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merlinscove's reviews
15 reviews
Death Under a Little Sky by Stig Abell
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
The language was so ridiculously overly descriptive that I was struggling with migraines for the entirety of my attempts to read this book. DNF for self preservation.
Hidden by Shalini Boland
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Today I’m reviewing Hidden, the first book in the Vampires of Marchwood, by Shalini Boland. As I understand it, these were published before and have now been rereleased (with a name change for this book, from Chosen), so I was looking forward to reading this as it passed me by originally. So, let’s get on with the review…allons-y!
Here’s the blurb…
My name is Madison Greene. On my seventeenth birthday, I inherited an old mansion and wealth beyond my wildest dreams. I thought it was a joke, but as I step through the creaking door of the sprawling building, I realise my life in foster care is in the past. I’ve been chosen and my world has changed forever.
But I wasn’t told that Marchwood House hides a secret.
As I explore every inch of the crumbling property, I stumble upon a set of large, dusty boxes in the basement. When I pull back the lid and look down, I find myself staring at the most handsome face I’ve ever seen. High cheekbones, porcelain skin…
And when he wakes up and locks eyes with me, I realise my heart already belongs to him, even though my head is screaming at me to get as far away from Marchwood as possible. Because I know what he really is.
I never planned to fall in love – but it’s too late now. Alexandre has a dark and dangerous past. He needs me and I have to help him. But can a human really save a vampire?
This is one that I’d class as YA but leaning more towards NA, as there are some heavy themes in here. The female main character, Madison, is 17 but has had to be strong for a long time, so is more mature in a lot of ways. It’s heavier than Twilight, let’s put it that way! Although it manages to lose the creep factor associated with Twilight due to the fact that, while the male main character was born in the 19th century, he hasn’t spent those years out in the world maturing far past the age of 17/18! Anyway, this book is very much not Twilight so I’ll leave that talk there and get onto the book!
When we meet Madison she’s on the cusp of turning 17, getting into trouble often and in a precarious living situation with foster parents that have taken her, and her brother Ben, in for the payday rather than a genuine desire to provide a loving home. During a school suspension she is forced to work in a supermarket with her foster mother, including on her 17th birthday. She is approached by a smartly dressed man who turns out to be a solicitor for a firm representing a long dead distant relative who tells her that she and her brother are the only living descendants of their client, and as such has inherited his huge country house and a fortune in money. The catch? She has to live there. Happily, and quite sadly if think about it a little, she manages to ditch the parasitic foster parents with a payoff of a house and a lump sum, with them kept vaguely around in case they’re needed for social services. So it is that Maddy and Ben move into the palatial estate of Marchwood, where a long buried secret lies hidden in the basement…
What I will say is that this book does not rush. There isn’t a hint of a vampire until almost 50% through the book. Luckily the book is good enough that you enjoy the story as it is! The first half of the book is told from two perspectives and two timelines, as you find out about Maddy and about the male main character Alexandre in 1881 as you find out how they’re connected. I’m a history nerd so I loved reading about 19th century archaeology and ancient myths and legends, so it meant that the first half didn’t drag for me at all. The vampiric stuff? Starts in earnest after 50% and involves a sweet but intense love story, as the book races to its action packed conclusion and sets up for the next book in the series.
This is a really well written and pleasant to read book, with a couple of well fleshed out main characters and good side characters that I hope I’ll see developed more in the second book. I loved the world building and the attention to detail, and the vampire backstory was a new one to me which is a lovely change! There’s a lot of story packed in here, but it doesn’t drag at all which is a testament to Shalini Boland’s skill. The story is rounded off nicely, with a good bit of peril dropped in for good measure in the second half of the book, and it leaves a fleeing antagonist and some breadcrumbs for the next book Taken - which, as far as I’m aware, was released on the 21st of March 2023 with this and the third book Hunted.
I’m going to give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because I simply enjoyed it! It’s one I’d happily reread, and has me looking forward to reading the rest of the series as soon as I get a chance!
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley, Second Sky and Shalini Boland for my copy of the ebook.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Review to come!
Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Review to come!
Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Review to come!
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Cold-Blooded Liar by Karen Rose
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Stalking, Violence, Child death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Car accident, Child abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Rape
Weyward by Emilia Hart
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Rape
Domestic Abuse
Miscarriage
Stillbirth/late term miscarriage
Death
I’m not even sure how to classify this book, there are elements of mild fantasy but this is mostly a study of a bloodline, of three women from said bloodline centuries apart, yet suffering from recurring themes and traumas. So, read on to find out what I thought!
Here’s the blurb for Weyward…
“KATE, 2019
Kate flees London – abandoning everything – for Cumbria and Weyward Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
VIOLET, 1942
Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever.
ALTHA, 1619
Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated.
But Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed…
Weaving together the stories of three women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.”
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book from the blurb. As a pagan I’ll admit I was worried about the portrayal of ‘witchcraft’, as I usually am in such situations, but I needn’t have worried as this is not witchcraft as most would know it. In fact, it is closer to my belief system - the respect of the natural world, although I am sad that I don’t have the Weyward women’s extra touch of power! As much as I have an affinity for animals I am not able to get them to do my bidding, my cat is evidence of that!
The true story of this book has less to do with such power than it has to do with the stories of women. Of hardships and traumas we have suffered throughout history. Of rape and domestic violence. Of accusations of witchcraft if we lived outside the norm for society. Of the dangers of maternity, the risks involved with pregnancy and childbirth. Of men’s fear of strong women. All three stories, which run parallel to each other in alternating chapters, follow similar patterns and themes. From Altha and her trial and the reasons behind the accusation, to sheltered Violet and her cruel awakening to the ‘real’ world, and lastly Kate who believes she is running away from something yet may be running towards her salvation, these stories truly came alive for me and resonated so deeply. Generations of women fighting to survive against the odds, while keeping the truth of their line and its history alive for hundreds of years, despite the best efforts of men!
If you think that all sounds terribly depressing, you’d be very wrong. Emilia Hart has managed to create an uplifting and inspiring story that draws you in and hooks you from the start, each tale layered and linked to the others. Even when you start to realise what links them all there are still surprises, and more LIFE to discover.
I think that the word ‘life’ is what truly sticks in my mind after reading this book. How precious it is, how easily lost in can be, and how its beauty can be seen in so many unexpected ways. Not to mention that life wins, just when you think all is lost life somehow finds a way.
This is a truly beautiful book. Fascinating and alive. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read and is one of my favourite books of the years so far…and I think I’ll still be saying that in December too! An easy and happily given 5 stars. I look forward to reading more from Emilia Hart!
Thank you to Emilia Hart, NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review. As always all opinions are my own.
Rape
Domestic Abuse
Miscarriage
Stillbirth/late term miscarriage
Death
I’m not even sure how to classify this book, there are elements of mild fantasy but this is mostly a study of a bloodline, of three women from said bloodline centuries apart, yet suffering from recurring themes and traumas. So, read on to find out what I thought!
Here’s the blurb for Weyward…
“KATE, 2019
Kate flees London – abandoning everything – for Cumbria and Weyward Cottage, inherited from her great-aunt. There, a secret lurks in the bones of the house, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
VIOLET, 1942
Violet is more interested in collecting insects and climbing trees than in becoming a proper young lady. Until a chain of shocking events changes her life forever.
ALTHA, 1619
Altha is on trial for witchcraft, accused of killing a local man. Known for her uncanny connection with nature and animals, she is a threat that must be eliminated.
But Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed…
Weaving together the stories of three women across five centuries, Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.”
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book from the blurb. As a pagan I’ll admit I was worried about the portrayal of ‘witchcraft’, as I usually am in such situations, but I needn’t have worried as this is not witchcraft as most would know it. In fact, it is closer to my belief system - the respect of the natural world, although I am sad that I don’t have the Weyward women’s extra touch of power! As much as I have an affinity for animals I am not able to get them to do my bidding, my cat is evidence of that!
The true story of this book has less to do with such power than it has to do with the stories of women. Of hardships and traumas we have suffered throughout history. Of rape and domestic violence. Of accusations of witchcraft if we lived outside the norm for society. Of the dangers of maternity, the risks involved with pregnancy and childbirth. Of men’s fear of strong women. All three stories, which run parallel to each other in alternating chapters, follow similar patterns and themes. From Altha and her trial and the reasons behind the accusation, to sheltered Violet and her cruel awakening to the ‘real’ world, and lastly Kate who believes she is running away from something yet may be running towards her salvation, these stories truly came alive for me and resonated so deeply. Generations of women fighting to survive against the odds, while keeping the truth of their line and its history alive for hundreds of years, despite the best efforts of men!
If you think that all sounds terribly depressing, you’d be very wrong. Emilia Hart has managed to create an uplifting and inspiring story that draws you in and hooks you from the start, each tale layered and linked to the others. Even when you start to realise what links them all there are still surprises, and more LIFE to discover.
I think that the word ‘life’ is what truly sticks in my mind after reading this book. How precious it is, how easily lost in can be, and how its beauty can be seen in so many unexpected ways. Not to mention that life wins, just when you think all is lost life somehow finds a way.
This is a truly beautiful book. Fascinating and alive. It’s unlike any other book I’ve read and is one of my favourite books of the years so far…and I think I’ll still be saying that in December too! An easy and happily given 5 stars. I look forward to reading more from Emilia Hart!
Thank you to Emilia Hart, NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review. As always all opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Misogyny, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Death of parent, Blood, Classism, Gaslighting, Vomit, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Abortion, Child abuse, Sexism, and Sexual assault