A review by betsy_daniel
Year of the Reaper by Makiia Lucier

4.0

There are many things I love about this book:
1. The Pace: I was pleasantly surprised when the book immediately jumped into the plot, avoiding lengthy history lessons and unnecessary details. At first, it shocked me, but then I realized how much I appreciated it! Most fantasy books I’ve read spend nearly half the book setting up the story, but this one dives right in.
2. The Main Character The protagonist being a man was a refreshing change for me. Every other fantasy I’ve read has featured a female main character, so this was a breath of fresh air.
3. The Plot and Writing: The story was captivating and well-written. The plot twist towards the end was so surprising that it made me get out of bed and take a walk. While some aspects could have been explained in more detail like why can Cas see ghosts, how does the plague really work, what happens to Ventillas, do the brothers actually end up reuniting? It leaves me wanting more but overall, it was written exceptionally well.
I do wish the author had spent a few more chapters wrapping things up, as the ending felt a bit rushed. Additionally, I would have liked to see the two main characters spend more time together as a couple, but that’s just the hopeless romantic in me. Overall, it's a really strong standalone fantasy!