Cate Glass

I very much enjoyed reading Flesh and Spirit, it combines interesting, and varied characters, a well constructed world that is fully in balance with itself, strong prose, and a plot that is deep enough for you immerse yourself in. The pacing is admittedly slower than more fare nowadays, but that is something I personally like; its gives you the chance to learn about the characters on your own, to actually begin to know them beyond what the Author has told you. Its a rare thing to be able to just sit back and enjoy your book without every other being a nail-bitter.
One of Flesh and bones strong points is its Protagonist. Valen is at once complex and relatable, he has his moments of strength and his moments of weakness, he has his vices and his courage, and he evolves through the book, slowly growing further into his more desirable and away from his vices.
So, if you enjoy strong characters and more measured pace, I believe you will enjoy Flesh and Spirit.… (more)

Actual rating 4.5
I thoroughly enjoyed Song of the Beast. Excellent, often beautiful, prose drives a complex narrative full of emotion. Aidan is a compelling lead with a complex, fully realized personality and narrative, full of internal conflict and growth, and emotion.
The plot is fairly unique, relying more on the mystery of the story and on the discovery of what happened and the truth of the world than on simple action, magic, and some evil. (Though there is plenty of action scenes and challenges in the narrative.) That mystery is compelling, and you are fed pieces of the puzzles (along with further questions) throughout the story, ultimately concluding in a satisfying close where everything both makes sense and the mystery being justified.
The character work is excellent, with many scenes or interactions the put your primary characters on display. I particularly enjoyed Aidan and Lara's relationship, interactions, and their progression.… (more)

I really enjoyed Son of Avonar, its combined complex, authentic and emotionally vibrant characters with a story that was intricately tied to those characters. The world they inhabit is imaginative and clear with a mixture of both darkness and light. The prose is strong and description good, if occasionally long-winded at the expense of momentum. It is, however, a slower book and, while I prefer my books like that, you might like a quicker pace. what this slower pace does, is it allows the story to hit a wide spectrum of emotions ranging from joy to misery, for the characters, and, as the reader, I felt almost all of them.
All of these things, combined with a notable villain, made for a very fullfilling experience.… (more)

It felt like the main character was replaced in whole by a completely new charater - one who was wholely unlikeable and untrustable. and because this new person was so outside the values- and personality and even the theme of the story - I feel like i just read a book that i wish i hadnt. all the way through it the character just made feeble bad choices and there was no sense that he ever had a plan nor that he really felt remorse for some of the things he did.
I think the author writes victimization very well but is not equally able to write from the perspective of the perpetrator.
… (more)