Tag: fantasy

Book Review: A Forgery of Fate, by Elizabeth Lim

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Title: A Forgery of Fate
Author: Elizabeth Lim         
Genre: YA, fantasy  
Rating: 5 out of 5

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .

This was such a good read! I liked Tru from the beginning, and loved getting to know her. Her sisters were great, too, but I didn’t really like her mother. The world was unique and I enjoyed getting to explore it through Tru’s eyes. (I did have a few quibbles with how easy living and breathing underwater was handles, but I can let that go. The turtles and other undersea characters were fun, and I’d love to read more set in this world.

Elizabeth Lim lives in New York City. A Forgery of Fate is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Notorious Virtues, by Alwyn Hamilton

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Title: The Notorious Virtues
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Genre: Mystery/thriller, Fantasy, YA   
Rating: 4.8 out of 5

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.

But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent she’d abandoned her to, Lotte goes from being an orphan to surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.

And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. And the only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.

With everyone against her, Lotte’s last hope is hunting for the identity of her father. But the dangerous competition–and her feelings for Theo, one of the Holtzfalls’ sworn protectors–turns her world upside down.

I really liked this read! Nora was a bit insufferable at first, but she grew on me quickly. Nora knows her family and her world are messed up, but she doesn’t at first realize how badly. I can’t even imagine being in constant competition with my entire family, or how miserable that sort of life would be.

I did not like Lotte at first—she wasn’t a very nice person—but I did feel sympathetic to her. Talk about growing up with gaslighting and emotional abuse. It’s a small wonder she turned out as well as she did. There’s a bit of a Cinderella story for her, but everything wasn’t all sunshine and roses, which was much more believable. I loved this world and can’t wait to read more!

Alwyn Hamilton is a bestselling author. The Notorious Virtues is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: A Drop of Corruption, by Robert Jackson Bennett

Random House Publishing Group.

Title: A Drop of Corruption    
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Genre: Mystery/Thriller, fantasy    
Rating: 4 out of 5 

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire’s greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.

The world this is set in so strange to me—but its uniqueness makes it a lot of fun to read. Ana’s just as a crazy as can be and you never know what she’s going to do or say next, which adds a whole other level of entertainment to reading. Kol is a great character: sometimes he’s super smart and observant, sometimes, he’s fumbling around in Ana’s shadow like the rest of us. I did figure out who was behind everything before the big reveal, but I think that was sheer luck. If you’re looking for something unique to read, give this a shot.

Robert Jackson Bennett is an award-winning author. A Drop of Corruption is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Holy Terrors, by Margaret Owen

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Title: Holy Terrors
Author: Margaret Owen
Genre: Fantasy, YA   
Rating: 5 out of 5

It’s been nearly two years since Vanja brought down the cult she started, and she’s still paying the price. As the Pfennigeist, she bucks the law in order to help the desperate and haunt the corrupt all across the empire—and no matter what, she works alone.

But an impossible killer is tearing through royalty, and leaving Vanja’s signature red penny on every victim. Suddenly the Pfennigeist is no longer a folk hero but a nightmare. When even the Blessed Empress falls, the empire’s seven royal families must gather to elect her successor within a matter of weeks, or risk the collapse of reality itself… even though it puts every house in the killer’s sights.

Vanja tells herself she’s wading into the royalty’s vicious games only to save the name she made, and the loved ones also in jeopardy. But the Order of Prefects has also put their sharpest official on the case, the one who swore he’d always find Vanja—until she broke his heart. Journeyman Prefect Emeric Conrad may no longer be the boy Vanja knew, but they’ll have to work together one last time to have any chance of surviving the deadly catastrophe coming for them all.

With bloody conspiracy, sinister magic, and old adversaries closing in, it will take everything Vanja has to save not just the people she loves, but the future she’s fought for.

I really loved this! Vanja’s voice, her wry sarcasm, is just so on point it had me laughing all through the book. She’s a great character: she can see her flaws, but she just goes ahead anyway—and somehow it works out for the best (mostly). Emeric is so uptight it makes me laugh—and Vanja’s descriptions of him are even funnier. Junior and the sausages probably made me laugh the most.

As far as the murder mystery…I never had a clue what was going on, who was going to die next, or who the murderer was—much less how Vanja was going to figure out the whole mess. I enjoyed all of this book immensely!

Margaret Owen has a degree in Japanese. Holy Terrors is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Deathly Grimm, by Kathryn Purdie

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Title: The Deathly Grimm   
Author: Kathryn Purdie        
Genre: YA, Fantasy   
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

The story hasn’t ended yet.

After surviving the Forest Grimm and defeating the Wolf, Clara and Axel have made it back to their village, the one place they can be safe behind the forest’s borders. But when the forest itself begins luring in more villagers, it’s clear that Clara and Axel have only treated the symptoms of the forest’s curse, not the cause—and it’s getting worse.

Burdened with visions of the past and learning to navigate her fragile new relationship with Axel, Clara finds herself entering the forest with Axel yet again to discover the truth once and for all: the identity of the murderer who caused the curse. As they fight murderous woodsmen with incomprehensible riddles, ladies who will drag you into an eternal dance, and ghosts with the power to wield the forest against them, Clara and Axel realize the stakes are higher than ever. If they don’t survive the dark, deadly twists of the forest once more, not only will they never escape, they may also no longer have a home to escape to.

I enjoyed this second book in The Forest Grimm duology. It was good seeing more of these familiar characters, and the quaint village they call home. I like the creepy fairy tale characters, too. The answer to who the murderer really was didn’t really come as a surprise to me, but I still enjoyed the story a lot and read the whole thing in one day.

Kathryn Purdie is a bestselling author. The Deathly Grimm is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: His Mortal Demise, by Vanessa Le

Image belongs to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

Title: His Mortal Demise
Author: Vanessa Le      
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Kochin is a heartsooth — a rare being with the ability to heal any wound. Any wound, that is, except death.

Intent on defying nature and bringing Nhika back to life, Kochin keeps her body in a life-preserving casket and waits for a miracle. Stricken with grief and descending into madness, Kochin realizes the answer to his desperate quest can only lie in one place: Yarong, the lush yet battle-ridden island the first heartsooths called home.

Months later, Nhika wakes in a familiar manor-house, with Kochin nowhere to be found. As she traces his footsteps across Theumas, she discovers the haunting path he walked to bring her back, and a world changed by war.

When Kochin discovers the true and grisly way to resurrect a person from the grave, he must decide exactly how much he is willing to sacrifice, in order to reunite with the woman he loves…

I really enjoyed this read! I liked the first book in this duology, and I think this book did a fantastic job of wrapping up all the storylines from the first book while on an entirely new adventure. The dual-POV really worked for me, along with the dual timeline, allowing the reader to see all aspects of the story. I liked both Nhika and Kochin’s stories, and seeing the familiar secondary characters from the first book added another layer of comfort to the story. This would make an excellent weekend read!

Vanessa Le is from the Pacific Northwest. His Mortal Demise is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Bane Witch, by Ava Morgyn  

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: The Bane Witch
Author: Ava Morgyn        
Genre: Fantasy        
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Piers Corbin has always had an affinity for poisonous things—plants and men. From the pokeweed berries she consumed at age five that led to the accidental death of a stranger, to the husband whose dark proclivities have become… concerning, poison has been at the heart of her story.

But when she fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her volatile marriage and goes to stay with her estranged great aunt in the mountains, she realizes her predilection is more than a hunger—it’s a birthright. Piers comes from a long line of poison eaters—Bane Witches—women who ingest deadly plants and use their magic to rid the world of evil men.

Piers sets out to earn her place in her family’s gritty but distinguished legacy, all while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and perpetuating a flirtation with the local, well-meaning sheriff to allay his suspicions on the body count she’s been leaving in her wake. But soon she catches the attention of someone else, a serial killer operating in the area. And that only means one thing—it’s time to feed.

I wasn’t too sure about this at first. It started off slow for me—or I had trouble connecting with Piers at first. But somewhere on her flight to the mountains, I became invested in Piers’ story. I actually didn’t care for her aunt or the other Bane Witches at all, and the small-town kind of gave me the creeps, but Piers herself was a joy to read. I may never look at mushrooms the same way again!

Ava Morgyn lives in Houston. The Bane Witch is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Mother of Rome, by Lauren J. A. Bear

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Title: Mother of Rome   
Author: Lauren J. A. Bear      
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children.

But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.

Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir.

Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh.

Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life…and her beloved land.

To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature’s mightiest force – a mother’s love – and fight.

All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.

Going into this, I expected to DNF it because my attention wandered due to slow pacing. That is not what happened. Instead, I binge-read this in one sitting. Rhea was a fascinating character, and I enjoyed her point of view so much! She grew a lot through the course of this book, and it was fascinating to read through her journey. Antho was also a great story, and I enjoyed her story very much. Definitely recommend this read!

Lauren J. A. Bear lives in Seattle. Mother of Rome is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group/Ace in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review:  A Better Nightmare, by Megan Freeman

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Title:   A Better Nightmare
Author:  Megan Freeman       
Genre: YA        
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Emily Emerson is nearly sixteen, finally a senior at the Wildsmoor Facility. But so is Meera, isn’t she? Meera, who is nineteen and has been a senior for as long as Emily can remember? Here, the students live each day as shadows, one day blurring into the next, hardly aware of life passing them by while the symptoms of the Grimm Cross Syndrome that afflicts them all is trained out of them. Rules. Order. Repetition. Medication.

Emily was eight when she started showing signs of the disease. Odd dreams, hallucinations – impossible things that happened around her. Unconscious thoughts that could be set free into the world—flowers that covered the house, thick like a forest and sowed with nothing more than her unconscious thoughts. It was beautiful until it turned evil, when Emily did her first bad thing and found herself here. Now, she’ll do anything to get better and get back to her life. She’ll be more quiet and obedient than everyone else.

Until she meets Emir.

Emir isn’t like the other kids at Wildsmoor. He’s quicker and livelier. He says things that he shouldn’t – dangerous things. Emir is electric, magnetic in more ways than Emily can know.

When Emir introduces her to The Cure, a secret society for kids who believe that The Grimm isn’t a disease at all, but a gift, Emily starts to wake up, and so do her strange abilities. The outcome is a dream come true. But sometimes the best dreams and the worst nightmares have the same people in them.

This wasn’t a bad book, but Emily didn’t really do anything: she just let everything happen to her. Emir was a jerk, and so were several of the other main members of the Cure. His sudden change of heart wasn’t very believable, and I feel like so much that could have added depth to this story was just glossed over, leaving me feeling like I was reading a summary and not an actual story. This is a miss for me, unfortunately, as the premise is great and I was interested to read it. The execution just didn’t live up to it, though.

Megan Freeman is from Cornwall. A Better Nightmare is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Scholastic/Chicken House in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  A Language of Dragons, by S. F. Williamson

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Title:  A Language of Dragons  
Author:  S. F. Williamson        
Genre:  Fantasy       
Rating:  5 out of 5

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realizes that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting?

Viv is a great character, and I liked her from the first page! Granted, she was generally clueless about reality and quite gullible when it came to believing everything the government said—but at least she eventually learned better. I found the world fascinating and I really liked all the characters and the complexities of human-dragon relations.

S. F. Williamson lives in France. A Language of Dragons is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.)