Book Review: Burning Secret by R J Lloyd

 Burning Secret - R J Lloyd

Warning – may contain spoilers

Author: R J Lloyd

Publisher: Matador

First published: 2022

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 419

Blurb: Burning Secret is a dramatic and compelling take of ambition, lies, and betrayal inspired by actual events.

Born in the slums of Bristol in 1844, Enoch Price seems destined for a life of poverty and hardship - but he’s determined not to accept his lot.

Enoch becomes a bare-knuckle fighter in London’s criminal underworld. But in a city where there’s no place for honest dealing, he is cheated by a cruel loan shark, leaving him penniless and facing imprisonment.

Undaunted, he escapes to a new life in America and embarks on a series of audacious exploits. But even as he helps shape history, Enoch is not content. Tormented by his past and the life he left behind, he soon becomes entangled in a web of lies and secrets.

Will he ever break free and find the happiness he craves?

History of my copy: I was gifted a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review on behalf of Lola’s Book Tours.

Plot: For a while, it took me a long time to get into the plot of this book. It felt like there were never ending chapters where not a lot was going on, simply filling time. Then I remembered that the book was based on a true story, which made this make a little more sense. I found it quite difficult to understand Enoch's life in London, and felt that there could have explaining that. However, once in America, and definitely from the second half of the book onwards, the plot picks up and gets much more engaging.

Setting: Burning Secret focuses much more on the plot and characters than setting. The setting descriptions are adequate, but aren't the focus of the book. The only part of the setting that really stands out to me is the fire.

Characters: Enoch himself is a very intriguing character. Throughout the book you really start to see all these sides to him. However, apart from him, I find that not many of the other characters really stand out.

To read or not to read: Read. Although far from one of my favourite books, Burning Secret certainly makes for an interesting read, especially in the second half of the book. You really start to feel like you get an understanding of this man’s life.

Find my blog tour spot here featuring an interview with R J Lloyd and an excerpt

Book Review: Do You Dream of Terra-Two? Sample

 Do You Dream of Terra-Two? Sample - Temi Oh

Warning – may contain spoilers

Author: Temi Oh

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

First published: 2019

Edition: Sample

Pages: 39

Blurb:

A century ago, an astronomer discovered and Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star. She        predicted that one day humans would travel there to build a utopia.

Today, ten astronauts are leaving everything behind to find it. Four are veterans of the 20th century’s space-race.

And six are teenagers who’ve trained for this mission most of their lives.

It will take the team twenty-three years to reach Terra-Two. Twenty-three years with no rescue possible, should something go wrong.

And something always goes wrong.

History of my copy: I received this sample in the March 2019 Illumicrate box. This isn’t the sort of book I would choose to read myself, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to read the sampler.

To read or not to read: Read. Although not the type of book I typically would read, I was so hooked by the sample that the full book is now on my TBR list.

Book Review: BZRK by Michael Grant

 BZRK - Michael Grant

Warning – may contain spoilers

Author: Michael Grant

Publisher: Electric Monkey

First published: 2012

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 407

Blurb:     A global war is raging

                You can't see it

                It's happening inside you

                And it changes everything

                Sadie McLure wants to find her family's killers. Noah Cotton needs to know what drove his                     brother insane. Their search for answers will throw them into the astonishing world of the                     nano - where biots and anobots battle for supremacy, and the twitchers who control it all                         fight to stay sane.

                It's a fight for free choice. Every day could be their last. They've never felt more alive.

History of my copy: I received the whole BZRK series as a birthday gift for my 17th birthday. I've only now gotten around to reading it, oops! This is not the kind of book I would instantly pick up for myself, but I loved Michael Grant's Gone series, hence why I was bought this series.

Plot: BZRK follows a mismatched bunch of young adults as they fight both in the macro and the nano against the Armstrong twins, who are looking to control the planet to 'make it a better place'. Whilst the general concept of young adults vs 'villains who want to control the world for the greater good' is far from unique, Grant put an interesting spin on it with the introduction of nanobots for mind control.

Setting: The setting, at least on a macro scale, wasn't a strong point of this book, but it didn't need to be. However, the description on the nano scale of the human body was incredibly eerie, and well written. It really portrayed the horror of seeing the human body, including brain, up close, especially for Sadie and Noah as they discovered this for the first time.

Characters: Another aspect of this book that I loved was the characters. They were all unique and rather just being 'damaged' for the plot's sake, I felt like it was well rounded and addressed, which makes a nice change.

To read or not to read: Read. Although BZRK is not my typical book and, even after reading, still wouldn't be something I would pick up myself, I really enjoyed it and do think it is worth the read.

Book Review: The Sisters of the Winter Wood Sampler by Rena Rossner

The Sisters of the Winter Wood Sampler by Rena Rossner

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Rena Rossner

Publisher: Orbit

First published: 2018

Edition: Illumicrate Sampler

Pages: 28 

Blurb: Every family has a secret … and every secret tells a story.

 In a remote village surrounded by forests on the border of Moldova and Ukraine, sisters Liba and Laya have been raised on the honeyed scent of their Mami’s babka and the low rumble of their Tati’s prayers. But when a troupe of mysterious men arrives, Laya falls under their spell – despite their mother’s warning to be wary of strangers. As dark forces close in on their village, Liba and Laya discover a family secret about a magical heritage they never knew existed. The sisters realise the old fairy tales are true … and could save them all.

History of my copy: I received this sample within an Illumicrate box.

 

This is only a review of the sampler, not of the whole book, which I have not read.

Plot: This sample includes the first 7 chapters of Rena Rossner’s debut novel, The Sisters of the Winter Wood. We meet the main characters, Liba and Laya, in their forest home with their parents, in what seems like an ordinary world. However, it climaxes with Liba discovering that Mami can turn into a swan, and Tati into a bear, along with the assumption that her and Laya can too.

Setting: Although the writing is a bit cliché in places, it is descriptive. However it feels quite forced, with embellishments added simply for the sake of it.

Characters: Nothing much stands out about the characters from this sample, apart from the familiar trope that one child is exactly like the father, and the other a mirror of the mother which are, unsurprisingly, polar opposites of each other. Liba feels very young and childish, and perhaps she is, but I can’t see how they become the main characters of the book, unless there is a time jump that occurs in the full story.

 

To read or not to read: Not read. I had high hopes for this book from the blurb. It might not have been set in a location I would typically go for, but I do like books which are based around fairytales. However, this one fell flat. The writing style didn’t feel very refined, and the contrast between Liba’s chapters being text and Laya’s being poem confused me further. This is likely expanded on in the full story, but the sampler did not leave me itching to buy the book.

 

Book Review: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Wintersong – S. Jae-Jones

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: S. Jae-Jones

Publisher: Titan Books

First published: 2017

Edition: First edition paperback

Pages: 508

Blurb:    All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her spirit and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away.

But when her sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl must journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds – and the mysterious man who rules it – she soon faces an impossible decision. With time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.

History of my copy: Wintersong was the featured book of the 6^th Illumicrate box, from February 2017. See my unboxing post here. It came with a letter from S. Jae-Jones, a bookmark and a signed bookplate.

Wintersong isn’t the sort of book I would pick up for myself to read, despite my love of music and its obvious connections to that. However, I absolutely adored it, and that is one of my favourite things about book boxes – being introduced to books that I wouldn’t normally read.

Plot: Wintersong follows Liesl, the eldest of 3 siblings, who is overlooked by everyone. Her sister is kidnapped by the Goblin King to become his bride in a retelling of Labyrinth. Liesl’s job is to save her, without getting lost in the Underworld herself. However, that is easier said than done. After all, the Goblin King is still looking for his Queen…

Setting: As you can gather, a large part of the book is set in the Underground home of the Goblin King. I’ve never read a book where the setting, which should be so desolate, was so simply enchanting. Despite the savagery that comes with the goblins, the whole book is so beautifully described that you can’t help but fall a little bit in love with it all.

Characters: I related to Liesl so much she is my favourite. She had so many issues that are delved deep into throughout the story. She’s a composer but is told to ‘grow up’ and ‘focus on other things’ whilst being lost against her beautiful sister and brilliant musical brother. Whilst I tend to get a little fed up of the ‘selfless heroine who is constantly in the shadows but is actually super lovely and talented’, I couldn’t help but adore Liesl.

                I also loved the character of the Goblin King. Sorry not sorry but I’m an absolute sucker for a bad guy that is just lost underneath it all. I like villains that aren’t true villains, enemies that you can learn to love, and the Goblin King is one of them. This book is just as much about them finding each other as it is about them finding themselves.

To read or not to read: Read. Read. Read. I absolutely adored this book!

Book Review: The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF – Kody Keplinger

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Kody Keplinger

Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

First published: 2010

Edition: Paperback with movie cover

Pages: 341

Blurb:    Seventeen-year old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl at school, but she has a loyal group of friends, biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She’s also too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut Wesley. But when he casually refers to Bianca as the Duff of her crew – the designated ugly fat friend – the gloves are off!

But things aren’t so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it, and before she knows it she’s in a secret enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly wrong. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.    

History of my copy: I picked up The DUFF at a charity book sale for only 50p. It’s not my usual sort of book, but I received a copy of the film so I knew I had to read it before watching it…

I only took 5 days to read The DUFF, which is pretty good going for me! With uni and work, I don’t have much time to read so I’m quite impressed with how quick I read it.

Plot: The basic plot of this book is that Bianca ends up secretly getting with Wesley, a complete douche who has always been a bit mean to her. Lo-and-behold, then end up falling for each other, since they used to be good friends when they were younger. It’s simply a straight forward, generic story of a ‘complicated’ high school romance.

Setting: The book is set in America and I don’t think there was anything particularly remarkable about it.

Characters: To be quite honest, none of the characters really stood out. Bianca was okay as a character, had a bit of depth, but her narrative got annoying quickly. All attempts to make Wesley a little more 2D just seemed to make him even more cliché than before.

To read or not to read: Don’t read. Whilst a small part of me enjoyed the book as an easy-to-read, high-school romance, it was certainly nothing special.

Book Review: The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Magician’s Nephew – C.S. Lewis

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: C.S. Lewis

Publisher: Lions

First published: 1955

Edition: Paperback as part of a box set

Pages: 171

Blurb:    The whole adventure begins when Digory and Polly find themselves in eccentric Uncle Andrew’s secret study. But when Uncle Andrew tricks Polly into touching the magic ring, she vanishes into the Other World. Digory is aghast, and determines immediately to go in search of her. Not only does he find Polly but together they listen to Aslan’s song as he creates the enchanted world of Narnia, full of sun, trees, flowers, grass and animals.

History of my copy: The Chronicles of Narnia has been one of those series that I have always wanted to read for a very long time, but I just never got around to picking them up. At a car boot sale, a man was selling nearly his entire book collection as he was moving to Canada and didn’t want the cost of transporting them all. I ended up getting the 1990 box set for £2.50.

Plot: I will admit that I was initially thrown by this book. When I started the Chronicles of Narnia, I expected the story I was familiar with (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe), but obviously this book chronicles the beginning and creation of Narnia by Aslan, which took me a little while to realise. So, this book follows Digory and Polly as they are tricked into the Woods Between Worlds by Digory’s Uncle. Ending up in another world, Charn, they accidently awaken the evil Jadis. She flees, later becoming the White Witch, and Digory ends up helping Aslan, and subsequently creates a wardrobe out of magical wood…

Setting: One thing that Lewis does particularly well, and I feel like he is renowned for, is his scene setting. The imagery in this book, and I imagine in the rest of the series, is very vivid and it feels as if you are truly there.

Characters: One criticism I do have with this book is that none of the characters were particularly interesting. I didn’t feel attached, or even any dislike, to any of the characters and now, a little while after reading the book, I can’t even remember anything remarkable about any of them.

To read or not to read: Don’t read. Unless you are a huge Narnia fan, I don’t really recommend it. This book did nothing for me, apart from perhaps giving a little insight into the creation of Narnia.

Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

A Court Of Wings and Ruin – Sarah J. Maas

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

First published: 2017

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 699

Blurb:    Feyre will bring vengeance.

She has left the Night Court – and her High Lord – and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin is making deals with the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees and Feyre is determined to uncover his plans. But to do so she must weave a web of lies, and one slop may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As mighty armies grapple for power, Feyre must decide who to trust among the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

But while war rages, it is her heart that will face the greatest battle.

History of my copy: I picked up ACOWAR whilst shopping in Waterstones as I had enjoyed the first two books, A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury.

I was quite impressed by how quickly I read this book; 2 months isn’t bad during university term time!

Plot: The third instalment in the Court of Thorns and Roses series follows Feyre as she plays a treacherous game of spying in the Spring Court whilst she pretends to return to her initial captor turn love interest, Tamlin. As Hybern finally brings the wall down with the cauldron, a battle ensues (which is actually quite cool to be honest.) However, my main gripe with the plot is that it was too cliché and the ending too happy. It felt like something bad should have happened just to get some form of emotion out of the story.

Setting: I will, however, praise the setting of A Court of Wings and Ruin. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews of this series, Maas is a master at setting the scene, and describes every location so vividly that you truly believe that you are there. I cannot wait to explore more of this world in future books!

Characters: The character development in A Court of Wings and Ruin was probably the most frustrating part of this book. Over the first two books in the series, the characters have really interested me and, as you can see from my past two reviews, my opinions of certain ones have changed. However, ACOWAR felt like a step back. Feyre’s great twist of becoming immortal has now just turned her really two-dimensional, and her whole relationship with Rhys has become nothing but sex and ‘vulgar hand-gestures’. Even Lucien, who I adore, started to get a bit boring once he left the Spring Court, although he did pick up again towards the end of the book. And, the more bored I got of Rhys, Feyre and the rest of the Night Court, the angrier I got about the injustice Maas has given Tamlin – she has completely twisted his character to make the reader favour Rhys. Sure, Rhys is the better partner for Feyre, but Tamlin is once again becoming my favourite character.

