Reader of Books; Learner of Things

Reader of books; Learner of things

[bmacreadz]

"Quicksilver" by Callie Hart

"Quicksilver" is everything I want in a fantasy romance novel, and I am waiting on bated breath for the next installment coming soon!

"Quicksilver" is narrated by Saeris, a strong and stubborn female main character who is surprisingly easy to love. We spend the first few chapters getting to know her, and her circumstances in Zilvaren before we get thrown into the glorious expanse of this novel.

Saeris quickly, but not too quickly, meets Kingfisher, a cocky, handsome, has-all-the-things-you-crave-in-a-male-love-interest, Fae. And the rest of the book is full of perfect tension as these two characters figure out how to resist their hatred AND their love for each other at the same time.

Throughout the novel, we meet a slew of interesting, lovable, and some despisable characters. We are thrown into unpredictable situations, and I read page after page wondering what was going to happen next. I CONSUMED this story. I couldn't get enough of it. I stayed up all hours of the night because there was no time for sleep when Saeris and Kingfisher kept toeing that fine line in place between each other.

The romance was perfectly executed. The vast world-building was naturally explained. The action was constant, and every single character interaction was useful as it was unique. I learned, loved, fought, and breathed alongside Saeris, and was emotionally drained by the end of it all.

I absolutely LOVE this book. Writing like this, and stories like this combined are few and far between as authors attempt to recreate exactly what books like these successfully give. I cannot wait for book two! Bravo.

[bmacreadz]

"Given" by Elayna R. Gallea

"Given" is told primarily through the first person perspective of Wren, aka Birdie, who is on the run for her life after witnessing what staying in her village would mean for her future - or lack thereof.

Off the bat, the writing in this story is exhausting. It's repetitive, predictable, and corny. The world-building is almost non-existent. And it is also not a romance. Sure, there's an interested party but the tension, the chemistry... it's not there. The reader is told what was felt, without being able to feel it themselves. And the majority of the book (basically all of the book) has the two characters separate from each other. One running, the other... chasing? But not because of any romantic persuasion. The Hunter, Gabriel, is on a mission to complete a task given to him by the king.

And how this hunter still has a job is beyond any guesses I could make. He, in all his vast experience catching outlaws, can't keep up with an ignorant, sheltered, conspicuous, unathletic lady who seems to purposely make all the wrong moves.

This book did not give me the cat-and-mouse game I was hoping for. There was barely any action, and mostly monologuing about how Wren and Gabriel FELT about everything. And not a single character was interesting enough for me to read through every single thought in their head.

Every chapter was one big drawn out scene that ended up being a slightly altered version of the chapter before it. And with less than one hour left in the book (timekeeping courtesy of Kindle), I stopped reading. It's not hard to guess what happens, and I didn't want to spend another second drudging through "Given."

So, onto the next.

[bmacreadz]

"The Map That Leads to You" by Joseph Monninger

"The Map That Leads to You" - Where do I start? In total honesty, I couldn't finish this book so... I DNF'ed. And I wasn't going to leave a review for the very fact that I didn't finish reading it, because I like to give every book a fair shake only after seeing it all the way through. But I took notes and what better place is there to share them?

This story begins with Heather and two of her best friends, Amy and Constance, who have just graduated from college and are traveling through Europe before they "start their lives."

Chapter One, they are on a train to Amsterdam where Heather meets Jack. Jack is the stereotypical doesn't-care-about-anything, lives-in-the-moment, wants-to-be-free-from-the-world's-restraints- type. In the first conversation he has with Heather, he's questioning her choice to read Hemingway as she travels through the continent. Because it's so obvious that someone would read Hemingway in Europe; "Haha of course you do." So, out of the box, Jack is condescending and rude. And this is how he is throughout the entire novel.

Heather, who is less rude, but also extremely pretentious, is the type who doesn't read Hemingway for all the reasons everyone else reads Hemingway. She reads Hemingway because she's different, and trying entirely too hard to be mysterious and complicated. Yet, she plays the tete-a-tete with Jack because he's dreamy.

