The Signature Move is the first contemporary romance of Cassandra Diviak’s that I’ve delved into and I have to say I’m not in any way disappointed. While I wouldn’t call ‘Sports Romance’ my preferred genre, Diviak is able to bring characters to life with a vivacity that grabs you immediately.
The Signature Move explores themes of domestic violence, parental neglect and emotional abuse, eating disorders, and the worst kind of ex-boyfriend, but with a light, delicate, touch that handles the difficult subject matters with care and careful consideration...
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Chronicles of the Dawnblade, Book Four I have so much to say about this book and ALL of it is good!
If you’ve been following my reviews of this Epic Fantasy Adventure by Andrew Claydon, you’ll know that the beginning of Book 3 had left me a little unsteady about the tone the series was taking, but while ‘The Odd Sea’ recovered in the second half, ‘Wrath and Wraiths” has blown all of my concerns out of the water from Chapter One. It’s a masterpiece of storytelling, once again filled to the brim with Claydon’s unmistakeably humor. Dry, witty, and a joy to read, and even though the middle of November is the busiest time of my year, once I dipped a toe inside the front cover, I couldn’t stop myself from finishing the whole book. Potioneering for Love and Profit I received a free copy of this book from the author, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review. However, I now have a paperback copy on order because Holy Sh-- this was so good!!
R. K. Ashwick made herself comfortable on my list of favourite authors after her debut novel, 'The Stray Spirit'. There's a freshness to her authorial voice that makes her books an utter delight to read, and time slips away from me the moment I start the first page. With 'A Rival Most Vial' she's cemented her spot in my top ten favourite authors. I didn't anticipate buying any paperbacks this year, I've got bills and a holiday to save for, but I simply had to shuffle around some finances to add this one to my shelf. The Dark Between Series, Book Four Lux is the fourth, and final, book in Rae Else's 'The Dark Between' series. This series holds a very special place in my heart, and I've enjoyed every single addition to Jess's journey throughout the series, and the final instalment is no different. Jess, throughout the series, has been in some dark spots, some tight spots, and some rough spots. She's found herself and lost other parts of herself, and finally, finally, in Lux, she's come into her own. She's claimed her powers, her place in the world, and she knows what she wants moving forward. All that's left now is to fight for it, and fight for it she does. With her friends backing her, and her love to bolster her, Jess has to face her biggest challenge yet; An ancient war with creatures that fractured her soul in a previous life. And this time she has to face it alone. As with all the previous instalments, Lux had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I devoured the whole book in one sitting, sped through the pages like water through my fingers, soaking in Jess's journey and challenges, and constantly routing for the strength of Fort Matteo to come through and help her in the end. I refuse to spoil the ending of this masterpiece by mentioning how that final challenge ends, but suffice it to say I cannot recommend this book, or this entire series, highly enough. It leaves us with an epilogue that gives complete satisfaction, and hope for the remaining character's futures. I will miss visiting the world of the Dark Between with Jess, Matteo, Astra, and all the others, but I can always revisit them, and I greatly look forward to whatever works Rae Else gifts us with next! You can purchase a copy of Lux, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Waterstones Apple Books Googleplay Kobo Barnes & Noble Soul Court Ascension: Book 1City of Souls was a really enjoyable read. It made a change to read about a female character who was confident in her abilities, and sharp-tongued to those she didn't trust, without coming across as a nasty person in general. There was enough characterisation to show Hel's soft spots and weaknesses to the reader, and it made her a relatable and highly enjoyable character to follow on an adventure. The author, Mel Harding-Shaw, replicated this skill with the other main character, Bastion, too. While he shows a dark, and sometimes harsh, persona to the world at large, he has softer, kinder moments that are reserved for private moments behind closed doors, and amongst those he trusts. The blackmail that Bastion holds over Hel's head, combined with a fake-relationship theme, could have easily crossed over into uncomfortable territory, but the material is handled with skill and class, and never strays too far. Hel being very handy with a weapon, and having an unsubmissive personality, even when faced with blackmail and threats helped with this greatly, but that doesn't detract from the skill of the author. But it's not just the characters that are handled adeptly, the plot is also clever and intricate, and filled with dangerous political manoeuvring. You constantly have the feeling that there is so much more to this almost post-apocalyptic world running beneath the surface, and I for one can't wait to see more of this world, and these characters, as the series progresses. Release Date is November 9th 2022
You can preorder/purchase a copy of City of Souls, in E-book or Paperback form via; Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Book Depository Bookshop.org Check out the Author's Website for a free prequel short story! I, admittedly, went into A Stray Spirit with some hesitance because it's not my usual brand of fantasy. The magic in the world of Thalis is softer, and quieter, than I've grown to expect from my fantasy favourites, and yet... It works. It works beautifully. So much so that by the time I'd realised I'd fallen in love with the characters, I was already seven chapters into this masterfully woven adventure. R.K Ashwick weaves the story through your head much like the lutesong that our protagonist, Emry Karic, plays at the Red Rat inn. Emry is kind, and relatable. He has goals that anyone can empathise with and understand, and a backstory I was eagerly waiting to discover as the tale progressed. Cal is headstrong, stubborn, intelligent, and a perfect companion to work alongside Emry, balancing out his character. I can see their character developing even more beautifully as the series progresses and I can't wait to see where she goes next. Aspen is an absolute sweetheart. They stole my entire soul the moment they caused trouble with Stef in a fabric store. If you've read the book, you know exactly the scene I'm talking about. It painted such a vivid picture of innocent mischievousness, I laughed aloud, and if you don't know the scene I'm talking about, then you should absolutely pick up this book and find out! This is an entirely enchanting tale, with enough adventure and tension to keep you engaged, while weaving affection for the characters through every line you read. A truly beautiful piece of writing. I wasn't intending to purchase a copy in paperback, but now I've finished it I think I'm going to have to. It would be a crying shame not to add this book to my shelves, and I'm eagerly awaiting more stories of Emry, Cal and Aspen in the future. You can purchase a copy of The Stray Spirit, in E-book or Paperback form via; Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Kobo Apple If you decide to Pre-order The Stray Spirit, before August 8th 2022
check out the Author's Website for some free Stray Spirit Swag! Chronicles of the Dawnblade, Book One A refreshingly fantastic adventure! When I read the blurb for Andrew Claydon's debut novel, The Simple Delivery, and he was able to make me laugh, twice, in less that 160 words, I knew I had to take a chance on this book. I have always enjoyed reading epic fantasy books. They're the first book genre I truly fell in love with, but The Simple Delivery is truly something special. It's not just the relateability of the main character, Nicholas, and his pure irritation at having his life meddled with by mystical forces. It's not just the beautiful and varied collection of companions he gathers throughout his journey. It's not even, just, the cleverly woven rivalry of the enemy factions that we're introduced to, indicating complex lore, and richly thought out layers of worldbuilding. What really makes this book stand out to me is the crisp, sharp, dry, and utterly hilarious voice of the narrator. The irreverent manner in which this epic fantasy tale is told. I don't think there was a single chapter that didn't have me at least grinning at my screen, and at best, laughing aloud. Andrew Claydon's writing is fresh, and enjoyable, and fun, and his tone is sometimes so amsusing as to almost be a parody of what I've come to expect from the fantasy genre. I will be buying a copy to sit proudly on my bookshelf, and am eagerly looking forward to reading more of this authors work in the future. You can purchase a copy of The Simple Delivery, in E-book or Paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Smashwords Barnes & Noble Kobo What was the last book you bought?
The most recent book I bought was a E-book and it was Book Four of a series called 'The Shadow Demons Saga'. It was called "Shadow Demons" and was written by Sarra Cannon. If we're talking physical books, then I picked up a copy of "New Hart's Rules: The Oxford Style Guide" for my birthday. But I also have to take into account that money's been tight this year, so most of the recent books I've "bought" have been read through a free trial of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited, so the most recent book I 'bought' in that sense was Shadow of the Beast by Cassandra Diviak. I feel like I should add some honourable mentions, since I've read a lot of great books this year by some amazing authors... |
Arista Holmes
I'm a writer in her thirties, who is based in the South East of England. Archives
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