The Omte Origins Book Three
Check of my Omte Origins reviews here
Written by Amanda Hocking
Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Romance
Published January 12th 2021
416 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
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★★★★☆
Welcome to a world in the shadow of our own, a fairytale land where the dangers are real. In The Ever After, the final book in the Omte Origins trilogy, Amanda Hocking creates an epic adventure in her much loved Trylle universe.
Ulla Tulin has lost a month of memories. Her journey to uncover her past led her to a mysterious sect and a man claiming to be her father. But Ulla's forgotten their reunion and fears something terrible happened. Determined to recall the truth, Ulla risks her life to battle the enchantments that bind her. And she finally opens the bridge to Alfheim, the lost First City.
Ulla knows this will unleash a tide of monstrous creatures upon the Earth. But she also knows she has no choice and must gather a Trylle army in time to face them. Or could her own buried heritage be the key to victory?
Ullaakuut Tulin has returned home, held captivate by the Älvolk and although she scarcely remembers her ordeal, is experiencing the trauma of being tortured. Ulla, her friends and colleagues from the Merellä metropolis searched for the First City, a mythical city beyond the bridge that connects the realms between Ulla's world and those of the ancients.
The Omte Origins series has been a whirlwind adventure, a gentle romance, unlikely and tentative friendships and alliances and I've loved every moment. The reader is first introduced to Ulla as a somewhat naive and unsuspecting young woman. She knows little about the world beyond her village and her kindness and inquisitive nature is completely endearing. Throughout the series, Ulla embarks on a journey to find her family, abandoned as an infant with an elderly couple to raise. Along the way, Ulla begins to rely upon her found family, namely Dagny and Pan and although is determined to search for her parents, it soon becomes apparent that all hell is on the verge of breaking loose and Ulla will find herself faced with impossible decisions, while struggling to remember her capture.
One of my favourite aspects of the series are the reoccurring characters from series' set within the Trylle kingdoms, the series can be read as a standalone but the familiar faces are wonderful. Wendy and Finn from the original Trylle Trilogy and Bryn and Ridley from the brilliant Kanin Chronicles. Each series featuring strong and fearless female characters in positions of power and authority. Although each typically fall in love, these are heroines who don't need a male character to complete them, they're their own saviours.
In the Omte Origins series, we hear more about the origins of the trolls and their Scandinavian heritage, their history tightly woven among the Viking folklore. The mythology and legends of children's fairytales coming to life was beautiful and I hope it might lead the way to future series' set within this magical world.
It's been quite a while since a series has captivated me so entirely and that's one of my favourite aspects of Amanda Hocking's writing. They're entertaining, mesmerising reads. Being back in the Trylle world was lovely and although the Omte Origins series features an entirely new community of troll, characters and storylines, it was comforting to be back in a world I was familiar with. The Ever After, the final Omte Origins instalment is wonderfully adventurous, a beautiful exploration of folklore and culture, of lost cities and found family.
Tenth Anniversary Special Edition
The Iron Fey Book One
Written by Julie Kagawa
Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance, Faeries
464 Pages
Published June 15th 2020
Thank you to Harlequin Australia
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★★★★
My name is Meghan Chase.
In less than twenty four hours, I'll be sixteen. Countless stories, songs and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset.
I don't think it will be that way for me.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan Chase's life, ever since her father disappeared when she was six. Ten years later, when her little brother also goes missing, Meghan learns the truth, she is the secret daughter of a mythical faery king and a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she loves, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.
Enter a fantastical world of dangerous faeries, wicked princes and one half human girl who discovers her entire life is a lie. This special edition of The Iron King includes the bonus novella Winter's Passage and an exclusive excerpt from the new Iron Fey book, The Iron Raven.
Meghan Chase is a wonderful young woman, intelligent and takes the Faery realm in her stride. Whether it's the trauma of her brother being taken or if she's incredibly adaptable, she's a young woman on a mission to retrieve her brother.
The Faery Realm is an intricate society of segregated communities. Assisted by Grimalkin, an intelligent and machiavellian feline, Meghan discovers that she is the estranged daughter of the Summer Court King, a renowned and esteemed monarch, Meaghan becomes a commodity within the tentative alliance between the Summer and Winter Courts. Prince Ashallayn of the Summer Court is intrigued by Meghan's arrival and reluctantly agrees to assist her across the Nevernever to retrieve her brother in exchange for her freedom once Ethan has been rescued.
The attraction between Meghan and Prince Ashallayn is smouldering, a Montague and Capulet romance between monarchs destined to reign and carry the burden of their respective kingdoms. Robin Goodfellow and Prince Ashallayn are adversaries, long before the emergence of the estranged Princess. The group dynamic is intensely exhilarating and along with feline companion Grimalkin, journey to find the Iron King who is believed to be holding Ethan.
The communities of the Nevernever are vibrant, intricate and terrifying, living amongst a beautifully imagined landscape of kingdoms, dark forests and antarctic environments. The Iron King is wonderfully atmospheric. The forest of the Nevernever is decaying, displacing many creatures and members of the isolated and ostracised faery communities. The Iron King absorbing the environment is symbolism for our urban cities, deforestation and a reminder of the importance of sustainability and environmentalism.
The Iron King is a whirlwind adventure, a sizzling romance and an enchanting narrative of family and the ties that bind us.
Once & Future Book Two
Once & Future Review
Written by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
Space Opera, Fantasy, Historical, Retelling, LGBT
368 Pages
Publishing June 16th 2020
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
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★★★★
Once and future collide when Ari, Merlin and the Knights of the Rainbow attempt to steal a magical chalice from Earth's medieval past in order to save humanity's future, irreparably entangling our spaceage heroes with the original King Arthur.Ari plays a risky game of lies and chivalry and Merlin confronts his nemesis, his older self, while all the time they must preserve the time continuum to eventually return to their own future. When the Lady of the Lake interferes, Merlin and Ari realise how much their future has been manipulated by her exquisite machinations of the past. Nin offers a way to release King Arthur's spirit from Ari's body, to end the cruel cycle that keeps them all prisoner and allow them home. But at what cost?This galaxy altering conclusion unravels the dark truth of Merlin's origins and inspires a new hope for the Once & Future universe.
Every generation, the legendary King Arthur is reawakened and for Ari Helix, she's the first female Arthur and destined to become the heroine that previous Arthurs have forsaken. After withstanding the onslaught from the Mercer Corporation, the group of unlikely companions are travelling back to the middle ages, when King Arthur was an adolescent boy courting the effervescent Guinevere in Camelot. It's imperative that the new residents of Camelot adhere to the original tale as they find themselves enacting the roles of Guinevere, the royal knights and Lancelot, King Arthur's champion, in order to pilfer the chalice and ensure that Arthur is placed upon the throne.
Sword in the Stars is a brilliantly diverse and vivacious narrative exploring capitalism and genocide. In the world envisioned by A.R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy, the Arthurian legend blossoms and although Once & Future is a wonderfully entertaining read, Sword of the Stars is a fantastical adventure and superbly written finale. Journeying to the historic Camelot, our characters arrive in the midst of King Arthur courting Guinevere, the young King besotted with Gwen who is fatigued and heavily pregnant. Ari gallantly arrives on horseback, assuming the role of Lancelot, the King's champion and who was rumoured to have romanced Guinevere, befalling the young King and Kingdom. Merlin arrives in Camelot rapidly aging in reverse, he must avoid the senior and forbidding Merlin who exists in this world, Merlin being an advisor to a young Arthur.
Britannia Camelot is a lively and spirited community, intrigued by knight Lamarack. Lamarack is genderfluid, using they / them pronouns and polyamorous. They see the beauty of the Arthurian legend and Camelot and although the Britannia kingdom appears to be conservative, the community are surprisingly accepting and receptive of gender identities and sexuality through their fondness of the treasured Lamarack. Although Lamarack has adapted wonderfully, Jordan is seething and incredibly uncomfortable in her lavish garments. Masquerading as the gallant knight Lancelot and to conceal her gender, Ari binds her breasts.
The Once & Future duology demolishes gender stereotypes and celebrates sexual and gender diversity throughout the narration of own voices authors. Simply superb!
The Omte Origins Book One
Written by Amanda Hocking
Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Romance
Published July 14th 2020
384 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia
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★★★★☆
Can she unlock the secrets of her past?
Ulla Tulin was abandoned in an isolated Kanin town as a baby. Taken in by strangers and raised hidden away like many of her kind, she has never stopped searching for her parents, or wondering about them.
When Ulla hears of a project designed to help those like her, in the beautiful city of Merellä, she seizes the chance to discover her true heritage. She enlists the help of Pan Soriano, who is both handsome and resourceful, a half human with telekinesis powers. And she must also contend with Eliana, a mysterious girl who claims she's being pursued. Though Ulla suspects there's rather more to the story.
Ulla and Pan work to unravel the truth about themselves and Eliana. But in the process, they realize that someone or something, is determined to stop them. And they face a force that will do anything to keep certain secrets.
On the way to Merellä, she reluctantly agrees to escort Hanna, a sullen teenager who will be staying with her grandparents while Ulla is away but Hanna has other plans and the two journey to Merellä until Hanna's parents can collect their stowaway. Hanna bakes up a storm while Ulla and Dagny, her roommate, are at work and a few pages may now be crinkly from drooling. Hanna is such a lovely and vibrant character, her enthusiasm for life is infectious and I hope she'll also play a part in future installments or perhaps her own series.
The secondary characters are wonderfully vibrant. Panuk was born to a human mother and unknown father from the Kanin, a researcher at the Mimirin and Peurojen by night, an Elk shepherd. Dagny is Ulla's new housemate, a candid and detached assistant troglecologist researching the biology of the troll kingdoms and communities. Dagny is brilliant, I loved her no nonsense approach to life, including Ulla's mission to find her identity. Eliana is an interesting character. She's also a troll but with chameleon like abilities, wildly acrobatic and has absolutely no idea who she is or why she's travelled to Merellä. Dagny was more interested in solving the mystery of Eliana than Ulla's and it added a mysterious element to the storyline that I really enjoyed unravelling.
Welcome to a world in the shadow of our own, a fairy tale land where the dangers are real. In this second book in the Omte Origins trilogy, Amanda Hocking creates a new adventure in her much loved Trylle universe.
Will she finally discover her true home?
In the beautiful city of Merellä, Ulla, Pan and Eliana made an incredible discovery. Determined to learn more, they embark on a quest that takes them across the world, to find an ancient city that may hold the key to Ulla's heritage. But powerful enemies are close behind and they're catching up fast.
While Ulla and Pan race to unlock the past, they discover an earth-shattering secret. This will challenge everything they thought they knew about the troll world. And Eliana must make a difficult choice, with far reaching consequences. As their enemies draw closer, even the strongest bonds of friendship will be tested. But will they break at last?
Written by L.C. Rosen
Contemporary, Romance, LGBT
Published July 2nd 2020
384 Pages
Thank you to Penguin Books Australia
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★★★★☆
Sixteen year old Randy Kapplehoff loves spending the summer at Camp Outland, a camp for queer teens. It's where he met his best friends. It's where he takes to the stage in the big musical. And it's where he fell for Hudson Aaronson Lim, who's only into straight acting guys and barely knows not at all straight acting Randy even exists.
This year, though, it's going to be different. Randy has reinvented himself as Del, buff, masculine and on the market. Even if it means giving up show tunes, nail polish and his unicorn bedsheets, he's determined to get Hudson to fall for him.
But as he and Hudson grow closer, Randy has to ask himself how much is he willing to change for love. And is it really love anyway, if Hudson doesn't know who he truly is?
Camp Outland is a wonderfully supportive environment and employs predominately queer counsellors and team members, understanding the issues facing queer teens. I imagine that many queer teens who are facing upheaval and adversity in their lives would benefit from having someone to talk to who understands and has been through similar experiences and it was a lovely touch to see the camp adults interacting with campers so positively and compassionately. The counsellors arrange activities so the campers don't have many opportunities to get it on but are incredibly sex positive and well aware that large groups of teens are going to get frisky and encourage safe sex, even providing protection for those hooking up. It's just another aspect of L.C. Rosen's novels that I absolutely love, acknowledging that some teens are sexually active and consent and education on being safe are so incredibly important.
Although Camp is a hilariously fun read, it also discusses toxic masculinity, prejudice, self esteem and mental health, both Randy and Hudson express feelings of isolation and feelings of erasure as both young men feel they need to conceal their identities to be accepted by straight, often queerphobic society. It highlights the need to create inclusiveness within our communities and as allies, to boost voices within the queer community to educate and spread awareness.
It was absolutely brilliant! L.C. Rosen is a remarkable author creating brilliantly entertaining queer young adult novels with heart and a side of jazz hands. Superb!
Written by Jenna Guillaume
Contemporary, Friendship, Romance
Publishing August 11th 2020
336 Pages
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley
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★★★★★
The day I created a boy started out like any other.
Katie didn't mean to create a boy. A boy like a long lost Hemsworth brother. Six foot tall with floppy hair and eyes like the sky on a clear summer's day, whose lips taste like cookie dough and whose skin smells like springtime.
A boy who is completely devoted to Katie.
He was meant to be perfect.
But he was never meant to exist.
The Start of Me and You Book Two
Written by Emery Lord
Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Published March 31st 2020
400 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
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★★★☆
It's senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions.
Feeling the weight of the rest of her life Paige starts to panic. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be, how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to life after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?
Emery Lord's signature storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life's most important questions. There will be break ups, make ups, a road trip, and even a wedding. Through it all, can Paige figure out what happens in the after part of happily ever after?
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.
If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.
There are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger, a boy who seems to fade like smoke, appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Fear is a strange thing, he used to say. It has the power to make people close their eyes, turn away. Nothing good grows out of fear.
The trees all whisper, leaves gossiping. The stones are heavy thinkers, the sullen silent types. He used to make up stories for everything in nature, giving it all voices, lives. If the moor wind ever sings, you mustn’t listen, not with all of your ears. Use only the edges. Listen the way you’d look out the corners of your eyes. The wind is lonely, love, and always looking for company.
The Near Witch is enigmatic and enchanting, immersed in mesmerising folklore of a small village community. The lyrical prose is unequivocally captivating.