Gina Lucia

To this book, I say WHAT?!

Watch my in-depth video review on my YouTube channel.

Now we're done with the end of the first book, which was devastating, by the way. We move on to the next, which focuses on the secondary character in Gideon the Ninth, Harrow.

I'm going to be honest. It was hard to open this book because I started reading literally right off the back of the first. When I say I cried at the death of Gideon, I blubbered like a baby.

So the change in perspective (2nd person) didn't just come as a shock. It was actually quite hard to get into. This alone is the reason for my 4.5 rather than a 5-star review, and I'm still not 100% sure I can downgrade it because of this. But I'll get to that.

This is where the space aspect comes in. In the previous book, the inclusion of space, or let's go for sci-fi, was minimal - in terms of the plot. In this one, it's right at the forefront. Which is a huge change and introduces a lot more complicated terminology and, generally, confusing stuff.

But that's part of the point. I'm not sure we're entirely meant to understand what on earth is going on until the end, and even then, not really. In the first 100 pages, I was itching for Gideon's voice to say, “What the fuck is going on?!”

On a few occasions, I did feel the book was missing Gideon's presence. Gideon the Ninth was almost self-aware, with Gideon narrating it. It broke up some of the more tedious scenes and gave us comedic relief.

But she wasn't just a loveable character. She was a plot device. She provided a way for our confused thoughts to be mirrored. She was thinking what we were thinking and just as confused as we were. This alone made the book enjoyable, funny, and even tense all at the same time. But without her, it's just confusing without Gideon confirming that it's confusing.

Having said this, I do understand why this was intentionally done. Our focus was on Harrow, after all, and we needed time to see the clear emotional childhood trauma she's been through, and how it affects her present-day actions. As well as of course, the trauma of losing Gideon.

Harrow's experience is, for lack of a better word, harrowing. She is undergoing some serious physical and emotional torture throughout this book. It's quite hard to read. Especially because in the first book, we start to see her open up. So seeing her broken is sad.

Now let's talk about the perspective. It took until page 387 for the 2nd person perspective to make sense. 387! It's clever using a perspective like that to help tell the story. Clever and slightly annoying. I'm honestly not sure if I'm frustrated by it, or in awe.

After so much sadness and misery following Harrow around, having Gideon return in this way was like receiving a massive hug. It felt so good.

I was taking photos of parts of the book throughout and sending them to my friend as I was reading, and the last 50 pages or so had SO many amazing lines that I just had to stop myself from sending them all.

And then you get to the end, and things make sense, and then they don't again.

This book has been so hard to rate. The writing is exceptional, and so is the complexity of the plot but is the confusion too much? Do I feel like I've been taken on a ride that I'm not entirely happy with?

I think I've decided that I am happy, and I can't wait for the next one.

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This book is what 5 stars are reserved for. I feel like the bar has been raised significantly, and I'm not sure what to do about it.

Watch my in-depth video review on YouTube.

Gideon the Ninth is perfection in book form. It's funny, weird, unexpected, charming, outrageous, and so much fun to read.

I absolutely loved the way it's narrated. The narration flits between objective and opinionated. It's almost a Hitchhiker's Guide-like in its sarcasm and casual observation. It's wonderful.

I adore Gideon as a character. Although she is confrontational and indifferent, she has many moments of strong emotion and real conscience. Which makes her slightly unpredictable but very, very likable.

Gideon has such a complicated personality. At first glance, she judges quickly (and we see other characters the way she sees them), but the more time she spends with these characters, the way we see them or the way they're described changes.

This is another case of character-focused world-building. Rather than telling us what on earth this weird necromancer universe is right at the start, we're gradually shown what it is through the characters and plot.

The reason the absolute nonsense works is because Gideon also knows nothing. So while we're following her around, we're in exactly the same position she's in. Discovering and learning along with her. Her thoughts and the thoughts of the narrator mirror ours. At least they did for me.

There are so many modern phrases, references, and jokes made throughout. Which in any normal book wouldn't work at all. But in this, they do, and I'm completely at a loss every time I read them.

This is one of those books you have to read alone. Don't read anything else at the same time because your other book will suck in comparison. It just will.

I ended up reading it slowly because I enjoyed it so much and didn't want it to end, which is silly because I have the second book sitting on my shelf.

This is a book I couldn't stop thinking about. A masterpiece.

P.S. Don't think I don't see those Greek Mythology references, because I do!

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

An Arrow to the Moon is one of those books that doesn't require a lot from you. It's easy to read, free-flowing, and romantic.

When first picking up An Arrow to the Moon I found the opening immediately gripping. The setup piqued my mythology-loving interest and set the scene for a modern-day retelling.

The chapters in this book are incredibly short (just a few pages) and the writing is uncomplicated and straightforward, so it's an easy read. All of this combines to produce a book that you'll get through quickly.

I like the regular references to the overarching story. Calling Hunter (one of the main characters) a wayward arrow, that he was veering off path. Although it did seem overused at the start and not referenced at all later.

Because this is Chinese mythology merged with a Romeo and Juliet retelling, there are some references to both. For example, there's a scene that mirrors one in the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo and Juliet. They see each other through the waters of a fish tank, smiling and connecting as though separated through a vast body of water.

It seems like an odd choice. I'm not mad about it, but an odd choice nonetheless.

In general, I'm not a fan of retellings or fantasy books set in a modern world. I want to escape from normality, not be locked into it. However, that's a personal choice and if you like that kind of thing, you'll enjoy this. It's honestly the only reason I gave this 3 rather than 4 stars.

The story and the writing is quite sweet. It doesn't ask a lot of you at all and it's very easy to read. It just focuses on romance a little too much for me. But if you like a really easy to read romance with hints of magic, you'll love it.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

The Shadow of the Gods was one of those books I was really excited about. Norse Mythology/fantasy with great reviews? Yes, please!

Sadly it just didn't hold my attention and trust me, there's nobody more annoyed with this than me.

I actually found The Shadow of the Gods immediately easy and pleasant to read. It's slightly more descriptive and lyrical but that's not a bad thing at all.

I did however struggle to get into the flow of reading it. In short bursts, it's hard to get into the flow of the writing. This isn't helped by the fact that the plot is quite slow. In longer stints, I was able to sink in more but it still felt like something was missing.

I've come to realise that in general, I'm not a fan of switching perspectives. This book switches between three different characters and because I didn't like one of them, I came to resent and rush through those chapters.

It also took me a good portion of the book to differentiate between a couple of these characters because their stories, and what they were doing was very similar. The sheer number of characters around them also made it very hard to keep track.

The book presumes the reader knows a lot of Norse or Norse Mythology words which can be a little frustrating. Weaving subtle descriptions into the writing would have made it flow much better. Without them, I had to Google definitions. There's a glossary at the back but it's incredibly brief and I was reading on Kindle so it was hard to access.

This was the same for some of the mythological creatures in the book. Some are from Norse mythology and some are made up by the author so Googling produces very few results.

The thing that disappointed me the most was the lack of world-building at the start. If you didn't read the synopsis of the book, you'd have no idea about the context of the world. To me, that's the most important (and exciting) part of The Shadow of the Gods.

I did give this 3 stars though and that's because the writing is excellent. Action and fight scenes are written to perfection and the descriptions of the world are beautiful. However, the switching character perspectives, slow-moving plot, and confusing characters generally made this hard for me to focus on.

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Pandora's Jar reads as a set of essays on women in Greek Myth. It retells their stories by breaking down different plays, poems and stories they appear in throughout history.

I love the analytical breakdown of these women and their stories. It's truly fascinating if you love Greek Mythology - which I do. Especially if you're particularly interested in how women are portrayed in Greek Mythology.

This book is for Greek Mythology enthusiasts only, in my opinion. It's so in-depth that only someone who is really interested in knowing everything possible will find it interesting. That may be a generalisation, but this book isn't a set of stories, it's an analytical breakdown.

The author adds her own brand of humour which reinforces that all of these stories should be taken lightly. But, their place in myth still gives us plenty to think about and learn from today.

It's also done in the author's own voice. We go through each myth understanding and working through her thought process with her, which I really enjoyed.

Highly recommend this one if you're an absolute nerd like me.

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Let me preface this review by saying I'm a fan of Greek Mythology retellings. I'm also a fan of Jennifer Saint's previous book, Ariadne.

Which is why I'm so sad I didn't enjoy this book.

It seems as though, to me, a retelling should change or adapt parts of it to suit a modern audience. I'm not talking plot points, I'm talking characters.

This is told from three women's perspectives so it would have been wonderful to give them three distinct and interesting personalities. Instead, the author shies away from giving them any. Which means they blend into one another.

Maybe that's simply because the book tells the story of three women, so there's not much space for character building when three, albeit interlinked, stories are told? I'm not sure that's an excuse. It feels a bit too ‘and then this happened, and then this happened' rather than building atmosphere, setting, and character development.

If anything, some of these women are quite annoying. Why write these women to revere the men in their lives for so much of the book? It's fine to have them do so at first, but surely after so much wrong, their outlook and opinions can change. Especially for the sake of a modern audience.

I felt very little sympathy for almost every woman in the book. Which is frustrating because they all have truly tragic stories. I just couldn't relate to them at all.

The writing wasn't bad, it was actually very good. Jennifer Saint is very good at no-nonsense writing. She gets you immersed in the world and then she moves you through the story quickly. It's a great skill to have when you want to push the reader through the story without lingering too much.

However, the thing I like most about retellings is we get to know these women in myth as if they're real and complicated people. People who are like us. That way we can feel connected to them and join in their rage over the way they've been treated.

I sadly didn't feel any of that from Elektra.

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Heroes is the second Greek Mythology instalment from Stephen Fry and it follows on from the first, Mythos (but can be read without it).

My thoughts on Heroes are much the same as my thoughts on Mythos (review here).

However, this book is slightly different from Mythos because it follows a more narrative path. It's slightly less information-heavy and a lot more story-driven which is quite nice. Don't be fooled though, these books contain A LOT of information, even if it's delivered in story-form.

It is a slow read, there are a lot of names that take a second to read so it's not quite free-flowing. There's literally no way around that though, so the best way to read it is in chunks, so you can absorb each story and take a break.

Having said all this, Stephen Fry has a particular way of writing the dialogue between the gods and heroes. It's very British, clear-cut and almost sarcastic - which is fantastic.

If you like his style of writing and Greek Mythology in general, you'll love working your way through this book.

The only reason I've given this 4 stars, rather than 5, is because I enjoyed the stories in Mythos more than the stories in Heroes.

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A Darker Shade of Magic was my first experience of V.E. Schwab's writing and, I loved it.

The book very quickly sucks you into the world...s. By using something familiar to most (the city of London), the author introduces the concept, magic system, and worlds fast.

This is the type of world-building I love. Character-first and revealed gradually through the eyes of the main character. Who so far, while mysterious, has personality.

In fact, the author has a real skill in introducing a character and immediately giving them personality. Within a few paragraphs, you feel as though you know something very important about them and become attached almost instantly.

In particular, I loved Delilah as a character. She's filled with pure personality and flaws. She's unapologetically herself immediately and that's very endearing.

Although the characters are fairly young, it's nice to not have them form some kind of lustful relationship. Not immediately anyway (could happen later!). We can focus on them as individuals, rather than characters that are best when together.

Aside from the characters, I love the idea that the choices people make can influence how magic behaves. Such an interesting concept and the author uses it really well. There's clearly a lot more to explore in the overarching plot which is great because of course, there are more books in this series.

It does repeat itself quite a bit though, telling the story of the different Londons a few times in slightly different ways, which doesn't feel necessary.

In general, it's a fast-flowing easy read. Would only take a couple of days to get through if you had some time spare.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

2.5 stars

I had high hopes for The PAN. As a Peter Pan fan, but one that likes retellings and interpretations, I was excited to give this a read. Sadly, I was left disappointed.

The concept of the book is very loosely based on Peter Pan. In short, certain people have a genetic mutation that gives them abilities (flying) and makes them immortal-ish. These people are known as PAN. An organisation (HOOK) is trying to wipe them out, for some reason.

We follow Vivienne, as she finds out she has these abilities and is recruited as a PAN...person.

I found the recruitment process to be a little odd in general. Vivienne is recruited by a young and exceedingly handsome Deacon, but the way it's written is basically as though she's being kidnapped.

She trusts him almost immediately for no reason, and she questions very little. She's either stupid or has literally nothing else in life, so why not? Their interactions, in general, are weird. It's kind of troubling.

Then we find out he drugged her. So he turns up, drugs her, kidnaps her, knows where she lives and her name and she's still pretty much fine with it all. Her only comments are about how cute he is and how his smile gives her fireflies.

The thing that actually makes her question things is when he says he can fly and she can too. Then she freaks out.

The way they're written makes them feel older, maybe in their 30s. Which in turn makes me not feel the whimsy and magic of the story. Instead, I just feel like she should know better. Or at least she should be acting with more caution. Or there should be more immediate danger present to force her to make the decision she's made.

I did like how the book addressed the racism present in the original story, that was a very self-aware thing to do.

In general, throughout the book, hardly anything happens. They just do teenage stuff, flirt, and do a bit of flying. There's no real overarching plot. The whole PAN thing just seems like an excuse to tell a teenage romance story and quite a predictable one at that.

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Assassin's Quest starts with an emotional edge. The author spent a lot of time setting up by going over some quite emotionally testing scenes. I like that this wasn't rushed, it was given the time it needed for the reader to process and then move on. It was heavy but in a good way.

I will say before I get into my more negative points, the series isn't bad. In fact, it's quite good. The writing is engaging, the plot is interesting, and the characters aren't half bad. But I wouldn't say too much more than that.

The book is filled with frustrating plot points and character decisions. In particular, I found it annoying how painfully obvious it was that Molly was pregnant when she left him in the previous book. I found it even more frustrating that he still didn't realise it, even when he was thinking about it (really thinking about it). It seemed a little weak in terms of storytelling because the author obviously wants him to do a few other things before he realizes and does anything about it.

This book is 2x the size it needs to be. It's slow, sometimes painfully slow. The book is called Assassin's Quest but it's filled with far too many side-quests, rather than the main story.

When Fitz is on his own especially, the pace slows right down. It's boring. When characters are together, the pacing of the book works and things actually happen. But when they're apart there's so little going on that you're just reading the same thing over and over until Fitz actually meets up with someone.

We read about what he eats, how he washes, what he does with his hair and beard, the things he buys, and what he sees on his road. This happens over and over.

When we finally get back to the main plot, it's filled with frustration and out-of-character happenings. Fitz's reaction when he speaks to Kettricken about his child (and that his child is hers now) was pathetic. Honestly, it made me angry. He was already a soulless character. He could have redeemed himself in this situation and he didn't. I have no words.

I also hate the way Molly was written when it comes to caring for her child. Suddenly she's a child herself again. Seems convenient as a way to make us less angry at Kettricken.

The end of the book was...odd. So much gets thrown at you and so many weird things happen. The series actually starts to embody the fantasy genre it claims to be, but you only get this in the last quarter so it doesn't feel like it makes sense.

I'll mention the red ship raiders again (as I did in my previous reviews). Their presence in the story so far felt less than threatening. After reading this book, I'm convinced they were just created as a plot device. They were there to make sure some things in the story made sense, otherwise, it was all just politics.

There was no point to them other than that. They just got eaten in the end. What was the forging? What was the point? I'm not going to invest in more Robin Hobb so I'll probably never know.

I think this series is great if you like this type of fantasy and you're happy to just sit down and take your time with reading it. But if you're someone who likes to consume a lot of books and you have a bunch of others you're excited to read, this one is going to drag you down.

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3.5 stars

Royal Assassin was like a breath of fresh air compared to the first book in this series. The endless telling, political conversations, and generally slow plot have all but gone.

In its place is a plot and character-driven story which moves, twists, and turns just as an assassin-themed book should.

Royal Assasin does start with a slow build, but this time, it seems to make sense. Rather than a means to do slow world-building (as it was in the first book). Things happen and although it did drag in parts with an overload of information, it was much better in terms of pacing and action.

There are some characters within this series that are fun and entertaining to read. One of those is the Fool. He has just enough subtlety and chaotic energy that sucks you into a scene.

Another is Kettricken. While reading, I started to wish I was reading the story from Kettricken's perspective. I wanted to learn more about her upbringing, and her journey to this new place. The struggles she went through and the change she brought about. At points in the book, I felt her story would be much more interesting and fascinating to follow.

For such a long book though, it feels weird for it to be so focused on such a small set of characters and plot points. I understand court intrigue and murder plots are interesting enough, but it feels a little too confined to one location. Towards the end of this book, it felt as though it should have reached out more. I guess that's the result of focusing on just one character.

I did feel the overarching ‘big bad' wasn't threatening though. In fact, it felt kind of mundane and normal. Although the characters talk about it a lot and there is some focus on it, they're doing nothing substantial about it. This is probably because we're following an assassin as the main character, not a king.

Having said all this, I did feel myself getting sucked into the story. The last handful of chapters were incredibly emotional and violent. Honestly, it's one of the things I like about this series. It doesn't shy away from the reality and the violence of what's happening.

The end was beautifully written, almost as though the author had really gotten into her stride. It was emotional and atmospheric. I really enjoyed it. If only the series started out that way.

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I think it took me so long to read this because I didn't want it to end. Now it's over, I can honestly say I'm quite sad.

