Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

April 16, 2021Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18Czarist Russia, Grisha World, Grishaverse, Leigh Bardugo, Romance, Ruin and Rising, Shadow and BoneKasey

Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #3)
Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt & Company
Published June 17, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Ruin and Rising

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Review

It took me a really long time to read this series, which is odd, because I LOVED Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Once I got into the first book, Shadow and Bone, I had no trouble reading all the way through. I loved the story world and the inspiration from czarist Russia. I loved the magic and the struggle for and against power that would allow Alina to defeat the Darkling but also possibly lose her soul in the process of acquiring that power.

Through the whole series, I had kind of mixed feelings about Mal and Alina. I like them individually more than I liked them together, I think. Which is weird, I guess? Maybe I just liked Nikolai (the outlaw prince) more than Mal? I mean, I did like him more than Mal, but I’m not sure that was why the romance sat oddly with me.

I liked the plot of RUIN AND RISING, and especially the way things built up to the climax of the story. The final battle had that no holds barred, everything we’ve got, completely desperate, so weird it just might work sense to it that really drew me in. I loved every minute of it, even all the heartbreaking ones.

All in all, I feel like this was a fierce conclusion to a great story. I’m both sorry that I read SIX OF CROWS first rather than this series, but also glad I read them in this order so that I can jump straight into KING OF SCARS and get more of Nikolai’s journey. I’m definitely going to read that as soon as I can!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The story setting is inspired by tsarist Russia. There’s a great interview with Leigh Bardugo about this in the Atlantic. Two minor female characters are in a romantic relationship.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl, references to sex. Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have supernatural abilities referred to as small science. These can be things like gathering light or darkness or causing someone’s heart to explode without touching them.

Violent Content
Some battle violence and situations of peril. References to torture. Some brief, graphic descriptions of battle. The Darkling controls monsters made of darkness that can only be killed by Alina’s abilities. Two people are stabbed in the heart.

Drug Content
Some social drinking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. Opinions are my own.

Review: Estranged by Ethan Aldridge

April 14, 2021Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12backlist, Estranged, Ethan Aldridge, Fae, graphic novel, secret magical world, swapped at birthKasey

Estranged (Estranged #1)
Ethan Aldridge
HarperCollins
Published August 7, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Estranged

Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, with fae powers that make him different from everyone else—even his unwitting parents and older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being human makes him an oddity at the royal palace, and where his only friend is a wax golem named Whick.

But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne takes the throne, the Childe and Edmund realize that the fate of both worlds may be in their hands—even if they’re not sure which world they belong to.

My Review

This is one of those instances where I read the sequel before the original, and then had to go back and read the original because I loved the other book so much.

I loved revisiting all the characters from the second book. I think the pacing of this one was slightly slower than THE CHANGELING KING, probably because it’s introducing a lot of characters and story world elements for the first time. Even with that slight slow-down, I found myself turning page after page, loving the illustrations and eager to see what would happen next.

One of my favorite things about both these books is how expressive and immersive the panels are. I really feel the story world and can imagine myself in the story. The color palette is amazing– rich and very fitting to the kind of setting in the story. The characters’ faces have these super evocative expressions that really clue me into what they’re feeling even without added dialogue.

All in all, this graphic novel was a huge pleasure to read. I loved it, and I really want to see more from this author. I hope he has new work coming soon!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
One major character is gay, but that doesn’t come up in this book.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A World Below exists under the human world, populated with magical creatures and monsters.

Violent Content
Battle scenes and situations of peril. No gory details.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of ESTRANGED in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

April 9, 2021Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18backlist, best friends to lovers, darkling, Henry Holt & Co, Leigh Bardugo, Netflix, Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, sun summonerKasey

Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2)
Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt & Co.
Published June 4, 2013

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Siege and Storm

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Review

I have some complex feelings about this book. I really like Alina and her internal struggle over her power and the pull toward more versus her fight to stay herself. I love the way Nikolai kind of mentored her and teased her. I like his character a lot. I’m not such a huge fan of Mal, to be honest. I feel like he keeps disappointing me, so I’m not super invested in the relationship between him and Alina other than that it’s her true self who loves Mal, and as long as that love is still there, she’s still her, if that makes sense.

In terms of plot, SIEGE AND STORM takes an interesting route. Alina finds another amplifier near the beginning of the story and then spends the rest of the book rallying people to try to fight the Darkling. So that was different than the first book, for sure. I loved watching Alina learn to navigate politics and some of the back and forth between her and some of the other characters.

I enjoyed reading both SIEGE AND STORM and SHADOW AND BONE, though, and I definitely want to finish the series before Netflix releases the show later this month.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The story setting is inspired by tsarist Russia. There’s a great interview with Leigh Bardugo about this in the Atlantic.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and tension between a boy and girl. In one scene, a boy kisses a girl without consent. She kicks him. At one point, a girl brings someone into her bed, kissing him.

Beyond that, though, a powerful Grisha has used forbidden magic to unleash a swath of darkness across Ravka. Alina hopes to find a way to use her sun summoner ability to destroy that darkness.

Violent Content
Some battle violence and situations of peril. Alina and her team face enemy soldiers and deadly monsters made of darkness. Some of the battles are described in detail.

Drug Content
Some social drinking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Thornwood by Leah Cypess

April 7, 2021Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12Fairytale Retelling, Leah Cypess, Magic, sisters, Sisters Ever After, Sleeping Beauty, spinning wheel, ThornwoodKasey

Thornwood (Sisters Ever After #1)
Leah Cypess
Harvey Klinger
Published April 1, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Thornwood

For years, Briony has lived in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Rosalin, and the curse that has haunted her from birth–that on the day of her sixteenth birthday she would prick her finger on a spindle and cause everyone in the castle to fall into a 100-year sleep. When the day the curse is set to fall over the kingdom finally arrives, nothing–not even Briony–can stop its evil magic.

