Book Review: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC of Bookshops & Bonedust for an honest review.

This is the prequel to Legend & Lattes and follows a younger Viv currently a mercenary with Rackham's Ravens. However things aren't going quite to plan when she is injured in battle and has to rest up to the sleepy beach town of Murk to recover.

With so much time now on her hands Viv finds herself spending time at the local bookshop with its foul mouthed owner.

However adventure isn't far away for Viv when a suspicious traveler in a gray cloak appears. Juggling that a summer fling, a gnome insistent on getting Vivs help to join Rackham's Ravens and a vast number of skeletons, things aren't quite as quiet as they seem.

This book was just as cosy as the first with a tad more action involved.

I felt this story was abit more fleshed out than Legends & Lattes and we got an insight into Viv' s backstory and her time as a mercenary but with the perfect addition of a cosy bookshop.

Travis Baldree has a way with writing a great dynamic between his characters and the world building is also really well done. You could feel like you were there inside the bookshop laughing and joking and helping tidy up.

This book was very enjoyable with good twists and it gave me that perfect cosy evening read after work.

If you enjoyed Legends & Lattes you are going to love this prequel. 

Thanks for Reading!

Book Review: Upon a Frosted Star by M. A. Kuzniar

 Upon a Frosted Star by M. A. Kuzniar

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Stories for an advance reader copy of this title for an honest review.

Upon a Frosted Star follows struggling artist Forster who finds an invitation to an evening of magic and bewitchment. He becomes determined to find out more about the mysterious host a ballerina who has overtaken his dreams.

The invitations always arrive without warning around the city to what is usually the party of the year.

However when the party is over Forster discovers an abandoned Manor house and a cursed woman who wishes to be set free.

The book is themed around Swan Lake and definitely has this vibes it kept reminding me of the swan princess film which of course was also based on Swan Lake however this gave me such joy and nostalgia.

This book is beautifully written from the characters to the magic and imagery. I could actually imagine myself within the scene from the descriptions given and the descriptions of the foods made me hungry!

I will admit initially it took me a few chapters to get into the story but once Detta was involved more and her POV was added I was hooked. 

It was interesting to see how Forster and Detta found something within each other through their art and dancing and how their relationship grew despite the curse.

A beautiful tale of first love and tragedy with an ending most wouldn't expect.

Very well crafted and I am going to read more of Kuzniar's books following this one.

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

 Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC of this book for an honest review.

Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail originally meant for the Scribe Quadrant and a quiet life among books. Until her mother the Commanding General forces her to joint the dragon rider candidates.

Only a few issues she is smaller than everyone else and her body is brittle and fragile. Dragons are known to take out the weak candidates and with fewer dragons than ever bonding most would kill for a spot. Alot would kill her just for being her mother's daughter one example being wing leader Xadan Riorson.

She going to have to use everything available to her too survive. It's either graduate or die.

Firstly the hype for this book was well deserved I loved this book it was very much a dystopian fantasy mix giving me vibes of Divergent and even Game of Thrones. However this is definitely an adult fantasy book. 

Violet is a badass and a great example of a character written with inclusivity in mind. 

Xadan is the enemies to lovers love interest who initially wants to kill Violet because her mother led to his father's death. 

The world building is well done and easy to understand and very much had a more adult version of Divergent vibe which gave me such nostalgia. 

The ending also left us with a massive cliffhanger ready for book 2.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and it fully deserves the hype it has been given well done to Rebecca Yarros. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

 Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy of Her Radiant Curse for an honest review.

Her Radiant Curse is a prequel to Six Crimson Cranes covering Ramaka or Channi's story.

Channi was made a Monster by her father's offer to sacrifice her to the Demon Witch Angma. Now cursed with the face of a serpent Channi is the opposite to her sister Vanna who is beloved. Vanna is the only person Channi trusts and who sees her as more than a Monster.

At 17 Vanna is to be married off for money and Channi is intent on preventing her getting married to some of the vulgar suitors. In doing this she gets mixed up in one suitors wrath and ends up over seas starting a battle to return to Vanna's side and protect her from the curse of the Demon Witch.

After The Dragon's Promise felt abit disjointed I was interested to read Lim's next offering and I must say this is a return to form.

Her Radiant Curse was a fantastic epic YA fantasy steeped in Asian Folklore. I was hooked on this book and couldn't stop reading.

The story was well crafted the characters were enjoyable and it gave us fantastic insight into Channi's origin. While being a prequel I wouldn't say you need to read Six Crimson Cranes first but it does give good context and there are some moments dropped in that lead you back to aspects of Six Crimson Cranes.

A fantasticly crafted story and I look forward to whatever Elizabeth Lim releases next. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Never a Monster by Vanessa Len

 Never a Monster by Vanessa Len

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy of Never a Hero to read for an honest review.

Never a Hero follows the aftermath of Only a Monster Jane has reset the timeline saving her family and destroying the hero, Nick.

However in the new world she alone remembers what happened and that there is an enemy out there. Her friend Aaron has forgotten all that happened and is now an enemy. Nick the boy she loved is a stranger who doesn't remember her.

After a deadly attack forces Joan back into the world of monsters she and Nick are on the run as fugitives with Aaron chasing after them.

On the way Nick is getting dangerously close to discovering the truth of what happened to him. Joan must gather her old allies to face the enemy and save the timeline before it is too late.

Like Only a Monster I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down.

I just love the characters and the world building fascinating with the monster world running parallel to the human world.

In this book we learn more about the enemy and what their plan was before Joan undid the hero.

While I loved the dynamic of Joan and Nick being on the run while being hunted down by the monsters I did miss the presence of Aaron this time initially at the start. Hoping he gets more time in the 3rd book!

Overall I thought the story was well crafted and that the book was such good fun a YA fantasy you could just sit down and read in one sitting. Already looking forward to the third installment! 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Twin Crowns by Katherine Webber and Catherine Doyle

 Twin Crowns by Katherine Webber and Catherine Doyle

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the audio book of this title on exchange for an honest review.

Twin Crowns follows twins Wren and Rose raised apart with only Wren having knowledge of Rose's existence. Rose is heir to the throne and is marrying for her Kingdom.

Wren has been training all her life knowing that she would one day steal her sister's place in the palace where their parents were murdered. Her aim is to rise to power to protect the Witch community that she loves.

Wren switches places with Rose who ends up in the middle of the desert with a would be kidnapper. He takes her back to the Witch community where she learns of life outside the palace walls.

As coronation day looks who will ultimately wear the crown?

Overall this book wasn't for me I wasn't sure if it was the narration, the writing or both. I honestly thought I would love this witches, fantasy and romance are some of my favourite elements however this just fell abit flat.

The story seemed often surpassed by the ongoing romances with the plot taking a back seat. So much so that I found myself losing interest and missing bits of what had happened.

The characters while well written could have blended into one abit at points as they were abit generic.

I think overall the writing just felt abit juvenile which took away from the plot for me. Maybe that means I am just not the demographic, though normally I love a good YA story.

The narration while good generally just heightened that it felt juvenile to me and was abit cringey at points. 

However I have got the sequel on order so I will give that a chance to see if I deem it any better than the first installment. Hopefully it just didn't work for me in audio form. 

Thanks For Reading!