Spoiler-Free Review | Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Chain of Gold

By: Cassandra Clare

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

From Goodreads: Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

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TL;DR:

Chain of Gold was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and for good reason! It is an amazing addition to the Shadowhunter World. If you’re new to the Shadowhunter Chronicles and don’t mind reading out of chronological order, I HIGHLY recommend you start with this installment. This is Cassie’s best writing yet, and you’ll be so in love with the Edwardian London setting, sassy & sweet characters, and action-packed plot. This has everything you’ll be looking for in a historical-fantasy series. READ IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The Good

The Action-Packed Plot

If you’re a fan of Cassie’s other Shadowhunter novels, you know she doesn’t lack in the action department. There’s always some demon to slay, a warlock to track down, a sick downworlder to help, or a hottie to love from afar. Chain of Gold is no different. From page one, the new crew is neck-deep in supernatural problems to solve and the action doesn’t stop until the very last page. Can SyFy just take over the Shadowhunter world and make this into an Edwardian Fantasy Drama? Because I would totally watch it. It’s like a refresh of Dark Shadows, but a million times better.

James Herondale, Cordelia Carstairs, and The Merry Thieves (And Everyone Else!)

For fans of the Shadowhunter world who may have issues with certain heroes and heroines from past series, I’m here to tell you that you have nothing to worry about with this new crew. For newcomers, I’m also here to prepare you to love at least a dozen new characters and all their quirks and questionable choices. James Herondale is the emo bookworm of your dreams. Cordelia Carstairs is the badass heroine who actually thinks about her actions (I’m looking at you Clary), and the rest of the supporting cast will leave you with total swoon heart eyes for days. Seriously, you won’t be able to pick a favorite and you’re going to be rooting for everyone’s happily ever after. You’ve been warned!

The A+ Top-Notch Villain Scheming

Without being too spoiler-y, I’m just going to say that I’m ready for this villain(s?). Clare always does a really great job of humanizing her evil characters and giving them a backstory and it’s no different this time around. You’ll be left hating certain people, and it will feel sooooo, so good and so, sooooo bad at the same time. Prepare for all the drama. 

The World Building Is AMAZING

Queen Cassie is known for making her Shadowhunter world so expansive that sometimes it can be hard to keep up. But, I’m here to tell you that if you’re into high-fantasy worlds with lots of details and characters – this series is for you. Clare ties together her short stories and previous trilogy into this newest installment SO WELL. Her older, beloved characters make appearances, but don’t hog the spotlight, and all her mini stories pave the way for major character arcs to be explored. And, even if you haven’t been introduced to any of her previous work, there’s enough detail for you to still experience a rollercoaster of emotions. You’ll be left wanting more (and will probably buy the entire Chronicles to keep your cravings satisfied).

The Ending

THAT CLIFFHANGER THO. All I have to say about the ending is it’s SO  bittersweet and somehow satisfying all at the same time. I don’t know how my heart could feel so many different emotions at once, and I’m still thinking about where we’re going next. Please mentally prepare yourself for a massive book hangover. And, please let me know if you want to join me in my quest for clues and theories on Chain of Iron.

The Bad

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THIS BOOK.

I have spoken and will not be taking questions at this time.

The Ugly Truth

Chain of Gold is one of my favorites reads of 2020 so far. It is 5-star, fantasy gold and should definitely be on any fantasy lover’s TBR list. If you’re new to Cassie Clare books, do yourself a favor and start here. If you’re not a newcomer, drop what you’re reading and get on the Chain of Gold party bus. It. Will. Not. Disappoint.

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Are you a Shadowhunter fan? Will you be adding Chain of Gold to your TBR?

Review | The Cursed Key

The Cursed Key (The Cursed Key Trilogy #1)

By: Miranda Brock & Rebecca Hamilton

Overall Rating: ★★★

Publication Date: January 14th, 2020

*Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for hosting the tour and providing an e-book for my honest opinion!

Synopsis:

A forgotten past, a dark mage, and an unyielding curse.

Another team beat free-spirited archaeologist Olivia Perez to the dig of a lifetime, and now she’s left with the choice to wait for scraps or brave a dangerous, dusty tomb in hopes of finding other priceless artifacts. Her reward? A mysterious key she has no idea is cursed. Soon, Olivia realizes she’s brought home more than just an ancient rarity.

Malevolent visions begin to plague her. Unnerved by what they reveal, she casts away the key…unknowingly placing it into the waiting hands of a dark mage bent on destruction. Only when a shifter agent from the Paranormal Intelligence and Tracking Organization arrives searching for the key does Olivia realize what a huge mistake she’s made.

