Review: Peril in Paris

Peril in Paris
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

It’s 1911, and the young detectives of TAYLOR & ROSE are turning their talents to ESPIONAGE.

On a case for the mysterious SECRET SERVICE BUREAU, the daring MISS SOPHIE TAYLOR and MISS LILIAN ROSE must leave London for the boulevards and grand hotels of Paris.

But DANGER lurks beneath the bright lights of the city - and INTRIGUE and MURDER lie in store. As aeroplanes soar in the skies overhead, our heroines will need to put all their spy skills to the test to face the PERIL that awaits them... 

As you guys know I freaking loved the Sinclaire's Mysteries series and I was devastated to learn it was coming to an end...until I heard there was going to be a new series continuing Sophie and Lil's adventures! So I've been very excited to crack on with this book! 

Peril in Paris has a very different vibe to the first series. The first series is all solving cases Scooby Doo style, and this one is shifted more towards spies and espionage. It also seems a bit more...professional, in a sense. They're working for the Secret Service Bureau and they have their own detective agency! 

This book gives us a glimpse inside the Taylor and Rose detective agency, before getting to see parts of the fictional Arnovia and plenty of Paris! My one issue with reviewing this, is that it's kind of hard not to spoil the Sinclaire Mysteries....so I'm going to try my hardest not to! 

We get a split POV this book. The first being Anna, who's wary of her new governess. Said governess is a familiar face once you work out who it is. Anna is on to the fact there's something strange about her and is determined to figure out what it is, she's the Princess of Arnovia, by the way. I understand her and why she did what she did but at the same time, I was like.....you little cow! How rude! Because you know...it's only *redacted because spoiler*. If I didn't know who the governess really was, I probably would have been on Anna's side more. 

Sophie is our other POV, and when we meet her she's on her own little mission before she's sent out on a bigger one. To solve a murder in Paris with Tilly. I feel like Sophie becomes a much stronger character in this book, not that she wasn't before, but she...comes in to her own a bit as she's out on her own pretty much, without the group. She has to rely on herself a lot more. Plus she's having to come to terms with a few things, she thinks a lot about how different her life could have been and what her life could have been if her parents where still alive. 

Peril in Paris is nicely paced, with plenty of mystery and intrigue as we have the events in Paris and Arnovia, one being a murder investigation and one a secret mission that's to do with some political plotting. 

There's an air race about to go on in Paris so we get to meet Captain Nakamura who's one of the pilots. I'm hoping we'll get to see more of him in at least the next book, if not more given how this one ends! Miss Russell is another new character...a reporter. I was quite impressed with her, nosy as she was, until she completely blew one of the girls cover like the silly cow she is! Then we have Captain Harry Forsyth. He's just a bit of a prat really. I fully believed he was a snake at one point but...turns out he's just a prat! There's always room for redemption though. 

I'm not sure if the same will be true for the coming books in this series but we only got a little glimpse of Joe, Billy and Mei, and didn't get to see Jack at all. We did get a little bit of Tilly, but the focus was mostly on Sophie and Lil, which I have no problem with! The friendship between them is utterly brilliant, and you can see the bond between them a lot in this book. I'm kinda sad we didn't get to see the whole gang but we did get a nice group of new characters some of whom we'll hopefully see again. 

I enjoyed the storytelling, the way the two stories/POV's slowly came and wove together. It was maddening to see the characters from each POV just miss each other, or a new character catch a glimpse of Sophie, for instance. I was like JUST MEET ALREADY! The plot was built up nicely, with more and more clues being thrown in to add more intrigue and depth. It's brilliantly paced, and has a nice mix of action and smarts when it comes to solving the case. 

I one-hundred percent loved the ending, Lil and Sophie's reunion and working together...I feel like they not necessarily struggled, because they did very well, but didn't enjoy working alone or in pairs as much as they did working together and as a group. There was more pressure, more stress and no backup. They where essentially alone and far away from home and potential backup. At least that's how it seemed from Sophie's POV. 

Everything fantastically links to the previous series, and we're left with a bit of an open ending. While one mission is complete, the other one is left hanging slightly and is on going, and should provide us with lots of interesting adventure I hope! Plus a thread from the previous series rears it's head. The historical detail is once again fantastic, there's a nice amount of detail that builds up an image of what  the time period was like, and the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat. This one has a different vibe to the previous series, and things are definitely stepping up a notch! I'm incredibly excited to see what's going to happen to Sophie and Lil next! 

Review: Meddling Kids

Meddling Kids
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher!

1990. The teen detectives once known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club (of Blyton Hills, a small mining town in the Zoinx River Valley in Oregon) are all grown up and haven't seen each other since their fateful, final case in 1977. Andy, the tomboy, is twenty-five and on the run, wanted in at least two states. Kerri, one-time kid genius and budding biologist, is bartending in New York, working on a serious drinking problem. At least she's got Tim, an excitable Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the team. Nate, the horror nerd, has spent the last thirteen years in and out of mental health institutions, and currently resides in an asylum in Arhkam, Massachusetts. The only friend he still sees is Peter, the handsome jock turned movie star. The problem is, Peter's been dead for years.

The time has come to uncover the source of their nightmares and return to where it all began in 1977. This time, it better not be a man in a mask. The real monsters are waiting. 

As a huge fan of Scooby Doo as a kid, I had to read this, I just had to! The title made me all nostalgic and brought a load of memories back and I eagerly dove in. I have to say this took some twists and turns I wasn't expecting and the narrative style was a bit jarring at points! 

We have second person, third person, and then at points we shift to what at first seemed like a police interview format, but upon closer inspection was a screenplay format. To be honest, I wasn't entirely a fan of this because I ended up with a bit of a question mark face as I was reading and it switched, and then kept switching. It kept jarring me and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. Some of the descriptions and writing style was also a bit of a struggle for me, some of the sentences where so long, and then he kept making up words and it kept pulling me out of the story. To be honest, I just don't think I got on with his writing style at points, it kind of made me roll my eyes at points too, when it was yet another made up word, it started out being unique and fun but then I got bored of it pretty fast.  

