Tag: young adult fantasy romance

Book Review: Maiden of Candlelight and Lotuses (The Zheninghai Chronicles #0) by Anastasis Blythe

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 387 pages
Author: Anastasis Blythe
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Dreams of magic and romance have no place in the heart of a poor farm girl. Or so Liena thought…

Magical visions have a way of turning the world upside-down. One minute Song Liena is a simple farm girl hoping for good luck at the matchmaker, and the next she is a student at the empire’s most rigorous and dangerous magic Academy.

It doesn’t take long for her to realize she’s ten years behind, her magic is weak, and she is in way over her head. But Liena is determined to work hard if it means a chance at a better life for her family.

She just wasn’t counting on being noticed by the handsome Crown Prince—a warrior-in-training said to have fire magic powerful enough to decimate entire armies.

But princes are not for peasants, and everything is not as it seems at the Academy. Monsters lurk around every corner, and someone is dabbling in dark, illegal magic.
Someone who has set their sinister sights on her.

THOUGHTS.

One on side of the review I enjoyed this. It has an easy writing style that makes for a fast pace. I liked the nods to Mulan (though maybe a little too close at the beginning and end?). It’s a good premise type of set-up that leaves plenty of room for more stories in the world.

What’s missing is the world though. My main issue stems from the fact that there’s no world building. Everything is set at an academy and there’s discussions on the different types of creatures they have to defend against buuuut that’s kind of it. There’s even a Prince! And I know NOTHING about his kingdom??! Or the magic. Everyone seems to have a different type of magic yet there’s no explanation as to why that is or what type of limits there are or why someone’s works better than the next.

The romance is sweet, would have loved even more development, it was cute enough. And the side characters are your typical bunch you find at school: the nice guy, the bully, etc. I’ve heard how the series differs from here so I’m tempted to give the second book a go.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: med-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and magical altercations, weapons violence, creature attacks, bullying

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Book Review: The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #30 by Mary E. Pearson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 684 pages
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: August 2nd, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.

With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down.

In this conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance.

IT’S JUST SO GOOD.

This is a reread review.

Good heavens. Mary E. Pearson is a brilliant author and I love all of her books and I have loved rereading her entire set. THEY ARE ALL AMAZING.

I forgot how absolutely intense this entire book is. I felt like it rarely let up and just kept hammering home the nature of everything daunting the cast was facing.

And the romance??? THE ANGST, THE WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY. I also found myself freaking out trying to remember how it all specifically worked out because Pearson does not hold back on creating the drama and the hope that Lia ends up with her best match.

I liked how the other side romance went too. Such a sweet and tender romance that was built between them (vague because spoilers) and seeing both of these couples again in DoT & VoT is an even bigger highlight.

There’s so much action, politicking, betrayals and twists. It has all the feels, and all you need in a fantastic YA fantasy trilogy.

READ THEM.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some mild
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle and war themes, loss of loved ones, physical violence, weapons violence, childbirth

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Book Review: The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 473 pages
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape . . . and even less of being together.

Desperate to save her life, Lia’s erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komisar that she has a magical gift, and the Komisar’s interest in Lia is greater than either Kaden or Lia foresaw.

Meanwhile, the foundations of Lia’s deeply-held beliefs are crumbling beneath her. Nothing is straightforward: there’s Rafe, who lied to her, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom she always believed to be barbarians but whom she now realizes are people who have been terribly brutalized by the kingdoms of Dalbreck and Morrighan. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her very sense of self, Lia will have to make powerful choices that affect her country, her people . . . and her own destiny.

THE TENSION.

This is a reread review.

Y’all, I forgot just how many people Lia kissed in this book and how much tension there is between all of the parties. What a ride. Here I am, with one of the few love triangle books I can get behind, loving every minute of this reread.

Another fast paced action filled book. I like the change of location and really getting to know both Kaden and Rafe on a deeper level. There’s a lot of great character building and you really start to see the cast grow up and take on the bigger life altering challenges in front of them. I LOVE the growth in Lia and she is continually a formidable FMC who stands in her truth each time.

For a middle book, I have zero complaints. Things keep moving, the intensity will leave you breathless, and all of those kisses will have you shouting at the pages. The world building is unique with the interweaving of the lore and past stories of the lands. I love how everything comes together. If you haven’t read this series it’s a must for backlists!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of child abuse and whipping, kidnapping, physical altercations, weapons violence, battle themes

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Book Review: A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart #3) by Stephanie Garber

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 385 pages
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Flatiron
Release Date: October 24th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

Blood will be shed, hearts will be stolen, and true love will be put to the test in A Curse for True Love, the breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.

THOUGHTS.

I have seen reviews ALLLLL over the place for this finale, let’s throw mine into the ring.

The first have was a bit of a struggle, with the addition of two more POV’s I don’t think it worked as well as I hoped in the context of a short book (9 hours audio time). ESPECIALLY when you’re dealing with a love triangle we all know has only one ending. I was tired of wasting my time with the other guy when he was handing out red flags to everyone who walked by him.

BUT. Jacks was next level. I looooved the protection he provided, the way he was always there and how he cared for Evangeline every step of the way. The second half was incredible and I loved how things worked out. The confessions of love was IMMACULATE and I was losing my cool in the middle of Costco because of the emotions.

A bit of an up and down journey but ultimately one I was a fan of. I mean, I binged this book because I needed more more more, just wish there were a few more Jacks moments to really bring it home.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate-high

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