I Read, Therefore I Blog

The Blurb On The Back:

While hiking, Rhi discovers four young women living wild and guarded by wolves. The girls tell her that they are lost princesses raised by a man called Mother.

Shocked, Rhi takes them to hospital, all the while haunted by memories of her family trauma. Surely, the girls have been abducted, misled or abused? Yet she can see a bond between them that blurs fantasy and reality.

As media hysteria surrounding the young women grows, Rhi comes to a decision that will change all of their lives forever.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Madeline Claire Franklin’s debut YA novel maintains a satisfying ambiguity between its contemporary and fantasy elements in a way that’s mature without feeling like a cop out. Character-driven, it deals sensitively with the difficult topic of abuse (trigger warning for cannibalism) and combines it with themes of found family and survivorship. This is one of the strongest YA debuts I’ve read and I look forward to reading Franklin’s next book.

THE WILDERNESS OF GIRLS was released in the United Kingdom on 2 January 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Venture into the world of Alexandre Dumas as you’ve never seen it before, where pirates rule the high seas and vampires lurk on land …

Morgane grew up at sea, daughter of the fierce pirate captain of the Vengeance, raised to follow in her footsteps as scourge of the Four Chains Trading Company. But when Anna-Marie is mortally wounded in battle, she confesses to Morgane that she is not her mother.

The captain of the enemy ship reveals he was paid to kill Anna-Marie and bring Morgan home to France and her real family. Desperate to learn the truth about her lineage, Morgane spares him, leaving the Vengeance and everything she knows behind.

Her quest reveals a world of decadence and darkness, in which monsters view for control of royal courts and destinies of nations. She discovers the bloody secrets of the Four Chains Trading Company, and the truth about her real mother’s death, nearly twenty years before …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Emma Newman’s fantasy novel (the first in a trilogy) is a sapphic romp featuring vampires, werewolves and pirates but while there’s fun to be had with Morgane’s ignorance of social mores and colourful swearing, Morgane is one of those annoying characters who doesn’t ask questions and rushes into things without thinking. The plot is uneven, the antagonist two-dimensional and Lisette an insipid love interest whose introduction comes too late.

THE VENGEANCE was released in the United Kingdom on 8 May 2025 and in the United States in 6 May 2025. Thanks to Solaris Books for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

On the misty streets of Shelwich, a strange magic rises and falls with the Tide …

When the waves are out, the magic is only a murmur, but when the water is high, anything can happen - and people have started to disappear. Rumour has it they are being snatched by monsters, but Ista Flit doesn’t want to believe that. Not when her own father is among the missing.

And Ista is a face-changer, able to take on the appearance of anyone she’s seen, making her the perfect detective. Teaming up with unexpected allies Nat and Ruby, who have both lost family too, Ista must delve into the hidden caverns beneath Shelwich to find her father before it’s too late …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Clare Harlow’s debut fantasy novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a series and beautifully illustrated by James Mountford) is a vividly imagined, enjoyable story with solid characterisation, a great sense of place and an interesting plot. Itsa is a well drawn and driven protagonist uncomfortable with having to trust Nat and Ruby. The fantasy elements are thought-through and the cliff hanger ending ensures I’ll read the sequel.

TIDEMAGIC: THE MANY FACES OF ISTA FLIT was released in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2025. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

First they killed my father.
Then they threatened my family.
Now I’m coming for them.

Aihui Ying’s life is viciously torn apart when her father is killed by a masked assassin. Left with only his journal and a jade pendant snatched from his killer, she vows to take her revenge.

Seeking answers, King infiltrates the prestigious Engineers Guild - the ancient institution home to her father’s secret past. With the help of an unlikely ally - Aogiya Ye-yang, the nation’s cold but distractingly handsome prince - she begins to navigate a world fraught with politics and treachery.

Soon though, Ying’s quest for vengeance turns into a fight for survival and she’ll have to stay one step ahead of everyone … if she’s to make it out alive.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Amber Chen’s Chinese-inspired YA fantasy (the first in a duology) has interesting world-building and I liked the focus on engineering. However the pacing is inconsistent (especially in the final quarter), the plot relies heavily on things happening to Ying rather than her agency and her romance with Ye-yang is unconvincing, in part because Ye-yang is under-drawn as a character. That said, the ending is interesting and I would read the sequel.

OF JADE AND DRAGONS was released in the United Kingdom on 20th June 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

ALEX ALWAYS is a normal, everyday kid living in a normal, everyday city …

AXEL STORMWARD is a monster-slaying hero living in a world of magic.

But all that’s about to change …

When the two boys magically swap places, needy nerd Alex is thrust into an epic quest to save the world of Aërth.

Meanwhile, sword-singing Axel is faced with double maths, a gran who’s six months behind on the rent, and a crucial chess tournament he’s got to win - when he doesn’t even know how to play.

Can the boys complete their Impossible Quests and find a way back to their own lives, or will they discover they don’t have a life to come back to?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sam Copeland’s humorous fantasy novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a series) has some genuine laugh-out-loud moments and gleefully subverts a number of the fantasy cliches. Although I think Alex has more depth than Axel and some of the resolutions to plot difficulties were too pat, there are also some genuinely moving moments and I enjoyed the adventure such that I would definitely read the sequel.

ALEX -VS- AXEL: THE IMPOSSIBLE QUESTS was released in the United Kingdom on 2nd May 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Progrmme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

All hail the Girl King

Sisters Lu and Min have always understood their places as princesses of the Empire. Lu knows she is destined to become the dynasty’s first female ruler, while Min is resigned to a life in her shadow. Then their father declares their male cousinSet the heir instead - a betrayal that sends the sisters down two very different paths.

Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu goes on the run. She’ll need an army to win back the throne.

Alone in a volatile court, Min’s hidden power awakens - a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set’s reign … or allow Min to claim the throne herself.

The battle for the Empire has begun.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Mimi Yu’s debut YA fantasy (the first in a duology) draws on Asian history and mythology to create an interesting world with various factions, each with their own objectives and methods. However while I enjoyed the aesthetics, the story itself of sibling rivalry and power hungry antagonists is all a bit underbaked with Min in particular being underdeveloped despite being a viewpoint character and the inevitable YA love triangle left me bored.

Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Take on the story quest alongside Ash and Pikachu in this interactive adventure!

Ash and Pikachu are on the hunt for a mysterious Pokémon. Lillie is searching for her lost dad. What will they find in this twisty tale? Complete the picture puzzles, word games and trivia challenges to figure out where the story will take you next.

You’ll need your Pokémon Master skills to finish the story and discover who will be the Hometown Hero!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

This tie-in book for readers aged 7+ incorporates Pokémon themed puzzles with two interlinked stories. Some of the puzzles assume that you know a lot about Pokémon already not least because you don’t get any explanation for the world, characters or different Pokémon here. The stories themselves are okay, although there’s a lot of repetition in the dialogue and not enough action for me. If you have a young Pokémon fan then they will love it.

POKÉMON STORY QUEST - HOMETOWN HERO was released in the United Kingdom on 4th January 2024. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Lily Grim’s life is a mystery.

She’s lived with her guardian, Gabriel, in the city of Undone for as long as she can remember. It’s a dark and dangerous place, especially if you’re an Other like they are.

When the cruel Master of the city suddenly captures Gabriel, Lily has to escape. She’s hidden by an Other boy called Dekka, who knows that Lily is in grave danger. The Master seems to want her dead - but why?

Can Lily unravel the mystery of who she is?

And can the new friends rescue Gabriel before it’s too late?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Andy Ruffell’s debut fantasy novel for readers aged 9+ sensitively addresses the serious theme about how fear and hatred are used to turn people against each other. However the plot is predictable, the villain is under-developed with non-sensical motives, Lily’s super powers develop too quickly and feel unearned and Ruffell bottles a character death in a way that feels cheap. It’s not a bad book, but I wouldn’t rush to read a sequel.

LILY GRIM AND THE CITY OF UNDONE was released in the United Kingdom on 11th May 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

An assassin, a soldier, a prince … And a deadly game of power

When Darling Seabreak’s family were murdered by the ruthless House Dragon, she swore she’d get revenge. And first to die will be their bloodthirsty war general, Talon Goldhoard.

Talon Goldhoard will defend his family at any cost. So when he meets Darling - a ferocious girl who looks exactly like the one his brother, the High Prince Caspian, has painted obsessively for years - Talon is instantly on his guard.

Neither could have anticipated the thrilling chaos they will bring to the other’s life. With their world catching fire around them, they must navigate betrayal, prophecy - and love.

This is a game where nobody knows the rules, and everything is to play for.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland’s YA fantasy romance (the first in a series) is a solidly constructed enemies-to-lovers story with thoughtful (if generic) world building including an interesting mythology based around magical beasts. However the pacing, for me, was uneven with the authors focusing largely on set-up so that the story doesn’t really get going until the final quarter, although it does set up an intriguing premise for the sequel.

CHAOS AND FLAME was released in the United Kingdom on 30th March 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Join Sparkle the unicorn and all your favourite characters from the Land of Nod in this TEN MINUTES TO BED LITTLE LIBRARY!

Meet all your favourite bedtimes friends in this Little Library. Perfect for younger readers, each chunky book will keep little hands occupied at home or on the move. And once you’ve enjoyed the stories, the four books come together to create a TEN MINUTES TO BED jigsaw!

Packed with colourful illustrations and fun rhyming interactions to the characters, this Little Library might just be too much fun for bedtime!

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton’s Little Library of 4 board books for very young readers is a cute affair with each book being the perfect size for little hands. I wasn’t impressed with the jigsaw puzzle element (which I think will confuse very young readers) and I preferred the illustrations to the rhymes (which try too hard for me) but young readers will enjoy them and parents will be grateful for the message of going to sleep.

TEN MINUTES TO BED LITTLE LIBRARY was released in the United Kingdom on 27th April 2023. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the review copy of this book.