Tag: mythology

Book Review: Fallen Gods (Fallen Gods #1) by Rachel Van Dyken

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 512 pages
Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Publisher: Bramble
Release Date: December 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The legends of the past are never truly dead and buried . . .

Liv Olson has been drawn to Norse Mythology her entire life. After earning her degree and working as a curator at one of New York’s most prestigious museums, she gets an unexpected offer for her dream job in Norway – the same place her brother disappeared months ago – after a cryptic message about finding their long-lost father.

She finds herself surrounded by superstitious townspeople who refuse to even look at the water. Liv soon realizes that the small town of Vonn is nothing like it seems. Shops close before dark, and things she’s only read about seem to suddenly exist. To top it off , her new boss, Tristan, is insultingly mean and engagingly beautiful – and, as part of the job, she must live with him in his mansion.

As her life quickly unravels into chaos, she’s left wondering who’s pulling the strings in this mysterious place where nothing makes sense, yet everything feels familiar.

Her studies have always told her the gods are who you trust. But what happens when the man who’s destined to kill you – is your savior?

Rachel Van Dyken’s Fallen Gods duology is a steamy, dramatic myth retelling.

Thank you Red Tower Books for the gifted ARC and LibroFM for the audiobook.

YEAH I’LL READ THE SEQUEL.

While initially not on my radar, I’m pleasantly surprised and will be happy to get my hands on the sequel. I haven’t read a book with Greek mythology recently. There were some unique dynamics to the basis of the story I liked and the school setting worked well.

I loved the audiobook and would easily recommend that format too.

The characters and found family worked well. I do think the dialogue and stylistic choices came across more young adult than adult (but maybe this is more new adult? still though). Which bugged me constantly. I couldn’t quite find the vibe.

And calling this enemies feels really loose with the term too. A longer slow burn would have really sold them. I did think there were some good moments between them and I appreciate that it’s not spice focused.

The ending was wild and a big cliffhanger, my favorite.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3ish open; low/vague explicit
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: Hearts That Cut (Threads That Bind #2) by Kika Hatzopoulou

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Author: Kika Hatzopoulou
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this heart-pounding, much-anticipated sequel to Threads That Bind , Io will face threats even more dangerous and players even more powerful as she discovers what it will mean to follow—or defy—her fate.

It’s been five weeks since Io left Alante to follow the golden thread, and she’s no closer to finding the god on the other end. She spends her days in constant, grueling travel and her nights worrying over the fate-thread she shares with Edei—which seems to be fraying. Making matters worse, she and Bianca soon realize that their only lead has shaken them off, snapped the golden thread, and disappeared.

But not before Io gathers some crucial clues. Her investigation leads her to a new mystery, a rash of sibling disappearances across the Wastelands that seems to be connected to the murders in Alante. And all signs point to Nanzy, the golden city, as the center of the whole conspiracy.

As Io and Bianca make their way to Nanzy, they make powerful enemies, find allies new and old, and uncover a horrifying plot that traces back centuries. The more Io learns, the more she begins to suspect that the future of the world may truly rest on her shoulders. But she will have to determine how much of the future is her choice—and how much is simply her fate.

I WAS BORED.

But honestly, this really went off the rails for me. I liked book one quite a bit and I’ve been excited to read the sequel but not one thing is truly standing out for me from reading this.

It felt like Io venturing around running into different gods, asking questions and then getting captured. Rinse and repeat. And the romance disappeared. It took Edei about half the book to even show up and the fate thread between them had lost its luster for me.

There were so many plot things happening that the character development was lost in the shuffle. I thought most of them seemed one dimensional and nothing standout.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate; some blood/gore

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Book Review: The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone #2) by Alexandra Bracken

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 496 pages
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 30th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death’s plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.

Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror’s strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.

Thank you GetUnderlined for the gifted copy.

THE SECOND HALF WAS BETTER.

The first half of this book was really drawn out. I know it was building to the conclusion, yet I felt like most of it didn’t go anywhere. And this isn’t a romance book, which isn’t a bad thing, but I thought it would play a bigger part and it didn’t. I did like what I got from it, though I needed more to truly fall for them. The found family aspects were great though. I think I was more invested in them and even one of the side romances than I was the main story line. I love endearing side characters.

A bit of a rambling plot that led to a honestly strong ending. I loved the action and climax of the moment and seeing how the downfall of the antagonist came to be. There were a few good reveals that I didn’t see coming and I was ultimately satisfied enough with the ending.

And while urban fantasy usually isn’t my favorite, I felt like this wasn’t urban enough to be an issue. It definitely was heavier on the fantasy and I loved that dynamic too.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: one closed door
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: When Gods Fall (The Gifts of the Gods #1) by S.E. Bouvier

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 607 pages
Author: S.E. Bouvier
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: November 23rd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two sisters. Both destined for greatness. One will rise. One will fall.

In the Freefolk camps, magic is forbidden, and the gods are dead.

Alena has lived in the camps all her life but is fascinated by the Old Lands and their magic.

When her father is injured in a hunting accident, that same magic is his only hope of survival. Alena has no choice but to break Freefolk law to save him—a crime for which she is swiftly captured. Now, only her older sister, Katell, can help her.

But Katell, a Freefolk huntress, discovers she has magical abilities of her own, and in the camps, being Marked is a death sentence. The sisters are forced to leave their home and venture into the war-torn Old Lands in search of answers. Their journey takes a dangerous turn when slavers capture them.

Alena escapes slavery and finds an unlikely ally—a rebel warrior, fighting against the oppressive Rasennan Empire. Katell, a slave, is sold to an arena to fight for the entertainment of the Rasennan crowds. Her life is on the line with each ferocious fight.

Alena vows to rescue her sister, but amidst awakening gods, scheming rebels, and a power-hungry Emperor, the sisters’ bond will be tested, and each must decide how far she is willing to go to save the other.

If you crave strong heroines, elemental magic, ancient Greek and Roman influences, tortured heroes, and a heart-wrenching romance, get ready to dive into this gripping upper YA fantasy.

WHEN GODS FALL is the first book in a new epic fantasy series, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, An Ember in the Ashes, and Air Awakens.

Please note: WHEN GODS FALL is an upper YA fantasy that contains moderate violence, some gore, and mild adult situations.

MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS BOOK.

I love finding indie gems. AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM. I loved it so much. I loved all of the Greek & Roman inspired dynamics and how those + the meddling gods played into the larger plot. I loved both of these sisters and how much they cared for each other but also how they have to pursue their own paths for now.

I’m also weak for the subtle slow burn romances. The longing glances and heated kisses, good heavens, if I could ask for one thing, MORE of this. I loved both dynamics (each sister has a romantic sub plot). And the reveals??? I kept thinking I had figured something out and then was hit with new information that made me GASP. And tear up, let me tell y’all, things get emotional.

I loved all of the more prevalent side characters. I loved how much action and politicking was involved. I loved seeing glimpses of the emperor and the big journey these characters went on. The magic is really cool, and is one of those thick fantasy books I crave. It absolutely deserves all the love and I need more people to find it.

Overall audience notes:

  • Upper YA/NA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: one closed door
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes, loss of life, near death experiences, weapons violence

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