The cover was better than the book actually...and it wasn't bad, just kinda meh. But to be honest, I was annoyed with this, the storyline, the charactThe cover was better than the book actually...and it wasn't bad, just kinda meh. But to be honest, I was annoyed with this, the storyline, the characters, the aphobia...Also I don't think enough time was given to the endgame ship, vs the other one.
Because Luna spends the whole book with this other person and then suddenly she's with the person she ends up with and that's it? Where's the development?
I really wish I liked this more, I'm so disappointed that I don't even feel like ranting about it....more
“We’re forgetting the elephant in the room.” “No,” Arthur says, “Lancelot is right here.”
With this book, the Camelot Untold trilogy comes to an end. Ho“We’re forgetting the elephant in the room.” “No,” Arthur says, “Lancelot is right here.”
With this book, the Camelot Untold trilogy comes to an end. How am I feeling you ask? My brain is mush. I have transcended the mortal realm and entered Avalon. Goodbye.
I was honestly so anxious throughout the entirety of this book, because as we know, for the curse to end, the Pendragon line must too.
How was Guin going to stop this? Would she be able to? Or would I just finish the book and want to throw my phone at the wall over and over again?
WELL, IT ALMOST CAME TO THAT, but KC fixed it in the last second, literally. THANK YOU KC!!! I would not be able to live if you know who died. They're my pookie.
I could NOT have been happier than I was in that epilogue, EXCEPT, if we got more scenes between just the two of them. Everyone else got more page time, so it's only fair they get a novella!!! I need to be fed, okay.
But let me talk about something else for a second, which is the battle scenes. I've read all of KC's series and they all have battle scenes, but I feel like they just keep getting better and better and the epic battle at the end was one for the history books.
Like, it was all so smooth, I was going wowww. I'm kind of indifferent to battle scenes, but you know, maybe I like them if KC writes them.
Now back to the steam. There was no lute scene in this one, so my sanity remains intact (mostly). But rest assured, there are many creative new scenes for you to sink your teeth into instead.
You never really know what you're going to get in that department, but that's part of the fun. And these books are very fun. I've had such a good time reading all three of them and I wish we had even more of them to look forward to. And maybe we will, I'm manifesting.
I think I forgot to mention this before, but I like that we also have recaps at the start of the book. Even though these characters rarely leave my brain, it's still nice to get a refresher. Because, I, unlike dear Sir Lancelot, am no elephant.
PLEASE, I HAD TO INCORPORATE THAT IN SOMEWHERE I DIED LAUGHING.
But yes yes, I love when authors care about their readers like that.
I can't wait to see what other things KC comes up with next, I know they're going to be awesome.
P.S. It started raining when I finished this. Coincidence? I THINK NOT! The universe is letting us know it demands MORE!!!
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
For better or for worse, I am forever changed by that lute scene. I get that one trigger warning now, I really do. I am still not sure how that fit...For better or for worse, I am forever changed by that lute scene. I get that one trigger warning now, I really do. I am still not sure how that fit...ANYWAY.
Much like the first book, this one was dark. But I'm kind of used to the darkness now, so this was a pretty smooth read.
It starts off where the last book left us, with Camelot's *greatest* knight, SIR LANCELOT!!!! He's training Guin now, so that she can PROPERLY defend herself. It's so cute. They're cute. I love them.
For most of the book the two of them are together, BUT NOT IN THE WAY YOU'RE THINKING, it's a veryyyyyy slow burn when this world is concerned.
I was sitting there like "okay can you kiss/bang now please", but the wait was worth it. Because when they finally got together? I'm surprised they didn't cause a real world earthquake. IT WAS THAT GOOD Y'ALL.
The rest of the Knights were, of course, looking for Guinevere, minus Mordred who was off doing villain things. You know how it is, places to rule, people to be angry at.
He did look for Guin too, and there is a part of me that will forever be upset over how it went down when everyone finally came together.
Do I still want Mordred to "save" Guin from the others? MAYBE, YOU CAN'T BLAME ME. He's my meow meow. I will always support him no matter what.
But the other part of me is happy that they're all together again...FOR NOW. Because nothing is certain anymore with those twists. I kinda knew it would have to end like that, the cure I mean. BUT WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME KC???
Now I have to live in constant fear that my faves will die in the next book. Which in turn reminds me, someone did die in this one and I'm??? I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT TO THE END, THIS IS SO MEANNNN.
I liked seeing Merlin, and Morgan Le Fay (even though she's evil), the book wouldn't be complete without them.
But the one silly little thing that makes my heart happy, is that Lancelot isn't blond. HE HAS COAL BLACK CURLS AS HE SHOULD. WE CHEER!!! Thank you KC, mwah mwah.
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
I wish this worked for me more, because it seemed like something I'd love. And I did like it, but not as much as I expected.
My main issue is the preseI wish this worked for me more, because it seemed like something I'd love. And I did like it, but not as much as I expected.
My main issue is the present tense because present tense and I are not the best of friends, and it rarely works for me. Every time I read it, I'm pulled out of the story and have to reread what just happened because it's so jarring.
The few times it has worked for me was in fantasy books, and this was a contemporary one so...
Anyway, I liked the story and the characters, but I felt like there was too much going on at times, so I never fully got attached to anyone except Blake who stole the show by being funny.
I like Ryan and Jasper together, they're cute. Since Ryan is demi, and Jasper's just realising he's gay, there's a different dynamic to their relationship than most others.
They're asking each other if things are okay, not rushing into anything etc. Meanwhile Jasper's dealing with coming out to his friends and eventually the world and Ryan is there to support him, it's sweet.
I think the struggles both of them faced were written realistically, but some of them came out of nowhere. So the story could've benefited from half of these issues being in this book and the other half in the next, because not enough time was given to each issue before moving on to the next.
The book could also use some trigger warnings at the start. I'm personally not affected by the content, but I know some people have those triggers.
The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, but also not a bad place to end the book, it could stand on its own.
ALSOOOO, there is a song at the end, it's pretty good.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
My very first Matthew Ward book, and it did not disappoint!! All you need is thieves, a rebellion, sky ships and a found family to make me happy, The My very first Matthew Ward book, and it did not disappoint!! All you need is thieves, a rebellion, sky ships and a found family to make me happy, The Darkness Before Them has all four, so naturally I'm a fan.
Though I will say that parts of this book were a slight struggle, namely the first 14% until it picked up, and then some middle sections as well, but everything else was smooth sailing (yes, I had to).
I'd call this a slow paced book in general, which I'm normally not a fan of, but the characters won me over so the pacing didn't really matter.
Kat is one of our two main PoV characters, possibly my favourite, although Damant (the other PoV character) won me over first. At the start, Kat loses her girlfriend Azra after a heist gone wrong, and her whole life gets turned upside down as a result.
Some might say she doesn't have a personality beyond being Azra's girlfriend, but in my opinion she kept working on herself while working through her grief AND trying to stay alive when the world wanted her dead. She's done enough, let my girl be!!!
I love the way she looks after Yali, her banter with Tatterlain, the mutual jabs she and Vallant take at one another, and how she genuinely cares about the rag-tag crew she found herself amongst.
Kat is also a lesbian, and I really appreciate that, because she's not only the main character, but I haven't seen anything wrong with the rep itself. Hopefully it'll stay that way in the future books.
Now Damant, I'll be completely honest and say that it was his full name that got me. Don't know why, it just did. And just like that I was ready to sail away to Damant-ville.
I enjoyed seeing his whole world crumble before his eyes, as he learned the family he was so loyal to were the real villains. Not that I wanted him to suffer, mind you!!!
If you're big on politics, you'll love this. We get the bulk of it from Damant's PoV, a lot of scheming a lot of backstabbing, all that good stuff.
Although I think it would've been better to delay the politics a bit until we got to know the characters better, instead of throwing us into the fire. I was sitting there going "now why is this important", "why do I need to know this" etc, and it DOES make sense at the end, but it can be overwhelming.
There's a lot of worldbuilding going on throughout the whole novel, once you get the hang of it, it's not that difficult, but I think it's a part of why I struggled at the beginning.
I wish the magic system was as vast as the worldbuilding, because I kind of get it, or parts of it, but I'm still not 100% sure how exactly it works. I am looking forward to seeing what else Kat can do, after that ending.
Speaking of, it was a great ending that succeeded in clearing up some things and telling one complete story. Of course there's still more to go, but it's very satisfying.
One last thing, there was a twist in this book that could put many thriller authors to shame. I haven't been that surprised in a while. Good job Mr Ward.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
I loved Vance in the second book, but didn't mention it because he was kind of a jerk. So imagine my surprise when I realised he's the main character I loved Vance in the second book, but didn't mention it because he was kind of a jerk. So imagine my surprise when I realised he's the main character and gets a redemption arc??? Perfection.
All three books in the series have been great so far, especially with the writing style. The first one is still my favourite, this one close behind and then book two after that. They all make my geeky little heart happy.
And I think this series is a perfect example of pop culture references that make sense, and fit in the world. I know some people might get annoyed by any mention of anything from the real world, but for me, I loved it.
These books are cool on audio too, very fun and easy to listen to. I wish there were more of them in the series, because I just can't get enough. I hope Ashley Poston's new book will work for me as much as these three have....more
This was so incredibly silly, it doesn't take itself seriously so I won't either. It's cringy, but kinda in a good way? There are parts that are genuiThis was so incredibly silly, it doesn't take itself seriously so I won't either. It's cringy, but kinda in a good way? There are parts that are genuinely funny, and some that fell a bit flat. Not a lot of character development, but I wasn't expecting any. I love the premise, and already downloaded the rest of the audiobooks because of it, so you can expect to see more of this series on your homepages.
(view spoiler)[The one thing I'm not vibing with though is mpreg, I've always had trouble reading that, it's really not my thing, but I'll stick with it for now. (hide spoiler)]...more
I spent the last 15% of this book SOBBING my eyes out, I was grabbing tissues left and right and the tears are still coming even though I'm done. I loI spent the last 15% of this book SOBBING my eyes out, I was grabbing tissues left and right and the tears are still coming even though I'm done. I loved this book so much.
It's super easy to read, and I think even if you aren't familiar with the legend this book is a retelling of, you'll have no problems getting into the story.
I really liked the pacing, there was a good balance between getting to know the characters, and working on moving the plot along. But we could've used some more pages to stretch the ending events out a bit.
Character wise, I loveeeeed everyone, but especially Qing, who was the funniest. I'd love to see her and Feng in their own spinoff at some point. Generally speaking though, everything was wrapped up nicely, so I'm not sure if there's a need for a sequel. But again, if we get it, I'm reading it.
At the start, I related a lot more to Zhen than to Xian, but I was won over by the latter somewhere along the way. I couldn't help but smile at their romantic scenes, they were so cute, and had so much tension from the moment they met. That's so hard to do!
As a retelling, this works well. I actually used to rewatch different adaptations of this legend religiously, so if I'm happy with this book, you will be too. Sher Lee did it justice.
And that extremely vivid worldbuilding?? I swear, I was THERE, experiencing every single moment with the characters. I'd give five stars just for that.
Now that (stressful!!) ending...I fear I'll be needing a few business days to recover. So much happened and I swear I was holding my breath in the entire time.
The amount of pain I went through while reading this is something I wasn't expecting, but I'm so glad Legend of the White Snake managed to hurt me so much. It earned its place on my ultimate favourite books shelf.
This is also my very first book by this author, but definitely not my last. I'll be going back to read her debut, and I'm seated for whatever she puts out next.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
I was supposed to finish this back in August, but personal stuff happened and somehow I never sat down to do so until now, so I must apologise to The I was supposed to finish this back in August, but personal stuff happened and somehow I never sat down to do so until now, so I must apologise to The Girl With No Reflection for not picking her back up sooner.
Overall I liked this book and found it really easy to read. I was a bit unsure at the start, because of some choices made by the main character, but then I decided to just go with the flow, and not judge it too much.
So, first the pros. Once I really picked this up, I found it hard to stop reading. I needed to know what would happen next, and I kept flipping the pages going "okay just one more chapter". It's a very bingable book.
The mythology included was probably my favourite part, I loved the Fish inclusion in particular, because usually authors pick "better" and bigger animals for their characters to be (or to have been once upon a time), but not our dear Ying, she's a fish. One with special powers, sure, but still.
I was actually left surprised at what she could do when her powers came in, that one scene with the Mirror Prince and Mirror Ying was SO GOOD.
Another aspect of the story I like, is all the mirrors. Mirrors are something I've always found creepy, and I do believe there is a world beyond them, which is something Chow embraces. Ying's reflection tricks her into switching places with her which sets off a chain of events that eventually lead to a war.
This proves my distrust of mirrors is very valid, thank you very much! I know I'd be so creeped out if I had to sleep in a room full of them like Ying had to, before the wedding.
The romance is something that I both liked and disliked. Disliked because it happened SO FAST, both times, that neither one was believable, and liked because they did have chemistry. Well, mostly Ying and the Mirror Prince, but still.
It was just a bit silly how she fell in love with one Prince in the blink of an eye, was wondering if he's actually the one she was meant to be with since he's her husband's mirror image and so much kinder to her, only for a switch to be flipped and for her to fall for the real version instead as if she never loved the other one in the first place. Which...yes, I guess she didn't.
The insta-love definitely bugged me, but it didn't affect my feelings towards the rest of the story.
I also wanted a bit more development from all the characters, but I don't think there was enough time for that, due to this being a standalone. I saw someone say this should've been a duology, and I agree, everything would've been more fleshed out then.
Another thing that bugged me, is that there's this scene that's meant to be traumatic for Ying, she's losing some family members and she's in pain, but she never refers to them by name.
And the way that scene was structured, I felt that the number of family members in it was chosen purposely, so that the important ones would never actually be in danger, and as a result that scene didn't have much of an impact on me.
Language wise, some of the things Ying said felt out of place, more like something someone from a contemporary YA would say than someone from a (somewhat) historical fantasy world. It didn't take me out of the story, but I sure noticed every time it happened.
Similarly, the characters often said words in Chinese, only to follow up with the same word in English, so it felt like reading the same words twice in a row, but I get what Chow was trying to do, translate as she goes, which I can appreciate.
Normally all my criticism would make this a three star read, but I'm choosing to rate this based on enjoyment so it's getting four. I'd gladly read something else by Keshe Chow in the future.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
This started off so good and I was ready to love it, but as it went on it got more and more disjointed and I found myself not enjoying it as much as IThis started off so good and I was ready to love it, but as it went on it got more and more disjointed and I found myself not enjoying it as much as I did at the beginning.
I think the concept was really good, and the execution wasn't bad (especially for a debut book), but I was expecting a bit more development.
I liked the worldbuilding, the dragons (of course), the academy, the magic system/summoning Gods etc, all of that was very interesting. The characters were where this book lost me.
From what I've seen, most people prefer Elara to Faron, but for me it's the other way around. I liked her despite how immature she acted when compared to her sister, because as a character she felt more real to me and like a proper teenager. Elara was just...meh? But I did like her better than either love interest.
Speaking of, the relationships are my least favourite part of the book. Faron & Reeve's one in particular. There were so many lines that I could tell were supposed to be romantic and swoony, but they ended up sounding awkward, almost to the level where I wanted to close the book...hopefully this will get better as the author gains more experience.
The rest of the characters really didn't sway me one way or the other, one villain was kind of okay, but that's about it.
The ending was great though, and a cliffhanger. If I was the author and choosing where to end the story for now, I'd also end it there. I only wish that the book picked up the pace earlier than that. It wasn't slow paced exactly, more like medium-ish with a few bursts of exciting scenes here and there.
Anyway, please don't let my option prevent you from reading this book, there's a very high chance you'll enjoy it and Kamilah Cole deserves your support!!!
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
This should've been right up my alley, but sadly wasn't. I was hoping for something similar to The First Sister, and this did have subtle similar vibeThis should've been right up my alley, but sadly wasn't. I was hoping for something similar to The First Sister, and this did have subtle similar vibes, but overall I wanted more development.
I'm not sure if this is a standalone or if there are more books to follow, but as is I think it should've been split into two books at least. There was barely any time to get to know the characters, to care about them, especially Sahar who had so few PoVs.
Out of the other two PoVs, Korinne, who is the main character, is the most developed, but I still found it so hard to relate to her and care about her.
Aster was probably the coolest character (who eats stars!), though the names of her chapter titles kept changing. Which, while it made sense with the plot, felt a bit out of place. Because Korinna's chapters were all just her name, Sahar's too from what I recall. Either give all of them different titles, or none. Or at least give Aster just one, it was hard to keep track of all of hers when there were so many changes.
The romance started off very obsessive, Aster lived in Korinna's head rent free and vice versa. Despite that, I can't say I saw any chemistry there. But I do like the sapphic rep.
The pacing was both fast and slow, it would depend on the chapter. There were times where I felt like I had to push myself to continue reading, and times where I thought "ohh this is going well, let's read a few more chapters".
Generally though, I don't think this is a hard read that will take people longer to finish, but it can be info dumpy.
The magic system wasn't completely clear to me, but that's ok, I'm very much a "vibes" person so I don't need exact explanations for magic systems in books. I think I kind of get the gist?
I liked the world building and the plot, there were some interesting ideas there, and I'd be happy to read another book by this author which will undoubtedly be better.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
This was my most anticipated read of 2024, I was so excited to get into it and for it to become one of my ultimate fav books because you don't see aroThis was my most anticipated read of 2024, I was so excited to get into it and for it to become one of my ultimate fav books because you don't see aroace rep every day. This was supposed to be THE book for me, the one I've been waiting for all my life. But sadly it didn't fully work for me.
It felt like something was missing. Maybe it's because it's a debut, and the author's future works will be better. It wasn't bad at all though, just not as amazing as I was hoping.
So I think the voice here is what mainly bugged me, it read super young for YA and I couldn't really believe that they were both in college. It was borderline middle grade level.
The discussion about different ace-spec identities was well done, but it also felt like the author was introducing the readers to it more than trusting us to already know about it.
There's a positive side to that too, I think this could be a hit with the younger YA crowd, Dear Wendy is a book that could help them realise they're ace, aro, or both. But when you already know & are secure in your identity, it can feel a bit repetitive.
The whole online feud thing wasn't my favourite part either, I think the concept was good, but the execution made it seem so immature. I'm not saying college aged folks don't get into petty Instagram arguments, but I feel like it's something more suited for, say, fourteen year olds?
What I liked, is the lovely queerplatonic relationship between Sophie & Jo. Like, if you asked me what my ideal relationship is, it would be theirs for sure.
It's so nice to read a book where friendship is centred and platonic love is just as important as romantic love. We love to see it. And we NEED more books like this, please and thank you.
I also liked Sophie and Jo as characters, their friends, how everyone interacted with each other, how funny the book could be at times and the overall diversity of the world.
Pease do read this book and support Ann Zhao!!! I may not have fully vibed with it, but you might. I need as many people as possible to give this book a chance so we can keep getting ace stories okay? Okay.
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
Came for the werewolves, stayed for the addictive story. Really, all you have to do to get me excited over a book is tell me that there's some kind ofCame for the werewolves, stayed for the addictive story. Really, all you have to do to get me excited over a book is tell me that there's some kind of supernatural creature in it and I'm sold.
I actually have the first version of this book, as well as the second. I was waiting for the right time to read it, then it got updated, I obviously had to get that version too, and here we are now.
The book is told through two different PoVs, that of Tristain and his adoptive sister Selene. Tristain went off to fight while Selene stayed home to face the wrath of their father, which led to her losing an arm and joining the Order which likes to hunt my furry little werewolf friends for sport. Boo.
WE DON'T LIKE THE ORDER IN THIS HOUSE!!!
So anyway, Tristain and Selene seem to be on different paths, they haven't spoken in years...will they ever meet again? READ TO FIND OUT.
When I started The Sword of Mercy and Wrath I knew I was going to love it. You know why? The word Wukodlak, which is how we say werewolf in Serbia, just with a v instead of a w. It appears on the very first page and I just knew.
Then the name Radimir happened, and after many (too many) encounters of random Slavic words being passed off as names, I could finally be happy that an actual name was used. It's such a small thing, but it means a lot to me.
There were also Veles and Vera, which is so cool. Fingers crossed I spot more Slavic names in future books.
Then there's the writing style which refused to to let me put the book down. I wanted to finish the whole thing yesterday, my brain was going "just one more chapter, ok now one more, maybe one more"...Mr Koussis, I don't know what you sprinkled in here but...keep it up.
We got more PoVs from Selene than Tristain, but I love both of them. I think they were both fleshed out well, and the only thing I kind of mind is how fast Selene was brainwashed by the Order.
Because one second she's cool, the next she's an evil zombie. At that point I still loved her, but I was hoping she'd get hit upside the head to regain her senses.
I also really loved Soren and Leon. And I shipped Soren and Selene from the start. Did I get what I wanted? Kiiiiiinda.
NO BUT, I was starting to think nothing would come of it, my beloved ship wasn't about to sail and then...somewhere around 85% something happened. And I wish I could call it a slow burn, but they don't have enough romantic scenes for that.
But I am glad that SOMETHING did happen. Even more so because of the thing at the end.
As for Tristain's romantic encounter, I saw that coming. Don't ask me how, but something about the way he talked/thought about Selene, while clear that he cared for her, wasn't exactly the same as when she talked or thought about him.
I'm really excited to see where the story goes from here, but first I'll go back and read the prequel and THEN the sequel.
P. S. Songs by the band Powerwolf popped into my head on more than one occasion while reading so if a bookish playlist were to happen, that band would definitely be on there....more
I was hoping I'd like this better than the first book, but it also didn't work for me. There were so many things/tropes in here that I just didn't carI was hoping I'd like this better than the first book, but it also didn't work for me. There were so many things/tropes in here that I just didn't care for, and Sophie was so hard to like. Bonus points for the pansexual rep though, that was a pleasant surprise....more
First off, this book absolutely lives up to the title, this truly is a sinful realm. Second, the trigger warnings are there for a reason, HEED THEM!!!First off, this book absolutely lives up to the title, this truly is a sinful realm. Second, the trigger warnings are there for a reason, HEED THEM!!!
I am someone who really likes having trigger warnings in books, even though I tend to skip over them most of the time (I luckily have very few triggers). For this one I actually read them, and yup be very mindful, they're all very present in the book.
I'd like to point out the SA one because I know some of my friends have this as a trigger. There's two scenes like that in the book, the first is in one of the beginning chapters and the second near the very end.
For that second one I wasn't sure if Guin would be saved (I hoped she would, but you never know) or not and as it was approaching I was like "you know what, I'm good, I don't need to know what happens" and closed the book.
This lasted a few seconds, then I was like I NEED to know how it ends, but I went and played my silly little pie merge game to mentally prepare myself for what may or may not happen in the next few pages.
REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH FRIENDS!!!
Then I opened the book again and finished it and I am glad I did. Especially because I had a theory about Domino, and I was going to say that I think it's probably a character that hasn't made an appearance in the book.
But KC proved me wrong on both who Domino is, AND the character not appearing in this one. Well played KC, well played.
Moving on to happier themes, this is, I'm pretty sure, THE smuttiest book I've ever read. Fitting the title should go to a RH novel.
BUT! Despite the steamy scenes around every corner, Realm of Sin has an excellent plot!!! I'm used to that with this author so it's no surprise, but still. If you thought this was just mindless smut THINK AGAIN!!
I said in one of my reading updates that Mordred was my favourite Arthurian legend character, THIS DID NOT CHANGE, NOT FOR A SECOND. My precious baby is the best of them all!!! I'm still sorry to Arthur, Gawain, Percival and Kay, you guys are amazing too, but you can't beat him.
Is it appropriate to say that I love Domino too? I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING "of course you do" BUT I CAN'T HELP IT, I LOVE VILLAINS.
“Come with me, bridge between worlds.”
AAAAAAHH *swoons*. It's funnier when you know who it is, just trust me, read the book and then come back to my review, you'll get a kick out of it.
Now let me circle back to that one character that I thought wouldn't appear. When Guin was transported to Camelot and started meeting people left and right, I was waiting for this character to jump out of wherever it was they were hiding. They didn't, and I began to lose hope that we'd ever see them.
Then there was a line King Arthur said once, it's easy to miss if you're not paying attention, but that line gave me hope that the character would appear eventually. I just didn't think it would be in this book. But I'm glad it was.
I ONLY NEED TO KNOW IF THEY HAVE CURLY BLACK HAIR, IT'S VITAL TO MY EXISTENCE BECAUSE OF THAT ONE POEM. My favourite poem actually. So please KC, curly black hair for you know who. Pretty please.
Did I mention there's also a fairy realm? I'm hoping we'll get to see it, and I think I know already who dwells there.
Which in turn reminds me, FATA MORGANA! I have, oddly enough, never seen those words used in a book or cartoon or movie in English, I swear they always say mirage and I'm like NO, SAY FATA MORGANA, IT'S WAY BETTER. I didn't even need to shout at KC through my screen though, I'm happy.
*Thank you to the amazing author who provided me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
I'm regretting my decision to read this, but what's done is done. I am forever scarred by Mr Bigdick...and everything else in this book. ESPECIALLY THI'm regretting my decision to read this, but what's done is done. I am forever scarred by Mr Bigdick...and everything else in this book. ESPECIALLY THE 5 FOOT FIVE DICK THAT CAN ENLARGE ITSELF TO ANY SIZE, EVEN 10 TIMES HIS HEIGHT WHICH IS 70 FEET LONG AND THAT CAN WRAP ITSELF AROUND ANYONE AND EVEN BE A GAG GOODBYE....more
This was a fun SAPPHIC!!! read, in which Alice and the Hatter love each other. Except Alice doesn't remember any of that, will she remember? READ TO FThis was a fun SAPPHIC!!! read, in which Alice and the Hatter love each other. Except Alice doesn't remember any of that, will she remember? READ TO FIND OUT.
I NEED MORE THOUGH, GIMME MORE. They're so cute, and I need all of those moments described to happen. In play form or not, I don't mind as long as we (me, myself and I) get more of these two....more
Godkiller was such a surprising book to me, because I didn't even add it to my tbr despite the interesting blurb. I wasn't sure if I wanted to read itGodkiller was such a surprising book to me, because I didn't even add it to my tbr despite the interesting blurb. I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it, but since it was voted as a book club read, why not?
The prologue starts off on a very high note, and it reminded me of Black Sun, not because anything remotely similar happened, but because that book also had a bang of a start. But, unlike that book, which never managed to reach that height again, Godkiller did reach it.
I will admit that I struggled to get into the book for several chapters after the prologue, but eventually it mellowed out and I was able to enjoy the journey.
The premise is unique and made me emotional at times. These four characters that we follow, grow into a family as the book goes on. And I didn't want to see them go. I still can't make peace with the fact that the sequel isn't out yet and that I'll have to wait until it is to see them again.
I really liked the ending though, it was satisfying. ...more
"Summer, fall, winter, spring Guardians rise and justice sings When Tiyok stirs to life again Darkness falls and chaos reigns Fire, wood, wind, and water"Summer, fall, winter, spring Guardians rise and justice sings When Tiyok stirs to life again Darkness falls and chaos reigns Fire, wood, wind, and water Join together to prevent a slaughter Summer, fall, winter, spring Guardians rise and justice sings"
This was really good, as expected. I'm conflicted on my rating though, because I'm not sure if it's a 4 or 4.5 or 5. On the enjoyment scale it was a 5 for sure, but it did have some flaws. But then I think about the giddy feeling the book gave me as I read it, and I want to give it five anyway. I'll figure it out by the end of the review.
I want to adress the comps first, because I feel like that's what people want to know most about. Would I say they're accurate? Yeah, actually, this is one of those books where I could see the comps clearly and know why they were chosen.
Next we have the writing, which I'd tie to the humour. Why? Because this book was so funny that it made me appreciate the writing even more. Was the humour a bit immature? Sure, but that didn't bug me one bit.
I honestly had such a blast reading this book, and couldn't keep a straight face. There were even moments where my jaw dropped and I wanted to talk to the book as if the characters could hear me.
The banter between the characters, especially Zhara and Han, was soooo adorable, I couldn't get enough. I think this is where S. Jae-Jones excels.
I loved the inclusion of BTS as characters. The first time I read their name (Bangtan Brothers, in this book) I was like no, it couldn't be, but it was!!! And they are performers here too, and even do something special on the side which I won't spoil.
And I pretty much loved everyone else as a character too, Zhara, Han, Xu, Yulana, Jiyi, Anyang, Suzhan and of course Sajah. Sajah might be my true favourite, actually.
The romance was cute, which you could probably guess by how I described the banter. It was so sweet, and innocent despite all the romance book jokes. It felt like the characters were really teens which is important in a YA book. I can't wait to see how it'll develop in the next three books.
Yes, THREE!!! There's going to be four books, SOMEONE HOLD MEEEE. I'm so excited.
The magic system is another thing I can't wait to see more of, it was unique and we were learning new things about it at the same time as Zhara.
Which brings me to a theory I have, relating to the title. I'm thinking the next one could be called Guardians of the Dawn - *wind guardian* (I used wind guardian as a placeholder because I don't want to spoil who it is, but you'll know if you read the book) and that each guardian could get their own book. I could be wrong, but...what if I'm not?
Although we could continue with Zhara as the main character, and then have all the other guardians' stories develop in the background, but I also think Zhara could be a side character in another guardian's story easily.
I don't want to part with her, so it's just a theory, but it would be fun to see if I turn out to be correct, or if the next book has a completely different title.
Also, can we talk about that cover? When I saw it, I knew I had to read this and I'm so glad it didn't disappoint.
Now that I've reached the end of my review, I know what I'll do about the rating. For platforms where I can't do half stars I'll do 5, but on platforms I can I'll do 4.5.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS THE END? I REFUSE TO PART WITH THESE CHARACTERS, YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!
When I was at 70% I was like "no way is this ending in tWHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS IS THE END? I REFUSE TO PART WITH THESE CHARACTERS, YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!!!
When I was at 70% I was like "no way is this ending in this book", same thing when I hit 80%, 90%, then I got to the author's note and saw it was supposed to be the end of their journey and I'm just so????? THIS CANNOT BE THE END, I NEED MORE!!!
Although, the ending did leave room for another book, either following these characters or not. But I'd of course prefer to read countless books about our heroes, I could never get tired of them.
Clash of Fate and Fury is just as amazing as the first book, if not more. I even started to like Castor (but I still don't forgive her for what she did to that poor whale).
I feel like someone put me in a washing machine and tumbled my whole life around, just because I cycled through so many emotions while reading this, and trust me THERE WAS NO TEAR SHORTAGE EITHER.
Rachel Menard somehow managed to pack all the feels into these two books, I don't know what to say except wow.
Gen and Pollux (and Chomp and Andromeda) are my faves still, but like I said Castor is kinda okay to me now, and I'm even more attached to Bale, Flek and Adikia than I already was.
I like Castor and Adikia together, I do however wish that we saw even more of them. Because while I want to believe they'll last and be happy together, I don't feel their love for one another like I do Pollux & Gen's. But maybe they're not in love YET and will be in some future book? This is me campaigning for another one, mhm.
I also didn't get my circus wish. So once again BOOK THREE, PLEASE. And it's okay to end this series on a happy note, but it feels incomplete, there's so much more for the characters to do.
For example if we had seen the main reason the empresses sent Gen on all her labours actually come to pass, then perhaps I'd feel differently. But it's been looming in the background the whole book, and now it's over? I don't think so.
Either way I will be sticking with Rachel Menard, and will read absolutely anything she writes, whether in this world or another.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more