July Wrap-Up.

Ok so I didn't manage a fair amount of my actual chosen reads, only four actually but I did sneak in a couple of extras to make up the numbers so I'm still pretty pleased with my status this month! I managed a grand total of six books!

1. 'The Sleeping Prince' by Melinda Salisbury. I wouldn't say that I've been necessarily avoiding this book. But I was worried about this book because I didn't enjoy the first book as much as I'd hoped and it was either going to restore my faith or put me off forever. There were still a couple of issues with this book, but the change of characters was definitely a good idea. Errin was a badass MC, the romance was a lot more appealing and I liked seeing more of the world. 3.5/5 Stars.
2. 'Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls' by Francesca Cavallo & Elena Favilli. I purchased this book fairly recently and after flicking through it and finding that the chosen stories really intrigued me, I took some time to sit down and read them all. There's a great mix: women of both past & present who are either great queens or models and tattoo artists from all over the world. I loved that diversity! As they are styled as children's fairy tales, I felt the 'endings' could use more work, but this is a great book for children, especially young girls, to read. 4/5 Stars.
3. 'Through The Woods' by Emily Carroll. I was gifted this by a close friend of mine and overjoyed to finally be reading it! I've been eyeing up Graphic Novels as a genre to get back into for months now, and this is a good place to start. The short stories were spooky and atmospheric for sure, and the artwork was absolutely gorgeous! I liked the similarities to fairy tales too, but I wish that the endings had not been so vague. They felt very unfinished and for the most part, I didn't 'get it'. 4.5/5 Stars.
4. 'The One Memory Of Flora Banks' by Emily Barr. This book has such mixed reactions all over the internet, and I went in a little wary about what I'd find. In the end though, it was mostly 'okay'. The characters were well formulated, I especially liked Paige and Agi because they demonstrated complicated but likeable friendships. Flora's time in Svalbard was probably my favourite portion of the book. I liked the idea behind the book too, but I felt that due to Flora's condition, elements of it were so repetitive almost to the point of boredom. Her conversations with Drake (the sexting in particular) made me feel really uncomfortable too because of her amnesia. It all felt a bit creepy. 3/5 Stars.
5. 'What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours' by Helen Oyeyemi. More fairy tales? Yay! I've been looking to get into Oyeyemi's work for a while now, this looked like a good opportunity to do so. I was totally captivated by the magic within the pages of this book, and I have to say that I adored the magical realism of it all. I don't normally like that genre, but Oyeyemi handled it masterfully. Despite that, I still left feeling disappointed. Each story had such a great premise, especially as some characters appeared in more than one. Each one, as with previous reads this month, felt 'unfinished' too. I really think I'd like Oyeyemi's full-length novels more, where she'd be given a chance to fully flesh out her endings. 3/5 Stars.
6. 'The Final Empire' by Brandon Sanderson. This is the book I've been waiting for! It was the perfect end to the month! A friend bought it for me such a long time ago, and I felt so bad for putting it off this long. But it was definitely worth the wait, as this felt like the best fantasy book I've read in a long time. Fantastic characterisation, gorgeous world-building, and a good plot that kept me hooked throughout. I even liked the romance aspect because it didn't interfere too much! I can't wait to read more of Sanderson's work as it all looks amazing!

Now it's time to see how I did with my challenges this month!

This month I have read two books for the Netgalley & Edelweiss Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to eighteen. My reads were:

- The One Memory Of Flora Banks

- What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours

This month I have read one books for the 2017 New Releases Challenge, bringing my yearly total so far to eight. My reads were:

- The One Memory Of Flora Banks

This month I have read two books for the LGBTQIA Challenge, bringing my yearly total to eight. My reads were:

- What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours

This month I have read two books for the Diverse Reads Challenge, bringing my yearly total to twenty two. My reads were:

- Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls

- The One Memory Of Flora Banks

And here's my update on this quarter's Bookish Bingo card, courtesy of Pretty Deadly Blog!

Over 5 Years Old: Green Rider; Kristen Britain.
Red Cover: Good Bones; Margaret Atwood.
Latinx MC: One Of Us Is Lying; Karen M. McManus.
LGBT+: Release; Patrick Ness.
White Cover: A List Of Cages; Robin Roe.
Blue Cover: Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls; Francesca Cavallo & Elena Favilli.
Name In Title: The One Memory Of Flora Banks; Emily Barr.
Royalty: The Sleeping Prince; Melinda Salisbury.
A Book With A Map: The Final Empire; Brandon Sanderson.
Flowers On The Cover: What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours; Helen Oyeyemi.
Award Winner: Through The Woods; Emily Carroll.

Book Review: The Final Empire; Brandon Sanderson.

Finally! My first ever Brandon Sanderson book! It's been a long time coming, and I will be thanking the friend who bought this for me a million times over (as well as apologising profusely for taking so many years to actually read it) because it was so good!

SOURCE: Present
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: The Final Empire
AUTHOR: Brandon Sanderson
SERIES: Mistborn (#1)
PUBLISHER: Orion Publishing Co
PAGES: 647
GENRE: Epic Fantasy, Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Dystopian?

RATING: 5/5 Stars

Blurb:
In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. 

The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with colour once more?



What I Liked:

• The characters were probably my favourite thing about this book, because Sanderson writes them really well. I really wasn't expecting most of the POV to be from a group of con-artists/thieves but I fell in love with their personalities instantly. Kell was a great perspective to read from because even though it's his thoughts, you still aren't sure what he's thinking. Vin was my favourite however as, like the reader, she is discovering everything at the same rate. She was badass and had trust issues, but everything was heartfelt and she was so clever. Other members of the crew I liked too: Breeze, Ham, Sazed and Dockson all captured my hearts. Even Marsh! The interactions between them all were both hilarious and natural too, so great job there!
• I don't normally advocate too much romance in a book as often it takes away from the main plot and doesn't really appeal to me. But here, I 100% shipped the growing attraction between Elend and Vin. I wanted them to find happiness! I never really expected to encounter something like that, especially between an eccentric, philosophical fop and a street-urchin pretending to be nobility. Their interactions were really well laid-out. Well done to Mr. Sanderson for making me believe in the power of love again!
• The lore in this book was wonderful. Truly wonderful. Sanderson is clearly a master at his craft, especially when it comes to building a good world! He did it with such ease, but it felt very fresh and original and surprised me in a lot of ways. It struck the perfect balance of being exciting and new, yet comfortingly familiar. I fell in love with this book from page one because of the way this book was written and the amount of work that had clearly gone into envisaging it.

What I Disliked:

• Coming up with a major dislike for this book was basically impossible. I loved it all! The length was certainly not something I'm used to, as usually I read books under half it's size. That being said, it gave me the right amount of depth without info-dumping and I felt that 650ish pages was really enough considering the amount that happens. 

Overall Conclusion:

This book had it all. A well-written and fresh story, beautiful world-building, interesting and unique characters and a whole dose of charm. It was funny and emotionally engaging, and I don't think I've raved about a book like this in a long time. This is how epic Fantasy should be done! Yes, it's long and some people might not enjoy dedicating so much time to it, but if you're an avid fan of fantasy mixed with a slight sci-fi/dystopian feel then look no further because Sanderson has it covered. 

Last Week's Shenanigans (24th July - 30th July)...

Had a good week this week, mostly spent either at work or round my friend's new houses. They're all moving, pretty much at the same time, so it's been fun seeing all of their new places! There's a lot of change going on in my life at the moment, and I'm definitely excited for the future though it's been sending my anxiety levels through the roof so I don't want to dwell on it all too much. I'm totally gutted I missed YALC though, that's probably my biggest regret and I'm hoping that I'll be able to go next year! It looks like everyone had so much fun there!

I Read...

I Received...

- 'This Book Will (Help You) Change The World' by Sue Turton: Approved by Netgalley (30/07/17)
- 'I Am Traitor' by Sif Sigmarsdóttir: Approved by Netgalley (30/07/17)
- 'Satellite' by Nick Lake: Approved by Netgalley (30/07/17)
- 'The Geek Feminist Revolution' by Kameron Hurley: Bought on Amazon (30/17/17)

Book Review: What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours; Helen Oyeyemi.

Another collection of short stories! I'm doing really well for them this month. I was a little inspired by my reading of Margaret Atwood's 'Good Bones', and wanted to get into some more magical stories that referenced (even vaguely) classic fairy tales. Like Margaret Atwood, Oyeyemi has been on the TBR for some time. This was a good place to start.

SOURCE: Netgalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours
AUTHOR: Helen Oyeyemi
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Picador
PAGES: 272
GENRE: Short Stories, Adult Fiction, Magical Realism, Contemporary

RATING: 3/5 Stars

Blurb:
The stories collected in What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours are linked by more than the exquisitely winding prose of their creator: Helen Oyeyemi's ensemble cast of characters slip from the pages of their own stories only to surface in another.

The reader is invited into a world of lost libraries and locked gardens, of marshlands where the drowned dead live and a city where all the clocks have stopped; students hone their skills at puppet school, the Homely Wench Society commits a guerrilla book-swap, and lovers exchange books and roses on St Jordi's Day.

It is a collection of towering imagination, marked by baroque beauty and a deep sensuousness.

What I Liked:

• This is the first book that uses magical realism that has really grabbed me! I normally don't get on with the genre because I find the weird inclusion of bizarre happenings without explanation too confusing. But Oyeyemi wove it all so beautifully into her stories that I found myself captivated rather than put off. The style of the book is beautifully curious too, reading like a baroque historical fantasy when it is in fact, for the most part, contemporary fiction set in Europe. It's a beautiful world that she's built - made up of keys and locks, books and puppets, giving huge Pinocchio vibes for that reason alone!
• This book was beautifully diverse. I went in knowing that there would be many different ethnicities in this book, as I'd read the synopsis of 'Boy, Snow, Bird' and figured these stories would be along the same lines. But the casual LGBT+ inclusion really pleasantly surprised me. In fact most of the relationships in this book were LGBT+ and it was refreshing to read them in the stories with such a degree of normalcy. Especially in a European setting! I really recommend people that want to expand their reading to get hold of this book for that reason alone!

What I Disliked:

• There was only really one thing that I didn't enjoy about these tales, but it was a big thing. Every tale started intriguingly and built throughout into a great story. And then suddenly, they were over without any kind of real ending. It went beyond ambiguous, it actually felt unfinished most of the time, which was really frustrating. Each story was meant to be a glimpse into the character's lives of course, but I wanted to feel like there was an actual point to reading about them. It was very disappointing.

Overall Conclusion:

This was a really great book in so many ways and a goos taster of Helen Oyeyemi's work as a whole. I definitely want to read her full-length novels because I feel like I'd like them even more! Oyeyemi's prose is beautiful, characters diverse, setting and plot was interesting and I also really liked that most of the stories referenced characters from the others. It meant that I came across characters I'd already met! I particularly enjoyed 'a brief history of the homely wench society' and ''sorry' doesn't sweeten her tea' because of the feminist ideals they referenced and the rarely broached subjects they discussed (especially regarding fame and celebrities).

Last Week's Shenanigans (17th July - 23rd July)...

It's been a busy week, particularly for birthdays, and of course it was the first week of the new season of Game Of Thrones which is a very exciting event for Mat and I. We are loving it. I'm afraid to say other than that not a huge amount has happened other than work! On Sunday, my family came up for much of the afternoon to see how I was getting on and discuss wedding stuff with me, which was fun. Mat and I are really starting to look at venues now, so I'm excited to be getting into it!

I Read...

I Received...

- 'They Both Die At The End' by Adam Silvera: Approved by Edelweiss (18/07/17)
- 'One Dark Throne' by Kendare Blake: Approved by Edelweiss (18/07/17)
- 'The Glow Of Fallen Stars' by Kate Ling: Approved by Netgalley (21/07/17)

Book Review: The One Memory Of Flora Banks; Emily Barr.

This book really intrigued me for a number of reasons, but mostly because there were so many pages of various members of the Penguin publishing team raving about how great it is. On the one hand, I usually skip the quotes of praise (I like to make my own mind up) and there was way too much of it here! On the other hand, the whole publishing team is clearly very passionate about the book which was nice to see.

SOURCE: Netgalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: The One Memory Of Flora Banks
AUTHOR: Emily Barr
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Penguin
PAGES: 311
GENRE: Contemporary, Young Adult, Adventure, Mystery

RATING: 3/5 Stars

Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumour that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life. 

With little more than the words "be brave" inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to Svalbard, Norway, the land of the midnight sun, determined to find Drake. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must "be brave" if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home.

What I Liked:

• As far as plot ideas go, this one was great! I've certainly never seen a book about Anterograde Amnesia before, and it made for an interesting and original storyline that's for sure! Barr does write really well, and it was to her credit that this defining like really kept me wanting to read more despite some problems I had with the book (more on that later).
• The character's were great too, well-written and very multi-dimensional. My favourites were Paige and Agi because they had both clearly been worked on a lot and they were the kind of friendships that I'd love to see more of in real life. This was a book about self discovery and Flora was clearly a great canvas to work with. Barr got the balance between her present, adult self and the memories of immaturity and being ten perfectly right.

What I Disliked:

• So the idea was cool, yes. Was it well executed? This was less easy to determine. If an MC has problems making new memories this is going to lead to a lot of repetition and this was to the book's detriment. The constant forgetting and relearning got so old and I felt like I probably missed things in order to skim over them and advance Flora's journey more quickly.
• Again, while Barr got the balance between learning to be an adult and still having the mid of a child spot on, it made for uncomfortable reading. Especially regarding Drake. The constant references to their imagined sex life, what he would like to do to her (sexting basically), 'I love Drake. He kissed me on a beach.' every few paragraphs and the idea that someone could take advantage of Flora like that really made me cringe. A lot. People might be triggered by this, because it really got to me and content like this wouldn't have normally.
• I really wanted a good ending and I simply didn't get it. In fact, the ending I got bordered on ridiculous. It turned from a powerful if unrefined story about a girl learning to adapt to a world not built for her into a huge, psychotic break-down that was not only child abuse but also really out there and the weird feeling of characters 'banding together' in an unrealistic way.

Overall Conclusion:

What a strange book. While it's good to see a publishing company so on board with something, I can't help but feel it needed more editing. There was a lot of repetition when it needed only a little to put it's point across, the characters were well built but made me feel fairly uncomfortable at times (as did the weird situations that Flora found herself in) and I couldn't help but feel disappointed at the farfetched ending. I loved the descriptions of Svalbard and it's inhabitants (it's kind of on the bucket list now) and that segment of the book was great. I just was hoping for more of a kick out of this one.

Last Week's Shenanigans (10th July - 16th July)...

It's been a long, boring week for me for the most part. But the most frustrating thing about it has been the big wait for the new season of Game Of Thrones. Mat and I rewatched every prior season leading up to it so that we could remember everything that had happened beforehand. It was especially satisfying watching Seasons 5 & 6 because we'd only watched them once, when they came out! I've also really started watching Grimm now, I'm a few episodes in and enjoying it immensely. Definitely filling the Once Upon A Time shaped hole in my heart, at least temporarily. I've also been watching the anime Elfen Lied which I've liked a lot. I watched it once before when I was very young, and thought it was great!

