Book Review · Books

The Last Namsara (Iskari #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli [BOOK REVIEW]

The Last Namsara (Iskari #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli [BOOK REVIEW]

I adored The Last Namsara! It was the fantasy escape I didn’t know I needed. I also now know that every book that has dragons in it is likely to be a hit. If you have a favourite dragon book, please do let me know! 

Synopsis:

In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

The Last Namsara (Iskari #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 421

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Publisher: Gollancz

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★★

Thoughts:

In a kingdom on the verge of war, Asha is in the centre of everything. Not only because her father is the king, but because she is on the road to redemption. Eight years ago, she told a dragon an ancient story, and the next thing she knew, her mother was dead. Not only that, but the town burnt to ashes and she’s left with a burn scar on her face and body. Since then, she has been the most notorious dragon hunter, vowing to kill the last dragon standing and re-unite the kingdom. 

Asha deals with a lot of self-discovery in this book.

Finding out also other truths and being on the crossroads of who and what to believe. She is a powerful lady from day one and I loved that about her. But she doesn’t have freedom. She’s betrothed to a man she despises. And going on one more dragon hunting adventure can set her free from him. What she ends up realising is that she was more “imprisoned” than she imagined. But also, freedom can come in different ways.

Apart from Asha’s amazing story, we have so many other stories entwined with hers, that make this book special. Safire, Dax and Roa – a very integral part of Asha’s journey, as they battle issues of their own. Torwin, who ended up being my favourite character with his unconditional love and support. Someone who was not afraid to look Death in the eyes, all in the name of love, rightfulness, happiness and freedom. 

“I’ll wait for you at Death’s gate.”

And it goes without saying, Shadow and Kozu, the two dragons, who made me love them so much through the pages. The kingdom politics and scheming were very well thought of. The book felt like a YA Game of Thrones trope. Very different in plot, but sharing some of the main trope similarities. The part I loved the most were the ancient stories and their significance in a world where they were now forbidden. 

“Eight years had made her forget: dragons liked to tell stories almost as much as they liked to hear them.”

When the stories are so powerful and unite people that were segregated for a long time.

Stories so powerful, that leaders and kings feared so much, they banned everyone from telling them. It was quite satisfying to read about all these people refusing to be censored. Refusing to be silenced, and finally being able to not only tell their stories, but shout them freely. This book managed to evoke all feelings out of me, and that’s what made it special!

About The Author:

The Last Namsara (Iskari #1) by Kristen Ciccarelli [BOOK REVIEW]

Kristen Ciccarelli is an internationally bestselling author whose books have been translated into a dozen languages.

Before writing books for a living, Kristen dropped out of college and worked various jobs. These included: fruit picker, artisanal baker, L’Arche assistant, community bake oven coordinator, bookseller, and potter. She also spent a year living in a punk house.

Today, Kristen resides in the Niagara region of Ontario with her husband and their book-obsessed toddler. She is happiest when she’s reading a good book by a warm fire or chasing her giggly daughter down the shores of Lake Erie.

Website: https://www.kristenciccarelli.com/

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Book Review · Books

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown with Kathleen McGurl [BOOK REVIEW]

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown with Kathleen McGurl [BOOK REVIEW]

Nineteen Steps is a beautiful and emotional story about a girl that navigates growing up, finding love and living through tragedy in the midst of World War II.

Synopsis:

It’s 1942, and London remains under constant threat of enemy attack as the second world war rages on. In the Bethnal Green neighborhood, Nellie Morris counts every day lucky that she emerges from the underground shelters unharmed, her loving family still surrounding her.

Three years into the war, she’s grateful to hold onto remnants of normalcy—her job as assisting the mayor and nights spent at the local pub with her best friend. But after a chance encounter with Ray, an American airman stationed nearby, Nellie becomes enchanted with the idea of a broader world.

Just when Nellie begins to embrace an exciting new life with Ray, a terrible incident occurs during an air raid one evening, and the consequences are catastrophic. As the truth about that night is revealed, Nellie’s world is torn apart. When it seems all hope is lost, Nellie finds that, against all odds, love and happiness can triumph.

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown with Kathleen McGurl [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 372

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Harper Collins , HQ Stories

Format I read it in: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★★

Thoughts:

The story is inspired by Millie Bobby Brown’s family history and based on true events about the Bethnal Green tragedy. In all honesty, I wasn’t aware of this tragedy, and it was quite insightful, albeit sad, to learn something new about what people went through during the war.

I also want to give credit to the amazing Kathleen McGurl for ghost writing this book and collaborating with Millie. I haven’t read any of her books yet, but I will definitely be checking them out.

Nineteen Steps follows the life of a young girl, Nellie Morris, who lives with her mum, dad, brother and sister. She works at the town hall, assisting the mayor, and dreams of someday travelling the world, once the war is done.

“But she wanted more from life than to marry the boy next door, the boy who’d said he’d never leave the East End. She wanted to travel, to see the world. When the war was over, she intended to do just that.”

She will very soon experience tragedy and try to continue living with a huge sadness and loss in her heart.

One scene in particular, where a running for a bus is involved, made me cry for hours. For personal reasons, I connected to this scene and it really touched and broke my heart. We get to see Nellie living her day-to-day life, in a very uncertain environment, dealing with things a young woman shouldn’t be dealing with. Her support network through this tragedy is incredible – her family, her friend Babs and of course, Billy, are an incredible help when she is at her lowest. 

We get to see her fall in love, a beautiful romance starts, promising light at the end of the tunnel. Nellie’s first kiss and her thoughts are written so beautifully!

“It felt as though her whole soul was melting into his, as though time had stopped, the world was no longer turning, the war was a distant memory. If ever she had to pick a moment she’d want to last for eternity, she thought, this would be the one she’d choose.”

And then, when everything seems to be going okay, despite the terrible war, Nellie, her family and friends, and the people of Bethnal Green will experience a tragedy that will change their lives forever. Nineteen steps is an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a story full of emotions, from the beginning to the end. There is romance, but it’s not the main part of the book. There is sadness and grief, but it’s a story about looking forward. A story about coming-of-age and being brave when it seems impossible. A story where in times when you cannot be brave, there will be people ready to be brave for you. As a historical romance, it’s not the best in its genre, but it’s a story that will certainly touch a person’s heart.

I recommend it warmly, tissues included!

About The Authors:

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown with Kathleen McGurl [BOOK REVIEW]

Millie Bobby Brown is a British Emmy Award–winning actress. She has been featured in the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people and is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Nineteen Steps is her first book.

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown with Kathleen McGurl [BOOK REVIEW]

Kathleen McGurl lives in Bournemouth with her husband and cat. She has two grown-up sons who have now left home. She always wanted to write, and for many years was waiting until she had the time. Eventually she came to the bitter realisation that no one would pay her for a year off work to write a book, so she sat down and started to write one anyway. Since then she has sold dozens of short stories to women’s magazines and written three books for writers. These days she is concentrating on longer fiction and has published several dual timeline novels with CarinaUK and HQ. She works full time in the IT industry and when she’s not writing, she’s often out running, slowly.

Website: kathleenmcgurl.com

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Book Review · Books

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie [BOOK REVIEW]

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie [BOOK REVIEW]

Every time I read another Agatha Christie book, I fall in love again with her incredible storytelling of a murder mystery, and her ability to keep me guessing until the end. Hallowe’en Party was no different.

Synopsis:

When a Hallowe’en party turns deadly, it falls to Hercule Poirot to unmask a murderer…

During a night of party games, Joyce Reynolds boasts that she once witnessed a murder. No one believes her, but then she is found drowned, face down in an apple-bobbing tub.

Set against a night of trickery and the occult, Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver must race to uncover the real evil responsible for this ghastly murder.

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 266

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Harper Collins

Format I read it in: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts:

Hallowe’en Party was the inspiration for the movie “A Haunting in Venice”, although the book and the movie don’t really share much in common, except for the character’s names and the fact the murder happens on Halloween. 

The murder in this book happens during a children’s Halloween Party, where a girl drowned in the tub where they bob the apples. It’s obvious that someone has murdered this girl by holding her head underwater. It also sparks a discussion, especially because the girl said something during the party preparations that may have put her in danger. 

Due to the large number of people around, it’s almost impossible to tell who the culprit is, and this is where Hercule Poirot joins, agreeing to help his friend and investigate this case as a favour. The book features a lot of scenes with Poirot interviewing people that attended the party, but also the preparations for the party. The people in the town are friendly and tight-knit, but they all have something to hide, and nobody is volunteering information to a person that’s just come to town to investigate a murder.

If you loved “Murder on the Orient Express”, you will probably also enjoy “Halowe’en Party”, due to the interviewing scenes we see very often. In the book, we notice a big accent given to young people. Interestingly enough, children don’t feature a lot in Agatha’s books, but this one is definitely an exception. The adults are very dismissive of the children, their words and opinions, and they make this very known. They all dismissed what the girl said during the party preparations, because she had a reputation of exaggerating stories. This situation reminded me very much of the “boy who cried wolf”, who even Agatha mentions in the book.

Poirot, however, as always, takes everything into consideration during his investigation.

“The victim is always important”, said Poirot, “The victim, you see, is so often the cause of the crime.”

People in town are adamant that this is a deed of a young kid with mental health issues. We can notice the book is dated by the way people describe this possible culprit. There is not much hope or trust in the youth with a rough upbringing, or young people that are known to cause troubles. 

“It seems to me that crimes are so often associated nowadays with the young. People who don’t really know quite what they are doing, who want silly revenges, who have an instinct for destruction. Even the people who wreck telephone boxes, or who slash the tyres of cars, do all sorts of things just to hurt people, just because they hate – not anyone in particular, but the whole world.”

There is a mention of how important and vital a child’s education is, such as below:

“One has to remember”, said Rowena Drake, “that there are young people at an age when it is vital that they should continue with their studies if they are to have the chance of doing well in life.”

Even though I agree education is extremely important for young people, I don’t think this is the only important thing. I want to say that a happy upbringing, good social circles, good environment and fair and equal opportunities are also very important for a child to find its place in the world without turning to violence. I also believe that young people who have made a mistake in the past deserve a second chance, a hand held out to them, to try and get them on the right path.

However, the town and Poirot are not that keen on mercy and second chances:

“He was a man who thought first always of justice. He was suspicious, had always been suspicious, of mercy – too much mercy, that is to say. Too much mercy, as he knew from former experience both in Belgium and this country, often resulted in further crimes which were fatal to innocent victims who need not have been victims if justice had been put first and mercy second.”

The book certainly opens the door for a very good discussion on so many topics, and I always find this intriguing. Not all books make me stop for a bit and ponder, and so I always cherish the ones that do. As for the murder reveal itself, I wasn’t too surprised, but I also couldn’t guess it myself. I guessed two of the people involved in the story, due to some clues they dropped, but I couldn’t have guessed the others nor put the whole story together. I really enjoyed the mystery and I’m quite happy I got to read yet another Christie book! Huge thank you to the teams at Tandem Collective and Harper Collins for sending me the new hardcover book printed for the occasion of the movie release!

About The Author:

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie [BOOK REVIEW]

This best-selling author of all time wrote 66 crime novels and story collections, fourteen plays, and six novels under a pseudonym in romance. Her books sold more than a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation. According to Index Translationum, people translated her works into 103 languages at least, the most for an individual author. Of the most enduring figures in crime literature, she created Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. She atuhored The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the history of modern theater.

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Book Review · Books

The McMasters Guide To Homicide, Vol. 1: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes [BOOK REVIEW]

The McMasters Guide To Homicide, Vol. 1: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes [BOOK REVIEW]

Welcome to the McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts – a luxurious, clandestine college dedicated to the fine art of murder where earnest students study how best to “delete” their most deserving victim.

Synopsis:

Who hasn’t wondered for a split second what the world would be like if the object of your affliction ceased to exist? But then you’ve probably never heard of The McMasters Conservatory, dedicated to the consummate execution of the homicidal arts. To gain admission, a student must have an ethical reason for erasing someone who deeply deserves a fate no worse (nor better) than death.

The campus of this “Poison Ivy League” college – its location unknown to even those who study there – is where you might find yourself the practice target of a classmate… and where one’s mandatory graduation thesis is getting away with the perfect murder of someone whose death will make the world a much better place to live.

Prepare for an education you’ll never forget. A delightful mix of witty wordplay, breathtaking twists and genuine intrigue, Murder Your Employer will gain you admission into a wholly original world, cocooned within the most entertaining book about well-intentioned would-be murderers you’ll ever read.

The McMasters Guide To Homicide, Vol. 1: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 480

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Headline

Format I read it in: Hardcover

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts:

It feels wrong saying I was fascinated and pleasantly surprised by this book, when you only have the title to judge. After all, it is a guide on how to murder your employer. Disclaimer to all my colleagues: I promise it’s fiction!

I loved the start the most. The book is written as if the dean is speaking to the new students at the McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts. I love the idea of there being a school, where you’re about to learn how best to “delete” your “target”. It gave me Hogwarts vibes, with a killing twist. Even though the book contains mostly the Dean’s thoughts and advice, we also meet three students in particular, and through them, we get introduced to their lives, their classes and why they want to “delete” a certain person. 


Cliff Iverson, Gemma Lindley and Doria Maye all have one thing in common – they’re here to learn how to kill.

Through their diaries, interactions with each other and the dean’s reports, we follow their progress. It was interesting to see what the classes are about and the weekly timetables, including the eating schedules. What I found very intriguing were Cliff’s attempts to escape the school in the beginning. 

I will be honest, the book lost me somewhere in the middle. As soon as they were out in the world, preparing to execute their assignment (pun intended), I got a little lost. Mostly because I wasn’t aware of their plans. And the other part is maybe because I prefered the school setting. We knew mostly about Cliff’s plans, but even he went off script. And I know that the surprise and mystery elements have a say in us going in blindly, but I didn’t enjoy it because everyone was scheming at the same time and it was difficult for me to follow all three storylines without a lot of clues. If this was done separately, I would not have faced character and plot exhaustion and would have enjoyed this book so much more. 

That being said, the plot twists in the end were incredible. I devoured those last pages intensely! Seeing all plans being changed at the last minute was worth it! And on top of that, we have the dean’s comments on their assignment and the pass / fail moments too. The book blew me away so many times, it’s definitely one of a kind and one I wholeheartedly recommend, despite my “middle-book” experience. I will definitely be on the lookout for the next volumes of the McMasters Guide.

About The Author:

The McMasters Guide To Homicide, Vol. 1: Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes [BOOK REVIEW]

Rupert Holmes was born on February 24, 1947, in Northwich, Cheshire, England. Soon after, he ventured forth to America (New York) with his British mum and Air Force dad. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music, Mr. Holmes delved into the art of melodious sound. A successful piano player for both the Cuff Links and the Buoys, with whom he had his first international hit, “Timothy,” in 1971, Rupert also wrote and arranged songs for Gene Pitney, The Platters, The Drifters and the Partridge Family.

With the new millennium, Holmes added novel writing to his repertoire. Where the Truth Lies, was a Booklist Top Ten Debut Novel. His second, Swing, was a San Francisco Chronicle Top Ten Best Seller. His short stories have been anthologized in such prestigious collections as Best American Mystery Stories, On a Raven’s Wing, A Merry Band of Murderers and Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop. He was also commissioned by The New York Times to write the Arts and Leisure tribute celebrating the 100th birthday of Irving Berlin.

Website: https://www.rupertholmes.com

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Book Review · Books

The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan [BOOK REVIEW]

The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan [BOOK REVIEW]

I thought I wouldn’t enjoy “The 100” by Kass Morgan because I’ve seen the first season of the TV Show. However, reading the story was a brand-new experience and I loved it a lot!

Synopsis:

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries — until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth’s radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents — considered expendable by society — are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life…or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she’s haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor’s son, came to Earth for the girl he loves — but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind’s last hope.

The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 323

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction

Publisher: Hodder

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts:

Reading “The 100”, I got to create my own characters in my head. I got to know them and interestingly enough, my feelings for some of them changed as well. 

From the very first chapter, the book kept me hooked. 100 people that are imprisoned in space are being sent back to Earth, while no one knows if it’s safe for them to go. But because they are considered scum, they are used as guinea pigs. If they manage to survive, more people will follow to come back and start living back on Earth again. The fake democracy that rules the spaceships felt quite real to the present day, way too familiar for some reason. 

Throughout the book, we get a glimpse of the lives of four different characters. Clarke, I didn’t really care that much about. She seems to always need something and can’t do things on her own. Then, among the other characters, we also have the chancellor’s son, Wells, who, to me, tries to justify his actions in the name of love. To save the girl he loves, he put a lot of people in danger. 

The biggest reason I loved The 100 is the psychological side of it.

You get 100 people and you put them in a certain situation, and you never know how they will react. When they are left to their own devices, and it’s up to them to decide the rules, the rules no longer apply. And sometimes, this releases the worst in people. 

What do you do when your belief of justice is not the same as other people’s beliefs? There is no one to protect you, and no one to fight your battles for you. It’s a game of survival and only the strongest will thrive. And that may not always be the fairest way, but it is the truth… 

Amazing plot and good action between space and Earth – I am quite intrigued about how things ended and quite excited to see where things go in the next book in the series. 100% would recommend! 🙂

About The Author:

The 100 (The 100 #1) by Kass Morgan [BOOK REVIEW]

Kass Morgan studied literature at Brown and Oxford, and now resides in Brooklyn, where she lives in constant fear of her Ikea bookcase collapsing and burying her under a mound of science fiction and Victorian novels.

Twitter: @Kassmorganbooks

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