RIP Peter Vaughan

So sad to hear today about the death of actor Peter Vaughan, who played Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones and a lot more in his long career. I loved the warmth and kindness that he brought to Maester Aemon, who was one of my favourite characters. 

And now his watch has ended. 

TV Review: Game of Thrones series 6

I've had these box sets for a while and had never watched a single episode until I watched season 1 in October. This review of season six will be free of plot spoilers and will only contain vague general thoughts about who I like and dislike so it will be safe to look at if you haven't watched the series yet.

My favourite characters in series 6:
Tyrion Lannister
Daenerys Targaryen
Jon Snow
Margaery Tyrell
Jorah Mormont
Samwell Tarly
Varys

Sandor Clegane

Hodor
Davos Seaworth
Brienne 
Bronn

Podrick 

Theon Greyjoy

Yara Greyjoy 

Lyanna Mormont

Tormund Giantsbane

Next are the ones I wanted to see die a horrible death:
Cersei Lannister
Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish
Balon Greyjoy

Melisandre
Ramsay Snow
Walder Frey
Roose Bolton
The Waif
The Mountain 
Alliser Thorne
Myranda
Pycelle
Sons of the Harpy
High Sparrow
Ellaria Sand 
Olly
Euron Greyjoy

What a brilliant series this was! It was so good that I watched the entire series yesterday. I laughed, I sobbed... 'hold the door' *blubbers*, I smirked in satisfaction many times, my jaw dropped in shock several times. There were pleasant surprises, satisfying moments and just HOW am I meant to wait months for the next series, eh???!!!

Book Review: The Torn World by Melanie Karsak (The Harvesting #3)

Our world is dead.

With the undead walking, vampires hunting, and kitsune closing in, everything seems lost. Layla and the others will need help if there is any hope of survival. But how can you endure in the dying world?

Join Layla, Cricket, Amelia, and the other survivors for the final chapter of The Harvesting Series in The Torn World.

My Review:
I was so excited about reading this book as I've enjoyed every book in the series so far and this was a fitting end to it. It's a bit sad that there is no more! The start of this review has plot spoilers from The Shadow Aspect which might spoil the series for you if you haven't read it. The POV are from Layla, Cricket and Amelia.

The group from the college have fled the zombies and kitsune and went through the portal, coming out into the maze on the Witch Wood estate in front of a startled Amelia. As the survivors grieve for those who were lost, Layla is plagued by her last sight of Jamie and needs answers as to how he is and if he can be saved. Did the doctor's cure have the potential to save the intelligent zombies? Would it save those bitten but not yet turned? Was the doctor correct to do her illegal virus trials on human subjects to save humanity? Was Layla's thirst for revenge on the doctor going to doom attempts for a cure? Can they risk their lives to go back to the college for notes and injections with the zombies and kitsune lying in wait for them?

Beatrice thinks that there is a chance that she might be able to follow the notes and finish working on the cure but is less keen on being part of the raiding party to go to the college to get what she needs. Layla is determined that she will go if only to find Jamie and get a cure or closure. The others argue the merits of who should go and who needs to stay at Witch Wood. Amelia wonders if the cure might save her mother or end her suffering.

The action starts quickly as supplies are needed for the now agreed return to the college as well as fully stocking up Witch Wood for a long stay. But with the magic enchantment around the estate being fae made, how long will it be before the kitsune track them down and is there a safer place to go? Layla in particular remains paranoid and on the alert for any sign of a fox as the teams gather weapons for the attack. There is a lot of tension in the air but the real test is still to come. By the time the raiding party was ready to go back to the college, I was just about chewing my nails.

The return to the castle was pretty exciting to read about with everyone on alert for zombies and foxes as they approach the castle. First a diversion is needed to get the zombies away from the building and then it is time to take their chances and head for the lab for what they need. But Layla is more concerned with exploring on her own and looking for Jamie. Are the kitsune still around and waiting for them? Will they all get back to Witch Wood? And for those that do, will it remain a safe place?

I don't want to say much more about the events in the book as you will want to read it for yourself without knowing everything. I liked the fact that they had to go back for the cure but the plot continued to entertain after that with lots of zombies, foxes and the faint but present threat of the vampires. I found the ending pretty satisfying and it was a fitting end to the series.  
Read November 2016.

Book Review: Witch Wood by Melanie Karsak (The Harvesting #2.5)

Harm none, and be ready for zombies.

In the little town of Brighton, Amelia’s practice of Wicca makes her an outcast in school and the subject of disdain at home. But Amelia can’t change what she is. Knowing how to use herbs, see auras, and create spells comes naturally to her. Only Madame Knightly, the ancient matriarch and owner of Witch Wood Estate to whom Amelia plays caretaker, doesn’t seem to mind her conjoining. In fact, the library in the crumbling old mansion is full of old books and oddities.

However, when modern treatments fail to make a dent in the flu outbreak sweeping the globe, those who once ridiculed her white witchcraft turn to Amelia for help. While her eucalyptus tinctures prove no more effective than western medicine, her spell-casting is another matter. The residents of Brighton soon depend on the very magic they once ridiculed to save their lives. 

My Review: 
Amelia is a young witch, and spends her spare time earning college money looking after Madame Knightly at her peaceful Witch Wood estate. When the flu virus starts turning local people into zombies, Amelia realises that the only safe place for her and her friends is Witch Wood. But Amelia is not aware of all the secrets of her mentor and her home or how important a part they will play in the coming apocalypse.

This was a short novella in The Harvesting series which I very much enjoy. Amelia is a good character, kind and caring and with great magical potential. She starts learning her trade from her mentor Madame Knightly who has never revealed who or what she really is. If you have read The Shadow Aspect I think you can easily guess the truth about Madame Knightly. Amelia is going to have a lot of time on her hands over the winter to learn all those secrets and develop her skills ready to take her part in the zombie apocalypse and supernatural war. Out of her friends I think I like Zoey the best as she reminds me a bit of Cricket but there are no really awful characters. It makes a nice change to not want some of the cast to die!

This book is a bit slower than the others but there is still some nice zombie action to enjoy. It's difficult to actually say much about the book without posting spoilers as it is short and talking about the interesting parts would reveal everything! Let me just say that this book sets the scene for the last book in the series.  
Read February 2016.

Book Review: The Shadow Aspect by Melanie Karsak (The Harvesting #2)

When Layla took the final step through the labyrinth, she thought she was saving the ones she loved.

She couldn’t have been more wrong.

The unwitting victims of a grudge seething for eons, Layla and the other survivors now find themselves in a war for our world. With vampires lurking and shapechangers plotting vengeance, if mankind has any hope of survival, Layla must decide whom to trust: the carnie girl? The quiet doctor? The tarot reader? The stranger with alluring gold eyes? Or the man she loves? And then there are the voices. What does it forewarn if the dead can speak?

When the world burns, mankind’s shadow side rises. Do we deserve to survive?

My Review: 
This review begins with spoilers that might ruin the first book in the series if you haven't read it so you have been warned! POV are from Layla and Cricket.

Layla trusts in the fox woman who has been giving her advice and leads her people through the labyrinth...but it turns out to be a fatal error as they land in the middle of a zombie hoarde who attack them. Certain death awaits until the arrival of armed survivors led by Cricket and some of Layla's group live to be taken to the fortified castle that now houses a large group of survivors. The kitsune are at war with the humans, using vampires and zombies to kill them in revenge for humans destroying the planet with pollution and neglect, while happy for humans to destroy the vampires. The other fae are fighting to try and save the humans leading to all out war.

At the college, a doctor is working hard on finding a cure, doing experiments on the undead which divide opinion, especially when Layla realises that there are a few amongst the undead that she can communicate with. Is it ethical to experiment on them and can these zombies be turned back to human? Jamie decides to help the doctor with her work while Layla joins the group of raiders who go into town for supplies when they are needed. Layla and Cricket are about to discover the truth about Peryn and Tristan, and why the fox woman led them into a fatal trap. She is kitsune and they are seeking out human survivors and directing zombies and vampires to them to kill them. If the kitsune find their hiding place at the college then none of them are safe.

Layla is feeling the weight of responsibility after losing so many people from her town and as zombie numbers start to swell suddenly, she fears the kitsune have found them at the college. She is also trying to think how she can protect the remains of her group as danger threatens to spill into the grounds. Cricket is struggling to understand why Tristan claims to love her and is keeping his distance from her, until she discovers the secrets that he has been keeping from her. Vella is becoming quietly alarmed by the growing menace that she is seeing in her cards and Tristan is already thinking up an escape plan as a fox is seen in town watching the raiding party.

I liked that the groups from our first two groups have joined up, which is what I was hoping for, along with the addition of a new set of characters. It was good to see characters like Cricket and Chase again. Of the newer people I liked Kellimore as he was brave and always volunteers to lead others on missions as he has good knowledge of the town he grew up in and loved. Elle is a fun character and another strong female which is something that I love in this series. In fact other than slightly mixed feeling about the doctor, I didn't dislike anyone. You knew that serious danger was coming for this large group and the tension gradually build, leaving you worried about who is going to live and die if the attack comes.

There is still plenty zombie drama in this book which I obviously enjoyed but I liked the emotional drama of the survivors stories as they try to get on with life, all the time aware of how dangerous their situation was getting. The action scenes are well written and exciting, and I really got caught up in the big attack finale. You never know what is coming or who is in danger with this series.

Recommended for fans of urban fantasy, zombies and other monsters.
Read November 2016