Review: The Last Wish - Andrzej Sapkowski

Geralt the Witcher — revered and hated — holds the line against the monsters plaguing humanity in this collection of adventures in the NYT bestselling series that inspired the blockbuster video games.

Geralt is a Witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent.

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good…and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.

The Witcher Series:
The Last Wish (Short Story Collection)
Sword of Destiny (Short Story Collection)
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Tower of Swallows
The Lady of the Lake
Season of Storms

Visit Andrzej Sapkowski's publisher page for more information

Review:
I'm going to preface this review by saying I was really unwell when I read this book and that may have affected my opinion of it. It took me much longer to read than it should have done and there were parts I listened to multiple times because my brain was too fuzzy to properly pay attention so it's very possible that I missed major details and that's why I didn't fully connect to the story.

I didn't know much about the Witcher series before I went into this book, I knew my brother was obsessed with the games when he was younger (but I'd never played them myself) and I also knew that it was being made into a series by Netflix (which was the main reason I wanted to read it, I mean come on, did you see the pictures of Henry Cavill as Geralt?!). Apart from that, and the fact it was high fantasy, I didn't know what else to expect so I was somewhat surprised when I realised that The Last Wish is actually a collection of short stories rather than a full length novel. I usually find short stories work better as an addition to series I'm already familiar with rather than an introduction to a new world but it was actually pretty well done in this case and allowed us to find out a decent amount about Geralt's background and some of the main characters I assume we'll see throughout the series.

The book starts with Geralt getting injured in a fight, he is taken to a temple to recover and while there he proceeds to recount stories of some of the other monsters he's come across over the years. These stories are interspersed with short updates on his recovery and what is happening in the current timeline. I really liked the huge variety of different monsters that are included, everything from vampires and werewolves through to djinn and gnomes. I loved that we get so many hints of familiar fairytales included in the stories, it makes the world feel familiar and I was always trying to guess what fairytale creature would pop up next.

As a Witcher Geralt has trained both physically and mentally to protect humans from monsters, even going so far as taking a potion that makes him not quite human himself and gives him extra speed, strength and healing abilities. Witchers provide an important service but it isn't always appreciated so he's always a little on the outside looking in no matter how far he travels. I'm really curious to find out more about Geralt but I don't feel like I know him that well yet and that made it a little harder to connect with the story. While there was a lot I enjoyed about the book I don't think I've been fully sucked into this world yet. My friends have assured me that I can start the TV series now though so I'm looking forward to that and I'm hoping I'll enjoy it so much that it'll make me want to continue reading the books.

Source: Purchased

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Updated cover for the Netflix Show

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Review: To Free a Captured Heart - R.L. Naquin

Fans of R.L. Naquin's Monster Haven series will love this beguiling spin-off, starring a djinn caught in a hot mess of lost souls, food trucks and otherworldly murder.

Hidden Government chaser Kam's luck might finally be changing. Her team of reapers is sent to a riverboat casino to investigate a suspicious increase in missing souls--a job that sounds more like a vacation than an assignment. A little drinking, a little gambling and maybe a little romance with Tahm, the fiancé she's not sure she wants to run from anymore.

Plans for fun and games are canceled, though, when they find the pesky Leprechaun Mafia is behind the mischief. Of course they are.

Before Kam and her team can spring into action, the leprechauns make good on their threat to capture Tahm.

How far will Kam go to break her true love out of confinement? Working in the casino to pay off some of his debt is one thing, but it could mean Kam spends another hundred years locked up in his stead...

This book is approximately 70,000 words

Monster Haven Series:
Monster in My Closet
Ill-Conceived Magic (Short Story)
Pooka in My Pantry
Hidden Holidays (Short Story)
Fairies in My Fireplace
What Zoey Doesn't Know (Short Story)
Golem in My Glovebox
Demons in My Driveway
Transmonstrified (Short Story Collection)
Phoenix in My Fortune

Djinn Haven series:
(Spin off from the Monster Haven series but can be read separately)
To Catch A Stolen Soul
To Seize a Wayward Spirit
To Free a Captured Heart

Visit R.L. Naquin's website for more information

Review:
This instalment sees Kam, Tahm and Ash sent to investigate suspicious soul activity at a riverboat casino. It should be a fairly easy job with plenty of leisure time built in but things quickly go downhill when they find out the leprechaun mafia are running the show. It gets even worse when Tahm gets himself captured and now it's up to Kam to find a way to rescue him while keeping herself and Ash out of trouble.

To Free a Captured Heart is the final book in the Djinn Haven series and while I'm glad that Kam finally gets her happily ever after I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this instalment. There was a lot to like about this story but it didn't quite have the humour of the earlier books and I felt the pacing was a little off. I also would have liked a bit more focus on the relationship between Kam and Tahm since that has been building for three books now.

I do find the leprechaun mafia amusing though, they're always finding new ways to cause mischief and they've definitely come up with quite a scam this time around. I enjoy the friendship between Kam and Ash, they're more like sisters now and work really well together. I've been rooting for Kam and Tahm for ages now so I'm glad that things worked out for them but I did find the ending left me feeling kind underwhelmed.

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

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Review: Fury - Rachel Vincent

Magic, fate and hope collide in the stunning conclusion of New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent’s acclaimed Menagerie trilogy…

1986: Rebecca Essig leaves a slumber party early but comes home to a massacre—committed by her own parents. Only one of her siblings has survived. But as the tragic event unfolds, she begins to realize that other than a small army of six-year-olds, she is among very few survivors of a nationwide slaughter.

The Reaping has begun.

