The incredible, all consuming, sequel and finale in the debut duology from author Sunya Mara will leave readers fulfilled, enchanted and completely, utterly, captivated. From the blurb; 'Vesper Vale sacrificed everything to save her city from the cursed storm. But when she awakens from three years of slumber as a vessel of The Great Queen, she finds her home beset by sinister forces. 'The Great King and his army of lightstruck - once regular citizens who are controlled by the ominous light - have besieged the city. And the people are looking to Vesper, not revered as a goddess after her sacrifice, as their only hope. 'As she fights to rescue them, Vesper faces a growing chasm between her and Dalca, the prince she swore never to love. Haunted by the guilt of their choices and faces with the pressures of a city near ruin, Vesper and Dalca find themselves torn between the growing factions within the city and the royal court. 'But in order to save her city from the light, Vesper must confront the power most outside of her control - the goddess within.' As we return to Vesper's world we are faced with a new playing field. This time the battle is not against gods weakened and hidden, but against gods forthright and bold, and the people who do and do not follow them. Unlike in The Darkening Vesper does not enjoy the anonymity of being no-one when she awakens. Instead revered as a god among men herself Vesper must find the balance between the legend she has become during her three years of sleep and the person she truly is at her core. Fighting against what others want from her, and what they think is best for her, Vesper must first find her strength to be the woman who defeated the storm once more as she dives into a new, and all to dangerous, battle. Keeping her cards close to her chest Sunya Mara teases the reader with seemingly easy solutions, which are equally easily shattered, against rising odds and convoluted plots. As we cling to an ever waning hope that the lightstruck can be saved, and begin to question which of the characters we can truly trust, Mara gifts us with new and enticing glimpses into this world, thrown open by the fall of the storm, and it's long lost history. Torn between a drive to explore and the desire to save what has always been home, Vesper is faced with a question only she can answer, and everyone's life hinges on it. We could not put down The Lightstruck and were exceptionally pleased with how Mara tied up loose ends and concluded each characters arc. If you're waiting to read The Darkening and to fall in love with Mara's writing wait no longer and run to get this marvelous duology. We give The Lightstruck Five Stars ISBN - 98-1-529-35550-5 Hardback Cover Price - £18.99 First published in Great Britain in 2023 by Hodder & Stoughton.

We could not wait to get our hands of this marvelous debut YA fantasy, and once we did we could not put this incredible book down. From the blurb; 'Only she can face the storm... 'Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. Since the Queen sentenced her mother to death by a deadly Storm that curses everyone it touches, Vespeer and her father have been on the run. 'So when the queens soldiers - led by paranoid Prince Dalca - catch up to them, Vesper will do whatever it takes to keep her father safe. 'Even arm herself with her father's book of dangerous experimental magic. Even infiltrate the prince's elite squad of soldier-sorcerers. Even cheat her way into his cold heart. 'But when Vesper learns that there's more to the story of her mother's death, and that her home is in dire peril, she has little choice: trust the devious prince with family's secrets, of follow her mother's footsteps into the Storm...' Vesper is an intelligent, kind-hearted, character who it is easy to get behind. We follow her as her world view is opened, filling in the fantasy elements of the story for the reader, as she fights to save her father and learns the truth of her world in the process. If, like us, you were drawn to The Darkening by the captivating and fantastic Instagram posts of author Sunya Mara, we can assure you that her writing talent is as strong as her videography. The fantasy elements of this world, and the marvelous character building, are what make this novel impossible to put down. With the devastating power of the storm surrounding the city, and pressing ever further into the capital, we feel the pressure and the drive of our characters as they fight against this impossible and all consuming threat. The Darkening is a fantasy whirlwind that will leave readers aching for more and enthralled by the talent of Sunya Mara. We give The Darkening five stars ISBN - 978-1-529-35490-4 Cover Price - £8.99 First published in Great Britain in 2022 by Hodderscape and imprint of Hodder & Stoughton

This steamy adult fantasy novel is for those who enjoy complex fantasy and intense scenes of a sexual nature as Jennifer L. Armentrout leaves little room to breath throughout this intense novel. From the blurb; 'She survives on her intuition. He thrives on her pleasure. 'Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by a vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is not ruled by a guardian - royals who feed on mortal pleasure. 'Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows hr talents are valuable to the powerful of her world, so she lives hidden as the Baron of Archwood's courtesan. In exchange for protection, she gives him information. However, when her intuition saves a prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning - and promise. Today he'll bring her joy. But one day he'll be her doom. 'When the Baron taken an interest in the prince - and the prince takes an interest in Calista - she becomes his temporary companion. However, her city simmers with rebellion. With knights and monsters at the city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, even her powerful instincts may not be enough to keep her safe. Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or her heart to her downfall.' The thing we love about Calista as a main character is that she is not weak. She knows how to fight, isn't afraid of speaking her mind, and shows a level of bravery and kindness throughout the book which immediately makes her lovable. Surviving with her dear friend Grady, Calista is torn from the relative safety of her life into a brutal reality, which once she has entered shows her no reprieve. Forcing her to ask questions she's shied away from her whole life, and it is through this curiosity that the reader begins to piece together the structure and history of this fantasy epic. While the fantasy elements of this novel are interesting and well designed, we must collect them in drips and drabs between chapter long scenes of a very steamy sexual nature, in which Armentrout shows she is not shy of intense description that may make a humbler reader very pink in the face. Although the sex in the book is explicit and frequent, the fantasy elements are the real drive to this story, drawing us deeper into this complex dystopia, and leaving us desperate for more information. The Fall of Ruin and Wrath will certainly be a top read for many this year and is worth a gander for readers comfortable with sex and with a love of complex fantasy. We look forward to the next book in this series. We give The Fall of Ruin and Wrath Four Stars ISBN - 978-103527378 Hardback Cover Price - £20.00 First published in the UK 2023 by Tor an imprint of Pan Macmillan

The explosive adult fantasy novel Fourth Wing has had readers gushing all year, and for good reason, as Rebecca Yarros whips us away into a daunting world filled with dragons, secrets and steamy romance. If you've held out on reading Fourth Wing now is the time to dig your teeth in before the highly anticipated sequel releases this November. From the blurb; 'Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College... 'Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general - her tough-as-talons mother - has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragons riders. 'But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only and 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 windleader 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. Ever worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. 'Everyone at Basgiath has an agenda, so sleep with one eye open because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.' The thing we love about Violet, our main character, is that she isn't foolish. Her choices, her logic, her drive are all believable, likable, aspects. She is not weakened by her compassion or intelligence, and uses both well throughout the story. This isn't a tough warrior woman playing the role of damsel in distress, but a life-like 20-year-old finding her footing in a world she thought she knew everything about. Set against her, Xaden becomes the perfect tension for the personal end of the story. Representing everything Violet doesn't know, and everything she desires. Xaden's character is also well drawn. More than just pretty muscle for Violet, and the reader, to swoon over, he quickly becomes a character we care deeply about. His story resonating with many, while his journey throughout the book is fulfilling and justified. Featured more towards the second half of the novel the dragons themselves also have strong characters and intricate back stories which will captivate the reader. Once introduced their presence is as enjoyable as any of the main characters and becomes a driving force in our desire to keep reading. Fourth Wing is a well done slow burn, and we thank Yarros for it. While it would have been all to easy to make this a decadent romance, with the fantasy world a vibrant back drop, Yarros allows the reader to be completely encapsulated by this adventure, the mystery, the struggle, the ever slimming odds of survival. Making us feel like we deserve the reprieve the romance offers when it finally comes to fruition, and encouraging us to come back for both the world building and the budding love story. Though not for the faint of heart, it should be remembered that Fourth Wing features dragons, a war and a dangerous school, leaving death and destruction sprinkled throughout the novel. Some losses hit harder than others, but loss lives through the pages of this book and readers should be prepared for tears and gut wrenching tragedies. For those readers who love fantasy, particularly dragons, enjoy slow-burn-romances, and are not afraid of some gruesome scenes this reader would advice you run to read Fourth Wing before the second in the series drops early this November. We give Fourth Wing Five Stars ISBN -978-0-349-43699-9 Hardback Cover Price - £20.00 First published in the United States in 2023 by Red Tower Books

