#ArtOfTheDay: 'Sea Witch' by Anna Dittmann

'Sea Witch' by Anna Dittmann.

Cover art for the novel, book 1 of the 'Sea Witch' series written by Sarah Henning, published July 2018 by Harper Collins / Katherine Tegen Books

Book Review: 'Book Of The Ancestor: Book 3 - Holy Sister' by Mark Lawrence

Cover art by Bastien Lecouffe Deharme

The final book in Mark Lawrence's excellent 'Book Of The Ancestor' trilogy, 'Holy Sister', is a satisfying end to what has become one of my favourite series.

The book is split into two narrative threads; one immediately after the events of book 2 with Nona and Zole on the run, and another in the present set three years later with Nona and her friends in Holy Class with the backdrop of war looming on the horizon. Both are written from Nona's point of view, as we flit from one path before jumping back to the other. But it never once gets confusing, as you think it might be with the crisscrossing, but it's a rewarding read with the threads from both lines coming together for the payoff with a satisfying conclusion.

This is Nona's story. Not just because it's told through her, but because of her superb character development, we want to follow her wherever she goes. She makes you feel what she feels - the pain, the anxiety, the tragedy, the love, the vengeance, the ambition and the triumph - and we come out the other side oh so much stronger for it, as she completes her journey from little Nona, when we first see her in Red Sister, to the confident Sister Cage we see at the end. She's one of the best characters I've had the chance to get to read! 

The excellent character development doesn't just stop at Nona either, the rest of the supporting cast have also grown and expanded into more than who they were at the beginning. The relationships and interactions feel very much real world and full of genuine emotion, as well as complex and honest, that they feel so three dimensional and real! 

'Holy Sister' is a book about faith, hope and the love of friends. It's a tightly plotted, intense and complex story, that's also filled with emotion, thrills, plenty of action, and some of the best characterizations and world building, all written in such a lyrically literary way, that it confirms author Mark Lawrence an automatic on my reading lists! Recommended!

Available from:

Book Review: 'The City Of Brass' by SA Chakraborty

A fantasy novel, and debut from author SA Chakraborty, initially set in 18th century Egypt, blending real world history and fantastical magic.

'The City Of Brass' follows Nahri, a young con woman, who uses her street skills to con and swindle the nobles of the Ottoman occupied Egypt to survive day to day. But when she manages to somehow summon a djinn warrior during a seance con job, Nahri's life is about to change for good!

I enjoyed this story, the first of a trilogy, as I like my fantasy stories with a hint of the real world making them more grounded and relatable. I also like the fantastical elements, especially when they're based on the mythological, in this case it's the Middle Eastern mythologies of djinn, magic and more. It's a mix that, for me, sucks me into the cultures and lore of the story I'm reading. This blend works really well here as we're introduced to the magical world through Nahri, as she flees from the only place she's known as home, Egypt in the 18th century, to the magical kingdom of Daevabad, a place that she only thought lived in stories and legends.

But there's a lot more than just the magical aspect, there's also the political too. We see this from the viewpoint of Prince Alizayd al Qahtani, second son of the king of Daevabad, and the other point of view throughout the book. He's a total contrast to Nahri. Where she is more carefree and feisty, and although a little younger than Nahri, Ali is more uptight but also has a habit of speaking without thinking. He's also juggling his responsibilities in the court of his father with his secret activities, going against his father's rule and funding services for the oppressed people of the kingdom. Things seem to going well for Ali, but the arrival of Nahri and Dara, the djinn warrior she summoned earlier, begins a run of complications that threatens to dismantle Ali's efforts.

It's a fast paced story that changes gears and slows down in middle when they reach the kingdom of Daevabad, when the political intrigue and YA love triangle between Nahri, Dara and Ali comes to the fore, before quickening up again towards the end. It's an enjoyable read that drew me into the story, characters and settings quickly, with some good character development and world building, making it a very lived in world with a rich history of lore. Definitely worth picking up.

Available from Harper Collins plus