Review: Judged - Liz de Jager

Kit's job description includes solving crimes - the supernatural kind . . .

Glow, a fae-created drug, is rapidly going viral and the suppliers have to be shut down. Teaming up with Aiden and Dante, Kit follows leads across London, tracking down dealers. They stir up trouble, making themselves a target for the gang they're trying to stop.

In the Otherwhere, Thorn stumbles across a secret that could destroy both the human and Fae worlds. The Veil that separates our human world from the fae realms is weakening and the goddess is dying. And if she dies and the Veil fails, madness and chaos will wreak unstoppable havoc upon both lands.

Thorn turns to the only person he knows who'll be able to help him: Kit. Torn between working the Glow case and her loyalty for the young prince, Kit is propelled headlong into a world of danger. She faces enemies from both the Otherwhere and our world. And as the stakes are raised, the consequence of failure for both Kit and Thorn, and two realms, could be devastating.

Blackhart Legacy:
Banished
Vowed
Judged

Visit Liz de Jager's website for more information

Review:
Kit and her friends made it back from the Otherwhere but they had to leave Thorn behind in their escape. They're now back on the hunt for the supplier of fae drug Glow, trying to figure out why they have increased production and why they're willing to give the drug away for free. As if that wasn't bad enough they've now discovered that Glow's formula has been changed enough for it to affect other fae who come into contact with it. The drug is doing more damage every day and as people start to die from the side effects Kit and her friends become more desperate to stop the dealers. Thorn has his own problems to deal with, the veil that separates the Otherwhere from the human realm is starting to fail and if it comes down completely it could cause the destruction of both worlds.

I've been a huge fan of the Blackheart Legacy ever since I picked up the first book so I've been eagerly awaiting this final instalment for over a year now. Judged is everything I hoped it would be and Liz de Jager has given Kit and her friends a brilliant ending to their story. It's so hard to write this review because I want to talk about all the things that happen but I don't want to give anything away or offer any spoilers so I'm going to keep this deliberately quite vague.

What I've loved most about this series has been the progression we've seen in the characters. Kit started the series completely unaware of her family background or her heritage but she's come a long way in the time we've known her. She still has a lot to learn but she has been getting stronger every day and is more than capable of standing up for herself and the people she cares for. Another thing I love about these books is that Kit is able to be friends with more than one guy without there being any kind of hint at a love triangle! That's pretty rare in YA lately and all the more refreshing because of it. I've loved Kit's friendship with Aiden and Dante, the banter between all three of them has been fantastic and they obviously have a lot of affection for each other. I missed seeing as much of Kit's family here but everyone has their own tasks that they need to perform and it makes sense that they're all focusing on their own role.

The romance between Kit and Thorn has been sweet to watch but I liked the way they focused on their duty first and their relationship second. Judged is full of action from start to finish and does a great job of tying up all the loose ends from the previous books. As much as I'd love to revisit these characters again in the future I'm happy with how things ended here. Either way I'm looking forward to reading whatever Liz de Jager comes up with next.

Source: Received from the 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:

Blog Tour: Judged - Liz de Jager

I've been a huge fan of Liz de Jager's Blackheart Legacy series since I read the first book, Banished, a couple of years ago so I was both excited to read the final book in the trilogy, Judged, and sad that the series has come to an end. I have been friends with Liz since her book blogging days and it's been so much fun watching her journey to published author with a whole trilogy under her belt! I'll be posting my review of Judged later on today but I'll tell you right now that Liz ends the series on an incredible high and I'm already looking forward to whatever she writes next!

About Judged:

Kit's job description includes solving crimes - the supernatural kind . . .

Glow, a fae-created drug, is rapidly going viral and the suppliers have to be shut down. Teaming up with Aiden and Dante, Kit follows leads across London, tracking down dealers. They stir up trouble, making themselves a target for the gang they're trying to stop.

In the Otherwhere, Thorn stumbles across a secret that could destroy both the human and Fae worlds. The Veil that separates our human world from the fae realms is weakening and the goddess is dying. And if she dies and the Veil fails, madness and chaos will wreak unstoppable havoc upon both lands.

Thorn turns to the only person he knows who'll be able to help him: Kit. Torn between working the Glow case and her loyalty for the young prince, Kit is propelled headlong into a world of danger. She faces enemies from both the Otherwhere and our world. And as the stakes are raised, the consequence of failure for both Kit and Thorn, and two realms, could be devastating.

Blackhart Legacy:
(links will take you to my reviews)
Banished
Vowed
Judged

Interview with Liz:

Anyway, I'm thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the release of Judged and I was lucky enough to get to ask Liz some questions about how she feels now that the trilogy is finished.

How does it feel to finish the trilogy? Are you relieved it's done or sad to say goodbye?

Liz: It feels strange – sad but good at the same time. I’ve spent several years with these characters so they feel very much alive to me. I’d be in a situation and I’d think to myself: how would Kit react or how would Thorn react or Aiden or even Dante. It’s a little bit weird. And I’d think something and be all: no, that’s definitely not how Kit would do something. Writers are crazy. So, it’s going to be odd letting go of them in that respect. But it feels good too as it means it’s a fully standalone trilogy readers can pick up and fall into.

Had you planned the ending of the trilogy from the beginning or was it something you figured out on the way? Were there major changes that you hadn't seen coming?

Liz: I knew partially how the book would end and I knew the set pieces and how the dominoes ought to fall to get there but honestly, knowing how something should go and doing your utmost to stick to it…that’s hard. The biggest challenge for me was to be logical about things. I couldn’t do hand-waving and go: because I said so, about something. Judged was an insane book to write. I wrote it twice from scratch because I had completely gone off tangent on the first book I’d handed in. I’d learned a big lesson then, mostly to listen to your editor.

Who is your favourite character in the series?

Liz: Kit, of course. She is 100% my creation and she is so gutsy and strong and yet she’s flawed and damaged. She’s so used to living in this very muscular world that when it comes to her being a girl, she struggles a little. I love that in her. She is totally my favourite character and I feel ridiculously protective of her.

Do you think you'll ever write about the world or any of the characters again in the future?

Liz: I would love to. The world is vast and there are so many opportunities for these characters to run around in and create messes that need cleaning up. But as of yet, there are no plans to fall back into the Blackhart world.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Liz! I really hope we do get to see more of Kit and her friends at some point but I'm looking forward to reading whatever you come up with next :o)

About the Liz de Jager:

While writing her debut novel, Liz de Jager fostered her love of YA and genre fiction by developing the popular My Favourite Books review blog. This ran for seven years and enabled her to gain a unique insight into the publishing industry. She grew up in South Africa and now lives and works in the UK. She lives in London with her husband Mark.

Contact Liz online via her Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Facebook

Don't forget to check back later today to read my review of Judged!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

Today's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2016. There are so many upcoming releases that I'm looking forward to but since I already posted a list of my most anticipated 2016 Debuts I decided to focus this list

1. Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh: I absolutely love everything Nalini writes so I can't wait to get my hands on this book. It's not often you find series that are still going so strong at book 15 but this is definitely one of them.
2. Morning Star by Pierce Brown: I've been addicted to this series since I first read Red Rising nearly 2 years ago, the series has gone from strength to strength and I can't wait to see how it ends.
3. Night Study by Maria V Snyder: I'm a huge fan of the Chronicles of Ixia series and I'm really pleased Maria decided to revisit the original main characters Yelena and Valek in these new books. I don't think I'll ever get enough of this world!
4. Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs: It's no secret that I love Patricia Briggs, in fact I'm currently on my third read of the Mercy Thompson series because I couldn't resist reading it again before the new book comes out. I think that says all there is to say about how fantastic it is!
5. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas: I love Sarah's Throne of Glass series but I think I enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses even more so I'm going to be dropping everything the second I get my hands on a copy of ACOMAF.
6. Of Flame and Promise by Cecy Robson: The Weird Girls series is another of my favourites, this is the first book to be told from Taran's point of view and I'm really looking forward to getting inside her head and finding out what makes her tick!
7. Judged by Liz de Jager: I've known Liz since she was a blogger so I was thrilled when she got her publishing contract and I've loved every minute of the Blackheart Legacy. I'm going to be taking part in the blog tour for Judged, the final instalment in the trilogy, in January so happily that means I get to read it very soon :o)
8. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab: A Darker Shade of Magic was absolutely fantastic so I'm really looking forward to seeing what trouble Kell and Lila get into next.
9. Camp Alien by Gini Koch: This is another series that makes me drop everything when I get my hands on the latest instalment, the books are always completely crazy and laugh out loud funny.
10. Midnight Marked by Chloe Neill: I love the Chicagoland Vampires, this series just gets better and better and I'm looking forward to spending more time with Merit and Ethan.

So those are my most anticipated reads from early 2016. Do any of them match the books on your list? What books are you most excited about?

Review: Vowed - Liz de Jager

The Blackhart Code:
Don't let the monsters grind you down

A Blackhart can see the supernatural behind everyday crimes. But some crimes hide even greater evils.

Kit Blackhart must investigate why children are disappearing from a London estate. However, their parents, police and Kit's fae allies claim to know nothing. And as yet more children disappear, the pressure mounts. Luckily, or unluckily, government trainee Dante Alexander is helping Kit with the case. Yet just as her feelings towards him begin to thaw, his life falls apart. As Kit struggles to unravel his problems and solve the case, she meets fae Prince Thorn in her dreams – but their relationship is utterly forbidden.

Then Kit digs too deep, uncovering a mystery that’s been hidden for one thousand years. It’s a secret that could just tear down our world.

Blackhart Legacy:
Banished
Vowed
Judged

Visit Liz de Jager's website for more information

Review:
I feel like I have to put a disclaimer at the top of this review to say that Liz is a friend of mine, but I also want to say that I've done my best to be completely unbiased in this review. As an ex book blogger I know Liz expects honesty in reviews of her books and I'm sure she'd kick my arse if she thought I was being less than 100% truthful. Luckily Liz's books are just as awesome as she is and there is absolutely no need to puff them up or give them false praise! So now I've got that out of the way lets get down to the bit you've all been waiting for - my thoughts on Vowed.

So if you're reading this I'm going to assume you've already read Banished (if not walk away from this review now, go buy the book & come back here when you've read it!) and if you loved that then you're going to enjoy Vowed as much if not more. Everything great about the first book has been ramped up in this one - the fantastic characters, a weird and wonderful array of fae and other creatures, a mystery that keeps you guessing and so much action you won't want to put it down.

Kit has had some time to get used to her family now, and she is getting better at using her magical abilities, she still isn't 100% sure what she's capable of but she has come a long way since the beginning of the first book. She may not be the strongest amongst her friends but she isn't afraid to stand up for herself and people who need her help, even if it costs her. I loved that Kit is still learning, she doesn't have all the answers and she has to work to achieve her goals, she gets her butt kicked on more than one occasion but she never lets it stop her doing what needs to be done. I enjoyed seeing her spending time with her cousin Kyle and her friend Aiden, we saw their friendships begin and now we're getting to see that bond between them get even stronger. I have to admit I missed Thorn, we do get parts of the story from his POV which helped but I just love seeing him and Kit together so I missed that banter.

Luckily for me we are introduced to a new character Dante and he made up for Thorn's absence. Dante is a government agent who has been spying on the Blackharts so of course Kit is very wary of him and the last thing she wants is to have to work alongside him. Unfortunately for her the Unseelie Queen has a job for them and she insists they resolve the case together. There are children going missing on a London estate and with the only witnesses giving strange accounts of monsters walking through walls the police aren't having much luck finding out what is happening to them. It is up to Kit and Dante to figure out what is going on and if it's a member of the fae causing the disappearances the Unseelie Queen wants the culprit brought to her. Dante and Kit have very different ways of working so putting the two of them together was bound to cause fireworks but as they spend time together and get to know each other they slowly start to respect each other.

As much as I'm all for having lots of hot boys in books I have to say I absolutely love Liz for not turning this into a love triangle, there are times when it appears that Dante is interested in Kit but I never really felt that she saw him as anything more than a friend and he seems happy to accept that. I'm actually kind of rooting for a Dante / Aiden pairing but we'll have to see what happens in the next book. Another quick thing I have to mention is that I loved the way the story deals with Aiden and Dante's bisexuality, it's mentioned in passing but never made into an issue and it didn't feel like they'd been added as the token LGBTQ characters that you so often get in stories. I love books with diverse characters but I don't want to feel like they've been added in just to tick a box on a YA checklist!

I think I've probably waffled on enough now but if you loved Banished then you need to get your hands on a copy of Vowed as soon as possible. I'm loving the way this series is developing and I'm already itching to get my hands on a copy of the next book even though I've probably got to wait a year for it!

Source: Received from the 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:

Review: Banished - Liz de Jager

A Blackhart's Calling: to banish evil and hold back the night

Kit is proud to be a Blackhart, now she's living with her unorthodox cousins and sharing their strange lives. Especially since their home-schooling includes spells, fighting enemy fae and using ancient weapons.

But it's not until she rescues a rather handsome fae prince, fighting for his life on the edge of Blackhart Manor, that her training really kicks in. With her family away on various missions, Kit must protect Prince Thorn, rely on new friends and use her own unfamiliar magic to stay ahead of Thorn's enemies.

As things go from bad to apocalyptic, fae battle fae in a war that threatens to spill into the human world. Then Kit pits herself against the Elder Gods themselves - it's that or lose everyone she's learnt to love.

