Sara Machado
How can I even attempt to describe or review this book? I have no words! Golden Son is an exhilarating blend of political intrigue, intense action, violence and emotional depth, wrapped in twists and surprises from the beginning until the end. Even when I know something
And the pace? I haven't read anything like this! Each chapter is masterfully crafted to make you want to keep going, I could hardly breathe. So here I am, trying to write something after not having slept a minute because I couldn't stand not knowing what was going to happen to the characters.
I bloodydamn love this books and I bloodydamn love your writing Pierce Brown!
Also, a huge appreciation for all the fantastic female characters you've written. Reading these books made me understand how much of a disservice fantasy and sci-fi writers have been to women because I keep expecting certain things to happen and they never do.
There are no mentions of breasts, their bodies are described as much as any male body, they are not sexual magic entities, they are not one-dimensional, they are smart, confident and not socially awkward, they can be smart and not evil, and we can even find call outs for sexist behavior 😮
Whether they are female or male, antagonist or protagonist, Pierce writes characters based on their virtues and role in the story, not their identity. I'm half in love!
This is a must read sci-fi series but please, do not start this book without having Morning Star ready, you'll need it. (less)
Originally posted at hardcover.app.
I LOVED Strange the Dreamer so my expectations might have been too high for this one, but Muse of Nightmares fell a bit short to me.
The story picks up immediately after the events of the first book, introducing us to two new characters, while diving deeper into our beloved characters' and Weep’s pasts. Liani introduces in this sequel more dimensions to the world as well as connections with her previous series, which I haven’t read yet, keeping the exploration of themes such as love, revenge and redemption.
As in the first book, the writing is absolutely gorgeous and Liani does a stellar job creating emotional depth, complex character arcs, and intricate world-building, leading to an unforgettable read.
So, why didn’t this work as well for me as the first book?
• Muse of Nightmares, as foreshadowed by the title, is more focused on Sarai storyline and on her powers, leaving some of my favorite characters longer in the shadow.
• I probably wouldn't have noticed this if I hadn't read both books in a row, but this sequel was written a bit differently. Although we keep experiencing third-person omnisciente narration, the POV shifts more, resulting in something like internal dialogues, though the characters didn’t really know what the others were thinking. This is a pet peeve of mine because I don’t like to be told what to think and feel.
• Additionally, the story felt rushed, and some events happened in a too convenient way, creating in me the impression that this book was more focused on expanding the story for a future series/ sequel rather than for the sake of this duology.
Still, this was a satisfying end for the duology and I will wait expectantly to be back into this world. Both books were a very emotional read, and my heart was aching for the whole time (there were also many tears along this journey), so I definitely recommend this reading 🙂
This book! The story! The ending! The epilogue! Carissa I need the 4th book immediately!
The Songbird and the Heart of Stone book consolidated Carissa as my current favourite Romantasy writer. She writes the perfect blend of fantasy and romance, full of complex and layered characters, wrapped in a beautifully and imaginative setting.
Mische, alongside with Vincent, was my favorite character in this series and I had high expectations for her story. Still, I couldn't imagine how complex her background story was going to be, and how emotionally engaged I would feel with her journey.
I loved Mische before, and I love her even more now. This is a character full of hope, courage and kindness, and exactly the type of FMC I like to read about.
And Asar... what a perfect match for Mische he is! He's the farthest possible from a Heart of Stone and I can't wait to see more of him. It's difficult to resist sharing some quotes by him (I have so many highlighted) but I refuse to spoil others the discovery of this character... Still, I'm obsessed with his heart and quiet, but fierce, love.
This is a story full of vulnerability, pain and love, and I loved every minute of it. Carissa Broadbent writes romantasies like no one else.
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble and NetGalley for the eARC!
Originally posted at hardcover.app.
I was almost certain I was going to enjoy this series, enough to buy Fairyloot's Iron editions, and I don't regret it!
Red Rising is set in a dystopian future where society is divided into a rigid caste system based on colors (and the stuff of my worst nightmares). I'm really surprised by Pierce Brown writing, which is easy and engaging, and by his brains and imagination. He can easily shift from emotional to gruesome moments and executes flawlessly all action scenes.
Frankly, I'm hardly ever surprised by events on books, and on Red Rising I was by many, particularly on what concerns character development.
Darrow is an easily likeable character, willing to see his flaws and accept suggestions, which is not necessarily common on “the chosen one” trope. He is a complex character, full of rage, love and pain, and we see him grow and adjusting his perception and beliefs. I can't wait to find out how his journey continues!
This could be an insane villain origin story!
Tales from Tiressia is everything the title describes: A Collection of Spicy stories from the Witch Walker World, involving some of our most beloved characters.Even though I prefer the spicy side of life to be more tempered with plot, it was amazing to be able to reconnect with this world. Plus, I want any scraps I can get of Raina and Alexus until [b:Kingdom of the Forgotten 63853061 Kingdom of the Forgotten (Witch Walker, #4) Charissa Weaks https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1693921407l/63853061.SY75.jpg 99799820] is released.Thank you Charissa Weaks for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review. My thoughs are my own
I've never read The Chronicles of Narnia because by the time I discovered the series, I was already too old for fairy tales. Fortunately, I've now reached an age where I'm old enough to read them again, and while I keep saving Narnia for the future, I'm always drawn to books inspired by it.
The Lost Story has all the elements a fairy tale needs: princes and princesses, knights, magic, special animals, villains, unicorns, found family, romance, second chances, redemption, and, of course, a happy ever after.
This story has one of the most gripping beginnings I've experienced in a while, and I was ecstatic to dive into it. We follow Emilie, who, in search of her big sister, contacts Jeremy, a formerly lost boy with a special talent for finding girls in need. From there, we are introduced to a cast of lovable characters, learn their stories and secrets, and enter a magical world full of wonder and Fleetwood Mac.
For no particular reason, I was expecting this to be a fairy tale for adults and was anticipating something a bit darker. However, this is a fairy tale for everyone, which is exactly as it should be
There's a story behind everything and everyone—powerful tales, even if they don't seem it on the surface. There's power in stories. There's magic in them. And each person's life is a story itself, and with that, every person carries magic within them
This is a tricky book to rate... I loved most of it (like 5 starts really loved), and I hated one part, that made me rethink all the defence I was preparing for the polemic surrounding this book.
Ultimately, I stand by my first opinion of it: This is fantastic! It only loses one star because I wish it was a bit shorter.
The first Binding follows the story of Ari, a legendary storyteller and something more, but we are still learning about what that is. Ari is a great character and one of my favourite parts of this book. He had an extremely difficult past, suffering also from the rigidity of a cast system, but never let's go of his kindness and compassionate heart, and this is beautiful to read.
While I agree there are too many similarities with The Name of The Wind to be a coincidence, this is a fantastic story that stands on his own, and had I read it first, I wouldn't even question which would be my favorite. And honestly... I'm not questioning it now either, because the differences between both books (and there are many) are the parts that made Ari's story so great. I love how honest he is about what he is telling us, which in the end, it's a tale of how stories evolve and legends are born.
R. R. Vindi is an amazingly talented writer, that created a compelling and richly detailed world, full of sounds, smells and complex characters. Plus, this is very Asian, and we all know how fantasy world benefits from some diversity
The Story Collector is a compelling and immersive novel about the transformative and healing power of stories. I am very partial to these types of stories, particularly when they have magical realism and incorporate Good Folk (I have Julliet Marillier to thank for this).The narrative follows Sarah Harper and her spontaneous travel to Ireland, where she ends up discovering a diary from 1910, written by Anna, who volunteered to help an American translate fairy stories to English. From this, we get to two timelines, and two different self-discovering journeys. Evie's writing is captivating and beautiful, and while I did prefer Anne's storyline (I really can't resist fairies and fairytales), I appreciate how flawlessly intertwined both timelines were. Similarly to [b:The Lost Bookshop 65137920 The Lost Bookshop Evie Woods https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1670693378l/65137920.SY75.jpg 100072715], I wasn't in love with the romance in this book, which is mainly what made me drop one star. There are stories that need, and benefit, from the existence of romance, and others that the central focus needs to be introspection, self-understanding, and self-healing. In my perspective, Sarah was nowhere near ready to be in a new relationship. We need to stand firm on our own to be able to be in a good relationship, and I wish we were shown this more often.I'm certainly going to keep following Evie's career, and I feel honoured to have been an advance reader to both of her books. Please be aware of trigger warnings: loss of child, grief and alcoholism.I would like to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest an honest review.
I'm a huge fan of Ashley Poston's immersive writing style and blend of romance and magical realism, and I could never resist something written by her, particularly if it praises romances.
The story follows Elsy, who for several reasons feels stagnated on her life, and accidentally finds herself on the fictional town of her favourite romance series (lucky Elsy!).
As usual, Ashley takes the readers on her characters' journey of self-discovering and healing, writing carefully about love and loss, while celebrating everything good that is contained in the romance genre.
“Maybe that's why I read romance novels so often, because they're pretty stories clearly shelved in fiction, and that's where I wanted to be. And then I came here, to a fictional town, and I think ... in the back of my mind I just ... I knew I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay in a world where the plots are predictable and the endings are happy. Somewhere just as frozen as I am.”
I particularly appreciated how the friendship between Elsy and Pru was portrayed, and how Elsy was able to found her ground again, unfreezing herself from heartbreak.
While I did love most of the book, some events left me a bit disappointed and are currently overshadowing my feelings on the book. This book consolidated my opinion that though I LOVE Poston's writing style, I don't buy her love stories, and the reason really is quite simple: Poston stories tend to go for a Happy for now, and I read romance for the predictable happily ever after.
Is it more realistic? Certainly! It just doesn't give me the same giddiness. In this particular case, I believe I would have preferred no romance at all rather than what we got.
Still, Ashley Poston will continue to be an auto-buy author to me, and I'll keep rooting for the tender romances between the main characters.
3.5 ✨ rounded up (or down?) still deciding
I'm always fond of novels with old characters doing things and finding enjoyment in life. Add to these some quirky and sweet characters and the found family trope, and I have the perfect feel-good read to help me balance and improve my moods.
The Phoenix Ballroom couldn't fit better this description! We get to know Venetia, a 74 year-old and recently widowed who decides to live her life as the fullest, Liberty, a 45 year-old who is still figuring out her life, Kite, the most wonderful grandson ever, and several other endearing characters that warmed my heart.
This was my first experience reading Ruth Hogan but I will certainly read more from her.
I would like to thank Atlantic Books | Corvus and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest an honest review.
Older couple, friends to lovers, and glitter spitting dragons? Sign me in! The MMC has acne scars? I'm not sure my heart can take all this normalcy! Megan Bannen, are you telling me that real people can find love as well??
The undertaking of Hart and Mercy is one of my favorite fantasy romances and I was ecstatic to be back to Eternity and Tarnia. Hart and Mercy remain my favorite couple, and I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that seeing them get married was my favorite part of this book. However, Twy and Frank are beautiful characters and I loved every single minute I spent getting to know them.
I loved to see Twy navigating through her life and job, overcoming her fears in love and relationships.
Frank is everything that is good in the world. He has such tenderness in him, I just wish he had more voice in the story and more time to show his steady and quiet love.
I'll be anxiously waiting for more books in this world.
I would like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Pre review:
I got it and I'm ecstatic!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and Netaglley for the eARC!
It took me a more time than usual between finishing this book and writing the review, and I'm somehow still looking for the right words to do it
It doesn't really matter, ”All of these words are noise. The only role the brain plays in these decisions is to come up with the explanation after the heart has chosen”, and my heart stands for the first words I've found: It was brilliant!
In the Book That Broke the World we see the world-building expand, while remaining claustrophobic in its vastness, we are introduced to new characters and sides of the conflict, we follow the characters we are already fond of, and get to unexpectedly fall in love with characters we already knew and couldn't imagine how much they would mean to us.
This series has been the perfect mix of entertaining, thought provoking, devastating and heartwarming. I have no idea where the story is going, but it has been a hell of a ride.
Thank you Charles for buddy reading this with me!
Well, I have many conflicting thoughts about this book, but mostly negative unfortunate... I'm not supposed to get the whole plot less than 200 pages in on a novel of 700 pages. Something is not right!
This was sold to me as a wonderful mix of fantasy and romance, told through beautiful purple prose. It has all of this, it just didn't feel well executed for me:
- Wordbuiling was very very lazy: Dae instead of Day, slumber instead of night (“who disturbs my Slumber?”
I disliked the first half of the book, tolerated the next 10%, and was obcessed with the last 40% of Assassin's Quest, enough that I'm still going for the 5 stars.
I'm exhausted and as emotionally drained as if I was forged, but this trilogy will remain imbued in me as one of the best, and favorites, fantasies of all time.
Robin Hobb is a terrific writer, particularly in what concerns character development. I would have preferred less suffering overall, but I'm very satisfied with all the personality layers created for both main and secondary characters. There is just so much going on with all of them!
Some complaints: the gaslighting borders on too much and the twists were very predictable (to me), leaving me abashed with Fitz stupidity. Still, Nighteyes, Fitz, Fool and Verity will remain forever in my heart!
In my mind, all stories about history repeating itself need to circle back, and this was wonderfully done.
I'm definitely going to continue with The Real of the Elderlings but only after some book candy. My heart can only take so much.
“Every book is full of death. Or full of endings at least. There's no turning back. No returning. You cannot read the same book twice. Each sentence runs on, growing, building in complexity until its terminal punctuation brings it to a final, inarguable halt. Each chapter is a little death, tension raised, peaked, and released. And before the back cover can be reached, the last page must be crossed. And whether in triumph or sorrow, the story is done.”
What a strong beginning to another wonderful installment in the The Library Trilogy
To be perfectly honest, I'm at a loss for words to describe this novella... This is just perfect, like everything Mark has written in this series. It is beautifully written, and though it revolves around difficult concepts, it ends up full circle, and few things are as satisfactory as this.
We read again about familiar and recurrent ideas book lovers all over the world have, and the magic that ties us together. Plus, some comforting thoughts that both break and heal my heart back together:
“I think if you wrote a story about your daughter, the life she might have lived, the wonders she saw, and the people who loved her ... I think that would be real too, and that somewhere her potential would play out just like that, and in a trillion other places it would flow down every other path she might have take – did take.”
This feels like such an ambitious project! If the story keeps going like this Mark will certainly end up as my favorite Fantasy author (alongside Sanderson, he's not going anywhere).
I just can't recommend this series enough!
Quoting (and adjusting) Mark's words:
“I think Mark Lawrence put everything he had on to these pages”. “Whether that's good or bad, subpar or sublime, depends on the reader.”, and this reader found this novella sublime.
[b:The Book That Wouldn't Burn|61612864|The Book That Wouldn't Burn (The Library Trilogy, #1)|Mark Lawrence|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1673645786l/61612864.SY75.jpg|96381602] is an absolutely fantastic read, and this novella an equally impressive installment, in what it's already one of my favorite fantasy series.
Different stories open to different people, but people that love stories seem to share the same idea, that we are buying tickets for a journey, and to all the lives we don't get to live. Thank you Mark for creating something that so wonderfully reflects our love for books, and what connects us readers.
I'm finally back in this world, and head over heels with it! A special thanks to Charles who brought me back to this world.
I was lucky last year to be invited to read Julie's Soto debut Forget me not and even more lucky to be approved to read this year release, which was not only one of my most awaited releases, but also the one I was convinced it would end my romance slump.
Not Another Love Song is a beautiful story about two musical prodigies, that had faced many challenges, and are lucky to find love, and companionship in each other.
The main characters are too young for my preference, particularly Gwen who is 23, and I'm a strong believer you should not make life altering decisions before 25, when the brain is fully developed. However, Gwen and Alex do belong together and read as they were made for each other, and I LOVED their romance.
This book reads like a symphony, with rhythm changes, tension and resolution. I can see Julie loves and understands music, and that passion was transcribed perfectly in this story.
I was very anxious while reading because I could feel the sheer amount of things that could trigger a 3rd act breakup, which I always hate, and in this particular case I knew it would break my heart almost irreparably. I made peace with it because, as I said before, the characters are very young, and stupid decisions are unavoidable at that age.
I do n0t always mention it, but in this case I absolutely have to: The spice was spicy, beautiful, and I loved it. THE CELLO SCENE... this book is HOT.
It was a privilege to read about this couple and I'll be waiting for more of Soto's books.
“Nobody was touching my humans”
All Systems Red was everything I didn't know I needed! This very serious cover is hiding a very funny and cosy read inside, perfect for readers in need of short and quick adventure.
What is this about?
A self-aware droid, designed to kill, hacked its governor module and discovered entertainment TV. He wants to be left alone to see his favorite shows, but his humans won't give him a break and keep getting themselves in trouble.
This sci-fi obviously touches some major issues surrounding AI, but it's mostly a light-hearted read.
I fell in love with Murderbot and I can't wait to read more of his adventures.
”As long as you are alive, it is never too late to be found”
With Blue Sisters Coco Mellors tells us the journey of three entitled and privilege girls through grief.
It is a testament to Coco's writing that I still loved the book, despite not being able to relate to the characters for one single bit. Even so, I can appreciate how well the bonds of sisterhood between the sisters were described, and how heavy themes such as addiction were handled with care.
This was a beautifully written and engaging family drama, and I'll certainly going to come back for more of Coco's writing.
I would like to 4th Estate | Fourth Estate and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest an honest review.
P.S – A huge appreciation to all authors writing about Endometriosis. Let's not normalize pain.
“There once was a girl, clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King... and the monster they became.”
I'm a woman with simple tastes, and what I love reading the most is: Beautifully written high fantasy, with romance, that enhances but not overshadows the plot. Bonus points if the characters are older, and we get to read a bit of spice. This doesn't sound too difficult, but It's really hard to find.
This duology though... it hits almost all my check list points, and it was absolutely amazing (particularly the second book).
Beautifully written by Rachel Gillig, we are immersed in a dark fairytale, comparable to those beautifully and twisted stories we grew up listening and reading.
Was it worth the hype? Yes it was! I loved every bit of it.
Thank you to everyone who recommended this to me!
When I read the blurb for The Ministry of Time I was immediately curious and it become one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
I was not disappointed! The ministry of time brings a new (at least to me) twist on the time travel books, as it focuses on the adaptation, assimilation of culture by people brought from the past. This is an absolutely wonderful set up to explore some very important issues - racism, colonization, feminism, gender equality, religion, climate crises etc - while also giving plenty of opportunities to do it with humor.
The writing was beautiful, engaging, and full of British humor that made me laugh out loud several times. The characters are interesting and sweet, and written in a way that made me absolutely invested in their successful adaptation and hapiness.
And Gore? I fell hard for this gentleman, and I'm not embarrassed about it.
This was a brilliant debut, and I'll be looking forward for more books by Kate.
I would like to thank Hodder & Stoughton | Sceptre and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What can I say about Oathbringer? This might be my favourite of the series so far. It has just so many things: connections, compassion, love, sorrow, sadness, hope, happiness, forgiveness and so much action. The depth of the worldbuilding and character development is unreal.
It's no secret I think Sanderson is a genius and that I'm thoroughly impressed with his imagination and what he's aiming with Cosmere. However, and though the worlds he is developing are incredible, I think he really shines with the characters development.
The fact that his characters are dealing with severe mental health issues is already worth praising, but they are wonderfully well written and researched, and this is mesmerizing to read. Their story, their sorrows, their healing journey and ultimately acceptance of their flaws is just beautiful and fills me with hope.
I feel completely drained, but this was beautiful!