Tag Archives: duology

Review: Masquerade of the Heart by Katy Rose Pool

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
Masquerade of the Heart by Kary Rose Pool

Masquerade of the Heart
Katy Rose Pool
Henry Holt & Co.
Published June 18, 2024

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About Masquerade of the Heart

Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs must deal with the aftermath of her fake romance with one of the most powerful nobles in the illustrious—and deadly—Evergarden society , all while uncovering the mystery behind her mother’s disappearance. This edge-of-your-seat duology finale is perfect for fans of Veronica Mars , These Violent Delights, and Chain of Iron .

Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos. Tensions rise between the Five Families, and trouble brews in the Marshes—and Marlow is at the center of it all. In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Adrius refuses to speak to her, publicly vowing to find a wife before the year is out. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it. But the closer she gets to her father, the more she starts to question if he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be.

Marlow has learned by now that in a city steeped in secrets and lies, not everything is as it seems. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide who to trust—and how high a price she’s willing to pay for the truth.

“Nothing short of genius .” —Jennifer Lynn Barnes, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Inheritance Games series, on Garden of the Cursed

“A delicious read full of swoony romance .” —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times-bestselling author of Blade of Secrets, on Garden of the Cursed

My Review

I started reading this book immediately after finishing Garden of the Cursed. I really wanted to know how the duology would conclude, so I squeezed in a quick read of this book.

The tension between Marlow and Adrius continues in this book. The first book was only from Marlow’s perspective, but I was delighted when I started reading Masquerade of the Heart and realized it includes both Marlow and Adrius’s perspectives. Since Adrius won’t speak to Marlow in the early parts of the book, this keeps both of them at the center of the story and helps reveal information about the mystery as Adrius and Marlow each discover clues themselves.

There’s a side romance that’s barely hinted at in Garden of the Cursed that I loved seeing develop here. It added a lot to both of the characters involved and strengthened the community around Adrius and Marlow, too.

For the most part, I rocketed through reading this book as quickly as I did the first one. It’s fast-paced and romantic, so I found it easy to keep turning pages and reading more. There are a couple of moments, though, where things happen kind of out of the blue. At one point, Adrius knocks on Marlow’s door and reveals he’s been working on something for her that is never mentioned in any of the earlier scenes from his point of view. In a few pages, unannounced, he resolves a huge plot point in the whole duology.

So there are a few awfully convenient reveals like that, but I was so invested in the story by that point that they didn’t slow me down. Things like that might require a more deliberate suspension of disbelief in other readers, though.

On the whole, I enjoyed the duology, and I’m really glad I was able to read both books back to back. The second really depends on readers having read the first, so definitely read Garden of the Cursed first.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
A couple of the side characters are queer. Race for some characters is ambiguous.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A few F-bombs. Other profanity used fairly infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. In one scene, a character walks in on two people who appear to be in the middle of making out. In another scene, a character walks in on two characters in bed together.

Spiritual Content
References to gods. Cards contain spells or curses and can be activated by saying a magic word.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Characters fight each other with fists and magic. A character uses magic to torture someone, clearly planning to kill them.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol.

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

Review: The Fate of Magic by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

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The Fate of Magic (Witch and Hunter #2)
Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Sourcebooks Fire
Published October 1, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Fate of Magic

The breathtaking sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller Night of the Witch culminates with a sweeping romance and an epic battle to determine the fate of magic…and the world.

Fritzi is a champion. After escaping the clutches of Dieter Kirch, the sadistic leader of the witch hunters, Fritzi and Otto have taken refuge among the witches of the Black Forest. Fritzi is finally ready to assume her place on the council as the coven’s goddess-chosen champion. Plagued by distrust and self-doubt, Fritzi throws herself into her duty to serve the goddesses . . . until she uncovers a powerful secret that could mean the very undoing of magic itself.

Otto is a warrior. He swears himself to Fritzi as her bonded protector, certain the peaceful unity of a witch and hunter will heal the wounds he helped make. But as the horrifying plot that threatens the Black Forest’s magic comes to light, Otto will have to face his both his past and what it means to bind himself to a magic he does not fully understand.

