BOOKS | Review: Echo North by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Name: Echo North

Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Date published: This edition January 2022, first published January 2019

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

Pages: 393

Rating: 5/5

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart when her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an ultimatum: if she lives with him for one year, he will ensure her father makes it home safely. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books- turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

- From Goodreads.

Echo North was such an enjoyable story to read, I loved how fairy tale inspired it was, how focused it was on storytelling, and how you could see the influences of different fairy tales on it. The way the author built stories into the world and made them important was so clever and felt fascinating to read.

In general the author was very creative and imaginative and it was a joy to read all the descriptions, the world was so interesting and detailed and inventive.

The plot felt very adventurous and I found it hard to put the book down because I was in so much suspense waiting to find out what would happen and how all the mysteries would unravel. There were quite a few surprises at the end that I did not expect and I enjoyed how, even though it was based on well known fairy tales, the author still made the story unique and added twists of her own.

I really adored the romantic elements of the story, how slowly they built up and how beautifully they were written. I was so invested in the characters and them working things out so they could be happy together in the end, they just made my heart ache in a marvellous way.

Echo was also a lovely main character to follow, I loved the journey she went on and could really sympathise with her. I felt I could really understand her emotions and why she made all her decisions, and enjoyed seeing her develop over the course of the novel.

Overall this was a really perfect story for me, a lovely fairy tale adventure with a beautiful love story, and I will absolutely be adding it to my favourite books. I am sure it will be wonderful to reread and I will definitely be happy to read more from this author.

BOOKS | Review: The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

 Name: The Winter Duke

Author: Claire Eliza Bartlett

Publisher: Titan Books

Date published: October 2020

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

Pages: 383

Rating: 4/5

All Ekata wants is to stay alive - and the chance to prove herself as a scholar. Once Ekata’s brother is finally named heir to the dukedom of Kylma Above, there will be nothing to keep her at home with her murderous family. Not her books or her experiments, not her family’s icy castle atop a frozen lake, not even the tantalizingly close Kylma Below, a mesmerizing underwater kingdom that provides her family with magic. But just as escape is within reach, her parents and twelve siblings fall under a strange sleeping sickness, and no one can find a cure.

In the space of a single night, Ekata inherits the title of duke, her brother’s captivating warrior bride, and ever-encroaching challengers from without - and within - her ministry. Nothing has prepared Ekata for diplomacy, for war, for love... or for a crown she has never wanted. If Kylma Above is to survive, Ekata must seize her family’s magic and power. And if Ekata is to survive, she must quickly decide how she will wield them both.

- From Goodreads.

The Winter Duke reminded me of The Goblin Emperor in the way that it was about a character thrust into a powerful position when they had not been expecting it and certainly had not been prepared for it, but were determined to do their duty and learn to do the role they had suddenly acquired. The characters and worldbuilding were different of course, but I liked the similar elements.

Speaking of worldbuilding, this world was so fascinating and unique, with wonderful descriptions. I liked the concept of the kingdom Above and Below, and the magic and different people who lived in each place, it was intriguing to learn about it all as the story unfolded.

There were some moments in the story that felt like they could have explored the emotion more and gone into more depth. These moments did not connect as much as they could have. For example, the romance between Ekata and Inkar was good but did not quite connect with me. I quite enjoyed it but did not fall in love with it, not in a way that had me turning the pages desperate for more interactions between them.

My feelings over Ekata as a character were conflicted. I really did feel for her and wanted her to do well and sympathised with her struggle, I just think her growth and character development could have been written better to be more satisfying.

The ending of the story could also have been a little more satisfying for me. The political intrigue and mystery elements of the plot were very fascinating and I mostly enjoyed reading it and trying to work out who had done what, however some of the details and answers to the mystery could have been explained better and in the end I was still a little confused.

Overall I enjoyed the reading experience and was excited to get to the end to find out what happened, there were just a few places in the story where it did not live up to the potential or did not quite hit the mark so I could not fall in love with it completely. 

BOOKS | Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

 Name: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Date published: First published 2013, this edition published 2014

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, romance, dystopia, horror

Pages: 419

Rating: 5/5

 

Coldtown was dangerous, Tana knew. A glamorous cage, a prison for the damned and anyone who wanted to party with them.
Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. And once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. 

- From Goodreads.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a different and fresh take on vampires that I found intriguing and thrilling to read about, and at some points it was even quite scary and intense. Holly Black certainly made vampires her own in a complex and fascinating way.

I really enjoyed the writing style, it flowed smoothly and I found it easy to read, and it made the story quite addictive as I did not want to put it down. 

The plot was a wild rollercoaster with an incredible amount of twists and turns. Holly Black books are never predictable and this was no exception. I had no idea what was going to happen and was quite nervous to find out how it would all end.

