I didn't have very strong feelings about the first book in this series, but I expected to at least get attached to the characters in the second one. TI didn't have very strong feelings about the first book in this series, but I expected to at least get attached to the characters in the second one. That didn't happen.
Black Sun had a big dynamic scene at the start, and a slightly less dynamic scene a bit later in the book, the rest was flat. Fevered Star meanwhile, doesn't even have one scene like that, it's worse than flat.
Nothing happens in this book. N O T H I N G. I'm serious, this is the filler-iest filler of all the fillers.
A few reviewers already said something similar, that the beginning parts of this book should've been at the end of book one, and the ending ones in book three and I agree. The rest could just be scrapped.
This series has been kind of disappointing from the start really, first as a possible standalone, then a duology, then it turns out it's a trilogy...it should not be a trilogy. Duology at the most, and hell, maybe it all could've fit in that one original book so there'd be no need for extras.
The story is getting too dragged out at this point, even with nothing happening. I don't know if I'll continue with the last book. Since I read this one I might as well to get it over and done with, but just like I could've stopped and regretted nothing at book one, I could do the same with this one, perhaps even more so. ...more
THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD!!! But the good went out the window pretty early on.
I remember being really excited for this when I first heard about it,THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD!!! But the good went out the window pretty early on.
I remember being really excited for this when I first heard about it, because Jafar was one of my fav villains as a kid and I wanted him to find love too. BUT NOT LIKE THIS, NOPE.
MY MAN JAFAR WAS NOT DONE JUSTICE IN THIS BOOK. He's so...meh? It doesn't feel like him at all, he just shares the name. And Jasmine is okay I guess, except she just lets Jafar decide on things and goes along with it and it honestly doesn't work.
I haven't had that much luck with Katee Robert, so I'm glad that with this book I can close a chapter, so to say, and be done with her books until Radiant Sin comes out....more
I've been eyeing this book both in my local bookstore, and on their website for two years now. I knew I'd love it, but for whichever reason I didn't gI've been eyeing this book both in my local bookstore, and on their website for two years now. I knew I'd love it, but for whichever reason I didn't get it until May of this year. I finally picked it up today and my expectations were more than met.
When I started reading, I wasn't expecting to read all of it at once, maybe half. But even early on it proved to be an impossible task, because the book was just too good to put down.
Things are always happening, excitement on every corner, you can't breathe until you know the characters are safe - but when they are, you know something else will go wrong.
This book reminded me why I love reading so much. I'd like to thank it for that.
It starts with Clementine's POV. She's the younger sister of Aster, but the second oldest of the five girls (I believe? I don't remember how old Violet is). And she's about to have her first intimate encounter with a man. NOT!
The man gets too grabby and violent so Clementine accidentally kills him in self defence. Things escalate further and both her and her sister are planning to escape, but not without their friends.
They find themselves on the run from the law, but they didn't escape one prison just to end up in another. The Good Luck Girls follows the quintet on their journey towards freedom, and the mysterious legend, called Lady Ghost who is rumoured to be able to remove the magical brands that mark them as the brothel's property.
I assumed Clementine would be the main character or that the book would have alternating POVs, but only the prologue is in her head, the rest of the book is in Aster's.
In a way, I mind. Because those ten pages made me love Clementine and I grew very attached to her. She's still one of the main characters, but we see her through Aster's eyes the whole time.
Aster I like, the protective side of her anyway. Sometimes it can be too much. I love her with Violet though. I wanted them to be friends and then there's this one scene where it hits you that they're supposed to be more and it works. For now though, they're not the F/F couple.
Violet I only disliked in the beginning, but when she decided to come along with the girls I knew she had her own reasons, and the dislike melted away. And said reasons became predictable the more she opened up.
On the other hand, I don't like to think too much unless if I pick up a uni book, so I appreciate that the Violet clues weren't hard to follow.
The other two girls, Tansy and Mallow, they came as a packaged deal and so they stayed. I was so focused on Aster and Violet's relationship that I completely missed their developing one so it came as a surprise that they had feelings for each other.
Tansy stood out to me more than Mallow, maybe it was the "medic" thing. I don't have a lot to say about them, other than they're cute together and brave when needed.
Zee is the boy of the group who joined them later on. He's a curious case, I don't like him on his own, but I ship him with Clementine. Before I saw the Aster/Violet vibes I was so worried he'd like Aster because of his first and second entrance into their lives. Luckily though, that's not the case.
