Have you ever loved a book series so much you wished you could live inside that world?
Barbi Bancroft has. She practically eats, drinks, and breathes Have you ever loved a book series so much you wished you could live inside that world?
Barbi Bancroft has. She practically eats, drinks, and breathes everything involving the fandom surrounding the books about the realm of Akkaya and its characters. Akkaya is her whole life. One day, at a fan convention, she’s handed as-yet unannounced, unreleased manuscript to the next book in the series. However, when Barbi gets home and opens it to read, she’s magically transported to Akkaya, which turns out to be so much different than she thought it would be.
This book didn’t end up being what I thought it was in two different ways: it was both darker than I thought it would be and the FMC was different than the type I usually read or invest my time in. I never have any issues with books being darker than planned, since I love dark books in general; however, I did struggle with Barbi’s characterization at times. I loved the overall story arc and the general plot, and the ending to this installment of the series was definitely unexpected. I’m really looking forward to seeing where this story goes.
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 discovered the Dark Witch Academy series late in 2023, gobbled up all three existing books in less than three days and have been waiting with baitedI discovered the Dark Witch Academy series late in 2023, gobbled up all three existing books in less than three days and have been waiting with baited breath ever since for the fourth book. I got myself a spot early on for the ARC team because I knew I wanted to read Gemini Wicked as soon as it was ready. It didn’t disappoint!
This installment picks up as Zara and her court (as it exists) head to her birthday celebration on a superyacht moored in the harbor outside the academy. The opening chapters of this book are tense and full of action, because of course they are. Nothing ever goes according to plan when a crown is up for grabs in a fantasy novel! (Plus, that’s kind of the major plot arc for the entire series, so we’d be without a story without a precipitating event, right?)
This disaster of a birthday celebration is only the start of a raucous set of events that stand between Zara and the crown. The pace of this book is fast, interspersed with action, lots of spice, and intimate conversations.
One of the things I love most about Laura’s Navarre’s writing in this series is her inner narrative for Zara. Most of the time I can’t stand first-person POV that breaks the fourth wall and has an extreme amount of slang. Somehow it just really works for me in these books. It fits the character, somehow. I can’t imagine Zara Gemini without her charming, cheeky inner voice.
Oh, and if you love breeding kink? Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss out. All of the Dark Witch Academy books are spicy af, but Gemini Wicked takes spicy af and adds a hefty dose of breeding kink on top for maximum effort. It’s giving ghost pepper levels of spice and I'm here for it.
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.
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.
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
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
This is the first Ava Reid novel I’ve disliked, and I’ve read her entire backlist.
Up until Lady Macbeth, Ava Reid had a flaReal Rating: 2.5 / 5 Stars
This is the first Ava Reid novel I’ve disliked, and I’ve read her entire backlist.
Up until Lady Macbeth, Ava Reid had a flawless track record with me. There are very few fantasy authors who can match her when it comes to beautiful prose matched with fantastical worldbuilding. Her love of powerful female protagonists is always a huge bonus for me, too.
It’s not that Lady Macbeth lacks beautiful prose, because there is beautiful prose in this book. It’s not as plentiful as in Reid’s other books, but there is a sparseness to this book that I feel might be part and parcel of the overall aesthetic for the story and so it might be on purpose. The worldbuilding is fantastic, actually, but I have a feeling it probably doesn’t feel like it if you aren’t familiar with a lot of aspects of medieval Europe. Reid definitely made a choice to write this without simplifying anything for readers who might want things explained more plainly to them.
Where I came up short in this book was in the protagonist and just the book as a whole.
I understand where the author was coming from and (likely) where she was trying to get to with Lady Macbeth and this story. Most of what I came away with was about lost girlhoods, weaponizing female beauty, fetishizing certain types of women, men taking credit for a woman’s labor, men blaming women for their shortcomings, male anger and pride, man’s sense of entitlement, misogyny, how scared men are of the idea of women having the least amount of power, and how everyone has a breaking point. Even the most docile-behaving women. The issue I had is the story managed to touch lightly on all of these things but somehow also seemed to never get to the point about any of them. It skimmed lightly over all of these talking points like it was a buffet and ended up with an overloaded plate full of unresolved issues.
This is where my overall disappointment comes into play: It was just so scattershot. Have a sip of daddy issues. Take a nibble of my love for animals. I’m into being queen. I’m not into being queen. I’m cunning but I’m not. I’m not just a girl but I’m totally just a girl. Here’s some beautiful prose, but here’s a whole lot of boring.
It’s an inconsistent book with an inconsistent protagonist and an inconsistent plot. I’d like to say I don’t regret finishing it, but I do. I wish I had DNFd it. But I thought I owed Ava Reid the finish.
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. All reviews three stars or under do not appear on my social media. Thank you.
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
What’s the best way to take down a monster? Does slow and careful save the day, or do you do it quickly and damn the consequences?
Everyone in the AerWhat’s the best way to take down a monster? Does slow and careful save the day, or do you do it quickly and damn the consequences?
Everyone in the Aeravin knows their Eternal King is monstrous, inhuman. What no one can agree on is what they can or should do about it. The largest dissent in opinion is between the Blood Workers of the nation and the Unblooded. Even though the Unblooded outnumber the Blood Workers, you can guess who has all the money and power. There are those within the ranks of the Blood Workers who would like to see the Eternal King fall, however, and one of those is the newly ascended Lady Shan LeClaire, the Blood Worker daughter of the king’s late spymaster.
Despite a somewhat misleading blurb, this novel was just as dark, sexy, bloody, violent, and intriguing as I thought it would be. No matter what fault I might have found with this book, the vibes were spot-on, 100% vibing. This is undoubtedly helped along by the evocative atmosphere Enright describes so well, thorough worldbuilding, the passionate natures of the main characters, and the inherently dark material that comes with any blood-based magic system.
This book was too long, in my opinion, but the story inside was great and it’s a great start for a trilogy. The main characters are fantastic and the LGBTQ representation is amazing. I’m eagerly anticipating book two.
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.
This isn’t a bad book. That’s not why I only rated it 3.5 stars. I rated it 3.5 stars because it’s simply a very average booReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
This isn’t a bad book. That’s not why I only rated it 3.5 stars. I rated it 3.5 stars because it’s simply a very average book. In a world of superb fantasy novels where the female protagonist is justifiably angry, this one not only doesn’t do a whole lot to set itself apart, it also really let me down in the end.
The story itself is pretty simple: this is Beauty and the Beast, filtered through Irish mythology/folklore, and gender-bent so the female is the beast (though she’s also very pretty, so, you know). None of these elements are a new thing, although Christy Healy has certainly done a very good job at studying Irish mythology as it pertains to the Tuatha de Danann and putting it to effective use in this book (although it should be noted that there are a million variations on every myth and story told in this book about the Tuatha de Danann, as there are about every mythological figure).
Our two main characters, Jamie and Rozlyn, have issues with a capital I: Daddy issues, mommy issues, familial guilt, trust, abandonment, and more. Combined, they have enough baggage to sink a ship. Jamie has a lot of secrets and Rozlyn hides everything she’s feeling. It’s love, but oof is it rough. Neither of them have had a good go of it, but I can’t help but side with Rozlyn when it comes to just about everything because the patriarchy has made her into a victim since birth.
The prose isn’t special, but it’s not bad. The imagery isn’t especially evocative, which stuns me because Ireland is so pretty I don’t know how you can’t wax eloquently about it. Healy does have an incredible gift for dialogue though, because the banter between Jamie and Rozlyn is absolutely delightful, even when it slips from banter into genuine ire. I did have some trouble with some anachronistic word usage, though.
I think that this might be better suited to someone younger than I am. Maybe a younger reader might be more receptive to the message. Maybe I don’t want them to be? Maybe I’m just a cynic. I just know I didn’t like the ending. The novel as a whole is an alright read.
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.
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
(One thing I do give a TW/CW for is for on-page animal death, and that happens right in the beginning of the book; however, it is done as an act of se(One thing I do give a TW/CW for is for on-page animal death, and that happens right in the beginning of the book; however, it is done as an act of self-defense and the time period in which the book occurs should be taken into consideration. Any other on-page animal death takes place during a battle scene, which is par for the course in a novel about war).
I love Lauren Blackwood’s books. Her last book, Wildblood, was an absolutely standout novel that I felt a lot of people slept on for how brilliant it is. Wildblood was mainly about black pain and magic (according to Blackwood), but The Dangerous Ones lets Blackwood not only write about black pain but to also indulge in many of the romantic fantasy impulses she usually has to curb in her more serious and focused novels.
So, I guess what I’m saying is that The Dangerous Ones may not be as brilliant as Wildblood, but it’s a whole lot of fun and a smash of a read in a lot of ways.
The centerpiece of The Dangerous Ones are our two protagonists: Jerusalem (a runaway slave girl who was also born a Saint, which is somewhat akin to a demi-god), and Alexei (an Ancient Vampire who traveled specifically from Europe to America to fight on the side of the Union Army). They live in the same encampment, training together every day, and fight advance battles for the Union Army because their encampment is made up of other Saints like Jerusalem. They’re so deadly and prolific the newspapers have given all the Saints nicknames.
Jerusalem and Alexei are also fighting another battle: attraction and love of the star-crossed kind. Not only crossing ethnic lines, but also that of being Saint and Vampire. In the everyday moments and the heat of battle neither matter seems to bother either party, but in the small, silent moments the disparities between them seem to stretch like an ocean. Their chemistry on the page is absolute fire, and Blackwood has written them some of the best dialogue I’ve read in a romantasy in a long while.
The Dangerous Ones is violent, fiery, angry, romantic, magnetic, and even though there are pacing issues in the latter half of the book I really enjoyed 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.
While Night For Day has a great premise and interesting characters, the follow-through just isn’t there. The characters range from two-dimensional to While Night For Day has a great premise and interesting characters, the follow-through just isn’t there. The characters range from two-dimensional to outright annoying, the prose switches abruptly from third-person prescient to third-person omniscient from one paragraph to the next, and the book simply moves at a glacial pace that doesn’t suit the narrative style or the story.
It’s all flash, no substance, and simply isn’t a good read.
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. Since this review has a rating of three stars or lower it will not be appearing on my social media sites. Thank you.
File Under: AAPI Fiction/Fantasy/Romantasy/Paranormal Fantasy/Urban Fantasy ...more
I should begin by saying I might be a bit biased because Ava Reid is one of my auto-buy authors. I love everything she has written so far, and I lovedI should begin by saying I might be a bit biased because Ava Reid is one of my auto-buy authors. I love everything she has written so far, and I loved A Study in Drowning, too, even if my love for it is more complicated than the love I feel for, say, Juniper & Thorn.
I’ve seen numerous reviews from people who’ve said this book gives them all the “fall feelings”. Well, then I feel sorry for what you think fall is, because this book made me feel incredibly sad, heavy, and emotional. I felt as weighed down as all of Hireath (the Myrrdin family home mentioned in the book’s blurb) feels in all its waterlogged sorrow. (Interestingly enough, I know the word Hireath from its Welsh origins, and while there is no direct English translation, to the Welsh, it’s a feelings that mixes longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness or an earnest desire for what–or how–something used to be).
Wales plays more than one part in this story, as Emrys Myrddin was the name of Merlin, King Arthur’s court magician, in the oldest known Welsh texts. Sadly, in those old texts, Merlin was just as atrocious a figure as Emrys is in this book, in the worst of ways. Also, notably, A woman named Angharad James was quite a notable poet in Wales from the mid 17th to mid 18th century. Both her son and husband died before her, and she wrote a beautiful elegy for her son. The manuscript survived and you can find it online.
I think my complicated feelings with this book begin with how much I identify with Effy, our female protagonist. It’s in her struggles to be taken seriously in academia, her mental illness issues, and her trauma. (BTW, here is a good place to suggest that you look up a list of TW/CWs before you read this book, if you’re the type of person who wants to know what they’re getting into before they start a darker book). For Effy, books have been her only friends and her only escape for her whole life, and I feel that sentiment in my bones. Books never leave like people do. Books never die. Books never physically harm you. Books are reliable, a portal out of here. And Effy, well, Effy has needed something to rely on her whole life because she’s had no one else to rely on. The only problem is she ended up relying on a single book to hold onto everything for her.
This book has a lot to say about misogyny, r@pe culture, victim blaming, grooming, the theft of women’s intellectual property for the sake of putting a man’s name on the work, prejudice against women in academia, philosophies behind what you believe and what you know, unwanted children, folklore, mythology, the younger generation changing the power structures, and more.
But what I find I enjoy more than anything when I read an Ava Reid book is the writing itself. The prose. The atmosphere. The imagery. The sentence structure. The way you can almost smell the sea, feel the ocean spray, shiver in the cold, smell the damp, feel the wood flooring bow beneath your feet, see the termite holes in the baseboards. Her books are immersive and evocative. You can feel the heavy doors and freezing water. You can see the trees flying through the air and the curving roads. And this is why I can’t help but love Ava Reid: her writing, just pure and undiluted, is magical all on its own.
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/College Romance/Dark Academia/Dark Fantasy/Disability Rep/Romantasy/Gothic/Standalone Novel/Spice Level 1/Women’s Fiction/YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance
Merged review:
I should begin by saying I might be a bit biased because Ava Reid is one of my auto-buy authors. I love everything she has written so far, and I loved A Study in Drowning, too, even if my love for it is more complicated than the love I feel for, say, Juniper & Thorn.
