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Book Review: The Choice (Dragon Heart Legacy, #3) by Nora Roberts

Book Review: The Choice (Dragon Heart Legacy, #3) by Nora Roberts

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The Choice by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

The Choice is the epic conclusion of Nora Roberts’ Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy. Here we have portals to other worlds, mythical creatures, magic light and dark, and battles between good and evil on both large scale and small. There is a charming, diverse cast of characters, a couple of lovely romances, and a wonderful emphasis on family, whether bound by blood or chosen by heart. In this trilogy and her last, Chronicles of the One, Nora has made a radical departure from the cozy and comfortable storytelling I fell in love with as a teen. I can see where some lifelong fans of her writing might be disappointed in the shift, but I really respect it. This trilogy, and the one published before it, are stories that I would have no qualms recommending to fantasy fans who have never had much interest in Nora’s work. …

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Book Review: Last of the Dragorn (The Echoes Saga, #8) by Philip C. Quaintrell

Book Review: Last of the Dragorn (The Echoes Saga, #8) by Philip C. Quaintrell

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Cover art illustrated by: Chris McGrath

Last of the Dragorn by Philip C. Quaintrell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Echoes Saga (Book #8 of 9)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 590 pages (Kindle Edition)

Published: 21st September 2020 by Quaintrell Publishing (Self-Published)

It is with a heart full of ache that I say this. Last of the Dragorn is my least favorite book in The Echoes Saga series. …

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Book Review: Age of Death (The Legends of the First Empire, #5) by Michael J. Sullivan

Book Review: Age of Death (The Legends of the First Empire, #5) by Michael J. Sullivan

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Cover art illustrated by Marc Simonetti

Age of Death by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Legends of the First Empire (Book #5 of 6)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic fantasy

Pages: 464 pages (Mass Market Paperback)

Published: 4th February 2020 by Grim Oak Press (Self-Published)

With twisted revelations and unpredictable story progression, Age of Death has prepared the big stage for the final book in the series.

“Education is never without cost; all the truly valuable lessons leave a scar.”

…

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TS’s Monthly Wrap-Up : Nov 2022

TS’s Monthly Wrap-Up : Nov 2022

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Hello all, and welcome to my Science Fiction November monthly wrap-up.  While not all of my reads are strictly within the science fiction genre, I would argue that a couple of them are genre-blending enough to qualify as fantasy scifi and scifi horror.   I think the Book of the Month will come as a surprise… to absolutely no one.

NB. Books are rated within its genre.  For avoidance of doubt, rereads are not considered for Book of the Month.

…

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Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Book Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lessons in Chemistry was so much better than I anticipated, even after hearing it so lauded by so many readers. I blame this partly on the cover. While very cute, it doesn’t do justice to the story it contains, conveying something similar in feel to a rom-com instead of what the cover truly hides, which is an empowering historical fiction novel that is by turns heart-wrenching and hilarious. And always, always, so smart. This is a feminist manifesto of the highest, most egalitarian caliber, while also telling a wonderfully compelling story with even more compelling characters. …

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Book Review: Age of Legend (The Legends of the First Empire, #4) by Michael J. Sullivan

Book Review: Age of Legend (The Legends of the First Empire, #4) by Michael J. Sullivan

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Cover art illustrated by Marc Simonetti

Age of Legend by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Legends of the First Empire (Book #4 of 6)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic fantasy

Pages: 464 pages (Mass Market Paperback)

Published: 9th July 2019 by Grim Oak Press (Self-Published)

Age of Legend starts the second half and the end of The Legends of the First Empire, and I was so engrossed with this fourth installment.

“What a strange treasure is innocence, a virtue to the old and a curse to the young, so highly prized but eagerly parted with—the riches of beautiful skin traded for the wisdom of calluses. — THE BOOK OF BRIN”

…

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Book Review: The Knights of Erador (The Echoes Saga, #7) by Philip C. Quaintrell

Book Review: The Knights of Erador (The Echoes Saga, #7) by Philip C. Quaintrell

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Cover art illustrated by: Chris McGrath

The Knights of Erador by Philip C. Quaintrell

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Echoes Saga (Book #7 of 9)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 608 pages (Kindle Edition)

Published: 20th March 2020 by Quaintrell Publishing (Self-Published)

Wow. The Knights of Erador is the best first installment in the three trilogies in The Echoes Saga. …

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Book Review: The Lost Metal (Mistborn: Wax and Wayne, #4) by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review: The Lost Metal (Mistborn: Wax and Wayne, #4) by Brandon Sanderson

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ARC provided by the publisher—Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by: Sam Green

The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Mistborn: Wax and Wayne (Book #4 of 4), Mistborn Saga (Book #7 of 7)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Steampunk

Pages: 528 pages (Kindle Edition)

Published: 15th November 2022 by Gollancz (UK) & Tor Books (US)

My god… The Lost Metal was an explosive and stunning conclusion to Mistborn: Wax and Wayne series. Sanderson has delivered another tremendous finishing volume in The Mistborn Saga, reinforcing my excitement for future Cosmere books.

“If you truly were interested in the beauty of the art—instead of some tangential sense of control—you’d want everyone to be able to experience it. The more the better.”

…

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Book Review: A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence, #2) by Rebecca Ross

Book Review: A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence, #2) by Rebecca Ross

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A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, Harper Voyager, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever read a sequel that retroactively made you love its predecessor even more, to the point that you actually go back and change your original rating? I originally loved A River Enchanted but had a few issues with it. But upon reading A Fire Endless, all of those issues have evaporated. I think this might be the closest thing to a perfect duology I’ve ever consumed. The balance hear is exquisite, the writing became more and more lyrically beautiful as the story progressed, and there’s just something to be said for a tale of hope and healing; those are woefully infrequent, and I was thrilled to find such a story within the pages of the Elements of Cadence duology. …

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Book Review: Dark Theory (Dark Law, #1) by Wick Welker

Book Review: Dark Theory (Dark Law, #1) by Wick Welker

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ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art by: Damonza

Dark Theory by Wick Welker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Dark Law (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic

Pages: 796 pages (Kindle Edition)

Published: 17th April 2022 by Wick Welker (Self-Published)

Dark Theory is an ambitious and imaginative blend of fantasy and hard science fiction.

“You get a little older—either wiser or dimmer, not sure—and you realize the questions don’t matter. It’s what you do with the mystery that matters.”

…

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