Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto | Book Review

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto – 4.5 Stars 

Blurb: I had a sister, once… 

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.

I promised her the throne would not come between us. 

Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.

But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled. 

Web of Darkness by Bali Rai | Book Review

Web of Darkness – Bali Rai – 4 STARS

Blurb: When the incredibly attractive Benedict befriends Lily online, she is thrilled. He is so much more mature than boys her age and he seems to know exactly how she’s feeling. She finds herself opening up to him, telling him things she wouldn’t tell anybody else.

 And she needs someone to confide in more than ever before as a spate of apparent suicides rocks her school – and her group of friends.

 But is Benedict the kind, charming person that he seemed to be initially? Lily soon realises that now, with half our lives spent online, you can be found – even if you try to hide . . .

Web of Darkness it targeted at a considerably younger audience than me, and I doubt that I ever would have found this book had Bali Rai not visited the school I was working in at the time. However, I’m glad that I met Bali and found this book. It’s a great read, no matter what age you are. I also got a signed copy, which makes it even more exciting!

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

the lie tree – frances hardinge – 3.5 stars

Blurb: Faith’s father has been found dead under mysterious circumstances, and as she is searching through his belongings for clues she discovers a strange tree.

The tree only grows healthy and bears fruit if you whisper a lie to it. The fruit of the tree, when eaten, will deliver a hidden truth to the person who consumes it. The bigger the lie, the more people who believe it, the bigger the truth that is uncovered.

The girl realizes that she is good at lying and that the tree might hold the key to her father’s murder, so she begins to spread untruths far and wide across her small island community. But as her tales spiral out of control, she discovers that where lies seduce, truths shatter . . .

Beautiful Boy by David Sheff

Beautiful boy – david sheff – 4 stars

Blurb: What had happened to my beautiful boy? To our family? What did I do wrong? Those are the wrenching questions that haunted every moment of David Sheff’s journey through his son Nic’s addiction to drugs and tentative steps toward recovery. Before Nic Sheff became addicted to crystal meth, he was a charming boy, joyous and funny, a varsity athlete and honor student adored by his two younger siblings. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who lied, stole, and lived on the streets. 

David Sheff traces the first subtle warning signs: the denial, the 3 A.M. phone calls (is it Nic? The police? The hospital?), the rehabs. His preoccupation with Nic became an addiction in itself, and the obsessive worry and stress took a tremendous toll, but as a journalist, he instinctively researched every avenue of treatment that might save his son and refused to give up on him. Beautiful Boy is a fiercely candid memoir that brings immediacy to the emotional roller coaster of loving a child who seems beyond help.

It took me quite a long time to read Beautiful Boy, but not because I didn’t like it. I either couldn’t find the time to pick the book up, or the story was getting too harrowing that I couldn’t bear to read on for that day. I must thank my boyfriend for chucking this book at me, (almost literally), and telling me to read it. I never would have found it if he hadn’t read it previously. 

Sophie’s Different by Patrick Hodges

Sophie’s Different – Patrick Hodges – 4 Stars

Blurb: Middle school is all about fitting in. It’s about not standing out. After all, kids can be cruel.

Sophie Devereaux doesn’t fit in. She and her two best friends, Marissa and Michelle, are seen as misfits. Things only get worse when Sophie runs afoul of Alexis, the most popular girl in school.

Ayden Saunders doesn’t fit in. Tragedies in his life have caused him to retreat into the shadows, where he watches his classmates from afar and fantasizes about being a superhero.

When Ayden overhears a plot to ruin Sophie’s life, he knows he can no longer sit on the sidelines. The two of them soon discover, to their amazement, that life is not about fitting in, it’s about being true to who you are.

What I like: Sophie’s Different was such a fantastic end to the trilogy. It tied up all the storylines for the majority of characters that we met in Joshua’s Island with a few heart-breaking twists along the way.

Ethan’s Secret by Patrick Hodges

Ethan’s Secret – Patrick Hodges – 5 Stars

Blurb: Kelsey Callahan is smart, tough and fiercely loyal to her friends. She wants nothing more than to follow in her father’s footsteps, and be a detective just like her hero, Sherlock Holmes.

A lover of mysteries, she finally gets the chance to solve something on her own when Ethan, a cute but mysterious loner appears in her class. Both fascinated and infatuated with him, Kelsey soon learns there are events at play in Ethan’s life that are both tragic and dangerous.

Events that, the deeper she digs, may end up threatening not only their relationship but their very lives.

What I like: I loved the first book in the James Madison trilogy, so I’m not sure why it took me so long to get around to reading Ethan’s Secret. I’ll be reading Sophie’s Different, the final book in the series next. I really want to know what happens next, even though the characters may be slightly different.

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

The Lady of the Rivers – Philippa Gregory – 5 Stars

The fact that it took me a few months to finish this book doesn’t reflect on the quality. When I pick up a book and read it for the first time, it often takes me a few weeks, not months like this one, but I’m busy and have many late nights, so reading anything goes out of the window. I really wanted to love this book, and I’m glad to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

Blurb: Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her household for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou’s close friend and a Lancaster supporter – until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV.

Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines.

The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher

The Christmasaurus – Tom Fletcher – 3.5 Stars

Blurb: The Christmasaurus is a story about a boy named William Trundle, and a dinosaur, the Christmasaurus. It’s about how they meet one Christmas Eve and have a magical adventure.

It’s about friendship and families, sleigh bells and Santa, singing elves and flying reindeer, music and magic. It’s about discovering your heart’s true desire, and learning that the impossible might just be possible.

Before I even begin this review, I just need to say that any negatives I have about this book are mainly because it’s for children. You’ll see what I mean.

What Makes a Good Book Review?

I’ve always wondered what people like to see in a book review. As an author, any review 3 stars or more is greatly appreciated. Even a 3 star review can mean that the reader enjoyed the book, they just didn’t love it. Every review is appreciated by an author, indie or not.

One of my most liked posts on here is a book review. I wrote it almost two years ago now, and it still gets views. I do wonder sometimes how people stumble upon that post. It made me think why that review was so popular. If people enjoyed it enough to like the post, it meant the format of the review must have been to certain people’s taste. You can find it here.

These are the 5 steps that I use to write my reviews.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel – Cassandra Clare – 5 Stars

The Clockwork Angel is the first in the trilogy of ‘The Infernal Devices’. The first time I read this book must have been in 2010 after finding it in my local library, and I instantly fell in love with it. It’s now one of my favourite books ever. I’ve read it quite a few times, and it never lets me down. I only wish that I’d written this review after the first time of reading the book. It would be great to see what I thought of it back then!

Blurb: Magic is dangerous – but love is more dangerous still… When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.