Showing posts with label Alexandra Christo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alexandra Christo. Show all posts

Saturday, 20 October 2018

Event Report: Hotkey Blogger Brunch with Alexandra Christo & Sebastien de Castell


Back at the end of September I was really lucky to be invited to Hot Key's Blogger Brunch with authors Alexandra Christo and Sebastien de Castell. I'm a huge fan of both of these authors so I was really excited to get to meet them and it's always fantastic to get the chance to meet up with blogging friends too.

When we first arrived at the event we had time to mingle while we munched on the delicious array of treats Hot Key had laid on for us before we got to hear both of the authors give a reading and talk about their books.

Sebastien de Castell reading from Soulbinder

First up was Sebastien de Castell reading from the fourth book in his Spellslinger series, Soulbinder. If you're familiar with this series you'll already have met one of my favourite fictional characters, squirrel cat Reichis, and one of the threats he loves to make is that he's going to eat someone's eyeballs. Well apparently Sebastien is always being asked the question about whether Reichis is going to finally get the chance to carry out that threat and let's just say that the reading he gave answers that question in gloriously revolting detail during this reading! I've not had a chance to read Soulbinder yet but I loved the first two books in the series and you can read my reviews for Spellslinger and Shadowblack by clicking these links. I'm looking forward to reading Charmcaster and Soulbinder very soon so keep an eye out for my reviews.

Alexandra Christo reading from To Kill a Kingdom

Alexandra Christo treated us to not one but two readings, the first from her debut novel To Kill a Kingdom, which is a fabulous retelling of The Little Mermaid that I'd highly recommend (you can read my review here). Then she gave us a super early sneak peak at the book she's working on right now called Into the Crooked Place which she described as a darker version of Six of Crows. Unfortunately that book isn't due for publication until October 2019 so we've got a year to wait but let me tell you now you NEED to put this book on your wishlist because the preview we were given was absolutely fantastic!!

After the readings and a Q&A we had the chance to speak to both authors and get our books signed which is something I always love to do. I had taken my copies of the first three Spellslinger books with me and was thrilled to get given a copy of the fourth book, Soulbinder, and Alexandra's To Kill a Kingdom too.

Sebastien de Castell and Alexandra Christo

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Hot Key Books for inviting me to the event, I had a brilliant time and really enjoyed getting to meet the authors. Thanks also to Sebastien de Castell and Alexandra Christo for taking time out of your busy schedules to come and chat with us!

Monday, 1 October 2018

September 2018 Recap


Books read in previous months but reviewed in September:
(Links will take you to my reviews)
  1. The Queen's Gambit - Jessie Mihalik (Read Twice) (Read in March & August, review coming soon)
  2. The Girl in the Tower - Katherine Arden (Read in April, review coming soon)
  3. Steal the Day - Lexi Blake (Read in April, review coming soon)
  4. The Amber Spyglass - Philip Pullman (Read in April, review coming soon)
  5. Recklessly Royal - Nichole Chase (Read in May, review coming soon)
  6. Temeraire - Naomi Novik (Read in May, review coming soon)
  7. Monstress, Vol 2: The Blood - Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (Graphic Novel) (Read in May, review coming soon)
  8. Spellslinger - Sebastien de Castell (Read in June, review coming soon)
  9. Theirs for the Night - Katee Robert (Novella) (Read in June, review coming soon)
  10. Vengeance in Death - J.D. Robb (Read in June, review coming soon)
  11. Barbarian's Prize - Ruby Dixon (Read in June, review coming soon)
  12. Her Cocky Doctors - Tara Crescent (Read in June, review coming soon)
  13. The Bone Farm - Dean Koontz (Audiobook Novella) (Read in June, review coming soon)
  14. Lifel1k3 - Jay Kristoff (Read in June, review coming soon)
  15. Thunderhead - Neal Shusterman (Read in June, review coming soon)
  16. The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling (Read in June, review coming soon)
  17. The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang (Read in June, review coming soon)
  18. Okami - Renee Ahdieh (Short Story) (Read in June, review coming soon)
  19. Yumi - Renee Ahdieh (Short Story) (Read in June, review coming soon)
  20. Make Me Crave - Katee Robert (Read in July, review coming soon)
  21. No Mercy - Sherrilyn Kenyon (Read in July, review coming soon)
  22. Archangel's Prophecy - Nalini Singh (Read in July, review coming soon)
  23. The Girl in the Green Silk Gown - Seanan McGuire (Read in August, review coming soon)
  24. To Kill a Kingdom - Alexandra Christo (Read in August, review coming soon)
  25. Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox - Forthright (Read in August, review coming soon)
  26. Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik (Read in August, review coming soon)
  27. Beautiful Beast - Kayla D. Knight (Read in August, review coming soon)
  28. Diamond Fire - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (Read Twice) (Read in August, review coming soon)
  29. Three Trials - Kristy Cunning (Read in August, review coming soon)
  30. The Nightshade's Touch - Pippa DaCosta (Read in August, review coming soon)
Books read in September:
(Links will take you to my reviews)
  1. Siren in Waiting - Lexi Blake
  2. Okami - Renee Ahdieh (Short Story) (Read for the 2nd time)
  3. Yumi - Renee Ahdieh (Short Story) (Read for the 2nd time)
  4. Wild Hunger - Chloe Neill
  5. Mirage - Somaiya Daud (Review coming soon)
  6. Jealous in Honor - Seanan McGuire (Short Story)
  7. Quick in Quarrel - Seanan McGuire (Short Story)
  8. These Antique Fables - Seanan McGuire (Short Story)
  9. Theirs for the Night - Katee Robert (Novella) (Read for the 2nd time)
  10. Night and Silence - Seanan McGuire
  11. Suffer a Sea-Change - Seanan McGuire (Short Story)
  12. In Bed With the Devil - Lorraine Heath (Review coming soon)
  13. Forever Theirs - Katee Robert
  14. Fighting for What's His - Laura Kaye
  15. And the Ocean Was Our Sky - Patrick Ness (Illustrated by Rovina Cai)
  16. Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
  17. Rebel Hard - Nalini Singh
  18. Muse of Nightmares - Laini Taylor (Review coming soon)
  19. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book - Kim Smith (Picture Book)
  20. Courted by her Cougar - Felicity Heaton
  21. The Dowager Magus - Sebastien de Castell (Short Story)
  22. Shadowblack - Sebastien de Castell
  23. Lost in Bliss - Lexi Blake
  24. A Blade so Black - L.L. McKinney
  25. Hour of Darkness - Lara Adrian
  26. Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge - Lisa Jensen (Review coming soon)
  27. Phoenix Unbound - Grace Draven (Review coming soon)
  28. Leads & Lynxes - Rebecca Chastain (Beta read so I'll be reviewing this once I've read the final version)
  29. Daughter of the Blood - Anne Bishop (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
    Other September Posts
    September Books of the Month:
    (Choices are made from books reviewed this month and the links will take you to my reviews)

    My top YA read in September:


    The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman (read my review here)

    My top adult read in September:


    The Nightshade's Touch by Pippa DaCosta (read my review here)
    Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire (read my review here)
    Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh (read my review here)

    September Events:

    I was really lucky to be invited to the Hot Key Blogger Brunch on Saturday and have the chance to meet authors Alexandra Christo and Sebastien de Castell. Both authors read from their latest books (To Kill a Kingdom and Soulbinder) and Alexandra even gave us a VERY early sneak peek at her next book Into the Crooked Place which isn't even going to be published until this time next year! We also had a chance to chat with the authors and get our books signed which is something I always love to do. I'll write about the event properly soon but I wanted to say a huge thank you to Hot Key for inviting me to the event!

    My Challenge Updates:

    Here are the 2018 challenges I've signed up for:
    2018 Read 100 Books in a Year Challenge - Read 157/200
    2018 British Books Challenge - Read 17/20
    2018 New Author Challenge - Read 19/20
    2018 Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Challenge - Read 84/100
    2018 Contemporary Romance Challenge - Read 20/20 - Complete

    Monday, 24 September 2018

    Review: To Kill a Kingdom - Alexandra Christo

    Dark and romantic YA fantasy for fans of Sarah J Maas - about the siren with a taste for royal blood and the prince who has sworn to destroy her.

    Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all.

    With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most - a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian's heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

    The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavoury hobby - it's his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she's more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good.

    But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind's greatest enemy?

    Visit Alexandra Christo's website for more information

    Review:
    To Kill a Kingdom was a really enjoyable dark retelling of The Little Mermaid and an impressive debut from Alexandra Christo. Lira is a siren princess, daughter of the Sea Queen she has earned the nickname Prince's Bane because she has killed so many princes and stolen their hearts. She's fierce and bloodthirsty and our introduction to her was one of my favourite opening lines in a book ever:
    I have a heart for every year I’ve been alive. There are seventeen hidden in the sand of my bedroom. Every so often, I claw through the shingle, just to check they’re still there. Buried deep and bloody.
    Lira's life is turned upside down when she accidentally saves the life of Prince Elian rather than killing him and her mother punishes her by turning her human. Elian isn't your average prince, in fact he is a pirate who has made it his mission in life to rid the world of sirens and who particularly wants to kill the Prince's Bane. He has another great introduction:
    Technically, I’m a murderer, but I like to think that’s one of my better qualities.
    I already knew only 3 chapters in that I was going to love this story! I really enjoyed the world that Alexandra Christo has created and I loved the depth she gave her characters. Both Lira and Elian have done things that they aren't proud of, Elian with the goal of protecting his people and Lira because she has been damaged by her mother's cruelty. These are two characters who should be on the opposite sides of the ongoing war between their species but they both want to find a way to bring peace and save the people they care about.

    I love seeing characters grow and change and we get a lot of that in To Kill a Kingdom, we also get a lot of action and some really fun battles with all kinds of sea creatures. Theres even a hint of romance but I appreciated that it didn't overtake the rest of the story and it was very much a slow build as the characters got to know each other. I really enjoyed this story and I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on this author in the future, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

    Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

    Other Reviews:
    If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

    Paperback / Kindle:

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