Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Darkness Before Them sounThank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Darkness Before Them sounded like an amazing book following a thief in a kingdom ruled by an immortal king and a magical mist consuming the land. It has a unique magic system and rich world building.
Unfortunately this was not for me and I am gonna have to DNF at 15% of the way through. I am struggling to get into the world and finding this to be much too slow for me. Nothing is really keeping my attention and because of that I am unable to read this for very long before I find myself getting bored. From what I’ve read I don’t think this is a bad book, just not for me. I will say I found myself very confused with all of the world building, but that is possibly from my attention wandering while reading and missing details of the world.
I’m sad I wasn’t able to get into this because it sounded so good. I might end up giving this one another try in a couple years, but right now I just can’t do it....more
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts is aThank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Warm Hands of Ghosts is a magical realism novel set during WWI that combines the horrifying history of that time with a beautiful story full of love. This book dealt a lot with the impact and trauma of war and was at times very dark. It was hard to read at times and was not always fun to see the heartbreaking effects of war. Although the true heart of this book was definitely the characters. I loved both Freddie and Laura and their stories were both perfect ways to see the war through their own eyes. Through them I was able to see hope in such an awful time in history. I can see this book becoming a classic and even read in high school English classes as there is a lot of symbolism and deeper meanings.
I tend to read stories filled with lots of adventure and fantasy, and while this does have a bit of magic it was not like what I normally read. But I didn’t hate it! It kept me engaged and curious throughout. I would recommend this and will definitely be buying myself a physical copy of the book once it comes out....more
This is a hard book for me to rate. It is unlike anything I've read before. At times I really didn’t enjoy it and almost dnfed it on multiple occasionThis is a hard book for me to rate. It is unlike anything I've read before. At times I really didn’t enjoy it and almost dnfed it on multiple occasions. It is vulgar and gritty which is not necessarily what I enjoy in books. Also at times the world building felt overly complicated and clunky. I did think the end was crazy and the twists were good… I just think that it wasn’t enough for me to actually like the book in the end. I can see why other people love it and the ending is interesting and unique, but this was just not for me unfortunately.
Note: I received the arc for this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways...more
The beginning was a little slow but the ending was incredible. I ended up reading the second half of the book in less than a day and couldn't put it dThe beginning was a little slow but the ending was incredible. I ended up reading the second half of the book in less than a day and couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next book in the series!...more
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the Regency Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the Regency Faerie Tale books by Olivia Atwater so when I found out she would be returning to the world I was very excited. The Witchwood Knot is a gothic Victorian fantasy story that takes a more mysterious and darker tone than the previous works. For me this was even better than the original Regency Faerie Tales, I do recommend reading them first though as there are a lot of references throughout.
The Witchwood Knot follows Winifred “Winnie” Hall who is a new governess in Witchwood Manor which is filled with danger and secrets that she is trying to unravel. I loved Winnie as the main character! In the Regency Faerie Tales it always seemed like the main characters were unfailingly good, whereas Winnie’s morals were more complex and she dabbled with some darker magic. This was refreshing and made me feel that Winnie was more dimensional as a character.
I’ve seen this book being described as a romance, but the romance is much more of a subplot that picks up more towards the end. I didn’t mind that there wasn’t a lot of romance though and liked that it focused on more of the mystery.
I would definitely recommend The Witchwood Knot to anyone looking for a good, cozy gothic book that expands upon the Regency Faerie Tales world. I am very excited to see the continuation of this new series as well and will definitely be reading the next book when it comes out!...more
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gilded Crown is an adult Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gilded Crown is an adult debut about a girl who can raise the dead and ends up working as a resurrectionist for the princess and has to navigate a scheming court while dealing with her growing feelings for the princess, as well as a . While the idea of this novel was super interesting, something just didn’t work for me. I found myself struggling to finish this and just overall not as interested in the story as I had hoped. The main reason I had such a hard time getting through this book was the slow pacing. Not a lot actually happened in this book and the plot just kept repeating itself. Despite this being an adult book it read much more YA in my opinion and I wish I had gone into it thinking it was YA instead as my expectations were higher, and if I had thought it was YA I might have enjoyed it a bit more.
Another big reason why this didn’t work for me were the characters… I didn’t really like any of them and found the romance to be forced. I didn’t think the princess was likable at all and was confused as to why the main character was falling for her. As for the main character I found her choices to be too trusting which really annoyed me. I am a sucker for animal companions though and I adored that she had a raven she could talk to.
In the end this book was not for me and I won’t be continuing with the series any farther. As it is a debut I might still be interested in reading something from this author in the future....more
I think I can officially say that cozy fantasy is not for me. I think the idea of a magical zoo could be a fun idea, but I was not feeling this book. I think I can officially say that cozy fantasy is not for me. I think the idea of a magical zoo could be a fun idea, but I was not feeling this book. I wish this hadn’t been urban fantasy and was kind of surprised when it was the modern world mixed with fantasy elements, I don’t know why I assumed it would be set in its own fantasy medieval type world.
I also wasn’t a fan of the main character and wasn’t a fan of the way she seemed very judgemental and at times rude to others. I also didn’t love the audiobook narrators' happy and peppy tone throughout. The main character is supposed to have anxiety and I felt the voice didn’t match for moments when she was struggling with her mental health.
If you like cozy fantasies you might enjoy this more than I did, but I don’t think I can recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an audio arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own....more
This book was not what I expected... I thought it would be a bit more of a horror, but to me I'd classify it as a mystery more. It definitely gave me This book was not what I expected... I thought it would be a bit more of a horror, but to me I'd classify it as a mystery more. It definitely gave me labyrinth vibes with her having to go save her brother, but that's where it ends. There is some fantasy in the book, but nothing like the strange creatures of labyrinth. Unfortunately I guessed the twist way too early and felt it was a bit obvious... Not sure if that was because I guessed it as early as I did. I loved the found family aspect of this book and was not expecting that from this book, but it ended up being my favorite part. The community felt so accepting and loving, putting it side by side with the town was so smart and lets you see just how different they are. This book definitely dealt with some hard topics, but did it in a way that at times felt very healing. In the end I liked this book despite it not being quite what I expected....more
This was not what I was expecting, but I still very much enjoyed it. This was much slower than I anticipated and focused more on the politics at play This was not what I was expecting, but I still very much enjoyed it. This was much slower than I anticipated and focused more on the politics at play rather than a fast paced adventure. Although toward the end it definitely picked up a lot. There was a lot of world building happening and back story being told throughout and it was definitely setting up for the rest of the story and the sequel (which I will for sure be picking up after that ending). I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a political focused fantasy story with a side of slow burn romance.
Note: I received the e-arc for this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways...more
Sword Catcher is a great start to a series with lots of court politics, interesting character relationships, and just a bit of magic. There is a lot oSword Catcher is a great start to a series with lots of court politics, interesting character relationships, and just a bit of magic. There is a lot of world building going on and getting introductions to all the characters, and it felt like a lot of set up for the rest of the series but I didn't mind. While this was slower paced and long I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to continuing the series. I'm hoping to get a bit more fantasy elements in the sequel though....more
This was so cozy and gave me all the cottagecore vibes. The aesthetics were lovely and reminded me of Howl's Moving Castle. I would've been obsessed wThis was so cozy and gave me all the cottagecore vibes. The aesthetics were lovely and reminded me of Howl's Moving Castle. I would've been obsessed with this book if I had read it when I was younger. This definitely reads on the younger side of YA though and I would recommend this for someone in middle school. It was cute but in the end just a bit too simple for my tastes now....more
This was a unique and cozy read! With most cozy fantasy books I find myself wishing for more plot but I thought this did a good job of keeping me enteThis was a unique and cozy read! With most cozy fantasy books I find myself wishing for more plot but I thought this did a good job of keeping me entertained. I also found the entire idea of reading a research journal to be very interesting. I think this was a good palette cleanser and I'm not in any rush to read the next book but will pick it up when I need something cozy and quick....more
If you liked the tv show lost then this is the book for you... and just like lost the end was super rushed. I did enjoy this though and just wish the If you liked the tv show lost then this is the book for you... and just like lost the end was super rushed. I did enjoy this though and just wish the end had been a bit drawn out....more
Wow... this was incredible. I don't have the words to explain how much I loved this and now I need the next book and don't know how I'll be able to waWow... this was incredible. I don't have the words to explain how much I loved this and now I need the next book and don't know how I'll be able to wait for it. Definitely a new favorite and cannot wait to see where the story goes....more
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Fate Inked in Blood is a haThank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Fate Inked in Blood is a hard book for me to rate because there are parts that I absolutely loved and parts that just weren’t my thing.
I loved the world filled with Norse mythology and Viking culture. The Viking inspired world was exciting to read about and is filled with adventure that never leaves you bored. It had truly amazing action and battle scenes. This was fast paced and never dull. Also the Norse mythology was done so well! I don’t know a ton about Norse mythology but that wasn’t a problem at all. I think I've found a new love of Norse mythology after reading this and want to pick up other books featuring it.
What I wasn’t a huge fan of was the romance and I sort of suspected that it wouldn’t be for me before starting. I think others will love the romance and that my thoughts on it were just a personal preference more than anything. This book gets pretty heavy on the romance in the second half and that definitely affected my enjoyment in the later half. That being said, I will most likely still read the next book.
I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a Norse inspired romantasy and am excited to see where the story goes!...more
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Pomegranate Gate is the first booThank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Pomegranate Gate is the first book in a Jewish fantasy series. This is a good start to the series and is filled with excellent characters and a stunning world. It is perfect for fans of The Winternight trilogy and The Daevabad trilogy, with court politics and rich folklore. There is a historical fantasy feel to the story that I think readers will love. While too much focus on history is not always my favorite, this book has enough whimsical world building to counteract that. I will say it definitely starts slow and can take a bit of time to fully get into, but by the end it is filled with action and moves along much faster.
I think my favorite thing about The Pomegranate Gate though were the characters though. Naftaly and Toba were such interesting characters to follow. The side characters are all incredibly unique as well, and I loved the found family aspect.
I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series once it comes out and I am very eager to continue the story and see what comes next!...more
I really enjoyed The Drowning Empire Trilogy by Andrea Stewart and was excited to read The Gods Below, the first book in her next trilogy. This book eI really enjoyed The Drowning Empire Trilogy by Andrea Stewart and was excited to read The Gods Below, the first book in her next trilogy. This book exceeded my expectations and left me wanting more. I am now eagerly awaiting the next book and am dying to see how the story unfolds.
The world building in The Gods Below was so unique and I loved figuring out how everything worked. This was truly some of the best world building I have seen in awhile that was just so imaginative and refreshing. I was obsessed with it and had such a fun time in the world.
The Gods Below is a multiple POV story with lots of characters whose lives all weave together. I enjoyed all of the POVs and was never not invested in all of them which is a rare thing to pull off. The pacing was great and I always felt engaged in the story.
I 100% recommend this book and I can not wait to continue this series!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own....more
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Dark and Drowning Tide is fThank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Dark and Drowning Tide is filled with magical world-building, intriguing characters, and a beautiful romance that enchanted me fully. The world was filled with stunning folklore and creatures full of whimsy. It was such a dreamy background for this story to take place in, and I couldn’t help but be drawn in with the poetic imagery Saft created.
This book expertly sets this fairy tale setting against a gothic murder mystery that is absolutely captivating, and the characters truly brought this all together. They were well thought out and everyone seemed to have a motive, which was perfect to keep me guessing. The main character, Lorelei, has unlikeable characteristics and towards the beginning seemed cold and a bit ruthless but by the end I found myself endeared to her strength and forwardness. She goes through a lot and you see her trying to force her way into belonging in a world that is constantly unkind to her. I loved getting to know Lorelei and she made me realize I was maybe too quick to judge.
I loved A Dark and Drowning Tide and think it is perfect for anyone looking to be swept away into a spellbinding adventure. I would definitely recommend this book!...more
