Narrated by Pearl Hewitt Presented by Inner Realms Publishing
A cosy fantasy perfect for Halloween season.
This was a Listen Now on NetGalley and I needeNarrated by Pearl Hewitt Presented by Inner Realms Publishing
A cosy fantasy perfect for Halloween season.
This was a Listen Now on NetGalley and I needed something to listen to, so this ticked the box.
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't cosy fantasy! The story follows Hannah, who heads to Maple Hollow after the mysterious disappearance of her Aunt Jewelia (and I'm glad I was listening, because the spelling of that name alone would have done me in - yikes!)
The atmosphere is perfectly Halloween-y, with dark and stormy nights, pumpkins and cats. Hannah is a likeable enough protagonist - very wholesome and sweet. She introduces herself to everyone in the town as she meets them, and quickly becomes a friend to several. Meanwhile, she sets about trying to learn more about the town's history, in order to solve the mystery of her Aunt's disappearance.
I liked the narrator, and her voice enhanced the vibe of the story. On paper, this would likely have disappointed through lack of excitement, but with this narrator it was like I got exactly what I was supposed to out of it. Low stakes and easy clues leading to a simple resolution.
Admittedly, the easy nature of the story meant I wasn't 100% tuned in, 100% of the time. I also had to listen at 2x speed so that I didn't doze off. Still, it was easy enough to follow and I didn't seem to miss much.
Overall, it was an easy listen that was a pleasant way to kill some time. I'd recommend it for fans of cosy mysteries - particularly those who like a sprinkling of fantasy and a dash of Halloween.
This was definitely more middle-grade than I expected; like Yu-Gi-Oh meets Ranger's Apprentice.
The story follows 14-year-old Mateo as he's betrayed byThis was definitely more middle-grade than I expected; like Yu-Gi-Oh meets Ranger's Apprentice.
The story follows 14-year-old Mateo as he's betrayed by his master and sent to a military training camp. Here, he'll learn how to survive, and hopefully how to become a Duelist.
So, essentially the story is a training montage only lengthy and drawn out. Mateo meets a couple of other misfits that he bands together with immediately - him telling them what to do because he's a know-it-all whereas the other two are incompetent idiots. Obviously.
Mateo is definitely the kind of character that always rubs me the wrong way. He's a brown-noser who always figures things out first and is the pet of whoever is in charge, and he tells everyone else what to do and they generally obey without question. He's such a bland character.
I did like the other two, though - nothing particularly new, but I did like that they had their own things going for them. The characters on the whole are nothing particularly fresh, and as such a lot of the interactions are familiar scenes. I didn't care too much for any of the characters, but young ones who don't read a lot should find themselves relating to at least one of them.
The card/duelling system was a little too much for my fantasy tastes. Cards slot into a person somehow which I didn't totally understand, but then I was never a big Yu-Gi-Oh kid. I think collectors of 'duelling' cards like Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering will understand this a little better and appreciate it on a whole other level. For me, it seemed like a bit of a gimmick that just wasn't enough to save a rather bland story from being completely unoriginal.
After reading, I can conclude that I'm very much NOT the target audience for this one. It wasn't for me at all, but I think there's plenty here that younger readers will enjoy. It's an adventure story which keeps things relatively simple while setting up for a grander adventure to come.
Psykhe is a great character, and I found it so easy to empathise with her. She's a mortal seemingly curA delightful re-telling of a lesser known myth.
Psykhe is a great character, and I found it so easy to empathise with her. She's a mortal seemingly cursed by the goddess, Venus, and so calamity abounds.
I always enjoy the contemplation of 'an act of the gods' versus coincidence. How much of Psykhe's pain could have been avoided if not for coincidence? But then how dull our stories would be.
This tells the tale of Psykhe's life and how her path inevitably crosses with that of the god, Eros. Yet I found what I most enjoyed about this story was the human-ness of it; less of the gods causing chaos and more just a girl trying to survive in a world that submits to their fickleness.
