Book Review – ‘The Ever After’ by Amanda Hocking

TITLE: The Ever After
AUTHOR: Amanda Hocking
GENRE: YA Fantasy
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 416 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Pan Macmillan Australia on January 12th, 2021
RRP: $17.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking concludes the magical world of the Trylle with The Ever After, the final book in her last Trylle arc.

Nestled along the bluffs of the forested coast lies the secret kingdom of the Omte–a realm filled with wonder…and as many secrets.

The Ever After closes the last trilogy of the long-running Trylle series.

My mind is reeling from the thrilling conclusion to the Omte Origins trilogy, what a rollercoaster ride! The first book was a pretty cozy read that set the scene for new readers, gently ushering us into the Omte universe. Things cranked up a couple notches in book 2 and then all hell broke loose for the finale! The word ‘epic’ barely conveys the grand scale of adventure, disaster and frantic adrenaline that lies in store for you.

Some readers may find the plot slow at the start because the memories of our heroes have been wiped after the end of the previous book, but given that my recollection was hazy and I couldn’t remember what happened, it worked well for me to see Ulla piecing together her experience and filling in the gaps since we last saw these characters. It felt so creepy knowing that they went through a traumatic event which they couldn’t recall, then realizing there is a big threat coming but not knowing precisely what it is creates this riveting tension. I couldn’t turn the page fast enough to see what happened next!

This is a fast-paced action-packed story that combines surprising revelations about character backgrounds and sheds new light on the history of the troll kingdoms with grim and gritty battle scenes, creative expansions on the world-building and bittersweet love and loss. A great wrap-up to a trilogy that has much to offer long-time Trylle fans while functioning as a good entry point to this world for new readers.

Disclaimer: Physical copy provided by publisher free for an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Review – ‘The Good Sister’ by Sally Hepworth

TITLE: The Good Sister
AUTHORS: Sally Hepworth
GENRE: Contemporary, Thriller
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 336 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Pan Macmillan Australia on October 27th, 2020
RRP: $32.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one and Fern is the quirky one. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern’s protector from the time they were small.

Fern needed protecting because their mother was a true sociopath who hid her true nature from the world, and only Rose could see it. Fern always saw the good in everyone. Years ago, Fern did something very, very bad. And Rose has never told a soul. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart’s desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn’t realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping. And that their mother might have the last word after all. 

This was my first time reading Sally Hepworth and I’ve turned into an instant fan thanks to this book! It’s a mesmerizing, tightly plotted domestic thriller that alternates between sweet, heartwarming scenes and then disturbing, uncomfortable moments that jolts the reader out of their complacency.

Book Review – ‘Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares’

TITLE: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares
AUTHORS: Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
GENRE: YA, Contemporary
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 276 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Allen & Unwin on December 1st, 2020
RRP: $19.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

I binge-read this book over the weekend weekend, it’s such a sweet holiday read! 

I love that this is a romance between two bookworms who connect without meeting in person and develop feelings for each other while exchanging notes and dares, it’s the most adorable plotline. Not even remotely realistic, there’s so much that had to go just right for Dash and Lily’s budding romance to flower, but I found it very easy to lose myself in this bibliophile’s wish-fulfillment fantasy. 

Book Review – ‘Defending The Galaxy’ by Maria V. Snyder

TITLE: Defending The Galaxy
AUTHOR: Maria V. Snyder
GENRE: YA, Sci-Fi
WORD/PAGE COUNT: 544 pages
PUBLICATION DETAILS: by Harper Collins Australia on December 2nd, 2020
RRP: $19.99 AUD (paperback)

Blurb from Goodreads:

Year 2522. Oh. My. Stars.

Junior Officer Ara Lawrence here, reporting for duty. Again. It’s situation critical for the security team and everyone in the base – including my parents – with a new attack from the looters imminent, a possible galaxy-wide crime conspiracy and an unstoppable alien threat. But this all pales in the face of my mind-blowing discovery about the Q-net. Of course, no one believes me. I’m not sure I believe me. It could just be a stress-induced delusion. That’s what my parents seem to believe…

Their concern for me is hampering my ability to do my job. I know they love me, but with the Q-net in my corner, I’m the only one who can help the security team beat the shadowy aliens from the pits we discovered. We’re holding them at bay, for now, but the entire Milky Way Galaxy is in danger of being overrun.

With battles on too many fronts, it’s looking dire. But one thing I’ve learned is when people I love are in jeopardy, I’ll never give up trying to save them. Not until my dying breath. Which could very well be today…

First things first, this book has the most stunning cover I’ve ever seen. ❤ I adore the color scheme and composition, so all the awards to whoever designed it! 

As the final entry in the Sentinels of the Galaxy trilogy, this book neatly ties up loose plot threads even as it delves deeper into the mind-blowing revelation from the previous book to create new obstacles and threats. But fear not, everything is tidily wrapped up by the ending which is uplifting and satisfying for fans of this series. If you loved the previous two books, you should find this one to be immensely enjoyable as well.