Tag: Fantasy

Review: A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

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A TV with a fireplace video

Alexis:

Happy fall! 🍂🎃

I returned home from a trip yesterday, which of course means that I read a book (another ARC!) on the plane.

A Fire in the Sky follows three POVs: Tamsyn, the whipping girl of the royal family, Fell, the ruler of the Borderlands, and Stig, the Captain of the Guard and Tamsyn’s friend.

I’ll start off by saying I haven’t read the Firelight series, and this book is set in the same world. However, I found this a classic and interesting fantasy world, where dragons and witches have mostly died off due to being hunted and persecuted. The majority of this book is set on a road through the countryside and wilderness, and I love a good travel story.

Overall, this is a solid read. I can tell a lot more is going to happen in the sequel, so this first book definitely feels like the setup for the rest of the series. I really enjoyed the second half especially, as the pacing picked up and more events began happening to spur the plot along. While the romance lacked some depth, with the events at the end, I definitely think the romance will have more depth as the series continues! 

My only cons were that Sig’s POV seemed unnecessary, and Fell was constantly described as big, to the point where it got to be a little much.

This was a fun and easy read. If you like dragons and romantasy, give it a shot!

VERDICT: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for sending me an ARC in exchange for a review.

Pub Date: A Fire in the Sky comes out tomorrow, September 24, 2024!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it’s her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard…though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride…but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead…it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

Review: Inferno’s Heir by Tiffany Wang

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Alexis sits in a cafe with a matcha latte and the cover of Inferno's Heir

Alexis:

I’m finally making my way through my ARCs! Most recently, I finished Inferno’s Heir by Tiffany Wang, which comes out on October 15th.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Teia Carthan abandoned her morals long ago, and now there’s nothing she won’t do to stay alive. So far she has survived her parents’ deaths, the ire of the Council, and innumerable attempts on her life, orchestrated by Jura, her half brother and soon-to-be king of Erisia. Teia’s rare control over two elements marks her as both an outsider and a formidable opponent—but once Jura is crowned king, there will be no way to survive him. Not for Teia, not for anyone. 

When Jura moves to crush the rebellion that seeks to overthrow the monarchy, Teia sees one last opportunity to ensure her own safety. She can infiltrate the rebels, locate their base . . . and betray them to Jura, trading their lives for her own. 

Yet when Teia meets the rebels, she gets far more than she bargained for. And when she gains not only their trust but their friendship, she begins to have doubts. Perhaps the rebels are right. Perhaps the Golden Palace should be torn down and the monarchy destroyed. 

But then again—what if there is another possibility? What if Teia were on the throne instead?

Review: 

Inferno’s Heir is Six of Crows meets elemental magic with a dash of The Hunger Games. It has fire and water magic, political intrigue, a band of rebels, morally gray characters, and a heist or two. 

I enjoyed the firebending vibes in the story. Wang doesn’t shy away from showing a brutal world, especially when it comes to Jura—and even Teia. Characters are forced to make decisions, whether they end up making the right one or not. 

I’m excited to see where the sequel takes us. There was an interesting bit of lore dropped near the end, and it will definitely be a major player in the next book. I’m also looking forward to getting to know the side characters better.

If you like elemental magic, political intrigue, and morally gray characters, then I recommend giving this one a shot when it comes out in a month!

VERDICT: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Bindery Books for my review copy!

Foresty Book Recs

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Stack of foresty books on a bookshelf

Alexis:

What’s your favorite kind of book? Because mine is a good foresty/woodsy novel! If it’s a book featuring a creepy, atmospheric forest—or better yet, a sentient forest—chances are, I’ll want to read it. Foresty books are perfect for fall! It’s been foggy here in the mornings, which really adds to the fall reading ambience. 

The stacks of books pictured above are some of my favorite fantasy reads featuring forests (say that 5 times fast). If you’re in the mood, I hope you’ll pick some of them up.

If you want a forest-themed/woodland mug, I’ve got you covered. Thank you so much to FloraeSnow for sending me this beautiful mug! If you want to check out her Etsy shop, you can use our code to get 15% off: TAKESTWO15

Happy reading! 🌲

Review: The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko

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A library copy of The Maid and the Crocodile next to a pumpkin chai latte

Alexis:

Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone has a great day off. I’m currently baking blueberry pie bars, and I’m looking forward to getting some reading done tonight. The last book I read was The Maid and the Crocodile, which means I finished my 2024 reading challenge of reading 52 books!

Review:

Raybearer is one of my favorite fantasy novels, so I knew The Maid and the Crocodile would be good! I love when an author writes a standalone set in the same world, and Ifueko did a fantastic job.

I love how this book shows you a different perspective of the West African-inspired world, and I enjoyed how often characters and storylines from the Raybearer duology pop up.

Sade is a great main character with an interesting backstory and perspective, and her magic is so unique; she is a Curse Eater, gifted with the ability to alter people’s fates by cleaning their houses. And the Crocodile is such a Howl-coded character. 

And, of course, I appreciated the hard-hitting themes of this book and how it focuses on making a difference through dismantling poverty and oppression. The story also focuses on disabilities and differences, as Sade has vitiligo and an injured foot and uses a cane. 

.Overall, while I think you could enjoy this as a standalone, you’ll definitely get more out of it if you’ve read Raybearer. There are also some spoilers for the duology as a whole, so if you plan on reading Raybearer, I recommend reading it first.

If you like Beauty and the Beast type stories, Howl’s Moving Castle (Ifueko even mentioned her nod to it in the back of the book) and curses, but with an original spin, then I think you’ll like this one!

VERDICT: 🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊

Flashback Friday: Childhood Reads

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A stack of books sits on a gray blanket next to lit candle

Alexis:

Happy Flashback Friday!

Do you still think about the books from your childhood? I’ve been thinking about my childhood favorites recently.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke was my all-time fave, and a new book in the series is actually being released this fall! I’m planning on rereading the original series before I read the new book, since it’s been a while. It made me start thinking about rereading all of these books some day.

Here is a list of just some of my childhood favorites that I still think about:

  • Caesar’s Antlers by Brooks Hansen
  • Charlotte’s Rose by A.E. Cannon
  • Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech
  • Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
  • The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine
  • The Last Dragon by Silvana De Mari
  • Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
  • The Misty of Chincoteague series by Marguerite Henry

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: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

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A Kindle with A Song to Drown Rivers lays on a desk

Alexis:

I’m back with another 5-star book recommendation! If you’re looking for the next best romantic fantasy, A Song to Drown Rivers is releasing this fall!

Don’t be fooled by the term “romantic fantasy,” however. This book deals with a myriad of dark, impactful themes, including war, sacrifice, and womanhood—alongside love, of course. 

The two main characters, Xishi and Fanli, were so well written. I love Xishi’s voice, as it’s from her first person POV. 

I’m actually devastated at how beautiful this story was—and heartbreaking. Liang’s writing is gorgeous and lyrical. Liang tackles the themes of war and sacrifice especially well. And despite me literally crying at the ending (which is very rare for me!) this was such a beautiful and well-written book. 

Look out for A Song to Drown Rivers on October 1!

VERDICT: 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊/5 

Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Review: Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

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Alexis holds Five Broken Blades in front of a bookshelf

Alexis:

After a nice beach vacation and a lot of work this month, I’m back with a review of a new adult fantasy called Five Broken Blades.

Short Synopsis From Goodreads:

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

⁣Review: 

I’ve seen mixed reviews of Five Broken Blades—but I loved it! It was a super fun, fast paced read, and I was impressed with how well Corland juggled so many POVs. ⁣Usually, I prefer books with 1-2 POVs. However, each chapter is short, which keeps the pace moving. They’re in first person, which allows you to get to know each character. And I genuinely enjoyed learning about each character.

They’re morally gray and flawed, and I liked learning about their backstories and motivations. I would say this book is almost equally driven by both the plot and characters. And you know I can never resist a book with political intrigue and romance subplots. If you like romantic subplots, you’ll be kicking your feet! (Because every character has one.) But if you don’t, then this story may not be for you. However, I enjoyed that love and deserving to be loved was one of the main themes. 

My only main critiques are that the backstories of each character were introduced very early in the story and the writing style leans on telling and not showing. While sometimes I wished the writing was more subtle or had more subtext, it didn’t prevent me from enjoying the story. It’s also a new adult book, so if you don’t jive with a more young adult voice, it might not be for you. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a low fantasy, Korean-inspired world with political intrigue, secrets, and a band of misfits on a mission to assassinate a king, pick this one up. ⁣It’s 5 out of 5 swords for me (ha!)

VERDICT: 🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️/5

Review: The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten

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Alexis: 

I recently reread The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, which was one of my favorite reads of 2023, and I’m happy to say that I loved it just as much the second time around.

I read the sequel and the next installment in the trilogy, The Hemlock Queen, directly after. I can’t say too much about this book without going into spoilers, but I can say that I really enjoyed the beginning, but I thought the ending was especially well done; there were some stories included near that end that I enjoyed reading, and that added a lot to the lore and religion of this world.

However, I found that the middle of this book did drag a little, and I kept wondering when Lore, the main character, was actually going to do something or make a decision.

Overall, I didn’t love this one as much as The Foxglove King, but I did enjoy it. I’m looking forward to the last book!

If you’re interested in a fun yet gritty fantasy series with necromancy, an undead horse named Horse, a religious cult with religious trauma, and a love triangle (/quadrangle?), then I would recommend this series.

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

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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.