Wishing For Wednesday #64

Hey guys! 
This week I've got two ridiculously exciting books for you! 
First up is a new book by Richelle Mead, I love all of her books, and this one has me super excited because Chinese Folklore! 
The other book is the second book in the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson, and I loved the first book, so I've been eagerly awaiting the second! 

Soundless

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Soundless is out November 12th, pre-order your copy.....here! 
Add it to your TBR....here! 

Firefight

They told David it was impossible--that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet, Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand. 

Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life more simple. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And there's no one in Newcago who can give him the answers he needs. 

Babylon Restored, the old borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic, Regalia, David is sure Babylon Restored will lead him to what he needs to find. And while entering another city oppressed by a High Epic despot is a gamble, David's willing to risk it. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And he's willing to go on a quest darker, and more dangerous even, than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers.

Firefight is out November 12th, pre-order your copy....here! 

Add it to  your TBR.....here! 

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! 

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children 
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

I've got another series review, or in this case, trilogy! I was incredibly lucky to receive the Peregrine's Home books to review, I've seen people hyping them all over the place but never actually gotten around to reading them myself. Just recently the third and final book was released, and thus I was incredibly grateful to be allowed to review all three! I have to say, these books deserve the hype, and a hell of a lot more of it! I'm kind of mind blown still after reading them! What an experience, what a world. It's a bit of a jolt being back in reality after reading! 

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children 

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

The first book sucks you in from the first page and keeps you hooked on the book and the series from the go. Once you start reading, you just know you'll be reading the other books, not only because of the story, but because of how unique the book is, and because of all the fascinating photos and the way they are smoothly integrated with the narrative. 

Miss Peregrine's Home introduces us to the world, the fantastic characters and the unique format of words and vintage photographs. Some of said photos are a tad unsettling, I'll happily accept the authors explanation of "over exposure" or something because ya know...creepy. But as unsettling as some of them are, they are all fascinating, these snapshots in to history and other time periods. Looking at the photos and wondering who it is in the photo, what their story is....which is what led the author to writing the book! It's even  more fascinating when you think about the fact that some of these photos are from the time when photography was new and was still not exactly precise. 

Anyway, the book was intriguing from the beginning, hooking you in and brimming with originality. Not only in it's format, but in the story and the characters and the world. There's heartbreaking tragedy, a quest like vibe as Jacob seeks answers about his grandfather and the house. I felt like the book was dark, but that could be because the photos where all in black and white so my brain was picturing things in black and white, which is probably not a good thing but still! I had a dark vibe from it. It's not only the photos that are creepy either, the Wights, the Hollowgasts, they where plenty creepy! 

The book was insanely atmospheric, sucking you in to the world of the book, and it was incredibly addictive. Partly because of the lively, lovable array of characters, partly because of the setting and partly because of the originality. Seriously, you all know I love all things unique at this stage! Either way....I was hooked from the start! 

Hollow City

This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. 

I should probably admit at this point, that I picked this up straight after I'd read the first, and had resigned myself to reading all of them in one go....and I did. Genuinely. All day. I have no regrets either. 

In this second book, we get to explore the world of the Peculiars a lot more, and we get to spend more time with the other kids, getting to know them a bit better. I ended up loving them all even more to be honest. I found them such an easy bunch to relate to, Enoch is definitely me when I haven't had enough sleep and I'm grouchy! Each of them is so different, but they all work together, and each of them has something relatable about them. 

This book made me fall even more in love with the setting as we spent a lot of time in time loops, mostly the 1940's, but a couple of others as well and I just loved how well each was created through the authors words and the photos that went with certain passages. The 1940's came alive, each setting had a different vibe and was different from the other. It's vivid enough that you're pulled in there with the characters and you're completely fascinated because it's so authentically written. The visuals from the photos just give the book an entirely other level. 

In this book the suspense is even greater as the kids are trying to save Miss Peregrine and are kind of on their own, on their quest to locate Wren and get her help in restoring Miss Peregrine, while being chased by the bad guys the entire time. The ending really leaves you hanging as well, and the tension is ramping up further and further as you read. 

We get to meet and learn about peculiar animals in this book, and boy did I love Addison, and the visual we where given! They're integral to the storyline and I loved learning about them and getting to know them. One of the way's we learned about them was through a book of Peculiar Tales, and I would love for that to be brought out in real life, because what we did read....I loved and was completely fascinated by. I just love what the authors doing, what he's creating and each new taste of it leaves me wanting more! There's something so compelling about the writing, that even when it slows down a bit....you can't stop reading. This is the perfect continuation of the series! 

Library Of Souls

The adventures that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued with Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls.

As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. 

I was so not ready for this series to end. Seriously. The ending was perfect, don't get me wrong. But it was bittersweet because I really didn't want to leave the world of the book or the characters. I've literally spent all day reading these three books in one go, because I have no self control, and I got so emotionally invested in these characters and so attached to them and so engrossed and enchanted by the world that closing this book after the last page....I kind of just sat there blinking a bit because it was a bit of a jolt, going from one fantastical world....to well....whatever rubbish was on TV. 

This series has been perfect, it has to be said. The continuation between each one...perfect. The blend of fantasy narrative with vintage photos....perfect. The plot....perfect. The characters....perfect. I could go on but I'm sure you get where I'm going with this. This one picks up straight from the end of the second book, and it's such a journey. We've come such a long way from the first book and here we are. Nearing the end. The conclusion is on the horizon. The stakes are high, the suspense is strong and you're kind of sitting there like....I'm so not ready for this to be over. 

We learn more about loops, more about Miss Peregrine and her family and more about the peculiars, or more specifically their beliefs. I personally found that fascinating and an idea I could totally get behind. It was another original touch, giving even more detail to the peculiars and bringing them even more to life. 

This book, as I've already mentioned, is complete perfection. The ending was so, completely perfect. I'm still not over it and it really made you see how far the characters had come. I was cheering for them and fist pumping because they all got their happy ending. They all got a chance at life, in a way. 

I've loved watching the friendships and the relationships develop over the course of the book. The relationship between Emma and Jacob was kind of, well...peculiar what with her connection to his grandfather and everything. But watching it develop....the author has done such a fantastic job. The relationship was organic, and so realistic, especially in this book and the obstacles they overcome and what happens towards the end and everything. It's just been so well done. The friendships really where beautiful to watch grow between Jacob and the others. Especially when there where heartwarming little moments, like Jacob being given the scarf, and you had a little moment of realization about how the friendship has grown over the books. 

The other two books have led perfectly to this one, without sacrificing the stories in them individually, and you could see everything coming together in this book and everything being wrapped up nicely and perfectly. I loved meeting Miss Peregrine's other brother...slimey though he was. I loved jumping through all the loops. I loved Jacob and his powers being expanded on, and him finding out what else he can do. There where plot twists all over the place and they all had me gasping or being like "noooooo!".  This book was just as compelling as the others and it was full of action, adventure and suspense. Suspense that you could actually feel from the page. You really rooted for the characters which made you get so attached and so one plot twist really upset me, to be honest! 

The Library of Souls is the perfectly peculiar and original ending to a completely enchanting and fantastical trilogy. I found myself fascinated as I was reading and looking at the photos. You go on a journey with the characters and the photography adds another level, another understanding to the book or visualisation of it, perhaps is what I mean! I genuinely have never read anything like this before, and I couldn't love the books or crow about them enough, I think everyone should read them because they're an incredible reading experience! 

The Month In Books: October

Happy November guys! 

It's wrap up time again! 

I've done a fair amount of reading this month, and bought quite a few books to be honest. I'd planned on reading loads of Halloween books for the month, but I didn't get to actually read all that many in between taking photos for my Tumblr and reading review books. I did get to re-read The White Rabbit Chronicles though, which is a Halloween read of mine, and had time to re-read Snow Like Ashes before I started Ice Like Fire! I also bought the Penguin English Library copies of some of the Halloween classics that I have in leather-bound because why not. 

ALSO I've figured out why Blogger is pixelating my photos and managed to find a way around it! Woo freaking hoo! 

I've not got all that many review books for November, so I think it'll be a month of re-reading for me! I keep getting the urge to re-read books and now I have no excuse to stop me! I'm also planning to start reading a classic book a month from this month onward, but we'll see how well that goes for me! I may or may not have an exciting opportunity coming my way that could impact my time! If everyone could send me good luck/vibes for that, that'd be fantastic! So anyway...

Books Read This Month: 

Magnus Chase and The Sword Of Summer

Finding Sky

Misty Falls

Angel Dares

Good Omens

The Darkest Minds

A Thousand Nights

Alice in Zombieland

Alice Through The Zombie Glass

The Queen Of Zombie Hearts

Snow Like Ashes

Ice Like Fire

Iron Warrior

All The Wrong Questions

Iron Warrior isn't pictured because Kindle, Ice Like Fire I literally just finished the day after I took it, I completely forgot about Lemony Snicket and mind spaced, but I did actually read them all! I also re-read Finding Sky and Misty Falls after I finished Angel Dares because I was in the mood! But yeah, I was kinda rushing when I took the photos and not really all that focused so I have missed out a few, my bad guys! 

Books Bought This Month: 

A Mad Zombie Party

Dead Of Winter

Witch Hunter

Dracula

The Picture Of Dorian Gray

Frankenstein

Daisy Miller & The Turn Of The Screw

The Mystery Of Edwin Drood

Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde

Never Fade

Shutter

A Song Of Ice And Fire

A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man

Le Morte D'Arthur

Fancy books are fancy! So besides the English Library versions of books I already have....I got like three sequels. Starting Darkest Minds without owning the final two books was SUCH  a tactical error! Witch Hunter I've been after for ages and ya know...Halloween so I thought why not. Shutter, another Halloween read. A new Penguin Drop Caps edition, and I couldn't resist the fancy leatherbound of a book about King Arthur! Nor could I resist the flex-cloth Game of Thrones....the amount of books I have multiple copies of is insane. 

Books Received This Month: 

Who Could That Be At This Hour? 

When Did You See Her Last? 

Shouldn't You Be In School? 

Why Is This Night Different From All Other Nights? 

The School For Good and Evil

School For Good and Evil: A World Without Princes

School For Good and Evil: The Last Ever After

Angel Dares

The Osiris Ritual

Good Omens

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

Hollow City

Library of Souls

Dangerous Days In Ancient Egypt

A Thousand Nights

I am insanely grateful to all the publishers who sent me these, I mean....I can't even. So, so grateful! I won The School For Good and Evil from Maximum Pop, which was incredibly lucky of me! The reviews for The Osiris Ritual (it's like Titan can read my mind), Dangerous Days in Ancient Egypt (history for adults from a creator of Horrible Histories, hello awesome), and Miss Peregrine's House (ridiculously intrigued by this series!), will all be up in the coming weeks! 

I've given you a mix of GoodReads links and Amazon links, because GoodReads doesn't have some of the correct freaking covers/editions! Let me know what you got up to in October down in the comments and have a fantastic November! 

Blog Tour: Ice Like Fire

Ice Like Fire
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy. ASAP if I was you. 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher 

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

Couple things, before we get this blog tour review on the road. First off, you get the GoodReads synopsis because I'm still trying to process what I just read and my brain can't get past the WHAAAAAAT of it all to compose a synopsis that's spoiler free. Second, for my stop on the blog tour, you're getting a review yaaaaay! Obvious, I know, but pre-warning to anyone visiting my blog for this blog tour....this review is going to be me, being informal, and fangirly and freaking out about what I just read okay! THIRDLY and finally, word of warning. This book will crush you. It will destroy your feels. It will wreck your ships, and you will love every freaking moment of it. Until the end, because then it's like "WHAT?! NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME" then you're like, love it but at the same time damn you Sara! So, we all clear on all of that? Good. 

I made the time to re-read Snow Like Ashes before I started to read this because I needed a bit of a refresher and I was just in the mood. I kinda think you should all re-read before you start Ice Like Fire because it lets you appreciate how cleanly the series continues! As well as building the anticipation for the next book, because hey...may as well right?! 

Snow Like Ashes introduced us to a fantastically unique world that we all got completely lost in as we read. It was full of twists and turns and shocking reveals that had us staring at the page trying to process everything. Most of all, it was brimming with emotion and characters you got attached to an unhealthy amount. Ice Like Fire is no exception, it has all of that and more. So much more. 

We're straight back in to the action, catching up with all the characters as the plot kicks in to motion. I love Meira so much it's ridiculous. I will literally fight anyone about her. I connected to her so easily in the first book, and in this book that connection continues and is made stronger. You can relate to Meira, you feel for her. She continues to grow as she tries to be the best Queen she can be, and as she struggles you are right there with her, feeling everything she feels. I love getting to see more and more of Meira and how she reacts to other situations and how she rules Winter and what trouble she gets in, but it has to be said...she makes me feel all the feels. 

Straight away, for instance. I felt some intense rage at Cordell and Noam. I mean, he was kind of a douche in the first book and I wanted to smack him one, but he inspired so much rage in this book. Seriously, he's such a greedy *insert swear word here*. I actually, in my notes, asked Sara a question but the end of the book made it redundant! Anyway,  he truly is a repulsive character, and I think it's a combination of connection to Meira, and therefore kinda being on her side and feeling what she does, and the author just writing Noam so well that makes you really hate him. Or maybe I just get way to emotionally involved in books, either way, I felt some intense rage. That's not even the least of it, this book makes you feel so many emotions as you follow the characters and what's happening, but be prepared to feel a lot of anger towards certain characters. 

So yes. Feels are felt. Anger, betrayal (is that a feel? Oh well), sadness, happiness, you pretty much are going to feel everything because of these characters, and you're gonna love it but it's also kind of emotionally intense and leaves you at the end kind of just sitting there like...woah. 

Moving swiftly on, before I waffle on more....Mather! We get Mather's POV as well this book to keep us up to date with what's occurring in Winter while Meira is away and it was so interesting. Without being spoilery, there's stuff going on and it's very interesting to get Mather's side of things, and it's such a well done POV. The switches are kind of perfect, even the ones that interrupt "OMG" moments for Meira and you're like "Now Mather? You want a POV NOW?". The new POV is something that enhances the book, adding a new level. You don't have to hear about what's been going on second hand and adds another level to the book, and there's no overlapping with the same scene verbatim twice in a row. I think other plans will be very pleased to get inside Mather's head! Not to mention that Mather is dealing with the whole parentage thing!

Now I've mentioned Mather, I feel like I should mention Theron. I really wanted to smack him one for the majority of the book. Like, really badly. In the first book, I found it hard to  pick a ship. I loved Theron but I also loved Mather, and even though Mather hurt her and Theron was seemingly perfect, I still couldn't quite decide on a ship. This book has drastically changed things. As I started I was still "hmmm" and undecided, but as issues where worked through and you got to see Mather's thoughts.....I decided. I am firmly Team Mather! Don't get me wrong, I wanted to smack Theron one, but at times he was still his old self, you'll see what I mean properly when I read, but Mather and Meira, despite all the hassle, are kind of perfect together, I think. But we'll see. Who knows what'll happen in the third book that'll make me change my mind...possibly! So for me, I feel like the love triangle has been resolved. 

I thought the triangle was very well done, and I loved the romance in the first book and even more so in this book, even though it takes a backseat to all the drama playing out. When I started this book, I was curious as to how it would be resolved because I just couldn't see a side, but then ya know....Mather. So problem solved for me, but I don't know what the author has up her sleeve!

While we see a lot of our favourite characters, Mather, Theron and so on. We also get to see lots more of Nessa and her brothers, and I was so excited about that because I was so intrigued by them in the first book and loved them so much and I was happy to see they weren't kind of, forgotten about or something and where rather prominent in this book! I feel we got to know them a lot better and I loved how Meira has this close knit group to help her, even if she is determined to go it alone!

Besides are favourites, we also meet a whole host of other characters in this book, some not so great, some fantastic. The cast of characters in the book are just....insanely rich. There's all kinds of people, all kinds of personalities and each one comes to life as you read, whether you  like them or not, and they're all fun to read about as you try to work out how they tick, and if they're trustworthy or not. 

I've got to say, I freaking love Ceridwen. She is one of my new favourites, I kinda loved her from the beginning to be honest! She's a lot like Meira and is therefore, kind of the perfect friend for her and I spent the book so desperately hoping Meira would trust her and let her in! Aside from being a good friend to Meira, she was also incredibly interesting. There's a lot going on with Ceridwen and a lot of it you don't see until the end, and then your heart kind of aches for her, and after finishing the book I'm actually scared for her! She's a fantastic character, and it would be such a shame to kill her off...wouldn't it Sara? (Please agree!) 

Anyway, enough fingerling over Ceridwen! She has a brother, Simon, the King of Summer. I wanted to like him, but I kind of didn't. It's actually really hard to like him. I think he redeems himself a bit towards the end but still. There's Ceridwen's mate Lekan, definitely interested in his character and how he came to be buddies with Ceridwen. There's Queen Giselle of Yakim, I'm hoping she'll come in to play at some point in the next book! The rather lovely Autumnian royals who I'd like to see more of in the next book, they where a lovely bunch! We have King Jesse of Ventralli, he wasn't really what I was suspecting and I kinda liked him, even if he wasn't really all that...great, shall we say. But then maybe my faith wasn't entirely misplaced! There's seriously loads of new characters and each is created with such care and detail and just makes you want to know more about them and their backstories! I'm incredibly interested in Jesse now, it has to be said! 

The fantastic thing about Ice Like Fire is that it makes you feel so much. You feel the emotions of the characters, yes, but you also feel the atmosphere of the book. It's so incredibly atmospheric that it comes off the page and swamps you. You can feel the tension, the suspense, the slightly threatening presence of the Cordellans, the menace, everything. Each chapter brings you further in to the atmosphere of the book, further in to the atmosphere of a new place, and each place has it's own atmosphere that distinguishes one from the other. It's one of the things that makes it so easy to disappear inside the book and get completely lost. I remember looking up at one point and hours had passed and I had no idea, so enthralled was I!

One thing I loved about the first book was the world. It was unique, it was vivid, it came to life and sucked you in and left you wanting to know more, see more. Ice Like Fire allows you to do that. Like I said, you see Summer, Yakim and Ventralli. Each is different from the other. Summer is like, well Summer. Yakim kind of had some steampunk vibes, I thought. Ventralli, well the masks made me picture Venice a little bit to be honest! But each had it's own vibe, each had it's own very different setting from the other, and each enchanted you just as much as the last. I love how each Season embodies what you think of when you think of it. I love how the Rythms where different from that, but each just as different. Not just in looks, but also in the way they're run and what they value. 

I love how the author has created this hugely expansive world, with so many different kingdoms, all different and unique from the others and all so vividly brought to life by her words. She doesn't get bored, and half ass describing a kingdom, she puts the same amount of detail and effort in to each one, so you can paint a picture of it in your head and be enveloped in it. Not only does she do all this, but she does it in a concise way, without pages and pages of description, it's fantastic. You get completely transported to the different kingdoms. Although I STILL want to see more, and I'm intrigued by the mysterious final Rhythm it has to be said! Raasch really does give your imagination a workout, but I completely love it. 

The plot for this book is complex. It has quest vibes, with Meira and Theron setting out in search of knowledge about the Chasm. But it has an incredibly complex plot. There are SO many threads in the book. A dead slave in Summer, a strange librarian in Yakim, and more. All may seem like a stray thread, but they all come together with the larger plot points to create one giant, expertly woven plot that keeps you hooked. When all the pieces fall in to place and you realise what's really been going on, what's been in the works, you kind of just sit there staring at the book taking a moment to process and think back over the book and all the little clues you missed! 

There's tonnes of political plays, there's betrayal, heartbreak. There are so many plot twists, and each one completely stunned me, and blind sided me. I really, genuinely, did not see any of them coming. Seriously. It reached a point when I actually stopped even trying and just rolled with it, like riding a rollercoaster. The plot has you completely engrossed, and coupled with everything else, it makes a truly immersive read. I mean, some plot twists left me staring at the book in horror, others left me ready to throw the book in anger, and all left me wanting to keep reading. 

A lot goes on in this book, and as we come to the end, everything ramps up. The tension, the sense of something big coming. The final few chapters are heart pounding, nail biting and have you on the edge of your seat. You frantically turn pages as you try to read faster and faster, your heart sinking as you know something really, reaaaallllyyyy bad is going to happen. You can start to feel the third and final(?) book being set up, you know this book is leading in to an epic finale as the overarching plot comes in to play and you see it. The tension is nearly unbearable. And then.....

...............

......that's it?! WHERE IS THE REST OF IT?! *flicks through pages* "No....this can't be the end.....you can't just leave me like this....WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME SARA?!". I am an actor, and I am allowed to be over dramatic, but SERIOUSLY....THAT. FREAKING. ENDING. So not okay. I so can't even. How am I supposed to endure the wait for the next book?! I can't deal with the not knowing and the state of peril we left the book in, really I can't. I mean, the reveals and then the "I'm off to do a Frodo and go up some mountains catch ya later losers" bit. This book is seriously filed under the "throw book against wall in anger/feels induced meltdown" category.  I didn't actually throw it, because you know...I was too busy frantically turning pages in case there was anything else, in case I missed a less perilous, heart stopping ending. There wasn't. I stuffed some candy corn in my mouth to cope. 

So. There you have it. My fangirl and rambly review. I'm still not over it. I'm still processing. If anyone has read it and wants to freak out with me, feel free to let me know. One thing is for sure, Ice Like Fire most certainly does not suffer from second book syndrome. It smashes the first book out of the water, and is the sequel I, and other fans I hope, where hoping for. Please, for my sanity, do not make me wait too long for the next book! 

Don't forget to check out the other fantastic bloggers on the tour!