Here is a bit of a delayed wrap up. August once again proved to be a not so great for reading month, but I did like what I read.
Wrap Up Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi: 3 stars Fable by Adrienne Young: 4.5 stars*
continuing: Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)
Mini Reviews
Beasts Made of Night: I liked this one, but didn’t love it. Taj grew on me and the world was interesting, but the book was quite a bit different than I expected. I will be continuing the series and am curious as to how it will resolve. Fable: I really enjoyed this one. I found it almost impossible to put down and loved the vivid descriptions. Full Review
*I recieved an uncorrected proof of Fable from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed The Silver Serpents by Roshani Chokshi.
I really liked The Gilded Wolves when I read it last year. I loved the characters. I thought the magic system was interesting (even if I didn’t fully understand it) and enjoyed the plot. So I had high hopes for The Silvered Serpents and it did not disappoint.
The Silvered Serpents is a wonderful sequel. It is a bit darker then The Gilded Wolves and the characters are haunted by the aftermath of the previous installment. The mystery they are trying to uncover is at its core quite dark, but despite the darker themes and elements there is humor throughout to balance it.
I just adore Roshani Chokshi’s writing style. The descriptions were so vivid. I appreciated there weren’t any major info dumps from the previous book, just what you needed to jog your memory. I usually reread previous books, but was unable to do so and didn’t feel lost. Even without reading the recap on the author’s website I would have been fine.
The only complaint I have was some of the content was repetitive. I’m not sure if it was because it was a lot of information to remember, or an attempt to convey a character’s thought process, but there were a couple instances where I found myself skimming. Note: This may have been changed in the final version. This didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the book though.
I loved revisiting these characters and this world and can’t wait for the third book!
If you enjoy books with found families and cool magic systems you should check out this series.
Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!
I received an eARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers by Jessica Roux is absolutely stunning. Every illustration is gorgeous.
For some reason I expected this book to be a bit different, perhaps a bit more detailed, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
The descriptions are interesting, especially the pairing suggestions to help convey something more specific. I really liked the bouquet section and found that the index being organized by meaning extremely useful.
If you’re interested in the language of flowers this would be a great place to start.
Thank you so much Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!
Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers: 4 stars
I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Fable by Adrienne Young. This was the first book I read by this author and was pleasantly surprised. Fable lived up to and dare I say surpassed the hype.
The characters were extremely likeable and well written. The descriptions were lush and vivid. It was almost impossible to put down.
I can’t wait for Namesake’s release (March 2021) and will definitely be reading more of Adrienne Young’s books.
Fable is a great choice for those who enjoy books with strong heroines, found families, and/or are fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!
Continuing : Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
TBR
Crown of Thunder by Tochi Onyebuchi Fable by Adrienne Young* The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi* Floriography by Jessica Reoux* Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson
*These are review copies provided by the Publisher through Netgalley
What books are you excited to read this month? Have you finished any yet you’ve really enjoyed?
It definitely feels like summer here. All I want to do is curl up with a good book and a cold glass of lemonade with the AC blasting.
Do you have a beverage you just crave when it’s hot out? Or one you have to have while you’re reading?
July definitely didn’t go to plan, but that’s okay I still got some reading in.
Wrap Up
Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang: 3.5 stars* The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night: 4 stars* The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: 4.5 stars/audio 5 stars
Continuing: Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
*These books were review copies provided to me at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Mini Reviews
Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang: While I’m still not sure how I feel about this one. I did enjoy reading it. It was hard to put down. Though an adult book, it felt more like a YA novel. Full Review here.
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night: This book is what a sequel should be. Stakes are raised. The world building is expanded. And it is just such a fun read, despite some dragging in the beginning. Full Review here.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: The audio for this one is out-freaking-standing. The world building is just…well it’s Sanderson… awesome. It is very long, but well paced, and while I don’t love flashbacks and some past events are constantly hinted at, everything comes together quite well. The Stormlight Archive definitely deserves the hype. If you haven’t loved Sanderson’s other works this one is still worth a read. Full Review to come.
Thoughts so far:
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi : Onyebuchi’s writing just pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Putting this one down has been a struggle. Though I’m not sure how I feel about the characters or the book itself; it is proving to be very different than expected (why do I have expectations anymore?) I like it. I almost didn’t pick this one up due to some mixed reviews. So, I would say give this one a shot if you’re still debating reading it or not. Prediction: 3 or 4 star read.
What were you’re favorite July reads? What are you looking forward to reading in August?
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series. I received a review copy of the first book and enjoyed it. (My review can be found here.) This review does NOT contain spoilers, however the synopsis does contain spoilers for book one, so I will not be posting it, but you can check it out here on GoodReads.
I received a copy of The Girl with the Whispering Shadow from Stories Untold Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
D.E. Night created something fun and magical in The Crowns of Croswald. The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is a fantastic sequel that adds to that magic.
While this book does feel a bit different, it is still just as enchanting as the first.
The world building is expanded and readers get a deeper peek into the world of scrivenists. And as with the first book, I never quite knew what to expect and was excited to see what new creature, spell, or potion was waiting to be discovered on the next page. (There are times when I suspect D.E. Night’s imagination is in fact limitless.)
It is an absolute delight to follow Ivy’s story and uncover more of the secrets of her past and Croswald.
D.E. Night’s writing is still just as vivid and it’s hard not to imagine yourself alongside Ivy and her friends. Another aspect that made me enjoy this sequel even more was that D.E. Night gives you the information you need when you need it without completely retelling you what happened in the first book. This is something people who don’t reread, marathon read series, and/or read series as they are released can truly appreciate. (I know I did.)
I did have some issues with the pacing and occasionally got lost in the world building, but I was still able to enjoy the story. I actually think I enjoyed this one more than the first and am excited to see what happens next in Ivy’s story.
So, if you’re looking for a magical escape I recommend checking out this series! The third installment, The Words of the Wandering is available now too.
Thank you so much Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for the review copy!
I received an uncorrected egalley of Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
I enjoyed Opium and Absinthe. At first I wasn’t very invested in the story or sure where it was going, but for some reason I had trouble putting the book down. Tillie is a very determined and inquisitive protagonist. While I never could quite decide how I felt about her it was hard not to root for Tillie on her quest for answers and justice for her sister.
Intertwining Dracula’s publication with the story was a fun and interesting addition. The mystery is well constructed and while I wasn’t sure how some plot aspects had a purpose at the time, it all tied together.
I will be picking up more of Lydia Kang’s books in the future.
This book may be a great choice for fans of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series as well as The Alienist TV series (I can’t speak to the books as I have yet to read them.)
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the review copy.
Opium and Absinthe: 3.5 stars
Have you read Opium and Absinthe yet? What did you think?
I’m finally out of my reading slump! I actually read books last month!!! Can you tell I’m excited?
July TBR
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi Crown of Thunder by Tochi Onyebuchi The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (ebook) Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang (e-ARC) The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night (ebook)
continuing from last month The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (audio/ebook)
What are you reading this July? What books are you most excited about?
I can’t wait to read Beasts Made of Night. I’ve wanted to read it for a while. I also may have already finished Opium and Absinthe and enjoyed it.
A big goal I’ve set for myself this year is buying fewer books and reading more of what I already own. It’s a bit daunting to look at my shelves and see so many books I still haven’t read (especially if there are multiple editions of those books). So I’m going to make another attempt at the Beat the Backlist Challenge.
If you’re unfamiliar with the challenge hosted by NovelKnight check out this post for more details and to sign up. Basically you read books published in 2019 or earlier in any format.
Books I hope to read:
The Folk of Air Seriesby Holly Black The Cruel Prince (reread) The Lost Sisters (reread) The Wicked King The Queen of Nothing
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan Eye of the World* The Great Hunt The Dragon Reborn
Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman Scythe (reread) Thunderhead (reread) The Toll
The Traveler’s Gate Trilogy/Chronicles by Will Wight House of Blades The Crimson Vault City of Light
Elder Empire: Sea by Will Wight Of Sean and Shadow Of Dawn and Darkness
Elder Empire: Shadow by Will Wight Of Shadow and Sea Of Darkness and Dawn
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott The Necromancer The Warlock The Enchantress
Stalking Jack the Ripper Series by Kerri Maniscalco Becoming the Dark Prince Capturing the Devil
From Subscription Boxes: We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal Magic is For Liars by Sarah Gailey Fire & Heist by Sarah Beth Durst Nocturna by Maya Motayne Stronger than a Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan Middlegame by Seanan McGuire Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna by Juliet Grames Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte Once a King by Erin Summerill
I’m sure I won’t get through all of these, but at least making a dent in the list will help me knock out a chunk of my owned and unread books.
*If you follow me on Instagram you know I already started Eye of the World last year but didn’t make it very far. It’s been a few months since I’ve picked it up, so I‘m going to be starting it again from the beginning.