I'd like to point out the world building, which is close to perfect? Not the dystopia-like world itself of course, but the way the places are described, like the Scab. You can imagine brothels of this kind in locations like those.
And there's other interesting things to explore in the next book(s), like why only certain people can cast a shadow and why others can't and why that's such a big deal.
The ending is bitter-sweet, some characters get a happy ending, for others we don't know their fate.
To wrap this up, The Good Luck Girls is worth every penny. Books are expensive where I'm from, especially in English, so 99% of the time I wait until they're at least 20% off. But this one I bought full-price and I have no regrets....more
Did I ever doubt Olivie Blake would end this book with a terrible cliffhanger? No my friends, no I did not. AND YET! It still took me by surprise.
The Did I ever doubt Olivie Blake would end this book with a terrible cliffhanger? No my friends, no I did not. AND YET! It still took me by surprise.
The whole book builds up to that ending, this thing that happens on the very last page, and I am SO ANGRY THAT THERE ARE NO MORE PAGES! I NEED MORE PAGES OR BOOK THREE RIGHT NOW!!!
However, this does feel like a filler book. As much as the first one was character driven, this one is even more so. Quite literally there are only two plot lines that matter, one that we remember from the end of the first book and the other introduced in this one, the rest is just vibes and training.
I don't mind that, but The Atlas Paradox didn't manage to fully grip me like The Atlas Six did.
I still love all the characters (minus Callum, he'll never win me over at this point), and Libby and Tristan are still my faves. I'm super excited to see where their relationship will go in the third book, and all other relationships too, because you never know who'll end up with who.
Bonus points for the gorgeous art!!
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
A historical fantasy with a magical boarding school disguised as a sanatorium and a murder mystery waiting to be uncovered? Sign me up!
Our main charaA historical fantasy with a magical boarding school disguised as a sanatorium and a murder mystery waiting to be uncovered? Sign me up!
Our main character, Frances, works as a seamstress for an awful man. One day he gets too handsy and Frances defends herself by using magic for the very first time. Next thing she knows, she's swooped up into an ambulance car and taken to Haxahaven sanatorium, which isn't all it seems.
At Haxahaven, Frances makes friends and learns very basic magic that would help her adjust to life outside of the enchanted building. But what if there's another kind of magic outside the walls? A darker, more dangerous kind? And what about William, her dead brother who still hasn't gotten justice? If Frances doesn't solve the mystery, who will?
This was a wonderful read, from start to finish.
Parts of the story (mainly Finn's role in Frances' life) were predictable, but I didn't mind. I still fell in love with Finn and I can't be mad at him, no matter what he did.
All the girls were great. Of course, Maxine and Lena were my faves. The others could've had more development, especially the mean ones (who we never saw do a mean thing).
The world building magical and realistic at the same time. Like a perfect blend of both. I'd love to learn more about it.
The book ends with a slight cliffhanger which leaves room for a sequel in the future, which I hope will happen because I haven't had enough.
Little Thieves is the story of a girl called Vanja. She's the thirteenth daughter of a thirteenth daughter - aka bad luck incarnate.
When Vanja was juLittle Thieves is the story of a girl called Vanja. She's the thirteenth daughter of a thirteenth daughter - aka bad luck incarnate.
When Vanja was just a kid, her mother abandoned her into the care of Death and Fortune who cared for her like their own daughter, but everything comes with a price.
Years later, Vanja makes a grave error while stealing some jewels, and ends up with a curse that could cost her her life if she doesn't figure out how to brake it by the next full moon.
When I first saw the blurb for this book, the name Vanja caught my attention immediately. It's not an overly common name in my country, but I know several Vanjas, both male and female so I wanted to see if there was a special sort of Easter egg as to why Vanja is named Vanja. And no, not really. She just is, and that's okay too.
Since I started with her, let's talk about Vanja. I didn't like her. Not in the beginning, not in the middle and not in the end. She's written to be a very unlikable character and she succeeds.
I feel for her, because of what she went through and because of how all the others treated her while knowing almost everything that happened in her life, but that's it.
Gisele wasn't better. There were only a few scenes where I liked her and those had to do with Ragne. Now Ragne, I liked. She was the best and funniest character. I love her beary much. Yes, beary.
Then we have Emeric. He played a few parts, much like Vanja and I never warmed up to him. What I can say is that at least their romance didn't happen all at once. There was enough time to try and convince us that their feelings for each other are very real, it just didn't work for me.
