I’ll never be tired of Percy Jackson. Of course I enjoyed this! I also happen to be fond of Hecate. I am keeping it short because if you're reading thI’ll never be tired of Percy Jackson. Of course I enjoyed this! I also happen to be fond of Hecate. I am keeping it short because if you're reading this, you're already a fan of the Percy Jackson universe. It was a very entertaining storyline, with Percy receiving his second quest to obtain his second letter of recommendation from the Gods. We found out in the previous book that he needs three of these letters for acceptance into New Rome University. Hecate bequeaths him the quest of animal sitting while she is away. (Hecate, awesome Goddess of witchcraft, love her.) Naturally, this does not go as simply as it should. As always, Percy and Annabeth show they are better together and Grover, too, serves his purpose while simultaneously screwing things up. The funny one-liners, the banter, the inner monologue, the teamwork--all what we've come to love!...more
This book's bones is made up of really good stuff! We have a university where attendees are a part of this elite society of houses, whose power come fThis book's bones is made up of really good stuff! We have a university where attendees are a part of this elite society of houses, whose power come from their vampire companions. Our FMC Kidan comes from one of these houses but purposefully stayed away, until her sister June goes missing and she is convinced the vampire of their house took her. Kidan will enter this world and attend Uxley University and stop at nothing to find her sister. Initially despising all vampires, especially Susenyos who belongs to their house, she comes to discover that her violent tendencies might actually be worse than his. When a murder happens, Kidan will have to dive deeper into this world than she ever thought she would be, face some harsh truths and make some tough decisions.
Everything sounds awesome! I was so pumped for this take on vampires, rooted in Ethiopian culture. Like I said, the bones were good. But the way it was filled in lacked for me somehow. I wanted more meat on my bones! The overall arching story was a good one, and I loved the world, but I felt uninvested. It started off strong, but I felt my interest fade. I wish I could put my finger on why exactly, but I don't know, it just didn't hold my attention the way I felt it "should" have. I wanted so much to love it, but am landing on an "it was ok". ...more
I love this duology so so much. Book one was amongst my favorite books read last year, so this sequel/conclusion was highly anticipated by me! Don’t rI love this duology so so much. Book one was amongst my favorite books read last year, so this sequel/conclusion was highly anticipated by me! Don’t read this review if you haven’t read book one…but do yourself a favor and read it!
Wren, Leo and Julian find themselves fighting the living and the dead in order to save their world. On the run from her father after discovering he has been joining forces with the Corpse Queen to gain more power, these three fight through a landscape of death. The Ghostsmiths, who everyone thought dead, are alive and well led by the Corpse Queen. Enter Hawke, Wren’s long lost twin brother (who I grew fond of). This is our team, come together, to stop this impending war. Wren is reeling from the revelation that her mother, who she thought dead, is actually the Corpse Queen who created the Iron Revenants. She has plans for Wren. Wren, who is struggling with newfound powers forcing her to reassess herself and everything she knows about being a Bonesmith. And Hawke, can she trust him? Or is he working for their evil mother? Not to mention the tension between Wren and Julian after the ending of the last book. Everything comes to a head in this action packed, adrenaline fueled conclusion! AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND!
This world has got to be amongst my favorite fictional worlds ever created. I love the whole concept and the whole development of it. I would also die for Leo, the third Prince of the House of Gold, and self-proclaimed spare’s spare. I would not complain about future duologies diving into the lives of other smithing abilities, although bone and ghost would be hard to top! Like same world, different smithing focus. Everything about this is just so good….from the world and concepts, to the characters, to plot line and pacing, to the conclusion. This is a perfect 5 star duology all around and no one could ever change my mind!...more
I absolutely loved this conclusion to this modern day Arthurian legend inspired duology! It's not a retelling, instead, it's Arthurian legend woven inI absolutely loved this conclusion to this modern day Arthurian legend inspired duology! It's not a retelling, instead, it's Arthurian legend woven into a modern fantasy tale. And there are some great twists on this epic lore! I would recommend a refresher if it's been a while since you've read book one. I also wouldn't read this review if you have not read book one! Lord Death plans to unleash the horror of Anwnn upon the living world and the Wild Hunt is carving a bloody path through the world. With the dream of Avalon having not panned out as they hoped, Tamsin and her friends are all that stand in the way of Lord Death. There's the mystery aspect of the book, trying to figure out how to stop him. There's this intensity and suspense felt all throughout as there is a time restraint on this with Winter Solstice approaching. You can really feel it in the writing, it's awesome. There's a search for the Mirror of Beasts, tons of magic and mayhem, a strong and snappy and kind of funny female MC, the bad guys are in control leaving the magical world in danger and our unlikely group of heroes must save it. We have different POVs, one of which is Cabell who is now working for the enemy. I really enjoyed those sections and insight. It's just an action-packed and excellent story, with little bits of romance thrown in, but that never is the main focus. And That's my personal favorite--fantasy with romance, not pure romantasy. I cannot really express how much I loved this duology! I love a modern world mixed with fantasy and having been fond of Arthurian legend since I can remember, I just ate this whole thing up! Excellent story, excellent world, excellent characters. 5 stars all around!...more
This book was perfect! I have adored this series since the beginning and I’m so happy that the finale absolutely delivered! This time the focus is on This book was perfect! I have adored this series since the beginning and I’m so happy that the finale absolutely delivered! This time the focus is on Blythe and Aris (don’t worry, Signa and Death are still in it). Blythe has been my favorite character since the beginning so I was thrilled with this direction. Blythe has just foiled Aris’s plans to bargain with Signa, and forced his hand to bargain with her instead. The repercussions of this is where the book picks up. Aris—obsessed with finding his true love Life again, and Blythe—determined to not marry and be what society wants, now find themselves stuck together in marriage. What ensues is a hilarious, heartbreaking, heartwarming, beautifully written, slightly twisty, atmospheric, delightfully bantered story of an incredible enemies to lovers arc.
I don’t want to discuss plot specifics and give anything away. I will say that the big twist was something I thought we all figured out, or guessed, already in the second book. Like I fully went into this knowing it. I don’t actually know….did people not figure this already? But it didn’t matter, I wasn’t looking for crazy twists or anything. I still got a few unexpected moments! The atmosphere and imagery and dialogue—ugh,I just can’t get enough! I adore Adalyn Grace’s writing. This book was everything that I wanted and more. I rated every book in this series 5 stars. ...more
I love Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s films, so when I found out this was a book first, I knew I had to read it. It took me a while, but I finally did…aI love Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s films, so when I found out this was a book first, I knew I had to read it. It took me a while, but I finally did…and I loved it!!! Just as whimsical and magical and ultimately feel-good as the movie—but there are glaring differences between the two. Sophie, eldest of three daughters, gets turned into an old woman by the Witch of the Waste. She winds up taking refuge in the peculiar moving castle of Howl, a magician with a bad reputation for eating the hearts of young women. She makes a deal with his indentured fire demon Calcifer. If she can get Howl to break his contract with Calcifer, Calcifer will, in turn, help Sophie break her old woman spell. What unfolds is a beautiful, heartwarming adventure about finding yourself, and maybe some friends in unlikely places. The setting of Howl’s castle is fantastic. I won’t say too much about it, but I love the doors that open into different places. Howl, the character, is superb and complicated. Sophie’s growth and coming into herself is beautiful. And of course, Calcifer is a delight. There are other minor characters along the way who each play their part. The differences from book to film are many, but they are different modes of entertainment. I can’t say which I liked more, I loved them both. Later this month, I have tickets to see the movie again in theater as part of Studio Ghibli Fest. I am looking forward to seeing it again, having read the book now. It’s middle-grade and very easy to follow, but that doesn’t make it any less impactful and wonderful! ...more
I absolutely loved this book and whole concept! This is book one in what's going to be a duology. Arthie and Jin Casimir, siblings by choice and loyalI absolutely loved this book and whole concept! This is book one in what's going to be a duology. Arthie and Jin Casimir, siblings by choice and loyalty not by blood, run a teahouse by day that turns into a bloodhouse at night, serving the city's vampires. When their business is threatened, Arthie agrees to a deal and an unlikely alliance that sets them on a heist. She puts together a crew to infiltrate the Athereum--the vampire elite. As secrets and truths are revealed, Arthie and Jin find themselves in a conspiracy that threatens everything they know.
This is a fast-paced book that doesn't spend a whole lot of time on worldbuilding, which is pretty common in the YA world. I love the way it is written and I love Arthie as a character, but really the whole cast is quite strong. Their snark, humor and dialogue is great all throughout. There are little hints at romance but it never takes centerstage. I just adored the story and characters! Anything involving vampires is usually a win for me. I am super intrigued by the world and would have actually loved this as an adult book with more detailing. It's a 5 star win for me! (This is my first book by Hafsah Faizal and now I definitely want to go back to We Hunt the Flame/We Free the Stars. I heard this is the same world just on a different continent.)...more
I adored this book and the magic system in it! Who doesn't love a magic school, am I right?!? Emory might be a student at the prestigious Aldryn ColI adored this book and the magic system in it! Who doesn't love a magic school, am I right?!? Emory might be a student at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, but her healing magic is mediocre at best. The magic system is built on tide magic and moon phases. The moon phase when one was born ascribes your house at birth--waxing crescent, full moon, waning crescent, new moon, and eclipse--and inherit magic that relates to that moon phase. Powers are strongest during your given moon phase, except for eclipse magic which can be pulled on at any time, making them powerful, but they must be careful for they risk burning out and collapsing. Emory is returning to Aldryn College after the previous year and a treacherous night left a bunch of her classmates, including her best friend, dead from drowning, with Emory as the only survivor. Emory has since been experiencing oddities with her magic. Convinced that her classmates were a part of a secret society, Emory is determined to uncover the truth. With the help of Baz, her best friend's brother, who is familiar with darker magic, Emory sets out to understand what is happening to her magic and what really happened that deadly night. When Emory captures the society’s attention, she finds herself drawn into their world of privilege and power. Straddling her old world and new, Emory must uncover the truth of what happened and what her real role in it is, all while trying to control these new powers. Ok so, it's so much better than my summary is! This world, the magic, the characters--incredible! I lived for this story and the magic system. I also, personally, appreciated how, while there is a slight love triangle, romance is not even close to being a main focus. I think the world and magic takes the cake in this story, but it's all good! If this has interested you, I cannot recommend it more. ...more
A gorgeous an exciting ending to the Song of the Last Kingdom duology! Such beautiful and vibrant scenes painted in this book, much like in the first.A gorgeous an exciting ending to the Song of the Last Kingdom duology! Such beautiful and vibrant scenes painted in this book, much like in the first. The scenery and mythology that make up the world are just stunning. I feel very similarly as I did to the first one. Very Y to the YA, but that doesn’t make it bad. The characters just feel young. I enjoyed the plot! The Demon Gods have risen and both Lan and Zen have chosen sides--and they're not the same side. One looking to end the Demon Gods, the other looking to harness their power. Both have the same goal in mind though, to save The Last Kingdom. I could have used more character growth over the course of the two books, but I’m still going with 4 stars. The books and titles are beautiful and so are the world and writing! The characters fall a little short for me, but maybe that's just me. The world is good enough to still warrant 4 stars....more
This is the second installment in Susan Dennard's series The Luminaries and we pick up right where book one leaves off. There will be some spoilers fThis is the second installment in Susan Dennard's series The Luminaries and we pick up right where book one leaves off. There will be some spoilers for the first book! After surviving the Trials and achieving her dream of becoming a Hunter, restoring her family back into the ranks of the Luminaries and surviving a werewolf bite, Winnie finds herself a bit of a celebrity around Hemlock Falls. While everything she has wanted and worked for has come to be and she is happy in that sense, she does not like the celebrity and something still feels wrong. Winnie is sure that the werewolf is innocent and that a bigger threat is out there, but the community doesn't want to listen to her. They believe the werewolf is responsible for recent hunter's deaths, but Winnie knows there's something bigger at play. We dive more into the history of the Luminaries and the Diana's. I was really happy to get more Diana content, I am super intrigued by their whole deal. As Winnie learns more she makes ties and connections to an overall bigger picture. If you paid attention in the first book, you likely know who the werewolf is already so that reveal wasn't very exciting. But it was still a fun lead up. And of course, the usual high school drama of parties and crushes and friendships are sprinkled in.
It's a fun YA series and is definitely targeted to a YA audience. Winnie consistently feels like an actual teenager and there is no spice. I adore the world that this takes place in and the whole idea of the nightmares and the Luminaries protecting us normal people without us even knowing, but that was all explained and played up in book one. So the same enjoyment of learning the world was not present in book two. There is enough mystery and intrigue to keep me going and want to know what is happening. Originally I rated this 3 stars, but I have to remember that it's YA. Just because some YA feels much more adult than the YA category, doesn't mean I should punish the ones that stick true to the "young" part of "young adult". It is the actual targeted audience, not my old ass. ...more
Nightbane picks up where Lightlark left off. Now that the curse over the six realms has been broken, Isla finds her3.5 Stars **spoilers for book one**
Nightbane picks up where Lightlark left off. Now that the curse over the six realms has been broken, Isla finds herself the reluctant ruler of, not one, but two realms. She struggles to control her newly won powers and gain favor amongst her new lands. The storyline is a bit all over the place as we jump back-and-forth between present day and Isla's memories that are coming back little by little. Grim, the Nightshade ruler and super hot, broody and dangerous but totally forbidden love interest of Isla, stole Isla's memories of their forbidden love. This leaves her free to love and be with Oro, the King of Lightlark. To make matters more complicated, Grim announces that he will return to Lightlark to destroy it entirely in 30 days. The countdown is on, and during this countdown to impending doom, Isla's memories of Grim come back in bits and steamy details. Through this, we learn that Grim is not the nemesis he's made out to be (which we literally already knew from Lightlark). On top of that, Isla has a vision of her own death that seems pending soon and her life allegedly ends in a surprising way. It all comes to a battling head. Can Isla and Oro save Lightlark? Can Isla escape her death that she has foreseen? With her memories coming back of Grim, will she stay with Oro?
I'll start by saying that I did not enjoy this second installment as much as book one. I didn't find it as compelling, but maybe that's because the competition drove the last book. I loved Lightlark! This one I liked, but didn't love. It seemed a little bit like...how can I continue this story. BUT I do really love Grim and Isla so I did enjoy seeing her unravel their past together, befuddling her current feelings towards Oro. The last line of the book is my favorite part and makes me look forward to the next book. I think that Alex Aster may have fallen into the notorious "second book slump ", as many writers do, where it's a lot of filler between a strong opening and strong ending. It was ok for me! But just ok. ...more
I cannot express how amazing these books are and this is shaping up to be an actual perfect series! Dark, emotionally damaging, incredibly well-builtI cannot express how amazing these books are and this is shaping up to be an actual perfect series! Dark, emotionally damaging, incredibly well-built world YA fantasy. C.S. Pacat shows what elevated fantasy writing is! I can find zero flaws or things I would change in this series thus far and we are two books in now. I am not going much into the plot and summary, and even though I absolutely am blown away by this series so far, I am keeping it short because you just have to read it. You have to.
**SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE** Will and his allies must leave the Hall and set out for the heart of the ancient world, pursued by dark forces. After facing the Dark once, only a few remaining heroes are around to carry on and a new threat from the past is on the rise. Will carries around with him a horrible secret (which we learn at the end of book one). Will is the Dark King. And James, fated to follow and serve the Dark King, believes he is now free and is choosing to follow Will. Will knows better, for James is falling right into the fate he so desperately wanted to escape from. It's fascinating that in book one, we believed James to be bad and Will to be good, but reality is flipped. Our like and attachment to Will though, makes us question "good and bad" and fate versus free will. His anguish and emotional suffering carrying this secret around, while no one around him knows, is arguably my favorite aspect of this book. Dark Heir picks up right where Dark Rise leaves off and the emotional stakes are so high as we, the reader, are privy to Will's inner turmoil while no supporting characters are. It gives this feeling of an inevitable impending explosion that is going to rip everyone apart. The dynamic between Will and James is just too good. I also love the expansion of the world and history. And the idea of body possession by ancient beings is disturbingly wonderful. I loved this book, easy 5 stars. I cannot wait for the next installment!!!...more
This was my first read of 2024 and it kicked the year off to a good start! It's a pretty quick, atmospheric, dark academia read. It is full of descrThis was my first read of 2024 and it kicked the year off to a good start! It's a pretty quick, atmospheric, dark academia read. It is full of descriptive writing, magic and mystery. Effy is the only female architecture student at her university. When her designs to rebuild Hiraeth Manor are chosen as the winning design, she is thrilled because this manor belonged to Emrys Myrddin, Effy's all-time favorite author. When she arrives at the manor for this prestigious project, she finds a literature student named Preston already there. Preston is there to prove the Myrddin was a fraud. Effy and Preston, while somewhat rivals, work together to piece together Myrddin's life and truth. Dark forces, magical and mortal, work to conspire against them. My favorite part of this book is the setting and atmosphere. This dark and creepy, literally drowning manor is superb and superbly written by Reid. I also loved the academic quality to the book. Even though only the first part takes place at university, the academic vibe carries on as Effy and Preston study and search through Myrddin's life. Furthermore, the aspect of not knowing what was real and what was not, because Effy herself had a hard time discerning truth and the make believe, was fantastic and kept me on my toes. The Fairy King was a fantastic mystery all throughout. Overall, I did enjoy this book and give it 4 stars for enjoyment. I almost gave it 3 because at times I thought the plot could have been a bit beefier, but at the end of the day, enjoyment is what matters most!...more
Opal will do anything to take care of her younger brother after the death of their mother. The siblings are stuck in Eden, Kentucky where their only cOpal will do anything to take care of her younger brother after the death of their mother. The siblings are stuck in Eden, Kentucky where their only claim to fame is Starling House, an allegedly haunted mansion left behind by nineteenth century writer E. Starling—author of the popular, monster-riddled fantasy, The Underland. Living out of a motel and struggling to get by, Opal cannot resist when a well-paying job offer comes her way to go behind the outside gates of Starling House and work for the brooding, handsome and kind of creepy descendent of E. Starling. Opal is drawn to the house as she has been having dreams about it since the age of 12. Add the mysterious Arthur and the good money—she is in. As Starling House starts to feel like something she has never had—a home—secrets emerge and dark truths come to light. Opal and Arthur will have to confront secrets of the past, face their fears, decide what they want, and fight monsters both literal and figurative.
A Gothic sentient house, brooding men, strong and determined FMC, modern fantasy, family mystery, romance, fighting monsters, all the fall vibes…. I mean, sign me the f*ck up! What doesn’t this book have? It was a little slow on the uptake, but once the story really began and things started unraveling, I was hooked. I love Opal’s voice. Of course she is an unreliable narrator, just like any honest first-person POV is. It’s her lens, her perspective, her life experiences and biases going into the narration. BUT then we also get some of Arthur’s POV, and his chapters are told in third person. This gives us a wider lens. I thought this was a wildly interesting choice by Alix E. Harrow, but she 100% made this work. There is a story within a story happening in this book. We have a larger mystery outside of the house where pieces little by little come together, all while the reality of the house and its caretakers become clear. It also has small town vibes, while simultaneously being a gothic thriller, fantasy, and a romance. I can see themes of privilege and power, as well as choosing your life for yourself and not by what others want of you. I just think there are so many converging elements, this book can and will appeal to a variety of readers. And Harrow makes it work! A great story, with a super cool concept behind it all, and characters that I enjoyed. A solid, fall vibe-y read. ...more
A dark and gruesome occult story of three teenaged outcasts looking to find their way. Jude, daughter of a billionaire and has a self-inflicted curse A dark and gruesome occult story of three teenaged outcasts looking to find their way. Jude, daughter of a billionaire and has a self-inflicted curse literally rotting her flesh and slowly turning her soul. Zara, looking to heal from the grief of losing her sister has become laser-focused on figuring out how to resurrect her. And Emer, an orphaned witch granting desperate women a scrap of power through her invocations in exchange for a piece of their soul. The three cross paths as a string of murdered women breaks out in the area. They must work together to solve the murders and perhaps find what they are looking for along the way, even if that winds up being not what they pictured. The writing is beautiful. Sutherland's previous novel "House of Hollow" is one of my all-time favorites and the same descriptive and gruesome detailing can be found within these pages. This book is witchy, twisty, sapphic, and full of feminine rage. I rather enjoyed it! If it piques your interest, I say definitely give it a go. Entertaining from start to end....more
This book was exactly what I needed in the moment! First, the cover. I mean come on!!! This story took place in a very intricately detailed paranormalThis book was exactly what I needed in the moment! First, the cover. I mean come on!!! This story took place in a very intricately detailed paranormal and magical world. The people in this world have smithing abilities, giving the ability to “smith” or spin the world around them. Ironsmiths craft iron, Woodsmiths craft wood and so on. Therefore, bonesmiths can smith bones, which subsequently affect ghosts and undead beings. Wren, our main character, is a Bonesmith. Carrying a chip on her shoulder from her questionable deceased mother whom she has never known, she wants so badly to prove herself to her family—mainly her father and grandmother. In the moment she’s been training for her whole life to become a valkyr in the House of Bone and protect the people from the undead, things go wrong and she is viciously relegated to the outskirts of the city for duties unknown. When a prince from the House of Gold is kidnapped, Wren sees this as an opportunity to prove herself once more by rescuing him. Yet she finds herself in an alliance with someone who technically shouldn’t exist and everything about her family’s history starts to unravel.
