After seeing several social media posts and videos extolling the virtues of author Callie Hart’s first book in The Fae & AlchemDo you believe in fate?
After seeing several social media posts and videos extolling the virtues of author Callie Hart’s first book in The Fae & Alchemy series I decided to take the day off from my normal ARC reading/reviewing schedule to give it a read. What can I say? I had bad FOMO. I’ve come to realize that while I’ve been spending most of my time doing trad pub ARC reading, I’ve been missing out on a lot of great releases from the indie publishing world. I decided not to miss out on this one.
I’m so happy I took the day off for Quicksilver. I haven’t felt like this about a romantasy in a long time. Have I loved other romantasies as much as this? Yes, but in a different way. Quicksilver is the type of romantasy I love best: quick-witted, fast-paced, action-packed, spicy, funny, rude, two grumpy and traumatized main characters/love interests, no love triangle, tortured hearts, sexual tension and chemistry for days, protective streaks for days, stubborn and self-sacrificing idiots, and a healthy amount of snark.
I absolutely adored Bewitched, the first book in this series, and Bespelled ensnared me with its charms just as effectively. I’m not the hugest fan ofI absolutely adored Bewitched, the first book in this series, and Bespelled ensnared me with its charms just as effectively. I’m not the hugest fan of straight-up MF romance, but there’s just something about the way Laura writes her lead couples that sucks me every time and causes me to become heavily invested in them and their story. I can’t pinpoint what it is about them yet (yes, even though we’re at the end of the second book) that has me so captivated, but I know there has to be other authors out there that wish they could bottle this particular blend of writing witchcraft.
Bespelled picks up almost right where Bewitched left off, with Selene having been framed for the witch murders by Memnon, because someone’s still stuck on his tour of vengeance. Selene has the memories of her past life back, but it’s kind of hard to focus on anything but being, well, under arrest for crimes she didn’t commit. Luckily, the situation rights itself pretty quickly, and soon we get back to the incredibly charismatic push-pull dynamic between Selene and Memnon as they try and navigate each other, the situation they find themselves in now that Selene can remember the past, and what to do about the ongoing murders.
We get to meet a whole slew of supporting characters, see the overarching plot develop some more, see a new major plotline develop, see the rise and fall of a whole subplot within this book, and have it end with not a cliffhanger but a huge question mark. There’s a ton of magic, a whole bunch of intrigue, a great deal of action and violence, some great swoon-worthy romance, decent spice, and buckets of blood.
A lot happens in this book. I mean, a lot, a lot. Thalassa does a great job keeping the story moving and not letting everything get too tangled together at the same time. There is a pretty large infodump via looking into memories (not by flashback) near the beginning of the book, but I can’t in all fairness call it lazy storytelling in this instance because it falls in line with the way magic works in this series and the way the characters exist. There just wasn’t a better option to get the necessary information across to we readers.
It was a fantastic read and I’m absolutely anticipating the final book!
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
The Singing Hills Cycle novellas are something I look forward to every time a new installment is announced. They never disappoint in any way and The BThe Singing Hills Cycle novellas are something I look forward to every time a new installment is announced. They never disappoint in any way and The Brides of High Hill is no exception.
We’re used to mysterious adventures, spooky adventures, dangerous adventures, and sad adventures being in store for Cleric Chih, but never before has the adventure been scandalous…even a little salacious. Chih is in over their head and Almost Brilliant isn’t even around for some reason!
As with most of the Singing Hills Cycle books, the messages here revolve a lot around gender norms, feminine rage, class warfare, and the theft and/or destruction of one’s heritage by a group of people who see themselves as superior to you and yours. Whereas previous installments in this series have either taken place during travel or otherwise mostly in open air, The Brides of High Hill has a distinctive gothic feel to it, with everyone trapped inside a walled-in compound for the duration of the book. This places the threats as coming all from within, as opposed to the other novellas, where the threat was always coming from without.
The storycraft here was clever and sharp-witted, with a razor-edge thrill to it. The story was absolutely compelling to read, but as with all the Singing Hills Cycle stories, Nigh Vo gives us the perfect amount of story to satisfy us. It’s another job well done.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinion, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Historical Fantasy/Mythological Fiction/Novella...more
I thought this book was absolutely fabulous. It was like the largest, most decadent mug of paranormal, supernatural, romantic dark fantasy that was thI thought this book was absolutely fabulous. It was like the largest, most decadent mug of paranormal, supernatural, romantic dark fantasy that was then topped with marshmallow-y emotions. Don’t mistake this book for cozy in any way, though, because this is a wicked read in a variety of ways. The one thing it isn’t, though? It’s not spicy. A little steamy, yes, but these two twisted, star-crossed love birds don’t do more than kiss and maybe dirty talk a little. Heck, there’s not even solo play in this book. Guess what? I didn’t care! For once, lil’ ol’ impatient, fast-burn and extra spicy lovin’ me didn’t mind the slow burn. There’s not only a very valid plot reason for it, but it’s also very consistent for the characters of Marlowe and Minnie. Since it makes sense for the story in every way I found myself more than okay with the lack of spice.
This is the first book in a trilogy, and if the story that Lancet starts here is any indication it’s a doozy. A lot happens in this book–more than enough to justify the page length. Some of it is expected. Some of it is unexpected. A lot of it is absolutely fascinating and some of it is tragic. All along the way we’re surrounded by Lancet’s thorough world building, two absolutely fantastic main characters, and some absolutely delightful dialogue.
The story slows down a bit in the second act, but this book never truly slows down enough to be considered slow. The second act really only slows down a little to let Marlowe and Minnie get to know each other as people better and to develop a more solid dynamic before moving onto the events of the third act. That second act is delightful if only for the delightful banter between Marlowe and Minnie and getting to read Marlowe’s intrusive inner narrative (one-third controlling germaphobe, one-third obsessive stalker, one-third possessive tyrant). The “touch her and die” in this book isn’t just a vibe.
There is more than one twist, a bunch of turns, and unexpected fun in this book. I’m really looking forward to the next installment!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Forbidden Romance/Kindle Unlimited/Paranormal Fantasy/Romance Series/Supernatural Fantasy ...more
The Truth of the Aleke is the second book in The Forever Desert series, which is made of novellas set in North Africa long past. The first novella, ThThe Truth of the Aleke is the second book in The Forever Desert series, which is made of novellas set in North Africa long past. The first novella, The Lies of the Ajungo, was released last year and was just 90 pages. It served to mostly just set the stage for the world of the Forever Desert and the larger story that starts here in The Truth of the Aleke. While you don’t necessarily need to read it to enjoy this book I highly recommend it because it’s an outstanding and entertaining read.
The Truth of the Aleke is only about 12 pages longer than The Lies of the Ajungo but takes place 500 years after the events of that book.
Utomi uses fantasy to continue to tell the fable of a war over land and resources in The Forever Desert, with the moral of the story being that both sides are liars. The truth is a murky and nebulous thing that’s shaped by whoever is currently on the winning side. Ultimately, no one cares what the truth truly is–they only care about who holds the power. There’s no room to care for anything else.
These books aren’t lighthearted. I almost feel like their covers do these books a disservice, because they’re so much prettier than the stories inside. The stories are bleak, violent, messy, and distinctly unhappy. These books don’t end happily. But they’re written so well and with great imagination. I highly recommend them.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Historical Fantasy/Novella/OwnVoices ...more
A Feather So Black starts out wobbly, but by the end of the first act it finds its footing and really takes off, providing a very fantastical and romaA Feather So Black starts out wobbly, but by the end of the first act it finds its footing and really takes off, providing a very fantastical and romantic story with plenty of intrigue, wit, chemistry, danger, sorrow, action, and sacrifice to make the page count (close to 500) totally worth it; not only that, but loose threads, ponderous angles, and the ongoing storyline are definitely enticing enough reasons to be interested in the sequel without the author having to resort to a cliffhanger ending.
Orbit Books has been publishing some bangers in the last couple of years, so I was excited for A Feather So Black because the plot synopsis seemed to speak of a retelling blend of Swan Lake (my favorite ballet) and the fairy tale colloquially known as The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and then we toss in some fae stuff. (This isn’t an insult, because fae stuff can encompass some of the best stuff). It does all of these things extremely well. Where it stuttered was in the initial engagement and worldbuilding.
There are a lot–A LOT–of books like A Feather So Black in the marketplace right now. Maybe not with the same plot, but with a lot of the same themes and a lot of similar characters. In order to work on every level, romantasy novels need to snag us readers from the get. I’m not talking about spice or love: I’m talking about hooking us on your main protagonist. But we’ve met Fia before, in lots of different books but with different names. And we’ve met her in a similar manner before too. We’ve even met her best friend/former lover as well, even if he had a different name. It made the first act feel rather formulaic, even timeworn in a book where the rest felt rather bold and emotionally fresh.
It won’t stop me from eagerly awaiting the sequel!
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fairy Tale Retelling/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series ...more
Poison. Death magic. Catacombs. Fantasy fiction used as commentary on the necessity of a wall between church and state. Hannah Whitten. These are the Poison. Death magic. Catacombs. Fantasy fiction used as commentary on the necessity of a wall between church and state. Hannah Whitten. These are the things that drew me to The Foxglove King, and the portents and loose plot threads left dangling at the end of that book (well, and the promise of more Hannah Whitten, always) is what drew me back to read the second book in this series, The Hemlock Queen.
The second book in a trilogy gets a raw deal: It’s both expected to be better than the first book but it also needs to carry the heaviest amount of plot and exhibition for the entire trilogy. The Foxglove King gave us the world, its characters, and introduced us to the overarching plot and the basic exhibition. It gave us the cocktail hour and the appetizers. It’s up to The Hemlock Queen to give us the soup, salad, and to start the main course. The meat of what we need to know is here. Is it realistic to expect it to be better than The Foxglove King? It depends on what kind of reader you are, I think, and what you like to read in your books.
I liked The Foxglove King better, if only because Whitten’s strengths are in her world building and magic systems and we got to see her flex those muscles more in that book as opposed to this one. However, in this book we got to see and hear more from this series’ characters, plumb the magic and belief systems more, and explore the intense triangle of emotions between Gabe, Lore, and Bastian. All of these things were important for me to see in this book and I got them. That alone makes this book worth the price of admission. If you add in the events of the third act, I am already waiting on pins and needles for the third book.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fantasy ...more
Foul Days was a book I decided early on the year that I wanted to read and was one of my few exceptions of requesting a bookReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Foul Days was a book I decided early on the year that I wanted to read and was one of my few exceptions of requesting a book that started a new fantasy series (that I knew of, at the time). I liked the cover and the blurb a whole lot (Eastern European fantasies are a weakness).
Foul Days isn’t an outstanding book one for a series, but it’s not half-bad, either. Genoveva Dimova is an excellent worldbuilder and plotter. Her characters are interesting and her monsters are terrifying. The thing is: the machine they’re all working in isn’t oiled all that well. All the components are there in separate pieces, ready to use, but while reading this book it felt a lot like Dimova couldn’t bind everything together very well. That caused certain scenes to feel a little overwrought (like where did all these feelings come from all of a sudden?) or others to feel a little anticlimactic (didn’t you just say… never mind, apparently).
I love almost any fantasy that will give me some Eastern European vibes, and this one gives not only supernatural beings but also folklore in the forms of customs, rituals, and herblore. The setting of a walled-off town that’s somehow reminiscent of both an early 20th-century ghetto and Chernobyl at the same time is freaking fantastic in so many ways.
While Foul Days on its own isn’t the most fantastic book one of a fantasy series I’ve ever read, it has me intrigued enough I really want to continue onto the next book to see what happens. It’s an interesting story and I’d like to see where it goes!
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Romantasy ...more
I finally found the time to read this book before the end of the year and I’m so happy I did because the cuteness factor of Assistant to the Villain cI finally found the time to read this book before the end of the year and I’m so happy I did because the cuteness factor of Assistant to the Villain can’t be denied.
Being as familiar as I am with Hannah’s TikTok and her skits that led to this book being written, I honestly expected this book to be a little funnier and a little more screwball than it ended up being. I’m not saying I was disappointed–I’m just saying I was surprised. The Evie Sage of this book isn’t the same as the one in the skits, and I found that treating them as two completely different animals was the way to go about it. If you try to compare them, the reading experience will be ruined. It just doesn’t work.
I found The Villain’s POV to be more interesting and his character more to my liking than Evie. I love getting glimpses into the brains of men who are all hard exterior and marshmallow center. The Villain isn’t a marshmallow for many, but for Evie? Oh, he’s all gooey sweet melty like a marshmallow before a fire. It’s adorable.
I must admit I didn’t see the turn coming. That’s unusual for me, so bravo! I knew ahead of time how it ended because this book was released in August and so I could hardly be mad about spoilers that have been floating around the online book communities for months.
It was a great read and one I really wanted to tick off my “10 Before the End” for 2023. I definitely recommend it and am looking forward to the next in the series!
All thoughts, opinions, views and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Comedy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/RomCom/Workplace Romance ...more
Part Six of Crows, part Oliver Twist, part gaslamp fantasy, part vampire fiction, a tiny touch of Camelot, and a hefty dollop of “British colonialism Part Six of Crows, part Oliver Twist, part gaslamp fantasy, part vampire fiction, a tiny touch of Camelot, and a hefty dollop of “British colonialism sucked for everyone not British” (except with fictional country names), this novel was absolutely amazing. As complex, deep, and beautiful as any lovely tea blend described in the book, I was swept away from the first page and loathed coming for air at all until I was finished.
Arthie plays the role of the Artful Dodger of a teahouse named Spindrift: they serve lovely tea blends by day and let beds by night. What Arthie and Spindrift collect best is secrets. Secrets let Arthie and her best friend, Jin, buy a whole lot that actual money can’t. Secrets aren’t going to keep Spindrift safe when the crown comes for the building, though, and a member of the guard with a secret agenda comes to Arthie with an offer she can’t refuse because with one heist she can save Spindrift and blackmail the crown.
I loved everything about this book, and I do mean everything. Hafsal Faizal is a wonderful storyteller who weaves real history with alternative history, spinning fantasy with the paranormal, and does it all with a breathtaking writing style most authors could only hope to imitate. Her prose is elegant without being precocious and philosophical without being pedantic. The world building is thorough and the imagery is glittering.
The characters are delightful, diverse, and multi-faceted. There’s cunning and pensive Arthie, elegant and gregarious Jin, naive and lonely Flick, rakish and manipulative Matteo, even the enigmatic and beguiling Laithe. A crew of misfits, led by Arthie, to a thunderclap end. It’s a cliffhanger, of sorts, and I can’t wait to read the next one.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Vampire Fiction/YA Fantasy ...more
Please Note: This review is for a sample excerpt of Empire of the Damned, NOT the full novel.
Obviously, this review won’t be long, because I want to Please Note: This review is for a sample excerpt of Empire of the Damned, NOT the full novel.
Obviously, this review won’t be long, because I want to avoid as many spoilers as possible.
I loved Empire of the Vampire. It was one of the first ARCs I was approved for when I first started reading and reviewing back in the summer of 2021, and I’ve been dying waiting for this sequel to come out. I can assure right, straight out of the gate, that I was just as enamored with Empire of the Damned as I was its predecessor, if not more so.
The book starts with a very much-needed Dramatis Personae, which I was very grateful for. It’s very thorough, not simply reminding us readers of who people are but also their context in the story. It was helpful enough to me that I didn’t need to go back to EotV and do a re-read to completely get my bearings. Considering the depth and breadth of the story contained in EotV’s pages, I think that’s fantastic.
The Marquis Jean-Francois sits down with Gabriel once more to continue recording history, which has now moved beyond simply Gabriel’s history and has intertwined with the history of the grail. We see great tragedy, hear of great horrors, meet terrible evils, and there is a betrayal. I was absolutely absorbed by what I read. Some passages in the book made me laugh out loud and some were absolutely insane, which is refreshing when the terror bites down. The illustrations were as gorgeous as in the first book.
I can’t wait until the full book is released. I know I’ll be preordering it. I have space on my bookshelf reserved for it.
I was provided with a copy of the excerpt from this novel by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
The Magicians meets One Last Stop is what the blurb tells us to expect in this book. Well, I know better than to expect much of blurbs, but can I justThe Magicians meets One Last Stop is what the blurb tells us to expect in this book. Well, I know better than to expect much of blurbs, but can I just say that I haven't been this disappointed by the marketing for a book in a long time?
Remedial Magic isn’t just a subpar book–it’s a subpar book with poor plotting, average writing, creepy and unlikeable characters, an underexplored magic system, poor worldbuilding, and random spice scenes that are just plopped in like quotes in a bad college essay (that is to say, suddenly and with no warm up).
This book just doesn’t make sense to me. It started off well enough. It was witty, even engaging. Everything started to fall to pieces as soon as the “new students” started arriving in Crenshaw, in my opinion. Then it all started unraveling quickly and never regained any ground. I don’t even know why I finished the book, save that I hoped at some point it might redeem itself, considering this is a series and there are more books after this.
I think I’ll be stopping here, though. I don’t need to know more.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. As this review has a rating of three stars or less it will only appear on review sites and not on social media. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fantasy/Spice Level 1 ...more
Disciples of Chaos is the fast-paced second book in M. K. Lobb’s Seven Faceless Saints duology. I read Seven Faceless Saints in December 2023 and likeDisciples of Chaos is the fast-paced second book in M. K. Lobb’s Seven Faceless Saints duology. I read Seven Faceless Saints in December 2023 and liked it so much I immediately preordered this title even though I had the eARC. I just knew it was going to be good and I was going to want to own it. Lobb created a world here where blind faith and the worship of the divine are the root of evil. Religion is a tool of the system and it only benefits the privileged. While not a new idea in fantasy, it’s something uncommon enough that an atheist like me takes special notice when books like these pop up.
Disciples of Chaos picks up almost right where Seven Faceless Saints left off, which I felt was a good narrative and artistic choice for Lobb to make for both the story and the readers. The consistency of the story arc from book to book is so smooth it almost feels as if Lobb wrote this duology as one huge tome and then had help editing it into two smaller tomes and the only thing that truly mattered was finding the exact right place to divide the two. As a result, Disciples of Chaos is more plot-heavy than Seven Faceless Saints, which was more heavy on world building and characterizations.
Disciples of Chaos runs at a fast clip, with a lot of action, plot development, relationship developments between Roz and Damian, a ton of inner angst for Damian, and a good amount of political intrigue (which I’m such a sucker for).
While I liked the first half of this duology more, I can honestly say this entire story is entirely worth the hype.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy ...more
…And the reward for the longest novel I devoured in record time this month (that wasn’t a spicy romance) goes to The Witchwood Knot, which is my first…And the reward for the longest novel I devoured in record time this month (that wasn’t a spicy romance) goes to The Witchwood Knot, which is my first Olivia Atwater book and certainly won’t be my last because it simply hit every single one of my cozy gothic fairy tale buttons while maintaining a certain sense of style and panache that you don’t see too often when it comes to the cozier tales. That flair sets this story apart from so many cozier gothics that can often cause me to drift off in the second act. Not this book. This book kept me captivated from the start.
(Note please that there is an author’s note at the beginning of this book regarding TW/CW when it comes to sexual harassment of both woman and child. Take care of you.)
This book simply wouldn’t work without our FMC, Winifred, exactly as she is. She’s a terrific female protagonist, made just the way I like them: full of spite. Let’s just say I identify. She’s also intelligent, cunning, deceitful, and careful. I absolutely love her. She’s had to learn some hard lessons, both mundane and arcane, to get where she is today, and that makes her unique. Her unique outlook on life and on everything faerie is the framework for everything we readers see and understand of this story for a good long while, so it’s marvelous that she’s as intriguing and engaging as she is.
Likewise, the flip-side of Winifred is our MMC, Mr. Quincy, the mysterious and vexing “butler” of Witchwood Manor. He’s everything Winifred is, save he’s full of frustration and anger instead of spite. He’s trapped within Witchwood Manor, bound to an oath he can’t undo, and is almost as alone as is possible. He hides behind cruelty and illusions, but is filled with fear.
Atwater has an unmistakably lovely way with charming, lovely prose and with the elegant and polite dialogue of the Victorian period. Reading the dialogue exchanges between Winifred and Mr. Quincy are like an amped-up version of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, if Elizabeth carried a knife with her at all times and Darcy were willing to turn her own fears on her. When they aren’t exchanging witty repartee and they drop the social mores, these two melt so deliciously it’s like milk chocolate.
I love Atwater’s use of faerie lore. It’s amazing. Most of it is well known, but it’s the little stuff that means so much, you know? Like how important the number three is to faeries. How the scent of bayberry is associated with protection from evil (and that it’s easier to carry bayberry perfume while traveling than to carry candles of it). The way some believe mirrors are portals to the other side. It’s these touches that always impress me when it comes to worldbuilding. I love it when authors do their research and do it well. When it comes to historical fantasy, an author must do double duty by ensuring the historical and fantastical aspects both are accounted for and Atwater has done exactly that.
It’s a simply wonderful novel. I can’t recommend it enough.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fairy Tale/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Gothic Fiction/Historical Fantasy ...more
I will admit one thing first: I was totally overtaken by Shiny Cover Syndrome when I went to request this book. I did like the sound of the blurb, butI will admit one thing first: I was totally overtaken by Shiny Cover Syndrome when I went to request this book. I did like the sound of the blurb, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the pretty cover. So, truth be told, had I known this was the first book in a series, I wouldn’t have requested it because the last thing I need right now is to get invested in another series.
But! I can tell you that I actually ended up really liking this book, even though if it weren’t for the cover I probably wouldn’t have given it a try right now.
This Dark Descent isn’t the best fantasy novel out there right now. It isn’t even the best fantasy novel with Jewish folklore woven into it out there right now. However, it is a really entertaining and well-written book. The plot is fairly straightforward, which you’ll be thankful for, because there’s so many other things going on in this book that the last thing you need is a really complicated plot.
Josephson made this book very character-driven, which is where I suspect the comparison with Six of Crows comes from. The book is told from two POVs: that of horse racer Mikira and that of unlicensed enchanter Arielle. To round out a set of core four characters we add in Damien, a member of a noble house, and Reid, his best friend. These characters are very richly drawn, all with complete background stories, different motivations, different goals, and all kinds of problems. And don’t forget the trauma. There’s definitely trauma. Combine our core four with a great supporting cast made up of characters of all shades of gray and the tapestry of the book also begins to feel a little like All of Us Villains, too.
Now, where this book falls short, in my opinion, is in worldbuilding. It just isn’t weak in explaining the actual world around Mirkira and Arielle, it’s also a problem in explaining the magic system. Josephson leaned just a little too much on the Jewish folklore when the majority of magic practiced in the world the book is set in doesn’t practice magic that stems directly from Jewish folklore (please note that I say “folklore” because in this book the author uses what we would know as Jewish terms but the people who would be considered “Jewish” in this book are called “Kinnish”).
Surprisingly, I found that the horse races in this book were weak points in the story as well. They weren’t as well-written as they could’ve been, with rather weak fighting choreography to them. I had looked forward to these scenes but they ended up being rather secondary to everything else going on in this book.
As an endnote: If you are triggered by animal violence, you may want to take care while reading this book.
Altogether, it’s a really solid read, and if you’re in the mood to start a new YA book series that’s on the darker side, then I recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, ideas, and views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Romantasy/Supernatural Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance ...more
Witches versus witch hunters. Some rivalries never grow old for me, and this is one of them. When people speak of enemies to lovers, this is what comeWitches versus witch hunters. Some rivalries never grow old for me, and this is one of them. When people speak of enemies to lovers, this is what comes up in my mind. This is the type of rivalry that makes the enemies to lovers trope absolutely shine with brilliance.
It also generally just makes for great stories.
Heartless Hunter isn’t lacking in a great story, even if it isn’t breaking too much new ground. Heck, this book even has a nominal (keep that word in your mind) love triangle and I wasn’t hating it too much (and I hate love triangles).
I read Ciccarelli’s Edgewood when it came out and was heavily impressed with her world building and magic system. It’s the same here: Ciccarelli has a great creative talent and it makes her world building glimmer from the costuming to the very ground on which the characters stand, yet she isn’t tempted to let all that sumptuous world building leak through her prose, for which I’m very grateful. We get what we need in the important moments, when the costumes and imagery are important, but our author knows when these details need to take a backseat. The magic system is clever too, with the unique witch marks, the kind of blood spilled for each spell, and the fact each witch leaves behind a unique cast mark when the spell is done.
The book could’ve been an absolute delight if I had liked either one of the main characters. I didn’t feel like we really knew the whole measure of either of them. I didn’t feel connected to them. I didn’t like how either of them went about what they were doing and I really didn’t like Gideon near the end. I can’t agree with a lot of choices either of them made. It’s a little hard to fully enjoy a novel when you don’t connect with it fully.
I bet I’ll end up reading the next book because I need to know how this ends, but I don’t know if I’m going to need to own this series. I do recommend the read though, because it’s pretty good.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy ...more
It’s nice to see a new fantasy series meet what I consider the level of epic: Epic in story, epic in scale, and epic in feel. You can’t just call a faIt’s nice to see a new fantasy series meet what I consider the level of epic: Epic in story, epic in scale, and epic in feel. You can’t just call a fantasy book or series epic and call it a day. “Epic” means something: Spanning time, lands, battles, revelations, marriage, deaths, betrayals, and more. Epic means gods, monsters, humans, magic, and a greater sense of purpose are involved for everyone in the story. A Fate Inked in Blood may be a spicy (but not too spicy, and definitely not smutty) Viking romantasy, but it’s also the start of a very good epic fantasy series.
Danielle L. Jensen isn’t an unknown name for me, though I’ve never read her books before. The cover, title, and author name of this book all caught my attention when I saw it on NetGalley. Even though I’m usually not down for Viking fantasy, I was intrigued enough to request it. I’m so glad I did, because this was well worth the read (sadly, I’m still not converted on the Viking thing).
The best thing about this book is our FMC, Freya, who has a mercurial temper mixed with a compassionate nature. The second best thing about this book is Freya’s relationship with Bjorn, the son of her husband. Bjorn is Freya’s constant and the one willing to risk her ire when her compassion risks her own safety. Their chemistry is insane from the moment they meet on the page and every time they are alone together their banter is a delight to read.
Jensen has done a wondrous job writing a Viking fantasy world that’s robust with well-explored magic, rich mythology, expressive world building, and fascinating characters. The storytelling is artful and the writing is compelling. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment!
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
If you’re looking for a literary epiphany you won’t find it in this book, but you will still find a very solid first entry into a fantasy series with If you’re looking for a literary epiphany you won’t find it in this book, but you will still find a very solid first entry into a fantasy series with great world building and atmosphere.
To Kill a Shadow is the first book in (from what I can find) author Katherine Quinn’s Mistlands series, which reminds me of such series as Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer and a touch of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. The blurb makes this book seem a lot darker than it actually is with all of its horror references, since the allusions to both The Mist and The Evil Dead are both mostly glancing askance instead of embracing the horror wholly.
I found this book a touch confusing at first because I thought it might be an age-gap romantasy and I just missed the memo, but it’s not. (Though that would’ve been a cool surprise had it not taken the book entirely out of the YA genre). I did love our two MCs, Jude and Kiara. They have a natural chemistry on page, with terrific dialogue that snaps and crackles with emotion. While their relationship evolves rather fast compared to other romantasy series of the same genre, I didn’t mind it because I’m not a lover of slow-burn. This series makes a huge point of Kiara being a woman who knows her own mind and that both she and Jude know how fleeting life can be in their world, so maybe it’s not too hard to imagine when someone reaches a hand out you take it.
The plot? Well, it’s rather transparent. That’s the thin point here. The plot is rather derivative of several other YA romantasy series and is very predictable (at least it is to me). The saving grace to this book is the comfort feel of a solid fantasy read, the characters, the dialogue, and the world building.
A good first entry into a new series, so I recommend reading this if you’re looking to get into a new series.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fiction/Supernatural Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy...more
First, had I known this was going to be a series I wouldn’t have requested it. I wasn’t looking to get inveI’m going to be upfront about a few things:
First, had I known this was going to be a series I wouldn’t have requested it. I wasn’t looking to get invested in a new series and there was no indication this was book one in a series (or duology? IDK) when I requested it. Point of fact: There’s still no indication on NetGalley, Amazon, BookBub, or Goodreads. So if you were interested in this book because you thought it was a standalone (like I did), it’s not (or, if it is, I’m very confused).
Second: I can’t pinpoint exactly why I liked this book so much…but I did. I liked it a lot.
Since the plot of this book is complex and it’s not a standalone as I initially thought, this review is going to be on the shorter side. This also has to do with the fact (see above) that I can’t really hone in on why I liked it so much, so all I can do is tell you I was resonating with this book on a whole frequency that let most of the flaws I saw in it slide on by with little notice until I finished and sat with it for a minute (most of this “minute” was largely spent being very confused about how I didn’t know this wasn’t a standalone).
The blurb for this book waxes eloquent about the romantasy element of this book, but if you’re looking for a romantasy-heavy book this isn’t it. The romantasy element really only comes into play in the third act and it’s all very chaste and proper (partially due to the FMC’s beliefs and partially due to constant changes in circumstances). What’s more important in this book is the complex feelings and responsibilities regarding family, very quick and shuffling political intrigues, the evils of colonization, and complex moral dilemmas.
So yes, it has its issues, but it was very enjoyable nonetheless. If you’re looking to get into a new series I highly recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Forbidden Romance ...more
This was a thick baby, and I loved sinking my teeth into it.
It’s been rare over the past two years for me to get into a fantasy epic on the bottom floThis was a thick baby, and I loved sinking my teeth into it.
It’s been rare over the past two years for me to get into a fantasy epic on the bottom floor, just as its’ beginning. It seems with almost every other epic fantasy series going on I came into the ARC reviewing/book reviewing scene after the series had already started and it’s a little hard to catch up to everyone else when you’re reading around 25-30 ARCs a month (let’s not talk about my inability to turn down every yummy ARC I see on NG). So when I saw the synopsis for this book, I was so intrigued I decided to give it a try and see if I liked it. If I did, then I had just done what I wanted to and gotten in on the bottom floor of a promising epic fantasy series.
I thought this book was absolutely wonderful. At nearly 600 pages I could’ve done it in one day, but I decided to split the reading over two days: I read the first 30% on the first day and read the rest on the second day so I could be fresh as a daisy for the middle portion of the book. It turns out I may have not needed it as I usually do for longer fantasy novels, because this book was compelling and intriguing from start to finish.
I don’t read a lot of epic fantasy. I’ll admit it’s because epic fantasy tends to be a genre ruled by white, male authors and I tend to dislike most fantasy written by white, male authors. I think what captivated me about this book from the start was our protagonist, Kat: I love thieves. I love underdogs. I love rebellions. I might as well say it: I love that Kat is a lesbian, too. While I’m not usually a fan of white men writing queer female characters (unless they have a sensitivity reader), it helps that Kat is way too focused on keeping herself alive for most of this book to worry about fluttering her eyelashes at anyone.
The worldbuilding in this book is excellent. Ward shouldn’t have cause to lack in this department, seeing as his background is in RPG worldbuilding. The magic system is a little fuzzier on the details, but I think that’s because there’s more than one way of conducting magic in this world and we don’t know exactly how all of it works yet.
While I greatly enjoyed the plot, with all its court intrigue, drama, crosses and double-crosses, there was definitely some predictability here and there. It didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book, though, so I’m not holding that against the rating.
I’d definitely recommend it if you want to dig into a new series or if you’ve been wanting to try a series and just haven’t yet. It’s a lot of fun.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without recompense. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Sapphic Romance ...more
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