Alwyn Hamilton

REVIEW: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

rebel of the sandsAmani Al’Hiza is poor, orphaned and female, three things that make her a lesser citizen of the dead-end town of Dustwalk. Amani dreams of escaping the town and seeing the world she’s only heard about in campfire stories. When a foreigner with no name arrives in town, she realises that with him she might have a chance to leave Dustwalk behind. But the desert is full of dangers and magic. The Sultan’s army is growing and Amani soon finds herself caught up in a deadly adventure she never dreamt she could have.

The world of Rebel of the Sands is fascinating. It seems like a Arabic-American Wild West fusion with the small mining towns and the guns but then a lot of the characters names and supernatural creature are more Arabic inspired. It is great seeing how these cultures blend together to form its own unique world. Then there’s the magic that’s a part of this world, there’s the Djinn which are supernatural creatures and people who can change their appearance and have strange powers. This magic is a part of the land and how it all works is really one of the best things about the book. (more…)

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY: Rainy Day Reads

Top 5 Wednesday is a great feature created by GingerReadsLainey and hosted by ThoughtsonTomes. To find out more about Top 5 Wednesday and the upcoming topics, check out its Goodreads page. This week it’s all about rainy day reads, and to me a rainy day read should be a fun quick book so onto the five books that fit that criteria.

rebel of the sandsRebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
This book is fast-paced and action-packed. I read it all in one day which is the best kind of book when you’re stuck inside because it’s raining. Also it’s set in a desert so you can dream about being warm and dry while the rain hits your windows.

 

 

FullSizeRender (74)The Fade Out: Act One by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
So this comic isn’t cute or really much of an easy read but it is like a noir murder mystery and those are always the best when you can hear rain on the windows as it makes the story more atmospheric.

 

 

love streetLove Street by Andrew Matthews
This was my favourite book as a pre-teen and because it’s so short and sweet you can read it in one sitting. It’s a fun contemporary where the main character dreams about a soap opera in her head to help her make sense of her real life – it’s fun and cute, what more could you want on a rainy day?

 

Night Owls ElenaSquareEyesNight Owls by Jenn Bennett
A contemporary story about a couple of very different people who are both artists and it is set in San Francisco. It’s a quick read with relatable characters and a believable romance.

 

 

princess leia comicPrincess Leia by Mark Waid, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson and Jordie Bellaire
Comics and graphic novels are the best thing to read when it’s raining and the Princess Leia comic is great when you’re mind wants to get away from the dreary day you’re in. it’s full of space adventures, awesome kickass female characters and supportive female friendships and it’s generally just great.