Review - Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

 

 

 Title: Within These Wicked Walls

 

Author: Lauren Blackwood

 

Pages: 336

 

Publisher: Wednesday Books

 

Release Date: 19th October 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

What the heart desires, the house destroys...

Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

 

 

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 Wednesday Books and NetGalley*

 

 

 Andromeda is a debtera - someone who exorcises the Evil Eye from households.

She is looking for patronage after a disagreement with her mentor and finds herself working for Magnus Rochester.

Andromeda soon realises that she may have bitten off more than she can chew but is determined to see the job through. Even if it means risking her heart and her life.

 

The concept for this book immediately intrigued me - an Ethiopian Jane Eyre retelling - and the cover certainly didn't hurt.

Andromeda was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She hadn't had the easiest upbringing, but was still an optimistic person, which I liked.

Magnus was a mixed character for me, as I liked him most of the time, but did find him to be a bit of a spoiled brat at times. I also felt that he was a bit 2D and could have done with some fleshing out.

Jember, Andromeda's mentor, was interesting and I enjoyed finding out more about him.

The setting of the house was interesting, and I liked the concepts of the amulets and different Manifestations. However, I would have liked a bit more world-building.

The romance was sweet at times, and I liked the banter, but it happened a little too quickly for my liking, but that's because I prefer slow burns.

The plot was interesting and held my attention throughout, but I did find myself becoming a little bored towards the end and wasn't as invested as I could have been.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I would definitely consider reading another book by the author.

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Review - Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cohoe

 

 

 

 Title: Bright Ruined Things

Author: Samantha Cohoe

Pages: 352

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Release Date: 15th February 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

"A deftly-plotted tale about ambition and belonging, Bright Ruined Things takes Shakespeare’s The Tempest and brilliantly reimagines its themes of family and love. Cohoe writes with a magic that dazzles and cuts right to the core." - Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

Forbidden magic, a family secret, and a night to reveal it all...

The only life Mae has ever known is on the island, living on the charity of the wealthy Prosper family who control the magic on the island and the spirits who inhabit it. Mae longs for magic of her own and to have a place among the Prosper family, where her best friend, Coco, will see her as an equal, and her crush, Miles, will finally see her. Now that she’s eighteen, Mae knows her time with the Prospers may soon come to an end.

But tonight is First Night, when the Prospers and their high-society friends return to the island to celebrate the night Lord Prosper first harnessed the island’s magic and started producing aether – a magical fuel source that has revolutionized the world. With everyone returning to the island, Mae finally has the chance to go after what she’s always wanted.

When the spirits start inexplicably dying, Mae starts to realize that things aren’t what they seem. And Ivo, the reclusive, mysterious heir to the Prosper magic, may hold all the answers – including a secret about Mae’s past that she doesn’t remember. As Mae and her friends begin to unravel the mysteries of the island, and the Prospers’ magic, Mae starts to question the truth of what her world was built on.

In this YA fantasy, Samantha Cohoe wonderfully mixes magic and an atmospheric historical setting into a fantastically immersive world, with characters you won’t be able to forget.

 

 Goodreads | Storgraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley*

 

 

Mae lives on a magical island with the Prosper family. As their ward, Mae is on the outside and dreams of being able to learn magic like Ivo the Prosper heir.

Every year the Prospers host a party called First Night where people from the mainland come to the island to celebrate the anniversary of Lord Prosper producing aether using the island's indigenous spirits.

The First Night also means that Mae's best friend, Coco, will be returning to the island, as well as Miles, Mae's crush.

However, things start to unravel when the spirits begin to die,

What is happening to the spirits?

Will Mae be able to to stay on the island now that she is eighteen?

 

Mae was a mixed protagonist for me - I felt sorry for her with how she was mostly forgotten by the Prospers while most of them went off to the mainland during term time. I liked Mae's character development, but I didn't really connect with her and wasn't invested in what happened to her.

None of the characters really stood out for me, except maybe Ivo, who I would like to find out more about.

The setting of the island was interesting.

The plot was mixed for me - I found some of it to be predictable, but it also surprised me. However, I wasn't gripped.

The writing style took me a little while to get into, but it was easy to follow.

I'm disappeared that I didn't enjoy this more.

 

Overall, this was a mixed read.