Tag: dystopian

Book Review: The Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl #4) by Matt Dinniman

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Dystopian Sci-FI/LitRPG
Length: 590 pages
Author: Matt Dinniman
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: March 11th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

New Achievement! Total, Utter Failure.

You failed a quest less than five minutes after you received it. Now that’s talent.

A floating fortress occupied by warrior gnomes. A castle made of sand. A derelict submarine guarded by malfunctioning machines. A haunted crypt surrounded by lethal traps.

It was supposed to be easy. One bubble. Four castles. Fifteen days. Capture each one, and the stairwell is unlocked.

Here’s the thing. It’s never easy. Carl and his team can’t go it alone. Not this time. They must rely on the help of the low-level, I-can’t-believe-these-idiots-are-still-alive crawlers trapped in the bubble with them. But can they be trusted?

Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the fifth floor of the dungeon.

CURRENT FAV.

I think (after the first book) this is my current favorite of the series. There was something ultra magnetic about the story telling and maybe it’s just because I’ve gotten a few levels down in the dungeon and I’m more attached to all of the things happening. I felt like I had a better grasp of the characters and their personalities and I loved that I got some background on Carl too.

It’s another wild adventure of too many hard decisions, explosions, and trying to find the next path forward. I feel like a lot of the plot points were heightened and made me 100% invested in continuing the series (of which I was going to anyways, but the encouragement helps!).

I still highly recommend going the audiobook route for this series. I do think I would have less enjoyment eyeball reading because it’s not my typical genre and I can get bogged down in keeping up that way. The production is great.

Overall audience notes:

  • LitRPG / Dystopian Sci-Fi
  • Language: moderate+
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: high

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ARC Book Review: Storm Breaker (Storm Breaker #1) by Nisha J. Tuli

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: NA Dystopian Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Nisha J. Tuli
Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books
Release Date: May 5th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the publisher who brought you Fourth Wing comes your next romantasy obsession…

For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.

But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.

When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.

A gripping dystopian romance filled with forbidden power, ruthless challenges, and a heroine who refuses to burn quietly―perfect for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted ARC.

IT WAS ALRIGHT.

I wasn’t initially planning to read this but when a book shows up on your doorstep you take a chance! I did like this more than Trial of the Sun Queen. But overall my vibe here was…predictable. From the first few chapters I could map the whole book and I wish it had brought something more to the story to overlook that fact.

I didn’t mind the FMC, Poet. She goes through a coming of age that works for the story. I think her arc had a good start and I that will only grow in the sequel.

The romance was fine. I would have a few more quiet moments. I think some of the pacing or scene line ups didn’t flow well and that’s my hold up. Even though I knew where it was going I still liked the ending because it led to an opening I wanted to see.

This book luckily didn’t become a hate read, it was just missing that element that feels engaging and like I HAVE to keep reading to know what happens next. I’m at least interested to hear about the next book.

Note, I don’t consider this YA, more NA.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Dystopian Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 1-2ish low explicit open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: loss of life, weapons violence, assault, near death experiences

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ALC Book Review: Red City (The New Alchemists #1) by Marie Lu

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy
Length: 418 pages
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 14th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city—and the paths of their lives—will be irrevocably transformed.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

OH THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I was obsessed with this one from the first chapter y’all. It hit so incredibly well from the opening pages (I will also note the audiobook was incredible too). It gave me vibes from Jade City + Blood Over Bright Haven + Babel. And as someone who’s not an urban fantasy fan, this is the exception to the rule tenfold. YOU MUST READ IT. Easily my new favorite book from Marie Lu (and I’ve read them all).

This was convoluted and hard hitting and felt like the beginning of an epic saga. I loved the star-crossed lovers vibes BUT I will say this is not a ROMANCE in the usual sense. It does play a strong role in combination with many other factors and added the perfect dash to make me love this book even more.

I loved the dark nature of these competing companies and how sand is woven into the magic system. The alchemy idea is so cool (and frightening) and I thought it was awesome. I loved the morally grayness of everyone involved and the intricate layers of each character. I could not get enough of this book and I MUST have book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3ish open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: murder, loss of life, explicit torture, kidnapping, abusive relationship

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Book Review: Calamity (Reckoners #3) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Dystopian / Sci-fi
Length: 424 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: February 16th, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when the Reckoners’ leader struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back. . . .

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

GOOD ENDING.

Only Sanderson could convince me to read a dystopian novel. And I’m glad I finished up this series. It was a pretty solid read, great for a younger audience, and were fast paced.

As usual there were some wild twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I liked the set-up of this final showdown and between the Reckoners and Epics. A few of the lasting surprises all clicked into place as they usually do when reading a Sanderson novel.

I liked the exploration of parallel versions of their world. Since it had been built up, it didn’t feel like a cop out to the original plot, but rather the final missing puzzle piece to solve the mystery of Calamity.

David is a favorite character of mine and I love his utter inability to make a simile, and his unfailing faith in something good. He was the perfectly flawed guy to lead the Reckoners to finish the job. I always enjoyed this world with all of the different powers and seeing the evolution of cities and society. Kind of trippy, but intriguing.

Another Sanderson series complete!

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult dystopia/sci-fi
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: physical altercations, magical powers, gun violence

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