Action & Adventure

Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

May 26, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

legacy of ash by matthew ward - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

Legacy of Ash by Matthew Ward
Published by Orbit on November 5, 2019
ISBN: 9780316457897
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, General
Pages: 784
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

Legacy of Ash is an unmissable fantasy debut--an epic tale of intrigue and revolution, soldiers and assassins, ancient magic and the eternal clash of empires.A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic.Ruling families -- once protectors of justice and democracy -- now plot against one another with sharp words and sharper knives. Blinded by ambition, they remain heedless of the threat posed by the invading armies of the Hadari Empire.Yet as Tressia falls, heroes rise.Viktor Akadra is the Republic's champion. A warrior without equal, he hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic.Josiri Trelan is Viktor's sworn enemy. A political prisoner, he dreams of reigniting his mother's failed rebellion. And yet Calenne Trelan, Josiri's sister, seeks only to break free of their tarnished legacy; to escape the expectation and prejudice that haunts the family name.As war spreads across the Republic, these three must set aside their differences in order to save their home. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. And victory -- if it comes at all -- will demand a darker price than any of them could have imagined.

Massive thanks to Orbit books for my review copy of Legacy of Ash. I’m a complete junkie for all things dark fantasy and grimdark and this lit a fire within my core in which every page I raced through kept stoking. The first book in the series, aptly named Legacy. This is a serious Tome sitting at 800 pages. It felt like I had the fantasy bible in my hands, every page sucked me in and enraptured my imagination. An extremely imaginative and ambitious debut with a whole new magic system, ancient kingdoms locking swords and world building so intricate and memorable that its imprint left a tattoo on the brain.

Penning a review for Legacy of Ash is no easy feat but I hope that I can impart some justice to it. The characterisation and the narrative is extremely complex and I would say it is comparable to a rubix cube – its easy to connect the dots when you know the system you are working with.

The Tressian Republic is still striving to conquer its neighbouring lands. We are given a robust and necessary prologue and it sets up the backstory beautifully. The people of the Southshires are given a beacon of hope – a phoenix that brings a desire to fight for freedom, a desire to find inner strength and a will to fight for what is theirs. Unfortunately, that desire is short lived. The hope dies with the Phoenix. The legacy dies and all that is left in its wake is ash. Fast forward fifteen years and The Tressians want to further their hold and their power. Caleen and Josiri are the surviving children of The Phoenix. They make a solemn promise to each other and their long dead mother to continue her vision and to make her legacy their own. They are currently imprisoned Branghall Castle. Can they find the means and the will to liberate the people of the Southshires? The impact of the curse of the human condition is clear to see in Matthew Wards characterisation of Caleen and Josiri. The self-doubt, the painful memories, and past regrets fester wounds.

Massive books float my boat. The story is given the opportunity to dive to the deepest depths. Books like Legacy of Ash is a tome and a half. The amount of work that must have gone into this must be akin to having a baby, it is their baby. This is the very embodiment of epic fantasy. This has been likened to A Game of Thrones but that is categorically unfair. This is a masterpiece in its own right.

Legacy of Ash is audacious, and a magnificent piece of penmanship set over sprawling worlds. Matthew Ward has taken every little thing you thought you knew about epic fantasy and tore it into tiny shreds. His reincarnation is entirely fresh and addicting.

Legacy Of Ash by Matthew Ward 1024x819 - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

8508065 - Review| Legacy Of Ash (Legacy Trilogy #1) by Matthew Ward

Matthew Ward is a writer, cat-servant and owner of more musical instruments than he can actually play (and considerably more than he can play well). He’s afflicted with an obsession for old places – castles, historic cities and the London Underground chief amongst them – and should probably cultivate more interests to help expand out his author biography.

After a decade serving as a principal architect for Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 properties, Matthew embarked on an adventure to tell stories set in worlds of his own design. He lives near Nottingham with his extremely patient wife – as well as a pride of attention-seeking cats – and writes to entertain anyone who feels there’s not enough magic in the world.

