Scan barcode
themoodreader's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, War, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Death, and Violence
booksthatburn's review
This has a particular blend of modernity and faery which I tend to not like generally but didn't realize this was going to be.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, and War
Minor: Violence, Terminal illness, Mental illness, and Blood
alyxinthestars's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle is a fantasy novel that was published at the start of this month. It centres around two characters: Prince Larkin, a human royal who has been recently awoken after being put under a sleeping spell under duress for over two hundred years, and Merrick, a half-fae perfumer, descendant of the witch who put Larkin under the sleeping spell, and the man who wakes him entirely by accident. Waking Prince Larkin also wakes the fae Ula Kana, who is intent on destroying all humans on the island that they live on. Merrick and Larkin have to team up to defeat Ula Kana once and for all, venturing into the dangerous fae realm without any guarantee of their safe return.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The story was interesting and gripping, with some interesting world building and a great cast of characters, including many openly queer characters which made my little queer heart happy. The exploration of the concept of love given the differences in the perception of time between fae and humans was also really interesting, as was the contrast between the life Larkin had known and life for the rest of the human or part human characters of the book.
Merrick and Larkin had some cute moments as a couple. I love the trope of one character facing or overcoming a fear they hold for another, and Ringle executed it beautifully. The only thing I would say is that as someone who is used to slow burn romances, their relationship seemed to progress a little fast to me. I would have liked some more time to really get to know them and understand why they love each other, but I still think that they compliment each other well as characters.
I would recommend Lava Red Feather Blue by Molly Ringle for fantasy fans looking for a high stakes story with a side of queer romance.
I was given a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Blood, Death, and Violence
lennie_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This story is basically an adult, queer, sleeping beauty set on a magical island in the pacific ocean.
The island of Eidolonia is set in the real world but because of magic it scrambles satellites and boats are often pushed off course so it hasn't been discovered by the world.
I really liked this idea because the pacific is so vast that there very easily could be an island out there with magical beings on it. (In my head anyway)
Around 300 years prior, the fae agreed to let humans stay on the island, they could marry whoever they wanted and go by whatever gender they wanted. The humans on the island also began to develop magical powers of their own from the proximity of the fae.
After a while there was a war between fae and humans, and to gain peace, Prince Larkin was sacrificed and put into a permanent magical slumber.
We theb travel to 2020 where we meet Merrick, a descendant of the witch who put Larkin under the spell and who doesn't really know what he's doing with his life. And after finding some of his ancestors magical trinkets he accidentally wakes Prince Larkin up.
However this also means he awakens the fearsome Ula Kana, a fae set on destroying the humans.
Larkin and Merrick form and unlikely friendship, challenge the corrupt government and then head out on a quest to the fae realm to try and save the island.
There is dual POVs in this book but I have to admit they weren't quite different enough because I often couldn't tell who was speaking.
It's a gritty, self sacrificing and realistic fantasy tale with a unique set up.
Merrick's family and friends were brilliant and the romance was a wonderful slow burn. However it definitely has a bittersweet ending which I found a bit depressing. Maybe because it was a bit too realistic I'm not sure.
That being said I still really enjoyed it and will most likely read it again!
The book has queer rep, non binary rep and deals with trauma, ptsd, depression and more.
CW: death, ptsd, depression
This story is basically an adult, queer, sleeping beauty set on a magical island in the pacific ocean.
The island of Eidolonia is set in the real world but because of magic it scrambles satellites and boats are often pushed off course so it hasn't been discovered by the world.
I really liked this idea because the pacific is so vast that there very easily could be an island out there with magical beings on it. (In my head anyway)
Around 300 years prior, the fae agreed to let humans stay on the island, they could marry whoever they wanted and go by whatever gender they wanted. The humans on the island also began to develop magical powers of their own from the proximity of the fae.
After a while there was a war between fae and humans, and to gain peace, Prince Larkin was sacrificed and put into a permanent magical slumber.
We theb travel to 2020 where we meet Merrick, a descendant of the witch who put Larkin under the spell and who doesn't really know what he's doing with his life. And after finding some of his ancestors magical trinkets he accidentally wakes Prince Larkin up.
However this also means he awakens the fearsome Ula Kana, a fae set on destroying the humans.
Larkin and Merrick form and unlikely friendship, challenge the corrupt government and then head out on a quest to the fae realm to try and save the island.
There is dual POVs in this book but I have to admit they weren't quite different enough because I often couldn't tell who was speaking.
It's a gritty, self sacrificing and realistic fantasy tale with a unique set up.
Merrick's family and friends were brilliant and the romance was a wonderful slow burn. However it definitely has a bittersweet ending which I found a bit depressing. Maybe because it was a bit too realistic I'm not sure.
That being said I still really enjoyed it and will most likely read it again!
The book has queer rep, non binary rep and deals with trauma, ptsd, depression and more.
CW: death, ptsd, depression
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Blood, Grief, and Mental illness
More...