Book Review #710 - Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

 

A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart--an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests--or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate. 

 

 

My Rating: 8/10

 

 

I obviously went into this book with it having quite a lot of hype which and I hadn't read a book like that for a while. A number of reviews labelled this book as 'Harry Potter meets Alice in Wonderland'. This commonly used line both intrigued and worried me as whilst I love Harry Potter (and still consider it my favourite series of all time) I really did not enjoy Alice in Wonderland.

 

I found this book very magical and whimsical both with the story and the with the writing style. I found it hard to believe that this was author Jessica Townsend's debut novel.

 

I wouldn't go as far to say that this book is this generation's Harry Potter as I think that Harry Potter is timeless, but this book was still really enjoyable.

 

For a children's book, I loved how fleshed it all was. The settings were all wonderfully magical and every single character had depth and personality.

 

When I first started reading this book I thought that it was trying to be like Harry Potter as it follows and 11 year old girl who escapes her repressive world by being introduced to a world of magic. But this is where the similarities to Harry Potter ended as this book is charming in its own magical way.

Book Review #660 - A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J Maas

Feyre is a huntress.

She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price...

Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy's kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor's body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked - but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre's feeling for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she's been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows.

Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

My Rating: 4.5/5

After reading and loving Throne of Glass I had extremely high expectations for this book. 

The protagonist in this book Feyre was very reminiscent of Katniss in the way she looked after her family and just how generally strong she was. 

The world building in this book was intricate and amazingly imaginative. 

I have not really enjoyed faerie books in the past (it's probably my least favourite in the fantasy genre) and so it surprised me how much I enjoyed that aspect of it.

I loved how the history between the humans and faes was mentioned throughout and I am looking forward to this being expanded upon further into the series.

Tamlin was a complex character and I am looking forward to his development over future books. I loved how reserved and mysterious he was. 

I feel like there is a potential developing love triangle between Feyre, Tamlin and Rhysand which I am not sure how I feel about because love triangles seem to rarely work. 

Lucien was a character that was mysterious and at first I couldn't figure out if he was on Feyre's side or not. Lucien being present in a lot of scenes with Feyre and Tamlin and occasionally adding witty commentary made the tone lighter and also prevented the story from getting sappy. 

I am not completely sure what I feel about Rhysand. I feel like he wasn't developed adequately enough to formulate a real opinion about. 

The plot was based on a number of fairy tales, but builds so much onto them that it is easy to forget its a retelling. 

The ending was unexpected and left me wanting to read the sequel straight away. 

Book Review #638 - Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


Goodreads

Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...

The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her? 

Given the way Crown of Midnight ended you might have thought I would have started this one straight away. However, because of a poorly timed family holiday I was unable to pick this book up until about a week later. 

I thought that Throne of Glass was rather simplistic for a fantasy novel and the perfect set up for the rest of the series. Crown of Midnight added so much depth and development to all the key areas. Heir of Fire however seemed to try to do too much. 

The book follows three different storylines - Celaena, Chaol and the new character Manna. The only issue I had with this was that I found that it disrupted the rhythm and flow of the story. 

The universe in this book expanded so much in this book that I think it warranted multiple maps like The Song of Ice and Fire series. 

Rowan was a character that I found rather cold at first, but his unwavering loyalty towards Celaena won me over eventually. 

I have mixed opinions about Dorian. On his own, I find him boring and dull. When he is with Chaol or Celaena however, he is quite interesting. 

I loved the amount of backstory that was given about Celaena's past and am looking forward to continuing on with the series. 

Book Review #637 - Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J.Maas

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


Goodreads

Crowned by Evil.

Bound by Duty.

Divided by Love.

Celaena Sardothien, royal assassin, is the King of Adarlan's deadliest weapon. She must win her freedom through his enemies' blood - but she cannot bear to kill for the crown. And every death Celaena fakes, every lie she tells, put those she loves at risk.

Torn between her two protectors - a captain and a prince - and battling a dark force far greater than the king, Celaena must decide what she will fight for: her liberty, her heart or the fate of a kingdom... 

Throne of Glass was a book that I enjoyed, but also a book that I had a number of issues with. 

Crown of Midnight however is my favourite second in a series book since Catching Fire. 

Celaena becomes more of the bad ass she was supposed to have been in TOG and I think this is due to the amount of time she spent with Chaol. I think that both of them as characters really feed off one another and bring out the best traits in one another. 

Whilst Dorian is a character that I really don't have any problems with, the relationship between Chaol and Celaena was a lot more believable and real than his relationship with Celaena. 

Chaol having to face his family and getting his loyalty questioned really opened his character up and enabled enormous character development. 

Dorian was a character that really surprised me and proves that I was obviously underestimating him by only seeing him as the third point on a love triangle. He is a lot stronger than I gave him credit for. 

I love the setting as well, it has a very cinematic feel to it and I so I would really love to see some kind of movie/TV adaptation of this series. 

There were so many plot twists throughout this book but the ending was completely unexpected. 

I had planned on reading another book after this one, but with that ending I had no choice but to pick up book 3 Heir of Fire. 

 

Book Review #631 - Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

My Rating: 4/5 


Source: Bought


Goodreads













Meet Celaena Sardothien.

Beautiful. Deadly.
Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

I went into this book with a lot of expectations. I mean the hype surrounding this book is HUGE which is also probably the reason it has taken me this long to finally read it.

I loved this book immensely but overall I wanted more from it.

There were so many interesting things in this book for example the contest Celaena and the others were participating in and the mysterious creature that was killing them off one by one. Unfortunately though, I didn't feel like these blended that well together.

Celaena is definitely a strong, independent female protagonist but I felt that we were told that rather than shown it.

I lost count the amount of times Celaena was referred to as "the assassin" like we had to be constantly reminded of this fact.

The romance in this book was surprisingly well timed and developed (even though I found Dorian really dull). I am a bit worried though about a love triangle potentially developing.

The only negative thing I can say about the romantic aspect was that it was way too dominant and took focus away from some of the other stuff like the contests.

Overall, I really loved the tone of this book and am really excited to continue on with this series.

Book Review #592 - Trial by Fire (The Worldwalker Trilogy #1) by Josephine Angelini

My Rating: 5/5


Source: Pan Macmillan Australia


Buy:  Booktopia | The Book Depository



Goodreads









The exhilaratingly seductive new series from the author of the bestselling Starcrossed series.

Love burns. Worlds collide. Magic reigns.

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted...which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily's life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem - one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily's identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn't understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

This book was the perfect blend of the science fiction and paranormal genres. It has a complicated setting but the world building was really well done and I really enjoyed the idea of the infinite alternate universes. 

The witchcraft in this book was also really well done. I loved that the magic element was done in a very non-conventional way. The magic was more to do with science which was really fascinating and surprisingly very easy to understand. 

The romance in this book was rather complicated and messy. I can see perhaps there being a number of love triangles forming in future books which I'm not too sure about. 

The book mainly follows Lily as she transitions from a world reliant on science to a world completely fearful of science. 

I would have liked more of Lillian. She is the supposed villain in this book but she is not really involved until the end. 

The book ended with a pretty good cliff-hanger and there were a number of unanswered questions so I will be more than likely reading the sequel very soon. 

Book Review #579 - Fearsome Dreamer (Fearsome Dreamer #1) by Laure Eve

My Rating: 3.5.5


Source: The Five Mile Press


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads



There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.

This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.

There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.

These people are dangerous.

And wanted. Desperately wanted.

Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.

But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...

This book is told via dual narration between the two main protagonists Rue and White. I liked this but would have preferred it being first or second person rather than third. 

I did not like Rue at all. I found her arrogant and rather cold whilst I really enjoyed White as a character. 

The plot took a while to develop (particularly from Rue's perspective) and I found the book rather hard to read at times. 

I felt like nothing really major happened in this book and that it was predominantly written to set up the sequel. 

I would like to know more about the worlds created and also about the talent as for a 350 plus paged book it didn't contain much depth. 

Book Review #550 - Arkarnae (The Medoran Chronicles #1) by Lynette Noni

With just one step, sixteen-year-old Alexandra Jennings's world changes--literally.

Dreading her first day at a new school, Alex is stunned when she walks through a doorway and finds herself stranded in Medora, a fantasy world full of impossibilities. Desperate to return home, she learns that only a man named Professor Marselle can help her... but he's missing.

While waiting for him to reappear, Alex attends Akarnae Academy, Medora's boarding school for teenagers with extraordinary gifts. She soon starts to enjoy her bizarre new world and the friends who embrace her as one of their own, but strange things are happening at Akarnae, and Alex can't ignore her fear that something unexpected... something sinister... is looming.

An unwilling pawn in a deadly game, Alex's shoulders bear the crushing weight of an entire race's survival. Only she can save the Medorans, but what if doing so prevents her from ever returning home?

Will Alex risk her entire world--and maybe even her life--to save Medora?

My Rating: 3/5

I received this book for review from Simon and Schuster Australia. This is the first of five proposed books in the Medoran Chronicles. 

The perfect way to describe this book would be a combination of Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia. 

Alex, the protagonist was easy to relate to and the secondary characters like Jordan, Bear and DC had significant depth to them unlike most other YA literature. 

The pacing of this book was a little unpredictable. At times I felt like I could read it non-stop and others I was just waiting for something to happen. 

I loved the Hogwarts like setting of the Akarnae Academy especially the library which was constantly full of surprises. 

The classes at the school and the teachers were all interesting but definitely could have been explored deeper. 

It was also very interesting and somewhat refreshing to read a book where there was absolutely no romance. 

Overall, this was a very compelling and enchanting read and I am looking forward to reading the sequel Raelia. 

Book Review #547 - The Sin-Eaters Daughter (The Sin-Eaters Daughter #1) by Melinda Salisbury

I am the perfect weapon.

I kill with a single touch.

Twylla is blessed. The Gods have chosen her to marry a prince, and rule the kingdom. But the favour of the Gods has it's price. A deadly poison infuses her skin. Those who anger the queen must die under Twylla's fatal touch.

Only Lief, an outspoken new guard, can see past Twylla's chilling role to the girls she truly is.

Yet in a court as dangerous and the queen's, some truths should not be told...

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from Scholastic Australia. 

I really enjoyed this book. The way the plot unraveled was very well paced. 

The setting reminded me of Kings Landing in A Game of Thrones with the elaborate castle and royalty. 

I didn't like the fact that the majority of the novel was set in Twylla's bedroom as it got boring. 

The Queen was a character that I loved to hate. She was pure evil but she was also a very interesting and complex character. 

Given the title of the book, I would have liked Twylla's mother and her job as a sin eater to have been explored a little deeper. I am looking forward to this in the sequel perhaps. 

The romance between Twylla and Lief was rather sudden and developed too quickly for my liking. 

Overall I found this book very unique, engaging and can't wait to read the sequel. 

Book Review #528 - The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.


Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.


All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.


So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.


Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.


The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

My Rating: 3.5/5

I had mixed expectations about this book. On the one hand the fact that it was written by one of my favourite authors (Clare) and one of the authors high on my TBR pile (Black)  made me intrigued. 

On the other hand however, the amount of reviews I had read referring how similar it was to Harry Potter really threw me off. 

This book really surprised me by how unlike Harry Potter it was. The protagonist, Callum Hunt reminded me of a mixture of Percy Jackson and Hiccup (from How to Train Your Dragon). 

The Magisterium (the school) was a gothic version of Hogwarts, and the tunnels that Call and his friends (Aaron and Tamara) constantly got lost in reminded me of the Chamber of Secrets. 

The magic element in this story is where it really sets itself apart from Harry Potter. In Harry Potter they obviously use wands whereas in this book it is more elemental. 

The ending had numerous plot twists - the main one of which I predicted fairly early in the book. 

Book Review #498 - Echo (Soul Seekers #2) by Alyson Noel

Daire Santos has already saved her grandmother's life and her soul. But at a cost: the Richter family has been let loose in the Lowerworld. Daire and her boyfriend Dace Richter must work together to find them before chaos ensues and the balance between good and evil is destroyed. As their relationship deepens, Dace's evil brother Cade grows stronger than ever, building his power and forcing Daire and Dace to confront the horrifying prophecy that has brought them all together. It will leave Daire no choice but to claim her true destiny as Seeker, but only by making an unthinkable sacrifice.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from Pan MacMillan Australia and it is the sequel to Fated. 

I was a little worried about this book because as it had been a while since I read Fated and for some reason I didn't take any notes whilst reading it, and I wasn't sure how much of it I remembered. 

