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Sorcerer's Edge by David Hair (The Tethered Citadel #3)

After all they’ve suffered, rebel sorcerer Raythe Vyre and his fortune-seekers are still empty-handed, but they’ve found real treasure: peace.

Deep inside the Ice wastes, Raythe’s people stumbled upon Rath Argentium, the legendary Aldar city, and the long-lost Tangato people. After fighting through betrayal, treachery and powerful magic, they forged a hard-won treaty with the Tangato and their extraordinary queen, Shiazar. Now they’ve put aside their dreams of wealth and revenge and embraced something better: a life outside the tyrannical Bolgravian Empire. But the Bolgravian Empire never gives up. The empire hasn’t forgotten Raythe Vyre, and his enemies know where he is. Guided by Toran Zorne, the implacable imperial assassin, they are coming to claim Rath Argentium for themselves. Raythe and Shiazar know all too well that courage and cunning won’t be enough this time: they are outnumbered, out-gunned and out of time.

Faced with total annihilation, it’s up to Raythe to find an edge . . .

Book page: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/david-hair/sorcerers-edge/9781529402100/

My Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this series and realize the complexity of the plot and of the world building when I read the synopsis at the beginning of the book. This is the epic conclusion to an excellent fantasy series. I loved this last instalment, loved the actions, the new and old characters, and was satisfied by the end. David Hair is an excellent storyteller and deliver a complex, gripping, and highly entertaining story. There's more world building and developments of the character arcs and also some new characters. It's always sad to say goodbye and I would be glad to read new stories set in this universe or a prequel. This a series that requires to read the books in order if you want to enjoyed at maximum level. Well plotted, great world building, intriguing. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Jo Fletcher Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: David Hair, an award-winning writer of fantasy, has been inspired by his travels around the globe. He was born in New Zealand, spent time in Britain, Europe and India (which inspired THE MOONTIDE and SUNSURGE QUARTETS and the RAVANA series). After some years in Bangkok, Thailand, he and his wife returned to Wellington, New Zealand, where they are now settled (for the time being). His epic fantasy sagas THE MOONTIDE QUARTET and THE SUNSURGE QUARTET and the YA saga THE RETURN OF RAVANA, his retelling of the Indian epic The Ramayana, are all published by Jo Fletcher Books, as is his new fantasy adventure series, THE THETHERED CITADEL: Map’s Edge, World’s Edge and Sorcerer’s Edge. Website: https://davidhairauthor.com/ Twitter: @DHairauthor

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Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My Review (5*) I think it's time to stop think about Silvia Moreno-Garcia as a genre writer but thinking about her as one of the best South American writers of her generations. I know she writes in English, but her descriptions, characters and settings share a lot of traits with the best South American writers. Velvet is the Night is a noir but it's also a book about historical facts, repression and the impacts of political unrest on the life of common people like Maite or outcast like Elvis. It's a gripping story, a page turner I couldn't put it down and a book that made me learn about a part of Mexican history I didn't know. Maite is not the average noir heroine, a femme fatale who can make things happens with a smile. She's a plain Jane, a dreamer and someone who is trapped in a life she doesn't want but she's unable to change. There are some unlikeable traits but there's also the realistic description of a 30 years old single woman in a Latin country in the 70s. Elvis is an outcast, someone who joined a paramilitary squad as it was his only choice. He's also a dreamer, someone who doesn't like violence and want to improve himself. They will become involved in the search for a woman who disappeared, and they will have to face who wants to protect Leonora's secrets at all costs. It's a slow burning story that takes its time to introduce us to the characters and the political situation. The structure of the book reminded me of Paco Taibo and other South American mystery writer who always creates the atmosphere and introduce the characters before any twists. I was hooked since the first pages and loved what I read, the final twist was unexpected, and I loved it. An excellent read that I strongly recommend. Many thanks to Jo Fletcher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Synopsis: 1970s Mexico City: while student protests and political unrest consume the city, Maite seeks escape from her humdrum life in the stories of passion and danger filling the latest issue of Secret Romance. She is deeply envious of her neighbour, a beautiful art student apparently living the life of excitement and intrigue Maite craves – so when Leonora disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman, journeying deep into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents. But someone else is also looking for Leonora, at the behest of his boss, a shadowy figure who commands goon squads dedicated to squashing political activists. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life: he loathes violence and loves old movies and rock ‘n’ roll. Watching Maite from a distance, he comes to see her as a kindred spirit who shares his love of music and the unspoken loneliness of his heart. As Maite and Elvis come closer to discovering the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, they can no longer escape the dangers threatening to consume their lives, with hitmen, government agents and Russian spies all aiming to find or protect Leonora’s secrets – at gunpoint.

Book page: https://www.jofletcherbooks.com/titles/silvia-moreno-garcia/velvet-was-the-night/9781529417968/

The Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the multi-award-winning author of Mexican Gothic (a New York Times bestseller), Gods of Jade and Shadow (one of Time magazine’s top 100 fantasy novels of all time), among others, The Beautiful Ones, Certain Dark Things and the forthcoming noir thriller Velvet was the Night, She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). Born and brought up in Mexico, she now lives in Vancouver, Canada.

Social Media: Website: https://silviamoreno-garcia.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/silviamg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smorenogarcia/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silviamg.author/

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Priest of Gallows by Peter McLean (War for the Rose Throne #3)

My Review (5*): This is one of my most expected book in 2021 as I’m a huge fan of this series. I fell in love with Priest of Bones and love all the novels in this series, each instalment better than the previous. If you want a cosy fantasy series this is not the right one because it’s gritty and gory. But if you want a gripping, well written and brilliant fantasy series you got it. It’s not easy to summarise my ideas as this was quite a rollercoaster of emotions and I was on the edge till the last page. The author is talented storyteller and the story is told by Tomas Piety, one of my favorite characters of contemporary fantasy. Tomas is complex, ruthless but also very human. He suffers from PTSD and is very loyal to his friends. The arc of the character is very interesting because he started as a gangster and he’s something else at the end of this book but I’m not sure what the future evolution will be. In this novel we move from local politics to high level politics, to a world where everybody can betray you and you’re always at risk. You must choose who you can trust and you must choose how to act. The description of life in Ellinburg are fascinating as they could be related to a lot of historical period. Someone saw elements of the plot as a depiction of some contemporary political regime. I don’t share this idea but i think that the Queen’s Men, they’re hierarchy and how they act  was quite common in the past and could be what’s happening in some authoritarian regimes. This is a digression but, as it happens with any excellent fantasy/sci-fi story, there’s always a thought provoking side. That said I had a lot of fun in reading this gripping story. I loved every moment of it including the most gory part (Peter Mc Lean could give some idea to Marquis De Sade). The world building is as good as always and we learn more about it. I was glad to meet again Bloody Annie and Bill. They’re great character, fleshed out and well written. Character development is excellent. One thing i loved above all: how Tomas’ voice reflected his emotions and his internal turmoil. Last thing: I need to read Priest of Crowns soon, please don’t let me wait for 2 years. I strongly recommend this novel and the entire series. Many thanks to Jo Fletcher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Book Description: Tomas Piety has everything he ever wanted. In public he's a wealthy, highly respected businessman, happily married to a beautiful woman and governor of his home city of Ellinburg. In private, he's no longer a gang lord, head of the Pious Men, but one of the Queen's Men, invisible and officially non-existent, working in secret to protect his country. The queen's sudden death sees him summoned him back to the capital - where he discovers his boss, Dieter Vogel, Provost Marshal of the Queen's Men, is busy tightening his stranglehold on the country. Just as he once fought for his Pious Men, Tomas must now bend all his wit and hard-won wisdom to protect his queen - even when he can't always tell if he's on the right side. Tomas has started to ask himself, what is the price of power? And more importantly, is it one he is willing to pay?

Book Page: https://www.jofletcherbooks.com/titles/peter-mclean/priest-of-gallows/9781529411324/

The Author: Peter McLean was born in London and went to school in the shadow of Norwich Cathedral, where he spent most of his time making up stories. He grew up alternating dingy nightclubs with studying martial arts and practical magic before settling to a career in corporate IT. The noir urban fantasy Burned Man series was followed by the highly acclaimed grimdark fantasy quartet, starting with Priest of Bones, Priest of Lies and Priest of Gallows. The final book about Tomas Piety will be Priest of Crowns

Social Media Link Twitter @PeteMC66 Facebook (@PeterMcLeanAuthor) Website, https://talonwraith.com.

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The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My Review (5*) This is the fourth book I read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and the only common element was her excellent storytelling as each of them was of a different genre (thriller, fantasy, horror, comedy of manners). The Beautiful Ones is a not as exciting as Mexican Gothic but it's an excellent story. I'm a huge fan of Georgette Heyer and I think that this story could have been written by her (this is a compliment). The book is set in fictional European city during the Belle Epoque. The names are French-like so it could be Paris. There's an elite of people that reminded me of Heyer's Ton and the social rules reminded me of some Regency romances: the Season, the husband hunt, the behaviour of a young lady. Nina is a strong willed, clever young woman who has to face this world and try not to be crashed by the social ostracism and people trying to tame her. This is her story but it's also the story of her coming of age and becoming a woman who decides about her destiny. Valerie is the other main female characters. She accepted to be crashed, to marry for money, to become a social icon. I don't like her but I cannot help feeling sorry for her. There's a light fantasy elements and there's plenty of world building and character development. The author excels at both. As this is a comedy of manners there's humour, witty banters and some situations that made me laugh. I loved this story and found it compelling and entertaining. Another excellent book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I strongly recommend it. Many thanks to Jo Fletcher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Book Description: They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail's most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina's chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun and already Nina's debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis: the haphazard manifestations of her powers have long made her the subject of gossip - malicious neighbours even call her the Witch of Oldhouse. But Nina's life is about to change, for there is a new arrival in town: Hector Auvray, the renowned entertainer, who has used his own telekinetic talent to perform for admiring audiences around the world. Nina is dazzled by Hector, for he sees her not as a witch, but ripe with magical potential. Under his tutelage, Nina's talent blossoms - as does her love for the great man. But great romances are for fairy-tales, and Hector is hiding a secret bitter truth from Nina - and himself - that threatens their courtship.

Buy Link: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/silvia-moreno-garcia/the-beautiful-ones/9781529416121/?v2=true

The Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the multi-award-winning author of Mexican Gothic (a New York Times bestseller), Gods of Jade and Shadow (one of Time magazine’s top 100 fantasy novels of all time), among others, The Beautiful Ones, Certain Dark Things and the forthcoming noir thriller Velvet was the Night, She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). Born and brought up in Mexico, she now lives in Vancouver, Canada.

Author page: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/contributor/silvia-moreno-garcia/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/silviamg

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Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

My Review (5*): This book starts slowly and you are slowly hooked to this story that is one of the best horror I read in some times. All the elements of a gothic story are present: the weird family, the isolated and dark mansions, family secrets and a sense of dread that get more intense as you turn pages. And then it becomes a series of nightmare mixed with moments of normality and tenderness while you try to understand if it's Noemi who is dreaming and experiencing terrible visions in her dream or it's the reality and the horror of the reality. I can tell it was not easy to put this book down as I was enthralled and turning pages as fast as I could. The last 20% of the book was a whirlwind of emotions, horror scenes and it left breathless and with a lot of adrenaline in circle. There's also an interesting part about eugenic, race and the dominance of the superior over the inferior. They are well woven into the plot and they play an important part into how things work. I can't find no fault to this book: the atmosphere is dark and fascinating, the characters are well rounded and interesting. Ms Moreno-Garcia is a very talented storyteller and this book is a perfect example of how well she writes. This book made me think of The Turn of the Screw and Dracula as it shares some traits in common with both books. It's not a book for the faint of heart or if you are easily scared. It won't be easy to forget the emotions it made me fell and the great characters. It was an exciting and excellent read that I strongly recommend. Many thanks to Quercus and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The plot: He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me. When glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, it's clear something is desperately amiss. Catalina has always had a flair for the dramatic, but her claims that her husband is poisoning her and her visions of restless ghosts seem remarkable, even for her. Noemí's chic gowns and perfect lipstick are more suited to cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing, but she immediately heads to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is so affecting her cousin. Tough and smart, she possesses an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi's dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family's youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family's past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family's once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to leave this enigmatic house behind . . .

About the author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of Signal to Noise, named one of the best books of 2015 by BuzzFeed and more; Certain Dark Things, a Publishers Weekly top ten; The Beautiful Ones, a fantasy of manners; and the science fiction novella Prime Meridian. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu's Daughters). Born and brought up in Mexico, she now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Silvia is available to write pieces, for interview down-the-line and for features. Follow her on Twitter: @silviamg

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Highfire | Eoin Colfer

My review: (5*)

I don't think I'm ready to let the characters in this story go. I think I need more Vern, Squibb and all the cast of this story.

I had a lot of fun, I rooted for them, laughed at their antics and enjoyed this excellent story.

Mr Colfer is a master storyteller and this book is continuous rollercoaster of ideas, action and twists.

I fell in in love with the story at the first chapter and couldn't stop laughing at idea of a dragon who watches Netflix and like Flashdance t-shirts.

Vern is a great characters and I liked how he evolved in the book, going from hating mens to being friends with some of them. Squibb is also having a great character development and he could have been written by Mark Twain if he was living today.

Hooke is the arch villain that makes you laugh and reminded me of Wile Coyote with his complex plans and the unpredictable results.

The story is not always fast paced, the first part is a long introduction to the characters and to build the relationships and the basis for the action. The second one is a fast paced and a firework of actions. Even if the first one is slower is nonetheless very enjoyable.

The world building is amazing and I appreciated the dragon lore and how the bayou setting was perfect for the plot.

It was an excellent read, engrossing and entertaining: highly recommended.

Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

 The Summary:

Squib Moreau may be swamp-wild, but his intentions are (generally) good: he really wants to be a supportive son to his hard-working momma Elodie. But sometimes life gets in the way - like when Fake Daddy walked out on them leaving a ton of debt, or when crooked Constable Regence Hooke got to thinking pretty Elodie Moreau was just the gal for him . . . 

An apprenticeship with the local moonshine runner, servicing the bayou, looks like the only way to pay off the family debts and maybe get Squib and his momma a place in town, far from Constable Hooke's unwanted courtship and Fake Daddy's reputation. 

Unfortunately for Squib, Hooke has his own eye on that very same stretch of bayou - and neither of them have taken into account the fire-breathing dragon hiding out in the Louisiana swamp . . . 

For Squib Moreau, Regence Hooke and Vern, aka Lord Highfire of Highfire Eyrie, life is never going to be the same again.

 The Author:

Eoin Colfer is the author of the internationally bestselling Artemis Fowl series, which has been translated into over forty languages. A Disney film adaptation will be released in 2019, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Dame Judi Dench. Eoin's books have won numerous awards including The British Children's Book of the Year, The Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year and The German Children's Book of the Year. Born in Ireland, Eoin was educated at Dublin University and qualified as a primary teacher, before turning his hand to writing in 2001. Highfire is his first adult fantasy novel. 

Follow him on Twitter: @EoinColfer

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Lost Acre - Andrew Caldecott

My review: (5*) The last book in a series is often the one that you're looking forward and the one that will not met you expectations. This means that I had high expectations for Last Acre and was afraid to be disappointed. I was wrong, the magic of this series worked again and I think this is the best one in this series. Mr Caldecott style of writing always works a sort of magic that keeps you hooked and turning pages even when you're feeling overwhelmed and overloaded by beauty and the high numbers of characters. You cannot put it down and you cannot read too fast because it's a kind of beauty you have to enjoy slowly. This book, as the other in the series, is complex, multilayered and well developed. There's a lot going on and all the pieces will fall into place in a fast paced and amazing end. As usual the lines between good and bad guys is a bit blurred, this is not one of those fantasy books where there's a quest and the good guys are so good and the bad ones so bad. The cast of characters is well written and there's a lot of character development. The amazing style of writing and the humour are amongst the things that made me love this series. It's a great reading experience, I'm sad to leave Rotherweird and curious about what will be next. Please not that there is no way to read this book as a standalone. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The plot: Geryon Wynter, the brilliant Elizabethan mystic, has achieved resurrection and returned to present-day Rotherweird. But after the chaos of Election Day, how can a stranger from another time wrest control? And for what fell purpose is Wynter back?His dark conspiracy reaches its climax in this unique corner of England, where the study of history is forbidden and neither friend nor foe are quite what they seem.The stakes could not be higher, for at the endgame, not only Rotherweird is under threat. The future of mankind itself hangs in the balance.

(via Lost Acre | Andrew Caldecott | 9781787473768 | NetGalley)

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