Review: A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene has been on the list of my most anticipated 2024 releases since the moment I first read the synopsis several months ago. The first book in a brand new trilogy, it only took four key phrases: Romantasy, changeling, curse and dangerous fae lord, and I was sold. And you guys, I think I might have found my next book obsession!

The book follows Fia, who happens to be a changeling. Twelve years earlier the Fair Folk stole the High Queen's real daughter Eala away to the faerie realm of Tír na nÓg, and left Fia behind in her stead. Now at the age of twenty, Fia is not only the queen's beloved adoptive daughter - she's also her best trained spy. When the queen learns of a way to save the real princess from the faerie lands (and from the curse that leaves her stranded as a swan during the daylight hours), Fia is tasked with breaking the curse and bringing her back. Joining her on her quest is Eala's fiancé Rogan - Fia's childhood best friend and first love. Stranded in an long-abandoned castle with the boy - well, man now - who broke her heart four years earlier is not an ideal situation, especially when there are clearly some unresolved feelings between the two of them. 

However, when the pair cross over to Tír na nÓg during the full moon to rescue the princess, it is nothing like Fia expected. She finds herself strangely drawn to the magical and deadly faerie realm, and soon forms an unexpected connection with Eala's captor, Irian. Irian is dark and troubled, and both Eala and Rogan warn Fia to stay away from him. But despite the danger the fae lord poses, he might also be the person who understands Fia the best. And she soon learns that there are bigger games at play both in Tír na nÓg and the human world, games that means she will have to make some tough choices: Should she follow the path the human mother who raised her has set for her, or should she answer the call of her faerie blood and follow her heart?

This book just checked all the boxes for me! I even enjoyed the love triangle, which is a rare occurence for me. Fia was such an intriguing main character. I could really feel her inherent loneliness in being a fae being raised among humans - she has never really fit in, but she desperately wants to. Despite her origins, Fia is more human than most actual human beings. Unbeknownst to her, she was raised to be a weapon for her so-called mother, but she still has so much love and compassion inside her. Her biggest flaw is her hunger for love and acceptance, something that makes her pretty easy to manipulate. We see this not only with her mother, but also when she meets her adopted sister, Eala. I really enjoyed how Fia slowly came to realize that she was being used as a pawn in the greedy schemes of the people around her, and how she came to understand that she should trust her own judgement. Better late than never, as they say.

The romance(s) in A Feather So Black were beautifully done - even the love triangle. There is so much history between Fia and Rogan - he is her best and only friend, in addition to being her first love. We quickly understand that their separation four years earlier was not due to a lack of affection on either side, but because Rogan put his duty as heir to his kingdom before his own happiness. And he still does. It was a bit frustrating how he kept pursuing Fia romantically, while at the same time being adamant in his plan to marry Eala. Fia deserves so much better than being his mistress, but despite his obvious love for her, he is not willing to yield. And I get it - I really do. He wants what's best for his kingdom, and he will not be able to provide for his people unless he marries the true princess. Rogan is young - he wants to have his cake and eat it too. But that is not fair to Fia, and I'm glad she realizes that their time together has come and gone even if Rogan refuses to accept it. You don't always end up with your first love, but I'm glad they had a second chance to explore their relationship.

Fia and Irian makes a lot more sense. He sees her for who she trully is, and accepts every single thing about her. Instead of being disgusted by her magic like Rogan is, he is in awe of it. Irian may be dangerous and shrouded in dark magic, but he is also so so lonely shut away in his own little corner of the world. He puts on this tough and indifferent mask for the world to see, but on the inside he is just as desperate for love as Fia is. The two of them together is pure magic. Rogan who? I will gladly die on my Fia and Irian hill, thank you very much!

Lyra Selene's writing is gorgeous and descriptive. I have seen some reviews mentioning that their biggest complaint about this book is the pacing, but honestly it was not a big issue for me. As Fia and Rogan can only cross over to Tír na nÓg on the night of the full moon, there are a lot of chapters in between of them just doing mundane things around the castle. I did not mind reading about Fia putting the old greenhouse back in order (it gives her a chance to reconnect with her nature magic) or searching the castle for clues on how to break Eala's curse. For me this just heightened my expectations for the chapters that actually did take place in the faerie realm. There was so much happening in the Tír na nÓg chapters that I liked getting a little time in between to simply slow down and process what we learned. 

I cannot wait to see where the next book in this series takes us. Now that a new villain has clearly been defined (I was not suprised to see this character actually being the true antagonist of the story), I am excited to see what happens next. One thing is for sure; it promises for some interesting dynamics in the books to come!

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Review: Hallowed Games by C. N. Crawford

I was looking for a new romantasy series to get into, and came across a post mentioning Hallowed Games by C. N. Crawford. This the first book in an indie published fantasy series, and while I tend to read more traditionally published books, indie is definitely is a subgenre I'm interested in exploring more. There are so many excellent writers out there who has yet to be discovered by the big publishing houses, and there is something exciting in reading something before it is plastered all over BookTok. 

In Hallowed Games we follow Elowen, a young woman living with a dangerous secret. Nine years earlier she was cursed with deadly and forbidden magic, and ever since her very touch has been lethal. Her secret is known only by a few, and Elowen will gladly live out her days as the Baron's personal assassin as long as the little orphan boy she cares for is safe. But when she is betrayed by Lydia -the Baron's daughter and Elowen's former best friend - she is captured by witch hunters and thrown into a deadly game for survival. A game that will only leave a single person standing in the end.

Against all odds she finds herself intensely attracted to Maelor, the head of the witch hunters, and he returns her interest. By any logic he should not be able to touch her, but to Elowen's great surprise her touch does nothing to harm him. That is because Maelor has a secret of his own: He is a vampire, and thus immune to her lethal touch. Elowen does not understand why the Maelor has taken such an interest in her, or why he seems determined to help her overcome the deadly trials that await her in the games, but slowly she finds herself relying on him. He might be the only one who can help her reunite with Leo, the little boy whose life and safety depends on her. But can she really trust the man known as the Raven Lord - a man who has devoted years of his life to hunting people with magic like her? 

Whenever I read a synopsis of a book that mentions a deadly game with a single survivor, I immediately think of The Hunger Games, and my expectations automatically goes through the roof. One part I really liked is that Elowen takes the time to get to know some of the other pentinents, because it leads to her leading her own little ragtag bunch of misfits. None of them are there because they want to be, and so it makes sense for them to team up to get through the first couple of challenges. While I found the first trial to be really high-stakes and exciting, the second trial was a bit of a let-down. It was basically just Elowen being horny as fuck. It would have been a lot more interesting if the authors had chosen to have her hallucinate about unleashing her powers instead, because that could at least have lead to some interesting character development.

I did like the chemistry, pining and sexual tension between Elowen and Maelor, but it did lead to some questionable decisions made by said characters. They literally sleep together for the first time while on the run from people who wants to kill them, and by that I don't mean that they are racing across a vast world with their enemies following in their footsteps. No, the enemy is literally within the same freakin' castle walls going from room to room looking for our main couple, and Elowen and Maelor just decide while hiding in a tiny storage room that this is the perfect time to get down and dirty. What the heck? There's a time and place for everything, and this was probably not it. It just seemed like such a stupid decision made by otherwise smart characters.

As for the story itself, it does have a rather exciting twist near the end. Former enemies will have to team up to take down the main villain, and I am interested in seeing how these relationships will develop in the next book. Because of where the first book leaves off, I am a little worried that we might have to deal with a love triangle in subsequent installments in this series. I might be way off base on this, but there are a few times a certain other character reacts rather strongly to Elowen's obvious dislike of him, and I fear that his reactions might hint at some complicated feelings lurking beneath the surface. I really hate love triangles and changing love interests from one book to another (looking at you, Sarah J.), so I really hope I'm just imagining things. It was also strongly hinted at in Hallowed Games that this character knows exactly why Elowen was cursed in the first placed, and I was kinda frustrated that specific question was not answered in the first book. Just gives me another reason to check out the next one when it's released, I suppose.

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Review: The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

When I created my list of most anticipated releases of the first quarter of 2024, The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers was definitely on that list. Despite my anticipation for this late January release (and one absolutely stunning FairyLoot edition just sitting there on my bookshelf), it took me a good two months to actually pick it up. But a couple of days ago the mood struck, and so I sat down to read.

The Everlys are a cursed family - once a generation an Everly has to walk into the unknown never to be seen again. Violet mothers, Marianne, was intended to be the chosen one, but one day she just disappeared in search of a way to end the curse, leaving her only daughter to be raised by her two brothers. And so Violet Everly grows up with her uncles, raised in absolute secrecy and kept away from the rest of the world. But no secret lasts forever, and when Violet is eleven a mysterious woman named Penelope shows up at the Everly house. Accompanying her is Aleksander - a young boy with eyes the color of grey sea-glass who shows Violet something that should be impossible. The woman has come to claim her debt, but she agrees to a deal: She gives Violet's uncles ten years to track down Marianne. If they can't find her, she will take Violet instead.

Violet always believed her mother would come back for her, but as the ten year limit approaches, there are still no signs of Marianne. When she learns of the secrets her uncles have kept from her for years, she is furious. But Aleksander - recently back in her life after nearly a decade of no contact - has told her of another world exisiting parallel to our own, and Violet is convinced the secrets of her mother's whereabouts lie in the mysterious city of Fidelis. And so, with only one year left until the curse will claim its victim, Violet sets out to do what her mother could not: Find the key to the City of Stardust, and break the Everly curse once and for all. 

I really wanted to love this book, and for a while I did. The writing was lyrical and beautiful, and the premise itself really pulled me in. The time skips in the first part of the book felt natural and organic - just small glimpses into Violet's life while growing up inside the confined walls of the Everly house. Unfortunately things began to change once Violet left home in search of her mother. My main problem was the pacing. She leaves home to go on this epic adventure all over the world, and all of a sudden a year has passed and she's seen all this things and met all these people, but we don't actually get to see her do any of those things. I don't know, there was just something about the pacing in this part of the story that felt a bit off to me. I would have liked more insight into what the last year has actually been like for her.

There is a romance brewing between Violet and Aleksander throughout the book, but for the love of me I couldn't figure out why they were so drawn to eachother. They met once as children, only for him to pop back up in her life when she is nineteen at which point they chat a few times. And then he betrays her multiple times to the woman who literally wants Violet dead, but still she forgives him time and time again. Why? Because he's pretty (she keeps mentioning that he is unfairly good-looking)? To be competely honest, I felt more chemistry between Aleksander and his books (and also between Violet and Caspian) than I did between him and Violet. Their connection just didn't feel real. But romance is always a plus for me, so I'll let it go.

Despite the story dragging a bit in the middle, I do feel like it picked back up again towards the end of the book. The action really ramped up, and at this point the mythology behind the Everly curse is more thoroughly explored, and we finally understand the main villain's motivations a bit more. I was happy with how the story ended. Most of the major plot points are neatly tied up in the final chapter, but there are one or two elements of the story that are left open-ended. An epilogue shows our characters again after some time has passed, but there are still some questions that are just never answered. I didn't mind not having all the answers, but I can see how this could be a bit divisive among readers. 

All in all, this is a solid debut from Georgia Summers, and I am excited to see what this author does next.

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Review: The Traitor Queen by Danielle L. Jensen

If you read my review of The Bridge Kingdom, the first book in this series, it should come as no surprise that I was a little apprehensive of picking up this second book merely a day after almost ripping my own hair out in pure frustration over the female main characters blind loyalty to her mission. However, the tiny bit of character growth we saw in Lara in the second half of the book (as well as the shocking cliffhanger we left off on) was enough to convince me that this story had potential, so I decided to give The Traitor Queen a go. 

I am happy to report that Lara is a lot more tolerable in this book. Determined to make up for the fact that her stupid actions threw Ithicana into a bloody war - causing thousands to die, and her beloved husband Aren to be captured by her villainous father - Lara seeks the help of the very people she betrayed. The Ithicanians want her head, but Aren's twin sister, Ahnna, knows that working with Lara is their best chance of getting their king back alive. With help from Ithicana, Lara sets out to locate the subjects of her very first betrayal: Her ten remaining warrior sisters. 

Meanwhile, Aren is being hold captured in the heart of the Maridrinian palace by Lara's father, King Silas. Chained to a table in the harem courtyard, he is forced to witness to the death of Ithicanian after Ithicanian, and has more than enough time to curse himself for ever falling for Lara's lies. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and even if he knows that Lara brought him and his kingdom to ruin, he still can't seem to want her dead. Maridrina and Ithicania may be at war, but to Aren's great surprise there are some very unlikely allies hiding withing the palace walls. And unbeknownst to Aren, Lara and her sister are coming for him.

So let's start with the obvious: Lara and Aren's relationship is really put through the wringer in this installment of the series. Hardly surprising when you think about everything her betrayal has cost him. She knows Ithicana will never forgive her, but yet she wants to do all she can to right her wrongs. And Aren claims not wanting anything to do with her, but we all know that is a big fat lie. And this leads to pining. A lot of pining. So much pining! Speaking of Lara, I am so glad she has gotten her act together in this book. This is the heroine I wanted her to be all along: Strong, independent, fiercly loyal and most of all - intelligent. She takes an active stand against her father, and is majorly involved in a lot of the planning and tactics going on in the book. A large part of the book consists of her saving Aren's ass from various perilous situations, which is quite refreshing (he saves her at one point as well). I do actually like her now. 

Another part of the story I found interesting was getting a better look at the dynamic between Lara and her sisters. We were briefly introduced to one sister in the first chapter of the first book (and another one later on), but this is the first time we've been able to see all of them together and observe their relationship. Despite Lara's actions in the first book, they all show up for her when she needs their help. That's what family does, isn't it? Even though some of them were mere background characters, you could really feel the love and support they all had for one another. There were also some new and interesting characters introduced, and as far as I know, a couple of those new characters are the new main characters in the next couple of books in the series. I am definitely interested in knowing more about them.

The story was action-packed and fast-paced, and there was not a single part I found boring. I enjoyed all the plotting and planning going on behind the scenes, and there was several times I questioned how Danielle L. Jensen would manage to give us a satisfying ending to Aren and Lara's story. Did I think the resolution was a bit too simple? Yes, maybe, but it made perfect sense according to the lore and customs of Ithicana. However, I do think it all happened a little too fast. One minute the citizens of Ithicana wanted her dead, and the next thing we knew they had suddenly stopped referring to her as the Traitor Queen. Just like that? I might have accepted it if we'd had a bit more time to digest this sudden change in behavior, but as this all happened in the very last chapter, we were not given anything of the sort. An epilogue would probably have been a good idea. 

All in all, this has been a pretty good read. I will probably check out the next books in the series as well, but I do think I need a little break from this world before diving back into it.

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Review: The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

I first read The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen shortly after it was first released back in 2018. If you've read my review of A Fate Inked in Blood by the same author, you already know that it wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience for me. It was by no means even close to the worst book I've ever read, but there was just something about it that didn't work for me. However, after recently giving the author's newest release a solid five star rating, I decided to give The Bridge Kingdom another shot to see if the problem back then was the book or if it was just me.

The book follows Lara, one of twelve princesses trained from early childhood to one day infiltrate the court of Ithicana (also known as the Bridge Kingdom) - the neighboring nation of her native Maridrina - as a bride to their ruthless king. The girls all know Ithicana is the enemy - the country hoards their wealth and restricts access to the bridge that allows for trade between the various kingdoms, causing the innocent citizens of Maridrina to face starvation and poverty. Lara is neither the most beautiful nor the most intelligent among her sisters, but she is probably the most cunning one, and when she learns of her father's plan to have all sisters but one killed off to protect a plot fifteen years in the making, she forces his hand by making sure she is the only woman left standing. And thus her father is left with no other choice than to send Lara off to be wed to the king of Ithicana.

Lara's instructions are clear: She has one year learn all of Ithicana's secrets, and she is to report everything she learns back to her father. When the time is right, his forces will attack and take control over the bridge. But Aren, the king of Ithicana, is nothing like the brute Lara had expected. Instead of a tyrant, she finds a troubled young king who loves his country and its people more than anything, and who wishes for nothing else than for Ithicana and its neighboring countries to live in peace. The more time Lara spends with her new husband and his citizens, the more she starts to doubt her mission. Torn between being being the traitorous spy she was raised to be or being the real queen of Ithicana, Lara has to ask herself some important questions: What if Ithicana has never been the enemy? What if the real villain has been someone else all along? 

This is a difficult book for me to review. On the surface the book has everything I want in a story - a strong plot, political intrigue and a forbidden enemies to lovers romance - but there's just something about the story that doesn't grip me as much as I want it to. I think the main problem I have with the book is that I just can't stand Lara for the first half of the book or so. I get that she grew up being super sheltered and knowing nothing of the real world, but why is she just taking every word out of her father's mouth at face value? Her father straight up wanted to murder her and ten of her sisters! He doesn't exactly strike me as a particularly trustworthy man! However, Lara is so brainwashed that she just goes along with all of his plans without even raising an eyebrow. I just wanted to reach into the pages and shake the stupidity out of her. Fine, so she does eventually come around, and by the end of the book I even kinda like her, but that does not make up for the fact that I spent 50% of the book hating her traitorous guts. 

Aren, on the other hand, is a wonderful marshmallow that needs to be protected at all costs. I really enjoyed the chapters from his point of view, as he is just an all-around decent guy trying to hold his country together. Although he makes some dumb decisions when it comes to Lara, he is always giving his all to protect his people, and that makes me like him a lot.  

Despite my gripes about Lara, I enjoyed the story itself. Ithicana was described in a beautiful way - a wild country full of dangerous tropical storms, shark-infested waters and lush jungle islands populated by deadly snakes and gigantic spiders. And of course the gigantic bridge intersecting it all! It is probably not a place I would want to visit myself (because of the aforementioned snakes and spiders), but it did make for an interesting setting. I don't think I've read another book with a similar setting before. I liked the side characters, especially Ahnna and Aren's Nana. She's a firecracker that one! The plot was high-stakes, and once I started actually liking Lara, I really enjoyed the direction in which the story was heading. Her lies and deception (and stupidity) had to catch up with her at some point, and when it finally happened, I was at the edge of my seat! The betrayal! The tension! 

While I cannot give The Bridge Kingdom a higher rating because of Lara's lack of character development in the first half of the book, I have no complaints about the writing itself. Danielle L. Jensen has an excellent way with words, and now that I am finally really feeling the story, I am very excited to see what happens in the next book in the series. 

I am ready for Lara's redemption arc, so please don't disappoint me!

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Review: The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but there are some covers that just makes you all the more interested in reading the book. The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright is definitely one of them. Just look how stunning that is! Not that I wasn't already interested in the book - from the moment I first read the synopsis I was intrigued enough to add the title to my ever-growing TBR list. There's few things I love more than a cozy fantasy, and this book promised just that.

The book follows three different characters - Ffion, Taliesin and Dafydd - as they race to restore magic and save the Welsh kingdoms from a devastating attack.

Ffion is the last hedgewitch in the village of Foxhall. Once an prospective initiate of a the powerful Foxhall coven her mother and sister belongs to, she chose to break with both the coven and her family two years earlier due to their differing views of magic use. She refuses to sacrifice any living things to fuel her magic, instead living off what the land can freely offer her. When the Foxhall coven's destructive magic has devastating consequences for Ffion, she teams up with the shrewd (but distractingly handsome) prince Taliesin to stop the attack that is prophesied to kill his father and plunge the kingdoms into war. By helping Tal, Ffion hopes to restore the fading magic of Wales and bring back what was lost to her. 

 

Prince Taliesin does not trust magic, and he couldn't care less if it disappeared forever. But his father has pitted him against his older half-brother, Dafydd, in a quest to find a way to stop the prophesy from coming to fruition. The winner gets the throne. The loser gets nothing. Tal has his own reasons for wanting to rule, and so he reluctantly accepts Ffion's offer to help. But the more time they spend together, the more he finds himself drawn to the half-wild witch girl. Meanwhile, prince Dafydd is struggling with his role as his father's favorite and preferred heir. He has never wanted the throne in the first place, but he finds himself unable to refuse his father's request. But when he sees Tal with Ffion, he wonders if he shouldn't just fight for the thone - and the girl - himself.

Okay, let's get this out of the way first: There is a love triangle in this book. I usually hate love triangles, but I didn't really mind this one as much as I thought I would. Partially because the love triangle itself is introduced pretty late in the story, and by then you can pretty much guess how it will end up, and partially because both Tal and Dafydd are decent guys. I do think one of the guys should have given up a little earlier than he actually did, as it was clear from the get-go who Ffion had her heart set on, but I suppose you can't really begrudge a guy for giving it his all even if it was doomed from the beginning. But it makes me wonder if that third POV was really necessary, as I wasn't as interested in this character as I was in the other two.

I discovered after reading it that the story is actually based around real events from Welsh history, and there is a lot of Welsh mythology sprinkled throughout the story. This is of course a fictional (and magical) retelling of actual events, but it is just a fun little detail to consider. The story itself was whimsical and magic. I loved how Ffion's magic was so clearly connected to the land itself, and how gently she coaxed it out with her singing. She really had that good Earth witch energy, as opposed to some of the other witches/magicians who used more extreme methods to connect with their magic. Her little fox familiar was also really adorable. I also enjoyed how Ffion and Tal bickered like they'd already been married for fifty years from the moment they first met - her constantly making fun of him for his fancy, expensive, over-the-top coat was really funny.

Familial relationships are also an important part of the story, and I enjoyed seeing how the different character's stories played out. Even though they are currently at odds with eachother, it is made very clear that Ffion has voluntarily distanced herself from a family that still loves her a lot. Tal would do anything to protect his mother, even if it means constantly trying to impress his indifferent father. And although the relationship between Tal and Dafydd is fragile, the latter clearly cares about his brother's well-being more than he cares for himself. These interpersonal relationships and how they changed throughout the story was one of my absolute favorite aspects. 

The events of the final chapters were quite fast-paced compared to the earlier chapters, but I suppose that is to be expected from what in many ways is an epic 8th century road trip story. I was very satisfied with where our characters ended up, and with how the story ended. In the end, it was the only ending that would have made sense in this cute, cozy fantasy book.

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Review: The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black

WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers for Holly Black's The Folk of the Air, as well as for The Stolen Heir - the first book in this duology. If you have yet to read these books, I would advise against reading any further.

After finishing The Stolen Heir yesterday, I was eager to dive right into the final book in this duology. Luckily for me, it was a Sunday, and so I had all the time in the world to read. And read I did. I actually read this book in a single sitting. 

We last met prince Oak, heir to the faerie kingdom of Elfhame, shortly after he had been thrown in jail for betraying his childhood friend and quest partner from the previous book, Suren (Wren). The once disbanded Court of Teeth has risen from its ashes, and a reluctant Wren is forced to take up the mantle as the new queen of the Court she spend most of her life running from. Oak still cares deeply for Wren. He sees what toll her destructive magic takes on her, and he is desperate to save her before it is too late. Even though he knows he has single-handedly shattered the trust she once she had in him, he is desperate to get it - and also her - back. 

But the High Court of Elfhame will not let the imprisonment of their heir go unpunished, and Oak's sister Jude - the High Queen - will do anything to get her younger brother back. When Oak learns of a plan to break him out of prison - a plan that may just end in a war that will destroy everyone and everything that he loves - he comes up with a plan of his own. All he has to do is convince Wren to play along. To his great surprise, she agrees. Before long Oak, Wren and their retinues are on a boat heading towards Insmire, the capital of Elfhame. Oak is hopeful this will give him a chance to make things right with her, as Wren is the only person who has ever seen him for who he really is. But Wren has her own demons and agenda. Before long, Oak finds himself torn between his family and the girl he has always loved - and war is on the horizon.

This was a solid ending to a beautiful duology, although I didn't love the book as much as I thought I would. I loved the insight we got into Suren's mind in the first book, and how the first-person narration allowed us to really understand the depths of her character. In The Prisoner's Throne the point of view shifts from Wren to Oak, and at the same time also shifts from a first-person to third-person narrative. Oak is a fascinating character, and we do get to know him a lot better, but I didn't really feel as connected to him as I did to Wren in The Stolen Heir. I find the budding relationship between the two to be the most interesting part of the storyline, but sadly they don't have as many meaningful interactions in the latter half of the book as I wanted. Fans of the original series will however be thrilled to have old characters like Jude, Cardan and Madoc back, and get a glimpse into what they have been up to for the past eight years.

The supporting characters are delightfully morally grey, and there were plenty of times I suspected innocent characters of some kind of nefarious plots. The political intrigues and maneuvering in this book are more reminiscent of what we saw in The Folk of the Air, and it is something Holly Black does rather masterfully. I did like how the author kept us guessing as to where the story was going. There is a lot of tension and mistrust between the High Court and Wren's faction, and as the end of the book got closer, I was seriously worried as to how the story would wrap up. In the end I was satisfied with the ending, but I do wish we had gotten a little more time with our main characters after the final conflict. 

There is definitely a new story being set up by the very end of the book, and Holly Black has also confirmed she's not done with this world just yet. All I can say on that is: I'm here for it!

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Review: The Stolen Heir by Holly Black

WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers for Holly Black's The Folk of the Air. If you have yet to read this series, I would advise against reading any further.

I've had The Stolen Heir by Holly Black on my TBR list ever since it released at the very beginning of last year. I really enjoyed the political intrigues, strong world building and complex characters in The Folk of the Air, so when I heard that this duology was a sequel to one of my absolute favorite series, I was all in. I definitely didn't expect myself to have enough self-control to wait until the duology was completed to start reading the first book, but here we are more than a year later.

The main protagonist of this book is Suren - the exiled queen of the now disbanded Court of Teeth - and a character we were first introduced to in the last book of the original series. When we last met her she was still a child, but years have passed by since the events of The Queen of Nothing, and Suren (or Wren as she prefers to be called) is now in her late teens. Life has definitely not been kind to her these past few years, and she spends her days in the human world lurking around her only connections to her former life without their knowledge, living off their scraps. Her years spent in the Court of Teeth, as well as her lonely existence, has made her an angry, feral thing.

When she is approached by Oak, the faerie prince and heir to the throne of Elfhame she knew as a child (and also main protagonist Jude from The Folk of the Air's younger brother), and invited to go on a quest to rid Elfhame of a great evil Wren knows all to well, she sees no reason to refuse. Also accompanying them on their quest is a surly, distrustful knight and a cursed prisoner. As their journey brings them closer and closer to the place Wren hoped she never had to revisit, she feels strangely drawn to the sunny prince - a bright light in her otherwise dreary existance. But Oak keeps a lot of secrets, and the closer Wren feels to him, the more she wonders what the true mission of their quest really is - or if she can even trust him at all.

Ooof, this was such a good book! Why did I wait so long to read it? I felt absolutely elated to be back in the wonderfully interesting, but extremely cruel world of Faerieland. Even though parts of the book took place in the human world, it was the faerie settings I found the most interesting. I love how Holly Black has crafted this rich world full of all these different fae creatures, and how the different characteristics of the various species of fae are so well-described. I feel like there's an infinite amount of different fae species, one more whimsical or frightening than the next. The casual cruelty of some of these creatures are mind-blowing, and every time there's some kind of fight or confrontation I'm at the edge of my seat, because the stakes just seem that high. That is some excellent writing right there.

Choosing Suren to be the main protagonist of the book was a very good move. She was a minor character that really made an impact on me while reading The Folk of the Air, and I was always really curious about her backstory. I am happy to say that a lot of my questions have been answered. Wren is such an pitiful character, because despite all the gaslighting, torture and pain she went through at the hands of her biological parents, she is still just a little girl wanting desperately to be loved. I can't wait to see her coming more into her power and hopefully gain some confidence in the next book. Learning more about Oak was also such a treat. He was so young in the original series that I never really got a read on his character, but I liked that we got glimpses of the more vulnerable side hidden behind his cheerful persona throughout this book. I'm excited to learn even more about this hidden side of him going forward.

The story is exactly as fun and fast-paced you would expect from a Holly Black book. There's less actual political intrigue in this one, as most of the time is spent away from the courts, but that doesn't mean there's not plenty of secrets, lies and backstabbing going on between our core group of characters. Theirs is a fraught alliance, and the questionable motives of several characters makes for an intriguing read. Plotwise, the ending of the book sets up a good starting point for the next book in the series with an elegant twist I really enjoyed. I asked myself earlier in this review why I waited so long to read this book, but now I'm very glad I did. It just means I can start the next book in the series tomorrow!

Check out other reviews on Goodreads, or buy the book at Amazon US / Amazon UK / Blackwells

Review: Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

I was really excited to finally sit down and read Lore of the Wilds by debut author Analeigh Sbrana. Described as a stunning Romantasy debut about an enchanted library, two handsome Fae, and one human who brings them all together, it definitely sounded like a book right up my alley. To be honest, they had me at enchanted library. I'm a sucker for books about books.

The book follows Lore, an young woman living in the human village of Duskmere in a land otherwise populated by cruel Fae. Several hundred years ago the humans were exiled from their original world by the Gods who created them in an event known as the Cruel Crossing, and ever since they have been looking for a way back to their original world. A search made pretty much impossible by the Fae, as they treat humans like vermin and forbids them from even leaving the borders of Duskmere.

After a terrible disaster leaves her village in ruins, Lore is brought to the castle, where she strikes a deal with a Fae lord: He will send aid, workers and materials to help rebuild her village. In exchange she will enter an enchanted library where no Fae can enter, and organize and catalog the collection of books within. The library has remained untouched for a thousand years, and so Lore sees an opportunity to acquire knowledge no human has ever had access to before. But there's also something else inside the library. Something Lore has always wanted for herself. Something humans like her shouldn't even be able to wield: Magic.

I do like the premise of the book, and the story itself has a lot of promise. I have seen some reviews mentioning that the book reads very much like YA even though it is marketed as adult, and I guess I can see where they're coming from. However - and this might come as a surprise to some people - older teens/young adults do the horizontal tango all the time, so the YA-style writing combined with the more mature parts of the story wasn't a big deal to me. It didn't hurt the story in any way. Lore is supposed to be twenty-one, and there's really not a huge difference between a twenty-one-year-old and an eighteen-year-old maturity wise. 

Speaking of Lore, she's a pretty likeable main character for the most part. She cares a lot for her adoptive family and for her friends, and is eager to improve the quality of life for the humans of Duskmere. She's also pretty brave and feisty - you know, when she's not afraid of being killed by unpredictable Fae with no regard for human life. The part I didn't like about Lore was how easily she would be be swayed by a pretty face and a muscular body. I mean, it certainly doesn't hurt to have some eye candy, but forming genuine connections based on something other than physical attraction would also have been nice.

You can tell from the cover and the synopsis that this book has a love triangle - something I'm not overly fond of in the first place. I'm not saying a love triangle done right can't be fun, but as they are few and far between I just prefer to avoid the trope if possible. Unfortunately the romance(s) in Lore of the Wilds are sadly underdeveloped, and it is probably the weakest part of the book. One of the the romance options seems very insta-lovey, as Lore literally gets major flutters when their hands touch after they've had like two or three very short interactions. The other romance mostly develops off-page while Lore is already in a semi-relationship with guy #1, and as the reader I don't really understand why she's suddenly so conflicted about her feelings for guy #2 when she was gushing about guy #1 just a few pages earlier. It does seem like we're headed in a certain direction by the end of the book, so hopefully the love triangle will resolve itself in the sequel.

While I thought the story was fun and engaging (for the most part), there were a few issues with the pacing here and there. For the most part I think the story moved along pretty well, but there were a few parts that just felt oddly paced compared to the rest of the book (chapter 24 immediately comes to mind). This kind of staccato pacing is something I've also seen with some other debut authors, and so I'm not too worried about it. An author's writing style is constantly evolving, and in my opinion they have a tendency to fix their pacing issues as their skill continue to develop and grow.

While Lore of the Wilds might not have lived up to every single one of my expectations, it was still a pretty good read. I am planning on continuing on with the series, and I'm excited to see where Analeigh Sbrana takes the story next.

Check out other reviews on Goodreads, or buy the book at Amazon US / Amazon UK / Blackwells

Review: Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek

I first heard about Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek in September of last year, and ever since it has been on the list of my most anticipated 2024 releases. I follow the author on Instagram, and every little snippet and sneak peak she posted the last few months made me want to read the book even more. My anticipation was so high that I preordered both the US and the UK hardback versions just because I couldn’t decide on which cover I liked the most (still can’t – they’re both gorgeous). 

When the release date finally came, I was... so not ready! You see, in preparation for the release day I had read some reviews from people with advanced reader copies saying the book made them cry, and since it doesn’t take much to turn me into a sobbing mess, I needed to be mentally prepared. The next day I was ready. Armed with one of my brand new copies and a box of tissues (don’t say I didn’t come prepared), I sat down and started to read.

The book follows Liska, who lives in a small village in Orlica (a fictional version of Poland). She has magic, but desperately wants to get rid of it, as magic users are feared and shunned. And so one night she sneaks into the Driada – a magical forest home to all kinds of nightmarish beasts – to search for a magical flower rumored to grant a wish when plucked. There are definitely some Beauty and the Beast-ish undertones going on here, because that flowers turns out to be owned by the demon warden of the woods – the Leszy. He agrees to grant Liska’s wish and remove her magic, but only after she has spent a year in his service.

And so Liska’s year of servitude begins. To her great surprise, being stuck with a grumpy but attractive 700-year-old demon (and a feisty hearth-spirit) in a crumbling, sentinent manor in the middle of a dangerous forest might not be as bad as she first expected. She’s even starting to reconnect with her magic. But her new host has many secrets, and if Liska wants to survive the year, she has to figure them out before it’s too late. 

This book was definitely worth the wait! A. B. Poranek’s writing is stunning, and the story is well-paced and engaging. If I had describe which other books this one reminds me of, I would say it’s like Howl’s Moving Castle combined with For the Wolf, with a dash of Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy and a pinch of Beauty and the Beast thrown into the mix. This is high praise coming from me, as the Winternight trilogy are my favorite books of all time. I really enjoyed the Slavic elements woven into the story – it was fun to learn more about Slavic tradition and mythology, as that is not something I am overly familiar with. 

The characters are also amazing. Liska starts out as a girl that doesn’t fit in anywhere, but ends up really coming into herself and embracing her powers. The found-family trope in this book was adorable, and I found myself really loving the little band of misfits coming together under the roof of the House Under the Rowan Tree. From Liska and the Leszy, to Jaga and Maksio – I just loved them all. And the House itself was so magical. It’s not every day you stumble across a sentinent house! I loved the combination of the dark and gothic woodsy setting with the cozy found-family vibes.

There is also a cute romance between Liska and the Leszy, and hallelujah – it is a slow burn one! Liska can’t stand the guy at first, and it does take a while for her to start warming up to him. And it is made clear early on that the Leszy himself is a standoffish dude. One of my favorite tropes is the wounded love interest who is afraid of falling in love because of past trauma (that does make me sound a bit sadistic, but I like what I like), and all I will say on that matter is that my sadistic little heart was very very happy with how the romance played out. 

The last part of the book had my heart racing like crazy. I did like how the book ended (though I can see it being a bit divisive), but I have some questions about that very last sentence. My main question is: How? Did I miss something? I mean, I have my theories, but I would have liked things to be a bit clearer. 

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still, and I’m excited to read more from A. B. Poranek in the future.

Oh, and for those of you wondering if I ever used those tissues... yes, yes I did!

Check out other reviews on Goodreads, or buy the book at Amazon US / Amazon UK / Blackwells

Review: A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

I will be honest – I was kinda scared of picking up A Fate Inked in Blood, the first book in the new Saga of the Unfated duology by Danielle L. Jensen. I tried to get into The Bridge Kingdom series when it first came out, but found myself unable to really connect with the story. Granted, at the time I was firmly rooted in my sugary sweet YA era, so it is a very distinct possibility my lack of connection with the story was just me not being used to reading adult fantasy fiction. A reread is probably in order. But I digress. Like I said at the beginning I was a somewhat afraid I wouldn’t like the writing or the story, but the premise of a Nordic/viking inspired fantasy featuring a shield maiden, magic and a forbidden romance was to tempting to pass up. 

And boy am I glad I didn’t! I absolutely loved everything about this book!

The book follows a young woman named Freya, who lives in the fictional land of Skaland (clearly heavily influenced by viking age Scandinavia). In this world the gods sometimes interfere with mortals by granting children a drop of godly blood at their conception. These children will manifest some kind of power when they grow older. Freya is one of these children, although she has kept this a secret her entire life at her parents behest. When her secret is discovered by jarl (the equivalent of a chieftain) Snorri, she soon learns why her parents insisted on the secrecy – Freya is the shield maiden prophesied to be a kingmaker, and the jarl has looked for her for years. 

In a bid to control the shield maiden and the future of the kingless land of Skaland, the jarl makes her an offer: Become his second wife, and her family will be protected and cared for. Refuse, and they will be left to face shame and poverty. Freya is not exactly keen on marrying a man old enough to be her father, but she will do whatever it takes to protect those she cares about. As she reluctantly becomes the figurehead of jarl Snorri’s bid for power, she also has to fight a forbidden attraction to her new husband’s son and heir, Bjorn. And it turns out jarl Snorri is not the only one who wants the shield maiden – and plenty of people would rather see her dead than in his possession. 

Well, this was certainly a fun read! Being Norwegian, vikings and Norse mythology are both something I’m quite familiar with, so I was excited to see how it would all play out. I think the author did a wonderful job balancing traditional viking customs and Norse mythology with the more fantastical elements of the story. I really love the magic system, and how the magic itself is directly influenced by which god’s blood runs through the different character’s veins. It’s such a simple and easy to understand concept, and it works really well!

The characters are all very well-written, and have their own goals and motivations. My favorite duo is of course Freya and Bjorn. The chemistry between the two characters just jumps right off the page, and it really makes me believe in their connection. Yes, there is an instant attraction between the two of them the first time they meet, but their actual love story turns out to be slow burn at its finest. Theirs is a relationship built on mutual trust and respect, and I love the fact that this big-ass, macho viking warrior is basically a walking green flag. Side note: I think this is the first time I’ve wanted a stepmother to just get it on with her stepson already – and yes, writing that out kinda gives me the ick, but trust me there’s nothing icky whatsoever about Freya and Bjorn. 

I also really liked Ylva, and found myself sympathetic to her situation. She’s not exactly Freya’s biggest fan, but I mean... if my husband had brought a second wife into my home I probably wouldn’t be that thrilled either. She obviously well-liked in the community, and cares a lot for her family and her people. Suffice to say she’s handling things with way more grace than I would if I had been in her shoes. And her lovey-dovey relationship with jarl Snorri is the one redeeming quality to his character, so there’s that. Enough said. 

The story itself is fast-paced and exciting, with all the action, mythology and power struggles you would expect from a viking inspired fantasy book. There are a couple of twist in the latter half of the book that I could definitely see coming, but that did not put a damper on my enjoyment of the story itself. It actually only made me more exited of what’s to come in the final book of this duology. I can’t wait! 

Check out other reviews on Goodreads, or buy the book at Amazon US / Amazon UK / Blackwells