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cozysquib's Reviews (165)
Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison
I'm not in love with this one, but the magic system was just too unique and full of potential to put down completely.
Right out of the gate, there’s more world building and info dumping than I expected. Not that anything about the book promised otherwise, it just caught me off guard.
About 30% in I figured out what was throwing me off. The writing has a more formal, almost old-school, early 2000's paranormal romance vibe to it. Not inherently a bad thing, but when paired with a super passive main character, it becomes really hard to get hooked. The FMC is by no means weak within the story. She’s clearly smart, capable, and well within the logic of her own world. But she just... floats. She feels like a character the plot is happening to, not one who’s actively driving any of it forward.
That lack of momentum starts to really show. The plot depends entirely on this intelligent woman noticing red flags, even calling them out, and then immediately forgetting them or brushing them off. Wow, that guy who definitely should not be here said something suspicious that lines up exactly with what I’m already thinking? Hmm, better go make some pancakes. Everyone around me keeps dropping truth bombs that I admit are wildly out of character? Wild. Better move on!
The writing itself also feels oddly rough for an author with as much experience as Kim Harrison. From turning to look at someone, to then jumping in surprise two lines later because she forgot they were there, to just odd pacing in conversations and clunky transitions, the whole thing felt strangely unpolished.
And listen. I can overlook a lot of things, I don't really have any true triggers. But there is an on-page pet death, and not only is it upsetting, it is then brought up over and over and over again. Every time I felt like it might be done with, it circled back around. It was exhausting.
I had a really hard time pushing through this one. I sat at 80% for three days before finally forcing myself to finish it. It’s frustrating, because the bones are good. There’s a lot of creativity in the way the magic works, and you can feel that there’s a big, cool world hiding in the background. But between the passivity of the FMC, the lack of plot momentum, and the clunky execution, it just didn’t hit.
It had some fun moments, sure. But overall, I wouldn’t recommend it based on my personal taste. I’ve read and liked other work from Kim Harrison, so I know she’s capable of more. This one just didn’t land.
I'm not in love with this one, but the magic system was just too unique and full of potential to put down completely.
Right out of the gate, there’s more world building and info dumping than I expected. Not that anything about the book promised otherwise, it just caught me off guard.
About 30% in I figured out what was throwing me off. The writing has a more formal, almost old-school, early 2000's paranormal romance vibe to it. Not inherently a bad thing, but when paired with a super passive main character, it becomes really hard to get hooked. The FMC is by no means weak within the story. She’s clearly smart, capable, and well within the logic of her own world. But she just... floats. She feels like a character the plot is happening to, not one who’s actively driving any of it forward.
That lack of momentum starts to really show. The plot depends entirely on this intelligent woman noticing red flags, even calling them out, and then immediately forgetting them or brushing them off. Wow, that guy who definitely should not be here said something suspicious that lines up exactly with what I’m already thinking? Hmm, better go make some pancakes. Everyone around me keeps dropping truth bombs that I admit are wildly out of character? Wild. Better move on!
The writing itself also feels oddly rough for an author with as much experience as Kim Harrison. From turning to look at someone, to then jumping in surprise two lines later because she forgot they were there, to just odd pacing in conversations and clunky transitions, the whole thing felt strangely unpolished.
And listen. I can overlook a lot of things, I don't really have any true triggers. But there is an on-page pet death, and not only is it upsetting, it is then brought up over and over and over again. Every time I felt like it might be done with, it circled back around. It was exhausting.
I had a really hard time pushing through this one. I sat at 80% for three days before finally forcing myself to finish it. It’s frustrating, because the bones are good. There’s a lot of creativity in the way the magic works, and you can feel that there’s a big, cool world hiding in the background. But between the passivity of the FMC, the lack of plot momentum, and the clunky execution, it just didn’t hit.
It had some fun moments, sure. But overall, I wouldn’t recommend it based on my personal taste. I’ve read and liked other work from Kim Harrison, so I know she’s capable of more. This one just didn’t land.
