Tag: Fantasy (Page 25 of 121)

BOOK REVIEW: The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

April 15, 2021 / Arielle / 0 Comments

The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom #1)
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
“Heart-pounding romance and intense action wrapped in a spellbinding world. I was hooked from the first page!” – Elise Kova, USA Today bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

A warrior princess trained in isolation, Lara is driven by two certainties. The first is that King Aren of the Bridge Kingdom is her enemy. And the second is that she’ll be the one to bring him to his knees.

The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara's homeland. So when she’s sent as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses. And the defenses of its king.

Yet as she infiltrates her new home and gains a deeper understanding of the war to possess the bridge, Lara begins to question whether she’s the hero or the villain. And as her feelings for Aren transform from frosty hostility to fierce passion, Lara must choose which kingdom she’ll save… and which kingdom she’ll destroy.

Passionate and violent, The Bridge Kingdom is a seductive fantasy perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Review

Ithicana needed a queen who was a warrior. A woman who’d fight to the death for her people. A woman who was cunning and ruthless, not because she wanted to be, but because her country needed her to be. A woman who’d challenge him every day for the rest of his life. A woman Ithicana would respect.

And there was one thing he was certain: Lara Veliant was not that woman.

At this point I have seen this book recommended a thousand times over in several different Facebook groups I’m in. Did I listen to any of those people? No. Do I feel like an idiot about it? Yes. THANK GOD I finally found people to push me about it with previous book opinions that I trusted or else who knows how long it might have been before it would have been picked up.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so terrible. You deserve someone better than me.”
Aren exhaled, but said nothing. The methodical movement of him climbing the stairs lulled her, consciousness slowly fading away. She didn’t fight it, because against all the odds, she trusted him implicitly. Still, she was aware enough to hear him, his voice hoarse as he said, “Since the moment I set eyes on you in Southwatch, there’s been no one but you. Even if I’m a goddamned fool for it, there will never be anyone but you.”
You are a fool, she thought as darkness took her.
And that made two of them.

After reading ACOSF I’m realizing that I’m in need of more adult fantasy recs. I will always love YA but it’s getting to the point where I want more darkness, more sexy times, and more characters that are legitimately adults. This was the perfect book for those wanting to transition from YA to NA/Adult fantasy I think. The characters still feel on the younger side and there’s nothing so explicit as what we saw in ACOSF (too bad really, lol) but damn there was a lot of darkness in this book. A lot of angst and real world countries-at-war-and-people-are-slaughtered type problems if you know what I mean. This is my first book by Jensen and I have to say, her writing was not what I expected in an entirely good way. I sometimes make the terrible assumption that for some series that don’t have as big of an audience/ are written by authors I know nothing about, that they aren’t that great. AND THAT IS, AGAIN, TERRIBLE. Don’t make the same mistakes as me, people. Read this book. Honestly you probably could read any of her books and they would be amazing (Dark Shores I’m coming for you next).

“I don’t want to leave.” The words were a truth dug from the depths of her heart. She did not want to leave Ithicana. She did not want to leave him. She wanted to stay, to fight and sweat and bleed for him and his harsh, wild, and beautiful kingdom.

On to the characters. Lara. Ooof you stubborn ass. She reminded me a lot of Celaena Sardothian if I’m being honest. She has a lot of really great growth in this book and beyond (I’m actually halfway through #2 right now) and I enjoyed watching her realize how much of a liar her father was and how she grew to respect the Ithicanian people. Aren. You’re also a stubborn ass. But with a heart of gold. Their romance was definitely of the slow burn nature but it was perfect for this book. While both of them might have felt a glimmer of attraction and connection early on, it did take time for them to actually fall in love and I really appreciated that.

“Look at me.” She did, pressing her cheek against his hand as he reached up to cup the side of her head. “I love you,” he said, his lips grazing against hers. “And I will love you, no matter what the future brings. No matter how hard I need to fight. I will always love you.”

The plot and ending. Well, well, well. The plot of this series is an interesting one. There is some really interesting world building and I was very glad for the map to reference places throughout the book. It was a lot but because Jensen’s writing is so colorful and descriptive I never had a problem envisioning what things looked like, only where exactly they were really. I am so interested to learn more about this world and these characters and to hopefully not have my heart ruined any more than it already has been by the ending! Lol good luck to all you who haven’t read this yet. You will certainly need it!

Aren cast his gaze over the replica of his kingdom. “Ithicana has always been at war, and what do we have to show for it?”
“We’re alive. We have the bridge.”
“Don’t you think it’s time we fight for something more?”

BOOK REVIEW: Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) by Cassandra Clare

April 12, 2021 / Arielle / 0 Comments

Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2)
by Cassandra Clare
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Chain of Iron is a Shadowhunters novel.

Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade.

But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace.

Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.

Review

This is now the 18th book I’ve read by Cassandra Clare. What’s even crazier is that I have been reading about the Shadowhunter world for FOURTEEN YEARS. Her writing and her characters have been with me through some of my most formative years alive and these books have honestly been part of the reason why I am such a lover of long, drawn out series with books big enough to knock a person out (you know, if you were to use one as a weapon which I don’t condone lolll). The Infernal Devices made me feel ~things~ back in the day that I honestly didn’t even know books could elicit. Tessa was a kindred spirit who loved books as much as I did and Will Herondale was exactly the kind of broody boy with dark hair and blue eyes that I dreamed out endlessly. Once I was fully ensconced in this world, I knew there would never be a day that I wouldn’t want to immediately read the stuff she puts out.

However, I have lately noticed that as I grow older, the stuff just doesn’t hit in the same way it used to. In my opinion it’s not on Clare’s writing. I think that has improved with each book. Her writing still CONTINUOUSLY has me aching for the characters and wanting more. I mean, at this point I don’t know if there has been ONE single relationship that hasn’t been fraught with angst and somehow each of them is angsty in a new way??? Like how in the hell does she even do that?

I think the biggest “issue” for me is that back in the day when I had WAY LESS obligations, I was able to re-read like every single book that had previously come out beforehand, leading up to the new book. Now I have a full time job and two kids which leaves me with a lot less time, even with audiobooks on a faster-than-normal, lol. At this point with The Last Hours not only do we have references to things that happened in TID but also characters/ events we see again later in TMI and TDA. Like holy crap I can’t keep anything straight anymore lol. Mark my words though, I am doing a COMPLETE chronological re-read before The Wicked Powers come out…someday.

ANYWAY on to my thoughts on this specific book:
1. I love every single Herondale but why do they ALWAYS get themselves into such deep shit? lolol I ask in my most loving of ways. ESPECIALLY when any kind of romance is involved. I’m truly starting to believe it’s some kind of genetic trai

2. I just want View Spoiler »Thomas and Alistair « Hide Spoiler to be happy forever

3. And for that matter, View Spoiler »Kamala/Ariadne and Anna « Hide Spoiler P.s. you should definitely read Ghosts of the Shadow Market before reading this

4. I am genuinely NERVOUS for Matthew. Like the fact that everyone keeps brushing his growing alcohol dependency under the rug and telling themselves that he’s not actually addicted…makes my heart hurt for ALL of them.

5. Cordelia might honestly be my favorite female lead of Clare’s of all time. I was talking to a friend about this actually and I think it’s because she is so different than almost every other lead we’ve ever seen. At the beginning of the series she is totally un-jaded to this world. She hasn’t had a traumatic thing happen to her with some kind of crazy death or tragedy like LITERALLY everyone else, lol. She purely wants to be a Shadowhunter for the sake of ridding the world of evil. Not any kind of revenge or even the glory. She is so pure of heart and heroic and literally is an amazing example of what (in a perfect world) Shadowhunters SHOULD all be like. I’m interested to see how her character reacts to certain events that unfolded in this book…

6. Damnit Tatiana you crazy old bat

7. OKAY WHAT THE HELL IS GOING TO HAPPEN View Spoiler »

8. I’m calling it right now View Spoiler »

9. View Spoiler »

10. View Spoiler »

BOOK REVIEW: The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black

March 16, 2021 / Jen / 10 Comments

BOOK REVIEW: The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1)
by Holly Black
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him--and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Review:

The Cruel Prince was a magical tale that swept me away. With deceit, lies, and personal motives swirling through the pages, there was so much unknown within this story. I loved the characters, I loved the way everything unfolded and I have a feeling this series is going to be one of my favorites! If you’re a fan of YA fantasy or enemies to lovers, then you definitely need this series on your tbr if you haven’t read it already!

What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was raised by the man who murdered my parents, reared in a land of monsters. I live with that fear, let it settle into my bones, and ignore it. If I didn’t pretend not to be scared, I would hide under my owl-down coverlets in Madoc’s estate forever. I would lie there and scream until there was nothing left of me. I refuse to do that. I will not do that.

The prologue started off with a burst of action, bloodshed and I couldn’t help but be glued to the pages. After Jude, her twin sister Taryn and her older sister Vivi witnessed something horrific, they were whisked away to Fairie. The world they were brought into could be so cruel and twisted. And even though Madoc, Vivi’s father, treated Jude like his own, the others in Fairie weren’t so kind to them. Jude and her twin were bullied at school. And Prince Cardan and his friends were the worst of the tormentors. But Jude refused to be backed into corners or made to feel less by others.

I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

I loved Jude with my whole heart! She was smart, cunning, fierce and stood up for others and what she believed in. Jude always worked so hard to try and make herself stronger. So we got to witness as she persevered time and again, I had so much respect for her! I loved that she could get away with lies, since the Fey couldn’t lie. And while that may sound awful, she lived in such a ruthless world. She needed every advantage she could get. But I loved most of all that Jude had no problem standing up to Prince Cardan. Jude was loving, relentless, passionate and in the end she played a dangerous game that had me clapping out loud!

“You may win in the end, you may ensorcell me and hurt me and humiliate me, but I will make sure you lose everything I can take from you on the way down. I promise you this”—I throw his own words back at him—“this is the least of what I can do.”

Cardan was deliciously complex. Him and his friends came across as ruthless and had no qualms with taunting Jude. Or asking her to back down, surrender, or put her into situations that felt dangerous. I didn’t know what to think of Cardan, other than I was obsessed. I loved that he saw so much and how he spoke. Even if his words were cruel. And when we got a tiny peak into Cardan’s life, it was not the wonder I thought it would be. My heart bled for him. So of course I looked deeply into any moment he seemed to help Jude, even if he had just hurt her. I tried to find his redemption. And in the end, I loved that Cardan was clever and my newest book boyfriend!

If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.

But just like Cardan, Jude was also complex, and so were their relationships with others. I tried my best to figure out who I should like. Who I should trust. Because in Fairy, nothing was as it seemed. Taryn, Vivi, Madoc, Locke, Dain, and so many others left me feeling conflicted. And on top of that, I had so many questions. Looking back, there were lots of answers. It was amazing how much sense moments and words, from the past, made sense. At the time they were shrouded in puzzles, or made to seem like something else. And as those little pieces started to come together, the pictures it showed were shocking. I gasped out loud quite a few times. And while I did guess the ending, so much going into it was unknown.

His hand slides lower on my hip. I narrow my eyes at him.
“You really hate me, don’t you?” he asks, his smile growing.
“Almost as much as you hate me,” I say, thinking of the page with my name scratched on it. Thinking of the way he looked at me when he was drunk in the hedge maze. The way he’s looking at me now.

The Cruel Prince enraptured me with its intricate tale. They all lived in such a dark and twisted world, filled with bloodshed and death, where anything was possible. So whether it was a bargain that was made with the devil or a moment that reminded me of a scene from The Princess Bride, this book played out like a movie in my head! And the betrayal in these pages?! Oh my. It cut so deep. Too deep. But I rooted for Jude every step of the way. And when her plans started to play out, you couldn’t stop the constant smile on my face. I’m officially obsessed with this book and I have such high hopes for the next book in this trilogy!

I take a deep breath and decide that if I am really going to do this, I could use some help. “What do you think about stealing a crown? Right in front of the kings and queens of Faerie?”
Her grin curls up at the corners. “Just tell me what I get to blow up.”

PS I loved the Bomb, Roach & the Ghost!

BOOK REVIEW: All the Tides of Fate (All the Stars and Teeth #2) by Adalyn Grace

January 11, 2021 / Arielle / 4 Comments

All the Tides of Fate (All the Stars and Teeth #2)
by Adalyn Grace
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.

Review

“Are you sure we should even be in here?” Casem demands, his eyes darting around the crowd. His whole body is surprisingly tense.
Sympathetially, Ferrick places a hand on my guard’s shoulder, shaking his head. “It’s no use, Casem. This crew knows no reason.”

The second book in this duology starts off a few months after the end of All the Stars and Teeth. Amora is doing the best she can to pick up the broken pieces of her kingdom all while trying not to fall apart over the death of her father. Unsurprisingly, even though the islands are now allowed to practice whatever multiple kinds of magic they’d like, there is still a lot of unrest from all of the lies that her father kept hidden. After a meeting with her advisors, it is determined that she will take a tour of her kingdom, hopefully finding a husband to sit by her side on the throne in the process.

If you know Amora at all, you will know that this is not something she gives a crap about. SHE is the queen and she needs no king beside her. However, after hearing about a magical object that will allow her to break the curse on her and Bastian that can be found on one of islands, she agrees to set out with the ~old~ crew and then some. Getting back on Keel Haul with Bastian, Ferrick, and Vataea (and two newcomers Shanty—who I freaking loved—and Casem) was so refreshing. I have never personally been on a sea voyage and I doubt I ever will get the chance but there is something about pirate-y novels that call to me.

Bastian’s soul is one of pain. Of longing. Yet is shines brighter than any I’ve ever seen.
He’s beautiful.

My heart hurt so bad to find out right away that Amora had been doing her best to stay as far away from Bastian as possible. While I get it—she didn’t want the confusion of only feeling whole when he was around and basically feeling like she couldn’t trust any kind of emotion about him—it still hurt. They obviously had strong feelings towards one another before she was cursed so I just was sad that she couldn’t rely on that and was only focusing on what she thought the curse was making her feel. He did a good job from the start though, letting her know that while he’d be going with her on this parade of bachelors, he would be trying his best every single day to prove that they did have something special, curse be damned. I loved every single second of their interactions. Always. From the start it seemed like their chemistry was pretty explosive and we definitely get more of that in this book.

“You might not know now, but you’ll learn.” I don’t know where the voice comes from, but I hear it loud and clear. “Make this life everything it should be.”

Overall, even though I really enjoyed this book, I almost wish there had been one more to finish out the series. In the end I felt like there should have been more to the story. The Montara curse was built up to be this huge, ugly thing and then there was the curse that Kaven had put on Amora and Bastian and you’re telling me that it all just went away because View Spoiler ». DO NOT READ THAT IF YOU DON’T WANT A HUGE SPOILER. Seriously though. That part happened so suddenly I didn’t think it could possibly be real and then it was and then I was heartbroken because that person deserved so much more *cries*. Also, we see Amora go through a lot in this book, emotionally. She made another choice at the end of the book that weirdly both did and did not make sense to me and it’s something I will not elaborate on because again, spoilers. I think that people who enjoyed the first will truly love this one too, I had just been wanting a tiny bit more. BUT BASTIAN WILL FOREVER BE #1 IN MY HEART.

“To Zudoh,” he repeats, the stars in his eyes blazing with pride.
“And to a thousand more adventures.”

