Posted on by bookreviews628

Better to Die in War Than Rust Through a Time of Peace: Reviewing The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story by M.L. Wang

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. This year may have already begun, but I am determined to be a bit more timely with reviews. My resolution is to spend less time on social media and more time reading and/or writing. This particular review is long overdue, and I have a lot to say, so let’s talk about The Sword of Kaigen.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Suicide, Miscarriage, Domestic Violence, Grief and Mourning, Disturbing Imagery, Misogyny

The Kaigenese Empire is one of the most powerful forces on Duna, and there live families said to be descended from the gods. On the Kusanagi peninsula live the Matsuda families, who are wielders of the Whispering Blade, an ancient and legendary weapon. Misaki, the wife and matriarch of the Matsuda family, had to leave behind her days of adventuring to raise a family. Unhappy in her marriage, Misaki longs for change. When an old friend from her past appears with a warning, Misaki realizes that she may have to fight once more. Mamoru, the oldest son of the Matsuda family, is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a fearsome warrior. Mamoru’s world is changed when a new classmate from a different country tells him that the Empire is not the benevolent power he had always thought it was. Now, Mamoru has to contend that he might have to fight for something he doesn’t believe in. With an invasion on the horizon, the Matsuda family will have to find the strength to fight together or risk being torn apart.

I don’t like to toss around the word “epic” a lot to describe a book, but The Sword of Kaigen absolutely earned the adjective. It’s so action-packed and rich in its lore. M.L. Wang’s world is endlessly imaginative. I learned something new in every chapter. Every culture in this book was so well thought out. The character development, though, isn’t sacrificed in favor of the world-building, which tends to be a pitfall of many fantasy books. Wang’s characters are so life-like, and I loved how much time was dedicated to exploring them as people. With all of that being said, I really wish that this had been part of a duology. There are a lot of moving parts in this novel, and it can be overwhelming because there’s so much information to absorb. I found myself constantly flipping to the back to double-check the terminology in the book. That isn’t to say that it wasn’t understandable. I simply wish that I had gotten to spend more time in this world so that I could familiarize myself with Wang’s intricate landscape. That, however, is mostly a “me” problem. I recommend picking up The Sword of Kaigen immediately.

Posted on by bookreviews628

Love makes Fools of us all. Including the Muses. Including even the Gods: Reviewing We Love You, Bunny (A sequel to Bunny) by Mona Awad

Hi everyone! Happy New Year! Let’s hope for a great 2026! This is now my fourth review of Mona Awad. Feel free to go back and check out my review of this novel’s predecessor, Bunny. I’ll save all of my thoughts for my review below. Let’s kick this year off with my first review, We Love You, Bunny.

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Strong Language, Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery

Years have passed since Samantha Heather Mackey had her encounter with the Bunnies at Warren University. Now, she has a book out about her experiences with the stranger graduate students. Not everyone is happy for Samantha. The Bunnies want to tell their side of the story. After kidnapping Samantha, they force her to understand what really happened and why they did the things they did. Their captive audience will know about their inexplicable bond and their first foray into dark magic.

I wish I was starting this year out with a bang, but this review is going to be more of a whimper. Before I go into details, I will say that I still recommend reading Bunny and I still enjoy Mona Awad as an author. That isn’t where my positives stop. I enjoyed the writing of the novel. Awad is so good at creating bizarre and unique characters. This novel showcases Awad’s talent for writing twisted and poetic prose. I will also not diminsh the novel’s message about who art belongs to and the intensity of the creative process. With all of that being said, though, I just really didn’t like this book. It felt way too long and very little happened until the last half of the book. The Bunnies, while they are entertaining, do nothing for a majority of this book. I learned nothing new about them. I barely understood why they worked as a group, other than happenstance. The most annoying aspect of this book is how the main characters constantly scream at each other. Their intense, melodramatic emotions felt unearned. They weren’t unlikeable in a “fun” way. All of their work was glossed over in favor of the section of the book that is narrated by their first creation. I understand that Awad was going for a Frankenstein angle by having the creators and the creation each have their own stories to tell. The main difference is that Victor Frankenstein is a fleshed out character and the Bunnies felt so flat. The worst thing about this book is that it made me root for the main male character in a book that had plenty of interesting female characters to work with. The pacing also just didn’t help. I kept forgetting that the book is centered around them kidnapping Samantha from the first book. Not to keep ranting, but I hate these sequels/prequels that try to demystify the previous work. Unfortunately, We Love You, Bunny was a flop for me. I only take solace in seeing that other people had this book on their worst and/or most disappointing books of 2025 lists. Just read Bunny and don’t even bother with this sequel/prequel.

