“You are a loud, impulsive, persistent seeker of justice, and that makes people uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make you bad. It makes you very good, in“You are a loud, impulsive, persistent seeker of justice, and that makes people uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make you bad. It makes you very good, in fact.”
TW: blood, bullying, child abuse, child death, death, death of a loved one, dysphoria, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, human sacrifice, physical abuse, violence, vomit.
This was a fun, diverse fantasy with a fantastic mythology and a fast-paced, easy to follow plot. The characters were all unique and rich in their own ways, and despite finding Teo a bit insufferable at times, he was a sweet character.
I have a few struggles with this book but the majority arose in the form of the sense of humor and the modern fantasy world. I don't think I vibe well with modern fantasy, or with referencing vines in this modern fantasy world that is - in fact - separate from ours. Am I supposed to believe 1.) Vine exists in this world and 2.) All of the same Vines were created? Where does this stop? (I'm being picky here but it really did pull me out of the story lol)
This read like a younger fantasy, but with frequent swearing - which always throws me off a bit.
I will say, this ending absolutely stuck the landing. My sister was in the room with me as I read it and asked if I was okay because I set my phone down and stared at the wall for a minute after a specific thing happened. (I can usually predict things but I was shocked.)
All in all, this was fun! I enjoyed it. It's not going to be the kind of book I think about all the time, but I'm still glad I read it and - despite my mid-rating - I do think this book is underrated. Read it, especially if you were obsessed with Percy Jackson as a kid.
I wasn't sure if I planned to carry on with the series, but after that ending... I have to lol.
Merged review:
“You are a loud, impulsive, persistent seeker of justice, and that makes people uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make you bad. It makes you very good, in fact.”
TW: blood, bullying, child abuse, child death, death, death of a loved one, dysphoria, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, human sacrifice, physical abuse, violence, vomit.
This was a fun, diverse fantasy with a fantastic mythology and a fast-paced, easy to follow plot. The characters were all unique and rich in their own ways, and despite finding Teo a bit insufferable at times, he was a sweet character.
I have a few struggles with this book but the majority arose in the form of the sense of humor and the modern fantasy world. I don't think I vibe well with modern fantasy, or with referencing vines in this modern fantasy world that is - in fact - separate from ours. Am I supposed to believe 1.) Vine exists in this world and 2.) All of the same Vines were created? Where does this stop? (I'm being picky here but it really did pull me out of the story lol)
This read like a younger fantasy, but with frequent swearing - which always throws me off a bit.
I will say, this ending absolutely stuck the landing. My sister was in the room with me as I read it and asked if I was okay because I set my phone down and stared at the wall for a minute after a specific thing happened. (I can usually predict things but I was shocked.)
All in all, this was fun! I enjoyed it. It's not going to be the kind of book I think about all the time, but I'm still glad I read it and - despite my mid-rating - I do think this book is underrated. Read it, especially if you were obsessed with Percy Jackson as a kid.
I wasn't sure if I planned to carry on with the series, but after that ending... I have to lol....more
“To the quiet girls with stories in their heads. To their dreams—and their nightmares.”
TW: abandonment, abuse, alcohol, blood, body horror, bullying, c“To the quiet girls with stories in their heads. To their dreams—and their nightmares.”
TW: abandonment, abuse, alcohol, blood, body horror, bullying, child abuse, child death, classism, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, hate crime, injury/injury detail, medical content, mental illness, misogyny, murder, pandemic/epidemic, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, possession, religious bigotry, schizophrenia/psychosis, self-harm, sexual content, sexual harassment, terminal illness, torture, violence.
Dark, atmospheric, and a bit romantic; the perfect book to make me stop thinking about life for a bit.
I'm always hesitant to pick up books once they get super popular (not because I have a superiority complex), but I do have a track record of not enjoying most super hyped books, though I really want to. Thankfully, this was one of the cases where I had a really fun time.
It wasn't without flaws and there were moments I rolled my eyes at the convenience of the plot but overall? It was a really good debut. I've been struggling to stay engaged with quite a few of the books I've read recently, but this one took no effort at all. I loved the setting, the world-building, the character interactions, the writing style; it all worked so well together and made an enjoyable, pretty unique book.
This actually saved me from the beginnings of a reading slump and I now have borrowed book 2 from the library to keep these vibes going lol.
I feel like if you enjoyed the Caraval trilogy and are looking for something similar but more mature, you'll really love this. Conversely, if you didn't like Caraval's world-building and overall vibe, you may not enjoy this one. They're very different stories (other than the card magic) but the goth, whimsical vibe reminded me of certain aspects I really enjoyed about Caraval.
Overall, I had a fantastic time with this. It kept me interested from beginning to end, and even though I predicted where the story was going, it was never in a way that made me feel annoyed. (view spoiler)[Though it did take her way too long to realize what the Nightmare was. (hide spoiler)]
I look forward to reading whatever Rachel Gillig writes in the future, especially if it's as atmospheric as this one....more
TW: abuse, addiction, alcohol, alcoholism, blood, body horror, child abuse, child death, classism, colonization, cu“A broken blade can be mended.”
➳3.5
TW: abuse, addiction, alcohol, alcoholism, blood, body horror, child abuse, child death, classism, colonization, cursing, death, death of a loved one, drug use, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, hate crime, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness, misogyny, murder, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, racism, rape, self harm (consistent), sexual assault, sexual content, sexual harassment, sexual violence, suicidal ideation, suicide, suicide attempt, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
Quick review tonight because I want to go to bed lol.
Somehow, this was a book that was both extremely derivative and unique at once. Much of the plot feels like something you've read before complete with a smattering of tropes and overused character archetypes, but these are set against a backdrop that's primarily focused with the examination of themes of colonization and occupation - as well as discussions of addiction and mental health.
This was - despite the hard topics - a really easy read, even for someone that's been struggling to read lately. Some of the familiarity of the tropes and plot lent themselves to the reading experience, making it easier to focus on the other aspects of the story.
I think my largest complaint was actually the characters, particularly the MMC. I hate that man and all of his lackluster apologies did nothing to resolve the fact he's an asshole. :)
That aside, I see why people love this and I would recommend it - but definitely not to everyone. If you like familiar fae leaning stories and enjoyed An Heir Comes to Rise but wanted something a bit darker, I think you'd love this. However, if you're someone that gets irritated with tropey, super predictable stories - maybe stay away from this.
Overall, I did like this and I will be carrying on with the series. ...more
“We are all children of blood and bone. All instruments of vengeance and virtue.”
TW: animal death, blood, body horror, child abuse, child death, classi“We are all children of blood and bone. All instruments of vengeance and virtue.”
TW: animal death, blood, body horror, child abuse, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, hate crime, infidelity, injury/injury detail, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness, misogyny, murder, physical abuse, police brutality, racial slurs, self-harm, sexual harassment, sexual violence, suicidal thoughts, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war.
Can't believe it took me so long to finally read this, but I'm glad I did!
A fantastic, fast-paced fantasy (unintentional alliteration) with a focus on grief and overcoming prejudices, internalized and otherwise. The characters were a bit... immature, but this is a YA so I feel like it's understandable, even if I wanted to slam my head into a wall reading some of their reactions/decisions.
Also, I will always be excited about an animal companion. More animal companions in books, please and thank you.
Overall, this is seriously such a solid YA fantasy book and I look forward to carrying on with the series. I'm curious where the story will go after that ending. ...more
"You don't stop being the chosen one just because the war is over."
➳ 3.5
TW: blood, colonization, confinement, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire i"You don't stop being the chosen one just because the war is over."
➳ 3.5
TW: blood, colonization, confinement, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, forced institutionalization, genocide, grief, injury/injury detail, medical content, mental illness, panic attacks/disorders, racial slurs, racism, slavery, violence, war, xenophobia.
Absolutely overjoyed that dragons are having a bit of a comeback right now. Dragons are my fae, in the way that I will read almost anything that even mentions dragons.
Admittedly... the fact it had dragons was the only thing I knew about this book going in but if I had known that it had the burnt-out chosen one trope and siblings on opposite sides of a war, I would have picked this up the second it was released. Either way, I'm glad I picked it up now.
This was such a good debut and a really good dragon book! It had its flaws, namely falling into some unfortunate YA ruts (such as incoherent military planning and over-dramatized chapter endings throughout the book) but those were minor compared to all of the things this story did right.
We follow Faron and Elara, sisters that were dragged into a war as children and even though we begin the story in a time of peace, we can see that neither of the sisters have truly left the war. Not really. And that creates such an interesting dynamic, as we see Faron constantly pushing back against the worship given to the chosen one and Elara constantly trying to keep up with her younger sister's renown. Both sisters were distinct and interesting to follow, though I did struggle more with Faron due to her absolute stupidity.
Which leads me to both a plus and a negative: this book read very young. It's a YA, so that isn't a bad thing. However, it also had a tendency to pull me out of the story when characters that had almost singlehandedly won a war at age 12 (?) were so... incapable of thinking things through or even a modicum of self control. That paired with the overdramatized moments I mentioned earlier could make this a more difficult read for people growing out of YA, so while I don't think this is necessarily a negative, I do think it's worth noting.
Other than the few things I didn't care for, I really did enjoy so much of this story. I loved the worldbuilding and I'm a sucker for magical academy settings (even if we barely spent any time there). I loved the discussions of generational trauma and the lasting effects of war. I loved the sisterly bond and I freaking loved the dragons.
If you're someone that already loves YA fantasy and are looking for one that breathes new life into familiar elements, while also creating something beautifully unique, I wholeheartedly recommend this. ...more
“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.”
TW: ableism, addiction, alcoholism, animal death, blood, body horror, chi“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.”
TW: ableism, addiction, alcoholism, animal death, blood, body horror, child death, chronic illness, confinement, death, death of a loved one, drug use, dysphoria, fire/fire injury, gore, grief, infertility, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, misogyny, murder, racism (minor), sexism, stalking, torture, violence, war.
Really struggled to get into this one, but definitely had a much better time with the second half.
I have kind of mixed feelings on this as a whole, partially because it took me so long to care about the story and partially because I couldn't ignore some of the book's flaws. Beyond any of the things that haven't aged well, such as the use of an ableist slur for dwarfism, this was just... super predictable? And a bit on the redundant, boring side? Which is weird coming from me, because I love slow-paced books so much.
However... Jem. I adore him.
Despite the fact it took me a week to read this (not normal for me) and the fact my review sounds like I'm just overly critical, I did end up liking the book as a whole. I appreciated the levity of Shadowhunter's humor, as well as the historical setting (and the literary references!)
Overall, I enjoyed this - even though not quite as much as I wanted to - and I look forward to carrying on with the series. ...more
“None of us had normal childhoods," Sloane said quietly. "If we had, we wouldn't be Naturals.”
➳ 3.5✶
TW: abandonment, blood, body horror, child abuse, “None of us had normal childhoods," Sloane said quietly. "If we had, we wouldn't be Naturals.”
➳ 3.5✶
TW: abandonment, blood, body horror, child abuse, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, fatphobia (brief), gore (graphic), grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, mental illness, murder, physical abuse, pregnancy, sexism, sexual assault, stalking, torture (graphic), violence.
If there's one thing Jennifer Lynn Barnes knows how to do, it's write a book that I read in record time.
Her plots never fail to absolutely engross me from the first page and this was no different. This was such a fast-paced book and in some ways, this worked incredibly to its benefit and in others - such as the character development and their extremely rushed relationships - less so.
Despite the dark nature of this book - and it got really disturbing - it was such an addictive, fun read. Even the messiness of the love traingle (that really shouldn't exist after two days of knowing each other, but I digress) had me absolutely enraptured.
And you know what, I'm not ashamed to admit it, the ending caught me off guard. I usually guess everything to the point that it ruins my reading experience and I simply completely fell for it (trying to stay incredibly vague here.)
All in all, this was so enjoyable and kind of reminded me of The Batman (2019)... which... yeah, I don't know either. But anyway, I totally recommend this if you're someone that enjoys thrillers (or you're just a Ravenclaw that's always wished you could sit in the common room and just absolutely overanalyze everything)
(view spoiler)[Michael and Dean are just the original Jameson and Grayson and you know what? I'm not even slightly upset about that. (hide spoiler)]...more
“I've realized a world run by people who think they are better will never be better for everyone.”
➳ 4.5✶
TW: abandonment, ableism, abuse, addiction, al“I've realized a world run by people who think they are better will never be better for everyone.”
➳ 4.5✶
TW: abandonment, ableism, abuse, addiction, alcohol, blood, body horror, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, child death, classism, claustrophobia (view spoiler)[ including abuse by way of locking someone in a cupboard (hide spoiler)], colonization, confinement, cultural appropriation, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, drug abuse, drug addiction, emotional abuse, excrement, fatphobia, genocide, gore, grief, gun violence, hate crime, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, mutilation, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, racial slurs, racism, self harm, sexual content, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
This was fantastic. And incredibly dark/bleak.
I cannot believe how underrated this book is. The entire time I was listening to the audiobook, I kept thinking that I didn't understand why I haven't heard more people rave about this book (/series, if book 2 is anything like this one). Even with a bit of a slow start and my struggle to connect to one of the main characters (which I believe was actually purposeful on the author's part), I was absolutely gripped from the beginning.
The way the author subverted so many tropes and created a story that is both highly captivating and a devastating allegory to real world events was nothing short of spectacular.
This wasn't quite a five star read, due to some things being a bit predictable/not making logical sense (view spoiler)[ such as the wardens all keeping their journals of truth that they can all access, yet the Warden of Strength detailed all of her thoughts on the one thing she wanted to keep private from the other wardens? How does that make any sense? (hide spoiler)]
Those things aside, this book was fantastic. I loved the characters, I loved the way Anoor and Sylah made each other better without ever fundamentally changing themselves. And even when this book was devastating, it was done in a way that never felt... gratuitous or purely for shock value. It felt meaningful.
Pairing that with high-stakes trials and a failed chosen one trope, this book hit the mark on nearly every account. If you haven't read it yet (and you're prepared for the heavy content) please do yourself a favor and read this. ...more
“The greater the desire, the greater the suffering, and now she desired greatness itself.”
TW: ableism, abuse, alcohol, animal cruelty, animal death, b“The greater the desire, the greater the suffering, and now she desired greatness itself.”
TW: ableism, abuse, alcohol, animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, body-shaming, bullying, cannibalism, child abuse, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, dysphoria, emotional abuse, excrement, fatphobia, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, homophobia, infertility, infidelity, injury/injury detail, lesbophobia, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness, misogyny, murder, pedophilia, physical abuse, racial slurs, racism, rape, religious bigotry, sexual assault, sexual content, sexual violence, sexism, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, transphobia, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
The praise for this book is so well deserved.
Brutal, powerful, and dark, yet also lyrically written and interwoven with elements of the fantastical, She Who Became the Sun was masterfully crafted. I went into the story with minimal prior knowledge of the history the story pulls from, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment and understanding of the story at all. (I will admit to confusing a few characters and political allegiances at first, but I'm more than willing to say that's probably reader error and not on the author.)
Zhu was one of the best main characters I've ever read. From the very first scene to the last, it's impossible not to empathize with her. Even when decisions are made that seem irredeemable, they never seem unnecessary or overly cruel. As someone that appreciates flawed characters but is really tired of books where the author has the characters make brutal decisions simply for the sake of featuring flawed characters, this was such a breath of fresh air.
The discussion of gender and queer identity in front of the historical backdrop was also incredibly interesting and well-written. There were lines in here that took me back with how insightful and powerful they were.
Overall, there's nothing I can say for this book that hasn't been said. It's fantastic. Perhaps not for everyone, due to the slower pace and focus on politics, but fantastic nonetheless. ...more
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: abandonment, alcohol, blood, colonization, confinemARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: abandonment, alcohol, blood, colonization, confinement, death, death of a loved one, emotional abuse, gore, grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, sexism, violence.
Immersive and magical, this was a delightful book - albeit suffering from a slow start.
It took me a bit to find my rhythm with the story, but once I did, I found that I didn't want to put it down. It was unique and yet familiar at once, in a way that reminded me of watching VHS on the floor of my bedroom in the dark as a child. Which is such a highly specific memory and yet there it is. Despite the fact that I knew exactly how the story was going to unfold from the beginning, it didn't feel predictable; rather, I felt excited to guess things (and satisfied when I was correct.)
I did - however - struggle with certain characterization a bit. It felt very... inconsistent. And while I understand the deeper implications from some characters, it sometimes felt like they couldn't decide what they wanted to be. Maybe I wish they had been fleshed out a bit more or that they had been more present in the book, such as Tío Ricardo.
As for the comparison to the Mummy, I have actually never seen the films (an absolute oversight on my part, I'm aware) but I could definitely feel a similarity to the little I know about the film series and the book (specifically that one scene everyone shares where Brendan Fraser tosses the woman over his shoulder.)
Overall, as I said, this was delightful and the cliffhanger! I already need book two, which is unfortunate since book 1 isn't even out yet. I'm so grateful I got the chance to read this as an ARC and it's definitely going to be one I recommend....more
"Whenever you hear a story about villainous women, you should ask who’s telling the story."
TW: blood, cursing, death, death of a loved one, gun violen"Whenever you hear a story about villainous women, you should ask who’s telling the story."
TW: blood, cursing, death, death of a loved one, gun violence, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, violence.
The vibes of this book were immaculate.
Greek mythology. Nature magic. Fantastic family dynamics. Gothic vibes. NATURE MAGIC. Healthy (present) parents. Ivy! An old apothecary! Nature! Magic!
I did find the book a bit more on the younger side of YA as far as dialogue and certain character developments went, which definitely isn't a bad thing. Just something to know before going in.
My biggest problem is the (view spoiler)[ minor and immortal trope. (hide spoiler)] I get it. I get why it's here but it's just not something I like in books and I just want equal. playing. fields.
Overall, this is such an underrated fun, easy fantasy and I am now petitioning for more nature magic books, pls and ty....more
”Are we girls or are we demons? Are we going to die or are we going to survive?”
TW: blood, body horror, child abuse, child death, confinement, death, ”Are we girls or are we demons? Are we going to die or are we going to survive?”
TW: blood, body horror, child abuse, child death, confinement, death, death of a loved one, emotional abuse, forced institutionalization, genocide, gore, grief, hate crime, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, misogyny’s, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, rape, sexism, sexual assault, sexual violence, slavery, trafficking, violence, war, xenophobia.
I’m entirely unsure how to review this.
Here’s the thing: parts of this book were excellent and then other parts were… definitely not. I felt like I would go between thinking it deserved an easy 5 stars, to almost a 1. This happens occasionally, and I always settle on a 3 star rating because it’s the only thing that makes sense.
Some of the great things about this book were: the world-building, Deka (she was a great MC, even if I thought she was dumb at times), the emphasis on friendship, the overall message (!!!), the uniqueness of the story, a dragon-type creature (!), and the mythology.
Adversely, there were things I didn’t like about the book. Some of them were personal, and some of them are objective. The last 20% of the book specifically was… hm. (view spoiler)[She has her first kiss when her head is completely disconnected from her body (hide spoiler)]
It felt like there was a lot of build-up for a very rushed ending, which could’ve had something to do with this being a duology. The writing style was also quite jarring at times.
However! I still really understand why this book is as loved as it is and I don’t not recommend it. But! I definitely think it’s one you should go into aware of how heavy the subject matter is. It can get pretty descriptive as well, so just be careful.
Overall, I am glad I read this. It definitely made me feel so much. I felt so sick about the injustice in this book, which made the victorious moments even more powerful. And even with my problems, I recognize what an important book this is. ...more
“In the meantime, I hope you will find your place, wherever you are. Even in the silence, I hope you will find the words you need to share.”
TW: addict“In the meantime, I hope you will find your place, wherever you are. Even in the silence, I hope you will find the words you need to share.”
TW: addiction, alcoholism, blood, child death, death, death of a loved one, medical content, panic attacks, ptsd, sexual content, violence, vomit, war.
I don't know if there's ever been a book that I feel like was more written specifically for me as a person.
It's You've Got Mail in a WWI/WWII inspired fantasy world featuring warring gods and enchanted typewriters. It's as if Rebecca Ross sat down with every feeling in my heart, everything I love and put it down on paper. So many lines felt like they were echoes of my soul, and as melodramatic as that sounds, it was exactly what I needed right now.
Everyone and their mother seems to be talking about this book lately, and I'm so glad that I get to join in on that hype. I will say... I keep hearing people pitching this as a romance and they're right, it is a romance. That is the beating heart of the story. However! There's so much more here. So much of it was Iris and Roman finding their own identities. The tragedies of war. Grief. Hope. Mythology. Found family! All set to a backdrop that feels like you're in the beginning of Narnia.
In fact, this is the closest a book has ever made me feel to what the Narnia movies still make me feel to this day. Not just because of the little wardrobe and the time it was inspired by, but the heart of the story connected with me in the same way.
The only thing I have that even slightly resembles a complaint is that this was perhaps a wee bit fast-paced and therefore the romance moved slightly too quickly for my taste. However! With so much of the book focusing on the realities and pain of war, I understand it and truthfully, didn't mind at all. Iris and Roman's relationship was so cute that I literally found myself smiling at the book like an idiot. Which wouldn't be a big deal, except I'm not an expressive reader usually. Their romance may have moved too fast, but I enjoyed every minute of it. (view spoiler)[Plus... with that ending... I think there will be a lot more slow-burn in the next book because holy shit. Ow. Looking forward to that lol. (hide spoiler)]
There's so much I could say but I fear this review already teeters the line of incoherency and I'm exhausted, so I should probably end it by saying: This is the easiest five stars I've given all year long. Absolutely a new favorite and I need to read everything else Rebecca Ross has ever written. ...more
Dang. Okay. I'm not entirely sure where to start this review bc I'm still just trying to process this book and how drastically my opinions of it changed from the beginning to the middle.
As someone that felt very neutral about the Folk of the Air trilogy, I really went into this with no expectations.
For the first 30%, I was not connecting with the story at all. It wasn't bad, just... not for me. And then something switched and I'm not sure if it was me or the story, but I ended up enjoying the rest of the book way more than I thought I was going to.
Now, don't get me wrong, this book was not perfect and every time I heard about Oak's hooves I was thrown out of the story (especially in a romantic context...)
But something about this book worked for me more than the Cruel Prince ever did, which is interesting because this book lacked most of the political aspects/court intrigue of TCP, which was what drew me to the original trilogy in the first place.
Honestly, I think it comes down to the specifics of the emotional dynamic Holly Black set up between our two MCs. I genuinely cared for Oak and Suren, which I wasn't expecting. And! Though I saw where the story was going, I was genuinely excited to get there and now I'm very curious where she's going with book 2.
This was basically just a long rambling way of saying I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I look forward to the next one....more
“People make gods, and, for better or worse, gods make people.”
TW: abandonment, ableism, alcohol, animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, ch“People make gods, and, for better or worse, gods make people.”
TW: abandonment, ableism, alcohol, animal cruelty, animal death, blood, body horror, child abuse, chronic illness, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, emotional abuse, excrement, fire/fire injury, genocide, gore, grief, hate crime, infertility, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness, misogyny, murder, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, pregnancy, religious bigotry, ritualistic sacrifice, self harm, sexual content, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, torture, trafficking, violence, war.
A solid four star read!!
This wasn't perfect by any means, but I had a great time with it and loved the nostalgic (but inclusive) fantasy vibes. I think this would be a great read for fantasy beginners or for people that want a very familiar fantasy that still manages to bring something new to the genre.
Also, I will always be a sucker for anything having to do with the struggle between humans and gods/the thin line between faith and fanaticism. This was a bit of a basic view of those topics, but I still had a great time with it.
And the found family had such a warm vibe to it. This is a cozy quest book that has a very... not cozy plot lol.
I didn't really care for the romance (it felt rushed, but they were still sweet) and some of the dialogue was a bit on the... cringey side, but it was usually pretty easy to avoid. And I've seen other people suggesting this based off of some of the lines of dialogue I didn't like, so that's incredibly subjective.
Overall, this was exactly what I wanted it to be and I definitely recommend it. I'm cautious about book 2 after hearing some conflicted things, but I still plan to pick it up soon (especially after that ending.)...more
"You're strong enough to make hard choices in service of the greater good."
TW: blood, bullying, child death, confinement, death, death of a loved one,"You're strong enough to make hard choices in service of the greater good."
TW: blood, bullying, child death, confinement, death, death of a loved one, kidnapping, trafficking, violence.
One of the most three star books to ever exist. I'm not usually quite so split-down-the-middle with books but this one is definitely the exception.
There was so much I liked about this story and this world; equally, there were so many things that just did not work. At all. Such as the characters' stupidity. Every single one of them. There was not one character that seemed to think more than five seconds before coming to the most mind-numbing conclusion you've ever heard in your entire life.
And yet, I have to admit that I had fun with this (when I wasn't rolling my eyes at the lack of intelligence). The atmosphere was unique, the plot was engaging, and I genuinely wanted to know what was going to happen. It's the kind of story that feels like it works best if you just vibe and focus less on the... things making sense part.
I'd recommend this to people that want to read a fantasy book, but don't feel like they're at the place for a really intense one. It's like the Chips Ahoy of fantasy books. Not comparable to warm chocolate chip cookies, but a good substitute if you don't have the time/energy to make any.
Overall, I enjoyed this and I also didn't. It just... was. I'm hoping that the sequel will improve on the things that bothered me and build upon those I liked. Hopefully....more
“If I were a tree, I would have no reason to love a human.”
TW: ableism (use of m slur for people with dwarfism), alcohol, blood, body horror, classism“If I were a tree, I would have no reason to love a human.”
TW: ableism (use of m slur for people with dwarfism), alcohol, blood, body horror, classism, child abuse, child death, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, gore, grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, medical content, mental illness, murder, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, ritualistic sacrifice, self-harm, suicide attempt, toxic relationship, violence.
I realize that I am unbelievably late to this series but I've finally read it! And despite the fact that this is by no means a perfect book (there's quite a bit that did not age well....) I had such a fantastic time with this. It took me forever to read due to moving and getting a stomach bug, but even when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it.
I loved all of the characters and the atmosphere and the vibes. Magical trees! Ley Lines! Found family!
My brain is too exhausted for any kind of intelligent review so basically! I really enjoyed this and I can't wait to continue the series....more
”He wasn't made of flesh and bone, or starlight. He was made of darkness.”
TW: blood, bombing, car accident, child death, death, death of a loved one, f”He wasn't made of flesh and bone, or starlight. He was made of darkness.”
TW: blood, bombing, car accident, child death, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, gore, gun violence, injury/injury detail, religious/ritual suicide, (not descriptive), school shooting, torture, violence.
This was my second V.E. Schwab book and absolutely exceeded my expectations after Addie LaRue (which I thought was okay, but just okay).
I’m already a sucker for conflicted morality and any book that deals with the “who are the real monsters?” conflict, so I was hesitantly hopeful and I’m glad I enjoyed it so much.
It was super fast paced, but I never felt like the story was rushed or I wasn’t able to connect with the characters. For how quick the book was, I actually feel like I have a really vivid, detailed picture of the world and the characters.
There were a few complaints that kept it from being anything higher than a 4 star, but they aren’t super big deals and not even worth mentioning.
Also! For a YA novel, there is (clearly) some heavier content in here so I’d warn about that, if you’re someone that’s sensitive to reading about aforementioned topics.
Seriously though, this was such a good read (and *fingers crossed* but I think it pulled me out of my reading slump). I definitely recommend, especially if you’re looking for an atmospheric, fast-paced read that doesn’t feel… lacking lol. ...more
TW: death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, (minor) sexual content.
Not rating this one because it doesn’t really fit into a rating category.
My mom anTW: death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, (minor) sexual content.
Not rating this one because it doesn’t really fit into a rating category.
My mom and sister have been trying to convince me to start this series and I’m finally (sorry, guys) getting around to it. Super fun, easy read that has aged surprisingly well for when it was released? (it still has some issues, but they’re pretty minor.)
All in all, I had fun so I can’t really complain. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series. ...more
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