Book Review: The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

 The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone for the advance reader copy of The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden for an honest review.

The Warm Hands of Ghost is set during The Great War and follows main character Laura Iven a combat nurse who was wounded and medically discharged as she returns to the front to search for her brother who see believes to be dead despite odd signs otherwise.

She is sent Freddie's personal effects despite him being lost in the trenches could something more be going on here.

Meanwhile the other part of the book is told from Freddie's perspective and leads up to that fateful day when he is trapped in a pillbox only to form an alliance with a German soldier Hans Winter. Both escape their peril only to be met with a strange hotelier who offers soldiers oblivion.

Not my usual type of read but Katherine Arden has a way with taking historical fiction or tales from folklore and adding elements of magic throughout that keep you captivated till the end.

I enjoyed the dual perspective of the story leading from the past from Freddie's point of view and the current time from Laura's point of view and how the two story lines came to merge together.

As with The Bear and the Nightingale series this is another captivating read from Arden that is one to add to your to be read list. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Tithe by Holly Black

 Book Review: Tithe by Holly Black

Thank you to Bolinda Audio and Netgalley for the access to the Audiobook of Tithe for an honest review.

Tithe follows 16 year old Kaye who travels from city to city with her mothers rock band until an attack forces her back to her childhood home.

There Kaye somehow finds herself an unwilling pawn in the war between two faerie kingdoms.

As a massive fan of The Cruel Prince I was really excited to listen to this story which seemed from the similar realm however I fear it wasn't really one for me.

The audio and narration were all really well done however the story itself just didn't capture my interest like Holly Black's other books do.

Maybe as this story is marketed too a YA audience and is abit on the shorter side. I just didn't feel like the characters were fleshed out enough to be discernable to the point where if I lost track of the Audiobook I would then become unsure who was who and how they related to the main character.

Not one for me sadly but the audio was very well done. 

Thanks for Reading! 

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!