This series was a joy to read. Sometimes you just need a series of books that don't ask a lot of you. They're there to comfort and soothe you. Especially if you used to love reading fairy tales when younger.

This was a wonderful series, one I'll remember for a long time.

Assassin's Apprentice was my first experience of Robin Hobb's writing and boy was it a rollercoaster.

The writing style/language in Assassin's Apprentice can only be described as Charles Dickens-like. It takes a little getting used to which honestly makes this book one that you need to read in long stints, rather than short bursts. Because once you sink in, it's quite free-flowing and comforting in terms of style.

It's a narration, an autobiography of sorts. The main character is telling his own story. So he talks about the past and his childhood with great clarity.

The first few chapters are a lot of telling. In a fairly short amount of writing, the narrator describes a lot of ‘stuff'. What the kid was up to, how he grew up, what he saw and ate, and who he hung out with. It's a lot.

The book starts by maintaining a very subtle inclusion of magic or fantasy. It's more focused on the slow childhood and growth of the main character. There are hints at powers and magic, but not a whole lot.

It's just a lot of politics. Scheming and telling rather than showing. A lot of information, which is great if you like that kind of information-heavy world-building. But I prefer world-building that's done character-first. Seeing the world through the characters within it. Rather than endless talking and planning and politics.

It's slow going. Things happen but they don't feel like they're really contributing to the overall story in a big way. It almost feels like book one is the build-up and book two will be the actual story. Like this book is a pre-story. 0.5.

This style of fantasy requires patience and commitment. It's a slow burn, one that you have to be in the right frame of mind for. And after last month's Brandon Sanderson slow burn, I don't think I was in the right frame of mind at all. Robin Hobb's writing takes patience and as a reader, I'm not sure I have that.

Hobb has an amazing way of writing dialogue scenes though. On more than one occasion I had this weird sense of being sucked right into the scene. I completely lost all sense of my surroundings. That's how powerful and engrossing some of the scenes were. Not all of course, but the important ones.


I really struggled to connect with Fitz as a character, he seems almost devoid of personality. I'm not sure if it's because he actually struggles to find one due to his upbringing, or if it's due to the autobiographical writing style, or simply because the author struggled to give him one.

After the introduction of one particular character (a character with a personality who brings some positivity to the book and pushed the story along faster), the story transforms. Magic is a huge part of it, more interesting characters are too.

It completely transforms from a boring, slow, and plodding book, to one that has intrigue, action, and suspense. The end was fantastic, emotional, and satisfying. So, it's on to the next one!

Honestly, the first half of the book felt like 2 stars, the second half though, 4 stars. Which means I can only really give this a 3.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

I'm absolutely in love. Not only are the illustrations absolutely gorgeous, but it's full of humour and beautiful character development.

I love that the book starts with a content warning. With that in place you know you're about to read something that's sensitive to the needs of its audience.

Lore Olympus was such a joy.

Thank you to Lucy for sending me a proof copy in exchange for my review.

Awakening is Lucy's debut fantasy novel and if this is anything to go by, we're in for some fantastic follow-up books.

I love the general magic system Lucy has created. It's somewhat familiar with elements of animal companionship and human control but it feels quite fresh at the same time.

This arc contains some fantastically written fight and chase scenes. With just the right amount of danger and suspense, they're not too long and help push the story along quickly.

The book starts with a fairly confusing and overwhelming chapter but once we're past that we're treated to a suspense-filled one. This second chapter is a look into the past seeing how a specific evil was created. One that we know will appear again at some point in the book. It's a good setup and was described really nicely.

The book switches between three different perspectives and actually does it quite well. Each is unique yet seems to link together with small details.

There are a few predictable elements though. Characters keep secrets from each other even though telling those secrets would make relationships better. This in itself is a fine technique, but when we, as readers, know what the secrets are - and they don't seem like a big deal - it makes the suspense not seem worth it.

There are some really good twists and turns though and the relationship building is done well. Lucy is especially skilled with dialogue, shifting the story forward with some really solid character interactions that are a joy to read.

Overall it's a great read and clearly the start of an exciting series.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

Six Crimson Cranes caught me immediately with these opening lines:

The bottom of the lake tasted like mud, salt, and regret. The water was so thick it was agony keeping my eyes open, but thank the great gods I did. Otherwise, I would have missed the dragon.

If this brilliant writing was anything to go on, I was in for a hit. But by the end of the book, I'd say it almost got there.

Six Crimson Cranes is incredibly easy to read. Maybe slightly too easy. It's filled with short sentences that don't linger on descriptions. Because it's 1st person, the descriptions play a very small role in the story. We see what the main character sees and very little else.

It's all about the dialogue and action, rather than scene-setting. Which of course is fine, but I was expecting the setting itself to be painted as a rich one. Without being introduced to the visual elements of the world so much, it feels like it's missing something.

Because of this, the writing reads almost like a diary in parts. A removed version of events rather than an immersive one. It feels like a list of facts or things that happened without any emotion attached.

I wanted to be more immersed in the world but instead, I felt as though I was only touching the surface of it all. Like the story was rushing to be told.

It does start to pick up though, as the story slows down, that's when the author does her best work. Lingering on moments that build character and relationships.

In fact, this is one of the things the author has done really well with. The slow relationship build between the two characters. It's not rushed or sudden, it makes sense and it's gentle. I like that.

SpoilerOne thing that did bother me though, was the contradictions with the bowl on her head. She wipes her brow when she sweats, she catches people's eyes, but apparently, the bowl covers all that. These inaccuracies were frustrating to read and jolted me out of the story.

I have to say though, after finishing the book, I'm incredibly curious about the book that comes next. Although the end was satisfying, it left it open and ready for the next. That's something I'm not sure I can resist. Time will tell.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel

The Wolf Den was an immediate hit just a few pages in.

You know you're reading a good book when you can't stop telling the people around you you're reading a good book. Just out of the blue. Without any prompting.

The premise of the book is actually quite simple. We're taken through Amara's time working at The Wolf Den but wow is it emotional and engrossing. It's one of those books you just don't want to end.

Each woman within the den feels real and honest, as if you'd know them if you met them today. They're not steriotypes or predictable. They're complicated and completely relatable.

The world in which they live and work is small, which makes grasping the story and the characters easy. Even if some of the girls themselves come from much further away.

The gritty realness is my favourite part. There's no skirting over it. The girls swear, they do their job whether they want to or not and they make do with what they have. It's essentially survival.

The writing is heartbreaking but in a subtle way. The reality of their situation and the perspective in which we see it through weaves between being normal and then jolting you out of that normality with the reality of it.

On one page we see Amara's perspective as if she's in the day to day grind of life and then on the next we see her reflect and battle with it.

It's the perfect blend of historical accuracy and characters that are relatable to a modern reader. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

Sometimes you just need to read a book that doesn't ask a lot of you. Holly Black has a writing style I'm particularly fond of. It's easy, free-flowing, captivating in a way that allows you to get lost in the book.

After reading two long books, finishing this one was immensely satisfying and I'm looking forward to reading the last in the series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ - think Holly Black is now an instant-buy author.

I'm honestly not sure what to say. This series started off so strong, but I was left incredibly disappointed after reading this beast of a book. Let me explain...

Watch the more detailed video review: https://youtu.be/gD0rPQ5Cxho

The second book picks up swiftly after the first which is a pleasant experience. After the first, I was hoping we'd have less drawn-out dialogue build-up and a more swift-moving plot. I'm not after immediate action, I just don't need everything explained from scratch. It started out this way but quickly fell into Sanderson's Sanderlanche approach.

The relationship between Elend and Vin was grating. They're supposedly in love (something we're constantly reminded of in words, not actions), but their relationship is toxic.

They know very little of each other's past and upbringing and don't seem to care to ask each other about it. It's like we're just meant to accept their relationship as it is, without it building whatsoever.

In this book, we have a new perspective - Elend's. Which means we now get to see how he views Vin as a person. We witnessed her growing as a complex, empowering character who has been through a lot of trauma. She's not perfect, far from it, but she's working on it.

Now though, she's reverted to being an overbearing helicopter girlfriend who apparently bothers Elend too much. He sees her as ‘not like other girls' (at one point he literally says it) but at the same time calls her odd and comments on her clothing almost constantly. This is perhaps Brandon's lack of romance skill coming through and more likely his lack of women's perspective.

All of this meant I didn't like Vin as a character anymore. She's rude, thoughtless, doesn't seem to care for others and she treats one particular character very badly. None of this seems in character. In the first book, she had reason to behave this way, but in the second, she should be evolving, not regressing.

She's gone from a confused young woman with good intentions, to an angry and entitled one with no explanation for why. We're just meant to accept who she is now.

She essentially treats this other character how she used to be treated. There's no better word for it than racist. And the worst thing is, there was no need for it. Because the reasoning for her behaviour later didn't make sense. They could have just made her grumpy, rather than outright racist and it would have made sense.

This weird personality shift isn't reserved just for Vin, Elend is the same - he acts just plain stupid. He ignores Vin's warnings and makes poor political decisions even though so far we've been led to believe that he was the correct man for the role. Rather than the man who just so happened to get there first.

They're such a frustrating pair. They don't communicate, they don't listen to each other and they keep secrets.

There's another thing that bothers me about this book and that's that Sanderson slips into sexist remarks frequently (I didn't spot this in the first book at all). Take this line for example:

“Just as a beautiful woman demanded attention by virtue of her face and figure, Breeze drew it by near unconscious use of his powers.” WTF why was that necessary?

Every woman in the book is described by either her looks or her mannerisms, and not in a good way. I understand that some of the male characters and even female characters in the book would make such sexist remarks, but not all. Not every single time. It's hard to read.

Then Vin, after months of wearing just trousers and shirts (as the characters in the book put it ‘men's clothes'), puts on a dress for a specific reason and everyone is freakin' shocked. Saying she's beautiful and scrubs up nicely. Come on, she can be beautiful in both. She can feel powerful in one and feminine in the other. We don't need to have a ‘She's All That' moment.

There's this whole bit in the book when Elend, just having achieved something great, then gets deposed by this elected group of people. Then instead of actually progressing the plot, they're stuck dealing with this shit. It reads like a bad filler episode. Frustrating to say the least.

By page 472, it had become an incredibly unsatisfying book. Nothing went to plan for the characters, nothing. After reading pages and pages of dialogue and becoming invested in the story and characters, there was quite literally nothing to show for it. I understand the writing technique, to build and build and then deliver at the end. But the first book at least gave us small wins along the way.

The Well of Ascension is full of men who want something from a woman. Men who can't seem to achieve the things they want without her. She's never given freedom, never treated right, given the support she needs, or even any real power. That's all for the men. I know a man wrote this book but geez. It's such a contrast to the first. The first book was almost empowering. This one is just frustrating.

The payoff wasn't worth it. I'm not sure I'm willing to read that many pages to have so little happen only to have to go through it all again in another book.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

This was my first taste of Brandon Sanderson's writing and let's just say I'm impressed.

Watch the more detailed video review: https://youtu.be/gD0rPQ5Cxho

Brandy Sandy (can I call him that after reading 1 book?), clearly has a talent when it comes to creating and then writing about his magic system. It's complicated and simple at the same time. Easy to grasp and still lets you know there's more to learn.

This was a chonky book though and there's a reason for that - Brandon loves his dialogue. The book reads like you're sitting in on an unedited heist movie.

If you can sit through the pages and pages of dialogue though, you're in for a treat because Brandon loves to give his readers a massive payoff.

I've since learned this is fondly known as a Sanderlanche. Perhaps 70% of the book is filled with build-up. The rest is an absolute avalanche of action and plot.

After the heist-like scenes of never-ending dialogue, the story really gets going and we're introduced to the world through the eyes of both Vin and Kelsier. Giving us the contrast between both characters. One who is new to Allomancy and trusts nobody and another who is more experienced, confident, and seemingly carefree.

Switching between both perspectives is expertly done and you don't feel a loss at the switch. You still get the inner thoughts of the characters as a bonus. I've not come across a book that's succeeded in this for a while.

A fantastic read even if it is a time investment. The story is detailed, clever, and tense. There were things I didn't see coming, moments of emotion and a satisfying end even if you didn't want to read the next book. Although of course, I did...

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

How I have longed for a complete story that ticks all of my boxes. Something that is magical, mythical, and perfect in length.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. This year I was craving a book that would give me the nostalgia hit I so needed. Thank goodness I got it.

If you're looking for a book that's easy to read, weaves a beautiful story, and has a satisfying end, give this book a read.

The simple yet beautiful storytelling in this book is so expertly done. The author gives you the perfect amount of detail when you need it most and the dialogue is incredibly engaging but not over the top or drawn out.

Honestly, a book has not made me cry for a while and this one certainly did it. Usually, I can predict where books are going but this one lulled me into a false sense of security and I'm so thankful for it. Sometimes you just need a good book cry.

This is a real gem of a book, one I highly recommend.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

This book was delicious, until it wasn't anymore.

