Category: Book Reviews

Book Review | The Voidstalker Extraction, Liv Evans and Jay Thomas

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

The galaxy is a dangerous place. Habitable planets are controlled by powerful factions, and the space between them is fair game for pirates and expansionists alike. The best way to get ahead in the Void is by hiring mercenary companies to use their ships and mechs to claim and defend territory.

Most mercenary groups are run by morally gray upstarts who will do anything for the right price. One company is the exception: the Triple C. Led by former mech pilot Henri Durroguerre, it has gained a reputation for honoring contracts and minimizing collateral damage.

Astera Ramos, a runaway turned mech pilot, is new to the Triple C. Eager to prove herself, she volunteers for a supposedly straight-forward reconnaissance job on Baldalan that quickly turns deadly.

Astera Ramos, a runaway turned mech pilot, is new to the Triple C. Eager to prove herself, she volunteers for a supposedly straight-forward reconnaissance job on Baldalan that quickly turns deadly.

My Thoughts:

It’s been a while since I’ve read any Sci-Fi as I have been on a bit of a Fantasy and Romance kick lately and it was so good to get back into the genre. Especially with a book like this one! ‘The Voidstalker Extraction’ is a great plot driven Sci-Fi that is action packed, full of vibrant characters, and has just the right amount of romance threaded through it (and romance wasn’t something I was completely expecting from this one, so it was a nice surprise, especially as it didn’t take over the plot).

This novel started right in the thick of the action and I love it for that. I was already stressing over the characters within the last pages of Chapter One and from that I knew I was in for a wild ride. I was completely taken in by the language used to create these really intense scenes, helping me to really feel like I was there with them. What came with this though was a lot of technical language which I loved, there wasn’t anything I couldn’t understand within the context, but just take this into consideration when wanting to read this. For me though, it really immersed me in the world.

One thing I did find a little confusing (and only very early on), was some of the naming conventions in this world. Basically most of the characters had their name, and then their callsign (so a code name) used on missions. Once I got my head around it, it was great, and I think, used really well for some plot points later on in the novel. With some of my favourite lines occurring as a result.

The characters in this novel were wonderful! Side characters were given the same amount of care as the main characters so they all felt as vibrant as the other, just the main characters had more story time. I think this is mainly due to the multiple point of views this novel was told in, as each character was seen through different sets of eyes. I loved the main character, Aestera, it was great to follow her story throughout the novel.

Pick this one up if you are looking for an exciting Sci-Fi novel with a gripping plot and memorable characters, and elements of the story that keep you guessing right to the end.

Thank you to the publisher and the authors for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 11th December 2022.

Book Review | Jack’s on Fire, Owen Lach

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

What if you were a queer teenage musician outed by his vengeful ex-boyfriend and not a fairy tale princess trapped in a castle tower? What if your wicked stepmother was your ordinary, thoughtless, uncaring mother? What if your fairy godmother was your older brother? What if your Prince Charming was captain of the JV soccer team? Maybe you’d be forgiven for not realizing you were living in a sort of fairy tale.

Faced with the impossible choice of staying home to risk being sent away to Father Sullivan’s special school for exceptionally happy boys or moving in with his older brother in California, 16-yr-old Jack Martin leaves behind everything he knows in Minneapolis to go to San Francisco.

My Thoughts:

This was an absolute delight to read! It was so nice to read a Queer story that was filled with so much joy and hope, but that didn’t shy away from the realities of being a Queer teen. This, I think this threw me a little at first, everything was always going so well that I was waiting for something to go seriously wrong for Jack but it didn’t happen, not like I expected anyway. I realised a little while in that the hopefulness of the story, and the series of lucky events read just like the fairy tale the novel’s tag line promised. I loved this novel for that.

I loved as well that Jack seemed so disbelieving in his good circumstances after such a rough start to the beginning of this story. It would be so easy for him to take it all for granted, but he questions it before he accepts all the good things happening to him. I think this really does align with a lot of Queer stories (and for people’s stories in general, but in this specific context, Queer stories especially) where the person has it rough for so long that when things start heading in a positive direction it seems almost impossible. This made Jack’s character, so much more genuine for me.

I did find though that some of the dialogue felt a little off, especially the regular use of “bro” used between Jack and his brother, and “babe” used between Jack and Damon. Those dialogue choices almost brought me out of the story as I read. if I also found there was a lot of narrative that slowed down for the story for me.

The relationship between Jack and Damon was really sweet. I especially loved Jack’s awkward, and almost fumbling internal dialogue, especially when he was around Damon or thinking about him. It felt so natural for his character and the story.

As I said before this was a really lovely romance to read. Pick this one up if you are looking for a heartwarming read with engaging characters and great plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title was published 27th September 2022.

Book Review | The Syren’s Mutiny, Jessica. S. Taylor

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

“It’s frightful bad luck to have a woman aboard.”

Brigid knew the superstition, but when her father tried to marry her off, she had no choice but to stowaway on a ship bound for Bhodheas. When she’s discovered and discarded, her fate seems sealed…until she’s saved by the ocean and its queen.

Transformed into a syren and given new life, Brigid now has the power to seek revenge on those who wronged her.

Caelum has spent his entire life trying to help those who couldn’t help themselves. After years suffering the cruelty of his pirate father, saving others from a similar fate was ingrained in him. But when he’s unable to save a young girl from being thrown overboard for hiding away, he’s devastated.

Until one day, when he’s thrown into the water by unforeseen forces, he comes face to face with the past, and maybe, with his future.

But there’s a darkness lurking on the seas they both call home. And Caelum and Brigid have no idea just how intertwined their stories really are.

