Book Review: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraboty

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi for an honest review.

The story follows Amina al-Sirafi one of the Indian Ocean's most notorious pirates. After a long scandalous career, several husbands and a demon she has retired to a life of motherhood.

That is until she is tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of one of her former crewman. She offers her a large sum of money to rescue her old crewmans kidnapped daughter. The money will secure her family's future forever.

Unfortunately there is more to this job and the girl's disappearance than meets the eye.

I was unsure at first if this story was going to be my thing but I was pleasantly surprised.

This story was unlike any other fiction I have previously read and felt an incredibly original premise. A female pirate in her forties, monsters, magical artifacts, demons, an evil sorceror, sea creatures from the depths. You name it this story probably ticked it off.

I loved Amina as a character strong resourceful and brash but with a deeper caring side for her crew and it was fascinating seeing her connect more and more to her Muslim faith.

I felt the characters in her crew were all well established with distinct personalities and it would be good to have them devolped further in future books. 

I also felt the book handled an issue of gender identity well. 

While the start may have dragged slightly once I got into the plot it was a fantastic tale with many twists and turns. 

I am looking forward to the next book in the series and will definitely be reading it. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

 The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan books for the opportunity to read The Trees Grew Because I Bled There for an honest review.

This book comprises of 8 dark literary stories that are meant to explore the dark side of love, tales of grief, obsession and control. 

The stories range from online posts that chronicle a cancer diagnosis to a toxic relationship with a terrifying consequence.

What can I say about this book other than it did what it was meant to do. I felt all of the emotions while reading this collection of stories from grief to disgust or horror.

Eric LaRocca exceeds at writing painful, uncomfortable and unsettling stories of horror and darkness.

A great collection of short stories for an horror or indie horror fan. The stories certainly left me with a lot to think about and a lot of different emotions which I believe was the intention so bravo to Eric LaRocca these short stories had the right impact. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

 Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy of this book for an honest review.

Spice Road follows Imani who is a shield in the hidden desert city of Qalia. She has an affinity magic for iron which is awakened by secret spice magic in misra tea. She helps to battle the monsters that lurk beyond the city limits.

Unfortunately her brother has tarnished their family name after stealing the spice and disappearing soon after believed to be dead.

When Imani uncovers evidence that her brother is alive and sharing the magic spice with outsiders she strikes a deal for his return back to Qalia with the council. One issue she has a djinni bound to her sword name Qayn and she is to be accompanied by Taha a power shield who is quite arrogant.

Can Imani complete this mission without being uncovered and bring her brother back safely from beyond the forbidden wastes?

I wasn't sure this book was for me at first but as I got more involved in the plot and learnt more about the characters I became hooked.

While not a massive fan of the romance the book is pushing and the dynamic between Imani and Qayn, I did however love the premise of the magic and the world building.

Maiya Ibrahim did a good job of keeping up the interest in the story with the twists and turns and cliff hangers.

One issue I did have was when characters left the plot and in this book at least we don't find out their fate. Maybe this will be covered in the sequel? Also the introduction of a few characters to aid the plot but then removing them moments later.

However this is only a small gripe that might be further fleshed out in the sequel. Overall I found this a compelling and enjoyable read, great for fantasy lovers. My Fairyloot edition has just arrived and it is stunning!

Looking forward to the sequel! 

Thanks For Reading! 

Book Review: Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the advance reader copy of Godkiller for an honest review.

The books follows main character Kissen who kills Gods for a living following her family being killed by a god when she was a child. She enjoys her job until she finds a god that she cannot kill a god of white lies Skediceth who is connected to a noble girl.

We also have the perspective of Elogast who fought in the god war and purged a city of thousands of shrines. A request from the king sends him back to the city he destroyed.

The two paths cross and neither can find out the others secret.

An easy read with just over 300 pages and an interesting concept. The book has a lot of different representation from LGBTQ to disabilities which I thought was a very good aspect.

However the book shifts through the perspectives of the four main characters and I felt at times this affected the pacing and my interest as there were a couple of character perspectives I found less interesting than the others. It took me far longer to finish/get into the book than it should have.

Overall I enjoyed the premise of the story and I would give the second book a chance, however due to so many shifting perspectives I found it difficult to keep up interest in the story. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the advance copy of this book to read for an honest review.

The story follows Princess Annika who has lived a life of comfort but it isn't hers to control. Her father the king has gone cold and is forcing Annika into a loveless marriage for the kingdoms gain.

On the opposite side of the coin Lennox lives miles away devoted to the Dahrainian army working to help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. The idea of love to him is merely a distraction.

However when love finds them both they are bound by its call. From two completely different worlds they couldn't possibly be together but love will not let them stay apart.

I was a massive fan of the Selection series so jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of this book.

A classic enemies to lovers trope executed well into an easy read I got through the book quite quickly on holiday.

However I fear I may have grown abit too old now for these types of stories despite my nostalgia for the selection books.

It was all abit too much of a cliche to me with some very cheesy elements and lines in the story. Major plot arcs and losses are forgiven very quickly giving this almost a Disney film type feel as it is all in the name of love. This just felt abit unrealistic to me however the story was an easy read and if I could suspend that critical thinking enjoyable hence the 3 stars.

I just feel I may no longer be in the age ranged demographic for this type of fiction anymore. I'm sure if you are a young adult this would be an enjoyable read.

Thanks For Reading! 

Book Review: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

 The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride to read for an honest review.

The story revolves around the mysterious woman Indigo Maxwell-Castenada her story told through her Bridegroom, he a scholar of myths. They exchanged gifts and stories of the otherworld with one promise he would never pry into Indigos past.

However when Indigos estranged aunt is dying the couple are forced to return to the House of Dreams. Here the Bridegroom is unable to resist delving into her past. In the house lurks the shadows of another girl Azure, Indigos childhood best friend who disappeared. As the house reveals its secrets the Bridegroom will be forced to choose between the fantasy and the reality of his marriage.

The story started off abit hard to get into for me but once I got further into the story I was hooked.

Roshani Chokshi has a poetic and haunting way of writing. This book reads as a gothic fairytale and is beautifully crafted.

I loved the inclusion of all the myths and fairytales shared to explain different elements of the story and I was caught up in the chapters from Azures point of view.

A haunting and fascinating read perfect for lovers of gothic fiction. 

Thanks For Reading! 

Krakow: Krakus Mound

Krakus Mound, Krakow

Looking for the best panoramic view in Krakow? Look no further than the Krakus mound! While this mound is a fair walk around 3km outside of the centre located in the Podgorze district of Krakow Poland.

The history behind this mound is that it is thought to be the resting place of Krakow's mythical founder the legendary King Krakus. The Krakus Mound is one of Krakow's two prehistoric mounds and the oldest man made structure in Krakow.

It was was quite an easy slow incline walk up to the top definitely not a hard walking hike and the views really did pay off. We sat up here for a while snapping a few pictures and then just soaking in the view and living in the moment.

Please enjoy a few of my snapshots from this viewpoint and if you are visiting Krakow anytime soon definitely tick this view point off of your list.

Thanks for Reading!

Thanks for Reading!

Paris: Notre Dame

The Notre Dame 

One of the sights I was most looking forward to seeing during my trip to Paris was the Notre Dame. After seeing it in photos online over the years I just knew that I wanted to see this stunning bit of architectural history in person.

The day we were there it was amazingly sunny and incredibly busy we opted to go inside and to also pay for tickets to go up to the top to admire the views over the city. We were incredibly lucky getting tickets for this and managed to get the last few so if you are visiting and want to go up to the towers it is always best to book this in advance particularly during the Summer months. 

The Cathedral and its stained glass windows were stunning to view inside and out, as you can tell this trip was a while ago now and I was devastated by the news that the Cathedral had gone up in flames in the April of last year. This building is certainly one of the first architectural sites I think of when I think of Paris and it is a devastating that the history of the building has been lost.

Here's hoping that the reconstruction saves what is left of this once amazing monument so that future generations can have the chance to see this building in person.

The views from the top of the cathedral were fully worth the cost to go up and once this hopefully reopens in 2024 this is a sight I would eefinitely recommend visiting if you are in Paris.

Below are a few of my images from the top of the Notre Dame.

Thanks for Reading!

Book Review: Unraveller Audiobook by Frances Hardinge

Unraveller Audiobook by Frances Hardinge

Thank you to Macmillan UK Audio and Netgalley for the audio book of Unraveller for an honest review.

In Kellen and Nettle's world anyone can create a life destroying curse but only one person has the power to unravel them. Not everyone is happy about this and suddenly the two are in a race against time to save themselves and others who have been touched by magic.

An original and creative YA fantasy from Frances Hardinge involving magic, curses and creatures of myth. I loved the idea of the story however the audio book felt overly long which made me loose interest. I think there was just too much crammed into the story. Too many cases of Kellan and Nettle going to different towns meeting new characters learning their stories and unravelling their curses.

As we met so many characters through these many sub-stories I found myself forgetting who was who a bit. Therefore I felt some  of this could have been cut down in the story.

That aside the narration on the audio book was very good and Hardinge's writing as usual was eloquent and captivating.

The story itself was a very creative and original idea and well worth a read or listen. I did enjoy it however I just felt there was a few too many characters and sub-stories added into this title which led to confusion and disinterest as it felt a tad repetitive. Which is why I have rated the title 3 stars. 

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao

4.5 Stars

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

Lan spends her night as a song girl in Haak'gong a city transformed by conquerors who invaded her kingdom, killed her mother and outlawed her people's magic. She is searching for anything she can find of the past trying to understand the mark burned into her arm by her mother, her last act before she died.

The mark is mysterious and untranslatable and no one else but Lan can see it. That is until a boy appears at the teahouse and saves her life one night.

Zen is a practitioner of the Last Kingdom who's magic was rumoured to be drawn from demons they communed with.

Zen can see Lan's mark and he recognises that she is a practioner with a powerful hidden ability. The mark isn't anything like he has ever seen but he knows deep in the pine forests that there is a school of practitioning masters who are planning to overthrow the Elantian regime who may have some answers.

Working together both of them have secrets that they hide and both hold great power. Fate has connected them but their destiny remains unwritten.

A fantastic start to a new fantasy series steeped in Chinese folklore. With well crafted characters and well written plot lines full of adventure and magic.

The story was fascinating and addictive until the very end. Lan and Zen are both likeable yet flawed characters both with complex backgrounds.

The aspects of Chinese mythology were woven well within the story and gave great insight into the cultures folklore.

A fantasy novel I would highly recommend reading full of many twists and turns that were not obvious and well crafted!

Thanks for Reading! 

Book Review: Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston

Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy of Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston for an honest review. 

Ava has been determined to avenge her mothers death ever since she was murdered by a vampire when she was a child. However no one has seen a vampire in years and she isn't sure she will ever find one until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where the illusions she sees cannot be anything but real. Maybe these magicians can lead her to the vampires that she has been searching for?

The magicians are part of a secret society who have true magic, power which Ava also has in her blood. They want her to join them and in return they will teach her to hunt vampires and help avenge her mother. However to do this and keep the power being offered she must take part in a deadly competition putting on the performance of her life. In this competition illusion and reality blur and the stakes are deadly. 

This book is described as Caraval meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer so I was incredibly excited to read this as Buffy is my favourite TV show and Caraval is one of my favourite book Series. 

You can 100% tell that aspects of this book were inspired by Buffy a girl discovers a power she has and needs help in training. The brooding and moody antagonistic love interest Roman gives Angel vibes. The initial love interest and friend is called Xander and the other trainee in magic who becomes her best friend is called Willow need I say more. 

Alot of the references felt very on the nose and I almost felt the book became a tad predictable because of this homage as some of the side plot lines were very similar to Buffy plots lines and this took away from the story abit for me unfortunately as it was too similar. 

This is a shame as the other aspects in the story were very unique including the whole magic system and how the magicians gain and boost their magic. As well as Ava's quest to avenge her mother and overcome her past trauma. That aside I did really enjoy the writing style and found myself being drawn into the competition and all the magical acts described and fantastical elements described. 

The main love triangle was very similar to Buffy season 1 and it was clear who Ava would end up with following that theme. The twists and reveals did keep me engaged overall and I did enjoy the writing style and the story. 

The many comparisons just made me feel like the book didn't quite hit the mark hence the 3.5 star rating. 

Overall an enjoyable YA fantasy read and a good choice if you still don't want to let go of spooky season. 

Thanks for Reading!