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jax_hughes's reviews
190 reviews
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC audiobook for early review!
This isn’t my type of romantasy. The tone of this iaudiobook makes the book feel snarky and the humor within just didn’t click with me. I believe someone who reads a lot of romantasy would really enjoy this as a palate cleanser. Not for me, but pretty good all together.
This isn’t my type of romantasy. The tone of this iaudiobook makes the book feel snarky and the humor within just didn’t click with me. I believe someone who reads a lot of romantasy would really enjoy this as a palate cleanser. Not for me, but pretty good all together.
The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
5.0
I’m rating this one almost simply for how hilarious it was that I misunderstood the true meaning of “consort’ in the title. It's not just a sci-fi term for 'diplomat'.
I really enjoyed Mickey7 when I read it, but I think I might like The Fourth Consort even better. Maybe because of how much I love Futurama, and imagine the main character Dalton as a more competent Fry and Beaker as Leela, and all of the minarchs as Zoidberg. It was a difficult image to erase from my head once it stuck.
This was laugh-out-loud funny, and made me think which is my favorite type of sci-fi. Edward, you have done it again with this one.
I really enjoyed Mickey7 when I read it, but I think I might like The Fourth Consort even better. Maybe because of how much I love Futurama, and imagine the main character Dalton as a more competent Fry and Beaker as Leela, and all of the minarchs as Zoidberg. It was a difficult image to erase from my head once it stuck.
This was laugh-out-loud funny, and made me think which is my favorite type of sci-fi. Edward, you have done it again with this one.
The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
This was absolutely addictive and I ate it up like sugar. This is levels of addiction that I haven't felt since I finished The Cruel Prince. That ending?!? Torture because I definitely was NOT aware this was a series!!
About 30% through this book I was wondering if this was mismarketed as a fantasy romance as it wasn’t reading like one. It almost seemed too good to be categorized as a a fantasy romance? But I was so pleasantly surprised that this was not a cookie cutter copy of newer romantasy releases I've read. Then the story really hits its stride and I was tearing through the pages. If you enjoy twists and turns in a story or you enjoy stories like Bridgerton with its court intrigue you will LOVE this.
This does have a few minor issues, but none so glaring that I can really count them against the story. I was feeling that the relationships between the Princes and Ivy was a little rushed, like they have known each other longer than we are privy to. The other girls do get their own chapter, but I wished for a bit more.
This was a ride and so much fun!
About 30% through this book I was wondering if this was mismarketed as a fantasy romance as it wasn’t reading like one. It almost seemed too good to be categorized as a a fantasy romance? But I was so pleasantly surprised that this was not a cookie cutter copy of newer romantasy releases I've read. Then the story really hits its stride and I was tearing through the pages. If you enjoy twists and turns in a story or you enjoy stories like Bridgerton with its court intrigue you will LOVE this.
This does have a few minor issues, but none so glaring that I can really count them against the story. I was feeling that the relationships between the Princes and Ivy was a little rushed, like they have known each other longer than we are privy to. The other girls do get their own chapter, but I wished for a bit more.
This was a ride and so much fun!
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
4.5 Stars rounded to 5!
This is a marvelous retelling of the Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi/Panchaali. It takes a few liberties with the story but to me it is a much more humanized version of the drama. Panchaali is a character full of passion and vigor that often leads her to make many mistakes, and she learns how history is made in the small choices.
This is a marvelous retelling of the Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi/Panchaali. It takes a few liberties with the story but to me it is a much more humanized version of the drama. Panchaali is a character full of passion and vigor that often leads her to make many mistakes, and she learns how history is made in the small choices.
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
5 Stars for the Experience! This rating is solely based on how it made me feel whilst reading it!
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I was in the perfect headspace while reading this that each new magical place we were swept to totally clicked for me. The romance was just enough, though I wish it were even more.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I was in the perfect headspace while reading this that each new magical place we were swept to totally clicked for me. The romance was just enough, though I wish it were even more.
Babylonia by Costanza Casati
4.0
This a deserved 4 stars! I’ve had this novel on my radar since it was announced. I was looking for more stories set during ancient times and once I saw the synopsis I was absolutely ready to read it. Babylonia absolutely delivers on it’s premise; a story of a relatively unknown yet powerful only Queen of Assyria and her rise to power. Costanzi’s writing was incredible. She knows how to tell the story well. As she mentions in her Author’s Note, this is a story inspired by the real woman, with many fictitious elements woven throughout. I loved the political moves throughout the story the most.
Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland
4.0
Simple and Straight up. Was this as amazing as Five Broken Blades? yes and no.
This second installment takes the things we loved about the first, and stretches them over a much wider landscape. This second installment has a lot more world to build and a lot more characters to explore, so the quip and fun of the first can’t be in every scene. We are reintroduced to our main characters but we pick up right where we left off too. The ending leaves us with some answers and even more questions as to who is lying about what to whom and everything in between.
The Last 20% were unputdownablle, but the first 20% took a bit to get back into. Overall, 4 stars!
This second installment takes the things we loved about the first, and stretches them over a much wider landscape. This second installment has a lot more world to build and a lot more characters to explore, so the quip and fun of the first can’t be in every scene. We are reintroduced to our main characters but we pick up right where we left off too. The ending leaves us with some answers and even more questions as to who is lying about what to whom and everything in between.
The Last 20% were unputdownablle, but the first 20% took a bit to get back into. Overall, 4 stars!
The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!
I was completely swept away by this story. I always enjoy any fantasy story based on Hindu Mythology, but this one knocked it out of the park by taking a story that was very unknown to me and exploring it with such lush descriptions and details. The Legend of Meneka is a story that twirls with emotions and tension. I really loved it!
I was completely swept away by this story. I always enjoy any fantasy story based on Hindu Mythology, but this one knocked it out of the park by taking a story that was very unknown to me and exploring it with such lush descriptions and details. The Legend of Meneka is a story that twirls with emotions and tension. I really loved it!
Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary
3.5
3.5 Stars!
This seems to be a very conversational account of World History from a Muslim. It’s not too egregiously biased towards Islam, but there are a few moments that made me raise an eyebrow.
I enjoyed the explanations of concepts using real-world examples or stories that real people believed. It added a little humanism into this history. Ansary takes the time to really explain WHY certain peoples acted the way they did, and the religious as well as economic reasons for it all. Overall, I’d say this can be a great primer for Islamic history, but if you want concrete historical fact without any anecdotes, look elsewhere.
This seems to be a very conversational account of World History from a Muslim. It’s not too egregiously biased towards Islam, but there are a few moments that made me raise an eyebrow.
I enjoyed the explanations of concepts using real-world examples or stories that real people believed. It added a little humanism into this history. Ansary takes the time to really explain WHY certain peoples acted the way they did, and the religious as well as economic reasons for it all. Overall, I’d say this can be a great primer for Islamic history, but if you want concrete historical fact without any anecdotes, look elsewhere.
The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book took me a bit to get into, and around the 25% mark is where everything changed for me. This story is about law vs religion, law vs morals, and law vs law. I really liked the religious aspect the most, but I love how the story unfolded to not just be a crime solver, but turned out to be much bigger than that.
Favorite Parts: The entire necromancy scene gave me the heebie jeebies, I love the religion vs law aspect, I enjoyed the trial and wished it were longer, and the battle in Galen’s Vale was chaotic and good.
Worst Parts: Helena is a crybaby
Favorite Parts: The entire necromancy scene gave me the heebie jeebies, I love the religion vs law aspect, I enjoyed the trial and wished it were longer, and the battle in Galen’s Vale was chaotic and good.
Worst Parts: Helena is a crybaby