Review - The Shadow of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga, #1) by John Gwynne

 

 

Title: The Shadow of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga, #1)

Author: John Gwynne

Pages: 500

Publisher: Orbit

 Release Date: 4th May 2021

Blurb from Goodreads:

This is the age of storm and murder.

After the old gods warred and drove themselves to extinction, the cataclysm of their fall shattered the land of Vigrio.

Now, power-hungry jarls carve out petty kingdoms, and monsters stalk the shadow-haunted woods and mountains. A world where the bones of the dead gods still hold great power, promising fame and fortune for those brave - or desperate - enough to seek them out.

As whispers of war echo over the plains and across the fjords, fate follows the footsteps of three people: a huntress searching for her missing son, a jarl's daughter who has rejected privilege in pursuit of battle fame, and a thrall who has cast off his chains and now fights alongside the famed mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.

All three will shape the fate of the world, as it once more teeters on the edge of chaos.

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My Review:

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

Gods once ruled the land of Vigrio, but their war led to nearly all of them dying and monsters being released.

Now humans rule and fight for power, and those deemed Tainted, who have the blood of the Gods in their veins, are hunted or enslaved.

There is unease spreading throughout the land, and many lives will be forever changed by what comes next - including a former warrior who has left violence behind for a family life, a slave seeking vengeance, and a woman thirsting for a life of battle fame over a life of being a pawn living in luxury.

Going into this book, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I am glad that I gave it a try.

There are three protagonists: Orka, a former warrior who had set down her axe to settle down and have a family; Varg, a slave seeking vengeance for his sister's death; and Elvar, who left behind a life of luxury to chase glory in battle.

While Orka was my favourite character, I did very much like all three of the protagonists and enjoyed reading their interactions with others, and the bonds/friendships they formed with other characters. I particularly found Elvar and Grend's relationship intriguing.

The setting of Vigrio was interesting and I thought the world-building was very good. I could definitely tell it was Norse-inspired.

The plot was enjoyable and held my attention throughout, although it did feel maybe a little bit too long for me. However, once things started to come together towards the end, it did feel satisfying after all the build-up and the ending was very good. I am intrigued to see what happens next.

I would definitely read another book by the author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, solid read.

 

Review - Hide by Kiersten White

 

 

Title: Hide

Author: Kiersten White

Pages: 240

Publisher: Del Rey

Release Date: 24th May 2022

Blurb from Goodreads:

The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught.

The prize: enough money to change everything.

Even though everyone is desperate to win--to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts--Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she's an expert at that.

It's the reason she's alive, and her family isn't.

But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive.

Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.

Come out, come out, wherever you are.

A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark supernatural thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.

 

 

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My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley*

When Mack is offered a place in a competition where fourteen competitors hide in an old amusement park, with a life-changing amount of money as the prize, she says yes.

Everyone is determined to win, but as the days goes on and people begin to go missing, Mack starts to realise that there is a darker side to the competition.

As the only living member of her family, Mack is a survivor, but this might be something not even she can escape.

Can Mack figure out what is really going on at the amusement park before it's too late?

Going into this book, I was intrigued by the thriller/mystery element, and in that aspect I thought it did quite well.

Mack was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She had been through something extremely traumatic that affected her deeply and influenced her interactions with the other competitors.

There were a lot of different points of view in this book, and I felt they switched abruptly at times. I also struggled to differentiate between them at the beginning.

Other than Mack, my favourite characters were Ava, Brandon and Legrand.

I would have liked some of the characters to have been more fleshed out, as there are some that I don't remember anything about and that were very flat and two-dimensional.

The setting of the abandoned amusement park was very secluded and I thought the author did a good job of making a creepy, and at times, chilling atmosphere.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but the pacing felt off and there were times when the book fell flat for me.

Overall, this was a mixed read.

Review - The Spanish Love Deception (Spanish Love Deception, #1) by Elena Armas

 

 

Title: The Spanish Love Deception (Spanish Love Deception, #1)

Author: Elena Armas

Pages: 497

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Release Date: 25th November 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A wedding in Spain. The most infuriating man. Three days to convince your family you're actually in love. . .

Catalina Martín desperately needs a date to her sister's wedding. Especially when her little white lie about her American boyfriend has spiralled out of control. Now everyone she knows – including her ex-boyfriend and his fiancée – will be there.

She only has four weeks to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic for her and aid in her deception. NYC to Spain is no short flight and her family won't be easy to fool. . . But even then, when Aaron Blackford – the 6'4", blue-eyed pain in the arse – offers to step in, she's not tempted even for a second. Never has there been a more aggravating, blood-boiling and insufferable man.

But Catalina is desperate and as the wedding gets closer the more desirable an option Aaron Blackford becomes. . .

The Spanish Love Deception is an enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating romance. Perfect for those looking for a steamy slow-burn with the promise of a sweet happy-ever-after.

"Everything you could want in a romance is right here."
Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient

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My Review:

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

Catalina Martin lives in New York, but will be returning home to Spain for her sister's wedding in four weeks. After finding out that her ex-boyfriend will be at the wedding and that he is engaged, Catalina is determined to take a date with her and even lies to her family, telling them that she has an American boyfriend that is coming with her.

Then Catalina's colleague, Aaron Blackford, offers to be her date. Catalina is hesitant to accept - their relationship is not exactly friendly, and Catalina loathes Aaron.

When no other options are forthcoming, Catalina reluctantly accepts Aaron's help. As they start spending time outside of work together, Catalina finds out that maybe Aaron isn't so bad after all.

Will Catalina's family be fooled?

I can't remember the exact reason I requested this book on NetGalley. I think it must have been a moment of madness, because I usually try to steer clear of 'TikTok sensations', and this book was the perfect example of why that's the case.

Catalina was an OK protagonist, and while I did feel sorry for her given what she had been through in the past, I didn't feel that I particularly connected with her, and wasn't invested in what happened to her.

Aaron was a bit of a meh character for me. Sure, he did nice things for Catalina, but if he had just talked to her and explained his feelings, then this book would pretty much have been redundant - the 'deception' part, anyway. I found Aaron to be quite a flat, two-dimensional character, unfortunately, and did not feel any chemistry between him and Catalina.

The plot was OK, but pretty predictable. Nothing happened that surprised or shocked me and I was pretty bored throughout.

The dialogue was very cringy at times, and I found the wording/writing quite stilted, especially with the first chapter, even the first few opening lines. If I hadn't been reading a review copy (and even then I switched to the audiobook to get through it faster), then I would have stopped reading and DNF'd the book before long.

Unfortunately, this was not for me and I will not be recommending it.

Review - The Revelry by Katherine Webber

 

 

 Title: The Revelry

Author: Katherine Webber

Pages: 272

Publisher: Walker Books

Release Date: 6th January 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads: 

A story of best friends, bad luck and the consequences of breaking the rules in a town built on secrets and superstitions.

I am girl of Ember Grove, and these are my woods...

Growing up in Ember Grove, Bitsy Clark knows better than to mess with the long-held traditions of her hometown. Until her best friend, Amy, persuades her to sneak into the Revelry - the end of school party in the woods, to which only those leaving are invited.

When she wakes the next day, Bitsy can't remember anything from the night before. Weirder still, whenever she tries to speak about the Revelry, Bitsy chokes on the words. But this is just the beginning, and what starts out as a run of bad luck starts to feel like a curse. As Bitsy's life goes from bad to worse, things only get better and better for her best friend. It's as if there's only so much luck to go round and Amy's getting all of it...

 

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My Review:

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

Bitsy Clark has lived in Ember Grove her entire life and knows not to go against the traditions that have lasted generations. Traditions such as the Revelry - a party held in the woods at the end of the school year where only the graduating classes are invited.

But when Bitsy's best friend, Amy, convinces her to sneak into that year's Revelry - which is not their year to attend - strange things begin to happen. Bitsy can't remember anything from the Revelry, and words get stuck in her throat when she tries to talk about it.

Then bad luck starts to plague Bitsy, meanwhile Amy seems to be getting all the good luck.

What happened at the Revelry?

Will Bitsy be able to change her luck before it's too late?

The mystery element of this book really intrigued me, so I was looking forward to reading it.

Bitsy was a likeable and relatable protagonist most of the time - for while I did feel sorry for her, there were also times when I found her annoying.

I felt the same about Amy, Bitsy's best friend. Although, I did prefer Bitsy to Amy.

The setting of Ember Grove was interesting, and I thought the author did a good job of making Ember Grove feel small, isolated and a bit creepy.

The plot was interesting to begin with, but after a while I did start to lose interest, partly due to finding Bitsy frustrating at times. Unfortunately, I did become less invested as the book went on.

The concept of the Revelry was interesting and I enjoyed finding out more about it.

The writing style was easy to follow.

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

Overall, this was a mixed read.

 

Review - Only a Monster (Monsters, #1) by Vanessa Len

 

 

Title: Only a Monster (Monsters, #1)

Author: Vanessa Len

Pages: 349

 Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release Date: 17th February 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

In every story there is a hero and a monster.

It should have been the perfect summer. Sent to stay with her late mother's eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her nerdy job at the historic Holland House, and when her super cute co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place.

Then a Good Samaritan attempt gone wrong sends Joan spinning through time, and her life quickly begins to unravel.
Her family aren't just eccentric: they're monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers.And Nick isn't just a cute boy: he's a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to bring them down.

As she battles Nick, Joan is forced to work with the beautiful and ruthless Aaron Oliver, heir to a monster family that hates her own. She'll have to embrace her own monstrousness if she is to save herself, and her family. Because in this story . . .

