3.5 I love you and hate you all at the same time stars
I'm really torn on this series. On the one hand it is really readable. On the other hand the rea3.5 I love you and hate you all at the same time stars
I'm really torn on this series. On the one hand it is really readable. On the other hand the reader is sometimes asked to accept stuff, just cuz, and Violet the MC occasionally is just remarkably dumb. So much so that I almost didn't make it past the first 100 pages because I was irritated with her.
Violet has just found out (spoiler for Fourth Wing) (view spoiler)[Xaden is part of the resistance and didn't tell Violet the secret of the resistance. Including but not limited to the fact her brother is still alive (hide spoiler)], and she throws this big fit over it. To her it is just a huge betrayal that she wasn't trusted with the secrets. Which I found utterly ridiculous since one, they weren't just Xaden's secrets and two Violet's mother is the General so why would you give her information like that.
“Stop bringing logic into an emotional argument.”
But it seems there needed to be some extra drama or tension between the love interest so we had to deal with this manufactured drama...ugh. But once we got over that eye rolling nonsense there was some really cool fighting and war stuff going on. Xaden and Violet have to deal with being separated at times to since Xaden has graduated and is part of the war while Violet is just in her second year.
“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.”
I think what really sells the series for me so far is wanting to know more about the Dragons and the Empyrean. I love how the bonding works and I'm usually a fan of the fated mates tropes so a lot of that is working for me. Tairn is a fantastic character and I enjoy his viciousness in the protection of Violet and Andarna. Andarna's transformation from a feather tail into the color she will be as an adult and her "teenage" years are pretty funny at times and eye rolling at other times. There really was no in between.
A few items to put in the plus column for this book is the expansion of the world building. We get a clear view of who the enemy is and what they are capable of. Character development, when Violet isn't being completely stupid over some stupid secrets, she becomes a bad ass in some other ways. Introduction of the infantry and their roles in the war along with the Griffin's and some of their riders. I liked learning more about the greater world outside of the school for dragon riders. Development of the General and Violet's relationship as well gave the reader some deeper insight to the actions of the general and a very touching moment at one point in the book. I enjoyed learning more about the scribes lives as well and the true reasons why the general sent Violet to threshing.
The stakes are higher and the rebellion/revolution is on. Violet is put through some incredibly difficult situations and targeted not just because of who her mother is but also because she and Xaden are an item. Delving into Xaden's origin story and the burden placed on him to protect all of the children from the rebellion what a huge addition to the overall story.
A few of the items in the minus column are Violets "I need to know all the secrets" mentality. It was really tiresome. The continued schooling that killed off rider after rider. So many deaths that felt hollow. The length of the book. It is almost 40% longer than the first book. I think there were some things that could have been streamlined. It almost felt like 2 separate books.
The ending had a very nice twist that I should have seen coming but didn't. It will be interesting to see what comes of it in the next book. While I saw most of the twists coming the one involving Xaden at the end I did not, so well done there Ms. Yaros.
Overall, I can see why so many people seem to like this series. I will continue on but hope that some of the manufactured tension is more believable and that we get a look at the dragon culture and how the Empyrean really works. Dragon politics, I want more.
Narration:
Well this is a full cast and that just adds to ever enjoyment factor for this series. Sometimes the special effects in the background can get a little overpowering. Especially in the middle of battles. But overall having different actors for all the main voices adds so much to the overall impact of the narration. Graphic Audio always does a great job with all of their adaptations and this one is no different....more
This is a fun series, if you don't think about it too much. It is a little formulaic in it's structure and I'm okay with that 3.5 Gobble Them Up Stars
This is a fun series, if you don't think about it too much. It is a little formulaic in it's structure and I'm okay with that since I have a really good time in the story and get a few really good laughs in.
Jacinta and crew are at it again and waiting for a Mage to show up. Jess put out a magical call in the last book in the last book, but some of the candidates just didn't pass muster. In true Ivy House fashion though they made a fun game of it and those that don't pass get a funny rejection.
Will we wait for the big bag battle to go down at the end Jess get's a little time with her son, who takes the news of her windfall fortune and magic much better than Jessie's parents did. We get some sweet moments and then some pretty funny ones as Mr. Tom tries to put together an Easter Egg hunt. Dicks and Janes are so strange in some of their customs it seems, but it does make for some hilarious moments as Mr. Tom tries to decipher traditions to make this a memorable trip for Jessie's kid.
Lot's of movement on the relationship front, which shouldn't be a surprise due to the title. However, it seems that it is going to be dragged out a little farther as our couple tries to figure out what mating really means and how it works. Austin might just be a little too perfect. He says all the right things at the right times and fights fiercely for Jessie. It is refreshing that we have more situational drama than emotional drama in the series.
We get four new potential members to the Council at Ivy house and they are some powerhouses. Besides the mage Sebastian we really don't get a lot of time with any of the new additions to the air team to care about them yet. However, I did like Sebastian and the page time we got with him. I guessed the plot twist there early on, but it was still enjoyable and I look forward to seeing dividends from that in future books.
“All animals and people have the innate, primal ability to sense danger. It’s built into us. Women have to listen to it more than men because you are so often prey.”
Overall this isn't a serious series. It is a light quick read and I use them for pallet cleansers between some of my more substantive reads.
Narration:
I listened to the Graphic Audio Version of the story. I love the full cast for the performance as I think it adds to the humor of the series and makes the some of the situational comedy just that much more entertaining. ...more
I have very conflicted feelings about this book. One one hand the overall story is really good. There is a great tradition and history to Kaigen that I have very conflicted feelings about this book. One one hand the overall story is really good. There is a great tradition and history to Kaigen that I loved learning about. The main characters were complex and showed so much growth I wasn't expecting. For those reasons I would recommend this book.
“Wholeness, she had learned, was not the absence of pain but the ability to hold it.”
The Sword of Kaigen reminded me of a Samurai type culture with the addition of some magic. The families that live there have a long tradition of fighting for the Empire against it's enemies. They are the wall the enemy crashes against and have held back the tides of war for a long time. So long that most have forgotten the power of the families there.
Misaki, was once a fighter when she was away at school. She loved it, was great at it and gave it up to be a wife and have a family. She married Takashi, one of the greatest swordmasters of all time, who can make a blade of ice sharper than and man made blade. When we first meet her she is unhappy and a shadow of the woman she could be. The reader follows her on her journey to reclaim the power she set down and find a path to a kind of happiness that walks through so many tragedies.
This was a hard read for me. The Ranganese invade Kaigen and the atrocities are what you would expect in an invasion. It was so heavy and sad and places that multiple times I set down the book and didn't pick it back up for a few days to clear my head. There are so many losses and some hit extremely hard, that I wasn't sure I wanted to continue. I will give it to M.L. Wang that she created characters I really cared about and that made the happenings in the invasion and after all the harder on my summer heart.
“I know you might feel broken, but we’re jijakalu. We’re water, and water can shift to fit any mold. No matter how we’re broken and reshaped, we can always freeze ourselves strong again. It’s not going to happen all at once,” she added. “You have to wait for the turn of the season to see what shape the ice will take, but it will form up, clear and strong. It always does.”
Wang made characters with holes and bad judgement. I was rooting for Misaki to find the warrior she once was and I was not disappointed. Wang also made me care and forgive characters that I didn't think I would. Like most relationship issues there are two sides and no one carries all of the blame. I didn't think I'd come to like Takeru but in the end I loved his character arc. Sometimes you just need a good fight with your spouse to clear the air.
“The Whispering Blade met Misaki’s obsidian sheath and sheared through it. Her eyes went wide, and she smiled—Gods in the Deep, she smiled —a raw, open smile, and it was the most beautiful thing in all the Duna.”
My small issues with the story came after the main battle, the pacing was off and there was a bunch of stuff thrown in about Misaki's past acquaintances/crime fighters and what they are doing now. It seemed like maybe there were other books set in this world that the reader should have been familiar with to understand her past and those characters. I really didn't see any though so it was just some fluff that didn't seem to need to be there. I think Misaki's closure with her past could have flowed a lot better, but my heart was rang out by that point so I might be a little to critical here.
Overall, if you want a story with some bite and can handle the ravages of an invasion this is going to be a great story for you. Filled with character depth and steeped in lore and culture so much of the story was fantastic if brutal.
Narration:
I'm so glad I listened to this book. There are so many Japanese type words and phrases that it was more enjoyable to have someone else decipher them for me. Andrew Tell was fantastic as a narrator. He captured every emotion, every horror and every tenderness so well. He was a new to me narrator but I could see easily why he has over 200 titles to his portfolio. His pacing, emotion and character separation were fantastic.
Performance: ★★★★★ Character Separation: ★★★★★ Diction: ★★★★★ Pacing/Flow: ★★★★★ Sound Effects: limited at the introduction...more
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
Echoes of the Imperium is the first full length novel of the Tales of the Iron Rose.I read the prequel to this series when it was free on the author's website and loved the idea of a series that went out of its way to break some of the common classic fantasy tropes. For instance the Captain of the Iron Rose, might be swash buckling but he is a green goblin and only a swamy five foot tall. While I do highly recommend reading A Matter of Execution, it isn't necessary to join our goblin captain and crew on this adventure.
[image]
William Blair now is a beloved captain of the Iron Rose and her eclectic crew. All of them have a past of some kind, but when you come onboard the Iron Rose, you leave that life behind and you have a chance at a new found family and possibly redemption of a sort. Sailing the skies in a privateering ship Captain Blair and his crew take questionable jobs to make ends meet. Think a little bit Firefly, if it was all on one planet and the crew consisted of a Faery navigator, a granny type that is a hell of a shot, an engineer obsessed with keeping a tea set in one piece and a sixteen year old brought up on mystery novels ready to run cons and outmaneuver the adults. They sail the skies from port to port but this new job might just get everyone on the Iron Rose killed and Captain Blair could be in over his head.
“Miss Hawkins,” I said, “I am used to being the biggest troublemaker in town. I’m not certain I like the suggestion that you’re about to outdo me.”
This is a world where the mortals were used to fight a war for the Seelie against the Unseelie breaching through into this world. Twenty years ago that war was brought to a halt when a rebellion broke out and the Imperium was destroyed. The members aboard Captain Blair's ship are from all sides of that conflict and have found a peace and a way to coexist. The story is told mostly from Captain Blair's PoV in present and past as we learn how that fateful day 20 years ago ruined the Imperium. Years later and there is evidence the Unseelie have breached into this world. Captain Blair will revisit some of the atrocities the Imperium committed and find a way to keep the Imperium from returning from the ashes to conscript the unwilling into a new war.
I had a great time with this story. I like that all the characters in the ship are different and have interesting character development to make them three dimensional. Syrene is Fae and I think the author did a fantastic job of showing us how 'other' she is; in her demeaner, her emotions, the way she moved and her appearance. I enjoyed the worldbuilding as well and how aether powers ships and can be harnessed as a weapon too. The fights and flights were entertaining and nail biting at times, without going on so long that I lost focus.
Overall I am enjoying this series and how much fun the authors seem to be having with it. I recommend it to people who enjoyed Firefly, Treasure planet and the new Star Wars movies.
“Everything matters, Wil,” Evie told me. “But I don’t think penance is about fixing things. I think… it’s about…” There was a strange conviction in his dark eyes now, though he struggled to find the words to convey what he was thinking. “It’s about becoming the sort of person who would never make that mistake again. It’s about caring so much that you have to fix all of the little cruelties that you can. Until it’s the most natural thing in the world to you.”
Hell of a Witch, the second book of the Tear Down Heaven series, picks up a month after the event in Hell for Hire. It has a slow burn romance, underdHell of a Witch, the second book of the Tear Down Heaven series, picks up a month after the event in Hell for Hire. It has a slow burn romance, underdog fight against the big bad and a found family that is amazing. The Queen of Wrath is out to thwart the Princes of Heaven and while you might think we would be on the Prince’s side we definitely are not since they, and their master, took over heaven millennia ago and our Heroine is trying to save her people, rescue her sisters and take down the wizard that tore down heaven.
Bex, Demon Queen of Wrath, finally has enough allies to try and do something big in the resistance against Gilgamesh. Adrian has come up with a plan to deal a devastating blow to the all powerful wizard. With some of the coolest witchy tricks I’ve read about, he and Bex sneak into the heart of enemy territory to see what they can learn about one of the anchors to Heaven. However, when things don’t go quite right it puts a huge strain on their budding relationship. Bex must make some difficult choices between being a Queen and head of a rebellion or the personal wants she has in her life. It doesn’t help that her ring/sword, Drox, is talking in her head and only cares about fighting.
Rachel Aaron has come up with a fantastically interesting and original world, with a extraordinary backstory. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like this and love the world she has created. Hell of a Witch is more action packed and faster paced than Hell for Hire and also sprinkles in more worldbuilding and backstory to flesh out the characters and the world. I enjoyed how the reader is fed some of the information and shown some of the concepts that help make this story feel like a real place. Bex and Adrian both shine in this book, but Adrian stole the show a little with his potential parentage reveal and new dealings with a pretty powerful crow.
I love found families and Bex has a great one with the core group of demons who follow her. Nemini, a void demon, is hilarious to me when she is one the page. Her quips and dialogue remind me of the sad robot in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Having a lust demon and a war demon on your side doesn’t hurt either. They didn’t quite as much page time as Adrian and his feline familiar were the stars of the book. But they brought some good comic relief and badass fighting skills to the story.
Overall this is an entertaining a easy read and great for when you want a slow burn romance and a fight against all the odds.
“But I’m happy to hear you say we’re friends. I was worried you only stuck with me out of pity.” Nemini looked as close to insulted as Bex had ever seen. “How could you doubt? We value each other’s well being despite knowing that life is meaningless and everything will well end. There is no name for that folly other than friendship.”
Narration: Nicholas Cain is a solid narrator. He captured Adrian and Bex well in the story and I was able to distinguish the other characters well throughout. His voice worked for an unusual witch of the body and he added some mystical charm to Adrian’s character. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Performance: ★★★ Character Separation: ★★★★ Diction: ★★★★ Pacing/Flow: ★★★★ Sound Effects: limited at the introduction...more
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Tide of Black Steel is the first book in the new Age of Wrath series by Anthony Ryan. Based in Norse mythology with Vikings type seafaring peoples, I enjoyed the start and set up of what is going to be an epic journey. A Tide of Black Steel is set in the same world as the Covenant of Steelseries decades later. I have not read the other series and don't think you need to in order to enjoy this one, but I'm now interested in checking it out as well.
I enjoyed one of Anthony Ryan's other series, Raven's Shadow and so I was eager to see what he would come up with in this new series with a background of Norse lore to it. With the multiple PoVs, we travel through a land ruled by the Three Queens as a new foe from beyond the fire Islands has come to rage war and enslave an entire people.
Ruhlin is a prisoner, stolen from one of the Islands after everyone else was slaughtered. He showed during the invasion what a great fighter he was and how his blood was special. We learn about the people in the lands past the fire Island as he learns what is to be expected of him at an upcoming celebration, where he will be pitted against others in gladiator style fights. As he makes some alliances with some of his fellow prisoners, he will try to find a way to escape their fates.
A scribe, Elvine, taught by her mother will find that she will play a role she never intended when she is brought into one of the Queen's service. Her knowledge of languages will send her on a treasure hunt of sorts, starting with a map on a crazy man's back.
It was Martyr Sihlda Doisselle herself who said this of truth: ‘It is as malleable as clay for the faithless, but hard and unyielding as stone for the faithful.’
The two other PoVs come from a siblings Felnir and Thera. One a captain and outcast with a crew built of former criminals and the other is the saint of the Queen of Justice and her right hand. They have an intense sibling rivalry going as each tries to best the other under the machinations of their grandfather. The one other thing that has pitted them against each other all these years just happens to be a woman who chose a life with Felnir over Thera.
What a great adventure. A treasure hunt, a fight against a new foe, a stuggle for survival against all odds. There were so many thing that set this story up for success in my eyes. Characters with some unusual talents, a history that is unveiled slowly and then don't forget the betrayals that come that will knock your socks off. A Tide of Black Steel was a great set up to what will surely be an epic story. I adored all the characters for different reasons and while some might be a little naive, I think that will change with all the adventures they have seen in this story.
If you have been a fan of Ryan's writing in the past or you just like epic Viking-esk adventures, there should be something in this book for you.
There are no coincidences. Just threads not yet revealed as part of the same web.
Part-Time Gods is the follow up book to Minimum Wage Magic, which was storage wars in a magic cThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Part-Time Gods is the follow up book to Minimum Wage Magic, which was storage wars in a magic city where someone seemed bent on killing the main character. This DFZ series is set in the same world as the Heartstrikers series, after the events of the last book. You don’t have to have read the Heartstrikers series to enjoy time in the Detroit Free Zone (DFZ), but it is great to see some cameos of characters I liked from that series *cough* Bob *cough* and see what the mortal spirits are up to.
“You—you mean you weren’t sent to save me?” “Sorry to bruise your ego, but I’m not actually entirely sure who you are,” the dragon said cheerfully. “I was just cutting through because the vending machine in the employee lounge next door is the only one in the building that sells the right brand of sunflower seeds. I keep telling my brother to stock more, but he’s all ‘Bob, you are the greatest, most powerful, most handsome dragon in the world! Go buy your own sunflower seeds!’ Can you believe it?”
One of the coolest things about this series is the setting. The DFZ is a city run by a magical God, it has buildings that move and change. If you default on your rent, then your place goes on the auction block, for someone like Opal and her newly acquired partner, Nick, bid on it against others, for the opportunity to make money on anything left inside and clean it up for the city to rent out again.
Opal has a few problems in her life right now. She tried to outwit a dragon, who just happened to be her father (long story) and ended up with a huge loan to pay off to him. She was doing really good at it too until said Dragon put a curse on her to make it even harder for her to make the money to pay him back. Dragons. Now with the help of Nick, a cybernetically enhanced human with a questionable past, Opal is trying to find a way to not default on her load so she can be free from under anyone’s control.
What was I supposed to tell him? That I’d gone on a journey of self-discovery through a never-ending forest and received a magical potato from a dead Shaman who was also a satellite body for the god of the DFZ? Even I thought that story sounded fishy, and I’d been there.
I do like Opal for the most part. She has a lot of magical power potential and has tried her entire life to do anything with it but unfortunately most of the time it just ends up blowing up in her face. Girl also has some HUGE daddy issues, probably to be expected when you know you were named Opal because you are seen by your father as
a pretty stone of little worth
. Opal has a huge chip on her shoulder and she is going to prove to everyone that she can do it all on her own.
What in the world did you do to make Yong so mad? The Dragon of Korea normally loves mortals. Seriously, last I heard, he had two hundred of you death-bound critters scampering around his lair! That’s the dragon equivalent of being a crazy cat lady, you know.”
Opal has a lot of things to overcome in this book and her own stubbornness might be one of them. Growing up with a Dragon as a father, I can see how/why Opal has such a huge stubborn streak, but it definitely isn’t helping her in a few instances in this book. Seriously she paints herself in some huge corners and it got a little frustrating.
Good news is there is a smidgen of a romance happening between Opal and Nick. It has a few kinks in it but I liked the start up of a possible relationship between them. We also get some time talking with the Spirit of the City and we get to see some of the motivations of a god walking among the people.
The downfall is this story doesn’t wrap up at the end, we are left with a bit of a cliffhanger and will have to wait until the next book to see how all of the events play out.
I enjoyed Minimum Wage Magic just a little more than Part-Time Gods, just because of the situation Opal was in, how laser focused she was on the tree she missed the forest. Still a lot of things happened and I have some big hopes for the next installment.
Narration: Emily Woo Zeller did a great job with Opal and the rest of the cast. I really liked her portrayal of the story and she lent some authenticity to Opal’s Korean heritage. I liked her enough to look up her catalog of work to see what else she has done. I look forward to listening to her narration of The Bride Test and The Poppy War as I’ve already got those in my library.
Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of mThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I don’t know what is going on…recently it seems like I’ve found a few more books that have angel/demon dynamics in them. I won’t say that Celestial Academy: Essence the first book in the Afterworld series has large religious intonations, because it definitely does not. It is more like various teams playing on the court. You have team Angels, they appear to be the upper crust of society now and make many of the rules in the human world. Then there is team demons who tend to run some of the shadier happenings in this world. There are also some fey, vampires, shifters, goblins and other supernaturals hanging out too. Then there is the bottom of the food chain so to speak, the humans. Most are sold into slavery to Angels, demons or others. They have been since the world was lost in the magical war twenty-ish years ago. This is the story of one of those Humans, Wen.
Wen, well what can I say I loved her from the beginning. She has sass, an unusual talent, a really high threshold to pain, a mouth that runs away with her when it should just shut up and a propensity to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Owned by a demon she is doing everything to get out of his clutches along with her best friend and roommate Sarah. Wen will do whatever it takes, even if that means selling Angel Essence (something only she seems able to collect) to earn the money needed to buy their freedom. After she is busted by Godrick one of the Nephilim, whom she dubs Angelhole (see sassy), she is swept away to the Celestial school to be trained by none other than the sexy half angel she just can’t help antagonizing. As Godrick tries to whip her into shape, Wen just tries to stay alive in this magical school that seems to want her dead.
There are fights and challenges to move to the next level. Wen, will have a shot to learn what she is capable of and possibly a little bit into the question of who/what she really is. With her bff Sarah also at the school, at least she has one ally.
I hear this is like Zodiac Academy (ZA), but I haven’t read that series yet and so cannot comment on the similarities. Still that said now I want to jump into ZA as well. I always enjoy the magical school set up. Wen is roommate with four other women of various background and the five of them make up one team. They are supposed to learn how to work together to pass the tests coming at them. A little had to do with a demoness, a fey, a paltry human, a Nephilim and whatever Wen is. It was also nice that all the characters are around twenty so them lusting a little here and there felt slightly more mature and less icky. The romance aspect of the story is a really slow burn. The forced proximity wore Godrick down as Wen is likeable overall and her needling of him turned from aggravating to flirtatious. It is a fun relationship to watch.
Come back to me - always
I’m really excited to see what is in story for the characters of this story in the next book. The ending wasn’t a cliff hanger, but the author definitively gave us a tease and dropped a little bomb to get the reader really excited to see where the next story is going to go.
"The world humans knew did end, if not in the way we thought it would. It’s now a whole new world – Afterworld – because of one tiny difference. We now have Hell – and Heaven – on Earth.”
Narration: I have listened to a few other books that Amanda Leigh Cobb has narrated. I think she is a good pick for this series as it is through Wen's PoV and Amanda delivers Wen's humor and snark really well. She brings out both the tough and the vulnerable sides of the main character while not diminishing the performances of the other characters. I enjoyed her performance of the novel and believe it added to my overall enjoyment of the book. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Dragon in Winter is the final book in the Kagen the Damnedseries. Like the endings to most epic grimdark fantasies we don't wrap everything in tidy little bows and happy endings. But we do get an ending and I will say overall it is a satisfying conclusion to this journey.
“We’re all pretending to be heroes, dear heart,” she observed. “Everyone is looking to us now, so we had better play the parts assigned to us.”
Mayberry did a great job of moving the story and keeping a lot of tension happening throughout. A lot of the chapters are really short, pivoting the reader between multiple PoVs quickly to keep the momentum of the story going until the last battle fought at the end. We, the reader, get to view this story through a lot of different character's eyes and it really helped with the pacing and the overall knowledge the reader is privy to, even when other characters are not. Even so, there were still a few surprises to be had along the way as scripts were flipped and various revelations made.
The veils between the worlds are blurring and Kagen is one that can see between them sometimes. Loved by a faery, he has some protections that help to carry him through the story. Maralina, will do what she can to help the mortal man who chained her heart to him. They are doomed and we know it, but I really longed to see Kagen and Maralina reunited sometime in this story.
There is so much going on though out the story. Kagen's brothers are traveling to the North looking for a lost brother and the last dragon in this world, Fabeldyr. The dragon brought magic to this world and her death will also be the death of all magic, she must be saved. The Witch King is gathering his strength and followers for a ceremony and transformation into a demigod. Kagen will need to defeat him before the ritual or all is lost. Alliances are made and the kingdoms will choose sides for the war of all wars.
“By the cast-iron balls of the god of blacksmiths,” growled Tuke. “That was a flag of truce. He came over to parlay”
“I know,” said Kagen, his voice as cold as winter ice. “But I came here to start a war.”
So many of the characters had parts to play in the bigger story. The Widow finally starts to show what she has become and how she will contribute to the war. Tuke and Filia are really the best friends Kagen could possibly have. I like how they keep him human and Tuke's various references to different gods balls were some of my favorite lines in the book. Jheklan and Faulker had one of the arcs that was the most interesting to me as I was really excited to get to the ice caves and see the dragon.
The Witch King is a fantastic bad guy. He was so easy to hate for so many reasons. The twist with him was both surprising and not surprising when it came. I had suspected for most of the book what the twist would be. The cost of magic was high and that was never sugar coated in our scenes with him. The Witch King was smart, ruthless and so cruel. But we the reader spend time in his head and so while I wanted him dead for so many reasons, I felt like he was one of he more intricate characters of the story and his chapters were fascinating.
