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Synopsis

Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from.

 When marauders raid her town, Maire is captured and sold to the eccentric Allemas, who enslaves her and demands that she produce sinister confections, including a witch’s gingerbread cottage, a living cookie boy, and size-altering cakes.

 During her captivity, Maire is visited by Fyel, a ghostly being who is reluctant to reveal his connection to her. The more often they meet, the more her memories return, and she begins to piece together who and what she really is—as well as past mistakes that yield cosmic consequences.

 From the author of The Paper Magician series comes a haunting and otherworldly tale of folly and consequence, forgiveness and redemption. 

Details

✱ Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
✱ Publication date: 28 June 2016
✱ Pages: 306 (ebook)
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

First Impressions

Would you look at that gorgeous cover?! Also I enjoyed Holmberg's Paper Magician trilogy so I had high hopes.

My Review

Imagination abounding

I mean, really. She is such an imaginative author, I'm always surprised by her writing - magic in baking for example is such a cool idea. There are so many interesting elements in this one that I felt had a lot of potential, but at the same time it felt a bit aimless. I really enjoyed the beginning but it sort of lost its way. In the synopsis some themes are mentioned, like 'folly and consequence,' which I think is quite apt, but it does take quite a while to see the wider effects and the real meaning of these themes.

The protagonist, Maire 

Maire has lost her memory so we're in her head, trying to figure out what's happening right alongside her. She faces some pretty difficult situations and usually keeps a cool head which makes her likeable to me, but I also found I couldn't really identify with her despite that. Maybe that's because it's hard to define the personality of someone who doesn't have their memories? The person Maire is and has been since losing her memory might be someone completely different from who she was before, and I think that has to show in her personality too.

Despite how much I adore imaginative stories...

This one fell a bit flat for me. In a way there's a mystery to it which means you keep waiting and waiting to find out what's really going on. It just didn't really work for me, in the end. If you like your books a bit different from everything else, and you like not knowing where the story is headed you might enjoy this. For me the ending just didn't deliver enough, and something about the execution of the story just diminished the magic overall.

Quick Recap and Rating

I wish I could give Magic Bitter a higher rating, but I didn't love it like I wanted to. The good thing is this one's going to be free for kindle unlimited - so if you have that you can give it a go without spending any extra money.
Have you read the Paper Magician? Are you planning on reading Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet? Have you read books where you had high hopes and it felt promising but fell short? Let me know!



Synopsis

Julia has the unusual ability to be . . . unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people's senses. It's a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it's a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned--crime pays. Her latest job is paying very well indeed. Julia is posing as a housemaid in the grand house of Mrs. Och, where an odd assortment of characters live and work: A disgraced professor who sends her to fetch parcels containing bullets, spiders, and poison. An aristocratic houseguest who is locked in the basement each night. And a mysterious young woman who is clearly in hiding--though from what or whom?

Worse, Julia suspects that there's a connection between these people and the killer leaving a trail of bodies across the frozen city. The more she learns, the more she wants to be done with this unnatural job. To go back to the safety of her friends and fellow thieves. But Julia is entangled in a struggle between forces more powerful than she'd ever imagined. Escape will come at a terrible price.

Details

✱ Pages: 384 (e-book)
✱ Series: Witch's Child #1
✱ Publication date: 7 June 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

First Impressions

There was an excerpt of Julia Vanishes in one of the Buzz Books editions (I'm kind of hooked on them...) and the few chapters I read really had my attention. I guess this one caught my imagination? There's a girl who has the strange ability to remain unseen and she uses it to thieve and spy. Doesn't that tempt you to read it too?

My Review

As you can probably tell based on the synopsis, there are a lot of different elements to Julia Vanishes. The danger of it is that it might make the story seem a bit cluttered. It all ties together enough by the end to make me happy as a reader, but I feel like it might definitely affect the reading experience for some.

I didn't connect with Julia as much as I usually do with protagonists but the distance might just be due to her making decisions I wouldn't. She still felt like a real person, and especially by the time I got to the end I felt really sympathetic towards her. The character growth that happens over this first book might have gotten to me, and made Julia more likeable, and I expect in the next book of the trilogy I'll feel a bit differently about Julia.

Regardless of all that, I found Julia Vanishes really enjoyable. The world-building is interesting and the story is full of surprises. It's one of those where you think you have an idea of where things are headed but then everything changes.

My favourite thing is that this world (that I kept seeing as a sort of alternate London in my mind because my mind makes no sense maybe because there is a sort of magic/technology thing going on that reminds me of other novels?) has a history and a strong character to it. It's intriguing to me when a world is really brought to life, when I can imagine walking down these unfamiliar streets myself. The magical system further works extremely well in the confines of this world, and the way people wield magic is inventive. Since witches are drowned in public Cleansings, the magic actually adds a lot to the story right from the beginning.

Quick Recap and Rating

If you like a bit of mystery in your fantasy novel this one might be perfect for you! The world-building is lovely and there are some very interesting characters (and magic!) in this one.
Have you read Catherine Egan before? Do you have the same weird fascination for books that portray witches as I do?

Hi lovelies!

Today we're talking about Pam Brondos' Fourline trilogy which I'm a tiny bit obsessed with. I'll talk about the series as a whole, and then expand on the final book, the Last Remnant, specifically a little bit towards the end of this post,  We'll keep this as spoiler free as possible!


For the first book in the trilogy, Gateway to Fourline:

Years before, a gateway opened between their world and ours. Sending one young woman through may be the key to survival for the kingdom of Fourline.

Strapped for cash, college student Natalie Barns agrees to take a job at a costume shop. Sure, Estos—her classmate who works in the shop—is a little odd, but Nat needs the money for her tuition.

 Then she stumbles through the mysterious door behind the shop—and her entire universe transforms.

 Discovering there’s far more to Estos than she ever imagined, Nat gets swept up in an adventure to save his homeland, an incredible world filled with decaying magic, deadly creatures, and a noble resistance of exiled warriors battling dark forces. As she struggles with her role in an epic conflict and wrestles with her growing affection for a young rebel, Soris, Nat quickly learns that nothing may go as planned…and her biggest challenge may be surviving long enough to make it home. 
✱ Pages: each book is about 300 to 350 pages
✱ Publication date: the Last Remnant will be out 10 May 2016
✱ Series: Fourline


  
What do you think of the covers? I love them for their simplicity, and I think they actually fit the books really well. I read the first two over Christmas break, and I've been waiting for the release of the Last Remnant since then. When I saw it up on Netgalley I squealed a little and then read it immediately.

The Kingdom of Fourline

Danger lurks in Fourline, and those who've escaped from that danger to our world cannot return for fear of being caught immediately. Enter Natalie Barns. A college student in need of funding for her studies, she agrees to a small mission to Fourline - enter the kingdom, finish the mission, then return home. But nothing is ever that simple.

Fourline is an enchanting world. The evil Nala are kind of terrifying, and pose a continuing threat. The warriors who could fight them are either dead or in hiding. These warriors are women known as Sisters. It's time for Nat to pretend to be one long enough to survive Fourline and make her way back home.

The Protagonist, Natalie

I think the reason I'm so into this story is Nat. She is so likeable. She's a student who worries about her family, worries about paying tuition, worries about being a burden. Pretty easy to identify with, at least for me. Also, she's kind of a geek and likes to spend her time in the lab. She's smart and resourceful and those are qualities I really like in a main character. She also does what she has to, without feeling sorry for herself or blaming others.

The Other Characters in the Story

Well-rounded and more and more detailed with every book, the characters of the trilogy have very distinct personalities. I love the dynamic between Natalie and her room-mate Viv, as well as the good old sisterly hatred that Nat and her little sister Cal have going on.

The characters from Fourline are intriguing too: there's Estos - the student Nat meets and agrees to help; Annin, who wears an eye-patch and gets made fun of but doesn't really care about what people say; Soris, who ends up helping Nat on her mission. The way we learn more about each character as the story goes on is wonderful.

The Final Chapter: the Last Remnant

As the last book in a trilogy, I think the Last Remnant worked very, very well. It had everything I wanted in it - danger, adventure, a bit of romance. Things really escalate towards the end of the second book, and in the Last Remnant, the stakes are high for everyone involved. Natalie and her friends' journey and their mission to save Fourline has had its effect on all of them, and it's wonderful to witness the character development that's happened during the course of the trilogy, and even just during the Last Remnant.
A thrilling, satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy!

Awesome characters, interesting world-building, and a thrilling plot. And the best thing? All three books are out (or will be on the 10th May) so you can easily binge them!
What do you think - are you willing to give this YA fantasy trilogy a go? What do you think about the whole travelling from our world to a high fantasy one?


She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world... 

 When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. 

 But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

 As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury. 
✱ Pages: 352 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: 23 February 2016



For some reason, it took me about a hundred pages to really get into this story, but once I got there, I was hooked! (You know, the kind of 'NO, I'm not going to talk to people, or move, or eat until I've finished this book' kind of thing?)

Zahra, Aladdin, and the Other Characters

These two characters are just too cute. I like both of them so much - they have their faults, their regrets, and they make mistakes. But they want what's best for the other, and what's best for their land. They are loveable and sympathetic, and they make you care about their story.

All the characters from the antagonists to princess Caspida and her Watchmaidens, and to the long-dead Roshana, are interesting. They have their own stories, their own motivations, whether that is to protect the kingdom, or just to look after one specific person.

Wishes and the Jinn

Although powerful, the magic Zahra wields comes with a price - I think it's an important part of these stories, so I'm glad that it's included. This of course leads to the topic of the Forbidden Wish and what that entails. There's an element of mystery throughout the story to this Wish, to Zahra's past, to the old friend, 'Habiba,' she talks to. All the questions the reader tries to figure out make the story very compelling.

The Writing

There is something about this book that makes me want to read it out loud, especially Zahra's parts of the dialogue, I think. The way Jessica Khoury tells her story is lovely, and the words - they hold a hint of longing, of magic, of romance. There's a real beauty to them.

“The things that were once sweet to me are now bitter. The sun is not half so bright. The stars seem dimmer. All this wealth and luxury feels meaningless. All the world is in your shadow, Zahra. I cannot help but see you when I close my eyes.” 

“The will of this boy thief flows in golden streams. It is the thread with which I weave, the colors with which I paint, the element with which I create.” 


A lovely story with a wonderful cast of characters. Overall, a pretty enthralling read! If you have a sweet tooth, or you're craving something that's a bit like a fairytale - give this one a go.
Have you read any stories that are based on Aladdin? Do you have a favourite retelling?

"How about making a bargain with me?" said the demon. "I'll break your spell if you agree to break this contact I'm under."

In the land of Ingary, where seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, Sophie Hatter attracts the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help - the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.

But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls...
✱ Pages: 302 (paperback)
✱ Publication date: 1986
✱ Howl's Moving Castle #1


This is one of the only middle grade books I will probably ever feature on this blog, but I feel like a) this one is worth it, and b) so many people have seen the film based on this that they deserve to know more about the book. I should probably add a slight disclaimer though: I've reread this book a dozen times since I was a kid, so I may be slightly biased.

Sophie, Howl, and the Magic

Sophie Hatter is one of my favourite protagonists - ever - because I see a lot of myself in her. She believes herself unlucky, and the most important thing for her to do is to make sure her two younger sisters are fine. She's self-sacrificing, cares too much about others' expectations, and doesn't believe in herself, at all. It took me a decade to realise that the reason I loved her so much was probably because I enjoyed seeing her grow out of from under all the expectations piled on her, to become her own person.
The Magician, Howl, is temperamental, childish, and a slitherer-outer, according to  Sophie. They are very different characters, but somehow they end up getting to know each other, and getting along despite their clashing personalities.
The Magic in this universe seems to be very different depending on who is wielding it, and it's a really interesting concept to me. There are curious magical creatures and happenings in the story: a fire demon, a spell that ages a person by about seventy years, a magical castle with doors to different worlds.

Why do I love it so much?

It's a world where good can conquer evil, where magic exists, and where stories seem to be important to people when they are coming to terms with their own identity. I think the dialogue and the story-telling are wonderful, and I like the pacing. It's like a fairy-tale but in slightly longer form, and like the best fairy-tales, I think it has a lot to say about people in general. I also love that the chapter titles summarise what happens without giving things away. For example, 'Chapter One In which Sophie talks to hats,' or 'Chapter Nineteen in which Sophie expresses her feelings with weed-killer.'
If you're still not convinced, let me send a few quick quotes your way:
“I make that four horses and ten men just to get rid of one old woman. What did you do to the King?”
✱ 
“Nothing is safe from you. If I were to court a girl who lived on an iceberg in the middle of the ocean, sooner or later— probably sooner— I’d look up to see you swooping overhead on a broomstick. In fact, by now I’d be disappointed in you if I didn’t see you.”
“Are you off to the iceberg today?” Sophie retorted.
✱
“I've got a hangover!"
"No, you hit your head on the floor," Sophie said.
Howl rose up on his hands and knees with a scramble. "I can't stay," he said. "I've got to rescue that fool Sophie."
"I'm here!" Sophie shook his shoulder. "But so is Miss Angorian! Get up and do something about her!”
Howl's Moving Castle is my happy place. This was what I turned to when All the Bright Places utterly destroyed me, and it worked. It's a quick, feel-good kind of read, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a go, especially if you're a fan of the Ghibli movie!
Have you read the book or watched the film? If you're a Ghibli fan, tell me your favourite movie! :)

  
Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children 
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests

 Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

 But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

 Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

 But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

 No matter the cost. 
✱ Pages: 160 (hardcover)
✱ Publication date: 5 April 2016
✱ Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review


The title and the cover sort of slapped me in the face, saying 'you absolutely must read me.' So I did. By the time I got to the end of the second page I was pretty much hooked.
"Real is a four-letter word, and I'll thank you to use it as little as possible while you live under my roof."
Every Heart a Doorway is a unique, quirky novella about teenagers, written for adults. The writing is brilliant, the dialogue delightful, and there are numerous amazing characters involved in the story: a Goblin Prince-in-waiting, a girl who went to a Nonsense world, a boy who can make skeletons dance... Not to mention the protagonist, Nancy, who is definitely just as interesting as all the others!
 
   The thing I love about this, is that every person you meet has a back story that could easily be a book on its own. These are people of fairy tales, except their stories have been cut short and they've been sent back home. It's a pretty cool premise - what happens when you've been somewhere amazing but have been sent back home? Where is 'home,' anyway? Is it where you're from, or is it where you feel you belong?

    There are some frank things said about sexual orientations, sex, and there's a bit of swearing - I didn't mind these at all (quite appreciated it actually), but some of you might, depending on your preferences. The story also has some slightly macabre elements, and I'm all for anything spooky, weird, or slightly disturbing. This is probably why this story was such a good fit for me!

Every Heart a Doorway is intriguing and gripping, and basically just a fantastic novella all-around. It has made me a fan of Seanan McGuire, so I'll hopefully be checking out some of her other work soon.
Does Every Heart a Doorway sound like something you'd enjoy? Also, please let me know if you have any favourite novellas that I absolutely should read :)