Present day: Pregnant and on the run with a small band of compatriots, Delilah Marlow is determined to bring her baby into the world safely and secretly. But she isn’t used to sitting back while others suffer, and she’s desperate to reunite Zyanya, the cheetah shifter, with her brother and children. To find a way for Lenore the siren to see her husband. To find Rommily’s missing Oracle sisters. To unify this adopted family of fellow cryptids she came to love and rely on in captivity.

But Delilah is about to discover that her role in the human versus cryptid war is destined to be much larger—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.

Weaving together past and present in this heartbreaking tale of sacrifice and self-discovery, Fury is the deeply moving finale to a series that readers won’t soon forget.

Menagerie Series:
Menagerie
Spectacle
Fury

Visit Rachel Vincent's website for more information

Review:
In the third book in the menagerie series we see past and present collide in a really clever way. This book alternates between the present day where Delilah is heavily pregnant and about to give birth. She's  in hiding with the small group of friends and allies that escaped from the Spectacle with her and they're trying to figure out how to reunite with the others who either escaped or were recaptured and moved to different locations. We are also introduced to a new character, Rebecca Essig, who is one of the few children who survived the reaping in 1986. We see how she survived and what happened to her and her family in the aftermath of the tragedy and that really brought home how horrific it was for people who witnessed the reaping. At first it isn't clear why this new point of view was introduced but Rachel Vincent very cleverly ties both storylines together in a way that makes total sense by the end of the book.

I loved the first two books in this trilogy so I was sad it was coming to an end but I've loved all of Rachel Vincent's books so far so I wasn't actually nervous going into this one. That's why it's painful to say now that I was so disappointed I was with this ending. It just felt to me like the story is unfinished, a character makes the ultimate sacrifice (which was utterly heartbreaking and I STILL can't believe it really happened!) to try and bring peace between the humans and the cryptids but I didn't for a single second believe that what happened would have made a big enough difference. There was just two much fear, hatred and resentment between the two groups for a single event, no matter how powerful, to have such a huge, worldwide impact. The fact I didn't believe things were resolved meant that the sacrifice made felt meaningless which made me even more sad about it.

I did enjoy getting to know the new character Rebecca and of the two storylines hers was by far the most satisfactory but I wanted that same satisfaction for the characters I've grown to love over the previous two books. I ended up so horribly disappointed in the way things turned out for so many of Delilah's friends, and so many of their stories were left unfinished, that this series feels open-ended. I guess I'm just going to have to imagine my own ending but this is the first time one of Rachel Vincent's series has left me wanting more in a bad way and that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

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

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Review: Spectacle - Rachel Vincent

In this riveting sequel Delilah Marlow will discover that there is no crueler cage than the confines of the human mind…

When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.

But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light.

Menagerie Series:
Menagerie
Spectacle
Fury

Visit Rachel Vincent's website for more information

Review:
After Delilah and her cryptid friends finally managed to take back their freedom at the end of Menagerie I honestly expected Spectacle to be about them travelling the country and rescuing other cryptids along the way so the direction this story took really surprised me. They do manage to run Metzger's Menagerie for a couple of months but then they're captured by Willem Vandekamp, owner of The Savage Spectacle. No matter how brutal and humiliating the Menagerie was the Savage Spectacle somehow manages to be so much worse. On the surface they are kept in better conditions, they have mats to sleep on, they're fed proper meals and they're even allowed to shower but that is only because Vandekamp needs them looking their best. You see the Savage Spectacle caters to the fetishes of the rich and powerful, no matter how depraved your desires may be if you have enough money Vandekamp will provide your deepest, darkest wishes.

I really enjoyed Menagerie but I think Spectacle was even better and I just couldn't put it down. If you've read the first book then you'll already know that this series is dark but I should probably clarify that it doesn't get any easier in this one, the things that Delilah, Zyanya, Lenore and the others go through were horrific but I'm glad to say most of it wasn't shown in full detail. Even Gallagher and Eryx are forced to kill in an arena to survive so this is not a happy book full of sunshine and roses. What it is is a book that will make you think about what it means to be human. Does it really matter that you're physically human if you're a monster on the inside, how does that make you any better than someone who is different on the outside but who just wants to be free to live their life in peace? It was far, far easier to relate to the cryptids in this book than it was to their human handlers and I spent most of the book just waiting for Delilah to find a way to release her inner furae on them all.

I don't want to spoil the book by telling you if that happens or not but I will say that some characters definitely get what they deserve even if it isn't all of them. It's not often that I read a whole trilogy without taking a break between books but with the way this ended I'm incredibly relieved that Fury is already available because I'm diving straight in. I really want to see Delilah, Gallagher and the others find some happiness and a safe place to be and more than anything I want to see them punish anyone who has ever attempted to abuse them. Humanity had better watch out because the cryptids are coming for revenge!

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

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Review: Hero at the Fall - Alwyn Hamilton

The rebellion has been betrayed. The Rebel Prince has been captured. And the remnants of the rebellion lie in hands more used to shooting a gun than managing an army: The Blue Eyed Bandit’s. Amani, to those who know her as the girl instead of the legend.

With the Sultan ruthlessly reclaiming the desert with his inhuman army, only a few know that the Rebel Prince is still alive, imprisoned. And if there’s any hope of resurrecting the country’s failing faith in the rebellion, Amani, Jin and their few remaining allies will have to rescue him from a prison deep in the mountains. A place which, until now, Amani thought was a only myth.

Now Amani must return to where she came from, confronting towering walls of fire, dangerous foreign armies, and legendary tricksters. Heading quickly down a road which Amani knows ends in an all out war, and her finding out just how much she can bring herself to sacrifice to save her whole country.

Rebel of the Sands Series:
Rebel of the Sands
Traitor to the Throne
Hero at the Fall

Visit the Alwyn Hamilton's website for more information

Review:
I've loved this series since I first read Rebel of the Sands but I have to confess I put of reading Hero at the Fall for quite a long time. Partly I was worried it might not live up to expectations but equally I just didn't want the story to end, I still don't feel quite ready to say goodbye to this world or these characters even though I was extremely happy with how the journey ended for most of them. I'm going to have to give you a little bit of a warning in case you've not picked up this book yet, if you've read the previous books you'll already know that Alwyn Hamilton isn't afraid to break her reader's hearts and she stays true to that here so prepare yourself. This is a war against incredibly powerful enemies though so as much as certain things broke my heart, it was more realistic. Plus the fact that knowing your favourites might not survive to the end of the book just really amps up the tension throughout the whole story.

I'm not going to say too much about the plot of this book, if you've already read the first two books then you'll have a rough idea what to expect from this world and if you've not started this series yet then go and read my review of Rebel of the Sands instead. This was an action packed joyride of a story, one that just kept throwing new challenges at all of the fabulous characters we've come to love. Amani faces some impossible decisions and some of the things she has to do to keep her promises are horrific but she faces everything with the same bravery she's shown from the beginning. This was a fitting end to the series and I'm definitely going to be watching out for whatever Alwyn Hamilton writes next!

Source: Received from Faber & Faber in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Society of Wishes - Elise Kova & Lynn Larsh

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.

Josephina Espinosa makes her living as a hacker-for-hire in the Lone Star Republic, a remnant of the fractured U.S.A. That is, until the day she and her best friend are gunned down in a government raid.

With her dying breath, Jo uses magical lore passed down from her grandmother to summon a wish-granter. Her wish? To save her friend’s life. Except wishes have costs, and for Jo, the price is the erasure of her entire mortal existence.

Now, as the most recent addition to the mysterious Society of Wishes, Jo must form a new “life” alongside the seven other members, one of which being her savior himself. Living as an occupant of the Society’s lavish mansion should be quite the perk, but while it is furnished with everything its inhabitants could possibly need, it lacks one thing—freedom.

Her otherworldly identity crisis takes a backseat, however, when Jo learns that the friend she sacrificed everything for is headed down the same path to ruin. Jumping in head-first, Jo uses her newfound magical abilities to protect him, only to realize that the ripples of her actions have far-reaching consequences. When the Society’s aloof leader Snow decides to give her a taste of his own ancient magic, Jo discovers that there are threads woven into the tapestry of her new reality that reach far beyond the wishes she is now required to grant. Ones that, if tugged on, could mean the unraveling of the world itself.

Wish Quartet Series:
Society of Wishes
Circle of Ashes
Birth of Chaos (2018)

Visit Elise Kova's website or Lynn Larsh's website for more information

Review:
Jo's world is turned completely upside down when she uses her last breath to make a wish to save her best friend's life. Saving her friend has the unexpected consequence of also saving her own life but not the same version she used to live. Now her family and friends have completely forgotten she ever existed and she finds herself the newest member of the Society of Wishes, a group of people who use magic to grant the wishes of anyone who knows the correct ritual. As Jo struggles to come to terms with everything that has happened to her she realises that the best friend she gave up everything for is about to walk into the same trap she already saved him from once. Refusing to let her sacrifice be in vain she breaks all the rules to try and save him and ends up causing more trouble than she could possibly have imagined.

Society of Wishes is the first book in a new series by Elise Kova and Lynn Larsh, the idea of the Society is a really intriguing one but I have to admit I struggled a little with the world building. Jo is taken away from everything that is familiar with and thrown completely in the deep end within the Society, nobody takes the time to explain anything to her an it leaves both her and the reader very confused about what is happening. The way the other characters just tell Jo not to do things but don't explain why leads her to make some very stupid mistakes but that's pretty understandable when nobody bothers to talk through the consequences of her actions. If she was working alone that wouldn't be so bad but she has a lot of help from another member of the Society, one who should know exactly how badly her plans could screw up things for everyone else and I just couldn't understand why he was willing to go along with her.

We're introduced to a diverse group of characters and I'm definitely interested in learning more about all of them but I also really need some more answers about how the Society works and how it came to exist in the first place. I think because I didn't really understand why things happened I found it harder to connect to the story and the characters but I'm hoping that will get easier as the series continues.

One thing I really wasn't sure about here was the romantic element though. There are not one but two potential relationships thrown out there but they both pretty much came out of nowhere, there isn't much in the way of a slow build up and that made Jo's feelings hard to believe. The sex scene was well written but it felt out of place and didn't really fit in with the rest of the story, it felt more like an afterthought added to make the story fit the NA category and it could easily have been left out. I tend to prefer some romantic tension that takes a while to reach a payoff in urban fantasy, when you have a series you don't have to rush to fit it all in the first book and it can be better to tease your readers a little and keep them waiting.

I think this series has a lot of potential but unfortunately for me the first book didn't quite live up to that. It can be really hard to introduce a whole new world in just one book though so I'm always willing to give a series with an interesting premise at least two books to fully catch my interest. I'm hoping that things will start to fall into place in City of Ashes and I'm curious to see what will happen next.

Source: Purchased

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Review: To Seize a Wayward Spirit - R.L. Naquin

Fans of R.L. Naquin’s Monster Haven series will love this beguiling spin-off, featuring a djinn caught in a hot mess of lost souls, fast food and otherwordly murder.

Sometimes monsters like to pretend to be humans dressing up as monsters…

After a major goof turned their last mission into chaos, Hidden Government chaser Kam and her friends must hunt and recapture a crapton of souls. Seventeen, to be precise. But by the time they chase down the first one—a goblin en route back home to Oklahoma—a banshee ups and gets assassinated, leaving their progress at exactly negative one.

The connection between Kam’s goblin and her banshee? A cosplay club, natch. Because sometimes monsters like to pretend to be humans dressing up as monsters.

As the body count rises and the Hidden cosplayers point fingers at each other, it’s up to Kam and her team to stop the insanity. One costumed faction has a secret they’re not sharing—even with each other—and if the bad seed isn’t found soon, the others are likely to be murdered…or worse.

This book is approximately 65,000 words

Monster Haven Series:
Monster in My Closet
Ill-Conceived Magic (Short Story)
Pooka in My Pantry
Hidden Holidays (Short Story)
Fairies in My Fireplace
What Zoey Doesn't Know (Short Story)
Golem in My Glovebox
Demons in My Driveway
Transmonstrified (Short Story Collection)
Phoenix in My Fortune

Djinn Haven series:
(Spin off from the Monster Haven series but can be read separately)
To Catch A Stolen Soul
To Seize a Wayward Spirit
To Free a Captured Heart

Visit R.L. Naquin's website for more information

Review:
To Seize a Wayward Spirit picks up where the last book left off with Kam, Ash and Tahm on a mission to hunt down the souls that they accidentally freed from Pete's Soul Stone. Kam is the most experienced Reaper amongst them and it's her job to train the others so they can get the job done as quickly as possible. Of course nothing ever goes quite to plan and they are derailed from their task when the stumble across a murdered banshee whose spirit leads them into investigating a spate of mysterious Hidden deaths. It all seems to link back to a Hidden cosplay group but why are all the members slowly being killed off?

One of the things I love most about books set in this world is the amount of humour that R.L. Naquin packs into these stories. Nothing is ever quite what it seems and Kam is always thrown in at the deep end while she tries to figure out exactly what is happening. I'll admit I was hoping we might see a bit of Zoey and the other characters from the original series but I'm enjoying getting to know Kam and seeing the camaraderie building between her and Ash. Things are much more complicated between her and Tahm considering they're technically engaged even though they've been apart for the last 100 years, Kam isn't too sure what she wants to do about that but it seems like Tahm is determined to win her around. I'm enjoying the banter between them along with the hints that they're both attracted to each other so I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship develop as the series continues.

The whole cosplay element added a fun dimension to this story and allowed loads of fun characters to be introduced. I'm not sure how many (if any) we'll see of them in the next book but they all had a fun part to play in this story. If you want an urban fantasy series that's really light hearted, full of humour and just plain fun to read then you can't go wrong with the Djinn Haven series or the original Monster Haven books. I've been reading these books since 2014 and there's a reason I keep coming back for more!

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

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Review: Traitor to the Throne - Alwyn Hamilton

This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.

Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible.

Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

Rebel of the Sands Series:
Rebel of the Sands
Traitor to the Throne
Hero at the Fall

Visit the Alwyn Hamilton's website for more information

Review:
I really loved Rebel of the Sands so Traitor to the Throne was right up there amongst my most wished for books of 2017. Sometimes it can be hard to live up to fan's high expectations but I though Alwyn Hamilton did a brilliant job, this book is very different to the first one but I really enjoyed the new direction the story took and I loved all the twists and turns along the way.

I don't really want to say too much about how this happens but when Amani is captured during a mission for the rebellion she finds herself taken prisoner and held captive in the Sultan's palace. We're used to seeing her as a fierce fighter and someone who never backs down from a challenge but she's now in an impossible situation, trapped without her powers and with no backup on hand. She hasn't given up on getting back to her friends but her hands are quite tied and it's not going to be easy for her to escape. I love that she tries to turn the situation to her advantage though, she is in an ideal situation to spy on her enemies so if she can only figure out a way to pass what information she can find on to the rebels she could be the key to winning the rebellion. I just love that Amani never quits, no matter how impossible the odds look she keeps fighting for what she believes in.

There is a lot going on in this book - political intrigue at the palace, the rebel's attempts to rescue Amani, concubines disappearing from the harem and the Sultan's latest prisoners who are even more dangerous and powerful than Amani. You'll see familiar faces from Amani's past who may or may not be trustworthy, the rebels will suffer plenty of setbacks, friends become enemies while enemies might turn into allies. Nothing is quite what it seems and it all unravels in spectacular fashion in an exciting finale that left me desperate for the final book.

If I had one complaint it was that Jin was missing for much of the book, it makes sense for the plot because he couldn't exactly be held prisoner in the harem alongside Amani but I missed his character. We get to see plenty of whats going on with the other rebels but I would have loved perhaps a few chapters from Jin's POV so we could see what he was up to elsewhere. I'm glad Amani and Jin were reunited in the end though, I think these two bring out the best in each other and I love seeing them fight alongside each other. This series is just so much fun to read and I can't wait to see how everything ties together in the final book.

Source: Received from Faber & Faber in exchange for an honest review

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Review: To Catch a Stolen Soul - R.L. Naquin

Fans of the Monster Haven series by R.L. Naquin will love this beguiling spin-off, featuring a trapped djinn caught in a hot mess of lost souls, fast food and otherwordly murder.

Kam is a soul chaser for the Hidden Government, a much harder job now that the Hidden look like everyone else. Broke, out of magic and sick of playing waitress in a pirate-themed dive bar, Kam jumps at a chance for an out-of-town mission.

A reaper—and his loaded soul stone—have gone missing. The stone contains souls that might get permanently stuck if Kam doesn't find it, like, yesterday. She tracks the reaper down to a food truck outside Kansas City, only to find a dead reaper and no soul stone in sight. Which means that someone who should be dead killed the reaper and is running around with a powerful magic item. Not good.

