This is fantasy at its absolute best.

H. M. Long, in her debut, has perfected the balance between writing intense battle scenes and tender human moments (braiding hair).

The scene at Oulden’s feet was phenomenal and the moment that solidified this as a 5 star read to me.

Long has created distinct pantheons of Gods that are warring with each other, while the people that worship them are also in combat. The magic system is unique and immersive. The Gods are all intimidating, and Hessa’s interactions with them kept me reading on into the night.

Throughout Hessa’s journey, she encountered many friends and foes, while navigating a brutal natural environment, as well as the trauma of losing most of her kin. These characters are multifaceted, and Ogam has one of the best character arcs I’ve seen in recent fantasy.

The conclusion is incredibly satisfying, and not rushed, the last act taking up I think 80/400 pages. 

I love the tagline of Hall of Smoke, To Err is Divine, and how this epic is built upon the impact of the decisions we make.

I’d recommend this to longtime fans and newcomers of fantasy alike, and especially fellow AC: Valhalla players.

 

This compelling conclusion to The Bone Witch trilogy contained every piece of an iconic, unique fantasy work:

Rin Chupeco excels at writing multiple complex character relationships within this story, and giving them all attention. Tea and Fox spend a majority of this installment separated from one another, but it's still evident how Tea's concern for her brother drives her motivations.

Kalen's loyalty really is what keeps Tea strong to see her quest through, while wrestling with her own mind. Seeing Khalad and Likh's relationship grow was the real treat of this volume

.
Once again, the alternating chapter perspectives provide great depth and intrigue to the story, as I spent a majority of the time wondering how can this saga possibly end happily for characters I've grown to care tremendously for. 
Perhaps my favorite aspect of The Shadow Glass is the focus on how history becomes myths and is rewritten to fit a particular agenda. Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Baron also does a wonderful job of tying this into the main conflicts.

In the case of The Shadow Glass, I love how this ties into not just the history of asha, but also the meta narration with our bard and Tea's missing letters 

. 
This series and Never Tilting World has absolutely solidified Rin Chupeco as a must read author for me. The impact of their writing and support of debut authors of color is immeasurable.

It's a great achievement that Kuang has wrapped up this trilogy, in such a heart wrenching and satisfying manner. These characters are going to stay with me for a long time.

Full review to come later.
This book was great fun. The different POVs were handled really well, I loved the representation, and there was a good balance between dark topics and light-hearted banter. This felt like peak wlw/mlm solidarity. I wish I had this sort of book in high school.
I'm looking forward to the sequel, that I hope won't have any Harry Potter references.

As a random note, I think this is the first Urban fantasy I've read that takes place primarily in Canada. 

 

The cover is stunning and has been imprinted in my mind since before the book was released.

The nonbinary and polyamorous representation is well done.

The concept of

wiping out an opponent's culture by actively destroying their artwork and turning the remains into a weapon is so meaningful, wow </spoiler/> !

I love that Jebi is an artist and not a soldier. The whole situation plays to the idea that for a successful revolution, anyone can contribute regardless of skill set.

The romance aspect of this story and Vei as a character is so unique.

What I loved most about this book is the humor in the voice given to

Arazi

.

I’d recommend Phoenix Extravagant to any fantasy fan, but especially those that have read a lot of Young Adult and are looking to branch out into Adult Fantasy. Jebi is 27 and somewhat ignorant of the world around them at the beginning, yet rebellious in the best ways. The language is approachable, the twists exhilarating, and the few sex related scenes handled with care.

The conclusion sets us up well for a sequel that I can’t wait to read. This book was a lovely introduction for me to Yoon Ha Lee’s work and I’m looking forward to more!