This was really good, almost 5 stars. It's written beautifully. My books app is full of quotes.
Dimitri Alexeyev used to be the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo. This was really good, almost 5 stars. It's written beautifully. My books app is full of quotes.
Dimitri Alexeyev used to be the Tzar of Novo-Svitsevo. Now, he is merely a broken man, languishing in exile after losing a devastating civil war instigated by his estranged husband, Alexey Balakin. In hiding with what remains of his court, Dimitri and his spymaster, Vasily Sokolov, engineer a dangerous ruse. Vasily will sneak into Alexey’s court under a false identity to gather information, paving the way for the usurper’s downfall, while Dimitri finds a way to kill him for good.
I loved the dark side of it, so mostly Alexey's perspective. He has died and resurrected himself in an immortal body and now claims he is guided by the voice of God Himself. He is able to summon demons and wants to build an army of them. Demons that he wants to control.
I rarely read MtoM books, but this I believe was well written in that sense. Although there is a toxic part, their process of getting through and finding someone better was done in a sensible manner.
There is also quite a lot happening plot wise, so I was very engaged in what was happening.
All in all, it's a great story.
"Annika raised her teacup, and Mischa and Ladushka followed suit. "If I die first," Annika said. "I'll tell you the secrets of heaven," Dimitri finished and drank. "Because you are my court, and my friends, and my family. Because you are the ones who never wavered, who pulled me back from the brink even when I was trying to gather up the courage to fling myself off the damned roof." He drained the last of his tea. "And for that, I will always be grateful."...more
I don't think the author's writing style is for me.
The story is about two siblings and their heartwarming connection. During the Great War, Freddie IvI don't think the author's writing style is for me.
The story is about two siblings and their heartwarming connection. During the Great War, Freddie Ivan goes through horrifying moments and ends up with an unexpected war companion. They will try to find safety in a place of so much violence. His sister, Laura Iven, was a field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now, receiving some disturbing news about her brother, she intends to volunteer again and go find Freddie.
Freddie and Laura's journey is a hallucinating one, as there is another person involved, a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.
The story was quite interesting, nicely structured with enough information to understand what's happening, but still leaving a fantastical mistery around everything that was happening. I enjoyed reading about Laura and Freddy, being part of their search.
My only problem was the writing style. Just like the trilogy, it was too poetic and detailed. And although it's short, I've lost my patience with the writing somewhere in the middle. I don't think I'll be curious to see how the author's next book will be. ...more
The plot is simple and boring, I was only interested in the mystery created around the breaking of the magic1.5
Unfortunately, I didn't like this book.
The plot is simple and boring, I was only interested in the mystery created around the breaking of the magic mirror which allows for the gods and their heralds to walk between their world and the mortal one.
The idea is interesting, creating these season gods to control the weather and allowing the changing from one season to another - from one god to another. Yeah, cool. But even this part was so poorly developed. Autumn is a God, and still, he's like a lost boy, I didn't feel at all that he might be a powerful character. Yesh, that's left to his Herald, Tirne... ...more
This was Owlcrate's pick for December 2023 and I honestly didn't know what to think about it before reading it. I read the description beforehand, notThis was Owlcrate's pick for December 2023 and I honestly didn't know what to think about it before reading it. I read the description beforehand, not sure I would like it. Boy, was I wrong!?
First off, it's an adult romance fantasy, or at least this is how it's pitched. But, of course, I read it like YA :)) Yes, it didn't feel like adult, and I had no issues with that. Which could only mean that the writing is very, very good. And it was. Captivating from start to end.
The romance part was quite ok. As one of them is vampire and the other human, I understood their frustrations and differences, their thirst for power, and a better life. There was also one spicy scene done well and the way that everything was laid down in the end... I will definitely continue the series!
“Let me make you the queen that you are. Let me guard your body, your soul, your heart. Let me spend the rest of my fucking pathetic life at your mercy. If I need to die, then let me do it by your hand. Please.”...more
When I read a romance story that involves time travel, I'm never bored. This novel did it so well, quite an intrigu4.5
This was such a beautiful story!
When I read a romance story that involves time travel, I'm never bored. This novel did it so well, quite an intriguing and complex plot. Or at least this part was much more developed than I thought it would be. And it made the journey more enjoyable.
I liked almost everything about the story apart from a portion that was a bit slow and felt the boredom increase :)) But it didn't last long and picked up the pace.
The writing was lyrical and beautiful, showing very well the struggles of June in such a different time. And I loved the love story, how it all unraveled slowly.
“I had only one ambition in my simply built life, and that was to be sure the Farrow curse would end with me. It was as good a place as any to end a story. I wasn't the first Farrow, but I would be the last.”...more
I loved this book so much that it's hard to find the right words to say something about it. Like anything I think about is not good enough.
When I'm swI loved this book so much that it's hard to find the right words to say something about it. Like anything I think about is not good enough.
When I'm swooped in from the first pages I know I've found that perfect novel and I'll read slowly and carefully, enjoying every moment. I'm so glad it was the case for Masters of Death as it was also my first Owlcrate Adult Fantasy book box so it's double the happiness!
Now, I could leave it at just saying that I loved absolutely everything about this book but in case this is not enough, I'll leave below the why.
1. Characters. Amazingly created, just perfect for this plot and fantastical world. Witty and funny but also cunning and hurtful. From humans to ghosts, reapers or angels. 2. Plot. Cleverly thought, starting with a mysterious ghost and getting to a more complex development which I found extremely interesting. 3.Writing style. I've read before The Atlas Six from the author and I liked it but something was off with the writing, I've felt it a bit pretentious - but still a great book. For 'Masters of Death' the writing was better, it had a natural flow, I couldn't get enough of it.
Loved it!
"Love is a rather mortal concept [...] Don't you think? It can be born; it cannot exist alone; it can die. Love itself, then, is mortal, and thus not within either of our realms."...more