I made it about 75% through this book, and could not find even one redeeming quality in either of these characters. There was ZERO chemistry, ZERO longing, and it was the most unrealistic romance I think I've ever tried to read. These two people meet, and are obviously attracted to each other, but are on total opposite ends of the philosophical spectrum. They don't agree on anything, they just have semi-cute banter. (note: just because you are physically attracted to another human, does not make them your soulmate.)

Jack and Heather spend TWO full days together and she's wigging out because of an argument they had that resulted in Heather leaving Jack for the next port. And to be completely honest, I would have rather her cut her losses then and there. It's not like they even knew each other. But, of course, Jack shows up at the next destination because his friend Raefe is now involved with Constance, and Constance told them where they would be. Jack and Heather reunite and it's "Jack. My Jack." As though a piece of herself has made its way back to her?? I didn't get it. And then this, on repeat.

I was already weary when I first started reading this book because of the inner monologuing. That's fine when there's a point being made, but inner monologues that are constant and pointless grate on my nerves. Additionally, the descriptors in this novel are killer. As in, they actually kill the story. She describes an elevator more than a kiss that occurred within said elevator. And yes, a kiss in an elevator.

Listen, I love a good girl-meets-boy trope - a good cliche. But this book is stacked with cliches. It's one novel that has everything you've already read, but less, because the characters are one-dimensional and, for lack of a better term, dumb. What adult women steal away from each other, the only people they know, to gallivant across foreign countries with random, questionable men they do not know? What self-respecting woman allows a man she just met to talk to her the way Heather let Jack talk to her, and allow him to keep running back into her? And why is it so impossible to think that someone can desire freedom and love and purity, while also creating a financially stable future for themselves? WHY does someone have to be either a modern-era reject or a lover of the classics? There is no depth to these characters, and because I disliked them so much, I really stopped paying attention to the actual story, which by my account was also lacking.

Jack's journal seems to be the thing that draws the reader in pretty early on in the story, and I was fully expecting it to be a greater part of the story, but we barely hear about it. Maybe that changes toward the end. I wouldn't know. I didn't make it that far. We really don't hear a lot about the places they're traveling to, either. There's maybe one or two notes for a specific site that could have been found from a quick Google search. I didn't learn anything new, but maybe that wasn't a totally fair expectation.

I read the reviews for "The Map that Leads to You" on Goodreads mid-way through reading it, and the ones I read are fairly similar in their dislike for the book. There has to be people who enjoyed it, though. I wonder where they are? And why do they like it? I'm genuinely curious to know. What satisfied them about this book? If you are one of those people who enjoyed "The Map that Leads to You" and you've made it through this review, please let me know.

aft: I watched the movie when I decided I wasn't going to continue reading the book. It wasn't great, but it saved time and gave me an ending. If you're debating on whether or not to read the book before watching the movie, you might be better off just going with the movie this time. Although, I won't discourage genuine interest in the book. Everyone has their own tastes, so please find out whether or not you like it for yourself.

[dzgrizzle]

I’m reading online that some people consider the use of the Oxford comma as a sign that something was written by AI. I’ve been using the Oxford comma all my life and I will continue to do so, undeterred by the anti-Oxford comma troglodytes and their AI robot overlords.

[bmacreadz]

I just realized random people suggest that well-written things must be from AI. Is it beyond comprehension that maybe someone just writes clearly and intelligently? Weird.

[my-dailydreams]

[bmacreadz]

"Phantasma" by Kaylie Smith

"Phantasma" is a dark romance set in pre-modern century New Orleans, where an old and infamous game shows up to be played. Naturally, our narrator enters the game and we discover the twists and darkness that Phantasma promises... sort of.

Ophelia - our narrator, older sister to Genevieve, and next in line to uphold Grimm manor's legacy - finds herself unprepared to take on her inheritance as she's thrust into becoming the matriarch necromancer of New Orleans. As Ophelia tries to uncover secrets her mother left behind, she discovers that Genevieve may not be the person Ophelia once thought she was. In an attempt to uncover whatever Genevieve is hiding - and attempt to protect her from harm - Ophelia enters into Phantasma, the deadly game hosted by a mysterious devil, where some people don't even make it out alive.

During her time in Phantasma, Ophelia meets dangerous people, uncovers questions to answers she didn't ask, and never stops worrying about her sister. She befriends Blackwell, a cryptic phantom who recruits Ophelia to assist him in uncovering his own mysteries that exist inside the halls of Phantasma, in exchange for her protection. Ophelia and Blackwell set about helping each other as she progresses through Phantasma's game, and gets closer to finding her sister. Blackwell quickly becomes someone that Ophelia trusts, and they create an intimacy that transcends the game they're set in - for good or for bad.

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD

"Phantasma" is permeated with several twists and turns, keeping me, as the reader, curious and questioning - "what is really going on?" However, I felt that some of the story was predictable and familiar. At some points, "Phantasma" felt so much like "Caraval" that it was almost as if I was reading a different version of the same plot lines (missing sister; romance between narrator as the player and the game character; game character's deeper involvement with the game than previously understood). And the more I read, the more popped out at me.

I'm not saying it is necessarily bad. I loved "Caraval," but I wish "Phantasma" was slightly more original.

I have some other dislikes about this book:

~ the fact that all Ophelia talked about the entire book was her inheritance of becoming a necromancer, yet the power she exhibited had nothing to do with traditional necromancy. We never once see her use traditional necromancy;

~ the fact that Ophelia enters this competition in an attempt to find her sister, knowing that the competition is deadly, and finding out she wouldn't even have the opportunity to lay eyes on Genevieve until the last two levels of the competition. If something was going to happen to Genevieve, it would have happened whether Ophelia was also in the competition or not. She had no power over keeping her sister safe. It made absolutely no sense to me.;

~ the fact that Ophelia was so worried about Grimm Manor being repossessed, but instead of dealing with that, she runs off to put herself in danger;

~ the fact that this book is advertised as a "dark romance," yet there is nothing very dark about this romance. I've read actual dark romances and this is... not it. It's more of a paranormal romance, where evil exists within the story. The game itself is a bit gory and horrific, but almost every interaction between Ophelia and Blackwell were pretty standard for what you expect in a romantasy.

~ The romance between Ophelia and Blackwell seemed very unnatural. And not just because she is a human and he is a phantom. Their intimate moments were misplaced for the setting and timing. Instead of worrying about Ophelia's LIFE, they were worried about having sex in a dungeon where they just escaped acid rain. I also cannot take romances where the love interests are so back and forth - "we shouldn't do this! But I can't stay away!" Either stop doing the dangerous thing or buck up and own it.

Maybe I just read this book at the wrong time in my life, but it read very juvenile to me. Ophelia was careless, but somehow got all the way through the competition. Instead of befriending anyone within the competition and gaining an ally, she ignored everyone and mainly interacted with the devils, demons, and ghosts - you know, the ones who were setting the game up against her. She was so ineffectively worried about her sister. It seemed like Kaylie Smith was attempting to write a story in a roundabout way without owning the story she was actually trying to write. I don't know. Maybe I'm too critical today, but that's my take.

I did enjoy the plot twist at the end. It was very enlightening as you see how most things in the book tie together. But like I said, I feel like this could've been written differently to tell the story the author was actually trying to tell.

I probably will not be reading the second book, "Enchantra." But maybe so if someone changes my mind.

[bmacreadz]

"Divine Rivals" by Rebecca Ross

"Divine Rivals" is probably my favorite fantasy read I've had in a long time.

"Divine Rivals" is the first installment in a duology that gets better with every turn of the page.

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD

This story tells us, through the third person, about Iris Winnow, who is in the throws of the roughest part of her life. She is desperate and poor and willing to do anything to speak to her brother, who seems to be her lifeline in a war-torn world. She hasn't spoken to her brother since he was conscripted into the army several years prior. Though, through some divine magic of her typewriter, she believes she has been sending him one-way letters. Unbeknownst to Iris, she, in fact, has not been sending him letters. If she were, then we would not have a story.

Roman Kitt is on the opposite end of the poverty spectrum. He works with Iris at their newspaper, and is known for being aloof, cold-shouldered, and just generally unpleasant. However, Roman has always had an unseen soft spot for Iris. Because he is the one who has been receiving her letters that she's poured her heart into for her brother. An invasion of privacy? Yes. Nonetheless, he feels close to her.

The story moves forward - not very slowly, but slow enough that I just had to read one more chapter (at least, that's what I kept telling myself). Iris, determined to pull herself out of devastation, figures out a way to maybe see her brother. Her plan is wrought with danger and folly, but she, quite literally, has nothing to lose. So, she sets out. And sooner or later, so does Roman. Swoon?

The reader knows pretty early on about Roman's secret, and his love for Iris is obvious - to the reader. And their story is so sweet and pure and I loved every single moment with these characters.

This is a young adult duology, which is not usually in my list of reads. However, I wouldn't have known this was young adult until I noticed the lack of "spice," as they call it. I didn't mind it one bit. Roman and Iris are so perfectly perfect, and the story is written so fully that you wouldn't dare guess this was meant for less mature audiences.

Everything about this book, this series, is unique - the story, the characters, the twists. And there are twists! And I loved it all. Every bit. It was just such a good story that I couldn't put it down - and definitely couldn't wait to read the second ("Ruthless Vows"). It's now rightly situated on my "favorites" shelf for eternity, waiting for me to read it again and again for the same amount of time.

[bmacreadz]

"Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros

"Fourth Wing" is everything I want in a romantasy. Dragons, morally-grey love interests, friends you fall in love with, and foes who make you want to jump into the book and deal the final blow yourself.

I have read "Fourth Wing" three times, one extra time for each installment in the series that has been published, and I have loved it every time.

In this book, we are introduced to Violet Sorrengail as the narrator. She is small and frail and limited - the stereotypical fantasy female heroine. We follow Violet as she's forced into the highest service of a dragon-aided military school, The Ryders Quadrant. Naturally, Violet spent her whole life training for a separate quadrant. One much less formidable and harrowing, but alas, this is the hand she is dealt.

Immediately, we learn of her history, her family's history, and the foes she is supposed to be wary of once she enters the Ryders Quadrant. And from the moment I read the first word of the first page of this book, I was enthralled. I couldn't put it down. I devoured it. I was in love, in awe, frustrated, curious, bewildered at all the right moments. It is the perfect fantasy novel - the perfect romantasy.

Okay, so we enter the Ryder's Quadrant, where new soldiers train and kill and get ready to become the dragon riders that the front lines are in dire need of. We are thrust with Violet into this new, wild, dangerous life she's forced to live as she keeps her guard up, her head down, and just tries to make it to another day. And one significant reason why Violet is to be so wary of this quadrant is Xaden Riorson, the morally-grey, enemy-to-soon-to-be-lover, whose father led the rebellion against Navarre, and Violet's mother, the General of Navarre's army.

Xaden is immediately a threat to Violet, but he, of course, is the most handsome man she's ever seen. So while she tries to survive each day in the quadrant with all its naturally-occurring hazards, she is also trying to avoid Xaden' and his promised retribution against her family. Following the story, Violet and Xaden are forced to interact and it is a beautiful coming together of enemies-to-lovers - slow, desperate, hot.

Sidenote: I love Xaden. However, I cannot not mention the nickname Xaden has given Violet. Violence. I hate this nickname. Why do author's feel the need to give the main character's nicknames from their love interests? I cringe every time he says it, which is almost every single time he speaks to her.

Nickname aside, Violet and Xaden become a force to be reckoned with and this story becomes as much about the war and the truth behind the rebellion as it is about the romance between sworn enemies. It's jam-packed with sex, secrets, revelations, and friendship. And the first time I read it, I really couldn't tell what was going to happen next.

Also, the characters Yarros forces us to fall in love with are just the absolute best. I love almost every single one of them. As the reader, I felt like I, myself, was becoming friends with them, laughing with them, learning with them, which made reading this book all the more special.

I loved "Fourth Wing." Absolutely loved it. I loved the second book, and am sure to love the third, which I have yet to start. I also love Yarros' other books that she's written outside of the fantasy genre. Her story-telling ability is insane and she has done an incredible job wielding it.

[bmacreadz]

"One Dark Window" by Rachel Gillig

"One Dark Window" has been on my read list for a while. After hearing that it was a "tiktok" favorite, I knew I had to check it out myself.

Now, I've been scorned by social media reviews in the past, but not this time. "One Dark Window" delivers. It is beautiful and dark and triumphant, and I read the entire first novel in less than two days.

This story follows Elspeth Spindle who has a dark secret, one that could get her killed in her town of Blunder. So, naturally, she's been hiding it for most of her life, laying low, and keeping out of sight. That is, until, she's caught by none other than the handsome Captain of the Destriers. Captain Ravyn Yew finds her and quickly-but-not-too-quickly into the story, they begin a traitorous quest together with a lovable cast of misfits.

I will admit that this first book had me a little anxious because it started out very descriptive. And when pages describe scenery and feelings in so much detail, it tends to grate on my nerves. But, Rachel Gillig made the descriptions flow pretty nicely into the action, which hooked me immediately.

When I think back, there wasn't a whole lot of definitive story that happened in its pages. There were questions, some answers, but mostly foreshadowing. And it ends right when things really start getting great. The first book, in my opinion, is an in-depth introduction into the second book which, hopefully, will answer all the questions the first book failed to. Granted, we know the first books tend to leave so many questions unanswered on purpose.

"One Dark Window" introduced us to a variety of characters, but we never really get to understand them deeply enough to fall in love with them. At least, I didn't. I really wanted more backstories, more conversations, more yearning, just more from the people in Elspeth's circle. Most of the characters were kept at a distance, but that could've been a purposeful choice made by the author to sew seeds of intrigue for what may be to come. I will say that there was so much going on in Elspeth's mind - literally - that I didn't find myself missing out because I was busy trying to keep up with Nightmare - what it was, who it was. There's no guessing that "One Dark Window" was about Elspeth and the Nightmare, but I have a feeling that "Two Twisted Crowns" will also be about everyone and everything else.

One character, whose interactions with Elspeth I loved reading, was Ravyn. Their story flowed without any real animosity or deep betrayal, which is a nice change of pace for some romance novels. I was grateful for the vulnerability and honesty portrayed on the pages. I tend to get frustrated with heroines in some fantasies because they are so reluctant to trust and build genuine relationships. I get it, but still, it was nice to bare witness to a female main character who let her walls down and trust those around her. Especially with Ravyn. He was kind and heroic, and generally everything you'd like to see in a love interest.

There is still so much to learn about Blunder, about Elspeth, the Rowans, the Yews, the Spindles, the Hawthornes, and of course, Nightmare. So, I am excited to jump right into book two and see what answers await me there. This story is so good and I just know that Gillig is going to unload in the next installment. I can't wait!

[bmacreadz]

On a re-reading spree. BRB

[bmacreadz]

"Heir of Fire" by Sarah J Maas

CAUTION: SPOILERS FOR "THRONE OF GLASS" AND "CROWN OF MIDNIGHT"

"Heir of Fire" begins with Celaena slumming in Wendlyn after she's sent there on her latest mission from the King of Adarlan. Wendlyn sits across the sea from Erilea and the city of Adarlan, so we spend most of this book being introduced to new characters in an ever-growing plot.

This book is told from all different perspectives. We get Celaena's perspective, of course, but we also get Choal and Dorian's perspectives back in Adarlan, and we are introduced to a totally new character and plot outside of currently-known characters. I will admit that I was far less interested in what was going on with anyone other than Celaena most of the time. I had to keep myself from skimming over the chapters that didn't focus on her as much. HOWEVER, those other perspectives are so important to read so that we understand what's going on in the big picture. I'm sure everything comes together eventually, but I just have to get through it.

I will also admit that I want more romance. When I started this series, I was really convinced there would be a lot more romance than there has been. I came from the world of Feyre and Bryce, who were written as adult romance characters - for adults - so my hopes were high in that department, if not misplaced. This series has so far been focused mostly on PLOT with romance as an afterthought. I'm not disappointed, just yearning for that intense romantical element that I'm used to when reading SJM. There are still four more books in the series, though, so I'm not judging too harshly too soon...

There's not much more I can say about this without giving too much away... Celaena is steadily uncovering the mysteries that plague her, her friends, and all of Erilea. We dive a lot deeper into the story, which has increased in its brutality and creepiness. SJM does an incredible job at world-building and describing her characters, creatures, and environments. More than once, I had to put the book down and take a breath - reminding myself that it wasn't real. It has been a little intense for me, but so good. I can't wait to get through this series, but am also savoring this first read-through because I know that when it's over I'll never get these moments of unknowing back.

BY THE WAY, I want to say a huge thank you to the SJM fandom for being the literal best at not giving away spoilers. I follow a lot of accounts on multiple platforms, this series has been out for quite some time, and I am uncovering every little bit as if I have never heard anything about it before. BECAUSE I REALLY HAVEN'T. You guys are the best. Thank you.

[bmacreadz]

"Crown of Midnight" by Sarah J Maas

"Crown of Midnight" picks up almost immediately where "Throne of Glass" ends. Celaena, aka Adarlan's Assassin, aka Elentiya, is now the King's Champion, making a living doing his bidding. The story progresses nicely, but focuses much more on figuring out the mysteries of the castle and whatever the King of Adarlan is hiding. She gets closer to the friends we meet in the first book, but there's still so much to uncover about Celaena that it is probably foolish to get too comfortable too soon.

Sarah J Maas is weaving an intricate story, and I am pretty ecstatic that this series is seven books long. As I predicted, it is only getting better as I continue through.

Although this series is labeled for young adults, SJM doesn't shy away from brutality. There's a lot less romance thus far, but a lot more gore - killing and hunting and an overall carelessness for humanity. These are defining characteristics throughout the story, so I'd say be prepared for morally greyness throughout.

I anticipate a lot of sadness in this series, a lot of disappointment - not in the story or the writing, but in empathy with the characters. They are growing on me and I want to see them in a happy ending... We shall see how this goes.

I have already read "Heir of Fire" and am currently reading "Queen of Shadows," so lookout for those reviews soon!

[bmacreadz]

"Throne of the Glass" by Sarah J Maas

"Throne of the Glass" is the series that started it all.

This book follows Celaena, aka Adarlan's Assassin, as she is tested against criminals of all backgrounds to become the King's Champion and ultimately gain her freedom after she's been imprisoned.

There's a lot going on in this world. It's been/being conquered by the King of Adarlan, whose banishment and censorship of magic has resulted in death, imprisonment, enslavement, and ignorance for peoples across the continent. Some try to fight back, but he is deadly and generally considered to be the most powerful man to exist. However, Celaena is desperate for freedom and becoming the King's Champion means that one day she'll be able to live on her own terms. I rooted for her the entire way through this book.

I expected "Throne of Glass" to be a lot more romance-heavy than it was. But I'm not disappointed that it wasn't. This plot needed the attention and SJM delivered. I also expect that there will be more romance throughout the series, and this first book is just scratching the surface of what's to come. That's something I can glean, not from knowing SJM, but from this plot itself. There are so many elements here that have to be explored - so many mysteries and unanswered questions. I cannot wait.

I already love the cast of characters here. I don't know how she does it, but SJM writes her characters to be the perfect mix of annoying and lovable. And the antagonists are perfectly evil.

I waited so long to read "Throne of Glass." I have some catching up to do.

[bmacreadz]

"Rule of the Aurora King" by Nisha J. Tuli

I have mixed feelings about "Rule of the Aurora King," honestly. I really liked the first book and was excited about this one, but it failed to deliver what I was expecting - and what it more or less promised.

Caution: There may be some spoilers ahead.

This book starts out shortly after the first one ends (with Lor being... rescued? Kidnapped? from the Sun King's palace by the Aurora Prince and his companions). "Rule of the Aurora King" initially advertises that Lor is being hunted by the Sun King and must stay "on the move." I just didn't get that in this book at all. We do not hear from the Sun King NOT ONCE. We know nothing about what he's doing or what his plans are. The Sun King is mentioned maybe twice altogether (as well as most of the characters from "Trial of the Sun Queen"), which is so strange because of how possessive he was over Lor in the first book. And from what we know, he really needed Lor. I fully expected him to be hunting her down, but he's hardly mentioned. I also wouldn't say that she spends her time "on the move" because of the Sun King, either. In my opinion, she's not "on the move" at all.

Lor and Nadir, the Aurora Prince, spend the entirety of this book pining for each other under the guise of searching for the Crown of Heart. Most of that search takes place in the Aurora Keep, where the royal family officially resides... and that's about the sum of this book.

The main focus of "Rule of the Aurora King" is definitely the relationship - or non-relationship - between Lor and Nadir. And I am left very wanting. I had so much hope for these two in the beginning, but I quickly realized that they were not two characters I believe are meant to be. Maybe it just wasn't my type of romance, but I cringed every time I read them together. When Lor thought she was being clever with her snarky-ness, when Nadir thought he was keeping his distance by being a complete ass - the more I read, the more I wanted them to never speak to each other again. Everything seemed forced, and I was pretty much confused the whole time about what they were doing.

AND THE NICKNAME. At what point is that going to stop? Because I can't read another book where he keeps calling her that. I almost put this book down every time I read that because WHY.

Like I said, maybe it's just me, but "Rule of the Aurora King" was not what I wanted or anticipated. The plot needed so much more attention and less repetition about how much the narrator hated the Aurora King because of this or that. The main characters are disturbing and cringey, and I do not get "romance" from them whatsoever. It's weird, it's insensitive, it's cringe. It's not for me.

[bmacreadz]

"Trial of the Sun Queen" by Nisha J. Tuli

"Trial of the Sun Queen" was everything from my favorite fantasy romance novels in one book, and I can tell it's only going to get better. Think: "The Selection"/"The Hunger Games"/ACOTAR/"The Prison Healer"

This story follows Lor, a long-time prisoner of Nostraza, located in The Aurora. She escapes from Nostraza and ends up in the Sun Queen Trials, in Aphelion, much to her (and my) confusion. The big question: Why is she there? What's so special about her? That's what everyone is wondering, but only the Sun and Aurora Kings seem to know. And unsurprisingly, this question doesn't get fully answered for the reader. Although, you should get the hint right at the end. Honestly, I had even more questions at that point, but at least one of the greater mysteries was solved - sort of.

"Trial of the Sun Queen" is also written in dual perspectives. Nadir, the Aurora Prince, spent this installment trying to discover Lor's identity and would stop at nothing for answers. His perspective was told through only a few chapters and I would have loved to read more of him. I'm hoping we get a lot more of him in the next book.

Anyway, Lor faced off in the Sun Queen Trials with 8 Fae females, and it's exactly what it sounds like. They were competing to become the Sun Queen, but it wasn't as simple as that... I was genuinely confused for a lot of this book, asking questions that I didn't know who had the answers to. I was suspicious of everyone, along with Lor who really couldn't trust anyone.

I have mixed feelings about the cast of characters in this book. Gabriel, for one, was someone I really wanted to love. I kept waiting for one redeeming instance that would turn my opinion, but I ended up just really not liking him at all. And most everyone else besides Atlas (the Sun King) and Nadir, really didn't get enough page time for me to get a good idea of their character. "Trial of the Sun Queen" really focused on Lor and told most of her story through her inner monologues.

All in all, I think this book was a massive hit for me. I bought it yesterday and am already done, which is a feat as of late. I'm glad "Trial of the Sun Queen" is the first book that I've read to get me back in my reading groove. I've already bought the second installment, "Rule of the Aurora King," and will be reading it tomorrow.

[bmacreadz]

Hi! Ok so your last post was in October, so idk if youre very active on here, but i do have another rec for you.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent. Its dark, but on the YA side (no smut but lots of dark themes ; murder, blood, genocide, poverty etc) its Vampires with a human FMC who fights against vampires in a bloody contest to the death. Lots of world building and the end is so good. Highly recommend

Yes! I'm not as active as I used to be because I had a baby in November, but I haven't abandoned ship. I just haven't had as much time to read, but have lots of plans!! Thanks for the rec!!! I can't wait to read it for myself :)

[bmacreadz]

"The Blood Traitor" by Lynette Noni

"The Blood Traitor" is the third (and final) installment in "The Prison Healer" series, and it is a truly grand finale.

"The Blood Traitor" relies heavily on the theme of addiction to tell part of the story. So, if you're sensitive to that, tread lightly.

This final part of the series begins with Kiva facing the fallout of her sister's scheme. She's abandoned and broken, but she befriends an unlikely ally, who seems to be hiding her own secrets. They get through some pretty tough situations until they are separated and the story really begins to take off.

I realize the more I get to know Kiva, the more I cannot understand how she's survived so long on her own. It's actually unbelievable. She's not the fierce heroine that she should be due to her experiences; at least not in my opinion. I wasn't too bothered by this, but it was a little annoying for her to be in constant need of someone's aid - especially after she supposedly survived by herself for so long in Zalindov.

Caution: Spoilers Ahead

Speaking of Zalindov, I was a little disappointed in this series as a whole due to the lack of Zalindov in the second and third books. The series is called "The Prison Healer," but the prison is only briefly revisited in the last book. I would have loved to see more of the story play out in Zalindov - this prison that is supposedly impenetrable, yet somehow these characters keep getting out. The prison was fascinating in book one. It made for a very unique story, but that was about all we got from it.

This book also lacks in the romance department, quite like the others did, but I never felt like I missed it. There were enough platonic interactions with so many of the other characters that it made up for the two main characters who were essentially ignoring each other.

"The Blood Traitor" was definitely more intriguing than "The Gilded Cage," in my opinion, but neither of the books hold up to "The Prison Healer." Despite that, "The Blood Traiter" was faster-paced and genuinely entertaining. The reader got to experience more of Wenderall, however, I would have loved for that to not have been so rushed. Those other kingdoms were truly fascinating and I would love to see a spin-off where Lynette Noni writes more about them.

I also have to say that some of the plot points and resolutions were a bit elementary. I would have wished for things to be less... superficial? Alas, I think that's the YA element once again giving me just a smidge less than I want. So, the novel can't be blamed for that one - I think that just comes with the territory of YA.

I'm not dissatisfied with this book, or this series. It turned out how I hoped, and I really liked these characters and their endings. There were so many plot twists that I didn't count on and I was kept guessing throughout. Lynette Noni really did a wonder with this series. Though it's not on my all-time favorites list, I'm glad I read it. And I'm still glad for the recommendation (sorry for the time it took me to get through it).