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Instinct is a force beyond one’s control: Reviewing Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! This is my second review of a book by Ottessa Moshfegh. You can check out my review of My Year of Rest and Relaxation. I am still on my “weird girl literature” kick and have at least two more “weird” books to review. I’m glad you are all still interested in this blog and I am forever grateful to all of you who read my reviews. Let’s talk about Lapvona.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Graphic Death, Explicit Sexual Content, Depictions of Domestic Abuse, Depictions of Sexual Abuse, Depictions of Self-Harm, Some Harsh Language, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Discussions and Depictions of Ableism

Marek, the son of the village shepherd, has been ostracized from the rest of the Lapvona due to his appearance. His father, Jude, abuses him and blames him for his mother’s death. He seeks solace in nature and God. The only other person he has a personal connection to is Ina, the blind medicine woman. Ina possesses a mysterious ability to connect with nature in a way that frightens Marek, but he has no other source of comfort. Not only is Marek’s faith being tested, but so is the village of Lapvona after a drought befalls the people. During this time, a freak accident brings Marek into the home of the eccentric and calculated lord governor. Marek finds himself plunged into a world that he doesn’t belong in and must change for better or worst to survive.

This book was bleak and visceral in a way that only Ottessa Moshfegh could write it. Lapvona takes an unflinching look at flawed characters who are just trying to survive by any means necessary, even if it means taking drastic measures. There were a few times while reading this book when I raised my eyebrows and thought “Oh no what the hell is this?” I did, however, keep reading because the behavior of the characters, while disgusting, is still undeniably and graphically human. I think that is the element of Moshfegh’s book that keeps drawing me back in. I appreciate the commentary and themes of the novel as none of this is unnecessarily gratuitous. I also like the fact that the novel is meant to be an allegory. It certainly got me thinking, that’s for sure. While Lapvona will not appeal to everyone, it will appeal to those whose morbid curiosity always gets the better of them.

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When it ends, it’s in blood and tears: Reviewing Cruel Seduction (Book 5 of the Dark Olympus Series) by Katee Robert

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well, even though it is still early in the year. I finally get to review at least one dark romance novel after DNF-ing another one after about ten pages. I really want to be more invested in dark romance but most of it is just flat-out creepy and/or abusive. Most of them sound so horribly unappealing to me. Luckily, I can turn to Katee Robert whenever I need that “fix” for the genre. With that being said, let’s talk about the latest addition to the Dark Olympus series, Cruel Seduction.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Violence, Some Harsh Language, Discussions about Child Abuse/Neglect

Aphrodite is a woman with a plan. Her current plan is probably her riskiest so far. It starts with her marrying the new Hephaestus, Olympus’s number one enemy. After that, she plans on keeping him in line by seducing Hephaestus’ long-time friend, Pandora. Hephaestus, however, is no fool and decides to get back at his new wife by seducing her ex, a beautiful man named Adonis. These games of power quickly become far messier than anyone had intended. While Aphrodite and Hephaestus trade barbs in and out of the bedroom, a new threat has shaken Olympus. Aphrodite and Hephaestus must find a common ground before they lose everyone they have come to love.

I kind of knew I would enjoy this book when I read the dedication. Katee Robert meant this book for anyone who loves a mess and she sure meant it. When I call this book messy, though, it’s a compliment. I actually love the soap opera vibes of this entry into the Dark Olympus series. The chemistry between the main four characters is palpable and the subplot helps to add to the stakes of the novel. It’s still not the best world-building ever, but that isn’t the reason you are reading this novel. Don’t you worry; Cruel Seduction is particularly steamy in all the best ways. It was definitely an improvement from the last entry in the series. I really am still having fun with this book series. I would recommend this to all of the dark romance fans who are looking for something refreshing and spicy to add to their TBR.

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Death behind and to either side. Only one choice is no choice at all: Reviewing The Hunger of the Gods (Book 2 of the Bloodsworn Trilogy) by John Gwynne

Hi everyone! I hope you are all still staying warm and cozy if it is snowing where you live. I’m gathering up a TBR list for 2024. I mostly read standalone books but I do love a good series every so often. Before I start my review of this book, go check out my review of the first book in the Bloodsworn trilogy, The Shadow of the Gods. The third book hasn’t been announced yet but I will be keeping an eye out. I can’t wait much longer. Let’s talk about The Hunger of the Gods, the second book in the Bloodsworn trilogy by John Gwynne.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Some Sexual Content, Harsh Language, Graphic Descriptions of Injuries, Intense Battle Scenes

After centuries, the gods have awoken. Lik-Rifa, the dragon god, plans to destroy her fellow gods and any who oppose her reign. Orka, Elvar, and Varg continue on their paths where new dangers have emerged. The Battle Grim and Bloodsworn realize that they are no match for the might of the dragon god and her allies. The only hope lies in a book of magic with the power to resurrect Lik-Rifa’s greatest enemy, Ulfrir the wolf god. Forces beyond the comprehension of man will soon wage a war that no one will be able to escape from.

