Wicked Saints by Emily A Duncan Blog Tour Review

Title: Wicked Saints Series: Something Dark and Holy Written by: Emily A. Duncan Published: April 1, 2019 by Wednesday Books (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: “Prepare for a snow-frosted, blood-drenched fairy tale where the monsters steal your heart and love ends up being the nightmare.” - Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself. A prince in danger must decide who to trust. A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war. In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy. “This book destroyed me and I adored it.”- Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

I was really excited to read this book. Since I learned about it way before it was even published, it seemed like a book totally up my alley. I love dark YA fantasy especially those inspired by Eastern European culture. And while there were some things I enjoyed about this book, it just didn’t quite live up to the hype.

One thing I did really enjoy was the world. There were so many great layers to this world. It’s a fantasy world rooted in religion and magic with two warring nations who believe very different things. It had so many elements that I love. I always enjoy a world with this much depth to it and this one was brilliantly inventive and complex. I thought the way the magic and religion interweaved was one of best parts. I am always looking for a creative magical system and I found that here. The blood magic in particular was really fascinating. I wish we got to learn more about how that worked and the make up of the spellbooks the blood mages used but maybe that’s coming in book 2. I will say, I did find there was a bit too much info dumping at the beginning of the book but it did lead to a really fascinating the world.

The part of the book that didn’t enthrall me however was the plot development. Now, don’t get me wrong, the plot was interesting. The last quarter of the book was really fascinating with high stakes and a lot of action, but that was really only the last bit. This book definitely suffered from first book syndrome for me. The first half really just felt like all that the characters were doing was getting from point A to point B and dumping information on one another along the way. It took me much longer to connect with the plot than I would have hoped. However that could just be a personal problem because I am such a plot driven reader. But I was honestly confused through a lot of it. I found myself having to reread chapters because something would happen and it was almost as if it had gone down off the page because I couldn’t remember it being told to me. I hope some of this is corrected in the final copy because I did read an ARC and that can happen.

But a lot of my confusion could have come from the changing perspectives. The book alternated between Nadya and Serefin who come from the two rival kingdoms. Multiple perspectives is challenging sometimes especially of the characters are in different places and having different storylines. This was one of those books where it is frustrating because when you leave one character and return to the other you completely forgot what the other had been up to. The chapters were short and I think I may have liked it better if they were a little bit longer so I could connect with the plot points a little bit more before switching back.

I did however like the characters. This is a book full of grey and odious characters. None of them are perfect and genuinely good. They all have secrets and are scheming and plotting both independently and together. Those are the kind of characters I love in my books. Some of them make for the kind of people you love to hate and others just make for really interesting choices along the way. Nadya and Serefin were good characters to be in the head of but I honestly think I like Serefin a little bit more. He I think had better character development throughout the book. It seems like Nadya is going to be the “chosen one” and she has some moments of heroism that I enjoyed but her personal growth just wasn’t as pronounced for me. Plus I found Nadya a little frustrating at times. She made some really bad choices especially when it came to the the romance.

Ugh, this romance. We have to talk about the romance in this books because it was not my favorite. I’ve never been someone who likes the good girl falls for the bad boy trope and that is totally what this was. I didn’t trust Malachaisz at all and the fact that Nadya fell so hard for him so quickly and would just forgive his transgressions just didn’t work for me. I love a complex, dark, and odious character but not as a romantic lead. I know a lot of people do however so if that is your thing then you will probably love that about this book.

I was really looking forward to reading this book and over the moon when the publisher sent me a copy as part of the blog tour. And while I liked some elements, it just fell a little short for me. It had a great world and interesting characters but the plot was confusing and the pacing slow plus the romance did not work for me at all.

I give Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I think this is going to be one of those books where people either love it or they don’t. For me, it was kind of a miss but I know a ton of people really loved it. If you like fantasy on the darker side with a heavy romance and a good girl/bad boy trope then check this out.

AUTHOR BIO: 

EMILY A. DUNCAN works as a youth services librarian. She received a Master’s degree in library science from Kent State University, which mostly taught her how to find obscure Slavic folklore texts through interlibrary loan systems. When not reading or writing, she enjoys playing copious amounts of video games and dungeons and dragons. Wicked Saints is her first book. She lives in Ohio.

 BUY LINK: 

 https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/wicked-saints/ 

SOCIAL LINKS: 

Website: https://eaduncan.com/ 
Twitter: @glitzandshadows 
Instagram: @glitzandshadows 
Tumblr: http://glitzandshadows.tumblr.com/

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

Review: Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard

Title: Bloodwitch Series: The Witchlands #3 Written by: Susan Dennard Published: February 12, 2019 by TorTeen Macmillan (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Fans of Susan Dennard's New York Times bestselling Witchlands series have fallen in love with the Bloodwitch Aeduan. And now, finally, comes his story.  High in a snowy mountain range, a monastery that holds more than just faith clings to the side of a cliff. Below, thwarted by a lake, a bloodthirsty horde of raiders await the coming of winter and the frozen path to destroy the sanctuary and its secrets.  The Bloodwitch Aeduan has teamed up with the Threadwitch Iseult and the magical girl Owl to stop the destruction. But to do so, he must confront his own father, and his past.

I am still kind of reeling after finishing this book a day after writing this review. Bloodwitch was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019 after waiting two years to read it. And just like the previous books in this series, it did not disappoint. This was an amazing fantasy read.

My favorite thing about this book, and this series in general, is the world. This is one of the most amazing and involved fantasy world that I have experienced in a long time. It is one of those worlds where history and mythology affects things in a big way. As the series goes on, we are learning more and more about the world. I listened to an interview with Susan recently where she mentioned she set out to write a book that is like adult fantasy where you don’t reveal things about the magic and world until much later, and that’s exactly what she has done. It’s the kind of world where you are shown instead of told. It has me completely enthralled and wanting to know more. Here we learn a good amount but I still has so many questions.

As for the plot, this is a book that had that classic sword and sorcery kind of vibes. It’s full of action and adventure with the main characters trying to save the world and their kingdoms from other countries and even scarier threats. I do feel a little bit like this was that bridge book that you see a lot in a series. It didn’t necessarily have it’s own plot but merely connected the stories from the first two books while setting up the final books. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t interesting. Susan is a master plotter who does a great job of setting up little things so she can knock them down later to a huge impact. Things are starting to get knocked down in this one, which meant surprises and twists that had me screaming internally. The book also built to a thrilling conclusion and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I desperately need a reread of the books before that, especially Sightwitch. The way Susan plots I know this is going to be one of those series worth going back to books for reminders and for theory crafting.

One of the things that I think made this plot a little bit more challenging in terms of a cohesive story is the fact that it told in multiple perspectives. It is one more example of what gives this book that classic fantasy vibe but it also adds a lot of moving parts. This book had five or six different perspectives and many of them were going in very different places and doing very different things. And which often happens with this kind of thing, some of the perspectives were more interesting than others. I think my favorite perspectives were the ones that were more about the big picture and mythology of the series, like Isuelt and Aeduan, over those who had more of the political intrigue like Vivia and Safi. The one who surprised me the most was Merik. Merik had a storyline that had me completely enthralled and I surprisingly wanted to go back to him even though he is not one of my favorite characters. But that is just the nature of books with multiple perspectives like Bloodwitch.

But I can forgive the multiple perspectives because the characters here are so amazing. Susan is definitely a master of complex characterization and this book was a perfect example. There is a good sized squad in this series and I am invested in every single one of them. There is a lot of great character development here as many of the characters are deciding who they are and the heroes they want to be. I was fully-invested in them and their success. This book is Aeduan’s book so of course we learn a lot more about him and his history. He’s always been one of the characters I found the most interesting so I loved being able to find out about him and be in his head. Isuelt might be my favorite though. She is really coming into her own and becoming this amazing badass. These two together also make an amazing team and they were seriously killing me with feels every time they were together. The character who surprised me the most though was Merik. He’s never been one of my favorites but he is the one who has the best development and is very much continuing his redemptive arc. But I love every character I this series. Whether they are complex and likable or the kind of characters you love to hate, they are all incredibly interesting.

All in all, this is a truly amazing book and a series that keeps getting better. It has an absolutely fascinating world full of mythology and magic, a thrilling sword and sorcery plot development, and characters that are complex with great development.

I give Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you like the first two books in this series If you are a fan of fantasy, YA or adult, I would absolutely recommend this series. It will be an amazing series to binge.

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

Review: King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

Title: King of Scars Series: Nikolai Duology #1 Written by: Leigh Bardugo Published: January 29, 2019 by Imprint (Macmillain) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.   Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

When I finished this book, I was still completely in shock from it. I loved The Grisha trilogy when I read it back before Ruin and Rising came out and since then I have been totally in love with this world and everything Leigh rights. So when I heard she was fighting a series about Nikolai I was so excited. And this book did not disappoint. It was a gripping and amazing read.

One of the things that excited me most about this book was the characters. In this one we are able to catch back up not only with characters from the original Grisha trilogy but also Six of Crows. I loved being able to catch back up with Genya, David, Tolya, Tamar... the list goes on and on. It felt like falling back into the original series. But the real best characters are the narrators. There are alternating perspectives between Nina from Six of Crows, Zoya from Shadow and Bone, and of course Nikolai from the original trilogy. Nina I loved in Six of Crows and being able to see her deal with what happened in that book was amazing and heartbreaking. She is one of the strongest characters both physically and emotionally. Nikolai was maybe my favorite secondary character in the original trilogy. I am also down for a lovable rogue and he fit the bill. He’s smart and charming but he’s also complex and very brooding in this book. You get to see him at his best and his worst.

But the best main character in this book, and the one who I think deserve a whole new paragraph, is Zoya. Zoya is a pretty minor character in the original trilogy. She’s sort of a foil for Alina and honestly didn’t make much of an impression. But in this book she made a huge impression and in the best possible way. She’s everything I love in a badass female character. She’s tough and ballsy, but also vulnerable and brash. Zoya is a total sass factory and her banter with Nikolai is on point. But she’s also this freaking amazing Grisha that reminded me of the perfect combination of Azula and Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. And not only did she have great development, but we learn a lot more about her back story in this book which made her even more sympathetic. I cannot speak highly enough about Zoya. She’s freaking amazing in this book.

The real amazing thing in this book is the plot. Leigh really knows how to tell a story. Her books have always had incredibly intricate plots and this was no exception. It really built to a thrilling conclusion with s twists and surprises that had me so shocked that when I finished I was left string at my book for fifteen minutes unable to come to terms with what had happened. It had a very mean cliffhanger too that has be wanting book two immediately. There are a lot of moving parts to this story and Leigh handles them with care and ease but I do feel a little bit like it is incomplete. The actual story of this book resolved despite the cliffhanger but it didn’t all come together. I know it’s all connected and I feel those connections falling into place but they didn’t actually do that yet. And for me, this made the book feel a little lacking. I’m tough on books with multiple perspectives though so it could just be a person preference.

What did work with the multiple perspectives was the world. What I love about this world is that after five books (six of you count Language of Thorns) it is both familiar and new at the same time. Being familiar with everything I can just dive back into it without needing an explanation about what is happening. Leigh can show us instead of tell about everything, which is something she does really well. But at the same time we are learning new things about the history and religion of the world. Not to mention all the political intrigue and plotting. It all worked together to further develop a world and magical system that I already love and am excited to learn more about.

All and all, this book was so amazing. It once again showcased what an amazing fantasy writer Leigh Bardugo is. She has crafted a thrilling story with an intriguing world and complex characters that I fell further in love with.

I give King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! It’s a must read for fans of her work and if you like fantasy and have not read Leigh Bardugo, change that immediately!

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

Review: Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rene Rossner

Title: Sisters of the Winter Wood Written by: Rene Rossner Published: September 2018 by Redhook (Hachette Books) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya have lived a peaceful sheltered life - even if they've heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods.  But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realizes, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister.  Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods...  The sisters will need each other if they are to become the women they need to be - and save their people from the dark forces that draw closer.

I love new YA fantasies, unique retellings, and books about sisters so this one was right in my wheelhouse. And while this was an interesting read that finished really strong, I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped.

One thing I did love about this book was the world and setting. One of my favorite things is finding a modern book that reads like a classic fairy tale and that is exactly what this book was. It had so many elements that I have come to know and love with fairy tales including a dark wood full of secrets, magical transformations, and dubious characters. I particularly loved the setting. A dark and mysterious woods makes for such a great location for a story like this. The secrets lurking in the woods made for an atmospheric read. And the magic added to all of that. What I liked about the magic was that despite the fact that it was subtle, there clear rules and seeing the magic in action interested me. All of this worked together to craft an engaging setting for the book.

The other interesting thing about the setting for this book was the historical elements. It wasn’t really historical fiction but it did a great job of dealing with historical context and still making it feel topical. This is a book about Jewish culture and it explored what that was like from a historical standpoint. Jews were often distrusted by non-Jews and this book didn’t shy away from that. It showed some of the discrimination that Jewish people felt in Medieval times. But it also explored The Jewish religion on the whole. I can’t speak to the representation but I found it interesting to learn more about Judaism and I appreciated that aspect of this book.

The plot and pacing however, left me wanting more. It’s not that the plot was bad. In fact it did really finish strong by building to a really exciting conclusion. The thing is that the first half of this book took me a week to read and the second half took me a day. It just took so long for this book to capture my interest. I think perhaps that is because in the first half there was so much more of a focus on the romance. And you all probably know I am not typically a fan of romances. With this one I felt like one of them was a really good slowburn with a solid foundation and the other one was a ridiculous instalove that creeped me out. Luckily in the end everything shook out the way I was hoping but as the romance too center stage I felt like it was taking away from the part of the story I was actually enjoying including the relationship with the sisters.

I know this a retelling of the epic poem The Goblin Market, which I am not familiar with, and it made me curious about the poem which I think is the mark of a good retelling. But to me it had more Snow White and Rose Red vibes to it. That was one of my favorite fairy tales when I was a kid and I felt like from that standpoint I enjoyed the retelling. The reason I say that is because I felt like it had a good spin on the idea of the magical transformation and finding out that a character is royalty. It made for a good feminist story in that respect. But the best part of the retelling that I enjoyed was the relationship between the sisters. As an older sister myself I love reading books about sisters who are very different but still care so much about one another. It was a great aspect of the story added a lot of heart to the book I think.

This was definitely a good read with an atmospheric world that gave it a modern fairy tale vibes, a subtle historical setting, a retelling that had me interested in the original, and a good sisterly relationship. I just wish that it was a little shorter and the romance in the beginning didn’t take so much of the focus.

I give Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rene Rossner 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I would recommend this book to fans of modern fairy tales like Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale. It’s a good atmospheric read for people who look those book.

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

Amber and Dusk by Lyra Selene Blog Tour: Review

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Amber & Dusk
Author: Lyra Selene
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: November 27, 2018
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis: Sylvie has always known she deserves more. Out in the permanent twilight of the Dusklands, her guardians called her power to create illusions a curse. But Sylvie knows it gives her a place in Coeur d'Or, the palais of the Amber Empress and her highborn legacies.

So Sylvie sets off toward the Amber City, a glittering jewel under a sun that never sets, to take what is hers.

But her hope for a better life is quickly dimmed. The empress invites her in only as part of a wicked wager among her powerful courtiers. Sylvie must assume a new name, Mirage, and begin to navigate secretive social circles and deadly games of intrigue in order to claim her spot. Soon it becomes apparent that nothing is as it appears and no one, including her cruel yet captivating sponsor, Sunder, will answer her questions. As Mirage strives to assume what should be her rightful place, she'll have to consider whether itis worth the price she must pay.

MY REVIEW

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the published in exchange for an honest review as a part of the blog tour. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

I am usually looking for a new and different YA fantasy so when I read the synopsis for this book and saw the opportunity to take part in the blog tour for this one I jumped at the chance. And while I do think that this felt like a classic fantasy, and while it had a lot of promise it didn't quite deliver on that.

The thing that I think best expresses this for me is the characters.. This is a book full of odious and interesting characters. I usually prefer my fantasies to have characters who are on the darker side. People who have allegiances that are hidden and plenty of secrets. These were those kinds of characters. It made for interesting characters who I was curious to learn more about, but I feel a little bit like we didn't get that payoff. Some of the characters got good reveals towards the end of the book but for the most part they didn't strike an emotional chord for me. I think honestly because most of them weren't really very big surprises. The main character of Sylvie felt like a classic YA fantasy protagonist. She was tough and brash which I liked but she was also incredibly dense which I found a little frustrating. To be honest, that was one of the things that added to the classic feel of this book for me. It was the find of book where I preferred the secondary characters.

What I enjoyed most about Amber and Dusk was the world. For one thing, the magical system is one of those where each character has their own power and they feel almost like superpowers, which is a magical system I always enjoy. Plus the author was great about how the magic had clear rules and before the main character was able to use her powers in a significant way she had to learn how to control them, which is something I prefer in my magic. But the world also had a ton of political intrigue. I love when fantasies deal with court politics and the secrets surrounding the court and this book definitely handled that well.

I do think however that this book had too much world building and that's at the expense of the plot. New fantasy books always have a lot of exposition. I expect at least 100 pages of set up and world building. But this book kind of took things way too far. The most interesting part of the story for me didn't really kick in until about the last 80 pages and then it was over way too soon even though it sent into motion so much of the book's final act. There was one section that was only 20 pages long that I really wanted more from and I felt like this portion of the plot could have been expanded on. I need a very plot-centered story though so maybe most people won't mind about this too much.

All in all, I think this was an okay read. It had a lot going for it like odious characters and an interesting world full of political intrigue, plus it definitely read like a classic YA fantasy but it didn't quite blow me away.

I give Amber and Dusk by Lyra Selene 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are looking for a YA fantastic that is heavy on the world and political intrigue and light on the plot development then check this out. It has classic fantasy vibes that I think fans of the genre will enjoy.

