I had a lot of issues with this and I'm pretty disappointed because I thought it was going to be great fun.I had a lot of issues with this and I'm pretty disappointed because I thought it was going to be great fun....more
This was an absolute hit for me. The writing was excellent and I loved the dynamic between the main characters. There were some great twists and turnsThis was an absolute hit for me. The writing was excellent and I loved the dynamic between the main characters. There were some great twists and turns and the world building also felt so captivating - the discussions around sorcery and secret societies managed to be fresh and unique, despite having been done so many times before. ...more
A difficult book to describe because it's both vast in the passage of time (centuries) and yet concentrated (to one particular city). The beginning isA difficult book to describe because it's both vast in the passage of time (centuries) and yet concentrated (to one particular city). The beginning is a little slow, but stick with it because where this book really comes into its own is when we start to see the Angel and Vitrine witness generation after generation of descendants each pledge one year to the city of Azril. There's something beautiful and wistful about seeing a person live their lives from childhood to death through the eyes of an immortal, and Nghi Vo captures this wonderfully. And because it's Nghi Vo, the writing is absolutely sublime....more
This didn't quite have the same spark as the first book, but it was a satisfying conclusion to the duology. This didn't quite have the same spark as the first book, but it was a satisfying conclusion to the duology. ...more
Very entertaining with some moments where the writing really stood out. I really liked the dynamic between Vanya and Emeric Lily's pick for 12 in 12.
Very entertaining with some moments where the writing really stood out. I really liked the dynamic between Vanya and Emeric - this was an example of an enemies-to-lovers dynamic done well. It wasn't rushed and there were plenty of scenes that developed their friendship, so the shift from disliking each other to falling in love was believable. It took me a while to get through this because the first 25% was pretty slow and a few scenes could have been cut to improve the pacing. Other than that, a fun, whip smart read....more
A sinister and eerie tale of two students' quest to uncover the mysterious past of an author they're studying, and a house that's falling into the seaA sinister and eerie tale of two students' quest to uncover the mysterious past of an author they're studying, and a house that's falling into the sea. This was really atmospheric and I enjoyed the way the pieces of the puzzle were gradually revealed. The dramatic sequence of events towards the end had me hooked, and I appreciated how Effie used her newfound power to remove her abuser from a position of power. ...more
A slow-but-thoughtful story about the importance of books in our lives. This is one that gets better the more you read, and I really liked the idea ofA slow-but-thoughtful story about the importance of books in our lives. This is one that gets better the more you read, and I really liked the idea of books always having had souls. I actually wouldn't recommend this one on audio, though, because, in a note at the end, the translator says that they chose to keep the cat gender-neutral to match the original text. But the audiobook is read by a man and he gives the cat a very smooth, male voice, which makes us assume it's a male cat. So that little bit of nuance from the original text is lost. ...more
Katee Robert really said, I'm going to put every single supernatural creature in one story and run with it. This felt like a jumble of magic and lore Katee Robert really said, I'm going to put every single supernatural creature in one story and run with it. This felt like a jumble of magic and lore as a result, and while it was fun, I couldn't really take it seriously. (Especially not when Bowen was levitating Evelyn while they were having sex, the descriptions were too funny.)...more
Happy to have finally read this and rounded off the duology, but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first book. I think it's because the crew of tHappy to have finally read this and rounded off the duology, but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first book. I think it's because the crew of the Merigold made the first novel so good (to me), and, apart from West and Fable, they rest of those characters weren't in this book very much. ...more
Sadly, this was a lot more uneventful than I was expecting and the pacing was very slow. But there was one really beautiful scene that made me cry, soSadly, this was a lot more uneventful than I was expecting and the pacing was very slow. But there was one really beautiful scene that made me cry, so I bumped it up a star for that. ...more
Kristen Ciccarelli just knows how to write a compelling fantasy. And I devoured it. The world-building is well crafted, the plot is tight, and the pacKristen Ciccarelli just knows how to write a compelling fantasy. And I devoured it. The world-building is well crafted, the plot is tight, and the pacing is quick without feeling rushed. This is a true enemies-to-lovers story, too; Rune and Gideon don't just dislike each other because of a minor disagreement, and they're not just rivals, she's a witch and he's a witch hunter. Actual. Enemies. And boy did I root for them. Their chemistry was undeniable and their backstories made them so easy to like (though I'll admit to distrusting Gideon at first) that I desperately wanted a happy ending for them. So, of course, when all the twists started to hit right at the end, I was screaming and yelling. I need book 2 sooner than 2025....more
I loved the first book in this series, but this one just didn't quite hit for me. I didn't feel invested in most of the characters and I'm not sure whI loved the first book in this series, but this one just didn't quite hit for me. I didn't feel invested in most of the characters and I'm not sure what it was (though the audio narration could have had something to do with it), but I couldn't buy into the main romance at all. The protagonists' love seemed platonic in nature, and I would have preferred them as good friends. This book feels like a prime example of "not every story needs a romance"....more
First Ali Hazelwood ✅ Buddy read with Layla and Kirsty ✅
This was so damn good. I was wondering what I'd let myself in for, choosing a werewolf x vampFirst Ali Hazelwood ✅ Buddy read with Layla and Kirsty ✅
This was so damn good. I was wondering what I'd let myself in for, choosing a werewolf x vampire knotting romance as my first Ali Hazelwood novel, but, honestly, good for me, the book was great and I had a blast. Misery and Lowe were phenomenally easy to root for and their chemistry was off the charts (we went feral on several occasions).
The mystery of Serena's disappearance was woven into the romantic plot very well, and the audiobook narrator did a truly fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, as well as giving us a real sense of Misery's personality. The humour was witty, dry, and, at times unexpected, which made it even better. I guess I'm an Ali Hazelwood convert now, time to go read her other books. ...more
This book was a real mixed bag; there were times when it drew me in and others when I had to force myself to pick it back up (thaBuddy read with Lily.
This book was a real mixed bag; there were times when it drew me in and others when I had to force myself to pick it back up (thankfully the buddy read helped with that). I liked Fitz and Molly as characters, but they were the only two I was particularly invested in, though I will say that when (view spoiler)[Burrich almost died, I was on the edge of my metaphorical seat (hide spoiler)].
The political intrigue was reasonably compelling, but, for me, there needed to be more action to counterbalance the slow pace, and also to show why the politics were so crucial/to show the impact of all the courtly maneuvering. We only really saw action when everything came together in the last 20% and, although I did enjoy the ending, it felt like the final chapter tied up all the loose ends in one oddly rushed info-dump.
I think part of my issue with this novel is a sense of expectation versus reality. I was expecting was an adventure/action novel and what I got was more of a political character study. That's not really the book's fault (I could have done more research), but it left me wanting fight scenes or heroic moments that never fully materialised. So, although I enjoyed this, I didn't quite get the hype, and I'm undecided about whether or not I'll continue the series. (Just a note that there's also an ableist slur in the first part of the novel; I don't really understand why it hasn't been edited out in the years since this was published.)...more
This was, quite simply, fun, energetic chaos. I enjoyed being back in this world with Elisabeth and Nathaniel and getting a "what happened next" storyThis was, quite simply, fun, energetic chaos. I enjoyed being back in this world with Elisabeth and Nathaniel and getting a "what happened next" story. This didn't hit in quite the same way as Sorcery of Thorns did for me, just because it was much shorter and the plot was a lot more light-hearted (it held less of a serious tone), but neither of those things is particularly bad. If you're after a cosy companion novel to the first book, with romance, curses, and a soft happily ever after, then this is a great, quick read....more
Kate (Reading Through Infinity)
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