On Monday, Mat and I dropped my engagement ring in to have it resized and polished, which they did very quickly and it fits a lot better now! I'm still marvelling at it's beauty, I love it so much! We also went to Stratford and got a few well needed bits and bobs, as well as spending a much needed day out together! Work filled up the rest of my week except on Sunday, when Tash and George came over to watch some TV with us and generally hang out. A well needed afternoon after a boring management meeting in the morning.

I Read...

I Received...

Book Review: Through The Woods; Emily Carroll.

On to book two that I got through today, a short graphic novel that has been on my TBR for so long but I've only just acquired thanks to a close friend of mine who only just bought it for me! I'm a big fan of anything macabre, gothic, and horrifying that plays upon Fairy Tales so this was the perfect book for me really!

SOURCE: Present
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: Through The Woods
AUTHOR: Emily Carroll
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Faber & Faber
PAGES: 208
GENRE: Graphic Novel, Horror, Short Stories, Young Adult

RATING: 4.5/5 Stars

Blurb:
'It came from the woods. Most strange things do.'

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there...

What I Liked:

• So let's start with the best part of the book - the art! Emily Carroll is seriously talented and the way that she designed each panel really made each story come alive. It felt unique, like something I'd never seen before, and I'm definitely a big fan of hers after reading this book. Art is something I love to appreciate just as much as I love reading a good story. I loved the dark, creepy undertones of her artwork. It was very gothic, a little macabre and certainly horrifying at points. Great stuff!
• I loved the way that Carroll put so much imagination into the stories. Each one contained recognisable tropes from the horror genre, but they all felt fresh and new as well. There was a distinct 'Fairy Tale' theme which you'll all know that I enjoyed. Carroll took some distinctively memorable stories and gave them a fresh feel, which I liked a lot. This was particularly prevalent in 'A Lady's Hands Are Cold', which had a very Bluebeard-esque vibe to it.

What I Disliked:

• The stories aren't very long. That in itself is not a problem if they're well structured, but with a couple of the stories I felt that they started well and built up nicely, but were a bit anticlimactic with very vague endings. Obviously the idea is that readers are supposed to draw their own conclusions, but for stories such as 'His Face All Red' and 'My Friend Janna' even that was a little difficult. I wish I'd had a little more direction as to the conclusion of such masterfully paced stories.

Overall Conclusion:

These stories were gorgeous. Beautifully drawn, and crafted well to fit the genre. They might not frighten you to death, but they are definitely unsettling and will give you chills. I liked the themes, the fresh take on classic tales, the way the author presented it all, everything! The only thing that let this light read down (though not for the faint-hearted) was the ambiguous endings that went beyond being 'left to the imagination' and left me totally clueless a couple of times. I like an ending in horror, and I don't like it to be vague.

Book Review: Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls; Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo.

So, being my day off and realising I'm falling a little behind with my reading challenge, I decided to pick up a couple of reads that I recently acquired which I knew would be quick reads. This was my first. There really should be more books like this in the world. Books that promote the idea that women are just as powerful as men. That they can achieve.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: Hardcover

TITLE: Goodnight Stories For Rebel Girls
AUTHOR: Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Particular Books
PAGES: 212
GENRE: Children's Fiction, Non Fiction, Short Stories

RATING: 4/5 Stars

Blurb:
What if the princess didn't marry Prince Charming but instead went on to be an astronaut? What if the jealous step sisters were supportive and kind? And what if the queen was the one really in charge of the kingdom? Illustrated by sixty female artists from every corner of the globe, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls introduces us to one hundred remarkable women and their extraordinary lives, from Ada Lovelace to Malala, Elizabeth I to Serena Williams. 

Empowering, moving and inspirational, these are true fairy tales for heroines who definitely don't need rescuing.

What I Liked:

• There are one hundred different female role models in this book, and while I loved seeing the obvious ones (Elizabeth I, the Bronte Sisters, Cleopatra etc.) but loved reading about women I'd never heard of before too (favourite stories included Brenda Chapman, Grace O'Malley, Michaela Deprince and Almna Al Haddad among many others). Their were some truly inspiring tales, and they are all about real life events so this is the perfect, empowering book for young or older children to read in order to learn more about the past contributions of women!
• I loved the diverse coverage found in this book. First of all, the women were not all white! They came from so many different places around the globe - all continents! It was such a relief because it's hard enough to find books about inspiring women generally, let alone if they aren't from a Western civilisation! While there could have been a few more LGBT+ stories, they were included in this book and I especially liked reading about Kat Coy. The achievements were diverse too - from conquering countries, to curing diseases, to even fighting for the right to drive. Awesome stories!
• The art! Obviously! It was probably the most awesome part of the book! I love the story of how this book actually came together, and that it was so well funded via Kickstarter. The pictures that are drawn for each woman are the most interesting, and the credits to each Artist at the end of the book are so important! 

What I Disliked:

• The stories were a little on the short side, each filling up only a page. Of course they are aimed at children, but while they normally started well, the endings were a little vague and lacklustre in a lot of cases. Many details had to be left out of course, but I felt like the ending hadn't been properly covered in a lot of cases. Also, the quotes for each lady were mixed. Some were great, others were vague and a bit boring.
• Some of the choices were a little interesting...I'm thinking particularly of Margaret Thatcher of course. I liked how they handled it - they never commended her actions, only her iron will and steely determination, which is something to be commended. However, you chose her over other great figures such as Joan of Arc? I find that unbelievable! This really is such a little thing, but it did bug me a little bit...

Overall Conclusion:

This book is designed for children and frankly, it's one that we need! Great examples of real-life women who have not listened to men telling them they can't do things, and gone ahead and done them anyway. They are told in a Fairy Tale style which I also liked because not all Fairy Tales should be Princesses waiting for Princes to rescue them. I liked the diversity and the large spectrum of women in terms of fame and what they fought for. I wish the stories had been longer of course, and some obvious examples were not included which was a shame. Overall however, this is a book that is good for children to read, boy or girl, because it teaches a valuable lesson!

Last Week's Shenanigans (3rd July - 9th July)...

On the surface, this didn't feel like a particularly busy week but actually, upon reflection, we did a lot more than I originally remembered. On Monday Mat and I returned home from visiting family, and after unpacking and doing a little bit of cleaning, we headed over to visit our friend's new flat! It's so bizarre when you realise how quickly time flies, as it was only a little less than a year ago since we moved into ours, and yet here we are! It was a gorgeous flat with great views, and it made me look forward to a time when Mat and I will have our own place even more!

Later on in the week, Mat and I headed back down to Kent but this time in the name of charity! Mat's family are very closely associated with the charity We Are Beams which raises money to help families with disabled children all around Kent. They organised a 5k Colour Run to raise money, and Mat and I (along with our friend George) decided to take part and run in order to raise some money. I was a little worried as I had pulled a muscle in my foot that was really bothering me at work all week, so we ended up walking most of it, but it was great fun and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

When we arrived back in London, Mat's friend from America was visiting England for a few days so dropped by for Chinese food and some fun! It rounded off what was already a super fun week!

I Read...

I Received...

- 'The Ones That Disappeared' by Zana Fraillon: Approved by Netgalley (04/07/17)
- 'False Hearts' by Laura Lam: Bought on Amazon (04/07/17)
- 'Solitaire' by Alice Oseman: Bought on Amazon (08/07/17)
- 'Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls' by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo: Bought On Amazon (09/07/17)

Book Review: The Sleeping Prince; Melinda Salisbury.

I've been dreading reading this book a bit, I must admit, because I spent a long time feeling so let down by book one! The gorgeous cover and huge hype gave me such hope, and it fell short of most of my expectations. That being said, it wasn't the worst book I'd ever read, and I was intrigued enough by the world-building that I wanted to continue with the series, because it had potential. This book did impress me more than book one, it's true, but there were a few issues with it still.

SOURCE: Bought
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: The Sleeping Prince
AUTHOR: Melinda Salisbury
SERIES: The Sin Eater's Daughter (#2)
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Fiction
PAGES: 336
GENRE: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

RATING: 3.5/5 Stars

Blurb:
Ever since her brother Lief disappeared, Errin's life has gone from bad to worse. Not only must she care for her sick mother, she has to scrape together rent money by selling illegal herbal cures. But none of that compares to the threat of the vengeful Sleeping Prince whom the Queen just awoke from his enchanted sleep.

When her village is evacuated as part of the war against the Sleeping Prince, Errin is left desperate and homeless. The only person she can turn to is the mysterious Silas, a young man who buys deadly poisons from Errin, but won't reveal why he needs them. 

Silas promises to help her, but when he vanishes, Errin must journey across a kingdom on the brink of war to seek another way to save her mother and herself. But what she finds shatters everything she believed about her world, and with the Sleeping Prince drawing nearer, Errin must make a heartbreaking choice that could affect the whole kingdom.

What I Liked:

• Errin is a MUCH better MC than Twylla ever was for a whole host of reasons. All Twylla ever did in book one was mope and sing and wander the palace like a lost puppy, whining about her horrible life. Errin actually does something about it! She was feisty and stubborn, vulnerable but kickass and I loved her so much! I never once felt bored reading from her viewpoint and though there wasn't as much questing as I'd hoped, at least she actually left the village in her book!
• Let's talk about the romantic side of things, another aspect of book one that I didn't like. I really didn't enjoy reading Twylla and Lief together because I though she was a bit of a wet blanket and I hated Lief. Such an arrogant, horrible guy, whose ultimate betrayal was just awful and I don't understand why people are hoping Twylla will forgive him. Silas, Errin's love interest, was a total sweetheart and I adored him. Much more like the book boyfriends I'm used to adoring and I liked way their relationship built and panned out over the course of the book. I care about his and Errin's future a lot more.
• Salisbury really has done a great job with the world-building, something I enjoyed about book one too. The whole thing is very detailed and nicely mapped out - I like the folklore and fairy tales behind it all, the historical context and the political complexities within the kingdom. I've always been impressed by this lady's writing style and the way that she creates such vivid settings for her story, and this was definitely developed upon in this book.

What I Disliked:

• So, as I mentioned, there were elements of this book I still didn't enjoy. The biggest one was how Salisbury handled Twylla and Lief. Starting with Twylla, she's in the book and her characterisation felt virtually untouched. She was still boring and a bit prudish, and despite her strong will I didn't understand why she was being treated as if she were so special. Lief...ugh. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that I hated him even more strongly coming out of this book. Flashbacks to his childhood reaffirmed my decision rather than making me question it.
• Salisbury builds a great Fantasy world, it's true, but I'm afraid areas of this book contained very extreme cases of info-dumping and they were a bit of a battle to get through. Especially when Errin went underground towards the end. I really wanted more action at that point and I felt like I didn't understand half of what was being talked about anyway! It just didn't aid me in feeling immersed in the world in the same way that other Fantasy series I've read have.

Overall Conclusion:

This book produced so many mixed reactions in me. On the one hand, I really felt the improvement from book one but there were still things about this book that left me feeling disappointed. It's a shame because this series has gorgeous covers and gets so much hype, I wish I could see the attraction in the same way. I'm definitely invested enough to want to know what happens though, and I have to applaud Salisbury for not letting her book suffer from 'book two syndrome' (which is a real thing). I hope 'The Scarecrow Queen' is a good finale for this series because if it ends strongly, I'll feel like the trawl has been worthwhile!

Last Week's Shenanigans (26th June - 2nd July)...A Week With Family!

So as you may remember from last week's post, Mat and I made our way back to our hometown in Kent to see our families! We started the first half of the week with Mat's parents, and I honestly have to say how nice it was to just relax and have some downtime. Monday and Tuesday were spent around the house, making sure that we didn't over exert ourselves. We watched TV, I blogged and read, and it was lovely! I got to do so much catching up! On Wednesday Mat and I headed to Canterbury for the day, and it was a really nice time out. It's been a while since we've been to that city, but it was mostly the same as I remembered it. I bought some bits from Lush and had a lovely relaxing look around Waterstones! We then headed to the nearby pub to meet up with a friend of mine from University who I haven't seen for ages!

Thursday, Mat and I headed over to my parents and Mat spent the day out with friends while I got on with things in preparation for them coming home! We played some games in the evening, which was fun. My sister and I also found time to have a really good look at some of the wedding magazines she'd bought for me. Then on Friday we spent the day at home again, enjoying the weather and catching up with more reading. Saturday was for family and we spent it all with my parents and sister. In the afternoon we headed off to see my grandparents and enjoy a lovely cup of tea and a chat! Sunday was lots of fun too, I saw two of my friends from school who I haven't seen in a long time! I met Rosie in the morning for a Starbucks frappe and a chat, followed by playing on Dad's Xbox One (Little Nightmares is a great game for those interested) in the evening with her and Imogen! Then we went to Chiquitos for a long, overdue dinner out together and reminisced on the past to end the week nicely!

I Read...

I Received...

- 'No Is Not enough' by Naomi Klein: Approved by Netgalley (27/06/17)
- 'Through The Woods' by Emily Carroll: Present from Imogen (02/07/17)

Memes...

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books I Have Read In 2017 So Far

I Posted...

June Wrap-Up
Planned Reads For July

Planned Reads For July.

It took me quite a while to compose this list, Summer just really gets me in the reading mood and choosing from my huge TBR is hard. I narrowed it down, but I really can't promise I'll stick to it...

'The Sleeping Prince' by Melinda Salisbury and Emily Barr's 'The One Memory Of Flora Banks' are on the list because they are two of the books I didn't quite get to last month and really do want to read before I commit to this month's planned reads.

1. 'The Final Empire' by Brandon Sanderson. Summer is the time for an epic fantasy or two because it makes me think of far-off places and distant lands. As 'Green Rider' didn't quite give me the full fantasy experience, I really want to give this one a try. My friends all loved it, as did most of the book community. It's been on my TBR for way too long.
2. 'Ivory & Bone' by Julie Eshbaugh. This was actually a Summer release and retells the classic 'Romeo & Juliet' but with a twist - it's set in prehistoric times! I've definitely never read a book with that setting, it should certainly be interesting. I hope it's done well because it looks awesome! Plus, I really need to get through some more Edelweiss reads!
3. 'What Is Not Yours, Is Not Yours' by Helen Oyeyemi. What is a TBR of mine without something that is to do with fairy tales? I've wanted to read something by Helen Oyeyemi for a long time. Her books are highly rated and I was delighted when Netgalley accepted my request for this book because it is right up my street!
4. 'Only Ever Yours' by Louise O'Neill. So I'm a little scared about reading this because I know it covers some really heavy topics that I'm not entirely comfortable with. But I'm also really excited about it and I want to step outside of my comfort zone. I'm definitely going to try it out, and hopefully it won't freak me out too much.
5. 'The Outliers' by Kimberly McCreight. I've been desperate to read this thriller for some time, because it looks so good! A series of clues, big mysteries, and friendships too! I am desperate for something a bit fast-paced that will totally hook me. I've got a good feeling about this book.
6. 'If I Was Your Girl' by Meredith Russo. I am finally going to read this awesome sounding book focused on a trans MC! I've never read a book that has this kind of MC so it's actually really cool to finally be reading one. The cover is really cool as well, and I look forward to seeing how Russo handles this topic.