Tag: Books: NetGalley

Review: Magic Lessons

Posted 6 October, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

Magic Lessons
By: Alice Hoffman
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster CA (Netgalley)

We first met the Owens in the glorious novel Practical Magic. We discovered the tragedy of the Owens siblings in The Rules of Magic. Now we learn how it all began … with a baby abandoned in a snowy English field in the 1600s. Under the care of gentle Hannah Owens, little Maria learns about the ‘Unnamed Arts’. Maria has a gift for them – a gift that may well prove her undoing.

When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters

I enjoyed Practical Magic (review), which I was first introduced to by the movie. I haven’t read the sequel as I tend to be wary of sequels of beloved books written years after the fact. But I was curious about this prequel so in my forays in NetGalley I requested and was approved an eARC of the book. This book will be released on 06 October 2020.

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Review: The Bone Shard Daughter

Posted 28 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire #1)
By: Andrea Stewart
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Orbit Books (Netgalley)

The emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands.

Lin is the emperor’s daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright – and save her people.

I first came across this book on NetGalley and the premise and the book cover grabbed my attention (look at that cover art!). I later found out that this book has quite a bit of hype ahead of its release, lol. I was approved an eARC of this book from the publishers. This book will be released on 08 September 2020.

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Review: Architects of Memory

Posted 26 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

Architects of Memory (The Memory War #1)
By: Karen Osborne
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Tor.com (Netgalley)

Millions died after the first contact. An alien weapon holds the key to redemption—or annihilation. Experience Karen Osborne’s unforgettable science fiction debut, Architects of Memory.

Terminally ill salvage pilot Ash Jackson lost everything in the war with the alien Vai, but she’ll be damned if she loses her future. Her plan: to buy, beg, or lie her way out of corporate indenture and find a cure. When her crew salvages a genocidal weapon from a ravaged starship above a dead colony, Ash uncovers a conspiracy of corporate intrigue and betrayal that threatens to turn her into a living weapon.

Another book I discovered while browsing NetGalley. The book gave me James S.A. Corey’s Expanse and Rachel Bach’s Paradox trilogy. I was approved an eARC of this book from the publishers. This book will be released on 08 September 2020.

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Review: The Vanished Queen

Posted 24 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

The Vanished Queen
By: Lisbeth Campbell
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Saga Press (Netgalley)

When a country is held in thrall to a vicious, despotic king, it’s up to one woman to take him down.

Long ago, Queen Mirantha vanished. King Karolje claimed it was an assassination by a neighboring king, but everyone knew it was a lie. He had Disappeared her himself.

But after finding the missing queen’s diary, Anza—impassioned by her father’s unjust execution and inspired by Mirantha’s words—joins the resistance group to overthrow the king. When an encounter with Prince Esvar thrusts her into a dangerous game of court politics, one misstep could lead to a fate worse than death.

Esvar is the second son to an evil king. Trapped under his thumb and desperate for a way out, a chance meeting with Anza gives him the opportunity to join the resistance. Together, they might have the leverage to move against the king—but if they fail, their deaths could mean a total loss of freedom for generations to follow.

I found out about this book in NetGalley. It had been a long time since I had browsed and seen what was coming out for release. The premise of this book intrigued me, a mix of intrigue and family dynamics and dynastic issues in a fantasy novel. I was approved an eARC of this book from the publishers. This book will be released on 18 August 2020.

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Review: The Seventh Perfection

Posted 21 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 1 Comment

The Seventh Perfection
By: Daniel Polansky
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Tor.com (Netgalley)

When a woman with perfect memory sets out to solve a riddle, the threads she tugs on could bring a whole city crashing down. The God-King who made her is at risk, and his other servants will do anything to stop her.

To become the God-King’s Amanuensis, Manet had to master all seven perfections, developing her body and mind to the peak of human performance. She remembers everything that has happened to her, in absolute clarity, a gift that will surely drive her mad. But before she goes, Manet must unravel a secret which threatens not only the carefully prepared myths of the God-King’s ascent, but her own identity and the nature of truth itself.

It was the cover art that caught my attention first–like, look at that cover! *heart eyes* Anyway, the premise also sounded really interesting, really intrigued me. I was approved an eARC to read by the publishers via NetGalley. This book will be released on 22 September 2020.

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