Whisper The Dead

Whisper The Dead
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: BUY
Source: Copy courtesy of the Author/Publisher
Check out my review of the previous book A Breath Of Frost.....here.

Cousins Gretchen, Penelope and Emma, since finding out they're witches, are now dealing with trying to master their powers, a feat that is proving...painful for Gretchen. Her power manifests as hundreds of voices talking at once and there's some rather unpleasant side effects of straining herself using it. Such is the burden of being a Whisperer. The incessant buzzing of the voices lets her know when any witches spell has gone wrong.

Since the events at the end of Breath Of Frost, the girls have each been assigned a Keeper to keep an eye on them (hardeharhar), Emma gets the joys of Virgil, Penelope gets the decent Ian and Gretchen....she gets Tobias who's face would probably crack in half if he smiled. Although when things take a turn for the menacing and very creepy, he's quite handy to have around, even if he isn't what he seems. You see, bodies have been dug up, warlock magic is being worked, and Sophie....she's escaped. Not to mention Emma is on a quest to release Ewan from the Underworld, a quest that goes downhill when Virgil takes her measure, and well.....it's too spoilery to continue. But there's mayhem shall we say.

Gretchen must master her power to help fight against the evil menacing Mayfair, as well as the help of Penelope, Emma, everyone's favourite Madcap Moira, her little gargoyle Pip, and the ever icy and always irresistible Tobias Lawless. No-one is who they seem, someone has changed allegiances, things get tragic and the Greymalkin Sisters will rise again....or will they?

No. So much no. No. No. No. I finished this at like 4am, okay and I'm typing this at nearly 6pm. It still hasn't sunk in. Tragic? TRAGIC?! Absolutely heartbreaking and UGH. No. I can't even. How could you Alyxandra?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US!? *ugly sobbing*

This installment is....well....it's a lot more emotional, obviously, than the first, and the stakes are definitely raised. Virgil, it has to be said, is a total dick, I knew it in the first book, but in this one I mean....can someone just.....I don't know...get rid of him? Somehow? Because seriously. SUCH a douche. So much hate for him. So much. I also had a lot of negative feelings towards the Order in this book, they where more present than in the previous book, you saw more of them, and what you did see just made  you wonder why the witches don't just rise up and take them out, because if I was treated like how the Order treats them....I would be like raaargghhh *hits with magic* etc. They caused some rage, but injustice always makes me grrrrr.

Although from an actor-y, I Have To Find The POV Of Every Character, you can see why people go against them and to be honest, the fine line the girls walk between obeying them and still helping them even though they treat them like crap after saving them, and just.....letting them get wiped out by Sophie to be honest. Or going full Warlock and getting rid of them themselves.

The only good thing about the douchey Order being all kidnappery and just ugh, is that Aunt Bethany went totally badass. I mean....seriously, I love her even more because she just took none of their shit, and I so loved seeing more of her character and a slightly deeper glimpse of her. More please! Not to mention Theodora being all "WHERE THE HELL IS MY DAUGHTER". So badass. I'm waiting for Gretchen's mum to finally snap and join in.

Emma and Cormac are still my favourite, the bit at the end! THE QUESTION HE ASKED! I can't even. So much cute and all the warm and fuzzies. I had the same thing with Drake Chronicles, Lucy and Nick are still my favourite, the other couples are cute, but the first couple is usually the one I like best. I just love Cormac being all....Cormac haha. I'm feeling like Emma is walking a very fine line between Warlock magic at this stage, but I'm not entirely sure? I'm intrigued to see what's going to happen to her and her father when she brings him back, because the Order won't be happy, I'm also excited to see the Cormac and Emma thing play out in Society....it's going to be interesting. And don't worry Emma fans, while the majority of the book is from Gretchen's hilarious POV, with a few POV's from Tobias, we also get lots of Emma as well as Penelope and Moira! Emma is just as feisty as ever, it has to be said! I loved Gretchen and her disdain for the rules of Society, I mean, if I was her, I'd be acting like her too! She wants to fight and defend herself and I loved that about her so much in this installment!

I really, really am liking Daphne. I hated her in the first book, but this time round....you see more of the girl under the bitchy exterior and you see she's a lot more....vulnerable? Fragile? Than she leads you to believe with her hard facade. I really liked seeing the real Daphne, as it where, and I liked her being a total magical badass, and helping even though she was told no and wanting to fight as well, and man I loved her and Gretchen getting on! I need to see loooaaddss more of it in the next installment and I'm hoping Daphne is gonna team up with Gretchen to save everyone's asses!

Guess who's back....back again.....shady's back.....tell a friend......
Oh yes. Remember psycho Sophie? She's back. She's as shady as ever, and she's still crazy. She's also got a friend. It turns out her plan goes a lot deeper than we originally thought from the previous book, like I was totally unsuspecting. In this book, I pretty much didn't know what some things meant, or realize they where clues, or even realized what was happening...until the big thing happened and I was like...OH. And all the pieces fit together, not just with Sophie and her evil master plan, but with Virgil and his cord.

I really thought I knew the direction this series was going in, you know, a book for each cousin with their love story and some mystery, danger and magic, with all of it being wrapped up at the end but still leaving you wanting more; But I did not see this horrendous cliffhanger coming, like how am I supposed to function in the wait for the next book. I mean.....shit got real. Really real. Things have been set up for the next book, and it's all high stakes and immense danger. So I need the next book NOW. This book is definitely filed under the books that make you scream and want to throw it, or ya know....flat out throw it, right before you pick it back up and re-read it!

I mean...after Drake Chronicles, I shouldn't have let myself be lulled in to a false sense of security, I should have been on guard but NOPE!

Whisper The Dead is a fantastic sequel to a unique and truly enchanting series. Fast paced, full of action, humour, magic, mystery, twists and turns in a complex plot that you will not see coming, things are being set up all the time with subtle clues, and even if you pick up on them....you don't realize what they mean until it's right in front of your face! The board has been set for another explosive installment, and said complex plot has ratcheted up the tension, danger, stakes and general seriousness despite the moments of laugh out loud humour. The characters we love so much each get their own say, as we see different points of view, each change in POV perfectly timed, and in this installment we get a better understanding of Gretchen as she meets her perfect match.

The vivid world of The Lovegrove Legacy will suck you back in and you'll happily spend hours lost in the web of a plot where nothing is what it seems. The rules of Society and the rules of the Order are about to blown apart and things are going to change. This is one of my favourite series, and I cannot tell you properly how unique, and generally awesome this series, and this installment is. I mean....I've never read anything like it and I'm so excited to see how things are going to grow and change in the next installment to expand on what happened in this one!

Tis the season to get SPOOKED!

It's October! I love October, mostly because I love Halloween, a holiday which I feel is sorely unappreciated her in the UK, I spent one Halloween in the US and it totally ruined it for me because no-one in England really cares about Halloween. No-one decorates, no-one dresses up and I haven't had trick or treaters in YEARS. It always disappoints me that no-one gets in to it over here, but I figured if anyone would appreciate a Halloween theme, my fellow book lovers would!

Not only do I usually spend Halloween watching....well...Halloween films, you know the sort, Hocus Pocus....Ghost Busters.....Beetlejuice....Sleepy Hollow and so on, wearing my tacky Halloween jumper and leggings and eating my body weight in Candy Corn (Bless you Bentall Centre and your American candy section!), but I also love nothing more than a Halloween read. Not always spooky ones, but some that are just ya know....magical!

SO for you guys I have compiled a list of some of the best books to read this month for Halloween, some are spooky, some are creepy, some are well and truly Halloween reads, and some, while not being scary, have that magical element that Halloween is all about. Not everyone dresses up as scary things ya know!

So here we gooooo!

1. The Fall

"She has spent her life fighting fate, and she thought she was succeeding. Until she woke up in a coffin.

Ushers die young. Ushers are cursed. Ushers can never leave their house, a house that haunts and is haunted, a house that almost seems to have a mind of its own. Madeline’s life—revealed through short bursts of memory—has hinged around her desperate plan to escape, to save herself and her brother. Her only chance lies in destroying the house.

In the end, can Madeline keep her own sanity and bring the house down?The Fall is a literary psychological thriller, reimagining Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher."

This is a Halloween read through and through, eerily creepy, it'll really get you in the spirit! 

2. Born At Midnight

"One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…"

Born At Midnight is the first in the Shadow Falls series, and it's one of my favourite series! Really you should read them all, and the Shadow Falls: After Dark series, which is just starting out. Shadow Falls has everything you could want for a Halloween read, vampires, fae, werewolves, shifters and ghosts, and they're all chilling in the woods! There's even romance for all you romance fans! And trust me, certain parts involving the ghosts are reaaaaally creepy.

3. Soul Screamers

"She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next."

My Soul To Take is the first in the Soul Screamers series, again, another of my favourites, and another that I feel fits the Halloween vibe for those who don't want to be totally terrified. There's reapers and banshee type things going on, and again, romance, and it's another perfect, lighter Halloween read! 

4. Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone

"Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy - until he is rescued by an owl, taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason: HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD!"

I wasn't really going to do a synopsis for this, but I thought I'd better on the off chance, and GoodReads is suspiciously short! 

How can I do a Halloween reads list WITHOUT Harry Potter? I couldn't not include him! All the magic and the creatures and ya know...Halloween in the book...."TROOOOOLLL....IN THE DUNGEON" and all that. Just do it. You know you feel a re-read coming on so why not start it now? 

5. Dracula

"Acting on behalf of his firm of solicitors, Jonathan Harker travels to the Carpathian Mountains to finalize the sale of England's Carfax Abbey to Transylvanian noble Count Dracula. Little does he realize that, in doing so, he endangers all that he loves. For Dracula is one of the Un-Dead--a centuries-old vampire who sleeps by day and stalks by night, feasting on the blood of his helpless victims. Once on English soil, the count sets his sights on Jonathan's circle of associates, among them his beloved wife Mina. To thwart Dracula's evil designs, Jonathan and his friends will have to accept as truth the most preposterous superstitions concerning vampires, and in the company of legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, embark on an unholy adventure for which even their worst nightmares have not prepared them."

We're gonna get classical now for the next couple, how can you not read Dracula in honour of Halloween in October? It's a must really. It's just so....Halloween ;) 

6. Frankenstein 

"A summer evening's ghost stories, lonely insomnia in a moonlit Alpine's room & a runaway imagination--fired by philosophical discussions with Lord Byron & Percy Bysshe Shelley about science, galvanism & the origins of life--conspired to produce for Mary Shelley this haunting night specter. By morning, it had become the germ of her Romantic masterpiece,Frankenstein. 

Written in 1816 when she was only 19, Shelley's novel of "The Modern Prometheus" chillingly dramatized the dangerous potential of life begotten upon a laboratory table. A frightening creation myth for our own time, Frankenstein remains one of the greatest horror stories ever written & is an undisputed classic of its kind."

Again, another classic that is so totally Halloween, when everyone thinks of Halloween they usually picture Dracula, Frankenstein and a Werewolf, they're like....the Mean Girls of Halloween! 

7. The Strange Case Of Doctor Jekyll And Mr. Hyde

"Published as a shilling shocker, Robert Louis Stevenson's dark psychological fantasy gave birth to the idea of the split personality. The story of respectable Dr Jekyll's strange association with damnable young man Edward Hyde; the hunt through fog-bound London for a killer; and the final revelation of Hyde's true identity is a chilling exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil."

I um'd and ah'd about including this, but ultimately decided that it fits the bill! Again it's another Classic, and one that I have very vague recollections of seeing the musical version of, back in the day, I'm fairly certain I still have the soundtrack floating about, and I think a re-read is in order! 

8. The Picture Of Dorian Grey

"Dorian is a good-natured young man until he falls in with the cunning and quick-tongued Lord Henry, who unveils  to Dorian the power of his own exceptional beauty. As he gradually sinks deeper into a glamorous and decadent world of selfish luxury, he seems to remain physically unchanged in spite of age and the stresses of his corrupt lifestyle. But in his attic, hidden behind a curtain, his portrait tells a different story."

Again, not one of the Mean Girls of Halloween, but a good classic that is suitably Halloween-y. I do actually watch the film version of this every Halloween/October, but to be honest, I think the film version is just a bit crap, I only really watch it for Ben Barnes *winkwink* 

9. Edgar Allan Poe: The Complete Tales and Poems

"In a career that spanned slightly more than two decades, Edgar Allan Poe pioneered the short story as a literary form, perfected the tale of psychological horror, launched the detective fiction genre, and helped to revolutionize modern poetics. The full body of Poe's imaginative work encompasses mystery tales, horror stories, satires, fables, fantasies, science fiction, dramas, and verse."

Again...how can you not? This collection is kind of a must read for Halloween, and if you're gonna read The Fall, this has The Fall Of The House Of Usher in it, and seeing as The Fall i based on it, you should really give it a go! It's also got Murders In The Rue Morgue, The Raven and well...everything! 

Aaaannnd this is the last classic, I promise! 

10. Alice In Zombieland

"Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies…."

Zombies....classic Halloween monster right?! Alice In Zombieland has a totally unique take on zombies, has romance for all the romance fans, and is suitably creepy at points as well as badass. You can probably guess it's another of my favourite series, and ya know...the third and final in the trilogy just came out so why not give it a go to get in the Halloween spirit!? 

11. A Breath Of Frost 

"In 1814, three cousins—Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope—discover their family lineage of witchcraft when a binding spell is broken, allowing their individual magical powers to manifest. Now, beyond the manicured gardens and ballrooms of Regency London, an alluring underworld available only to those with power is revealed to the cousins. By claiming their power, the three cousins have accidentally opened the gates to the underworld. 

Now ghouls, hellhounds—and most terrifying of all, the spirits of dark witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters—are hunting and killing young debutante witches for their powers. And, somehow, Emma is connected to the murders…because she keeps finding the bodies. 

Can the cousins seal the gates before another witch is killed…or even worse, before their new gifts are stripped away?"

Witches....magic....this is the first in a new series by one of my favourite authors and the second installment is out very soon...perfect timing right!? For me, this is suitably Halloween-y what with the witches element, it's also a slightly lighter one, there's some creepy bits but it's all cute and romancey too. You should also check out The Drake Chronicles, Stolen Away and Haunting Violet as each is suitable Halloween reading material! Vampires....fae....ghosts....all are perfect! 

12. Poison Princess

" Sixteen-year-old Evangeline "Evie" Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they're still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can't do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can't totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it's not always clear who is on which side."

This one is another of my favourites, that I actually read the first two of at around October last year, while they're not especially creepy, well I mean...I guess they can be at points, they're more apocalypse-y, but I don't know...this series just fits the Halloween vibe with the arcana cards and the horrible visions and everything! And actual Death....on a horse. 

13. White Hot Kiss 

" Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. 

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever. 

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul. 

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world."

OKAY, don't judge the cover and the title...hear me out first! This has made my list because yes, it has demons who are suitably creepy/Halloween-y, and unique...but it also has Gargoyles. Come ooonn ya know you haven't read one about Gargoyles before, you're gonna love this, I promise you, and it's great for Halloween, I think since the Gargoyles TV show/cartoon stopped, gargoyles have been severely under-rated. 

14. Unspoken 

" Kami Glass loves someone she's never met . . . a boy she's talked to in her head ever since she was born. She didn't spend her childhood silent about her imaginary friend, and is thus a bit of an outsider in the sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, she has a best friend, runs the popular school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head. 

But all that changes when the Lynburns return. ." 

Yes, I know y'all know I love this series, and obviously it has made the list. Why is it a Halloween read? Creepy Lynburn house with strange goings on/secretive stuff going on and ya know...magical type things going on. Not to mention in the second book a load of scarecrows come alive and attack them. I've not read the third yet, but I'm sure it's just as fantastic. 

15. The Name Of The Star 

" Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him - the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target...unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables."

Shades Of London. A must read. Particularly at Halloween, I read this at night and just...never again. I'm going to be getting in to the Halloween spirit this week by reading a proof copy of the third book, but you guys can and should read the first two. Ghosts. Jack The Ripper wannabe. What more do you need on the creepy front? 

16. Vampire Academy

" St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever"

So, Vampires are one of the big Halloween baddies. I wanted to include a book solely about Vampires (Shadow Falls is a mix of everything) that wasn't a classic and thus more easy to get in to for people who don't care for Classics or their wording. I already mentioned The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey, but I didn't wanna do two from the same author on different slots. So we have, I think, one of the first Vampire books I read, along with Morganville Vampires (there's another Halloween one!), this one is quite a light Halloween read...it's funny, there's romance, there's also a suitable level of badass-ery, and ya know...Vampirey things. It's a good series, it's now completed, and if you're in the mood you could check out the spin off series Bloodlines!

17. Unbreakable 

" When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way." 

Reviewed recently by me, I've included this because it's a 100% Halloween read. The best way to describe it, is a YA version of Supernatural. There's even brothers, although they're twins. It's got humour, it's got REALLY creepy ghosts and vividly creepy haunted and abandoned locations, including a prison. This is one of the creepier offerings I have for you guys on this list! But seriously, it's a really good series! 

18. City Of Bones

" When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... "

It's a well known fact I love this series. Why is it a Halloween read? Demons. Demons EVERYWHERE. And ya know...werewolves, warlocks and so on are also present. So this one makes the cut as well, check out the rest of the series and check out the prequel trilogy The Infernal Devices! 

So there you have it! Halloween reads. 18 of them. Some classics in there, a couple of fully creepy ones, but most of them are light ones, there's some romance, there's the usual Halloween monsters and everything, this is purely because occasionally I do get freaked out quite easily, there was an incident where I binge watched season 1 of Criminal Minds in a day and couldn't sleep properly for days for example, so while I like the odd creepy book, I don't have a million of them in my possession nor have a read a lot of them, so there's a mix of both, but as I said, most of them are fairly light, but have Halloween "monsters".

A Breath of Frost

A Breath of Frost
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy or forever regret it
Source: Copy courtesy of Bloomsbury
File Under: Book Hangover books!

The year is 1814, the place is bustling London, teeming with activity and witchcraft. Three cousins, Emma, Gretchen and Penelope, the daughters of the three Lovegrove sisters, are in the midst of their first season, after having been presented to the Queen. The young Lady's are attending another tedious ball, when Emma is jostled and drops her mother's bottle necklace, the only thing she has to remember her mad mother locked in her house in Berkshire. When the bottle breaks...a lot more than Emma's feelings are hurt.

With the breaking of the bottle, gates all over London are open, allowing dark and sinister things through. But it also breaks the binding spell put on the girls by Emma's mother to protect her, allowing their powers to manifest. The girls each have their own unique power and familiar, Emma's becomes apparent when it rains inside a carriage, Penelope touches a ring and spends an uncomfortable few minutes being burned at the stake and Gretchen's head starts buzzing when magic is performed wrong.

With the underside of London suddenly revealed to them, Emma also has to deal with the insufferable Cormac, the boy who kissed her then did a standard guy move and acted like she never existed, who turns out to be one of the Keepers, members of the Order, the police of the magical world. The Keepers are after Emma because of her mother's power and what she did, which means Cormac is showing up all over the place. Did I forget to mention that the Order are also after Emma because a couple of girls who happen to be witches, have all been murdered, their magic stolen, and then covered in ice, and Emma is inexplicably drawn to each murdered girl but a magical wind, and her magical trace is all over them? Yeah. Minor problem that.

Emma and her cousins are sent to a fancy Finishing School, which happens to be a school of magic for ladies, to learn to control their magic. Emma has to dodge ghouls, hellhounds, navigate the Goblin Market, and most terrifyingly....her fellow Debutantes. With Cormac confusing Emma's feelings, Emma and her cousin's have to stop the spirits of the Dark Witches known as the Greymalkin Sisters, and seal the gates once and for all , with the help of a Madcap called Moira and a couple of Gargoyles. Will they succeed? Or will they end up with their magic bound, and going mad?

Oh my God. I just...have so much to say about this book. Everyone knows I love Alyxandra Harvey, The Drake Chronicles are one of my ultimate favourite book series, and I read everything buy her. Not since her Drake Chronicles have I felt this energized about a book. I have what I term as a Book Hangover. Since finishing A Breath of Frost, my Book Hangover means I'm still in the world created in the book, and as soon as I finished, I wanted to start reading it all over again!

Alyxandra Harvey is incredible at world building, and A Breath of Frost is no exception, it's like she cast a magical spell herself to suck you through a portal straight in to the mirky streets of Regency London. I could practically smell the rain, and hear the bustling street sounds. The prose is atmospheric, and as always, cinematic, I mean c'mon people, these books are begging to be made in to a movie! Quit holding out on us all!

Harvey uses a few short, but powerful words to create her descriptions, that are so vivid you can see them clearly in your minds eye. As soon as you start reading, you're hooked from page one, unable to put the book down. You find yourself with it seemingly glued to your hand, your eyes unable to leave the page.

A Breath of Frost has such a wealth of beautiful imagery, yet everything is very concise, from descriptions, to backgrounds to lore. The story is told mostly from Emma's point of view, but also Cormac, Gretchen and Penelope, as well as flashbacks from her mother's point of view. This allowed us to get a deep understanding of the world the story is in, and the characters, quickly and concisely without endless and monotonous text. The flashbacks themselves where handled in a unique way, keeping the reader's interest and being concise and keeping with the flow of the book.

The change from point of view to point of view was seamless and effortless, a true indication of how talented a writer Harvey is. The entire pace of the book was hold-on-to-your-hat fast, with a brisk flow unencumbered with pointless dialogue or text.

Emma is my new favourite heroine, she's just so strong and witty. No matter what's thrown at her, she doesn't run away, she faces it head on and refuses to be bullied or intimidated in to backing down or being obedient. I love her snappy retorts and her refusal to be cowed. The relationship between Emma and her cousin's, Gretchen and Penelope, was truly beautifully written, they may as well have been sisters. They're supportive of each other, and would defend each other until their last breath. All three of them are written so fiery and full of life, you can't help but love and admire them and make a mental note of their retorts. Particularly Penelope's Shakespearean cursing, and Gretchen's snarky one liners. I do love a fellow lover of snark.

Cormac...is just....*sigh* so beautiful and so incredibly adorable. Initially I thought he was a bit of prat with how he was treating Emma, but then you see his point of view (gotta love multi points of view for this understanding) and you see he's in love with Emma, and it gradually comes out that he was being how he was to protect her. There's an un-ending stream of cute moments between them as well as flirty that have you going "aaaawww" and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, a feeling Harvey is an expert at inspiring in her romances. Their relationship progresses so perfectly, as things slide in to place and they finally admit their feelings. Harvey's romances are always aaww worthy, and inspire a certain jealousy, because no real life bloke will ever match up! Cormac and Emma's relationship was the perfect romance, and perfectly sweet, and I can't wait to see how they progress knowing their feelings.

Now, the plot. The original blurb does not do it justice, and is my custom, I got over excited and fleshed it out way more than was probably necessary, but when I get excited about a book my rambling and need to get everyone else to love it as much as me is unstoppable.

The plot for A Breath of Frost is a web of many different and very unpredictable threads. We have the romance, the main one being Emma and Cormac, but I've already seen another potential one, and then there's the brief glimpses of Emma's mother. But more than that, we have the mystery of who the murderer is, I freely admit to following the train of thought given and being convinced it was Daphne, so when the actual murderer was revealed I was genuinely shocked.

A Breath of Frost has many twists and turns, and all of them are unpredictable, from the mystery of the murderer to the deep, dark family secrets revealed. I was kept guessing the whole way through, which added to the enjoyment for me. The threads of romance, mystery, murder and magic are expertly woven in to a truly  fantastical and greatly enjoyable plot. The lore surrounding witches and magic is truly unique, making the book stand out from all other's in the genre, not to mention the added lore of the Gargoyle's and other creatures. I really loved how Harvey wrote the witches familiars in to the story, it was truly unique and never has been done before.

So much happens in the nearly 500 pages, but you never once find yourself bored, or getting easily distracted, the book is truly a page turner and utterly gripping. We go from a ball to a murder to the strange magical happenings, to finding out about being a witch, to a goblin market, to a ship, to a school of magic, to a period of time at the school, to more murders and a house that is straight out of a gothic horror book. I promise you, there's not a moment when you find yourself bored.

A Breath of Frost takes us on a truly magical journey through the streets of Regency London, filled with incredibly unique mythology and lore concerning magic and gargoyles not to mention the romance, mystery and murder. A Breath of Frost is a true  page turner, giving you the warm and fuzzies one moment, making you all emotional the next, to having you laughing so hard your sides hurt, like me, you won't want this book to end!

Do yourself a favour this cold and rainy January, pick up A Breath of Frost and get drawn straight in to the heart of the story, and surround yourself with magic and a beautiful romance. As for me, I will be nursing my Book Hangover, resisting the urge to start reading it again straight away and starting my one woman campaign to get this made in to a movie! Well...I have to do something to fill the void in my life until the second book!