blog tour

A Court of Thorns and Roses-2 While this book was released a few months back, it takes a little while for things to arrive down south, as it were. But as proud, bookish Capetonian, I’m happy to be participating in the South African blog tour for Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses! (Henceforth abbreviated to ACOTAR.)

Anyway, if you have yet to read a copy, here are my 10 reasons for checking it out, accompanied by some graphics of my favourite quotes.

ACOTAR quotes

Fairytales: Who doesn’t love fairytales, whether a retelling or a whole new fantastical world? We’ve got a combination of Beauty and the Beast, Tam Lin and East of the Sun, West of the Moon, along with some of the author’s own imaginings.

Feyre: She’s a strong character – not necessarily in physical fighting strength, although she is certainly adept at labour-intensive outdoor work to keep her family fed and sheltered – but in sheer fortitude and determination. Our MC may be rather prickly in terms of personality, but she cares deeply for those around her.

ACOTAR quote 2

Tamlin: Our lethal alpha hero, who holds the weight of the world on his shoulders, and takes care of all those in his realm. He’s got a good heart beneath his fierce demeanor, and a rather lovely face to match.

Romance: The romance takes precedence in this novel – I’d describe the book as a romance with fantasy elements, rather than a traditional high fantasy with romance as one aspect. And it’s quite a scorching relationship to boot, setting hearts (and loins!) aflutter.

ACOTAR quote 3

Lucien: A precious cinnamon roll, too good for this world. Yes, really. Can you tell he’s my favourite? A red haired courtier and emissary, with a sharp tongue, a fox mask, and a plethora of horrors in his past.

Rhys: A firm fan favourite, I can’t really tell you more about him without giving away aspects of the story, but Tall, Dark & Dangerous certainly has a cult following among Maas readers. (I’m Team Tamlin all the way though. JUST SAYIN’.)

ACOTAR quote 4

Heroine with a hobby. I always like my characters to have interests apart from general survival (ha!), and in this case, Feyre loves to paint. She adores and appreciates art in all its forms, and our stoic MC is happiest with some drawing supplies and a blank canvas.

Gorgeous prose: The fairy world is richly detailed and described, and it’s a feast for the senses.

“I lingered at the edge of an open field of lanky meadow buttercups. The vibrant green-and-yellow field was deserted. Behind me arose a gnarled crab apple tree in full glorious bloom, the petals of its flowers littering the shaded bench on which I’d been about to sit. A breeze set the branches rustling, a waterfall of white petals flittering down like snow.”

The world’s about to end. I can feel it-9

Snark & banter. I adore a good back and forth, and these characters give as good as they get, whether it’s Lucien and Feyre snarling at each other, Tamlin and Feyre couching their feelings in loaded words, or Lucien giving BFF Tamlin a good ribbing.

The pretty. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but come on. (Also, I couldn’t think of a tenth reason. SO SUE ME.) Can’t wait to see what the rest of the series is going to look like.

The world’s about to end. I can feel it-7

About the book (you can purchase a copy from Raru.co.za):

When 19-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it.

Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae.

But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it… or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Add it to your Goodreads TBR pile.

Tour schedule:

Monday – 17th Aug
Tammy @ The Book Fairy’s Haven: Q & A with Sarah
Nerine @ This is my world: Review

Tuesday – 18 August
Hannah @ Fully booked reviews: Top 10 list

Wednesday: 19 August
Monique @ Paranormalsphere: Review of ACOTAR

Thursday: 20th August
Kara @ Blog of a Bookaholic – Review
Tammy @ The Book Fairy’s Haven – Review

Friday: 21 August
Hannah @ Fully Booked reviews – Review
Giveaway post: Win 3 copies of SJM – TBA

the uninvited

I read a digital ARC of this book back in January when it first became available for request, and when I saw there was going to be a blog tour to promote The Uninvited, I knew I had to jump onboard – because this book is utterly fabulous.

From the award-winning author of In the Shadow of Blackbirds comes a stunning new novel—a masterfully crafted story of love, loss, and second chances. Set during the fear and panic of the Great Influenza of 1918, The Uninvited is part gothic ghost-story, part psychological thriller, perfect for those who loved The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield or The Vanishing by Wendy Webb.

Twenty-five year old Ivy Rowan rises from her bed after being struck by the flu, only to discover the world has been torn apart in just a few short days.

But Ivy’s life-long gift—or curse—remains. For she sees the uninvited ones—ghosts of loved ones who appear to her, unasked, unwelcomed, for they always herald impending death. On that October evening in 1918 she sees the spirit of her grandmother, rocking in her mother’s chair. An hour later, she learns her younger brother and father have killed a young German out of retaliation for the death of Ivy’s older brother Billy in the Great War.

Horrified, she leaves home, to discover the flu has caused utter panic and the rules governing society have broken down. Ivy is drawn into this new world of jazz, passion, and freedom, where people live for the day, because they could be stricken by nightfall. But as her ‘uninvited guests’ begin to appear to her more often, she knows her life will be torn apart once more, but Ivy has no inkling of the other-worldly revelations about to unfold.

the uninvited quote

Review Extract:

I posted my review up shortly after I read the book in the beginning of the year, and while I won’t repost the entire thing here, I did think it was yet another winner from the wonderful Cat Winters.

A recurrent theme throughout all Cat Winter’s novels is the role and growing emancipation of women in rather restricted eras. Here, we have women working ceaselessly for the Red Cross, driving ambulances, transporting patients, and generally taking on duties previously undertaken by men.

While this book is categorised as adult, it didn’t feel massively different from her YA novels – and this isn’t a criticism – it means that if you’ve enjoyed the author’s previous work, you will adore The Uninvited.

Also, major plot twist that I didn’t see coming. Major kudos to the author for creating a book that incorporates the uglier parts of history while still creating a fascinating, bittersweet novel with admirable female leads, a little bit of humour, and a romance that you can’t help but root for, even with the giant obstacles in their way.

Giveaway Time:

As part of the blog tour, we’re giving away two print copies of The Uninvited! While I can’t embed the widget on my blog, you can CLICK HERE to enter the Rafflecopter competition. Good luck!

The Details:

The book was released on 11 August, so it’s available to purchase now! If you’d like to read an extract of The Uninvited, you can do so here.

Finally, you can connect with the author on Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads.

the uninvited quote