Only Marcus Sedgwick could turn a love story into a thrilling, historically set, French murder mystery exploring a complex time in French history as well as the deeper recesses of the human mind. Form the blurb: 'In Paris, in the year 1899, Marcel Despres is arrested for the murder of his wife and transferred to the famous Salpetriere asylum. And there the story might have stopped. 'But the doctor assigned to his care soon realizes this is no ordinary patient: Marcel Despres, Mister Memory, is a man who cannot forget. And the policeman assigned to his case soon realizes that something else is at stake: for why else would the criminal have been hurried off to hospital, and why are his superiors so keen for the whole affair to be closed? 'This crime involves something bigger and stranger than a lovers' fight - something with links to the highest and lowest establishment in France. The policeman and the doctor between them must unravel the mystery... but the answers lie inside Marcel's head.' Not for the faint of heart Mister Memory, in true Sedgwick style, is a book packed full of unseemly acts, described in intricate detail, that can leave even the most stoic of readers uncomfortable. Told through a multitude of perspective Mister Memory is a slow burn story that, once it picks up pace, turns into a galloping ride that will through the reader down numerous rabbit holes before reaching it's breathtaking conclusion. Written in Sedgwick's expert manner this gripping novel will not let readers go once they're in it far enough and soon has us picking apart every interaction looking for the true crime. Sedgwick gives nothing away till the close, however, on a second gander we may realize the clues are left scattered, flitting through the warrens that are our main character Marcel's incredible mind. A marvelous mystery filled with tantalizing historical details Mister Memory is not a book any murder mystery fan will want to miss. We give Mister Memory Five Stars ISBN - 978-1-444-75198-7 Hardback Cover Price - £17.99 First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Mulholland Books

An incredible, thrilling, murder mystery that spans generations set in the beautiful Scottish countryside, The Cursed Girls is an unstoppable, captivating, read that will leave you in awe of Caro Ramsay's talent. From the blurb; 'Megan Melvick has spent years avoiding her inheritance, the dark and disquieting family estate Benbrae. It is now home only to her distant, aristocratic father, and her sister Melissa, dying quietly in an upstairs bedroom. Trapped behind her unreliable hearing aids and vulnerable to what others want her to see, Megan is unable to find the answers she wants: why is there a new woman on her father's arm? And why has their absent mother not returned to say a final goodbye to Melissa? 'Benbrae has always been a place of loss and misfortune for Megan, but as the Melvick family diminishes still further, she must ask on final question. If there is a curse on the house, will she be it's next victim?' A masterful example of the unreliable narrator The Cursed Girls is a story that will entice with it's well wrought characters, gorgeous setting and immense and complicated history. With many different, sudden, and unexplained deaths marking the history of the family estate the reader is left to puzzle out which of the many tragedies is the key to the mystery, while getting only glimpses, mixed up and muddled through time, of the events that bought our characters to this end game moment. Told through two perspectives we are tantalized with a ghost story as our main character Megan provides a narrative muddled with confusion and a lack of faith, ever growing, in her own ability to recollect, while her best friend Carla treats us to harder chapters, mostly seen through the lens of the past, that reveal a very different side to Megan and her family than the one we are being spun. Through these two viewpoints the reader builds a picture of the world in which these two girls grew up, though from very different sides of the tracks, as we delve further into their past and are pushed deeper into the looming threats of the present. Ramsay gives us facts, put down as undeniable, and then through careful and complex story building begins to pick them apart, leaving us feeling just as precariously footed in our knowledge of the events as main character Megan does herself. This delightful and cleaver crafting truly allows readers to feel embraced within Megan's viewpoint, using Clara's shorter bursts of narrative to gain greater insight, while not necessarily greater understanding of the events. Chapter by chapter the reader falls deeper into the haze, unable to put the book down as the questions build and nag, desperate for answers, or for Megan to walk away, back to a quieter life in Glasgow. A dark, twisted, and entirely gripping book The Cursed Girls sits proudly on the mystery shelf. We give The Cursed Girls Four Stars ISBN - 978-1-83885-380-8 Cover price - £8.99 First published in Great Britain, the USA and Canada in 2021 by Black Thorn.

Jessie Burton is an expert at historical fiction so when she turned her hand to YA mythology in Medusa the expectations were high, and in true Burton style, she blew them out of the water. From the blurb; 'If I told you that I'd killed a man with a glance, would you wait to here the rest? The why, the how, what happened next? ''Exiled to a far-flung island after being abused by powerful gods, Medusa has little company other than the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. Haunted by the memories of a life before everything was stolen from her, she has no choice but to make peace with her present: Medusa the monster. But when the charmed and beautiful Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is blown apart, unleashing desire, love... and betrayal. 'Monster. Man-hater. Murderess. Forget everything you've been told about Medusa, in a new version of the story that history set in stone long ago.' Medusa is a short story that dons't really get going until after page 21, but if you stick with it till then this gorgeous re-imagining of the ancient legend is fast to draw you deep into it's lair and keep you hooked long after finishing. Stepping away from the things we all know about Medusa's story, Burton chooses to concentrate on the woman under the snakes. The girl who was tortured and betrayed, who longs for a life stolen and whose heart is held by her almighty sisters. We learn her story through drips and drabs, stitched into the tapestry of the running present day plot line, and with each chapter grow more attached to Medusa the young woman than would have seemed possible. While the story doesn't conclude the way we were taught it does, this version of Medusa see's a happier tale come out of a broken and bitter one. Burton successfully takes this beautiful monster and turns her into a pillar of strength, highlighting women's inequalities, both past and present through the lens of a world filled with gods. An eye opening read that plays with our knowledge of ancient myth while tackling bigger world issues, Medusa is the kind of story that has a lot to say and does it in a way that dose not break the reader from the enchantment of the story, but leaves them changed after reading as they think back on the struggles Medusa faced and match them to issues in the very real world. Standing as an empowerment to women Medusa is a story filled to the brim with raw emotion, twisted ideologies unwound by love and kindness in the face of great evil, and ultimately of acceptance and self-worth. This myth sits happily on any bookshelf and sings of an ancient magic lost and a greater knowledge found. We give Medusa Five stars ISBN - 978-1-5266-6240-8 Cover Price - £8.99 First published in Great Britain 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing

After the explosive fourth book, City of Secrets, this fifth novel in the Stravaganza series has a lot to live up to and Mary Hoffman does not miss the opportunity to surprise the readers again with another exciting twist. From the blurb; 'Isabel felt really out of her depth. 'You mean it's possible to go to Talia and not come back?' she asked. 'Only if you die,' Said Georgia. 'Isabel Evans has just made a very surprising discovery: she is a Stravagante, somebody who, with the help of a talisman, can travel in time and space to the country of Talia in a parallel world. When faced with the extreme danger that Talia presents, the normally shy and quiet Isabel is forced to dig deep and find strength she never knew she had, as she is plunged into a world of pirates, ferocious sea battles and deadly adversaries....' Of all the characters from the series so far, Georgia, the main character from City of Stars, the second novel in the series, is swiftly becoming a core element to the stories moving forwards. Connecting our new characters real world lives to those they live in Talia and quickening the pace with which our characters learn and adapt to their new realities within Talia. Georgia's importance to our cast of characters makes for a quicker entry into the main story not just to our new Stravagante, but also for the readers, who by now have a firm grasp of the rules and order of Hoffman's world. Not to make us too comfortable Hoffman takes City of Ships off land, and in doing so enters her characters and the readers into a whole new playing field. With old enemies lying in wait and new scores to be settled Isabel must quickly learn to live a life unlike any of our characters before her, one at sea, without a city to vanish into, and without the safety of land. At any point Isabel could find herself thrown out into cold and violent waters, and her way back to reality may drop out of her grasp if she isn't cautious. This new twist to the dynamic of the world and our characters risks in entering into it adds to the tension and excitement of City of Ships, keeping us hooked in the world of Talia and enchanted by Hoffman's delicate craftsmanship of it. While we adjust to this new landscape and the new threats that have come with it Hoffman rewards long term readers with insights into the progress and lives of characters long loved and enjoyed from the first few books. This gift to the reader shows that Hoffman is dedicated to the development of all of her ever growing cast of characters and leaves us excited to see where she will eventually leave each of them. We Give City of Ships Three Stars. ISBN - 978-0-7475-9253-2 Cover Price - £6.99 First published in Great Britain in March 2010 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The fourth novel in the stunning Stravaganza series, City of Secrets, brings characters from the first book back to the fore and reignites our faith in Mary Hoffman's writting prowess. From the blurb; 'Luciano is as dear to me as my own child,' Rodolfo tole Professor Constantin. 'I want you to teach him what you can. And keep him from being killed.' 'When Matt is unexpectedly transported to the ancient Scriptorium of Padavia, he discovers he is a Stravagante who can travel through time and place using his talisman, a leather-bound book. Together with Luciano, now studying at the University and Arianna, in disguise as a boy, and with the help of fellow Stravaganti, he must fight the ambitious and dangerous di Chimici family, who not only are on the verge of breaking through into our world, but have terrifying designs upon Luciano himself....' With the return of Lucien we get to learn the true cost, and change, his choices have put upon him, and all the risks that come with those changes. Matt is a strong headed character who is quick to get his footing in the world of Talia, though is helped by the force of fellow Stravagante who we've seen in previous books, and swiftly moves into the story as it builds in excitement and desperation. As the plot thickens our story darkens, with Hoffman unwinding the spool of consequence that she has been tightening since the close of the first stunning novel, City of Masks. While our main characters face off against the family Di Chimici, who have plagued the stories throughout, we are asked to question how much we know about their political motives, and whether being part of the family is the same as being aligned to them. Our characters are asked to gamble on trust in this novel, drawing from all of their past experiences, adventures and achievements in the world of Talia to try to unravel the devious plots of the Di Chimici before it is too late. City of Secrets is an explosive, dark, turn for the Stravaganza series, in which the risks have never been higher. We Give City of Secrets Four Stars ISBN - 978-0-7475-3250-1 Cover Price - £6.99 First published in Great Britain in 2008 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The third novel in the Stravaganza series marks the last of the originally signed trilogy for Mary Hoffman, and while the series continued successfully after City of Flowers, this third novel remains triumphant in its character and world driven storytelling over the sequels. From the blurb; 'Sky stepped out into the sunshine, blinking, still holding the bottle, and a black man, robed like the others, took him by the arm and whispered, 'God be praised, is has found you!' 'Sky is about to discover that he is a Stravagante, somebody who, with the help of a talisman, can travel in time and space to the parallel world of Talia. Sky must beware though, for in the City of Flowers much that appears beautiful is deadly and the city is a nest of feuding rivalries where a man will think nothing of sliding a knife between another's ribs. As tempers are inflamed and battles boil over between the rival di Chimici and Nucci families, Sky and his fellow Stravaganti must do all they can to avoid further bloodshed.' For her third novel into this exciting world Hoffman does not bother to settle the reader into the new environment but launches both the reader and Sky into the desperate power struggle consuming the city at a dazzlingly fast pace. Sky is a level headed character we quickly fall in love with, racing into the cause and swiftly gaining his footing in this complex world. Unlike the previous books Sky finds he is not so alone in his struggle to find a balance between his reality and the world of the past. Georgia slips between the worlds with Sky, soon becoming a fast friend, and helping to guide him through the balance that was so hard won for herself. This bond between characters strengthens City of Flowers into a powerful third novel, bringing with it more enticement for the real world of our characters and a greater level of desire for the enchanting world of Talia. As ever Hoffman shines in her craftsmanship of the historical universe of her parallel Italy and shows of great talent and skill in her development of her beloved characters. We Give City Of Flowers Four Stars ISBN - 978-0-7475-9571-7 Cover Price - £6.99 First published in Great Britain in 2005 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The second in the magical Stravaganza series is a gorgeous book returning us to the wonder of Bellezza and the joy of Mary Hoffman's craftsmanship. Form the blurb; 'Georgia fell asleep with the model of the flying horse in her hand, wishing she could find a place where horses has wings and she could fly away from her troubles forever. Georgia loves horses and hates Russell, her step-brother. It seems Russell's main aim is to make Georgia miserable, whereas all Georgia wants to do is to go horse-riding whenever she can get the opportunity - and to avoid Russell. 'When Georgia finally saves up enough money to buy the little model of a winged horse she has admired in the window of an antique shop, she knows she has to keep it well out of Russell's way in case he realises it is important to her. But what Georgia doesn't know is that the little horse offers her an escape to another world and another time, that of sixteenth-century Remora, a city that is similar to Siena in Italy, but that has evolved quite differently...' This novel has us looking through antique shops in the hope of magical talismans as Hoffman crafts a glorious world which enchants the mind and captures the soul. Unlike Lucien in City of Masks, Georgia's story isn't about finding another life, but about finding a way to survive and thrive in her own reality. For her the world of Remora is a chance to live out her wildest dreams, to discover her true strengths and passions and to grow as a person. Like Lucien Georgia soon finds herself entangled in far to many political maneuverings to count, and must race to learn everything she can about this vast and complex world entrenched in treachery. Thrilled to be back in Hoffman's alternative past readers enter City of Stars with a sense that they know and understand the landscape of the world they are entering only to be thrillingly surprised by the new twists and turns Hoffman introduces, throwing Georgia and the reader down a rabbit hole of discovery that only furthers our passion and excitement for the Stravaganza series. We give City of Stars Five Stars ISBN - 0-7475-6123-0 Hardback Cover Price - £12.99 First published in Great Britain in 2003 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The beginning to the incredible Stravaganza series is a book that should not be missed. This astounding time skipping adventure may now be a nostalgic read but Mary Hoffman's creativity, talent and powerful character creation stay true two decades later. From the blurb; 'In a room at the top of a tall house overlooking a canal, a man sat dealing cards on to a desk covered in black silk. He made a circle of twelve cards, face up, methodically moving widdersins, placed a thirteenth in the middle of the circle, then leaned back and contemplated the pattern. 'Strange,' he murmured. 'Imagine you are one moment ill in bed, and the next transported to a world that is awash with deception, intrigue, and glamour. In a spine-tingling discovery, Lucien discovers that he is in fact a 'Stravagante' and with the help of a talisman can transport himself to sixteenth century Bellezza , a city inspired by Venice, and filled with unexpected danger.' This spellbinding novel swings swiftly into action, introducing out incredibly lovable main character Lucien, and the suffering he endures in our reality, before rushing us, and him, into the wonders of a parallel world, and a history that mirrors out own. Transported into the complex past of this alternate Venice Lucien quickly learns that his transportation is not a dream, but a reality, and he must figure out how to survive in this strange world as quickly as possible. Running to keep up the reader jogs alongside Lucien as this other life, where he is not burdened by the sickness which plagues him in our reality, consumes him heart and soul. As we jolt from the incredible world of Bellezza back into Lucien's reality in our world we are thrown with him into the pain of his existence. Longing with him for a chance and a way to return to the life in which he found himself set free. This juxtaposition between the two worlds, and Lucien's life in each, is a heart pulling thread that Hoffman gently tugs throughout the duration of the novel, ending in a climatic and explosive final chapter that will shatter hearts. City of Masks leaves readers longing for more, utterly in love with the characters so delicately crafted by Hoffman and enchanted by the world she has made. This novel lives rent free in the mind long after closing and is a book that soon grows tattered from re-reading for another taste of Bellezza. We Give City of Masks Five Stars ISBN - 0-7475-6219-9 Cover Price - £5.99 First published in Great Britain in 2002 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc