...(book review) the surface breaks by louise o'neill

Deep beneath the cold, stormy sea, Gaia is a mermaid who dreams of freedom from her controlling father. On her first swim to the surface, she is drawn towards a human boy. Gaia longs to join his carefree world, but how much will she have to sacrifice? 

What will it take for the little mermaid to find her voice?

THE SURFACE BREAKS by Louise O'Neill
Published: 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy Fiction, Fairy Tale Reimagining
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a fantastical, dark, feminist, and at times angry reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The original story comes with its own streak of darkness: a mermaid who exchanges her voice for legs, upon which each step she takes feels like she walking on broken glass. But The Surface Breaks delves deeper, making the original concept seem mild by comparison. It painfully highlights what a women is capable of enduring, and pushing herself through. Gaia does not simply trade her voice, but consents to having her tongue grotesquely cut from her mouth, forever and irreversibly losing her means of speech, and song.

She trades her most treasured possession for a chance to escape her fathers tyranny, and live on land where she can be with the boy she assumes to be her true love. But as any non-fairytale dweller knows, love is tainted and imperfect and sometimes unrequited. Sometimes you can see a person through rose coloured glasses for so long that it blinds you to their true nature, disguising their many flaws.

"Do you know what it feels like to be comfortable in your own skin? Have you ever known?"

The blatant feminism in this book grabbed me by the throat and made me sit up and pay attention. I quickly realised that for Gaia, the tragedy of this story is not only losing her voice, but not feeling able to use it in a way that mattered when she still had it in her possession. Her world is controlled my men and their whims, both beneath the ocean and on land it seems. She doesn't stand up to them because she doesn't know she can. And when the realisation occurs, she no longer has the voice to do so.

It takes the juxtaposition of the Sea Witch to show her that there's another way to live. That a woman exists who isn't thin, silent or obedient to the will of men. She belongs to no one but herself. And she will rely on no one else to save her.

Living true is the most important things any woman can do.

It wasn't the writing or the characters that endeared me to the story. It was solely the message it sends. I encourage women and men alike to read this book. I think there is something to be gleamed from it, no matter who you are. It's thought provoking beyond words.

Let me know your thoughts if you do read The Surface Breaks, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks as always for reading. You can find me in between blogs on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Zuzu 🖋

...(book review) the witch hunt by alexander lound

Two months on from the tragedy of the Burned House, and Jonny has spent most of the long summer days in bed, hiding from the miserable rain. Ghost-hunting is in his past. After all, it has proved to be little more than a curse. 

However, when his dad reaches out to him after an eighteen-month absence, Jonny can't hide his fury. He also can't say no after his father asks him to stay at his new home in the quaint, little village of Peene. Maybe it will heal the hurt between them. At the very least it will take his mind of Grantford, and his haunting nightmares. 

But when he realises - feels - that all isn't quite right with his dad's new partner, Bella, he has no choice but to turn back to his ability. To uncover a grisly murder of years past. Even if it means risking another date with death...

THE WITCH HUNT by Alexander Lound [Jonny Roberts: Book Three]

Published: Feb 2021

Genre: YA Paranormal 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Here it is, the 3rd book in the Jonny Roberts series. I've been privileged enough to receive a digital copy of this book to read and review in advance of release, so here's a little bit about what you can expect from the third instalment of this chilling YA Paranormal series:

Jonny can speak to the dead, an ability that has thus far only caused him heart ache. Having lost his best friend in his last encounter with a dangerous poltergeist, Jonny is newly bereaved and alone. His girlfriend deemed him too dangerous to be around, and perhaps she's right. He's given up mediumship for good.

Or so he thinks...

When his estranged father gets in touch and asks Jonny for a second chance, Jonny decides to allow him to reconnect. Going to stay with his dad means a temporary refuge and distraction from recent events. But, upon meeting his father's new family, Jonny soon realises that all is not as perfect in his dad's new life as it may seem.

As fatal as his previous encounters with ghosts have been, Jonny soon sees that without his intervention, the people he still has left to love could be in great danger! 

When beginning this book, I was worried that it would be filled with the moping teenage angst of Jonny, alone after losing his best friend and girlfriend. But the author surprised me and took the story to a new location, introduced new characters, and created a situation that I certainly hadn't expected.

The ghost in this book is an intriguing one, and I found myself gripped by her story as Jonny and his medium friend, Aaron, unravelled her history with gripping pace.

There are some pretty chilling moments, and I'd say that this is probably the darkest of the three books so far. Also, my favourite of the three.

I don't know if there's another instalment for Jonny Roberts, but I look forward to reading it if there is. There's a lot that Jonny lays bare in this book, and I would be interested to read how his character develops without the burden of so many secrets!

If you're interested in reading the Jonny Roberts series, it's available to buy on Amazon.

Check out all links from the authors website: alexanderlound.com/books/

And follow him here on Instagram for more updates @aloundauthor

...(book review) winterkeep by kristin cashore

For the past five years, Bitterblue has reigned as Queen of Monsea, heroically rebuilding her nation after her father's horrific rule. After learning about the land of  Torla in the east, she sends envoys to the closest nation there: Winterkeep - a place where telepathic foxes bond with humans, and people fly across the sky in wonderous airships.

But when the envoys never return, having drowned under suspicious circumstances, Bitterblue sets off for Winterkeep herself, along with her spy Hava, and trusted colleague Giddon. On the way, tragedy strikes again - a tragedy with devastating political and personal ramifications.

Meanwhile, in Winterkeep, Lovisa Cavenda waits and watches, a fire inside her that is always hungry. The teenage daughter of two powerful politicians, she is the key to unlocking everything - but only if she's willing to transcend the person she's been all her life.

WINTERKEEP by Kristin Cashore

Published: Jan 2021

Genre: YA Fantasy Fiction

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Are you ready for a little magic?"

How can I begin to describe my excitement over this novel? 

The Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore are undoubtedly my most treasured book trilogy. And a trilogy is what I assumed they would remain, but, surprise! This incredible author has awarded us with an additional book, a forth story resuming five years after the third novel ended, starring some of her original characters who have maintained their verve and individuality over time, and enticing us with new faces, too.

WARNING: If you've not read Graceling, Fire or Bitterblue, now is the time to STOP reading this blog, take my recommendation and GO find these books immediately! Especially if you're a fantasy world lover like myself. These worlds are incredible, and I'm captivated by Kristin Cashore's expansion of her already extensive realms. The terrain is constantly growing!

This book is laced with even more action, adventure and political intrigue than before. The political undertones are heightened, making the world seem all the more real for it's trials and tribulations.

The technology that the new realm reveals is so advanced compared to previous novels that it's almost like stepping into a new world entirely! But the journey between them is so seamless, that I didn't bat an eye. It seemed right and progressive in a way that felt modern, and yet still fitting to a fantasy setting.

However, the best addition to this world were the blue foxes. I love the concept of them. Mind readers, like Po and Fire's characters in previous books, but this time not individuals. A whole species bearing this gift and protecting the secrets of fox-kind so that humans never become aware of the extent of their abilities. They speak only into the minds of the human they are bonded with. Self preservation on their behalf. But the deception becomes deep and complex and curious. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the parts of the story from the point of view of one of the foxes (I won't mention his name, since he so enjoys revealing it himself in the book). That's another intrigue about Winterkeep; the story is told from multiple points of view: The Fox, Bitterblue, Giddon, Lovisa and the mysterious Keeper; the perfect mixture of old and new character's voices, with no confusion as the author flits between them. I always understood who was speaking and empathised with them entirely.

Admittedly, I did miss the presence of a couple of original characters, but as this is largely Bitterblue's continued story, I can understand why they weren't featured. However they're heavily mentioned and blessedly still part of the Queen's life so I didn't feel their absence too much.

I enjoyed how Bitterblue's character has matured and evolved, becoming more assured in her position as Queen. The lies and manipulation of her father before her still hinder her reign in so many ways, the most obvious being the comparison between her own kingdom Monsea with Winterkeep. It's evident that there's still a long way to go towards restoring things, and I desperately hope we're given another book from this author so we can witness the recovery of a kingdom.

Their are hints and threats of war in this book, and I can't help but speculate more on this to come on this matter.

Winterkeep was a five star read for me, and will no doubt remain top of my list of excellence for books published in 2021. A bold claim maybe since it's only January, but I do rate this author so highly!

Her character and world creation is unrivalled in my opinion. Feel free to challenge me!

Let me know if you read this book, and what your thoughts are! I don't know anyone else who's read the original trilogy, despite my constant recommendations! So some discussion in the comments would be eagerly read and received!

Happy reading!

Zuzu 🖋

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