Crown of Talons Lockdown

I am so thrilled to welcome back Katherine and Elizabeth Corr, sisters and authors of two series that I chat about on this blog, The Witch's Kiss trilogy and the Throne of Swans duology. Their latest is the conclusion to the Throne of Swans duology, Crown of Talons, and the best way to describe this series (and this book in particular) is imagine Game of Thrones had a baby with Swan Lake and you have a vague idea.  

Now, seeing as Crown of Talons is a sequel, I don't want to do a write-up in case of spoilers, so how far can I go to talk about this world... After the events on Throne of Swans, Aderyn is on high alert. Enemies outside and within court are watching her and thinking she and Aron, her cousin, aren't enough to rule. But with nobles from neighbouring country fleeing for their lives - the flightless have risen up and overthrown their rules - and an attempted assassination is made on Aderyn's life, the world is changing and Aderyn must have the strength to overcome everything to save her kingdom. Or die trying... 

It's going to be a bloody, feathery fight to the death!

Now, before I hand you over to the Katherine and Elizabeth, I just want to thank and apologise to them for writing this. I popped a random email at them (I love having them on the blog as they are a delight!) over Easter, saying something along the lines of "Hey, am reading Crown of Talons. Fancy popping on the blog for a guest post, if you have time?" and them saying "Sure, what do you want us to write, though?" and us bouncing ideas till someone (Katherine, was it you or Elizabeth? It wasn't me, am not this clever) said "What about what TV shows they watched or books they read if they were in lockdown with us?" and I jumped up and down in my seat, going "YES! THIS! CAN YOU WRITE THIS?!"

Ok, quick house-keeping. If you want to know more about either the Corr's series (Throne of Swans and their debut trilogy, The Witch's Kiss), pop over to their website - corrsisters.com - or you can jump on their social media and say hi to them both. Elizabeth is on Twitter at @lizcorr_writes and Katherine can be found at @katharinecorr.

Now, what would the characters in Crown of Talons read/watch during lockdown. Shall we find out?

Mini NetGalleyish Reviews - May 2021

My first review-is post and it's mini-reviews. I have decided to write a mini-review post for the next few reads (unless one screams "I NEED YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION!!!") but these three titles I think just need a nice, short review. Very similar to what I wrote on my Goodreads (goodreads.com/pewterwolf), but not exactly. 

Now, quick note, the three mini-reviews below are titles I have been gifted very kindly by publishers either physically or via NetGalley. All were kindly gifted, of course, in exchange for an honest review/reaction (and when have you guys known me to be filter my opinions?). But then, all the titles I review and chat on here, I do try and be as honest as I can with you all as possible.

Book Review - A Throne of Swans

• Title And Author: A Throne of Swans by Elizabeth and Katherine Corr
• Publisher: Hot Key Books
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Physical
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review/reaction
• Length: 352 Pages

SURPRISE! Ok, am meant to be back properly for book blogging duties next week (I just want a little time longer to read and get my back into my real life job before I got back into her), but when I was asked to be involved in the Throne of Swans tour, I jumped at it. Plus, I had (for once) read and wrote up my review several weeks before so, TECHNICALLY, this was one of my last reads of 2019, but this is going to be my write-ups of 2020! 

This took me a while to read. I feel like I should explain this right now before we go any further into the post. I started reading this early in December, the same day some bloggers went to Hot Key HQ to chat to both authors and launch the book at a bloggers’s event. Normally, I would write these events up but this event (as well as a Walker Books Blogger Event that happened several days later) but I didn’t write as I didn’t have time! Sorry, December was a mad month. I think we all can agree to that! 

And it took me a while to read and review. Why, I hear you ask. December is a mad, busy month. I just couldn’t seem to find the time to read and then write this! Plus, I kept putting it off (I liked the Witch's Kiss trilogy, so what if I hated this?). All of which explains why I wrote this post up now, literally days before Christmas (when I am on blogging holiday and as far away from my laptop as possible, FYI!) and posting it now.

Inspired by Swan Lake, Throne of Swans follows Aderyn who inherits the role of Protector to Atratys after her father dies. Atratys is a dominion in a kingdom where nobles can transform into birds that represent their family bloodline. Aderyn’s is a swan. But she hasn’t transformed for years after witnessing the brutal murder of her mother, ripped apart by hawks who are supposedly extinct sing the great War of the Raptors. 

Aderyn wants revenge, she must venture into the heart of the royal court, ruled by her cruel uncle, the King, to seek the truth. But how far is she willing to go…?