BOOK OF THE MONTH | OCTOBER

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Hello Book Folk!

It is that time again where I bore you with the books I have read this month and give one of them BOOK OF THE MONTH title! I actually like doing these posts because I can see how off my reading radar is. I always feel like I haven’t read barely anything and I end up having smashed through more books than I thought so that’s always nice and I get to bring a little attention back to those I loved!

So, yeah back to it…we are saying goodbye to October, this spooky season has gone by way to quickly in my opinion! Though, the year has, hasn’t it?

Mmmmmm hey November!

I don’t know about you guys but it is getting freaking cold here in the UK…

Bloody Nora! I have just checked my Goodreads and I think I read maybe 12 books this month. Mmmm, a few more I think…seen as though Goodreads be messing with my read books and not putting finished dates on them!

I have read mostly from my Immediate TBR but have gobbled up a few romances this month, because a girl needs a little romance from time to time, yanno? No, mehhh I like what I like!

On to it then…

WHAT HAVE I READ THIS MONTH?

THE THIEF WHO SPAT IN LUCK’S GOOD EYE BY Michael McClung

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novella, I think? I mean it is only 202 pages.

Review Link: The Thief Who Spat in Luck’s Good Eye

My Thoughts:

This is such a good second book to Amra’s story, yes that is correct Michael McClung has done it again he has given us the utterly compelling, slightly prickly and remarkably honourable thief Amra! I really, enjoyed this book and I am excited to see the what the other instalments bring. I’m with Amra to the end guys, I will get through all of these books.

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE BY V. E. SCHWAB

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novel

Review Link: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

My Thoughts:

This book could have been great, could have been an absolute masterpiece but instead it lacked in its execution and sadly did not fulfil its potential.

THE HOBBIT BY J. R. R. TOLKIEN & NARRATED BY ANDY SERKIS

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novel

Review Link: The Hobbit

My Thoughts:

This book has been one of my favourite books for a long time and will continue to be so. It probably, to many, doesn’t stand up to the modern day but this book will forever have a place in my bookish soul.

THE DOORS OF EDEN BY ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novel

Review Link: The Doors of Eden

My Thoughts:

I read this via audio and I can confirm it is easy listening, the story is told in a great way and it’s perfect for a newb to audiobooks. This book is a long and a very varied story with so many cool elements! All of it is done with great care and detail and the book is a bloody good book…with an AMAZING cover!

byBIOSPHERE: HAZARD BY B. W. COLE

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Short Story

Review Link: Biosphere: Hazard

My Thoughts:

Biosphere is a fast paced, action packed sci-fi short that is a page turning and thrilling read. While this is a short review this is a supper fun read, it is season appropriate and it genuinely is a crazy, fast paced and fun read! 

THE RAGE OF DRAGONS BY EVAN WINTER

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novel

Review Link: The Rage of Dragons

My Thoughts:

This book is a mind-blowing African inspired fantasy novel about injustice, love, revenge and so much more. It is one which has you completely absorbed immediately. This book will be one of the best books you read. Evan Winter is a superb writer, this book is a fast paced and action packed read, the battles and fight scenes in this book are incredible.

THE WAKING FIRE BY ANTHONY RYAN

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novel

Review Link: The Waking Fire

My Thoughts:

I don’t even know what words to put down to describe Anthony’s writing. The Waking Fire tells such a story, with so much depth and creativity it is an utter thrill to read! It is a great quest narrative, which is why I say it has Indian Jones vibes. 

THE GIRL AND THE STARS BY MARK LAWRENCE

Check it out on Goodreads

Book Type: Novel

Review Link: RTC (HOPEFULLY TONIGHT AFTER WORK!)

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed listening to this audio! Im not going to lie it did have its negative, mainly it being more YA than I though and it kinda fell into a few YA traps but I enjoyed the story, the world and the magic so on the whole, the pros outweigh the cons on this. I shall explain further in my review though!

THESE ARE MY SNEAKY RE-READS…

I have read these books before, and loved them. This month I reread three romances, one was a thriller romance I guess you’d call it. It’s got murder, criminal gangs, drugs, dodgy politicians and obviously romance. The other is…mmm, I don’t know a girls get a second chance at making her career as an athlete but she has a past and a secret! I LOVE this book.

And yes, apparently romance hasn’t progressed much and insists on lame ass covers with a six pack on them, which in no way represents the actually bloody story! But mehh I guess it sells?

Ok, so the bit of the post you actually wanted to read…

…

This months BOOK OF THE MONTH is going to the one that had everything I wanted and didn’t know I needed this month, and that is…

While I ADORED The Waking Fire which was so close to winning this month, ultimately The Rage of Dragons stole it because the audio narration was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!! Obviously the story is incredible too as you can tell by my review, but the narration was what tipped the scale today.

THE RAGE OF DRAGONS BY EVAN WINTER

Well that’s is fellow book friends! Thank you for reading, feel free to comment here or on Twitter if you have read and loved/hated any of my reads this month. Also, let me know what your favourite read was this month.

KEEP IT OR CUT IT | WEEK ONE BOOKS 549 to 539

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HEY EVERYONE!

Welcome to KEEP IT OR CUT IT!

In a bid to maybe reduce my TBR I am slowly but surely going to go through my Goodreads TBR and see if I actually want to read the books still.

At present my TBR is at a whopping 549 books long!

