Review: A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Roshani Chokshi's new novel, A Crown of Wishes, which is hosted by St. Martin's Press. I got the chance to read the book early, and I have my thoughts about the book included below, as well as other information about A Crown of Wishes and Roshani. Hope you enjoy!

Title: A Crown of Wishes
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: Companion novel to
The Star-Touched Queen
Format: eARC kindly provided by
St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for
review. (Thank you!!)
My rating: 4 / 5
Release Date: 28th March 2017

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Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes—a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

When I read The Star-Touched Queen last year I fell completely in love with the world Roshani Chokshi created, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the companion novel when it was released. I remember loving both the writing style and the characters she created and I was so excited to dive into a new story from her. Technically, A Crown of Wishes is a standalone novel and it definitely can be read as one. Apart from taking place in the same world as The Star-Touched Queen, it has few similarities to that story and any over-lapping will be described and recapped in this book. It follows the story of a Prince and Princess from enemy kingdoms joining forces to enter a Tournament of Wishes, and they take on a series of challenges in order to win a wish which can be used to grant the winner their hearts desire.

Considering how much I loved Maya’s story, I was really interested to see how her little sister’s story would compare. It took me a while to connect Guari with how Maya’s little sister was described from the first book. She’s very different to the character we met back then, and while that isn’t a bad thing at all, it did take a bit of getting used to. She’s grown up into a complete badass and I absolutely adored her! I also really liked Vikram, and the chemistry and banter between the two was my favourite part of the novel. Their sass and snark was so entertaining to read!

I can’t help but love Roshani’s writing style. It’s so consuming and visual it’s so easy to get swept up in the story and forget about everything else. However, I personally preferred the overall story arc from the first book a bit more and I thought the writing style in general suited the whimsical qualities of that story perfectly. It pains me to say this, but I felt that sometimes the descriptions and metaphors in A Crown of Wishes distracted instead of enhancing the story. I have to be honest, there were a few occasions where I hadn’t a clue what was being described, and I don’t remember having that problem at any stage reading the first book.

While there were a couple of things I didn’t enjoy quite as much as the first book, overall, I think A Crown of Wishes is a must read if you loved The Star-Touched Queen. I love the world that the author created, and it was so awesome to revisit the Night Bazaar again! I can’t wait to see what she’ll be working on next and to read more of her works in the future.

Meet the Author

Roshani Chokshi is the New York Times bestselling author of THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN. Her work has appeared in Strange Horizons, Shimmer, and Book Smugglers. Her short story, "The Star Maiden," was longlisted for the British Fantasy Science Award.

Twitter || Goodreads || Instagram || Website

Blog Tour: Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones! Wintersong is one of my most anticipated 2017 new releases, and it lived up to all my expectations and I can't wait to share all my thoughts with you. Before I get to that, I also have a pronunciation guide to share and lots of other information about J.J. and Wintersong. Hope you enjoy!

Title: Wintersong
Author: S. Jae-Jones
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Release Date: February 7th, 2017

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All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl faces an impossible choice. As she grows closer to the Goblin King, both of them must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

With an enchanting winterized cover, WINTERSONG will keep readers cozy while experiencing a chilling adventure like no other. S. Jae-Jones’ richly imagined debut spins a spellbinding tale of music, love, sisterhood, and a young woman’s search for self-actualization.

Meet the Author

S. Jae-Jones (called JJ) is an artist, an adrenaline junkie, and erstwhile editrix. When not obsessing over books, she can be found jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, co-hosting the Pub(lishing) Crawl podcast, or playing dress-up. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she now lives in North Carolina, as well as many other places on the internet, including Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, and her blog.

Pronunciation Guide

My Thoughts

I’m struggling to put into words just how much I enjoyed Wintersong. It was one of my most anticipated 2017 new releases, and when I was invited onto the blog tour I jumped at the chance and immediately said yes! It’s a very loosely inspired Labyrinth retelling, and I personally love that this story moved away from the original and found its own voice. My only concern is that if you begin reading this book with the hopes of a pure Labyrinth retelling, you might end up being disappointed. It’s so much more than that, and I feel there are quite a few other inspirations woven in that had a stronger relevance to the overall story. For example, I did notice quite a few nods to both the Phantom of the Opera and Hades and Persephone which I absolutely LOVED!

The story is set in a small village in Bavaria where our main character, Liesel, spent much of her childhood days playing in the nearby Goblin Grove with a childhood friend, the Goblin King. With a friendship built on silly tricks and flippant remarks, she made an innocent promise to her friend and didn’t think anything more of it, and like all little girls, she grew up and left her childhood stories behind. However, the Goblin King didn’t forget her promise, and he intends to hold her to her word. Liesel is a character that could divide opinions, but I fall into the loved her half. If you like imperfect main characters with realistic flaws and self-doubts, Liesel will be the perfect character for you to root for. All her life she’s been overlooked, and with her mixed jealousy, envy and unconditional love toward her younger siblings, I found her very easy to empathise with. There are two sides to her personality, and I loved seeing her journey of self-discovery. Hurt after hurt, battle after battle of being ignored, undervalued and taken for granted, she built a wall and hid behind a mask of duty to supress her own anguish and desire for others to notice her talent as a musician and composer. For once in her life she decided to be selfish, and it leads her to understand and accept herself for who she is and I loved seeing how she changed and matured throughout the book.

In a way, Wintersong reads like a book of two halves. One half focuses more on Liesel and her family, and the other on the Underground world inhabited by the Goblin King and various other goblin and fae creatures. I liked each for different reasons, but if I had to choose, I slightly preferred the first half of the book to the second. Overall, the book is a slower paced, more atmospheric read which I thought suited the story beautifully. Also, the writing style is gorgeous! It captured the moody atmosphere effortlessly, and the images popped off the pages with no need for embellishments and purple prose. While the slower pacing and lack of all-out action scenes might not work for everyone, I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

I always prefer slowly developing romances, and the romance that developed between the Goblin King and Liesel was no exception. But being completely honest, I’m torn on whether I liked them together and this is the only complaint I had with the story. One minute, I’d love them and I felt and believed the chemistry between them, and then the next it would slip and I’d end up feeling disconnected. I do believe they have deep feelings for each other, yet there was something holding me back from loving them completely. I can’t pin down anything specific that occurred to make me feel this way, and it’s very frustrating as I want to ship them together so badly!

Overall though, Wintersong definitely lived up to my expectations and that made the ending twice as bittersweet. And yes, I may have been a weeping mess at one stage, not going to lie, but it was worth it! Exploring music, faith, love and hope, Wintersong is a journey of self-discovery that took inspiration from a well-known source and made it its own. If you love retellings that create their own story without relying on the original too much, then I can’t recommend Wintersong highly enough.

Review: Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Title: Red Rising
Author: Pierce Brown
Series: Red Rising, #1
Format: Paperback, bought
My rating: 4 / 5

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Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I read Red Rising quite a while ago and I made the mistake of not writing a review straight away. I remember loving the story at the time, but I have a feeling this review won’t be quite as gushing as it would have been if I’d written it back in March.

The world building was easily my favourite thing about the book. The best way I can describe the story is if you put Harry Potter and The Hunger Games in a blender with a handful of Roman gods, blitz them together and throw the result 500-plus years into the future and set the story on Mars. And I really liked it! Despite the familiar HP and THG vibes, the story manages to bring lots of uniqueness to the table, which is always a good thing.

Darrow is the main character, and while I did like him as a narrator while I was reading, looking back on it now I’m a bit unsure why I liked him. I mean, there wasn’t anything that particularly bothered me about him, and in a way I think that’s the problem. When the book began he seemed quite interesting and I was looking forward to seeing how his character was going to develop. I really liked the Reds and the Helldiver aspect and then… things changed and he becomes all nice and polished and perfect. This makes sense for the faceless leader of a rebellion, but as a character in a book I’m supposed to care and root for, well, not so much.

Just thinking of the secondary characters for a second, I found myself more curious about their stories rather than Darrow’s. I really liked Mustang and hopefully she will have a main role in the sequel. I’m thinking of quite a few other characters right now, but I won’t mention them just in case I cross the line into spoiler territory.

He wasn’t in the book that much, but from what I have seen, Sevro is perfection and needs to be protected at all costs. That is all. Oh, and also the Howlers! I have a feeling they’ll be in future books, and I can’t wait to find out more about them.

Writing-style and pacing: Maybe it’s just me, but Red Rising was A LOT slower paced than I was expecting. Also the writing style, while really good, took me a while to like and enjoy. The first hundred pages or so seemed a bit… tense? Uptight? Maybe a little bit too structured? But after that, things slowly started to relax and the natural flow of the story took over and I began to really enjoy the book.

Trusting Pierce Brown is a bad idea, right!? Seriously, though! I mean, with all the characters he had no problem killing in this book I’m slightly terrified of what he has come up with for the rest of the trilogy! Also, can I just say, he’s a genius for planting VERY subtle clues. There were quite a few times when I was surprised when something was revealed, but I felt like I should have seen it coming as the clues were there, I just didn’t connect them because I was distracted by a billion other things. I love unpredictability like this, and it was SO well done!

Overall, I really enjoyed Red Rising, and now that I’ve finally written a review for it, I’m starting to remember why I enjoyed it so much. I do remember finishing the final few pages thinking I needed to get my hands on Golden Son ASAP. Well, fast forward eight months and I haven’t read it yet. (Oops?) I do plan on changing this status as soon as I can, and hopefully I’ll be able to complete the trilogy next year.

Review: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Title: Nevernight
Author: Jay Kristoff
Series: The Nevernight Chronicles, #1
Format: eARC, kindly provided
by the publishers via NetGalley
(Thank you!!)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
My rating: 1.5 / 5

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In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

In theory, Nevernight should be the book I’ve always wanted to read. If I find out assassins will be a main feature of a book – or if a main character is an assassin – you can bet I’ll be planning on reading it the minute I can get my hands on it. So when I saw what Nevernight was about you can imagine how hyped I was to read it. A school for cold hearted assassins set in a medieval Italian-type world?! YES! It has to be freaking awesome, right? Well… in practice, it’s not so simple.

I had quite a few issues with the book, but the more I think about it, they all revolved around one central issue: the writing style. Good grief, it was unbearable. Let me warn you, if you like a crisp, straight to the point writing style, you won’t find it here. On the other hand, if you like dense, overly descriptive writing styles thicker than tar, then this book could be everything you’ve ever dreamed of. Here’s the thing, though: I don’t usually have any issues with densely descriptive novels! I’m usually the one that will like books that others might find overly flowery and off-putting. Unfortunately, Nevernight was my breaking point and I couldn’t take it seriously.

I’m of the opinion that well placed metaphors and similes can add so much to the overall atmosphere and readability of a story. Okay, let me clarify: metaphors and similes that make sense add to a story. But when they’re overused or abused, I find they distract and take the focus away from the plot, characters and overall atmosphere. For my tastes, adding descriptions for the sake of adding descriptions, or describing the same thing five different ways in the one sentence feels forced and a bit pretentious. Seriously, I was expecting Nevernight to be an action packed story with lots of stabbing and murder, not a bloody thesaurus filled with incomprehensible and over written metaphors! Sometimes I hadn’t a clue what the author was even trying to say. It’s like if you’re standing at the top of a tall building and look out the window hoping to see a beautiful view, but all you can see in front of you dense fog. I know there is a story I could love here, I just couldn’t see it. Also, if I ever read the word ‘gentlefriend’ again, it’ll be too soon.

Another thing that didn’t work for me was the footnotes. I read an eARC and they appeared at the end of each chapter which meant I could choose to skip on and search out the corresponding note, or wait until I reached the end of the chapter and read them all in one go. By the third chapter, I ended up skimming over them, and by the fifth chapter I ignored them completely. Maybe if I could have read them in sync with the rest of the story I might have appreciated them more, but for my tastes, they felt unnecessary and distracting.

My opinions on the characters didn’t fare much better. I guess it would be easiest to say I was neutral toward them all. Mia, while she does have an antihero slant that I’m usually drawn to, didn’t appeal to me that much. I suspect the events that happened at the beginning of the book were supposed to instil some sort of sympathy for her, but it didn’t really work for me. Maybe it comes back to the writing/narration style, but I didn’t feel connected or sympathetic to any character in the book.

While the concept of the story is everything I look for in a book, Nevernight turned into an unexpected endurance test. I’m not too sure who I would recommend this book to specifically, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say if you enjoy the writing style, you’ll most likely adore the book. If you’re a little concerned about the flowery prose, my best advice would be to try out a few sample chapters and see whether it might suit you or not. I’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy Nevernight. It was one of my most anticipated 2016 releases, and I was almost positive I would love it. In practice, unfortunately, we just didn’t get along.

Mini-Reviews: Love Reborn and Fallen

Title: Love Reborn
Author: Yvonne Woon
Series: Dead Beautiful, #3
Format: Paperback, bought
My rating: 4 / 5

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Renée and Dante are dying. The soul they share cannot sustain them both, and they're quickly running out of time.

But Renée has in her possession a legendary chest said to contain the secret to eternal life-if only they could solve the clues that lie within it. With both the Liberum, a Brotherhood of the Undead, and a team of Monitors, led by Renée's own grandfather, in hot pursuit, Renée and Dante must keep the chest safe or risk having it fall into the wrong hands.

With the help of a mysterious letter-writer called only Monsieur, Renée and Dante follow a series of clues that lead them on a treacherous journey across Europe. They seek the Netherworld, a legendary chasm where souls go to be cleansed. It's their only chance at a fresh start, but with it comes a terrible choice, one they never imagined they would be forced to make.

The third novel in the acclaimed Dead Beautiful series is a haunting story of sacrifice, loyalty, and a love that can never die

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

A few years ago I picked up Dead Beautiful without knowing too much about it, and I didn’t have the best experience with it. But something told me to push through and try the second one, and I ended up finding two books that I really enjoyed. Both Life Eternal and Love Reborn turned into unique and entertaining reads that I’m so glad I got the chance to read. I’ve been on a mission since the start of the year to continue or finish as many series as I possibly can, and the time finally came to say goodbye to Renée, Dante and Co. It was a very bittersweet ending, but I thought it made sense considering all the build-up in the previous books. The mystery elements were tied up really well, and I loved the journey the characters took across Europe. My only criticisms would be it felt a little too neat, and the last chapter… umm, that’s all we get?! I can’t help wanting to see a little more of the aftermath… but overall, I’m quite satisfied with how it ultimately concluded.

Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Series: Fallen, #1
Format: Paperback, bought
My rating: DNF

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What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?

17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross . . . only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart.

Get ready to fall . . .

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

DNF @ page 104.

Sometimes you just know a book will stretch your patience to breaking point even when you’ve only read a handful of pages. I’m sorry, I just can’t do it. I bought Fallen on a whim several years ago but for some reason the right moment to read it never cropped up. Well, a few months ago I took a chance on it and it confirmed something I’d been suspicious of when I read Teardrop: I don’t like Lauren Kate’s writing style. It comes across as being incomplete – I know that sounds so weird, but it’s the only way I can describe it. Cam was the only potentially interesting thing I encountered in the hundred odd pages I read, but it wasn’t enough to justify investing in a series where I disliked everything else.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi Blog Tour - Excerpt and Review

Welcome to my stop on The Star-Touched Queen Blog Tour! The Star-Touched Queen is Roshani Chokshi’s debut novel, and it’s a fantasy story inspired by Indian folklore, and Hades and Persephone from Greek mythology. Sounds so awesome, doesn’t it?! Today I have an excerpt from The Star-Touched Queen, and I’ll also chat about the book and share my thoughts on it. Hope you enjoy!

