Red Witch (Crow Moon #2) - Anna McKerrow [Review]

Book: Red Witch (Crow Moon #2)

Author: Anna McKerrow

Published: 10th March 2016

Publisher: Quercus Children's Books
Source: eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

Pages: 416

Rating: 3/5 stars

McKerrow delivers the second book in the Crow Moon series, which provides a satisfying read, although lacking in some areas.

I'll start off by saying that I had enjoyed reading Crow Moon, and was excited to start reading the sequel, which follows the adventures of Demelza Hawthorne, or Melz, for short. The character of Demelza is well-rounded, she's naive but sure of herself, and cautious at times, whilst still being brave and determined. I liked her a lot, which is just as well because the whole book is told from her perspective anyway. 

Some of my favourite parts of this book were those containing the Gods & Goddesses, especially the Morrigan, who would dominate every page she featured on (every time she appeared I had constant visions of the Morrigan from The Wicked and the Divine series, just me?). These sections were some of the most well-written, and were the easiest to get caught up in, mainly because I love mythology and deities, and all that mysterious goodness (so if you do too, this is a major draw).

Initially, I loved the character of Bran, again, because of the intrigue associated with his character, however, as the book progressed, I found his motivations to be too well cloaked, and ultimately, I felt like his character ended up slightly underdeveloped. The same can be said for the characters of Catie, Ceri & Demi, who I can only hope will make a reappearance in the third instalment of the series. 

The book started well, and finished well, however the middle became a bit muddled for me, I found myself growing slightly bored, and the story did not take the direction I expected at all. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that although a lot happened in this book, the pacing was uneven at times. 

The concept of Greenworld/Redworld continues in this book and provides an interesting take on societal segregation, especially with regards to the commentary on the powers of those in charge to present a distorted version of reality to citizens; this is something I enjoyed and appreciated. 

Ultimately, this is an enjoyable read with some good characters, however the lack of further development in terms of particular story-lines and characters left the book feeling slightly disjointed and lacking a consistent pace, although, hopefully this may be remedied in the third book in the series. 

Rebel of the Sands (#1) - Alwyn Hamilton [Review]

Book: Rebel of the Sands (Rebel of the Sands trilogy #1)

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Published: 4th February 2016 

Publisher: Faber & Faber
Source: eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the first book in a trilogy from debut author Alwyn Hamilton - and boy, is it a good one. 

Coming into this book, I had heard a few good things, and the premise seemed interesting and fairly promising. Having now finished the book, it's safe to say, I loved it. Not only that, it is one of very few books that has gripped me from beginning to end. It's so easy to get lost in the world Hamilton creates, and I found myself willing the book to be longer just so I could keep reading.

Importantly, the characters in this book are so damn endearing. I loved the main character of Amani - she is a dreamer, she's a skilled marksman, and she's got a smart mouth (truly she struggles to know when to be quiet) - however it is especially this last quality that makes her so endearing. It's so easy to follow her story as she yearns to get out of Dustwalk, the small, depressing town she grew up in. Truly, her story-line is one we can all relate with, which is what partly serves to make this such a gripping read, I found myself really investing in her adventures, and spurring her to succeed.

The addition of the character of Jin, the mysterious foreigner, provides a good contrast to that of Amani, and they truly compliment each other well. There is a continuous romantic narrative in the story, however it never becomes overbearing or dull, and there are enough secondary characters, that every reader should be able to find someone to connect with.

There is a good mix of character development, world building and action in this novel, and ultimately the balance is just right. There's enough fast-paced sequences and dreamy story-telling elements that the story really moves along at a perfect pace, I never found myself becoming bored or skim-reading (as can be the case with other books), and that is a true testament to the excellent skills of the author.

Ultimately, I came into this expecting an average read, and what I got was a most unexpected, and pleasant surprise. I did not expect this to be one of my favourite novels this year, but the consistently solid story-line, interesting characters, and magical elements have cemented this as one of my top books of 2016.

The Revenant [Review]

"As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe...keep breathing."

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to see DiCaprio in a type of survival game-show, where he encounters several horrifying scenarios in order to achieve the Oscar he so infamously has been denied, then this could be the movie for you. The Revenant sees DiCaprio’s Hugh Glass endure attacking bears, vengeful tribes, broken ligaments, raging rapids, and the cruel natural wilderness, all in an attempt to find the trapper John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), who murdered his son, Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), and no doubt kill him. Steered firmly by DiCaprio’s visceral drive, the film takes us on a journey through northern Louisiana Purchase, as poor Glass struggles his way through the unknown.

Naturally benefitting from its capable cast, acting heavyweight Tom Hardy joins us fresh from his role as The Krays in Legend, playing opposite DiCaprio as the cowardly Fitzgerald. The cat-and-mouse game the two play is an intriguing one, and even the loveable Hardy manages to make everyone thoroughly hate him in this movie; a testament to his skill. But of course, the main star of The Revenant is undeniably Leonardo DiCaprio. It would seem that this film has risen the actor to dizzying new heights of magnitude, and surely solidifies him as an acting virtuoso who can play most anything.

Aside from the impressive performances, at its core, The Revenant is a grim movie, and one that will test your limits in gore as blood is spilled, animals get sliced open, and body parts come off in a most alarming manner. The bleakness of the situation however, is transcended by the beauty of the picture. A testament to the uncontrollable power of nature, watching The Revenant is an experience in itself; from an aesthetical viewpoint the scenery and cinematography is brilliantly captured by Emmanuel Lubezki and envisioned by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, with every dawn break and wintery landscape being utterly breath-taking. You can’t help but feel alongside DiCaprio in his role as Glass, and every trial he faces feels like one you are living and experiencing for yourself. It truly is a masterclass in immersion.  

Despite the thrilling experience, the film is hindered by its glacial beginning, which is slightly worrying, and as Glass crawls across the harsh terrain to uncertainty you can’t help but think whether the pace will be crawling along too. Fortunately, this is quickly rectified, but there are occasional relapses into the utterly unnecessary that elongate its running length but do nothing to add to the story, such as a scene in an abandoned church where DiCaprio sees visions of his dead child. You would think this would be some sort of poignant and emotional moment, but it ultimately adds very little and seems grossly misplaced.

While The Revenant suffers from a few missteps in narrative, the overall value of the piece is undeniable. A blueprint for an almost perfect western drama, the film utilises its stars to its advantage while also serving up an astounding visual feast that is fantastically fulfilling.

Night Study (Soulfinders #2) - Maria V. Snyder [Review]

Book: Night Study (Soulfinders #2)

Author: Maria V. Snyder 

Published: 26th January 2016 

Publisher: MIRA Ink
Source: eARC provided by Harlequin (UK) via NetGalley

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Based upon the previous book in the series - Shadow Study - I had high hopes; however I was slightly cautious that, alike a handful of second-in-the-series books, this novel would fail to impress.

I need not have worried. This book is truly fantastic, and an excellent follow up to the previous novel.

For a second installment in the series (if you discount the previous Chronicles of Ixia books), this novel is surprisingly fast-paced and a lot happens. This is great if, like me, you prefer a narrative that seamlessly flows throughout, without stagnation in the middle. Each chapter ends on a mini-cliff hanger, and this does well to sustain the tension, making this novel a real page-turner (I had much difficulty putting it down). 

This increased sense of tension was something I found to be slightly muted in the first novel in the series (and served as my only complaint), but throughout this novel the drama is really there - the stakes are high, and this is communicated well throughout the novel, allowing a deeper understanding of the purpose of the characters. 

Unlike the first novel, in which main characters Yelena and Valek spend a significant portion of their time apart, in this addition to the series, a good portion of the novel is dedicated to them being together and puzzling through as a duo, which allowed for many cute relationship moments between the two. If, like me, you're a fan of their relationship (and I hope you would be) then you will definitely appreciate this element. The amount of romance feels appropriate to the tone and pacing, and always compliments, rather than clouds, the story line. 

Another big pull of this novel is the character development. If you're a seasoned veteran of the Chronicles of Ixia series, you might feel pretty comfortable with the characters and understand a lot of their motivations and background. However, the writing in Night Study focuses on a good amount of background and personal story surrounding the characters; a key highlight for me was being able to read more about Valek's relationships and progression throughout the novel. Another bonus is that in this novel we get to read from the perspective of Leif (even if his sections did make me rather hungry with his constant talk of food). 

Ultimately, the story followed on nicely from the first book, and left things on an exciting note for the third installment in the series. I am very excited to get my hands on book three, as if Night Study is anything to go on, it will surely be a winner. 

Angels of Moirai (Book one) - Nicole Salmond [Review]

Book: Angels of Moirai (Book one)

Author: Nicole Salmond

Published: 18th April 2015

Publisher: Victory Editing
Source: eARC provided via NetGalley

Pages: 370

Rating: 2/5 stars

Let's start off by saying that I really wanted to love this book, like really. Angels? Great. Epic love story? Sold. 

And by far my favourite parts of the book were those that focused on the mythology - the contrast between angels and demons - however, unfortunately, there wasn't enough of that in this first novel.

Firstly, when I started reading this book, I was intrigued. I liked the opening and the main character seemed interesting in her rejection of her lavish lifestyle, and her pursuit of an actual reciprocal relationship with her parents.

However, after the first chapter or so, the storyline devolved into a melodramatic high-school setting full of typical "bitchy" girls and boy-drama. Now, I know this type of plot might appeal to some, however I was hoping for more of a fantasy-heavy book, as opposed to a teen melodrama. 

Things started to heat up again when the main love interest is introduced - I mean he's an angel for god's sake (pun intended) - however, unfortunately, the spark fizzled out after a couple dozen pages. I think the main problem was that I didn't believe their romance - I couldn't understand the attraction apart from the fact that he was smoking hot? He had barely said two words and suddenly every girl in the school was swooning? Even our main gal Lila struggled to look past his pleasing aesthetic. 

The book had an intriguing opening and a suitably engaging ending however the entire middle section left me feeling underwhelmed. I found myself willing things to pick up, and apart from a few dark moments, the plot was fairly light and breezy, not the tension I was expecting. 

If the second book has more of a focus on mythology and a faster-paced plot (which I'm sure it inevitable considering that ending) then I might consider reading the next installment. 

Ultimately, if you're going into this expecting something similar to the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, you'll be disappointed. However, if you're a big fan of dreamy angels and teen romances, then this might just be the book for you, even if it's not my cup of tea.