My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this story by Matt Dunn. I’ve read a few of his books before and love the unique perspective a male writer brings to the chick lit genre. For me his books feel less flowery and romantic and much more realistic which I find quite refreshing.

In this story Evan, a sax player, meets Sarah in a jazz club one night. There is an instant attraction and they spend a perfect night together. Unfortunately however, Evan gets a big break which drives them apart. Left behind, Sarah decides to pursue a relationship with her boss David and after a few months agrees to marry him. Spotting the wedding notice in the paper Evan returns and tries to win her back. He has one week till the wedding to put a stop to it but is one perfect night enough for Sarah to ditch David and run off with Evan?

I actually listened to the audio book of this and found it very enjoyable . I’m generally not a fan of audios but this one worked well. I think because there is a lot of dialogue it was like listening to a drama.

There isn’t a huge amount that happens in the story so I can understand why some other reviewers have found it a bit dull and repetitive. Most of the time it’s Evan or Sarah seeking advice from friends about what they should do, Evan trying to convince Sarah to ditch David or Evan trying to get Sarah’s best friend Grace on side. They do tend to go over and over the same things but there is a lot of humour amongst it all and there is the odd “what!!!!” moment. It did remind me a bit of a soap opera as characters would occasionally and unexpectedly drop a bombshell. I kept expecting the Eastenders end credits tune to kick in (you’ll understand if you’re in the UK).

The characters are very well thought out and very rounded. Evan is really likeable as the man desperate to win back the woman he loves. He refuses to play dirty and despite trying to split up a couple seems very moral. Sarah I wasn’t so sure about. She’s clearly settling for David despite him being a not very nice person and someone she’s not attracted to. I can understand she was looking for security but a lot of her actions are questionable and to be honest I couldn’t comprehend what Evan saw in her.

The highlight of the book however is the secondary characters. I loved Evan’s friend and mentor Mel and his ex band mate. They are really well thought out characters and they definitely get the best dialogue. The advice they give is seriously dodgy but a lot of the time quite funny. Sarah’s flatmate Grace is also a fascinating character and I’d love a follow up which gives her a story of her own.

I have to admit I have my doubts about whether the relationship between Evan and Sarah would ever work as they spend more time fighting than they do being happy together. I’m also not so sure about the instant love thing so it seems like a lot of drama for not much reward but I was still cheering Evan on (mostly because David was so horrible).

The ending was a bit of a surprise but worked quite well and was probably right.

Overall I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes a relationship drama with less hearts and flowers and more realism and dry humour.

Book Review : King Arthur and her Knights by KM Shea

November 16, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Enthroned by K.M. Shea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love KM Shea books so much. They always have such fantastic characters and make me laugh.

This time it’s a retelling of King Arthur but with the major twist that King Arthur is really Britt Arthurs a girl dragged back to the past by Merlin when the real Arthur runs off with a shepherdess.

Britt originally thinks the whole thing is a wind up and pulls the sword from the stone as a bit of a bet with Merlin. She then decides that actually it must be a dream so why not go with it until it’s time to wake up. As a result she doesn’t take anything too seriously much to Merlin and the knights horror.

Merlin, who in this version is quite young and hot, takes on the role of instructor to Britt and teaches her all about the politics, rules and strategy. This is not particularly exciting to Britt who tries to dodge him when possible. They are very different as characters. Britt is looking for action and excitement and seems to live in the moment whereas Merlin is always plotting and scheming. It makes for a great dynamic between the two of them and a lot of the dialogue is hilarious as Merlin tries to boss her around and Britt totally disregards him.

Merlin like most of the men of the time has very little respect for women and thinks of them as silly, emotional and superficial. Britt is definitely a match for him though and proves him wrong so he is forced to develop respect for her (although not necessarily women in general).

She does a great job, slightly to her horror, of impersonating a 15 year old boy despite being “beardless”. Her whole attitude throughout is fantastic and funny and she may be one of my all time favourite characters.

The absolute highlight of the story for me was her meeting with the lady of the lake. This book is definitely worth reading for that alone.

They are really quick reads so I’ve already read the next four books in the series which are just as good. Britt continues to impersonate Arthur and gradually tries to recreate the legend of Camelot with the help of Merlin. Guinevere, Lancelot and a lot of the other well known characters gradually appear but aren’t necessarily as you would expect. Some supposed heroes have ulterior motives and Britt starts to run into the kind of relationship problems you would expect from being a 20 something year old woman impersonating a much younger male king.

The characters develop further in every story and despite being light reads there are some strong messages. I love KM Shea’s writing style and sense of humour and there is plenty of excitement and action. My only slight gripe is that there do tend to be spelling mistakes and missing words but these could be solved with a bit of proof reading.

The next book in the series is out next week and I’m really looking forward to it. I think romance will be in the air.

Book Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

November 8, 2015November 8, 2015 Ali@abookishlife6 Comments

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s probably more of a 3.5 star book but feeling generous so I’ll round up.

I’ve had a few Becca Fitzpatrick books on my TBR pile for a while now but this is the first I’ve read and I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Started it around 9pm last night and didn’t stop till it was finished. Turned into a very late night but it was definitely worth it.

The story is a thriller about two friends Britt and Korbie who get stuck in a snow storm en route to a cabin in the mountains for spring break. Scared to stay in the car they head out on foot in the snow and find a cabin with two slightly older guys in it. Despite having mixed feelings about these strangers the girls have no choice but to trust them and work with them if they’re going to get off the mountain alive. Can they really trust them though particularly when the mysterious Mason seems to be hiding something?
Read More »

Book Review: Meet Me in Manhattan by Claudia Carroll

November 6, 2015November 7, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Meet Me In Manhattan by Claudia Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the perfect book if you’re looking for something sweet, romantic and Christmassy.

Despite her holiday themed name, Holly Johnson doesn’t do Christmas. She’d much rather hide at home alone and just wait for the whole thing to be over. This year however things may be different. Her career seems to be heading in the right direction and she’s met someone who could be the man of her dreams. He could also be the distraction she needs to get through the holiday period. The only problem, she hasn’t actually met him in person. They met online and hit it off immediately but live on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

When their few attempts to meet up don’t go to plan Holly suspects there is something not right about her dream man and heads off to New York to confront him. What she gets is a big shock but it also presents her with a one off opportunity to realise her dreams. Will she take it or will the past hold her back?

My Thoughts on the Book

When I first started reading this book I have to admit I wasn’t too sure. I’ve read a few Claudia Carroll books in the past and enjoyed them but as I read the first few chapters of this I was a little concerned as I couldn’t relate to Holly and couldn’t face another story about the perils of internet dating. However I found that as the story progressed it shifted in a direction that I really didn’t expect and it drew me in so much that I couldn’t put it down (and I didn’t).

Despite not being able to understand Holly’s actions and beliefs at the start I did grow to like her over the course of the book. Being single, I can totally relate to the aversion to Christmas. What I found difficult to accept was the lying on her dating profile and seemingly desperate need to meet someone. She lies about everything from her height and age to her hobbies and job and seems to think that is normal and acceptable. I’m afraid I was with her friend and flatmate Joy in not believing you can have a healthy and lasting relationship based on so much deceit. I also thought her obsession with the guy she meets seemed a bit too much and at one point she almost jeopardises her career for him. She accepts everything he tells her even when there are definite warning signs. More incredible is the fact that she’s supposedly a researcher for a radio phone in show.

My opinion of her switched however when she finally realises there could be something wrong. Whatever faults she has she’s someone who takes action and stands up for herself. Travelling to New York alone to confront someone who’s really a stranger takes some guts (or possibly a lack of self preservation). Her joy at seeing New York for the first time is kind of adorable and the descriptions of the places she visits made me so jealous. She ends up having to make some difficult decisions but she follows her heart while still being conscious of the consequences.

The writing and pacing of the story are pretty good although I found some of the devices used to keep you hooked a little frustrating (secrets are dragged on a little too long for me). There were parts where I laughed and I cried but most of the time I just had a really big smile on my face.

My main criticism however and the reason for 4 stars rather than 5 is that I found some of the supporting characters a little stereotyped. I also thought the male lead was a little bit too good to be believable. Although I can’t say much on that without giving away the plot.

Overall though I would recommend it to anyone who loves a nice romantic, Christmas story. It’s perfect for a lazy day.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins (Avon) for providing me with an advance copy

Book Review : The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart

November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 Ali@abookishlife6 Comments

The Beast of Barcroft by Bill Schweigart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A gripping, sometimes scary and enjoyable read about a creature that lurks in the dark. It’s definitely got me looking over my shoulder and staying away from the woods at night. Loved it.

When I was in my late teens I used to love books by Dean Koontz and James Herbert and while I don’t remember them too well this reminds me a lot of some of my favourite James Herbert stories.

It’s set in a quiet and friendly neighbourhood in Barcroft, Arlington where the residents are up in arms about one particular neighbour Madeleine Roux. Madeleine is the local crazy lady, rescuer of raccoons, feeder of pigeons and the reason why the neighbourhood has become infested with rats and other creatures. The county can’t do anything so the residents are understandably frustrated.

For next door neighbour Ben McKelvie it’s more or less the last straw. He moved in with his fiancé about a year ago following the death of his father and what was supposed to be a move up in the world turned into a bit of a nightmare. Struggling to cope with his grief and the crazy lady next door his fiancé Rachel leaves him with only his greyhound Bucky for company and some happy pills to keep him from losing it completely.

When a creature attacks and kills his dog one night however it seems that something much scarier has been drawn to the neighbourhood by the vermin. Other pets disappear and then things start to escalate with the death of one of the neighbours in mysterious circumstances. With none of the police believing him about the creature that killed his dog, Ben and zoologist Lindsay Clark begin tracking it but is it really an animal or something far more sinister?

It was only when I was reading this that I realised how much I missed this kind of book. I love a story that is genuinely creepy and somehow feels like it could be true. The story is partially based on events that happened in that area 40 years ago when 23 pets went missing from the area. They did solve that mystery (and it was less horrifying than in this story) but there always seem to be sightings of big cats or other large animals lurking close to civilisation which is something I find quite scary (especially as there is supposedly one near me).

The story itself is really well written and the author does a great job of getting the pacing just right so that the tension builds throughout. Sometimes with stories such as this it can get a bit slow in the middle or become repetitive but that isn’t the case here. It twists and turns and keeps you guessing till almost the very end.

The characters were well defined and likeable. Ben in particular was very easy to relate to especially in his reaction to the events that occur. He starts out pretty depressed and miserable but somehow seems to find some kind of purpose and determination or possibly realises he hasn’t much left to lose as the story progresses. Zoologist Lindsay Clark and Police Officer Cushing add a bit of romantic interest but more importantly represent strong, intelligent and independent women rather than damsels in distress. They are less than impressed with Ben which results in some very amusing dialogue and was another of my favourite parts of this book.

I get the feeling that this is the first in a series and I think it’s definitely one to watch out for.

Overall a fast paced, well written story which if you’re anything like me will give you the odd chill. There is the odd gory death so maybe avoid if you’re squeamish but otherwise I’d definitely recommend.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Hydra so big thanks.

Book Review: Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L. Bryan

November 1, 2015November 1, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L. Bryan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Having overdosed on YA dystopian and chick lit over the last few weeks I felt the need for something completely different. I thought as it was Halloween I would go for a nice creepy tale and what could be more creepy than a ghost catcher investigating a haunted house. Apparently a lot of things. This is possibly one of the least scary ghost stories I’ve come across.

It does start quite well, Ellie Jordan (ghost trapper at Eckhart Investigators) and new recruit Stacey are called to investigate a potential haunting in an old mansion in Savannah. New owners Dale, Anna and their daughter Lexa have experienced some strange occurrences in the middle of the night. A locked door which opens on it’s own, creaking on the stairs and a female presence who seems fixated on Lexa.

Anna and Lexa are understandably a bit worried but Dale is in denial and thinks it’s all a lot of nonsense. However as things escalate the house becomes increasingly dangerous for the family and the ghost hunters.

I thought this book was well written. The start is quite creepy as we hear of the scary lady who glares at the little girl, a very disturbing shower incident and the mysterious opening door.

Ellie is a very likeable character. She takes her job seriously, is very professional and knows when to bite her tongue. She also has a sharp wit, a good sense of humour and is pretty ballsy. Stacey is also likeable but in a different way. She’s enthusiastic, bouncy and generally quite excited to be hunting ghosts (at least until she meets one). The relationship between them is probably one of the highlights of the book.

Where it went wrong for me though was that as soon as they began investigating it lost the scare factor. The focus moved to the science of finding and catching ghosts, all of which was explained in detail. After that I just didn’t find it creepy anymore.

It didn’t help that things with the ghost accelerated too quickly. There was no tension building. Ellie turned up and within a few pages saw and followed the ghost before having a chat with it. I would have preferred more build up, creepy noises, not being able to see anything or things suddenly jumping out. Thermal and night vision goggles are obviously great for spotting ghosts but kind of waste the story.

I also felt that the story became a bit too predictable and you knew exactly where it was going.

Possibly the next books in the series will be better but I’m just not sure it’s my kind of ghost story. I’m off to find something scarier.

Overall an ok read but lacking the scare factor.

Book Review: The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood

October 28, 2015October 27, 2015 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was laugh out loud funny but unfortunately I don’t think it’s one I’ll remember for long.

The story follows Jessica Beam, 28 years old, single and just wants to enjoy life with no responsibilities or commitments. She parties, gets drunk a lot and a one night stand is a regular occurrence.

“Did the new neighbour just call you a slapper?” she asks, observing his retreating form. “I prefer sexually cheerful”

If a conversation turns serious she flees the scene and she is totally unreliable.

When she ends up losing her home and her job in the same day the people she thought were friends don’t want to know. She has no one left to turn to but her long lost Grandmother. She’s hoping for a hand out that will let her go travelling (and partying) but Grandma has financial problems of her own.

To solve both of their problems they agree to collaborate on a book. Grandma it turns out is the famous (ish) author of the Good Woman Guides. A series which advises women how to be elegant, well mannered and find herself a good man. Jess agrees to live by the rules to see if she can get a confirmed bachelor and womanizer to fall in love with her. Various funny escapades ensue as Jess let’s her Grandma give her a makeover and follows her very old fashioned advice on how to catch a man.

I did really like this story. It’s well written, hilariously funny in places and I think the pacing is more or less spot on.

Jessica is a very likeable character. Given her total unreliability and crazy behaviour she’s not someone I’d want as a friend but it was quite refreshing to have a female protagonist who’s living life how she wants and not worrying what others think. At times she is a bit too trusting in her supposed best friend which was very frustrating and she has some unpleasant characteristics but over the course of the book she starts to soften.

The other characters in the novel are well written including her Grandma who is very strict and old fashioned but is easily upset and terrified of losing her home and memories. All she wants is to connect to her only remaining family. New housemate and Grandma’s PA Peach was however my favourite character. She’s quite shy, with no friends, but is just so enthusiastic about everything you can’t help but like her. When she teams up with Jess there is just no stopping her.

I think what led to the book falling a little flat for me however was the men. The target of the project is Advertising Exec Leo Frost. First impressions of him are not particularly great. He seems quite stuck up, serious and has a bad reputation with women. While a lot of this proves to be untrue I still didn’t really feel any attraction between him and Jess. It was the same with the doctor downstairs, who Jess ends up in a friend’s with benefits situation, I didn’t feel a spark between them.

Overall therefore, while I thought the story was enjoyable it didn’t really give me the emotions that would make the story stick with me. I have a feeling I will have forgotten it in a couple of weeks.

I would still recommend it if you’re looking for an easy read with a lot of laughs.

Favourite quote:

“I love you more than tea and kittens and apricot gin”

Book Review: The Blonde Eskimo by Kristen Hunt

October 27, 2015October 27, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Blonde Eskimo by Kristen Hunt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Maybe I’m too old for this one or maybe I’ve just read too many YA fantasy books recently but this book just didn’t really work for me.

It starts off quite well in a way quite similar to Twilight with main character Neiva packed off by her parents to Spirit Island, Alaska to stay with her Grandmother and finish her final year at school while her parents go travelling.

There are hints from the very beginning that there is something very mysterious about the Island. It’s remote and very insular and no one seems to have heard of it. Those who Neiva tells seem to instantly forget about it. This time however she is determined to get proof that something isn’t right. When she first arrives everything seems fairly normal however you quickly get the sense that everyone is keeping secrets from her.

It’s only on her 17th birthday that the secrets begin to come to light and strange things start happening. Neiva finds out that she has to take part in an ancient and traditional ritual which involves among other things receiving a totem of her spirit guide. She soon discovers however that she and her friends have powers and there is a whole other world around her. A world of spirits and demons and other legends, one of which seems to be determined to kill her. She also meets a mysterious stranger in a mask that she can’t help being drawn to.

There are some great ideas in this book. I loved the idea of the Eskimo legends being real (although I should say I know nothing about Eskimo legends so have no idea if any of them are truly legends). It does give it that slightly different twist on the usual young adult fantasy book.

The problem I had however was that I felt there was too much going on and I found it confusing. Spirits, guardians, demons, spirit guides, vampires, Triton, the Loch Ness monster and various other creatures get a mention at some point or another. I have to admit I gave up trying to follow it. There is a lot of information that’s thrown at you in big chunks and at times it breaks the flow of the story and doesn’t seem relevant. There could have been a bit more subtlety in working it into the text.

There are also some inconsistencies and continuity issues which were a little frustrating. For example one minute a raven was her favourite animal, the next she was terrified of them and then she loved them again. There was a moment she thought she recognised someone then dismissed it as her imagination. Five minutes later she was writing in her diary about how she was positive she’d seen them. Neiva also knew someone’s name even though after the last time they met she commented that she’d forgotten to ask for it. I had an ARC so hopefully these have been fixed.

I found it strange in this book as well how none of the adults seemed overly concerned about the fact someone was trying to kill Neiva. In most YA fantasy books the adults are blissfully ignorant of what’s going on however in this case they all know the legends and could help. Instead they quite happily sent her off camping in a remote location with her friends. She does receive training but that seemed to be mostly dance lessons and riding sea creatures which isn’t much practical use if someone is trying to drown you, eat your soul or send a possessed bear after you. The advice she kept receiving was to stick with her friends. Although her friends didn’t seem to be a huge amount of use in keeping her safe.

The characters were OK. I found Neiva a little annoying in some ways and felt like she was younger than the 17 she was supposed to be. Every boy she met was soooo good looking and she seemed to spend most of her time blushing or crying. I was not a fan of the diary. I did like how she pushed for answers though and that she cared so much about her friends and family. I also liked her friends Nate and Viv and the relationship between the two of them. Viv is fiery in more ways than one whereas Nate is funny and loyal. They fight constantly but I get the feeling it’s a bit of a love/hate thing.

The story does pick up towards the end and I did find that it started to draw me in so that I wanted to know how things would turn out. I don’t think though that I will be rushing to read the next in the series although maybe I just need a break from this genre.

Overall, while I didn’t love it I think a lot of people, particularly younger teens will. It reminded me a bit of the Iron King (which I also wasn’t keen on) so if you like that you would probably like this.

Thanks to NetGalley and SparkPress for the ARC

Book Review (take 2): Nivana by J.R. Stewart

October 22, 2015October 22, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Nirvana by J.R. Stewart
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Before you think “haven’t I seen this review before” this is actually a new review of a revised version of Nirvana. I initially received an advance copy from NetGalley around a month or so ago and while I thought the idea was good it wasn’t quite working for me (and based on reviews a lot of other people too).

However the author has taken a lot of this feedback on board and the book has had a major re write. I was contacted by the publisher and asked if I would mind reading the new version to see what I thought. This is the first time I’ve re read a book that’s had a major re write and I have to say it was a strange experience. The story is almost unrecognizable from the previous version and while I think it is much improved I couldn’t help comparing to the previous version.

The essential story is the same. It’s set in 2080 following an event known as the Extinction where the bees disappeared resulting in the loss of crops, livestock and pretty much all life. Those that are left live in a society controlled by the major corporation Hexagon. They keep the populace subdued through both fear and control of virtual reality which, in such a destroyed world, is the only form of entertainment and escape.

Larissa Kenders is one of the operators of the virtual reality system and as her fiancee Andrew is one of the programmers she knows all to well that all is not as it seems. The system is used to monitor those who use it and the wrong thoughts or actions mean disappearing never to be seen again. With her background as a punk rocker and history of rebellion against authority this doesn’t sit well with her and she tries to help where she can.

Meanwhile Andrew seems worried about something and has made a major discovery in his work which he isn’t telling her about. Then one morning he disappears and his research and work disappears with him. Kenders is told he’s dead and treated by the authorities as a suspect in the disappearance of his work. However when Andrew begins to appear to her in virtual reality she begins to think he may be alive and trying to get a message to her. Is he really alive though or is she just seeing what she wants to believe? If he is alive she has to find a way to reach him but who if anyone can she trust?

I thought this was an interesting take on the young adult dystopian. I loved how it used the technology and virtual worlds to raise the question of what is reality and what is virtual and how do you tell the difference. It also raises the issue if something seems convincing does it matter if it isn’t actually real? I’m kind of fascinated as well by the idea of big corporations gaining so much power they can overthrow a government. I have to admit that I find it kind of scary how much companies seem to know about us and the amount of information that’s stored out there in the inter-web. It seems very plausible that this type of society could come about in the future.

In terms of the characters, I liked Kenders for the most part. She’s intelligent, caring and fights for what she believes in. She has a bit of a troubled past but seems to be fairly well balanced and strong despite this. Andrew I wasn’t too sure about. Possibly he was just a bit quiet and distant for me to connect to but I didn’t feel like I got much sense of him as a person. Most of the time it seemed as if he was focused on his work and ignored everything else around him. I think it’s for that reason that I wasn’t totally sold on their relationship. There didn’t seem to be any real spark between them. I felt that it made it difficult to get behind Kenders in her quest to find him which was probably the main point of the story.

The character I did like and was really rooting for was Kenders friend from childhood Serge, although I don’t think we got to see enough of him in this version. He was a bit of a conflicted character, in love with Kenders and willing to do almost anything for her but also with everything to lose if she gets to Andrew and the truth. I feel like more could have been made of him as a character but his part was cut a little short. I also liked ex band mate Lexie. She was pretty wild and willing to go to any lengths to achieve her goal. I’m hoping we get to see more of her in future stories.

Overall, I thought the pacing of the story was good and there’s a lot more action and dialogue in the revised version. I would have liked a bit more depth in places as I didn’t really get the feels but it was good to find a book with a bit more originality and realism than the usual YA dystopian. I’m not entirely sure I liked the ending but I am a little curious about what will happen next.

Book Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

October 19, 2015October 19, 2015 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

The Jewel by Amy Ewing
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meh.

Think that pretty much sums up my feelings about this book. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it. Just didn’t really care that much about it. Possibly I’ve just read too many YA dystopian books recently and need a break but it felt like this story had so much potential but just got stuck in the same formula as every other one.

The story follows Violet, a seventeen year old girl who was chosen at a young age to be a surrogate for the royalty. She has to say goodbye to her poor but honest and loving family and be auctioned off to the highest bidder. She is one of the highest ranked surrogates in her year due to her ability to manipulate energy so is snapped up by a Duchess from one of the four founding families.

However while on the surface it seems like a life of luxury there is a lot of manoeuvring and game playing among the royal families and Violet has to keep in favour if she is to survive. Then she meets Ash, companion to the Duchess’s niece, and she falls in love putting both their lives at risk.

This is quite an easy and quick read and the story flows well but I felt like not a huge amount happened. Books like this make me think the author is dragging out what could be one book to a series. There are a lot of similarities to other books such as the Hunger Games, the Selection and even a bit of Harry Potter so not much stands out as being particularly original.

Violet as a character was ok. A bit naive, a little rebellious and very caring but for the most part kind of boring. Ash the romantic interest wasn’t much better. He’s essentially hired to romance and flirt with the niece so should be handsome and charming but while we’re told repeatedly how good looking he is I couldn’t see the attraction.

The whole romance between Violet and Ash just wasn’t believable to me. They spend literally five minutes together and they are madly in love and willing to risk their lives? Sorry, but no, I don’t buy it. If there had been a bit more banter or even just a little conversation I might have accepted it but there is absolutely no spark.

Worryingly the one character I did like was the Duchess who is supposed to be the baddie of the piece. She is manipulative, scheming, violent and at times sad but she knows what she wants and she goes for it. For me she was definitely one of the most interesting characters. Everyone else felt a bit stereotypical and dull.

The story does pick up around the end but by then I wasn’t sure I cared what happened. I am slightly annoyed by the cliffhanger at the end as it seems another sign that the author is dragging the story out and trying to get readers to buy the next one.

I’m not sure I care enough and I’m sure it will be another drawn out story leading to a further cliffhanger and no real answers to all of the questions raised.