Forced to team up with the ill-tempered shifter, her journey to reclaim the cursed key leads down a twisting path of dark histories, dangerous magic, and deadly obstacles. But Olivia’s efforts to take back the ancient relic before the dark mage can destroy the lives of humans, shifters, witches, and fae alike are thwarted by her own dark past…and a price steeper than what she’s willing to pay.

Fans of Tomb Raider and Ilona Andrews will love the blend of urban fantasy, magical adventure, and paranormal romance in THE CURSED KEY from Miranda Brock and New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Hamilton!

 

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TL;DR

The Cursed Key has hints of Indiana Jones, Supernatural, and The Rook series all wrapped into a fun, action-packed urban fantasy! It starts off a bit too slowly for my liking and the writing seemed to be lacking in some places, but I ended up really enjoying the second half and the overall concept of the story.

The Good

The Fantasy

I was obsessed with the magical elements. There’s a paranormal government agency,  faeries, witches, and hot jaguar shifters! If Supernatural had a cross-over episode with Indiana Jones, it would be something like The Cursed Key. If you’re looking for an intense urban fantasy world, Brock and Hamilton have got it.

The Diversity

I’m here for the brown skin appreciation in this book! The main characters are both of Latin descendent and *gasp* they’re normal Americans, with decent lives, steady paychecks, an education, and they aren’t described as having accents or an alluring ~exotic~ look to them. What a concept that brown people can also just be normal. I’m here for more heroes and heroines like this.

The Bad

The Writing/Pacing

The first third of the book was really hard for me to get through. There’s a lot of repetition in word usage, phrases, and general feelings that I couldn’t help but notice. A few examples: the term “relic” is used so many times. Was there not at least one synonym that could have been used? And Olivia “rolls her shoulders” to get rid of feelings about being watched about a million times through the story. I get it. She felt eyes on her. Next plot point, please. Which leads me to, the pacing. There’s so much action in this book! The problem I had was it wasn’t evenly dispersed enough to make the entire book story intense.

The Ugly Truth

For anyone looking for a quick, magic-filled archeological adventure, this one is for you! The Cursed Key is a trilogy, so make sure you prep yourself for a cliffhanger and some romantic tension you’ll be dying for.

Purchase Links

Amazon |B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

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 Will you be adding The Cursed Key to your reading list? Does it sound like something you’d want to read?

Review | Nocturna

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1)

By: Maya Motayne

Overall Rating: ★★★

Finn Voy is a face shifter who gets caught by a powerful mobster and forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan’s royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.

Prince Alfehr is dealing with the death of his brother and the realization that he is now first in line for the Castallan throne. He’s now obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.

Finn and Alfie’s fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power and now they have to capture it or risk the destruction of the entire world. As you can imagine, things don’t go well and we get some INTENSE fight scenes.

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TL;DR

I really wanted to enjoy Nocturna more than I did. While it isn’t a terrible book, I felt it lacking in key places. I absolutely LOVED the Latin atmosphere – it was my favorite part of the entire novel – but the characters and world building could have done with some work. Overall, if you’re looking for a dense fantasy with Latinx vibes and have a short TBR, give this a go, but don’t get your hopes up for this to be your next obsession.

The Good

ALL THE LATIN GOODNESS

This was my first read this year for Hispanic Heritage Month and I was NOT disappointed. All the main characters are brown and proud with last names that speak of Hispanic descent. Everyone speaks Spanglish, moms and old ladies threaten the youth with chanclas, and celebrations aren’t complete without spiced hot chocolate, sangria and Bachata!

The Intensity

It takes about 150 pages (out of the 470 total) for things to pick up, but when it does things get DARK. Motayne doesn’t pull her punches, and some of the battle scenes where villain and protagonist face off get very gruesome and heavy. We’re dealing with family trauma, emotional & physical abuse, slides into alcoholism, and you may or may not see an attempt at a human deboning (yes, like what you do with fish). I always appreciate the darker side to fantasy novels and this definitely doesn’t disappoint.

The Bad

The Magic System

I found the magic system and set up to be VERY confusing…and I read a lot of fantasy books that involve unique magic systems. There was just a lot going on and, in my opinion, could have been stripped down or explained over the course of the entire series (which I hope there’s a book 2 but we’ll get to that soon). Castallans are all born with some type of “main” magic – earth, water, fire, etc. – which is known as elemental magic. Then, on top of that, there’s also a different type of magic that can be done with words. THEN, on top of that, you can also do magic with writing. THEN, to make things more confusing, some special people have “propio”, or a unique inner magic that gives them strange abilities. I seriously had to take notes on this while reading and I found myself over the entire set up super early on.

The Characters

Finn and Alfie are both broken, dark and complex. I usually love when characters have layers that need to be pulled back, but for some reason I just couldn’t connected with them.  I still feel the same way about these two now as I did on page one – indifferent. The character growth in this book is amazing, but the personalities didn’t mesh well with me.

THAT WAS THE ENDING? 

I went into this book thinking I was going to have a crazy, intense cliffhanger because Nocturna is book one in a series, but I was sadly disappointed. There are multiple threats that are mentioned throughout the book – the main antagonist (dark magic mentioned in the recap), the mob boss Finn has to deal with (also mentioned), then of course the plot twist shocker about Alfie’s brother’s murder. At 3/4 complete, nothing had been resolved, issues were forgotten about, and I thought for sure the ending was going to be heartbreaking. Instead, I got a lukewarm goodbye scene and an “all is seemingly well”. I honestly felt like I was reading a standalone, which I guess works well for those who don’t want to complete the series.

The Ugly Truth

Would I recommend Nocturna to my friends? Possibly…but I’d be hesitant. It has an awesome premise and the potential to be great, but I really want to see how book two plays out. It might make me feel differently about my read of book one. So, at this moment in time, WE’LL SEE.

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Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it? Will you be adding it to your reading list soon?

Review | Spin The Dawn

Spin The Dawn

By: Elizabeth Lim

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Of course, Maia gets caught, and all hell breaks loose. She’s sent on a daunting, epic journey on behalf of the King and takes along a magical sidekick in hopes of making it out alive.

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TL;DR

Spin the Dawn is a Disney fairytale wrapped up in an EPIC fantasy box. If you love Mulan, Cinderella, Aladdin, or any of the Disney classics, you’ll love Lim’s take with her Project Runway twist. Just know you’ll have to wait for Fall 2020 for Book 2!

The Good

Disney Vibes

There are MAGICAL GLASS SLIPPERS, a MAGICAL CARPET RIDE, and a high-key reference to a trapped GENIE. Mix it all together with the “girl becomes boy to get what she wants” trope and you have all the makings of an awesome Disney fairytale-esque story. Not going to lie, the first 12 pages or so are the first 5 minutes of any Disney movie, so prepare for the tragic backstory and lots of tears.

The Questing

It doesn’t take long for Maia to be discovered and for her epic journey to begin. I loved every second of her trials. They’re high-stakes, full of magic, and INTENSE. I felt like I was on my own quest to find magical fabrics for dresses. You won’t be disappointed with Maia or her tasks.

The Romance

This is definitely a slow-burner and I wasn’t disappointed with the lack of smut. There are kisses and swoon-worthy moments and I was here for all of it. It’s refreshing to have a YA book that has cute love stories without millions of smut scenes. The romance level is appropriate for the book and I was content with the cute overload.

The Bad

That Reveal Though

I was really sad that Maia was found out so early on. I would have preferred it to be true to Mulan – or even She’s the Man/Twelfth Night/Every other “Girl becomes Boy” story – to see how that would have affected the plot and love story. It was perfect just the way it was, but of course if there is one thing I am going to think about it’s the what ifs. 

The Ugly Truth

If you love fantasy, fashion, and/or fairy tales you will love Spin the Dawn! I would highly recommend bumping this up on your TBR list.

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Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it? Will you be adding it to your reading list soon?

Review | Stalking Jack the Ripper is A Quirky CSI Tale

Stalking Jack the Ripper

By: Kerri Maniscalco

Overall Rating: ★★★

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life cutting open dead bodies in her Uncle’s lab.

A a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, and with the help of her uncle, brother, and the amazingly irresistible Thomas Cresswell, she attempts to solve the case.

Of course, things don’t go her way, her feelings get the best of her, and the shocker at the end leaves Audrey reeling. But hey, at least there’s Thomas!

Theme Song

TL;DR:

Stalking Jack the Ripper is a quick, quirky read. It’s CSI meets Scooby Doo, leaning more into the lighthearted feelings of the latter. If you’re looking for an easy, cute murder mystery, I’d definitely give this a go! But, don’t expect to go into this with the hopes of being shocked into speechlessness – the plot twist is terribly obvious and left me wanting just a little more.

The Good

On the Next Season of CSI: 19th Century England

I’m here for the dead bodies and all the historical fiction! I love a good murder mystery. Especially when it involves one of the most notorious unsolved serial killers of all time. The atmosphere and mood of this book are spot on. I want more 19th century murder cases.

Thomas Cresswell, Please Dote Upon Me

You will be adding Thomas Cresswell to your book boyfriend list the minute you meet him. He’s book smart, sassy, easy on the eyes, and you’ll want to be the Holmes to his Sherlock. Honestly, he’s probably the main reason I’m continuing on with this series. He’s an adorable, socially awkward detective and I’m HERE FOR IT.

The Bad

You Call That A Plot Twist?

I love a good murder mystery and I thoroughly enjoy being stumped right up until the end. When I read any type of thriller/mystery half of my rating is dependent on how quickly I figure out whodunit…and I called the murderer literally the first appearance they made. It’s painfully obvious, and I wish there was a little more mystery.

Audrey Rose, Come ON Girl

Audrey Rose has the potential to be such a strong, badass leading lady, but she does some stupid AF stuff in this book. I just wanted to scream at her the entire time, “COME ON GIRL.” She sneaks out ALONE during the height of Jack the Ripper’s terror. She gets CAUGHT multiple times. Then she ignores clues because she’s in denial. I wanted her to stick to her guns, but I found her lacking at times.

Imma Need a Bit More Adult-ish Content

This book is considered YA and it totally fits the bill, HOWEVER, it’s definitely on the younger side of the spectrum. If this was put in the Middle Grade section at the book store no one would riot. It’s definitely G-rated and I’m not saying I need smut, cause I def don’t, but I would have liked a bit more mature scenes and discussions. If you’re looking for something a bit darker and intense, then you should skip this one.

The Ugly Truth

Stalking Jack the Ripper is an easy, fun read! I’d definitely say it’s more middle grade than young adult, but if you’re looking for something light and  Sherlock Holmes-esque give this one a go.

Talk To Me

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it? Are you on the Thomas train? Loved it more than I did?

Thoughts On…| 80 Thoughts I Had While Reading Kingsbane

Friends, I just finished reading Kingsbane, the second book in the Empirium Trilogy, and

OH.MY.GOSH. I HAVE ALL THE FEELS. I’m continuing my “Thoughts On” series that I started with Furyborn because I physically cannot write an actual review. All you need to know is this book will hurt you BADLY and that you will want it all because it is UH-MAZ-ING.

*THERE WILL BE SPOILERS* because I’m using this as a hardcore, much needed therapy sesh (it was that traumatizing). SO, continue on at your own risk. If you haven’t read this series, please come back when you’re caught up so you can join the support group with me Kal – @Reader Voracious and Jess – @Fiction No Chaser. We need more brains to collaborate with on theories!

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1. SIMON. Seeing 8 year old baby Simon is breaking my heart 😭

2. I’m only on page 6 and I have questions. Who is the prophet? Do I know them? Probably…but who is it?!

3. Rielle laid out because she’s on her period is like the most relatable thing I’ve ever read.

4. “Nothing is more suitable than cake when you’ve been traveling for a month and your body feels like bruised mush.” Lololol yes.

5. “My light and my life.” OMG AUDRIC.

6. The sun guard – 7 women strong…YES. So much yes.

7. THANK GOD Eliana isn’t healing anymore. I was worried for a hot minute. (Cause like, that woulda been a half-angel baby and I would NOT have been okay with that.)

8. Not Navi 😭

9. If I were Rielle, I’d be pissed that Lu is always right and I’m always wrong. But that’s none of my business.

10. Rielle, you are making it SO hard to like you right now.

11. Eliana saying her dress is too fine and fussy is me whenever I need to dress up and/or be profesh.

13. Eliana threatening to not save Commander what’s-his-name’s sorry ass the next time danger comes is a MOOD.

14. “Coming from you, a paragon of manners and etiquette, that means almost nothing.” LOL Zahra I am living for this SASS.

15. OMG Rielle is like ELSA.

16. Rielle’s moods are honestly so relatable and now I know I could never be trusted to be a diplomat.

17. RIELLE, your Slytherin is getting too much into Draco territory and I DO NOT APPRECIATE IT.

18. WTF IS THIS PLOT TWIST. They were LYING to the angels THIS WHOLE TIME? Vengeance seems like the only option at this point.

19. So many Supernatural vibes! Zahra = Castiel, Angels hate humans for being “better”.

20. Also, why does it make me so happy that there are different worlds “beyond the fold” THE ANGELS NEED TO FIND THE HOME THEY DESERVE.

21. Rielle throwing a temper tantrum and throwing herself at the gate caused my eyes to roll so hard they almost got stuck.

22. ALSO HOW DARE YOU TRAP ATHERIA. YOU WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN.

23. If this gate isn’t like Ganon being trapped in the void by the mages idk what is.

24. I’m literally starting a Zelda Game. A mix between Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. I’m here for this. ZOMG.

25. Jodoc is out here spitting truth bombs about Rielle instead of coddling her and I RESPECT THIS.

26. Eliana lives without magic her whole life and automatically knows how to fix her issues. Rielle lives in a world with magic her whole life and NO ONE THINKS OF THIS SIMPLE IDEA?

27. Corien chapters!? Yaaas.

28. Corien in a random frozen land drinking and talking to himself is Jack sparrow in Davy Jones locker

29. “Now that I’ve known a life with you by my side, I’m not sure I could bear that kind of loneliness again.” UGH, I LOVE YOU SIMON.

30. Simon: Yes my queen. Anything to please you. ME:

31. “I need your passion, and you need something steady to come home to. An anchor, warm and sunlit.” THESE ARE THE DECLARATIONS OF LOVE I NEED IN MY LIFE.

32. “Every day I love her more deeply than I did the day before.” Omg Audric. You are giving Simon a run for his money.

33. Harkan chooses NOW to be a little b*tch?

34. I NEED MORE SIMON CHAPTERS

35. “We will be there, with our army if strays, and we will be at her side, and we will not let her fall.” #Navi2020

36. “We are the light against the darkness, and we must continue to burn brightly, so others may find their way out.”

37. I’m so pissed at Harkan. I knew I didn’t like him.

38. Eliana talking about leading her life the way she sees fit and not having a man chose for her is a MOOD.

39. 👏🏼Corien👏🏼 Is👏🏼Using👏🏼You👏🏼 🙄🙄🙄

40. Rielle’s so conceited and I cannot with her stupidity right now.

41. Oh, all of SLUDDEN Harkan wants Eliana to use her castings even though it’s HIS fault Corien found them.

42. Simon came for her! 😭

43. Corien is BURNING people and Rielle still helps him?!

44. OMFG NOT. REMY. HOW DARE YOU.

45. SH*T IS GETTING REAL. SIMON CAN TRAVEL AGAIN 😭

46. Rielle DOESN’T DESERVE ATHERIA!

47. Simon and Eliana sleeping underneath a tree is too precious.

48. “I’m tired of bearing the burden of you alone.” YOU GO TAL.

49. SIMON AND ELIANA FINALLY HAPPENED AND OMG I LOVE THEM.

50. Corien and Lu really need some therapy sessions.

51. WHAT IS EVEN REAL AT THIS POINT?

52. OMFG AUDRIC KNOOOOWWWS. Amen to Rielle GOING DOWN.

53. Okay, so Audric and Rielle DEF need therapy too.

54. “I don’t love you…I refuse to love you.” “I know. I don’t love you either.” OMFG CUTEST AND SADDEST THING I’VE EVER READ IN MY LIFE.

55. RIELLE WHY ARE YOU SO DUMB?!

56. Rielle is the Spongebob meme. Everyone: “Rielle, Corien is trying to break you.” Rielle: “CoRiEn Is TrYiNg To BrEaK mE.”

57. WHY DOESN’T ANYONE TELL RIELLE THAT SHE IS F*CKING UP.

58. Detective Devon ON THE JOB.

60. JESSAMYN IS THAT YOU? WHERE DID YOU GO? *We are so inappropriate sometimes, but at least we’re funny.

61. How is so much supposed to happen with 100ish pages left? I’M NOT PREPARED.

62. RIELLE AND ELIANA JUST MET AND I AM LIVING BACK TO THE FUTURE. OMG.

63. Eliana just f*ucked up the timeline and I’m so confused with life. WHAT IS GOING ON?

64. Corien is such a tantrum-throwing man child. I love it.

65. Why does no one care about someone coming from THE FUTURE? Why isn’t this a bigger deal? I’m concerned.

66. The wedding just happened and I want to die happy even though I know I’m not.

67. Corien just broke Audric and why does this hurt so much?

68. This masquerade is GOING TO HELL. I should have seen it coming.

69. NO. No, no, no, no, no, no.

70. SIMON?! Are you seriously doing this to me right now?!

71. WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON RIGHT NOW?

72. THE DAD?! WTF? It’s always the offing parents. No f*cking way.
73. I just finished and I’m raging. I’VE NEVER FELT SO BETRAYED.

74. You can’t just DO THAT, Claire. I refuse to believe this is happening right now.
75. Good day. Please send your favorite books to my funeral.

76. Honestly, this is worse than if Audric would have died at the end.

77. Days later…I’m still in denial. I don’t believe this is happening right now.

78. I need to just start this series again to collect all the clues.

79. Seriously…if you want to join the mind map club PLEASE TELL ME.

80. I will never be over this. I can’t believe I was duped. #Deceased

Talk To Me

Have you read Furyborn or Kingsbane? Did you love it? Hate it? Will you be adding it to your TBR pile?

Thoughts On…| 50-Something Thoughts I Had While Reading Furyborn

Hello, from the new Devon who survived Furyborn and is currently dying while reading Kingsbane. This series is one of my new fantasy favorites, and to be honest I didn’t think I would be able to write an actual review without fangirling for four full pages, raging for another ten, and then incoherently rambling for fifteen more about the crazy plots, writing style, and characters.

So, I decided to share my live reactions instead.  This way you can all experience the emotional rollercoaster ride that was my first experience with Furyborn. Check out the below for Trello notes, some live tweets, Goodreads updates and a handful of Discord posts between me and the squad (Kal – @Reader Voracious, Jess – @Fiction No Chaser, and Loretta – @Laughing Listener)! And special shoutout for Jess for getting me to drop everything I was reading for Furyborn. It was a good decision.

* Before you start, I want to call out that there are a FEW spoiler-ish things you might see, but as long as you’re past literally page 1 of Furyborn you should be good to go. If you want to go into this story blind, come back to this at a later time! THEN, we can fangirl and rage together. For everyone else…

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1. Okay so 0 to 100 in less than 1 page and I’m here for it.

2. The Wolf is hot AF and he hasn’t even taken his mask off yet or said more than, like, one full sentence. All he’s doing is fighting…

3. What’s with the sketch poem about Lu’s family?? I don’t like her. She is too perfect? I will find her evil ways!

4. Remy is the sassiest 12 year old and I love him.

5. This timeline is going to KILL. ME.

6. “I’m just going to keep rolling my eyes until you stop talking.” – BEST. LINE.

7. Simon saying little dread does something to me.

8. This Linnet story…I can’t.

9. OMG THESE TRIALS. Am I watching the Hunger Games remix of Aang (or more like Zuko) from Avatar competing in the Tri-Wizard Tournament? 🤔

10. How is this book making me feel so many things!?!?

11. Omg Rielle is going Magneto status and I love it.

12. #DetectiveDevon on duty.

13. I FREAKING KNEW IT.

14. What does it say about me that I know this is the villain but he is super hot and I love him?

15. ‘This war has claimed the lives and bodies of too many women.” FEMINISM FOR THE MASSES.

16. Everyone in this book is hardcore slytherin and I’m here for it.

17. Have I mentioned Simon? Adding him to my book boyfriend list ASAP.

18. Of course the 12 year old is the smartest person so far.

19. OMFG shit just got REAL up in here.

20. Yup, I ship Simon and Eliana. Move along everyone else.

21. Alright, Lu. You’ve proven yourself. I don’t hate you like I thought I should. You are a true homie.

22. “Kissing involves not just one person, but two. If there is blame to be placed, it isn’t only for you to bear.” YAS QUEEN CLAIRE

23. Omg baby Simon. I can’t. So cute. #Dead

24. I want to hate Corien but I also love him. *Starts Singing*: “…I wanna hate you, ’cause I still love you…”

25. Middle of the night woke up thinking: Rielle is like the Dark Phoenix rising. And if she’s Dark Phoenix, then Eliana is low key Wolverine in the making. I’m ready.

26. ARE YOU SERIOUS? Rule #1 NEVER SEPARATE.

27. I TOTALLY FREAKING CALLED THAT.

28. Baby Simon with Audric and magical beasts warms my heart. Omg. #Dead.

29. Alright, Audric I see you. Daddy vibes going on.

30. Zahra throwing shade at Simon and saying he can’t be trusted makes me question my feelings…but only a little.

31. 100% into Zahra and her ghostly angel vibes.

32. Ludivine out her becoming the next Cinna with her trial outfits.

33. THE FIRE TRIAL. NO. TAL. WHY??

34. Did Rielle really just unknowingly DO THAT? I’m pretty sure she did and I’m pissed at her.

35. NO. NO. NO. NO.

36.  Remy is the smartest of the crew and they need to listen to him more often. HE IS THE ONLY RAVENCLAW. LET HIM TELL YOU THINGS.

37. You’ve been lying to me this whole time, Lu?!?!

38. Simon cannot catch a break. Guy needs a drink.

39. “Be still, my wicked black heart.” – ERMAHGERD SIMON.

40. There are so many words and names in this story that I know I am 100% pronouncing incorrectly. I NEED HALP. (Luckily, Loretta is listening to the audiobook. YAY, teamwork.)

41. Reading Rielle’s plot line is like watching two cars driving towards each other knowing they are going to crash…but not being able to do anything about it.

42. NAVI PLEASE BE OKAY.

43. I really need to know Simon’s story. STAT.

44. Okay, so that’s how we’re ending things…Got it.

45. I immediately started to plan a trip to the bookstore to buy Kingsbane because WTF. You can’t just end it that way.

46-50something:

CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

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Have you read Furyborn? Did you love it? Hate it? Will you be adding it to your TBR pile?

TL; DR | May Speed Reviews

Hey, look – I actually remembered to post my monthly wrap up! 10 points for Gryffindor! I spent a lot of May reading NetGalley Arcs to bump up my review score and then the rest of the month binging my highly anticipated releases. It was definitely a good few weeks of books. (Yet, how I’m still 2 books behind on my 2019 reading goal, I cannot figure out.)

Sorcery of Thorns

By: Margaret Rogerson

Overall Rating: ★★★★

The Verdict

If you enjoyed Margaret Rogerson’s first novel, An Enchantment of Ravens, you will LOVE Sorcery of Thorns. There are magical books, evil (and not-so-evil) demons, sassy sorcerers, and a strong-willed heroine. The feminist themes, slow burn romances, and unlikely friendships will leave you bewitched and wanting more.

Aurora Rising

By: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ (ALL THE GOLD STARS)

The Verdict

When it comes to modern sci-fi stories, I didn’t think I would find anything that I loved as much as The Illuminae Files, but guess what? Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman knocked my socks off with Aurora Rising, and it’s my favorite read of the year so far. It’s sassy, humorous, fast-paced, full of amazing characters, and just 100% SPACE-TASTIC. If you love any of the following, you’re sure to love Aurora: The Breakfast Club, The Guardians of the Galaxy, Dramas/Soap Operas (BUT IN SPACE). Do yourself a favor and read this book as soon as humanly possible. And then recommend it to everyone you know!

The First Girl Child

By: Amy Harmon

Overall Rating: ★★★★

The Verdict

If you enjoy epics, Norse mythology, magic, and rich world building, you’ll definitely want to pick up The First Girl Child! Spanning 30ish years, the novel is centered around Dagmar & his nephew Bayr. Bayr’s mother is a woman scorned, and places a curse upon the land of Saylok. There won’t be any baby girls born to the men of Saylok and Bayr will be the land’s savior. There’s an evil king, a precious princess, and strong supporting characters you’ll love.

Finale (Caraval #3)

By: Stephanie Garber

Overall Rating: ★★★★

The Verdict

Ooookay, so Finale wasn’t the best series ending that I’ve ever read, but it was definitely a solid book. There were twists, turns, high-stakes gambles, love, hate, magic, gods, and even a Legend POV! While I’m still salty about that Legend reveal, I can say that I 110% love Jacks and he needs his own story ASAP. The world of Caraval is mystical, fun and you won’t ever want to leave. If you decide to start the series be sure you have all the book in hand, because you won’t want to stop reading!

Broken Throne (Red Queen #4.5)

By: Victoria Aveyar

Overall Rating: ★★★

The Verdict

In all honesty, I pretty much only read this for the Cal/Mare and Maven stories. The Barnes & Noble special edition has a family tree in the back and information on Cal and Maven, too, which I love. Did I find out that Cal’s favorite song is come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners? Yes. Does that make me love him even more and realize he is the f*ckboy of my dreams? 100% YES. Was this entire book worth the read? No, which is why I skipped through and read the bits and pieces I wanted. If you’re looking for some Red Queen in your life after finishing up War Storm, definitely pick this up. It’s fun, light, and you don’t have to read in order!

Furyborn

By: Claire Legrand

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

The Verdict

Excuse me while I go cry in a corner over this book. This feminist fantasy is filled with magic, time travel, multiple POVs, and some of the most intriguing characters I’ve ever met. It starts of with a bang and only gets more intense as it progresses. If you aren’t a fan of switching between character chapters or having multiple storylines happening at once, you may want to put this aside. But, I promise you if you give it a try you will fall in love. The main characters are broken, vulnerable and you won’t be able to stop yourself from rooting for their redemption. The second book in the series, Kingsbane, is out now. So, if you do decide to pick this up, know that you can keep continue the story as soon as you want!

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What did you think of my reads this month? Will you be adding any to your TBR? Have you read any of these already?

Review | The Phantom Forest

The Phantom Forest

By: Liz Kerin

Overall Rating: ★★★★

*Thank you Liz Kerin and Inkshares for providing an e-book for my honest opinion!

From Goodreads

Seycia’s father told her this story as a child — a story of the most holy place in the Underworld, The Forest of Laida, where all souls go to rest before embarking on a new life. But Seycia’s father is dead now, and his killer has put a target on her back.

After being chosen for her village’s human sacrifice ritual, Seycia is transported to the Underworld and must join forces with Haben, the demon to whom she was sacrificed, to protect the family she left behind from beyond the grave. In this story of love, survival, and what it means to be human, Seycia and Haben discover that the Underworld is riddled with secrets that can only be unlocked through complete trust and devotion, not only to their mission, but also to one another.

Theme Song

TL;DR:

The Phantom Forest has a bit of every good fantasy story weaved into it – Gods/Goddesses, a post-apocalyptic setting, evil overlords, premonitions of the future, and a brave heroine to tie everything together. The dark & haunting mood sets this story about the nature of humanity and what we’d do for love apart. I can’t wait for the sequel!

The Good

The Plot

Seycia believes that all souls are either good or evil, and that they all come from the Forest of Laida. Simeon believes Dohv, the ruler of the underworld, wants him to rule over his land with an iron fist, and sacrifices innocent youths to keep his power. Haben is a demon, cursed by and bound to Dohv. Miko is a 12 year old boy, destined for greatness. They all come together in a battle between good and evil, living and dead, and it does not disappoint.  If you love mythical lore, magical beings, and epic journeys, you’ll love this book!

*Don’t mind me, I’ll just be heavily researching Hades/Underworld lore for the next year.*

The Characters

I found myself forgetting that half the characters in this book are children. So many brutal, soul-crushing things happen and yet Miko, Minari, and Seycia all manage to pull through and revolt against their captors and torturers. They are stead-fast in their beliefs and still manage to make the mistakes you would expect of younger characters. I also love that there are multiple villainous characters to contend with. It keeps action coming from every angle. My only wish is that character growth and the relationships between them would have had more time to evolve and blossom. The relationship between Haben and Seycia seemed a bit rushed into, and it has so much potential!

The Writing

Liz Kerin’s writing is solid. Also, shoutout to the editor. I’m so glad I didn’t have to read through a mess of typos and grammatical errors! If you like dark, eerie moods and questions about humanity and what come after death, you’ll enjoy The Phantom Forest.

The Bad

I Need More (And I Have to Wait For Book 2)

I read an advanced e-copy of Phantom and I just want to know what happens! I needed the conclusion like yesterday.

The Ugly Truth

If you love stories of survival, haunting moods, and are in need of a new fantasy world to get hook on, grab The Phantom Forest when it debuts on July 16th!

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Will you be adding The Phantom Forest to your TBR list? How do you feel about the concept?

 

Review | Sorcery of Thorns Is Every Bookworm’s Fantasy

Sorcery of Thorns

By: Margaret Rogerson

Overall Rating: ★★★★

*Thank You Simon and Schuster

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Margaret Rogerson for providing an e-book for my honest opinion.

From Goodreads: All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

Theme Song

TL;DR:

If you enjoyed Margaret Rogerson’s first novel, An Enchantment of Ravens, you will LOVE Sorcery of Thorns. There are magical books, evil (and not-so-evil) demons, sassy sorcerers, and a strong-willed heroine. The feminist themes, slow burn romances, and unlikely friendships will leave you bewitched and wanting more.

The Good

The Plot

Let me repeat, there are. MAGICAL. LIVING. BOOKS. Readers, you should binge this book based on this alone. Who doesn’t want to read about a brave librarian facing off against an evil sorcerer? And who doesn’t dream of living in a magical library full of living, breathing books? There’s a dash of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Hogwarts Library vibes (think the restricted section times 100), hints of The Pagemaster, and a unique flare to piece it all together.

The World Building

For being a standalone novel, I was definitely impressed with how well the world of Austermeer was thought out. There’s so much magical knowledge to devour in this story and it left me wanting more. Fantasy lovers will be highly impressed with callouts to the Enochian language, the use of salt & iron, the creation of grimoires & maleficts, and even the summoning of demons.

The Characters

Every character in this story is amazing in their own way – yes, even all the grimoires! Elisabeth is a fearless, strong-willed bookworm who meets her enemies head on. Nathaniel Thorn is my new favorite sorcerer. He’s the perfect combination of salty and sweet and I lived for all his sarcasm. Silas is your favorite grumpy cat and will melt your heart. And Katrien will be the best friend you want in your life.

The Bad

It’s A Standalone

I didn’t want this story to end! The world was so well developed, the characters were amazing, and I didn’t want it to end. This isn’t technically “bad”, but if you know me then you know I’m a sucker for long-lived stories. I just want more of Nathaniel and Elisabeth!

The Ugly Truth

If you love magic and mystery, add Sorcery of Thorns to your June wishlist!

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How do you feel about sorcery and books about magic? Will you be adding this to your TBR list?