Into Their Wood by Ivy Asher
Lots of pop culture references in this one, so if that’s not your thing, consider yourself warned. Personally, I don’t mind a few here and there, but there were moments where it felt like it was trying just a little too hard to be relatable. Like, okay, we get it, you know what Netflix is.
There are a few early inconsistencies that yanked me out of the story a bit. The FMC gets introduced to a character by their last name, and then a few paragraphs later, she’s suddenly on a first-name basis. Then when she hears someone else say that first name out loud, she internally goes, “Why do I know that name?” Girl. You just said it. Five lines ago. It gave me full narrative whiplash. Definitely something that should’ve been cleaned up in editing.
But once you get past those early bumps, it’s all smooth sailing. I ended up absolutely loving this book.
There were so many moments that got my hackles up and had my anxiety pounding. The kind of scenes where everything is quiet and peaceful, which only makes you more suspicious. I kept holding my breath, waiting for something to come crashing through the moment and ruin everything. The suspense wasn’t overdone or constant, but it was always there, lurking under the surface in a way that really worked for me.
The pacing also really hit. I binged this one hard. Every time I had to set it down, I was already planning when I could pick it back up again. It was the perfect mix of tension, mystery, and just the right amount of flirty fun to keep things moving without getting heavy.
I’d call this a solid weekday read. Definitely worth adding to your TBR, but don’t feel like you need to sprint to it. Save it for when you’re between heavier stories and looking for something fun, slightly spooky, and a little bit spicy.
Shifterverse / ABO / RH.
Lots of pop culture references in this one, so if that’s not your thing, consider yourself warned. Personally, I don’t mind a few here and there, but there were moments where it felt like it was trying just a little too hard to be relatable. Like, okay, we get it, you know what Netflix is.
There are a few early inconsistencies that yanked me out of the story a bit. The FMC gets introduced to a character by their last name, and then a few paragraphs later, she’s suddenly on a first-name basis. Then when she hears someone else say that first name out loud, she internally goes, “Why do I know that name?” Girl. You just said it. Five lines ago. It gave me full narrative whiplash. Definitely something that should’ve been cleaned up in editing.
But once you get past those early bumps, it’s all smooth sailing. I ended up absolutely loving this book.
There were so many moments that got my hackles up and had my anxiety pounding. The kind of scenes where everything is quiet and peaceful, which only makes you more suspicious. I kept holding my breath, waiting for something to come crashing through the moment and ruin everything. The suspense wasn’t overdone or constant, but it was always there, lurking under the surface in a way that really worked for me.
The pacing also really hit. I binged this one hard. Every time I had to set it down, I was already planning when I could pick it back up again. It was the perfect mix of tension, mystery, and just the right amount of flirty fun to keep things moving without getting heavy.
I’d call this a solid weekday read. Definitely worth adding to your TBR, but don’t feel like you need to sprint to it. Save it for when you’re between heavier stories and looking for something fun, slightly spooky, and a little bit spicy.
Shifterverse / ABO / RH.
Morning Star by Pierce Brown
Wow oh wow, just wow.
This has to be my favorite in the trilogy so far. There are so many moments where you’re thinking, “He couldn’t possibly…” But oh, sweet summer child, he absolutely could. And he does. Over and over again. Just when you think the stakes can’t get any higher, Pierce Brown laughs in your face and cranks the dial to eleven.
I was genuinely left speechless more times than I can count. I kept pausing the trilogy just to spam my friends with emotionally unstable updates. The biggest offender? Book three, 100%.
This book is war. Unrelenting, brutal, soul-shattering war. And yet somehow, in the middle of all that bloodshed, betrayal, and grief, there’s still space for humor, banter, and these gut-wrenchingly beautiful character moments that make it all hit even harder.
So much comes together in this one and just as much falls apart. You never quite know where you're standing. That sense of tension and instability is relentless in the best way. Is that thin ice I hear cracking beneath my feet? Oh, wait, no. That’s just the sound of my heart completely shattering into a thousand tiny shards. I refuse. I deny thee! Give it back.
The sheer amount of loss in this book is staggering. So. Much. Death. No one feels safe, and honestly, that’s part of what makes the story so compelling. There are no guarantees here. You’re just white-knuckling your way through, hoping your favorite doesn’t get obliterated by a plot twist.
And speaking of favorites… Sevro. My gremlin king. My disgusting little goblin of a man. I would start a full-scale rebellion for you without a second thought. His chaotic energy and unhinged sense of humor somehow make him the emotional backbone of this series. He brings so much levity in the darkest moments that I don’t even know how to explain how vital he is to this story. He has my whole heart.
The friendships in this book are just as gripping as the action. There’s such an incredible push and pull between loyalty, survival, and purpose. Everything is constantly shifting, but the emotional through-lines hit hard. There were scenes that left me stunned, jaw open, staring at the wall, wondering how I was supposed to keep reading like nothing just happened.
Amazing. Loved it. Savored it. Give me 20 more.
Wow oh wow, just wow.
This has to be my favorite in the trilogy so far. There are so many moments where you’re thinking, “He couldn’t possibly…” But oh, sweet summer child, he absolutely could. And he does. Over and over again. Just when you think the stakes can’t get any higher, Pierce Brown laughs in your face and cranks the dial to eleven.
I was genuinely left speechless more times than I can count. I kept pausing the trilogy just to spam my friends with emotionally unstable updates. The biggest offender? Book three, 100%.
This book is war. Unrelenting, brutal, soul-shattering war. And yet somehow, in the middle of all that bloodshed, betrayal, and grief, there’s still space for humor, banter, and these gut-wrenchingly beautiful character moments that make it all hit even harder.
So much comes together in this one and just as much falls apart. You never quite know where you're standing. That sense of tension and instability is relentless in the best way. Is that thin ice I hear cracking beneath my feet? Oh, wait, no. That’s just the sound of my heart completely shattering into a thousand tiny shards. I refuse. I deny thee! Give it back.
The sheer amount of loss in this book is staggering. So. Much. Death. No one feels safe, and honestly, that’s part of what makes the story so compelling. There are no guarantees here. You’re just white-knuckling your way through, hoping your favorite doesn’t get obliterated by a plot twist.
And speaking of favorites… Sevro. My gremlin king. My disgusting little goblin of a man. I would start a full-scale rebellion for you without a second thought. His chaotic energy and unhinged sense of humor somehow make him the emotional backbone of this series. He brings so much levity in the darkest moments that I don’t even know how to explain how vital he is to this story. He has my whole heart.
The friendships in this book are just as gripping as the action. There’s such an incredible push and pull between loyalty, survival, and purpose. Everything is constantly shifting, but the emotional through-lines hit hard. There were scenes that left me stunned, jaw open, staring at the wall, wondering how I was supposed to keep reading like nothing just happened.
Amazing. Loved it. Savored it. Give me 20 more.
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
Off the rip, this series still does not pull its punches, and some of those punches go straight for the vitals.
This is a brutal story set in a harsh world with even more ruthless characters than the first book. If you thought Red Rising was intense, buckle up. This sequel said, “Oh you thought that was bad?” and then upped the stakes in every single way.
We jump forward a couple of years into the future, skipping past the rest of Darrow’s time at the academy and dropping straight into the chaos of the real world. And it is brutal. Cruelty, betrayal, manipulation, this book does not let you breathe.
One of my favorite things about this installment is that it doesn’t waste time trying to marinate in the romance subplots. This book is fully committed to the politics, the war, the power plays, and the sheer mess of navigating a system built on control and destruction. Relationships here are transactional. Friendships are complicated. Loyalties are always shifting. And behind every alliance is a knife waiting to be turned.
Now, I’ll say it again, this series gives me big Ender’s Game energy. Just brutal strategy layered with emotional and psychological trauma.
And okay, I have to say it: this is definitely what I call “male-written fantasy.” If you know, you know... It’s not a bad thing, but there’s a noticeable tone shift that comes with it. I tend to prefer the emotional nuance that female authors often bring to the table, but that doesn’t mean this doesn’t absolutely slap. The story and pacing are strong enough to keep me fully invested.
Clearly, I liked the series enough to make it through book two and head straight into book three. So while the writing style may not be my favorite in the broader sense, the story itself is more than worth sticking around for.
Off the rip, this series still does not pull its punches, and some of those punches go straight for the vitals.
This is a brutal story set in a harsh world with even more ruthless characters than the first book. If you thought Red Rising was intense, buckle up. This sequel said, “Oh you thought that was bad?” and then upped the stakes in every single way.
We jump forward a couple of years into the future, skipping past the rest of Darrow’s time at the academy and dropping straight into the chaos of the real world. And it is brutal. Cruelty, betrayal, manipulation, this book does not let you breathe.
One of my favorite things about this installment is that it doesn’t waste time trying to marinate in the romance subplots. This book is fully committed to the politics, the war, the power plays, and the sheer mess of navigating a system built on control and destruction. Relationships here are transactional. Friendships are complicated. Loyalties are always shifting. And behind every alliance is a knife waiting to be turned.
Now, I’ll say it again, this series gives me big Ender’s Game energy. Just brutal strategy layered with emotional and psychological trauma.
And okay, I have to say it: this is definitely what I call “male-written fantasy.” If you know, you know... It’s not a bad thing, but there’s a noticeable tone shift that comes with it. I tend to prefer the emotional nuance that female authors often bring to the table, but that doesn’t mean this doesn’t absolutely slap. The story and pacing are strong enough to keep me fully invested.
Clearly, I liked the series enough to make it through book two and head straight into book three. So while the writing style may not be my favorite in the broader sense, the story itself is more than worth sticking around for.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
I had a few reservations about certain portions of this book, but overall, I really loved the story and the messages it carried.
The storytelling gave me major Ender’s Game vibes, which I haven’t read in ages but absolutely loved. Red Rising evokes a lot of the same emotions, with its blend of high-stakes strategy, raw intensity, and brutal character arcs.
Now, personal preference, but I’m really not a fan of books with sexual relationships between minors. Even fade-to-black scenes. I just don’t want that in my books. The whole concept of Darrow’s wife being 14 when they married was a big ick for me. That said, I do understand the broader message the book was trying to convey with it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
That aside, the general storytelling was phenomenal. Experiencing this brutal environment and the cutthroat atmosphere of the high-stakes war games through Darrow’s eyes was gripping. The survival, the deception, and the desperate gambits kept me glued to the pages.
There’s a lot of social commentary woven throughout, some subtle, some glaringly obvious, but it’s all effective. The layered exploration of power, oppression, and rebellion gives the book a lot of depth, making it more than just another dystopian sci-fi.
If you’re down for a YA-leaning dystopian with a blend of sci-fi, political scheming, and social engineering through the eyes of a young male lead, this is absolutely worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and will definitely be continuing the trilogy.
I had a few reservations about certain portions of this book, but overall, I really loved the story and the messages it carried.
The storytelling gave me major Ender’s Game vibes, which I haven’t read in ages but absolutely loved. Red Rising evokes a lot of the same emotions, with its blend of high-stakes strategy, raw intensity, and brutal character arcs.
Now, personal preference, but I’m really not a fan of books with sexual relationships between minors. Even fade-to-black scenes. I just don’t want that in my books. The whole concept of Darrow’s wife being 14 when they married was a big ick for me. That said, I do understand the broader message the book was trying to convey with it, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.
That aside, the general storytelling was phenomenal. Experiencing this brutal environment and the cutthroat atmosphere of the high-stakes war games through Darrow’s eyes was gripping. The survival, the deception, and the desperate gambits kept me glued to the pages.
There’s a lot of social commentary woven throughout, some subtle, some glaringly obvious, but it’s all effective. The layered exploration of power, oppression, and rebellion gives the book a lot of depth, making it more than just another dystopian sci-fi.
If you’re down for a YA-leaning dystopian with a blend of sci-fi, political scheming, and social engineering through the eyes of a young male lead, this is absolutely worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and will definitely be continuing the trilogy.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinnamen
Talk about a hoot and a half.
Regardless of whether you’ve ever played Dungeons and Dragons or even know anything about it, you can totally vibe with this book. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and just the right amount of unhinged.
If you’re down with punchy, slightly morbid humor, outlandish scenarios, and all-around fun, then this series is for you. It’s the perfect blend of dark comedy and absurd adventure, where you’re constantly torn between laughing and saying, wait, what the hell just happened?
The narrator does an amazing job. I cannot stress this enough. Like, so damn good. It’s a single narrator, but he’s a voice actor with an absolutely wild range of character voices. This one needs to be immersive or audio, trust me. The delivery and character performances add a whole extra layer to the experience.
Oh, and one of the characters is a cat. A talking, sassy, princess, show-stopping ragdoll diva. Her name is Donut, and she is absolutely iconic. She will live in your head rent-free.
Really, I can’t stress enough how fun this book was. Please, for the love of all things chaotic, give it a try.
Talk about a hoot and a half.
Regardless of whether you’ve ever played Dungeons and Dragons or even know anything about it, you can totally vibe with this book. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and just the right amount of unhinged.
If you’re down with punchy, slightly morbid humor, outlandish scenarios, and all-around fun, then this series is for you. It’s the perfect blend of dark comedy and absurd adventure, where you’re constantly torn between laughing and saying, wait, what the hell just happened?
The narrator does an amazing job. I cannot stress this enough. Like, so damn good. It’s a single narrator, but he’s a voice actor with an absolutely wild range of character voices. This one needs to be immersive or audio, trust me. The delivery and character performances add a whole extra layer to the experience.
Oh, and one of the characters is a cat. A talking, sassy, princess, show-stopping ragdoll diva. Her name is Donut, and she is absolutely iconic. She will live in your head rent-free.
Really, I can’t stress enough how fun this book was. Please, for the love of all things chaotic, give it a try.
Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
Mas slams it out of the park once again.
I swear her books are laced with my particular brand of crack, because I can never put them down and they scratch a very specific itch. The kind that makes you ignore all your responsibilities and lose track of time until you’re suddenly blinking at the last page wondering how you got there.
It’s hard to find books that perfectly capture bleak nihilism balancing against stellar comedic timing, but Jasmine does it every time. Her characters (especially the FMCs) are such raw, unflinching representations of various mental health states and their coping mechanisms under stress. But it’s presented in such a perfect package of chaos and charm that you can’t help but laugh at the relatable comedy of their never-ending misfortunes. It’s the kind of humor that shouldn’t be funny, but absolutely is.
Add in all my favorite goodie bag of tropes: slow burn, reverse harem, bleak settings, trauma bonds, toxic masculinity, and complex interpersonal dynamics. Chef's kiss. Absolute perfection.
I can’t wait for book two. I’ll just hold out my empty rattling bowl begging for scraps until October.
Mas slams it out of the park once again.
I swear her books are laced with my particular brand of crack, because I can never put them down and they scratch a very specific itch. The kind that makes you ignore all your responsibilities and lose track of time until you’re suddenly blinking at the last page wondering how you got there.
It’s hard to find books that perfectly capture bleak nihilism balancing against stellar comedic timing, but Jasmine does it every time. Her characters (especially the FMCs) are such raw, unflinching representations of various mental health states and their coping mechanisms under stress. But it’s presented in such a perfect package of chaos and charm that you can’t help but laugh at the relatable comedy of their never-ending misfortunes. It’s the kind of humor that shouldn’t be funny, but absolutely is.
Add in all my favorite goodie bag of tropes: slow burn, reverse harem, bleak settings, trauma bonds, toxic masculinity, and complex interpersonal dynamics. Chef's kiss. Absolute perfection.
I can’t wait for book two. I’ll just hold out my empty rattling bowl begging for scraps until October.
Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot
Off the bat, this is a cozy weekday romance palette cleanser. It’s got witches, simple fantasy themes, and all the standard tropes you expect from a light, feel-good read. It’s the kind of book you grab when you need something easy and entertaining, a little bit of magic, and a guaranteed happy ending.
That being said, there were quite a few times where the subtle messages and societal commentary could have been a little less heavy-handed. Okay. A lot less heavy-handed. I don’t mind social commentary, in fact, I usually enjoy it... in fantasy. But that’s not what I’m looking for when I pick up a cozy, witchy, contemporary read. It felt a little out of place, like the book wasn’t fully sure whether it wanted to be a fun escape or a pointed lesson.
That aside, Enchanted had a good deal more depth than I was originally giving it credit for. It went in some directions I wasn’t expecting, added a little more weight to the story than I anticipated, and, in general, was just a good, fun time.
Would I reread it? Probably not. But would I recommend it to someone in the mood for a light, witchy romance with a bit more going on beneath the surface? Absolutely.
If you’re looking for something in this niche, it’s worth picking up.
Off the bat, this is a cozy weekday romance palette cleanser. It’s got witches, simple fantasy themes, and all the standard tropes you expect from a light, feel-good read. It’s the kind of book you grab when you need something easy and entertaining, a little bit of magic, and a guaranteed happy ending.
That being said, there were quite a few times where the subtle messages and societal commentary could have been a little less heavy-handed. Okay. A lot less heavy-handed. I don’t mind social commentary, in fact, I usually enjoy it... in fantasy. But that’s not what I’m looking for when I pick up a cozy, witchy, contemporary read. It felt a little out of place, like the book wasn’t fully sure whether it wanted to be a fun escape or a pointed lesson.
That aside, Enchanted had a good deal more depth than I was originally giving it credit for. It went in some directions I wasn’t expecting, added a little more weight to the story than I anticipated, and, in general, was just a good, fun time.
Would I reread it? Probably not. But would I recommend it to someone in the mood for a light, witchy romance with a bit more going on beneath the surface? Absolutely.
If you’re looking for something in this niche, it’s worth picking up.
The Book of Cin by H.M. Wolfe
Thats it. Im calling it. Time of death, 41% after 4 days of trying.
I honestly can’t tell if I’m not vibing with this book as a whole or if I’m not vibing with this book right now. But either way, it’s turned me into a hypercritical little gremlin, and I’m just not in the mood to fight my way through it.
What can I say. I literally picked this book with zero information beforehand, purely because the next book in the series has a pretty cover. Not this book. The next book. If that isn’t the stupidest fucking logic you’ve ever heard… but here we are. Embrace your chaos TBR, man. Live a little. Sometimes it lands. Sometimes it doesn’t.
This book definitely has potential, and there’s absolutely an audience for it. I’m just not that audience.
Right off the bat, the naming conventions threw me. They felt extremely juvenile, like someone’s first crack at worldbuilding with a middle school notebook. I cringed internally every time certain city names popped up. And for some reason, the author is deeply obsessed with the letter A in character names to the point where everyone just kind of blurred together into one indistinguishable blob of A names.
Cin, our FMC, is… weak. I mean that in every sense of the word. Weakly written, weakly motivated, weakly developed. Just weak. This book isn’t technically YA, but it really really should have been. As much as I want to cheer for the rare FMC who isn’t barely legal, she still read like a high school sophomore fumbling her way through a group project. The story would have been better served leaning into that and fully committing to a YA identity instead of trying to hang with the NA and adult crowd.
There’s potential here, I’ll give it that. I can see the bones of something bigger and better underneath all my personal gripes. There’s absolutely a crowd that’s going to eat this up. But for me, the struggle to get past my hangups turned into me avoiding reading altogether, which is never a good sign.
Give it a shot and decide for yourself. My voice is just one in the crowd, and plenty of others really enjoyed this book. Sometimes the chaos TBR hits gold, and sometimes you just gotta laugh and move on to the next pretty cover.
Thats it. Im calling it. Time of death, 41% after 4 days of trying.
I honestly can’t tell if I’m not vibing with this book as a whole or if I’m not vibing with this book right now. But either way, it’s turned me into a hypercritical little gremlin, and I’m just not in the mood to fight my way through it.
What can I say. I literally picked this book with zero information beforehand, purely because the next book in the series has a pretty cover. Not this book. The next book. If that isn’t the stupidest fucking logic you’ve ever heard… but here we are. Embrace your chaos TBR, man. Live a little. Sometimes it lands. Sometimes it doesn’t.
This book definitely has potential, and there’s absolutely an audience for it. I’m just not that audience.
Right off the bat, the naming conventions threw me. They felt extremely juvenile, like someone’s first crack at worldbuilding with a middle school notebook. I cringed internally every time certain city names popped up. And for some reason, the author is deeply obsessed with the letter A in character names to the point where everyone just kind of blurred together into one indistinguishable blob of A names.
Cin, our FMC, is… weak. I mean that in every sense of the word. Weakly written, weakly motivated, weakly developed. Just weak. This book isn’t technically YA, but it really really should have been. As much as I want to cheer for the rare FMC who isn’t barely legal, she still read like a high school sophomore fumbling her way through a group project. The story would have been better served leaning into that and fully committing to a YA identity instead of trying to hang with the NA and adult crowd.
There’s potential here, I’ll give it that. I can see the bones of something bigger and better underneath all my personal gripes. There’s absolutely a crowd that’s going to eat this up. But for me, the struggle to get past my hangups turned into me avoiding reading altogether, which is never a good sign.
Give it a shot and decide for yourself. My voice is just one in the crowd, and plenty of others really enjoyed this book. Sometimes the chaos TBR hits gold, and sometimes you just gotta laugh and move on to the next pretty cover.
Blood Over Bright Haven by ML Wang
Wow. Just… wow.
BOBH leans more into literary fiction wrapped in a fantasy world, and the result is a story that feels sharp, purposeful, and devastatingly beautiful in all the ways that matter.
The best way I can describe the vibe is Mistborn meets romantasy. Though let me be clear, this is not romantasy, it’s something else entirely. It’s almost difficult to categorize because it feels so distinctly different from anything I’ve read lately, but in the best possible way.
What stood out the most, beyond the immersive storytelling, was the magic itself. This isn’t just another fancy system with cool powers. The magic in this world is layered, complex, and comes with a price. The way magic is implemented and the ripple effect it has on society, politics, and personal ambition; it’s all so well thought out, so seamless, it feels disturbingly real.
Highly, highly recommend this one, especially if you want a fantasy story that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty and make you sit with the consequences.
Also, special shoutout to the audiobook. The narration adds a whole new layer of depth to an already intricate world. If you can swing an immersive read, I absolutely recommend it. Some stories deserve to be experienced in every way possible, and this is one of them.
Wow. Just… wow.
BOBH leans more into literary fiction wrapped in a fantasy world, and the result is a story that feels sharp, purposeful, and devastatingly beautiful in all the ways that matter.
The best way I can describe the vibe is Mistborn meets romantasy. Though let me be clear, this is not romantasy, it’s something else entirely. It’s almost difficult to categorize because it feels so distinctly different from anything I’ve read lately, but in the best possible way.
What stood out the most, beyond the immersive storytelling, was the magic itself. This isn’t just another fancy system with cool powers. The magic in this world is layered, complex, and comes with a price. The way magic is implemented and the ripple effect it has on society, politics, and personal ambition; it’s all so well thought out, so seamless, it feels disturbingly real.
Highly, highly recommend this one, especially if you want a fantasy story that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty and make you sit with the consequences.
Also, special shoutout to the audiobook. The narration adds a whole new layer of depth to an already intricate world. If you can swing an immersive read, I absolutely recommend it. Some stories deserve to be experienced in every way possible, and this is one of them.