I've read all of Ann Liang's other books and I'm a huge fan of her writing, so I was very curious to read her first adult fantasy, a very different geI've read all of Ann Liang's other books and I'm a huge fan of her writing, so I was very curious to read her first adult fantasy, a very different genre from what I've read from her before. I immediately fell in love with the writing style, which I think matches this book perfectly: the style fits the genre really well, but it's also super accessible, which made me read the entire book in one sitting.
Xishi and Fanli's forbidden love story was filled with tension, and it ended up making me very emotional. This element of the story definitely deserves 5 stars in my opinion, but I felt like the book as a whole didn't completely live up to its enormous potential. The world, story and characters didn't feel as developed as they could have been, and I think there could easily have been 100 to 150 more pages to really flesh everything out, and make the story even more impactful....more
This was just as enjoyable as everyone's promised me, and I had such a good time with this. It's a great cosy fantasy to conclude my cosy fantasy readThis was just as enjoyable as everyone's promised me, and I had such a good time with this. It's a great cosy fantasy to conclude my cosy fantasy reading month with. I did expect just a little bit more from this though, that might have gotten it to 5 stars. That being said, I thought this was super fun and really sweet.
I would have liked for the romance to have been more developed. I didn't quite understand why Kiela didn't remember Larran if she didn't leave the island until she was 9 years old. Most people have pretty solid memories at that age. I think it would have added more depth to their relationship if she's remembered him too, and they'd genuinely reconnected. I also just missed build-up to the romance on Kiela's side....more
I never expect I'll have to say this about an Alexis Hall book, but this did not work for me at all. The writing style is still as fun as in Mortal FoI never expect I'll have to say this about an Alexis Hall book, but this did not work for me at all. The writing style is still as fun as in Mortal Follies, but it completely overshadows and distracts from the characters and the story, so much so that I could barely tell some of the characters apart and I found myself zoning out all the time. I expect there will be a sequel to this, but I'm not sure I'll read it....more
I'd recommend this if you want to read a sweet story with Halloween vibes. It's both a ghost story and a contemporary romance, and I liked the way hisI'd recommend this if you want to read a sweet story with Halloween vibes. It's both a ghost story and a contemporary romance, and I liked the way history was interwoven with the current day. It also deals a lot with grief, and while I would have liked to learn a little more about Colin so I could understand Seth's grief better, I did find Seth's story touching. All in all this is a sweet story about grief, friendship and romance, that made for a quick read that felt comforting despite it being about death....more
I know Sarah Hogle can write an amazing love interest, so whatever possessed her to write the most creepy, godawful men in this series, I will never uI know Sarah Hogle can write an amazing love interest, so whatever possessed her to write the most creepy, godawful men in this series, I will never understand. Once is a fluke, but twice? I'm very confused and disappointed. It's safe to say I didn't enjoy this book, because Morgan was a major creep and I didn't trust him....more
I wasn't completely sure what to expect from this, but it was a really pleasant surprise! I'm really impressed with the comforting and healing way thiI wasn't completely sure what to expect from this, but it was a really pleasant surprise! I'm really impressed with the comforting and healing way this book managed to talk about death, grief and remembrance. It has a super interesting cast of characters where the characters aren't just fun, kind and loveable, but they are flawed and complex. The writing fit the story really well, and felt very immersive....more
This delivers exactly what you want from a cosy fantasy. It has a lonely main character who's been travelling alone for a while, and who steadily gathThis delivers exactly what you want from a cosy fantasy. It has a lonely main character who's been travelling alone for a while, and who steadily gathers a group of people around her. They go on an adventure together, slowly becoming a found family. It's a quick read, with a really fun writing style, that packs a surprising emotional punch. I had a really good time with this, and I think it makes for an excellent comfort read....more
This series is exactly (exactly!!) what I want from fantasy romance: emphasis on the romance, and a lot of humour in both the romance and the world buThis series is exactly (exactly!!) what I want from fantasy romance: emphasis on the romance, and a lot of humour in both the romance and the world building. Because truly, who comes up with pink, glitter-breathing dragons? You can't not love it.
It was amazing to see how large a role the previous characters played in this sequel, since I've come to love them so much. But it was especially amazing to get to know Twyla and Frank better, because they were so loveable. I don't think enough books have middle-aged (or older) main characters, and I loved their dynamic, given their history and their baggage and their long friendship. I especially loved seeing Twyla find her happiness after feeling like she was just there to be useful for others for so long. And Frank is such a wonderful love interest, supportive and caring and a genuine best friend....more
There aren't many things cuter than a witchy middlegrade, and this was an adorable one, full of heart. It was maybe a little on the short side, even fThere aren't many things cuter than a witchy middlegrade, and this was an adorable one, full of heart. It was maybe a little on the short side, even for a middlegrade, which made some things feel a little rushed, but I did enjoy this one and it was fun to read it in one sitting. Plus, I appreciated this being an adoptee story, I feel like there aren't very many of those!...more
I expected to love this, because I love cosy fantasy and I've loved Freya Marske's previous books. But this didn't work for me. I kept waiting for somI expected to love this, because I love cosy fantasy and I've loved Freya Marske's previous books. But this didn't work for me. I kept waiting for something to happen and for the story to actually get started, but it never really did. This book has no business being almost 400 pages. In cosy fantasy, I need either really strong characters that I feel close connection with, or fun characters with a fun plot, and this book had neither....more
This has a lot of potential, but it didn't quite work in my opinion. There are so many strong elements, especially the way the magic system made this This has a lot of potential, but it didn't quite work in my opinion. There are so many strong elements, especially the way the magic system made this book feel like a middlegrade adventure for disillusioned 30-year-olds, which is something I didn't know I wanted. But these strong elements didn't come together in a cohesive way, and I thought the story lacked a clear build-up and structure. Often, things would happen in a way that felt quite random, as if they came out of nowhere. Then, the situation was immediately explained by the world building, which felt all too convenient and made the story less interesting. I would have loved to see more build-up towards the different plot points, with a more structured way of sharing information. Still, I would read from this author again, as I did think this showed potential as a debut novel....more
Part ghost story, part murder mystery and part queer YA contemporary fantasy, this was a great blend of things I enjoy in a story.
Melody goes through Part ghost story, part murder mystery and part queer YA contemporary fantasy, this was a great blend of things I enjoy in a story.
Melody goes through something traumatic at the start of the book, and this uproots her life and causes her parents and her to relocate, and a lot of the book is about Melody dealing with her trauma. The trauma is related to her being a ghost hunter, so it ties in really well with the paranormal element of the book. I thought the world building was clear, believable, and interesting, and I loved how the author explored the psychological impact of the existence of ghosts in so much detail.
At the same time, the fantasy elements are so realistically done that this book almost has the feel of a queer YA contemporary, centering queer friendship and a sapphic romance. There's a lot of heart to this book, and it's easy to empathize with Melody....more
This was a really entertaining audiobook, but it didn't feel like a very solid sci-fi story. There were a lot of fun elements, but I felt like these cThis was a really entertaining audiobook, but it didn't feel like a very solid sci-fi story. There were a lot of fun elements, but I felt like these clashed a little with the more serious plot. I would have liked for the story to lean even more into the cosy elements, like the hilarious accidental heist, the found family, and the romance. I felt like the more serious plot element of a threat to the multiverse took away from that, and I didn't feel like this was done strongly enough to be convincing....more
As a kid, one of my favourite books was about a little girl who lives at a zoo, and all the chaos she gets into with the zoo animals. I didn't know hoAs a kid, one of my favourite books was about a little girl who lives at a zoo, and all the chaos she gets into with the zoo animals. I didn't know how badly I wanted a grown up version of it until I started read The Phoenix Keeper, but I reached the obsession stage QUICKLY.
From start to finish, this was such a treat for me. I've read books about (magical) zoos before, but they were always more focused on the plot than on the animals, so they always left me wanting more. This one, though, gave me EVERYTHING I wanted. There are so many detailed scenes involving the animals and life at the zoo, the descriptions are so warm and vivid, and I could picture everything so easily. The animals are described so well that they feel like actual characters.
I also loved the main character, Aila, and could relate to her a lot. Her love for animals, her anxiety, everything about her spoke to me. I think it would be easy for people to judge Aila, because her anxiety makes her pretty self-absorbed. The anxiety impacts her brain in a way that makes it hard for her to see outside of her own perspective. This is just one of the "ugly" sides of anxiety, and I loved seeing her learn to move past this and place herself in other people's shoes more.
The plot is centered around the phoenixes, but really, it's centered around Aila learning how to cope with her anxiety through her passion for these animals. To take good care of them, she has to work on herself as well. It was amazing to see this journey.
Based on the synopsis, I did expect the romance to be more central to the story. I love everything this book did, so it's not really a criticism, just an expectation I had to adjust. The romance is lovely, very sweet, but it didn't start until pretty late into the book, so it didn't get as much time on the page as I expected, which I think is good to know before going in....more
Note to self: always read everything H.E. Edgmon writes.
I'm not typically a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, because they make me SO anxious. But I'veNote to self: always read everything H.E. Edgmon writes.
I'm not typically a fan of post-apocalyptic stories, because they make me SO anxious. But I've loved what I've read from H.E. Edgmon previously, so I still wanted to give this a try, and I'm so glad I did.
This is pretty brutal for a middlegrade novel, but it's also full of heart and hope. Millie and Rose were both very different and have very different ways of coping with what's happening to them, which was interesting to read and I think will help middlegrade readers understand that people respond to similar situations differently and that's okay. I absolutely loved the Lost Boys, particularly Ben, and the story became so much more hopeful once Millie and Rose met them.
This isn't quite 5 stars for me, though, because I was honestly expecting a little more from this. I felt like the ending was a little rushed, and this book didn't do much that felt inventive to me - I feel like it's a fairly standard post-apocalyptic story....more
I strongly feel like this was created in a lab to appeal to me specifically.
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be "FUN". It's incrediI strongly feel like this was created in a lab to appeal to me specifically.
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be "FUN". It's incredibly funny, with the best character dynamic in existence, which is best described as ADHD x autistic (regardless of whether the characters are actually ND - they just really have the vibes, iykyk), with a little touch of enemies to lovers.
The romance is incredibly slow burn, and I would have liked it to have progressed a little further by the end, but that also just means I'm in for a treat in the next installments. Which I will be impatiently awaiting!
Everything about this book was so FUN and hilarious and comforting, and it has excellent rereading potential. This is definitely a new favourite for me!...more
I'm not sure what to make of this, because I loved Olivia and the small town setting and the witchy vibes. But wow, did I hate Draven. Which is kind oI'm not sure what to make of this, because I loved Olivia and the small town setting and the witchy vibes. But wow, did I hate Draven. Which is kind of a problem in a romance novel, because I ended up not wanting them to be together at all. This man has let his bitterness and jealousy fester for so long that it's turned him into a villain, yet he's also still the love interest? I really didn't see the romance of it. I'm still giving this 3 stars because I did enjoy everything else....more
This was VERY different from what I expected, and I truly do not know how to feel. It's a very strange book, and I wasn't quite sure if I was enjoyingThis was VERY different from what I expected, and I truly do not know how to feel. It's a very strange book, and I wasn't quite sure if I was enjoying it or if things were just too weird for me. But on the other hand, I found myself intrigued enough not to want to put it down, and there were some elements that really worked for me....more
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