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clemslibrary's reviews
269 reviews
The Iliad by Homer
4.0
emily wilson’s translation was a much more enjoyable read and i found myself much more engaged than the other translation i read
The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
4.5
i truly am a sucker for political high fantasy with angsty relationships and drama and this book absolutely confirmed that
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
4.5
scheming and political fantasy will never get old
this was captivating and such a fun time, the beginning of the series having so much potential and so many ideas planted means i cannot wait to see where the series goes and how all the characters interconnect
very very excited to see how ren moves forward, especially following the twist of the end!
ren, tess and sedge have my heart and if anything happens to them i think i might loose my mind
this felt too long and too short at the same time, it’s definitely a slower start and introduction into the world but it’s set up some super cool plot points that i am invested in. i also love the magic system in this, and the way cards are such an integral part of ren’s identity
this was captivating and such a fun time, the beginning of the series having so much potential and so many ideas planted means i cannot wait to see where the series goes and how all the characters interconnect
very very excited to see how ren moves forward, especially following the twist of the end!
ren, tess and sedge have my heart and if anything happens to them i think i might loose my mind
this felt too long and too short at the same time, it’s definitely a slower start and introduction into the world but it’s set up some super cool plot points that i am invested in. i also love the magic system in this, and the way cards are such an integral part of ren’s identity
A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather
4.5
this was a dark and monstrous tale on childbirth, otherness and differing versions of london
truly something different and compelling, full of the nature of a woman’s life and identity when pregnant, filled with magic and an understanding of women’s power within society as midwife’s
add a sub-plot of queer romance and a powerful woman, this gritty and gruesome tale is something i highly recommend!
truly something different and compelling, full of the nature of a woman’s life and identity when pregnant, filled with magic and an understanding of women’s power within society as midwife’s
add a sub-plot of queer romance and a powerful woman, this gritty and gruesome tale is something i highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Child death and Pregnancy
The Fall of Icarus by Ovid
2.5
for a book named the fall of icarus why were there only 2 pages on the fall of icarus????
Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong
4.5
the end of an era and i don’t know how to feel
all my baies together and ALIVE!!! i don’t think i could have dealt with any of them dying
such a bittersweet ending but a perfect end to a world and cast of characters that have claimed my heart
all my baies together and ALIVE!!! i don’t think i could have dealt with any of them dying
such a bittersweet ending but a perfect end to a world and cast of characters that have claimed my heart
Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
4.75
this was a beautiful sweeping story filled with polish folklore and a semi-sentient house, what isn’t there to love?!
liska makes a bargain to work for the leszy for a year, and in return she gets to finally get rid of her magic as she has dreamed of. the characters were complex and compelling, each having their own struggles and desires, leaving for a world filled with secrets
the polish folklore is prevalent throughout the the entirety of the book, which I really loved as it was a different type of story with names and characters that held new meanings. The world is so cool to read about, it’s set largely within a sentient wood and house, which are things that I love in fantasy. The found family cost of characters are all so sweet and I loved seeing them grow and develop as they lived with each other and understood each other more.
I really liked the romance. I thought it was sweet and tender but it’s still had a good lead up, and when they get together, it was worth the payoff and all of the slow build up. The love interest is the Demon who controls and of warden of the woods, and because of this it means we get a slow understanding of who he is and what he wants. It does have the trope of really old loving interest with a young girl, which I’m not a fan of, but the romance itself was something that I really enjoyed.
This talks about identity and the impact of Christianity on folklore and more pagan religions, which I really liked as it meant we saw the main character grow and understand her magic whilst still struggling with her past and what she has been told.
This was a really compelling and fun story set within a sentence word and the found was one of my favourite aspects
liska makes a bargain to work for the leszy for a year, and in return she gets to finally get rid of her magic as she has dreamed of. the characters were complex and compelling, each having their own struggles and desires, leaving for a world filled with secrets
the polish folklore is prevalent throughout the the entirety of the book, which I really loved as it was a different type of story with names and characters that held new meanings. The world is so cool to read about, it’s set largely within a sentient wood and house, which are things that I love in fantasy. The found family cost of characters are all so sweet and I loved seeing them grow and develop as they lived with each other and understood each other more.
I really liked the romance. I thought it was sweet and tender but it’s still had a good lead up, and when they get together, it was worth the payoff and all of the slow build up. The love interest is the Demon who controls and of warden of the woods, and because of this it means we get a slow understanding of who he is and what he wants. It does have the trope of really old loving interest with a young girl, which I’m not a fan of, but the romance itself was something that I really enjoyed.
This talks about identity and the impact of Christianity on folklore and more pagan religions, which I really liked as it meant we saw the main character grow and understand her magic whilst still struggling with her past and what she has been told.
This was a really compelling and fun story set within a sentence word and the found was one of my favourite aspects
A Fate Of Smoke And Ash by Shania Scichilone
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 8%.
not vibing with the book or the writing style
Queen of None by Natania Barron
3.25
Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in return for an honest review
Queen of None is a retelling of King Arthur from the point of view of his sister, Anna, following her return to court after her husband's death.
This is a story of subtle rage and scheming, Anna was shipped off at 13 to marry a man in order to benefit her brother, and her return 20 years later is filled with pain and suffering. Used as a pawn, Anna desires to have more and enact revenge in ways she does not even realise. Once more she is married off by her brother, but this time she uses her power to create changes alongside her sisters.
Anna is more than just a sister, a wife, a mother - she is schemer and has the power to wield shadows to not be seen, allowing her to move pieces on the playing court to create change. The nature of the story itself is refreshing, Anna is willing to go to extreme lengths to not fall into a pit of desperation and allow men to keep using her.
The narrative is told in an interesting way, it seems as though Anna is recalling her past, and we see nudges and hints to the events to follow from the way she remembers certain events.
I did feel that the last third of the story was very different to the rest, and struggled to fully understand why everything was being done and the purpose of such a change.
This isn't a fantasy romance in my opinion, whilst there is romance the story is much more focused on Anna's growth as a character and her identity within the narrative. And the little romance that is in this is mostly about arranged marriages, something that Anna explicitly does not like.
This was an enthralling fantasy story on female identity, and I really enjoyed all the different character interactions!
Queen of None is a retelling of King Arthur from the point of view of his sister, Anna, following her return to court after her husband's death.
This is a story of subtle rage and scheming, Anna was shipped off at 13 to marry a man in order to benefit her brother, and her return 20 years later is filled with pain and suffering. Used as a pawn, Anna desires to have more and enact revenge in ways she does not even realise. Once more she is married off by her brother, but this time she uses her power to create changes alongside her sisters.
Anna is more than just a sister, a wife, a mother - she is schemer and has the power to wield shadows to not be seen, allowing her to move pieces on the playing court to create change. The nature of the story itself is refreshing, Anna is willing to go to extreme lengths to not fall into a pit of desperation and allow men to keep using her.
The narrative is told in an interesting way, it seems as though Anna is recalling her past, and we see nudges and hints to the events to follow from the way she remembers certain events.
I did feel that the last third of the story was very different to the rest, and struggled to fully understand why everything was being done and the purpose of such a change.
This isn't a fantasy romance in my opinion, whilst there is romance the story is much more focused on Anna's growth as a character and her identity within the narrative. And the little romance that is in this is mostly about arranged marriages, something that Anna explicitly does not like.
This was an enthralling fantasy story on female identity, and I really enjoyed all the different character interactions!