As soon as I started reading this, Fated came flooding back to me and I found myself absorbed in the story once more. 

The first 100 or so pages were solely narrated by Daire as it was in Fated however after a small plot twist it changes into split narration. The only thing I didn't like about the split narration was the fact that Daire's chapters were significantly longer than Dace's. 

This book delves deeper into not only the characters and the whole prophecy saga but also Daire and Dace's relationship and the sacrifices they have to go through. 

Daire has grown so much since the first book not only as a character but with her capabilities as a Seeker. 

I predicted the major plot twist in this book really early which wasn't ideal but the amazing cliffhanger at the end made up for it.   

Book Review #488 - The Book of Days by K.A Barker

Most people believe the best way to forget someone is to throw them down a well. Or lock them in a room with eight keys, or bury them at a crossroad in the thirteenth hour. But they’re wrong. The best way to forget someone is for them never to have existed in the first place.

Madame Marisol’s Unreality House was where you brought people to make that happen.”

When Tuesday wakes from sleep for the first time at sixteen, she opens her eyes to a world filled with wonder – and peril. Left with only a letter from the person she once was, Tuesday sets out to discover her past with the help of her charming and self-serving guide, Quintalion.

Along the way she runs into one-legged mercenaries, flying cities, airships, and a blind assistant librarian. But danger lurks amidst the steam. The leader of the merciless Daybreakers is hunting her, convinced that she killed the only woman he ever loved. Tuesday will need all her wits about her to survive long enough to find out who she is and her connection with the mysterious Book of Days: a book that holds untold power…

My Rating: 3.5/5

I received this book for review from Pan MacMillan Australia.

This book was very enchanting and I found myself absolutely engrossed in it from the very first page. It just had a certain quality to it that just sucks you in.

The characters were all very intriguing and they all had tremendous depth to them considering this was only the first book (I'm assuming there will be a sequel?). The villains in this book also had depth which is rare in YA literature.  

I loved the geographical landscape of their land although it was a little confusing at first especially when some places mentioned were not included on the map at the front of the book.

The plot was very adventurous and magical although there were a number loose ends that didn't get tied such as Quintalion's father.

The book begins with Tuesday awakening in a strange and magical house where she has no memory of her past. She then goes on a journey to discover who she is even though everyone tells her she probably forgot everything for a reason.

Jack and Quintalion were both fantastic male characters. Jack had a rather vulnerable and sensitive quality to him and Quintalion on the other hand was very self assured but not in an arrogant way.

Book Review #483 - Platinum (Golden #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Lilah knows the rules better than anyone, but between her newfound visions, an absolutely fatal attraction to a boy who isn't real, and the threat of a supernatural enemy with a sting deadlier than any Queen Bee, it's going to take everything she has to stay on top at Emory. And to prove once and for all that - highlights and high heels aside - those who make the rules are the only ones who can break them.

My Rating: 3/5

This is the sequel to Golden.

Golden is told from Felicity's point of view and Felicity who doesn't fit in with any of the school cliques, however Platinum is told from Lilah's point of view and Lilah is the head Golden and the most popular girl in school.

It was interesting to read from Lilah's perspective as it gave great insight into the politics involved in their warped ideals of social standings.

The paranormal aspect was stronger in this book than it was in Golden which I really liked.

The main problem I have with this book is that I just feel as though I don't find it captivating enough.

Book Review #482 - Golden (Golden #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

When Lissy James moves from California to Oklahoma, she finds herself in the middle of a teenage nightmare: a social scene to rival a Hollywood movie. And if understanding the hierarchy of the Goldens vs. the Nons isn’t hard enough, Lissy’s ever growing Aura Vision is getting harder and harder to hide, and if she’s not careful, she’s going to become a Non faster than you can say “freak.”

But it’s becoming clear that Emory High has a few secrets of its own. Around the halls, the term “special powers” goes way beyond one’s ability to attract the opposite sex, and there may be something more evil than the A-crowd lurking in the classrooms. Lissy can see a lot more than the average girl, but she’s about to learn the hard way that things aren’t always as they appear and you can’t always judge a girl by her lip gloss.

My Rating: 3/5

I have quite a number of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' books on my bookshelf, Golden is the first I have read.

This book tells the story of Felicity who moves from California to Oklahoma. Upon arriving in Oklahoma she is immediately exposed to the popular group who refer to themselves as Goldens.

The Goldens are all super arrogant and pretty much carbon copies of one another with no substance.

This book focused too heavily on the cliques and immaturity of high school life rather than the unique paranormal aspect.

The paranormal aspect being that every female in Felicity's family has some kind of ability. Felicity can see auras. At first Felicity hates her gift and throughout the book she learns that she must learn to develop it as it is impossible to ignore it like she would like to.

I didn't like too many characters in this book as they weren't developed enough but Felicity's sister Lexie was one of my favourites. She was genuine, bubbly and very down to earth.

Overall I enjoyed the concept of this book, but the execution failed to live up to its potential.

Book Review #471 - Cloaked by Alex Flinn

I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Keys.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED.

My Rating: 3/5

Having read and loved both Beastly and A Kiss in Time I really hoped that Cloaked would be equally as good.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. Whilst I really enjoyed the magical aspect in the other books, in this one it felt too over the top.

In the other books it was more about how magic exists in a modern world whereas in this book even though it was set in Florida, felt like it predominately revolved around a fantasy world.

I really liked how loyal and independent Johnny was and how family orientated he was however I didn't like him as much as I was probably supposed to.

It took me around 4 days to read this which is a extremely long time for me. I feel like this is largely due to the simplicity of the plot. I kept waiting for something more progressive to happen, but it just never did.

Book Review #449 - Fated (Soul Seekers #1) by Alyson Noel

Strange things are happening to Daire Santos. Crows mock her, glowing people stalk her, time stops without warning, and a beautiful boy with unearthly blue eyes haunts all her dreams. Fearing for her daughter’s sanity, Daire’s mother sends her to live with the grandmother she’s never met. A woman who recognizes the visions for what they truly are—the call to her destiny as a Soul Seeker—one who can navigate the worlds between the living and dead.



There on the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico, Daire sets out to harness her mystical powers. But it’s when she meets Dace, the boy from her dreams, that her whole world is shaken to its core. Now Daire is forced to discover if Dace is the one guy she's meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she's destined to destroy.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I have a love/hate relationship with Alyson Noel's books so I was interested in how I would feel about this one. I would say I fell somewhere in between.

The main thing I loved about this book was the whole seeker magic aspect. I thought that this was unique as it depicted the magical element in a more natural way.

The main problem I had with this book was the characters. There wasn't anything redeeming about them and their actions weren't believable at all.

Daire the protagonist was annoying from the first paragraph - although I did think she softened out towards the end. Her relationship with Dace was a little unbelievable simply because of the pacing of it.

I also really loved the idea of the spirit animals and hope that this aspect gets developed more throughout the rest of the series.

Book Review #411 - Shadowfell (Shadowfell #1) by Juliet Marillier

The people of Alban are afraid.

The tyrannical king and his masked Enforcers are scouring the land, burning villages and enslaving the canny.

Fifteen-year-old Neryn has fled her home in the wake of its destruction, and is alone and penniless, hiding her extraordinary magical power. She can rely on no one – not even the elusive Good Folk who challenge and bewilder her with their words.

When an enigmatic stranger saves her life, Neryn and the young man called Flint begin an uneasy journey together. She wants to trust Flint but how can she tell who is true in this land of evil?

For Neryn has heard whisper of a mysterious place far away: a place where rebels are amassing to free the land and end the King's reign.

A place called Shadowfell.

A story of courage, hope, danger and love from one of the most compelling fantasy storytellers.

My Rating: 5/5

I am ashamed to say that I had never heard of this author until I received this book for review from Pan Macmillan Australia.

I can see why she has a large following though as her writing has a very enchanting feel to it.

This book follows the story of Neryn who after the death of her father is all alone in the world. She has to travel to a place called Shadowfell where the rebels are forming to overturn the evil king.




Along the way she meets Flint. Flint was an intriguing character. He was very helpful towards Neryn but you could tell he had an ulterior motive for that.

The plot builds gradually. There are a few times when it slowed but it was always a page turner.




I really liked the magical feel to the world Neryn lives in. The Good Folk that only Neryn seemed to be able to see were interesting little creatures.