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samandthebookstack's Reviews (99)
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
I love Irish mythology, so I was immediately drawn to this story. Bonus points that the cover is absolutely stunning.
Manhatten 1870s - Rua doesn't know who she is, all she remembers is crawling out from the ground in the woods. When she's mistaken for someone else and finds herself thrust into high society, she begins to remember a different time, a time of magic and gods and guardians and alongside, Finn, an Irish immigrant, she sets out to learn the truth about her past.
I really loved the premise of this and the dual POV. While the pacing felt slower at times and the ending did seem a tad abrupt, I still felt fairly attached to Rua and Finn and I really enjoyed this overall.
Read this if:
- you love historical romance and Bridgerton vibes
- you enjoy forbidden/star crossed love and enemies to lovers who are just drawn to one another
- Irish mythology
- Dual POV
Many thanks to Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez, Alcove Press, and Netgalley for an sharing an E-ARC of this book with me.
Manhatten 1870s - Rua doesn't know who she is, all she remembers is crawling out from the ground in the woods. When she's mistaken for someone else and finds herself thrust into high society, she begins to remember a different time, a time of magic and gods and guardians and alongside, Finn, an Irish immigrant, she sets out to learn the truth about her past.
I really loved the premise of this and the dual POV. While the pacing felt slower at times and the ending did seem a tad abrupt, I still felt fairly attached to Rua and Finn and I really enjoyed this overall.
Read this if:
- you love historical romance and Bridgerton vibes
- you enjoy forbidden/star crossed love and enemies to lovers who are just drawn to one another
- Irish mythology
- Dual POV
Many thanks to Kelsie Sheridan Gonzalez, Alcove Press, and Netgalley for an sharing an E-ARC of this book with me.
medium-paced
I was having a particularly difficult couple of weeks, so I got into this story slower than I normally would've, but I picked it back up today at the 30% mark and I am sitting here now having devoured the entirety of rest of this story in the span of an afternoon.
If you're a fan of the mythology of fae that are anything but etherially beautiful, this book is for you. Though my own start in reading this was slower (that was a me problem), the pacing in this book is divine. It's fast-paced without losing any elegance in terms of the prose. I do hope that the romance aspect expands in the next book. I don't want to say too much because I'll inadvertently share spoilers.
I absolutely adored Edira. She is not a fighter in terms of physical prowess, but she is sharp, witty, and smart. It was refreshing to see an FMC that doesn't need to be "taught" to be physically strong to prevail upon the forces that seek to cause her harm. The stakes for Edira couldn't have been higher, and though I guessed at some of what ended up happening, the story was still incredibly satisfying. I can see why others have made comparisons to Rachel Gillig's One Dark Window. The vibes are definitely similar and I found the story almost as enjoyable.
I will be thrilled to read the rest of this series in the future.
If you're a fan of the mythology of fae that are anything but etherially beautiful, this book is for you. Though my own start in reading this was slower (that was a me problem), the pacing in this book is divine. It's fast-paced without losing any elegance in terms of the prose. I do hope that the romance aspect expands in the next book. I don't want to say too much because I'll inadvertently share spoilers.
I absolutely adored Edira. She is not a fighter in terms of physical prowess, but she is sharp, witty, and smart. It was refreshing to see an FMC that doesn't need to be "taught" to be physically strong to prevail upon the forces that seek to cause her harm. The stakes for Edira couldn't have been higher, and though I guessed at some of what ended up happening, the story was still incredibly satisfying. I can see why others have made comparisons to Rachel Gillig's One Dark Window. The vibes are definitely similar and I found the story almost as enjoyable.
I will be thrilled to read the rest of this series in the future.
medium-paced
Characters who are reincarnations of gods in love who search for each other in every lifetime? Yes, please.
Wildblood is a companion story to A.J. Vrana's Chaos Cycle duology, which I had not read prior to starting Wildblood. While Vrana does an excellent job giving new readers all the info necessary to understand what's going on (you can definitely read this as a standalone), I do wish I had read The Hollowed Gods and The Echoed Realm first (I'm a completionist, what can I say?).
I am absolutely hooked on Vrana's writing style. I don't usually gravitate towards urban fantasy, but I loved the execution of this story. The vibes were vibing, my friends.
The standout feature of this story was without a doubt the dynamic between Kai and Miya. Miya is a badass. Often we get FMCs who rely on the strength and support of the MMC to grow into themselves or assert themselves, but Miya is confident all on her own and never stops supporting Kai along the way. Kai was a standout MMC for me because he was easily one of the most interesting MMCs I've ever read. He is complex, deeply flawed, and we get to see really excellent character growth and emotionally complex themes that had me really regretting not reading The Chaos Cycle first for context (**cough** more Kai **cough**).
If you like urban/paranormal fantasy, gritty vibes, morally grey men who aren't afraid of a little therapy, badass FMCs, spice that works with the plot and isn't just there to be there, and well written ADHD/PTSD representation...read this.
Wildblood is a companion story to A.J. Vrana's Chaos Cycle duology, which I had not read prior to starting Wildblood. While Vrana does an excellent job giving new readers all the info necessary to understand what's going on (you can definitely read this as a standalone), I do wish I had read The Hollowed Gods and The Echoed Realm first (I'm a completionist, what can I say?).
I am absolutely hooked on Vrana's writing style. I don't usually gravitate towards urban fantasy, but I loved the execution of this story. The vibes were vibing, my friends.
The standout feature of this story was without a doubt the dynamic between Kai and Miya. Miya is a badass. Often we get FMCs who rely on the strength and support of the MMC to grow into themselves or assert themselves, but Miya is confident all on her own and never stops supporting Kai along the way. Kai was a standout MMC for me because he was easily one of the most interesting MMCs I've ever read. He is complex, deeply flawed, and we get to see really excellent character growth and emotionally complex themes that had me really regretting not reading The Chaos Cycle first for context (**cough** more Kai **cough**).
If you like urban/paranormal fantasy, gritty vibes, morally grey men who aren't afraid of a little therapy, badass FMCs, spice that works with the plot and isn't just there to be there, and well written ADHD/PTSD representation...read this.
- Dual POV
- King Thrushbeard retelling
- Hidden identity
- Only one bed
- He falls first
- Slow burn
I have to admit that it took me a little bit to get into this story. I don't know if it was the story itself, or that the eARC copy I received was formatted in a way I wasn't used to. My AuDGD brain struggled with text that isn't formatted in the standard way, so I am going to commit to reading this story again in paperback format because I do think it is well worth a re-read.
As a childhood fan of Grimm's Fairytales, I am familiar with source material, King Thrushbeard (sometimes referred to as The Haughty Princess). I love retellings and felt that The Bard's Bargain did an excellent job of balancing the source material with a new story.
The pacing did not feel fast for me, however the story itself held the kind of comfortable vibe one would expect out of a fairytale. The dual POVS was an asset to the story, which isn't always the case. But here, it was done very well. There were times in which the writing felt a little out of step and more on the side of YA, and given that this is an adult story that contains spice I was hoping it wouldn't feel that way. However, I must note that this might be more of a personal preference for style and not at all a reflection of writer skill.
Alexandra is bratty, which I expected, but what I did not expect was how her growth and chemistry with Tom coalesced into a romance that was truly very warm and fuzzy.
All in all, I will be reading the next book in this series, The Iron Dagger, and purchasing a copy of The Bard's Bargain for my personal library (that gorgeous cover is going to look lovely on my shelves). A huge thank you to Vanessa Green and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this story and share my thoughts with all of you.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Somehow, I went into this thinking this series was a duology...it's not. I won't lie, when I finished this, I sat there for a while feeling a bit disoriented and kind of sad because I am deeply attached to these characters and now I must wait for book 3.
It is uncommon for me to love the second book of a series as much as the first book. But Demi Winters maintained the same vibe from start to finish in book 2. The multi POV remained engaging and each character's voice felt genuinely different.
Silla's character development made me smile. Despite the darkness she has faced, she remains warm as a person. She wants to be strong enough to protect herself, but she also just wants to live peacefully with a bunch of chickens. As the proud mother of a flock of very spoiled, very well loved chickens who also sometimes feels like a hurricane of a woman, I felt that in my bones.
Rey's character development, though not as focused on as Silla's, felt realistic and I LOVED the progression of their interactions and how they began to trust one another and rely on one another. Rey believes in her, he champions her without coddling her and I loved that this wasn't a story where the man has to come in and save the day.
It is uncommon for me to love the second book of a series as much as the first book. But Demi Winters maintained the same vibe from start to finish in book 2. The multi POV remained engaging and each character's voice felt genuinely different.
Silla's character development made me smile. Despite the darkness she has faced, she remains warm as a person. She wants to be strong enough to protect herself, but she also just wants to live peacefully with a bunch of chickens. As the proud mother of a flock of very spoiled, very well loved chickens who also sometimes feels like a hurricane of a woman, I felt that in my bones.
Rey's character development, though not as focused on as Silla's, felt realistic and I LOVED the progression of their interactions and how they began to trust one another and rely on one another. Rey believes in her, he champions her without coddling her and I loved that this wasn't a story where the man has to come in and save the day.
“If you wish to rest, I will shield you from harm. If you want to fight, I will draw my sword beside you. If you want a hundred chickens, I will build you a hen-fortress.”
**If he won't remind you that you're a badass AND build you a hen-fortress, he's not worth having. Reynir Galtung is exquisite.
I'm going to wrap this next part in spoiler tags, just in case, but
I LOVED the addition of Saga's point of view. At first, I was kind of speed reading because I was looking for the payoff between Silla and Rey, but once I settled into Saga's voice, I really wanted to know more about her. Trapped with enemies for basically her whole life, she is really smack in the middle of her trauma and her fears and I am really itching to see her progress as much as Silla has. For all that she has endured, Saga deserves to find her strength and I can't wait to see how that plays out in book 3.
Overall, I am going to call this one a 5 star read and a series I will happily recommend to my fellow lovers of romantic fantasy. This series is an excellent example of the genre.
I must note that this ends on a cliffhanger and though it wasn't the kind that leaves the reader gasping, it was still pressing enough that I was a tad stunned. And as always, please mind the trigger warnings, I will copy them below from the author's website:
Threats of violence against children – death of a child (off page) | Gore (detailed) & graphic violence | Animal and human sacrifice (described briefly) | Blood letting/ blood sacrifice | Sexism | Branding & slavery | Ableism and religious explanations for mental health issues | Arranged marriage | Mental health issues including: Agoraphobia & anxiety, PTSD | Addiction: Negative coping through intoxicating substances, Potential drug addiction relapse | Deadly human experimentation | Cannibalism |Graphic sex
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Listen, I was not prepared for this book. I had heard that it was a good read, but I did not anticipate that it would be so good that I stayed up until 3 AM reading only to become incredibly frustrated because I was too tired to keep going and I desperately needed to finish this book.
First, the writing. This is well written to the point that it brought me unbridled joy. I am not a person who can "see" a book playing out in my mind's eye as I read. Instead I need immersive description that isn't necessarily repetitive, but is crystal clear. There was no annoying repetition of descriptions, just beautifully written prose that showed when appropriate and told when appropriate. I was never bored even in the quieter parts of the story and that is saying something because with fantasy like this, there is almost always an inevitable lull to the story. Here, it wasn't action every chapter, but each chapter had purpose and the multiple points of view worked so incredibly well that I have zero notes.
Second, the characters. Silla is equal parts sunshine and badass. I loved watching her growth. If you like your FMC's interesting, realistic, and as soft as they are blade-edged...Silla is your gal. I loved every point of view of the story. Instead of feeling overwhelming, each character had a unique voice that brought something necessary to the story. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that I only partly saw one character's arc coming and I am hoping for a satisfying resolution in book 2 (they know what they did).
Third, the romance. If I say too much, I'll inadvertently drop spoilers...so instead, I'll say this: this book is the perfect balance of a romance blended into what I can only describe as high fantasy.
I need book 2 in my hands right now. I slept on this when it was indie published and I am now deep in the throes of regret.
*Please be sure to mind the trigger warnings, this story has some very dark elements. The author has a list on their website, I am copying them here from her website directly:
Domestic violence (discussed, some emotional abuse) | addiction (strong themes; includes withdrawal experience) | religious persecution |execution by stoning | blood letting | violence & gore | graphic sex | sexual assault (implied, attempted) | agoraphobia & social anxiety | captivity | mental health problems (psychosis, loss of a parent, loss of siblings) | kidnapping | forced drugging
THANK YOU NetGalley, Random House/Delacorte Press, and Demi Winters for sharing an e-arc of the soon to be republished version of this story.
First, the writing. This is well written to the point that it brought me unbridled joy. I am not a person who can "see" a book playing out in my mind's eye as I read. Instead I need immersive description that isn't necessarily repetitive, but is crystal clear. There was no annoying repetition of descriptions, just beautifully written prose that showed when appropriate and told when appropriate. I was never bored even in the quieter parts of the story and that is saying something because with fantasy like this, there is almost always an inevitable lull to the story. Here, it wasn't action every chapter, but each chapter had purpose and the multiple points of view worked so incredibly well that I have zero notes.
