Tag: young adult fantasy romance

Book Review: Violet Made of Thorns (Violet Made of Thorns #1) by Gina Chen

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Gina Chen
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: July 26th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all.

WHAT EVEN.

Uh, I had two friends personally let me know I needed to read this book and THEY WERE NOT WRONG. I don’t even know if I can put together a fully thought out review but I can say: READ IT.

The enemies to lovers leaping off the pages was absolutely stellar. This is what that animosity is supposed to feel like in this trope. And walking that fine line of love/hate was on full display.

Violet cracked me up. I found myself chuckling multiple times at some of one off lines and sarcasm. It was timed perfectly and I loved listening to the audiobook that gave me even more of a nuanced layer of these characters. I really enjoyed the dynamics between Violet and Cyrus. The push and pull between them was undeniably filled with chemistry.

I really liked the surrounding story too. I always enjoy a good curse theme and corrupted kings with a wild witch on the loose? Here for it. I had a hard time putting this book down and now need the second book ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: vague open door
  • Violence: med-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: animal attacks, physical, magical and weaponry altercations

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: Last of the Talons (Talons #1) by Sophie Kim

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Sophie Kim
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After the destruction of her entire Talon gang, eighteen-year-old Shin Lina—the Reaper of Sunpo—is forced to become a living, breathing weapon for the kingdom’s most-feared crime lord. All that keeps her from turning on her ruthless master is the life of her beloved little sister hanging in the balance. But the order to steal a priceless tapestry from a Dokkaebi temple incites not only the wrath of a legendary immortal, but the beginning of an unwinnable game…

Suddenly Lina finds herself in the dreamlike realm of the Dokkaebi, her fate in the hands of its cruel and captivating emperor. But she can win her life—if she kills him first.

Now a terrible game of life and death has begun, and even Lina’s swift, precise blade is no match for the magnetic Haneul Rui. Lina will have to use every weapon in her arsenal if she wants to outplay this cunning king and save her sister…all before the final grain of sand leaks out of the hourglass.

Because one way or another, she’ll take Rui’s heart.

Even if it means giving up her own.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC.

YIKES.

I was really excited to read this book and within the first few chapters I saw the downfall was imminent. I love books that have more dialogue than not. And it took 5 chapters for any major dialogue to actually start occurring. This became a theme throughout that made me start passing over paragraphs of incongruous information.

With an enemies to lovers romance I was hoping to latch on to, I was let down here as well. Lina continually came off as immature while Rui was really into her, but without a good basis for the attraction? These two did not connect well, but apparently he wanted to kiss her from the moment he saw her and I don’t believe it for a second.

The relationships (platonic and not) weren’t here either. I wanted to see Lina have one friend, a true bond, someone for her to move forward with and nobody became that person for her. The side characters were one dimensional and only placed in to further the plot occasionally.

There’s other issues I had with some of the sub-plots and OH, YES. The flashback chapters?! Were always out of nowhere and had no merit into the current timeline. Instead of showing us Lina’s character as the book progressed, random flashbacks were thrown in to show that she used to have a found family? IT DID NOT WORK.

Anyways, I’m frustrated with this book clearly. High hopes were dashed and I won’t be continuing the series.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: make-outs & an implied night together
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of friends, murder, kidnapping, poisoning, near drowning and other near death experiences, weapons violence

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: The Liar’s Crown (Dominion #1) by Abigail Owen

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy + Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Abigail Owen
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One born to rule. One to forfeit…

Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.

Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.

As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.

Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.

Thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for the Audio ARC.

WOW THIS WAS GOOD.

Book hype for this one is real. I super enjoyed this.

Audio notes: I don’t have any! I LOVED the audio. Great narrators. Easy to listen. I flew through it. Highly recommend that avenue if you’re into audiobooks!

Another read where I felt remined why fantasy genre is the best genre. I loved the world building and shadow concept. The twists behind that was so cool and I felt added another unique layer to this story overall. Filled with a morally gray love interest that you can’t get enough of, I was hooked. I liked the steady pacing and that there’s a slow build to everything else happening.

Meren was a strong FMC and I liked her tenacity and loyalty to her sister. I love a great sister bond and I know that’s what is happening here and I hope we get to see more of it in the next book. Reven is the complex soul I love and I’m happy that I feel like I know him as well as Meren. Sometimes the love interest gets tossed aside and seems one dimensional and I liked the complexity his characterization received.

The ending was WILD. Still a bit in shock and everything expertly led to this conclusion. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: one open door + some innuendo
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle scenes, loss of life, kidnapping

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Iron Flower (The Black Witch Chronicles #2) by Laurie Forest

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 597 pages
Author: Laurie Forest
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: September 18th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Elloren Gardner and her friends were only seeking to right a few wrongs, but their actions have propelled them straight into the ranks of the realm-wide Resistance against Gardnerian encroachment. As the Resistance struggles against the harsh rulings of High Priest Marcus Vogel and the Mage Council, Elloren begins to realize that none of the people she cares about will be safe if Gardneria seizes control of the Western Realm.

With tensions heating up in Verpacia, more and more Gardnerian soldiers continue to descend upon the university…led by none other than Lukas Grey, now commander of the newly rebuilt Fourth Division base. Though Elloren tries to keep him at arm’s length, Lukas is determined to wandfast to her, convinced that she has inherited her grandmother’s magic—the prophesied power of the Black Witch. As his very nearness seems to awaken a destructive power inside her, Elloren finds it more and more difficult to believe that she’s truly powerless, as her uncle always claimed.

Caught between her growing feelings for the rebellious Yvan Guriel and the seductive power offered by Lukas Grey, Elloren must find a way to stay true to what she knows is right and protect everyone she loves…even if that means protecting them from herself.

I DID IT.

First time I tried to read this, I DNF at 140 pages.

Second time, I went with the audiobook and made it through. Even gave it four stars. I’m as surprised as you are.

My main issue is this dang love triangle. I just can’t get with it. And I still like the wrong guy more too. For a bit it seemed to push the narrative for inner conflict within the main character, Elloren. Now it seems superfluous with how much of the ending went. WHY THO. The constant thoughts Elloren has about Lucas and Ivan make her lack depth and opportunities for growth in other areas.

Ignoring my romantic plot issues with this one and we can get into how intricate the other aspects of the story are. It’s a heavy political read with many sides at play. At times devastating and shocking. Throw your book across the room status. Other times, things seems to finally be going the right way. I liked this push/pull nature and it helped keep the story moving.

I do plan on continuing. I’m invested enough to see how book three will take care of a few plot lines. We’ll see what happens next!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: heated make-outs
  • Violence: mid-level blood/gore
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: discrimination, racism, genocide, torture, kidnapping, small battle scenes

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph