Month: November 2018

Posted in Book Review

Review of: Successor by Rae Miles

Posted on by writingkat95

Do you like fantasy, slow burn romance, and friendships that make your heart feel things? Then boy do I have a book for you.

Successor is one of those rare fantasies that manages to capture the feeling of wonder we all experienced at discovering Narnia, while still pulling off an older vibe, with high stakes and even higher romantic tension.

I had been craving a good fantasy adventure lately, and as always, I found it hard to find one that wasn’t grim and dark. Simply put, I wanted all the best of the fantasy genre conventions but without the bummer ones. And this book was exactly what I needed. It had incredibly compelling characters, who still at the end of the novel felt as though they had more left to their arcs. Hopefully this means we’ll see a sequel eventually, but even if it doesn’t, it left me with a feeling like the characters I’d grown to love still had adventures ahead of them, and I loved that.

All in all this is a stunning debut novel, and I hope you’ll check it out!

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

Review of My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane

Posted on by writingkat95

Two for one review today!

First off I want to say, I love the concept for these books. Taking famous Janes and retelling their stories in delightfully fun ways is honestly just so great.

Second, I loved how original these books felt. The voice is incredibly distinct, the narrator’s little interjections were so much fun, and the overall effect was stunning.

It’s really difficult to pull off a “voicey” voice in YA. Oftentimes it can come off as too young or can break the immersion of the story. That is not the case with these books. The authors have done an excellent job at crafting a voice that sounds at once distinct and yet a natural part of the narrative.

The plots themselves are fabulous, in both books. They’re completely bonkers and played out with a wink and a smile, and watching events unfold is thoroughly enjoyable. Jane Eyre with real ghosts? Heck yeah! Lady Jane Grey and shapeshifters with tons of snark? Bring it on!

If you want edge of your seat investment in the story and also full belly laughs, these books are for you. I also highly recommend listening to them as audiobooks, as both are incredibly well voiced. Especially if you have a commute, these books will add some grins to your day.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review of A Darker Shade of Magic

Posted on by writingkat95

I’m here with another review of a book that’s been out awhile!

So one of my goals this year was to read more widely, and that includes reading some books that are marketed toward adults. I’m not going to lie, I found it really hard to find an “adult” book that appealed to my sensibilities. Enter V. E. Schwab’s “A Darker Shade of Magic.”

This book has the same out of the box imaginativeness that I’ve come to love in YA, while still being obviously an adult book. The characters are older, maybe in their 20s, and the storylines are reflective of that “what even is my purpose” life stage.

The worldbuilding is phenomenal and didn’t lean on generic fantasy backdrops, which immediately made the settings come to life. There was some fantasy flavored violence, but it managed to stay well away from the grimdark cynicism that has driven me away from many adult series in the past. That’s not to say the book is light- there is darkness here. But there is also hope and wonder, and that makes a world of difference.

If you’re an adult who usually reads YA because of the unique voices and out of the box plots, you will almost certainly love this book. Honestly, if you’re any sort of fantasy fan, this should be on your reading list. I look forward to reading more of the series, and I will be reviewing the later books once I make a dent in my TBR pile!

Happy reading!