Book Review: Long May She Reign

Long May She Reign
Rhiannon Thomas
3/5

I don't know if I want to give this book three stars or four stars, because on one hand, it was a pretty enjoyable read, on the other, it wasn't super original. I liked the grittiness of it without being super unbelievable, I don't feel like it was really a fantasy, more like a historical fiction. Basically, like 400 people get poisoned and now Freya, a girl without any social skills and a love for science, gets bumped from #23 all the way to #1. Obviously, this isn't easy for her, she never expected it, she never anticipated how she would be able to deal with something so far away. Given all of that, I liked Freya, I think she handled it a lot more realistically than a lot of authors who tried to do the whole awkward-into-a-queen thing.

It's a standalone, so it's a lot more simplistic than a lot of political intrigues are. Like the politics are solely limited to this kingdom, there isn't a single other kingdom mentioned at all. That makes an easy read to follow, but made a lot of things (like the whole unresolved relationship thing) a little difficult for me to believe. It was all about the civil war which popped up after something as alarming as having 400 of your nobles murdered. If it had been a duology or a trilogy, I could see room for expansion. As it stands, it's just a very straightforward murder mystery set in a completely realistic but fictional kingdom.

I also loved the science element, it could have felt overdone, but it also felt like it met with what could have been accomplished by someone working in a lab on their own. It wasn't magic, so it wasn't fantasy, but I did feel like it was a fun character element to give to Freya. Some may say it felt obligatory, it could probably get annoying, but where things stand, I think it was nice.

I think I would recommend this book as more of a political thriller type book, a historical fiction. Fantasy is a stretch, the characters are fun, and the politics are believable. I won't even get into the romantic element, I don't feel like that was nearly as important as the synopsis makes it feel. If you hate books where the romances make the characters act stupid, then this is a pretty good choice for you. Overall, it's nothing that will change your life if you read it, but it's pretty enjoyable.

Book Review: The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1)

The Gilded Wolves
Roshani Chokshi
3/5

Mixed feelings about this one. I love the historical fiction element, I love it when magic is thrown into history in cool and interesting ways like the forging thrown into this book. But on the other hand, I'm kind of confused about a lot of what happened. Books with so many protagonists don't usually click with me because it's hard for me to connect to so many characters. The plot follows Zafia, Séverin, Laila, Tristan, Enrique, and kind of Hypnos, a motley crew who start as treasure hunters and end as heroes. That's such a general description, but like even at this point I'm not a hundred percent sure who was the main villain or like boss battle of this story. Like I get it and I know who the villain is, but he also feels like he was just kind of randomly inserted at the end and I'm just still trying to figure out how this book is going to be a series. It felt like a mix of The Naturals and the Percy Jackson books.

It's also annoying here because we have five (maybe six if you count Hypnos) main characters who all live and work in this hotel, and then one character is clearly getting the least page-time and least plot development, then boom guess who dies at the end, you got it, the one who existed only to push the others to their ultimate destinies. I hate it when authors just straight up use a character like that, maybe this person will get depth beyond their death, but it feels like they were just a tool.

The ending was also super obligatory. We have that whole obligatory, "push them away cause I've been told love is bad so I'll use the boss-insult of all insults so they won't love me anymore" thing going on, and then a bunch of random time jumps to make up for the lack of plot.

I did love the characters though- the characters along with the setting really won the three stars for me. My favorite was probably Laila because she can literally do it all. She's cool and strong and all but she still bakes and does make-up and likes pretty dresses. She's unapologetic unlike other female characters written to achieve this balance, she just does what she loves. The whole crew is just very diverse and I like that, it makes everything more interesting. Zofia was also a favorite, I think she's somewhere on the autism spectrum (though that could just be me reading into it) and has sensory overload issues and social anxieties and such, we get to follow her as she tries to figure out how to balance all of these characteristics with her desire to succeed and bring success for her little sister.

That's barely anything about the amazing qualities of these characters. We also get a lot into mixed heritage and the whole "wanting to belong" thing along with a bunch of other great character lines. If you read this book for any reason, do it for a bunch of characters who are anything but basic. I don't know if I'd really push anyone to read this book though, just because of how confusing and roundabout the plot lines are, it's not a super exciting read. If you can handle all the confusion, then it might be the book for you. If you're like me and prefer a single or double perspective in a book, you might have a hard time getting into it.

Book Review: Beasts of the Frozen Sun (Frozen Sun Saga #1)

Beasts of the Frozen Sun
Jill Criswell
3/5

I liked the synopsis of this book a lot more than I liked the book, that's always disappointing. Not to say it wasn't a fairly enjoyable read, it just let me down. It's a Viking mythology story that follows Lira, a chieftain's daughter with the power to read soul's with a touch, and Reyker, an abused warrior who has done evil things and thinks he's beyond saving. Not a super original premise with the base terms, but when you have such great historical elements to work with, you have a lot of room to make any plot amazing.

I did like many elements of it, the history was fun, the fighting was great, but the relationships just felt too surface-level. This book was just kind of difficult for me to appreciate, I wasn't rooting for the characters, I didn't feel particularly strong about whether or not any of them lived or died. That made it hard when it felt like they were being injured every five minutes, stuff like that usually stresses me out, but it just kind of felt overdone and over-dramatic.

I was just struggling because it was like everything that happened felt like it was trying to be much deeper than it was given credit for. Things happened too sporadically for me to feel their impact, a character was evil and attacked another character and then five seconds later was doubting it then five seconds later was evil and back and forth constantly without any real depth to it. I understand where Criswell was coming from and I appreciate a lot of it, however I do feel like there's room for improvement.

I think it deserves three stars because uh Vikings obviously. The historical fiction element of it was great, as plots goes it had a lot of drama while maintaining an element of reality through the history. I just think it probably wasn't the type of romance I typically like to see, like being love-at-first-sight but trying to reason it off as legit by using off-page reactions. As a debut, it's good- with the potential of a great sequel.

Book Review: Renegades (Renegades #1)

Renegades
Marissa Meyer
4/5

This book series has a lot of hype, Marissa Meyer is a great writer and The Lunar Chronicles was so good. This one feels kind of similar while simultaneously being completely different. It follows Nova, AKA Nightmare AKA Insomnia, an Anarchist/Renegade hoping to take down the existing government run by superheroes. The other main character, Adrian AKA Sketch AKA the Sentinel, is obsessed with catching Nightmare, figuring out who killed his mom, and also maintaining the order of things. It's a superhero book, lots of people have lots of powers and they're very conveniently described in the character index at the front of the book.

The interesting thing about this book was that it’s difficult to really pick a side. Like, I’m pretty sure I support the Renegades and order and all, but also I don’t want Nova’s entire life to be a lie or anything. I also want her to have friends and to be honest and stuff so I spent the whole book with a lot of anxiety. Books with double agents like this tend to stress me out because I like it better when everyone’s either on the same side or like clear cut who do I hate and who do I love.

I read the Lunar Chronicles when I was like 15 and this is like on the same level, solid YA, but it’s a nice read. The romance is feeling clean and slow-burn, if it ever amounts to anything I don’t know it probably will. Like I said, there are double agents involved so you never know what’s really going to happen it’s tough when everyone’s been indoctrinated.

Again, it’s a younger YA so a little lower than I typically read. I still think it has it’s highlights though, super powers and super heroes are always fun. Plus, who doesn’t love government corruption and anarchy. I’d recommend it for people who like sci-fi or dystopia, it's kind of a political thriller with superheroes. I just finished watching The Boys on Amazon, and like it's obviously not the same but it has some similar concepts depicted in a nicer way.

Book Review: Protect the Prince (Crown of Shards #2)

Crown of Shards
Jennifer Estep
4/5

Overview

I think that this is a great series, it has so much substance and emotional depth and I really connect with the characters. This is the second book in the Crown of Shards series, it follows Evie and all of the assassination attempts she's facing after claiming a crown that she never should have been in line for. There's romance, political intrigue, and great fighting scenes. Also, the magic in the universe is super unique and just building up and getting better and better.

I think the first 75 percent of this book was amazing and I read it super fast and was super invested and just losing my mind over how good everything was. The last 25 percent fell a little flat for me, I was honestly a little lost and probably given this book a lower rating if I hadn't loved the first 3/4ths so much.

I'm going to get a little spoilery, so if you haven't read the book you should probably skip this paragraph. From the introduction of the mountain thing I knew that it was going to be something involved with Sully and Evie, but the execution of that just felt awkward. I love Sully and Evie together, but their sex scene felt obligatory, random, and pretty weird. The whole idea of a romantic break during that series of events was just wrong for me, Sully's entire attitude towards it felt wrong and out-of-character. Not to mention unfair, he yells at Evie for being engaged to his brother, then says he doesn't care, then yells at her again, then says he couldn't ever be with her even though she offers him a place, and then just shows up to take his place? The pacing felt wrong, the ending felt like the ending to the series but you know without addressing all of the political factors. I don't like it when characters only end up together in the last book, so that was nice, but there are so many factors to their relationship that just weren't addressed in favor of a cleaner looking ending.

Don't get me wrong though, this is an amazing book and series. The queens are gladiators and Evie isn't usually an emotional-wreck, like I loved the little parts where she has the internal debate with herself and then chooses the logical outcome for her kingdom. She feels like a real human leader, she makes mistakes but she's also great at making the right choices. She feels like an Arya Stark who's not afraid to lead a kingdom and I honestly love her for it.

Would I Recommend?

Despite my issues with the ending, the rest of the book and series is just so good that it's worth it. If you like Throne of Glass, I would totally recommend this one because it's like ToG but without like 70 percent of all the stupidity you have to deal with with Aelin. I'm still highly anticipating the third book next year and would totally recommend getting into it.

Book Review: Seraphin: Tales of Intetra #1

Seraphin
Kirsten Forrester
4/5

Overview

This book was pretty great for the length and what I anticipated. I love a book with a good plot twist, and there were plenty of them in Seraphin. Basically, Sapharine is a princess but not really because she has had to pose as Prince Seraphin her entire life to avoid being murdered. As Prince Seraphin, she has trained herself into a master soldier, cold and cruel, capable of doing whatever necessary to end the war.

There were parts of the book when I feel like things were happening a little too conveniently, yet simultaneously the writing made it all feel extra. The romance felt a little lighter than what I usually like in a book, but it has a good set-up. It may have just been the skips in the timeline which created a false sense of things, I had a difficult time understanding how long they had been together, how long they had actually interacted.

I think the ending is what really got me, cause like I said, I love a good twist. I had thought the plot was getting a little stagnant, but then all the sudden everything changed and the book left off on a cliffhanger. I appreciated it and I think the whole vibe of the book shifted completely.

Would I Recommend?

I think there's a great plot building up here and I'm excited to see where it goes in the second book. It's great if you love fantasy, strong heroines, and relatively clean romance. Also after reading the author's note at the end, Go Gators.

Book Review: Heartless

Heartless
Marissa Meyer
4/5

Overview

This book made me so sad and like I knew it would but that doesn't make me any less sad. It's beautifully written, taking you into Wonderland before Alice, but it's about the Queen of Hearts before she became who she was in Alice in Wonderland. So expect heartbreak, expect tragedy, still, it's entertaining and it's a good read.

It's whimsical and funny throughout most of the novel, which is what creates most of the tragedy. I read this book out of my love for The Lunar Chronicles, I don't believe I would have read it if I had just found it randomly. The way this is written, how disconnected and trippy it is, isn't really the style I go for. That being said, I respect the way it's done as consistent with the original literature.

The romance part of it was really one of my biggest problems. I get her desire to find her own love and all that, but I don't think Cath truly considered the king, and I don't think that what she had with Jest was all that deep. It's just the whole love-at-first-sight type thing that I try to steer clear of, I need something deeper to get attached to a love story. Again though, it's cohesive with the general tone of the rest of the novel and of the prerequisites for Wonderland.

Would I Recommend?

It's not really what I'd usually read and even though it's artfully done, I don't think I could recommend it for anyone with similar tastes to my own. I like a happy ending and I think it's obvious based on the premise that this isn't going to be a happy ending. If you like to suffer and you love Marissa Meyer, this is the book for you, otherwise I'm not sure I could say it's worth the sadness.

Book Review: Storm and Fury (The Harbinger #1)

Storm and Fury
Jennifer L. Armentrout
4/5

Overview

I wasn't expecting this book, I don't think I read the description correctly because I was thinking, along with the cover, that it was a fantasy. It's much more paranormal than it is fantasy, in my opinion, but like those genres are so similar that it's difficult to really define them. No matter the genre though, this was a hilarious and exciting read. Trinity sees ghosts, she has epic fighting skills, and absolutely no impulse control. She lives in a compound with gargoyle shape-shifters to protect her from the demons who want to eat her, even though she can mostly hold her own in a fair fight.

This is the sequel series to The Dark Elements, which I never read and didn't even know was related to this. Again, I kind of did not do my research when this book came off the hold list at the library. I'm going to say that you can read this without reading the other series because I did it and I still thought it was a great book.

I felt a little bit of The Mortal Instruments in this, even before I knew the extent of her powers and everything. Like the book starts with Raver demons, pretty sure TMI started with a Ravener demon or something like that. But this is a completely different tone than that series, much more adult, and also a lot funnier. It felt a lot more genuine than most books that try to incorporate the "sassy and ironic female lead" thing into their writing. I think Trinity is a great lead, looking forward to where she goes in the sequel.

I did feel like there were some inconsistencies with the whole going blind thing. I know that her vision is a roller coaster depending on lighting, but like I feel like no matter what she would be wearing her glasses. I don't have a genetic degenerative seeing disorder but I always need my glasses and I don't think I would ever be able to see some of the details she listed without them. Maybe I was just nitpicking on that, I just really like the idea of an almighty chosen one having to deal with such a mundane yet debilitating disability.

Would I Recommend?

I think this book was hilarious and fairly unique, super cute with a lot of potential! I'd totally recommend and can't wait for the sequel. 

Book Review: Crown of Conspiracy (The Ilvannian Chronicles #1)

Crown of Conspiracy
Kara S. Weaver
3/5

I had a hard time deciding on what to rate this book, because I believe it has a lot of potential. Shalitha is basically the princess of a matriarchal kingdom, she loves to fight and she isn't afraid to talk back. She is attempting to preserve her people from the threat of conspirators lurking within the kingdom.

There were a lot of great points in the book, parts where I was hooked and I could see the book getting really good. I think that there were a lot of parts where the plot got a little messy though, too many things were happening too close together for me to really feel the impact of each event. Like Shalitha and Tal's injuries, they were just back to back and constant with no recovery time for me. Characters were introduced as villains, then dropped, then picked back up again without a lot of follow-through. The pacing was just a little off, I would have preferred more build-up time between the catalyst events.

The romance was cute though, it felt a lot more natural than the other elements of the book. I was rooting for them, which is always a good sign. I like romances where the couple meets previous to the events of the book, especially when the book is about war and conspiracy, it gives a lot more normalcy to their love.

The names were also a little confusing to me, though I feel like the glossary in the back of the book cleared things up. I think I would have preferred the glossary to be in the front of the book, I know that isn't traditional, but with such a diverse universe, it would have helped my small mind keep up.

Potential though! I'm looking forward to the sequel because the plot did interest me, especially the whole thing with the prophecy, we barely know anything about that yet. Overall, it was a great debut and a great find as an indie book.

Book Review: Blood and Sand (Blood and Sand #1)

Blood and Sand
C.V. Wyk
5/5

Overview

First off, I'd just like to say that I loved this book. I'm a little biased, any kind of gender-bent historical fiction always intrigues me. Add a romance to that and I'm just almost guaranteed to love it. Attia has just had her entire world ripped away from her- her father, who was her only family left, and her entire kingdom on top of that. She is a slave to the Roman Empire, gifted to their favorite champion. Xanthus is different than she expects, and they soon create a relationship that defies the roles which Rome attempted to force them into.

Spartacus... but female!!! I love it, it's like a less intense version of And I Darken, less politically involved. Still great though, but a much smaller commitment to read. Given that the whole synopsis alludes heavily at the romance, I think that Wyk did a beautiful job balancing Attia's commitment to her kingdom versus her commitment to Xanthus. All of the little hints which create the rebellion are so well-placed, the story is just so holistically interesting that I had to give it five stars.

The ending was the worst part for me, but it also created a nice build-up for the next novel. As far as I can tell this is just going to be a duology? Depending on how far into a rebellion Wyk decides to go, I see a lot of potential. No matter the eventual outcome for a certain character, there's the incredible opportunity to create a really intriguing revolution.

Would I Recommend?

Yes. Historical fiction is amazing, I love when authors take real life events and put a nice spin on them, and this was a very nice spin. If you have any love for Spartacus's legend, read it. If you have any love for starcrossed lovers, but like lovers who keep their heads and don't make you want to jump into the pages and strangle them, read it. Super interesting, super historically relevant, and just great all-around. I can't wait for the sequel!

Book Review: Last Star Burning (Last Star Burning #1)

Last Star Burning
Caitlin Sangster
3/5

Overview

My library had this categorized as fantasy, but I feel like it falls more exactly into science fiction. Last Star Burning follows the journey of Sev, a sixteen-year-old whom has spent half her life as a bottom-tier member of society constantly trying to make up for her mother's traitorous crimes. It gave me a very Uglies vibe because, propaganda! I love books that play with the concept of propaganda and how it can mess with society. Sev has been so deeply brainwashed, as has everyone, and nothing is truly what it seems.

There is a romance in this book, though I'll say it's not very strong, which is possible potential for the trilogies. The pacing of it all felt a little off, there were time jumps and I wasn't feeling the full extent of their emotional connection. Howl is a weird character for me, I wanted to like him, but all of the chaos surrounding him makes it hard to really know him. I think it was a decent plot twist, it'll be interesting to see where it goes.

I did like Sev, I think she has the potential to be a great lead. It was interesting to see her retain her trust in Howl, and then explain her relationship with her mother. I like her loyalty and I like her strength. Also, I liked how she wasn't afraid to complain about her injuries. She breaks her ribs very early on in the book and those injuries stay with her for an accurate period of time. That just felt like a nice little detail to carry-through.

Would I Recommend?

Yeah, it's a nice little propaganda sci-fi. There are some parts that could have been done better, I do wish I felt more passionately about the world and the characters, but something about the pacing just made it difficult to follow. If you like dystopia, this is a pretty solid choice.

Book Review: Once a King (A Clash of Kingdoms #3)

Once a King
Erin Summerill
3/5

Overview

This is the third book in the A Clash of Kingdoms series and I honestly liked it more than I liked the previous books. King Aodren, a central character in the second book, and Lirra, who played a smaller role, are dealing with a world without the Purge. I don't remember the other two books very well, I didn't review back then so I kind of glossed over them. On that note, I'm fairly sure that you could read this as a standalone since the main characters are only ever mentioned in passing. King Aodren was pretty much the main reason I didn't feel like I liked the second book in this trilogy- I just felt so bad for him. If you were rooting for his happiness, this is definitely the way to go.

The blurb of this book made it feel super serious, but it's less of a war book and more of an aftermath book. The Purge is over and all of the Channelers and normal people are just trying to figure out how to live in a more cohesive war. There are obviously militants, people who are against the new world. It's a pretty intense political issue, all of these people were forced out of the country twenty years ago and now they want their land back and the people living there currently are mad and afraid of the magic women. On that note, it felt a lot more political than magical. Magic wasn't really a big deal at all, so if you're reading this as a standalone, you won't feel super immersed in the magical element of the fantasy. Lirra is a wind Channeler, and while that plays into the plot and her dreams, it's never used for her major combat moments or for really anything that moves the plot directly.

There are a lot of tropes at work here, I rated it highly because it's well-written and I love them all, but it's pretty predictable. I said it was more political than magical, so I wish the ending had gone more into the politics of their relationship. Again though, I feel like it was a great way to talk more about King Aodren and make me less angry about how sad it all was in the second book. It feels like more of a novella than an entire book in the series, but I wasn't super upset about it.

Would I Recommend?

If you were in love with Britta and co. from the original books, don't read this anticipating you'll see them. There are features from a lot of the characters in those books, but Aodren and Lirra are the central characters where the majority of the plot is spent. On that note though, I would recommend it even as a standalone. A cute little read that either gives you closure on the original two books, or brings you into a world of political turmoil and people just trying to keep it all together.

Book Review: A Criminal Magic

A Criminal Magic
Lee Kelly
4/5

Overview

I would like to start by saying that this universe is super unique and I was living for it. The Roaring 20s and prohibition magic? That's the kind of uniqueness and all-around amazing that I'm always looking for. The book follows Joan, an impoverished young woman from Virginia trying to make her way on the illegal magic scene in DC, and Alex, a guy whose father ruined his life by being caught on the illegal magic scene and is trying to redeem himself through exposing them. For that reason, the romance that brews between them is semi-forbidden, they're fighting different wars. It gives it that whole impossible vibe that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

This romance is clean and cute for the most part, he conjurers her flowers and they do a magic show together and I love it. It is kind of stressful though because the whole time I was like dreading when they'd get torn apart when the world's collide and all, but that just increases the drama.

(Spoiler) I cannot believe that this book is a standalone. The whole last thirty pages as I felt the plot closing yet remaining unresolved, I was like there has to be some kind of happy ending. Alex and Joan get torn apart and it makes sense, it's a closer for sure, it's just not the one I was hoping for. I think it was realistic, real life doesn't always guarantee a fully happy ending, but in their own ways, they'll be happy apart. Alex will get his recognition and Joan gets her money and her cousin and sister. I'm just sad that there isn't an ending for them together. (End Spoiler)

The only downside to the book would be the pacing. There were some weird time jumps and I'm not exactly sure how long each of the stages of the book lasted. It makes the romance feel a little rushed because so much of the random moments and humanizing parts of it got skipped. It's not a huge deal, just one of the things that kept it from being a five-star read in my head.

Would I Recommend?

Amazing world-building and a great historical fantasy, so for sure! If you love the Roaring 20s or like anything about the mafia, this will be a fun little twist on history with all the intrigue of a crime novel.

Book Review: Beneath Cruel Fathoms (The Bitter Sea Trilogy #1)

Beneath Cruel Fathoms
Anela Deen
5/5

Overview

I loved this book! It's been a long time since I've read a good book about merpeople, I feel like there aren't a lot of books written about them in general. A few on sirens, but this is much more. Leonel is the last merman, but also the son of a goddess and has never felt as though he belongs anywhere. Isaura is a young woman who has had a rough year, the shipwreck that nearly kills her is probably the peak of that. The two meet and they band together to fight the main evil of the book, a sinister plot involving a combination of all the different worlds.

This book feels much stronger than an ordinary fantasy because it combines so many issues. I was literally crying at the end of it because of the character growth. The characters both feel broken in some way, through no real fault of their own, and though they rely on each other, they ultimately find their strength independently.

I also loved how Isaura's strength is realistic. She isn't crazy strong or infallible like many heroines, but she can defend herself physically and mentally. She's normal yet she's so special and that's such a great addition to any fantasy.

Would I Recommend? 

Yes! I wish more people knew about this book, because it's honestly amazing. I might go crazy waiting for the sequel, but I'm so glad that I found this book. How could you not want to read it with such a beautiful cover, and it's on Kindle Unlimited!

Book Review: Shadowsong (Wintersong #2)

Shadowsong

S. Jae-Jones

3/5

Overview

Shadowsong is the second book in a duology centering around the idea of a goblin bride and a whole Underground goblin kingdom. Featuring romance (technically straight and LGBT though the straight romance is central), changelings, and the fae. It's kind of convoluted and simultaneously straightforward. 

I like the cultural element of it, sometimes books that focus on fairy tales from other countries lose their identity along the way. It translated very well in this series though, giving it more of a historical fiction element. The romances were straightforward, though I don't like the way things ended with Josef and Francois, I saw it coming. 

This duology would probably have been better as a standalone given how little of the original characters I felt in the writing. I don't have a ton to say on it because I felt like the chain of events was nice, but obvious, and there were a lot of lulls. I loved the cover though, and I'm glad I got closure on all of their storylines. 

Would I Recommend? 

It held up the integrity of the original book. Duologies can be hard because I can never decide if I want more or less of something. Here, I could have done with less, but I respect that things didn't work out as directly as they could have given the first novel. I would recommend it for fans of romance and like goblins specifically? Not the best general fantasy you could find. 

Book Review: The Winged Assassin (The Fire Thief #2)

The Winged AssassinA
Gwynn White and Erin St. Pierre
4/5

Overview

Considering the page count is wrong on Goodreads, this book was pretty good. I had a lot of expectations because I liked the first book so much and I usually like the following books in a series much more than the premiere. Unfortunately, I think this one had just too many pages of stagnant plot. There were points when I was sitting there reading just wanting it to be over and I really hate it when books make me feel that way. Simultaneously though, I really liked what it was building up to. I love a heroine who can deliver on her powers, I love that Stasha hasn't given up on who she is despite what she's becoming. I really love that she has never fully trusted Averin considering how snaky he is. She was kind of betrayed, but she never allowed herself to trust him to the point where the betrayal derailed her. That's an admirable characteristic considering the turmoil of her life right now, that she's able to cling to morals regardless of any love she might feel for him.

The magic element of this book is super cool and I'm glad that this book explored it so much further than the first. I feel like I would have given this one a lower rating if I didn't love the originality of that aspect so much. Her magic has sentience, they call each other brother and sister and they fight and it's the best relationship of the series. She has never trusted Averin, but she trusts in her magic and in herself.

Again, the romance is shaky. If you're looking for a super sappy romance where they're invested in each other one hundred percent, this isn't where you'll find it. There are talks of a bargain made earlier in Averin's life that have, as of now, put a little bit of a damper on the whole passionate and full love thing. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes, but Stasha's strength of character is much better than the strength of the romance.

Would I Recommend?

The magic is unique, the universe is pretty unique. It follows a trend in YA and NA but it does so with its own twist. For a less popular, Indie series, this is one of the best I've read. It gets a little boring, yet it saves it with all the originality. Would recommend!