Tag: fantasy

Book Review: For She Is Wrath, by Emily Varga

Title: For She Is Wrath
Author: Emily Varga
Genre: YA, fantasy, romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Three hundred and sixty-four days.

Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and still can’t forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to exacting that vengeance–a stolen djinn treasure–they execute a daring escape together and search for the hidden treasure.

Armed with dark magic and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her humanity to her fight for vengeance–and her heart to the only boy she’s ever loved.

I found the culture and setting of this story to be a fascinating mix of different elements that kept me intrigued. Danie was a strong character—and one I enjoyed getting to know more. She’s tough and capable, and so afraid to let anyone close enough to betray her again, but she gradually realizes that she can trust some people. This felt like a dark fantasy, but there was hope there as well.

Emily Varga lives in Canada. For She is Wrath is her debut novel.

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

Website:      https://emilyvargabooks.com/about/Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQHL8HKV/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20 Title: For She Is Wrath Author:   Emily
Varga       Genre: YA, fantasy, romance        Rating: 4 out of 5 Three hundred and
sixty-four days. Framed for a crime she
didn’t commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge
on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and
still can’t forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to
exacting that vengeance–a stolen djinn treasure–they execute a daring escape
together and search for the hidden treasure. Armed with dark magic
and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her
and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge
becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire
still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As
Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her
humanity to her fight for vengeance–and her heart to the only boy she’s ever
loved. I found the culture and
setting of this story to be a fascinating mix of different elements that kept
me intrigued. Danie was a strong character—and one I enjoyed getting to know
more. She’s tough and capable, and so afraid to let anyone close enough to
betray her again, but she gradually realizes that she can trust some people.
This felt like a dark fantasy, but there was hope there as well. Emily Varga lives in
Canada. For She is Wrath is her debut novel.  (Galley courtesy of St.
Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.) Book Review: For She Is
Wrath, by Emily Varga

Book Review: A Song to Drown Rivers, by Ann Liang

Title: A Song to Drown Rivers
Author: Ann Liang
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

This was an engrossing read from the beginning. Xishi was a wonderful character: so caring and kind and determined. Seeing her grow and change and become sure of herself and confident was lovely to read. Fanli was only present in part of the book, and he felt very reserved and distant, but I liked him. This was not a fuzzy-bunnies-ray-of-sunshine read—not in any way—but it was a gripping read that completely absorbed my attention.

Ann Liang is a bestselling author. A Song to Drown Rivers is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: A Fire in the Sky, by Sophie Jordan

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title: A Fire in the Sky
Author: Sophie Jordan
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying.

But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it’s her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard…though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride…but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead…it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

I enjoyed the writing in this, and the culture was well-done, if a bit infuriating. I liked both Fell and Tamsyn and enjoyed their chemistry. I felt like the last quarter of the book was a bit rushed, so that detracted a little from my enjoyment, but I’d be interested in reading more, as the storyline was strong enough to carry me through and I’m interested to see what happens next.

Sophie Jordan is a bestselling author. A Fire in the Sky is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Cast in Atonement, by Michelle Sagara

Title: Cast in Atonement
Author: Michelle Sagara
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:

In the City of Elantra, only one holds the key to peace—or eternal darkness.

At the end of three long wars, Bellusdeo is the last of her kind, the sole surviving female Dragon in the City of Elantra. When she appears one evening on the doorstep of her former roommate, Corporal Kaylin Neya, her demeanor is dreadful—more so than what’s expected of the Dragons’ notoriously tempestuous temperament. Kaylin’s new roommate, Mrs. Erickson, is quick to see the reason for Bellusdeo’s despair—the eight ghosts of the Dragon’s dead sisters, chained to her and unseen. Pleading for release, revenge and, above all, peace.

Now Kaylin and Mrs. Erickson must embark on a perilous journey, from the hallowed halls of the Academia to the depths of forbidden magic, to confront the very essence of mortality itself. Can Kaylin help release the untapped power within Mrs. Erickson to save Bellusdeo’s sisters…or will unlocking the past plunge the realm into an unfathomable darkness forever?

I do love the Chronicles of Elantra series! The layers and depths in this series are engrossing to me, and this novel was no exception. I loved seeing Bellusdeo’s story unfold and twine more with Kaylin’s—and I love how Kaylin’s mind works. I enjoy all these characters and love seeing their further adventures.

Michelle Sagara lives in Toronto. Cast in Atonement is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Strange Folk, by Alli Dyer

Title: Strange Folk
Author: Alli Dyer
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

A woman returns to her estranged, magical family in Appalachia but when a man is found dead in the woods nearby, it seems the family has conjured something sinister in this lush, shimmering, and wildly imaginative debut novel that is perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman, Deborah Harkness, and Sarah Addison Allen.

Lee left Craw Valley at eighteen without a backward glance. She wanted no part of the generations of her family who tapped into the power of the land to heal and help their community. But when she abandons her new life in California and has nowhere else to go, Lee returns to Craw Valley with her children in tow to live with her grandmother, Belva.

Lee vows to stay far away from Belva’s world of magic, but when the target of one of her grandmother’s spells is discovered dead, Lee fears that Belva’s magic may have summoned something dark.

As she and her family search for answers, Lee travels down a rabbit hole of strange phenomena and family secrets that force her to reckon with herself and rediscover her power in order to protect her family and the town she couldn’t leave behind.

This was a very atmospheric novel. I enjoyed the setting a lot, the small-town feel, but I didn’t enjoy the darker aspects of the story at all. The characters were not very nice people, and that was off-putting for me—I don’t enjoy reading about cruel and nasty people, no matter how atmospheric the setting.

Alli Dyer is from Virginia but now lives in L.A. Strange Folk is her debut novel.

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

Book Review: Castle of the Cursed, by Romina Garber

Title:   Castle of the Cursed
Author:   Romina Garber
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:4 out of 5

THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY…

After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.

Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.

As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her . . . and they’re closer than she ever realized.

I feel like there was a lot going on in this novel: romance, magic, a bit of scifi, a mystery, family drama, and a whole lot of darkness. I enjoyed the read, but it did feel a bit chaotic. I liked how the opening scene gave a glimpse into Estela’s life and relationship with her parents, which later turned out to be only the tip of the iceberg. This was a solid read, and I’d be interested in seeing more in this world with these characters.

Romina Garber is a bestselling author. Castle of the Cursed is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish, by Paula Brackston

Title: The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish
Author: Paula Brackston
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

England, 1881.

Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate’s desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

I really enjoyed this read! Hecate is a fascinating character, and I loved getting to know her. This is a very atmospheric novel, and I was fully absorbed into the setting. The characters—including the ghosts—are well-done and believable, and I was eager to see where the story took them. Can’t wait to read more in this series.

Paula Brackston is a bestselling author. The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: The Lost Story, by Meg Shaffer

Image belongs to Random House/Ballantine.

Title: The Lost Story
Author: Meg Shaffer
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.

I really enjoyed this read! I love The Chronicles of Narnia, and this story carried the same sense of magic and adventure waiting just around the corner. The characters were so much fun—in both worlds—and the hidden world was full of wonder and joy and magic. This was an excellent weekend escape to read!

Meg Shaffer is a bestselling author. The Lost Story is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Darkness Within Us, by Tricia Levenseller

Title: The Darkness Within Us
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Chrysantha Stathos has won.

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has gathered important secrets, earned her father’s constant care, and become a wealthy duchess—all by age nineteen. Now, she is only one elderly, dying duke away from having all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

Turns out her little sister somehow snatched the true victory away from her: Alessandra is wedding the Shadow King, the most powerful man in the world. Meanwhile, after the death of Chrysantha’s no-good, lecherous husband, a man claiming to be the duke’s estranged grandson turns up to inherit everything that should be hers.

Chrysantha is enraged. There is no way that she’s going to let some man take everything from her. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive and alluring with mysterious powers… No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

I loved the revolution Chrysantha’s sister seemed to be leading for women’s rights in this, although the relationship between the sisters was pretty terrible. Chrysantha was a good character: I loved her determination, her wit, and her absolute refusal to lose. I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers arc between her and Eryx, and I never quite figured out what was going on with him before the reveal.

Tricia Levenseller is from Oregon. The Darkness Within Us is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: A Burden of Ice and Bone, by Kyra Whitton

Title: A Burden of Ice and Bone
Author: Kyra Whitton
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

In the village of ice and darkness, Dira Cloon’s entire existence relies on her ability to pull the trigger. But when she faces a majestic white bear, her resolve falters. The bear’s presence stirs something deep within her – a force stronger than her love for her family, who believe that the only safe polar bear is a dead one.

It goes beyond the village legends of a lost world and a vanished civilization, the whispered tales of magic, and the ursine king’s enchantment. This force resonates with Dira’s heart, shattered and lonely. If she shoots the bear, her life will continue as it always has, with a piece of her soul and dreams forever lost. But if she lays down her weapon and follows the bear into the vast, frozen realm of snow, she may transform her people and their bloodlust.

This was an interesting dystopian/fantasy read. More than a bit depressing, frankly. I don’t like cold weather, so that was a me thing, but the society itself was pretty bleak—and I wasn’t a fan of the people. The author did a great job with the setting, though, and I enjoyed the story itself. What happened when Dira broke the curse wasn’t surprising at all, but I did enjoy this read.

Kyra Whitton is from Georgia. A Burden of Ice and Bone is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sword and Silk Books in exchange for an honest review.)

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