5/5 starsSYNOPSIS: A young pilot risks everything to save his best friend--the man he trusts most and might even love--only to learn that he's secretly the heir to a brutal galactic empire. Ettian Nassun's life was shattered when the merciless Umber Empire invaded. He's spent seven years putting himself back together under its rule, joining an Umber military academy and becoming the best pilot in his class. Even better, he's met Gal Veres--his exasperating and infuriatingly enticing roommate who's made the Academy feel like a new home. But when dozens of classmates spring an assassination plot on Gal, a devastating secret comes to light: Gal is the heir to the Umber Empire. Ettian barely manages to save his best friend and flee the compromised Academy unscathed, rattled both that Gal stands to inherit the empire that broke him and that there are still people willing to fight back against Umber rule. As they piece together a way to deliver Gal safely to his throne, Ettian finds himself torn in half by an impossible choice. Does he save the man who's won his heart and trust that Gal's goodness could transform the empire? Or does he throw his lot in with the brewing rebellion and fight to take back what's rightfully theirs? REVIEW: Bonds of Brass has been on my radar for a while now and as soon as I saw the cover and the synopsis I knew it was going to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year... which is why it was so frustrating when my order took so long to come that I ended up buying the audio version too only to have the book show up the next day haha. (The narration, by the way, is very well done in the audiobook version so if you're into listening to your books then definitely check that out). Once I'd finally managed to start the book I didn't appreciate the need to stop for essentials such as food and sleep. I mean, c'mon. This is a sci fi book with heavy Star Wars vibes, it has a potential friends to lovers relationship where bed sharing is not only a trope that is used with great delight, but also is less "there's only one bed," and more "there's two beds but I want to sleep close to you." So you can maybe see why sleep and food kind of went off the radar for me haha. Now, from an objective POV Bonds of Brass is incredibly well written. The characters are diverse and layered. The worldbuilding is well done and deep as sci fi world building kind of has to be in order to make a great background to the plot. Taking of which, the plot was great. It was twisty and turny and while I did guess the big twist it was still satisfying, and though it didn't play out in the way I had hoped it would, it still left me desperate for the second book. From a Lauren POV however it does do the thing at the end that I hate, which is introduce a huge cliffhanger. And, like, without getting into too much detail, you know as you have the cliffhangers that are like "well darn! Wonder what's gonna happen now!" and then the cliffhangers which have you shaking your first at the sky asking for revenge like "WHY GOD WHY?" well for me this was definitely the second. I can't give you any more context because to do so would be to ruin it a bit, and also because when you read and get to the end I want you to suffer like me haha. Basically, overall, Bonds of Brass was a delight. I had high expectations from the start and it managed to hit them, which isn't always the case with hyped up books. The one thing that I wasn't a fan of was the ending but that's because on a personal level I just hate cliffhangers, as much as I can appreciate why they're used. If I take a step back and try to be objective about it you'd find me rolling around on the floor, clutching the book and screeching for a day straight because hot DAMN did that ending smash it out of the park in a very exciting way that spells very good, very tense things for book two...
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This is a double review! I reviewed Crown of Feathers but only posted it on Goodreads as it was before I made my blog, so I'm posting that on here, and then reviewing Heart of Flames also! I had a sister, once… In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart. I promised her the throne would not come between us. Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks. But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled. Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all. Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken. Crown of Feathers is an epic fantasy about love’s incredible power to save—or to destroy. Interspersed throughout is the story of Avalkyra Ashfire, the last Rider queen, who would rather see her empire burn than fall into her sister’s hands. Crown of Feathers4/5 Stars** Spoiler Alert ** Crown of Feathers is a strong start to what is shaping up to be a delightful trilogy with a very interesting concept. I love novels where humans have special bonds with animals especially magical animals like dragons and the like so this was right down my street. It is told in multiple POV chapters which I usually don’t like as a personal preference of mine but I'm so glad that it was done this way because otherwise I never would have got a look into my favourite character's head in the way that I did. Of the POVs we see Sev was by far my favourite. I wasn’t really taken with Tristan, he was nice and all, just boring. The other one is the main character, Veronyka, who I liked even if there were moments when she frustrated me. Her relationship with her sister, Val, was particularly interesting and fraught with tension and I can't wait to see how things progress. As I said before, Sev was definitely my favourite. His budding relationships with Trix and Kade were fantastically written and out of all the characters I think his arc shows the most character growth. And the chemistry he has with Kade? Off the charts and so well written. It's so nice to see some LGBTQ representation in fantasy books where the character being gay isn't a big issue. I did feel like the POV chapters were a bit unbalanced. Veronyka is the main character so she is the most featured, but because there are multiple POVs it kind of feels like it's also trying to be an ensemble cast at the same time, which doesn't work with the amount of focus on Veronyka. (Lauren from the future is happy to tell you that having read Heart of Flames, this is fixed to an extent, I don't know if we actually saw more of Sev or if it just felt that way, but it felt more balanced overall). Heart of Flames4.5/5 Stars** Spoiler Alert ** Heart of Flames is an absolute brick of a book with cover art as beautiful as the art on Crown of Feathers. There are over 600 pages of action, tension and worldbuilding. I gave this a 4.5 because I enjoyed almost every aspect about the book apart from one, but we'll get to that later. First of all, I liked Tristan a lot more in this book than I did in the first. He's grown up and grown on me quite a bit which is very relieving because I was kind of dreading reading his POVs. I loved that Eliott was given POV chapters too, it helped to get more in his head and understand his motivations for his actions in the first book, and also to see as he started to make amends and bond with Sparrow (who, by the way, is literally one of the best child characters I've come across). I also really liked the part that Val played in the story, although the ending makes me very nervous. It was frustrating to see Veronyka and her go back and forth in what felt like the same dance multiple times but as a character I find her enchanting (I have a thing for bad bad lady characters, so sue me). It was so interesting to find out more about her background, how she and her sister interacted, and I loved seeing more of her old crew. The worldbuilding is, as always, great. And of course, the best part about this book was Sev and his continued (and working) efforts to worm his way into my heart as the best character in the entire series. His relationship with Kade started to blossom, his courage continued to grow, and just when I was ready to shout for joy he made a hard, but right, decision which left him and Kade seperated again. I absolutely love slow burn romances. I love them. When they're done right, as this one was with all the build up and will they won't they, it's the best thing. This leads me onto the thing I wasn't so keen on. It's not the biggest issue ever but I'm really not a fan of the relationship between Veronyka and Tristan. It just feels a bit?? I'm not sure. I didn't have any problems with it in the first book, even though I wasn't exactly a big Tristan fan, but something about it just doesn't sit right with me in this one. It might be because I hate the fact that he prioritises Veronyka over his existing group so easily. One of the characters in the books even points it out himself. I'm a really big fan of the found family trope so I feel like this book missed out on having their phoenix troop be their own little family. I would have liked to see Tristan respecting his fellow riders a bit more, especially as his position as their leader and especially considering that yes sure Veronyka is cool and all but some of these other people have been training a hell of a lot longer than her, and it must feel to them like she just waltzed in, lied to everyone and then kind of took over all of Tristan's attention. Overall though, I can't wait for the third book and for Sev and Kade's reunion. I want to find out what the discovery at the end means for everyone, I want to see Kade do that thing that he was going to do with that thing he was given (it's a big spoiler okay, even I can't give that away so easily haha), I want to know what happens with Sev and Tristan and I want... you know what? I want Sparrow to be a phoenix rider haha, that's my final want.
4/5I absolutely love zombie books. It's weird, because they're also my worst nightmare. Like, if the world was ever going to end holy crap let it not be with zombies because there is absolutely no way I'll survive. It doesn't matter if they're slow or if they're fast, I'd be dead. Despite this, I can't get enough of books written about them. This is Not a Test and The Forest of Hands and Feet were both two of my favourite books when I was younger, and so when I saw that we could expect a YA zombie book with a gay main character I was super excited, and honestly? Wranglestone doesn't disappoint, even if it wasn't exactly what I expected. Peter is so sweet, and Cooper is adorable, and together they make a lovely couple. It was a little too fast moving for my tastes, in the sense of it felt a little insta love, but when we start the novel they've already known each other all their lives, so it doesn't read as eye rollingly annoying as it might do. You get to see them dance around each other for a little while, before anything official happens, but I love a good slow burn romance so I would have liked a little more lead up. The setting of Wranglestone is so spooky. Like, I loved the idea that for a chunk of the year they're safe and they can live their best lives, but behind all that they're slaves to the ice and as soon as it starts to form, they're in danger. It gives you a sense of panic, of a build up in tension. Another thing I liked is that the plot is a different take on the usual zombie type genre. It's a mix of a few different tropes that we've seen before in media, but I can't really go into much detail on them because it would be incredibly spoiler heavy, but things happen at the start of the book that seem so dangerous, but by the time you've read to the end and realised some of the key elements of this world you're like ohhhhhh that makes so much more sense! And the way that the author goes about revealing the secrets of Wranglestone to both Peter and the reader, is great. Overall, a nice, creepy zombie filled read. It's atmospheric, it's intriguing, while at the same time having a very cute love story at the centre, and apparently there's going to be a sequel, which, honestly I can't wait to get my hands on.
5/5 starsThis book was a very intense look into the life of a teenage psychic who is not having a great time of it. From the start it didn't hold any punches. Mr. Big Empty deals with aaaaall the issues, from bullying to child abuse to self harm and suicide, dipping into murder and torture along the way. It isn't ever boring, which, considering it's a long book, is a miracle, and although some aspects were slightly predictable, others were not, which to me is a good mix for a mystery novel. I read the entire thing in the space of 24 hours, on the bus, on my breaks at work, and then finishing it close to midnight, after which I promptly bought the second book in the series. I really loved Vie as a main character, he was refreshing and unique, and I felt for him from the beginning. I just wanted to protect him, which would be impossible because boy does this guy get himself into a thousand different fights every other day. I can't wait to see what trouble he gets up to in the next book haha. Please let Austin, Emmett and Becca protect him to the best of their ability. I'm a little unsure on how the relationship aspect of this series is going to progress. Spoilers within this chapter.... Okay so. I really love Austin as a character, which, yeah, that surprised me as much as it would surprise anyone else who knows me to know that I would pick him over Emmett who is usually exactly my kind of favourite love interest. I kind of want it to end in polyamory because I hate the idea of any of them being sad, but if I had to pick I think I would pick Austin as my hope for a happy ending type romance. The one thing I did find a little weird was how the characters didn't seem their ages at all. They're high schoolers, but they came across as college students or like, early 20s sometimes. It wasn't a big issue, it was just a little jarring to remember how old they actually were. Overall, I recommend it for anyone looking for a m/m romance-thriller-psychic-mystery. It was entertaining and emotional and very, very well written. "I have no idea what I did," I said. "But, holy hell, I did a damn good job of it." - The Scapegracers
5/5 starsI received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Very minor spoilers within. This book is everything I would have killed to read when I was a teenager. It’s very girl power, very witchy and very queer and I loved every second of it. I can’t wait for the second book in all honesty, I think it’s gonna be killer… perhaps quite literally. I love books with mean girl type characters who genuinely care for each other and look out for other girls. I love it even more when they’re Witches. The Craft film was my jam, although admittedly that didn’t quite end as fairytale found family as I would have liked. This book gave such craft vibes I devoured it, and to make it even better the found family/girl friendships were solid and supportive at the end. Our main character actually reads as a teenager, which I think we miss out on sometimes in YA fantasy books. Sideways is a lesbian witch who loves her power, who wants to be seen as powerful and show off to her peers. She wants friends. She wants a place to belong, she goes to parties, she charges for spells. The other main characters, our three other coven members and the love interest Madeline, were all equally real and fleshed out. Yates, Daisy and Jing were a beautiful diverse collision of different personalities. We don't really know a whole lot about Madeline, other than that she's a bit mysterious which... ok ok you got my attention. I'm weak for a mysterious girl. I also loved Mr Scratch. Hands down one of the most fun and interesting takes on witch mythology I’ve seen. The plot was slightly predictable, but not necessarily in a bad way, and one part of the ending did manage to surprise me which was nice. More than anything though, this book is FUN. Between the Halloween parties and the spell casting and the intrigue of the Witchfinders and the spell books, it all wraps into a very enjoyable book. The only thing I wasn’t really a fan of was how inconsistent some parts where. I don’t know if it’s just me or not but quite often there wasn’t really a separation between scenes, and some things that happened (such as Sideways showing up bloody and upset to her parents) weren’t really appropriately handled. I think the reaction from her dads should have been more worried and intense than it was, rather than just letting her not tell them anything about what happened and run off again with the same people she was with when she got hurt in the first place. Especially when her dads seem to care so much about her and her well being, it just didn’t sit quite right in the flow of the story. Overall though, a strong read. AND there's a beautiful piece of cover art, as the cherry on top of the cake of characters you care about and a plot that's intriguing. I can't wait to see where this goes, how the Madeline/Sideways angle pans out, and how the Witchfinders are handled. I want to see more different covens, I want to know more about the spell books, more about the wider background of the witch community. I want to see Chett get destroyed. That last one is perhaps the most important.
4/5 stars** spoiler alert ** This book is a perfect example as to why I don’t tend to read book series when only the first one is out lmao. I made the same mistake with the Cruel Prince and now I’m stood in book limbo and I HATE IT. I much prefer binge reading and consuming whole series at once but I couldn’t resist this summary and front cover. I listened to the audible version which was done very well. The world building was super interesting and the main characters were all complex beings. I hated Lehrer from the start I NEVER trusted that douche canoe and I need him to die a painful death in book two. The ending was very frustrating for someone who dislikes cliffhangers and wanted a happy ending lmao and Noam’s naivety and unreliable narration did grate on my nerves but I love my disaster bi son. I would, however, take a bullet for my brave gay son so.. if Noam and Dara don’t get a happy ending I’m gonna riot harder than every refugee in this book put together TBH. Talking of book two, I need it like I need air! :( I have become the Grand Tour horror story - The gentleman's guide to vice and virtue
5/5 STARS ** spoiler alert ** I am so enchanted by this book. I am SO. ENCHANTED. BY THIS BOOK. I listened to the audible version of this and I recommend that you do too. The reader, Christian Coulson, added a whole other realness to the story and had a really great way of speaking the character of Henry Montague. Henry Montague is one of the best characters i've had the pleasure to come across. He is an entitled little shit who has a long journey ahead of him, both physically, because he's about to set off on his tour, and mentally/emotionally because he's got one hell of a ride ahead of him and it changes him for the better. I absolutely loved Monty. I loved his sense of humour, his voice, and more than anything I loved that he grew as a person over the arc of the book. His sister was an absolute delight too. Felicity is such a well rounded, well written character who plays the part of "little sister" perfectly, not putting up with any of Monty's nonsense and making sure to tell him off whenever needed. And don't even get me started on Percy, who must have the patience of a saint to put up with Monty half the time. He is such a pure hearted character every time Monty acted like an ass in Percy's vicinity I wanted to throw my hands up in the air and screech. The plot of the novel spans several countries and brings us into contact with a whole host of secondary characters, all of which were interesting and well written. The plot itself is never boring, from the tense interaction between Monty and his worthless father, the highway men and the hunt for a cure to all illness and the developing relationship between Percy and Monty, every moment of this novel either had me laughing, wincing or tense, in all the right ways. I'm usually not a fan of historical fiction, and I can't say how historically accurate the book was as a whole, but I CAN say that it is one of the best books I've read. I 100% recommend it. My name is Rune Saint John. I am, before anything else, a survivor. - the last sun
5/5 STARS |
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Reviewer
26. Capricorn. INFP. Hufflepuff.
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