The Hunt (The Twisted Kingdoms, book 1)

By Frost Kay

Blurb: 
Death marked her from her very first breath.

Being sired by a Madrid is supposed to be a blessing, but for Tempest, it's a curse that leaves her orphaned, penniless, and enslaved to a blood thirsty crown on the brink of war.

Found too unruly to become a ward of the court, she's thrust into the care of the King's Hounds - the assassins and warriors responsible for protecting the kingdom. Driven by rage and an oath to avenge her mother's memory, Tempest throws herself into training.

But becoming the first ever female assassin isn't enough. Now, she must obtain the heart of her kingdom's most feared enemy - the jester - a deadly shapeshifter hidden in a land twisted by myth and darkness.

Revenge is never easy or cheap. Tempest is willing to sacrifice everything to see justice served. Even her own soul and freedom.

Enter the world of the Twisted Kingdoms at your own risk where monsters wear pretty masks, good and evil are at war, and fairy tales don't exist. If you love fiery heroines, sexy villains, enemies-to-lovers romance, pulse-pounding action, mafia undertones, and dark fairy tales, you need to discover the new series readers are comparing to Holly Blacks's Cruel Prince and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.

Review: 
I've read several of Frost's books but this one has definitely reached the next level. It is nothing like her Micologist and Pirates Series, or The Aermian Feuds, but it is quite similar to The Tainted Series. I feel like the tainted series is based and the middle of the range young adult, where as The Hunt is like the older people of the young adult range. If that makes sense.

I feel in this book the language that was used was more adult like and the story just seemed more thought of and properly planned. I loved how Tempest defied the odds in all ways and she was the strong female character of the book fighting with/against the Jester. Who was a totally different character all together, he was quite confusing but well thought of and written. He was a loving, caring character at times but then at others he was this cruel monster. I felt like his character and personality changed depending on who he was around and the scene that he was in.

Either way, I loved both of the main characters within this book. I also loved how it developed. So she was an orphan girl who discovered some of her family and then trained up to be one of the hounds, the King then sent her on an impossible mission but it was something she wanted to do. She then returned but I won't say anything about the in-between as that was the majority of the book and I just feel like it was the best adventure in the world within Frost's books. 

The scenes were well and truly detailed, the characters were perfect, the twists just everything. It's one of her best books out for the time being so definitely give it ago and if you haven't already check her other books out. 

Favourite Characters: Tempest

Read: 28/12/19 - 02/01/19

5 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

The Hunt (The Twisted Kingdoms, book 1)

By Frost Kay

Blurb: 
Death marked her from her very first breath.

Being sired by a Madrid is supposed to be a blessing, but for Tempest, it's a curse that leaves her orphaned, penniless, and enslaved to a blood thirsty crown on the brink of war.

Found too unruly to become a ward of the court, she's thrust into the care of the King's Hounds - the assassins and warriors responsible for protecting the kingdom. Driven by rage and an oath to avenge her mother's memory, Tempest throws herself into training.

But becoming the first ever female assassin isn't enough. Now, she must obtain the heart of her kingdom's most feared enemy - the jester - a deadly shapeshifter hidden in a land twisted by myth and darkness.

Revenge is never easy or cheap. Tempest is willing to sacrifice everything to see justice served. Even her own soul and freedom.

Enter the world of the Twisted Kingdoms at your own risk where monsters wear pretty masks, good and evil are at war, and fairy tales don't exist. If you love fiery heroines, sexy villains, enemies-to-lovers romance, pulse-pounding action, mafia undertones, and dark fairy tales, you need to discover the new series readers are comparing to Holly Blacks's Cruel Prince and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.

Review: 
I've read several of Frost's books but this one has definitely reached the next level. It is nothing like her Micologist and Pirates Series, or The Aermian Feuds, but it is quite similar to The Tainted Series. I feel like the tainted series is based and the middle of the range young adult, where as The Hunt is like the older people of the young adult range. If that makes sense.

I feel in this book the language that was used was more adult like and the story just seemed more thought of and properly planned. I loved how Tempest defied the odds in all ways and she was the strong female character of the book fighting with/against the Jester. Who was a totally different character all together, he was quite confusing but well thought of and written. He was a loving, caring character at times but then at others he was this cruel monster. I felt like his character and personality changed depending on who he was around and the scene that he was in.

Either way, I loved both of the main characters within this book. I also loved how it developed. So she was an orphan girl who discovered some of her family and then trained up to be one of the hounds, the King then sent her on an impossible mission but it was something she wanted to do. She then returned but I won't say anything about the in-between as that was the majority of the book and I just feel like it was the best adventure in the world within Frost's books. 

The scenes were well and truly detailed, the characters were perfect, the twists just everything. It's one of her best books out for the time being so definitely give it ago and if you haven't already check her other books out. 

