Review: Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Title: Skyward Series: Skyward #1 Written by: Brandon Sanderson Published: November 6, 2018 by Delacorte Press (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Spensa's world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with that of her father's—a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa the daughter of a coward, her chances of attending Flight School slim to none.  No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

Many of you probably know that I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. I was late to the game with him but when I fell, I fell hard. He's one of my favorite authors and he is a total auto-buy for me. So when I heard he was coming out with a new YA science fiction I had to read it. But surprisingly I didn't read it as soon as it came out. And honestly, I wish I had because this book was amazing.

For one thing this book had that classic Brandon Sanderson plot development. He's such a master at crafting a story that pulls you in and takes you for a ride and this book was no exception. For the word go this book was a thrilling adventure. I wouldn't say that it's necessarily a very creative story. The character with something to prove because of their parents so they go to a school to learn to be a pilot is a pretty common trope but in Brandon Sanderson's hands it was a non-stop thrill ride. I'm usually good at solving twists but with his books I am proven wrong time and time again. With this book, I thought I had everything all figured out and he threw another surprise at me. A surprise that has me excited for the next book in the series.

The other thing I love about Brandon Sanderson is the worlds he creates. Seeing his take on hard sci-fi was honestly amazing. I know he can write science fiction and this book certainly proved that. It had a classic science fiction feel to it. There was a colonized planet with people who had established their own civilization, technology, alien races you didn't know much about, and artificial intelligence. And it all worked together to craft an engaging world that I think we are only just learning about. Sanderson always puts a lot of details into his worlds and because of that they really come to life.

However, I think my favorite thing about this book was the characters. I instantly connected with Spensa. She's such an incredible sasspants. She's the kind of character who goes from zero to super dark and intimidating at the drop of a hat. But her taunts were so poetic I just couldn't help but love them and her. The thing with Spensa though is that you wanted her to succeed. You wanted her to overcome adversity and get the opportunity to prove herself. You rooted for her, at least I did. Plus she had really incredible development. The Spensa at the end of the book was much smarter but just as badass. And the secondary characters were just as good. The best is definitely M-Bot. I love a sentient AI with a sense of humor and he's up there with AIDAN.

Plus, there were some really great relationships in this book. So much of this book is about friendship, teamwork, and family. Spensa had a really interesting family dynamic. She idealized her father who was deemed a traitor by her community which made her and her mother an outcast. She doesn't have the best relationship with her mother but you can tell they love each other. But I think the most interesting dynamics were with her team of pilots. Being an outcast she is definitely trying to get them to accept her and treat her like one of them but at the same time she has to navigate the societal dynamics of their world. There is definitely a haves and havenots society here and Brandon did not shy away from showing that. He really explored the idea of privilege and what that means in the face of war. Which made the team coming together in the end all the more interesting. And I loved so many members of her team. Seeing the camaraderie that they establish was one of the best parts of this book. And I love that they gave their flight leader Jorgin aka Jerkface a lot of crap and he definitely deserved it. He and Spensa's dynamic was one of my favorites. I particularly loved it because he didn't feel the need to make it romantic. That's right you guys! This book didn't have any romance. It totally could have and maybe book two will but here all we had was some good old-fashioned teamwork and budding friendships.

Everything about this book made me so happy. It was a completely amazing read with a thrilling plot, fascinating world, and likable characters. It had everything I expect from a Brandon Sanderson book and everything that I look for in science fiction. I wish I had read it way sooner because it was so freaking good. I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorite books of the year.

I give Skyward by Brandon Sanderson 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you like science fiction or are looking for a fascinating new read full of action and adventure definitely check this one out. It's another great read by one of my all-time favorite authors.

Have you read Skyward? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Title: Elantris Written by: Brandon Sanderson Published: May 2005 by Tor Books (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Elantris was the capital of Arelon: gigantic, beautiful, literally radiant, filled with benevolent beings who used their powerful magical abilities for the benefit of all. Yet each of these demigods was once an ordinary person until touched by the mysterious transforming power of the Shaod. Ten years ago, without warning, the magic failed. Elantrians became wizened, leper-like, powerless creatures, and Elantris itself dark, filthy, and crumbling.  Arelon's new capital, Kae, crouches in the shadow of Elantris. Princess Sarene of Teod arrives for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, hoping -- based on their correspondence -- to also find love. She finds instead that Raoden has died and she is considered his widow. Both Teod and Arelon are under threat as the last remaining holdouts against the imperial ambitions of the ruthless religious fanatics of Fjordell.  So Sarene decides to use her new status to counter the machinations of Hrathen, a Fjordell high priest who has come to Kae to convert Arelon and claim it for his emperor and his god. But neither Sarene nor Hrathen suspect the truth about Prince Raoden. Stricken by the same curse that ruined Elantris, Raoden was secretly exiled by his father to the dark city. His struggle to help the wretches trapped there begins a series of events that will bring hope to Arelon, and perhaps reveal the secret of Elantris itself.  A rare epic fantasy that doesn't recycle the classics and that is a complete and satisfying story in one volume, Elantris is fleet and fun, full of surprises and characters to care about. It's also the wonderful debut of a welcome new star in the constellation of fantasy.

I'm determined to read most of not all of the books in the Cosmere I have unread books in 2016 so of course I had to start with Elantris. And I had the audiobook so I took the more than 28 hours it took and listened to it over the last two weeks. Once again Brandon Samderson has blown me away with his plotting, character development, and world-building.

Because the reason I read this book was to dive deeper into the Cosmere, I have to start by talking about the magical system in this book. It was of course a really intriging magical system. Brandon Sanderson is now and will forever will be the master of crafting complex and creative magical systems. This book is no different. It's a system that you don't fully understand until very late into the book which was very cool. It had me curious and questioning from the beginning and it's what kept me reading through the bulk of the book, despite of it's length or maybe because of it. But just because I didn't understand it doesn't mean that there was no magic This is a book full of magic and a brilliant world. As usual it is a book full of a world with a complicated history, mythology, and religion, all of which came into play in the plot of the book. Plus it made me much more committed to reading the rest of the Cosmere because it only gave me the barest hint of the larger world and I need to know more.

But the thing that really drew me into this book was the characters. There is a gigantic cast of secondary characters here that are great and interesting but the real stars are the main characters. Elantris alternates between three different perspectives and each one of them was so interesting. I particularly loved Sarene who is a fantastic strong and intelligent female character who subverts gender norms and stays feminine. Raoden too was fantastic. He is intelligent, kind, and a fantastic leader. Then there is Hraithen who is the antagonist of the book and incredibly mysterious. All the interactions between the characters were fantastic whether they were antagonistic, romantic, or collaborative. I loved every relationship in this book, especially the ship. It was a painful slowburn but so worth the wait. I mean seriously, no one melts my cold romancephobic heart like Brandon Sanderson. But part of that I think is just that he is so good at characterization.

But the great thing about all these characters is their scheming and planning led to a fantastic plot development. I always love the way that Sanderson's books slowly build to a thrilling conclusion and that's exactly the way Elantris did. It's a long book but exceptionally well-plotted with all kinds of intrigue and reveals along the way. It's not the kind of fantasy that has lots of action scenes but there was still so much drama. It focused a lot on the politics and religion and their conflicts. Plus it was full of Sanderson twists that caught me off guard and kept me guessing. Sometimes it did feel a little bit long but in the end it was all worth it. It all escalated to a fantastic climax that had me on the edge of my seat.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and I really enjoyed the audio. With long books like this I like to listen to them because it doesn't feel so intimidating for some reason. But I also thing for high fantasies, it helps me get immersed in the book, which is just what happened here. The narrator did a great job in creating each of the characters and the world. There's a lot of different characters and some of them sounded similar enough that it was hard to keep them straight. But it was a good audiobook and a great format for this book.

On the whole another great fantasy read by Sanderson who is an absolute favorite author. This one has great characters, a complex and mysterious plot, and an interesting and unique magical system which I loved.

I give Elantris by Brandon Sanderson 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you read and loved Mistborn then you should dive further into the Cosmere, so start here. But even so if you are a fan of epic fantasies with a lot of focus on political intrigue and a complex and unique magical system then check this out.

Have you read Elantris? What did you think? leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

*** This is the final book in a trilogy so if you haven't read Steelheart and Firefight proceed with caution. But seriously, if you haven't read those books you must get on that! They are fantastic and everyone should read them. ***

Title: Calamity Series: The Reckoners #3 Written by: Brandon Sanderson Published: February 16, 2016 by Delacorte (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.  David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners’ leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back...  But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.  The last book in the series.

I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH! I CANNOT COMMUNICATE COHERENT THOUGHTS! THIS REVIEW WILL BE CONDUCTED IN NOTHING BUT SHOUTY CAPSLOCK! OKAY? OKAY. 

No, I won't subject you to that. I could, mind you, but I won't. But seriously, I absolutely love this series and the final book was such a fantastic ending. It made me laugh, it made me cry (tears of joy and sadness), it took me on an epic (pun intended) adventure befitting of a Sanderson book.

One of my favorite thing about this series is the powers system. It's creative and complicated with endless iterations. I always love magic systems that plays with the tropes and Sanderson absolutely plays with the traditional superhero concepts in this book. In fact these aren't even really heroes at all, they're not even really antiheroes. People with powers are essentially the villains of this world. The people with powers in this book are very easily corrupted by them throughout the book. They have ruined things and take full advantage of their powers to lord it over those who are mere mortals.  I find this such a fantastic concept and I love exploring not only the powers but how it affects the people around them. We definitely get to see Epic powers at play in a big way. Characters who we know with powers get to use them even more and it's amazing to see them in all their glory. But even deeper than that, Sanderson explores what it means to be an Epic here, including more about how they got their powers and their weaknesses. It was so satisfying to learn about it but I do still have question. Most notably... More please?

This gif is so very awkward fanboy David, I had to use it.

But I want more of this series because I love these characters so much. This Reckoners has some truly amazing characters. It's a diverse and quirky cast and some of my all-time favorites. I absolutely adore David and his terrible metaphors, although in this book I think those were at a minimum. But even without them, David's voice is amazing. He has this great balance with humor, intelligence, resourcefulness, and impulsive dedication to his cause. He's really the hero of this book and it's been so fantastic to be along for that journey. But there are also some really fantastic secondary characters. Those from the second book joined some old-favorites from the first and it was great learning more and seeing Megan, Cody, Abraham, and Mizzy in action. And then of course there is Prof. Seeing Prof in action was both amazing and heart-breaking. I have come to know and love every last character in this series, even some that I probably shouldn't (like Obliteration). But they're so fun and real. I love their development and the relationships between them. It's a great crew and I love them so much I'm not ready to let them go.

But once again this book took me on an action-packed adventure full of vivid details and so much excitement and mystery. Brandon Sanderson is known by his fans (including me) for his ability to constantly surprise us. I'm good at solving mysteries and I almost never solve a Sanderson twist. When I read his books, my brain works a mile a minute and I desperately attempt to figure everything out before he rips my heart out again. with this book I had all-kinds of crazy theories going in and I was wrong on all of them. But, when they were proven wrong my theory crafting through the middle of the book did come up with the right solution so I'm calling that a win. But in general this is an incredibly fast-paced read. The stakes are really high and more than once I found myself biting my nails, worried and shocked by the way things were going for our heroes.  It built to an amazing conclusion and I just flew through these 400 pages, reading them in just a few days because I couldn't put it down. In the attempt to expand and explain it did have some moments where resolutions felt sudden or not complete enough but it was a hugely satisfying ending to a great series. And when I was finally done I was left with this strange combination of satisfaction and desire for more.

On the whole, Calamity was a great conclusion to a fantastic dystopian series. It was an action-packed read full of mystery and intrigue with great characters and a fantastic world full of interesting explorations of power and how it corrupts. It's so good. I'm not ready to let it go! *clings for dear life.*

I give Calamity by Brandon Sanderson 10 out of 10 stars
(It's probably closer to 9.75 stars but I'm giving it 10 because rounding and Sanderson)

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! I cannot recommend this series enough. It got me into Brandon Sanderson and it will always hold a place in my heart for that but it's also just a brilliant series. Fans of The Reckoners series will absolutely love this series and if you like superheroes, anti-heroes, or are looking for a books full of action then check these books out.

Have you read Calamity? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

On Rereads: The Reckoners and A Darker Shade of Magic

On Rereads is a monthly feature on My Thoughts Lit where I talk about the books I reread during the month. It's an opportunity to share some new thoughts on a book I read before and usually to prepare for a new release. For the foreseeable future I plan to do one reread a month so I want to share my thoughts on these books the second time around.

All the amazing books are coming out in the next couple months, amiright? In particular, there are some great sequels and series enders coming out in February, many of which are on my most anticipated books of the year. So to prepare I am reareading the books in their series. As usually these are my audiobooks for the month. But here is my thoughts on these rereads....

The Reckoners Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)
Mitosis -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible)
Firefight -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

I am so freaking obsessed with this series. It will always hold a special place in my heart for being my first Brandon Sanderson book. The rest is history but this is the book that started it all. So with Calamity coming out I knew I needed to reread the first books in the series to refresh my memory.

It was honestly a really great choice because these books are so well-plotted with amazing plot twists and big reveals that I was reeling from even the second time around. I remembered a lot of the big stuff but small details had escaped me. Rereading it allowed me to come up with these super harebrained theories about how it will all end. I started Calamity a few days ago and one of my theories has already been proven wrong but this is Brandon Sanderson so I shouldn't be all that surprised.

But what I really liked about this reread was the audio. MacLeod Andrews, the narrator, is a genius. Steelheart is one of my all-time favorite audiobooks and he is a big part of that. Like all really good narrators he does a fantastic job of creating different characters. I love the way he creates David's awkwardness and humor, Megan's jaded snark, and Prof's turmoil and gruff caring. Plus Cody and Abraham! GAH! I had never listened to Firefight before so I was really excited to here the narration for it and wow, was it amazing! I'm reading Calamity but I like the audio so much that down the line I may listen to it too.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Scwab
(Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

This book, ugh, you guys. It's so good. It was my favorite book of 2015 and quickly became a new favorite when I read it last year. It's so freaking amazing. The world is so complex and compelling, the characters are interesting and likable, and the plot is so freaking engaging. I'm super excited for A Gathering of Shadows coming out in less than a week!

Usually with rereads I am excited to read them because I forget little detail about the book and I need a refresher. And that definitely happened here but I remembered a lot more than I thought I did. But because I knew what was coming I felt like I had less patience for the exposition. Now don't get me wrong, I love the world building here but I spent a lot of the beginning thinking "when are Kell and Lila going to meet? When are they doing to Red London? I HAVE FEELINGS!"

But I think that maybe that was because I didn't totally love the audiobook, which made me kind of sad. I was so excited to listen to it because the plot of this book is so amazing and engaging. But the audio slowed things down a little too much for me. The speed was just too even keeled. This is an action-packed book and the narrator had the same tone during exciting action scenes as it did for easy-going explanations. I like my narrators to set the tone for the book and this didn't really do  that for me. And I didn't love the different voices for the characters. Kell was good, Rhy was fun, the voices for Holland and the Danes was not great, but Lila did not work for me at all. It wasn't bad, I just didn't love it.

But despite the fact that I didn't love the audio, I am really glad that I reread this one. I am now totally ready for A Gathering of Shadow. I need more Kell, Lila, and Rhy in my life. *prepares to have mind blown and feels destroyed.*

Have you read the The Reckoners trilogy or A Darker Shade of Magic? Did you reread in preparation for their series conclussions? Have you done any rereads lately? What books? Do you like doing rereads or not? Tell me why.  Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson

*** This is a sequel to a larger series so if you haven't read the Mistborn trilogy or The Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self you should probably do that first. Read those reviews if you need encouragement. ***

Title: The Bands of Mourning Series: Mistborn #6 (Wax and Wayne #3) Written by: Brandon Sanderson Published: January 26, 2016 by Tor (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The #1 New York Times bestselling author returns to the world of Mistborn with the follow-up to Shadows of Self.  With The Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self, Brandon Sanderson surprised readers with a New York Times bestselling spinoff of his Mistborn books, set after the action of the trilogy, in a period corresponding to late 19th-century America.  Now, with The Bands of Mourning, Sanderson continues the story. The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metalminds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set.

*incoherant babbling* Boom. Review done. You're welcome. Just kidding. Obviously you can see that I actually did babble by the length of this review. But honestly that's kind of all I should say to you about this book. Well that and it's the next book in the Mistborn series. That should be enough encouragement. But I will attempt to write a normal review so bear with me.

In Shadows of Self, Brandon Sanderson takes us deeper into the world of Mistborn. And you probably already know how much I love this world. In this one he once again builds out the magical system with more explanations of Allomancy, Feruchemy, and even a little Hemalurgy. I love seeing these systems at work and learning about them because they are so unique and complex. I love that it combines an innate ability to do the thing along with the need for the metals to burn. It's probably no surprise that there was a lot of talk about Feruchemy with the title and synopsis being what it is but there was just general explanations of all different kinds of metallurgy which is always cool. There was also more exploration of the larger planet of Scadrial in this book. We are taken even further out of Elendel with this book which was awesome and we even get to learn about some of the other countries within this world which was incredibly fascinating and brought up all kinds of crazy implications for future books within this series and with future series.

But that's what is so cool about this book as well. The incredible amount of foresight and plotting that Sanderson does within these books. I have always been blown away with the way that these Mistborn books are plotted. Each book has it's own individual plot development but there is also a larger plot for the series and even now larger plot from the original trilogy and future trilogies. The cool thing about this series is that it is going to be a quadrilogy of trilogies. We are constantly taken into the future. This is kind of a transitional series between the medieval original trilogy and a more modern era trilogy. It's kind of got this Western/steampunk vibe which I love. But the even cooler thing here is that you can see how or why the technology would develop in the future at the same time there are references and implications that directly relate to characters and moments from the original trilogy. There's a lot of references to characters in the original trilogy here and their exploits are part of the mythology of the world which I love.

Speaking of characters though, wow do I love the characters in this book. It's got serious squad goals you guys. There are some that I instantly fell in love with from their first appearance like Wayne whose effervescent humor and scrappy fighting make him so fun or Wax whose resourcefulness and mystery solving skills make him a great hero. Then there are other characters who have really grown on me, like Steris who was much more involved in this book and despite what she might think made a great addition to the team. She's surprisingly snarky and her compulsive desire to plan and prepare makes her so fun and interesting. She's a great foil for some of the other characters. As a whole this crew works so well together. I love seeing them attempt to solve the mysteries and get themselves out of these impossible situations. And of course the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job creating these characters. He perfectly captures Wayne's humor and scheming, MeLaan's haughty yet vulgar attitude, Steris's indignance and preparedness, Marasi's yearning and intelligence, and Wax's serious and toughness. The characters definitely come to life and the audio helped make that happen.

This series is just so addicting and fast-paced. I'm not the kind of reader who wants to savor a book or series that they love. I'm voracious about my reading. If I love something I want to read it as quickly as possible and that was definitely the case here. I just powered through it, taking less than two days to read it. And yes, the fact that I listened to the audio while at work helped with that but seriously, it was just so engaging. There is so much action and adventure here as well as so much mystery. I wanted to uncover the next secret, to find out what was going to happen next, to see how the characters were going to get out of this dilemma. And Sanderson delivered with the twists and turns. There were tons of surprises as usual and hugely climactic ending that had me on the edge of my seat. Plus that prologue. *inaudibly screams*

I give The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson 10 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Is there any doubt of that? I am such a huge fan of this series, as I am sure you know. If you enjoy the Mistborn books then you will love this one as well. It's a great further development of the series and I cannot wait to read The Lost Metal. And if you haven't read the Mistborn series, you need to sort out your priorities. It's one of my all-time favorite fantasy series. It's amazing!

Have you read The Bands of Mourning? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson

*** This is the second in a series that is really the fifth book in a series. If you haven't read Mistborn proceed with caution. Also what is taking you so long? It is seriously flawless. Read this review and then read the series****

Title: Shadows of Self Series: Mistborn #5 (Wax and Wayne #2) Author: Brandon Sanderson (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.  This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious conflict. Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely, brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Scadrial’s progress in its tracks.   Shadows of Self will give fans of The Alloy of Law everything they’ve been hoping for and, this being a Brandon Sanderson book, more, much more.

I'm not sure I can effectively articulate just how brilliant this book was. Last year was my year of Sanderson. I read eight of his books in 2014, including the Mistborn series, and loved them all. I mean I talk about Mistborn all the time it makes practically all me Top Ten lists and they're probably my most photographed books on my Instagram. So it should come as no surprise that the next book in this series was one of my most anticipated books of the year. And once again Brandon Sanderson blew me away with the world, the plot development, the themes, and the characters.

Starting this book was like returning to something so familiar and so different and unique at the same time. That can best be explained by my feelings of the characters of this book. One of the reasons I love the Mistborn series and Sanderson in general is that he is so brilliant at creating complex and likable characters. And quickly into reading I was reminded just how much I love the characters here. I absolutely adore Wax and Wayne. They are the perfect team. They are both intelligent, resourceful, great at solving mysteries, and tough in the face of danger but their personalities could not be more different. Wax a little serious and sullen while Wayne is funny and effervescent. They play off of each other and make the other person better. Marasi is also back and it seems like some of her quirkiness is gone but I still really liked her. She was off-set a lot by a new female character who is really interesting and adds a lot to their team of crime fighters. But what I also loved about Shadows of Self is that there was so many references to characters from the first series. This book definitely felt like it was bridging the gap between the old and the new with what we learned about the connection between the characters we know and love from both series. We learned so much more about all of both casts and how they are connected. The cameos and references to characters in the first series really added a lot to my enjoyment of it.

But that's what Sanderson does, he builds on what is already there and establishing something better. Especially with the world building. I love series where there is a history and a mythology as the basic for the world. What's so interesting here is that mythology is the previous series which I read and loved. It makes for almost an immersive experience. It's like you're a character too or at very least you have the same knowledge of the world as they do. It sounds like such a weird thing to say but it felt like this book was written for fans of the first series. Plus I have I have always loved the magical system here. The fact that it combines a hereditary ability and something physical, plus the variety of powers, and the fact their basically like superpowers. And here Sanderson once again gave me that magic and more. With every book he builds more and more on the established world. Sometimes he does it by adding something that better explains or develops a concept and sometimes it's elaborating and explaining things that have been there. Here we got to learn a lot more about Feruchemy and Hemalurgy. We also get to spend more time learning about some of the other creatures and cultures found within this world. With some series I when I'm finished reading it I spend hours, maybe days, falling down the internet rabbit hole that is theories and explanations about characters, events, and parts of the world. That is exactly what happened here. I was looking things and people up because I needed to know more, to find out more. I didn't think this world could get more interesting and complex but it continues to blow me away with just how intricate and interesting it is.

But the thing about the world that is the most interesting is the combination of religion and political intrigue. The way that the first book ended completely changed the world. It established two new religions, a new government, it shattered the old order. Now after years of relative prosperity and peace that is changing. So in this book there is a lot of discussion about power and control but from so many different angles. It's such a complex story. Sanderson has been the kind of fantasy writer who makes me think about human nature while entertaining me at the same time and he once again proved that with Shadows of Self. But I think my favorite part of that discussion is that it included references to characters from the first series. There were a few subtle ones in The Alloy of Law but here a few characters were a big part of the plot.

Speaking of that plot what an absolutely fantastic one. The first book in this series was much more of a standard mystery/heist kind of story. And while Shadows of Self had those elements it felt a little bit more like a traditional kind of fantasy. But of course it had tons of mystery. Sanderson has always been the kind of author who shocks me with his plot twists. I try to figure it out but I never do completely. Here I thought I had it. I was so proud of myself for solving the mystery but as our Sanderson Army shirts say, "there's always another secret." And so I once again found myself getting to the climax and being completely floored by the big reveal. But things were so perfectly paced here. It all built to that conclusion slowly but purposefully revealing the next piece of the puzzle to get you to the climax. But along the way of course there was tons of action and adventure to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat.

Sanderson once again created a book that left me blown away with characters to fall in love with, a complex world with a great magical system and themes about humanity, plus a plot full of mystery and adventure. I am now in desperate need of the next book and falling more and more in love with this series which I never thought possible.

I give Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson 10 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Mistborn fans will not be disappointed. This is an amazing and brilliant continuation of the series that we know and love. I can't wait to see where things go in the next two books but I know one thing for sure, I am once again hopelessly in love with the magic, mystery, and creativity that is a Brandon Sanderson book.

Have you read Shadows of Self? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

This is about the third book in a series so beware of spoilers! (Like in the synopsis). If you haven't read Steelheart do it and come back. Here's my review to encourage you - READ IT

Title: Calamity Series: The Reckoners #3 Author: Brandon Sanderson Published: February 16, 2015 by Delacorte Press (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy. David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners’ leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back... But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

Why I'm Waiting 

It's Sanderson week if not on the blog then in my mind. Shadows of Self came out yesterday so I'm diving into that at this very moment. So of course I had to pick this book as my Waiting on Wednesday. The first book in this series, Steelheart (FULL REVIEW), was my very first Brandon Sanderson book. I was completely blown away by how brilliant this book was.

This series is about superheroes, no supervillains, no villainous superheroes? Uh, it's about people with superpowers who do not really use them for good. Or do they? It's all very unclear. WHICH IS AWESOME! The "magical system" here is incredibly unique and detailed. Everyone with powers has something distinct to them and there is a hierarchy of powers. But what really got me is the plot twists. Both of the first two books in this series completely blew my mind with their revelations and I know this one will wreck me. But that's Brandon Sanderson for you. He is flawless and a magnificent bastard!

I have to try really hard to compartmentalize my feels for this series because otherwise I will be overwhelmed by them. I mean I can't even think about the synopsis of this book without bursting into tears. I am seriously in a glass case of emotion. Mostly because I love these characters so much and I'm terrified about what will happen to them. Sanderson always does an impeccable job of creating characters that you can't help but love. Every one of The Reckoners is interesting and well-rounded and I need to find out what happened and will happen to so many of them especially Prof. But also David! David is one of my all-time favorite MCs and I am so worried for him.

But this series is also full of humor. It's hilarious with David's bad puns and the banter between the characters. Especially the banter between David and Megan, a relationship I ship so hardcore. I need this one to sail when everything is all said and done. OTP status to the extreme. I'm going to be doing an audiobook reread in probably January or February for this series and I can't wait.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Have you read Steelheart? Are you waiting on Calamity along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

On Reads: Fantasy First Books with Fall Sequels

It's already October? When did that happen? I had a great month reading in September though. I read some really great books. If you didn't see my recap yesterday  check it out here. In August I unveiled a new monthly feature where I talk about a few of the books that I got to reread. With so many series enders and series continuations happening this fall and winter I decided I needed some refreshers before I done back into the series. For the foreseeable future I will be doing one reread a week so I thought I would do a new feature I'm calling On Rereads. They will be mini reviews where I talk about the books I reread and any different impressions I may have had after reading them a second time. This month I read three first books in a series in preparation for their sequels.

Jackaby by William Ritter -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

I absolutely loved this book when I read it last year. I thought it was incredibly fun with an engaging plot full of mystery, a atmospheric world full of fantasy, and likable characters full of humor. It still does. The second time around I was not at all disappointed by this book. It was just as fantastic and enjoyable.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the audio on this one. Nicola Barber does this boook justice which was a big concern of mine. But she captured Abigail's enthusiasm, Jackaby's snark, and Charlie's mystery. She also captured the supernatural world and I felt like I could perfectly visualize New Shoreham and all the characters. My only criticism is that because I knew how it was going to end it didn't have as much mystery and usually I'm okay with that but this time I didn't really pick up some extra plot points that I missed the first time around. But on the whole it was a fantastic read.

I was so glad I read this before Beastly Bones. It reminded me how much I liked the characters and how fun this series is. I picked up a few references from the book that I may not have noticed if I had not reread Jackaby.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu- (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

This was another favorite book of 2014 and another really anticipated sequel. I cannot wait for my copy of The Rose Society to get here. I need more Adelina and her descent into madness. I seriously love how dark this book is and it was just as dark the second time. I didn't forget how ruthless these characters are and it didn't affect me any less. Neither did that climax. I didn't sob as much but the anticipation killed me. But that being said the dramatic irony sort of made it so that I didn't like the characters as much. I held a few of them at arms length knowing what they would do so that was a change I didn't like the characters as much.

But I did really like the audio in this case. I knew that the world is influenced a lot by Italian/Renaissance history and that was so much more obvious with the audiobook. The narration was fantastic and the way they pronounced the names and certain words really helped to immerse me in the world. And I really love this world and magical system so that was great.

I wish I had waited a little bit before I read this though. I now need The Rose Society so badly and I still have to wait two weeks. Three from when I finished my reread. I need book two like... yesterday.

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson - (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

It should come as no surprise to you that I love the Mistborn series if you have been here for awhile. Mostly I am obsessed with this world. The Alloy of Law is not my favorite in the series but it's a fantastic series that's more like a police procedural. I had completely forgotten so many elements of the mystery so it was great to reread and refresh on that note. One thing I didn't forget about is the characters. How much do I love Wayne? SO MUCH! And Ranette. And Marassi. And Wax. Ah, they are all so fantastic.

I didn't listen to all the audiobooks for the first three Mistborn novels but I did listen to a bit of them and the narrator is fantastic. They use the same one for this one which is nice. He gets the world so well and I can immerse myself in it along with his voice.

But now I am so ready for Shadows of Self. It comes out next week and I am starting the preview from Netgalley today. I cannot wait for more crazy hijinx, more mystery-solving, and more allomancy and feruchemy. But mostly more Sanderson because obviously!

Have you done any rereads lately? What books? Do you like doing rereads or not? Tell me why. I hope you like this new feature. I'm hoping to do it once a month or when I finish a reread of a series. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: More From Brandon Sanderson and the Mistborn series

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Shadows of Self
Series: Mistborn #5 (Wax and Wayne #2)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Published: October 6, 2015 by Tor Books (Macmillan)

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Synopsis: With The Alloy of Law, Brandon Sanderson surprised readers with a New York Times bestselling spinoff of his Mistborn books, set after the action of the trilogy, in a period corresponding to late 19th-century America.

The trilogy’s heroes are now figures of myth and legend, even objects of religious veneration. They are succeeded by wonderful new characters, chief among them Waxillium Ladrian, known as Wax, hereditary Lord of House Ladrian but also, until recently, a lawman in the ungoverned frontier region known as the Roughs. There he worked with his eccentric but effective buddy, Wayne. They are “twinborn,” meaning they are able to use both Allomantic and Feruchemical magic.

Shadows of Self shows Mistborn’s society evolving as technology and magic mix, the economy grows, democracy contends with corruption, and religion becomes a growing cultural force, with four faiths competing for converts.

This bustling, optimistic, but still shaky society now faces its first instance of terrorism, crimes intended to stir up labor strife and religious conflict. Wax and Wayne, assisted by the lovely, brilliant Marasi, must unravel the conspiracy before civil strife stops Scadrial’s progress in its tracks.  

Shadows of Self will give fans of The Alloy of Law everything they’ve been hoping for and, this being a Brandon Sanderson book, more, much more 

Title: Bands of Mourning

Series: Mistborn #6 (Wax and Wayne #3)

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Published: January 26, 2016 by Tor Books (Macmillan)

(Amazon / Goodreads)

Synopsis: Not yet released but it's the final book in this trilogy so it's going to be epic. That's really all you need to know. Well that and it's Brandon Sanderson which makes it even more epic.

Why I'm Waiting 

I mean this should be obvious if you follow this blog in any way. I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. I was a little late to the party but I got my spot on the bandwagon and read eight of his books last year. Among them the first Mistborn trilogy and The Alloy of Law, the first book in a new series that took places in a Wild West style steampunkesque world. It was also much more of a mystery than the first series and I totally loved it. There were train robberies and roguish lawmen and comic relief. There was everything that I love.

There was also more Allomancy and Feruchemy. Sanderson does such a brilliant job creating complex and fascinating magical systems and these are two of my absolute favorites. I thought it was cool in Mistborn but then he made it even better with more metals and Twinborns. I really cannot wait to learn more about this world and experience two more "Sanderson plot twists"

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for Shadows of Self and Bands of Mourning with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

Title: The Alloy of Law Series: Mistborn #4 (Wax and Wayne #1) Author: Brandon Sanderson (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Fresh from the success of The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson, best known for completing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time®, takes a break to return to the world of the bestselling Mistborn series. Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.  Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.  One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

This was my final read of 2014 and the way I concluded my self-proclaimed "year of Sanderson." It was a great way to conclude the year, that's for sure. Like all of Sanderson's books it had a complex and interesting world, likable characters, and an exciting plot. But what struck me so much was how it took something that was already established, the Mistborn trilogy, and changed it in a way that made it feel completely fresh.

The Alloy of Law takes place in the same world as the Mistborn trilogy, but I'm not sure if I would call it a sequel however.  Sure it takes place after The Hero of Ages, but 300 years later. And yes, it does elude to and is influenced by moments and characters from the previous series, but the book is about brand new and unique characters. And yes, it uses the magical systems from the previous books, but it changes and develops them as well. On the whole this book feels like a fresh and exciting turn for a series that I love.

Brandon Sanderson once again proves that he is the master at creating a unique and entertaining magical system. And by that I mean that the magic within this series is so freaking cool! What I loved in the Mistborn series is that the magic is both internal and external. With both Allomancy and Feruchemy you have to have the inherited ability to burn metals and the metals to burn/or use, one without the other will not work. In The Alloy of Law those were of course the same prevailing magical systems but they were both expanded and developed to something even more creative. I didn't think Sanderson could make them any cooler but he succeeded in doing just that. From the use of new metals that give the person amazing abilities to the existence of Twinborns who can do both, the magical system in The Alloy of Law was completely fantastic! Sanderson took the magical system from the previous series and made it different and more interesting.

But Sanderson also made the setting of this book different and more exciting. The world of the Mistborn series was a vivid Medieval style society. Not at all surprising for a High Fantasy. But what Sanderson does is develop his society into something new and different. As if following our own history, the world of Mistborn becomes like the Old West of the 19th century. So we now get a more modernized world with technology and cultural advancements. That's right friends, Allomancy in the Old West! I want to compare it to Steampunk because that is the closest comparison but it's not really like that, it's something all it's own. And while it is something utterly unique it also made perfectly logical sense. Allomancy perfectly lends it self to this kind of setting and Sanderson does an amazing job of portraying to the reader how what happened in the previous series that led to things being this way. It's like that the previous series was an origin story or a mythology. The characters that I learned to know and love have become legends and heroes. It was so much fun, completely unique, and so interesting!

Plus that new setting led to a really cool and interesting plot. I've never been a big fan of Westerns. I don't dislike them, I'm just often disappointed by them, especially with books. But The Alloy of Law is a fantastic Western. But that is probably because for me it read more like a mystery or heist story, which I always love. Sanderson always does a great job of infusing his books with mysteries and big reveals but in The Alloy of Law it felt more like a traditional mystery or procedural. The bulk of the plot was about solving the mystery and we were along for the ride as the characters hunted for clues and attempted to find out who was behind the crime. And while it was less complex and much less of a mind fuck than the two previous books it was still full or surprises. And action. It was so full of action. Between the allomantic battles to the thrilling escapes this book was a quick and exciting read that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

And once again Sanderson created a host of likable and complex characters that it is easy to connect with. While I did miss the characters from the previous books, the subtle references to them satiated me enough to not miss them too much. Plus in The Alloy of Law I found a group of characters that were just as fantastic. Waxilium and Wayne are the perfect team and the perfect foils. They are both smart, resourceful, and tough but Wax is the more serious one while Wayne brings the humor. Alone they are interesting but together they are fantastic! They have some amazing banter and they work so well together. They have this total Holmes and Watson vibe and I loved it. But there also some really great secondary characters. There's Marasi, an amazing strong female character who is intelligent tough. But my personal favorite character, besides Wayne, was Ranette, who is another amazing female character and while she had a tiny role she made a big impact. I mean her inventions? Ah-mazing! And then of course there was the antagonist who was terrifying and complex. I have always loved the characters that Sanderson creates and that was no different in The Alloy of Law. The characters were interesting and likable and I can't wait to see how they develop with the series.

Fans of the Mistborn trilogy will really enjoy this continuation of the series. It's creative and interesting and is unlike anything I have ever read, and I mean that in the best possible way. Sanderson takes something that we know and love and succeeds in making it better with the development of an engrossing world, a thrilling plot full of mystery, and great characters.

I give The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! Fans of Mistborn and members of the Sanderson Army should definitely check out this book. And with two more books in the series coming out soon, including Shadows of Self coming this fall, this is the perfect opportunity. If you haven't read the Mistborn series then get on that so you can check this book out. It's truly fantastic.

Have you read The Alloy of Law? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

**** This is a sequel and therefore the review may contain spoilers for the first book (the synopsis definitely contains spoilers) so if you haven't read Steelheart then go read that and then come back here! And if you need more encouragement check out my review of Steelheart****

Title: Firefight Series: The Reckoners #2 Author: Brandon Sanderson Published: January 6, 2015 by Delacorte (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible) Synopsis: Brandon Sanderson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Words of Radiance, coauthor of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, and creator of the internationally bestselling Mistborn Trilogy, presents the second book in the Reckoners series: Firefight, the sequel to the #1 bestseller Steelheart.  Newcago is free. They told David it was impossible, that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand. Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life simpler. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And no one in Newcago can give him answers. Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is flooded and miserable, but David is sure it's the path that will lead him to what he needs to find. Entering a city oppressed by a High Epic despot is risky, but David's willing to take the gamble. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And now he will go on a quest darker and even more dangerous than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers

*** Thank you so much Mark at Mental Megalodon for letting your ARC hit the road and sharing it with me.***

I'm so excited to finally be sharing this review on the blog. I read Firefight in an amazing week in mid-December and I have been holding onto this review ever since but I can finally share my thoughts with you all and I am so excited to flail about it! Firefight is a truly fabulous sequel to a fantastic dystopian series with an engrossing and creative world, complex and likable characters, and action-packed plot full of surprises.

I read Steelheart almost a year ago and it started an obsession for me and that obsession is Brandon Sanderson. I was absolutely blown away by his writing. The world he created, the complex and likable characters, and the mindblowing reveals that I will forever refer to as the "trademark Sanderson plot twist." It was one of my top five favorite books of 2014 and after the way it ended I couldn't wait to get my hands on Firefight. So when Mark offered to share the ARC he won I flailed like nobody's business. And while reading the flailing didn't stop, if my Goodreads comments are any indication, I flailed even more.

One of the things I loved most about this series is the world that Brandon Sanderson has created. And in Firefight he expands this world both internally and externally. The internal world of this series is the Epics and it's dystopian nature. This is not really your average dystopia. Sure things are bad, something happened making society as we know it crumble, and a small corrupt group of people have taken over and are oppressing the average person. The only difference is that the thing that happened and the corrupt group of people, are superheroes. And these aren't your average superheroes, it turns the traditional idea of heroes on its head and makes them the villains. In this series Sanderson explores this idea that power corrupts and even those with supernatural powers aren't immune to that, in fact they are even more susceptible. It's such a creative and engrossing concept and in Firefight we get to explore that on a much deeper level. In Steelheart Sanderson created this "magical system" that had clear rules and a hierarchy and here in Firefight we learn more about these Epics. And what we learn is that, what we thought we knew was just the tip of the iceberg! This further exploration into the world of Epics is brilliant and engrossing.

The external world of this series that gets expanded is the vivid setting that is utterly captivating. As the reader you can completely immerse yourself in the luscious world of this book. And one of the best expansions of that setting is that we get to travel beyond Newcago. The bulk of this book takes place in Babylon Restored, the post-apocalyptic New York City which has been flooded by a Epic much like Steelheart turned Chicago to steel. Sanderson is a master at the show instead of tell form of world-building and does another fantastic job of explaining what this place is like in a way that you can perfectly visualize everything. From the underwater skyscapers to the vine-covered buildings, to the glowing spray paint, it was all interesting and outrageous but it feels so real and like you are actually there experiencing it.

And our relocation gave us a group of new characters to get to know and love along with some old favorites. Unfortunately, we did lose some of my favorite secondary characters from the first book and while I did miss their "voice" I didn't feel like there was anything lacking in the book without them. I think that was because there were some amazing new characters. We got to spend some time with a great new group of Reckoners who really quickly warmed their way into my heart. But I particularly liked the new antagonists. All the new Epics were so cool and devious with amazing powers. My personal favorite was probably Obliteration who not only has an amazing name but the most terrifying and badass power I have ever seen. But then of course there are the characters from the previous book that we get to know better like Prof and Megan who both have incredibly interesting character arcs throughout the series. (Speaking of Megan how hard do I ship this ship? SO HARD! I will definitely go down with this ship. I feel like I am on crows nest looking out for land or fellow shippers). Sanderson always does an amazing job of creating characters that are complex and likable; characters that you become invested in and the characters in Firefight are no different.

And of course the person you are the most invested in is David, the main characters and protagonist. David is one of my absolute favorite characters. He's the perfect "everyman" and it's so easy to connect with him and his struggles throughout this series. He's smart, resourceful, and creative. He has had this really fantastic character arc becoming a hero and a leader. I really loved seeing him develop and evolve with this series. But David's biggest evolution was with his thoughts and actions. Throughout the book they perfectly mirrored the books exploration of good and evil. He has this admirable faith in humanity and his thoughts on Epics has evolved so much. He has sees the best in everyone and has this need to help others, but at the same time that means destruction. It's a really interesting dichotomy and one of my favorite things about this series. But my other favorite thing about David and this series is the humor. The series perfectly balances the serious moments with David's terrible metaphors and other ridiculous jokes. I can't wait to see how he develops in the last book in the series.

I also can't wait to see where the plot will take us in the final book in this series. I can't even begin to predict what will happen. If I've learned anything from the eight Sanderson books I read last year is that you cannot even begin to know what is about to happen. Firefight was a non-stop thrill ride full of action, adventure, and mystery. The plot of this book was expertly crafted as it slowly built to an amazing conclusion with so many thrilling scenes along the way. And the best part of course is the "trademark Sanderson plot twists." This book shocked me so much. Not only in terms of the big reveals about the world but also the direction the plot and characters went in. I spent so much of this book on the edge of my seat either biting my nails or trying to pick my jaw off the floor. Most of the plot deals with the expanded exploration of the world and that idea of power and corruption, but this is not your average fight of good against evil. It's much more dubious than that, and that is what I love about the plot of this series. It lives in that grey area and makes you question everything and everyone. And like all good series it had a specific plot line for this book and further explored the more big picture plot line of the series. It had me confused and enthralled and I cannot wait to see where it will go in Calamity, the final book in the series.

I give Firefight by Brandon Sanderson 10 out 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! This book is not to be missed. If you liked Steelheart then you will of course like Firefight. It's just as good if not better than it's predecessor. If you haven't read Steelheart, get on that and read both that and this book. If you like Fantasy, Dystopia, Science Fiction, superheroes, crazy plot twists, complex characters, themes of power and control, fights of good versus evil, basically if you like anything read this book!

Have you read Firefight? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and of course HAPPY READING!

Oh and one more thing, as if this review wasn't long enough. I have a special treat. I am a huge fan of the audio of this series and even though I read an ARC I will probably still listen to the audiobook because it is that good. Thanks to Audible I have a four minute clip of the audio of Firefight so check it out, get excited, then head over there to get a copy, and love this book like I did!