Non spoiler book review
*This book is told from a different perspective than book one and happens in a different area so the following synopsis and review will not spoil you for either book.

Title: Imprison the Sky (The Elementae #2)
Author: A.C Gaughen
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: March 2019 (Australia)
RRP: $14.99 AUD

Synopsis:
Stolen from her family as a child, Aspasia has clawed her way up the tanks of Cyrus's black market empire to captain her own trading vessel - and she risks it all every time she uses her powerful magic to free as many women, children and Elementae from slavery as she can.
But Cyrus is close to uncovering her secrets - not only that Aspasia is a wind Elementae with the ability to sail her ship through the sky, but that she is also searching for her lost family. And if Aspasia can't find her younger siblings before Cyrus does, she will never be able to break free.
Armed with her loyal crew full of Elementae and a new recruit who controls and intriguing power, Aspasia finds herself in the centre of a brewing war that spans every inch of the ocean, and her power alone may not be enough to save her friends, family, and freedom.

Click here for my review of Reign the Earth (book one).

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My rating: 5/5


Book one, Reign the Earth, was a phenomenal read last year (2018) and it was one of my favourites of the year so Imprison the Sky held high expectations for me. In the beginning, I was dead set that this wasn't going to be better than the previous book but as the story went on, I was so drawn to the characters and the story that it was all I could think about when I wasn't reading (sorry to my uni work). Even now, after finishing it a few days ago, the characters are still on my mind.

I felt the story line had a great feel to it. A novel with slaves can be a hard one but with the help of amazingly-written characters, this book has done really well. Reflecting back on the story, they spend a lot of time on the ship but I actually didn't notice - or perhaps, it was woven so well into the story that it just fit. There is a bit of crossover from book one - I had read Reign the Earth over a year ago so I couldn't remember fine details but I started to remember things as it went on - but you can find short summaries online if you want to.

Gaughen knows how to write great main characters. Reign the Earth followed Shalia, whereas Imprison the Sky is in the perspective of Aspasia, a air elementae, and thrice-damned (did I say that right?), I absolutely bow down to both of these women - and I'm sure I will to the MC's in the rest of the series.

Aspasia is a strong-willed, bisexual young woman who is under the control of her master but as she has a little more freedom than most slaves (if that's what you want to call it), she tries to make it worth while as best she can - trying to free as many women, children and elementae, as well as search for her family that was taken away from her years before. She is a true badass that will do anything for her crew, even if that means putting herself in danger to save them all.

In Reign the Earth, you meet Kairos, a beautiful being that is also the brother of Shalia. He was a great character there, so I was absolutely stoked to have him not only appear in this book, but become a solid and important character throughout the story. I adore the way he treats Aspasia and the crew, and how his character development is spot on. I am also crushing on him big time if you hadn't noticed.

The other characters in Imprison the Sky are a great asset to the story, the good and the bad. The plot is one thing, but I feel Gaughen has a great balance with what's actually going on in the story plus the characters that make it.

This series has so far been an A-plus story with insanely great characters and I am so keen for the rest of the books in the series. I highly recommend you pick these books up and immerse yourself in the world (I put trigger warnings in my review of book one though so check those out - link is above).



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*This book was sent to me by Bloomsbury Australia in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:


Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Life of Erena or click here

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Non spoiler book review

Enchantée = 'Enchanted' in French
Mon trésor (used in title) = my treasure

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Title: Enchantée
Author: Gita Trelease
Publisher: Macmillan Australia / Pan Macmillan
Publication date: 26 February 2019
RRP: $16.99 AUD

Synopsis:

Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries - and magicians...

When smallpox kills her parents, seventeen-year-old Camille is left to provide for her frail sister and her volatile brother. In desperation, she survives by using the petty magic she learnt from her mother. But when her brother disappears Camille decides to pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Using dark magic Camille transforms herself into the 'Baroness de la Fontaine' and presents herself as the court of Versaille, where she soon finds herself swept up in a dizzying life of riches, finery and suitors. But Camille's resentment of the rich is at odds with the allure of their glamour and excess, and she soon discovers that she's not the only one leading a double life.

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My rating: 3.5/5


Firstly, don't let the year 1789 get the best of you, this historical fantasy is written for YA readers and was incredibly easy to read. They do use some French language throughout the book - which I loved, but I only realised when I was almost finished the book that there were some translations in the back which will help you if you know none of the French language.

The plot is an interesting one, our main character, a magician, in this French era trying to get by literally day by day for her and her sister to survive. You'll come across the brother from time to time who is a complete arse, but try to bear through it because you don't get too much of him. Sometimes the back and forth of Camille going to court seemed to drag a bit; a few times I was wondering what it was ultimately leading up to - and not in a 'keeps you guessing' kind of way, it just seemed a bit slow at times. Nonetheless, it got there in the end and I found myself reading the last fifth of the book relatively fast (despite starting the uni semester!)

Camille is an absolute pleasure to read from (the only point of view); I felt she was written in a way that reflected someone who would actually be in her shoes. While some of her actions were naive, they also added to the reality to the extent some people feel they need to go to to save their loved ones - no matter the cost to themselves.


I would have loved to learn more about Camille's sister Sophie, I felt she was too much in the background. It would have made the relationship between the two seem stronger from a reader's point of view. Lazare was also a great addition, though there was definitely a bit more room to learn more about him as well - which I was kind of craving haha. My favourite 'side character' was definitely Chandon *insert clapping hands emoji* - that's literally what I want to do when I think of him, clap my hands. He brought more depth to the story and was a nice safe haven for Camille while she was at court. I loved all the other side characters - they all brought something different to the story and it wasn't hard to keep track and added so much to the story.

Enchantée is a magical story set in Paris and Versaille before the French Revolution. The flow of the story is excellent and easy to read with French translations in the back of the book. I definitely recommend this for those interested in historical fantasy/fiction or those wishing to be enchanted by an older Parisian time.


*Thank you to Macmillan Australia for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME:


Contact: erenabennett@hotmail.com
Instagram: @erenareads & @thenutritionedition
Goodreads: @erenareads
Twitter: @erenareads
YouTube: Life of Erena or click here

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