"They were binary stars, trapped in each other's gravitational field and easily diminished without the other's opposing force."

I've been in a dark academia/spooky season mood recently, so I decided to reread The Atlas Six with the intention of actually getting to book 3 this time. (I'll probably get there...but I always forget that these books slow me down and I have other things to read). Did this fulfill my dark academia hunger? Not really. The genre itself is fairly hit or miss for me, so I don't know why I'm craving it...but I think this series falls somewhere in the middle in terms of the range of dark academic books I've enjoyed.
Six recruits enter, but only five will complete initiation. This is one of those books where a lot happens, but also nothing happens. The beginning is interesting, and there are a few scenes in the middle that keep the book moving before the exciting end, but most scenes are heavily character-focused, which is something I struggle to enjoy at times. There's a fair amount of "scholarly" conversations about magic that feel a bit like theoretical lectures, but I didn't mind them too much. I struggle to rate this accurately because although nothing really happened, I enjoyed the vibes, and sometimes that warrants a higher rating than I would typically give to a book with a similar plot.
I also think the reason I was willing to rate this as highly as I did is because the characters make me feel things. Callum earns the award for the most hateable POV because I despise him, and he doesn't deserve redemption. Parisa gives the vibes of an evil Nina Zenik, but I didn't mind her as much during this read as I did previously. Tristan is just kind of boring to me, and the same goes for Dalton. My favorites were Reina, Nico, and Libby. Reina is just so logical compared to everyone else, and I like that she's just along for the ride. I really just like the dynamics between Nico and Libby (which is why I still desperately want to read the novella) and the idea of being practically soulmates without actually being soulmates.
The Atlas Six is a dark academia novel focused on magic, knowledge, and what one would do in the name of their ambition.

3.75/5

I think this wins the award for the darkest fantasy mystery I've read yet...and now I'm scared for what else is out there.

The Helm of Midnight is the first book in a fantasy mystery series with some of the coolest magic systems and worldbuilding I've seen in a while. There are five gods, four types of magic, terrifying monsters, and death masks that preserve the skills of the dead. While it took a little while to get used to the jargon, I really did enjoy the worldbuilding. The only "clarification" type thing I think this book could've benefitted from is a character list (because there are three interweaving plots from different times, and characters are referred to by different names, which made it a bit confusing at times).
I was really surprised to find how deeply the author delved into the mystery itself. At its surface, the story appears to be about a serial killer and the death mask that preserves his spirit and knowledge, but I wasn't expecting to actually get so much backstory on the killer. The pacing was a bit slow initially, but the last 30% or so was rapid, and I read the second half of the book much quicker. As a mystery, I expected there to be plot twists...and there were. I called more than I expected, and though I didn't officially "catch" the killer, I really enjoyed the vibes of the book without attempting to solve the mystery.
The cast of characters is quite wide (which is why I kind of hoped for a dramatis personae list), but I actually really liked a lot of them. I liked Krona and her complicated relationship with her sister, especially given the backstory that was slowly revealed throughout the story. Thibaut was my favorite character...I don't really have a reason why, I just liked him. I also found myself unexpectedly enjoying Charbon's POV chapters, and I think he actually might've been in my top 3 favorite characters for this. Melanie's POVs took a little longer to appreciate, but I enjoyed seeing how she played into the story toward the end.
If you're in the mood for an atmospheric fantasy mystery with engrossing worldbuilding, beautiful prose, and complex characters, look now further than The Helm of Midnight.

4/5

How dare they disrespect my favorite character (he deserved it though).

Also, a professional review of this book may be to come for a class assignment, but I haven't decided yet if I want to pick this book or another.

Every Dark Shadow is a fantasy novel that blends together the vibes of Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, the romance of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series, and the plot of C.S. Pacat's Dark Rise series. It reminded me a lot of a variety of books I read, so it came as no surprise that I quickly sank into the world and the connections between the characters. The worldbuilding was interesting (I love magic systems with different types of magic) and the parallel universes felt reminiscent of V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic series.
Plotwise, the story follows a regular girl named Ophelia...or so she thinks. Guarded by three "keepers," Ophelia is the kingdom of Magus's only hope of stopping their evil ruler, but there's an issue...she doesn't remember anything about magic. The pacing can be a bit slow at times, but the ending is definitely more fast-paced. There are a few plot twists that make the read more enjoyable, some of which are predictable but some of which are more subtly foreshadowed. The ending left me excited for the sequel, and I intend to look into the prequel novella as well.
At its heart, this is a story about characters. Ophelia herself got on my nerves a few times just because she seemed so intent to put herself in danger, but I understand that she's curious and stubborn and I'm interested to see where her arc goes. Of the three sort-of love interests, Falcon was actually my least favorite. I didn't mind his romance with Ophelia - I'm glad they're together - but he reminded me a lot of Lorcan from the Throne of Glass series, and he just feels a bit generic (I did like his tattoo magic though). Hart was fine, but he also wasn't my favorite. For some reason, I liked Rune despite the glaringly obvious Chaol/Dain vibes...and I think I still standby my decision of him being my favorite despite that.
Every Dark Shadow is a dark fantasy novel filled with romance, magic, and dangerous secrets that may mean the end of the world.

