Category: Reviews


Aug
2018

Fiction Friday: The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney

categories: Books, Reviews

The Girl BeforeThe Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“The Girl Before” tells the story of two girls in two different timelines. Both girls, Emma and Jane have experienced tragedies in their lives that led to them seeking a new place to stay. Both girls fall in love with the same beautiful house. And both girls become involved with the house’s mysterious architect.
When Jane moves in the house she soon discovers that Emma had died in the house. If Jane is making the same decisions that Emma is, does that mean that she too will meet the same end?
I really enjoyed this book. I was not sure if it was Fate or someone else leading both girls to go through the same events. This book is well-written with a very compelling plot and characters that you cannot trust. Definitely pick this up if you are a fan of thrillers.

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Jul
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

categories: Books, Reviews

AllegedlyAllegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
“Allegedly” follows Mary, a sixteen-year-old girl who is serving time for a crime that she may or may not have committed. When Mary was nine years old, she and her mother were watching over a friend’s baby. The baby died. Mary murdered her. Allegedly.
Everyone hates Mary for what she did but why would a child kill a baby?
I finished this book in one sitting and could not read fast enough. The plot was fast-paced, the writing was compelling and there was so many unexpected twists and turns. I absolutely loved every second of this book and was sorely disappointed when it was over (I have not read a book in a month and this was amazing. What am I to read next???).
This is a novel that draws you in and doesn’t let go.

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Jul
2018

Fiction Friday: Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns #0.5)

categories: Books, Reviews

The Queens of Fennbirn (Three Dark Crowns #0.5)The Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Three Dark Crowns”is one of my favourite books but also one that I have mixed feelings about. I felt like the book took too long to actually build a history around the sisters and their world. However there was no such issue with “Queens of Fennbirn”. The stories are fast-paced and impossible to put down. I waited a week before delving into this book and once I started I really regretted that. I wished that I had started this as soon as I got it. Yes, it was THAT good.
“Queens of Fennbirn” tells the story of the three queens as they grew up and were separated. From the very beginning, this has been something that interested me so it was great to see how the girls went from sisters to enemies. It was certainly not an easy journey.
The second story follows a former Queen of Fennbirn who allegedly went crazy and ordered the deaths of three innocent families.
This book was dark, compelling and a perfect way for me to return to this world. I cannot wait to go back and read “One Dark Throne”.

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Jul
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Play Dead by Harlan Coben

categories: Books, Reviews

Play DeadPlay Dead by Harlan Coben
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Laura and David are very happily married. But disaster strikes on their honeymoon when Laura leaves for a business meeting and comes back to find her husband missing. Laura is miserable but even through her grief it is clear that something is not right about David’s death. He was a strong swimmer and never would have taken the chance of swimming in rough waters. Could he have been killed and if so, why? Things get even more complicated when Laura finds money missing from David’s account and someone has been in their home while they were away on their honeymoon.
This was a mind-blowing book that kept me on my toes the entire time. I was left guessing and none of my theories even came close to the explosive ending. If you are a fan of thrillers, this is the book for you. Excellent writing, interesting characters and unpredictable plot twists. Get yourself a copy ASAP.

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Jul
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (Cruel Beauty #1)

categories: Books, Reviews

Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe, #1)Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nyx was raised to marry (and destroy) the demonic leader of her land. The Prince of Demons gives people bargains that give them what they want while destroying them in the process. Nyx and her twin sisters were the result on one such bargain. Nyx is resentful of her family for choosing her and not her weak-willed sister to marry the Prince. However she soon acccepts her fate and decides that instead of passively waiting for her new husband to kill her, she will destroy him and his strange castle first.
I devoured this book in one sitting and was left with a huge book hangover afterwards. Ignifex is oddly compelling from his very first appearance in this book to the last. I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
(NOTE: The ending is a bit flat but I was just so glad to have my HEA that I was totally okay with looking the other way)

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Jun
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton (Rebel of the Sands #3)

categories: Books, Reviews

Hero at the Fall (Rebel of the Sands, #3)Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. With most of the Rebels either imprisoned or dead, Amani needs to figure how to stop the king and she needs to do it fast. But she’s just a girl from the corner of the desert who knows nothing about war and strategy. Amani’s constant self-doubt both annoyed and surprised me (have you ever seen a main character doubt themselves? Because this book made me realize how I just automatically assume main characters know everything). It also didn’t help matters that all of Amani’s decisions kept leading the team into danger. It eventually becomes obvious that Amani really does know nothing about being a rebel. This book concluded the series brilliantly and I’m especially glad that when I read this for the first time I didn’t have a book slump (as opposed to book one and two which I had to re-read in order to enjoy it). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Binge-read this series. You won’t regret it.

