Book Review: 'A Breath of Frost' by Alyxandra Harvey

For Emma and her cousins, life in Regency London is a whirlwind of lavish balls and dashing suitors. But, unlike other girls, they are not longing for marriage. A spell has been broken, a debutante lies dead at Emma's feet, frost clinging to her lifeless body, and a bright light is being cast into the cousins shadowy past. Now the girls must embrace the true Lovegrove Legacy - even if that means risking their own lives. Although, Cormac Fairfax, a member of the Order of the Iron Nail wants to help Emma, and she can't explain why.

 

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'A Breath of Frost' was a gorgeously-gothic and gripping novel, set in Regency London, filled with witchery, warlocks, spells and secrets . Admittedly, I was hesitant when I initially picked up this book. Not only had it come in the post without me realising I was receiving Alyxandra Harvey's latest, but it is nearly five-hundred pages long, and has quite a small-font. Reading the blurb, it sounded intriguing, although I was expecting to find yet another fantasy novel that focuses mainly on the romance, rather than the mythical-creatures and magic. I was proved wrong, despite a slow-start in the first few chapters. I adored this read, that combined multiple genres: fantasy, historical and romance, and still managed to have humour and wit. As a fan of Sarah J. Maas' 'Throne of Glass', this was perfect to curl-up to with the wintry-weather outside, and people who love the style of Cassandra Clare need to pick this up!

Historical-fans, just like myself, are going to be championing this new trilogy. Regency London is intricately described: a world full of balls, seasons and finishing school. Add some magic to that, it's an extremely-detailed tale, where you soon realise things are not safe. Harvey's writing is so stylish, I was envious of her pen and prose, the way she had the ability to create a set of mythical creatures, familiars, and make all of her main-characters feel real. Emma Day, and her cousins Penelope and Gretchen have a heart-warming friendship, and it's refreshing to see such a bond between literary-characters. They have clear personalities and traits, this is not a book where you have to flick back a few pages to find out who's perspective you are reading from or who's talking, it's clear from their personalities. You will never have as much fun reading about these girls; whether that's when Gretchen is arguing with her mother, or Penelope is reciting Shakespeare.

Emma Day should be applauded for her determination as she's not one to phase easily. Even when she realises she has antlers on her head! She's got a feisty-personality that really helps to drive this plot, along with the fact she is extremely strong-willed. Penelope and Gretchen's friendship with Emma made possibly my favourite fictional-friendship - Gretchen's rebellious side makes her easily loveable, in a way where she is completely out-of-place at the balls that come with being a debutante. She hides in libraries - so, I must ask, can I character be anymore relatable? Penelope is sophisticated, smart and a person that connects with the reader. Cormac Fairfax, our love-interest, surprisingly has many-layers, a backstory you want to know, and reasons for his choices. Harvey doesn't just create the typical boy that all young girls will want to read about. Sometimes though, he does coincidentally turn-up, rather than Emma sorting through a problem.

 

From suspicions raised by the Order, to discovering what Emma's mother did, and finding Greymalkin warlocks, this is not a book you can read at night! What it is though is an enjoyable and exciting blend of genres. The familiars, the spells, the family-history - there are answers to most of your questions. There are gargoyles lurking everywhere, Madcaps on rooftops, spells being broken.

 

Of course, I'll say I didn't turn the first page and love it. It was quite slow to begin with, and hard to slip-into, and the writing was repetitive with some of the sentences and phrases. It is not too long but, more action in places would have improved the parts where I felt that my mind was drifting elsewhere.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for providing me with this review-copy. This in no way affected my opinion on the book.

Four Stars to the Cousins.

 

 

 

Book Review: Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

 

There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.

This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.

There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.

These people are dangerous.

And wanted. Desperately wanted.

Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.

But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...

Synopsis from Goodreads

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Fearsome Dreamer was one of the best Fantasy/Dystopia novels I have read this year! It has a hugely ambitious, and imaginative concept, with interesting characters and excitement. The world-itself was something that, despite sounding complicated in the initial few pages, I soon immersed myself in. Through the eyes of our three main protagonists, World and Angle Tar, were opened-up, and I thought this was a brilliant debut! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book to loose themselves in this Winter!

 

In simple terms, I wanted to spend all-day just sitting and reading this book. The writing was beautifully-descriptive and moved-the-plot along effortlessly. Eve wrote from three narratives, those of: Vela Rue, White and Frith, all with completely different voices and personalities. Vela Rue has had strange dreams all her life - and had a fiery personality, that could even be a little hot-headed. I loved reading from Rue's perspective - even in those moments she was insecure, and in those where she knew she had something special. White - when I said 'interesting characters' it doesn't come close to describing him. His personality changes with what he experiences - sometimes he comes across cold and blunt - other times you get to see him lost and struggling. He had so many layers - and complicated would be an understatement when describing him.  There was also a man called Frith - he was intriguing, to say the least. You  know there is something-else, something about him that is hidden, and the characters know this too. Yet, he is who they confide in. Eve certainly knows how to keep us turning-the-pages!

The world-building was detailed and descriptive; endlessly making us ask more questions and want to know more. Everything Rue and White know, it's not the truth. There is more to what Eve has created than what meets the eye. When I first picked up this book, I was expecting it to be good, but it beat my expectations. Plot-wise, it's gripping! You are constantly finding out more and never really know where it will go next. There are sub-plots too - all of which you are able to follow, with no confusion. The only reason this is not a five-star is because I felt there were some moments when the tension fell, but only for a few pages.

 

There is one part of this novel I thought was so wise on Laure's behalf; the concept of Life. People in World jack into Life - which basically means they were living in a fictional, made-up place, that was so much better than reality. Inside Life, the streets that are grey and with hardly-any-life in reality, are  colourful and bright. The reason I connected with his book so much, is because, I could how Life could be our future. Underneath the Talent that Rue and White possess, underneath the secrets and shocks, underneath all of that, was a World not-so-far from our own. A future that could easily be ours. Every aspect of 'Feasome Dreamer' was so well-thought-out and all of the detail, worked. I've read books where it can be too much to comprehend, but for Eve, it all comes-together.

I, for one, have always been interested in dreams but, this novel takes that interest to a level where I'm already waiting for the sequel!

 

Pick up this book - or your missing out!