Review #82 - The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

Details:

Title: The Last Namsara

Author: Kristen Ciccarelli

Publisher: Gollancz

ISBN 13: 978-1473222854

Synopsis:

Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she's sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the wicked deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar.

But protecting her father's kingdom is a lonely destiny: no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked.

Even worse, to unite the fractured kingdom she must marry Jarek, the cruel commandant. As the wedding day approaches, Asha longs for freedom.

Just when it seems her fate is sealed, the king offers her a way out: her freedom in exchange for the head of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard.

And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy . . .

Review:

Fairyloot Unboxing November 2017

This is the unboxing of the November 2017 FairyLoot box. (What follows will contain spoilers so please do not read if you don't want to know what is in the box)

FairyLoot is a monthly book subscription box mainly focusing on fantasy YA and YA crossovers. Each month you receive a new release book, mostly hardback and 4-6 bookish items which fit in with the theme.

The theme this month was Ladies That Slay

 (Spoiler filled post under the cut)

Illumicrate Unboxing November 2017

So this post is the unboxing of the November 2017 Illumicrate box (What follows will contain spoilers so please do not read if you don't want to know what is in the box)

Illumicrate is a quarterly subscription box. Within each box you receive a newly released book along with various bookish items. (Spoiler filled post under the cut)

Review 81 - Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Details:

Title: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

Author: Julie C. Dao

Publisher: Philomel Books

ISBN 13:  978-1524738297

Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

Review:

Review #80 - In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

Details:

Title: In the hand of the goddess

Author: Tamora Pierce

Publisher: Simon Pulse

ISBN 13:  978-0689878565

Synopsis:

Disguised as a boy, Alanna of Trebond becomes a squire, to none other than the prince of the realm. But Prince Jonathan is much more to Alanna; he is her ally, her best friend, and one of the few who knows that she's really a girl. Now it will take all of Alanna's awesome skill, strength, and growing magical powers to protect him from the mysterious evil sorcerer who is bent on his destruction, and hers.

Review:

Book Box Club Unboxing November 2017

In this post I am going to be unboxing the November 2017 Book Box Club box. (What follows will contain spoilers so please do not read if you don't want to know what is in the box)

Book Box Club is a monthly book subscription box. Each month you receive a specially selected YA book release and 2-4 hand picked goodies which fit in with the theme. Book Box Club also hosts a members only online book club where subscribers get a chance to chat to each other as well as the author about the book.

The theme this month was Haunted Minds (Spoiler filled post under the cut)

Review #79 - Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Details:

Title: Daughter of the Siren Queen

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

ISBN 13: 978-1250096012

Synopsis:

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.

Review:

Review 78 - A Shiver of Snow and Sky by Lisa Lueddecke

Details:

Title: A Shiver of Snow and Sky

Author: Lisa Lueddecke

Publisher: Scholastic

ISBN 13: 978-1407174037

Synopsis:

On the frozen island of Skane, the sky speaks. Beautiful lights appear on clear nights, and their colours have meaning: Green means all is well, and the Goddess is happy. Blue means a snow storm is on the way. And then there's red. Red is rare. A warning. Seventeen years ago the sky turned red just as Osa was born, unleashing a plague that claimed the lives of hundreds of villagers, including her own mother. This time, when the night sky once again bleeds crimson, she must discover what it means before so many lives are lost again.

Review:

Review #77 - The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell

Details:

Title: The Wizards of Once

Author: Cressida Cowell

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

ISBN 13:  978-1444936704

Synopsis:

This is the story of a young boy Wizard and a young girl Warrior who have been taught since birth to hate each other like poison; and the thrilling tale of what happens when their two worlds collide.

Perfect for boys and girls who love fantasy adventure...

Once there was Magic, and the Magic lived in the dark forests. Until the Warriors came...

Xar is a Wizard boy who has no Magic, and will do anything to get it. Wish is a Warrior girl, but she owns a banned Magical Object, and she will do anything to conceal it.

In this whirlwind adventure, Xar and Wish must forget their differences if they're going to make it to the dungeons at Warrior Fort.

Where something that has been sleeping for hundreds of years is stirring...

Review:

Review #76 The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Details:

Title: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Author: Katherine Arden

Publisher: Del Rey

ISBN 13:  978-1785031069

Synopsis:

The court of the Grand Prince of Moscow is plagued by power struggles and rumours of unrest. Meanwhile bandits roam the countryside, burning the villages and kidnapping its daughters. Setting out to defeat the raiders, the Prince and his trusted companion come across a young man riding a magnificent horse.

Only Sasha, a priest with a warrior's training, recognises this 'boy' as his younger sister, thought to be dead or a witch by her village. But when Vasya proves herself in battle, riding with remarkable skill and inexplicable power, Sasha realises he must keep her secret as she may be the only way to save the city from threats both human and fantastical...

Review:

Review #75 - The X Files: Earth Children are Weird by Kim Smith

Details:

Title: The X Files: Earth Children are Weird

Author: Kim Smith

Publisher: Quirk Books

ISBN 13:  978-1683690276

Synopsis:

In The X Files: Earth Children Are Weird, best pals Dana (Scully) and Fox (Mulder) have pitched a tent in the backyard for a sleepover. But the night is full of strange sounds, lights, and shadows. Surely there’s a rational, scientific explanation for everything . . . or is there?

Review:

Review #74 - The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Details:

Title: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books

ISBN 13:  978-1406357981

Synopsis:

Imagine you're the only boy in a town of men. And you can hear everything they think. And they can hear everything you think. Imagine you don't fit in with their plans... Todd Hewitt is just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man. But his town has been keeping secrets from him. Secrets that are going to force him to run...

Review:

Review #73 - Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

Details:

Title: Alanna: The First Adventure

Author: Tamora Pierce

Publisher: Simon Pulse

ISBN 13:  978-0689878559

Synopsis:

In a time when girls are forbidden to be warriors, Alanna of Trebond wants nothing more than to be a knight of the realm of Tortall. So she finds a way to switch places with her twin brother, Thom. Disguised as a boy, Alanna begins her training as a page at the palace of King Roald. But the road to knighthood, as she discovers, is not an easy one. Alanna must master weapons, combat, and magic, as well as polite behavior, her temper, and even her own heart.

Review:

October Wrap Up and November TBR

So in October 2017 I managed to read a total of 8 books.

In order of reading I completed Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff, Because you love to hate me by Various, Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett, This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe, The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake.

 

I really enjoyed This Mortal Coil and am looking forward to getting the finished copy as I read an arc from Netgalley. I enjoyed Even the Darkest Stars a lot and it has been one of the best buddy reads I have done this year I think. Once I stopped reading the footnotes I enjoyed Nevernight and Godsgrave a lot though the ending of Godsgrave has me antsy for the next book. Most disappointing read in a long time was A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars which really missed the mark for me.

So in November I don't have too much of a busy month planned so I am hoping to get some good reading done. So my as always somewhat provisional TBR for November is as follows; The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, Alanna the First Adventure and In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce, A Shiver of Snow and Sky by Lisa Lueddecke, The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden and Golden Son by Pierce Brown.

Review #72 - Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Details:

Title: Three Dark Crowns

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: Macmillan

ISBN 13:  978-1509804559

Synopsis:

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomach-ache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of beasts.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn't solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it's not just a game of win or lose . . . it's life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown.

Review: