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paperbacks_n_frybread's review against another edition
5.0
*Find my full review and interview with Intisar Khanani at: Mama Bear Reads*
Good fantasy work is hard to find. Many that are out now in the YA world are just true carbon copies of one another. You have to have a special talent in order to create unique worlds, characters, and of course just the right conflict.
I have the worst time digging into a highly acclaimed book only to have to be completely predictable and all around boring. This has happened to me too much this year. I almost took a "fantasy" hiatus, until I read the blurb for Intisar Khanani's "Sunbolt". It drew me in by page one and did NOT disappoint. "Sunbolt" is filled with action, adventure, and absolutely 0 instalove.
The story follows a young orphaned girl named, Hitomi in the land of Karolene, who is not only a spunky street thief, but also one who is holding a very magical secret (And yay for non-European fantasy characters!).
I know, I know! Orphaned chick with magical powers? What a typical fantasy trope!
Not so, I tell you! Tropes don't necessarily HAVE to be a bad thing, when they're done well. And Khanani does this extremely well. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the second half and almost threw my iPad across the room when the book ended so abruptly. Nothing that I expected to happen-did. There are some pretty noteworthy characters in this book too (*cough*cough* Val). My only complaint-the book was too short! It IS a novella, but still. I wanted to stay and hang out with Hitomi a little longer. Thank the Lord that the second book in the Sunbolt Chronicles, "Memories of Ash" will be released on May 30th.
*I received this book in exchange for my honest review*
Good fantasy work is hard to find. Many that are out now in the YA world are just true carbon copies of one another. You have to have a special talent in order to create unique worlds, characters, and of course just the right conflict.
I have the worst time digging into a highly acclaimed book only to have to be completely predictable and all around boring. This has happened to me too much this year. I almost took a "fantasy" hiatus, until I read the blurb for Intisar Khanani's "Sunbolt". It drew me in by page one and did NOT disappoint. "Sunbolt" is filled with action, adventure, and absolutely 0 instalove.
The story follows a young orphaned girl named, Hitomi in the land of Karolene, who is not only a spunky street thief, but also one who is holding a very magical secret (And yay for non-European fantasy characters!).
I know, I know! Orphaned chick with magical powers? What a typical fantasy trope!
Not so, I tell you! Tropes don't necessarily HAVE to be a bad thing, when they're done well. And Khanani does this extremely well. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the second half and almost threw my iPad across the room when the book ended so abruptly. Nothing that I expected to happen-did. There are some pretty noteworthy characters in this book too (*cough*cough* Val). My only complaint-the book was too short! It IS a novella, but still. I wanted to stay and hang out with Hitomi a little longer. Thank the Lord that the second book in the Sunbolt Chronicles, "Memories of Ash" will be released on May 30th.
*I received this book in exchange for my honest review*
alsoghosts's review against another edition
4.0
I love, LOVE this 'verse (Hitomi was awesome, and don't even get me started on Val). I do wish there was at least a bit more background as this is our introduction to this world, but I'm sure that'll get taken care of in the sequel(s) so I'm not super worried. But damn is it refreshing to see a fantasy series not completely bogged down for once in that one-size-fits-all pseudo-medieval European world... Not that that's always a terrible thing, but let's just say this was a much welcomed break ;)
aimeehaldron's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
septemberheartflakes's review against another edition
3.0
I couldn't sleep so I finished this book.
Plus I'm craving more of Intisar-land.
The book is short, following street burglar and illegal half-bred Hitomi. It started with a chasing scene and a secret mission to save a family. There are power hungered mages, an untold backstory of the protagonist and a secret society to bring justice.
It's a nice escape though needs some figuring out on your own at the beginning. Once you're in, you're in though. It's a short read, 140-ish pages. There is no love interest in the first book and I fond myself appreciating it.
Can't wait to read what is next for Hitomi.
Plus I'm craving more of Intisar-land.
The book is short, following street burglar and illegal half-bred Hitomi. It started with a chasing scene and a secret mission to save a family. There are power hungered mages, an untold backstory of the protagonist and a secret society to bring justice.
It's a nice escape though needs some figuring out on your own at the beginning. Once you're in, you're in though. It's a short read, 140-ish pages. There is no love interest in the first book and I fond myself appreciating it.
Can't wait to read what is next for Hitomi.
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
4.0
Khanani writes great main characters. "Sunbolt" is an unexpected adventure with lots of surprising turns. The characters are diverse and well rounded. The varied landscape and society are intriguing.
Mages, a League of Shadows, Fangs, Breathers, vast landscapes, Promises. You'll have to read this enchanting book to figure out how all these items relate. Khanani does a great job slowly unraveling her secrets so you just can't put the book down.
I think book 2 would help me feel more satisfied with the way things ended. It feels like I'm in the middle of a book, so I'll have to pick that up sometime soon. I enjoy reading works by this author and definitely recommend this series.
Mages, a League of Shadows, Fangs, Breathers, vast landscapes, Promises. You'll have to read this enchanting book to figure out how all these items relate. Khanani does a great job slowly unraveling her secrets so you just can't put the book down.
I think book 2 would help me feel more satisfied with the way things ended. It feels like I'm in the middle of a book, so I'll have to pick that up sometime soon. I enjoy reading works by this author and definitely recommend this series.
tracythewriter's review against another edition
5.0
This story was AWESOME. I LOVED Hitomi, and Intisar's writing is absolutely beautiful. I was so impressed. I cannot WAIT to read the next installment. Definitely adding Intisar to my list of favorite authors!
valhecka's review against another edition
4.0
Great story, beautiful world, wonderful characters. Plot is oversize for a novella, but it works.
tiffanychan's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Intisar's books are always so clever and refreshing. Highly recommend for those who want a good YA fantasy with good writing and fleshed-out characters.
jrabbott's review against another edition
4.0
Brilliant
Another vibrant working from a brilliant storyteller. Nothing is as expected, truly an original story. I can hardly wait to read the next book.
Another vibrant working from a brilliant storyteller. Nothing is as expected, truly an original story. I can hardly wait to read the next book.
chelsea_not_chels's review against another edition
5.0
More reviews available at my blog, Beauty and the Bookworm.
Let me begin by telling you a story of my own. Once upon a time, on a spring break not too long ago, my boyfriend contracted appendicitis. We didn't know it was appendicitis, though, rather thinking it was a case of food poisoning brought on by a sketchy breakfast at a Best Western. (I still have not entirely ruled out the possibility that the breakfast was, somehow, involved.) As we thought he would get better in a day or two, we didn't go to the hospital and instead flew six hours home, where he was advised by the CVS Minute Clinic to stay in bed. Ten days later, we were in the ER because he still wasn't better. By this point, all they could really do was put him on heavy antibiotics because his whole abdomen was so inflamed that they couldn't operate. I spent about a week and a half lying on a hospital bed next to him, and during that time I read Intisar Khanani's book Thorn, and it took my breath away.
The boyfriend lived (and, about three months after his appendix ruptured, he finally had it removed) and I fell in love with Khanani's writing. When Sunbolt came out, it was obvious that I had to read it. And I have to say, Khanani has done it again. While significantly shorter than Thorn, Sunbolt is also a thing of beauty, and if you look at its reviews on Goodreads, you can see that pretty much everyone agrees with that. It's very fast-paced, jumping from one event to the next, but it never actually seems "jumpy" or choppy. Everything flows very well. The heroine, Hitomi, is an orphan who possesses magical powers that she has to hide to avoid becoming a slave. She works to help free the island of Karolene from the clutches of a dark mage along with the rest of the League of Shadows, led by the mysterious figure known only as "the Ghost." During an operation to save the lives of a powerful family, Hitomi is captured and begins looking for a way to escape.
Let me tell you, Hitomi has the worst luck when it comes to escape attempts. Every single time she escapes, she gets captured again. Eventually, she is given to one monster and imprisoned with another, and they have to work together to get free. The world is rife with werewolves, vampires, and other non-human creatures, though they are referred to by alternate names. I wasn't sure how this would work out, not being a fan of the werewolf/vampire craze that's swept young adult fiction lately, but this isn't really focused on those aspects. And towards the end, with Val (a creature whose like I haven't encountered before) I was really, really rooting for them. I am dying to see more of Hitomi and Val. I hope he shows up in future books. I wasn't sure that Sunbolt was going to hold up to Thorn, but it definitely did--however, I attribute that more to the second half of the book. The first half, while enjoyable, was not as good as the second. Hitomi's strength and spunk really come through in the second half, and she also has to face the consequences of her actions, which were masterfully handled.
Anyway, Khanani is a fabulous writer, and I can't wait to see more of her work.
5 stars out of 5.
Let me begin by telling you a story of my own. Once upon a time, on a spring break not too long ago, my boyfriend contracted appendicitis. We didn't know it was appendicitis, though, rather thinking it was a case of food poisoning brought on by a sketchy breakfast at a Best Western. (I still have not entirely ruled out the possibility that the breakfast was, somehow, involved.) As we thought he would get better in a day or two, we didn't go to the hospital and instead flew six hours home, where he was advised by the CVS Minute Clinic to stay in bed. Ten days later, we were in the ER because he still wasn't better. By this point, all they could really do was put him on heavy antibiotics because his whole abdomen was so inflamed that they couldn't operate. I spent about a week and a half lying on a hospital bed next to him, and during that time I read Intisar Khanani's book Thorn, and it took my breath away.
The boyfriend lived (and, about three months after his appendix ruptured, he finally had it removed) and I fell in love with Khanani's writing. When Sunbolt came out, it was obvious that I had to read it. And I have to say, Khanani has done it again. While significantly shorter than Thorn, Sunbolt is also a thing of beauty, and if you look at its reviews on Goodreads, you can see that pretty much everyone agrees with that. It's very fast-paced, jumping from one event to the next, but it never actually seems "jumpy" or choppy. Everything flows very well. The heroine, Hitomi, is an orphan who possesses magical powers that she has to hide to avoid becoming a slave. She works to help free the island of Karolene from the clutches of a dark mage along with the rest of the League of Shadows, led by the mysterious figure known only as "the Ghost." During an operation to save the lives of a powerful family, Hitomi is captured and begins looking for a way to escape.
Let me tell you, Hitomi has the worst luck when it comes to escape attempts. Every single time she escapes, she gets captured again. Eventually, she is given to one monster and imprisoned with another, and they have to work together to get free. The world is rife with werewolves, vampires, and other non-human creatures, though they are referred to by alternate names. I wasn't sure how this would work out, not being a fan of the werewolf/vampire craze that's swept young adult fiction lately, but this isn't really focused on those aspects. And towards the end, with Val (a creature whose like I haven't encountered before) I was really, really rooting for them. I am dying to see more of Hitomi and Val. I hope he shows up in future books. I wasn't sure that Sunbolt was going to hold up to Thorn, but it definitely did--however, I attribute that more to the second half of the book. The first half, while enjoyable, was not as good as the second. Hitomi's strength and spunk really come through in the second half, and she also has to face the consequences of her actions, which were masterfully handled.
Anyway, Khanani is a fabulous writer, and I can't wait to see more of her work.
5 stars out of 5.