I am not a romance reader, I have great respect for the genre, but often find myself disliking romance books. However, I saw a lot of my mutuals4.25/5
I am not a romance reader, I have great respect for the genre, but often find myself disliking romance books. However, I saw a lot of my mutuals reading this and enjoying it, people who normally only read sci-fi and fantasy. I've seen so much praise for Emily Henry and so I thought, why not just give it a go? And I am so glad that I did!
I think the main reason why I loved this book is because it's a character story first. So many romances or romance subplots get this wrong; characters are people first, not just vehicles for a romance you want to write. This is what Henry is so adept at, at making her characters so real and emotional and complicated. They're fully fleshed out and have many moving objects in their lives so that they feel real. We see many of their other relationships and all the different ways in which these are difficult to navigate. The romance stems from who the characters are as people, an inevitability that feels satisfying as it grows and comes to fruition, rather than something forced upon them (and us) that feels unnatural or doesn't quite fit. Henry is skilled at writing a very natural evolution of the main characters' relationship.
I also love books that talk about books, I loved the exploration of genres, and the misconceptions and prejudices against romance and other genres primarily consumed by women. I really just loved the entire concept of the book. I think it was a great set up to explore these characters and their budding relationship.
This was such a fun read that I kept coming back to whenever I felt like something light and easy. It felt like the very best kind of fanfiction (the happy kind of great fanfics, not the gut-wrenching kind) because of the way it treated its characters. I'll definitely be reading more Emily Henry in the future!...more
This novella is a promising start to an innovative and intriguing series. I loved the world so incredibly much, I loved every morsel of discovery. 4/5
This novella is a promising start to an innovative and intriguing series. I loved the world so incredibly much, I loved every morsel of discovery. I absolutely adored the influences of Yoruba mythology, it has sparked in me a hunger to consume more West African-inspired fantasy.
Because of it's length, I did struggle to connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. However the length wasn't the only factor, the large amount of death in the story also affected this. As soon as I felt myself beginning to connect with a character they were gone. I just would've loved if this were longer so that we could spend more time in each moment.
I'm super excited to continue and to read the sequel once it's out. I hope the author decides to write novels as well, I think I'd absolutely love a longer, slower-paced story by Ogundiran. But this was a great first taste of his writing and storytelling!
Thank you Titan Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review....more
To everyone who was served hatred and told it was love. We deserve better.
I've adored Natalie Naudus's audiobook performances for such a lon4.25/5
To everyone who was served hatred and told it was love. We deserve better.
I've adored Natalie Naudus's audiobook performances for such a long time, she is the narrator for sapphic audiobooks! I was so excited to find out that she was releasing her own sapphic debut and I'm so happy that I get to tell you all about how incredible it is. Thank you to the author for an arc.
We follow Valerie as she struggles to navigate the lessons she has always been taught about God. These have been told to her in the shape of truths, as mindless lessons she must obey, but Val is beginning to doubt. And when one pillar falls, the whole building starts to crumble. As she begins to unravel the narrative that her conservative Christian world has taught her for so long, she meets someone who confirms the seedlings of doubt in her mind. She meets Riley and suddenly the world starts to make sense.
This is such a beautiful story that is so incredibly important. I know it will help so many queer teens and heal so many queer adults looking back. It's a vibrant story of hope and freedom caught in the shackles of a dark and gloomy world. It shows an endless bravery every step of the way, it shows the courage of survival and the furious fight for freedom. And it shows what love is, what love can be.
Love is not what Val has always been taught it is, it is not empty words disproven by hateful actions, it is not conditional. Slowly, Val discovers who she is and what she can be, and with Riley she discovers what love is and what they can be together. How could what they have ever be wrong? Love, she comes to realise, is boundless and beautiful and proven in every action. It is not earned, it is not built on the bones she must crack to fit into the exact shape they want her to be, it is not dependent on whether she does what she is told. Love is its own type of freedom.
I love the thought that there is a place for us, somehow, somewhere.
I loved how cleverly Naudus explored the different stages of belief, or the different stages of doubt, that the characters had. It was sometimes hard to read the ferocity with which many of the characters believed in the harmful ideologies that only isolated and hurt others (and sometimes hurt themselves as well). But it was written with great nuance and an intimately painful understanding. We are shown every prejudiced belief within these circles, some that are explicit and others that are woven in a more complicated manner. We witness the ignorant racism, the casual and accepted misogyny, the scandalous outrage of homophobia, and we see how standard these factors are in the daily lives of our characters. It's heartbreaking and infuriating, but is written spectacularly well.
