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All things end, all things change, all things begin again: Reviewing Sunbringer (Book 2 of the Fallen Gods series) by Hannah Kaner

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Quite a few of the books I am reading right now are on the longer side so don’t be surprised if there are some longer gaps between reviews. I am also making an effort to re-read some of my favorites. Before I review this book, make sure to check out my review for the first book in the series, Godkiller. This is going to be a trilogy, which I am very excited for. (I love a good fantasy trilogy). Now, let’s talk about Sunbringer.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Intense Battle Scenes, Harsh Language

The gods have returned to Middren and have declared war. The Godkiller Kissen is presumed dead after sacrificing herself to defeat the fire god Hseth. Gods, though, are not so easily killed and Hseth has returned with a vengeance. Inara and her god of white lies Skedi have set out to discover the true nature of the gods and uncover secrets along the way. Elogast, former knight of King Arren, has made it his mission to defeat his former friend and king. The king is on a mission to kill every god and become the only god in Middren. War is on the horizon and everyone, both god and man, must fight for their lives.

Sunbringer is the perfect sequel in this series. I can’t say it is better than the first book but, in my opinion, they are on the same level as far quality and entertainment. This book moved much quicker and had more battle sequences, that I personally enjoyed quite a bit. I also love how Hannah Kaner has made her story so inclusive through the world building in this series. Even though this is a rather large world, Kaner’s narrative is focused on how the characters develop throughout the events of the book. Every character is so carefully created to feel dynamic, even if they show up briefly. This book also does get intense towards the end and the action sequences are so much fun to read. The Fallen Gods series is definitely worth checking out and I will be waiting impatiently for the third book in this trilogy.

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To tend and to mend: Reviewing A Power Unbound (Book 3 of The Last Binding Trilogy) by Freya Marske

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m back sooner than expected. Before you read this review, check out my reviews for the first two books A Marvelous Light and A Restless Truth. I don’t know about the rest of you but I love completing a series. It’s always satisfying, regardless of whether the ending was good. Now, I won’t ramble on too much. Let’s talk about A Power Unbound.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Harsh Language, Violence

Jack Hawthorn, Lord Alston and Earl of Cheetham Hall, went out of his way to avoid any unnecessary chaos. He just wanted some peace after losing his twin sister, losing his magic, and fighting in a war. He finds himself right back into the world of magic when he learns of a ritual threatening every British magician. Now, Jack lives with a ragtag group of disgraced upper-class magicians. The really wild card of their group, though, is the charming, albeit non-magical, journalist Alan Rossi. The two immediately butt heads over their class differences. They must, however, put their differences aside to save the future of magic in Britain as they know it.

A Power Unbound neatly wraps up Freya Marske’s enchanting trilogy. I could tell that Marske put a lot of thought and consideration into creating this world, which was fun to see through to the end. The romance between Jack and Alan was particularly intriguing as it was definitely an “enemies to lovers” with just a little bit of roleplaying. Aside from the spicy parts of this book, I liked how this was an ensemble cast featuring characters from the previous books. I would rather an author develop existing rather than create brand-new characters. The entire trilogy was super fun to read. If you want a series with plenty of action and romance, The Last Binding trilogy is absolutely the series for you.

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The only real escape from hell is to conquer it: Reviewing The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I also hope you all have been reading lots of good books lately. I have wanted to read this particular book for a while now. I plan on reading some popular authors I have never read before so that will be fun. You may be asking, at this point, if I do anything other than read? I do sleep. (I’m joking……but not really lol). Anyways, it’s finally time to talk about The Library at Mount Char.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harsh Language, Self-harm, Animal Death, Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Substance Abuse, Disturbing Imagery

Carolyn’s life is certainly unusual. Living in an infinite Library of infinite knowledge and being raised by a man who calls himself God can be considered unusual by most. On the other hand, Steve is a reformed criminal trying his best to practice Buddhism. One day, Carolyn finds Steve and promises him exactly $327,000 in exchange for using his skills as a former burglar. Steve takes the deal and soon finds himself lost in a world of impossibilities. A war is on the horizon and a battle wages over who controls the Library. Whoever controls the Library, controls the universe itself.

This was such a fun, surreal book with plenty of disturbing and fascinating imagery. I couldn’t help but compare this a bit to Neil Gaiman’s body of work, as Scott Hawkins utilizes the bizarre and the macabre to create his novel. I also liked the truly creative elements of world-building throughout this novel. It wasn’t just weird for the sake of weird, though, as everything came together in such interesting twists. I realize that I am being vague in this review because I don’t want to give away too much. The Library at Mount Char is definitely worth experiencing for yourself and is the perfect book to add to your summer reading list.

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Everyone deserves somewhere where they can be reminded of their potential: Reviewing A Restless Truth (Book 2 of The Last Binding Trilogy) by Freya Marske

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Before you read this review, feel free to check out my review of the first book in this series A Marvelous Light. It has been a while since I read that one but I enjoyed it greatly. I’m trying to keep on top of the series I read because I like to see a book series all through. If I decide to stop a series, it is normally deliberate. I also don’t want to read any series over five books. That is simply my preference. I just so happen to have the third book in this series because I accidentally bought it before buying the second book. (Slightly off-topic: I hate when book series don’t have the numbers anywhere on the book.) Now, let’s talk about A Restless Truth.

Content Warning: Violence, Harsh Language, Explicit Sexual Content

Maud Blyth is a quiet girl who has always wanted to go on a grand adventure. The opportunity arises when she becomes a travel companion to an older woman on an ocean liner. While on the ship, though, Maud is actually working to unravel a magical conspiracy that was discovered by her brother Robin. Maud’s plans are brought to a halt when her elderly employer is found dead on the first day of the cruise. Now, she must solve a murder with the help of the bold actress and fellow magician Violent Debenham. With everyone on the ship a suspect, Maud and Violet must solve the murder before the ship docks, or else they soon may end up dead in the water.

A Restless Truth was an enjoyable mystery with a quirky cast of characters and plenty of intrigue. While this is a bit slower-paced, I find myself wanting to see how the relationships were going to be built between the characters. I did enjoy the romance between Maud and Violet. There was plenty of spice and romance between the two. I also thought they made a good duo and that helped drive the story forward. While it has been a while since I read A Marvelous Light, I liked how this novel tied into its predecessor. Freya Marske has created an interesting magic system that I want to know more about, especially in the third book. In conclusion, A Restless Truth was a fun mystery that has a wonderful romance at its heart.

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I begged to no one, let me scream: Reviewing Angels Before Man by Rafael Nicolas

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I’m posting this review a little bit late right now. I always try to post as soon as I finish the book so it is fresh in my mind. Regardless of when you see this, I am grateful that it grabbed your attention. Maybe you even decided to give this book a chance. I don’t want to ramble any longer. Let’s talk about Angels Before Man.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Sexual Content, Scenes of Sexual Assault, Self-harm, Death of Animals, Implied Incest, Religious Trauma

Before Lucifer fell, he was an angel. He wasn’t just any angel; he was the angel of beauty. He lived in Eternal Paradise. His only purpose in life was to praise God and love others. One day, he crossed paths with the Archangel Michael. Soon, their friendship turned into something that had never been seen before in Heaven. Lucifer soon begins to ask questions. First, they begin out innocently but Lucifer quickly discovers that Paradise is not what it seems and God may not be as merciful as he once was.

Angels Before Man was such a profound and shocking take on the Biblical story of the fall of Lucifer. The writing is a fantastic mixture of prose and poetry. I was hooked all the way through and hated having to put this down. The book is specifically marketed as a “Queer Retelling of the Fall of Satan” and I absolutely loved the way Nicolas incorporates those themes, turning the tale into an allegory for religious trauma and sexual self-discovery. As beautiful as the novel is, it is also raw and visceral. My jaw dropped more than once. I don’t want to give away much more as I really want you to experience this novel for yourself. I implore you to read Angels Before Man as soon as you can.

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Did you truly see our gods die?: Reviewing Temple of No God (Sequel to Hall of Smoke) by H.M. Long

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I’m reading some longer books now so bear with me in between reviews. If you want to see what I am reading or my progress, feel free to follow me on StoryGraph (n0vel_ideas). I’m actually enjoying that app and I normally don’t care for many reading/reviewing apps. Before you read this review, check out my review for Hall of Smoke. Without further ado, let’s talk about Temple of No God.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harsh Language, Death of a Child, Battle Scenes

Eighteen years ago, Hessa – High Priestess of the Eangen – defeated her own god. Now, she is maintaining a fragile peace between rival tribes through marriage to her second husband. Unrest is on the horizon, though, as multiple people are vying for the throne of the Arpa Empire. Whoever wins the throne will have access to raw, untamed magical power that could wipe out Hessa’s people. Along with that, a new cult has arisen and its members can drain life from anything they touch. With the fate of the world in her hands, Hessa must be prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to restore balance and restore peace no matter the cost.

Like its predecessor, Hall of Smoke is an action-packed adventure with plenty of interesting magic and mythology. I like how H.M. Long’s writing is the right balance of straightforward and poetic. Hessa is a great example of a dynamic female lead you continue to root for. While this isn’t a true romance, I did like the relationship between her and her new husband. It didn’t overshadow the rest of the story, though, as there were plenty of great battle scenes and interesting politics. Even though there is a gap in time between this book and the previous one, they did tie together just enough while still standing on their own. Temple of No God is a strong sequel with plenty of its own merits. You should, however, definitely read Hall of Smoke first.

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The Season will always return: Reviewing The Obelisk Gate (Book 2 of the Broken Earth Trilogy) by N.K. Jemisin

Hi everyone! I’m back (again) because I like to read fast. Before you check out this review, check out my review for the first book in this trilogy, The Fifth Season. If I get invested in a series, I try to read them as close together as I can because I want to remember everything that happened in the previous books. I will definitely get to the third book sooner than later. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. It’s time to review The Obelisk Gate.

Content Warning: Violence and Abuse, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries, Harsh Language

Essun’s search for her daughter continues as the world around her dies quicker with each passing day. Instead, she is reunited with her old mentor who gives her a request that could change the fate of the world. Meanwhile, Nassun, Essun’s daughter, begins training with other orogenes. As her powers grow stronger everyday, Nassun makes a decision that could break the world that her mother is trying to save.

Overall, I absolutely love the unique tone and intricate world building that carries over from The Fifth Season to this sequel. I wouldn’t say that this sequel is stronger than the prior book, though. It was missing some of the initial intrigue that the first book had. I did enjoy, however, seeing the magic system be fleshed out more as that is the best part of this series. I was a little iffy about the additional POV chapters we do get in this book of Nassun. Her chapters did end up being more enjoyable than I had thought and pushed the plot in a direction that I was not expecting. The book does drag a tiny bit towards the middle but really picks up towards the end. I am absolutely going to pick up the third book because I cannot stand to be left on a cliffhanger. I am still absolutely loving The Broken Earth trilogy and cannot keep recommending it to all of you out there.

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Magic never dies. It merely fades away: Reviewing The Color of Magic (Book 1 of the Discworld Series) by Terry Pratchett

Hey all! I’m back sooner than I anticipated. For better or worse, I am a fast reader so I have yet another review for you. I did try to read this book years ago but didn’t retain may details at the time. I do enjoy Terry Pratchett. He is the co-author of one of my all-time favorite books, Good Omens. The Discworld series is a pretty long one so I endeavor to read a couple of books in the future. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, and start from the beginning with The Color of Magic.

Rincewind may be the worst wizard to ever exist. After getting expelled from the Unseen University, he’s been aimless. That is until he becomes a tour guide for a strange little man named Twoflower and Twoflower’s sentient Luggage. Unfortunately, Twoflower is naive and Rincewind is inept. The odd pair soon find themselves among thieves, barbarians, dragon riders, and other unsavory characters. Despite their best attempts to avoid danger, Fate has other plans for the two.

The Color of Magic was a fun, fast-paced, and quirky fantasy that is just the tip of the strange world created by Terry Pratchett. I absolutely love Pratchett’s sense of humor. I found myself re-reading lines because I missed the joke the first time around. His is a really unique take on the fantasy adventure genre. Beneath all of the humor and strange characters, the novel does present poignant little thoughts regarding fate and death. This is easily one of the most imaginative fantasy novels I have read in a bit. There wasn’t anything terribly inappropriate in this book (some of the characters are depicted as nude but there are no graphic details) so I can see this being a good introductory fantasy novel. The Color of Magic was such a fun time. I can’t guarantee I will read the entire Discworld series but I will try to read some more.

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Are you ready to make a deal?: Reviewing Sign Here by Claudia Lux

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I am posting this on St. Patrick’s Day so Happy St. Paddy’s Day if you celebrate! I recently broke my book-buying ban and will return with more fascinating novels soon. I have at least one more novella to read and a shorter novel before I review some of the longer books I own. One of my next books will be Terry Pratchett’s The Color of Magic so I might have a new series to start soon. Before I can talk about any of those, I must talk to you about the subject of this review: Sign Here by Claudia Lux.

Content Warning: Discussions and Depictions of Violence and Abuse, Drug and Alcohol Usage, Some Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content,

Despite living in Hell (yes, that Hell), Peyote Trip has a pretty good gig. He works in the Deals Department on the Fifth Floor of Hell. Peyote, though, wants to get promoted to the Sixth Floor, where things are a lot less awful. To do so, he has to convince the last member of the Harrison family to sign over their soul. Completely unaware of this plan, the Harrisons go up to their lake house to spend where they always spend their summers. Their teen daughter brings along her confident and mysterious friend, Ruth. Peyote seizes the opportunity to get to the Harrisons. With the help of his new coworker Calamity, he should have this deal in the bag. These plans, however, begin to fall apart quickly when the Harrisons are forced to confront a tragedy that happened at the lake. As it turns out, these secrets have deadly consequences for everyone.

Sign Here was quite a fun and thrilling read. It was equal parts darkly funny and rather heartwarming at times. Claudia Lux makes the most use of multiple character POVs to create such well-fleshed-out characters. I also loved her depiction of Hell as being a series of the worst workplaces you could ever imagine. The blurb said this book had similar vibes to “The Good Place,” which is one of my favorite shows and I could definitely see the similarities here and there. I thought the overall humor that the book promises worked well with the tone. It never felt inappropriate when it didn’t need to be, considering some of the content matter that this book deals with. My favorite thing about the book, though, was the plot twists that made me not want to put down the book at all. I absolutely needed to know how this book ended and I am glad I did. Overall, I am going to recommend Sign Here, especially if you have a bit of a dark sense of humor.

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These cunning gods and their cunning games: Reviewing Godkiller (Book 1 of the Fallen Gods Series) by Hannah Kaner

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Spring is just around the corner and I am ready for change. If you haven’t yet, you can follow me on Storygraph (a free app that lets you track your reading) under the username n0vel_ideas. An idea that I am toying with right now is creating an Instagram account for my TBR. I haven’t decided yet but I will let you know how to follow me if I decide to make one. I guess I am (very technically) an “influencer,” which is weird to think about. I can at least hope that I am a good influence. While we’re here, let’s talk about Godkiller by Hannah Kaner.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Sexual Content, Harsh Language. Some Descriptions of Injury, Some Disturbing Imagery

Years ago, gods of all sorts ran rampant in the kingdom of Middren. After a war was started by the gods, they were forbidden, and any worship of them was made illegal. Any gods that might still roam the land are dispatched by “godkillers.” Kissen is one of these godkillers. After her family was killed by a fire god, she devoted her life to killing gods and getting paid for it. Everything Kissen knows about the gods is changed when she meets a young noble girl who is bound to the god of white lies. Kissen can’t kill the god without killing the girl so she must find a way to break their bond. On their journey, they meet a knight with secrets of his own who agrees to help them. They must venture to the kingdom of Blenraden, where wild gods still roam and a civil war threatens to break out. Only the ragtag group can stop the kingdom from being thrown into a war unlike any they have ever seen before.

Godkiller was quite the fun, fast-paced fantasy read that I have been looking for for a while now. Hannah Kaner provides an interesting take on world-building. Any fantasy has some religion built into the world but that often gets pushed aside for the plot. I liked how the gods were a major part of the plot in this book. There was definitely some inspiration from Game of Thrones in this book but I personally enjoyed that aspect as well. I thought the four characters whose POVs we alternate between were all interesting in their own way. Multiple POVs can be tricky but Kaner does a great job of balancing all of these characters. Overall, Godkiller was such a fun read and I can’t wait to read its sequel.