Tag: fantasy

Adult, books, Will I Like This Book?

Will I Like This Book? – A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Will I Like This Book? – A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid
Will I Like This Book? – A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid

Okay, so the title of this book isn’t very me, but when I saw Ava Reid, I knew I had to check this preview out. This is the final sample from my YALC selection, and it’s definitely one that I’m excited about, even though it’s coming out very late next year. Specifically, A Study in Drowning is coming out from Del Rey on 5th September 2023.

I can’t provide preorder links for this book yet as the book isn’t online yet. But I’ll definitely be shouting on social media for people to preorder this one when they can.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: Forestfall by Lyndall Clipstone

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Forestfall by Lyndall Clipstone
Book Review: Forestfall by Lyndall Clipstone

I’ve been writing so many reviews recently, but you know that means I’ve been reading a lot. One book off my owned TBR that I got to recently was Lakesedge, so I’m happy to be here with a review of the sequel for you! This was a fascinatingly atmospheric duology with monsters, romance and a demi protagonist! Thank you again to Titan for sending me a copy of this one!

Violeta has made a bargain to escape death, but it means that she must live in the Below with Lord Under. She wants to return to her world, and when she discovers she still has a link with Rowan, she realises that she’ll go to drastic lengths to get back home.

I’m not going into the summary any deeper as this is a sequel. There may be spoilers in this review though, so do be warned. This book is a dual perspective between Violeta and Rowan, so you’ll be happy with whoever you prefer.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Good Enough To Eat by Gina Blaxill

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Book Review: Good Enough To Eat by Gina Blaxill

I really am a massive fan of fairytale retellings. Especially those marketed as dark or those that twist the stories around. Because of that, I’ve had my eye on All The Better To See You With for a while. I didn’t know that Gina Blaxill was coming out with a second book in this series. When I got the email about this one from Scholastic, I just had to ask for it.

This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, a fairytale we all know but rarely see retellings of. The village of Westerleen has been losing young boys to a witch in a gingerbread cottage for years. When Hansel and Gretel return from the woods alive, the villagers assume that Hansel saved them. But it was actually Gretel. What will she do to actually get her freedom and be recognised?

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ARC, books, new adult, Review

Book Review: Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino
Book Review: Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino

We all know I love dark, queer books right? We all know that if someone can get fae or fae-adjacent books when they’re done right, don’t we? Well, this book does both of those things oh so well, and, oh my god, I’m so happy I’ve read this book. I’ll be going back and reading Tori Bovalino’s first book after this one as Not Good For Maidens? Such a damn good book. Thanks so much to Sarah at Titan for sending me a copy!

Not Good For Maidens is a retelling of the poem The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. We follow two main characters, Lou in the present and May, 18 years before. Lou has grown up with her Mum and Aunt May in Boston. But when her other Aunt Neela disappears and leaves a strange voicemail, Lou wants to go to York to track her down. Her Mum and May don’t want her there, as before Lou was born, May was trapped in the Goblin Market herself. After being led down there by a beautiful goblin girl.

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books, spotlights, Young Adult

Spotlight: A Rebel’s Path by I.L Cruz

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Spotlight: A Rebel’s Path by I.L Cruz

Back in 2020, I had the opportunity to be part of a blog tour for A Noble’s Path by I.L Cruz. Since then, I’ve been regularly checking out Amazon to see when the third book would come out. Then the other week, I got an email asking if I would be interested in reading and reviewing it. My answer was a firm yes! But unfortunately, I’ve not got time currently. I still wanted to support this book though and tell you all to grab a copy.

So instead I’m leaving you all with this spotlight post.

Read on to find the summary, cover and some buy links.

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Adult, books, Will I Like This Book?

Will I Like This Book? – Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Will I Like This Book? – Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs
Will I Like This Book? – Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs

The majority of the books I’ve spoken about in this post have been ones that I’ve been really excited about. But this one? This I’m not so sure about… It doesn’t sound bad, but it wasn’t great either. I’m not sure what I think about it, so let’s go into a little more detail.

This is an adult fantasy thriller that follows two sisters; Joanna and Esther. For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of rare and dangerous books. Books that contain magic. But now Joanna lives alone, guarding the books and trying to create her own whilst her older half-sister Esther hasn’t lived in one place for more than a year since she left home. Until now. But when someone on the antarctic base Esther lives and works on starts using magic, she realises she’ll never escape her family’s legacy. Now the sisters will have to work together to unravel the secrets of these books until it’s too late.

If this book sounds like your sort of thing, then it’ll be published by Del Rey in July 2023.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans

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Book Review: Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans

I’m loving the books that Orbit is publishing this year. So many of the books coming out from them are amazing, and Notorious Sorcerer is another one of these. I hadn’t heard much about this book before I saw that it was available to review, but it was clearly a perfect book for me. Thanks to Nazia for this one.

Notorious Sorcerer is set in the world of Bezim, where the Bravi sling swords and race through the night, alchemists practice rituals behind closed doors, and the rich are willing to pay for both. Siyon Velo is an alchemist who hops between the planes collecting materials for the city’s alchemists. His hope is that he’ll earn enough to join the Summer House and the rest of the trained alchemists. But when he accidentally uses magic that should be impossible, he’s thrown into the limelight, just as hell breaks loose in the city. Now he has to try to save things, but he’s not sure he even knows how to.

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Adult, ARC, blog tour, books, Review

Blog Tour – The Regency Faerie Tales series by Olivia Atwater

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Blog Tour – The Regency Faerie Tales series by Olivia Atwater

I love fairy tale retellings so much. When done well, they’re often some of my favourite books. Historical Romance, on the other hand, isn’t a genre I often turn to, but I have been enjoying it a little more. Which meant the Regency Faerie Tales books were books that I was curious about. After reading all three, I can easily say these were some of my new favourite books. I was super lucky to receive all three of the books in this trilogy thanks to the team Orbit and Tracy from Compulsive Readers. I’m so happy I’m on this tour!

The Regency Faerie Tales books follow three young women whose lives wind up interconnected due to their ties to various different fae in Regency England. The first two books are 100% fairy tale retellings. The third book… I couldn’t pin down as one specific tale, but there were hints of others like The Goose Girl within its pages.

I decided the best thing to do with this post would be to post mini-reviews of all three books. If you’re looking for a review of a particular book, you can scroll down to just that one. But as a whole, I adored this series. I’ll definitely be reading more of Atwater’s books, and let me tell you, it’s worth reading the short stories set in this world too!

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ARC, books, middlegrade, Review

Book Review – The Lost Girl King by Catherine Doyle

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review – The Lost Girl King by Catherine Doyle
Book Review – The Lost Girl King by Catherine Doyle

I really love the fae-inspired books we’re getting recently. Especially within the 8-12 demographic. Like a Charm was amazing, and I adored the use of Scottish fae and folklore. But we all know my true love is the Irish tales. And that’s where The Lost Girl King comes in. I was granted an early chance to read this book through NetGalley, so thanks to the publisher.

The Lost Girl King follows siblings Amy and Liam Bell, who, after being left with their Grandma in Connemara for the summer, wind up stumbling into the realm of Tir na nOg. At first, it seems like a paradise, but they quickly realise they’ve been tricked as they’re separated by a troop of Dullahan. They take him to Tarlock, the ruling sorcerer who needs two human children to keep his control over the fae realm. Amy sets out to save her brother and makes new friends along the way, as Liam tries to survive and discovers some courage all his own.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: The Undertaking Of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books6 Comments on Book Review: The Undertaking Of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen
Book Review: The Undertaking Of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

I’m sure a lot of people have seen this book around with it being a Fairyloot Adult pick. However, the book hasn’t actually been officially released yet. I was lucky enough to be sent an early copy of the standard paperback from Orbit, who is publishing it. With this being a highly anticipated release of mine, I was so excited to dive into this one. And it was definitely worth it.

Hart is a marshal who’s been alone for years, and Mercy is an undertaker who has single-handedly been keeping her family’s business afloat. The two hate each other, but after a particularly harsh argument, Hart finds himself penning a letter to an unknown person. When Mercy receives it, she’s confused by her anonymous pen pal, but she writes back, and they strike up a friendship. They don’t know their new friend is each other, but soon they wind up falling for each other.

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