Posted on by bookreviews628

There was a song in this forest, too, but it was a savage song, whispering of madness and tearing and rage: Reviewing Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m starting to transition into my “spooky” books for October, but I have a couple of others to finish before then. I’m not really going to ramble too much. Naomi Novik has been in my peripheral vision for a bit now, and this is my first experience with any of her novels. I also want to say thank you all so much for continuing to engage with my blog. It means more to me than you know. I hope you continue to read my posts whenever you’re feeling a little bored. With all of that being said, I’ll get to what you came to this post for. Let’s talk about Uprooted.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Sexual Content, Attempted Sexual Assault, Animal Death

Every ten years, a warlock who calls himself the Dragon comes to the village to pick a girl to take away. In exchange, he protects the village from the dangers that hide in the corrupted Wood. Agnieszka had never expected to be chosen by the Dragon. She and everyone expected Kasia to be chosen. The Dragon, however, chooses Agnieszka for reasons she cannot understand. Soon, she finds herself absorbed in the world of magic, court politics, and war. With no other choice, Agnieszka must fight against the evil Wood to save everyone she has ever loved.

I didn’t go in with any real expectations for this novel, and Uprooted exceeded my nonexistent expectations. Naomi Novik is insanely imaginative and well-written. This novel went places I didn’t expect it to go, and that made it all the more enjoyable. The book is so atmospheric, with classic fairy tale elements and interesting lore. There was also plenty of action. I was not expecting this novel to have any intense battle scenes, but there were some really cool scenes involving monsters and warlocks. I am going to cut this review a little short because I want to stay away from any spoilers. I highly encourage you to experience Uprooted for yourself. I will definitely read more Naomi Novik novels in the future.

Posted on by bookreviews628

The heart does not go backward. Only the mind: Reviewing The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you answered positively. If you didn’t , then I hope your day improves. I am currently drowning in books because of all of the summer library sales that are happening around where I live. There are a couple of “little libraries” in my neighborhood as well, so I like to check those from time to time for anything good. Unfortunately, I have no impulse control and will take home any book that looks remotely interesting to me. With that being said, don’t forget to support your local libraries and small bookshops. Anyways, you can check out my review of The Historian, also by Elizabeth Kostova. For now, we are talking about The Swan Thieves.

Robert Oliver, a reclusive and brilliant artist, is arrested for attempting to attack a famous painting with a knife. He is placed under the care of psychiatrist Dr. Andrew Marlow. Marlow is also a painter and wants to relate to his stubbornly silent patient. In an attempt to understand Robert Oliver, Marlow goes on a journey through his patient’s past. By doing so, Marlow finds himself enthralled in a tale of obsession, passion, and secrets. The key to all of this is through the love letters between a nineteenth century artist and her forbidden lover. Only through these can Marlow finally understand his patient and himself.

Where The Historian fell in to the category of “dark academia,” The Swan Thieves fits comfortably in “light academia.” Kostova’s prose is breezy, eloquent and uncomplicated. This style, though, does not simplify or demean the themes of the novel. It is a novel focused on the complexities of identity and love, all told with art history in mind. Kostova gives no clear answer to her characters’ motives, but paints a picture (pun intended) and leaves the reader to interpret what any of it truly means. This is all done, though, with no pretention or assumption. It is a presentation of the complicated lives of characters who feel so incredibly lifelike, even in a slightly idyllic fictional setting. Kostova is a ridiculously talented writer and I so wish she had more than two books out. With all of that being said, you should absolutely read The Swan Thieves and The Historian.

Posted on by bookreviews628

Don’t do what you can’t undo, until you’ve considered what you can’t do once you’ve done it: Reviewing Assassin’s Apprentice (Book 1 of the Farseer Trilogy) by Robin Hobb

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying your summer and surviving the heatwave. I still have an obscene amount of books to read and am reading more than my brain can handle at times. Still, I am having fun and enjoying everything so far. Summer just feels like the best time to read, but that is my humble opinion. I shall not ramble on when I haven’t posted here in quite some time. Let’s talk about Assassin’s Apprentice.

Content Warning: Violence, Some Descriptions of Graphic Injuries, Animal Death

Fitz is a young boy with no memory of his past. The only thing he knows is that he is the bastard son of Prince Chivalry. One day, he is presented to his grandfather King Shrewd, who decides he has use for the boy. He sends Fitz to be raised by Chivarly’s stable keeper until the boy comes of age. King Shrewd reveals to Fitz that he bears the Skill, a magical talent that only runs in royal blood. Fitz is sent to an eccentric tutor to hone his Skill and eventually become the king’s assassin. While Fitz is training, raiders start to lay siege upon the kingdom. Fitz is sent on a mission that will save the kingdom, but may be his last order from the king.

Assassin’s Apprentice was equal parts adventure, fantasy, and tragedy. Robin Hobb creates a steady narrative filled with political intrigue and fascinating world-building. The tension and tragedy of the novel make it all the more shocking and thrilling with each page. There were, admittedly, parts that dragged on a bit for me, but it wasn’t so slow-paced that I became annoyed or bored. If anything, it made me appreciate Hobb’s attention to detail as she balances her world-building and character development. All in all, Assassin’s Apprentice is an exciting high-fantasy novel that feels entirely unlike anything else.

Posted on by bookreviews628

The amount of pain we can endure is spectacular: Reviewing Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Thank you so much for your likes for my last couple of posts. I love to see that you are all still enjoying my little hobby after all this time. It makes me happy. Don’t worry because I still have plenty of books to review. I’m also going to be starting a couple of series in the near future, so I’m looking forward to seeing if I like any of those. I have plenty of standalone books if that is something you are interested in. With that being said, let’s talk about Ripe.

Content Warning: Substance Abuse, Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery, Self-harm, Abortion, Emotional Abuse

After spending years at a prominent tech company in San Francisco, Cassie has had enough. She is exhausted, lonely, and frightened but does her best to mask her feelings. Cassie’s life takes a turn when she suspects she might be pregnant. On top of that, her boss asks her to take part in a sketchy plan to take down a rival company. With the pressure growing, Cassie must make a choice that will change her life forever.

I haven’t read any “messy girl literature” in a while and Ripe sits comfortably in that category. I do not label something as “messy girl literature” dismissively. Ripe uses a combination of magical realism and eloquent prose to highlight Cassie’s struggles that most peope relate to. Sarah Rose Etter tackles heavy topics like the endless and torturous cycle of capitalism, depression, emotional abuse from a parent, and substance abuse with brutal honesty and sympathy. The novel was just ambiguous enough and just specific enough to keep me locked in. It is uncomfortable to read at times but those uncomfortable truths are worth confronting. If you want something provocative and harsh, then Ripe is exactly the book for you.

Posted on by bookreviews628 · 1 Comment

After a while, though, things will fall into place: Reviewing Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Hey everyone! I’m back again! I love being able to give you all back-to-back reviews. I have been sitting on this particular book for a while now. I know most people read Kindred in high school or undergrad, but I hadn’t read any books by Octavia E. Butler before so I had been looking forward to this one for a while. I won’t ramble on much longer. Let’s talk about Kindred.

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Self-Harm and Suicide, Harsh Language and Slurs, Historically Accurate Depictions of Slavery, Sexual Assault

Dana was living her ordinary life in 1976 with her husband. Suddenly, she is pulled through time from her home in California to the antebellum South. She ends up saving the life of Rufus, the white son of a wealthy plantation owner. Soon, Dana finds herself repeatedly drawn back in time to save Rufus. In the past, Dana took it upon herself to save as many of the slaves as she could while trying to convince Rufus to break the cycle of violence on his father’s plantation. As each stay grows longer and more dangerous, Dana begins to worry that she might not make it out alive.

I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read an Octavia Butler book. I have been missing out. This was such an intense and exceptional story that was far ahead of its time. Butler takes an unflinching look at the realities of slavery in the antebellum South and the undeniable impact that history has had on the present day. It was a difficult read, but only in the sense that the prose is visceral and can be hard to confront, but that is Butler’s purpose. Not many historical novels confront that brutality of the past in such an eloquent way, but Butler does so. There is so much to be about this book, but I think you are better off experiencing it for yourself. If you haven’t read this one in school, then read Kindred because you need to.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
Posted on by bookreviews628

When you’ve been set up to lose everything, what is there left to fight for?: Reviewing Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Hello everyone! Holy cow! I’m so excited to review this book. I swear I will get to my other books but I had to drop everything for this one! For those of you who don’t know, I have been a longtime Hunger Games fan. I was obsessed with the books in middle school and high school. My first ever midnight movie premiere was the first Hunger Games movie. Needless to say, I was so excited when Suzanne Collins announced that she was going to write another book about Haymitch’s Games. Anyways, I’m going to stop yapping and get to reviewing. Let’s talk about Sunrise on the Reaping.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harm Towards Children, Animal Death, Substance Abuse

It’s the morning of the Reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. This game is a Quarter Quell, which means four tributes will be chosen from each District. It is also Haymitch Abernathy’s sixteenth birthday. He tries to push aside his fears by focusing on what he loves the most: his family and his girl, Lenore Dove. His fears are realized when his name is called during the Reaping. He and three other tributes are ripped from their beloved homes and forced to be the Capitol’s entertainment. Along the way, Haymitch meets other people who want to bring an end to the Hunger Games and he takes a chance on these secretive rebels. Once he’s in the arena, though, all bets are off and Haymitch what’s worth fighting for.

Suzanne Collins has done it again. She has delivered her most poignant, heartbreaking, and remarkable entry to her franchise yet. Before I even begin talking about this, I urge all of you to read the quotes that Collins included at the beginning of the book. Everything about Sunrise on the Reaping is so deliberate and topical. I love the themes of this book. On top of that, we also get some really interesting bits of lore that all Hunger Games fans have been dying to know. Haymitch is a great main character as his personality shines with equal parts charm and reliability. This book, though… This book is brutal. No punches are pulled before, during, or after the Games. I had to set this one aside a few times just to process what had happened. I was in genuine shock, but that was the best part. If this book doesn’t make you uncomfortable, then you aren’t truly reading this book. I could write a twenty-five to thirty-page essay on this book, but I will refrain from doing so. I will leave you with this: go pick it up immediately because it needs to be experienced, especially in the current political climate.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Thank you!

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
Posted on by bookreviews628

Nothing but the impossibility of us: Reviewing Dark Restraint (Book 7 of the Dark Olympus series) by Katee Robert

Hi everyone! It’s my first review of the new year! Sorry for the delay but I am finally motivated to post again. Before you check out this review, feel free to check out my previous reviews of the other books in the Dark Olympus series. I don’t have much else to say so, let’s talk about Dark Restraint, the latest entry in the Dark Olympus series.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Violence, Strong Language, Discussions of Child Abuse, Discussions of Assault

Ariadne Vitalis is in danger. After betraying her father, Minos, she has no choice but to join forces with the Thirteen. That means entering into a staged engagement with Dionysus. Asterion, aka The Minotaur, is determined to get Ariadne back – no matter the cost. Unfortunately, he is also being hunted down by Minos, his former employer. To be together, Ariadne and the Minotaur will have to do the impossible and flee Olympus, as well as Minos’ fury. The two might have to burn Olympus to the ground to be together, once and for all.

I have to admit that Dark Restraint, while it has its merits, is not my favorite out of this series. I think Katee Robert’s books (in this series) are the strongest when they are more accurate to the myths that they are based on. While I appreciated the references, it kind of felt like the names were just sort of tacked onto a different story. With that being said, as a romance, I still enjoyed the steamy scenes and the drama of this particular pairing. There was also plenty of action and suspense, which is what makes me want to keep reading this series. While this isn’t the strongest start to the year, it was still an enjoyable read. Go ahead and check out the Dark Olympus series. It’s a fun and spicy time.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Thank you!

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly
Posted on by bookreviews628

All water is blood to her: Reviewing Follow Me to the Ground by Sue Rainsford

Hey everyone! I hope you are doing great! I also hope you are reading lots of good books. Funny enough, I put this book on my TBR list and then happened upon it at a book sale at my local library. I’ve also been getting books from the “little library” in a park near me. Don’t forget to check out to support your local libraries, folks. Even if you prefer to buy your books, you should get a library card anyway. That’s my little tangent for today. Let’s talk about Follow Me to the Ground.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Explicit Sexual Content

Ada and her father share the magical ability to heal people, whom they refer to as “Cures,” by temporarily burying them under the Ground, which is the source of their powers. Ada dedicates her life to curing people until she meets a handsome man named Samson. The two begin an affair that upsets Ada’s father and Samson’s sister. As Ada begins to imagine a new life for herself, she also comes across a discovery that changes her entire world.

Follow Me to the Ground is a strange but interesting book that uses ambiguity and poetic writing to its advantage. This is one where I had to re-read as I was going to truly absorb what I was reading. It is still a rather haunting read when it needs to be. Sue Rainsford utilizes different perspectives to purposefully muddy the waters of the plot, but that is what makes the book all the more interesting. I like the elements of dark magical realism and how it felt a bit like a folktale. The themes revolving around bodily autonomy and the relationship between nature and humans made the book feel a bit more grounded. Overall, Follow Me to the Ground is a thought-provoking and strange tale if you want something a little odd to indulge in.

One-Time
Monthly
Yearly

Make a one-time donation

Make a monthly donation

Make a yearly donation

Choose an amount

$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00
$5.00
$15.00
$100.00

Or enter a custom amount

$

Thank you so much!!!!

Your contribution is appreciated.

Your contribution is appreciated.

DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearly