In the Shadow of the Fall (Guardians of the Gods #1) - Tobi Ogundiran
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetFalley for the e-ARC. All opinions are hIn the Shadow of the Fall (Guardians of the Gods #1) - Tobi Ogundiran
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetFalley for the e-ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up
Rep: Black girl protagonist, Black characters, pantheon of Orishas, Western-Africa folklore
TW: violence, massacre, religious piety, death, brutalization of children
I thought this book review was going to be late, but fortunately I mixed up the NetGalley archive date with the publishing date! I absolutely loved this book and I saw that the sequel, AT THE FOUNT OF CREATION (and conclusion, as this is a duology) was posted to NetGalley. Once I submit this review I am going to request that one as well.
This is a novella, sitting at about 150 pages, and once again I can count on Tordotcom to deliver a fantastic fantasy novella. I haven’t experienced a miss from them yet, but I digress. We start off by meeting the young, but old for an acolyte, Ashâke. She is questioning her purpose at the temple of Ifa as she has not been spoken to by an Orisha (Deities from the Yoruba religion), so naturally she goes to extreme means to take matters into her own hands. Consequences ensue and she goes on a journey, which leads to some horrifying truths. This one is a little tricky to talk about, because it is short and I don’t want to give away the plot. However, Ogundiran does a great job creating a sense of urgency and foreboding, while introducing us to the world and the characters in a manner that feels authentic and timely.
We met Ashâke and get to spend time with her at the temple. We come to understand the dynamics and the reasoning for why they exist, which lends itself to us understanding Ashâke’s woes and desires. However, this story is dual-pov so we jump around and follow a rather nefarious character, who serves as a counter to Ashâke. The author intelligently utilizes dramatic irony (when the reader is knowledgeable about things the character is not) to heighten our emotions while reading which inherently scopes out the world for us. Ashâke meets a handful of characters along her way, which enlighten her to understand what she was missing and what is at stake. There’s a group of travelers that we meet along the way which add a layer of culture, richness, and community and aid in the dimensions of the world, without Ogundiran having to info-dump. The reader can organically learn about the world through character interactions and their individual histories.
By way of the second point of view character we also get to see the happenings of the Orisha. I think it’s always interesting to learn more about their pantheon, and we come to learn why they are revered and how mortals suffer when gods clash. I’d recommend this series for fans of African fantasy and folktales, adventure, destiny, self-discovery, and lovers of worlds ruled by divine beings. ...more
TW: marital rape, abuse, neglect, fire (resulting in burns), pillaging, raids, violence, warring clans, murder, sexual scenes,Rating 3 out of 5 stars
TW: marital rape, abuse, neglect, fire (resulting in burns), pillaging, raids, violence, warring clans, murder, sexual scenes, explicit language
I have read a few books by Danielle L. Jensen previously, so when I found out she was writing a Norse romantasy I was all in. Unfortunately, I left this read underwhelmed, mildly annoyed, and overall disappointed. If this is a duology I will still try out the second book, because I still care about the potential plot direction, if this is a trilogy, my continuation will solely depend on my thoughts of the sequel. The first 108 pages, which is a very specific number, however it is what I read in my first sitting left me in good spirits. We were introduced to our impulsive and seemingly charismatic Freya who was married to a horrid man and wanted to live a warrior’s life. However, as I kept reading I realized I was not getting what I thought I was. First, Freya is dealt a pretty crap hand in this book, so I do forgive some of her insufferable tendencies because of this but not all of them.
Repetition can be a powerful tool, it can also be overused.This book was the latter as Freya told us the exact same thing over and over, now I understand if a character is anxious, stressed, conflicted they will probably reiterate an idea mentally. However, her thoughts were worded almost the same way each time, even with all of her pondering she hardly deviated in her actions, and honestly I was tired of reading it. The overwhelming majority of characters were aggressively annoying, whiny, idiotic, can we not have more than one sensible character to balance out the buffoons? Also, I recognize this is a time of warring clans, which made me think people would have more sense and awareness, but I guess we were leaning into the mindless war hungry aspect instead.
