My First Buddy Read Was Amazing!!!

I had never buddy-read a book before, I had just never had the opportunity. But me and Caitlyn got chatting and we both really wanted to read An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir so why not!!

A YA fantasy, we follow from two different perspectives throughout this story. One is from the subjugated race, a Scholar, the other is from the Martials. The race which overthrew them and maintains control. As you can guess, we get a good rounded viewpoint of the story!

There were so many times me and Caitlyn were messaging each other in CAPS LOCK BECAUSE WHAT THE ACTUAL F*** IS HAPPENING!?!?! So that should tell you some of how amazing this book is! It completely draws you in and Sabaa Tahir has managed to write the characters so beautifully that they really come alive on the page and you’re changing your allegiance and routing for different sides and different scenarios!

This is an amazingly written fantasy and I also think that the book is the perfect length. You finish just at the perfect point, and I am really looking forward to when I pick up A Torch Against the Night. I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here! If you’re at all interested in fantasy reads and/or YA I really do recommend this beautiful book. I’m so glad I’ve finally read work by Sabaa Tahir and I look forward to delving in again in the future!

The Tattooed Heart by Michael Grant, a review

This series is one of my absolute favourites, and I only got them because of their covers! Check out my review of book one, The Messenger of Fear, here.

I loved book two as much as I adored the first book, there is really great character development of our two main characters, Mara and the Messenger, as we learn a bit more about them and their backgrounds before the situation that they’re currently in. There is also a much larger cast of victims (or should I say perpetrators?) in this book compared to the first. If you’re unaware of the concept of this book, the Messenger is in a different plain (sort of) to living people, and when people have done wrong but avoid any consequences he gives them consequences. That’s the most basic way I can think of explaining this concept without spoiling too much within the books. Book one focused more on Mara and her personal story, so this book was more about following different perpetrators and seeing how they react and change due to the consequences from their behaviour which damaged their victims.

There is a novella, and apparently, a third book is going to come out at some point. I 100% need to read the novella and I really hope that book #3 is released soon as I sped through these two books with no break, reading the whole book in one sitting, and I just need more of this world and Grants writing!

Had you heard of these? Have you read them? Let me know in the comments!

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, a review

Where to even start?! This book is amazing and I urge everyone who loves fantasy to read it. Click here to see the Goodreads page and the synopsis of the book.

First things first, this is not a book that I personally could rush through. I knew as soon as I had read the first few chapters that I was going to take my sweet time with this book and enjoy every second of it! I picked it up in the first place as I found out that Alwyn Hamilton was coming to the NYALitFest that was held at the beginning of 2018 in Preston. I had wanted to read this series and this news was a bit of a kick up the arse to get on with it! I didn’t actually finish it before the event, as like I said, I didn’t want to rush it. But I’m glad that I took my time and really enjoyed the book.

Amani is a badass female character who I loved seeing come into her own as the book progressed and different plot points were revealed. The relationship between her and Jin develops very naturally, starting out as suspicious of a stranger in her small desert town, and slowly starting to trust each other and have each other’s backs. The nuances are intricate and seem to be setting up for further events in the rest of the trilogy.

I can’t wait to carry on with this series and be engrossed in this world again. I really do recommend picking this one up, and I hope you fall in love as much as I have.