PamG’s Year in Books

What did you read this year?

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2023

64,459

pages read

188

books read

PamG

11 likes Like

Just Add Coffee or Tea by Julie McCarthy

Shortest Book

pages

Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

Longest Book

704

pages

Average book length in 2023

342

pages

Most Shelved

347,585

people also shelved

Least Shelved

people also shelved

PamG’s average rating for 2023

4.0

Highest Rated on Goodreads

4.50 average

PamG’s first review of the year

really liked it

Jonathan Maberry’s foray into epic dark fantasy with Son of the Poison Rose is a fantastic continuation of the series featuring Kagen Vale. He was the captain of the palace guard and protector of the royal children of the Silver Empire. One night when he is off-duty, the entire imperial family is killed and the Silver Empire is in ruins throughout all of its nation states. Kagen feels abandoned, heartbroken, and haunted. He plans to kill the Jonathan Maberry’s foray into epic dark fantasy with Son of the Poison Rose is a fantastic continuation of the series featuring Kagen Vale. He was the captain of the palace guard and protector of the royal children of the Silver Empire. One night when he is off-duty, the entire imperial family is killed and the Silver Empire is in ruins throughout all of its nation states. Kagen feels abandoned, heartbroken, and haunted. He plans to kill the Witch-king of Hakkia with help from his friends Filia and Tuke. However, he has to survive being the most wanted man in the world, build an army of fighters, and find magical weapons.

Kagen is a strong character with plenty of good qualities, but also many flaws. However, he initially isn’t very likeable. His petulance, guilt, and rage consume him. Can he find a way to regain his balance, regain his honor, fight for justice, and overcome magic and sorcery? The supporting and adversarial characters are well drawn and unforgettable.

Maberry’s writing is always great, but his world-building in this series is fantastic. There was a strong sense of time and place causing me to feel transported, as though living the events alongside the characters. There was a balance between cultural elements, historical events, and action that made the reading experience an immersive one.

While the epilogue helped, there are still a lot of unresolved threads for future books in the series. Themes include religious persecution, battles, heroes, how history can be altered or slanted by those recording it, treatment of the defeated and dead, magic, sorcery, grief, stress, betrayal, and much more. An extremely useful character list is included at the end of the book.

Overall, this was suspenseful and action packed with compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. I’m looking forward to reading the next one. If you are looking for a dark epic fantasy with twists, action, and a few surprises, then this series is one you may want to check out.

St. Martin’s Press – St. Martin’s Griffin and Jonathan Maberry provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for January 10, 2023.

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My 3.95 rounded to 4 stars review will be coming soon. ...more

PAMG’S 2023 BOOKS

really liked it

Wined and Died in New Orleans by Ellen Byron

it was amazing

Bright and Deadly Things by Lexie Elliott

it was amazing

really liked it

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

it was amazing

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton

it was amazing

it was amazing

really liked it

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier

Marrying Off Morgan McBride by Amy Barry

A Cornish Seaside Murder by Fiona Leitch

it was amazing

Her Dangerous Journey Home by Lee Swanson

it was amazing

really liked it

Murder in the Book Lover's Loft by Ellery Adams

PamG’s last review of the year

it was amazing

What a year! This is the fifth year that I have written reviews on the books that I have read.

This was my fourth full year of reviewing ARCs received via NetGalley and I managed to read 127. It was also my third full year of submitting some of my reviews for publication at Mystery and Suspense Magazine. 81 were published in 2023.

I read 187 books in 2023 with approximately 64,640 pages. My average days per book were 1.95 with an average of 177 p ...more

2023 READING
CHALLENGE

PamG read 188 out of 170 books.

111%

What did you read this year?