Review - To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Published 6th March 2018 by Hot Key Books

Star Rating - ****.5

Goodreads Challenge - 9/75

I received a copy of this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

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

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Review

What can I say other than I loved this book!! I was really in the mood to read a standalone fantasy and I know these are few and far between but this is exactly what I wanted and more. As I just said this is a YA fantasy standalone that's also a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I haven't read many books based on mermaids but I will definitely be reading more.

The retelling aspect of this story was fantastic. You could pick out the aspects of The Little Mermaid story and see where the author pulled her inspiration from but there was enough difference to make the story interesting and unique. I was completely hooked throughout and I was totally invested in both the plot and the characters. 

The authors writing style was brilliant! The story was easy to read, which meant I flew through it, but also had enough detail to hold my attention. The world building was great, not too heavy but again enough to make it interesting. I really want to see more set in this world. 

I also loved the characters. They were all completely individual and had their own personalities. I loved Lira's feisty nature and Elian's determination and loyalty. The growth of both characters throughout the story was great they showed real development and you could see just how they got there. I also liked the romance, and it takes a lot for me to enjoy romance. It was quite a slow burn which I liked and it felt genuine. 

Overall this was a really enjoyable story with great world building and great characters. I don't know what more to say other than I highly recommend you go out and buy it. I know I will be!

Overall Rating (4.5)

I'm back!! Review - The Call by Peadar O' Guilin

I'm back guys! I've been MIA for about 3 months and I'm really sorry. I'm not quite sure what happened to be honest. I think I got into quite a bad reading slump and there I stayed not reading or interacting with the bookish world in anyway for 3 whole months and it makes me sad. But...I'm back now! Back reading, back reviewing and (hopefully) back blogging regularly. So, I'm coming back to you now with some reviews of some recent reads so watch this space for several reviews over the coming week. 

The Call by Peadar O' Guilin

Published 30th August 2016 by Scholastic 

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 7/75

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Imagine a world where you might disappear any minute, only to find yourself alone in a grey sickly land, with more horrors in it than you would ever wish to know about. And then you hear a horn and you know that whoever lives in this hell has got your scent and the hunt has already begun.

Could you survive the Call?

Review

I've had this one on my shelf for a while and I was in to mood for something a little darker so I thought I'd pick this up. I'm actually enjoying picking books off of my shelf that take my fancy and this was a good pick. 

I really enjoyed this one I found it fast paced and gripping and I read it really quickly. It was a dark and gruesome story so not one for the squeamish however, I didn't find it particularly scary as others seem to have done. 

There's also some positive disabled rep in this book which I thought was great. The main character had Polio and now struggles to walk but this didn't stop her from wanting to achieve the same as everyone else. Her determination was admirable. 

Overall and enjoyable, fast paced read that kept me hooked until the very end.

Overall Rating 

January Wrap Up

I'm sorry I've been a bit AWOL recently, to be honest I've been in a bit of a slump both with my reading and blogging. I've spent most of my time binge watching TV instead of reading but sometimes you just need that! I'm hoping to get back into reading and my blog this month but we shall see how it goes. Even though I have been a bit slumpy this month I still managed to read 5 books which I'm pleased with. 

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Published 2nd January 2018 by Hot Key Books

Goodreads Challenge - 3/75

Star Rating - *****

Review - Blog Review

Wunderkids Part 1: Wildwood Academy by Jacqueline Silvester

Published 21st July 2017 by Lonewolf Press

Goodreads Challenge - 1/75

Star Rating - ****

Review - Blog Review 

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

Published 2nd January 2018 by Sorcebooks Fire 

Goodreads Challenge - 2/75

Star Rating - ****

Review - Blog Review 

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Published 16th January 2018 by Hot Key Books

Goodreads Challenge - 4/75

Star Rating - ****

Review - Blog Review

Dark Game by Rachel Lynch

Published 29th January 2018 by Canelo

Goodreads Challenge - 5/75

Star Rating - ***

Review - Blog tour review to come

So that's my first wrap up of 2018. Even though I've been in a bit of a slump I'm still happy with the amount I have read. Hopefully I'll be able to read more next month. 

 

January Book Haul

I was doing so well at the end of last year not buying too many books but I seem to have fallen off the bang wagon somewhat this month, opps! That being said I'm pleased with everything I did get, so here they are. 

Physical Books

Killed by Thomas Enger - I received a copy of this from the publisher, Orenda Books, ready for the blog tour.  
The Owl Always Hunts at Night by Samuel Bjork - I received a copy of this from the publisher, Transworld Books, ready for the blog tour. 
The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda - I received a copy of this from Readers First.
The Lost Moon by Pat Roper and Toby Gentle and the Winter Assassin by C.G. Hickling - I won both of this in a Twitter giveaway from Burst Publishing.
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Mass
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Goldenhand by Garth Nix
Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten
Eon Rise of the Dragoneye by Alison Goodman
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
The Call by Peadar O' Guilin
Troll by D.B. Thorne
Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Say Her Name by Juno Dawson
The Extinction Trials by S.M. Wilson
The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Ebooks

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo - I received an eARC of this from NetGalley
Rafferty Lincoln Loves by Emily Williams - I recieved a copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

So that really is a lot of books that I managed to aquire this month! Hopefully I'll be able to get back into reading a bit more in February and get through some of these. Are there any here that you've read and would recommend or are looking forward to reading? Let me know. 

 

Blog Tour Review - Dark Game by Rachel Lynch

Dark Game by Rachel Lynch

Published 29th January 2018 by Canelo

Genre - Crime, Thriller, Police Procedure 

Star Rating - ***

Goodreads Challenge - 5/75

I received an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis

Kelly’s gut turned over as she realised the danger she was in. She heard no sirens. She knew that she was simply collateral. To these men who made a lot of money from the suffering of others, they’d have no problem snuffing her out.

After a scandal forces DI Kelly Porter out of the Met, she returns to her home turf in the Lake District. Crimes in the Cumbrian constabulary tend to be of the minor sort, but Kelly begins work on a cold case that shocked the local community – the abduction and brutal murder of ten-year-old Lottie Davies.
Meanwhile, Kelly is also investigating two seemingly straightforward crimes: a case involving an illegal immigrant, and a robbery following the death of local businessman Colin Day. But evidence comes to light that reveals a web of criminal activity beyond anything Kelly imagined. Behind the veneer of sleepy, touristy towns lies a dark and dangerous underworld. As Kelly threatens to expose those with much to lose, she risks paying the ultimate price to get to the truth…

Don’t miss this taut and gripping debut from a crime writer to watch. Perfect for fans for Carol Dwyer, Patricia Gibney and Angela Marsons.

My Thoughts

This was a dark and gritty crime novel that intrigued me in places and kept me wanting to read until the end. It does get quite dark in places so be warned but if you can cope with some darker themes in books then I would recommend this one. Covering topics such as prostitution, human trafficking and money laundering there are several plot lines woven together into one final climactic moment. I'll be honest, I am in a bit of a reading slump, so the pacing of this one didn't feel as fast as I would of liked. However, I think if I was in my usual reading mood this would of moved along at a much faster pace. The chapters were fairly short which always keeps me wanting to read one more and this is something I really like in a thriller.

Kelly Porter was a great character. She was passionate about what she did and was determined to solve the case throughout the book. I also found it interesting to see her family relationships between her mum and her sister and I would like some more of this in subsequent books. There were lots of other characters in this book too but I didn't find them hard to keep track of. They all played their own part in the story and I thought everything fitted together well. 

Overall I enjoyed this story, it was just a shame I was in a bit of a reading slump whilst reading it as I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if I wasn't. That being said it was a dark and gritty fast paced thriller with a twisty turny, interwoven plot that had be excited to reach the climax. 

Overall Rating

The book is available from the following links:

Amazon UK    Kobo UK    Google Books UK    Apple Books UK

Author Bio

Rachel Lynch grew up in Cumbria and the lakes and fells are never far away from her. London pulled her away to teach History and marry an Army Officer, whom she followed around the globe for thirteen years. A change of career after children led to personal training and sports therapy, but writing was always the overwhelming force driving the future. The human capacity for compassion as well as its descent into the brutal and murky world of crime are fundamental to her work.

Twitter: @r_lynchcrime

Review - Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Published 16th January 2018 by Hot Key Books

Star Rating - ****

Goodreads Challenge - 4/75

Diversity Bingo - Indian Main Character (Own Voices)

I was provided with an early copy from Readers First to read and review. 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

A searing #OwnVoices coming-of-age debut in which an Indian-American Muslim teen confronts Islamophobia and a reality she can neither explain nor escape--perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Jacquelyn Woodson, and Adam Silvera.

Maya Aziz is torn between futures: the one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter (i.e.; staying nearby in Chicago and being matched with a "suitable" Muslim boy), and the one where she goes to film school in New York City--and maybe, just maybe, kisses a guy she's only known from afar. There's the also the fun stuff, like laughing with her best friend Violet, making on-the-spot documentaries, sneaking away for private swimming lessons at a secret pond in the woods. But her world is shattered when a suicide bomber strikes in the American heartland; by chance, he shares Maya's last name. What happens to the one Muslim family in town when their community is suddenly consumed with hatred and fear?

My Thoughts

This isn't my usual genre choice but my diversity bingo challenge pushed me to give it a go and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's an own voices novel and, although I can't comment from an own voices perspective, I really liked the representation in this book. I thought it was a really important look at how a single act can change someones life so quickly. I thought it depicted the prejudice that Maya received in a very true way and it gave us a real view of today's society and how we need to fight this. What happened in this book is not okay, in any circumstance!

I enjoyed the writing style. I thought it merged the cute and fluffy romance story line with the more hard hitting Islamophobia story line well. It showed you just how affected Maya and her family were and how difficult this made their lives. I also enjoyed the inclusion of the italicized paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter showing the parallel story. I thought this was a good way of doing this as you felt the build up to something and, although we know what from the synopsis, it does give the added feeling of intrigue and suspense. I also thought there was some great culture in this book. It was nice to see this and to learn about different aspects of their lives, although reading some of the own voices reviews they seem to think this could of been better. That being said, from me, someone who cannot comment from an own voices perspective I thought it was good.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story too. I thought Maya was great, I loved her passion for film and movies and I loved how she was determined to follow her dreams. Even though the way she handled her parents near the end wasn't the best, this didn't affect my liking for her. I could understand why she did it. I also loved Violet as a side character. I thought it was great how she always stuck by Maya's side and wasn't influenced by any outside party. Even when life got tough she stuck up for her. I thought it was a great depiction of a female friendship. There was also a love triangle written into the story and at first I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as I'm not a fan of this YA trope however, this one was fine. It wasn't cringey or frustrating and Maya was completely honest with herself, breaking off one of the relationships early. She did keep this friendship though and I liked this. The romances were cute and fluffy and the love interests were sweet and understanding. They really seemed to care for Maya.

Overall, as a book outside of my usual comfort zone, it was a really enjoyable read. I loved the own voices Indian rep and I thought it covered some quite prominent and hard hitting topics. This mixed with the sweet contemporary aspects of the story made it a really great read. I would definitely recommend reading some of the own voices reviews if your interested in any opinions from that perspective however, if your looking for a quick, sweet contemporary mixed with some slightly more intense themes then I would recommend this one. 

Overall Rating 

 

Review - The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Published 2nd January 2018 by Hot Key Books

Star Rating - *****

Goodreads Challenge - 3/75 

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

My Thoughts

I definitely think Holly Black is one of my new favorite authors! This is the second book I've read by her now and I loved it. Her writing is amazing, its somewhat whimsical but also dark and magical. This story was truly compelling and as I neared the end I couldn't put it down.

I loved the world that Holly Black created in this book, as I did with The Darkest Part of the Forest. As I said before it was quite whimsical and magical but there were lots of darker elements too. Her world building was great and I really felt immersed in the world. The story itself was also great. For about the first half of the book there wasn't anything that really happened in the way of big plot points but this was okay. Her writing style more than made up for this and I was fully invested in the world that she had created. After the half way point things definitely started moving. The pace picked up and there were so many twists and turns. I didn't see any of them coming and I often found myself gasping from shock at the turn of events. Holly Black sure knows how to surprise her readers.

I loved the characters too. None of them were perfect they all had their own flaws but often morally grey characters are the best. Jude was a fantastic protagonist, she was ruthless but loyal to everyone around her, even Madoc who she really just wanted to hate! I also loved Cardan. Despite how he behaved towards Jude, he was horrible, there was just something compelling about him. I really shoudn't like him but I so do and I feel like I'm going to be rooting for him in the next book. I like that there wasn't a massive emphasis on romance either, but there was some there. I will also say that there is a bi character in this book, with a female female romance which was great.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, I was completely captivated throughout the story. It was dark with a twisty, turny plot that kept you on your toes until the very end. Full of a complete cast of morally grey characters that you just can't help loving. I cannot wait for the next one! 

Overall Rating