Tag: fantasy books

Book Review: The Phoenix Priest (The Blood and Water Saga #2) by Cassidy Clarke

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 780 pages
Author: Cassidy Clarke
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 22nd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Elias Loch has nothing left to believe in.

After the loss of his battlemate, all he wants is to go home to Nyx and lose himself to grief. But when the Goddess of Death summons him to Artem, a kingdom of fire and steel, he finds himself plunged into a series of trials to earn him and his princely companion an audience with Artem’s Empress—trials that will force him to confront what it truly means to have faith in his goddess…and himself.

Finnick Atlas is playing a game against the gods, and he’s used up all his cheats.

Burdened by his new title and the two gods walking his halls, he needs to be at the top of his game to keep control over his kingdom. But with a maddening magic threatening to steal what’s left of his sanity, a goddess puppeting his little sister’s body for nefarious ends, and an arranged marriage with the Queen of Lapis looming on the horizon, he’s running out of sleeves to slip aces into. Luckily, a new friend from the Lapisian delegation may just be the key to winning all his games…if he can trick a worshipper of the Trickster Goddess.

Soren Nyx can’t seem to die.

Trapped inside her own body, she has only one goal left: to keep Anima, Goddess of Life, from seeing into her memories and finding her family’s weaknesses. But retreating into the depths of her own mind has unintended consequences, and with the help of an old friend, Soren must navigate the lost memories of her childhood as Soleil, all with one question in mind: will she finally give in to the death that’s been chasing her since girlhood, or will she rise again as someone new?

READ THIS SERIES.

I am so impressed by this series. 800 pages and I hardly notice. I love the writing. It’s captivating and keeps the pace moving. The characters are extremely easy to get attached to and I can’t believe some of the things that happened this round?! NOT OKAY.

I love how much depth we got from many characters. Specifically this time, Elias. He went through the ringer (and fire, literal fire) and now I can see just how strong of a character role he’s going to continue to play. And his bromance with Kallias? ADORE!!!!! We stan strong friendships. Moving towards Kallias, do I spy a romance? The slow burn is torturous, but oh so good.

MY SWEET BABY FINN. Easily my favorite character for this book. Wow his story took so many turns. I loved it. I love his morally gray, but fiercely protective self. My heart hurts for where his arc may lead. I need him comforted ASAP.

The plot moved beautifully. A mix of action and politicking. Sneaking out at night and creatures coming out of the woodwork. I loved the changes in scenery and all of the new characters that I got to meet. Everyone felt pertinent to the story and only added to how much I love reading these books.

ADD TO YOUR TBR ASAP PLEASE.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: med/high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture, physical altercations, creature attacks, near death experiences, poison, grief depiction

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Book Review: The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time #2) by Robert Jordan

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Rating: ☆☆☆1/2
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 600 pages
Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: November 15th, 1990
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

For centuries, gleemen have told the tales of The Great Hunt of the Horn. So many tales about each of th Hunters, and so many Hunters to tell of…Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages. And it is stolen.

LONG.

That’s what kept chanting in the back of my mind. This felt long. Almost, do I want to continue this story after? kinda long. Though I give it up to Jordan. By that ending I finally felt invested in the characters. And at long last, necessary pieces of the plot started clicking too.

I think that’s the downfall with long series sometimes. You have to give them grace to lay out the details, but also hope to be captivated by each installment. The hunt for the horn left me following a traveling trope (one of my least favorites) wishing for something more.

The entire cast is growing on me. I liked getting to know them better and seeing more solid story line foundations building for everyone. I’m curious to see how this series keeps expanding.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: some flirting
  • Violence: physical and magical altercations, some blood/gore depiction, loss of loved ones

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Book Review: The High King’s Tomb (Green Rider #3) by Kristen Britain

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: High Fantasy
Length: 680 pages
Author: Kristen Britain
Publisher: DAW
Release Date: November 1st, 2007
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

For Karigan G’ladheon, the call of magic in her blood is too strong to resist. Karigan returns to the Green Riders, the magical messengers of the king, to find she’s badly needed. Rider magic has become unstable, many Riders have been lost, and the Rider corps is seriously threatened. The timing couldn’t be worse. An ancient evil, long dormant, has reawakened, and the world is in peril. Karigan must face deadly danger and complex magic to save the kingdom from certain doom.

BEST [YET].

Didn’t realize that this would almost bring me to tears by the end. OH STAR CROSSED LOVERS. Such a tensely filled trope.

I love Karigan! She is strong and incredibly in tune with things around her. I like how she takes on danger and takes down opponents. But also, that Karigan is filled with flaws and is continually practicing at things she struggles with. I love a nuanced character you truly want to cheer for.

The romance is definitely not at the forefront of this story, but we all know I love a good dash and this is no exception. Karigan and Spoiler might run me absolutely ragged by the end of this series. WE’LL SEE.

Once again the audio book is amazing. I feel attached to many of the characters and love the every changing points-of-view that provide different angles to this very large plot. Some questions were answered and more were added. A new favorite for this series for me and I can’t wait to read the next book!

Overall audience notes:

  • High fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Violence: physical and magical altercations; blood depiction
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture, loss of loved ones, war themes

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Book Review: Red Rising (Red Rising #1) by Pierce Brown

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Length: 382 pages
Author: Pierce Brown
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: January 28th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society’s ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies… even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.

AS ALWAYS, GOOD.

This is a reread review! I never reviewed it formally when I first read it in 2016 so what better time to write one now?

I LOVE this series. Especially the first three books. I surprised myself with how much I remembered about Red Rising and it goes to show how incredible Pierce Brown is at crafting a story that left such an impression that it is still memorable years later.

Darrow’s rise to the top contains such character depth that I can’t get enough. Anything to do with character growth is automatically a win in my book and I loved seeing his progression. Sevro is FOREVER AND EVER one of my top side characters ever and it was great seeing him at his wild beginnings.

I do remember wishing there was a touch more romance. I adore Mustang and her fierce yet kind nature. She makes the hard choices, but actually holds onto some humanity in doing so.

The villains are making themselves known and I am here for it. These are some of the most wicked and deep antagonists I’ve come across. I love the academy setting and how it really builds the rest of the series.

Can’t wait to continue this reread!

Overall audience notes:

  • Sci-Fi / Fantasy
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: very high and graphic
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of rape and sexual assault, murder, physical altercations, executions, loss of a spouse, near death experiences, weapons altercations

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