Review: The Magician’s Daughter by HG Parry
3 March 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, fiction, HG Parry, Review, The Magician's Daughter
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Quite Simply, This Was Brilliant
I loved The Magician’s Daughter and can’t believe that I let this beautiful story languish on my shelves for so long. HG Parry is still a fairly new to me author, I have read and really enjoyed The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door and A Far Better Thing and recommend them highly and I did wonder, just for a tiny moment, if this might not be quite as good (being an earlier work being my reasoning) but I’ve never been quite so happy to be wrong. I fell for this book with ease – and really, having read the aforementioned books it shouldn’t ever been a doubt that I harboured. This author is my catnip. I feel like she’s writing these stories just for me. I realise that might sound incredibly selfish but seriously, it’s like she knows exactly the sort of story I love. And the writing – it’s magical. I am undone.
In a nutshell, the Magician’s daughter is a coming of age tale about a young orphan woman called Biddy. The year is 1912, Biddy has lived her life on a remote island with her guardian Rowan and his familiar – a rabbit called Hutch. Biddy is very familiar with magic and the magical – even though this is a period in which magic is disappearing from the world. The island on which she lives is protected and remains unseen to ordinary folk which is just as well because Rowan and Hutch seem to be in hiding and although Biddy longs to see other people and places she is, for the time being, forbidden to leave. It’s even possible she could be in danger. And yet, many times, in the dead of night, she witnesses Rowan transform into a raven and depart the isle for who knows where. Unfortunately, on one such escapade Rowan falls foul of his enemies and Biddy is left in the tricky position of having to venture further abroad to stage a rescue. Of course, nothing about this rescue is going to be easy and in the process everything Biddy knows will be called into question.
What I loved about this.
Well, apart from everything! The writing is wonderful. I really enjoy the way this author writes. She’s a conjuror of beautiful prose and a fantastic storyteller. Everything you read here just falls into place with what seems like ease – but I’m sure cost blood, sweat and tears in the making. The descriptions bring the story to life and there’s a real sense of whimsy that took me back to stories when I was much younger, first picking up fantasy (and not even knowing that’s what it was called) and simply becoming hooked. Books like these reinforce my love of reading and falling down these fantastically hypnotic wormholes where I remain captive until the last page.
The characters were also easy to fall for. Biddy is very easy to like. Rowan can be a little bit frustrating but in spite of that I still really liked him and Hutch is such a unique familiar – I loved him. I literally nearly cried at one point during this story – which I will not elaborate upon further I mention it only to demonstrate how very caught up my emotions were with these characters.
The story itself is intriguing. It doesn’t particularly race through the plot but at the same time there were no lulls. I never knew what to expect and the wealth of imagination was breathtaking. We have this alternate England where we visit the tight streets of Whitechapel and it’s poverty stricken residents, an underground castle populated by magical people who are watching the decline of the world they knew and then the small island that our main characters have been squirrelled away on for the past years, keeping company with black rabbits, strange critters and mentions of an ancient people that are reminiscent of the fae.
As I said above. Many things that Biddy thought she knew will be called into question. Rowan’s actions will be scrutinised and pulled apart by those that are his enemies – and even some who are not. Biddy knows nothing of his past and hasn’t seen the extremes to which some people will go to retain magic.
I don’t really want to say too much more. I had an absolutely lovely time reading this. I was captivated and couldn’t put it down and on the strength of this and the previous two books I really have to go back and read everything that this author has ever written. I don’t know how much more gushing I can do right now so I’ll quit at this point. Read it is my advice.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 magical stars
Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
1 March 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Between Two Fires, Book Reviews, Booking Ahead, Books, Christopher Buehlman, fiction, HG Parry, reading, The Magician's Daughter, Weekly wrap up
Today I’m posting my Weekly Wrap Up and I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Weekly Update
It’s actually been another nice week in terms of weather so attacking the triffid hedges and garden has continued. I completed and reviewed Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, spoiler alert – it was very good, very dark and a bit horror soaked. I didn’t get much listening done this week so no progress on The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson but hopefully I will be picking this up again this week. I also completed my Backlist book for February which was The Magician’s Daugher by HG Parry – I loved it and will be reviewing early next week.
Next Week’s reads
I’ve already started to read T Kingfisher’s Snake Eater and it’s going well. I’ll be listening more to The Raven Scholar and also hoping to pick up How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson.
Reviews Posted:
- Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper
- Between Two Fires by Christopher Buelhman
Outstanding Reviews
- The Magician’s Daughter by HG Parry
Review: Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
26 February 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Between Two Fires, Book Review, Books, Christopher Buehlman, fiction, Horror, reading, Review
My Five Word TL:DR: A Bit Too Much Horror
I really do like this author, very much so. I like his style of writing. I absolutely loved The Blacktongue Thief and The Daughter’s War even moreso. In fact Between Two Fires has been on my wishlist for a while so I was excited to pick it up. And, to be perfectly honest, I really enjoyed this, but, I think this veered into perhaps a little too much horror for me personally. That being said, I still wolfed this down, the writing is good, the dialogue is excellent, its grim and gritty and I was positively intrigued.
The story gets off to an immediate start. We meet up with a band of brigands, really not very nice characters at all (serious understatement). They basically roam the countryside stealing and terrorising the people moving swiftly on before they can be caught. Unfortunately, they’re about to have a serious falling out. One of their band, Thomas, is about to disagree with their latest scheme and decide to save the young innocent girl they’ve just discovered (instead of following orders). This will be the first in what appears (to Thomas especially) a strange turnabout in character. He seems unable to say ‘no’ to this young girl and soon finds himself on a mission, accompanied by a priest.
The setting here is mediaeval, the period a particularly turbulent time when the plague was sweeping across Europe killing thousands in it’s wake. It seems like God has abandoned the people and hell and all it’s evil minions are running amok.
What I really liked about this.
Well, firstly I loved the writing. This is quite dark and bleak and the ending definitely descends into something of a blood bath – which isn’t really my thing, but I wanted to know how it was all going to end. For the record, this is not cosy, there is no romance, I would say it’s grimdark, meets horror, meets fiery apocalyptic end of world as we know it, with blood and lots of death. This author has a way with words where I find myself reading a story even when it becomes too much.
The characters. It’s a great group of characters. I was reading a discussion piece just recently about this very thing – good vs evil and morally grey characters. Here, we definitely fall into the ‘morally grey’ for at least two of the characters. The young girl is very innocent, although as the story develops it soon becomes clear that she is ‘different’. She knows things! Thomas is a disgraced knight and the priest has also suffered a fall from grace. I loved the dynamic between the three.
The majority of the story is in the style of overcoming trials and tribulations. The three are on a quest, travelling to a known destination, but without the knowledge of what they will need to do once they get there. The further they progress the more difficult their journey becomes and the more bizarre the trials that they endure.
What held this back a little for me.
First and foremost, it was just a bit too much horror for me, but that’s my personal preference and the last third, or maybe quarter, of the book, lost me a little. Now, I have been reflecting on what was taking place and so it has become clearer once I put the book down and had time to really think, but whilst I was reading I was definitely a bit perplexed and felt like I simply needed to push on to understand things, which turned out to be the case, because things did clear up. But, without doubt, for a spell there I was a bit, well, out of my depth – or at least that’s how it felt. Strange that even as I’m typing this review I’m having second thoughts because now I’m beginning to wonder if maybe the author intended for this to be all chaotic and confused. His characters were certainly a little lost after all. Mmm, food for thought. Seriously though – don’t you love a book that makes you think? I’m still going round in circles with my pondering which is exactly what I want from a book – I think this story will be in my head for a while making me go backwards and forwards, thinking I’ve pinned it down and then realising that I really haven’t.
Overall, I would have no hesitation in recommending this. The writing is excellent, I liked the characters, the setting was perfect – just be aware that it is very dark and quite horrific.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars
Review: Boudicca’s Daughter by Elodie Harper
23 February 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Boudicca's Daughter, Elodie Harper, fiction, historical-fiction, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Great main character and setting
I absolutely loved the Wolf Den series by Elodie Harper and so I’m always excited to see anything new pop up, in fact I’m surprised at myself that I managed to wait so long before getting to this – but then deadlines sometimes dictate these things.
Boudicca’s Daughter was a very interesting read. As the story begins we meet Catia, famous warrior, married to a druid and mother to two daughters, otherwise known as Boudicca. I really liked the initial set up, the rivalry between the two sisters and the different dynamic between them and their parents. The author really pulls you into their story and you can feel the tension rising. The Briton’s and their Roman oppressors have a very tentative peace that seems balanced on a knife edge. The death of the Iceni king is about to tip the balance and insight rebellion.
I’m not going to dwell too much on the story. We focus on one of Boudicca’s daughters – called Solina. She’s an interesting and easy to like character. She’s intelligent and uses her brain as much as her strength. After the rebellion fails, Solina is taken captive and taken to Rome. Of course, this is a very short version of events.
What I really liked about this.
Well, Harper excels at setting a scene. I find it so easy to sink into her stories. I will say that if I was to be pushed, I preferred the time we actually spent in Rome because the author seems to really love these elements herself, or at least that’s how it feels to me. The Briton’s, the rebellion and even Boudicca, paled a little by comparison. Once Solina was taken to Rome with her captor Paulinus, the tension and constant fear really took hold. Which isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the earlier parts of the story, just that they weren’t quite as gripping.
Paulinus is another fascinating character and this imagined partnership really served to highlight the differences between the two races. The strange thing is, even though the Briton’s suffered at the hands of their oppressors I think the Romans were actually meaner to each other – if that’s possible. Their constant scheming and manipulations, not to mention that Nero was an absolute horror of a ruler. Oh yes, things definitely became interesting once Paulinus was called home.
The relationship between Solina and Paulinus was really well written. As I mentioned Solina has strong survival instincts but is also a sympathetic character often stepping in to help others and ultimately putting herself at risk. I expected to find their relationship unbelievable but the way this is written is just so easy and enjoyable that you find yourself being easily caught up in their dilemmas. In fact, as the story progresses, and the madness and hysteria in Rome escalates, the two really need to stay strong together just to survive – funny that I felt Solina was more under threat at this point than during the battles in her own country.
I would mention that there are some incidents here that may be triggering for some readers although I would say that the events that take place are off page and are not sensationalised at all, they serve more to highlight how Solina is affected.
I don’t really have any criticisms for this, it was a really good read, the only thing that perhaps brought this down a little was the haste with which the rebellion was brushed over, I don’t know why, especially given the title, but I think I was expecting a little more from that side.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. If you loved the Wolf Den then I have no hesitation in recommending, they’re distinctly different stories but the author’s great story telling really shines through, and if you haven’t read the Wolf Den series I strongly recommend it. I also thought the audio version was really good. I can’t wait to see what Harper comes up with next.
I bought the audio version.
My rating 4 of 5 stars
Review: Temple Fall by RL Boyle
16 February 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, fiction, Horror, Review, RL Boyle, Temple Fall
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Didn’t Quite Work It’s Magic
Temple Fall sounded like just my thing. A group of friends go to spend the night at an old abandoned house, in the process they manage to become cursed and one of them dies from a tragic accident. To all intents and purposes the rest of the friends also go missing and don’t reappear for months, even though to them it feels like only one evening has occurred. And, from there, things just go downhill.
It’s Jackson’s 18th birthday and his small group of close knit friends decide to camp out at a haunted, and rather creepy house. Upon arrival, the place doesn’t look nearly as bad as the group had expected, given how long it’s been abandoned. They even imagine that someone is still living there. They start to make camp but before long the sky darkens and a storm rolls in, it turns out they don’t have all the right camping gear and eventually they make the decision to enter the house for shelter. Again, the inside looks almost lived in, they find a decent sitting room and crack open the bottles of bubbly and other alcohol. Things get off to a good start but soon the tension starts to rise. The house seems to have it’s hooks in them, creating mistrust and suspicion and before you know it they’re starting to bicker. Then, someone has the great idea to have a seance which results in a scary entity taking over what started out as a bit of fun.
On the face of it I expected to enjoy this a lot more than I did. I loved the whole gothic vibe, the creepy, haunted house and the backstory. It’s well written in terms of the atmosphere and descriptions. I had no problem in envisioning the house and found the history to the place interesting.
However, I had issues. I think the plot suffers from uneven pacing. The first 20-25% in particular was really slow. On top of this there’s then a busyness to the story that just feels too much or too distracting. Flynn has her own past demons. Her mother was abusive and she was eventually taken into care, it’s taken a while for her to find her feet but she loves her new found family. That being said, she has her own ulterior motives for wanting to come to Temple Fall.
Temple Fall itself has a long and dark history that eventually unfolds as the group start investigating. The house is not as it first appears. And there’s a menacing presence lurking in the dark corners.
Personally, I felt like there was too much going on and the different stories were in a competition with each other for attention. I feel like it needed to be more focused. As it was we have the friction between the group, the curse, the house and it’s past, Flynn and her past and also the mystery of what happened to them all when they seemingly disappeared for a few months (as though time in Temple Falls is different from the outside world). All set against a ticking clock as the survivors try to find out more about their curse.
As well as the busy feel and, what was probably more of a deal breaker for me, was this has a YA feel. I didn’t really become attached to any of the characters. They were supposed to be really good friends and yet I didn’t get a feel for that at all and in turn this lack of investment stopped me from feeling worried or scared for any of them.
To be honest, part of this is definitely a case of ‘it’s me not you’ because I should have picked up on the 18th birthday party description. As it is I just became hooked with the whole gothic horror, haunted house description. To be fair, I think, even with the younger protagonists and their sometimes frustrating behaviour, if the story had remained at Temple Fall and focused on the scary elements I think this would probably have worked better for me.
I think Temple Fall will undoubtedly find it’s audience, it just didn’t quite work for me.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3 of 5 stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 