crookeddustjacket's reviews
142 reviews

The Road of Bones by Demi Winters

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.0

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

2.5

While I liked this more than I thought I would, I think it would have been better if there was more world/character development and less boinking.

Beyond Those Gilded Walls by Jessica S. Taylor

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Thank you to the author for gifting me an eARC.

Beyond Those Guilded Walls is a deliciously gothic and intricately woven tale about sacrifice and finding the love you deserve. 

As a surviving townspeople of the blood plague, Odyssa (FMC) is saddled with guilt and magical ability stemming from the mysterious and brutal disease. In an attempt to support her family following her mother's death, she takes a servant job in the castle of the Coward King and is thrust into the opulent lives of his courtiers, who remain separated from the outside world. Each night, Odyssa must navigate the sumptuous masquerade balls to find information about the king and his elusive cure.

The writing is poetic and creepy, bringing the atmosphere of Veressia and the castle to life. I really enjoyed Odyssa as a character - she was strong even when she felt like she was inadequate and continued to fight for her (frankly horrible) family. Odyssa had not had a single person treat her as an equal or offer her unconditional love and affection, and had to fight tooth and claw for everything, making it easy to root for her.

Especially through the interactions and relationship she develops with Tallon, who is so sweet and supportive. The slow burn between these two was *chef's kiss*.

Also, the little bit at the end when Kalyx cures Odyssa's lingering effects of the plague, and she says that she doesn’t want to change and that she had accepted herself scars and all, was so heartwarming.

Recommend if you love:

🖤Forced proximity 

🖤Masquerade balls
🖤Mysterious love interests 

🖤Spooky shadow cat

🖤Ghosts/spirits 

🖤Plagues and death magic 

🖤Feminine rage

 

Dance With The Sword by Sarah K.L. Wilson

3.0

Fly with the Arrow by Sarah K.L. Wilson

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

 Fly with the Arrow is a young adult fantasy retelling of the French fairytale of Bluebeard by Charles Perrault (also see: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood).

I saw it recommended online and I love a good retelling of classic fairytales. When I discovered it was also free on my audiobook app, I didn’t have much to lose, so I went in with some expectations but ultimately would not be mad if I didn’t like the story.

Recommended for lovers of:
 🏹 Fairytale retellings
 🏹 Traditional fae/fairy depiction
 🏹 Stolen brides / forced marriage trope
 🏹 Very light romance 
 🏹 Competitions/contests 

*Mild spoilers ahead*

The story follows Izolda, the 19-year-old daughter of a minor nobleman. They hail from a less affluent area of the kingdom, and Izolda’s father finds it essential to find her a sensible match that will provide well for his daughter. Izolda resigns herself to marrying a man at least twice her age who will be a practical match, but she still fantasises about a romance with a young, handsome man.

While at court, her father finds a husband who is only somewhat older (31) and breeds horses for a living, and Izolda slowly warms to the idea of marrying him. However, that dream is short-lived when she finds herself tricked into marrying Bluebeard, a prince of the Wittenbrand (fae/fairy). She then must leave with Bluebeard and the other Wittenbrand to protect her family and kingdom.

 

There are definitely some really likable parts to Fly with the Arrow. For one, the way that the Wittenbrand are portrayed is very much in the vane of traditional fairies and world-building is quite effective for such a short book. Wilson’s writing itself was well crafted and very appropriate for the setting; I wasn’t taken out of the story by random modern words or phrases. While it wasn’t overly eventful, the story was fast-paced, making the spaces between events less tedious. There's not a great deal about the magic or the contest explained, but we get little bits and pieces of information given to us by Grosbeak (side character) through conversations, which feels more natural.

Side note for the audiobook: while the narrator was good, she occasionally got very breathy and sounded like Jennifer Coolidge. Unfortunately, once I heard it, I couldn’t unhear it, and it took me off guard a few times. 

I found Izolda irritating and childish, to say the least. When she wasn’t telling us how practical and sensible she is, she was bagging out other women at the court and

being jealous of her husband's dead wives??

. While this characterisation of Izolda was definitely intentional to show her need for validation,  she unfortunately doesn’t grow out of it by the end of the book. On that note, for someone who is very practical and sensible, she does make some stupid assumptions and has zero thought processes for decision-making. 

Sometimes, I felt like this was intentional because Grosbeak would call her out, which was quite funny. But then, other times, Bluebeard would call her smart/logical/practical (am I missing something?). Lastly, the relationship between Izolda and Bluebeard wasn't very captivating and lacked any depth. I get that he is supposed to be aloof as she is essentially just a power source for him, but damn. They could have developed their characters a bit more and made them likable as a couple.

Overall, I think the story would have benefited from being a bit longer and giving us a bit more development on all fronts. I can confirm that after reading the second book, some of my issues were resolved as the story progressed, but it would have made more sense not to split the story into two books. 

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

3.5

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

2.5

Fire Fox by Amanda Sloothaak

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Thank you to the author for gifting me an eARC.

I was first intrigued by Fire Fox when I discovered it was set in Viking-era Scandinavia and had roots in Viking myth. 

At its core, Fire Fox is a story of growth and understanding one’s desires. The story centres on Dawn, a young healer’s apprentice who is unnerved by blood and injuries, and an inspiring shield maiden who grapples with the brutalities of war. As the daughter of the previous clan chief, she is critical of the new chief and his lack of regard for the people of the village and their wellbeing. As mysterious deaths and their enemies in the Red Lion Legion plague her village, Dawn resolves to protect her friends and family against the threats from their enemy. Although I found Dawn to be a little frustrating and immature at the beginning, we get to see her evolve throughout the story and become more courageous and resilient. The story is very character driven, with a lot of dialogue that helps us understand Dawn’s reasoning and decision making. There is a hint at a potential romance in the future, however, it is very minor. 

Most of the issues I had were based on personal preference rather than problems with the writing or anything along those lines. I found the pacing a little uneven and some modern terms used in the setting felt out of place. I’m also not personally a fan of the stream-of-consciousness style narration as it doesn’t resonate with me. Still, I can see where it was needed to convey Dawn’s thoughts and show us how her character develops.

Despite some pacing issues and stylistic choices, it’s a compelling read for fans of fantasy, Norse myths, and strong character growth. 

Aisling: A Spell Unbinding by A.E. Jürgens

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

5.0

This has to be one of my favourite reads of 2024. Aisling: A Spell Unbinding is a captivating read with lyrical prose, amazing character development, and enchanting world building that I could not get enough of.

Jürgen’s poetic writing effortlessly weaves a tale of magic and mystery, immersing us in a lush, vivid world.  The romance is slow-burning and delicously intertwined with the plot, enhancing the tension and character growth of our main characters.  One of the highlights is how Aisling (FMC) responds to the emotional turmoil when faced with her old and new life, such as when navigating her feelings

for Lir and Dagfin, each representing different facets of her desires and fears.

Overall, this was an amazing second book and I can't wait to see how Aisling's journey continues in the next one.

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

2.5