Huge thanks to Edelweiss and Imprint for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

BOOK REVIEW: A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4) by Saaba Tahir

December 11, 2020 / Arielle / 0 Comments

A Sky Beyond the Storm (An Ember in the Ashes #4)
by Saaba Tahir
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.

Review

“Who are you?”
“I am—I—” Who am I? “I am born of Keris Veturia,” I say. “Son to the Kehanni who told the Tale. Beloved to Laia of Serra. Friend to the Blood Shrike. I am brother to Avitas Harper and Shan An-Saif. Grandson to Quin Veturius. I am—”
Two words echo in my head, the last words Cain spoke to me before dying. Words that stir my blood, words that my grandfather taught me when I was a boy of six and he gave me my name. Words that were burned into me at Blackcliff.
“Always victorious.”

I have put off reviewing this for six days now. Not because I don’t know what to say, it’s that I don’t quite know how to articulate it. Every so often a book or a series comes along that changes me. I finished the final chapter of this almost a week ago now and I haven’t stopped been able to stop thinking about it since. I feel almost frantic with the need to fully express what emotions have been roiling around inside of me ever since I have finished and all I can do now it just try my best and hope that even a fraction of what I’m feeling and thinking can shine through in this review.

“How much pain exists in the world because we cannot get past what has been done to us, because we insist on inflicting pain right back?”

I read Ember as soon as it came out five years ago, really liked it and thought it was a fresh, new, raw brand of YA, and then for some reason didn’t get to the rest of the series until this year. I read/ listened (BTW the narrators are AMAZING, highly recommend) to the rest in preparation for this one in September and just devoured them. I fell in love with the cinnamon roll that is Elias, was frustrated but ultimately was impressed by Laia’s stubbornness and bravery, and wanted to tuck Helene into the recesses of my heart so that she wouldn’t be hurt by anyone or anything else. These characters and their struggles became so real to me that I still can’t think about the book without feeling a hollowness in my chest. It’s crazy. I can’t even remember the last time a book made me feel this way.

“Would that we all knew the cracked terrain of each other’s broken hearts. Perhaps then, we would not be so cruel to those who walk this lonely world with us.”

Going into this book, I was prepared to have my heart broken, I really did. What I maybe didn’t expect was the exact level of storytelling that our best Kehanni, Tahir, would provide. Many fantasy series feature a war of some kind but never have I read about one that felt so real. I truly think that Tahir did a great job of pouring real-world hurt over prejudices, racism, bigotry, etc. into this fantasy world to represent the very real and terrible things that people in our own world have been going through for centuries. These things are not fantasy. People really die in war. People’s homelands are taken away from them and destroyed. Life is not always easy or morality set in black and white for everyone.

“Emifal Firdaant,” I say to him.
“You’ve said that before.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “What does it mean?”
I cannot quite look at him when I say it. “May death claim me first.”
“Ah, no, my love.” He gathers me close. “You cannot go first. I could not make sense of the world if you did.”

And yet, even though these stories need to be remembered and the hurt never be forgotten, hope still needs a place to live and grow. That is what I felt at the end of this book. Even though certain characters died and thinking about them STILL MAKES ME WANT TO CRY View Spoiler » I finished this book, this series feeling incredibly hopeful.

“I wish I could live a thousand lives so I could fall in love with you a thousand times. . .”

I can tell you with 100% certainty that these books and these characters will stick with me in my heart and soul until I die. While this isn’t a light and fluffy series that can be re-read at any time during any mood, I know that I will be revisiting them for years to come. I really hope more and more people discover these books and you had better believe that once I start being able to see library patrons face-to-face again that I will be shoving this series at anyone who asks for a fantasy recommendation.

The chant dissolves into a roar. Within it, I hear my father’s voice and my mother’s. I hear Hannah’s and View Spoiler ». Loyal, they whisper, to the end.

Here’s a few spoiler thoughts under the tag for those of you interested: