Inscape by Louise Carey

Book Title: Inscape
Author: Louise Carey
Genre: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Paperback from Publisher

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Plot: Warning: use of this gate will take you outside of the InTech corporate zone. Different community guidelines may apply, and you may be asked to sign a separate end-user license agreement. Do you wish to continue?
Tanta has trained all her young life for this. Her very first mission is a code red: to take her team into the unaffiliated zone just outside InTech's borders and retrieve a stolen hard drive. It should have been quick and simple, but a surprise attack kills two of her colleagues and Tanta barely makes it home alive.
Determined to prove herself and partnered with a colleague whose past is a mystery even to himself, Tanta's investigation uncovers a sinister conspiracy that makes her question her own loyalties and the motives of everyone she used to trust.

What did I think?

"Louise Carey's dystopian future is chillingly plausible." - Claire North.

That's the blurb on the cover, and Claire North is one of my favourite authors, which is why I wanted to review a copy of Inscape. As always I thank the publisher, Gollancz, for the opportunity.

This is Louise Carey's first solo book, and I must say, I hope she'll write more.

I wasn't sold at first. Especially the main character, Tanta, rubbed me the wrong way, mostly because it felt like she was incredibly meek and submissive. Her reaction to her mentor's praise made me cringe. I didn't think she could carry the story.

Turns out, this is all part of the plot. I can't say more without revealing too much, but I enjoyed Tanta's development a lot. Carey digs deep into developmental psychology and the story is utterly fascinating because of that aspect alone.

The book deals with important themes such as loyalty and, more importantly, how to manipulate and abuse said loyalty in a world where corporations and money matter more than anything else. "You care about them, but they don't care about you."

But Inscape isn't just about Tatana, it's a page-turning cyberpunk thriller, painting a horrific future. Carey's prose is smooth and reads well. Despite a future dominated by tech, the author uses neither technobabble nor infodumps. The reader's knowledge develops alongside Tatana's, each page revealing another piece of the puzzle.

I really liked this book. The pacing is somewhat slower in the first half but quickly picks up, and the story is immersive with excellent action scenes, and I recommend Inscape to fans of Deus Ex and Cyberpunk, and books like Gibson's Neuromancer.

Sorcerous Rivalry by Kayleigh Nicol

Book Title: Sorcerous Rivalry
Author: Kayleigh Nicol
Genre: Fantasy with a strong romantic element
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: A paperback review copy provided by the author

Amazon UK, Goodreads 

Plot Summary: In the peace following the Great Mage Hunt, the king's long-time mistress is revealed as a sorceress. Locked away for the safety of the kingdom, bounties are placed upon the heads of the seven children she birthed. Mage hunters have scoured the kingdom for four years, searching for the seven scattered mage-born bastards.
After growing up in an orphanage, Reshi discovers his parentage and learns to hide his magic, living peacefully in a remote village with an unusual friend. But when an alluring mage hunter comes to town, his secret is revealed, forcing Reshi to reach out to his brothers and sisters for help. A family reunion might be Reshi's only hope for survival--or it might become a spell-slinging battle royale.
Who can Reshi rely on when his own family turns against him?

Thank you, Kayleigh Nicol, for providing me with a review copy of this book. Also a big thank you goes to Esme over at the Weatherwaxreport for setting up TBRindr.

What did I think?

I enjoyed Sorcerous Rivalry a lot and read it on a sunny Sunday, lying on a beach towel in the shade, while occasionally dipping into the Hampstead Heath ponds in London.

It's the perfect read for such a day.

I'm not usually a fan of romance (and this is not strictly romance but more fantasy with a romantic element), but this book turned out to be such a nice surprise. The romance is m/m, and I'm always interested in reading diverse books. The romantic element is not the main emphasis of the book, does not follow your typical romance plot, and the two leads have great chemistry and are basically just perfect.

Sorcerous Rivalry is written in the first person from the point of view of Reshi. Reshi is endearing and fun. His ideal life consists of flirting, drinking and taking pretty things to bed, and you just can't help but find him adorable. (I dare you to read this and not like Reshi!) I fell in love with Kestral, the other lead, almost immediately, because of how serious and correct he is. Plus, they both carry the burden of a hidden and painful past, and, I must admit, I'm a sucker for that!

All characters are well developed, and the pacing is great from the very start. The prose is filled with humour, and everything that happens is just so damn entertaining, that I could not put it down. There's dark moments, but overall the tone is light and uplifting, and there were a few scenes that made me feel all warm and bubbly. Overall, the style is comfortable and made me feel like I belonged. I love when an author manages to do that!

There's plenty of magic, and each mage we encounter has unique powers. The world building is not intricate and detailed, but there's enough to support the fantastic plot, and I can't wait to discover more in the sequel.

I recommend Sorcerous Rivalry to any fantasy fan who likes a bit of romance and enjoys fast-paced battles and is looking for a fun romp.