As usual with Holly Black books, the characters are all complex and fascinating, even the characters you truly detest. Everyone was interesting and felt like you might find them in the real world. My favourite characters were Tana and Gavriel, who I felt were both very well written, had backstories that were compelling, and you could understand and root for them, even when they had to do awful and horrible things. Their romance was perfectly done and all of their moments together were captivating and I loved the way their relationship was built up.

Overall I would absolutely recommend this book if you are looking for a unique and modern vampire story with a riveting plot and engaging characters, and if you enjoyed Holly Black's other books, this still has her excellent writing style and unpredicatable twists, even though it is one of her earlier books.

BOOKS | Review: Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar

Name: Midnight in Everwood

Author: M.A. Kuzniar

Publisher: HQ

Date published: October 2021

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

Pages: 348

Rating: 5/5

 

There’s nothing Marietta Stelle loves more than ballet, but after Christmas, her dreams will be over as she is obligated to take her place in Edwardian society. While she is chafing against such suffocating traditions, a mysterious man purchases the neighbouring townhouse. Dr Drosselmeier is a charming but calculating figure who wins over the rest of the Stelle family with his enchanting toys and wondrous mechanisms.
When Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance, she discovers it carries a magic all of its own. On the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, she is transported to a snowy forest, where she encounters danger at every turn: ice giants, shadow goblins and the shrieking mist all lurk amidst the firs and frozen waterfalls and ice cliffs. After being rescued by the butterscotch-eyed captain of the king’s guard, she is escorted to the frozen sugar palace. At once, Marietta is enchanted by this glittering world of glamorous gowns, gingerbread houses, miniature reindeer and the most delicious confectionary.
But all is not as it seems and Marietta is soon trapped in the sumptuous palace by the sadistic King Gelum, who claims her as his own. She is confined to a gilded prison with his other pets; Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance with the two women to carve a way free from this sugar-coated but treacherous world and back home to follow her dreams. Yet in a hedonistic world brimming with rebellion and a forbidden romance that risks everything, such a path will never be easy.
- From Goodreads.

Midnight in Everwood was a perfect winter fairy tale, and an incredibly inventive retelling of The Nutcracker. I enjoyed every moment of reading it and wanted more, not wanting it to end.

The descriptions were so magical and whimsical, so detailed in such a lovely imaginative way. All the settings, the clothes, the characters, it was all so delightful to read. The parts in the magical world, in Everwood, were my favourite, but even the set up in the real world and the descriptions of the society, how difficult it was to navigate, was interesting to read and well written.

Marietta was an enchanting main character, I loved how she was full of imagination and spirit and found ways to be brave even in the most terrifying circumstances. I liked that she tried to be aware of when she had privilege and when she made a mistake or spoke badly she tried to make things right. Her passion for dancing was wonderful to read and I admired how she was determined to prioritise her love for dance and make it a part of her life.

I also loved the friendships Marietta developed with other women in the book. Dellara and Pirlipata were such fascinating characters and the bond she had with them by the end of the book was so heartwarming and had me quite emotional.

There was also a romance in the story that I absolutely adored. Everything about the way Marietta and her love interest interacted was written so perfectly and it was so clear how much they came to love and care for each other. The way they spoke to each other and the way Marietta thought about their relationship was written so nicely it just made me so happy to read.

This was just such a magical adventure, I definitely recommend it if you are looking for a heartwarming fairy tale to read over winter, it just has the perfect atmosphere.

BOOKS | Review: The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

Name: The Wolf and the Woodsman

Author: Ava Reid

Publisher: Del Rey

Date published: June 2021

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 418

Rating: 4/5

 

In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power, making her an outcast clearly abandoned by the gods. The villagers blame her corrupted bloodline—her father was a Yehuli man, one of the much-loathed servants of the fanatical king. When soldiers arrive from the Holy Order of Woodsmen to claim a pagan girl for the king’s blood sacrifice, Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered.
But when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their captive en route, slaughtering everyone but Évike and the cold, one-eyed captain, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he’s no ordinary Woodsman—he’s the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. Gáspár fears that his cruelly zealous brother plans to seize the throne and instigate a violent reign that would damn the pagans and the Yehuli alike. As the son of a reviled foreign queen, Gáspár understands what it’s like to be an outcast, and he and Évike make a tenuous pact to stop his brother.
As their mission takes them from the bitter northern tundra to the smog-choked capital, their mutual loathing slowly turns to affection, bound by a shared history of alienation and oppression. However, trust can easily turn to betrayal, and as Évike reconnects with her estranged father and discovers her own hidden magic, she and Gáspár need to decide whose side they’re on, and what they’re willing to give up for a nation that never cared for them at all.

- From Goodreads.

This was a well-told story with a wonderfully detailed world, an intriguing plot and real characters. I liked the way the author used real world history and religion as a basis to create their world and plot and also added their own unique details to it. It was very well crafted and you could tell a lot of time and care had gone into telling the story. I also liked that the main character travelled quite a bit so we got to see a lot of the world that had been created and the characters that lived in it.

The plot was interesting and took several twists and turns that I was not expecting. There were times I felt a little less invested and could not follow along as easily with what was happening, but mostly I enjoyed the story and liked how it developed and felt generally satisfied with the ending. I also liked that throughout the story mostly Évike, but other characters too, told stories, stories from their religions or their history or legends. It added more depth to the world and story and made the book feel like an ancient adventurer's story, passed on and retold over the years.

I really liked the romance between Évike and Gáspár and was invested in them both as individual characters and together. There were moments when I did not love how their relationship developed or I felt something that happened between them did not impact me as much as it should have, but overall I did really like the two of them and wanted things to end well for them.

Overall, it was a very immersive story, told with descriptive and almost poetic writing, that felt very emotional and real, even with the magical elements, which were very creative and exciting to read. I would definitely recommend it if you liked Uprooted by Naomi Novik as it certainly had the magical, dark forest, complex word building and compelling relationship elements that book has too, although this book still feels like a unique story of its own.

BOOKS | Review: The Scarecrow Queen by Melinda Salisbury

Name: The Scarecrow Queen (The Sin Eater's Daughter series #3)

Author: Melinda Salisbury

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Date published: October 2017

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 376

Rating: 4/5

The final battle is coming... As the Sleeping Prince tightens his hold on Lormere and Tregellan, the net closes in on the ragged band of rebels trying desperately to defeat him. Twylla and Errin are separated, isolated, and running out of time. The final battle is coming, and Aurek will stop at nothing to keep the throne forever. 

- From Goodreads.

I definitely enjoyed The Scarecrow Queen the most out of the books in the trilogy, however I still found it a little hard to differentiate between Twylla and Errin, the two main characters, in terms of their personalities. Twylla was supposed to be the quieter one and Errin the more passionate, but I still had some trouble distinguishing their voices in the narrative, although I found them both likeable and was still rooting for them.

This book certainly had the best plot out of the three in the series, so the trilogy certainly escalated well in terms of risk and the possibilities of what could happen. It was thrilling and kept me turning the pages, excited to see what would happen next.

The Sleeping Prince continued to be a truly terrifying villain, he did some absolutely awful things that made him frightening and made you understand why the characters hated him and wanted to defeat him, and yet he still had strangely charming or thoughtful moments that kept him interesting.

I was glad at the direction the romantic relationships went in as the chemistry and feelings between all of the characters felt right. However, towards the end of the book there were some arguments between one of the couples that felt placed into the story just for added drama which felt unnecessary when the rest of the story had drama enough and the rest of the time the characters had become quite good at communicating and had grown as people, so the arguments felt out of character.

Overall, it felt like a good conclusion to the series and was definitely the book I preferred most out of the three. The ending felt it was lacking slightly in Errin's side of the story and since we had followed her story so closely in the second book, it felt like we got less of in this one and her story did not feel as wrapped up as Twylla's, but other than that I felt satisfied with how the story ended and where the characters were at the end of their journeys.

BOOKS | Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Name: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Titan Books

Date published: October 2020 (this edition 2021)

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, historical, romance

Pages: 560

Rating: 5/5

 

When Addie LaRue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there's always a price – the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.
Addie flees her tiny home town in 18th-Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.
Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.
Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can’t escape her fate forever.
- From Goodreads.

I liked the way that the book told the story, as the narrative jumped back and forth in the timeline. Although I did not know what was going to happen at the end, from the summary of the novel you could tell what the main plot of the novel would be, so the way the story moved back and forth in time definitely added to the mystery and gave a good character driven story an extra suspenseful edge that kept me turning pages.

At first I wondered why we had some parts of the story from Henry's perspective when the book was really Addie's life and story, but the scenes that we did get in his parts of the story were interesting and effective in explaining how he came to be where he was and what his role in the story was. His journey parallels Addie's and he feels invisible in his own way, so it was useful to have his viewpoint as the story went on.

I really enoyed the dynamic between Addie and Luc, the god, or darkness, that she made the deal with. Each moment between them was written so well and perfectly worded. Schwab created the tension of their relationship excellently, creating a situation where they were enemies but not quite, with a connection between them almost like lovers that was glorious to read.

Addie was a very strong character, my heart really felt for her, having to go through everything she did over the course of the book and all the pain she felt, and I was so happy for her when she got to experience moments of real joy. It is just wonderful that we got to spend such a long time with her and came to really understand her and Schwab had the opportunity and took the time to really build her into a complex character. It feels so heartwarming that Schwab created this character who was cursed to be forgotten but then shared her with us and made her completely unforgettable. 

The descriptions were so vivid and written in a way that was wonderful to read, the emotional moments all hit me perfectly and overall I would say this was just a very well written book. I also just have to say that the multiple David Bowie and Labyrinth references throughout the book made me very happy.

Overall it was a truly wonderful book to read and I really enjoyed the experience. It is already a new favourite and definitely confirms that V.E. Schwab is an author I am always going to read.