Caro's Book Reviews

  Half the World  is the second book in the Shattered Sea trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. The first book,  Half a King  introduced the reader to Yarvi; a displaced prince who swore an oath to avenge his father’s murder. Yarvi is back again in Half the World , this time as the minister to King Uthil. As Father Yarvi, he has taken a step back from being the main character. The protagonists for Half the World  are Thorn; a fiery teen girl who wishes to become a fierce warrior like her father was, and Brand; a teen boy just trying to do the right thing but unsure of how to go about it. Through a few misfortunes, the two of them find their plans for the future ruined and are left directionless. Thorn, in order to save her life, swears an oath to Yarvi and leaves to follow him on his mission to find more allies for King Uthil. Brand is soon swept up into Yarvi’s machinations as well. Half the World lives up to its title, showing the reader an expanded view of the...

I read Abercrombie’s First Law series a few years ago, so I was quite eager to start reading this series. Book one did not disappoint me. Abercrombie has a way of making characters feel realistic; they are not doing something because they were told to do so by the author – they are doing it because they want to do it. Half a King is the first book in the Shattered Sea series, and it follows the story of Yarvi; a prince with a disability living amongst a culture that praises battle prowess above all else. Naturally, Yarvi’s fighting skills are negligible and he is seen as a weakling unfit to rule over others. Unfortunately for Yarvi, through tragedy, he is made king. This ultimately leads to betrayal and starts off his journey of vengeance to reclaim all that he has lost. The novel’s plot is solid, and the story has you hooked; how will Yarvi achieve his vengeance when he has nothing but the clothes on his back? This book is ideal for those who enjoy fantasy with war and ba...

A Dance with Demons is the first book in this series. In this book, the characters must face down an invading force, only for an even greater threat to be unleashed. I found it to be a long read, with long spates of no action inbetween the very short bits of action. Initially I did not like the characters, but the more I read the more they grew on me. Though, I must admit liking some of the secondary characters more than the primary characters. Being the first book, it does its job in setting up the plot and introducing the reader to the world that it is set in and the story. It does end on a cliffhanger, that made me want to get hold of the sequel in order to find out what happens next. Overall, despite being a bit flat in parts, I did enjoy reading this book and would recommend it to teen readers who enjoy fantasy and action. This E-ARC was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sequel to 13 Days of Midnight . Luke Manchett thought his troubles had been dealt with at the end of the first book, however he could not have been more wrong. A slow build as he and his sidekick girlfriend, Elza, struggle to figure out what is going on. They might not be facing the same problems as the first book, but the new trouble doesn’t seem any less dangerous. Together they must try and fix the latest supernatural occurrence affecting Luke, aided by Luke’s loyal and “brave” deerhound, Ham. This sequel introduces a new character, Ashley Smith, and Luke must work out if she is trustworthy or the cause of his latest problems. Prepare for feels as the characters carry out their adventure, I did tear up near the end. This is an enjoyable read, fans of the first book will be happy with its follow-up. It is also ideal for teens who like supernatural fiction. There is another book after this in the series for fans to look out for once they have finished this b...

Mitchell: A Young Warrior by E.J. Bownds is a fantasy novel. Honestly, I did not enjoy this book. The plot is solid, but the story written was not. There was no feeling of surprise or anticipation, it felt like everything happening to Mitchell was too easy. Problems were dealt with too quickly with not enough tension building up. To me, it was too much of ‘hero needs to do this, oh no a problem, yay solution conveniently lands in hero’s lap, move on to the next objective’. It also felt like there were too many fantasy clichés bundled up with each of the characters introduced. If the novel was longer with more descriptive detail, it might not have felt so jarring while reading. I would recommend this more to a middle school aged reader, rather than a young adult reader. This E-ARC was provided to me via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

This was an awesome read. The plot draws you in, making you not want to put the book down – resulting in a few late nights. The story is full of mystery and intrigued, you never quite know which of the characters to trust until you reach the end. Each character is unique, as the story flows you get a feel for each one. The ending was delightfully twisty, one that I was not expecting at all. I just loved everything about this E-ARC; when the novel came up on one of the book buying lists at the library I work at, I pounced at the chance to add it to the library's stock collection. I would definitely recommend this to those who love mystery and detective novels, especially those that are set in a historical setting. This was a free E-ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I read this novella as the author was coming to the library I work at to give a talk. The Firebird is set on a humid island, ruled over by a warrior monk sect. The main character, Lada, deeply believes in their doctrine but as she comes face to face with the darkness of her past, doubts begin to niggle at her. Was it her fault or her brother's that caused the destruction of their family, this haunts Lada throughout the story as she tries to hold onto her beliefs and figure out the right course that she must take. The Firebird takes the reader for a wild and bumpy ride filled with betrayals and danger. This is a fantasy story that does not fit into the traditional mould. It is a short read, perfect for those who do not have much time to read but are looking for a good book.