Review - The Great Troll War (The Last Dragonslayer, #4) by Jasper Fforde

 

 

 Title: The Great Troll War (The Last Dragonslayer, #4)

Author: Jasper Fforde

Pages: 368

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release Date: 9th September 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads: 

The final instalment of the Last Dragonslayer Chronicles, demonstrating that with a small band of committed followers, a large tin of resolve and steely determination, almost anything can be achieved . . .

Sixteen-year-old Jennifer Strange and her sidekick and fellow Orphan Tiger Prawns have been driven to the tip of the UnUnited Kingdoms - Cornwall - by the invasion of the Trolls. Their one defence is a six-foot-wide trench full of buttons, something which the Trolls find unaccountably terrifying (it's their clickiness).

Worse than being eaten by Trolls is the prospect of the Mighty Shandar requisitioning the Quarkbeast and using him to achieve supreme power and domination - an ambition that has been four hundred years in the planning and which will ultimately leave the Earth a cold cinder, devoid of all life.

Nothing has ever looked so bleak, but Jennifer, assisted by a renegade vegan Troll, a bunch of misfit sorcerers, the Princess (or is she now the ruler?) of the UnUnited (or are they now United?) Kingdoms, and Tiger, must find a way to vanquish the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, and along the way discover the truth about her parents, herself, and what is in the locked glovebox of her VW Beetle . . .

 

 

 Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley*

The UnUnited Kingdom has been invaded by Trolls, and Jennifer Strange finds herself in Cornwall with only a trench filled with buttons (Trolls can't stand them) preventing her and her friends from being eaten.

But the Trolls aren't the only problem - the Mighty Shandar, the most powerful sorcerer ever to exist, has a sinister plan that only Jennifer can foil.

Can Jennifer stop the Trolls from completing their invasion as well as the Mighty Shandar from enacting his plan?

Will she finally discover the truth about her parents?

Having very much enjoyed the previous book in the series, I was looking forward to seeing how the series would end.

I really liked Jennifer as a protagonist. Even though she was only sixteen-years-old, she had been through a lot and had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. Jennifer had a strong moral compass and cared a lot about other people.

As well as Jennifer, Tiger was one of my favourite characters. He was witty and sarcastic and was always ready to help Jennifer.

The Princess was an interesting character whose development over the series I really liked.

The plot was enjoyable overall, but there were scenes that felt rushed, and so they didn't have as much impact as they perhaps should have. Some of the plot also felt a bit random - even for a Jasper Fforde book - and out of place, so this instalment almost felt like it didn't belong in the series.

However, as I have come to expect from the author's books, it was witty and fun (even if it did feel a little forced at times).

I have to admit that I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would, and that it was a bit of a disappointing end to the series, but the author is still one of my favourites.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

Review - Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

 

 Title: Vespertine

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Pages: 368

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK

Release Date: 5th October 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sorcery of Thorns and An Enchantment of Ravens comes a thrilling new YA fantasy about a teen girl with mythic abilities who must defend her world against restless spirits of the dead.

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as twisted spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She’d rather deal with the dead than the living, who point and whisper about the odd girl who was once possessed by a violent spirit.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia fights back by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a high saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being now whispering in her head. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her in body and soul. But death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has a chance of stopping it. Yet the age of vespertines has passed, their knowledge and training lost with time.

As Artemisia investigates a mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, an ancient evil is stirring. Can an untrained girl, tormented by the burden of containing the revenant’s devouring power, have any hope of defeating it?

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Children's UK and NetGalley*

Artemisia lives in a convent in the land of Loraille, where the bodies of the deceased must be cleansed to prevent their spirits from rising and causing destruction.

Artemisia is happy to train to be a Gray Sister and work with the dead, especially as the other girls at the convent treat Artemisia differently because she was possessed by a horrible spirit as a child.

Everything changes when the convent is attacked and Artemisia ends up sharing her body with a revenant - a highly powerful and dangerous spirit bound to an ancient relic.

Artemisia is able to hear the revenant in her head despite lacking the knowledge of the long dead vespertines - high priestesses with the training to use high relics bound with powerful spirits. Artemisia will need to use all her strength to prevent the revenant from taking control of her body, but even that may not be enough.

A darkness is falling over Loraille. Can Artemisia stop it before it's too late?

Can she control the revenant, and even work together with it to save her land?

Having loved the author's last novel, I was looking forward to reading this new book.

Artemisia was a likeable and relatable protagonist. Her childhood wasn't easy and she struggled in some situations, which was very understandable, but she was determined to help others.

I liked a lot of the supporting characters, and enjoyed reading Artemisia's interactions with them, especially the revenant, who was possibly my favourite character.

The different spirits and the Old Magic were interesting, as was the setting.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped. However, I didn't guess anything that happened and was kept wondering what would happen.

The writing style was easy to follow and I would happily read another book by the author.

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

 

Review - Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

 

 

 Title: Under the Whispering Door

Author: T.J. Klune

Pages: 401

Publisher: Tor Books

Release Date: 21st September 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Welcome to Charon's Crossing.
The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead.

And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.

But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Review:

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

When Wallace dies, he is taken to Charon's Crossing tea shop by a Reaper called Mei.

The tea shop is run by Hugo, who is a Ferryman who helps the dead to pass on.

Wallace isn't ready to move on. But is he ready to look back over his life and to live again?

The premise for this book intrigued me and I was excited to read it.

Wallace was a horrible person when he was alive, and it did take me a while to warm to him. However, I never felt that I fully connected to Wallace and he was not a stand-out character for me.

My favourite characters were Mei, the Reaper, who assisted Hugo in the tea shop, and Nelson, Hugo's grandfather. They were both funny and I enjoyed reading their scenes and interactions with others.

The setting of the tea shop was interesting and I liked the concepts of the Reapers and Ferrymen.

The plot was interesting and I held my attention overall, but not that much really happened (however, this was definitely more of a character-focused book), and I wasn't gripped. I feel that this could have been a bit shorter as it did drag a little in the middle. While I wasn't overly invested in what happened, I did become emotional at certain scenes, but I feel that the intended overall impact of the book passed me by.

My favourite aspect of the book was probably the themes - those of friendship, found family and helping others.

I'm a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but it didn't reach its potential for me.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.