The language is gorgeous, though this is a less complex story than others I've read from this author. I liked that it was an easier read, to be honest. I was able to lose myself in it and just relax and enjoy the ride.
A delightful story with plenty within its pages to consider. Fans of mythology retellings should get a kick out of this one....more
Narrated by Kyla Garcia Presented by Spotify Audiobooks
Meche is kind of a terrible person, but I somehow still felt for her.
This was a sweet coming of Narrated by Kyla Garcia Presented by Spotify Audiobooks
Meche is kind of a terrible person, but I somehow still felt for her.
This was a sweet coming of age tale set in Mexico City, featuring a splash of magic to make things interesting. I enjoyed it.
Essentially, three friends discover magic through music, and decide to cast some spells to enhance their lives. But they're also moody teenagers, so naturally nothing goes smoothly.
It jumps back and forth between 2009, where Meche has returned to Mexico City after her father's passing, and 1989, when Meche and her friends, Sebastian and Daniela discovered magic.
This is very much an ode to music, with countless titles and artists mentioned, and a cheeky throwback to Walkmans and record players. I imagine the nostalgia will hit harder for those who grew up in Mexico City or surrounds, but even as an Aussie I found myself chuckling at my own memories similar to what the characters were experiencing.
As much of the story focuses on the three teens, there are a lot of emotions flying around. It's easy to judge Meche but when one recalls what kids are like, the feelings toward Meche soften. I thought she was a well crafted character, and the different shades of her personality fitted well to make this story interesting, if dramatic in the way only teenage drama can be.
The narrator did a great job of telling the story and injecting personality into each of the characters. I find I really enjoy the audio presentations of books that use foreign (to me) languages, because the pronunciation is naturally better than I'd read in my head and it gives it a much more authentic feel. So I'm very appreciative of the narrator for that. She did a great job.
A fun listen, and a great example of the scope of this author's writing. I believe this is a re-release of her debut novel, so I'm happy to have experienced it.
The artwork on this one is gorgeous and the characters are so easy to fall in love with. I loved this whole Wasn't this a delightful little adventure!
The artwork on this one is gorgeous and the characters are so easy to fall in love with. I loved this whole thing from start to finish and would love to see more of Twig in the future!
The story is wholesome and full of wonder and odd things, but delivers a strong message about never giving up, all with Skottie Young's unique flair.
Really loved it, I'm looking forward to more....more
I honestly have absolutely no idea what happened in this book amongst all the d*ck jokes and sexual innuenNarrated by Casey Jones Presented by RB Media
I honestly have absolutely no idea what happened in this book amongst all the d*ck jokes and sexual innuendo. Something to do with pirates which could have actually been cool but definitely wasn't.
Complete trash.
Unless you're into d*ck jokes, I guess.
I lost hope for this almost immediately, and if it hadn't been a NetGalley read I'd have DNF'd it on the spot.
The barrage of sex jokes is so off-putting that I found myself constantly rolling my eyes and tuning out. There are characters here that deserved better than what they were given, and I found it so disappointing.
Nothing really seemed to happen - there's a serpent at one stage and a ridiculous baking competition (??!) but not really much else beyond a bunch of boys wanting to f*ck each other etc. It got real old, real fast.
Honestly, I just ended up tuning so much of it out. I was actually listening at 3x speed at one stage just to try and get through it.
The only reason this gets a second star from me is for the narration, which was absolutely spectacular. Honestly, if you are into sassy boys who make a LOT of d*ck jokes then you should actually enjoy this immensely and I highly recommend the audio because the delivery was brilliant.
I immensely enjoyed this collection of strange, dark fantasy.
Most of the stories left me wanting more of the world they belonged to,Overall thoughts:
I immensely enjoyed this collection of strange, dark fantasy.
Most of the stories left me wanting more of the world they belonged to, and I would happily read novels featuring many of these characters.
There is a heaviness to this collection that will have me contemplating for a while, I think.
Each story is unique and unusual, with twisted fantasy themes that take you to unexpected places. I particularly enjoyed A Hedge of Yellow Roses and Not To Be Taken but on the whole this was a really brilliant collection.
There's a pretty consistent respect for birds - particularly owls - that threaded everything together really nicely, but there's also a love of storytelling that really spoke to me.
This was a delight to read, and I imagine fantasy lovers looking for something a little different will appreciate this collection. Highly recommend it.
See below for my individual review for each story.
***
The Heart of Owl Abbas: ⭐⭐⭐
The story was really confusing to me but I loved the language and the writing. I followed the gist without quite comprehending the details, and it was quite a beautiful story. It just really confused me. I'm still not sure if I was reading about birds, people, or something entirely other.
Skull and Hyssop: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved this one! It was rather steampunk which is not my favourite genre but I really enjoyed this story. There was a rich world here that was only briefly visited so I'd happily read more of it.
The characters were also a lot of fun.
An early fave.
Ella and the Flame: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A beautiful, moving story. It was equal parts lovely and horrific, and I loved the sisterhood of it.
Not to Be Taken: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Damn this was crazy! I loved the way it kept turning about, and I had no idea how this was going to end.
The bird theme is definitely strong throughout the book, and this story in particular makes them heroic.
I could easily have read this as a full length story.
A Hedge of Yellow Roses: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A real standout for me. I loved the fantasy element here and particularly the way it was turned around. There was such a beautiful story here amongst the roses and birds.
Fave so far.
The Tangled Streets: ⭐⭐⭐
Not too sure about this one, as it had me quite lost at the start. Eventually I fell into the flow of it, but I desperately wanted more information than I got.
It was still a beautiful story but a little too unsatisfying.
The Present Only Toucheth Thee: ⭐⭐⭐
Strange and short. Another one with an idea I'd love further exploration of. I like the twined souls over time but I wanted more to sink my teeth into.
On Pepper Creek: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was great fun and very reminiscent of Flyaway. I loved the lurking shadows and the unseen threat of it all. Another favourite.
Annie Coal: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another fave - Annie heads out on an adventure to save her grandma and secrets are revealed along the way.
There was a lot of subtlety to this, and it was another one where it feels like so much of another world is lurking just behind this story. I wanted to know more of this land and the creatures of it.
Undine Love: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wasn't too sure about this one. I really enjoyed the telling of it, but it felt unsatisfying to me. And yet??? It was bizarre, but there was a tragic romance vibe to the whole thing as well that really sucked me in. I felt things.
Kindling: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm a big fan of storytelling, so I loved this. Subtle with such a satisfying, creepy darkness lurking over it. It was a cool concept and I again wanted more.
The Splendour Falls: ⭐⭐⭐
God, this one just made me depressed. A man obsessed with a woman gets more than he bargained for. It felt quite soul-crushing, but I also felt there was a truth behind it all that made it more horrific. ...more
It turned out okay, but I really wanted a more likeable protagonist and less fingerbanging.
I feel like, if this had focused on being a fantasy story iIt turned out okay, but I really wanted a more likeable protagonist and less fingerbanging.
I feel like, if this had focused on being a fantasy story instead of trying so hard to be romance as well, it would have been so much better. The romance felt forced and led to some incredibly awkward, questionable moments. I could rant, but I'll try not to.
The story is a rather blunt Beauty and the Beast retelling, where Wren is taken from poverty by the beastly North Wind. She assumes she's to be sacrificed but instead she's married off to him, for some awfully thin excuse of his needing her 'royal' blood to fix a barrier around the land. He takes a woman roughly every thirty years but none of this is ever really explained properly.
From the start, Wren is a detestable character. There's a really interesting commentary on feminism and the idea of women being accused of being 'too much', but Wren destroys any sympathy for the argument by being an utter contradictory nuisance. For example, she was allegedly raised in poverty, having to do everything for her twin sister because her parents always looked after one sister more than the other (this is never properly discussed, either), but as soon as she gets servants she's ordering them all around like a queen? It didn't sit right with me.
Also, the cake obsession was so stupid. Don't preach to me about how hard her life has been and then tell me how important cake is to her.
There were so many times when I found myself really caught up in the story, only to be jarred out of it by things that didn't seem to match the characters at all, and it was so incredibly frustrating.
As far as the romance goes, maybe people who are really into romance will appreciate it more, but it made me incredibly uncomfortable. A lot of it didn't make sense to me (especially when Wren spends at least 2/3 of the book insisting she still hates and wants to kill this guy) and it also went into far too much detail when so many other details were missed. I also really didn't like that towards the end there was a throwaway comment about (view spoiler)[Wren selling her body to get sweets for her sister. (hide spoiler)] I felt it was messy and disrespectful and glanced over an important topic that deserved a lot more attention.
I said I wouldn't rant but I really need to vent about this scene: (view spoiler)[ So Boreas comes home from battle so exhausted that he ends up face first on the floor, too tired to move, but Wren insists he has a bath. And he's like, 'please just let me sleep woman' but she gets servants to drag him to the bath anyway. Then he's in the bath and she's like, 'huh, you should get some sleep' but he insists he can't sleep? So she gives him a hand job in the bath to help relax him?? And then is shocked he's so tired he can't get out of the bath??? WTF. Like, what actually was the point here other than a sad excuse for a hand job? That whole scene was such a confusing mess and I hated it with every fibre of my being. (hide spoiler)]
Sigh.
So yeah. The romance sucked and ruined this completely for me.
There was a decent story lurking in here, but it just tried so hard to be another A Court of Thorns and Roses that it fell flat. Which is a shame, because there are some really great ideas in here that I wanted to explore further.
I guess if you love romance with a side of fantasy, you'll appreciate this. If you're okay with a thin plot holding the sex scenes together, you'll get your kicks here. But fantasy lovers will find better B&B retellings elsewhere.
I wanted badass but I got ... mopey. Not quite what I wanted, and sadly kind of dull.
When I think of Hera, Queen of the Gods, I think of petty vengeanI wanted badass but I got ... mopey. Not quite what I wanted, and sadly kind of dull.
When I think of Hera, Queen of the Gods, I think of petty vengeance and ferocity. I think of her as bold, brave, and confident.
I was excited for a book that would take these things and show us a villain in a new light, but instead this book tries to make her something of a beaten-down heroine? It really didn't work for me.
I didn't like Hera as a character here at all, and I felt the story really washed her out and turned her into a victim. It seemed to be fighting so hard to tell a feminist story that it forgot women can be villains, too. Hera is well-known for her wrath and it was so washed out, here.
The storytelling was also to blame, I feel. It takes all the big stories from Greek mythology and mostly glosses over them all in a sentence or two - as though it was essential to include all these things but the author didn't really want to. I would have preferred less references in lieu of further detail. As a consequence of the sparse detail, it feels like nothing really notable happens - it's just the bland passing of time.
I just wanted so much more story than what I got. It was disappointing to get to the end and feel that I hadn't really felt anything at all.
An ambitious goal, but I do feel it fell flat. Others may appreciate this more sympathetic take on the famous Queen, but it didn't quite meet my expectations.
This was a Spotify (??) listen, because I was super curious about Spotify audio books so I picked a freebie that sounded good.
I listened to the whole This was a Spotify (??) listen, because I was super curious about Spotify audio books so I picked a freebie that sounded good.
I listened to the whole thing in a day (while playing Minecraft - classic) and it was okay. Based on other reviews, it seems audio is the way to go, because the narrator brought life to a story that otherwise might have been a chore to get through.
The language is definitely inconsistent, but since I was listening, I wasn't too bothered. It was easy for me to zone in and out without missing much of the story.
I wasn't particularly invested in any of the characters, so this was more like a background read? Just a chill lil fantasy adventure to drone in my ears.
Still not sure what the deal was with the dragon, though, and I'm getting really over stories that sell themselves to me with the presence of dragons and then short change the dragons, giving me a bunch of human drama instead.
Nothing particularly memorable about this story at all, and I don't think I'd want to read a physical copy. But it was an easy, short-ish listen that was free, so I can't complain.
Not a fan of Spotify for audiobooks, though. Stay in your lane, mate....more
Ok so I'm gonna need a happy ending to this story ASAP.
The story follows our Friendly Neighbourhood Assassin, Raeve, who gets caught doing assassin thOk so I'm gonna need a happy ending to this story ASAP.
The story follows our Friendly Neighbourhood Assassin, Raeve, who gets caught doing assassin things and finds herself in hot water. In the process, she meets a mysterious (devastatingly handsome) male, who seems to have met her before. Naturally, things are gonna get dangerous, and things are gonna get spicy. There are also dragons.
I'm honestly so torn over rating this one. It was such a beautiful, addictive story, full of insanely good world-building, delightful characters, and a deep, meaningful love story. But I also just have such a low tolerance for smut in fantasy. I'm still mad at Sarah J. Maas for causing this massive surge of graphic sex scenes in what would otherwise be epic fantasy novels.
That said, everything about this book that would normally annoy me seemed so fresh here. Raeve is the hardcore tough female who refuses to get close to anyone because otherwise they get hurt, and Kaan is the classic brooding male who will move heaven and earth for his true love. Raeve's stubbornness definitely frustrated me at times but still I liked her and her tenacity. Her trauma feels real and genuine and I think because of the way that aspect was handled, it made her stubbornness more believable. I could see why she was hurting so much.
Kaan's love, on the other hand, was so pure and unconditional that I couldn't help but be moved by it.
Outside of the romance, there's such a great story here about tyrant kings, corrupt government, missing memories, trauma, friendship and, of course, dragons. There's a trigger warning list in the back of the book, so check it out if you have some concerns because this book does not pull punches.
I was completely enamoured with this world. The setting is richly detailed but simple enough to follow easily. The world is easy to fall into and vibrant with colourful creatures. The dragons were spectacular, and this is easily one of the best dragon stories I've read. There are just not enough dragons in fantasy these days, so it's incredibly satisfying when they're as well done as they were in this book.
But.
I'm a bit old school in that I feel like graphic sex scenes kinda tarnish the romance. I think you can tell an epic love story - and more effectively - without needing to talk about how much they want to jump each other's bones. I believe the intimate details about their physiological responses reduces the relationship to base needs, and detracts from the emotional connection being formed.
I wanted to be swept up in their love story, not their sex lives.
Still, I couldn't help but love this story. There was so much to it that had me reading compulsively, and I still have so many questions. The characters were so easy to love, and I want more of characters like Veya, whose chapters were rare but so incredibly fun.
There's a family tree, glossary and pronunciation guide at the back of the book, which I found didn't really give me any info I hadn't drawn from the story but still added to the depth of the world. I'm so keen to jump back in and learn more details about this place and its creatures.
This would have been an easy 5-star without the smut. Still, even with the smut this is a 4.5.
I'll call it 4 for now since I'm very picky about giving 5 stars, but may round it up later if it stays on my mind.
Story itself was a bit bland but the narration was A++ *chef's kiss*
I'd love to give a decent breakdown of the plot, but Narrated by Lynette R Freeman
Story itself was a bit bland but the narration was A++ *chef's kiss*
I'd love to give a decent breakdown of the plot, but it confused me a lot so all I can tell you is that our main protagonist, Venus, makes love potions and eventually lands in hot water that she has to find a way out of. She is in some kind of debilitating pain for most of the story (for various reasons) and her family is generally a hot mess.
There are all kinds of twists and turns, and because I wasn't paying attention the whole time (the political intrigue was BORING) it was very hard to work out whose side people were actually on. It seemed like there was a lot of switching.
So very twisty, and if you're paying closer attention than me you'll likely catch a few enjoyable surprises.
I wasn't sold on the parent-hating this book seemed to favour. We're definitely seeing a teenage point of view here, with parents seeming to be the root cause of everything that goes wrong in this book. I wasn't real keen on it, and it was another thing that set my mind wandering, because I didn't really want to hear it.
