Dark and Magical, But It Didn't Live Up To The Hype // REVIEW: Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Title: Furyborn (Empirium #1)
Author: Claire Legrand
Publication Date: May 22nd 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1 on 3 of the Empirium Trilogy
I Got A Copy Through: Sourcebooks via NetGalley + I BOUGHT ONE!
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Follows two fiercely independent young women, centuries apart, who hold the power to save their world...or doom it.
When assassins ambush her best friend, the crown prince, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing her ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. The only people who should possess this extraordinary power are a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven trials to test her magic. If she fails, she will be executed...unless the trials kill her first.
A thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a mere fairy tale to bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora. When the Undying Empire conquered her kingdom, she embraced violence to keep her family alive. Now, she believes herself untouchable--until her mother vanishes without a trace, along with countless other women in their city. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain on a dangerous mission and discovers that the evil at the heart of the empire is more terrible than she ever imagined.
As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world--and of each other.

Furyborn was surrounded by ALL THE HYPE for MONTHS before it released. It was EVERYWHERE, and as a huge YA Fan, I knew I would have to read it, sooner rather than later.

Furyborn was essentially:

1)      A magnificent tale told across two millennia by two young girls

2)      One lives in a land surrounded my magic, and the other in a land where magic is a fairy-tale of the past and all they know is the Empire that conquers all

3)      One of these girls is an assassin and one is a temple acolyte

4)      A story surrounding a prophecy about these two girls – a Sun Queen and a Blood Queen, one with the power to destroy the world and the other with the power to save it.

5)      It has kingdoms, swoony princes, power, magical trials, angels and it’s just SUCH A GORGEOUS BOOK TO OWN!

MY THOUGHTS:

1)      I expected a LOT going into this book. A majority of the early reviews I read RAVED about this book, and I was very hopeful that I had found the NEXT THING I WOULD FALL HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH. Now, as I sit at the end of Furyborn, I find that while I ENJOYED it, for the most part, this story was predictable and kind of MEH, except for ONE TWIST on page 343.

2)      If I had to choose between Rielle and Eliana, I would definitely choose Rielle’s story. They were both a little predictable, but I definitely loved Rielle’s dark and twisty viewpoint better!

3)      Furyborn was QUITE a long book. I feel like a lot of it was running around, especially in Eliana’s story when she kept travelling from place X to place Y, and not much happened that we DIDN’T ALREADY KNOW?

4)      I ABSOLUTELY LOVED Audric and Rielle together, with their forbidden, best-friend romance.

Honestly, I liked Furyborn, but I didn’t fall in love with it. There was a lot of hype around it, and it just didn’t live up to all that hype for me. A 3.5 star novel, but I hope I will continue on with the series!

Claire Legrand used to be a musician until she realized she couldn't stop thinking about the stories in her head. A native Texan, she is now a writer and librarian living in central New Jersey.

Her first novel is THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, one of the New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing in 2012. She is also the author of THE YEAR OF SHADOWS, a ghost story for middle grade readers, WINTERSPELL, a young adult re-telling of The Nutcracker, and SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS, a middle grade story about mental illness, family secrets, and the power of storytelling. SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS is a 2017 Edgar Award nominee and one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2016. Her latest novel, FOXHEART, is a fast-paced fantasy-adventure and a 2016 Junior Library Guild selection. She is also one of the four authors behind THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, an anthology of dark middle grade short fiction that was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Bank Street Best Book, and among the New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing in 2014. 

Coming up for Claire is FURYBORN, the first book in the Empirium trilogy, due out May 22, 2018, followed by SAWKILL GIRLS in fall 2018, and THORNLIGHT, a companion novel to FOXHEART, coming in winter 2019.

Visit Claire at claire-legrand.com and at enterthecabinet.com.

Have you read Furyborn or any other of Claire Legrand's books? What did you think of them?

What are some of your FAVOURITE YA Fantasy novels that you've read recently?

I'm always looking for more recommendations!

 

A Short Sojourn Back to the Night Court // REVIEW: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight
Author: Sarah J Maas
Publication Date: May 8th 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 3.1 of the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series
I Got A Copy Through: Bloomsbury India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: The Winter Solstice. In a week. I was still new enough to being High Lady that I had no idea what my formal role was to be. If we'd have a High Priestess do some odious ceremony, as lanthe had done the year before A year. Gods, nearly a year since Rhys had called in his bargain, desperate to get me away from the poison of the Spring Court to save me from my despair. Had he been only a minute later, the Mother knew what would have happened. Where I'd now be. Snow swirled and eddied in the garden, catching in the brown fibers of the burlap covering the shrubs My mate who had worked so hard and so selflessly, all without hope that I would ever be with him We had both fought for that love, bled for it. Rhys had died for it.

Honestly, I went into this book with no expectations. I heard a lot of NOT SO GREAT things from some VERY trusted people, not to mention my own disappointment at A Court of Wings and Ruin and, well, I didn’t expect much but simply HAD to read it anyway because of my IMMENSE love for book two, A Court of Mist and Fury. (Which was really one of the BEST books ever and I am still not over it)

A Court of Frost and Starlight started off rather… strangely. I’m quite used to this story having been told from Feyre’s point of view and it threw me when we ALSO got Rhysand, Mor, Nesta and Cassian narrating Sarah J Maas’ SMALLEST book to date. What I’m basically trying to say is, I had a little bit of an adjusting period.

Let’s break it down:

1.       If you know me, I’m not a huge fan of novellas or short stories. Whenever I read them, I always feel like the second I get invested, the story is over. POOF. HEART=BROKEN. And so use the word ‘novella,’ and I’m already a little suspicious about the book’s intentions for my heart.

2.       EVEN THEN, Novella or full length novel, an essential element for books (for me) is PLOT. BOOKS HAVE TO HAVE A PLOT, OKAY? A Court of Frost and Starlight was a bridge book between the old series and the spin-off series, it didn’t really have a SOLID PLOT, or any real reason that the events of this book couldn’t have been clubbed into the next one VERY EASILY.

3.       Really, this book was mostly (rather graphic) sex scenes, the “sizable” coffers of the Night Court, a lot of gift exchanging and some ominous foreshadowing for the next book.

4.       MIND YOU, I’M NOT SAYING I DIDN’T LIKE IT, (There was a LOT I LIKED, and I’ll get to that below) BUT I WISH A Court of Frost and Starlight had been MORE by itself, or had just been combined into the NEXT BIG NOVEL.

5.       There were a lot of things I really liked, including:

-          Feyre and Cassian’s drunk decorating (And Azriel trying to clean up their mess)

-          Cassian’s Point of View (WHO KNEW THIS DARK SMOL ILLYRIAN WAS SO PRECIOUS?)

-          The Inner Circle just hanging out and being themselves

-          The ‘everyday’ tasks post war – I actually really appreciated that his book dealt with the day to day tasks of ruling and rebuilding to some extent, because I feel like it’s almost always glossed over in fantasy novels

-          I… like Nesta better? I didn’t think it was possible, but I suddenly do. I’m quite excited to see where the next book takes me.

I guess, all in all, I’d recommend this only to someone who is ALREADY a HUGE fan of the series. It didn’t really have a plot, and was a filler novella, but if you enjoy the antics of the Night Court/ Inner Circle and just want to check in on your favourite characters, this could be this book for you.

I’ll just leave you with: ‘To the stars that wish, and the dreams that are answered.’

Sarah J. Maas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series as well as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (out 5/5/15).

Sarah lives in Bucks County, PA, and over the years, she has developed an unhealthy appreciation for Disney movies and bad pop music. She adores fairy tales and ballet, drinks too much tea, and watches an ungodly amount of TV. When she's not busy writing, she can be found exploring the historic and beautiful Pennsylvania countryside with her husband and canine companion.

Have you read any Sarah J Maas books? What do you think of them, and WHO is your favourite character?
Have you read ACOFAS? What did you think of it?

 

Dark And Twisty // REVIEW: The Midnight Star by Marie Lu

Title: The Midnight Star (The Young Elites #3)
Author: Marie Lu
Publication Date: October 13th 2016 
Publisher: Penguin Books UK
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 3 on 3 of the Young Elites Trilogy
I Got A Copy Through: Penguin India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery || Flipkart || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo ||

Blurb Description: The thrilling finale to the New York Times bestselling Young Elites series from Marie Lu.
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 the darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy everything.
When a new danger appears, Adelina must join the Daggers on a perilous quest in order to save herself and preserve her empire. But this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger . . .

For the longest time, I’ve been staring at the Young Elites trilogy sitting on my TBR pile and hoping that someday, I would find the time to read this series that sounded absolutely brilliant. So, when my semester closed this Tuesday, I thought what better time than NOW to do so?

Within a span of four days, I read the whole Young Elites trilogy and I HAVE THOUGHTS. SO SO MANY THOUGHTS.

In brief, though, let me explain what I thought of the first two books in this series:

The Young Elites: I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT

The Rose Society: THIS WAS SO MEDIOCRE, AND REPETITIVE, except for the last 70 pages which was action packed but when I reached the end of this book, I couldn’t help wishing it was more.

And so, after the two days it took me to read both these books, I was unsure if The Midnight Star was the book I wanted to dive into JUST then. I took a break for a day, and then decided why NOT binge this series altogether?

Which brings me to now. The Midnight Star was a perfect ending to a series I liked, but didn’t love all because of the middle part.

MY THOUGHTS:

1.       For the longest time in The Midnight Star, I struggled to cope with the kind of ruler that our main character, Adelina was. She was queen, sure, but she was a horrible queen. She had no care for her citizens, had horrible policies and was basically a vengeful conquer and not a ruler at all.

   2.       The main reason for Adelina being such a horrible ruler was because of the voices in her head, driving her to kill and conquer, and it’s also the reason I didn’t like The Rose Society – because voices in her head made her do everything wrong. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE ‘BAD’ CHARACTERS or anti-heroes, but through the entire series, there was a “NORMAL” part of Adelina and then there was the “voices and the darkness” which totally RUINED the part where this book’s protagonist is NOT AN EVIL PERSON, BUT SOMEONE TORTURED BY UNRELENTING VOICES.

   3.       Which is why I called The Midnight Star the PERFECT ending to this series – it was when the voices lose the extent of their control and the real Adelina comes back, flaws and all. I preferred the flawed, angry girl so much more than the slave to the voices in her head girl and her character growth was astounding.

   4.       Another thing I loved about The Midnight Star was the sense of camaraderie that came across all the main characters – Raffele, Teren, Adelina, Magiano, Maeve, Lucent, Voiletta and everyone else. I was HAPPY to see that they were all working together, towards a common goal.

   5.       Like I mentioned, when the series mostly focused on the “voices” and the “darkness” and what they made Adelina do, it got BORING AND REPETITIVE. FAST. And yet, The Midnight Star had a totally different plot. It was about a greater goal, and power and mythology and it was just BRILLIANT executed.

If there’s one thing I learnt from bingeing The Young Elites Trilogy, it’s that maybe bingeing something isn’t always for the best. I feel like the fact that I read them all together and so fast might have caused things to be repetitive, and for me to get slightly bored with the world.

At the same time, I was happy that I could read it altogether without any breaks or time to survive the revelations and cliff-hangers.

Yes, I’m a confusing person.

Would I recommend this series? Definitely.

Would I recommend BINGEING this series? Probably not. It’s best to take a break between books (preferably with another book)

A dark, twisty young adult series that COULD HAVE been better.

Marie Lu is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series The Young Elites, as well as the blockbuster bestselling Legend series. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry as an artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing games, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles with one husband, one Chihuahua mix, and one Pembroke Welsh corgi.

Have you read any Marie Lu Books?

Do you prefer the Prodigy series, the Young Elites series of Warcross? 

How excited are you for Batman: Nightwalker and for the rest of the DC series? 

What are some of your favourite books with anti-heroines? I'd love to hear from all of you.

 

Brilliant Character Development // REVIEW: The Crown's Fate by Evelyn Skye

Title: The Crown's Fate (The Crown's Game #2) 
Author: Evelyn Skye
Publication Date: May 16th 2017
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins)
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 2/2 of The Crown's Game Duology
I Got A Copy Through: Harper Collins India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || Barnes and Noble || The Book Depository || Wordery ||  Flipkart || Snapdeal || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.
Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.
For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.
With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.

Last year, when all the hype was flying around The Crown’s Game as it released, I dove into the audiobook of this gorgeous book, which gave me a more authentic experience of the 1800’s Russia that this book was set in (especially the pronunciations that I always get wrong.)

While I loved being immersed in Russia and I loved the magic that surrounded the book even more, I found The Crown’s Game to be slightly predictable and with an Insta-Love Love Triangle. It was a good book, but not a great one.

Which brings me to:

THE WRITING:

The total change of world and predictability in The Crown’s Fate from book one was the first thing that struck me – I could TELL how much Evelyn Skye’s writing style had matured as she wrote about the darkness that overtook a certain loving character, how she wrote about a playful boy becoming the Tsar of a great country and an enchanter figuring out what it means to be a girl with both power and responsibility.

The very change in the writing and the development of the characters really took this book to a whole new level.

PLOT AND IDEA:

I’m going to do these two together. I’ve always loved the idea behind the series and I also ADORED the magic in book one. The plot for book two, like the writing, went so much deeper. The magic broke the impossible barriers it had already set in book one, there was more intrigue in the air as all our favourite characters figured out who they were supposed to be in the aftermath of a brutal game.

Everything about this book was great until I reached the ending, which was so melodramatic and totally re-highlighted the unnecessary love triangle SO MUCH it made me cringe. I actually closed the book whispered, “No, ANYTHING but that,” and continues reading because in a book that managed to break all clichés, it ENDED IN SUCH AN AWKWARD ONE.

CHARACTERS:

Like I said in The Writing, I THOUGHT THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN The Crown’s Fate WAS GENIUS! The book rotated between the points of view of the three main characters, a little bit of Nikolai’s mother, a guard and other secondary characters.

It was just the right amount of characters telling the story that they got it right, especially because almost all of them had their own internal turmoil going on and it made me feel like I knew these characters more.

CONCLUSION:

A richly created Russian Fantasy with barrier breaking magic. I can only wish that the ending was better and this book would’ve gotten a solid five stars from me!

Evelyn Skye is the NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author of THE CROWN'S GAME and its sequel, THE CROWN'S FATE. New series--CIRCLE OF SHADOWS--coming Fall 2018. Evelyn was once offered a job by the C.I.A., she not-so-secretly wishes she was on "So You Think You Can Dance," and if you challenge her to a pizza-eating contest, she guarantees she will win. When she isn't writing, Evelyn can be found chasing her daughter on the playground or sitting on the couch, immersed in a good book and eating way too many cookies. She can be found online at www.evelynskye.com and on Twitter @EvelynSkyeYA.

Have you read The Crown's Game series? What did you think of it?

What are some of your favourite historical fiction novels? I'd love to hear some recommendations!
Thanks so much for stopping by, everyone. Although I may not find time to respond, your comments TRULY  make my day brighter.

All That Girl Power // REVIEW: Daughter Of The Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Title: Daughter Of The Pirate King (Daughter Of The Pirate King #1)

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Publication Date: February 28th 2017

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 1/2 of the Daughter of the Pirate King Duology

Buy Links: Amazon || Barnes and Noble || Wordery || The Book Depository || Books A Million || Google Play Books || Kobo || Indigo || 

Blurb Description: There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.
Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

When I first read about this on Netgalley, I remember not reading the synopsis and basing my NEED to read this book purely on the title alone.

I guess that’s why it took me SO LONG to bring it to the top of my lung crushing, bookworm drowning TBR pile but now that I finished it, I AM SO SO HAPPY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT IS EASILY ONE OF THE BEST I’VE READ THIS YEAR!

“I believe we create ourselves to be what we want.”

Instead of describing this book, I’m going to rant about ALL THE GREAT THINGS that I LOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF MY FANGIRLING HEART (and I hope you will want to read it too!)

1.       ALL THE GIRL POWER: What’s better than a Badass Female Main Character who is ALSO the captain of her own ship? A SUPER SASSY Protagonist with the ability to hold her own EASILY in a ship full of enemy male pirates, FIGHT LIKE NOBODY’S BUSINESS and also HAS A CREW FILLED WITH THE MOST AWESOME SAUCE AND LOYAL GIRLS. (Who I am SO SO EXCITED to read more about in book two.)

2.       ALL THAT BANTER: One of the things I loved the MOST about this book was THE EASY, sometimes sassy, sometimes flirty banter that Tricia Levenseller managed to create that made a book about pirates, mythical sea creatures, hostages and treasure SO MUCH MORE FUN. (If that is even possible) SERIOUSLY. Some AMAZING DIALOGUE.

3.       ALL THAT FLIRTING: I LOVED LOVED Riden and Alosa together. It was such a FUN, refreshing romance with NO PINING, all honour, attraction and flirting and I LOVED IT. (Yes, I have used the word ‘love’ about 36,289 times in this review already) I loved the kissing scenes, I loved the turmoil that went through Alosa’s head during those moments, and I loved them. I cannot WAIT to see what book two does with them.

4.       ALL THOSE PLOT TWISTS: Most days, I can predict where a fantasy will end up. Daughter of the Pirate King, however, had me saying ‘OH HOLY WOW. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.’ These are such AMAZING twists too, fitting pieces in place and WOW. LOVE. (Yes, again)

5.       ALL THAT ALOSA KALLIGAN: Move over Celaena Sardothien, MY NEW FAVOURITE BADASS FEMALE CHARACTER IS HERE. This girl takes NO NONSENSE, has ALL THE SASS AND THE BRAINS AND THE FIGHTING SKILLS and well, I LOVED LIVING IN HER HEAD FOR A FEW DAYS.

There was NOTHING AT ALL WRONG WITH THIS BOOK. In fact, IT WAS SO PERFECT I COULD CRY.

A fast paced, swashbuckling tale with an amazing cast and ALL THE GIRL POWER. I’m so in love, all I want to do it read it again. 5 stars.

Tricia Levenseller writes historical fantasies for young adult readers. Her debut, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING, is set to release Feb. 2017 from Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.

Initially from a small town in Oregon, Tricia now lives next to the Rocky Mountains with her bossy dog, Rosy. She received her degree in English Language and editing and is thrilled that she never has to read a textbook again. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing volleyball, and watching shows while eating extra-buttered popcorn.

What is you FAVOURITE Pirate Book/ Movie?

Who is your favourite badass female character?

Have you heard of/ read Daughter of the Pirate King? Is it on your TBR? 

I can't wait to chat with all you lovelies!

GIVE ME MORE // REVIEW: The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Song Rising (The Bone Season #3)

Author: Samantha Shannon
Publication Date: March 30th 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury India
Part of a Series?: Yes, Book 3/7 of The Bone Season Series
I Got A Copy Through: Bloomsbury India (THANK YOU!)
Buy Links: Amazon IN || Amazon US || Amazon UK || The BookDespository || Wordery || Flipkart || Snapdeal || Infibeam || Foyles || Waterstones || WHSmith || Kobo || Books A Million || Chapters Indigo || Google Books

Blurb Description: Following a bloody battle against foes on every side, Paige Mahoney has risen to the dangerous position of Underqueen, ruling over London's criminal population.
But, having turned her back on Jaxon Hall and with vengeful enemies still at large, the task of stabilising the fractured underworld has never seemed so challenging.
Little does Paige know that her reign may be cut short by the introduction of Senshield, a deadly technology that spells doom for the clairvoyant community and the world as they know it...

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?

I have spent the better part of two weeks reading EVERYTHING that has been released about Paige Mahoney and her world and now I have no idea what to do with myself. I’ve been stalking and screenshotting EVERYTHING Samantha Shannon has been saying about book 4 because I NEED IT LIKE I NEED LIFE (and apparently it’s full of #Paiden ANGST and we LEARN MORE ABOUT WARDEN AND HELLO? *Throws money at it*)

The Song Rising picks up right after the ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING REVELATION at the end of The Mime Order (WHY CERTAIN CHARACTER WHY?) with Paige reeling from the truth, conflicted about her feelings about Warden and trying to understand her new role in the Syndicate.

Let’s get down to it:

1.       THE BEGINNING AND THE END WERE ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT: You couldn’t imagine a more perfect start to this book – it was all adrenaline, all power and a whole new order in the Criminal Syndicate of London, AND THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. The Ending pretty much wrecked me. I read over 150 pages this morning, ignoring EVERYTHING else around me and AAAH.  No spoilers, but AAAAH.

2.       THIS IS MORE POLITICAL THAT THE REST OF IT: I suppose you could call this book the beginning of a political revolution, moving away from London and to Manchester and Scotland and the ending takes all our favourite characters out of the heart of the Scion Empire and into the rest of Europe. It was highly political in the way that Paige met different leaders of the Voyant network in different cities, the MILITARY came in as did military strategy and there were so many mind games being played. I liked it, but it did take some getting used to.

3.       THE MIDDLE SORT OF DRAGGED: I think when Paige was in Edinburgh, for the FIRST TIME EVER, this series sort of dragged a little. I felt like there were too many new characters, almost all of them SO SO STUBBORN. It was JUST a little, and picked up again twenty to thirty pages in, but it was still there.

4.       PAIDEN WILL FOREVER BE MY OTP: HANDS DOWN, BEST. FICTIONAL. COUPLE. EVER. Or you know, not a couple but seriously, I ADORE HOW THE BOTH OF THEM WORK TOGETHER and how intensely they feel for each other and how their different powers work in sync when they’re together and AAH. I love their ability to just GET one another and the fact that Warden said that Terebell USED to be his mate because…

5.       THIS SERIES IS ONLY THE BEST-EST OUT THERE: Hands down, NO OTHER SERIES has such BRILLIANT Worldbuilding and characters and POWER like this one does. I love the brutality in this dystopian/ fantasy world as well as the chemistry. This book shows you SO MUCH World and Character Development that it feels SO SO REAL AND CAN I HAVE MORE PLEASE?

I want nothing more than to dive into the next book in the series, and it kills me that I have to wait!

A heart wrenching, addicting, intense series with some of the best characters in a world that keeps getting better. I can’t wait for everything that is to come in this series, and I could not recommend it enough!

A MUST READ FOR ALL DYSTOPIAN FANS – this series is everything you never knew you were waiting for.

Samantha Shannon was born and raised in West London. She started writing in abundance when she was twelve, started her first novel when she was fifteen, and studied English Language and Literature at St Anne's College, Oxford, from 2010 – 2013, graduating with a 2:1. 

In 2013, she published The Bone Season, the internationally bestselling first installment in a seven-book series of fantasy novels. Its first sequel, The Mime Order, was published in 2015, and she's currently editing the third book in the series, The Song Rising. She is also working on a high fantasy novel. Film rights to the Bone Season are held by the Imaginarium Studios, Chernin Entertainment and 20th Century Fox. 

Have you gotten a chance to dive into The Bone Season Series yet? What did you think of it?