Tag: review

Audiobook Review: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Simon & Schuster Audio UK, narrated by Julia Whelan

Star Rating: 5/5

Back Cover Summary:

From the internationally best-selling author of Sorcery of Thorns comes a breathtaking fantasy story of danger, lust and forbidden love. This is the perfect story for fans of Cassandra Clare, Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, and Holly Black!

Every enchantment has a price….

Isobel is an artistic prodigy with a dangerous set of clients: the immortal fair folk. Yet when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, a fairy prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious, Rook escorts Isabel to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime, but their journey is full of danger. Forced to depend on each other for survival, will their alliance blossom into something more? After all, love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws…but are some matters worth the risk?

Although I enjoyed Margaret Rogerson’s two other novels – Sorcery of Thorns and Vespertine – I was unsure about reading An Enchantment of Ravens due to it having quite a low average star rating. However, I’m very glad that I finally picked this one up as I ended up loving it, and am honestly surprised it has such a low rating on Goodreads. Margaret Rogerson’s writing in this novel is just sublime. The descriptions are so evocative and paint such a clear picture, I felt I could truly sink into the story and be enveloped by it. The audiobook narration from Julia Whelan was also excellent.

The novel centres on the romance between a human and a fair one, which causes the protagonist a lot of problems as love between a human and fair one is forbidden. At first, I thought the romance might be a bit rushed at the start, but actually it is given time to grow and develop throughout the book. I was really rooting for these two and willing Isabelle to realise her true feelings.

I loved how the fair folk are depicted in this novel. They are completely inhuman, beautiful and ethereal yet cold and distant, tricky and cunning and dangerous. The atmosphere that the author creates with her beautiful writing is so striking and the way the world of the fair ones is described is both beautiful and disturbing, in a way that it really makes you think about what it means to be human and to feel human emotions, and how cold and hollow life would be without them. 

There are some very amusing moments when Rook is confused by Isabelle’s human needs and emotions. His characterisation throughout is excellent. The way the author describes his expressions and moods is so spot on, I could visualise his character so clearly.

Read More »

Audiobook Review: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left5 Comments

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Orion Children’s Books, narrated by Fran Burgoyne

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

An unforgettable YA regency-inspired romantic fantasy about a seamstress who is sent to dress the prince for his royal wedding – and the scandal she weaves in her wake.

All Niamh has longed for is to be remembered: to create something that will last far longer than she will. For her, that means becoming a renowned dressmaker, using the magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric – the same magic that will eventually kill her.

When Niamh is commissioned to design the prince’s wardrobe for a royal wedding in Avaland, she knows she finally has her chance to leave her legacy. But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While nobles and the elite attend extravagant balls and candlelit garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class.

Niamh finds herself drawn to Kit, the prince whom she must dress for his wedding, despite his cold, prickly demeanour. And soon, a gossip column reports on their undeniable chemistry between them, threatening scandal. Niamh must decide if reputation should come above all else, whether her magic curse will allow her to experience love, and what cost she is willing to pay for a future she never thought possible…

Threaded with intrigue and unforgettable characters, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance for the ages.

This Regency-inspired fantasy captivated me with its warm heart and beautiful writing. The opening drew me in and enveloped me entirely. Allison Saft’s descriptions were just so well crafted that I found myself wanting to reread sentences to take in the stunning imagery. The audiobook narration by Fran Burgoyne elevates the reading experience. The narration was so expressive and brings to life each of the characters’ voices excellently. I always knew who was speaking and Fran captures the characters’ personalities in their voices so well.

The chemistry between the main character and love interest leapt off the page. With a grump/sunshine dynamic, I loved their interactions, which often provided humour and brought a smile to my face. There was also something very touching about how they broke down each other’s walls and helped each other grow. There is also an excellent supporting cast of side characters, through which the author explores friendship as well as romance.

The magic in this book is so interesting. Niamh’s magic enables her to sew emotions and memories into the garments she makes, which can be felt by both the wearer and those around them. However, the magic isn’t always predictable and sometimes her own feelings influence the enchantments she stitches, leading to some final results that aren’t always quite what she intended.

Read More »

Audiobook Review: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Genre: Fantasy  

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Hodder & Stoughton, narrated by Kristin Hvam

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

It began with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It continued with Days of Blood and Starlight. It ends with Dreams of Gods and Monsters.

Common enemy, common cause. When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz…something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world. What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera, and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theatre that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

Dreams of Gods and Monsters is a good conclusion to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, but it didn’t have the same impact as the first two. I adore Laini Taylor’s writing. It’s beautiful and flowing and she paints her stories so beautifully. However, this style slowed the pacing too much at times in this instalment. Some scenes, while written very well, dragged and it sucked the tension out of them.

The first half of the book was also too slow, and if I hadn’t already been invested from the first two, I may have put the book down. Which is shocking, considering how much I loved the previous books. If it had been trimmed a little and made a tad shorter, the pacing would have been improved. There were also a lot of scenes from a new character which I struggled to be invested in. While I understood their importance and, by the end, it made sense why she was included, I wanted to spend time with the characters I’d come to know and love across the series and was more invested in following the main plotline.

Despite being slow in places, there were also plenty shocking, heart-racing twisty scenes and set pieces. Moments that wrenched at my heartstrings and left me devastated, yet clinging to threads of hope. Laini Taylor does this so well across the series.

Read More »

Audiobook Review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Recorded Books, narrated by Rebecca Soler

Star Rating: 4.5/5

Back Cover Summary:

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

It’s been hard not to see Fourth Wing on Bookstagram and everywhere else for the last couple of months as it’s been riding a massive wave of hype. I’m not someone who usually picks up a book because everyone else is reading it. On this occasion though, I did. Specifically, because chronically ill Bookstagrammers were giving it glowing reviews. Also, the dragons had something to do with it since I’ve been obsessed with dragons since I was a kid.

Fourth Wing is a fantasy romance set in a brutal war college for dragon riders. The romance is a slow burn enemies-to-lovers and although the romance aspect wasn’t what drew me to this book, I ended up loving the slow build. The slow burn gave plenty of time for the characters feelings for each other to evolve and was paced really well, and the author does an amazing job of slowly changing my perception of the love interest. The romance didn’t dominate this book either, leaving plenty of room for plot and character development.

Speaking of character development, Rebecca Yarros nailed Violet’s progression. Fourth Wing is set over a year so that’s a lot of time to cover, but the pacing is done really well. We see Violet grow from the scribe-in-training to a reluctant cadet to a dragon rider.

The chronic illness representation is based on the author’s own experiences of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. While I don’t have EDS, I have lived with chronic illness since childhood and found Violet’s experiences and feelings so relatable. Chronic illness rep in all genres is really important, but I find it especially emotional seeing it in fantasy stories. I’ve loved fantasy since I was young but I’ve so rarely seen anyone like me actually living those adventures. And here we have someone who is chronically ill being completely badass and riding dragons. It really does mean so much and I hope we get to see more rep like this in fantasy. Violet has to adapt, train and build her strength in order to be able to complete the college’s various challenges and obstacles. And although her body gets stronger, she is never cured of her condition.

Read More »

Audiobook Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy  

Publishing Info: Audiobook by QUEST from W. F. Howes Ltd, narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer

Star Rating: 4.5/5

Back Cover Summary:

Kell is plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, he is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila.

As Red London prepares for the Element Games – an extravagant international competition of magic – a certain pirate ship draws closer. But another London is coming back to life, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning.

Black London has risen again – and so to keep magic’s balance, another London must fall.

It’s been nearly two years since I read the first Shades of Magic book, and I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long to pick up the sequel, but I’m very glad I did. I didn’t write a review of A Darker Shade of Magic, so can’t remember how I felt about it at the time, but I have the feeling that A Gathering of Shadows has left a greater impression. This is quite unusual, as I often find sequels don’t quite hit the same note as the first in a series. I liked the first book, but I loved this one.

As soon as I stepped back into the world of Shades of Magic, with its multiple Londons and intriguing magic system, I remembered why I found the imaginative world building of A Darker Shade of Magic so captivating. This book felt magical, and I was happy to be swept up in it. As Lila learns to use magic, we also learn more about how the magic in this world works, and getting to see it used for combat in the element games was great fun. I love competition stories and though this one did feel a little random, I think it worked well as part of Lila, Kell and Rhy’s development.    

Read More »

Audiobook ARC Review: A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Harper Collins UK Audio, narrated by Eleanor Tomlinson  

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

When Kitty Talbot is jilted by her fiancé three months before their wedding, the future looks dark. Without his fortune to pay off her late father’s gambling debts, she and her four sisters face certain ruin.

But Kitty has never backed down from a challenge, so she leaves the countryside and heads toward the most dangerous battleground in all of Regency England: The London Season.

The aim is simplee: find a wealthy bachelor to wed in order save the Talbot family from destitution.

Kitty is neither accomplished nor all that genteel, but she is utterly single-minded; imbued with her father’s gambling spirit, Kitty knows that risk is just part of the game. What she doesn’t anticipate is Lord Radcliffe, elder brother of the deliciously wealthy Archibald de Lacy. Radcliffe sees Kitty for the fortune-hunter that she really is, and is determined to scotch her plans at all costs…

Thank you so much to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for providing an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Historical romance is, admittedly, not my usual reading genre. However, I have for many years enjoyed period romance films and TV shows, including the recent Netflix phenomenon Bridgerton. I decided it was finally time to step into the Regency world in book form. A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting is a delight and I am so glad I decided to give it a go.

Kitty is such a fun protagonist and I loved seeing her use her wit and cunning to try and secure a match. Her love for her sisters and the home they risk losing is the driving force behind her actions, putting their security over her own wants. She’s fiercely determined to achieve her goal, whatever it takes.

The interactions between Kitty and Radcliffe made me smile every time and I eagerly awaited every verbal sparring match. It takes a little while for Radcliffe to appear which, having read the description, did leave me a little confused at first since I was expecting him to make an appearance sooner. However, all quickly became clear and while I did enjoy the opening section, my enjoyment increased once Radcliffe was introduced to the story.

A Lady’s Guide for Fortune-Hunting is a fun read with plenty of humour, a slowly developed and satisfying romance, and an overall great cast of characters. It does what it says on the tin, and it’s exactly what I was looking for. While the novel follows a familiar formula, Sophie Irwin executes it very well. I’ll be looking out for her next book.

Book Review: Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz

Genre: Young adult, contemporary fantasy

Publishing Info: October 2020 by Page Street Kids

Pages: 368

Star Rating: 3.5/5

Back Cover Summary:

Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico’s Runner—the only player without a dragon steed—is kicked off the team, she’s given the chance.

But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire—a legendary dragon who’s cursed into human form—the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she’ll have to navigate an international conspiracy that’s deadlier than her beloved sport.

Blazewrath Games is a creative and fun entry into the YA landscape, integrating fantasy elements into our contemporary world in a way that felt believable and magical. As much as I love high fantasy, there is something unique about the way contemporary fantasy makes magic feel closer, more real. The world Amparo Ortiz has created feels like a completely plausible alternative version of our own world. One where there are dragons, tournaments, and magic wand shops. Something about it just captured my imagination and that tingly magical feeling that you only get from some books.

We’re introduced to Lana, who dreams of playing in the Blazewrath World Cup for Puerto Rico. Lana is a very relatable character – she has dreams, is driven and has a strong belief in doing what is right. Amparo Ortiz also explores what it means to belong and Lana’s relationship with Puerto Rico after moving to the US as a child, and how that affects her identity and her place amongst the Puerto Rico team. A lot of readers will really connect to Lana’s internal struggles and appreciate seeing this represented on the page.

Read More »

Audiobook Review: Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell

Genre: Romance  

Publishing Info: Audiobook, November 2021

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

He doesn’t do relationships.

She doesn’t do flings.

Everything they thought is about to unravel…

Frankie

When you say you’re a sexologist, people imagine Marilyn Monroe. They don’t expect a woman who uses a wheelchair. As the host of the All Access Podcast, I’m breaking barriers, crushing stigmas, and creating sexual connections that are fulfilling for my fans. I’m like cupid, but with pink hair and fewer diapers.

Only, I’ve hit a snag. A lovely listener wants some advice about accessible rope play and I’m drawing a big fat blank. Which leaves me with no option but to get out there and give it a go.

Which is how I meet Jay Wood—rigger, carpenter, and all-round hottie.

I’d be open to letting him wine and dine me—only Jay isn’t my type. He’s not a one-girl kind of guy. Monogamy isn’t even in his vocab, and I’m not a woman who’ll settle for being second choice.

But the closer we get, the more Jay has me tied up in knots.

And it’s making me think, maybe I could compromise and accept a little Wood in my life. Even if it’s only temporary.

Jay

Frankie’s funny, intelligent, and ridiculously sexy. This should be a no-brainer. A little fun in the sheets, and a little romp with some ropes—simple.

Only the infuriating woman is asking for more. I’m not that kind of guy. I wouldn’t even know how to be that kind of guy. I’m the definition of easy.

It’ll be fine. We’ll be friends. Just friends.

So, why does my heart feel frayed? And why is it I can’t help but consider taking the ultimate leap of faith—tying myself to Frankie. Permanently.

I’m not usually a romance reader but I’m always on the lookout for books with disability rep, and this cover caught my eye. It honestly made me really emotional reading this one. I don’t use a wheelchair, but I’ve been chronically ill for most of my life and seeing this kind of rep just fills me with so much emotion. Never underestimate the value good rep for underrepresented groups can have. There is a scene in Knot My Type where Frankie secretly leaves a party to find an accessible toilet in another building because the bathroom is too small in her partner’s house, and although this isn’t something I’ve experienced, I really related to having to adapt your life as a disabled person and the feelings Frankie went through during this scene. 

This is just the kind of disability rep I want to see in fiction. It appeared to be well researched (I can’t comment on accuracy) and it wasn’t a book about disability, it showed a disabled person living and enjoying life, going through all the highs and lows that everyone goes through, experiencing love and passion. Frankie is intelligent, bold, funny and sexy – she is a fully fleshed out character, and her disability is part of who she is.

Read More »

Book Review: The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni (eARC)

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left11 Comments

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publishing Info: eARC from Hodder & Stoughton

Pages: 416

Star Rating: 2/5

Back Cover Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.

Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death’s door and Kiva receives a new message: Don’t let her die. We are coming.

The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Prison Healer is the first book by Lynette Noni I’ve read and I was excited to dive into this intriguing sounding novel. The description and concept of a story set entirely in a prison caught my attention, so I was very happy to be approved for an eARC and get the opportunity to read The Prison Healer early. Unfortunately, the opening chapters didn’t capture my attention and I almost DNFed quite early on. I kept on reading and the last quarter or so of the book had me much more riveted, so I was glad I didn’t give up on it. Until that twist on the final page, which left me feeling incredibly exasperated. More on that later.

The beginning of this review will be spoiler-free, with a section at the end containing major spoilers so I can properly explain why this twist ending was so frustrating. I’ll clearly signpost when the spoilers start so you can avoid them if you wish to.

The idea of a book set entirely in a deadly prison is very intriguing. Setting is really important in books located in entirely one location like this, the setting has to be considered as another character. Unfortunately, the setting didn’t have any personality. I wanted to be completely immersed in this dark and dangerous place, but I didn’t feel anything. There was no atmosphere or tension. We’re told people hardly ever leave this prison alive, that Kiva is unique for having managed to survive ten years. Almost everything we know about the prison we’re told, not shown. Because there was no atmosphere, it felt flat. In the latter half we did get to see the darker side to the prison, but for most of the book I didn’t feel afraid for the main character, I didn’t feel the tension that should come from a deadly prison setting.

Read More »

Book Review: The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left2 Comments

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Genre: Adult, Science Fiction

Publishing Info: August 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton (Illumicrate edition)    

Pages: 336

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

CARA IS DEAD ON THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR WORLDS.

The multiverse business is booming, but there’s just one catch: no one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive.

Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying–from diseases, from turf wars, from vendettas they couldn’t outrun.

But on this earth, Cara’s survived. And she’s reaping the benefits, thanks to the well-heeled Wiley City scientists who ID’d her as an outlier and plucked her from the dirt. Now she’s got a new job collecting offworld data, a path to citizenship, and a near-perfect Wiley City accent. Now she can pretend she’s always lived in the city she grew up staring at from the outside, even if she feels like a fraud on either side of its walls.

But when one of her eight remaining doppelgangers dies under mysterious circumstances, Cara is plunged into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and future in ways she never could have imagined–and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.

The Space Between Worlds is an impressive debut. The idea of multiverses and doppelgangers drew me to this book. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but this twisty novel took me on a journey I wasn’t expecting. It strikes an excellent balance between being thought-provoking and entertaining.

The novel explores privilege and power in a world divided between those who live in the city and those who live outside it. Cara is from Ashtown but lives and works in Wiley City, so we get an interesting perspective on the lives of people in both locations and their attitudes and prejudices. The worldbuilding is really interesting and provokes reflection on the divides in our own society.   

At first, I didn’t gel with the protagonist, Cara, but she grew on me during the course of the book. She’s flawed but also likeable. She’s been through a lot and has endured both physical and emotional abuse. Alongside the main plotline, we also see Cara go through a healing process as she explores her past and re-evaluates what she knows about herself through her knowledge of her lives on other worlds.

Read More »