On the plus side, I loved Andy, she was such a badass. The plot itself was twisty and turny and quite creepy, but I was intrigued the whole way through. I loved all of the pop culture references, I thought it was funny and entertaining. The book was full of horror, and adventure and it's very tongue in cheek. Plus the cast is diverse too, which made for a nice surprise! Interestingly this is like a mash up of Scooby Doo and Cthulhu and it was quite a blast to read, and it was interesting to see the teen detective club all grown up which is something that's not usually done (except that one Scooby Doo live action movie), but like I said, there where a couple of things that made me kind of side eye it. 

Review: The Wicked Cometh

The Wicked Cometh
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Either
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

The year is 1831

Down the murky alleyways of London, acts of unspeakable wickedness are taking place and no one is willing to speak out on behalf of the city's vulnerable poor as they disappear from the streets.

Out of these shadows comes Hester White, a bright young woman who is desperate to escape the slums by any means possible.

When Hester is thrust into the world of the aristocratic Brock family, she leaps at the chance to improve her station in life under the tutelage of the fiercely intelligent and mysterious Rebekah Brock. But whispers from her past slowly begin to poison her new life and both she and Rebekah are lured into the most sinister of investigations.

Hester and Rebekah find themselves crossing every boundary they've ever known in pursuit of truth, redemption and passion. But their trust in each other will be tested as a web of deceit begins to unspool, dragging them into the blackest heart of a city where something more depraved than either of them could ever imagine is lurking . . .

I eagerly dove in to this, I mean...two awesome ladies out to solve a sinister mystery? Sign me the hell up! 

The Wicked Cometh is richly written, vivid and very authentic. It's dripping with historical fact and interesting little tidbits, so it's clearly been well researched. For the most part, it's a good read. I loved the way the author didn't shy away from vividly writing the seedier, darker side of London, the poor and the poorer elements where really brought to life in this book whereas most historical novels focus on the rich and middle class. The writing is incredibly authentic and really goes with the time, which helps to pull you in. While I did feel like the romance was a bit unnecessary to the plot, another side track, it was nice to see some LGBTQ rep. 

My issue with this book is that it's quite slow in the beginning, and while things are alluded to vaguely here and there, there's no sign of the mystery element until a good chunk of the way through the book. It didn't really hold my attention much in the beginning and I found my mind wandering. The mystery doesn't really get going until half way-ish through the book, I think it was. From that point on the pace really picks up and the threads of the mystery twine together so brilliantly. I ended up incredibly hooked and it went in a completely different direction than I thought it would! It was like reading a legitimate novel from the time thanks to various aspects. 

All in all, while it failed to immediately hook me in and grab my interest, I loved the writing and how authentic it was. The characters where interesting too! And while it wasn't entirely what I was expecting, once the story got going and the mystery started I was engrossed in trying to work out how everything fit together and who was responsible! 

Review: First Watch

First Watch
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Enter Rem: new to Yenara and hungover in the city dungeons with no money for bail. When offered a position with the Watch to compensate for his crimes, Rem jumps at the chance. 

His new partner is less eager. Torval, a dwarf who's handy with a maul and known for hitting first and asking questions later, is highly unimpressed with the untrained and weaponless Rem. 

But when Torval's former partner goes missing, the two must consort with the usual suspects -- drug dealing orcs, mind-controlling elves, uncooperative mages, and humans being typical humans -- to uncover the truth and catch a murderer loose in their fair city.

Okay so...Orbit are on fire lately with the books they're publishing! First Watch was such a fun and enjoyable read, I found myself totally hooked to it with a huge list of theories...all of which where wrong but let's not talk about that! 

First Watch starts brilliantly, and there's humour right from the start. This book cracked me up and had me chuckling to myself multiple times and I loved how well the humour fit with the murder mystery aspect. I'm so intrigued by Rem and who he really is and what his story is, I'm desperate to know! I have a theory but we'll see! 

Rem was such an interesting character because he's not at all used to the life he's now living, and it was interesting to see him adjusting to it, and learning what it's like in the city and for other people and so on. When he finally starts being a badass and really taking on his job role, you see another side of him. Like up until a certain point he'd kind of been holding back a lot and I was a bit like hmmmm but then he found his balls and it was glorious, he just goes for it and you're cheering for him so much. His partnership with Torval brought me much joy as I was reading. Torval was hilarious, and he and Rem where quite the double act. 

First Watch is basically CSI: Fantasy Edition. Every fantasy creature present in Lord of the Rings is in this book...except their less savoury side is showing. So for the Orcs it's same old same old. Humans...let's be honest it's not that shocking. The Dwarves are portrayed interestingly, how it works for them and how they're allocated jobs and so on and the choices they have. It's the elves that might be a bit of a shock. If you're a huge Elf fan like I am then prepare yourself. There's no Legolas's running around, being super hot and chivalrous. With the exception of one elf, all the ones we meet in this book are severely questionable and incredibly unsavoury. I don't think I'll be able to look at an Elf the same way again after this! 

The world is vividly portrayed as are it's inhabitants and I really enjoyed it. I'd like to know and see more! The history and mythology and politics between all of the various denizens of the city where fascinating too. I'm wondering if the treaty might play a bigger part as things where nearly pushed in this book but it's the first one so I think we'll wait a bit before war, yeah? 

First Watch is brilliantly written. Action, intrigue, and humour are all woven together with some brilliant plot threads. The mystery really kept me guessing and the different plot threads that went in to it contributed to that. You thought one thing was happening but then another thread would be revealed and you'd be stumped again. It kept me reading, and entranced until the end. There are some really brilliant secondary characters woven in to the book, Ondego and the other members of the Fifth, not to mention Indilen and Aarna! I can't wait to see more of them! 

First Watch is a brilliant caper. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and became more and more hooked. The humour was on point and kept me amused along with the mystery and characters. Genuinely...CSI: LOTR. You won't look at LOTR the same way again, I guarantee you! I'm eager to know more about the characters and the setting and I'm looking forward to seeing more adventures! Torval and Rem are brilliant main characters and quite the dynamic duo! 

Review: Rotherweird

Rotherweird
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

The town of Rotherweird stands alone – there are no guidebooks, despite the fascinating and diverse architectural styles cramming the narrow streets, the avant garde science and offbeat customs. Cast adrift from the rest of England by Elizabeth I, Rotherweird's independence is subject to one disturbing condition: nobody, but nobody, studies the town or its history.

For beneath the enchanting surface lurks a secret so dark that it must never be rediscovered, still less reused.

But secrets have a way of leaking out.

Two inquisitive outsiders have arrived: Jonah Oblong, to teach modern history at Rotherweird School (nothing local and nothingbefore 1800), and the sinister billionaire Sir Veronal Slickstone, who has somehow got permission to renovate the town's long-derelict Manor House.

Slickstone and Oblong, though driven by conflicting motives, both strive to connect past and present, until they and their allies are drawn into a race against time – and each other. The consequences will be lethal and apocalyptic.

Welcome to Rotherweird! 

So, I wasn't too sure what to expect going in to this book, I loved the sound of it. It sounded original and fun but I wasn't entirely sure what it entailed. I was expecting something Terry Pratchett-esque I'm not going to lie, as soon as I read the premise that author sprung to my mind, but Caldecott certainly does have his own voice! Rotherweird is different, unique, and it slowly but surely pulls you in. 

I'm a huge sucker for history, so I was invested right from the start with the historical aspects the book presented. The flashbacks and so on, I was living for them. I loved Rotherweird, it was perfectly created. You where curious about it and it's history, it was strange yet oddly practical. It was such an interesting setting, and it was populated by equally as interesting characters with some intriguing names. 

There's some brilliant fantasy elements woven in, Lost Acre, the mystical powers some characters had and then there where the creatures, or rather Chimeras. It was a nice touch to create an original and interesting setting. 

There's a brilliant and slightly creepy mystery running throughout the book as well, and I loved all of the different threads it had to it, and all of the clues and how it all came together so perfectly in the end. I got more and more engrossed in the book as it went on, trying to work out what was going on and what had happened and by the end of the book the apocalypse could have been happening and I would have no idea. 

My issue with this book is that there where a lot of characters thrown at you, and I got confused sometimes, trying to remember who was who and what they did and what relation they had to the story. A couple of characters really did seem to be a little superfluous. Slickstones son seemed to be there just to be a little sod and then die at the end as part of the story and I'm assuming the fake wife will be back? Or maybe not. At one point I thought she was going to put it all together but nope. I didn't really understand their purpose other than set dressing. 

For me, while I was intrigued by the historical aspect from the beginning, the book started off slowly and it took me a while to get in to it, I didn't get really, really engrossed until near to the end of the book when the pace picked up and things started to come together. Towards the middle I was a bit more invested and intrigued but the beginning was hard to get through for me. Multiple times I was confused about who that character was or what was going on. 


Rotherweird is an original and fun novel once it gets going, and it has a brilliant mystery to it made up of different threads that manage to come together perfectly. I loved working out the anagrams, I loved the way the creatures fit so well with creatures you see in the Elizabethan tapestries and art etc it was such a brilliant explanation for them. Yes I had a couple of issues with the book, but overall it was an enjoyable read! I'm excited that there's going to be a second book and looking forward to seeing what mystery is occurring next time round! 

Review: Strange Magic

Strange Magic
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Rosie Strange doesn't believe in ghosts or witches or magic. No, not at all. It’s no surprise therefore when she inherits the ramshackle Essex Witch Museum, her first thought is to take the money and run.

Still, the museum exerts a curious pull over Rosie. There’s the eccentric academic who bustles in to demand she help in a hunt for old bones, those of the notorious Ursula Cadence, a witch long since put to death. And there’s curator Sam Stone, a man about whom Rosie can’t decide if he’s tiresomely annoying or extremely captivating. It all adds up to looking like her plans to sell the museum might need to be delayed, just for a while.

Finding herself and Sam embroiled in a most peculiar centuries-old mystery, Rosie is quickly expelled from her comfort zone, where to her horror, the secrets of the past come with their own real, and all too present, danger as a strange magic threatens to envelope them all.

I'm not going to lie...I was mostly interested in this because of the cover and the whole witches thing. I'm from Surrey, which is one of the places that did have witch hunts (something I really would love to learn more about but can't find anything) and oddly enough..it was the Essex witch hunts we learned about in school. Either way, it's something I've always wanted to know more about.  

The main thing that I loved about this book was all of the history woven in to this, I learned so much from reading this book and fact was woven very cleverly with fiction. The authors take on events and filling in the blanks fit rather well and I didn't seem at all out of the realms of possibility. I just really enjoyed the historical elements to the book and all the little tidbits both witch related and otherwise. Although, I had no idea witches and criminals couldn't be buried in actual graveyards, and I now have visions of unearthing some poor soul when we have to dig up the ground for something we're doing to the house....it genuinely never occurred to me. Shame on me. 

I loved Rosie, although I was a bit iffy towards her at the beginning, I ended up liking her more and more, and I loved her relationship with Sam and how it developed over the course of the book. They made quite the team! It had a great pace, it was atmospheric and mildly creepy at points and it kept me intrigued and interested throughout, as well as fully entertained at some of the humour! It's actually quite a witty read! The end of the book seemingly sets up the next book which has me incredibly intrigued, as much as ghosts freak me out. I'm not a sceptic like Rosie unfortunately, I wish I was and reassure myself the paranormal doesn't exist but I've watched one too many ghost hunting shows to be fully comfortable! Seriously, I didn't sleep properly for a week after seeing Paranormal Activity. Anywaaaaaay, I'm intrigued to see where this series is going to go, it was a lot of fun! 
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Review: Dark Asylum

Dark Asylum
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

The lips had been darned closed with six long, black, stitches. Clumsily executed, they gave the face a crude deaths-head appearance, like a child's drawing scrawled upon a wall . . .

1851, Angel Meadow Asylum. Dr Rutherford, principal physician to the insane, is found dead, his head bashed in, his ears cut off, his lips and eyes stitched closed. The police direct their attention towards Angel Meadow's inmates, but to Jem Flockhart and Will Quartermain the crime is an act of calculated retribution, rather than of madness. 

To discover the truth Jem and Will must pursue the story through the darkest corners of the city - from the depths of a notorious rookery, to the sordid rooms of London's brothels, the gallows, the graveyard, the convict fleet and then back to the asylum. In a world where guilt and innocence, crime and atonement, madness and reason, are bounded by hypocrisy, ambition and betrayal, Jem and Will soon find themselves caught up in a web of dark secrets and hidden identities. 

I liiiiiiive for this series you guys! I wasn't sure when I read the first book, if it was just a one off, so I was so excited when I saw there was a sequel, and now it's a series and aaaahhh I'm so pleased! I'm sure you can tell that I loved the first book. 

Thomson puts so much work in to her books. She does an amazing amount of research and manages to work it all in to the plot and the settings and the characters subtly. So you end up with an authentic and believable read that pulls you back in time, and you pick up all these little interesting facts as you read. I'm so genuinely fascinated by Jems job! 

Now, in this book Jem and Will are at it again with their sleuthing and this time the backdrop is an asylum. In the first book, I didn't really know all that much about the medicine and doctors and so on. For this book, I had a bit more knowledge. Back when I was doing my acting classes, we did a piece set in a Victorian asylum and so I had to do a lot of research. I knew this was going to be a dark and grim read. Asylums weren't a great place to end up. But I still picked up so much information from reading that I didn't know. I feel like the asylum was a very creepy and mildly terrifying setting, considering how they treated patients and what they did to them....and the kind of rubbish you could be admitted for. They're genuinely mildly terrifying. 

I'm going to straight up say that the main victim of this book, so the first one, totally had it coming and totally deserved it. Rutherford was an a-hole like...personally I feel like he was evil. I know it was the time and he was trying to work things out but....evil. *makes sign of the cross* I was sad to see a couple of characters go though! 

I continue to love Jem as our main character, and I still find Jem very interesting. Jem's dealing with some feelings this book, and I'm intrigued to see how it will end up. I lowkey ship Jem and Will I'm not going to lie. I can't help it. I see ships everywhere. Plus I love how well Jem and Will work together and get on with each other. I love how Will always gets drawn in to the crime solving! 

I love the different POV's, and the extracts from the journal. Those extracts provide information and intrigue, and they're a huge source of clues as you try to work out who the killer is, but I was fairly sure that the journal writer wasn't the actual killer...but I did change my mind about fifty times as I was reading! Like...it's totally the killer...okay no it's not the killer...okay yes it is....no it's not...and so on. 

The thing I love most about this book, and the previous one, is that they keep you guessing right up until the end. There are so many clues that you're trying to put together, and make sense of, and you have so many suspects that you slowly narrow down and you change your mind so many times. Or at least I did! I just love how well Thomson writes her mysteries! I usually end up groaning like "noooo what did I miss?!" and then I go back and re-read little bits and I'm like "aaaahhh I'm so stupid!". It's brilliant. There's also a heartbreaking story in this book, and I'd like to think it wasn't a common story but I doubt it. I just enjoy how Thomson gives the characters both main and secondary, brilliantly crafted backgrounds and life stories. 

Dark Asylum is a fantastic sequel, every bit as atmospheric and dark as the first. There's twists, and turns and surprises, and it's such a richly authentic read it's easy to get sucked in to the book. I love how Thomsons research is woven throughout the entire book, present in everything, even the littlest detail. I always find out so much that I didn't previously know. Dark Asylum once again keeps you guessing right up until the end, and I'm so excited for the third book as there's a rather interesting tidbit in the authors Q & A at the back of the book so check it out! 

The Osiris Ritual

The Osiris Ritual
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher!
Check out my review of the first book, The Affinity Bridge! 

When your boss is the Queen of England, you never know what the day will bring. For Gentleman investigator for the Crown, Sir Maurice Newbury, it is likely to involve rooftop chases, sword fights, races through the Underground, and the most terrifying case of murders to ever plague London.

When an Egyptian mummy is unveiled, a string of mysterious murders follows in its wake, drawing Newbury into a web of occult intrigue. Meanwhile, Miss Veronica Hobbes becomes increasingly perplexed by a growing pool of young women who have disappeared after being used as props in a magicians stage act. But what appears to be a straightforward investigation pulls Miss Hobbes into mortal danger. 

I loved the first book in this series to another level, then Titan sent me this book, the second one....I was excited. I read the blurb...and I was even more excited because not only another Newbury and Hobbe investigation.....one that involved a freaking mummy and I was like HELL YES! This series, just from these two books, gets better and better. The first book was awesome, and this book is just as good, if not better. 

The Osiris Ritual takes everything you love from the first book, and brings it back again for this book....and gives you more of it. George Mann has written this book, and the previous one, so beautifully that the descriptions of his creations, and settings and characters come to life around you and you can immerse yourself in it. I just love the London he's created, not going to lie! If you haven't read the first book....you should read it, just because why the hell not?! BUT, you could, if you really wanted to, probably get away with reading this book without having read the first one. But seriously....just read the first book. 

Right from the first page, I was drawn straight back in to the world of Newbury and Hobbes. I was eagerly awaiting the first appearance of one or both of them and I fangirled a little when we finally come across Newbury! Like I said, Mann creates each setting so you can pretty much step inside it. As such, when our intrepid Egyptian explorer started to try to open the sarcophagus...I was right there with Newbury, wincing along and kind of wanting to screech "STOOOPPP". 

One of the things I loved about the first book was the characters. Veronica is no swooning damsel in distress, she's independent, strong and a hero all of her own, not afraid and perfectly capable of looking after herself. Maurice, while still being a hero of the book, isn't perfect what with his drug addiction. I love that he isn't at all perfect, for the time setting it adds a gritty feel to it, making the character more believable and more realistic. He's also a bit geeky to be honest. Both characters where created so well in the first book with plenty of depth, and more to them than meets the eye and in this book that's carried on as you spend more time with them and learn more about them. 

The rest of the colourful and well written cast from the first book are back. We get more of Charles, more of Veronica's sister who gets a rather nice surprise at the end of the book, and I'm excited to see what's in store for her next! We also get to see the Queen herself again. I'm most excited about Amelia to be honest, right now, after the end of the book and everything, I just want to know so much more about her! I'm also incredibly intrigued now by Dr. Fabian. 

Much like the first book there's lots of action in this one, as well as little original quirks. There's a submarine type vessel, the ground train is back, there's mechanical devices all over the place and I love reading all about them. Not to mention what's been going on in the book, that involves automatons and people and yeah. Each is explained in such detail that you can picture if vividly. Although I could have done without certain visuals involving Ashford and the machinery parts and everything. Gross, just gross. Anyway, the steampunk style devices are one of the little things about the book that makes it stand out from the crowd, intrigues you and helps to bring the book to life. Especially as the descriptions are concise, while giving you a clear image of what the author has created. I once read a steampunk book that took pages to describe one device, so Mann's descriptions are completely perfect! 

The world and the characters are very authentic, very realistic and really pull you in to the story. Not to mention how atmospheric the settings are. Especially the creepy theatre. Have you ever been in to a theatre when no-ones about? It doesn't matter whether or not there's something going on like in the book, it's still freaking creepy. There are so many things combining to give you an authentic and immersive experience as you're reading and you find yourself completely engrossed in the book and what's going on. Each setting has a different vibe to it, each is created with as much care as the others. 

The writing continues to be slick and compelling. The chapters end leaving you wanting more, especially when something's happening to Newbury, and the narrative in the next chapter is Veronica where something else is happening and you're like 'I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM I CAN'T TAKE THIS SUSPENSE'. I love the changes in narrative so you know what's going on with both characters and it adds to the suspense and tension and danger. The changeovers are always smooth as well, and each character has an engaging and distinctive voice. 

I love how Mann gives you a couple of mysteries in one go, and then all these little threads. Murders, girls going missing, an agent needing to be tracked down...except he's supposed to be dead. All of these combine together to create a plot that is the right amount of complex, and keeps you occupied as you try to workout who's responsible for one thing, how they tie together and so on. Each plot thread gets it's time in the spotlight as we go through the book, switching between them, and I love how all the different threads throughout the book come together and no matter what you come up with...you're wrong. Plot twists everywhere guys, everywhere. 

This book doesn't half leave you wanting more as well! Newbury finally finds out The Thing. If you've read the books you'll know what I mean. Right at the end. He finds out. I'm like.....you can't leave it there...come on...where's the other pages?! Then with Amelia and Fabian and everything. It's a world I've already come to love so much over the course of two books, and I already didn't want to leave it or the characters, and then the ending of the book happened and I'm like...damn. *looks up when book three is out* *screams no Luke Skywalker style*. On the plus.....March is my birthday month, so like...I get my birthday AND new Newbury and Hobbes...that's kind of a win I suppose?! 

The Osiris Ritual is a fantastic sequel to The Affinity Bridge, it's the sequel you dream about, perfect continuation. Everything you love is back and better. I kind of ship Newbury and Hobbes not going to lie and this book made it worse! There's more steampunk type devices for your imagination to conjure up from the descriptions, more mysteries filled with plot twists you don't see coming. More of our favourite characters, more atmospheric and vivid settings. There's Egyptian myth and mystery. 

The Osiris Ritual is a book you can't put down because you just have to know what happens next. It's original, it's unique, it's just freaking glorious okay?! It's basically perfect, except for the ending and the wait for the next book! 

Spooktober: The Watchers

The Watchers
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

1977
The Havens, Wales

My Name is Robert Wilding.

Since childhood I have been running from my parents' deaths. From my grandfather Randall Llewellyn Pritchard - his fanatical omens about fires in the sky. From what happened at Broad Haven.

But now my memories have returned to haunt me.

In the ministry of Defence Room 800 I met the man who keeps the nation's secrets - who wants me to investigate the sightings at Broad Haven: the ghostly figures, the lights from another world.

In know its is my duty to expose the truth behind 'the happenings', even if it will be dangerous. Even though I may not live to tell the tale. 

I know it is my duty, but still I am afraid. I know the Watchers will be waiting for me there.

Well then. This book is suitable Halloween reading what with the creepiness and everything! I read this in one go, I couldn't tear myself away, I kept reading wanting to know what would happen next, what was really going on and so on. The book is even more fascinating when it's revealed that the book is based on real events that happened in that exact area at the exact time the book is set. Creepy to the max. 

The book really builds up to the finale and the big reveal. The introduction is creepy with young Robert and his Grandfather and then before that the meeting with the Prime Minister. From there it's a gripping read, with the tension being ramped up, not to mention the feeling of unease. The writing is compelling and atmospheric. Giving you not only a feel for the place, but the general vibe as all of the events where taking place. It's got a very heavy atmosphere that sucks you in. 

It's all very intense, and in between Robert doing his investigating you have the little sections that really hit you with the creepiness and wrongness of events. You can tell something's going to happen, and these add to that feeling, giving you a sense of foreboding as you're reading. At points I was hearing Twilight Zone music! These little bits are extracts from a book by another character, written after everything went down. Then there's extracts from interviews with witnesses closer to the time, letters and so on. Each adding pieces of information and ramping up the tension and unease as the book speeds towards the climax and epic finale. 

There are many layers to the book, and it's fun trying to untangle everything. Robert clearly has some suppressed memories and he keeps getting flashes of his younger self and events that he was involved in, so you're trying to work out what happened to him and his parents. Then you have all the UFO's and other strange sightings that he's trying to rationalise until he just can't anymore. There's plenty of conspiracy stuff going on along with general government fuss. The ending of the book....well...that was chilling to be honest. Really chilling. I wouldn't put it past that particular prime minister either, if I'm honest. 

There's plenty of seemingly suspicious characters for you to scrutinise and decide whether or not they're involved in something. I will admit I was completely blind sided by the big reveal, the person behind it all and everything. Looking back I realise there was a clue or two but clearly I was too wrapped up in the whole UFO business to pick up on it! 

The plot was just fantastic, I mean there's mystery, there's strange goings on, suspense and even bits of horror. The plot was full of different threads and you're trying to work out how they all weave together as you're reading and being surprised left, right and centre. The book is not only atmospheric, but it has an entirely authentic feel to it, and the authors note adds some excellent information to get you thinking. 

Spring has a talent for storytelling and this is clearly something that caught his interest and sparked his imagination...not only did he decide to tell us about it in his own imaginative way, but he did so in such a way that he sparked my interest and imagination as well, and hopefully all of you lots as well!

I think I'm going to have to pick up his other book, Ghost Hunters, at some point as well, although if it's anything like this one.....I probably won't sleep very well after reading! 

The Blackthorn Key

The Blackthorn Key
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher!

London, 1665. Fourteen-year-old Christopher Rowe is apprenticed to master apothecary Benedict Blackthorn. In Blackthorn's shop, Christopher learns the delicate secrets of transforming simple ingredients into powerful medicines, potions and weapons. His beloved master guides him with a firm, steady hand - instilling him with confidence and independence that prove increasingly vital as Christopher learns of a mysterious cult preying on the most learned men in London. The murders are growing closer and closer to home and soon Christopher is torn from the shop with only a page of cryptic clues from his master and the unambiguous warning: 'Tell no one'. 

