Tag: fantasy books

Alexis’ June 2024 Wrap Up

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Three book spines next to a candle on a gray blanket

Alexis: 

I can’t believe it’s already July, but June was a great reading month for me. I went on my summer beach vacation and happily read on the beach. Overall, I read 8 books in June. 

Loved: ⁣

  • A Song to Drown Rivers (ARC) by Ann Liang: See my review for more, but this book destroyed me in the best way. It’s a beautifully written fantasy novel based on the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China.
  • Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland: See my review for more, but this book was pure fun. It’s a new adult fantasy book where different assassins with unique abilities join together to assassinate the tyrant king.

Really Liked: ⁣

  • Star Splitter by Matthew J. Kirby: If you’re looking for a thrilling YA sci-fi, this is it. It reminds me a bit of The Darkness Outside Us. It follows 16-year-old Jessica Mathers, who crash-lands on a desolate planet lightyears from Earth. 
  • A Dream of Blood and Magic (ARC)⁣ by Olivia Boothe: If you’re looking for a fun read filled with vampires, witches, a prophecy, and the start of a romance, then this one’s for you. 
  • Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban: Inspired by Semester at Sea, this thrilling new adult thriller and murder mystery had me on the edge of my seat. Set on a ship, it follows Jade as she deals with a mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal. 
  • Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage: This is the second book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. If you’re looking for a fun cowboy romance series, I really like it! 

Liked: ⁣

  • Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez: This was the perfect beach read. It follows Emma, a traveling nurse, as she meets Justin in an unexpected way. This romance book has Jimenez’s usual hard themes mixed in. While I like it and the plot, the romance is lacking a little for me.  
  • Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb: This was my first Robin Hobb read! I know starting with this one is unconventional, but I wanted a pirate read for the beach. I adore the liveships and did like this one, but it’s definitely slow moving and depressing and took me a while to get through. However, I’m looking forward to reading more from Hobb.

Review: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

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Alexis' hand, in a fuzzy white sweater, holds a library copy of Iron Flame in front of a bookshelf and a stuffed gingerbread man.

Alexis:

Was I the first person to put Iron Flame on hold at my library? Yes, yes I was.

Hi, everyone! It’s been a while again. Work and life have been busy, but I’ve been reading as much as ever.

I recently read Iron Flame, the much anticipated sequel to the dragon fantasy/romantasy book Fourth Wing. I had heard some mixed reviews from other reviewers, so I was interested to see what I thought.

Well, I liked it! It’s hard to review a sequel without giving away anything, but I’ll go over some key points.

Things I Liked:

  • I enjoyed the worldbuilding. Fourth Wing was definitely more of an all vibes, no worldbuilding kind of book, so I’m glad that Yarros delves deeper into the world in Iron Flame.
  • Dragons! There are a lot more dragons in this book, and more facts and lore about dragons are revealed. There’s also a good dragon-related plot twist.
  • The ending. Yarros is clearly good at writing a good cliffhanger, which can be a plus or minus for readers. For me, I think she actually does a good job of making you anticipate the next book in the series without making the cliffhanger itself super frustrating. There is also, yet again, another good plot twist at the end.

Things I Didn’t Like As Much:

  • The romance. To be fair, the romance wasn’t my favorite part of Fourth Wing, either. But Xaden somehow manages to feel more toxic in Iron Flame, and a large aspect of this book centers on a point of contention—which feels like it purely exists just to add tension to their relationship. 

Overall, I definitely don’t think this was a bad sequel, and I also don’t think it felt rushed or unedited. It just wasn’t as fast-paced or romance heavy as the first book. I think this series is worth a read if you’re looking for a fun, action-y series that doesn’t take itself seriously, and if you don’t mind modern dialogue in fantasy books. Plus, dragons!

A GIF of Dany from Game of Thrones with her dragon

Review: Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool

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Garden of the Cursed lays on a laptop keyboard with sunglases next to an iced matcha latte

Alexis:

If you’re looking for a fun, mysterious YA fantasy set in a gritty world, you might like Garden of the Cursed!

Synopsis:

Garden of the Cursed follows Marlow, who works as a cursebreaker in Caraza City. When her ex-friend, Adrius, asks her to help break a curse cast on him, Marlow reluctantly takes on his case. While she works to break Adrius’ curse, she begins to uncover what happened to her mother, who mysteriously disappeared a year ago, and she is drawn into a web of deadly secrets and powerful enemies.

What I Liked:

Worldbuilding

I found the word to be really interesting. The Five Families, a group of powerful and corrupt families who control spellcraft, run Caraza, which makes the city itself feel very mysterious and dangerous. The world definitely gave me Six of Crows meets City of Nightmares vibes. There’s a lot of gangs, fighting, and talk of corruption and power.

I’m also a huge fan of curses in stories, so I enjoyed learning about the magic system, which features cards, and how Marlow breaks curses. 

Plot

I found the plot to be very fast-paced, fun, and mysterious. I don’t want to give anything away, but I think the different plotlines worked well together.

What I Didn’t Like As Much:

To be honest, I liked pretty much everything about this book! Yes, at times, the dialogue is a little too on the nose. But I like Marlow’s gumption. I obviously liked the world. I like that there’s a cat named Toad and commentary on social classes and power. There’s even fake dating.

The one aspect I’m not a huge fan of is Adrius’ character. He’s supposed to be charming and flirty, but I honestly thought he was just annoying. It made the romantic subplot a little lackluster for me.

VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you’re looking for a YA fantasy filled with curses, gangs, plot twists, mysteries, and a lot of parties and balls, then I recommend Garden of the Cursed!

Review: The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

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A stack of all three books in the Drowned Empire trilogy sit on a black bookshelf.

Alexis:

The Bone Shard Daughter, the first book in the Drowned Empire trilogy, is one of my favorite books. The magic system and world are really cool and interesting, and I love the characters, including a talking otter-like creature named Mephi.

I finally got around to reading the last book in the trilogy, The Bone Shard War. I tried reading it on my Kindle, but for thick fantasy books, I really need a physical copy.

To be honest, I struggled to get through the first half of this book. Well I actually liked the multiple POVs in the first two books, I felt like I was drowning in the different perspectives. Jovis and Lin are really the main two characters, and their chapters got a little lost in the middle of the other ones, especially Nisong’s, who I didn’t really care about.

I also thought this entire book would be a war. And while there technically was a war, there really weren’t that many battles. A lot of the chapters focused on traveling between places.

I also find myself frustrated by some of the character arcs. Well I did enjoy the second half of the book, and the ending wrapped up well, the character arc of Jovis, my favorite character, went backwards. But, as always, Stewarts’ worldbuilding and the magic system are still awesome, and there was yet another great reveal.

Regardless, I still love the series. I think if you only want to read the first book, you can. Each of the books in the trilogy has amazing plot twists and reveals, but if that doesn’t make you want to read it, Mephi definitely should!

VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐/5 


Check out my review of The Bone Shard Daughter and The Bone Shard Emperor!

Alexis’ 2023 Hopefuls

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Alexis:

Happy new year from me and my new book cart! The top shelf is my physical TBR (will I ever get to it?) And the bottom is shelf overflow. ⁣

I’m currently reading an ARC of A Song of Salvation by Alechia Dow, as one of my goals for this year is to delve into more sci-fi/space operas.
⁣
Here’s a long list of books I would love to get to at some point in 2023.⁣

  • Know My Name by Chanel Miller
  • The Little Village of Book Lovers by Nina George
  • Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
  • Empire of Exiles by Erin M Evans
  • The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah 
  • Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao
  • Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou
  • Never a Hero by Vanessa Len
  • The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart 
  • The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
  • A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
  • The City of Dusk by Tara Sim
  • When In Rome by Sarah Adams 
  • Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb 
  • A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
  • Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

I also saw that there’s some interesting discourse going around in the book community (I mean when is there not?). Apparently, some readers think it’s a red flag when someone mostly reads new books.

