Tag: dark fantasy books

Review: Nightstrider by Sophia Slade

Anna and AlexisLeave a comment
A matcha latte over a money tree and Nightstrider cover

Alexis: 

It’s been 6 years since Anna and I started this blog! She’s actually pregnant and hasn’t been reading as much as usual, hence why she hasn’t been posting any reviews lately. But I’m looking forward to being an aunt, and I hope you enjoy another fantasy review from me.

Nightstrider is a dark fantasy with well-written characters, different POVs, and interesting magic/worldbuilding. ⁣

⁣One of my favorite aspects of this book is definitely the magic and worldbuilding. The dream magic felt so unique, as did the two different realms. 

I loved all of the main characters. Sometimes I struggle with books with a lot of POVs, but Slade balanced them well! I was interested in all of their backstories and motivations, and their dialogue and banter was great.

There’s a portal, an evil night creature/king who can cross the boundary between the dream and waking realms, LGBTQ representation, and hints of romance. There’s also some political intrigue and plenty of action. Nightstrider had everything I was in the mood for, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel. 

To stop a vicious demon’s conquest, nightmares and humans will band together.

From Sophia Slade, stunning new voice in epic fantasy, comes this dark, romantic tale about a world split in two and the four misguided souls who must come together to save it, for fans of Holly Black and Hannah Whitten.

⁣VERDICT: 🌒🌒🌒🌒🌒/5 ⁣

Review: The Sins on Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin 

Anna and AlexisLeave a comment
The Sins on Their Bones on a bookshelf next to Home Office candle

Alexis:

The Sins on Their Bones is a gorgeously written story about grief, abuse, and moving on from the past. ⁣

It has a loveable yet flawed cast of characters, a fantastically written evil villain, and enough humor to balance out the dark themes. ⁣(At one point, the main character, Dimitri, has to hold a goat, and it’s hilarious). 

I loved the LGBTQ+ characters, the Jewish mythology, and the Russian-inspired world. 

Samotin did an amazing job with the body horror elements in this. The descriptions are dark and gruesome—but I liked that the story isn’t dark just for the sake of it. 

I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs—I think Samotin balanced them out really well. 

⁣I would avoid this one if you’re squeamish or uncomfortable reading about abuse. But if you like Anastasia, Frankenstein, and Shadow & Bone/the Grishaverse, then I recommend it! ⁣

Pub Date: May 7, 2024

VERDICT: 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴/5 

⁣TW: Blood/gore, body horror, sexual abuse and violence, death/murder, trauma/PTSD, drugs and alcohol use ⁣

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Canada for my e-ARC!

Synopsis From Goodreads: 

Dimitri Alexeyev used to be the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo. Now, he is merely a broken man, languishing in exile after losing a devastating civil war instigated by his estranged husband, Alexey Balakin. In hiding with what remains of his court, Dimitri and his spymaster, Vasily Sokolov, engineer a dangerous ruse. Vasily will sneak into Alexey’s court under a false identity to gather information, paving the way for the usurper’s downfall, while Dimitri finds a way to kill him for good.

But stopping Alexey is not so easy as plotting to kill an ordinary man. Through a perversion of the Ludayzim religion that he terms the Holy Science, Alexey has died and resurrected himself in an immortal, indestructible body—and now claims he is guided by the voice of God Himself. Able to summon forth creatures from the realm of demons, he seeks to build an army, turning Novo-Svitsevo into the greatest empire that history has ever seen.

Dimitri is determined not to let Alexey corrupt his country, but saving Novo-Svitsevo and its people will mean forfeiting the soul of the husband he can’t bring himself to forsake—or the spymaster he’s come to love.