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daniobsessivelyreads's Reviews (827)
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
**๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐จ ๐น๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ. ๐ฒ. ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐
Release Date: December 5, 2023
5โญ๏ธ4๐ถ
I absolutely fell head over heals in love with this book. As usual, I'm not even a little bit disappointed with A. K. Mulford. She DELIVERED! This spin on the Sleeping Beauty story had me eating every little crumb and then begging for more!
Calla and her twin sister, Briar, where born under a full moon to the King and Queen of the Golden Wolves. Shortly after Calla's birth, their mother died from complications, but not before she made a wish with a Fairy. Her wish was for her daughter to be taken care of until her 20th birthday, when she was to be married to the Crown Prince of the Silver Wolves.
Vellia, the Fairy who granted the wish, took this to mean both of her daughters, since the wish was made prior to Calla's birth. So, she secreted them away in a corner of the Silver Wolves forest. Never to be seen or heard from until their 20th birthday. The only Wolves that knew of their existance being the Crown Prince Grae and King of the Silver Wolves.
Calla has been in love with Grae ever since they were pups; however, he's been betrothed to her gloriously beautiful older sister Briar since before they were born.
This book is so action packed and filled with emotionally dynamic characters. I can't wait to recommend this to EVERYONE!
Themes/Tropes:
๐Friends-to-lovers
๐Arranged Marriage
๐Sleeping Beauty Retelling/Spin
๐Wolf Shifter Pack meets Princess Story
๐Warrior Princess
๐Hidden Princess
๐Fairy Godmother
TW:
โจFight Scenes
โจBig Monsters
โจAbusive Father
โจChild Abuse (past)
โจMurder
Release Date: December 5, 2023
5โญ๏ธ4๐ถ
I absolutely fell head over heals in love with this book. As usual, I'm not even a little bit disappointed with A. K. Mulford. She DELIVERED! This spin on the Sleeping Beauty story had me eating every little crumb and then begging for more!
Calla and her twin sister, Briar, where born under a full moon to the King and Queen of the Golden Wolves. Shortly after Calla's birth, their mother died from complications, but not before she made a wish with a Fairy. Her wish was for her daughter to be taken care of until her 20th birthday, when she was to be married to the Crown Prince of the Silver Wolves.
Vellia, the Fairy who granted the wish, took this to mean both of her daughters, since the wish was made prior to Calla's birth. So, she secreted them away in a corner of the Silver Wolves forest. Never to be seen or heard from until their 20th birthday. The only Wolves that knew of their existance being the Crown Prince Grae and King of the Silver Wolves.
Calla has been in love with Grae ever since they were pups; however, he's been betrothed to her gloriously beautiful older sister Briar since before they were born.
This book is so action packed and filled with emotionally dynamic characters. I can't wait to recommend this to EVERYONE!
Themes/Tropes:
๐Friends-to-lovers
๐Arranged Marriage
๐Sleeping Beauty Retelling/Spin
๐Wolf Shifter Pack meets Princess Story
๐Warrior Princess
๐Hidden Princess
๐Fairy Godmother
TW:
โจFight Scenes
โจBig Monsters
โจAbusive Father
โจChild Abuse (past)
โจMurder
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder
Minor: Child abuse
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**๐จ๐น๐ช ๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐จ ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ (๐ป๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ #2)
Release Date: December 10, 2024
5โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
The slow burn in this book is BURNING! The arranged marriage between Talasyn and Alaric are now married; however, it is in name only. Or is it? Their kingdoms have been on opposing sides of the war for too many years, but they've joined forces in order to fight the ever expanding power of the Shadow Gate.
Alaric's Father has only ever ruled through fear and violence. However, Alaric doesn't seem to want to rule that way. Talasyn sees a softer side to him, but she's planning on usurping his rule all the same.
Alaric has been told by his father that his marriage is only a way for Alaric to get close enough to steal and or stop Talasyn's magic. Once they stop her magic, there will be no one to oppose their rule with Shadow Magic.
The slow-burn in this book is delicious! While I struggled to get into this series in the first book, the second book is definately making up for it in spades!
Themes/Tropes:
๐Enemies-to-lovers
๐Arranged marriage
๐Light vs. Dark Magic
๐Slow Burn
๐Grumpy-grumpy
๐Star wars inspired
๐Reylo inspired
TW:
โจChild abandonment (past)
โจDeath of parent (past)
โจDeath
โจParental abuse
โจViolence
โจBattle scenes
Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC read!
Release Date: December 10, 2024
5โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
The slow burn in this book is BURNING! The arranged marriage between Talasyn and Alaric are now married; however, it is in name only. Or is it? Their kingdoms have been on opposing sides of the war for too many years, but they've joined forces in order to fight the ever expanding power of the Shadow Gate.
Alaric's Father has only ever ruled through fear and violence. However, Alaric doesn't seem to want to rule that way. Talasyn sees a softer side to him, but she's planning on usurping his rule all the same.
Alaric has been told by his father that his marriage is only a way for Alaric to get close enough to steal and or stop Talasyn's magic. Once they stop her magic, there will be no one to oppose their rule with Shadow Magic.
The slow-burn in this book is delicious! While I struggled to get into this series in the first book, the second book is definately making up for it in spades!
Themes/Tropes:
๐Enemies-to-lovers
๐Arranged marriage
๐Light vs. Dark Magic
๐Slow Burn
๐Grumpy-grumpy
๐Star wars inspired
๐Reylo inspired
TW:
โจChild abandonment (past)
โจDeath of parent (past)
โจDeath
โจParental abuse
โจViolence
โจBattle scenes
Thank you to @netgalley for this ARC read!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
**๐จ๐น๐ช ๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐ฉ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ. ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ (๐ด๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐
๐๐ #2)
Release Date: December 16, 2024
4โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
This book is just the right amount of cozy fantasy with a good dose of darkness and spice. I loved following Sierra, Aodhan, and their found family through the magical forests, castles, dungeons, and treetop houses.
Sierra and Aodhan's story continues in this second and final installment in the Modern Legends of Sidhe Duology. In the first book, Sierra is a graduate student in Ireland, when all of her plans change when she meets Aodhan via a dating app. They do the opposite of hit it off on their Tinder date, and then Aodhan seems to find Sierra wherever she goes just to annoy her.
Their hate/annoyance turns into something more, and Aodhan has to save Sierra when his father steals her away to the hidden world of Sidhe, where he was born and raised.
In this second installment, Sierra and Aodhan are both in Sidhe, but separated against their will. They must overcome the politics and other challenges in Sidhe in order to find their way back to each other, and save the Fae from continuing on with little to no magic. A, they must find a way to stop Aodhan's father from kidnapping women from the human world and torturing them in the name of science/magic.
A Few Themes:
-Found Family
-Enemies to Lovers
-Alice in Wonderland
-Touch her and you die
-Magic systems
-Fantasy world
-Fae, humans, and other
Release Date: December 16, 2024
4โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
This book is just the right amount of cozy fantasy with a good dose of darkness and spice. I loved following Sierra, Aodhan, and their found family through the magical forests, castles, dungeons, and treetop houses.
Sierra and Aodhan's story continues in this second and final installment in the Modern Legends of Sidhe Duology. In the first book, Sierra is a graduate student in Ireland, when all of her plans change when she meets Aodhan via a dating app. They do the opposite of hit it off on their Tinder date, and then Aodhan seems to find Sierra wherever she goes just to annoy her.
Their hate/annoyance turns into something more, and Aodhan has to save Sierra when his father steals her away to the hidden world of Sidhe, where he was born and raised.
In this second installment, Sierra and Aodhan are both in Sidhe, but separated against their will. They must overcome the politics and other challenges in Sidhe in order to find their way back to each other, and save the Fae from continuing on with little to no magic. A, they must find a way to stop Aodhan's father from kidnapping women from the human world and torturing them in the name of science/magic.
A Few Themes:
-Found Family
-Enemies to Lovers
-Alice in Wonderland
-Touch her and you die
-Magic systems
-Fantasy world
-Fae, humans, and other
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
**๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Release Date: October 3, 2023
3.5โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
It took me a minute to get into this book. I rarely read sci fi, and the beginning of this book is very battle heavy with a lot of Asianic and Star Wars inspiration. But once I got through those initial battles, the enemies-to-lovers really kicked in, and it had me by the throat (in a good way ;) ).
Talasyn has only ever been a soldier in the Hurricane Wars fighting against the ruthless Night Emperor. She grew up in an orphanage not knowing who her family is until she found a family among the soldiers. She's been hiding a secret her entire life, that she has light magic to wield against the Night Empire. However, she's only ever had minimal training to use her light magic, and she's been told to keep it a secret from everyone including the enemy.
Prince Alaric is the Night Emperor's son and has been trained from a young age to use shadow magic. During battle, Alaric finds Talasyn on the ground after her plane has been shot down. Their duel turns to magic and they find out their Shadow and Light magic combine to create something else.
Alaric and Talasyn find each other again and find that they must combine forces long enough to figure out their combined magic in order to save both of their realms.
Themes/Tropes:
๐Enemies-to-lovers
๐Arranged Marriage
๐Grumpy-grumpy
๐Slow burn
๐He falls first
๐Star wars inspired
๐Reylo inspired
TW:
โจChild abandonment (past)
โจDeath of parent (past)
โจDeath
โจParental abuse
โจViolence
โจBattle scenes
Release Date: October 3, 2023
3.5โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
It took me a minute to get into this book. I rarely read sci fi, and the beginning of this book is very battle heavy with a lot of Asianic and Star Wars inspiration. But once I got through those initial battles, the enemies-to-lovers really kicked in, and it had me by the throat (in a good way ;) ).
Talasyn has only ever been a soldier in the Hurricane Wars fighting against the ruthless Night Emperor. She grew up in an orphanage not knowing who her family is until she found a family among the soldiers. She's been hiding a secret her entire life, that she has light magic to wield against the Night Empire. However, she's only ever had minimal training to use her light magic, and she's been told to keep it a secret from everyone including the enemy.
Prince Alaric is the Night Emperor's son and has been trained from a young age to use shadow magic. During battle, Alaric finds Talasyn on the ground after her plane has been shot down. Their duel turns to magic and they find out their Shadow and Light magic combine to create something else.
Alaric and Talasyn find each other again and find that they must combine forces long enough to figure out their combined magic in order to save both of their realms.
Themes/Tropes:
๐Enemies-to-lovers
๐Arranged Marriage
๐Grumpy-grumpy
๐Slow burn
๐He falls first
๐Star wars inspired
๐Reylo inspired
TW:
โจChild abandonment (past)
โจDeath of parent (past)
โจDeath
โจParental abuse
โจViolence
โจBattle scenes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
Moderate: Abandonment
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-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
**๐จ๐น๐ช ๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐ญ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐
Release Date: December 10, 2024
5โญ๏ธ3๐ถ
This book is just amazing, and I'm not surprised because it's from the amazing Emily Colin. This is a beautiful sort of Hades and Persephone retelling as I've never seen it before. I very much enjoyed her Seven Sins series, and this is just as action packed (if not more so.) I can't wait to see where this new series takes me.
Katerina is a Dimi with unusual strength. Instead of just having magic control over one element, she has control over all four fire, wind, water, and air. She is bonded to her Shadow Niko, but romantic relationships between Dimis and their Shadows is strictly forbidden. Shadows are meant to mate with a chosen Vila to continue the line of Shadows, who can shift into animals to better protect their Dimis.
However, Katerina has been in love with Niko for years, and has hidden her feelings from everyone, including Niko.
Dimis and Shadows have the very important job of protecting Iriska from Grigori demons, who will stop and nothing to devour human souls. Iriska exists between the world where the Grigori exist and the human world. Without Dimis and their Shadows Grigoris would proceed into the world of humans and devour human souls at their leisure.
The romantic tension and action in this book are just delicious! I devoured this book, and can't wait for the next one!
Thank you to Emily Colin @emilycolinbooks for adding me to the ARC team for Fate and Fury.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Grief, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
**๐จ๐น๐ช ๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐พ๐๐๐
๐๐๐
๐ป๐๐๐๐ (๐ป๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐ #5) ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐
Release Date: December 6, 2024
5โญ๏ธ1๐ถ
As always with The Stormlight Archive, this series is deliciously complex. I haven't found any authors, barring Robert Jordan and Tolkien, that can match Sanderson's level of complexity and world building. With multiple POVs, from characters we love and know, dark and twisted "evil" characters, and characters that are not even "human".
This epic tome starts off reiterating that Dalinar Kholin has challenged the evil god Odium to a duel between the two of them. If Dalinar wins, then Odium will leave Roshar, and the people and creatures of Roshar will be saved from the endless cycles of breaking and remaking the world. If Dalinar loses, then he must join forces with Odium in taking over Roshar and all the other lands he wishes to overtake.
The Knights Radiant, including Shallan and Kaladin are embarking on separate quests. Shallan is attempting to release an unmade in order to learn more about them, and at the same time trying to find a way to heal the broken and abandoned Shardblades in Shadesmar. Kaladin is set to travel with Szeth to release one of the Herald, Ishar.
Wind and Truth is said to be the last book in this story arc in the Cosmere Universe. Sanderson said he plans to do five more books in the Stormlight Archive series, but they will be a "separate arc," I'm not entirely sure what that means.
If you're looking to get into Sanderson books, I would recommend starting with Mistborn. It is an amazing book, while being much less complex that the Stormlight Archive series.
Release Date: December 6, 2024
5โญ๏ธ1๐ถ
As always with The Stormlight Archive, this series is deliciously complex. I haven't found any authors, barring Robert Jordan and Tolkien, that can match Sanderson's level of complexity and world building. With multiple POVs, from characters we love and know, dark and twisted "evil" characters, and characters that are not even "human".
This epic tome starts off reiterating that Dalinar Kholin has challenged the evil god Odium to a duel between the two of them. If Dalinar wins, then Odium will leave Roshar, and the people and creatures of Roshar will be saved from the endless cycles of breaking and remaking the world. If Dalinar loses, then he must join forces with Odium in taking over Roshar and all the other lands he wishes to overtake.
The Knights Radiant, including Shallan and Kaladin are embarking on separate quests. Shallan is attempting to release an unmade in order to learn more about them, and at the same time trying to find a way to heal the broken and abandoned Shardblades in Shadesmar. Kaladin is set to travel with Szeth to release one of the Herald, Ishar.
Wind and Truth is said to be the last book in this story arc in the Cosmere Universe. Sanderson said he plans to do five more books in the Stormlight Archive series, but they will be a "separate arc," I'm not entirely sure what that means.
If you're looking to get into Sanderson books, I would recommend starting with Mistborn. It is an amazing book, while being much less complex that the Stormlight Archive series.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**๐จ๐น๐ช ๐น๐๐๐๐๐** ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐พ๐๐ (๐ป๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐
, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ #3) ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐
4โญ๏ธ5๐ถ
This book is HEAVY, and I love it for that! There is so much to unpack in terms of mental trauma from previous abusers, physical abuse, and overcoming your own self-doubts in order to become the best version of yourself.
Asher has come such a long way since book one, but there is yet more for her to endure. She had gotten so far away from her captors/adoptive parents, just to be forced back to them again. Bellamy has done everything he can to convince Asher that she is worthy of life and love, but she can't forgive herself for her past transgressions against innocent people. So, she allows herself to be taken prisoner again in order to save those she loves.
Now, Asher must endure even more torture and gaslighting at the hands of Mia and Xavier in order to find the only path that leads to survival.
Asher is gaslit and drugged and gaslit to the point where she doesn't understand what is real and what is not. But she does know that her anger towards her abusers cannot be quenched, and she holds onto her anger for dear life. Boy! Is her rage something to behold! I LOVE the level of her rage! There are few female (or male) characters that I've ever read that emote this level of rage.
There is one more installment in this series yet to come. Is the fourth the final book?
4โญ๏ธ5๐ถ
This book is HEAVY, and I love it for that! There is so much to unpack in terms of mental trauma from previous abusers, physical abuse, and overcoming your own self-doubts in order to become the best version of yourself.
Asher has come such a long way since book one, but there is yet more for her to endure. She had gotten so far away from her captors/adoptive parents, just to be forced back to them again. Bellamy has done everything he can to convince Asher that she is worthy of life and love, but she can't forgive herself for her past transgressions against innocent people. So, she allows herself to be taken prisoner again in order to save those she loves.
Now, Asher must endure even more torture and gaslighting at the hands of Mia and Xavier in order to find the only path that leads to survival.
Asher is gaslit and drugged and gaslit to the point where she doesn't understand what is real and what is not. But she does know that her anger towards her abusers cannot be quenched, and she holds onto her anger for dear life. Boy! Is her rage something to behold! I LOVE the level of her rage! There are few female (or male) characters that I've ever read that emote this level of rage.
There is one more installment in this series yet to come. Is the fourth the final book?
