Tag: young adult fantasy

Book Review: The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Author: Adrienne Young
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: September 7th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with The Last Legacy, a captivating standalone about family and blood ties, reinventing yourself, and controlling your own destiny.

When a letter from her uncle Henrik arrives on Bryn Roth’s eighteenth birthday, summoning her back to Bastian, Bryn is eager to prove herself and finally take her place in her long-lost family.

Henrik has plans for Bryn, but she must win everyone’s trust if she wants to hold any power in the delicate architecture of the family. It doesn’t take long for her to see that the Roths are entangled in shadows. Despite their growing influence in upscale Bastian, their hands are still in the kind of dirty business that got Bryn’s parents killed years ago. With a forbidden romance to contend with and dangerous work ahead, the cost of being accepted into the Roths may be more than Bryn can pay.

IT WAS FINE?

I don’t know what the point of this book was. And that became my main conclusion after talking to others about it too. Fable and Namesake are both gems (even though Sky in the Deep is my forever favorite) and this felt like a forced story in the same world.

I ended up minding more than I expected that we never saw a character from the previous two books. I know this is a separate story, but it almost felt like a different place because the world building went out the window since it was apparently discussed enough prior.

Bryn was a solid main character. I did like her and thought she was passionate and the kind of manipulative I love seeing in a mafia-esque book. She weaved her own destiny and did what was best for her and within her relationship with Ezra. Ezra was great too, but them together lacked intensity. They moved quicker than what was written so by the time a love scene (closed door) rolled around I didn’t feel invested.

The ending wrapped up SUPER quick. I’m still surprised that’s how it closed because it left a ton on the table. There just could have been a lot more added here and a lot more taken away that felt unnecessary. I’m truly feeling all the frustrated feelings of working through this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses to one closed door
  • Violence: physical altercations (including slapping a minor), loss of loved ones

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Book Review: The Gilded Cage (The Prison Healer #2) by Lynette Noni

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 448 pages
Author: Lynette Noni
Publisher: HMH
Release Date: October 12th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Kiva trades one cage for another when she leaves behind a deadly prison for a deceptive palace in this dark and dangerous sequel to The Prison Healer, which Sarah J. Maas called “a must-read.”

Kiva Meridan is a survivor.

She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.

As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.

Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.

SOLID SEQUEL.

Gratefully I didn’t get a lot of book two syndrome here! This kept the pacing up and the action moving.

I liked where the plot headed this round. Learning even more about the kingdom and the rebels. Finding out a lot about the history and meeting a whole bunch of new characters. Nothing was overwhelming and it only enhanced the story at present. I love having a further grasp on the world and magic system.

Kiva was my main letdown. For someone who just spent 10 years in prison not trusting anyone, she sure throws trust around like candy. I thought it was pretty obvious who Kiva shouldn’t have listened to, buuut in risk of spoilers I’ll keep it there. Kiva could have done more for herself this round rather than focusing on one minor plot matter, so I’m hoping for more from her in the last book.

I also missed Jaren!! Kiva hung out with Cal (not a love triangle situation!) more often than Jaren and I wanted more soft moments between my ship. I can’t say I was fully feeling Kiva and Jaren together as much as I wanted. Again, another point I hope changes in the last book. Jaren is the absolute gem of this series. HE’S SO SWEET.

Things end on a wild note. While I saw the reveals coming this time I didn’t see how the ending would shake out. I’m definitely intrigued and grasping at straws for what happens next and can’t wait for the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: physical and magical altercations, kidnapping and torture, murder
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: depictions of drug abuse and addiction

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Book Review: Blade of Secrets (Bladesmith #1) by Tricia Levenseller

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: May 4th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power.

Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims’ secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees.

Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.

A teenage blacksmith with social anxiety accepts a commission from the wrong person and is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she’s ever made.

COULD’VE BEEN ONE BOOK.

While I really enjoyed this and always love Levenseller’s writing and story telling, I thought BoS was missing something.

Mostly that I think with 100 more pages this story could’ve been entirely wrapped up and it would have been a fantastic standalone! I hate when it’s noticeable that books shouldn’t be extended out.

What I did love was the social anxiety rep. WOW did I feel so very seen. While it totally stressed me out sometimes (because ya know, I stress myself out sometimes) with Ziva’s thoughts, I could completely get on board with her feelings.

I also looooove the sister bond. Ziva and Temra! The love and support between them was amazing. The journey that they want on only strengthened things between them and I’m hopeful for book two for that to continue. I love a good strong sibling bond read.

Kellyn is absolutely adorable. I love the slow burn between him and Ziva was so sweet!! It bloomed organically and with respect for each other and their preferences on speed of the relationship and I loved that. Not to mention, his huge family was great to see. It really was that tender watching him run around with all of his siblings. How PRESH.

This was a good journey read and while I thought it was missing some action, or some larger to the world aspect, I am invested. I forever love Levenseller’s stories!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: physical altercations, animal attacks, sword/knife violence

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Book Review: The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Young adult fantasy
Length: 553 pages
Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: October 12th, 2010
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

JASON HAS A PROBLEM. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and his best friend is a guy named Leo. They’re all students at the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids,” as Leo puts it. What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? Jason doesn’t know anything—except that everything seems very wrong.

PIPER HAS A SECRET. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out, whether she wants to or not.

LEO HAS A WAY WITH TOOLS. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason’s amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?

Join new and old friends from Camp Half-Blood in this thrilling first book in The Heroes of Olympus series. Best-selling author Rick Riordan has pumped up the action, humor, suspense, and mystery in an epic adventure that will leave readers panting for the next installment.

NOT A BAD START.

Though, my biggest complaint was the length. I found it to drag occasionally and even on audio (listening very fast) some parts could’ve been cut.

I did like our new characters!! I miss Percabeth something fierce so I can’t wait to see them again. In the meantime it was fun to meet Jason, Piper and Leo. They definitely went on a wild adventure. I always feel like I get this amazing mythology lesson when I read these books. I loooove running into all of the gods and goddesses.

The writing is a nice break from super heavy fantasies of older genres (since this leads towards middle-grade). For me, that’s a big bonus. It’s really nice to read something lighter that still covers a lot of great topics for a younger audience. I love that books like this can span across ages for enjoying.

I’m really excited for all of the Roman aspects and hope those continue to play out later in the series. I’m grateful that while it does have the same characters from the previous series it seems to be making a space for itself. I’m excited to continue reading!

Overall audience notes:

  • MG/YA Urban Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: flirting
  • Violence: magical weaponry, physical altercations, teenagers often being put in harm’s way; nothing overly bloody/gory
  • Trigger/Content Warning: one of the main characters suffers from amnesia, loss of parents, kidnapping

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