Tag Archives: Magic

Review: Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,
Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

Last Sunrise in Eterna
Amparo Ortiz
Page Street Press
Published March 28, 2023

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About Last Sunrise in Eterna

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna’s annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don’t. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

My Review

I liked several things about LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA. First, I loved the setting. The story takes place in Puerto Rico, and all the characters have brown skin. I loved that we got to see elves reimagined as Puerto Rican and anchored to the island and language. I’ve never read anything like this, so it felt very fresh and pulled me in.

Second, I liked the characters, especially Sevim, Aro, and his brother, Feyn. Sevim goes full speed ahead, even when she knows she’s outmatched. Her determination and her loyalty to her mom along with her refusal to believe things just because someone told her they were so made me a big fan from the early chapters of the book.

The plot also goes some interesting places, some that I really didn’t expect. That plus the Puerto Rican elves element gave the whole book a totally unique vibe for me. I really enjoyed reading something so different and with such high stakes.

I struggled a bit with the writing at times. It seemed to jump around a bit, so that sometimes I had to reread things before I could figure out what was going on. I read an ARC, a pre-release version, of the book, so it’s possible that the final version reads more smoothly. Or it could just be me– I was reading pretty fast because I wanted to know what happened next.

All in all, I think fans of this author’s earlier books will not be disappointed in this one. I think fans of TOGETHER WE BURN by Isabel Ibañez will love the magic and high-stakes adventure of LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA.

Content Notes for Last Sunrise in Eterna

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters have brown skin. Sevim is Puerto Rican.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Brief mentions of attraction between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Elves have magic and the ability to create illusions that affect how humans see them. Other characters have the opportunity to gain magic through challenges and other rituals.

In a dream, Sevim encounters a character who talks about feeding on the magic of others.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some descriptions of battle violence. In a couple scenes, Sevim encounters the bodies of elf children who’ve been mutilated. The person responsible for the mutilation talks about enjoying harming them.

Drug Content
Sevim takes an elixir that is meant to allow her to see through the elves’ illusions.

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 LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Girl and the Galdurian by Tim Probert

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

The Girl and the Galdurian (Lightfall #1)
Tim Probert
HarperAlley
Published September 1, 2020

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About The Girl and the Galdurian

Deep in the heart of the planet Irpa stands the Salty Pig’s House of Tonics & Tinctures, home of the wise Pig Wizard and his adopted granddaughter, Bea. As keepers of the Endless Flame, they live a quiet and peaceful life, crafting medicines and potions for the people of their once-prosperous world.

All that changes one day when, while walking through the woods, Bea meets Cad, a member of the Galdurians, an ancient race thought to be long-extinct. Cad believes that if anyone can help him find his missing people, it’s the Pig Wizard.

But when the two arrive home, the Pig Wizard is nowhere to be found—all that’s left is the Jar of Endless Flame and a mysterious note. Fearing for the Pig Wizard’s safety, Bea and Cad set out across Irpa to find him, while danger fights its way out of the shadows and into the light.

Will these two unexpected friends find the beloved Pig Wizard and prevent eternal darkness from blanketing their world? Or has Irpa truly seen its last sunrise?

My Review

What a fun book! I loved the dynamic between Bea and Cad. Bea is more timid and anxious, and Cad is the epitome of a can-do guy. He always believes they’ll get free from every trap or bad situation. I loved the way the two of them worked together as a team.

The illustrations are gorgeous. I feel like I’m really picky about graphic novels. I tend to love ones that have a more epic fantasy feel to them with more woodsy or nature-centered artwork. So this one scratched all those itches for me. I thought there were a few panels that were maybe a little dark or lower contrast that were a bit hard for me to see, but only a very few. The whole of the story more than made up for the fact that I had to slow down a bit a few times.

I think readers who enjoyed ESTRANGED by Ethan Aldridge or the Amulet series will like this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Cad is a Galdurian, a race of people thought to be extinct. Bea is adopted by her wizard grandfather.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some cartoonish battle sequences fighting giant crabs, a tentacled monster, and hungry lizards.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Castelon by Alyssa Roat

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

Castelon (Wraithwood #3)
Alyssa Roat
Mountain Brook Ink
Published March 15, 2023

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About Castelon

Fifteen hundred years of Arthurian legend come to a head in the final installment of The Wraithwood Trilogy.

The sword of legend, ancient magic, and a dead man’s secrets—together they could save Brinnie’s world or end it forever.

Brinnie barely escaped Mordizan with her life. Battered and broken in body and soul, she knows she’s running out of time. And though she has discovered the identity of Mordred’s bane, no one knows where to find the legendary weapon.

To discover the truth, she and Marcus must journey to Castelon and seek the aid of the Council. However, their actions at Mordizan brand them as enemies and war criminals. Between Mordred’s armies engaged in full-scale war and the political machinations of the Council, Brinnie struggles to balance the battlefield and the courtroom while estates fall before Mordred’s wrath.

As magic ravages her own body, threatening her survival, the allure of ancient, forbidden power grows brighter. And only one man holds the knowledge of the weapon that could destroy Mordred once and for all—a man they buried in the gardens of Wraithwood.

My Review

CASTELON is the last book in a series I’ve closely followed. I love the way the author reimagined or was inspired by Arthurian legend. I also loved Brinnie and some of the other characters, too.

In CASTELON, we get to know Brinnie’s mom a bit more, and see the return of a character we thought was lost. We also say tough goodbyes to a few beloved characters. I liked the way the relationships between each character unfolded and especially the ones that I didn’t expect. In the second book in the series, MORDIZAN, Brinnie befriends a girl named Lana. I really liked the friendship between them, so I was excited to see her in this book, too.

The first two books in the series have built up to a battle against Mordred and his forces, which are bent on ruling the wizard world and destroying the human one. Brinnie and her allies struggle to find the weapon a prophecy calls Mordred’s Bane, believing only it holds the power to kill their enemy. The search takes them behind enemy lines, and gives Brinnie lots of opportunities to make brave but reckless moves.

Her bond with Marcus grows stronger chapter by chapter. Though he disagrees with her choices sometimes, he always respects her as her own person. They are partners in war and love. I adored him.

The conclusion of the book was both really exciting and also different than I expected, in a good way. I loved the wedding scene and all that represented, and the sort of open-ended way that the last pages concluded.

All in all, I thought this was a fantasy series both fierce and sweet. I think it’s perfect for readers just dipping their feet into young adult fantasy, especially those who enjoy reimagined fairy tales or Arthurian legends.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Some characters reference their Christian faith. Brinnie draws battle inspiration from Bible stories like the story of Gideon.

Some characters have the ability to perform magic.

Violent Content
Battle scenes and some references to 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 CASTELON in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Severed Thread by Leslie Vedder

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The Severed Thread (The Bone Spindle #2)
Leslie Vedder
Razorbill
Published February 7, 2023

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About The Severed Thread

Which threads of fate will hold—and which will break?

Clever, bookish Fi and her brash, ax-wielding partner Shane are back in this action packed sequel to the bestselling THE BONE SPINDLE, the gender-flipped Sleeping Beauty retelling, perfect for fans of SORCERY OF THORNS and THE CRUEL PRINCE.

Fi has awakened the sleeping prince, but the battle for Andar is far from over. The Spindle Witch, the Witch Hunters, and Fi’s own Butterfly Curse all stand between them and happily ever after.

Shane has her partner’s back. But she’s in for the fight of her life against Red, the right hand of the Spindle Witch who she’s also, foolishly, hellbent on saving.

Briar Rose would do anything to restore his kingdom. But there’s a darkness creeping inside him—a sinister bond to the Spindle Witch he can’t escape.

All hopes of restoring Andar rest on deciphering a mysterious book code, finding the hidden city of the last Witches, and uncovering a secret lost for centuries—one that just might hold the key to the Spindle Witch’s defeat. If they can all survive that long…

Set in a world of twisted fairytales, THE SEVERED THREAD combines lost ruins, ride-or-die friendships, and heart-pounding romance.

My Review

Okay, this is easily one of my most-anticipated books coming out this year. I absolutely LOVED the first book in this series, THE BONE SPINDLE, and was counting the days until THE SEVERED THREAD came out.

The first couple chapters were a little rough for me. I don’t know if there were a lot of longer sentences (It felt like that reading it, but I haven’t gone back to look.) or if the writing just took a minute to really find a strong voice and get me back into the characters I know and love.

Once I was a few chapters in, though, I was just as hooked on this story as I was the last one. I didn’t think it was possible to love Shane and Fi even more, but I completely did. Red and Briar Rose both grew on me more, too. I totally missed the Red Hiding Hood references with Red in the first book, but at some point in this one, I was like OHHHH. I see it now. (Can we have a Red backstory novella somewhere in the future??? I’d be completely in for that.)

At any rate. I loved the places this story went. I loved the things we learned about the characters, and I loved the setup for the third book in the series. It is, I believe, a trilogy, so the third book should be the last. So now I’m counting down the days until that one comes out!

If you enjoy fairytale retellings or high fantasy, definitely put this series on your list. I can’t recommend it enough.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Shane and Red, two women, are attracted to one another.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Briar Rose has a magic that’s connected to the Spindle Witch, a powerful witch who cursed his kingdom more than a hundred years ago, and still seems bent on its destruction. Fi has a curse mark on her hand which means that if she stays in one place for more than three days, harm will befall the people and places she loves the most where she is.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle violence. References to torture.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson

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Mysteries of Thorn Manor (Sorcery of Thorns #1.5)
Margaret Rogerson
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published January 17, 2023

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About Mysteries of Thorn Manor

In this sequel novella to SORCERY OF THORNS, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city’s most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate’s wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor’s occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another…

With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas – along with their new maid Mercy – will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they’re due to host the city’s Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel’s ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.

My Review

I didn’t even realize this book was happening until I saw it for sale online. I spotted it while browsing a pre-order sale and immediately ordered it. I loved SORCERY OF THORNS– and Elisabeth especially– so I was super excited to see that there would be more to the story.

It was super fun revisit Nathaniel and his weird house. And Silas and all his careful preferences. And Elisabeth, charging into whatever trouble came her way. I loved it. It was also fun to read a book where the romance was already established and they faced challenges together as a team. I liked that a lot more than I expected I would.

The only thing I didn’t like about MYSTERIES OF THORN MANOR is that the chapters are super long. They do have some scene breaks, so that helps a little bit. I think there are nine chapters total in the 184 page book.

Other than that, though, I loved it. I loved the way the characters interacted with one another and the capricious, unpredictable magic that saturated everything. There were so many great moments. The armor! I think that was my favorite– though Aunt Clothilde’s dressing gown was also pretty great. Ha!

I’m super glad I stumbled onto the book and was able to read it. I hope the series continues beyond this, but I haven’t seen any news on that.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are white. Nathaniel is bisexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Obvious attraction between them. They spend some nights together, sleeping. References to a past kiss between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Silas is a demon (here, a being from another realm with great magical power and no moral hindrances) who is bound to the service of Elisabeth and Nathaniel. Nathaniel has the ability to perform magic through memorized spells and incantations.

Violent Content
Elisabeth battles animated topiaries, other household objects, and nightmares.

Drug Content
Nathaniel drinks from a glass of champagne at a party.

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

Review: The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan

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The Buried and the Bound
Rochelle Hassan
MacMillan
Published January 24, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Buried and the Bound

A contemporary fantasy YA debut from Rochelle Hassan about monsters, magic, and wicked fae, perfect for fans of The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Hazel Wood.

As the only hedgewitch in Blackthorn, Massachusetts—an uncommonly magical place—Aziza El-Amin has bargained with wood nymphs, rescued palm-sized fairies from house cats, banished flesh-eating shadows from the local park. But when a dark entity awakens in the forest outside of town, eroding the invisible boundary between the human world and fairyland, run-of-the-mill fae mischief turns into outright aggression, and the danger—to herself and others—becomes too great for her to handle alone.

Leo Merritt is no stranger to magical catastrophes. On his sixteenth birthday, a dormant curse kicked in and ripped away all his memories of his true love. A miserable year has passed since then. He’s road-tripped up and down the East Coast looking for a way to get his memories back and hit one dead end after another. He doesn’t even know his true love’s name, but he feels the absence in his life, and it’s haunting.

Desperate for answers, he makes a pact with Aziza: he’ll provide much-needed backup on her nightly patrols, and in exchange, she’ll help him break the curse.

When the creature in the woods sets its sights on them, their survival depends on the aid of a mysterious young necromancer they’re not certain they can trust. But they’ll have to work together to eradicate the new threat and take back their hometown… even if it forces them to uncover deeply buried secrets and make devastating sacrifices.

My Review

I absolutely loved PRINCE OF NOWHERE, Rochelle Hassan’s debut novel, so THE BURIED AND THE BOUND was one of the books I most looked forward to reading this year.

Though it took me a few chapters to get into the book, I was delighted to find characters just as rich in a world just as magical as the author’s debut. I loved Aziza immediately. Leo took me a minute, but once I saw his big heart and how determined he truly is, I couldn’t help loving him. Tristan grew on me much more slowly, but in the end, I loved him, too.

The story world. Okay, so this is a real world setting right next to an entirely magical world with fairy bargains, magical creatures, curses, and alliances. The magical world felt so rich and alive. I loved the way different parts of it came together in different ways.

On the whole, I had a second of uncertainty at the beginning of this book, but once I got oriented to the story, I was completely hooked on it. I’m super glad I read it, and I’ll be eagerly waiting for Hassan’s next book, which hopefully will be a sequel to this one??

Content Notes for The Buried and the Bound

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Tristan is gay and homeless (his parents threw him out when they learned he is gay). Leo is bisexual but closeted. Aziza is Lebanese American and lost both her parents as a very young child.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a relationship between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Aziza is a hedgewitch, which means she can perform magic that reinforces boundaries between the human and fae worlds. The story contains magic creatures like nymphs, fairies, witches, kelpies, selkies, and a necromancer. A powerful creature has a bond agreement with Tristan in which he must serve her for ten years in exchange for a magical favor. She uses him to lure victims to her which she kills to power herself.

Violent Content
References to murders by Tristan’s master. Murders and harm carried out by immortal hound-like creatures. References to other harm done by magical creatures. Situations of peril. Battle scenes with some graphic detail.

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 BURIED AND THE BOUND in exchange for my honest review.