. . . she is not the hero.

 

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My Review:

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

Joan is staying in London for the summer with her mother's family while her father is away.

Her summer is going very well - Joan has a job at a local historic house, and Nick, the colleague she has a crush on, has asked her on a date.

But then everything changes when Joan learns that her family can travel through time and aren't human - Joan's family are monsters.

Things go from bad to worse when Joan learns that Nick is the hero that the monsters tell stories about, the hero that kills monsters.

While fighting Nick, Joan finds herself allying with Aaron Oliver, who is from a rival monster family.

Can Joan stop Nick from killing monsters?

Can Joan and Aaron work together?

The concept for this book intrigued me, especially the main character not being a 'hero'.

Joan was a likeable and relatable protagonist, but I didn't feel that I especially connected with her. I also felt that I didn't get to know her very well.

None of the characters really shone for me, but I liked Joan's relationships with her family, who I would have liked to see more of.

The settings were interesting, as was the concept of how the monsters time-travelled. However, I'm left with a lot of questions about the monsters and would have liked more world-building as some of it was a bit vague.

The plot was enjoyable to begin with, but as the book went on I did find myself losing interest. I wasn't invested in what happened and was a little bit glad when I reached the end.

The writing style was easy to follow.

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

Overall, this was a mixed read.

Review - Elektra by Jennifer Saint

 

 Title: Elektra

Author: Jennifer Saint

Pages: 328

Publisher: Wildfire

Release Date: 26th April 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 The House of Atreus is cursed. A bloodline tainted by a generational cycle of violence and vengeance. This is the story of three women, their fates inextricably tied to this curse, and the fickle nature of men and gods.

Clytemnestra
The sister of Helen, wife of Agamemnon - her hopes of averting the curse are dashed when her sister is taken to Troy by the feckless Paris. Her husband raises a great army against them, and determines to win, whatever the cost.

Cassandra
Princess of Troy, and cursed by Apollo to see the future but never to be believed when she speaks of it. She is powerless in her knowledge that the city will fall.

Elektra
The youngest daughter of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, Elektra is horrified by the bloodletting of her kin. But, can she escape the curse, or is her own destiny also bound by violence?

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My Review:

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

There is a curse on the House of Atreus - a long history of violence and deceit against fellow family members.

Clytemnestra is married to Agamemnon of House Atreus. Her sister, Helen, ruins Clytemnestra's hopes of ending the curse when Helen is taken to Troy by Paris and Agamemnon leads an army to retrieve her.

Cassandra is a princess of Troy who is cursed by Apollo to never be believed when she tells others of her prophecies. Cassandra suffers constantly, knowing how her home will fall and being unable to do anything about it.

Elektra is the youngest daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and idolises her father. She devoutly waits for father to return home and cannot understand her mother's anger and thirst for vengeance.

As a fan of Greek mythology, I was excited to read this book, especially as I didn't know anything about Elektra.

Of the three protagonists, I found Cassandra and Clytemnestra's chapters and perspectives more interesting than Elektra's as I empathised with them more given what they went through.

The plot was interesting and held my attention, but I did think the pacing was a little off and I did begin to lose interest towards the end. However, the mythology was interesting and I thought the author did a good job of weaving the three characters' stories together.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I would recommend the author.

I am a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but it was a solid read overall.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Review - Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom, #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

 

 

Title: Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom, #1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Pages: 504

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Release Date: 20th January 2022

 

Blurb from Goodreads: 

 Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm. Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

 

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My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley*

Xingyin is the daughter of the Moon Goddess, and they have lived together on the moon all her life.

One day, Xingyin learns that she has been kept hidden on the moon from the powerful Celestial Emperor who imprisoned Xingyin's mother on the moon for stealing an elixir of immortality.

Xingyin flees from the moon, having to leave her mother and everything she knows behind in order to be safe and for her existence to remain secret.

Alone, Xingyin creates a new identity and will take every opportunity she can to work towards obtaining her mother's freedom, even becoming the prince's learning companion which entitles Xingyin to learn magic as well as how to fight.

Xingyin's time in the Celestial Kingdom is filled with danger at every turn.

Can Xingyin save her mother?

The premise for this book really intrigued me and I was excited to read it, especially as I had seen lots of praise for it.

Xingyin was a likeable and relatable protagonist, and I felt sorry for her having to leave her mother and home behind. It was interesting to read and see her interactions as well as the decisions Xingyin took. I liked the friendships that Xingyin made and how she cared about others but also wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

The setting and concept of the Celestial Kingdom and the different magic were interesting and I liked that they were inspired by Chinese mythology.

The plot was enjoyable and held my attention, but I wasn't gripped and did find the book perhaps a little long. However, I thought the pacing was pretty good overall, and I was interested in what was happening.

The writing style was enjoyable to read and I would definitely consider reading another book by the author.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, unique read.