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ArecRain (8 KP) rated Everealm (Everealm, #1) in Books

Jan 18, 2018  
Everealm (Everealm, #1)
Everealm (Everealm, #1)
J.D. Wright | 2014 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little confused going into this novel because I wasn’t sure what to expect. From what I have researched, this is supposedly young adult. While the writing style makes it seem YA, there themes not appropriate for that age range. I guess new adult would be more appropriate?

Regardless, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and reflect the feel of the novel. As a fan of fantasy and fairytale retellings, Everealm was a novel I didn’t even know I was looking for. The world and creatures she paints with her words are nostalgic of old childhood fairytales. While it still has many [cliché] themes that seem to be found in all YA novels (love triangle, etc.), the author added her own touch. It is a guilty pleasure feel good novel, free of heavy complexities that makes a novel more work than pleasure.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel and the feel that accompanied reading it. It is nothing groundbreaking, but the author has a lovely style that could be great.
  
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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated A Blade So Black in Books

Mar 21, 2019  
A Blade So Black
A Blade So Black
L.L. McKinney | 2018 | Young Adult (YA)
9
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I've seen the point brought up that so many fantasy protagonists have really neglectful parents. Who lets their kid be gone for an unknown amount of time doing something "important" that their kid refuses to tell them about because it's a "secret"? This book makes a point of how NOT neglectful Alice's mother is. The blurb calls her overprotective, but really it's just normal protective. Alice's mom just wants to know her daughter hasn't been shot by the police when she's gone for 24 hours and not answering her phone, that seems normal to me! I actually enjoyed how that was different than a lot of fantasy YA, even if it's really a small sideplot.

In the main plot, Alice is a Dreamwalker, wielding Figment Blades and her own Muchness to kill the Nightmares that try to cross from Wonderland to our world. Her mentor is Addison Hatta, an exile from Wonderland who's been charged to guard his Gateway and train new Dreamwalkers. Along the way we meet two more Dreamwalkers, more exiled Wonderlanders, and learn a bit about the war in Wonderland and why they're exiled but still charged with such an important mission as guiding the Gateways between our world and theirs.

About the only thing I didn't like about this book was how it left so many questions unanswered at the end. We got a cliffhanger to lead us into the sequel, A Dream So Dark, but it isn't due out until September! I'm also wondering where the Cheshire Cat is - he's too instrumental a character to leave out, I would think - but I have a few possible ideas about where the author is going with that, so I'm anxious for the sequel, to see if I'm right.

A Blade So Black is a very unique take on Wonderland by a POC author, starring a POC heroine. There's also an adorable lesbian couple as side characters. With minority racial representation, a fairy tale base, and a splash of LGBT+ rep, this book checked a lot of the boxes I look for in my fantasy. It wasn't the best YA fantasy that I've read in the last year, but it was definitely fun!

You can read all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated Northern Lights in Books

Nov 1, 2017  
Northern Lights
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman | 2015 | Children
9
7.8 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
A great YA novel
I read this over 10 years ago, remember enjoying it but for some reason never bothered with the other books in the trilogy. So I decided to try again.

This is a fantastic first novel in the trilogy, and a great fantasy story. I love the idea of people having daemons, and the plight of Lyra is intriguing and full of twists and turns. There are some great characters, all well developed and I really found myself caring for some and hating others, as intended. Pullman id a fantastic writer. My only criticisms would be the heavy emphasis on religion, and that the plot does seem a little bit over the top at times. Still can't wait to read the rest!