Blackhart Legacy:
Banished
Vowed
Judged

Visit Liz de Jager's website for more information

Review:
I feel it's only fair to mention in my review that I have known Liz for about 4 years now and consider her a friend, as much as I've tried not to let that effect my review I do think it's something I should be open and honest about. Now I've got that little disclaimer out of the way let me tell you all the reasons that Banished is a must read novel for urban fantasy fans!

Kit Blackhart has only recently become aware of her family's calling to protect humanity from the monsters that prey on us. She didn't grow up with the majority of her family and it was only when her grandmother was murdered by the fae that Kit discovered that monsters were real and that she was born to fight them. Sent to live with her uncle and cousins Kit has had a steep learning curve to deal with. Not only is she still discovering all the different fae species she also has to learn how to use her magical abilities as well as train with various weapons so she can defeat them. Recovering at home after her first solo mission Kit is disappointed not to be included in the latest battle her family are facing but she soon finds herself in over her head when a fae prince is attacked just outside their property. With her family out of contact Kit is in a difficult position, does she put herself in danger to save prince Thorn and is there anyone she can trust to help her?

I found Kit was a really likeable heroine, she has been thrown in at the deep end and doesn't have as much training as the rest of her family but what she lacks in knowledge she makes up for in guts and determination. I love the fact that she isn't perfect, she makes mistakes and doesn't always have the answers she needs but she never stops trying and fighting for what she believes in. The reader is introduced to a lot of the different species of fae alongside Kit and I loved the sheer variety of creatures she comes across on her journey, you really never can tell what is going to crop up next and I was constantly caught by surprise. My slight niggle was the instant attraction between Kit and Thorn but thankfully there is very little in the way of romance so we have no crazy declarations of love between them. They obviously have a connection and there is definitely potential for a forbidden romance to develop but that is taking a back seat to the action packed storyline - just the way I like it!

Kit isn't the only well fleshed out character either, I enjoyed the bond she shares with her cousins and seeing her get to know her family better. Kit is a newcomer so is still trying to find her place in the family dynamics but there is obviously a lot of love and respect amongst them all. I also really liked Thorn and had a lot of fun seeing how out of place he was in the human realm where he hasn't spent time before. Banished is a fast paced story full of action and adventure and it's a fabulous debut novel from Liz de Jager. I absolutely can't wait to see where she takes the story next!

Source: Received from Amazon Vine 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:

Cover Reveal: Banished - Liz de Jager

I have known Liz almost as long as I've been blogging and consider her a good friend so I couldn't have been more excited when she signed a book deal with Tor for her YA urban fantasy trilogy. It's always special to see one of your friends achieve their dream and I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on a copy of her debut novel Banished when it releases next year. I've actually already pre-ordered my copy from Amazon and February 2014 seems such a LONG way away! Especially now I've seen the AMAZING cover!! Just take a look at the awesome below & tell me you're not in love:

and here's the blurb:
Sworn to protect, honour and slay — because chaos won’t banish itself

Kit is proud to be a Blackhart, now she’s living with her unorthodox cousins and sharing their strange lives. Especially since their home-schooling includes spells, fighting enemy fae and using ancient weapons.

But it’s not until she rescues a rather handsome fae prince, fighting for his life on the edge of Blackhart Manor, that her training really kicks in. With her family away on various missions, Kit must protect Prince Thorn, rely on new friends and use her own unfamiliar magic to stay ahead of Thorn’s enemies.

As things go from bad to apocalyptic, fae battle fae in a war that threatens to spill into the human world. Then Kit pits herself against the Elder Gods themselves – it’s that or lose everyone she’s learnt to love.

What do you think? I'm pretty sure all the UK bloggers are as excited as I am since Liz was an incredible blogger for many years now before she signed her publishing contract. I'd love to know what you think of the cover though! I think it's absolutely stunning and I desperately need a copy to take pride of place on my bookshelves :o)

News: Book Deals, UK Cover Reveals, Contests & the CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist

I've not done a news update for a while and if I tried to include all the news from the last month this would probably be the longest blog post in history so I'm mainly going to mention things that have caught my attention in the last week or so.

I can't pass up the opportunity to mention my lovely friend Liz's book deal though. I'm sure everyone has already heard the news but I'm so incredibly excited for her that she has signed a 3 book deal with Tor!! I've known Liz for several years after meeting her at a blogger event and was sad when she closed her blog (My Favourite Books) at the end of last year. I always enjoyed reading her blog and know we can expect huge things from Liz along with Mark and Sarah (her co-bloggers from MFB) in the future. You can read the full press release on the Tor website but here is the main info:

Pan Macmillan’s Tor imprint is delighted to announce the acquisition at auction of an exciting young adult trilogy – by blogger-turned-author Liz de Jager. Senior Commissioning Editor Bella Pagan bought World Rights, excluding USA/Canada, via Juliet Mushens of the Agency group and the series starts with The Blackhart Legacy. The books are contemporary YA urban fantasies set in our world, but here fairytale legends exist. And only one family – the Blackharts – are able to see fae interlopers, never mind fight them. Part Artemis Fowl, part Brothers Grimm, this is a rollicking and original read from a fresh new voice in YA fiction. This will be perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan and Melissa Marr.

Congratulations again Liz, I'm thrilled for you & I can't wait to start reading The Blackheart Legacy! Make sure you drop by Liz's blog here to keep up to date with her latest news.

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While we're on the subject of book deals I received an email from Hodder & Stoughton confirming that they are going to be bringing some of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books to the UK. I love Jennifer's Lux series (click the links to read my reviews of Shadows and Obsidian) so am very excited that she's found a UK publisher and hope that means we'll find her books . Check out the press release below for more information:

Hodder & Stoughton to publish American YA phenomenon Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hodder & Stoughton Assistant Editor Harriet Bourton has snapped up UK rights to ten titles by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout. There are seven titles in the young adult paranormal Covenant series, a contemporary paranormal standalone, Cursed, plus two mystery thrillers written by the author. The Covenant novels and Cursed will be published first in eBook on 25th April, and the first mystery thriller, Don’t Look Back, will publish in April 2014 in print and digital formats.

The Covenant series is published by Spencer Hill Press in the US and Jennifer is currently their number one bestselling author across the board, writing across multiple genres including paranormal contemporary romance, and makes frequent appearances in the Kindle top 100 chart.

Assistant Editor Harriet Bourton bought UK rights from Kate McLennan at Abner Stein Agency on behalf of Taryn Fagerness for the Covenant series and standalone novel Cursed, and UK rights for Don’t Look Back and one untitled mystery thriller from Molly Kong at Hyperion US.

Bourton said, ‘Jennifer’s writing is so immediately engaging and interesting in whatever form her storytelling takes, be it a mysterious plot about a girl who wakes up on the roadside with no memory of who she is, or paranormal worlds – with brilliantly gutsy, spirited heroines – that are excitingly and convincingly imagined from the first page. I’m so thrilled to be Jennifer’s UK publisher, and she already has a cast of fans here at Hodder. I know there will be many more out there yet!’

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Have you seen the new UK Covers for Abbi Glines' Sea Breeze series? The ebooks are already available but the paperbacks will be available from the 25th of April with these snazzy new covers from Simon & Schuster. What do you think? I love them & can't wait to have them lined up on my bookshelves!

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Now if you have any skills at all when it comes to making videos you won't want to miss the contest that Laini Taylor is hosting to celebrate the release of Days of Blood and Starlight. All you have to do is create a book trailer for Days of Blood and Starlight and you could be in with the chance of winning $1,000! Check out the information below to see how to enter:

Want to bring the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE trilogy to life? You can in Laini Taylor's trailer competition! There's even a $1000 prize...

To enter, simply:
1) Create a trailer - of any kind - for DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT
2) Upload it to YouTube
3) Paste the link into the comments section at http://www.youtube.com/smokeandbonebook

We'll be collating the videos in a playlist on this channel, so check back here to see all the entries, and of course the winners.

Deadline: 1st May 2013

More details available at http://www.lainitaylor.com/2012/11/two-days-contest-alert.html although please note the change to the deadline.

Good luck!

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Last but by no means least I wanted to leave you with the Carnegie 2013 shortlist, there are some absolutely fabulous books on the list and it's going to be very hard to call the winner. Links will take you to my reviews.

The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2013 shortlist in full:

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan, Bloomsbury

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle, Marion Lloyd Books

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner, Hot Key Books

In Darkness by Nick Lake, Bloomsbury

Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Bodley Head

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick, Indigo

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton, David Fickling Books

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, Electric Monkey

I have both Maggot Moon and In Darkness on my to read pile so I'm going to have to try and read those before the winner is announced. I obviously need to check out A Greyhound of a Girl and A Boy and a Bear in a Boat too. I enjoyed all of the books that I've read but I think if I had to pick a favourite out of those four then it would be Wonder so I'm secretly hoping that one will win.

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Anyway, I think that is plenty of news for today, I hope there was something there that caught your attention!