Excerpt

Thinking of Gauri always made me smile. But as soon as I caught sight of my tutor of the week, the smile disappeared. He stood between two pillars of the archive section marking the kingdom’s history. Beyond the sheer number of things to read in the archive room, what I loved most was its ceiling. It was empty, wide enough to crawl through and conveniently linked to my father’s inner sanctum.

The tutor, as luck would have it, stood directly below my hiding spot.

At least Father’s announcement hadn’t started. The courtiers still murmured and the footfall of tardiness fell on my ears like music. But if I was ever going to get to hear that meeting, I had to get rid of the tutor first.

“Punctuality is a prize among women,” said the tutor.

I bit back a cringe. His voice was sticky. The words drawn out like they would morph into a noose and slip around you in the dark. I stepped back, only to see his eyes sharpen into a glare.

He was heavyset and tall. Soft- rounded jowls faded into a nonchin and thick neck. Greasy black eyes dragged across my body. In the past, my tutors had all been the same— a little doughy, a little nervous. Always superstitious. This new tutor held my gaze evenly. That was unexpected. None of my other tutors had ever met my eye. Sometimes the tutors sidled against the dark of the archival chambers, hands trembling as they pushed a set of notes toward me. History lessons, they said. Why did they always start with history? Show me a dream unrealized. Don’t show me unchangeable paths.

The tutor cleared his throat. “I have no intention to teach you history or letters or speech. I intend to teach you silence. Stillness.”

This time I didn’t even try to hide my scowl. I did not like this replacement. Tutors generally left me alone. I never had to raise my voice. I never had to scowl. I didn’t even need words. What scared them most was much simpler and sweeter than that— a smile. The moment I smiled— not a real one, of course, but a slow, crocodile reveal of teeth and a practiced manic gleam— the tutor would make an excuse, edge along the wall and flee out of the archive rooms.

Who wanted to be smiled at by the girl that trailed shadows like pets, conjured snakes and waited for Death, her bridegroom, to steal her from these walls? Never mind that none of it was true. Never mind that the closest I had come to real magic was making off with an entire tray of desserts without anyone noticing. The shadow of me always loomed larger than the person who cast it. And sometimes that had its benefits.

This tutor, however, was not as easily cowed. I strained my ears, listening for the footfall of more courtiers, but it was silent. The meeting would start any minute now and here I was, stuck with some fool who wanted to teach me the virtue of silence.

I grinned at him . . .

. . . and he grinned back.

About the Author

ROSHANI CHOKSHI comes from a small town in Georgia where she collected a Southern accent, but does not use it unless under duress. She grew up in a blue house with a perpetually napping bear-dog. At Emory University, she dabbled with journalism, attended some classes in pajamas, forgot to buy winter boots and majored in 14th century British literature. She spent a year after graduation working and traveling and writing. After that, she started law school at the University of Georgia where she's learning a new kind of storytelling. More information on the author can be found at www.roshanichokshi.com.

Title: The Star-Touched Queen
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: Standalone
(but a companion novel is on the way!)
Format: eARC, kindly provided
by the publishers for review.
(Thank you!!)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
My rating: 4 / 5

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Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

The Star-Touched Queen was one of my most anticipated releases of spring 2016, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Retellings are an addiction of mine, and once I heard that this one was inspired by Hades and Persephone, I knew I had to read it as soon as I could get my paws on it. Add in Indian folklore, and my expectations went through the roof!

As you may know, The Star-Touched Queen is a fantasy story with the world being based on Indian folklore (and Hinduism), with a sprinkling of Hades and Persephone from Greek mythology. I really loved the combination, but I will say that I didn’t get as strong Hades and Persephone vibes as I has initially expected. Reincarnation takes centre stage throughout the story, and I LOVED this! I’ve always been fascinated by the entire concept and how the soul is eternal and can’t be destroyed, and to see it influencing and shaping an entire book… I was soooo blissfully happy!

Something I really need to talk about is the writing style: if you like flowery prose and stunningly beautiful sentences then you should consider getting this book into your life within the next ten minutes! The narrative has a whimsical, almost ethereal quality to it, and at times it felt like I was reading poetry in novel form. With the writing style becoming so absorbing and adding that little something extra to the overall atmosphere, in a way The Star-Touched Queen reminds me of both Cruel Beauty and The Wrath and the Dawn, and if you liked either of those books, chances are you’ll adore this one.

Mayavati (nicknamed Maya) is our main character and narrator, and by the end of the book I really liked her character. She’s stubborn, head strong and impulsive, and while some of her decisions left me screeching in horror and rage, she’s an awesome character to read about. Considering this is a standalone fantasy, I really liked seeing the amount of development she went through over the course of the story. And I can’t forget Amar! The best way I can describe him, personality wise, would be a cross of Flynn Rider (from Tangled) and Morpheus (from the Splintered trilogy). He’s VERY charismatic, and he’s one of those characters you can’t help but end up liking. I do have one little gripe, though: I feel like we didn’t get to see the full range of his personality. He’s very enigmatic, and I completely understand that this is needed to keep our interest up as readers, but I can’t help feeling like too much of his personality was kept under wraps for a bit too long.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Star-Touched Queen, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the fantasy genre. I loved that the book was set in an Indian-inspired fantasy world, and when you add in the stunningly beautiful prose, it was so easy to get completely lost in the world the author created. I know there is a companion novel in the works, and I can’t wait to read it!

And now, only one question remains: where can I get a demon horse of my own?!

Review: Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly

Title: Deep Blue
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Series: Waterfire Saga, #4
Format: Hardback, bought
My rating: 4 / 5

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Serafina, daughter of Isabella, Queen of Miromara, has been raised with the expectation - and burden - that she will someday become ruler of the oldest civilization of the merfolk. On the eve of the Dokimí ceremony, which will determine if she is worthy of the crown, Sera is haunted by a strange dream that foretells the return of an ancient evil. But her nightmare is forgotten the next day as she diligently practices her songspell; eagerly anticipates a reunion with her best friend, Neela; and anxiously worries about Mahdi, the crown prince of Matali, and whether his feelings toward her and their future betrothal have changed. Most of all, she worries about not living up to her mother's hopes.

The Dokimí proceeds, a dazzling display of majesty and might, until a shocking turn of events interrupts it: an assassin's arrow wounds Isabella. The realm falls into chaos, and Serafina's darkest premonitions are confirmed. Now she and Neela must embark on a quest to find the assassin's master and prevent a war between the mer nations. Their search will lead them to other mermaid heriones scattered across the six seas. Together they will form an unbreakable bond of sisterhood as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens their world's very existence.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

Don’t you love it when impulse buys pay off? I spotted Deep Blue when I was on holidays in the States last year and I just had to get it. It’s been sitting on my shelves unread since then, and on a whim, I decided to give it a try at the end of March. Beyond the characters being mermaids, I had absolutely no idea what the story was going to be about and it really paid off – I kinda loved it!

Deep Blue lies on the younger side of the Young Adult scale, dipping into an almost Middle Grade vive occasionally. I usually read, and prefer, more mature YA, but in this instance, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. I feel like the beginning doesn’t really do it justice, though! I sort of liked the book up to the hundred page mark, but I loved it from that point on. Everything started to change and the mood of the book began to shift, and in a way the story began maturing into a full-fledged YA story focusing on friendship. Honestly, it was a bit deceiving with all the romance talk at the beginning! I absolutely LOVED that any romantic vibes that cropped up early on faded away with the friendships between the main female characters taking over.

I liked all the characters that were introduced to us, but Seraphina, Neela and Astrid were the ones that held my attention the most. The friendship between Sera and Neela was so sweet and genuine, and I really wish that female friendships similar to this were the norm in YA. It was nice to see a bit of girl-power for a change, plus, it all seemed genuine and not added just as a token gesture to fill friendship quotas. And not to forget the diversity! It was awesome to see merfolk from all over the world represented, with different abilities, disabilities, and backgrounds.

I really liked the mythology that was created, and I’m really curious to find out more. Also, all the Atlantis references will always get extra brownie points from me! The book did take a little while to settle into its groove. We got a lot of background information and set up for the first hundred pages or so: it was all necessary to the overall story, but the info-dumping portion wasn’t that subtle. Once we got past this, I thought the pacing was consistent, with a nice balance of world-building and plenty of action sprinkled throughout to keep you on your toes.

Overall, I really enjoyed Deep Blue and I’m so glad the gorgeous cover caught my eye. If, like me, you haven’t read a lot of books about mermaids and are curious about them, I think Deep Blue would be a really good starting point. It has a bit of a Disney-vibe, so if you liked The Little Mermaid, then definitely give this a shot!

Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Title: The Wrath and the Dawn
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Series: The Wrath and the Dawn, #1
Format: Hardback, bought
My rating: 3 / 5

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A sumptuous and epically told love story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

How in the world can a book be both awesome and underwhelming at the same time?! I have so many conflicting feelings about The Wrath and the Dawn, and I’m not really sure where to begin this review. How about with the positives?

The story itself was actually really gripping and held my attention pretty consistently throughout. It’s a One Thousand and One Nights retelling, and if you’ve visited my blog before, you know how obsessed I can be about retellings! It’s written in the third person with multiple POV’s used, and I absolutely LOVED the writing style. The pacing flowed so beautifully, and the descriptions, wow! It really felt like I had been transported to the Middle East and was walking through the halls of beautiful buildings and towns. And the food, oh so yum! The only possible down side to vividly described food is being constantly hungry while you’re reading.

Technically – for writing style, imagery, atmosphere, pacing etc., – I want to give all the stars under the sun to The Wrath and the Dawn. But, something is holding me back, and it’s a pretty big something. I knew going into this book that it would be romance-heavy, and I was completely okay with that. But, you see, here’s where my problem lies. The romance left me feeling ice cold. I didn’t feel any emotion or passion between Shahrzad and Khalid – all the words are there, but the emotions and feelings that should have been evoked didn’t translate over to me. I love romances where I’m practically climbing through the pages of the book to mush the characters faces together. That tension and the not knowing if they’re going to give into their feelings is half the fun! I was hoping for something along those lines here, but the romance developed a LOT sooner than I had expected.

Shahrzad – or Shazi – is a character I wanted to love, but unfortunately I struggled to care what happened to her. She certainly makes lots of threats, but in actuality she did next to nothing to back up her words. I was also very surprised at how quickly Shazi developed feelings for Khalid. Last time I checked, rage, resentment, hatred and a desire for vengeance are all pretty strong emotions. Add them together and I really doubt they’ll disappear within two days. Also, I don’t understand why Shazi is the one to have 'changed’ things for Khalid… and how is she not dead?! Just because of a few half-heartedly told stories? If I was Khalid with a penchant for killing his wives the morning after he marries them, Shazi would have been dead long ago. I don’t see what’s so special about her, nor do I see what all the other characters keep harping on about. So, she’s a good archer… well, so is the vast majority other YA fantasy heroines these days. We’re continually being told that Shazi is an amazing girl – fearsome, headstrong, opinionated, cunning, intelligent etc. – yet, I didn’t see any of this in practice at any stage. If anything, what we were shown completely contradicted all of these claims!

I wish I could talk to you about my feelings toward Khalid, but I felt absolutely nothing toward him. Logically, I guess I’m supposed to feel repulsion toward him at first, and that slowly transforms into sympathy… but, sorry, I got nothing.

Here’s the thing, I pretty much loved everything about The Wrath and the Dawn, bar the main characters and the romance. Yes, it’s unfortunate that both of these things take up the vast majority of the book, but despite all of this, I’m still really curious to see where the story goes next! As far as I know this is a duology, and I’ll definitely consider picking up The Rose and the Dagger when it’s released, and I really hope my opinions will change when I read it.

Review: The Hidden Twin by Adi Rule

Title: The Hidden Twin
Author: Adi Rule
Series: Standalone
Format: eARC, kindly provided by
the publishers via NetGalley for
review. (Thank you!!)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
My rating: 3 / 5

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For eighteen years a girl with no name, a Redwing, has been hidden away in a small attic room within a city of hissing pipes and curving temples perched on the side of the great volcano, Mol, while her sister, Jey-identical except for her eyes-has lived her life in public as an only child. Their father had hoped the hidden girl would one day grow up to be a normal human girl and not the wicked creature mythology has promised, so he secretly spared her life as an infant.

But when she switches places with her sister, striking up a flirtation with the son of the Empress while working in the royal gardens and gets attacks by two suspicious priests on her journey home, she is forced to call forth fire to protect herself, unleashing her previously dormant powers and letting her secret out. She soon catches the attention of a cult with a thousand year old grudge as well as a group of underground rebels, both seeking her for their own gain. But when her sister goes missing and the Redwing uncovers a great plot to awaken Mol and bring fiery destruction upon them all, she is forced to embrace her powers.

In Adi Rule's stunning new novel, The Hidden Twin, the girl with no name, must finally choose a name and a path for herself, drawing a line between myth and history to prove herself more than a monster if she is to save both her sister and her home.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

You know those books where you instantly fall in love with the synopsis, but when you finishing reading the book you feel… underwhelmed? Well, that’s how I feel about The Hidden Twin. I absolutely adore everything about the concept of this world – the Redwing mythology, Caldaras City, the volcano (Mol), and everything else. There were some steampunk elements mixed in with some mythology, fantasy and sci-fi, and all of this blended together, in theory, should create the most fascinating whimsical world. Yet, right now, I don’t feel like I know anything about it!

This really is my biggest issue with the book, and why I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have done: the world-building. We were given the bare-bones and the general gist of everything that's happening, but it wasn't fleshed out or explained with enough detail to create a clear picture. It’s a pity actually, as I was really intrigued by what was presented but I really struggled to keep everything straight in my head. Everything was explained so quickly! There were lots of little things mentioned, but before we got the chance to find out about them, we’d fly off to something new without really finding out how it relates to the overall world. It made everything seem disjointed and a bit all over the place, if I'm honest. Now, it is a fast paced book, but I’d kind of prefer a slightly slower pace where enough detail was provided to get a clear picture of the world being described.

I read an eARC, so I’m not too sure what the finished physical book looks like, but it would be SO AWESOME (and helpful!) if it contained a map of Caldaras City and the surrounding areas. With all the street names and other places that crop up, having a map to keep them all in order and to help see where things are situated in relation to everything else would have been a huge help.

I thought the characters were good, but none of them really held my attention for too long. Redwing, for lack of a given name, is our narrator, and as the book went along I did end up really liking her narrative. She can be quite snarky and sarcastic, and she’s got some really funny one-liners, yet, I didn’t really care about her or what she was going through. See, she was meant to have been locked up in a tower for eighteen years, right? Well, she sure had a lot of freedom for someone trapped in a tower! Maybe this is where the Rapunzel-vibes I got from the synopsis got in the way and influenced my expectations? Also, she didn’t seem as socially awkward as I would have expected someone in her situation to be. I felt this issue was glossed over a little too quickly, personally. Or maybe I just didn’t ‘get’ her?

I’m really on the fence with this one. On one hand, the concept of The Hidden Twin is awesome! Yet, I though the lack of world building really let the story down. I really wish I could have given more than a 3 star rating. You don’t come across that many standalone fantasy books, and I was really looking forward to finding one I could love and recommend. The mythology created around Redwings is awesome and so intriguing, yet I don’t feel I got to experience the world clearly enough to fully appreciate it. Oh well, maybe next time!

Review: The Vanishing Throne by Elizabeth May

Title: The Vanishing Throne
Author: Elizabeth May
Series: The Falconer, #2
Format: eARC, kindly provided by
the publishers via NetGalley for
review. (Thank you!!)
My rating: 5 / 5

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My name is Lady Aileana Kameron.

First the fae murdered my mother. Then they destroyed my world.

Now I’m fighting for more than revenge.

Aileana took a stand against the Wild Hunt, and she lost everything: her home, her family and her friends. Held captive by her enemy, and tormenting herself over her failure, escape seems like only the faintest possibility. But when she gets her chance, she seizes it . . . to rejoin a world devastated by war.

The future is bleak. Hunted by the fae, running for her life, Aileana has only a few options left. Trying to become part of a society scarred by – and hiding from – the Wild Hunt; trusting that a fragile alliance with the fae will save her; or walking the most dangerous path at all: coming in to her own powers as the last of the Falconers . . .

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

Now THIS is how you write a sequel! Oh wow was The Vanishing Throne everything I hoped it would be and so much more. After the agonising ending in The Falconer, it was so nice to see the sequel picking up shortly after those events. Aileana is being held captive in the faerie realms by Lonnrach, and she has no accurate idea of time passing, what with interrogations and torture taking its toll on her body and spirit. The intensity of the book is set right from those early few chapters and doesn’t waver at any stage. Granted, it did take me ten or so percent to settle back into the story fully, but once I did I was completely hooked and enthralled by the world created.

For me, the main highlight of both books so far has been the characters and how they’ve been developed – they’re completely amazing! Aileana is quickly becoming a favourite character of mine. Despite all she’s gone through, she’s still the fiery, witty and fierce girl she was at the beginning of the series, yet she has a new-found maturity about her which is so awesome to see. She’s not afraid of acknowledging she has a vulnerable side, and when she embraces it, it makes her much more likeable and a whole lot easier to empathise with. I completely adore her, and I can’t wait to see how her character continues to develop in the next book.

And Kiaran Mackay. Oh boy… *fans-self* If you thought he was swoon-worth in the first book, wait till you see him here! He was a bit of an enigma in The Falconer, and I LOVE that we get to learn more about him and his past. Looking back on the first book and just how torturous the budding romance between Kiaran and Aileana was, seeing how their feelings have matured and grown was so satisfying to see and it’s done in a completely believable way. Seriously, the chemistry between these two, holy hell, it was awesome! The tension is so, so good, and their banter crackles off the pages. When I look back at my notes and I see a mix of swooning and random threats littered throughout directed at anything standing in my ships way, well, it’s a pretty good clue I’ve found a new OTP to obsess over! I know I’ve focused quite a bit on the romance here, but what I love about the series is that the romance doesn’t take over the entire plot. It’s the perfect blend of awesome characters, a romance you can get behind and support, all captured up in an intriguing world and gripping story. We get to learn so much more about the Seelie and Unseelie courts, but what I particularly loved was finding out the history of the Falconers, and how they came to be.

We’re introduced to a new character in The Vanishing Throne, Aithinne, Kiaran’s sister, and I absolutely LOVED her! She added a completely different vibe to the story, and I though the sibling rivalry between her and Kiaran was so well done, and her budding friendship with Aileana was awesome. And not to forget Derrick! He has to be the most adorable pixie that was ever created! He’s so grouchy and snarky and absolutely hilarious! Yet, he’s also kind and caring in his own way, certainly toward Aileana, anyway. I absolutely love when the secondary characters are just as loveable as the mains, and for them get their fair share of development is so nice to see.

I have to mention the ending, oooh that ending… stab me right in feels and rip my heart out, why don’t ya! Remember that little cliff-hanger in The Falconer? Pffft. That was a teeny tiny mole hill in comparison to this one. I’m in complete agony here, people! *Sobs* Oh gosh, it was so cruel yet completely genius.

I’m so thankful I got to read this book: I thought The Vanishing Throne was so much better than the first book, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been reading more and more fae books, and I really think this trilogy could become my all-time favourite fae series. Now, all I want to do for the next year is curl up with the first two books in the trilogy and reread them continually until the final book is released! I know the wait will be completely agonising, but I expect the conclusion to the trilogy will be completely epic.

Review: The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Kiss
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Series: The Winner's Trilogy, #3
Format: eARC, kindly provided
by the publishers via Netgalley
for review. (Thank you!!)
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
Release Date: March 24th 2016
My rating: 5+ / 5

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War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

Also, this review is completely spoiler-free.

Wow. Just… wow! The Winner’s Kiss was everything I hoped it would be, and a whole lot more. This was one of my most anticipated new releases of 2016 and my expectations were ridiculously high when I began reading. What I wasn’t expecting was each and every one of those expectations to be met, and exceeded. And I’m SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS! I’m completely blown away by how perfect this book was, and it’s easily one of the most satisfying conclusions to a trilogy I’ve read in a long, long time.

The book begins within days of the previous book ending, and in general, it’s a lot bloodier and more brutal than its predecessors. It’s even more action packed, which was a wonderful surprise, and the stakes are higher than ever. The range of emotions I went through was incredible! I was on the edge of my seat right from the beginning, and I didn’t relax until I read the very last sentence. It was excruciating to read at times, but in a completely good way. I went from nervous, to scared, to happy, to petrified, to anxious, to devastated, to swooning, and right back to nervous to begin the cycle all over again. I swear I was nearing emotional overload by the time I finished reading! But, oh wow, it was so epic.

The world building was just as vibrant and detailed as ever. Its development didn’t take a back seat despite it being the last book, and we continue to learn things about each kingdom’s politics, and everything becomes so much clearer as the book progresses. Also, the pacing was absolutely perfect and there wasn’t a dull moment at any stage. The writing style was just as beautiful, if not more so, than the previous books. We’re put right in the middle of a war, exploring the tactics, choices and consequences of being at war, yet, the writing style and words used are so beautiful it contrasts so perfectly with the brutality of what’s actually being described. The combination was so exquisite to read and I wish I could remember each and every moment… actually, in the hopes that I could do this I think I highlighted at least three-quarters of my eARC!

Oh, I just have to quickly mention: the battle scenes and how they’re written? P.E.R.F.E.C.T.I.O.N. It honestly felt like I was watching a movie, only it was a zillion times more intense. Not giving anything else away, but just wait until you read them, they’re incredible.

As for the characters, I don’t think I can even begin to express how much love I have for them. If there was ever a doubt that Kestrel and Arin would be added to my all-time favourite characters list, that doubt has been obliterated by this stage! Both of them have grown so much, and to have seen them blossom into the characters they’ve become in this book has been a pure joy to witness. Now, there were moments where I wanted to strangle them, and other moments where I wanted to swaddle them in cotton so nothing bad could ever happen to them, but all of these feelings are what I love to experience when I read. Kestrel is all kinds of perfection, and oh my goodness, I love her to PIECES. She has been a consistently amazing character throughout the series, and to see how much she’s grown yet stayed true to her core personality is phenomenal. I was a little iffy about Arin in The Winner’s Crime, but he completely redeemed himself here. Also, we get to see him get his piiiirate on. And it’s a total mix of adorable and scary. But mainly scary. And also awesome! If you haven’t fallen for Arin yet, I think this book should take care of that nicely. I love when secondary characters get just as much attention and development as the main characters in a series, and I absolutely love Roshar! And Sarsine, too. (Oh, and let’s not forget Javelin! I just had to mention the best and most adorable horse of all time! <3 )

Personally, I think The Winner’s Kiss is by far the best book in the series. It captures every single element that you could possibly hope to experience while reading, and delivers it seamlessly chapter after chapter. It’s nothing short of perfection and I absolutely loved it. Would I have liked more? Well, I’m never going to say no to that question, really. I mean, if another dozen books wanted to show up based on this trilogy, I’d devour them in a heartbeat! But, as for the conclusion to one of my favourite trilogies of all time, I’m completely satisfied. I couldn’t have asked for more, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. After reading scores of mediocre finales over the years, it’s always an extra special delight when you read a beautiful little masterpiece such as this.

Mini-Reviews: Wandering Wild and Spell Bound

Title: Wandering Wild
Author: Jessica Taylor
Series: Standalone
Expected Publication: 3rd May 2016
Format: eARC, kindly provided by the
publishers via Netgalley for
review. (Thank you!!)
My rating: 2 / 5

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Raised by Wanderers, sixteen-year-old Tal travels the roads of the southern wild in her Chevy by day and camps in her tent trailer at night. Hustling, conning, and grifting her way into just enough cash to save her fifteen-year-old brother, Wen, from bare-knuckle fighting was once enough to keep her dreams of traveling the whole world at bay. Everything changes when the Wanderers set up camp in a little town called Cedar Falls.

There, Spencer Sway, a boy Tal tried to hustle at a game of billiards, keeps popping up into her life—and worst of all—into her scams. Buttoned-up, starched-and-ironed Spencer talks of places where Tal’s truck can’t take her. His promises of traveling across oceans are almost enough to shatter her love of the Wanderer life.

When a boy shows up at camp, ready to make good on a nearly-forgotten arranged marriage to Tal, Tal and Wen make a pact: No matter the cost, they will use their limitless skills of grift to earn the bride price and buy back her future—even if Spencer Sway gets used along the way.

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

*I received an eARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.*

I absolutely love the concept of Wandering Wild, and the synopsis had me hooked from the first time I read it. In practice, though, I didn’t click with the book as much as I had hoped I would. While I was reading, yes, I did care and feel sorry for Tal and what she was going through, but it wasn’t a lasting sympathy. I didn’t have a deep enough overall connection with the characters, and by the time I was nearing the end of the story, I just wanted it to be over. The final kiss of death for me was feeling bored while I was reading – I mean, it took me a month to read the book, and that’s a fairly big clue that I haven’t connected with story. Take my opinions with a pinch of salt: I do have a bit of a hit or miss history with contemporary books in general, so don’t let me put you off reading Wandering Wild if you love the sound of it. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.

Title: Spell Bound
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Hex Hall, #3
Format: Paperback, bought.
My rating: 4 / 5

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Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

-- As seen on Goodreads

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed Spell Bound, and thought it was a really good conclusion to the Hex Hall trilogy. I went into this one a little fuzzy on the finer details as it had been a while since I read the previous books in the series. I did get back up to speed really quickly once I began reading, and it’s always lovely to see a little recapping in the first couple of chapters! I had forgotten how much I liked Sophia – she’s awesome. She’s a little snarky, witty and can be a tad impulsive, but she’s a great character to read about. However! There were a couple of things that bothered me, namely the love triangle with Archer and Cal flaring up. Personally, I felt the endgame was fairly obvious and dragging the final decisions out for so long was a bit disappointing and unnecessary. Also, the ending felt a little… rushed? Maybe it was just me, but I was hoping for a little ... more, you know? Overall, I thought Spell Bound was a really enjoyable conclusion to the Hex Hall trilogy, and I’d definitely recommend these books to anyone who wants a laugh-out-loud and light-hearted fantasy series.