And apparently the killer is targeting food-truck owners that also happen to be Hidden. So the only thing to do is open her own truck and go undercover—goodbye Kam the Djinn, hello Mobile Food Entrepreneur—and hope that she and her new runaway friend won't be the next targets...

Monster Haven Series:
Monster in My Closet
Ill-Conceived Magic (Short Story)
Pooka in My Pantry
Hidden Holidays (Short Story)
Fairies in My Fireplace
What Zoey Doesn't Know (Short Story)
Golem in My Glovebox
Demons in My Driveway
Transmonstrified (Short Story Collection)
Phoenix in My Fortune

Djinn Haven series:
(Spin off from the Monster Haven series but can be read separately)
To Catch A Stolen Soul
To Seize a Wayward Spirit
To Free a Captured Heart

Visit R.L. Naquin's website for more information

Review:
I love R.L. Naquin's Monster Haven series and was really sad when it ended so you can imagine how excited I was when I found out she was writing a spin off series about my favourite djinn Kam. You don't have to have read the previous series to enjoy this one but I definitely think you'll enjoy it more if you're already a fan, Kam was a big character in the other series and we also get glimpses of a few other familiar faces that just made this even more fun to read.

If you're completely new to this world then all you really need to know is that Kam is a djinn who has been living on earth for 100 years, unfortunately for her she spent most of that time trapped in a box by her last master but now she finally has her freedom and is determined to make the most of it before she has to return to the djinn realm to be with her family. If you're familiar with the series you'll probably remember that Kam left Zoey and her other friends to go out on her own in the world and explore a little. To make a little cash along the way she works for the Hidden Government as a soul chaser, basically someone who tracks down rogue souls and helps them move on to the afterlife.

Kam's latest job involves tracking down a missing Reaper, and the full soul stone he had in his possession, before the souls are trapped inside forever. What starts as a hunt for a missing person quickly turns into a murder investigation and Kam is forced to go undercover amongst a community of Hidden food truck owners while she tries to figure out who is targeting them.

It was so much fun being back in this world again. I did miss Zoey and all the other familiar faces but I enjoyed spending time with Kam and I think it was better that she was out on her own so she could establish herself as the main character for the series. We do get to hear about what the others are up to which was nice but the focus was definitely on Kam and the new friends she makes, particularly a teenage runaway called Ash. Kam and Ash make a great team, although they've not known each other for long they act like sisters and I think having someone to take care of brought out the best in Kam.

My one complaint was that the murder mystery was a little too easy to solve, there wasn't exactly a large suspect pool so it was fairly obvious from very early on who the culprit was and I would have enjoyed it a bit more if the author had managed to surprise me. In spite of that this was a really fun read though, I loved getting to know the new characters and the way things ended definitely left me wanting to spend more time with Kam and her new work partners. I have very high hopes for this series and can't wait to carry on reading it.

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

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Review: Rebel of the Sands - Alwyn Hamilton

Sold immediately at auction across the world, this phenomenal novel is the first in a trilogy packed with shooting contests, train robberies, festivals under the stars, powerful Djinni magic and an electrifying love story. This promises to be a global super lead.

"Tell me that and we'll go. Right now. Save ourselves and leave this place to burn. Tell me that's how you want your story to go and we'll write it straight across the sand."

Dustwalk is Amani's home. The desert sand is in her bones. But she wants to escape. More than a want. A need.

Then a foreigner with no name turns up to save her life, and with him the chance to run. But to where? The desert plains are full of danger. Sand and blood are swirling, and the Sultan's enemies are on the rise.

Rebel of the Sands Series:
Rebel of the Sands
Traitor to the Throne
Hero at the Fall

Visit the Alwyn Hamilton's website for more information

Review:
All Amani has ever wanted is to escape her small desert hometown Dustwalk and make her way to the nearest city like her mother had always dreamed of doing. Now that her uncle is looking to force her into marriage she knows she has to leave soon before it's too late. Taking all the money she has spent years secretly saving Amani enters a sharpshooting contest hoping to win enough to purchase her train ticket out of there but unfortunately it all goes horribly wrong. Now Amani finds herself on the run from an army of soldiers and Jin, a young foreigner who is wanted for treason, is the only person she can trust to help her escape. Amani has no idea why Jin is a wanted man but she knows that the only way they'll survive is if they learn to work together.

I have been desperately waiting to get my hands on this book since I first heard about it at a Faber & Faber blogger event last year, it was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2016 and oh boy did it deliver in every way. I've heard Rebel of the Sands described as Wild West meets Arabian Nights and I can't think of a more apt way to summarize it. The story is wonderfully atmospheric with a harsh but beautiful desert setting and I was pulled into the world Alwyn Hamilton has created from the very first page. I don't want to go into too much detail about the mythology because I think it's the kind of story where it's much nicer to go in knowing only minimal details but the world building is very well done and djinni aren't something you come across a great deal in YA so it was nice to read about something so different.

The characters are fantastic, Amani is wonderful, a fiercely independent young girl who also happens to be a sharpshooter and is more than able to protect herself. Due to circumstances she has to hide a lot of what she is, girls aren't allowed much freedom in her culture and it would be impossible for her to travel alone so she thinks nothing of disguising herself as a boy and setting off for an adventure. As much as I love her independent streak I also love that she isn't afraid to accept help when she needs it and she is a very loyal friend to anyone who has earned her trust. There are hints of romance and I'm definitely shipping Amani and Jin but I'm glad that the romance didn't overshadow the rest of the storyline.

