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Two Thousand Years (The Empire Saga #1)
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Two thousand years ago, the Prophecy of Fire and Light foretold the coming of the Queen Empress who...
Wilde Moon (Wildeward Academy #5)
10.0
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Time to take London by storm. My name is Lady Victoria Grey. In Gilded Age London with its...
Historical Paranormal Reverse Harem MM Romance
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Burning House in Books
May 22, 2019
It was a victimless crime...
Estate Agent Clara is struggling to make a sale. With her abusive ex-husband on the brink of finding where she's hiding, she needs to make a commission soon or lose her chance to escape.
Boleskine House on the shores of Loch Ness has remained unsold for years, and Clara is sure that an 'innocent' fire will force the price down. But the perfect crime soon turns into the perfect nightmare: there was a witness, a stranger in the village, and he's not going to let Clara get away with it that easily...
This is a very creepy read indeed, which features old secrets, black magic and also a story line which deals with domestic violence, and stalking, set very much in the real world. This combination of crimes we can understand, and empathize with, alongside the supernatural, works very well.
I didn't realize until the end that he had taken the story of the real Boleskin House and weaved the story around it. Boleskin sounds an absolutely fascinating place, owned by Alistair Crowley and Jimmy Page and reputedly incredibly haunted and the site of some odd rituals and occurrences. Spring explains in a footnote that a mysterious fire did really happen, do unfortunately you can't exactly visit the real place.
It is hard to write too much about this novel, without giving away the plot and I have no wish to do that.
This was a tense and chilling read that was!! From the start you are thrown into quite a chain of shocking events and the consequences of these are felt throughout the book, and leads to some very dark places for some of the characters!
Great plot that will grip you and not let you go at all. The characters were well written and some are very unsavory and that adds to the dark story line. The action never seems to let up and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation.
Definitely a superb psychological thriller with a twist and I thought it was brilliant.
Highly recommend reading!!!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Estate Agent Clara is struggling to make a sale. With her abusive ex-husband on the brink of finding where she's hiding, she needs to make a commission soon or lose her chance to escape.
Boleskine House on the shores of Loch Ness has remained unsold for years, and Clara is sure that an 'innocent' fire will force the price down. But the perfect crime soon turns into the perfect nightmare: there was a witness, a stranger in the village, and he's not going to let Clara get away with it that easily...
This is a very creepy read indeed, which features old secrets, black magic and also a story line which deals with domestic violence, and stalking, set very much in the real world. This combination of crimes we can understand, and empathize with, alongside the supernatural, works very well.
I didn't realize until the end that he had taken the story of the real Boleskin House and weaved the story around it. Boleskin sounds an absolutely fascinating place, owned by Alistair Crowley and Jimmy Page and reputedly incredibly haunted and the site of some odd rituals and occurrences. Spring explains in a footnote that a mysterious fire did really happen, do unfortunately you can't exactly visit the real place.
It is hard to write too much about this novel, without giving away the plot and I have no wish to do that.
This was a tense and chilling read that was!! From the start you are thrown into quite a chain of shocking events and the consequences of these are felt throughout the book, and leads to some very dark places for some of the characters!
Great plot that will grip you and not let you go at all. The characters were well written and some are very unsavory and that adds to the dark story line. The action never seems to let up and I found myself holding my breath in anticipation.
Definitely a superb psychological thriller with a twist and I thought it was brilliant.
Highly recommend reading!!!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Silver Mask in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The Silver Mask is the fourth book in the Magisterium series, which is co-written by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. We dive back into the world with our characters reeling from the events of the third book. That being said, if you haven't read the series I wouldn't recommend diving into this review.
We find Call in the Panopticon, a prison for Mages because his secret was revealed and now the entire Mage-world fears him. He continues to battle against any decisions he feels might push him down the path to Evil Overlord-ness and assure everyone that he is Call, despite the soul inside him. He struggles with doing what he feels is right and righting his world after what happened in the Bronze Key. It's tough to lose someone and just accept it when you believe that you might have the power to do something about it.
This middle-grade book was a little slow to start, though the pacing issues might have just been me as a reader getting back into the story after not inhabiting the world since the last book was released. Personally, though, I feel that the pacing wasn't as swift as it should have been to keep readers engaged, especially middle-grade readers. A lot of the story just revolved around sneaking about, learning more about his abilities and being trapped in a house. It's tough to make a plot exciting when the main characters don't leave the same house for 75% of the book.
The second half of the book picked up more and by the end of the story, it was definitely engaging. It felt like it was leading up to a finale, but there is a fifth book in the series. Once you read the last few pages and the epilogue it will definitely make you wish the next book was written already. Alas, you'll probably have to wait until the end of 2018 to continue. I would recommend this series to middle-grade readers who are looking to get into fantasy without having to delve into the intrinsic magic systems and vast world-building that some series have.
We find Call in the Panopticon, a prison for Mages because his secret was revealed and now the entire Mage-world fears him. He continues to battle against any decisions he feels might push him down the path to Evil Overlord-ness and assure everyone that he is Call, despite the soul inside him. He struggles with doing what he feels is right and righting his world after what happened in the Bronze Key. It's tough to lose someone and just accept it when you believe that you might have the power to do something about it.
This middle-grade book was a little slow to start, though the pacing issues might have just been me as a reader getting back into the story after not inhabiting the world since the last book was released. Personally, though, I feel that the pacing wasn't as swift as it should have been to keep readers engaged, especially middle-grade readers. A lot of the story just revolved around sneaking about, learning more about his abilities and being trapped in a house. It's tough to make a plot exciting when the main characters don't leave the same house for 75% of the book.
The second half of the book picked up more and by the end of the story, it was definitely engaging. It felt like it was leading up to a finale, but there is a fifth book in the series. Once you read the last few pages and the epilogue it will definitely make you wish the next book was written already. Alas, you'll probably have to wait until the end of 2018 to continue. I would recommend this series to middle-grade readers who are looking to get into fantasy without having to delve into the intrinsic magic systems and vast world-building that some series have.
This book held me in its spell from start to finish. Is that a bit too corny, considering it’s about witches? Actually, I don’t care, because it’s true!
It’s spellbinding, in fact.
Three generations of witches tell the stories of how they came into their power despite the interference of society and men (mainly men though 🤷🏼♀️).
In 1619, Altha Weyward is on trial for witchcraft, and whilst she’s in the towns prison she reminisces over her mother, her life before, everything she has learnt and the circumstances that led up to her incarceration. Altha had the knowledge needed to help people, but that same knowledge put her in danger from the church and general ignorance (and we can’t have women knowing more than men, can we!)
In 1942, Violet Ayres lives a very restricted life, tucked away from the rest of the world in her family home. She has only two clues about her heritage: her dead mothers locket with a “W” inscribed and the word “Weyward” scratched into the skirting board under her bed.
2019, Kate Ayres escapes a violent relationship in London and flees to Weyward cottage - the house her Aunt Violet had left her in her will. It’s a wild, unkempt, rundown house and garden, but it’s what Kate needs. She finds Altha’s diaries, some writings from Violet, and begins to learn about her true inheritance.
I just loved this book so much. Women taking control of their lives away from the men who would control them. Nature and magic is woven throughout, and nothing feels far-fetched or unbelievable.
I loved the alternating chapters between the three women, and this was probably the main reason why I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen to each of them next.
What more can I say? This WILL be high up in my favourite books this year. And to have read it in February!! How lucky am I!
I can’t wait to see what Emilia Hart writes next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my ebook copy of this book to read and review. Of course these are my own opinions!
It’s spellbinding, in fact.
Three generations of witches tell the stories of how they came into their power despite the interference of society and men (mainly men though 🤷🏼♀️).
In 1619, Altha Weyward is on trial for witchcraft, and whilst she’s in the towns prison she reminisces over her mother, her life before, everything she has learnt and the circumstances that led up to her incarceration. Altha had the knowledge needed to help people, but that same knowledge put her in danger from the church and general ignorance (and we can’t have women knowing more than men, can we!)
In 1942, Violet Ayres lives a very restricted life, tucked away from the rest of the world in her family home. She has only two clues about her heritage: her dead mothers locket with a “W” inscribed and the word “Weyward” scratched into the skirting board under her bed.
2019, Kate Ayres escapes a violent relationship in London and flees to Weyward cottage - the house her Aunt Violet had left her in her will. It’s a wild, unkempt, rundown house and garden, but it’s what Kate needs. She finds Altha’s diaries, some writings from Violet, and begins to learn about her true inheritance.
I just loved this book so much. Women taking control of their lives away from the men who would control them. Nature and magic is woven throughout, and nothing feels far-fetched or unbelievable.
I loved the alternating chapters between the three women, and this was probably the main reason why I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen to each of them next.
What more can I say? This WILL be high up in my favourite books this year. And to have read it in February!! How lucky am I!
I can’t wait to see what Emilia Hart writes next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my ebook copy of this book to read and review. Of course these are my own opinions!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated First Frost in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Claire and Sydney are sisters. Claire is the more practical of the two and lately, she is drowning under the weight of a blossoming candy business. Sydney runs a hair salon and worries about her teenage daughter, Bay, who seems to be drifting away from her. In addition, Sydney longs for another baby. One day, a mysterious stranger shows up in their tiny town and threatens to disrupt their lives, especially Claire's.
This was an interesting read and definitely more on the 3.5 star end. I was about halfway through when I realized there was a book that came before this one - I'll probably read that one at some time, but I was already committed to this one. The book has a mystical edge to it; supposedly, each of the Waverley women are blessed with a gift, and Claire's house - the old Waverley home - has strange powers and a mind of its own.
At first it's a little strange to add the magic to the story, but it actually works well. Claire, Sydney, and Bay are all interesting characters. I actually found myself hoping there will be a third book that focuses more on Bay, because she's a compelling person. In a way, not much happens in the story, things just sort of float along as the women wait for the "first frost" to occur, but I still found myself compulsively flipping pages, wondering what would happen next. All in all, that's a sign of a good tale. Definitely a fun little read.
This was an interesting read and definitely more on the 3.5 star end. I was about halfway through when I realized there was a book that came before this one - I'll probably read that one at some time, but I was already committed to this one. The book has a mystical edge to it; supposedly, each of the Waverley women are blessed with a gift, and Claire's house - the old Waverley home - has strange powers and a mind of its own.
At first it's a little strange to add the magic to the story, but it actually works well. Claire, Sydney, and Bay are all interesting characters. I actually found myself hoping there will be a third book that focuses more on Bay, because she's a compelling person. In a way, not much happens in the story, things just sort of float along as the women wait for the "first frost" to occur, but I still found myself compulsively flipping pages, wondering what would happen next. All in all, that's a sign of a good tale. Definitely a fun little read.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Girl Who Saved Christmas in Books
Jun 14, 2018
The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig is a very charming story that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is the story of Amelia Wishart, who is the first child ever to receive a gift from Father Christmas. She never loses hope throughout the misery she encounters in her very young life and however much she would like to stop believing in magic and goodness, she never fully does. Her hope made that first visit possible, and, just a couple of years later, her hope might just save Christmas itself.
The story takes place in two locations that couldn't be more different: Elfhelm, where it is clean and only ever gets as cold as you want it to be, and in 1841 London, where it is dirty, cold and unfriendly place to orphans.
The characters in the story are quite fun. Amelia and Father Christmas both have strong personalities with a firm determination to get things done. Mr. Creeper is just as his name predicts, he is creepy and not a nice man at all. The guest appearances of a ruling head of state and a famous author are perfect. One passage was hilarious and it took me several minutes to sop laughing before I could continue reading. I was amused.
I recommend this book for read-a-loud's to children and for middle grade readers.
I received this book from NetGalley via Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place in two locations that couldn't be more different: Elfhelm, where it is clean and only ever gets as cold as you want it to be, and in 1841 London, where it is dirty, cold and unfriendly place to orphans.
The characters in the story are quite fun. Amelia and Father Christmas both have strong personalities with a firm determination to get things done. Mr. Creeper is just as his name predicts, he is creepy and not a nice man at all. The guest appearances of a ruling head of state and a famous author are perfect. One passage was hilarious and it took me several minutes to sop laughing before I could continue reading. I was amused.
I recommend this book for read-a-loud's to children and for middle grade readers.
I received this book from NetGalley via Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
Anne of Green Gables: Centenary Edition
9.7
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Anne of Green Gables is the classic children's book by L M Montgomery. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert...
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His Dark Materials: BBC Radio Drama Collection: Northern Lights; the Subtle Knife; the Amber Spyglass
Terence Stamp, Philip Pullman, Full Cast and Kenneth Cranham
8.0
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With a cast including Terence Stamp, Bill Paterson and Kenneth Cranham, these BBC Radio 4 full-cast...
What Lies Beyond the Stars: A Novel
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'Something in me knows of a life I was meant to live, but for whatever reason, I have not...' Words...