Review: Only Human (Themis Files #3) by Svlvain Neuvel

Firstly, thanks to Penguin Random House for this review copy <3



Date Read: February 2 -7 2018
Date Released: May 1st 2018
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Science fiction
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"In her childhood, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. As an adult, Dr. Rose Franklin led the team that uncovered the rest of the body parts which together form Themis: a powerful robot of mysterious alien origin. She, along with linguist Vincent, pilot Kara, and the unnamed Interviewer, protected the Earth from geopolitical conflict and alien invasion alike. Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find her old alliances forfeit and the planet in shambles. And she must pick up the pieces of the Earth Defense Corps as her own friends turn against each other."

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DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ WAKING GODS. I REPEAT DO NOT. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS FOR WAKING GODS. 

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Ok so this is going to turn into a mess of a review because I don’t even know how to talk about my feelings properly.

From a 10 year-old girl falling into a hole and discovering a giant robotic hand, to this, I can’t believe we’ve come full circle and the Themis Files are over. There’s this bittersweet feeling left in me because my gosh does this series fly and I feel like I’ve watched these characters grow old while I’m left in the past and it hurts. But it’s also immensely satisfying to see them come so far. And let me tell you Only Human was a damn perfect ending.

There’s a significant time jump again from the end of Waking Gods to when Only Human starts and I admit I kind of did a double take when I realised how old Vincent is. (And Rose and Eva too of course but my gosh Vincent.) He’s a really stand out character to me because I remember not liking his young-self much at the beginning of Sleeping Giants and he’s now my fav; Vincent has changed so much and to see that he’s also aged so much felt surreal – like he wasn’t much older than me in Sleeping Giants?! Omg. All he wants to do is protect Eva and he’s honestly doing the best he can. I have so much respect for him. Fatherhood was just shoved on him, but he took it in stride and he tries so hard – whether he succeeds is a different story (I personally think he does). Love love LOVE the way Neuvel has developed his character, there is such growth from Sleeping Giants but he’s still the same Vincent who obsesses over details (the linguist in him). His heart has expanded a tonne. You know what really hurts though? Knowing that Vincent will always be older than Kara… and one day Eva will be too. I just started crying when I realised that.

Eva’s grown up into an independent young woman with very strong opinions. She’s definitely rebellious and has completely different views to Vincent. She may not always be right (I thought she had a naïve and skewed perspective of the world) but nobody can blame her given her dysfunctional upbringing and what she’s had to endure. There’s the world she was born in and the world where she’s grown up and spent most of her life so it’s no surprise where her loyalties lie. For her there’s only ever one home. She really embodies the rebellious teen image haha.

While Rose faced a lot of internal conflict in Waking Gods, she’s become a constant in Only Human. She’s finally settled into her own skin and accepted who she is. Throughout Only Human I found her to be the voice of reason like she was back in Sleeping Giants. It felt grounding to finally have level-headed Rose back as I felt like she was the one who held not only the gang together, but the story itself. The way Neuvel wrote her character was seriously amazing. Rose had the perfect balance of a brilliant mind that was ethical and moral. She’s juxtaposed against some pretty intense characters – Alyssa who we’ve witnessed in the previous books as purely research driven and will do anything to get the scientific results; new character Katherine who works for Russian intelligence and seems like a regular manipulating, somewhat sadistic human being who only listens to the top. Rose shows that humans can still be humane, putting people before science, that a person can still be manipulated by superiors but end up doing the right thing.

There is no villain in Only Human, or in the series overall really, but in this last book it’s really about humanity being pitted against one another. I think that’s what makes the Themis Files so fascinating and different to me – Neuvel tackles current issues of race and extends that to our species and what does it mean if human isn’t human? What makes us human? What is humanity? There is no one answer but I think Neuvel is able to portray differences of humans versus aliens to say, collectively this is what it means to be human.

I would have loved more world-building on Esat Ekt but I can understand why Neuvel didn’t concentrate on this – this series has always been about the people and their thoughts/feelings. The glimpses we did get of Esat Ekt through the characters’ journal entries was definitely interesting, kudos to Neuvel to creating a planet similar to Earth but not the same.

I still can’t believe this trilogy is over. Does humanity come out on top? Or do we end up decimating each other using alien technology at no fault but our own? You really need to read this finale to find out.

Review: Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff

Firstly, thanks to Harper Voyager Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: September 2 - 10 2017
Date Released: September 7th 2017
Publisher: Harper Voyager Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Mia Corvere has found her place among the Blades of Our Lady of Blessed Murder, but many in the Red Church hierarchy think she’s far from earned it. Plying her bloody trade in a backwater of the Republic, she’s no closer to ending the men who destroyed her familia; in fact, she’s told directly that Consul Scaeva is off limits. But after a deadly confrontation with an old enemy, Mia suspicions about the Red Church’s true motives begin to grow.

When it’s announced that Scaeva will be making a rare public appearance at the conclusion of the grand games in Godsgrave, Mia defies the Church and sells herself to a gladiatorial collegium for a chance to finally end him. Upon the sands of the arena, Mia finds new allies, bitter rivals, and more questions about her strange affinity for the shadows. But as conspiracies unfold within the collegium walls, and the body count rises, Mia will be forced to choose between love and revenge, and uncover a secret that could change the very face of her world."

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There’s something about a really good… No… Really amazing book that leaves me speechless. A book that makes me angry is easy to review because all I want to do is rant my heart out. Something like Godsgrave though? All I want to do is yell at you READ THIS BOOK. Thus I’m here yelling at you through the screen, notice my caps: READ THIS BOOK. READ THE NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLE. START NEVERNIGHT IF YOU HAVEN’T YET.

I’m going to attempt stringing some words together for some semblance of a review but be warned, it’s probably just going to be heaps of cussing and yelling at you to READ THIS DAMN BOOK through caps lock.

Shit guys (oops strike one) Kristoff has really done a number on me with book 2. I thought Mia was ruthless in Nevernight but she is nek level goals and ambition here. I freaking loved her for it. “Eyes on the prize Corvere” is a common mantra and damn (strike two) is it accurate. Mia lets nothing stand in her away, nobody she won’t kill to get what she ultimately wants. Girl is all daggers, knives, poisons, punches, everything in her arsenal. Girl is the type to kick a man while he’s down to make sure he stays down! Yet at the heart of it all Mia is not a bad person. She is a girl with morals – albeit questionable ones – so there are numerous moments that had me going “FUCK NO. YOU DID NOT. OMG YOU DID.” But then my girl comes through and I’m like yeah truuuuuust you did good. I just love Mia Corvere so much and she is lethal, hilarious AND OMG I WISH SHE WOULD QUIT SMOKING THOUGH?

Kristoff introduces new characters but brings back familiar faces from Nevernight and y’all should really just read Nevernight to know what I’m talking about. We can love and hate the characters together! No spoilers but there is one person who re-appears that when I first saw them again I wanted to KILLLLLL THEM. STABBY STABBY KILL DIE I HATE THEM SO MUCH. Buuuuut Kristoff really does a number on me so that I eventually warm to this person. I’m still not sure if I completely trust them but not gonna lie I really like them now. Then there’s this group of FRANS that Mia meets (Mia won’t admit they’re her friends but I swear they buddy buddy) and I couldn’t help but grow attached to them. They’re all different and loveable and memorable.

There is romance and omg sexy times are sexy but I’m not sure I’m totally onboard with the person given their actions previously. Also I’m sorry but I’m attached to a particular someone from Nevernight haaah. Buuuuut Kristoff writes such seductive sexy times and I was shipping Mia and this person so hard I was so invested in these scenes LOL :shrug:

Everything is accentuated by Kristoff’s sensual and lush writing. The gritty, gory imagery is in full swing and I love the dark vibes. The descriptions are intense and totally draws me into this unforgiving ancient Roman-inspired world. One of the techniques I loved in Nevernight that I’m really glad continues in Godsgrave is the use of parallels to show juxtapositions between characters. Have two different characters in nearly the same situation, but change a few things as we go back and forth between views and the differences are so much more profound. There’s a lyrical nature to it and I couldn’t help but look for these moments.

Of course the story is amazing and I’m on the edge of my seat the whole time cheering Mia on as she progresses through her killing spree, AHEM I mean journey. Kristoff doesn’t make it easy for her so every tiny victory seems like a big step in the grand scheme of things. AND THEN. AND THEN. Kristoff totally blindsided me because THAT ENDING. THAT DAMN ENDING. My brain is still a grey mess it’s literally been blown to smithereens. Talk about fucked up. I was like fuck. FUCK. FUUUUUUUCK NO WAY. NO FUCKING WAY. I’m still not over it. Conspiracies layered within conspiracies and the mind fuckery is so real. One more book. One more book and Kristoff needs to get Mia out of this cesspool he’s thrown her in. GOOD LUCK MATE.

Basically read this book, READ NEVERNIGHT. READ EVERYTHING JAY KRISTOFF WRITES because we’re all masochists here and love having our feelings slayed. Embrace the dark, gritty, seductive world of Nevernight and rise with Mia Corvere.

Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Firstly, thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: May 1 - 8 2017
Date Released: May 2nd 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: High Fantasy
My Rating:

Warning: this review contains spoilers for the first 2 books (but NOT ACOWAR)

Synopsis:

"Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places."

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It’s no secret I’m SJM trash and waiting for the finale of the ACOTAR trilogy has been one of the most torturous waits of book releases for me. While I didn’t love ACOWAR as much as my all time fav, ACOMAF, I still loved ACOWAR’s story so much and thought it a fitting end to this arc.

Feyre has gone through so much and she’s got one last hurdle to get over with her return to the Spring Court. I really liked her strategizing and manipulation to get her revenge in the court. I would have liked her exercising her High Lady status and powers a bit more rather than hiding them or seeking other people’s approval. I mean yes I understand she’s fresh but by the end she should have been telling people what her decisions were and trusting that they’d support her in them rather than being secretive about her actions. This happened a lot. I also had issues with her decisions too. There was this one point in the book where I knew Maas was trying to make Feyre seem humane but it was the wrong bloody situation. I was like NO. LEAVE THEM. But nope, overly kind Feyre has to do this and NEARLY GETS ONE OF MY FAV PEOPLE KILLED. NO THAT IS NOT OKAY. It’s not worth it. Choose your battles lady. Your goal is to win the war.

I didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with the Inner Circle anymore. But I did. MY PRECIOUS SMOL CHILDREN. Especially Azriel and Cassian. They are so compassionate and strong and I want to give them all hugs. I loved Cassian’s humour and the little moments when we’d catch Azriel making a joke or slightly smiling at something. I can see them as two besties – the mischief maker and the quiet broody one – in real life who I could be friends with. Cranky Amren was as hilarious as always. I mean she’s meant to come off as scary but I can’t take her seriously when’s snapping at people. I love these guys so much. As for Feyre’s sisters, I still don’t get Nesta’s hate for Feyre. Like why? It pissed me off to no end how Feyre just gives and gives and Nesta takes it all but not for one moment does she seem grateful. Nesta’s great as a character – she’s strong and unflinching but the familial stuff was terrible.

Rhysand. *Sparkly eyes* Such perfection. I love this guy. I’m in love with this man. I’ll admit Rhys didn’t wow me the way he did in ACOMAF when we first found out about him, but he’s still awesome here. Lovely, charming, let’s Feyre do her own thing, funny, ruthless when he needs to be. I could properly see how he chose his battles, fitting for a 500 year old High Lord. He’s good at what he does and he knows it. Makes me weak at the knees hurhur.

I loved the exploration of the other courts. In typical SJM fashion, she paints her world vividly, with gorgeous colours and descriptions. The red and golden toned hues of the Autumn Court with its seemingly sentient forest. The chilling Winter Court, forever frozen in a white glaze. And then there’s the Dawn Court *sighs in wonder* I’m a sucker for the concept of castles in the sky. The fantasy element, the way it’s ethereal, majestic and so Final Fantasy-esque really draws me in. The palette of the Dawn Court, the food, the plush décor and silks makes me so darn happy. I was honoured to be welcomed into Thesan’s home.

Now let’s talk about the problematic aspects of this book. I felt like diversity was being forced down my throat for the sake of quelling the cries of the community. I’m fine with the High Lords of each court being coloured as SJM did mention their colouring in ACOTAR. But then there’s the LGBTQI+ representation that I thought wasn’t done right. So many LGB couples suddenly popping up? At one point it’s mentioned that the mating bond is whatever higher power determining that a male and a female would breed strong children but then at another point there’s same sex couples apparently having the mating bond? Is that a plot hole or did I miss something I don’t know. (It’s not even about the passing of the High Lord title since we see the Summer title being passed to other family members.) She tried but eehhh…

Nevertheless, the story is engaging and the brewing war instills a fear wrought from knowing the terrors that Hybern can inflict. The battle tactics are cleverly thought out and Hybern is really a force to be reckoned with, not just their numbers and the dark lengths they’ll go to, but for their millennia of existence and experience. War is painted in a realistically haunting and exhausting light. There is no glory in it and I’m grateful that it’s not romanticized for a fantasy.

A Court of Wings and Ruin is a fitting end to Feyre’s arc of the story. Maas has taken us across Prythian and beyond, and introduced us to many characters that I can’t wait to meet in the future.

Review: Waking Gods (Themis Files #2) by Sylvain Neuvel

Firstly, thanks to Random House for this review copy <3



Date Read: March 16 - 20 2017
Date Released: April 4th 2017
Publisher: Del Rey
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Science Fiction
My Rating:

Warning: this reviews contains major spoilers for book 1 Sleeping Giants

Synopsis:

"As a child, Rose Franklin made an astonishing discovery: a giant metallic hand, buried deep within the earth. As an adult, she’s dedicated her brilliant scientific career to solving the mystery that began that fateful day: Why was a titanic robot of unknown origin buried in pieces around the world? Years of investigation have produced intriguing answers—and even more perplexing questions. But the truth is closer than ever before when a second robot, more massive than the first, materializes and lashes out with deadly force.

Now humankind faces a nightmare invasion scenario made real, as more colossal machines touch down across the globe. But Rose and her team at the Earth Defense Corps refuse to surrender. They can turn the tide if they can unlock the last secrets of an advanced alien technology. The greatest weapon humanity wields is knowledge in a do-or-die battle to inherit the Earth . . . and maybe even the stars."

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Last chance - if you haven't read Sleeping Giants DO NOT PROCEED.

Sleeping Giants was one of my favourite books of 2016, it absolutely blew my mind with the concept and Neuvel’s immersive writing style. I’d never read such wonderful plot twists… until Waking Gods that is. Waking Gods surprised me at every turn and was even more impactful than book 1.

The book opens 9 years after the events of Sleeping Giants, with a new robot having appeared out of thin air in the middle of London. Everybody is in a tizzie because what could this mean and what do they do, when do they bring Themis in?

Since coming back to life at the end of Sleeping Giants, Rose has been struggling with who she is for the past 9 years. The 4 years she spent working on discovering Themis are not a part of her, and while she’s still a brilliant scientist she questions the ‘Rose’ during those 4 years which she can’t remember. I can’t blame her for continuing to question her existence – I mean who wouldn’t be if they were brought back to life? Sleeping Giants Rose approached the discovery of Themis with a positive energy and fervour that made Themis her life. The Rose after is much more hesitant. She is no less brilliant but she’s now seeing things in a much more cautious and negative light. Everybody basically tells her to harden the eff up but it takes her the course of the book to develop and come to terms with who she is.

Kara and Vincent have gotten a lot closer since book 1 and I love their dynamic. I never would have pictured them becoming a couple when they were first introduced but oh how far things have come. Kara is still kind of reckless but hilarious with her witty comebacks, and Vincent is still a genius but I could totally see that they’re in love. Vincent especially has a smaller ego and is always considerate of Kara and it’s so damn sweet. Their life as a couple is also their work and I admired their ability to maintain such a strong relationship despite their differences. Their banter was fun and delightful as always and showed how well they got along.

The unnamed man who I think of as the mastermind behind all of this is still pulling strings and manipulating people throughout the story, however I feel like he’s grown softer. I really admired the way Neuvel did this character’s voice. He elicits such reactions from people with his calm and blunt comments and I could always ALWAYS tell when it was him speaking. There’s something so penetrating about the structure of his words and sentences that cannot be misinterpreted. It’s jarring to the receiver, and to those who aren’t used to him it’s kind of hilarious the way they get angry. Then you’ve got Rose and Vincent who answer normally while Kara responds with her usual wit because they’re so used to him. Neuvel has really done a fantastic job with this unique and recognisable voice through both books. He’s managed to give the character growth in his subtle and infrequent shows of emotion with the way he protects those he’s come to care about.

