Review: The Good, The Bad and The Undead - Kim Harrison

During the last few months, former bounty-hunter Rachel Morgan has been rather busy. Having escaped relatively unscathed from her corrupt former employers, she's not only acquired a vampiric room-mate called Ivy, faced werewolf assassins and battled shape-shifting demons, but has also found the time to pick up a boyfriend (even if he is only human) and open her very own runner agency. But cohabiting with a vampire, however reformed, has it's dangers. Ivy's evil vampire ex-boyfriend has decided that he wants her back, and views Rachel as a tasty side-dish. To make matters worse, Rachel's demon mark is the ultimate vamp-aphrodisiac; one that works both ways.

The stakes are high, and if Rachel is to save herself and her roommate she must challenge the master vampire and confront the dark secrets she's kept hidden even from herself.

The Hollows Series:
Dead Witch Walking
The Good, the Bad and the Undead
Every Which Way But Dead
A Fistful of Charms
For a Few Demons More
Where Demons Dare (Published in the US as The Outlaw Demon Wails)
White Witch, Black Curse
Black Magic Sanction
Pale Demon
The Hollows Insider
A Perfect Blood
Ever After
The Undead Pool
The Witch with No Name

Visit Kim Harrison's website for more information

Review:
I read the first few books in this series years ago but it was only when I started my reread recently that I remembered how much I enjoyed this world. Rachel isn't perfect but she's a great character because she's so flawed. She makes stupid mistakes and she's far too trusting but she's learning and I'm hoping she won't keep repeating the same errors over and over again. I'm enjoying seeing her learn more about the magic she is capable of, she came across as a fairly mediocre witch in the beginning but it looks like  she has more power than she realised. We learn a bit more about her background and a connection between her family and Trent's which I think is extremely interesting. Trent's character definitely has me intrigued, he has a bad side but I'm starting to wonder if he's not quite as evil as first suspected.

I think my main pet peeve in this book was her boyfriend Nick who, lets face it, is a bit of a wet blanket and I have absolutely zero idea what Rachel sees in him - especially considering all the lies and secrets he's keeping. The other thing that gets on my last nerve is her relationship with vampire Ivy. The two are supposed to be friends and business partners but their relationship presses all my buttons in the completely wrong way. I get that the author is trying to show that vampires are dangerous but Ivy crosses so many lines that it's just not funny. Their relationship feels abusive to me, there are many times Ivy either can't or won't take no for an answer and Rachel is constantly making excuses for her. What's even worse is that Rachel then blames herself for doing things that triggered Ivy's "vampire instincts" and that really rubs me up the wrong way. If you had a male character who acted the way Ivy does then I think a lot of people would be really angry about the way the situation was handled and it's probably the main thing that makes me reticent to continue the series.

Having said that there is a lot to love about these books so I'm going to push through and hope Ivy  either has a serious attitude adjustment or that someone stakes her and puts me out of my misery! Jenks and his family are brilliant, I already mentioned my love for Rachel and curiosity about Trent and I'm also kind of curious about Big Al too. He's got the better of Rachel every time they've met so far and she's in a whole heap of trouble because of that but I can't help wanting to see how she gets herself out of it.

Source: Purchased

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: Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison

Forty years ago a genetically engineered virus killed half of the world's human population and exposed creatures of dreams and nightmares that had, until then, lived in secret alongside humanity.

Rachel Morgan is a runner with the Interland Runner Services, apprehending criminals throughout modern-day Cincinnati. She is also a witch.

Used to confronting criminal vampires, dark witches and homicidal werewolves, Rachel's latest assignments - apprehending cable-stealing magic students and tax-evading leprechauns - have prompted her to break her thirty-year contract with the I.S. and start her own runner agency.

But no one quits the I.S.

Marked for death, Rachel is a dead witch walking unless she can appease her former employers and pay off her contract by exposing the city's most prominent citizen as a drug lord. But making an enemy of the ambiguous Trent Kalamack proves even more deadly than leaving the I.S.

The Hollows Series:
Dead Witch Walking
The Good, the Bad and the Undead
Every Which Way But Dead
A Fistful of Charms
For a Few Demons More
Where Demons Dare (Published in the US as The Outlaw Demon Wails)
White Witch, Black Curse
Black Magic Sanction
Pale Demon
The Hollows Insider
A Perfect Blood
Ever After
The Undead Pool
The Witch with No Name

Visit Kim Harrison's website for more information

Review:
I first discovered Kim Harrison's Hollows series about seven years ago and I remember devouring the first 6 or so books (all that was available to buy at the time) but somehow, what with my ever expanding TBR pile, I never got around to reading the rest of the books as they were published. It's been so long now that although I still have an overall fondness for the series I can't remember much of the detail from those early books so I think I'm well overdue a reread before I finally find out how the series ends.

I'm going to write this review assuming you're totally new to this series so let's talk about the world that Kim Harrison has created. Imagine a world where half the world's human population was accidentally decimated by a man-made virus that spread through genetically modified tomatoes. Humans no longer have the largest population on the planet and that allowed supernatural creatures (who prefer to be known as Interlanders) such as witches, vampires and all kinds of other beings to step out of hiding. It helped that Interlanders had a natural immunity to the virus so they were able to step up and stop the world from falling to pieces as millions of humans started dropping like flies but that doesn't mean humans were thrilled to discover that monsters have been walking alongside them this whole time.

Now there is an uneasy relationship between humans and Interlanders, for the most part the groups are segregated living in different communities but there will always be some crossover. Humans don't trust Interlanders and they formed a human only police force, the FIB (Federal Interland Bureau) to monitor the Interlanders. At the same time the Interlanders formed their own agency, the I.S. (Interland Runner Services) and although they focus more on the most dangerous Interland criminals there is still a lot of rivalry between the two sides.

Rachel Morgan is a witch who works as a runner for the I.S. but she doesn't have the best relationship with her boss and she's always getting stuck with the worst possible jobs. Sick of being taken advantage of she decides to walk away from the I.S. and start her own agency but, unfortunately for her, nobody gets to just walk away from the I.S. so she's now in a whole heap of trouble. Especially when Jenks, her pixy back-up, and Ivy, a vampire who happens to be the I.S.'s best runner, decide to leave with her.

I loved Dead Witch Walking from the first page, it was just so nice to be back in this world again and I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Rachel, Jenks and Ivy. These three work together so well as they each have different strengths and weaknesses and I think they make a great team. I have to admit that Jenks and his family are favourites because they add a lot of humour to the story but Rachel is a brilliant heroine and I enjoy being inside her head. I love the world building in this series, there is always something fun about series where humans are aware of the supernatural creatures living amongst them and I like all the little details the author has included like the way humans react to tomatoes or how prejudiced they are towards Interlanders. I am still a bit confused about why they have turned so far against all forms of science though, it makes sense that they'd be wary but they've lost so much technology that they can't even treat a lot of fairly common illnesses and that can only be a bad thing. Perhaps they'll see the light as the series continues and start to rebuild what they've lost but I'm not convinced it's going to happen.

Either way I'm just so glad that I've decided to revisit this series and I can't wait to carry on reading.

Source: Purchased

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: The Shepherd's Crown - Terry Pratchett

A shivering of the worlds

Deep in the Chalk, something is stirring.
The owls and the foxes can sense it,
and Tiffany Aching feels it in her boots.
An old enemy is gathering strength.

This is a time of endings and beginnings,
old friends and new, a blurring of edges and a
shifting of power. Now Tiffany stands between
the light and the dark, the good and the bad.

As the fairy horde prepares for invasion, Tiffany
must summon all the witches to stand with her.
To protect the land, Her land.

There will be a reckoning . . .

The final Discworld novel.

Discworld Series:
The Colour of Magic (Rincewind book 1)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind book 2)
Equal Rites (Witches book 1)
Mort (Death book 1)
Sourcery (Rincewind book 3)
Wyrd Sisters (Witches book 2)
Pyramids
Guards! Guards! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 1)
Eric (Rincewind book 4)
Moving Pictures (Industrial Revolution book 1)
Reaper Man (Death book 2)
Witches Abroad (Witches book 3)
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies (Witches book 4)
Men at Arms (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 2)
Soul Music (Death book 3)
Interesting Times (Rincewind book 5)
Maskerade (Witches book 5)
Feet of Clay (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 3)
Hogfather (Death book 4)
Jingo (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 4)
The Last Continent (Rincewind book 6)
Carpe Jugulum (Witches book 6)
The Fifth Elephant (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 5)
The Truth (Industrial Revolution book 2)
Thief of Time (Death book 5)
The Last Hero (Rincewind book 7)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Night Watch (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 6)
The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching book 1)
Monstrous Regiment (Industrial Revolution book 3)
A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching book 2)
Going Postal (Moist von Lipwig book 1) (Industrial Revolution book 4)
Thud! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 7)
Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching book 3)
Making Money (Moist von Lipwig book 2) (Industrial Revolution book 5)
Unseen Academicals (Rincewind book 8)
I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching book 4)
Snuff (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 8)
The World of Poo
Raising Steam (Moist von Lipwig book 3) (Industrial Revolution book 6)
The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching book 5)

Discworld Related books:
The Discworld Mapp - Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book - Paul Kidby
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Imaginarium - Paul Kidby

Visit Terry Pratchett's website for more information

Review:
I don't think it's possible for me to write an objective review of The Shepherd's Crown. As someone who has been a fan of Terry Pratchett for over 20 years I think it's fairly obvious to say that I went into this final Discworld novel feeling very emotional. We all know that we lost Terry Pratchett too soon, he was truly one of the best British fantasy writers and his voice will be deeply missed. I'll always be grateful that we have so many of his books though and I'm very pleased that he was able to give us one final adventure before he left.

The Shepherd's Crown isn't quite as polished as his other stories, it states quite clearly in the afterword that Terry hadn't quite finished working his magic on this book. It definitely has a beginning, middle and end but there are parts you can tell have had more polishing than others and there were definitely a few threads that I felt sure Terry would have expanded upon if he'd had the time. While this hasn't quite been finished it's still a wonderful story and I do think it would have been his best Discworld book yet if he'd been able to complete it. It was certainly the most poignant book and it's the only one in the series that has made me sob my heart out as well as laugh out loud.

I expected to feel sad after reading The Shepherd's Crown but I wasn't quite expecting the story to be as heartbreaking as it was. It's hard to talk much about why without giving spoilers so I'll just leave it that there is a devastating loss of one of my favourite characters within the first couple of chapters. This particular character has a wonderful, poignant and heart wrenching conversation with Death and I couldn't help but think about Terry while reading it. Those two pages of this book were absolutely priceless to me and I think they probably give a little insight into how Terry was feeling about his own battle with illness. They certainly touched me deeply and I'm tearing up again now just thinking about it.

It was wonderful to revisit Tiffany Aching and the Nac Mac Feegles up on the Chalk too. Tiffany has come a long way since she started her witch training and I've loved taking that journey with her, she is wise and powerful but more than anything she loves her home and her people. She isn't afraid of hard work and she always puts everyone else above herself which can sometimes be her failing as much as it's one of her strengths. Now she is facing an old enemy and she has to realise that it's okay to ask for help, she will need all of the witches to come together if they are going to put a stop to the fae a final time. There are a lot of other familiar faces in this book and it was nice to get a last chance to catch up with them all. I'm still not quite ready to say goodbye to this world but like I saw someone post on Twitter we shouldn't be sad that this is the final Discworld book, just grateful that Terry Pratchett wrote so many in the first place.

RIP Sir Terry, thank you for the memories!

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (but I'd already pre-ordered the hardback!)

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.

Hardback / Kindle:

Review: I Shall Wear Midnight - Terry Pratchett

"I'm feared for the big wee hag..."

Tiffany Aching is a witch.  And she thinks she's doing a good job for the people of the Chalk.  Even if the job does seem to involve a lot of bandaging legs and cutting old ladies' toenails and not much, well, magic.

Or sleep.

But somewhere - some time - there's a tangled ball of evil and spite, of hatred and malice, that has woken up.  And it's waking up all of the old stories too - stories about evil old witches.

Suddenly Tiffany isn't so sure she's doing the right thing.  And her tiny allies - the fightin' Nac Mac Feegles - are only making things more difficult.

Things are supposed to look better after a good night's sleep.

But they won't.

They're about to get a lot, lot worse.

And a witch has to deal with what is in front of her...

Discworld Series:
The Colour of Magic (Rincewind book 1)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind book 2)
Equal Rites (Witches book 1)
Mort (Death book 1)
Sourcery (Rincewind book 3)
Wyrd Sisters (Witches book 2)
Pyramids
Guards! Guards! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 1)
Eric (Rincewind book 4)
Moving Pictures (Industrial Revolution book 1)
Reaper Man (Death book 2)
Witches Abroad (Witches book 3)
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies (Witches book 4)
Men at Arms (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 2)
Soul Music (Death book 3)
Interesting Times (Rincewind book 5)
Maskerade (Witches book 5)
Feet of Clay (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 3)
Hogfather (Death book 4)
Jingo (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 4)
The Last Continent (Rincewind book 6)
Carpe Jugulum (Witches book 6)
The Fifth Elephant (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 5)
The Truth (Industrial Revolution book 2)
Thief of Time (Death book 5)
The Last Hero (Rincewind book 7)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Night Watch (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 6)
The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching book 1)
Monstrous Regiment (Industrial Revolution book 3)
A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching book 2)
Going Postal (Moist von Lipwig book 1) (Industrial Revolution book 4)
Thud! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 7)
Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching book 3)
Making Money (Moist von Lipwig book 2) (Industrial Revolution book 5)
Unseen Academicals (Rincewind book 8)
I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching book 4)
Snuff (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 8)
The World of Poo
Raising Steam (Moist von Lipwig book 3) (Industrial Revolution book 6)
The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching book 5)

Discworld Related books:
The Discworld Mapp - Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book - Paul Kidby
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Imaginarium - Paul Kidby

Visit Terry Pratchett's website for more information

Review:
Tiffany is now 16 years old and has finished her witch training, she has been given her own steading and has been the official witch for The Chalk for a year now. As we have already learnt from the previous books in the series this involves a lot of hard work and a lot less magic than you might expect. It isn't easy going back to the area where everyone knew her as a child and being the one everyone comes to with their problems but Tiffany is more than capable of taking up the challenge. But something strange is happening, people she has known all her life are starting to look at her differently and instead of giving her respect they are becoming suspicious and scared of her. Something out there is spreading malice wherever it goes and, as the general public are becoming more and more anti-witches, it is up to Tiffany to stop it - before the witch hunts begin again.

I Shall Wear Midnight is the 38th Discworld book and the 4th & final book in the Tiffany Aching series. You don't have to have read all of the Discworld stories to enjoy this one but I would definitely recommend reading the whole Tiffany series in order (starting with The Wee Free Men). The series is a great stepping stone to introduce young adults to the Discworld series but I'd also recommend it to adults who are already fans of the series.

If you've read any of my other reviews for the books in this series you'll already know that I love Tiffany and the Nac Mac Feegles so I couldn't wait to read this book. I Shall Wear Midnight didn't disappoint and although it is by far the darkest book in the series it still contained the humour and witty real life insights that you can expect in any of Terry Pratchett's books. The themes covered in the story include child abuse, miscarriage, hatred and prejudice but it is also an inspiring story as we watch Tiffany become an adult. We have seen her character grow a lot throughout the series, she has always been intelligent and caring but we now see even more the potential she has to become one of the Discworld's greatest witches.

We see quite a lot of the older witches in this one - old favorites like Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg but also some new but powerful characters we hadn't come across in this series before. I loved the fact that we get to visit Ankh Morpork with Tiffany and catch up with some of the city watch (Including Carrot, Angua & Vimes). I found it interesting seeing Tiffany out of her element in the big city and the Nac Mac Feegles manage to cause chaos while they're there as you might expect if you've ever met them before. I still love the humour provided in the form of the Feegles and it was great to see Wee Mad Arthur again.

