It’s day 13 of the blog tour and I’m really happy to share this brilliant review of Visions of Zarua, plus one of my favourite photo quotes. Please head over to Happymeerkatreviews.
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I am excited to be a part of the Visions of Zarua blog tour and today I’m going to re-post my review of this amazing book by Suzanne Rogerson along with a few extras: Book Blurb: Two wizards,…
Source: Visions of Zarua Blog Tour: A Dark and Thrilling Fantasy Novel Review
Today is day 11 of the Visions of Zarua blog tour and I have another great review to share from Anita and Jaye.
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Two wizards, 350 years apart. Together they must save the realm of Paltria from Zarua’s dark past. An ancient darkness haunts the realm of Paltria. Apprentice wizard Paddren is plagued by visions o…
Source: Review of the Week!
Day 9 of the blog tour finishes with a Q& A session and a very cleverly put together book review by Barb Taub. Enjoy.
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It sucks to be the Chosen One… I like tropes. They are a wonderful shorthand that tells us immediately what’s going on. Take the fantasy sub-genre sword & sorcery, for example. You …
Source: Visions of Zarua by @rogersonsm #fantasy epic with a twist #Bookreview
The Crown of Stones: Magic Price by C.L. Schneider (book 1)
Genre: Fantasy
Blurb – Ian Troy is one of the Shinree, a fallen people with an inherent addiction to magic. Scorned and reviled for the deadly side of their spells, the Shinree are bred as slaves. Their magic is suppressed by drugs and used only as it serves the purposes of the other races. Descended from a long line of soldiers, Ian is conscripted into the Rellan army and made to fight in their longstanding conflict against the ruthless Langorian invaders. The downfall of Rella imminent, Ian goes against orders and turns to the Crown of Stones, an ancient Shinree relic of untold power. Ignorant of its true purpose, Ian uses the crown to end the war, and pays a terrible price. A decade later, still tortured by the aftermath of that day, Ian lives as a bounty hunter in self-imposed exile. Having renounced his magical heritage, he curbs his obsession with a steady stream of wine and regret. He struggles to put it all behind him, until a fateful encounter with a pretty assassin brings Ian’s past crashing into the present. Targeted by a rogue Shinree, and a ruthless old enemy, Ian is forced to use magic again. His deadly addiction is rekindled and his life of isolation is brought to a swift end. With the land he gave up everything to protect once more in jeopardy, and his people’s future at stake, Ian becomes embroiled in a violent race for control of the Crown of Stones. To save the realms and those he cares for, Ian must embrace the thing he fears most: his own power.
First Impressions – I loved the cover and the premise of this book. The concept of having a price to pay for wielding magic is a big part of why I bought this book. From the very beginning you get to understand that price and why the main character Ian Troy tries to resist using his power.
Magic – I really liked all the new and inventive magic the author has created in this book. I like the Shinree race and how there are different bloodlines within it that can perform different types of magic. I think my favourites were the dream weaves, which caused havoc with the main characters mental state, and the binding spells which could bring someone back from the brink of death, but have other consequences for those involved.
Characters – First off Ian Troy is not a very ‘fantasy’ name. But he is likeable for a mass murderer and I was rooting for him all the way. He is stubborn and makes the wrong choices at times, but don’t we all.
Didn’t like so much – There seemed to a few too many info dumps in the form of arguments between various characters. At points it felt like these exchanges were for the readers benefit. But there is a lot of history needing to be explained and times when this type of info gathering is needed for Ian Troy to understand the past events as much as the reader.
Sometimes I got lost when new chapters started and it wasn’t a smooth transition from the previous one. Normally it was just cutting the unnecessary description of an uneventful journey. It’s a small gripe, and resolved quickly as you read on.
Final thoughts – A really fresh and gripping fantasy read. I don’t see many fantasy books with this amount of swearing in, but it felt right for the story and the character, not just put in for shock value. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books (which I’ve already bought).
Finally, there are some erotic/x-rated moments in the book. I’d often find myself thinking this is a woman writing it and feeling a little shocked (not that I’m a prude or anything).
Recommend to – Fantasy lovers who like their stories a little on the darker side.
Rating – 5/5 stars
Please check out the books for yourself on Amazon UK Amazon US Goodreads
Each book is a bargain at 99p, but I think that offer is running out today, so you best be quick!
What a wonderful way to enjoy Day 7 of Visions of Zarua’s blog tour, with a fantastic review.
Every fantasy lover should be reading this book! Paddren, Varnia, and Leyoch have been friends since childhood. Paddren has been training to be a wizard under the tutelage of Kalesh. Varnia is the huntmistress for Baron Harkai, having been trained by Reaun, who took her in after her parents’ death. Leyoch is an assistant to Paddren and Kalesh, and madly in love with Varnia. But the day the Nagra appears will change everything….
Suddenly Kalesh is dead and Paddren is appointed to replace him as the Baron’s wizard. Reaun loses an arm in the battle with the Nagra and Varnia must take over all his duties. And Leyoch embarks on the secret mission that Kalesh had been preparing him for. After Leyoch successfully uncovers a secret organization of evil wizards, all 3 find themselves running for their lives while using all their skills to take down the organization and destroy…
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On day 4 of the blog tour, I’m pleased to share Faith’s brilliant review of Visions of Zarua and my interview.
Happy Thursday everyone 🙂
Hope everyone’s been having a wonderful week! Today, it is my privilege and honour to host Suzanne Rogerson on Day 4 of her Visions of Zarua blog tour!
Today, I have an interview with Suzanne as well as a review of her novel to share! So sit back and enjoy!
First, let me introduce Suzanne to you all:
Suzanne lives in Middlesex, England with her hugely encouraging husband and two children.
She wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. She discovered the fantasy genre in her late teens and has never looked back. Giving up work to raise a family gave her the impetus to take her attempts at novel writing beyond the first draft, and she is lucky enough to have a husband who supports her dream – even if he does occasionally hint that she might think about getting a proper job…
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The House on Cold Hill by Peter James
Audiobook Length 9 hours
Genre Suspense
Narrated by Nicholas Boulton
Blurb
Moving from the heart of Brighton and Hove to the Sussex countryside is a big undertaking for Ollie and Caro Harcourt and their twelve-year-old daughter Jade. But when they view Cold Hill House – a huge, dilapidated Georgian mansion – Ollie is filled with excitement. Despite the financial strain of the move, he has dreamed of living in the country since he was a child, and he sees Cold Hill House as a paradise for his animal-loving daughter, the perfect base for his web-design business and a terrific long-term investment. Caro is less certain, and Jade is grumpy about being separated from her friends.
Within days of moving in, it becomes apparent that the Harcourt family aren’t the only residents of the house. A friend of Jade’s is the first to see the spectral woman, standing behind her as the girls talk on FaceTime. Then there are more sightings, as well as increasingly disturbing occurrences in the house. As the haunting becomes more malevolent and the house itself begins to turn on the Harcourts, the terrified family discover Cold Hill House’s dark history, and the horrible truth of what it could mean for them . . .
My review
I loved Peter James’ suspense thrillers as a teenager and was delighted to see this book featured on a recent blog post by Shani Struthers along with an interview with the great man himself, Peter James. I’d been looking for a book to listen to on audio and thought, why not. My only concern was that I might be more of a wimp now than my teenage self was.
Apart from the rather gruesome start, the book wasn’t too terrifying. It had the right amount of tension and confusion to keep me hooked.
I listened to this book over the course of 2 days. I couldn’t stop myself, and I think I would have been the same if I had been reading the book. The short chapters make for a suspenseful read/listen.
My only faults with the book were that I didn’t feel particularly close to any of the characters and I guessed the end too soon. But that didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the book.
I recommend The House on Cold Hill to any ghost / horror / suspense readers out there, even if you are a bit of a coward like me!
I rate it 4 stars.
This is my second attempt at audio books and I’m happy to say that I did enjoy this experience a lot more. Now the book is finished I find myself missing the times I would put it on whilst cooking the dinner, loading the dishwasher etc.
Title – The Girl on the Train
Author – Paula Hawkins
Book Type – Audio
Genre – Psychological thriller
Length – 11 hours
Narrated by Clare Corbett, India Fisher, Louise Brealey.
Blurb
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.
Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.
Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…
First Thoughts
At first it felt to me as if the story was told in diary form and I wasn’t sure I would get into it. However, I soon found the first person narrative compelled me to keep listening.
Characters
The three narrators voices were well suited to the characters and brought them to life. I soon began to understand that each of the characters were unreliable. They’ve all done things that make they hard to like, yet I still found myself enjoying the story and wanting to unravel the mess these women had gotten into.
Style
It is told in first person from the three different characters points of view. It also switches back in time to a year before this book starts – but the timeline and character VP are always explained at the start of each new section so you don’t feel lost at any point. Switching VP’s made for a compelling read / listen.
Final Thoughts
I had not listened to the hype around this book, nor did I know what it was about when I started listening to it. I did guess the outcome quite early on, but there were plenty of red herrings to keep me wondering if I had made the right guess. I was glad to be proved right and I didn’t feel cheated by the conclusion.
I really miss listening to the story – I think I have the audio book bug!
Recommend to those who enjoy psychological thrillers.
My rating – 4 stars
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What do you think of the book and all the hype?
Are you looking forward to the film coming out later this year? I am. I think Emily Blunt will make the perfect Rachel Watson. I don’t know why it had to be relocated to America though.
Title – The Sapphire Legend Part 1
Author – E.L Tenenbaum
Genre – YA Fantasy
I received a free copy from the author in exchange of an honest review – via Rose Amber’s Book Review team.
Blurb
Sapere has always been different. In her tribe, select families are blessed with a gift that is passed through the generations from father to son. But something went wrong when Sapere was born, because she has her family’s gift and she shouldn’t.
When Saphere’s village is attacked the night of her wedding, the survivors flee to the Wild in hopes of finding refuge in a dangerous place stalked by deadly predators. There they struggle to protect what little remains of their tribe and their traditions, many of which don’t seem to fit into their new life. Out here, Sapere feels like an outsider on the precipice of two worlds unable to fit into the old way, unaccepted by the new, and terrified of being shunned by both.
Through the survivors’ fight for survival, Sapere learns that she can be a victim of circumstances or master of fate. Can she rise above the nature of her birth and mold her own future? Can she be herself and earn the villagers’ respect? Or will she forever be shackled by the anomaly that makes her different?
First Thoughts
I loved the cover of the book and the title was intriguing. I also felt like trying something a bit different to the standard fantasy format. This world of tribal life was just what I was looking for.
Summary
The first few chapters are read with anticaption as you know from the blurb that something terrible is about to happen. But the author allows you to get to know the main character, Sapere and understand her situation before throwing her life into turmoil. I like how the tribal world and their beliefs are put across. There is no info dump, you learn as you go along.
Characters
Sapere was a good main character in a difficult situation. At points I did find her a little naïve with regards to the other characters feelings, but overall I really liked her. I liked the supporting cast of Reo and Venatore and wanted them all to find happiness after everything they had been through.
Writing Style
It is very unusual for me to read a book in first person present tense. It worked well for this story and I really enjoyed the change of style.
Issues with the book
The only fault I could point out with this book would be the description of some of the animals in the Wild. They sounded suspiciously like snakes and elephants. I understand that the characters may not have known the animal names, but it seemed unlikely and pulled me out of the story. As I read these passages, I was reminded of a famous piece of writing advice, though I’ve no idea who said it. ‘If it looks and sounds like a rabbit, call it a rabbit.’ Or something along those lines.
Final Thoughts
Although at points I thought the story might be a bit too small and insular, I really came to love the world the author created. I couldn’t believe the story ended where it did and was desperate to find out more. I’ve already bought the second book and look forward to reading and reviewing it in the future.
Recommend to
I would happily recommend this to those who enjoy YA Fantasy and fantasy in general.
Rating: 5 stars (for a while it was a 4 star book, but it certainly grew on me and by the end it was definitely a 5 star read).
To buy links Amazon UK Amazon com
Note – This is my first audio book review.
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Title: Name of the Wind – Book 1 Kingkiller Chronicles
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Audio
Length: TOO LONG! 28 hours
Narrator: Rupert Degas
Blurb:
Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.
First Impressions:
I chose The Name of the Wind as my first audio book as I really wanted to read it, but couldn’t face a book of that magnitude for the few hours I have set aside for reading.
My husband dubbed the book ‘Long of the Wind’ this should have been an indication of what was to come.
Narration style:
For me it was hard listening to a man doing a woman’s voice, though so far there has only been one woman in the book – Kvothe’s mother. Rupert Degas softens his voice for this role, and also to make his voice sound younger for Kvothe as a child. It sort of worked, but as the story dragged on, I became annoyed listening to it.
Summary:
It is a very long book… but nothing happens. It is brilliantly written with lots of details, but I want a book to go somewhere and this did not. I guess Patrick Rothfuss’s slow writing style is not for me.
Final Thoughts:
I did not listen to the whole book, though I really tried. I stopped at chapter 19. It was so boring I kept leaving the room forgetting I was listening to it. I have no inclination to pick up the book to find out what happened. I’m sorry to say that I just didn’t care for the main character or what happened in his past.
Recommend to: Insomniacs and readers who enjoy slow building epics.
Rating: 2 stars.
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I really wanted to give audio books a try, maybe starting with this one was a mistake. Or maybe audio books are just not for me and I am being unfair to the author. I shall be listening to ‘Girl on a Train’ next and will post a review on that soon.
Has anyone got any suggestions for a good audio book?
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