Review - The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry

 

 

 

 Title: The Magician's Daughter

Author: H.G. Parry

Pages: 372

Publisher: Orbit

 Release Date: 28th February 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Off the coast of Ireland sits a legendary island hidden by magic. A place of ruins and ancient trees, sea-salt air and fairy lore, Hy-Brasil is the only home Biddy has ever known. Washed up on its shore as a baby, Biddy lives a quiet life with her guardian, the mercurial magician Rowan. A life she finds increasingly stifling.

One night, Rowan fails to return from his mysterious travels. To find him, Biddy must venture into the outside world for the first time. But Rowan has powerful enemies-forces who have hoarded the world's magic and have set their sights on the magician's many secrets.

Biddy may be the key to stopping them. Yet the closer she gets to answers, the more she questions everything she's ever believed about Rowan, her past, and the nature of magic itself.

 

 Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley*

Biddy lives in a version of 1912 where magic has been disappearing over the last seventy years.

Biddy has known magic all her life, residing on the hidden island of Hy-Brasil with her guardian, Rowan, and his rabbit familiar, Hutch.

Biddy loves the island, but yearns to see the outside world.

When Rowan doesn't come back one night after journeying across the sea in search of more magic, Biddy finds herself thrust into a dangerous adventure that will change everything Biddy knows.

Can Biddy track down Rowan on the foreign streets of London?

Is there a way to save magic?

I have a mixed history with this author's previous books, having really enjoyed one, and ending up not finishing another. However, the blurb for this book intrigued me, and I decided to give it a try.

Biddy was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I empathised with her, and rooted for her. I was also a little jealous of Biddy growing up on Hy-Brasil, which sounded wonderful.

I liked both Rowan and Hutch, and the relationships they had with Biddy and each other. Hutch was my favourite character overall, as I liked how much he clearly loved both Rowan and Biddy and fretted for them.

The setting of Hy-Brasil was interesting, and it was the total opposite of the dark, grimy streets of London.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped by what was happening. I thought the story was set up well, and I did enjoy the world the author had created.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I would definitely pick up another book by this author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

 

Review - A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street

 

 

 

 Title: A Curse of Salt

Author: Sarah Street

Pages: 350

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Release Date: 25th May 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A heartless beast
A sister's sacrifice
And a love so strong it will drown the raging sea ...
THIS FAIRY TALE IS CURSED

In a kingdom that fears the sea, Ria Lucroy longs to be brave.

Bodies are washing ashore and everyone knows who's to blame. Legends of the Heartless King shroud the continent in fear; they call him a pirate, a monster, a god. When his mercenaries raid her father's merchant ship, Ria's family is faced with a horrifying demand. They will spare his life, in exchange for one of his daughters.

Determined to save her sisters, Ria launches herself into the world of pirates. Face-to-face with the Heartless King, she finds he is far more than the stories told. He is a man, with a human name and blood-stained hands, bound to the seas by a centuries-old curse. As their chemistry blooms into something more, Ria finds herself caught in an ancient web of secrets.

Battling creatures of the deep alongside those that reign its surface, Ria discovers how to love a heartless man and that some curses aren't so easy to break.

Prepare for stormy seas and swoony romance in this addictive enemies-to-lovers fairytale romance. Perfect for fans of Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreakers series and Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley*

Ria Lucroy lives with her sisters and father near the sea, which Ria has always found herself drawn towards.

One day, Ria's father's ship is attacked and her father is the only survivor, but on the condition that he sends Ria's sister to the murderous Heartless King. The King is a pirate known for his cruelty and savage ways.

Determined to save her sister from this fate, and her father who is adamant he will not give his daughter up, Ria takes her sister's place.

On the Heartless King's ship, Ria learns of secrets that have been kept from her that put her life in jeopardy.

Can Ria survive her time on the Heartless King's ship?

Upon learning that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling with pirates, I was instantly intrigued and was interested to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I ended up being disappointed.

Ria was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I liked how much she cared for her family and was willing to put herself at risk for them. I felt sorry for her when she learned that they had kept things from her.

I liked several of the crew members on the Heartless King's ship, but there weren't any characters that really stood out for me.

The plot was mixed for me - I started off enjoying the book, but after a while I did find myself losing interest. It didn't help that I wasn't overly invested in what happened and I wasn't a big fan of the romance.

The writing style was easy to follow.

I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was a mixed read.