Book Review: Half Wild by Sally Green

Nathan Byrn is on the run.
White witches hunt him,
Black witches hate him,
His gift from his murderous father is a wild new power he can't control.
He must find the girl he loves.
Who may have betrayed him.
In a war between black and white witches with his loyalties split between both. the greatest danger Nathan faces might be himself. 

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 400

I was completely blown away by Sally Green's last book Half Bad published last year. When I saw that the second in the trilogy was available, I was very excited but also a little nervous as I felt I had very high expectations.
I'm pleased to report that my expectations were met and Half Wild is a brilliant read. It is definitely not a stand alone book; the author does not give you a summary, she just takes you straight back into the action. So if you've not read Half Bad then you won't have a clue what's going on or who anyone is (another excellent reason to read the first book and then this one!)
Nathan is on the run, he has met his father who has given him three gifts and now he is searching for Gabriel and some kind of safety. He also needs to find Annalise before it's too late but he can't be 100% sure that she hasn't betrayed him.
Sally Green very much focuses on the change in Nathan since receiving his gifts from his father. They are powerful gifts that he must learn to control. His relationship with Gabriel is also key to this book; their friendship is so strong in a world where trust and loyalty are extremely hard to come by.
These books are so different from anything I have ever read. I quickly became absorbed in to the fantasy world that the author has created. There are quite a few action scenes towards the end of the book and they were dealt with so well; Sally Green's language and description brought them to life for me and I felt like I was in the thick of it with the other characters.
I really cannot recommend this author and her books enough. Her writing gives me goosebumps and I cannot wait to read her next book.

Book Review: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness PLUS WIN A SIGNED COPY!!

Shortly after Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont timewalk to London, 1590, they discover that the past may not provide a safe haven after all. Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy Matthew Roydibm the vampire falls back into step with a group of radicals known as the School of Night who share dangerous ideas about God, science and man. Many of his friends are unruly daemons- the creative minds of the age who walk the fine line between genius and madness- including playwright Christopher Marlowe and mathematician Thomas Harriot. Matthew himself is expected to continue to spy for Queen Elizabeth, which puts him in close contact with London's cut-throat underworld.
Together, Matthew and Diana scour the bookstalls and alchemical laboratories of London where they follow the elusive trail of Ashmole 782- and search for the witch who will teach Diana to control her powers.

Shadow of Night is the second book in the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I read the first, A Discovery of Witches last year and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to seeing what Deborah Harkness would do with the story next.
Shadow of Night begins exactly where A Discovery of Witches left off. I would highly recommend reading the books in order so you can get a full grasp of events so far.
Matthew and Diana have travelled back to Elizabethan England, the year 1590 to be precise. Here Matthew is Matthew Roydon, a spy for Queen Elizabeth and a member of the School of Night. Other members and friends include Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Harriet and Sir Walter Raleigh. I found this aspect of the book completely fascinating. Deborah Harkness brought these famous historical characters to life on the page; her background as a historian is evident and her attention to detail cannot be criticised in any way.
Matthew and Diana are in danger from the very beginning. There are only so many people that they can be completely honest with so it is vital that Diana can pass as an Elizabethan woman of the time or suspicions will be raised . Matthew and Diana have two main problems to solve during this book. They must find the text Ashmole 782 which is how their story began and they must also find another witch who can teach Diana how to harness her magical powers.
Shadow of Night is lengthy at 768 pages but I found that I flew through it. Deborah Harkness creates a fantastic pace, her descriptions are extremely vivid and she reveals a lot more about Matthew's past. I felt myself turning more and more pages as I wanted to know what was going to happen next and whether Diana and Matthew would get what they came for.
These books are wholly fantastical but I love the story that Deborah Harkness has created. She has added paranormal edge to historical fiction and in doing so has created an enchanting trilogy that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Dot Scribbles Rating 5/5

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy of Shadow of Night to review, it is published on 10th July.  Here is a video that Deborah recorded for bloggers and she gives a little teaser about some of her new characters.

The lovely and very generous people at Headline have offered me two signed copies to give away to the lovely readers of Dot Scribbles. All you have to do is leave me a comment by midnight on Thursday 12th July and I shall pick two names out of the hat. This competition is open to UK residents only. Good luck! 

Book Review: The Drowning Pool by Syd Moore

Living in a coastal town with her son Alfie, young widow, Sarah Grey is rebuilding her life. But following an inadvertent seance, she is plagued by horrific visions and soon, it seems she is the target of a terrifying haunting...
Convinced that the ghost is that of a 19th Century local witch with her own namesake, Sarah delves into local folklore and learns that the witch was seen as evil incarnate. When a series of old letters surface, Sarah discovers that nothing is as it seems, maybe not even the ghost of Sarah Grey...

I love a good ghost story so I was really looking forward to this one and Syd Moore did not disappoint. I loved that the author did not go for the usual cliches, Sarah does not move into a spooky old house, she does not live in a deserted area, instead she is a working mum who seemingly has had a bit of bad luck. After inviting the ghost in without even realising it, Sarah begins having some terrifying experiences. She hears voices and sees ghostly images, when her young son Alfie experiences them too, she knows she has to do something.
Sarah believes she is being haunted by her namesake, Sarah Grey, a local woman believed to be a witch in the 19th Century. Sarah has to visit local folklore to find some answers, this persistent ghost is clearly trying to tell her something and Sarah must do everything she can to reveal the truth.
The Drowning Pool is a really good read. Syd Moore has written a gripping plot and I definitely thought twice about turning the light off after reading this. As Autumn approaches, it is the perfect time of year for this type of book so look out for it, The Drowning Pool is published today.

Many thanks to Avon for sending me a copy of the book to review.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5