You know the story.

But here’s something you don’t know. When Briony finally wakes up, it’s up to her to find out what’s really going on, and to save her family and friends from the murderous Thornwood. But who is going to listen to her? This is a story of sisterhood, of friendship, and of the ability of even little sisters to forge their own destiny. The first in a three-book series of fairy tale retellings, these are the stories of the siblings who never made it into the storybook.

This middle grade debut is Sleeping Beauty like you’ve never seen it before, about a girl who lives in the shadow of her older sister and the curse that has haunted her from birth.

My Review

From the first I heard of this book, I was super excited about it. I read a couple of Leah Cypess’s YA books and loved them, so I felt pretty sure I’d adore this one, too. Plus, it’s a book about sisters! I love those! And a reimagined fairytale. I love those, too!

The voice in the story was spot-on. I believed in Briony from the very first line, and loved her fun, determined personality. The sisters have a lot of conflict between them, and it’s really clear that especially for Rosalin, at least part of this is that she’s afraid to get close to people because she knows she’s going to die. I loved that Briony never stops hoping and trying to do something to stop the curse.

There was a moment toward the middle where I wasn’t sure where the story was going. It seemed unclear what Briony’s goal was, and that maybe slowed the story down a little bit. Her goal does become really clear late in the story, and things get pretty intense, so I felt like things pulled together really well in those last few chapters.

I kind of wish there had been a little bit of setup for the next book included in this one, mostly because I’m really curious about it. There’s one brief reference that made me wonder if the next will be a Rumpelstiltskin retelling?? I’m up for that! Or another story, of course.

Fans of The Princess Who Flew with Dragons by Stephanie Burgis or Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George will love the adventure and sister relationships in this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white or not described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
A fairy cursed Rosalin to prick her finger on a magic spinning wheel and sleep for one hundred years. The fairy returns and offers other bargains to Briony and her sister.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Thorny branches attack and grab anyone within reach, trying to kill them.

Drug Content
A man approaches the king and queen while he is drunk.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog. I received a free copy of THORNWOOD in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

April 2, 2021Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18backlist, friendship, Grisha World, Leigh Bardugo, Romance, Shadow and Bone, soldiers, tsarist RussiaKasey

Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone #1)
Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt & Co.
Published June 5, 2012

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Shadow and Bone

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

My Review

This book (the whole series, really) has been on my reading list especially since I read and loved SIX OF CROWS. I really enjoyed Leigh Bardugo’s writing style so much that I figured she’s probably one of those authors where I’d enjoy all her books. I ended up putting it off because of some of the stuff I’d read about the Darkling character and just wasn’t sure if it would be for me.

Now that I’ve finally read it, I can say that I did really enjoy the book. I liked Alina’s story arc and the way her relationships with other characters developed. I loved the Grisha world and that Alina’s magic had an effect on her physical health that was different than in other series I’ve seen. It had always been my plan to read all of them before watching the Netflix series based on these and SIX OF CROWS, so I can see myself reading the sequel for sure.

If you enjoy magic and fantasy with a mix of politics, (and you’re late to the Grisha fandom like I am!) then I think this book is worth checking out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The story setting is inspired by tsarist Russia. There’s a great interview with Leigh Bardugo about this in the Atlantic.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to sexual exploits by Alina’s fellow soldiers. Some intense kissing between boy and girl. A boy asks a girl if he can visit her in her room, implying that he would like to have sex with her.

Violent Content
Some battle violence and situations of peril. Alina and her team face monsters that lurk in the dark.

Drug Content
Some social drinking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Spotlight: Healers: Secrets of the Academy by L. L. Smith

March 25, 2021Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, News and FunBreakeven Books Blog Tour, Fantasy, Healers Secrets of the Academy, L L Smith, Magic, shadow knights, spotlight postKasey

Healers: Secrets of the Academy
L. L. Smith
Published January 21, 2021

Amazon | Goodreads

About Healers: Secrets of the Academy

The students of SalVaneerie Academy face a gruesome end at the hands of Shadow Knights! This army of mysterious and hollow Knights close in from the Dark Forest surrounding their campus. Healers, Warriors, and Brains must band together to repel these Shadow Knights and uncover their peculiar origins. Will Nicole amass enough friends to repel the attack? Will Hunter be able to overcome his performance anxiety? Will Theodore be able to discover the truth he seeks? Find out, inside!

Map of the Academy

I love when books have a map included, so I wanted to be sure to share this one in my post. When I’m reading a book with a map, I find I flip back to the map as I’m reading to help me visualize what’s happening. Do you find that you use maps when they’re available?

About L. L. Smith

Amazon Author Page | Instagram

L L Smith: small-town living and music binging. Self published two books deep and counting. He’s ready to share some laughs, gasps, and tears with reader folk from all walks of life!

Healers: Secrets of the Academy Tour Stops

Here are the other stops on the Healers: Secrets of the Academy blog tour through Breakeven Books. Lots of these stops are Booktubers, so if you’ve been thinking about finding new bookish channels to follow, be sure to check them out!

March 21

Kitty n Shadow Hobby Room on YouTube

Kathryn Books Blog

Breakeven Books Livestream on YouTube

March 22

Leosthetics Blog

March 23

One Book More Blog

March 24

Her Bookish Obsession Blog

What Polly Reads Blog

March 25