My Thoughts:

I was very easily drawn into this book by the cover and great blurb and I am so glad I was. This novel gripped my right from the first few pages. It was intense and gruesome, and a great introduction to the novel.

I think the thing I loved most about this novel was the characters. ed They all shone through on the page, making me want to read more of their story. My favourite I think had to be Sorcha, she really was so sweet, bless her. I really enjoyed reading the relationship develop between Brigid and Caelum, I found that with the dual POV story I was really able to delve into the minds of the characters. It was a nice change to read from the POV of both romantic leads too.

In saying that, I did feel that while the novel was off to a strong start, I found that there was a little repetitiveness within the narration of certain phrases that made the beginning quite a slow read after the first few more action filled chapters. I found though once the rest of Caelum’s crew was introduced and had more ‘page time’ the pace picked up for me.

I really enjoyed the lore of the world this is based in with the vengeful Syren’s and how they are so fierce. Their sisterhood was one of the main things I loved about this novel and how they worked together to meet their goals, and (for the most part) stuck by them.

I also really loved how the author put an ‘author’s note’ at the beginning with name and place pronunciations, as well as trigger warnings and a map (yes, a map! This gal loves a map!). I really enjoyed this one, and how it didn’t shy away from the violence of the Syren’s, painting them as rather terrifying beings (I wouldn’t want to get on their bad side!), while still showing their grace and compassion. That ending had me in tears, my gosh, that cliff-hanger too. I am so excited for book two!

Thank you to the author, Jessica. S. Taylor for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 8th November 2022.

Book Review | Felix Silver, Teaspoons, and Witches, Harry Cook

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

After his parents announce that his bizarre, emerging abilities are getting in the way of their divorce, Felix Silver relocates to Dorset Harbour and becomes the charge of his Grandma Aggie. As Felix adjusts to life in a new school, Aggie decides that it’s time he learn The Silver Way, and teaches him all she knows about sorcery and magical arts. When Felix and his new friends decide to solve the mystery of local teenagers who have gone missing, Felix learns that his crush, Aero, has a big secret. Is dark magic creeping into the town, and can Felix learn enough from Aggie and the witches of Dorset Harbour to combat it?

My Thoughts:

‘Felix Silver, Teaspoons & Witches’ was a really fun, easy read, with likeable characters. The plot was fairly straightforward, but engaging, which kept me reading right until the end. This book had some interesting friendships/relationships in it too!

There were a few things I found that lessened my enjoyment though. On the whole I found that the novel didn’t feel quite as polished as it potentially could have been. Grammatically I didn’t find any issues, but the story felt quite rushed to me. This meant that the characters felt underdeveloped, and as a result, less easy to connect with as I read. The romance was sweet but to me it felt a little rushed as well, or even rather instantaneous after the first meeting. This made it something I couldn’t happily invest myself in.

The last thing I found was that it was difficult to tell who was narrating a chapter until a couple of paragraphs in. This made it hard to follow the story once there were multiple narrators. This could easily be helped with name of the PoV character with the title of each chapter.

The plot itself I found really interesting, and especially with the fun magic system. I loved how magic seemed to be integrated with the town it was set in. I would have loved to have seen more of the limitations of the magic, and more learning about how it works as Felix is still learning. I loved how the magic of each person was channelled through a teaspoon, such a fun idea, but I feel it could have been explored further.

Overall I really did enjoy reading this but I feel that there were a few things that could really improve the way the story is told and make it more impactful. I do not hate it in the slightest, and am interested to see if the final publication has been edited further. I will be getting myself a copy to see if the issues I found were just part of the early reader version. Especially as I think this story is such a fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 30th August 2022.

Book Review | The Octagon’s Eight, Mairon Oakley

Anna BratchfordLeave a comment

Goodreads Blurb:

Every year the city of Hanging Hold hosts an event.

Eight prisoners condemned to death are sent out to sea – none are expected to return but if they do, they win their freedom.

The dark-elf Dirian has grown up Below, the brand on his face testament to his place as a scout and skills as a warrior. Now he finds himself on a mission gone wrong, abandoned in a foreign Surface world and forced on an adventure bound to end in his demise.

Follow Dirian and his companions of varying enthusiasm as they set sail and face the harsh forces of nature, impossible creatures and magical wonders all to unlock the mysteries of the Octagon and escape with their lives in this perilous tale of discovery.

My Thoughts:

My gosh. This was one of those books where once I picked it up I just couldn’t stop reading. No, really, I had a few days off last week and with the cold weather I don’t think I did much else! There is so much to love about Oakley’s debut novel that I am not sure where to start, but I do need to start somewhere.

I found the world building for this novel truly wonderful. It was recognisable as classic fantasy, with all the familiar species, class division, magic, and belief systems, but with Oakley’s own twist on them. It also feels very full bodied without trying too hard, or making the reader feel bogged down with information. Making this world a new favourite of mine to read about. Especially with the rather straightforward plot which encouraged the characters and their growth to shine.

Though at face value, the plot was rather simple, it was engaging and exciting. It left room for the characters to really shine! I found that every time I had to put the book down, I needed to know what happened next. Especially with the high stakes of the quest – life and death. Something which manages to bring the unlikely group of characters together (and working together too, despite their differences).

It didn’t take long for the group of main characters to completely steal my heart! I was invested from very early on, and loved seeing their growth throughout the novel. They were all beautifully complex, and so interesting to follow. I found myself holding my breath in really intense scenes, needing them to be okay! I also really love how there was a little romance, but it is so subtly brought into the story, and in such a clever way at it felt so natural for those characters, and not out of place.

I highly recommend this book to other fantasy readers who are looking for an exciting read with high stakes and wonderful characters!

Thank you to the publisher, Tebreus Press and the author, Mairon Oakley for gifting me this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 12th July 2022.