Review: The Last Witch - Fear & Fire - Various Contributors - September 2021 There’s something rather magical about discovering a new fantasy world that instantly pulls you in  the kind where you can almost imagine curling up with the book on a rainy New Zealand afternoon, a cuppa in hand, and letting the story whisk you away. The Last Witch, a young adult fantasy graphic novel collecting issues #1–5, is exactly that sort of adventure: mysterious, atmospheric, and filled with heart. At the centre of the story is Saoirse, a brave and slightly reckless young girl who lives in a village where the terrifying witch known as the Cailleach hunts children once a year. Instead of hiding away like everyone else, Saoirse sees the annual hunt as the perfect chance to rebel against her father and uncover the secrets hidden within the witch’s tower. Of course, as many fantasy heroes learn the hard way, curiosity can be both a gift and a curse. When Saoirse and her brother Brahm are captured ...

Review: The Rose Bargain - Book #1 Rose Bargain Duology - Sasha Peyton Smith - February 2025 I'll be honest—when I picked up The Rose Bargain, I was skeptical. As someone who typically steers clear of romantasy and fantasy in general, I expected to struggle through another overwrought magical romance. Instead, Sasha Peyton Smith delivered something unexpectedly engaging that reminded me why I fell in love with dystopian fiction during the mid-2000s boom of series like Divergent and The Chemical Garden. The premise immediately hooked me: an Immortal Queen who once saved King Edward's kingdom, only to usurp his throne and rule with an iron fist for decades. Every year, she offers eighteen-year-olds "Rose Bargains"—the chance to gain something precious in exchange for a devastating sacrifice, whether physical or emotional. It's a brilliantly dark concept that feels fresh despite drawing from familiar fairy tale elements. Our protagonist Ivy wants nothing to do with...

Review: Adore - Book #3 Wish Series - Morgan Rice - June 2023 After escaping a half-genie who tried to kill her and now a boyfriend who wants to talk to her after he found out she is a Blood Moon Hybrid, Taylor Knight is still adjusting to her new life at the Wilderness Camp. Taylor and her friends Quinn and Beth have also progressed to the next level of training along with a couple of other friends.  One night, the camp is raided and Jesse ends up kidnapped trying to save and divert attention away from Taylor. Of course, she feels responsible so she sets out to save him. Where Taylor is, her friends are close by and despite Taylor's pleas for them not to come and that she can do it herself - they all end up following her. It won't be an easy journey though and across the way, Taylor will learn more about Blood Moon Hybrids which means her parents were Vampire and Werewolf and she was born under the Blood Moon. Blood Moon Hybrids are very rare due to the fact they can be unpred...

Review: Heir of Fire - Book #3 Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas - September 2014 Every year, I try and make it my goal to read at least one author's complete booklist, and this year as I stood staring at my bookshelf and seeing that I had almost all of Sarah J Maas's books, I picked her. This is also an author that I had been meaning to read for at least 10+ years as well, I just never got around to her books as when she first came out. I had been in a bit of a fantasy burnout stage as it was the end of the vampire era for me. So far I have read the first three ACOTAR books and now the first three TOG books and I am saying I am more Team ACOTAR than TOG, though this series could grow on me. Heir of Fire was a chunky read and has left me this week with a book slump as I haven't started a book since Tuesday night when I finished this one. I think it was because of the size, it took a lot out of me energy-wise. In Heir of Fire we read as Celaena headed to see Queen Maeve...

Review: The Ruthless Fae King - Book #3 Kings of Avalier Series - Leia Stone - April 2023 I would say personally that I am not a huge fantasy or romantasy fan but lately, I have gotten into it as some of the books being published these days are very easy to read and have the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and suspense to them. It also helps that the characters are easy to like and connect to as well. This is one series that I have been enjoying and I have enjoyed the first three books and can't wait to read book #4 - though I am partial to say as each book features a paranormal group - I am Team #Dragons. We have had Dragons in Book #1, Elves in Book #2, and now in Book #3, we have Fae. The book starts with the Fall Court princess being promised to the Winter King Lucien. The Winter King has a bad reputation and the Fall Princess Madelynn is angry at her father for organising this marriage without telling her. However, Madelynn is about to get the surprise of a lifetime as she di...

      Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin - Book #3 ACOTAR Series - Sarah J. Maas - May 2017 This series and author is one of my reading goals for 2024, I am aiming to complete all of her titles and I have been given from a fellow bookstagrammer, a reading order that combines all three of her series as some of them interweave and have crossovers of characters. In ACOWAR, I didn't go into this one with high expectations as unfortunately book #2 felt a bit of a slog reading for me. I got there but it wasn't a favourite, especially after reading the first book which was a 5-star read. This one, however, was a good read and more action-packed as the war with Hybern was coming up quickly and we read as some of the high courts of Prythian banded together to fight against Hybern - the evil human King.  Tamlin can go suck it as he's just a petulant fae who throws tantrums as Feyre wanted Rhysand and not him. I did love the fact that Lucian followed Feyre instead of staying wit...

Review: A Court of Mist and Fury - Book #2 ACOTAR Series - Sarah J. Maas - May 2016 After having all of Sarah J. Maas's books on my bookshelf and friends recommending them a bonus was that near the end of 2023, I started to get back into reading fantasy novels after quite a few years away from them. I made it my goal for 2024 to finally complete all her books as every year, I pick an author that I am determined to read all of their books. Last year was Riley Sager and this year it's Sarah J. Maas. I loved the first book and went into this one excited, however, my hopes were dashed as this book felt like a total flip of the script and the opposite of the first book. It left a lot of emotions and furious ones with me as lots of things frustrated me about this book. I also found this one a slog to get through and took me 3 days of reading at various times to finish it whereas the first one was read in 1 day. I also feel that, if I wasn't 100% determined to finish this series I...

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses - Book #1 ACOTAR Series - May 2015 You know how there are series of people who are like "You have to read this or else", this was one of those for me. I have had friends galore recommending this series and then this year I decided to do a 12 recommendations by 12 friends reading challenge and one of those 12 books was ACOTAR so here I am. I read it on Monday in one day and I have to admit, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. You see years ago, I was a big fantasy reader and then one day I woke up and couldn't read it - I felt like I had gotten fantasy burnout but now - I am back into this fantasy book rhythm and I have been enjoying them. I have to admit as I began reading this book, I was a little confused as if I had missed a chapter as it does jump straight into the story of Feyre - the youngest of three girls whose family is poor. She is the Katniss of the SJM ACOTAR universe, the hunter and the one providing for her family...