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abby_ace_of_books
Jovis and Mephi completely carried this book and I'm okay with it.
The Bone Shard Daughter has been on my TBR for probably around five years now, and it was the first random pick from my TBR jar...and I had to ask myself why I put this book off for so long. The worldbuilding is intriguing to say the least, and I didn't want to put the book down for the last 20%.
The story includes five seemingly unconnected POVs. Lin is the emperor's daughter and she wants to impress him. Jovis is a smuggler trying to find his long-lost lover. Phalue and Ranami are involved in a rebellion. Sand is...well, Sand is Sand. Lin and Jovis's POVs are the most frequent, and for good reason. They have arguably the most action in the book, and I really like how all of the POVs (not just theirs) are intertwined by the end. I will say that I called two of the plot twists very early on (from the first POV of both characters), but there were a few other twists that I didn't expect and the second half of the book was super fast-paced. I'll also admit that some characters seemed to have some very thick plot armor (I'm looking at you, Jovis) and the last ten chapters or so felt a little rushed to me.
Of the main characters, Jovis was by far my favorite. He reminded me of a pirate version of Flynn Rider, and Mephi is literally one of my new favorite animal sidekicks. I didn't like Lin at first, but both she and Bayan grew on me quickly. Phalue and Ranami didn't really intrigue me, although I'm keeping an open mind for book two. Sand was interesting, but she isn't really relevant until very late in the book.
The Bone Shard Daughter is a fantasy novel where bones have magic, islands are sinking, and the emperor is on the verge of being overthrown, and I will definitely pick up the sequel.
4/5
Link to Libby Annotations
The Bone Shard Daughter has been on my TBR for probably around five years now, and it was the first random pick from my TBR jar...and I had to ask myself why I put this book off for so long. The worldbuilding is intriguing to say the least, and I didn't want to put the book down for the last 20%.
The story includes five seemingly unconnected POVs. Lin is the emperor's daughter and she wants to impress him. Jovis is a smuggler trying to find his long-lost lover. Phalue and Ranami are involved in a rebellion. Sand is...well, Sand is Sand. Lin and Jovis's POVs are the most frequent, and for good reason. They have arguably the most action in the book, and I really like how all of the POVs (not just theirs) are intertwined by the end. I will say that I called two of the plot twists very early on (from the first POV of both characters), but there were a few other twists that I didn't expect and the second half of the book was super fast-paced. I'll also admit that some characters seemed to have some very thick plot armor (I'm looking at you, Jovis) and the last ten chapters or so felt a little rushed to me.
Of the main characters, Jovis was by far my favorite. He reminded me of a pirate version of Flynn Rider, and Mephi is literally one of my new favorite animal sidekicks. I didn't like Lin at first, but both she and Bayan grew on me quickly. Phalue and Ranami didn't really intrigue me, although I'm keeping an open mind for book two. Sand was interesting, but she isn't really relevant until very late in the book.
The Bone Shard Daughter is a fantasy novel where bones have magic, islands are sinking, and the emperor is on the verge of being overthrown, and I will definitely pick up the sequel.
4/5
Link to Libby Annotations
No series fails to put me into a massive reading slump like this one does.
A Court of Mist and Fury is the allegedly better sequel to ACOTAR, and when I picked it up for the reread, I literally could not remember any plot points about this book. Why? Because I'm discovering that there aren't really any, but we'll get to that later. As I said before, I see why there is an appeal to this story...but I can't get past the 75% of absolutely nothing. I'm honestly considering dropping my ACOTAR rating so I can drop this one too...
In the first book, the "action" started around 60%, so at least most of the second half of the book was somewhat interesting. But this one? The first 75% was just...nothing. There's an oncoming threat of war and tensions are rising and all of this crazy political stuff is happening - but it's not. It's just Feyre moping around, being lonely, and arguing with Rhys for no apparent reason so she can go back to flirting with him two minutes later. At 75%, there's a brief action scene ... then complaining followed by a bunch of smut ... and then the real "climax" lasts for about two or three chapters at 92%. It's so much random, useless build-up for a few chapters of "interesting" stuff. I will admit that the last few chapters were fast-paced and I actually liked them, but everything else just made me want to slam my head into a wall.
The only reason this book is potentially better than the first (besides the main action at the end), is that at least there's a handful of other characters that are tolerable. Azriel is might favorite because he has a tragic backstory and he doesn't get involved in everyone else's crap. That's literally it. Mor, Cassian, and Amren are tolerable. Rhys grew on me...and then I started to dislike him again. He's not a bad love interest, he's just a little bit bland. And Feyre...I think she might be on my top 3 list of my most hated protagonists in all of YA. I have some reasons (she butts her way into a found family, she acts all emo like she's the only one with trauma, etc) but mostly I just don't like her. She sort of redeems herself at the end but I still refuse to believe that there is any original, intelligent thought in her head.
Half of the problems in this book could be solved with some therapy, which is why I'm not really a fan of A Court of Mist and Fury. I understand why people like it, but I genuinely don't know if I want to move onto ACOWAR because this series is great at making me not want to read anymore.
3/5 (but closer to a 2.75, I just need it to be slightly higher than ACOTAR...so maybe a 2.8?)
Link to Libby Annotations
A Court of Mist and Fury is the allegedly better sequel to ACOTAR, and when I picked it up for the reread, I literally could not remember any plot points about this book. Why? Because I'm discovering that there aren't really any, but we'll get to that later. As I said before, I see why there is an appeal to this story...but I can't get past the 75% of absolutely nothing. I'm honestly considering dropping my ACOTAR rating so I can drop this one too...
In the first book, the "action" started around 60%, so at least most of the second half of the book was somewhat interesting. But this one? The first 75% was just...nothing. There's an oncoming threat of war and tensions are rising and all of this crazy political stuff is happening - but it's not. It's just Feyre moping around, being lonely, and arguing with Rhys for no apparent reason so she can go back to flirting with him two minutes later. At 75%, there's a brief action scene ... then complaining followed by a bunch of smut ... and then the real "climax" lasts for about two or three chapters at 92%. It's so much random, useless build-up for a few chapters of "interesting" stuff. I will admit that the last few chapters were fast-paced and I actually liked them, but everything else just made me want to slam my head into a wall.
The only reason this book is potentially better than the first (besides the main action at the end), is that at least there's a handful of other characters that are tolerable. Azriel is might favorite because he has a tragic backstory and he doesn't get involved in everyone else's crap. That's literally it. Mor, Cassian, and Amren are tolerable. Rhys grew on me...and then I started to dislike him again. He's not a bad love interest, he's just a little bit bland. And Feyre...I think she might be on my top 3 list of my most hated protagonists in all of YA. I have some reasons (she butts her way into a found family, she acts all emo like she's the only one with trauma, etc) but mostly I just don't like her. She sort of redeems herself at the end but I still refuse to believe that there is any original, intelligent thought in her head.
Half of the problems in this book could be solved with some therapy, which is why I'm not really a fan of A Court of Mist and Fury. I understand why people like it, but I genuinely don't know if I want to move onto ACOWAR because this series is great at making me not want to read anymore.
3/5 (but closer to a 2.75, I just need it to be slightly higher than ACOTAR...so maybe a 2.8?)
Link to Libby Annotations
Thanks to this book for making me want to read The Iliad and The Odyssey, which is 100% not a realistic goal for me right now...
Circe has been on my TBR for an embarrassingly long time, and while I would like to blame Song of Achilles for emotionally scarring me, I don't know why I waited so long. Madeline Miller is a master at creating beautifully written and impactful stories that send me right back into my Percy Jackson phase (yet another very not realistic goal at the moment).
Admittedly, I don't know much about Circe's story, but this book made me want to pursue more rare Greek myths again. This story quite literally follows Circe's life - from her childhood to her first love; her exile to her interactions with various other famous heroes. Because I read this for my enjoyment and not to learn lessons from it, I will admit that I found it a bit slow at times (which is why I didn't give it a complete 5 stars...despite ranking it as a "masterpiece" on my shelf), but I understand the necessity of the pacing. I also think that I chose a very inconvenient time to read this, so I partially blame myself for being super busy.
This book has a very wide cast, but there are a few characters that are the main "cast." First of all, I need to learn to look in the back of the book for character lists in Greek mythology books...they're very helpful. I really enjoyed seeing Circe's growth as a character from who she was as a young immortal to who she becomes by the end. Her struggles were portrayed realistically and I just really liked her character. I loved the dynamics between Telemachus and Telegonus, and I also liked seeing how Penelope, Circe, and Odysseus's stories all merged together.
Madeline Miller has constructed a beautifully written story about a woman often forgotten in epic poetry as she struggles to navigate a world that sets out against her from the very beginning. I implore every Greek mythology nerd to read Circe.
4/5
Link to Libby Annotations
Circe has been on my TBR for an embarrassingly long time, and while I would like to blame Song of Achilles for emotionally scarring me, I don't know why I waited so long. Madeline Miller is a master at creating beautifully written and impactful stories that send me right back into my Percy Jackson phase (yet another very not realistic goal at the moment).
Admittedly, I don't know much about Circe's story, but this book made me want to pursue more rare Greek myths again. This story quite literally follows Circe's life - from her childhood to her first love; her exile to her interactions with various other famous heroes. Because I read this for my enjoyment and not to learn lessons from it, I will admit that I found it a bit slow at times (which is why I didn't give it a complete 5 stars...despite ranking it as a "masterpiece" on my shelf), but I understand the necessity of the pacing. I also think that I chose a very inconvenient time to read this, so I partially blame myself for being super busy.
This book has a very wide cast, but there are a few characters that are the main "cast." First of all, I need to learn to look in the back of the book for character lists in Greek mythology books...they're very helpful. I really enjoyed seeing Circe's growth as a character from who she was as a young immortal to who she becomes by the end. Her struggles were portrayed realistically and I just really liked her character. I loved the dynamics between Telemachus and Telegonus, and I also liked seeing how Penelope, Circe, and Odysseus's stories all merged together.
Madeline Miller has constructed a beautifully written story about a woman often forgotten in epic poetry as she struggles to navigate a world that sets out against her from the very beginning. I implore every Greek mythology nerd to read Circe.
4/5
Link to Libby Annotations
Wren and Tyran give a new definition to moving into a relationship quickly.
The Shadows of Wren is a romantasy novel about necromancers, shadow magic, and the consequences of too much power. One thing I will note before I review any further is that there are a fair amount of grammatical and spelling mistakes (at least, in my copy) so if that's something that you can't ignore like I did, this book is not for you. Also, the telepathy in this book is not differentiated form normal text, meaning it can be a bit confusing at times.
The story itself took me a little while to get into, and I think it had to do with the characters, which I'll get into in a little bit. The magic system was interesting - there are witches, mages, warlocks, and necromancers, and they're all different. The main character, Wren, is a mage (meaning she can use elemental magic from what I gained, but she seems mostly to stick with fire) who also has shadow magic. I didn't really get a clear sense of the plot from the beginning, which is something I struggle with in books, but it definitely became more direct and interesting to me around 60%. I will say that I called most of the plot twists, but that's not exactly uncommon in YA fantasy for me.
I think my biggest struggle was trying to connect with the characters. At first I was excited for Wren because I don't usually see shadow-wielder women in books, but her personality fell a bit flat for me. The same goes for Tyran, whose only personality seemed to be hitting on Wren at every chance he got...and I mean every chance. They met in the woods a few chapters in and started making out at 30%, and then they didn't stop...ever. Bergen, Viggo, Endora, and the rest of the cast were relatively two-dimensional (although I liked Viggo's backstory). I also thought that Rhonin was a cool idea for a villain, but his motives were a bit bland.
If you're in the mood for a short, dark YA romantasy, The Shadows of Wren is a fast-paced read that checks all of those boxes.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
The Shadows of Wren is a romantasy novel about necromancers, shadow magic, and the consequences of too much power. One thing I will note before I review any further is that there are a fair amount of grammatical and spelling mistakes (at least, in my copy) so if that's something that you can't ignore like I did, this book is not for you. Also, the telepathy in this book is not differentiated form normal text, meaning it can be a bit confusing at times.
The story itself took me a little while to get into, and I think it had to do with the characters, which I'll get into in a little bit. The magic system was interesting - there are witches, mages, warlocks, and necromancers, and they're all different. The main character, Wren, is a mage (meaning she can use elemental magic from what I gained, but she seems mostly to stick with fire) who also has shadow magic. I didn't really get a clear sense of the plot from the beginning, which is something I struggle with in books, but it definitely became more direct and interesting to me around 60%. I will say that I called most of the plot twists, but that's not exactly uncommon in YA fantasy for me.
I think my biggest struggle was trying to connect with the characters. At first I was excited for Wren because I don't usually see shadow-wielder women in books, but her personality fell a bit flat for me. The same goes for Tyran, whose only personality seemed to be hitting on Wren at every chance he got...and I mean every chance. They met in the woods a few chapters in and started making out at 30%, and then they didn't stop...ever. Bergen, Viggo, Endora, and the rest of the cast were relatively two-dimensional (although I liked Viggo's backstory). I also thought that Rhonin was a cool idea for a villain, but his motives were a bit bland.
If you're in the mood for a short, dark YA romantasy, The Shadows of Wren is a fast-paced read that checks all of those boxes.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
I have not been this invested in a fictional relationship in a very long time.
I probably added Winter's Orbit to my TBR during my sci-fi binge of 2023, but I put it off because I'm not usually a fan of big political plots...if someone would've told me it was angsty I would have read it much sooner because once I passed the 40% mark, I didn't really want to put it down.
The book centers around an arranged marriage between Prince Kiem and Count Jainan (whose other partner has died recently). They must convince everyone of a happy marriage to save the treaty between their home countries. The beginning of the story is fairly political, but the action really picks up towards the middle and while it's still politically focused, the angst and the action were amazing. The ending was extremely high-stakes and I don't know if it's because I haven't read anything exceptionally good lately, but I was super stressed out about it.
I'm going to be honest and admit that I didn't really pay much attention to some of the side characters. Bel was cool and I thought Gairad was neat for the 5% of the book that she was actually relevant. The main two POV characters, though...I can't remember the last time I found a new book couple that genuinely has chemistry that I like. Kiem reminded me a lot of Kase from Realms of Wrath and Ruin with his playboy prince personality (one of my favorites). That designates Jainan as the angsty, quiet one, of course, and I loved him too. For some reason, the two of them reminded me of Noam and Dara from The Fever King but I have no idea why.
I read way more fantasy than sci-fi, but Winter's Orbit is threatening to push me into another space sci-fi binge.
4.5/5
Link to Libby Annotations
I probably added Winter's Orbit to my TBR during my sci-fi binge of 2023, but I put it off because I'm not usually a fan of big political plots...if someone would've told me it was angsty I would have read it much sooner because once I passed the 40% mark, I didn't really want to put it down.
The book centers around an arranged marriage between Prince Kiem and Count Jainan (whose other partner has died recently). They must convince everyone of a happy marriage to save the treaty between their home countries. The beginning of the story is fairly political, but the action really picks up towards the middle and while it's still politically focused, the angst and the action were amazing. The ending was extremely high-stakes and I don't know if it's because I haven't read anything exceptionally good lately, but I was super stressed out about it.
I'm going to be honest and admit that I didn't really pay much attention to some of the side characters. Bel was cool and I thought Gairad was neat for the 5% of the book that she was actually relevant. The main two POV characters, though...I can't remember the last time I found a new book couple that genuinely has chemistry that I like. Kiem reminded me a lot of Kase from Realms of Wrath and Ruin with his playboy prince personality (one of my favorites). That designates Jainan as the angsty, quiet one, of course, and I loved him too. For some reason, the two of them reminded me of Noam and Dara from The Fever King but I have no idea why.
I read way more fantasy than sci-fi, but Winter's Orbit is threatening to push me into another space sci-fi binge.
4.5/5
Link to Libby Annotations
I don't care what it says about me; Inan is still my favorite character.
I've been putting off Children of Virtue and Vengeance for a while because I didn't love Children of Blood and Bone upon a reread. It was a TBR jar pull, but honestly, it exceeded my expectations.
I honestly don't understand how these books can fit so much and yet so little into their pages. Maybe it's the fact that the pacing is insanely fast but I enjoyed it. All of the events are connected fluidly and naturally, so that rarely will you put the book down because of a "break" in tension. However, at the same time, this story felt like a lot of back and forth about nothing. Zélie and Amari argue; Zélie and Inan argue; Amari and Inan argue - there was a lot of simply hating each other for the sake of hating each other. Similarly, there were several action scenes, but they all seemed to mimic each other (Zélie does crazy magic stuff, Amari gets in the way, and Inan ends up stabbed). I will admit that the ending was intriguing, and I am sort of excited for the next book, so...
I think my biggest issue with this series is the characters. Many of the side characters are introduced quickly enough that it can be challenging to differentiate between them at times (yes, this is about Roën). I liked the addition of Ojore, and I liked Inan's mother as a villain. Speaking of Inan, yes he is my favorite and no I will give no further comment (because I don't know why he is). Amari was okay in this one, but once again, she and Tzain were just kind of bland. And, just like before, Zélie got on my nerves because everything is "my way or the high way" and she just annoys me sometimes.
I understand why some people found Children of Virtue and Vengeance disappointing, I actually liked it better than the first one and will continue the series.
3.75/5
Link to Libby Annotations
I've been putting off Children of Virtue and Vengeance for a while because I didn't love Children of Blood and Bone upon a reread. It was a TBR jar pull, but honestly, it exceeded my expectations.
I honestly don't understand how these books can fit so much and yet so little into their pages. Maybe it's the fact that the pacing is insanely fast but I enjoyed it. All of the events are connected fluidly and naturally, so that rarely will you put the book down because of a "break" in tension. However, at the same time, this story felt like a lot of back and forth about nothing. Zélie and Amari argue; Zélie and Inan argue; Amari and Inan argue - there was a lot of simply hating each other for the sake of hating each other. Similarly, there were several action scenes, but they all seemed to mimic each other (Zélie does crazy magic stuff, Amari gets in the way, and Inan ends up stabbed). I will admit that the ending was intriguing, and I am sort of excited for the next book, so...
I think my biggest issue with this series is the characters. Many of the side characters are introduced quickly enough that it can be challenging to differentiate between them at times (yes, this is about Roën). I liked the addition of Ojore, and I liked Inan's mother as a villain. Speaking of Inan, yes he is my favorite and no I will give no further comment (because I don't know why he is). Amari was okay in this one, but once again, she and Tzain were just kind of bland. And, just like before, Zélie got on my nerves because everything is "my way or the high way" and she just annoys me sometimes.
I understand why some people found Children of Virtue and Vengeance disappointing, I actually liked it better than the first one and will continue the series.
3.75/5
Link to Libby Annotations
This has to be one of the coolest fantasy curses I have ever seen.
Queen of Shifting Sands is a fantasy story about an arranged political marriage, a curse, and a country on the brink of war. It is fairly politically focused, which isn't usually my preferred kind of book, and so I did struggle to get into it but the last 20% or so was really good.
Widowed by the death of the last king, Lystra enters an arranged marriage with Elerek, the firstborn of the royal family who was cursed as a child. The kingdom is unsettled by the death of their prior king and the assassins threaten to attack at the end of the summer, leaving Lystra and Elerek to gain as much support as possible before then. Like I said, I found the political plots to be a bit boring (but that's just my preference). However, Elerek's curse really intrigued me. Everyone he touches is doomed to "drown" in the desert and their bodies slowly turn to water over time. I haven't seen a curse like this before and I really enjoyed seeing the way the various characters interacted with it. The ending was also very intriguing and I'm excited for book 2 already. I did sort of call the plot twist, but not entirely.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but the main four were Lystra, Elerek, Razhar, and Myra. Myra grew on me as the book continued, and I didn't mind Razhar. I thought Lystra was a great example of a well-written and strong female protagonist, and I liked her a lot. I also liked Elerek and his inner turmoil. The rest of the cast was okay, but I don't remember them well.
Queen of Shifting Sands is a solid political fantasy story with hints of romance and magic, and I really want to read book 2 ASAP.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.5/5
Queen of Shifting Sands is a fantasy story about an arranged political marriage, a curse, and a country on the brink of war. It is fairly politically focused, which isn't usually my preferred kind of book, and so I did struggle to get into it but the last 20% or so was really good.
Widowed by the death of the last king, Lystra enters an arranged marriage with Elerek, the firstborn of the royal family who was cursed as a child. The kingdom is unsettled by the death of their prior king and the assassins threaten to attack at the end of the summer, leaving Lystra and Elerek to gain as much support as possible before then. Like I said, I found the political plots to be a bit boring (but that's just my preference). However, Elerek's curse really intrigued me. Everyone he touches is doomed to "drown" in the desert and their bodies slowly turn to water over time. I haven't seen a curse like this before and I really enjoyed seeing the way the various characters interacted with it. The ending was also very intriguing and I'm excited for book 2 already. I did sort of call the plot twist, but not entirely.
There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but the main four were Lystra, Elerek, Razhar, and Myra. Myra grew on me as the book continued, and I didn't mind Razhar. I thought Lystra was a great example of a well-written and strong female protagonist, and I liked her a lot. I also liked Elerek and his inner turmoil. The rest of the cast was okay, but I don't remember them well.
Queen of Shifting Sands is a solid political fantasy story with hints of romance and magic, and I really want to read book 2 ASAP.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.5/5
12-year-old Abby would have made this book her new personality.
Draw Down the Moon is a YA fantasy story taking place in a magical school where things are not always as they seem. The writing style feels to be on the younger side of YA, whereas the plot feels more middle YA, which was a bit weird to me. It did contain a lot of trending tropes, such as magical boarding schools, childhood friends to lovers, secrets in academia, and seemingly mundane protagonist being tossed into a new world.
The story follows Wren and Lee as they attend a new magical school with magic based on the moon and different zodiac signs and elements. I thought the magic system itself was interesting, as well as Lee's connections with the school's history. There's a tournament-esque plot about halfway through, but overall, there wasn't a ton of action. I predicted the plot twists fairly easily, but as I said, it reads as a younger YA, so I think, given the age range, the plot twists and action are adequate.
The characters were what kind of lost me. Because there's relatively little "action," the reader spends a lot of time in the minds and conversations of the main cast. Ruby, Lily, and Sam were all neat in their different powers regarding the moon, but there wasn't much time to genuinely connect with them. While we got POVs from both Lee and Wren, most of the internal monologue focused on discussing their budding relationship and their inability to simply communicate with each other. Wren was a bit "not like other girls," which got on my nerves a few times, but other than my lack of connection with the two main characters, I didn't hate them.
The ending sets up for a very interesting sequel, so I might check it out eventually. If you want an easier YA read with plenty of popular tropes and a quick adventure, Draw Down the Moon is nostalgic and yet unique at the same time.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
Draw Down the Moon is a YA fantasy story taking place in a magical school where things are not always as they seem. The writing style feels to be on the younger side of YA, whereas the plot feels more middle YA, which was a bit weird to me. It did contain a lot of trending tropes, such as magical boarding schools, childhood friends to lovers, secrets in academia, and seemingly mundane protagonist being tossed into a new world.
The story follows Wren and Lee as they attend a new magical school with magic based on the moon and different zodiac signs and elements. I thought the magic system itself was interesting, as well as Lee's connections with the school's history. There's a tournament-esque plot about halfway through, but overall, there wasn't a ton of action. I predicted the plot twists fairly easily, but as I said, it reads as a younger YA, so I think, given the age range, the plot twists and action are adequate.
The characters were what kind of lost me. Because there's relatively little "action," the reader spends a lot of time in the minds and conversations of the main cast. Ruby, Lily, and Sam were all neat in their different powers regarding the moon, but there wasn't much time to genuinely connect with them. While we got POVs from both Lee and Wren, most of the internal monologue focused on discussing their budding relationship and their inability to simply communicate with each other. Wren was a bit "not like other girls," which got on my nerves a few times, but other than my lack of connection with the two main characters, I didn't hate them.
The ending sets up for a very interesting sequel, so I might check it out eventually. If you want an easier YA read with plenty of popular tropes and a quick adventure, Draw Down the Moon is nostalgic and yet unique at the same time.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.25/5
Chloe Gong has created a new favorite trope of mine, and it's called stealing your lover's weapons while fake kissing (has it been in every book of hers so far? I think so)
Immortal Longings has solidified my claim that Chloe Gong can't write a bad book. I loved both of her other series, so I was super excited to pick this up, and I was drawn in from the very first chapter. She also consistently makes me want to read Shakespeare, which is an accomplishment in itself.
Magical tournaments, magical body switching, secret royalty - this book had so many good tropes. Both Calla and Anton are competing in the annual magical tournament that basically acts as a Hunger Games, but bystanders can die, too, and they both have different motivations and some super complicated backstories. There are also POVs from a few other characters, namely August (the crown prince) and his bodyguard, Galipei. This book is full of action, intrigue, murder, tension, and so many plot twists (I called one of them and was so proud of myself that I missed clues for another). Also, that ending was emotionally damaging, and I want book two immediately.
And, as always, Chloe Gong has created a dozen characters that I absolutely adore. I was a bit iffy about Calla at first, but I think she's pretty cool and very, VERY morally gray. I liked Anton as well, although I wish we got a few more POVs from him. And then there's August and Galipei... Look, I'm not proud of it, but August is my favorite character, and no, I do not have a reason. I just think he's neat, and if he and Galipei don't end up together, then love isn't real.
Immortal Longings will now join my list of books that left me with more emotional damage than I ever needed, but I will buy book two as soon as it comes out.
4.75/5
Link to Libby Annotations
Immortal Longings has solidified my claim that Chloe Gong can't write a bad book. I loved both of her other series, so I was super excited to pick this up, and I was drawn in from the very first chapter. She also consistently makes me want to read Shakespeare, which is an accomplishment in itself.
Magical tournaments, magical body switching, secret royalty - this book had so many good tropes. Both Calla and Anton are competing in the annual magical tournament that basically acts as a Hunger Games, but bystanders can die, too, and they both have different motivations and some super complicated backstories. There are also POVs from a few other characters, namely August (the crown prince) and his bodyguard, Galipei. This book is full of action, intrigue, murder, tension, and so many plot twists (I called one of them and was so proud of myself that I missed clues for another). Also, that ending was emotionally damaging, and I want book two immediately.
And, as always, Chloe Gong has created a dozen characters that I absolutely adore. I was a bit iffy about Calla at first, but I think she's pretty cool and very, VERY morally gray. I liked Anton as well, although I wish we got a few more POVs from him. And then there's August and Galipei... Look, I'm not proud of it, but August is my favorite character, and no, I do not have a reason. I just think he's neat, and if he and Galipei don't end up together, then love isn't real.
Immortal Longings will now join my list of books that left me with more emotional damage than I ever needed, but I will buy book two as soon as it comes out.
4.75/5
Link to Libby Annotations
Did you read Caraval and think to yourself, I wish this book had slavery and took place in the rural US South in the mid-1800s? If so, I have good news for you...
Once Upon a Sideshow was an...interesting book to say the least. It's a story about unexpected romance and hints of magic and curses. However, before I review any further, I think it is important to note that this book has a LOT of grammatical and spelling errors. The word "believe" is consistently spelled as "beLeive" because one of the character's names is Leiv. Some chapters announce the POVs while others do not; there are several scenes that switch POVs without any indication because each character's voice sounds relatively similar. There are several scenes that feel like they are missing as well. If you are a person who is nitpicky about grammatical errors in books, do not pick this one up.
The plot itself wasn't terrible. The story follows a variety of characters, but the main protagonist is Violet, a girl in love with her childhood best friend - Declan - but who must marry a rich man instead. The first half of the book is mostly Violet's very creepy interactions with Count Cristo, while the second half involves more magic with an also creepy sideshow. There's a fair amount of action and some very unexpected twists, but the ending is quite vague and leaves a lot to be desired, in my opinion.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. Violet and Scarlet reminded me a lot of Scarlet and Tella from Caraval, but they lacked the spark of the latter. Declan was okay but a bit bland, and Leiv was okay at first until he made questionable decisions later in the book that I can't explain for spoiler purposes. Violet and Scarlet's mother also got a POV later in the book, but both her and the villain weren't super intriguing to me.
Once Upon a Sideshow probably appeals to a very niche audience...one that I am not a part of.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC.
2.25/5
Once Upon a Sideshow was an...interesting book to say the least. It's a story about unexpected romance and hints of magic and curses. However, before I review any further, I think it is important to note that this book has a LOT of grammatical and spelling errors. The word "believe" is consistently spelled as "beLeive" because one of the character's names is Leiv. Some chapters announce the POVs while others do not; there are several scenes that switch POVs without any indication because each character's voice sounds relatively similar. There are several scenes that feel like they are missing as well. If you are a person who is nitpicky about grammatical errors in books, do not pick this one up.
The plot itself wasn't terrible. The story follows a variety of characters, but the main protagonist is Violet, a girl in love with her childhood best friend - Declan - but who must marry a rich man instead. The first half of the book is mostly Violet's very creepy interactions with Count Cristo, while the second half involves more magic with an also creepy sideshow. There's a fair amount of action and some very unexpected twists, but the ending is quite vague and leaves a lot to be desired, in my opinion.
I also struggled to connect with the characters. Violet and Scarlet reminded me a lot of Scarlet and Tella from Caraval, but they lacked the spark of the latter. Declan was okay but a bit bland, and Leiv was okay at first until he made questionable decisions later in the book that I can't explain for spoiler purposes. Violet and Scarlet's mother also got a POV later in the book, but both her and the villain weren't super intriguing to me.
Once Upon a Sideshow probably appeals to a very niche audience...one that I am not a part of.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC.
2.25/5