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signebrum's reviews
291 reviews
A Dance of Lies by Brittney Arena
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
slow-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
4.0
Thank you to the publisher for a free Ebook ARC of this book received through Netgalley.
This book is very atmospheric. From page one you can almost feel the world around you as Vasalie does, and I am very intrigued by it.
The book does start off a little too slow for my taste and was hard to get into, but once I reached the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down.
Vasalie is a great main character, who both wins the reader’s empathy but also frustrates you tremendously, in the best possible way, and I enjoyed following her a lot. I am not a dancer myself, but I almost felt the dances as well as her.
I enjoyed the love plot a lot as well, with Copelan and Anton being great characters to help Vasalie develop as a person (and seeing them develop themselves), and over all, if you want a (hint of) a love triangle, this is how it should be done.
Oh yeah, and I will defend Anton with my life, just saying.
I also really enjoyed the political intrigue, and how Vasalie was forced to navigate it all, with both King Illian and her father plotting behind her back, and after that ending, I am curious to see what will happen in the next installment.
While I generally enjoyed the book, I do think that a few scenes were left of the pages. Chapters would start with Vasalie telling a few things that had happened, and a few of those scenes included some characters, where showing the thing would probably have made it feel more alive.
Overall, this book is very well written, and once you get into it, also very entertaining.
4/5 stars, and I’m excited to see what will happen next.
This book is very atmospheric. From page one you can almost feel the world around you as Vasalie does, and I am very intrigued by it.
The book does start off a little too slow for my taste and was hard to get into, but once I reached the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down.
Vasalie is a great main character, who both wins the reader’s empathy but also frustrates you tremendously, in the best possible way, and I enjoyed following her a lot. I am not a dancer myself, but I almost felt the dances as well as her.
I enjoyed the love plot a lot as well, with Copelan and Anton being great characters to help Vasalie develop as a person (and seeing them develop themselves), and over all, if you want a (hint of) a love triangle, this is how it should be done.
Oh yeah, and I will defend Anton with my life, just saying.
I also really enjoyed the political intrigue, and how Vasalie was forced to navigate it all, with both King Illian and her father plotting behind her back, and after that ending, I am curious to see what will happen in the next installment.
While I generally enjoyed the book, I do think that a few scenes were left of the pages. Chapters would start with Vasalie telling a few things that had happened, and a few of those scenes included some characters, where showing the thing would probably have made it feel more alive.
Overall, this book is very well written, and once you get into it, also very entertaining.
4/5 stars, and I’m excited to see what will happen next.
A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson
I loved the way this world was build up, it is easy to get into, yet feels full and thought out at the same time.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
“People shouldn’t fear their prime ministers, prime ministers should fear their people”
A definite 5/5 stars.
I just LOVE when an author knows EXACTLY what they’re doing (or at least when it seems like it).
A Language of Dragons is a perfect example of this. Everything from the way bilingualism and languages are treated, to how religion and faith can be conveyed differently, to the choosing a first person narrator from the perspective of girl, who may not be entirely unreliable, but definitely naive. I loved every second of it!
I don’t even know where to start with this review, so I’ll start of with a spoiler warning. From here on, there may be spoilers for the book. Read the book (I beg you!) before reading the rest of this review.
I loved the way this world was build up, it is easy to get into, yet feels full and thought out at the same time.
I love how every character has multiple sides to them - even those we barely spend time with. I love how the world is made so much fuller from the detail of each of the recruit’s reasons to be recruited. From a rich runaway not wanting to get married to a priest-to-be trying to save a life.
And most of all, I love how this story depicts how fascism and propaganda works. I love how we se Vivien struggle with choosing between what is easy and what is right. She is a deeply flawed character in all the best ways, which made it ever so rewarding when she finally - finally - chose to try to forgive herself and fight for other.
I love how the relationships are depicted, both the romantic ones, the familial ones, the platonic ones. And I especially enjoyed Vivien and Chumana’s relationship, as it pushed Vivien out of her comfort zone to a place where she needed to burst her bubble and face reality.
There were so many simply beautiful moments in this haunting story, that doesn’t shy away from revealing the horrible facts of its world.
This is a world where a fascist government will stop at nothing to keep control. This is a world where criminal youth, kids, are sent to an island to be dragon food. A world that oppresses the poor (and the dragons) while the rich live lives in glorious ignorance.
Overall, one of the easiest 5/5 stars ever. This book will haunt me for the rest of my life and I am glad of it.
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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 have no words…
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
And the fun continues.
This series is fun. It’s fast paced and sexy.
Is it magnificent literature? Absolutely not. The writing is fine, but does get confusing from time to time. I would love to have the other characters fleshed out more, as I feel like we only really know Xaden and Violet (and Tairn and Andarna lol).
But honestly, the book is fun nonetheless, and I enjoyed reading it. It was a slow start, I won’t lie, but that may also be from the fact that I didn’t really remember all the characters.
Looking forward to the next installment and I can FINALLY scroll social media without worry for spoilers again
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Whisper of War and Storms by C.L. Mecca
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Whisper of War and Storms is a new portal romantasy, setting out as a book with vibes similar to those of Fourth Wing or A Court of Thorns and Roses, with a fresh, original take on the genre.
Before i get into a detailed review, I will say I hate giving low ratings to books, because I know how much work lies in not just the writing, but also the publishing process.
However, in giving an honest review I have to be, well, honest. And the matter of fact is that this book was extremely poorly written.
But let me point out the good things first.
I really like the premise of this book. The idea is original, and with so many similar romantasy storylines out there, a portal romantasy like this feels like a fresh take. I think Elydor is an interesting world, and I like the idea of it and the magic system as well as the political intrigues.
In fact, I really like the overall idea of the book, and that’s the reason I requested it to start with.
A good idea alone, however, doesn’t make a good book. The writing is just as important - if not more. So let’s delve into the writing style, shall we?
Overall, the writing style of this book is sloppy. It is telling and the language is extremely passive, to the point where the book gets confusing time and time again, despite the fact that nothing is left for the reader to reflect upon themself.
Descriptions are minimal and it is difficult to get an idea of what is happening in the scenes, as most actions aren’t described. Time and time again Kael or Mev will say something and we’ll hear the other’s thoughts pointing out the exact thing every reader should be able to pick up between the lines. Sometimes the characters will be in the middle of a conversation and suddenly a character will think and ponder about something completely unrelated and then they’re on a horse.
I did like the fact, that the characters needed to relieve themselves from time to time. We don’t see that much in books. Though, if I’m being honest, maybe this book reached the ‘too much’ mark for mentioning pee-breaks.
In general, the book reads like a messy first draft, which is sad, because a thorough round of edits to make the writing more active and more showing, and this story would really be something up there!
The potential is there, but the writing style drags it down to a point where I really struggled to get through the book.
Overall 1/5. If you want to compare your book to bestsellers such as Fourth Wing or ACOTAR, you should have a product that can handle that comparison. And given the writing style in this book, that’s not the case here.
With that out of the way, I’ll say this. The idea is there. The world is there. The characters are there. I hope the author realizes that, and then takes the time to practice and improve her writing, because an idea as good as this one deserves a book worthy of it.
Whisper of War and Storms is a new portal romantasy, setting out as a book with vibes similar to those of Fourth Wing or A Court of Thorns and Roses, with a fresh, original take on the genre.
Before i get into a detailed review, I will say I hate giving low ratings to books, because I know how much work lies in not just the writing, but also the publishing process.
However, in giving an honest review I have to be, well, honest. And the matter of fact is that this book was extremely poorly written.
But let me point out the good things first.
I really like the premise of this book. The idea is original, and with so many similar romantasy storylines out there, a portal romantasy like this feels like a fresh take. I think Elydor is an interesting world, and I like the idea of it and the magic system as well as the political intrigues.
In fact, I really like the overall idea of the book, and that’s the reason I requested it to start with.
A good idea alone, however, doesn’t make a good book. The writing is just as important - if not more. So let’s delve into the writing style, shall we?
Overall, the writing style of this book is sloppy. It is telling and the language is extremely passive, to the point where the book gets confusing time and time again, despite the fact that nothing is left for the reader to reflect upon themself.
Descriptions are minimal and it is difficult to get an idea of what is happening in the scenes, as most actions aren’t described. Time and time again Kael or Mev will say something and we’ll hear the other’s thoughts pointing out the exact thing every reader should be able to pick up between the lines. Sometimes the characters will be in the middle of a conversation and suddenly a character will think and ponder about something completely unrelated and then they’re on a horse.
I did like the fact, that the characters needed to relieve themselves from time to time. We don’t see that much in books. Though, if I’m being honest, maybe this book reached the ‘too much’ mark for mentioning pee-breaks.
In general, the book reads like a messy first draft, which is sad, because a thorough round of edits to make the writing more active and more showing, and this story would really be something up there!
The potential is there, but the writing style drags it down to a point where I really struggled to get through the book.
Overall 1/5. If you want to compare your book to bestsellers such as Fourth Wing or ACOTAR, you should have a product that can handle that comparison. And given the writing style in this book, that’s not the case here.
With that out of the way, I’ll say this. The idea is there. The world is there. The characters are there. I hope the author realizes that, and then takes the time to practice and improve her writing, because an idea as good as this one deserves a book worthy of it.
A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.5
The Sapphire Heiress: Historical Fantasy Romance (The Silver Order Book 1) by Ella Leon
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I initially requested this book, because I Liked the sound of it. A pirate in high society? A magic sapphire? A disgraced lady? Awesome.
And I will say, I enjoyed the premise of this book, and I did end up rooting for the main couple… Even if this is one of those ‘age gap’ romances where the age gap is a little more… not as fun?
So, the mmc, Ethan Locke, stole a magic sapphire that stopped his aging, meaning that his body is now in the early thirties, while he has lived for around 60 years.
Mae Blackthorne, however, the fmc, is a 20-something year old girl, who’s family has died leaving her to fall from the status of a lady to a governess.
Turns out Mae’s dad stole the sapphire from Locke, who then stopped aging, before the people Locke stole the necklace from could steal it back, so now Locke needs Mae’s help to find the sapphire - and her hidden inheritance.
I enjoyed all the past history, the twists and turns in the plot. I was baffled when Ms. Rosewood turned up later, and overall, I do think the story is great.
There were, however, also some things in the book, that I didn’t enjoy.
Other that Mae and Ethan, I felt most other characters were very two dimensional. Miss Rosewood being a prime example of this, I don’t even think we learn her first name!
I also think the style of the book was a little too telling for my taste. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ‘argument’ the main couple had in the last half of the book, as they just completely spoke away from each other. The Silver Order is also something, I’d loved to learn more about.
Overall, this book was a nice enough 1800’s romantasy-like book, that I enjoyed reading. 2.75/5 stars.
I initially requested this book, because I Liked the sound of it. A pirate in high society? A magic sapphire? A disgraced lady? Awesome.
And I will say, I enjoyed the premise of this book, and I did end up rooting for the main couple… Even if this is one of those ‘age gap’ romances where the age gap is a little more… not as fun?
So, the mmc, Ethan Locke, stole a magic sapphire that stopped his aging, meaning that his body is now in the early thirties, while he has lived for around 60 years.
Mae Blackthorne, however, the fmc, is a 20-something year old girl, who’s family has died leaving her to fall from the status of a lady to a governess.
Turns out Mae’s dad stole the sapphire from Locke, who then stopped aging, before the people Locke stole the necklace from could steal it back, so now Locke needs Mae’s help to find the sapphire - and her hidden inheritance.
I enjoyed all the past history, the twists and turns in the plot. I was baffled when Ms. Rosewood turned up later, and overall, I do think the story is great.
There were, however, also some things in the book, that I didn’t enjoy.
Other that Mae and Ethan, I felt most other characters were very two dimensional. Miss Rosewood being a prime example of this, I don’t even think we learn her first name!
I also think the style of the book was a little too telling for my taste. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the ‘argument’ the main couple had in the last half of the book, as they just completely spoke away from each other. The Silver Order is also something, I’d loved to learn more about.
Overall, this book was a nice enough 1800’s romantasy-like book, that I enjoyed reading. 2.75/5 stars.
Where No One Can Follow by Grace Quincy
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The 2010’s dystopia vibes are back! This book was such a fun read! It gives of vibes of Divergent or Red Queen, while still being original and having an intriguing world! I will warmly recommend it for people who love reading about revolutions and morally grey characters.
This story follows Louisa, and I’ve got to admit, I feel for the girl. She’s grown up knowing she’ll be conscripted to the military, wants to do nothing more but keep her twin brother safe, and is suddenly one of the most important pieces in a war that started before she was born.
I love the revelations coming throughout the story. I like the different parts of the story as well, giving the reader a great scope of the world: from phantom training, to the lush lives in Ravenna to the war touched lives in the Black Hills.
I loved how Lucien - the king of the revolution - isn’t just misunderstood. He is a grey characters, and I’d even say a bad man - though so is the people ruling Verakas. I loved how there is no good and bad, it’s all bad, and Louisa is just trying to get her brother out alive. I’m excited to see if her plan will work out in the next book, because man, she deserves something to go her way.
I also enjoyed the hint of romance we see here. Jack definitely seems the morally grey love interest of most book girls’ dreams, and I’m excited to see how it’ll all play out further down the line.
I also hope we get to see some of the other phantoms again - whether on opposite sides from Louisa or the same.
One thing that kept both annoying me and intriguing me was Louisa’s many bad decisions. She probably did everything the exact opposite of what would have been smart, however, you don’t need to get very far into the book to know that that’s exactly her character! She doesn’t care about what others say, she makes her own way. Of course that is difficult in this world, which leads to a lot of trouble, but I’ve got to admire the way her personality fits perfectly to the story as it plays out!
I would have liked to see more fleshed out side characters. I felt the only character we really got to know was Louisa, as we spend the book following her. But I’d love to see more of the other characters fleshed out as well, from Daria and Roman to Jack, Marcus and Lucien. Hopefully we’ll get that down the line.
Overall, 4/5⭐️. I really enjoyed the book, and I’m excited for the next installment! Really a perfect read for people who love books such as Divergent, Red Queen or even the academic setting in Fourth Wing.
The 2010’s dystopia vibes are back! This book was such a fun read! It gives of vibes of Divergent or Red Queen, while still being original and having an intriguing world! I will warmly recommend it for people who love reading about revolutions and morally grey characters.
This story follows Louisa, and I’ve got to admit, I feel for the girl. She’s grown up knowing she’ll be conscripted to the military, wants to do nothing more but keep her twin brother safe, and is suddenly one of the most important pieces in a war that started before she was born.
I love the revelations coming throughout the story. I like the different parts of the story as well, giving the reader a great scope of the world: from phantom training, to the lush lives in Ravenna to the war touched lives in the Black Hills.
I loved how Lucien - the king of the revolution - isn’t just misunderstood. He is a grey characters, and I’d even say a bad man - though so is the people ruling Verakas. I loved how there is no good and bad, it’s all bad, and Louisa is just trying to get her brother out alive. I’m excited to see if her plan will work out in the next book, because man, she deserves something to go her way.
I also enjoyed the hint of romance we see here. Jack definitely seems the morally grey love interest of most book girls’ dreams, and I’m excited to see how it’ll all play out further down the line.
I also hope we get to see some of the other phantoms again - whether on opposite sides from Louisa or the same.
One thing that kept both annoying me and intriguing me was Louisa’s many bad decisions. She probably did everything the exact opposite of what would have been smart, however, you don’t need to get very far into the book to know that that’s exactly her character! She doesn’t care about what others say, she makes her own way. Of course that is difficult in this world, which leads to a lot of trouble, but I’ve got to admire the way her personality fits perfectly to the story as it plays out!
I would have liked to see more fleshed out side characters. I felt the only character we really got to know was Louisa, as we spend the book following her. But I’d love to see more of the other characters fleshed out as well, from Daria and Roman to Jack, Marcus and Lucien. Hopefully we’ll get that down the line.
Overall, 4/5⭐️. I really enjoyed the book, and I’m excited for the next installment! Really a perfect read for people who love books such as Divergent, Red Queen or even the academic setting in Fourth Wing.