Windwitch by Susan Dennard

*Warning this post contains spoilers for the first book in the series, Truthwitch*

Series:The Witchlands, #2

Publication: January 10th 2017 by Tor Teen

Goodreads Description:
Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands. 

My thoughts: 
I liked Windwitch but didn't love it. I felt like it wasn't as good as book 1 which I loved. Windwitch just fell short for me and didn't meet my expectations. Everything I loved about Truthwitch was missing.

The biggest disappointed was Safi and Iseult being separated the whole time. This made reading not as much fun, I really missed their banter. Their friendship is what made me love Truthwitch so much. 
Merik and Safi's chemistry in the first book was also something I loves but they were in different places in Windwitch so they had no interaction either.

Windwitch is multiple POVs like Truthwitch. And usually I don't have a problem with multiple POVs Buy I felt like too many plot lines going on and I just didn't feel connected to the characters . I wasn't a fan of Merik's POV and I loved his in Truthwitch. I didn't like Vivia either- I didn't care for her at all and was bored reading her parts. I was just there for Is and Safi's POVs and I kind of liked Aeduan at times but mostly just because his interactions with Iseult were fun to read.

There was a few new developments in terms of the magic system that I liked and am expected to see where they go. World expansion was good, we learn about a few places and cultures.

The plot was very slow at times but there was a few twists here and there I wasn't expecting. 

Overall I wanted more. I was a bit disappointed because I loved Truthwitch so much but I will probably pick up the next book just because I'm hoping it's more like truthwitch and Windwitch just had second book syndrome.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Thanks for reading,
A :)

Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

*Warning this post contains spoilers for the first book in the series, Illuminae*

Series: The Illuminae Files, #2

Publication:October 18th 2016 by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Description:

The highly anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that critics are calling “out-of-this-world awesome.” 

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless. 

My thoughts:
If you read Illuminae and are wondering if Gemina is just amazing I'm here to tell you that it is absolutely fantastic, just like Illuminae I couldn't put it down. It is such an epic story and I'd highly recommend you give it a read if you are a fan of Illuminae.

We are introduced to two new main characters. Firstly there's Hana. When the story starts she came across as super girly to me and I wasn't sure I'd like her as much as Kady but I grew to like her as I got to know her. And boy did she surprise me. Her character arc was fab. Our main male character, Nik, also surprised me. I wasn't expecting his personality to be like it was. He's not as snarky as Ezra but still really fun to read. The side characters were so much fun too, especially Nik's cousin, Ella. And just to let you know, yes the Illuminae characters do pop up here and there!

The plot of Gemina is crazy intense, I couldn't stop reading. It was just so exciting and so much going on, it really is a rollercoaster of a ride. The last half of the story had me on edge the whole time. The ending is mind blowing it left me needing the next book asap!

Just like with Illuminae the unique format of instant messages, surveillance footage, file, emails etc makes the story fly by. I really liked the addition of illustrations by Marie Lu for Hana's journal.

Gemina is much more sci-fi-y than Illuminae. It got a bit confusing towards the end for me and I had to reread a few sections to comprehend what was happening. This is probably because I don't read a lot of sci-fi and the format makes it a bit more difficult to comprehend things like what was going on. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Gemina and for sure will be picking up the next book in the series when it comes out.

My rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Thanks for reading,
A :)

Hey everyone! I just thought I'd let you know that I have decided to take a little break from blogging. I am on placement for college at the moment for three weeks, and I just won't have time with all the lesson planning and resource making to write and post reviews and read. I will be back on my regular schedule of posting on Tuesdays on the 11th of April! Until then you can always follow my reading (if I have time to read anything!) on my goodreads (link in the side bar) or my twitter (@AsBookObsession)!
Thanks for understanding,
A :)

Through The Dark by Alexandra Bracken

*This post may contain spoilers for all three books in The Darkest Minds Trilogy by Alexandra Bracken' The Darkest Minds, Neverfade, In The After Light*

Series: The Darkest Minds, #1.5, #2.5, #3.5

Publication:October 6th 2015 by Disney Hyperion

Goodreads Description:
Don't miss this breathtaking collection of stories set in the world of the New York Times best-selling Darkest Minds trilogy. Featuring ebook original novellas In Time and Sparks Rise, and a gripping, brand-new novella, Through the Dark is a must-have for fans of the Darkest Minds. This collection contains three novellas: In Time, Sparks Rise, and Beyond the Night, as well as a sneak peek at the first novel in Alexandra Bracken's new series, Passenger. 

IN TIME 
Gabe's life has been devastated in the wake of the economic crash. The only option left for someone like him to escape his tragic past is to leave his small town behind and to attempt to become a skiptracer. This already almost-impossible task is made all the more difficult by his first "score,"a young girl who won't speak, but who changes his life in ways he could never imagine. 

SPARKS RISE 
Sam didn't think things could get worse at Thurmand rehabilitation camp. Then the Reds arrive. Everyone assumed the kids with firepower had been killed years ago. Instead they were taken away, brainwashed, and returned as terrifyingly effective guards. To her horror, Sam recognizes one of them: Lucas, the one spark of light in Sam's dark childhood. Lucas has a deadly secret--he beat the brutal training that turned his fellow Reds into mindless drones. When Sam defends herself against an attack by a vile PSF guard and faces a harrowing punishment, Lucas must risk everything to save her. 

BEYOND THE NIGHT 
The government-run "rehabilitation camps" have been shut down, but kids with Psi powers are anything but free. Sam would rather be on her own than put in the care of a foster family and given the "cure"--a dangerous procedure that unclaimed kids across the country are being forced to undergo. But there's more at stake than just her own safety. Sam once made someone a promise, and the time has come to fulfill it. Now that she's out of her camp, Mia only has one thought in her head: finding Lucas, her beloved older brother.

My Thoughts:
Through The Dark is an amazing addition to The Darkest Minds Trilogy. I would highly recommend reading the three novellas in between each novel; so: The Darkest Minds, In Time, Neverfade Sparks Rise, In The Afterlight and then Beyond The Night.
Alexandra Bracken is so freaking good at wrting novellas. even though the stories are short they have all the charm and emotional punch her full length novels have. 

In Time
The character development in this novella is enough of a reason to read it. It was my least favourite of the three but it was still really good.

Sparks Rise
I really enjoyed this novella. I gave readers a really good insight into what the camps were like. I was really surprised at how much of an emotional read Spars Rise was. The new characters,Sam and Lucas, introduced were just so likable. The more I read the more invested I got in them. I really grew to love both Sam and Lucas in the 80 or so pages we got with them. I really felt for them, I was cheering for them at points and I was genuinely worried for them at other parts.

Beyond the Night
This novella was definitely my favourite novella. The story takes place a few weeks after the events of In The Afterlight so if you weren't satisfied with the ending you should read this novella. It answered a lot of questions I had when I finished In The Afterlight. And I loved this novella because the old gang makes an appearance!! I'm not going to say who but I was so excited to see them.I missed them so much so it was wonderful to see all my favoruites again.

Overall, Through The Dark is a great addition to the series and a must read if you love The Darkest Minds Trilogy.

My Rating: 4.5

Thanks for reading,
A :)
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Crystal Storm by Morgan Rhodes

*This post contains spoilers for the first four books in the Falling Kingdoms series*

Series: Falling Kingdoms, #5

Publication:December 13th 2016 by Razorbill

Goodreads Description:
The ruthless Empress Amara of Kraeshia has taken the Mytican throne, and now uncertainty looms over the three kingdoms. Since Lucia unleashed the fire Kindred, wreaking havoc throughout the land, Myticans have been looking for someone—anyone—they can trust. They believe in Amara, not knowing her grand promises are built on lies.

In Paelsia, Magnus and Cleo reluctantly follow King Gaius to the home of his exiled mother, Selia. Selia is a powerful witch and claims she can help unlock the magic of the Kindred—if the visitors agree to her terms. When Jonas arrives from Kraeshia, he is shocked to find that his rebel army now includes his sworn enemies. Along with Nic, Felix, and the mysteriously resurrected Ashur, the contentious group agrees to cast aside old grudges—for now—and united against their common enemy: Amara.

Meanwhile, bearing the child of a Watcher and feared by all, Princess Lucia travels across Mytica to find her family. But time is running out. The impending storm signals the dark prophecy Timotheus warned her about. Her fate is written, and it includes none other than the rebel Jonas. When their paths collied, Jonas and Lucia must decide between blindly following their destiny or fighting for their own free will.

The battle for power culminates at the Paelsian palace, where Amara resides. Rain pours. Blood spills. And soon all will discover that the darkest magic comes at an even darker price.

My thoughts:
Crystal Storm is just as good if not better than the previous books in the series. The story starts right were Frozen Tides ended; so I would recommend either reread the last few chapters of Frozen Tides right before Crystal Storm or read a really good summary because you literally get thrown straight in.

I really liked how we get some background information on the king. He has been an antagonist for the whole series and before Crystal Storm all we know about him is that he is an awful person so it's great that we get to know him a bit better in this instalment. 

There is so much characters and switching POVs that the overall story only moves forward a tiny bit compared to everyone's individual stories.

Jonas has a very interesting storyline in this one. There is some very cool developments with his character which I really liked and can't wait to read more about but I can't talk about because of spoilers!

I actually liked Lucia in Crystal Storm. I found her to be not as much of a bitch as she was in the last books in the series. She has an air about her that she really wants to fix her past mistakes and I just felt like she has really matured into a character I can like.

Cleo and Magnus' relationship definitely has a main storyline in Crystal Storm so be prepared for drama. They are trying to figure out their new relationship. They are both very cautious with each other for different reasons and there is definitely some tension between the two. At points I felt like it was a bit much and they were acting very immature and a bit out of character but it wasn't anything major. 

There is a good bit of death in Crystal Storm which made it stressful to read. There were people being killed, coming back from the dead, in the process of dying. It was crazy and it didn't help with all the switching POVs. I'd be so invested in a chapter and something intense would be happening and then it would switch POV. It made me read the book so quickly.

Be warned that there is a massive cliff hanger at the end of Crystal Storm so if you hate waiting for the next book in the series I would recommend you wait until closer the release date of the last book to pick up Crystal Storm because the cliff hanger is driving me crazy; I am so anxious to get the next book!

My rating:4.5 stars out of 5

Thanks for reading,
A :)
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The Call by Peadar Ó Guilín

Publication:August 30th 2016 by David Fickling Books

Goodreads Description:
Imagine a world where you might disappear any minute, only to find yourself alone in a grey sickly land, with more horrors in it than you would ever wish to know about. And then you hear a horn and you know that whoever lives in this hell has got your scent and the hunt has already begun.

Could you survive the Call?

My thoughts:
The Call is dark and bloody and I loved it. I couldn't put it down.

Nessa, our main character, is a determined young girl who I really admired. I loved how she didn't let her disability stop her from anything. She had a strong mindset of not falling behind and trying her very best in spite of her legs.
We do get a good grasp of the other characters, but I would have liked a bit more. There was so many characters, I felt like we just skimmed the surface of them.  The story does swap POVs a lot; personally I would have preferred to stay with Nessa because she was my favourite but if we had then we wouldn't really see how bloodthirsty and twisted the Sidhe are.

The plot was super gripping and engaging. I couldn't stop reading, I had to know what was going to happen. It was so fast paced and chapters often ended on a cliffhanger which made me eager to keep reading.

The setting was great. I am Irish so I loved how the story was set in Ireland, I have never come across a YA set here! I loved how our culture really shined through and how some of the names were irish, like there was an Aoife! I have never come across an Aoife in my reading! I loved how our mythology was woven into the story with the faeries and stuff. Those who don't have Irish/ aren't from Ireland might have a hard time pronouncing a lot of the names/places.

One of my problems with The Call was that the ending wasn't an ending in my eyes. It was a bit anticlimactic. I really hope there is a sequel because there is still a lot of questions unanswered.

The book was marketed as horror but I didn't find it scary at all. It was pretty violent but nothing I haven't read before.

Overall I really enjoyed The Call and will definitely be picking up anything else Peadar Ó Guilin writes, especially if there is a sequel!

My rating: 4 stars
Thanks for reading,
A :)
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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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