BOOKS | Review: This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

Name: This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra series #1)

Author: Emily Thiede

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Date published: June 2022

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 436

Rating: 4/5

Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa's gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner's magic, not kill every suitor she touches.
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island's only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.
Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante's dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

- From Goodreads.

The story had a bit of a slow start and some scenes were hard to picture and understand as the descriptions of what was happening were not that clear. I also did not really get a grasp on the personality of the main character and what her thoughts and feelings were right away because most of what she was telling us at the start in her narration was exposition, not really about herself. But once Dante appeared the plot picked up and I started to feel more invested and it started to get more exciting.

Once the story got past the slow start it did get easier to read as the characters became more developed, the chemistry between Dante and Alessa began to show and I really did end up rooting for them, they had quite a sweet and fun partnership with some well done emotional moments. The characters around them became more developed too and I enjoyed the group of friends that they became and look forward to seeing more of them in the next book and hopefully see them developed even more.

The concept of the story was interesting and although at a couple of points how it all worked could have been explained a little better, I mostly enjoyed seeing the mysteries and plot twists all unravel. I did guess one of the reveals but it was still satisfying and I liked how it was done. There were some further twists and threads left open at the end for the next book that I did not expect and were exciting to read.

I will definitely be picking up the next book to find out what happens and although it was not perfect, I definitely feel like it was a story that was a fun read.

BOOKS | Review: The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

Name: The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic series #1)

Author: India Holton

Publisher: Penguin

Date published: July 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical, comedy, cosy, mystery

Pages: 361

Rating: 5/5

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon.

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals.

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else - for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.

- From Goodreads.

The two main characters in this book had wonderful chemistry and the attraction between them felt very real, you could really get lost in the moment with them. I loved that they obviously really liked each other from the moment they met but their connection became deeper over the course of the book and they came to admit it to themselves and to each other by the end. It was very sweet and endearing. It made both of the characters even more loveable.

Both characters had different personalities but they fit so well together and both were sympathetic and understandable and I enjoyed reading from both their perspectives.

It was very cleverly written, with meta jokes about romantic comedies and about the time period it was set in, and I liked the general silliness and goofiness of the tone of the story, but it was also balanced well with more sincere and touching romantic moments.

The world was very interesting with all the different magical birds which I thought were so fascinating and creative. I would have loved to learn more so hopefully in future books we will see the world expanded.

I would definitely recommend reading this if you enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, they both have the brilliant sense of humour and academia in a whimsical fantasy setting along with a perfect romance. I would also recommend if you enjoyed Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater as this was also a great historical romance with excellent humour where the characters had to deal with the rules of society.

BOOKS | Review: The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison

Name: The Grief of Stones (The Cemeteries of Amalo series #2, The Chronicles of Osreth series #3)

Author: Katherine Addison

Publisher: Solaris

Date published: July 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, mystery, steampunk

Pages: 330

Rating: 5/5

Celehar’s life as the Witness for the Dead of Amalo grows less isolated as his circle of friends grows larger. He has been given an apprentice to teach, and he has stumbled over a scandal of the city - the foundling girls. Orphans with no family to claim them and no funds to buy an apprenticeship. Foundling boys go to the Prelacies; foundling girls are sold into service, or worse.

At once touching and shattering, Celehar’s witnessing for one of these girls will lead him into the depths of his own losses. The love of his friends will lead him out again.

- From Goodreads.

Thara was once again a great choice for narrator in this book, he is a very sympathetic character and you understand his point of view as well as his friends', and he is great at describing what is happening around him. He has good judgement and a wonderful heart.

It was lovely to see his friendships grow with people like Anora and to see him find new friendships with people like his apprentice and to see him admit to actually wanting to stay in Amalo. When we first met him in The Goblin Emperor he was such a lost and lonely character, so sad and heartbroken, and now he's starting to find his place. He's still got a lot to struggle with and in this book he faces more events that brought him heartbreak, but he definitely doesn't have to face it alone anymore.

My favourite relationship in the book is definitely his with Iana, how much the two of them clearly care about each other, how careful they are about respecting each other but how there also always seems the possibility of something more, it's so sweet and tender.

The book was also good at dealing with multiple mysteries and all of them linking together to create a satisfying ending and keep up an exciting pace that made you want to keep reading. I have found this is true throughout all of the books in the world of The Goblin Emperor and I think it shows that Katherine Addison is a very skilled writer, and I look forward to any further books that build on this world and show us more of it.

BOOKS | Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Name: Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Publisher: Magpie Books (Harper Collins)

Date published: April 2023

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

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish - into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

- From Goodreads.

This was a very dramatic and compelling story that kept me invested all the way to the end. I liked that the story took you on quite a journey and the setting was often changing and the characters had a lot of opportunity to learn and grow and change.

Roman and Iris were wonderful main characters, both had a lot of depth, a lot going on in each of their lives that pulled at your heart and made you feel for them, and you could see why they would be drawn together despite their initial rivalry and begin to have such an intense and meaningful connection that I really loved.

I thought the world was so interesting and the way it was built and all the ideas put into it were so creative. The idea of the gods fighting a war but using the humans to do it and it also being set in a time equivalent to something between World War One and Two in our world was quite clever because it brought together something so ancient and powerful as the gods but in almost a modern setting. I thought the war scenes were described very well, you could feel how terrifying it was to be in the middle of all the destruction and how heartbreaking it was to be surrounded by all the loss.

Overall, it was a really incredible book that I was really happy to have enjoyed so much. I was devastated by the ending so I will have to pick up the sequel soon to find out what happens next!

BOOKS | Review: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

Name: The Wishing Game

Author: Meg Shaffer

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

Date published: 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, contemporary, mystery, books about books

Pages: 283

Rating: 4/5

Make a wish...
Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.
But be careful what you wish for...
Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.
For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.
... You might just get it.

- From Goodreads.

This story was whimsical and delightful but also able to deal with some darker and more emotional themes. Anyone sensitive to themes around childhood abuse and neglect may want to tread carefully with this book as it is a big theme. The foster system and adoption are also mentioned because of Lucy's struggle to adopt Christopher, and there is a lot of discussion in general of the terrible things children can go through. Lucy's sister is ill throughout their childhood so that is also something that is dealt with. As well as that, and this is something that does not happen to any of the main characters, and it is just mentioned in backstory as happening to a child that one of the characters knew, but there are mentions of sexual abuse and the death of a child. I thought it was all dealt with well and with sensitivity and thoughtfulness but these things can effect everyone differently so you may just need to consider your own tolerance levels to these topics when picking up this book.

I liked the concept of the book in general, the idea of the eccentric author of a fantasy series actually living on an island like the one from his books and inviting people there to take part in a game also as from his books was a lot of fun and entertaining to read. 

I really loved the romance in the book. Hugo and Lucy were really sweet together and it was lovely to see them open up to each other and understand each other. I think it would have been nice to get a little more focus on their romance towards the end, maybe a scene or two more with just the two of them, but overall I was really happy with how their story ended.

The only other thing I thought could have been improved was that some of the side characters and minor characters did not feel completely fully rounded out and like they needed a little more development to feel more like real people. They were not completely flat, I think they just needed a little more work to feel like they were not just waiting in the background until they were necessary. All of the main characters felt fully developed though, all of them were interesting and I was happy to follow their journey through the book.

Overall, while it was not perfect, I still enjoyed the book a lot, I thought it was very wholesome and had a great message to it. I might pick up another book from the author in the future if she writes a similar romance.

BOOKS | Review: Upon a Frosted Star by M.A. Kuzniar

Name: Upon a Frosted Star

Author: M.A. Kuzniar

Publisher: HQ (HarperCollins) 

Date published: September 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, historical, fairy tales, retellings

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5

This review contains major spoilers.

When the snow falls, she will be free...
The invitations always arrive the same way - without warning, appearing around the city on the first snowfall of the year, simply inscribed with 'Tonight.'
When struggling artist, Forster, finds an invitation, he's bewitched by the magic of the evening, swept up in the glamour of this notorious annual party and intrigued as to who is behind them.
Determined to find out more about the mysterious host, Forster discovers an abandoned manor house silent with secrets and a cursed woman who is desparate to be free...

- From Goodreads.

Upon a Frosted Star had all the magical atmosphere, whimsical fairytale elements and beautiful descriptions that Midnight in Everwood had, but with a unique set of characters, different plot structure and new setting. I think you could enjoy this if, like me, you loved the previous book, and will find yourself swept away in a completely new story too. It will depend though on how you like sad endings as to whether you like the ending of this book. Personally they are not usually for me and I do not think this one was either, but I do not think it reflects badly on the book, it will just be a matter of personal preference. Obviously if you know the story of Swan Lake you might be able to see the way the story is going, I was just not sure after Midnight in Everwood had such a hopeful ending if this book might take a more romantic story approach rather than a tragic tale, but it did not in the end.

However, there was a brief mention of Marietta from Everwood and what happened to her after her book that made me very happy to see and I was glad we got to have that.

Other than being conflicted by the ending, I thought the rest of the book was very well written. The characters were full of life and loveable, the romance was beautiful and full of yearning and tenderness. I thought the mystery was very suspenseful and kept me intrigued to the end, so I mostly enjoyed reading the story apart from being so nervous for the characters and what was going to happen to them of course. I am just not sure I would read it again because of the ending. I still adore Midnight in Everwood though and would definitely give another book from the author a chance.

BOOKS | Review: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Name: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde series #2)

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: January 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, historical, fantasy, fairy tales, mythology, folklore, cosy fantasy

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore - she just wrote the world’s first comprehensive encylopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Folk on her adventures... and also from her fellow scholar and former rival, Wendell Bambleby.
Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, and in search of a door back to his realm. So despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of marriage. Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and danger.
And she also has a new project to focus on: a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by Bambleby’s mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambley’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.
But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors, and of her own heart.

- From Goodreads.

I really enjoyed how this book expanded the world building that was started in the first one. We got to see more of both the mortal world and the faerie realms and there was so much detail in the descriptions and in the history and backstories, it felt very real. I loved the way the faerie realms had to be described differently to the mortal world and sometimes Emily did not even have the words for them, it really gave the sense that it was something otherworldly and almost incomprehensible to humans, too beautiful to witness.

The romance was so sweet and affectionate. I loved how clearly Wendell adored Emily and how Emily tried to be brave when taking steps in their relationship. I think they were both good for each other and helped each other grow. I loved that Emily was quite honest with herself and so her relationship with Wendell was quite open and honest too and they told each other how they were feeling. Reading them together was just very enjoyable as they could be both lighthearted and humorous and also serious and romantic and I think both sides to them were written very well.

I think it was a great sequel to the first book, the author was able to continue writing in both Emily and Wendell's voices well and I will definitely be reading the next book as I am very much looking forward to finding out what happens next on their adventures.