Hello!
Another bunch of smaller reviews today, some are netgalley reads (marked with a disclaimer) and others are ones that I’ve picked up elsewhere.
Reviews & Ratings:
Where There be Humans – Rebekah L. Purdy [Release Date 1st June 2020, Entangled Publishing: Entangled Teen]
Genre: YA Fantasy
*Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Book Summary
Sixteen-year-old Ivy Archer is arguably the best warrior-in-training Gob Hollow has ever seen. Yet everyone—except her best friend she suddenly has other feelings for—looks down on her because she’s only half goblin, with no idea what the other half is. She’s always suspected it might be human.
But humans, she’s been told, aren’t real. They’re only creatures of myth.
When the prince of their kingdom is taken for ransom, it’s Ivy’s big chance to prove her worth. And when she learns his captors are human, the rescue mission becomes personal. The stories were clearly wrong, and now she has a chance to find the truth about her lineage, as well. If she survives…
With a small band of warriors at her command, including her best friend turned crush that’s getting harder to hide, Ivy sets out to find the prince and her human family. But the answers lie within secrets and conspiracies that run far deeper than she ever imagined.
Review:
This was an easy, enjoyable read. I would say that it was probably aimed at the younger end of YA/teen, rather than squarely in YA. I loved the cover, and the premise and there were enough twists and turns to keep me interested and the pages turning. There were some parts of the plot that I feel could have used more development, for example how humans had come to be considered ‘fairy tales’, and I would have liked to see some more striking differences between Goblins and Humans. We got some insights into the Goblin culture, but I would have liked to see it pushed farther as it felt the two were fairly similar. That said, I did like the focus on Goblins who are often ignored, and the idea of ‘handsome’ prince with sharp teeth, and aside from the build-up to the twist which felt a little forced, the friendship/romance elements were well done, and I loved the relationship between Ivy and Pudge.
Rating: *** (3/5 Stars)
Pre-order: Amazon UK| Amazon US |
***** ***** *****
The Bookweaver’s Daughter – Malavika Kannan [Release date 8th September 2020, Tanglewood Publishing]
Genre: YA Fantasy / Own Voices
*Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Book Summary:
The Bookweaver’s Daughter is an #OwnVoices YA fantasy–a tale of magic, Indian lore, and radical female friendship, written by debut author, Malavika Kannan, when she was 17 year old. Malavika is an Indian-American novelist, feminist writer, and political activist raised in the suburbs of Central Florida and currently a freshman at Stanford University.
In the ancient Indian kingdom of Kasmira, stories don’t begin with “once upon a time.”
Instead, Kasmiris start a woman’s story with those who came before her: her parents, grandparents, ancestors. For fourteen-year-old Reya Kandhari, her story always starts the same: with the fabled line of Bookweavers, tracing centuries back to the lost Yogis—the mythical guardians of Kasmiri culture who created the world itself. As a result, Reya’s entire life has been shaped by words. Words of mystique and mythology. Words of magic that allow her father, the Bookweaver, to bring his stories to life. Words of power that make him the target of tyrants who will stop at nothing to destroy magic in Kasmira.
Living in disguise as a peasant in the fields, Reya’s sole focus is protecting the Bookweaver’s secret. But when her father is taken, Reya must flee deep into the jungle, alone with her best friend Nina and one ancient book. Grappling with Reya’s newfound magic, the two girls find themselves in the center of a war of liberation where magic reigns unchecked, and destiny takes a dark turn. As the stakes get higher, Reya realizes that her father’s legacy contains more power than she ever imagined. For Reya Kandhari is more than just a fugitive—she is a symbol of revolution. And that makes her a threat.
In a tale of magic, Indian lore, and radical female friendship, Reya must pass the final test: the Bookweaver’s daughter must weave her own destiny. The fate of Kasmira depends on it.
Review:
This was an enjoyable read. I was drawn to the premise and the fact that it was an #ownvoices fantasy, and it lived up to that. It was something different, the worldbuilding was very well done although I feel that it could have been developed further in places, and the writing, particularly for the imagery was fantastic. At times the pacing felt a little off, and the plot felt a little like a series of events strung together rather flowing completely, but that said, that might be because I am older than the target audience, and I feel that this would be a wonderful book for younger readers which is why it is 4* rather than 3.
Rating: **** (4/5 Stars)
Pre-order: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Waterstones (Publication for UK marked as 15th Oct)
***** ***** *****
The Angel of Crows – Katherine Addison [Release Date 23rd June 2020, Macmillian-Tor/Forge]
Genre: Fantasy
*Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Book Summary:
This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.
In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.
Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.
Review:
This was not the story I expected from the summary, and to be honest it left me with mixed feelings. I really enjoyed the writing style, which has reinforced my desire to check out The Goblin Emperor, and there were aspects of the world that were fascinating. The strongest part of the book were where the author was exploring the supernatural/fantastical aspects of the world, and I would happily have read an entire book focused on that aspect, especially as I would have loved more exploration of the Nameless and other Angels. Unfortunately, this was counterbalanced by the negatives, the main one was that this was too close a retelling of Sherlock Holmes for my liking, and I found myself being jarred out of the story because of that. I understand from the author’s note that this was originally Sherlock wingfic, and I feel that it would have done better if it had leant further into the second part rather than the former. The Ripper storyline was somewhat lost beneath the Sherlock Holmes retelling, and especially from the blurb I feel that should have been more of a focus. Still, it was an enjoyable read despite this.
Rating: *** (3/5 Stars)
Preorder: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones
***** ***** *****
Mirrorstrike (Her Pitiless Command #2) – Benjanun Sriduangkaew
With her mother’s blood fresh on her hands, Nuawa has learned that to overthrow the tyrant Winter Queen she must be as exact as a bullet… and as pitiless.
In the greatest city of winter, a revolt has broken out and General Lussadh has arrived to suppress it. She’s no stranger to treason, for this city is her home where she slaughtered her own family for the Winter Queen.
Accompanying the general to prove her loyalty, Nuawa confronts a rebel who once worked to end the queen’s reign and who now holds secrets that will cement the queen’s rule. But this is not Nuawa’s only predicament. A relentless killer has emerged and he means to hunt down anyone who holds in their heart a shard of the queen’s mirror. Like the general. Like Nuawa herself.
On these fields of tumult and shattered history, the queen’s purposes will at last be revealed, and both Lussadh and Nuawa tested to their limits.
One to wake. Two to bind. These are the laws that govern those of the glass.
In this thrilling adventure by bestselling author Oliver Pötzsch, thirteen-year-old Lukas has been trained as a swordsman by his father, a nobleman who was once a famed Musketeer. When the threat of war and accusations of witchcraft spread across the land, Lukas’s life is forever changed. He flees his home and vows to find his missing sister.
Surviving as an outcast, Lukas encounters thieves and mercenaries, a strange astrologer, and a master swordsman. He also meets three other fencers—Giovanni, Paulus, and Jerome. Each brings a special talent to their team that leads them to the Black Musketeers, the best fighters in the army. But living with the black-armored Musketeers is nothing like they imagined. In his quest to find his sister, Lukas learns of a legendary book that holds powerful magic. As he fights to keep the Book of the Night out of the hands of his greatest enemy, Lukas discovers the secrets of his own family and what it really means to be a Musketeer.
*Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Who is Last?
Fame is rare in Driftwood- it’s hard to get famous if you don’t stick around long enough for people to know you. But many know the guide, Last, a one-blooded survivor who has seen his world end many lifetimes ago. For Driftwood is a strange place of slow apocalypses, where continents eventually crumble into mere neighborhoods, pulled inexorably towards the center in the Crush. Cultures clash, countries fall, and everything eventually disintegrates.
Within the Shreds, a rumor goes around that Last has died. Drifters come together to commemorate him. But who really was Last?
*Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
On a mysterious island where the very earth holds magic, masked assassins plague the city and strange creatures rise from the desert. Livio has riled against his destiny his whole life. Beatrice longs to escape her life of servitude. But when a twist of fate unites them, it is up to them to stop a deadly revolution.
Are they just puppets in someone else’s game? Will they have to accept the hands they have been dealt or can either change their fortunes?
Another thrilling, plot-driven adventure, with an even bigger twist, We Are Bound by Stars is a tale of masks, politics, desire and deception that will have you gripped once again in Kesia Lupo’s rich fantasy world.
Review:
Firstly, I have to say that I love the cover for this book and it was certainly love at first sight. Now, though I think it is the perfect reflection of the story itself. This was an intriguing read, and a fantastic sequel to the first book, taking that world and in my opinion taking the worldbuilding up a notch. The world was beautifully realised in this book, full of detail and intrigue, and it expanded on so much that was only hinted on in book one. The writing itself was brilliant, and the story hooked me in and wouldn’t let up and I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t look away, and not just because of the world – although that was my favourite part – but because the characters, Livio and Beatrice that we followed were developed so well throughout the story and we learnt so much about them that you needed to find out what happened to them next.
Rating: **** (4/5 Stars)
Pre-order: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones
***** ***** *****
Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands #1) – Alwyn Hamilton
Genre: Ya Fantasy
Book Summary:
Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic. For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female.
Amani Al’Hiza is all three. She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead.
Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she’s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she’d gallop away on mythical horse—or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.
Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.
Review:
This book left me conflicted. It started off really well – the first chapter was gripping, and that combined with the fact that the summary, and what I had heard from others about this book gave me hope, but I found that as time went on, it didn’t grip me. Don’t get me wrong, it was an enjoyable enough read, but it was slow for the most part, and where it should have picked up pace i.e. action scenes it went in the other direction and felt too rushed. In a similar way I liked Amani at the beginning – and I was hoping for another female MC that I would enjoy reading about, but I found myself disconnected from her the further I got into the book, and never really built a connection with the other characters at all. I feel that what really pulled this book – which had such a fascinating premise, and world idea – aside from the pacing that I really did struggle with, was that it ended up a little too stereotypical in places.
At this point, I still want to read at least the next book, in the hopes that it will improve because I understand that this was a debut and the premise has so much potential. I also acknowledge, that I am not the target audience which may impact on my enjoyment of the book.
Rating: *** (3/5 Stars)
Purchase Links: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones
**
If you’ve read any of these, or read them in the future please feel free to shout at me about them.
Rowena
Beneath A Thousand Skies 
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