Heart of Thorns 

By Bree Barton

Blurb: 
In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood.

Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch. 

But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.

Review: 
Anyone who feels like reading this book I'd suggest you go in with an open mind and forget about any reviews you have read. I thought this was going to be a seriously strong feminist book and to be honest I didn't even feel like it touched on that subject and I thought I would hate it but turns out I absolutely love it.

This book starts of with an awesome little poem which sets the scne for the entire book, it then repeats the quote that is on the front cover "trust your heart even if it kills you" before actually starting. I'd just like to take a moment to appreciate that little quote that is repeated several times throughtout the book, I absolutely love it and from now on I'm going to do exactly what it says.

The first scene within the book is the night before the arranged marriage that Mia Rose's father has agreed to for his eldest daughter. From the very start of the book you can tell how much Mia loves her sister Angie. I loved this part because it's strange to actually read about sisterly love in a book, I also found it quite true with how sisters respond to their mothers death too as every sibling responds differently to a death of a close family member at such a young age.

Within this first scene you can tell how much Mia doesn't want to actually marry the prince and be pampered the rest of her life, unlike her sister who dreams of that in her unwell state. Mia desperately wants to be a part of the hunt so she can finally catch her mothers killer, but this arranged marriage has been planned since her mothers death, so she plans her escape including her sister whom she wants to protect from this shaded life when things take a twist!

I was in a reading slump when I started this book and I'd never heard of Bree Barton before, but since it was in the July FairyLoot box that I got I thought I'd give it a try, especially since it's not out in the U.K or America yet so this makes me even more excited that very few people have read it before. So to read the first chapter and find that I could relate to the sisterly love after a mothers death was a good start, and then to be captured by a huge twist straight away was good. I was so enticed I couldn't put it down but then the main scene happened and i felt my heart was ripped from my chest but I was so pleased at the same time for a certain someone.

From that moment I had to put it down and grab a cup of tea, I needed a break I didn't think I was ready to experience that change so soon. But when I started reading it again after my little breathing composing moment I couldn't stop reading it! It was so amazing and the scene changes felt so fluent and not too many. It honestly felt like I was part of the adventure, a few scenes in the adventure my heart was in my mouth I was so worried about Mia.

The characters that I met along the adventure were so well described and we found out different bits about their past throughout. This made me feel connected to the characters and I loved every single one. Apart from a few towards the end where I thought they were so horrible and twisted and Mia should not have to deal with them in her life.

I honestly can say that I did not dislike anything. I thought it was perfection, it was a book I needed in my life right at that moment. Since finishing this book I've felt so lost and I don't think I'm ready to read anything for a while as I fear I'll go into a reading slump because no book can be so good that I currently own. I hope that Bree releases more and creates this into a series because I'd love to find out what happens next. I feel like this review is not my best because I'm honestly still in pieces from reading it and I don't really want to include any spoilers.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys sisterly love, adventures, twists, magic, and a female main character.

Favourite Character: Mia Rose
Read: 24/07/18 - 25/07/18


5 stars out of 5

                                                                                                                                    written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of FairyLoot - July 2018.

Heart of Thorns 

By Bree Barton

Blurb: 
In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood.

Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch. 

But when Mia's father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.

Review: 
Anyone who feels like reading this book I'd suggest you go in with an open mind and forget about any reviews you have read. I thought this was going to be a seriously strong feminist book and to be honest I didn't even feel like it touched on that subject and I thought I would hate it but turns out I absolutely love it.

This book starts of with an awesome little poem which sets the scne for the entire book, it then repeats the quote that is on the front cover "trust your heart even if it kills you" before actually starting. I'd just like to take a moment to appreciate that little quote that is repeated several times throughtout the book, I absolutely love it and from now on I'm going to do exactly what it says.

The first scene within the book is the night before the arranged marriage that Mia Rose's father has agreed to for his eldest daughter. From the very start of the book you can tell how much Mia loves her sister Angie. I loved this part because it's strange to actually read about sisterly love in a book, I also found it quite true with how sisters respond to their mothers death too as every sibling responds differently to a death of a close family member at such a young age.

Within this first scene you can tell how much Mia doesn't want to actually marry the prince and be pampered the rest of her life, unlike her sister who dreams of that in her unwell state. Mia desperately wants to be a part of the hunt so she can finally catch her mothers killer, but this arranged marriage has been planned since her mothers death, so she plans her escape including her sister whom she wants to protect from this shaded life when things take a twist!

I was in a reading slump when I started this book and I'd never heard of Bree Barton before, but since it was in the July FairyLoot box that I got I thought I'd give it a try, especially since it's not out in the U.K or America yet so this makes me even more excited that very few people have read it before. So to read the first chapter and find that I could relate to the sisterly love after a mothers death was a good start, and then to be captured by a huge twist straight away was good. I was so enticed I couldn't put it down but then the main scene happened and i felt my heart was ripped from my chest but I was so pleased at the same time for a certain someone.

From that moment I had to put it down and grab a cup of tea, I needed a break I didn't think I was ready to experience that change so soon. But when I started reading it again after my little breathing composing moment I couldn't stop reading it! It was so amazing and the scene changes felt so fluent and not too many. It honestly felt like I was part of the adventure, a few scenes in the adventure my heart was in my mouth I was so worried about Mia.

The characters that I met along the adventure were so well described and we found out different bits about their past throughout. This made me feel connected to the characters and I loved every single one. Apart from a few towards the end where I thought they were so horrible and twisted and Mia should not have to deal with them in her life.

I honestly can say that I did not dislike anything. I thought it was perfection, it was a book I needed in my life right at that moment. Since finishing this book I've felt so lost and I don't think I'm ready to read anything for a while as I fear I'll go into a reading slump because no book can be so good that I currently own. I hope that Bree releases more and creates this into a series because I'd love to find out what happens next. I feel like this review is not my best because I'm honestly still in pieces from reading it and I don't really want to include any spoilers.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys sisterly love, adventures, twists, magic, and a female main character.

Favourite Character: Mia Rose
Read: 24/07/18 - 25/07/18


5 stars out of 5

                                                                                                                                    written by Sammie

Check out Sammie's review of FairyLoot - July 2018.

FairyLoot - July 2018 Box

Theme: Power Within

Description of the box provided by FairyLoot: 
The book we are featuring is a brilliant fantasy book where there are women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood. We adored this story so much! The edition we will be including will be a FairyLoot exclusive as it will have SPRAYED PAGES and will actually be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR!
This box will have items inspired by Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes, Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, And I Darken by Kiersten White, Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. Even if you haven’t read any of these books you can still enjoy all of these stunning items - promise!
We are so excited to reveal that this box will have a MAGIC CERAMIC MUG! We’ve been so excited about this item!
So far we’ve revealed one supplier and that is @littleinklingsdesign! Megan has created something absolutely gorgeous for you guys - hint: it’s not a paper item!

Reasons behind why I bought this box: 
As you know from the About Us page I'm a mood reader, I do like certain genres of YA and the theme ticked one of those boxes. I didn't even carry on reading the description of the box before I went and bought it, and worse of all I didn't check my bank balance! So it's correct I bought this on inpulse, after purchasing it I thought I best start reading the description to see if I will actually like what it contains.

The description of the book didn't really entice me as much as the theme but it did seem like it would be a good read, something that would be quite different as I don't have many books with that theme.

The next thing I read was the books that inspired the box and to be truthful I had only read one of the series/booksm and that was Harry Potter. Which I'm a huge fan! I have wanted to read Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi for a while now and will eventually get round to it but other those 2 authors I'd never heard of them. So I was generally quite worried about this impulse buy. But I couldn't regret it because it was too late.

The one item they revealed I was quite happy about as I wondered what it would be, which book it would be about and secretly hoping it would be Harry Potter but then hoping it wasn't at the same time. My mind is so crazy it never settles on one thought.

I was then excited to know that one of the items was not a paper item as I am a fan of artwork but I definitely prefer the actual items that are inspird by the books.

So finally I wll get onto the actual review od the box that I recieved on Monday 23rd July.

Review: 
The first thing I came across was the magical mug which was exclusive to FairyLoot. It was designed by little inkling designs. The quote on it was:

"you must continue to believe with all your heart sometimes belief is all it takes to make something real "

-Morgan Rhodes

This quote is from Falling Kingdoms. Personally I really like this quote even though I've never read the series before, it seems quite meaningful and true to life. I've used the cup and I am not overly impressed with it, as I have to fill the cup up to the brim to fully see the quote, I don't like doing this because I have milk in my tea too, so it is slightly inconvenient for me but other people may appreicate this. The quote is also a bit too long for the cup and seems quite squashed, once again this is a personal opinion.

The next item I came across was the room spray, this was inspired by Snow Little Ashes by Sara Raasch. It was themed as Theron's study room. It was lavender scented which I'm not a huge fan of but I am getting used to it. The bottle is a reasonable size so you'll get many uses out of it. What I like most about this item is that it is vegan and cruelty free.

From this point on in the review it may seem very blunt and short as I am now angry after discovering I'm missing one of the items in the box which I would have loved.

Right, so the third item is  a vinyl sticker produced by reverie and ink it was based on the book Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young. The quuote us "ond eldr" which means breathe fire. I haven't read this book so I don't really have a clue how it relates sadly but it will now live on my iPad which I use the kindle app on and write book reviews on. So really it is quite fitting.

The next item I discovered was a tea towel designed by KDP letters. There was a notice sent out before I recieved my box saying one of the items had a misprint, and this was the item. I actually don't know what the quote says on the tea towel and will post what is says. But since they are sending a second one out I can happily use the first one as it's a mistake and keep the second one on display!

And this is where my heart broke while writing this review. I discovered there was supposed to be a quidditch pen, ovbiously inspired by Harry Potter. But I don't have it! It's missing! Like seriously missing from my box, I've turned everything out, searched in the shredded paper and it's still not there. So I've sent a complaint to FairyLoot. 

**UPDATE
But now I have the pen! Thanks to FairyLoot I've just got it a week and a bit after actually recieving the box. But it was worth the wait. It is my favourite item in the box. It is a broom pen with a super amazing quote on it "don't chase the quaffle if you see the snitch" obviously inspired by Harry Potter.

Then all we have left in this box is artwork inspired by Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeymi, designed by Diana Worak. It's nice artwork but I don't appreciate it as much as I should, I'm nore of an items person.

Then we have the amazing book Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton, it has sprayed red pages and signed by the author. The cover looks amazing and underneath the sleeve the box is just as gorgeous. I personally don't like the material the sleeve is made out of because it's quite papery and when I read, I sweat with excitement so I'm worried it may get stained or discolour. I have actually just finished this book so the review will be posted shortly and I will just say OMG! A side note about this book due to it being sprayed the majority of the pages were stuck together so I had to pull them apart as I read it.

Overall this box was okay it wasn't my best but I still enjoyed it. Since I was missing an item but I recieved it, I don't think I'm going to be purchasing another one so soon.

Check out my review of Heart of Thorns.

written by Sammie

FairyLoot - July 2018 Box

Theme: Power Within

Description of the box provided by FairyLoot: 
The book we are featuring is a brilliant fantasy book where there are women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood. We adored this story so much! The edition we will be including will be a FairyLoot exclusive as it will have SPRAYED PAGES and will actually be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR!
This box will have items inspired by Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes, Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, And I Darken by Kiersten White, Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. Even if you haven’t read any of these books you can still enjoy all of these stunning items - promise!
We are so excited to reveal that this box will have a MAGIC CERAMIC MUG! We’ve been so excited about this item!
So far we’ve revealed one supplier and that is @littleinklingsdesign! Megan has created something absolutely gorgeous for you guys - hint: it’s not a paper item!

Reasons behind why I bought this box: 
As you know from the About Us page I'm a mood reader, I do like certain genres of YA and the theme ticked one of those boxes. I didn't even carry on reading the description of the box before I went and bought it, and worse of all I didn't check my bank balance! So it's correct I bought this on inpulse, after purchasing it I thought I best start reading the description to see if I will actually like what it contains.

The description of the book didn't really entice me as much as the theme but it did seem like it would be a good read, something that would be quite different as I don't have many books with that theme.

The next thing I read was the books that inspired the box and to be truthful I had only read one of the series/booksm and that was Harry Potter. Which I'm a huge fan! I have wanted to read Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi for a while now and will eventually get round to it but other those 2 authors I'd never heard of them. So I was generally quite worried about this impulse buy. But I couldn't regret it because it was too late.

The one item they revealed I was quite happy about as I wondered what it would be, which book it would be about and secretly hoping it would be Harry Potter but then hoping it wasn't at the same time. My mind is so crazy it never settles on one thought.

I was then excited to know that one of the items was not a paper item as I am a fan of artwork but I definitely prefer the actual items that are inspird by the books.

So finally I wll get onto the actual review od the box that I recieved on Monday 23rd July.

Review: 
The first thing I came across was the magical mug which was exclusive to FairyLoot. It was designed by little inkling designs. The quote on it was:

"you must continue to believe with all your heart sometimes belief is all it takes to make something real "

-Morgan Rhodes

This quote is from Falling Kingdoms. Personally I really like this quote even though I've never read the series before, it seems quite meaningful and true to life. I've used the cup and I am not overly impressed with it, as I have to fill the cup up to the brim to fully see the quote, I don't like doing this because I have milk in my tea too, so it is slightly inconvenient for me but other people may appreicate this. The quote is also a bit too long for the cup and seems quite squashed, once again this is a personal opinion.

The next item I came across was the room spray, this was inspired by Snow Little Ashes by Sara Raasch. It was themed as Theron's study room. It was lavender scented which I'm not a huge fan of but I am getting used to it. The bottle is a reasonable size so you'll get many uses out of it. What I like most about this item is that it is vegan and cruelty free.

From this point on in the review it may seem very blunt and short as I am now angry after discovering I'm missing one of the items in the box which I would have loved.

Right, so the third item is  a vinyl sticker produced by reverie and ink it was based on the book Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young. The quuote us "ond eldr" which means breathe fire. I haven't read this book so I don't really have a clue how it relates sadly but it will now live on my iPad which I use the kindle app on and write book reviews on. So really it is quite fitting.

The next item I discovered was a tea towel designed by KDP letters. There was a notice sent out before I recieved my box saying one of the items had a misprint, and this was the item. I actually don't know what the quote says on the tea towel and will post what is says. But since they are sending a second one out I can happily use the first one as it's a mistake and keep the second one on display!

And this is where my heart broke while writing this review. I discovered there was supposed to be a quidditch pen, ovbiously inspired by Harry Potter. But I don't have it! It's missing! Like seriously missing from my box, I've turned everything out, searched in the shredded paper and it's still not there. So I've sent a complaint to FairyLoot. 

**UPDATE
But now I have the pen! Thanks to FairyLoot I've just got it a week and a bit after actually recieving the box. But it was worth the wait. It is my favourite item in the box. It is a broom pen with a super amazing quote on it "don't chase the quaffle if you see the snitch" obviously inspired by Harry Potter.

Then all we have left in this box is artwork inspired by Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeymi, designed by Diana Worak. It's nice artwork but I don't appreciate it as much as I should, I'm nore of an items person.

Then we have the amazing book Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton, it has sprayed red pages and signed by the author. The cover looks amazing and underneath the sleeve the box is just as gorgeous. I personally don't like the material the sleeve is made out of because it's quite papery and when I read, I sweat with excitement so I'm worried it may get stained or discolour. I have actually just finished this book so the review will be posted shortly and I will just say OMG! A side note about this book due to it being sprayed the majority of the pages were stuck together so I had to pull them apart as I read it.

Overall this box was okay it wasn't my best but I still enjoyed it. Since I was missing an item but I recieved it, I don't think I'm going to be purchasing another one so soon.

Check out my review of Heart of Thorns.

written by Sammie