My favorite part of this book was the magic system, as some characters are god-touched, where they have god’s blood and are blessed, or cursed, depending on your perspective, with special abilities. I have some familiarity with the Norse pantheon, but I did some googling, as one does. The “foreshadowing” in this book is so incredibly obvious, nothing was a surprise, which took away an aspect of anticipation and excitement for me. All foreshadowing shouldn’t be too masterful that the reader feels no payoff or even slightly informed by what is occurring, but I should be able to guess everything from a few hundred pages in advance, especially in a book that is barely 400 pages long. Is my frustration palpable to you? I had such high hopes, and that is my fault, but dang. I have a handful of online mutuals who thought this book was funny, and predictable, but the predictability endeared them to the story, whereas I was turned off.
What even was the romance part of this book? I wouldn’t deem it as insta-love, but it was definitely instant-attraction which doesn't inherently bother me. However, I didn't even want them to be a couple, it was all lust with no substance. Like consider Freya’s history, honestly, I get it, you go girl, but not in a soulmate sort of way. Bjorn was boring, dry, but good with an axe. Simply because he has dark hair and muscles does not mean I’m going to fall for him. Hot guys need substance too. Lots of contradictions between his actions and his words (and don’t even say anything because I KNOW!), and neither were too appealing.
Anyway, reading is subjective, pick it up and formulate your own opinion if you so desire you might find your...more
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC and early finished copy. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC and early finished copy. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up)
TW: infidelity (not between the main couple), near-miss car accident, broken ankle/recovery, sports injury, professional burnout, overbearing mother
Rep: Black love (aka both romantic leads are Black), healthy sister dynamics, fashion industry, high school educator/coach
I wanted to start off by clarifying that THE PARTNER PLOT is the second book in a “trilogy” of interconnected standalones. THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR is the first book. I did not read these in order, as THE PARTNER PLOT, was the first one I read. While there were references to the other sisters and relationships, your reading experience is not hindered at all. I do plan to go back and read THE NEIGHBOR FAVOR, because I had a fun time with this one. The third book is coming in 2025, but read them how you want.
Okay, so basically this is a second chance romance, which can sometimes be hit or miss for me. However this one worked because, a) they were high school sweethearts (how precious) and; b) they broke up as teenagers and the reasoning why simply shows lack of maturity and was a practical circumstance. This is important because it enables the reader to root for their reunion, instead of some second chance romances that mark you want to scream at the main characters to run for the hills.
So enter in Violet, our fashionable, jet setting stylist, who is based in New York but travels wherever her clients and the industry calls her to. She has an unhealthy work life balance, as she strives to continue climbing the ladder of success and achieve her childhood dreams. Then we have Xavier, our star high school basketball player, to returned high school English teacher and Associate basketball coach. He dumped her when they were in college, but when they have a chance encounter in Vegas, their spark is undeniable.
Despite what the cover presents, a very small, yet pivotal part of this story takes place in Sin City. Wires get crossed, nuptials may or may not be exchanged and Violet and Xavier find each other wrapped up in each others worlds after nine years apart. So, can I say having a FMC the same age as me felt cozy. Hearing about what was trending when she was in high school and realizing our timelines were the same felt like I was following the story of a potential friend. This rarely happens to me when I’m reading, so if you’re in the same boat as me, it’ll feel (maybe?) nostalgic and relatable.
What I really appreciated about our two lovebirds was how self-aware and reflective they are. Truly an emotionally mature couple, while flawed, as all humans are, they really do strive to be better as individuals and as a couple. It was also refreshing to see the male lead having insecurities and not be the one with the star studded career. They both are on different paths and find fulfillment in their communities and professions, but they have to navigate what that looks like for them. There is this theme that love prevails, which may not work for some readers, but felt authentic to the characters Forrest created.
I know some people aren’t a fan of dual-POV romance stories, but I genuinely enjoyed Xavier’s voice. I think this is aided by the characters being career focused. So while this is a romance, we are following to characters at pivotal moments in their careers. Violet is struggling to keep her career from being the sole focus of her life and Xavier is battling with accepting what he has and feeling like he needs to do “more” or have a certain title to show the world he’s made it. Seeing them as individuals and not just as a couple gave them their own identity. This provided a storyline that felt relative to struggles today of working couples, even if the average couple might not have the disparities or struggles.
At moments the pacing felt a little lagging, as we do rehash some of the same themes over and over, since you know characters hardly ever community enough in romances. However, I enjoyed their respective industries, seeing the small town setting, the positive impact a good teacher can make, and the dynamics of the fashion industry from a stylist’s purview.
This was an enjoyable and overall healthy romance read. If you enjoy contemporary romances, would definitely recommend giving this one a try.
P.S. This book has low steam. There is one explicit sexual scene, but it’s very short and not overly detailed. Most scenes involve make-outs, petting, and insinuation. If you are completely uninterested in “spice” you could easily skip these short moments and your story enjoyment would not be reduced. ...more
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom for the e-ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up
Rep: Black boThank you to Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom for the e-ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up
Rep: Black boy protagonist, Black characters, desert setting, disabled characters
TW: classim, violence (resulting in loss of limbs), war, death, brutalization of children, child soldiers, corruption
Although this review will not contain any spoilers forThe Truth of the Aleke I would advise not reading this, if you do not wish to be spoiled for any of the events of book one,The Lies of the Ajungo .
My sincere apologies for not posting my written review sooner. I excitedly gobbled this book up, posted some video reviews and then procrastinated writing this one. I hope you can forgive me. /j
This review is actually a bit difficult to write, the The Truth of the Aleke is the sequel to The Lies of the Ajungo . There is not a ton I can say that will not spoil the book, because yet again, Utomi has shown us that he has a crafty mind. I’ll backtrack for a bit and say that I read The Lies of the Ajungo in either August or September of 2023 and I truly loved it. For such a small book, it packed an immense punch, the sequel is still rather short, but does slightly exceed one hundred pages. Initially, I was not as enamored with our protagonist, Osi, the same way I was with Tutu. It’s not that he was unlikeable, he was simply a different character, more stubborn, a bit arrogant, very steadfast, which contrasted with Tutu’s resilience, innocence, and sheer determination to help his Ma, his people. They did serve as parallels, sometimes even mirrors, during this story which was imperative.
The book picks up 500 years after the events of The Lies of the Ajungo , but everything we read previously holds relevance. I did have some separation between reading the books as I read my e-ARC in late January of this year. That did provide a reading experience that was conducive to this story, because much like the people of the land I was navigating truths from lies, truths from half-truths and crafty omissions. I definitely do not recommend reading this if you remember nothing from the first book, but some time between is fine and also you can always read them back to back for the most refreshed reading experience. Honestly, I do not want to say much more except pay attention and enjoy the story.
The last piece I will leave you with is to ensure you do not skip the acknowledgements when you read this one. The first page or so really serves as more of an Author’s Note, a very rewarding one to boot, once you have finished. I’m very excited and mildly anxious to read the third and final installment, hopefully in 2025 (I have no idea about the pub date)....more
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Romance for providing me with an e-ARC to review. All opinions are honest and my own.
TW: death due to childbirth compThank you Netgalley and Berkley Romance for providing me with an e-ARC to review. All opinions are honest and my own.
TW: death due to childbirth complications (past), violence, death, murder, fighting mind compulsion, kindnapping, childhood neglect and trauma, parental neglect and emotional/mental abuse, daddy issues, unknown parental lineage
Rep: twins, siblings
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Ali Hazelwood does it again folks and I am not surprised. This book was a delight to read! I am sure many of us were curious to see how she would handle a paranormal romance (PNR), as she typically writes contemporary, STEM centric romances. I can say that this story did not disappoint and if you enjoy Ali Hazelwood’s writing style, but are not typically a contemporary romance reader, this may be the best way for you to explore her writing. Although, true to who she is, she found a way to make this book have an academic flair, explaining the vampyr and werewolf lore through scientific reasoning. I actually found her approach refreshing. Now, I was told this is an omegaverse romance, but as this is only my second omegaverse (here on out, omegie) story I cannot confirm or deny. So, as per usual, I will provide you with the omegie elements: humans, vampires, and werewolves, oh my; contentious and strained inter-species relationships, the mating bond is present, scenting (this was my personal fave!), knotting, wolf packs, the presence of alphas (betas and omegas were not mentioned), vampyrs drink blood, can go in the sunlight (but with consequence) and are nocturnal. Once again, let me know if I have missed anything. I am a novice.
So basically all the species hate each other, and the vampyrs are the most ruthless, even towards their own. Enter in, Misery Lark, our female protagonist, a vampyr who is constantly used by her people and has been basically estranged since childhood. I know people are used to Ali Hazelwood using the small, petite woman paired with a tall, burly, man. While our male lead, Lowe, is large and looming, Misery is a tall woman coming in around five-foot nine or ten, she’s still slim, but she is not a petite woman. To bring a semblance of peace Misery, daughter of the unofficial head Vampyr, and Lowe, the leader of a prominent wolf-pack have an arranged marriage. Right off the back, I was eating this novel up, from Lowe’s reaction at the wedding to the tension and politics at play. Misery goes to live with the wolves, and well things unfold from there.
I’ve been begging for Ali Hazelwood to give us dual-pov books, because her male leads have actual decency and I would not mind being in their minds. She does not do that, however, she gives us epigraphs, which are told in third-person omniscient narration about Lowe. They gave us just enough insight about Lowe, while still remaining mysterious and nurturing tension. Something that also deviated from Hazelwood’s author adult romances was the introduction of a young child, Ana, who is a lovable, sweet six-year old girl. Ana really brought out a new side to both Lowe and Misery and it was phenomenal to see how she not only added to their characterization and plot progression, but was also a relatively fleshed out character on her own.
Misery is one of the characters you can’t help but root for. She has been taking advantage of and discarded her whole life, so when she finds pockets of happiness you want her to hold onto them. The complexities of her relationship with her twin brother, which is strained and layered, and her best friend, her sister, Serena, which she questions the integrity of, really demonstrates to the reader how multifaceted, hurt, and resilient she is. There was also a mystery sub-plot, which kept things interesting and tied together the story nicely. This book was a different feel from Hazelwood’s previous works, but was thoroughly enjoyable. There are a plethora of things I could cover, but I want to leave a few things for you to discover on your own if you have not read the book yet.
Dear Berkley Romance, please give Ali Hazelwood the greenlight to write more books in this world. You know what you’ve done allowing that ending to take place, please give us more!
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars
TThank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.
Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars
TW: sibling death/disappearance (past), slavery, demons, religious exploitation, explicit on the page sexual content, violence, death, fighting, oppression
Rep: Plus-sized Black woman female lead
Originally, I attempted to read this book when it was indie published, before Orbit Books picked it up and I ended up soft-dnfing. I heard so many great things about this book and I wanted to know why I could not connect with it. Since I enjoyed and finished reading it this time around I think there were two primary reasons for my disinterest. The first being how modern some of the language was, because this was a fantasy world and is called ‘MEAD MISHAPS’ I was anticipating something more whimsical and fairytale-esque. So the language threw me off a bit, but I was prepared for it the second time around. The second, it took me a minute to find my rhythm with the author’s humor. As I continued reading there were several laugh out loud moments, but there were also certain jokes which were so modern it threw me out of the world a bit. These are just things to consider and ways you can set your expectations before diving in.
In this book we follow Cinnamon, or Cin, such a cute name, even if it’s a bit on the nose, who as the title suggests saves a demon and ends up on a quest. They go on an adventure which leads Cin to discover that some truths she holds dear are not as they seem. I did like that she was Louisiana or Creole coded, cooking up crawfish, making seafood boils, eating alligator, and bringing her seasonings with her on the journey. While I found this to have cozy elements, this is definitely not a low stakes romance, as there is plenty of bloodshed, battles, and heartbreak.
The romance was lovely, flirtatious, and hot. Fallon, our hot demon fiend, was lovable and capable and constantly showed Cin how much she meant to him. This is a size-positive romance, as the author lets you know Cin is a curvy girl but she is confident. She's plus size, and a fully well-rounded woman with a personality that does not center her body, aside from how it serves, protects, and provides for her.
The world Lemming created is vibrant and dazzling, and she even tackles real world issues while incorporating romance and friendship. All in all, this was a fun read, although I still think there were pacing issues and the fact I still did not completely gel with the writing voice/humor incorporated. I will still check out the subsequent books in this series....more
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the arc of this book for review purposes. All reviews are honest and my own.
Rating: 4.5 out oThank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the arc of this book for review purposes. All reviews are honest and my own.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
TW: infidelity, mommy AND daddy issues, drug usage (weed), alcohol usage (not in excess), divorce
I read Funny Story back in December 2023 and really enjoyed my read, however I clearly did not write my review at the time and sorely wish I did. My apologies if this isn’t the most robust review, because while I remember how I felt and key plot points I do not have as strong of a grasp over all the little details. I can’t say for certain, as it’s been a while since I’ve read the other two, but I think this rank second for me, in Emily Henry’s woman’s fic/romance books.
1. Beach Read 2. Funny Story 3. Book Lovers 4. People We Meet on Vacation 5. Happy Place (default, as I have not read this one yet)
One thing I can say about FUNNY STORY is that from the onset this book is messy. Daphne, our heroine, is a librarian (we love) and she’s engaged to Peter. Peter may seem “impressive on paper” but you can clearly tell that he is in fact, a loser. Case in point, he cheats and ends his engagement with Daphne after his bachelorette, in which he hooks up with his girl best friend. Oh Peter, you dirty, dirty dog. Now, Peter’s childhood best friend, I can’t remember her name so let’s call her ‘That Girl’, was dating Miles’, so clearly Peter and That Girl do not give a single thought to the people they are hurting. Daphne was living with Peter in his house, so she quickly has to find a new place to live and well…Miles has a room available *flails hands*. Now these two are very different, but a lot of people harp on the fact that Miles smokes weed, sure, but he’s not rotting in his room all day smoking, he has a job, has passions, and seems like a pretty neat guy to me.
In typical Emily Henry fashion she will probably upturn some emotional baggage you’ve been suppressing. In this one it wasn’t enough for her to explore mommy issues or daddy issues, no, she had to hit us with a double whammy. Like, dang Ms. Henry, can I breathe? It was also a lot of fun for me to see how she explored Daphne’s characterization as a relationship woman. You know, the kind of woman who unknowingly makes her relationship her personality. I think this was a refreshing call-out, because I’m sure some of us know someone like that, regardless of gender. It also shows the dangers of being this way, because Daphne had to grapple with who she was, now that she was no longer Peter’s fiancée.
This book explores the messiness of people, their lives, their jobs, their family, their friends, their relationships and how they influence our actions and choices. For example Daphne and Peter decide to fake date (my fave!) after receiving some news. Is fake dating your ex’s current fiancée and your current roommate the healthiest way to cope? Absolutely not, but our characters do it anyway, because what could possibly go wrong with that arrangement. I really enjoyed the complexities of this story, of Daphne, of her relationship with Miles. Because yes, the romance was there which we love, but it wasn’t overbearing, and we really got to spend time and explore Daphne as an individual, which back to my earlier callout is kind of the point. If you’ve enjoyed Emily Henry’s previous works I’m curious to know where this novel falls for you in the ranking.
P.S. I’m a notorious hater of Emily Henry’s endings, and I was bracing myself for this one. I was pleasantly surprised to not dislike it, like it actually worked for me, so kudos for that. ...more
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