Favourite Characters: Tempest

Read: 28/12/19 - 02/01/19

5 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

They Both Die at the End 

By Adam Silvera

Blurb: 
n September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

Review: 
I started this book as an audio book and ended it by actually reading it. This book is quite unique and I'm still quite unsure whether to rate it 3 stars or 4 stars, maybe I should settle with 3.5 stars.

This book follows 2 young boys, one 17 and one 18. There lives seem quite different but then also quite similar, they are called Rufus and Mateo. One of them watched their family die on their death day in the river and his parents helped him escape so he would live. Basically this book is about living each day to the fullest. In this book you get a phone call on your last day saying that you are going to die, you get no details about how it will happen and what time it will happen, so it's quite a scary experience we discover.

These two characters meet on the last friends app for different reasons, one of them wants to try new experiences rather than sitting in his room, where as the other has just been dripped into the police and is on the run.

We follow their friendship and adventures throughout the book and we see how they become actual friends which is really unique and cute. I like the aspect and thought that has gone into this book, it just seems to go on a long time for me and not enough action. Like generally, it is a good read I just don't think it's my sort of book.

Further into this book friends of these people meet each other and they become one happy family for one last time but then karma comes to fight and they are separated from their true friends once again but then the death happens. This is quite an upsetting scene, they are trying to help each other enjoy and do something nice for one another and then they get separated by death. Then when Rufus goes its just another heart wrenching moment, I actually felt like I was going to choke on tears reading it, but then at the same time I did expect him to die in that way because he was so careless as we discover throughout the book.

This book overall was a unique read, it was good. At times it was slow and it was lacking the action for me. The ending made me cry but if you don't cry at this ending then you truly don't have a heart. At the end of the book we also meet a few more characters but they act like a side line but we discover the main two characters in the side story and we can see their friendship developing from the outside which makes it a really nice effect.

I don't know if I could recommend this book to someone, I don't even know what you'd really want to find in this book apart from that you need to stop thinking of the past and live in the moment. I suppose this book will allow people to see how good they actually have their lives and maybe it will help them appreciate what they actually have.

Favourite Characters: Mateo

Read: 16/12/19 - 20/12/19

3.5 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

They Both Die at the End 

By Adam Silvera

Blurb: 
n September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

Review: 
I started this book as an audio book and ended it by actually reading it. This book is quite unique and I'm still quite unsure whether to rate it 3 stars or 4 stars, maybe I should settle with 3.5 stars.

This book follows 2 young boys, one 17 and one 18. There lives seem quite different but then also quite similar, they are called Rufus and Mateo. One of them watched their family die on their death day in the river and his parents helped him escape so he would live. Basically this book is about living each day to the fullest. In this book you get a phone call on your last day saying that you are going to die, you get no details about how it will happen and what time it will happen, so it's quite a scary experience we discover.

These two characters meet on the last friends app for different reasons, one of them wants to try new experiences rather than sitting in his room, where as the other has just been dripped into the police and is on the run.

We follow their friendship and adventures throughout the book and we see how they become actual friends which is really unique and cute. I like the aspect and thought that has gone into this book, it just seems to go on a long time for me and not enough action. Like generally, it is a good read I just don't think it's my sort of book.

Further into this book friends of these people meet each other and they become one happy family for one last time but then karma comes to fight and they are separated from their true friends once again but then the death happens. This is quite an upsetting scene, they are trying to help each other enjoy and do something nice for one another and then they get separated by death. Then when Rufus goes its just another heart wrenching moment, I actually felt like I was going to choke on tears reading it, but then at the same time I did expect him to die in that way because he was so careless as we discover throughout the book.

This book overall was a unique read, it was good. At times it was slow and it was lacking the action for me. The ending made me cry but if you don't cry at this ending then you truly don't have a heart. At the end of the book we also meet a few more characters but they act like a side line but we discover the main two characters in the side story and we can see their friendship developing from the outside which makes it a really nice effect.

I don't know if I could recommend this book to someone, I don't even know what you'd really want to find in this book apart from that you need to stop thinking of the past and live in the moment. I suppose this book will allow people to see how good they actually have their lives and maybe it will help them appreciate what they actually have.

Favourite Characters: Mateo

Read: 16/12/19 - 20/12/19

3.5 stars out of 5

Written by Sammie

FairyLoot - December 2019

Theme: Defying the Odds

Items: 

• Bookish Microfiber Cloth by @literacylifeco
• Fire Breathing Queen Pin by @bookmarkd.tattoos 
• Bookish Socks by FairyLoot
• Pouch by @chattynora
• Game of Pencils by FairyLoot
• Magnetic Bookmarks by @pigeon.princess 
• ARC of Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
• Bookish Tea by @thetealeafcompany and @noverantale
• Tarot Cards by @gabriella.bujdoso
• Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian

Review: 
Check out Sammie's first impressions in the video.

The first item on the spoiler card was a bookish microfibre cloth, with the quote "my favourite game is called how many chapters can I read in one night". I personally really liked this item as we hadn't had one before and I loved the quote, colours and decoration of it. I know a few people weren't happy with it and I can see their point of view. But as you should know by now, I don't really like the usual items, I like the unusual quirky ones. So no wonder this fits in with what I like.

The next item was an exclusive fire breathing queen pin, inspired by the Throne of Glass series. I actually really liked this pin even though I've not read the series before so it makes a change for me. I just really loved the quote on it and I loved the whole design of it to be honest. It just felt totally different and fitted the quote perfectly.

A pouch was the third item, we seem to be getting quite a lot of these in boxes recently, and I really don't have a use for them. So this wasn't a good item in my opinion, I'd like something a bit different that we've not had for a while. This pouch was inspired by the series Red Rising by Pierce Brown. The design of it is quite nice and different and I also like the size of it but other than that that's all I like about it. 

Socks were the next item in this box, I actually quite like them eventhough I've not read the series, I like the colours and I also really like that they are long because it means I can wear them to work and not get blisters on my shins. I've not wore them yet to know whether they are comfy but they do feel like it. I also like the red and black combination it makes the design stand out that bit more.

The next item were the Game of Thrones pencils, I'm not a fan of pencils purely because I don't use them. I do like how they are a set of different colours and they all had different quotes on them. But I just don't think they are an appropriate item to have in a box without a notebook or a journal. If it had one of these other items then I don't think I would have minded the pencils. I have also just noticed when looking back on the pencils that they are Christmas coloured so they fit in with the December box more.

This item was my favourite of the entire box, it was magnetic bookmarks inspired by Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. I love this series so much so it's really nice to have my favourite characters as bookmarks. There is Spensa, Doomslug and a Krell ship, so it is really cool in my eyes. And I have actually started using the magnetic bookmarks a lot more.

A sachet of bookish tea was the last item in the box apart from the books and the tarot cards. I always love a hot drink, no matter what it is. I've not tried it yet sadly because I got a load of hot chocolate and teas for Christmas, so I'm trying those out at the moment but all of FairyLoot's drinks so far I have liked, so I have high hopes that I will like this one.

The tarot cards for Decembers box are of a new fandom, they are from An Ember in the Ashes which Lauren and I are currently buddy reading. I like the series so I will definitely be keeping the tarot cards this month and collecting the next 2 months. I like the design of the Helene and Elias, I feel like the artist has portrayed them in just the right way.

In this box we did received an advanced reading copy of Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupecoc. It sounds good and I do plan on reading it before it does come out and there's a high chance on that. I also like that the ARC came with an author letter and a signed bookplate, it makes it that bit extra special as you don't usually get one unless it's for the main book.

Now onto the main book, which is Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian. It sounds like it will be a good book and I love the exclusive reverse dust jacket, it adds that bit edge to the book and makes me more excited to read it. I hope to read it in the first half of the year but I have so many FairyLoot books to catch up on, it's quite unbelievable I used to read them straight away, I don't know what happened. Maybe I got too many and got in a slump.

Written by Sammie.

FairyLoot - December 2019

Theme: Defying the Odds

Items: 

• Bookish Microfiber Cloth by @literacylifeco
• Fire Breathing Queen Pin by @bookmarkd.tattoos 
• Bookish Socks by FairyLoot
• Pouch by @chattynora
• Game of Pencils by FairyLoot
• Magnetic Bookmarks by @pigeon.princess 
• ARC of Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
• Bookish Tea by @thetealeafcompany and @noverantale
• Tarot Cards by @gabriella.bujdoso
• Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian

Review: 
Check out Sammie's first impressions in the video.

The first item on the spoiler card was a bookish microfibre cloth, with the quote "my favourite game is called how many chapters can I read in one night". I personally really liked this item as we hadn't had one before and I loved the quote, colours and decoration of it. I know a few people weren't happy with it and I can see their point of view. But as you should know by now, I don't really like the usual items, I like the unusual quirky ones. So no wonder this fits in with what I like.

The next item was an exclusive fire breathing queen pin, inspired by the Throne of Glass series. I actually really liked this pin even though I've not read the series before so it makes a change for me. I just really loved the quote on it and I loved the whole design of it to be honest. It just felt totally different and fitted the quote perfectly.

A pouch was the third item, we seem to be getting quite a lot of these in boxes recently, and I really don't have a use for them. So this wasn't a good item in my opinion, I'd like something a bit different that we've not had for a while. This pouch was inspired by the series Red Rising by Pierce Brown. The design of it is quite nice and different and I also like the size of it but other than that that's all I like about it. 

Socks were the next item in this box, I actually quite like them eventhough I've not read the series, I like the colours and I also really like that they are long because it means I can wear them to work and not get blisters on my shins. I've not wore them yet to know whether they are comfy but they do feel like it. I also like the red and black combination it makes the design stand out that bit more.

The next item were the Game of Thrones pencils, I'm not a fan of pencils purely because I don't use them. I do like how they are a set of different colours and they all had different quotes on them. But I just don't think they are an appropriate item to have in a box without a notebook or a journal. If it had one of these other items then I don't think I would have minded the pencils. I have also just noticed when looking back on the pencils that they are Christmas coloured so they fit in with the December box more.

This item was my favourite of the entire box, it was magnetic bookmarks inspired by Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. I love this series so much so it's really nice to have my favourite characters as bookmarks. There is Spensa, Doomslug and a Krell ship, so it is really cool in my eyes. And I have actually started using the magnetic bookmarks a lot more.

A sachet of bookish tea was the last item in the box apart from the books and the tarot cards. I always love a hot drink, no matter what it is. I've not tried it yet sadly because I got a load of hot chocolate and teas for Christmas, so I'm trying those out at the moment but all of FairyLoot's drinks so far I have liked, so I have high hopes that I will like this one.

The tarot cards for Decembers box are of a new fandom, they are from An Ember in the Ashes which Lauren and I are currently buddy reading. I like the series so I will definitely be keeping the tarot cards this month and collecting the next 2 months. I like the design of the Helene and Elias, I feel like the artist has portrayed them in just the right way.

In this box we did received an advanced reading copy of Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupecoc. It sounds good and I do plan on reading it before it does come out and there's a high chance on that. I also like that the ARC came with an author letter and a signed bookplate, it makes it that bit extra special as you don't usually get one unless it's for the main book.

Now onto the main book, which is Eight Will Fall by Sarah Harian. It sounds like it will be a good book and I love the exclusive reverse dust jacket, it adds that bit edge to the book and makes me more excited to read it. I hope to read it in the first half of the year but I have so many FairyLoot books to catch up on, it's quite unbelievable I used to read them straight away, I don't know what happened. Maybe I got too many and got in a slump.

Written by Sammie.

Illumicrate - December 2019

Theme: Secrets and Schemes

Items: 

• Ploy & Play Mug by @rosiethorns88  
• Star Wars Pin Set by @fableandblack
• Four Paths Candle by @ameliakitchencandles
• Caraval Patch by @fableandblack
• 2020 Calendar by @merwild and @chattynora
• Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao
• Collectible Coin by @monolimeart

Review: 
This month's theme was Secrets and Schemes. I decided to get the box because I knew there was a calendar in it and a Star Wars item. The book also sounded interesting. 

The first item in the box was the Ploy & Play Mug, this was inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses. A series I haven’t read yet but do plan to. I really liked the design of the mug, particularly the colours involved are so pretty. I’m not a big user of mugs and now I have plenty but I do appreciate getting a mug, just wished I used them more.

Then I got the Star Wars pin set. This was two badges, one of lightsabers and one of BB-8. I love the BB-8 one, I love collecting badges. Half full on my first pin flag. Keep the pins coming. If you want to see my pin flag, check out our Instagram: @angelicimpressions1 

Since I live at home with my parents, I’m not too bothered about candles but my mam loves them so I’m fine with receiving them. This candle had a nice scent of bonfire. I do love a good bonfire, so the scent was perfect for me. 

The box also included a Caraval patch. Again, I haven’t read it but it does add to my pin flag collection. It also looks cool, a big top hat with nice colouring.

The item I was looking most forward to was the calendar. The size was disappointing, I did expect it to be bigger but I’m not too disheartened as it does have some lovely designs. It also has enough writing spaces. I think the only thing that annoys me, it doesn’t have the days of the week on, just the date. Although, I've just realised that the Saturday and Sunday dates are in a different colour. There’s a large range of book quotes/references/designs, so it actually includes some I have read.

This month’s collectible coin was fun, I liked the colours. We have a magnet collection on the fridge, so I enjoy adding to that. I basically like any item that can be collected.

The book was Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao. This has to be my favourite sprayed edges look. The edges were styled to look like blood dripping down. I appreciate strongly this choice over doing just all red edges. This book is also signed and just looks really cool inside.

Overall, I liked this box but didn’t love it. I don’t know if it was because I opened christmas so I already received a lot of great gifts or if it’s because January theme sounds more appealing. I’d say 4 stars as it's definitely not as good as my previous Illumicrate

Rating: 4 rune out of 5

Written by Lauren