As with the first book there’s a lot of science and I’m no scientist but I could tell Neuvel had really done his research. The science is in-depth yet Neuvel is also able to explain it in layman terms, presenting these in interview style as a scientist talking to a pleb like me, ahem, I mean non-scientist. There’s more maths, more chemistry and metallurgy, and heaps of biology with talk of DNA and evolution. It was fascinating and planted a lot of seeds in my brain with the direction this story was going. Neuvel’s writing style is easy-going, flowing well and immersive – I couldn’t stop turning the pages!

The plot though, my goodness! Alien robots that are posing to be a threat to mankind seems standard but there’s so many plot twists and mind-fuck moments. There’s punch you in the feels moments too that left me in denial (I’m STILL in denial damn it) and an ending to end all endings with a whopping cliffhanger.

To say Waking Gods is one of the most breathtaking and thought provoking books I’ve ever read in my lifetime is an understatement. It messed with my brain and my heart. Thank goodness there’s a book 3 – I made sure to check with Neuvel and he’s confirmed it’s in the works!

Review: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills

Firstly, thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: February 26 - March 4 2017
Date Released: March 1st 2017
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:
Synopsis:
"Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.
Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed."

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That feel when you find a gem of a contemporary. With a gorgeous cover (dust jacket AND naked cover), This Adventure Ends is beautiful inside and out. Emma Mills was already on my radar since I adored her debut First & Then, so when I heard she was releasing another contemporary (blessed with gorgeous covers Mills is) I was so excited. Safe to say this is one of my favourite contemporaries of all time and Mills is now auto-buy.

One of the first things Sloane does upon her arrival in Florida is to stick up for a guy (Gabe) at a party. As a result, she befriends said guy’s twin sister and is immediately part of their friendship group. Said twin sister Vera is actually a social media sensation no big deal, Sloane doesn’t lose her head over it (she doesn’t use even use social media). That’s the way things are with Sloane – she’s mega chill, casual and extremely witty. I loved her comebacks, her wisdom and her independence. She’s immensely loyal despite giving off the vibe she doesn’t need friends. That’s one of her many flaws and I really liked the way she got hurt and contemplative when people called her out on her shit – because nobody had done that before. Sloane’s growth throughout the book via her interactions with these friends is touching and wonderful.

Vera really stood out to me in this book. She’s a gorgeous social media sensation, posting selfies on Instagram and similar platforms but she doesn’t let it get to her head. She’s this humble ball of energy that makes everybody around her feel like they have all her attention (they do). She’s sweet, sensitive and a great friend overall. The other relationship that resonated with me was between Sloane and her dad. Everett Finch is kind of like Nicholas Sparks in that he writes tragic yet hopeful romances. Her dad’s in a writing slump but holy crap he is HILARIOUS. When he finds out about fandoms online he gets totally obsessed with this teen werewolf show (basically Teen Wolf), bingeing the series, reading all the fanfic… and starts writing fanfic of his own. He gets totally immersed in the world, learning terms like ‘canon’ and ‘AU’ (I mean I never even knew what this meant but thanks to Sloane’s dad I do now) as well as ‘ship’. His obsession with the world draws in Sloane, Vera, Gabe and their friends Randy and Aubrey. It was so interesting seeing a TV show connect different generations. The book also explores Sloane’s bilateral interactions with the other characters and their own problems, giving each character dimension and making them unique and memorable. Because while Sloane imparts wisdom, her friends also give a lot back that make her think twice about who she is.

Romance is slow burn and cute and kind of not really there. If you want to talk ship it’s kind of still docked at the harbour, bobbing in its spot, but waiting to set sail if you ask me! Sorry was that lame? Sorry not sorry. Gabe is this broody, quiet guy who’s more aware of things going on around him than he lets on. He’s the total opposite of his sister and I really think he just needed a hug most of the time.

Underpinning the progression of the book and Sloane’s developing relationship with the characters, is her quest to find a priceless painting left by Vera and Gabe’s mum before she died. It was accidentally sold and Sloane has made it her personal mission to try and get it back for the twins. It was a real rollercoaster ride every time it looked like Sloane had a lead only to get to a dead end. While I didn’t find the quest to really expand on her relationship too much with the other characters, I believe it was part of her personal growth in understanding her drive towards why she wanted to get this painting back so badly.

Mills’ writing is engaging, fun and her dialogue gives unique voices to each character. I laughed a LOT and I also got teary a couple of times throughout the book. The characters were all wonderful, the plot seemingly light, yet layered in a way that I could gently peel them back and find the deeper meaning at its core. This Adventure Ends is honestly one of the loveliest, most thought provoking books I’ve read in a while and I can’t wait to see where Mills will take me next. 

Review: Windwitch (Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard

Firstly, thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this review copy <3

Date Read: January 7 - 9 2017
Date Released: January 10th 2017
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands."

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The more I think about Windwitch, and the Witchlands books in general, the more I fall in love with the series. I loved Truthwitch and the way it introduced us to the four main characters of the series, showing the bonds between the characters and our main ladies Safi and Iseult. In Windwitch though, each character is explored even more and the world expanded.

By the title and prologue, this is Merik’s book. However, Dennard switches between our four MCs which makes me feel like this is a book for all our characters and each of their journeys. This series to me is one that's more character driven than plot driven, and that suits me just fine!

Our main man Merik trudged through Truthwitch with the belief that his family hated him and thought him ill-deserving of the Nubrevnan crown. As a result of various circumstances the Prince is deemed dead and he’s now on a quest to prove that his sister Vivia is the one that destroyed him. This dangerous investigative work drives his story through Windwitch and despite everything, I admired his never dying love for his people and his need to protect those he loves. His desire to prove his sister’s guilt becomes an obsession for him but his eventual growth towards the end warms me. His is a journey of tolerance, acceptance, and a sharp dose of opening one’s eyes to the world around them for the sake of a kingdom.

My heart bled for Safi and everything she went through in Windwitch. Like omg is her life just basically going to be her on the run from everyone? All the kingdoms want her, to use her power or to barter her; the poor girl is being used left, right and centre. And she knows it. Her growth by the end of Truthwitch and her sort of ‘theme’ throughout Windwitch is her selflessness. It’s a real change from the girl I met on the first page of Truthwitch. Safi’s growth to thinking like a Domna, to trying to leverage her worth to help others really shines through in Windwitch but it also lands her in a lot of unfavourable situations. It’s like she can’t help but attract bad luck? It makes me love her more though, her compassion and drive to be better.

Iseult. My girl. My person. Hands down my favourite character. Maybe it’s because she’s got Asian in her blood and I relate to her more? I love her logic and calm. I love that, while it always seems like Safi is the main person because she shines so brightly, Safi needs Iseult too and actually, one isn’t complete without the other. Iseult never for a single moment holds a grudge or ill feelings towards Safi. I mean Safi lands them in a lot of shit but Iseult is just that selfless. She has a lot of inner demons to battle as well as coming to terms with her powers which aren’t what they seem. When I look at Iseult, I see solidarity. I actually love that Safi and Iseult were separated in Windwitch so that the reader could see each be their own person and be independent. Their bond and friendship was established in Truthwitch and Windwitch is about the strength of their connection while apart.

Then there’s Aeduan. Mysterious Aeduan who I started shipping before I even knew his name in Truthwitch. Dennard calls him Baeduan for good reason. This guy is shrouded in mystery and is a walking conflict to be honest. Like I just didn’t know what he’d choose most of the time and I loved that Dennard kept me second guessing myself. Just how morally sound is he? What is his past and connection to the other characters. This guy is mega chill and his vibe is “I’m bored, you don’t matter and I give no fucks” and then he’ll just whip out his sword and start doing his blood magic and I’m like LOOOOOOOL. I love him and I can’t wait for his book (SOOOON. Next year *sobs*).

We’re introduced to other characters as well that really stand out on their own - we finally meet Vivia who is So. Much. More than what Merik thinks. There’s the Empress of Marstok, Vaness who is the strongest Ironwitch EVER. I freaking loved the juxtaposition of these two monarchs. One is fighting for her rightful crown in a council that thinks she’s unworthy, while the other yields so much power it’s like the crown was just given to her. But both are powerful in their own right as we see in the way they can think and act quickly, and most importantly, in their love for their people. I mean they have questionable methods but yaaaas I cannot wait for more of these two.

Plot wise, there’s a lot of politics going on and it’s the intrigue that surrounds this Twenty Year Truce - why, if all the kingdoms don’t want to go to war, do they all start preparing for war. Everything is precarious and there’s STUFF going on in the background that’s pulling strings and I felt like a pawn being placed just so on the chessboard. All the characters have a part to play BUT WHO WILL BE THE ONE THAT CALLS CHECKMATE?

Something that I wished was delved upon more was the way the magic system works. The main elements make sense to me but Iseult’s power I still can’t grasp or picture. I wanted to know exactly how she sees these Threads - is it literally like a person is made of coloured yarn or where do these Threads stretch? If they’re not connection Threads to others but ‘feelings’ then what do they look like? Still hoping this gets explained in later books.

I loved the diversity that came so naturally in this series. It’s a multicultural fantasy which is what one expects in a high-fantasy world - Dennard draws on various ethnicities and features to create races within Witchlands. There’s also diversity of sexuality expressed by a number of characters, and a gender fluid character that plays an important part in the book who warms my heart.

I basically can’t stop gushing about Windwitch and if you haven’t started the series then do it. I breezed through Windwitch (hehe see what I did there) in like 2 days and I couldn’t put it down. Action packed, fast-paced, yet leaving so much room for character growth and exploration while furthering an intriguing plot, I was hooked. I kind of really need Bloodwitch now.

On Branching Out From YA

It's one week until Christmas which means 2 weeks until the new year (did you know New Year is exactly 1 week after Christmas?) and on top of thinking of what I'll pack for my overseas trip, I've been reflecting on the books I read in 2016.

I will always love YA. ALWAYS. No matter how old I get, YA is a demographic with a variety of genres that I can always go back to. That being said, I've branched out this year. The books that really stuck with me and left an impact were all 'adult' fantasy and science fiction.

Looking back I started off with The Final Empire back in 2014 which was the first time I really tried adult fantasy. And I loved it so much I went out and bought the rest of Mistborn and all of Sanderson's books. Even with his writing prowess, there's only so many books Sanderson can write in a year though and I've read all the ones I wanted to thus far (mind you I still need to tackle Words of Radiance in preparation for Oathbringer in 2017).

2015 was spent navigating my way through Sanderson's books and it wasn't until this year that I discovered some really amazing reads (props to Crini for a lot of the recs actually). One of the many reasons why I don't read 'adult' fiction books is because I can't connect to the characters. Their experiences aren't something I can relate to - divorces, the drama and a lot of family centric issues just don't interest me. I'm really glad I found the adult fantasy and sci-fi genre which transcends these themes.

Let's talk about these books (and here begins my book pushing - ha did you think I'd go a post without trying to book push?) and my thoughts on them. Emily May on Goodreads put in a few words exactly what these books makes one feel - they make us feel small. It's sort of scary at how these authors can elicit such a feeling in the space of 300 pages. Reading these I was struck by the epicness of the universe.

The Martian by Andy Weir - I was very late to the game on this, only reading it when the movie came out (I still haven't seen the movie and don't think I plan to lol). Weir is a genius and I could easily tell he's a scientist. As we follow the main character on his journey being stuck on Mars there's feelings of happiness when it seems he's going to make it and then the disintegrating hope when it all goes wrong. Because as soon as something goes wrong he's screwed. He has nearly no resources, Mars air is unbreathable and there's a nearly 2 year wait until someone can come save him. I couldn't put this down it was so fascinating. It's a very quick read as they're journal entries. The science goes over one's head sometimes but yes, good stuff.

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson - of course there's Brandon Sanderson in one of my fantasy/sci-fi post. This whopper is over 1000 pages and daunting af. It took me ages to bring myself to commit to reading and it took me 3 weeks but so worth it. This is the epitome of epic/high fantasy. The Stormlight Archive joins Sanderson's Cosmere which connects his books into one sort of universe/greater world system. There's multiple perspectives from a scholar, slave soldier, brother of a king, all linked by the magic system which is essentially infusing gems with the power of storms (hence Stormlight). I would always recommend people start with Mistborn for their first Sanderson but damn Stormlight is sooooo epic.

Sleeping Giants (Themis Files #1) by Sylvain Neuvel - I could not believe this was Neuvel's debut because this totally blew my mind. I finished this one in like 2 days and it was utter, brilliant, mind fuck. A girl uncovers a gigantic metal hand as a kid and the book talks about just what this discovery could mean. Its makeup is impossible as the compounds go beyond human discovery and history. It's another one with a lot of science but I was fascinated with what this hand could possibly be. Neuvel takes the story in a totally unsuspecting direction and I cannot wait for Waking Gods in 2017!

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth trilogy #1) by NK Jemisin - this stuck with me for the unique style it's written in. We follow 3 females - a young girl, a young woman, and a woman in her early 40s. The plot centres on the world ending and a power called orogeny that some people possess where they can manipulate kinetic energy around them to cause seismic movement. There's heaps of intrigue and it's a wonderful set up for the next book which I'll be reading in January.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - this left me totally mind blown (I know I've said this about all the books in this post but seriously) like wow how do people come up with these ideas? Our protagonist Jason Dessen is professor with a wife and son he loves. One day he gets kidnapped, asked "are you happy with your life?" and wakes up as Jason Dessen but the life he knows is gone. He has never married, never had a son and he's an award winning physicist. Dark Matter is not just a sci-fi book, it's a story that makes one question their choices in life. Would you change your decisions knowing where you'd eventually end up? Does that one small regret from a past choice make you wish for something else? I still can't get over how impactful this book was.

Review: Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J. Maas

Firstly, thanks to Bloosmbury Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: August 30 - September 2 2016
Date Released: September 6 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: (not enough stars, Aelin rattled them all *sobs*)

Note: this review contains NO spoilers for Empire of Storms but may contain spoilers for earlier books in the series. If leaving a comment please DO NOT post any EoS spoilers, this ruins the experience for others and these comments will be deleted.

Synopsis:

"The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.
As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?"

---

Never has a book broken me so much. Made me cry not just at one point, but made me sob incessantly at MANY parts throughout. Over the years and the amount of books I’ve read, my heart has definitely hardened so for Maas to continuously evoke such feelings and reactions from me is a feat unto itself. For Maas to continuously surprise me despite my many predictions coming to fruition? Well then.

I’m not going to waste your time telling you how much I love my Queen Aelin. Y’all have heard it a thousand and one times (and then some). BUT HOLY GODS what she did in EoS. She’s a queen in title only as we’ve seen in the past few books. She’s been an assassin most of her life, had no training to rule. And yet. AND YET. Her scheming, her planning, her sacrifices excuse me while I go cry at how she’s been forced into all of this way too young. This woman has been shoved into something she didn’t ask for, born into a bloodline and gift that isolated her, but she still manages to love so fiercely, to protect, to be loyal. How the hell can this world ask so much of her? And how does she keep giving and giving? I have no words. I just cried and cried.

This was a book about the ladies. Elide. Manon. Lysandra. So much girl power and strength. I loved all my girls so much. I AM SO PROUD OF THEM. Elide’s resolve, Manon’s loyalty, Lysandra’s willingness to do anything for her queen. Aasdlkjsfsljfsdfldshsdf *flails* each girl gets her moment in this book – many moments actually. There is this one bit where Lysandra did this thing that had me flailing all over the place and screaming and on the edge of my seat and *pants* I was just like damn you Sarah for writing such wonderful battle scenes. So the Thirteen. One particular member had me bawling my eyes out in QoS. YOU KNOW WHO. YOU KNOW WHICH SCENE. Welps it happened all over again. Yeh I’m just crying all over the shop here. All the ladies. All the love.

Okayyyy la romance. I’ll never ship it. Never can. For reasons. Buuuuuut doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. Doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate it. I could definitely feel the love between Aelin and her significant other. Moving on because this series stopped being about the romance for me since like book 3. THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS PEOPLE. Like a queen battling an age old evil.

The plot thickens. If you thought SJM couldn’t possibly drop anymore bombshells (I thought I was so smart because I’ve known the direction this series would head since book 1) well… I was like WTF throughout. I may have known where the general plot was heading but then all the little pieces fell into place after what felt like SJM backhanding me I was so shocked and in so much pain. THINGS are revealed in this book. Very important things. Game changers. Events and revelations that had me reeling and crying (wow no surprise there) and going nope NOPE NOPE I REFUSE MAKE IT STOP *sobs* of course I want more. I always want more. I’m a sadist when it comes to Sarah’s books.

More blood, more feels, more battle scenes. Damn does Maas know how to write a brilliant fantasy that has her readers engrossed. I’ve loved the battle scenes that Sarah’s written throughout the series. They’re always epic. Empire of Storms though – the naval battles, the armadas, the armies that are raised – blew me away with the detail and the way the action built up and went on for pages. Had me gasping and screaming at the characters. So good. So sooooooooo good. Hatchets, knives, daggers, swords, arrows, claws, Ironteeth, jaws, and magic. Lots and lots of wonderful magic dredged up and exhausted after they’ve laid ruins at their feet.

Then the ending happened and I didn’t think I could cry anymore but NOPE SJM pulled up my tears like she had Aelin pull up those flames and I. Didn’t. Stop. Crying. For ages.

Here’s a queen who would do anything for her people. For those she loves. For her kingdom. Here’s a real queen who thinks on her feet, who considers all the possibilities. Who, because she was born into it, has been preparing all her life even at the most unlikely times, making the most out of every single damn opportunity and situation she’s thrown into. Here’s the true Queen of Terrasen who ensures that her people and her kingdom will always be safe and live on regardless. Here’s Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, the heir of ash and fire, the queen of flame and shadows, the fire-breathing bitch queen, queen of the wildfire, Fireheart, who is a force to be reckoned with. Those who try to break her don’t know her true strength and what they’re dealing with. *Flails and cries and screams and hugs Aelin and everyone*

Review: Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle #1) by Jay Kristoff

Firstly, thanks to HarperCollins Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: June 29 - July 7 2016
Date Released: July 25th 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Destined to destroy empires Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Six years later, the child raised in the shadows takes her first steps towards keeping the promise she made on the day that she lost everything.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, so if she is to have her revenge, Mia must become a weapon without equal. She must prove herself against the deadliest of friends and enemies, and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Red Church is no Hogwarts, but Mia is no ordinary student. The shadows loves her. And they drink her fear."

---


Never flinch. Never fear. Never forget.

That is the mantra to live by. The words that are the driving force behind Mia Corvere’s story. I’m sorry Jay, but when I finished, I can’t say I didn’t flinch or fear throughout the story. But damn this was unforgettable.

Told by a narrator who knew Mia during her lifetime, Nevernight chronicles the first part of Mia’s life as she enters the Red Church to become an assassin and exact revenge on those that wronged her.

Holy sheeeet I adored Mia. She is sassy and witty and completely unforgiving. She gives no shits but I found that at the heart of everything she did, she still had a moral compass. It was definitely my favourite aspect of her growth throughout the book – the Red Church has Mia participating in and witnessing questionable deaths in the name of the goddess of the night. She has to wade through what’s right and wrong, and what she’s willing to do to achieve her goals. The internal conflict underlying her actions was so relatable.

There are a lot of secondary characters and my goodness does Kristoff write them so vividly that each person sticks after just a read. There are the other assassins-in-training like Mia, each with their own agenda, the teachers who we got some glimpses into and I reckon still have their stories to be told. Everybody has a purpose in the story, adding layers, creating a depth to the plot that instils fear and made me flinch at each of their actions. Like hello Shahiid Solis what even with that HACK HACK ELBOW BLOOD. Mother Drusilla, kindly grandmother or…? Then that Speaker and Weaver WHAT IS THIS SORCERY (legit). Did I mention there’s a shadow cat too? The not-cat is hilarious and so loveable.

Got to hand it to the Kristoff. He can write some hot sexy times wow *fans self* Good thing I wasn’t in public because I would be blushing like mad. To say he leaves one hot and bothered is an understatement. In the same way that the bloodshed in Nevernight is unforgiving, so is the sex. Y’all gotta appreciate a good sex scene. NO SHAME. As Jay pointed out in his tweets (go read the thread, it’s so important), why should it be a problem that his book has explicit sex scenes in it when it has gore and murder?

On the topic of murder, danggggg all them guts and gore. There’s spillage of intestines, flying limbs, flayed backs and blood, sooooo much blood the characters swim in it – literally! Kristoff writes this all in its gory detail, not sparing a moment so that the reader can feel the weight of Nevernight in full force. There’s lots of knife chucking, blade twirling, and slice and dice and hack and oops sorry was that your skin *cackles* your loss you were in the way, nah jokes I really wanted to kill you HAH.

I really cannot wait to get my hands on a finished copy so that I can see the map because the world-building is fantastic and I want to see where things are in relation to how my mind imagined them. The setting is based off what I think is ancient Rome with tweaks here and there, mixed with other races and a lot of magic! My favourite part was the way supernatural elements were interspersed like mythical creatures popping up, creeptastic blood rituals and flaming swords. For some reason they all felt so natural yet managed to surprise me too.

The plot is so intricate and wonderfully constructed. There are heaps of books with revenge at its core out there. But it’s all about the way it’s done. The reasons, the next steps. There is no telling; Kristoff shows us the reasons why Mia wants revenge. Shows us in heart wrenching full force slam in your face grief. And with each memory and flashback, more questions are raised about the ruling force behind Godsgrave. Kristoff being Kristoff there’s surprises at every turn and the ending knocked me off my feet.

Obviously I cried guys. I was punched in the gut and then Kristoff reached his darned hand into my chest and yanked my still beating heart out, all the blood pooling beneath my collapsed body. This book had me hating, it filled me with hope, it made me love, it left me feeling betrayed. Nevernight is dark, sexy, delicious and utterly unforgiving. As you can see, I flinched, I feared, but I will never forget.

Honestly, no amount of gushing will Nevernight justice so just go buy the book and devour it in all its glory. Then come join me in the foetal position so we can weep together.

Review: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Firstly, thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for this review copy <3

Date Read: May 3-7 2016
Date Released: May 3rd 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy
My Rating: (not enough stars)

Note this review contains spoilers for A Court of Thorns and Roses but NOT A Court of Mist and Fury.

Synopsis:

"Feyre is immortal.

After rescuing her lover Tamlin from a wicked Faerie Queen, she returns to the Spring Court possessing the powers of the High Fae. But Feyre cannot forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people - nor the bargain she made with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.

As Feyre is drawn ever deeper into Rhysand's dark web of politics and passion, war is looming and an evil far greater than any queen threatens to destroy everything Feyre has fought for. She must confront her past, embrace her gifts and decide her fate.

She must surrender her heart to heal a world torn in two. "

---

“To the people who look at the stars and wish…”

It’s a well-known fact that Throne of Glass is my favourite ongoing series. And if you asked me to pick a book I’d say Crown of Midnight is my fav but they keep getting better. Welps A Court of Mist and Fury has knocked ToG down to second as ACOTAR takes its place as number 1 ongoing series and ACOMAF as favourite book of all time. I'm suffering a massive book hangover after reading this. I don't give out 5 stars lightly. Even if Sarah is my fav author and I've loved all her previous books, I would never say before reading that that book will get 5/5. I give a 5 because I think a book deserves it. If I had hated ACOMAF I would have given this a 1 or a 2 regardless of how much I love Sarah. So you know when I say this is amazing, then there really aren't enough stars in the world to rate it.

This book is the most beautifully written story I’ve ever read. It spoke to me in every way. As an INFJ, it’s deeply ingrained in me that people do the right thing. I’m an egalitarian and an idealist. I believe that people should fight for what they believe in, stand by their opinions and good things happen to good people and vice versa. ACOMAF touched on all these beliefs for me.

With the way ACOTAR ended and going into ACOMAF, I thought I knew what to expect. Because ACOTAR is a Beauty and the Beast retelling I thought I knew how this story would progress and ultimately end. Oh how wrong I was. And how glad I am of that. The book opens to Feyre back in the Spring Court and everybody is still reeling from the events Under the Mountain. Feyre most of all suffers from a very serious case of untreated PTSD. And the way Maas writes holy moly. Feyre’s depression, anxiety, how she’s plagued by nightmares of Amarantha – I felt it all. All her pain, anguish, despair and helplessness. The beginning was so bleak and I was honestly afraid of the internal abyss Feyre seemed to be falling into. I was afraid she’d never come back out. She’s suffocating in her own skin and everybody is too busy dealing with their own nightmares to help her. I loved that she’s her own person. That she refuses to bow to anyone. So she fights, driven by her fury. For herself, for what she believes in. As the book progressed and she grew even more as a person, the self-actualisation that comes to her made me so proud.

Let’s get it out there – we all know this book is about Feyre’s bargain with Rhys and how she spends a week every month in the Night Court. It’s everything I thought it would be but so much more. It’s dark and cunning, filled with people who would sooner rip each other’s throats out than attempt being civilised. Horrible people who’d sell each other out even to other courts if they thought they could slither out from their High Lord’s wrath. It’s a court full of nightmares. It’s a court of people whose dark passion makes them fight for what they believe in. Who will don a mask to protect what they love. A court of dreamers. It’s beautiful and stunning, and the characters we meet have all been through so much I loved glimpses into their stories. How Maas manages to create such layered characters, introducing them to us and showing us so much in one book is beyond me. The Morrigan who’s known such darkness and yet chooses to live. The mysterious Amren who despite everything, has a sense of justice. Wild and passionate Cassian. Quiet and dark Azriel who’s always bathed in shadows. I loved them all. They’re flawed and yet perfect in my eyes.

The romance. Holy sweet baby Jesus the romance. I suspected a love triangle but THIS? This was not at all what I expected. The High Lord of the Spring Court is not who we think he is. And the High Lord of the Night Court is full of surprises. There’s the love that leads us to do things out of desperation and clouded judgement. Then there’s the love that goes beyond, one of selflessness based on having experienced the unthinkable and knowing pain – a self-sacrificing love for someone else’s happiness. I felt all of it in this book and I understood. The strength of emotions in this book simply floored me. Left me crying and unable to breathe because it felt like something was squeezing my chest and it was expanding and expanding and I couldn’t contain all these emotions within me. A love story of fates and bonds.

Maas always has a way of writing intricate plots with many twists and turns. The first book is barely a glimpse into the whole story. We deep dive into ACOMAF and nothing is what I thought it would be. The threats are so much bigger than imagined, and nobody is who we expect. There’s clashing swords, glorious fighting and ugly bloodshed. There’s magic of the beginning and the end. I was happy and then I was shocked. Sad, enraged, joyous, filled with sorrow and the need for retribution.

Then the writing. Maas’ writing is a prize in itself. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed her elegant style until I read the first page of ACOMAF. It’s her trademark way of explaining things beyond what I thought my brain could comprehend. Describing things to me in a new light, emotions slamming into me full force. Her poetic dialogue and ability to write a different voice for each character filled me with awe.

I thought the world-building and imagery in ACOTAR was amazing. I thought the Spring Court was beautiful. How mistaken I was. How… narrow and naïve my tiny human brain. Because there is a world out there. And it makes the constant budding spring stifling. The flowers are cloying after a while, the shining manor an empty façade just to look at, the pretty dresses limiting one from movement. Out there is a Prythian with the briny sea and ocean breeze, snow-capped mountains with the fresh scent of pine. Maas flies us through Prythian and opens our eyes to a world beyond.

My heart was thrown open to a people who have suffered, endured so much pain, been tortured and tormented, all for their dreams to keep on living. ACOMAF was a song to my soul that sang to me see Jaz, see what you could do if you dream big. If you reached for the stars, this is what your dreams could be – you could rattle the stars. But only if you’re willing to fight for it.

“To the stars who listen – and the dreams that are answered.”

Review: The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1) by Rick Riordan

Firstly, thanks to Penguin Teen Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: September 30 - October 5 2015
Date Released: October 6th 2015
Publisher: Penguin Teen Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Fantasy/mythology
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother’s mysterious death, he’s lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.

One day, he’s tracked down by a man he’s never met—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision.

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die . . ."

---

I haven’t read something this entertaining in like… EVER. The Sword of Summer is probably the funniest book I’ve ever read and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Picking up The Sword of Summer, I expected Magnus Chase to be another Percy Jackson. Maybe Percy 2.0 new and improved. But Magnus holds his own – his own story, his own personality. He’s his own memorable character. The son of a Norse god, he’s pulled into a world where Norse mythology is actually true. He embarks on his journey of fate, destiny and heritage.

I freaking adored Magnus’ character. The thing about Riordan’s characters (ok I’ve only read PJO and this but that counts right?) is that they’re relatable, ordinary teenagers that are just trying to get by in life when they’re begrudgingly swept up into a mess of family history and quests of fate. What I love about Magnus is the way he approached everything. After everything he’s been through, he still tries to put a humorous spin on life. That doesn’t mean he takes it as a joke. Far from it; he’s been through and suffered so much he knows how to add a bit of light to situations. His thoughts are extremely sarcastic which NEVER went overboard. I just couldn’t get enough his snark. It was so fitting for the situations (I think he’d be an awesome stand-up comedian) and made them really relatable. There was this one point where they were talking about paradoxes being the strongest ingredient for crafting: “… a woman’s beard”, and Magnus goes “Dunno if that last one is a paradox” and I just about died of laughter. I admired Magnus’ values as well. The way he upheld his beliefs of friendship and family, and not in a self-righteous kind of way either, made me want to hug him and shout him a falafel meal. The way he thought of his mum, full of love and gratitude, it’s not something you often see portrayed in books, especially from a male POV.

Enough gushing about Magnus. Because now I shall gush about his companions. I loved the diversity to his crew – Blitz, Hearth (who's deaf and uses ASL), and Sam a Muslim Valkyrie. You could say they were joined by their painful pasts but on top of that they just clicked so well. It was their willingness to do anything for each other, to help save the world, to see the good in people. I know I sound like rainbows are about to shine and flowers burst at my feet (that does happen at numerous points in the book though) from all the mushy love but it’s true! I loved Blitz’s drive to open his own fashion line, Hearth’s journey to discovering magic and Sam’s struggle to balance her human life and family values. GROUP HUG.

You guys this story is more than just a story. It’s a real journey that took me through the Nine Worlds. I felt like I fell through many of the branches of Yggdrasil and encountered unspeakable foes that knocked me around but ultimately led me toward an end goal. The pace never faltered, never stopped moving. Riordan brilliantly weaves Norse mythology with a wonderful modern plot, that manages to uphold the integrity of the folklore. I’m an absolute sucker for Norse mythology and I loved learning more about the gods, Yggdrasil and the way things were connected. Everything flowed so well and it all clicked.

Now there’s the writing. Riordan just has this innate ability to craft sentences into flowing paragraphs that keep the pages turning. His puns, inside jokes and snark made this one of the most well-written books. Like omg “the [talking] sword had a point. (Pun not intended)” which you might think is lame but in context was just fabulous. The way he had Magnus pronounce or relate things from other worlds like our mortal stuff just made the story that much more believable (Folkvanger – Volkswagen lel). Also the gods ermagherd. They watch TV, they take training courses on presentations, they’re like bag ladies. Fabulous. If I haven’t convinced you to pick this up yet then you may be a lost cause.

The Sword of Summer stands as one of the best books I’ve read this year and one of the most entertaining books I’ve read in my entire life. I came out of this full of feels (yes there are feels), and very content. I felt wiser after finishing, appreciating family and life more, and also got a brush up on Norse mythology. Riordan takes us on an amazing journey, teaching us that the choices we make can fight fate, all the while cruising (speeding) through on his hilarious snark.

Review: Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas

Firstly, thank you SOSOSOSO much to Bloomsbury Australia for the opportunity to read Queen of Shadows early <3 Celaena approves

This review contains no spoilers for Queen of Shadows, but might contain some spoilers for books 1 and 2, there shouldn’t be any spoilers for Heir of Fire either.

Date Read: August 12 - 15 2015
Date Released: September 1st 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: High fantasy
My Rating: (not enough stars)

Buy Links: Bloomsbury | Booktopia | Bookworld

Synopsis:

"Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .
She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world."

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Have you ever wondered what perfection looks like? Well it’s staring you in the face when you read Queen of Shadows.

Now let’s establish something first. Before you pounce on the one word many of us reading this series worry about (“ship”) I’m going to say this: I’m not going to be talking about that in this review because 1) this book was about the vengeance for me and 2) most importantly, I trust in Sarah. I trust her and the journey she’s taking us on and that’s all I’ll say about it.

Well Celaena’s back. And she’s pissed. So obviously she wants to wreak hell on those who captured her, tormented her and caused her so much grief and heartbreak. Add in that she’s more badass than ever before (READ HEIR OF FIRE IF YOU HAVEN’T) and she is DEADLY. She’s also matured so much, come to terms with who she is and accepted her identity. That doesn’t mean she’s done a 360 though; she is still very untrusting, keeping things to herself – but can we blame her? The more people know, the more danger they’re in. She will do anything to protect those she loves. And this is why I connect with her; she has such a strong moral compass I know she’s always going to end up doing what’s right. She might lie and deceive on the surface, but underneath there’s just this brutal honesty about her so when she makes friends, she makes them for life. In Queen of Shadows we see just how cunning of an assassin Celaena can be. My goodness her plans are so well thought out. Complex and intricate she’s got all her bases covered. It’s like she just conducts the most thorough risk assessments in her mind and knows where all the weaknesses exist. I was actually mind-blown. Celaena once again proves she’s Adarlan’s Assassin.

Aelin Ashryver Galathynius. What a queen this woman this. A family slaughtered, her kingdom taken from her and her people in ruins. The lost Queen of Terrasen is one that loves her people. She would do anything for them. And her people love her. The King of Adarlan commands his people through fear and brutality. What made the kingdom of Terrasen so strong was that their rulers treated their people with justice and respect. We can see the qualities of her ancestors in Aelin. This is one queen I would gladly serve.

While all of the secondary characters were individually amazing – Chaol’s change and growth, Dorian’s own battle, Aedion and Rowan each getting to know their queen – it was the relationships in this book that made it really stand out. Queen of Shadows was all about the forming of bonds and friendships for life. There was Chaol’s undying loyalty to Dorian; Aedion finally meeting his hero Rowan, but what develops is this amazing brotherly relationship forged through respect and fighting side by side for the queen they would lay down their lives for. BUT BUT BUT. The girl power. Holy sweet baby Jesus. THE GIRL POWER IN THIS BOOK. *Flails*. It was just amazing how the females in this book didn’t let guy shit and personal stuff get in the way of helping each other out. The way they respected each other and each other’s talents ermagherd. Celaena and Nesryn. Celaena and Lysandra. Lysandra and Evangeline. I adored Nesryn’s calm, Lysandra’s cunning and Evangeline’s understanding. All these young women had all suffered in their own way so seeing them come together for a common cause but then form everlasting bonds deeper than friendships just had my heart all warm and fuzzy.

Now let’s not forget Manon and her Thirteen. DAYUM I loved Manon’s internal battle with herself as she struggled with what she had been brought up to believe against what her moral compass told her. I was also shocked at the glimpse we got into the Thirteen. One particular character’s story had me in tears I was just sobbing for ages. Crying for an Ironteeth Witch? Who would’ve thought?

The already dark plot of this series gets even deeper and more heartwrenching, accentuated by each individual character’s suffering. There are so many shocking revelations throughout – from Arobynn’s reach, to the extent of the King’s plans and the way everything is connected. It’s like just asaskdsakjfhdhds WHAT and the one question that consistently arises throughout this book: are monsters born or made?

I couldn’t stop turning the pages of this book, couldn’t stop devouring Maas’ lyrical writing and stunning world building. I felt ALL the emotions. I related to every single one of the characters, lived their stories filled with despair, joy and everything in between. 

Queen of Shadows rattled the stars.

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J Maas

Firstly, thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for this review copy <3

Date Read: February 3 - 5 2015
Date Released: May 5th 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: High fantasy/fairy tale retellings
My Rating: (Not enough stars to rate)

Synopsis:

"Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price.

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever."

---

“Magic – everything was magic, and it broke my heart.”

How to start review? How to review awesome? I can count on one hand the number of NA books I’ve enjoyed in the past. The bulk of NA out there is contemporary with some paranormal mixed in but NA high fantasy? You guys ACOTAR is an absolute game changer. I think this is a first. It’s got the finely crafted world of YA high fantasy, with that extra bit of edginess and seductiveness that makes it NA. You can say that this book has officially seduced me. The world needs more books like this. The world needs more Sarah J Maas. I think this woman just has magic (I’m inclined to believe she is of the fey) that she weaves into her words and stories to create worlds that just suck you in and it’s like you’ve drunk faerie wine, become entranced, never to see the mortal world the same ever again.

Nineteen year old Feyre is struggling to keep her family alive. Impoverished, she spends her days hunting in the forests while her older sisters and father uselessly sit at home, relying on her for everything. I want to punch Nesta in the face. Please Sarah, please can I? Despite how ungrateful her family is, Feyre once made a promise to her dying mother to take care of them. She leaves her childhood and innocence behind to shelter and feed them. She is cynical, determined, fiercely protective of those she loves and takes no shit from anyone. No not even you. I love how she’s got the perfect balance of bravery but she knows fear as well. The faeries are monsters and there is no point in being fearless in their presence. To do so would be idiocy. I loved the way her character is balanced – brave at the right times, showing fear in others, because if you don’t fear the faeries then you’re probably not human. As the story progresses, she makes many realisations about herself, about those around her, and we see how just what she’s willing to do for those she loves.

LUCIEN. RHYSAND. Two of my favourite secondary characters. I think of Lucien as the loyal sidekick. Protective of his master but not afraid to show his opinion, I loved his snarky comments. He made a lot of tense moments during the book fun with his witty banter with Feyre. And there is a story behind him as well. One that I’m just waiting for Sarah to tell. Then there is Rhysand. Dark, enigmatic, full of hidden motives ermagherd I always fall for the dark ones. There is more to him than meets the eye.

Now. Tamlin. Romance. Whew *fans self* Nope I need an a/c. I just. Wait nope give me a moment it’s too hot in here. Much sexy. Much steamy. This is what makes the book more new adult than YA and I want to read ALLLL the books like this. As with most of my reviews of Sarah J Maas’s books, I’m not going to say much about the romance because you just need to read it yourself. All I have to add is, she has a way of writing exquisite men.

The plot of course, is no short of fabulous. Expertly weaving fairy tale with folklore, A Court of Thorns and Roses draws on recognisable elements, yet holds its own as a story. It left me feeling the warm and fuzzies that a fairy tale brings, but also mesmerised and haunted with the chilling tale of faerie monstrosity. Beauty and the Beast has nothing on this curse. Belle’s sacrifice had nothing on Feyre’s pain. And the townsfolk have nothing on the brutality and abhorred torture methods of the High Fae.

In the face of immortals, we can see just how weak we are as humans. How fleeting we are in existence. But Maas also shows us that because we have such short lifespans, we feel so much more, love so much more intensely and will go to greater lengths to achieve our goals because our days are limited.

Throughout this, Sarah’s signature writing style shines through – even more eloquent and gorgeous than before. Through her stunning imagery, I was Feyre as she felt the landscapes being painted through her fingertips, I was trembling on the ground as my bones broke. I swam in starlight and then drank it too.

“Cauldron save you, Mother hold you. Pass through the gates, and smell that immortal land of milk and honey. Fear no evil. Feel no pain. Go, and enter eternity.”

Review: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Firstly, thanks to Penguin Teen Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: March 20 - 25 2015
Date Released: March 25th 2015
Publisher: Penguin Teen Australia
Source: Review copy via publisher
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating:

Synopsis:

"Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met."

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(The style of this review is based on the email exchanges between Simon and Blue in the book.)

FROM: jaz@pixelski.com
TO: penguinteenaus@au.penguingroup.com

DATE: Apr 12 at 7.26pm
SUBJECT: That incredibly cute and wonderful book you sent me with a character called Simon…

Dear PTA,

You know that book you sent me called Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda? The one that the YA world is going crazy about? Well holy crap it was amazing and I JUST CAN’T EVEN.

Firstly, I was so impressed at how real this book was. Gone were the stereotypical cliques I was getting sick of in American YA books. For once, I read a YA book where I could relate to my own high school experience. Simon’s smart, nerdy even, but didn’t you find it so refreshing to see that he hung out with sporty people too? I really liked that he’s actually sort of popular and also hangs out with popular people that also do well in school. Everybody had a mix of hobbies, strengths and weaknesses but Simon’s friendship group still got along really well. Were you as happy about this as I was?

I absolutely adored Simon’s character and I know you did too! I wonder if it’s for the same reasons? He’s intelligent and funny but also has his own insecurities. The first-person POV was absolutely fantastic wasn’t it? I really liked how he swore a lot and that he wasn’t perfect – he judged people and bitched about others in his head (and with his friends too). I mean let’s be honest here, just because you’re smart and generally a nice person, doesn’t mean you don’t have opinions about other people too. You feel me? I certainly did those things myself back in high school. Through his emails to Blue especially, I understood his fear of coming out and got a glimpse of what it’s like to be gay in high school. I mean, seriously, bloody Martin blackmailing Simon over it? I’d be shitting myself too. I’m sure you loved his character growth as much as I did. He’s still not perfect by the end of the book, but through his interactions with all the other characters, he really grows into himself!

Simon’s friends were all real (I’m sorry, I keep using that word but that’s one of my favourite things about this book) and diverse (yay!). Did you find it awesome that Simon admitted he was sometimes ignorant of people’s cultural differences because he was white? I liked how supportive Abby always was, that she was really pretty but didn’t hang out with the popular kids. I loved that Nick was essentially a ‘jock’ but also loved video games and spent time with non-sporty friends and sporty friend alike! Then there was Simon’s family, who made a big deal out of everything and as a result his siblings Nora and Alice didn’t tell each other things. And yet they still really cared about each other and Simon grows so much throughout the book as he realises things about them.

Underlying Simon’s progression through the school year and his play rehearsals are his emails to Blue. Tell me you swooned and squealed as much as I did? Aka A LOT. While the emails didn’t give a clear indication of who Blue was, I thought it was through these exchanges that we could see Simon’s deeper and emotional side. These heartfelt messages showed how Simon and Blue connected and my goodness they were so sweet.

Basically, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Realistic portrayal of LGBT characters, relatable contemporary and through it all, Albertalli’s writing carried the story through. The feels were real. GIVE ME MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS PLEASE?

Yours,
Jaz

Review: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Firstly, thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for this review copy <3



Date Read: May 27 - 29 2014
Release Date: September 11th 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Fantasy
My rating:  (BEST BOOK OF 2014, NOT ENOUGH STARS TO RATE)

Synopsis:

"Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

The bestselling series that has captured readers all over the world reaches new heights in this sequel to the New York Times best-selling Crown of Midnight. Packed with heart-pounding action, fierce new characters, and swoon-worthy romance, this third book will enthrall readers from start to finish"

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“She would not let that light go out.”

Since reading Crown of Midnight in June last year, it has been my favourite book. It no longer stands as my favourite book ever since I finished Heir of Fire. If you need just 1 book this year, it’s Heir of Fire. I’m going to attempt to top my review of Crown of Midnight which I believe is the best review I have ever written, but it’s going to be hard because I’m at a loss of words of how to describe the force of nature that is Sarah J Maas and her magic. I know, I’ve managed to gush for AGES but it’s just rambling let’s be honest. Oh the feels.

I’m not sure how Maas does it but she just tops herself every time and I am in awe of her skill. It’s the end of May and I have to wait until SEPTEMBER for the actual book to be released? I only had to wait 2 months last year… Now I wait more than 3! Ugh. I really just need book 4 right now.

“Wendlyn. A land of myths and monsters – of legends and nightmares and flesh.”

Sent to Wendlyn by Chaol to ensure her safety, the King’s Champion has other things on her mind than finding battle plans to help the King of Adarlan infiltrate Wendlyn. Our badass heroine is on her own journey to get answers about the Wyrdkeys from the legendary Fae. But the journey proves to be one of personal growth. Celaena must finally face the demons from her past and the pain that turned her into a cold-blooded assassin. She must embrace who she is and learn to control what’s inside her. Following Celaena on this path was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever read. Period. Her development, discipline and sheer determination astounded me. This girl is what YA heroines should be. Independent. Strong. Determined. Selfless. Brave. So so brave – I admire her so much. My heart ached for this girl whose own was shredded to pieces and yet she still found the courage to stand on her own two feet and fight. Hers was a story about facing the past and family (I bawled). She is a force of her own that blazes and shines so brightly. She is the Heir of Fire.

“Then she ripped everything from that well inside her, ripped it out with both hands and her entire, raging, hopeless heart.”

Heir of Fire actually switches between multiple third person POVs so that the reader can get a feel of what is going on through Erilea. Other than Celaena, we follow Chaol and Dorian in Adarlan, and Manon Blackbeak a new character that is introduced. Manon is cool guys. She’s badass. The head of the Thirteen and a Blackbeak witch, this woman is deadly and she knows it. Despite her being on the other team I liked her deep sense of loyalty… And there was just something about her actions that seemed just and morally correct. With iron teeth and iron nails, Manon Blackbeak is not a force to be reckoned with. If and when her and Celaena go head-to-head my god that will be one of the most epic battles the world has ever seen.

“One to the gut, so Asterin could feel her own powerlessness; one to the ribs, so she’d consider her actions every time she drew breath; and one to the face, so her broken nose would remind her that the punishment could have been far worse.”

(Also, if Sarah will have me, I pledge myself to be one of her Thirteen.)

“We are the Thirteen, from now until the Darkness claims us.”

Chaol is dealing with the news of what he discovered at the end of Crown of Midnight, and Celaena’s absence is really hitting him hard. Secrets create a rift between the Captain of the King’s Guard and the Crown Prince, who is himself dealing with revelations about himself. Bring in Aedion to heckle these two and you’ve got three steamy guys in one location *fans self*. I absolutely adored Aedion. He is the cousin of the lost heir/queen of Terrasen but now works for the King of Adarlan. He is viewed as a traitor by those loyal to Terrasen. Unearthing his story was absolutely fascinating and WOAH Aedion is amazing. Another brave, selfless soul, he has so much inner-turmoil I can’t imagine how painful it must be for him to get up each day. As for Dorian, I liked how he was trying to accept himself. I really didn’t care for his budding relationship with this other new character though. Chaol. CHAOL CHAOL CHAOL this man ermagherd my love for him runs sure and true <3 He struggles so much through this book. What do you do when the person you love goes against everything you’ve been taught is right? Chaol has much growth to go through but I liked how he’s still as selfless and loving as he’s always been.

“Do you think they hate us or pity us for what we do to each other?”

The romance guys. Be warned, there is barely any. I know some people were really annoyed about this but guys THERE IS A WHOLE WORLD BEING INTRODUCED TO YOU and and so much other stuff going on, like self-discovery, character growth, scary monsters to defeat and Fae to deal with so OMG I was totally fine with romance being something in the background. I will however, assure you that my Chaolena ship still sails strongly and it will continue to sail into the sunset.

BUUUUUT, one name. One man. One person to look out for who will shake up everything you may or may not believe in: Rowan. Hot damn. Stubborn, cold, not one for words, tough, steadfast, sarcastic, snarky, funny, loyal, tortured, beautiful, WARMS MY HEART *sobs*

“Until my last breath, and the world beyond. To whatever end.”

When I said there is a whole world being introduced to you I’m not shitting you. The world-building holy sweet baby Jesus. I swear on Celaena’s true name that this some of the best world-building I have EVER read. We see new lands, new realms and in between, the skies and lands that form these are diverse and phenomenal. Changing terrain, a whole array of skyscapes, landscapes, seascapes, forests, mountains and FAIRYLAND. No seriously, the place where the Fae reside is stunning. The way Maas uses colours to paint a whole palette worth of imagery is so beautiful. Everything just came to life in front of my eyes – you know in the Game of Thrones opening where cities form right in front of your eyes? Yeah this is what happened throughout the whole book.

“… The rivers toppled over the mouth of a mighty waterfall, its basin so huge that the mist floated into the clear day, setting the domed buildings, pearlescent spires, and blue rooftops shining.”

When I first read Throne of Glass I honestly had no idea what I was getting into. But Maas intelligently and quietly paved the way for the plot to grow. She really set the cogs in motion at the end of Throne of Glass, and if you thought Crown of Midnight’s plot was a twist well you’ve got another thing coming for you. Heir of Fire reveals a darkness deeply rooted in this world. One that has been there for a long time, preceding generations and humanity. For there is a force so strong and mind boggling it’s going to knock you off your feet. This is deep guys. Like woah I was reading and I was SCARED. It’s like, ohmygod how much more can these characters take? How much more darkness can this world have and not have collapsed in on itself.

“Because hers was not a story of darkness.”

Don’t even know how to praise Maas’ writing anymore. Too fantastic. Her vocabulary, her word choice. Ermagherd. It’s sophisticated like walking into a chic and modern penthouse. It’s elegant like Elie Saab’s Fall/Winter haute couture collections. It flows like water rushing along a river. It’s as smooth as Haagen Dazs ice cream. I read her writing and I fall into it. I fall into Celaena’s world. And I never want to get back up. Maas also knows how to tease but she knows when enough is enough. There is a certain point in the novel where the plot builds and builds. Think of those breathtaking battle scenes you have in movies and the massive build up to them. Don’t you hate it when the director cuts to something else and leaves you hanging? Maas could have cut off and left us hanging as she went to Chaol/Dorian or Manon’s story. But she goes on. For chapters upon chapters as Celaena’s scene grows to this halting crescendo. Each time I turned the page I was so freaking scared that the next chapter would leave me hanging. But she goes on. Right until the epic scene fades and I was left exhausted and my pillow soaked because I was holding my breath while sobbing the entire time (I know, how am I alive?).

This is THE book of 2014. Maas has managed to out-do herself once again. Heir of Fire is the strongest book in the series yet – her writing continues to grow and her flair shows in the way she weaves the tales of characters old and new. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out and I never wanted this to end. A story of family, love, friendship, loyalty and self-discovery, steeped in Maas’ signature style, the plot will leave you reeling and breathless for more.

“She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.”