Helped by his best friend, Tom, Christopher must decipher his master's clues, following a trail of deceit towards an unearthly secret with the power to tear the world apart.

Guys this was so good! Seriously I enjoyed every single page! I've been reading some pretty heavy books recently and this was such a nice break, it made me laugh but at the same time it had a complex plot going on and really kept up the intrigue so I was turning pages as fast as possible! I ended up reading it in one sitting after telling myself "I'm just going to read the first couple of chapters". 

I'm a history nerd and the bend of history and fiction was perfect, just enough history and research to give the book an authentic feel. Although I could have done without some of the smells that where described and could practically smell wafting off the page! You can easily disappear inside the world of the book, there's no boring pages and pages of historical showing off about how much research the author has done. There's a fair bit of history in the book but like I said....it's not overly done and is there to bring the world to life and make it authentic. I found the Author's Note particularly interesting as well as I had completely forgotten about the differing calendars and so on. 

The Blackthorn Key is fast paced, with a quest like vibe, a National Treasure for kids kinda thing. I enjoyed the different clues and trying to work them out along with the characters in the book, as well as work out who the main enemy is. I was completely wrong! The book was full of adventure and humour. I definitely chuckled a fair bit as I was reading, mostly at Christopher and Tom's antics.

It's got to be said, the book had a lot of heart to it with Christopher's relationship with his Master and then his friendship with Tom. It was also kind of sad and heartbreaking in one or two places, but this was balanced out with the humour. Christopher was a likeable character, his sarcasm was spot on and you liked him from the beginning. As you got to know him more, you felt for him more and more as he was struggling in the aftermath of his Masters death. You ended up rooting for him, and your connection to the character meant that there where some pretty intense scenes of suspense. Bridget the pigeon also deserves a mention I think! Christopher's bird BFF who kept turning up all over the place! It was a sweet touch. 

The book has a very nice murder mystery at it's heart. There's lots of threads to it because not everything is as it seems, so it's actually quite complex. These other threads slowly reveal themselves and the plot definitely thickens until you're trying to put all the clues together but still not quite managing to puzzle it all out. There where some surprising twists to the story and then a huge end reveal that had me shouting at the book! 

All in all The Blackthorn Key was a fun read with plenty of action and adventure to keep you turning the pages, and complex undertones that gives the book an edge. 

Poppy Pym And The Pharaoh's Curse

Poppy Pym and the Pharaoh's Curse
Rating: 4/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher 

Poppy Pym has grown up in the circus, eating candy floss for breakfast and learning about lion taming ... until her circus family decides she needs a more traditional education, and they send her to boarding school. At first, Poppy has trouble fitting in at St Smithen's, a school that is very different from the circus. But when an ancient Egyptian ruby comes to the school and dangerous accidents start occurring, it's up to Poppy to save her new home and solve the mystery of the Pharaoh's curse!

Well this book was a fun read, and a fun mix of different themes! We've got a boarding school, a circus, a mystery and some Ancient Egypt thrown in there all blended together to make an entertaining read! You all know I can be lured by anything involving Ancient Egypt and I loved the echoes in this book from real history. If you don't know what I'm talking about take a look at Tutankhamen and his "curse", you might find it interesting. 

Poppy Pym was an easy read, and fast paced, easily read in one sitting. There's plenty of action and plenty of humour thanks to the colourful cast of characters, particularly Poppy's circus family! They where a lively and interesting bunch! The mystery kept you intrigued as you tried to put the pieces together and work out who the culprit was. Overall it was a very well written, entertaining book with a fantastic heroine that will keep you laughing the entire way through! 

Havana Sleeping

Havana Sleeping

Rating: 3/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy 

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Havana in the 1850s is a city as dangerous as it is exotic. The murder of a humble night watchman at the British Consulate seems to worry neither the Consul nor the police.

But one person cared for the old man. The enigmatic courtesan Leonarda will not rest until she understands the mystery of his death.

In wintry England, George Backhouse is plucked from obscurity in the Foreign Office and given an unexpected promotion. His task: to travel to Cuba and take a stand against the illegal slave trade still flourishing there.

But Havana is a tinderbox of intrigue. As the great powers of the region conspire against each other with increasing ruthlessness for control of the island, Backhouse comes to see that the most innocent of actions could spark a devastating war.

To protect their interests, the powers-that-be in Whitehall are prepared to turn a blind eye to many things. Leonarda will not.

But what of George Backhouse? 

I've gotta say, this was fascinating and intriguing, and I found the authors notes at the end a welcome addition! They were concise, but told you a fair bit, and where a nice addition at the end of the book after you've read the entire story. 

I found this book quite atmospheric to be honest, I went on holiday to Cuba when I was younger, we didn't stay in Havana but we did visit it and it was a colourful and fascinating place, and this was evident in the book, albeit a Havana from a different time period. I did get a real feel for Havana in the 1850's, and you could practically feel yourself there. 

However, I did find the book hard to get in to, I did find the place and the politics and everything fascinating and intriguing, but I did struggle to keep reading at points, especially in the first half as there where lots of different plot threads and some of them I couldn't work out the significance of. 

While I did want to know what happened next, I wasn't glued to the page, I was interested, but I wasn't totally engrossed. A few of the scenes fell a bit flat for me, and a few of the reveals didn't have the shock element for me. 

I initially found George hard to get on with when I was reading, but as the book went on, I got a better idea of him and he turned out to be quite courageous and I did end up liking him by the end, so the end of the book made me all kinds of sad! 

I hate unsolved mysteries, fiction or fact, they annoy me because I always have to know what happened, who did it and so on. You wouldn't believe the amount of times I've watched documentaries about various historical mysteries and gotten annoyed because I couldn't work out who'd done it or even come up with something, and I'm fascinated by all the theories. 

So this book drove me mad, because it's not the actual answer, and then the notes with what happened, and it was so obviously dodgy because nothing was stolen so yeah. I WANNA KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED DAMMIT! 

But yes, while the book was a struggle to get in to and didn't have me engrossed 100% of the time, it was intriguing and it was fascinating to learn about the politics of the time, as well as being an atmospheric read, it really gave you a feel for Havana at the time. 

Disclaimer

Disclaimer
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher!

Finding a mysterious novel at her bedside plunges documentary filmmaker Catherine Ravenscroft into a living nightmare. Though ostensibly fiction, The Perfect Stranger recreates in vivid, unmistakable detail the terrible day Catherine became hostage to a dark secret, a secret that only one other person knew--and that person is dead.

Now that the past is catching up with her, Catherine’s world is falling apart. Her only hope is to confront what really happened on that awful day even if the shocking truth might destroy her. 

So, I've gone with the standard synopsis with this one, because if I try to do my own I will give too much away and ruin the book before you guys have even started! We all know I fail at doing my own synopsis half the time! 

I can't even with this book, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the book slowly sucks you in until you realise it's been hours and you're glued to the book and your stomachs growling because you lost track of time lost in the pages of the book. It's incredibly compelling and dark and emotional. 

We get alternate POV's and you're not entirely sure what happened, what the big secret it is, but as you read it becomes apparent there's two versions of the story here, throughout the course of the book your perspective and view of the characters changes, and your feelings towards the characters changes. I went from feeling sorry for Catherine, to hating her, then to kind of understanding but still disliking her to fully feeling so much sympathy for her and rage at Stephen. Although I will admit, I never actually liked Stephen, I thought he was dodgy from the beginning and then I understood his grief but he was kind of going the wrong way about it. So yeah. It's emotional as hell! 

The two POV's where done very well, with Stephen becoming more and more sinister as the book goes on, and Catherine losing control very swiftly over her life, while I felt for Catherine she was kind of kept at a distance from the reader, most likely done to keep you guessing about what really happened, did she really have an affair? And so on. 

This might be a bit weird, but the book had a kind of nostalgic feel to it, in the sense that memories of going on holiday, and whining for any inflatable water device....seats...lilo's....dinghies, and inevitably being denied and sitting there longingly staring at all the kids with them, all came flooding back. I never was allowed a dinghy, now that I think about it, and at the end of every holiday they would always be left behind for others to use. 

The book is plainly written, and it makes it so easy to read, and allow the book to suck you in and take you along for the ride. The suspense practically oozes off the page, and you're unsure who to believe, who's story is correct, while trying to work out your own theories and then never coming close. 

There is an uncomfortable scene, that should probably have a warning about for people who would be triggered by it, but I thought it could have gone very wrong, but was written quite well, with respect and care. The book will definitely stay with you after you've finished reading. I mean I couldn't believe the husband and his behaviour. Like seriously? The book is kind of haunting really. 

Disclaimer is a compelling read, atmospheric and will suck you in to the story bit by bit until you've finished the book, and will haunt you for a while after! 

Code & Exposure

Code
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher

The gang is back and things are quite quiet over on Loggerhead, no-ones shooting at them and trying to kill them, but we all know that won't last for long and it doesn't. See Hi has got a new hobby, it's called geocaching, and Hi and the gang find the only geocache located on Loggerhead. The cache contains a mystery box, and inside the mystery box is the start of a game, a very dangerous game.

The gang have to follow the clues to the next locations and it soon becomes apparent that this isn't an innocent  hunt, soon the gang are being put in one impossible position. Follow the rules of the game, win the tasks, find The Danger, or innocents are going to get hurt. They have no choice but to play the game, a game that's trying to kill them and those they love.

Tory and the gang have to solve the puzzles while working against the clock and keeping everything a secret, while trying to hunt down the Gamemaster. But that's not all they have to worry about, Chance is out and free, and he's on to Tory's little secret...the question is...will he work it out?

Okay, so again, this book is different to the first two books, this one was almost like a treasure hunt, but it was more intense, and more serious. The creepy "I'm watching you vibe" was very PLL and the overall vibe was quite junior NCIS or something similar. This book had a whole different levity to it with the consequences if they fail and so on, the stakes where way higher!

We got more of Jason in this book, which was interesting, as we didn't see him much in the first two books, you got loads of him and got to know him a bit better in this book, I'm still curious about him though, he still seems a bit mysterious.

This book gave us what we've all been waiting for as well.....the confirmation that Ben has a thing for Tory which was obvious at one previous point in the book, and it's all like screeching and wooing and omging, because like....FINALLY. It's now a case of what happens next....where will it go? If we do get some romance, I'm certain it's going to be secondary to the main plot, and very subtle, like it has been so far.

We got more of Chance this book as well, I like Chance, I really do, and I spent the whole book praying he wouldn't be a dick, then there was a point when I thought he was and I was like omg no but he wasn't, but he was totally shady for most of the book, and then right at the end of the book I was like dammit Chance, you're gonna be a dick aren't you?! I can't even. I want to know more about Chance, I really do like him, and I slightly ship him with Tory, not gonna lie.
His mole at LIRI is going to be interesting to watch play out as well. I hope he gets found out soon.

Like with the other books, our characters developed more, their bond strengthened...sort of, we saw more locations in the books world, and got a nice vivid image of them, the book was fast paced, just as slick and full of action, and it was incredibly hard to predict what was going to happen next. I always think I've pegged my suspect, or pin pointed what's going to happen next and I'm always wrong, and I love it.

Which is why the plot twist with Ben hit me like a truck. I did not see that coming. I thought the thing he was hiding was his thing for Tory, but no. I'm constantly shocked and surprised by every single plot twist in these books, and this was the worst so far. Like I can't even. I'm wondering how much it's going to change with his relationship with Tory, and how much it'll change the dynamics of the pack. Not to mention what will happen next with Ben himself.

I love how each book has a prologue that draws you in, and this was the creepiest one so far! I also love the little chapters in between the main narrative that are from a different POV, of someone who's a suspect, or from the bad guy, that all add huge amounts of intrigue and a nice dose of creepy.

It was interesting to see how things played out from the second book, everyone is closer, Kit now has an enemy within his own workplace, what things have changed in LIRI, douchey security for example. I quite liked Anders, I hope we see more of him! This book has taught me to be a bit suspicious of new characters, so I was mildly suspicious about him while hoping he was just a normal person haha

Now the suspense and the tension oozed off the page in this book multiple times, half the time it was like a physical thing, and it totally engulfs you. I was on the edge of my seat, nail biting, and generally freaking out when they where doing the challenges, and don't get me started on the scene under the ballroom! Couldn't put it down even if I tried. 

This series gets better and better, each book brings a different element, keeping the series fresh, there was still science in this one but there was a lot of cool puzzles as well. I love how there's still more to learn about their powers, especially with the new source of info they found, and I'm always excited to see where their powers are going to take them, what new ability they'll develop, I mean Tory is all mind reader, mind speak right now and it's so awesome!

I'm very excited to see what happens in the next book, especially after the last chapter!

Exposure
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher

It's been 5 months since the events of code, and we join the gang in the midst of the Gamemaster's trial as it's coming to it's conclusion. While the Gamemaster pretty much seals his fate, two of the gang's classmates go missing, twins to be precise. So of course Tory and the gang decide to investigate, I mean....weird, creepy card left as a clue? How could they not. But when they stumble across blood, and lots of it, things get a whole lot more serious...and then when Tory's friend Ella goes missing? Tory becomes hell bent on finding the missing students before anything bad happens. Well...worse than being kidnapped. 

However, they have a bit of a problem. While investigating they have to deal with Ben, who's flaring all the time, in public, and the fact that their flares are becoming are more unstable, to the extent they can't flare without pain at some points or flare without realising. It's getting harder and harder to keep their secret. Which is crappy timing, considering Change is not just suspicious of them...he's on to them. He has a theory and he thinks he's worked out what's going on with them....he's also commissioned some secret project at his new place of work....Candela Pharmaceuticals. 

As the threat of exposure gets higher and higher, the evidence surrounding the students disappearance gets more and more confusing, and when Tory herself is dropped straight in to danger...the Virals are going to have to risk themselves and their secret to save the missing students. 

So in this installment, we jump in 5 months after the little game the psycho master had them playing, and I loved getting to see how it all played out, what happened to the Gamemaster and how the events effected everyone involved, we got to see the previous storyline conclude pretty much perfectly. 

We also got to see how the plot twist from the third book played out, and the answer is, not well for Ben, the gang's kinda fractured when we join them in the book, they aren't a pack and they aren't working well together, Tory and Ben haven't spoken in months and Ben has this weird addiction to the flare almost. I will admit, for the majority of the book, Ben was being kind of a douche, and at points I really wanted to punch him in the face and didn't particularly like him much. I am Team Tory and always on her side, so yeah. But then eventually the gang got back to working well together and fixed themselves and Ben actually came across as quite sweet at one or more points, rather than his usual stoic self, so it was all good. But for a moment I was worried I was about to have issues with one of them! 

I'm beginning to have vibes about Tory, there's a lot unresolved, with her mother's death, and I'm slowly convincing myself it wasn't an accident, and I know it's probably because I watch too many crime shows but still. Also with each new book, Whitney annoys me more and more. As someone who doesn't like being forced to do things, or told what to do, Whitney really grates, as does Tory just taking it and go along with whatever she wants, I'm hoping it'll eventually come to a head and Tory will finally get Whitney to back off and stop trying to make her in to her, because to me, Tory is a strong character, and she seems quite independent at times, and her just going along with Whitney for the rest of her life doesn't mesh with the sense of her that i have as a character. Or ya know....Kit could finally dump her. Whichever. 

An intersting point of this book was that, we didn't have a creepy bad guy POV until we knew who the bad guy was, I was sad, because they're my favourite, but at the same time, it really added more intensity and foreboding and danger to the book as well as intrigue, we did have the creepy first chapter though! More importantly we got the POV of Ben, Shelton and Hi, briefly towards the end, which I liked because it gave you a sense of each character a bit better, and made the whole disappearance thing even more heart pounding, as they raced to put everything together and find her and so on. I don't know, I love Tory and her narrative, but it made it more interesting than just being from Tory's POV and then finding out what the boys did.

I gotta say, I love Hi and Shelton more with each book! They really do crack me up and stop the books from being all dark all the time. I particularly enjoyed how they where all heroes after the events of the third book and even the Tripod decided to creepily be nice to Tory! 

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the boys, really I do, but I LOVE ELLA SO MUCH. Seriously. She's a fantastic addition to the cast, she's the friend Tory needs, and it's so great to see her interact with a female friend who can make the fancy events she's forced to go to less boring. It's great to see Tory finally have someone other than the guys to talk to about stuff, and with the whole Ben thing, I think she's gonna need her. I was so devastated when she was kidnapped, not to mention also slightly gutted cos I started to think she had something to do with it all! These books have taught me to be suspicious of all new characters added to the mix! 

There's less of Jason, but there's more of Chance, and even a little Chance POV to give us an insight in to what he's doing and why, which was interesting, because at one point I really thought he was going to be a huge, "I'll kill you all" crazy person problem, but I can see where he's coming from and his determination to find out what the hell was going on, as can Tory, I think. He's clearly up to something dangerous that he then realised was dangerous and then the ending? Man I'm excited for the next book to see how this plays out, I had my suspicions about the "weird feeling" Tory was getting and it is the ONLY thing in these books I've ever worked out right! But yeah....interesting to see what changes. 

So I always say how I like seeing their powers change and develop rather than being a stagnant thing that they just have, and this book shows how potentially unstable their powers are. Either they where out of whack because of Chance, or Ben's theory was right, or they genuinely are dangerous and could kill them, but it was interesting to see them take a sinister turn. The Flare snapping off randomly, not being able to Flare, intense pain trying to Flare, it's going to be interesting to see what's behind it in the next book and what's going to happen with it next. 

This book, again, had a different vibe to the other books, they where looking for their classmates, while the noose tightened on them from Chance's investigations. It was kinda like a junior Criminal Minds or something, I don't know, but it was cool and a different take to the other books.

The creepy calling cards where suitably creepy, and I will admit, I found all the stuff about the Zodiac really interesting, so interesting I looked it up to check on my star sign, but I'm still narrowly a Pisces! Not sure whether I'm pleased or not to be honest! Speaking of the Zodiac, we see another corner of the world in this book, from the fairy shop to the huge estate with plenty of interesting history to it, I'm always interested to hear what historical tidbit about the area will be revealed!

The ending though...holy wow. It's like a punch in the freaking face. I was literally sitting, totally stunned for a good few minutes. Then I was freaking out and then I was thanking my lucky stars I can move on to the next book straight away. Props to the fans who've had to wait however long after that bombshell. I can't even. So many interesting paths have opened up, I can't wait to see what's going to happen next!