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Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is an engaging start to an action-driven fantasy series that is written in a winsome prose that is guaranteed to appeal to fans of Rick Riordan. Like Riordan’s books, Zhao combines an action-driven quest with a coming of age tale exploring the highs and lows of being a 12yr…
3.5 STARS, 3rd pov, action, adventure, asian american, battles, belonging, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, bullying, China, chinese canadian author, coming of age, Contemporary, FANTASY, gaming, history, HUMOR, identity, KIDS WITH POWERS, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, middle grade, middle school, Muslim rep, myths, near future/alternate reality, playful style, published in 2022, queer, quests, read in 2022, reading, social issues, technology, travel, URBAN FANTASY, Xiran Jay Zhao, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor -
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
“But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me.I choose vengeance.” Xiran Jay Zhao has written an ambitious debut novel that should definitely appeal to fans of Pacific Rim & The Hunger Games. Iron Widow is likely one of the most creative books that I’ve read this year (which is saying something given…
1st pov, 2 STARS, action, alternate history, arc, battles, bi side characters, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, China, chinese author, chinese inspired setting, DEATH, dystopia, FANTASY, Iron Widow, LGBTQ+ Author, lgbtq+ side, m/f/m romance, My reviews, netgalley, Not Like Other Girls, polyamory, reading, RETELLINGS, revenge, SCI-FI, trying and failing @ feminism, violence, weak prose, weak worldbuilding, Xiran Jay Zhao, YOUNG ADULT -
Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse
Usually, I don’t go back on DNFs (there’s plenty more books in the sea and all that) but I also get that sometimes my enjoyment of a book depends on me getting to read it at the ‘right time’. The reason why I’d DNFed Storm of Locusts after reading just a chapter or so was…
1st pov, 4.25 stars, action, Adult, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, apocalyptic, bi side characters, Black & Black heritage authors, FANTASY, female authors, FOLKLORE, found family, friendships, gods, indigenous, indigenous author, lgbtq+ side, MAGIC, monsters, myths, native american & first nation, Native American & First Nation authors, PARANORMAL, post-apocalyptic, published in 2019, read in 2021, Rebecca Roanhorse, Religion, road trip, SPECULATIVE FICTION, Storm of Locusts, the sixth world, the sixth world series, URBAN FANTASY -
Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
“Like I said already, I hunt monsters. And I got a sword that sings.” Ring Shout is an action-driven historical novella that combines horror with the kind of anime that have magical swords & monsters-posing-as-humans in them. The story takes place in Georgia during the 1920s and follows a group of black women who hunt…
1920s, 1st pov, 20th century, 3 STARS, action, adventure, alternate history, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, Black & Black heritage authors, f/f side, FANTASY, georgia, HISTORICAL FICTION, HORROR, lgbtq+ side, MAGIC, magical swords, male authors, monsters, netgalley, NOVELLA/SHORT STORY, P. Djèlí Clark, PARANORMAL, published in 2020, queer side characters, RACE, read in 2020, Ring Shout, social issues, URBAN FANTASY -
Starsight by Brandon Sanderson — book review
Starsight takes this series in an unexpected direction. This instalment is perhaps even more action-driven than Skyward: from the opening chapters to its explosive finale, Starsight is full of spectacular fight scenes. Whereas Skyward had a narrower scope, Starsight presents us with a far more complex story in which the stakes are higher then ever.…
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Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare — book review
“We don’t always love people who deserve it.” To be honest, I thought I was over Cassandra Clare….and it turns out I was very wrong. There is something about the Shadowhunter world that I find interesting. And over the past ten years or so I have grown fond of it and the characters that inhabit…
1900s, 20th century, 3rd pov, 5 STARS, ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE, action, adventure, Alastair Carstairs, AMERICAN AUTHOR, balls, bi side characters, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, Cassandra Clare, Chain of Gold, Cordelia Carstairs, curses, DEMONS, drama, Dreams, Edwardian era, england, female authors, gay side characters, ghosts/spirits, great storytelling, HISTORICAL FICTION, lgbtq+, LONDON, m/m side, MAGIC, monsters, PARANORMAL, published in 2020, queer, queer side characters, read in 2020, REVIEWS, ROMANCE, shadowhunters, siblings, The Last Hours, TLH, URBAN FANTASY, YOUNG ADULT -
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson — book review
I more or less inhaled this book. “You get to choose who you are. Legacy, memories of the past, can serve us well. But we cannot let them define us. When heritage becomes a box instead of an inspiration, it has gone too far.” This is easily my favourite book by Brandon Sanderson. A few…
4.5 STARS, action, adrenaline fuelled reads, adventure, ALIENS, AMERICAN AUTHOR, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, Brandon Sanderson, coming of age, Cytonic Series, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), fathers & daughters, friendships, identity, male authors, ON BOOKS, published in 2018, read in 2020, REVIEWS, SCI-FI, Skyward, SPACE, space battles, SPACE OPERA, spaceships, SPECULATIVE FICTION, Spensa Nightshade, war, YOUNG ADULT -
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin — book review
Rusting Earth…The Fifth Season is a spectacular read. “This is what you must remember: the ending of one story is just the beginning of another. This has happened before, after all.” Reviewing The Fifth Season is no small feat. We have N.K. Jemisin’s writing style, her intricate and all-encompassing world-building, and her unflinching and emotionally…
5 STARS, ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE, action, adrenaline fuelled reads, Adult, apocalyptic, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), environmental, fantastic worldbuilding, favourite authors, female authors, FOLKLORE, gay side characters, GRIEF, high fantasy, hugo winners, lgbtq+ side, morality, motherhood, mothers & daughters, myths, N.K. Jemisin, nature, philosophical, post-apocalyptic, POWERS, queer side characters, re-reads, read in 2016, read in 2020, revenge, REVIEWS, SCI-FI, social issues, SPECULATIVE FICTION, survival, terrific prose, The Fifth Season, tragedy, trans side characters, trauma, violence -
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton — book review
Whodunnits, Agatha Christie, mysteries, and puzzles are all favourites of mine…so I was pretty excited to read The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle as it promised to combine all of these things together. “I suddenly have the sense of taking part in a play in which everybody knows their lines but me.” With a fascinating…
1930S, 1st pov, 2.5 STARS, 20th century, action, AGATHA CHRISTIE, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, Books that take place in a single day, British author, confusing for the sake of being confusing, CRIME, DETECTIVE, england, Groundhog Day, HISTORICAL FICTION, lgbtq+ side, manor/big house, morality, MYSTERY, mystery puzzle, published in 2018, read in 2020, SPECULATIVE FICTION, Stuart Turton, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, whodunnit, why the hype -
The Institute by Stephen King – book review
“What we regard as Evil is capable of a fairly ubiquitous presence if only because it tends to appear in the guise of good.” — Joseph Brodsky The Institute is a gripping, if occasionally horrifying, read. Stephen King is a great storyteller and The Institute showcases many of his strengths and traits: we have an engrossing…
4 STARS, abuse, action, Adult, adventure, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, banality of evil, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, child abuse, Contemporary, HORROR, KIDS WITH POWERS, male authors, minnesota, morality, PARANORMAL, POWERS, published in 2019, READ IN 2019, social issues, SPECULATIVE FICTION, STEPHEN KING, SUPERNATURAL, SUSPENSE, The Institute, violence
luce [is reading] 