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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a wild ride, a massive wild ride. But this wild ride was not for me. But that is because I have realised that if a book spends half of the book world building, I really struggle to stay invested. And that is just a me thing, I am aware.
This is a dual pov following Dianna and Liam/Samkiel. Its a very follow the road kind of adventure. You'll enjoy the character development as well as the connection between the characters. But the end of the book is not unexpected but it just means it was written as a series.
I think this series will be your cup of tea if you like series like ACOTAR, a lot of initial world building then followed by the story rather than incorporated.
This is a dual pov following Dianna and Liam/Samkiel. Its a very follow the road kind of adventure. You'll enjoy the character development as well as the connection between the characters. But the end of the book is not unexpected but it just means it was written as a series.
I think this series will be your cup of tea if you like series like ACOTAR, a lot of initial world building then followed by the story rather than incorporated.
Writing a dark fantasy - especially one that serves up a side of romance is no easy task. I want to acknowledge the work that this author went through to create this place & these characters. Did you know the series is going to be 7 books long?
That being said, I have quite a bit to say - to help me process what I experienced & to keep tabs for when I move onto book 2.
***Some moderate spoilers ahead:
The Realms:
The world piqued my interest immediately. It was fresh & mysterious to have multiple realms. Rashearim was this cool devastated old-world Olympus & I loved that. Kaden’s volcanic fortress base in Nova’s Island also sounded intimidating & harrowing. But when Dianna & Liam end up at the festival grounds, all I kept picturing was Coney Island and that just seemed such a stark contrast from all the intricate descriptions of the other scene locations.
Everyone’s magic/powers:
Dianna can shape shift, kill like a vampire, drink someone’s blood & walk through their memories - (sometimes intentionally & other times not), make fire in her hands, and can only killed by having her heart ripped out.
Liam can move through buildings, levitate objects, use an otherworldly sword that keeps people from an afterlife, put buildings & objects back together after destroying them, wield lightning, MAKE CLOTHES?!, see auras & feel energy shifts, can reverse death…and is a god so, immortal.
The powers for other side characters are just as endless too. It was a lot of invincibility to keep track of.
Characters/Development
Dianna seemed like she was strong despite being in captivity. Once she is going to help Liam instead of Kaden, it all falls apart. She turns into this annoying immature person who has nothing of value to say in conversations & blindly trusts everyone, yet is upset when she gets betrayed…
Liam also starts out as this tortured MMC who is deliciously broken & you just want to be Dianna rubbing his head….but then he stops feeling like this ancient god & calls her baby while they are being intimate? He would have called her something like my moon/stars or really anything more elegant than that.
At Kaden’s first meeting, we are introduced to the creatures of the Otherworld. But then the majority of the book is spent with only vampires/witches. There is also the scene with the shades & Gabby, but that’s it. Where are the wolves & the banshees? I would have been terrified reading a scene with the Baku, but I secretly wished they came into play. Maybe this is something that will build with the other books in the series?
Writing Style:
When they go into dreams and flashbacks, sometimes it’s italicized so we can tell and other times it’s not….that is a giant pet peeve for me. If the author starts the book italicizing dreams & internal thoughts, it should stay consistent throughout the writing.
The pacing was odd at times. This is especially true when Dianna finally gets time with Gabby. We spend several pages with them doing the same thing & then they go out & Dianna all the sudden decides she’s leaving her sister behind after complaining from the very start how much she misses her & wants to spend time with her.
At first I thought only Liam & the members of the Hand used dialogue without contractions because they were from the ancient realm, but then other characters like Dianna and Tobias wouldn’t use them either. It just made the dialogue sound awkward & robotic.
Overall:
I would have loved to give 5 stars, but I am sitting between a 3-3.5. Maybe as I read through the series, my appreciation for the first book will change?
That being said, I have quite a bit to say - to help me process what I experienced & to keep tabs for when I move onto book 2.
***Some moderate spoilers ahead:
The Realms:
The world piqued my interest immediately. It was fresh & mysterious to have multiple realms. Rashearim was this cool devastated old-world Olympus & I loved that. Kaden’s volcanic fortress base in Nova’s Island also sounded intimidating & harrowing. But when Dianna & Liam end up at the festival grounds, all I kept picturing was Coney Island and that just seemed such a stark contrast from all the intricate descriptions of the other scene locations.
Everyone’s magic/powers:
Dianna can shape shift, kill like a vampire, drink someone’s blood & walk through their memories - (sometimes intentionally & other times not), make fire in her hands, and can only killed by having her heart ripped out.
Liam can move through buildings, levitate objects, use an otherworldly sword that keeps people from an afterlife, put buildings & objects back together after destroying them, wield lightning, MAKE CLOTHES?!, see auras & feel energy shifts, can reverse death…and is a god so, immortal.
The powers for other side characters are just as endless too. It was a lot of invincibility to keep track of.
Characters/Development
Dianna seemed like she was strong despite being in captivity. Once she is going to help Liam instead of Kaden, it all falls apart. She turns into this annoying immature person who has nothing of value to say in conversations & blindly trusts everyone, yet is upset when she gets betrayed…
Liam also starts out as this tortured MMC who is deliciously broken & you just want to be Dianna rubbing his head….but then he stops feeling like this ancient god & calls her baby while they are being intimate? He would have called her something like my moon/stars or really anything more elegant than that.
At Kaden’s first meeting, we are introduced to the creatures of the Otherworld. But then the majority of the book is spent with only vampires/witches. There is also the scene with the shades & Gabby, but that’s it. Where are the wolves & the banshees? I would have been terrified reading a scene with the Baku, but I secretly wished they came into play. Maybe this is something that will build with the other books in the series?
Writing Style:
When they go into dreams and flashbacks, sometimes it’s italicized so we can tell and other times it’s not….that is a giant pet peeve for me. If the author starts the book italicizing dreams & internal thoughts, it should stay consistent throughout the writing.
The pacing was odd at times. This is especially true when Dianna finally gets time with Gabby. We spend several pages with them doing the same thing & then they go out & Dianna all the sudden decides she’s leaving her sister behind after complaining from the very start how much she misses her & wants to spend time with her.
At first I thought only Liam & the members of the Hand used dialogue without contractions because they were from the ancient realm, but then other characters like Dianna and Tobias wouldn’t use them either. It just made the dialogue sound awkward & robotic.
Overall:
I would have loved to give 5 stars, but I am sitting between a 3-3.5. Maybe as I read through the series, my appreciation for the first book will change?
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm already confused. I kept checking to make sure this was book 1. I've already reread a couple of pages trying to figure out what's going on. We're dropped into the middle of a scene with no idea who these people are and no background and are supposed to figure out what's going on. It's convoluted, like she's intentionally being unclear to be mysterious, but it's confusing and I don't want to work that hard.
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.5 ⭐️ refreshing fantasy book where there’s the MMC pov and good representation of anxiety, depression, and grief.
I also really liked how the FMC was a monster. It’s too often where that’s the MMC and the girl is the ‘good’ character.
A little confused on what the world looks like tho I cannot imagine it but this book overall is a good time !
I also really liked how the FMC was a monster. It’s too often where that’s the MMC and the girl is the ‘good’ character.
A little confused on what the world looks like tho I cannot imagine it but this book overall is a good time !
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i was right about gabby. but i DID NOTTTT expect it like that. honestly i hated that the entire thing with kaden was televised kdjdjdjdjd last 20% made me roll my eyes so much. i am interested in the second book but less than i had anticipated
The first book in a new fantasy series, the Book of Azrael is a dual narrative story following Dianna and Liam as the former enemies combine forces to search for a book that could destroy everything they know. This book took me about 60% to get into and I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, but the story and evolving relationship between Dianna and Liam helped me stick it out long enough to get into the book and finish it. The world building is complicated and I had to skim some things to not find myself bogged down but ended up binging the last 40%. The book ends on a cliffhanger so now I have to wait for book 2 to find out what happens next! I’d recommend this book with a warning for heavy world-building but to give it a chance!
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes