The Signature Move is the first contemporary romance of Cassandra Diviak’s that I’ve delved into and I have to say I’m not in any way disappointed. While I wouldn’t call ‘Sports Romance’ my preferred genre, Diviak is able to bring characters to life with a vivacity that grabs you immediately.
The Signature Move explores themes of domestic violence, parental neglect and emotional abuse, eating disorders, and the worst kind of ex-boyfriend, but with a light, delicate, touch that handles the difficult subject matters with care and careful consideration...
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Shadow and Soul, Book Three 'Of Wild and Witchcraft' is the third book in the Shadow and Soul series, and it picks up immediately from the ending of Book Two with a world-shattering revelation for one of our main characters, Cordelia. Stuck on the strange Island they find themselves on, Percy and Cordelia can't run from what they've discovered there, and that's just the first blow of many. 'Of Wild and Witchcraft' really puts Cordelia through the wringer, and she struggles to overcome not only the aftermath of book two, but each subsequent blow in this book seems to wear her down further. Beyond Percy, and the presence of the Winterbite Wolves, however, is the brightspot that is Willow. A young girl that Cordelia takes under her wing. Children are, admittedly, where most books lose my interest, and I did find myself struggling through parts of this book due to the prominence of this newly introduced character. But not due to the authors lack of skill. Cassandra Diviak handles the sisterly relationship between Cordelia and Willow with skill, and although I sometimes found myself wishing to see more of Cordelia and Percy instead, I can see how the connection between Cordelia and Willow can potentially grow to be very important in subsequent books. As for poor Percy, I feel like he spent a great deal of this book holding Cordelia together, but there's some important revelations for him within the 'Of Wild and Witchraft' too. Especially in terms of his wolf. Who finally has a name to put to his gruff inner voice. And that's something else I'm excited to see in the final installment. All signs of which point to one hell of a ride. Another enjoyable read from this author, 'Of Wild and Witchcraft' leaves you on the edge of your seat, with a cliffhanger ending, that will have you scrambling to pre-order the next book in the series. Of Wild and Witchcraft is available now.
You can purchase a copy in E-book or Paperback form via; Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Kobo UK or Kobo US Happy June! How are we all doing so far this month?
Summer has officially arrived here in the UK. We went from mid-teen centigrade temperatures, to over 30 degrees yesterday. It's made writing this week a genuine chore, because I struggle to think straight in the heat, but I've managed to not fall behind on my word count. I'm calling that a success! Are we ready for an update? Oh good! Let's dig in... Shadow and Soul Series, Book Two A perfect weekend read! I'll keep this review spoiler free, but in Soul of the Sorceress we're back in Runswick with Cordelia and Percy! I have to admit to having missed these two, so I was looking forward to settling into this second book in the Shadow and Soul series. While the book opens quickly on our two main characters, it's made apparent early on that this book has not been written for new readers in mind. If you pick this book up without realising it's book two, you're going to find yourself very lost, very quickly. There's little-to-no recap, and it has sections that allude to character histories that, without context, simply mean nothing to the reader but, honestly, I'm nitpicking. This *is* a second book, and it has deep lore, established backstory and character histories that I was aware of going in. Despite these small areas of potential improvement, Cassandra's skillful storytelling pulls us into a world of magic and romance very quickly. I devoured this book in just a few hours, but it's got a lovely pacing that lends its content to a quiet evening and a glass of wine, or a relaxed weekend perusal. There is intrigue and high stakes, but you never feel pushed to rush the story. It's cleverly interspersed with periods of soft romance, and quiet affection between Cordelia and Percy and despite my ever growing desire to understand the motivations behind the other players on the board, and what allies or dangers they might turn out to be, it was my love of Percy and Cordelia's relationship that truly captured my attention throughout. A gorgeous addition to the series, and I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the next installment to add to my collection! You can purchase a copy of Soul of the Sorceress, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Kobo Trying my best to make these monthly updates a habit, and clearly I'm failing at that! I've been busy this month though, which strangely helps. It makes me feel like I've got more to tell you than; "Did writing. Did more writing."
So, let's dig in! Shadow and Soul, Book One Tirelessly imaginative and magical story Shadow of the Beast, the debut novel from Cassandra Diviak, grabs your focus from the first pages, and takes you on an adventure as you try to untangle the clues about who or what is stalking the citizens of Runswick. It's story is well crafted and engaging from start to finished, however, it is the characters that truly held my attention. Percy and Cordelia start out with their own lives, troubles, and concerns, but as danger stalks the dark streets of Runswick, and deaths threaten the tentative security of both their lives, the two main characters find themselves having to work together. Not only to solve what's hunting the townspeople, but to find a way to move forward as their two separate paths become inextricably tangled. The slow, burgeoning relationship between the two protagonists is a joy to watch, and the steady progression from strangers, to friends, with the potential for more hovering on the horizon is a refreshing change of pace from many books I've read recently where the relationships seem forced or rushed. Overall this is a joy to read, and I greatly look forward to seeing how all of these characters, Percy and Cordelia's relationship, and the subtle hints of a deeper and lore rich world, develop in future books from this writer. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. You can purchase a copy of Shadow of the Beast, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Kobo Barnes & Noble |
Arista Holmes
I'm a writer in her thirties, who is based in the South East of England. Archives
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