Rating: 82% | B- | ★★★★
Warnings: + Violence + Some Sexual Content Synopsis (from Goodreads): Erin Beaty's young adult fantasy Traitor's Trilogy follows Sage Fowler, a hot-tempered apprentice royal matchmaker in a kingdom rife with political intrigue. Recruited by a handsome soldier to infiltrate enemy ranks and act as a spy, Sage enters a treacherous world of deception, unable to determine friend from foe, or who she can trust in a realm of shifting alliances and agendas. Spoiler-Free Section: Since I finished this series rather quickly and all three books received about the same grades, I thought I'd review them together. All numbers will be aggregations of each book's individual scores, and my commentary will likely be a little vaguer and more general than usual since we're discussing the series as a whole. I liked The Traitor's Circle series, but it didn't blow me away. My rankings of the books from highest to lowest score are as follows: The Traitor's Kingdom (87%), The Traitor's Kiss (81%), and The Traitor's Ruin (78%). None of the books left me completely satisfied. The series benefits from Beaty's complex and dedicated worldbuilding; the world of complex alliances that the characters live in is so real you can almost breathe in the whirling sands of Casmun. (The details are so intricate that I wasn't at all surprised when I found out that Erin Beaty served in the U.S. Navy before turning to writing.) However, that attention to the setting is not matched by attention to the characters. I found myself often feeling frustrated at Sage and Alex's lack of dimension. Both characters have complex backstories and complex goals, but little is done to develop the impact of those backstories or those lofty goals. Nothing they did surprised me; and while that may not necessarily be a negative thing, it was certainly a deterrent to finishing the story. And, of course, it irks me beyond belief that after reading all three books, I still have no clue why this is called The Traitor's Circle series. Who is the traitor being kissed? Who is the traitor being ruined? What is the traitor's kingdom? (And if they're the traitors I'm thinking of, then what are the kisses and the ruin and the kingdoms about?) Nevertheless, fans of The Winner's Trilogy by Marie Rutkowski will likely find a kinship with this series and its similar portrayals of clever female protagonists, high stakes, and complex romances. (Click "Read More " for spoilers.)
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Rating: 92.3% | A- | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Violence + Sexual Content + Sexual Violence + Graphic Depictions of Violence Against Children + Mentions of Suicide Synopsis (from Goodreads): In fifteenth-century France, the convent of Saint Mortain provides sanctuary to girls seeking refuge from the cruelty of the outside world. But sanctuary comes at a price—and each of Death’s handmaidens pays it in blood. Grave Mercy is where the story begins, when seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes the brutality of an arranged marriage by joining the convent. An assignment brings her to the high court of Brittany, where she must navigate treason and temptation—especially when the master she serves demands the life of the man she loves. In Dark Triumph, after training as an elite killer to escape her past, Sybella must return to the home she thought she’d never see again. Her quest for justice against her violent family will bring nothing but destruction—until she meets a prisoner who gives her a reason to live. Annith yearns to serve Saint Mortain, but has spent her life watching her far more gifted sisters dole out Death’s vengeance from the safety of the convent. In Mortal Heart, her destiny is finally revealed, and it is the one she feared most: a life as a seeress, not an assassin. But Annith refuses to give up on her dream and decides that nothing will stand in the way of her ambitions . . . not even the convent itself. Spoiler-Free Section When I first sat down to write this review, I realized that I have a longer history with this series than I originally realized. I picked up Grave Mercy for the first time almost four years ago in eighth grade for a book project and put it down after less than ten pages. Granted, it was because I already had my eye set on reading All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Oh, what could have been. But I digress. Because I read this series one book after the other, I decided to review it altogether rather than by writing about each individual book. Each numerical score in this review is an average of the three individual scores assigned to each book. (And if everything adds to more than 100, that's on me and my truly upsetting math skills.) The books ordered from highest to lowest score are: Mortal Heart (93%), followed by Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph (both tied at 92%). The His Fair Assassin series is a historical fantasy/romance story set in 15th century Brittany under the reign of Anne of Brittany. It is a very specific time period, and there are many intricate details that LeFevers weaves into the story that reassures the reader that she has done extensive historical research before putting anything into writing. For me, the specificity of the time period was refreshing; it sometimes frustrates me when I read fantasy books set in a general "old European setting," with the author taking as many liberties as they wish with the historical period. LeFevers does nothing of the sort. Everything, from the heavy clothing to the unsavory hygiene, is fully preserved. There are three main characters, with each book dedicated to a single point of view. Ismae is the protagonist of Grave Mercy; Sybella, Dark Triumph; Annith, Mortal Heart. However, all three characters appear in each other's books throughout the series, ensuring that there is a sturdy, continuous thread of storytelling. These protagonists are strong, clever, loyal, and unafraid. I am always searching for books with strong female protagonists, but these women are some of the few that have truly resonated with me. Everything about this series is just exquisite. The grittiness of the assassins' work, the intrigue of the court, the bonds between the characters. LeFevers writes with conviction and clear love for her craft. I can't recommend this series enough. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 53.5% | F | ★★
Warnings: + Violence Synopsis (from Goodreads): A skilled painter must stand up to the ancient power of the faerie courts— even as she falls in love with a faerie prince—in this gorgeous debut novel. Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life. Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws. Now both of their lives are forfeit, unless Isobel can use her skill as an artist to fight the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel. Spoiler-Free Section Oh boy. What can I say about this book? Long story short, I stand by my rating. This book rapidly became a chore to read. I was initially attracted to it because of its ostensible similarities to the Folk of the Air trilogy, but alas. It bears very little resemblance to Holly Black's works. This isn't to say that I didn't enjoy some parts of the book. The writing was nice. The plot was nice (in some parts). But overall, I finished the story feeling . . . completely unmoved. And for a book whose entire plot hinges on human emotion, that isn't a good sign. I didn't like the book for several reasons—the most serious of which is the character development. Rogerson starts the story with a worldbuilding concept that would require at least 300-400 pages, if not a second book. Unfortunately, An Enchantment of Ravens is only 250 pages. Much too few for thorough and appropriate character development and plot development. Isobel and Rook remained completely static characters that did not seem to learn much from their adventure or their burgeoning romance. That's another failed point for me: the romance. Isobel and Rook shared some attraction, but not nearly enough to warrant the soapy praise that Rogerson seemed to heap upon their love story. And again, 250 pages is hardly sufficient for a story of this ambition. It is at this point in the review that I have to disclose that this book currently has a 3.7/5 on Goodreads, so . . . take my negative review with a grain of salt. I didn't like this book, but that doesn't mean everyone will share my opnion! (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 92% | A- | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Violence + Sexual content and sexual assault + Profanity Synopsis (from Goodreads): Kelsea Glynn is the Queen of the Tearling. Despite her youth, she has quickly asserted herself as a fair, just and powerful ruler. However, power is a double-edged sword, and small actions can have grave consequences. In trying to do what is right - stopping a vile trade in humankind - Kelsea has crossed the Red Queen, a ruthless monarch whose rule is bound with dark magic and the spilling of blood. The Red Queen's armies are poised to invade the Tearling, and it seems nothing can stop them. Yet there was a time before the Crossing, and there Kelsea finds a strange and possibly dangerous ally, someone who might hold the key to the fate of the Tearling, and indeed to Kelsea's own soul. But time is running out... Spoiler-Free Section I enjoyed this book a little better than The Queen of the Tearling. I thought the pacing of the plot was steadier and I found the character development more well-rounded. That being said, I wasn't sold on some of the plot details and the ending. Kelsea goes through a huge, if strange arc in this book. There's almost too much going on. Without spoiling anything, the Tear jewel becomes vital to the plot—even more than it had been in last novel—and it overcomplicates things with magic. Of course, the second book in a trilogy is much like the middle child: ignored, and perpetually in a state of awkwardness. It's understandable that the magic in this world would not yet be fleshed out because Johansen is saving it for the last book, but I'm starting to feel as though the Tear jewel is too much of an ex machina to ignore. The characters in this book go through great development. Last novel had been mostly in Kelsea's POV, but this novel has a more expanded cast. Some characters were more pleasant to experience than others, though I feel that most of the new POVs were unneeded. And, as I mentioned before, I'm still not sold on the ending. It felt tacked-on rather than thought out, and while it makes sense somewhat logically, it isn't a great bridge to the next book. (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 91% | A- | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Violence + Sexual content/assault + Profanity Synopsis (from Goodreads): Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her. On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown. Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust. But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive. Spoiler-Free Section I really enjoyed The Queen of the Tearling. I'd read mediocre reviews about the book before starting it, so I wasn't expecting much—and ended up being pleasantly surprised. In fact, I've tried and failed to read this book many times; this time was the charm. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. Slave trading, sex trafficking, prostitution, rape, and murder are all depicted in gory, explicit ways. This is the first book that has managed to truly appall me in a very long time. Content-wise, I think that The Queen of the Tearling is toeing the line between YA and New Adult fantasy. Johansen skillfully crafts complex characters and complicated situations, contributing to an atmosphere that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Kelsea is unlike any other female protagonist I know, and the task of ruling a ruined country and the machinations of the court have never been so realistically portrayed. I admired Johansen's incorporation of so many different historical aspects, such as foreign alliances and the corruption of the church. The only real frustration I had with this book was the pacing of the plot. The beginning was quite slow, as was the end. And the constant shifts in points of view were slightly confusing at times. But overall, The Queen of the Tearling was beautifully crafted and one of the best books I have read this year (so far). (Click "Read More" for spoilers.) Rating: 85% | B | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Violence + Mild sexual content Synopsis (from Goodreads): Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison... About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear... Spoiler-Free Section I enjoyed this book beyond propriety. Even now, two weeks after reading it, I'm shocked by how high I graded Poison Study. I picked up this book after remembering a few booktubers commenting on how much they enjoyed it and how it was underappreciated. They were right. What sets Poison Study apart from similar books is its strong sense of story. All the components of the novel flowed into each other. Yelena's voice was authentic and incredibly ordinary for someone in a position like hers. It was refreshing to experience her narration because it didn't feel overly formal or like a protagonist trying too hard to take in everything around them. No, it felt like something that I could hear myself narrating. (And this book may have just sparked a reignited appreciation for the first-person point of view in me, which . . . I'd never thought I would enjoy again.) The characters glued this book together. Poison Study ultimately suffers from overzealous attempts to raise the stakes and incorporate all sorts of plot avenues into a story that is already bursting at the seams. The plot feels like a delivery person taking thirty flights of stairs to their customer instead of the elevator. The destination is the same, but the labor and confusion is drastically different between the two scenarios. Pacing of the plot was an issue, especially towards the end. Overall, I would recommend Poison Study to anyone who enjoys strong female protagonists, hints of fantasy, and humor and heart in the most unexpected places. (Click "Read More" for spoilers!) Rating: 93% | A- | ★★★★★
Warnings: + Violence + Sexual content Synopsis (from Goodreads): He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne. Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power. Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril. Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics. And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity… Spoiler-Free Section: Well, here it is. The conclusion to The Folk of the Air trilogy. This book didn't blow me away, but I think that has more to do with the fact that I've heard snippets of spoilers all across the internet in the months between the book's release and now. I wasn't particularly surprised by anything except the ending. I felt it was uncharacteristically messy for Black, and it was the only part of the novel that left me unsatisfied. But I still really enjoyed this book. I felt that it was a fitting send-off for Jude, Cardan, and most everyone else. As always, Black's writing is meticulous and flawless, and her ability to humanize her characters remains unparalleled. Even if people scorn the book for being "fan service," it is still a lighthearted read, full of adventure, drama, and grit. (Click Read More for spoilers.) Author: Shelby Mahurin
Rating: 92.5% | A- | ★★★★★ Warnings: + Mild violence + Sexual content + Profanity Synopsis (from Goodreads): Bound as one to love, honor, or burn. Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned. Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony. The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made. And love makes fools of us all. Spoiler-Free Section I picked up Serpent & Dove on a whim after seeing someone recommend it online, and I was not disappointed! This book was my first foray back into fantasy for quite some time (since my review of Deathless) and it made me remember just how much I love reading about magic and romance and good world-building. From the very start, Mahurin takes an idea and runs with it. The reader cannot fall behind or stop to think; much like Reid losing sight of Lou as she races down the city alleys, so too will the reader lose track of the fast-paced plot. The writing is lush with imagery and lore. It is just realistic enough in its descriptions of 15th-17th century France (by my own guess) to be convincing and whimsical enough to be able to not take itself so seriously. Most commendably of all, however, is how funny Serpent & Dove is. YA literature—especially romance—tends to be extremely angst-filled right now, and it was so refreshing to read a novel that knew exactly how to blend humor with drama. Readers will find a bright, witty, and tragic character in Lou, and and admirable, sympathetic character in Reid. The secondary characters are also not to be shunned: the loyal Coco; the noble Ansel; and the villainous Archbishop. (Click Read More for spoilers.) |