That's the interesting thing about audio - if the opinions of the book aren't really shared then it's easy to tune out. I found a lot of the smaller moments really entertaining but missed the depth in a few of the bigger themes because they were wrapped up in packaging that didn't agree with me.
And there are a LOT of big themes here. There's a looooong list of trigger warnings at the start, so expect some heaviness going into this.
The lighter moments are really what kept me listening. There are some really fun scenes and interactions between characters sprinkled in amongst all the heaviness, and it was extra delightful listening to these because the narration was so fantastic.
And here we come to my absolute favourite part - the narration. Freeman did such an incredible job bringing these characters alive. Jay actually annoyed me SO MUCH but at the same time I adored that characterisation. This one gets an extra star from me just purely based on how much the narration added to the story. It was easy to differentiate between characters, and there was so much personality conveyed. Would happily listen to any audiobook from this narrator.
So while I don't think the story will entertain everyone, I would recommend this book purely on the strength of the narration. It was such a fun listen, even though the second half of the actual story dragged. Just those voices were enough to keep me going.
Glad to be done with this rather disappointing read.
I was in it for the mythology retelling, but apparently this was also an Oliver Twist retelling? WGlad to be done with this rather disappointing read.
I was in it for the mythology retelling, but apparently this was also an Oliver Twist retelling? Which honestly is probably why I hated it.
A Minotaur washes up on the shore and a poor kid, Nell, finds him. They form a bizarre friendship, while Nell's greedy overlord tries to work out how to make money off it so he can once again lift himself from the slums.
I cared nothing for Murdstone and the mudlarks, so that being most of the story meant I was very bored. Nothing much really happens, and there is a lot of musing on the state of things for every single character which really slowed the story down. All the ideas are spoon-fed, rather than allowing the reader to contemplate such topics through the story itself.
None of the characters held any interest to me at all. They seemed really flat, with very little personality.
The whole idea of the minotaur being THE creature from the myths, having lived aeons and somehow survived, was completely squandered. There's nothing here for the lovers of mythology - just the familiar myth transported to a bizarre setting then mostly ignored.
I really couldn't find anything about this to like. The single reason I persevered and finished it was because I requested a copy from the publisher. Sadly, it was a huge disappointment for me.
Not recommended for those hoping for a mythology retelling, but perhaps fans of Dickensian tales will appreciate it more.
The narration was fantastic but the story was SO DULL.
Firstly, this audiobook was narrated by Sofia Engstrand and she was fantastic. Her voice was livThe narration was fantastic but the story was SO DULL.
Firstly, this audiobook was narrated by Sofia Engstrand and she was fantastic. Her voice was lively and emotive and it was easy enough to distinguish between the different characters. I did still have to listen at x1.75 speed but otherwise it was done really well.
Sad that the story was just so plain. It really was just a romance novel posing as fantasy. This was ALLLLL about the hookups and the tension between the two couples, and the story itself mostly went nowhere.
It's 'Russian inspired' fantasy, which means a lot of big words and a multitude of nicknames for people that left me plenty confused. I was quite grateful to be listening because I think if I'd had to read all these names I would have eventually given up. There also seemed to be a lot of repetition of Sera's full name which seemed unnecessary.
I like this idea of gods being caged inside human bodies but it really seemed under-utilised to me. The 'dragons' felt more like a metaphor for emotions than actually badass gods.
Katya (I don't remember which of her names was the regular one, sorry) was probably my fave character because at least she had a goal beyond getting laid. She seemed the most well-rounded and fleshed out, though at times I really questioned what she was doing.
Being a dull story AND an audiobook, my mind drifted plenty of times, but I never seemed to lose the thread of what was happening - it was just that slow. It was also the first time I haven't had the e-book to read along with and it was quite tough to not be able to check words and spellings and things for deeper understanding.
Apparently it's a duology but I cannot see where it goes from here. I don't know what else there could be to write a whole other book about. I couldn't even make it through the 'bonus chapter' because I was so done with this story and it's self-centred characters.
And on that subject, Vitaly was one of the most annoying fellas I've read in a while. I'm really tired of arrogant assholes being love interests in fantasy. WE DESERVE BETTER.
With thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this audio...more
The premise: Arden is sent to a remote town to look after a lighthouse, but her neighbour is a monster that she may not survive.
ButGod this was awful.
The premise: Arden is sent to a remote town to look after a lighthouse, but her neighbour is a monster that she may not survive.
But it takes her 100+ pages to even get to the lighthouse and there are so many confusing terms and politics along the way. It's obvious that the monstrous neighbour is the one she's going to fall in love with, and obvious that all the horrible things being said are going to turn out to be lies or twisting of truth. The whole story is just an excuse for these two to hook up but it's also working ridiculously hard to pretend it's not.
Meanwhile, the magic system is confusing at best and I never fully grasped how it all worked, or even just the scope of it. It was just a bunch of Latin words smooshed together to sound smart but there wasn't enough elaboration to make any of it clear and barely a glimpse of anyone actually doing anything remotely cool with these powers.
The writing wasn't much better, with convoluted sentences going for a Dickensian vibe but failing to create any real connection to the words. The story felt messy and jumbled, and the overuse of words really didn't help that.
I was bored from start to finish.
It's slow, it's confusing, and ultimately pointless. There was nothing to latch onto or to really drive interest in the story, and even the 'love story for the ages' couldn't spice things up with its mediocre fumblings. Everything feels so contrived and obvious, and there was a disappointing lack of 'colossal, ancient beasts' wreaking havoc.
Not gonna lie - I was skimming heavily by the end.
A pretty disappointing effort from a promising-sounding blurb. I'm always so excited to discover fantasy by Australian authors but this one really let me down....more
I enjoyed this at the start but it got a bit too long and tedious for me, full of stereotypes and clichés.
The story begins with a wizard taking chargeI enjoyed this at the start but it got a bit too long and tedious for me, full of stereotypes and clichés.
The story begins with a wizard taking charge of a unique orphan baby - obviously destined to save the world. The baby gets left with a family who raise it as their own, but when the child is older they realise they're 'different' and have special powers unique even amongst those who also have special powers. But an evil villain is searching for this specific child. Ooooooh.
Yes, that does sound like the same plot of almost any fantasy ever.
I listened to this one, and the narrator was not for me. He read so slow that I had it on 1.75x (I usually ma out at 1.5x) speed and it was STILL slow. Also, he seemed to struggle with female voices. Yikes.
Aside from that, the story was okay at the start but just trope after familiar trope meant my attention started wandering and I just kinda lost interest by the end.
There were some cool characters - okay, actually I liked Ferrin and that was about it. And maybe also that guy that worked for the King. I lost track of the names very easily.
Even the giant monsters that crept in towards the end of the book didn't really save it for me, though there were some dramatic deaths that caught my attention.
I think, at the end of the day, this was just too long to have such an unoriginal story. It needed a unique hook to keep me guessing and there was nothing.
Mostly mediocre. But cheap, so there's that, I guess....more
Ridiculously predictable, but I really loved the setting and the lore.
The story focuses mostly on Yeeran, an elf who finds herself exiled. Along for tRidiculously predictable, but I really loved the setting and the lore.
The story focuses mostly on Yeeran, an elf who finds herself exiled. Along for the ride are her sister, Lettle, and friend Rayan. They soon find themselves captive amongst fae - a species that was supposed to have died out long ago.
Now that's pretty much the blurb, but it takes a good 100 or so pages for that to happen, which is a decent chunk of a story that's only 370-odd pages long. It sets up a lot of lore and mythology and secrets and that's part of what contributes to it being so predictable. The story goes out of it's way to tell us about these mysterious things and emphasise behaviours that will clearly affect the story later.
There's also instant love and attraction and you can see where things are going miles in advance. I wasn't here for the romance so could easily have done without it.
Still, when they find themselves in the fae land, I was equally captive. I loved the way the place was described, and how big a role nature had to play. The setting is beautiful, wonderous and exotic and even though it was easy to see where the story planned to go, I was happy reading along and letting it play out.
The ending felt a little heavy, with reveal after reveal and not a lot of sense to some of it. There were some secrets I hadn't caught, but those were a little ridiculous, too. I liked that there were still things that surprised me but it seems to have set things up a little strangely for the sequel.
That being said, I do feel rather invested, now. I would have preferred less of the hot and heavy sex scenes, but aside from that it was an intriguing story and I'm curious about the history of this world. I'll keep an eye out for the sequel.
WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for the first book, Notorious Sorcerer
I really love this worA fantastically fun follow up to the first book.
WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for the first book, Notorious Sorcerer
I really love this world and its characters. The three stars of the series - Siyon, Zagiri and Anahid - have their own things to deal with yet they lean easily on one another, allowing their stories to intertwine without losing any drama. Siyon is dealing with his new role of Alchemist, Zagiri is trying to change policy to make Bezim a more equal city and Anahid finds herself dealing with a role she never expected to have.
Anahid really shone for me, this time around. Her story was fantastic and I really enjoyed seeing her develop more and more courage to be her own person. It's done really cleverly; nice and subtle. There was still plenty of drama to keep things interesting, but it was also fun just seeing her take on all these new challenges.
Siyon disappointed a little, but it's not entirely his fault. He freely admits he has no idea what he's doing, but it does mean his storyline is a bit of a confusing mess. Bits and pieces of magic without any decent explanation of what's going on. So I did at times find it a little pale a story in comparison to Anahid's, but it was still interesting to learn a little more about the magic/alchemy of this world and even meet some new characters (and creatures) through Siyon.
Zagiri is such a fantastic character, and even her political scheming couldn't bore me. She has pure intentions and the politics frustrated me on her behalf, making things a little more tricky. I wasn't too entertained by the rebellion talk, but it was great to see Zagiri developing, too, from who she was in the first book.
The storytelling is casual and easy, progressing things in an entertaining manner. There's a nice balance of viewpoints, and always something interesting happening. Some great moments, and a fantastic ending that's got me hanging out for the next one!
Really loved this book. Didn't enrapture me quite as much as the first - likely because I knew what level of entertainment to expect, this time around - but it was plenty of fun and a worthy follow up. I'm looking forward to what happens next....more
If I'd been paying attention this might have been a 4-star, but I think it's more likely it would have been a 2-star. So just gonna settle on 3.
I lisIf I'd been paying attention this might have been a 4-star, but I think it's more likely it would have been a 2-star. So just gonna settle on 3.
I listened to this one, which means I started with a low commitment to it. I did really enjoy this narrator and I'm sure she's done a few others I've enjoyed. Very easy to listen to.
The story starts with Cyrene getting chosen as an affiliate - and if there was an explanation for why this role is such a big deal I missed it. I didn't miss the part where she gets a super special role because she flirted with the king, though.
I feel like there were a lot of clichés in this story but I thankfully missed a lot of them because I was only half tuned in. The times I was paying attention there were some really cringe-worthy moments but on the whole I enjoyed the overall story so maybe it's a good thing I missed all the little details.
Cyrene is of course a classic, YA 'Special One' - the one with powers that haven't been seen in years and everyone is obsessed with her and everything happens because of her but of course she's in denial the entire time because she's ever so humble. It's a trope I'm really, really tired of.
There's a supporting cast that seemed better - I liked Maelia - but I'd like to re-read to properly understand why they're all getting involved. Ahlvie seemed like a cool dude at times but then he does some really questionable things later?
I also really hated what I heard of the Cyrene/Prince (I don't remember his name - K-something) relationship. Like he's super skeezy straight up and then later she's (view spoiler)[fake-seducing him? And he falls for it?!?! (hide spoiler)] WHY. Stuff like that is DUMB and why I suspect a re-read will drop it a star.
But there was also a mystery related to dead bodies turning up so that had me intrigued.
Honestly, I'll probably listen again. It was interesting enough to me that I wanted to go back and listen properly so I may just do that. Orrrr I may just move on to the second and see what happens. *shrug*
Love this narrator, though. She reads it well!...more
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