June 2023 – Inside The Cover

Review Time!

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Pages: 512

Published: 02/05/23

Publisher: Little Brown Book Group

Available from Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmiths etc

Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College, where everyone has an agenda, and every night could be your last . . .

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general – also known as her tough-as-talons mother – has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away . . . because dragons don’t bond to ‘fragile’ humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter – like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Alliances will be forged. Lives will be lost. Traitors will become allies . . . or even lovers. But sleep with one eye open because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

I think, like a lot of people, one minute I knew nothing about this book, and then the next it was everywhere, and you’re asking yourself ‘What is this book about?’

The hype surrounding this book is completely crazy, it seems everyone is reading it, or everyone knows someone who is! But is this hype deserved?

I was very concerned, when I started out reading this, that perhaps I was going to that individual that said, I don’t understand what the hype is about, exactly why is everyone going mad over this. I was worried, I didn’t want to be that person, as the start of the book began a little slow for me, and I just couldn’t see it..BUT I gave myself one hundred pages, but by page 70 my enjoyment increased, and by page 167 I had tears rolling down my face. Tears of enjoyment, and surprise….tears of relief and jealousy I guess!

I did enjoy this book, and I can see why there is a lot of hype surrounding it. There is a phenomenal amount of what I call ‘Love Chemistry’ in this book. The characters are diverse and interesting. It has a good magic system, and the story and setting makes for an interesting one. My favourite part was definitely the dragons! I loved the dialogue between the dragons, and their riders, and it made for some funny moments. The world of the dragons was excellently done.

My problems with this book…(as I felt they were significant enough to warrant me wanting to throw the book out the window, at a couple of points!)…it got incredibly repetitive at times…sparing on the mats became a boring place to be, as did the battle briefings (thought I admit these were very important from a world building point of view.) A few more scenes with the dragons themselves would have been warmly welcomed, rather than time spent fighting on the mats again. I would have liked to see our main character spending more time in conversation, and bonding with her dragon. It would have been nice to see them both go off together-alone-on their own adventure.

The way the book is left definitely makes you want to pick up the second book, the very last sentence leaves you with a wide open mouth BUT it also leaves something else very much up in the air, which has been used time and time again, and I wish we could have some books where this doesn’t happen….I’m sorry to be so vague, but spoiler if I say too much.

I give this book 4 stars. Yes, I will read the second book, probably when it comes to paperback.

Read this book if you like:-

Dragons
Hunger Games
Dark Academia Books
Fantasy
Books with lots of twists and turns

Thanks for stopping by, and see you soon!

Review Time!

The New One by Evie Green

Pages: 382

Published: 28/3/23

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble

A suspenseful, cutting-edge novel about two parents who finally get the daughter they’ve always wanted—it’s too bad she isn’t real. From the author of We Hear Voices.

For Tamsyn and Ed, life is tough. They both work long hours for very little money and come home to their moody, rebellious daughter, Scarlett.

After a tragic accident leaves Scarlett comatose and with little chance of recovery, Tamsyn and Ed are out of options until a lifeline emerges in the form of an unusual medical trial. In exchange for the very best treatment for Scarlett, a fully furnished apartment, and a limitless spending account, the family must agree to move to Switzerland and welcome an artificial copy of their daughter into their home.

Suddenly their life is transformed. Tamsyn and Ed want for nothing, and the AI replacement, Sophie, makes it feel just like having their daughter back—except without all the bad parts. Sophie is engaged, happy, and actually wants to spend time with her parents.

But things take a turn for the worse when Scarlett makes a very real recovery and the family discovers that the forces behind their new life are darker than they ever could have imagined.

I was excited when I found out about this book, not only did the premise sound very interesting and captivating, it’s the new book written by one of my favourite YA authors Emily Barr. I discovered Emily Barr last year when she released her latest YA book ‘Ghosted’. You can read all about my thoughts on this book here.https://insidethecover356912439.wordpress.com/2022/05/29/ghosted-review/

I would describe The New One as a thriller, something that keeps you on the edge of your seat till the very last minute. The story has many twists and turns, and the saying from the very much loved X-Files often comes to mind…

Trust No One Mr Mulder

We also find ourselves travelling from small-rural-tranquill Cornwall, to Geneva, where life improves for the very unfortunate couple who are the main characters of this book. I liked the characters, they were well written, and on reflection there is something also very cleverly going on-which if I say too much will totally spoil the experience that you will get with this book.

This book explores the themes of running out of health insurance and having to do all that is possible to save a loved one, even if that means resorting to AI-and the issues that this brings. I really loved the AI character in this book-she was incredibly realistic, and how I would imagine an AI to be. I often found that this book reminding me of the TV programme ‘Humans’-something that I also really enjoyed, and again felt like it could actually happen in real life. I give this book 4/5 mushrooms!

Read this book if you like:-