4.5 stars Archives - Novel Notions

“We live in stories, and in stories, we are subject to phenomena beyond the mechanisms of space and time. Fear and love, death and wrath and wisdom—these are as much parts of our universe as light and gravity.”

The Sun Eater is one of those series that I’ve heard so many good things about that I found myself really hesitant to pick it up. But I’m glad that I finally decided to take the plunge, because I was immediately enamored by Hadrian Marlowe and held rapt by his story. Ruocchio has an immaculate way with words, and he’s drawn a dark but impeccably nuanced system of worlds that feels true, even if fictitious. This is a gigantic story, the surface of which is barely scratched in this first installment. …

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Book Review: Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

November 10, 2025 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!

I’ve always been fascinated by Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. This is due in large part to my deep and abiding affection for the film adaptation of V for Vendetta, which has been my favorite movie for well over a decade, which helped popularize the famous poem quoted above. And yet, I’ve never read any fiction inspired by the actual historical events. I’m happy to have now rectified this oversight in my reading life. Fawkes is a fantastic, fantastical reimagining of one of the most famed failed plots in history. …

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Book Review: The Time Door (Eternities, #1) by Shannon McDermott

October 14, 2025 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

The Time Door by Shannon McDermott
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

“One thing I know…God did not bring us this far, and save us from so much, for nothing. There is more for us. Let’s go discover it.”

The Time Door is exactly what I’m always looking for on the rare occasions I venture into hard science fiction, though it’s something I rarely find. This book is by turns fanciful and believable, philosophical and propulsive. It swept me away while also keeping my mind fully engaged, and I never found myself drowning in the science or the politics that were both so vital to the story. I drew comparisons to both The Martian and Project Hail Mary as I read, which is some of the highest praise I can give any work of science fiction as I adored both novels. …

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Skysworn (Of Earth and Sky, #2) by Katee Stein

October 9, 2025 Celeste Comments 2 comments

Skysworn by Katee Stein

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the author. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Skysworn is a fantastic followup to Earthbound, one of the most compelling and unique science-fantasies I’ve had the pleasure of reading. This completes the Of Earth and Sky duology, and gives readers the culmination of a story that is truly epic in every sense of the word. Both books are packed with compelling characters, brimming with depth and passion and their own kind of brokenness. This world is expansive and refreshingly original, beautifully fleshed-out in terms of worldbuilding. The plot is propulsive, the prose tight and crisp, and the romance believably messy. …

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Book Review: Framed in Death (In Death, #61) by J.D. Robb

September 3, 2025 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review.

Framed in Death is the 61st installment in the In Death series. I’ve loved Nora Roberts (and her pen name, J.D. Robb) for well over half my life. I’ll read—and have read—pretty much anything that she writes. But there’s something about this series that is just so special to me. I’ve been following the adventures of Eve Dallas and Roarke, Peabody and the rest of the crew, since I was sixteen. Which was twenty years ago. Because Nora publishes two installments in the series per year, it feels like I have this bi-annual chance to catch up with a great group of friends. Some installments are more successful than others, but all of them provide me with that cozy feeling of sitting down to a meal with good friends I haven’t seen in months. That being said, Framed in Death is a very strong installment, one that had me glued to its pages late into the night. …

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Book Review: Winter’s Chill (The Nordic Wars, #2) by Morgan L. Busse

August 20, 2025 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

Winter’s Chill by Morgan L. Busse
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Winter’s Chill picks up right where Winter’s Maiden left off. We continue following Brighid and Kaeden, with occasional secondary perspectives thrown in. Busse takes us to the White City in the southlands, and back to Bear Clan territory in the north. I loved learning more about the Eldaran through Kaeden’s perspective. But even more, I loved exploring the lore and power of the Bear Clan alongside Brighid. While not as tense and fast-paced as its predecessor, Winter’s Chill is just as compelling. The expansion of the world and the growth of the characters made for an engaging reading experience. …

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Book Review: The Chaos Grid (The Chaos Grid, #1) by Lyndsey Lewellen

August 3, 2025 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

The Chaos Grid by Lyndsey Lewellen
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I love retellings, especially stories that riff on either a fairytale or a Bible story. Some stories—like “Beauty and the Beast” or the Book of Esther—have been retold often. I’ve read quite a few takes on both of those, some of which have been wonderful. But then there are stories that reimagined less frequently, like the story of Jonah. I can only remember encountering one other loose retelling of that particular tale, but it didn’t hold a candle to this book in terms of originality. The Chaos Grid is the first half of a duology that blends Mad Max with the Book of Jonah, set within a post-apocalyptic, dystopian Texas. I found it fascinating and unique, fast-paced and compelling. There was never a dull moment in this first half of the story, and it left me hungry to know what happens next. …

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Book Review: The Radiant King (Astral Kingdoms, #1) by David Dalglish

July 6, 2025 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

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

Cover art by Magali Villeneuve

The Radiant King by David Dalglish

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Astral Kingdoms (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 514 pages (PaperbackEdition)

Word count: 174,000 words

Published: 4th March 2025 by Orbit Books

The Radiant King by David Dalglish is a Berserk inspired epic fantasy book that will become one of Dalglish’s most underrated titles.

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Book Review: Darkfell by Amanda Wright

May 10, 2025 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

Darkfell by Amanda Wright
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Darkfell is a timeless, refreshing take on classic fantasy tropes that deserves shelf space alongside The Chronicles of Narnia and Dekker’s Circle series. Like the aforementioned works, Darkfell tells a powerful, fantastical tale on the surface, with layers of spiritual depth underpinning the plot. I love finding Christian fantasy that is actually, unabashedly Christian, not simply clean and penned from a Christian worldview. Darkfell is unashamedly Christian. While the plot is propulsive, the characters engaging, and the worldbuilding exemplary, this is a story that would quite literally fall apart without the Creator holding it together. Which is a writing decision that I love, because my story would also fall about without Him. …

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