Feeling Fictional: Zoe Marriott

Showing posts with label Zoe Marriott. Show all posts

Tuesday, 1 January 2019

December 2018 Recap

Books read in previous months but reviewed in December:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

The Queen's Gambit - Jessie Mihalik (Read Twice) (Read in March & August, review coming soon)
Monstress, Vol 2: The Blood - Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (Graphic Novel) (Read in May, review coming soon)
Her Cocky Doctors - Tara Crescent (Read in June, review coming soon)
The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang (Read in June, review coming soon)
Make Me Crave - Katee Robert (Read in July, review coming soon)
No Mercy - Sherrilyn Kenyon (Read in July, review coming soon)
Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox - Forthright (Read in August, review coming soon)
Three Trials - Kristy Cunning (Read in August, review coming soon)
Mirage - Somaiya Daud (Read in September, review coming soon)
In Bed With the Devil - Lorraine Heath (Read in September, review coming soon)
Leads & Lynxes - Rebecca Chastain (Read in September, I'll be rereading and reviewing this when it has been published)
A Whole New World - Liz Braswell (Read in October, review coming soon)
Beneath the Citadel - Destiny Soria (Read in October, review coming soon)
Saga: Volume 7 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Graphic Novel) (Read in November, review coming soon)
Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich (Read in November, review coming soon)
Third Grave Dead Ahead - Darynda Jones (Read in November, review coming soon)
The Archived - V.E. Schwab (Read in November, review coming soon)
Addict - Lexi Blake (Read in November, review coming soon)
Sinful - Katherine Hawthorn (Read in November, review coming soon)
All Systems Red - Martha Wells (Read in November, review coming soon)
Vengeful - V.E. Schwab (Read in November, review coming soon)
Tangled Webs - Anne Bishop (Read in November, review coming soon)
Sleeper - Lexi Blake (Read in November, review coming soon)
She Will Be My Goddess - Lexi Blake (Short Story) (Read in November, review coming soon)
Outcast - Lexi Blake (Read in November, review coming soon)
Star Wars: BB-8 Book & Model - Lucasfilm (Book and Model Kit) (Read in November, review coming soon)

Books read in December:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

Sweep of the Blade - Ilona Andrews (I'll be rereading and reviewing this when it has been published)
Theirs Ever After - Katee Robert
Dry - Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman
And Thrice Again - Seanan McGuire (Short Story) (Review coming soon)
Conspiracy in Death - J.D. Robb
Prince of Dreams - Pippa DaCosta
Monstress, Vol 2: The Blood - Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (Graphic Novel) (Read Twice)
Year One - Nora Roberts (Review coming soon)
Winnie-the-Pooh: Little Somethings & Smackerels for Food Lovers - A.A. Milne & Ernest H. Shepard
Winnie-the-Pooh: Deep Thoughts & Ponderings for the Wise - A.A. Milne & Ernest H. Shepard
Winnie-the-Pooh: Doubt & Disquiet for Worriers - A.A. Milne & Ernest H. Shepard
Winnie-the-Pooh: Gloom & Doom for Pessimists - A.A. Milne & Ernest H. Shepard
Unleashed - Donna Kauffman (Novella)
Nightchaser - Amanda Bouchet (Review coming soon)
The Rebels of Gold - Elise Kova (Review coming soon)
Lock, Stock and Jingle Bells - Donna Kauffman (Novella)
Naughty but Nice - Donna Kauffman (Novella)
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet - Darynda Jones (Review coming soon)
Sin & Magic - K.F. Breene (Review coming soon)
The Night Before Christmas - Clement C. Moore (Children's Book) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
Loyalty in Death - J.D. Robb
The Shadow Queen - Anne Bishop (Review coming soon)
The Witch of the Prophecy - Victoria Jayne (Review posted on Goodreads)
Saga: Volume 7 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Graphic Novel) (Read Twice)
Saga: Volume 8 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Graphic Novel) (Review coming soon)
Saga: Volume 9 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Graphic Novel) (Review coming soon)
The Unbound - V.E. Schwab (Review coming soon)
Leave the Window Ope - V.E. Schwab (Short Story) (Review coming soon)
The Dark Vault - V.E. Schwab (Review coming soon)

Other December Posts

December Books of the Month:

(Choices are made from books reviewed this month and the links will take you to my reviews)

My top YA reads in December:

Dry by Neal & Jarrod Shusterman (read my review here)

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore (read my review here)

My top adult reads in December:

Prince of Dreams by Pippa DaCosta (read my review here)
Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb (read my review here)

Clockwise from top left: Neal Shusterman,
Zoe Marriott, Lauren James & Tom Pollock

December Events:

Earlier this month I was lucky enough to get invited to Walker's YA Wonderland blogger event and I had the chance to meet some fantastic authors (Zoe Marriott, Lauren James, Neal Shusterman & Tom Pollock) as well as find out about all the fab new books Walker have coming out early in 2019.

I've already posted about this on my blog (you can read my event report here) but I wanted to thank Walker again for inviting me to such a great event!

My Challenge Updates:

Here are the 2018 challenges I took part in:
2018 Read 100 Books in a Year Challenge - Read 200/200 - Complete
2018 British Books Challenge - Read 20/20 - Complete
2018 New Author Challenge - Read 20/20 - Complete
2018 Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Challenge - Read 100/100 - Complete
2018 Contemporary Romance Challenge - Read 20/20 - Complete

Here are the 2019 challenges I've signed up for:
2019 Read 100 Books in a Year Challenge - Read 0/200
2019 British Books Challenge - Read 0/20
2019 New Author Challenge - Read 0/20
2019 Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Challenge - Read 0/100
2019 Contemporary Romance Challenge - Read 0/20

Saturday, 8 December 2018

Event Report: Walker's YA Wonderland

Earlier this week I was really excited to be invited to the Walker YA Wonderland blogger event to meet some of their authors and find out all about some of the exciting books they have coming out in 2019. I always love Walker's events and this was no exception, we got to meet some fantastic authors and I'm so excited to start reading all the books I came home with!

Me with Lauren James

The first author we got to hear from was Lauren James who was talking about her upcoming book The Quiet at the End of the World, we actually had a sneaky early copy of this one in our goodie bags and I can't wait to read it. Lauren was inspired to write this story by the idea that eventually the human race is going to go extinct which means that at some point (hopefully in the distant future!) there will be a last living human. Just imagine being the one of the last few people alive and how knowing that would affect you.

I've been lucky enough to meet Lauren a few times now and I love how passionate she is about all things science but particularly women in science. All of her stories have some scientific basis behind them and at the event she was talking about physical evolution but also the way languages change and how difficult it can be to interpret messages left thousands of years ago. Imagine how we're going to warn people 10,000 years in the future to avoid the nuclear waste that we've buried today, will they even recognise the symbols we use for toxic waste?

About The Quiet at the End of the World:

How far would you go to save those you love? Lowrie and Shen are the youngest people on the planet after a virus caused global infertility. Closeted in a pocket of London and doted upon by a small, ageing community, the pair spend their days mudlarking and looking for treasure – until a secret is uncovered that threatens not only their family but humanity’s entire existence. Now Lowrie and Shen face an impossible choice: in the quiet at the end of the world, they must decide what to sacrifice to save the whole human race...

Publishing in March 2019

Me with Zoe Marriott & Faye from A Daydreamer's Thoughts

The second author to speak was Zoe Marriott who was there to tell us all about The Hand, the Eye and the Heart, her upcoming novel inspired by Mulan and set in a fantasy world inspired by Chinese history, especially Tang Dynasty. Zoe wanted to be clear that it isn't a straight Mulan retelling but there are similarities with the character's journey. Zhilan is also gender fluid which I think is fantastic. You can read all about Zoe's inspiration for the story on her blog here.

I've been a huge fan of Zoe's books for years now so I'm ridiculously excited for this book and it was really cool to get to see the cover revealed for the first time at the event. Walker always put so much effort into their cover designs and you can really see that here!

About The Hand, the Eye and the Heart:

Zhilan was assigned female at birth. Despite a gift for illusions, they know they are destined to live out their life within the confines of the women’s quarter. But when civil war sets the empire aflame, Zhilan is determined save their disabled father from the battlefield. By taking his place. Surviving brutal army training as a boy – Zhi – is only the first challenge. In the glittering court of the Land of Dragons, love and betrayal are two sides of the same smile, and soon the fate of a nation rests on Zhi’s shoulders. But to win, they must decide where their heart truly belongs…

Publishing April 2019

Me with Tom Pollock

Next up was Tom Pollock who told us all about his upcoming novel Heartstream. It's not due to be published until next July and is so new that it doesn't have a cover or official blurb yet but it sounds like it's going to be a fab read.

The story is set in the not too distant future where technology allows people to share their actual emotions online just like we currently share our thoughts and feelings via social media. Tom was inspired to write the story after watching vloggers and thinking about how they all create an online persona that their followers can relate to. The main character ends up becoming famous after sharing their emotions while their mother was dying but it all goes horribly wrong when they come home from the funeral to find someone inside their home holding a bomb! Heartstream sounds like it's going to be deliciously twisty & I can't wait to read it.

About Tom's last novel White Rabbit, Red Wolf (since I can't share a blurb or cover for for Hearstream yet):

A taut thriller about murder, maths and the mind. Peter Blankman is afraid of everything and must confront unimaginable terror when his mother is attacked.

Seventeen-year-old Peter Blankman is a maths prodigy. He also suffers from severe panic attacks. Afraid of everything, he finds solace in the orderly and logical world of mathematics and in the love of his family: his scientist mum and his tough twin sister Bel, as well as Ingrid, his only friend. However, when his mother is found stabbed before an award ceremony and his sister is nowhere to be found, Pete is dragged into a world of espionage and violence where state and family secrets intertwine. Armed only with his extraordinary analytical skills, Peter may just discover that his biggest weakness is his greatest strength.

Neal Shusterman & me

Last but definitely not least was Neal Shusterman talking about his latest novel Dry (written with his son Jarrod) and also The Toll, the final book in the Arc of a Scythe trilogy which is due to publish next September. I absolutely LOVED Scythe (read my review) and Thunderhead (read my review) so I can't wait to get my hands on The Toll and the hints we were given about what to expect just made me even more excited about it! It looks like there have been all kinds of hints woven into the first book, right down to Scythe Goddard's name, and I can't wait to see how everything comes together in the finale.

Neal talked about how bored he was with YA dystopian stories at the time he was getting ready to start writing Scythe and how he wanted to do something completely different. The Arc of a Scythe trilogy was supposed to be about what would happen if everything went right in the world rather than if it all went horribly wrong but if we were able to cure diseases and make people practically immortal then it would cause all kinds of problems with overpopulation. Eventually that lead to the idea of the Scythes who were supposed to be unbiased and willing to do an awful job to keep society running smoothly, interestingly enough they were actually inspired by the Jedi!

About Dry:

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions in this harrowing story of survival from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman.

The drought – or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it – has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.

Until the taps run dry.

Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbours and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life – and the life of her brother – is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

Dry is another fantastic book from Neal, cowritten with his son Jarrod, and you can read my review here.

After hearing all of the authors talk about their books, along with listening to some of the Walker editors and publicity team talking about other upcoming books (another highlight to watch out for is definitely On the Come Up by Angie Thomas due in February 2019!) we had time to mingle with the authors and other bloggers while getting our books signed and enjoying a few tasty nibbles.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone at Walker for organising such a brilliant event and allowing me to tag along. The hardest part about coming home with so many fab books is trying to decide which one to read first but I'm particularly excited about the ones I've mentioned in this post so watch out for reviews coming as soon as I can!

Saturday, 31 December 2016

My Favourite Reads of 2016

It's always fun to look back over the year and try to pick out my favourite reads. I've read a lot of amazing books this year but I've also reread a lot of series I love so I've decided that I'm only allowed to include first reads in this list and I'm also going to try and limit it to one book per author so that a few favourites don't dominate the list! The links below will take you to my reviews.

Young Adult:

Adult:

What were your favourite reads in 2016? Do any match up with the ones on my list?

Monday, 12 September 2016

Review: Barefoot on the Wind - Zoe Marriott

Everyone in Hana's remote village knows that straying too far into the wood means certain death. Hana, still grieving the loss of her brother to the beast, knows it better than most. When her father is taken too, she gathers her hunting gear and goes in search of the monster, determined to destroy it - or be destroyed herself. But the forest contains more secrets, more magic, and more darkness than Hana could ever have imagined. And the beast is not at all what she expects . . .

A beautiful, thought-provoking retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" set in a fairytale Japan.

The Moonlit Lands Series:
(These are companion novels set in the same fictional version of Japan but there is no crossover of characters so they can both be read as standalone stories)
Shadows on the Moon
Barefoot on the Wind

Visit Zoe Marriott's website more information.

Review:
I've been a huge fan of Zoe Marriott's writing ever since I read Shadows on the Moon five years ago, it's a fairytale retelling of Cinderella set in a fictional Japan where magic is real and it's one of my all time favourite books so you can only begin to imagine how excited I was when I found out she was writing a companion novel set in the same world. Barefoot on the Wind is a feminist retelling of Beauty and the Beast (which happens to be my favourite fairytale!) and it's just as wonderful as Shadows on the Moon.

Although both books are set in the same world and are linked by the same beautiful writing and the fairytale feel to them there is no crossover of characters so you don't have to read them in any particular order but I want to go out and place a copy of both of these books into the hands of every fantasy fan I come across. Zoe was writing YA fantasy long before it became so popular and she really doesn't get the recognition she deserves considering how absolutely amazing her stories are so I want to see her at the top of the best seller charts where she should be.

Let's get back to Barefoot on the Wind though, this is the tale of a young girl called Hana who lives in a remote village in the middle of a dark and dangerous magical wood. Everyone in her village knows that there is a monster in the forest and they live every day with the knowledge that leaving the safety of home means certain death. Hana's family have lost more than most to the monster, she is still grieving after the deaths of her grandmother and her brother but when her father is taken too something inside her snaps. Her grief and the additional pressure of survivor's guilt have combined into a reckless desperation to do something, anything, to try and save her father's life. She knows that she is unlikely to survive an encounter with the monster but when the rest of the village turn their back on her pleas for help she just has to try and fight for what is right.

I'm not going to tell you much more than that so you're going to have to read the story for yourself to find out whether Hana manages to slay the monster and rescue her father. Instead I'm going to talk about the rich world building, the evocative and beautiful writing, the fantastic three dimensional characters that each have their own fears and sorrow, the heartbreak you'll feel as Hana talks about her grief, the joy and pride you'll feel for everything she accomplishes, how you'll fall be drawn totally into this world and find yourself wishing it was real just so you could live there. Barefoot on the Wind is a Beauty and the Beast retelling unlike any you've read before, it's utterly captivating and so, so beautiful that it makes my heart hurt just thinking about it. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be in one of the top slots when I'm trying to pick my favourite books of the year and I can't wait to reread Shadows on the Moon when the new extended version is published in November.

Source: Received from Walker in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
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

Friday, 1 July 2016

June 2016 Recap

Books read in previous months but reviewed in June:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

Their Fractured Light - Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner (Read in January, reviewed in June)
Ice Planet Barbarians - Ruby Dixon (Read in February, reviewed in June)
Morning Star - Pierce Brown (Read in February, reviewed in June)
The Dark Days Club - Alison Goodman (Read in February, reviewed in June)
The Shadow Queen - C.J. Redwine (Read in March, reviewed in June)
Bound to Danger - Katie Reus (Read in March, reviewed in June)
Hollywood Dirt - Alessandra Torre (Read in March, reviewed in June)
The Hostage Bargain - Annika Martin (Read in March, reviewed in June)
Wickedly Wonderful - Deborah Blake (Read in March, reviewed in June)
Begging for It - Lilah Pace (Read in March, reviewed in June)
Owl and the City of Angels - Kristi Charish (Read in March, reviewed in June)
Allegiance of Honour - Nalini Singh (Read in April, review coming soon)
Flamecaster - Cinda Williams Chima (Read in April, reviewed in June)
Hot Six - Janet Evanovich (Read in May, reviewed in June)
Shadowed Blade - J.C. Daniels (Read in May, reviewed in June)
Violet Tendencies - Jay Wells (Novella) (Read in May, reviewed in June)

Books read in June:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

Green-Eyed Demon - Jaye Wells
The Fires of Heaven - Robert Jordan
Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge - Paul Krueger
Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book before posting my review)
The Wrath and the Dawn - Renee Ahdieh (Review coming soon)
Magic Mourns - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (I re-read this book before posting my review)
Chaos Rises - Pippa DaCosta
The Loneliness of Distant Beings - Kate Ling
Poison or Protect - Gail Carriger (Novella)
Stripped Bear - Kate Baxter (Novella) (Review coming soon)
Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison (Review coming soon)
Inseverable - Cecy Robson
Secret of the Gargoyles - Rebecca Chastain
Blood Shadows - Lindsay J. Pryor (Review coming soon)
Magic Bleeds - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book before posting my review)
Magic Dreams - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (I re-read this book before posting my review)
Hard Ever After - Laura Kaye (Novella) (Review coming soon)
Glory In Death - J.D. Robb (Review coming soon)
Ride Hard - Laura Kaye (Review coming soon)
Seven Up - Janet Evanovich (Review coming soon)

Other June Posts:

June Books of the Month:

(Choices are made from books reviewed this month and the links will take you to my reviews)

My top YA reads in June:

I actually read the first two of these months ago and they're fantastic books but I've only just got around to posting my reviews I had to include them here.

Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (read my review here)

Morning Star by Pierce Brown (read my review here)

Secret of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain (read my review here)

My top NA read in June:

Inseverable by Cecy Robson (read my review here)

My top adult reads in June:

Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre (read my review here)
Chaos Rises by Pippa DaCosta (read my review here)

June Events:

I've been pretty hopeless at writing up events recently so I've decided to start mentioning them in my monthly wrap up posts so they at least get a little attention!

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to Walker's offices for their Ink Slingers Summer Picnic. We spent a brilliant morning talking about lots of exciting upcoming books they have lined up for us, eating cake and chatting with three of their authors: Siobhan Curham, Zoe Marriott, and Lauren James. All three authors have books coming out soon: The Moonlight Dreamers, Barefoot on the Wind (which is one of my most longed for releases of the year!) and The Last Beginning, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the author's talk about their newest books and getting to chat with them as well as meeting some of the new Walker publicity team. They have lots of exciting things planned for us so you definitely need to keep an eye out for their new releases!

Siobhan Curham, Zoe Marriott, and Lauren James

Thanks so much to everyone at Walker Books for inviting me and being so enthusiastic about working with bloggers! I came away with lots of exciting books to read so keep an eye out for reviews over the next few months :o)

My Challenge Updates:

These are the challenges I've signed up for in 2016:

2016 Read 100 Books in a Year Challenge - Read 116/200
2016 British Books Challenge - Read 18/50
2016 New Author Challenge - Read 25/50
2016 Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Challenge - 53/100
2016 Contemporary Romance Challenge - 12/20
2016 Romantic Suspense Challenge - 8/20

Monday, 6 June 2016

Cover Reveal: Shadows on the Moon - Zoe Marriott

Last week I shared the cover for Zoe Marriott's upcoming novel Barefoot in the Wind (you can read that post HERE) and at the time I mentioned that Shadows on the Moon, another story set in the same world, was getting a makeover too. Now, Shadows on the Moon is one of my favourite novels so as soon as I found out that the new edition will contain extra content (including poetry and a short story that is like an extra epilogue to the original one!) I knew I'd be buying a copy for my shelves but now I've seen the gorgeous new cover I'm even more sold on the idea!

Just look at that beauty! Isn't it gorgeous? If you love fantasy and you love fairytale retellings then you NEED to read this book. It may be based on Cinderella but Suzame is a fierce young woman who sets out to get revenge on the people who wronged her and her family. She isn't the kind of girl who is going to sit around and wait for a prince to save her and she has it all planned out!

I have so much adoration for this book - it's one of the stories that I regularly put into stranger's hands when I'm browsing in bookstores! - and I'm really excited that it's being rebranded to hopefully be picked up by a whole new audience. In case you missed my original review of this book you can find it HERE.

