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Scheming
The fantasy world that Joe Abercrombie created going back to the First Law trilogy is astounding in its depth and detail, with its own history, society, politics and culture. This is what it means to create an otherworld. I have visited this fantasy world for many years and been…
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It’s May 1866 and Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders, full of living curiosities, comes to the coastal resort where Nell lives. Nell grows miniature flowers to sell in London and is regarded by locals as a ‘freak’ because of her prominent birthmarks. Nell’s father sells her to Jasper for…
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Labyrinth
A book within a book always adds intrigue and sates a personal delight that a treasured possession of bound pages can be the catalyst for a fantasy adventure. The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a highly imaginative mystery that is cleverly structured around the concept of magical doors into other…
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Origins
Tigerlija is a highly imaginative story shaping a fantasy telling of the birth of Peter Pan and the background of his mother and father. A fantasy world from Asgard that witnesses the fatal love triangle, with unrequited love, jealousies, and revenge. Taiga was a beautiful woman, loved and adored by…
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Bewitching
The latest release of Ahava Trivedi’s YA urban fantasy series provides enthralling storytelling that is a joy to read. Sanguine Spell is captivating as it draws you into the adventure Katerina and her friends are on, namely Safi, her boyfriend Ulrich, Natalie and Valenthia. To create a sustainable fantasy series requires…
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Searching
A Traveller at the Gates of Wisdom is a story of human history brimming with mythical vibrancy as we are invited to explore the world through a nonlinear lens. The challenge is to see the progress of a man’s life and his experiences from birth to an elderly grandfather over…
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Lineage
The Dark Spark is the second instalment of the wonderful YA Bloodline Academy fantasy series from Ahava Trivedi. It continues the journey for Katerina Snow Quartz and her own self-discovery amidst a battle between her two bloodlines. Half witch, half vampire, unknown parents, unique abilities from both bloodlines, she has the…
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Awareness
The YA Fantasy Academy genre is currently one of the most popular genres in publishing, with the most famous being Harry Potter, Vampire Academy and Twilight. The expected tropes surrounding a vampire, a werewolf and a witch, with a coming of age story and self-discovery, are all required reading…
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Lifeless
The overwhelming feeling after finishing this book is a sense of relief and then puzzlement that I committed so much time to complete the task. I found the book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell a great disappointment on various levels, and for once I have to say that the TV production…
Founder of The Reading Desk, supporting readers, authors, publishers and book industry. Top Reviewer on Amazon, Goodreads, and NetGalley peter@thereadingdesk.com
