EMPIRE OF STORMS By Sarah J. Maas

March 3, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

EMPIRE OF STORMS By Sarah J. MaasEmpire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #5
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on 9/6/16
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 703
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Short and Sweet Review

After the events of Queen of Shadows, Aelin learns that the path to the throne is going to be a long and hard one. War is also coming and now its up to Aelin and her friends to find allies that will fight alongside them.

This book is on par with the previous books and is filled with action. Aelin meets with some Lords who won’t accept her as queen, while at this meeting they hear that Rifthold is under attack so Rowan is sent there to get Dorian and make sure he’s safe. Elsewhere Elide is trying to make her way to Celaena who is Aelin but she doesn’t know that and she meets Lorcan and they start traveling together. Eventually Aelin and her group meet at Skulls Bay and make some more acquaintances along the way. Also Maeve is looking for Aelin and will stop at nothing until she gets what she wants.

I loved this book and the characters just make it everything that it is. Aelin is just so smart and calculating and even when it seems like she doesn’t know what she’s doing she’s actually 2 steps ahead. The ending was just jaw dropping and it set up the ending of the series beautifully. I’m excited to read Tower of Dawn and see what Chaol was up to while everyone was getting ready for war in this book. This series just gets better and better and I love the characters and the set up.

Filed Under: Reviews

REVELLE By Lyssa Mia Smith

February 13, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

REVELLE By Lyssa Mia SmithRevelle by Lyssa Mia Smith
Published by Balzer + Bray on 2/14/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 459
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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On the island of Charmant, magic flows like bootlegged champagne, and fantasies can be bought for the price of a gemstone.

Luxe Revelle, star of her family’s fantastical show, knows the splendor is just an illusion. With Prohibition threatening their livelihood, her family struggles to make a living, watering down champagne and patching holes in their sequined costumes. So when the son of Charmant’s wealthiest family makes her an offer—everything the Revelles need to stay in business, in exchange for posing as his girl and helping him become mayor—she can’t refuse.

The moment Jamison Port sets foot in Charmant, he can’t shake the feeling of familiarity. An orphan with as few memories as gemstones, he’s desperate to learn what happened to his parents. But as he delves into the island’s secrets, he risks angering the wrong person and discovering a truth that just might break his heart.

When Luxe and Jamison accidentally meet, the sparks that fly are more than her magical enchantments. But keeping secrets from powerful people is a dangerous game . . . one that could destroy them both.

Short and Sweet Review

On the island of Charmant magic is flowing. There’s different families who have different abilities and for Luxe she has the ability to charm people with the Revelle family magic. Luxe uses her power at her family’s fantastic shows convincing tourists to give her jewels and with those jewels she can make their fantasies come true for a moment. But as great as the show is the family is running out of alcohol and that’s a problem because her family is struggling financially. Luxe ends up making a deal with Dewey Chronos a resident bootlegger and he’s running for mayor. He tells Luxe he’ll give her family alcohol if she poses as his girl and helps him win his bid for Mayor. Jamison Port is in Charmant for the first time or at least he thinks so, until he feels like there’s things that he recognizes. Jamison has a few memories but not enough to have the full picture. The main reason Jamison is in Charmant is to find out what happened to his parents. Jamison and Luxe meet and sparks fly but they’re players in a dangerous game and don’t even know it.

The world in this book is magical, we meet different families that have different abilities. The Revelles are able to charm people, the Chronoses can time travel, the Edwardians can hear thoughts, and the Strattori can heal by transferring wounds to other people. Things are really interesting because not only does Luxe have her normal family magic but she’s able to sway people’s thoughts and this second ability is actually blood magic. When Luxe agrees to help Dewey she does it because she wants to help her family, but she doesn’t really know what she’s getting into with Dewey. Dewey starts off as your typical nice guy but deep down that guy has some serious issues. He’s very possessive and insecure and the things we find out that’s been doing are really twisted. Jamison on the other hand comes to Charmant with Roger Revelle and Trysta Chronos, they both left their families behind to see what’s outside of Charmant and I love that they’re Jamison’s best friends, they were ride or die until the end. Jamison has been searching for answers about who his parents were and what happened to him and he feels like Charmant has the answers to those questions. There’s a lot going on in this book with the mystery of people disappearing, family members trying to assassinate each other, and the craziness the time traveling can have on what happens. The characters were great, Luxe is motivated by making sure her family will be okay and Jamison is like a protector, Dewey is someone you just don’t want to like his villain origin story was crazy. I also loved the secondary characters like Millie and Collette, Luxe’s cousins that she hasn’t really hung out with but is trying to reconnect with them and Trysta and Roger. This group really came together to try to right the wrongs that were happening and look for answers.

There was a lot of action in the end and it was a little dramatic but it was still so good. I loved the plot and the characters and the magic just took this book to another level. Get ready to be swept away in the magical world that is Revelle!

Filed Under: Reviews

THE ZEPPELIN DECEPTION By Colleen Gleason

January 28, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE ZEPPELIN DECEPTION By Colleen GleasonThe Zeppelin Deception by Colleen Gleason
Series: Stoker & Holmes #5
Published by Avid Press on 8/22/19
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Young Adult
Pages: 360
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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It’s a cold, blustery day in January of 1890 when Mina Holmes receives an invitation to Evaline Stoker’s wedding. The two young women—partners and occasionally friends—haven’t spoken for nearly two months, since the events at the Carnelian Crow.

Shocked, Mina is still looking at the invitation when constables from Scotland Yard begin pounding on her front door. They’ve arrived to arrest her for the murder of a man she’s never even heard of.

Meanwhile, Evaline has her hands full with wedding plans (boring) and an overbearing sister who wants to manage her every move—including a dizzying array of social activities. In the midst of all this, she receives an invitation to visit Lady Isabella Cosgrove-Pitt, a most villainous woman.

With Pix in jail, Mina being hunted by Scotland Yard, and Evaline dining with the murderous Lady Isabella what more can possibly go wrong? Plenty.

And when the mysterious black zeppelin appears once again in the night sky, things are about to get even more dangerous than ever for Miss Stoker and Miss Holmes...

Short and Sweet Review

After the events of the Carnelian Crow, Mina and Evaline haven’t spoken in two months, so Mina is surprised when she gets an invitation to Evaline’s wedding. Mina doesn’t have long to think about how strange this is because the constables from Scotland Yard are pounding on her door waiting to arrest her for murder of a man she’s never even heard of. Evaline on the other hand is planning a wedding she doesn’t even want to have, but when she gets an invitation to go to Isabella Cosgrove-Pitt’s house she accepts, because what’s the worst that could happen?

I thought this last installment in the Stoker and Holmes series was probably one of the best, I liked it a lot more than the Carnelian Crow. I thought it was interesting to see how Mina and Evaline were without each other and the realization that they really do like to work together and care for one another. My favorite thing about this book was that it was the ending and we see these girls tackle their final case and will finally take on the Ankh for the last time. The Ankh really is one of their toughest villains and it was interesting to see how she was still pulling the strings in this final book. We also get to see some of the characters that we’ve come to love like Grayling, Pix, and Dylan.

The Zeppelin Deception was a great send off for Mina and Evaline, thought the series we’ve seen them work together and really form a bond. The plot in this book wasn’t lacking and it was fun seeing our heroines tackle one last case before moving on.

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SORCERY OF THORNS By Margaret Rogerson

January 26, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

SORCERY OF THORNS By Margaret RogersonSorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Series: Sorcery of Thorns #1
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on 6/4/19
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 457
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

Short and Sweet Review

Elisabeth has grown up in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, the libraries contain grimoires that can whisper and shake on the shelves and if they’re provoked they can turn into monsters of ink and leather. One night someone releases one of the library’s most dangerous book and Elisabeth is blamed for the crime. Unfortunately Elisabeth has no one to turn to except for a sorcerer named Nathaniel Thorn and this is hard for Elisabeth because she has grown up thinking that all sorcerers are evil. Now Elisabeth is entangled in a conspiracy that spans centuries and she has to figure out how to make things right before the world incinerates around them.

Sorcery of Thorns was an intriguing book. I loved the fact that Elisabeth worked in one of the libraries and its not a. normal library it holds magical grimoires. Elisabeth knows a lot about the grimoires and treats the books with respect because she knows what will happen if she doesn’t. When Elisabeth is implicated in the crime she is forced to go with Nathaniel who will take her to her trial. Nathaniel is the best I love his dialogue, he’s smart and quick with his replies. Obviously Nathaniel shows Elisabeth that not all sorcerers are alike. Nathaniel also has a demon named Silas who is just as great he’s basically Nathaniel’s right hand. Anyway things really start picking up in this book when Elisabeth realizes that the grimoire that was taken from her library isn’t the only one and that more of these incidents are going to happen at the other great libraries. I liked Nathaniel and Elisabeth’s teamwork and how it went from skepticism on Elisabeth’s side to learning to trust Nathaniel.

I loved the characters in this book and the world building, the magic system is pretty great too. Elisabeth’s quest to save the world she loves is endearing and I liked how she was able to expand her horizons and understand that things she might have first believed can be wrong. This book was amazing and I loved how different it was from the books I’ve recently read.

Filed Under: Reviews

CITY OF NIGHTMARES By Rebecca Schaeffer

January 18, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

CITY OF NIGHTMARES By Rebecca SchaefferCity of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer
Series: City of Nightmares #1
Published by Clarion Books on 1/10/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Horror & Ghost Stories, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 381
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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Ever since her sister became a man-eating spider and slaughtered her way through town, nineteen-year-old Ness has been terrified—terrified of some other Nightmare murdering her, and terrified of ending up like her sister. Because in Newham, the city that never sleeps, dreaming means waking up as your worst fear.

Whether that means becoming a Nightmare that’s monstrous only in appearance, to transforming into a twisted, unrecognizable creature that terrorizes the city, no one is safe. Ness will do anything to avoid becoming another victim, even if that means lying low among the Friends of the Restful Soul, a questionable organization that may or may not be a cult.

But being a member of maybe-cult has a price. In order to prove herself, Ness cons her way into what’s supposed to be a simple job for the organization—only for it to blow up in her face. Literally. Tangled up in the aftermath of an explosive assassination, now Ness and the only other survivor—a Nightmare boy who Ness suspects is planning to eat her—must find their way back to Newham and uncover the sinister truth behind the attack, even as the horrors of her past loom ominously near.

Short and Sweet Review

Ever since Ness’ sister became a man eating spider Ness has been terrified of nightmares. Ness lives in the city of Newham where she works for the Friends of the Restful Soul, which may or may not be a cult. Ness is on her last straw with the friends organization for her inability to be brave. Ness goes on what should be a simple task: delivering mail, until it all blows up. Ness meets a nightmare named Cy, who’s a vampire, who may be trying to eat her. After Ness and Cy realize that the boat was blown up intentionally, they make their way back to Newham to try to find out who was behind the attack.

The world building in this book is great. When people have dreams they could end up waking as their worst fear. Ness has tried to avoid anything that scares her, she even leaves her friend to fight a nightmare by herself. I did like Ness she may have started off as a coward but through the course of the book she becomes less afraid of things that would normally send her running. I liked seeing the dynamic between Ness and Cy mainly because she wants nothing to do with him because he’s a vampire but he saves her life so that kind of changes things in her mind. I liked seeing how the nightmares worked and we even see what’s called a nightmare phantom in Ness’ dreams and he basically makes becoming your worst fear possible. Anyway Newham is filled with corruption and the assassination attempt was only scratching the surface. Ness doesn’t have any family, so it was nice seeing her friendship with Priya and her new one with Cy. The ending of the book was good and it sets up the sequel well. I’m excited to see what the sequel has in store and what decisions Ness will make.

Filed Under: Reviews

QUEEN OF SHADOWS By Sarah J. Maas

January 5, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

QUEEN OF SHADOWS By Sarah J. MaasQueen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #4
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 9/1/15
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 653
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Buy on Amazon

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire-for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Short and Sweet Review

This book gets right to business. Dorian is being controlled by one of the magical necklaces the king has placed him in. Aelin has come back to Rifthold and she has plans but those plans are put on hold when she finds out that her cousin Aedion is set to be executed. Chaol is also here but instead of being captain of the guard, he has joined forces with the rebels. Manon’s witch friends have been selected to breed with the Valg demons which isn’t going well.

There’s always a lot going on in these books but it just makes so much sense. I love that Aelin comes back in and she basically has a team and even though people don’t always agree with her they’re there for her in the end. Aelin is smart and strategic and it’s amazing how she’s usually one step ahead of everyone. I still prefer her POV over everyone else’s. I also liked learning more about Lysandra and the friendship that she and Aelin form. The final battle at the end was pretty epic and we learn that the king isn’t the only enemy out there, there’s something even older and more powerful than any of our characters imagined.

These books are jam packed with action and they become addicting, I’m excited to start reading Empire of Storms!

Filed Under: Reviews

KIND OF A BIG DEAL By Shannon Hale

January 4, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

KIND OF A BIG DEAL By Shannon HaleKind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale
Published by Roaring Brook Press on 8/25/20
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy & Magic, Young Adult
Pages: 397
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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There's nothing worse than peaking in high school. Nobody knows that better than Josie Pie.

She was kind of a big deal—she dropped out of high school to be a star! But the bigger you are, the harder you fall. And Josie fell. Hard. Ouch. Broadway dream: dead.

Meanwhile, her life keeps imploding. Best friend: distant. Boyfriend: busy. Mom: not playing with a full deck? Desperate to escape, Josie gets into reading.

Literally. She reads a book and suddenly she's inside it. And with each book, she’s a different character: a post-apocalyptic heroine, the lead in a YA rom-com, a 17th century wench in a corset.

It’s alarming. But also . . . kind of amazing?

It’s the perfect way to live out her fantasies. Book after book, Josie the failed star finds a new way to shine. But the longer she stays in a story, the harder it becomes to escape.

Will Josie find a story so good that she just stays forever?

Short and Sweet Review

Josie peaked in high school, she was a great singer and she wanted to be on broadway but show biz is tough and she got turned away. Now Josie is a nanny in a state far away from New York. Josie still tries to live her high school life even though she dropped out to pursue her dreams, so she thinks about her boyfriend who’s been distant and her best friend who’s been too busy to talk. When Josie goes to a book store and gets a book and begins reading it she’s transported into the book and at first she’s scared but in these books she finds a way to see the people she misses and find a way to make her broadway dreams come true.

The plot of this story is great, who doesn’t want to go into their favorite books and see everything. The problem with this story is Josie. She wasn’t an easy character to connect to and unfortunately she thought very highly of herself and wasn’t great at taking criticism. She was more focused on making her dreams come true and in the process of doing that completely ignores what’s going on around her. Josie book hopped a lot and did a lot of complaining and over all everything was about her and by the time she learns a lesson about how the world doesn’t revolve around her the book is over. I didn’t care for the ending honestly if Josie was stuck in a book forever as punishment for her behavior I would have been fine with it, but overall not my favorite read and it took way too long for the climax to take place.

Filed Under: Reviews

POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL By Serena Valentino

December 30, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

POOR UNFORTUNATE SOUL By Serena ValentinoPoor Unfortunate Soul by Serena Valentino
Series: Villains #3
Published by Disney Press on 7/26/16
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Retellings, Young Adult
Pages: 140
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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The tale of the sea king's daughter Ariel is a beloved one of losing-and then finding-one's own voice. The story has been told many times and in many ways. But always the mergirl wants more than her world can offer, and her father demands that she live within the confines of his domain. Her rebelliousness costs the little mermaid her voice and nearly her soul. But the power of good prevails, and Ariel emerges proud and unchanged.

And yet this is only half the story. So what of Ariel's nemesis, Ursula, the sea witch? What led to her becoming so twisted, scorned, and filled with hatred? Many tales have tried to explain her motives. Here is one account of what might have shaped the sea witch into a detestable and poor unfortunate soul.

Short and Sweet Review

Poor Unfortunate Soul follows everyones favorite Sea Witch, Ursula. In this book we see Ursula express her anger and frustrations about how her brother Triton has treated her over the years and how her anger has consumed her over the years. Ursula comes up with a plan to get revenge by going after Tritons younger daughter, Ariel, and from there I think we all know how the story goes.

Unfortunately this book was a let down. There was more of a focus on the Odd sisters and Princess Tulip than there was on Ursula. The Odd sisters seek out Ursula and ask for their help in finding their sister Circe, and princess Tulip and her Nanny are involved because Circe has been helping them. Things could have been better if there was more of a focus on Ursula than everything else the author had going on. The previous books showed the Odd sisters but the focus was more on our title characters than them. Hopefully the next book in the series sticks to the actual main character and their story line rather than the secondary characters. The story was okay, I understand what the author was trying to do but this book was just too short to make it work.

Filed Under: Reviews

BREAKUP FROM HELL By Ann Dávila Cardinal

December 27, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

BREAKUP FROM HELL By Ann Dávila CardinalBreakup from Hell by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Published by HarperTeen on 1/3/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Horror & Ghost Stories, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 297
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Miguela Angeles is tired. Tired of her abuela keeping secrets, especially about her heritage. Tired of her small Vermont town and hanging out at the same places with the same friends she’s known forever. So when another boring Sunday trip to church turns into a run-in with Sam, a mysterious hottie in town on vacation, Mica seizes the opportunity to get closer to him.

It’s not long before she is under Sam’s spell and doing things she’s never done before, like winning all her martial arts sparring matches—and lying to her favorite people. The more time Mica spends with Sam, the more weird things start to happen, too. Like terrifying-visions-of-the-world-ending weird.

Mica’s gut instincts keep telling her something is off, yet Sam is the most exciting guy she’s ever met. But when Mica discovers his family’s roots, she realizes that instead of being in the typical high school relationship, she’s living in a horror novel.

She has to leave Sam, but will ending their relationship also bring an end to everything she knows and everyone she loves?

Short and Sweet Review

Miguela Angeles (Mica) lives with her grandma in a small town in Vermont, all Miguela wants is to break free of the small town life, her grandma keeping her on a tight leash, and just being with the same people and seeing the same things all the time. During a normal Sunday at Church Mica has a run in with a new guy Sam who isn’t so bad looking, Sam is on vacation and Mica gravitates towards him. After meeting Sam Mica realizes that weird things are starting to happen to her and her friends including new abilities and end of the world type dreams. Mica knows she has to stay away from Sam but for some reason it feels like ending it with him will be the end of the world as she knows it.

Mica starts a relationship with the new guy Sam and sees that things with him aren’t what they seem. After being with Mica starts getting Buffy the Vampire Slayer like powers and she knows that this isn’t normal. Come to find out Mica is a descendent of the Archangel Michael and Sam is unfortunately the son of Satan. Their relationship ends up turning them into enemies.

The plot was interesting I mean its not everyday you end up dating Satans son. I liked that Mica’s friends were also special and that she didn’t have to go through things alone. The dialogue was a bit cheesy and it felt juvenile like something from a bad superhero movie. I think one of my favorite things was that each of the chapters started with a verse from Revelation which only makes sense because this relationship may cause the end of the world. I didn’t connect with Mica but I did like the whole angel aspect of the book. The relationship between Mica and Sam wasn’t really anything to look forward to it’s instalove and very short lived.

If you want a short book that involves angels and demons then this book is a good way to start off your new year.

Filed Under: Reviews

HEIR OF FIRE By Sarah J. Maas

December 27, 2022 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

HEIR OF FIRE By Sarah J. MaasHeir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Published by Bloomsbury YA on 9/2/14
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 576
Format: Ebook
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak-but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth . . . a truth about her heritage that could change her life-and her future-forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?

Short and Sweet Review

After the events of Crown of Midnight, Chaol manages to get Celaena sent to Wendlyn under the guise of killing the royal family. Celaena has no idea why Chaol would even suggest this but now that she’s in Wendlyn with no intentions of killing the royal family she doesn’t know what to do with herself until her aunt the queen of fae, Maeve sends for her. Celaena decides that this is the perfect time to learn more about wyrdkeys but her aunt won’t answer her questions until she deems Celaena worthy and now Celaena has to train with Rowan to learn to control the magic that she’s suppressed for all of these years. Meanwhile back at the castle, Dorian is learning to control his magic and Chaol starts exchanging information with Aedion who just happens to be Celaena’s cousin. Also there’s a new character Manon Blackbeak, an Ironteeth witch. She’s tasked with picking a wyvern and training him until he’s ready to fight in the kings army, Manon’s goal is to work for the king until she can reclaim her country.

There’s a lot going on in this book but in a good way. I enjoyed all of the POVs but my favorite is Aelin’s (Celaena) we learn so much about her and what happened the day almost everyone in her kingdom was slaughtered. Aelin has been suppressing her fae form for a long time so now that she’s training with Rowan she’s struggling to perfect the art of shifting and control her fire magic. These two had an interesting relationship because at first, Rowan wanted nothing to do with Aelin but we all know she knows how to work her charm and honestly I’m looking forward to see where this all goes. Also the king is up to some shady stuff and the magic he’s been working is dark like the kind of magic they tell you to stay away from. I felt bad for Dorian he has magic but his father banished all magic from the kingdom so he has to learn to use it in secret. I also liked the addition of Aedion when we read from his POV we see how much he cares about Aelin even though he hasn’t seen her since they were kids. Manon is okay she’s a tough character and lets people know she’s a boss but I’m interested in learning more about her because we mostly see her training her wyvern in this book.

Heir of Fire is exciting and offers so much backstory and interesting new characters. I can’t wait to see what happens in Queen of Shadows!

Filed Under: Reviews