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Tag: 3.5 stars

Book Review: The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

Book Review: The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers

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The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, Orbit/Redhook, in exchange for an honest review.

The description for The City of Stardust captivated me as soon as I read it. Here’s what hooked me: “A young woman descends into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge to break her family’s curse in this spellbinding contemporary fantasy debut.” There are so many things that grab me in that little synopsis. A “seductive, magical underworld?” Sign me up. “Power-hungry scholars?” Forever and always. Fickle gods and family curses? Yes, please. While I did get all of those things, the story itself didn’t land quite as solidly for me as I had hoped it would. …

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Book Review: Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering

Book Review: Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering

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Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art by Dusan Markovic

Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 784 pages (Paperback edition)

Published: 23rd November 2022 by Mythology Press (Self-Published)

Heliotrope is a good one-off standalone character-driven fantasy reminiscent of the classic adventurous fantasy novel. …

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Book Review: The Prophet of Edan (The Edan Trilogy, #2) by Philip Chase

Book Review: The Prophet of Edan (The Edan Trilogy, #2) by Philip Chase

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Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by Kyra Gregory

The Prophet of Edan by Philip Chase

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Edan Trilogy (Book #2 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 610 pages (Paperback edition)

Published: 21st June 2023 by Philip Chase (Self-Published)

For better or worse, The Prophet of Edan is a heavily action-packed sequel to The Way of Edan. …

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Book Review: Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 2 (The Sun Eater, #4.5) by Christopher Ruocchio

Book Review: Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 2 (The Sun Eater, #4.5) by Christopher Ruocchio

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Cover art illustrated by Nathan Anderson

Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 2 by Christopher Ruocchio

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Sun Eater (Book #4.5 of 7)

Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera, Science Fantasy

Pages: 157 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 1st June 2022 (Self-Published)

Tales of the Sun Eater, Volume 2 is a comparatively better collection of short stories that shows The Sun Eater can still function without Hadrian Marlowe’s POV. …

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Book Review: Cytonic (Skyward, #3) by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review: Cytonic (Skyward, #3) by Brandon Sanderson

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

Cover art illustrated by Sam Green

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Skyward (Book #3 of 4)

Genre: Sci-fi

Pages: 432 pages (Hardcover edition)

Publish date: 23rd of November 2021 by Delacorte Press (US) & Gollancz (UK)

Cytonic was not as underwhelming as I expected, which is good, but it felt like reading a middle-book syndrome despite it being the penultimate installment of the series.

“Sometimes it’s too easy to forget the things you should remember — and far too easy to remember the things you really should forget.”

…

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Book Review: Unbound (Songs of Chaos, #2) by Michael R. Miller

Book Review: Unbound (Songs of Chaos, #2) by Michael R. Miller

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Review copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by Randy Vargas

Unbound by Michael R. Miller

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

eries: Songs of Chaos (Book #2 of 5)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Progression Fantasy

Pages: 672 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 1st October 2021 by Monolith Books (Self-published)

Unbound is where Songs of Chaos truly transformed to a progression dragon rider epic fantasy series. …

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Book Review: ReDawn (Skyward, #2.2) by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson

Book Review: ReDawn (Skyward, #2.2) by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson

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

Cover art illustrated by Sam Green

ReDawn by  Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Skyward (Book #2.2 of 4)

Genre: Sci-fi

Pages: 227 pages (Hardcover edition)

Publish date: 26th of October 2021 by Delacorte Press (US) & Gollancz (UK)

ReDawn is a necessary installment to read before Cytonic. …

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Book Review: Sunreach (Skyward, #2.1) by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review: Sunreach (Skyward, #2.1) by Brandon Sanderson

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

Cover art illustrated by Sam Green

Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Skyward (Book #2.1 of 4)

Genre: Sci-fi

Pages: 177 pages (Hardcover edition)

Publish date: 28th of September 2021 by Delacorte Press (US) & Gollancz (UK)

Sunreach expanded upon the secret of the hyperdrive and the characterizations of FM and Rig. …

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Book Review: The Sunlit Man (The Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson

Book Review: The Sunlit Man (The Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson

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This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review of The Sunlit Man.

Cover art illustrated by Kudriaken

The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Cosmere

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic fantasy

Word Count: 103,000 words

Pages: 447 pages (Kindle)

Published: 1st October 2023 by Dragonsteel Books (Kickstarter) & 10th October 2023 by Tor Books (US Ebook)/Gollancz (UK Ebook)

The Sunlit Man is a detailed exhibition of the bright future of Sanderson’s vision. Sooner or later, fans of the Cosmere must not miss reading this dedicated tribute novel from Brandon Sanderson to his readers.

“Ideals are like statues in the wind. They seem so permanent, but truth is, erosion happens subtly, constantly.”

…

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Book Review: Talonsister (Talon Duology, #1) by Jen Williams

Book Review: Talonsister (Talon Duology, #1) by Jen Williams

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

Cover art by Julia Lloyd

Talonsister by Jen Williams

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Talon Duology(Book #1 of 2)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 560 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 12th September 2023 by Titan Books

Talonsister is a slow-burn low-stakes novel that rewards its reader with an explosive high-stakes ending. …

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