The Vanishing by Sophia Tobin

Title: The Vanishing

Author: Sophia Tobin

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Pages: 385

Rating: 3.5/5

Blurb: On top of the Yorkshire Moors, in an isolated spot carved out of a barren landscape, lies White Windows, a house of shadows and secrets. Here lives Marcus Twentyman, a hard-drinking but sensitive man, and his sister, the brisk widow, Hester.

When runaway Annaleigh first meets the Twentymans, their offer of employment and lodgings seems a blessing. Only later does she discover the truth. But by then she is already in the middle of a web of darkness and intrigue, where murder seems the only possible means of escape…

Having read both 'The Silversmith's Wife' and 'The Widow's Confession' by Sophia Tobin - and loving them both - my hopes were quite high for The Vanishing. And whilst I didn't enjoy this quite as much as her previous two books it was still incredibly well written and researched and I read it in only one sitting because I was gripped by the story.

The main character, Anna, was likeable but frustrating. Her character development throughout the story was done really well and was understandable. She changed a lot from the sweet and trusting girl she had been to the cynical woman who wanted revenge and I was right there with her at the end - I actually kind of hoped for more on the revenge line but I also understand why she chose to let things develop as they did. And I don't want to go into detail on that because spoilers! The other characters were not as well developed to my mind. Thomas served pretty much solely as a love interest and his character development revolved around Anna. Whilst he had a few strong moments where he stood up for himself - and he was likable - the book would not have been much different without him. Anna's employers - and the two other servants she worked with - were more complex but they, in comparison, did not get as much of a resolution as I would have liked. Particularly Jeanne who, I think, deserved a final confrontation with Anna and Hester who was an interesting character in the beginning but quickly faded towards the end. 

The plot was, as I mentioned, extremely gripping and I was never bored. It also gets very dark very quickly. The first half of the book does an excellent job of building an unsettling atmosphere but the book switches from that to something far darker almost in a page turn and the rest of the book is much faster paced in comparison. Whilst I understood why, the pace change was a little abrupt and I had to reread a few pages in the middle to be sure I was understanding Anna's situation correctly. That said, I was so emotionally engaged in the story that I was sobbing by the end and kept thinking about Anna's story for the rest of the day.

Overall, whilst I did enjoy The Vanishing and it definitely was an impactful story, I wouldn't say it was a favourite and I did prefer Tobin's previous books. If you're looking for an extremely dark historical story - and are prepared to maybe cry - then I definitely recommend it though.

Trigger warnings (spoilers): 

Drugging, captivity, loss of a child, death, rape

Blog Tour: The Switch Up by Katy Cannon

Title: The Switch Up

Author: Katy Cannon

Format: Paperback

Source: Received for Review

Rating: 5/5

Blurb:

"WILLA
Drama queen
Fashion guru
Spontaneous
Looks like Alice

ALICE
Bookworm
Allergic to fashion
Planner
Looks like Willa

LAX Departure Lounge. Two girls board the same flight to London as complete strangers. When the plane touches down, it’s the beginning of the craziest plan ever. Can Willa and Alice really swap lives for the summer?
Things are going to get complicated..."

After receiving the full series of Geek Girl recently for my birthday in April I was excited and intrigued by the prospect of reading this book for review and I have to tell you that I loved it. As a big fan of this genre reading similar books like Geek Girl or Girl Online, which I have also reviewed, I would definitely recommend this book as it totally lived up to my high expectations.

I loved the way in which the main characters of Alice and Willa were introduced during the beginning of this book, with the character descriptions being done in a way that didn't stop the flow of the book while still allowing me to see the clear differences between the two characters from the very beginning despite their similar appearances. This helped a lot later on in the book, making it easy for me not to become confused, which I find I am sometimes in other books with a similar plot or many characters. This book was easy to follow while still introducing difficult family situations for teenagers that may have family's that differ from the stereotypical normal, giving the readers something to identify with which I love. 

Another thing I loved about this book was the way in which the author elaborated the difference between the two locations in a way that made it easy to distinguish between the two locations of London and Italy easily without having long descriptive paragraphs halting the flow of the book. Overall, I loved the writing of this book as it was relatively simple language for even me, someone with dyslexia, to understand while still being an captivating story that I finished in one sitting.

This book was written in a way that helps show the angst teenagers may feel daily while also helping to show another side of them that the readers would identify with and I loved this as many of the situations written about, are things that teenagers experience daily, getting in trouble for being out late, or making apologies and being given chores or told of for having a messy room. All of this helped to add to the realism of the situation and make it easier for a teenage readership to understand and enjoy the book.

The ending of this book set up the book for the following books in the series and I look forward to seeing where Katy Cannon will take the story of Willa and Alice next. I can't wait for the next book! This is the perfect summer read for everyone and I loved it!

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, especially to fans of series like Geek Girl or Girl Online as it is a similar genre and you are likely to love it as much as I did. Let me know in the comments below if you read this book and your thoughts, I look forward to hearing from you all.

Ann Reviews: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: 
Format: Paperbacks
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5/5
Blurb:
'Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.'

I only recently read this series for the first time during the summer and I immediately fell in love with it. I have now read it about 4 times and would definitely recommend it to you. Kind of annoyed with myself honestly for not reading it after every time Clare would try and recommend it to me. 

One of my favourite things about this book is the main female character who is shown to be so strong and determined in just the first few chapters of the book and you are able to grow to love her more and more as the series continues and as she develops as a character. The main male love interest of this story is how I would imagine a perfect guy could be, he was protective but still let the her do her own thing and knew that she was perfectly capable of protecting herself. However the male love interest in the first book is the kind of man who I really hate, he was so possessive and controlling and just got worse and worse as the series continued doing some not very nice things later on in the series. Its important that this behaviour is shown as toxic as too often "protective" guys are seen as romantic.

The detail and description that went into the world in this series is incredible, I found it so easy to picture the places and the layout of the world and despite its problems throughout the books I would personally love to live in a place anywhere as nice as the fae world described in this series.

I love Sarah J Maas, her writing is amazing and not just in the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series but in her other series also, which I have read and loved almost as much as ACOTAR but not quite. ACOTAR has quickly become one of my favourite series with excellent writing that makes me feel like I am right there with them. My favourite thing about this series is that the description and writing is done in a way that makes me feel more like I am watching a movie than reading a book.

Overall I would definitely recommend you read this book as you will most likely love it, and if you've already read it feel free to comment down below your thoughts on the series or give me any recommendations for something similar I might like, seriously I need something else to read I have reread it so many times I could quote whole sections.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood

Title: The Cactus
Author: Sarah Haywood
Format: Hardback
Source: Received from the publisher for an honest review
Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5

Blurb: IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BLOOM
People aren't sure what to make of Susan Green - a prickly independent woman, who has everything just the way she wants it and who certainly has no need for messy emotional relationships.
Family and colleagues find her stand-offish and hard to understand, but Susan makes perfect sense to herself, and that's all she needs.
At forty-five, she thinks her life is perfect, as long as she avoids her feckless brother, Edward - a safe distance away in Birmingham. She has a London flat which is ideal for one; a job that suits her passion for logic; and a personal arrangement providing cultural and other, more intimate, benefits.
Yet suddenly faced with the loss of her mother and, implausibly, with the possibility of becoming a mother herself, Susan's greatest fear is being realised: she is losing control.
When she discovers that her mother's will inexplicably favours her brother, Susan sets out to prove that Edward and his equally feckless friend Rob somehow coerced this dubious outcome. But when problems closer to home become increasingly hard to ignore, she finds help in the most unlikely of places.
This sparkling debut is a breath of fresh air with real heart and a powerful emotional punch. In Susan we find a character as exasperating and delightful as The Rosie Project's Don Tillman. An uncompromising feminist and a fierce fighter, it's a joy to watch her bloom.

This is one of the weirdest reviews to write. Because I loved this book, wholeheartedly. But it's like nothing I've ever read before. And not in a completely-baffling-Alice-down-the-rabbit-hole kinda way. But just, I have never read a character with the perspective Susan had who at the same time felt super relatable. This line from the blurb massively resonates with me and describes my whole experience with the book, "Susan makes perfect sense to herself, and that's all she needs." - you go Susan. You understand and love yourself you perfect little Cactus.

At the beginning of the story I was unsure if I could like Susan. She comes across as very unfeeling and hard but the more I read the more I came to love that about her. And no, this isn't a "oh but she was soft inside the whole time" kind of character progression. Susan's way of seeing the world is so uniquely hers and wonderful and I would never have wanted that to change. Instead I enjoyed watching as she made room for the people in her life, never compromising who she was or her own beliefs, but widening her social circle and allowing herself to believe that sometimes (not often but sometimes) she might not be in the right. This makes the friendships and the romance in the story that bit more affecting, for me at least, because the end result could not have been more perfect or more Susan. 

Plot wise there is a lot of legalese going on that went right over my head. I couldn't challenge a will if I wanted to because I would simply have no idea what I was doing. Susan's situation was one I could really feel for, as much as the reader (often) has to disagree with what she is doing, I could never deny her integrity or her willingness to stand up for what she thought was right. The ultimate reveal of the core of her reasoning was also so touching, in a way I'm sure Susan would not appreciate - I nearly cried, and I just constantly wanted to reach into the book and hug childhood Susan. 

I've mentioned on Sunday Posts previously how much this review kept getting rewritten over and over as I struggled to get across just how much I loved and related to this book. And I still can't. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to explain it. I'm about as different from Susan as it's possible to be, and my life is a polar opposite of hers - and yet the whole way through I completely felt like I understood her. 

Perhaps the real beauty of this story is that it's relatable to everyone. No matter how much, or how little, you have in common with Susan at first glance - you can't help being drawn into her life. And if that isn't enough to convince you to read this then there is a truly, truly hilarious discussion between Susan and the father of her unborn child about visitation rights that I fully lost my mind over. Susan filled me with delight and is hands down my favourite book character of 2018 so far. 

Storm Raven by K. Hanson

Title: Storm Raven
Author: K. Hanson
Series: Storm Raven #1
Source: Received from author for an honest review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 293
Rating: 4.5/5
Blurb: Captain Nereyda and her first mate, Brynja, lead a band of pirates as they seek out grand adventures and loot vulnerable merchant ships. However, when they attempt an overly ambitious raid, Nereyda and her crew are captured by Commander Erhan of the Imperial navy and separated. Nereyda is pressed into service aboard a ship to patrol the treacherous waters of the Shattered Sea. Meanwhile, Brynja and the rest of the crew are sent to a life of hellish labor deep in an Imperial mining prison camp.
While serving her sentence, Nereyda is shipwrecked on an unknown island. As she explores it, she stumbles into some ancient ruins and finds…something. Whatever it is, it wakes a part of Nereyda that she had not felt before. Something that could help her free the rest of her crew and return to life on the sea, if only she can learn to control it. Unfortunately, Commander Erhan is also on the island. Nereyda must escape him, get off of the island, and rescue her crew before the commander can stop her and before her crew withers away in the oppressive mines.



This might just be the Pirate story I was hoping for. Nereyda was seriously badass and the sections we had of her with her crew were such pirate-y goodness. I was sad that wasn't the whole book, but  we must have a plot and it was a good one. 

The introduction of magic should have felt sudden but it kinda worked within the progression of the story. It helps that Nereyda didn't have instant mastery of her powers, nor did she even really believe in them for a bit there. I half expected, from the blurb, that she would go full Mother-of-Dragons and single handedly storm the prisons. That didn't happen. Instead we got a lot of the things that I love. Ship-wrecked on an island, magical temples, pirates, prison-breaks. And betrayal. 

The sections within the mines themselves were a bit unbearable for me. I'm extremely claustrophobic to the point where some books and films become completely unfinishable for me because they take place in confined spaces. Whilst I struggled with those sections, they were broken up by bits on the sea and in open air battle so that I was able to, metaphorically speaking, take a breath. The characters themselves didn't get that chance however and my heart broke for Nereyda's crew who were left underground whilst she struggled her way back to help them escape. 

Brynja in particular is a difficult character to think about. Because I am so mad at her. She is twisted and hurt by the mines more than anyone and in her efforts to protect them she ends up doing some horrible things. And I understand her reasons but I can't help being mad at her. At the same time, I felt her resentment towards Nereyda who had a much easier time of it when imprisoned on board a ship. It wasn't fair and I felt that injustice properly. 

I genuinely loved this book. More than I expected to. I felt everything that the characters felt. To the point where it became uncomfortable reading because I felt their guilt or their fear. I adored Nereyda and need more of her in my life and I am so desperate to see where their story goes next. And also if Erhan could just disappear that'd be grand. Thanks. 

I'm so glad I read this book, and I am now very much looking forward to finding a chance to read the sequel! Many thanks to the author for sending me a copy for an honest review! 

Series Review: The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Firstly, this is a series I've been looking forward to reading for a long time. I'm a huge fan of anti-heroes and this sounded like it would go one better and give me a villain perspective to root for. It didn't quite deliver as much as I wanted it to - mostly because the third book felt like a let down to the whole series. 

Adelina was such a well written character. She started off damaged and hurting (but yes a little bit brutal) and then over the course of the books she grew so much and it was so much fun to watch. By the end of the first book she has been rejected and betrayed over and over and it finally takes its toll on her, erasing that last bit of "I want to help" that she had in her and forging a self-interest that was extremely compelling to watch. I think I related to this so strongly because I was bullied in school and there were so many times I wanted to turn around and say "screw this" and go full evil queen. I never did (thankfully) and instead took the opposite route but I could have been this. And that's what makes Adelina so compelling. She is a villain we can understand, can get inside of. And that makes her actions so much more disturbing. 

Side characters weren't as exciting. Violetta, Adelina's sister, was downright boring for me. She was very much written to be the opposite of Adelina but this wasn't executed in an effective enough way and the tension between them came out of nowhere and then had very little impact on the story. The only side character I grew truly attached to was Magiano (who was an absolute delight) but he wasn't present in the first book and didn't get nearly enough action in the second and third either - he deserved better dammit. 

For the most part though the first two books were the villain origin story I've always wanted and if it had been left there I would have been happy. But the third book came along to throw a redemptive arc in there and some truly baffling mythology (that unless I'm super dense wasn't in the rest of the series) and it threw the whole experience off for me. By now it's pretty obvious that I love villains. And I really hoped that this would be my one fully unapologetic villain. But instead Marie Lu explained away Adelina's actions by having them be caused by events outside her control. And then she and all her enemies went on a trip to the underworld that, frankly, I didn't fully understand. 

I feel like this was a problem I had with the Legend series as well in that I just do not get on with Lu's endings. I like endings that are one thing or another. Happy or sad. Closed or unclosed. Marie Lu writes endings that are trying to be both happy and sad and closed and unclosed and I just can't wrap my tiny brain around it. I still think this was an excellent series. And I love what the first two books gave me. I'm just going to do my best to forget the third book happened. 

Ann Reviews: Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Title: Daughter of the Siren Queen

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Series: Daughter of the Pirate King #2

Format: Hardback

Source: Purchased

Pages: 352
Rating: 4.5/5

Blurb: Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018 and it is now also one of my favourite books that I have read so far this year. I loved almost everything about this book especially the main character Alosa. 

The plot of Daughter of the Siren Queen was amazing, it followed right on from the ending of the previous book Daughter of the Pirate King which I loved a lot. The story developed at a really good pace for me and didn't just rush the ending of the story in the last one hundred pages, it gave hints towards the ending throughout the book so that I could kind of figure out what was going to happen without ruining the tension.

One of my favourite parts of this book is the main character, Alosa, who develops as a character a lot more than I thought she did in Daughter of the Pirate King, as she comes out from the control of her father, she begins to change and adapt a little bit more. She is the kind of character that I read about and wish I could be more like. The other character that I loved a lot was Riden, who is Alosa's love interest in both books and their romance develops more in this book. I love how their relationship changes from hate to love while they still have the joking and mean ways they speak to each other sometimes. I don't personally know if the author is writing another follow on book but I would love another book that focuses more on Alosa and Riden and their relationship developing more and Alosa building her own identity and pirate crew.

I personally believe that this book flowed more easily than some other books and I managed to read it in about 2 days while also studying for exams, it also managed to help me get myself out of my reading slump that I was in when I was reading this book. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you have read and enjoyed the first book; Daughter of the Pirate King. This book is probably my favourite book that I have read so far this year and I know want to read more books that feature female pirates as I loved this character so much.

Independence Realm by Kevin J. Bernadt

Title: Independence Realm

Author: Kevin J. Bernadt

Format: Paperback

Source: Received from the author for an honest review

Pages: 278

Rating: 3.5/5

Blurb: Allets and Ryan, best friends and polar opposites since kindergarten, plan to enjoy one last afternoon together before departing for college, going separate ways for the first time in their lives. The appearance of their vivacious high school classmate, Maria, takes them by surprise, but not as much as a magnificent late-summer storm that changes all of their plans.
Transitioned to an entirely new world, Independence Realm, they become embroiled in a society engulfed with the ageless struggle between liberty and tyranny. Now Allets, Ryan, and Maria find themselves risking their lives to free three heroic Revolutionaries and defeat the tyrannical king and queen.
After receiving guidance from the enigmatic Dr. Richards, Shepherd of the realm and Key Portal Controller, the trio must navigate the dangers of Independence Realm as they courageously face the bloody battles of life and death in the Chamber Wars arena, decipher the perilous puzzles of the Riddling Run, and match wits with the tantalizing Princess of Prose.
Desperate to return home and even more desperate to stay alive, their entire future—and the fate of Independence Realm—hangs in the balance.

I was drawn to Independence Realm because I love these stories where our characters live everyday (slightly boring lives) and then they're suddenly dumped into a whole different world and the weight of that entire world is put on their shoulders. It also went full Wizard of Oz with the whole "you cant get home till you've fixed this world". Plus I love the cover. 

Our main characters, Maria, Ryan and Allets, are introduced rather suddenly. Allets and Ryan were already friends whilst Maria is more of an unknown. I initially disliked Maria, perhaps because I was seeing her through the (ever so slightly jealous) eyes of Allets. But she grew on me. She has an infectious joy and exuberant personality that makes her a delight to read - even if I couldn't super identify with her. A was more easily relatable, at least to me. A bookworm (seriously so many book references here) with a love of learning who kept getting pre-occupied with how this all happened whilst Ryan and Maria were just enjoying it. Which is so very me. Ryan was my least favourite character, probably just because I never felt like I got a handle on him. Allets was relatable and Maria was likable but Ryan, kind of forgettable. But that's fine because you're never going to love every character and being attached to 2 out of the main 3 is a pretty good start point. 

The world itself was super intriguing to me, Independence Realm was a sort of parallel universe where they learned from different periods of Earths development. So you had taverns with old-timey clothing and social mores but also more modern technology, gladiator style rings but then Harry Potter novels. And as a bit of a history lover it was fun to see past and present collide to make a completely unique world. I did wish the world was more fully developed upon, it's a short book and a lot is happening so I understand but I do love world building and I just wanted to know more. 

Plot wise this felt a lot like a video game. And I mean that in a good way. It felt very linear and quest-y which is something I actually love sometimes. Sort of "first go here, do this, then on to the next task". Which made for a nice reading experience that felt a little bit like a series of short stories in an overarching narrative. I also loved the section with riddles because oh boy do I love riddles (plus I felt like a genius when I solved them first).

I definitely think some good editing would be really beneficial. There is definite overuse of metaphors and sometimes two words are used that mean the same thing - but none of this ruined my enjoyment of the story or of the characters. Independence Realm had its faults, but the core world and characters were so much fun and since that's what matters most to me in any story - this was a good read for me and I definitely would love to read more. 

Clare Reviews: Elemental Claim by Miranda Grant

Title: Elemental Claim

Author: Miranda Grant

Series: War of the Myth #1

Format: E-book

Source: Received from the author for an honest review

Pages: 296

Rating: 4.5/5

Blurb: The mission always came first…until her.
Rogan’s dedicated his life to protecting the Seven Planes. So when an ancient evil rises, he doesn't hesitate to volunteer his team. But immediately, things start to go wrong. Their intel is leaked to a gang hunting creatures of the Myth. Emma, the woman they grab is the wrong twin and worse, she’s protected by the gods. Drawn into an intricate game where one wrong move means the annihilation of the Seven Planes, Rogan can’t allow himself to be distracted by the soft lips of his captive. Especially since Emma's very existence is a crime. But when her life is required for the success of the mission, Rogan finds that he'll chance everything to save her.
Within a few hours, Emma’s safe, little life crashes down around her. Driven off a bridge and drowned in a world of nightmares, Emma instinctively clings to the man that saves her. But when she wakes chained to a bed and interrogated over facts she doesn’t know, she realizes that her sexy savior might not have her best interests at heart after all. Forced to stay by his side, Emma is dragged into a terrifying reality where her twin sister stars as a mass murderer and Emma herself is wanted for being a descendant – a forbidden child of the gods. With so much at stake, does she dare listen to her heart and trust the very man meant to imprison her?

This is easily my favourite Paranormal Fantasy I've read all year. It was unique and brilliant, well written and fast paced with characters to die for (and a romance that I adored). 

Elemental Claim contains that most rare of characters - a totally realistic and likable heroine and hero. Seriously the way in which Emma reacts to all the things that happen to her just made me fall in love with her. Early on in the book she reacts to an attempted kidnapping with basic self defence. Not sudden unrealistic fighting moves, not panicked screaming - she just fought back and ran (we learn she has had self defence lessons so her natural instinct is cool and makes sense). And this pragmatism continues throughout the book. She does freak out at times and she doesn't instantly know the way out of every situation - but she does react naturally and this makes her come across as more real and so the story, by extension, feels more real. (Which, I mean there are gods and all sorts of paranormal stuff happening here so that's pretty impressive). 

Rogan is kind of my new favourite Paranormal Fantasy hero. Its a genre awash with possessive (sometimes creepily so) and never-ever-wrong men. And Rogan is, don't get me wrong, super-skilled at what he does. But he also makes mistakes (and admits them) and his confusion and the mental gymnastics he goes through to rationalise everything early on in the story is both adorable and hilarious. As could be expected from two characters I adore - the romance is also spectacular. It's rare for me to find a romance about which I have no reservations but here I wholeheartedly believed in Emma and Rogan and loved every moment they shared. 

There is a lot happening in this world and it did take me a little bit to get everything straight - but that's fine because Emma is just as lost so I got to discover everything alongside her. Which made this a way more enticing read because I constantly just wanted to get home and read what happened next and uncover more of the world and characters. Mythology is something I love (I studied it in college after all) so it's always exciting to see so many gods and mythological elements brought into the story - and really skilfully brought in as well. There were a lot of really lovely touches that I don't want to spoil. I especially loved how accurately Miranda portrayed the personalities of the gods. 

This was such a refreshing and exciting read and Miranda Grant is going straight on my list of favourite fantasy writers. I am lucky enough to have book 2 in the series as well and I will be reading it very soon - so keep an eye out for that review later! 

Clare Reviews: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Title: The City of Brass

Author: S. A. Chakraborty

Series: The Daevabad Trilogy #1

Format: ARC

Source: Received in Illumicrate

Rating: 4.5/5

Blurb: Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles. 
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass? A city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound. 
In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. 
After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for . . .

The first thing I loved about this book was Nahri. We do get another character POV who I never got quite as attached to and there are numerous side characters who, again, never completely stole my heart. But Nahri herself was wonderful. She was so duplicitous and cunning and manipulative (basically everything my Slytherin heart wants in an MC) but also had a really good heart and she was just trying to survive. So often fantasy characters have such grand world-saving goals and I adored having a character who was just trying to stay afloat. 

The world building is incredible. We start in Egypt (Napoleonic era Egypt) and later move to 'The City of Brass' itself - Daevabad. I loved the small amount of time we spent in Egypt - it being one of my most-longing-to-visit places and the beautiful writing led superbly into the well-crafted world of the Daeva. Daevabad was such a unique setting. I honestly felt like I could visualise it in my mind - and not just the physical city but the warring factions and the rising tensions. Getting a view of all the sides of the issue made my head spin at times but I loved that there was no clear good or evil - just a whole city full of people trying to promote their own beliefs and the safety of their own family. 

The relationships between characters were intriguing but not necessarily my favourite part of the novel. The releationship between Dara and Nahri emerged rather quickly and was then never fully developed whilst her friendships with other people happened too quickly for me too. Which is weird because this is not a short book so I don't understand the need to rush the relationships. There are also side characters who have unique relationships between themselves and these did intrigue me although we saw only hints of them. I'm hoping that in a future book these are more thoroughly experienced. 

The main drawback for me is that there wasn't a whole lot of plot. This didn't hugely matter because the characters, the setting and the writing were all enough to keep me turning the pages eagerly. But looking back on it now I'm not sure what the plot was. Which again - brings me back to the length of the book. If, like me, you kinda love long books with lots of description and dialogue then you'll probably love this. But if you want your fantasy with a bit more direction then you might be disappointed. That's not to say there wasn't action. The first section of the book had plenty and the last few chapters were relatively blood soaked.

I went into this with no expectations whatsoever and came out having very much enjoyed the time I spent reading. This wont be for everyone but I highly recommend it for the gorgeous writing, the diverse setting and characters and the hints of a great series to come. 

Clare Reviews: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Title: Strange the Dreamer

Author: Laini Taylor

Series: Strange the Dreamer #1

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Pages: 432

Rating: 5/5

Blurb: The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around - and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries - including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

There is nothing like a Laini Taylor book. Her writing is so uniquely beautiful and her characters so memorable. Strange the Dreamer was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017 and Muse of Nightmares (which releases 2nd October this year) is definitely one of my most highly anticipated for this year. 

Lazlo is easy to love for any reader - he shares our love of books and so instantly captured my heart when I was reading him. This is rare for me because I often don't connect as strongly with male POVs but here I was fully in love with him before the end of the first chapter and got so mad anytime someone slighted or upset him. Sarai was another easy to adore character. She is different to Lazlo and her story felt a little darker. 

World building is another strength for Laini - and there's a dynamic three dimensional feel to her books. I was there with Lazlo and Sarai the whole way through. So much so that I could feel what they felt - heck I could almost smell and taste the world around them. It's hard to describe how much Strange the Dreamer is an experience rather than a read. But it is. I feel like I went on this adventure and I am so emotionally attached and invested in every character and every moment. 

I know I will be picking up Muse of Nightmares the second it is released. And if you haven't already read Strange the Dreamer now is the perfect time as the paperback edition has just released (and is as gorgeous as the hardback was by the way). 

Clare Reviews: Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin

Title: Spare and Found Parts

Author: Sarah Maria Griffin

Format: Paperback

Source: Received from the publisher for review

Pages: 416 

Rating: 4.5/5

Blurb: Nell Crane has always been an outsider. In a city devastated by an epidemic, where survivors are all missing parts—an arm, a leg, an eye—her father is the famed scientist who created the biomechanical limbs everyone now uses. But Nell is the only one whose mechanical piece is on the inside: her heart. Since the childhood operation, she has ticked. Like a clock, like a bomb. As her community rebuilds, everyone is expected to contribute to the society’s good . . . but how can Nell live up to her father’s revolutionary idea when she has none of her own?
Then she finds a mannequin hand while salvaging on the beach—the first boy’s hand she’s ever held—and inspiration strikes. Can Nell build her own companion in a world that fears advanced technology? The deeper she sinks into this plan, the more she learns about her city—and her father, who is hiding secret experiments of his own.

This was just so unique. I know I'll remember this book for a long time because every aspect of it was so well thought out. The first thing that jumped out at me were the perspective shifts. The first chapter is written in second person which is unusual in itself and then the remaining chapters switch between second and third (with a few actually in first). I was worried that this would be off-putting and whilst it might be for some people, personally I found it very effective. It personalised some elements of the story whilst maintaining a narrative effect for the rest.

The main character was that beautiful kind of unlikable that works so well. There were parts of the story where I wanted to shake her for being so cruel to the people around her and then other times where I just wanted to cheer her on. It was sometimes uncomfortable reading her thoughts because she thinks in such a different moral way to me, but then that's a great thing about reading - discovering new perspectives.

A lot of the robot/android chapters went over my head. If I'm honest, I preferred the build up to her creation rather than the creation itself which felt almost anticlimactic to me. Io has potential to be interesting but wasn't in the story long enough for me to really care about them, although some of the events that happened after their creation were dramatic and made me feel all the things. I wish there were an actual word for that, I felt triumphant and disgusted and shocked and angry - it was amazing. I absolutely loved the seamless way Griffin included diversity in the story. It felt so nice to be reading a book where almost every character is diverse. The main character is bi, or seems to be - it's never explicitly stated, which if I'd known going in, I would have been even more excited about reading it because I am always, always looking for bi MC's. 

Whilst the story did have a resolution to it, I feel like there is so much more story to be told in this world and with these characters. Ruby and Oliver especially are so, so interesting and didn't get a chance to get their voice across enough in this book. Whether it's in this world or not though I will be incredibly excited to pick up whatever Griffin may write next!