If you're a fan of the previous Tiffany books then I'm sure you'll enjoy this last instalment. If you haven't started reading them yet but are a fan of humorous fantasy then what are you waiting for? Get your hands on a copy of The Wee Free Men asap!

Source: Thanks to RHCB for giving me an ARC of this book, I also have a signed hardback from the signing I attended.

Other Reviews:
Nayu's Reading Corner
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.

Review: Wintersmith - Terry Pratchett

'Crivens!'

Tiffany Aching put one foot wrong, made just one little mistake...

And now the spirit of winter is in love with her. He gives her roses and icebergs and showers her with snowflakes, which is tough when you're thirteen, but also just a little bit...cool.

If Tiffany doesn't work out how to deal with him, there will never be another springtime...

Discworld Series:
The Colour of Magic (Rincewind book 1)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind book 2)
Equal Rites (Witches book 1)
Mort (Death book 1)
Sourcery (Rincewind book 3)
Wyrd Sisters (Witches book 2)
Pyramids
Guards! Guards! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 1)
Eric (Rincewind book 4)
Moving Pictures (Industrial Revolution book 1)
Reaper Man (Death book 2)
Witches Abroad (Witches book 3)
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies (Witches book 4)
Men at Arms (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 2)
Soul Music (Death book 3)
Interesting Times (Rincewind book 5)
Maskerade (Witches book 5)
Feet of Clay (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 3)
Hogfather (Death book 4)
Jingo (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 4)
The Last Continent (Rincewind book 6)
Carpe Jugulum (Witches book 6)
The Fifth Elephant (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 5)
The Truth (Industrial Revolution book 2)
Thief of Time (Death book 5)
The Last Hero (Rincewind book 7)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Night Watch (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 6)
The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching book 1)
Monstrous Regiment (Industrial Revolution book 3)
A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching book 2)
Going Postal (Moist von Lipwig book 1) (Industrial Revolution book 4)
Thud! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 7)
Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching book 3)
Making Money (Moist von Lipwig book 2) (Industrial Revolution book 5)
Unseen Academicals (Rincewind book 8)
I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching book 4)
Snuff (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 8)
The World of Poo
Raising Steam (Moist von Lipwig book 3) (Industrial Revolution book 6)
The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching book 5)

Discworld Related books:
The Discworld Mapp - Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book - Paul Kidby
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Imaginarium - Paul Kidby

Visit Terry Pratchett's website for more information

Review:
Tiffany is now 13 years old and is living with witch Miss Treason to continue her training. The trouble starts when Miss Treason takes her to the winter dance (the opposite of a Morris dance). Despite the warnings she has been given Tiffany is caught up in the music and joins in with the dance - ending up with the spirit of winter (the Wintersmith) mistaking her for summer and falling in love with her. Now the Wintersmith has Tiffany in his sights it is up to her to find a way to stop him - and if she fails summer will never arrive.

Wintersmith is the 35th book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the 3rd book featuring Tiffany Aching. Although I have read this book previously I am currently re-reading the Tiffany books in anticipation of book 4 (I Shall Wear Midnight) which is released on Thursday (2nd September). You don't need to have read the whole Discworld series in order to enjoy A Hat Full of Sky but I would recommend reading the Tiffany Aching series in order starting with The Wee Free Men. These books are a great introduction for young adults who have yet to discover the Discworld series but fans of the series will also love getting to see characters they already know and love.

Tiffany has been in training for 2 years now and already knows that being a witch is hard work - it isn't as simple as just casting spells and is much more to do with getting to know people and helping with the tasks that nobody else wants to do. Working alongside Miss Treason she realises she still has a lot to learn - including how to put on a good show. When she inadvertently catches the attention of the Wintersmith she finds herself in a situation that she has no idea how to deal with. She knows the Wintersmith's attention is a dangerous thing but she can't help being flattered by it. But how can she correct her mistake and make sure that summer returns when it's supposed to?

