Book Review: City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer

City of Nightmares by Rebecca Shaeffer

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC of City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer.

The book follows Ness who has been terrified of Nightmares ever since her sister became a man eating spider and slaughtered their father and others. In Newham dreaming means waking up as your worst fear, this could be becoming an actual monster or just waking up to look like one.

Ness does not want to be a victim so she joins the Friends of the Restful Soul an organisation that may be a cult.

After a job gone wrong Ness needs to prove herself worthy to remain so she takes a job delivering the post via boat. This however blows up in her face quite literally. After the boat is targeted by an assassination attempt Ness is one of the only survivors along with a boy who is a living nightmare. They must work together to uncover the sinister truth and return back to Newham, but can Ness get over her fear of Nightmares and work together with this boy?

I really loved the premise of the book it was a refreshing idea and the story was executed very well! I enjoyed follow Ness's character arc and her bond with her best friend Priya. It was refreshing that as the main heroine in the book Ness is flawed and working through her past trauma to overcome her fear of nightmares.

Helping her to do this is Cy's character who became a vampire via nightmare because his father is one and he did not want to be his father.

This book had lots of good twists and turns. The setting was great reminiscent of Gotham and the monsters ad nightmares were pure chaos you didn't know what would be faced or appear next.

A well crafted fantasy story that I would recommend everyone read, it was a refreshingly different take on the trope of dreams affecting real life and it was highly enjoyable.

The ending leaves the book open to a sequel and I look forward to seeing what comes next in this series.

Thank you again to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the advance reader copy for an honest review.

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the advance Reader copy of this book.

The story follows Cambridge professor Emily Wilde a genius and scholar intent on writing the world's first encyclopaedia of fairy lore. Her research takes herself and her dog Shadow to the village of Hrafnsvik. Despite being a scholar Emily is not good with people and does not intend to befriend the townsfolk. Unfortunately her academic rival Wendell Bambleby arrives into town, he manages to charm the townsfolk and get right in the middle of her research.

While studying the secrets of the Hidden Ones (the most elusive of all faeries) in the forest outside of town. She finds herself being drawn also to uncover the mystery of Wendell Bambleby and what he really wants.

I wasn't sure if this book was for me on reading the synopsis but reading the arc completely changed my mind I absolutely loved it.

The book itself is set out in a diary or journal format where Emily is keeping notes of her research and finds in Hrafnsvik. This format made the book itself a quick and engaging read with short chapters or diary entries.

The slow burn dynamic between Emily and Wendells characters works really well with a ton of clever dialogue. You can't help but have a complete soft spot for Wendell throughout the whole story he is definitely a loveable rouge type character. He was definitely my favourite character.

I thought I was done with my faeire fantasy fiction phase but this book just dropped me straight back into it. This story it one I would recommend for fans of The Cruel Prince or Namomi Noviks work. 

Overall this was an incredibly heartwarming and cosy read that reminded me a tad of watching a comfort show or a Studio Ghibli film. I would definitely recommend giving this a read and I will be looking out for more of Heather Fawcett's work. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

Thank you to Netgalley and Legend Press for the Advance Reader Copy of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six for an honest review.

This story follows three couples who rent a luxury isolated cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway. Hannah's tech brother Mako has rented out this cabin for friends and family for a relaxing weekend away as a birthday gift to her. Joining them are Mako's wife Liza, Hannah's husband Bruce, their best friend Cricket and her boyfriend Joshua.

Unbeknownst to everyone this dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare.

Unfortunately for me this book didn't quite hit the mark while it was a quick and easy read it felt more like reading two stories in one. These separate plot lines do link up eventually but there is a lot of jumping back and forth which took me out of the story quite abit.

As well as this the main story we are following is based at the cabin however everything happens on the first night with little build up, there isn't much too this weekend break which if you read the synopsis seems to be the whole point of the book.

This also means we meet the characters but there is very little character building to some of the side characters which made the story lack a little depth. This is probably due to the fact that we are following this alternate storyline with a character called Henry who's mom was murdered at a young age leaving him an orphan. Over time Henry starts researching his family to learn where he comes from and stumbles across many partially related family members who are being murdered one by one.

It made sense to have this alternate storyline otherwise the whole premise of the book and the motive would not make any sense and I feel Henry's character was much more developed but this is due to the fact that the parts of the story relating to him focus on him solely. While with the rest of the book we are trying to get to know 6 other main characters.

Overall this was an easy read, the concept of the DNA tests left for everyone at Christmas was an interesting plot point however who left them for everyone ncad why is never fully resolved. The title had all the makings of a good thriller story but in many aspects the book just felt a bit rushed and lacking in depth.

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard

Thank you to Netgalley and Daphne Press for the advance reader copy of The Luminaries by Susan Dennard.

I have to start by saying that I really enjoyed this book, the story gave me a lot of nostalgia for the 2014 dystopian era when the Hunger Games and Divergent were incredibly popular.

The Luminaries are an ancient order who protect the town of Hemlock Falls from the monsters and nightmares that are in the forest. The book follows Winnie Wednesday who wants nothing more to join the Luminaries and become a hunter like her mother and grandmother before. 

Unfortunately Winnie's family are outcasts after her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor. However on her 16th birthday she can take the luminary hunter trials to restore her family's name. 

Winnie enlists the help of ex best friend Jay Friday to train her to survive. However the two uncover a dangerous new nightmare in the forest that no one has ever seen before one that can traverse all the boundaries put into place and does not fit the rules of any of the nightmares they know of. 

