princesspandoraslibrary's reviews
74 reviews

The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

Who knew one could become emotionally attached to a self-serving, morally-ambitious demon? 

Summary: The Scarlet Throne is a fantasy steeped in Tibetan mythology featuring a healthy dose of political intrigue and an ambitious, morally-grey female main character. Binsa is a vessel for a goddess, and thus lives a very respected and revered life. But her use of her body as a "living goddess" is a lie. Instead, she harbors a demon. This demon, Ilam, lends Binsa his powers in exchange for a price, so that she may do what she needs to do (even if it involves taking the lives of others) to maintain her position of power. As her priests start to become suspicious of her powers, Binsa must go to greater and greater extremes to prove her prowess and eliminate anyone who dares to conspire against her. 
Note: there is no romance in this book- if you're looking for a fantasy romance, look elsewhere!

Thoughts: I thought the writing quality of this book was quite good, especially considering it is a debut novel. I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author, including the sequel to The Scarlet Throne. The plot and pacing started off strong (chapter 12 was excellent, so much so that I was furiously scribbling notes and quotes as I read) and ended strong, but I do think the plot dragged a bit in the middle of the book. I think a bit more descriptive world-building would have been a nice addition, particularly considering that the majority of this story takes place within the same temple walls. I liked the characters and found myself particularly attached to Ilam, which I think speaks a lot about Amy Leow's writing ability that she was able to write a demon character in a way that that includes both his empathetic nature and his own selfish ambitions. 

Rating: 3.5 stars. I think this would have been a 4 star book for me, if the plot in the middle of the book had not gotten a bit bogged down, but the ending was very unique and even a bit heartwarming, which is a descriptor I was surprised to find myself wanting to use, considering the self-centered nature of the main characters. Upon reflection one day after finishing the book (when I'm writing this review), I find myself actually fairly attached to Ilam, in particular, and the ending was significant in contributing to that feeling.        

The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Thank you to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC copy in exchange for an honest review!

Summary: This is an upcoming romantic fantasy written by Mary E. Pearson. The story begins in the town of Bowskeep, where FMC Bristol and her sisters are struggling to get by. Little do they know that everything they thought they knew about their parents and about their world is about to change. Follow Bristol as she navigates an unfamiliar land, desperate to find her family and discover the truth. 

Review: I listened to the audiobook version of The Courting of Bristol Keats, so I'll speak about the narration first. I thought this was an absolutely fantastic narration by Brittany Pressley, so much so that she'll likely be a narrator I specifically seek out in order to listen to books she has voiced. Although the book is narrated by Brittany alone, she uses different voices for each character and I had no trouble following conversations or determining which character was speaking. The accents and voices used were not jarring to the ears at all. The pacing was good (I listened at 1.2x speed) and pronunciations were enunciated well. Overall, this was easily a 5-star listening experience. 

As for the story, I found it enjoyable. It is definitely more heavily focuses on character development rather than world building, but I found the world building sufficient enough to be able to follow the story. I found the pacing of the story to be decent and I didn't find myself getting bored or losing interest as I read. I found the characters to be likeable and relatable, particularly in the first half of the book, but I didn't find myself falling in love with the characters. I did find the ending of the book to be somewhat abrupt, as if the story just stopped. There are a lot of questions left unanswered, so I'll be looking forward to reading the next book to hopefully find out some answers!

Rating: audio narration- 5 stars. Story- 4 stars for the first half, 3.5 stars for the second half of the book. I found the characters to be a bit less relatable in the second half of the book, particularly 
Bristol and Tyghan, who both make some questionable choices towards the end of the book. That said, those choices are likely part of their character arcs that will see more development in the sequel. 

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

I read this via the audio book, so I'll give separate ratings for the story and for the audio narration

audio: 5 stars
story: 4.5 stars

Travis Baldree is both the author and the audio book narrator of Bookshops & Bonedust, and I loved listening to both this. The different voices used for each character make it easy to distinguish which character is speaking and draws you into the story as if you're a part of each conversation and interaction. As far as the story goes, while I liked Legends & Lattes, I think I like Bookshops & Bonedust even better. This is due to a personal preference for the bookshop setting compared to the coffee shop, and I really found myself enjoying Fern and her pet, Pot Roast. I 

I highly recommend this, especially in the audio book form, for anyone looking for an engaging but low-stakes read. 

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

adventurous inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This rating is for the audiobook, specifically.

While I do own the print version of this book, I decided to read it via the audiobook, instead, and what an excellent decision that was! The Legends & Lattes audiobook is narrated by the author of the book, Travis Baldree, and it is an absolute joy to listen to. The voices used to differentiate each character really gave me the feeling of being immersed in the story, and I think this is part of why I had no trouble at all following the plot. A quick, feel-good, cozy fantasy story to listen to that is engaging and entertaining without being so complex that you can't multitask while listening to it. 

A False Start by Elsie Silver

emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What a lovely way to wrap up this series. This is my second favorite book in Elsie's Gold Rush Ranch series, after The Front Runner (book 3). I wasn't sure how I would like the age-gap (14 years) in this romance, but I think it was handled well by the author. The MMC, who is older and at a different stage in his life, did not stand in the way of the FMC, who is younger and still working on her education and her career. There was good character development and the ending of this book is very sweet and gives all the feel-good vibes. 

And don't forget, Elsie posts bonus content for all of her books on her website! 

The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Sometimes when I finish a book, I immediately know what rating I'll give it. That was not the case with this book. I've spent some additional time thinking about it and I've landed on 3.5 stars, which for me is 'better than good but not *great*'. I do think it's important to remember what you're getting yourself into when you choose a book, and this is one of those cases where some may not like the obvious places where the plot follows that of Disney's Mulan movie, but again, this is advertised as a Mulan-inspired book. As such, I could, at times, make an educated guess as to where the plot was going in a general sense. This didn't bother me- I picked up the book knowing that this would be the case. 

As for the FMC herself, I liked her. Again, this is a case of knowing what you're getting yourself into. Meilin is marketed as a morally-grey FMC and I think she lived up to that description. I liked the inner turmoil she had with the dragon and her desire to be free from the typical life of a woman during this era of Chinese history. You aren't going to get the same Mulan as you got in the Disney film, so I would not recommend picking up this book if you want a HEA romance with Disney's Mulan as the FMC. 

As far as the dragon goes, this is yet another instance where it's important to understand that the dragon is not at all written to mirror Disney's Mushu. He doesn't provide any comedic relief and he's not the lovable sidekick we got in the movie. 

I will also note that I am not in at all an expert in Chinese culture or the language, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of the book in that sense. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the sequel. I didn't get put through the emotional wringer with this book, but I wasn't bored. And, for those like myself that may need some additional help with pronunciation of names in this book, the audiobook is a helpful tool for that. 

The Front Runner by Elsie Silver

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

THIS IS IT. 

I've been binging Elsie's books for a month or two now and after reading Wild Love, all of Chestnut Springs, and up through book 3 of the Gold Rush Ranch series I can easily say that THIS ONE is my favorite. I cried, I smiled, I laughed, I cried again. Easily a 6* read.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.

This is another example of a book that makes me question whether cozy fantasy is a genre I should keep trying to read. For me, I think there was too much plot time devoted to mundane things (building a home, lists and lists of types of tea) and I think that seems on-brand for the book synopsis. It just didn't click with me and keep me engaged. 

A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

THE END OF THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. That was the redeeming moment for an otherwise roller coaster of a plot. Ends on a cliffhanger that of course had me rushing to start book three, but the issue of Poppy being annoyingly naive still persists. 

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

This book, unfortunately, was not a hit for me. I had really high hopes for it, and there were parts of the story that were fun to read, but the main characters were both fairly insufferable at times. I think, as someone with an academic career, some of the way things were handled by the researchers and some of the ways the main characters behaved just were not believable based on their supposed impressive academic backgrounds and training. That said, this is a fairly nit-picky problem due to my experience in academic settings and other readers may not feel the same.

I did love the descriptions of the jungle and the river, and the way that the archaeological discoveries were described very enjoyable to read.