Hotel - Myconian Korali
For our stay in Mykonos we picked the Myconian Korali Hotel, this hotel is rated 5 stars and the service did not disappoint. You are taken care of from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. The hotel upgraded our room free of charge to a Rinia with a balcony and side sea view. This room was spacious and very modern with a bathroom intergrated into the large room with two mirrors and sinks and a giant freestanding bath.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Titan books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This books was described as Cinder meets Sailor Moon a book and a series that I love! Sign me up!
Zhara Guardians of the Dawn follows Jim Zhara born with powers that she does not know how to control and forced to hide them as magic is forbidden in the morning realms. Magicians are called abominations and are sentenced to death.
The only person who knows about Zhara's magic is her stepmother and she has to bow to her every whim caring for her blind younger sister.
However there are whispers of monsters in the marsh re-emerging and a chance encounter with a young man named Han introduces Zhara to the Guardians of the Dawn, a secret magical liberation society.
Together they discover a secret magical plague that is corrupting the magicians of Zanhei. Zhara must come to terms with her powers and unleash the warrior within to restore harmony.
I will start by saying there were many aspects of this story that I found enjoyable. The numerous nods towards Sailor Moon gave me much joy, I really enjoyed the plot of the book and felt the characters were well fleshed out.
The reason however for my lower score is that the book read abit more juvenile than I expected it too and I must admit the nicknames they two main love interests used made me cringe and I got abit sick of reading them.
Those things aside this story was enjoyable and I didn't struggle to finish it at all. I would be intrigued to read the sequel but I believe I might not be the right age demographic.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Cornerstone for the advance reader copy for an honest review.
My Roommate is a vampire follows Cassie Greenburg a struggling artist in dire need of a place to live. She stumbles across an advert on Craigslist for a roommate in an incredibly reasonably priced apartment.
The apartment belongs to the incredibly good looking Frederick J Fitzwilliam who works nights and sleeps all day.
What could be the catch? Turns out that Frederick is a vampire. Recently awoken from a long coma who needs help reacclimatising to the 21st century.
This is a light and fluffy easy romance book. I got through this very quickly and felt it had a lot of sweet and funny moments that gave the story it's charm.
The only issue I felt was that the main hurdle in the story was resolved very quickly and easily. I think that might have been the aim of the book hut it felt a little anti climactic to me.
However overall if your looking for an easy spooky read for the autumn time this book is one I would recommend.
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.
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.
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.
