This series just took a very DARK turn and I am SO here for it. If you haven’t already read the third book in this series then what are you waiting for? If you haven’t started the series yet then words fail me…

Two Dark Reigns picks up just where One Dark Throne leaves us. The world of the Queens of Fennbirn is now very different with Katharine in power and Arsinoe and Mirabelle exile from the island. It was really interesting to see how the Arsinoe and Mirabelle coped on the mainland. Their powers are diminished and they are trying to fit into the ‘normal’ world but the island is pulling them. Back on the island, things are getting quite mysterious. The unexplained mist keeps appearing, leaving death and devastation in its wake. Jules has unexpectedly become the face of the new rebellion, taking her place as the Legion Queen. Finally, with all the Queens back on the island we see the rebellion and the royal bloodline meet with devastating consequences.

I loved this book SO much. There was so much going on in so many different ways and I loved how the main POVs all came together for THAT climax towards the end. The very last few pages of the book had my heart pounding – I really, really hope that what is hinted at isn’t about to happen!! I’ll be so disappointed in that character if it does. Getting to see different characters coming more to the front in this book was a real treat as well as getting to know more about the island and its mythology. I adore the world building.

Being back with Arsinoe, Mirabella, Katharine and especially Jules was such a highlight. I slipped right back into their worlds, their pain, their heartache, their ambition. This book definitely peeled back even more of the layers from some of our leading ladies and I can’t wait to see what will possibly be revealed in the final book. Whilst writing this I’ve just remembered something SO sad that happens in this book and I won’t be forgiving Kendare Blake for that any time soon. If you’ve read the book you’ll know what bit I’m on about.

Two Dark Reigns was the perfect third book in this quartet. It packed a punch with all the action and plot, the characters continue to capture my heart and a part of me even wishes to visit the island for myself. I’ll be so sad when this series ends, I have unexpectedly become totally obsessed with these Queens, their courts, their powers and their world.

This books is outrageously funny. When I say that I laughed out loud, I really do mean it. I was cackling, snorting it really is a novel that tickled me. Paige Turner not only has the best name in YA but is a completely unforgettable personality. As an avid book fan and bookshop lover, I totally adored Paige’s passion for saving her local bookshop. It was great to read a book about a young person having such a powerful impact and showing it can be done! I can’t wait for more escapades with Paige and friends!

A big thank you to NetGalley, HotKey Books and Chloe Coles for my eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“I’m going to kill a man. I’m going to steal the light from his eyes. I want to watch it go out.”

Powerful. Emotional. Gripping.

Just three words I would use to describe Sadie by Courtney Summers. I knew I needed this book after adoring All the Rage and I was not disappointed.

Sadie is a cleverly written YA thriller that had me gripped from the very beginning. We follow the story of Sadie who has gone missing whilst attempting to avenge the murder of her little sister Mattie. But this is so far from your usual ‘I’m getting revenge’ story. Sadie is fuelled by her anger, her disappointment, every emotion she has been left after being dealt a really rough hand in her young life. I very quickly learnt that I loved Sadie and no matter what she did, I was going to love her.

The story is told through two very different types of narrative. There are chapters told from Sadie’s point of view so we can see what she has been doing, where she is going next and we really do feel every ounce of her sadness, anger and emotion. Alternate chapters are then told in podcast transcripts as Marybeth, Sadie’s guardian of sorts, enlists the help of a podcaster to try and solve the mystery of where Sadie has gone. I really loved the way these contrasted against one another. Knowing what you know from Sadie’s POVs and then seeing the podcast on her tail really amped up the tension and excitement as I read. I’ve heard that MacMillan have actually made some podcasts too so I’m excited to check those out!

This story is just breathtaking. Courtney Summers is an exceptional writer who really crawls into the minds of her characters, making all of their emotions and choices feel so real. As a reader, I felt so strongly for Sadie and wanted to protect her but also felt complicit in her actions as I could completely understand why she was doing what she was doing. Mattie’s murder sparked something in Sadie and she will not rest until justice is served, but her own kind of justice. Her journey is something she is doing for herself and seeing her struggle but remain still and strong was remarkable and inspiring. It left me wondering what I could be capable of if my own sister was murdered.

Sadie is an absolutely captivating protagonist and I sobbed my heart out whilst reading this book because I could truly feel what she was feeling. I worried for her, I felt panicky as she became more and more reckless and heartbroken for this young girl who feels so strongly that the world is completely against her. There is something incredibly special about Sadie as a character and her story is going to stick with me for a very long time.

TW: Paedophilia; sexual abuse; drug abuse.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Courtney Summers for my copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is such an important book. It's hard to put into words exactly how important it is. Knowing about Sylvia Plath's life makes this book all the more poignant. As someone who was suffering of depression herself, this semi-autobiographical novel is a heartbreakingly true story of the struggles of a woman suffering from suicidal depression. This is such a delicate and emotional read. You can feel Esther becoming more and more depressed as you turn to the pages, resulting in her attempted suicide. Plath's choice of words and writing style really bring back the sadness, emptiness and emotionless feelings that so many people suffer with. I think that at some point in our lives everyone can relate to Esther in some way, some more than others, but we all have moments where we have questioned our lives. That's why this novel is so important. We are left pondering what will become of Esther as she looks to life after the asylum but it is with great sadness that we realise Plath herself did not have the optimistic ending she penned for Esther.

Full Review: https://kellysramblings.wordpress.com/2016/01/22/the-bell-jar-by-sylvia-plath/