Review: The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

18196040The Walled City by Ryan Graudin
Genre: Realistic Dystopian
Published by: Indigo
Pages: 424
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★.5

I was super excited to get my hands on The Walled City considering Wolf by Wolf was one of my absolute favourites of the year. However, this book has showed me that just because you gelled with an author on one of their books, doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to like them all. I put my distaste of this book mostly down to the subject matters – it’s not exactly what I would describe as enjoyable.

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Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest

20958632The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
Genre: Magical Realism, Faerie
Published by: Indigo
Pages: 352
Format: Hardback
Rating: ★★★★★

I have previously disliked Holly Black’s work. I haven’t been impressed by the Magisterium series she’s been co-writing with Cassandra Clare, and Maddie didn’t enjoy The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. I read Tithe in 2012 and absolutely hated it, but not after reading Black’s latest faerie story, I think it’s about time I gave it a second chance. The Darkest Part of the Forest is almost like a gender-bend faerie version of Snow White. It starts with a horned boy in a glass coffin that no one’s been able to open. The coffins sits in the middle of the forest where teens regularly go to party. Hazel and her  brother Ben are inextricably linked with the faerie world, and in their youth were obsessed with their prince in the coffin; they adored playing knights and hunting evil faeries. From the first page I was hooked.

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