The Starless Sea had such promise. It's filled with everything a millennial story-lover could want. Rooms filled with books, cats, bees, swords, references to video games. Beautiful writing with lines that send chills up the spine:

“It tastes older than stories. It tastes like myth.”

The book is interlaced with short stories that break up the main plot. These stories are beautiful and expertly written - they're honestly inspiring. It's as though they existed before the author, as if they've passed through time and she simply placed them on the page.

Honestly, the book is a stunning and slow read, until you reach the halfway mark.

The once tasty, beautiful, and engaging story starts to shift into something that's honestly quite confusing. The abstract nature of the book becomes too abstract and I ended up getting lost in a story about stories - how did that happen?

The writing starts to shift from easy and almost carefree, to detailed and jumbled. This was intentional I'm sure, but the shift made piecing together the puzzle in my mind almost impossible. Come the end, I wasn't sure what I read. Which is a shame, because it was so close, so close to becoming one of my favourite books.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

The book in 3 sentences:

“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”
Mortals in the world of fey.
Brutality, politics, and constant danger.

This was such a good book, honestly a joy to read.

When I first started reading The Cruel Prince I felt comforted imediately. When a book introduces you with a rhyming fairytale poem by Robert Graves, you know the author loves the world in which you're about to dive into.

I felt the need to go slow. To savour every description and detail. Honestly, I've not felt like that in a while.

It might have been the sunshine that was sleeping in through my living room window after a cold and brutal storm that made me feel nostalgic. But more likely, it was the setup, the pace, the scene-setting. Essentially, Holly Black's writing.

There was not one moment in this book that I felt was dragging. Not one sentence I thought was out of place. I was completely absorbed the whole time.

The way the author describes such a weird and complicated world is a marvel. Even though these things are fantastical, you grasp what they look like quickly, filling in the gaps with your imagination which allows the story to flow so much better. We don't need exact descriptions of clothes and features and landscapes, just enough to let our minds do the rest.

I'm so glad the reel convinced me to read it because I'm itching to read the next book in the series.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

The book in 3 sentences:

Before the Queen became heartless she had a dream.
Romance, adventure, magic.
“A heart, once stolen, can never be taken back.”

Sometimes in life, you just need to be taken back to your childhood. To be thrust into a world so ridiculous and full of life, that you forget your troubles. Heartless did exactly that for me.

True enough to the source material that you easily slot back into the world, but far enough removed that you feel like you're reliving it from a different perspective.

Which is exactly what this story is because we're given an utterly convincing look into why the Queen of Hearts is quite so well, heartless. We're taken from an innocent dream in an impossible world, to something a lot more sinister and complicated. All wrapped up in a heartwarming love story.

The only fault I could find with this book, and it's a personal one, is that it felt just slightly too young for me. The author clearly has an audience, one that perhaps could do without too much violence and the details of love. To me, this is a shame, the beauty of an origin story such as this, is it creates a monster and I want to feel gutwrenchingly sad at her creation.

This doesn't dismiss the beautiful writing, fast-paced story, and clever and detailed characters. If you're a sucker for a fairytale retold - this is for you.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.

The book in 3 sentences:

Feminism, friendship, and betrayal.
Gritty, immersive, and frightening.
Lord of the Flies meets The Power.

My impressions:

I'm not usually one to be outwardly thankful for Amazon's daily deal but in this case, I truly am. I didn't know I needed to read The Grace Year until I saw its beautiful cover gracing Amazon's ‘review generator' list.

Nothing says ‘go on, give me a go' like a dystopian book sitting next to an unappealing New Year's diet book for 99p.

What I wasn't prepared for was the gritty nature of this book. I had expected an empowering YA dystopian with a little bit of added magic. I was pleasantly surprised. When I say this is Lord of the Flies meets The Power, I'm not joking. The Grace Year makes no apologies, it shows you the best and worst of people, especially those forced to be confined together.

The characters themselves are in constant flux. You either hate or sympathize and then you hate again. This in itself was incredibly refreshing. It's been a while since I've read a book where the women within it make constant mistakes and have genuine internal battles with each other and themselves.

The reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 though, was the romance. The author's attempt at a romantic interest simply didn't slot into the gritty and horrific story. In fact, it was almost like the book morphed into something else halfway through.

Luckily, this was short-lived, which meant we could get back to the parts that made this book great much quicker. Although it was brief, this part of the story felt unfinished and rushed. A real shame.

The Grace Year was so close to greatness, so close. But it did give me hope that we can mix imperfect characters, horror, an empowering storyline and all be better off for it.

For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.