The Mountains of Instead

Championing fiction as an escape from pandemics, politics and bad TV.

When I'm Human (Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight Julie Kagawa Harlequin 2011
The Iron Knight is the fourth book in Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series. This review contains spoilers for the previous books.

Prince of Winter, Ash, finds himself cast adrift in Faerie. Disowned by his family. separated from his true love and unable to ign…

Like Dust, I Rise (Review: Crossed by Ally Condie)

Crossed Ally Condie Puffin 2011
Crossed is the second book in the trilogy that started with Matched. If you have not read Matched then this review will contain spoilers for the first title. You have been warned.
Three months on from the events of Matched, Cassia has endured the manual labour of several…

The World Breaks Everyone (Review: Beautiful Chaos by K. Garcia and M. Stohl)

Beautiful Chaos Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Razorbill 2011
Beautiful Chaos is the third book in The Caster Chronicles. If you have not read Beautiful Creatures or Beautiful Darkness then this review WILL contain spoilers. You have been warned.
The world is broken. By claiming herself at the end of B…

YAck Attack!

Recently I was pretty delighted when invited to join an international book club being set up by two bloggers. I’m a sucker for flattery and the invite-only status suckered me right in. Christened the YAckers, we now consist of a several bloggers and it’s all jolly good fun.

Every month, one of us su…

This Heart Within Me Burns (review of Torn, by Cat Clarke)

Torn Cat Clarke Quercus 2011
When Alice King heads from London to the Scottish countryside for a school trip, her biggest concern is leaving her widowed father at home alone.When her group arrive in Scotland, though, things take a turn for the problematic when Alice, her best friend Cass, emo Rae and …

Little Town Blues, Melting Away (Review: Beautiful Days by Anna Godbherson)

Beautiful Days Anna Godberson Razorbill 2011
Beautiful Days is the follow up to Bright Young Things.  If you haven't read the first book then this review contains spoilers.  If you have, then go right ahead, dahling!
After the life changing events of Bright Young Things, Cordelia, Letty and Astrid …