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Sunday, December 10, 2023

Review - The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

 

 
 

 
Title: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
 
Author: Roshani Chokshi
 
Pages: 304
 
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
 
Release Date: 16th February 2023
 
 
Blurb from Goodreads:
 
 A sumptuous, gothic-infused story about a marriage that is unraveled by dark secrets, a friendship cursed to end in tragedy, and the danger of believing in fairy tales—the breathtaking adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi.


Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-CasteƱada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. They exchanged gifts and stories and believed they would live happily ever after—and in exchange for her love, Indigo extracted a promise: that her bridegroom would never pry into her past.

But when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is dying and the couple is forced to return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams, the bridegroom will soon find himself unable to resist. For within the crumbling manor’s extravagant rooms and musty halls, there lurks the shadow of another girl: Azure, Indigo’s dearest childhood friend who suddenly disappeared. As the house slowly reveals his wife’s secrets, the bridegroom will be forced to choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so threatens to destroy their marriage . . . or their lives.

Combining the lush, haunting atmosphere of Mexican Gothic with the dreamy enchantment of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a spellbinding and darkly romantic page-turner about love and lies, secrets and betrayal, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.


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




A scholar of fairy tales meets the enigmatic Indigo Maxwell-Castenada, an heiress who is as beautiful as she is mysterious.

When the two marry, Indigo asks that the bridegroom never digs into her past, and the two live happily ever after.

Or, at least, they do until Indigo has to leave for her childhood home because her estranged aunt is seriously ill.

At the House of Dreams, the bridegroom is enticed by the promise of secrets and finds himself unable to stop from searching for answers.

Who is Azure?

Why does Indigo not talk about her and where did she go?


The premise for this book really intrigued me, especially the mystery element.

Out of the bridegroom, Indigo and Azure, I found Azure to be the most interesting character and I enjoyed her chapters the most. I didn't like Indigo very much, but she was a complex character. I felt indifferent about the bridegroom.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped.

The magical realism element was intriguing and made the novel unique.

I enjoyed the writing style and found it easy to follow.

While I did like this novel, I can see other people enjoying it more than I did.


Overall, this was an enjoyable, unique read.



Sunday, December 3, 2023

Review - Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo

 

 


Title: Over My Dead Body

Author: Sweeney Boo

Pages: 242

Publisher: Titan

Release Date: 18th November 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 Fans of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Dark Academia will love diving into the mysterious and witchy world of award-nominated creator Sweeny Boo. Enchanting full-color illustrations in this graphic novel will be sure to charm readers as they explore the halls of Younwity's Institute of Magic and the forbidden forest that lies beyond. In the days leading up to Samhain, the veil between the world of the dead and the living is at its thinnest. One day, everything was going exactly as it was supposed to be. And the next, the closest thing Abby ever had to a sister, Noreen, was just… gone. Distracted by the annual presentations for the Samhain festival, Abby's classmates are quick to put Noreen's disappearance aside. The Coven will find her, Abby's friends say. They have it under control. But Abby can't let go. Soon a search for answers leads her down a rabbit hole that uncovers more secrets than Abby can handle. As mounting evidence steers her toward the off-limits woods that surround the academy, she begins to see that Noreen's disappearance mysteriously has a lot in common with another girl who went missing all those years ago…



Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop



 
 
 
 
My Review:
 

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




Abby attends the Younwity's Institute of Magic with her friends.

Preparations for the Samhain festival are underway when Abby's closest friend, Noreen, disappears.

Abby doesn't understand why her other friends aren't more concerned about Noreen, and is determined to find her.

As Abby searches for Noreen, she uncovers long-buried secrets about another student that vanished decades ago.


As a fan of the author's art, I was intrigued to see what their graphic novel would be like, especially as I liked the witch aspect.

The characters were relatable and I really felt for Abby when she struggled so much with Noreen's disappearance.

I liked that the characters all had different kinds of creatures as their familiars, and that they talked.

The plot was enjoyable and held my attention, but I wasn't particularly shocked by anything that happened. However, I really liked the theme of friendship and found the setting interesting.

I really enjoy the author's style of drawing and liked the art throughout the book.


Overall, this was an enjoyable read.