Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

October 4, 2024August 22, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Author: V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: February 24th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author V.E. Schwab, return to the beginning of the phenomenal Shades of Magic series with A Darker Shade of Magic, now in a brand new trade paperback edition

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

WHAT A GEM.

This is a reread review.

I haven’t picked this up since 2017 and thought, why the heck not with book four on the horizon. And I actually remembered a lot?? Which is amazing and shows how much this book holds up. I think it’s an incredible series starter and that the magic system and world building is flat out COOL. I love the whole concept and set-up.

Not to mention, the CHARACTERS. Kell, Lila and Rhy are well built and I am immediately drawn in and connected to their story. I love a complicated villain like Holland and the way interactions between everyone is just spot on.

Plot wise things drag a little here and there, but I already know where the set-up is going so it was fun to revisit the beginning.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy
Language: some strong
Romance: flirting
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: slavery, attempted rape, self harm for magic, blood/gore depiction, torture, weapons violence

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ARC Book Review: The Thirteenth Child by Erin A. Craig

September 24, 2024August 15, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Horror
Length: 512 pages
Author: Erin A. Craig
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This is the story of Hazel, a young healer navigating a ruthless court to save the life of the king, grappling with a pantheon of gods with questionable agendas as she fights for agency and true love in her own life as the goddaughter of none other than Death himself.

All gifts come with a price.

Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

Thank you GetUnderlined for the gifted ARC.

CHARACTER DRIVEN.

If you love character driven books (like I do), then this is a must read. It is heavy on the development of Hazel and I loved her journey. This was extremely atmospheric and had the right gothic vibes that I was swept into this world with ease.

I loved all of the pieces put together with complicated families, meddling gods who don’t have it all together, bargains and mistakes and betrayals of those closest to you. It’s a slower read that takes its time and you see the path that is woven from Hazel truly just trying her best.

It was a little too slow for me in the beginning because we got a lot of Hazel growing up from 6 to 13 to 18, but after that I found myself pretty much glued to my book because I was loving this read. I really liked the sub-plot romance too. There was good character development in that situation and I loved the way he stuck by Hazel as the kingdom unraveled. Merrick was someone I couldn’t get enough of either. He had such a unique story line with Hazel and I don’t remember having come across a story like this or quite as intricate as Hazel and Merrick’s relationship.

Gorgeous writing as always. Craig is one of my favorite fantasy/horror writers in the young adult category. A must read for the fall!

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy Horror
Language: low, scattered throughout
Romance: heated makeouts
Violence: high
Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction, multiple scenes with medical concerns depicted, parental abandonment, loss of life, murder

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Book Review: Omen of Ice (Omen of Ice #1) by Jus Accardo

September 23, 2024August 13, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Jus Accardo
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: August 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Keltania Tunne has spent her whole life training to become a bodyguard for a Winter Fae. It’s the highest of honors for a druid…only when Tania arrives at the Winter Court for the first time, nothing is what she expected.

Her assignment is the heir to the throne, Valen, and he doesn’t want her protection. In fact, he wants her gone. Yesterday. But Tania will not compromise, even if he is the most arrogant jackass she’s ever met―because something isn’t right in the Winter Court.

Everyone has secrets. From the Winter Lord to the kitchen maids to the rising faction that wants the prince dead―no one is who they seem. And now it’s up to Tania to keep her sacred oath and protect Valen, even when his smart mouth makes her skate the razor-thin edge between love and hate.

But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes his secret is the biggest of all―and might just get them both killed.

I’M INTRIGUED.

The synopsis had me oh so intrigued. And I admit, I did enjoy it. Took awhile to grow on me though.

Our MMC, Valen is very Cardan Greenbriar coded (which could be a good or bad thing for you). The snarky fae who likes to drink a bit too much and has a major chip on his shoulder with the things he has to handle. Enter in, Keltania who’s only job is protect Valen. A very good forced proximity with a bit of enemies to lovers situation. The romance grew on me and I feel invested enough in them to continue this series.

The plot for the most part centers around traveling and seeing other mythical creatures (kelpies, trolls, etc.). Kinda dragged here and there and the villain reveals aren’t anything surprising. There’s some give and take here but I’m not mad I read it. I hope to see some story deviations that feel new in the second book.

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: make-outs; light innuendo
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: near death experiences, physical and magical altercations, loss of loved ones

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Book Review: Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker #1) by Victoria Aveyard

September 18, 2024August 9, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 576 pages
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: Orion Publishing
Release Date: May 4th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Save the world or end it.

A strange darkness is growing in the Ward. Even Corayne an-Amarat can feel it, tucked away in her small town at the edge of the sea.

Fate knocks on her door, in the form of a mythical immortal and a lethal assassin, who tell Corayne that she is the last of an ancient lineage—with the power to save the world from destruction.

Because a man who would burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army unlike any seen before, bent on uprooting the foundations of the world. With poison in his heart and a stolen sword in his hand, he’ll break the realm itself to claim it. And only Corayne can stop him.

Alongside an unlikely group of reluctant allies, Corayne finds herself on a desperate journey to complete an impossible task, with untold magic singing in her blood and the fate of the world on her shoulders.

ALRIGHT LET’S DO THIS.

This book has a 3.62 average on Goodreads and I’m convinced I read a different book. GRANTED. I am always here for multiple POV’s, complicated plots and villain story lines. Though I swear if this screws me over like Red Queen I will riot.

I thought this was interesting. It’s a complex world with spindle and magic and immortals and kings and queens and I loved how they all worked together. You have some of the usual tropes mixed in with things I didn’t know I needed: aka, the villain romance. YES PLEASE.

There’s so many characters and I liked the beginning of everyone’s story. I can’t wait to see how these further twist and turn over the series. The banter is great, the subtle possible romances have my attention and the found family is definitely building.

I didn’t feel the length of this (could be due to the audio) but I’m also cool with the big books. Can’t wait to see what book two holds!

Overall audience notes: