BOOKS | Review: Bone Crier's Moon by Kathryn Purdie

Name: Bone Crier's Moon

Author: Kathryn Purdie

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books

Date published: March 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 453

Rating: 4/5

Bone ​Criers have a sacred duty. They alone can keep the dead from preying on the living. But their power to ferry the spirits of the dead into goddess Elara’s Night Heavens or Tyrus’s Underworld comes from sacrifice. The gods demand a promise of dedication. And that promise comes at the cost of the Bone Criers’ one true love.
Ailesse has been prepared since birth to become the matriarch of the Bone Criers, a mysterious famille of women who use strengths drawn from animal bones to ferry dead souls. But first she must complete her rite of passage and kill the boy she’s also destined to love.
Bastien’s father was slain by a Bone Crier and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Yet when he finally captures one, his vengeance will have to wait. Ailesse’s ritual has begun and now their fates are entwined—in life and in death.
Sabine has never had the stomach for the Bone Criers’ work. But when her best friend Ailesse is taken captive, Sabine will do whatever it takes to save her, even if it means defying their traditions—and their matriarch—to break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien. Before they all die.

- From Goodreads.

The beginning of Bone Crier's Moon was a little cluncky, with all the exposition and explanation of the world and magic system that it needed to do. It was a lot to take in all at once and I was a little confused at first and had to read slowly to make sure I was remembering everything.

However, once I got into the book, I really loved Sabine and Ailesse's friendship, they were so sweet and joyful around each other, really cared for each other and would do anything for each other. They worried so much for when the other was in danger and I could really feel for their love for each other so strongly.

I really felt heartbroken for them when they were treated badly by Odiva. They both so badly wanted a caring mother, and she was so awful to them. My heart especially broke for Sabine, who was so often made to feel like she was not good enough. She was so sweet and had such a good heart, it hurt when people did not value that.

It was enjoyable to read the slow growth of romance between Ailesse and Bastien, how they gradually developed from truly hating each other and wanting to kill each other, to learning more about each other and their lives, until eventually they came to care about each other and love each other.

The plot was full of twists that I did not see coming and had plenty of action that kept me turning pages. Sometimes the pacing felt a little strange but overall I enjoyed the plot and found it engaging.

One of the characters introduced towards the end of the novel seemed very interesting and I look forward to seeing how their character develops and what their role will be in the sequel. In general I think I will enjoy the next book a lot more now that most of the explanation of the magic and the gods and how all that works is done and I will have a better understanding of everything at the start of the next one.

Overall, Bone Crier's Moon was a fun and thrilling book with characters that I really liked and became attached to. If you enjoyed Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin then I think you will really love this one too. I definitely did and I am excited to read the next book in the series, Bone Crier's Dawn.

UNBOXING | FairyLoot: A Different Kind of Magic - June 2020

I was very excited when I saw the description for FairyLoot's June box, the theme of A Different Kind of Magic, along with the hints as to what would be in the box, really had me intrigued, and the box definitely did not let me down! Here is everything that was in the box:

Alice in Wonderland tea strainer.

The Shadows Between Us pin, created by jezhawk.

The Starless Sea patch, designed by dustandpages.

The Bone Season socks, designed by FairyLoot.

Avatar: The Last Airbender elemental coasters designed by noverantale.

Art print by arz28, inspired by Blood Heir by Amelie Zhao.

Theme art spoiler card and bookmark, Fairyscoop newsletter, and character art by arz28 with author letter on the back.

A Darker Shade of Magic tarot cards.

Advanced exclusive edition of The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna with sprayed edges.

Signed edition of Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee with an exclusive cover and artwork on the reverse of the dust jacket by arz28.

Overall this was a really brilliant box, with a great amount of interesting items. I think my favourites were the tea strainer and the pin! I will be looking forward to reading both of the books that came inside this box, and it is especially exciting that we got an advanced edition of The Gilded Ones! If you also received this box, let me know which item you liked best, and if you have read either of the books let me know your thoughts down in the comments below.

If you would like to find out more about FairyLoot, you can visit their website here.

BOOKS | Review: The Dark Vault by V.E. Schwab

Name: The Dark Vault

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Titan Books

Date published: November 2018

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy

Pages: 697

Rating: 5/5

This review contains vague and non-specific spoilers.

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.
Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.
Mackenzie Bishop’s grandfather first brought her here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now her grandfather is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often-violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

- From Goodreads.

The Dark Vault had incredible description and the writing style was so immersive, I could really picture each scene and feel like I was right inside it. It was very atmospheric. Sometimes the way the action was written was not that easy to follow, but mostly I understood what was happening. There were just a few moments where perhaps it could have been more clearly written.

There were lots of little details in the writing that really made the characters come alive and feel real to me. There were also some very amusing and humourous moments in the writing that gave Mackenzie's narrative voice a lot of personality.

At times Mackenzie was so relatable it hurt, as Schwab made painfully accurate observations about everyday life through her perspective. Mackenzie was very easy to root for, she had flaws but they were relatable and she was such a good person at heart and tried so hard to do well, I grew very attached to her. I really felt for her and worried about her when bad things happened, and wanted things to work out well for her.

Reading about the relationship between the main character and her family was very bittersweet. Mackenzie's relationship with her father was very heartwarming, they cared for each other so much and tried to show it despite the painful time they were going through. I also really loved Roland, he was such a wonderful character and it really warmed my heart how much he cared for Mackenzie too.

I loved the interactions between Mackenzie and Wesley, you could really feel the connection between them and what it meant to them. Meanwhile the story and connection between Owen and Mackenzie was so emotional and passionate in a strange way. I liked how Schwab contrasted Mackenzie's relationship with Owen and her relationship with Wesley. Owen seemed to be a metaphor for how letting yourself feel numb when dealing with grief or other difficult emotions is a bad coping mechanism. Wes showed her how to let herself feel things when people touched her without it overwhelming her, but Owen let her block it all out, and that ended up being a bad thing. Her relationship with Wes was much healthier than her relationship with Owen, and I liked how Shwab showed that.

Exposition and backstory was done through Mackenzie's memories, interspersed through the present narration in a way did not feel too overwhelming or like information was being dumped on you all at once. It made the story very enjoyable to read.

The first book's plot was very thrilling. I did not expect any of the plot twists, even though they were well set up. It tied up enough loose ends to be satisfying but also left some intriguing questions to set you up for the second book. The second book was also wrapped up in a satisfying way with a great conclusion that left room to imagine what might happen in the future of the world of the book. I was glad I read it as one whole book rather than the two separate ones because I think that worked well and it felt like one complete story rather than two.

I liked that the second book dealt with the trauma from the events of the first book. Mackenzie was so clearly effected and the author made sure to show her struggling with recovery, and made it clear that it was okay that she was affected badly by something bad happening to her, that it was okay to ask for help, and that it was not a flaw in her character that it was taking her time to overcome a traumatic event.

Overall I was really surprised by how much I came to love The Dark Vault. I grew attached to the characters, I found the plotlines exciting and the mysteries intriguing, and I found the premise to be unique and well executed. I would love to read more of Mackenzie's story if V.E. Schwab ever writes it.

BOOKS | Review: Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran

Name: Queen of Coin and Whispers

Author: Helen Corcoran

Publisher: O'Brien

Date published: June 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 457

Rating: 5/5

This review contains vague and non-specific spoilers.

When teenage queen Lia inherits her corrupt uncle’s bankrupt kingdom, she brings a new spymaster into the fold ... Xania, who takes the job to avenge her murdered father.
Faced with dangerous plots and hidden enemies, can Lia and Xania learn to rely on each another, as they discover that all is not fair in love and treason?
In a world where the throne means both power and duty, they must decide what to sacrifice for their country - and for each other...

- From Goodreads.

I loved the main characters of Queen of Coin and Whispers, Lia and Xania, and thought they both had enthralling storylines. Their romance was captivating and so lovely to read. They faced obstacles and argued with each other, but in the end when it really mattered they did all they could for each other and really loved each other.

Both Lia's and Xania's persepectives felt necessary, important and distinct. The story would not have been as good without both of them so the dual points of view felt beneficial rather than repetitive or unnecessary as it can in some books. It would have been nice to have a couple more chapters from Lia's perspective towards the end of the book. I understood that we did not get chapters from her for a while to build tension but perhaps once everything was resolved there could have been more chapters from Lia as she dealt with the after affects of what happened at the climax of the novel. The rest of the novel was quite balanced in their perspectives but the end was much more focused on Xania so it felt a little strange, although it was nice that the novel started in Lia's perspective and ended with Xania's.

I liked that both Xania and Lia both had parts of their families still alive and supporting and caring for them, while also occasionally presenting problems. In young adult books there are often missing parents or families so it was refreshing to see familial relationships explored in this book. I also liked that Xania had a step-parent who was good and truly cared about Xania as step-parents in fiction can often be bad and it was nice to see a different approach to that.

I did find the political and mystery plot lines a little confusing at times and not always easy to follow and perhaps would have found a map at the beginning of the book to be useful. But by the end and once all of the mysteries had been revealed and solved, I understood better what had happened and found the plot points had been resolved in a satisfying way. I was intrigued for the whole book and never predicted what happened next and always enjoyed reading it.

I thought the structure of nobility with the way the people were organised into steps was unique and interesting to read. In general the world-building and creation of the society they lived in was very well done and fascinating to read about.

Overall I really loved this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good romance between women with royalty, political intrigue, and mystery. I really felt for and loved the characters, was fascinated by the setting, and thought the romance was very well written. It was a really excellent book, especially for a debut, and I will certainly be looking forward to reading more books from this author.

BOOKS | Review: Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

Name: Of Fire and Stars

Author: Audrey Coulthurst

Publisher: Baker + Bray

Date published: November 2016

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 389

Rating: 4/5

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile kingdoms.
But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a land where magic is forbidden.
Now Denna has to learn the ways of her new kingdom while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation - and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine, sister of her betrothed.
When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, they discover there is more to one another than they thought - and soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.
But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms - and each other.

- From Goodreads.

Of Fire and Stars is lovely story with well-detailed world building and a very sweet romance.

I enjoyed both perspectives of each main character. Both were likeable while having flaws so felt well-rounded and real. Their romance built slowly and was not just believable but very sweet and I enjoyed them being together.

The other characters in the story were also fleshed-out and felt real. That, along with the detailed world-building which created an intricate setting, made the story feel very immersive and not at all flat or shallow.

The pacing of the story and the slow build up to the climax of the book was enjoyable to read. I know some people prefer action-filled plots where a lot happens, but I prefer slower-paced stories that focus more on detailed descriptions of the world and thoughtful character interactions and development and I think this book did well on those points. When action did happen in the book, especially towards the end, it was well-written and impactful.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable book to read, that kept me interested and excited to continue the whole way through. There were some points where I was uncertain if I liked the direction the plot was taking, but by the end I was happy with how it went and I look forward to reading the sequel.

BOOKS | Review: In The Vanishers' Palace by Aliette de Bodard

Name: In The Vanishers' Palace

Author: Aliette de Bodard

Publisher: JABberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.

Date published: October 2018

Genre: Fiction, fantasy, romance, science fiction, retellings

Pages: 198

Rating: 4/5

In a ruined, devastated world, where the earth is poisoned and beings of nightmares roam the land...
A woman, betrayed, terrified, sold into indenture to pay her village's debts and struggling to survive in a spirit world.
A dragon, among the last of her kind, cold and aloof but desperately trying to make a difference.
When failed scholar Yên is sold to Vu Côn, one of the last dragons walking the earth, she expects to be tortured or killed for Vu Côn's amusement.
But Vu Côn, it turns out, has a use for Yên: she needs a scholar to tutor her two unruly children. She takes Yên back to her home, a vast, vertiginous palace-prison where every door can lead to death. Vu Côn seems stern and unbending, but as the days pass Yên comes to see her kinder and caring side. She finds herself dangerously attracted to the dragon who is her master and jailer. In the end, Yên will have to decide where her own happiness lies—and whether it will survive the revelation of Vu Côn’s dark, unspeakable secrets...

- From Goodreads.

This was a surreal, unique, creative and inventive story that I very much enjoyed reading. It was quite difficult to grasp what was happening at times and some of the explanations could have been clearer, but overall it was very interesting and thought-provoking.

The writing style used was very complicated and descriptive, with language that at some points was very beautiful and added a lot of emotion to what was happening, but at some points just added a little too much confusion and simple language might have been preferable in those places to help with comprehension of what was happening.

The story had a very exciting plot with very clever foreshadowing that almost made me gasp out loud when I made the connection. It made for a very thrilling climax and I felt it had a very satisfying ending.

However some points in the plot seemed to happen suddenly with little build up. Perhaps a little slower pacing and more development in places could have been beneficial. Maybe if the book had been longer, more time could have been spent on build up and explaining the world of the story.

I loved the characters, they all felt real and had an important part to play, and I thought the tension and connection between Yên and Vu Côn was very well written.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable twist on the Beauty and the Beast tale, with very fascinating world buidling, a thrilling plot and a great romance. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a unique female/female love story, and I will certainly be reading it again.

BOOKS | Review: A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

Name: A Heart So Fierce and Broken

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Date published: January 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, retellings

Pages: 450

Rating: 4/5

This review contains vague and non-specific spoilers.

Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.
Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen - until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?
The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.

- From Goodreads.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken was a good follow up to the first book in the Cursebreakers series, A Curse So Dark and Lonely. It expanded the world and developed the characters that did not get as much focus in the previous book.

Although I did enjoy the new perspectives, and it was interesting to read from Grey's point of view since we did not get to in the first book, I was a little sad we did not get more from Rhen and Harper. I understood why it was important to focus on Lia Mara and Grey, but it was unfortunate we did not get more of Harper and Rhen since I loved them both so much in the first book.

I did love the romance between Lia Mara and Grey. It had a nice, slow build up and it was very soft and sweet. They definitely complimented each other well and it was very compelling to read about their feelings for each other and the difficulties they faced because of those feelings.

The plot twist at the end of the novel was definitely unexpected,but I wonder if the implications of it will make the third book feel a little repetitive. It was a good twist but I wonder if it will make it feel like that characters are facing problems they should have already overcome in the first book. I think I might have preferred a happier and more wrapped up ending for this book with a new conflict then presented in the next book, but I understand that leaving this book on a cliffhanger and leaving more room for conflict will make readers look eagerly towards the next book and will make the start of the next book more exciting.

Some parts of the ending were very satisfying though. I was glad with the actions Lia Mara took as they felt like the right choice for her character growth and what she did was hinted at earlier in the book so that felt very gratifying.

Overall, while it took me a while to get through the book and I questioned some of the choices made throughout the story, I thought it was well-written and followed up well on the events of the first book. It left me excited for the third book and hopeful that things will wrap up well for the characters in that one.