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lisashelves's Reviews (976)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Iron Widow is a fantasy story inspired by the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in the history of China.
Let’s say, I’ve had this book on my shelf for a little while and hadn’t managed to get around to read it. Then I discovered Xiran Jay Zhao’s Youtube channel, which I love, and really had to read this book. She is just super funny and if her characters were anything like her, I was in for a treat! And just as I expected, Zetains voice really reminded me of Zhao’s when reading hahaha.
I really appreciated the little warning at the very beginning of this book. it doesn’t have anything I personally am uncomfortable reading, but I imagine others are. So, truly, kudos to who put the warning there! It also gives you a bit of an inkling about the intense topics mentioned and discussed in this book. I really appreciate authors who don’t shy away from the “dark side” of the world and how they don’t put these topics on the side line. Seeing Zetian struggle was really admirable, especially because she doesn’t stay down but she gets up and becomes stronger every time. It is definitely a book and Zetian is definitely a character that is a perfect example for the feminist agenda.
The story starts a bit as every story does, with an introduction to the world and the characters, and what an introduction it was! From the prologue I got sucked into this story and this world, which honestly sounds really intense and awesome! I wasn’t thrown off by all the (fantasy) names used for places, creatures and everything. They were easily distinguishable from each other.
The characters are really something. I loved Zetian! I loved how she is morally grey and we see the world through her eyes. She is honestly just badass and I loved how she doesn’t let the world decide for her and doesn’t let herself be defined or limited by the labels put on her. It is really admirable to read and see her grow even more confident and stronger.
The romance really took me by surprise in a very pleasant way. I am not a fan of love triangles and this one is definitely not a typical one hahaha. I love how she doens’t end up choosing! The characters and their relationship grew beautifully and really warmed my heart!
That ending thought! I did not see that one coming! I had a feeling something big was going to happen and some sort of twist was coming, but the information given and the way it ended…. I did not expect that! Talk about an ending that has me by the throat and leaves me wanting more!
Overall, I really enjoyed this fantasy read. It was super unique, I loved the writing style, characters and the world!
Iron Widow is a fantasy story inspired by the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in the history of China.
Let’s say, I’ve had this book on my shelf for a little while and hadn’t managed to get around to read it. Then I discovered Xiran Jay Zhao’s Youtube channel, which I love, and really had to read this book. She is just super funny and if her characters were anything like her, I was in for a treat! And just as I expected, Zetains voice really reminded me of Zhao’s when reading hahaha.
I really appreciated the little warning at the very beginning of this book. it doesn’t have anything I personally am uncomfortable reading, but I imagine others are. So, truly, kudos to who put the warning there! It also gives you a bit of an inkling about the intense topics mentioned and discussed in this book. I really appreciate authors who don’t shy away from the “dark side” of the world and how they don’t put these topics on the side line. Seeing Zetian struggle was really admirable, especially because she doesn’t stay down but she gets up and becomes stronger every time. It is definitely a book and Zetian is definitely a character that is a perfect example for the feminist agenda.
The story starts a bit as every story does, with an introduction to the world and the characters, and what an introduction it was! From the prologue I got sucked into this story and this world, which honestly sounds really intense and awesome! I wasn’t thrown off by all the (fantasy) names used for places, creatures and everything. They were easily distinguishable from each other.
The characters are really something. I loved Zetian! I loved how she is morally grey and we see the world through her eyes. She is honestly just badass and I loved how she doesn’t let the world decide for her and doesn’t let herself be defined or limited by the labels put on her. It is really admirable to read and see her grow even more confident and stronger.
The romance really took me by surprise in a very pleasant way. I am not a fan of love triangles and this one is definitely not a typical one hahaha. I love how she doens’t end up choosing! The characters and their relationship grew beautifully and really warmed my heart!
That ending thought! I did not see that one coming! I had a feeling something big was going to happen and some sort of twist was coming, but the information given and the way it ended…. I did not expect that! Talk about an ending that has me by the throat and leaves me wanting more!
Overall, I really enjoyed this fantasy read. It was super unique, I loved the writing style, characters and the world!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
The Foxhole Court is a story about Neil Josten, the newest member of the Palmetto Exy team, and someone who has been on the run for the past eight years.
Before last year, I had never heard of this book and this series. Coming to Bookstagram, connecting to other readers all around the world, really opened up my eyes to all the amazing books out there. This book was no exception. Seeing friends rave about how amazing these books are, naturally I had to find out for myself.
Let’s say I was hooked from the very start of reading this book. The writing style, while it seems rather simple and not much, has so much dept to it. It gives such a whole feeling to this book. it was almost as if watching a movie and seeing it all happening. I especially loved the way the games were written. While Exy is a made-up sport, it was very easy to follow that was happening from the way it was written. I would’ve liked a bit more explanation though, as some rules weren’t really clear to me hahaha.
The characters are all very interesting and I can’t wait to find out more about them. All are very unique and distinguishable and have their own trauma they’re working through. Seeing such struggles on page is really something I admire, as most authors shy away from those topics. The characters get so much more dept when not shying away from it and these characters really were amazing. So much dept, so much emotions and I fell for every one of them and rooted for all of them. They made me feel a lot of things, from heartbreak to heartwarming moments.
It did feel like the book felt a bit short. It almost seemed like it somehow wasn’t finished or there should’ve been more said. It came a bit across as one big introduction and set up for what was to come in the rest of the series.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book. it is a great introduction to a series that must have much more in store.
The Foxhole Court is a story about Neil Josten, the newest member of the Palmetto Exy team, and someone who has been on the run for the past eight years.
Before last year, I had never heard of this book and this series. Coming to Bookstagram, connecting to other readers all around the world, really opened up my eyes to all the amazing books out there. This book was no exception. Seeing friends rave about how amazing these books are, naturally I had to find out for myself.
Let’s say I was hooked from the very start of reading this book. The writing style, while it seems rather simple and not much, has so much dept to it. It gives such a whole feeling to this book. it was almost as if watching a movie and seeing it all happening. I especially loved the way the games were written. While Exy is a made-up sport, it was very easy to follow that was happening from the way it was written. I would’ve liked a bit more explanation though, as some rules weren’t really clear to me hahaha.
The characters are all very interesting and I can’t wait to find out more about them. All are very unique and distinguishable and have their own trauma they’re working through. Seeing such struggles on page is really something I admire, as most authors shy away from those topics. The characters get so much more dept when not shying away from it and these characters really were amazing. So much dept, so much emotions and I fell for every one of them and rooted for all of them. They made me feel a lot of things, from heartbreak to heartwarming moments.
It did feel like the book felt a bit short. It almost seemed like it somehow wasn’t finished or there should’ve been more said. It came a bit across as one big introduction and set up for what was to come in the rest of the series.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book. it is a great introduction to a series that must have much more in store.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
The King’s Men is the last book in the All for the Game series. It starts right after that HOLY SHIT ending of book two, with the stakes higher than ever.
Review for The Foxhole Court|⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review for The Raven King|⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The King’s Men is the last book in the All for the Game series. It starts right after that HOLY SHIT ending of book two, with the stakes higher than ever.
Review for The Foxhole Court|⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review for The Raven King|⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 3 stars
Skin of the Sea is a The Little Mermaid retelling mixed with West African mythology. We follow Simidele, a mermaid who guides souls of people who die at sea, when she saves a life.
I have always loved the story of The Little Mermaid and I am a fan of retellings. This book has been on my radar for quite some time and when my Owlcrate edition finally came, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up and be part of the read along they organized.
The story starts off in an interesting way, but a very confusing one at the same time. I missed a bit more details in the worldbuilding at the start to really get a feel for the world, the magic and its people. West African mythology was mixed into the story and I am always eager to learn more about other cultures and mythology, but a lot of the mythology used was not really clear to me. I had to look things up to really understand them in the story and that was a shame. If the mythology was explained a bit more, this wouldn’t have been necessary and I think I would’ve enjoyed the story more.
Another thing that disrupted the flow of the story for me were the many flashbacks in the middle of the chapters. Sometimes I didn’t really get the importance of a particularly flashback and was a bit annoyed by the sudden disruption of the story.
I liked the characters. Simi seemed a bit naïve and gullible, but I did very much like the growth we see her go through as the story progresses. I was also a bit fan of Issa! Kola seemed like a really noble and loyal person, but I think his character could have had a bit more dept.
I liked how there wasn’t really any romance in this book, expect a bit of pining from both parts. More would’ve taken away from the story and the journey the characters were on.
I wasn’t a big fan of the ending. While I did enjoy the story and the direction it had taken, the ending felt just a bit to rushed for me. The pacing overall was a bit high, but the ending was even higher. It just seemed rather abrupt and cut-off in how it ended. I also didn’t really like how some characters seemed to have been forgotten towards the end.
Overall, it was a nice retelling, but I would’ve liked it to be more detailed and fleshed out to better understand everything told.
Skin of the Sea is a The Little Mermaid retelling mixed with West African mythology. We follow Simidele, a mermaid who guides souls of people who die at sea, when she saves a life.
I have always loved the story of The Little Mermaid and I am a fan of retellings. This book has been on my radar for quite some time and when my Owlcrate edition finally came, I didn’t hesitate to pick it up and be part of the read along they organized.
The story starts off in an interesting way, but a very confusing one at the same time. I missed a bit more details in the worldbuilding at the start to really get a feel for the world, the magic and its people. West African mythology was mixed into the story and I am always eager to learn more about other cultures and mythology, but a lot of the mythology used was not really clear to me. I had to look things up to really understand them in the story and that was a shame. If the mythology was explained a bit more, this wouldn’t have been necessary and I think I would’ve enjoyed the story more.
Another thing that disrupted the flow of the story for me were the many flashbacks in the middle of the chapters. Sometimes I didn’t really get the importance of a particularly flashback and was a bit annoyed by the sudden disruption of the story.
I liked the characters. Simi seemed a bit naïve and gullible, but I did very much like the growth we see her go through as the story progresses. I was also a bit fan of Issa! Kola seemed like a really noble and loyal person, but I think his character could have had a bit more dept.
I liked how there wasn’t really any romance in this book, expect a bit of pining from both parts. More would’ve taken away from the story and the journey the characters were on.
I wasn’t a big fan of the ending. While I did enjoy the story and the direction it had taken, the ending felt just a bit to rushed for me. The pacing overall was a bit high, but the ending was even higher. It just seemed rather abrupt and cut-off in how it ended. I also didn’t really like how some characters seemed to have been forgotten towards the end.
Spoiler
Especially Bem and Yinka, who aren't mentioned or seen from the moment they get separated from the groupOverall, it was a nice retelling, but I would’ve liked it to be more detailed and fleshed out to better understand everything told.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
The Coldest Touch is a fantasy novel about Claire and Elise. Claire is a vampire who is hired to recruit Elise, a human girl who has the power to see the death of those she touches.
A vampire story is a story I am always looking for. Even though I’ve always been team Jacob and like shifters/werewolves more, I won’t turn down a book about vampires hihi. Getting this book in my Fairyloot box with a gorgeous cover (hello yellow!) really made me want to read it!
The book was off to a very interesting start and not one I’ve really seen before. The idea that Elise was somehow cursed and Claire was sent to help her control it, is of course very brought, but the details of this story really did it. There isn’t a lot of worldbuilding, but since it is somehow set in our own world that really didn’t feel necessary. Gradually we learned more about the veil and the supernatural as Elise did and it almost made me believe that a veil and the supernatural can truly be found among us. It made the story believable and I really liked that.
The plot was one I enjoyed, as well as how the story played out. I did miss a bit of dept to all of it. Some parts seemed really convenient how it played out, so while the story was really fun and cute, it felt a bit simple because of this.
The girls are both a bit young and it is seen on the pages that they are. They are a bit rash in their actions and decisions and are quick to come to conclusions. While that is to be expected when you are sixteen or seventeen, sometimes I wished they would think a bit more about their actions and wouldn’t be so quick to decide, as it was a bit annoying.
Their dynamic was really interesting to see. Claire and Elise both have demons to deal with, but I loved seeing how they grew from trying to overcome them by themselves to gravitating towards each other and learning to lean on others to help them. I believe that is a good lesson to be learned from this book. Their romance was also really cute to read and it didn’t overshadow the problems they had or the overall plot.
Overall, it was a really simple and cute story. It was lighthearted but eye-opening at the same time and I really enjoyed it.
The Coldest Touch is a fantasy novel about Claire and Elise. Claire is a vampire who is hired to recruit Elise, a human girl who has the power to see the death of those she touches.
A vampire story is a story I am always looking for. Even though I’ve always been team Jacob and like shifters/werewolves more, I won’t turn down a book about vampires hihi. Getting this book in my Fairyloot box with a gorgeous cover (hello yellow!) really made me want to read it!
The book was off to a very interesting start and not one I’ve really seen before. The idea that Elise was somehow cursed and Claire was sent to help her control it, is of course very brought, but the details of this story really did it. There isn’t a lot of worldbuilding, but since it is somehow set in our own world that really didn’t feel necessary. Gradually we learned more about the veil and the supernatural as Elise did and it almost made me believe that a veil and the supernatural can truly be found among us. It made the story believable and I really liked that.
The plot was one I enjoyed, as well as how the story played out. I did miss a bit of dept to all of it. Some parts seemed really convenient how it played out, so while the story was really fun and cute, it felt a bit simple because of this.
The girls are both a bit young and it is seen on the pages that they are. They are a bit rash in their actions and decisions and are quick to come to conclusions. While that is to be expected when you are sixteen or seventeen, sometimes I wished they would think a bit more about their actions and wouldn’t be so quick to decide, as it was a bit annoying.
Their dynamic was really interesting to see. Claire and Elise both have demons to deal with, but I loved seeing how they grew from trying to overcome them by themselves to gravitating towards each other and learning to lean on others to help them. I believe that is a good lesson to be learned from this book. Their romance was also really cute to read and it didn’t overshadow the problems they had or the overall plot.
Overall, it was a really simple and cute story. It was lighthearted but eye-opening at the same time and I really enjoyed it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
A Touch of Darkness is a Hades & Persephone retelling set in a modern fantasy world. Persephone is disguised as a mortal who meets Hades by change at his club when playing poker with him.
If there is one thing I’ve loved since reading all the Percy Jackson books when I was little, it is stories with Greek Mythology! Nothing quite beats all those books, but I do enjoy finding other series and/or books about Greek Gods and Goddesses! A Touch of Darkness is a book that has been on my radar and it being classed as a New Adult did intrigue me a lot!
The first thing I noticed and absolutely loved about this book is the modern world it takes place in. I love how the Gods moved into the world, with technology and everything it holds. While part of the world is modern and much like ours, the Gods aren’t and the dept written into the details of the Underworld were mind blowing!
The plot and romance were slow build with a fast-paced writing style, but sometimes it did feel a bit rushed. Like a rather big-time jump had suddenly taken place or a sudden switch of atmosphere in the middle of a scene or chapter. It didn’t always seem to fit somehow, but I did really like how the romance was build and slowly grow into more.
Persephone is a character that grew on me. I didn’t really like her at the beginning, as she seemed a bit whiny and irritating. Lexa is an awesome character and her friendship with Persephone was really heartwarming to see! The same could be said from the friendship which Persephone grew with Hecate. I liked how the other Gods were included in the story, not only by name and from afar, but integrated as essential characters like Hecate. Dementer though, she’s a bitch who can fall off the end of the world. I didn’t like her, as we were probably supposed to, but it was laid on a little bit too much/thick for me.
I am really satisfied with the spicy and the romance in this book and am really looking forward to the other books in this series and the books from Hades’ perspective. I don’t know yet if I am going to read those anytime soon, as the last book in the series won’t be published for another year and this book didn’t end on a cliffhanger haha. Please tell me if book two is save to read, then I will probably read it, but if not… well then, I’ll wait until A Touch of Chaos is set to be released hahaha
Overall, I really enjoyed the urban fantasy take on this book, the writing and the romance while retelling the story of Hades & Persephone.
A Touch of Darkness is a Hades & Persephone retelling set in a modern fantasy world. Persephone is disguised as a mortal who meets Hades by change at his club when playing poker with him.
If there is one thing I’ve loved since reading all the Percy Jackson books when I was little, it is stories with Greek Mythology! Nothing quite beats all those books, but I do enjoy finding other series and/or books about Greek Gods and Goddesses! A Touch of Darkness is a book that has been on my radar and it being classed as a New Adult did intrigue me a lot!
The first thing I noticed and absolutely loved about this book is the modern world it takes place in. I love how the Gods moved into the world, with technology and everything it holds. While part of the world is modern and much like ours, the Gods aren’t and the dept written into the details of the Underworld were mind blowing!
The plot and romance were slow build with a fast-paced writing style, but sometimes it did feel a bit rushed. Like a rather big-time jump had suddenly taken place or a sudden switch of atmosphere in the middle of a scene or chapter. It didn’t always seem to fit somehow, but I did really like how the romance was build and slowly grow into more.
Persephone is a character that grew on me. I didn’t really like her at the beginning, as she seemed a bit whiny and irritating. Lexa is an awesome character and her friendship with Persephone was really heartwarming to see! The same could be said from the friendship which Persephone grew with Hecate. I liked how the other Gods were included in the story, not only by name and from afar, but integrated as essential characters like Hecate. Dementer though, she’s a bitch who can fall off the end of the world. I didn’t like her, as we were probably supposed to, but it was laid on a little bit too much/thick for me.
I am really satisfied with the spicy and the romance in this book and am really looking forward to the other books in this series and the books from Hades’ perspective. I don’t know yet if I am going to read those anytime soon, as the last book in the series won’t be published for another year and this book didn’t end on a cliffhanger haha. Please tell me if book two is save to read, then I will probably read it, but if not… well then, I’ll wait until A Touch of Chaos is set to be released hahaha
Overall, I really enjoyed the urban fantasy take on this book, the writing and the romance while retelling the story of Hades & Persephone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via BookOfMatchesMedia in exchange for an honest review!
A Hunt of Shadows is the second book in the A Trial of Sorcerers series. It takes place in the same world as the Air Awakens series. We start the book after the event of the first book. Beware of spoilers for the first book in this review if you haven’t read it yet.
A Trial of Sorcerers review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via BookOfMatchesMedia in exchange for an honest review!
A Hunt of Shadows is the second book in the A Trial of Sorcerers series. It takes place in the same world as the Air Awakens series. We start the book after the event of the first book. Beware of spoilers for the first book in this review if you haven’t read it yet.
A Trial of Sorcerers review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a fantasy story that retells the story of the Korean folktale The Tale of Shim Cheong. Mina lives in a town where a girl is sacrificed every year as a bride to the sea god in hopes of breaking the curse and stopping the storms that plague the land.
Ever since I discovered Korean music, krama’s and folklore I have loved stories inspired by them and when I discovered this gem, it immediately rose on my anticipated releases list for 2022! Getting approved for an eARC ahead of its release made me that much more excited to start reading this book. Also knowing another anticipated release was coming this week I wanted to finish reading Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea before haha.
Starting the story, you immediately dive into the world and I really enjoy this sort of start in stories. It doesn’t start of slow or that you need time to connect to the story. I found myself immediately connecting to Mina, since we both seemed to be in the same situation where we were thrown (literally) into the deep.
The story is written very easily with an easy-to-follow plotline and a writing style which seems to flow around the pages. The world-building as well was written in a way that was really understandable and I could picture the world Axie Oh was trying to build. I did miss a bit of details here and there. If a bit more attention to detail was given to the world, clothing and surroundings, I think the story would’ve stood out to me a bit more and the world would seem more beautiful than it already came across as. I feel like the world could’ve been much bigger than it was now. The same with the different spirits, houses and gods which could’ve been mentioned.
Mina is a rather young girl, but she came across as quite mature, which I liked. As I am getting older myself, I find myself enjoying “older” characters a bit more, but in a fantasy setting being “younger” often isn’t really noticeable. As Mina is sixteen, those traits teenagers have could be added, but the level of maturity she shows in the events that happen really show what a strong and confident character she is, one I was rooting for from the very first page.
I also really liked the stories Mina told in this book, the little folklore she tells and the message behind them really were a nicely added touch to the plot and story. The plot itself was a bit predictable, but still I really liked how the story played out. Some parts still took me by surprise, but some things I thought would happen did.
I also believe some parts of the story could’ve been paced a little bit better. right from the get go, you are thrown into the deep and the pacing is quite fast, but I think it would’ve suited the story better if some parts were slowed down a bit. Some parts I had to reread to really grasp and understand what was happening, which may be due to the pacing being so fast.
One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was how much of the aftermath was shown. Most of the times an epilogue is written of a few pages and the most burning questions get answered. I liked how that wasn’t the case in this story, how that part was shown more of.
Overall, I really liked this retelling. The story really flows and is very easy to follow, with a magical world build and an amazing main character.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a fantasy story that retells the story of the Korean folktale The Tale of Shim Cheong. Mina lives in a town where a girl is sacrificed every year as a bride to the sea god in hopes of breaking the curse and stopping the storms that plague the land.
Ever since I discovered Korean music, krama’s and folklore I have loved stories inspired by them and when I discovered this gem, it immediately rose on my anticipated releases list for 2022! Getting approved for an eARC ahead of its release made me that much more excited to start reading this book. Also knowing another anticipated release was coming this week I wanted to finish reading Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea before haha.
Starting the story, you immediately dive into the world and I really enjoy this sort of start in stories. It doesn’t start of slow or that you need time to connect to the story. I found myself immediately connecting to Mina, since we both seemed to be in the same situation where we were thrown (literally) into the deep.
The story is written very easily with an easy-to-follow plotline and a writing style which seems to flow around the pages. The world-building as well was written in a way that was really understandable and I could picture the world Axie Oh was trying to build. I did miss a bit of details here and there. If a bit more attention to detail was given to the world, clothing and surroundings, I think the story would’ve stood out to me a bit more and the world would seem more beautiful than it already came across as. I feel like the world could’ve been much bigger than it was now. The same with the different spirits, houses and gods which could’ve been mentioned.
Mina is a rather young girl, but she came across as quite mature, which I liked. As I am getting older myself, I find myself enjoying “older” characters a bit more, but in a fantasy setting being “younger” often isn’t really noticeable. As Mina is sixteen, those traits teenagers have could be added, but the level of maturity she shows in the events that happen really show what a strong and confident character she is, one I was rooting for from the very first page.
I also really liked the stories Mina told in this book, the little folklore she tells and the message behind them really were a nicely added touch to the plot and story. The plot itself was a bit predictable, but still I really liked how the story played out. Some parts still took me by surprise, but some things I thought would happen did.
I also believe some parts of the story could’ve been paced a little bit better. right from the get go, you are thrown into the deep and the pacing is quite fast, but I think it would’ve suited the story better if some parts were slowed down a bit. Some parts I had to reread to really grasp and understand what was happening, which may be due to the pacing being so fast.
One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was how much of the aftermath was shown. Most of the times an epilogue is written of a few pages and the most burning questions get answered. I liked how that wasn’t the case in this story, how that part was shown more of.
Overall, I really liked this retelling. The story really flows and is very easy to follow, with a magical world build and an amazing main character.