This book has it all: action, adventure, mystery, a wonderful setting, great characters, magic, gunpowder and a touch of romance. The pace is perfect and once I started reading I didn't want to stop. I can't wait to see where Amani's journey takes her throughout the rest of the trilogy and will be eagerly awaiting each new release.

I also have to give a little shout out to Faber & Faber for such a fantastic marketing campaign for the book too. They really built up the hype for this one and thankfully the book wasn't a let down. My favourite part was the awesome personalised proofs they sent out & this book is already taking pride of place on my favourites shelf :o)

Source: Received from Faber & Faber in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Menagerie - Rachel Vincent

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series set in the dark mythology of the Menagerie…

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale.

Menagerie Series:
Menagerie
Spectacle
Fury

Visit Rachel Vincent's website for more information

Review:
Menagerie is set in a world similar to our own but one where all kinds of supernatural creatures, known collectively as cryptids, exist and are walking among us. Since humans found out the truth about these creatures they have been treated as less than animals, they have no rights, are unable to hold down jobs or own property and don't even have a say in what happens to their bodies or their children. Cryptids who are discovered are placed in the custody of the state, they can be bought or sold and if they're "lucky" they'll end up in a menagerie where people can pay to come and gawk at them through the bars of their cages. Unlucky ones will find themselves hunted & murdered for sport or used for all kinds of horrific experiments and testing.

Metzger's Menagerie is a travelling circus where all of the performers and attractions are cryptids. It travels around America and people pay exorbitant ticket prices to come in and see the "freaks" on display. Delilah visited the Menagerie as a child but now, 15 years later, it has come back to their area and her boyfriend bought tickets for her as a gift. She was kind of curious about the Menagerie and wondered if she would see any of the same cryptids from her childhood but she finds herself horrified by the way the cryptids are treated by their handlers and the Menagerie staff. When she steps in to defend a young werewolf child she discovers something about herself that gets her into more trouble than she ever could have imagined.

I've been a huge fan of Rachel Vincent's for a long time now and I'm consistently impressed with the new and interesting ideas she comes up with for every new series. Menagerie is like none of her previous books, it's much darker in tone and is actually more than a little disturbing in places. This isn't a comfortable read but it was a fascinating one and I was hooked from the very beginning. Delilah was a fantastic main character, one day she's just a normal girl having fun with her friends and then her entire life is turned completely upside down. She is stripped of everything she has ever cared about and becomes less than a second class citizen within a few terrifying moments. It was horrible seeing what she was going through but I admired her for her strength and courage, she is treated as an object to be ridiculed and laughed at but she never loses her humanity. The story actually raises a lot of interesting questions about what it means to be human and it really makes you think about the way we treat people who are different from ourselves. One of my favourite quotes from the story was:

"But if monsters could look like humans, and humans could look like monsters, how could anyone ever really be sure that the right people stood on the outside of all those cages?"

We meet a whole host of interesting characters in this book, Delilah may be central to the story but she's only one of the major players and nothing is quite what it seems. All of the characters are fully three dimensional, they all have secrets and hidden motives and you can never be quite sure who you can trust. Every time you think you have things figured out Rachel Vincent manages to add in a new twist and I gave up trying to predict what would happen next. I loved the pure scope of this world, the sheer amount of different cryptids, each with very different skills and needs, was fascinating. There are characters you'll love, some you'll hate but more than a few who fall into such a grey area that you won't know which box to put them in. The plot unfolds masterfully and I loved the way things played out towards the end of the story, I don't want to say much about what happens but it has definitely left me desperate to get my hands on the sequel and I'm very excited to see where this series will go from here.

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

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Hardback / Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Fairies in My Fireplace - R.L. Naquin

A migration of mythical creatures has begun, and more and more of them are landing on Zoey Donovan's doorstep. As the only Aegis left in the country, it falls to her to protect the Hidden and keep them safe—and her house has become a sanctuary for water sprites, goblins, harpies, djinn and more.

Keeping track of her boarders is a full-time job, and Zoey's already got her hands full trying to run her wedding planning business. Good thing she has a resident closet monster to keep her organized, and a hot Reaper boyfriend to help her relax every once in a while.

But she can't keep up monster-triage indefinitely, and as more Hidden arrive, it becomes clear that someone—or something—is hunting them. In the midst of planning an event for a notoriously difficult client, Zoey's got to figure out who's behind the hunt…and she's got to stop them before there are no Hidden left.

Monster Haven Series:
Monster in My Closet
Ill-Conceived Magic (Short Story)
Pooka in My Pantry
Hidden Holidays (Short Story)
Fairies in My Fireplace
What Zoey Doesn't Know (Short Story)
Golem in My Glovebox
Demons in My Driveway
Transmonstrified (Short Story Collection)
Phoenix in My Fortune

Djinn Haven series:
(Spin off from the Monster Haven series but can be read separately)
To Catch A Stolen Soul
To Seize a Wayward Spirit
To Free a Captured Heart

Visit R.L. Naquin's website for more information

Review:
Zoey should be finding life easier now that she's no longer having to keep the Hidden a secret from her best friend Sara but with more and more of them coming to her for help every day she soon realises that something major is going on. Something that is effecting Hidden everywhere and Zoey is the only one left who can help them. She soon finds herself caught in a dangerous battle with enemies who are more powerful than she could ever have guessed. It's a good job she has her friends to support her but even with their help the odds are not looking good.

I have become a huge fan of the Monster Haven series since I first discovered it, these books are just so much fun to read and I LOVE the humour and the huge range of weird and wonderful supernatural creatures they contain. With each new book R.L. Naquin manages to come up with new surprises for us and Fairies in My Fireplace is my favourite instalment of the series so far. Although I spend a lot of time laughing out loud as I read these books they do have a darker side and this book had one particularly heartbreaking moment towards the end that brought tears to my eyes. I have become so invested in all of these characters that I hate to see them hurting and Zoey is in a whole world of hurt here.

I love seeing how much Zoey has grown since the beginning of the series, she has really come into her own when it comes to taking care of the various different types of Hidden creatures and she is the kind of woman who always makes time for everyone. She has strong principles and wants to help everyone but she also knows that she doesn't have to do it alone and is willing to accept advice and assistance from her friends. Zoey has built up a very unusual family what with her reaper boyfriend Riley, her human best friends Sara and Andrew, the closet monster Maurice, brownie Molly and Iris the skunk monster but they are all very close knit and would do anything for each other. It's great that Zoey has such a positive support network and I've enjoyed getting to know all of the side characters and seeing their circumstances change throughout the books.

I'm so glad that I discovered this series! When I'm in the mood for something fun I know I can rely on R.L. Naquin to provide plenty of laughs along the way but she has also captured me with her wonderful world building and range of fantastic characters. I don't think I'm ever going to get bored of spending time with them.

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

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Kindle:

Review: Unbroken - Rachel Caine

For millennia, Cassiel was a powerful Djinn - until she was exiled to live among mortals. Now the threat of an apocalypse looms, and Cassiel is in danger of losing everything she has come to hold dear....

As the world begins to fall apart around her, Cassiel finds herself fighting those she once called her own: the Djinn. With Warden Luis Rocha and the rescued child Ibby by her side, Cassiel struggles to find a way to protect those who are in her charge and come to terms with the leadership role she never asked for.

Cassiel is opposed by Pearl - a powerful Djinn bent on raising an army of kidnapped Warden children to bring about nothing less than the end of the world. It will take everything Cassiel has to stop the Djinn from starting a war that will wipe all of humanity from the face of the earth. She knows that this might not be a battle she can survive, but protecting those she loves is worth any cost....

Outcast Season Series:
(This is a spin off from The Weather Warden Series)
Undone
Unknown
Unseen
Unbroken

The Weather Warden Series:
Ill Wind
Heat Stroke
Chill Factor
Windfall
Firestorm
Thin Air
Gale Force
Cape Storm
Total Eclipse

Visit Rachel Caine's Website for more information.

Review:
Unbroken is the fourth and final book in the Outcast Season series and in the Weather Warden time line runs alongside the last book Total Eclipse. Rachel Caine's Weather Warden and Outcast books are some of my favourite urban fantasy stories and they are ones I would highly recommend but you should really read the books in order, starting with the Weather Warden series and then following with these books. You could read the Outcast series without having read the other one first but you'd be missing out on a lot of world building and some fab characters so I wouldn't recommend it.

I didn't actually realise that Unbroken was the last book about Cassiel until I started reading it and I have to admit that I'm really sad to reach the end of the journey. The world Rachel Caine has created with both Djinn and Wardens who have the power to control the elements has been a fascinating one to spend time in and I'll miss it now it's over. Still, if you're going to come to the end of a series you want it to end on a high and that is certainly the case here.

I have really enjoyed watching Cassiel change throughout the series. As one of the old Djinn she started off as very cold and unfeeling but the longer she has spent living as a human the more she has started to show her emotions. Having said that she hasn't completely lost her original way of looking at things and she isn't afraid to make difficult decisions if it means achieving her goals. I do love the way she has come to care for Luis and Ibby though and the way they have bonded and become a little family in their own right has been really sweet. Ibby has been through a terrible ordeal and things get even harder for her in this instalment - it was quite heartbreaking to see some of the things she goes through here.

Anyone who has read Total Eclipse will recognise part of the story and I found it really interesting to see the same events but from the opposite angle. That is only a small part though because for the majority of the book Cassiel's journey is in a very different direction to Jo's in Total Eclipse. I loved getting to see more of the Djinn, spend some time with David, Jo & Lewis and of course find out if Cassiel would be able to stop Pearl. The stakes have really been raised in the last few books of both series and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would play out. I would highly recommend both of these series and I'm sure I'll be re-reading them myself at some point in the future.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
Between Dreams and Reality
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Review: Unseen - Rachel Caine

For millennia, Cassiel was a powerful Djinn - until she was exiled to live among mortals.  Reluctant at first, she has grown affectionate toward her new human compatriots.  But for one Warden in particular, she feels something much more powerful.

After Warden Luis Rocha and Cassiel rescue an adept child from a maniacal Djinn, they soon realise two things: The girl is already manifesting an incredible amount of power and her kidnapping was not an isolated incident.

All over the world, young Wardens are showing their potential far too early.  and this Djinn - aided by her devoted followers - is snatching the children seemingly at will and indoctrinating them so she can use their strength for herself.

With no other options, Cassiel infiltrates the Djinn's organisation.  Deprived of the ethereal gifts allowed her by the Wardens, she soon begins to question her own ideas of right, wrong, and true power.  But if Cassiel cannot stop the Djinn's apocalyptic designs, all of humanity may be destroyed - including Luis.

Outcast Season Series:
(This is a spin off from The Weather Warden Series)
Undone
Unknown
Unseen
Unbroken

The Weather Warden Series:
Ill Wind
Heat Stroke
Chill Factor
Windfall
Firestorm
Thin Air
Gale Force
Cape Storm
Total Eclipse

Visit Rachel Caine's Website for more information.

