Review: The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

December 29, 2023

★★★★★ | book 82 of 2023 — a truly magical return to the world of Shades, through both familiar and new eyes. A must read for all lovers of the Darker Shade of Magic trilogy.

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab is the newest book in the Darker Shades of Magic world, initiating a new trilogy beginning seven years after the conclusion of A Conjuring of Light. In addition to the familiar characters of Kell, Lila, Rhy and Alucard, we are introduced to new characters like Kosika the White London Queen, Tes the tinkerer who can manipulate the threads of magic, and the new Queen of Red London (among others). It is a testament to Schwab’s skill that I loved being in the POV of Tes as much as I did the original characters and I am so looking forward to reading more from her POV (hopefully!). I have always liked White London POVs the least, but the inclusion of Kosika really held my interest.

Threads of Power incorporates a masterfully detailed plot, leaving the reader eagerly anticipating the next book. The world that we thought we were well versed in at the end of the original trilogy continues to be expanded as the secretive rebellion force The Hand is prowling the city with the intent of killing the royal family. Of course, chaos and adventure and magic ensues.

I think one of the aspects of this series that makes it so engrossing is that Schwab’s characters are unlike any other character I’ve read - there is no need for Lila to stop being pointy and geared for violence 95% of the time, and there is no need for Kell to stop being a mildly grumpy worrier 95% of the time. It doesn’t mean we don’t see a change in them, but they don’t stop being who they at their core, just because they are seven years older and in a different circumstance than they once were. Schwab represents the whole spectrum of humanity, and it is because of this, I think, that this series is still a favourite of mine. Seeing lovely moments between Kell and Lila, and between Rhy and Alucard made my heart melt, not to mention the personal growth they have all gone through. Reading this book truly felt like coming home.

If you have read the original trilogy and this new instalment, let me know what you think of it in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read!

Review: The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

January 10, 2023

★★★★☆ | book one of 2023 | e-book

— what a brilliant first read of the year!

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty is the first book in the Daevabad Trilogy. The tale is heavily grounded in Middle Eastern folklore and includes Arabian nights influences (I’m not all that familiar with Arabian nights but that is the consensus). The book is set in Egypt, and also Daevabad, the fictional land of the Daeva, Djinn and Shafit. As an ancient history graduate, I loved the setting of the book. It brings me joy to recognise things like the Euphrates River, and the use of ziggurats in the Daevabad capital, not to mention the setting of Cairo. The book includes a rich fantasy world and a diverse range of characters set within a highly political city.

I did find it confusing at times, I wasn’t sure if it was because I didn’t pay enough attention to something important early on in the book, or if it really just wasn’t all that clear throughout. I found it difficult to keep the machinations of the world in order, the difference between the Djinn and the Daeva, which tribes liked whom and which were enemies. It didn’t necessarily ruin the book for me because I personally love deep world building, complex political situations and when authors are uncompromising with their world, however, I often found myself reading but not completely understanding what was going on.

The general air of confusion I had while reading it made it difficult to ascertain which characters were on whose side, however I still enjoyed the diverse cast of people. Loved the MC Nahri in the beginning as a conwoman who basically fell into this new world, but towards the end she became less interesting to me. Ali is a complex character who I really enjoyed being in the mind of, and Dara, well, he always gave me weird vibes but I also can’t help but feel bad for the guy and I definitely liked him a lot for the first half / 3/4 of the book — definitely harbouring conflicting feelings for him. The book was more violent than I was anticipating, but overall I think it added to the authenticity of the story, and heightened the risks.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I struggled to put it down despite my comprehension issues at times. My confusion around some of the terms and the world itself didn't really affect my enjoyment, and the ending has me picking up the next book right away.

Have you read this book or this series? Let me know what you think of it!

April Wrap Up 2022

April 30, 2022

The leaves are turning orange, the air in the morning is crisp and the fog is clinging on for longer and longer everyday. Autumn has finally, truly arrived and I am in my element. Autumn is my favourite season, cold nights, and warm days. The changing colours of the trees and the slow transition from dresses to sweaters. Unfortunately, I spent an entire week of this beautiful month in my room with covid, but this month we also added a new member of the family. Our beautiful puppy Maisy is now almost 12 weeks old and I love her with all my heart.

Since I spent so much time locked down with nothing much to do other than read and watch TV, I used the time to work through my every growing pile of books I’m currently reading. This month I finished 5 books, one audiobook and four paperbacks.

The first book I finished was River Kings by Cat Jarman. I was so lucky to be given a copy of this book for review by Pegasus Books but I ended up going out and buying the paperback version of it before I had finished reading it! River Kings, written by bioarchaeologist Cat Jarman (who is also a field archaeologist who specialises in the Viking Period) takes a small carnelian bead found in the site of Repton and follows what may have been its journey through the Viking world all the way to Baghdad and India. Jarman works with DNA analysis, isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating of the archaeological finds to trace the Vikings from Britain, through Scandinavia and ultimately uncovers greater interaction and movement between the west and the east. This book was so well written and incredibly fascinating. I would recommend it to lovers of trade connections in the ancient world, those who find material culture theory fascinating and all lovers of the Vikings.

Next, I finished my audiobook of Fire by Kristin Cashore. This young adult series is nothing like I imagined it to be, but I am thoroughly enjoying listening to it. I found it a bit slow for the first few hours but once we were introduced to the other main characters of the story it really picked up the pace. I was initially sceptical of this sequel to Graceling because it follows the character of Fire who is what is known as a monster with red, pink and orange hair and who makes men and women lose their minds around her. She is a new character (as are most of the other characters introduced in this instalment), and we don’t hear anything of the characters from the previous book. It didn’t take long though for me to enjoy this part of the world and these new characters, although I didn’t end up enjoying it quite as much as I enjoyed Katsa’s story in Graceling.

Book number three that I finished this month was House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas. By this time of the month I had contracted Covid so I had plenty of free time and just enough ability to focus to finish this mammoth book. One thing I MUST mention and that I didn’t realise in my first read of CC1 (because it was an audiobook) is the amount of mythology and ancient history from different cultures Maas has used in these stories. Midgard as the name of their planet, Hel as the dark realm, numerous gods and beings, Vanir, SPQM. I could go on! I loved being back in the world of Bryce, Hunt and Ruhn (especially since we got so much more from interesting side characters like Hypaxia, Ithan and Tharion). There was some great character development and although I knew there was some shady shit going on with the Asteri, this book just kept throwing curveballs that I didn’t see coming. I didn’t enjoy it as much as CC1 which is a bummer, and every now and then I had a ‘huh?’ moment where I feel like Maas’ writing was confusing, almost as if she forgot whose POV she was writing from. And that’s another thing, I love multiple POVs, this book included, but I feel like sometimes she just glided from one perspective to another and didn’t really make it obvious enough for it to not be confusing… if that makes sense?

You would not believe it but I finally finished Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb, and I have decided that I am going to keep on reading these books despite it taking me over 6 months to finish this book! This final instalment of the Farseer Trilogy was the longest and was oftentimes a bit repetitive and slow which was why it took me so long to finish. But once I got into the really juicy last third of the book I absolutely raced through it. I could not put it down. Robin Hobb’s world-building, character development and general fantasy writing ability is truly unseen anyplace else. Her prose is unique and you just can’t help but want Fitz to be happy and healthy at the end of everything he goes through. Less of a battle and action style fantasy is this a soft, political and intricate fantasy. I truly never saw the ending coming. One other highlight for me in this book is the friendship between the Fool and Fitz, and the companionship of Nighteyes.

My final read for this month was meant to be a buddy read but honestly, I had nothing else to do with my time so I just read the whole thing in two days, and that was Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. Despite not loving the Shadow and Bone series (I gave them all 3 or 3.5 ★) I came into this story with high hopes as a dark academia story about secret societies with ghosts set at Yale. However, I was left a little disappointed. This book had such potential, the premise sounds right up my alley but I think a combination of writing style, an unlikable main character and seemingly unnecessary trauma left me not quite satisfied with it. The story itself was interesting, with secret societies at Yale working will all sorts of magic and mystical things under the supervision of Lethe, students specifically chosen to keep the societies in line, but the writing style just wasn’t it for me. Not to mention the main character Alex (short for Galaxy) was unlikeable and flighty. Without a doubt, the supporting characters Darlington and Dawes were interesting and complex characters that I would have loved to learn more about. There are also a lot of trigger warnings needed for this book, and thanks to Samantha at Thoughtsontomes who provided this list on her Goodreads review — rape; murder; child molestation; physical and emotional abuse from partner; grooming; gore; possession; drug abuse; overdose; death of a friend. Please do make sure this book is for you before picking it up because honestly, some of this came out of nowhere. Overall the plot itself kept me interested enough to finish it and to want to read the sequel but it hasn’t become a favourite like I thought it would.

I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the books I read in April! What did you read this month? Any new favourites? Let me know in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Review: If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

January 21, 2022

★★★★☆.5| paperback | book six of 2022

If Were Were Villains by M. L. Rio is an extraordinary novel set at a prestigious arts academy called Dellecher. Oliver Marks and his six fellow theatre students are going in to their fourth and final year at Dellecher, and that means they finally get to perform some Shakespearean tragedies. Little did they know that the rivalries, the violence and the tragedy of the plays they were studying would seep into their lives at school. Their fourth year would be their most crucial, and none of them would be left untouched by the goings on of their final year. Oliver and his classmates James, Richard, Alexander, Wren, Filippa and Meredith immerse themselves into the world of Shakespearean tragedy, and as they do their lives turn into a tragedy in ways they could never have foreseen.

The Water, too, was still, and I thought, what liars they are, the sky and the water. Still and calm and clear, like everything was fine. (79)

If We Were Villains is such an intricate, multi faceted read that there is no doubt I will get more from it when I inevitably re-read it in the future. This book made me homesick for a place I had never been, for friends I have never had. The seven main characters were just as unique as they were similar, speaking in a language so like our own, but so very different instead. Their complete infatuation of William Shakespeare, of poetry, of words, creates a whole new world that only they are living and we just get to witness it. After being completely immersed into the world of Shakespeare for three years, it’s no wonder that their roles in the plays have seeped into the real world, creating an intertwined story of fact and fiction.

Our sheer capacity for feeling got to be so unwieldy that we staggered under it, like Atlas with the weight of the world. (249)

This book has been written so beautifully, so thoughtfully. There isn’t a single word that doesn’t have a purpose. I think I was most delighted by the complete immersion of Shakespearean dialogue into the story, as if these characters relaying prose and verse was as easy as breathing. It is as if Rio doesn’t want you to be able to discern between performance and reality, she has often structured dialogue to physically look like you’re reading a play and often the characters seem to be liminal, caught between the characters they have played and the people they have become. This book is so intelligent, so all consuming, even if you aren’t a Shakespeare fan it would be hard not to enjoy or at the very least marvel over the construction of this tale.

For someone who loved words as much as I did, it was amazing how often they failed me. (211)

I would love to hear your thoughts about this book! Let me know whether you enjoyed it or not either in the comments or come and find me over on Instagram! ✨

Review: Vardaesia and A Very Medoran Kaldoras Novella by Lynette Noni

December 5, 2021

Vardaesia ★★★★★ // A Very Medoran Kaldoras Novella ★★★★☆

Vardaesia

In this final instalment of The Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni, I was expecting heartache and incredibly high stakes and sadness and that is absolutely what I got. In this YA fantasy series we have been following Alex Jennings, a 16 year old girl from Earth who finds herself in a new world, Medora. Not only that, but she was chosen by the library at the school for gifted humans, Akarnae. In Medora there are humans, and there are also a bunch of other mortal races, there are immortal races, Draekons and even more world with even more immortal beings. Suffice to say, this series has absolutely everything you could want in a YA fantasy series. The first novel is definitely focussed on Akarnae and Alex settling in to her new world, finding friends and generally getting into trouble. As the books progress though, the plot deepens, the stories get more depth the characters get more fleshed out and it stops feeling like young YA. There is battles, tests and death but there is also banter, friendships and so much to make your heart warm.

