Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo My rating: 4 of 5 stars I like these characters and the way they develop in the second instalment. A number of new characters are introduced and their development will hopefully continue in the 3rd book. I like the magic system, and how it develops in Alina. Mal is […]

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty My rating: 4 of 5 stars This sequel picks up 5 years after the last book City of Brass left off, with Nahri, Ali, and Dara each facing their own trials, but separated from each other. The world of Daevabad is magical and unique, Chakraborty’s writing and world-building […]

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon My rating: 3 of 5 stars The world building in this book is very intricate. It can take time to make sense of everything and I’m not sure I did. Paige – the lead character – is a clairvoyant, a member of an elite group of humans who can […]

Why We Get the Wrong Politicians by Isabel Hardman My rating: 5 of 5 stars I recommend anyone who wants to stand for public office to read this book. I recognise a lot of what the first half of this book talks about either through my own personal experience of being a Council candidate or […]

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo My rating: 4 of 5 stars The setting and magic system are both good here. This is the perfect introduction to Ravka, and to the way the whole Grisha society works. Alina – lead character – is such a great foil for the audience to experience the world through. […]

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is an excellent fantasy. Set in an intricate quasi-Early Modern world where Eastern and Western cultures exist in what turns out to be an uneasy truce. There is a large cast of characters in many nations that end up […]