review: Nightspell by Leah Cypess

Nightspell by Leah Cypess
May 12, 2011
Greenwillow
Young Adult | Fantasy
Mistwood #2 (companion novel)
Pages: 336
Source/Format: Author/Hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★
Author's Website | Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound


Here be ghosts, the maps said, and that was all.
In this haunted kingdom, ghosts linger--not just in the deepest forests or the darkest caverns, but alongside the living, as part of a twisted palace court that revels all night and sleeps through the daylight hours.


Darri's sister was trapped in this place of fear and shadows as a child. And now Darri has a chance to save her sister . . . if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. But nothing is simple in this eerie kingdom--not her sister, who has changed beyond recognition; not her plan, which will be thrown off track almost at once; and not the undead prince, who seems more alive than anyone else.

In a court seething with the desire for vengeance, Darri holds the key to the balance between life and death. Can her warrior heart withstand the most wrenching choice of all?

REVIEW:

Nightspell by Leah Cypess is amazing—I loved the story. I loved Darri, Callie, and all the other characters. Especially Darri. I could really connect with her because she’s impulsive and uh, I’m sorta like that too. I love the impulsive characters; they run off and take risks and sometimes fuck it all up, but mistakes happen and I love it when they fix their mistakes. And that has nothing to do with Nightspell! Oops.

What I really loved about Nightspell is how many times it made me gasp. I didn’t see ANY of the twists coming. After the twists were revealed, I noticed the clues, but it didn’t click until it was revealed. Leah Cypess is that awesome.

So, on Goodreads, I asked a few questions about the worldbuilding—mostly, is Ghostland the only place with ghosts and why do they appear there? Because you know, I freaking LOVE worldbuilding and it’s just habit of me to ask questions about the world. And the good news is Cypess answers them HOORAY! I love it when the worldbuilding is exquisite and makes me want to live there. Maybe not Ghostland, but another country in this world.

Oh, and you know how Nightspell is a companion novel? Well, I haven’t read Mistwood at all and still really enjoyed Nightspell—as it should be since it’s just a companion novel. I know that I will be reading Leah Cypess’ other novels (I’m really excited for her assassin one in 2014!) because I love her writing style and the way she told the story. I love murder mysteries, so she probably already had brownie points with me for writing a ghost murder mystery. :)

AND! The good news is tomorrow is the paperback release of Nightspell! If you want to read it, it’s less than $10! What a great deal. (Links to buy are UP THERE!) I would definitely pick this one up right away if you enjoy fantasy, murder mysteries, and ghosts. 

Darri didn't see the ghost until he was upon her, a solid weight that dropped from the branches above and threw her sideways off the saddle. Because he was solid, she didn't realize at first that he was dead. She hit the ground with a thud and rolled to her feet, pulling her dagger from her boot. By the time she was standing, she had already thrown it. 

- p. 1/Hardcover

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