Tag: orbit books

ARC Book Review: The Hemlock Queen (The Nightshade Crown #2) by Hannah F. Whitten

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 450 pages
Author: Hannah F. Whitten
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: April 9th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten’s lush, romantic epic fantasy series, a young woman who can raise the dead must navigate the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King’s royal court. 

The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the sainted court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent, the Kyrithean Empire is beating down their door, and Lore’s old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian’s changed. No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he’s reckless, domineering and cold. 

And something’s been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that’s telling her there’s more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything. 

With Bastian’s coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince, and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted ARC.

OOOOOH Y’ALL.

Do I have thoughts.

First, this is a really solid middle book. It didn’t have me in a chokehold like book one, but it also didn’t have a second book meltdown. The plot keeps moving and the meddling gods cause way more chaos and I am here for it all. I enjoy Lore as the main character and like her balance of softness and strength.

Nowww. The romance. I am just not feeling it like I was in book one. I think there was a bit less of a connection and I didn’t get enough moments throughout. Nor do I know where this is heading and that has left me befuddled too. I’m a wee bit concerned on how things will shake out in the last book.

I didn’t mind the plot and while yes, there’s some repetitive nature to it, I still felt like I had an enjoyable time reading the story. It goes by pretty quickly and has a more young adult writing style with adult content. There’s a great amount of upheaval that occurred at the end and I thought it left off at a spot that had me wanting to know what happens next.

Overll audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 1-2 open door; mentions of closed door
  • Violence: high

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Foxglove King (The Nightshade Crown #1) by Hannah F. Whitten

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 467 pages
Author: Hannah F. Whitten
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: March 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.

Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.

Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.

But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.

In this lush, romantic new epic fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten, a young woman’s secret power to raise the dead plunges her into the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King’s royal court.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the free copy.

VERY INTO THIS.

Uh, y’all. I was not expecting to love this as much as I did and I’m so excited it blew my expectations out of the water. What a twisty romantic tale that left me needing the second book nowwww.

I loved Lore. I thought the whole general plot of the book was interesting too. A mash of things I’ve read before but filled with a lot of nuance that kept me listening and intrigued by what was going to happen next.

The romance has me doing some major side eye. I don’t know who I want and I don’t know who’s I need to run from. Gosh I love morally gray men with magic. It’s very much a slow burn romance with just the right level of love triangle for me.

Betrayals and turns kept coming and every time I thought I was going one way I was yanked another way. I love fantasies like this. I loved the atmosphere and vibe and all the things in between. I’m going to go pick up book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: high

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: A Feather So Black (Fair Folk #1) by Lyra Selene

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 496 pages
Author: Lyra Selene
Publisher: Orbit Books
Release Date: March 12th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Set in a world of perilous magic and moonlit forests, this seductive romantic fantasy tells the story of a defiant changeling, her cursed sister, and the dangerous fae lord she must defeat to save her family.

In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen’s daughter and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg.

Most despise Fia’s fae blood. But the queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the real princess Eala is bound to Tír na nÓg, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.

When a hidden gate to the realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the queen to retrieve the princess and break her curse. But she doesn’t go with her is prince Rogan, Fia’s dearest childhood friend—and Eala’s betrothed.

As they journey through the forests of the Folk, where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince…and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.

Soon, Fia begins to question the truth of her mission. But time is running out to break her sister’s curse. And unraveling the secrets of the past might destroy everything she has come to love.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC and Hachette Audio for the audiobook.

MIXED THOUGHTS.

This one kind of ran me around a bit.

Audio thoughts first: LOVED. I loved the narrator. I was really swept away by this story listening and highly recommend this avenue for trying A Feather So Black out.

Back to bookish thoughts: At first, I was really into it. I loved the set up and the plot. I liked the main character and alllll the fae things. This had all of those hallmark fantasy + fae aspects that I love about this genre.

And then the love triangle came into play. NOW. I knew it was a love triangle and was perfectly fine with that fact. I honestly didn’t mind the bones of it. There’s good push and pull between characters. Conflict of interest and wondering where Fia was going to land. But I didn’t love that she slept with both men throughout the story. It took away from the emotional connection by focusing so heavily on the physical connection instead. I liked both of the guys for different reasons and I am curious where things will go in the second book.

Some scenes did drag on a bit and there’s a lot of hurry up and wait. And there’s a more young adult writing style, but very adult content. The vibes are there and the ending had my attention enough that I plan to continue the series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: moderate-high

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time #5) by Robert Jordan

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 912 pages
Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: October 15th, 1993
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The fifth book in Robert Jordan’s internationally bestselling epic fantasy series, THE WHEEL OF TIME, now reissued with a stunning new cover design.

The bonds and wards that hold the Great Lord of the Dark are slowly failing, but still his fragile prison holds. The Forsaken, immortal servants of the shadow, weave their snares and tighten their grip upon the realms of men, sure in the knowledge that their master will soon break free…

Rand al’ Thor, the Dragon Reborn, knows that he must strike at the Enemy, but his forces are divided by treachery and by ambition. Even the Aes Sedai, ancient guardians of the Light, are riven by civil war. Betrayed by his allies, pursued by his enemies and beset by the madness that comes to the male wielders of the One Power, Rand rides out to meet the foe.

I SURVIVED.

It’s been a hot minute since I went picked up a book in this series. I got side tracked and now I am once again committing to getting through these books.

I enjoyed this for the most part. There’s some good action and the build is definitely continuing. It’s hard to mention a lot without spoilers to just vaguely saying things are progressing.

The “romances” are completely nonsensical. I don’t understand any of them and they are a bit cringey overall. And every one of these women can do better than Rand. I SAID IT.

Looking forward to the next one!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph