A fantastical realm powered by stories, with a magical library connected to our own world through portals. Airships, life-giving elixirs, a mysteriousA fantastical realm powered by stories, with a magical library connected to our own world through portals. Airships, life-giving elixirs, a mysterious darkness descending on the world…
The realm of Silvyra is under threat from an old enemy, returned from supposed death to bring destruction to all realms - the mysterious Ash Man, or Suttaru. His army of creatures from the realm of dark stories are threatening to destroy all knowledge in the Great Library and the Tree of Life, and it’s up to the Sages of the Book of Wisdom, along with a few other adventurers, to defend the library and defeat the forces of darkness. Epic, right?
I was sent a copy of this book by Text Publishing to review, and I wasn’t really sure what to expect from it. The material said it was a tie-in for the Tomorrowland music festival, held each year in Belgium and occasionally in other locations around the world. Those who already know the festival may recognise themes including the Book of Wisdom or the Elixir of Life, but I’m sure there are countless more references I just didn’t catch.
The festival touts itself as having a “commitment to create a reality that relates positively with Mother Nature and contributes to the well-being of the next generations.” A lofty goal for sure, and I thought perhaps this book might be a light-hearted adventure, but the first few chapters are surprisingly dark, introducing us to the villains of this story and what they are capable of.
This story does not shy away from violence or heartbreak, but also carries an undercurrent of hope throughout. There are quite a few characters telling the story in multiple locations, but I quite enjoyed the multiple points of view. It almost felt like the scale of the worlds and people in them could have made a much longer book, but this is book one in a trilogy, after all.
The writing style is often beautiful and a pleasure to read, although the sheer volume of world-building here does mean there’s a fair amount of exposition crammed in as we discover new people or places. Still, I enjoyed the read, and will be interested to see where this tale travels next.
If you enjoy exciting quests set in a gorgeous magical/steampunk library dimension (let’s be honest, who wouldn’t?), definitely give The Great Library of Tomorrow a try. ...more
Birdie Down is a guns-blazing tale of a group of rebels in the Outer Rim, taking on the Lynthax Corporation. Scatkiewicz (or “Scat”) and his crew haveBirdie Down is a guns-blazing tale of a group of rebels in the Outer Rim, taking on the Lynthax Corporation. Scatkiewicz (or “Scat”) and his crew have hijacked a ship and attacked Corporation facilities on two worlds and are chased to a third. A group of rebels, led by Andrew “Birdie” Goosen, has crash landed a shuttle into the swampy jungle on the planet below. They must not only survive the Corporation forces searching for them, but also all the nasties that an alien world can throw at them.
Apparently this book was written for fun in only five weeks – if that is the case then Jim Graham has done a great job in a very short time. The start of the story thrusts the reader right into the action and there’s little time for character descriptions, but as the story moves on we get to know the crew better. Once the attack begins on Constitution, the action is exciting and non-stop, with plenty of alien creatures and gory bits.
This story is perfect for lovers of gritty sci-fi and fans of space opera will love it.
Merged review:
Birdie Down is a guns-blazing tale of a group of rebels in the Outer Rim, taking on the Lynthax Corporation. Scatkiewicz (or “Scat”) and his crew have hijacked a ship and attacked Corporation facilities on two worlds and are chased to a third. A group of rebels, led by Andrew “Birdie” Goosen, has crash landed a shuttle into the swampy jungle on the planet below. They must not only survive the Corporation forces searching for them, but also all the nasties that an alien world can throw at them.
Apparently this book was written for fun in only five weeks – if that is the case then Jim Graham has done a great job in a very short time. The start of the story thrusts the reader right into the action and there’s little time for character descriptions, but as the story moves on we get to know the crew better. Once the attack begins on Constitution, the action is exciting and non-stop, with plenty of alien creatures and gory bits.
This story is perfect for lovers of gritty sci-fi and fans of space opera will love it....more
Stinky Street Stories is a collection of four pongy stories, written by Alex Ratt (you may know her as Frances Watts, author of Kisses for Daddy), andStinky Street Stories is a collection of four pongy stories, written by Alex Ratt (you may know her as Frances Watts, author of Kisses for Daddy), and illustrated by Jules Faber. Brian and his mate Nerf to go war (unsuccessfully) with the girls of Sweet Street, and along the way have plenty of hilarious adventures. I’ve never seen my six-year-old laugh as long or hard as he did while we read this book together.
The language is fairly simple, but there are some trickier words now and then. It would suit a confident reader, perhaps from year two and older, but it’s perfect for reading together with an adult for younger ones....more
Esme’s Wish is Elizabeth Foster’s debut fantasy book for middle grade to young adult readers.
Esme’s mother was lost at sea, but Esme knows that can’t be the whole truth. When her father remarries and she’s left alone with her horrible aunt while the newlyweds are off on honeymoon, she decides to try to find out more about her mother’s disappearance. Accidentally swimming through a portal in a rock pool, Esme finds herself in Esperance, a place she’s only heard about in her mother’s stories.
Esme’s Wish is a delightful story of a vulnerable girl stepping into another world. She makes friends there, discovers new and terrifying creatures, and above all, follows the clues to try to discover what happened to her mother.
In this classic coming-of-age story, Esme finds her own gift, and uses it to help save the islands of Aeolia from destruction. Esme and her friends, Daniel and Lillian, are excellent characters, full of life and hope for their futures. As Esme discovers more about what her mother had been doing all her life, she goes through so many heartbreaking emotions. It reminded me that as we grow older, we realise that our parents are separate people with their own lives and desires.
Elizabeth’s writing style is lyrical and creates a sense of wonder about her descriptions, and although they can get a little flowery at times, the world building is detailed and beautiful. Also, there’s dragons and people who ride them, so I was going to love this book from the start.
I can’t wait to see what comes next in Esme’s story! If parallel worlds with mysterious creatures and island cities sounds like your thing, give Esme’s Wish a read....more
Shalia, a proud daughter of the desert, marries King Calix in order to buy her peReview originally posted on Tea in the Treetops blog in January 2018:
Shalia, a proud daughter of the desert, marries King Calix in order to buy her people protection. In the kingdom of the Bonelands, the elemental mages, called Elementae, have been hunted down over the years, and when Shalia starts to display powers of her own, she is terrified for her own safety. Wanting to believe that her husband is not as uncaring and cruel as he first appears, she attempts to make a difference to the lives of her oppressed subjects, but she soon finds out that to stand up to oppressors will take all the strength she has.
The premise of this book sounded amazing – a strong woman from an enlightened society, going into a patriarchy to shake things up (with a healthy dose of magic involved). While that is actually what happened to a certain degree, the first half of the book dragged, with the plot taking a while to get moving along.
Shalia’s early days at Calix’s palace are filled with naivety, and Calix is so awful a villain as to be almost cartoonish. I hate the way he calls her “wife” all the time, and even though I’m sure I’m meant to hate him, I found myself hoping for a crack of humanity there somewhere. I guess I prefer my bad guys to be a bit grey – like they’re redeemable. Not Calix. At least, not yet.
The romance, when it does appear, is slow-burning and rather delicious. I won’t say more on this in case it’s not obvious who I’m talking about, but you’ll work it out early on.
While the first half of the book was slow, the second half picked up considerably. Not only did events start moving forward, but they gradually took on a darker tone, including going so far as to include violence against children. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The final few chapters were nail-biting and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. If only the first half of this book were as epic as the final third!...more
Claire Christian's Beautiful Mess was the winner of the Text Prize for 2016, and for good reason.Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in October 2017:
Claire Christian's Beautiful Mess was the winner of the Text Prize for 2016, and for good reason. This important book examines the issues of depression and anxiety, but also grief of those left behind after a suicide.
It might sound like a grim start, and it is to a certain extent. Not my usual read at all, but Claire Christian has a delightfully Aussie voice to her writing that added so much light to the story, mostly through Gideon.
Ava is grieving for her friend, Kelly. Gideon is a socially awkward nerd, who also happens to write amazing slam poetry. They strike up their friendship initially through letters to one another, which really helps Ava to let go of the gruff persona she has taken on to deal with her trauma, and also to end the toxic relationship she'd been in with Kelly's brother, Lincoln.
I loved Gideon’s family. It's so nice to see positive family dynamics and his two mums were gorgeously in love. I wish there had been more in the story with Gideon’s family!
Beautiful Mess reinforces the message that you can't fix someone with anxiety or depression, just be there for them, listen when they need you, and give them space if they need it. It also examines positive ways to deal with anxiety and depression, including counselling, medication, and strategies.
Claire has created an authentic and informative book for young adults, while also an enjoyable read....more
Bleak is an orphan, making her living on the seas around Angove, plus whatever she can picReview posted on Tea in the Treetops blog in September 2017:
Bleak is an orphan, making her living on the seas around Angove, plus whatever she can pickpocket. Most of it goes on drink, to try to shut out the voices that drive her mad most of the time. But when Kings Soldiers show up to collect her, she has no choice but to leave her home and travel with them, towards the capital of Heathton. What could the King possibly want with her?
Heart of Mist is an excellent fantasy adventure – in fact, one of the best self-published fantasy books I’ve ever read. It has just the right mixture of interesting characters, complex storylines that weave together and hints at romance that I hope will be developed later.
I’m a sucker for a book with a map, and the map in Heart of Mist is just gorgeous. With a complex world covering several continents, there’s plenty of room to explore. The Amazons Valia Kindred were an interesting society – badass female warriors, with an interesting dynamic between the elite warriors and the others who live on the forest floor. Then there’s Swinton and Fiore. What a great bromance!
Bleak is surly, but also vulnerable. Her magic is an interesting gift -the ability to both read minds gently but also to shatter them. I’ll be interested to see how she develops from here.
The only downside to this book was that it built up and up, but then just ended before any major climax. Having said that, all the way through there were exciting scenes, and twists and turns and secrets around every bend. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two.
A big thanks to Helen for allowing me to read a copy of Heart of Mist for review. Cheers!...more
Krystal Sutherland's second book, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares (longest title ever)Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in October 2017:
Krystal Sutherland's second book, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares (longest title ever), is about anxiety, family breakdowns and despair, but it is also about hope, love and lobsters.
If you've been reading this blog for long, you'll know that I don’t often read Contemporary YA - I tend to stick to genre fiction. But when I do read contemp, this is what I like it to be. Quirky, eccentric, with a hint of magic that you're never quite sure is really there.
Esther Solar lives with her brother, Eugene, who is afraid of what lurks in the dark. Her father hasn’t left the basement for six years, and her mother is a compulsive gambler who is afraid of bad luck. Her family is cursed to have one great fear, which will eventually lead to their demise, thanks to her grandfather meeting a man claiming to be Death himself while serving in the Vietnam war.
One day while at the bus stop, Esther runs into her old friend and classmate Jonah Smallwood, who pickpockets her money and food. Next time she meets him, he asks her about the Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares he stole from her bag. It’s a list of 50 things Esther is potentially afraid of, that she avoids at all costs. Jonah convinces her to face each fear, one each week for the next year.
There is a gorgeous romance between Jonah and Esther, which only burns so long because Esther cannot let herself fall in love in case it all goes wrong. Jonah is dealing with an abusive father, but he is caring and sweet, and he has a cat called Fleayoncé which tickled me every time I read about it.
Krystal Sutherland's style is almost whimsical, very funny at times and desperately sad at others. A Semi-Definitive List contains a dizzying array of potentially trigger issues, including obsessive behaviour, selective mutism, psychosis, alcohol-fueled child abuse, suicide, gambling addiction, and murder. For most of the book, the light banter and antics of Esther and Jonah contrast well with the darker elements.
Similar to Beautiful Mess (another great #LoveOZYA recent release), this book has a focus on anxieties and insecurities and how they can also affect those around us. It's so important that such engaging stories are available for young people, or for anyone really, to reinforce the message that it’s okay to not be okay, to seek help from trusted places, that you’re not alone. I hope this book finds its way into school libraries and onto classroom lists. It's already become one of my favourites for the year....more
Pride and Prejudice, with Dragons, you say? Where do I sign?
I wanted to love this book so much. I meReview posted on Tea in the Treetops in June 2017:
Pride and Prejudice, with Dragons, you say? Where do I sign?
I wanted to love this book so much. I mean, I've read quite a few P&P retellings now, and even watched one, but none of them really hold a candle to the original story, do they? But this... this has everything I love in a story - enemies-to-lovers, a manor-house-type setting, and dragons!
I did enjoy the story, but it took a while to get into it. Heartstone does exactly what it sounds like it does - takes a beloved story and drops it into a high fantasy setting. All the characters are there, with slightly altered names, and all the events, from the dances, the dinners and the visits to far-flung estates, the ill-fated proposals and outraged denials, the pride and yes, the prejudices.
Mr Bingley Brysney is a wyvern rider and Mr Darcy Daired rides a dragon. They arrive at Merybourne Manor to assist with a gryphon infestation. At first, Aliza Bentaine is horrified at Daired's rudeness, but heartened by the way her sister, Anjey, gets along with Brysney.
So far, so P&P, right? How does the fantasy element come into it? Well, there are a host of fantastic creatures, from the smallest hobgoblins, upwards to lamias, gryphons and giant worms. Much of the early part of the book is world-building and relationship-establishing, so it does tend to drag a little, but as the story goes on it gets better and better, and there's a truly epic finale that brings all the fantasy elements together.
Even though the modern fantasy writing style makes it feel like fan fiction at times, ultimately Heartstone is an engaging and inventive read, and should appeal directly to fans of fantasy and of Jane Austen....more
The fourth and penultimate book in Lynette Noni’s Medoran Chronicles, Graevale, has been highly anticipated since the dramatic end of book three.
Alex is back at Akarnae after returning to the present time, with the knowledge that Aven has taken over Meya and is bent on destroying the mortal races. Alex knows that Aven is coming, but she must first convince the different races of Medora of the threat Aven poses, and gain their allegiance for the coming battle.
The first half of this book is steadily paced, with Alex as frustrated as I was at the lack of progress. There’s a lot of training, then travelling. The chance to see other parts of Medora and the other races was a tantalising, but short glimpse into the rest of Medora. I would have loved to spend longer exploring the underwater city of the Flips, or the treetop city of the Jarnocks. I enjoyed the Alex’s adventures in Graevale, though, and I would totally adopt a shadow wolf too, no matter what my family said.
The battle does come, though, and it’s fantastic and terrible. Alex is really coming into her abilities and gathering her allies, and the series feels like it’s building up into an epic conclusion. The last few chapters are a rollercoaster. Make sure you’ve got a tissue handy.
Okay, this might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m not super-fond of Kaiden. This seems to be a trend for me – I don’t usually like perfect, handsome and selfless love interests. I think I’m sticking with #teamAven at this point! I have no idea at this point whether Aven can be redeemed, or if he even should be, but I am kind of rooting for him. Does that make me a bad person?
I cannot wait to find out what happens in book five, Vardaesia. Don’t forget, there’s also the three Medoran novellas coming later this year that will be collected in We Three Heroes. And since Lynette is such a busy lady, she’s about to release the first book in her new series, Whisper!...more
Difficult to rate this one... It was exciting, certainly. Compulsive reading. I just couldn't connect with Gwendolyn. She's very cold, and knows a lotDifficult to rate this one... It was exciting, certainly. Compulsive reading. I just couldn't connect with Gwendolyn. She's very cold, and knows a lot more about being a spy than her seventeen diplo-brat years suggest.
Gwendolyn is a drifter, a typical diplo-brat hopping from country to country with her diplomat father. When Gwen's father goes missing on a trip to Paris, she realises that the authorities have no idea where he is, and are scaling back their search. Taking the alias Sofia, Gwen travels to Europe and sets off on a chase across several countries, trying to track down her father's kidnappers.
The Cruelty is an exciting read, with action pulling the story forward. The first few chapters contain a lot of story set-up, but once the adventure starts, it has a film-like momentum to it. Gwen finds help along her journey through France, Germany and the Czech Republic and there are some beautiful descriptions of the cities Gwen finds herself in.
Unfortunately, I found it difficult to connect with Gwen. She grows so much during her journey, but it's more of a hardening than a self-discovery. She tries to keep from killing anyone for a while, but once that happens, she quickly slides into a cold, hard machine. Sure, Gwen has lived in several countries and is great with languages, but for someone who just found out her father is a spy, she seems to know a lot about stealth already and seems totally fine with getting involved in the criminal underworld of Prague.
I finished reading this book before finding out about the disparaging comments the author made about YA books in an interview with Publishers Weekly. He says, “The morality of the book is more complicated than a lot of YA." Really? Sure, there are some tough issues dealt with in this story, but this just isn't written well enough to be attacking the rest of the age group. I'm not sure the author should be slammed for that comment alone, but the YA reader community is pretty upset about it.
A sequel, The Greed, is due out in 2018. I'm not sure I actually care enough about the characters to read on....more
Well, that was great. The four separate parallel stories got a little tedious, but in general I loved it!
Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in FebruWell, that was great. The four separate parallel stories got a little tedious, but in general I loved it!
Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in February 2017: I enjoyed reading Truthwitch last year, and while I was fascinated with the world and the magic systems, I hoped that the execution would have improved in Windwitch.
I wasn’t disappointed! In this second book there are extra points of view, making a total of five, and when combined with four separate story lines only two of which ever converge, that makes for a complicated story for a 400-page book. The separate story lines and locations make things jump around a lot between fairly short chapters, but somehow, the way the chapters are combined and woven together makes for a more flowing story than we got with Truthwitch.
This series is starting to grow into its epic boots. Safi and Iseult’s respective magics make a lot more sense here, and they are growing in confidence and leadership, even though they are apart. Merik, however, is like a completely different character in this book. He’s shadowy and reclusive, partly because he’s supposed to be dead. It wasn’t a bad thing, in the end – it was just a surprise right at the start of the book when I couldn’t remember much of what had come before.
A few of the things that I loved about the first book are not here, or vastly altered in Windwitch. The banter and sisterhood between Safi and Iseult, and Merik’s antagonism, especially. Those things were made up for in other ways, though, with the expansion of the world and the magic systems, with unlikely partnerships and simmering chemistry that never quite makes it to the surface.
Even though I found the five points of view to be a little jumpy in such a short book, I enjoyed Windwitch more than Truthwitch. If you’re a fan of light epic fantasy (slightly oxymoronic), then try this series out. There are set to be two more in the series and I’m looking forward to seeing how the story progresses....more
Mara and her mother are part of a travelling side show, along with others with supernatural abilities. Mara herself does not have any powers, apart from the odd gut feeling, but her mom is a necromancer - able to speak with the dead. When they set up in the town of Caudry in March 1987, a strange energy starts interfering with their powers, and there's something lurking in the shadows.
Freeks is set in the same world as Amanda Hocking's previous Trylle series. I haven't read any of that series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything in the stand-alone Freeks.
Mara and her mother travel with a group of people with various other paranormal abilties - pyromancy (the ability to create fire), super strength and levitation, among others. I loved the family dynamic within the sideshow - even with all their diverse backgrounds and abilities, they look after each other.
Shortly after arriving in Caudry, Mara meets Gabe and his sister and friends. Sadly, this is where the insta-love comes in. I'm not usually a fan of fast-paced relationships, but in this case it allowed more time for story-based action. Gabe was worryingly perfect to me. I kept expecting him to end up being bad, but he was just... lovely. I know, I shouldn't complain about nice, honourable guys, but they're just not as interesting to read about! Am I wrong?
The town of Caudry itself was the best part of this book. It was certainly creepy, with its misty forests and swamps, and all the references to 1980s music, films and tv shows helped to set the mood.
So, if you've been listening to our podcast you'll know that I've been watching a lot of Supernatural lately (not at all sorry). One thing I found disappointing with Freeks was that it felt a lot like your standard monster-of-the-week SPN episode. Yes, it was written well, fairly compelling, certainly creepy, but ultimately the story fell short of my expectations.
If you enjoyed the Trylle series then you'll most likely enjoy this stand-alone story as well. Otherwise, you might prefer to be addicted to Supernatural with me.
Set on the beautiful and wild Tasmanian coastline, To The Sea is the magical story of a missing Review posted on Tea in the Treetops in January 2017:
Set on the beautiful and wild Tasmanian coastline, To The Sea is the magical story of a missing teenager. Zoe Kennett disappears from her family’s home next to calm waters, and it’s DI Tony Vincent’s job to organise the search for her body. A young girl couldn’t possibly have survived in the cold southern waters overnight and most of the next day, could she?
But there is a lot more to Zoe’s story, and as the days go by and no body is recovered, the mystery is slowly unravelled. We gradually learn the dark secrets of Zoe’s family, passed down from mother to daughter, stretching back to Mayo, Ireland, and the connection of a girl called Ornice to the ocean.
To The Sea is beautifully written, evoking the Aussie summer (yes, they still have summer down in Tassie) and the raw power of the oceans, both the Southern and Atlantic. It is told through several flashbacks and storytelling from members of Zoe’s family, including her mother and father, her siblings, and her grandfather. Tony’s investigations into the disappearance ties it all to the modern day. The story is full of unreliable narrators and secrets are hinted at that aren’t revealed until much later – the perfect way to spin a great mystery.
This is Aussie author Christine Dibley’s first book, and I’ll be looking forward to hearing her next tale. She has a musical way with words, and made me want to visit Tasmania more than I already do.
If you’re in Hobart this weekend and would like to meet Christine Dibley, she’ll be launching To The Sea at Fullers Hobart, on Collins St at 2pm on January 21. See the Fullers website for more information.
I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan Australia as part of a blog tour. Thanks!...more
It took me a long time to read this, and I think it was mostly because it wasn't what I needed over the summer holidays :-/ The characters are great, It took me a long time to read this, and I think it was mostly because it wasn't what I needed over the summer holidays :-/ The characters are great, the story is inspiring (eventually), but it's all just so slow that I felt I wasn't getting anywhere through most of it.
Ginny Loftin is a writer, living in the Bronx with her mother and artistic siblings. Ginny is shattered when her childhood friend and love of her life, Charlie, proposes to another woman at his mother’s insistence. Lost in grief, she pours out her worries into a novel, and is convinced to attend a meeting of the Fifth Avenue Artists Society hosted by a friend of her brother.
The Fifth Avenue Artists Society is an evocative story of a bygone era, with society clinging to old class rules while forging ahead to the turn of the twentieth century, with its motor cars and women accepted into careers they were previously barred from. There are a few cameos from artists and famous publishers of the time, and the descriptions of the big, smelly city and quieter neighbourhoods are vivid.
I loved the way that each of Ginny’s siblings had an artistic talent to make a little money on the side: Bess with her millinery, Alevia’s piano performing, Mae is focused on education and their brother Frank’s painting. Since their father died, Frank is the only one with a steady income, but there is still a lingering wish from Bess to marry into a wealthy family so that she can become a lady of leisure. When I found out that this story was based on real people from Joy Callaway’s family, I wasn’t surprised. They seem like they would have been amazing personalities!
While the characters were life-like and relatable, I almost put this book down on a couple of different occasions. The pacing of the story is just… slow. Hardly anything happens for the first half of the book – it’s mostly Ginny being desperately sad. Even when things do start to happen they are followed by further slow sections of misery for one reason or another. Perhaps I have been reading too many action-packed books lately, but I found myself wishing things would hurry along, which is never a good thing while reading.