Matthew Ward Website

Blog Tour: The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence

May 8, 2020 Yvonne 2 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

43155726. SY475 - Blog Tour: The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence

The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence
Published by Harper Voyager on April 21, 2020
ISBN: 9781984806000
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, Dark Fantasy
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

five stars - Blog Tour: The Girl And The Stars by Mark Lawrence

A stunning new epic fantasy series following a young outcast who must fight with everything she has to survive, set in the same world as Red Sister. In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown. Yaz’s people call it the Pit of the Missing and now it is drawing her in as she has always known it would. To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same. Yaz’s difference tears her from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger. Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength and that the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people can be challenged.

The Girl And The Stars is certainly not Mark Lawrence’s first rodeo. However, It is the most poignant epic fantasy that I have experienced in a long time. The story envelops you like a long lost relative after decades apart…everything about it just feels right. This is the kind of story that leaves you grappling with the fight for cognitive cohesion. How on earth do you get your thoughts down in a review in regard to a book of this magnitude. The narrative took me hostage and posted my ransom. I didn’t want to be found, I wanted to be immersed in this world for the foreseeable future.

My kindle only made it through the read by the skin of its teeth. There are some elements of a story that just speak to you and The Girl And The Stars just had it all. it drew out unbreakable connections, the electricity snapping between us. The book quite simply felt like a living and breathing entity. You feel the emotion and the outpouring of love that Mark Lawrence has for this story and it spoke completely to the heart. It’s almost like the book knew how you tick and brought you everything you have been craving.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a book that you can read a few chapters at a time. The Girl And The Stars will rapt your attention and the fight against it will be a futile struggle. Epic fantasy. Survival. Family. Unbreakable bonds and children of different abilities. The prose was like titanium – solid.

Mark Lawrence is an author that I have failed to get around to reading, I am ashamed to admit but now I have had a taste of his work, I will be seeking to change that immediately. He has brought The Girl and The Stars to life with such a glorious 8k dimension to it. He has created a fully immersive epic fantasy and surpassed all expectations – my brain wanted to explode. The world building was mind blowing and I was experiencing it in VR.

We meet Yaz, our sixteen-year-old female protagonist, a member of the ice tribe, the ictha. She knows that she cannot ascend to an adult member of the tribe without being judged by the regulator, Kazik. Yaz has known for many a year that she wasn’t normal, her abilities would be judged harshly and would end up being cast away into the pit of the missing, where all broken children end up.

Inadvertently or not Yaz ends up in the pit with her brother, Zeen. Her one and only mission is to save her brother, who in her mind, doesn’t deserve to be in the pit. After a considerable amount of time she comes face to face with a despicable giant – who just happens to gorge on the flesh of the broken. Yaz, however, is rescued by other members of the broken and she is introduced to a new clan that can survive below the ice. They have adapted to their new environment and Yaz has a whole lot of adapting to do.

The Girl And The Stars laser precise and hits its target every time. An intricate magical spell, you fall deep, and its rich narrative is a fresh take on a populated genre.

Thanks to Anne Cater@Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Lawrence was born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, but moved to the UK at the age of one. He went back to the US after taking a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College to work on a variety of research projects including the ‘Star Wars’ missile defence programme. Returning to the UK, he has worked mainly on image processing and decision/reasoning theory. His first trilogy, The Broken Empire, has been universally acclaimed as a ground-breaking work of fantasy, and both The Liar’s Key and The Wheel of Osheim have won the Gemmell Legend award for best fantasy novel. Mark is married, with four children, and lives in Bristol.

MARK LAWRENCE

Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

April 28, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

36115268. SY475 - Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova
Published by Hodder & Stoughton on April 28, 2020
ISBN: 9781368023801
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure, Survival Stories, Romance, General
Pages: 464
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Set in a lushly drawn world inspired by Inquisition Spain, Zoraida Córdova's hotly anticipated new fantasy is an epic tale of love and revenge perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Sarah J. Maas. I am Renata Convida.I have lived a hundred stolen lives. Now I live my own. Renata was only a child when she was kidnapped by the King's Justice and brought to the luxurious palace of Andalucia. As a memory thief, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata was used by the crown to carry out the King's Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people. Now Renata is one of the Whispers, rebel spies working against the crown. The Whispers may have rescued Renata years ago, but she cannot escape their mistrust and hatred-or the overpowering memories of the hundreds of souls she drained during her time in the palace. When Dez, the commander of her unit-and the boy she's grown to love-is taken captive by the notorious Principe Dorado, Renata must return to Andalucia and complete Dez's top secret mission herself. Can she keep her cover, even as she burns for vengeance against the brutal, enigmatic prince? Her life and the fate of the Moria depend on it. But returning to the palace stirs childhood memories long locked away. As Renata grows more deeply embedded in the politics of the royal court, she uncovers a secret in her past that could change the fate of the entire kingdom-and end the war that has cost her everything.

Incendiary. The Ability to cause fires, and boy does this book burn up in your hands. Agreeing to take part in this book tour is one of the best decisions I have made. The book cover, the title and the words contained within was a dead cert to win hearts and capture aspirations. I opened the first page and I was lost to the magnificence and by the end I knew I would never be the same again. A maze of enchantment, the words melded into one and I was lost.

Upon turning the final page on this piece of art, I knew this would be a difficult review to write. Where would I find the right words to do the plot justice, the right words to capture the magic, the right words that will hypnotise your mind just like I had experienced. This review is going to messy, raw and gritty and by hook or by crook I hope I do this book justice.

Renata Convida. A woman. A warrior. A lover. The will to survive coursing through her blood, putting everything on the line to succeed in the ultimate goal. She is ready for anything. She is ready to lace those boots and kick some ass. She takes names, sheds some blood and unearths deep seated secrets. She has type of magic that strips away your memories and becomes her power. A power she can use. A power she can use against you. Give her the chance and she can take it all way from you. Leaving you nothing but a hollow. She is dangerous and never as dangerous as those she works with, The Whispers. They are a renegade team that are working to annihilate the crown that wishes them gone. They want to strip their power away, leave them with nothing and no ability to fight against them. Her lover and commander is captured by the system and Renata captains a team to go in and rescue him. It goes wrong – badly wrong and it will have lasting consequences for the team and Renata.

Incendiary is a magnificent take on the coming of age tale. It is a tantalising exploration of what makes us us. How events and trauma not only define us but strengthen us. The author at no point cowers away from storylines that makes the reader scream with frustration and anticipation. Our reactions make us face reality that we are not in control of how Renata reacts and tackles situations. Rest assured you are in good hands with the author. She will steer us right, she knows just how guide us to the end point, with ease.

The narrative is outstanding. The story moulds into something else as Renata grows and develops. Her magic doesn’t transform her into a higher being, but it takes its toll. As she takes more memories she loses a part of herself – her own early memories. Lost in grey. She knows what she must become to survive but just how does she do that? She must evolve. What came before? How does that translate to the battle that she must now face?

Incendiary is a testament to resilience and strength of character. It fizzes and crackles with electricity. A true coming of age fantasy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zoraida Author Photo 19 225x300 1 - Blog Tour: Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Zoraida Córdova is the author of nine fantasy novels for kids and teens, most recently the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, and Star Wars: A Crash of Fate. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, Come on In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of Vampires Never Get Old: Eleven Tales with Fresh Bite. Her debut middle grade novel is The Way to Rio Luna. She is the co-host of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning a new adventure.

For book, tv, & film rights related inquiries, please contact Victoria Marini.

Zoraida Cordova

Review: The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

March 26, 2020 Yvonne Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the unspoken name by a k larkwood - Review: The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood
Published by Tor Publishing on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 9781250238917
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic, Action & Adventure
Pages: 480
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

A. K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is a stunning debut fantasy about a young priestess sentenced to die, who at the last minute escapes her fate; only to become an assassin for the wizard who saved her.
What if you knew how and when you will die?
Csorwe does—she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.
But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.
But Csorwe will soon learn—gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.
“In the vein of Le Guin's magnificent Tombs of Atuan—if Arha the Eaten One got to grow up to be a swordswoman mercenary in thrall to her dubious wizard mentor. I love this book so much."—Arkady Martine, author of A Memory Called Empire
"I cannot recommend it enough." -- Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the Ninth
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Unspoken Name

Didn’t they teach you how to steal a ship at wizarding school?

A.K. Larkwood has created an ethereal vision of female badassery that I had completely laced up my feminist ass kicking boots by the end of chapter one. The formula that the author concocted in order to produce the masterpiece that my eyes and brain conversely lapped up was unique and special. She knew the compounds that go into writing a fantasy – they work, but the author decided to tear that rule book up and rewrite them completely! She drew me in with her hypnotic narrative and the familiar territory that I have become used to suddenly turned into a snake infested pit…but I was loving it!

The Unspoken Name was literally an experience. The author held me captive and threw me into the boot of her car and wouldn’t let go until the end. It was magnetism and I just couldn’t let go.

If you want a fresh take on fantasy, then The Unspoken Name should be right at the top of your TBR. Go in with no inhibitions, no preconceived ideas, forget genres, forget the rules. It will bend the confines of sub genres, it will blend societal themes and leave you feeling empowered and wrought with emotions. This book will blow your mind.

My immediate thought process after closing that last page was YES YES YES. It hit every button and I knew I would sell my soul to the devil himself to get book two. I need it right now, I NEED it. This is certainly a series that would translate well to a Netflix series and would rock my socks.

Page one set the tone imperceptibly. The protagonist, Csorwe, examines the predominate theme in the novel, that of choice. Life is one big choice, whether that is a deemed choice or a given one based upon expectations and a road that needs to be walked. When we meet her, she is very unremarkable, but she has a fate…she must die. A sacrifice to the gods. She must become a dead bride effectively. She has lived her entire life to get to this point. Her choices have been limited and not out with her remit of the cult she has been brought up in. what should happen if she was faced with a real choice? A choice that will change everything.

A.K Larkwood has evolved a narrative that takes the entire spectrum of colours and invents a universe that is a sparking ball of frenetic energy. It’s a close parallel to our own reality and it’s so vivid that it has taken on a life of its own.

If your only choice is death where do you go? When Csorwe is approached by the extremely charismatic wizard, Sethannai he bestows upon her a pretty obvious choice in my book, serve me and live or accept your fate and die. Well if I had been Csorwe I would have been crashing into him like the cool aid guy. I would have snapped his hand off. Sethannai has serious plans for Csorwe. He needs her in order to take back his kingdom of Tiaanthothe. The journey of her training and tribulations along the way made my giddy little heart happy. Watching her strength and confidence grow was everything I love in a protagonist. My brain felt numb from the onslaught of action and each chapter blended into the next. The words on each page felt like they became embedded in my brain, it became a part of me. I forgot I was reading, and this felt more like VR. It was a completely immersive experience.

The Unspoken Name is a beguiling and dark tale with mind blowing narrative that makes you forget your own name. it explores the darkest of emotions and translates into a magical joyride.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AKLarwood creditVickiBaileyofVHBPhotography - Review: The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

A. K. Larkwood studied English at St John’s College, Cambridge. Since then, she has worked in higher education & media relations, and is now studying law. She lives in Oxford, England, with her wife and a cat. Her debut novel, The Unspoken Name, will be published by Tor in 2020.

(Also, my favourite things to write about are:

loyalty ‘n’ betrayal
human sacrifice
immortals behaving badly
fraught banquets where someone gets murdered
fantasy archaeology
people bleeding a single aesthetic drop of blood as they die in the snow

… but in real life my main excitement day-to-day is when I get to cook a new kind of lentil.)

A.K. Larkwood

Blog Tour: Avenge The Dead (Frank Farrell #3) by Jackie Baldwin

February 28, 2020 Yvonne 3 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

avenge the dead di frank farrell book 3 by jackie baldwin - Blog Tour: Avenge The Dead (Frank Farrell #3) by Jackie Baldwin

Avenge the Dead (DI Frank Farrell, Book 3) by Jackie Baldwin
Published by One More Chapter on February 28, 2020
ISBN: 9780008383909
Genres: Fiction, Crime, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Christian, Suspense, Action & Adventure, Literary, General, Thrillers
Pages: 410
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Blog Tour: Avenge The Dead (Frank Farrell #3) by Jackie Baldwin

Sometimes murder is the only way to get even...
The gripping new Scottish crime thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for fans of L J Ross and Val McDermid.
Four friends with dark secrets. One killer out for revenge.
DI Frank Farrell and DS McLeod are tasked with investigating the brutal murder of a defence solicitor’s wife in Dumfries.
It’s been over a year since they left the town after an investigation robbed them of a dear friend. But now they’re back and must find a way to move on.
When the son of another defence solicitor is murdered, a strange tattoo etched on his body, the case takes them into darker, more disturbing territory.
It leads them back into the past – to a horrific fire in a cottage that took a woman’s life, to four friends harbouring dark secrets – and finally to a killer waiting patiently for revenge.
Praise for Avenge the Dead
‘Expertly plotted, I was completely engrossed in the investigation and the lives of the characters, there were twists and turns all the way through keeping me on the edge of my seat... definitely a “just one more chapter” kind of read!’ Sharon Bairden, Chapter in My Life
‘Brutal and gritty in parts whilst sensitive and emotional in others, this book had me turning the pages well into the night’ Alison, NetGalley
‘This was another riveting foray into the world of DI Frank Farrell! From the first chapter, I could not put this novel down, staying up late to finish just to see what would come next’ Krystal, NetGalley

Avenge The Dead is an exquisite case study on how the past never truly can stay buried. Life in the spotlight can have dire consequences. The invisible bands that hold together relationships and families can violently tear with no means to be repaired. The story paints a vivid picture of how an action change the landscape of one’s life forever. This gritty police procedural ticked all the boxes. Jackie Baldwin gently coaxed me down an unsuspecting path before setting her trap – I aimlessly walked straight into it and she wasn’t sorry a bit! I greedily lapped it up like there were no tomorrow.

DS Mhairi MacLeod and DI Frank Farrell are pulled in to assist with the murder of a very prominent solicitor in Dumfries. Are things as straightforward as they seem? The husband has an alibi, but it seems weak. Is it always the spouse that’s to blame or is there darker avenues at play?

The investigation has many hurdles, none so prominent as the obvious turmoil that DI Frank Farrell is suffering from. He’s a mess. Can he really be trusted to lead an investigation appropriately and to completion? Drinks a problem. Bottling up his emotions has become a problem. it’s obvious that something needs to be done. This humanity and realistic reaction to trauma was especially well done. Although I wanted him to get better, the depths of my feeling for the situation was one of empathy.

Avenge The Dead tackles some particularly difficult topics. We are fed the idea that the murdered wife was less than faithful to her solicitor husband. An affair with another solicitor. Is it possible that either her husband or her lover could have murdered her? Is she keeping any other secrets in her closet or is the husband? The author led us on a merry trail of betrayal, secrets and brutality. The clue finding was an adventure and I was more than ready. Buckled up and ready to go.

We are catapulted into the fire alongside our detectives once again when it comes to light that another murder has been committed. This time, a son of another solicitor. I know what you’re thinking…what’s the connection between the solicitors? Buy the book to find out, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Some of my estimations were way off the mark, its actually laughable just how wrong I was. The author skilfully pulled the wool over my eyes, I was blind to it. The pace was like a bullet…swift, complete and without mercy.

Avenge The dead is seeping in the need for justice. Clear your schedule because you won’t rest until that last page has been digested. Jackie Baldwin discusses dark themes with compelling authority.

Thanks to Emma@ Damppebbles for my place on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jackie 02 by Kim Ayres 683x1024 - Blog Tour: Avenge The Dead (Frank Farrell #3) by Jackie Baldwin

Jackie Baldwin is a Scottish crime writer. Her debut crime novel, Dead Man’s Prayer, was published by Killer Reads on 2^nd September 2016. The second in the series, Perfect Dead was published on 15^th June 2018. For most of her working life, she has been a solicitor specialising in Family and Criminal Law. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Married with a grown family, she recently moved from Dumfries to East Lothian.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieMBaldwin1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackieBaldwinAuthor/

Website: http://jackiebaldwin.co.uk/

Competition Time!

WIN

An Avenge the Dead Prize Bundle featuring all three books in the DI Frank Farrell series signed by the author plus extra treats!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review|The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

February 10, 2020 Yvonne 4 Comments

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

48408361. SY475 - Review|The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith
Published by titan Books on October 1, 2019
ISBN: 9781984806383
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Contemporary, Humorous
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

four stars - Review|The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.
Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.
But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell….and Earth.

What do you get when you have a sassy librarian, a muse, a hero, Arcanist and a demon walk into Valhalla? Well a whole heap of action, hilarity and a story that just wont quit. The story is literally on fire. The pages sear your fingers and your eyes, it’s too hot to handle. With the first chapter you just know you are going to fall in love with the sublime writing style and the characterisation that literally smacks you in the genitals – it is that vivid in its fantastical realism. The story dances in front of your vision threatening to consume itself into your very soul.

I was very excited to discover that this is the first book in a brand-new series. Oh, my giddy aunt, this book is was beyond every expectation. My mind was conjuring up an evil darkness that hell threatens but so absolutely delivers. I could almost feel the heat within the library, getting me hot under the collar, my blood boiling, the sweat dripping down my spine. It’s a heady mix somewhere between the realms of fear and anticipation. This book gave me chills! It was fully immersive, and I loved team HELL!

The library of the Unwritten is immersed in the pits of hell. It contains the unwritten books, the characters of which trapped in their unfinished works. They are desperate to become reconnected with their authors, to the point that they have often tried to escape. In charge of this wing of the library is Claire. The non-stereotypical sexy, prim and proper type. What we have instead is a badass, no bowing down to Lucifer and she is tough as old boots! She has a tragic backstory which made me fall in love with her even more. The POV’s were split into Claire, Leto our friendly demon and Ramiel the fallen angel. Each one offered more emotion, more insight and blasted me with such an extreme sense of urgency that I kept willing myself to read more…I was never fast enough, and my appetite was well and truly whetted.

Now the book of hell is on the loose and it is a race against time to recover it before the fallen angel Ramiel catches up with it and takes it to his divine leader. Will the book take the highway to hell or the stairway to heaven? Only time will tell. The sense of foreboding is magnificent and the trials and tribulations that the team encounter is out of this world. This story was quite simply addictive, I found myself reading the pages faster and faster, nothing was stopping me finding out the ending to this story.

I loved the compassion, the ruthlessness, the take no prisoners aspect of some characters. It all just moulded into a titanium structured plot. I await with baited breath for the next instalment. Ah Angels Vs. Demons the oldest battle of all time. It couldn’t have been sweeter.

The Library of the Unwritten will hook you in with its atmospheric storytelling. The author ratchets up the tension with its palpable heat. A.J. Hackwith writes with great power and the book pumps with a great power force that draws you in, time and time again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

image asset - Review|The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

Amanda is a magpie of plots, bad ideas, and spite. She is a queer speculative fiction writer who writes contemporary fantasy as A. J. Hackwith and sci-fi romance as Ada Harper. Her writing has appeared in Uncanny Magazine and various anthologies, and she’s an alumni of Viable Paradise workshop. She’s represented by Caitlin McDonald of Donald Maass Literary Agency.

Amanda lives in Seattle, WA with her husband and her ghosts. She’s a Slytherin girl, a Ravenclaw nerd, and she always takes the renegade interrupts. And really, isn’t that the important things to know?

Subscribe to the quarterly newsletter for book news, sneak peeks, and other updates

A.J. Hackwith Website

Action & Adventure

Legacy of Ash is audacious, and a magnificent piece of penmanship set over sprawling worlds. Matthew Ward has taken every little thing you thought you knew about epic fantasy and tore it into tiny shreds. His reincarnation is entirely fresh and addicting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Girl And The Stars laser precise and hits its target every time. An intricate magical spell, you fall deep, and its rich narrative is a fresh take on a populated genre.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Incendiary is a testament to resilience and strength of character. It fizzes and crackles with electricity. A true coming of age fantasy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Unspoken Name is a beguiling and dark tale with mind blowing narrative that makes you forget your own name. it explores the darkest of emotions and translates into a magical joyride.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Avenge The dead is seeping in the need for justice. Clear your schedule because you won’t rest until that last page has been digested. Jackie Baldwin discusses dark themes with compelling authority.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Competition Time!

The Library of the Unwritten will hook you in with its atmospheric storytelling. The author ratchets up the tension with its palpable heat. A.J. Hackwith writes with great power and the book pumps with a great power force that draws you in, time and time again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Footer