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Love does that. It changes you in ways that cannot be undone: Reviewing The Mermaid by Christina Henry

Hi everyone! I am back much sooner than I anticipated. This is not the first book I have read by Christina Henry. Feel free to check out my review of Horseman, which I loved. I wanted to delve back into the world of “fairy tales for adults,” so to say. I also don’t see enough books about mermaids for adults so I grabbed this one immediately. I think mermaids are an underrated subject for fiction. I am definitely interested in reading more so leave any reccomendations in the comments below. Now, we can talk about The Mermaid.

Content Warning: Violence, Animal Abuse, Mild Sexual Content

Amelia was a mermaid who was curious about life on land. When she came to the land, she met a man named Jack and fell in love. Years later, Jack passed away and Amelia was left with nothing but her isolated cottage by the sea. One day, she recieved an offer from the famous P.T. Barnum to perform at his museum. With no other options, Amelia decided to take his offer. Thrown headfirst into the chaotic world of humanity, Amelia must find the courage to take control of her life before someone takes control for her.

The Mermaid is a nice mixture of romance and fantasy with just a hint of realism. Christina Henry weaves in conversations about autonomy, consent, and persepective into this romantic tale of a woman trying to find her place in a strange world. I liked how Henry crafted Amelia’s perspective, particularly in regards to the culture of “sideshows” that were popular during the 1800s. The romance was well-written and I liked how it became the focal point without taking away from the meaninful themes that are explored throughout the book. Overall, The Mermaid was a thoughtful and gripping novel with plenty of fantasy and romance to keep you from putting the book down.

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We are a curse of the shadows; we are a secret. We are eternal: Reviewing The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! We are returning to form with another vampire novel. I am currently rewatching the Interview with the Vampire TV show and foaming at the mouth for the next season. Until then, I am going to dabble in Anne Rice novels. Before you read this one, feel free to check out my review for Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. Let’s talk about The Vampire Armand.

Content Warning: Child Abuse, Slavery, Explicit Sexual Content, Sexual Assault, Religious Trauma, Violence and Gore, Disturbing Imagery

The vampire Armand was not always the powerful and ruthless leader of the Children of Darkness. He began his life as Andrei, a young man from Kiev Rus who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He is taken to Vienna and taken under the care of Marius, an ancient and powerful vampire. Andrei becomes Amadeo under his master’s tutelage, which involves exploring the darkest parts of the dazzling Vienna. When Armand is given the dark gift, he finds himself a target of a cult of vampires who worship Satan. Alone and unfamiliar with the vampiric world, Armand must fight to save his immortal soul.

The Vampire Armand is a dark and disturbing look at one of Anne Rice’s most iconic characters. Anne Rice does such an incredible job creating these unique character voices and being able to alter her writing depending on which point of view she is writing about. Armand is a fascinating character who is a throwback to the classic Byronic heroes. The book deals heavily with religion and philosophy, which can be intriguing but is sometimes a bit long-winded. This particular book dealt a bit more with mysticism and magic, which I liked as an element of world-building. I honestly wished I saved his book for October because it would have been far more appropriate for the Halloween season, but I am glad I read it now. I can see why this is one of Anne Rice’s most iconic novels and I am going to recommend it with the addendum to heed my content warnings.

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Welcome to the universe, from which there is no escape: Reviewing Safe Passage by Karen Menezes

Hi everyone! I am super excited today because I have a review by another indie author! It is always a treat to get to do these kinds of reviews. I will link all of Karen’s socials at the very end of this review so you can send her your love and support. Thank you for reaching out to me, Karen! Now, let’s talk about her novel, Safe Passage.

Content Warning: Violence, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries, Discussions and Depictions of War.

The old-growth forest and the borderlands of Capherayna are a mystery. So are its people, the Xaeltik community. They live in a pre-industrial time warp, unable to defend themselves from the dark forces of the modern world. In the heart of the forest, a vortex of death is rumored to swallow the living, chew on them, and spit out the pieces. The Lightbender stumbles into Xaeltik territory after days of wandering the forest. He is welcomed by a macabre sight that changes the course of his destiny. To save lives, he must let them die.

What I loved about Safe Passage was the mixture of grounded social issues and fantastical sci-fi/fantasy elements that are used to build the narrative. It was as funny in a cheeky way as it was emotional and profound. Menezes doesn’t hold back when it comes to discussing war and the aftermath of it. I loved her use of descriptive language, the minute details, and the overall sympathetic tone that the novel takes. War is never an easy topic to tackle but Menezes shows every facet, from the people fighting the war to the people caught in the middle of the crossfire. Overall, Safe Passage is a refreshing and introspective novel with plenty of fun and interesting science fiction elements

Website: https://karenmenezes.com/the-chronicles-of-capherayna.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.menezes/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50832081.Karen_Menezes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karen_menezes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechroniclesofcapherayna

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Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination: Revewing The Way of Kings (Book 1 of The Stormlight Archive Series) by Brandon Sanderson

Hi all! I’m back! I put aside all of my other books so I could finish this one. I thought it would take me much longer to read this one. I promise that I have more reviews for shorter books coming up soon. I have a couple of weird/spooky books coming up so get excited for that. I need to yap ramble about this book, though, so let’s talk about The Way of Kings

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Intense Battle Scenes, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries

Centuries ago, the Knights Radiant fell in Roshar, a world of storms. They left behind their magical weapons known as Shardplates and Shardblades. Those who wield these weapons have the power of gods and rule as kings. Wars are fought for theses weapons. One such war currently wages on. Kaladin, a surgeon turned soldier turned slave, must fight for his survival and the survival of his man. Brightlord Dalinar Kholin, who leads the armies of Kholinar, begins to recieve visions of the Knights Radiant. Across the sea, a young woman named Shallan plans to steal a powerful artifact from Dalinar’s niece to save her family. Something much bigger and more dangerous lies in wait for all. No one will be ready to learn the true cause of the war.

I understand the hype now. I am now aboard the Brandon Sanderson hype train. I bought book two of this series when I was about halfway through this book. The Way of Kings is an incredible start to such a well-crafted and detailed series. Acoording to what I have read, this book took ten years to plan and it shows. I loved all of the characters and the way the plot fell into place just felt right. This is a super long book (coming in at 1,252 pages) but every single chapter is so well written. In a rare turn for fantasy books, I liked every character’s POV that I read. Sometimes, when it comes to fantasy books that switch character POVs, I get bored with certain characters and skip or skim a bit. Every one felt interesing and crucial, even the interludes. The Way of Kings fully lives up to the hype and I cannot wait to keep reading this series.

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Whatever it costs to achieve that goal, I will pay it: Reviewing Star Wars: Lesser Evil (Book 3 of the Ascendancy Trilogy) by Timothy Zahn

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I’m finally wrapping up the Thrawn: Ascendancy Trilogy. Feel free to go back and read the rest of my reviews of any and all Star Wars-related books. I read way more than I anticipated and have enjoyed all of them in their own ways. It’s time to talk about my latest read, Lesser Evil.

The Chiss Ascendancy is starting to fall apart. A clever foe has turned the Nine Ruling families and the Forty against each other. Alliances are tested and trust is breached among the Chiss. Civil war is on the horizon and it will cost the Ascendancy thousands of years of peace and stability. There is one thing, one mythical thing, that could save the Chiss. Thrawn must delve deep into the Ascendancy’s dark history to find the key to saving his people. The only way to save the Chiss will be to make the ultimate sacrifice and only Thrawn can be the one to make that sacrifice.

In hindsight, I am glad that I read the Thrawn trilogy before this one. Timothy Zahn has done a thorough job of creating such an interesting character as Thrawn and illustrating this tangled drama of espionage and war. It felt like a soap opera, but I say that with love. It was a bit tricky to keep up with, but all of the plot points come together nicely in the end. I liked the pacing of this one significantly better as you could see the build-up to the final battle throughout the book. I was so excited about the action because Zahn always delivers on space battles. All in all, the Ascendancy Trilogy was a super fun read and any Star Wars fan will have fun with these books.

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Love is never wrong: Reviewing A Botanical Daughter by Noah Medlock

Hi everyone! I’m trying to get these reviews out as fast as I can. My TBR pile has gotten out of control but that is my own fault. I have so many thoughts and opinions I want to share with all of you. It feels like a lot of pressure having over 500 people who want to know what I think about books. It’s really fun, though, and I thank you for your interest in this blog. I think I should stop rambling and start talking about A Botanical Daughter, don’t you?

Content Warning: Violence, Graphic Bodily Injury, Animal Death, Sexual Content

Gregor Sandys is a botanist who specializes in exotic plants. Simon Rievaulx is a skilled taxidermist. The gentlemen make an unusual pair but a pair, nonetheless. In their estate of Grimfern, the men can live as they want and practice their strange hobbies. Gregor’s newest specimen, a fungus, changes everything they know when it begins to show signs of intelligence. Inspired by this shocking development, Gregor hatches a plan that will launch him into fame. The only problem is that he needs a corpse. Gregor and Simon quickly learn that they cannot control nature, especially not when it has a mind of its own.

Imagine if Frankenstein was actually kind of cute and you get A Botanical Daughter. Noah Medlock’s unique take on the story of the “manmade monster” is strangely tender and romantic. It’s a story of a group of strange people who love each other for their strangeness when the rest of the world has rejected them. While it is certainly gory in parts, it doesn’t take away from the romances that are at the heart of this novel. The character development was great to read too. Tt is nice to have a queer story where there is hope for the characters at the end. It can be difficult to find LGBTQ+ literature that isn’t depressing but Noah Medlock delivers a breath of fresh air. I wish I had finished this for Pride Month because it would have been perfect for that, but we can celebrate Pride all year round. With all of this being said, go read A Botanical Daughter as soon as you can.

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When the world is hard, love must be harder still: Reviewing The Stone Sky (Book 3 of the Broken Earth Trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well and keeping cool during this intense summer heat. Before you read this review, read my reviews for the first two books in this trilogy, The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate. I have one more trilogy I am wrapping up after this and then I will be reading mainly standalone books. I got quite a few books for my birthday that I am so excited to read. I’ve been balancing that with some of my own creative writing. It pleases me to report that I am progressing on a potential novel (maybe two). If nothing else, I am excited to be writing again. Now, let’s talk about the final book in the Broken Earth trilogy, The Stone Sky.

Content Warning: Violence, Harsh Language, Grief and Mourning, Graphic Injuries, Grief and Mourning

The Moon is going to return, but that means humanity is doomed. Essun now wields an incredible power. She plans on using her newfound abilities to find her daughter, Nassun. Nassun, however, has discovered her own powers with the help of her mother’s former Guardian. While Essun is trying to save the world, Nassun is trying to destroy the world and, in turn, eliminate anyone who would bring her harm. It is a race against time as mother and daughter fight to try to control an ancient and powerful magic. Only one of them can change the world forever.

N.K. Jemisin has blown me away with this unique sci-fi/fantasy trilogy. The Stone Sky is easily the most emotional of the three books. The world-building is so strong and unique but it doesn’t outshine the characters and their journeys. At the heart of the book are themes of family bonds, self-acceptance, inner strength, and unwavering love. Jemisin explores the complications that come with differences in a society where differences aren’t accepted unless they are useful and/or non-threatening to others. There is an additional character point of view that showcases the fantasy elements of this story that I really appreciated. Granted, the book can be a bit tricky because some of the terminology is hard to follow but it is incorporated in the story so naturally that you forget that these are terms that exist only within the world of The Broken Earth trilogy. The Stone Sky was a strong end to an incredible series that I highly recommend to all of you.

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Eyes held high in pride are less able to see the uneven ground ahead: Reviewing Star Wars: Greater Good (Book 2 of the Ascendancy Trilogy)

Hey everyone! I hope you are keeping cool this summer. It has been a scorcher where I live and I am struggling over here. Before you check out this review, feel free to read my review of the first book in this trilogy, Chaos Rising. I have the third book in this trilogy ready to go. I also recommend checking out all of my other Star Wars book reviews. I’m still trying to find more to read. I might check out the High Republic books because I am watching Star Wars: Acolyte and I am enjoying it so far. Funny enough, I only became a Star Wars fan relatively recently but I rarely like anything casually I love to know about lore and backstories and other characters. Star Wars is the perfect franchise for this. Now, without further ado, let’s talk about Greater Good.

Thrawn’s victories have caught the attention of the Chiss and brought victory to the House of Mitt. Despite his unusual methods, he has earned the respect of his fellow officers. The threat to the Chiss Ascendancy, though, has not been eliminated. Their enemy lurks in the shadows and plays a different game, one that involves espionage and ulterior motives disguised by acts of generosity. This enemy has been sowing the seeds of discord with the goal of turning the Nine Ruling Families and the Forty Great Houses against each other. With civil war on the horizon, the Chiss must decide between family and the Ascendancy.

Greater Good may not be my favorite book in this trilogy but there was still plenty I appreciated about this book. Timothy Zahn takes full advantage of how vast and interesting the Star Wars universe is and creates these fascinating characters who might not be seen in any other Star Wars media. Thrawn isn’t heavily featured in this book, but there are plenty of other characters who are just as compelling. I like reading about how the Chiss society operates, the alliances, and all of the politics that come with it. It certainly wasn’t boring but I did prefer the battle scenes. Overall, this is a solid follow-up to Chaos Rising and I look forward to reading the next book in this trilogy.

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I will be a monster if it means we survive: Reviewing The Rage of Dragons (Book 1 of The Burning Series) by Evan Winter

Hi everyone! I hope you are faring well during these hot summer days. I am so excited to discuss this book because I wanted to finish it before Season 2 of House of the Dragon premiered. It only felt appropriate. Speaking of that, I want to read George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood. I may re-read The Song of Fire and Ice series in the future. It has been years since I read them but I may consider doing reviews, just for fun. I think you all know that I love fantasy books, especially fantasy books involving dragons. Needless to say, The Rage of Dragons was calling to me so let’s review it.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harsh Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery

The Omehi people have been at war for hundreds of years. A select few of them are blessed with the ability to call dragons and others can transform into giant monsters. These gifted people have kept the Omehi people safe for so long. Tau Solarin is not one of these people. He doesn’t want to spend his enter life fighting in a never-ending war. His plans are changed when his father is killed and he decides to take revenge against the men who killed him. He promises to himself to become the greatest warrior. With the war raging on, Tau must make decisions that change his life and the lives of his loved ones forever.

The Rage of Dragons is an absolute must-read for all fantasy lovers. I was initially intrigued by the Game of Thrones comparisons that people were making about this book and I absolutely see the similarities. The Rage of Dragons, though, sets itself apart with its world-building that is inspired by Xhosa culture. This book is relentless and action-packed. I was genuinely surprised by how intense it got but that made me love it even more. One of my favorite aspects of the book was Tau’s character journey. I love how personal his narrative was, even among all of these sweeping battle scenes. If you love an underdog story, then you will enjoy Tau as the main character. I could rave for so much longer but I won’t. Instead, I will tell you to go experience The Rage of Dragons for yourself. I will buy the next book sooner than later.

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Judgement can only focus on actions: Reviewing Star Wars: Chaos Rising (Book 1 of the Ascendancy Trilogy) by Timothy Zahn

Hi everyone! I’m back already! I almost put out two reviews yesterday but decided to pace myself. I’m also back into my obsession with Star Wars books, particularly ones about Thrawn. Feel free to check out all of my other reviews of the other Star Wars books. If you are interested in the Timothy Zahn books, I have read the Thrawn trilogy and the Heir to the Empire trilogy. This series is set before the Thrown trilogy, in case you wanted to read them in a specific order. Now, let’s embark into Chaos Rising together.

Content Warning: Intense Battle Scenes, Some Violence

In the Unknown Regions of the galaxy lives the Ascendancy, home of the proud Chiss people who are governed by the Nine Ruling Families. The peace of the Ascendancy is threatened when a bold, unknown enemy attacks the Chiss capital. With little to no option, the Ascendancy dispatches a young, renegade military officer named Thrawn to hunt down this new threat. Thrawn’s methods are unusual and dangerous, but he is effective and brilliant. With the help of Admiral Ar’alani and the Expansionary Fleet, Thrawn’s investigation leads him into a stretch of space that the Chiss refer to as Chaos. Within the Chaos, Thrawn discovers a threat to the Ascendancy that is only just beginning.

Timothy Zahn continues to impress me with how he builds upon his lore, creating a these fully fleshed-out characters and expanding upon the Star Wars universe. I enjoyed seeing how these different cultures operate and the tangled web of politics and war. Thrawn continues to be a favorite of mine because he is such a fascinating character who, while genius, is still imperfect and is constantly learning. The other Chiss characters are interesting in their own ways and serve as good foils or support to Thrawn. I like seeing pre-Empire Thrawn and it is interesting to see his path unfold. With that being said, this is another must read for Star Wars fans and I will be staring book two immediately.