BOOK LINKS

฀Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37825423-amber-dusk
฀Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Dusk-Lyra-Selene/dp/1338210033
฀Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/amber-dusk-lyra-selene/1127731151
฀Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Amber-Dusk-Lyra-Selene/9781338210033?ref=grid-view&qid=1539641765675&sr=1-1
฀Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/amber-dusk
฀IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781338210033
฀iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/lyra-selene/id1332300728?mt=11

TOUR SCHEDULE

http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/10/tour-schedule-amber-dusk-by-lyra-selen.html 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lyra Selene was born under a full moon and has never quite managed to wipe the moonlight out of her eyes. When she isn’t dreaming up fantastical cities and brood-ing landscapes, Lyra enjoys hiking, rainstorms, autumn, and pretending she’s any good at painting.

She lives in New England with her husband, in an antique farmhouse that’s probably not haunted. AMBER & DUSK is her debut novel.

 GIVEAWAY 

 •AMBER & DUSK by Lyra Selene
 •US Only
 •Starts: 11/12
 •Ends: 11/30

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire Written by: Natasha Ngan Published: November 6, 2018 by Jimmy Books (Little, Brown Books) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.  But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.  In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.  Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.  TW: violence and sexual abuse.

This book was one of my most anticipated debuts of the year. I read a lot of YA fantasy (because I love it, obviously), and I am always excited to see a standalone, especially one on the darker side with political intrigue. And this was a really good read.

One of the best things about this book is the world. I'm surprised by how rich and engaging the world of this book is even though it's more subtle. It's a book inspired by Asian cultures and the emphasis is interesting and makes for a lush and beautiful setting. I usually like my fantasies to go big when it comes to magic but this one didn't. Instead it just developed the story around the world where people have animal features. These are the people who are the most revered and powerful within this world and there is a firm caste system between the others with people just being human at the lowest level. And like a lot of fantasy there is a brutal and authoritarian ruler. It added more depth to the world and a lot of political intrigue to the plot.

But I will say, that I still have a lot of questions about the world of this book. I know the general rule of them is to show instead of tell when it comes to world building but then you have to actually show these things. Maybe I was just reading more into it then it actually was but I thought there was some opportunities for big reveals in the explanation of the world and magical system. This boiok never went there and I wish that it had.

However, it may be possible that the world building was simple because the plot took more of the focus. This is one of those books where I think the trigger warning is good because this is very much a brutal read. It doesn't shrink away from the abuse of power of the Demon King, not only on the people in general but the young women who are his courtesans. It's often hard to read but it made for a dark and engaging story that had me wanting the protagonists to succeed in their goal to overthrow the king. I'm a plot-driven reader and usually I prefer a book full of action and surprises but this too was on the more subtle side. It was a simple sort of rebellion story but it was an interesting one nonetheless. I was invested in the story and it definitely did build to an exciting conclusion.

As far as the characters, I am not entirely sure how I feel about them. I already mentioned the brutal antagonist and I feel like Ngan did a great job in developing a terrible villain that was easy to dislike. But I would have like some more from the protagonists. Lei was a good enough main character, the kind of person who goes through so much that you can't help but root for her over the oppressors. But as an individual, I don't think she really came to life. It's not that she didn't have individual traits, because she was definitely fierce and determined in a way that usually endears me to a character. I mean she has some serious Sansa Stark vibes and you know how I love me some Sansa. But she just didn't make that strong an impression on me.

What surprised me though it that I did however like the romance. It's a f/f relationship and I actually liked the way that it developed. It is a little bit of a instalove, I mean it develops very quickly, but I think the author does a good job of showing the character's inner thoughts about the relationship. It's a bit of a forbidden fruit sort of thing but it never got to over the top with that. I liked that the character was torn about her feelings which makes it all the more satisfying when it came together. It had a good balance too and didn't overpower the story for me.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book even though it wasn't perfect. It had a rich and engaging world, a plot that pulled me and kept me reading until the exciting conclusion, and a romance that I actually enjoyed.

I give Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. This is a good debut fantasy and I am interested to see what's next for this author. It may actually be a sequel with the way this book ended.

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

Review: Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Kingdom of Ash Series: Throne of Glass #7 Written by: Sarah J Maas Published: October 23, 2018 by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas’s #1 New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Aelin Galathynius’s journey from slave to king’s assassin to the queen of a once-great kingdom reaches its heart-rending finale as war erupts across her world. . .  Aelin has risked everything to save her people―but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. Aware that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, though her resolve begins to unravel with each passing day…  With Aelin captured, Aedion and Lysandra remain the last line of defense to protect Terrasen from utter destruction. Yet they soon realize that the many allies they’ve gathered to battle Erawan’s hordes might not be enough to save them. Scattered across the continent and racing against time, Chaol, Manon, and Dorian are forced to forge their own paths to meet their fates. Hanging in the balance is any hope of salvation―and a better world.  And across the sea, his companions unwavering beside him, Rowan hunts to find his captured wife and queen―before she is lost to him forever.  As the threads of fate weave together at last, all must fight, if they are to have a chance at a future. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever in the explosive final chapter of the Throne of Glass series.

That's right friends, the Throne of Glass series is over. It's been a great four year ride with the series and I have been crazy impressed with how complex and engaging this series is. And while the last book in this series is not my favorite, it was a great ending to an amazing YA fantasy series.

The thing that continues to impress me about this series is the plot development. This is one of those series where clearly everything was planned out since the very beginning. Little things from the early books in the series and even the novellas come back in a big way in the final book as things start unfolding and everything was unfolding. Plus it is crazy action-packed. I have come to know this series for the fact that it has always been full of action, adventure, and surprises. This being that it was the final book, of course that was all of that was heightened. The stakes were high and a lot of this book took me on a crazy emotional ride.

That being, said the pacing was not great. This is a really long book. It comes in at a whopping 992 pages which not only makes it the longest book I have read this year but one of the longest I have ever read. But it's not out of the ordinary to read a fantasy book over 800 pages but they don't always feel like they are as long as they are. But this book felt long. There were a lot of moments where there were lulls in the story that had me not at all minding that I put it down.

I think one of the reasons why that the pacing was a bit problematic for me is that this is a series that is full of perspectives and in this book that was a little out of control. I honestly lost count with how many characters got to narrate a portion of the book but it had to be at least a dozen. And yes, that't not out of the ordinary for fantasy books but with this series it is always a bit jarring, especially because often it would change perspectives in the middle of the chapter. I have never liked that about this series and like everything else with this book that was heightened too.

But I do really love the characters in this series. Over the past seven main books and a collection of novellas I have definitely fell in love with these characters. So many of them are amazing and badass. It's been amazing seeing Aelin's development over the course of the series. She's maintained her heart of being arrogant and sarcastic while being an amazing leader and queen. So many of the other characters have also had great developments, including my two favorite Dorian and Manon. They both have some seriously kickass moments. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Lysandra was freaking amazing and Yrene was fantastic. Even Chaol wasn't actually wasn't the most self-righteous asshole in this book. No, that distinction went to Aedion even though I still love him. All the characters really had great development and seeing them change and grow throughout the series was really enjoyable.

But my favorite thing about this book may have been the world. Sarah has managed to craft a totally complex world. We have learned so much about it over the past seven books and watching it all unfold in such a meaningful way was the best thing about this book. This series went from one where there was no magic to a sword and sorcery novel full of magic and mystery. There was so much to learn about when it comes to the Valg, the wyrdkeys, the gods of this universe, and how they are all connected. I do still feel like there are some unanswered questions when it comes to all of that, especially the word keys and some of the answers felt like cop out but it is still an amazing world that I loved.

All in all, this was a great ending to one of my favorite series. It was full of action and adventure, great characters, and a fascinating world. It wasn't perfect and felt a little long with way too many perspectives but I thoroughly enjoyed it and am not ready to see it end even though I liked the way it did.

I give Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a fan of this series you definitely need to read the last book to find out how it all ends. This is definitely one of my favorite YA fantasy series. It's not perfect but it is incredibly entertaining.

Have you read Kingdom of Ash? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading.

Review: Boneless Mercies by April Geneviee Tucholke

Title: Boneless Mercies Written by: April Genvieve Tucholke  Published: October 8, 2018 by Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: A dark standalone YA fantasy about a band of mercenary girls in search of female glory. Frey, Ovie, Juniper, and Runa are the Boneless Mercies—girls hired to kill quickly, quietly, and mercifully. But Frey is weary of the death trade and, having been raised on the heroic sagas of her people, dreams of a bigger life.  When she hears of an unstoppable monster ravaging a nearby town, Frey decides this is the Mercies' one chance out. The fame and fortune of bringing down such a beast would ensure a new future for all the Mercies. In fact, her actions may change the story arc of women everywhere.

This book was a really solid meh for me. I had heard some mixed reviews but my friend Michelle who never reads fantasy actually liked it so when I needed something new to read I let Twitter decide and this one was the winner. But, I just don’t think it was my kind of read.

For one thing, this is a character driven fantasy. Much of the book is about the characters hunt for glory and then deciding where they should go and what they should do to fight for themselves and for others. A lot of people love that sort of thing but I do not. I don’t like travel and only in rare cases do I like when the characters drive the plot. This was not one of those cases. It felt like an incredibly slow read for me. Now don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of fights and pretty high stakes but it felt like I had to wait entirely too long to get to those parts. The book definitely built to an exciting climax but by that point I was just skimming to get to the battle scenes.

I’m also surprised that I didn’t like the characters more than I did. A band of female assassin’s! How could they be anything but amazing. And yeah, they were pretty badass. And yes, they kicked ass and took names. And the sisterhood and teamwork between them and some of the other female characters we meet along the way was amazing. But as individuals I just didn’t connect with them. I didn’t feel why Frey wanted glory. Hell, I even forgot her name at one point in the book. If you are going to have a character-driven novel to enjoy it, you really have to enjoy the characters and I didn’t.

On thing I did love however was the world. It’s a really atmospheric world that is perfect for the fall. Tucholke’s writing pulls you in and the locations come to life in your mind. I could perfectly picture the sea breezes and the witches that inhabited their shore. I could see the fields of reads and the women who lived and wrecked havoc among them. I could see the monsters and creatures that inhabited the woods and mountains. It is one of those fantasies that is visually beautiful. The world is inspired by Scandinavian culture and myth and that’s a setting I really enjoy so this book really checked all the boxes in that respect.

The other really interesting thing about this book is that it is a Beowulf retelling. A genderbent Beowulf retelling. I love a genderbent retelling. However, I have not read Beowulf so I can’t really speak to the book on that level. I’m curious what fans of the epic poem think about this book. It did kind of make me want to read that, so I guess that is something.

All in all, this was only an okay book for me. I loved the world but I found the plot a little too slow and I didn’t connect with the characters, which made the book all the more challenging because it’s a character-driven narrative.

I give Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. Maybe this is just a book for people who aren’t big fantasy fans, or maybe it is a book for people who like a slower more atmospheric read. I know some people really liked it so it is probably just one of those hit or miss kind of reads.

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

Review: Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake

Title: Two Dark Reigns Series: Three Dark Crowns #3 Written by: Kendare Blake Published: September 4, 2018 by HarperTeen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake returns with the highly anticipated third book in the Three Dark Crowns series! And while Arsinoe, Mirabella, and Katharine all have their own scores to settle, they aren’t the only queens stirring things up on Fennbirn Island. Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne. Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her rotting, bony finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn.   Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.  This is an uprising that the mysterious Blue Queen may have more to do with than anyone could have guessed—or expected.

This series keeps getting better and better. I had read the first book when it came out two years ago but I kind of wanted to wait until the series was complete until I finished it. But I am so glad I didn't wait all that long and that I took the time to get caught up because this book was such a great dark fantasy perfect for this time year.

You all know me, I need a strong plot to enjoy a book and the plot here was really fantastic. The stakes in the series have always been incredibly high and with the way that the last book ended I kind of worried that wouldn't be the case here but Kendare put me at ease pretty quickly into the book. This was a book full of surprises, action, and plenty of magic. The rebellion angle added even more depth and action to the story. There are a lot of angles and plot lines to this book and I wasn't sure that would all connect but in the end they did. They connected in a big way that had me on the edge of my seat totally enthralled. And that ending! Damn, Kendare. You are amazing and terrible with these cliffhangers. I can't believe I have to wait a whole year for the next book.

But the plot of this book was probably so good because it was tied to the world, which I really love. First and foremost you have the political intrigue. The overarching plot of this series has always been about the battle for the crown and the scheming and plotting didn't end in this book. I really enjoy the direction it is all going in too, the rebellion of the people against the crown and the old ways is a great thing to explore and this book did it so well. Although that might be because I wholeheartedly support Jules. She has always been my favorite character. But seriously, this book does a great job of drawing you in with its world.

The amazing world of this series goes beyond that too. It is such a fascinating  setting and Kendare does a great job of drawing you in with the magic and history of Fennbirn. It's honestly everything that I love about fantasy. First there is a cool magical system that is kind of elemental but more complicated than that. In this book we learned even more about the magic of the island as the book explored some of the queens from history. We also were taken beyond the island and saw what happens to the characters magic on the mainland. I love how the world is expanding and we are learning more about it over time.

However, one of the reasons I keep reading this series is the characters. In the first book, I have to be honest, all the characters kind of blended together. Even the queens seemed so similar to me. But after three books they are all so different and complex. All the characters have had such great development throughout the series. Each of them is exploring the idea of power and whether or not it is good for them or for others if they have the power, and I mean this in the sense of both magic and control of people and the island. It made for great character development and I am loving getting to see each of them respond so differently. But my favorite is still Jules. I am completely Team Jules and seeing her become the reluctant leader of the rebellion is everything I hoped it would be and more.

Seriosuly, this was a really amazing read. I am thoroughly enjoying this series. It has a thrilling plot full of action and surprises, a world of magic and political intrigue, and complex characters with great development. I seriously need the final book in the series. I know it will wreck me though! I am deeply invested in it now.

I give Two Dark Reign by Kendare Blake 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you are a fan of YA fantasies and like them more on the dark side then this is definitely the series for you. It feeling more and more like a classic sword and sorcery and I am really loving it.

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

Review: Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

Title: Give the Dark My Love Series: Give the Dark My Love #1 Written by: Beth Revis Published: September 25, 2018 by Razorbill (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind: learn the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island's wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn't quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen, who all look down on her.  All, except for Greggori "Grey" Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that's for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and it's making its way toward the cities. With her family's life--and the lives of all of Lunar Island's citizens--on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague.  Grey and Nedra continue to grow closer, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy's most dangerous corners--and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.

*** I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review at ALA. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I really enjoyed this book. I had picked a copy up at ALA and when I saw some really good reviews, I decided to give it a try. I read the first chapter as I was trying to decide what to read next and it immediately hooked me and I wanted to find out what happened next.

I think what interested me most about this book was the world building. First we have a book about necromancy. I have read a few books which dealt with thew subject and this was one of my favorites. I think the author did a great job of creating the magical system. I prefer my magic to have clear rules and that was the case with this book. There were specific things you needed in order to preform necromancy and you needed to do certain things t make it happen. Plus I really like that it was rooted in alchemy. As a magical system that in and of itself was interesting and engaging so adding a darker more sinister level to it had me totally fascinated.

The other thing I liked about this book was the political aspect. One of the things that I love about fantasy is that it often addresses the idea of power and control. Give the Dark My Love had that fantastic undercurrent. Some of my favorite quotes in this book were with the characters discussing oppression and the realities of what that means for both those in power and those they are controlling. There were some interesting aspects of Grey's storyline that also addressed the idea of political intrigue but I don't think they really delved deep enough into this aspect. I know this is only the first book in a series so maybe the next book will explore this more. I think it has a lot of promise in the politics front.

The other aspect of the story I think has a lot of promise is the character development. Arguably the main character here is Nedra and she is definitely the most fully-formed. I really loved Nedra's growth throughout the story. She starts as almost this naive idealist and by the end of the book she is essentially this powerful dark witch. In that respect this book is kind of a villain origin story. I am all for villain origin stories especially if they are with characters who you see fall down the path after some devastating experiences. For me I think Nedra was definitely justified in her action so far but in the next book I think she is going to be even darker and I am here for it.

However, the character who I think could have used more though is Grey. I think Grey just wasn't as fleshed-out for me. He was interesting enough and I liked the direction his story took but it never really seemed like he engaged with anything. He was just around as a vessel for the story, not the actual story itself. In the future books if he has more of an active role I think he will definitely be a better and more complex character.

But maybe  my feelings for Grey were clouded by my feelings about the romance. Surprise, surprise, I didn't like the romance in a book. To me the romance felt like it just happened so suddenly. The went from being classmates who barely knew each other to in a relationship. It's not that it felt forced, it just sort of felt unnecessary. But I think all romance is unnecessary. I don't think the narrative and the characters connection was that much more improved by them being romantically involved instead of them just being friends. But that's what I feel about every book so I'm not the best judge for this aspect f the story.

I did however really love the plot development of this book. This sis the kind of book that is full of action, mystery, and very high stakes. I thought the plague narrative was really engaging. It made for a story that had huge consequences not only for the characters but the world that they inhabited. I was very interested in finding out what was the cause of the disease and seeing the characters figure out how to stop it. I also think Revis did a great job with who the ultimate antagonist was. I thought I had it figured out after ignoring the red herrings and in the end she proved me wrong. And I was so mad that I didn't figure it out because the clues were there the whole time.

All in all, I think Give the Dark My Love was a fantastic dark YA fantasy. The world was engaging and the magical system was fascinating, the characters had good development and the plot had me guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed it and I am excited to see where the story goes.

I give Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I really liked this book. It's a great dark fantasy that I think is a good start to an interesting series. I would maybe suggest waiting until there are more books out though and marathoning it. It's not that there is a cliffhanger I just think it will be better if you read the books back to back.

Have you read Give the Dark My Love? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!