BOOKS | Review: Mirage by Somaiya Daud

Name: Mirage
Author: Somaiya Daud
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Date published: 28th August 2018
Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, science fiction
Pages: 311
Rating: 4/5
Note: This review contains mild spoilers.

 In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.
But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.
As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection...because one wrong move could lead to her death.

- From Goodreads. 

I was not certain how I felt about Mirage at the beginning, and for a while as I was reading it I thought I might give it 3/5 stars, but towards the end it began to pick up and I felt more positive about the story.
I thought the concept was certainly interesting, but in some places it could have been better executed. Sometimes I wondered if it was necessary for there to be a look-a-like at all and if the story could have just been told from Princess Maram's perspective, since she was certainly a complex character with the potential to learn and be redeemed from her mistakes, and it would not have been too difficult to write her falling for the love interest instead of Amani falling for him. But in the end I did enjoy the developing friendship between the two girls and I will be interested to see how their stories develop in the next book.
Apart from the growing friendship between the girls and Amani's relationship with Idris (which I thought was well written but I did not feel completely invested in it), I felt that not much changed throughout the story. By the end, Amani was pretty much where she had started, held hostage with little power to change anything. There were some difference and I can understand the story is not complete yet, but I think it might have been better if it had ended with Amani in a different place.
I think as well as the plot, the writing for the main character Amani could have been improved a little too. Sometimes she seemed so much more good and kindhearted than the princess and she was often worried about the consequences of her actions, but there were a few small moments where she slipped too easily into having to pretend to be the princess and did not seem to worry much about the people she was being cruel to. I often found myself wanting to root for her but there was something about her character that was a little too weak and ill-defined to completely understand.
Overall, although I have my criticisms of the story and felt it was a bit slow to get into despite it not being that long, I thought the action and excitement towards the end of the book really picked things up for me and made me more invesed. I am looking forward to the next book and I am hopeful that the good parts of this book, such as the setting and concepts, will continue into the next.

UNBOXING | Illumicrate: The Cruel Prince Special Edition

As you probably already know from my reviews of the first two books in The Folk of the Air trilogy, this is a series I really adore, so when Illumicrate announced a special edition box for The Cruel Prince in celebration of the release of The Queen of Nothing, I knew I would love it. This was a wonderful box to open, and I found every item was incredibly beautiful!
I have listed each item that came in the box below, along with a link to the designer or shop that created it.

Jude and Cardan bookend set, designed by Noverantale

Character bookmark set, artwork by Coralie Jubénot

"Every part of me" enamel pin, designed by Fable & Black

A Sinister Tableau tote, artwork by Alice Duke

The brugh blanket, artwork by Yoshi Yoshitani

Folk of the Air decorative dust jackets, artwork by RosieThorns88

Special edition of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, with sprayed edges and a signed book plate

Everything in this box was so absolutely gorgeous, I do not know how I could choose a favourite item. I will definitely be making use of the incredibly designed bookends and the super soft blanket, and the dust jackets are such beautiful creations. I am definitely planning on getting the other two books in the series when Illumicrate releases their special editions, especially now that I have recently read The Queen of Nothing and in finishing the series love it all even more!
Keep an eye out for my review of The Queen of Nothing, and if you received this box too, let me know what you thought in the comments below!

BOOKS | Review: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

Name: The Goblin Emperor
Author: Katherine Addison
Publisher: Solaris
Date published: 21st March 2019 (first published 1st April 2014)
Genre: Fiction, fantasy, steampunk
Pages: 480
Rating: 5/5
Note: This review contains mild spoilers.

Even on the throne, you're only as good as your wits—or your heart.
Maia, the youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor, has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it.
But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an “accident”, he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.
Surrounded by sycophants and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the spectre of the unknown conspirators, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. 
- From Goodreads.

I really loved The Goblin Emperor and found it to be such a joy to read. It was so refreshing to have a main character be so considerate and to know he did everything he did because he wanted to be a good person. It did not feel boring or dull, and I really rooted for Maia because he was so thoughtful and sweet, and I could easily see why the other characters came to like him too. I think his kindness made him brave and it kept me turning the pages as I hoped to see the success of his endeavour to be a good emperor for his people.
There were a lot of details, characters and place names to remember in the story, so I found the list of names at the beginning of the book very useful, and I felt so invested in the story and enjoyed the development of the characters so much that I did not get too caught up in the details and managed to understand what was happening in the story. I think this is the kind of book I will read over and over again and spot new details each time.
I thought the world building was truly excellent. The elves and goblins, the technology and airships, the traditions and different ways of being religious, were all written about in such an interesting and unique way, I felt truly immersed in the world.
There was only a small amount of romance, but what there was in the slow beginnings of a relationship between Maia and Csethiro, the woman he is set up in an arranged marriage with, was very compelling. I think the way they came to slowly learn more about each other and gradually came to care about each other was very endearing and sweet.
I really loved how language was used so inventively in the story, the society that Maia was suddenly thrown into was very strict and formal with how they used words, and when he slipped up or intentionally used language in a way he was not supposed to it was a clever way of showing his personality and how he did not want to get too caught up in being emperor and the power that came with that.
Overall I fell completely in love with this book and it quickly became a favourite that I will be happy to read again many times. It was hopeful and uplifting and it was wonderful to read such a kindhearted character succeeding against all odds.

BOOKS | Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Name: The Wicked King
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Date published: 8th January 2019
Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance
Pages: 326
Rating: 5/5
Note: This review contains mild spoilers.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.
The first lesson is to make yourself that strong.
Jude has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were biddable. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a faerie world.

- From Goodreads.

I already enjoyed Jude's character in The Cruel Prince, but The Wicked King made me like her even more. I always appreciate it in a book when an author can succesfully make the main character flawed but still loveable. Jude, despite everything, always tries hard to protect the people she cares about and wants desperately to do things for the right reasons. She worries so much about becoming an inhuman monster but she still has a good heart deep down and I think this is done in quite a subtle way and really showcases how well Holly Black writes complex characters.
We got to see more of the faerie world in this book and I really enjoyed all the details and descriptions of the places the story is set in. I really enjoy myths, fairy tales and other legends, and I think that this book continues to build on and be inspired by details and ideas from those kind of stories in such a fun and imaginative way.
The plot was really thrilling and full of some really exciting and surprising twists and turns. Even when I was distressed or worried for Jude, I was still enjoying reading the story and appreciating how well planned-out the storyline was.
I adored the chemistry between Jude and Cardan. I think Cardan is such an intriguing character and I find it so fascinating how most characters seem to underestimate him while he can actually be very clever, sly and truly powerful, and yet also capable of such deep emotion and feelings for others. I think the magic of his connection to the faerie realm and land is very fascinating and I hope to see that explored more in the next book.
Despite everything and all they have been through, I still found myself hoping for things to end well between Cardan and Jude. They have made mistakes with each other and treated each other pretty terribly at times, but Holly Black writes them in such a way that I can still believe they could come to terms with these things and be together in the future. And I hope they do because together they make such an incredible team and their interactions and dynamic are always such a joy to read. I think theirs has the potential to be such an epic love story, depending on what happens in The Queen of Nothing, the final book in the trilogy.