Second, the characters. Silla is equal parts sunshine and badass. I loved watching her growth. If you like your FMC's interesting, realistic, and as soft as they are blade-edged...Silla is your gal. I loved every point of view of the story. Instead of feeling overwhelming, each character had a unique voice that brought something necessary to the story. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that I only partly saw one character's arc coming and I am hoping for a satisfying resolution in book 2 (they know what they did).
Third, the romance. If I say too much, I'll inadvertently drop spoilers...so instead, I'll say this: this book is the perfect balance of a romance blended into what I can only describe as high fantasy.
I need book 2 in my hands right now. I slept on this when it was indie published and I am now deep in the throes of regret.
*Please be sure to mind the trigger warnings, this story has some very dark elements. The author has a list on their website, I am copying them here from her website directly:
Domestic violence (discussed, some emotional abuse) | addiction (strong themes; includes withdrawal experience) | religious persecution |execution by stoning | blood letting | violence & gore | graphic sex | sexual assault (implied, attempted) | agoraphobia & social anxiety | captivity | mental health problems (psychosis, loss of a parent, loss of siblings) | kidnapping | forced drugging
THANK YOU NetGalley, Random House/Delacorte Press, and Demi Winters for sharing an e-arc of the soon to be republished version of this story.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I wasn't entirely sold on this story at first. The characters felt a little flat at first and there was a bit of telling instead of showing over the course of the first few chapters (we were told more than shown that Millie and Finn were enemies of sorts). However, I am glad I stuck it out because it ended up being a really feel-good story overall and the characters felt much more dimensional as the relationship between Millie and Finn progressed. I am not usually a fan of stories where the main characters have kids, but Finn's role as guardian to his late sister's kids was so sweet that I didn't mind it so much. I will say that the portion of the story featuring Millie's ex as the villain could've used some more exploration. The conflict felt hollow because it ended with very little action on the part of Millie or Finn. Overall though, this was a solid read and perfect for someone wanting lighter fare with found family and a MMC that is respectful, communicative, and only mildly grumpy.
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
I love Thea Guanzon. I've been reading her work since the fan fiction days and have voraciously consumed everything I could that she has written. I really liked The Hurricane Wars. I felt that it set us up for a very interesting story that gave plenty of nods to the original inspiration (which if you weren't aware is a Star Wars fanfic). That said, I didn't love A Monsoon Rising as much as I wanted to. The plot felt stilted at times, even though the writing remained lovely. We got a lot of development with regard to the relationship between Alaric and Talasyn, there was some spice and a lot of push and pull and banter between the two of them, however I felt like all of this was overshadowed by the story dragging at some points. The stakes were supposed to be very high, but it simply didn't feel that way. I remained completely unattached to the side characters as well. I had to stop and let one or two chapters simmer for a while before I picked the book back up again so it ended up taking me a while to finish this. The ending did catch me off guard, so be warned there's a cliffhanger. Despite all of the things that I didn't love about A Monsoon Rising, I do think it is overall a good series thus far, and given that I know what kind of writer Thea is, I have faith that book 3 will knock my socks off.
I absolutely adore the cozy fantasy, so anytime I come across something new (especially by a newer or debut indie author) I get very excited. Talismans, Teacups, and Trysts was an absolute delight to read and a very beautiful example of the cozy fantasy genre. I will not be the least bit surprised to see this become a staple of the genre.
This story was so well written that I am having a hard time believing that this is a debut, I was immersed in the world very quickly and the prose was Austenesque in a way that made my little heart sing. The world-building felt easy breezy and maintained its charm from start to finish. The cast of characters was immense fun. I loved Walt and Penelope's banter so much.
Read this if you love:
- The idea of dragons as pets or just dragons in general
- Jane Austen and other regency stories
- Cozy fantasy/cozy mysteries
- Simple, but very elegant and witty prose that will make you laugh several times per chapter
Thank you so much K.Starling for sharing an e-ARC of this story with me. You've earned a forever fan and I can't wait to see what you write next!
This story was so well written that I am having a hard time believing that this is a debut, I was immersed in the world very quickly and the prose was Austenesque in a way that made my little heart sing. The world-building felt easy breezy and maintained its charm from start to finish. The cast of characters was immense fun. I loved Walt and Penelope's banter so much.
Read this if you love:
- The idea of dragons as pets or just dragons in general
- Jane Austen and other regency stories
- Cozy fantasy/cozy mysteries
- Simple, but very elegant and witty prose that will make you laugh several times per chapter
Thank you so much K.Starling for sharing an e-ARC of this story with me. You've earned a forever fan and I can't wait to see what you write next!