Review - Her Hidden Life by V.S. Alexander

Title: Her Hidden Life

Author: V.S. Alexander

Pages: 400

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: 3rd May 2018

Blurb:

It’s 1943 and Hitler’s Germany is a terrifying place to be.
But Magda Ritter’s duty is the most dangerous of all…

Assigned to The Berghof, Hitler’s mountain retreat, she must serve the Reich by becoming the Führer’s ‘Taster’ – a woman who checks his food for poison. Magda can see no way out of this hellish existence until she meets Karl, an SS officer who has formed an underground resistance group within Hitler’s inner circle.

As their forbidden love grows, Magda and Karl see an opportunity to stop the atrocities of the madman leading their country. But in doing so, they risk their lives, their families and, above all, a love unlike either of them have ever known…

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

 *I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley*

 Magda Ritter is a young woman living in a Germany that is at war. Magda's parents send her to live with her aunt and uncle, away from the Allied bombings in Berlin. Magda soon finds herself with a job on Hitler's staff, working as a taster at Hitler's mountain retreat, the Berghof.

Life at the Berghof is a hidden escape from the horrors of the war. At first. But Magda becomes tangled with assassination attempts, romance with a SS officer and hidden horrors of the war.

With a job that literally means Magda must put her life on the line every day, any moment could be her last.

How far will Magda go to survive?

The premise of Her Hidden Life really intrigued me.

I have mixed feelings about Magda. She had lots of horrible things happen to her but I found some of her reactions and thoughts questionable.

The plot was interesting, mainly because of the period that the book is set in.

I wasn't a big fan of the romance. They didn't know each other that well and I would have preferred it to be a slow burner.

The writing style wasn't one of my favourites but it suited the story. However, there were parts where it could have flowed better and there were times where I lost interest.

There were a few places where details were repeated which I thought was unnecessary as I remembered them from the first time they were mentioned.

I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall this was an okay read.

 

DNF Review - The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton

Title: The Queens of Innis Lear

Author: Tessa Gratton

Pages: 576

Publisher: HarperVoyager

Release Date: 27th March 2018

Blurb from Goodreads: 

A KINGDOM AT RISK, A CROWN DIVIDED, A FAMILY DRENCHED IN BLOOD

Tessa Gratton's debut epic adult fantasy, The Queens of Innis Lear, brings to life a world that hums with ancient magic, and characters as ruthless as the tides.

The erratic decisions of a prophecy-obsessed king have drained Innis Lear of its wild magic, leaving behind a trail of barren crops and despondent subjects. Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.

The king’s three daughters – battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia – know the realm’s only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.

Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war – but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to HarperVoyager and NetGalley*

DNF @19%

 

The island of Innis Lear is ruled by a king who is obsessed with the prophecies of the stars.

Lear summons his three daughters, intending to name his heir.

The eldest, Gaela, has no love for her father and is hungry for war. Reagan supports Gaela who intends to name Reagan's future children as her own heirs. They both dislike their youngest sister, Elia, who Lear loves best. Elia has no intention of becoming Queen, content to watch the stars instead.

Who will Lear name as his heir?

I was so looking forward to reading this - the cover is gorgeous and the blurb intrigued me.

However, I struggled to get into The Queens of Innis Lear from the start. The main problem for me was that there was a lot of description and not much action. I can read slow books with lots of description, but the writing style just didn't hold my attention. It got to the point where I was skim-reading and I couldn't read any more.

I might revisit this at some point in the future.

I'm disappointed that I didn't like this more.