Series Review: The Conqueror's Saga by Kiersten White

Series: The Conqueror's Saga

Book 1: And I Darken

Book 2: Now I Rise

Book 3: Bright We Burn

Goodreads Description of book 1, And I Darken:

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point. 

My thoughts:

I am obsessed with this series. It is a new favourite for sure. If you are looking for a series with complex characters, political intrigue, war and a bit of romance this series of for you. This series is a slower read but definitely worth it. I marathoned the three books over 1 week and loved it to pieces. 

One of the big reasons I love this series is because it is full of complex characters.

Lada is so brutal and determined and I loved her. I love how she constantly goes against societal norms and challenges those around her. Her drive to go after what she wants and not letting anything stop her was my favourite part about her. She's also extremely badass and smart! Her character development over the course of the series is perfectly paced too. I love how the author included some more vulnerable moments here and there in Lada's story to make her feel more human.

Radu is the polar opposite of Lada. I loved his kind heartened soul and how he changed over the course of the series and is challenged by others and the situations he is put in. I loved how he was so conflicted on his feeling regarding his sister and her brutal actions and the consequences. He has a lovely character arc. 

I also loved the side character. Some could have been developed a bit more but I'm not comparing because Radu and Lada were so fleshed out. 

I absolutely adored the sibling relationship between Lada and Radu. They had such a complex relationship because of their distinct personalities and the situations they were in.

There is a tiny bit of romance in this series and I loved that it was very side lined because it meant we could spent more time developing the world and characters. 

I'm not a big historical fiction reqder but I loved the historical aspect of this trilogy. I knew nothing about the Ottoman Empire before reading- obviously this is fiction so take it with a grain of salt but it was so interesting to learn about the rise and fall of it from different perspectives.

The plot of the series is a bit slow but it is incredibly captivating because it's so interesting. There is more of a focus on characters than action but there is loads of politics and war and strategising and the likes.

Religion plays a big part in the story which was cool. We actually get to read about practicing muslim characters. I hardly ever come across religious characters in my reading so this was cool to get that representation!

There is also LGBT+ representation in the series which is another plus!

The Conquerors Saga is a phenomenal trilogy that is definitely recommend! It's a new favourite of mine!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Publication: March 2007 by Scholastic Press

Goodreads Description:

Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery. 

My thoughts:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a quick easy children's book I really enjoyed. It looks intimidating on the shelf being over 500 pages but it flies by. It is such a unique book that is a cross between a novel and graphic novel with hundreds of illustrations scattered throughout!

The main character, Hugo, is lonely and his situation of feeling lost after losing a loved one makes him easily relatable. Another relatable character was the toy maker's daughter, Isabelle, who was my favourite! I loved bookish personality and curiosity about everything!

I loved the plot! It's a mix of action and adventure with chase scenes one page and slower character moments the next. It was so well paced I couldn't stop reading.

I was blown away by the illustrations. They really added something unique to the story. They took up about half the pages and moved the story along nice and quickly; had they not been included I think it would have been a very slow read I wouldn't have enjoyed as much. They were absolutely stunning and had me itching to grab my pencil to try recreate them. 

The ending was very sweet and I could have been happier with it!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret was an enjoyable read and I'd recommend it if your looking for something light to read that you don't need to concentrate a lot on and can get read in a handful of hours!

Definitely one I will be using in the classroom with my kids in the future!

Thanks for reading,

A :)P

Series Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Series: The Diviners 

Publication of book 1, The Diviners:September 18th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Description of book 1, The Diviners:

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

My Thoughts:

The Diviners is a new all time favourite series of mine (that's right it is not a trilogy! There are more books to come out so don't do what I did and read the three thinking it is a completed story!) I marathoner the first three books back to back and had the best time. I loved every minute of it and as soon as I finished one book I jumped right into the next!

This review is broken down into three sections and I have warnings before spoilers so don't worry!

The Diviners 

The Diviners was not at all what I was expecting and I loved it! It was such a unique read that was complete different to anything else I've ever read!

The atmosphere and setting were so good. Libba Bray did an excellent job making me feel like I was in New York in the 1920s. She just captured the vibe so well. I was even reading in a Gatsby-esque accent. All the parties and glitz and glam really made the it feel real. 

The Diviners has a huge cast of characters which I loved! I haven't read a book with loads of characters in ages (last one I can think of is Lord of Shadows). I really grew to love a lot of them, especially Evie, Sam, Theta and Memphis. Because the book is so long we really get to spend a lot of time getting to know the characters and connecting with them. I also loved how all the storylines crossed paths at some stage and all the friendships that started developing between the characters.

The plot was very engaging for the most part. It is a mystery thriller but the reader knows who did it so it took a little bit away from the story because I was getting annoyed they were taking so long to figure it out! It wasn't too bad though I was still very invested in the story and couldn't stop reading. 

Speaking of the mystery thriller aspect Libba Bray nailed it at creating such a creepy haunting eerie atmosphere in some scenes. I was genuinely freaked out at points.

I was surprised at how emotionally invested I was, I was getting freaked out and stressed for the characters it was so intense at parts and I loved it! 

I was hesitant to pick up The Diviners because I wasn't the biggest fan of Libba Bray's other series, Gemma Doyle, and I didn't want to commit to a series with such long books but I was so glad I did! It was such a unique read and as soon as I finished book 1 I started book 2, Lair of Dreams!

*Spoilers for book 1, The Diviners ahead!*

Lair of Dreams

I absolutely adored reading Lair of Dreams! There was so much going on and I loved it!

We get to see a good bit of Sam in Lair of Dreams and I loved it! Sam quickly became one of my all time favourite characters, he is just so funny and enjoyable to read about! I wheels anticipated getting a chapter from his POV. 

Speaking of POV, both Jericho and Mabel had POVs in this book too. They were pretty prevalent at the start but then they disappeared for what felt like ages and when they popped up I was surprised- I'd forgotten about them. I wasn't the biggest fan of their stories but I was still engaged while reading from them.

We get introduced to a new character- Ling. Ling is very different from the other character and I loved it! She is half Chinese and has a physical disability. It was great getting that kind of rep in a historical fiction book! Usually it's all the contemporary books that have diverse cast of character but The Diviners has so many different types of people and it's great!

The plot was excellent I never felt like it dragged even though it was a long book. There were a good few storylines going on at once and while I definitely had my favourites (Sam and Evie and Memphis and Theta) I enjoyed all of them. I will say this book is not as big on the thriller mystery stuff as book 1 though. We do get more into the government side of things and I had lots of questions and was constantly theorising what things meant as I was reading.

The ships were sailing in this one and it was so much fun to read about! I had so much fun reading about one in particular, won't say who because spoilers!

I had just as an amazing and surprise reading experience reading Lair of Dreams as I did The Diviners! It was a fantastic sequel and just like with book 1 I had to jump into the next one immediately!

*Spoilers for book 2, Lair of Dreams ahead!*

Before the Devil Breaks You

Before the Devil Breaks You is probably my least favourite of the three books out but it was still great! 

I was frustrated at Evie a good bit in this one which hindered my enjoyment. She was just making stupid decisions I didn't agree with which was annoying. I still love her but she got on my nerves at times.

There was a lot of Jericho in this book which I wasn't that happy about. I wasn't a fan of him going in but then he kind of grew on me and then he did something and I didn't like him again. I was all over the place with him.

There was a good bit of Mabel too which also effected my reading experience. I was never a fan of her, she just wasn't as interesting as the others but in this book she was just stupid I couldn't stand her! She was constantly doing stupid things that had me rolling my eyes and I felt no sympathy or empathy towards her. 

We do get some lovely character development for Theta though which I lived for. She is such a strong young woman and I could read about her all day every day!

I also really liked Ling in this book. I felt like she had a bigger role than she did in Lair of Dreams and it was interesting getting to know her better it is also confirmed that she is ace so yay!

We do get a good few answers about things from previous books about Diviners but I still had questions when I finished reading.

There was a good bit of relationship drama in this one- won't say who but some couples need to learn to communicate!

There was definitely some very emotional parts in Before the Devil Breaks You compared to book 1 and 2. I was surprised at how emotional my response was to some stuff going down.

The ending of this one is absolutely mad so I'd recommend waiting until book 4 is out or closer to its release date before picking up Before the Devil Breaks You because the ending will leave you wanting more!

Beyond excited for the next book! I need it asap! Really hoping we don't have to wait years for it! I had so much fun reading these first three books and can't wait to jump back into this world soon!

Thanks for reading,

A :)

A Poison Dark and Drowning by Jessica Cluess

*Warning this post contains spoilers for the first book in the series, A Shadow Bright and Burning*
Series: Kingdom on Fire, #2

Publication:September 19th 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Description:
The magicians want her to lead. The sorcerers want her to lie. The demons want her blood. Henrietta wants to save the one she loves. But will his dark magic be her undoing?

Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know that she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the bloodthirsty Ancients. Instead, she discovered a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.

Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Rook, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s system is transforming him into something monstrous as he begins to master dark powers of his own.

So when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients’ past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out strange new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favour, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new allies, and uncover the most devastating weapon of all: the truth.

My Thoughts:

Loved this one, if you read A Shadow Bright and Burning and just thought it was okay give A Poison Dark and Drowning a go it is so much better! I loved book 2 so much, I had such an enjoyable time reading it!

Found it so much easier to fall into than book 1-Plot is so much stronger than book 1, it was addicting and interesting and I wanted to find out what was going to happen and was constantly theorising as I was reading. There was some great twists and action which I loved!

There was a good bit more added to the world but the world building was not as heavy as book 1, I really liked how some of my questions were answered and the descriptions of the monsters were great.

Henrietta was a bit annoying, I was fed up with her because she was lying- a lot. And I still didn't get why she loved Rook- he is so unappealing (the good thing was he didn't have much page time thank god). I was more excited about other characters such as Magnus and Blackwood who got some lovely character development over the course of the book.

There was also a new character introduced, Maria. I love Maria she is so badass and her and Henrietta's friendship was one of my favourite parts of the story. It was developed very slowly but I liked that and am excited to see where it goes in the next book.

The romance plot is such a mess in this book. Henrietta makes it so much more complicated than it needs to be and I was frustrated at her. I did love the friendship she forms with one of the boys though.

I had a lot of fun reading despite being annoyed at Henrietta and I need the next book! I am definitely going to read it around release I am so excited to see where this series goes in the final book!

Thanks for reading,
A:)

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Series: Kingdom on Fire, #1

Publication:September 20th 2016 by Random House BFYR

Goodreads Description:
I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

My thoughts:

I enjoyed A Shadow Bright and Burning a fair bit, it was a slower read but definitely an engaging one. The Victorian London setting gave off The Infernal Devices vibes so I was hooked pretty early on but what really got me was the world building and big cast of characters. 

The plot is pretty slow for the most part so it did take me a long time to read and it didn't help that I was finding it hard to concentrate because at the time when I read this I hadn't been able to read for long periods of time in weeks. The slow plot does pick up towards the end but for most of the book it just plods along at a decent pace.

The slow plot was partly because of all the world building going on. There was lots of foundations set up in this first book which makes me think book 2's plot will be less bogged down with information. I really enjoyed learning about the world though; there was some very interesting magic- there were sorcerers, magicians and witches with a very interesting hierarchy between the three. It was also really cool how the magic works-the sorcerers use a stave and then magicians have items. It was very different and I liked that. There was also a lot of mythology background given about these demons that are called Ancients who are wreaking havoc on the world which reminded me of some other series.

The main character Henrietta was fun to read about even if I didn't agree with a lot of what she was doing. I really enjoyed the take on the chosen one trope and how she was constantly doubting herself.

There was such a big cast of characters which was great. There is so much possibilities for love interests it's so interesting. It can go in so many directions which is different to most YA books where you can obviously pick out who the author intends the main character to end up with. There are the boys who take her in (one is such a fun character, he is a YA stereotype with sarcastic witty comments and all arrogance but I loved it! And then there is one who she hates at the starts and grudgingly starts to like him like the reader. And then there is another potential male lead but I hated him- I could not understand why Henrietta liked him.)

One of the things I have to complain about was the lack of female characters. There was only Henrietta, Lilly her maid, one of the boys sisters (who we only interact with for 2 pages) and then the queen (who we also only see for a few pages). I would have liked to see more girls.

The setting of Victorian London (if you are looking for something similar to TID give A Shadow Bright and Burning a go) was good but I felt like parts weren't very historically accurate. Henrietta's behaviour was very modern, I get that she was written in 2016 but I had expected the other characters to pull her up on her behaviours but it was never mentioned.

Overall I had fun learning about this new world and can see lots of potential for future books so I will definitely be picking up book 2!

Thanks for reading,
A :)

The Midnight Star by Marie Lu

Short review today! I am super busy in college and don't have much time to write lengthy reviews for the next few weeks! 

*Warning this post contains spoilers for the first two books in the series; The Young Elites and The Rose Society!

Series: The Young Elites, #3

Publication: October 11th 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Description:
There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.

Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all she’s gained.

When a new danger appears, Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds, putting not only herself at risk, but every Elite. In order to preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger. 

My thoughts:

When I picked up The Midnight Star it had been nearly 2 years since I had read The Rose Society so I was a bit aprehensiive going in becuase I could hardly remember anything but it turned out not to be a problem. A few chapters in and everything came back to me and I was hooked. I had so  much fun reading this conclusion to the trilogy!

I had forgotten how dark Adelina was and when I was reminded I fell in love with her all over again. She's so different from other YA characters. Her growth over the course of the series is amazing and while she takes her cruelty to a new level in this final book I couldn't help but admire her confidence. While I love her wicked side I can't ignore her more vulnerable side that we do get to see in this final book. Adelina's relationship with Magiano really brings out the humanity in her from time to time and I really liked that!

There was a good bit of world building in The Midnight Star that I wasn't expecting since this was the last book in the series but I enjoyed exploring more aspects of the world. We get some answers about the Blood Fever and how it came it be and also get introduced to the idea of Immortals in the world and the mythology behind them which I found interesting.

I absolutely loved the ending. The series wraps up in such a nice way it was great. I particularly loved the last chapter/epilogue because it read like a fairytale/folk tale! The writing was just amazing. I loved how the series went in such a unique direction.

If I could only use one word to describe this series it would be 'different' and that's what makes it so fun to read! I loved how unique The Young Elites is from other YA trilogies out there. From the world to the characters it is just all so fresh and new! I had a lot of fun reading this series and regret not picking up this final book sooner.

Thanks for reading,
A :)

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Series: Guide, #1

Publication: June 27th 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books

Goodreads Description:
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

My Thoughts:

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is such a lighthearted historical fiction that I think anyone looking for something different but easy and fun to get through will really enjoy.

Monty was such a drama queen and it was annoying in the beginning how self absorbed he was but then it got endearing and hilarious.his narration, while a bit dramatic and takes a bit to get used to, is so much fun and hooked me; he is such a witty character. Loads of character development such a character journey type of story. 

This book is full of diverse represenation; there is a bisexual main character, a character suffering from trauma of child abuse, the issue of racism and even disability rep which I was not expecting. there was so much depth to the story which surprised me.

I loved how Monty's sister was part of the tour; their sibling interaction was one of my favourite parts of the story! There was some lovely heart warming moments between Monty and Felicity and I can't wait for the spin off with her; she was definitely my favourite character in this book so I am beyond excited for a whole book about her!

The romance storyline between Monty and Percy was cute but I wasn't obsessed with them; like they were not OTP material for me. 

The plot was a bit unrealistic in places but if you suspend your disbelief and just go with it it is so much fun. There was so much adventure it was great.

I really liked how the author included information about the historical aspects of the novel in the author notes such as information on the grand tour, race in the 18th century, politics, epilepsy etc. It really showed how much research went into the novel.

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue was such a fun read. While reading it felt like I was watching a movie is was so quick and easy to get through. It is a little adventure with hints of silliness and heart warming moments and I thoroughly enjoyed it so I will be picking up Mackenzie Lee's other books when I want something light and easy to read.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Thanks for reading,
A :)

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFever

Series: His Fair Assassin, #1

Publication: April 3rd 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Goodreads Description:

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart? 

My thoughts:

When I read the blurb for Grave Mercy I was so intrigued; a story about assassins raised by nuns? Sign me up! It sounded like such a cool concept. Unfortunately I was disappointed, I was miles by the blurb into think this was going to be an action packed story about an assassin and that's not what I got.

Let's start with the plot. I loved the beginning but it all went downhill pretty quickly when they said Ismae was going to court. I've read this narrative so many times but I held onto a tiny glimmer of hope that our main character would not fall into the trap of falling in love and forgetting about her job. I was expecting the plot to be action packed (because hello assassins!)but nope it was so slow! There was hardly any action scenes and I was here for blood and violence. I really struggled through most of the book. I was skimming at times because I just lost interest. I was expecting a group of badass girl assassins in a convent that's not what I got. 

The main character Ismae was so boring. She could have been so complex with her background but she wasn't. She was so flat and dull to read about.

The romance was way too instalovey. Sometimes instalove makes sense but this is not one of those times. The main character escapes an abuse arranged marriage in the beginning of the book and clearly has issues with men and yet she instantly starts going after the first guy she sees without even trying to get to know him first. As soon as she sees him she thinks he's gods gift. There was such a missed opportunity here for Ismae to go on journey of discovering how to build trust and stuff. 

This book is shelved as historical fiction right? Well it took me ages to figure out it was historical fiction; I only realised it was when they said Brittany and France and even then o couldn't fixture out what year it was set so I had to do my own research (late 1400s in case you're wondering). The political issues between Brittany and France that were going on at the time could have been executed much better. This is a time period that I have never seen in fiction before and could have been an excellent way to educate readers but it fell short, the political drama was there but was written in a way that seemed like it was just a sub plot to Ismae and Duval's romance. 

Blurb lied to me and because of that I didn't enjoy the book. It's a companion series so I don't know if I should continue; does anyone know if the next book is better? I can't stand Ismae but I might like the next main character...

My rating: 2.5 stars

Thanks for reading,

A :)

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

*This post contains spoilers for the first book in the series, Passenger.*
My review of book 1 Passenger: Here!

Series: Passenger, #2

Publication:January 3rd 2017 by Disney-Hyperion

Goodreads Description:
All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them. 

My Thoughts:
Wayfarer is an enjoyable read and I would recommend it if you have started the series. I would highly recommend rereading Passenger or read a summary before you read Wayfarer! I had forgotten so many details and was so grateful I took the time to read the summary because Wayfarer jumps right into the action and there isn't much recapping.

The plot was okay but there was slow parts and I did have to push myself to read them but it does pick up again. I think the book was way too long for what happened in in. It was also a bit frustrating how long it took for storylines to intersect and I think had the characters crossed paths earlier it would have made the story more engaging and fun to read. 

Etta and Nicholas' romance is not the focus of Wayfarer which I was so grateful for (I wasn't a fan of it in book 1) because it meant we could spend more time adventuring and focusing on the task at hand instead of being sidetracked with all the relationship drama that usually occurs in 2nd books in a series.

We get a lot more of Sophia and Julian in Wayfarer which I was not expecting! I really liked getting to know them and their development was paced really well. Sophia plays a much bigger role in Wayfarer and I loved it. She is so blunt and her determination is admirable. I love how she done't let anyone tell her what she can can't do. Julian is a bit annoying but his character arc was done really well and he matures slowly over the course of the story.

Little side note: Bracken really explored racism in book 1 and she stepped it up and made the story even more diverse in terms of race and sexuality in book 2 and handled these issues really well. 

The ending was really satisfying but I could see how Bracken could write more in this world and if it followed certain characters I definitely think I would pick them up!

My Rating: 4
Thanks for reading,
A :)

The Madman's Daughter Trilogy by Megan Shepherd

Series: The Madman's Daughter Trilogy

Book 1: The Madman'd Daughter

Book 2: Her Dark Curiosity

Book 3: A Cold Legacy

Goodreads Description of book 1, The Madman's Daughter:

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father’s handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father’s genius—and madness—in her own blood.

Inspired by H. G. Wells’s classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman’s Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we’ll do anything to know and the truths we’ll go to any lengths to protect.

My thoughts (spoiler free):

The Madman's Daughter Trilogy is a solid YA trilogy. I found it to be good but nothing ground breaking.

My expectations were a bit too high. I was looking forward to a scary and creepy read but that's not what I got. Book 3 was the only one that had the creep/ eerie vibe I was looking for.

It was pretty standard YA. The characters were average and of course there was a love triangle. I really felt like I'd read it before. I wasn't a fan of the love triangle. It consisted of the usualy insta love and the childhood best friend and mysterious new guy. I didn't feel this 'love' Juliet was going on about feeling. I didn't have strong feeling for either of the love interests. I felt like there was no chemistry between the characters, even friendship wise I felt like they were all a bit detached from each other. There was also a lot of secret keeping between theses so called 'friends' and 'love interests' which drove me crazy.

The plot in the first two books was really predictable but there was a good few twists in book 3. The plot was also very slow in book 1- the last 20% saved it for me and made me want to pick up the second book. Book 2 was even slower; I only picked up book 3 because i hate leaving series unfinished if I pass the half way mark.There just wasn't a lot of action happening.

Overall it was an okay series. I think i is better suited for those who haven.t read much YA.

My ratings

The Madman's Daughter: 3.5

Her Dark Curiosity: 3

A Cold Legacy: 4

Thanks for reading,
A :)

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The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

Publication:January 26th 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers 

Series: Lady Helen, #1

Goodread Description:
New York Times bestseller Alison Goodman’s eagerly awaited new project: a Regency adventure starring a stylish and intrepid demon-hunter!

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

My thoughts:
While I enjoyed parts of The Dark Days Club overall it just didn't live up to my expectations. I went in expecting demons left right and centre and fight scenes every few chapters and that's not what I got. Yes there is a few demons and fight scenes but overall it's a much slower story than I was expecting.

I struggled to get through the first half of the book and really had to push myself to read it; luckily I did because the second half was much better. If you push through it's worth it. The plot really picks up after the half way point and has a lot more action. The second half is really what saved the book for me.

Aspects of The Dark Days Club are unique but on numerous occasions I felt like I'd read it before. There was a lot of similarities to other YA books. Maybe it's because I've read a lot of YA so other readers may not notice this but I was constantly thinking 'hmm...this is like ___'. 

I really liked the historical aspect. I felt like it was pretty accurate.The author definitely did her research and it shows. I really liked reading about how society has all these rules about women and courting. It was interesting to see this world of balls and propriety mix with the paranormal stuff going on.

I loved the female friendship we get to see between Lady Helen and her maid.

I wasn't a fan of the romance. To me it was just okay. I didn't feel any spark between Lady Helen and her love interest. It's a very slow burning relationship and I assume it will be fleshed out / developed more in the next book.

I will probably pick up the next book if it gets really good reviews.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Thanks for reading,
A :)

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