I’d recommend this book to historical fiction fans, or those who need motivation in their artistic endeavours, especially in the publishing world....more
Ah, where to begin? If you've been listening to Tea in the Treetops Podcast for long, you'll have heard Philippa and me raving about the first Lady Helen book. Well, I'm pleased to report that the second book, Lady Helen and the Dark Days Pact (or outside of Australia, just The Dark Days Pact), lived up to expectations.
After the disastrous events of her own ball in London, Lady Helen flees with the Dark Days Club members to Brighton, ostensibly for her health, but really to begin her training as a Reclaimer. Lord Carlston's condition seems to be deteriorating, especially when Helen is near. Is the vestigal madness finally catching up with him, or could it be something stranger? When Mr Pike arrives in Brighton, he makes Helen take the Reclaimer oath, then gives her a task to perform. Helen must choose between her honour as a Dark Days Club member, or her loyalty to her friends.
It's obvious that Alison Goodman is passionate about the Regency period and has researched thoroughly not only the Brighton of the early 19th century, but also the customs of the different classes, their clothing, hair, even the foods they ate. The settings are evocative and although the Brighton of today is quite different to how it is described in the book, I could imagine the bathing machines and ladies in their bathing gowns down on the pebbly beaches.
The attraction between Lady Helen and Lord Carlston is gaining momentum and their charged glances and accidental touches are pure swoon for readers. I do still feel, as I did in the first book, that Carlston is still very much a 'Mr Darcy' figure - moody and grumpy, but apparently with a heart of gold. I have always found (and I fully understand I'm going to be smacked down for this) Mr Darcy to be insufferable and his behaviour appalling, no matter how he redeems himself later in Pride and Prejudice. I hope that Carlston is able to soften in book three, despite the events at the end of this one (no spoilers!).
Helen herself spends a lot of time in this book dressed as a man, which really doesn't help her in finding her new role in the Dark Days Club. She's only just discovering the extent of her Reclaimer powers, and is appalled at the idea that she will probably have to take lives in the name of duty to the crown. There are so many secrets and lies, twists and turns that Helen must keep track of and I was on the edge of my seat with worry about how it was all going to pan out.
The supporting cast also got plenty of action and growth here too, from the Duke of Selburn with his untiring efforts to win Helen's affections; the Dark Days Club aides, Mr Hammond and his sister, Lady Margaret; Helen's Terrene-to-be, Darby; and a host of new characters introduced.
I flew through this book whenever I got a moment to read, and I was lucky enough to be able to read the last few chapters undisturbed on a plane trip. That did prevent me from screaming "Nooooooo!" for a lot of the ending, though. I'm desperate to know what happens next!
If you're a fan of Regency-period romance, paranormal hunting-type stories or are interested by a combination of the two, then get into this series! It's still a firm favourite of mine....more
The second book in the Illuminae files series, Gemina, is finally here! This excellent sci-fi series continues, told in epistolary format via official documents and chat logs.
Gemina is a parallel story to Illuminae, showing what was happening at Jump Station Heimdall immediately after the incident at Kerenza. A task force is sent to the Jump Station by BeiTech to secure the wormhole and clear up any witnesses to the unfolding situation. They don’t count on meeting resistance from inside the station, though.
We are introduced to all new characters, but don’t be put off – we get to know them pretty quickly and they are awesome, so that is not a problem. AIDAN also makes a comeback, which is perfect because he’s my favourite.
After having seen both Jay and Amie at the recent Brisbane Writers Festival, I was absolutely hyped for this second book. Even though I didn’t really enjoy Illuminae as much as others did, I was still blown away by the format and the way the chat logs and video transcripts were woven into a nail-biting story.
Gemina was different, though. I loved every minute of this one, and I suspect it might be down to more likeable characters. I especially loved Nik. He’s the most unlikely hero, like some kind of scumbag criminal with a heart of gold. His chat logs with Hanna and Ella made me laugh out loud quite a few times. Actually, there were a lot of hilarious moments, mostly involving the Lollypop Song…
There were still plenty of fast-paced action and mind-bending twists, but there was an extra spark in Gemina that left me unable to put it down. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not as obsessed with this book as Jeann is, for example, but I did enjoy this second part more than the first.
This series really lends itself to a visual style, so most of the story is told through transcripts of video surveillance and the dialog is handled with chat logs when not in person. There are still some amazing graphical pages, but not quite as many ship schematics as in Illuminae.
What it does have, though, is journal pages with fabulous drawings by another YA author, Marie Lu. Yep, you really need to get a hard copy of these books, asap.
As usual, there are plenty of grisly deaths, as well as a large list of casualties dying in the dark vacuum of space (including a long list of YA authors, might I add). Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
If you haven’t read Illuminae yet, don’t be put off by the size of the books! They may be large, but the formatting means there’s a lot of white space. Read them!...more
Kings and dreamers, psychics and sentient forests – Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle is a masterpiece in creepy paranormal fantasy. This review is spoiler-free.
The hectic life of a book reviewer means that I wasn’t supposed to be binge-reading a series right now, but after I read The Raven Boys I kept finding my brain back in the world of Gansey, Blue, Adam and Ronan, Noah and 300 Fox Way. I seem to be accidentally reading these paranormal books while also binge-watching Supernatural. Totally not intentional but also not sorry.
The main story follows the Raven Boys + Blue as they search the area around the town of Henrietta for an ancient Welsh king, supposedly buried along the ley line that runs through the area. But the best part of this series is that the mystery of Glendower often takes a back seat to the characters and their relationships, the magical development of each of them and the links between all of the characters in the story. By the end I was so invested in EVERY character that I was terrified that any one of them wasn’t going to make it.
Maggie’s writing style is the kind you must read slowly, savouring each line twice to make sure you understand what’s happening. I’m sure if I went back and read the whole series again, I’d discover a whole other level of meaning hidden along the way. It’s beautiful, witty and descriptive writing, but also very eccentric, which means it’s probably not for everyone. I LOVED it, though.
Be warned, this series is rather dark and violent behind its whimsy – perfect for Halloween, so get out your ghostly costume and dial up the creepiness! Seriously, I doubt I would watch this story on a screen – it would be completely terrifying!...more
Mari lives with her mother in a burrow, deep in the forest with the rest of their Earth Walker clan. Every three nights, the tribe must be washed with the Moon’s power to cleanse them of a madness that would otherwise destroy them. But Mari feels she does not belong with the Earth Walkers.
Nik’s tribe of Companions lives in the trees. They absorb the power of the Sun and have an empathetic bond with their companion Canine, but Nik, the son of the clan’s Sun Priest, has yet to be chosen by a canine pup. When the pup he hoped would choose him escapes into the forest, Nik launches a search party right away, further than they have hunted before.
Then there are the People who live in the ruins of the abandoned city. Poisoned and twisted, they have a much less peaceful way of life.
The gently-paced world building for each of the three tribes means that the first hundred pages of Moon Chosen were slightly confusing. This post-apocalyptic world is described in intricate detail, with the society and customs of each tribe explored before much action happens. But as the stories weave together, the characters are free to develop and interact in their fully-realised world, and develop they do – especially Mari, who grows into her powers and on into a strong young woman. There is a lovely, gentle romance in this story. In fact, I enjoyed reading about the relationships between all of the characters, even if the dialogue is a little awkwardly phrased at times.
There are some beautiful magical moments in Moon Chosen, but also some grisly and upsetting moments. This is fantasy at its best – pulling no punches, but delivering some awe-inspiring visuals as well. Mari and Nik’s story encourages us to challenge the pre-conceived beliefs that we have been taught, and to learn about and respect other cultures.
Moon Chosen is the first in a new series, and I’ll be interested to see what happens to the tribes after this cliff-hanger ending.
Read this book if you love epic fantasy with a post-apocalyptic twist, well-developed societies and beautiful Moon and Sun magic. Plus canine companions!
I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!...more
Loading...