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Jun
2018

Book Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (Grishaverse #3)

categories: Books, Reviews

Ruin and Rising (Grisha Verse, #3)Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I feel like everyone and their mother knows how underwhelmed I was with the first two books in this series. All Alina did was be weak or run after Mal (please can we turn this series into a drinking game? Take a shot every time Alina calls out for Mal).
However this book was a work of art. This book showed me why I love Leigh Bardugo’s writing and you get to see the kind of incredible plot twists that are visible in the Six of Crows trilogy.
Following her (failed) attempt at battle with the Darkling, Alina is incredibly weakened and more or less trapped with her Sun Summoning cult.
It isn’t long before Alina breaks free in a desperate attempt to save Rafka. A part of me just wanted to bang my head against something because OMG, have we not done this before??? Like in the last book. And the book before that. Please go marry Mal and hide in a corner of the forest because there is no way you can beat the Darkling.
But I told my snarky side to shut up and I gave this book a chance and I am so glad I did. This book was mind-blowing. I feel like the series as a whole was pretty meh but this book was an explosive finale would just made everything okay. Read this book. Even if you have to skip books 1 and 2, its okay. This book is amazing and I 110% recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy (especially since King of Scars will be out soon!)

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Jun
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton (Rebel of the Sands #2)

categories: Books, Reviews

Traitor to the Throne (Rebel of the Sands #2)Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Traitor to the Throne follows Amani’s new (and very exciting) life as a rebel. However it isn’t long before Amani is captured and sent to live with the Sultan’s harem (which is hilarious considering that she is involved with one of his sons and working for the other). What follows is a wonderfully intricate plot of deceit, betrayal and secrets. I LOVED IT ALL.
I’ve tried reading this book thrice. The first time I was just confused as it had been so long since I read “Rebel of the Sands” and I couldn’t remember most of the plot, the second time I was in a book slump and found this book painfully slow to read. I ended up reading 50 pages and then the ending (which I forgot shortly afterwards).
I finally got around to finishing it and while it did take me a few days, it was difficult for me to put it down. This was a gripping, emotional read that left me in tears.
There were so many surprises at the end that I think I’m going to need a while to process everything before I move on to Hero at the Fall. (Now that the series is complete, if you haven’t read it already DO IT!!!)

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Jun
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Legendary by Stephanie Garber (Caraval #2)

categories: Books, Reviews

Legendary (Caraval, #2)Legendary by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Picking up shortly after Caraval, Tella needs to make payment for freeing Scarlett from their awful father. The price of her freedom requires her to find Legend’s real name- something no one knows. However Tella isn’t giving up so easily and in order to get Legend’s true name, she joins the new Caraval game. Once again, everything is not as it seems and no one can be trusted. Caraval is supposed to be just a game but when everything is so real how can you tell what is reality and what is part of the game?
It was interesting getting a look at Caraval from the perspective of Tella since she’s been part of the last Caraval performance. I also enjoyed getting to know her more as a character. However Legendary seems like a retelling of Caraval just with a few minor changes. Girl looking to save family? Check. Dodgy love interest that you don’t know if you can trust? Also check. Confusing Caraval clues and games? Check. However they say if it’s not broke, don’t fix it and this formula still works for book two. This was a wonderfully compelling read which I devoured in a single reading. My only regret is that I was left with a huge book hangover and I cannot wait a year to read the third book. This book was magical and I loved it.

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Jun
2018

Fiction Friday: Book Review- A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3.1) by Sarah J Maas

categories: Books, Reviews

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1)A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Picking up a few months after the events of “A Court of Wing and Ruin”, this is more of a “Where Are They Now” kinda novel (why so much shopping, Feyre? Are you shopping for the entire Night Court? Are you bored coz you have so much money you don’t know what to do???). This book takes a look at everything and everyone post-war and while life at the Night Court is pretty good, not everyone is happy. Nesta is going through some odd angry phase (as always), faeries are mourning the lost of loved ones in the war and the future of Prythian is uncertain. While this is a pretty sweet book there is the air of this being the calm before the storm.
I used to think that Sarah J Maas couldn’t write anything that was not incredibly depressing, heart-breaking or involves multiple people being killed. This book was a pleasant change of pace.
Originally I found this book pretty slow and boring but eventually I grew to enjoy it. It was the happy ending we all deserved after all the horrors of ACOMAF and ACOWAR. This was a great read and my only regret was that it was not published during Christmas. This was a wonderful, feel-good read which I devoured in hours!

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