GENRES: Mystery, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction
PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books
RELEASE DATE: 1 March 2016
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The first book in a witty, suspenseful new series about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever page-turner will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter.
Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices–and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.
But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe–and the only people they can trust are each other.
My Review
Truth be told, I liked that blurriness. That line where reality and fiction jutted up against each other.
It’s been a heck of a while since my last book review – and it’s more than overdue. And seeing as I’m in a good headspace finally, and I have the time, I decided that it’s time for me to catch up. So here we go: My review for A Study in Charlotte.
I’ve experienced several Sherlock Holmes reimaginings, as well as quite a few things that were clearly inspired by the work. I’ve never read the original, though I probably should give how I enjoy the retellings and such. And this one was no different – I liked several things about this story. (A few things did annoy me, however, but that’s how it always goes.)
The Characters and Story
We weren’t Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I was ok with that, I thought. We had things they didn’t, too. Like electricity, and refrigerators. And Mario Kart.
First off: the characters. 🖊️ Jamie Watson 📖 is our protagonist, as well as a descendant of Dr. Watson. Much like his ancestor, he also narrates the story. I thought he was alright and liked his personality, though I did find him to be kind of cookie-cutter. Our deuteragonist was 🔎 Charlotte Holmes. 🧪 I don’t think I have to even state who she’s descended from. Like her ancestor, she’s a murder magnet, the violin, and has a predilection to solving mysteries. Well, most of her family does; either that or they’re all hyper intelligent. It’s a whole thing. She was okay. Like Jamie, I unfortunately found her to be a little generic, though I really liked their rapport and thought they were a pretty good duo.
None of the other characters really stood out too much to me, except for Jamie’s father. I thought that Jamie and his dad had an interesting relationship, and finding out what was straining their relationship was one of the more compelling threads of the novel. Charlotte’s brother was also intriguing, when he finally appeared, as well as her interactions with him.
🖋️ The story 📒 itself was kind of slow and didn’t really stand out to me either, even though I ended up liking it well enough, once I got closer to the end. But parts of it were really slow to me. I found the twist and the antagonist kind of obvious, however, and was a little bit annoyed at the author’s attempt to throw the reader off the scent. Especially when I found the murderer to be as obvious as it was. I did think that the climax, ending, and epilogue were very good, and they convinced me to give this book an extra half star.
The Romance and Writing
Oh my God,” I said as she startled. “Oh my God. You just wanted to come here to-”
“There are excellent opportunities for observation and deduction here.”
“-to dance.” I was trying very hard not to laugh. “Would you like to?”
“Yes,” she said, and fairly dragged me out onto the floor.
💘 The romance 💝 was okay. I thought that Jamie and Charlotte definitely had some chemistry, and the slow-burn was definitely one of the better parts of the book. I thought that the two complemented one another pretty well, which is important in a Holmes and Watson dynamic.
✏️ The writing 🗒️ itself was also pretty good. Though I found parts of the novel to get slow, I never found any of it to be overwritten, which was nice. Especially as overwriting is one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader (as is slowness, but ehhh). The prose was good and the dialogue sounded pretty natural.
I also really enjoyed all of the 🐍 little nods 💎 to Sherlock Holmes. Charlotte’s science lab being Sciences 442. There being a helpful and caring older lady, who was clearly a reference to Mrs. Dobson, not to mention there being a character with the last name Dobson in the book, as well. And let’s not forget about all the cases featured in the book, as they were based on Sherlock Holmes cases. Even the title is a reference to A Study in Scarlet. Not to mention all of the myriad of other references I know I missed (I don’t know much about the original material, okay?).
Final Thoughts
“You have my implicit forgiveness, you know, even when you’re driving me crazy.”
“Jamie.”
“Charlotte.”
“Do come home soon. It won’t be London without you.”
“You never knew me in London.”
“I know. I intend to fix that.
So yeah, all in all, I thought that A Study in Charlotte was pretty okay. It was well constructed and there was a solid dynamic between the two main characters. The plot was kind of slow, though, and the chapters were really long, and I didn’t really gel with that. I did enjoy the story as a whole, though. I think fans of Sherlock Holmes reimaginings, and possibly of the original material, might like it.
I don’t think that I’m gonna continue with this series, unfortunately. For one thing: there was a lot of stuff going on IRL when I read it. But also, it just didn’t really grab me. And I just have far too many things in my TBR at the moment. Maybe I’ll be feeling the sequels someday – you never know.
And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
Fans of the hit webcomic Aurora, will delight in the first series installment in print, which follows a found family of heroes on a journey to save a god from an immortal witch.
The shining city of Vash in the world of Aurora is protected by a great and powerful god of the same name, but even Vash’s incarnation cannot withstand the Collector, an immortal sorceress bent on unmaking the world. Vash’s city is destroyed and his soul abducted, leaving only ruins and the wounded, empty body of his incarnation. When newborn soul Kendal awakens in the body, he is driven to rescue the imprisoned Vash. Now Kendal must grapple with living as a mortal and defeating a force powerful enough to sunder the gods.
Kendal is aided by the friends he makes along the way: Alinua, a volatile elven hermit terrified of her uncontrollable life magic; Erin, the prideful Elemental Magus, master of all six elements, who is burdened with a world-shattering curse; and Falst, a surly beastman trying to find his way in a world that hates him. Together, they will journey through magic and mystery, explore perilous environments, and confront ancient forces. Stars dance beyond the shimmering curtains of Aurora; it is time to draw those curtains back…
With exclusive author commentary and bonus story content, Aurora (Volume 1) has plenty for both fans and new readers to enjoy.
My Review
There is more to this world. More to this story
But first, we must begin to tell it…
Aurora is a webcomic that I’ve been following for years, and I’ve hoped for a long time that it might get the physical release treatment. Red’s art is absolutely beautiful and her storytelling is amazing. I could gush all day about this webcomic.
The story follows a group of six protagonists, though as of Aurora: Volume 1 only four have officially joined the party and been properly introduced (though protag number five appears frequently throughout the novel). The story (so far) follows their journey towards another continent in order to help one of the group from an antagonistic force that is directly affecting them, as well as the long-term goal of stopping the Collector, the other primary antagonist of the comic.
The Characters
“What fills a vessel that was crafted to contain a god?”
Our lead is 🌀 Kendal 🗡️ who awakens in the god Vash’s abandoned incarnated body after the Collector steals Vash’s soul. His goal is to save Vash from her, and he learns to live along the way.
🩹 Alinua 🌿 is the first person Kendal meets, and is also the first one to join him on his quest. She has a fascinating backstory that is introduced when we meet her, as well as an interesting connection to the Life primordial that is still unanswered.
📚 Erin ✨ is the third member of the group, and he has quite the introduction to Kendal and Alinua. He’s the mage of the group – and his connections as the Elemental Magus specifically are a huge advantage to the party. He’s got a weird thing going on with the Void Dragon, another major antagonist in the comic along with the Collector, though the two are unaffiliated.
The last member of the group introduced in this volume is 🌳 Falst 🐾 a Ferin. The Ferin are a group of people whose ancestors were tragically altered by depraved mage and who passed their curse – that of a strong and sturdy animal-like form – to their descendants. He’s kind of the rogue of the group.
The Story and Art
“Do you want to go alone?”
“Not really.”
“Me neither. Easy choice.”
🖊️ The plot 📒 is still ongoing and is continually intriguing the more it unfolds. The story we get here is the first half of Act I, so a lot of it is introductory, but it’s still very good and it never feels like the plot is slowing down. 🖋️ The lore 📜 of Aurora is also fascinating, and it never feels forced whenever the story dips into it. Red’s world building and magic system are also impeccable, and the world of the story feels lush and lived in. I also really love the extra stuff that Red added in for the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries and the new supplemental comic fragments. It all really fleshes out the story more, and is gonna make cohesion a bit better when the story gets further along.
I adore 🖌️ the art 🎨 of this fantasy comic. The art direction is great and the colors are so pretty. I just love Red’s art style in general, and as someone who is still following the webcomic, it gets even better as the story goes on. I also love all of this extra stuff that’s been added to the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries.
Final Thoughts
“Mages like to think it’s our power that makes us special. It’s the other way around. Without us, magic has no power.”
Before I close out this review, it would be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of things about the creator of Aurora. Mostly because I think people reading this are probably going who the heck is Red? Well, Red is one half of Overly Sarcastic Productions, a YouTube channel that focuses on summarizing literature, mythology and historical events. In a bit of a sarcastic fashion, of course. Red focuses on the literature and mythology side, while he co-conspirator Blue does the historical stuff. (Interestingly enough, Blue also has a book coming out this year that I’m also looking forward to reading.)
Anyway, those were my thoughts about Aurora: Volume 1. I think it’s great so far and – knowing what’s coming up since I follow it online – it’s only gonna get better. Hard recommend to those who enjoy comics and graphic novels as well as fantasy.
And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
“No, of course I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I am sure, however, that it’s something I want to do. Something I need to do. This world needs saving, Ken.”
RELEASE DATE: 4 April 2025 (originally published 2020)
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
The LitRPG bestseller releasing in a stunning new deluxe hardcover edition, now with a new Afterword.
For thousands of years, there has been a cycle: a Demon King rises and conquers, and a Hero is reborn a hundred years later to defeat him. Each time, civilizations are ground to dust beneath the Demon King’s hordes, but humanity has remained secure in the belief that a Hero of legend will always save them. There’s just one slight problem. It’s only been twenty-three years since the Demon King’s latest rise, and this time, he’s already conquered more than half the world. If humanity simply waits for the Hero’s return, there may be no world left for him to save.And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A ten-step plan.
And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A ten-step plan.
She’ll find a way to obtain the Hero’s legendary sword. She’ll earn obscure classes, gain levels, and increase her skills. She’ll travel to the meticulously-crafted dungeons that seem designed for one specific Hero to complete. And, if she’s truly (un)fortunate, she might even find a fairy.
My Review
I may not be a Hero, but I will not wait and watch the world burn. I will not take comfort in the knowledge that the goddesses will send someone else to save us. It may not be something I was chosen for, but I will make my own path. I will break the cycle. And I will show this world that anyone can save it, if they try.
I’ve been a Legend of Zelda fan for many years. I love the puzzles, the exploration, the story and the characters – as well as the gameplay, of course. Everything about it is just amazing to me, even with all of Zelda’s evolutions and changes over the years.
Why is this relevant, you may ask?
Because How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is a love letter to The Legend of Zelda series. As well as a parody. And it’s great at being both of those things. The author clearly knew what they wanted to do with this novella, and did a great job of doing it.
Anyway, math aside, Ken barely managed to yelp and jump to the side of my sudden jet of a thousand gallons of water flying in his direction. He glared down at me, folding his arms. “You put the sacred lake back where it belongs right now.”
“Don’t wanna.” I stuck my tongue out at him. If he was going to talk to me like I was a child, I’d play along.
Our protagonist and POV character is Yui Shaw. She’s very determined and is not afraid to take crazy risks, and I enjoyed following her point-of-view. She’s quickly joined on her adventure to save the world by Ken Sei, a sword-wielding, fashionista of a healer. They played off of and complemented each other pretty well – I loved their friendship.
There are other characters introduced that also join the party in one form or another, and another character that doesn’t truly join the group but helps in other ways, who are all plot crucial. But they’re all kind of spoiler-y, so I’ll stop where I’m at. I did really like all of them, as well as the punny names that pretty much all of the major characters had.
The plot was pretty barebones, but that’s okay because it was a parody. Not that it didn’t have any flavor or uniqueness to it, it did, it just wasn’t the main focus until later in the second half of the novella. As much as I loved the riffing on the Zelda stuff, I also loved a few of the plot twists included nearer to the end, even if they were kinda predictable. The humor in this book was also on point. (I think I normally would’ve figured all of them out, but I was just kind of cruising along with this book and enjoying myself. I also finished it in one sitting, so I didn’t really take any time to try to predict stuff or guess what was gonna happen next.)
The references were probably my favorite part of the book. I just… love the Zelda series and you can tell the author does too, so the references felt really nice. Especially to a long time fan like me who’s been into the games for like twenty years. I think I’ll include some of my favorite quotes that are references (or sort of references) at the end of this review.
“Am I going to regret helping you with this?” I gave him a shrug.
“Do you regret helping me so far?”
“I’m undecided.”
So yeah, I really enjoyed How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps. It wasn’t purple prose or anything gloriously written like that, but it didn’t need to be, and it was fantastic for what it was. If you like Lit-RPG fiction, or are a fan of The Legend of Zelda or both, you’ll probably like this book. I highly recommend it.
Not only was this novella rereleased this year with a beautiful new edition on Kindle, but there’s an awesome hardcover version coming out this September with sprayed edges that I’m definitely interested in. There’s also apparently a sequel in the works, which I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to seeing how this parody continues!
And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
See ya ~Mar
Favorite Reference Quotes and Stuff:
“And then there was Water Temple Hero, who was supposedly the most powerful Hero of all time, but disappeared into the Water Temple, never to return.”
I walked over to the block, then shoved it. It slid to the left. There was a melodic sound, then the seal on the left door opened. Ken stared at me in wide-eyed shock.
“Yui…how did you…?”
“It’s a block, Ken. There are really only so many things you can do with it.”
Two fires burned on the left and right sides, seemingly without origin. In the center stood a bearded old man. “So. You have finally come…” he said, then broke into a cough.
The old man cleared his throat, standing up a little straighter. “Behold: The westmost peninsula hides a great secret.”
I blinked. “O…kay? What sort of secret?”
The old man shrugged. “I have no idea.”
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you. I don’t suppose you could tell us who you are, or how you knew we were going to be here? Are you one of the descendants of the sages, perhaps?”
“Hmpf.” The figure crossed their arms. “I am nothing. No one. Simply a wandering ninja, and definitely not a princess of the royal family.”
With a moment of concentration, I removed a magic torch stolen from the Wood Temple’s walls from my Inventory. It bathed the room in light, but little else.
“You…dare…bring…foul…light…into…my…domain…?” The voice seemed to echo all around me.
Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.
Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place in our world, or theirs.
My Review
“Do you really want to know where we come from?” she said. “In every century, in every country, they’ll call us something different. They’ll say we’re ghosts, angels, demons, elemental spirits, and giving us a name doesn’t help anybody. When did a name change what someone is?”
It’s been a while since I’ve gone back and gone over books I’ve read in the past. And seeing as June has been a rougher month for me in regards to reading, I thought it was time for another retrospective book review.
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff is something I’ve read quite some time ago, but it’s always been something I’ve enjoyed. And, as I’ve realized going back through it, something I still enjoy.
The simple truth is that you can understand the way you are. You can know and love and hate it. You can blame it, resent it, and nothing changes. In the end, you’re just a part of it.
Mackie Doyle 🪇 is our resident protagonist here, as well as our point-of-view character. He’s a little whiny and nervous at first, which is a little annoying, and is something I usually hate more often than not. But that wasn’t the case with this novel. I actually enjoyed following him and his story. I also enjoyed his character development. There’s a lot of interesting stuff regarding him and his identity that really kept the momentum going throughout the whole story. (This was a book that I found somewhat difficult to put down.)
Tate Stewart 🎱 is another one of our main characters, and features heavily throughout the novel. She’s my favorite character in the book. The feisty, determined kind of protagonist, but not in the annoying way that so many female protagonists are written like nowadays. There’s substance to her. I also loved how she didn’t take Mackie’s crap those times when he kind of started to angst/whine and would immediately set him straight. She and Mackie were pretty well balanced and cute together.
Emma Doyle 🌿 is Mackie’s sister, and a pivotal character in the novel. It’s because of her and her actions before and during the plot of the book that things ultimately turn out alright. She and Mackie had an excellent sibling bond.
The simple truth is that you can understand a town. You can know and love and hate it. You can blame it, resent it, and nothing changes. In the end, you’re just another part of it.
I also really enjoyed the plot 📖 of this book. Before I got the book, I looked into reviews, which is something I don’t always do. And when I looked at these reviews, some thought certain things were unclear about the story and the twist, but that’s definitely something I disagree with.
I think that it’s pretty obvious what’s going on in the town of Gentry, even from the beginning. And they basically spell it out in the climax, just without being too specific. But it’s still clear. I also really liked how the whole town was in denial about everything. This is a plot that’s heavily involved with the fae, but like the more lore accurate kind of fae, unlike in A Court of Thorns and Roses and all the romantasy books that spawned from it. And I loved how everything was handled.
I looked at the ground and the dark, drizzling sky and pretty much anyplace that wasn’t her. “I like you. A lot.” When I finally glanced at her, my face was hot and it was hard to keep looking.
She squinted up at me. Then she crossed her arms. “This is a really inappropriate place to be having this conversation.”
“I know. I like you anyway.”
Saying it a third time was like breaking some kind of spell. Her face went soft and far away.
“Don’t say that unless you mean it.”
“I don’t say anything I don’t mean.”
The romance 💘 was a bit of a slow-burn, but it was executed really well. I thought that Mackie and Tate worked really well as a couple – they felt like a team. I wish that books would do that more, romance so often doesn’t feel this way to me, and this is my favorite kind of romance.
I thought that the writing 📝 was also very good. I felt pretty immersed the whole way through, and as I mentioned earlier, it was a compelling read that I had a bit of difficulty putting down sometimes while reading. I also really liked the dialogue – I thought it was written well and felt very natural.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was loud, so sharp that he sounded angry.
I knew I should be careful, keep the secret, but I was too far gone to talk around it. My chest was working in huge spasms and I could barely breathe. “I kissed her.”
“And then you went into anaphylactic shock?”
I closed my eyes and let the rain patter against my face through the open window “She has her tongue pierced.”
And I still feel basically the same way about this stuff now. I really do think The Replacement is a solid YA fantasy novel with fantastic horror elements to it, that also has a great ending. I recommend it to those who like the other fairy lore that doesn’t tend to make it into the romantasy genre.
As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
A charming slow-burn romantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment.
Bianca knows her duty comes before her heart. So when the threat of war looms, she agrees to marry the neighboring kingdom’s heir. But not all royal weddings are a fairytale, and Prince Aric, Bianca’s betrothed, is cold, aloof, and seems to hate her on sight.
To make matters worse, on their wedding night, an assassination attempt goes awry—leaving Aric magically transformed into a horse. Bianca does what any bride in this situation would do: she mounts her new husband and rides away to safety.
Sunset returns Aric to human form, but they soon discover the assassination attempt is part of a larger plot against the throne. Worse, Bianca has been framed for Aric’s murder, and she’s now saddled with a husband who is a horse by day and a frustratingly attractive man by night.
As an unexpected romance begins galloping away with their hearts, Bianca and Aric must rely on each other to unravel the curse and save the throne.
My Review
In any case, whoever my betrothed proved to be, I would learn soon enough, and I would match him. Blade for blade. Move for move. Perhaps even heart for heart – though I knew better than to count on the last. It didn’t matter. Noble marriages were built on necessity, not love. And this was the right choice. The only one. I had to see it through.
Behooved is a new romantasy novel by M. Stevenson. It has a fairytale-esque quality to it that I really like, and pretty good world building with an interesting take on the various ways ri channel magic. And, of course, the cover is absolutely gorgeous – one of the best book covers I’ve seen in a while.
🏵️ Bianca of Damaria 🗡️ is our point-of-view character here, as well as our leading lady. She’s a fierce fighter tainted in several different weapons, inwardly compassionate and takes her duty to her country very seriously. Bianca was a great protagonist to follow, and I enjoyed following her story. I also liked the portrayal of Bianca’s chronic illness.
📚 Aric of Gildenheim 🐎 is our deuteragonist, as well as Bianca’s love interest. Gildenheim’s heir and prospective king, he’s kind, but very reserved and socially awkward. He’s more soft-spoken than Bianca, but no less determined than her, even if he prefers the library over weapons. It was fun to watch these two fall in love.
I thought that 🖊️ the story 📄 was also pretty good, even if the plot really slowed down once or twice. It was definitely one of the stronger parts of Behooved, however, and it kept me pretty engaged for the most part. This book also didn’t let a lot of the things that hold other romantasy books back do the same for it. For example: sacrificing plot and logic and well-written characters for (often poorly written) romance and smut.
“I’m afraid,” I said, releasing a truth. Revealing my deepest weakness. “I’m afraid of wanting what I know I can’t have.”
A muscle flickered in Aric’s jaw. “What makes you so certain you can’t have it?”
Speaking of 💕 the romance 💞 aspect of this novel, it also wasn’t egregious (unlike most romantasy I’ve read). The characters end up falling in love in a way that makes sense, they have clear reasons they’re attracted to one another aside from looks and the situation the two are trapped wherein they end up bonding doesn’t feel forced. I will say that I found the chemistry to be pretty lacking between Bianca and Aric, and I definitely wouldn’t consider this book to be the slow-burn the book description/summary professes it to he, but the romance is fine as a whole. There’s also a few spicy scenes for those who enjoy them.
🖌️ The artwork 🎨 on the cover, as I mentioned previously, is stunning. It’s definitely one of my favorite things about this book. The cover is originally what got me interested in reading this book, actually. I love how it’s literally split day and night, and how the colors contrast on both sides. The paperback edition of Behooved also has pretty pink sprayed edges that really matches the rest of the outside of the novel. I’ll stop gushing now, though I could go on. (I think I might end up doing a Bewitching Book Covers on this one.)
-Strength isn’t about what your body can do,- Aric went on. -It’s about how you respond to adversity. And I’ve never known someone so determined to do the right thing, no matter the personal cost.-
So yeah, Behooved was a pretty good book, and a phenomenal addition to the romantasy genre. I definitely recommend it to people who like romantasy, but also like a plot that generally makes sense, likable characters and an awesome magic system.
Anyway, as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
PUBLISHER: Knopf Books for Young Readers (originally published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
RELEASE DATE: 10 September 2024 (originally publication date 14 September 2023)
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR • A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, KIRKUS REVIEWS, AND SHELF AWARENESS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever.
It’s the day he learned about the Archipelago—a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it’s the day he met Mal—a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.
Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what’s happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.
Katherine Rundell’s story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.
My Review
“I think… wherever you are, the needle points you home.”
Impossible Creatures is a solid middle grade fantasy-adventure novel. The characters are diverse, interesting and likeable. The world of the Archipelago is lush and vibrant with life. And the art spread throughout this book is absolutely beautiful.
Christopher Forrester 🗺️ and Mal Arvorian 🧭 are our two protagonists. And I think that they complement each other out rather well. They’re both curious and bursting with a need for adventure, as well as courageous, intelligent and kind. Christopher was a good audience surrogate, and Mal was a good way to exposit the world building of the novel. I also enjoyed the characters that traveled with the protagonists Nighthand ⛵and Irian 📔 as well the creatures that traveled with the group.
The creatures were one of the biggest highlights of the book. The sphinxes and kraken were probably the most intriguing of them all, but my favorites were al-mirajes, the ratatoskas, the kankos and hippocamps. Also the glowing cat. And I always like mermaids and nereids. Ratwin the ratatoska 🌊 was a cool and I really liked how often she popped up in the novel. Gelifen the baby griffin 🪶 was also cute.
“And that’s the magic? The glimourie?”
“Glimourie, aye. Or glamarie, some of the islanders call it. Glawmery, glamry, glim, glimt. It’s all the same: it’s the name they give the first magic. Long ago, it was everywhere.”
I thought that the story of Impossible Creatures was pretty good. It wasn’t my favorite part of the book, but I think it was just fine for a middle grade novel. There were a few standout moments for me and a couple “twists” that got me – in that they weren’t actually twists but I thought they would be, so they ended up surprising me. I kind of figured out all of the actual twists though, and I thought that they were a little too obvious. To me. But they probably wouldn’t be for the actual target audience of this book, so I think they’re actually fine.
I also thought some of the character motivations were a bit unrefined and that the characters got attached to each other a little too fast. It felt like the author was rushing to get to certain points, and was speedrunning certain things in order to get there. I felt that the second half of the book was also much stronger than the first.
I also thought some of the character motivations were a bit unrefined and that the characters got attached to each other a little too fast. It felt like the author was rushing to get to certain points, and was speedrunning certain things in order to get there. I felt that the second half of the book was also much stronger than the first. The climax and ending were really good, though.
I’m kind of half-and-half on the writing here. On the one hand, the author definitely has some experience and some of the prose reflects this. On the other hand, I thought some of the dialogue was stilted and unnatural, and there were a lot of weird metaphors, some of which I thought didn’t really make sense.
Some sentences have the power to change everything. There are the usual suspects: I love you, I hate you, I’m pregnant, I’m dying, I regret to tell you that this country is at war. But the words with the greatest power to create both havoc and marvels are these:
“I need your help.”
The artwork, including the cover and the interior illustrations, was probably my favorite part of the novel. It’s just… so good. The cover is vibrant and colorful, and the actual hardcover itself beneath the book jacket is also very nice – nicer than most other hardcover books I’ve seen in a while. Like, it’s not just one color, there’s a bit of embellishment to it. The red sprayed edges are also nice, and complement the book well, whether the book jacket is on or off.
And of course, the interior illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. As much as I like to imagine myself what everything looks like, I always enjoy pictures and art of it within the book just as much. Also, there’s an awesome map inside as well – and it’s also the inside cover pages!
I also wanted to highlight the bestiary. I love it when books have bestiaries and appendices and stuff like that, especially when they’re well done. And this book has a good bestiary. Seeing pictures of what almost all of the creatures looked like was really awesome.
“For instance: consider the greatest riddle of all-what you should do with your one brief life? The answer is different for each person. There is no neat answer, though many have tried to offer one. There are no answers to being alive. There are only strong pieces of advice.”
All in all, however, I think that Impossible Creatures was a pretty decent book, a good middle grade novel and a solid start to a new series. I definitely recommend it to its target audience, as well as those who enjoy middle grade fantasy-adventure books with great art. The sequel is also coming out later this year, so now is the perfect time to read it.
Anyway, as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
BOOKS:The False Prince, The Runaway King, The Shadow Throne
COLLECTIVE LENGTH: 1055 pages
GENRES: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction
PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press
RELEASE DATES: 1 April 2012 – 25 February 2014
DESCRIPTION ON BOOK #1:
New York Times bestseller The False Prince thrills with wild twists and turns, danger and deceit, and the revelation of hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.
In a discontented kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
My Review
“Don’t make this a fight.”
“I won’t, but you make everything a fight.”
The Shadow Throne
I’m finally posting this book series review. Yay! Getting this review written took so long. I dunno what it was about it, I just had a bunch of trouble getting myself together and sitting down to get this review done. But I’ve finally done it, so here it is!
Anyway.
I first read part of The Ascendance Series several years ago, back when it was still The Ascendance Trilogy. Back then, I read the first two books and the first few chapters of the third. And then I stopped reading for some reason; I’m not actually fully sure of the reason why at this point anymore.
But about a month ago, I found out there were new books in this series and felt the urge to go back and finish at least the first three books. So I did that. And now I’m reviewing the original trilogy of this series as one whole review. I’m also really considering reading the last two books in this series sometime as well, maybe even later this year (I just wanted to take a break after book three and stuff – I was getting slightly burnt out on this series). Anyway, without further ado, here’s the review for The Ascendance Series Books one, two and three!
The Characters
“Have you come here to kill me?” I asked. “Because I’ll scream when you do and it’ll wake up the princess and probably a whole lot of other people and you’ll get into trouble.”
“You’ll be dead.”
“Yes, but you’ll be in trouble.
The False Prince
The characters in the Ascendance Series were okay. There were really only a few standouts, and only what I’d consider to be a couple really strongly written members of the cast; but I’ve also long conceded that this is also a middle grade series of books, so there was never gonna be anything like that anyway.
Let’s discuss the characters a little bit…
Sage 🧩 is the main character, throughout the entire series. He starts going by another name after the first book, but I’m not gonna tualk about it here ’cause it’s a spoiler. Anyway, he kind of irritated at first, but he really grew on me as the story went on, though. He really starts to shine as a character in book two. Sage is a sassy teenager with a strong heart. Though he did continue to do something in all of the books that continued to irritate me throughout my time reading trilogy – however I will say that this is more of an issue with the writing than Sage himself. (We’ll get to this specific issue in a bit.)
He starts to show his true colors as the novels go on, and even from early on it’s established that he’s brave and determined and highly intelligent, and he’ll do anything for those he cares about. This is when he started to be more compelling for me to follow as I read the books. Anyway, I think kids will really enjoy following him – and I actually did start to enjoy his personality and character more in the second book.
Sage’s friends Tobias 📚 and Roden 🗡️ are also pretty important. They don’t have a lot to them though, and I didn’t find myself interested in either of them really. I also didn’t really understand why they bonded and became friends, as everyone is constantly flip-flopping on everything in book one when they first meet and do the bulk of their interactions with one another. Out of the two, I guess that Roden is the more compelling character, however. I really wish we got to see more of their characterizations.
Bevin Conner 💰 is the one who sets the events of the series in motion and he’s definitely one of the more interesting characters here. Even though I kind of had him and his allegiances figured out pretty early on, I’m an adult reading middle grade, and I think younger readers will be questioning his motives throughout the trilogy. His servant Mott 🛡️ is a bit less interesting, but I still liked him and the familial bond he and Sage started to forge. Mott is also the most rational character in the series, and it was always refreshing when he’d interject his perspective on things.
And yes, there are also female characters in this series, although only two of them matter. Imogen 💞 is the first of these, and unfortunately her only purpose is to be a motivation for Sage. She doesn’t get that much page time, and I couldn’t take her and Sage’s budding romance seriously at all throughout any of the three books. I’ll get into it more in a bit, in another section. Anyway, the other relevant female character is Amarinda ✨ , who I liked a lot more than Imogen and thought was far more interesting, even though neither of them had that much of a personality aside from being kind and brave. I felt like Amarinda had a bit more to her character, though – probably because she wasn’t stuck in Middle-Grade Protagonist Love Interest Hell like Imogen was.
The Story
What’s the point of gaining peace if it costs us our freedom? I won’t trade the one for the other.
The Runaway King
I think that the plot – especially for the first book – is pretty intriguing and will draw people in, as it did me like seven years ago when I first read part of this trilogy. The False Prince 👑🔷 has a very compelling premise and the way the writing is keeps readers pretty engaged. Even if you know the big twist ahead of time, there are still little nuggets carefully placed throughout the novel that hint at it and make a reread interesting, too.
My favorite of the first three books of The Ascendance Series was The Runaway King. ⚔️💚 I don’t really know why, I guess because I already knew the big twist of book one ’cause I’d read it years before (though I figured it out almost immediately when I read The False Prince the first time as well). I also preferred Sage’s character during the second novel – he was far less of an annoying brat, though he definitely still had his moments that really irritated me.
The Shadow Throne 🗝️🔴 is also pretty good, and works well as the second half of the story set up in The Runaway King as well as an engaging climax. Almost all of the loose ends in the trilogy were also all tied up by the end – there were basically no hanging threads left over – which is always really nice to see. I love it when series do that.
The Romance
Villains and plots and enemies are simple things to me. But friendships are complicated, and love is harder still. It has wounded me deep.
The Shadow Throne
Even though it wasn’t a big focus in this series – the adventure was the main thing here – I still gotta talk about the romance. Because I don’t think any it was really that great.
There were two couples that have focus so far in the first part of The Ascendance Series, but one doesn’t really happen until the third novel, so I’m not really gonna talk about that one. That’s not the one I’m really annoyed with either, as it’s more of a side pairing and both of the characters in this relationship get equal screentime. No, the romantic relationship I’m talking about is the main one, between Sage and Imogen.
I don’t like this romance. For one thing, Imogen is barely a character, and for another, her and Sage only have like one or two interactions before they’re suddenly extremely protective and interested in one another. And this felt really weird to read, both times I went through the books. Not to mention, particularly in The False Prince and parts of The Runaway King, Sage makes Imogen uncomfortable quite a few times and that kind of made me uncomfortable to read.
I want to stress that he wasn’t being weird or anything – he was being pretty kind actually! – it just seemed like he overwhelmed her and would pile a lot of changes on her shoulders. Their relationship definitely moved too fast for two barely fifteen year-olds, though. Not to mention, Imogen didn’t really show up that often in any of the books, which didn’t help their relationship feel like it was evolving. So yeah, their romance basically never felt like it got any development, really. I do understand and acknowledge that this is a middle grade fantasy-adventure series that is likely primarily targeted towards boys, and that I’m definitely not the audience intended for these books though, so it doesn’t bother me that much.
The Writing
Nobody gives you respect in this life. You must take it, you must earn it, and then you must hold it sacred, because no matter how hard respect is to attain, it can be lost in an instant.
The Shadow Throne
I think that the actual prose itself in The Ascendance Series – as well as the dialogue – was pretty good. I felt that it was great for middle grade novels. Nielsen is a pretty good writer, and her writing really starts to shine in the second and third books.
I don’t like the way that the author has Sage narrate the books, however. Yes, I understand that Sage is meant to be an unreliable narrator… in the first book. And the way that he’s an unreliable narrator bothers me the same way that Gen is an unreliable narrator from Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief – I’m not gonna say how because that would spoil the twist of both novels. But anyway, I don’t think that Sage should still be as unreliable (but in a different way) as he is in the subsequent two books that I read.
In books two and three, Sage is unreliable in the same way that I’ve heard Bryce Quinlan from the Crescent City novels is unreliable: they both do stuff off screen. Yeah, Sage basically always makes plans without telling the reader what he’s doing and then it almost always comes together in the end. And I hate that, when characters are written like this, because I think it’s a way that authors use when they’re trying to make their characters seem smart and clever, but they either aren’t skilled enough to do this in a better way and/or are lazy. So yeah, I’m not fond of this at all, and it’s the main thing that annoys me about Sage in the second and third novels.
Final Thoughts
With introductions out of the way, Erick got down to the business of having abducted me.
“Why were you asking Fink about the priest?”
“I have some sins to confess,” I said. “For ruining the life of the last man to kidnap me.
The Runaway King
All in all, I think that The Ascendance Series is a pretty solid middle grade fantasy series. Again, as I mentioned earlier, I’m definitely not the target audience for this series, but I was able to get some enjoyment out of it as an adult.And though there were some writing decisions that bothered me, they probably won’t bother middle schoolers – heck, they likely won’t even notice them! I think that kids in the intended age group will really enjoy it, actually.
And though there were some writing decisions that bothered me, they probably won’t bother middle schoolers – heck, they likely won’t even notice them! I think that kids in the intended age group will really enjoy it, actually.
Anyway, with everything in mind, my star rating for this series as a whole is:
Anyway, as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
See ya ~Mar
My Star Ratings for Each Book
Some Other Quotes I Enjoyed That Have Spoilers (for the First Book)
“From all I’m told, the prince they sent away was selfish, mischievous, and destructive. The king who returns is courageous, noble, and strong.”
“And a fool,” I added.
Mott chuckled. “You are that too.”
The False Prince
“You should thank me for tolerating you. I had hoped that becoming a royal would cure your foul manners.”
“That’s interesting. My father hoped that stripping me of royalty would do the same thing.”
The Runaway King
“It’s your storm, and the future of us all depends on you now. So who are you? Sage, an orphan boy who cares only for himself? Or the undisciplined, rebellious prince your father sent away? Life has tested your resilience and strength and willpower, and you have succeeded in ways nobody ever thought possible. But the storm has never been worse, and it will either destroy you, or define you. When everything is taken from you, can you still stand before us as Jaron, the Ascendant King of Carthya?”
The first in a new epic fantasy series from David R. Slayton, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea is a powerful story of divine betrayal, ghosts, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of the Dark Souls series or Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
When Phoebe, goddess of the moon, is killed by the knights of the sun god, Hyperion, all who follow her are branded heretics. With Phoebe gone, the souls of the dead are no longer ferried to the underworld, and instead linger on as shades who feast on the blood of the living.
Raef is a child of the night. He lives in the shadows, on scraps, eking out a meager existence as a thief. But when an ornate box is sequestered in the Temple of Hyperion, the chance of a big score proves too great to resist. What he finds within propels him on an odyssey across the sea and back again, altering the course of his life forever.
Seth is a knight of the sun. But unlike the others of his order, the fire of Hyperion only brings him pain. He believes he deserves this penance, exacted for his unknown origins. Tasked with recovering the contents of the box, Seth must also venture beyond the horizon if he’s to learn the truth about himself.
In a dying world divided by the greed of those in power, Raef and Seth find their destinies intertwined–and learn they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
My Review
Dark draws dark as light draws light, but only one may cast the other out.
So… Clearly Dragonfall didn’t work out for me. Haha. Moving on.
Dark Moon, Shallow Sea has been on my TBR for a while. Like, over a year type of a while. I gave rsr discovered it in November of 2023. I almost read it then too, but decided to read one of the author’s earlier works first, to try to get a feel for the writing style and see if I liked it. And… I did. White Trash Warlock was generally a pretty enjoyable reading experience for me. There were a couple of things that I was kind of “meh” on, but it was a positive experience for the most part.
So when my Kindle told me that Dark Moon, Shallow Sea was on sale about a month and a half ago, I finally grabbed it. And then near the end of last week, I finally got around to starting reading it. And it was perfectly… okay.
Let’s get into it.
Characters and Plot
They’d circled each other for so long. The gods had to have a hand in it, that the two of them, probably the last of their breed, should meet over and over. They’d danced like the moon and sun, like their gods, like night and day.
