4 stars Archives - Novel Notions

Book Review: Brand of Light (The Droseran Saga, #1) by Ronie Kendig

December 11, 2024 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Brand of Light is completely unlike anything I’ve ever read. For one thing, it’s such an interesting blend of medieval fantasy and space opera. I’ve never encountered quite this mix of the two. It is also among the edgiest Christian fiction I’ve read. Kendig takes this story to some dark places, but she does so with a respectable amount of tact and grace. You know that some horrible things are happening, but she never revels in descriptions of that darkness. Instead, even when things seem to be at their most hopeless, she finds a way to shine a light into that darkness. If this first book is any indication, the Droseran Saga can hold its own against any sci-fi in the general market. …

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Book Review: Empire of Grass (The Last King of Osten Ard, #2) by Tad Williams

December 1, 2024 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

Cover art illustrated by Michael Whelan

Empire of Grass by Tad Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Last King of Osten Ard (Book #2 of 4), The Osten Ard Saga (Book #5 of 7)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 684 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 319,000 words

Published: 7th May 2019 by DAW Books (US) & Hodder (UK)

Empire of Grass is the darkest entry in the entire Osten Ard Saga by Tad Williams so far, and I feel it is going to be outshined by its sequels.

“You don’t know you’re in a story until someone tells it to you afterward.”

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Book Review: The Liar’s Knot (Rook and Rose, #2) by M.A. Carrick

September 26, 2024 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

Cover art illustrated by Nekro XIII

The Liar’s Knot by M.A. Carrick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Rook and Rose (Book #2 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 688 pages (Kindle edition)

Word Count: 215,000 words

Publish date: 9th December 2021 by Orbit

The Liar’s Knot took its time to get its gear running, but the moment it started, the M.A. Carrick duo proved why this is a stronger installment than its predecessor. …

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Book Review: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

August 10, 2024 Emma Comments 0 Comment

Long Live Evil (Time of Iron #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publish date: 1st August 2024

How many times have you dreamt of entering the world of your favourite novel or series? Got lost in the thought of meeting that character or leading the charge against that villain? Being the one to entice that dark haired, shadow wielding … *cough* ok, let me bring it back to the point. Many of us dream of entering our favourite fantasy novel, with the usual caveats, of course. Obviously, we want to be one of the rich or powerful or beautiful characters, not the cannon fodder or poverty stricken nobodies that hover in the background, worth nothing more than a passing reference, if that. But what would it take you to actually DO it? Maybe your imminent death? That’s what happens to Rae. When a mysterious woman reveals that there’s no hope left for her, that her tumours have spread and the upcoming costs of treatment will destroy her family before she dies anyway, she’s offered one opportunity to change it all, to live. And she takes it. Who wouldn’t? Finding herself in the pages of her favourite fantasy series, Rae uses every bit of her (admittedly patchy) knowledge of the plot to keep herself alive and manipulate her way to her goal – stealing the Flower of Life and Death. It’s her only chance to live her real life again, free of disease and pain. But being a villain is harder than it looks and the real world is not the only place where death stalks the story…

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Book Review: Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

August 6, 2024 Emma Comments 0 Comment

Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Publish date: 30th July 2024

Imagine this. You’re home for the holidays, sorting out the final trimmings for the best meal of the year. But just when you thought it was safe to relax and enjoy your Christmas, Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death, decides he needs something doing. Immediately. So he sends a dream request with no get out clause. We’ve all had bosses like it – no boundaries and can’t take no for an answer. On top of that, a child, bloody and near death, rocks up asking for sanctuary, with elite mercenaries and a catastrophically powerful priest hot on his tail. The whole situation reads like disaster – now, nobody gets to eat turkey and perhaps even worse, they might actually die. A rubbish outcome all round.

For Roman, a classic homebody (read: recluse with no desire to see or speak to people), this means a Christmas break gone completely to hell. But like any proud homeowner, he is more than prepared to defend his space, and everyone in it, from bad guys. Especially when they turn up with very bad attitudes and suspicious reasons for wanting to ‘take the child home to his parents’. Yeah right. We know how this works. And so does Roman. If you know anything about him from the Kate Daniels books, you know he has a bit of an attitude himself. More than enough to take on some jumped up soldiers, he’s the Black Volhv after all.

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Book Review: Kavithri (Ghosts of Ethuran, #1) by Aman J. Bedi

July 2, 2024 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

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

Cover art illustrated by Giby Joseph

Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Ghosts of Ethuran (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 448 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 111,500 words

Publish date: 16th of May 2024 by Gollancz

Imagine an engaging Indian-inspired steampunk fantasy debut reminiscent of The Poppy War with an empathetic heroine with a rein on her wrath. That’s Kavithri. …

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Book Review: Bonds of Chaos (Threadlight, #3) by Zack Argyle

May 5, 2024 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

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

Cover art by Omer Burak Onal

Bonds of Chaos by Zack Argyle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Threadlight (Book #3 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 360 pages (Hardcover edition)

Publish date: 25th of August 2022 by Zack Argyle (Self-Published)

Bonds of Chaos has successfully nailed the necessary satisfying conclusion to the Threadlight trilogy.

“No matter how hard a man may try, he never truly understands hurt beyond what he has experienced himself.”

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When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

April 26, 2024 Celeste Comments 0 Comment

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received advance digital copies of this book and audiobook from the publishers, Tor Books and Macmillan Audio, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

When Among Crows is the first Veronica Roth book I’ve read since throwing Allegiant across my living room over a decade ago. I really enjoy her writing style but felt desperately betrayed by that book, and so I haven’t picked up anything by her since then. However, the premise of When Among Crows fascinated me, and a standalone novella sounded like a relatively safe way to dip my toes back into the pool of her work. This proved to be a great decision. While I didn’t quite love When Among Crows, I did have a lot of fun with it. Is it a perfect novella? No. Is it worth picking up? Absolutely. …

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Book Review: Stones of Light (Threadlight, #2) by Zack Argyle

April 5, 2024 Petrik Leo Comments 0 Comment

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

Cover art by Omer Burak Onal

Stones of Light by Zack Argyle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Threadlight (Book #2 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 362 pages (Hardcover edition)

Publish date: 4th of April 2021 by Zack Argyle (Self-Published)

This was a great sequel. In Stones of Light, Argyle maintained the consistency of quality in his storytelling.

“It’s like comparing granite to clay. The clay may take shape more easily, but the granite, once you’ve chiseled it into place, is so much stronger. For some people, motherhood comes more easily. For others, it takes a hammer and chisel. No one is made for motherhood. Motherhood is made for you. Some of us aren’t so lucky.”

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