Tag: amie kaufman

Book Review: The Heart of the World (The Isles of the Gods #2) by Amie Kaufman

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 406 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to THE ISLES OF THE GODS, which Stephanie Garber called “deliciously diabolical and full of heart.”

Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

IT WRAPPED UP WELL.

First of all I am absolutely obsessed with the audio productions of these books. I loved that this had a full cast and that each POV had a different narrator. Audiobooks are a MUST for this duology. Highly recommend.

I do think some of the general plot got lost in the shuffle of so many POV’s > length of the book. Trying to build so many characters and relationships while also putting together this big arc with returning gods and such worked for the most part, but also left me wanting something more.

The characters though? I loved them all. I loved that the villain’s POV was included too. I do tend to love character driven stories and I appreciated seeing where each character was coming from and how the romantic sub-plots were woven throughout. There’s some good action and a bit of politicking, found family and a conclusion that wrapped up the story well. I can’t wait for more Kaufman books!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: moderate

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ALC Book Review: The Isles of the Gods (The Isles of the Gods #1) by Amie Kaufman

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 464 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: May 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When Selly’s father leaves her high and dry in the port of Kirkpool, she has no intention of riding out the winter on land while he sails to adventure in the north seas. But any plans to follow him are dashed when a handsome stranger with tell-tale magician’s marks on his arm boards her ship, presenting her and the crew with a dangerous mission: to cross the Crescent Sea without detection so he can complete a ritual on the sacred Isles of the Gods. What starts as a leisure cruise will lead to acts of treason and sheer terror on the high seas, bringing two countries to the brink of war, two strangers closer than they ever thought possible and stirring two dangerous gods from centuries of slumber…

Magic, romance, and slumbering gods clash in the start of a riveting fantasy series that spans gangsters’ dens, forgotten temples, and the high seas from the New York Times bestselling author of the Aurora Cycle.

Thank you PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook.

GREAT STARTER.

I just really enjoyed this book. I don’t have any complaints. I loved the full cast audiobook. I thought it was a fantastic starter to a series I am very much invested in now with characters that I love.

It’s a really interesting world building idea. It kind of has some historical vibes, but is very much fantasy too. I have been in love with this combination forever so this was great. Got a big multi-POV cast with FIVE characters and I love it all. I especially loved getting the antagonists point of view. Oh my gosh it was INTENSE and was something I didn’t know I needed.

The romance in here is just starting and is a perfect combination of sweet and banter filled. I love it (and am purposely keeping specific names out to not spoil anything). I love that each point of view is unique and that they each have their own story line too. I feel emotionally attached to everyone.

Plot wise it took a few chapters to understand the basic world and concepts and why the giant sea adventure was occurring. But it’s nothing that doesn’t make sense with time and is clearly setting up for the larger series.

Can’t wait for more!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: executions, loss of life, near death experiences, gun violence, physical altercations

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Book Review: This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 394 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: December 23rd, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet’s rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn’s blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

FASCINATING STORY.

The plot for this entire series continually keeps me on my toes. It’s really interesting and I like that it has a different vibe from sci-fi books I’ve read before. I’m not quite sure what all of the “whispers” and such will lead too, but I look forward to reading about them in the last book.

I did enjoy the romance for this one! Maybe more than the first? It’s another good enemies to lovers with plenty of outside plot that encourages the action and drama. There was a much better flow for them and even with a quick pace, it worked.

This book did a pretty good job with pacing. Sometimes it felt off, but it didn’t distract me too much. I do enjoy this writing style and how each book interacts with the next. It’ll be fun to see how everything comes together for the last book!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: gun violence, physical altercations
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: hallucinations, loss of loved ones, murder

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Book Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 390 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: December 10th, 2013
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

IT WAS A BLAST.

Laughing at my own pun if you’ve read this book.

ANYWAYS.

Uh first and foremost, this is a standalone series. I was not aware as I don’t read synopses very often. If you also do this, here’s your heads up now. It didn’t really take away from my reading, I was just surprised whenever I looked up the next book and noticed a new couple on the cover. Apparently they all interconnect which is nice.

I really liked this forbidden romance! It was very fast paced and the audio was perfectly accomplished. I read through it quickly wanting to know what was going to happen next and if anyone was going to rescue Lilac and Tarver. The pacing of the romance was pretty spot on too. For an initial standalone I liked the slow burn nature as they started to truly rely on one another to survive a new planet.

There’s a lot of interesting nuggets about the world building and other species present in space. Things definitely tripped me out at times and I was rather shocked with how some of the last moments occurred. The authors kept this action packed and even with a bit of a slow middle I was all for this adventure in space.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: space ship crashes, major loss of life, explosions, loss of loved ones

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