stitchsaddiction's reviews
1174 reviews

The October Witches features two sides of a family the Merlyns and the Morgans which had me chuckling when I saw this book for the spooky season.

I thought the idea of witches only having access to magic for just one month a year was an interesting one and one that I hadn't ever seen before. There's also the idea of how magic, no matter how long you have it comes with the responsibilities and expectations that can often feel heavy and our main character Clemmie feels overwhelmed as October first arrives with the chiming of the clock. Whilst not magic, this is something readers both young and old may relate to when facing a new responsibility. 

I liked the realities of Clemmie's life - she's only twelve and magic is something she's got no personal experience of and is learning as she goes which often means she has no idea what to do. I liked that this meant she's just a girl with magic, it doesn't make her invincible like can happen in other books. It's a unique take on the magical experience and life for fictional witches - we often have the new-to-magic witch or the incapable one but it's rare to get the wary albeit curious one and Clemmie's wonderful for just being a child and having natural reactions to the chaos around her.

I did struggle to keep up with the plethora of aunts in the Merlyn family (and Morgan too) because they're all chaotic and sometimes it's easy to forget who is doing what which is necessary. What is good is the distinctive differences between the two matriarchal families, and whilst other readers may disagree, the calmer Morgan family did appeal because you can almost hear the cacophony of the Merlyn family when reading.

A pet hate is the usage of 'young hag' - I don't know why but it made me wince, there are other less harsh names for witches. But it's a minor and personal dislike and some readers may giggle instead. I do love how the younger characters are themselves unique, and their reactions to circumstances are very accurate for their age from the silent tantrums, to the refusal to get up and the sarcasm that goes over the heads of their elders and I giggled a few times as I could imagine my children acting that way.

This is a great book for the season, with the aforementioned plot of being denied their rite and sense of being. I wished for more magic, and I think the children reading would lie to see it too but it also has you wondering what else they're capable of.

If able, have a hot chocolate, and a warm blanket and drift away into chaos (or be thrown in) to Clemmie's life as the youngest witch in a coven of Chaos.

Skye McKenna may have written this series for middle-grade readers but I'm happy to say I love to curl up with a cup of tea and enjoy the innocent joy these books filled with magic and mystery bring me. It takes me back to the happiness I found with the Worst Witch books and similar gave me. 

If your reader enjoys Nevermoor, then they're going to love these because McKenna brings so much life to the fictional world of Hedgely and the witches and magical beings that live there. I love how book two draws you back into the world smoothly from how we left Cassie and her friends behind. For anyone who may struggle with recollecting what came in book one, the characters jog the readers memory by bringing up key events which I thought was genius.

Woodwitch gives the reader everything and once again Skye McKenna will have you unwilling to put the book down. There's the wonder of magic, the joy and strength found in friendship and the mystery of what lingers still beyond the Hedge and in the wood where all sorts of magical beings linger both good and bad. There's also a more hard and mature element of the vulnerability found in fearing you're alone or the possibility of being left behind. 

The story itself is engaging as I said, the twists and turns of the adventure Cassie is once again thrust into and often ones you don't catch onto and I loved it. These to me are new classics in the making and many young readers will love them, and what adds to that feeling, is the stunning pen and ink style artwork that appears throughout the book alongside the map of Hedgely. Every book that needs it, should have a map because they're often so beautifully done and this one is no exception.

I have a feeling Cassie and her friends will face more chaos in the upcoming Seawitch because I didn't see the outcome of this one for a fair bit and how Skye McKenna weaves these little details together is mesmerising to read and realise.

Keys and Shadows is a retelling of Greek Mythology which highlights other elements of the mythical world with witches and their counterparts, Witch Slayers alongside other magical beings.

Described as a Hades and Persephone retelling, I was immediately intrigued because to me of all the couples from Greek Mythology, I think they're the two whose lives have remained relatable and engaging through the ages. However, I don't think this quite hit the mark as a retelling although the author does take things from the stories with the Uhderworld, Elysium, Tartarus, and Asphodel which to me are a necessity to the story of Hades and his Goddess of Spring and Nature. There's also Cerberus who is given their unique spin which was well done, albeit threw me for a moment. I welcome every new look on these legends and the author gives us that.

Keys and Shadows is a good story, my only issue was that it felt like it took a little too long to get going for the first book in a series. I'd got to over halfway and was wondering just when we would enter Hades's dominion of the Underworld or however, Wohlen would bring it to life for us all. There were also times were I had to go back and double-check things because I'd get confused which can be frustrating, especially in a fantasy book. 

Althea, our female lead is a caffeine addict who alongside her Aunt, owns what seems like the perfect book store. I loved her rapport with Rian and her determination to remain independent even in the unknown however, I struggled to connect with her because she's often frustrating and contradicts herself throughout the book. I confess, I sometimes hoped she'd accidentally end up in the Styxx because she irritated me one too many times.  I think instead, I'd have welcomed more from Rian and his point of view to give more balance.

What the author excels with is the world-building and ability to breathe in her vision for a well-established place that is the land of the dead and the journey one takes to get there. You can see both her world and Rian's come to life which is a must in fantasy.

I enjoyed the concept, but it took just a little too long to get going for me, and if you're focused heavily on the retelling of these infamous deities? Keys and Shadows may not hit the mark for you. I'm hoping book two will be a little faster and we will see the characters grow because the reader is left on a cliff edge with book one.

When I heard about Nazima Pathan’s magical debut Dream Hunters takes place in a reimagined India where dreams can be captured and bottled. I was drawn back to my childhood and the love I had for Dahl's BFG – because who doesn’t love the idea of the wonderful dreams we have been given to experience?

Pathan takes the idea of bottled dreams up a notch however, and I loved how they were more than just dreams but something to be used in a form of currency or bargaining chip. With that, they’re also a commodity that can be used against people and that’s what happens in Dream Hunters.

The world-building we do have is wonderful, though I kind of wish there had been more of the almost ethereal beauty of the history of Mumbai etcetera even with the reality of poverty in both the fictional and reality of the city and those around it to show how the street children we encounter survive. Even in fantasy, not everything is perfect and children may not comprehend what Rafi, one of the main characters has endured.

The magical elements are so well done, from the schooling about dreams that we get glimpses of, to the way these dreams are caught, and then used by the populace. It will have many a child wondering if they too may have one of these dreams brought to them – but hopefully not the awful nightmares!

There’s adventure, and enough mystery to keep a reader or perhaps listener if this is a bedtime read. Captivated and eager to find out if Mimi, Rafi and their magical companions can save the day. Additionally, the gorgeous artwork throughout the book weaves this tale together – I always love it when books have sporadic artwork, can they bring it into adult books more, please?

This is a wonderful book and a unique spin on the idea of dreams and I look forward to seeing what else comes from Nazima Pathan’s dreams in their next book.

A Lady Most Intrigued is a wonderful story that I loved and read far too quickly because it was that good. This time, we have a tale that is based around The Frog Prince.

Set in an English mill town during the Regency era, Ward successfully brings that world to life – one many of us in England will have learnt about in school. We encounter Hannah Sheppard, daughter of the mill owner who feels misplaced in her society-driven world, and John Ingham who has a loyalty to his family and whilst accepting of his place in the world also seems as though he doesn’t quite fit. Both are the metaphorical square pegs in the story – not ever quite fitting into where they are to be.

I loved them both, and how they meet is right out of a classic romance and from that moment the two are drawn to one another. The other characters in the story give depth to A Lady Most Intrigued, from James, who works with John and voices the realities of how hard millwork was and how hard they tried to fight for safety and health for all with strikes across whole towns of England, to Millie the quiet sister of James whose cough and ill-health is a harsh reminder that cotton items came at a horrific cough.

‘...I work at a cotton mill where it snows every day.’

Then there’s Lady  Catherine who only cares about her wealth, place in society and whilst aware of what she does to others. Sees them as items to replace and inconveniences which is unfortunately historically correct, and I found Ward’s acknowledgement in this story of the bad elements of the time and setting despite it being fictional and a love story.

The romance is gentle, and the connection between Hannah and John is tangible. Seeing their story unfold is sweet, but it’s the mystery the two have to unravel that had me unable to place the book down. Each string of the mystery is well done and takes both the reader and the couple onto the next in a captivating manner. 

I loved this one, and this series is so good as each author gives us a unique spin on the infamous tales the Grimm brothers collated. I also loved that the Grimm story this is spun from is mentioned in A Lady Most Intrigued which had me smiling.

Wow! 

The sequel to The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is as sensational as you would have imagined it to be. The reader is thrust back into the aftermath of everything that had gone wrong in the first book, and you’re immediately wondering just how bad things are going to get for Teo, Niya and Aurelio as they attempt to save the world.
The world- building is again, lush and the unique elements from the landscape to the various mortals the trio encounter add to the visualisation of them travelling from city to city.

I really liked that we get the story from the perspective of Teo and Xio, so it is the light and the dark side of what is happening as the Obsidian Gods strive to take over everything. Xio’s perspective adds a complexity to Celestial Monsters as they’re facing the realities of getting what you wanted, and how there is a vast difference between reality and expectation. Teo has also grown so much since we first met him and his maturity shows as he must lead his friends through the unknown; yet he is also the typical teenager because he’s craving a decent sleep, and the familiarity of home and its routine. Aurelio and Niya are wonderful support system for Teo and provide a balance as Aurelio is often quieter and more thoughtful and Niya is loud and filled with the exuberance of life, which is both sweet, but also for Teo at times, hard for him to calm so they can move onward safely.

Celestial Monsters is the perfect sequel, I loved how we have so much more of the focus being on the semidioses rather than their parents and whilst we don’t see too much of the captive ones, they do appear, and I thought the concept of them being weakened worked so well to show that at the end of the day? They’re still children who are trying to the best and these supposed heroes have many flaws and weaknesses after all – much to their surprise in some cases.  I didn’t want to put the book down, nor did I wan it to end as it was just that good and whilst the story is wrapped up so well, I do wish we could return to the world of The Sunbearer again one day.
Once again, the inclusivity of Celestial Monsters is written with thought, and I love how we have a trans character as the main character in Teo as well as Xio who like me uses they/them pronouns. Having queer representation, and especially trans/nonbinary representation is so wonderful and refreshing to see.

A Lady Most Fitting is a novella set in the Regency era that's based around the fairy tale, the Elves and the Shoemaker which is one of my favourites from childhood.

I loved this story set in the quaint countryside with characters you can well imagine were acquaintances of Austen's favourites. Sienna Peake brings this era to life in a scintillating manner, you can almost smell the leather and fabric in the shoemakers' store, or the scent of flowers in the fields we find Charlotte Linfield and the charming Philip Notley may be found walking.

Not only is the world-building done in a manner that honours the skills of those who have lived and written during this era? But the characters are written in such a manner that they come to life and their individual characteristics ensure no one feels one-dimensional. I loved the nod to the story with elements of 'magic' between the two main characters.. our Elf and his Fairy are adorable even when they don't mean to be and I loved it. This balances so perfectly with the realities of class in this era of English history and how snobbery and misogyny come into play and once more, Peake writes these moments with a gentle but honest hand. 

This is a really good story, that's perfect for anyone who has a little bit of magic in their heart and a great introduction to the series.

Worth Every Penny is a billionaire romance that adds a little mystery and trouble to the mix and I was there for it.

Rae Ryder's debut has you caught from the first page and you're left at the final sentence wishing book two was resting at your side. The characters are well thought out, they bring depth to the storyline and I loved that it was set in the UK. Having areas that we know in books just helps bring them to life, and in this particular genre of romance, there is a distinct shortage of English characters - if they can be the villain, why can't they also be the hero?

Well, Nico is a bit of both but don't we all enjoy the little bit of protecting someone with all you have? 

The chemistry between the two main characters, Nico and Kate is sublime and the tension palpable. They have a background that's explained so well that it doesn't overwhelm and it's also one that's believable. I loved them, especially Kate who is fierce and loyal to a fault - she's far from a pushover and again? That's always good to see in romance novels, I'm not one for the weak little woman shtick.

Not only do we have Nico and Kate, but there are excellent background characters to have their storyline that doesn't take anything away from the duo but has the reader captivated. I wanted to know more because Ryder has ensured the reader feels as though they're in this story with the characters and I loved it.

If you're a fan of romance, with a male lead whose world is turned on its head and a beautiful female who is strong and vivacious? Worth Every Penny is for you.