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Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Priory of the Orange Tree in Books

Jan 14, 2020  
The Priory of the Orange Tree
The Priory of the Orange Tree
Samantha Shannon | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strong female characters (2 more)
No filler
Deep history and lore
Battles could of been stronger (0 more)
Compelling Fantasy
Wanting to try and branch out from just reading mainly thrillers this year I decided to get back on the fantasy track and picked this up at the library. I’m really glad I did it’s a great fantasy adventure set in a lore and history-rich world. I did have to get the ebook as well, as my wrists couldn’t cope with long reading sessions of the hardback copy and I didn’t want to put it down…..

It’s not an overly complicated fantasy tale and despite its 800+ pages, I found I was breezing through it at pace. It easily kept my interest and didn’t get too bogged down at any point. We have a tale of ancient evil rising, and a divided world will need to find a way to work together to defeat it.

Brimmed full of strong female characters we meet Ead hiding in the royal household of Inys under the guise of a maid-in-waiting but really is a kick-ass slayer/mage type, trying to protect the Queen. Meanwhile, on the other side of the great Abyss (big continent dividing ocean), we have Tane who has spent most of her life training to be a fearless dragon-riding warrior. The story is told from 4 different POVs but those two are the most engaging.

We have some romance (sigh lovey-dovey stuff - gross) but we don’t get bogged down in it and it feels entirely part of the story (not just tits and arse for the sake of it).

None of this book felt like unnecessary filler, despite epic journey's, we didn't have to read about every breakfast and lunch eaten (cough...). If anything some of the coincidences in characters meeting felt like it could of had more embellishment but I’m not really complaining it kept the story moving at a good clip. I felt the world that was built deserved a bit more of a complicated/nuanced tale but appreciate not having to slog through many years of sequels to get a conclusion. I didn’t feel the battles lived up to the overall size of the story but that may just be me watching too much TV...

Overall just what I needed to get me to want to keep branching out and reading a more diverse selection of genres - Go libraries!!!.
  
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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Girls Made of Snow and Glass in Books

Sep 5, 2017  
Girls Made of Snow and Glass
Girls Made of Snow and Glass
Melissa Bashardoust | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wonderful plot, subverted tropes, lesbian romance (0 more)
A bit of stilted dialogue at the beginning, some predictable actions by characters (0 more)
One of my best books of 2017!
I received an ARC of this book through Goodreads and got to read it before the release date (September 5th! GO GET IT!) and I was SO excited to read it. It did not disappoint! This is her debut novel, and the story is absolutely fantastic. It’s billed as a “fantasy feminist fairy tale” and I think it lives up to that pretty well. There are no princes in this story. There are a couple of men – the King, the Queen’s father, and the Huntsman, but they are not who the story is about. The story really is about the relationship between the Queen/stepmother and her stepdaughter, the Princess.

You can read my full review here: https://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/book-review-girls-made-of-snow-and-glass/
  
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Merissa (12069 KP) rated Clara (Stories of Lorst #1) in Books

May 15, 2018  
Clara (Stories of Lorst #1)
Clara (Stories of Lorst #1)
Suzanna J. Linton | 2013 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Clara (Stories of Lorst #1) by Suzanna J. Linton
Clara is a young girl of ten when we first meet her, enjoying her last day of freedom although she doesn't realise that. Her life is about to change for the worst, but there is also a spark of hope in the form of Emmerich, a gypsy boy she meets. Clara loses many things, including her voice, during her trials and tribulations but it looks like her life is changing for the better when she meets Emmerich again. Is everything as it seems, or has Emmerich changed in ways too many to be ignored?

This is a well-written historical fantasy with a hint of romance. With good guys doing bad things, bad guys turning over new leaves (possibly), plus evil dudes without any form of redemption, this story captured my imagination as I read through.

Well-written and smoothly paced, this was a good, solid book. Definitely recommended.

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Elantris: Tenth Anniversary Author's Definitive Edition in Books

Feb 1, 2018  
Elantris: Tenth Anniversary Author's Definitive Edition
Elantris: Tenth Anniversary Author's Definitive Edition
Brandon Sanderson | 2015 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.2 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
I've enjoyed every Brandon Sanderson book I've read, and Elantris was certainly no exception. This was a beautiful mix of religious and political intrigue, magical mystery, and just a touch of romance. The ultimate answer to the mystery was so elegantly simple, but discovered so late, that consequences still had to be faced even when the main problem was fixed. (I'm trying to be vague so I don't spoil it!) I loved both Raoden and Sarene, and in a way, Hrathen too. He was a wonderfully written villain - one of those villains whose motivations you get to see and understand, so you end up sympathizing with him even as you don't want to see him succeed. Sanderson definitely has a talent for unusual fantasy novels, with elaborate plots and complex, well thought-out worlds.

In short, yet another amazing book from Brandon Sanderson.

You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com