Our two mains are 🌙 Raef 🗡️ , a former future acolyte to the Moon Goddess Phoebe turned thief, and ☀️ Seth 🔥 , a warrior to the Sun God Hyperion with a lot of issues with his fire powers. They’re also the characters whose point of view we follow throughout the novel. I enjoyed their characters well enough – I really liked how kind Raef was despite all his circumstances and trauma, as well as how soft and awkward Seth was despite everything in his past.
The other major character here was Kinos, whom I hated since and was immediately suspicious of the second he started talking. So the thing later on with him didn’t surprise me too much – I actually figured it out a couple of chapters before it happened – nor did I feel upset whatsoever by what he did. I hated this guy – at the very least, he was annoying.
I also enjoyed Raef’s and Seth’s relationships with the parental figures in their lives. Raef’s relationship with the old lady he lived with – Eleni – was great. I love how they were both snartasses to each other. It felt really genuine. Raef’s past relationship with his teachers when he was still a ward of the tower he grew up in was also wonderful, as well as heart wrenching later on in the story. I loved Seth’s father-son relationship with Father Geldar as well – it was so sweet.
The 📖 plot 📖 itself was pretty engaging and interesting. I always enjoy a good light vs. dark / sun vs. moon motif in stuff; it’s the contrast, I think. Also, the last quarter of the book felt a little rushed with everything that was going on, but it still worked fine.
Romance and World Building
“I, uh-like your mask,” Seth said nervously. It disarmed Raef a little, despite his mounting panic. How could it not? Seth wasn’t trying to burn him. He was trying to what, flirt?
“Thank you,” Raef said. “I like your, uh, helmet.”
I didn’t like the 💘 romance 💘 here. Honestly, I think I just don’t like the way that Slayton writes his romantic relationships, because that was what I felt was one of the weakest aspects about White Trash Warlock as well. They always move way too fast for me.
In this book, I actually didn’t mind at first because I knew the first romance initially introduced wasn’t going to be the endgame relationship. But then the second relationship took forever to get going and then there wasn’t really any time spent on it besides the he fact that the two characters were drawn to each other, and then they pretty much felt like they got together offscreen at the end of the book. Ugh. It was very frustrating to read, especially because I thought that Raef and Seth were especially cute together and had a lot of potential as a couple.
The 🗺️ world building 🗺️ and ✨ magic system ✨ was interesting, but I was having a little trouble determining what the setting was supposed to be emulating. Like, there was clearly a lot of inspiration taken from Greek myths – particularly in some of the names – but the world itself didn’t feel like it was a fantasy land based on Greece itself. The relationships between some of the gods, as well as many of the names of the gods and what they were the god of, were also vague and generally undefined.
Final Thoughts
A lifetime ago, the Knights of Hyperion had been his cousins, worshippers of his goddess’s brother. No one would have batted an eye to see them friends or even more.
All in all, Dark Moon, Shallow Sea was a pretty decent book, even though I think it could have done with a bit more polish. I also didn’t think the book really felt like the games in the Dark Souls series either. Like, I guess because the dead couldn’t move on properly and some of the stuff surrounding that? It didn’t really have the same vibe though, if you get my meaning. Anyway, I guess readers who like high fantasy, really fast romance and LGBT+ rep might enjoy this novel.
As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
The River Has Roots is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award winning author Amal El-Mohtar. Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.
The hardcover edition features beautiful interior illustrations.
“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”
In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.
There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.
But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…
My Review
What is a river but an open throat, what is water but a voice?
Nevermind what I said in my last weekly wrap-up, I’ve decided to do a book review today instead! And before I get into it, I just wanted to say to everyone: Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! ☘️🍻 It was a nice day today where I live. Spring really feels like it’s on its way.
The River Has Roots was a pretty good read. The cover is honestly what first caught my eye (it’s gorgeous). But as someone who recently read and loved This is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar having written it also contributed to me wanting to read it. And, like I said, it wasn’t a bad read at all.
Ysabel said, fiercely for all that her voice was muffled into Esther’s shoulder: “Promise?”
“I promise,” said Esther, and meant it with her whole heart.
I really liked the focus on the two main characters: 🎵 Esther Hawthorne 🦢 and her younger sister 🎶 Ysabel Hawthorne 🔔 . I haven’t read any sibling-focused books lately, but I always enjoy a good sibling dynamic. And these sisters have one. They do it without having either being exactly the same, or exact opposites. This was refreshing, because siblings in media are usually one or the other.
💍 Rin 🌊 was also an interesting character. I tend to like characters who are fae creatures – mostly when they’re fae creatures written correctly – and Rin is not the exception here. I found their romance with Esther to be sweet, and I was rooting for them as a couple right away. The witch, 🪄 Agnes Crow 🐦⬛ , was also pretty awesome – I think she was the most interesting character to me, honestly.
I enjoyed 🖋️ the plot 📄 well enough, as well. I really appreciated the nods to other fairy stories (like Tam Lin) and some of the references therein. There’s a pretty strong story here too, despite it all being only about 100 pages or so. I will say that the book is noticably shorter than it appears to be. This is because literally a quarter of this book is just a sneak peak for El-Mohtar’s upcoming short story collection. So that’s what the last 30 pages are, if you were curious.
What is magic but a change in the world? What is conjugation but a transformation, one thing into another? She runs; she ran; she will run again.
My favorite thing about The River Has Roots, however, is the way that ✨ magic ✨ interacts with the 🗺️ world 🗺️ and the way it’s described. I loved the way the author used the word grammar, as well as the usage of conjugation. I also adored the singing sisters, and their singing ancestors, and how music framed so much of the novella and its magic. And the puns – the puns were also cool.
And before I close out this review, it would be remiss of me not to comment on the absolutely 🖌️ beautiful artwork 🎨 featured here. Yes, as I mentioned above, the cover art is very pretty, but the interior illustrations are also amazing. Essentially, in addition to being a pretty good novella, this book also has pretty pictures to look at, too.
But that is the nature of grammar-it is always tense, like an instrument, aching for release, longing to transform present into past into future, is into was into will.
So yeah, this was a pretty good book, and I enjoyed it well enough. I definitely recommend it to those who are big fans of This is How You Lose the Time War, and to a slightly lesser extent, those who like faerie stories and LGBT+ stuff in fantasy. Novella fans will probably also find something to like about this book.
As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you have an awesome day/night!
The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves.
Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.
Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.
Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world: How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.
My Review
“Where would I be without you, Em?” he said. It was an old joke of ours, but it wasn’t a joke now, the way he said it. I did not reply, merely straightened the hair he had mussed, brush-ing it back into place. He took my hand and we kept going. Soon, the castle came into view-its light was visible first, a glow that silhouetted the nearby trees.
Yes! I finally finished and posted this review! It only took me forever. Ugh, I don’t know what it was about February this year… I just couldn’t get into reading for whatever reason. (I also can’t believe it’s been a month since I last posted a book review. Grrr. I’m a little frustrated with myself.)
Anyway, let’s talk about Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales.
Despite how long it took me to get to reading this book (the end of February) and how long it took me to compose this review (now), I really did enjoy it. It wasn’t my favorite in the series – that’s still the first novel, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries – but it was still very good. Honestly, I found that I enjoyed it about the same as book two, Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands.
And so, without further ado, here I go. This ended up being a longer review, so I had to break it into sections, lol.
The Characters
He rose, shaking the dew from his cloak. “You have that look.”
He had mirrored my own train of thought, which made me scowl at him irrationally. “Which?”
“The one you wear whenever you outsmart me in some area,” he said.
“Well,” I began with a shrug, then stopped. My magnanimity was wearing thin, I’m afraid. “Haven’t I?”
He laughed, a clear, bright sound, and then, before I knew what was happening, he had lifted me off my feet and spun me through the air, the greenery and shadow of the forest a whirl all around me.
“My beloved Emily,” he murmured in my ear.
📒 Emily Wilde 🖋️ is still a fantastic protagonist. I still love her narrative voice and the trajectory of her character arc was awesome. Her relationship and banter with her academic rival and heir to the faerie realm of Silva Lupi, 🍃 Wendell Brambleby 🪡 (and yes, Wendell is still just as ridiculous as he’s always been) is also just as wonderful as it’s been the past two books. I really love where their relationship starts off from in this book, and where it finally ends. Everything about it was beautiful.
I always enjoy animal companions in stories, and Emily’s Black Dog 🖤 Shadow 🐕 and Wendell’s faerie cat 🧶 Orga 🐈⬛ have been fantastic ones for this series. It’s been a little sad seeing Shadow slow down, as he’s an old dog now, but he’s still as sweet and loyal as ever, and it made me happy every time he appeared on page. And Orga… well, a cat is still a cat even if it’s a faerie one, and I enjoyed all of her appearances as well. I just love doggos and kitties.
📚 Niamh Proudfit 🌳 is, I believe, the only new major supporting character introduced in Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales, but I felt she was a strong one. I really enjoyed reading about her, as well as her developing friendship with Emily. And we got to learn more about characters introduced near the end of the last book that didn’t get a lot of pagetime before, like Taran (a faerie lord who is also Wendell’s step-uncle as well as apparently like a million years old – as well as a sadist) and Callum (Taran’s mortal consort who has the faerie lord wrapped around his finger, but is unfortunately still kind of a non-character here in book three).
As this was the last book in the series, we also saw the return of pretty much all of the relevant cast from the first two books, which was phenomenal. I always love it when final books do this; it gives the impression that the series has come full circle. So yeah, Lilja and Margret, Farris Rose, Ariadne, Poe, Wendell’s stepmother, and even the freaking Hidden King all make appearances. And none of them feel like they’re out of place.
The Plot
I paused as the weight of what he was saying sank in. “Then-you haven’t the slightest idea how to rule a kingdom.”
“Does anyone?” He took my hand, discomfort shifting suddenly into earnestness. “We will learn together.”
“Oh God,” I said faintly.
He studied me. “Is it that bad? You already know more about faerie kingdoms than any mortal.”
As with the other two books in this series, I rather 💖 enjoyed the plot 📖 – I’d put it on par with book two. I think the strongest part of this novel for me was the middle, but the beginning was also pretty good even if it was a little slow.
The ending was also something that I thoroughly appreciated. I think that it was a wonderful way to end not just this book but the entire series as a whole, and can’t imagine a different denouement. Though I will mention that some of the chapters leading up to it were slow and felt like the book was being drawn out a little. Yeah, some of the pacing of the last third of the book was kind of… yeah. But I still really liked the story of this novel as a whole!
The Romance and Prose
He took my hand. His eyes were greener in the dappled sun-light and emerald murk of the lake. “Will you marry me?”
As always, 💞 I adored the romance 🔥 between Emily and Wendell. Their banter, was of course, impeccable, and the respect and love and trust between these two characters is my favorite part of their relationship. These are two people who know and understand each other very well, even despite the very inhumaness of the way one of them feels sometimes. I can’t stress enough how much I love reading about a deep relationship between two mature (for the most part) adults that is very consentual and full of communication. This is why they’re one of my favorite couples in fiction.
Not to mention these two start dating near the end of book one, so the rest of the series sees their relationship continue to evolve beyond the “finally getting together” phase that most books with romance end on. Just, so much of their romance is refreshing to read. And they complement one another so well.
Regarding the 🖊️ writing and prose 📄 … well, of course it’s still fantastic. As I mentioned above, I love Emily’s distinct voice, but I also love the way her journal entries are written. Even though I admittedly skipped most of them, unless I needed or desired further clarification, I appreciated the footnotes. They were – and always are – a very nice touch in the Emily Wilde series, and even if I don’t always read them I like that I have the option to, if I so choose.
Final Thoughts
“What can mortals learn of the stars, given that we cannot walk among them? Yet we try.” I opened my notebook again. “Others have argued that it is the endeavour itself that is the point of scholarship. I am not so certain of that, for I can never stop yearning for new discoveries. Even the smallest are as precious jewels to me.”
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales was an amazing addition to the Emily Wilde books, and an awesome conclusion to the rest of the series. I enjoyed reading about these characters and their world, and am very satisfied with the way things finished off, even if I’m a little sad to say goodbye. But it had a good ending, and that’s always one of the things I hope for the most when reading a series.
Of course I’m going to recommend this book, just like I did the rest of the series. Heather Fawcett is just a fantastic writer all around, and this book and especially the Emily Wilde series, showcase it beautifully. So yeah, if you like fantasy, romance, well-written romance and characters, and enjoy the occasional epistolary novel, then I can’t recommend this book enough. This trilogy enough. Heck, if you just enjoy good books – just read the Emily Wilde series, okay?
As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!
