Tag: adult fantasy

Book Review: House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 805 pages
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: February 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

*FLAILS INCOHERENTLY*

Someone should have recorded me as I finished this book because the way I ran around my house flipping out was WILD.

BECAUSE THAT ENDING WAS EVERYTHING AND MORE.

Once again SJM has brought the house down with her captivating storytelling. I loved that there were even more points of view from this whole cast. I felt more connected to everyone and got a better feeling for their personal and group dynamics. I’m very much emotionally attached to them and the ships I want sailing and will not stand for anything less than HAPPY EVER AFTERS FOR ALL.

The plot thickens even more and my jaw hit the flow as things were unveiled. I love how the web is woven and die cast for all at play in the world. The combination of masteries it took to put this together blows my mind. Writing wise, it reads slower. Yet, it’s one of those novels that makes sense for the slowness. It’s heavily character driven and those stories need told.

I LOVE where many of these lines are heading and I will be impatiently awaiting the next book. I intentionally tried to keep this as vague as I could because people who spoil are the worst. Another SJM all the dang stars read for me!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: multiple (5+) open door
  • Violence: mild-strong blood/gore
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture, creature attacks, physical altercations, gun violence, loss of loved ones, slavery, imprisonment

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Burning God (The Poppy War #3) by R.F. Kuang

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 640 pages
Author: R.F. Kuang
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: November 17th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The exciting end to the Poppy War trilogy, R. F. Kuang’s acclaimed, award-winning epic fantasy that combines the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating, enthralling effect.

 After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead.

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation.

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?

ONE NOTE.

I know I’m the unpopular opinion here, buuuut I didn’t love this conclusion.

I really wanted more from Rin. I thought she spent too much of this book hell bent on revenge that the warm themes became very one note. It was travel here, destroy some of the villains, travel here, repeat. It’s very violent, which I was fine with, but wanted something more. I don’t think every book needs a romance. I do think (at least in this books case) it needed ONE soft thing. Something to see that Rin had another side to her (maybe that was the point? These are just my thoughts).

Anyways, it was fine. I listened to it on audio and that was a great medium for this series. I liked seeing Nezha and what he was up to and the twisted way this story played out. It’s very nuanced and intricate in regards to some aspects. This series is harsh in nature and an emotional read at times.

The ending let me down. There was one aspect to it that made me want to throw a book. The longer I sit on it, I can see the intention of the decision, but I still think things could have worked out a bit differently. And it didn’t feel like it actually ended either?? I don’t know. A huge mixed bag of thoughts for a series I was initially in love with.

Overall audience notes:

  • High fantasy
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: none
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: extreme depictions of blood/gore, rape, war themes, suicide, mass loss of life, magical and physical altercations, torture, executions, and more that I might have missed; please check into the content before reading!

Instagram || Goodreads

Book Review: Jade War (The Green Bone Saga #2) by Fonda Lee

GoodeyReads2 Comments

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 590 pages
Author: Fonda Lee
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: July 23rd, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In Jade War, the sequel to the World Fantasy Award-winning novel Jade City, the Kaul siblings battle rival clans for honor and control over an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis.

On the island of Kekon, the Kaul family is locked in a violent feud for control of the capital city and the supply of magical jade that endows trained Green Bone warriors with supernatural powers they alone have possessed for hundreds of years.

Beyond Kekon’s borders, war is brewing. Powerful foreign governments and mercenary criminal kingpins alike turn their eyes on the island nation. Jade, Kekon’s most prized resource, could make them rich – or give them the edge they’d need to topple their rivals.

Faced with threats on all sides, the Kaul family is forced to form new and dangerous alliances, confront enemies in the darkest streets and the tallest office towers, and put honor aside in order to do whatever it takes to ensure their own survival – and that of all the Green Bones of Kekon.

Jade War is the second book of the Green Bone Saga, an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade.

OOHHHHHHMYGOOOOOODNESS.

Wow. I’ve been saying it all week since I finished this one, don’t sleep on this series!!! It’s absolutely incredible. An Asian dark urban fantasy that will have you desperately wanting to be part of the No Peak clan, and begging to the universe they actually don’t know who you are.

I love all of these characters. I am attached and will harm others if they are harmed. Too bad the author is a kill whatever character I want type. Cue extreme anxiety and Pikachu face the entire time I’m reading hoping my loves aren’t taken out. THE STRESS Y’ALL. I almost lost it at the end because I LOOOVE that the writing keeps me wondering who’s going to make it out alive.

All of the political intrigue and family drama are on point. It doesn’t feel over run to the story and works for everyone involved. I liked getting location changes to other areas of the world and seeing how those are affecting Kekan. There’s just so much here!!! Too much to say. I am wrapped up in this series and anxious for the last one.

As a romance lover, I like the addition of the small passion filled storylines throughout. While some are heartbreaking (and I do mean my soul shattered) and others are a bit more healing, they only add to the larger plot. I love when all of the strings weave well within each chapter.

Overall audience notes:

  • Dark Urban Adult Fantasy
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses to brief open door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: abortion, loss of loved ones, explosions, brutal torture, gruesome violence and gore, homophobia, ableism

Instagram || Goodreads

Book Review: Foundryside (The Founders Trilogy #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Adult Fantasy
Length: 505 pages
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Publisher: Crown
Release Date: August 21st, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a city that runs on industrialized magic, a secret war will be fought to overwrite reality itself.

Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle.

But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic–the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience–have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.

Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.

To have a chance at surviving–and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way–Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined. 

A GOOD START.

Somehow this fantasy has slipped past my radar! I read it based off a friends recommendation and I overall, really enjoyed this one. Definitely interested in the sequel sometime!

Foundryside is a very plot heavy book. Action scenes take up a lot of pages, as well as magic system breakdown scenes. I liked the idea of the magic system, but honestly, am still a bit confused by it all. Somethings became clearer over time and others are still murky. It is unique though and it never felt like info-dumping during discussions.

I liked the multi-POV set-up too! I love a few narrators during a long fantasy book and this one held up. Getting to see multiple sides to the story from vastly different characters was exactly what this book needed. My only real complaint for this read was that there wasn’t enough characterization for me. While I loved the mixed points of view, I didn’t feel super connected to anyone. Honestly, I can’t even tell you what anyone looks like. I wanted to understand the characters better. Now, this did get better on that front towards the end, so maybe book two helps as well?

The world-building was fascinating (if, like the magic system, confusing). I hope that is also expounded on in book two. I thought by the end I was starting to figure out all of the terminology, yet I’m pretty sure I’m lost on some fronts. This kept my attention though. It’s a slower read style fantasy that takes its time, but packs in the action at the right times.

Overall audience notes:

  • Adult fantasy
  • Language: some mild
  • Romance: kiss
  • Violence: physical altercations, murder, magic, explosions
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: fatmisia, hate slurs, slavery, sexual assault, domestic abuse, PTSD, medical experimentation, gun violence, child trafficking

Instagram || Goodreads