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Favourite Press: Curiosity Quills

Most of my reviews are thanks to NetGalley.com, a site that allows me to ask for free review copies in exchange for an honest review. I'm well within my recommended feedback percentage, and I've got the badge to prove it.



I recently realised that one publisher has never disappointed me, from cover to blurb to content. Introducing Curiosity Quills Press. So many brilliant titles, where to start?

Their covers are so gorgeous I can't help but take a peek at the blurbs when browsing for new titles. It helps that their favourite genres match up perfectly to my own: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy Horror, Speculative Fiction, Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Neo-Victorian, Mystery etc.

So here's a showcase of some of their past titles I've reviewed, and a couple of titles I will definitely be reading in the near future.

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Recent Reviews:



Fifteen by Jen Estes

Verdict: Witty and imaginative time-travelling story for teens.

I really loved this book. I’ve already recommended it onwards! The writing is clever and the pacing is fast. I felt the charm from chapter one and just knew I was in for something special.

Every time Ash falls asleep, she lives in her future self and must learn how to change the present in order to stop the future from being so messed up by a Lakota legend monster. It sounds a bit wordy when I explain it, but Estes does a fantastic job.

With two timelines interweaved, I’m glad the author manages to make both the present and future entertaining in their own right. The story is fairly complicated, but easy to follow and always on the move to the next twist with gentle steering so that it doesn’t hurt the brain... Read More




Altar of Reality by Mara Valderran

Verdict:
A romance novel with dystopian on the side.

Madeline jumps between a hectic teen life and a post apocalyptic reality every time she has a seizure. It’s a fantastic idea but I’ll give you two warnings about the novel before you start: the romance-drama is high and this isn’t a standalone novel. If I had read it with those expectations it would have been five stars without a second thought whereas now I’m tempted to put 4.5 because I find fences rather comfortable at times.

Madeline has strength to her character but she can’t control her seizures. This means that her friends and family watch her like a popcorn kernel in the microwave, waiting for the seizures to burst out of her. Despite this, she comes across as a very capable damsel who doesn’t give up... Read More



Catch Me When I Fall by Vicki Leigh

Verdict:  If you want an original spin on a supernatural romance.

At the heart of this novel is a simple, clean idea which is shockingly original. Dreamcatchers are like guardian angels of the night, protecting us regular living humans in our sleep from the Nightmares, which are vicious creatures that feed on fear.

The story is told from first person –and a male perspective for once! Daniel is a Dreamcatcher who is burnt-out from two hundred years of successfully protecting his charges while they sleep. After successfully protecting his last charge for eighty years, he needs a break. Instead, he’s assigned a dangerous case, Kayla, who is a psychiatric patient with an unprecedented amount of nightmares attacking her... Read More



Reviews to come:


Treasure Darkly by Jordan Elizabeth

Seventeen-year-old Clark Treasure assumes the drink he stole off the captain is absinthe… until the chemicals in the liquid give him the ability to awaken the dead. 

Necromancy, a street smart secret half-brother, warring clans – this book sounds too enticing to skip out on. I've just started reading and I'm already impressed. It has that 'great book' feel from the first few pages, with atmospheric world building, characters that jump off the page, and . I can't speak for the whole novel, but so far I'm glad I picked it. Expect a review within the week.




Fairy Keeper by Amy Bearce

Forget cute fairies in pretty dresses. In the world of Aluvia, most fairies are more like irritable, moody insects.

I spotted this one a while back and waited for review copies to be released. Now it's a fully fledged novel with a 5 star rating on GoodReads already. I’ll get my hands on a copy one way or another as it sounds fantastic. I especially like the idea of fairy nectar as the key ingredient in an illegal elixir that causes dreaminess, apathy, and hallucinations. It's on my reading list.

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Thank you, Curiosity Quills Press for the fantastic review copies. They've been fantastic so far, and I know to keep an eye out in the future.

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