Tag: young adult fantasy

Book Review: The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Alexandra Christo
Publisher: Fiewel Friends
Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes The Night Hunt, a dark fantasy romance about a monstrous girl who feeds on fear and the Gods-cursed boy who falls in love with her.

Atia is a monster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she hides in the shadows of the world to escape the wrath of the unpredictable Gods. Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment for a past he can’t remember. Stripped of his true name, he yearns to recover his identity.

Atia would never dream of allying with someone like him, but when she breaks a sacred law and the Gods send monsters to hunt her, Silas offers an irresistible deal: he’ll help avenge her family and take on the Gods who now hunt her, if she helps him break his curse and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee, and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies.

I LIKED IT.

This book doesn’t have great ratings, but I enjoyed it? I did listen to it so that might have swayed me, but if you’re in need of a quick young adult fantasy standalone, I’d say give this a go.

I loved all of the mythology aspects and how they were used in this setting and world. The monsters concept was great and I feel like this had some interesting concepts I haven’t read recently.

There’s a little bit of a romance that grew on me. An unlikely partnership turned more is one of my favorite romance tropes. I also liked the found family pieces too. I love a group of people who come together and find peace and friendship with each other.

I thought it had an awesome closing fight scene and battle. I haven’t picked up a book by Christo since To Kill a Kingdom and maybe I’ll pick up the next!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high

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ALC Book Review: Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked #1) by Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 352 pages
Author: Fonda Lee and Shannon Lee
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy duology based on characters and teachings created by Bruce Lee!

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Earth to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father’s honor—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Jun’s father strictly forbids him from participating. There is no future in honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Wednesday books for the gifted audiobook.

GREAT AUDIOBOOK.

I am a major Fonda Lee fan (have you read Jade City yet? BECAUSE YOU SHOULD). Any who, I knew I needed my hands on this book and it was great. If you enjoy high action and low romance fantasy reads, this is a solid pick. I will definitely be picking up the next book.

I loved Jun as the MC. He’s scrappy and a bit naive, but works hard to make a name for himself. The competition Jun finds himself in is intense and gritty. I liked that it didn’t take up the entire book and that there was a lot more politicking and nuanced world building happening in the background. I liked the magic system and dragon scale concept and the unique abilities that were brought about by being breathmarked.

Some of the twists feel a little predictable and I wouldn’t say that was a big issue, but I could ultimately see from the beginning where things were moving towards. The audiobook had a fantastic narrator though and it was a nice switch up to go with something less romantic than my usual fair.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: moderate – high
  • Content Warnings: murder, loss of loved ones, blood/gore depiction

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Book Review: This Dark Descent (This Dark Descent #1) by Kalyn Josephson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Shadows Between Us meets Six of Crows in this spellbinding new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, and pulse-pounding action, where the eldest daughter of a renowned family on the verge of ruin joins forces with a mysterious, rogue enchanter and a handsome, ambitious heir to win a deadly race.

Mikira Rusel’s family has long been famous for breeding enchanted horses, but their prestige is no match for their rising debts. To save her ranch, Mikira has only one option: she must win the Illinir, a treacherous horserace whose riders either finish maimed or murdered. Yet each year, competitors return, tempted by its alluring prize money and unparalleled prestige.

Mikira’s mission soon unites her with Arielle Kadar, an impressive yet illicit enchanter just beginning to come into her true power, and Damien Adair, a dashing young lord in the midst of a fierce succession battle. Both have hidden reasons of their own to help Mikira — as well as their own blood feuds to avenge…

Steeped in Jewish folklore, This Dark Descent is a pulse-pounding new fantasy full of forbidden magic, sizzling romance, and epic stakes. In a world as dangerous as this, will the need for vengeance butcher Mikira’s chances of winning the Illinir … or will another rider’s dagger?

WHOA.

Y’all, this was really dang good. I seem to love magical horse racing competition books and this was no different. I thought the pacing was great and I loved the world building and how the magic system operated and those reveals at the ending had me reeling.

I also loved the characters. Dual POV was awesome (I did struggle a little on the audio because both characters sounded very similar and sometimes I had a hard time remembering who’s POV I was in). And there were even two subtle romances which I am absolutely always here for. I liked how the relationships between this found family weren’t always linear and that things are complicated. I like seeing the ups and downs as everyone is holding a few cards to their chests full of secrets I can’t wait to see unveiled.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, near death experiences, murder

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Book Review: Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Crystal Seitz
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: October 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Belladonna meets Norse mythology in this gorgeous dark fantasy debut that follows a teen who accidentally awakens an imprisoned draugr and must follow him into a deadly magical forest to rescue her grandmother.

Never go beyond the stave church.

Within Tiveden Forest, bloodthirsty monsters known as draugr lurk behind every tree, and secrets run through the soil like twisted roots. When her grandmother vanishes into the forest, Astrid won’t let Crohn’s disease get in the way of finding her. But in searching for her lost loved one, Astrid soon uncovers an even greater mystery:

A conflict that’s haunted her village and family for generations.
An ancient blood oath her ancestor made to protect them.
A deadly draugr imprisoned for centuries…who Astrid accidentally awakens.

Newly revived, Soren first mistakes Astrid for her ancestor, his ex-lover turned enemy. Astrid can’t tell if he would rather kill her or kiss her. But Soren knows the forest better than anyone, and Astrid quickly realizes that she’ll need his help to rescue her grandmother.

The deeper they venture into Tiveden, the closer Astrid gets to the cold, alluring Soren and the truth behind her grandmother’s disappearance. To save her home, a dark ritual must be performed before Midwinter—and only Astrid can fulfill her ancestor’s blood oath…or break it.

That is, if Soren—or the forest—doesn’t break Astrid first.

NEEDS MORE LOVE.

I really enjoyed this book y’all and at present, I’m the only one I know who has read it. Help me change that!! I loved the audiobook narrator but I will say that there’s some flashback aspects to this and the distinguishing narration was barely visible and at times I was confused on which time period I was listening to.

For a standalone though, this packed a lot of content and wrapped up the story well. I was surprised it was a standalone and I think the length helped contain aspects of the world building and character relationships needed to shine. I enjoyed the FMC, Astrid, and the Crohn’s disease rep too.

The romance was a little bit of a miss for me (I think I needed a bit more to be convinced), but it wasn’t a big issue. It’s a bit gruesome and dark and full of good twists and steady pacing.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings: loss of a parent, grief, ritualistic self-harm, allusions to cancer and suicide

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