It can be a difficult book to read at times, so do make sure you are comfortable with the content in this book (especially if you have any religious trauma), but it is not a book that sits in the darkness, it is fundamentally a book of hope. And if you feel you can, I implore you to read it as I think it will be astoundingly healing. I'm beyond happy that this book is out there (or, will be out soon on the 4th of June!) to inspire and to comfort. It is such an important story and I'm so glad it exists!...more
Gentle enough in spirit to live among mortals but fierce enough to endure their cruelty.
I absolutely adored this novella! It's filled to the 4.5/5
Gentle enough in spirit to live among mortals but fierce enough to endure their cruelty.
I absolutely adored this novella! It's filled to the brim with creatures and monsters from folklore, primarily Polish/Slavic folklore, and it feels so magical. In such a short time, Roth manages to immerse you in this hidden world and makes you care so deeply about all the characters within it. It's a brilliant concept executed perfectly.
I loved every single character so incredibly much. Dymitr is such a fascinating character written with such heart. I always found it awe-inspiring how skillfully Roth was able to weave in elements of the characters' pasts into the present day story. It was masterfully done so that I instantly became attached to them and understood their every motivation. Ala and Niko were also amazing characters, they all played off of each other phenomenally well. I wanted to spend so much more time with all of them!
I adored how folklore was woven into the very bones of this story. I loved the different types of connection the characters had with the folklore of themselves, it was such an intriguing way to explore heritage and a foreign motherland. I could tell, with every word, the passion Roth brought to this story.
Eternity is long. Time enough for hearts to soften.
You definitely won't want to miss out on this book! It's a magical whirlwind, it's a story of family and identity, it's a desperate, bloody clawing for redemption. I'm always astounded at authors' skills when I come across such incredible novellas. It's a wholly different level of expertise when you can tell such an emotional and moving story in such few pages.
On a long enough timeline, endings are inevitable. Tragedy is inevitable. Fortunately, so is joy.
This was amazing! I enjoyed literally every mo4.5/5
On a long enough timeline, endings are inevitable. Tragedy is inevitable. Fortunately, so is joy.
This was amazing! I enjoyed literally every moment, even the ones where I could feel my heart in my mouth. This was just so good, I don't even know where to start. I loved the bordering-satirical, terrifying-in-its-absurdity tone of this book. I adored how meta it was, it's a book about horror and the tropes and themes of that genre, and it does an expert job of exploring them with nuance and fascination.
Our main character, Misha, is the writer of a show that instantly brings to mind X-Files and Supernatural and Buffy, and I loved seeing those influences in this depiction. Misha is given an ultimatum by the suits who run the studio; either don't make the two lead characters of his show gay, or make them gay and kill them off because 'queer tragedy sells'. Misha doesn't want to do either of these things, he's actually pretty pissed at being forced to choose between these two options. But what if fighting for a happy ending will cost him everything?
I don't want to give anything away because part of the excitement is slowly discovering what the hell is going on, it makes the book unputdownable, but I am dying to talk to someone about how absolutely genius this book is! It's the perfect story for me that I didn't even know I wanted! I adored seeing the battle Misha had to fight to find his way out of a horror story of his own creation, I adored how meta and insightful it was. It's blatantly clear how well-versed Tingle is in horror tropes and themes, I adored all the in-world horror movies and villains he constructed, the villains of Misha's stories were full of so much intrigue and—for all their horror—vibrant life. They were so creative and so essential to the story Tingle wanted to tell.
And while tragedies are important stories to tell, our appetite can be satiated with more than just suffering.
I loved how crucial queerness was in so many aspects of this story. I adore queer horror, I think it is so necessary and speaks to such nuanced pain and forced concealment and painted-upon villainy, but I love the fact that queerness was able to play an important part in many other subsequent themes. It introduced a lot of complexity to Misha as a character that not only delved into his shame but also his acceptance, without demanding from him trauma. We were also able to explore queer joy and queer friendship and the importance stories like these hold. Queer people deserve more than just one type of story. I adored how intelligently Tingle handled this, in his skilled writing we were able to see the capitalistic greed of corporations above all else. Whether homophobic or pinkwashed, corporations prioritised money above everything.
This takes me neatly to the crux of the story: corporations are not your friends and they do not care about your art or your joy or your lives! So true, Chuck Tingle (he says it in a much more eloquent and slightly more subtle way), so true! There is theme after theme after theme packed into this rather short novel and I adored that about it because it handles each one with cleverness and wit and rage. It's a book that has so much to say and never fumbles the point. There is so much to discover in this story and I know it's one that will stay with me for a very long time, I don't imagine I'll ever stop thinking about it or that it'll ever not be relevant.
"Your stories aren't worth your life." My stories are my life.
Do yourself a favour and pick up this book! I am so excited to read Camp Damascus and any other horror novels Chuck Tingle bestows upon us! I have been converted, I am a true Tingler (I have no idea if I just made that up or if that is potentially what Chuck Tingle fans already call themselves, but if they don't they absolutely should)!
I will not be able to look at any worm-shaped creature for a very long time! (Tingle writes incredible gore and body horror, I'm as in awe of it as I am disgusted by it! But, oh my goodness, check the trigger warnings if either of those things affect you!) Also, point zero zero three one six two will haunt me just as badly as the worm, now that is horror! What a fun, terrifying, powerful and phenomenal book!
Thank you so much Titan Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review. If you couldn't tell, I loved it!...more
If we live in stories, it means we live in the real world too.
Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Dive Bar by Caroline Bird: 4.5 Penguins by Simon James Green: 4If we live in stories, it means we live in the real world too.
Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Dive Bar by Caroline Bird: 4.5 Penguins by Simon James Green: 4.25 On the Run by Kay Staples: 4 The Phoenix's Fault by Cynthia So: 4.25 Azrah and Abigail by Freja Nicole Woolf: 3.5 (New to the 5th anniversary edition!) As the Philadelphia Queer Youth Choir Sings Katy Perry's 'Firework'... by David Levithan: 2.75 Almost Certain by Tanya Byrne: 4 The Other Team by Michael Lee Richardson: 3.25 I Hate Darcy Pemberley by Karen Lawler: 3.25 The Courage of Dragons by Fox Benwell: 4 The Instructor by Jess Vallance: 4 Love Poems to the City by Moïra Fowley: 4.5 How to Come Out As Gay by Dean Atta: 3
Thank you Pride Book Tours for sending me a copy of the book....more
Thank you Netgalley and Andersen Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the art in this graphic novel w3.75/5
Thank you Netgalley and Andersen Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the art in this graphic novel was beautiful and that it sang in such harmony with the storytelling. I loved Kai, I loved her ferocity, her determination and her heart. I loved so many elements of this story. My one complaint is that I think the ending wrapped it up too quickly, I would've liked more time to flesh that part of it out. But this story was such an interesting one, told in such a compelling way....more
Phi were different. They could be sadistic, but only because they were once human.
I absolutely adored the world we discovered in this book. The4/5
Phi were different. They could be sadistic, but only because they were once human.
I absolutely adored the world we discovered in this book. The Thai-inspired landscape and unique blends of folklore and mythology were entirely captivating. I wanted to devour every tiny piece of this world, I wanted to constantly know more.
I loved Ex's character and I also loved learning about the phi hunters and their rituals, and all the intricacies of their world. It's such an intriguing story and the world is constantly pulling you in. I always longed to discover even more of it. I preferred the first half of this book because of this. It was much more focused on these aspects, on the spiritual world and the phi, although I still enjoyed the more political second half.
I liked Arinya, but never fully connected to her, I would've loved to see more of her thoughts and her deeper character. However, there were many other characters I came to care for; Ex was always interesting, even when—or, especially when—he'd get himself caught up in all kinds of trouble; Narissa was an incredible addition that I wish we'd gotten to see more of, her story was so fascinating; the small glimpses we got of side characters like the Hound or the Masters of Ex's guild instantly added depth and heart to the story.
He should have been gone, but like most legends, he persisted.
It's such a spell-binding world we get to jump into and discover here, and Goldenberg's writing is utterly absorbing. I'm now desperate to find more stories with Thai-inspired worlds or that delve into its mythology and folklore, if you have any recs please let me know!
I do not want thrones, or riches, or renown. I want to be where I was loved.
I really enjoyed this book. The first half is very slow and meander4/5
I do not want thrones, or riches, or renown. I want to be where I was loved.
I really enjoyed this book. The first half is very slow and meandering, encapsulating perfectly the river-like flow of the story. Like tributaries, it branches off into the minds of other characters and explores many of those that come to pray at Ganga's river. Every smaller story, every side character, is skillfully placed as everything weaves back into the main plot eventually. It's masterfully crafted and so intelligently executed. I loved the slow but inevitable build into the war we know, from the very first chapters, is coming.
Will you be king of ashes?
Ganga's journey is such an interesting one to be able to witness. She's such a fascinating character to explore as she holds such dichotomy inside of herself; she is a goddess who despises the mortal world, and yet she is a goddess who knows what it is to be human. She can't help but be affected by the mortal world, even as she spurns it. I felt at times that Ganga's perspective as a goddess was possibly too vast, too pulled back from humanity, but I no longer think that's entirely correct. Ganga has the unique perspective, for a god, of mortality. She knows what it is to be human and to be caught up in their fears and desires and dreams, she is more entangled in humanity than she would ever care to admit. And beyond that, she gives life to humanity from her waters, she washes away pain and tends to those that she can help. Her heart is forever being changed by humanity. This, I think, provides such a spell-binding narrative to explore, such an incredible character to pull our focus.
Through Devavrata, or Bhishma, we follow the folly of mortals, the ever-lasting struggle for power. We see, in all its despair, what has become of the Kuru line and we see the mistakes every person has made at every step for it to have ended up as messy and as complicated as it now is. I really adored how complex each and every character truly was, by the end of the book there was not a clearly noble and righteous victor, there was not the sharpness of a line drawn between good and evil. It was far more complicated than that. Characters that I hated became tangles of emotion in my mind as they became much more to me than just one evil deed. Characters that at first glance appeared to be only cannon fodder in the battles to come became fractured people woven into the fabric of the politics of the court. Characters that had for most of the book been virtuous and good, muddied themselves in the chasms of war and soiled their gilded clothing with blood. Every person was more than what they first appeared to be on the surface and I think this was what I most admired about the book.
But gods should not need to enforce that which men should plainly know.
I appreciate the insightful nature of the storytelling even more as I look back upon it. Every element is crafted and placed so intricately, everything is moulded with such craft and care. I loved seeing how characters came back to haunt the narrative, how every person had substance and importance, how every action held repercussions. What I loved most was the cyclical nature of the story; everything came back to the beginning, ended as it began, everything felt whole and one. It was all so incredibly well thought out. I can't wait to read more of Patel's works!
I promise. I will return, and I will sit on your banks once more.
Thank you Orbit for an arc in exchange for an honest review....more
I'm so disappointed that I didn't like this book. I adored A Dowry of Blood with all my heart, thought An Educa2.75/5
Only blood can rewrite blood.
I'm so disappointed that I didn't like this book. I adored A Dowry of Blood with all my heart, thought An Education in Malice was okay if a little disappointing, but Evocation has unfortunately sealed the deal for me and I don't think I enjoy Gibson's novels. I'll certainly try any novellas Gibson writes, but her novels just seem to not be for me. I loved the beautiful, emotive prose in Dowry and I loved the way it drew the portrait of abuse through a vampiric lens. It will continue to be one of my favourite stories, but I haven't found the same love for Gibson's other works.
I'm really struggling to put into words why I disliked this book because it's not an all-consuming hatred, there wasn't anything that made me spit out my hot chocolate in fury, I just didn't really enjoy any of it. The characters began to grow on me a tiny bit as I read on, but I just didn't care about them and at times even found them annoying. They're meant to be complicated, fractured and even unlikable, but I just never warmed to them like the book wanted me to. There's also a strange focus on wealth without the criticism I expected of it, especially as there are academic aspects to this book and conversations around the tired structure of an all-male secret society. I felt it lacking here in its exploration of the characters and their dynamics. I recognise that the character relationships were what drove the story, but it was hard to empathise when I disliked or felt apathetic towards them. This focus also meant that the surrounding plot fell very flat for me, it was sometimes dull and tedious, and other times far too obvious. (My biggest pet peeve in books is when an author treats a piece of information that's obvious from the beginning as a plot twist/big revelation later on... alas.)
I'm sorry for being so negative, I hate writing negative reviews, especially for authors I admire. But this one just really wasn't for me. Please look at other reviews and see how our reading tastes compare before putting any weight to my opinion.
They believe that the stories and histories of the people who live here are valuable and important and worthy of being remembered.
This was an4.5/5
They believe that the stories and histories of the people who live here are valuable and important and worthy of being remembered.
This was an absolute blast! I have never had so much fun or laughed so hard whilst reading a book! Alexandra Rowland is so skilled at writing such a vast array of emotions and such different, yet equally enjoyable and compelling, stories!
I loved A Taste of Gold and Iron unfathomable amounts, which is also set in this world, but Running Close to the Wind takes place in a completely different location and has an incredibly different, more light-hearted, tone. I adore both of these books for wildly different reasons. It is such a talent to be able to write across different subgenres and different tones like Rowland has done across only these two books (I am yet to read their other works).
The first thing I have to say, that I so eloquently wrote down in my notes, is: PIRATES! Literally what more could you ask for than a fun, rambunctious, goofy bunch of queer pirates? I can think of nothing better! The whole cast is so lively and vibrant, every single one of the characters we meet along the way have such bold and memorable personalities. They're all so much fun to read about! (That truly is the word of this review, fun, it perfectly encapsulates every thought I had whilst reading!)
One of its comp titles is Our Flag Means Death and if you like OFMD please read this, I beg you, you will absolutely love it! (And if you don't like OFMD... what's wrong with you?) There's something so freeing about reading about pirates (or watching a show with pirates) even if it's romanticised for all our viewing pleasure; they're outcasts, criminals, people who cannot exist in society, and so they find escape on the seas. This particularly resonates with people from a whole host of marginalised identities and is why pirate stories like these are so important, pirates stories where the main characters are disabled and BIPOC and queer and genderqueer, and of so many varying situations which make their participation in society so much harder and therefore the pirate's life at sea so much more freeing. And this emotion, even in a story as hilarious and whimsical as this one, still punctuates each movement and really adds to our love and affection for the characters.
It is by far the funniest book I've ever read, I was absolutely crying with laughter. It's just hilarious and so silly in the best possible way! As with anything humour-related in books, it will of course be quite subjective as to whether or not you'll like this type of humour, but I think it's incredibly funny and I think most others will think the same. I just kept bursting out laughing!
I don't even know how to begin summing up my thoughts about this book, I just feel such an overwhelming sense of love for it. I had the best time reading it and eagerly await reading it all over again (you're all so lucky, getting to experience it for the first time)! The characters were phenomenal, they had so much personality and wit and joviality. I also loved that we navigated more complex situations in their relationships and guarded emotions; for all its humour, this book was never one note, it still had a whole lot to say. The plot was so much FUN from beginning to end, it's so hard to put down, I just wanted to read and read and read! My favourite out of context moment is: glowing blue dogs. Come back to this and tell me your favourite absolutely bonkers moment once you've read it!
I wholeheartedly recommend this story, it is the most fun you will have reading anything! And as I so eloquently already said: PIRATES!
Here we are—for now, for at least today. Here we are, as splendid as we can manage, because we might not be here tomorrow, because we won the right to do what we are doing on the tip of a blade—and because they should know, all those people out there in the world, that we were here and proud and free and that they couldn't and can't do a thing to stop us.
Thank you Tor for an arc in exchange for an honest review. (Seriously, thank you!)...more
I adore Saint's retellings. I was so curious to see how she would retell Hera's story, I was particularly interested to find out exactly what it3.75/5
I adore Saint's retellings. I was so curious to see how she would retell Hera's story, I was particularly interested to find out exactly what it would cover. It turns out it is as vast and intricate as all Greek mythology is. We start at the fall of the Titans and the rise of the Olympians, and span important events from the creation of Athena to the birth of Apollo and Artemis, from the Argonauts to the Trojan War, and far beyond. We get glimpses of all of these events and the tumultuous feelings of Hera as she witnesses them. I am a very passionate lover of Greek mythology, however I think this book is also incredibly accessible for those that don't know very much, yet still illuminating and intriguing to those that already know all of the stories within it.
I loved Saint's writing, I thought it was beautiful and effortlessly captured such emotion within it. The only reason I didn't rate this higher is because my personal interest does not lie within Hera. I personally think it's far more interesting to read about mortals and their interactions with the gods, they are also much easier to empathise with. Because of this I do prefer Saint's other works, however I still think this is an incredible book and a worthwhile read. I truly did appreciate and admire the reframing of Hera's narrative. While I can't say I am now Hera's number one fan, it definitely did make me sympathise with her moments of grief and forced me to rethink the narrative in which her story is always told.
Hera is such a complicated figure to choose as the protagonist of our story and I would be fascinated to know why Saint chose her specifically. Hera is known for being the sister and wife of Zeus, the goddess of marriage and women. But most commonly, she is known for her jealousy and vengeance. I'll admit, Hera has never been a favourite goddess of mine, she has never really interested me all that much. But this story certainly made my opinions of her more complex.
Practically every god and goddess in Greek mythology has done terrible things, which is why I'll repeat that I find the stories of mortal people surviving the gods' wrath far more captivating. But there are certain stories that stick out more as immoral or wrong. Sexual assault is a common theme and feature within Greek mythology as it was unfortunately an even more common action of the time and was therefore represented in ways we would definitely now find disturbing in stories only told by men. I love that now we are getting vibrant and angry feminist retellings where the women in these stories are recentred and their wounds made visible, their victimhood made into personhood, their lives given more meaning than only an assault used to tell a story. I say all this because this is very obviously something that Saint's retellings do as well, they are absolutely amazing feminist retellings. However there are aspects of Hera's narrative that Saint cannot erase or rewrite without straying too far from what we know of her, and so she cannot rewrite Hera's punishments for the women Zeus lays with and also those that he rapes. Because of this, Hera has always left a sour taste in my mouth (have no fear, Zeus leaves far worse than a sour taste, I will in no way bypass his actions and blame Hera only for her reactions), it is an element that makes Hera a difficult character to fully empathise with. This has nothing to do with the book itself, this story is the closest anything has ever come to making me like Hera, I'm only trying to explain why I couldn't personally rate this book higher.
I still appreciate this depth to Hera's character that we encounter because she commits acts that we, the reader, might dislike or even hate her for. It parallels the moments of deep sympathy Saint is so adept at dragging from us. We mourn with Hera, we shake at the bars of her gilded cage with her, we find small moments of joy with her. And that's all because of how skilfully Saint is able to portray her and the rest of the gods. The ending in particular was such an emotional, devastating yet hopeful, whirlwind. It was the perfect ending for a story of a god, for the story of all the gods. I think it might have been my favourite part. As I mentioned before, all my favourite moments to witness the gods are when they interact with mortals, at no other moment in time are their immortal presences so tangibly different, at no other time do they appear so frightening and powerful, yet at no other time do they also appear so human.
Another factor I loved with all my heart was how prevalent certain characters were that aren't often focused on in the mythology. I adored seeing Echidna and her care and love for her children, it's a side of her that isn't often portrayed as compassionately as Saint does here. It was thought-provoking and added perfectly to the cast of morally complex characters. I really liked that this story never tried to redeem characters, but always added a lot of insight into their actions. I adored, more than anything, how prevalent Hestia was, my favourite unproblematic goddess! She's such a warm, comforting presence throughout the story, as is apt, and I was so endeared to her whenever she came across the page.
All of this is a very long-winded way of saying do yourself a favour and go read Saint's superb retellings! I just adore them, they're the perfect feast for your Greek mythology cravings!
So long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they destroyed. That is our triumph.
Thank you HarperVoyager for providing me with an arc 3.75/5
So long as we live on, we carry inside us all that they destroyed. That is our triumph.
Thank you HarperVoyager for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
While I didn't like this book as much as the first book, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, I still found it enjoyable. I really adore the way Zhao writes descriptions of her world, it is always so atmospheric and conjures such beautiful images.
The characters surprised me with their honesty. I found some aspects of their arcs, as well as some of the story arcs, predictable at times, however because they were written so emotionally, I found that I didn't mind. That's what held true for me whilst reading, especially at the climactic ending; the emotive writing is what really pulled me through.
I thought some of the plotlines and endings were a tad simplistic, and I did find myself wishing we delved into some of the heavier aspects more deeply. I particularly wish the politics of the world were more complex. I did appreciate that this book showed not only the violence of the Elantian colonisers, but also that of the imperial family in the eradication of the clans. That was something I wish we could've gone into even deeper. But I understand, too, that this is a YA story and it's still an incredibly meaningful adventure.
Perhaps one day, they would live in a land where they no longer needed to run.
I think this is a very fun and engaging YA fantasy series. If you like xianxia, Chinese mythology retellings, or the shamanism aspects of The Poppy War (without any of the brutality of The Poppy War since this is YA), then I think you'd have a great time reading this series....more
Thank you Macmillan for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was so sweet! I had such a nice time reading this book, it's4/5
Thank you Macmillan for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was so sweet! I had such a nice time reading this book, it's astoundingly comforting, another brilliant cosy fantasy! It's incredibly reminiscent of Legends & Lattes but also defined enough to be uniquely its own tale. If you loved L&L or other books within the cosy fantasy subgenre, I'm sure you'll love this book too.
The characters were engaging and I loved that we followed an established sapphic relationship as they tried to escape the pressures of their lives to create something wholly new. I loved watching them try to make their dreams become their reality, I loved that they were prepared to fight for their peace.
There were many intriguing factors in the world-building, and the supporting characters were lively and fun. It's just such a good time. More cosy sapphic fantasy will never be a bad thing!...more
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