Tag: young-adult-book-reviews

Review: The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst

If a book could reach out and not only give you a cuddle but draw you into a world that you didn’t know you needed, then I want that book and The Faraway Inn is most definitely that book – a comforting, cosy fantasy set in a magical world that I didn’t want to leave behind.

After having her heart broken, sixteen-year-old Calisa has been sent to spend the summer holidays at her great-aunt’s bed-and-breakfast: The Faraway Inn. She hopes that working at the B&B and being away from the city will be the escape she needs and help her heal. However, far from the cosy inn and warm welcome she was expecting, Calisa discovers a run down inn and a tetchy Auntie Zee who clearly does not want her help. In fact, she doesn’t even want her there, but Calisa has no intention of leaving … especially as there’s an endearingly handsome groundkeeper’s son who can help her in her efforts to bring some love to the inn’s shabbiness.

It is not long before Calisa suspects that the inn and its guests are keeping secrets … magical secrets that, once revealed, will change her life forever.

I loved everything about this gorgeous story that served up a huge dollop of cosiness with a sprinkle of grumpiness and lashings of heart. I adored the wonderful assortment of guests at the Inn who come there when they need a place of respite, somewhere they can rest and recover. Each guest has a story and I loved how Calisa gives them space, advice and help as she becomes part of the Inn’s community.

Whilst I adored this story for its magical elements, I also loved the relationships that Calisa develops whether they were ones of family, friendship or romance. And then, there’s the baking and hot chocolate … and Steve (not at all what you might expect) … absolutely perfect, and perfectly adorable! This story is escapist bliss and it’s exactly what I, and I have no doubt, many others readers need right now.

Snuggle up with this deliciously warm and cosy book, a mug of hot chocolate and a generous slice of cake, and be prepared to be swept into its magic – perfect for readers of 12+.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Blood Texts: Uncle Zeedie by Colm Field

Written by Colm Field
Cover Illustration by Keith Robinson
Published by Fox & Ink Books

Uncle Zeedie is the second book in The Blood Texts series, perfect for fans of seriously spine-chilling horror.

Lacey and her younger brother George are spending the weekend with their weird Uncle Zeedie, an old friend of their acrimoniously divorced parents, in his isolated mansion in the Welsh valleys. But at least he’s rich so the mansion and food should be amazing, except neither are: the house is cold with lots of unfurnished rooms, the sandwiches are mouldy and the house smells of sour milk. Oh, and then, there’s the bloodstains on the locked door to the basin. Could Uncle Zeedie be hiding a terrifying secret, a secret linked to the Missing Child posters that they find? If he’s innocent, why is Zeedie sneaking around at night? Why does he have items belonging to the missing children in the mansion? And, what are the ghosts of the children that George sees trying to warn him about?

I absolutely felt the fear creep up my spine in this one! A fantastically chilling, macabre and tense read with incredible twists that made me gasp and kept me completely gripped throughout. The isolation from others, George’s sensing of the supernatural and the unsettling feeling of hidden danger and secrets revealed make this a deliciously dark, spine-tingly horrifying and ominously threatening read. A hugely enjoyable read for those who enjoy scares, shivers and shocks – and that ending – wow!

I really enjoyed the sibling bond between Lacey and her younger brother George which felt really authentic. She clearly wants to protect George from their parents acrimonious post-divorce arguments and is there for him when he needs her, but she also sometimes finds him annoying and wants to do her own thing with her friends. But I loved that she reads to him! George’s Feeling allows him to immediately sense that there is something strange about the mansion and he quickly begins to have supernatural experiences which really adds to the tense eeriness of the story. These two prove themselves to be incredibly brave children as they face up to the most terrifying danger.

I just have to mention the cover illustration by Keith Robinson which is in colour on the front cover and repeated in greyscale at the start and end. This perfectly portrays the spine-chilling horror waiting with its light, darkness and secrets hidden in the shadows beneath.

A deliciously dark, spine-chilling horror read, perfect for frights in the darker evenings – if you dare open The Blood Texts!

Recommended for 12+.

Thank you to Fox & Ink Books for sending me a copy of Uncle Zeedie in exchange for my honest opinion.