Throne of Glass #0.1 - #0.5 The Assassin's Blade

Presenting Throne of Glass #0.1 - #0.5 The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas.

Here is the summary of the book:

Contains all five novellas.

Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan's most feared assassin. As part of the Assassin's Guild, her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel, yet Celaena listens to no one and trusts only her fellow killer-for-hire, Sam. In these action-packed novellas - together in one edition for the first time - Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. But she is acting against Arobynn's orders and could suffer an unimaginable punishment for such treachery. Will Celaena ever be truly free? Explore the dark underworld of this kick-ass heroine to find out.

REVIEW ==

Five instances in the life of Celaena Sardothien. Five instances before her time in Endovier. Chronologically this collection may have released much later than the main books of the series but if the time of the stories taking place is considered. All of them happened way before Throne of Glass began and it is interesting to see the Adarlan's Assassin before her imminent capture.

Not only do we see her kick-ass escapades from before. We also see the self-proclaimed 'beautiful' (that got annoying really *wink*) assassin beat down targets left and right and how Sam and her got together. ...... So sad about what happened to him. That was a bittersweet moment at the end. And those two had such an awesome chemistry too *sad face*.

Anyway I can't wait to start reading the next books. Much of the story, her story is still unclear to me and while i'm definitely disheartened for Sam Cortland. I definitely want to read what Celaena does next.

"Exciting,breathless and heartbreaking"

Genre :     Anthology, Young Adult, High Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children

Release Date: 4th March, 2014

My Copy: bought (ebook)

Rate:             5/5 (It was Amazing)

Other Books by the Author(review links):
         #1 Throne of Glass

Buy:         Amazon | Book Depository 

Cormoran Strike #3 Career of Evil

Presenting Cormoran Strike #3 Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling.

Here is the summary of the book:

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…

Career of Evil is the third in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, it is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.

Cormoran Strike is back, with his assistant Robin Ellacott, in a mystery based around soldiers returning from war.

REVIEW ==

The Cuckoo called us in and then the Silkworm spun its web to keep us tethered but Career of Evil is different. Career of Evil draws us to a stand still. Written of course by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, 'Career of Evil' is the third book in the third book in the 'Cormoran Strike' whodunit series. Its is also in my opinion quite slow in the catching, compared to its predecessors.

Career of Evil in a way different than the first two books. Of course as usual Rowling's style of writing and idea behind the case are very well executed. This time, the author included the killer's point of view as well. A common occurrence in almost every crime fiction story but a first for this series effectively serving to confuse us about the identity of the perpetrator.

Unlike the Lula Landry and the Owen Quine cases this time its is personal, when Robin receives a severed leg in the post. Cormoran Strike immediately suspects 4 people from his past who could seek to do him harm. What follows is a cat and mouse game of chase the lead, with the killer's malicious intents for both Cormoran and Robin enunciated in horrific details. We wanted to know more about Robin's past and really this book gives it to us wrapped in a bow.

Because the plot veered more towards personal history for the majority of the plot. So did it drag a lot as well. Where in the first two books the cases kept us intrigued and invested with timely and sometimes surprising reveal of clues. And Cormoran Strike's unique way of thinking and that eidetic memory at play connecting the dots in the spur of the moment. But this time the actual decisive clue was such a minuscule fact that the detective almost missed it until at the end.

Really is its understandable because tis time the matter was a personal attack from the past and really you can't expect the detective to always solve the cases in the same manner. A change was expected and while I expected it in some form. I wasn't expecting it like this.  I did like the story mind you ... I am definitely eager to sample more of Cormoran Strike & Robin Elacott's cases but I also felt as I mentioned this one dragged.

"A Rhapsody of wit, tension, crime and suspense"

Genre :      Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: Sphere

Release Date: 22nd October, 2015

My Copy: bought (paperback)

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Other Books from the Author:
                Cormoran Strike #1 #2
                The Casual Vacancy
               Harry Potter (i read the series before 
                   I began blogging, so I never put up 
                     a review for them)
    
Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository

Secret Box #3 The Secret Fire

Presenting Secret Box #3 The Secret Fire by Whitaker Ringwald.

Here is the summary of the book:

The third and final book in the critically acclaimed Secret Box trilogy, a series pitch-perfect for fans of humorous mystery capers like Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and the Mysterious Benedict Society.

Who knew that insisting on opening a strange birthday present would lead to being kidnapped by an evil Greek god determined to conquer the world? Jax Malone certainly didn’t. But now she’s trapped in the back of a limo bound for Epimetheus’s secret lair. He wants to control the three ancient urns that used to belong to Pandora’s daughter. Magical urns that can suck hope, faith, and love out of the world.

Now Jax, Ethan, and Tyler’s only chance to fight Epimetheus’s formidable power might be to find a secret weapon—and to realize that their family ties are stronger than any magic.

REVIEW ==

This is the conclusion to the Secret Box trilogy. Where ancient Greek Mythology meets modern day middle grade fantasy. Based on the myths of Pandora's Box. This is Jax, Ethan and Tyler's final tug-of-war against Epimetheus or Ricardo as they try to keep all the urns of faith, hope & love away from his nefarious purposes.

Good fun entertainment this book is. Targeted towards the middle grade demographic, the language was also very easy to understand. And while the series may not be for me but I enjoyed every little bit of it. With Ethan's nervous habits and fact filled brain to Jax's sass and Tyler's mathematical brain and their journey of a life time to save humanity. Very well done.

"Fans of good clean action and Greek Mythology will enjoy this series"

Genre :      Middle Grade, Adventure, Paranormal, Fantasy

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: 21st June, 2016

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Other Books in the series (review links):
                #1 The Secret Box 
                #2 The Secret Cipher 

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository