I thought it would be fun to see ALL the five stars I’ve read this year together! These are all of the reads I gave true five stars too. Make sure they’re on your TBR!
Yes, Fourth Wing and Divine Rivals are on here twice because I did read them two separate times this year.
Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 464 pages
Author: Amelie Wen Zhao
Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: January 2nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
The epic sequel to the book Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, is a fast-paced, riveting YA fantasy inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.
Years ago, the Elantian colonizers invaded Lan’s homeland and killed her mother in their search to uncover the Last Kingdom’s greatest the location of its legendary four Demon Gods. Lan’s mother devoted her life to destroying the Demon Gods, and Lan is determined to finish her mission. Yet, there are others searching for the gods, too.
Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he’s willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom–and the girl–he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it–in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago.
The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.
Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS.
I am once again facing a disappointing finale/sequel and I am a bit touchy about that fact. This ending did not work for me, nor do I think it’s great for the young adult category. It’s a bit iffy on multiple fronts and I’m salty.
I can see the love of story telling and mythology and folklore all woven in. There’s some pretty prose and writing and everything does have that magical feel to it, like you really are reading a fairytale. The audiobook is SO GOOD. If you’re going to attempt this one (because I need to discuss) then that’s the way to go.
The world building and magic system still felt convoluted to me. I did get kind of mixed up on who’s side I was supposed to be rooting for and why things were happening and why the magic system was doing it’s thing. I don’t know. This wasn’t all I hoped for. Beautiful cover though.
Overall audience notes:
Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Allison Saft
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 2nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.
Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.
But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.
Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC.
I’LL CALL IT ENCHANTING.
The first half of this one took me a bit to grasp. For a standalone fantasy I thought some of the world building wasn’t as complete as I was hoping for and I didn’t quite follow everything that was happening.
What I did love from the beginning (and throughout) was the fashion content. I loved all of Niamh’s magical sewing and seeing how she wove her thoughts and feelings into real life pieces. And I did like Niamh and Kit as the main characters. The second half really showed off their chemistry and I do admit to being smitten with them by the end. I will also mention, this is NOT young adult in regards to romantic content (though writing style wise it does feel younger YA?).
I did like how most of the story was wrapped up by the end. And I really enjoyed the soft moments between Kit and Niamh. This absolutely has Bridgerton vibes with the drama and scandal and a few other things in between. Combining this was the fantasy world was fun and ultimately I did like this book a lot.
Overall audience notes:
Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 498 pages
Author: Jacquelyn Benson
Publisher: Vaughn Woods Publishing
Release Date: February 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
London, 1914. Lily’s visions could stop a killer… if she’ll trust a reclusive aristocrat with her darkest secret.
A monster stalks the gaslit streets of Edwardian London, draining the blood of the city’s mediums. Lily Albright knows who’s next.
Lily is plagued by visions of the future she can never change. When a mysterious fiend threatens someone she loves, she’s determined this time will be different.
But she can’t do it alone. To save a life, Lily must reveal her darkest secrets to someone she has little reason to trust—the reclusive Lord Strangford, a man haunted by his own unusual powers.
From the glittering galleries of Bond Street to the rookeries of Southwark, Lily and Strangford plunge into a dark conspiracy that lies at the heart of England’s rising eugenics movement. To thwart it, Lily must face a past rife with betrayal—and embrace the power she has spent her entire life trying to escape.
TOO LONG.
I found a lot of this really interesting and somewhat in the veins of Stalking Jack the Ripper. I am coming to realize I really enjoy historical fantasy books. I like the old world vibes with a bit of magic thrown in.
I enjoyed both Lily and Strangford as our main duo. It’s very much a slow burn romance between them as they both learn to release some of their long held secrets and hurts to each other. I was looking for a bit more romantic build up/interactions with them, but as I see this is a series I think there’s plenty of room to continue the romance.
This book is easily 100+ pages too long. Even listening as an audiobook (at 3x speed) I noticed that things weren’t happening. When the action scenes came up, they were good. When soft moments came up, also good. It was some of the in-between that felt dragged out along the plot lines.
I do have plans to read the next book because I’m curious if it upticks from here. It’s got a concept I like seeing and good themes too.
Overall audience notes:
GoodeyReads 