Review: Aurora Burning

Aurora Burning 
Rating: 4/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well. 

Aurora Rising was a nice little surprise for me, I'd been sent an ARC by the publisher and even though Sci-Fi isn't my usual thing I fancied picking it up and giving it a shot. I ended up really enjoying myself reading it and highly anticipating the sequel, Aurora Burning. In fact I was kind of procrastinating from reading Aurora Burning because I was so excited for it and knew I'd binge through it in no time! 

Aurora Burning follows much the same kind of formula as the first book. There's a nice action packed opening before the whole Kuzco 'yeah that's me' kind of thing like I mentioned in my review of Aurora Rising. I do love how it's addressed and acknowledged in the narrative so I'll give it a pass for being kind of, exactly the same. There's also the multiple POV's, the slices of information on the world although from what I could tell a lot of them were the same as from the previous book but don't quote me on that because I'm not 100% sure as I didn't have time for a re-read! I just got that eery sense that I'd already read them. The humour and snark of the previous book is also present in abundance throughout Aurora Burning, as is the action scenes, fast pace and slight ridiculousness that sometimes pops up. 

However, this time around I feel like we get a lot more emotion than there was in the previous book, to go with the new characters that we're introduced to and we finally get some more background and insight into the characters. Zila in particular was much appreciated by me as I kind of always forgot she was there in the previous book and I felt like out of all the characters we got to know her the least. With the absence of one character, Zila certainly takes the spotlight a lot more in this book. Not only do we come to understand her thanks to a very cleverly written chapter, but she also has a lot more to do in this book! Before she kind of felt like an additional crew member to bulk out numbers and I couldn't quite figure out what her purpose was so I was excited to see her take on more of a role and learn more about her. It was also nice to see her relaxing and becoming more comfortable with the others! 

As you'd expect from the cover of Aurora Burning, our cover man Kal takes more of a focus in this book. I felt like we saw a lot less of Tyler than we did in the previous book and all eyes were on Kal as we went deeper into his character's background and there were some brilliant twists with him that I usually figured out about 2 seconds before the reveal! I also loved getting a deeper look at the Syldrathi and the split between them with the Unbroken opposing pretty much everyone. 

Aurora Burning picks up smoothly from where we left off with a burst of action to pull you in as we get to grips with the current situation our crew have found themselves in. Once again, I liked that we didn't hang around and jumped straight into things. Quickly being introduced to the 8476343 problems they have to face. One of which is new character Saedii who's badass, a little bit scary and yet still kind of awesome. 

I have to say, Finian further cemented his place as my favourite character in this entire series! I love he and his narrative and I loved getting to see one of my ships develop further in this book. I feel like Finian had more depth in this book, as did Scarlett actually! The two of them really remind me of my Teen Wolf OTP Stydia! Speaking of OTP's, I feel like Saedii and Tyler are going to become a thing next book and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that. I've been holding out hope for Cat and that hope hasn't entirely died so I'm not sure if I can get behind Tyler X Saedii. 

I have to say, Kal was my biggest disappointment in this book. He was super intriguing in the first book with his 'enemy within' and that internal struggle and then we get plenty more intriguing information about him in this book...but somehow he ended up just being relegated to being the love interest. He stopped being a character all of his own and really just became like one entity with Aurora and I felt like the entire point of him this book was to be Aurora's love interest. It was really disappointing and I felt like his potential was never really explored which made the ending all the more frustrating. 

On the subject of Aurora and Kal, I never fully got on board with their romance in the first book, it seemed very insta-love and didn't have much depth to it but I figured it would be expanded upon in this book. However, there's a little plot device in this book that allows months to pass for the two of them in the blink of an eye and I was side-eyeing it immensely. It sped up the romance but I still didn't fully buy it because we didn't get to see a lot of it and it seemed like it was there to make things more wrenching and emotional towards the end but it just...fell a little flat to be honest. 

There are still some plot twists that are pulled out to surprise you that leave you gasping and ramp up towards the end fantastically. I also particularly thought that the final chapter was clever as we snap quickly between POVs and it added to the building rhythm of the finale, keeping you speeding towards the end and amping up the tension before the absolutely horrific cliffhanger ending. Was that really necessary!? 

I can't say whether I enjoyed this more than Aurora Rising, I think I might have enjoyed the previous book a little bit more. Aurora Burning is much like Aurora Rising in that it isn't entirely perfect, there are a few things that niggled at me, but it was still a fast and enjoyable read that you could have fun reading! I look forward to having that cliffhanger resolved in the next book and I'm once again, probably foolishly, holding out hope for a certain character! Although I think I've now finally lost hope for Cat.  

Review: The Stars We Steal

The Stars We Steal 
Rating: 3/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review! 

Engagement season is in the air. Eighteen-year-old Princess Leonie “Leo” Kolburg, heir to a faded European spaceship, only has one thing on her mind: which lucky bachelor can save her family from financial ruin? 

But when Leo’s childhood friend and first love Elliot returns as the captain of a successful whiskey ship, everything changes. Elliot was the one that got away, the boy Leo’s family deemed to be unsuitable for marriage. Now, he’s the biggest catch of the season and he seems determined to make Leo’s life miserable. But old habits die hard, and as Leo navigates the glittering balls of the Valg Season, she finds herself failing for her first love in a game of love, lies, and past regrets.

I really enjoyed Brightly Burning; Donne's sci-fi retelling of Jane Eyre, and I was excited to see what she was going to do next...well here it is! The Stars We Steal is another sci-fi retelling, this one being a retelling of Persuasion which I'm fairly sure I did get around to reading back in the day but I'm not entirely sure! 

The Stars We Steal launches right in with the reappearance of Elliot and we quickly get to grips with Leo and her situation as well as the way things stand in the world of the book. That being that Earth is frozen and everyone is up in space waiting for it to thaw. While there's no time wasted at the beginning of the book as the story starts straight away, the book continues to be fast paced throughout as well as fun, easy to read and very easy to get lost in. 

I liked Leo well enough. She admits her faults, I guess which is pretty much the only things I have to say about her. I did love Evgenia, however, perhaps more than I liked Leo and I would have liked to have seen a lot more of her but she wasn't our main character so. Carina was also pretty unlikeable as a character BUT my opinion of her did change as the book went on and I actually ended up quite liking her. The sisterly bond she had with Leo was enjoyable too and they had a couple of sweet moments. As for our love interest Elliot, I felt that we didn't really spend that much time with him and I don't really have a lot to say about him. 

There is lots of representation which is a point in favour of the book. The world building was solid enough for the book and I enjoyed the setting and the world that was created though we didn't go into too much depth. Although I did feel that sometimes there was a bit too much telling rather than showing throughout. 

My biggest issue with the book would be the ending though. It threw me a little because I was expecting to see everything play out but instead we had the epilogue and then time jumped two weeks on from the explosive reveals which left me feeling quite disappointed and very unsatisfied all in all. Which is a shame because despite its flaws I did enjoy this book, the ending just let it down more than anything else. 

Was it perfect? No. I wasn't too attached to the characters and don't have a lot to say about them. But it was easy to read, fun to an extent and it kept my attention with the easy to read writing style. In fact I easily binged 200 pages of this in one day. 

Review: The White City

The White City 
Rating: 3/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Since escaping London's inferno, Mary and Dalip have fought monsters and won - though in the magical world of Down, the most frightening monsters come from within. 

Now they hold the greatest of treasures: maps that reveal the way to the White City, where they can find the answers they're looking for, and learn the secrets of Down. 

But to get there they must rely on Crows, who has already betrayed them at every turn. As they battle their way towards the one place in all of Down without magic, they must ask themselves how far they will go to find their way home. 

After all, if there's one thing the White City offers those brave enough to enter, it's more than they bargained for. 

I was intrigued by the cover for this book, and then the synopsis, so I jumped at the chance to review it! I also got to read the previous book, Down Station as well! I will admit, as I started to read Down Station I wasn't entirely sure about it, but I got drawn further and further in to the book. The portals kind of made me think of Primeval, especially with the revelations from this book! 

Having read both books in a row, I think that The White City is a smidge better than Down Station, the previous book had too much of Mary and her memories for me. I mean the first couple of times I was like "okay fair enough" but then it was happening a bit too often! I really liked the vibe to the first book though with the castle and the dragon and everything! 

Now in White City, we have our group in possession of all these maps, and they're looking to create one giant map, basically. But you know...Crows. They decided to give him a second chance and make a deal with him and you know....I think we all know that's not going to end well! Thinks aren't all hunky dory for team Down because one character blames Mary for another's death which leads to endless tension and unrest between them all. Not to mention some manipulating of a poor, innocent pirate! Oh yes. This book has pirates. I really do love pirates! 

The thing with this book, is that I was never sure who to trust, there's distrust and betrayal everywhere! Crows, Simeon, Elena and so on. It was hard to know if Mary and Dalip where making a mistake or not, so this book definitely has you on edge as you try to navigate the way to the White City with the characters, and try to work out who's going to screw them over! I was intrigued by the twist at the end of the book regarding who's inhabiting the White City and what happens to Dalip. While some questions are answered there are plenty that aren't, and there's plenty of intrigue left to set up for more books in the series. 

I found The White City to be different, original and full of action and adventure. I liked Mary and Dalip and was rooting for them, even though I don't always agree with Mary and occasionally want to shout at her! The book pulls you in to this strange world, and it's certainly an intriguing world. I enjoyed getting to see more of it in this book. I do think they where idiots to trust Crows and I was shouting at them in the beginning because it was so obvious that he was going to betray them! The White City will answer some of your questions, but it will also leave you with more ready for any next books in the series! I didn't 100% love this book, but I was intrigued by it, and I was pulled in to it and the world of the book! 

Review: Star Wars Catalyst

Star Wars Catalyst 
Rating: 4/5 
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Lauded Star Wars author James Luceno returns to pen an intense tale of ambition and betrayal that sets the stage for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. War is tearing the galaxy apart. For years the Republic and the Separatists have battled across the stars, each building more and more deadly technology in an attempt to win the war. As a member of Chancellor Palpatine's top secret Death Star project, Orson Krennic is determined to develop a superweapon before their enemies can. And an old friend of Krennic's, the brilliant scientist Galen Erso, could be the key. Galen's energy-focused research has captured the attention of both Krennic and his foes, making the scientist a crucial pawn in the galactic conflict. But after Krennic rescues Galen, his wife, Lyra, and their young daughter, Jyn, from Separatist kidnappers, the Erso family is deeply in Krennic's debt. Krennic then offers Galen an extraordinary opportunity: to continue his scientific studies with every resource put utterly at his disposal. While Galen and Lyra believe that his energy research will be used purely in altruistic ways, Krennic has other plans that will finally make the Death Star a reality. Trapped in their benefactor's tightening grasp, the Ersos must untangle Krennic's web of deception to save themselves and the galaxy itself. 

I'm sure I'm not the only person who's ridiculously excited for Rogue One!? I have a friend who worked on it, doing something techy with editing, and I was so insanely jealous because hello getting to watch the raw footage! Who among us wouldn't sell a spare internal organ to get to work on Star Wars? I love the original Star Wars trilogy, the prequel trilogy not so much. Sometimes I pretend it doesn't exist, I might try re-watching them another day, but the originals are my ultimate favourites! I loved Episode Seven, probably because it was quite similar to A New Hope! I've been so curious about Rogue One, it's set before A New Hope, and all the trailers look so damn good, and this book has made me even more excited for it! 

I love how all of these books fill in gaps in the Star Wars universe and give you more in depth looks at the films, and this one sets up Rogue One for us nicely. It introduces us to Jyn, gives us her backstory, her parents story, gives us the political climate, what's been going on, and if you've seen the trailer......the scene with Young Jyn in the field type place, with her dad...that now makes so much sense. I'm 99% sure I know what that's all about now! This won't spoil the film for you, and you don't need to read it before you see it, but if you do read it, I think it'll flesh out the film more and give you a better understanding of everything, you get a better feel for the characters and the events! 

Catalyst is hugely character driven, the book focuses on Galen Erso and his family, as well as Galen's relationship with Krennic. Who I totally hated. So much. You read about Galen and how stoked he is about his work but you also have Krennic's POV so you know what he's up to and what's really going and I really loved that effect. I think my favourite characters was Lyra however, and I'm not at all worried about her lack of presence in the Rogue One trailer, (someone tell me she's there and I missed her!). I loved how she was questioning Krennic, I loved how well she and Galen worked together, I loved how they complemented each other personality wise. 

I liked that we got to see how Galen came to be working for the "bad guys" as it where. I liked seeing how you could end up working for the wrong side, thinking you where doing the right thing, and I enjoyed watching Galen's thought process on it but I also love how he immediately believed Lyra and heard her out. I'm so intrigued to see what Jyn will be like, right at the end we get her POV and it's made me so excited to see what she's like. I've got kind of an idea of what she may be like, but yeah! I'm loving getting excited for Rogue One and going in to it with this additional information! 

Review: Behind The Throne

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

Meet Hail: Captain. Gunrunner. Fugitive.

Quick, sarcastic, and lethal, Hailimi Bristol doesn't suffer fools gladly. She has made a name for herself in the galaxy for everything except what she was born to do: rule the Indranan Empire. That is, until two Trackers drag her back to her home planet to take her rightful place as the only remaining heir.

But trading her ship for a palace has more dangers than Hail could have anticipated. Caught in a web of plots and assassination attempts, Hail can't do the one thing she did twenty years ago: run away. She'll have to figure out who murdered her sisters if she wants to survive.

So mention Star Wars to me, or any SW character and you'll have immediately sold me on a book, mention Han Solo in particular and I will be going GIMME GIMME! What made me excited to read this? Being told the main character was like a female Han Solo. I read this book in one sitting and I was completely and utterly hooked. It did not disappoint. Hail is indeed a female Han Solo and I completely loved her and was rooting for her every step of the way, right from the opening chapter. She doesn't want to go home, but she gets dragged back and she has to do her duty, she was never supposed to be Empress or Heir...but now she is. Her inner struggle about it all over the course of the book was interesting to read, and very believable, you could relate to her and what she was feeling. 

The opening of the book is tense and thrilling, and it doesn't really let up from there. You've got lots of action, plot twists, a fantastic main character in Hail, and a funny, and intriguing supporting cast who all work well together on the page and help to bring the world of the book to life. Speaking of the world, the world building is fantastic. The ruler is always female, the females basically run things, the kingdom broke away from Earth and is having some trouble with the Saxons and I'm sensing more is going on, which I'm intrigued to see play out! So the world is incredibly rich as it's politics and religion and so on. It's all so intricate and described so you understand without being bogged down in information. Behind The Throne is pacey, and there's never a dull moment. 

This book draws you in, you get deeper and deeper in to the story and then you realise it's been hours, your hungry and you kinda need to pee, but it's so good it's hard to put down. I loved the characters as much as the world they inhabit. Hail is my favourite. I loved her from page one. She made me laugh so many times with her comments both aloud and in her inner monologue. She was a badass, she was struggling with her duty and everything going on around her. I felt for her and I was rooting for her and she was a character that just felt very real. 

Our supporting cast are intriguing and have just as much depth as Hail. Zin and Emmory where definitely my favourites. They where both amusing, together and separately! Zin is all proper and polite, and Emmory...not so much! So you'd have Zin nudging him to make sure he apologies for any impropriety or anything else and I loved seeing Zin loosen up over the course of the book, it was hilarious! I liked how Emmory kind of had this entire career change but he rolled with it and you see him and Hail become a team, Emmory and Zin really get her and understand her and how she thinks and the three of them are the perfect team. 

There's a few other characters I loved and can't wait to see more of, Cas for one! Bless him. That's all I can say really, poor guy! Alba and Stasia, Hails Chamberlain and maid. I loved the two of them, much like Zin and Emmory once they got to know Hail, they really knew her and cared for her and where looking out for her. Which was rare in this book with everything going on, Stasia was quite fierce for a maid with her knife and her orders! There's also all of the rest of the guards for Hail, they're a great bunch and you get a feel for them, even if you don't see them much, of course there where new ones added in at the end, and I'm waiting to see what they're like! The characters are just totally brilliant though. They all fit so well with Hail and figure her out pretty early on and just roll with it. 

Our bad guys. There are many. Some of them are very obvious like Ganda and Laabh. They screamed shady, as did Nal who I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw. But there's more going on to them and what they're up to. Laabh though. He really takes the cake. I was reading and I was like....I can't believe he did that to his own mother and sister? I knew it was him as soon as he was mentioned as a suspect, I just knew and he wasn't even sly. He has a sucky poker face. Bial is more intricate. I was never sure whether to trust him or not, I'm probably pronouncing his name wrong, but the way I'm saying it I'm like...you're clearly up to no good....but is he?! He gave me pause many times, I just could never make up my mind about him! 

Behind The Throne is a fantastic Sci-Fi read that hooks you in and keeps you reading with it's fast pace, action packed plot, brilliant characters and rich world. It's funny, laugh out loud funny, it's tense thanks to all the political intrigue and the Game of Thrones style royal treachery, and it's very intricate, there's a lot more going on than what's on the surface! I'm so intrigued to read the next book and meet certain characters that have been mentioned a lot, and see more of my favourites from this book and find out who the hell Wilson is! I'm not going to lie to you, my brain is picturing that damn vollyball from that Tom Hanks film! ANYWAY! I'm not much of a Sci-Fi reader because I'm quite picky, but I legitimately sat down and read this in one sitting because it was SO GOOD. 

Review: New Pompeii

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

In the near future, energy giant Novus Particles develops the technology to transport objects and people from the deep past to the present. Their biggest secret: New Pompeii. A replica of the city hidden deep in central Asia, filled with Romans pulled through time a split second before the volcano erupted.

Historian Nick Houghton doesn't know why he's been chosen to be the company's historical advisor. He's just excited to be there. Until he starts to wonder what happened to his predecessor. Until he realizes that NovusPart have more secrets than even the conspiracy theorists suspect.

Until he realizes that NovusPart have underestimated their captives...

I'm not going to lie to you guys, I mostly jumped to review this because I'm a huge history nerd and Pompeii has always intrigued me, so I was like...ooohh..New Pompeii.....OOOHHH MICHAEL CRICHTON and basically lost all cool and was like GIMME GIMME. 

This book quickly sucks you in, the opening is chilling and sad, the narrative is intriguing and compelling. We have a dual POV. Nick who's failing to get anywhere with all his applications for research being turned down who's hired by NovusPart to work on the project. Living in the fake Pompeii...walking among its people he realises something isn't quite right. The Romans aren't as oblivious and accepting as the company thinks. We then have the narrative of Kirsten alongside that, she disappeared from Cambridge University thirty years ago and is taking a bit of a trip through time. Kirsten offers us an intriguing narrative at the beginning of the book and she keeps you reading while Nick faffs about before gets to New Pompeii. I was so entranced by Kirstens narrative...was she dead? What happened to her? and so on, and she provides us with more information on the corporation and the people who run it. The narratives appear to be separate from each other but there's an event. I'm not going to go in to more detail because spoilers but there's a part in the book when your entire view point changes, and you realise how everything has come together and you want to read more about both characters desperately and I'm like 99% sure there is a sequel so I'll be all over that! 

This organisation is so freaking shadowy you don't even understand. You're reading about it and you know there's something off with the whole thing, there's a triumvirate in charge of the corporation but one is missing, there's an anti NovusPart organisation trying to bring them down, then there's the Roman's and their leader who are by no means as stupid and oblivious as the NovusPart people think they are. Although it could be said that one of the McMahon was having way too much fun pretending to be Roman to probably take notice. Like dude....a toga? Really? Calm down. This book is so well written, it's so complex. There's tangled timelines, what could have happened, what did happen, there's information missing and plenty of intrigue. It was pretty difficult to put this book down once it really got going. There are surprises and plot twists all over the place that you don't see coming and it really makes you think. There are some really thought provoking ideas in the book to do with history and changing things and what could have happened and so on and the morals of it all. 

I completely and utterly loved how the author explored the 'What if' of Pompeii meeting the modern world. Those scenes where utterly thrilling to read. The author has clearly done his research as the book has a very authentic feel to it when you're walking the streets of New Pompeii with Nick. I know it says on the book that it's reminiscent of Michael Crichton, now I haven't read Jurassic Park, and the film is probably totally different from the books BUT I did get that Jurassic Park vibe....a scholar being brought in....arriving and seeing New Pompeii....being in this little bubble of land filled with history to explore and examine. Definite Jurassic Park vibes, but like....if the raptors wanted to beat you up a bit and make you fight for your life before they tore you limb from limb. 

New Pompeii is perfect for history nerds, sci-fi nerds...hell even fantasy nerds, I kinda think the book is a little of all three! You guys know I don't really read SF, it's not what I go for, but I can't resist anything to do with Pompeii and I completely loved this book. It's fascinating and addicting, thought provoking and full of action. I'm so intrigued to see what happens in the next book! I'm also refusing to believe there isn't another book because after that ending there HAS to be another book...right!? 

Review: Star Wars Bloodlines

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

When the Rebellion defeated the Empire in the skies above Endor, Leia Organa believed it was the beginning to a lasting peace. But after decades of vicious infighting and partisan gridlock in the New Republic Senate, that hope seems like a distant memory.

Now a respected senator, Leia must grapple with the dangers that threaten to cripple the fledgling democracy — from both within and without. Underworld kingpins, treacherous politicians, and Imperial loyalists are sowing chaos in the galaxy. Desperate to take action, senators are calling for the election of a First Senator. It is their hope that this influential post will bring strong leadership to a divided galaxy.

As the daughter of Darth Vader, Leia faces with distrust the prospect of any one person holding such a powerful position — even when supporters suggest Leia herself for the job. But a new enemy may make this path Leia’s only option. For at the edges of the galaxy, a mysterious threat is growing… 

So, I'm still very new to Star Wars books, I haven't read as many as other reviewers, but this is one of the best that I have read! Honestly, I'm a fan of Claudia Gray's anyway, but if Lost Stars is as good as this book then I need to pick it up immediately! This book is set about 5 years before Episode 7 (I think) and shows us how the First Order rose to power, and how the Resistance was born. 

Bloodlines is all about Leia, as expected, she is older and more weary. She's thinking of retiring from politics and being done with it all and just flying around the galaxy with Han. She's not entirely the Leia we all know, but there are still glimpses of the old Leia from A New Hope and so on. Jaded as Leia may be when it comes to politics, she will still fight for peace with everything she has. I liked seeing this new Leia, it gave insight in to her in The Force Awakens and how she came to be where she was when we saw her in that film. It was also interesting to see her struggling with the knowledge that Darth Vader was her father, with how to tell her son and so on, and I can't say more because of spoilers, but it was very interesting and very well done to see how it effected other relationships. 

There's a lot of politics in this book, Leia is a Senator on The New Republic senate, and when Mon Mothma left the New Republic it descended in to stagnation. Everyone arguing about everything, nothing getting done, and in the midst of all of this, two factions have emerged. Populists (Leia) and Centrists. An idea is brought before the Senate to appoint a First Senator, spearheaded by the Centrists who want things to change and who think some things from the Empire where correct. This First Senator would be given a lot of power, and that's something that really doesn't sit well with Leia after everything she's been through, although she is her parties obvious choice for leader, being a celebrated war hero and you know....Princess. 

Just as Leia is thinking of retiring, she's offered the chance at one last mission when the Senate is made aware of a criminal organisation run by a shady kingpin, that's filling the void the Hutts left. But Leia's dream mission turns in to a babysitting job when a Centrist Senator volunteers to go with her. 

This Senator is Ransolm Casterfo and boy did I have an interesting relationship with this character. Princess Leia is my favourite okay, and so I really didn't care for how he was in the beginning and how he spoke to her and so on. They're both on rival parties and they definitely do not get off to a good start, but Gray shows you both sides of the argument. Both characters view points, so it's not long before you can see that Casterfo has a point or two, that despite his questionable taste in decor he doesn't truly mean any harm. It's not long before you find yourself liking him, much like Leia does. I really enjoyed reading about the friendship forming between the two and the end of the book broke my heart, I was so disappointed. It's a complex friendship, right up until the end and it was one of the best parts of the book to read about! 

There's other new characters, or at least ones that are new to me, okay! We have Greer, one of the pilots who Han took under his wing, and who is now working for Leia for mysterious reasons. And we have Joph, who's a bit of a Han Solo fan boy if I do say so, and it made him incredibly endearing when we first meet him. I really liked both of the characters, Joph made me laugh and I liked watching the relationship between the two grow, I'd love to read more about them! 

I think that Gray captures the essence of the characters perfectly and brings them to life for this story with absolute perfection. She writes compellingly, and gives you intrigue and adventure. She gives you a complex relationship that's interesting to read and explore. She fills in the blanks and answers questions I'm sure some of us had after watching The Force Awakens. She gives us the historical and political context that the film was lacking, and it rounds out the film and our knowledge of what happened after Return of the Jedi and how after everything, the First Order could be allowed to rise. We see only a bit of the First Order, how it was being set up and started to rise to power but it was enough. Gray shows us how the Resistance was formed, and I'd love to read more about what happened before The Force Awakens with the Resistance! I just loved getting questions answered and getting to see more of the universe. 

Like I said, there's a lot of politics in the book, we spend a lot of time with the Senate getting to grips with what the political climate is at the time of the book. I found it all to be easy to understand, Gray writes so that while it's complex, it's not too easy and it's not too complicated. We also spend time getting to know more of the galaxy, as we hang out in the criminal underworld on various different planets, and try to work out what the hell they're up to and why! 

Honestly the book is completely brilliant, and the final line sent a shiver up my spine, it was the perfect ending for the book. I realise I'm not as widely read in the Star Wars universe as others so it probably doesn't mean much when I say it's the best one I've read, but it's true! I also need to fangirl about Han in this book, because he and Leia gave me so many feels. SO MANY. 

Review: Chasing The Stars

Chasing The Stars
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

What happens when love brings loss? When love brings lies? When love brings hate?

Olivia and her twin brother Aidan are heading alone back to Earth 
following the virus that wiped out the rest of their crew, and their family, in its entirety. 

Nathan is part of a community heading in the opposite direction. 
But on their journey, Nathan’s ship is attacked and most of the community killed.
Only a few survive.

Their lives unexpectedly collided, Nathan and Olivia are instantly attracted to each other, deeply, head-over-heels – like nothing they have ever experienced.

But not everyone is pleased. Surrounded by rumours, deception, even murder, is it possible to live out a happy ever after . . . ?

I am a HUGE Malorie Blackman fan, and not just because she sent all of us booksellers Hummingbird Bakery cupcakes that one year! I remember reading Noughts and Crosses back when I was at school, and it's one of my favourite books, and I remember waiting for each new book to come out with baited breath! It was a given that I was going to read her latest book, but I mean....Shakespeare in space!? Blackman's book is begging to be read for that alone! I will admit, I've been in a near book slump so I actually picked this up the other week and kind of went to read it but wasn't really in the mood! I've spent the last week reading graphic novels and manga, this is actually the first book I've picked up since then! 

Once I started reading Chasing The Stars, I got more and more hooked until I couldn't put it down. Knowing Shakespeare and Othello and how it ends, I was waiting for all the bad things to happen, but the book actually surprised me with it's ending, it wasn't what I was expecting, I was expecting a lot more death! The ending is also my one thing with this book but more on that later! 

The story is told from two points of view, Vee and Nathan. In the beginning, Nathan's is the more action filled POV, it's the one that drew me in and there's hints of the "Authority" and the negative connotations of it, and the tensions with the Mazon. Vee's point of view gives a different opinion on the Authority so it was interesting to see the differing thoughts they had on certain things. Especially when it's revealed what Nathan is and how Vee reacts to it, realising everything she's been taught is wrong. Anyway, both POV's are different, they have a different way of talking or thinking and you can tell who it is who's narrating, but there's two different fonts as well which was a nice touch I thought, as it showed they where different! 

Chasing the Stars is snappy and fast paced and the plot pulls you in more and more. You have the action filled beginning with the escape from the Mazon, then you have the murders on board which adds a nice mystery element to it, along with the romance and the drama from that. There really is never a dull moment in this book and I'm glad I read it in one go because I'd struggle to find a place to put it down! The pacing is literally perfect and it ramps up as we near the climax of the book! The combination of sci-fi elements, action, romance and fight scenes is brilliant! I'm not usually one for sci-fi but I can't imagine this book working any other way. The whole murder mystery element works so well because of how claustrophobic the spaceship is! 

Character-wise I loved Vee, and I really felt for her. She's been through so much, and you can't really blame her for thinking the worst at some points, and reacting how she does. Especially when it's her brother telling her things. I thought she was courageous, brave and determined to help the others even though for the majority of the time, hardly any of them appreciated it. I loved Vee and Aidan's banter and relationship, but as the book went on Aidan took a sinister turn. Something weird was definitely going on with him and he became very manipulative and unpleasant, but at the end of it all, I felt for him too and there as a completely heartbreaking scene or two involving the two of them! 

I really liked Nathan as well, he made me laugh as did his banter with Vee! They really where hilarious together. Nathan was funny, he was trying to be the peacemaker between everyone at a few points, I would say he's intelligent but his behaviour towards the end negates that in my opinion! Nathan takes a rather bad turn when he becomes the world's biggest prat. The thing is...I understand where he is coming from just as much as I understand where Vee is coming from, the thing is...Nathan doesn't understand where Vee is coming from at all. He refuses to see her side of things, even when his mum has a word with him! Vee's brother was all she had for so long so of course she's going to trust him and things did look pretty bad and Nathan wasn't helping much with his behaviour but he refuses to acknowledge all of that! Much as I loved his character, he annoyed me so much at the end! DAMN YOU NATHAN. 

"Nathan, my hand is itching to give you an attitude adjustment slap"

Same Catherine, same! Speaking of Catherine, she's Nathan's mum and I'm not going to lie to you all, I thought she was a bit of a cow in the beginning. What she tried to do to Vee and everything after and the atmosphere of the book kept me a little bit distrustful of her to be honest. There was one point when I was like...oh wow what if her being nice was all just an act!? But I actually ended up quite liking Catherine, she started to trust Vee, she gave Vee a pep talk when she needed it and reminded her that she could do this and all of that, and I liked those moments between them when she refused to let Vee give up. I was wary of her for a while but I still liked her and then as we got near the end you really got a feel for what her character is normally like without all the stuff going on that she has to deal with. Almost like a surrogate mum to Vee towards the end! 

There are plenty of other brilliant characters in the book that you both love and hate. I wasn't too sure of Erica because I wasn't sure what she was up to, I loved Mike and Anjuli even if I then was wary of Anjuli at one point! Her and Mike where funny and such great characters and so willing from the beginning to get to know Vee and become her friends. Darren I hated, he was a complete a-hole. Like in the beginning I got what his problem was and why he was upset but then he still continued to blame Vee even though it wasn't her fault and he continued to be a really horrible character right up until the end. He consistently tries to undermine Vee at every turn, blames her for everything and keeps calling her a child and saying she doesn't know what she's doing. I really wanted to smack him one and I did cheer a little bit when he got his comeuppance! 

I've mentioned the atmosphere of the book a lot because it's something really palpable as you're reading. You're with the characters on this spaceship, which I'm imaging to be really claustrophobic once you've been on there for a while! Once these murders start to happen the distrust gets more and more palpable, you start to become suspicious of all the characters and unsure of their motives and you lose all trust right along with Vee and Nathan. It certainly makes reading the book an experience as you try to work out who to trust! You can feel the conflict brewing as you read, especially with characters like Darren stirring things up. It's a very negative environment as the book goes on! I mean, I just loved how Vee saved everyone and then they're all trying to take over the ship and take it from her! That's the other thing, the book makes you feel as you imagine the characters to feel, angry at the way they're being treated, and at other's behaviour, sad at other points and so on. 

The romance I need to talk about because we all know I don't like the whole insta-love thing, and there's the whole love at first sight thing in this book. Now I think it would have bothered me a lot more than it did if Vee wasn't questioning it and her feelings at points, not being sure if the feelings where real or just proximity or whatever the line was! Her doing that made me feel like the romance wasn't as ridiculous and unbelievable as most insta-love situations in books! That and the book is based on Othello a Shakespeare play and he does love a bit of insta-love! SO I rolled with it in other words, and ended up liking the romance a lot more than I would have under normal circumstances! That and the fact that once the romance really gets going it's not all sunshine and rainbows and happy ever afters, there's obstacles to overcome, there's drama and angst and it made the romance a lot more believable than it would normally be! I mean, as much as the ending bothers me, it fits with what you imagine the reality would be of a love at first sight situation and the situation the characters are in! 

I'm sure you all know that Chasing The Stars is based on Othello, and I'm sure some of you are wondering just how similar it is so I'm going to try to help you out briefly! First off, my knowledge of Othello is very vague, we never studied it at school we did Romeo and Juliet instead! I have read Othello on my own, but it's been a while shall we say! I need to re-read! From what I'm aware of, Blackman has twisted some of the things from the play as only she can! I feel like Aidan is Iago to an extent, there's a scene where Aidan refuses to answer after everything goes down and I'm 99% sure that's Iago in one scene in the play! Nathan and Vee are obviously Othello and Desdemona, there's changes to what happens though! They're switched around he's accused of the thing instead of her like in the play, and there's a lot less death than in the play, I mean knowing how it ends I was expecting death at the end of the book which is why I was so surprised with the ending! It's not a happy ever after ending, but it wasn't as death and despair as I was expecting. 

Chasing the Stars has plenty of emotion to hit you with, it has it's funny scenes, tense scenes, and heart breaking scenes. I mean...I choked up once or twice reading this and couldn't believe my eyes at other points, there where plenty of plot twists! It got closer and closer to the end and I really didn't want it to end, and I was surprised right up until the end! 

The ending we need to talk about because I mentioned it was one of the things I wasn't happy with. The thing is....I'm in two minds about it! I mean on the one hand it's kind of perfect, with Vee flying off in to the sunset and the surprise crew that joins her, I mean that scene gave me the warm and fuzzies! But at the same time I was left a little unsatisfied on the romance front, there was no solid ending there. I'm a bit fickle with open endings, sometimes I love them and sometimes I don't, it depends on the book, and in this case I really wasn't down for the open ending! I NEED to know what happens to Vee and Nathan next, it's driving me up the wall! Nathan was the worlds biggest prat and like Vee I had hope right up until it became obvious he wasn't coming. I mean he sent the thing but still. 

So yeah, I'm so torn about the ending it's not even funny! The book is completely brilliant but that ending is just driving me mad! I'm also not entirely sure if there is going to be a sequel, and if there is going to be a sequel...is it going to be a continuation of Vee and Nathan's story or will it be other characters that aren't anything to do with them!? Will we get to see what happens with the two of them if there's another book that's set in the universe but not with them!? These are the questions I need answered! I'm really hoping for a second book with Vee and Nathan, not just for the romance issues to be resolved, but because of what Vee's going to be getting up to! I got such Han Solo vibes off her at the end! I actually daydream a lot about Vee's new life and her goals, not going to lie, because I'm thinking she's going to be doing some awesome things! 

Review: Morning Star

Morning Star

Rating: 5/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy 

Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton. 

Darrow would have lived in peace, but his enemies brought him war. The Gold overlords demanded his obedience, hanged his wife, and enslaved his people. But Darrow is determined to fight back. Risking everything to transform himself and breach Gold society, Darrow has battled to survive the cutthroat rivalries that breed Society's mightiest warriors, climbed the ranks, and waited patiently to unleash the revolution that will tear the hierarchy apart from within.

Finally, the time has come.

But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied - and too glorious to surrender.

"Shit escalates"

It's over. You guys, it's actually over. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book but I was sad the entire time, like not just from some of the events of the book but because it's the last book. I kinda wish the series would carry on forever, it's like I'm a glutton for punishment because it's not like the books have been heartbreak free, and haven't had some shocking betrayals. Everything was wrapped up so perfectly, and the book just ended perfectly, but it was so bittersweet because ya know...it's finally over. No more Severo...or Darrow....or Mustang or anyone. Gutted! 

Like I've said before Sci-Fi isn't usually my thing so I found myself pleasantly surprised at how much I loved Red Rising, then Golden Son was even better...and Morning Star blew both away. I eagerly dove in to the book, yeah it's pretty hefty, but it's the final book in a trilogy that I feel has been too short! Although, I think it actually works that Brown hasn't dragged this out in to a million books...even though in direct contradiction to that, I'm gutted there aren't a million books. I've waited a year for this book, and after the cliffhanger Golden Son left us on...I couldn't not dive in. 

The opening was spine tingling swiftly segueing in to the horrifying first chapters. Well I was horrified, but then ya know...being desensitised to all this thanks to Game of Thrones, I swiftly started to feel some rage on behalf of my characters! I was immediately thrown back in to events, and back in to the vividly original world of the book. One of the things I loved most, and that hooked me on Red Rising was the world and how original it was and all the different aspects to it, it's political intricacies and the richness of the history to the world, and all of that has been carried on throughout all of the books and is still present in this book, along with the tactics. I love reading the tactics in these books because they're not complicated, they're written so you can understand them and come away feeling like a tactical genius from understanding them and feeling some grim satisfaction at how awesome they are! 

I love Brown's writing style and his descriptions, I can't get over how much I love it all. The writing grips me, and has me glued to the page. It has me feeling a range of different emotions. It sucks me in to the world of the book and brings the world and the characters to life perfectly without an overdose of writing. The descriptions, like the world building is vivid and imaginative and just completely enchants you, as well as being ridiculously cinematic without reading like it's been written specifically for that purpose. What do I mean? I once read a book written by a screen writer, and it was cinematic yeah, but it also lacked a lot of detail because it was written specifically with the thought of it being adapted to a screen play, which means a lot of descriptions and world building where lost. This is perfectly cinematic, because it's just the writing and how Brown makes you feel when you read certain lines. You can picture everything up on a big screen, picture how a scene would be set and played out. But then it might be my filming oriented brain! I'm so sad to leave the world of the book, even though everything is wrapped up satisfyingly I still want to know what happens NEXT.

It's not long before we're straight back in with the action, and what action it is. There's lots of action in the book, and each battle sequence, each fight has you on the edge of your seat. They're described in such vivid detail that you're right there in the midst of it. I really do think the battles work because when you read the book, like I said, you get a lot of talk of tactics, and rather than being boring, you're fascinated, especially when they come in to play, and you start to think tactically as you read. It adds a whole new dimension to the fights and battles. 

The book did have some draggy bits, don't get me wrong, but overall it had a nice pace to it. There was a lot going on, lots of different threads came in to play, some that came in the form of plot twists, that then twisted even more and shocked you. You wouldn't believe the plot twists in this, they where shocking, heartbreaking, horrifying and each one damn made you want to shout and scream at the book. The plot was fantastic, full of action, something was always happening, there where lots of intricacies to it, and like I said, everything was wrapped up nicely. There was humour to counter the heartbreak and heavy action, like a Howler initiation ritual that was like some jacked up version of a busktucker trial in I'm a Celebrity! 

"We're here to blow shit up. Any questions?"

We've watched our characters come a hell of a long way and develop and change and grow and they've all made us feel a lot of feels. I've loved watching each and every one of them change and become the characters we see in this book, even the ones who betrayed Darrow and I kinda hate. Darrow is just brilliant, who he's become, learning from his mistakes, everything he's been through. Sevro is forever my favourite character, yes it should probably be Darrow, but sorry, Sevro is the best. His relationship with Darrow is just mind blowing, I love the interactions between the two, like they had a full on punch up in this book then it's all good a few minutes later. The two of them together and Sevro on his own are a large source of humour in the book. He cracked me up right from the first, the eye thing and his reaction to it and the offer cracked me up! Mustang is another character I love, purely because half the time I'm kind of wary of her like Sevro is, and she blew my mind at the end of the book. 

There's a whole host of characters in this book to make you feel things, make you want to throw the book and scream and rage. Our old pal Cassius is back, he nearly had me going for a minute or two at the end, very nearly and I wanted to annihilate him, but he surprised me and had me fist pumping and cheering even though in the context it was kind of harsh of me. Roque is also back and as much as I disliked him my heart broke. Victra, I loved her and Darrow together and Victra sharing some of the burden in giving orders at one point of the book. Ragnar was another character that I loved and who broke my heart in this book. Darrows family are back, and there's MORE heartbreak from a family member. The Jackal is just...purely, brilliantly evil, he's kind of the perfect villain, I can't really lie. Everyone got what was coming to them as far as the Jackal and his cohorts are concerned, I have to say. OOOHH and Orion and the crew of the Pax are back! 

There's also new characters, we get Valkyries, Sefi, Holiday and more along with all the old characters we love or hate. Like I said, some of these characters blew my mind because they shocked and surprised me in equal measure. I've already mentioned the twists of the book, so if it's not obvious, this book is unpredictable. I couldn't guess what was coming next, I was on edge and wary the whole time because I was never sure if everything was what it seemed, and was kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop in some situations. With new characters came the whole...who is actually trustworthy thing. There's a lot of betrayal and backstabbing in these books and this one is no exception. 

I also thought the moment Darrow and Cassius shared, with the moments from the first book....it was such a nice touch, and it fitted perfectly in with the story. It wasn't just dumped there, it really belonged in that scene and I can't imagine the scene without it. It made me tear up and smile and it was perfect. I loved how that scene was done and it genuinely fit nicely in to the narrative and plot. 

Morning Star is the conclusion that we all hope for when we go in to the final book in a trilogy or series, and I've loved the journey we've been on with the characters. I've loved watching them grow and change, I've learned learning about the world and getting to see more and more of it. I've loved being surprised at every turn, left wanting more, I've even loved feeling like throwing the book and screaming at certain plot twists and characters. I'm so sad the story is over and we won't hear from the characters again, but I'm excited to see what Brown will do next, and I'll read pretty much anything the guy writes, it has to be said! This trilogy has completely blown my mind, and if you haven't read it you should, because now you can avoid all the tense waiting I had to do....and just read them in one go! I cannot wait to see Red Rising on the big screen!

Review: Star Wars The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy 
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2,and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters. Darth Vader may have been redeemed and the Emperor vanquished, but peace can be fleeting, and evil does not easily relent. Yet the simple belief in good can still empower ordinary individuals to rise and meet the greatest challenges.

So return to that galaxy far, far away, and prepare yourself for what happens when the Force awakens. . . 

Okay so I'm not going to expand on the synopsis from GoodReads because I don't want to spoil it because some people may still have not seen it and ya know...just spoilers in general! 

So, I completely love Star Wars, I'm a Star Wars nerd, I got to see the movie on Christmas Eve and I was so excited to read the book and get to re-live the movie, I mean I could practically hear the opening theme music as I was reading the beginning! But then I sing the opening titles to the tune of the theme song soooo.....

ANYWAY. There's a few scenes that I don't remember being in the film, that where nice additions and helped to expand on the movie a bit more. There where scenes that where extended from what I remember of the movie, and a few changes here or there. Because of all of this, you get a lot better understanding of what's going through the characters heads in the movie, what their motivations are, what the history of the places featured are and so on. You also learn more about the situation with the New Republic and what went wrong and the problems with it and how the New Order rose up. 

I thought the book translated perfectly from the book in that it retained it's cinematic values. If that makes sense, like I've read book versions of films that where so dull and boring, but this was very cinematic, even if you haven't seen the film I would think it would be easy to picture the scenes and the settings and get a feel for the places. The beginning did go on for a while, and all of the bits at the end did feel a little bit rushed in comparison, so I think the book could have been longer, or the beginning cut down perhaps, but other than that I really enjoyed it and getting to go back to the movie! 

There where so many bits in the book that I wished had been in the film, but then the film probably would have been like a million hours long, but then....would any of us really care? Nope not really! The dialogue was great, the action scenes translated well on to the page, you got a feel for the characters, especially Kylo Ren! It also helps you to spawn even  more theories! I just loved reading the movie, as it where, because it added so much more insight! I mean BB-8...I loved BB-8 in the movie but you actually get to understand him a bit more! It's definitely worth a read whether you've read the books or not guys! 

I can't believe I've never read a Star Wars book before!