Book Review: The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

 Book Review: The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Thank you to Bonnier Books UK and Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Invocations for an honest review.

The Invocations follows three different women each with a different goal.

Zara Jones wants to learn magic to resurrect her murdered sister. She will do whatever it takes to get her back.

Jude Wolf has dabbled in magic in the past and unintentionally cursed herself after a deal with a demon that went wrong. This is turning her soul necrotic and she needs a witch to help her remove the invocation.

Finally there is Emer Bryne the Witch and solution to both of their problems. Emer gives spells to desperate women in need however these women are being murdered one by one by a serial killer in a similar manner to how her family were murdered when she was a child.

Together the three of them team up to find the serial killer and stop whoever they are.

I love Krystal Sutherlands books this and House of Hollow have been two very well crafted and unique reads.

The book is told from three different perspectives but these all come together perfectly to tell the story. Every character had their own clear voice and personality and everyone's back story was well crafted and added in.

Another wonderful book by Sutherland and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands

 Book Review: Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for the advance reader copy of Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands for  an honest review.

After the first book I was incredibly excited to read the sequel and I am happy to say it did not disappoint.

In this book mysterious faeries from other realms are appearing at Emily's university and she must uncover the secret to find the way back to Bambley's realms. Wendell Bambleby the exiled faerie king part of the reason Emily has yet to accept his proposal.

With her encyclopaedia published she has a new project a map of the otherlands. While sorting this research Bambley lands her in yet more trouble when assassin's appear at the university.

This leads them on another adventure trying to find the door to his realm, the only issue the last researcher who searched for these doors and tried to uncover them disappeared years ago.

I would go as far to say that this book was better than the first one and I really enjoyed that story.

This book gave a perfect balance in the story between fast paced elements in the faerie realm and slower more cosy researching in the alps. Emily and Wendell's romance is more prominent in this book but it doesn't overtake the plot. We are also introduced to various new side characters and these are well built into the plot.

This book has action straight from the beginning and kept me hooked until the end. I finished it in a couple of days.

For fans of the first book you will definitely enjoy this sequel. The ending also leaves room for a third book in the series and following this book I really hope we get a third book in the series.

I would 100% recommend both this book and the first book in the series. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: What The River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

What The River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder Books for the advance reader copy of What the River Knows for an honest review.

Inez Olivia belongs to the upper society of Buenos Aires she lives with her aunt as her parents are away for half of each year in Egypt.

When word reaches her of their shock death she runs off and makes her way to Egypt to question her uncle and learn more about what really happened to them.

Only on arrival he wants her to head straight back home and sends his assistant Whit to send her back.

What they don't count on is Inez doing everything in her power to stay. She learns of their expedition to Egypt and stows away on their ship to learn more about their expedition and ultimately her parents.

Overall I really enjoyed this book I loved the writing style it really captured my attention and made me feel like I was seeing the same sights as the characters.

I really liked Inez as a character from her brazeness and determination. I also really enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope between her and Whit.

However the book had so many twists and turns and betrayals it is clearly open for a sequel and I need to read this following that shock ending.

I highly recommend this book. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

 The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

Thank you to Hodder Books and Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The City of Stardust for an honest review.

The City of Stardust follows Violet Everley whose mother vanished in the middle of the night to break the curse that is on their family.

Every generation of the family is destined to lost their best and brightest to a woman named Penelope who never forgives a debt or ages or sickens.

As Violet grows up she aims to finish what her mother started and find a way to break the curse. To do this she must make her way through a magical underworld full of scholars, Gods and monsters aiming for the City of Stardust where their story began.

This was an enchanting read I could not put it down. It was really well crafted and the writing made me feel like I was in the magical worlds being described.

The world building was very unique and the magical aspects were intriguinging. Definitely one that book lovers would enjoy!

Violets character was well written and I found myself routing for her all the way through the plot. The ending wrapped most things up nicely as a standalone. However I hope we get more fantastical stories from this author soon.

My only minor critique would be wanting to know abit more of Marianne her mothers story. I know her fate is heavily implied in that she is stuck in another world and cannot return but I felt I wanted abit more closure from that after all the searching and the mystery.

Overall a solid debut story and one I would recommend to read. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

 Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the Advance Reader copy of Threads That Bind for an honest review.

Threads That Bind follows Io one of the three Ora Sisters each descendents of the Fates and blessed with a different gift. One to weave, one to draw and one to cut the threads that connect people to things they love and to life itself.

Io is a private investigator in Alante and her latest job leads to an unpleasant discovery, women are being abducted and their life threads are being maimed turning them into wraiths wreaking havoc in the city.

She is hired by the city's famous mob queen to work alongside her right hand Edei Rhuna who she just so happens to share a fate thread linking them as soul mates.

However things get personal when Io's main suspect happens to be her older sisters new fiance. Io must unravel all the dark secrets of the city before it is too late.

Firstly I found this book to be such an original idea and concept. The whole magic and world building was quite unique and original and that drew me into wanting to read the book.

The story had me gripped throughout with the twists and turns that the plot takes. There were so many subplots running alongside the main plot that added to the world building and gave us an insight into the main characters development. I felt this stories wove together really well and that the plot was well crafted.

Io was an interesting character to follow and her growth in self confidence was well written throughout the plot.

The ending left us with such a cliffhanger after a big reveal and I guess now I will have to wait to get my hands on book two.

A really well written enjoyable read! 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: If I Have To Be Haunted by Miranda Sun

 If I Have To Be Haunted by Miranda Sun

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance reader copy of this book for an honest review.

The story follows Cara Tang who has ghost speaking powers but doesn't want to be haunted. Particularly because her overbearing mother does not want her talking to ghosts and wants her to surpress her power and be the perfect daughter.

Cara keeps getting into fights with the local golden boy Zacharias Coleson who irritates her incredibly. Then she stumbles across Zach's dead body in the woods and she is the only one who can see and save him.

With the help of her grandmother who also happens to be a ghost she agrees to help resurrect Zach putting her at odds with her mother. Cara and Zach travel together into the liminal world relying on each other to survive and Cara starts to think she might not hate Zach as much as she first thought.

I started this book and initially I wasn't sure it was for me I felt abit older than the demographic this seemed aimed at. However once the characters entered the liminal world I felt a bit more invested in the story and seeing how it turned out and that turned this from a 3 to a 3.5 star for me.

The perfect cosy fall read ready for Halloween for those who like spooky but not too spooky.

I enjoyed some of the magical elements throughout this story however there were aspects that seemed to wrap up far too easily for the characters. Again though this could be the fact that I am older than the demographic for this book.

Overall I found this an enjoyable cosy read and would recommend this for a fall read. 

Thanks for Reading!