Shadows loom. Truths are revealed. And as dangers new and old arise, Fritzi and Otto must stand together against everything that threatens magic—even if the biggest threat might be the very bond they share.

My Review

This book concludes the Witch and Hunter duology, picking up soon after the first book ended. The story starts off with Otto and Fritzi preparing for a bonding ceremony and sharing some romantic moments together. The pace of the story builds, with stakes growing ever higher, which sent me rocketing from one chapter to another all the way until the end of the book.

I like that the story made space for Otto and Fritzi’s relationship, even though it wasn’t the central plot of the story. It was nice to enjoy those quiet moments in which they returned to the bond between them and why they cared for one another.

I also enjoyed the intensity of the hunt for the magic stones. It wasn’t clear whether they would be able to find them or get to them first, which kept the intensity high. I’ve seen other books that have a quest like this in which the clues don’t really fit together or feel forced. That isn’t the case here. I liked the way the various clues and the quest unfolded. It felt natural and made sense to me.

I also really appreciated that this is a duology. I was absolutely prepared to read more of the series, but it was a pleasant surprise to find that this one book delivered all the things I’d been waiting for from the story. It might be even better than the first book. I’m not sure. They were both great.

If you like historical fiction with a heaping serving of magic, this is definitely a series to put on your list. Start with Night of the Witch before reading this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are German.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. A few scenes show a lead into sex, and one briefly describes it.

Spiritual Content
Otto is Catholic but has rejected some of the church’s teachings, especially those regarding killing or hunting witches. Fritzi and other characters serve a trio of goddesses.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battles. References to torture and brief scenes showing torture. Otto and Fritzi enter a square in which people have been burned at the stake for being witches. In one scene, they discover the bodies of two people who’ve been beheaded. Someone lights someone else on fire. Monsters pursue some characters.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong

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Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune #1)
Chloe Gong
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published September 27, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Foul Lady Fortune

The first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

My Review

I feel like historical novels are always hit or miss with me. It has to be hard to find the right balance between anchoring the story in a setting of a different time and not letting those setting details intrude into the story too much.

At any rate, I thought Chloe Gong did a great job keeping her novel grounded in 1930s Shanghai. I definitely felt the historical components and how they worked with the story, and I loved getting lost in the politics and intrigue.

The only thing that really confuses me about this book is that it’s not really young adult. Like, at all? I think Rosalind is supposed to be nineteen, and Orion is twenty-two. All but one of the other point-of-view characters seem to be older. And all but one of them are finished with school and working in full-time careers. So I’m guessing the decision to market this as young adult has a lot more to do with capturing the adult audience who gravitate toward young adult books, probably because of the story’s speculative elements.

Anyway. I enjoyed the story a lot. It’s got a fake marriage partnership and a lot of spy/assassin action, which kept me on the edge of my seat. I liked the inclusive cast, and I felt like all the different points of view contributed to the story really nicely.

While this isn’t a sequel to THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS and OUR VIOLENT ENDS, it’s in the same story world, so there are connections between the two duologies. If you haven’t read THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, then reading FOUL LADY FORTUNE will spoil some of the plot outcomes. I had no trouble following the story without reading the other duology, though.

All in all, I did really enjoy this one. My reviews will probably be posted out of order, so by the time you read this, you can jump straight back to my review of FOUL HEART HUNTER, which I’m really excited about reading.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are Chinese. Orion has had romantic relationships with boys and girls in the past. Celia is transgender.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man suggests that he will keep Rosalind’s identity a secret in exchange for sexual favors. Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some scenes show an operative killing a target with poison. Some scenes show experimental drugs given to a person who is strapped down. Scenes show a person injecting an unknown substance into the arms of civilians, causing them to die. Battle scenes include characters exchanging gunfire and at least one explosion.

Drug Content
Rosalind (and another killer) use poisons to kill targets. Some characters drink alcohol.

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

Review: The Lightstruck by Sunya Mara

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

The Lightstruck (The Darkening #2)
Sunya Mara
Clarion Books
Published August 29, 2023

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About The Lightstruck

In this epic sequel and conclusion to the Darkening duology, which has been called “enchanting and wildly clever” (Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey), Vesper Vale, once savior to a city plagued by cursed storms, finds herself facing an even more sinister threat when an ominous light summoned by the Great King seizes control of the city.

Vesper Vale sacrificed everything to save her city from the cursed storm. After becoming a vessel of The Great Queen, Vesper awakes from a slumber three years after her life altering choice.

What she finds isn’t a home freed from the terror of the storm, but one where its citizens are besieged by the even more sinister force of The Great King and his growing army of the lightstruck—once regular citizens who are now controlled by the ominous light encroaching on the city. And the people are all looking to Vesper, now revered as a goddess after her sacrifice, as their city’s only hope.

To save the rings from the Great King, Vesper must contend with the obligations of being a deity to her people and the growing chasm between her and Dalca, the prince she swore never to love. Haunted by the guilt of their past choices and faced with the pressures of a city near ruin, Vesper and Dalca find themselves torn between the growing factions within the city and the royal court.

But in order to save her city from the light, Vesper must face the power most outside of her control—the goddess within.

My Review

I really enjoyed THE DARKENING, so I’d been super excited about reading this sequel. To be honest, I struggled with some parts of this story.

It might be simply that I’m in a weird place right now, reading-wise. We just started school again, and the new schedule has really caught up with me this week. It’s always harder to read a book when I’m tired, so some of my lack of connection with this one really could be on me.

I felt like some parts, especially the opening chapters, moved more slowly. It felt like waiting for things to really begin.

Once the story did begin, though, I found a lot of the same elements from THE DARKENING that I’d loved: characters like Cas and Iz, a fascinating magic system based on drawn symbols, and a hero at war with herself, wrestling with her past mistakes and future possibilities.

I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, especially Cas and Vesper. I couldn’t help wishing there was more going on between Vesper and Dalca, though.

One of the things about the book that I thought was really fascinating, though, was the way it explored people’s feelings about those who were “cursed” by the storm and ended up with some kind of physical anomaly. Some were not readily visible, but others were. It was very stigmatized, and I found myself wishing that there was more pushback against that stigma.

Ultimately the story does address that in a way that changes the perception of those physical changes. I thought that was an interesting resolution, something I hadn’t expected but thought was cool.

On the whole, I am still glad I read this one, and I would love to know if I’d have connected to the story more if I’d read it at a different time. If you loved the characters or magic system of the first book in the series, I’d say it’s still worth reading this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are described as having brown skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Possible attraction between characters, but it’s not deeply explored.

Spiritual Content
Vesper holds a goddess, the Great Queen, inside her. The opposing god, the Great King, is currently unbound and trapping people in his power throughout the city.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some brief battle sequences and references to torture.

Drug Content
Vesper’s team receives poisoned food, and someone dies from eating it.

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

Review: The Raven Throne by Stephanie Burgis

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

The Raven Throne (The Raven Crown #2)
Stephanie Burgis
Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books
Published August 8, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Raven Throne

The unmissable sequel to The Raven Heir and conclusion to the epic middle-grade fantasy series perfect for fans of Abi Elphinstone and Piers Torday.

Cordelia has been crowned The Raven Queen. But with new power comes new danger.

Once their triplet Cordelia became The Raven Queen, Giles and Rosalind knew they would have to learn to behave at court. No more fighting for Rosalind and no more singing for Giles. What they didn’t foresee was having to foil a plot against their sister.

When Cordelia falls into an enchanted sleep and cannot be woken, Rosalind and Giles must quest across the kingdom to seek help from the ancient spirits of the land. But their family’s greatest enemies lurk at every turn, and it will take all of the triplets’ deepest strengths to fight against them.

A thrilling finale to the magical and mystical series.

My Review

I’m a huge fan of Stephanie Burgis’s middle grade novels (I know she has adult fiction, and I’ve bought a copy of one of her books, but I haven’t read it yet. It looks really fun, though!), and THE RAVEN HEIR, the first book in this duology was one of my favorite books from last year. So it was a pretty big no-brainer that this one was going to be on my reading list this year.

When I think about this book and the story it tells, the first word that comes to mind is “ambitious.” I feel like this was a hard story to tell because it’s got a lot of political intrigue and a pretty large cast of named characters, and there’s a lot of action to wrap up in a single less-than-300-page novel.

For the most part, I think it’s a success. I got chills as Ros and Giles confronted the forces they needed to in order to save the day (I’m getting chills again writing about it), and I cried when Cordy named her sister a knight. There were some really great moments like that throughout the book. I loved the theme of the messages people speak about us versus what we believe about ourselves. Powerful stuff.

That said, I did find the opening to be a little confusing because of the number of named characters participating. There are six family members plus various lords and ladies at court, attendants, and relatives. I had a hard time keeping those more minor characters straight, though as I got deeper into the story, it got easier.

Conclusion

THE RAVEN THRONE is the second book in The Raven Crown duology. If you haven’t read THE RAVEN HEIR, which is the first book, I recommend you start with that one before reading this one.

On the whole, I still enjoyed a lot of elements of this book. It’s one of the few about triplets that I’ve ever read, and the relationships between the siblings are still one of my favorite parts. I think fans of UNICORN QUEST by Kamilla Benko or THE FIREBIRD SONG by Arnée Flores should check out this duology.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Cordelia, the Raven Queen, has made a pact with the spirits of the land that she’ll listen to them and protect them. She and her triplets have magic abilities.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and brief moments leading up to battle. One scene describes a battle with nature. In one scene, a woman disappears into a crack in the ground. A man is surrounded by tree growth.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2)
Tricia Levenseller
Feiwel & Friends
Published Jul 26, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Master of Iron

In MASTER OF IRON, the conclusion to Tricia Levenseller’s exciting Bladesmith YA fantasy duology, a magically gifted blacksmith with social anxiety must race against the clock to save her beloved sister and stop a devastating war.

Eighteen-year-old Ziva may have defeated a deadly warlord, but the price was almost too much. Ziva is forced into a breakneck race to a nearby city with the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, and the young scholar, Petrik, to find a powerful magical healer who can save her sister’s life.

When the events that follow lead to Ziva and Kellyn’s capture by an ambitious prince, Ziva is forced into the very situation she’s been dreading: magicking dangerous weapons meant for world domination.

The forge has always been Ziva’s safe space, a place to avoid society and the anxiety it causes her, but now it is her prison, and she’s not sure just how much of herself she’ll have to sacrifice to save Kellyn and take center stage in the very war she’s been trying to stop.

My Review

I loved BLADE OF SECRETS, and specifically the way Ziva’s anxiety is described. She pulls you into her headspace, laying out her fears and worries in a frank thought train. I felt like that made her anxiety really present. It felt overwhelming to read sometimes, which made it that much more real to me.

MASTER OF IRON has the same quality to it, where Ziva draws us into her rigid thoughts and lets us feel caged in by them. That component of the story was done really well, as was the way she and Kellyn relate to one another. I liked that they had some frank conversations about their feelings and that he asked for her to verbalize her needs rather than assuming he knew what it is that would help her.

The story picks up immediately where BLADE OF SECRETS leaves off, with Temra injured and unconscious in the wagon and Ziva, Kellyn, and Petrik desperately rushing to a healer in an attempt to save her. From the very opening, there’s hardly a moment to draw breath. Crises leap out at every turn. Ziva rushes from one problem to the next, the stakes growing higher and her resolve against making weapons of war growing stronger.

I loved the way she explored the limits of her gift and how it could be used in less violent ways. I didn’t expect that to be a significant part of the story, but I’m really glad it was.

On the whole, I’m glad I read this second book in the duology. If you liked the first book, definitely read MASTER OF IRON.

Content Notes

Battle violence and some scenes showing torture.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Ziva has anxiety.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. Ziva and Kellyn discuss having sex, but he wants to wait until he gets married.

Spiritual Content
Brief references to deities celebrated in Ziva’s world.

Violent Content
Battle violence. Descriptions of torture.

Drug Content
None.

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