I will be looking at ten books each week and as there is 549 that means this will run for a massive 54.9 weeks give or take. Now, I say give or take because I will still be reading so it will reduce by way of that but I will also probably still keep adding to it too. I know, I know but to many good books come to my attention.

I cant and won’t stop!

In order to find out if I wish to KEEP IT OR CUT IT I will do the following:

  • See if the blurb/synopsis still tickles my fancy
  • Check out the reviews
  • Maybe read the sample

I will then in each post showcase the book and whether it stays or goes and why. This is a fun way for me to organise my TBR but I really hope you enjoy it too!

so, I have reversed the TBR list by ‘Date Added’ so in theory and Goodreads isn’t dumb it should give them me in order of when I added them to my TBR, but we shall see.

THE BOOKS…

BOOK #549

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemisin

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Feb 2018

Synopsis:

This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze — the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization’s bedrock for a thousand years — collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman’s vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She’ll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • Despite many saying this is a book that requires patience and knowing quite a few people have DNF’d this book I am still going to give it a go. The synopsis is really intriguing and a lot of reviewers I trust and have very similar tastes with have rated this book very highly. I also want to tackle more SCI-FI so this is perfect for that

BOOK #548

Fool’s Assassin (The Fitz and The Fool Trilogy #1) by Robin Hobb

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Feb 2018

Synopsis:

Tom Badgerlock has been living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal service to the crown.

But behind the facade of respectable middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line, convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much for his king and lost more…

On a shelf in his den sits a triptych carved in memory stone of a man, a wolf and a fool. Once, these three were inseparable friends: Fitz, Nighteyes and the Fool. But one is long dead, and one long-missing.

Then one Winterfest night a messenger arrives to seek out Fitz, but mysteriously disappears, leaving nothing but a blood-trail. What was the message? Who was the sender? And what has happened to the messenger?

Suddenly Fitz’s violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe.

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • I LOVE Hobb’s writing and have enjoyed the books of hers I have read up to this point so I will be slowly making my way through all of her books. So, yanno…i’m going to keep it.

BOOK #547

The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden

Goodreads Link

Date Added: April 2018

Synopsis:

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales. 

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • I have actually wanted to read this book for sometime, it set an overly large book either only being 323 pages long! So it wouldn’t take me that long to read! I think though I may well read this closer to Christmas.

BOOK #546

Untitled (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Date Added: Nov 2018

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • Despite this not having a blurb, a cover or a release date yet I will always read SJM’s books. They are my guilty pleasure reads and despite being a pretty flawed writer I usually lover her books, though admittedly the first ones are always a bit iffy.

BOOK #545

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Nov 2018

Synopsis:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

CUT IT

Reasons:

  • This is a YA book and while I have no issue with YA, and do still read it on occasion I am due to read Red sister and i’m thinking once I have read that most, an adult version of a similar feel this book may pale in comparison.

BOOK #544

A ​Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Sabaa Tahir

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Nov 2018

Synopsis:

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off…

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory–or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life–and love–he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save–or destroy–all that he knows. 

CUT IT

Reasons:

  • While I have read the other books of his series and I do remember enjoying them I have decided to cut this book. Even though I enjoyed this series, I do not remember what happened in much detail nor do I remember the characters so I would have to read these books again and speaking plainly there are other book I would rather read than this series again surely to enjoy this instalment.

BOOK #543

The Winds of Winter (A Song of Ice and Fire #6) by George R.R. Martin

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Nov 2018

Synopsis:

The Winds of Winter is the forthcoming sixth novel in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • I need and want the rest of the story, simple.

BOOK #542

A Dream of Spring (A Song of Ice and Fire #7) by George R.R. Martin

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Nov 2018

Synopsis:

No Cover. No synopsis…

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • Originally titled A Time For Wolves. The seventh and apparent final book of George R.R. Martin’s acclaimed series, A Song of Ice and Fire.
  • As above!

BOOK #541

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Dec 2018

Synopsis:

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive. 

CUT IT

Reasons:

  • I recently read Schwab’s latest book, one she has been working on for year and one that is stated to be her best. I dint rate it well.
  • Also, a few people I trust and have similar tastes with have said that the issues I had with her most recent book are a common theme among her writing. While there is no doubt she is a talented writer and has incredible story ideas the executions apparently always falls flat as I felt her latest book did and my TBR is huge, so as i’m not likely to read this it has been cut.

BOOK #540

The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black

Goodreads Link

Date Added: Dec 2018

Synopsis:

He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne. 

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power. 

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics. 

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity… 

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy

KEEP IT

Reasons:

  • I actually bought this book so I will be reading it and I did really enjoy the other books of the series.

There it is! So, this week I have cut 3 books and kept 7. What do you think? Are there any books I really should have cut or ones you cant believe I cut?

Thanks for reading!

BOOK REVIEW | THE RAGE OF DRAGONS BY EVAN WINTER & NARRATED BY PRENTICE ONAYEMI

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Good Afternoon Bookish Folk!

I will today be posting my review of the much loved ‘ The Rage of Dragons’. It is a book that has been on my radar for quite some time. I actually added this to my Goodreads page in August 2019 and then when Twitter blew up over the book, it totally renewed my interest. It is too often that we add a book to our TBR and then completely forget about it so I am thankful to the many amazing bloggers and book lovers who brought this book back to my attention.

A few facts about The Rage of Dragons:

  • Title: The Rage of Dragons
  • Author: Evan Winter
  • Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
  • Series: The Burning (Book One)
  • Published by Orbit
  • Narration Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
  • Pages: 544

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost two hundred years. Their society has been built around war and only war. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine.

Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He’s going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn’t get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He’ll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him. 

YOU CAN GET THIS BOOK FROM…

AUDIBLE | AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM | WHSMITH | WATERSTONES | BOOK DEPOSITORY | FORBIDDEN PLANET

**Pssst…It is only £0.99 on Kindle at the minute, just saying**

Review:

Here are a few things you can expect from The Rage of Dragons:

  • A fast paced military fantasy;
  • Utterly compelling characters;
  • A revenge story;
  • Incredible battles;
  • heart-wrenching writing; and
  • It will be one of the best books you will read.

On to the full review…

I listened to this via the audiobook, so as usual when I listen to the audiobook I will start this review with a few thoughts on the audiobook!

First and foremost, I cannot praise Prentice Onayemi enough! He brought this book to life in a way you can’t even begin to imagine. To the point that I am now reading ‘The Fires of Vengeance’ and it is his voice I hear in my head, not mine but his base narration voice and his interpretations of Tau and the other characters. I could have listened to this book again immediately after finishing it, it was that good.

My only struggle when listening to the audiobook, and it is a truly minor one, was interpreting certain words. If you are not reading the book it can be a little confusing distinguishing what is a name, a location, an honorific or a rank for example. However, this is easily fixed. I simply read the first few pages of the book, with the audio narration, and you immediately see what is what. Then back to the narration alone. This may not be an issue for regular audio listeners but this is only my third or so audiobook so I am still getting the hang of being read to, if that makes any sense!

So, that’s I on the audio aspect I don’t really know what to say in resect of audios other than whether I enjoyed it or not.

Now for the story…

I have seen dotted around that this book is a mix of Gladiator and Game of Thrones. I don’t see it, and I am glad I don’t. I really don’t like it when books get described as another book. Especially a book which needs no reference to fan favourites. What exactly makes this like Game of Thrones?

This book is a mind-blowing African inspired fantasy novel about injustice, love, revenge and so much more. It is one which has you completely absorbed immediately. It needs no comparison because this book will be one of the best books you read.

The Rage of Dragons is told from Tau’s POV, though there are certain times when we get another characters POV, this doesn’t happen often and it is wholly appropriate when it does. I actually really liked those moments.

Tau. What to say about Tau? He is one of the MOST compelling characters I have read, there is something so authentic and raw about him. He is compelling, relatable and authentic. At no point does Tau do something out of character, even when he does something stupid, and your left staring at the book like stop being so dumb and think for a minute man!

Evan Winter is a superb writer and I thoroughly enjoyed his writing style, it felt like every word that was written was something more, you almost felt the words. Evan is such a thought-provoking writer but not in a way that you feel you are being force fed the issues the book tackles. They are instead weaved throughout the character interactions, in how they deal with the constant barrage of injustices they face. It is in how they still form relationships when it seems nothing in their favour can possibly last.

This book is a fast paced and action packed read, the battles and fight scenes in this book are incredible. The story is constantly moving forward, something is always happening and remarkably it is not detrimental in any way to the characters development or world worldbuilding.The finale of this book is an absolute rollercoaster, your heart is in your mouth the whole time.

Another thing I loved about this book is that it shocks you, it is ruthless at times and at several point renders you speechless and stood mouth open catching flies. This happened to me at work, I pop in to get some clothes and BOOM something happens and I am just stood there mouth agape in a cleaning cupboard and even then my walk to the front office was just me in a state of sheer shock. I had to pause the audio for a moment to just stop and take in what was happening!

This was my first African-inspired fantasy, and I can happily tell you it will not be my last! I could honestly go on and on and on about this book but i’m conscious this review is already getting to be quite long, so let us leave it at that and if you have read it let’s fangirl over Twitter!!

As you are now aware I rate on a buy the hardback, buy the paperback, buy eBook or library rental/wait for a sale scale. If you couldn’t tell from the above review this is a BUY THE HARDBACK rated book for me!

ANNNNNDD…

I managed to find a not too expensive hardback copy in perfect condition! Sooooo, to celebrate this book being…AMAZING I am going to give away my paperback copy of this book. As I listened to this via audio the book is unread and the spine is unbroken. See my twitter post (the one sharing this review) for details.

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!

BOOK REVIEW | THE WAKING FIRE BY ANTHONY RYAN

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Good Afternoon Bookish Folk!

Today I am really happy to be posting my review of Anthony Ryan’s ‘The Waking Fire’. Firstly, I would like to thank Anthony for sending me a signed copy of this book! I am beyond grateful!

A few facts about .:

  • Title: The Waking Fire
  • Author: Anthony Ryan
  • Series: The Draconis Memoria (Book One)
  • Published by Orbit
  • Pages: 679

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

Throughout the vast lands controlled by the Ironship Syndicate, nothing is more prized than the blood of drakes. Harvested from the veins of captive or hunted Reds, Green, Blues and Blacks, it can be distilled into elixirs that give fearsome powers to the rare men and women who have the ability harness them—known as the blood-blessed.

But not many know the truth: that the lines of drakes are weakening. If they fail, war with the neighboring Corvantine Empire will follow swiftly. The Syndicate’s last hope resides in whispers of the existence of another breed of drake, far more powerful than the rest, and the few who have been chosen by fate to seek it.

Claydon Torcreek is a petty thief and an unregistered blood-blessed, who finds himself pressed into service by the protectorate and sent to wild, uncharted territories in search of a creature he believes is little more than legend. Lizanne Lethridge is a formidable spy and assassin, facing gravest danger on an espionage mission deep into the heart of enemy territory. And Corrick Hilemore is the second lieutenant of an ironship, whose pursuit of ruthless brigands leads him to a far greater threat at the edge of the world.

As lives and empires clash and intertwine, as the unknown and the known collide, all three must fight to turn the tide of a coming war, or drown in its wake.

Review:

Here are a few things you can expect from The Waking Fire :

  • A gutter fighting blood blessed thief with a little more to him than meets the eye;
  • A clever quick thinking bad ass spy;
  • Epic sea battles;
  • Bloody land battles;
  • Indiana Jones expedition vibes; and
  • DRAGONS, well drakes. 

On to the full review…

Once again Anthony opens his book with scintillating occurrences and immediately compelling characters. If Anthony Ryan does one thing for me, it is his ability to have me hooked within the first twenty pages. He did it with Blood Song and has done It with The Waking Fire. I’m writing this note here not even 30 pages in and I’ve had drakes, corporate espionage, gutter fighting, crime lords and more. Now that may cause you to wonder how an earth so much can be done in such little time and still be well written and skilful but I promise you it is! A brief hint at the power a crime boss holds by the persistent tapping of a glass in a pit fight; the witty and cleverly disguised conversation between two seemingly noble passengers; all the while expertly feeding you information as to the magic that surrounds the much sought after product; drakes blood. 

Gosh darn, do I love it when authors hint at future encounters between characters. It it such a brilliant way to keep your readers engaged and wanting more and Anthony Ryan expertly teases the reader in The Waking Fire! A brief mention of a destined location by one, followed by the plans of another to go there also and then comes the final breadcrumb that has you excited beyond belief…the common link.  And dear lord the promise that is given at the end of the book…

I’m obviously not going to say anything more but holy shit! I need to get through some other books SHARPISH so I can read book two!

I don’t even know what words to put down to describe Anthony’s writing. I mean, I know the words. Of course I know them. I know it is damned fine writing; I know it is evocative and creative; it fuels my imagination like no other; but none of it seems enough! Those phrases do not, in my opinion, do a lick of justice to the magic that happens when I read his books. 

I can also applaud Anthony even more for his character work! I thoroughly enjoyed reading each one. Lizanne, Clay, Silverpin, Braddon, Loriabeth, Skaggerhil…the list goes on but I’ll keep it short and simply tell you characters who appear inconsequential are still fantastic! On to the main POV characters though. We have Clay, Lizanne and Hillmore! All are fab and Anthony has crafted such a well balanced story with appropriate focus to each character POV.

Clay was such a nuanced and complex character, he constantly showed a new layer or a new facet of his character/personality. His growth in The Waking Fire is brilliant and seeing who he is at the end and knowing who he will meet has me beyond excited.

Lizanne was such a fresh take, in my opinion,  on the spy and assassin type character. She is an absolute bad ass but in an educated and discreet way. I really liked reading her journey, even more so when she was in the company of many of the brilliant characters within his book.

Hilemore was also a great character to read, he was almost like the calm between the storm for me, which is a silly thought because he has so much going on, there isn’t much time when the poor sod isn’t dealing with something. I really loved Hilemore by then end of the book, I liked him at the start but as it is with great characters the events they go through and they way they deal with those events and the people they meet make them so much more.

Throughout this book Anthony managed to continuously make me worried about those who inhabited the world. Now, that might not seem like a huge thing but it really is. I didn’t at any point feel like these characters were safe. Anthony does an outstanding job at showcasing the grim reality of this world. A point of particular note for me, and again it might seem insignificant to you, was when Skaggerhil was telling Clay to take it easy as headhunters are a rough crowd because the next day for them is not guaranteed. For the first time I genuinely felt the grimness of this trade, I have read many of books with mercs and hunters and other characters of some deadly occupation but never once have I truly understood these people. That they live, albeit wildly, on the days they have relative safety in a local town!

Oh the battles, the battles guys! They were such an epic thrill. Both at sea and on land Anthony has you turning page after page. 

I truly loved the setting of this book too, it reminded me of so much and was a refreshing move away from the often used medieval settings. I’m not sure if I am correct in thinking this, but to me, it very much felt like the whaling times in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s with big shipping companies going off on expeditions and the remnants of native tribes and islanders still fighting companies trying to establish control over areas and creating settlements.

The Waking Fire tells such a story, with so much depth and creativity it is an utter thrill to read! It is a great quest narrative, which is why I say it has Indian Jones vibes. There is both calm moments and epic battles as is expected with a quest narrative, but even the calmer times move something forward despite this being a near 700 page book I wouldn’t remove any of it, none felt like filler and everything had a point!

This book is incredible guys, so you know…Go pick it up!

As you are now aware I rate on a buy the hardback, buy the paperback, buy eBook or library rental/wait for a sale scale. The Waking Fire is BUY THE HARDBACK, bloody hell this is a book I would absolutely love to see have an illustrated edition!

  • THE COVER! Goodness the cover of this book is amazing I love it and to have it in hardback would be brilliant.
  • THE STORY
  • THE CHARACTER
  • EVERYTHING

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!

BOOK REVIEW | BIOSPHERE: HAZARD BY B. W. COLE

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Good Evening Bookish Folk!

Today I will be posting my review of Biosphere: Hazard by B. W. Cole. Firstly, I would like to thank Distant Shore Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A few facts about .:

  • Title: Biosphere: Hazard
  • Author: B.W. Cole
  • Series: Standalone
  • Published by Distant Shore Publishing
  • Pages: 130

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

When Kit escapes the boredom of space settlement Oasis-7 for a more exciting life, he leaves behind his brother, Jay, and sets him on a journey of his own to try and regain what he lost.

Imprisoned renegade, Sola, serves her time on a nameless moon under the shadow of giant planet Tian. When her friends disappear due to a mysterious illness, secrets begin to unravel, and the true and terrifying nature of the moon is revealed. 

There is only one choice. Escape. At all costs. 

Events are set in motion that can never be undone. Can you ever truly go back from where you came? If you return, what is the cost? 

Dripping with the Gothic atmosphere of Bladerunner and Alien, lovers of dark science fiction, suspense stories and horror will happily sink their teeth into Biosphere: Hazard. 

Review:

Here are a few things you can expect from :

  • A gripping science fiction;
  • Gritty, gritty, grit;
  • breakneck pace; and
  • gore/horror vibes.

On to the full review…

Biosphere is a fast paced, action packed sci-fi short that is a page turning and thrilling read. 

To say that this book is just over 100 pages Cole does an incredible job at making you forget its a short. Cole makes every word count and has you continually wanting to read the next page.

Cole sets up a really cool world in Biosphere: Hazard, these regimented futuristic settlements run by droids are really exciting to read about. Despite the page count of this boo you still learn quite a lot about the world and truly feel for each of the characters and their situations. This book had a really unique feel to it, and you just keep wanting more! To the point that I kinda want a full length novel of this book, with a bit more detail and history that full length novel affords a writer.

Now, I am a bit of a sucker for a good brothers storyline so I really enjoyed the plot of this sci-fi tale, add in the injections of gore and horror it is literally a perfect book for the season. I liked the character in this book and could understand the motivations of many of them considering the world they live in!

And whole planet prisons…well who doesn’t love that idea! 

While this is a short review this is a supper fun read, it is season appropriate and it genuinely is a crazy, fast paced and fun read! 

As you are now aware I rate on a buy the hardback, buy the paperback, buy eBook or library rental/wait for a sale scale. This is a BUY THE EBOOK ranked book for me.

  • It is free with Kindle Unlimited
  • It is a reasonable priced eBook
  • I would read this again.
  • I actually LOVE the cover to this little gem!

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!

BOOK REVIEW | THE DOORS OF EDEN BY ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY

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Good Morning Bookish Folk!

Today I will be posting my review of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Doors of Eden’. Firstly, I would like to thank Macmillan for approving my NetGalley request for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A few facts about .:

  • Title: The Doors of Eden
  • Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
  • Series: Standalone
  • Published by Macmillan (Macmillan audio UK)
  • Narration Length: 18 Hours 3 Minutes 

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

Lee’s best friend went missing on Bodmin Moor, four years ago. She and Mal were chasing rumours of monsters when they found something all too real. Now Mal is back, but where has she been, and who is she working for?

When government physicist Kay Amal Khan is attacked, the security services investigate. This leads MI5’s Julian Sabreur deep into terrifying new territory, where he clashes with mysterious agents of an unknown power ­who may or may not be human. And Julian’s only clue is some grainy footage ­– showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.

Khan’s extradimensional research was purely theoretical, until she found cracks between our world and countless others. Parallel Earths where monsters live. These cracks are getting wider every day, so who knows what might creep through? Or what will happen when those walls finally come crashing down…

Review:

Here are a few things you can expect from :

  • Multiple POV’s;
  • Parallel worlds and Portals;
  • Intrigue; and 
  • LGBT.

On to the full review…

As I said above, I listened to this via audiobook so I feel it’s only right to say a few things about that…

This is narrated by Sophie Aldred, and I am super thankful to her for providing me with, not only, my first ever audiobook but one I could actually listen to!

I requested this on NetGalley thinking I wasn’t going to lose out on my hard earned cash if I hated it and I would just look into getting the book, thankfully this wasn’t needed as Aldred is a great narrator for first-time listeners. She isn’t drab, isn’t robotic and tells you the story quite nicely!

She also sounds good with the speed knocked up a wee bit, because let’s be honest you can nearly always read a book quicker than the bloody audiobooks and that can be off putting sometimes because man they are loonnggggggg. So that helped and she still didn’t sounds like an old school sat nav telling me to go left of dreary lane! 

So, that’s all I really know what to say in that respect. The audio is easy listening, the story is told in a great way and it’s perfect for a newb to audiobooks. 

So onto this pretty cracking book! The Doors of Eden is a stunning looking book, I mean its cover is just…amazing and is an even better story.

This is my first Adrian Tchaikovsky book and it won’t be my last, in fact I recently picked up his ’Empire in Black and Gold’ which is on sale this month (here’s my post with this months kindle deals). 

This book had me from the start, it really didn’t take me long to get into this. The beast of Bodmin Moor has always been a love of mine, mainly due to the stupid tales my dad told me as a kid to scare me, so when Lee and Mal we’re off to Bodmin Moor in search of a mysterious creature I was already eager to keep listening. 

Now this story is a long one, and took quite a few sittings of listening to this monster but don’t let that put you off it is really worth it. To the point that I’m going to try pick up a copy next payday! Which form I wish to purchase will be said later 🤫🤫

The Doors of Eden is such a thrilling and gripping read, it is one of those books you think about when your not reading and a book you are eager to return to. 

This book is very varied to say the least, with a plethora of different elements all beautifully incorporated into it’s story and my gosh you can tell just how much research went into it. Each parallel universe is so well constructed, its amazing to see not one world being made with such skill but many! Each aspect from the biology to the evolutionary elements and dinosaurs is understandable despite some scientific and technical terminology. It’s also seems to span quite a few genres due to this, though I would just bag it as sci-fi but believe me it can be broken down even further and across numerous subgenres and genres. 

Adrian Tchaikovsky is supremely talented to have, one, thought up this book, and two,  actually executed it so brilliantly. This is a book rich in detail and one you have to pay attention to so it is definitely one you should take your time with but it is such a ride and has a fantastic conclusion.

All the characters in this story are great, but the potty mouth Kay has to be my favorite. 

As you are now aware I rate on a buy the hardback, buy the paperback, buy eBook or library rental/wait for a sale scale. I want this book in HARDBACK!

  • This was a very close bag it in paperback rank, but I really enjoyed this book and i’ll be honest the cover absolutely projected this into BUY IT IN HARDBACK!

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!

BOOK REVIEW | THE HOBBIT BY J. R. R. TOLKIEN & NARRATED BY ANDY SERKIS

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Good Evening Bookish Folk!

Today I will be posting my review of Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’. Firstly, I would like to say this book has been one of my favourite books for a long time and will continue to be so. It probably, to many, doesn’t stand up to the modern day but this book will forever have a place in my bookish soul.

A few facts about .:

  • Title: The Hobbit
  • Author: J. R. R Tolkien
  • Series: Standalone
  • Published by  Harper Collins
  • Pages: 322
  • Audiobook Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

The Hobbit is the unforgettable story of Bilbo, a peace-loving hobbit, who embarks on a strange and magical adventure.

Whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit-hole in Bag End by Gandalf the wizard and a company of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Although quite reluctant to take part in this quest, Bilbo surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and his skill as a burglar! 

Review:

Here are a few things you can expect from :

  • A classical fantasy tale;
  • Reluctant hero;
  • Dragons;
  • Middle Earth;
  • A charming adventure; and
  • A fun read.

On to the full review…

As I have said before I have always loved The Hobbit, it is one of my favourite books!It is captivating, fun and an epic tale of adventure and friendship. There is little I can say that has not already been said my the masses so i’m expecting this review tone quite short.

First off, as I reread this by way of the Audiobook I am going to say a few things about that…

ANDY SERKIS IS FREAKING AMAZING!

I haven’t listened to the other narration and never will, many I know have said it is beyond drab and utterly boring. Which is not what this book deserves, this book deserves to be told by a super talented narrator. Thankfully, Andy Serkis is just that!

Serkis does not disappoint he is an utterly engaging narrator, each voice and character is unique and he brought a new and fresh breath of life to this old gem for me!

In terms of the book itself it is set in a breathtaking world and filled with loveable characters. I always remember the birds of old in this book, the listening thrush and the old truthful bird who gathers the other Dwarves for Thorin. All these little details fill the world and add to the lore and history of these stunning lands.

Bilbo is an utter joy to read, his dry sense of humour mixed with his longing for home is pure gold. I love how Bilbo develops in this tale and creates lifelong relationships. The dwarves are also a great bunch to journey with and obviously Gandalf is brilliant. I love the old wizard as it is because I LOVE Lord of the Rings but seeing him in this book and what seemed like a little grumpier was great!

I feel like this is quite a well paced book, I didn’t feel overwhelmed much by heaving descriptions and found that the story was continuously moving, I probably couldn’t describe this a fast paced book but it didn’t feel like a slog to me.

I will say reading this book again makes me truly dislike the movies. I wasn’t overly impressed with them in the first case but now remembering how much they missed and changed…just urghhh. There was no need.

As you are now aware I rate on a buy the hardback, buy the paperback, buy eBook or library rental/wait for a sale scale.

I personally would buy The Hobbit in hardback, I love this book along with Lord of the Rings. I have the stunning leather-bound editions and have every intention of buying the newest illustrated edition too!!

  • This book has and forever will hold special place in my heart, I loved it when I first read it and I adore Middle Earth.
  • I’m well aware someone who hasn’t read it before may feel it to be childish and not modern, but it isn’t a modern book so its not going to be.

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!

SUNDAYS SEVEN | 7 AUDIOBOOKS FOR PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH AUDIOBOOKS…

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Happy Sunday Bookish Folk!

**Please note the titles with links attached to them are simply the Goodreads Page. I thought id make it easier for you all…in case you want to check them out.**

Today’s post is, as the title suggest one about audiobooks…

I personally find it really hard to listen to audiobooks, and its not for a lack of concentration or anything like that, I have just struggled to find narrators that work for me. They can be too robotic, have a vastly different interpretation to the book than me or are just irritating.

But then, I saw a tiny slither of light in the perpetually dark tunnel of audiobooks! I found a narrator the works for me…

I was recently accepted through NetGalley for the audiobook book of ‘The Doors of Eden‘ written by Adrian Tchaikovsky and narrated by Sophie Aldred. I thought ‘ahh, it’s free through NetGalley if I don’t like it I’ve made no loss‘ because lets be honest some audiobooks are expensive.

I downloaded the audiobook and was super happy to find I quite liked the narrator. I have since listened to around 85% of the audiobook with no issues and I hope to finish it really soon.

Since then I have mooched around Audible looking for others I can enjoy but I still struggled…until I didn’t.

For one, Andy Serkis narrated The Hobbit so that was an instant buy fo me! Then, I searched Audible for all of the books on My Immediate TBR and I have found some absolute GEMS!

So, here are 7 audiobooks I have found that I think I can thoroughly enjoy, and I hope if you struggle to, you might like some of these…

**I have linked the Amazon links to these so you can go have a quick listen to the Samples and see if they tickle your fancy, they aren’t affiliate links***

ANDY SERKIS NARRATING THE HOBBIT BY J. R. R. TOLKIEN

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

PRENTICE ONAYEMI NARRATING THE RAGE OF DRAGONS BY Evan Winter

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

ADAM GOLD NARRATING VOICE OF WAR BY ZACK ARGYLE

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

HELEN DUFF NARRATING THE GIRLS AND THE STARS BY MARK LAWRENCE

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

**Helen Duff also narrated Lawrence’s Red Sister**

MOIRA QUIRK NARRATING GIDEON THE NINTH BY TAMSYN MUIR

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

Moira has also narrated The Bone House and Pierce Brown’s Dark Age though that is not a solo narration but a group cast.

STEVEN PACEY NARRATING THE BLADE ITSELF BY JOE ABERCROMBIE

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

SOPHIE ALDRED NARRATING SKYWARD BY Brandon Sanderson

CHECK OUT THE SAMPLE ON AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM

There you have it, seven books that I have found with great narrators! If you struggler as I do then I hope just one of these might take you fancy! Thanks for reading.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE BY V. E. SCHWAB…

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Good Afternoon Bookish Folk!

Today my post will be a little different than my usual review, and a wee pre-warning ‘The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue’ was not for me sadly and rather than write up a review of sorts I am taking advice from the lovely Alex from The Martian Chronicle who advised I post my thoughts on the book instead of a flat out review.

I will still start with all the usual facts and did bits but this won’t be ranked.

A few facts about .:

  • Title: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
  • Author: V. E. Schwab
  • Series: Standalone
  • Published by Tor Books
  • Pages: 448

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name. 

my thoughts:

Here are a few things you can expect from The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue :

  • Love triangle;
  • 18th century France setting;
  • LGBT; and
  • nice writing.

On to the my thoughts from reading this book…

I really don’t know how to start this post, and I am honestly a little worried I am going to just point out the bad because as I think about typing this up more and more things I found lacking about the book are coming to light.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was quite frankly an unmissable read, it teased us with a deal with the devil, a possible angsty enemies to lovers plot, a life lived over three centuries and 18th century France. I was really keen to read this book, and for once myself and my mood reader soul were walking hand in hand to this book, but alas what I expected and what I got were not the same.

Schwab’s writing is quite lovely, at times I was so swept away by it and utterly immersed. There was something about it that really kept me captivated, it was leading us somewhere and I was really excited as to where it was leading us.

For the first half of the book I was happy reading along and quite enjoying it. It was just magical enough to tickle that fancy and was hinting at some really cool things. We were seeing these beautiful episodes in the past, and seeing a young girl struggle to understand the boundaries of her life and her wanting to live it by her own rules in a time that simply didn’t allow nor approve of such.

I liked the characters when we were at the start of their journeys and I really enjoyed the whole idea of discovering something new even after so much time. The idea that so many of these creative and amazing places where from Addie planting seeds in the minds of artists and creatives alike throughout time was a lovely way to show she still left her mark on the world.

And then came the moment I realised it wasn’t getting better than what it already was..it was simply going on and on and on…Anddd this is where it goes tits up sadly! It stays like that, all the way through to the end, which fast becomes uninteresting.

This book is slow, really slow but I really didn’t mind that for the first half of the book or so, we were getting to know the world, the characters and the boundaries of Addie’s curse and with lovely teasing injections of 18th century France, but somewhere on or around the fifty per cent mark it slows even more and stays at the pace until the end.

I looked at the book percentage a few times throughout my read and thought to myself ‘ahh ok we are heading into 70% area, you still have time to shake it up a little’ and then I was at 80% it was a case of ‘ok, Schwab you have to pull this out of the park and give this an absolute epic ending‘ then at 90% I was forced to realise it for what I was, and my thought were along the lines of ‘this is it, this is the extent of the book‘ and finally 100% ‘WTF, just what!’.

What started off as quite cool characters soon became uninteresting and unchanging.

Yes, that is it I think. One of the issues I had with this book…nothing changed.

Addie who was meant to have lived through so much was the same character in all her flashbacks, the exact same. To say she was immortal and had lived an age there seemed to be no progression or development through the ages. Where was the acceptance and almost arrogance when she found the rhythm of her curse, she could be reckless and spontaneous. Where was the fear of the curse, the book hinted to her going mad on ore than one occasion but this was not elaborated on, and such madness especially could have been an amazing opportunity for further development with her and Luc. 

Henry was another cool at the start character, but then showed very little progression and seemingly learnt nothing from his whole experience.

Luc, the same. Luc could have been such a huge part of this story and such a complex and utterly intriguing character but he was not, he was left to be a side piece who popped up every now and again.

This book has an incredibly smaller cast than i’m used to and in a book that could have flaunted some of histories most memorable people and moments were but mere mentions in the background. This world was not filled out, not in the present nor in 18th century France or well any other century Addie lived through.

Far more interesting storylines such as times of madness, times of war and of revolution, times so low Addie was in the bowels of a ship for weeks and more were simply hinted at and left at that. We were told of these things and then left wanting. Instead we were given somewhat repetitive episodes in rather mundane situations (compared to the above) which then had the barest injection of the devil into them. Who Addie was meant to have fallen for and have such a deep and long lasting bond with but we didn’t see any of that develop at all.

This book could have been great, could have been an absolute masterpiece but instead it lacked in its execution and sadly did not fulfil its potential.

I realise I have written quite a negative post here and I stand by my points , as these are my thoughts about this book but I do appreciate many who seem to adore this book, so I would like to push you to have look at several reviews Bothe the that gush and this that criticise and just get a feel for if this book is for you or not..

As I said above I have not treated this post as a review and so won’t be categorising it into my ranking system.

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!

BOOK REVIEW | THE THIEF WHO SPAT IN LUCK’S GOOD EYE BY Michael McClung

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Good Evening Bookish Folk!

Today we have a review of Micheal McClung’s second book of the Amra Thety’s Series and it is another utterly enjoyable book.

A few facts about The Thief Who Spat in Luck’s Good Eye:

  • Title: The Thief Who Spat in Luck’s Good Eye
  • Author: Michael McClung
  • Series: Amra Thetys (Book Two)
  • Published by Mr McClung
  • Pages: 202

Synopsis:

Add It To Your Goodreads!

Amra is a thief with morals—she won’t steal from anyone poorer than she is. Fortunately, anybody that poor generally doesn’t have much worth stealing! Holgren is a mage with a distaste for magic and a soul bartered away to dark powers. Together they embark on a quest for the fabled city of Thagoth, where the secret of immortality is rumored to be hidden.

But Amra and Holgren aren’t the only ones after the secret. Many others seek to utilize the hidden magic for their own twisted ends. And waiting in the ruined city with dark plans for the world are the twin gods Tha-Agoth and Athagos, a brother and sister whose illicit passion is as destructive and vengeful as they are. 

Now, as potent sorceries clash in a violent struggle for dominion over all that lives, Amra and Holgren face a choice between the unthinkable and the unbearable—with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. . . .

Review:

Here are a few things you can expect from The Thief Who Spat in Luck’s Good Eye:

  • A feel good book;
  • Meddling gods;
  • A fast paced adventure;
  • Good Vs Evil;
  • Humour; and
  • AMRA, the witty, slightly prickly, honourable and utterly compelling thief!

On to the full review…

This is such a good second book to Amra’s story, yes that is correct Michael McClung has done it again he has given us the utterly compelling, slightly prickly and remarkably honourable thief Amra! I think I am with the many here in that these books are such fun and its mainly down to Amra. I think I would go as far as to say she is one of my all time favourite characters. I have read many books who have tried and failed to create their own version of Amra but they never quite catch the right balance so when you find a character like Amra you have to keep hold of her and not let go.

I’m with Amra to the end guys, that’s right I will get through all of these books. Promise.

And now I can add Holgren to the list! I really liked Holgren in the first book, and I wasn’t let down with this instalment. I still want to know more about him but this instalment was a nice taste of that pie, it didn’t give too much away, but kept in line with what we know of his character. Which isn’t all that much but I know we are yet to see all of Holgren.

This book is a little bit mare serious than book one in the sense that there is a lot more at stake here, relationships begin to develop and the characters are up against seemingly impossible odds. The whole story is much more ambitious as Amra and Holgren leave the confines of Lucernis and head to a ruined and long forgotten city of Thagoth.

I loved the injection of even more fantasy in this book, McClung has given us sorcery kings and monsters that only the deepest darkest parts of the night could conjure. Not only that but we get to see a little bit more of this worlds history and lore through the brief and enjoyable snippets of a gods POV.

McClung also, once again, manages to give you so much in 200 odd pages without overbearing you. I am constantly amazed at his ability to expand on this world, and with a good degree of detail too, yet it does not clog up huge portions of this books.

I really, enjoyed this book and I am excited to see the what the other instalments bring.

As you are now aware I rate on a buy the hardback, buy the paperback, buy eBook or library rental/wait for a sale scale. I am happy to say The Thief Who Spat in Luck’s Good Eye is one I would put in the BUY THE PAPERBACK rank!

  • It is a book I know I can just pick up during a slump and enjoy regardless.
  • I will read this again, along with the other books of this series and It will be really cool when I have the whole series sitting proud on my shelves.
  • This book is a little pricey for a shorter book, especially when the eBook is so cheap but honestly it is worth it just on the fact that Amra is amazing nevermind the writing, the world, the humour and everything else. I tend to buy these books here and there, I have the first three and will slowly get them all.

Sound good? I can confirm it is! If you want to pick up your own copy just head to Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com

AGAIN Thank you for reading AND SEE YOU SOON!