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jessread_s
Review: I really enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast retelling! Beauty and the Beast is already fantastical, but Maas somehow found a way to make the story more complex and whimsical. The addition of the fae made the book really interesting and kept me engaged the whole time!
One aspect I appreciated was how vulnerable the main character, Feyre Archeron, was. I have noticed that a lot of authors tend to gravitate towards making their female heroines cold and unfeeling. That was not the case here. Feyre mourned for the animals and fae she killed, which just goes to show that it is okay to be vulnerable. We are all human beneath the rough exteriors we present.
The first 200 pages contained an excessive amount of world-building which gave me pause. However, once I made it past the 200 page mark, I was able to sit back and revel in the fast-paced, action-packed environment Under the Mountain.
Jess Approved?: ✓
Review: “A Torch Against the Night” is a thrilling sequel to a fantastic series! From start to finish, Tahir’s novel is a wild ride and my heart suffered dearly from some of the surprises that were sprinkled in. One addition to the novel that I appreciated was the inclusion of Helene’s perspective. Tahir expertly crafted passages showcasing Helene’s relationship with her family and her relationship to her country as Blood Shrike. Both of which provided great insight into her character.
Another aspect of the novel I enjoyed was exploring new environments like Kauf. Tahir did a fantastic job introducing new locations whilst still staying connected to areas like Antium and Serra from the first novel.
Just like the first novel, the imagery in “A Torch Against the Night” was absolutely incredible and gut wrenching at times.
I cannot wait to see how things pan out in book 3!
Another aspect of the novel I enjoyed was exploring new environments like Kauf. Tahir did a fantastic job introducing new locations whilst still staying connected to areas like Antium and Serra from the first novel.
Just like the first novel, the imagery in “A Torch Against the Night” was absolutely incredible and gut wrenching at times.
I cannot wait to see how things pan out in book 3!
Review: “Dance of Thieves” was absolutely INCREDIBLE and is one of my favorite reads of 2021!
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the romance. The enemies to lovers trope was beautifully woven into the storyline and it did not take me long to become absolutely obsessed with both Jase and Kazi! I especially enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives, as it allowed me to see how they fell in love with each other in different ways and further relish in the relationship development!
It was also loads of fun to be able to revisit some of my favorite characters from “The Remnant Chronicles.” It warmed my heart to learn of Eben and Natiya’s marriage and Lia’s baby with Rafe. It was especially entertaining to watch characters like Rafe interact with Jase and Kazi. The Mary E. Pearson universe reigns supreme!
Speaking of “The Remnant Chronicles,” the world building in “Dance of Thieves” was fantastic like its predecessor. It was exciting to be introduced to new species, like giant birds that snatch humans from the sky. In addition, I appreciated how the reader was given the history of Tor’s Watch as well as insight into how it is run and the cultures dwelling within the first kingdom. The concept of a Patrei and Straza differed from the other kingdoms explored in “The Remnant Chronicles” which was very appealing.
With regards to the character development and characterization, it was phenomenal. I was blown away by the sheer amount of detail included in the backstory of each character and their appearance which helped with distinction. Kazi’s backstory in particular, tragic as it is, was written beautifully and spread throughout the story. The little things like Synove’s need to constantly fill the silence with stories and Kazi’s love for riddles played into characterization which contributed a lot to the story.
I truly love everything about this book! I hope that those who read this review will consider picking up this beautiful duology because it is criminally underrated!
Jess Approved?: ✓
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the romance. The enemies to lovers trope was beautifully woven into the storyline and it did not take me long to become absolutely obsessed with both Jase and Kazi! I especially enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives, as it allowed me to see how they fell in love with each other in different ways and further relish in the relationship development!
It was also loads of fun to be able to revisit some of my favorite characters from “The Remnant Chronicles.” It warmed my heart to learn of Eben and Natiya’s marriage and Lia’s baby with Rafe. It was especially entertaining to watch characters like Rafe interact with Jase and Kazi. The Mary E. Pearson universe reigns supreme!
Speaking of “The Remnant Chronicles,” the world building in “Dance of Thieves” was fantastic like its predecessor. It was exciting to be introduced to new species, like giant birds that snatch humans from the sky. In addition, I appreciated how the reader was given the history of Tor’s Watch as well as insight into how it is run and the cultures dwelling within the first kingdom. The concept of a Patrei and Straza differed from the other kingdoms explored in “The Remnant Chronicles” which was very appealing.
With regards to the character development and characterization, it was phenomenal. I was blown away by the sheer amount of detail included in the backstory of each character and their appearance which helped with distinction. Kazi’s backstory in particular, tragic as it is, was written beautifully and spread throughout the story. The little things like Synove’s need to constantly fill the silence with stories and Kazi’s love for riddles played into characterization which contributed a lot to the story.
I truly love everything about this book! I hope that those who read this review will consider picking up this beautiful duology because it is criminally underrated!
Jess Approved?: ✓
Review: WOW! What a thrilling end to a fantastic duology! I wasn’t sure if “Vow of Thieves” could top “Dance of Thieves,” but it somehow did!
I absolutely loved how Jase and Kazi’s relationship developed in this second book. I appreciated how Jase took the time to understand Kazi’s fears and where they originated from. He was so protective over her and my heart melted when he told Kazi that he would be her family.
In my review of “Dance of Thieves,” I mentioned how fun it was to revisit some of my favorite characters from “The Remnant Chronicles.” I loved how those characters reappeared towards the end of “Vow of Thieves” and joined together with the characters from the “Dance of Thieves” duology.
What took this book to the next level were the incredible plot twists! I was gasping when the seer’s vision came to fruition in a way I was not expecting! In addition, the complex world-building from “Dance of Thieves” carried over into “Vow of Thieves” which was great.
I am so sad that my time with this duology has come to an end! I loved every single moment spent reading it and I plan to reread both books in the future!
Jess Approved?: ✓
I absolutely loved how Jase and Kazi’s relationship developed in this second book. I appreciated how Jase took the time to understand Kazi’s fears and where they originated from. He was so protective over her and my heart melted when he told Kazi that he would be her family.
In my review of “Dance of Thieves,” I mentioned how fun it was to revisit some of my favorite characters from “The Remnant Chronicles.” I loved how those characters reappeared towards the end of “Vow of Thieves” and joined together with the characters from the “Dance of Thieves” duology.
What took this book to the next level were the incredible plot twists! I was gasping when the seer’s vision came to fruition in a way I was not expecting! In addition, the complex world-building from “Dance of Thieves” carried over into “Vow of Thieves” which was great.
I am so sad that my time with this duology has come to an end! I loved every single moment spent reading it and I plan to reread both books in the future!
Jess Approved?: ✓
Review: I actually stumbled across this book at a half-priced book store in town. I was surprised to find a signed copy and the shelves and I knew that I had to see what this anthology was all about!
My Individual Thoughts on Each Short Story:
“Inertia”: I absolutely LOVED this short story. “Inertia” happens to be the first story in the anthology and man did it hook me in. It was so easy to slowly become a part of Roth’s futuristic world where individuals are granted a visitation period where they can share their old memories with loved ones when they are on their death bed. The concept was so unique and I got so invested in the two main characters that there were parts of the story that had me shedding tears. I encourage everyone to read this one, as it is so beautifully written and incorporates mental health issues, grief, and love.
“The Spinners”: I wasn’t as big of a fan of “The Spinners,” which circles around a world shared by both humans and aliens. I am not a lover of creepy crawlies, so it took me a while to warm up to the leeches. My only complaint with this short story is that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. We were introduced to the main character’s past briefly, but I felt that there was too much going on that distanced me from the narrator.
“Hearken”: Again, this is another short story that I LOVED. I did not want this one to end. I fell in love with the concept of every human being having both a life song and a death song within them. This is not something I would have conjured up on my own and I adored Roth’s beautiful descriptions of the sounds recorded by the Hearkens, the select few who can hear the notes created by each body. I felt like the music nearly leapt out of each page as I read about piano keys being hit and violin strings vibrating.
“Vim and Vigor”: I am a huge fan of superheroes, so it was interesting to read about a universe with characters different from the Marvel and DC superheroes I know and love. Vim and Vigor are just two of the heroes described by Roth at the beginning of the story who play a role in Edie’s life. To my surprise, however, the heroes do not make many appearances. Instead, they serve as a shared love between Edie and her former friends who drifted apart after a death in the friend group. This story definitely was not my favorite, but I still enjoyed reading about Roth’s Elucidation Protocol, a simulated reality technology that reveals the likely outcomes of difficult decisions. It was interesting to see two different outcomes play out for Edie as she decides who to go with to the prom.
“Armored Ones”: I was very excited for this one, as “Armored Ones” is a branch of Roth’s Carve the Mark duology. I was so sad when I finished "The Fates Divide," so it was fun to be able to dive back into that universe again and get more of an insight into the duology. Teka’s perspective was not in the first two novels, so it was fun to see her point of view in this mini story. I got more of a glimpse of her past and in turn her motivations for some of the actions seen in "Carve the Mark." It was also very fun to read from Akos’ perspective once again. Roth briefly touched upon how Akos received his armor in the "Carve the Mark" duology, but I thoroughly enjoyed going further in-depth with it in “Armored Ones.” The story further solidified the lengths Akos will go for his family and shows the beginning of his growth as a character. While this story does connect to the "Carve the Mark" books, I do believe that it can be read as a standalone!
“The Transformationist”: This story also connects to the same universe as the "Carve the Mark" duology, but once again, it can be read as a standalone. “The Transformationist” circles around the life of Otho, a prisoner being held in jail for a crime that is not revealed until the end of the story. I found it really interesting to read about Otho’s familial expectations and what happens when he is not able to meet those expectations. This story is full of love, heartbreak, and trauma. My only comment is that I wish I could have learned more about Otho’s “currentgift,” as it seemed very unique compared to the gifts of other characters in the "Carve the Mark" duology.
Overall: I was very impressed by this collection of short stories and the illustrations were absolutely phenomenal! This anthology is a great way to dive into the science fiction genre and Roth’s writing style as an author.
Jess Approved?: ✓
My Individual Thoughts on Each Short Story:
“Inertia”: I absolutely LOVED this short story. “Inertia” happens to be the first story in the anthology and man did it hook me in. It was so easy to slowly become a part of Roth’s futuristic world where individuals are granted a visitation period where they can share their old memories with loved ones when they are on their death bed. The concept was so unique and I got so invested in the two main characters that there were parts of the story that had me shedding tears. I encourage everyone to read this one, as it is so beautifully written and incorporates mental health issues, grief, and love.
“The Spinners”: I wasn’t as big of a fan of “The Spinners,” which circles around a world shared by both humans and aliens. I am not a lover of creepy crawlies, so it took me a while to warm up to the leeches. My only complaint with this short story is that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. We were introduced to the main character’s past briefly, but I felt that there was too much going on that distanced me from the narrator.
“Hearken”: Again, this is another short story that I LOVED. I did not want this one to end. I fell in love with the concept of every human being having both a life song and a death song within them. This is not something I would have conjured up on my own and I adored Roth’s beautiful descriptions of the sounds recorded by the Hearkens, the select few who can hear the notes created by each body. I felt like the music nearly leapt out of each page as I read about piano keys being hit and violin strings vibrating.
“Vim and Vigor”: I am a huge fan of superheroes, so it was interesting to read about a universe with characters different from the Marvel and DC superheroes I know and love. Vim and Vigor are just two of the heroes described by Roth at the beginning of the story who play a role in Edie’s life. To my surprise, however, the heroes do not make many appearances. Instead, they serve as a shared love between Edie and her former friends who drifted apart after a death in the friend group. This story definitely was not my favorite, but I still enjoyed reading about Roth’s Elucidation Protocol, a simulated reality technology that reveals the likely outcomes of difficult decisions. It was interesting to see two different outcomes play out for Edie as she decides who to go with to the prom.
“Armored Ones”: I was very excited for this one, as “Armored Ones” is a branch of Roth’s Carve the Mark duology. I was so sad when I finished "The Fates Divide," so it was fun to be able to dive back into that universe again and get more of an insight into the duology. Teka’s perspective was not in the first two novels, so it was fun to see her point of view in this mini story. I got more of a glimpse of her past and in turn her motivations for some of the actions seen in "Carve the Mark." It was also very fun to read from Akos’ perspective once again. Roth briefly touched upon how Akos received his armor in the "Carve the Mark" duology, but I thoroughly enjoyed going further in-depth with it in “Armored Ones.” The story further solidified the lengths Akos will go for his family and shows the beginning of his growth as a character. While this story does connect to the "Carve the Mark" books, I do believe that it can be read as a standalone!
“The Transformationist”: This story also connects to the same universe as the "Carve the Mark" duology, but once again, it can be read as a standalone. “The Transformationist” circles around the life of Otho, a prisoner being held in jail for a crime that is not revealed until the end of the story. I found it really interesting to read about Otho’s familial expectations and what happens when he is not able to meet those expectations. This story is full of love, heartbreak, and trauma. My only comment is that I wish I could have learned more about Otho’s “currentgift,” as it seemed very unique compared to the gifts of other characters in the "Carve the Mark" duology.
Overall: I was very impressed by this collection of short stories and the illustrations were absolutely phenomenal! This anthology is a great way to dive into the science fiction genre and Roth’s writing style as an author.
Jess Approved?: ✓
Review: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Inspired Quill, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Shel Calopa, and Brigid Kapuvari, a member of Inspired Quill’s publishing team, for this opportunity.
What Worked:
01. The world-building. I really enjoyed the idea of a futuristic Australia, especially since the majority of the novel truly does take place “down under.” It wasn’t hard for me to come up with an image in my head of Calopa's futuristic world. I had fun following Sam and Harper through the tunnels underground and sat on the edge of my seat as I lay witness to Aggy nearly drowning. Though I have never been to Australia myself, I felt almost as if I was transported there as I followed the characters on their journey towards the light.
02. The story that unfolded. I was very intrigued by the usage of Light as a luxury. In Calopa’s futuristic world, Light is a resource utilized exclusively by the wealthy. The poorer cities resort to living in the darkness, fumbling around as they try to make a living. To ensure that the wealthy and the wealthy only are granted the light, the poor children are blinded. I never truly thought about the importance of actual light until I read about Sam’s experiences as a poor individual in the novel. By the time I had found my way at the end, I couldn’t help but appreciate the little things in life.
03. The diversity. I applaud Calopa for creating such diverse characters. Characters of all different religious backgrounds, ethnicities, social class, and genders make an appearance. To take a step further, characters like Sam have disabilities. I greatly appreciated Calopa’s efforts to incorporate diverse characters into the storyline.
04. The perspectives. One aspect of the novel that I enjoyed immensely was the number of perspectives that were given. We got an inside look at how the main characters viewed their familial situations and how the social class system effected them.
What Didn’t Work:
01. The number of characters. The main thing I took issue with was the sheer number of characters I had to keep track of as the novel progressed. We got to know the main characters pretty well through their respective chapters, but I had a hard time keeping track of all of the Brothers, the different Cities, as well as Aggy’s crew. Just as soon as I got to know one character, another would pop up and I would have to workout what role they played in the story.
02. The pacing. I was faced with minor difficulties when I started this novel because the beginning was so slow. It was hard to break through the first couple of chapters and required a lot of patience. I am here to report though that I am glad I kept with it because things did pick up as the novel progressed.
03. The time jump. There were several areas in Calopa’s book that had me upside down because I had no sense of time. For instance, I was shocked by how quickly Calopa made the jump from Sam being initiated into the Brotherhood to his acceptance in the group. It was funky the way the story started out with him as a young boy only for him to have aged abnormally within the next chapter. It took me a while to reorder pieces of the story based upon what was thrown at me in the beginning. Other than the few time skips at the beginning, the rest was smooth sailing.
04. The ending. I was very confused by how the novel ended. Perhaps I’m missing something, but it was odd how quickly everyone went back to their normal way of life. I still feel like there are some loose ends that haven’t been taken care of yet. This may make way for a second book, but for the time being, I do believe that the novel ended abruptly.
Jess Approved?: ✓
Review originally posted to yabookaddiction
What Worked:
01. The world-building. I really enjoyed the idea of a futuristic Australia, especially since the majority of the novel truly does take place “down under.” It wasn’t hard for me to come up with an image in my head of Calopa's futuristic world. I had fun following Sam and Harper through the tunnels underground and sat on the edge of my seat as I lay witness to Aggy nearly drowning. Though I have never been to Australia myself, I felt almost as if I was transported there as I followed the characters on their journey towards the light.
02. The story that unfolded. I was very intrigued by the usage of Light as a luxury. In Calopa’s futuristic world, Light is a resource utilized exclusively by the wealthy. The poorer cities resort to living in the darkness, fumbling around as they try to make a living. To ensure that the wealthy and the wealthy only are granted the light, the poor children are blinded. I never truly thought about the importance of actual light until I read about Sam’s experiences as a poor individual in the novel. By the time I had found my way at the end, I couldn’t help but appreciate the little things in life.
03. The diversity. I applaud Calopa for creating such diverse characters. Characters of all different religious backgrounds, ethnicities, social class, and genders make an appearance. To take a step further, characters like Sam have disabilities. I greatly appreciated Calopa’s efforts to incorporate diverse characters into the storyline.
04. The perspectives. One aspect of the novel that I enjoyed immensely was the number of perspectives that were given. We got an inside look at how the main characters viewed their familial situations and how the social class system effected them.
What Didn’t Work:
01. The number of characters. The main thing I took issue with was the sheer number of characters I had to keep track of as the novel progressed. We got to know the main characters pretty well through their respective chapters, but I had a hard time keeping track of all of the Brothers, the different Cities, as well as Aggy’s crew. Just as soon as I got to know one character, another would pop up and I would have to workout what role they played in the story.
02. The pacing. I was faced with minor difficulties when I started this novel because the beginning was so slow. It was hard to break through the first couple of chapters and required a lot of patience. I am here to report though that I am glad I kept with it because things did pick up as the novel progressed.
03. The time jump. There were several areas in Calopa’s book that had me upside down because I had no sense of time. For instance, I was shocked by how quickly Calopa made the jump from Sam being initiated into the Brotherhood to his acceptance in the group. It was funky the way the story started out with him as a young boy only for him to have aged abnormally within the next chapter. It took me a while to reorder pieces of the story based upon what was thrown at me in the beginning. Other than the few time skips at the beginning, the rest was smooth sailing.
04. The ending. I was very confused by how the novel ended. Perhaps I’m missing something, but it was odd how quickly everyone went back to their normal way of life. I still feel like there are some loose ends that haven’t been taken care of yet. This may make way for a second book, but for the time being, I do believe that the novel ended abruptly.
Jess Approved?: ✓
Review originally posted to yabookaddiction