Candyfloss & Dreams

Tag: reading challenge 2019

  • The Wicked King Book Review 4/52

    The Wicked King by Holly Black is the second book in the Folk of The Air series and is the surprising and enjoyable sequel to The Cruel Prince. It came out in January 2019 in Hardback and Audiobook and I’ve just finished it.

    The Wicked King follows around four months after the end of The Cruel Prince and is told from the perspective of mortal girl Jude who has been brought up in the land of Faerie by Madoc, the Grand General, who murdered her parents. That in itself is an interesting and complex relationship which is something that really draws me into the story. Without giving too much away Jude is now in a position of power which she is quite desperately clinging too facing all sorts of humiliation and anger from the Folk and her family. The story very much feels like a power struggle throughout with a lot of tension, murder, betrayal and heated passion thrown in for good mix.

    Despite being a fantasy the book is very political which I really enjoyed. It was interesting to see a mortal power struggle in a faerie land. I find most of the characters and their relationships with each other really interesting. Instead of being your typical young adult fantasy romance style book the relationships are full of more betrayal and displeasure at each other. The Wicked King challenges a lot of moral issues too, and instead of painting faeries in a cute or tricky way the focus is more on the mischievous.

    What really surprised me about The Wicked King was the ending as I completely did not see that coming at all. It was a complete throw which actually, for once, left me wanting to know what happens next which of course is something I will have to wait to find out. I really enjoyed the ending even though those type of cliffhangers really frustrate me but this actually lead me to wanting to know more about the build up from the others characters point of view, why it happened and what will happen next.

    The Wicked King is available to buy on Amazon. Here is the affiliate link for the book:

    One of my goals for 2020 is to read 52 books or around one a week. Some might be new, some are ones I’ve had for a while or been meaning to read, some I haven’t quite finished yet and some will be recommendations from others. You can see all the books I’ve read so far on my Good Reads 2020 Reading Challenge.

  • Lost Boy By Christina Henry 3/52

    A few years ago I read a book by author Christina Henry called Alice. It was brilliant. Lost Boy is another such book, an interesting interpretation of the original story of Captain Hook. I really enjoyed reading it and managed to finish it in about two days. It’s the sort of book I would recommend to those that enjoy fantasy books, particularly twisted tale style books and that don’t mind a bit of gore. The books are firmly for adults with some of the language used and content described despite being about a group of children.

    I like Henry’s writing style. It’s really easy to read, interesting and makes you think a lot about these fairytale worlds we’ve been transported into and made into fluffy adaptations by Disney. It’s really fun to read a different type of tale from what we know, or think we know, with classic fairy tales and stories from our childhood. The speed in which I read the book speaks volumes I think as I couldn’t be distracted from it, except for my kids, and did not want to put it down.

    Lost Boy is told from the perspective of Jamie, one of the original Lost Boys and what Peter Pan is really like. It’s full of fights with pirates, the threat of the Many Eyed and what happens when the dynamic of a group changes completely. It’s quite surprising in places actually and Jamie is a really likeable character. It’s always very strange reading the original hero as a type of villian actually and that’s why I really like her books. They just change and alter that perspective and make you think “what if” a little bit more. I always like reading books that challenge our original thoughts and ideas of what we think we know.

    Lost Boy is available to buy on Amazon (Affiliate Link Below)

    One of my goals for 2020 is to read 52 books or around one a week. Some might be new, some are ones I’ve had for a while or been meaning to read, some I haven’t quite finished yet and some will be recommendations from others. You can see all the books I’ve read so far on my Good Reads 2020 Reading Challenge.

  • Filter Free Book Review 2/52

    Filter Free by Lauren Derrett celebrates and shares real life stories of real women and their struggles, trials and accomplishments. I’ve felt all the emotions whilst reading this collection of experiences and it’s really inspiring to read so many amazing and personal accounts from these women, many of which I could relate to. It was my secret santa present this year and it took me just a few hours to absorb.

    Amazon Affiliate Link – https://amzn.to/2Dqm9Bp

    We need more stories like this, we need to share these accounts of lives of women who have experienced real hard hitting decisions. Who struggle but cope with their mental health. Who reach out and are passionate about sharing their struggles so other women can relate and actually look at themselves and think I’m so glad to read that it’s not just me.

    That’s what I love about blogging really, I’ve been able to share personal accounts which I hope have helped others and I hope I continue to do so. Blogging also bought me the gift as I know my book was from a fellow blogger, I think I know who…

    I urge every woman to read Filter Free as there is guaranteed to be a story you can relate to. The more we share, particularly the hard times where we feel we hit rock bottom, the more we can be open about just how hard it can be to make certain life changing decisions but actually knowing that it’s not just us and that we’re not alone, well, it certainly made me feel better.

    Filter Free is available to buy on Amazon. The below link is an affiliate link.

    One of my goals for 2020 is to read 52 books or around one a week. Some might be new, some are ones I’ve had for a while or been meaning to read, some I haven’t quite finished yet and some will be recommendations from others. You can see all the books I’ve read so far on my Good Reads 2020 Reading Challenge.