I really enjoyed the concept of this book, the writing style was easy to follow meaning I completed it in a few days when I did happen to sit down to read. The story was well paced and the characters were likeable. The ending while a little lackluster (I was hoping for a larger cliffhanger or reveal than what we received) sets the story up well for a sequel. This I will definitely read as there are many questions and theories I have that have been left unanswered. 

Overall if you are a fan of the dystopian/fantasy type genre this was a really fun read with a new take on an old concept. As mentioned above I really enjoyed the themes that reminded me of the dystopian YA era of reading. I would definitely recommend giving this book a read. 

Travel Bucket List

If you are new to my blog let me introduce you to my love for travel! I love visiting new countries, experiencing new cultures and seeing all the wonderful sights on offer. I wanted to share with you my current travel bucket list with all the countries that I currently would love to travel too! Here is my list:

Singapore

While this one is on the bucket list a trip has been booked to Singapore linked with a trip to Thailand. I am so excited to see the amazing sites of this wonderful country. Part of our plans include visiting the Bay Gardens to see the Super Trees, the Cloud Forest with a one night stay at Marina Bay Sands with access to that famous infinity pool. 

Bangkok, Khao Sok and Phuket, Thailand

Linked with our Singapore trip we will be visiting the above locations in Thailand. Visiting this country has been a bucket list dream for years! Other than the destinations the only specific plan that we have booked is to visit the Elephant Hills in Khao Sok, here we get to meet and feed the elephants with a mixture of jungle trekking and canoeing. Other than that we are looking forward to lots of temple visits, good food and sandy island beaches with maybe a visit to the Phi Phi Islands from Phuket.

Marrakech, Morocco 

Marrakech is another destination that has been on the list for a while with a cancelled trip in 2021 due to Covid. We have rebooked this for 2023 over my 30th birthday and I am incredibly excited to wander the Souks, have a day trip to Essouria, visit the Atlas Mountains and the desert.

Copenhagen, Denmark / Malmo, Sweden

Copenhagen was a trip that is also going to be rearranged after being cancelled due to the pandemic, hopefully for 2023. I am going to be visiting here with one of my close friends and we are planning on having a day trip over to Malmo in Sweden.

Germany

One country that I have never been to is Germany which as it is such a short flight from the UK needs to be remedied. High on my list are Berlin, Stuttgart or Munich. I would be happy to visit any of the three and immerse myself in the culture and history that this country is rich with.

Switzerland

We hope to link a trip to Germany and Switzerland together due to the countries sharing a border. I would love to see the views of the alps and visit the major cities like Zurich or Geneva to get a real feel for the country.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is a picturesque city in Belgium perfect for a small weekend getaway. A great small city for wandering the cobbled streets, eating lots of good food and sampling all the Belgian chocolate that you can.

Ljublijana, Slovenia

The capital of Slovenia and one of the more recent up and coming European countries to visit. Known as a green capital with lots of green open spaces in the country that are stunning and a must visit including Tivoli Park and Lake Bled. I would love to explore this stunning country.

Riga, Latvia

A new addition to my bucket list is Riga in Latvia located in Northeastern Europe being one of the three Baltic States another city with lots of culture and good food that I would love to wander around.

Japan

Japan has been the top of my bucket list for years with cost being the only thing keeping me from going. I would love to do a tour of this country visiting Tokyo, Kyoto,  Nara and Hoikkado. There are just so many sights and experiences in this country that I want to partake in including visiting Mount Fuji, taking part in a traditional tea ceremony, experiencing the Japanese Onsens, visit all the insane shops and cafes in Tokyo. There are just so many sights that I want to see in this country and I am hoping for a 2024 visit fingers crossed.

Those are my current travel plans and wishes. Where is on your travel Bucket List? Comment below and let me know.

Thanks for Reading!

Book Review: Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder Books for the advanced reader copy of this book.

Foul Lady Fortune is a reimaging of As You Like It and follows on from the These Violent Delights Duology. Having not read These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends prior to this book I will say there are a fair few spoilers for the prior duology.

The book takes place in 1931 Shanghai following the main character Rosalind Lang who four years ago was brought back from the brink of death. However the experiment that saved her prevents her from sleeping and ageing and allows her to heal from all wounds. 

With these new abilities and desperate for redemption from her past she becomes an assassin for her country with the codename Fortune. 

As a series of murders starts to cause unrest in Shanghai with suspicion surrounding the Japanese Imperial Army Rosalind has a new mission. To infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot. To do this she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy Orion Hong. Both have clashing personalities and secrets of their own that they want to keep buried. 

I must admit I did struggle with the first half of this book and it was not the writing I believe it was because this isn't the usual type of genre that I read. However by the second half of the book I was caught up in the twists and turns of the plot. 

Regarding the characters I found it difficult to care for some of them as they seem very much sidelined. Maybe if I had read the prior books I would already have a bit more background on these characters and a vested interest. My main interest in this book was the interaction and banter between Rosalind and Orion's characters and I found these parts of the story the most enjoyable.

The book ended with many twists that seemed to appear out of nowhere ncad while I enjoyed these twists I feel they could have been built up more rather than just being dropped in at the end. Maybe the second book in this series will build up more of a background on these reveals.

While I enjoyed this book overall it would not be one I rush to read again anytime soon. However I would be willing to give the sequel a chance to see if strengthens the twists in the first book with more background.

Thanks For Reading!