The Things They’ve Taken by Katie McElhenney My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Things They’ve Taken in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Things They’ve Taken by Katie McElhenney offers a unique blend of fantasy, adventure, and young adult drama. It follows the journey of Lo, a girl whose mother has been taken by a supernatural force. To rescue her, Lo teams up with a mysterious and brooding guide named Shaw. They venture into a strange and dangerous world filled with magical creatures and perilous challenges. The Details…
-
-
This Vicious Grace
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of This Vicious Grace in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist This Vicious Grace introduces us to Alessa, a young woman with a powerful but dangerous gift meant to protect her people. The Details The novel presents a unique magic system centered around Alessa’s gift and her role as a Finestra. This concept is fresh and adds an interesting dynamic to the story. Thiede crafts a vibrant and detailed world with its own customs, politics, and history. The setting…
-
Three Kisses, One Midnight
Three Kisses, One Midnight by Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, and Evelyn Skye My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Three Kisses, One Midnight in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Three Kisses, One Midnight by Chockshi, Menon, and Skye is a whimsical journey into a world of enchantment and romance. While the novel offers moments of magic and charm, it falls short of achieving a perfect spellbinding experience, earning a modest three-star rating. The Details The plot revolves around the protagonist, whose destiny is intertwined with three magical kisses beneath the…
-
The Iron Sword
The Iron Sword by Julie Kagawa My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC of The Iron Sword in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Well, I think I need to admit to myself that I may have joined the Iron Fey and Evenfall series too late to fully appreciate it. I feel too old and, perhaps, too impatient for this type of story. It is very YA and I have been spending a lot of time lately reading contemporary fiction and mysteries and thrillers, so doing the jump from murders and unhappy…
-
A Lullaby for Witches
A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with an ARC of A Lullaby for Witches in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I loved Fox’s The Orphan of Cemetery Hill and could not contain my excitement when I found out Fox wrote another story. For the past two years I have noticed a slight change in the publication process, shall we call it, in the books that have hit the shelves. A larger number than before feel like they are missing the last bit of polish before getting…
-
Luminous
Luminous by Mara Rutherford My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC of Luminous in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I loved Rutherford’s Crown of Coral and Pearl duology. The world building and the story itself were just wonderful. So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard Rutherford is publishing a new story. About magic. And witches. Yay! Having read a few new releases this year, I’m starting to notice a… trend? A common thread? Not sure what to call it, but I’m starting to see some similarities in the publications.…
-
The Iron Raven
The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC of The Iron Raven in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist I had the strangest déjà vu when I first saw the name and the cover of Kagawa’s newest book. I swear I saw this book years ago and put it on my to-read list. Goes to show how one can be truly mistaken. Regardless, I have heard of the author’s other series, The Iron Fey, and the first book has been on my to-read list for a very…
-
Send Me Their Souls
Send Me Their Souls by Sara Wolf My rating: 2 of 5 stars The Gist Finally! I got my hands on a copy of Wolf’s latest in her Bring Me Their Hearts trilogy, Send Me Their Souls. So long I have waited to finally find out what happens to Zera and company! I was excited and happy and a little giddy to get all cozy on the couch and be transported back to this wonderful fantasy story. The Details Well, I’m not sure how to say this. I’m kind of sitting here shrugging my shoulders and one word keeps coming to mind: “meh”. I read other reviews just to see,…
-
Anno Dracula
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman My rating: 2 of 5 stars The Gist A dear friend of mine sent me Anno Dracula as a birthday present. He hasn’t read it himself, but said that a story about vampires and murder, set in Victorian London would be totally up my alley. And he wasn’t wrong, which makes this review a little difficult to write. It is true. I’m a sucker for murder mystery, Victorian London stories and throw in some Gothic elements (i.e. a vampire or two) and I’m all yours. So, why did this story fall short? I shall explain below. The Details I was so excited to start this…
-
The Raven’s Tale
The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters My rating: 5 of 5 stars The Gist I absolutely love Winters’ works. I have read all of her novels without fail. Heck, I even went out in a snowstorm while on a romantic Valentine’s Day weekend retreat to Montreal so that I could purchase one of her books for the train ride home. It’s rare for me to read, or even want to read a book twice, because I can remember most stories quite well, generally speaking. Something strange happened with The Raven’s Tale. Starting in August of this year I kept thinking about it. It was haunting. I had the indescribable urge…
