This book is so interesting! It’s basically a choose your own adventure book but using real historical events. There were parts of this that felt a little heavy - particularly as I don’t read many historical non-fictions. But, I’m sure this book would go down well with history fans who are looking for a new approach to World War 2.

The only reason this book got 3 stars was because the last 50 or so pages were phenomenal. Pitched as an African mythology-inspired fantasy to rival Tolkien, my expectations were perhaps too high as I journeyed with Tracker and Leopard. Be aware, before starting this, of the numerous trigger warnings which include: beastiality, rape, gang rape, pedophilia and incest. (To name but a few.)

I can’t write this review without commenting on the above mentioned TWs. These scenes are graphic and completely unnecessary - had they pushed the plot forwards in anyway it would have been understandable, instead it comes across as overdone and icky. If I have to read a graphic gang rape scene involving shapeshifting hyenas ever again, it would still be too soon. Please, please, please be aware of this going into the book.

Tracker is our narrator, telling the story to someone he calls an inquisitor, so the story unravels the way he wants it to and to fit his own agenda. The lack of chronology makes it difficult to follow the story at times and follow the characters. Not to mention, the biased narrator can only provide his side of the story.

There are moments of this book that felt incredibly slow, to the point where I left the book for a few days and didn’t want to read it anymore. This wasn’t helped by chapters that were regularly 50 pages long. I think a lot of this could have been taken out (maybe some of those graphic scenes I mentioned earlier) without damaging the plot and probably improving how we viewed the characters.

Speaking of characters, James gives us a fellowship of incredibly complex individuals - each motivated by something different, all with different skills and a few with intricate plots and schemes. There were only a few characters who I truly liked in this and spent the whole book rooting for. I liked that each character felt ready to step off the page, each with his or her own flaws and all of them willing to lie, murder and betray each other in the blink of an eye. These cunning characters made the story much more interesting and were much of the reason I stuck with this book.

The climax of the story was amazing, as was the ending as I mentioned at the start of this review. I still plan on reading the next book in the series - hopefully more prepared for James’… unusual… writing style and graphic scenes. This book felt more like a VERY long prologue, preparing us for something more epic in the next book. Hopefully, James won’t disappoint. Don’t believe the hype on this - it is not a fantasy book for everyone, it certainly isn’t the next Tolkien. At times it reads as a pretentious attempt at high-brow fantasy, a unnecessarily graphic snuff book and, occasionally, a genuinely riveting mythology-inspired adventure. Let’s hope we get more of the latter in book 2.

In Caraval, we explore a mysterious and magical performance that doubles as an exciting competition; with this year’s prize being a wish. There’s love, betrayal, heartache and, of course, magic seeping from every pore. I honestly can’t believe it’s taken me this long to experience the wonder that is Caraval!

The world truly comes to life around you. Following a sceptic in our main character Scarlett makes the magic feel more vibrant as she doubts and questions everything. I’m desperate to return to this world Garber has created in the next book.

For me, the characters were a mixed bag. I found Legend’s characterisation frustratingly mixed and confusing - one second he’s brilliant and kind, the next a villain. Scarlett and Donatella were also a little annoying in this, they felt a little like caricatures who were little more than their main few traits. I hope that they’ll continue to grow in the series and develop.

I really enjoyed reading this book though! As I said, the world building is fantastic, the plot (and twists) exciting and the love interests brilliant. I hope this continues in the next two books!

The Gilded Cage is the second book in The Prison Healer series and oh my god. This was the easiest 5 star I’ve given in a while. It physically hurt putting this book down.

Lynette Noni is the queen of dramatic twists. If you thought Prison Healer was full of suspense and heart-stopping moments, prepare yourself for a whole lot more. I genuinely gasped out loud to myself whilst reading this. I desperately don’t want to give anything away but Noni will keep your head reeling throughout this book and then completely destroy you at the end.

At first, I was annoyed at Kiva’s inability to choose a side; how she was willing to forgive her family so quickly and blind to how much the royals loved her. But then I thought about how difficult that decision would be and, actually, it’s incredible that she eventually made one.

These books take slow burn to a whole new level. I love how romance and desire is a definite undercurrent throughout without overpowering the novel. Plus, I loved the romantic developments in this one. (Anyone else rooting for Tor and Caldon?)

I can’t emphasise how great this book is. It’s full of twists and turns, it’ll make your heart soar and destroy it, and it’s one of those books that’ll grip you tightly long after you’ve finished it. This review is vague because otherwise I’ll spoil things. Please talk to me if you’ve read this. And if you haven’t - what the hell are you waiting for?

I’m not usually a romance fan, which my girlfriend knew when she gleefully picked this book out for me, but I ended up loving ‘The Switch’. Leena feels stuck after the death of her sister. Her grandma, Eileen, is ready for love after her husband dies. So of course, the obvious answer is for them to switch lives.

At first, the premise sounds a little ridiculous - and maybe at times it is. But their swapped lives lead to hilarity and growth. It was really difficult putting this book down and MAYBE I stayed up until 1 in the morning to finish it but no-one can prove that.

I adored the characters in this. Eileen has a special place in my heart - I want to BE her. And I think these brilliantly strong characters grow more lovable through the hardships they go through in each other’s lives. Neither woman backs down, despite the supposed break they’re supposed to both be taking they end up managing projects and trying to fix the people around them. A truly brilliant book has characters that make you love them, this one has a whole cast of fabulous people who may need a little help finding their way.

‘The Switch’ sounds like a light, fluffy romance. But it’s also a discussion on life after loss, how families can fracture and what is needed to heal. I left this book feeling as though I need to be true to myself and never lose sight of my dreams. I highly recommend this one - even to those who don’t enjoy romance.

‘Scottish Myths and Legends’ is a fantastic collection of short stories designed to give you a taste of the varied myths from Scotland and the Scottish isles. The stories range from a page or two to slightly longer stories, but they will all capture your imagination.

As a mythology/indigenous culture student, it was really fascinating to see the similarities in stories from cultures that likely never met. This was compounded by Daniel Allison’s footnotes at the end of each story which gave you an idea of the history behind each tale and pulled out some of these recurring themes. This book isn’t a standalone, it draws on works by others and stories across time and culture and Allison gives credit to the inspiration each time with a helpful bibliography at the end.

I loved Allison’s style of writing. Sometimes oral storytelling’s magic doesn’t carry over into the written world. But word by word, these stories came to life before me. They were beautifully written, unrepetitive and had the familiarity of a favourite story that you couldn’t quite recall. This was a pleasure to read and a book I genuinely looked forward to picking up after a long day at work.

I highly recommend this one to those interested in mythology, those looking for a quick (but rewarding) read and those who want a window into another world. I’d definitely read more of Allison’s work and look forward to seeing how this book may influence my PhD research.