Alyce Caswell - Author
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Book Reviews

Magical Space Deer (and friends)

30/6/2020

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Sorcery and Stardust (The Weaver's War #1)
by Samantha Marshall

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Before I get into my review, I have exciting news! Samantha Marshall has generally accepted my invitation for an author Q&A, which you'll find at the bottom. :D

Review
Ever since she was soulmerged with Caelum, a dearken who speaks (and he speaks his own mind pretty often!), Arcana has been unable to find a place among her own people - or indeed anywhere. But then she meets Fenris, an injured Guardian from the Timeless Kingdom. Arcana's unusual magic may just be the key to saving Fenris' home - and maybe even the entire galaxy.

This reminded me of retro space/fantasy adventures - and that's a good thing! I've always had a soft spot for magic and stars sharing the same setting. Arcana is the snarkiest, kick-arse heroine since Aelin Galathynius (but a lot more mature!) and I adore Caelum. He had a particularly touching journey that I won't spoil, because it was really quite lovely. The storyline also took some delightfully unexpected turns.

I do think, however, that this might have been better as two books instead of one.

Click "read more" for a Q&A with the author!

Read More
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Short and Scot

23/6/2020

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To Bargain with a Highland Buccaneer (Heart of a Scot #8)
by Collete Cameron

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bryston McPherson is a former privateer with a painful past. Branwen has been interested in him ever since they met, but she is unaware of how his secrets will soon endanger her - and has no idea that she's competing with a ghost for Bryston's affections.

As always with this series, you agree to compromise on background and buildup in exchange for a short, easy read that you can manage around a busy life. The pace was quick, Bryston's past intrigued me, and I enjoyed the action. Branwen was a wonderful heroine, but she honestly didn't deserve to be compared so much to Bryston's late wife. I cringed a little. I generally prefer romances that are a bit more tactful about past loves.
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The Syldrathi Strike Back

21/6/2020

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Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #1)
by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

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​Our intrepid heroes are hurting after losing one of their own and are now branded as terrorists, which makes moving about the galaxy somewhat difficult. What more can possibly go wrong? Oh, a LOT more. Kal's sister is super keen about hunting him down, Aurora might not be the first Trigger and war just might break out.

This book is pretty much The Empire Strikes Back of the Aurora Cycle. That is probably the highest compliment I can give it. Aurora Rising left me a little cold, but the problems I had with it are not present in the sequel. I'm also a huuuuge sucker for romance being imperilled by secrets. And I love mental-based powers. I will probably re-read this one a lot. Ughhh I need #3 right now.
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Twisty and Tangled

16/6/2020

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Tempest Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #5)
by Paula Quinn

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tristan MacPherson is a cold-blooded killer on his way to take yet another life. He doesn't expect to come across Rose, a lass beset by the Black Plague and left for dead - and he doesn't expect to fall in love with her or discover that she is the daughter of the man he intends to kill.

Oh, I loved Tristan. He's a Medieval bad boy with a heart of gold and even I fell for him. He and Rose were so adorable together. I also thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns in this one; the mystery of who was trying to kill Rose kept me guessing right up until the end. Tempest Heart had a bit of a Tangled feel (a charming hero freeing the heroine from a life of captivity!), so if you love that movie you'll probably love this.
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A Timely Plague Romance

14/6/2020

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Lion Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #4)
​by Paula Quinn

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​Lily Bennet immediately catches Elias MacPherson's eye and only she can keep the terrors of his past at bay. But she is another man's wife - a man who is honourable and decent and Elias cannot wish any ill on him. Being near Lily is a torment and things will only worsen when the Black Death comes to town.

This series has been a bit uneven thus far, but Lion Heart is wonderful and everything I've come to love about Paula Quinn's books. The combination of an at-large villain and a plague made for some fantastic tension. And the pacing was practically perfect, a marked improvement from previous books. It was also nice to see how Elias is getting on - he's certainly grown since we last "saw" him.

I can't wait to get into Tempest Heart. In fact, I have an ARC that I should be reading right now...!
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Golden Child vs. Scapegoat

8/6/2020

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We Are Family by Nicola Gill

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Laura and Jess are sisters. They are also polar opposites who have always been divided by their differences and the favour of their mother. Now orphans, Laura and Jess have an opportunity to repair things - or to let their insecurities continue to drive them apart.

Gill has created very sympathetic characters who feel very real, like the type of women you'd run into on your way to the shops. This books shows how tangled and complex female relationships can be, no matter if they're with siblings, parents, friends or the mother of a schoolyard bully. Grief is also dealt with every well here and I'd easily have given this five stars without the last couple of chapters.

The ending comes across as rushed and the fallout of a large revelation occurs "off-screen". We don't get to see it ourselves (or the various other "events" that we're told about rather rapidly), which is disappointing.
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Weird Science Redux

7/6/2020

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You Were Made For Me by Jenna Guillaume

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I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Katie and Libby accidentally create a hot guy (with science! and clay and a kiss) and his purpose in life is to dote on Katie and be the perfect boyfriend. While this should solve Katie's never-been-kissed problem, it threatens to tear apart her life and her friendships.

Well, I loved this. It's like Weird Science for girls in the 21st century! And thankfully this is a much more progressive tale than a 1980s iteration - diversity, ace representation, dealing with the fact that both parties must have agency in a relationship, etc. Libby and Kate acting as dual storytellers was inspired and it made the story feel hilariously self-aware. It was also nice to read a YA novel peppered with Australianisms. I'm a huge YA fan but most of them are foreign titles.

This is definitely the kind of novel I wish I could have read when I was a teenager.
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    About

    ​Alyce Caswell, when she isn't drinking her way through a giant pot of tea, can be found dabbling in multiple genres and writing forms. She has self-published several titles in her space opera family saga, which is divided into two series: The Galactic Pantheon and The Pantheon War. Her most recent book is The Shadow of the Gods.

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  • Home
  • Books
    • The Galactic Pantheon >
      • The Tortured Wind
      • The Twisted Vine
      • The Flickering Flame
      • The Shifting Ice
      • The Whispering Grass
      • The Creeping Moss
      • The Galactic Pantheon Novellas
      • The Adventures of Grace Pendergast, Galactic Reporter
    • The Shadow of the Gods
    • Dealing with the Demon
    • Love and Lockdown
    • The Eyes of Charon
    • Sweet Delights
  • Other Works
  • Book Reviews
  • Get in Touch