Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin, #4)
9.5
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The fourth book in the “outstanding” (Romantic Times) Elemental Assassin fantasy series...
Cross
7.3
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Ray Cross wasn’t a hero; he could die too easily. But some things are worth risking death... ...
Young_Adult Urban Fantasy Paranormal
The Daughters of Morrigan (Souls Out of Ireland #1)
10.0
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Three sisters. A magical castle. And a legend as old as Ireland. The day the Doyle sisters are...
Merissa (12699 KP) rated Gift of Fire (Elemental Bloodlines #1) in Books
Feb 2, 2023
I also loved that it was set in Erlangen, about a 3-hour drive away from my home. Having a fantasy and/or romance series set in Germany puts this in the minority but, to me, also makes it stand out.
There are lots of secrets in this book and lots of hints of what might be coming. I was so pleased for Bianca but I really hope Nicole gets her comeuppance! Time flows quickly in this book and, sometimes, that made it hard to keep up.
All of the characters in this book are really well-written, and it doesn't matter if you like or loathe them. A great start to the series by a new-to-me author but one I will definitely be reading more from. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The Heart of Everton Inn (Betwixt the Sea and Shore, #2)
8.0
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Return to Everton for the story hidden in the shadows of The Secret of Drulea Cottage. . . . In a...
Historical Scottish Fantasy Romance Series
ClareR (5854 KP) rated She Who Became The Sun in Books
Jun 13, 2023
Shelley Parker-Chan has added a twist to the story, though. The Zhu Yuanzhang in this story is actually female. Born a girl, she steals her brothers identity when he dies so that she can survive - girls were not important enough to survive otherwise. She decides to live her brothers life, and as a fortune teller has foretold, she will rise to great heights in his name. And this process starts by Zhu being taken in and educated by the monks at a monastery.
This isn’t fantasy as much as it is historical fiction. Ok, there is a little bit of magic, but I took that as being an explanation of a leaders charisma. The writing IS beautiful, particularly the descriptions of the relationship between Zhu and the eunuch General Ouyang, and the queer story of Zhu and her wife.
We’re left on a bit of a cliffhanger, I’ll warn you, but we won’t have long to wait for the sequel!
*＊✿❀ Maki ❀✿＊* (7 KP) rated Crown of Midnight in Books
May 3, 2018
Celaena doesn't really do much assassination? Now she's the King's Champion, and it's her job. <spoiler>Well, okay - maybe there's still not too much assassination going on. But there's definitely more action!</spoiler>
That pesky love triangle gets completely done away with (which makes me question why it was an issue in the first place, aside from being there to create drama), and in its place a believable, sweet romance is started.
(I am Team Chaol. All the way.)
Dorian actually grows as a character, and is more than just a stereotypical womanizer.
Even the scope of the story is larger. Where the first book was primarily centered around the castle, Crown of Midnight actually gives us a look at the city. Or, well, certain parts of it, at any rate. And while the threat is still the same vague threat as the first book, by the end, things start to fall into place about what exactly happened ten years ago, and where magic disappeared to.
I really enjoyed this one, which was nice, given my lukewarm feelings about the first book in the series. A good portion of my change of opinion is because of the growth of Dorian and Chaol - particularly Chaol.
I am a sucker for many things in fantasy. I love a good assassin. I love magic, especially when the magic system is well thought out. I love thieves. And I also love loyal knights who have to deal with the bombshell of finding out that everything they thought they were protecting was a lie.
Just watching Chaol fight to reconcile his old loyalties and what he grew up believing with what he now knows to be the truth was beautiful. He goes through an amazing amount of character development, and is easily the most complex character in the story. (Which is why I'm Team Chaol. Even though Celaena doesn't really deserve him.)
He actually reminded me a lot of Darres, from the [b:Vampire Game, Volume 01|282294|Vampire Game, Volume 01|JUDAL|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1343116853s/282294.jpg|273847] manga. Dang it. I need to reread that entire series.
Unfortunately, Celaena stopped me from absolutely adoring this book. She didn't grow very much as a character - in places she actually seemed to regress - and the "twist" was painfully predictable. Even if I hadn't guessed it back at the start of the first book, based on the type of story this is, there's more than enough to pick up on what's going on.
So my reaction was less, <i>"GASP!!!"</i> and more, <i>"Why has nobody else figured this out???"</i>
Especially the king. You'd think he'd be all over that.
Craft The World - Pocket Edition
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50% off for a limited time! Craft The World is a unique sandbox strategy game, the mix of Dungeon...
Craft The World - Episodes Edition
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Craft The World is a unique sandbox strategy game, the mix of Dungeon Keeper, Terraria and Dwarf...