The Last Changeling #2 The Last Faerie Queen

Presenting The Last Changeling #2 The Last Faerie Queen by Chelsea Pitcher.

Here is the summary of the book:

A FAERIE REVOLUTION . . .

After risking her life in the mortal world, the faerie princess Elora returns home to incite a revolution. Allied with the Bright Queen, Elora rallies her people for a battle aimed at overthrowing her mother, the Dark Queen. While some question their ability to win, Elora senses victory, knowing she has a secret weapon: Taylor, the human boy she loves, and a motley crew of his school friends, each armed with a skill that can turn the tide of the coming battle.

A MORTAL SACRIFICE . . .

But then Elora's supporters in the Dark Court turn on her, believing she has forsaken them in favor of humans. When the Dark Queen kidnaps two of her human friends, Elora must mount a daring rescue mission to free them before her mother offers them up as a sacrifice.


Begins where The Last Changeling ended. The Last Faerie Queen is the finale to this brilliant duology. The Fey revolution grows decisive with each step. After the confrontation in the graveyard with Naeve leading Elora to loose her wings, Taylor, Kylie, Alexia and Keegan have taken refugee in the Bright Court. Believing them much better than their Dark counterpart. But are they really?

As the revolution begins to take shape. Secrets are revealed, harsh truth and cruel realities are seen. Trust is another issue heavily focused throughout the story. The endeavor is based upon trust. Without trust in your allies you cannot wage a revolution. The author did great work infusing a level of reality to her characters and plot alike. The story maybe set in the realm of fantasy, there is realism evident and it was a treasured friend.

I like how the humans Taylor, Keegan, Alexia and Kylie band together and help where they could. Even when the Bright Court turned out to be as twisted as the Dark Court in many ways than one, Taylor stayed true to himself, only desiring to help Elora with her mission. Bordering on new adult, The Last Faerie Queen is the perfect finale for the duology and every bit of a Faerie tale.

Here 'love' played the part of a healer, nurtured as the passion. Much darker and grittier than its predecessor, The Last Faerie Queen proceeds to showcase the prowess of its bonafide author. The complexity and the layered dynamics within each of the characters did well to turn the reading experience alight in awe and exuberance. Definitely give this duology a chance guys and be prepared for complex and enticing adventures that follows in The Last Changeling and concluding in the The Last Faerie Queen. I'm definitely partial because this is one of my favorites.

"Dark, enticing and alluring. Chelsea Pitcher's Fae are more than capable enough to suck you right in not letting go till the end"

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Flux

Release Date: 8th November, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Other Books in the Series(review links):

           #1 The Last Changeling 

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

Lockwood & Co. #3 The Hollow Boy

Presenting Lockwood & Co. #3 The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud.

Here is the summary of the book:

As a supernatural outbreak baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests against the psychic agencies throughout London, Lockwood and Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new spirit of openness between the team now that Anthony has shared his childhood story, and Lucy is feeling more and more like her true home is at Portland Row. It comes as a great shock, then, when Lockwood and George introduce her to an annoyingly perky and hyper-efficient new assistant, Holly Munro. Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including an old school where bloody handprints and a glowing boy are appearing. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood and Co.'s concerns when a living assassin makes an attempt on Fittes's and Rotwell's lives. Can the team get past their interpersonal issues to save the day on all fronts? Danger abounds, tensions escalate, and new loyalties form in this third delightfully terrifying adventure.

Lockwood & Co. are back for their third stint with The Hollow Boy. Taking the time to explore the paranormal in the previous two books, this third venture while still retaining the spooky focuses more towards the living rather than the undead. Just when Lucy, Lockwood and George felt they had reached the peaceful camaraderie afforded to a tight knit group, comes prim, proper and perfect Holly Munro. Successfully throwing a wrench in our favorite trio and diverting Lockwood's attention and sparking Lucy's jealousy.

While a supernatural outbreak threatens England's peace, dashing leader Lockwood, insightful and astute George and dynamic and vigorous Lucy, effectively making up Lockwood & Co. (with the skull offering sarcasm) find themselves too busy and loaded with work to keep to their chores or rest. This enters Holly Munro ..... She annoyed me big time. She comes in with her perfect self, befriends the boys and forces order in their life of varied chaos. Of course with such crashing personalities Lucy and Holly don't get along well ..... and a disjointed team like that suffers in their line of business.

It is human nature to doubt and to feel emotion like envy, jealousy or happiness, and thus it is a marvel to witness Lucy as she experiences it all with the changes in their team dynamics, her own growing powers and her doubts regarding her worth.... While I hate that Stroud took this approach to further the story but hopefully the next one will be back to focusing on the undead rather than teenage melodrama.

All the while resentment is rising among the living members of the community. Stroud carefully slips in political propaganda amidst all the paranormalia .... it is not pronounced but things complicated when a living assassin tries to murder Fittes and Rotwell. The book  leans heavily on the personal issues whereas the paranormal takes a somewhat backseat. Romance really is not the issue here but the sense of belonging. As I already mentioned I hated this element but on the other hand this made interaction between Lucy and Skull all the more exciting.

Of course the resulting climax as the humans tackle the problem of Chelsea made up for the spook throughout the tale. There is no question about Jonathan Stroud's caliber for the written word and while I appreciate the twists and diversions here in The Hollow Boy, this didn't really scare me as its predecessors did ..... But that cliffhanger ....... Hoping the next book will shed more light on the questions raised in here and strike the balance between the living and the undead that felt somewhat lacking here.

"An entertaining spooky adventure"

Genre :      Young Adult, Fantasy, Supernatural, Horror

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date: 15th September, 2015

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Other Books in the Series (review links):
                    #1    The Screaming Staircase 
              #1.5 The Dagger in the Desk
                     #2    The Whispering Skull

Other Books from the Author (review links):
   Bartimaeus #1 The Amulet of Samarkand
    
Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

Blood of Gods and Royals #1 Legacy of Kings

Presenting Blood of Gods and Royals #1 Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman.

Here is the summary of the book:

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to newcomer Katerina, who must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But Kat’s first love, Jacob, will go to unthinkable lengths to win her, even if it means competing for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the salacious and fascinating details of real history, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known: Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

An effortless mix of history and the factory, Legacy of Kings tells the story of Alexander the Great in his younger years when the world was still on the last vestiges of practicing the norms of mythology and of their Gods. Eleanor Herman's new series proceeds to wow us with accurate traces of history in this young adult offering with multiple perspectives and a high fantasy that keeps us spellbound from the first to the last page and craving for more.

With six perspectives, you would think the narrative would be a chaos but Herman manages to keep them separate and yet linked in their story. There is no particular protagonist, rather a varied cast of characters who play their own important role to further the narrative. Mixing magic with history, Eleanor Herman paints a fantastical past with its vibrant details and sumptuous scenery from the Grecian plains to the vast Persian sands..... Everyone and Everything has a role to perform.

Kind, intuitive and daring Katerina. Strategic with a keen mind, Prince Reagent Alexander. Rash but loyal Hephaestion. Beguiling Cynane, Alexander's half-sister who would rather be on the battlefield instead of being a simpering maiden. Power hungry Queen Olympias. Alexander's fiancee-to-be Zofia of Persia and Jacob, champion of the Blood Tournament and Katerina's best friend. Some I like, some annoyed me but I appreciated what they brought to the story.

While slow on the pickup, easily gaining after some pages. Legacy of Kings is the perfect debut to a series rife with characters scheming & plotting, conspiracies raging wild, from greed for gold to desperation of freedom or avenging the death of a mother.

With Katerina looking the mysterious death of her mother and the part Queen Olympias in that ordeal, Cynane looking to separate the strong bond between Alexander & Hephaestion. Olympias after something dark and sinister altogether. Jacob, the only annoying one, professes to be in love with Kat but throws a fit when she doesn't wanna do it with him ..... Really..... Thinking the world revolves around him to care for what was actually going on. Macedonia is rife with possibilities of a scintillating adventures to be found in every corner. This is a very late review I know but I am definitely glad I got to experience it nonetheless and much eager to pursue the sequel.

"An invigorating mix of magic and history"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: 18th August, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             4/5 (Really Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Twisted Tales #1 A Whole New World

Presenting Twisted Tales #1 A Whole New World by Liz Braswell.

Here is the summary of the book:

Welcome to a new YA series that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways. Each book asks the question: What if one key moment from a familiar Disney film was changed? This dark and daring version ofAladdin twists the original story with the question: What if Jafar was the first one to summon the Genie?

When Jafar steals the Genie’s lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish.To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed Princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war.

What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

Part of the new series Twisted Tales, where each book tells a different fairytale with a twist. A Whole New World, of course tells that of Aladdin and the Magic lamp. Frankly the endeavor resulted in an Ok first adventure. It held a lot of promise really, adding to the lore like that but the execution is mediocre at best.

It bases itself on the Aladdin movie too much, not just with the plot much with the dialogue, the language and the mannerism of the characters. The animated movie was an amazing masterpiece and reserves its own place, catered for children and lighter than what the plot of the book needs with its dark tidings. The dialogues in the book on the other hand were a lot more modern than what I would had expected. Keeping the movie in its place, this is a novel and moreover its a fantasy in a period back in history, so we expected to feel the era here, which doesn't really happen ...... It would have set it of rather nicely though.

When I first read the synopsis I mistakenly though the genie is not added in this story .... but it is actually Jafar who succeeds in getting the lamp first ...... wasn't expecting it but that made a great twist and the idea about the civil war in Agrabah was also very well implemented. The characters also felt flat, they are just the Aladdin, Jasmin, Genie, Abu or Jafar from the animated movie and nothing more. The author didn't remodel them, didn't add anything new to them to fit her story, they just stayed like they always have been. So that was doubly disappointing.

There is a major difference between writing for tv/movie or for a book. You can get away with the 'tell' feature via dialogues because the other parts are fulfilled by the visual details but in books what won't do. Books work with the 'show' aspect. In books you only have words to paint the moment in the readers mind. Sadly didn't happen. I know majority have DNF'd the book but I persisted in hopes that things get better but didn't find enlightenment. The effort was good on the author's part but this book needs polish and seeing the severity of the plot, a lot more oomph to give it the edge it deserves.

"An unsatisfactory Aladdin with a twist"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fairytale Re-telling, Paranormal

Publisher: Disney Press

Release Date: 1st September, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             2/5 (It was Ok)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

White Rabbit Chronicles #4 A Mad Zombie Party

Presenting White Rabbit Chronicles #4 A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter.

Here is the summary of the book:

The enemy has risen from the grave. Together we slayers must stand, or one by one we will fall.

Ali Bell's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular — the love of his life, Kat Parker.

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond — Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla's betrayal caused Kat's death.

But when Anima rises from the grave stronger than ever, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes the line between hate and attraction is blurred... and the road to redemption may mean letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.

OH MY! OH MY! OH MY! Just when we were sure we were sampling the last of the supernova that was the White Rabbit Chronicles, 'The Queen of Zombie Hearts' author Gena Showalter pelts us with another gem. A Mad Zombie Party is everything you would expect it to be. Within a series that developed its caliber with each book, so if Queen of Zombie Hearts was supernova ..... then oh my! this is a Big Bang!!!! 100% swoon-worthy .....

Oh Frosty ....... I was so sure - so sure nothing and no-one could be as great as Cole ...... but Frosty cuts that mark ..... big-time. He is Cole's best friend. A pro Zombie killer. He is hot. Super hot. Tall, dark and sexy. Stubborn to a fault. But most of all insanely loyal and gives his all for the person he loves with all his being *melts* *sighs* .... Damn HOT and sexy ..... And he would do any and everything for his Kat. Even if it meant that he had to tolerate his worst enemies.

Sadly we lost Kat at the end of Queen of Zombie Hearts. But Kitty Kat does not stay dead for long. She comes back as a witness like Helen and Emma. She only wants to help the slayers and keep Frosty safe from mortal danger and for that she coaxes the help of Camilla, who caused her death by betraying the slayers to Anima and has more than enough sass on her own to get them to work together and keep Frosty alive.

This is where Camilla comes in. Milla to her friends, she had had a lot of guilt to swallow. After her desperate betrayal of the slayers, we were all but happy to hate Milla forever but Showalter's heart pounding narrative gives us a pause. She knows she did wrong and is more than capable of reminding herself of it too. Doing anything and everything to try and redeem herself of her wrongs. She had not had a great childhood and those leave big ugly scares but she is gorgeous and kickass stubborn in her own ways. She readily accepts to keep Frosty safe as her one chance to help the one most wronged by what her actions wrought.

Poor Poor Frosty. Fate dealt him a heavy hand. His relationship with Kat had always been a constant from 'Alice in Zombieland' to 'The Queen of Zombie Hearts'. We all saw him as a possessive boyfriend who would do anything for Kat. But A Mad Zombie Party brings a lot of details to light. His life had been a pair of hits and miss's but Kat was his one constant happiness and he loves her unconditionally for that. Dead or alive he only ever wanted Kat, so he accepts her demands to keep Milla close by ..... And surprises of all they hit it off but loads and loads of tug-of-war. *wink* *wink*

Maybe it has something to do with the 'two broken make one whole' or something along those lines but Frosty & Milla hit it off. It is maddening at first for him that its not Kat but Milla who somehow compliments him in ways the former never could. It is a gradual development and a slow burn and GOD the tension between them is just delicious. Maybe because Milla is a slayer like Frosty that she understands him in ways Kat never could and supports him where needed.

This time we get two perspectives, for both Milla and Frosty and its exciting looking at life through their eyes. I won't give it away for anyone who still hasn't read it but i'll say this when they finally voice their feelings .... what follows ...... HOT! HOT! HOT! *fans myself* you will not be disappointed. Not one bit. It is hard to loose your first love and find another so on and be okay with that. They both had a lot of issues to resolve which Gena Showalter beautifully lays out in her flowing narrative and we just can't help but be flown along with the tide. Frosty & Milla found their redemption in each other along the way dealt a heavy blow to Anima plans (maybe forever).

And really i'm sad to see this series end ..... It is always sad when the last book of a beloved series comes around ...... I cried big fat tears when I was reading Kat's note at the end ..... But the books will always be with us and I definitely plan on re-reading them many times.

"Enticingly hot. Deliciously sexy. Excitingly breathless."

Genre :     Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Classic Re-imaging

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: 29th September, 2015

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Other Books in the Series(review links):

           #1 Alice in Zombieland 
           #2 Through the Zombie Glass
           #3 The Queen of Zombie Hearts

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

The Maze Runner #3 The Death Cure

Presenting The Maze Runner #3 The Death Cure by James Dashner.

Here is the summary of the book:

The Trials are over. WICKED is planning to restore the survivors' memories and complete the final cure for the Flare.

But Thomas has already remembered more than they think. And he knows WICKED can't be trusted...

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine. Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

The book of aimless and goalless wandering is what I would call it. The Death Cure disappointed me very much. The Maze Runner series holds a lot of promise and if worked on better, the series could have shattered the norms of the same style of story telling prevalent in this genre with the insert of a fresh branch with this series. But it feels like James Dashner spent all that passion and drive in creating the first, declining in finesse as we went from there to Scorch Trials to finally The Death Cure. The story could have gone n in any direction in this finale...... but 'what ifs' can't change what is in the final result and it was most disappointing to read through.

Poor Thomas and the Gladers had enough of WICKED messing with their minds after what went on at the Maze and Scorch Trials. The Death Cure sees them be given the chance of their memories returned. But they are at an impasse. After much deliberation, bar Thomas, Minho & Newt everyone also decided to get their memories returned. Each and everyone of them are wary but the three boys reasoning that WICKED may not actually return their memories decide to run. What follows is that along with Brenda and Jorge, the boys decide to make a run for it before WICKED takes drastic measures on them.

Don't get me wrong here, I love James Dashner's style of writing. I love the first two books very much and I liked The Death Cure to an extent as well but ..... there has never been more of a disappointing finale than ever. No answers given whatsoever. Teresa relegated to a side role and side character Brenda suddenly becomes the heroine (WTF!) Somehow Thomas gets messed up too, making a lot of questionable decisions. So, the events of The Scorch Trials leaves a not so good image in his mind of Teresa that didn't mean he should just ignore her and trust Brenda when she clearly lied her way through his trust. Moreover when given the opportunity to regain his memories to actually know what his role was in WICKED ........

Then there was Chancellor Paige, who was she and just what was her role in getting the survivors to the safe zone and the rest of the Flare-induced to fend for themselves. I liked New very much, he was the glue and while Thomas' flat emotions at what he had to do didn't make much of a difference on his demeanor. Dashner did justice to his character and I was saddened by his loss. Minho should also have been given more room to breathe. There are million different things the author could have done to justify this finale. Each and everyone of them much better (in my opinion) than the unsatisfactory finale we get here.

I am not sure I want to recommend this book ..... Pretty much only the first two books are the good ones, so you should give them a chance but check this book only at your peril and that too only to see how James Dashner ends it.

"Held a lot of promise but unsatisfactory results"

Genre :     Young Adult, Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Chicken House

Release Date: 5th April, 2012

My Copy: bought (paperback)

Rate:             3/5 (Liked It)

Other Books in the Series(review links):

           #1 The Maze Runner 
           #2 The Scorch Trials

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

Velvet Undercover

Presenting Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown.

Here is summary of the book:

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Libba Bray comes this page-turning historical spy thriller from Teri Brown, author of the Born of Illusion series.

Samantha Donaldson's family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, mathematics, and complex puzzles, hoping to make him proud.

When Sam is asked to join the famed women's spy group La Dame Blanche, she's torn—while this could be an unbelievable adventure, how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes she can't refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known only as Velvet. Deep undercover in the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Sam must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. To make matters worse she must fight a forbidden attraction to the enemy—a dangerously handsome German guard. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Sam find Velvet before it's too late . . . for them both?

A thrilling story of one girl's journey into a deadly world of spy craft and betrayal—with unforgettable consequences.

World War I Germany. Spy Thriller. La Dame Blanche. An impossible rescue mission. Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown is all of that but somehow along the way it is cheesy and rather lighthearted for a story of this genre. Of course the cover doesn't give much away, instead of giving the feeling of a warm contemporary story instead of the historical dark period that was WWI. Even with its failing this proved to be a quick and breathless read spurring us forward with the next to solve the identity of Velvet, a most daring spy conveniently positioned in the House of the Kaiser.

This is the story of the tenacious Samantha. Girl Guide. A master puzzle solver and fluent particularly in German. Plucked from school to be chosen for La Dame Blanche to go to Berlin undercover and identify and retrieve the spy code-named 'Velvet' on the promise that the mysterious disappearance of her diplomat father be looked into thoroughly. Strong willed, stubborn, a scholar and quite possibly way out of her depths in the business of a spy. Before being deployed into the field she receives her needed help with what she needs to know. The spy training at best felt sorely lacking and Samantha herself detracting from the mission on account of her running scared.

The first rule of espionage - don't trust anybody and don't get attached. Falling for the enemy is not an options. Sam strikes a friendship with royal guard Maxwell. While insta in its origins, share a multitude of cute and well paired scenes together. But with such failings notwithstanding the narrative flows smoothly and we are invested in the pursuit of uncovering who Velvet is. Expected a lot more out of the book but the experience was rather satisfactory.

"An exciting spy thriller in WWI Berlin. Satisfactory but also unputdownable"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Espionage, Thriller, Mystery, Romance

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: 20th October, 2015

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:             4/5 (Really Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Abomination

Presenting Abomination by Gary Whittia.

Here is the summary of the book:

He is England's greatest knight, the man who saved the life of Alfred the Great and an entire kingdom from a Viking invasion. But when he is called back into service to combat a plague of monstrous beasts known as abominations, he meets a fate worse than death and is condemned to a life of anguish, solitude, and remorse.

She is a fierce young warrior, raised among an elite order of knights. Driven by a dark secret from her past, she defies her controlling father and sets out on a dangerous quest to do what none before her ever have hunt down and kill an abomination, alone.

When a chance encounter sets these two against one another, an incredible twist of fate will lead them toward a salvation they never thought possible and prove that the power of love, mercy, and forgiveness can shine a hopeful light even in history s darkest age.

Stuff of nightmares this book but nothing short of brilliant for Gary Whitta's 'Abomination'. He was the screenwriter of 'The Book of Eli' and worked with many of the Star Wars and Walking Dead material. So we expected something good but we got something majestic. Clearly mixing history with the horror, Abomination is all darkness and alluring and not all shy of graphic violence and jarring details that comes with the territory.

Fiercest of the fierce, warriors of Albert the Great's era, Wulfric paired with a young girl Indra, master of her weapons, but still in need of learning control. Opposites in every way but similarly similar in mysteriously ways. The first, the mightiest warrior of his era but dealt the worst hand of fate when he was cursed to be a malformed, grotesque abomination he so staunchly hunted by orders of his King. Reduced to the life of a beggar to pay for his sins and keep humanity safe from himself.

While Indra eager and very very stubborn goes against her controlling father to prove that women can also do what men can. Her mission to kill an Abomination by herself and attain the privilege of being a part of the order. She may be a master swords-woman, with a kind and generous soul but she has much to learn in terms of anger, revenge and the line that holds it all apart. With two such fulfilling characters, Whitta adds layers of mystery, of surprise, the thrill of the unknown and magic, to strengthen the armor, to scry a location but most of all its ragged use that brought those creepy, twitted, scarred monstrosities to behold.

The plot is well written and well layered, twisting in on itself and surprising us with revelations at opportune moments. All the while striking fear to our very core with its dark and evil atmosphere and the gross description of said Abominations. Gary Whitta skillfully layers out a narrative that captures our attention from the beginning with its astounding mix of history, of fantasy and turning us squeamish at the horror. With a well written plot Whitta's words take us back to the dark ages and keeps us spell bound and rapt till the end.

"A wicked mix of history and the paranormal. Keeps us spellbound till the end"

Genre :     Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, Paranormal

Publisher: Inkshares

Release Date: 29th July, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository