Review #35 - The Polar Bear Explorers Club by Alex Bell

Details:

Title: The Polar Bear Explorers Club

Author: Alex Bell

Publisher: Faber and Faber

ISBN 13: 978-0571332540

Synopsis:

Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages . . .

When Stella and three other junior explorers get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?

Review:

Review #34 - Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess vol 2: Free Women by Jeremy Whitley

Details:

Title: Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess vol 2: Free Women

Author: Jeremy Whitley

Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment

ISBN 13: 978-1632291295

Synopsis:

Raven and her crew cast off to the high seas and the adventure of their lives! But before they can take on Raven's brothers they'll have to learn where they are and what's happened since Raven was locked away. So they're headed to Raven's ancestral home island, The Island of the Free Women. It's swamped with every kind of thief, assassin, and despot. Can Raven's crew face their first challenge? Can they even handle being cooped up in the same ship together? 

Review:

Review #33 - I hate Fairyland vol 2 - Fluff my life by Skottie Young

Details:

Title: I hate Fairyland vol 2 Fluff my life

Author: Skottie Young

Publisher: Image Comics

ISBN 13: 978-1632158871

Synopsis:

All hail Gertrude, the new Queen of Fairyland. After thirty years of wreaking havoc across this magical world to find her way back home, she must now overcome her biggest challenge yet... ruling the place she hates most. Join Gert as she continues her never-ending quest to get the FLUFF out of Fairyland. 

Review:

Review #32 - Magisterium 4 The Silver Mask by Cassandra Clare & Holly Black

Details:

Title: Magisterium 4 The Silver Mask

Author: Cassandra Clare & Holly Black

Publisher: Corgi Childrens

ISBN 13: 978-0552567749

Synopsis:

Callum Hunt's life has fallen apart.

His friend is gone. The spy has escaped. His secret is out.

He is facing an existence behind bars, banished from the rest of the magical community for what he is - for what he might become.

But a shocking revelation has promised freedom - at a cost. Will he stay strong, and faithful to his friends and teachers? Or take the risk, and destroy everything he's ever loved?

This fourth year at the Magisterium will be unlike anything else that has gone before . . .

Review:

Review #31 - Nephilim by John and Carole Barrowman

Details:

Title: Nephilim

Author: John and Carole Barrowman

Publisher: Head of Zeus

ISBN 13: 978-1781856437

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Rémy is a Conjuror – someone who can alter reality with his music. But such a talent comes with a price. He and his superpowered friends, Matt and Em Calder, are engaged in a dangerous battle to save humanity as we know it.

If they are to succeed, they must first decide who to trust. An amoral seventeenth-century artist? A heavily-tattooed Chicago gangster? Or a nephilim, half angel and half human, with silver-flecked wings?

But time is running out. They must take action soon. For where fallen angels rule, chaos will reign.

Review:

Review #30 - Saga vol 1 by Brian K Vaugn

Details:

Title: Sags vol 1

Author: Brian K Vaugn

Publisher: Image Comics

ISBN 13: 978-1607066019

Synopsis:

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe. 

Review:

Now We Rise! - Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Details:

Title: Children of Blood and Bone

Author: Tomi Adeyemi

Publisher: Macmillan Childrens

ISBN 13: 978-1509871353

Synopsis:

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us. 
Now we rise.

Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Only a few people remain with the power to use magic, and they must remain hidden.

Zélie is one such person. Now she has a chance to bring back magic to her people and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic – and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Review:

For a debut novel I found this book to be outstanding. The world the author created was detailed and steeped in history, the characters were well developed and appealing and the magic system was really unique and simply amazing. The whole book kept me engaged and wanting to read, I was led through laughter, sadness and nail biting suspense. 

I really loved the set up of the story, seeing everything unfold from three different points of view led to some great insight into varying mindsets. I highly recommend this one to anybody who appreciates fantastic world building and clever magic systems. 

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

As an added extra check out the table below for details on how to find out what Maji Clan you belong to!

Mine is Lighter which I am happy with, I quite like the idea of being able to play with light and dark. It'd be handy when I needed a torch ;)

Thank you so much to My Kinda Book and Macmillan for the chance to be part of this amazing blog tour!