Book Review #590 - Low Red Moon (Low Red Moon #1) by Ivy Devlin

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought 



Buy:  Publisher | The Book Depository | Booktopia



Goodreads

The only thing Avery Hood can remember about the night her parents died is that she saw silver--deadly silver, moving inhumanly fast. As much as she wants to remember who killed them, she can't, and there's nothing left to do but try to piece her life back together. Then Avery meets the new boy in school--Ben, mysterious and beautiful, with whom she feels a connection like nothing she's ever experienced. When Ben reveals he's a werewolf, Avery still trusts him--at first. Then she sees that sometimes his eyes flash inhuman silver. And she learns that she's not the only one who can't remember the night her parents died.Part murder mystery, part grief narrative, and part heart-stopping, headlong romance, Low Red Moon is a must-read for teen paranormal fans. As breathless as Twilight and as spooky as Shiver, this is a book to be devoured in one sitting--by an acclaimed YA author making her paranormal debut under the pseudonym Ivy Devlin.

This book had a very enchanting feel to it which was evident from the very beginning. 

I loved the setting of the woods as its presence was always felt and it almost doubled as a character itself. You could definitely feel the love and respect Avery and her parents had for the area and their want to preserve and save it won me over. 

The werewolf/paranormal aspect was kind of disappointing as it didn't impact or influence the story at all. Without this element, the book could have been written exactly the same as a contemporary novel. 

The mystery element was the major plot in this book and this is what I enjoyed the most. 

The romance was okay, although nothing special or memorable. 

I am looking forward to reading the sequel Moonrise to see if werewolves have an overall meaning to the story. 

If you are interested in buying this book, both The Book Depository and Booktopia have it largely discounted. 

Book Review #589 - Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

My Rating: 5/5


Source: Bought 


Buy: The Book Depository


Goodreads

While the powerlessness of the laboring class is a recurring theme in Steinbeck’s work of the late 1930s, he narrowed his focus when composing Of Mice and Men (1937), creating an intimate portrait of two men facing a world marked by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. But though the scope is narrow, the theme is universal: a friendship and shared dream that make an individual’s existence meaningful.

This was my first Steinbeck novel and I read it as part of my 1001 Books challenge where I try and read at least one book from there a month. 

I went into this book thinking that I would not like it as I am not usually the biggest fan of classics. 

This book was only 100 or so pages long but it felt much longer (and not in a negative way). The characters and setting were very vividly portrayed and the backdrop of the depression era really added to the realism.

I loved the relationship between Lennie and George. George was very protective of Lennie whilst Lennie was ferociously loyal towards George. 

I hadn't been spoiled of the ending so I was very surprised and shocked by the final couple of plot twists. 

The very last plot twists was one of the most shocking ones I have ever encountered and there is no doubt it will remain memorable. 

Book Review #588 - Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals #1) by Eleanor Herman

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Harlequin Australia


Buy: Publisher or Dymocks


Goodreads

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to newcomer Katerina, who must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But Kat’s first love, Jacob, will go to unthinkable lengths to win her, even if it means competing for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the salacious and fascinating details of real history, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known: Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

This book has been commonly referred to as 'Game of Thrones for young adults'. I think that description is spot on although I found this book much easier to follow than the other. 

At first I was a little hesitant when I discovered how many narrators there were (there were at least 5) but I found that when they all had very distinct voices and the story settled very quickly making it almost impossible to get confused. 

I partially predicted the major plot twist and thought that it was fairly transparent. 

The romance in this book was lacking which I was pleased about as romance tends to overshadow other aspects. 

I really enjoyed both the historical and mythological elements this book contained and I cannot wait to see how this develops further. 

Zo (the least used narrator) reminded me of Daenerys from the A Song of Ice and Fire series in that she is separated by distance from the other characters. Her portion of the story had no real conclusion to it as not much time was spent with her. 

Kat and Alex dominated the most attention and for that reason they were the most developed characters. 

I would like to hear more from the lesser used narrators Zo and Jacob in the next book. 

Overall, I loved how neatly the historical elements blended in with the epic action scenes.