Duanur's bookshelf: fantasy en-US Thu, 20 Mar 2025 03:40:01 -0700 60 Duanur's bookshelf: fantasy 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Wood at Midwinter 206101583 'A church is a sort of wood. A wood is a sort of church. They're the same thing really.'

Nineteen-year-old Merowdis Scott is an unusual girl. She can talk to animals and trees—and she is only ever happy when she is walking in the woods.

One snowy afternoon, out with her dogs and Apple the pig, Merowdis encounters a blackbird and a fox. As darkness falls, a strange figure enters in their midst—and the path of her life is changed forever.

From the internationally bestselling and prize-winning author of Piranesi and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, an enchanting, beautifully illustrated short story set in the Strange universe. Featuring an introduction by Susanna Clarke and gorgeous illustrations from Victoria Sawdon truly worthy of the magic of this story, this is a mesmerising, must-have addition to any fantasy reader's bookshelf.]]> 64 Susanna Clarke 1639734481 Duanur 2
...and that's about it.

It has good enough writing to not give this one star.]]> 3.47 2024 The Wood at Midwinter
author: Susanna Clarke
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: e-books, fantasy, illustrated, novellas
review:
A very short story about a woman who goes into the woods.

...and that's about it.

It has good enough writing to not give this one star.
]]> <![CDATA[Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles, #1)]]> 8757361
Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance . . . and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father.

But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin's faith in her . . . but in himself.]]> 417 Melina Marchetta 0763651753 Duanur 0 3.92 2008 Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles, #1)
author: Melina Marchetta
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: fantasy, dnf, young-adult, unhauled
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe, #1)]]> 18106318
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.]]> 336 Rosamund Hodge 0062224751 Duanur 2
This book had so much potential. The characters were interesting enough, the story was different (except the fact that it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling), the writing was good. But I think the amount of mythology it had was too much. It made the story hard to understand and unnecessarily complicated. The beginning chapters had a lot of repetitions that I started to think that the author thought I was a fool. I believe she tried to show Nyx's intense feelings but it just made me frustrated.

I really like snarky, know-it-all male characters so it is not a surprise that my favourite character is Ignifex. I really liked Nyx as well. She was a strong female lead and I love badass protagonists.

I was going to give this book 3 stars but the ending made me lower my rating. I pretty much guessed what was going to happen at the end. But I didn't like the way it happened.

Ignifex was the best thing about this book.]]> 3.67 2014 Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe, #1)
author: Rosamund Hodge
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2014
rating: 2
read at: 2015/08/28
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: e-books, fantasy, beauty-and-the-beast, young-adult
review:
*2.5*

This book had so much potential. The characters were interesting enough, the story was different (except the fact that it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling), the writing was good. But I think the amount of mythology it had was too much. It made the story hard to understand and unnecessarily complicated. The beginning chapters had a lot of repetitions that I started to think that the author thought I was a fool. I believe she tried to show Nyx's intense feelings but it just made me frustrated.

I really like snarky, know-it-all male characters so it is not a surprise that my favourite character is Ignifex. I really liked Nyx as well. She was a strong female lead and I love badass protagonists.

I was going to give this book 3 stars but the ending made me lower my rating. I pretty much guessed what was going to happen at the end. But I didn't like the way it happened.

Ignifex was the best thing about this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening]]> 55883882
Collects MONSTRESS #1-6

About the Creators:

New York Times bestselling and award-winning writer Marjorie Liu is best known for her fiction and comic books. She teaches comic book writing at MIT, and leads a class on Popular Fiction at the Voices of Our Nation (VONA) workshop. Ms. Liu's extensive work includes the bestselling "Astonishing X-Men" for Marvel Comics, which featured the gay wedding of X-Man Northstar and was subsequently nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding media images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Prior to writing full-time, Liu was a lawyer. She currently resides in Boston.

Sana Takeda is an illustrator and comic book artist who was born in Niigata, and now resides in Tokyo, Japan. At age 20 she started out as a 3D CGI designer for SEGA, a Japanese video game company, and became a freelance artist when she was 25. She is still an artist, and has worked on titles such as "X-23" and "Ms. Marvel" for Marvel Comics, and is an illustrator for trading card games in Japan.]]> 192 Marjorie M. Liu 1632157098 Duanur 2 3.96 2016 Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening
author: Marjorie M. Liu
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2020/12/09
date added: 2024/07/19
shelves: adult, illustrated, fantasy, 2020
review:
The art is absolutely amazing. But unfortunately, this wasn't for me. There were too much gore and violence involving children. The plot and the world is interesting and I would have wanted to read more about the story but for now, I'll pass.
]]> The Memory Police 37004370
When a young woman who is struggling to maintain her career as a novelist discovers that her editor is in danger from the Memory Police, she concocts a plan to hide him beneath her floorboards. As fear and loss close in around them, they cling to her writing as the last way of preserving the past.

A surreal, provocative fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss, The Memory Police is a stunning new work from one of the most exciting contemporary authors writing in any language.]]> 274 Yōko Ogawa 1101870605 Duanur 4
Melancholic, touching and beautiful.

I need to read more japanese fiction since I love the soothing writing japanese literature generally has.

This one was about a world where the Memory Police dissapeared objects... and more. The dissapearences might be small like harmonicas or pretty big like living creatures, birds and roses.

The story is not plot-driven. It was more of a sociological and psychological read.

I loved the first half. The writing is beautiful. The japanese culture and the setting were interesting. But the second half dragged and I found myself skimming a little to finish the book. The ending was perfect for the story and overall I found the book interesting and melancholic in a beautiful way so I'm rounding my rating up to a 4.]]> 3.72 1994 The Memory Police
author: Yōko Ogawa
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.72
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/04
date added: 2024/07/19
shelves: 2024, adult, fantasy, literary-fiction, owned, translated
review:
*3.5*

Melancholic, touching and beautiful.

I need to read more japanese fiction since I love the soothing writing japanese literature generally has.

This one was about a world where the Memory Police dissapeared objects... and more. The dissapearences might be small like harmonicas or pretty big like living creatures, birds and roses.

The story is not plot-driven. It was more of a sociological and psychological read.

I loved the first half. The writing is beautiful. The japanese culture and the setting were interesting. But the second half dragged and I found myself skimming a little to finish the book. The ending was perfect for the story and overall I found the book interesting and melancholic in a beautiful way so I'm rounding my rating up to a 4.
]]> The Spellshop 195138130 Every home needs a little magic . . .

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, Kiela and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. But to her dismay, in addition to a nosy � and very handsome � neighbour, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire has slowly been draining power from the island, and now Kiela is determined to make things right. But opening up her own spellshop comes with its own risks � the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela starts to make a place for herself among the townspeople, she realizes she must break down the walls she has kept so high . . .]]> 385 Sarah Beth Durst 1035042355 Duanur 5 2024, adult, fantasy, fun Maybe this was something that could last. How often did you meet someone who offered to build you bookshelves?

Where are my Stardew Valley girlies at???

Kielan might not be a farmer, but this felt like playing Stardew Valley. It was so cozy with a slow burn romance, a found family, and nature love.

I needed more romance since I loved Larran. But, at its heart, this was a book about finding your home.

I also loved the audiobook. Highly recommend it if you want a cozy escapism.




P.s. I have a deeper connection with my spider plant now lol]]> 4.04 2024 The Spellshop
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/14
date added: 2024/07/14
shelves: 2024, adult, fantasy, fun
review:
Maybe this was something that could last. How often did you meet someone who offered to build you bookshelves?

Where are my Stardew Valley girlies at???

Kielan might not be a farmer, but this felt like playing Stardew Valley. It was so cozy with a slow burn romance, a found family, and nature love.

I needed more romance since I loved Larran. But, at its heart, this was a book about finding your home.

I also loved the audiobook. Highly recommend it if you want a cozy escapism.




P.s. I have a deeper connection with my spider plant now lol
]]> <![CDATA[Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes, #1)]]> 57028076
Shiori'anma, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted. But it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

A sorceress in her own right, Raikama banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes. She warns Shiori that she must speak of it to no one for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Penniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in a paper bird, a mercurial dragon, and the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to forswear--no matter what the cost.

Weaving together elements of The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E, and the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.]]> 464 Elizabeth Lim 1529356555 Duanur 3
I liked the theme of familial love. The character development was great. The romance was a bit lacking, but it wasn't bad. I liked the twist to the original story at the end. I also appreciated the asian influences. (I guess I have to read the second book to see more dragons)

Overall, this book was a little mediocre for me. But my standards for YA fantasy are pretty high after reading so many of them. Maybe if it was a bit shorter, I would have enjoyed it more. I don't really have too much to say about it since it wasn't amazing or horrible. It was a fun time, but I found myself wanting it to be over about halfway through.]]> 4.20 2021 Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes, #1)
author: Elizabeth Lim
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/02
date added: 2024/07/02
shelves: 2024, e-books, fantasy, young-adult
review:
Strong beginning and end, the middle dragged.

I liked the theme of familial love. The character development was great. The romance was a bit lacking, but it wasn't bad. I liked the twist to the original story at the end. I also appreciated the asian influences. (I guess I have to read the second book to see more dragons)

Overall, this book was a little mediocre for me. But my standards for YA fantasy are pretty high after reading so many of them. Maybe if it was a bit shorter, I would have enjoyed it more. I don't really have too much to say about it since it wasn't amazing or horrible. It was a fun time, but I found myself wanting it to be over about halfway through.
]]> <![CDATA[Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, #1)]]> 77197
Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chivalry Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely. Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility.

So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribing, courtly manners; and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.]]> 435 Robin Hobb 055357339X Duanur 3 2024, adult, fantasy
I went into this knowing it would be a slow-paced, character driven, politics heavy fantasy. I was no way near ready for how slow this book was. There is little to no plot, but even with the amount of injustices and sadness Fitz endures, the vibes are surprisingly cozy. I loved Fitz, and if you don't care about him, it would be impossible to finish this book. Because there is nothing else to keep you going. The side characters are interesting enough, but there are not enough scenes with them to deepen their connection with Fitz. He is very lonely and desperate to find a connection. The only real connection he has is with his dogs.

I also didn't think the book had that much politics. I guess I was expecting much more complex court politics. Generally, I prefer court politics over action scenes so I was excited but what we got was...fine.

Whenever I put the book down I thought I wouldn't return to it but every day I went back thinking I wanted to know what happened to Fitz next. It also helped that the writing was one of the best writings I have read in a fantasy book. It wasn't flowery nor it had too many descriptions but I could feel myself in the book whenever I picked it up. The scenes were so vivid in my mind, and everything Fitz felt I felt them too.

I am conflicted whether to continue this series. Even now I want to know what will happen next. But, I also dread reading pages and pages of nothing. I am not a huge fan of "no plot just vibes" books or slice of life books, and I felt like this was both of those things.








Spoilery p.s I can't believe I spent the majority of the book absolutely hating Burrich because of what he's done to an animal then realized he didn't do it later in the book. I was probably more shocked than Fitz because I 100% thought I would never forgive him even if he saved Fitz 100 times.]]> 4.21 1995 Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, #1)
author: Robin Hobb
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/27
date added: 2024/06/27
shelves: 2024, adult, fantasy
review:
Does Robin Hobb secretly hate dogs? I wouldn't call myself an animal person, but I was devastated over how much the dogs suffered in this book. That doesn't mean I wasn't devastated over Fitz because I definitely was (I want to beat every adult around him and give him a big hug). But, I can safely say that the few times I teared up were because of the animal abuse.

I went into this knowing it would be a slow-paced, character driven, politics heavy fantasy. I was no way near ready for how slow this book was. There is little to no plot, but even with the amount of injustices and sadness Fitz endures, the vibes are surprisingly cozy. I loved Fitz, and if you don't care about him, it would be impossible to finish this book. Because there is nothing else to keep you going. The side characters are interesting enough, but there are not enough scenes with them to deepen their connection with Fitz. He is very lonely and desperate to find a connection. The only real connection he has is with his dogs.

I also didn't think the book had that much politics. I guess I was expecting much more complex court politics. Generally, I prefer court politics over action scenes so I was excited but what we got was...fine.

Whenever I put the book down I thought I wouldn't return to it but every day I went back thinking I wanted to know what happened to Fitz next. It also helped that the writing was one of the best writings I have read in a fantasy book. It wasn't flowery nor it had too many descriptions but I could feel myself in the book whenever I picked it up. The scenes were so vivid in my mind, and everything Fitz felt I felt them too.

I am conflicted whether to continue this series. Even now I want to know what will happen next. But, I also dread reading pages and pages of nothing. I am not a huge fan of "no plot just vibes" books or slice of life books, and I felt like this was both of those things.








Spoilery p.s I can't believe I spent the majority of the book absolutely hating Burrich because of what he's done to an animal then realized he didn't do it later in the book. I was probably more shocked than Fitz because I 100% thought I would never forgive him even if he saved Fitz 100 times.
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters, #1)]]> 13928
But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift—by staying silent. If she speaks before she completes the quest set to her by the Fair Folk and their queen, the Lady of the Forest, she will lose her brothers forever.

When Sorcha is kidnapped by the enemies of Sevenwaters and taken to a foreign land, she is torn between the desire to save her beloved brothers, and a love that comes only once. Sorcha despairs at ever being able to complete her task, but the magic of the Fair Folk knows no boundaries, and love is the strongest magic of them all...]]> 554 Juliet Marillier Duanur 3 2024, fantasy
I love Juliet Marillier's writing. Her books are so atmospheric. Her descriptions are so vivid that you can feel like you are wherever the characters are. I could feel everything the main character felt. I could feel her love for her brothers, the pain in her hands, the longing she had to the forest.

The nature theme and the forbidden romance aspects reminded me of The Crown of Oaths and Curses by J. Bree. Of course, this wasn't as angsty and to be honest, frustrating. The MMC here is charmed by Sorcha pretty much on their first encounter. This is by no means a romance book but say whatever you want about older fantasy books with a romantic subplot but the heroes knew how to make a romantic declaration.

"It matters not if you are here, or there, for I see you before me every moment. I see you in the light on the water, in the swaying of the young trees in the spring wind. I see you in the shadows of the great oaks, I hear your voice in the cry of the owl at night. You are the blood in my veins, and the beating of my heart. You are my first waking thought, and my last sigh before sleep. You are--- you are bone of my bone, and breath of my breath."

I loved the atmosphere and the characters. I just can't help but wanting more. The plot is very slow paced. The romance is cute, but they needed more scenes together. The villain is pretty basic. He even has a long evil monologue. Even though I liked how the ending wasn't the perfect fairytale ending, I wanted more from it.

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this book, but I have yet to find a Marillier book I love more than Heart's Blood.

Trigger Warnings for rape, animal cruelty and death, mentions of torture.]]> 4.27 1999 Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters, #1)
author: Juliet Marillier
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1999
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/14
date added: 2024/06/14
shelves: 2024, fantasy
review:
*3.5*

I love Juliet Marillier's writing. Her books are so atmospheric. Her descriptions are so vivid that you can feel like you are wherever the characters are. I could feel everything the main character felt. I could feel her love for her brothers, the pain in her hands, the longing she had to the forest.

The nature theme and the forbidden romance aspects reminded me of The Crown of Oaths and Curses by J. Bree. Of course, this wasn't as angsty and to be honest, frustrating. The MMC here is charmed by Sorcha pretty much on their first encounter. This is by no means a romance book but say whatever you want about older fantasy books with a romantic subplot but the heroes knew how to make a romantic declaration.

"It matters not if you are here, or there, for I see you before me every moment. I see you in the light on the water, in the swaying of the young trees in the spring wind. I see you in the shadows of the great oaks, I hear your voice in the cry of the owl at night. You are the blood in my veins, and the beating of my heart. You are my first waking thought, and my last sigh before sleep. You are--- you are bone of my bone, and breath of my breath."

I loved the atmosphere and the characters. I just can't help but wanting more. The plot is very slow paced. The romance is cute, but they needed more scenes together. The villain is pretty basic. He even has a long evil monologue. Even though I liked how the ending wasn't the perfect fairytale ending, I wanted more from it.

Overall, I enjoyed my time reading this book, but I have yet to find a Marillier book I love more than Heart's Blood.

Trigger Warnings for rape, animal cruelty and death, mentions of torture.
]]> <![CDATA[The Throne of Honor and Blood (The Mortal Fates #2)]]> 136947670
I carved out a reputation as the Savage Prince with my brutality against witches, but unable to wield our magic, I couldn’t stop my kingdom from being torn apart by war and famine while the Fates demanded my patience.

The worst was still to come.

After almost a thousand years of waiting and thousands of witches dead by my hand, the Fates revealed their cruelest truth yet.

With silver eyes that sliced to the bone and a humility that defied all reason, the witch has tested every inch of my restraint, but that was only the beginning.

Everything I once knew as true has come into question.

Loyalties will be tested, treaties broken, treason committed, and only the strongest will survive.

I am Prince Soren Celestial.

The rightful heir to the throne of the Southern Lands.

Nothing will keep me from my Fates-blessed mate.

Not even her hatred for me.


*The Throne of Honor and Blood is a full-length MF epic fantasy romance with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations.]]> 0 J. Bree Duanur 0
I might come back to this in the future, but I am so disappointed. Every time I try to read it, I get so frustrated because it feels like this was written by someone else. Where is the Rooke from book 1? Where is the nature talk that captivated me? Where is the grovel?

I wish J. Bree took more time to write this because all that tension in book 1 went nowhere.

I need time to lower my expectations and maybe come back to finish it just to see what happens... or just read some spoilers.]]> 3.60 2024 The Throne of Honor and Blood (The Mortal Fates #2)
author: J. Bree
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2024/06/13
date added: 2024/06/12
shelves: 2024, adult, e-books, fantasy, dnf
review:
soft dnf at 20%

I might come back to this in the future, but I am so disappointed. Every time I try to read it, I get so frustrated because it feels like this was written by someone else. Where is the Rooke from book 1? Where is the nature talk that captivated me? Where is the grovel?

I wish J. Bree took more time to write this because all that tension in book 1 went nowhere.

I need time to lower my expectations and maybe come back to finish it just to see what happens... or just read some spoilers.
]]> <![CDATA[Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)]]> 60657589
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.]]> 336 Heather Fawcett 059350013X Duanur 5
This had everything I loved; cozy fantasy with rich world building, a grumpy scholar, her possibly fae nemesis colleague and their amazing banter. It was literally written for me.

I didn't believe it when people compared this to Howl's Moving Castle but somehow I get it. Not the plot but the main characters reminded me of Sophie and Howl.

I can never write a proper review when I love a book too much and that is the case here. Just pick this up.]]> 3.98 2023 Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/03/25
date added: 2024/05/15
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy, favourites, diary-format
review:
I loved this so much. It was everything I didn't even know I wanted. I always think I am not into fae books then I read something other than SJM and I realize I am into fae books, I am just not into SJM books.

This had everything I loved; cozy fantasy with rich world building, a grumpy scholar, her possibly fae nemesis colleague and their amazing banter. It was literally written for me.

I didn't believe it when people compared this to Howl's Moving Castle but somehow I get it. Not the plot but the main characters reminded me of Sophie and Howl.

I can never write a proper review when I love a book too much and that is the case here. Just pick this up.
]]> <![CDATA[Happily Ever Witch (A Kinda Fairytale, #6)]]> 202751651
And not just any dragon.

Trevelyan, Last of the Green Dragons is the worst villain in the world and the sworn enemy of her chosen family. The guy is 98% Bad and 100% sure that Esmeralda now belongs to him. Soon, she’s locked an enchanted castle with the smirking maniac. If she doesn’t find a way out of this whimsical hellhole soon, Esmeralda will turn that sexy, disagreeable man into a frog. …Just as soon as she’s done falling in love with him.

Book six of A Kinda Fairytale series
M/F
Happily Ever After
Enemies to lovers
Forced Proximity
Fated Mates
148,000 + words
Standalone romance, but both main characters have appeared in other books of the series.]]> 651 Cassandra Gannon Duanur 4 It was only a matter of time before she loved him. After all, he was a dragon! Who wouldn’t love a dragon?

The long awaited story of Esmeralda did not dissapoint!
The banter, the humour, the little eccentricities that are nods to Alice in Wonderland, all of it was so much fun. It was a bit too long and at times repetitive but overall, I really enjoyed it. I especially love Cassandra Gannon's humour and her creativity.

“You stole the moon?”� Esmeralda asked, not even surprised.
“I gave it back.”� Trevelyan defended grouchily.

***

“I’ll kill them all later, if you like. For now, focus on survival.�
“You’ll kill the entire Cauldron Society for me?�
“Not just for you.I also like killing people.�]]> 4.30 2024 Happily Ever Witch (A Kinda Fairytale, #6)
author: Cassandra Gannon
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/23
date added: 2024/04/23
shelves: 2024, adult, e-books, fantasy, fun, funny-reads
review:
It was only a matter of time before she loved him. After all, he was a dragon! Who wouldn’t love a dragon?

The long awaited story of Esmeralda did not dissapoint!
The banter, the humour, the little eccentricities that are nods to Alice in Wonderland, all of it was so much fun. It was a bit too long and at times repetitive but overall, I really enjoyed it. I especially love Cassandra Gannon's humour and her creativity.

“You stole the moon?”� Esmeralda asked, not even surprised.
“I gave it back.”� Trevelyan defended grouchily.

***

“I’ll kill them all later, if you like. For now, focus on survival.�
“You’ll kill the entire Cauldron Society for me?�
“Not just for you.I also like killing people.�
]]> <![CDATA[The Prisoner’s Throne (The Stolen Heir Duology, #2)]]> 61250159 An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.

Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too.
�

With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes the stunning blood-soaked conclusion to the Stolen Heir duology.
]]> 359 Holly Black 0316592730 Duanur 3
The first 40% was interesting and dark in a way it is hard to find in YA fantasy books so I was loving it. Then 40-70% dragged so much that I was contemplating skimming which was shocking to me since I usually adore the descriptions Holly Black writes. And the last part of the book was just a mess of an ending. Everything wrapped up too quickly and none of the transitions felt natural.

I felt like Holly Black was bored by this story halfway through and only wanted to finish it before the deadline. I guess when Jude and Cardan came into the story she realized that she would much prefer writing about them than these main characters which is...fair since I also wanted to read from Jude's POV.

I am not sure if there is going to be more books from Jude's POV but the way things ended here suggests that Holly Black wants to write more for their story.

I love this world with the cunning fae, smart characters and the beautiful writing so I would continue reading the books she might publish in the future. But unfortunately, this book was a huge letdown.

I'm giving this 3 stars because, as I said, I love the world and the characters. I just didn't care about Oak and even though I absolutely loved Wren in the first book, we didn't really see her in this one.]]> 3.88 2024 The Prisoner’s Throne (The Stolen Heir Duology, #2)
author: Holly Black
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/14
date added: 2024/04/14
shelves: 2024, e-books, fantasy, young-adult
review:
Well, this is dissapointing. I was looking forward to this one but unfortunately the second half was a trainwreck.

The first 40% was interesting and dark in a way it is hard to find in YA fantasy books so I was loving it. Then 40-70% dragged so much that I was contemplating skimming which was shocking to me since I usually adore the descriptions Holly Black writes. And the last part of the book was just a mess of an ending. Everything wrapped up too quickly and none of the transitions felt natural.

I felt like Holly Black was bored by this story halfway through and only wanted to finish it before the deadline. I guess when Jude and Cardan came into the story she realized that she would much prefer writing about them than these main characters which is...fair since I also wanted to read from Jude's POV.

I am not sure if there is going to be more books from Jude's POV but the way things ended here suggests that Holly Black wants to write more for their story.

I love this world with the cunning fae, smart characters and the beautiful writing so I would continue reading the books she might publish in the future. But unfortunately, this book was a huge letdown.

I'm giving this 3 stars because, as I said, I love the world and the characters. I just didn't care about Oak and even though I absolutely loved Wren in the first book, we didn't really see her in this one.
]]> <![CDATA[All This Twisted Glory (This Woven Kingdom, #3)]]> 127823371 The highly anticipated third novel in the This Woven Kingdom series, full of explosive magic, searing romance, and heartbreaking betrayal, from the award-winning and bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sabaa Tahir, and Tomi Adeyemi.