At the end, while most things were wrapped up and this is definitely a concluded story I couldn't help but be disappointed it was over. I want to see where some of my favorite characters were years in the future and new stories made with some of the characters I'd grown to love. I could see Mayberry possibly creating another story in this word, although it is unclear if it will be something he will undertake later.
If you enjoy grimdark epic fantasy, I think this could be a good overall series for you. I enjoyed each book a little more than the last with the building of the characters, the world and the journey....more
3.5 I love you and hate you all at the same time stars
I'm really torn on this series. On the one hand it is really readable. On the other hand the rea3.5 I love you and hate you all at the same time stars
I'm really torn on this series. On the one hand it is really readable. On the other hand the reader is sometimes asked to accept stuff, just cuz, and Violet the MC occasionally is just remarkably dumb. So much so that I almost didn't make it past the first 100 pages because I was irritated with her.
Violet has just found out (spoiler for Fourth Wing) (view spoiler)[Xaden is part of the resistance and didn't tell Violet the secret of the resistance. Including but not limited to the fact her brother is still alive (hide spoiler)], and she throws this big fit over it. To her it is just a huge betrayal that she wasn't trusted with the secrets. Which I found utterly ridiculous since one, they weren't just Xaden's secrets and two Violet's mother is the General so why would you give her information like that.
“Stop bringing logic into an emotional argument.”
But it seems there needed to be some extra drama or tension between the love interest so we had to deal with this manufactured drama...ugh. But once we got over that eye rolling nonsense there was some really cool fighting and war stuff going on. Xaden and Violet have to deal with being separated at times to since Xaden has graduated and is part of the war while Violet is just in her second year.
“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.”
I think what really sells the series for me so far is wanting to know more about the Dragons and the Empyrean. I love how the bonding works and I'm usually a fan of the fated mates tropes so a lot of that is working for me. Tairn is a fantastic character and I enjoy his viciousness in the protection of Violet and Andarna. Andarna's transformation from a feather tail into the color she will be as an adult and her "teenage" years are pretty funny at times and eye rolling at other times. There really was no in between.
A few items to put in the plus column for this book is the expansion of the world building. We get a clear view of who the enemy is and what they are capable of. Character development, when Violet isn't being completely stupid over some stupid secrets, she becomes a bad ass in some other ways. Introduction of the infantry and their roles in the war along with the Griffin's and some of their riders. I liked learning more about the greater world outside of the school for dragon riders. Development of the General and Violet's relationship as well gave the reader some deeper insight to the actions of the general and a very touching moment at one point in the book. I enjoyed learning more about the scribes lives as well and the true reasons why the general sent Violet to threshing.
The stakes are higher and the rebellion/revolution is on. Violet is put through some incredibly difficult situations and targeted not just because of who her mother is but also because she and Xaden are an item. Delving into Xaden's origin story and the burden placed on him to protect all of the children from the rebellion what a huge addition to the overall story.
A few of the items in the minus column are Violets "I need to know all the secrets" mentality. It was really tiresome. The continued schooling that killed off rider after rider. So many deaths that felt hollow. The length of the book. It is almost 40% longer than the first book. I think there were some things that could have been streamlined. It almost felt like 2 separate books.
The ending had a very nice twist that I should have seen coming but didn't. It will be interesting to see what comes of it in the next book. While I saw most of the twists coming the one involving Xaden at the end I did not, so well done there Ms. Yaros.
Overall, I can see why so many people seem to like this series. I will continue on but hope that some of the manufactured tension is more believable and that we get a look at the dragon culture and how the Empyrean really works. Dragon politics, I want more.
Narration:
Well this is a full cast and that just adds to ever enjoyment factor for this series. Sometimes the special effects in the background can get a little overpowering. Especially in the middle of battles. But overall having different actors for all the main voices adds so much to the overall impact of the narration. Graphic Audio always does a great job with all of their adaptations and this one is no different....more
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
The entire Red Winter trilogy all in one great audiobook. This trilogy is steeped in Japanese culture and lore. It follows a young girl, Emi who has always known she would be a vessel for a goddess Amaterasu on earth one day and the sneaky fox she saved who has tricks up his sleeve and secrets in his body and soul. This is a solid Romantasy with a mystery to be unraveled and a forbidden love that just cannot be.
For those of us who are not very familiar with Japanese mythology and lore, this is a great introduction for readers to learn about various types of characters in the mythos and their roles in the supernatural world. From Kami and Yoki to the gods that inhabit vessels on the mortal plain. But most of all the Kitsune, who found a little Miko in the forest and protected her, kicking off the wildest of adventures and eventual love stories.
“Actions change our course, influence our futures, but intentions define us, empower us. Without intent, we are nothing.”
Emi, only has until the solstice before one of the gods ascends and takes her body. She has been sheltered her entire life living with monks and others who keep her safe until that ascension. Meeting Shiro was unexpected and when she asks him for a boon it kicks off an adventure Emi will never be the same after. As they travel to help Emi discover what becomes of her after the ascension of Amaterasu, they pick up probably the crankiest crow Tengu, Lord of Crow and Prince of Shadows to assist with the journey. Shiro has a mystery of his own to solve. Bound by some kind of magic, he has no memories of his previously life. Each layer that Emi is able to remove reveals his past and the creature he was before the curse.
Emi will transform throughout this story from the sheltered girl who is just a vessel for someone else, into a strong fighter and protector tasked with finding and saving the Earthly Gods that have all disappeared. She will need so many new friends from the supernatural world to help in this endeavor and Shiro might play the biggest role or be the key to being able to free them. Both will transform as we learn all the secrets of the kitsune, clever and patient that may just steal Emi's heart and a god's vessel along the way.
There are incredible fights and action. Betrayals and twists. And so many other things that happen throughout this story. Sacrifices and transformations will be made and a woman will lead an army to stop a deity from breaking the world.
This story is for anyone who loves a good longing romance and a great epic journey to save the world. It is a really soft and thorough introduction to Japanese lore for those of us that are newer to the mythos. I was able to understand the fantasy world created and all the players in it. I would say that anyone who is interested into expanding their knowledge base of this culture and the lore of it would find a good read in this story.
“I would have kept you forever, little miko." His words were soft, almost soundless. "I would have taken you with me wherever the tides of time carried us, and I would have loved you until the very end.”
Narration: Emily Woo Zeller is a narrator I have listened to numerous times. She brings a great performance to every narration I have listened to and you can tell she is seasoned in the art of narration. All the voices are clear, I appreciated her diction on words that are not common in the English language and I think it made the story overall easier for me to understand. Especially when Emi cast spells in Japanese. Really a great choice to help carry the story. I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Son of the Poison Rose is the second book in the Grimdark series, Kagen the DamnedThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Son of the Poison Rose is the second book in the Grimdark series, Kagen the Damned. Our story picks up soon after the events of the first book and the thwarted coronation of the Witch King. Kagen, Tuke and Filia are on the run and enemy number ones of the new Yellow Empire. They alone have cast some doubts into the hearts of rulers of the other lands and may be the only reason the Witch King finds himself on the verge of war.
I am going to be one of the few who liked this book more than the first and that is probably because it felt like there was more world and character building moments than in the first book. In Kagen the Damned, I struggled a little because the start of the book was one big battle and then there was Kagen's depression after failing the seedlings and becoming damned. In Son of the Poison Rose, Kagen is still Damned and has a cause to save the two children he saw at the Witch King's palace, two of the seedlings that did survive and the Witch King is pawning them off as his own children. To even hope to win this fight, he will need some new allies and to build an entire army.
With the help of Tuke, Filia and Mother Frey he has a path that might just work, but it means traveling into the treacherous jungles where a race of cannibals live to search for some mystic tombs that may hold the key to the Witch Kings undoing. There will me many trials along the way and some great moments as Kagen becomes 'the hero' of this story. His gods may have turned their back on him but there is something brewing within him and I could see how he was changing from a guy trained to kill and protect, to an actual hero who might be the lynch pin to saving an entire world from the Witch King and his tender mercies.
The Witch King is a cruel master and he proves it ever more in this book. He has called forth beings long asleep to his cause and as they start showing up to the court they bring with them both wonders and horrors. In an attempt to consolidate his power, he will unleash an unspeakable plague on the people to further his ambitions. Using his underlings the Witch King will do horrific things.
Kestral was one of his most prized advisors and underlings. The Witch King has given her a task that is almost impossible and will probably kill her. She is to find Kagen's blood in the hall and create a deadly razor night to hunt him. As she works to her task, we see how it changes a few of the Witch King's other trusted underlings and might sow some distrust as to the safety of their positions too. The arrival of the Prince of Games to court adds all new kinds of trouble as he bring chaos with him where ever he goes.
There are some other small side stories happening. The largest is with Ryssa, grieving the loss of her lover and new initiate into the faith of the Dreaming God. She is becoming something. Named the Widow, she will have a larger part to play in the overall story it seems.
The pacing in Son of the Poison Rose worked better for me since it was a little more steady overall. With the PoV shifts and the format of the chapters, I felt like the book moved along at a good pace while opening up the work even more to the reader and building on the original story. Jonathan Maberry also did a great job of reminding the reader what happened in the first book without doing an official recap. It had been a little over a year and a half since I read it and I was able to be reminded of the most important parts of the first book while staying engrossed in this one.
The cast of characters is large, but each PoV is important to the overall story. I specifically liked the chapters with the Twins in them. Held at the palace, told by the Witch King, he is their father and forced to be other children, I liked their small rebellions and how they are fighting back in their own ways. As the reader seeing all the PoVs helped build all of the characters even more as they are not all good or all bad but just working most of their own agenda's. Lady Kestral, for instance, won my appreciation and her twist was very interesting to the overall scope of the book.
This is going to work well for people who are fans of Grim Dark and complex fantasy novels. There are a lot of moving parts, morally gray characters and interesting plot lines. I'm so excited to actually see the Dragon in the next book and find how our tale will conclude.
Narration: Ray Porter is a fantastic narrator with a huge collection of titles in his catalog. For me he is always a win with a rich voice, fantastic diction and pacing of words along with enough variation on voices to carry a story with this many characters. I've never had a bad experience with any book he has narrated and I think he brings a lot of depth to this role. I'm sure that listening to his performance of the second book added to my enjoyment of the overall story.
Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contenThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Hell for Hire is the first book in a new world and the new series Tear Down Heaven. Don't let the title fool you, for something with heaven and hell in the title this doesn't fall into much religious dogma, but instead makes up a whole new world with its own history and versions of the war between Heaven and Hell. Think of them more like countries or dimensions than actual "good" and "bad".
Bex runs a mercenary crew of cast out demons. Since hell was conquered all demons are bound to warlocks, there are a rare few still free and Bex is determined to keep her crew firmly in the free category. She has picked up a new client and is supposed to spend the next month protecting him while he builds a new witchwood on the West Coast. Thing is, this is going to bring Bex and crew really close to some of the worst warlocks of the bunch. As she protects her new client, it looks like she will set her crew up for a huge fight against some pretty big odds. But they are the best demons out there and will fight tooth and nail for Bex because of who she is.
Adrian Blackwood ran away from his warlock apprenticeship he never wanted but was forced into. He has one goal to start a magical Blackwood forest and he has planned this for a century. One problem, he knows that soon the warlocks he ran from will find him. His only chance is that Bex and her crew buy him the time needed to get his baby forest going and strong enough to keep his enemies out. With the help of his cat familiar, they will get to work and make some friends of the demons hired to protect them.
“Adrian Blackwood, I’ve been your cat since you were seven and your familiar since you were thirteen. When you say ‘I’m worried,’ I know what you actually mean is ‘I’m about to do something colossally stupid,'
I was really engrossed in this story. Rachel Aaron has created a very cool world with an interesting backstory to it. Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh overthrew the kingdoms of Heaven and Hell a thousand years ago. Since then he has set himself up as a god and king. Using warlocks, captured and bound demons, Heaven's Princes and the captured Princesses of Hell to take control of everything and rule the world. As information is teased out about the characters and the world I was more and more drawn into this underdog story. It is Bex and her crew of demons against the former man who overthrew Heaven, then become a god.
There was a great blend of action, intrigue and perhaps a few hints that there might be a romance on the horizon. Hell for Hire had everything I wanted in a first book of a series. The introduction of the characters, set up of the world and lore and a redemption story to get behind. Learning how the crew got their start and Bex's history was quite an interesting journey but I loved how it played into the overall arc of the story. Adrian and his witchwood creation along with how he interacts with his familiar cat added fun to the story and some interesting visions of how the magic systems of this world worked.
I have enjoyed many of Rachel Aaron's other series. This first book in the Tear Down Heaven series is really promising and leads me to believe I'm going to enjoy this story just as much if not more than other series I read in the Heartstrikerworld. This left off in a great place. Not quite a cliffhanger but a place full of suspense so that if the next book was out I'd be ready to jump back in. I was also happy that this never gave me religious dogma vibes ever. I was a bit concerned as I'm not really into current religion in my reading. I think Rachel Aaron did a great job making sure everything seemed like a something in a new fantasy world instead of current religion.
Now you see, Drox said as the flames overwhelmed her. Rage is useless, a knife with no handle that’s as likely to cut yourself as the enemy, but wrath is directed. It has choice, intention.
After reading the Thursday Murder club books, Richard Osman was an autobuy for me and I couldn't wait to jump into his next book/series (although stilAfter reading the Thursday Murder club books, Richard Osman was an autobuy for me and I couldn't wait to jump into his next book/series (although still holding out some hope for some more books in the Thursday Murder Club series). We Solve Murders was both more and less than I expected.
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While we don't get our little mismatched bunch from the prior series we do get some interesting and really quirky characters that have some different relationships. Amy is kinda a mess in her personal life, but her professional life is spot on. As a bodyguard/problem solver for hire she is a badass at the top of her game. She is married but they have a pretty strange relationship that it takes a minute to get used to but I guess it works for them. Amy also inherited a father in law that she shares a penchant for solving crimes with.
Amy has been targeted by someone with some really good connections. They want her dead as it will wrap up in a bow very nicely the money laundering scheme they have going with some internet influencers. The influencers keep ending up dead though and Amy is trying to figure out what that has to do with her.
It just so happens she was guarding Rosie D'Antonio, famous author currently with a hit out on her for using a Russian mob boss in one of her books. She is somewhere between 50-80, so hard to tell, but she has all the vim and vigor or a twenty year old and since she was with Amy during one of the attempts on her life she is off on the ride to solve the mystery with her. These two are hilarious together and I loved Rosie, she is such a fun character.
“Do you know how to pick loc–’ Rosie’s question is interrupted by Amy taking a large rock and smashing one of Scroggie’s back windows. ‘Ah, I see you do.”
Meanwhile Amy reaches out to the one person she can trust for sure, her father in law Steve. Now a widower and retired cop he is reluctant to leave London, I mean there is trivia night at the pub and a cat to take care of. But Amy talks him into jumping on a plane to come assist and we have a great time solving the crimes and dodging various murder attempts.
This was such a fun frenzy of a book with broken characters I couldn't help loving. The pub gang, the competing 'fixer' agencies, the influencers - just all of it was such an interesting read and Richard Osman was able to again drive a story with great characters solving some kind of a mystery that I didn't care as much about because I just wanted to see what crazy thing they did next.
Another win. I would have loved them to run into the Thursday murder club at some point but that would have just been gravy really. I am hoping that we get more time with Amy and her husband Adam in the same place because I'd really love to see what an interaction between them in person looks like.
“Amy smiles. She loves Adam to the moon and back too, and decides she should tell him. Same. She is a romantic fool sometimes.”
Definitely a Highly Recommended if you are a fan of character driven stories or liked The Thursday Murder Club series at all....more
Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Bespelled is the second book in the Bewitched series. This is the second chance love story (mostly) of Selene Bowers, a pretty powerful witch and Memnon, the man she cursed to sleep for two thousand years in her last life. They are soulmates, bound to each other through space and time, but that doesn't mean it is going to be smooth sailing for them. Especially since Memnon is pissed he was placed in stasis for two millennia and can't wait to get his revenge, even if that revenge is on his soulmate.
When we left our characters at the end of Bewitched, Selene has tapped into the memories of her past life and she now knows what happened and why she put Memnon to sleep. He is dangerous and brutal and a conqueror from a different time. But he is learning all of the rules of this new metal jungle and he is starting to make some plays to put himself back in power. He loves Selene, but it is complicated by the betrayal he believes she perpetrated on him in her past life. But, what if there were good reasons, what if he made a mistake? How will he earn back the trust of the woman he is bound to through the ages so they might build a life together.
Meanwhile, witches and other magic welding creatures are dying in brutal ways and Selene wants to get to the bottom of it. Not just to protect herself but to also save some of her new found friends in the coven. Memnon will use all of his influence and newfound power to help the woman he loves and earn back some of the trust broken between them. God help any who harm or go after his mate, he will make them all pay. The stakes are high and no one is to be trusted.
“Call me a monster, call me a devil, but you and I both know I will fucking shatter the rules for you .” He stares at me fervently. “Always for you.”
I liked this story better than Bewitched, we get to see some of Selene's past life that really added credence to her power. She is growing into the sorceresses she is meant to be, even if she is unsure about the man she is fated to be with. I adore Memnon's character. He is not a nice guy; he is dangerous but unfailing loyal to those he calls family. He is also so tricky; it was fun to watch how he slowly lulls Selene back into his bed and finds ways to get into her heart as well. He is a predator and will be patient until it is the right moment to pounce and win his prey. He remembers the fierce warrior Selene used to be in her last life and knows she is going to need to find that woman warrior if they are going to survive against their enemies.
There were so many danger filled and tense moments in Bespelled, I was on the edge of seat though all of them. The danger always felt right around the corner. There are plenty of sexy times though to enjoy between the bouts of certain death. The jump to Memnon and Selene's previous life added a lot of context the story and fleshed out our characters well. I sometimes got a little frustrated with Selene's refusal of their soulmate bond, but it did help to build some of the sexual tension between them.
Memnon, I'm sure, still has plenty of secrets and even though they have tracked down some of the bad doers, there are more out there to be found and an enemy from their past to thwart still. I'm very interested to see what Laura Thalassa brings to the series next. She has written "bad men" very well in the past and I'm so excited to see what our unapologetic warlord is going to do in the modern world to take the power he craves.
“Is this where you stab me and free yourself once and for all?” he says in Sarmatian.
“Because,” he continues slowly, his eyes smoldering , “I promise you, if you don’t, I will work to tie you so fucking tight to me you won’t eventually know where you end and I begin.”
So this was just a good time if you didn't think about it too much and went into expect something like Spy Kids and not James Bond.
Winter Young was dSo this was just a good time if you didn't think about it too much and went into expect something like Spy Kids and not James Bond.
Winter Young was desperate to be loved and now as a iconic pop start he is by most of the world. Still that isn't the same as the love he used to have from his big brother who died in the peace corps. Desperate to fill a void he is convinced by the Panacea group to be a secret agent and help them find dirt on one of the richest men in the world. Just so happens this man is about to ask Winter to do a private concert for his super fan daughter on her birthday. It is the perfect in.
Sydney never expected to like Winder. Super serious about moving up to full agent the last thing she wanted was babysitting duty to a superstar. Thing is Winter is different than she ever expected him to be and the side she sees, the real Winter is a boy she maybe could like.
Together they need to infiltrate the swankiest birthday party of the year and find some documents that will help bring down a very bad man. It is harder than Winter thought it was going to be and he just might end up dead if he can't figure out this spy stuff quickly.
This was a fun ride. I always like Marie Lu's writing and the story moved along really well with enough action and heartfelt moments to really connect to both Winter and Sydney. The small romance they have going on in the middle of trying to catch the bad guy was sweet and a little spicy at times but never took over the story. I appreciate that no one let out a breath they didn't know they were holding anywhere in the book.
Overall if you are looking for something a bit light and fun with some surprising who dun it moments this could be for you....more
To the Bloody End is the last book of the DFZ Changeling series. This is the seconThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
To the Bloody End is the last book of the DFZ Changeling series. This is the second series by Aaron set in the Heartstriker world. The other was the DFZ. I think to read this series it helps if you read at least the Heartstriker series to understand spirits and how this world works. I think the concepts are brushed over a bit but to really understand then reading the parent series to this world is incredible helpful. Especially since the spirit of the DFZ plays a pretty big role.
Victor has defeated Lola time and time again. Through his planning and trickery he has made himself into the Hero and taken control of the city. Lola at least managed to come out of the last book with most of her crew still intact and a lot more power after taking over a fairy burrow. She is a changeling and this makes for some interesting side effects of being the head of her own burrow. Lola still has one focus, destroy Victor, but that is proving really hard. Even with all the extra power, he has still managed to thwart every attempt she has made in the three months that have passed since the end of the prior book.
If Lola is going to win, she will need to tie together the rest of the fairies left in this world to work together, along with the few left opposing Victor, to finally take him out and free the DFZ from his control. Valente and Simon might have survived the previous book but both are still having lingering effects. Valente is fading fast but there is still hope for him if he takes a pretty big leap of faith. Simon still hears Victor in his head, to break the bond he will need to find a better way to fight. Paladin's usually would kill any blood mage, but Simon has found one that will help train him to push Victor out of his head and find a way to destroy the man who claims to be the Hero.
I found this book's pacing and storyline to be a lot better than the previous book. With A Golden Sword had some pacing issues and most of the characters were separated for the majority of the book. Now with everyone together and working towards our finale, the story flows so much better. I loved all the concepts with gossamer and how Lola made it and could control it. There are also some great cameos from a few characters of the Heartstriker series that I always love seeing again or even hearing about through the story.
Overall a really satisfying conclusion to the series. I would have liked a little more in the epilogue and some closure with Simon and his future, along with a few other characters. However, I believe we get a really solid ending to this particular storyline.
Narration: Naomi Rose-Mock reprises her role again in the conclusion to the series. She has been consistently good throughout the series and does well with the voices. Nothing is really standout though. That could be related to the material read or the narration, I can't say but overall a solid performance that I do not have anything negative to relate. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
Empire of the Damned is the second book in the Empire of the Vampire and no holds are barred and many emotions are had. Personally, I was over vampire books but then Jay Kristoff drags me back in with a dark and horrible tail. This is not the romantic heroes, or sparkly vampires of other books. This is dark, brutal, full of despairing moments in a world being taken over by vampires where humans are food or servants. Gabriel saved the living grail from her fate, but in so doing did he damn the world? Only time will tell.
There is something about Jay Kristoff's writing that draws the reader in. He does grimdark so well and Empire of the Damned has so many great moments of triumph and despair that ye gentle reader is never truly safe. Reunited with his sister Gabriel will journey to find answers to Doir's true powers and how she may possibly save this Damned empire.
“I mean it," I told her, searching her eyes. "By the Blood, I vow it. I know not where this road will lead us, girl. But I'll walk it with you, to whatever fate awaits. And if God Himself should tear us asunder, if all the Endless Legion stood in my path, I would find my way back from the shores of the abyss to fight at your side. I'll not leave you, Dior." Reaching down, I squeezed her hands tight as I dared. ''I will never leave you.”
In Empire of the Damned we get more relationship building. Between Dior and Gabe, Gabe and his sister and some of the other cast that helps along the way. They are bastards all and the relationships they have are both complicated, giving and selfish depending on the moment. Dior is but a seventeen year old girl and Gabriel is akin to the father she has never known along with teacher, mentor, protector. Depending on the situation it gets complicated as Gabe battles with the role of needing to protect Dior and teaching her to become the savior of the realms, whatever that is going to cost.
The story is opened up even more as Celene, Gabe long lost Vampire sister and one of the Esani Vampire's with abilities over manipulating their blood gets a PoV. Having the dueling narrators helps make the characters even more dynamic and three dimensional as each narrator gives their PoV of the other and Dior. Celene has her own agenda and it doesn't necessarily line up with Gabriel's., but she will play nice while she has to since Gabriel has Dior's trust and she will not leave his side willingly. Celene will bide her time, she believes the girl will bring an end to days death that lets the vampires rule this world, she believes in the balance the grail will bring. But they will have to travel far to get all of the knowledge needed from the different reaches of the empire to make it happen. Hopefully they can do it before Gabriel goes even more mad than he currently is as the bloodlust creeps up on him.
'I tell you, the scream my brother let out was like no sound I have ever heard. It was not fury. It was not fear. It was… heartbreak. Perfect and awful and complete. It was the scream of a man who had dragged himself back from the very edge of despair, now plummeting into darkness. It was the scream of a man who had wagered everything - his heart, his soul, his sanity- on never failing someone who had loved him again. It was the scream of the damned.’
This book is full of great prose and one liners that will make you giggle. This does help offset the dark emotions and darker imagery we see throughout the story as we watch more and more of the humans slaughtered and enslaved to become food. There are so many moments that the group tries and fails, tries and fails again but never gives up and keeps moving forward. I will say I was more emotionally invested in this story and our journey for answers after the betrayals of the prior book. I liked the switch-up to have a different PoV from Celene and her take on the childhood shared with Gabriel along with how she viewed Dior. There is a lot of worldbuilding in this book and opening up the history of the vampire factions and infighting between them.
I will be on pins and needles waiting for the conclusion to this series. There is so much to unpack in this story and I can't wait to see what Jay Kristoff comes up with for what is sure to be a bloody and heart wrenching conclusion....more