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

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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Book Review · Books

Five Survive by Holly Jackson [BOOK REVIEW]

Five Survive by Holly Jackson [BOOK REVIEW]

Going into “Five Survive” by Holly Jackson, I didn’t know what to expect, but I ended up enjoying the story so much. This is my second Holly Jackson book, “A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder” being the first one, a book I devoured! Five Survive was different because I listened to the audiobook, but Holly Jackson’s writing was still incredible. 

There is something very odd about driving to work and listening to a story about six teenagers going on a road trip in their RV, and they’re suddenly being held at gunpoint. But this is the kind of atmosphere that excites me, and I can proudly say I enjoyed my eventful drives to work. There is an interesting, psychological game in the story. You take six characters that know each other or are related to one another, and you threaten to kill them. Unless one of them gives you a secret. And then you let time pass by and you’ve got yourself a social experiment and an incredibly intriguing story for a book.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 391

Genre: YA Mystery, YA Thriller

Publisher: Electric Monkey

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts:

It’s that suspense of people breaking under pressure, revealing their deepest secrets and doing incredibly brave and reckless things in order to rescue the situation. All common sense goes out the window and only the survival mode is unlocked. The author has perfectly described the chaos that ensues in this vehicle in the duration of a few hours, all whilst giving every character a background story deep enough so we stay invested. Even though all the characters are equally important and have their own stories, I feel like Red stood out to me. I cared for her just a little bit more and felt for her. I also had chosen my villain in the story, and although I won’t reveal any names, I really wanted to slap this person and I am glad how that story wrapped up in the end.

In terms of the plot twists and reveals, I knew which person’s secret would be the one that matters, but I could not have predicted the other twists at all. Once some clues were revealed, (bad time for a knock, knock joke?) I could guess the majority of the rest, but I wouldn’t have figured it out on my own. If you want to read a fast-paced “escape-room-esque” YA mystery, “Five Survive” is a great place to start.

About The Author:

Five Survive by Holly Jackson [BOOK REVIEW]

Holly Jackson was born in 1992. She grew up in Buckinghamshire and started writing stories from a young age, completing her first (poor) attempt at a book aged fifteen.

‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ is a YA Mystery Thriller and her debut novel. She lives in London and aside from reading and writing, she enjoys binge-playing video games and pointing out grammatical errors in street signs.

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Book Review · Books

The Merciless Ones (Deathless #2) by Namina Forna [BOOK REVIEW]

The Merciless Ones (Deathless #2) by Namina Forna [BOOK REVIEW]

I am in love with the Deathless series! First, The Gilded Ones blew me away with the amazing story of Deka and her finding out more about herself, and then The Merciless Ones threw some twists and spins I never expected and savagely devoured!

About The Book:

The Merciless Ones (Deathless #2) by Namina Forna [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 480

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Young Adult

Publisher: Usborne

Format I read it in: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★★

My Thoughts:

The Merciless Ones is a beautiful and inspiring continuation of the Deathless series and Deka’s adventures. As this book is the second book in the series, I strongly recommend reading The Gilded Ones first, to be able to enjoy the story to its full potential. 

After the newly acquired knowledge from the end of book one and the intense cliffhanger, Deka continues her journey. Saving the women that are imprisoned and avenging everyone that lost their lives. However, things are never that easy. When she starts unlocking some additional powers, but also starting to lose power as well, things start to take an interesting turn. Deka finds out something that makes her doubt everything she knows. All of a sudden, she needs to find answers again and travel further away from everything she trusts. 

I adored and devoured this book! There is intensity and adventure in every single chapter. The pace of the book gradually increases and the last few chapters are filled with anticipation and power.

If you are looking for a fantasy adventure with a lot of magic and fierce female characters, do not miss Deka’s story. It’s by far one of the most thrilling fantasy adventures I’ve ever read!

About The Author:

The Merciless Ones (Deathless #2) by Namina Forna [BOOK REVIEW]

Namina Forna is a young adult novelist based in Los Angeles, and the author of the New York Times bestselling epic fantasy YA novel The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, she moved to the US when she was nine and has been traveling back and forth ever since. Namina loves telling stories with fierce female leads and works as a screenwriter in LA.

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Book Review · Books

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron [BOOK REVIEW]

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron [BOOK REVIEW]

I could not recommend it enough! “This Book Kills” deserves all the hype in the world!

About The Book:

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron [BOOK REVIEW]

Pages: 394

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Usborne YA

Format I read it in: Uncorrected Proof / Paperback

Rating: ★★★★★

My Thoughts:

I can’t remember the last time I was so immersed in a book, that I spent a full all-nighter finishing it, gasped at every hint and literally jumped (all the while dropping the book in excitement) when I correctly guessed who’d done it! 

The most popular and rich kid in Heybuckle School, Hugh Henry Van Boren, has been found dead. And as soon as the news arrive, the student body is very keen to find the murderer. Our main character, Jess, is a student in this school. Not being rich, she is working hard to keep her grades good and her record clean so she doesn’t lose her scholarship. 

However, she finds herself at the centre of the investigation when it’s revealed that Hugh died in the exact same way as a character in a short story that she wrote. On top of this, Jess receives an anonymous tip, thanking her for the inspiration, and sending a threat her way.

Jess needs to solve this murder urgently, as time is running out. She may not only lose her scholarship, but she may end up also losing her life!

I greatly enjoyed “This Book Kills” and rooted for Jess from the very beginning.

We are instantly introduced to this posh high-school, where Jess feels an instant disadvantage being “the scholarship girl”. We can feel this through her interactions with the other students and teachers. 

It also doesn’t help that the school has an anonymous secret club called the Regia Club, where students are asked to pull dangerous pranks on each other. And the adults know this is happening and yet decide to not act upon it, due to reputation. 

“Just because things are easy for you, doesn’t mean they’re easy. Just because people are good to you, doesn’t mean they’re good. You can’t close your eyes and then claim ignorance – people who let bad stuff happen are just as bad as the people who do bad stuff.”

I wouldn’t say this is the deadliest thriller of 2023, but it’s for sure the most intriguing YA thriller I have read so far. It kept me on the edge of my seat; the clues, the drama, the plot twists just kept coming. I ended up predicting the culprit, but I don’t think it was very predictable. I loved the fact that the book stops at a certain point and tells you to make a prediction, because a reveal is about to happen. As soon as I got the reveal, I was beyond happy that I guessed it right. This interaction with the book made me completely forget whether my prediction was predictable or not. 

I am certain that this book will take the reader community by storm in the new year. Jess is a heroine that we will want to be friends with, although we’d rather not be in her shoes. If you’re about to pick any YA thriller in the new year, let it be this one. As This Book Kills. 

About The Author:

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron [BOOK REVIEW]

A born and bred Londoner, Ravena writes MG and YA, usually featuring antiheroines or snarky narrators. Growing up she always read the last page of books first, but discovering Agatha Christie in her early teens stopped that habit, igniting a love of twisty murder-mysteries with jaw-dropping endings the reader never saw coming. Ravena is a lawyer with a degree in biochemistry, and hopes to use the knowledge gained from her experiences to plot the perfect murder (for a book, of course!).

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