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Girls of Paper and Fire
Girls of Paper and Fire
Natasha Ngan | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.9 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
A fresh YA fantasy
Natasha Ngan created a fascinating world in GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE, it was complex and yet not difficult to grasp a hold of. It is a world of castes, paper, moon, steel and demon, with the Demon King at the head. Lei is paper caste, the most lowly of the castes but there is something special about her, her eyes. She is kidnapped and brought to be one of the honoured paper girls that the king gets to choose and bed for a year as he wishes. A grim life for a 17 year old.

This is a tale of politics, war, oppression, slavery and fear. Lei embarks in a journey from fearful new paper girl to a young woman who has a streak of fearless bravery, almost foolish at times. The land of the Demon King was colourful and diverse, the descriptions were excellent and my mind supplied all the mental pictures that I needed. The characters were a range of sweet, fiery, plain mean and evil.

The diversity elements of this book were fabulous. I welcomed the relationship between Lei and Wren and yet sometimes I struggled to connect with their coupling because the chemistry lacked a little something. This being a first in the series, I am hoping for more of a a build in the relationship between these two. The sisterly relationships of the paper girls were almost like a high school corridor with the resident mean girl, Blue. In addition, I loved to hate the Demon King, he really was vile.

This had both a sense of completion and an “oh heck, what” moment at the end. I am definitely looking forward to catching up with these characters again and finding out what happens in this world.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
  
Infinities Gate
Infinities Gate
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
“At the Equinox, a bright blue glow engulfed the entire hill. Above the monument, a vortex opened and sucked them into its eye. When the light faded, they were gone.”

Infinities Gate is the second book in the Tamara Jenkins, Sorcerer series by author John R. Moore. It tells the story of archaeology professor Tamara Jenkins and the magical world of wizards she does not just fall into but becomes one of the greatest wizards and leader against the fight against darkness. In this book, Tamara and her husband mysteriously disappear on their honeymoon, and it is up to their friends to find them. Along the way, they discover the Infinities Gate and realize that they must keep the gate from opening or risk releasing chaos itself. When talking about his book series Moore says it is “In the order of Indiana Jones crossed with Merlin.” This statement perfectly sums up the atmosphere of the book. This was the crossover I never knew I needed. This mashup was an imaginative and clever premise that immediately had me hooked into the first book which continued into the second.

The story begins quickly, showering you with information, questions, and mysteries. This kind of beginning hooked my attention immediately and made it hard to put the book down. This story is filled with mysteries, interesting twists, and exciting adventures. From wizards to Norse gods, Moore delves into the fantastical intricacies of myths and legends while still making the stories his own. You can’t help but root for Tamara as she makes her way through these magical adventures. I really liked seeing her growth in both books and found her to be an interesting and fun heroine to follow on this journey.

The Celtic and Scottish history is something I love learning about so getting to read about it, and the magical side of it was very exciting for me. My love for both Indiana Jones and Arthurian legend fueled this fascination with this story. From the very beginning of the book, it connected itself to these histories and had events taking place in some of the most magical feeling places in the world like Stonehenge and the Isle of the Sky. This setting brought the magic and history into the book beautifully.

I was very impressed with Moore’s writing style. His descriptions of the world are beautiful as is his attention to the details of history. His characters have a depth which is integral for me in any book I read. I enjoyed reading this series so much I am excited to look into some of his other work. His interest in science fiction and fantasy stories align very much with my favorite genres to read. I cannot wait for the third book in this series so I can continue my journey with the wonderful Tamara. This was a very enjoyable book that offered a quick read into a magical world. I would highly recommend this book to fantasy readers!