3.75/5

Once again, I have highlighted way too many things in an Alice Oseman book.

Solitaire is Tori Spring's story. I didn't realize it was written before Heartstopper, and it kind of has different vibes from the other Heartstopper books I've read, but I really liked it. As always, I highlighted way too many quotes (because Oseman is way too good at calling me out). Also, I better understand Michael Holden now so I guess I need to rewatch season 3 of Heartstopper.
I really hope that the next season of Heartstopper focuses more on Tori's story, because I really enjoyed learning about her character her and her struggles. Solitaire is a mysterious blog project that seems coincidentally close to Tori's life, and she's not sure why. There's some mystery element in trying to discover who started Solitaire, how it's connected to Tori, and what it's next plan is. I didn't completely guess the main plot twist, but the idea did cross my mind at least once. I also thought this book was way darker in terms of content than some of the other books in the "Osemanverse," especially toward the end, so be careful of content warnings if you're planning to read it.
This is a character-focused novel, which I sometimes don't like as much, but I think it worked well for this book. Tori's character was relatable in some ways, and I really sympathized with her. I'd love to read more about her. I also really liked the depth of Michael Holden. He's such an interesting and complex character. I liked learning about Tori's other friends as well, and I was glad to see the Nick and Charlie cameos. (Also, Nick is a confirmed Twilight fan?)
Alice Oseman never fails to produce heartwrenching and simultaneously heartwarming stories, and Solitaire is no exception.

4/5

I think about Libby and Nico way more than I honestly could (it's the line about them being stars caught in each other's orbits...it lives rent-free in my mind)

The Atlas Paradox is the second book in the Atlas trilogy, and it's the most recent of my dark academia reads that reminds me not to join super secret academic societies. This is my second time reading this book, and I think I like the first book better. That being said, I think I enjoyed this more on my second read-through.
My main issue with this book is that it feels like nothing really happens. Admittedly, the same could be true for the first book, but that one at least had a certain level of tension that escalated the stakes throughout. Picking up from the last book, Libby has been kidnapped by Ezra and becomes stranded in the past. The other five initiates intend to save her...and then don't bother actually trying anything for the vast majority of the book. The ending picks up the pacing, but the rest is relatively slow, and there aren't any crazy plot twists, in my opinion.
Again, I'll just focus on the main characters because they're really the only important people. Callum is still my least favorite just because he irritates me, and I get that that's the point, but I still hate him. Parisa wasn't as interesting in this book, so I kinda grew bored of her. Tristan is okay, but I don't love him. I liked Reina's character arc in this one and her dynamics with Callum made him more tolerable. Nico and Libby are still my favorites. Libby's POVs were probably the most interesting ones plotwise, but Nico's POVs were the most enjoyable to read for the most part.
The Atlas Paradox - sequel to The Atlas Six - promises a grim new chapter in this dark academia series questioning what one would do in the name of knowledge.

3.5/5

It takes a lot for a book to make me completely reverse my opinions on the characters, but wow...

The Atlas Complex is the third book in the Atlas trilogy, and I'm honestly not sure how to feel. On one hand, I understand what the series is trying to get at and the purpose of it all, but I also have to admit that the one-star reviews make some good points. I'm glad I finished the series, but I don't know how soon I'll reread it.
My main issue with this book is that it's supposed to be the finale. It's supposed to be the peak of the series. From pretty much the first page, the characters make it clear what the "big thing" they want to do is. Then we spend the next 70% of the book arguing about it, changing our minds about it, and switching to other irrelevant POVs. I could've accepted this build-up of tension if the ending was satisfying, but although I understand why the ending was what it was...I'm mad. I didn't even have super high expectations, and I'm still disappointed. There are a few cool plot points that earned the book an extra star, but the rest of the scenes overshadowed them.
As I said, my opinions on the characters changed drastically. Callum - who I used to despise - was one of the only tolerable characters from this book. Parisa, Reina, and Tristan were all pretty boring. Writing this review right now, I'm struggling to even remember half of their scenes. I did appreciate Callum and Parisa's arc, though. Nico and Gideon were still really good characters and I think they're my favorites now. Libby, on the other hand, used to be my other favorite. I understand her arc, but she got on her nerves a LOT.
The Atlas Complex is the third and final book in the Atlas trilogy, and though it seems to bring mixed reactions from fans, I think it's worth at least reading once to close out the series.

3.25/5

Dear Chaol Haters...are we reading the same book?

Tower of Dawn is the sixth book in the Throne of Glass series, and as an unpopular opinion, I'm gonna say it...I think this is better than Empire of Storms. The expanded worldbuilding is intriguing, especially to see a society that does not seem as eurocentric as the rest of the settings in the series. Do I think it could have been about 300 pages shorter? Yes, but so could half the other books. Do I think this should've been a novella? Also yes, but I appreciate the Nesryn page time.
The reason I think a lot of readers despise this book is because it's Chaol's redemption story. There are some minimal murder mystery vibes going on in the background and some political maneuvering on Nesryn's behalf, but at its heart, this is about Chaol and his physical AND emotional recovery. I know a lot of readers hate this book because it tries to redeem a character they hate and spends 600 pages on his journey, but I think thematically it makes sense to take a step back and focus on a character who is, realistically, a normal person. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I could write so many essays on the hatred towards Chaol and how I may not like him, but I understand him. That being said, this book was a little on the slow side, but I was here for the vibes, and also, the last 30% did pick up the pace.
This book also takes a much-needed break from certain other characters. I still don't like Chaol as a person, but I find him interesting as a character. I really like Yrene, and I think her dynamics play off Chaol's very well. Nesryn kind of grew on me, though I still think her POVs are mildly boring. I've always been a fan of giant, flying birds in fantasy, so the ruks were greatly appreciated. Sartaq was okay, but the rest of the characters were relatively irrelevant.
Tower of Dawn is the penultimate novel in the Throne of Glass series and acts as what I would consider an essay on redemption and what it means to discover oneself.

3.75/5

Entering my Necromancy Era if anyone cares...

I loved Nicki Pau Preto's other series, so Bonesmith has been on my TBR for a really long time, and I decided to read it to close off my spooky season this year. The vibes are entirely different from Crown of Feathers - which is to be expected since they're different series - but I honestly really enjoyed it. The worldbuilding was super intriguing, although the setting just constantly looked like the Depths from Zelda Tears of the Kingdom in my mind.
The plot is relatively simple: upon failing to test into becoming an official valkyr, Wren is sent into exile where she befriends a prince right before his kidnapping and must go on an adventure to save him. There's some political/house stuff on the side, but it's mostly a quest-type journey. There was a fair amount of action, although I agree with other reviews that there was a bit too much plot armor. I also thought the plot twists were relatively predictable, but I didn't mind because I was caught up in the adventure of it.
Once again, my terrible taste in characters had me adoring Prince Leo...only for him to be quickly kidnapped and disappear for half the book (his character design is so cool and also just...sarcastic princes). I didn't mind Wren, although she made a lot of stupid decisions. I didn't really like Julian that much just because I thought he was kind of boring, but his backstory does get him bonus points. I'm hoping Inara plays a big role in the next book because she was super cool.
Bonesmith is a YA fantasy novel with the vibes of Gideon the Ninth that promises a high-stakes adventure and the beginnings of some swoony romance.

4/5

We need more space heist books.

Hammajang Luck promised me one thing I couldn't resist: outcasts on a heist. It's compared to Gideon the Ninth, but I almost wish it wasn't because the only similarity is sapphics in space, and it fails to include what makes this story unique: the family dynamics.
This is a heist story. It doesn't have any particularly novel scenes, but that doesn't matter because we're here for the fun of it. Edie, upon being released from prison, is roped into yet another crime with their friend - and maybe more - Angel, who betrayed them before. Together with their team of outcasts, Edie and Angel organize a heist against a technology guru trillionaire. I thought the stakes were relatively low for a heist novel, but I didn't mind too much. There weren't a ton of plot twists, either. For as much as the heist was emphasized in the blurb, I feel like this book focused more on vibes than anything...which I didn't love.
I think the issue for me was that I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I'm going to take partial blame for this; a lot of Life Things were going on when I started this book, and I didn't really get into it until after the characters had been introduced, so I didn't really get to know them well enough for a found family book. As far as the main characters went, I thought Edie was fine as a narrator, but they were more avoidant than active. I didn't love Angel, but I didn't hate her. Andie was probably my favorite because it's rare we get to see someone outside the heist have opinions on it.
Hammajang Luck is a sci-fi heist story perfect for fans of found family and real family mixing together.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.25/5