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Roz Maclaren

Teen Fiction with a Dark Twist

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Archives for August 2024

What to read while you’re waiting for Fable and Legend to be released

20 August, 2024 by Roz MacLaren Leave a Comment

Fable and Legend is due out this autumn – but there’s still time to finish up your summer reads. If you are excited for the second instalment in The Mirrordom Legends, chances are you like dark fantasy – so here are a few books to get stuck into until Fable and Legend comes out!

Powerless by Lauren Roberts.

9/10.

This book was getting so much praise on BookTok and Bookstagram that I had to check it out. If you haven’t already read it, it’s definitely worth picking up. I’m excited to see how the rest of the series develops.

Of Kingdoms and Curses by Amy Woodruff.

10/10.

I received an ARC of this fantastic book, but it’s since been released. I wrote a full review but the short version is this was a thoroughly enjoyable escape into a magical world.

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olsen.

I must admit, I haven’t read this one yet but it’s on my TBR and I found the synopsis rather arresting. I’ll likely write a full review once I do read it.

In The Days Before by Renée Shantel.

10/10.

Once again, I had an ARC of this book and can thoroughly recommend this twisty mystery. It’s due out on 23 October. I’ve written a full review on this amazing novel as well, but I can’t praise it enough.

Foiled Stars by Jennifer Ascienzo.

10/10.

I was fortunate enough to receive the entire Foiled Stars trilogy as ARCs. The first two are both available to buy now and the third is due out in September. I really enjoyed the escapism of this series and Jennifer’s writing style very much lends itself to people with busy schedules who still want to progress through their books. I’ve written three full reviews, but I would definitely recommend anyone who likes sci-fi to check them out.

Venom and Blaze by Roz MacLaren.

I was just about to hit publish on the blog when I realised I had forgotten the obvious! Before diving into Fable and Legend it will make sense to check out the first in the series, Venom and Blaze. While The Mirrordom Legends is a series that can make sense with each book read in isolation, each story will weave together to create a complete picture. So I would definitely recommend starting with Venom and Blaze first – as one of the side characters in that story is getting a whole novel dedicated to her adventures in Fable and Legend.

Here’s what another amazing author had to say about my book on Amazon:

“I finished reading in one sitting — both because the book is the perfect length for a lazy Sunday afternoon, and because I was absolutely captivated by the story. I’d intended to start it, to put it down when I went to bed, and pick it up again after work tomorrow. Instead, I devoured it start to finish with only a short break in between for dinner.

I loved everything about this book. The concept of the Mirrors was fantastic. The world-building was simple but well done, so I never once felt bogged down by it. The characters were phenomenal, and the twists! The turns! Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was wrong. There were so many surprises waiting just over the page that I was almost afraid to turn them!

I NEED more of this series. I need to know what’s going to happen to these characters.

10/10 would forego sleep to finish reading this again!”

As always, if you do read a book, especially by an indie author, I can testify first-hand to how deeply appreciated that will be. So, if you enjoy any of my recommendations, I’d love to hear your thoughts and read your reviews.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fable and Legend, Mirrordom

Inspiration for Venom and Blaze’s setting

14 August, 2024 by Roz MacLaren Leave a Comment

Venom and Blaze takes place in a fantasy world called Mirrordom. The area is split into distinct regions based on geographical features – such as the Sealands, the Heatherlands and the Cavelands. I thought it would be fun to take a look at the real-life locations that inspired some of the settings in Venom and Blaze.

Mirrordom

It’s never explicitly stated in the books (and it never will be) but Mirrordom, in my head, is Scotland. The range of scenery in Scotland can be dramatically different even over a relatively small region. So I took inspiration from Scotland’s mountains, moorlands, coastal regions and islands to create the setting for my series.

Mirror Island

Mirror Island is a location that won’t be properly developed until the fourth book at the earliest. However, it’s a location that is frequently mentioned in all of the books. It’s the place where all the Mirror babies are banished to. Given the population of the Good, we can determine that Mirror Island must be quite sizeable.

Mirror Island, for me, is based on the Scottish Isle of Skye – large enough to house a generous population of Mirrors and with a varied terrain from beaches, rocky coastlines, mountain ranges, moorlands, bogs and forests.

The Castle

King Viper’s castle is one of the few places not inspired by something Scottish.

Mont Orgueil Castle or Gorey Castle on Jersey CI formed the basis for the Venom’s home. All of the book was written on the Isle of Jersey, so it made sense that some island inspiration crept into the book.

A small section in the novel describes Venom spending many a happy hour reading in the courtyard of the castle and this particular scene was based on an hour or so I spent in castle courtyard basking in the gorgeous sunshine surrounded by very cute lizards and reading on my Kindle.

Are the locations that inspired Venom and Blaze‘s setting similar to how you pictured them in your head? I’d love to hear how you imagined the places.

Venom and Blaze is available now.

SHOP VENOM AND BLAZE

Filed Under: Mirrordom, Venom and Blaze

Book review: Of Kingdoms And Curses by Amy Woodruff

1 August, 2024 by Roz MacLaren Leave a Comment

10/10

Thank you so much to MTMC Tours and Amy Woodruff for an ARC of this amazing book. My views are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Of Kingdoms And Curses is a YA fantasy novel and the first in the Blood And Curses series.

Bridget is trapped in a magical realm and has no memory of her human existence. When she enters a tournament to marry the Prince, she hopes she can use this to get back to the human world – and remember who she is.

What I loved…

The characters. Every one was multi-faceted and had their own agenda. From the ones I liked to the ones I hated, they were all beautifully portrayed.

The plot. This is a phenomenal plot that unfolds beautifully.

The love story. Amy has done a fabulous job at creating a deep and touching love story (and I am a self-professed cynic.) I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

What I didn’t love so much…

While I love the way the book got straight into the action, I feel a little bit of world building at the start would have been good to set the scene. There’s a tiny bit of an info-dump in the early chapters that I think could have read more engagingly if they had been woven through at a slower pace. That being said, it didn’t put me off the book and it wasn’t hard-going to get through the early chapters.

Of Kingdoms And Curses has left me itching for more and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. It has easily earned a full ten out of ten from me.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

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