                The only enjoyable character development belonged to Nesta, who has become a brilliant character. But even she has her flaw – why are all the characters getting paired up? Yawn.

To read or not to read: Read, but only to continue the series. I was fairly disappointed with the third instalment of this series, and I really hope that the next book is much more interesting.

| A Court of Thorns and Roses | A Court of Mist and Fury |

Book Review: The Science of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works by Roger Highfield

The Science Of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works – Roger Highfield

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Roger Highfield

Publisher: Headline Book Publishing

First published: 2002

Edition: Hardback

Pages: 374

Blurb:    There are features of Harry Potter’s world that, though they are more understandable, still remain magical when ones takes a scientific view. Invisibility cloaks may use clever stealth technology that is only now being developed by Muggles. Broomsticks could switch off the tug of gravity, a feat that still seems incredible.

Giants, Lobalugs, Hinkypunks and the rest of the magical menagerie could be the result of genetic modification, a science in its infancy, while Bott’s beans could exploit new understanding of our sense of taste and smell.

History of my copy: I picked up this book at a rally for £3 about 8 years ago.

I started reading The Science of Harry Potter soon after I bought it, but soon gave up because I found the language and science too advanced. Over the past year or so, I have been reading it on and off. Thanks to taking biology, chemistry and physics for a-levels, it has become a lot more understandable to me and so I’ve been able to enjoy it more.

It’s definitely an interesting read if you are scientifically minded, as it tries to look at scientific explanations behind the magical phenomenon, e.g. invisibility cloaks. It’s probably rather out of date now, so you might be able to find a more recent book of a similar ilk.

To read or not to read: Don’t read. Unless you are very scientific, I don’t think it’s worth the effort. I quite enjoy science, and have a relatively good understanding of it, but even I found it dry. Stick with the magical theories behind it all!

Book Review: Eon - Rise of the Dragoneye by Alison Goodman

Eon: Rise of the Dragoneye – Alison Goodman

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Alison Goodman

Publisher: David Fickling Books

First published: 2008

Edition: Paperback, 2010 edition

Pages: 430

Blurb:    Two swords, angled for slicing, came whirring towards my chest. My block was simple: a step of the back leg, a shift of weight, my right sword joining the left in front of me, cutting side slanted down. His blades hit mine. The impact resonated through my arm bones.

               Does young Eon have the power to become a Dragoneye? Now the years of gruelling training, under a ruthlessly ambitious master, will be put to the test: it’s time for the terrifying Rat Dragon to choose his next apprentice.

History of my copy: I picked this up on a trip to Looe a year or so ago. I’m a fan of dragons and picked it up without even reading the blurb. Once I started reading it, however, I wondered if I would enjoy it – I’m not a huge fan of Asian and oriental books. I was surprised, and loved it!

Plot: We follow Eon as he becomes the first Mirror Dragoneye in centuries. Although, he is hiding a big secret – he is actually Eona, a woman, who are not allowed to be a Dragoneye. I get a little tired of the usual ‘girl pretends to be boy’ trope, but Goodman pulls it off wonderfully – it makes sense in this world, and it added to the story for more reasons than just romance. In fact, I found Goodman’s version of it refreshing.

         Things become more dangerous as Eona must fight against the current Dragoneye, Lord Ido, and we are thrown into a world of politics and belief as Eona tries to stay alive, remain connected to her dragon, and prevent Ido from carrying out his treacherous plans.

Setting: As I mentioned, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the setting, but I ended up loving it. Goodman took advantage of the culture at her hands, although I feel like a little more could be done perhaps.

Characters: I really enjoyed Eon/Eona as a protagonist. Her portrayal was realistic and down to earth, and whilst she did sometimes feel a little flat, for the most part I adored her.

               Lady Dela was the only other character who particularly stood out to me. For the most part, the characters were typical in their characteristics and mannerisms, which was a shame.

To read or not to read: Read. Despite the fact that my review doesn’t portray this book as amazing, something clicked with this book and I absolutely loved it. I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel! It was well-paced and planned out, with the right mix of action, politics and character development. On top of that, we had a great main character who we actually cared about, with some fantastic scenes.

Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones – Cassandra Clare

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

First published: 2007

Edition: Paperback; advertises release of the movie

Pages: 442

Blurb:    Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City – and the dangers of forbidden love.

History of my copy: One of my friends recommended the series to me years ago, probably around 2010-2011. I eventually picked up my copy just before the film was released back in 2013 and immediately became hooked. I am in love with the Shadowhunter world and Clare’s books!

This is actually a review of a re-read... I have no idea how many times I’ve read this book now, and I still love it! Especially when you pick up on links to Clare’s other Shadowhunter novels.

Plot: The first instalment of The Mortal Instruments introduces us to seemingly mundane Clary Fray and her best friend Simon. It turns out though that things aren’t quite as ordinary as it seems when Clary discovers she is actually a Shadowhunter, just like Jace, Alec and Isabelle who she meets. Thrown into a world of demons and Downworlders, Clary must find out who she is and where she belongs, whilst also trying to save her mother.

City of Bones fantastically introduces us to the Shadow world and the key characters, whilst also setting the scene for the next 5 books and the imminent war. Touches of romance and family dilemmas add to the plot, making it fast paced and real page turner. Once you’re hooked on this one, you’ll be hooked on all of Clare’s other books too!

Setting: City of Bones takes place almost entirely in New York, mainly in the New York institute, a building that mundanes see as a ruined church. For the majority of the time, Clare’s setting is gloriously detailed, from the vampire haven of Hotel DuMort to the eerie City of Bones. The one thing I have always had trouble picturing, however, is parts of the institute, especially as the TV show, Shadowhunters, portrayed it so differently to the few bits I had set out.

Characters: It’s really hard on a re-read to judge characters on what you know from that specific book, rather than everything else that you learn later. For example, I remember not being a huge fan of Alec when I started the series, but come the end he is one of my favourites. The same goes for Luke.

               Without a doubt, though, my favourite character is the one and only Magnus Bane. Again, although I didn’t love him in the first book, I never disliked him, but my appreciation for him has just grown continually. He’s such a magnificent character and person and every time he appears in any of Clare’s books, I just get super excited.

               Jace is another character I wasn’t too sure on. Sure, super-hot and cool and a great Shadowhunter, but he always came across as too full of himself and his story seemed a bit too tragic, but again, I learned to adore him.

               Clary is a fantastic lead character, and Clare has her priorities sorted perfectly. I feel like she was perhaps too trusting of the Shadowhunters initially, but I guess they do save her life enough times. And Simon! Even from the first book, I love Simon endlessly. He is witty and brave and sticks out like a sore thumb, but in a way that just makes me love him more.

To read or not to read: Must read. In case you haven’t already figured this out, I would recommend City of Bones and, subsequently, all of Cassandra Clare’s books to absolutely everyone. I adore them. They are brilliantly written and have lots of little links between the books which makes them even more fun to read. Whilst not her strongest book, City of Bones is a phenomenal debut novel and really set the scene for high expectations from Clare.

Book Review: The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

The Bronze Key – Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Scholastic Press

First published: 2016

Edition: Hardback

Pages: 249

Blurb:    Magic can save you.

               Magic can kill you.

Students at the Magisterium are supposed to be safe. Under the watchful eyes of the mages, they are taught to use magic to bring order to a chaotic world.

               But now the chaos is fighting back.

Call, Tamara and Aaron should be worrying about things like pop quizzes and magic contests. Instead, after the shocking death of one of their classmates, they must track down a sinister killer…and risk their own lives in the process.

As Call, Tamara and Aaron discover, magic can only be as good as the person who wields it. In evil hands, it has the capacity to do immeasurable harm – unless it is stopped in time.

History of my copy: I’ve been a fan of the Magisterium series since the very start and so I received The Bronze Key as a Christmas present last year.

As per the previous books in the series, The Bronze Key was quite short and so it only took me 4 days to read. Whilst I feel like the books could be longer, I do find it refreshing to only read a smaller book from time to time. It does, however, make the time between installments seem even longer!

Plot: The third installment in the series definitely picks up the urgency and threatening nature, with someone trying to assassinate Call. Things start to take an even darker turn as the spy, who has the Alkahest, succeeds in killing Aaron, for which Call is blamed. Ending up in the mage prison, we are left with a cliff-hanger as Call’s true mother is revealed…

         The plot was hard hitting and dark, especially for a kids book, as the intensity starts to build up. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Setting: Just like the majority of the rest of the series, this book takes place in the caverns of the magical school, the Magisterium. Even though it’s the third installment now, I still get wowed by some of the gorgeous descriptions of the vast caves and narrow tunnels that Call and his friends both live and study in. When we find ourselves leaving the stone confinements, the descriptions are just as vivid.

Characters: Call is starting to make a really interesting main character, an intriguing mix between Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and his own unique self. I think Black and Clare have done well at capturing Call’s age and the difficulties he is facing, whilst keeping the character likable and humorous. I’m also starting to warm to Tamara.

               Whilst none of the characters still are hugely memorable, I think they are starting to find their niche in the literature world and are becoming a little more iconic.

To read or not to read: Read. This series has a huge amount of potential and whilst it isn’t the best books going, they’re easy to read, funny and have a great plot. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

| The Copper Gauntlet |

Book Review: Legendary by L.H. Nicole

Legendary – L.H. Nicole

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: L.H. Nicole

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

First published: February 2014

Edition: eBook

Pages: 286

Blurb:    (Taken from Goodreads)

Aliana Fagan spent her childhood travelling the world, dreaming of legendary heroes and mythical lands. But after the sudden death of her parents, she hides behind the safety of her camera and her art until a vivid recurring dream compels her to dig into her father’s research about Avalon and Camelot. When she is hurled into a magical realm by forces she thought were only the stuff of fairy tales, she finds herself thrown into an adventure she could never have imagined. Nearly everything she thought she knew about Arthurian legend was wrong.

The independent eighteen-year-old is shocked to find that the people of Avalon think that she is the Destined One, the only person who can summon King Arthur back to life from his hidden chamber. Most surprising of all is that it’s up to her to lead the Knights of the Round Table on an epic quest – an adventure that will transport them across the seven magic realms to reclaim all that has been lost so they can defeat the evil Mordred for good. But first, she must bring the ancient warriors into her world and reunite the with their lost brothers. Chaperoning the legendary knights-with-a-chivalry-complex as they navigate the modern world is a constant challenge, and she certainly never thought she’d be caught between her intense feelings for the noble Sir Galahad and her growing friendship with the King.

To fulfil the prophecy, Aliana will have to discover the meaning of friendship, bravery, loyalty, true love, and forgiveness. But can she do it all in time to save the realms from Mordred’s impending Armageddon?

History of my copy: I received a free copy of Legendary through YA Bound Books in exchange for an honest review.

I jumped on the opportunity to read this book as soon as I got the offer. A modern girl having to save Camelot? Sounded exactly like my kind of book! (If you didn’t know, I’m rather obsessed with Arthurian legend. You can blame the fact that I live near Tintagel, Arthur’s supposed birthplace, for my adoration of anything related to the myth.) I was, unfortunately, rather disappointed.

Plot: The plot basically involved Aliana somehow ending up in this mystical land where she meets a dragon who convinces her to save Sir Galahad, who then gets her to save King Arthur. And that’s as far as I read because I couldn’t take anymore. I guess the plot had potential, but Nicole just really didn’t know what to do with it.

Setting: The setting was the only part of this book, besides the potential idea, that was even vaguely alright. It wasn’t a massively descriptive world building, but it was certainly sufficient to get across the places in which Aliana found herself. It wasn’t, however, amazing enough to carry the rest of the book’s downfalls.

Characters: I think the characters were what really ruined this book for me. I was going to criticise this whole book for the ‘absent parent’ thing that seems to be a recurrent theme in YA books (convenient ‘sudden death’ so the story can take place, ugh) but then when typing out the blurb, I realised that Aliana was 18. Sorry, what? She was petty, pathetic, a complete idiot… how on earth is she 18? I was more mature as a 12 year old! She spent literally the entire time going ‘oh how hot is Galahad? Oh Arthur is gorgeous! How shall I ever choose?” Girl, these are grown men from hundreds of years ago and you’re about to save the kingdom, stop being a little girl. Ugh, she was annoying and had no regard for the safety of others, nearly getting them killed numerous times because she’s smarter than a clever dragon. She also blushed every time the spoke or even looked at her? You’re a grown woman? You should not ‘swoon’ every time a bloke glances your way.

               Then there’s the dragon that was so unnecessary? Not sure what he added to the story. Stuck out like a sore thumb.

               And Galahad and Arthur (and no doubt the rest if I had ever got that far) had no characteristics beyond being good looking. Great. Real good heroes. Definitely going to defeat Mordred with a swish of their pretty locks. Ugh.

To read or not to read: Really don’t read. I mean, even if this is your kind of book, I’d be honestly surprised if you could make it to the end. It had the premise of a fantastic plot, but had totally ridiculous characters and a writing style that just really didn’t work well. Not a single part of it was actually enjoyable to me.

Book Review: The One Memory of Flora Banks: Advance Proof by Emily Barr

The One Memory Of Flora Banks: Advance Proof – Emily Barr

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Emily Barr

Publisher: Penguin Books

First published: 2016

Edition: Advance proof; small paperback

Pages: 41

Blurb:    Darling,

You are Flora Banks. You are 17 years old. When you were ten, a tumour grew in your brain, and surgeons took it out. Part of your memory went with it.

When you are confused, you look at your hand, where you write your notes. These are the clues you leave to remind yourself of what is going on.

You remember us, and your best friend Paige, and other people you knew before you were ten. New people you forget.

You’ll never live anywhere but here, because this is the only place in which you’re safe. You will always live with us, and we will always look after you and you will be fine.

We will always make sure you have everything you need.

Love, mum xxx

Can I trust mum?

History of my copy: This little book came in the amazing November box for Illumicrate. I’ve been wanting a subscription box for a while, but couldn’t justify ~£30 a month. However, at £29.99 every three months (as it’s quarterly) with free postage, I decided to give it a go. November was my first box and it was worth every penny!

Plot: This little edition covers the event where Flora, the protagonist, kisses Paige’s (her best friend) sort of boyfriend, Drake. I say sort of boyfriend, because they kind of broke up because he’s moving away. It then covers the subsequent falling out, leaving us with Flora’s parent’s going away and Flora having no-one to look after her. Which makes no sense to me. You’d think that the parents of a girl who has a serious memory problem would make better arrangements for her, but apparently not.

Setting: So one thing that gives me the potential to fall in love with this book is the fact that it’s set in my home county, Cornwall! With such a beautiful setting, which isn’t really touched on in the excerpt, I hope Barr doesn’t use it as much as she can. However, I also hope it isn’t too cliché – Cornwall is not just beaches and seaside towns!

Characters: Of course an excerpt isn’t a lot to go on, but no character stands out at the moment. Flora is childish and repetitive, although I understand that that is because of her condition. Drake is a bit of a douche. Paige overreacts entirely. Flora’s parents appear to be incompetent imbeciles. But maybe that will change.

To read or not to read: Read. Okay, I know my review kinda just suggests that it is an awful book, but a part of me is hooked. In fact, I’ve actually bought the full copy and am kind of looking forward to reading it! Maybe it’s just because it’s so different to anything else I’ve read; maybe it’s because I do want to know what happens to Flora. I guess time will tell if the book itself is worth it.

Book Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screnplay by J.K. Rowling

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay – J.K. Rowling

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Little, Brown

First published: 2016

Edition: Beautiful hardback, and when you take the dust cover off there’s a cute little niffler on the front!

Pages: 293

Blurb:    J.K. Rowling invites you to explore a new era of the Wizarding World…

Explorer and Magizoologist Newt Scamander has just completed a round-the-globe trip in search of the most rare and unusual magical creatures. Arriving in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when Newt’s case is misplaced and some of his fantastic beasts escape into the city, it spells trouble for everyone…

History of my copy: I picked this up on release day at Waterstones, having previously pre-ordered it. It came with a little bag of goodies, including some Fantastic Beasts bookmarks, a mini poster and a cute little ‘accio’ badge.

As I’m sure you’re well aware, this is the screenplay to the fantastic (no pun intended) film of the same name, which was adapted from the Hogwarts book by Newt Scamander. I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the film 3 days early in 3D at my local cinema as one of the premieres. And it was amazing. The story was fantastic, the acting (especially Redmayne’s flawless performance of the flawed (/perfect to me) Newt) and it was everything I wanted from a return to the magical world.

I then got the book on release day and read that, using the non-fiction book of Scamander’s as a little reference guide to some of the creatures encountered. Rowling has since announced a re-release of Scamander’s book which will include the new creatures from the film that aren’t featured in the original and I look forward to reading it.

Setting: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them takes us across the pond to New York where we encounter the same wizarding world seen in Harry Potter, with a large number of pivotal differences. America is a world in which witches and no-maj (muggles) are completely segregated. Alongside this, there is a clear fear of magic which underlies the whole story.

               As a screenplay, the book itself is, of course, lacking in description of the setting beyond basic scene setting but when accompanied with the film, the whole thing is breathtakingly beautiful. 1920s America definitely had a stunning feel.

               We also begin to discover a little about Ilvermorny, America’s wizarding school, through a great little scene in which the Goldstein’s and Newt argue over which is best, leaving Jacob both awed and a little confused.

               But perhaps the most magical setting of all is the inside of Newt’s suitcase, which is home to a vast variety of habitats in which all his creatures can comfortably live and I think it’s clear that Newt too regards his suitcase world as home, as he appears only ever entirely at ease when surrounded by animals.

Plot: We follow Newt as he arrives in America with a suitcase full of his ‘fantastic beasts’ which just so happen to get accidently set free by our lovable no-maj Jacob. Tangled up with the Goldstein sisters, the majority of the story focuses on Newt rescuing his creatures from the Erumpent to the cute Niffler and the invisible Demiguise, leading to some hilarious moments.

Underlying this, we have the threat of Grindelwald looming over the magical world, which our favourite four unintentionally get involved in, setting the scene for the next two planned films. Whilst the plot twist regarding Grindelwald was rather predictable, it was executed wonderfully both in the script and on-screen.

Characters: Fantastic Beasts has a whole world of characters that are all so unique yet so interesting. From the magical Newt to Jacob the no-maj, the mysterious Graves to the vulnerable Credence and, of course, everyone’s favourite sisters Tina and Queenie who are both so similar yet so strikingly different, there is definitely a character for everyone. We even have a mention of the infamous Albus Dumbledore, whom Newt knows from his Hogwarts days.

Newt himself is an adorable character and definitely an all-time favourite and no, not just because he’s a Hufflepuff. He’s shy, but intelligent and his true character comes out when surrounded by his precious animals. Honestly, he’s so relatable. Plus you can see him open up to Tina and it’s such a beautiful budding romance!

That leads me on to the Goldstein sisters who I just can’t wait to find out more about! What’s the real story behind their parents? How come Queenie can read minds? How do they meet Newt again? What about Queenie and Jacob – that has to happen!

A character I haven’t mentioned yet is Credence who is the focal point of the story. How did he get tangled up with Graves in the first place? Why is his magic secret and oppressed? DID HE SURVIVE?

To read or not to read: Go read immediately. This is another Rowling masterpiece that everyone needs in their life. Whilst I recommend watching the film first, honestly the screenplay just adds to it all and Rowling has created such a fantastically woven plot as per usual.

I think the fact that this review is all over the place just emphasises how much I loved Fantastic Beasts. As I was writing it, all these small details came flooding back that helped link the whole story together and honestly, I’m really struggling to get my adoration for Fantastic Beasts and Newt Scamander down on paper. Just go read it right now and you’ll understand what I’m on about.

Book Review: The Forgotten Fairytales by Angela Parkhurst

The Forgotten Fairytales – Angela Parkhurst

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Angela Parkhurst

Publisher: Smashwords Edition

First published: 2014

Edition: ePub

Pages: 360

Blurb:    (Taken from goodreads)

               A psychotic, shoe obsessed Princess.

               A not-so-charming, alcoholic Prince.

               A hot Big Bad Wolf she absolutely cannot fall for – no matter how well he kisses.

               If seventeen-year-old Norah Hart had known she’d be attending a boarding school for the nut job reincarnations of fairy tale characters, she would have insisted on going to Moscow with her father. But getting out isn’t as easy as she thought. Especially once Norah realizes she, too, is a storybook character. An Unknown. The first one in one hundred years.

Soon Norah learns she can help others break free form the story binding them. But in doing so puts everyone’s Happily Ever After in jeopardy. Some princesses will do whatever it takes to protect their endings. Even if it means betraying the one closest to you.

History of my copy: I received a copy of The Forgotten Fairytales through YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

In all honesty, this is the kind of book I should adore. I am a huge fan of fairy-tale retellings, especially those with a twist. To me, it sounded like a high school version of the hit TV show Once Upon A Time, of which I am a huge fan of. Although The Forgotten Fairytales wasn’t a bad book, I think that my high expectations kind of ruined it for me when it turned out to not live up to them.

Plot: We follow Norah Hart and her sister as she enters boarding school whilst her dad moves to Moscow. However, this isn’t an ordinary school – it’s a school where all the students are an ‘alternative’ version of fairy-tale characters. It is also very cliquey where the princesses stick together, as do the heroes, villains, sidekicks, etc. It turns out that Cinderella, of all people, is evil and so Norah and her best friend turned boyfriend Wolf have to stop her whilst not getting killed.

Setting: One thing I did enjoy about The Forgotten Fairytales is the setting. The castle-turned school may feel a little Hogwarts-y, but it certainly suited the fairy-tale nature of the book. I do wish Pankhurst had given it a little more character and description though as it had the potential to be a fantastic setting.

Characters: Whilst the main characters of the book were all individual, none of them really connected with me. The protagonist, Norah, was sometimes a bit if a bad-ass, but became a complete wuss when it came to her sister. She just felt a little two-dimensional and flat, and had no outstanding personality.

               Wolf was another conundrum. Starting off as a broody, humorous person, he became all soft and sweet as soon as he and Norah became a thing. That just felt too fake. In fact, their whole relationship was just a little too cliché and fake if I’m honest.

               Then there is Cinderella because, of course, the innocent, kind, angel of a girl definitely is evil.. right? Pankhurst did explain it well and did it justice but it just felt a little too far gone. It felt very much ‘let’s take the kindest person and make them evil!’

To read or not to read: Not read. Whilst The Forgotten Fairytales was far from a terrible book, it just really didn’t live up to my expectation. It was such a brilliant idea but I think it fell a little flat, with perhaps too much effort going into making the characters ‘different’ from the traditional tales. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an alright book, but I wouldn’t go recommending it to anyone in a hurry.