As the long-lost heir to the Jinn throne, Alizeh has finally found her people—and she might’ve found her crown. Cyrus, the mercurial ruler of Tulan, has offered her his kingdom in a twisted exchange: one that would begin with their marriage and end with his murder.

Cyrus’s dark reputation precedes him; all the world knows of his blood-soaked past. Killing him should be easy—and accepting his offer might be the only way to fulfill her destiny and save her people. But the more Alizeh learns of him, the more she questions whether the terrible stories about him are true.

Ensnared by secrets, Cyrus has ached for Alizeh since she first appeared in his dreams many months ago. Now that he knows those visions were planted by the devil, he can hardly bear to look at her—much less endure her company. But despite their best efforts to despise each other, Alizeh and Cyrus are drawn together over and over with an all-consuming thirst that threatens to destroy them both.

Meanwhile, Prince Kamran has arrived in Tulan, ready to exact revenge. . . .

Layered with exquisite tension and heart-stopping romance, All This Twisted Glory is the explosive third book in the captivating, bestselling Woven Kingdom series.]]> 397 Tahereh Mafi 0062972502 Duanur 3 2024, fantasy, young-adult
The first half takes place in a day then there is a time jump (like a month) and the second half also takes place in about a day. But we learn what happens in that one month by characters telling us what happened which is a pet peeve of mine so even though this book had more plot than the second book I liked it less.

I am still having fun with these characters and their dynamics but I can't get over the fact that Tahereh Mafi decided to do dirty on her own series by stretching it out this much.

This took me less than 24 hours to finish so that was good but the beginning was a recap of what happened in the first two books, the middle is a drag and the last third could have been a chapter.]]> 4.07 2024 All This Twisted Glory (This Woven Kingdom, #3)
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/09
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves: 2024, fantasy, young-adult
review:
The second and third books in this series should have been one book. I guess that was the case since this series was going to be a trilogy at first but then it turned into a 5-book series.

The first half takes place in a day then there is a time jump (like a month) and the second half also takes place in about a day. But we learn what happens in that one month by characters telling us what happened which is a pet peeve of mine so even though this book had more plot than the second book I liked it less.

I am still having fun with these characters and their dynamics but I can't get over the fact that Tahereh Mafi decided to do dirty on her own series by stretching it out this much.

This took me less than 24 hours to finish so that was good but the beginning was a recap of what happened in the first two books, the middle is a drag and the last third could have been a chapter.
]]> <![CDATA[These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, #2)]]> 61085769
Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn.

Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need.

Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.

Full of explosive magic, searing romance, and heartbreaking betrayal, this breathtaking sequel to This Woven Kingdom is from the award-winning and bestselling author of the Shatter Me series and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sabaa Tahir, and Tomi Adeyemi.]]> 416 Tahereh Mafi 0062972472 Duanur 3
"I tell you a single sad story and your defenses weaken that easily? Against me? You lovely little fool, you're going to get yourself killed."

I knew I would find Cyrus more interesting than Kamran (though I have to say Kamran's change in appearance definitely made him more interesting in this book) but what I didn't expect was to ship Kamran with Miss Huda??? I mean don't get me wrong the few scenes they have Kamran is acting like a spoiled kid but I still felt something could happen between them and I am invested.

Aside from the romance subplots this book didn't really have a plot going on but I still had fun. I do love Tahereh Mafi's writing and characters. It also helps that her books are so easy to read. This book is 400 pages long but it reads like 200. Especially because all of this book takes place in 2 days. Maybe even less than that.

I am having fun with this series but I wish she didn't decide to make this a 5 book series. I think this is going to stretch out way too much. I heard the third book also takes place in a few days.

I am still planning on finishing the series -like I said I do love Mafi's writing- but I don't think I will be buying the physical copies even though they are so pretty.




a spoilery P.S but I have to comment on the scene where she cleaned Cyrus' injuries with HER TEARS??? lmao And the very dramatic love confession from Cyrus was a bit too much. But again, I'm having fun lol]]> 4.07 2023 These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, #2)
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/08
date added: 2024/04/08
shelves: owned, 2024, fantasy, young-adult
review:
*3.5*

"I tell you a single sad story and your defenses weaken that easily? Against me? You lovely little fool, you're going to get yourself killed."

I knew I would find Cyrus more interesting than Kamran (though I have to say Kamran's change in appearance definitely made him more interesting in this book) but what I didn't expect was to ship Kamran with Miss Huda??? I mean don't get me wrong the few scenes they have Kamran is acting like a spoiled kid but I still felt something could happen between them and I am invested.

Aside from the romance subplots this book didn't really have a plot going on but I still had fun. I do love Tahereh Mafi's writing and characters. It also helps that her books are so easy to read. This book is 400 pages long but it reads like 200. Especially because all of this book takes place in 2 days. Maybe even less than that.

I am having fun with this series but I wish she didn't decide to make this a 5 book series. I think this is going to stretch out way too much. I heard the third book also takes place in a few days.

I am still planning on finishing the series -like I said I do love Mafi's writing- but I don't think I will be buying the physical copies even though they are so pretty.




a spoilery P.S but I have to comment on the scene where she cleaned Cyrus' injuries with HER TEARS??? lmao And the very dramatic love confession from Cyrus was a bit too much. But again, I'm having fun lol
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of No Worlds (The War of Lost Hearts, #1)]]> 49826643
Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life.

Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organizations of magic Wielders in the world. But to join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive fire wielder who despises the Orders.

The Orders� intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. But even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future� or the downfall of them both.

But Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders� deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart.

Even if it means wielding death itself.

Fans of epic romantic fantasy like Sarah J. Maas and Raven Kennedy will devour this tale of dark magic, passionate romance, vengeance, and redemption.]]> 520 Carissa Broadbent Duanur 0
The plot is nowhere to be seen. The world building is just info dumps that I don't care about. I have zero interest in these characters and there is literally zero chemistry between the main characters. The writing is below avarage.

I found the language barrier interesting at first but it wasn't executed well like in The Horde Kings of Dakkar series by Zoey Draven.

I think I need to stay away from all the booktok books but the hype always gets me.]]> 4.03 2020 Daughter of No Worlds (The War of Lost Hearts, #1)
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2024/03/18
date added: 2024/03/18
shelves: 2024, e-books, fantasy, new-adult, dnf
review:
DNF at 30%

The plot is nowhere to be seen. The world building is just info dumps that I don't care about. I have zero interest in these characters and there is literally zero chemistry between the main characters. The writing is below avarage.

I found the language barrier interesting at first but it wasn't executed well like in The Horde Kings of Dakkar series by Zoey Draven.

I think I need to stay away from all the booktok books but the hype always gets me.
]]> <![CDATA[The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)]]> 26032887 The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.]]> 336 Holly Black 0316310336 Duanur 5
This book was AMAZING. I was on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time. Even though it was a short book, SO MUCH had happened. I want to go back and reread the whole thing but I don't think my heart can deal with so many emotions once again.

I love these characters so much. The relationships between them are so well done. I love that no one is actually good or bad.

THAT'S HOW YOU WRITE A FAERY BOOK. Holly Black is the real Queen of Elfhame.

[spoilers removed]]]> 4.27 2019 The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)
author: Holly Black
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/02/02
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves: fantasy, favourites, killer-endings, young-adult, owned
review:
NONoNoNO. WHY. Just when I thought everything was going to be amazing, SOMETHING LIKE THIS happens and it's over, the book is over and now I have to wait one more year to read the rest. My heart can't take it anymore.

This book was AMAZING. I was on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE time. Even though it was a short book, SO MUCH had happened. I want to go back and reread the whole thing but I don't think my heart can deal with so many emotions once again.

I love these characters so much. The relationships between them are so well done. I love that no one is actually good or bad.

THAT'S HOW YOU WRITE A FAERY BOOK. Holly Black is the real Queen of Elfhame.

[spoilers removed]
]]> <![CDATA[The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)]]> 26032912 He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity�

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.]]> 321 Holly Black 0316310409 Duanur 5 "Greetings, Your Majesty, you betraying toad."

I love these characters so much. I hope we will see them again at some point. At first, I thought this would be too short for a finale but since it is short, it kept my interest the whole time. Jude is one of my favourite main characters of all time and I will miss her dearly. I will especially miss her and Cardan but all of the side characters will be missed as well. The relationships between the characters progressed and changed throughout this trilogy and I loved seeing it. I didn't know how I wanted this trilogy to end but I was really satisfied with how things concluded. These books will be very special to me for a long time. I already want to read all of it again.

(I have to mention this, Jude takes four aspirins while she is bleeding and since it is a book, manages not to bleed to death. Please don't take aspirin if you are bleeding. Your blood won't clot and you will lose a lot of blood.)


---
Before reading:

The Queen of NOTHING???????!?!?!??!??!

NOW LOOK HERE---
HOW DARE YOU---]]> 4.33 2019 The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)
author: Holly Black
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/19
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves: fantasy, favourites, fun, young-adult, owned
review:
"Greetings, Your Majesty, you betraying toad."

I love these characters so much. I hope we will see them again at some point. At first, I thought this would be too short for a finale but since it is short, it kept my interest the whole time. Jude is one of my favourite main characters of all time and I will miss her dearly. I will especially miss her and Cardan but all of the side characters will be missed as well. The relationships between the characters progressed and changed throughout this trilogy and I loved seeing it. I didn't know how I wanted this trilogy to end but I was really satisfied with how things concluded. These books will be very special to me for a long time. I already want to read all of it again.

(I have to mention this, Jude takes four aspirins while she is bleeding and since it is a book, manages not to bleed to death. Please don't take aspirin if you are bleeding. Your blood won't clot and you will lose a lot of blood.)


---
Before reading:

The Queen of NOTHING???????!?!?!??!??!

NOW LOOK HERE---
HOW DARE YOU---
]]> <![CDATA[Kaçış Adası (Night Creatures, #1)]]> 13583976 268 Marianne de Pierres 6050905924 Duanur 2 so bad. That made everything worse. The characters were okay. The story was interesting enough to make me finish the book but the execution was so bad. The dialogues were repetitive. At one point, Retra explained what happened to her to three different people. I already knew what happened to her and I had to read her explaining things to people around her, and their exactly the same reactions over and over again.

Wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Especially the turkish translation.]]> 3.06 2011 Kaçış Adası (Night Creatures, #1)
author: Marianne de Pierres
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.06
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2016/03/12
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves: dystopian, fantasy, paranormal, young-adult, unhauled
review:
This book has been on my shelves for years. I've bought it on a whim and never got around reading it. To be honest, I wasn't missing anything. I admit it wasn't a typical YA paranormal book but it wasn't anything special either. I also unfortunately read the translated version and the translation was so bad. That made everything worse. The characters were okay. The story was interesting enough to make me finish the book but the execution was so bad. The dialogues were repetitive. At one point, Retra explained what happened to her to three different people. I already knew what happened to her and I had to read her explaining things to people around her, and their exactly the same reactions over and over again.

Wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Especially the turkish translation.
]]> <![CDATA[Taken by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #5)]]> 60234618
As a fatal curse continues to spread over the planet of Dakkar, I make a deal with an alien witch who claims she can stop it.

Her price?

The heart of a horde king.

Only the horde king in question is the fiercest male I’ve ever seen, with glowing demon eyes, a god-like body crafted in battle, and a cold, cruel grin that promises destruction.

Yet when I offer myself to him, all under the premise of luring him back to the witch, his touch sets my blood on fire. His dizzying kiss makes the world spin. Instead of fear, I feel hot and unwanted desire, awakening instincts that tell me I’m his.

When he discovers my ultimate betrayal, the enraged horde king vows he will take me as his prize, that I will wear his chains, and that I will serve him in whatever way he wishes.

And as the dangers on Dakkar loom, I find myself craving my wicked, wicked ruin...all at the hands of a horde king I should’ve never crossed.]]> 491 Zoey Draven Duanur 5
This one is my favourite of the series so far! I loved the angsty relationship these two had. I also loved their own character developments and backstories. The over-arching plot didn't move too much. I wanted to learn more about the red mist but it was still a great book and especially a romance to read. This was the angst level I wanted from the 4th book.

Even with everything these two did to each other I loved how they came back together stronger than ever. Sword and shield, thing? Loved that.]]> 4.30 2022 Taken by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #5)
author: Zoey Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/28
date added: 2024/02/18
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

This one is my favourite of the series so far! I loved the angsty relationship these two had. I also loved their own character developments and backstories. The over-arching plot didn't move too much. I wanted to learn more about the red mist but it was still a great book and especially a romance to read. This was the angst level I wanted from the 4th book.

Even with everything these two did to each other I loved how they came back together stronger than ever. Sword and shield, thing? Loved that.
]]> Follow Me to the Yew Tree 203899309 A woman foretells the death of the man she’s destined to love and must defy fate to save him. For centuries, Éireann has traveled alone across Ireland with nothing but visions from Death and a compulsion to warn people of their impending doom. That is, until Death sends her to the English countryside, where she meets Elin, a fellow countryman returning home after fighting in the Napoleonic wars.

Both Elin and Éireann are weary of traveling the long road alone and need only reach out to find comfort in each other’s company. But when Éireann receives a startling vision of them kissing beneath a yew tree, followed by a dark omen foretelling Elin’s demise, a heartbreaking truth is unveiled: he might not live long enough to make the journey home. Or for them to fall in love.

Death is playing cruel games with their lives and hearts. But there’s a silver lining to seeing his death before it unfolds. If Éireann can stop it before it happens, Elin just might have a chance at love and a life that finally belongs to him. And nothing will stop Éireann from securing their future. Not even Death itself.

Follow Me to the Yew Tree is an adult historical romance novella with supernatural and folkloric elements and chronic illness representation that the author shares.]]> 84 Desirée M. Niccoli Duanur 4 4.11 2024 Follow Me to the Yew Tree
author: Desirée M. Niccoli
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/06
date added: 2024/02/05
shelves: 2024, adult, fantasy, historical-romance
review:
This was such a heart-warming and at times an emotional read. Even though this is a novella I quickly fell in love with these characters.
]]> <![CDATA[A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)]]> 64785417 Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

Blood will be shed, hearts will be stolen, and true love will be put to the test in A Curse for True Love, the breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.]]> 385 Stephanie Garber Duanur 3
It's nice to finish a trilogy but weirdly enough this didn't feel like the last book of a trilogy. It felt like a filler book.

Everything wraps up in the last 100 pages, Apollo's POVs were unnecessary and if I was a Jacks fan going into this series I would be so upset that Apollo had more scenes than Jacks.

There were also so many unanswered questions. [spoilers removed]

The overall explanation was a bit weak for me. I know it is a fairytale-esque book and fairytales usually have pretty simple storylines but I felt like this story was leading to a more complex ending than it was.

I also wanted more from the romances. All of the relationships felt surface level to me.

That being said, I love Stephanie Garber's easy-to-get-into writing and her atmosphere is so well done. My favourite thing about this trilogy is the main character, Evangeline. She is unlike any other YA fantasy MC I have read. She is hopeful and such a romantic which I found very endearing.

Overall, I would give this series a 3.5 stars and recommend it to people who love fairytales and want to get more into the fantasy genre. It is easy to read and it has very little world building.]]> 4.11 2023 A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/27
date added: 2024/01/27
shelves: fantasy, owned, young-adult, 2024
review:
*3.5*

It's nice to finish a trilogy but weirdly enough this didn't feel like the last book of a trilogy. It felt like a filler book.

Everything wraps up in the last 100 pages, Apollo's POVs were unnecessary and if I was a Jacks fan going into this series I would be so upset that Apollo had more scenes than Jacks.

There were also so many unanswered questions. [spoilers removed]

The overall explanation was a bit weak for me. I know it is a fairytale-esque book and fairytales usually have pretty simple storylines but I felt like this story was leading to a more complex ending than it was.

I also wanted more from the romances. All of the relationships felt surface level to me.

That being said, I love Stephanie Garber's easy-to-get-into writing and her atmosphere is so well done. My favourite thing about this trilogy is the main character, Evangeline. She is unlike any other YA fantasy MC I have read. She is hopeful and such a romantic which I found very endearing.

Overall, I would give this series a 3.5 stars and recommend it to people who love fairytales and want to get more into the fantasy genre. It is easy to read and it has very little world building.
]]> Thornhedge 63116792 From USA Today bestselling author comes an original, subversive fairytale about a kind-hearted, toad-shaped heroine, a gentle knight, and a mission gone completely sideways, perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and Katharine Arden.

There's a princess trapped in a tower. This isn't her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

If only.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold...]]> 154 T. Kingfisher Duanur 4 audiobooks, 2024, fantasy
The ending is a bit rushed but the epilogue left a smile on my face. I listened to this via audiobook and I personally prefer listening to T.Kingfisher's stories rather than read them. Maybe because they are like fairytales but it feels like someone is reading me a cozy bedtime story.]]> 4.06 2023 Thornhedge
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/05
date added: 2024/01/05
shelves: audiobooks, 2024, fantasy
review:
This was so cozy and heart-warming. I especially loved Halim, the gentle knight. The way he apologized every time he cursed that his curses became one with the apologies was so funny and adorable.

The ending is a bit rushed but the epilogue left a smile on my face. I listened to this via audiobook and I personally prefer listening to T.Kingfisher's stories rather than read them. Maybe because they are like fairytales but it feels like someone is reading me a cozy bedtime story.
]]> <![CDATA[Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Awakening, #1)]]> 64646644
Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a travelling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the travelling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must choose: follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.]]> 432 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1250750180 Duanur 2 this genre is smut with nonsense worldbuilding that we read as info-dumps.

I hate it when the dialogues are just the MC asking questions back to back. I am fine with learning the world as I go. I don't need the MC asking 1009392 questions to the other characters to learn the history of the world.

Even if this book was ONLY a romance it was just insta-lust. There was no development. Even the banter was mid. I don't know what happened here. Did she write this book with the outtakes of the From Blood and Ash series??

-some spoilers ahead-

I was actually intrigued by the place Lis was living at first. She was an orphan and she was trying to survive her whole life so when she finds a place for herself in this rich Baron's life she does everything she is supposed to do to not go back to her days on the streets.

She has strong intuition and she can see the future in some ways so she uses her powers to keep her place next to the Baron. But the people who live there are basically slaves to their own desires. The Baron gives lavish parties every night and there are no exclusive relationships (at least we didn't see any)

Lis is basically a slave here but she doesn't even realise it. When Grady (her -kind of- sibling) talks about a revolution happening she refuses to even listen to him because they are finally safe.

The hero and Lis become infatuated pretty early on in the story so after awhile he asks the Baron's permission to have Lis for himself. Lis is absolutely furious at this since she wants him to ask her. But that doesn't make sense since SHE IS A SLAVE. I am not sure if she refused to see that or she was not supposed to be a slave in the first place??? It made no sense???

At the end of the book, most of the rich people who live here is murdered, and I was supposed to feel bad for them??? WHY? They were literally using taxes to have unnecessary parties every night while the poor were dying of starvation.

So... why was I supposed to feel bad that a bigger bad comes to kill the smaller bad people at the end? I was just confused why Lis couldn't see this.

The only explanation I have is that this is written like a YA book and killing is always bad in YA books.

I am giving this 2 stars just because I liked a few scenes between Lis and Thorne, and the last 15% was fun.]]> 4.21 2023 Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Awakening, #1)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/26
date added: 2023/12/26
shelves: 2023, e-books, fantasy, jla, new-adult
review:
Romantasy is really just YA fantasy with more violence and smut, and this makes me so upset. Because I LOVE fantasy romance. I especially love it when it is fantasy with a romance subplot. But at this point this genre is smut with nonsense worldbuilding that we read as info-dumps.

I hate it when the dialogues are just the MC asking questions back to back. I am fine with learning the world as I go. I don't need the MC asking 1009392 questions to the other characters to learn the history of the world.

Even if this book was ONLY a romance it was just insta-lust. There was no development. Even the banter was mid. I don't know what happened here. Did she write this book with the outtakes of the From Blood and Ash series??

-some spoilers ahead-

I was actually intrigued by the place Lis was living at first. She was an orphan and she was trying to survive her whole life so when she finds a place for herself in this rich Baron's life she does everything she is supposed to do to not go back to her days on the streets.

She has strong intuition and she can see the future in some ways so she uses her powers to keep her place next to the Baron. But the people who live there are basically slaves to their own desires. The Baron gives lavish parties every night and there are no exclusive relationships (at least we didn't see any)

Lis is basically a slave here but she doesn't even realise it. When Grady (her -kind of- sibling) talks about a revolution happening she refuses to even listen to him because they are finally safe.

The hero and Lis become infatuated pretty early on in the story so after awhile he asks the Baron's permission to have Lis for himself. Lis is absolutely furious at this since she wants him to ask her. But that doesn't make sense since SHE IS A SLAVE. I am not sure if she refused to see that or she was not supposed to be a slave in the first place??? It made no sense???

At the end of the book, most of the rich people who live here is murdered, and I was supposed to feel bad for them??? WHY? They were literally using taxes to have unnecessary parties every night while the poor were dying of starvation.

So... why was I supposed to feel bad that a bigger bad comes to kill the smaller bad people at the end? I was just confused why Lis couldn't see this.

The only explanation I have is that this is written like a YA book and killing is always bad in YA books.

I am giving this 2 stars just because I liked a few scenes between Lis and Thorne, and the last 15% was fun.
]]> Tress of the Emerald Sea 63068384 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?]]> 369 Brandon Sanderson 1250899656 Duanur 5
BUT!

I loved this book. The characters were lovable. The narration was so much fun. The seas of spores were so interesting, and the little romance we had was adorable.

So what more can I want from a Princess Bride inspired story?

Brandon Sanderson calls this an adult fairytale but in my opinion it doesn't read like a fairytale and it is more YA than adult.

This might be the only book I loved about pirates. For some reason no one captures the right tone when it comes to pirates. That being said, this reads more like pirates for YA readers. So don't expect this to be a dark pirate read but more of an adventure story that takes place on the sea (that is not actually a sea).

If you like epic fantasy from Sanderson this might not be for you. But if you are looking for a fun, kind of a cozy fantasy, this is a must read.]]> 4.27 2023 Tress of the Emerald Sea
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/13
date added: 2023/12/24
shelves: owned, 2023, fantasy, fun, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
I have only read Mistborn and Skyward by Brandon Sanderson before this so I can't say I know anything about his Cosmere universe. I don't even know who Hoid is.

BUT!

I loved this book. The characters were lovable. The narration was so much fun. The seas of spores were so interesting, and the little romance we had was adorable.

So what more can I want from a Princess Bride inspired story?

Brandon Sanderson calls this an adult fairytale but in my opinion it doesn't read like a fairytale and it is more YA than adult.

This might be the only book I loved about pirates. For some reason no one captures the right tone when it comes to pirates. That being said, this reads more like pirates for YA readers. So don't expect this to be a dark pirate read but more of an adventure story that takes place on the sea (that is not actually a sea).

If you like epic fantasy from Sanderson this might not be for you. But if you are looking for a fun, kind of a cozy fantasy, this is a must read.
]]> <![CDATA[Pathfinder's Way (The Broken Lands, #1)]]> 29363942
Nobody ventures beyond their village. Nobody sane that is. Monstrous creatures and deadly mysteries wait out here. Lucky for the people she serves, Shea’s not exactly sane. As a pathfinder, it’s her job to face what others fear and find the safest route through the wilderness. It’s not an easy job, but she’s the best at what she does.

When the people she serves betray her into servitude to the Trateri, a barbarian horde sweeping through the Lowlands intent on conquest, Shea relies on her wits and skill to escape, disguising herself as a boy to hide from the Warlord, a man as dangerous as he is compelling.

After being mistaken as a Trateri scout during her escape, Shea finds herself forced to choose between the life she led and the possibilities of a new one. Her decision might mean the difference between life or death. For danger looms on the horizon and a partnership with the Warlord may be the only thing preventing the destruction of everything she holds dear.]]> 396 T.A. White Duanur 4
It's been a while seen I have said "just one more chapter then I'll sleep". This book was so addicting. It was just nonstop adventure and I loved it. I especially loved our main character, Shea. She was thick headed at times but that made her even more dear to me. She is the silent, strong heroine that I love to read about.

Even though I was frustrated with the amount of chauvinism this book had, I also had so much fun seeing Shea being a badass and prove everyone wrong. [spoilers removed]

Since the hero is a warlord, I wouldn't recommend this for the fainthearted. He is pretty tough to say the least and it might bother some people. My alpha male tolerance for fantasy and paranormal books is very high so it didn't bother me that he wanted to ...ummm I don't know... rule the world basically.

I want to give this book 5 stars but there were some things that bothered me. Like the romance. It could have been a lot better. I enjoyed it but I thought something was missing. Maybe more dialogues between them? But since this is a series it will probably (hopefully) develop more. (both the characters and the romance)
As for the writing, it was pretty straight forward. I would have liked a little more flowery writing for the descriptions and a little more editing to smooth the writing.

The predictable and boring villain could also be count as a negative but I didn't really care about that since this book was more about the adventures Shea had.

This book is very similar to Warprize so if you liked this one you will probably like this as well (and vice versa). I loved both of them in their own way and I am looking forward to read the second book in this series.]]> 4.06 2016 Pathfinder's Way (The Broken Lands, #1)
author: T.A. White
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/18
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

It's been a while seen I have said "just one more chapter then I'll sleep". This book was so addicting. It was just nonstop adventure and I loved it. I especially loved our main character, Shea. She was thick headed at times but that made her even more dear to me. She is the silent, strong heroine that I love to read about.

Even though I was frustrated with the amount of chauvinism this book had, I also had so much fun seeing Shea being a badass and prove everyone wrong. [spoilers removed]

Since the hero is a warlord, I wouldn't recommend this for the fainthearted. He is pretty tough to say the least and it might bother some people. My alpha male tolerance for fantasy and paranormal books is very high so it didn't bother me that he wanted to ...ummm I don't know... rule the world basically.

I want to give this book 5 stars but there were some things that bothered me. Like the romance. It could have been a lot better. I enjoyed it but I thought something was missing. Maybe more dialogues between them? But since this is a series it will probably (hopefully) develop more. (both the characters and the romance)
As for the writing, it was pretty straight forward. I would have liked a little more flowery writing for the descriptions and a little more editing to smooth the writing.

The predictable and boring villain could also be count as a negative but I didn't really care about that since this book was more about the adventures Shea had.

This book is very similar to Warprize so if you liked this one you will probably like this as well (and vice versa). I loved both of them in their own way and I am looking forward to read the second book in this series.
]]> <![CDATA[Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)]]> 23437156 Alternate cover of ISBN 9781627792127

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.]]> 480 Leigh Bardugo 1627792120 Duanur 4
SO GOOD.

The world building was great, the story was interesting, and the characters were so BADASS.



Even though Kaz was a bit... insane at times I couldn't help but love him. His backstory killed me and all I want to do is give him a hug but he would probably kill me.
Inej is the definition of badass. [spoilers removed]
All of the characters were so stupidly brave, talented, and they were also not perfect and made mistakes.

The overall romance in this book was SO WELL DONE. It was natural and weaved into the story perfectly. The romance didn't take over the book. It was a part of the story and I can't believe how much I missed that!

The pacing was good. Even though I had trouble getting into the story at first, I was captivated by it when I got used to the terminology. It is a fantasy book so you need to give it time to learn the words and the world. It took me about 50 pages to really get invested in the storyline.

If you love heist stories that have a kickass crew, you need to check this one out. Can't wait for the next book. I want to see their HEAs.

]]> 4.47 2015 Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/12/08
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: owned, fantasy, funny-reads, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

SO GOOD.

The world building was great, the story was interesting, and the characters were so BADASS.



Even though Kaz was a bit... insane at times I couldn't help but love him. His backstory killed me and all I want to do is give him a hug but he would probably kill me.
Inej is the definition of badass. [spoilers removed]
All of the characters were so stupidly brave, talented, and they were also not perfect and made mistakes.

The overall romance in this book was SO WELL DONE. It was natural and weaved into the story perfectly. The romance didn't take over the book. It was a part of the story and I can't believe how much I missed that!

The pacing was good. Even though I had trouble getting into the story at first, I was captivated by it when I got used to the terminology. It is a fantasy book so you need to give it time to learn the words and the world. It took me about 50 pages to really get invested in the storyline.

If you love heist stories that have a kickass crew, you need to check this one out. Can't wait for the next book. I want to see their HEAs.


]]> <![CDATA[The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3)]]> 20443235 Some kisses come at a price.

War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.

At least, that’s what he thinks.

In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.

But no one gets what they want just by wishing.

As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?]]> 486 Marie Rutkoski 0374384738 Duanur 4
"I want better choices."
"Then we must make a world that has them."

I have been in agony ever since I have finished The Winner's Crime. For 6 months. 6 whole months. I have experienced every stage of loss and grief from "denial" to "depression." But I refused to accept it. REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT ENDING. So I imagined what would happen in the last book. Imagined how things would play out and obsessed over it. Because of that, I had impossibly high expectations. I tried and failed to lower my expectations before starting this book. But I'm so glad to say that I loved this book. Not as much as I loved the second book but still loved it. Did my imaginary scenes appear in this book? You won't believe me but a few of them were there! But mostly I was surprised by how things turned out.

Kestrel is definitely one of my favourite female characters of all time. She is so smart and even though she makes mistakes, I understand the choices she makes. I can't help but think I would probably do the same thing as her and can't get mad at her.

For some reason, I don't love Arin as much as I love Kestrel. Well okay, I love him! But I can't seem to understand him as much as I understand Kestrel.
I love Arin and Kestrel together so much. They make each other strong and happy. AND I CAN'T STOP SMILING WHEN I THINK ABOUT THEM.

In The Winner's Crime, there were both scenes from the palace and the war. But in The Winner's Kiss, we mostly have the war and I actually missed the drama in the palace a little. Marie Rutkoski knows how to write court drama.

I still have so much to see in this world though! I can't seem to say goodbye to these characters! I still have so many questions!





If you've read it, here is my spoilery section:

[spoilers removed]


---
Before Reading:

Update (12.12.2015):

GUYS GUYS GUYS. THERE IS AN EXCERPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I AM ALREADY COUNTING DAYS UNTIL MARCH 1ST. NOW WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!?

I.AM.SO.EXCITED.



[spoilers removed]


---

I'll be here listening to sad songs and banging my head on the table until this book comes out


]]> 4.19 2016 The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3)
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2016/04/03
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: e-books, funny-reads, fantasy, owned, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

"I want better choices."
"Then we must make a world that has them."

I have been in agony ever since I have finished The Winner's Crime. For 6 months. 6 whole months. I have experienced every stage of loss and grief from "denial" to "depression." But I refused to accept it. REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT ENDING. So I imagined what would happen in the last book. Imagined how things would play out and obsessed over it. Because of that, I had impossibly high expectations. I tried and failed to lower my expectations before starting this book. But I'm so glad to say that I loved this book. Not as much as I loved the second book but still loved it. Did my imaginary scenes appear in this book? You won't believe me but a few of them were there! But mostly I was surprised by how things turned out.

Kestrel is definitely one of my favourite female characters of all time. She is so smart and even though she makes mistakes, I understand the choices she makes. I can't help but think I would probably do the same thing as her and can't get mad at her.

For some reason, I don't love Arin as much as I love Kestrel. Well okay, I love him! But I can't seem to understand him as much as I understand Kestrel.
I love Arin and Kestrel together so much. They make each other strong and happy. AND I CAN'T STOP SMILING WHEN I THINK ABOUT THEM.

In The Winner's Crime, there were both scenes from the palace and the war. But in The Winner's Kiss, we mostly have the war and I actually missed the drama in the palace a little. Marie Rutkoski knows how to write court drama.

I still have so much to see in this world though! I can't seem to say goodbye to these characters! I still have so many questions!





If you've read it, here is my spoilery section:

[spoilers removed]


---
Before Reading:

Update (12.12.2015):

GUYS GUYS GUYS. THERE IS AN EXCERPT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I AM ALREADY COUNTING DAYS UNTIL MARCH 1ST. NOW WHAT DO I DO?!?!?!?!?

I.AM.SO.EXCITED.



[spoilers removed]


---

I'll be here listening to sad songs and banging my head on the table until this book comes out



]]> <![CDATA[The Search (Avatar: The Last Airbender, #2)]]> 18631568 Immediately following the Avatar's adventures chronicled in The Promise, this remarkable omnibus that collects parts 1-3 of The Search, from Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko!

For years, fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra have burned with one question--what happened to Fire Lord Zuko's mother? Finding a clue at last, Zuko enlists the aid of Team Avatar--and the most unlikely ally of all--to help uncover the biggest secret of his life.]]> 240 Gene Luen Yang 1616552263 Duanur 4
I love Zuko so much.

This was like watching a new Avatar episode. I LOVED IT. The humour, the characters, the dialogue, everything was amazing.]]> 4.56 2014 The Search (Avatar: The Last Airbender, #2)
author: Gene Luen Yang
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2019/04/14
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: e-books, fantasy, fun, illustrated, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

I love Zuko so much.

This was like watching a new Avatar episode. I LOVED IT. The humour, the characters, the dialogue, everything was amazing.
]]> <![CDATA[Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)]]> 13206900
When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.

But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter claim their happily ever afters by defeating Levana once and for all?]]> 827 Marissa Meyer 0312642989 Duanur 4
I can't believe it's over.



Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of this series when I read the first book I'm so glad that I decided to continue. I am in love with these characters and I will miss them and probably reread my favourite parts a lot in the future.

I loved all the couples but my favourites are hands down, Thorne and Cress. They are actually the reason why I finished this series. I thought the first two books were okay but after I heard the third book was going to be about Captain Thorne and "Rapunzel" I had to read it. Thorne is definitely in my top 10 "book boyfriends" list. And I loved everything about Cress and Thorne. I hope we'll have a short story in the near future.




Read this series if you haven't already!







-----



GUYS. I AM SO DISSAPOINTED IN YOU ALL.

Everyone is like "meeh not the best cover"



I GASPED when I saw this cover!

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SHINY BUT IT'S A PICTURE. AND AND IT HAS AMAZING SHADES AND EVERYTHING AND I LOVE IT. IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!!

I am not the biggest Lunar chronicles fan but after meeting Thorne-sorry Captain Thorne? I have to read this book. I need more Thorne x Cress cuteness in my life. Wait. I was talking about Winter.

IT HAS 800 pages



]]> 4.41 2015 Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2015/12/03
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: fantasy, funny-reads, fun, owned, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

I can't believe it's over.



Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of this series when I read the first book I'm so glad that I decided to continue. I am in love with these characters and I will miss them and probably reread my favourite parts a lot in the future.

I loved all the couples but my favourites are hands down, Thorne and Cress. They are actually the reason why I finished this series. I thought the first two books were okay but after I heard the third book was going to be about Captain Thorne and "Rapunzel" I had to read it. Thorne is definitely in my top 10 "book boyfriends" list. And I loved everything about Cress and Thorne. I hope we'll have a short story in the near future.




Read this series if you haven't already!







-----



GUYS. I AM SO DISSAPOINTED IN YOU ALL.

Everyone is like "meeh not the best cover"



I GASPED when I saw this cover!

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SHINY BUT IT'S A PICTURE. AND AND IT HAS AMAZING SHADES AND EVERYTHING AND I LOVE IT. IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!!

I am not the biggest Lunar chronicles fan but after meeting Thorne-sorry Captain Thorne? I have to read this book. I need more Thorne x Cress cuteness in my life. Wait. I was talking about Winter.

IT HAS 800 pages




]]> <![CDATA[The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)]]> 9531737
My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me.

So begins a tale told from his own point of view—a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man’s Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.

source: penguinrandomhouse.com]]> 1000 Patrick Rothfuss Duanur 4
There are 3 things that keep me from giving this book a 5 star rating.

1) The pacing. I do understand why this is a slow paced book but personally I just like fast paced books more. The pacing works for the series, but I just want things to move more quickly.

2) Denna. I think there is going to be a huge plot twist in the third book involving Denna. If not I'll be mad because I can't stand her.

3) I thought some parts of this book were unnecessarily TOO long. [spoilers removed]

That being said. I LOVE THIS TRILOGY SO MUCH.

I love Kvothe and all the other characters. I love the mystery and where we are heading. I love the stories. I love the magic. I loved reading about the different cultures of different countries (Ademre was SO INTERESTING to read about.)

I just wanted at least few of my questions to be answered in this book. Was it too much to ask??? NOW I HAVE A MILLION MORE.

I'm just going to write some of them here so I won't forget.
[spoilers removed]


I'm SO EXCITED for the last book. I seriously can NOT wait. Now I just need a publication date so I can mark my calender.



Now I'm going to read theories online until the book comes out.]]> 4.59 2011 The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2016/11/28
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: owned, fantasy, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4,5*

There are 3 things that keep me from giving this book a 5 star rating.

1) The pacing. I do understand why this is a slow paced book but personally I just like fast paced books more. The pacing works for the series, but I just want things to move more quickly.

2) Denna. I think there is going to be a huge plot twist in the third book involving Denna. If not I'll be mad because I can't stand her.

3) I thought some parts of this book were unnecessarily TOO long. [spoilers removed]

That being said. I LOVE THIS TRILOGY SO MUCH.

I love Kvothe and all the other characters. I love the mystery and where we are heading. I love the stories. I love the magic. I loved reading about the different cultures of different countries (Ademre was SO INTERESTING to read about.)

I just wanted at least few of my questions to be answered in this book. Was it too much to ask??? NOW I HAVE A MILLION MORE.

I'm just going to write some of them here so I won't forget.
[spoilers removed]


I'm SO EXCITED for the last book. I seriously can NOT wait. Now I just need a publication date so I can mark my calender.



Now I'm going to read theories online until the book comes out.
]]> <![CDATA[Warprize (Chronicles of the Warlands, #1)]]> 78070
SHE MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN HER PEOPLE AND HER FREEDOM...

Xylara is the Daughter of the Warrior King, Xyron. With her father dead and her incompetent half-brother on the throne, the kingdom is in danger of falling to the warring Firelanders.

Before she was old enough for a marriage-of-alliance, Xylara was trained as a healer. She can't usurp her brother or negotiate a peace--but she can heal the brave ones injured in battle.

But not only her countrymen are wounded, and Xylara's conscience won't let Firelander warriors die when she can do something to save them. She learns their language and their customs and tries to make them as comfortable as possible, despite their prisoner-of-war status.

She never expects that these deeds, done in good faith, would lead to the handsome and mysterious Firelander Warlord demanding her in exchange for a cease-fire. Xylara knows must trade the life she has always known for the well-being of her people, and so she becomes...

The Warprize
]]> 336 Elizabeth Vaughan 0765357364 Duanur 4
I didn't know what to expect from this book but it blew all my expectations away. I loved the cast of characters, the slow burn romance, and especially Keir and Lara. I thought this was a stand alone and I'm so happy to learn that it's actually a series. I need more Keir and Lara scenes.

I would have liked the villian to be a bit more clever but oh well, I was still trying to guess what was going to happen at the end. I loved that Lara figured things out at the end by herself. And I am so glad that she was not actually a warrior but a healer. That was a nice change.

The editing was not really good in this book, though. Some of the character names changed slightly or someone opened a tent twice and it made me go back and read the scene again. But all in all, it was a great fantasy romance read.]]> 3.94 2005 Warprize (Chronicles of the Warlands, #1)
author: Elizabeth Vaughan
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/05
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

I didn't know what to expect from this book but it blew all my expectations away. I loved the cast of characters, the slow burn romance, and especially Keir and Lara. I thought this was a stand alone and I'm so happy to learn that it's actually a series. I need more Keir and Lara scenes.

I would have liked the villian to be a bit more clever but oh well, I was still trying to guess what was going to happen at the end. I loved that Lara figured things out at the end by herself. And I am so glad that she was not actually a warrior but a healer. That was a nice change.

The editing was not really good in this book, though. Some of the character names changed slightly or someone opened a tent twice and it made me go back and read the scene again. But all in all, it was a great fantasy romance read.
]]> Langoliers 1629636
Seltsame Dinge ereignen sich an Bord eines Flugzeugs, das durch einen Riß in der Zeit im Irrealen verschwindet. Ein ganz normaler Linienflug gerät zu einer Odyssee auswegloser Schrecken. Und ein Schriftsteller bekommt Besuch von einem Mann, der behauptet, dieser habe ihm eine Geschichte gestohlen � Beginn eines Horrortrips in die mörderischen Abgründe einer schizophrenen Psyche...]]> 545 Stephen King 3453431634 Duanur 4 fantasy, horror, novellas 3.77 1990 Langoliers
author: Stephen King
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.77
book published: 1990
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: fantasy, horror, novellas
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance, #3)]]> 55858638 New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

The one thing you never talk about while you're in the Scholomance is what you'll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it's all we dream about, the hideously slim chance we'll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I'm out, we're all out--and I didn't even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother's prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn't kill enclavers, I saved them. Me, and Orion, and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: we saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves of the world.

Ha, only joking! Actually it's gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war on the horizon. And the first thing I've got to do now, having miraculously got out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.]]> 407 Naomi Novik 0593158369 Duanur 5
Just for the Liesel subplot I can't give this full on 5 stars but everything else was amazing. This wrapped up the trilogy perfectly.

I love these main characters, the world building is so well done and the plot came together perfectly. The overall message and the themes of this story are so important and it is done in a subtle way that I loved. The trauma El had gone through (and the depression it had caused her), the society built on suffering of others and the altruism were all depicted so well.

I already can't wait to reread this trilogy.]]> 4.08 2022 The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance, #3)
author: Naomi Novik
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/31
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: owned, 2023, fantasy, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

Just for the Liesel subplot I can't give this full on 5 stars but everything else was amazing. This wrapped up the trilogy perfectly.

I love these main characters, the world building is so well done and the plot came together perfectly. The overall message and the themes of this story are so important and it is done in a subtle way that I loved. The trauma El had gone through (and the depression it had caused her), the society built on suffering of others and the altruism were all depicted so well.

I already can't wait to reread this trilogy.
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom, #1)]]> 57789637
“Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish.”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

“An all-consuming work of literary fantasy that is breathtaking both for its beauty and its suspense."—BookPage, starred review

A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.]]> 503 Sue Lynn Tan 0063031302 Duanur 5
Great writing, strong female main character, interesting fantasy world inspired by chinese mythology and a love triangle done perfectly.

I am very picky when it comes to love triangles but both of the love interests here were interesting and one wasn't better than the other.

The whole book kind of feels like an anime where we have different subplots throughout the book. I don't normally love adventure stories but since I loved the overarching plot, I couldn't stop reading it to know what happened at the end. I just wanted more from her parents' story. [spoilers removed]

I am very excited to read the sequel.]]> 4.08 2022 Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom, #1)
author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/17
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: fantasy, owned, 2023, fun, love-triangle, young-adult, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

Great writing, strong female main character, interesting fantasy world inspired by chinese mythology and a love triangle done perfectly.

I am very picky when it comes to love triangles but both of the love interests here were interesting and one wasn't better than the other.

The whole book kind of feels like an anime where we have different subplots throughout the book. I don't normally love adventure stories but since I loved the overarching plot, I couldn't stop reading it to know what happened at the end. I just wanted more from her parents' story. [spoilers removed]

I am very excited to read the sequel.
]]> <![CDATA[Bound to the Battle God (Aspect and Anchor #1)]]> 59452782 An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.

When I went to my neighbor's apartment to investigate strange sounds, I never expected to fall through a portal into another world. Yet here I am, a stranger in an even stranger land...and I'm stranded. In this world, might makes right, men carry swords, and gods walk the earth. Within minutes of arriving, I’m enslaved.

Fun place.

How do I get home? GREAT question. Wish I had an answer.

The one person that might be able to help me is also the one person I want to throttle most. Aron, Lord of Storms, Butcher God of Battle, is my new companion. Or rather, I'm his. As Aron's anchor to the mortal realm, I'm the one that's supposed to be guiding him through his exile in the mortal world.

Ha. Joke's on him. I know nothing about this place.

But Aron and I have a common goal - get home. And we're bonded - anchor and god - with a bond unlike any other. So we travel together. We bicker. We bathe together. We fight our many, many enemies together. And sure, he’s a god, but he’s also an arrogant jerk. Brawny, smoking hot, irresistible jerk. I should want nothing to do with him. I certainly shouldn’t want to do things to him.

Mortals and gods don’t mix. We stick to the plan and ignore our attraction. Focused, with one goal in mind.

One task. One goal.

Focused.

I—oh heck, I’m going to end up kissing him again, aren’t I?]]> 660 Ruby Dixon Duanur 5
"Maybe you are my heart, Faith."

Objectively I should give this book 5 stars but it was a bit too long for me so I can't say it was perfect. But the plot, the page-turner pacing, the slow burn romance, the humour were all great. I personally didn't really care about the world building but it wasn't bad.
I especially really liked the main character, Faith. She was funny and easy to root for. Even when I thought the plot was going darker, Faith and her sense of humour kept the book light and fun to read. I am surprised to see that I don't have too much to say about this book since it was 660 pages long.

This is the best Ruby Dixon book I have read so far and it is a great fantasy romance with interesting plot and great cast of characters. I do believe this is a must read for fantasy romance lovers. Especially if you are looking for a fantasy romance without any trigger warnings. And laugh out loud funny dialogues.]]> 3.99 2019 Bound to the Battle God (Aspect and Anchor #1)
author: Ruby Dixon
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2022/08/02
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: 2022, adult, audiobooks, e-books, fantasy, fun, funny-reads, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*

"Maybe you are my heart, Faith."

Objectively I should give this book 5 stars but it was a bit too long for me so I can't say it was perfect. But the plot, the page-turner pacing, the slow burn romance, the humour were all great. I personally didn't really care about the world building but it wasn't bad.
I especially really liked the main character, Faith. She was funny and easy to root for. Even when I thought the plot was going darker, Faith and her sense of humour kept the book light and fun to read. I am surprised to see that I don't have too much to say about this book since it was 660 pages long.

This is the best Ruby Dixon book I have read so far and it is a great fantasy romance with interesting plot and great cast of characters. I do believe this is a must read for fantasy romance lovers. Especially if you are looking for a fantasy romance without any trigger warnings. And laugh out loud funny dialogues.
]]> <![CDATA[Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)]]> 23395680
The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra � who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents � including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more � Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.]]> 608 Amie Kaufman 0553499114 Duanur 5


What a story.

That last 200 pages killed me. Emotionally and a little bit of physically.



I don't know how to write a review for this book. I loved the characters. I loved that even though it was written in IMs, reports etc. I could connect with the characters. I loved the relationship between Ezra and Kady. They were both very strong, kickass characters. The plot was so action pact and gripping and I didn't want to stop reading it.
AIDAN was an amazing character. I love weird, philosophical characters and AIDAN was interesting to read about.

An amazing adventure with great characters and a heart wrenching romance.
I would recommend this to anyone except for my brother (he refuses to read it because it's written in IMs and stuff.
He is such a picky reader.)]]> 4.23 2015 Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2016/01/17
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: owned, fantasy, funny-reads, favourites, young-adult, second-chance-romance, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.5*



What a story.

That last 200 pages killed me. Emotionally and a little bit of physically.



I don't know how to write a review for this book. I loved the characters. I loved that even though it was written in IMs, reports etc. I could connect with the characters. I loved the relationship between Ezra and Kady. They were both very strong, kickass characters. The plot was so action pact and gripping and I didn't want to stop reading it.
AIDAN was an amazing character. I love weird, philosophical characters and AIDAN was interesting to read about.

An amazing adventure with great characters and a heart wrenching romance.
I would recommend this to anyone except for my brother (he refuses to read it because it's written in IMs and stuff.
He is such a picky reader.)
]]> Keturah and Lord Death 331830 216 Martine Leavitt 1932425292 Duanur 5
"You, my lord, are the ending of all true stories"

Loved this one. The writing was so captivating, the characters were amazing, and it even had a slow burn romance. I am not a big fan of fairytales but this one captured my heart.

I don't know how this book doesn't have a higher rating on goodreads but I would highly recommend this if you love grim fairytale-esque stories.]]> 3.90 2006 Keturah and Lord Death
author: Martine Leavitt
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2018/09/05
date added: 2023/11/01
shelves: e-books, fantasy, adult, need-to-reread, 4-and-a-half-stars
review:
*4.75*

"You, my lord, are the ending of all true stories"

Loved this one. The writing was so captivating, the characters were amazing, and it even had a slow burn romance. I am not a big fan of fairytales but this one captured my heart.

I don't know how this book doesn't have a higher rating on goodreads but I would highly recommend this if you love grim fairytale-esque stories.
]]> <![CDATA[Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)]]> 16034235
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.]]> 406 Sarah J. Maas 1619630346 Duanur 4 Luckily, it wasn't a real review.

Long story short. I LOVED it. Team Chaol for now. Dorian is a sweetheart. I want both of them to be happy
Celeana is one of my favourite protagonists! She was kickass and she READS!

Can't wait to read the whole series.
]]> 4.15 2012 Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2014/08/17
date added: 2023/10/12
shelves: fun, love-triangle, owned, fantasy
review:
I just accidentally deleted my review -.-
Luckily, it wasn't a real review.

Long story short. I LOVED it. Team Chaol for now. Dorian is a sweetheart. I want both of them to be happy
Celeana is one of my favourite protagonists! She was kickass and she READS!

Can't wait to read the whole series.

]]> <![CDATA[Throne of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #6)]]> 61371421 The final book of the Horde Kings of Dakkar series is here�

High in the icy northlands of Dakkar, I’ve lived a sheltered, predictable, and safe life. My days are spent caring for an ancient temple and staying out of the priestesses� way. My nights are spent pouring over the great stories of warrior kings and the queens that stole their hearts.

But I have a secret.

I’m a hybrid female. Half-Dakkari, half-human, the first of my kind. The priestesses have risked everything to keep me hidden from the dangerous hordes that roam the wild lands and the greedy king that sits on the throne in Dothik. I am the secret they could never let free.

Then a horde king—with molten eyes and the body of a battle god—shows up at the temple’s gates, demanding entry.

He’s the one I see in my dreams, all ruthless, merciless strength and a tempting smirk to match. Only, he’s not the gentle male I always imagined. He’s cunning, sensual, cruel…and he thinks that everything has a price. Even me.

With a growing danger in the east and a precarious throne in the west, he steals me away from the sacred temple with daring plans all his own.

He thinks I’m a naive temple girl, who will bend easily to his demands. Instead, I fight him at every turn, showing him claws of my own. Instead of fear, lust begins to rise between us—hot, addicting, and forbidden. His teasing touch makes me tremble. His stolen kisses make me weak.

But the horde king of Rath Serok is as mysterious as he is devilish.

And he has his own secret…one that will forever change the future of Dakkar.]]> 578 Zoey Draven Duanur 3 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
But I did really like the heroine's character development and her story overall. The relationship between her and her Kalloma was interesting.

It is bittersweet to finish this series but I am looking forward to any spin-off series Zoey Draven will write in the future.]]> 4.39 2022 Throne of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #6)
author: Zoey Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/01
date added: 2023/10/01
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
This series surprised me by how good it was. I wish I could have enjoyed this last book more but the plot was boring and the romance developed way too quickly without having an emotional connection first. I also felt like the secondary characters could have been more fleshed out since this book is nearly 600 pages long. It felt more like a thousand to me but that's beside the point.

But I did really like the heroine's character development and her story overall. The relationship between her and her Kalloma was interesting.

It is bittersweet to finish this series but I am looking forward to any spin-off series Zoey Draven will write in the future.
]]> Heartless 31458203
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.]]> 450 Marissa Meyer 1509814132 Duanur 2
I skim read this and wouldn't even finish it if I didn't own the physical book.]]> 4.01 2016 Heartless
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2023/09/24
date added: 2023/09/24
shelves: owned, 2023, fantasy, young-adult
review:
booooring

I skim read this and wouldn't even finish it if I didn't own the physical book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)]]> 59332540 Not every love is meant to be...

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she’ll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can. . . .]]> 416 Stephanie Garber 1529380960 Duanur 4
The ending was very fun and I am looking forward to read the last book. I am just hoping for more romance.]]> 4.56 2022 The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/20
date added: 2023/09/20
shelves: 2023, fantasy, owned, young-adult
review:
I am really enjoying this trilogy but I feel like I still don't know enough about Jacks to truly love the romance. I love Evangeline and how pure she is but I find it odd that she keeps forgiving Jacks even though he doesn't do anything to deserve her forgiveness. Maybe not reading the Caraval trilogy first was a mistake in my part. I might have known Jacks a lot better maybe?

The ending was very fun and I am looking forward to read the last book. I am just hoping for more romance.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, #2) (Publication Order, #1)]]> 7806720 Narnia . . . a land frozen in eternal winter . . . a country waiting to be set free

Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.]]> 146 C.S. Lewis 0061974153 Duanur 3
I am glad I finally read this but wow the christian undertones are so strong. I might rewatch the movie since I don't remember the religious parallels. (The "sons of Adam", Aslan being reborn, women not supposed to fight lol, Edmund and Judas parallels etc)

This was a fun portal fantasy book and the audibooks are so quick to listen to that I might actually finish the series.]]> 4.36 1950 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, #2) (Publication Order, #1)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.36
book published: 1950
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: 2023, audiobooks, fantasy, middle-grade
review:
*3.5*

I am glad I finally read this but wow the christian undertones are so strong. I might rewatch the movie since I don't remember the religious parallels. (The "sons of Adam", Aslan being reborn, women not supposed to fight lol, Edmund and Judas parallels etc)

This was a fun portal fantasy book and the audibooks are so quick to listen to that I might actually finish the series.
]]> <![CDATA[The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #1) (Publication Order, #6)]]> 7806728 218 C.S. Lewis Duanur 3 4.28 1955 The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #1) (Publication Order, #6)
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1955
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/14
date added: 2023/09/14
shelves: 2023, audiobooks, fantasy, middle-grade
review:
I can't believe I accidentally listened to this first on an audiobook of the complete Narnia series. I didn't realise it was chronological instead of publication order. This was very... christian. I knew C.S. Lewis is christian but I didn't realise how much his stories would be. This was an interesting prequel but I am more excited to read the actual first book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Coven (Coven of Bones, #1)]]> 75396525
There are no whispered words here. No condemnation for the blood that flows through my veins. The only animosity I face comes from the beautiful and infuriating Headmaster, Alaric Grayson Thorne, a man who despises me just as much as I loathe him and everything he stands for.

But that doesn’t mean secrets don’t threaten to tear the school in two. No one talks about the bloody massacre that forced it to close decades prior, only the opportunity it can afford to those fortunate enough to attend.

Because for the first time in fifty years, the Coven will open its wards to the Thirteen: thirteen promising students destined to change the world.

If the ghosts of Hollow’s Groves� victims don’t kill them first...

The Coven is book one in the Coven of Bones series and ends on a cliffhanger. This is a gothic, dark-academia, paranormal romance and includes elements that may be triggering to some listeners.]]> 298 Harper L. Woods Duanur 3
I hated the insta-lust. I couldn't even feel the chemistry between the main characters because of it. The world building is also all over the place.

But it was very fast paced and I loved the nature magic. Most of all I loved the last 20% of the book. I need to read the next one to see what is going to happen next.]]> 3.72 2023 The Coven (Coven of Bones, #1)
author: Harper L. Woods
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/13
date added: 2023/09/13
shelves: 2023, audiobooks, fantasy, killer-endings, new-adult
review:
*3.5*

I hated the insta-lust. I couldn't even feel the chemistry between the main characters because of it. The world building is also all over the place.

But it was very fast paced and I loved the nature magic. Most of all I loved the last 20% of the book. I need to read the next one to see what is going to happen next.
]]> <![CDATA[Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)]]> 60718856 A new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after.

For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings... until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.

Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic, but wicked, Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game � and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy.]]> 408 Stephanie Garber 1529380944 Duanur 4
Not knowing Jacks's backstory might have been better since I didn't know whether I could trust Jacks or not, and it was so much fun!

This book was very fast paced and interesting. I was scared it would read like a fairytale -since I don't like fairytale-esque books- but it was more fantastical than whimsical in my opinion.

Evangeline is not a naive but a hopeful main character and I couldn't help but love her even though she did make some stupid mistakes.

One thing I found lacking was the secondary characters. I wanted more from Prince Apollo and his brother. That being said, Marisol was a very interesting side character. Her complicated relationship with Evangeline was so fun to read about.

I am looking forward to reading the next book since I am so curious how the romance will play out, and also the mystery is more complex than a typical YA fantasy.]]> 4.05 2021 Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/02
date added: 2023/09/02
shelves: 2023, fantasy, owned, young-adult
review:
I haven't read the Caraval trilogy but since everyone has been raving about this I had to give it a chance.

Not knowing Jacks's backstory might have been better since I didn't know whether I could trust Jacks or not, and it was so much fun!

This book was very fast paced and interesting. I was scared it would read like a fairytale -since I don't like fairytale-esque books- but it was more fantastical than whimsical in my opinion.

Evangeline is not a naive but a hopeful main character and I couldn't help but love her even though she did make some stupid mistakes.

One thing I found lacking was the secondary characters. I wanted more from Prince Apollo and his brother. That being said, Marisol was a very interesting side character. Her complicated relationship with Evangeline was so fun to read about.

I am looking forward to reading the next book since I am so curious how the romance will play out, and also the mystery is more complex than a typical YA fantasy.
]]> <![CDATA[Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again�

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands � that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper � an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 Duanur 2
The ending was interesting but I just wish we had more Roman and less Iris in this book.

Even with that cliffhanger I doubt that I will pick up the next book since I have zero interest in the romance or the plot.

Unfortunately, this was a very mid historical fiction. I would recommend Lovely War instead. At least it had amazing research and better romance.]]> 4.14 2023 Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/08/31
date added: 2023/08/31
shelves: audiobooks, 2023, fantasy, young-adult
review:
This was such a surprising letdown for me. I guess my expections were wrong. I was expecting a fantasy romance and what I got was historical fiction with little mythology. I loved Roman but Iris was a hard person to like for me. I couldn't feel their chemistry either.

The ending was interesting but I just wish we had more Roman and less Iris in this book.

Even with that cliffhanger I doubt that I will pick up the next book since I have zero interest in the romance or the plot.

Unfortunately, this was a very mid historical fiction. I would recommend Lovely War instead. At least it had amazing research and better romance.
]]> <![CDATA[A Natural History of Dragons (The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #1)]]> 12974372 You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon's presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one's life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . .

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.]]> 334 Marie Brennan 0765331969 Duanur 3 owned, 2023, adult, fantasy
How can a main character make every wrong decision ever throughout the whole book? I understand that she is nineteen but she has no sense whatsoever. She doesn't even care about the price she pays since she gets what she wants at the end anyway.

I loved the historical setting with dragons. A woman scholar going on a different country to research dragons? Sign me up. I blame Emily Wilde for expecting something more from this.

This is written like a memoir which is fun as an idea but in execution it is dreadfully boring. I wanted more dragons, more intrigue and less annoying characters.

I know it is very realistic for a group of privileged people to go to a small town for an expedition and not care about any of the culture or poor people there but wow this made me mad. Disrupting their daily lives is one thing but having the audacity to look down on the people and not even care to get to know their culture and even see them as human beings? I wish the fantasy aspect of the book was having good mannered and kind privileged people as main characters.

Since I did enjoy the setting and one character (poor Jacob... I wish he had someone looking out for him) I still liked this book. But this could have been an easy 5 star book for me if... well, if it was exactly like Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, I guess.]]> 3.83 2013 A Natural History of Dragons (The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #1)
author: Marie Brennan
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/20
date added: 2023/08/20
shelves: owned, 2023, adult, fantasy
review:
*2.5*

How can a main character make every wrong decision ever throughout the whole book? I understand that she is nineteen but she has no sense whatsoever. She doesn't even care about the price she pays since she gets what she wants at the end anyway.

I loved the historical setting with dragons. A woman scholar going on a different country to research dragons? Sign me up. I blame Emily Wilde for expecting something more from this.

This is written like a memoir which is fun as an idea but in execution it is dreadfully boring. I wanted more dragons, more intrigue and less annoying characters.

I know it is very realistic for a group of privileged people to go to a small town for an expedition and not care about any of the culture or poor people there but wow this made me mad. Disrupting their daily lives is one thing but having the audacity to look down on the people and not even care to get to know their culture and even see them as human beings? I wish the fantasy aspect of the book was having good mannered and kind privileged people as main characters.

Since I did enjoy the setting and one character (poor Jacob... I wish he had someone looking out for him) I still liked this book. But this could have been an easy 5 star book for me if... well, if it was exactly like Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, I guess.
]]> <![CDATA[Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom, #2)]]> 60461898
Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would. As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation--to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love... even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

The stunning sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess delves deeper into beloved Chinese mythology, concluding the epic story of Xingyin--the daughter of Chang'e and the mortal archer, Houyi--as she battles a grave new threat to the realm, in this powerful tale of love, sacrifice, and hope.]]> 466 Sue Lynn Tan 0063031361 Duanur 3 2023, fantasy, young-adult
The first one was way better but I liked the first half of this as well. What I hated was the way the love triangle ended. I am not talking about who she chose (because I choose the same guy) but HOW she chose it.

I am still glad I read this duology. It really felt like a chinese legend and not something too western with a hint of eastern culture. I am excited to see what Sue Lynn Tan will write next.]]> 4.00 2022 Heart of the Sun Warrior (The Celestial Kingdom, #2)
author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/27
date added: 2023/07/27
shelves: 2023, fantasy, young-adult
review:
*3.5*

The first one was way better but I liked the first half of this as well. What I hated was the way the love triangle ended. I am not talking about who she chose (because I choose the same guy) but HOW she chose it.

I am still glad I read this duology. It really felt like a chinese legend and not something too western with a hint of eastern culture. I am excited to see what Sue Lynn Tan will write next.
]]> <![CDATA[Broken by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #4)]]> 58275337
When I was a child, I fell in love with a Dakkari boy. The prince of our clan. Rukkar, we called him. For he was destined to become the greatest horde king of our time.

He was Kiran of Rath Okkili. My friend. My strong, unyielding protector. His mischievous smile and golden eyes made my heart flutter and my soul sing. And just when I began to believe he returned my love…he shattered me so completely and never once looked back to see how I’d survived.

Nine years later, he’s returned.

Only, he’s not a prince anymore.

He’s a horde king. Cold and cruel. With molten eyes like sin and a body made for war.

I promised myself I’d never love him again.

He intends to make a liar out of me.

Because he not only wants my love again…he also demands me as his queen.]]> 462 Zoey Draven Duanur 3
But I am still loving the writing and the world. I am also very intrigued by the over-arching plot. I am excited to read more about the red mist and of course, the next couple.]]> 4.17 2021 Broken by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #4)
author: Zoey Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2023/07/22
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy, second-chance-romance
review:
I didn't like this as much as I liked the first three which is dissapointing since I normally love a second chance romance. But they are very hard to pull off. I didn't care for the romance in this. I wish the reason they stayed apart for 9 years was an external conflict instead of Karin just staying away. And the reason he returns is because of a dream he had... That was lame.

But I am still loving the writing and the world. I am also very intrigued by the over-arching plot. I am excited to read more about the red mist and of course, the next couple.
]]> <![CDATA[Madness of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #3)]]> 56129508
Over a year ago, I was ripped away from my human village to serve the Ghertun, a brutal enemy alien race. With the lives of my family at risk, I am tasked to deliver a message to the one place no human has ever gone before: the capital city of Dakkar.

Before I succeed, however, I am captured by a Horde King. A Horde King of the Dakkari, a merciless barbaric race, bred for war and violence, that rule over the hostile and unforgiving planet of Dakkar.

And this Horde King? He’s the most ruthless and insane of them all—with his scarred face, glowing red eyes, and his wicked, dark grin that hides an even darker past.

I am no one. I am quiet, meek, and fearful…and yet this fearsome king wants me in his furs. I tremble when he touches me but he awakens my desire, something I fear I’ll crave…all while I struggle to save my family.

Now the Mad Horde King has me in his possession�

I fear he never intends to let me go.]]> 423 Zoey Draven Duanur 4 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
The plots are pretty weak in this series but I am loving the world, the characters and the romance.]]> 4.21 2020 Madness of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar #3)
author: Zoey Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/14
date added: 2023/07/13
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
This was more emotional than the first two. The heroine was also more powerful than the first two heroines. I loved the emotional love story. But the hero is pretty sane for someone who is called the Mad Horde King.

The plots are pretty weak in this series but I am loving the world, the characters and the romance.
]]> <![CDATA[Claimed by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #2)]]> 49610915 She broke their laws. Now, he has come to punish her�

In my human settlement on the hostile plains of Dakkar, I am an outcast, a strange girl orphaned since birth, alone, and dreaming of a life I don't have. I hunt to survive, though it is forbidden, though it breaks the strict Dakkari laws that we all must follow.

When my desperate actions catch the attention of a Dakkari horde king—a cold, powerful, and merciless warrior leader, with eyes like flint and a body like steel—he seeks to punish me…and he succeeds.

But then he does the unexpected.

Instead of taking my life, he claims me as his own.

He steals me from my village and brings me back to his battle-bred horde. There, I warm his bed. I make bargains with him on starry, cold nights. I look into his grey eyes and see not a monster, but a demon king who captures my soul.

But demons have a way of never letting go…and as the cold season descends upon Dakkar, I begin to wonder if I even want him to, even when it hurts.

Claimed by the Horde King is a full-length SFR novel (95,000+ words) with an HEA. It is the second book of the Horde Kings of Dakkar series.]]> 358 Zoey Draven Duanur 4 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy 4.24 2019 Claimed by the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #2)
author: Zoey Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/25
date added: 2023/06/25
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
I am loving this world and the writing feels cozy to me for some reason. I personally didn't love the romance development here and wanted more from the secondary characters but overall I enjoyed it very much.
]]> <![CDATA[Captive of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #1)]]> 44571879 She made a deal with the Dakkari devil. Now, he owns her.

On the unforgiving planet of Dakkar, I did what all the humans in our village did: kept my head down, worked to provide for my family, and I certainly didn’t break any Dakkari laws to risk inciting the alien race’s merciless wrath.

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for my brother and one careless mistake brings a horde of the nomadic, barbarian Dakkari straight to our doorstep, led by their powerful horde king—a cold, ruthless, battle-scarred warrior demanding retribution.

In order to save my brother’s life, I do the unthinkable.

I sell myself to the horde king as his war prize. I agree to warm his furs, to travel with his horde across the wild lands of Dakkar, and to never see my family again.

But as I struggle with my new reality, I discover that the surly, mysterious, dominant horde king never intended for me to be his concubine�

He wants me as his queen.]]> 327 Zoey Draven Duanur 4 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy Warprize, Pathfinder's Way or The Golden Dynasty, you won't be surprised by the way the story progresses. But overall, this was a fun version of an alien barbarian romance and that is my favourite kind of barbarian book.]]> 4.02 2019 Captive of the Horde King (Horde Kings of Dakkar, #1)
author: Zoey Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/19
date added: 2023/06/19
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
If you are looking for a barbarian fantasy romance (that is heavy on the romance) but don't want any of the triggering content, this was pretty straight-forward but a very fun read with great chemistry between the main characters and interesting world-building. I also loved how the main character got mature throughout the book. The romance build-up could have been a bit better but I still enjoyed the couple together. Like I said the plot is straight-forward. If you have read similar books like Warprize, Pathfinder's Way or The Golden Dynasty, you won't be surprised by the way the story progresses. But overall, this was a fun version of an alien barbarian romance and that is my favourite kind of barbarian book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)]]> 35068705
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.]]> 545 R.F. Kuang 0062662597 Duanur 2
First of all, I have to say I am not the target audience for this. I rarely like high fantasy and I don't care for fantasy that is heavily inspired by real history. Put in the fact that I love romance in my fantasy... I knew going into this that I was out of my comfort zone. BUT I love reading out of my comfort zone and find a new favourite book, and I went into this book with an open mind.

I expected something along the lines of Attack on Titan and what I got was... a westernized look of chinese history with a wattpad level of writing. I loved the ideas here but the execution was very lacking. I was scared of the trigger warnings this book has but since the writing and the characters were lacking the dark atmosphere was not successful.

The characters were all over the place. I knew no one even after reading 500 pages. Rin acted in a certain way in one chapter and acted completely like a different character in another scene. The relationship dynamics were also inconsistent. They were friends in one scene and in the next they were enemies. There was no development or dialogue to make the friendships feel sincere.

I didn't care who lived or died because I felt nothing reading this book except for maybe frustration because there was so much potential but R.F. Kuang does not have the ability to write this story.

2 stars for the potential because I loved the idea of shamans.]]> 4.16 2018 The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2023/06/15
date added: 2023/06/15
shelves: 2023, fantasy, new-adult, owned
review:
Westernized chinese history with shamans.

First of all, I have to say I am not the target audience for this. I rarely like high fantasy and I don't care for fantasy that is heavily inspired by real history. Put in the fact that I love romance in my fantasy... I knew going into this that I was out of my comfort zone. BUT I love reading out of my comfort zone and find a new favourite book, and I went into this book with an open mind.

I expected something along the lines of Attack on Titan and what I got was... a westernized look of chinese history with a wattpad level of writing. I loved the ideas here but the execution was very lacking. I was scared of the trigger warnings this book has but since the writing and the characters were lacking the dark atmosphere was not successful.

The characters were all over the place. I knew no one even after reading 500 pages. Rin acted in a certain way in one chapter and acted completely like a different character in another scene. The relationship dynamics were also inconsistent. They were friends in one scene and in the next they were enemies. There was no development or dialogue to make the friendships feel sincere.

I didn't care who lived or died because I felt nothing reading this book except for maybe frustration because there was so much potential but R.F. Kuang does not have the ability to write this story.

2 stars for the potential because I loved the idea of shamans.
]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile� humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 517 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 Duanur 3
This is for people who don't or rarely read fantasy books. It is literally written like a YA contemporary book but there is magic and a few dragons thrown in.

I guess they marketed this as adult because it has a few spicy scenes. But everyone reads like they are teenagers and the writing has that addictive YA feel to it. So if you are going into this book thinking you will get a serious, adult, epic fantasy with dragons... do yourself a favour and do not read this book.

I liked the first half since it reminded me of Divergent, and I found it hilarious how there was no logic or reason to anything that was happening. I was sure this was a YA fantasy parody and it was so much fun to read. I had to suspend my disbelief and I was fine with that. But that last 25% took itself too seriously. The whole book is ridiculous and I am supposed to take everything seriously?

At the start, I was sure Violet was a clone of Bella Swan; loves reading, gets called "fragile" by nearly everyone and faints at the drop of a hat. The characters have no interesting depth or development. What was even Violet's disability? Did I skip the part where she talked about what her illness actually is?

The fact that her mother, the general, doesn't want her to be a scribe because she doesn't think highly of scribes was so funny to me. Her husband was a scribe??? Why was she literally trash talking her dead husband ???

My biggest problem was the world building. And I am someone who doesn't really care about world building too much. I just want it to make sense within itself. I don't think that's too much to ask while reading a fantasy book. I just want to ask which genius thought to give the rebels' kids dragons. I just want to talk.

I don't expect Rebecca Yarros to know anything about real-life war, revolutions or rebellions but WHY would anyone conscript the rebels' kids as punishment??? Why would you give the necessary tools for another rebellion to happen??? Why would you train and give them DRAGONS of all things???? The only reasoning we have here is that they thought MOST of them would die during training. BUT WHAT IF THEY DON'T? I was waiting throughout the whole book to see how they were going to get revenge on the government. They would have deserved it for being so stupid.

Also, why would you ever make training so hard that you kill nearly half of your soldiers??? Who thought that was a good training technique??? If they can't be riders just make them plain soldiers you don't have to kill them??? How is this kingdom still alive I have no clue.

Even though the romance had literally the same arc as Shatter Me series (or maybe because of it) I liked the chemistry between the main characters. I just wanted more relationship development. This needed a slow burn romance.

I thought the ending would be at least interesting since everyone was talking about the "shocking reveal" at the end but it was so obvious from the first chapter that I thought something else was going to happen.

I still thought it was funny (i hope it was meant to be funny), fast paced and it had good chemistry between the main characters so I'm giving this a middle of the road, 2.5 stars. But it was very lacking as a fantasy romance. We didn't even have enough dragon scenes.

P.s Please read Divergent if you haven't.

P.p.s Can chocolate cake be a favourite food? Or wouldn't that be considered favourite dessert?



Some of my "lmao what is happening" moments:

“Your mother captured my father and oversaw his execution.�
Wait. Like he has the only right to hatred here? Rage races through my veins. “Your father killed my older brother. Seems like we’re even.�
“H.�
(you are literally even what logic is this???)

"Every Sorrengail is a rider, don’t you know?"
(her dad is crying)

But me? I have to fix it so my kneecap stays where it’s supposed to. It’s not just my muscles that are weak. My ligaments that hold my joints together don’t work for shit, either.
(what does that even mean???)

(...)which wouldn’t matter as much if I wasn’t as breakable as a porcelain teacup, but here we are.
(bella swan if she was a dragon rider)

Their gathering could be completely harmless, right? Maybe they’re homesick
(hmmm why would any kid want to get revenge after seeing their parents' execution they are just bonding ofc)]]> 4.56 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/02
date added: 2023/06/02
shelves: 2023, e-books, fantasy, fun, love-triangle, young-adult
review:
2.5 "let's make kids watch their parents die then give them dragons to start a revolution" stars

This is for people who don't or rarely read fantasy books. It is literally written like a YA contemporary book but there is magic and a few dragons thrown in.

I guess they marketed this as adult because it has a few spicy scenes. But everyone reads like they are teenagers and the writing has that addictive YA feel to it. So if you are going into this book thinking you will get a serious, adult, epic fantasy with dragons... do yourself a favour and do not read this book.

I liked the first half since it reminded me of Divergent, and I found it hilarious how there was no logic or reason to anything that was happening. I was sure this was a YA fantasy parody and it was so much fun to read. I had to suspend my disbelief and I was fine with that. But that last 25% took itself too seriously. The whole book is ridiculous and I am supposed to take everything seriously?

At the start, I was sure Violet was a clone of Bella Swan; loves reading, gets called "fragile" by nearly everyone and faints at the drop of a hat. The characters have no interesting depth or development. What was even Violet's disability? Did I skip the part where she talked about what her illness actually is?

The fact that her mother, the general, doesn't want her to be a scribe because she doesn't think highly of scribes was so funny to me. Her husband was a scribe??? Why was she literally trash talking her dead husband ???

My biggest problem was the world building. And I am someone who doesn't really care about world building too much. I just want it to make sense within itself. I don't think that's too much to ask while reading a fantasy book. I just want to ask which genius thought to give the rebels' kids dragons. I just want to talk.

I don't expect Rebecca Yarros to know anything about real-life war, revolutions or rebellions but WHY would anyone conscript the rebels' kids as punishment??? Why would you give the necessary tools for another rebellion to happen??? Why would you train and give them DRAGONS of all things???? The only reasoning we have here is that they thought MOST of them would die during training. BUT WHAT IF THEY DON'T? I was waiting throughout the whole book to see how they were going to get revenge on the government. They would have deserved it for being so stupid.

Also, why would you ever make training so hard that you kill nearly half of your soldiers??? Who thought that was a good training technique??? If they can't be riders just make them plain soldiers you don't have to kill them??? How is this kingdom still alive I have no clue.

Even though the romance had literally the same arc as Shatter Me series (or maybe because of it) I liked the chemistry between the main characters. I just wanted more relationship development. This needed a slow burn romance.

I thought the ending would be at least interesting since everyone was talking about the "shocking reveal" at the end but it was so obvious from the first chapter that I thought something else was going to happen.

I still thought it was funny (i hope it was meant to be funny), fast paced and it had good chemistry between the main characters so I'm giving this a middle of the road, 2.5 stars. But it was very lacking as a fantasy romance. We didn't even have enough dragon scenes.

P.s Please read Divergent if you haven't.

P.p.s Can chocolate cake be a favourite food? Or wouldn't that be considered favourite dessert?



Some of my "lmao what is happening" moments:

“Your mother captured my father and oversaw his execution.�
Wait. Like he has the only right to hatred here? Rage races through my veins. “Your father killed my older brother. Seems like we’re even.�
“H.�
(you are literally even what logic is this???)

"Every Sorrengail is a rider, don’t you know?"
(her dad is crying)

But me? I have to fix it so my kneecap stays where it’s supposed to. It’s not just my muscles that are weak. My ligaments that hold my joints together don’t work for shit, either.
(what does that even mean???)

(...)which wouldn’t matter as much if I wasn’t as breakable as a porcelain teacup, but here we are.
(bella swan if she was a dragon rider)

Their gathering could be completely harmless, right? Maybe they’re homesick
(hmmm why would any kid want to get revenge after seeing their parents' execution they are just bonding ofc)
]]> <![CDATA[The Crown of Oaths and Curses (The Mortal Fates #1)]]> 63119009
On the road to ultimate honor and glory, I lost everything.

Now, in a world ravaged by the whims of those who rule, I must turn my back on a lifetime of friendships and loyalties to face my own fate.

The Savage Prince.

Heir to the high-fae throne of the Southern Lands, he is known for his brutality and cold heart. But with the kingdom on the brink of ruin, I have no choice but to seek him out.

The war between the fae and the witches rages, and there’s no end in sight. My destiny is clear—help the prince defeat his enemies before it’s too late.

One small problem.

I am Rookesbane Eveningstar.

The Favored Child returned, a Witch of the Woods.

The greatest enemy of my Fates-blessed mate.




*The Crown of Oaths and Curses is a full-length MF epic fantasy romance with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. Book 1 of a 3-book series.]]> 663 J. Bree Duanur 4 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
First and foremost let me list all the things I loved about this book:
- Rooke. ALL THE STARS FOR THIS SELFLESS, POWERFUL WOMAN. She was so much better than me and never even talked back to those arrogant, ignorant high-fae. How? Because she is mature and knows she is the better person already. The way she was both soft and tough was amazing.
- Even though the book is nearly 700 pages long the pacing was amazing and I never wanted to put the book down.
- The nature theme. Okay, I'm not a huge nature fan or anything but I loved the way Rooke talked about and took care of the forest, the plants and basically everything alive.
- The world was so interesting. Again, I don't generally care about world building but I found the history of witches and faes so interesting.

The things I didn't like:
- The Savage Prince. Yes, I am petty and refuse to call him by his name. He literally calls Rooke "it" or "witch" throughout the whole book. He is arrogant, only cares for the high fae (ok so he fed a couple of village people but they don't count since they are literally HIS people), and he is not even qualified enough to be a king. Like this guy was alive for a thousand years and he never bothered to learn anything other than fighting??? He doesn't know the languages spoken in his own kingdom. He is racist to every other race except high-fae in his kingdom. He constantly talks about how much he loves to kill witches. EXCUSE ME??? AM I READING A LOVE STORY ABOUT A GENOCIDER??? J. Bree has to have an amazing character arc for him since right now I don't want Rooke to be with him.
- The frustrating storyline of no one believing Rooke even though the only thing she does is to help the arrogant high fae. They are the worst and I want all of them to die... or grovel for 700 pages. Whichever is more convenient.
- There could have been more plot. I know this is the set up book but not a lot happens and I wanted more character interactions (like the scene with the Goblin King. I LOVED that scene.)

I am not going to comment on the side characters because we didn't really get to know them in this book. They were just a cause of frustration for me.
The cliffhanger wasn't a cliffhanger in my opinion but I am still very excited for the next book.

[spoilers removed]]]> 4.24 2023 The Crown of Oaths and Curses (The Mortal Fates #1)
author: J. Bree
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/29
date added: 2023/05/29
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
I can't believe J. Bree literally wrote a 660 paged fantasy book just to say even if men live for a thousand years they never get mature.

First and foremost let me list all the things I loved about this book:
- Rooke. ALL THE STARS FOR THIS SELFLESS, POWERFUL WOMAN. She was so much better than me and never even talked back to those arrogant, ignorant high-fae. How? Because she is mature and knows she is the better person already. The way she was both soft and tough was amazing.
- Even though the book is nearly 700 pages long the pacing was amazing and I never wanted to put the book down.
- The nature theme. Okay, I'm not a huge nature fan or anything but I loved the way Rooke talked about and took care of the forest, the plants and basically everything alive.
- The world was so interesting. Again, I don't generally care about world building but I found the history of witches and faes so interesting.

The things I didn't like:
- The Savage Prince. Yes, I am petty and refuse to call him by his name. He literally calls Rooke "it" or "witch" throughout the whole book. He is arrogant, only cares for the high fae (ok so he fed a couple of village people but they don't count since they are literally HIS people), and he is not even qualified enough to be a king. Like this guy was alive for a thousand years and he never bothered to learn anything other than fighting??? He doesn't know the languages spoken in his own kingdom. He is racist to every other race except high-fae in his kingdom. He constantly talks about how much he loves to kill witches. EXCUSE ME??? AM I READING A LOVE STORY ABOUT A GENOCIDER??? J. Bree has to have an amazing character arc for him since right now I don't want Rooke to be with him.
- The frustrating storyline of no one believing Rooke even though the only thing she does is to help the arrogant high fae. They are the worst and I want all of them to die... or grovel for 700 pages. Whichever is more convenient.
- There could have been more plot. I know this is the set up book but not a lot happens and I wanted more character interactions (like the scene with the Goblin King. I LOVED that scene.)

I am not going to comment on the side characters because we didn't really get to know them in this book. They were just a cause of frustration for me.
The cliffhanger wasn't a cliffhanger in my opinion but I am still very excited for the next book.

[spoilers removed]
]]> Nettle & Bone 56179377
Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.]]> 243 T. Kingfisher 1250244048 Duanur 4
If you are into adventure books that is also a cozy fantasy this is the book for you. Highly recommend the audiobook as well.]]> 4.07 2022 Nettle & Bone
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/05/07
date added: 2023/05/06
shelves: 2023, adult, audiobooks, fantasy
review:
This started a little slow but I loved the characters and all of their banter. It was so funny and heart-warming. The little bit of romance we had was also so cute. I actually want a sequel to see them go on adventures together.

If you are into adventure books that is also a cozy fantasy this is the book for you. Highly recommend the audiobook as well.
]]> <![CDATA[Vicious Bonds (The Tether Trilogy, #1)]]> 63100246 Alternate cover edition of ASIN: B0BNP6QF9L

From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Shanora Williams comes a dark romantic fantasy series of violence, chaos, angst, and a powerful love that can't be denied...

WILLOW

I was never meant to live an ordinary life, and when I’m dropped from the sky into a haunting forest, facing the barrel of an unknown man’s gun, I believe it to be true.

Ruler of Blackwater, Caz Harlow, is the man behind the gun. He’s broody, calculating, commanding and, surprisingly, I can hear every thought that runs through his mind. Because I can, he wants me out of his world and sent back to where I came from, so he makes it his mission to find a way.

It seems like a simple task, until I realize his world is unlike mine—that his is filled with violence, chaos, destruction, and gifted people who can kill you with one look. In his universe, it’s hard for a regular human like me to survive, but with Caz at my side, the possibility is higher. And the more time we spend together, the harder it is for me to ignore the connection that makes me feel alive.

He says we’re not meant to be, so why does everything about him set my soul on fire?

CAZ

I have too many enemies to count, and when this Willow woman drops into my forest, that’s exactly what I think she is: an enemy.

But then she makes a remark without even opening her mouth, and I realize I can hear her thoughts, and she can hear mine.

As Monarch of Blackwater, I can’t allow her to stay. By doing so, I risk losing everything I’ve worked so hard to build, so I make it my mission to find her a way back home.

But as this mission rolls on, I realize my bond with Willow goes much deeper than I ever could have imagined. And the more I reject her, the more pain I feel entering my body. However, when I lower my guard, the pain disappears and I crave her touch.

This relentless, undeniable bond is becoming impossible to ignore, but I can’t give into it. For if she stays, death will come for us, and it’s up to me to choose our fate.

Do I risk staying with her and putting her life at constant risk, or do I sacrifice the one thing that brings me happiness and let her go?

Vicious Bonds is book one of the Tether Series. It’s a romantic fantasy with violent acts and possibly triggering events. Please read at your own risk.
]]> 468 Shanora Williams Duanur 0
Why write a fantasy book if all you are going to give me are bar fights and clothes descriptions. I guess SJM started this.

How can you make the couple have no chemistry when they can literally hear each other's minds? The possiblities were endless and instead we had these two boring characters with zero chemistry interact with each other.]]> 3.89 Vicious Bonds (The Tether Trilogy, #1)
author: Shanora Williams
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.89
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2023/04/29
date added: 2023/04/29
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy, dnf
review:
dnf at 30%

Why write a fantasy book if all you are going to give me are bar fights and clothes descriptions. I guess SJM started this.

How can you make the couple have no chemistry when they can literally hear each other's minds? The possiblities were endless and instead we had these two boring characters with zero chemistry interact with each other.
]]> <![CDATA[The Sword (The Mortal Fates, #0.2)]]> 63119051
After the witches murdered the king and the queen of the Unseelie Court, the Southern Lands were left without a rightful heir on the throne. The law states I cannot be crowned until I marry my Fates-blessed mate, but the Seer has been clear about what I’m to do.

Wait.

As a pretender king rules, the War of the Witches rages on, taking no prisoners as my kingdom withers away.

The high faes� days are numbered, but the Unseelie Court refuses to accept the danger we’re in. Instead, they drink fairy wine and dance their way to our demise. I cannot sit by and watch my people lose themselves to their own delusions of grandeur.

Our enemy may wear finery and dance amongst the Unseelie Court.

Who is involved in the plots to keep me from my throne and brand me a savage beyond repair?

Will I ever find the mate the Fates have promised me?

Or will I remain the Savage Prince, a cold and ruthless sword knowing nothing but bloodshed and ruin?


*The Sword is a MF PNR short-story prequel with material that may be difficult for some readers. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. It is the prequel to a three-book series coming in 2023.]]> 90 J. Bree Duanur 2 over and over again. We get it you are going to eat your words when you find Rooke and I can't wait to see him fall madly in love with a witch.]]> 3.75 2023 The Sword (The Mortal Fates, #0.2)
author: J. Bree
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/04/21
date added: 2023/04/20
shelves: 2023, fantasy, new-adult, novellas
review:
So many info dumps for the world building and Soren telling (and proving) he hates witches over and over again. We get it you are going to eat your words when you find Rooke and I can't wait to see him fall madly in love with a witch.
]]> <![CDATA[The Scepter (The Mortal Fates, #0.1)]]> 63119048
The Favored Children of the forest were abandoned by the magic that had protected them since time immemorial. Only my brother and I escaped the massacre. Now we’re the last two living Ravenswyrd witches in the Southern Lands.

We must leave before word of our survival reaches our attackers, but first, we have to make the treacherous trip up Augur Mountain to meet with the Seer and discover my fate.

We’ve never ventured this far from home.

Can we avoid the ravenous beasts that stalk us along the dark path?

Will I ever learn to wield my mother’s scepter and take on the mantle I was born to?

And can I trust the man who whispers secrets to me in my dreams?

* The Scepter is a MF PNR short-story prequel with material that may be difficult for some readers. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. It is the prequel to a three-book series coming in 2023. ]]> 87 J. Bree Duanur 4 3.99 2023 The Scepter (The Mortal Fates, #0.1)
author: J. Bree
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/15
date added: 2023/04/15
shelves: 2023, fantasy, new-adult, novellas
review:
I didn't know anything about J. Bree's new series before going into this prequel novella and I am surprised to find out it is about both witches and fae. This was a fast-paced, emotional start to a series I am so excited to read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Hart and Mercy, #1)]]> 58510253
Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

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

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most � Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares � each other?]]> 449 Megan Bannen 0356518655 Duanur 2 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy You've Got Mail vibes sounded interesting but the execution was sorely lacking.

There are a few scenes here that are word for word same with You've Got Mail and the relationship development is not nearly as good here. The movie's perfect enemies to friends to lovers transition is done haphazardly. Their feelings changed depending on where the author wanted to move the plot so none of it felt natural. Even the characters were inconsistent. I had the hardest time understanding Mercy's character. Her character didn't develop in a way I understood. Was there even a character development? I have no idea.

The world building was also very lacking which is not something I care too much about when it comes to weird cozy fantasy but in this one we needed more information. Especially because of the ending. Without giving anything away I can only say that was such a stupid way to "save the world". I am not even going to comment on the cozy mystery elements this book had for about 2 chapters then it was done. Maybe if I cared anything about the side characters, it would have been more fun. Even the humour didn't work for me unfortunately.

I still liked Hart and Mercy, and wanted them to be together at the end. I especially really liked Hart since he is the type of hero that I love to read about in books but everything else was very lacking.]]> 4.04 2022 The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Hart and Mercy, #1)
author: Megan Bannen
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/04/04
date added: 2023/04/04
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
I really thought this would be an easy 4 or 5 stars for me. I loved the cute scenes Mercy and Hart had together, and a weird fantasy romance with You've Got Mail vibes sounded interesting but the execution was sorely lacking.

There are a few scenes here that are word for word same with You've Got Mail and the relationship development is not nearly as good here. The movie's perfect enemies to friends to lovers transition is done haphazardly. Their feelings changed depending on where the author wanted to move the plot so none of it felt natural. Even the characters were inconsistent. I had the hardest time understanding Mercy's character. Her character didn't develop in a way I understood. Was there even a character development? I have no idea.

The world building was also very lacking which is not something I care too much about when it comes to weird cozy fantasy but in this one we needed more information. Especially because of the ending. Without giving anything away I can only say that was such a stupid way to "save the world". I am not even going to comment on the cozy mystery elements this book had for about 2 chapters then it was done. Maybe if I cared anything about the side characters, it would have been more fun. Even the humour didn't work for me unfortunately.

I still liked Hart and Mercy, and wanted them to be together at the end. I especially really liked Hart since he is the type of hero that I love to read about in books but everything else was very lacking.
]]> <![CDATA[A Heart of Blood and Ashes (A Gathering of Dragons, #1)]]> 46021762 A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil—until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents� murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king’s daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones—because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own…]]> 534 Milla Vane 0440000513 Duanur 3 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy It was his bride who would be the legend, Maddek thought. In the ages to come, he would rate but a mere mention in the songs they sang of his warrior-queen.

For once, I agree with Maddek and that is also the reason why I finished this book. The heroine, Yvenne was the best thing about this book. Maddek was just there for her to complete her vengeance.

It is truly my fault for picking this book up thinking it would be more fantasy than a barbarian romance. I mean there is literally a barbarian on the cover. So obviously I didn't like the barbarian hero, Maddek. I never do like asshole alpha know-it-alls (unless the book is more like a campy romance like Ruby Dixon's books.)

My main problem for not giving this book a higher rating was the writing style. It was too descriptive for my liking, and I didn't even care about the world to begin with. I couldn't help but skim read some of the passages about the world and the politics.

If you like barbarian romance books that is centered on a quest (like a road trip) with a frustrating stupid barbarian hero and a smart but physically weak heroine, pick this up. Their chemistry wasn't bad I just felt bad for the heroine the whole time and I hate it when authors make the heroines suffer way more than any other character in their books. (But this is a personal gripe of mine that I can't get over.)

You are my heart, Yvenne, and my strength--and certainly my brains.]]> 3.86 2020 A Heart of Blood and Ashes (A Gathering of Dragons, #1)
author: Milla Vane
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/02
date added: 2023/04/01
shelves: 2023, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
It was his bride who would be the legend, Maddek thought. In the ages to come, he would rate but a mere mention in the songs they sang of his warrior-queen.

For once, I agree with Maddek and that is also the reason why I finished this book. The heroine, Yvenne was the best thing about this book. Maddek was just there for her to complete her vengeance.

It is truly my fault for picking this book up thinking it would be more fantasy than a barbarian romance. I mean there is literally a barbarian on the cover. So obviously I didn't like the barbarian hero, Maddek. I never do like asshole alpha know-it-alls (unless the book is more like a campy romance like Ruby Dixon's books.)

My main problem for not giving this book a higher rating was the writing style. It was too descriptive for my liking, and I didn't even care about the world to begin with. I couldn't help but skim read some of the passages about the world and the politics.

If you like barbarian romance books that is centered on a quest (like a road trip) with a frustrating stupid barbarian hero and a smart but physically weak heroine, pick this up. Their chemistry wasn't bad I just felt bad for the heroine the whole time and I hate it when authors make the heroines suffer way more than any other character in their books. (But this is a personal gripe of mine that I can't get over.)

You are my heart, Yvenne, and my strength--and certainly my brains.
]]> <![CDATA[Book of Night (Book of Night, #1)]]> 58293924 Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies.

In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.

Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.]]> 304 Holly Black 1250812194 Duanur 3 owned, 2023, adult, fantasy
Loved the shadows and the main characters but everything else was boring. Maybe it needed a few more drafts to be more interesting and fast-paced.
The plot was all over the place. It had info dumps and a couple of flashbacks that made the story move even slower. I loved the ideas but the execution was lacking. It could have been a 5 star read if Holly Black gave this book a few more years and room to breath.

All that being said, I loved how this book ended and I love the main characters so I can't wait to read the second book.]]> 3.51 2022 Book of Night (Book of Night, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/02/04
date added: 2023/02/04
shelves: owned, 2023, adult, fantasy
review:
*3.5*

Loved the shadows and the main characters but everything else was boring. Maybe it needed a few more drafts to be more interesting and fast-paced.
The plot was all over the place. It had info dumps and a couple of flashbacks that made the story move even slower. I loved the ideas but the execution was lacking. It could have been a 5 star read if Holly Black gave this book a few more years and room to breath.

All that being said, I loved how this book ended and I love the main characters so I can't wait to read the second book.
]]> <![CDATA[Sworn to the Shadow God (Aspect and Anchor #2)]]> 59452797 An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.

Adventure.

It's what my boring life is missing, so when I fall through a portal into another world, I'm excited. Here, I'm important. Here, I'm special.

I find out just *how* special when I meet Death.

Yup. That guy. He's been exiled to the mortal realm to work through his flaws, and he's just as spoiled and awful as you'd think. Rhagos, the Shadow Lord, is arrogant and rude and controlling and demands to get his way. He's selfish. He's impossible.

He's also utterly gorgeous. Magnetic. Lonely. And strangely protective of me.

Thanks to a magic bond, I now serve him as his anchor to the mortal realm. It means that I'm his conscience, his guide...and the target for any assassin or glory-seeker. After a few days of this, I'd rather go home than continue on this 'adventure'. I need a way back to Earth, and fast.

As the world falls down around us and we're hunted simply for existing, I find myself wondering what it'd be like to serve the lonely god of death...in all ways. To kiss him. To touch him. To bed him.

Except...I'm supposed to be finding a way home, not trying to kiss Rhagos. No matter how tempting he is. No matter how much he stares at my lips.

No matter how much I want it.]]> 646 Ruby Dixon Duanur 5
For some reason I enjoyed this book even more than the first one. Even though the main character was naive and too blind to see what was happening at times, I loved her pure heart and her love for Rhagos. And Rhagos, as expected from Ruby Dixon, was the sweetest himbo hero who was obsessed with our main character. Their insta-connection but slow burn romance was so heartwarming to read about.

These books are long but they are so fun, sweet and interesting that they are never boring. I hope Ruby Dixon will continue to publish longer books in the future.

There could have been more dragons in the story but alas, I can't have it all.]]> 4.05 2020 Sworn to the Shadow God (Aspect and Anchor #2)
author: Ruby Dixon
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/12/21
date added: 2022/12/21
shelves: 2022, adult, audiobooks, fantasy, favourites, fun, funny-reads
review:
This fantasy romance series really feels like a romcom that has interesting world-building and plot, and I'm absolutely loving it. And the audiobooks of this series is so good.

For some reason I enjoyed this book even more than the first one. Even though the main character was naive and too blind to see what was happening at times, I loved her pure heart and her love for Rhagos. And Rhagos, as expected from Ruby Dixon, was the sweetest himbo hero who was obsessed with our main character. Their insta-connection but slow burn romance was so heartwarming to read about.

These books are long but they are so fun, sweet and interesting that they are never boring. I hope Ruby Dixon will continue to publish longer books in the future.

There could have been more dragons in the story but alas, I can't have it all.
]]> The Night Circus 13330943
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway - a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.]]> 516 Erin Morgenstern 0307744434 Duanur 0 fantasy, dnf, unhauled 4.05 2011 The Night Circus
author: Erin Morgenstern
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/27
shelves: fantasy, dnf, unhauled
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 16096824
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1619634449 Duanur 2 Edit: I decided to lower the rating from 2.5 to 1.5-2 stars. Because even though I enjoyed reading it, the more I think about it the more I get frustrated with the love triangle and also Rhys - Feyre "love" story. I can't understand how so many people find Rhys' actions so normal and remediable. I like "alpha males who look like they don't care about anything" but I find them absolutely intolerable when they act like they don't care about anyone or anything. They are called assholes, not "hot alpha males."
-rant over-

---

Ahh look at me, reading a Sarah J Maas book after... I don't know 2 years? I kind of lost interest in Throne of Glass series after reading the Crown of Midnight. But I was feeling down the other day and I was in a bookstore so I had to buy something. I just couldn't resist giving this a chance since it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I love Beauty and the Beast.

I don't really know how I feel about this book. I didn't understand when everyone kept saying they felt conflicted about this book but now I do. I feel exactly the same. I loved some parts and hated others. I was so frustrated at times that I wanted to scream. But I have to say that ACOTAR is a really fast paced and engaging story. I couldn't stop reading it. I just wanted know what happened at the end.

Even thought I knew this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I totally forgot about the whole curse thing and "the cure." Seriously, when it was revealed I felt so stupid because I knew but for some reason I forgot??



The best thing about this book was the pacing. I read this in 2 days and I am super busy this month. The action was also really well done.

As for the characters...



I actually really liked Tamlin and Lucien. Even though so many people seem to really hate Tamlin, I really liked him. Come on, he was the beast and that should be the end of the romance right? Of course not. We need a freaking love triangle. I'm just so tired of reading love triangles. There are so few of them that I love and this is definitely not one of them. I seriously can NOT see the appeal of Rhysand. If someone treats you like Rhysand treats Feyre, PLEASE do not fall in love with him. Maybe run, but do NOT fall in love with him.

I seriously wanted to kick him several times in this book. I know there are a lot of controversy surrounding ACOTAR, and this has been talked by so many people already but I'm just going to say that if Rhysand is going to become some kind of a hero at the end of this series, I don't want to continue reading this.

"Regardless of his motives or his methods, Ryhsand was keeping me alive.



You know what Feyre? Do whatever you want but stop regreting your decisions every.freaking.time.

Overall, ACOTAR was enjoyable but also, so frustrating.]]> 4.17 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2016/05/12
date added: 2022/11/27
shelves: paranormal, fantasy, fun, love-triangle, new-adult, beauty-and-the-beast, unhauled
review:
Edit: I decided to lower the rating from 2.5 to 1.5-2 stars. Because even though I enjoyed reading it, the more I think about it the more I get frustrated with the love triangle and also Rhys - Feyre "love" story. I can't understand how so many people find Rhys' actions so normal and remediable. I like "alpha males who look like they don't care about anything" but I find them absolutely intolerable when they act like they don't care about anyone or anything. They are called assholes, not "hot alpha males."
-rant over-

---

Ahh look at me, reading a Sarah J Maas book after... I don't know 2 years? I kind of lost interest in Throne of Glass series after reading the Crown of Midnight. But I was feeling down the other day and I was in a bookstore so I had to buy something. I just couldn't resist giving this a chance since it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I love Beauty and the Beast.

I don't really know how I feel about this book. I didn't understand when everyone kept saying they felt conflicted about this book but now I do. I feel exactly the same. I loved some parts and hated others. I was so frustrated at times that I wanted to scream. But I have to say that ACOTAR is a really fast paced and engaging story. I couldn't stop reading it. I just wanted know what happened at the end.

Even thought I knew this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I totally forgot about the whole curse thing and "the cure." Seriously, when it was revealed I felt so stupid because I knew but for some reason I forgot??



The best thing about this book was the pacing. I read this in 2 days and I am super busy this month. The action was also really well done.

As for the characters...



I actually really liked Tamlin and Lucien. Even though so many people seem to really hate Tamlin, I really liked him. Come on, he was the beast and that should be the end of the romance right? Of course not. We need a freaking love triangle. I'm just so tired of reading love triangles. There are so few of them that I love and this is definitely not one of them. I seriously can NOT see the appeal of Rhysand. If someone treats you like Rhysand treats Feyre, PLEASE do not fall in love with him. Maybe run, but do NOT fall in love with him.

I seriously wanted to kick him several times in this book. I know there are a lot of controversy surrounding ACOTAR, and this has been talked by so many people already but I'm just going to say that if Rhysand is going to become some kind of a hero at the end of this series, I don't want to continue reading this.

"Regardless of his motives or his methods, Ryhsand was keeping me alive.



You know what Feyre? Do whatever you want but stop regreting your decisions every.freaking.time.

Overall, ACOTAR was enjoyable but also, so frustrating.
]]> <![CDATA[Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)]]> 12954620
As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....]]> 412 Morgan Rhodes 1595145842 Duanur 3
What a bunch of idiots

Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen so many idiots in one book. King Gaius wasn't a clever man, everyone else was just making so many stupid mistakes!



One of things I liked about this book was the pacing. It was fast paced and I didn't want to put the book down. I also enjoyed reading about the characters. I didn't know how I felt about them in the first half of the book. I was too busy trying to understand who was on the good side or was there even a good side here? And surprisingly that didn't annoy me but made me wanna finish the book even more.
This was more of a character driven fantasy book but I really enjoy character driven books so I didn't mind.

From the very first pages, I really liked Cleo. I don't know why. I found her naive and spoiled at times but she was just really young. Throughout the book she growed so much and I've grown to like her even more. I loved Theon. He was your typical "princess guard" but he was my favourite character. [spoilers removed]
Nic reminded me of Puck from The Iron Fey Series. But obviously Nic isn't as awesome as Puck. No one is.

For Jonas, I felt for him at first but I couldn't help but dislike him after a couple of chapters. He is the biggest idiot in this book. SO.FREAKING.STUPID.

I don't know how I feel about Lucia. She was actually one of the biggest plot points but I don't feel like I really got to know her in this first book.

Magnus. Oh Magnus. What a weird, creepy, complex and a sad sad character. I had so many mixed feelings for Magnus. But he was so well written. I could feel his pain even though this book is written in third person. I felt so sad for him but I also hated him at the same time.

I'm curious to know how this series is going to end. I'm glad that I decided to give this book a chance and read it. It was really enjoyable and if you like romance filled, character driven YA fantasy books, you should check this one out. You may like it more than you think.
]]> 3.78 2012 Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)
author: Morgan Rhodes
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2015/11/22
date added: 2022/11/27
shelves: fantasy, young-adult, unhauled
review:
*3.5???*

What a bunch of idiots

Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen so many idiots in one book. King Gaius wasn't a clever man, everyone else was just making so many stupid mistakes!



One of things I liked about this book was the pacing. It was fast paced and I didn't want to put the book down. I also enjoyed reading about the characters. I didn't know how I felt about them in the first half of the book. I was too busy trying to understand who was on the good side or was there even a good side here? And surprisingly that didn't annoy me but made me wanna finish the book even more.
This was more of a character driven fantasy book but I really enjoy character driven books so I didn't mind.

From the very first pages, I really liked Cleo. I don't know why. I found her naive and spoiled at times but she was just really young. Throughout the book she growed so much and I've grown to like her even more. I loved Theon. He was your typical "princess guard" but he was my favourite character. [spoilers removed]
Nic reminded me of Puck from The Iron Fey Series. But obviously Nic isn't as awesome as Puck. No one is.

For Jonas, I felt for him at first but I couldn't help but dislike him after a couple of chapters. He is the biggest idiot in this book. SO.FREAKING.STUPID.

I don't know how I feel about Lucia. She was actually one of the biggest plot points but I don't feel like I really got to know her in this first book.

Magnus. Oh Magnus. What a weird, creepy, complex and a sad sad character. I had so many mixed feelings for Magnus. But he was so well written. I could feel his pain even though this book is written in third person. I felt so sad for him but I also hated him at the same time.

I'm curious to know how this series is going to end. I'm glad that I decided to give this book a chance and read it. It was really enjoyable and if you like romance filled, character driven YA fantasy books, you should check this one out. You may like it more than you think.

]]> <![CDATA[Unbroken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie, #6)]]> 60909286
I thought that the death of the man who tortured me, broke me, and then hunted me to the ends of the Earth would be the end of our fight; but it’s only the beginning.

After thousands of years of being apart, our god bonds are reunited once again; and they’re not ready to go down without a fight.

They’ve woken up hungry.

All of the research in the world couldn’t have prepared us for what’s to come, enemies and wars fought over millennia. Now we’re being forced to act, but this time, we have the advantage.

This time, we’re Bonded.

Are we strong enough to survive the gods and their plans? Will we ever live in the peaceful world we’ve fought so hard for, or is history doomed to repeat itself?


*Unbroken Bonds is a full-length reverse harem PNR novel with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book is the final installment and will not end on a cliffhanger. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. Book 6 in the 6 book series.]]> 542 J. Bree Duanur 2 I liked all of the heroes but unfortunately, I never really cared about Nox. So it could have been a 5 book series imo.]]> 4.00 2022 Unbroken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie, #6)
author: J. Bree
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2022/11/13
date added: 2022/11/13
shelves: 2022, e-books, fantasy, new-adult
review:
This was a fun series overall. But the last book was very boring. I constantly forgot I was reading this book and picked up other books.
I liked all of the heroes but unfortunately, I never really cared about Nox. So it could have been a 5 book series imo.
]]> <![CDATA[Four Psychos (The Dark Side, #1)]]> 36550871 Like everyone else, I have life goals.

Goal #1: Become a real girl instead of this invisible ghost thing I currently am.

Goal #2: Convince the four men I've been haunting for the past five years to pick me to be their new toy after goal one is complete.

Goal #3: Figure out who/what I am and why I can't remember anything past the five years I've been haunting this quad.

Goal #4: Eat popcorn.

See? Perfectly normal. Sort of.
Gotta start small, after all.
It's not like anyone else is perfect either.

**Sexual situations
**Reverse Harem
**Dark humor galore
**Language warning]]> 173 Kristy Cunning Duanur 3
Nothing really developed with the romance and I kind of hate the heroes at this point but I like the heroine enough to want to continue. She is a badass and has some good jokes here and there.
I didn't care about the plot or the world though. That subplot in the middle of the book was also unnecessary.
The audiobook was okay. Not great but still enjoyable to listen. I had fun listening to this story while playing Bear and Breakfast on Switch lol.]]> 4.10 2017 Four Psychos (The Dark Side, #1)
author: Kristy Cunning
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/01
date added: 2022/11/01
shelves: 2022, adult, audiobooks, fantasy, paranormal
review:
*2.5*

Nothing really developed with the romance and I kind of hate the heroes at this point but I like the heroine enough to want to continue. She is a badass and has some good jokes here and there.
I didn't care about the plot or the world though. That subplot in the middle of the book was also unnecessary.
The audiobook was okay. Not great but still enjoyable to listen. I had fun listening to this story while playing Bear and Breakfast on Switch lol.
]]> <![CDATA[Promise of Darkness (Dark Court Rising, #1)]]> 44022400 Princess. Tribute. Sacrifice. Is she the one prophesied to unite two warring Fae courts? Or the one bound to destroy them?

In a realm ruled by magic, the ruthless Queen of Thorns is determined to destroy her nemesis, the cursed Prince of Evernight.

With war brewing between the bitter enemies, the prince forces Queen Adaia to uphold an ancient treaty: she will send one of her daughters to his court as a political hostage for three months.

The queen insists it’s the perfect opportunity for Princess Iskvien to end the war before it begins. But one look into Thiago’s smoldering eyes and Vi knows she’s no assassin.

The more secrets she uncovers about the prince and his court, the more she begins to question her mother’s motives.

Who is the true enemy? The dark prince who threatens her heart? Or the ruthless queen who will stop at nothing to destroy him?

And when the curse threatens to shatter both courts, is her heart strong enough to break it?

A fairytale twist inspired by the Hades and Persephone myth.]]> 430 Bec McMaster 1925491358 Duanur 1 The start was actually decent and I was excited that it was a Hades and Persephone retelling. (it really wasn't) But the inconsistencies of the characters and the plot, and not to mention how annoying every character was made me not care about the story pretty early on. Will I ever be able to find a good H/P retelling?? I'm giving up hope.
Unfortunately, 1 star is all I can give to this nonsensical story.

[spoilers removed]]]> 3.69 2019 Promise of Darkness (Dark Court Rising, #1)
author: Bec McMaster
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2019
rating: 1
read at: 2020/10/29
date added: 2022/08/03
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020, second-chance-romance
review:
It has been a while since I have read a Sarah J Maas book but why does it feel like she actually wrote this... Frustrating main character, dull side characters and a confusing romance with no chemistry. (were they really in love??)
The start was actually decent and I was excited that it was a Hades and Persephone retelling. (it really wasn't) But the inconsistencies of the characters and the plot, and not to mention how annoying every character was made me not care about the story pretty early on. Will I ever be able to find a good H/P retelling?? I'm giving up hope.
Unfortunately, 1 star is all I can give to this nonsensical story.

[spoilers removed]
]]> Bryony and Roses 25566132
But when Bryony is caught in a snowstorm and takes refuge in an abandoned manor, she stumbles into a house full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast that lives there her captor, or a fellow prisoner? Is the house her enemy or her ally? And why are roses blooming out of season in the courtyard?

Armed only with gardening shears and her wits, Bryony must untangle the secrets of the house before she—or the Beast—are swallowed by them.
]]> 224 T. Kingfisher Duanur 3 4.07 2015 Bryony and Roses
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/07/23
date added: 2022/07/23
shelves: 2022, adult, audiobooks, beauty-and-the-beast, fantasy
review:
I don't know because I have read too many Beauty and the Beast retellings or this was just mediocre but I thought this was just okay. I didn't really feel the connection between the Beast and Bryony. The thing I love most about the original story is the love story, after all. This also lacked the weird but funny side characters T.Kingfisher usually writes so it wasn't as funny as Kingfisher's other books. There were a few interesting ideas here though and it was a quick read.
]]> Swordheart 42747739 426 T. Kingfisher 1614504636 Duanur 4 “What would you say if I tortured you?� asked the bandit leader conversationally.
Halla blinked at him. “Err…’ow,� probably? ‘Stop, stop, stop,� something like that?� What a bizarre question. What does he expect me to say?

I have read T.Kingfisher's horror books before this and her sense of humour just shines in every one of her books.

This is a plot driven fantasy book with a great cast of characters, laugh out loud funny moments, and a cute romance with an enchanted sword-man. It was so much fun. I personally don't care for adventure stories so I can't give this book a full on 5 stars but if you are looking for a road trip fantasy book with funny dialogues, this was amazing.]]> 4.06 2018 Swordheart
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/07/11
date added: 2022/07/13
shelves: 2022, adult, e-books, funny-reads, fun, fantasy, audiobooks
review:
“What would you say if I tortured you?� asked the bandit leader conversationally.
Halla blinked at him. “Err…’ow,� probably? ‘Stop, stop, stop,� something like that?� What a bizarre question. What does he expect me to say?

I have read T.Kingfisher's horror books before this and her sense of humour just shines in every one of her books.

This is a plot driven fantasy book with a great cast of characters, laugh out loud funny moments, and a cute romance with an enchanted sword-man. It was so much fun. I personally don't care for adventure stories so I can't give this book a full on 5 stars but if you are looking for a road trip fantasy book with funny dialogues, this was amazing.
]]> <![CDATA[This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)]]> 56554281 Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.]]> 512 Tahereh Mafi 0062972464 Duanur 4 Warner Shatter Me series. So I was so excited to read this book. I bought it without even reading the description. I am so glad to say that this book didn't dissapoint.

The world is so interesting, I love Alizeh and I think I am going to fall in love with Cyrus in the next book. Not gonna lie, I didn't 100% feel the chemistry between Alizeh and Kamran. Call me a Warner stan, but I am expecting more from Cyrus. I also loved the relationship between Kamran and his grandfather. It was toxic but also loving at the same time. I love complex characters and relationships and I feel like they are a bit harder to find in YA books but Tahereh Mafi is master at her craft.

Also, some of the plot twists really surprised me. Maybe I just wasn't thinking about them but I didn't see them coming.

I can't full on give this 5 stars because even though this book was engaging and easy to read, I wanted more from the story. It is a first book in a trilogy so there was world building, and most of the time we got to know the characters. But there were some repetitive inner monologue and I felt like there could have been more plot. The last arc is literally 50-60 pages long and this book is nearly 500 pages long.

But overall, I loved this book and I cannot wait for the sequel.]]> 3.95 2022 This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/06/13
date added: 2022/06/13
shelves: 2022, fantasy, owned, young-adult
review:
I love love love Tahereh Mafi's writing and Warner Shatter Me series. So I was so excited to read this book. I bought it without even reading the description. I am so glad to say that this book didn't dissapoint.

The world is so interesting, I love Alizeh and I think I am going to fall in love with Cyrus in the next book. Not gonna lie, I didn't 100% feel the chemistry between Alizeh and Kamran. Call me a Warner stan, but I am expecting more from Cyrus. I also loved the relationship between Kamran and his grandfather. It was toxic but also loving at the same time. I love complex characters and relationships and I feel like they are a bit harder to find in YA books but Tahereh Mafi is master at her craft.

Also, some of the plot twists really surprised me. Maybe I just wasn't thinking about them but I didn't see them coming.

I can't full on give this 5 stars because even though this book was engaging and easy to read, I wanted more from the story. It is a first book in a trilogy so there was world building, and most of the time we got to know the characters. But there were some repetitive inner monologue and I felt like there could have been more plot. The last arc is literally 50-60 pages long and this book is nearly 500 pages long.

But overall, I loved this book and I cannot wait for the sequel.
]]> <![CDATA[The Midwinter Mail-Order Bride (Mail-Order Brides, #4)]]> 36591378
She didn’t expect Kael to reject her and send her back to Ivermere.

Raised in the ashes of the Dead Lands, Kael fears nothing—certainly not the beautiful sorceress who arrives at his mountain stronghold. But no matter how painful his need for her, Kael has no use for a bride who would only tolerate his kiss. Yet the more of Anja’s secrets he uncovers during their journey to return her home, the more determined he becomes to win the princess’s wary heart.

And Kael the Conqueror has never been defeated�

Don’t miss all of the titles in the Mail-Order Brides series by Alexa Riley, Ruby Dixon, and Ella Goode! ]]> 185 Kati Wilde Duanur 4 3.84 2017 The Midwinter Mail-Order Bride (Mail-Order Brides, #4)
author: Kati Wilde
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2022/05/16
date added: 2022/05/16
shelves: 2022, adult, e-books, fantasy, fun
review:
This was so much fun. I loved Anja and Kael. The writing was better than I expected and I just couldn't stop smiling while reading this.
]]> Gallant 58064046 Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?]]> 338 Victoria E. Schwab 0062835777 Duanur 3
I thought I would love this book since I prefer Victoria Schwab's YA books but unfortunately, this book did not leave a big impact on me. I guess This Savage Song will always be my favourite from her.]]> 3.70 2022 Gallant
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/05/14
date added: 2022/05/14
shelves: 2022, audiobooks, e-books, gothic, haunted-house, young-adult, fantasy
review:
At its core, this is a book about home and family. It has ghosts and also some portal fantasy elements. It reads more like younger YA, the main character is 14 years old so it can even be considered middle grade. I liked the story overall. I loved Olivia as a main character, Olivia's parents' story, the portal fantasy elements and the gothic house setting. But I wanted more relationship developments, character depth and magic.

I thought I would love this book since I prefer Victoria Schwab's YA books but unfortunately, this book did not leave a big impact on me. I guess This Savage Song will always be my favourite from her.
]]> <![CDATA[The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)]]> 186074
The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature.

A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.]]> 662 Patrick Rothfuss 075640407X Duanur 4 "When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind."

What a journey this book was.

"You have to be a bit of a liar to tell a story the right way."

I don’t think I can give this book justice with a review. Because neither I can write that good nor I can describe the atmosphere in this book. I have been thinking about how to write a review since I started reading The Name of The Wind, and I’m still not sure how to write one. Every fantasy fan has already read it, loved it or hated it. Every non-fantasy lover has already avoided it like the plague since this book is not mere a fantasy read, it is entirely a different world. It is slow-paced but so intriguing, it is dark but also funny, it is full of adventures but it’s also a character driven story.

If I had to pick my favourite aspect of this book that would have to be the characters. Especially our bold main character, Kvothe who is now one of my all time favourite characters.


FanArt from:

(I’m seriously loving The Name of The Wind fanart but I’m scared I’ll see a spoiler!)

Even though I am not a big fan of slow-paced big books, I loved this book. At first, I read 50-60 pages everyday but after he went to The University I couldn’t put the book down. I couldn’t find many books that I loved in 2016 so I’m glad that I read The Name of The Wind this year.

I also loved the friendships. Kvothe-Wil-Sim are now my golden trio. They weren’t in the book much but I found their relationship sincere and also adorable.

The world was so well thought and nothing was rushed. I felt at ease reading this but also scared and anxious to see what will happen next. I know it doesn’t make sense but that’s how I felt.

The writing was lyrical and the whole book felt like a big, enticing poem to me. Which is crazy because I’m not fond of poems. But his writing made the world came alive and I want to live in this world. (Well, if Kvothe can have my back. Or I’d die in the first day.)

I want to know more about the masters and their stories. We still don’t know anything about Elodin� or Lorren� or the Chancellor. They were the 3 I was most drawn to. Now that I think about it we don’t know anything about any of the masters!

My biggest complaint about this book, and the reason why I lowered a star, is the main love interest, Denna. I thought the story became boring and uninteresting when she came. But I have to admit, I would love a guy to talk about me like Kvothe talks about Denna.

“No matter where she stood, she was in the center of the room. Do not misunderstand. She was not loud, or vain. We stare at a fire because it flickers, because it glows. The light is what catches our eyes, but what makes a man lean close to a fire has nothing to do with its bright shape. What draws you to a fire is the warmth you feel when you come near. The same was true of Denna."

I agree with Sim though.

"I just don't understand what you see in her," Sim said carefully. "I know she's charming. Fascinating and all of that. But she seems rather," he hesitated, "cruel."

I cannot wait to start reading the second book but I also don’t want to start it immediately since there is still no news about the third book. It has been 5 years. I seriously feel bad for the people who read the first book when it first came out which was in...2007. I feel your pain and I’m glad I’m not one of you.



If you are looking for a fantasy book that has everything (I know bold words) in it and that will make you want even more, this is the book for you.

I want this book to be a movie or a TV Show so badly. MAKE THIS HAPPEN PLEASE.
]]> 4.52 2007 The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2016/10/16
date added: 2022/05/07
shelves: owned, fantasy, fun, favourites
review:
"When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind."

What a journey this book was.

"You have to be a bit of a liar to tell a story the right way."

I don’t think I can give this book justice with a review. Because neither I can write that good nor I can describe the atmosphere in this book. I have been thinking about how to write a review since I started reading The Name of The Wind, and I’m still not sure how to write one. Every fantasy fan has already read it, loved it or hated it. Every non-fantasy lover has already avoided it like the plague since this book is not mere a fantasy read, it is entirely a different world. It is slow-paced but so intriguing, it is dark but also funny, it is full of adventures but it’s also a character driven story.

If I had to pick my favourite aspect of this book that would have to be the characters. Especially our bold main character, Kvothe who is now one of my all time favourite characters.


FanArt from:

(I’m seriously loving The Name of The Wind fanart but I’m scared I’ll see a spoiler!)

Even though I am not a big fan of slow-paced big books, I loved this book. At first, I read 50-60 pages everyday but after he went to The University I couldn’t put the book down. I couldn’t find many books that I loved in 2016 so I’m glad that I read The Name of The Wind this year.

I also loved the friendships. Kvothe-Wil-Sim are now my golden trio. They weren’t in the book much but I found their relationship sincere and also adorable.

The world was so well thought and nothing was rushed. I felt at ease reading this but also scared and anxious to see what will happen next. I know it doesn’t make sense but that’s how I felt.

The writing was lyrical and the whole book felt like a big, enticing poem to me. Which is crazy because I’m not fond of poems. But his writing made the world came alive and I want to live in this world. (Well, if Kvothe can have my back. Or I’d die in the first day.)

I want to know more about the masters and their stories. We still don’t know anything about Elodin� or Lorren� or the Chancellor. They were the 3 I was most drawn to. Now that I think about it we don’t know anything about any of the masters!

My biggest complaint about this book, and the reason why I lowered a star, is the main love interest, Denna. I thought the story became boring and uninteresting when she came. But I have to admit, I would love a guy to talk about me like Kvothe talks about Denna.

“No matter where she stood, she was in the center of the room. Do not misunderstand. She was not loud, or vain. We stare at a fire because it flickers, because it glows. The light is what catches our eyes, but what makes a man lean close to a fire has nothing to do with its bright shape. What draws you to a fire is the warmth you feel when you come near. The same was true of Denna."

I agree with Sim though.

"I just don't understand what you see in her," Sim said carefully. "I know she's charming. Fascinating and all of that. But she seems rather," he hesitated, "cruel."

I cannot wait to start reading the second book but I also don’t want to start it immediately since there is still no news about the third book. It has been 5 years. I seriously feel bad for the people who read the first book when it first came out which was in...2007. I feel your pain and I’m glad I’m not one of you.



If you are looking for a fantasy book that has everything (I know bold words) in it and that will make you want even more, this is the book for you.

I want this book to be a movie or a TV Show so badly. MAKE THIS HAPPEN PLEASE.

]]> <![CDATA[Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2)]]> 31450908
This is the story of what happened first�

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.]]> 187 Seanan McGuire 0765392038 Duanur 2
I liked this more than the first book because it actually read like a portal fantasy and that's what I want from this series. But this series is not trying to be an interesting portal fantasy with complex characters and storylines so I should stop expecting so much.
Loved the world, and the characters had potential to be really messed up and interesting but overall, it was too childish for me to truly enjoy.]]> 4.14 2017 Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2)
author: Seanan McGuire
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2022/04/10
date added: 2022/04/20
shelves: 2022, e-books, fantasy, young-adult, novellas
review:
*2.75*

I liked this more than the first book because it actually read like a portal fantasy and that's what I want from this series. But this series is not trying to be an interesting portal fantasy with complex characters and storylines so I should stop expecting so much.
Loved the world, and the characters had potential to be really messed up and interesting but overall, it was too childish for me to truly enjoy.
]]> <![CDATA[Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)]]> 25526296 Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.]]> 176 Seanan McGuire 0765385503 Duanur 2
I wanted more fantasy and less mystery crime. The characters weren't memorable, either. But for its length, this book was very well developed, the premise was fun and very interesting to read about. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Hopefully, we'll get more information about the fantastical worlds.]]> 3.81 2016 Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)
author: Seanan McGuire
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2021/06/14
date added: 2022/04/20
shelves: 2021, fantasy, novellas, young-adult
review:
*2.5*

I wanted more fantasy and less mystery crime. The characters weren't memorable, either. But for its length, this book was very well developed, the premise was fun and very interesting to read about. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Hopefully, we'll get more information about the fantastical worlds.
]]> <![CDATA[Wires and Nerve (Wires and Nerve, #1)]]> 29772863 238 Marissa Meyer 1250078261 Duanur 4
I missed them so much. Especially Cress and Thorne, my babiesss. ♡♡

I only had two problems with this. It's too short and I'm not into this art style. Except for those I really enjoyed this.]]> 4.11 2017 Wires and Nerve (Wires and Nerve, #1)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/16
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: fantasy, fun, e-books, illustrated, young-adult
review:
*3.5*

I missed them so much. Especially Cress and Thorne, my babiesss. ♡♡

I only had two problems with this. It's too short and I'm not into this art style. Except for those I really enjoyed this.
]]> <![CDATA[Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, #1)]]> 29396 In this extraordinary fantasy epic, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files leads readers into a world where the fate of the realm rests on the shoulders of a boy with no power to call his own ...

For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bonds with the furies - elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal. But in the remote Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light the lamps. Yet as the Alerans' most savage enemy - the Marat horde - returns to the Valley, Tavi's courage and resourcefulness will be a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tides of war ...

]]> 688 Jim Butcher 044101268X Duanur 4 owned, fantasy, adult
I don't know whymale authors have an obsession with wars/fight scenes but they sure write them amazingly. I am not a huge action fan but this was very well written and I really liked the characters. It was addicting and it even had a romance! For some reason I didn't think there would be romance. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The ending was wrapped up too nicely but I can't really fault that since I'm happy how it ended. The reason why I can't give it a 5 star rating is because there were too many POVs, just as I was beginning to enjoy a character's story it would switch so I couldn't really connect with some of the main characters. That being said, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series and learning more about the characters.]]> 4.12 2004 Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, #1)
author: Jim Butcher
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2018/07/14
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: owned, fantasy, adult
review:
Amara is one my new favourite characters now. I wish it was all from her perspective. I don't really like too many POVs but fantasy books tend to have too many of them.

I don't know whymale authors have an obsession with wars/fight scenes but they sure write them amazingly. I am not a huge action fan but this was very well written and I really liked the characters. It was addicting and it even had a romance! For some reason I didn't think there would be romance. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The ending was wrapped up too nicely but I can't really fault that since I'm happy how it ended. The reason why I can't give it a 5 star rating is because there were too many POVs, just as I was beginning to enjoy a character's story it would switch so I couldn't really connect with some of the main characters. That being said, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series and learning more about the characters.
]]> Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1) 24473763 The Prince of no value
Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.

The noblewoman of no importance
Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom isn’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.

Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.]]> 297 Grace Draven Duanur 2 e-books, fantasy, fun, adult
Likeable characters, fast paced, slow burn friends to lovers romance. It's just not memorable enough for me.]]> 3.98 2015 Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1)
author: Grace Draven
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2018/08/19
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: e-books, fantasy, fun, adult
review:
*2.5*

Likeable characters, fast paced, slow burn friends to lovers romance. It's just not memorable enough for me.
]]> <![CDATA[Treasure of the Fire Kingdom (Elemental Phases, #4)]]> 16114236
Kingu: The son of the primordial Khaos, Kingu knows that he’s a soulless monster. He’s spent his entire existence enslaved and hated. Now that he’s finally free, though, the only thing he wants is to somehow find a woman of his own. Against his better judgment, Kingu enlists the help of the Elementals, the universe’s most annoying species, to track down his mate. All he wants is one quiet, uncomplicated woman, who won’t run when she sees his monstrous face. Instead, he gets a chatty little blonde lunatic who thinks she’s a warrior.

Hope: Adopted by the Fire House as a child, Hope’s spent her entire life idolizing her bombastic family and learning their unconventional views on romance. Fire Phases see kidnapping as foreplay, gladiator fights as a great opportunity to impress your Match, and monsters as the pinnacle of masculine hotness. When Hope winds up as a prisoner in Kingu’s invitingly morbid fortress, she can’t believe her luck. She’s always believed she was jinxed, because so many weird things happen around her, but now she knows she’s found her soul mate. All she has to do is defeat a few enemies, keep up with all the lies she’s telling to hide her identity, and somehow convince a gigantic monster that he actually has a soul.

Book Four of the Elemental Phases.]]> 416 Cassandra Gannon Duanur 3
The first half of this book was absolutely hilarious. The second half was a bit mushy and boring but I'm glad I didn't skip this one. Kingu and Hope made an adorable couple. I really liked Hope's family as well. I love a big cast of characters and the Fire Phases are literally insane. Very lovable, indeed. All of Cassandra Gannon's books are easy to read, cute and so funny. On top of that, I love her characters even though most of them are lunatics. I just wish these books were edited more so there wouldn't be so many errors with the writing.]]> 4.17 2012 Treasure of the Fire Kingdom (Elemental Phases, #4)
author: Cassandra Gannon
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/11
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: e-books, fantasy, 2020, beauty-and-the-beast, adult
review:
*3.5*

The first half of this book was absolutely hilarious. The second half was a bit mushy and boring but I'm glad I didn't skip this one. Kingu and Hope made an adorable couple. I really liked Hope's family as well. I love a big cast of characters and the Fire Phases are literally insane. Very lovable, indeed. All of Cassandra Gannon's books are easy to read, cute and so funny. On top of that, I love her characters even though most of them are lunatics. I just wish these books were edited more so there wouldn't be so many errors with the writing.
]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Dynasty (Fantasyland, #2)]]> 12458287 ASIN B005IMCYVI moved to newer alternate cover edition.
Circe Quinn goes to sleep at home and wakes up in a corral filled with women wearing sacrificial virgin attire - and she is one of them. She soon finds out that she’s not having a wild dream, she’s living a frightening nightmare where she’s been transported to a barren land populated by a primitive people and in short order, she’s installed very unwillingly on her white throne of horns as their Queen.

Dax Lahn is the king of Suh Tunak, The Horde of the nation of Korwahk and with one look at Circe, he knows she will be his bride and together they will start The Golden Dynasty of legend.

Circe and Lahn are separated by language, culture and the small fact she’s from a parallel universe and has no idea how she got there or how to get home. But facing challenge after challenge, Circe finds her footing as Queen of the brutal Korwahk Horde and wife to its King, then she makes friends then she finds herself falling in love with this primitive land, its people and especially their savage leader.]]> 456 Kristen Ashley Duanur 2 e-books, fantasy, 2020, adult
Well, I asked for it so I can't blame anyone. This was actually better than the first book but the toxic relationship Kristen Ashley likes to write also takes a major role in this book. But for some reason, like with her first book, I could not stop reading this. Even with all of those triggering scenes this book had, I don't know how KA managed to make me read the whole thing and actually enjoy some of the scenes. Weird.

But since this is a barbarian fantasy book, I can't say I didn't like this book because it had so many triggering scenes. I mean, this isn't YA, this is adult. Set in a barbarian war camp. I knew going into it that it was going to be uncomfortable. But still, I can say that the romance was pushing it too much. I mean there is cultural differences and... raping your bride... how can rape be related to culture I have no freaking idea. So it's not a surprise that I could not stand Lahn. I guess you can say I have cultural insensitivity.

The reason why I'm not giving this book 1 star is because I was interested in the storyline and what would happen to Circe, our main character. And it was a pretty fast read. I mean, I read this book in like 2 days and it has 500+ pages. (I don't know how or why I did that, either)

Overall, I really wouldn't recommend this book unless you are into barbarian fantasy romance with a lot of trigger warnings. (rape, abuse, violence, blood, toxic relationship) I guess this is where I stop reading Kristen Ashley books... 2 books too many.]]> 4.36 2011 The Golden Dynasty (Fantasyland, #2)
author: Kristen Ashley
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2020/12/14
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: e-books, fantasy, 2020, adult
review:
*2.5*

Well, I asked for it so I can't blame anyone. This was actually better than the first book but the toxic relationship Kristen Ashley likes to write also takes a major role in this book. But for some reason, like with her first book, I could not stop reading this. Even with all of those triggering scenes this book had, I don't know how KA managed to make me read the whole thing and actually enjoy some of the scenes. Weird.

But since this is a barbarian fantasy book, I can't say I didn't like this book because it had so many triggering scenes. I mean, this isn't YA, this is adult. Set in a barbarian war camp. I knew going into it that it was going to be uncomfortable. But still, I can say that the romance was pushing it too much. I mean there is cultural differences and... raping your bride... how can rape be related to culture I have no freaking idea. So it's not a surprise that I could not stand Lahn. I guess you can say I have cultural insensitivity.

The reason why I'm not giving this book 1 star is because I was interested in the storyline and what would happen to Circe, our main character. And it was a pretty fast read. I mean, I read this book in like 2 days and it has 500+ pages. (I don't know how or why I did that, either)

Overall, I really wouldn't recommend this book unless you are into barbarian fantasy romance with a lot of trigger warnings. (rape, abuse, violence, blood, toxic relationship) I guess this is where I stop reading Kristen Ashley books... 2 books too many.
]]> <![CDATA[Queen of the Magnetland (Elemental Phases, #5)]]> 17240339
Chason: Since the plague killed his Match, Chason, of the Magnet House has been going crazy. He hears music that isn’t there. His mind wanders off into madness. He no longer trusts anything he sees. Once he was the honorable and principled king of a thriving land. Now all he wants to do is follow Mara into the darkness, leaving his grief and pain behind. Unfortunately, he can’t give up on life until he finishes his final mission. Someone has stolen Mara right out of her crypt and Chason won’t rest until he finds her body. When he finally locates her, though, he knows he’s finally lost his mind. Because Mara now seems kinda� alive.

Mara: Mara, Queen of the Magnet House has woken up in hell. The last things she remembers is a Time Phase appearing in her room and telling her that she’s needed in the future. When she opens her eyes, two years have passed and her entire life is in shambles. Mara’s kingdom is deserted. Everybody thinks she’s dead. And Chason is a grim specter of his former self. The old Chason won Elemental of the Year for three consecutive decades. This Chason looks at her with deep hunger and has a new wildness that sets her body alight. Mara knows that she’s been given a second chance at life and she’s determined to seize it. But, in order to have a future, she needs to pull Chason out of the past� and discover the truth about who really brought her back.]]> 258 Cassandra Gannon Duanur 3
Chason went through a lot and I'm glad he finally had his book. I wasn't sure whether I would like Mara or not since she was really bland in Chason's mind but thankfully both of them are not the bland people they were 2 years ago and this had all the angst a second chance romance needs. This wasn't as funny as the other books obviously but I still enjoyed it. Like all of the other couples, Mara and Chason were very cute together.
I'm curious to see what Daphne is up to and Raiden should just shut up and do what she says at this point.]]> 4.09 2013 Queen of the Magnetland (Elemental Phases, #5)
author: Cassandra Gannon
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/12
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020, second-chance-romance
review:
*3.5*

Chason went through a lot and I'm glad he finally had his book. I wasn't sure whether I would like Mara or not since she was really bland in Chason's mind but thankfully both of them are not the bland people they were 2 years ago and this had all the angst a second chance romance needs. This wasn't as funny as the other books obviously but I still enjoyed it. Like all of the other couples, Mara and Chason were very cute together.
I'm curious to see what Daphne is up to and Raiden should just shut up and do what she says at this point.
]]> <![CDATA[Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)]]> 28449207 The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around�and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

Welcome to Weep.]]> 532 Laini Taylor 0316341681 Duanur 3
I loved some parts, I didn't like some and I even skim read some of the chapters. I am not going to go into too much detail but I think the first and the last 20(?)% were great, the rest was boring. So how to rate this book? Since the world building and the overall story were really well done I decided to up my rating to 3.5 stars. The writing, although it was beautiful, made the book harder for me to read. It was too flowery at times hence my skim reading. I didn't really care about the characters and their relationships were not as developed as I wanted them to be. [spoilers removed]

Overall, great premise but it was too slow for me. I want to say that this is probably better suited for people who care more about the writing and the world building in their books than the characters and their relationships. But the last half had a lot of romance so I can't even say that with confidence. I can only say that if you are into Laini Taylor's books you will enjoy this. She seems to have her own genre at this point.]]> 4.27 2017 Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)
author: Laini Taylor
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/31
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: e-books, fantasy, 2020, young-adult
review:
*3.5*

I loved some parts, I didn't like some and I even skim read some of the chapters. I am not going to go into too much detail but I think the first and the last 20(?)% were great, the rest was boring. So how to rate this book? Since the world building and the overall story were really well done I decided to up my rating to 3.5 stars. The writing, although it was beautiful, made the book harder for me to read. It was too flowery at times hence my skim reading. I didn't really care about the characters and their relationships were not as developed as I wanted them to be. [spoilers removed]

Overall, great premise but it was too slow for me. I want to say that this is probably better suited for people who care more about the writing and the world building in their books than the characters and their relationships. But the last half had a lot of romance so I can't even say that with confidence. I can only say that if you are into Laini Taylor's books you will enjoy this. She seems to have her own genre at this point.
]]> Believe Me (Shatter Me, #6.5) 58517502 The devastatingly romantic fifth novella in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Shatter Me series, chronicling the events after Imagine Me, the explosive sixth novel.

Juliette and Warner fought hard to take down the Reestablishment once and for all. Life in the aftermath isn’t easy, as they and their friends at the Sanctuary work with their limited resources to stabilize the world.

Warner has his sights set on more than just politics. Since he proposed to Juliette two weeks ago, he’s been eager to finally marry her, the person he loves more than anything and has endured so much to be with. But with so much chaos around them, it’s been nearly impossible for them to have a wedding. And even Juliette has been distracted by everything they need to do.

At long last, Warner and Juliette’s future together is within reach, but the world continues to try to pull them apart. Will they finally be able to be happily, officially, together?

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Tahereh Mafi's bestselling Shatter Me series with Believe Me!]]> 177 Tahereh Mafi 0063228319 Duanur 4 If Ella were a house, she would be a grand home, one with many rooms and doors, all of which were easily unlocked, flung open.
If I were a house, I would be haunted.
(maybe my haunted house obsession is because of Warner)

I am so attached to this series. Nostalgically and emotionally. I don't even read YA that much anymore but this series has a special place in my heart.

Warner is one of my favourite characters of all time. So reading the first half of this novella was hard for me. The side characters trying to make Warner feel less than what he is enraged me. [spoilers removed] I thought Warner was going to have an unnecessary personality change but I should have known to trust Tahereh Mafi on this. She wouldn't change anything about Warner because he is perfect. The side characters though? I can't stand them.
[spoilers removed]

Even though this series' ending is long overdue, I felt bittersweet reading the last few pages of this novella, knowing that there won't be any updates on Warner and Juliette. But who knows, Tahereh Mafi might write something in the future.

For now, this was a great ending to Warner and Juliette's story. I love them both so much.]]> 4.13 2021 Believe Me (Shatter Me, #6.5)
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/10
date added: 2022/01/09
shelves: 2022, e-books, fantasy, young-adult, novellas
review:
If Ella were a house, she would be a grand home, one with many rooms and doors, all of which were easily unlocked, flung open.
If I were a house, I would be haunted.
(maybe my haunted house obsession is because of Warner)

I am so attached to this series. Nostalgically and emotionally. I don't even read YA that much anymore but this series has a special place in my heart.

Warner is one of my favourite characters of all time. So reading the first half of this novella was hard for me. The side characters trying to make Warner feel less than what he is enraged me. [spoilers removed] I thought Warner was going to have an unnecessary personality change but I should have known to trust Tahereh Mafi on this. She wouldn't change anything about Warner because he is perfect. The side characters though? I can't stand them.
[spoilers removed]

Even though this series' ending is long overdue, I felt bittersweet reading the last few pages of this novella, knowing that there won't be any updates on Warner and Juliette. But who knows, Tahereh Mafi might write something in the future.

For now, this was a great ending to Warner and Juliette's story. I love them both so much.
]]> <![CDATA[From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1)]]> 52831200 A Maiden�

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty�

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom�

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.]]> 622 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457017 Duanur 5 Trigger warning for abuse

I have no idea how to rate this book. Maybe 4.5 stars?

The first 75% was 3 stars, the last 25% was 5 stars (maybe even more).

This is a pretty polarizing book and I totally understand why. The hype does not help, either. The thing is if you haven't read JLA books when she first came out, you would not see the growth she had with this book. Her writing is so much better and her world building is more detailed. When she started to repeat her earlier works and writing, I have stopped reading her books (so about 4 years ago?) But she was one of my favourite authors for a long time. Her works usually feel very similar to other books or media but she somehow manages to make the story hers. Probably because she always knew how to write emotional, heartbreaking scenes. Even if you don't care about her characters she makes sure that you will feel for them, hurt for them when they are hurt.

So that being said, I was a little dissapointed when I was about 50% into this book. I thought it lacked the punch that all other JLA books had. The emotional scenes were there but more subdued, the romance was there but it was mediocre. But I was waiting for the plot twist because I knew where it was going from the beginning (it is pretty obvious.) Well, I thought to myself since I knew where it was going I wouldn't be affected by it, right? I wouldn't just start to root for these two characters since I didn't even understand what they felt toward eachother, let alone why they felt like that. Their connection was mediocre at best. But of course, I should have known not to underestimate JLA. She has broken my heart before (yes I'm looking at you, Opal and Deity) but that was years ago! I mean I was a teenager at the time. Surely, I have grown ???? RIGHT? Nope.

The switch we had at the last 25% made the book. Because it felt like there was a veil on OUR heads that made all of the emotions feel subdued and then it wasn't there anymore and all I could feel was heartbreak and hurt.

Were the characters annoying at times? Yes, definitely. But did I still root for them at the end? Yes. Because JLA made me feel all of these conflicting emotions and I just needed them to be happy after all those terrible memories.

The world building felt similar to The Immortal Rules, the main character felt a little like Rose from Vampire Academy, and I recognized some of the plot points that JLA used before but overall? When you finish the book and think about it as a whole, it just works. The 3 star book that I read turned into a 5 star one and I loved it. Some people also felt like it was similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses but after reading ACOTAR all I felt was disgust and frustration. After finishing this book, I feel a little emotinally drained but also so very excited. JLA is back, better than ever and I am very scared to read the second book.


---


[spoilers removed]]]> 4.19 2020 From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash, #1)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/12
date added: 2021/12/25
shelves: e-books, fantasy, killer-endings, vampires, new-adult, favourites, jla, 2021
review:
Trigger warning for abuse

I have no idea how to rate this book. Maybe 4.5 stars?

The first 75% was 3 stars, the last 25% was 5 stars (maybe even more).

This is a pretty polarizing book and I totally understand why. The hype does not help, either. The thing is if you haven't read JLA books when she first came out, you would not see the growth she had with this book. Her writing is so much better and her world building is more detailed. When she started to repeat her earlier works and writing, I have stopped reading her books (so about 4 years ago?) But she was one of my favourite authors for a long time. Her works usually feel very similar to other books or media but she somehow manages to make the story hers. Probably because she always knew how to write emotional, heartbreaking scenes. Even if you don't care about her characters she makes sure that you will feel for them, hurt for them when they are hurt.

So that being said, I was a little dissapointed when I was about 50% into this book. I thought it lacked the punch that all other JLA books had. The emotional scenes were there but more subdued, the romance was there but it was mediocre. But I was waiting for the plot twist because I knew where it was going from the beginning (it is pretty obvious.) Well, I thought to myself since I knew where it was going I wouldn't be affected by it, right? I wouldn't just start to root for these two characters since I didn't even understand what they felt toward eachother, let alone why they felt like that. Their connection was mediocre at best. But of course, I should have known not to underestimate JLA. She has broken my heart before (yes I'm looking at you, Opal and Deity) but that was years ago! I mean I was a teenager at the time. Surely, I have grown ???? RIGHT? Nope.

The switch we had at the last 25% made the book. Because it felt like there was a veil on OUR heads that made all of the emotions feel subdued and then it wasn't there anymore and all I could feel was heartbreak and hurt.

Were the characters annoying at times? Yes, definitely. But did I still root for them at the end? Yes. Because JLA made me feel all of these conflicting emotions and I just needed them to be happy after all those terrible memories.

The world building felt similar to The Immortal Rules, the main character felt a little like Rose from Vampire Academy, and I recognized some of the plot points that JLA used before but overall? When you finish the book and think about it as a whole, it just works. The 3 star book that I read turned into a 5 star one and I loved it. Some people also felt like it was similar to A Court of Thorns and Roses but after reading ACOTAR all I felt was disgust and frustration. After finishing this book, I feel a little emotinally drained but also so very excited. JLA is back, better than ever and I am very scared to read the second book.


---


[spoilers removed]
]]> <![CDATA[The Emperor's Edge (The Emperor's Edge, #1)]]> 10031259 The adventure starts here...

Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is good at her job: she can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed.

Worse, Sicarius, the empire's most notorious assassin, is in town. He's tied in with the chaos somehow, but Amaranthe would be a fool to cross his path. Unfortunately, her superiors order her to hunt him down. Either they have an unprecedented belief in her skills... or someone wants her dead.]]> 324 Lindsay Buroker Duanur 0 adult, fantasy, dnf, 2021
Trigger warning for attempted sexual assault (not that graphic but still affected me)

This is not a badly written book but I am just not interested enough to actually want to finish it. I might come back and finish this later. Maybe.]]> 4.03 2010 The Emperor's Edge (The Emperor's Edge, #1)
author: Lindsay Buroker
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at: 2021/02/24
date added: 2021/12/13
shelves: adult, fantasy, dnf, 2021
review:
Dnf at 50%

Trigger warning for attempted sexual assault (not that graphic but still affected me)

This is not a badly written book but I am just not interested enough to actually want to finish it. I might come back and finish this later. Maybe.
]]> <![CDATA[A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)]]> 50548197
A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) � until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets.

There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate� or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere.

El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students.]]> 320 Naomi Novik 0593128486 Duanur 5 Reread 30.09.2021
I wanted to reread this before reading the second book. I'm so glad that I did because I missed El and Orion so much and my copy of the second book hasn't arrived yet! Can't wait to continue reading their story.

-----

I didn't think I would read a Naomi Novik book after reading Uprooted several years ago. Not because it was bad but I was just very underwhelmed by that very hyped book, and I thought her writing was not for me.

So when I heard about this book I wasn't that excited to read it. But since the plot sounded interesting I decided to give it a go. And well, it's safe to say after reading the first chapter I could not stop reading it. There are a lot of mixed reviews for this book and mostly because of the info dumping this book has. Which is actually a pet peeve of mine but whether because I knew there were info dumps going into it, or because I just wanted to learn everything about this world, I didn't mind it at all. It is such a fascinating world and the way our main character, El explains things didn't bother me at all. They are spread out every few pages for a few paragraphs so they take you out of the story a little but they are also very important for you to understand what is happening at the moment. Without the info dumps even the important things happening in the book wouldn't make sense to the reader.

The main reason why I loved this book was Galadriel aka El. You are either going to love or hate her cynical commentary throughout the book. She actually made me laugh out loud a few times. I also loved her relationships with the side characters especially Orion. I loved how El basically hated Orion because he was saving people (especially her) and mainly because he was righteous. (I understand El, I don't even like Captain America.) El and Orion are complete opposites of each other. El is considered to be evil and mean while Orion is your typical main character material hero. Until you learn more about him, that is. Shy heroes always get to me. And El being rude to anyone to protect Orion was top notch.

I really don't have any negative things to say about this except maybe we could have more action scenes but I feel like this was more of an intro to this world and series. I am looking forward to the next book.



P.s. A lot of people already talked about why and how they found some of the representation problematic in this book. Personally, I didn't find anything problematic but maybe because I'm not easily offended by the rep in fantasy books. If this was a contemporary book maybe some of the descriptions would have made me uncomfortable. But since this took place entirely in a new setting that had nothing to do with the characters' race or cultures, I did not find anything that bothered me. I honestly don't think any of the characters were made to look bad or good because of their race. I really liked this so you can either shun or unshun Naomi Novik yourself.
(who, by the way has already )]]> 3.93 2020 A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)
author: Naomi Novik
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/30
date added: 2021/12/13
shelves: e-books, fantasy, funny-reads, fun, killer-endings, favourites, 2020, 2021
review:
Reread 30.09.2021
I wanted to reread this before reading the second book. I'm so glad that I did because I missed El and Orion so much and my copy of the second book hasn't arrived yet! Can't wait to continue reading their story.

-----

I didn't think I would read a Naomi Novik book after reading Uprooted several years ago. Not because it was bad but I was just very underwhelmed by that very hyped book, and I thought her writing was not for me.

So when I heard about this book I wasn't that excited to read it. But since the plot sounded interesting I decided to give it a go. And well, it's safe to say after reading the first chapter I could not stop reading it. There are a lot of mixed reviews for this book and mostly because of the info dumping this book has. Which is actually a pet peeve of mine but whether because I knew there were info dumps going into it, or because I just wanted to learn everything about this world, I didn't mind it at all. It is such a fascinating world and the way our main character, El explains things didn't bother me at all. They are spread out every few pages for a few paragraphs so they take you out of the story a little but they are also very important for you to understand what is happening at the moment. Without the info dumps even the important things happening in the book wouldn't make sense to the reader.

The main reason why I loved this book was Galadriel aka El. You are either going to love or hate her cynical commentary throughout the book. She actually made me laugh out loud a few times. I also loved her relationships with the side characters especially Orion. I loved how El basically hated Orion because he was saving people (especially her) and mainly because he was righteous. (I understand El, I don't even like Captain America.) El and Orion are complete opposites of each other. El is considered to be evil and mean while Orion is your typical main character material hero. Until you learn more about him, that is. Shy heroes always get to me. And El being rude to anyone to protect Orion was top notch.

I really don't have any negative things to say about this except maybe we could have more action scenes but I feel like this was more of an intro to this world and series. I am looking forward to the next book.



P.s. A lot of people already talked about why and how they found some of the representation problematic in this book. Personally, I didn't find anything problematic but maybe because I'm not easily offended by the rep in fantasy books. If this was a contemporary book maybe some of the descriptions would have made me uncomfortable. But since this took place entirely in a new setting that had nothing to do with the characters' race or cultures, I did not find anything that bothered me. I honestly don't think any of the characters were made to look bad or good because of their race. I really liked this so you can either shun or unshun Naomi Novik yourself.
(who, by the way has already )
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2)]]> 55559887 A budding dark sorceress determined not to use her formidable powers uncovers yet more secrets about the workings of her world in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education, the start of Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking crossover series.

At the Scholomance, El, Orion, and the other students are faced with their final year—and the looming specter of graduation, a deadly ritual that leaves few students alive in its wake. El is determined that her chosen group will survive, but it is a prospect that is looking harder by the day as the savagery of the school ramps up. Until El realizes that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules . . .]]> 388 Naomi Novik 0593128869 Duanur 5
This book had more info dumps than the first book so if you weren't into that, I should warn you. I normally find info dumps to be lazy writing but every information given to us is actually important to the storyline and not just meaningless trivia. Also I love El's way of explaining things the best.

El has been my favorite cranky, cynical, dark humored narrator since book one and she has grown so much in this book. We learn more about Orion as well and also their relationship is slow but so worth it. I absolutely love both of them so much. Together or apart.

The first book had more plot but this one had better side characters thrown into the story. We also learn more about the world. I absolutely cannot wait for the third book not only because of that cliffhanger but because I can't wait to see more of El, Orion and this world in general.]]> 4.20 2021 The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2)
author: Naomi Novik
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/16
shelves: 2021, fantasy, favourites, funny-reads, killer-endings, owned, young-adult
review:
Nooooo what was that ending??? Now I have to wait another year...

This book had more info dumps than the first book so if you weren't into that, I should warn you. I normally find info dumps to be lazy writing but every information given to us is actually important to the storyline and not just meaningless trivia. Also I love El's way of explaining things the best.

El has been my favorite cranky, cynical, dark humored narrator since book one and she has grown so much in this book. We learn more about Orion as well and also their relationship is slow but so worth it. I absolutely love both of them so much. Together or apart.

The first book had more plot but this one had better side characters thrown into the story. We also learn more about the world. I absolutely cannot wait for the third book not only because of that cliffhanger but because I can't wait to see more of El, Orion and this world in general.
]]> Spinning Silver 42941939
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s too kind-hearted to collect his debts. They face poverty, until Miryem hardens her own heart and takes up his work in their village. Her success creates rumours she can turn silver into gold, which attract the fairy king of winter himself. He sets her an impossible challenge � and if she fails, she’ll die. Yet if she triumphs, it may mean a fate worse than death. And in her desperate efforts to succeed, Miryem unwittingly spins a web which draws in the unhappy daughter of a lord.

Irina’s father schemes to wed her to the tsar � he will pay any price to achieve this goal. However, the dashing tsar is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of mortals and winter alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and Irina embark on a quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power and love.

Naomi Novik has once again been influenced by classic folktales, following Uprooted - her standalone novel. Taking Rumpelstiltskin as her starting point, Spinning Silver is rich, original and a joy to read.]]> 480 Naomi Novik 1509899049 Duanur 2 2021, fantasy, owned
This was a very slow read. The build up was slow, even the last 100 pages were slow. It was also too long. I began to skim read Wanda's chapters. I also found the relationships to be underdeveloped. I had no real connections to any of the characters. I was intrigued enough to finish the book but I wanted more from the story.

The tsar reminded me of Cardan from The Cruel Prince so I was mostly interested in his story but I wanted him to be more fleshed out. I was also very interested in the Staryk but again, this book was mostly about the female characters which is fine but I just wanted more from this big cast of characters.
Miryem became annoying too quickly. Even though she was smart and determined she made so many stupid mistakes and didn't really own up to them. I didn't understand Irina's character at all. I loved that she had that coldness that made her different, not quite human. But eventually I was also confused by the choices she made. I love morally grey characters, I just didn't knew any of these characters to truly understand or connect with them.

Overall, I liked the idea of this but the execution didn't quite work well for me. I still loved the writing and the atmosphere. Naomi Novik is an amazing author. This just wasn't for me.]]> 4.05 2018 Spinning Silver
author: Naomi Novik
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2021/10/08
date added: 2021/10/08
shelves: 2021, fantasy, owned
review:
*2.5*

This was a very slow read. The build up was slow, even the last 100 pages were slow. It was also too long. I began to skim read Wanda's chapters. I also found the relationships to be underdeveloped. I had no real connections to any of the characters. I was intrigued enough to finish the book but I wanted more from the story.

The tsar reminded me of Cardan from The Cruel Prince so I was mostly interested in his story but I wanted him to be more fleshed out. I was also very interested in the Staryk but again, this book was mostly about the female characters which is fine but I just wanted more from this big cast of characters.
Miryem became annoying too quickly. Even though she was smart and determined she made so many stupid mistakes and didn't really own up to them. I didn't understand Irina's character at all. I loved that she had that coldness that made her different, not quite human. But eventually I was also confused by the choices she made. I love morally grey characters, I just didn't knew any of these characters to truly understand or connect with them.

Overall, I liked the idea of this but the execution didn't quite work well for me. I still loved the writing and the atmosphere. Naomi Novik is an amazing author. This just wasn't for me.
]]> Cowboy from the Future 23161860 Adeline Mulhaney’s “Glamping Retreat� is the worst vacation ever. The campfire sing-alongs are bad enough, but then she’s somehow transported sixteen hundred years into the future. Only instead of flying cars, this future is filled with buffalo-sized lizards and laser-gun showdowns in the streets. If Addy’s ever getting back to the twenty-first century, she’ll need help from a certain super-handsome cowboy with superpowers.

Cade Westin is pretty sure Addy’s crazy, when she moves into his hotel. But, then her life is threatened and not even wild Ghaa beasts can stop Cade from riding to the rescue. He isn’t sure where that redheaded lunatic comes from, but deep down he knows that Addy only belongs with him.

M/FHappily Ever AfterTime travel romance, Western romance, post-apocalyptic romance, grumpy/sunshine.97,000 + wordsStandalone book]]> 376 Cassandra Gannon Duanur 3 2021, adult, e-books, fantasy 3.97 2014 Cowboy from the Future
author: Cassandra Gannon
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2021/07/19
date added: 2021/07/19
shelves: 2021, adult, e-books, fantasy
review:
I'm not that into time travel romances or cowboys but since I have a few Cassandra Gannon books left I had no choice. I still enjoyed this but it wasn't my favourite. I love Gannon because her books are quick, fun and feel good books. And this was definitely that.
]]> <![CDATA[The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)]]> 53921926
The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara's homeland. So when she’s sent as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses. And the defenses of its king.

Yet as she infiltrates her new home and gains a deeper understanding of the war to possess the bridge, Lara begins to question whether she’s the hero or the villain. And as her feelings for Aren transform from frosty hostility to fierce passion, Lara must choose which kingdom she’ll save� and which kingdom she’ll destroy.

Passionate and violent, The Bridge Kingdom is a seductive fantasy perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.]]> 356 Danielle L. Jensen Duanur 0
I'm so sad and dissapointed that this was not for me. This is for the fans of Sarah J Maas. I am surprised I didn't see anyone mentioning how similar this was to an SJM book. Not the plot but the characters and the tone of the book. It started off so strong so I had high hopes for it but it turned into a brainless romance book with frustrating characters pretty early on. The main character is supposed to be a ruthless assassin but we see no evidence of that. The hero didn't have the backbone to be a king. The secondary characters were stereotypical and boring.

But if you are interested I would recommend the audiobook. It has two different narrators and I had no problems with their narrations.]]> 4.02 2018 The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at: 2021/06/27
date added: 2021/06/28
shelves: dnf, 2021, adult, audiobooks, fantasy
review:
DNF at 25%

I'm so sad and dissapointed that this was not for me. This is for the fans of Sarah J Maas. I am surprised I didn't see anyone mentioning how similar this was to an SJM book. Not the plot but the characters and the tone of the book. It started off so strong so I had high hopes for it but it turned into a brainless romance book with frustrating characters pretty early on. The main character is supposed to be a ruthless assassin but we see no evidence of that. The hero didn't have the backbone to be a king. The secondary characters were stereotypical and boring.

But if you are interested I would recommend the audiobook. It has two different narrators and I had no problems with their narrations.
]]> <![CDATA[A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles, #1)]]> 27015399 BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

Catalia "Cat" Fisa lives disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She is perfectly content avoiding the danger and destiny the Gods-and her homicidal mother-have saddled her with. That is, until Griffin, an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south, fixes her with his steely gaze and upsets her illusion of safety forever.

Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker, the woman who divines the truth through lies. He wants her as a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm-until he realizes he wants her for much more than her magic. Cat fights him at every turn, but Griffin's fairness, loyalty, and smoldering advances make him increasingly hard to resist and leave her wondering if life really does have to be short, and lived alone.]]> 441 Amanda Bouchet 1492626015 Duanur 3
The beginning was so strong but unfortunately the rest of it was not. The biggest issue I have with this book is the main characters. Cat acts like an angsty teen and Griffen is a toxic alpha male. Not a good combination in one book. It reads mostly like a Sarah J Maas book if SJM actually wrote some action scenes. So, it was a fun and fast paced read. But this book did not have any rules. Not when it came to the magic, the world building or even the emotions of the characters. In one page Cat was mad but then she was happy but WAIT she was actually SAD! I can forgo underdeveloped world buildings but the emotional unstability of the characters was so confusing to read. Especially since Cat explains her feelings like a teenager.

Thank the Gods. Gag!
Sort of.
Except not at all.
Gah! I'm going insane!

Gag? Gah? Seriously? My head hurts after being in Cat's mind. The writing reminds me of Kristen Ashley's so there must be a group of people who actually enjoys this type of writing style.

Overall, even though the characters were mostly annoying, the world building and the magic system were underdeveloped I actually enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and there were a few cute scenes. If you are looking for a enemies to lovers fantasy romance with a lot of banter this was a fun one. Just don't expect consistency and depth.]]> 4.02 2016 A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles, #1)
author: Amanda Bouchet
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/13
date added: 2021/02/13
shelves: adult, 2021, e-books, fantasy, fun
review:
*3.5*

The beginning was so strong but unfortunately the rest of it was not. The biggest issue I have with this book is the main characters. Cat acts like an angsty teen and Griffen is a toxic alpha male. Not a good combination in one book. It reads mostly like a Sarah J Maas book if SJM actually wrote some action scenes. So, it was a fun and fast paced read. But this book did not have any rules. Not when it came to the magic, the world building or even the emotions of the characters. In one page Cat was mad but then she was happy but WAIT she was actually SAD! I can forgo underdeveloped world buildings but the emotional unstability of the characters was so confusing to read. Especially since Cat explains her feelings like a teenager.

Thank the Gods. Gag!
Sort of.
Except not at all.
Gah! I'm going insane!

Gag? Gah? Seriously? My head hurts after being in Cat's mind. The writing reminds me of Kristen Ashley's so there must be a group of people who actually enjoys this type of writing style.

Overall, even though the characters were mostly annoying, the world building and the magic system were underdeveloped I actually enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and there were a few cute scenes. If you are looking for a enemies to lovers fantasy romance with a lot of banter this was a fun one. Just don't expect consistency and depth.
]]> <![CDATA[A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash, #2)]]> 54319549 A Betrayal�

Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice...

Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret�

But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.]]> 637 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457106 Duanur 3
The angst level might be dangerous for your heart. And, if like me, you have trust issues... well, let's just say your trust issues will double (maybe triple) while reading this series.

This was a filler book let's just get that out of the way. I enjoyed reading it but 600+ pages are too much for this. I am glad that the main relationship developed more but there were so many filler and repetitive scenes. Also, it didn't even pick up near the end and the ending was a bit lackluster for me (maybe because of the first book's amazing ending).
Unfortunately, since we centered on the characters more, they were even more annoying. In the first book, we didn't really delve into the characters so they didn't bother me (too much) but the amount of sass these characters have is just annoying at this point. [spoilers removed] Can these people stop smirking, please? Also, Kieran is making me very uncomfortable and I refuse to say why (yes I am a prude)

Buuut, I am still excited for the next book. Even with all their repetitive dialogues and angsty banters, these two managed to capture my heart. I seriously have no idea where this story is going at this point and I need to know.]]> 4.32 2020 A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash, #2)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/01/15
date added: 2021/01/20
shelves: e-books, fantasy, new-adult, vampires, jla, 2021
review:
*3.5*

The angst level might be dangerous for your heart. And, if like me, you have trust issues... well, let's just say your trust issues will double (maybe triple) while reading this series.

This was a filler book let's just get that out of the way. I enjoyed reading it but 600+ pages are too much for this. I am glad that the main relationship developed more but there were so many filler and repetitive scenes. Also, it didn't even pick up near the end and the ending was a bit lackluster for me (maybe because of the first book's amazing ending).
Unfortunately, since we centered on the characters more, they were even more annoying. In the first book, we didn't really delve into the characters so they didn't bother me (too much) but the amount of sass these characters have is just annoying at this point. [spoilers removed] Can these people stop smirking, please? Also, Kieran is making me very uncomfortable and I refuse to say why (yes I am a prude)

Buuut, I am still excited for the next book. Even with all their repetitive dialogues and angsty banters, these two managed to capture my heart. I seriously have no idea where this story is going at this point and I need to know.
]]> <![CDATA[Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle, #1)]]> 50892338
A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn� students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin� and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.]]> 502 Tracy Deonn 1534441603 Duanur 0 dnf, e-books, 2020, fantasy
This one is just not for me. I know a lot of people loved it but I couldn't seem to get into it. Too many info dumps that go nowhere and too many characters I don't care about. It all sounds interesting in theory but overall I was just bored.]]> 4.31 2020 Legendborn (The Legendborn Cycle, #1)
author: Tracy Deonn
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2020/12/23
date added: 2020/12/31
shelves: dnf, e-books, 2020, fantasy
review:
DNF at 44%

This one is just not for me. I know a lot of people loved it but I couldn't seem to get into it. Too many info dumps that go nowhere and too many characters I don't care about. It all sounds interesting in theory but overall I was just bored.
]]> <![CDATA[Lord of the Abyss (Royal House of Shadows, #4)]]> 10802904
As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.]]> 288 Nalini Singh Duanur 2 adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020
Trigger warning: self hurt (the main character is a blood sorceress), abuse

I read this book as a standalone so it might have lessened my enjoyment of the book. It was an okay book for me. I didn't have any attachments to the characters and it got a little boring at times. But it was a quick, easy-to-read adventure.]]> 4.10 2011 Lord of the Abyss (Royal House of Shadows, #4)
author: Nalini Singh
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2020/12/22
date added: 2020/12/31
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020
review:
*2.5*

Trigger warning: self hurt (the main character is a blood sorceress), abuse

I read this book as a standalone so it might have lessened my enjoyment of the book. It was an okay book for me. I didn't have any attachments to the characters and it got a little boring at times. But it was a quick, easy-to-read adventure.
]]> <![CDATA[Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles, #4)]]> 37712577
Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her daughter, Helen, had been exiled for the sins of her husband to the desolate planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud had spent a year and a half avenging his debts. But now all the debts are paid. Rescued by her sister Dina, Maud had swore off all things vampire. Except she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined.

Try as she might, she can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.

To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is a powerful vampire House, and Maud knows that a woman who turned down the proposal from its most beloved son wouldn't get a warm reception. But Maud Demille never shied from a fight and House Krahr may soon discover that there is more to this human woman than they ever thought possible.


Published as an online free serial before the book is compiled and self-published shortly after completion.]]> 256 Ilona Andrews Duanur 2 But I think I still would have liked this more if I didn't expect it to be more urban fantasy than scifi.]]> 4.40 2019 Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Chronicles, #4)
author: Ilona Andrews
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2020/12/16
date added: 2020/12/31
shelves: e-books, fantasy, vampires, 2020
review:
This was more scifi than I expected. Maud was a boring main character and there were too many information about the world that I didn't care about. And what is the point of vampires if they are just harder-to-kill humans? And how is Arland the hero when he rarely has scenes in this book? I feel like he had more scenes in previous books (where he was a side character.)
But I think I still would have liked this more if I didn't expect it to be more urban fantasy than scifi.
]]> <![CDATA[Exile in the Water Kingdom (Elemental Phases, #3)]]> 16114212
Ty: Ty, Queen of the Water House is having a bad couple of years. Her lunatic ex-Match keeps trying to kidnap her, most of the Elementals still blame her for the Fall, she has crippling panic attacks, and she’s being forced to attend group counseling in the human realm. When Gion, of the Air House shows up and demands sanctuary in the Water Kingdom, Ty doesn’t know what to think. Gion makes her nervous. He’s too cold, too powerful, and too intense. His only hobbies seem to be scowling and killing people. Except, when Ty looks into his eyes, she feels a� connection.

Gion: The most feared assassin in the Elemental realm, Gion, of the Air House has spent his entire life being ostracized and feared. There’s a price on his head, everyone in the universe hates him, and he’s been exiled from his homeland. Gion’s tired and all he wants is Ty. For eleven years, he’s secretly been in love with the Water Queen and he’s done with hiding his feelings. His goal now is to somehow make a place for himself in the exasperatingly pastel Water Palace and to claim Ty for himself. Unfortunately, there are a few problems with his plan including the fact that Ty is terrified of him, the eccentric Water Phases keep trying to make him watch reality shows, and there are still many, many people who want Ty and Gion dead.

Book three of The Elemental Phases.]]> 502 Cassandra Gannon Duanur 3
Very fun and cute. I already really liked Gion so I was very excited for his book. I think this was just a bit too long other than that I enjoyed Gion and Ty's story. Also, I'm loving the big cast of characters and the funny dialogues. I liked her A Kinda Fairytale series better but this is still a fun series to read especially after reading a sad book.]]> 4.16 2012 Exile in the Water Kingdom (Elemental Phases, #3)
author: Cassandra Gannon
name: Duanur
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2020/12/08
date added: 2020/12/31
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, fun, funny-reads, 2020
review:
*3.5*

Very fun and cute. I already really liked Gion so I was very excited for his book. I think this was just a bit too long other than that I enjoyed Gion and Ty's story. Also, I'm loving the big cast of characters and the funny dialogues. I liked her A Kinda Fairytale series better but this is still a fun series to read especially after reading a sad book.
]]> <![CDATA[Guardian of the Earth House (Elemental Phases, #2)]]> 16113032
Tessie: The Quintessence isn’t technically an Element and its Keeper isn’t quite the Divine creature of legend. Mainly, she’s just a half human bartender in Mayport Beach, Florida. Tessie has spent millennia trying to stay hidden from Elementals and other supernatural beings, but her enemies are closing in. Now, she has no choice but to turn to the Elementals� leader for help. Honorable, super-powerful and way too appealing, the King of the Earth House seems annoyingly perfect. But, since the guy owns a castle, the least he can do is pony up a spare bedroom.

Job: Consumed with saving his people from extinction, Job, King of the Earth House isn’t thrilled when the Quintessence shows up in his office demanding sanctuary. Tessie’s chaotic mix of human slang, tacky clothes, and feminine curves baffles him. To make matters worse, she does something with her vast powers to make it seem like she’s the Phase-Match he’s spent a thousand years waiting for. Neither of them can undo the connection and the fake Match begins to feel plenty real as Tessie fills up Job’s lonely palace with laughter and daytime TV. But, Tessie’s enemies are still after her and now they’re setting their sights on Job�

Book Two of the Elemental Phases.]]> 372 Cassandra Gannon Duanur 2 adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020 3.93 2012 Guardian of the Earth House (Elemental Phases, #2)
author: Cassandra Gannon
name: Duanur
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2020/11/30
date added: 2020/12/31
shelves: adult, e-books, fantasy, 2020
review:
Unfortunately, this wasn't great. Even the humor fell flat for me and even though the plot moved more in this book I didn't like the main characters that much. I am really excited for Gion's book though.
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