With Dagger and Song by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: With Dagger and Song (Curse of the Cyren Queen, #2)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 378

Publication Date: 11/13/21

Publisher: Alchemy

Categories: Fantasy, Series, Young Adult, Adventure

An empty crown. A perilous journey. Will she answer when darkness calls?

Against all odds, Roh survived the harrowing Queen’s Tournament, but now something far deadlier awaits her: a formidable quest for the three magic birthstones of Saddoriel.

The gems have been scattered across the realms – and only when Roh retrieves them can she take her place as queen. But surrounded by hostile companions and tormented by the dangerous secret she carries, Roh begins to realise that the pursuit of power may prove more destructive than she ever imagined.

Nothing can prepare her for the nightmares that fester in the shadows of Akoris, a fanatical cyren territory, or the twisted games of its cunning leader…

Can Roh win the first birthstone without sacrificing everything she holds dear – and without losing herself?

Packed with heart-pounding action and layers of intrigue, With Dagger and Song is the second epic instalment in Helen Scheuerer’s Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet.

This is book two of the Curse of the Cyren Queen series and it picks up from book one. Roh survived the Queen’s Tournament and we find out she’s a future queen, not just a bone cleaner. Of course they won’t let her be Queen until she goes on a quest to get the three magic birthstones of Saddoriel. Then and only then will it prove she is worthy.

Roh chooses her companions on this quest – Odi is a given but Harlyn was a curious choice since Har hates Roh with a passion after learning about Roh’s deception. Also Roh picks warriors Yrsa and Finn to come along. Finn is another one that hates Roh. A lot of people hate Roh! haha…but at least being thrown together on this journey, we get to learn more about Yrsa and she’s a good person. Finn, well…we shall see what happens there, it seems he’s warming up to Roh. It’s Harlyn and Roh’s relationship that I was hoping would be repaired somehow in this sequel. It’s rough but they get there.

The group travels across Saddoriel to Akoris, where the fanatical cyrens reside and their ruler, Adriel is pulling the strings. So somehow Roh has to appease Adriel by passing more tests in order to be acknowledged as queen. I am really enjoying the journey they are taking through these different lands though. I also like that the story moves forward with Roh trying to get the birthstone plus doing her best trying to find out more about her mother’s past. We find out a bit more about Roh’s mysterious background as well.

I think Roh has a lot of character growth in this sequel. She still has trouble trusting people with her secrets, even though secrets are what messed up her friendship with Harlyn and Orson, the two people who knew her best. But Roh is starting to learn that she needs allies and good advice. I’m sure Roh will make more mistakes before we get to the end of this series, but seeing progress is a good thing.

Content Warnings: drugged, violence

They did a bunch of traveling but once they were in Akoris they stayed put for the bulk of the story. Akoris was an interesting place but I thought Adriel would have been more sinister – Roh handled him quite well I believe.

I’m looking forward to see what happens with Finn and Roh. An enemies to lovers thing? Or not? Haha…I like seeing them bicker as potential friends or lovers. I’m also eager to see what happens with the water drake egg that Roh has in her possession! That ending made me wish book three was going to be out soon.

Why you should read it?

story about betrayal and forgiveness
you like an underdog story
Roh’s character development – she has a lot of things to fix and I”m glad she’s facing it head on

Why you might not want to read it?

not into fantasy
wait until the whole series is out

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a good sequel as we follow Roh and her companions to Akoris. We learn about the water warlocks and their beef with cyrens. Also, we get to know more about Roh’s background. I’m looking forward to more adventure in book three and I hope we get more of Finn and Roh and the water drake egg!

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Burning God by. R. F. Kuang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Burning God (The Poppy War, #3)

Author: R.F. Kuang

Pages: 570

Publication Date: 11/17/20

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: War, Fantasy, Series, Political Intrigue

The exciting end to The Poppy War trilogy, R. F. Kuang’s acclaimed, award-winning epic fantasy that combines the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating, enthralling effect.

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead.

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation.

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?

Once again, the continuation of the books in this series is pretty flawless. It carries the intensity, even more so with this one.

Rin has finally begun to learn some leadership skills which helps because she needs the Southern Coalition army behind her to defeat Nezha and the Hesperians. She also needs more shamans to go up against them.

As always Kitay is Rin’s saving grace. Without him, I don’t know where Rin would be. She doesn’t even have power without him. She needs his brilliant mind and his voice of reason even when she doesn’t listen to him, she at least considers what he says and that’s something.

The Trifecta story was fascinating and we finally get to learn about what happened between them. Nezha…oh Nezha, I never forgave him his betrayal of Rin. I know he was tortured by the Hesperians and had awful parents but I just can’t forgive him yet I also know he knows how to run the country….still….the thought of him leaves me feeling so bitter.

I liked that the story delves into questions like even though Rin is victorious…she is mostly victorious in revenge because who really wins in war? Who suffers the most? And who is left to rule? Are they good enough to rule? Rin is a killing machine and soldier but leader of a country? Nope – she has no patience for that, there is so much to learn about running a country competently, she is in over her head. She was never safe even after “winning”.

This stories ends and it’s so final, at least for Rin’s story. It’s not a pretty ending. After I shut off my ipad, I felt like I was burned by Rin’s phoenix too.

Content Warnings: violence, cannibalism, gore, stories of rape, death, grief, drug use, racism

Rin has become ruthless. She was scary before but in this one there is no turning back for her, her path is written in destruction. But the thing I hate about Rin is she NEVER LEARNS. It was absolutely frustrating and I could only tolerate her when Kitay was with her trying to talk some sense in her or drawing up battle plans and inventions. She cannot see through people for the life of her, no matter how many times she is betrayed…maybe I expect too much of her? But how many times can she be betrayed and learn never to trust people. After what happened at the end of book two? It’s her weakness and shows her to be more human than god but she’s supposed to fight a powerful Nezha and honestly…he was more powerful, he could snuff out her fire! After winning the war though she turns paranoid and kills someone close to her…I was so tired of her by then because that’s the time she chooses not to trust someone? After they won? I was just hoping after what happened with Nezha she would get it together. Most times she seemed to have things under control and then there were times I wondered what she was doing. The ending seemed like the only way this could have ended but it made me feel so empty….all of that…everything she went through and put Kitay through…for that ending. I wanted to cry for Kitay but I was too exhausted.

Was the Trifecta ended that easy? They were all so powerful and yet…I was hoping for something more I think…at least have them leave the mountain and join the fight because they were talked up so big from book one? But I guess that wouldn’t work because Daji was like Rin…she had tunnel vision when it came to the Dragon, no matter how he abused her. 😒 I did like how it came full circle of the Trifecta of the past and the trifecta of the present being Nezha, Rin and Kitay.

This book is the goriest of all I think and it involves children. It has even some cannibalism because what will people do to survive if there is no food? Still, I’m glad I wasn’t eating while reading the book. This book shows you the realities of war – real war.

Why you should read it:

you like to torture yourself with a story with no happy ending (haha just kidding! kind of)
amazing, intense series about war and consequences of it
you are already invested in the series and need to know how it ends

Why you might not read it:

sad ending
everything in the content warnings

My Thoughts:

I read this trilogy in 4 days. I felt exhausted and empty by the end of it but that doesn’t mean it’s a good series, but it made me feel how someone who is traumatized by war would feel. Gutted, empty, questioning the action of the characters along the way – what a series. If you want something intense and can handle a dark read – read this series. Glad I did and I can’t believe it’s not off my TBR list. I wasn’t even planning to read it this year lol…but things worked out!

📚~ Yolanda

The Dragon Republic by. R.F. Kuang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, #2)

Author: R. F. Kuang

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 658

Publication Date: 8/18/19

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: War, Academy, Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult, Political Intrigue

The searing follow-up to 2018’s most celebrated fantasy debut – THE POPPY WAR.

In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.

With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

I can’t remember the last time I’ve read a sequel that is so strong and this is a longer book than the first one! Let’s just jump right into it.

I love that the story flowed and didn’t miss a beat from the first book. It had the same intensity, maybe this time even more because yes, the story gets even darker, if possible. It grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. I mean what kind of trouble can Rin get into this time – this girl is addicted to power and praise, a deadly combination.

I was loving Rin’s Cike squad even though they are killers and uncontrollable, loving that Kitay, Nezha and Venka was with Rin to keep her somewhat grounded (honestly they could barely keep her sane), but the fact that I was lulled into thinking Rin was maybe going to be safe from herself now…another slap in the face for me. This story didn’t care about my feelings.

Being in Nezha’s province and home was an eye opener to how he was brought up – his dad is something else. But we get a new twist in the story where in comes to Nezha. Also we get more information about the Hesperians, these colonizers from across the sea. It infuriated me that they could just come in and try to fix Nikara just because they thought they were superior. It just reminds me of how many of the countries in our present world was forced to endure being colonized. 😠 Another thing I loved was getting to know Chagan’s people – but it was another scene that broke my heart.

The battle strategies and political intrigue continue in this story as we see the betrayals, the back stabbing or games these leaders play. We see how the poor people who are bystanders in war suffer the most. We also see what people turn into when they harbor desires of power, or hold onto never ending rage.

Content Warnings: violence, graphic account of rape, death, drug use, abuse, grief, self inflicted pain

Rin is not a likable character – I almost hate her for her decisions but I will say this about her – she is who she is. She is so strong and oh so angry. She is Rage. Her god is about destruction and consuming as fires do so she cannot help that part of her but when it’s just a human with deep seated rage, it’s scary. I wanted her to come back from that, make a turn…but this story is about war and Rin has been betrayed so many times. That’s what made me angry at her at times that she followed the wrong people so rashly and it had to do with her addiction to toxic/powerful men. Thank God for Kitay…he was her saving grace. She never listens or when she does…it’s too late. It’s always too late. She does grow in book two and tames her addiction to opium thank god, but wow does she have issues. The story just seems to get darker and you think you’ve met the most evil people already and nope…it gets worse. But I get it…unifying a country is messy AF. But the unending killing and it’s just not killing, it’s torture, it’s madness, it’s bloodlust, it’s horrible.

Why you should read it:

great writing and world building
to see if Rin can control her demons
it’s an epic war story with some good twists
makes you take a deeper look at war, choices and consequences

Why you might not want to read it:

graphic killing, graphic rape stories
a lot of drug use

My Thoughts:

I’ve been reading this series in one continuous go and honestly…it’s dark reading. I saw some light in this one finally until the author snuffed it out again! The author is cold-blooded with this story and wrote a story about war within a fantasy world and held nothing back. There is no romance in this book at all and maybe I tolerate other darker reads because the romance at least reminds me love is there. The closest thing to love Rin gets in this sequel is Kitay’s friendship, thank god! I’m on to book three.

📚~ Yolanda

The Poppy War by. R.F. Kuang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Poppy War (#1)

Author: R. F. Kuang

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 531

Publication Date: 5/1/18

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: War, Academy, Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult, Political Intrigue

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

When I got to the end of this book, I was speechless…what did I just read? The writing is so good even though it was giving us so much information about the history of Nikara, and introducing us to many different characters. The writing was simple enough to make me understand everything going on without missing a beat or getting lost.

The world building is fantastic and it is a fantasy but it borrows from real events that happened in World War II when Japan invaded China. At one point you think Rin’s biggest challenge is passing her exams at Sinegard and dealing with bullies but then the story takes a darker turn and it gets brutal. I felt like I was punched in the gut or the face or both. I loved the world building of Rin at Sinegard, her training is so exciting especially when it came to martial arts and studying with her Lore master. The war scenes are violent but also suspenseful because it’s like watching a game of chess.

Rin is a very fleshed out, bold and flawed character. I was rooting for her so bad but then things take a bad turn and then I was scared about the path she was taking. It was to the point of frustration that I wanted to shake her but what do I know of war and how I would be in war. I had to remind myself that Rin is in war and she went from a structured school life to utter chaos of killing and Rin is someone who has dealt with trauma after trauma in her life and hasn’t known good coping mechanisms to handle stress. She turns to self-inflicted pain and then drugs. Rin rises so high in her days in school and then her fall is so hard and so far down, it’s tragic.

The secondary characters are so good and each one stands out on their own which is beautiful. We get to know her classmates and masters, we see relationships change and grow. Even though Rin is a hard character and has lacked love all her life, I was surprise to see her open to friendship at least, with Kitay and her master.

There is so much conflict in this story from the history of Nikara, tension between Rin and everyone else, Rin fighting herself and her own personal battles. This story felt like war where you are trying to determine who is right, who is wrong, which strategy is best to win a war, casualties to reach their goal or to avoid casualties and risk a longer war? So many questions, so many decisions to make, so much consequences. There was one point I felt like I would break along with the characters and it’s when Venka tells Rin what happens to her. I felt gutted.

Content Warnings: violence, graphic account of rape, death, drug use, abuse, grief, self inflicted pain

This story gets darker the further you get into the book. War is brutal and this story is about war. It doesn’t shy away from violence and stories of rape. I almost couldn’t get through Venka’s account of what happened to her and what she witnessed.

Also Rin’s drug addiction is raw and frightening because we see her descend into the chaos inside her. Rin becomes addicted to opium and makes so many rash and bad decisions. The drug addiction depicted in this story is so raw and scary because we are in mind and pain. There is so much pain and she cannot mentally handle it.

Why you should read it:

great writing and world building
awesome characters who are flawed
epic war story

Why you might not want to read it:

graphic killing, graphic rape stories
a lot of drug use

My Thoughts:

This book lives up to the hype and I can’t believe it took me this long to read it! I’m already in the middle of reading book two so that review will be coming soon. Poppy War is an amazing read but it is pretty brutal. The writing is wonderful though and I read this as slow as I could to savor the story.

📚~ Yolanda

Year of the Reaper by. Makiia Lucier | ARC Review

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Title: Year of the Reaper

Author: Makiia Lucier

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Paranormal

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The past never forgets . . .

Before an ambush by enemy soldiers, Lord Cassia was an engineer’s apprentice on a mission entrusted by the king. But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness.

Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.

When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer…one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.

I requested this book because the cover caught my eye! I love how dark it is and the title is great too. The aesthetics of the books matches the story – there is a plague ravaging kingdoms and it’s death out there.
Now I was very surprised with this book – I was expecting the fantasy but not the mystery aspect of the book. The writing is great and really kept me engaged in the story. It’s a quick read and I read it in one sitting.
I enjoyed Cas, the main character. He has escaped a slave camp, survived the plague, we meet him as a grave digger, and now he is back at home and searching for a killer. He’s the perfect person taking on the task because he has Lena (a historian apprentice) at his side, he’s smart, level-headed and can even see ghosts.
I thought it was lovely for Cas to have a supportive cast. He has a loving brother, the King and Queen has his back, Lena is a new friend and it just has a feel good vibe about it despite there being an assassin on the loose.

Triggers: death, violence

As great as the writing was in engaging me, the story was predictable. There were hints along the way and I figured it out early.
I’m not the biggest mystery fan so I was waiting for this to have more action, but that happens at the end. I was in it for the fantasy aspect for sure and the mystery was surprising to me but if you like mystery I think it was well done.
Cas being able to see ghosts was interesting and there’s no explanation for it. I was coming up with my theories which was fun but none of them panned out though.

Overall I enjoyed the Year of the Reaper. I was expecting something a little different but the end result was still a good story that kept me engaged until the very end. If you enjoy a young adult fantasy with a mystery at it’s core, you will like this one.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Year of the Witching by. Alexis Henderson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Year of the Witching

Author: Alexis Henderson

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 368

Publisher: Ace

Publication Date: 7/21/20

Categories: Young Adult, Dark Fantasy, Witches, Puritanical Society

A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.

In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

I picked this book up to read because we are in spooky season and I wanted to get into the mood. The funny thing is the scary witches that are in this story didn’t scare me at all, but instead it was the Father-fearing, Father-loving puritanical society Immanuelle lives in that frightened me.

Immanuelle is different from the rest of Bethel. She’s half black, her father was an Outsider and her mom Miriam was cursed. But Immanuelle goes about living her life with her grandfather and their small family until she gets lost in the forbidden Darkwood and has an encounter with witches. From there, events unfold and Immanuelle has to figure out how to break this curse that her mother placed on her. I love her character – she was willing to help the people of Bethel even though she never fit in there. I felt connected to her story and her journey to find out about her parents. I love that she stands up to the Prophet, sacrificing herself to try and end his power.

The setting for this story is perfect. We have a puritanical society in Bethel where the flock follow the word of the Prophet. They are a polygamous group where men marry multiple wives and sire many children. The Prophet is the leader, what he says, goes. He is the monster, hiding behind his religious beliefs. The surrounding Darkwood is where the witches live and the descriptions are atmospheric and eerie. People are forbidden to go into Darkwood and for good reason.

I enjoyed a lot of the other characters like Leah, Immanuelle’s best friend. And Ezra, who is the Prophet’s heir. He questions everything about their way of life and wishes he could leave and explore the world. There is a romance growing between them but it’s not a romance book. It starts off as friendship and grows into something stronger. They are there for each other and envision a better society, they both want the Prophet to lose his power. I was happy they had one another and that whatever feelings growing between them stayed in the background.

My favorite part has to be the ending when Immanuelle uses her curse/power to fight the Prophet and the witches. It’s a powerful statement about a girl fighting for what she believes in and doing the right thing. I also like how the book was written with each curse in succession, I think it built nicely to the climax.

Content Warnings: cutting, blood, pedophilia, misogyny

The world building is tight in the sense we stay in Bethel for the most part and maybe we are supposed to feel as stifled as the society they live in. Ezra wants out and Immanuelle explores the Outskirts and does get to leave for a little bit but it would be amazing to know what’s out there. It looks like this is a series and the next book Immanuelle gets to leave Bethel so I’m excited to see what happens next. It would have been nice to get more back story on the holy war.

This book gave me no spooky vibes at all, but I was frightened for Immanuelle and Leah when it came to the Prophet. He was just creepy and gross. I hated what he stood for and what he was doing and polygamous societies always give me the creeps when young girls are marrying men old enough to be their father or grandfather. The Darkwood is eerie and mysterious but it wasn’t enough to scare me. There is a lot of blood in the story but nothing too gory.

Why you should read it:

you enjoy witch stories
good story telling, Immanuelle is a great character
great message about women and their roles and power

Why you might not want to read it:

dark themes
you don’t care for stories about strict puritanical polygamous societies

My Thoughts:

I went in wanting to be spooked but I came out finishing this in one day and really immersed in the world of Bethel. I was entranced with Immanuelle’s story and needed to know about the Darkwood and her mother’s curse. In the end I was treated to a powerful moment of Immanuelle taking back her power, sacrificing herself for the greater good of Bethel – even if it wasn’t the best place for her. I enjoyed this dark, eerie, witchy tale and look forward to reading the sequel.

📚~ Yolanda

The Gilded Cage by. Lynette Noni | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Gilded Cage (The Prison Healer, #2)

Author: Lynette Noni

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 10/12/21

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Political Intrigue

Kiva trades one cage for another when she leaves behind a deadly prison for a deceptive palace in this dark and dangerous sequel to The Prison Healer, which Sarah J. Maas called “a must-read.”

Kiva Meridan is a survivor.

She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.

As Kiva settles into her new life in the capital, she discovers she wasn’t the only one who suffered while she was in Zalindov—her siblings and their beliefs have changed too. Soon it’s not just her enemies she’s keeping secrets from, but her own family as well.

Outside the city walls, tensions are brewing from the rebels, along with whispers of a growing threat from the northern kingdoms. Kiva’s allegiances are more important than ever, but she’s beginning to question where they truly lie. To survive this time, she’ll have to navigate a complicated web of lies before both sides of the battle turn against her and she loses everything.

The Prison Healer ended on such a crazy cliffhanger, I needed to read this sequel right away. This one is a much slower story, still with good tension, but Kiva is out of her element. She went from a death prison to Jaren’s home where people are nice to her and care about her despite her wearing a prison mark. Of course it helps that the Jaren is her number one defender.

Speaking about the Prince, Jaren is the sweetest guy ever. The romance is a SLOW BURN…seriously, too slow at times for me but so absolutely sweet because he doesn’t push her at all. Jaren gives her space, he even works and keeps busy because you know, he’s an heir and soon to be ruler of his kingdom but wow…Kiva got herself a keeper, if she doesn’t mess things up.

We get to meet Kiva’s siblings and I love Tor but her sister Zulee? Wow…she is hateful. Kiva is torn about her family and Jaren, especially when the secrets starts to be revealed. We also meet Kiva’s grandmother (her mom’s mother) and wow did she through a few more twists into the story.

I found some new loves in this book, Caldon – Jaren’s cousin. He and Kiva have a fun, love/hate relationship and honestly, I like how he is protective of Jaren. Jaren is a sweetheart but Caldon is my kind of guy! Also Tor, Kiva’s brother is the only one who really cares about her and I loved getting to know him.

This is what I love most about the story – it’s twisty and so good! It keeps me on my toes. Every time I thought I knew what Kiva would do and choose with the facts laid out for her, her manipulative sister would step in and I wanted to yell at Kiva to tell her to see the danger that I could see coming. Of course the ending is another cliffhanger which made my jaw drop and now I have to wait again to continue the story.

Content Warnings: toxic family, death, grief, family betrayal, drug use, abuse

This story deals with so many toxic issues, a lot of them being about broken families. Kiva’s sister is awful, thank goodness her brother is a good guy. But just learning about Kiva’s family secrets made me feel bad for her – she was stuck between falling for Jaren, or choosing her awful family. I understand loyalty but wow, I thought Kiva was too forgiving.

Kiva has to make some hard decisions. She knows Jaren and what kind of guy he is – she knows his friends and family (for the most part). And Kiva is just starting to know her own family…and not liking what she learns. I didn’t like some of her decision making. She was confused between her loyalty to her family and then her love for Jaren and honestly this made her do some rash things. Like trusting her sister because she is family, even though she treats her like crap…Kiva is too forgiving and too trusting and you would think living in a death prison would have taught her a few things about seeing through people and their true intentions.

Why you should read it:

slow burn romance
political intrigue, lots of twists in the story
my new favorite character, Caldon

Why you might not want to read it:

toxic family relationships
Kiva’s indecisiveness got annoying

My Thoughts:

Though not as intense as book one, I thought this sequel was entertaining mostly because of Caldon being his amazing self and Kiva’s family drama. I dislike Kiva’s sister so much and I got a little annoyed with Kiva’s actions but overall, I love all the twists in the story. I’m starting to think this author definitely knows how to write a cliffhanger ending! Will be looking forward to book three.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Kingdom of the Cursed by. Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked, #2)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 10/26/21

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper Kerri Maniscalco comes the sizzling, sweepingly romantic sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked!

One sister.
Two sinful princes.
Infinite deception with a side of revenge…Welcome to Hell.

After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice.

She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria…even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons.

The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world…or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature?

Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves…

We are in HELL! Finally….lol…

Emilia is in the Seven Circles with Wrath and she doesn’t know what is going to happen when she is delivered to Pride, but she doesn’t go there right away. Wrath doesn’t seem to want her to leave his side and hello…if I was Emilia I wouldn’t want to leave either!

I got my fill of Emilia and Wrath in this one. And wow, are they hot! 🔥❤️‍🔥 This is straight up new adult so beware if that isn’t your thing. I expect nothing less since they are in hell. I love their chemistry and how you know they want each other but something is holding Wrath back. There are secrets he is hiding and Emilia wants him but she’s engaged to marry his brother. This is how I want my enemies to lovers romances to be like, full of conflict and tension.

Emilia is still on her quest for revenge. She wants to know who was responsible for her sister’s death, hence her marriage contract to the King of Hell, Pride. She’s getting somewhat closer to some answers but she also has to deal with being in Hell and being at the mercy of these Princes.

As for other characters – Prince Envy is such a trouble maker! Haha, I kind of wanted to know more about the other princes but I also wanted most of the time spent reading about Emilia and Wrath and I got my wish.

There are a few twists in the story but I was suspecting one of them from the beginning so it wasn’t much a surprise, still it was a nice reveal. The other was a cliffhanger!

Content Warnings: mind control/consent

I thought that it was interesting that when there were scenes that Emilia left Wrath’s home, I wasn’t as interested. lol…I just really loved Emilia and Wrath together. I know the story had to move forward but I also didn’t think it moved all that much. She’s trying to find out who was responsible for her twin’s death but she’s also trying to appear worthy to be Queen of Hell. Also her feelings for Wrath are distracting her. We get more information about her sister near the end of the book.

The one thing I missed in this book was the family she was around in book one and the cooking and food! Speaking of family, I’m bummed that Emilia is finding out that Nonna hasn’t told her the truth about many things. I just feel like she’s breaking from her family and family was what I loved about Emilia and book one. 😔 Of course her twin has added to the secrets as well…

There is a training scene between Emilia and Wrath that gets out of hand. Wrath compels Emilia to help train her in case one of his brothers tries to harm her but it becomes quite humiliating. 😒 I’m glad Emilia stood up to him but he should have groveled in apology a bit more haha. I had to keep reminding myself look – he isn’t some angel, he literally is a DEMON PRINCE and they are in HELL. According to him, he was being tame in comparison to what his brothers could do to her. He always says she has a “choice” but in this scene, he disregards it and controls her. Wrath was definitely being his pure demon, dangerous self in that moment.

Why you should read it:

steamy action between Wrath and Emilia 🔥
good story twist
we learn more about Wrath and his domain, Hell

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s New Adult now and you aren’t into super sexy scenes
felt like nothing much happened with the story (though a lot happens between Wrath and Emilia) until the end

My Thoughts:

I love when Wrath and Emilia are together, minus that humiliating scene but she stood her ground. Would have like to see Emilia do more in regards to exploring Hell and getting to know the other brothers. This one is steamy, and filled with enemies to lovers tension, which I enjoy a lot but I definitely wanted more of the story to move forward. This one definitely felt like a filler book but what filler it is! lol…I still sped through it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I look forward to reading book three.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Skin of the Sea by. Natasha Bowen | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Skin of the Sea

Author: Natasha Bowen

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, West African Mythology

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

An unforgettable fantasy debut inspired by West African mythology, this is Children of Blood and Bone meets The Little Mermaid, in which a mermaid takes on the gods themselves.

A way to survive.
A way to serve.
A way to save.

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata–a mermaid–collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable–she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.

To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But something is amiss. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .

Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn’t, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

First off, this book cover is gorgeous and made me want to read the book!

As for the story, there is so much to like. I love our main character Simidele. She is a Mami Wata/mermaid and she blesses the journeys of the dead, mostly people who are found dead in the sea thrown off slave ships. We learn about Simi’s past life through memories and flashbacks. As a Mami Wata she is supposed to let go of her past but memories always resurface for her and it’s poignant and heartbreaking especially when you know what happens to Simi and how she becomes a mermaid. But Simi is courageous and strong and so graceful She honors the gods/orishas and when she has to go against one, she does it because she cares for others, Kola and his family plus the Mami Wata family.

Kola is the boy Simi saves in the water and she helps him get back to his family. When there, they must go on a quest to find his special twin siblings and rings that would help save the Mami Wata. Kola is a leader and sometimes headstrong. Simi definitely looks to him for strength and it’s interesting because he’s the first alive human she’s interacted since becoming a mermaid. The romance between them is barely there, and not a main focus of the story because the quest is at the forefront.

There are some great secondary characters in the book like Issa and Yinka. It was interesting to learn about the different gods in the story. The world building was wonderful as we get to know the gods and how they interfere with the lives of humans and how they get into situations among themselves as well.

An emotional part of the book is when we find out about Simi’s past and Kola’s present. They were both on slaver ships and we get a small part of the trauma from what Simi and Kola experienced on the ships but it’s heart wrenching, especially Simi’s backstory. But what I love is how as a mermaid, they would bless the souls of the dead.

Content Warning: slavery, enslavement, violence, death

The ending is so abrupt and I’m not sure if this is a standalone but I would like to see Simi’s story continue especially with that ending.

Why you should read it:

Little Mermaid story with West African mythology mixed in
Simi is a strong and a kind main character, I love her role as a Mama Wata
emotional story

Why you might not want to read it:

Abrupt ending that feels like this could be a series? But not sure…

My Thoughts:

I adored Simi who was just doing her job as a Mama Wata and then breaking the rules because she wanted to save someone who was still alive. But I love her grace and wanting to do good even when it was challenging for her on sea legs or confronting Gods that were more powerful than her. My only issue is the ending which felt rushed or open ended – not sure if this is a standalone but it would be nice if it was a series. Other than that, I enjoyed this story a lot.

📚 ~ Yolanda

BLOG TOUR } The Keeper of Night by. Kylie Lee Baker | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for The Keeper of Night by. Kylie Lee Baker!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Keeper of Night

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 10/12/21

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Fantasy, Japanese Mythology, Young Adult, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Julie Kagawa meets Scythe in this captivating and evocative journey into Death’s domain as one soul collector seeks her place in the underworld of 1890s Japan. Book 1 of a planned duology.

Death is her destiny.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough yearns for the acceptance she has never found among the Reapers who raised her. When the Shinigami powers she can no longer hide force her to flee for her life, Ren and her younger brother—the only being on earth to care for her—travel to Japan and the dark underworld of Yomi, where Ren hopes to claim her place among the Shinigami and finally belong.

But the Goddess of Death is no more welcoming than the Reapers who raised her, and Ren finds herself set on an impossible task—find and kill three yokai demons, and maybe, just maybe, she can earn a place in Death’s service. With only her brother and an untrustworthy new ally by her side, Ren will learn how far she’ll go to win the acceptance she craves, and whether the cost of belonging is worth any sacrifice.

The Keeper of Night is a fascinating take on Reapers and Japanese Mythology. Ren is half Japanese/half British, half Reaper/half Shinigami and all she wants is to belong somewhere and not be half of anything. When something happens in London, she is banished from the Reapers and basically makes her way all the way to Japan to try and be a Shinigami, something similar to Reapers. In tow is her half-brother Neven, who barely knows Japanese. Ren can get by on what’s she’s learned on her own but Japan is nothing like London. In order to become a Shinigami she has to complete a few quests, taking out powerful Yokai (spirits/demons). If Ren accomplishes her tasks then she will become a Shinigami and say goodbye to her Reaper past.

It’s been awhile since I read a book with Japanese Mythology and this one is cool because it involves Yokai! Okay yes, I did learn what yokai was from that tv show my son used to watch, Yokai Watch. Yokai in this book are scary!. But Ren isn’t one to be frightened of them (much) she was once a Reaper. I thought the Reapers were pretty cool, with their clocks to pause time, it definitely came in handy when Ren was killing Yokai.

Ren is going through a struggle – she’s done with the Reapers, who do not want her anyway. She wants to embrace her Japanese side and become a Shinigami but it’s not so easy. She’s a morally gray character, doing whatever it takes to achieve her goals but at what cost? Neven who made the choice to stay with her is getting hurt physically and emotionally in the process. But she sees it to the end even when the unexpected happens.

I thought the secondary characters did their job in keeping Ren conflicted. Neven is the sweetest brother but he loved being a Reaper – it’s his identity. It’s only half of Ren’s identity though and she is struggling with all of it. Neven is her moral compass. As for Hiro, he comes off like a good guy but with that suspicious dark gleam in his black eyes. He helps Ren by giving her intel about the Yokai and feelings grow between them but there is more to him that meets the eye.

This story is dark with death a constant theme and the Yokai are scary and creepy spirits/demons. I love that the story is action packed when it comes to taking down the Yokai.

Triggers: gory scenes, violence, death, hurting a Yokai in the form of a child

The story starts off to a quick start then there is a little lull when Ren reaches Japan, which is to be expected as she gets her bearings in a country so totally different than England. Luckily they meet Hiro who helps them navigate this Underworld in Japan and help explain the Yokai to Ren and Neven.

Why you should read it:

unique world building of Reapers, Shinigami and the Japanese Underworld
morally gray main character
lots of action when Ren is fighting the Yokai

Why you might not want to read it:

some gory scenes
cliffhanger
dark story

My Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this dark story. It took me a few days to read, but I had fun with the Yokai and horror scenes (and I can’t even watch horror movies) – what is it with Japanese horror and girls with long hair covering their faces? Just the imagery alone freaks me out but the story was intriguing too. A half Japanese girl trying to find where she belongs and doing anything she can to achieve her goals made me interested in how far she would go or if she would ever pull back. The twist in the end makes me want to read the next book.

📚 ~ Yolanda

About the Author:

Kylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing and Spanish from Emory University and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science degree at Simmons University. In her free time, she watches horror movies, plays the cello, and bakes too many cookies. The Keeper of Night is her debut novel.

https://www.kylieleebaker.com/

Twitter: @KylieYamashiro

Instagram: @kylieleebaker

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56030267-the-keeper-of-night