Review:
This is the third book in Rachel Caine's spin off from the Weather Warden series and I would definitely recommend it to Weather Warden fans.  I loved the first series but I'm growing to like the Outcast Season books even more, the only disappointment is having to wait a whole year to get my hands on the next (and final) book in the series.  I would say you could pick up the Outcast Season books even if you've not read any of the Weather Warden series but I would definitely recommend reading this series in order starting with Undone.

Cassiel is still struggling to fit into her new place in the world - no longer fully Djinn but also not quite human she finds her lack of power and the fact that she has to rely on the Wardens to live frustrating.  Working in such close contact with her Warden partner Luis has had a big effect on her though and we are starting to see a much more human side to her, she is more caring and wants to do everything she can to help those suffering at the hands of her enemy.  She hasn't had a personality transplant though, she can still be very cool and logical when she needs to be, she will do what needs to be done no matter how much it hurts her to do it.  What I really love about Cassiel is that we are seeing a lot of development in her character, she never comes across as one dimensional and although you might not agree with her decisions sometimes you can understand why she makes the choices she does.

I have been really enjoying the developing relationship between Cassiel and Luis but I have to admit I was disappointed with some of Luis' behavior in this installment.  I can't really say why without giving spoilers but there were times I wanted to shake him!  I will say that he had started to redeem himself by the end of the book so I have high hopes that I'll be back to liking him more again in the next installment.  It broke my heart watching Ibby at the beginning but I was so proud of her by end of the book that I wanted to cheer.  I'm also very intrigued the snake girl and wonder if we'll see more of her in the future.

I can't wait to get my hands on Unbroken which will be the final installment in this series.  Considering the books so far have coincided with the last few Weather Warden books I'm curious to see where we will be in the timeline for the last book, if it runs alongside Total Eclipse there should be some very interesting times ahead for Cassiel and the Djinn.  I would recommend this series to any urban fantasy fan, personally I'd say you're better off starting with the Weather Warden series and reading all of the books in order but if you're not sure you should definitely give Undone a try.

Source: Library

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Review: Unknown - Rachel Caine

For millennia, Cassiel was a powerful Djinn.  But then she defied her ruler, who cast her out and reshaped her in human flesh as punishment.  She found refuge among the Wardens - and discovered that her perceived human weaknesses may be her greatest strengths.

Living among mortals, Cassiel has begun to develop a reluctant affection for them - especially the intriguing Warden Luis Rocha.  As the mystery deepens around the kidnapping of innocent Warden children, Cassiel and Luis are the only ones who can investigate within both the human and the Djinn realms.

But the more Luis and Cassiel search, the more dangerous the trail becomes, reaching not only into a fanatical splinter group, but into the highest ranks of Cassiel's immortal kin.  An outcast from her own kind, Cassiel must now rely on her own limited earthbound powers to save the young Wardens...if it's not already too late.

Outcast Season Series:
(This is a spin off from The Weather Warden Series)
Undone
Unknown
Unseen
Unbroken

The Weather Warden Series:
Ill Wind
Heat Stroke
Chill Factor
Windfall
Firestorm
Thin Air
Gale Force
Cape Storm
Total Eclipse

Visit Rachel Caine's Website for more information.

Review:
I've said it before but I'll happily say it again - I'm a massive fan of Rachel Caine's Weather Warden series, in fact I'd rate it right up there amongst my all time favorite urban fantasy series for it's fast paced, action packed, unique story lines and fantastic well drawn out characters.  Of course I was expecting to like the spin off Outcast Season series but what has surprised me is the fact that I think I'm growing to love these books even more than I love the Weather Warden ones.  Although I would recommend reading the Weather Warden series first I think you can probably pick up this series first if you prefer - I would say it's vital to read each series in order though so don't read Unknown unless you've already read the first Outcast Season book Undone.

Cassiel was one of the old Djinn, one of the first who was created and has been around since before humans even existed.  She has been cast out by her leader Ashan after refusing to obey his order to destroy humanity and is now in human form.  Cut off from her own source of power she has been forced to work with the Weather Wardens so she can use them as a link to gain the power she needs.  This isn't easy for Cassiel who has never had any interest in humans before but living among the Wardens has started to change her in ways that she would never have expected.  She has found herself growing to care for some of them, Luis and his niece Ibby in particular.  With Weather Warden children going missing, seemingly taken by an old enemy that Cassiel believed was dead, it is up to Cassiel and Luis to try and figure out what is happening and find a way to get the children back.

Jo (from the Weather Warden series) is one of my favorite fictional heroines and in a lot of ways Cassiel is her complete opposite but I love her just as much.  I love the way Rachel Caine has captured her personality and made her thought process feel so alien.  From everything we know of the Djinn from the previous series the majority of them come across as cold and uncaring and this shows through in Cassiel.  As much as they don't sound like great qualities to have in a heroine it is the way that you see Cassiel change as the books progress that make her such a lovable character.  Watching her come to care for those around her has been really interesting but I also love the way that she still does or says things that prove she still has more to learn.

I'm also really liking Luis and the way things are developing between the two of them.  There was no trust between them in the beginning but they are slowly coming to rely on each other.  The chemistry between them is great but their romance has a slow build to it that I'm enjoying.  Things between them are both sweet and funny (especially Cassiel's thoughts about Luis and the effect he has on her) but I'm expecting the heat levels to go through the roof when they finally get their acts together.

If you're already a fan of the Weather Warden series then you'll know to expect a action packed thrill ride when reading any of Rachel Caine's adult books (I'm sure this is probably the case in her YA Morganville vampire series too but I've not read any of them yet so I can't comment) and Unknown will not disappoint.   If you liked Undone then you're sure to love this installment to the series and if you haven't started reading the Outcast Season books yet then you should definitely give them a try.

Source: Library

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