There’s not a lot I can say about this book without spoiling something from the earlier books, so I’ll keep it short. This book takes us to a new world and introduces us to a new group of immortals. The challenges are at their most deadly for Alex, Bear, Jordan, DC, Kaiden and Declan and honestly, I couldn’t stop listening to this book. I was on the edge of my seat for 75% of this story, and so many things happened that I was unprepared for. This book and this series as a whole is fantastic, and it is up there with my favourite YA books/series of all time. I will definitely be reading this series and rereading it again and again for comfort and more self-inflicted heartache.

A Very Medoran Kaldoras

A Very Medoran Kaldoras is a bonus little novella that takes place just less than a year after the end of Vardaesia, and honestly, it’s just a little extra bonus scene to give us a glimpse into our favourite characters lives and how they’re spending the Kaldoras holidays. I have to warn you though - prior to reading this I saw something on Lynette Noni’s instagram saying that she had no plans to resolve the ending of this novella, so I truly think going into this little bonus story with the knowledge that it ends in a cliff hanger helps. I enjoyed it kore knowing that there was a potentially never to be mentioned again cliff hanger at the end of it. It’s still really cute and I would recommend reading it (it’s a free ebook!)

Have you read this series? If you have, please come and chat with me over on Instagram! I cannot stop gushing about it and I want to hear who your fave character is, your fave scene and your fave book from the series! ✨

Review: Graevale by Lynette Noni

November 8, 2021

★★★★★ this book was just SO good, I am struggling to deal with my emotions. If you haven’t read the first three books of the Medoran Chronicles, read no further! This is a non-spoiler review of Graevale but it will ruin things from the previous books!

What is the book about?

Graevale is the fourth book in the Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni, which follows Alexandra Jennings, a girl from Earth (Freya) who finds herself in a new world, similar yet so different from her home. Akarnae, Raelia and Draekora (the first three books in the series) has introduced us to the school for gifted humans, Akarnae, Meya the home of the immortal race and Draekora, the home of the dragon-esq creatures known as Draekons, but Graevale introduces us to more mortal realms as the stakes increase between Aven dal Marta and his claimed Meyarins, and the humans. Aven sits on the throne of Meya, and Alex has to continue to do everything in her power to keep her friends and the rest of the mortals out of his merciless grip. Alex takes on the seemingly impossible challenge of warning the other mortal races and getting them on board to face Aven all while spending every bit of her free time honing her fighting skills, and her mental ones with her mysterious new tutor.

Light or dark, only one can win. This world cannot survive in shades of grey.

Thoughts and Feelings

It has been a long, long time since I have shed a tear because of a book, but let me tell you - this one had me weeping. I also think it was because I was listening to the audiobook and the raw emotion in the narrators’ voice, absolutely brilliantly written and narrated. Ever since the first book, things have just gotten steadily more intense but the books haven’t lost their fun edge. Alex is still so sassy, and now that we get more Niyx and more Kaiden, the sass and the banter just keep going and we love to see it. Once again, we don’t really see that much of Jordan, Bear or DC which was a bummer because I love the vibe between the four of them - but I understand the need for Alex to interact with new people. I really enjoyed reading more about the other mortals that live in Medora, and the way that their homes are so different to the humans - whose world is pretty similar to Freya. Underwater cities that give off an Atlantis feel, humid jungle towns and opposites living in separate halves of the same city. The addition of these new locations with more insight into the races that live there was such a highlight for me, that and the cute, furry new friend Alex makes (which I guess is a way to fill the void of the absent Xira).

To those who can no longer see any light.
Resist the shadows.

Plus, getting to know more about other teachers like Caspar Lennox (the slightly vampiric teacher) and Maggie the archery instructor really cemented the fact that although Alex is still only seventeen, she is in the middle of something that will affect everyone. The stress I felt, the sadness, the humour, this book really had it all. I keep saying this, but this series just keeps getting better and better. Graevale has definitely been my favourite so far, but I have very high hopes for the final instalment. Anyway, I'll just be sobbing in the corner.

Review: The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Mark Williams

October 29, 2021

★★★☆☆.75 I was provided a copy of The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Thames and Hudson.

What is the book about?

The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Mark Williams is a new look at the history and development of the tales at the centre of Celtic Mythology. Not only that, but he highlights the issues surrounding them, and ways in which they have been retold and reimagined for millennia. By the time the ‘Celtic myths’ were written down in the Middle Ages, not only were they already hundreds of years old, but were written after the influence of the Catholic Church. Williams works from the roots of these tales, he interrogates the sources in which we have drawn these legends and stories from, and unpacks the multiple meanings of, and the cultural impacts made by these legends.

Irish saga is remarkable for the richness and agency of its female characters. (171)

Thoughts and feelings

It is clear that this book has been researched, developed and written by someone with an incredible depth of knowledge and understanding both of the languages he is working with, and the entire corpus of source material. One of the highlights of this book is the times in which Williams includes his own translations to the tales in focus, which will definitely help the lay reader (me). It is these times that it becomes clear that you are reading a book written by a person who could not be more qualified to do so, not to mentioned the translated snippets were so helpful for someone like me who isn’t familiar with the tales focussed on in the book. Williams takes you on a journey through Celtic mythology, with first introducing what Celtic mythology is (which is especially important given that the writings of Celtic mythology all come from the medieval ages, and the term ‘Celtic’ is a very broad term), and then dives into well known figures like Arthur and Merlin, and perhaps less well known figures like Branwen, Cú Chulainn and Blodeuwedd. As William puts it in his introduction to The Nature of Celtic Mythology:

…for us, as for many heroes in Welsh and Irish tales, there is a fall of mist, and we find we have to enter an unfamiliar world with different rules. (7)

I’m torn with this book, because on the one hand I really enjoyed reading it, but on the other, I wish I knew more about the general history of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and their development of mythology and literature before jumping into this book. You can definitely enjoy it and get a lot out of it without any preexisting knowledge on Celtic literature and mythology, but Williams truly deep dives into the cultural history and impact of these legends as well as the development of the tales that you would definitely get more out of it if you were already at least familiar with the characters and stories he explores. Even just having some sort of familiarity with the Celtic/Irish/Welsh languages you will have an easier time reading it for the pure fact that you won’t get all the names and characters mixed up like I did. There is a pronunciation guide at the back though, which was so incredibly helpful though, a good touch and very appreciated! Every now and then Williams made some really fascinating comparisons to other ancient literature, like the parallels between The Aeneid and Rome’s founding story and Britains founding story in Chapter Four titled ‘Brutus,’ as well as the comparison between the tale of Deirdriu in Chapter Nine (‘The Celtic Love Triangle’) and the structure and features of Greek tragedy.

Once again we are reminded that what we call ‘Celtic mythology’ is not a pure substance handed down from the pagan past, but a rich amalgam that developed over centuries.’ (213)

This quote really encapsulates the essence of William’s book - he is both introducing stories and characters that may or may not have been developed in the ‘pagan past,’ and aims to reconcile what we do know about it, how we know it, and how we came to think about these particular tales and characters in the modern day. Truly, this is a monumental task, and the sheer amount of information in this book is unfathomable.

The book itself is beautiful, with green foiling on the naked hardback and a beautifully designed dusk cover and end pages. It is also gotten with images, both coloured and black and white which is always a plus for me! There were a few grammatical errors in this book, and it’s not like, one time a word is misspelled which happens in most books - but at one point a character had her name spelt three different ways on one page. A couple of times it felt like words were missing, and there were sentences that seemed to be cut off and unfinished. These were scattered throughout the book and although overall it didn't affect my ability to understand what was going on, it just feels like it might have needed one more edit to pick up on these errors prior to publication.

We must remember that these stories are not myths, though there is definite myth in them: they are medieval tales, written in medieval Irish for a medieval audience. (252)

The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think is now available to purchase, and I would recommend this book to those who are looking to really sink their teeth into the intricate and layered history of Celtic Mythology, it’s development, history and prevalence in modern day pop culture.

Review: Draekora by Lynette Noni

October 26, 2021

★★★★☆.5 - definitely my favourite from the series so far! This will spoil things from the previous two books in the series so proceed with caution!

What is the book about?

Draekora by Lynette Noni is the third book in the Medoran chronicles which follows Alex, a teenage girl who finds herself in the word of Medora, and not only that, has a special gift that makes her essential for the saving of her new home, and everyone in it. Aven Dalmarta has made his way into Meya, and he has taken Jordan with him, which means the stakes are even higher for Alex, Bear and DC - and it’s even more important that Alex taps in to her Meyan powers and learns to fight like one. But when her first day of training with her Meyarin friends Roka, Kyia and Zain takes a turn for the weird, Alex finds herself where she never thought she’d be, and with a new Draekoran friend. With powerful new friends and even more pressure on her shoulders, Alex faces her most important challenges yet.

Thoughts and Feelings

Holy moly, this book was fantastic! I once again listened to the audiobook, and I loved the narration. I definitely think I’ll have to pick up physical editions of this series, because I am officially obsessed. The plot to this one is so completely different to the previous two, that it had me hooked from chapter one. To say that my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my heart from the absolute STRESS and ANTICIPATION of this book is an understatement. This book gives us a lot more Meya, a lot more Meyarins and we get to learn a lot more about the history of their city, their people, and specifically, how Aven turned out the way her did. With the addition of the Drakons of Draekora, I was expecting to get more of them from this book - given the title - and to say that I am absolutely obsessed with Xiraxus is an understatement. Plus, the addition of Niyx (officially my favourite character), made this book even better! Snarky, sarcastic, flirty, fun, he’s everything you could want in a favourite character. Alex really grows in this book, but her quick wit and her clumsiness doesn’t change. This story keeps evolving and developing in ways I don’t expect, and I am absolutely loving it. I have a feeling I’ll be re-reading this series many times in the coming years. If you haven’t picked this one up yet, what are ya doing!? If I say anymore I will definitely start spoiling it, but suffice to say I am enjoying this series SO MUCH! Lynette Noni really knows how to keep her readers hooked.

Review: Raelia by Lynette Noni

October 15, 2021

★★★★☆ absolutely loving this series! This review will spoil things for the first book in the series!

Raelia by Lynette Noni is the second book in her Medoran Chronicles (check out my review for the first in the series here). Alex returns to Medora for her second year at Akarnae, and honestly, everything is taken up a notch in this one! Starting her second year, this time with her close friend group including DC as well (yay!), you know from the beginning that nothing is quite as it seems in. With the fourth years able to try out for Hunter’s class Stealth and Subterfuge (SAS for short), and the introduction of some new characters, it all gets a bit more intense!

Not only do you get more heartwarming scenes with Alex, Bear, Jordan and DC, but you also get to see Alex really start to come to her own in this world. Her close friendships and banter with her friends is honestly one of my favourite aspects of this book. She really embraces the classes, and she's put in so much effort over the summer with her combat training that she’s finally included in her classes as a real member. I love the growing comradeship and genuine friendship between Alex and all of the boys in her combat class, and the slow burn angsty relationship between Kaiden and Alex is keeping me so invested in their growing friendship (by why am I also stressed that somethings gonna happen???). With Alex and her friends stepping foot in the lost city of Meya, and meeting some new friends (Roka, Kyia and Zain), you just know that everything is getting more complicated and intense. It’s this slow build of anticipation and angst to something (and what that is I have no idea, but I just feel like nothing is what it seems).

Overall, this book delves deep into the magic, into the wider world of Medora, the political landscape and the characters. We get introduced to some new characters, and a whole new city, and honestly, I am enjoying the ride. I love that Lynette is just slowly adding things to the world, bit by bit, but giving absolutely nothing away. The introduction of SAS, and having the characters leave the school (apparently unsupervised), and having them in the outside world for parts of this book was a great way to add something new to this story. I once again listened to the audiobook, and I would definitely recommend it! It’s been narrated brilliantly and really brings the story to life. I feel like I can’t say any more without potentially spooling things, so just read this series please!!!!!!

Review: Akarnae by Lynette Noni

September 28, 2021

★★★★☆ I was surprsed with how much I enjoyed this! If you’re looking for an easy yet entertaining and really heartwarming book, this is the one for for you!

Whats the book about?

After her parents accept a job opportunity in another country and without cell reception, Alexandra Jennings is shipped off to a boarding school full of snotty, horrible teens. But, on her way to the administrations office of her new school for the next eight months, Alex walks through a door to Medora, a different world entirely. This brand new world is one full of new opportunities, and advancements in technology that her world doesn’t have. At her new boarding school, Akarnae, and with her new friends Jordan and Bear (plus a mysterious stranger who she keeps bumping in to who promises only sinister things to come), Alex is met with a whole new life, new adventures and higher stakes.

Thoughts and feelings

I think I am really glad that I listened to this as an audiobook. This book caught me by surprise with how quickly I got hooked. This is a young adult book, I would say bordering on middle grade but with the main character at sixteen years old, I have a feeling the next ones will feel more solidly in the YA genre. It is like a combo of Narnia and Harry Potter, but with the world combining technological and medical advancements with more medieval activities and skills like equestrian and combat. Basically, Medora felt like a completely new world, yet obviously one that had started off similar to that of Freya (Earth) since there are humans (albeit humans with powers). For sixteen, Alex initially sounded a bit young but I very quickly got used to it and just began enjoying the story.

This isn’t a profound book, but it’s a really fun book. I just accepted the fact the Alex, Jordan and Bear all became friends really quick (which is something that isn’t completely unbelievable, especially since Alex was alone in a new world and they were so nice), and honestly, their blossoming friendship was one of my favourite parts of the book. You know that this is just an introduction to what will be a much larger story, so I really enjoyed reading about Alex in her new school, learning about Medora and just how different it was to Freya. The whole time though, you know that there is something larger at play, and definitely something more sinister than a boarding school for gifted Medorans. Although at the end of the book you get a better idea about the threats and Alex’s part in the whole main ARC of the story, it’s still shrouded in mystery and I am SO glad that all of the books are out and I can just get right into the second one! It was really focussed on Alex and her growth, since at the beginning she was overwhelmed and had literally just made the first friends she had ever had. You really get to see her blossom and grow into who she was meant to be and it was honestly so heartwarming. This book is fun, the world is unique and it’s an easy story to follow and simply enjoy. If you’re looking for an easy read with promise of more to come, then this is definitely something I would recommend, and the audiobook was a really great listen! Have you read this book or this series? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Review: Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb

September 24, 2021

★★★★☆.5 promising start to the series! I am excited to keep reading.

What’s the book about?

In the kingdom of the Six Duchies, the Farseer family rule at Buckkeep and they are on the brink of a civil war, and the last thing they needed was Fitz, a bastard son of the King-in-Waiting who then promptly abdicates his right to the crown and leaves with his wife. Fitz, who is raised in the stables of Buckkeep and finds solace in very few places, one being his affinity with animals, is despised by those at the keep. He could also be a problem to the crown one day, so he is taken under the wing of the royal family and taught the ways any young noble boy should be taught. He is also taught to be a weapon for the royal family, and tutored by Chade in the artistry of killing, and in the traditional magic of the Farseer family. With the weight of the royal family on his shoulders, Fitz must survive even when the odds are against him.

All events, no matter how earthshaking or bizarre, are diluted within moments of their occurrence the the continuance of the necessary routines of day-to-day.

My thoughts

It took me a long time to read this (partly because I set it aside for a month to buddy read Red Rising), but boy did I love this book. It reminds me of no other, it’s rife with stunning world-building and backstory. Hobb has found a way to set the scene without info-dumping, but completely immersing you into the world. Each chapter starts with a tidbit of history of their world, and these sections explain customs, laws, political intricacies and everything else you could need to understand the events of the novel without just dumping all the info on you at once. It is gradually divulged to the reader in a sophisticated and completely engrossing way. Hobb’s writing style is beautiful and unique, it’s complex, it’s gritty. She describes. the good and the bad in a way like no other author I have experienced. I am completely invested in the world she has invented, and much of that is due to her writing style. One thing I loved about this world is the custom of naming in the royal family based on the virtues or characteristics they embody. Without knowing anything about a character, you can still get a feel for the type of person they are, and I love it.

Fitz is a liminal character, existing on the boundaries of the lowest of society, whilst simultaneously existing in the world of the royals. In such a structured and political environment, he is an outcast, and he could be deadly. This book not only sets up for greater political intrigue and subterfuge in the coming books, but it is very much a coming of age story for Fitz. He grows from a young child to a young man, he develops from a boy who barely speaks to an articulate and witty character, and he goes from being a bastard, to an indispensable assassin for the royal family. This book isn’t what you may think when you hear ‘secret assassin for the royal family.’ There is very minimal action, it’s a gradual buildup to the last 100 pages where the pace picks up and the stage is set for the next book. The book is nuanced with political intrigue, and there is so much that is yet to be revealed that you just have to keep reading. It was definitely a character-driven story, dotted with an underlying magical element which I am looking forward to learning more about in coming books. Have you read this book, this series or anything by Robin Hobb? What did you think? Let me know in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Most prisons are of our own making. A man makes his own freedom, too.

Review: Egyptian Mythology - A Travelers Guide from Aswan to Alexandria by Garry J. Shaw

September 23, 2021

★★★★☆ I was provided a hardback edition of this book by Thames and Hudson.

What is the book about?

Egyptian Mythology: A Travelers Guide from Aswan to Alexandria by Egyptologist Garry Shaw takes you on a journey up the Nile as if on a tour of Egypt’s most historically rich and important sites. This tour up the Nile transports you to Ancient Egypt with evocative imagery and descriptions of what the landscape once looked like. Shaw has gone to great lengths to synthesise the fragments of texts, the wall paintings, and the surviving archaeology to present the gods, goddesses, myths and legends of each of the main sites on his tour. This includes different versions myths, the layout of building and temples long since ruined and how these deities were worshipped and praised. At the end of each chapter, after delving into the mythological history and the way it shaped the lives of the sites population, Shaw provides a quick overview of the history of the site, and what you can expect to find today. This section gives tips on what to see when visiting the ruins today.

All the best tales are fluid, reshaped again and again by storytellers for their readers or listeners.

My thoughts about the book

As with every single non fiction book I read, it took me a bit to get into the flow of it, but once I got used to it, I was hooked. Shaw has completed a monumental task, and he has done a superb job of it. He begins the book with the section titled Preparing for a Journey Along the Nile, in which he proceeds not only to describe the journey you are about to take, but takes you through terminology and chronology that you will help in your reading journey. Written as if you are about to truly set sail down the Nile River, Shaw’s poignant writing style truly makes you feel as if you’re about to embark on a great adventure through Egypt’s long history.

Each chapter begins with a snapshot into the site as it is today, with beautiful descriptive language describing what you would hear, smell and feel if you were standing at the site right now. Shaw then delves into the history of the site, Pharaoh’s who ruled, and the main gods venerated. He explores the multitudes of myths associated with the site as well as the main gods and goddesses venerated at the site. He doesn’t settle with just the main myth, no. Shaw goes on to describe fragments of myths, variations of well known tales and ways in which the central deities of this site were viewed, worshipped and developed throughout the history of the site, and Egypt. Of course, many myths and sites overlap, and notes in the text linking the stories to other chapters makes it easy to cross between the two sections. At the end of each chapter not only is each site looked at in history and today with a whistlestop rundown of the overall history of the site, but Shaw gives you handy tips for visiting the site today. This includes things to see, how long it takes to get places and things to look out for. On top of all of that, there is also a handy table at the end of each chapter which highlights the key dates and remains of the site.

Every stone, hill, temple and town that you pass as you fly over the land has a meaning, tied to the actions of divine forces.

I absolutely loved reading this book. Not only is it incredibly in depth with it’s stories of myths and tales from each site, but Shaw has written it in such an accessible and intriguing way. As you read it, you get hilarious comments from Shaw as if he were giving you a tour of the site, or telling you the myth in person. It makes the book all the more enjoyable, and a bunch of times his commentary was exactly what I was thinking! Egyptian Mythology is far less structured than that of Greece or Rome, gods turn into other gods, and they change and develop throughout time. Shaw has made Egyptian Mythology incredibly digestible, whilst linking it all to present-day Egypt in a unique and entertaining way. Any lover of Egyptian Mythology or travel (or both if you’re like me) needs to get their hands on this book. Not to mention it’s absolutely beautiful with both the dust cover and naked (and the paper is really good quality which might seem like a weird thing to add, but honestly, I love when the paper is think and good quality).