Blog Tour: The Sky Weaver (Iskari #3) by Kristen Ciccarelli

The Sky Weaver (Iskari #3) by Kristen Ciccarelli

Release Date: November 12th, 2019

Publishers: Gollancz

Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Source: For Review
Pages: 400
Goodreads: Add to TBR

 

Lavish, romantic and magical, The Sky Weaver is a new standalone story set in the world of The Last Namsara - one that fans of Leigh Bardugo, Holly Black and Laini Taylor will flock to. 

At the end of one world, there always lies another.

Safire, a soldier, knows her role in this world is to serve the King of Firgaard-helping to maintain the peace in her oft-troubled nation.

Eris, a deadly pirate, has no such conviction. Known as The Death Dancer for her ability to evade even the most determined of pursuers, she possesses a superhuman ability to move between worlds.

When one can roam from dimension to dimension, can one ever be home? Can love and loyalty truly exist?

Then Safire and Eris-sworn enemies-find themselves on a common mission: to find Asha, the last Namsara.

From the port city of Darmoor to the fabled faraway Sky Isles, their search and their stories become threaded ever more tightly together as they discover the uncertain fate they're hurtling towards may just be a shared one. In this world, and the next.

The Review: There are no words for how amazing the Iskari series is! The Last Namsara and The Caged Queen were two of my favourite reads from last year so I have been dying to get my hands on the finale, The Sky Weaver. And as much as I have been dying to read it, turning the very last page in this book was such a bittersweet moment because I am so not ready to say goodbye to these characters and captivating storytelling. 

The Sky Weaver tells Safire and Eris’s story – one being the Commandant to the King of Firgaard and the other, a deadly pirate and thief. Two of the most unlikely of characters to be thrown together on the same journey: finding Asha, the last Namsara who is being sort out by dangerous criminals. But not everything is as it seems as Safire and Eris begin to unravel of huge web of lies with some very startling revelations. 

The book is told from both character’s points of view and chapters telling the back story. This is such a fantastic way of telling a story, where both past and present are so important to the storyline. The different chapters helped me to separate the past and present so they didn’t get lost in the other story being told. And while the focus of this book was on Safire and Eris, their story was connected to the other character’s stories and we were able to see how their stories ended.   

I’ve always liked Safire so having her as the main character this time around just made me like her even more. She is such a strong and honourable character that it’s hard not to like her. Eris is a new character altogether and her story brought many unlikable characters with it, but she was a really likable and relatable character. The romance between the two was very sweet as well and I couldn’t help rooting for them. And Sorrow was such a perfect addition to Safire’s story! 

In all, I am very sad to see this series go because Kristen Ciccarelli’s spellbinding and powerful writing is truly magical to read but I am also very eager to see what she comes up with next. 

Thank you to  Gollancz for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

                                                                        Rating: Really Liked It - 4 Flowers 

Blog Tour: The Shadow Prince (A Mortal Enchantment Novella) by Stacey O'Neale

The Shadow Prince (A Mortal Enchantment Novella)
By Stacey O'Neale 
Release Date: March 25th 2014

Publishers: Phoenix Reign Publishing

Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 100
Goodreads: Add to TBR

 

Prequel novella to the award-winning YA fantasy series Mortal Enchantment. Discover a world of elemental powers, courage, duty, sacrifice, forbidden romance and a war for the very elements of life.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan is an elemental prince. Banished to the mortal world, he doubts he will ever return to Avalon and claim the fire court throne. Until he receives a challenge from his estranged mother. If he slays Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental, princess of the air court, she will abdicate her throne. Is he capable of completing such a heinous task? And what price will he pay if he refuses?

Perfect for fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas.

"Filled with betrayal and intrigue, The Shadow Prince is a dark and twisty novella from an exciting new author!" Katee Robert, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

The Review: Fast paced, intriguing and enchanting, Stacey O’Neal’s introduction to her new series, Mortal Enchantment was definitely right up my street.

The Shadow Prince follows Rowan, the son of the fire court Queen. Rowan has spent most of his life living amongst mortals, while trying to learn to control his fire element. Rowan’s never been shown any love from his mother, who believes love is a weakness, but when she announces she will be stepping down from her throne and he she wants Rowan to take her place, he’s more than surprised. However he knows his mother and he knows she will not give up her throne without wanting something in return. She wants Rowan to kill, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. But can Rowan complete a task that goes against everything he believes in?

I really enjoyed this prequel novella. At only 100 pages, it’s short, but definitely leaves you wanting more. I thought it was a great introduction, to which I believe will be a very promising series by a talented debut author and this novella gives you a lot of insight on what’s to come. 

I really liked Rowan. I found him honest, loyal and very open. I enjoyed the whole set up of the courts and found myself enthralled by them. It kind of reminded me of how I was when I first read Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series. 

In all, Stacey O’Neal has proven this series has a lot of potential with The Shadow Prince and I can’t wait to read more in Mortal Enchantment.

                                                                        Rating: Really Liked It - 4 Flowers 

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Blog Tour: The Song of the Sycamore by Edward Cox

The Song of Sycamore 
Edwards Cox
Release Date: August 22nd, 2019
Publishers: Gollancz
Genre: Fantasy 
Pages: 496
Goodreads: Add to TBR

 

A new standalone novel set in a fractured world of magic and technology, from BSFA Best Fantasy and Best Newcomer nominee, and bestselling author of The Relic Guild

On the broken world of Urdezha, Wendal Finn died on the hostile plains of the wasteland, one more casualty in the endless war between the city-dwellers and the clansfolk. But now Wendal has returned to his home city of Old Castle, possessed by something he brought back from the wasteland, something old and best left forgotten. The spirits are calling it Sycamore, an ancient entity out to avenge all victims of murder. And in a city like Old Castle, no one is innocent.

With his mind trapped inside a dead body, Wendal can do nothing but watch as Sycamore turns him into a serial killer. Until the magicians take an interest in him. Preserving Wendal's body and trapping Sycamore inside it, the magicians now have the perfect assassin at their disposal. Whenever they need an enemy removed, they can set the killer loose on Old Castle.

The clans are massing. A supernatural storm is raging across the wasteland. It has already destroyed one city, and now it is heading for Old Castle. And the only one who might prevent oblivion is the murderous entity who the spirits are calling Sycamore.

Chapter One

The city of Old Castle rose from the wasteland like an abscess swelling on the festering skin of a diseased world. Across its neighbourhoods and districts a siren called, lifting and falling with an ominous wail that sent citizens scurrying for their homes. Hiding like monsters in burrows, they prayed that this latest threat from the wastes would pass the city by, while fearing that this time, judgement had come to demand penance for their crimes. The people of Old Castle were rank with guilt. The city was populated by murderers.

And it was my home.

Through the chill of evening shadows, I made my way to the outskirts of Old Castle. No breeze disturbed the air, no sound accompanied the siren’s wail; light from a setting red sun did little to warm a tense ambience. Beyond the last of the buildings, I began crossing a stretch of open ground, heading towards the city wall. But it wasn’t me walking, not really, not any more. I could see through my eyes, hear through my ears, smell the stench of the city, but I had no control over my direction. My footsteps weren’t made of my own volition.

I neared the city wall, a sturdy construction, thick and high, unbreakable, but at that moment it seemed merely a thin veil constructed for the illusion of safety. The huge turrets rising atop it housed the mighty ether-cannons which protected the citizens from the horrors of the wastes. But not from me.

‘He’s close.’

These words gurgled from an oily mass slithering over cracked, stony ground ahead of me: a ghoul, wheezing wet breaths, hissing with anger. This thing had been a woman in life, a simple soul; but in death, an oozing puddle fuelled by injustice, out for revenge. Caring nothing for the danger approaching Old Castle, the ghoul sang her Song, a Song of obsession and need, and I couldn’t deny her plea for vengeance.

Whirring.

Rattling machinery.

Up on the wall, the turrets were turning, sweeping the aim of their long, fat cannons left and right. A low, familiar drone came next, baritone beneath the undulating siren, rumbling through the empty streets behind me. From the centre of Old Castle, a great beam of energy shot towards the cloudless pink sky like a waterspout. The city had activated its ether shield. High above the buildings, the energy gathered into a monumental ball of clear, wavering magic before dispersing, smearing, spreading across the length and breadth of Old Castle, forming a barrier between the city and the sky.

Above me, the edge of the shield curved downwards, creating an umbrella that descended liquidly to the ruined ground outside the wall. In a matter of moments, this hive of guilt-ridden souls was secured within a dome of ether power like a city in a snow globe. Sunlight refracted, the siren changed its pitch, the breeze dropped and the air became stifled. The bitter taste of ether dried the inside of my mouth. But it wasn’t really my mouth now.

‘Closer,’ the ghoul hissed.

Cannons tracked the movements of whatever monstrosity the song of the sycamore was coming from the wastes as I followed the ghoul along the line of the wall. With no choice in the matter, I was led to a set of stone stairs rising to a pot-bellied watch post nestled between two turrets. The ghoul slithered up the stairs and I climbed after her like the dutiful puppet I had become.

No sign of movement came from beyond the watch post’s darkened doorway, but I knew a man hid there, a murderer who had nowhere left to run. He had taken sanctuary in the watch post in a vain attempt to hide from death. His subconscious under stood what was coming for him, and why. The dead deserved vengeance.

Reeking of sewage, the ghoul hissed in anticipation, gurgled with longing. Like a snake, her darkness oozed up around the doorway to form an oily frame. I stared into the gloom beyond.

‘Your sins have returned to you.’ My Mouth, using my voice, but it wasn’t me speaking. ‘Won’t you come out and atone with dignity?’

No reply.

The man in the watch post was by no means the first murderer I had tracked that day, and he wouldn’t be the last. I’d been leaving a trail of blood behind me for two days now, and there was an endless river’s worth waiting to be spilled yet.

Whatever will remained to me, I tried to force it into my legs, to make myself turn around and walk away, but I no longer had the strength or presence to make a difference to my actions. I stepped through the ghoul’s stench, entered the watch post, and the man attacked immediately.

He came out of the gloom, big and strong, a blur of motion in the dim light shining through the viewing slit in the back wall. With one arm, he pulled me into a tight embrace, spitting a curse into my ear as his free hand thrust a knife into my side. The blade couldn’t penetrate my ribs and sliced over bone before its tip ripped out of the skin beneath my chest. I was too far gone to feel the damage inflicted upon my body and pushed the man away with force enough to send him sprawling.

‘Kill him,’ the ghoul hissed from the doorway.

The murderer sat on the floor, staring up at me. He was no Magician; he couldn’t see the ghoul of his victim. His expression became stunned when I pulled the knife from my body and showed no distress at the hot blood soaking my shirt and trousers. Panic filled the man’s eyes when I used the blade to point at him.

‘The dead call me Sycamore. I am their Shepherd.’

With another curse, he jumped to his feet, fists clenched and ready to fight. I stepped close to him, dodged a clumsy punch and drove the knife into the side of his neck, down to the hilt. Such a simple and fluid act. I wished I could have turned away and covered my ears as the man dropped to his knees, choking, clawing at the knife’s handle with fingers slicked in arterial blood. Desperate, struggling to breathe, his eyes pleaded with me. He looked to be approaching twenty, the prime of life but not yet old enough to have seen the horrors of war.

When he toppled, falling face down and dead, the ghoul gave a peaceful sigh and slithered across the floor. The oily darkness mingled with the pool of blood spreading around the corpse of her murderer. As though in a show of gratitude, a single tendril reached out to touch my boot before the ghoul faded and disappeared. Finding peace through vengeance, she journeyed on to the other side.

The city siren continued to wail. I continued to drown inside myself.

Stepping over the corpse, I peered through the watch post’s viewing slit to gaze upon the desolation outside Old Castle. The sun was about to kiss the horizon, a sinking red orb quivering through the watery magic of the city shield, shedding the last of its rays upon a broken landscape. Shadows stretched and pointed at the city; the glassy summits of hillocks reflected light with majestic starbursts of rainbow colours. Millennia of humanity’s bad choices had been trampled down into a plain of scorched rock and rusty metal. This was the wasteland. This was the world now called Urdezha, ruined beyond recognition, just like its people.

It looked as though a dust storm was blowing in. A bank of debris rolled across the plain like fog on the sea, hued red by the sun’s backdrop. But this was no act of nature. The storm had been kicked into the air by the hundreds of feet galloping towards Old Castle. A herd of beasts. A stampede of monsters. They were too far away to see in great detail, but these creatures were as big as houses, thundering along on four legs, too many to bother counting. With stocky bodies covered in bony spikes and long horns protruding from great heads, the herd’s charge looked unstoppable. Was this an act of war? Had the herd been driven this way by Old Castle’s enemies? It didn’t matter. The creatures of the wasteland were never a match for the might of a city.

Along the city wall, ether-cannons took aim and fired with oddly subdued whumps. Ether knew ether, they said, and the shield allowed the lethal bursts of magic to pass through its energy and race across the wasteland trailing streamers of displaced air. The first wave of shots smashed into the herd’s front line, punching the life from the monsters. The cannons fired again – and again – and the charge faltered under their fury.

Through the sound of the siren, the drone of the shield and the whumps of ether, distant roars reached my ears. The cannons spat so many bursts of magic that the enemy was soon obscured by dust and debris. Whether or not the remaining monsters had turned tail and fled, leaving their fallen as carrion on the wastes, not one of them emerged from the storm. The abscess of Old Castle wouldn’t be lanced today, but . . . ‘Soon,’ said a voice inside me.

I placed a hand on the wall to steady a sudden flush of  fatigue weakening my legs. The knife wound in my side wasn’t critical, but it was bleeding freely. I needed medical attention, food, sleep, but none of them would be given to me. As long as I could draw breath, my body would continue this rampage, while my spirit, my essence, me, slowly spiralled down into the oblivion of Nothing.

The moment of weakness passed, and a voice gurgled from behind me.

‘Sycamore.’

Another ghoul had materialised. It stood in the watch post’s doorway, formed into the rough approximation of a human shape. It held no discernible features and oily shadows dripped from its outstretched arms. The ghoul’s presence came as no surprise; it was simply the next victim of murder to find me. And in this city, on this world, there would always be a next victim.

Extract from The Song of the Sycamore by Edward Cox (Gollancz, £18.99). 

{Blog Tour} The Haunting of Violet Gray by Emily Sadovna

Posted by Donna
Release Date: October 31st, 2018

Publishers: MG Publishing 
Genre: YA Paranormal 

Pages: 306
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

A dark tale of witch craft, time travel and conspiracy 

Witchcraft
Cat is inexplicably drawn to a beautiful mansion where she is seduced into the heady world of modern witchcraft. Opening herself to magic, her mind reveals the impossible. Cat becomes plagued by the paranormal happenings of the house and the desperate whispers of a long-dead girl.

Time Travel
Cursed with the gift of astral travel, Cat discovers a witch’s journal which anchors her mind to the summer of 1940. She witnesses events that lead to a secret occultist ritual.

Conspiracy
Can Cat piece together the clues before the sun rises at the Mabon feast? Can she prevent a repeat of the disastrous ritual? An event so scandalous and deadly it remained a state secret for over eighty years. What terrible price must be paid to stop it happening again? This time, on a devastating scale, engineered for the Twenty-first Century.

Emily Sadovna’s Favourite Halloween books.

With the autumn evenings drawing in, Halloween is the perfect time to cozy down with a good book. Here are my favourite books to revisit over Halloween:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. 

I heard a story of how Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron were stranded in their villa near a lake with a storm lashing down on them where Byron challenged them to write a scary story. That was where Frankenstein came into fruition. I adore the darkness and tenderness of the story. The idea of man attempting to over-rule nature and harnessing the power of the storm to make life and witnessing the heartbreaking consequences of his ambition is compulsive reading for me. 

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilmore. 

I studied this for my A Levels. There was something about it that haunted me and stayed with me my whole life.  A woman driven is to insanity by the oppression of a controlling man, seeking solace in the arms of an otherworldly woman trapped behind the wall paper who later frees her mind from her own dark reality. I have long been fascinated by alternate realities and the fine line between sanity and madness. 

The Shining by Stephen King  

I read this as a teenager then went on the become addicted to his books as well as James Herbert. I have never seen a ghost, but I have never doubted their existence. I once went on a ghost tour of Dudley castle where I learn that ghosts are like memories of people trapped with in the walls of the houses they occupied or died in. The way the vast empty hotel wakes and gradually consumes Jack is chilling. I can’t forget REDRUM, you might see a homage to this in my book. 

The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James 

This is a recent discovery. I was toying with a similar name so I wondered if the contents had any parallels. It was a creepy, gothic story, like mine, set in dual times. Again the house seduces and begins to consume the main protagonist. 

The Graces by Laure Eve

I was recommended The Graces and I zipped through it. It’s set in Cornwall, an area buzzing with magic and myth as well as being a cool hangout. Laure blurs the lines between magic, the discoveries of adolescence and coping with real and raw issues. We see a girl find herself with the help of a family of beautiful people with power. Then the story takes a dark and unexpected turn…

The Spell Book of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle

You are thrown into a party, like many I went to as a teenager, and I am sure still go on. That night everyone lost something, some things more significant than others as the story unfolds the main characters uncover lost secrets. The web expands and connects and takes twists and turns you can’t guess. I like unpredictable stories.

Author bio:

Born in Essex, Emily Sadovna grew up near Oxford. Trained in fashion journalism, Emily’s career began as a window dresser and freelance stylist. Later, Emily launched her own deli and catering business and learnt the art of chocolate making. She went on to qualify as a food and nutrition teacher at a secondary school and now teaches primary school children to cook in afterschool clubs. 
Emily’s pen name originates from her Polish grandfather. Her imagination derives from a line of formidable women all with wonderful stories to tell. She lives with her husband and their two daughters on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire. The Haunting of Violet Gray is her first novel. 

www.emilysadovna.com

instagram: EmilySadovna 

www.facebook.com/EmilySadovna 

Twitter @EmilySadovna

{Blog Tour} Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy #1) by Laura Sebastian

Posted by Donna
Release Date: June 14th, 2018
Finished Date: June 10th, 2018

Publishers: Macmillan Children's Books 
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: Paperwork 

Pages: 448
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

 

The queen you were meant to be
The land you were meant to save
The throne you were meant to claim

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. Ten years later, Theo has learned to survive under the relentless abuse of the Kaiser and his court as the ridiculed Ash Princess. 

When the Kaiser forces her to execute her last hope of rescue, Theo can't ignore her feelings and memories any longer. She vows revenge, throwing herself into a plot to seduce and murder the Kaiser's warrior son with the help of a group of magically gifted and volatile rebels. But Theo doesn't expect to develop feelings for the Prinz. 

Forced to make impossible choices and unable to trust even those who are on her side, Theo will have to decide how far she's willing to go to save her people and how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice to become Queen.

From author Laura Sebastian comes Ash Princess, a nail-biting YA fantasy debut full of daring and vengeance.

The Review: I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Ash Princess because it sounded like something I would enjoy and I am so pleased that I exceeded my expectations because it was simply amazing. 

Ash Princess is about Theo, a teenage girl who has lost her kingdom, mother and people to a tyrant king who invaded Astera ten years ago. In the ten years of Astera being ruled by the The Kaiser, Theo has endured pain and brutal punishments but no matter what Theo knows she has to remain strong. She cannot show weakness and must pretend to be loyal to the Kaiser no matter what. But it’s now Theo’s time to help her people regain all that has been taken from them even if that means betraying those closest to her. 

What a promising start to a new fantasy trilogy! As I said before Ash Princess definitely exceeded my expectations because I was hoping it would be great but it was better than great. I was thrown into Theo’s world from page one and couldn’t put it down, admittedly it is a little bit of a slow started but that did not stop me from enjoying this book as much as I did. I loved discovering the facts about each kingdom with their customs and I definitely cannot wait to find out more. 

Theo is such a good character that you can’t help but connect with her immediately. For a character that has so many bad things done to her from bullying and beatings she remains completely strong willed and determined and I really admire that about her. I could understand why she would become docile under the Kaiser care because she had no other choice, it was down to her survival but what I loved was that when help comes for her, she is 100% committed to help her people. This is her time for revenge for all the things she has lost and I was so glad she had loyal people helping her. 

Now most people will want to know if there is a love triangle and yes there is. We have Soren and Blaise but for me I think I’m wholeheartedly team Soren. I do really like Blaise but I much prefer Soren because I think the things that Theo and Soren could do together would make their world that much better. 

In all, I really enjoyed Ash Princess and I am already eagerly awaiting for Lady Smoke to release.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Laura Sebastian on ‘unlikeable’ heroines

The word unlikable has become ubiquitous in talking about heroines, used to describe everyone from Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games to Lada Dragwlya in And I Darken to Princess Katherine in Three Dark Crowns. You see it pop up in reviews and discussions, and it’s usually meant as a good thing, a way of saying “this character is not easy to digest, they have flaws, they’re sometimes difficult to root for, just as any real person would be.” But I’ve long been bothered that it’s only ever used to describe female characters. Male characters with the same traits are termed “well-rounded” or “fully fleshed out.”
Maybe it’s because for so long, heroines weren’t complex or layered or flawed—they were merely pretty, hollow, wholly likable cutouts who existed only in relation to the hero. They didn’t have to make difficult choices or reckon with consequences—those journeys were saved for their male counterparts. They simply had to support the male protagonist along the way or be there waiting for him at the end. There was no opportunity for them to be unlikable because there simply wasn’t enough of them on the page to dislike.
But we aren’t talking about disliking them, are we? After all, most people like Inej and Nina from Six of Crows and Mare Barrow from Red Queen—but not everyone does. Just as no person can be universally liked, it stands to reason that no well-developed character should be, either. And that is what we’re talking about when we call a female character unlikable. We’re saying that they’re real, that they’re relatable.
These girls tend to be ambitious and desperate and bitter and reckless and stubborn, and they have the audacity to want things and the grit to take them. They make mistakes, they trust the wrong people, and sometimes they outright fail, but they wouldn’t be nearly as compelling—or human—if they didn’t.
There’s nothing inherently unlikable about so-called unlikable female characters, and we should stop pretending that there is.

AUTHOR BIO

I write YA books and I'm also entrusted with taking care of other people's children. I write books about girls who are strong in all different ways, usually with a healthy dollop of magic and a few dragons.

I live in NYC with my extraordinarily fluffy dog, Neville.

You can find out more at http://www.laurasebastianwrites.com 

{Blog Tour} Forever Geek (Geek Girl #6) by Holly Smale

Forever Geek (Geek Girl #6) 
by Holly Smale
Release Date: March 9th, 2017

Publishers: HarperCollins
Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance

Pages: 400
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

 

My name is Harriet Manners and I’ll be a geek forever…

Harriet Manners knows almost every fact there is.

Modelling isn’t a sure-fire route to popularity. Neither is making endless lists. The people you love don’t expect you to transform into someone else. Statistically, you are more likely to not meet your Australian ex-boyfriend in Australia than bump into him there.

So on the trip of a lifetime Down Under Harriet’s to-do lists are gone and it’s Nat’s time to shine! Yet with nearly-not-quite-boyfriend Jasper back home, Harriet’s completely unprepared to see supermodel ex Nick. Is the fashion world about to turn ugly for GEEK GIRL?

It’s time for Harriet to face the future. Time to work out where her heart lies. To learn how to let go…

Holly Smale’s Soundtrack to the Geek Girl series 

Music is enormously important to me, and fundamental to my imagination: I can’t write at all without it. But I did tend to pick similar tracks while I was working on Geek Girl, which meant a lot of instrumental, Icelandic artists and piano or violin. Anything that I both loved and also felt like Harriet: optimistic, delicate and thoughtful, with a few fun and uplifting tracks thrown in for good measure. Although frankly I hadn’t realised until I made this list quite how many animals, insects and birds were involved. Perhaps Harriet’s impact on my subconscious was even stronger than I thought! 

When I was writing the final third of Forever Geek I played Jonsi, We Bought a Zoo, on loop, so it’s kind of secretly woven silently into the book. It’s amazing how powerful that connection is now for me. I can’t hear it without feeling both incredibly proud and incredibly sad at the same time: it feels like it sums up Harriet’s entire journey through Geek Girl, in one track, so whenever I miss her I’ll just need to play it really loudly. 

Dissolve Me - Alt-J

The Planets (Jupiter) - Holst

Fireflies - Owl City

Carried Away - Passion Pit

Nuvole Bianche - Ludovico Einaudi

The Lark Ascending - Ralph Vaughan Williams

Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros

Metamorphosis II - Philip Glass

Arrival of the birds - London Metropolitan Orchestra

Where’s My Love - Syml

We Bought a Zoo - Jonsi

AUTHOR BIO:  

Holly is the Number One bestselling, multi-award winning author of the GEEK GIRL series. She fell in love with writing at five years old, when she realised that books didn't grow on trees like apples. 
A passion for travel, adventure and wearing no shoes has since led her all over the world: she has visited 27 countries, spent two years working as an English teacher in Japan, volunteered in Nepal, been bartered for in Jamaica and had a number of ear-plugs stolen in Australia, Indonesia and India. 
Holly has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Shakespeare, and currently lives in London or at @holsmale. 

{Blog Tour} Gemina (Book 2: The Illuminae Files) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Posted by Donna
Release Date: October 13th, 2016
Finished Date: October 9th, 2016

Publishers: Rock the Boat 
Genre: YA, Sci-fi
Source: For Review
Format: ARC

Pages: 672
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

 

The highly anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that critics are calling “out-of-this-world awesome.” 

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

The Review: Gemina is the highly awaited sequel to Amie Kaufman’s & Jay Kristoff’s YA sci-fi series The Illuminae Files and for me Gemina was so much better than Illuminae. I loved Illuminae but I loved Gemina even more so, well done Amie & Jay! 

At the end of Illuminae we see the survivors of the Hypatia heading towards the people on Jump Station Heimdall. They will be with them within a matter of days and of course they will be telling them know about the Kerenza invasion. Now Gemina starts right after Illuminae ends and shows us what is happening at the space station through a new set of characters. Both Gemina’s and Illuminae’s stories are tangled all up together because ultimately they all have the same enemy and if they want to defeat them then they’re going to need to work together. 

I know some people aren’t fan of when each book is about new set of characters but I really love it and Gemina was definitely better for it. Even though Kady & Ezra’s stories aren’t over they are involved in Hanna and Nik’s so even though we’ve come to love them we still get to see them but, it’s just through Hanna and Nik’s eyes. 

Now Hanna and Nik are great character and I really did love getting to know them. They’re both strong characters with different backgrounds but somehow they just work together. The banter from their conversations was simply hilarious at times. As a reader I felt like I was their listening to their conversations and it was so much fun. Their stories are completely different especially with the dangers that surround them on the space station that their stories aren’t dull for one minute. I found their story more intense and felt it had a lot more action and generally just felt like a stronger story. Maybe that’s because Illuminae was the opening story and now with Gemina the story is much more developed. Also Ella was a great secondary character. She’s so much fun and brings so many laugh-out-loud moments but it wasn’t all LOL moments and there was some pretty intense and sad scenes that left me in shreds while reading. And there is one MAJOR character from Illuminae that for some reason I was very happy to see in Gemina – I’ll say no more! 

The end of the story is left on a cliffhanger – sorry people – but although there is some conclusion to some parts of the story, the major ones unfortunately are left waiting until the release of final book in the series. I don’t know about you but I’m excited to see what comes next. I’m looking forward to getting to know the new characters. 

In all, for me Gemina was a much stronger book and definitely my favourite out of the two books so far. 

Thank you to Rock the Boat for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Blog Tour} Frost Like Night (Snow Like Ashes #3) by Sara Raasch

Posted by Donna
Release Date: September 20th, 2016 
Finished Date: August 6th, 2016

Publishers: Harper360 UK
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Source: For Review
Format: ARC

Pages: 496
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo 

 

Game of Thrones meets Graceling in this shocking and action-packed fantasy—the highly anticipated final book in the New York Times bestselling Snow Like Ashes series.

Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, Meira jumps at the chance.  But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms.  To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control-- and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels.  But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner.  But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.

As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything.

The Review: This series fast became a favourite of mine when Snow Like Ashes released a few years ago. Since then I’ve been eagerly awaiting the final book in the series because I was just dying to know how it all ends and if my favourite characters got the happy ending they deserved. Frost Like Fire was a great finale and it was much better than Ice Like Fire which I’m definitely glad for. So if you felt a little disappointed with the sequel, don’t worry people Sarah Raasch delivers a worthy ending.

I’m not even going to try and recap this book because there is so much going on that I don’t want to spoil it for you. But as you can already guess the book picks straight up from that major cliffhanger in Ice Like Fire and everything for Meira, Mather and Theron gets worse before it gets better. You’re thrown into their world of danger, magic and politics all so they can try and save their own kingdoms as well as their people.

Meira has come so far in such a short time. She’s always been a strong character, never one to back down but we did see her struggle in the sequel with everything that had happened but now she’s determined to win and save everyone she loves. She forces herself to become better, even stronger and learns how to use her magic conduct correctly and safely so she can defeat Angra – especially when the final outcomes relies on her. With her being the Queen it really can’t fall on anyone else’s shoulders. Mather also has a much stronger presences in the story, not only with his own chapters from his point of view but he starts to realise that he is needed just as much as Meira. Even though I do ship Theron more I do appreciate the bond that Meira and Mather have and it’s one that’s continued to grow over time. I can see how and why she turns to Mather when she needs him after Theron’s betrayal.

Now my only real complaint about the story was I wasn’t overly fussed with the new chapters from Ceridwen’s POV. Was it needed? Yes but maybe just not so much. I understand that all three characters have their own reasons for fighting Angra but I wanted the story to focus more on Meira, Mather and Theron really.

In all, I really enjoyed Frost Like Fire. It was a great conclusion to the series and it left me happy for the characters and while I’m happy I got to see their ending, I’d still be happy to read more from this world and from them. Or even a spin-off series maybe? Who knows! My fingers are crossed!

Thank you to Harper360 UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.