Just in case you're curious about the old cover I thought I'd share that here too:

Old Cover VS New Cover

Which one do you prefer? I do think the original cover is beautiful but I think the new version is much more modern and I love the bright pops of colour from the flowers in Suzame's hair. I love the story so much that it'll be one of the rare books I have multiple copies of on my shelves though!

Saturday, 28 May 2016

Cover Reveal: Barefoot on the Wind - Zoe Marriott

Shadows on the Moon is one of my favourite books, it's an absolutely beautiful Cinderella reimagining and I just love everything about it. So you can imagine my excitement when Zoe Marriott announced she was writing another book in the same world! It feels like I've been waiting forever to read Barefoot on the Wind, a feminist reimagining of Beauty and the Beast (which happens to be my favourite fairytale to boot!), but the wait is nearly over and even better, we have a beautiful cover to drool over!!

Just look at that gorgeous work of art! Isn't it stunning. I CAN'T WAIT to have that beauty on my shelves!

Zoe's thoughts on the cover (taken from her blog post HERE):

Is that gorgeous, or is it gorgeous? I love it. Everything on this cover - the white, red and green colours, the frosty white thorns, the moths, the red butterflies and the falling snow - is symbolic (Google 'butterflies in Japanese mythology' for a hint) and comes directly from stuff that's in the story. I want to burble on endlessly about how much they nailed making the cover represent the book, but it's basically all spoilers so I'll just be over here quietly squeeing while you absorb this

Blurb (taken from goodreads):

A companion title to Zoë Marriott's critically acclaimed Shadows on the Moon, BAREFOOT ON THE WIND is a darkly magical retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" set in fairytale Japan.

There is a monster in the forest...

Everyone in Hana's remote village on the mountain knows that straying too far into the woods is a death sentence. When Hana's father goes missing, she is the only one who dares try to save him. Taking up her hunting gear, she goes in search of the beast, determined to kill it - or be killed herself.

But the forest contains more secrets, more magic and more darkness than Hana could ever have imagined. And the beast is not at all what she expects...

As if that wasn't exciting enough Zoe had even more news to share with us. Because it's been five years since the original release of Shadows on the Moon Walker Books have decided to give it a revamp, with a brand new cover to match Barefoot in the Wind and EXTRA CONTENT! OMG I can barely contain my excitement today! Zoe will be sharing the new cover for Shadows on the Moon sometime next week so I'll be sure to post about it as soon as I spot it but in the meantime I strongly suggest you get your pre-orders in now.

Barefoot on the Wind will be available from the 1st of September and the new version of Shadows on the Moon will follow not long afterwards. These books are both set in the same fairytale realm but there is no overlap of characters so you can read them in any order but I can't recommend Shadows on the Moon highly enough and I'm desperately looking forward to reading Barefoot on the Wind for the first time.

What do you think of Barefoot in the Wind's cover? Do you love it as much as I did? Have you read Shadows on the Moon? I think it's one of the most underrated YA fantasy stories out there, Zoe was ahead of the trend and this was published before the genre really took off so I'm hoping that the re release is going to come at just the right time for it to have the success that it so rightfully deserves!

Wednesday, 29 July 2015

Review: Frail Human Heart - Zoe Marriott

Mio has finally succeeded in banishing the Goddess of Death's plague spreading monsters - but only by making the most terrible sacrifice. Emotionally devastated, Mio isn't sure she has the strength to fight on and risk losing someone else she loves.

But she has no choice. With the final battle in the war between gods drawing closer and all hell literally breaking loose in London, the only things standing between the mortal world and an apocalypse are Mio and her sword.

Don't miss the final instalment in The Name of the Blade series.

The Name of the Blade Trilogy:
The Night Itself
Darkness Hidden
Frail Human Heart

Visit Zoe Marriott's website for more information.

Review:
It's no secret that I love Zoe Marriott's writing, I've been a fan of hers ever since I picked up Shadows on the Moon (which is still my favourite of her books and one I would HIGHLY recommend if you haven't already read it!) and her Name of the Blade trilogy has been outstanding. I'm always a little wary of trilogies because more often than not at least one of the books ends up being a disappointment but I knew that wouldn't be the case here and I'm happy to report that Frail Human Heart ends the series on the biggest possible high.

I think all readers were probably left reeling at the end of Darkness Hidden (well I know I was!) so it's been a long wait for this book. Mio paid the ultimate price for saving the world and I was absolutely heartbroken right alongside her. Now she's grief stricken and terrified of losing anyone else that she cares about, she knows that she has to stop Izanami but she's worried about the upcoming battle and doesn't think she'll survive it. Luckily her friends and family aren't going to let her face her enemies alone, it was great to see how everyone had Mio's back and I loved that they all have a role to play in what is happening.

I really don't want to say much about the plot but you should be prepared for epic battles, terrifying monsters, heartbreak and grief but also the strong bonds of love between friends and family. Zoe Marriott is an expert when it comes to Japanese mythology and I've loved the variety of creatures she has introduced us to from the friendly kitsune like Hikaru to the horrifying Jorogumo and many more in between. I have to also give a shout out to the side characters because they've all been fantastic and I particularly loved some certain developments in Jack's love life but I'm not going to say more about that for fear of spoilers. Frail Human Heart was an absolutely fantastic conclusion to this trilogy and I'm sure fans are going to love it just as much as I did.

Source: Received from Walker in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
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: Frail Human Heart - Zoe Marriott

I'm the biggest fan of Zoe Marriott's Name of the Blade trilogy so I'm thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour today to celebrate the release of the final book Frail Human Heart. This is an absolutely stunning finale to the series and I loved every minute of it, I'll be posting my full review later today but in the meantime I have a fab extract to share with you now.

Extract 3 from Frail Human Heart,

book 3 in the Name of the Blade trilogy by Zoe Marriott

“She wasn’t down there, was she?” Jack said as I straightened up. “Do you think you were wrong about what you saw – dreamed – whatever?”

“No.” The deep white claw marks gouged in the grubby cement of the walls proved that my mental image of poor Rachel’s desperate struggle down there, the way she had lashed out in her pain as she fought against the transformation, was real. But I couldn’t exactly share that with Jack.

“She must have got herself out and away before we arrived. She didn’t know we were coming to look for her.”

“Why was she down there in the first place?” Jack asked, pacing away and then back again. “What was wrong with her? What happened while I was in that hospital?”

“All right, there are a lot of questions to be answered, but the best thing we can do is head home…” my father began in his usual commanding tone.

Jack was too worked up to listen. She spun back to face me. “Are we in, like, immediate danger from anything horrible right this minute?”

I cast an apprehensive look at the royal-blue sky. It wasn’t full dark yet, but the harsh orange glow of the streetlights behind the hospital made the shadows seem more intense, and my instincts were urging me to head for sanctuary. My parents’ house, warded against supernatural attack by the London Kitsune, was the only truly safe place for us – the one safe place left in the city, probably.
But we’d already seen, on multiple occasions, that darkness was no more dangerous than daylight. Plenty of creatures from the Underworld hunted equally well in either. And Izanami had just suffered a devastating defeat. She was surely going to need some time to recover from seeing her plans turn to dust.

Reluctantly, I shook my head. The bones in my neck creaked. My dad made an exasperated face and folded his arms.

“All right then, tell me what is going on with my sister,” Jack demanded. “I know it’s bad. She came to the hospital. She was talking with someone else’s voice – it said it was the Nekomata’s mistress – and her eyes were all black.”

Well, shit. I rubbed my hand over my face wearily. “I didn’t know that.”

“Rachel was supposed to be with you, Mio. You were supposed to be keeping each other safe.” The words were edged with an accusation that cut me more painfully than a knife in the gut.

“I tried my best. I did, Jack. She wasn’t … herself. The bite – the Nekomata bite – changed her.”

“Changed her? What? How? Did you know that could happen?”

“Of course I didn’t. When we left the hospital, she told us that she felt wrong. Different. She couldn’t control her temper. Kept snapping for no reason. The tooth marks on her neck disappeared. She got fast and really strong. Stronger than me. Right after you called us she lost it. She attacked me and…” No. Can’t say his name yet. “Then she ran off.”

At her sides, Jack’s hands trembled, then slowly curled into fists. “You let her go?”

Sometimes the only thing you can do is let go…

I flinched from the memory of his voice. “I couldn’t stop her.”

“You let her go and you didn’t tell me. You didn’t call me. I can’t believe this. She’s my sister. I had the right to know she’s turning into some kind of monster!”

“She isn’t turning into a monster,” I said flatly. I could see that my lack of emotion was riling Jack up even more, but I didn’t have anything else to offer her. I was so bloody tired. “That explosion of power that healed you and banished the Shikome? It fixed Rachel, too. She’s OK now.”

At least, as OK as anyone could be when their soul had been invaded by darkness and they only just escaped before the point of no return.

Relief and gratitude passed fleetingly over Jack’s face. Then the anger was back. She took a step into my space, poking my shoulder. “Then where is she? Why should I believe anything you say when you’ve been keeping all this shit a secret from me the whole time?”

“Jack,” Hikaru, his face chalky and drawn with tiredness, interrupted firmly. “I can tell you’re upset but this isn’t—”

“You stay out of it. You, too, Mr Yamato!” Jack snapped at my father as he opened his mouth. “This is between me and her. And you’d better not try to bullshit me, Mio, because I know you and I can see right through it. What the hell were you thinking?”

********************

Next Stop for Zoë is Teens on Moon Lane. Click here to check it out and, if you haven’t already, pick up your copy of Zoë’s The Name of the Blade series at your local bookshop or online at Amazon, Book Depository, Waterstones.com and WHSmith.

Zoë Marriott is the author of many critically acclaimed and beloved books, including The Swan Kingdom, which was long-listed for the Branford Boase award, and Shadows on the Moon, which won the prestigious Sasakawa Prize and was an American Junior Library Guild Selection. Zoë lives in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Visit Zoë’s blog at thezoe-trope.blogspot.co.uk or her website at ZoeMarriott.com. Follow her on Twitter (@ZMarriott).

Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on the Frail Human Heart blog tour for more extracts, deleted scenes and interviews with Zoe!

Sunday, 23 November 2014

Review: Darkness Hidden - Zoe Marriott

Against all odds, Mio, Jack and Shinobu have defeated the terrifying Nekomata. But Mio is still compelled to protect the katana, her family's ancestral sword, and now the Underworld has spawned a worse monster - one carrying a devastating plague that sweets through London like wildfire.

As Mio struggles to protect the city and control the sword's deadly powers, she realises that there is no way she can keep everyone she loves alive . . . and she must make a terrible sacrifice to save the world.

The Name of the Blade Trilogy:
The Night Itself
Darkness Hidden
Frail Human Heart

Visit Zoe Marriott's website for more information.

Review:
I loved The Night Itself and have been looking forward to Darkness Hidden ever since I finished it so it's been a long year waiting for this release. Sometimes you pick up the second book in a trilogy only to find yourself disappointed by a book that feels like padding for the rest of the series but happily that isn't the case here and Zoe Marriott has given us a story that is just as strong, if not stronger, than the first book.

Mio may now have a better idea of what her katana is capable of but she also knows the risks she takes by using it. She is more aware than ever how important it is to keep the sword out of enemy hands but she is equally scared of using it for protection in case it gets a stronger hold over her. Unfortunately her enemies aren't going to give her a chance to rest now that she has defeated the nekomata and they are now sending even more powerful creatures her way. Creatures that are spreading a plague across London while they search for her, ones that could cost the lives of not just her friends and family but of every human in the city. Mio is running short on allies and she's going to have to face some very difficult decisions if she wants to save the people she loves the most.

Darkness Hidden is just as action packed as the first book, we are introduced to more creatures from Japanese mythology and the stakes are raised higher than ever for Mio and her friends. This is the kind of book that it is easy to devour in one sitting, the characters are all fantastic and well rounded and I enjoy spending time with them. I love exploring the mythology and I'm thoroughly enjoying how unique this series is compared to so many other YA books I've read. As a paranormal fan I've read so many books about vampires and werewolves and it's just great to come across something that stands out from everything else. The ending completely shocked me and it's left me desperate to get my hands on Frail Mortal Heart. I have a feeling this series will go out with a bang and I can't wait to see how Zoe Marriott concludes things.

Source: Received from Walker in exchange for an honest review

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