Paris, Ada is poised for action – but if she plays her hand too soon, everything she’s sacrificed to gain his trust will be lost. Meanwhile, an unlikely alliance with an old enemy might be Camille’s only option to save Olympe and stop the duc in his tracks.

The glittering and macabre bals des victimes and the eerie catacombs make the perfect backdrop for the final episode of the Battalion’s tale.

Review

Glorious Poison is the third and final book in Kat Dunn’s brilliant Battalion of the Dead series. Picking up after the events of Monstrous Design, we follows Camille and her battalion as they attempt to rescue Olympe from the hands of the Duc and stop him from destroying the revolution.

For the last two years the installments of this series have been among my favourite books of the year, so Glorious Poison was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022. I absolutely did not want this series to end and ended up rereading books one and two over a weekend in preparation. Dunn has done an incredible job of bringing all the characters and story arcs together. The ending was everything I was hoping for and while I’m sad it’s over, I cannot wait to see what Kat Dunn writes next.

I won’t say much about the plot because it is the third book in the series, but safe to say there is plenty of action and moments that will have you on the edge of your seat. I love seeing the tricky situations the battalion finds themselves in and the clever ways they get out. I love the historical setting in this series and Dunn’s vivid and beautiful writing really brights the sights and sounds of 18th Century France to life.

While I absolutely love all the action and heists in this series, what has captivated me most throughout the three books are the brilliant characters. They have all gone on such a journey over the three books and I am so sad to say goodbye to them. Dunn brings the story to a satisfying conclusion and I think the battalion will forever be some of my favourite characters of all time. I am not particularly a romance person but I love the relationship between Ada and Camille. They’re both such fascinating characters dealing with secrets from their past and I really enjoyed the way Dunn developed their relationship over the course of the series.

Glorious Poison is a magnificent conclusion to an epic YA fantasy series. If you’re caught up with the series you absolutely need to pick up Glorious Poison. If you haven’t yet had the chance to pick up Dangerous Remedy, now is the perfect time to binge the entire trilogy.

Blog Tour: Monstrous Design – Kat Dunn

Blog Tour: Monstrous Design – Kat Dunn

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 1 Comment


Series: Battalion of the Dead #2 (See my review of book one here!)
Release Date: June 10th 2021
Publisher: Zephyr Books
Pages: 432
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

1794, London: Camille and Al are desperately hunting Olympe’s kidnapper. From the glamorous excesses of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens to the city’s seedy underbelly, they are caught in a dangerous game of lies and deceit. And a terrible new enemy lies in wait with designs more monstrous than they could ever imagine… Can Camille play on to the end or will she be forced to show her hand?

In Paris, the Duc is playing his own dangerous games. With Ada in his thrall, old loyalties are thrown into question. The Battalion are torn apart as never before, and everything – Ada’s love for Camille, her allegiance to the battalion itself – is under threat.

Review

Monstrous Design is the second instalment in Kat Dunn’s thrilling Battalion of the Dead series. The story picks up right after the events of Dangerous Remedy. We follow Camille and Al as they attempt to get Olympe back and we follow Ada and Guil as they attempt to find where the Duc is hiding out. As the stakes get higher alliances are soon called into question – but will the battalion of the dead be able to survive their latest adventure?

Dangerous Remedy was one of my favourite books of 2020. It was one of those books I still thought about months after reading it, and Monstrous Design was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. Monstrous Design is action-packed – it’s a rollercoaster ride that does not stop till the very last page. It’s a pretty fast-paced story and despite being nearly 500 pages I read it in a single day. Dunn really hooks the reader in with this addictive plot that’s full of twists – with everyone playing their own game I never quite knew what was going to happen next.

In Monstrous Design we are transported to England as well as France and Dunn really makes the sights and sounds of both cities come alive in the story. My favourite thing about Dangerous Remedy was the brilliant characters and that was definitely the same in Monstrous Design. I loved being back with the Batallion again and it was fascinating seeing how the characters grow in this second instalment. I think Al is still my favourite, but I honestly love them all. I also really liked getting to know James more and learning more about his motivations as a character. He was a really fascinating POV character – he is really complex and torn between loyalties. Like wise I loved Camille and Ada, they are such compelling characters and I think I could read a dozen books about the crew and their daring heists.

Monstrous Design is a brilliant sequel and I am incredibly excited to see where Kat Dunn will take us in book three. If you’ve been curious about this series I definitely recommend picking it up and if you’ve already read Dangerous Remedy, you need to pick up book two now!

Book Review: Dangerous Remedy – Kat Dunn

Book Review: Dangerous Remedy – Kat Dunn

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 3 Comments

July 23, 2019 (5)
Series: Dangerous Remedy #1
Release Date: May 5th 2020
Publisher: Zephyr Books
Pages: 432
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis

Camille, a revolutionary’s daughter, leads a band of outcasts – a runaway girl, a deserter, an aristocrat in hiding. As the Battalion des Mortes they cheat death, saving those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of Madame La Guillotine. But their latest rescue is not what she seems. The girl’s no aristocrat, but her dark and disturbing powers means both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries want her. But who and what is she?

In these dangerous days, no one can be trusted, everyone is to be feared. As Camille learns the truth, she’s forced to choose between loyalty to those she loves and the future.

Review

Copy of book cover (6)Dangerous Remedy is the first in an all new historical fantasy series, following Camille and her Battalion of the dead as they attempt to save innocent souls about to be executed. When a rescue mission goes wrong and the team discover that their innocent isn’t a young aristocrat girl but someone with mysterious powers the Battalion must fight off both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries to save themselves.

I absolutely loved this book. A captivating tale set in Revolutionary France, I quickly became completely engrossed in this story and ended up staying up till 3am to finish it. The story is cleverly weaved and the plot is exciting – if you’re a fan of heist novels you need to pick this one up immediately.

I don’t know much about France during that time period but it felt like an incredible amount of detail had gone into the setting of this novel. It really came alive in Dunn’s writing and it was so fascinating to learn more about the time period. Despite it being just short of 450 pages, it felt like an incredibly fast read and the ending has definitely left me dying to read the next instalment in the series.

One of the things I loved most about Dangerous Remedy are the captivating characters. I adored the romance between Camilla and Ada, especially as the story progressed and things grew more complicated. They’re fascinating characters, each dealing with their own difficult pasts. I also loved Al who is the perfect sarcastic and witty addition to the battalion.

Dangerous Remedy is a highly entertaining, roller coaster ride of a book. It’s full to the brim with adventure, magic and romance. Kat Dunn has written the perfect story to get completely lost in and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
5 Stars