I’ve seen numerous reviews from people who’ve said this book gives them all the “fall feelings”. Well, then I feel sorry for what you think fall is, because this book made me feel incredibly sad, heavy, and emotional. I felt as weighed down as all of Hireath (the Myrrdin family home mentioned in the book’s blurb) feels in all its waterlogged sorrow. (Interestingly enough, I know the word Hireath from its Welsh origins, and while there is no direct English translation, to the Welsh, it’s a feelings that mixes longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness or an earnest desire for what–or how–something used to be).
Wales plays more than one part in this story, as Emrys Myrddin was the name of Merlin, King Arthur’s court magician, in the oldest known Welsh texts. Sadly, in those old texts, Merlin was just as atrocious a figure as Emrys is in this book, in the worst of ways. Also, notably, A woman named Angharad James was quite a notable poet in Wales from the mid 17th to mid 18th century. Both her son and husband died before her, and she wrote a beautiful elegy for her son. The manuscript survived and you can find it online.
I think my complicated feelings with this book begin with how much I identify with Effy, our female protagonist. It’s in her struggles to be taken seriously in academia, her mental illness issues, and her trauma. (BTW, here is a good place to suggest that you look up a list of TW/CWs before you read this book, if you’re the type of person who wants to know what they’re getting into before they start a darker book). For Effy, books have been her only friends and her only escape for her whole life, and I feel that sentiment in my bones. Books never leave like people do. Books never die. Books never physically harm you. Books are reliable, a portal out of here. And Effy, well, Effy has needed something to rely on her whole life because she’s had no one else to rely on. The only problem is she ended up relying on a single book to hold onto everything for her.
This book has a lot to say about misogyny, r@pe culture, victim blaming, grooming, the theft of women’s intellectual property for the sake of putting a man’s name on the work, prejudice against women in academia, philosophies behind what you believe and what you know, unwanted children, folklore, mythology, the younger generation changing the power structures, and more.
But what I find I enjoy more than anything when I read an Ava Reid book is the writing itself. The prose. The atmosphere. The imagery. The sentence structure. The way you can almost smell the sea, feel the ocean spray, shiver in the cold, smell the damp, feel the wood flooring bow beneath your feet, see the termite holes in the baseboards. Her books are immersive and evocative. You can feel the heavy doors and freezing water. You can see the trees flying through the air and the curving roads. And this is why I can’t help but love Ava Reid: her writing, just pure and undiluted, is magical all on its own.
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/College Romance/Dark Academia/Dark Fantasy/Disability Rep/Romantasy/Gothic/Standalone Novel/Spice Level 1/Women’s Fiction/YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance...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
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.
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
As far as variations on Sleeping Beauty go, I enjoyed this secret twin, LGBTQ+ variation of the tale. You’d think I’d get sick of Sleeping Beauty reteAs far as variations on Sleeping Beauty go, I enjoyed this secret twin, LGBTQ+ variation of the tale. You’d think I’d get sick of Sleeping Beauty retellings, but nope! It continues to be one of my top fairy tale retelling/remixing/variation starting points for a plot even after all these years. In the case of A River of Golden Bones, it helps that the infamous Sleeping Beauty isn’t in the driver’s seat and the actual FMC is on a journey of self-discovery with a whole lot of burning questions in their metaphorical pocket.
As the first book in a new series, you do have to put up with some of the typical hang-ups that come with a new series: exposition, worldbuilding, magic systems, hierarchy, cultures, politics, and since this is a wolf shifter romance you also need to learn how the shifter world works in this universe and how it interacts with the humans. All of that, plus the plot, is a lot to cram into 400 pages. Mulford does an admirable job of it, but it’s not the smoothest ride it could be.
One of the best ways Mulford engages with exposition is via having our FMC and supporting characters join up with a band of traveling musicians. As they ride together across the lands in the musician’s wagon, the shifters learn more about the humans and the way the world works for those who aren’t wolves. It’s a great way of showing and not telling in a manner which is subtle and completely connected to the plot. If you didn’t think to look at it as exposition you might not even notice it.
I had a lot of trouble with the ending, because it seemed far too convenient for my tastes, but it’s still a really entertaining and engaging read. I will be waiting with anticipation for the next 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. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.
File Under: Book Series/Fairy Tale Retellings/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/Found Family/LGBTQ Fantasy/LGBTQ Romance/Shifter Romance/OwnVoices/Spice Level 1 ...more
Loading...
