I have mixed feelings for School for Psychics and even now, after sitting on this review for a little while, I’m not entirely sure how I feel.  On the one hand it was undoubtedly a fairly quick read, it held my attention, I never suffered from ‘not wanting to pick it back up syndrome’ but on the other hand it’s quite possibly a trope too far.  In fairness to the author and the book I think my reading has suffered a little in the past week or so due to feeling under the weather so there is that and on top of that I seem to have read a run of books lately with similar themes which undoubtedly has left me feeling a bit jaded.  As it is, yes, this was entertaining.  Would I continue on?  I actually would – but I’d be strongly hoping to see some uniqueness enter the formula. The start of the story introduces us to our young protagonist Teddy Cannon.  Teddy has spent most of her life screwing up any opportunities that come her way.  She’s now a young twenty-something with very few prospects, living in a converted garage at her adoptive parents house and trying to…

I’m going to start this review with a little story of my own.  About six and a half/seven years ago I picked up a book called Prince of Thorns.  This book was different than anything I’d read before in fantasy terms.  I absolutely loved it and pretty much devoured the series in short order.  The main protagonist, Jorg, is not for everyone.  The Broken Empire series is awash with blood and Jorg, although he will grow on you if you give him a chance (imho), is somebody you don’t want to cross, not if you like breathing.  This was my first, but not last, foray into grimdark and I was absolutely sold.  Obviously I couldn’t wait to read the Red Queen’s War.  What a difference.  I expected more of the same, and I certainly got that in terms of good writing, but the story was so different, still bloody, still brimming with fantastic characters and Jalan was just a blast to read.  I seriously think The Wheel of Osheim is one of my favourite books ever.  Then Lawrence comes along with a magic/school for assassins story, his main protagonist a female.  So, colour me intrigued but maybe a little bit…

Having read the first two books in Weeke’s Rogues of the Republic series I was intrigued when I saw Feeder with it’s ‘sci fi’ feel.  I’m enjoying the fantasy series by this author (although I need to read No.3 and complete the series – I have completion issues!) and similarly to his fantasy works this book has a fun feel.  I enjoyed this.  I would say it’s probably aimed at a YA audience although to be honest it has a comic book type adventure feel that I’m sure will appeal to many.  It’s not a serious read but definitely something that I could see being adapted to screen really successfully.  A bunch of young adults with mutant powers plus a very diverse and inclusive cast of characters.  On top of that it’s virtually non-stop action with monsters of the tentacle-kind. As the story starts we meet Lori Fisher.  She’s received a message with details of her latest job and is sorting out real life issues in order to dash out the door – this gives you an immediate glimpse into Lori’s life.  You meet her brother Ben, who she adores, and get a feel for their close knit unit –…

I have to say from the outset that I had fun reading The Sisters Mederos.  This is a fantasy of manners with two sisters, raised with privilege, whose family loses everything, and who, using their wits and determination seek to reinstate their family’s good name and fortune. There’s not too much to go into in relation to the plot.  The Mederos family was one of the most influential and wealthy merchant houses in Port Saint Frey until the fleet was sunk and it was discovered their was no insurance.  Their fall from grace was as spectacular as it was speedy and clearly somebody orchestrated the whole affair.  The sisters are determined to find out who is to blame although at the same time they need to take action to keep their family afloat. As the story sets off we meet the Mederos family as they’re in the process of being accused.  The family home is taken from them, the girl’s uncle is imprisoned and the two girls are sent to boarding school.  When we next meet up with them the sisters have been returned home to their family after an absence of six years.  Times have changed, none of their…

The Bitter Twins is the second instalment of Jen Williams’ Winnowing Flame Trilogy and is an excellent second in series that demonstrates William’s ability to create a richly woven world, full of history and religion and characters that are a delight to read and fall in love with. Before reviewing The Bitter Twins I would point out that it is necessary to read the Ninth Rain first.  The story picks up immediately after the conclusion of No.1 and there is no recap of previous events so if you haven’t read the first book then I strongly recommend you stop right here, don’t read this review, simply go and pick up the first book.  The other thing that I would mention is that this is a book that is a little difficult to review without giving away spoilers for the first book or indeed for the content of The Bitter Twins so I’m really going to avoid discussion of the plot and limit my review to the writing, characters and world building. Once again the story brings our favourite characters to the table.  Lady Vincenza, or Vintage, again plays a key role.  Not to be deterred by her lack of either…

I love this series so much right now.  It’s gone straight to the top of my ‘must read’ list and to be honest it’s the one time in my life that I actually wish I was late to the party – because then I could just pick up one book after another to satisfy my need to read more.  As it is, I’ll have to be patient and wait and pray to the God of Books that ‘pretty please, let there be lots and lots more books with Professor Theo Cray’. To be honest, I picked this one up and had no expectations of liking it as much as The Naturalist, how could Mayne possible knock it out of the park again?  I simply loved the setting of the Naturalist.  The wilderness just gave the book an extra dimension of fear and the fact that the main protagonist is a nerdy scientist as oppose to a tough cookie all added to the tension.  So, yes, I confess, even though I wanted to love Looking Glass I picked this up with an almost belligerent stubbornness that there was no way on earth it was going to win me over or top…

Master Assassins is a great first book in series.  It’s overall scope is epic but at the same time it manages to shine the focus on the love and rivalry between two brothers.  The world building is really strong, it’s packed with imagination and twists and it promises more goodness yet to come. Before sinking my teeth into this review I must say that the title could be, unintentionally I might add, a little misleading.   The two brothers are indeed fleeing for their lives but the idea that they’re master assassins is a misconception on the part of their would-be capturers.  In actual fact the two really stumbled into trouble by accident rather than design but it does become apparent as the story progresses that whilst they might have bumbled into trouble they clearer have a much bigger role to play in future events. The story starts by introducing to us two half brothers, Kandri and Mektu.  The two are soldiers in the Army of Revelation fighting for the Prophet who released their people from slavery.  The war camp is a miserable place to say the least.  The soldiers are weary of the constant conflict, the Prophet they serve and…

The Toymakers is a book that I felt certain I would love, there was something about it that simply called out to me.  Perhaps it was a childish whim, perhaps it just appeals to the romantic side of my nature that is called forth by nostalgia, but, if you remember a time where a cardboard box was a castle, the underneath of a kitchen table a fortress and a sheet thrown between two washing lines a tent in the wilds then I dare say this will appeal to you too.  This is a book that simply shouts out to the child in everyone. It’s packed with imagination.  It starts at a time where the country has seen much war and perhaps in such times dreams  become hope and toy shops become little miracles of possibility. The year is 1917,  We meet with Cathy Wray who has brought shame to her family by becoming pregnant out of wedlock.  There are two solutions, Cathy can be taken to an institution that will deliver her baby and take it for adoption, or she can take herself out of that possible situation by running away.  Cathy chooses to run away from her home and finds…

The Hazel Wood is a book that is a combination of quest, redemption and dark fairy tale all rolled into one. I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The writing was really good but more than that the book actually spoke to me, and I realise that probably sounds a little bit sentimental but this was about change, coming of age, discovering who you are and having the courage to alter those things that seem set in stone.  It also gave me a serious case of the goosebumps that were bad enough to stop me reading late into the dark – I don’t know why, perhaps I’m just a bit of a wimp. As the book begins we learn about Alice.  Alice and her mother have been on the run for as long as she can remember.  A long time ago Alice’s grandmother wrote a book of dark fairy tales that became a cult classic. Very few copies of the book can be found and although it appeared to be adored, and indeed inspired a strong following, very few people now know much about the stories. It seems like the people who read the book become somewhat obsessive and one of Alice’s earliest…

For a debut novel Nick Clark Windo has come up with an impressive and thought provoking story with a post-apocalyptic world that comes scarily close to believable. Set in a possible near future Windo brings to us a world where people are so obsessed with their ‘feeds’ that they’re practically incapable of functioning when everything comes crashing down. Many of us live our lives pretty much glued to the internet with mobile phones becoming an absolute necessity.  You pretty much can’t leave home without your phone, it has maps, the internet, books, twitter, facebook, goodness knows how many apps and even your camera and ability to pay for goods, oh, and I almost forgot – sometimes people try to call or text you.  Now take this information and instead of carrying a phone around all day implant a chip directly into the human brain and provide people with a constant stream of information.  Your family can message you directly, send emotions and memories, information about anything can be relayed immediately to your brain, the need to study or read has become defunct and even the way you perceive others can be altered.  To be honest, it doesn’t read as a…