Category: Fantasy

Recent Reads: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab

Posted on by Pam

My review:?????

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab is the story of Addie, who gains immortality, but cannot be remembered.  This is the story of her life, and her decisions, and Henry.  The only person in 300 years who can remember her besides the old god who granted her this “gift”.

This is very light fantasy is beautifully written, with the trips down memory lane so well written, it feels like you are there.  It was such a lovely story and yes, there were tears at certain points, but also a lot of happiness and joy.  

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was published on 6th October, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones and your local independent bookshop.

You can follow V.E Schwab on Twitter, Instagram and her website.

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Titan Books.

Recent Reads: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Posted on by Pam

My review: ?????

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik is set in a school for those with magic, called Scholomance.  Except there are things that are forever trying to kill you.

El is our protagonist, and is rude, grumpy and antagonistic, and on the first page, is planning to murder someone who has just saved her life.  

I really enjoyed the twists and turns, and learning about Scholomance, how the students survive it, and about the world!  As this is ‘Lesson 1 of the Scholomance’, I’m looking forward to the next book!

I’m a big Naomi Novik fan, and have been reading her books since the days of Temeraire, a dragon in the military during the Napoleonic War.

Her recent books, Uprooted and Spinning Silver have both been good plays on fairy tales, and so when I saw this book, I was excited!

A Deadly Education was published on 29th September 2020, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and your local independent bookshop.

You can follow Naomi Novik on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, and so my thanks to NetGalley and to Random House.

Read With Me: Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow

Posted on by Pam

My review:?????

Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow is about January Scaller, a young girl who grows up in a large house as the ward of her father’s employer, Mr Locke, a collector of curiosities and artifacts.  Life is stifling and boring for her, but less so when she finds a book that changes so much for her.

I really enjoyed this book, and had a couple of moments of realisation whilst reading it about things that the author had been pointing at since the beginning, but which I only realised a page or so before the twist was revealed.  

I read this book because it was the September pick for the Sword and Laser bookclub, which has introduced me to so many wonderful books that I might not have found!

Ten Thousand Doors of January was published on 10th September 2019, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones, and your local independent bookshop.

You can follow Alix E Harrow on her website and Twitter.

Read With Me: Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files book 3)

Posted on by Pam

My review:?????

Grave Peril is the third in the Dresden Files series, and introduces us to Michael Carpenter, a Knight of the Cross, and Harry’s friend.  We also meet Thomas Raith, a White Court vampire, and Harry’s faerie godmother, Leanansidhe.

So yes, we have vampires in this book, along with ghosts, and a Knight of the Cross who winces when Harry swears.  Something is making ghosts attack people, and Harry is out to find out why.

I like the building of Harry’s friends and contacts.  This is a good sign of a book series building momentum, especially as it means that people can appear in future books, and you remember their previous adventures, or how Harry put his foot in it before.

Grave Peril was published on 4th September 2001, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones and your local independent bookshop.

You can follow Jim Butcher on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

My reviews for previous Dresden Files books are below:

Storm Front

Fool Moon

Recent Reads: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files book 2)

Posted on by Pam

My review: ?????

Fool Moon is  the second Dresden Files book.  Harry Dresden is caught up in a case that has a mutilated corpse, paw prints and all on a full moon.  So yes, werewolves, but you know it’s not going to be that simple for Harry to work out what’s going on!

Fool Moon is a great sequel, and has Bob, Murphy and Susan Rodriguez returning, among others.  I very much enjoyed the story, and all of the twists and turns.

Fool Moon was published on 9th January 2001, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones, and your local independent bookshop.

You can follow Jim Butcher on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

My review for the first Dresden Files book, Storm Front is here.

Recent Reads: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files book 1)

Posted on by Pam

My review:????

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files 1) is the first in the Dresden Files series.  You might have seen the TV series for it, which can often be found on Amazon Prime!  But, anyway, I’ve been reading and loving these books for a long time, and since Jim Butcher is publishing 2 Harry Dresden books this year, I wanted to make them a re-read!

Harry Dresden is the only wizard that you can find in the phone book.  He lives and works in Chicago, and is a private investigator as well as a police consultant.  He has a big heart, will do the right thing, and will typically manage to get horribly hurt in the process.  

Storm Front has a double murder that Harry is brought in to investigate, and he realises that it could only have happened if someone was practicing black magic.

I love the series, as you can tell from the fact I’m re-reading it for the latest books!  It’s urban fantasy, and I always enjoy the ride that Jim Butcher takes us on!

Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files 1) was published on 1st April 2000, and is available to buy from Amazon, Waterstones and your local independent bookshop.  

You can follow Jim Butcher on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

 

Recent Reads: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Legacy of Orïsha 1)

Posted on by Pam

(My review: ?????

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is set in Orïsha, where maji people, who can have powers like a Burner who can summon flame, live.  But this all changed years ago when the king had maji slaughtered, and now magic is no longer around.

Zélie remembers the night her mother died, and struggles with her brother and father to survive.  And then a chance to help bring magic back arrives, and with the help of a princess and persued by the crown prince, there is hope that magic can return.

This is a great book, with the inspiration being African rather than Western culture, which is something that is become more popular.  You might have heard about Black Leopard, Red Wolf (it’s on my Kindle, ready to be read!) or Raybearer, which I’ve reviewed an extract of!

This is the first book in the Orïsha series, and I have the second book ready to listen to, so my review for that will be soon as well!

Children of Blood and Bone was published on 6th March 2018, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones, your local independent bookshop and most likely your library!  I read this through my local library BorrowBox app, and listened to the audiobook.

You can follow Tomi Adeyemi on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

Recent Reads: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko – extract

Posted on by Pam

My review: ?????

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko is set in a world where people can be born with Hallows, a special skill, where the ruler has a council of eleven, and where ehru, djinn exist.

I’ve read the first 105 pages, and it was a really enjoyable YA fantasy.  Tarisai is a young girl, whose mother is called The Lady, and who only appears occasionally, and then will leave again without explanation.  Tarisiai is brought up in a palace, with none of the servants touching her as they don’t want her to steal their memories. This is her Hallow.

When she turns 11, her mother comes to her with 2 guardians, and also shows her a picture of a boy that she wants her to kill.

I really enjoyed the part of the book that I’ve read, and I look forward to reading the rest of it in the future!

If you’ve enjoyed Children of Blood and Bone, then you should get a copy of this! 

Raybearer was published on 17th August 2020, and is available on Amazon, Waterstones, and from your local bookshop.

You can follow Jordan Ifueko on her website, Twitter and Instagram.

I was given this extract in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Bonnier Books UK.

 

Recent Reads: The House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas – extract

Posted on by Pam

My review: ????

The House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas is set on a world where there are fae, shifters of all kinds, angels, demons, and also humans.

I was given the first five chapters of the book, and that was enough to set the world, the scene, and introduce you to a number of characters.

Bryce is half human, half fae, loves to party, and is aware that she’s in a world that doesn’t treat every race the same.  I have read enough to be introduced to Bryce, and then see the moment where the most awful thing has happened.  So, I can’t tell you much more than that!

Sarah J Maas is good at sweeping you along with the story, and leaving you wanting more!  She does romance and danger well, and I’m sure the full book is going to be a great ride! 

House of Earth and Blood was published on 3rd March 2020, and is available at Amazon, Waterstones (who have an exclusive edition) and your local independent bookshop.

You can follow Sarah J Maas on her website or on Instagram.

I was given the first five chapters of this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Bloomsbury Publishing.

Recent Reads: Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong

Posted on by Pam

My review: ☘️☘️☘️☘️

Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong is what happens when a pandemic strikes, and as Armstrong says herself, she needed to write something light and fun!

It’s been a free online serial, which is available on Kelley Armstrong’s website until 13th August, when it will come down for editing, and will be published in May 2021.  

I’ve been reading it as it’s been uploaded, and it’s been really interesting to see the audience interacting with the author as it’s being written, and to see the author change their mind about some bits, for plot reasons.

Kennedy Bennett is a curse breaker, as are her two sisters, and so is their family as far back as they know.  When Aiden Connelly walks into her antiques store and wants her to work for him in de-cursing a mythical object, the Necklace of Harmonia.  The problem is, he doesn’t have it yet, and he isn’t the only one interested in it.  In fact, one of his rivals has kidnapped both of Kennedy’s sisters.  

This looks to be the start of a new series for Armstrong, which I’m excited about!

Cursed Luck is available online until 13th August 2020, and then it will be published in May 2021.  It is available on Amazon to pre-order.  It will be available elsewhere, but we’re too early for that!

You can follow Kelley Armstrong on her website, Twitter and Facebook.