Scookie Reviews

Here are two reviews for recently published young adult fantasy books. Both are gory, both have a lot to offer, but neither really knocked my socks off. Why? You'll have to watch and see! Click here to visit my channel, Scookie Reviews. I've got a good rhythm at the moment for creating video reviews. They're coming out on Wednesdays. THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS by Chloe Gong KINGDOM OF THE WICKED by Kerri Maniscalco Hope you enjoy! Feel free to share your comments about the books below. I received an ecopy of both books from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  You can also buy the books using the affiliate links below. The links mean that I get a very small percentage of the profits from amazon without taking anything away from the authors.  Buy THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. Buy KINGDOM OF THE WICKED.

KINGDOM OF THE WICKED by Kerri Maniscalco 3 stars Verdict: Excellent start, then descends into Q&A.  *Content warning for gore.*  It's 19th Century Italy. Emilia and Vittoria are twins witches entrusted with powerful necklaces that should never touch. When Emilia's twin is murdered, she wants revenge and will even go as far as secretly summoning a demon in pursuit of finding her sister's killer. The atmospheric setting combined with the use of Italian such a natural, smooth way made it very easy to love. I also loved how Emilie started out as the cautious twin but became more adventurous through necessity. The best bit about the book is the killer opening with all the right gothic witch vibes. It was insta-love for me with this book, and I thought I was preparing to write a raving review.  The story descended into Q&A pretty quick after the blurb hooks were done. It made sense at first: capture a demon, question him. Then go find another demon, question them...re...

This middle grade fantasy tale is just perfect for this time of year, so I decided to make a video review. I'm still getting into the swing of things but hopefully this will cover everything you might want to know before choosing this book, and of course, no spoilers! Watch on YouTube and subscribe!

 THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS by Chloe Gong 3 Stars Pub date:  17th November 2020 Verdict: A lot to love, but perhaps too much?  Warning, this book contains more gore than the usual YA read. This is the story of Romeo and Juliet, but if they were gangsters, and it's set in 1920’s Shanghai - and also there’s a monster on the loose. So many exciting things! There’s also a transgender character, LGBT slow burn romance, and an unapologetically fierce female lead. I was super excited to read this, but I wondered how all the pieces would come together. First off, I loved Juliet. She’s the right heiress for a gangster crown. She’s bold, brave, and leaves others trembling in her presence. I loved the layers in her character, especially with her concerns over how other's would perceive her time spent in American.  Roma on the other hand is averse to violence and struggles to earn his father’s respect. He's slightly more standard YA, but very likeable. When these star-crossed ...

 I did a thing! I finally built up the courage to make video reviews, and boy did it take courage.  Okay, I know it's not perfect. But if making videos is anything like writing, then I just need to keep at it!  I found it difficult to nail the informative bookish style that many reviewers adopt. I realised I'm much better at embracing my goofy side and having a bit of fun with it because 'Mouth Words' are not my forte. I'm a writer because I struggle to organise my thoughts. They run away with me, doused in my imagination, sprouting into fantastic things which I later realise need heavy editing if I want anyone else to understand me. A couple of edit later, and then I have a piece of writing. So this project is to help me improve my presenting skills. And it turns out it's a lot of fun too! I want to learn how to edit videos and feel more comfortable in my skin, all the while while talking about the things I love.  Did I mention the word 'learn'? I am ve...

SPIN THE DAWN by Elizabeth Lim 4 stars Verdict: Awesome, dull, then crazy! Maia is a talented tailor who dreams of working for the Emperor. When a male from her family is summoned to compete for the honour of imperial tailor, Maia poses as her brother to take his place.  Magic, adventure, and banter ensue.  This tale is spun from three parts, and my opinions varied throughout. It starts as Mulan meets Project Runway, and then suddenly becomes an adventure romance before ending on a cliff hanger. Let's break it down. Part one I absolutely adored. It was fast and fresh with all the right East-Asian fantasy vibes. Maia is a brave, loyal, and ambitious girl and her voice is compelling. The competition is fierce, mixed in-between a magical court drama with twists, stakes, and intriguing characters, oh my. Part 2 slowed the pace. Maia is sent on a fetch quest which sounded like the perfect opportunity to explore the world more. Instead, it became a romance. It kind of felt like a ba...

A PINCH OF MAGIC by Michelle Harrison 5 Stars Verdict: An original witchy tale.  Betty Widershins and her two sisters are cursed never to leave the gloomy island that has always been their home. For an adventurous girl like Betty, that will never do! When each sister receives a magical heirloom, they set out to break the curse, starting with the possibly haunted Crowstone prison.   The book cover might look gorgeous, but the author does a fantastic job of building up a gloomy marshland as the backdrop of this spooky witch tale. It's very atmospheric.  The three ruff and tumble sisters make quite the team as they try to break the Widdershins curse. Each sister has a different personality: Betty the adventurous, Fliss the caring, and Charlie the cheeky. The sisters have a lovely bond which makes this book feel that little bit more special.  It's a fun, magical story that's easy to breeze through, and unlike any story I've read before. It ends in a satisfying...

BRITFIELD AND THE LOST CROWN by C.R. Stewart 4 Stars Verdict: A thrilling adventure across England of all places! Our story begins in Weatherly Orphanage, Yorkshire, a dingy place with strict rule and cruel staff. It quickly turns into an adventure to Oxford, London, Southampton - all across England in a hot air balloon as orphan Tom tries to discover the dangerous truth behind his real name.  The story doesn't waste time getting started, with Tom and his friend Sarah getting into all sort of trouble, discovering secrets and initiating plans within the first couple of chapters. It has a old classic feel without that old classic pace, and I think I would have enjoyed this story a lot as a child. It often reminded me of books read aloud by teachers on a Friday afternoon, so I wasn't surprised to find that's exactly what it is. It's has a good paced too, sneaking in snippets of history, literature, and architecture in a ways that's engaging. It's full of famous la...

CROOKED KINGDOM #2 Six of Crows 5 Stars V erdict : A fine sequel (Coming from me, that says a lot!) I read this book like sipping a fine wine, savouring the good bits but perhaps falling asleep on the sofa once or twice. I didn't find it quite as gripping as book one, and I will admit the 'plotting scenes' received too much word time for my likings, given that the whole point is for their plans to go askew anyway...So I wasn't always enthralled, but the whole thing was enjoyable to read from beginning to end.  I LOVE that this is duology. As you might know, I have beef with book two's of trilogies, mostly because the writer drags the poor story across three books, stretching every plot thread thin until my interest breaks entirely. This two book series keeps the pace, keeps the tension, and keeps twisting until the very end. I feel satisfied that it has a real ending. Please more duologies in future! As a character led story, the whole ragtag bunch are fully fleshed...

THE WICKED KING by Holly Black #2 The Folk of the Air 3 Stars Verdict: An okay middle book. Me and 'middle books' of trilogies have beef. It's been a long time since I've really enjoyed one, and I'm starting to think it's me. Why do they always spend the first two thirds of the book in story limbo? Why do they refuse to end in a satisfying manner and instead throw you over a cliff and expect you to hang on for the next hundred thousand words to be published? Why does nothing good ever happen to the protagonist? Wicked King is marginally better than the other middle books I've read recently. Still, it reads like A Guide to a Miserable Existence , by Jude Duarte, who wanders around for months on end before stuff finally starts to happen. Just when you're really interested, the book ends within the slice of a guillotine as it cuts off the last section, leaving you wondering what was that noise all about. It's not a bad book. The main ch...