saga press – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Author: Chloe Gong
Publisher: S&S / Saga Press
Release Date: September 10th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the thrilling sequel to Immortal Longings, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra.

Calla Tuoleimi has succeeded in the impossible. Despite the odds, she has won San-Er’s bloody games and eliminated King Kasa, her tyrant uncle and the former ruler of Talin. She serves now as royal advisor to Kasa’s adopted son, August Shenzhi, who has risen to the throne.

Only Calla knows it isn’t really August.

Anton Makusa is still furious about Calla’s betrayal in the final round of the games. In an impossible feat, he took over August’s body to survive, and has no intention of giving up this newfound power. But when his first love, the beautiful, explosive Otta Avia, awakens from a years-long coma and reveals a secret that threatens the monarchy’s authority over Talin, chaos erupts. As tensions come to a boiling point, Calla and Anton must set their conflicts aside and head to the kingdom’s far reaches to prevent anarchy… even if their empire might be better off burning.

I’M TRYING.

Chloe Gong has written one of my favorite dark YA series so of course I’m over here trying to love on her adult books but y’all. I am STRUGGLING. I listened to the audiobook this time which didn’t change my perception but did make going through it quicker more achievable because I once again found myself somewhat…bored.

It feels like the plot is trying to do so many things at once that I’m not quite sure what truly needs to be done. Or it’s this sense of lolly-gagging from the characters while waiting for big shifts in the story to occur. And whoever is calling this book a romance is lying to you. Yes, it does have some romantic aspects but I consider that 10% of the story at best.

So I don’t know. Actually I do know, I know I will find myself reading book three hoping something clicks finally for me.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy
Language: moderate
Romance: 2+ brief open
Violence: high

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Stacey McEwan
Publisher: Saga Press
Release Date: July 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.

And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.

In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

OH SNAP. I LOVED THIS.

I never finished this author’s previous series because I just wasn’t attached to book one. But this book one? GIMMMMMMME MORE. This was a hit and I loved it.

I actually liked the age progression for this one. It was quick but gave just the right amount of background information to build the world and characters so well. I loved the connection between Nina and Patrick. It’s was complex and heated and I adored the TRUE slow burn push and pull. The man is down bad, and I LOVE DOWN BAD.

Stacey McEwan does such a great job of creating a world filled with secrets that I love seeing unveiled. Even the ones you know are coming are well crafted and the story telling is just on point. This book had a continual incline on the action and hard hitting moments. This was an amazing combination of romance and magic and politicking and twists and turns and all the things. I must have book two!!

Overall audience notes: