Author: baltimorebibliophile

Title: The House of Always (A Chorus of Dragons #4)

Author: Jenn Lyons

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication date: May 11th, 2021

544 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

For fans of Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss, The House of Always is the fourth epic fantasy in Jenn Lyons’ Chorus of Dragons series that began with The Ruin of Kings.

What if you were imprisoned for all eternity?

In the aftermath of the Ritual of Night, everything has changed.

The Eight Immortals have catastrophically failed to stop Kihrin’s enemies, who are moving forward with their plans to free Vol Karoth, the King of Demons. Kihrin has his own ideas about how to fight back, but even if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for victory, the cost may prove too high for his allies.

Now they face a choice: can they save the world while saving Kihrin, too? Or will they be forced to watch as he becomes the very evil they have all sworn to destroy.

Review

The fourth installment in the A Chorus of Dragons series picks up the gang’s story after the events of The Memory of Souls. As is usual for this series, the story is told in a very unique way – a combination of POV switching, flashbacks, and footnotes by the character writing the compilation after the events of the story. Each book in this series is told in a unique way, The House of Always being no different.

In this book, you get more perspectives, and different perspectives than you really have in previous books. All the big players across the first three books are in this book, whereas in the past they’ve been separated. In the usual fashion of this series, The House of Always is complex, epic, and very fast-paced. There is a lot of action due to the flashbacks, and a lot of previous events are explained during this book – which is helpful for overall comprehension.

This series is decidedly adult, epic fantasy so if that isn’t your jam – this book may be confusing and hard to follow. There are so many fantasy elements in this series that it will appeal to those folks who love fantasy more than anything else, like me!

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Happy reading, folks!

Title: Ace of Spades

Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication date: June 1st, 2021

pages

5/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades, a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully.

When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too.

Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures.

As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly?

With heart-pounding suspense and relevant social commentary comes a high-octane thriller from debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

Review

Ace of Spades is a YA thriller/mystery set in a private school with dual POV from Chiamaka and Devon – two students who couldn’t be more different, but find themselves the target of an anonymous texter called Aces. Aces is similar to A from Pretty Little Liars, they send text messages to the whole school dropping secrets about students and overall trying to ruin their lives. But what do these two have in common to derive such treatment?

Wow oh wow, first off I LOVE boarding/private school mysteries as a rule and this was no exception. At 27 years old I can’t say why I love teenage drama and pettiness but I don’t hate it. Both characters have a lot of depth to them as you learn more and it just draws you more and more into the plot with every message from Aces. It was hard to tell what the ending would be throughout the book, it’s not a plot line that is easy to guess.

There is also a lot of representation in this book – both MCs are BIPOC and on the LGBTQIAP spectrum. There is a fantastic conversation about race wrapped up in this book. I can’t even explain exactly how great this book was, and if YA mystery/thrillers are your jam you should definitely check it out.

Thank you to Feiwel and Friends and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Happy reading, folks!

Title: These Feathered Flames (These Feathered Flames #1)

Author: Alexandra Overy

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Publication date: April 20th, 2021

496 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

A queer retelling of “The Firebird,” a Russian folktale

When twin heirs are born in Tourin, their fates are decided at a young age. While Izaveta remained at court to learn the skills she’d need as the future queen, Asya was taken away to train with her aunt, the mysterious Firebird, who ensured magic remained balanced in the realm.

But before Asya’s training is completed, the ancient power blooms inside her, which can mean only one thing: the queen is dead, and a new ruler must be crowned.

As the princesses come to understand everything their roles entail, they’ll discover who they can trust, who they can love—and who killed their mother.

Review

These Feathered Flames is the beginning of a new fantasy, retelling of The Firebird fairy tale. I found this book to be extremely enjoyable, while also being very hard to get into. Personally, I have a harder time reading Russian inspired books due to the names and lore – so this is likely a me thing, not necessarily a fault of the book. The Russian influence is heavy within the plot, names, and backgrounds of the characters so it has a large presence in the story.

I LOVED the concept of the two twin sisters being born, one to be queen and one to become the mythical Firebird. It reminded me a lot of the Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake in terms of the sisters. When their mother, the Queen, dies the Firebird is called back to the palace after many years to begin the Mourning period. But politics and maneuvering take over, with many attempting to depose the sister meant to be the next Queen.

The writing in this book is beautiful, and whereas it took me some time to become invested in the story, the ending 10% had me on the absolute edge of my seat and taking me on a shocking journey to set up the next book. The sister’s dynamic was engaging and interesting, as they both came into their own powers and became what was expected of them at court.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Happy reading, folks!

Title: Iron Heart (Crier’s War #2)

Author: Nina Varela

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication date: September 8th, 2020

400 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Critically acclaimed author Nina Varela delivers a stunning sequel to the richly imagined queer epic fantasy Crier’s War, which SLJ called “perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass.”

For too long, Automae have lorded over the kingdom of Rabu, oppressing its human citizens. But the human revolution has risen, and at its heart is Ayla. Once a handmaiden, now a fugitive, Ayla narrowly escaped the palace of Lady Crier, the girl she would’ve killed if she hadn’t fallen in love first. 

Now Ayla has pledged her allegiance to Queen Junn, who can help accomplish the human rebellion’s ultimate goal: destroy the Iron Heart. Without its power, the Automae will be weakened to the point of extinction. Ayla wants to succeed, but can’t shake the strong feelings she’s developed for Crier. And unbeknownst to her, Crier has also fled the palace, taking up among traveling rebels, determined to find and protect Ayla.

Even as their paths collide, nothing can prepare them for the dark secret underlying the Iron Heart.

Review

“If the universe were static, I could stand anywhere in this world and I swear my line of sight would end on you. I swear I’d find you in the dark.”

Nina Varela, Iron Heart

Iron Heart is the sequel to Crier’s War, a sapphic science fiction/fantasy with humans and Automae. Crier and Ayla find themselves on opposite sides of the kingdom, but secretly on the same side of the war. Iron Heart is a dramatic conclusion with action, politics, and a great love story.

I loved how this book wrapped everything up from Crier’s War. Iron Heart starts shortly after Crier’s War ends and is told in the dual POV’s of Ayla and Crier. This book is fast paced with a lot of adventure, magic, and searching for answers. Personally, I think some of the “conflicts” were too easily solved just to keep the plot moving, but that’s just me. I read through this book quickly and it held my attention from start to finish.

For Pride Month, I’m trying to read some of my backlist queer books, and this was an obvious choice with the sapphic romance. I also love that it was an Automae/human relationship – because a star crossed love story is always fun!

If you love sci-fi/fantasy, definitely check this duology out!

Happy reading, folks!

Title: Crier’s War

Author: Nina Varela

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Publication date: October 1st, 2019

464 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Impossible love between two girls —one human, one Made.
A love that could birth a revolution.

After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.

Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

Crier had been preparing to do just that—to inherit her father’s rule over the land. But that was before she was betrothed to Scyre Kinok, who seems to have a thousand secrets. That was before she discovered her father isn’t as benevolent as she thought. That was before she met Ayla.

Set in a richly-imagined fantasy world, Nina Varela’s debut novel is a sweepingly romantic tale of love, loss and revenge, that challenges what it really means to be human.

Review

“If longing is madness, then none of us are sane.”

Nina Varela, Crier’s War

I was immediately sucked into Crier’s War when I began reading it – it is my definition of a perfect YA fantasy novel. There is action, intrigue, a case of forbidden love, a science fiction twist – it has it all. Add in some sapphic romance and it was a million percent up my alley. I couldn’t wait to keep reading it to see what was going to happen next.

The angst and pining in this book is divine. Ayla has no reason to like Crier after her parents are killed but everything Crier does makes her feel conflicted. Crier doesn’t understand how she has such feelings, as an automaton she was Made differently. The writing is incredibly immersive and I loved the snippets of the past at the beginning of chapters. I felt like I was in Rabu with them throughout the book, watching it happen.

Sure, some people may say this is “typical YA” as a negative, but I would never be that person. I love typical YA something fierce, and the pinch of sci fi is a delightful addition that adds a lot of depth to the plot line. I also have no idea how Iron Heart will go based on the ending of Crier’s War, but I’m incredible excited to find outl

Happy reading, folks!

Title: Life’s Too Short (The Friend Zone #3)

Author: Abby Jimenez

Publisher: Forever

Publication date: April 6th, 2021

384 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

A brilliant and touching romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist.

Vanessa lives life on her own terms — one day at a time, every day to its fullest. She isn’t willing to waste a moment or miss out on an experience when she has no idea whether she shares the same fatal genetic condition as her mother. Besides, she has way too much to do, traveling the globe and showing her millions of YouTube followers the joy in seizing every moment.

But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, she is housebound, on mommy duty for the foreseeable future, and feeling totally out of her element.

The last person she expects to show up offering help is the unbelievably hot lawyer who lives next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. But as they get closer, Vanessa realizes that her carefree ways and his need for a structured plan could never be compatible for the long term. Then again, she should know better than anyone that life’s too short to fear taking the biggest risk of all. . .

Review

“I liked that she didn’t feel the need to impress me and I didn’t feel the need to impress her. There was something comforting about it, about just being you in whatever state you happened to be in.”

Abby Jimenez, Life’s Too Short

The third iteration in Jimenez’s romance series features Adrian and Vanessa, neighbors who cross paths and become close friends. Vanessa is a famous travel Youtuber, now living in one place fostering her niece. Adrian is a lawyer who spends way too much time working and not enough time having fun. Their friendship is unlikely, but helpful to each in such a big way. But Vanessa may have a rare genetic condition that kills the women in her family early in life, and she refuses to get tested or get treatment.

First off, I want to say that there are some parts to this book I take issue with, and I will get to that. On the other side, the writing in this book is glorious and emotional. It packs a similar level of emotion into 300 some pages that The Happy Ever After Playlist does. You can’t help but feel for Vanessa and her decision, she is so strong and set in her beliefs after years of questions and doubts. I highly respect the strength and courage that takes – and Adrian’s love for her is beautiful and heartwarming.

However. I have heard mixed reviews about the way anxiety is written about in this book. I myself am not diagnosed specifically with an anxiety disorder, however my Major Depressive Disorder comes with a side dish of anxiety. I personally did not have as much of an issue with the representation of anxiety in this book, but I will not take away from other own voice reviewers who did. Each person’s experience and perception is different, and valid. So, if you do deal with anxiety, here is your trigger warning for a potentially harmful experience.

All in all, I would not put this as the best in the series, but it does edge out The Friend Zone in my opinion.

Happy reading, folks!

Happy June!! I have SO MANY books planned for this month to make up for the last few months where my reading wasn’t quite where it normally is. I’m currently drowning in ARCs that I need to catch up on so it’s time to buckle down! I have no regrets about the books I read the last few months and that it didn’t go according to plan – but I also hold myself responsible for the ARCs that I sign up for so I’m excited to get back on track.

PHYSICAL

1. Geekerella (Once Upon a Con #1), Ashley Poston
2. Bone Crier’s Moon (Bone Grace #1), Kathryn Purdie
3. Bone Crier’s Dawn (Bone Grace #2), Kathryn Purdie
4. Conventionally Yours (True Colors #1), Annabeth Albert
5. Spoiler Alert (Spoiler Alert #1), Olivia Dade
6. Warmaidens (Gravemaidens #2), Kelly Coon
7. Iron Heart (Crier’s War #2), Nina Varela

EBOOKS

1. Circe, Madeline Miller
2. Yes & I Love You (Say Everything #1), Roni Loren

ARCS

1. Ember of Night (Ember of Night #1), Molly E. Lee
2. These Feathered Flames (These Feathered Flames #1), Alexandra Overy
3. Between You, Me, and the Honeybees, Amelia Diane Coombs
4. These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1), Lexi Ryan
5. Where it All Lands, Jennie Wexler
6. Mother of All (Women’s War #3), Jenna Glass
7. Daughter of Lies & Ruin (Tales of the Blackbone Witches #2), Jo Spurrier
8. Hot Under His Collar, Andie J. Christopher
9. How Sweet It Is, Dylan Newton
10. Ace of Spades, Faridah Abike-Iyimide
11. The Tragedy of Dane Riley, Kat Spears
12. To Sir, With Love, Lauren Layne
13. The House of Always (A Chorus of Dragons #4), Jenn Lyons
14. The Queen Will Betray You (Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #2), Sarah Henning
15. What If You & Me (Say Everything #2), Roni Loren
16. Out of Character (True Colors #2), Annabeth Albert
17. Tower of Fools (Hussite Trilogy #1), Andrzej Sapkowski

Happy reading, folks!

Hello from my newly married self! I apologize to my readers for my absence, things were just too hectic in May with the wedding to keep up with my blog. Now that I’m back, I will resume posting reviews for June! I’m starting up with my May Wrap Up, which is a lot smaller than normal. I basically didn’t pick up a book the last 2 weeks of the month because I had too much anxiety about the wedding. All I could do was watch Netflix and try not to freak out!

So, below are the 10 books I read in May. I mood read throughout the month, so this was not at all based on the TBR I posted earlier this month. I have plans for June, and the TBR post for that will be up tomorrow!

PHYSICAL

1. People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry – 3/5 stars
2. The Invited, Jennifer McMahon – 4/5 stars
3. The Princess Will Save You (Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #1), Sarah Henning – 3/5 stars

EBOOKS

1. The Roommate Risk, Talia Hibbert – 3/5 stars
2. The House in the Cerulean Sea, T.J. Klune – 4/5 stars
3. Back in the Burbs, Tracy Wolff, Avery Flynn – 4/5 stars
4. Life’s Too Short (The Friend Zone #3), Abby Jimenez – 4/5 stars

ARCS

1. The Soulmate Equation, Christina Lauren – 4/5 stars
2. Life’s a Beach, Portia MacIntosh – 3/5 stars
3. Tools of a Thief, D. Hale Rambo – 3/5 stars

I hope you had a great reading month!

Happy reading, folks!

Title: Tools of a Thief

Author: D. Hale Rambo

Publisher: Fiercewood Press

Publication date: May 25th, 2021

170 pages

3/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

How do you stop being a thief? Zizy assumed quitting her job, stealing from her boss, and flitting magically across the continent was one way to give it a go.

Getting in and out of sticky situations is typically Zizy’s specialty. A little spellwork here, a pinch of deception there, and she’s home free. Quick-fingered, fast-talking, and charming the gnome knows traveling across a shattered continent won’t be easy. Still, she has the skills to keep herself from getting killed.

Too bad she was followed on her one-way trip. Pressed into a mission she can’t say no to Zizy feels desperate, out of place, and as lonely as before. But when she meets a charming book hoarder with bold curiosity, Zizy can’t help but want to bring her along on this one last job. She’ll just hide her past, her present, and complicating info about herself. What could go wrong?

Either she finishes the job and protects those she loves, or it all falls apart. Is this journey the final key to unlock a new path or just another sticky situation she has to run from? She’ll use every tool she’s got to get what she wants.

Review

Tools of a Thief is a fantasy novella with Zizy as the main character, who is a gnome tasked with stealing an item from the ruler of the country by her powerful aunt. Along the way, she picks up Laysa and Pace, who work to assist her in her goals – even if they don’t actually know the exact goal…

D. Hale Rambo creates an interesting fantasy world with Tools of a Thief – with fantastical creatures, magic, and different kinds of countries and rulers. There is not much world-building that happens, but I believe it intended that way so the reader just feels immersed in the story immediately. However, this reads like you were dropped into a book partway through and I felt like I was missing important information from the beginning.

There is a subtle sapphic romance with Zizy and Laysa, which adds to the diverse nature of the book. I wish there was more background given to the characters, especially Laysa and Pace. The ending also leaves much to be desired, it ends pretty suddenly leaving the reader feeling like you only read the middle of a book, not the beginning or the end.

The cover implies this is the first in a series, and I would give the second book a try if there is a sequel.

Thank you to Fiercewood Press and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Happy reading, folks!

Title: The Invited

Author: Jennifer McMahon

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication date: April 30th, 2019

353 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

A chilling ghost story with a twist: the New York Times bestselling author of The Winter People returns to the woods of Vermont to tell the story of a husband and wife who don’t simply move into a haunted house–they build one . . .

In a quest for a simpler life, Helen and Nate have abandoned the comforts of suburbia to take up residence on forty-four acres of rural land where they will begin the ultimate, aspirational do-it-yourself project: building the house of their dreams.

When they discover that this beautiful property has a dark and violent past, Helen, a former history teacher, becomes consumed by the local legend of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who lived and died there a century ago.

With her passion for artifacts, Helen finds special materials to incorporate into the house–a beam from an old schoolroom, bricks from a mill, a mantel from a farmhouse–objects that draw her deeper into the story of Hattie and her descendants, three generations of Breckenridge women, each of whom died suspiciously.

As the building project progresses, the house will become a place of menace and unfinished business: a new home, now haunted, that beckons its owners and their neighbors toward unimaginable danger.

Review

“What people don’t understand, they destroy.”

Jennifer McMahon, The Invited

I LOVE ghost stories. I personally am a believer in the occult as I had an experience with a ghost, or whatever you’d like to call it as a kid. So for mystery/thrillers, I truly love ghost stories! The Invited was my April 12 Reads from 12 Friends pick and I’m glad it was suggested.

Jennifer McMahon did a great job depicting the spiral that normally occurs during ghost stories, the spiral into “insanity” as you try to assimilate this information with the world as you know it. For Helen and Nate, they handled the “ghosts” very differently and each had their own descent into madness through the story. The Invited in told in alternating POVs with Helen and Olive, Helens teenage neighbor. The two women are wrapped up in Hattie Breckenridge and her story – though they don’t know it yet. You also get some flashback moments to several different women in Hattie’s bloodline who are passed.

I loved the inclusion of history in this plot line. Helen is so interested in Hattie’s story because of the history of the town and she goes on to learn as much as she can and it’s great for a history lover like me.

There were some obvious reveals in terms of plot twists, but the final one at the end took me off guard, which is always fun! If you enjoy thrillers and ghost stories, I would definitely recommend this one.

Happy reading, folks!