This sequel was incredible. I sang my praises for the first book and I am so happy I get to rave about its follow-up. The Hunger of the Gods is truly epic and so well-crafted. What I particularly enjoyed was John Gwynne’s riveting prose and how he uses that to build upon the elaborate world he established in the first book. I think the way he structured the book was smart too, as in the first book, he alternates between characters’ perspectives. The additional characters help to add more scope to this world. The characters themselves are so well fleshed out. I became almost embarrassingly invested in the story at points. I wanted to talk about this book so badly so for way too long. I am so glad to tell you all about this. In conclusion, go read this series immediately. You will be hooked from page one.

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So you (still) want to be a half-blood?: Reviewing Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan

Hello all! I’m back again sooner than expected with another review. I’ve mentioned a few times how I tend to avoid middle-grade and/or young adult books but I have a soft spot for the Percy Jackson series. I absolutely love the TV adaptation so far, so I started feeling nostalgic all over again. I don’t think anything is wrong with holding on to some childhood interests as an adult. Sometimes, it’s fun to look back at the things that inspired you in the first place. I also just love keeping up with Rick Riordan in general. Let’s talk about the latest entry in the Percy Jackson series, The Chalice of the Gods.

Percy Jackson, demigod extraordinaire, is about to face his greatest challenge: college. First things first, he needs three recommendation letters for New Rome University. These letters have to be from gods and, to earn these letters, Percy must complete quests. His first quest is to help Ganymede, Zeus’s cupbearer, who lost his magical chalice. With the help of his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must (for the millionth time) face down an array of creatures and gods who seem to have nothing better to do than to fight some (sort of) harmless demigods.

Despite the fact I know I am not the target audience for the Percy Jackson series, I can tell Rick Riordan is aware of how many of his readers are growing up and continuing to enjoy the world of Percy Jackson. I get a sense that he is aware that some of his readers are nostalgic adults. These books, though, can be for readers of all ages. I read so many heavy and dark books on my blog so it is nice to go back to some of the more light-hearted books I grew up with. (The Percy Jackson books can still be kind of dark. Don’t get it twisted.) I do love Riordan’s overall consistent quality with his books but you can still see where the world of the book has evolved to keep up with modern trends. This is certainly a book for all ages and I can see how reading this book would be a great family bonding experience, if you do have any little bookworms in your life looking for their next exciting literary adventure.

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To change any of this, we need to live: Reviewing The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! I am wishing you all the best for 2024. Thank you for continuing to support my blog. I hope your TBR lists are ready to go. I am excited to bring you my first review of 2024. I fully meant to review this book last year but hit a bit of a reading slump. This book has been on my TBR list for a while now so I have been looking forward to reviewing it. Let’s talk about Sara A. Mueller’s debut novel, The Bone Orchard.

Content Warning: Depictions of Violence and Abuse, Depictions of Prostitution, Discussions of Child Abuse, Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny

Lady Charm lives in the mysterious Orchard House, surrounded by a garden of bones and her beautiful boneghosts. All of the wealthy and powerful inhabitants of Borenguard go to Orchard House to indulge in their vices. Charm has the distinct advantage of belonging only to the Emperor. One day, Charm is summoned by the Emperor and finds out he is dying. His final request is that Charm find out which of the Emperor’s sons is behind their father’s death. With Borenguard thrown into chaos as the princes fight for the throne, Charm must find the Emperor’s killer before war breaks out in the kingdom.

I will not lie: this book was absolutely not what I thought it would be. Based on the plot synopsis of the book itself, I thought that this book was going to be more of a gothic fairy tale with a whodunnit element. Instead, this book is more of a dark steampunk fantasy with magic in parts. For the majority of this book, I was rather confused by the world-building, and differentiating the characters was a bit of a challenge at times. That isn’t to say that this book is badly written. Sara Mueller puts a lot of conviction and care into the narrative. I found plenty of redeeming qualities the further I got into the book but it took me longer than I would have liked to truly find the rhythm of this book. I was actually fully prepared to DNF this book at one point. I am glad I finished this but it might take another reading to fully understand this book. It certainly is unlike anything I have read in a while and, for that, I did appreciate Mueller’s unique novel. For this book, I am going to say to go ahead and give it a chance because there is certainly potential in this novel that I hope other people see.