I’ve always enjoyed reading newer releases. As a writer myself, I love supporting authors during and after their book launches, because some day, I hope that will be me! I’m also all for reading what you like and what you want, as long as it isn’t hurting anybody.

What do you think? Do you feel the same as I do?

Happy reading!


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Review: Book of Night by Holly Black

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Book of Night rests on a coffee shop table next to a Starbucks cup and a pumpkin

Alexis:

On a whim, I picked up Book of Night from the library. I haven’t read a Black book (unless you count The Spiderwick Chronicles when I was a kid) and I’ve heard conflicting reviews of Book of Night…

Which I now understand.

The first half of this book is slow. The worldbuilding is minimal, there are too many chapters that take place in the past, and the world itself suffers from what I call adult fantasy book syndrome—the world is cold and dreary, depressing and dark. For example, Ninth House has adult fantasy book syndrome, meaning everything about it is unnecessarily dark. While Book of Night isn’t quite as dark, it still has a criminal main character, lots of references to drugs and alcohol, kidnappings and murder, self harm, trauma, etc.

Which makes me wonder…why can’t we have an adult fantasy book that is both dark yet fun? 

That being said, the second half of this book takes a turn. The inciting incident doesn’t happen until around page 50 or 60, and then the plot gets rolling. I became more intrigued by the plot and the characters, especially as the world’s shadow magic and manipulation was explored a little more. There was also a plot twist that worked really well for me.

The beginning of the book is 2 stars, and the latter half 4, making this a 3 star read overall. (Or crescent moons, if you will).

VERDICT: 🌙🌙🌙/5

Review: Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco

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Alexis holds Kingdom of the Feared in front of a bookshelf

Alexis:

Kingdom of the Feared was the perfect way to kick off October. ⁣

It’s the third and final book in the Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy, which follows Emilia, a witch in late 1800s Sicily who accidentally binds herself to one of the wicked princes of Hell who calls himself Wrath. 

⁣The thing I appreciated the most in Kingdom of the Feared was the plot. While I really enjoyed the first two books, they were a little lacking in plot, but made up for it in atmosphere. But in this third book, the plot ramped up a lot. Maniscalco added plot twist after plot twist while answering a lot of lingering questions and mysteries. Plus, the overall atmosphere/vibes were still as good. 

⁣Yet…the second book, Kingdom of the Cursed is definitely my favorite of the trilogy. ⁣

⁣Kingdom of the Feared had one particular trope that I really don’t like. Sure it was resolved, in a way, by the end, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. 

Another point worth mentioning is that this book was a little too spicy and repetitive at times. I found myself thinking, We get it! They’re wicked and they’re attracted to each other. And while Emilia’s character arc was good, I found myself wanting more from Wrath’s character. 

This, plus the trope issue, knocked my rating down a star.

⁣Note: This book is definitely a new adult/adult book. While the first book in the series could be classified as YA, the series in its entirety is an adult series and should NOT be marketed as YA. 

VERDICT: 💀💀💀💀/5

Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

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A Kindle rests on a white marble table. A white pumpkin is to its left. A package of pumpkin chai tea sits to its right. A lit Sweater Weather candle sits above it.

Alexis:

I adored Divine Rivals...and yes, it did emotionally destroy me.

Divine Rivals is an upper YA/NA historical fantasy novel that follows two main characters. Iris Winnow is a new journalist at a newspaper called the Oath Gazette. Roman Kitt is her rival—a fellow journalist who is competing against her for a promotion as a columnist. 

But after centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again, and Iris’ own brother, Forest, has joined the armed forces of one of the gods. Iris, who is worried sick about him, writes him letters. But Iris doesn’t know where her brother is. All she knows is that her letters magically disappear when she slips them underneath her wardrobe door. 

What she also doesn’t know is that Roman is the one receiving them, and then he begins anonymously answering her letters. 

THIS BOOK. I’ve always loved Ross’ writing style. I’ve read both A River Enchanted and Dreams Lie Beneath and enjoyed both of them, but Divine Rivals hits differently; I connected with the characters on another level. 

This book is a masterpiece. I love Ross’ lyrical, beautiful, and emotional writing. The book is so atmospheric, and layered with tension that you can feel on every page.

I adore both Iris and Roman. They have so much chemistry, and I love their banter and rivalry. 

Divine Rivals reads like a fantasy version of a World War I/World War II story. Ross writes about the horrors of war in such an effective way. The story is about grief, both Iris’ and Roman’s. It’s about being trapped in a life where you can’t make your own decisions. It’s about loneliness and connection. It’s about finding love, but also about the messiness of loving your flawed family. It’s about the power of writing and letters. Throw some mythology about the world’s gods in the mix and you have this perfect book.

VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Divine Rivals comes out on April 4, 2023.

Of course that means I have to wait even longer for the sequel. Please pray for my impatient reading brain. (Cliffhangers should be illegal.)

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC!

Review: Hall of the Hopeless by Haley D. Brown

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On a wooden railing, a bottle of mango kombucha rests next to a Kindle in front of green grass

Alexis:

Hall of the Hopeless follows Thea, a Fae who lives with her adopted human family…until they’re abducted by slave traders.

Thea’s search for her family leads her to Gar, an assassin who tells Thea that her family’s abductor is Hrokr, the cold and cruel Lord of the northern Hall. Gar has plans both to liberate Hrokr’s slaves—and destroy his entire kingdom.

But Thea is harboring a secret that could change everything: she is Thea Starsea, the missing Heir of the fallen Hall of Aphaedia.

The story starts off with a bang! Right away, we learn Thea’s backstory and motivation. The beginning is action-packed and heart wrenching, and I really felt for Thea. Moments of the story and Thea’s character gave me Throne of Glass vibes, which I was here for.

I found her to be a great and balanced main character. Yes, she’s a fighter and a badass, but Brown doesn’t shy away from revealing her feelings, innermost fears, anxiety, and rage.

I especially enjoyed reading Brown’s fighting scenes. And the ending! Prepare for plot twists. I’m definitely looking forward to finding out what happens next and to learn even more about the secondary characters and their motivations. 

Thanks so much to Haley D. Brown for sending me an e-ARC for review.

VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Expected publication date: December 1, 2022

Review: A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

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Alexis holds A River Enchanted in front of a bookshelf. She's wearing a rust red cardigan.

Alexis: 

A River Enchanted was the last book I read in February. It’s a Scottish inspired folktale fantasy with a historical fantasy type feel. The story is set on the magical island of Cadence, which is divided in half by two feuding clans, and where spirits rule the isle. 

The story follows multiple POVs: Jack, a harp player who is called back to Cadence after 10 years of studying music on the mainland; Adaira, the Heiress of the East; Sidra, a healer, and her husband Torin, the chief of the guard.

The aspect of this book that I love the most is the writing. Ross’ writing is lush and lyrical. This book is very atmospheric, and the island itself seems to live and breathe on the page like its own character. I also enjoyed the emphasis on music through Jack’s harp. 

I also really enjoyed getting to know the characters and all of their relationships to each other. Sidra and Torin really stood out to me, especially Sidra. I loved her character, and I felt like I understood her and got into her head and heart more than the other characters.

While I liked Jack and Adaira, I felt like they, and their relationship, paled in comparison to Sidra and Torin. 

This is a very slow-moving book, and thankfully I like slow-moving stories. It really takes its time building everything up—especially the mystery of girls on the island going missing.

It’s worth noting that this book was pitched as House of Earth and Blood meets The Witch’s Heart. While I haven’t read the latter, House of Earth and Blood is a strange comparison title. Literally the only thing these two books have in common is fae, but they’re called spirits in A River Enchanted and are very different from Maas’ fae. 

My biggest critique of this book is that I wasn’t a fan of the melodramatic ending. This could have been a five star book if it had ended differently.

This is a beautifully written story, and if you like historical fantasy with lush, almost cozy fantasy vibes (and a gorgeous book cover) then you might like this one!

VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5