zagfros's reviews
372 reviews

Star Trek: Picard's Academy - Commit No Mistakes by Sam Maggs, Ornella Greco, Charlie Kirchoff

adventurous funny 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

5.0

I am sucker for anything related to Starfleet Academy & a big fan of Maggs' writing so I had high expectations coming in. For starters, the art style was great, lovely use of colour, intricate backgrounds coupled with little bits of detail in the background characters which really bring the academy to life.

The first volume mainly focuses on an exam but we still get some slice of life in the first few issues. Overall it was a really enjoyable read, some sneaky cameos & a good dose of humour. Looking forward to volume two.

Thanks to Netgalley & IDW Publishing for the arc.

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

adventurous dark emotional mysterious 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

5.0

Another hit from June Hur! If you're a fan of The Red Palace, you need to pickup A Crane Among Wolves. Full of court drama, political intrigue, a murder investigation and our protagonist desperate to save her sister amidst all this turmoil. 

Iseul was a great protagonist who really grows throughout the novel, alongside her is a fantastic cast of side characters with well fleshed out stories. Wonsik was my absolute favourite.

The mystery was great and it was a real pageturner. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Netgalley & Headline for this arc!

The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? It's complicated

5.0

The Blood Orchid is a brilliant conclusion to a wonderful duology. After the conclusion of The Scarlet Alchemist I was excited to read what happened next and it didn't disappoint. The search for Penglai Island dived into more of the history of the alchemists which was nice to see.

Travelling with Wenshu provided a lot of great banter especially with his current vessel. There was an unexpected return of a character who provided a great contrast between all the characters personalities which made for good comedy!

Everything gets wrapped up nicely in this book and if you enjoyed Zilan's story in the 1st Novel, I highly recommend picking this up. I will be reading Baker's other novels after this unique duology!

Thanks to Netgalley + Hodder & Stoughton for this arc!

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

fast-paced

4.0

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson

funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

Lucky Girls by LIV. WEBBE

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Lucky Girls is a fantastic debut from Liv Webbe which will leave you eager to read her next novel! The mystery is setup well and has you guessing from the start, and as more information comes to light you'll be revisiting your perceptions of all the characters. All of the characters are fleshed out with their own motivations which all complement the story. The later half of the novel really grabs you and I finished the last 2/3 in one go!

Thanks to Headline & Netgalley for the arc.

Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan

adventurous emotional 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

4.5

I've been a fan of Dylan's work since Mindwalker and was super excited to try her foray into fantasy. Until We Shatter continues the trend of her brilliant writing style, everything runs so fast paced it's like watching a film. 

The main characters anxieties really set this apart for me as it's rare I read a book where a character has an established fear of using their ability and couple with the super expansive magic system this proved to be a really nice & unique read. The limitations on the powers of hues and the complexities behind that were really fascinating and it really sets this book apart. 

A fantasy heist comparable to Six of Crows with a diverse & lovable bunch of characters was just the icing on the cake for me! Overall, a fantastic read!

Thanks to Netgalley + Hodder & Stoughton for the arc.

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

Wow, a fantastic dark academia standalone from M.L. Wang, great for fans of Sword of Kaigen and will have you eagerly awaiting her next novel. You'll be gripped from the very start with the introduction of The Crossing & the Blight. The world building is brilliant and not over done, it reads well and provides a harsh introduction to the city.

The magic system is top notch, so unique and anyone with a small understanding of programming will really enjoy the inspiration. The different specialisations are super interesting and they really help engross you in the world. 

Sciona & Thomil are brilliant well rounded characters and whilst sometimes Sciona can be ignorant of others and their plights she is still a lovable character who is open to growth (though this is all because of Thomil's influence)

Bad Graces by Kyrie McCauley

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Bad Graces grabs you from the very first sentence and you'll struggle not to read this fast paced novel in one sitting. For Fans of the shows The Wilds, Yellowjackets & Lost, also books/graphic novels like Wilder Girls & The Cull.

Liv earns the chance to visit a movie set alongside its stars (with a tiny bit of subterfuge), unfortunately on the way there they begin to run into troubles that start on the yacht. Mysterious reactions from the ships captain and a storm find these six stranded on an island. Shelter, food, water and injuries become the least of their concern as they discover a monster.

The island's mysteries grow as changes occur to our survivors all whilst they struggle to survive and find a way home.

Bad Graces was a riveting read, I'll admit that I'm a sucker for island survival stories in whatever format! The romances were great and I loved all the character dynamics, they were all really fleshed out characters and a lovable group. Liv's ingenious survival methods that helped the group against all odds were standout (that makeshift net!) highly recommend giving Bad Graces a read!

Apostles of Mercy by Lindsay Ellis

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

I was so happy to get a chance to read this early, I've been eagerly awaiting the continuation to Cora & Ampersand's journey and it did not disappoint. 

We deal with the impact of Kaveh's death in the previous book on both Cora & Nikola. The dynamics between Cora & Ampersand are further explored and Cora is finding her voice when it comes to the differences in norms between the two, which is great to see. Paris is a great addition to the core group and helped contribute to Cora's character growth and provided another point of view. I was happy to see more of Luciana & Sol too. The personal stakes seem ever higher in this one than in any of the previous entries and I was constantly at the edge of my seat in certain chapters revolving around specific characters.

The Physterines were fascinating and I could hardly put the book down as the conflicts between all the species escalated. The last 20% of this book especially, was just non-stop. You won't want to stop reading. The last chapter as well!!! I was expecting the story to wrap up with this novel but with that ending, I hope this is not the last we've seen of these characters.

Thanks to Titan Books & Netgalley for the chance to read this arc!