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All we can do is make the best of the future: Reviewing One Desert Night by Ricky Hurlich

Hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays. I promise I am still here. I am just slowing down a bit at the end of the year. My last post of the year will probably be my annual favorites list and then the new year will be a fresh start with plenty of books to read. This particular review, though, is very exciting because it is by another indie author. I want to give a huge shoutout to Ricky for reaching out to me and asking me to review his unpublished novella. I will list all of his socials at the end of this review so make sure to send him some love. Now, let’s talk about One Desert Night.

Content Warning: Semi-Graphic Depictions of a Car Accident, Some Discussion of Mental Health Issues and Self-Harm

Jack is on a journey. At the end of everything, in an impossible realm where time and space blur together, Jack is seeking answers to impossible questions. Along the way, he meets a stranger who serves as his guide through the universe. Despite the beauty of everything, there is also the one answer Jack never knew he wanted. Jack realizes, though, that he will have to face the truth and his impact on the lives of others.

One Desert Night was a wonderfully atmospheric story with plenty of introspection and philosophical musings. Ricky Hurlich has done an excellent job eloquently telling the story of one man’s journey to self-discovery. My personal favorite aspect of the story was how the different plot points with different characters became connected towards the end. I was guessing all the way to the end and wanted answers the entire time. It is easy to tell that a lot of care and love went into crafting the message of this story. I can’t wait to see more from Ricky in the future and hope that he’s able to share his work with all of you as he has done with me.

Instagram: RHurlich

Facebook: Ricky Hurlich

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The greatest glory that can ever be is to rise: Reviewing Shadows of the Dark Realm (ARC Review) by Tyler Edwards

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. If you are an American viewer, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I am so excited to share my first ARC review with you! This is so exciting! First of all, I want to give a huge shoutout to Tyler Edwards for reaching out to me. I will list all of his social media links at the end of this review. Go send him some love and support. I’m all for boosting indie authors so feel free to reach out to me if you want a bit of a boost. Now without further ado, let’s discuss Shadows of the Dark Realm.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Graphic Death Scenes, Scenes of Major Bodily Injury, Some Disturbing Imagery

Long ago, the Dark Realm, Mortal Realm, and Spirit Realm were all connected. A fragile peace had been forged between them to respect the boundaries between the worlds. Praetor Rath, the Shadow King, broke that peace and invaded the Realms with his mighty army. The kings of Mortal Realm and Spirit Realm created the Dark Stone in order to seal away the Shadow Realm. Now, King Alistar of Parisia announces a quest to find the Dark Stone to protect his kingdom. A ragtag group of Seekers forms in order to find the magical artifact. Along the way, they realize that the danger is much greater than any of them could have anticipated. Secrets, betrayal, magic, and danger lurk around every corner as they journey to save the realms before dark powers threaten to destroy life as they know it.

As you all know, I am a huge fan of epic fantasy and Tyler Edwards certainly delivers a fantastic adventure. This was so action-packed and exciting. I truly had so much fun reading this book. I loved the world-building throughout the novel, in particular. It can be tricky to balance the two elements but it worked in this book. I also loved how unexpected the plot was as there were plenty of plot twists that made the book unputdownable. This book gave me major Dungeons and Dragons vibes with a nice hint of ’90s fantasy. Edwards does a great job taking traditional fantasy elements and making them unique to the world of his novel. Overall, I had such a fun time with this book and I am looking forward to you all being able to read it as well. Shadows of the Dark Realm comes out on 01/31/2024.

Thank you, Tyler!

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I swear myself to you and none other: Reviewing A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

Hello everyone! Two reviews in one weekend! I know, it’s a lot but I am feeling productive with my TBR pile. I have some sequels to books I have previously read that I have been just itching to get around to. Today’s particular novel was brought to you by “Book Tok.” I’ve been finding really great suggestions through some of the people I follow there and I have a fairly comprehensive list of books I intend to read in the future. Enough chit-chat, though. Let’s finally discuss A Taste of Gold and Iron.

Content Warning: Some Violence, Some Mildly Graphic Descriptions of Bodily Injuries, Some Harsh Language, Mild Sexual Content

Prince Kadou of Arast is typically shy and soft-spoken, preferring to keep away from the court and politics. An altercation, though, puts him under the scrutiny of the royal court, his sister, and the father of his niece. In order to put himself back in the good graces of the court, Kadou takes it upon himself to lead an investigation of a break in at one of their guilds. At his side is a new bodyguard, a handsome and proper man named Evemer who was personally assigned to him by his sister. Kadou uses his ability of touch-tasting, which allows him to discern precious metals. Soon, Kadou and Evemer uncover a conspiracy that threatens the entire royal court and it is up to them to stop it.

A Taste of Gold and Iron is an enjoyable fantasy that weaves together a lot of fun tropes into Rowland’s own intricately created world. While I am not a huge fan of royal court fantasy, I did find myself enjoying how Rowland uses that setting to create so much delicious tension. The romance between Kadou and Evemer was such a good slow burn that was equal parts steamy and romantic. I know some people really love the “bodyguard romance” subgenre and this fits squarely into that trope as well. Romance that relies on specific tropes can be very tricky as sometimes it just comes across as cliche. Alexandrea Rowland includes just enough cliche to satisfy the romance part of the novel while balancing it out with an intricate fantasy setting. A Taste of Gold and Iron was certainly a great fantasy read that you won’t want to put down.

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We lovers fear everything: Reviewing A Game of Gods (Book 3 of the Hades saga) by Scarlett St. Clair

Hello everyone! I hope y’all are holding up. I’m going out of town soon so that will be a nice change of scenery and I’ll definitely get some reading done during the car ride. My TBR stack is pretty hefty right now so I’ll have plenty of content coming soon. I am pretty set on only reading physical books. This isn’t me throwing shade at anyone who reads e-books. I just struggle to pay attention when the book is digital. The same goes for audiobooks. I prefer to have the physical book in my hands because it feels like I can absorb the content better. Now, let’s end my rambling and talk about A Game of Gods.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Violence, Some Graphic Bodily Injury, Attempted Sexual Assault, Harsh Language, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny

Hades, the God of the Dead, has done everything to protect his beloved Persephone and guarantee their marriage. While they are both excited, they are also aware that Persephone’s mother Demeter will stop at nothing to tear them apart, even if it means hurting others. Demeter is not the only threat to Hades and the rest of the gods. Theseus, a son of Zeus, is gaining allies as his plan to overthrow the gods is starting to come to fruition. Despite the danger, Hades is determined to make Persephone his bride and is willing to play increasingly dangerous games where anyone can be an enemy and allies are far from guaranteed.

This book was by far the thickest addition to this series and had the most plot by far. I do appreciate the balance between the plot and the main point of this book: the adult content. I personally really enjoyed how “involved” this book was this multiple points of view and an interesting subplot that was a bit of a re-telling of the myth of Dionysus and Ariadne. I also appreciate that Scarlett St. Clair admits that this book is meant to be a bit of a soap opera because it delivers in the most enjoyable way. This series has been a fun and sexy time. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how this continues as this book ended on a cliff hanger and I need to know what happens next.

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We keep striking. We keep going. We keep fighting: Reviewing The Blood Gift (Book 2 of The Blood Gift Duology) by N.E. Davenport

Hi everyone! I am really speeding through my TBR much faster than I would like. I’ve been really wanting to finish this sequel, though. I try to stick to standalone reads, mostly because I don’t have enough shelf space for multiple series. I recently heard via the internet that it takes a thousand books to make a library. I am curious but I do not feel like counting my collection any time soon. Now, let’s talk about the highly anticipated sequel to The Blood Trials.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Graphic Bodily Injury, Explicit Sexual Content, Discussions and Depictions of Racism, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Harsh Language

After facing the ultimate betrayal at the hands of the Tribunal Council, Ikenna Amari finds herself on the run with her fellow “deserters” and hopes that one of her Grandfather’s allies might back their rebellion. Ikenna also must get her overwhelming powers under control and she is running out of time. The Blood Emperor has launched a full-scale attack against Mareen and nothing will stop him from killing everyone in his way. Ikenna and her must team must defeat the Blood Emperor to bring an end to his destruction, but that is not the only challenge they face. With war erupting and alliances falling apart, Ikenna must find where her loyalties lie in order to take out the greatest threat against her world.

I absolutely loved The Blood Trials (please check out that review) and The Blood Gift did not disappoint. It was just as intense as the first book but had a dash more political intrigue that helped flesh out the world that N.E. Davenport has so carefully crafted. Ikenna “Kenna” Amari is the perfect example of how to write a strong female character without reducing her to any one category. I actually appreciated how Davenport incorporated romance and other themes of love into the novel without taking away from the incredible battle scenes and a rather realistic look at warfare. This book is so well-balanced and well-paced. I did not want to look away, even when it got gruesome. For those of you who loved The Blood Trials, worry not because The Blood Gift lives up to the hype.