Book Reviews Archives - Novel Notions

I was immediately intrigued when I heard that a fantasy retelling of The Great Gatsby told from Jordan Baker’s perspective was in the works. I’ve always been fascinated by The Great Gatsby, both by the characters and Fitzgerald’s writing style. It’s not the most accessible of novels, despite its brevity, but there’s something magnetic about it, much as there is that same special magnetism surrounding the title character himself. I was very interested in seeing how these characters translated in the hands of another, with magic added to the mix. The author did a pretty great job capturing the tone and feel of the original while still making the story their own. …

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Book Review: The King’s Blood (The Dagger and the Coin, #2) by Daniel Abraham

July 23, 2021 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

The King’s Blood by Daniel Abraham

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Dagger and the Coin (Book #2 of 5)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 517 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 3rd May 2012 by Orbit

The King’s Blood was a magnificent sequel that expanded upon everything the previous book built.

“Wars are easier to start than end, and where they take you is rarely where you intended to go… It will be better for all of us to avoid it.”

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Book Review: Sword and Pen (The Great Library, #5) by Rachel Caine

July 19, 2021 TS Chan Comments 0 Comment

Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars.

Series: The Great Library (Book 5 of 5)

Genre: Young adult, alternate history, historical fantasy, fantasy

Published: Sept 2019 by Berkley Books (US) and Allison & Busby (UK)

Much to my delight, Sword and Pen delivered a truly satisfying and emotional conclusion to The Great Library, a spectacular YA series that has earned a spot as one of my favourites.

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Book review: Spellslinger (Spellslinger, #1) by Sebastien de Castell

July 15, 2021 Eon Comments 0 Comment

Cover art illustrated by: Dale Halvorsen
Interior card art illustrated by Sam Hadley

Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Spellslinger (Book #1 of 6)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy

Pages: 416 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 4th May 2017 by Hot Key Books

Spellslinger is a highly entertaining and engrossing start to this hexalogy.

Normally when I see a promising sounding book and notice that it is YA, I immediately lower my expectations for it as I have not always had the best experience with the genre. That has steadily changed over the last few years though, as more and more YA books have surprised me. When Spellslinger quietly showed up on my radar, though, I had no such reservations. I love Sebastien de Castell’s writing that much and will give him the benefit of the doubt any day of the week, and I am thrilled to say that it did not betray my trust in the least.

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