Review: Lost Gods by Micah Yongo

In an epic fantasy kingdom inspired by African legends, a young assassin finds himself hunted by the brothers and sisters he has trained alongside since birth.

A teenaged assassin is hunted by his own Brotherhood as he seeks to uncover a supernatural conspiracy before it’s too late

Neythan is one of five adolescents trained and raised together by a mysterious brotherhood of assassins known as the Shedaím. When Neythan is framed for the murder of his closest friend, he pursues his betrayer, and in so doing learns there’s far more to the Brotherhood, and even the world itself, than he’d ever thought possible.

This book took some time to make me lose myself in it. In fact, I started it weeks ago, but kept putting it off because the story wasn’t grabbing me like I thought it would. But yesterday I got stuck at the doctor’s waiting room for four hours, so Lost Gods finally got its second chance. I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

First of all, it is slow. Especially at the beginning. The writing takes its time to tell the story, which can be boring to most people (not for me – I read and loved LOTR when I was 11), and the story itself doesn’t get really interesting until 25-30%. That’s where all characters start to shine and when the plot speeds up, presenting more of the story and the world.

But what made me read this book for four hours nonstop was the mystery. I’m a sucker for mysteries in my fantasy books. Not knowing why x happened, why y is happening and what might happen in the future and why is one of the biggest reasons I enjoy reading fantasy books. And Lost Gods had a lot of that. Neythan, the main character, begins the story just as lost as the reader, and following him we slowly figured out the pieces of the puzzle. It was fascinating to have so many theories and possibilities floating around throughout the story.

The ending gives more questions than answers and set up the next book flawlessly. I can’t wait to see what Yongo is going to reveal next.

BUT! This book does kill a deaf character to advance the main characters’ storyline right out of the gates. It doesn’t matter the whys of his death; it’s never okay to kill a marginalized character for the sake of the MCs.

4.0 for Lost Gods.

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Review: Furyborn by Claire Legrand

When assassins ambush her best friend, the crown prince, Rielle Dardenne risks everything to save him, exposing her ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. The only people who should possess this extraordinary power are a pair of prophesied queens: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. To prove she is the Sun Queen, Rielle must endure seven trials to test her magic. If she fails, she will be executed…unless the trials kill her first.

A thousand years later, the legend of Queen Rielle is a mere fairy tale to bounty hunter Eliana Ferracora. When the Undying Empire conquered her kingdom, she embraced violence to keep her family alive. Now, she believes herself untouchable–until her mother vanishes without a trace, along with countless other women in their city. To find her, Eliana joins a rebel captain on a dangerous mission and discovers that the evil at the heart of the empire is more terrible than she ever imagined.

As Rielle and Eliana fight in a cosmic war that spans millennia, their stories intersect, and the shocking connections between them ultimately determine the fate of their world–and of each other.

I was super excited for this book and I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

Furyborn first caught my attention because of the time difference between the two POVs and how the legend of Queen Rielle was perceived in the future. I’ve talked about it on Twitter & on my blog a lot, but I absolutely adore writing and reading about lost history and how time & perspective/narrators change the events of the past. It’s quite literally my kryptonite – #antisnowwhite, #merpirate and#aroaceprincess all talk about it in a way or the other.

Despite my excitement, I wasn’t that thrilled about Rielle’s chapters because I’m sick and tired of trials in fantasy books. But to my surprise I ended up really liking them, and for the first half of the book I couldn’t decide which one I liked more, Rielle or Eliana. They are both interesting characters and the author did a great job on bringing them to life.

But what I liked the most about Furyborn was the worldbuilding. The world Legrand created is fascinating, both in Rielle’s and Eliana’s time. I loved the stories about the saints and angels (and the war between humans and angels) and about the gate that keeps the angels locked away. It was very interesting and the world felt beautifully real.

Sadly, the book lost me a bit in the second half, especially in Eliana’s chapters. I finished the story with Rielle as my favorite POV character because Eliana’s last chapters bothered me a bit. Eliana herself is, as I’ve said before, a wonderful character, harsh and sharp because of what she had to do to provide for her family. But towards the end her character arc just… hurries to its end. The switch between I-must-kill-to-survive-and-I-have-no-regrets to I’m-a-monster-omg was just so… sudden. I could see it coming since the beginning, of course, but the moment when she let it all out felt cheap and unearned.

Her pseudo-romance with Simon was also pretty bad, because just like her character arc it came out of nowhere and with an intensity I just couldn’t find believable. Their banter throughout the book was also annoying and painfully obvious.

In conclusion, I’m now much more interested in Rielle’s story than in Eliana’s. I want to know how things went so bad and what made her act the way she did. As for Eliana, I’m okay with her and her story, but so far I’m not that curious about her and her future.

In the end, Furyborn was an fast, intense read with great writing, characters and worldbuilding, though it does have its flaws when it comes to character arc & relationships. I can’t wait to read the next book. 4.0 stars.

ENBY WATCH: there are no enby characters in this book and the narrative doesn’t acknowledge the existence of nothing but men and women.

Patreon!

Hello, everyone! I know I haven’t posted in a long time (sorry!), but I came here to announce that I finalized made a Patreon! There I will post short stories, snippets from my WIPs, flash fiction, reviews, scene studies and character studies, plus an artwork here or there. You can check it out here!

I will still post three reviews on this blog (Silver Scales, Curved Horizon and Furyborn) but from now on all my reviews on be on my Patreon. You can check them out by pledging only 1$!

That’s it, I guess. I’ll be posting a preview of every reward I’ll offer on my Patreon this week and will link it here too.

Review: Island of Exiles by Erica Cameron

In this diverse, gritty survival fantasy, a girl warrior turns against her island clan to find the brother they claim died, uncovering secrets. Perfect for fans of Graceling and Snow Like Ashes.

In Khya’s world, every breath is a battle.

On the isolated desert island of Shiara, dying young is inevitable. The clan comes before self, and protecting her home means Khya is a warrior above all else.

But when following the clan and obeying their leaders could cost her brother his life, Khya’s home becomes a deadly trap. The only person who can help is Tessen, her lifelong rival and the boy who challenges her at every turn. The council she hoped to join has betrayed her, and their secrets, hundreds of years deep, reach around a world she’s never seen.

To save her brother’s life and her island home, her only choice is to trust Tessen, turn against her clan, and go on the run—a betrayal and a death sentence.

I’m a fan of stories about platonic relationships in general, but those about siblings have a special space in my heart. So when I first heard about Island of Exiles, I was excited, especially since it also featured a bisexual main character and an asexual side one. Though the book ended up being a pleasure to read, I must admit I wasn’t as captivated by it as I thought I would be.

First, the good: the protagonist, Khya, is incredible. She’s strong and determined, and I very much liked her more cold/impassive personality. Her two main relationships, with her brother and Tessen, are wonderfully complex and the best part of the story. Khya and Tessen’s relationship in special was incredibly refreshing and very different from your usual (and in my opinion boring) YA romance.

The mythology and worldbuilding in Island of Exiles is also great. Shiara is different, original and the author was successful in showing how its desolate climate shaped Khya’s people’s culture (also another highlight). The writing is good, though nothing extraordinary, and the plot is interesting if slow at times.

But what made this book sit in the “it was nice, I guess” category for me were, well, the characters. Yes, I just said Khya is an amazing protagonist, but aside from her (and maybe Tessen) no one is fleshed out enough and even Khya and Tessen themselves didn’t manage to make me actually care about them. Find them interesting? Sure. But care? Sadly, nope. And since I couldn’t care about them, much of the book’s emotional punch fell flat, maybe bordering on boring.

As for the rep, I can’t speak on the bisexual rep (though I couldn’t find fault in it) and the ace character is sadly super minor, so I honestly couldn’t care much about them.

Still, Island of Exiles is a good book and a great start to a new series. I don’t know if I’ll read the next one, but I certainly recommend The Ryogan Chronicles to fantasy lovers who would like to read about a different world & interesting characters. 3.0 stars.

Review: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

An East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl’s quest to become Empress–and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

I was super excited to read A Forest of a Thousand Lanterns from the moment I read its blurb and I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

From the moment I started reading this book I just couldn’t stop. The writing is good and flows easily, making it easy to get a good impression of all characters and to visualize what is happening (something very important for me, since I have trouble visualizing virtually anything). The characters also felt very real, even the secondary ones, though Xifeng, of course, is the true star of the story.

Xifeng isn’t likable by any means. She’s selfish and way too vain, and other people’s safety or well-being aren’t often enough to damper her ambition or stop her from doing what she wants. Still, I couldn’t help but feel for her during the whole book, from when she lived with her Guma (who abused her constantly) to when she became part of the empress’ household. Xifeng is more than just a well developed character – she is interesting, and it’s fascinating to read about her and about her relationships, especially the one with the Empress. It was very complex and felt for both of them.

The world where she lives is just as interesting and feels very real. I loved the mythology, especially the demons of the forest (I loved their chapters), and as a fan of prophecies I really liked Xifeng’s. The one thing I didn’t like about A Forest of a Thousand Lanterns and the reason I didn’t give it five stars is the “darkness” inside Xifeng. I didn’t find it convincing and the moments where she says she feels it inside her were the only ones where I felt kicked out of the story, so to speak. Still, it’s a minor detail in an otherwise incredible book.

I can’t wait to read the next book and to see where the author will take Xifeng’s story. 4 stars for A Forest of a Thousand Lanterns.

 

 

Review: The Uncrossing by Melissa Eastlake

Luke can uncross almost any curse—they unravel themselves for him like no one else. So working for the Kovrovs, one of the families controlling all the magic in New York, is exciting and dangerous, especially when he encounters the first curse he can’t break. And it involves Jeremy, the beloved, sheltered prince of the Kovrov family—the one boy he absolutely shouldn’t be falling for.

Jeremy’s been in love with cocky, talented Luke since they were kids. But from their first kiss, something’s missing. Jeremy’s family keeps generations of deadly secrets, forcing him to choose between love and loyalty. As Luke fights to break the curse, a magical, citywide war starts crackling, and it’s tied to Jeremy.

This might be the one curse Luke can’t uncross. If true love’s kiss fails, what’s left for him and Jeremy?

You know when you are really excited for a book, but cautiously wary because you’ve been disappointed too many times? That was me when I started reading The Uncrossing. This book looked like everything I want from a retelling, minus the contemporary setting: it’s queer, the worldbuilding seemed incredible and I had heard only good things about it.

I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

The Uncrossing won me over at first because of said worldbuilding. I loved the world Eastlake created, with curses and uncrossing and magical families fighting over NYC, but it was the characters that made me love this book. Luke and Jeremy just worked, together or otherwise. I could understand them, sympathize with them and root for them since the beginning. Together they were awesome: Jeremy’s love for Luke was so endearing and I liked how the author managed to portray Luke falling in love with him too without it feeling forced.

The secondary characters were also great and so developed. My favorites were Luke’s sister and Jeremy’s uncles. Not because they are good people (Jeremy’s uncles are quite questionable) but because they were complex and interesting, and I liked reading about them just as much as about Luke and Jeremy.

My only complaint is the ending, which was a bit confusing. I couldn’t understand well what was going on, but maybe that’s just me and I need a reread to get it right. Still, I finished the book knowing I had loved it but confused at how it had ended.

In conclusion, The Uncrossing is fast read that manages to develop most if not all of its characters and still has an awesome plot. I can’t wait to read more from this author. 4.0 stars.

Review: Would it be okay to love you? by Amy Tasukada

A robot fanboy. An erotic voice actor. When love comes calling, will they shed their armor?

Sato’s only long-term relationship is the one he shares with his Gundam collectibles. He dreams about the kind of unconditional love his parents enjoy. If only he could break out of his shell, he might find his special someone…

Outgoing playboy Aoi has sworn off relationships. He knows they only distract him from his budding voice acting career. He’s earned a few loyal fans, and if he keeps at it, he may even earn enough to never worry about being evicted again…

When Sato meets Aoi at the local anime store, there’s definitely a spark. But even as they tread carefully, their commitment issues and Aoi’s troubled past soon muck things up before they can start. In order for Sato and Aoi to have their happily-ever-after, they’ll both have to take a leap of faith… and hope to be caught.

This book legit had everything I like in a romance book: slow burn, nerdy things and characters who seemed to be endearing (and very little sex, amen). A plus, obviously, was also the fact that it is set in Japan and I love reading romance books (or just books in general) set outside of the U.S.

But the connection just didn’t happen.

I’m still trying to figure out why, so maybe writing this review will help. Would it be okay to love you? has an interesting premise and good writing, but I could never connect with the characters. With the idea of them, yes – it’s impossible not to sympathize with Aoi’s money struggle or with his complicated non-relationship with his parents, or understand Sato’s desire for a relationship. On the surface, everything is perfect – but book never quite manages to make both characters seem real.

To make matters worse, the relationship between Aoi and Sato just isn’t interesting. There is no chemistry (and here I’m not talking in the sexual attraction sense – just chemistry) and its central conflict is too weak and solved too easily. It was basically just Aoi realizing he likes Sato and that’s it. Relationship problems solved!

The ending also came out of nowhere. Things weren’t tied up nicely. At one moment Aoi is isolating himself from everyone because he isn’t getting any jobs & blames himself for a certain accident for no reason and the next moment everything is fine, he has jobs and the urge to isolate himself is gone. I wanted to see this process, to understand his development, but the story doesn’t give me the chance to do so.

And that’s the problem with it. Too much happens too fast with very little development and because of that the ending feels unsatisfying. Still, I enjoyed some of the book: its setting and the idea of both characters’ personalities, mainly.

In conclusion, Would it be okay to love you? had a good premise and could have had good characters, but the execution was too weak to make that happen. 2.0 stars.