And finally, Adalbrecht. He gets one line because he deserves nothing more, I hate him.
That's the characters done, let's talk about the rest of the book now.
While the storyline was creative, it didn't grip me until 40% in. Those first 40% were...I don't want to say dull, that's not the right word, but I couldn't get myself to care about what was happening.
Then, after that point, it gradually became better and better. By the end I was considering rounding it up to four stars, but that would mean ignoring nearly half of the book which wouldn't be fair.
However, it didn't feel long. I didn't feel like I was reading 500+ pages at all, more like 350.
The use of German in the book made the experience better for me, and most of the funniest scenes had some German words thrown in (even if a couple were a bit altered), we need more of this.
What I also like, is that this book functions well as a standalone. The story is self contained so you can just stop here, or continue reading the series when the next book comes out, whatever strikes your fancy. Yay for no cliffhangers!
As for me, I think I might stop here. Unless if Ragne is the main character in the next installment? Or perhaps we'll get a backstory book about the Gods? That would be cool.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
There are many reasons why I wanted to read this book. From the pretty cover, to the title, setting and blurb. But the real winner for me, was the worThere are many reasons why I wanted to read this book. From the pretty cover, to the title, setting and blurb. But the real winner for me, was the word "pijavica".
In my language (and in Czech too, I'd imagine, as our languages aren't so different) it means leech. I thought that was a really endearing way to say vampire. Then again endearing probably isn't the right word, since the vampires in this story are anything but cuddly...either way I thought it was cool and a tiny bit funny. I kept giggling for the first several mentions (and there were many in chapter one).
It was nice to see a book set somewhere familiar, both culture and location wise. I've been to Prague a couple of years ago. It's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and The Lights of Prague did it justice with the descriptions. I felt like I was back exploring everything because it was so vivid.
AND THE NAMES! Domek Myska??? THAT'S SO ADORABLE!!! The names were done right for once. My Slavic soul is happy.
It was interesting to see the differences between Czech and Serbian in the names too. For example Kaja would be a female name here, always...and more of a nickname really, but in the book it's male.
Still, this book is not without its faults. The first half is slow. The next 20% gets better and then the rest is amazing. So it's a bit hard to rate.
On top of that, the characters gave me mixed feelings. I liked Domek better than Ora, but I didn't love him. He was nice, but I wanted him to have more depth.
Ora was alright, just not that interesting. Lina for example, was a lot more interesting (and Romani rep!).
Kaja was the best character. A little ball of light, literally. He was written so well and I cried during his scene at the end. I think it's a unique concept for will-o'-the-wisps to be bound, I haven't come across that before. Bonus points.
The storyline could've been fleshed out better. I liked it though. Especially when the twists come in the final third.
As for the length, I think the book would've benefited from being a tad shorter. Somewhere from 30-50% scenes could be cut. It's still worth the read if you can look past the slower parts.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
Amazing, brilliant, show stopping, spectacular, TRUST ME, YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!
This book is one of the best debuts I've ever read (and it's seAmazing, brilliant, show stopping, spectacular, TRUST ME, YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!
This book is one of the best debuts I've ever read (and it's self published!!!). It was such a fun journey and I'm glad I finally sat down to finish it.
It's one of those books you can read in one go (I should've, but things kept getting in the way), with a fast pace and easy to understand world. You can jump right in with no problems.
The characters are all likable too, except Cain, who I didn't like from the beginning. (view spoiler)[And my spidey sense was proven right. I had a feeling when Kassya said that she didn't love him that he wouldn't be the only love interest as well. (hide spoiler)]
I wish we got to see more of Elres through flashbacks so her role in Kassya's life wouldn't seem so out of nowhere. (view spoiler)[I ship them though, they're cute. Elres is so much cooler than Cain. (hide spoiler)]
And I have another mini complaint. After Kassya flees the castle and is forced to learn to fight and use her powers, it feels like the pacing is even faster and the training passes by super quick so she mastered everything in no time.
Don't get me wrong, I'd rather sacrifice the training time in favour of everything else that happened in the book.
What I'm sad about, is that The Shattered Crown of Blood and Gold is a standalone. So please hurry with that novella Rosie, PLEASE.
As for everyone reading this review, go buy a copy on your retailer of choice, because I said so. ...more
HELLO FEMALE RAGE LOVERS, DO I HAVE THE PERFECT BOOK FOR YOU!