This book was an easy 5 stars for me! I loved everything about it! From the detailed world and magic system complete with “houses” (if you will) that people fall into, to the names of characters (Locke Graven? Yes please, top tier fantasy name), to Wren and her badassery and confidence, to just the scenery and visuals and undead creatures they go up against. I couldn’t get enough! My head exploded with imagination and the coolest creepy forest scenes I have ever concocted. The pacing was superb, I was hooked from the beginning and didn’t want to stop. The “romance” never took the limelight, which is my favorite place for it to be in a fantasy, like a sidenote. There were some twists—some predictable, some less so. I really feel like this toes the line between YA and Adult. It was sophisticated and intricate and read like an adult fantasy to me, but because Wren is 19 I suppose it’s not. I think fans of both genres can enjoy. From start to end I thoroughly enjoyed it in every way and remained completely immersed in the world and story. Highly recommend this one! ...more
I know that everyone was obsessed with Divine Rivals last year, and I was the unusual one who just did not love it. It was ok, don't get me wrong I dI know that everyone was obsessed with Divine Rivals last year, and I was the unusual one who just did not love it. It was ok, don't get me wrong I didn't hate it or anything, I gave it 3 stars--but I thought it was on the more boring side. I definitely wanted to continue the duology because the ending led me to believe that Ruthless Vows would take a turn that, for me, would be for the better. I was right in the sense that we do get more of the fantastical and the gods in book two, which is what I wanted. But I hate to say that I still am just not in love with it. I like romantasy, but I like it best when the fantasy is a major part. This duology is lacking in fantasy, and it's a romance that I personally find a bit boring. I feel like, with Roman's memories being gone in book two, we are almost getting a recycled story from book one when Roman and Iris strike up their letter writing to each other again. On top of the recycled feeling, anything that has to do with the world's magic and gods is weak. There is an ancient war happening in the background between two gods, god Dacre and his wife, goddess Enva. Like this is huge! Not to mention Dacre becomes a key player in Roman's storyline in this book. But this is just never fully fleshed out. I just feel like the fantastical powers that are driving the storyline are underdeveloped. It could have been so good. Now of course I love the idea of Roman and Iris's love, meeting through letters and magical typewriters. It's lovely. For me, the world and duology as a whole just fell short. I don't think all the hype worked out in its favor this time. 3 stars all around for me--not horrible, but just ok....more
I know mine is an unpopular opinion, but I’m not 100% sure I get the hype surrounding this one. It was ok, I didn't hate it or anything, but honestly I know mine is an unpopular opinion, but I’m not 100% sure I get the hype surrounding this one. It was ok, I didn't hate it or anything, but honestly it was kind of boring. It’s just not clicking with me the way that it seems to be clicking with everyone else. I thought there would be more fantastical stuff, but it’s basically just a love story between two fairly normal and somewhat boring people. Yes, Gods and magic exist, but that's just the backdrop. Insert any war and the story would have been the same. Iris and Roman are competing journalists, both looking for the same promotion, during a war-torn time. The once gone Gods have risen to fight an old war and recruit people to their armies. Iris's brother is on the frontlines. She decides to write him letters and pass them under her wardrobe not expecting an answer. Magically and inexplicably, they disappear and she starts receiving responses from a young man named Carver. Inevitably, she starts falling for this mysterious man who she magically passes letters back and forth with. She winds up going to the frontlines as a reporter to search for her missing brother, and none other than her rival Roman shows up there as well. I won't say anything else for fear of spoilers, but its's a love story during war time and those just never seem to be something I am into. Like it felt very WWI or WWII.
The ending and epilogue make me want to make it 4 stars, but no, that just means the next book will be better and I have to stick to my feeling the whole way through. The epilogue leads me to believe the fantastical will play more of a critical role in book two, which will make me like it better and has me hooked enough to read the next one....more
This is the fourth and final book in the Skyward series! It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, sprinkled with epic scenes, culminating in a satiThis is the fourth and final book in the Skyward series! It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, sprinkled with epic scenes, culminating in a satisfying conclusion! As always with sequels, please be aware that discussing it might give away some things from prior books in the series. Defiant picks up soon after the ending of Cytonic. Spensa has made it out of the Nowhere and is dealing with the aftermath. She has been changed irrevocably, but has als been given answers to many of her questions about her own cytonic gifts. Her squadmates from Skyward Flight have been busy (which you can read all about in the novellas), but they are thrilled to welcome her back into their ranks. The Superiority has continued to tighten their grasp on the galaxy. Using the intelligence Spensa has gathered, they stand a better chance fighting the Superiority. Stakes are super high as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Alliances have been negotiated and friendships made and in this final showdown, fighters will all have to draw on their unique strengths to stand against the Superiority.
Spensa's rivalry with Brade forms a fascinating dichotomy, and we get extremely Rey/Kylo vibes, in my opinion. Like two sides of the same coin with moral compass being the separating factor. We are exposed to superb character development with Spensa through her dynamic with Brade, as well as her relationship with Jorgen. I love her and Jorgen being back together but things aren't perfect. They actually communicate and hammer out their issues, imagine that. One of the best aspects of the book, which everyone wants to see, is the reunion of the whole Skyward Flight. Gang's all here! Cytonic was arguably the weakest installment of the series and that was due, partly, to Spensa off gallivanting alone. This did provide us with vital information about the Delvers, cytonic abilities and the slugs, but teamwork is a resounding core point of this series so the reunion is incredibly welcomed and wanted. As you turn the pages the plot grows towards an epic climax, tying up loose ends, delivering, and leaving readers with closure. I absolutely adore this series so much and this conclusion did not let me down!...more
*MINOR SPOILERS FOR ORIGINAL TRILOGY* Obsessed. Shelby Mahurin’s best book to date, in my opinion. LOVED IT! TSV takes place in the same world as the S*MINOR SPOILERS FOR ORIGINAL TRILOGY* Obsessed. Shelby Mahurin’s best book to date, in my opinion. LOVED IT! TSV takes place in the same world as the Serpent & Dove trilogy, but it definitely provides a darker atmosphere. I mean, vampires...hello?!? Who doesn't like that?!? While you do not have to read S&D first, you will be more familiar with the characters and certain occurrences that are referred to if you had. Personally, I think it would be a disadvantage to go into it without that knowledge. Célie Tremblay is perhaps not the most liked character from S&D, but she becomes our FMC in this spinoff! Célie becomes the first ever female huntswoman (Chasseur) alongside her Captain and fiancé Jean Luc. A new threat is on the rise in Belterra, leaving bodies drained of blood in its wake. With a past that is haunting her, her reputation on the line, and a new threat to that she has sworn to protect, Célie is determined to prove herself.
I'm not saying much as far as a synopsis goes because I don't want to give anything away, the journey is a great one to be taken on! We see a lot of familiar characters, I especially am so fond of Lou and Reid. We get a chance to experience a more developed Célie and watch her grow into herself. Despite being such a badass for becoming the first female Chasseur, people still doubt her and view her as weak. She represents struggles that women face in male dominated workplaces, and just in general as being a female. We are also introduced to a whole slew of new characters--and beings! Vampires and necromancers--sign me tf up! Michal is your new Damon Salvatore (TVD) obsession. I love so much about this book, but the two things I will mention are Célie not settling for a man who doesn't appreciate and value her and see her for who she really is, and the expansion of the world and addition of creature/characters. I love the darker vibe to this one. Not to mention.... THE ENDING! YES! I mean, I thought it was going to happen, but I was so here for it when it did and I cannot wait for the next book! ...more
Casey Bee థ
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ya-fantasy
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