Both Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg feature a lot more in this instalment than they have in previous books in the Tiffany Aching series. I love both of these characters and enjoy getting to see them through Tiffany's eyes. The Nac Mac Feegles stole the show again, making me laugh out loud on numerous occasions. It has been nice watching Tiffany's character grow throughout the series and you can see the changes in her as she gets closer to becoming an adult. Roland has also done a lot of growing up throughout the series changing from a spoilt and whiny boy to a likeable and brave young man. I didn't like him at all in the first book to but he has really grown on me. This is probably my favourite book in the Tiffany series and I can't wait to read the 4th and final book I Shall Wear Midnight.

If you're a fan of Terry Pratchett and Tiffany Aching then you'll love this instalment in the series. I'd recommend this series (and any of the Discworld books) to anyone who enjoys a good humorous fantasy story.

Source: Purchased

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.

Review: A Hat Full of Sky - Terry Pratchett

'Crivens!'

A real witch never casually steps out of her body, leaving it empty. Eleven-year-old Tiffany does. And there's something just waiting for a handy body to take over. Something ancient and horrible, which can't die...

Wise, Witty and wonderful, A Hat Full of Sky is Terry Pratchett's second novel about Tiffany Aching and the Wee Free Men - the rowdiest, toughest, smelliest bunch of fairies ever. They'll fight anything. And even they might not be enough to save Tiffany...

Discworld Series:
The Colour of Magic (Rincewind book 1)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind book 2)
Equal Rites (Witches book 1)
Mort (Death book 1)
Sourcery (Rincewind book 3)
Wyrd Sisters (Witches book 2)
Pyramids
Guards! Guards! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 1)
Eric (Rincewind book 4)
Moving Pictures (Industrial Revolution book 1)
Reaper Man (Death book 2)
Witches Abroad (Witches book 3)
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies (Witches book 4)
Men at Arms (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 2)
Soul Music (Death book 3)
Interesting Times (Rincewind book 5)
Maskerade (Witches book 5)
Feet of Clay (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 3)
Hogfather (Death book 4)
Jingo (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 4)
The Last Continent (Rincewind book 6)
Carpe Jugulum (Witches book 6)
The Fifth Elephant (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 5)
The Truth (Industrial Revolution book 2)
Thief of Time (Death book 5)
The Last Hero (Rincewind book 7)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Night Watch (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 6)
The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching book 1)
Monstrous Regiment (Industrial Revolution book 3)
A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching book 2)
Going Postal (Moist von Lipwig book 1) (Industrial Revolution book 4)
Thud! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 7)
Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching book 3)
Making Money (Moist von Lipwig book 2) (Industrial Revolution book 5)
Unseen Academicals (Rincewind book 8)
I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching book 4)
Snuff (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 8)
The World of Poo
Raising Steam (Moist von Lipwig book 3) (Industrial Revolution book 6)
The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching book 5)

Discworld Related books:
The Discworld Mapp - Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book - Paul Kidby
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Imaginarium - Paul Kidby

Visit Terry Pratchett's website for more information

Review:
At just 11 years old Tiffany has the makings of a very powerful witch - but she still hasn't started her training. Working on instinct she has discovered how to step out of her body but she has no idea that she is leaving her body vulnerable to something that wants to get in. That something is called a Hiver and is drawn to power, it has no body of it's own and it has set it's sights on Tiffany. While Tiffany sets off to start her training she is being followed, but what will happen if the Hiver manages to steal her body? Even with the help of the Nac Mac Feegles can she escape from it's clutches?

A Hat Full of Sky is the 32nd book in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and the 2nd book featuring Tiffany Aching. Although I have read this book previously I am currently re-reading the Tiffany books in anticipation of book 4 (I Shall Wear Midnight) which is released next week. You don't need to have read the whole Discworld series in order to enjoy A Hat Full of Sky but I would recommend reading the Tiffany Aching series in order. These books are a great introduction for young adults who have yet to discover the Discworld series but fans of the series will also love getting to see characters they already know and love.

In this instalment Tiffany is apprenticed to a witch called Miss Level - a very strange witch who just happens to have 2 bodies! Living with the 2 Miss Levels Tiffany starts to discover that there is a lot less magic involved in being a witch than she expected. A lot of the work the witches do is caring for the sick and elderly - not the glamorous life that Tiffany was hoping for. However, she is sensible enough to realise how important this is and is happy to take on her new role. Alongside Miss Level we also get to meet more of the young apprentice witches including bossy Annagramma who thinks she knows everything and the very sweet Petulia.

The Nac Mac Feegle are still among my favourite characters in the whole Discworld series - a group of pictsies who may be very small but have larger than life personalities. They love nothing more than fighting, drinking and stealing but would do anything to protect Tiffany. We get to see a bit more of Granny Weatherwax and there is also an appearance by one of my other favourite characters - Death. I love the way Terry manages to combine a mix of characters that we already know and love alongside fresh and new characters. His quirky sense of humour will appeal to all ages and contains something everyone.

This is a series I'd highly recommend to fantasy fans of all ages, it contains everything I would expect from one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels - laugh out loud humor and characters you will easily love along with witty insights into real life. If you're a fan of humorous fantasy but are new to the Discworld series (or already a fan) then I can't recommend the Tiffany Aching series enough.

Source: Purchased

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.

Review: The Wee Free Men - Terry Pratchett

'Crivens! Whut aboot us, ye daftie!'

There's trouble on the Aching farm - nightmares spreading down from the hills. And Tiffany Aching's little brother has been stolen away. To get him back, Tiffany has a weapon (a frying pan), her granny's magic book (well, Diseases of the Sheep) - and the Nac Mac Feegle, the Wee Free Men, the fightin', thievin', tiny blue-skinned pictsies who were thrown out of Fairyland for being Drunk and Disorderly...

Discworld Series:
The Colour of Magic (Rincewind book 1)
The Light Fantastic (Rincewind book 2)
Equal Rites (Witches book 1)
Mort (Death book 1)
Sourcery (Rincewind book 3)
Wyrd Sisters (Witches book 2)
Pyramids
Guards! Guards! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 1)
Eric (Rincewind book 4)
Moving Pictures (Industrial Revolution book 1)
Reaper Man (Death book 2)
Witches Abroad (Witches book 3)
Small Gods
Lords and Ladies (Witches book 4)
Men at Arms (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 2)
Soul Music (Death book 3)
Interesting Times (Rincewind book 5)
Maskerade (Witches book 5)
Feet of Clay (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 3)
Hogfather (Death book 4)
Jingo (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 4)
The Last Continent (Rincewind book 6)
Carpe Jugulum (Witches book 6)
The Fifth Elephant (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 5)
The Truth (Industrial Revolution book 2)
Thief of Time (Death book 5)
The Last Hero (Rincewind book 7)
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Night Watch (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 6)
The Wee Free Men (Tiffany Aching book 1)
Monstrous Regiment (Industrial Revolution book 3)
A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching book 2)
Going Postal (Moist von Lipwig book 1) (Industrial Revolution book 4)
Thud! (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 7)
Wintersmith (Tiffany Aching book 3)
Making Money (Moist von Lipwig book 2) (Industrial Revolution book 5)
Unseen Academicals (Rincewind book 8)
I Shall Wear Midnight (Tiffany Aching book 4)
Snuff (Ankh-Morpork City Watch book 8)
The World of Poo
Raising Steam (Moist von Lipwig book 3) (Industrial Revolution book 6)
The Shepherd's Crown (Tiffany Aching book 5)

Discworld Related books:
The Discworld Mapp - Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book - Paul Kidby
Terry Pratchett's Discworld Imaginarium - Paul Kidby

Visit Terry Pratchett's website for more information

Review:
9 year old Tiffany has spent her life working on her family farm and as the youngest daughter she is often left to look after her younger brother Wentworth. When he disappears she knows it is up to her to get him back. Armed only with her wits and a frying pan - and with the Nac Mac Feegles and a toad to assist her - Tiffany must enter Fairyland and take on the Queen of the Elves. Entering a dark and dangerous world it is up to her to find Wentworth and bring him home.

I've mentioned before what a massive Terry Pratchett fan and I love the Discworld series. I originally read The Wee Free Men when it first came out but am re-reading the books featuring Tiffany Aching in anticipation of book 4 (I Shall Wear Midnight) which is releasing in September. Although this is book 30 in the Discworld series it is the first book in the young adult series featuring Tiffany and makes a great introduction to the Discworld universe if you have never read any of these books before.

I loved Tiffany from the beginning, she may only be 9 but she is already wise beyond her years. She is sensible, smart and not afraid to stand up for herself and her family. She has all the traits of someone who will be a great witch but as yet has had no training and has to rely on her wits to get her through. I'm looking forward to seeing how her character grows as the series progresses.

The Nac Mac Feegle (or the Wee Free Men) absolutely steal the show, I don't think I read a single page featuring them without laughing out loud. Terry has managed to write the characters perfectly making it impossible to read without hearing their Scottish accents. The Wee Free Men may only be 6 inches tall but they are larger than life, Rob Anybody and No'-as-big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock (how can you not love a character with a name like that?) jumped out of the pages at me - so real that I could almost touch them. The clan's favourite pastimes may be drinking, fighting and stealing but they have big hearts and would do anything to protect Tiffany.

This is a book I'd highly recommend to fantasy fans of all ages, it contains everything I would expect from Terry Pratchett - some great insights into real life wrapped up in humour with characters that will have you itching to come back for more. If you're new to the Discworld series (or already a fan) then I can't recommend the Tiffany Aching series enough.

Source: Purchased

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.

Review: Need - Carrie Jones

Pain shoots through my head.  Fireworks.  Explosions.  All inside my brain.  The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen.

Zara White suspects a freaky guy is stalking her.  She memorises phobias and chants them when she's nervous.  OK, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died.  But moving to a freezing Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix - so her mum says.

Except, this plan of sending Zara away to help her stay sane?  Yeah, not working.  Turns out the stalker is not a figment of Zara's imagination.  He's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust.  There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs are pointing to Zara.

Need Pixies:
Need
Captivate

For more information visit Carrie Jones' Website or the Need Pixies Website

Review:
Zara is devastated by the death of her stepfather and her mum is so worried by her zombie like behaviour that she sends her to live with her grandmother hoping to shock her into living again.  Still struggling to cope with her grief Zara is also feeling abandoned by her mum.  Her way of coping has become memorising the names of different phobias which she recites to herself when she is feeling nervous or stressed.

Starting at a new school is hard - especially when the most popular girl in school takes an instant disliking to you but Zara does start to settle in when she makes friends with Issie and Devyn.  She also attracts the attention of two of the schools hottest boys.  Ian is an all round good guy - class president, member of multiple school clubs and on both the running and basket ball teams.  Nick on the other hand has a dangerous air to him and she finds herself instantly attracted.

Something strange is happening in the town though - the stalker she thought was following her in Charleston is now following her around in Maine, leaving a strange trail of gold dust behind him.  Devyn, Issie and Nick think they know what he is - but pixies don't exist do they?

I really enjoyed the story, Zara is obviously traumatised by her loss but I found myself really liking her.  I loved the way Zara chants different types of phobias - I learnt a lot about different types of phobias in the book & found it really interesting.  I also liked the fact that Zara is a member of Amnesty International - it was nice to have a heroine who was interested in more than boys and the latest fashions.  Issie was a lovely character & the best friend anyone would like to have.  I thought that she & Devyn make an adorable couple & I'm looking forward to seeing more of them both in the future.  I also couldn't help but fall in love with Nick - he is handsome, protective and upfront about his feelings which makes a nice change.

The story was well written and there were a few plot twists that I didn't see coming.  I also liked the fact that there was a proper ending so although I'm looking forward to reading Captivate I didn't feel like I was left hanging at the end of Need.  I've already purchased Captivate and am looking forward to spending more time with these characters.  I thought this was an excellent start to the series by Carrie Jones and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
The Bookette
Ink and Paper
I Want To Read That
Confessions of the Unpublished
The Book Mogul
Wondrous Reads
Lost For Words
Girls Without A Bookshelf
Rhiana Reads
What Book Is That?
The Fiction Enthusiast
Curling Up By The Fire
I'd So Rather Be Reading
What Book Is That?
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.