Browsed by
Tag: Book Review

Book Review: The Price of Power (The Price of Power, #1) by Michael Michel

Book Review: The Price of Power (The Price of Power, #1) by Michael Michel

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

The Price of Power by Michael Michel

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Price of Power (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 730 pages (Kindle edition)

Publish date: 6th February 2023 by Morningstar Books (Indie)


The Price of Power is a foundational character-driven fantasy debut with promises of great things to come.

“As much as the future is fickle, the past is solid and certain. What it tells me is things continue forward. The future persists even when bleak. I fight fear with wisdom.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Book Review: Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

 

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…

Read More Read More

Book Review: Sistah Samurai by Tatiana Obey

Book Review: Sistah Samurai by Tatiana Obey

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

Cover art illustrated by Felix Ortiz

Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novella by Tatiana Obey

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Champloo (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 140 pages (Paperback edition)

Word Count: 30,000 words

Publish date: 1st November 2023 by Tatiana Obey


Sistah Samurai is legit one of the most entertaining action-fantasy novellas I’ve ever read.

“We were women, and mothers, and sisters, and cousins. We were teachers, and healers, and innovators, and warriors. And we went down fighting.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light and Shadow, #1) by Janny Wurts

Book Review: The Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light and Shadow, #1) by Janny Wurts

Cover art illustrated by Janny Wurts

The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Wars of Light and Shadow (Book #1 of 11)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 611 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 233,000 words

Publish date: May 1993 by HarperVoyager


The Curse of the Mistwraith is the start of a super ambitious epic fantasy, and it is a book that will require your 100% concentration.

Read More Read More

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

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

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.

Read More Read More

Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical fiction

Pages: 496 pages (Kindle edition)

Publish date: 6th of September 2016 by Penguin Books


A Gentleman in Moscow is a beautifully written book with minimal suspense, conflict, or captivating drama.

“It is a sad but unavoidable fact of life… that as we age our social circles grow smaller. Whether from increased habit or diminished vigor, we suddenly find ourselves in the company of just a few familiar faces.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Daughters’ War (Blacktongue, #0) by Christopher Buehlman

Book Review: The Daughters’ War (Blacktongue, #0) by Christopher Buehlman

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

Cover art illustrated by Marie Bergeron

The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Blacktongue (Book #0)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 416 pages (Kindle edition)

Publish date: 25th of June 2024 by Tor Books (US) and Gollancz (UK)


The Daughters’ War is a very different kind of prequel novel from The Blacktongue Thief.

“One who has studied and thinks oneself capable might be undone to discover how much less one knows than one thinks.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Tropic of Serpents (The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #2) by Marie Brennan

Book Review: The Tropic of Serpents (The Memoirs of Lady Trent, #2) by Marie Brennan

Review copy provided by the author’s agent—Zeno Literary Agency—in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by Todd Lockwood

The Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Memoirs of Lady Trent (Book #2 of 5)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy

Word Count: 98,000 words

Pages: 331 pages (Paperback edition)

Published: 4th March 2014 by Tor Books (US) & 20th June 2014 by Titan Books (UK)


The Tropic of Serpents precisely portrayed why I hate jungles.

“There is no faster way to harden my determination than to assume I will fail at something.”

Read More Read More

Book Review: The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1) by Richard Osman

Book Review: The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club, #1) by Richard Osman

Cover design by Richard Bravery

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

My rating: 1 .5 of 5 stars

Series: Thursday Murder Club (Book #1)

Genre: Murder Mystery

Pages: 355 pages (Hardback edition)

Published: 3rd September 2020 by Penguin (UK) and Pamela Dorman Books (US)


The Thursday Murder Club is a very light-hearted murder mystery novel with zero suspense.

“If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.”

Read More Read More