Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

'A dragon will always catch you when you fall.' This is such an incredible sequel to the first book, and if it was possible, I adored it even more. Opal, Farris and Edmym - I did not see that coming! 🌶️ But they handled the whole situation with maturity and even a little bit of humour! As our adventurers are tasked with their missions, the amazing Jenny Grimes does an awesome job of taking us along for the ride - quite literally in some cases! Who doesn't want to be able to pop into a hole and transport to another realm, or even just get somewhere that little bit faster - it definitely beats catching the bus! I loved Nell and that's all I'm going to say about her, you need to read this for yourself and continue along with Nell on the High Shaedes journey, as they encounter wizards, sarcastic dragons, and make some difficult decisions.  If you haven't read Shaedes of Power, then read that first. If you love Fourth Wing and ACOTAR then I guarantee you will lov...

I NEED BOOK TWO - NOW PLEASE! I don't even know where to begin this review. Shaedes of Power is easily the best book I have read so far this year - and yes - I read Onyx Storm! All of it, from the world-building, to the sassy friends that are Opal, Dru and Leyanna. The magic, Farris, Edmyn and even the Shadowlands just blew me away. It picked me up, threw me across The Gaylenswood and brought me down somewhere back in the human realm, and I'm still catching my breath! There's love, there's hate, there's death and there's magic. Lots and lots of magic. You can't always control who you fall in love with, even if that means you'll never see the sunlight again (let's be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw it anyway)! The love triangle had me intrigued, and I had no idea it was coming because hey, I don't check out what I'm reading before I read it! Sometimes that's the best way, right? I can't wait to find out how this pans o...

Death is hot - and I don't mean the temperature of hell! Wow - I didn't see any of that coming! Fantasy, romance, and mystery, and a whole host of other stuff all rolled into one book. I honestly didn't know what to expect when Belladonna was chosen as October's read for #bookstabritsbookclub (yes, I know I'm behind with my reviews)!!! I loved it. The mystery and suspense of finding out who the killer was, was addictive, and Signa and Death's relationship was awesome - you'll soon forget that he's not a real person, as they begin to work together to solve the mystery. Parts of this reminded me of The Secret Garden, I think because Blythe is ill in bed, and she reminds me of Colin Craven, weak and not wanting to help themselves! It was also reminiscent of another book that I can't recall, with Thaddeus Kipling - the library ghost, who quite frankly was an awesome dude! He should have a book written all about him! Published as a Young Adult novel, I wo...

I loved Onyx Storm! There has already been such a lot written about it, and people have differing views, but for me, it was a great continuation of the Empyrean series. In my opinion, it's written differently to Fourth Wing or Iron Flame. There is a lot more world-building in this book. We learn more about the history of what is known as the Continent, as well as the isles and the people who inhabit them, and I was so invested in this and discovering lots of new things. Violet grows massively in Onyx Storm, she's maturing both emotionally and physically and rather than her being a bit whiny and stroppy, she is now centred and assured. She has her head screwed on and makes some really great decisions. The dragons continue to be sassy and sarcastic and honestly, in my opinion, they make the books what they are. Tairn and Andarna are the ones that have me laughing out loud as I spit my coffee out! One of my favourite quotes from this book is this... Violet....talking about carryi...

After a second listen, in anticipation of the release of Onyx Storm, I have finally got around to writing my review for Iron Flame. Violet and her 'classmates' are like old friends now. I know who their dragons are, I know what signets they've manifested, and I know their strengths and weaknesses.   'It is therefore only natural, that the more powerful the dragon, the more powerful the signet its rider manifests'. Some people have said that the first part drags, but I didn't find that. For me, Rebecca Yarros just continued to build the world in which Violet lives, and each and every single chapter was written for a reason. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed Iron Flame, the second in the Empyrean series.  Rebecca Soler, as the narrator, throws herself wholeheartedly into reading this. In particular the battle scenes are hectic, tense and buzzing, I'm exhausted at the end of each one and all I've done is listen! In Iron Flame, we discover a world outside of B...

In September 2023 I listened to Fourth Wing for the first time, mainly because I'm a sheep and I follow the flock, but so began my love of all things dragon, and I was well and truly hooked.  In November 2023 I listened to Iron Flame and in May 2024 I ordered Onyx Storm. As the publication of Onyx Storm approached I felt that re-listens were essential and as I never got around to reviewing the first two books, here are my thoughts now. If you're a fan, then there isn't a lot I can say, so my review is for those who haven't ventured into Navarre and Basgiath War College but feel that they might like too. Fourth Wing is the first in a five part series, primarily with Violet Sorrengail as our female main character. She's a badass twenty-year-old who is going down a path rather different to the one she envisaged for herself. Think a mismatch of Harry Potter and Hunger Games, but way, way better and with a huge dollop of s*x, oh and dragons, lots and lots of dragons. Som...

OMG, this was amazing! I loved Descended, which was the first book in this series and I loved Transcended even more. I love how when you begin to read the book; it seems as though it is all about normal people, living normal, everyday lives. Then you realise that many of the characters have some sort of power, whether telepathy, empath or healing powers. Then, of course, there are the covens and the warlocks! I cannot begin to explain how invested I am in Cordelia, Indigo, and Robbie’s lives.  Transcended is set in the 90s, on the northern beaches of Australia, and despite some devastating events, the sun always seems to be shining and the whole book is full of positivity and vibrance. I am so happy that Ingrid reached out to me over a year ago to read her debut novel. She has fast become one of my favourite authors.  If you enjoy a fantasy novel that isn’t too ‘out there’, then I urge you to read Descended and then Transcended. They are both amazing and I am so glad I spent ...

Descended is so beautifully written, I couldn’t get enough! Indigo knows he is a little different from his peers. He’s way more in tune with his feelings and surroundings than any of his other friends, and it feels like most of them just don’t ‘get him’. Everything about his story touched my heart, his rapport with Cordelia and the loving way he was accepted into hers and Robbie’s family. I guess Descended is a coming-of-age story, nothing is trivialised or made to appear worse than it is. It is just all about growing up and the issues that come along with all that and Ingrid J. Adams masters the whole thing brilliantly. The story is set in the early 90s, and at that time I was in the latter half of my teens. Many of the references that the author makes in relation to music and whatever else was happening at the time melted my heart a little as I remembered what I was doing, who my friends were and the fun times I was having. Descended is the first in the series and I absolutely cannot...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My second Audiobook from Sarah J. Maas and the first in the Throne of Glass series. I considered reading a physical copy. However, I’m out and about in the garden so much these days, and I love Elizabeth Evans narrating. I thought I’d lose myself in a fantasy world for a few hours. It was so awesome; I loved everything about it....but Mum, if you’re reading this, don’t bother, it’s not for you! However, if you love fantasy, fae, witches, paranormal, and anything other-worldly, then prepare to lose yourselves in the life of Celaena Sardothien. Celaena is a bad-ass assassin who is experiencing a reprieve from the salt mines of Endovier where she has been sentenced to hard labour. The Crown Prince is offering her, her freedom in a competition to find the King’s next assassin. If she wins, she will work for the King for a few years, before she gains her freedom. If she loses, she will be back in the salt mines. As with the previous Sarah J. Maas book I listened to, the beginning...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  OMG, this is awesome! I urge everyone who loves anything paranormal to read this. I have heard of Sarah J. Maas, an enormous amount in all the Facebook groups I am in, but I’ve read none of her books! Why not? I need more of her in my life! I actually listened to House of Earth and Blood as an Audiobook (narrated by Elizabeth Evans), and was transported into Crescent City as I walked my dog! Bryce Quinlan is half-fae and half-human, working for a barely legal antiquities dealer in the City. She lives and parties with her best friend Danika Fendyr until a tragic event occurs, which changes Bryce’s life forever.  I never like to give too much away in my brief synopsis of books (in fact I never read them before I read a book, as long as I know the genre then that’s enough for me), as I don’t like to include too many spoilers for readers. The first part of House of Earth and Blood is really slow, as Maas sets the scene and explains the politics and hierarchy of Crescen...