The Daughters of Izdihar is a feminist fantasy. That's it. Read it now. NOW I SAY.
We follHELLO FEMALE RAGE LOVERS, DO I HAVE THE PERFECT BOOK FOR YOU!
The Daughters of Izdihar is a feminist fantasy. That's it. Read it now. NOW I SAY.
We follow two PoVs, that of Nehal (our resident angry girl) and Giorgina (Nehal's complete opposite). Both of these girls want different things, Nehal to join a magical academy of sorts that only men were allowed to join up until now, and Giorgina wants something more simple, Nehal's new husband and her own ex Nico.
Both of them are entangled with The Daughters of Izdihar, and its leader Malak. Now Malak has been a favourite of mine ever since she popped up on page. I think she's the coolest character in the book and I can't wait to see even more of her in the sequel.
Nehal is my other favourite, she's spoiled rotten and acts like it the entire book, she's selfish, and like I said angry. But I like angry, she wants to burn down the whole world and I support her!! I preferred her PoV to Giorgina's, it had more going on.
Giorgina was kind of quiet, trying not to cause too much trouble and most of her thoughts revolved around Nico. I didn't care much for their romance, but I did like that it was happening so Nehal and Malak could get their own chance to shine.
I normally like love triangles, but if this had ended up being a love triangle between Nehal, Nico and Giorgina I would've been disappointed. So if you're reading this and thinking it might turn into one, TRUST ME IT WON'T, JUST KEEP READING.
Malak and Nehal though, I love them together, I love them so much, they're my life and I need more of them.
There wasn't a lot of romance in this book overall, so I hope we'll get some more in the next book.
Something about the plot and ~vibes~ reminded me of The Unbroken, so if you liked that you might like this too.
I wish we got to see more of the academy, and while I liked the world building it wasn't totally clear what the world looked like. I don't mind too much, especially since everything else was great, but I felt like mentioning it.
4.5 for this one, and probably a full 5 for the next!
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
I don't dnf books. I push through no matter what, but for this one I don't have the patience (or the time) to waste on something I dislike soDNF @ 30%
I don't dnf books. I push through no matter what, but for this one I don't have the patience (or the time) to waste on something I dislike so much.
The cover is beautiful and the blurb interesting so I was excited to read it. And there was something "eh" right from the start. It's partially the worldbuilding, partially the storyline and partially the characters. The writing style isn't helping much either.
It's set in Pennsylvania, but the way it was done didn't really work for me. It's a magical academy and I didn't get any magical vibes from it.
There's a chosen one trope and said chosen one is annoying. Clara's best friend was killed by her haywire magic which we learn immediately at the beginning and it keeps getting repeated over and over again. I tried to like her and the other characters, but the only one worth anything is Nox aka the cat.
The writing style is very monotone. Big storm? Might as well have been a summer breeze for all I felt (or rather didn't feel) while reading. It failed to keep me interested in the story.
There is one good thing though, and that's the lore and the magic. It's different from things seen before. For example witches are born on the Solstice or the Equinox, but Clara is an Everwitch (despite her autumn birth) and she's affected by all four season changes.
I may not like the changes, but they bring something new to the witch book table.
And there's also lgbt rep, Clara is bisexual I believe? We see her liking both genders and she's been in a relationship with a girl before.
So those two reasons mentioned above, plus the fact that I didn't finish the book (for all I know it might get better in the second or final third) is why I gave it two stars instead of one....more
I'm surprised I managed to make it even this far in, but I'm done, I can't do it anymore. I don't want to waste time on something that's cleaDNF @ 38%
I'm surprised I managed to make it even this far in, but I'm done, I can't do it anymore. I don't want to waste time on something that's clearly not getting better (I read spoilers for the ending and NO).
It was so freaking boring, it legit almost put me to sleep and I kinda wish it did because then I'd wake up and this book would be over and I wouldn't have had to listen to some of the scenes...
ANYWAY, PROTECT THE HORSE!!! WHAT WAS THAT SCENE EW. EW. EW. EW. EW. EW. EW. EWWWWWWWW. I don't think I'll be reading Jade West again. ...more
It's been over two years since I read the first book, and I was a little worried if I'd be able to jump back in without rereading the first one, but IIt's been over two years since I read the first book, and I was a little worried if I'd be able to jump back in without rereading the first one, but I shouldn't have been worried at all because it was as if I never even left.
This world is still as fresh in my mind as it was back then, because I kept thinking about the characters and what they'd be up to next. I was so sad that the release date got pushed back, but AT LEAST IT'S OUT NOW WHICH MEANS EVERYONE SHOULD GO READ IT!!!
In the sequel we follow the coven as they search for Sideways's soul and the person who borrowed it. And boy, what a chaos-filled journey it is. I loved every minute of it.
Especially at the start, being in Sideways's soul-free head...that felt so real and as if I was a part of that too. The whole narration was masterfully done really, and even better than it was in the first book.
In my review of The Scapegracers I mentioned that I wanted more of Mr. Scratch AND THIS BOOK DELIVERED! We got so much of him, his comments, and the questionable things he eats. THE EYE!!! I will never be the same after reading that scene, it was hilarious and disgusting at the same time.
And oh my God, Shiloh? I need to give them a hug. A really big one.
THIS BOOK WAS SO DELICIOUSLY QUEER THAT MY HEART CAN'T HANDLE IT. I CRIED GUYS, I CRIED SO MANY TIMES. I was kind of expecting to, but not that much? I'm a mess. Like this book. But in a good way, an affectionate way. I just love The Scratch Daughters and its characters so much.
I CANNOT WAIT for book three, I need it for my life to be complete and I need it now. Gimme.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
FROM THIS DAY ON I AM IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF MOURNING FOR THE CHARACTERS WE LOST, not just in Jade Legacy but in the whole series too. Some of them IFROM THIS DAY ON I AM IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF MOURNING FOR THE CHARACTERS WE LOST, not just in Jade Legacy but in the whole series too. Some of them I had a feeling would die, some were surprises, but they were all equally painful.
On the plus side, I read this in 2 days (back in February I only read one chapter so I'm not counting it as a day), I think if I hadn't been reading other books yesterday I comfortably could've finished the whole thing then. It was just so good and exciting.
I can't wait to see what Fonda Lee will cook up next, hopefully something less painful because there's only so much my poor heart can take.
And you, dear reader, SAVE YOURSELF, don't start this if you're not ready for a lot of pain. But at the same time you SHOULD start it, because it's amazing. ...more
I barely ever give two stars because I don't have the heart. I really had to here though, I was so bored. I'm not sure if it would've been better if II barely ever give two stars because I don't have the heart. I really had to here though, I was so bored. I'm not sure if it would've been better if I read the book vs listened to the audio...
The audio was nice, I liked the narrator. She did a good job differentiating the voices, but the overall story didn't grip me.
The beginning had a large info dump which isn't so bad. The world building was the best part and has potential to become a full length novel based on it.
But the characters...I just couldn't get attached. I didn't care. I didn't like anyone no matter how hard I tried.
The romance was cute at least. And yet, I didn't really feel that either.
The best thing about this book is how easy it is to read. At no point was I bored and I definitely could've finished it all in one day had I felt likeThe best thing about this book is how easy it is to read. At no point was I bored and I definitely could've finished it all in one day had I felt like it. But despite that, it didn't grip me as it should've.
I cared about Touraine and a few of the side characters a decent amount, I even teared up twice, but Luca? She was unlikeable from the beginning and nothing she did made me like her even a little bit.
I do respect her for that life changing decision she made at the end of part one, and that's as far as it goes. It was as if she went out of her way to be the person everyone thought she was and I am not here for it.
The romance was barely present, which I'm happy about because these two would not be good together. They have no chemistry (and, you know, one is a coloniser).
The world building was really good though. I think that contributed to the readability, because it was so well developed. This is one of the main reasons why I'll be reading book two.
I can't even find the right words to describe this book. It outdid Jade City in every single way which shouldn't be possible, but Fonda Lee made it poI can't even find the right words to describe this book. It outdid Jade City in every single way which shouldn't be possible, but Fonda Lee made it possible.
It wasn't that long ago that I read book one so I didn't find it hard to jump right into the world and Lee's writing certainly helped that along.
There's a noticeabe improvement in pacing too. The same beginning parts where book one was slow, book two said "let's go faster".
There's not one dull moment in Jade War.
Every scene has a purpose, whether it's from the PoV of characters we like or dislike.
Anden didn't really redeem himself with me until the very end, but Shae did well. She's officially cool now.
Wen got a much bigger role this time and she's growing into one of my favourite characters. Hilo is probably going to stay my number one forever though. I also love all the children (but Niko is the best).
There were a few deaths that I'm upset over. I have an issue with the first one, the bigger one. It happens fast and even though I really liked the character, I didn't feel it as deeply as the second, more minor one who went out in a blaze of glory.
Some more thoughts:
- Cory. I borderline hate him. I can't explain why, I just do. (view spoiler)[I'm glad he and Anden are broken up now and I'm hoping they don't get back together. He's not right for him. (hide spoiler)]
- I'm happy Anden was sent away for most of the book. There, I said it. Sorry. I WAS SO MAD AT HIM. But as a result we got super long chapters in his PoV...I think it was good for him to get out of Kekon and make a life elsewhere for a while.
- Bero had so few chapters, maybe a bit more than last time. I thought I'd finally start hating him when I began reading, but no. (view spoiler)[Jade Legacy has one more shot to make it come true. (hide spoiler)]
- Rohn deserved better. He was my favourite character from abroad. (view spoiler)[But like I mentioned above, he went out in a blaze of glory so it's okay. (hide spoiler)]
ALL IN ALL, I can't wait for Jade Legacy, it's going to be amazing and my faves better not die....more
Yes, hello, operator? I need an ambulance. What for? My heart full of feels.
THESE BOOKS ARE CRIMINALLY GOOD. IT'S NOT FAIR. It's like each one gets bYes, hello, operator? I need an ambulance. What for? My heart full of feels.
THESE BOOKS ARE CRIMINALLY GOOD. IT'S NOT FAIR. It's like each one gets better and better. Following the pattern, now we have awesome x3.
Alexis is amazing. Her growth throughout the series is noticeable, especially in this book. She would go to hell and back for her friends and it makes me cry.
She kind of does go to hell in a way. It's very brave. It's okay to be a hero Alexis, you earned it.
Ace is a perfect muffin. He goes through a lot, barely anything pleasant, but comes out on top.
NOW CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT BLUEBERRY SCENE??? DO YOU SEE WHY I SHIP IT SO HARD??? MY POOR, POOR HEART. I just. I. Send help.
What I can't believe is that I shipped Rachel with Zane...poor judgement on my part. That little weasel can spend eternity in a very specific pig pen.
And Rachel *cries*. THEY REALLY DO GROW UP FAST, I'M NOT READYYYYYY. I'm happy for her though.
I wish there was more of Drax. He just showed us that he can be badass too and then we don't see him for a while. I want to see him eat some people.
Veerka's scene near the end got me, I started hating her. I apologise Veerka.
Yet again, I'm sad this was short. The plot was action-packed and fast paced so my time passed by even quicker.
The war was done well, enough, but not too much of it to overpower everything else that's going on. MORE OF THIS! But with a dragon.
I wasn't expecting the ending. It makes sense now. I like it. But you know, the scene at the very end? An expanded version please, and thank you.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, THIS ISN'T THE END!!! I hope. I think. Fingers crossed for more books.
*Thank you to Eliza Hendrix for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
You know how sequels sometimes tend to suffer from "second book syndrome", where they're bad and/or feel like a filler? Well this book just blew that You know how sequels sometimes tend to suffer from "second book syndrome", where they're bad and/or feel like a filler? Well this book just blew that stereotype into oblivion. It's even better than book one. And book one was awesome. So what does that make this? Awesome x2? Yes.
The story continues where we left off, more or less, and immediately the action starts. Poor Veerka and Alexis can't catch a break. A couple of chapters later, the main "quest" is revealed. For a second there I thought it would be one of those "go there, fetch that" things and I'm glad I was wrong.
The scale of their mission gradually increases and so does their little disfunctional found family.
TO MY GREAT JOY, THE INCUBUS IS BACK. And now I'm having problems picking a favourite. But maybe Alexis won't have to pick??? THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN THUNK. HINT HINT.
He's not just back, he has a role to play, one I wasn't expecting at all. I love all of his scenes. I think him waiting to show up wasn't the best choice on his part, but oh well, he's here now, that's all that matters.
Rachel got so good at magic, I'm SHOOK. She really has mad skills. I'm proud of my little witchling. They grow up so fast *wipes tear*. And Zane? I ship it.
This isn't a long book, but a lot happens. And yet it doesn't feel crammed in. Of course I wish it was longer though.
AND WHEN I TELL YOU I CRIED. OH I CRIED.
ANYWAY, I'm really excited to see how it's all going to end in book three. We had a good build up here so the conclusion is going to be epic, I can feel it.
*Thank you to Eliza Hendrix for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*...more
I didn't really like this. But was it worth reading just to meet Alessan? YES.
For this review I feel like making a pros and cons list, so here we go.I didn't really like this. But was it worth reading just to meet Alessan? YES.
For this review I feel like making a pros and cons list, so here we go.
PROS
● ALESSAN!!! From the very first moment he was introduced he won my heart. Similar with Valentin.
● The world building was done well, considering it's a standalone.
● The plot is something I can relate to on a strange, but specific level. I could feel their pain for their lost land as if it was my own.
● The writing style was beautiful at times.
● THE POETRY!!!
● Most of the ending. It's not terribly sad.
● THE LGBT REP! There's so much of it. It seems like it's normal in the world. Normal as in people are very aware of it and many characters don't have issues with it.
● Book club read so I didn't have to do this alone. And great topics to discuss.
CONS
● The length. It was way too long and could've been at least 200 pages shorter.
● There's a lot of repetitiveness in the longest character POVs. And some of them *cough* Dianora's *cough* were straight up annoying and I felt like skipping through them. I think it would've been better to just stick to the main four characters and mention the others as needed. I really don't need to know everyone's backstory.
● Since I mentioned Dianora, she reminds me of Shazi from The Wrath and the Dawn (view spoiler)[goes with the intention to kill a tyrant, ends up falling for him. I wish for once the woman would actually kill the guy (hide spoiler)].
● Too many characters. It's something I expected, but agh. Basically with this book you have to pay attention to EVERYONE because there's a 99% chance they'll be important later and if you didn't then you're a little confused.
● The fact that in a sea of characters I only cared about Alessan (and Valentin), the rest were meh.
● Devin. Or, more specifically, how just about every woman falls at his feet. I don't see it.
● This next thing ties into Devin. Mini spoilers. (view spoiler)[The closet scene. WHAT WAS THAT??? THAT'S NOT HOW YOU STOP SOMEONE FROM OVERHEARING??? Unneeded. (hide spoiler)] It also made me hate Catriana and I never started liking her after that.
● In general all the romance was wacky. But I did find it funny how (view spoiler)[Devin was with an older woman and then Catriana ends up with a slightly older man (hide spoiler)]. And then there's that whole (view spoiler)[brother-sister thing (hide spoiler)] WHY???
● The other part of the ending. The one where (view spoiler)[the brother and sister never learn the other is alive and right there. And the part where no one learns it was really Valentin. That makes me LIVID (hide spoiler)].
I wasn't expecting to love this, so I'm not disappointed. I don't know if I could see myself rereading this for the clues...maybe, maybe not....more
“The day you are not a fire,” he said, “is the day the earth will fall still for me.”
I WANT TO CRY BECAUSE I FINISHED THIS. WHY CAN'T IT GO ON FOREVER“The day you are not a fire,” he said, “is the day the earth will fall still for me.”
I WANT TO CRY BECAUSE I FINISHED THIS. WHY CAN'T IT GO ON FOREVER? WHY?
I would like to thank a very specific book club for bringing this book to my attention because I'm not sure how soon I would've discovered it on my own.
The blurb is intriguing enough, but what's inside is the real gem. I can't even describe how amazing the book is.
I definitely have my favourites among the characters and ones I hate *cough* Callum *cough* but they're all so beautifully written that it's hard to part with them.
I didn't even notice there was no specific plot until I read a few reviews. WHO CARES? Certainly not me.
It's a bit of a thriller, but not exactly. There's just certain parts that make you want to scream. AND! SO! MANY! PLOT! TWISTS!
Also, THIS is how you do a multi POV. Everyone's interesting and cool and you get a proper peek inside their head.
Now, let me share some Libby quotes. These aren't why she's my favourite (that was established the second I met her), but they're sure helping her stay on top of my list:
“Men, conceptually, are canceled.”
AND:
“Theoretically, men are a disaster. As a concept, I unequivocally reject them.”
HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE HER? She's also hella badass and I love her abilities the most. And while paired with Tristan *silent scream*.
I know shipping her with Nico is popular and I see it, but TRISTAN!!! Actually all three of them together would be IT! IMAGINE THE POWER!
Okay, I'm going to try to process this and that HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, CLIFFHANGER ending. Meanwhile, YOU SHOULD READ THE ALTAS SIX! THIS IS NOT A REQUEST! THIS IS A MUST!!! Fingers crossed the sequel comes out soon....more