Category: Fantasy

Title: Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1)
Author: Maya Motayne
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Set in a Latinx-inspired world, a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed.

To Finn Voy, magic is two things: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her…and a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks.

As a talented faceshifter, it’s been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that’s exactly how she likes it. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster, she’s forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan’s royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.

After the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. But Alfie can’t help but feel that he will never live up to his brother’s legacy. Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.

But when Finn and Alfie’s fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power—which, if not contained, will devour the world. And with Castallan’s fate in their hands, Alfie and Finn must race to vanquish what they have unleashed, even if it means facing the deepest darkness in their pasts.

Review:

This is the first book in an exciting new fantasy series.

The world in this novel is Latinx-inspired. I love the way that the culture was brought into the novel in the atmosphere and the language. There were Latinx-inspired words used for the magic spells in the world. I think there could have been even more Latin elements in the story, but hopefully that will come in the next book.

This story had an exciting heist-like plot, similar to Six of Crows. It was different from Six of Crows because it was only a group of two people on the quest. Because of that, it was a little easier to follow. It was a thrilling journey to read!

I loved this book! I’m excited to see what happens next! Also, Maya Motayne will be coming to the Toronto area on the weekend so I can’t wait to meet her!

What to read next:

Have you read Nocturna? What did you think of it?

Title: King of Fools (The Shadow Game #2)
Author: Amanda Foody
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 30, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Indulge your vices in the City of Sin, where a sinister street war is brewing and fame is the deadliest killer of them all…

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.

As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive…

Or die as legends.

Review:

This sequel to Ace of Shades was fast paced and intense. There were many new characters as well as new subplots.

This story added a political scene to New Reynes, on top of the many gangs. It was another layer to the story, where the politicians were competing for their seat alongside the gang fights.

There were so many new characters and relationships that it was difficult to keep track of sometimes. Everyone seemed to think one way but act another, so you couldn’t really tell who was being honest. Each person also has a talent, which sometimes had to be kept a secret. It was a little confusing at times, but I had figured it out by the end.

The ending of the book dropped a bunch of bombshells. Even when I thought it was over, there were still more revelations to come. I’m curious to see what happens next.

Thank you Inkyard Press for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Have you read King of Fools? What did you think of it?

Title: War Storm (Red Queen #4)
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 15, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Victory comes at a price.

Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal’s betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart—and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her—Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all… starting with the crown on Maven’s head.

But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolishing everything—and everyone—in his path.

War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms? Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced?

In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard’s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power… for all will be tested, but not all will survive.

Review:

It has taken me a while to read this highly anticipated finale to the Red Queen series. I was glad to finally finish it!

It’s been a few years since I started reading this series. I had forgotten a lot that happened, so I had to read some summaries before reading this book. Even though it has only been four books, there were a lot of subplots and characters to follow. I was surprised at how easy it was to get back into the story once I started reading it. Victoria Aveyard’s writing gives a complete picture of what is happening, so it was easy to read.

The one criticism I have about this book is that it drifted from the original plot of the story. The story mostly followed Mare, Evangeline, and Iris. There was a lot of focus on the different houses and kingdoms in the world. I think it would have been much shorter if it just focused on the battle between Mare, Cal and Maven. The stories of the other families could have been explored in its own series.

I’m glad that I finished this series. I’m curious to see what happens in the collection of stories, Broken Throne.

What to read next:

Have you read Red Queen? What did you think of it?

Title: The Devouring Gray
Author: Christine Lynn Herman
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Indigo Summer Preview
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…

Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid.

When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?

Review:

I loved this book! It’s spooky and suspenseful.

This story has been compared to The Raven Cycle and Stranger Things, and I was definitely reminded of both of those series while reading it. In this story, there is a place in the woods called the Gray. It is like an alternate version of the forest where time feels different. The Gray holds a beast that kills people in the town, so the founding families use their special powers to defend the town. This reminded me of the Upside Down in Stranger Things, which is also like an alternate version of their town.

This town felt like a real place because of all of the history it had. There were four founding families, each of which has their own special power, including seeing the future and bringing stone to life. There was so much history of the town that it seemed like a real place, though it would be a creepy town if it were real.

The characters were also well developed. They had intense histories, including losing family members. The three main characters have to do rituals to get their powers, if they have them. If they don’t have powers, the town looks down on them. The narrative alternated between the perspectives of Justin, Violet, and Harper. They are each in a different position in terms of their relation to the town and the Gray, so they have very different perspectives of the town.

I really enjoyed this story. The ending was open ended, so I’m curious to see what happens in the rest of the series.

What to read next:

Have you read The Devouring Gray? What did you think of it?

Title: Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1)
Author: Emily A. Duncan
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.. 

Review:

This book definitely lived up to the hype. It had lots of emotional ups and downs. I loved it.

While I was reading it, I kept thinking of the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. They both have a strong presence of saints in the world. There are monsters masquerading as humans in both worlds. Also, the main character has special powers that she is just learning how to use to the fullest.

I became so emotionally invested in the story by the end. Some characters were not who they appeared to be at first, so I didn’t know who to trust. I loved that both Nadya and Serefin had separate narratives, so two sides of the story were told.

The final scenes were some of the most intense scenes I’ve ever read. There was tons of action and there were revelations that I wasn’t expecting. I never could have guessed how the story ended!

I loved this book. I’m excited to see what happens in the rest of the series!

What to read next:

About the Author:

Author Links:

Website: https://eaduncan.com/
Twitter: @glitzandshadows
Instagram: @glitzandshadows
Tumblr: http://glitzandshadows.tumblr.com/

Buy the book:

https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/wicked-saints/

Thank you to Wednesday Books for letting me participate in this blog tour.

Title: The Last Namsara (Iskari #1)
Author: Kristen Ciccarelli
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her. 

Review:

I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for so long, and I regret not reading it sooner. It’s an amazing story!

I loved the power of stories in this book. Stories have the ability to attract dragons and give them the power to breathe fire. However, they are also believed to steal life from the person who tells them. Words and stories are very powerful because they represent our histories and dreams. I appreciated the way stories played a small part in this narrative, as a weapon, but didn’t take over from the main narrative.

There was a strong hierarchy of power in this story. The people in positions of power own the skral people, who work as their slaves. The skral aren’t even allowed to touch or look at their masters or anyone above them on the social hierarchy. Though Asha has the power to kill dragons, she doesn’t have any power over her own life. Her father controls the decision of who she will marry, and once she marries, her husband will control her choices. Though Asha is at a disadvantage in her position, she is very strong willed, which encourages her to fight for her life.

I loved this story! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

What to read next:

Have you read The Last Namsara? What did you think of it?