Gladiator Goddess - Morgan H. Owen

 

The Roman Goddesses grow weary of the rule of Gods and men.  They seek to change the fortune of the world with a brilliant young woman.

   In Pompeii, Gia dreams of becoming a female Gladiator, but there is no such thing ... until destiny intervenes.

    When she wins the favour of Claudia - the beautiful yet dangerous daughter of the Emperor - Gia's star begins to rise in the arena, but so does the risk to her life.

    Bound by prophecy, the girls must work together to prevent a catastrophe, but they are distracted by their growing feelings for one another ... feelings the Gods had not anticipated.  

Gia is a trailblazer: she is determined to follow in the footsteps of her dead brothers and nothing is going to stop her.  At at time when female Gladiators didn't exist in Pompeii, Gia has to work hard to prove herself.  Taking on a 'stage name' allows her a degree of anonymity when she first fights but her fame soon rises, especially once the crowd realise she is a woman - they show no mercy and having to deal with weighty and poor fitting armour as well as battling the opposition is a massive challenge.  But Gia is single-minded and hugely determined in her quest.  When she attracts the attention of Claudia, Gia's life changes forever, in every way: not only does Claudia become her patron but they also spend more time together.  As they do, Gia realises that her feelings are changing and the pair grow closer, despite the difference in status.  But as they do, Gia discovers that Claudia needs more from Gia, something that could change the shape of the Roman Empire, and one that will involve grave danger. 

The plot is full of twists and is an epic read.  Exploring love, loss and power, Gladiator Goddess is a book set in ancient times that has a contemporary feel to it: female empowerment, sapphic romance and more than one fight to the death bind together to build tension.  Myths and history combine with action and suspense in this book that will appeal to older teenagers.  (I like the trigger warning at the beginning of the book which alert reader to the sexual scenes and dark content that appears).  

Out now, Gladiator Goddess is an action-packed romance full of passionate women who are determined to break the mould.  

Unapologetic Love Story - Elle McNicoll

Raina runs a successful podcast spotlighting autistic women called 'The Disability Track' and lives in London, spending her free time with her best friend and socialite Pepper Cousins.  During a charity event at at the V&A, Raina meets Tom Branimir, an investigative journalist who takes an interest in Raina.  Their first meeting is less than successful on Tom's part but, undeterred, he pursues Raina, to find out more about her for his book and because he finds her fascinating. 

What unfolds is a love story that will draw you in and sweep you away.

I don't quite know where to begin with this review, and before I've even begun typing I know that my words will not be able to do this book the justice it deserves.  Unapologetic Love Story is an utter triumph and Elle deserves all the praise and accolades that will undoubtedly come her way when this book publishes in April.

What I loved:

• Raina is a master-piece (she's strong, fiercely independent, funny and blows serious raspberries at autistic stereotyping).
• Tom is deliciously at odds with himself, battling the strength of his feelings with his professional curiosity.
• There are host of other wonderful people in the book; some you will love, some will make you squirm and some will really touch your heart.
• The romance: the tension and the thrill of the chase; the will they, won't they... the need to keep reading to find out if they do... ❤️
• The sex: steamy and romantic! 
• The twist you think is coming but you desperately hope isn't, then the tension to see if what you really want to happen in the end happens ... 
• The fact that I got completely lost in the book and had to be reminded to eat!
•  Dalkeith.  Ok, this is a personal one for me but as a kid, we used to drive through here to get to my grandparents' and it's where my grandad used to go on a Saturday to buy his weekly bag of sweets! Every time the town is mentioned, I can hear him saying the name in his wonderful Scottish accent and it brings back such fond memories.
• The fact that I love a good romance story and this is absolutely that.

Unapologetic Love Story is unapologetically brilliant. I read it in one sitting and got completely and utterly swept away by it. This is Elle's first book for adults but I sincerely hope it won't be her last.  For so many reasons, this book left me completely broken in the very best way (there were many tissues used!) and I woke this morning still thinking about it.  I said it at the beginning of this review and I'll say it again: Unapologetic Love Story is an utter triumph and I can't wait for the rest of the world to read it when it publishes on the 2nd April. 

The Last Bard - Maz Evans

Will's life changed irrevocably when his father died.  Since then, he and his mother have been living with his cruel uncle and his son who treat both Will and his mother in the most appalling way.  When Will's paternal grandfather dies, he and his mum head to his flat to clear it out.  As his grandfather disowned his mum when she married Will's father, he has never been to the flat before and both are shocked by what they find, for Rex threw nothing away and the pair need to wade through years of paperwork.  In amongst the papers, Will finds Rex's copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, the contents of which lead to a huge surprise: Will is Shakespeare's last living relative and the only person who can summon the characters from the book.  As he begins to get to know the residents of Arden Heights and the various problems they are facing (not least of which is the threat of the building all the flats being bought up and turned into a hotel), could Will hold the key to solving everybody's problems? 

Regular readers of my blog will know how much of a Maz fan I am and I still have fond memories of her visit to school (can't believe that was just before COVID!) so I was hugely excited to read The Last Bard.  I have to say that I think this is her best book yet! 

Will and his mum are very close to each other; they've had to be since the death of his father in order to survive the horrors of his uncle and cousin.  It's clear that his mum feels awful about the situation but is powerless to get out of it (I really wanted to reach into the book and help her out).  The week at Arden Heights, although it's his uncle who has demanded they go and clear the place out, is the perfect excuse for the pair to get away and have some time together (and to sleep in proper beds!).  What unfolds is a glorious tale that deftly and appropriately weaves some really serious issues (family problems and bullying) with Maz's brilliant blend of humour to create a book that readers are going to absolutely adore.

There's a real warmth that runs through the book, and readers will love getting to know the various characters and their quirks.  Will and Ani are both hiding important information and as the details unfold, I think it will help any readers who need to open up about problems they may be having.  

The book is a real nod to Shakespeare and Maz acknowledges that she references every play in some way in the book - how many can you notice?  The use of the characters in the plot is brilliant and adds a wonderfully witty element to the plot that will have you snorting your tea through your nose (just me?!).  It will also open up the world of Shakespeare to a host of children who may otherwise not have been interested.

I could wax lyrical about The Last Bard for a very long time - safe to say that Maz is a writing genius; the book is a brilliant read, and would make a brilliant read aloud... time to get practising those accents! 

Lionborn -Sharique Zea

Fionn knows he's different: he dreams of terrifying beasts and wakes-up covered in battle scars; however, nobody, not even his parents, believes him... until Tiny, a new boy, arrives at school.  Along with his friend Ella, the trio quickly discover that Fionn has inherited some very powerful magical gifts.  Now, he just needs to learn how to use them to stop those who are desperate to use his blood to resurrect a demon. 

Lioborn is the first in a new series and it certainly begins with a bang! Readers are immediately thrown into the action and this keeps going as the plot unfolds.  Jumping between worlds and perilous situations, Fionn needs to muster all his strength and courage to do what is right. 

Although Fionn had always felt different, he has never quite known why.  Bullied at school, Ella is his only friend until Tiny comes along.  As their friendship develops, it becomes evident that they are linked together in more ways than Fionn could have imagined. Tiny is the perfect character to help develop Fionn's confidence, something he's never really had.  Watching him grow as the plot unfolds is lovely to see.

Publishing today, Lionborn is beautifully written; it is guaranteed to grip readers and leave them wanting more.  Why not order your copy here ?

The Not-So Great Escape - Emma Green

Things have been tricky for Hedley since the accident that killed his mum: his dad's legs 'no longer work'  so he spends his days in bed.  As a result, Hedley spends weekends at Bridlebank Therapy Centre where he shares a room with Aiden who seems intent on bullying him.  Heldey prefers to play things safe all the time whereas Aiden is happy to take risks.  So what happens when the pair are sent to help out at Farmer Bert's Petting Farm?  A stolen alpaca, an accidental robbery and a night on the run is what.  But when the unlikely group become an internet sensation, can the adventure help Hedley learn that playing it safe isn't always best?

Hedley hates taking risks and spends his life calculating the the risk of everything he does.  His life has changed immeasurably since the accident and this is clearly what drives what he does.  He is protective of two things: his sister and the hat his mum gave him; not that his room mate Aiden respects that.  Aiden clearly has his own issues and his father's ever changing occupations when he talks about him hints as to why Aiden is the way he is.  Although the boys appear very different, it is clear as the book progresses that they need each other.  Aiden is the mastermind behind the alpaca heist and his unique take on everything is humorous to read.

The Not-So Great Escape is full of laughs and capers as the mad-capped adventure unfolds whilst Aiden, Hedley and his sister Lilly help to return an alpaca to the home they believe it should be in.  Along the way, quite by accident, the mis-matched group become famous and the media updates at the ends of chapters creates a unique update,

The book is huge amounts of fun and the plot is fast-paced but, woven into that are some strong, important messages for readers, with an ending that I really didn't see coming (it stopped me in my tracks and I was grateful I wasn't reading it in public...).  Perfect for fans of Jenny Pearson, The Not-So Great Escape is a story about finding yourself, friendship and learning to move on, and is going to be a huge hit when it published on the 1st January.

The Golden Monkey Mystery - Piu Dasgupta

Roma attends Miss Oliphant's School For Young Ladies where she spends her time reading and following her burning desire to become a doctor, something unheard of for women.  Whilst on a walk one day, Roma stumbles across a monkey, but not just any monkey, a rare golden leaf-eater monkey usually only found in a secret location in the Himalayas hundreds of miles away.  With no concern for her own safety, she runs into the forest to follow the monkey, followed by Birala the cat.  Roma is determined to catch the monkey in order to return it to its rightful home, but the journey is far from easy.  During the chase, she will face bandits who are on the hunt for the Snakestone, a jewel with immense power.  Along the way, she is befriended by siblings Max and Arabella, but will they prove more of a hindrance than a help?  A race across India, and a race against time, can Roma do the unimaginable and get to the monkey and the Snakestone before the bandits?

I read Piu's debut novel, Secrets Of The Snakestone, last year and instantly fell in love with it (you can read my review here) so it was with huge amounts of excitement that I settled into a train journey to London earlier this week with The Golden Monkey Mystery.  The books link together through the Snakestone jewel but follow very different paths; where Secrets Of The Snakestone is set in Paris, The Golden Monkey Mystery is set in India.  The book opens with a prologue which describes the theft of the Snakestone jewel one hundred years earlier.  We then jump to Roma who wakes from a nightmare.  Unable to return to sleep, she heads to the school library where she writes a letter to Sir Horatio Bancroft-Pratt expressing her desperate desire to attend his medical school in order to become a doctor.  From the very beginning, readers see Roma's fierce independence and headstrong nature, and it continues throughout the book.  But behind everything, I think she is lonely: she never knew her mum who died in childbirth, and her father is absent; her only friends seem to be the school cook and Birala the cat who she talks to (and who talks back to her).  I feel that she needs this adventure almost as much as the monkey needs rescuing - are they rescuing each other?

Along the way she encounters Max and Arabella who are spending the summer in India.  Max is clearly desperate for an adventure and is determined to join Roma; however, he proves very naïve.  His younger sister, Arabella, is very spoilt and seems to have spent her life getting everything she wants, which is what gets them into this mess.  An unlikely trio, the adventure is something none of them realise they absolutely need.  

The Golden Monkey Mystery is an adventure that will weave its way into your imagination and won't let go.  Amongst the action, readers will delight in the richness of the descriptions of the landscape that really bring the setting to life in all its glory.  Danger and daring combine wonderfully in this novel that is going to be an instant hit in school, and the lure of a book that hasn't yet been published will excited my students.

Publishing 15th January, The Golden Monkey Mystery is a book that is guaranteed to banish the January blues and fill readers with warmth. A word of warning though: read this when you have time to abandon everything else as you won't be able to put it down!

 

Lilly's Monster

Since the tragic death of her brother, Holly has been struggling. Her family are simply trying to hold things together and decide that time away from home would help.  However, when they arrive at the cottage they have rented, it quickly becomes apparent that there is something else there: a restless spirit in the form of a small child called Lilly desperate to relive the past. But can Holly discover the secrets to Lilly's past and help her family before it's too late?  

This is a gripping psychological thriller that will set your heart racing.  Holly is desperately holding the truth of her brother's death inside her, terrified that her family will hate her if she reveals what really happened. The holiday is supposed to be a chance for them to begin to heal but it quickly turns into very much the opposite.  Lilly's appearance at first, makes her seem just like a lost little girl, but then things slowly begin to take a very dark and sinister turn and everybody seems powerless to stop it.

Holly is hurting, who wouldn't be? She is terrified by the truth of what happened, is consumed with guilt and is now dicing with death herself in an attempt to purge her feelings.  She's pushing everyone away but Lilly's arrival changes all of that.  Both characters are dealing with grief in very different ways and the twists that are woven into the plot show how difficult escaping abuse can be.  I don't want to say too much more as I don't want to give anything away, but this is a book that explores some strong themes in its 280 pages.

Publishing 6th November, Lilly's Monster is an emotionally heart-racing, terrifyingly gripping supernatural YA horror that will stay with you long after you've read the final page.