Powerful by. Lauren Roberts | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Powerful (The Powerless Trilogy, #1.5)

Author: Lauren Roberts

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 192

Publication Date: 4/30/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Novella, Series

Set during the time of the New York Times bestseller Powerless, fan favorite Adena gets a story all her own as she attempts to survive on the streets of Loot…and falls for a mysterious—and dangerous—Elite.

Adena and Paedyn have always been inseparable. Fate brought them together when they were young, but friendship ensured they would always protect each other and the home they built in the slums of Loot. But now Paedyn—an Ordinary—has been selected for the Purging Trials, which means almost certain death.

Now alone in Loot, Adena must fend for herself. After attempting to steal, she’s rescued by a mysterious man from the market. Mak’s shadowy past and secretive power set him apart from the other low-level Elites of Loot. And as the pair team up to see their loved ones before the Trials, the quest tests their loyalty, their love, and their lives.

Content Warning: grief, violence

This is a novella that sits between Powerless and Reckless. I read Powerless and I have to admit, I didn’t remember much of it when I picked up Powerful, but I did get to remembering Adena – just not Mak for some strange reason? Anyway, here are my thoughts:

Likes:

Love that this is Adena and Mak’s perspectives. We get such an insight into their personalities.
Adena is such a sweet character, I like that we get to know her more and how she’s sunshine to Mak’s grumpy.

Dislikes:

I hate what happened to Adena.

My Final Thoughts:

Since this is a novella, and I don’t usually read them, I think this one fits good into the series because it gives Adena and Mak a voice and their romance is so sweet. It breaks my heart to see what happens to Adena. I didn’t totally love the first book in the series, but I figured I’d read Powerful because it was a short novella. And why is this novella the price of a hardcopy?! I think I’ll definitely read Reckless but I’m waiting for it from my library, so it might be awhile before I get a copy.

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Other Books by This Author:

Powerless by. Lauren Roberts | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by. Megan Bannen | Audiobook Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Author: Megan Bannen

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/23/22

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?

Content Warning: death, violence, grief

I finally got around to reading or listening to this book and I can see why so many readers love it! This was a fun, engrossing and heart warming story all wrapped up in a sort of “You’ve Got Mail” situation but in a contemporary fantasy world. The world-building is unique and really fleshed out with gods, demigods, talking creatures/animals, and zombies! But what I really loved about this book were the characters.

Mercy is an undertaker and I really love her family dynamics. They are chaotic, but such a lovable bunch. Hart, is gruff and grumpy and he and Mercy do not get along at all. But then they are writing letters without knowing they are writing to each other. Of course they will have to deal with the moment they finally meet and know the truth. There is a lot of chemistry between Mercy and Hart and they have some very spicy moments together.

The secondary characters really rounded this feeling of community in this story from Mercy’s family members, to Hart’s found family.

I might have not caught on to some things because I was listening to the audiobook for about 60% of the book. The last 40% I read the ebook because I felt like I wasn’t getting all the details. I did with Mercy and Hart had more good times together before the fall out and that she gave him a chance to explain at least.

My Final Thoughts:

This was such a unique romance with so much going on but what I really loved were the characters and their interactions with one another. Mercy’s family was just so much fun and the whole world of Tanria was fascinating. I look forward to reading the next book!

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The Girl with No Reflection by. Keshe Chow | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Girl with No Reflection

Author: Keshe Chow

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 8/6/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Chinese 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 Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Princess Ying Yue believed in love … once upon a time.

Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial palace: whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared.

Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things. Movements in the corners of her mirror. Colorful lights upon its surface. And when, on the eve of her wedding, she unwittingly tears open a gateway, she is pulled into a mirror world.

This realm is full of sentient reflections, including the enigmatic Mirror Prince. Unlike his real-world counterpart, the Mirror Prince is kind and compassionate, and before long Ying falls in love—the kind of love she always dreamed of.

But there is darkness in this new world, too.

It turns out the two worlds have a long and blood-soaked history, and Ying has a part to play in the future of them both. And the brides who came before Ying? By the time they discovered what their role was, it was already too late.

Content Warning: violence, death, profanity

When I first started reading this I was surprised and thought I was maybe reading a horror story but it isn’t! I honestly wouldn’t have minded if it was. Ying is about the marry a prince but she’s not feeling like he cares about her and keeps her trapped in a room except for the times she is allowed to be out. A way to escape this marriage is in front of her – literally. In the mirror!

I thought this was such an interesting story and one that is a little bit creepy because what do you mean there is a whole world inside a mirror and your clone is basically living there? Ying finds out though that not everything is so great on the other side of the mirror. There are monsters, there are untrustworthy mirror-people, and now she has to find a way to close the portal in the mirror or else these monsters will take over the real world. And why does it have to be her? Because there is a prophecy and she is the chosen one.

The romance was enemies to lovers but there is a love triangle, which I thought was messy but very entertaining. I felt like Ying was falling too fast for a guy in the mirror!

Speaking of Ying, there were times I found my eyes rolling because of her behavior and actions. She’s falling fast for a Mirror-Prince yet on the other side of the mirror she hated the real Prince and fought with him every chance she got even when it wasn’t called for. And then the prophecy said Ying is the fish who will close the mirror portal, but I didn’t know why a fish? Maybe because water is reflective? Anyway there’s even dragons in this book. Yeah it gets wild by the end, but I just went with it.

My Thoughts:

In summary…

Reflections are not so nice, Ying is the Fish-the one in the prophecy to close the mirror portal, there is a war, and fights with mythical monsters. There are even dragons in this story! The romance is a love triangle between Ying, a Mirror-Prince and the real Prince. Ying did get on my nerves at some points, but overall the story was still pretty entertaining. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

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When the Moon Hatched by. Sarah A. Parker | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall, #1)

Author: Sarah A. Parker

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 718

Publication Date: 1/13/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Dragons, Fae

The Creators did not expect their beloved dragons to sail skyward upon their end. To curl into balls just beyond gravity’s grip, littering the sky with tombstones. With moons.

They certainly did not expect them to fall.

As a valued Elding Blade of the rebellion group Fíur du Ath, Raeve’s job is to kill. To complete orders and never get caught. When a renowned bounty hunter is employed by The Crown to capture a member of the Ath, Raeve’s world is turned upside down. Blood spills, hearts break, and Raeve finds herself at the mercy of the Guild of Nobles—a group of dual-beaded elementals who intend to turn her into a political statement. Only death will set her free.

Crushed beneath a mourning weight, Kaan Vaegor took the head of a king and donned his melted crown. Now on a tireless quest to assuage the never-ebbing ache in his chest, his hunt for a moonshard lures him into the belly of Gore’s notorious prison where he stumbles upon something that rips apart his perception of reality. A shackled miracle with eyes full of rage and blood on her hands.

The echo of the past sings louder than the Creators themselves, and even Raeve can’t ignore the truths blaring at her from a warmer, happier time.
However.
There’s more to this song than meets the eye, and some truths …
They’re too poisonous to swallow.

When the Moon Hatched is a fast-paced fantasy romance for fans of witty banter and strong, sassy protagonists. Beneath the cover is an immersive, vibrant world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system, and a love that blazes through the ages.

Content Warning:

I saw this book all over booktok and wanted to try it but honestly the first few times I tried to start it, I wasn’t feeling it and put it aside. It was actually going to stay as a DNF but five months later, I decided to pick it up because I needed a long book to kill time and I finally pushed through 700+ pages to finish it and I have a few thoughts. At least once I got into a rhythm it read, fairly quick for 700+ pages.

Raeve has a past that she’s buried deep inside her because it’s so traumatic. She’s a cold assassin who is trying her best to survive but in her past she’s lost a lot of people she loved, including a dragon. Her lost is really heartbreaking when the story pieces everything together. Did I get frustrated when she pushed away the truth? Yes, I did but Raeve is going to come to terms and heal on her own time.

Kaan is a king who is trying to rebel against his ruthless brothers. He’s the good guy. I did like the banter between them because Kaan is an alpha male minus the a-hole tendencies which is nice. The two of them have chemistry but without revealing too much, there is much to unravel between them. There are some steamy scenes between them, but not a lot. They have some things to work out between them.

Story wise it’s pretty much Raeve trying to take down a ruthless regime who is oppressing the people. She finds out Kaan has the same goal also but she has some major personal issues to work out. The magic system and calling on different gods is interesting. I really loved the story about Raeve’s past, the people she lost and the dragons, that part did get me emotionally.

But I had a few issues with this book. First off, because the beginning is the story of creation about this world, I was already not connecting to the story because the info dumping, so did I skim it? I did. So for awhile I didn’t understand why the dragons became moons and then the moons would fall. Also – I don’t like the alternative spelling of words like Ma being Mah and Pa being Pah. Or day being Dae. There is a lot of world-building and it took me awhile to immerse myself in this world and learn about it.

My Final Thoughts:

I’m actually surprised I finished this book. I think there was an even amount of things that I liked and didn’t like. I did think it was too long and there is a lot of world building to get through. The way it starts didn’t catch my attention right away and it was almost a DNF for me but I pushed through and did enjoy Raeve’s story. I like the dragons a lot. I don’t know if I will continue the series though only because I’m not sure I have the motivation to read another 700+ pager in this series.

quotes from the book

“How can someone you love so much be here one moment, gone the next?”
When the Moon Hatched by. Sarah A. Parker

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Heavenbreaker by. Sara Wolf | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Heavenbreaker (#1)

Author: Sara Wolf

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 5/21/24

Categories: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Series

Bravery isn’t what you do. It’s what you endure.

The duke of the powerful House Hauteclare is the first to die. With my dagger in his back.

He didn’t see it coming. Didn’t anticipate the bastard daughter who was supposed to die with her mother—on his order. He should have left us with the rest of the Station’s starving, commoner rubbish.

Now there’s nothing left. Just icy-white rage and a need to make House Hauteclare pay. Every damn one of them.

Even if it means riding Heavenbreaker—one of the few enormous machines left over from the War—and jousting against the fiercest nobles in the system.

Each win means another one of my enemies dies. And here, in the cold terror of space, the machine and I move as one, intent on destroying each adversary—even if it’s someone I care about. Even if it’s someone I’m falling for.

Only I’m not alone. Not anymore.

Because there’s something in the machine with me. Something horrifying. Something…more.

And it won’t be stopped.

Content Warning: grief, violence, murder

This is one of my most anticipated books this year and I bought the hardcover because it’s really gorgeous with the sprayed edges. Now, I did go into this book with a little bit of caution because it’s a space opera and I sometimes love that genre or I just don’t connect. With this book, my feelings landed in the middle.

I love the violent and full of rage main character, Synali. Yes, she should be angry that someone killed her mother and almost killed her. Yes, she should be raging against the injustice of the wealthy houses who don’t do anything to help the poor – she grew up poor and had to do all kinds of things to survive. And yes, she wants to take down her father’s house even if she dies trying.

I found the world-building really creative and I was hooked in the beginning of the story. There is a futuristic jousting tournament every year where riders, ride a steed – but the steed is not a horse. It’s a huge (compared to a tall tower), alien like robotic body of some sort – even in my own mind, I had a hard time imagining it and was wishing this was a graphic novel. Anyway, the rider, rides the steed into the biggest jousting tournament of the year and the winner gets a favor from the king. Synali, is not a rider but she’s chosen to become one for a house that is not her own, all for the goal of revenge and hopefully destruction. The world that is created is really fantastic and there is a lot of history to learn about these steeds and what happened to Earth.

The secondary characters are very interesting like Dravik who has an ulterior motive and we don’t totally know how much of a villain he is yet but Synali is working with him because they both have the same goal in mind. Mirelle, who is Synali’s cousin and enemy, is an interesting character that shows us a little bit of what Synali longed for in a family. Synali sees what could have been if she wasn’t born a bastard. Rax, is her rival but so opposite in nature to her rage, yet Synali hasn’t scratched the surface of him yet. I think there is so much more to learn about all of these characters and I hope we get to see that develop in book two.

Some things that maybe disconnected me from the story? The sci-fi elements, because sci-fi does that to me haha, but I pushed through. The writing – and I usually like her writing because it’s straight to the point but this one was too much being straight to the point at times. The chapters are short, and sometimes the sentences are too, which for the most part I understand because Synali is just walking rage, no feelings except for mostly rage and grief for her mother. The short chapters does help move the story quickly though.

The romance between Synali and Rax has so much potential to be an amazing enemies to lovers but I felt like there wasn’t much emotion between either of because Synali is all about revenge and Rax is all about winning to survive his situation.

My Final Thoughts:

I read this book in one day because I was riveted by the world-building and Synali’s character. I felt like my attention waned a bit as I was rushing through to the end but maybe because I was hoping the romance would develop more but it’s definitely not the main focus of this story. I had my issues here and there with the story but it’s because I’m not a big sci-fi reader. Overall, I was entertained and I’m looking forward to book two and hoping for more development in some of the characters and their relationships.

quotes from the book

“I have my memories. The past isn’t pain – not all the time.”
Heavenbreaker by. Sara Wolf

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Book Review | The Unfairfolk (Valenbound, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Send Me Their Souls | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | Find Me Their Bones (Bring Me Their Hearts, #2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review | Bring Me Their Hearts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Curious Tides by. Pascale Lacelle | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Curious Tides (Drowned Gods, #1)

Author: Pascale Lacelle

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 10/3/23

Categories: Academia, Romance, LGBT+, Witches, Series, Fantasy, Young Adult

Ninth House meets A Deadly Education in this gorgeous dark academia fantasy following a teen mage who must unravel the truth behind the secret society that may have been involved in her classmates’ deaths.

Emory might be a student at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, but her healing abilities have always been mediocre at best—until a treacherous night in the Dovermere sea caves leaves a group of her classmates dead and her as the only survivor. Now Emory is plagued by strange, impossible powers that no healer should possess.

Powers that would ruin her life if the wrong person were to discover them.

To gain control of these new abilities, Emory enlists the help of the school’s most reclusive student, Baz—a boy already well-versed in the deadly nature of darker magic, whose sister happened to be one of the drowned students and Emory’s best friend. Determined to find the truth behind the drownings and the cult-like secret society she’s convinced her classmates were involved in, Emory is faced with even more questions when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore— alive —only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths.

And Emory is not the only one seeking answers. When her new magic captures the society’s attention, she finds herself drawn into their world of privilege and power, all while wondering if the truth she’s searching for might lead her right back to Dovermere…to face the fate she was never meant to escape.

Content Warning: grief, violence

This one has a slow start but I didn’t give up on and I’m glad I didn’t.

I love the world-building where magic is based on when a person is born and under what moon. It had the dark, gloomy academia vibes which was nice. I love the secret societies intrigue. We have two POVs from Emory and Baz. Emory survived a ritual that killed a bunch of her classmates, but she wasn’t even supposed to be there. Baz is the older brother of her best friend, Romie, who was lost in the ritual. They are both back at Aldryn College – a college for magic users, but this time Emory has new powers and she and Baz are trying to figure what went wrong during the ritual that went bad and they uncover so many things about magic, lies they were told, and secrets about other worlds.

My favorite characters so far are Baz, Kai, and Vera. Emory, I didn’t love because she kept making mistakes and trusting the wrong people. I didn’t see her as a good person, especially with how she treated Baz! She leads him on for her benefit and he deserves better. I hope there is growth for her in book two – there was some at the end of this one, but she really needs to do much more to win me over.

The beginning was too slow and repetitive at times but it picks up at the halfway mark and from then on it gets good mostly because of Kai, who I love but it just moves faster and has more action. There is a love triangle which infuriated me because I could tell from the start that Keiran wasn’t trustworthy but Emory had to learn the hard way I suppose, because she is so stubborn.

My Final Thoughts:

I definitely wanted to read this one because of the beautiful cover and I love the whole moon magic concept. It’s also an academia book and I was in the mood for it. I didn’t love Emory, the love triangle, or the slow beginning and the repetitiveness of some things that could have probably been cut to shorten this 544 page book. But once it picks up in the middle, I really couldn’t put it down! I love Baz, Kai, and Vera. I love the world building and magic system. I do hope there is growth for Emory in book two because I do not think she deserves Baz at all. I am looking forward to reading book two because of how this one ended. I’m curious to see these other worlds that have been hinted at!

Quotes From the Book

“The dead move on and so must we.”
Curious Tides by. Pascale Lacelle

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Just for the Summer by. Abby Jimenez | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3)

Author: Abby Jimenez

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 4/2/24

Categories: Romance, Series

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

Content Warning: dysfunctional family, family trauma, grief

I am so out of it that I was seeing this title everywhere and wanted to read it but didn’t even know it was a series until right now as I’m in Goodreads getting the book information to add to this blog post. I’m such a dope. 😆 Because I didn’t read any other books in this series, just this one!

Maybe that’s why I felt so disconnected from the characters? And maybe I’ll have to go read the other books in the series and then maybe look at this book with different eyes – not sure.

I thought the meet-cute between Emma and Justin was really cute but for some reason I felt no chemistry between them at all. Maybe because they really were just nice to one another. Yes, both of them had mom issues to deal with and I’m usually reading about characters who have problems with one another and I like it 😅. I like tension!

Emma’s mom was out of her life and that left her with abandonment issues. How will she know how to commit to anyone when the one woman in her life, her mother, never stayed put? As for Justin, his situation with his mom is just sad. I love how he stepped up for his family though reluctantly which is understandable. He basically is now the parent of his siblings! Both of them have tough situations, so much trauma, but eventually things work out.

So I think my problem is that I wanted a little more tension between Emma and Justin but they are not the tension type of couple. They are wholesome characters who deserve the best and a happy ending. They are two good people who needed to work some things out before getting together in the end. There is nothing wrong with that at all…but the thing is I got bored at the halfway mark and kinda skimmed to the end – which I wasn’t expecting since so many people are raving about this book. But I think I just wasn’t in the right mood for it or maybe I need to read the other books in the series? Not sure. I felt like didn’t have any connection to any of the characters except for Maddy, she was my favorite.

My Final Thoughts:

I’m bummed that this one turned out just okay for me since I went in with high expectations. Also this was the first book I read from this author but maybe I can read the ones before this and see this series in a new light.

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The Hemlock Queen by. Hannah Whitten | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hemlock Queen (The Nightshade Crown, #2)

Author: Hannah Whitten

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 4/9/24

Categories: Fantasy, Series, Love Triangle

In the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten’s lush, romantic epic fantasy series, a young woman who can raise the dead must navigate the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King’s royal court.

The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the sainted court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent, the Kyrithean Empire is beating down their door, and Lore’s old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian’s changed. No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he’s reckless, domineering and cold.

And something’s been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that’s telling her there’s more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything.

With Bastian’s coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince, and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed.

Content Warning: violence

+ I did how everything get messier with the Gods and how they were inhabiting different people. It is the worse for Bastian who is being possessed by Apollius. So it changes him a lot because Apollius is sinister.

+ I do like the supporting cast and the political intrigue happening as Bastian tries to make allies with enemies, or so he says. There is a lot that is unveiled and explained where it comes to the Gods. The world-building is great and shows

~ But this story is too slow. I didn’t even realize it was only 400 pages because it felt like more and took me a few days to finish. I did like the beginning, there is a lull in the middle and then it finishes off strong. Getting to that strong ending though took awhile.

~ I don’t mind love triangles but I do not like this one. I hate that Lore is so indecisive between Bastian and Gabe. I think by the end she decides she loves both of them so what is this going to be? A throuple? I don’t think Bastian or Gabe want to share her. So this romance frustrates me a lot and I don’t feel connected to either of them.

My Final Thoughts:

This one was okay. I think it was just too slow in some parts and too much of Lore trying to figure out which boy she really loves and wants to be with which got tiring. I wanted romance in this but this isn’t it. I think the world-building is great and the politics but I’ll go into book three a little more reserved I think – we shall see what happens!

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The Foxglove King by. Hannah Whitten | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For the Throne by. Hannah F. Whitten | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

For the Wolf by. Hannah F. Whitten | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Fire Endless by. Rebecca Ross | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence, #2)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 12/6/22

Categories: Fantasy, Series, Adult Fiction, Magic

East and West. Humans and Spirits. Breccans and Tamerlaines. The Isle of Cadence has always held itself and its residents in a tenuous balance. But now Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, has pushed everyone and everything in his path off-kilter in a bid to claim dominion over all.

In the West, Adaira struggles to adjust to the more brutal, bitter ways of life among the Breccans. Striving to find her place in the clan, she swiftly realizes that it just might be the last role she desires to hold. And while magic blooms effortlessly for the Breccans in the west, the spirits continue to suffer beneath Bane’s harsh power, felt in every gust of wind.

In the East, Jack is adrift without Adaira until he sings to the ember-weak fire spirits, acquiring a dangerous mission he never expected. One that is destined to lead him westward. Likewise, Torin and Sidra are consumed by a new mystery as sickness spreads first amongst the crops, and then to the people of the Tamerlaine clan. While Sidra desperately searches for a cure, Torin dares to strike a bargain with the spirits—a precarious folly anytime, but especially now as the days grow darker.

With the island falling further out of balance, humans and spirits alike will need to join together to face Bane, and Jack’s gift with the harp will be called upon once more. Yet no one can challenge the North Wind without paying a terrible price, and the sacrifice required this time may be more than Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra can bear to pay.

In the stunning conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology, A Fire Endless finds the delicate balance between the human and faerie realm threatened by Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, whose defeat can only come through fire, song, and heart-rending sacrifice.

Content Warning:

The narrator for this audiobook did such a good job with the voices and the accent, combined with the author’s awesome storytelling I was swept away into the story.

I didn’t re-read the first book in the series, so it did take me awhile to find my footing in the story. But I remember loving Torin and Sidra’s love story and it continues in this book though they have so many challenges. There is also Jack and Adaira but they are apart a lot in this book which is sad. There is blight ravaging the East and spirits to deal with on both sides.

It is a 500 page book and I felt like it moved slowly, especially it being in audiobook form. I don’t know if I would have the same feeling is I had read the book but it is consistent with book one, which was slow also, but I still enjoyed it.

My Final Thoughts:

It’s a story filled with strife, magic, community and love. I’m glad I got to finally finish this series!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Sisters of Sword and Song by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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Spindleheart: Trail of Shadow and Spool by. T.I. Avens | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Spindleheart – Trail of Shadow and Spool

Author: T.I. Avens

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages:

Publication Date: 4/26/24

Publisher: Over The Tall Shelf LLC

Categories: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure

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

Thank you to T.I. Avens for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A perilous quest. A missing mythical chest. And one very wayward tale.

After failing her duty as the newly appointed Guardian of TallStalks, Wynn, a young intrepid swirlear, journeys far beyond the tangled stalks of her home to retrieve the very thing she was appointed to protect. A gilded chest passed down in her family for countless generations. As she races to find the magic-wielding culprit responsible for the chest’s disappearance, she finds herself haunted not only by failure, but by the possible peril that would be unleashed if the chest were ever opened.

Eager to leave her village and past behind, Calla, a brash flower-elf, trains for a chance to enroll in an academy for gifted young casters. But when an unearthed family secret brings her sister and her into the most vicious part of the Agrestal lands, she not only questions her future, but the murkier parts of her past.

As each step draws them further into dangerous lands of the Agrestal, Wynn and Calla may find that survival may lie within confronting what they’re trying to escape.

Content Warning:

I don’t usually read middle grade books, but when the author of this book asked me to read and review their book and I saw the cover, my curiosity was peaked. I love the book cover because it’s colorful and whimsical plus the synopsis was intriguing.

This story is full of adventure and I thought the world-building was fantastic. The story takes us to a world of creatures and little elves that live in a magical land. We follow two main characters, first one is Wynn who is a swirl-ear and she is searching for the person who stole a special chest she was guarding. Wynn’s story is filled with harrowing adventure and she meets some interesting characters along the way. I love how Wynn has never left her home until now – it reminded me a big of Frodo Baggins from Lord of the Rings, leaving the shire! She learns a lot on her journey about herself and what she is capable of.

The other storyline follows Calla, a flower-elf who is not on good terms with her sister, Saffron but they meet up when she is called to Runnelloom to help with a mission – or that’s what she assumes. When Calla and Saffron are together, we get a sense of their tense relationship and that’s really too bad for two sisters that just lost their mother. But I feel like it’s something that will be worked out, I hope, in the next books of this series.

I did feel more invested in Wynn’s adventure, mostly because her traveling companions Lance and Beryl are such great characters! They made me laugh and I love that Wynn seems to have fallen into a found family situation.

I do wish each chapter told us which character we were following. Also because it’s such a fantasy world full of creatures we’ve never heard of, it took me some time to acclimate myself to the names and phrases they used but there is a glossary which was helpful! For some reason, I was reading this whole thing in my head with a British accent (I’m not British! lol) but I just felt like that’s how these characters would sound.

My Thoughts:

This is a full of adventure, new friendships, quests and magic but also one that deals with some tough issues like strained family relationships, and believing in one’s self and worth. If you are in the mood for a middle grade book that takes you on a fantastical journey, you just might enjoy this one.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

T.I. Avens is an author from North California who specializes in writing middle-grade fantasy books full of odd creatures, unexpected heroes, and untamed magic. She’s currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communication studies, as well as starting her indie-publishing company, Over TheTall Shelf LLC.

When she’s not writing, Avens enjoys yoga, taking care of her plants, and baking tasty treats.