Review #6 - Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Details:

Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN 13: 978-1473629141

Synopsis:

Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems.

Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show.

Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father.

When the sisters' long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show's mastermind organiser, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever.

Review:

Review #5 - Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Details:

Title: Red Rising
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN 13: 978-1444758993

Synopsis:

The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all al lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

Break the chains. Live for more.

Review:

I decided to read this mainly due to the fangirling of a booktuber whose videos I really enjoy and I am very glad I did. I will admit it took me a while to get into it but once it got going I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen to Darrow and the other characters we meet in the book.

It's definitely a science fiction novel which isn't something I read a lot of, I'm definitely more fantasy orientated I'd say but I did really enjoy it. There are a few characters I fell in love with and I am very much looking forward to getting to know more about in the next books. 

This book is enjoyable, well paced and with interesting characters. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

*****

January 2017 - Fairyloot Unboxing

So today I received the January 2017 FairyLoot box which I have been excitedly waiting for ever since I was able to order one. (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 Mystery and Mischief

My most anticipated releases of 2017

Hello readers!

In this post I am going to be telling you what my most anticipated book releases are for the first half of this year. Obviously this is by no means an exhaustive list it is purely the ones I know about and am currently excited for. 

Review #4 - Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

Details:

Title: Cruel Crown
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: Orion
ISBN 13: 978-1409165330

Synopsis:

In a world divided by blood - Red or Silver - two women tell the stories no one else knows.

For Coriane of House Jacos, love comes at a terrible cost. In a secret diary, she recounts her heady courtship with the heir to the Silver throne, Prince Tiberias, and the dangers that lurk at the heart of the royal court.

Captain Farley is at the forefront of the Red rebellion. As she plans an attack on the Silver capital, she discovers a secret that could sway the balance of power for ever.

Two gripping stories. One fight for justice.

Red vs Silver.

Review:

There probably will be spoilers in this review so please consider yourself warned if you haven't read Red Queen or Glass Sword.

Now if I am honest I'm not entirely sure when this book should be read. Part of me thinks before Glass Sword but then you get spoiled for a surprise reveal in that book so I don't know, it isn't clear in my opinion. 

Anyway this book comprises two novellas...short stories...called Queen's Song and Steel Scars. The first Queen's Song focuses on Cal's mother Queen Coriane and within around 50 pages we learn about her upbringing, her friendship with Tiberias and how she came to be Queen. We also learn how Elara was involved in her death and honestly it really does make you dislike that woman even more. It's a good story, a little sad since you know there will be no happy ending but interesting to read.

Steel Scars focuses on Farley and I had high hopes for this one especially when Shade enters the story but honestly it kind of felt rushed and like the bare bones of a story. It didn't give you much insight into their relationship and overall we didn't learn much more about her than we already knew. 

For two short stories they were okay but I don't honestly think they added much to the world of Red Queen. I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

**

Review #3 - Magisterium: The Bronze Key by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

Details:

Title: Magisterium: The Bronze Key
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
ISBN 13: 978-0552567701

Synopsis:

Magic can save you
Magic can kill you

It should be a time of celebration. The Enemy of Death is dead; a severed head proof of his downfall. The magical world has no reason to believe otherwise, and Callum, Tamara and Aaron are celebrated as heroes.

But at a party held in their honour, things go horribly, brutally wrong. A fellow student is callously murdered, and it seems Call’s worst fears are confirmed: there is a spy in the Magisterium.

No one is safe.

Now, using the powerful magic they’ve been taught, the trio must risk their lives to track down the killer. But magic is dangerous – in the wrong hands it could bring terrible destruction. And reveal the deadliest secret of all . . .

Review:

It had been well over a year since I read Book 2 in this series but luckily there was a little bit of a catch up in the first few pages to trigger my memory. Now I have to admit these books are super easy reads - this one I found actually to be a little too easy. There was a lot of build up for very little action or movement in the storyline. 

I like all the characters and the writing style is fine but the depth of story is a little lacking for me. But then since this book isn't really aimed at my age range that probably isn't surprising. It is a nice easy read that definitely doesn't give a book hangover and I think we all need those sometimes.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

***

Review #2 - Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Details:

Title: Glass Sword
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: Orion
ISBN 13: 978-1409150749

Synopsis:

If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different.

Mare's blood is red - the colour of common folk - but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court wants to control.

Pursued by the vengeful Silver king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join the rebellion.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

Review:

I moved straight on from Red Queen to Glass Sword which was a pretty good move since it picks up pretty much where it left off from the previous book. 

This time I was into it a lot quicker, helped by more time spent with the secondary characters I think. It was really interesting to see Mare interacting with her family though. I think the author is perhaps becoming a lot more comfortable and confident with writing. 

I would have liked a chapter or two from Cal's perspective, just to get some insight into his thoughts and feelings. Because a lot happens in this book and we're stuck with Mare's POV and her take on things. 

I have to admit I enjoyed this book a lot more and there was a couple of scenes in particular which really got me involved.

Again I am giving this book 4 stars out of 5, the pace moved faster and there were a few twists I didn't see coming.

****