A sequel that had A LOT to live up to and managed it magically // Windwitch

"There were advantages to being a dead man."

Windwitch (The Witchlands, #2) by Susan Dennard

Publication: January 12th 2017 by Tor UK

Genres: young adult, fantasy

Format: UK paperback

Number of pages: 384

Goodreads summary: Sometimes our enemies become our only allies

The Windwitch Prince Merik is presumed dead, following a lethal explosion. He's left scarred but alive and determined to expose his sister's treachery. Yet on reaching the royal capital, he's shocked to find it crowded with refugees fleeing conflict. Merik haunts the streets, fighting for the weak. This leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

Hunted by the Cleaved, Iseult is struggling to stay free while she searches for her friend Safi. When the Bloodwitch Aeduan corners Iseult first, she offers him a deal: she'll return what was stolen from him, if he locates the Truthwitch. Yet unknown to Iseult, there's a bounty on her head - and Aeduan intends to claim it.

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. They find themselves amongst pirates, where a misstep could mean death. And the bandits' next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

REVIEW

Last year, Truthwitch was one of my most anticipated releases and I fangirled so, so much about it in my review (I was actually shocked myself). I was excited to read the sequel, but I was a little bit anxious about it, because I knew Susan Dennard had struggled a lot to write this one, and Merik wasn't my favourite character, while it was his arc book. I was so wrong to be scared, because I loved it so much and I'm back in my state of « I want the next book now », even though it's just been published.

I have to admit I struggled a bit when I started reading this one, but it was a time I didn't have much time to read, so I have no idea if it's my fault or the book's. I think it was because it took me a while to actually understand Merik, who was shaping the whole novel, but also because the main characters were all in different places and situations. But after about a hundred pages or so, I was completely hooked to the novel, to the point I couldn't stop reading and had to force myself to go to sleep.

The plot of this second novel is quite complex and dense, because it was made of so many subplots I was a bit overwhelmed at times, but it was very interesting to follow and it helped set up the pace of the novel. Moreover, because there were five points of view in the novel, with most characters separated, it was very interesting to follow their own paths and how they evolved while they were with different people. I loved how it set up so much for the rest of the series and I am very excited to see where the story is going in Bloodwitch, the third book (yassss, BAEduan!).

Because most of the characters were separated during this novel, I came to appreciate the ones I didn't get in Truthwitch. It was the case with Aeduan, because while I thought he was pretty badass in the first book, I wasn't a huge fan of his character and I didn't understand what the buzz was all about. But now guys, I definitely got it! We learnt so much more about him in Windwitch, I formed deeper bonds with him, because he felt more human in this instalment. The next book will be his arc and I'm so pumped for that! I also loved to read about Iseult, because she was separated of Safi and was more of her person, coming into terms with who she was and I want her arc book so much.

I don't think we got much of Safi in this one, because her arc was the first book, so I still liked her, but her part wasn't actually my favourite. Merik was hard to grasp in my opinion, but I understood his motivations in the end. He's far from being my favourite character of the series, but he had such an interesting character development, because he was so broken (or a dead man, like he said). But the actual revelation of the novel was Vivia. I didn't expect her to become part of the main characters cast but she actually did and while I wasn't a fan at the beginning... The more it was revealed about her, the more I loved her to pieces and she's now one of my favourite characters of the novel. Finally, I loved seeing that the author introduced (well, they were already there but we understood more about them) a diverse cast of characters, because it's quite rare in fantasy novel (but she had already done it in the Something Strange and Deadly trilogy).

Moreover, the world-building was expanded so much, because we totally left the ground the author covered in the first book. I also liked to read more about the witchery of different characters, as it helped me having a better understanding of the magic system. Also, I loved how some elements were presented as tropes in the first book, but then you doubt they're tropes, and then you're wondering again. The revelations made me doubt so hard about everything. In the end, I was just thinking that this is how you write a great fantasy novel. I'm mostly imprecise because I don't want to spoil you about anything, I just highly recommend you to read these books.

To recap, Windwitch definitely lived up to the first book in the series, Truthwitch. The plot was intricate, complex and set up so much for latter novels. I really enjoyed the character development and found a new favourite with Vivia. The world was also expanded quite a lot and it helped understand how the magic actually worked – I think people had found it confusing in the first book – which was so fascinating. I have no idea how I'll wait another year for Bloodwitch, but I don't really have a choice, have I?

Other:

• My review of Something Strange and Deadly
• My review of A Darkness Strange and Lovely
• My review of Strange and Ever After
• My review of Truthwitch

Have you read this novel yet, or Truthwitch? What did you think about it?

Would you become who you need to be? | The Beauty of Darkness

The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) by Mary E. Pearson

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Published: August 2nd 2016 by Henry Holt and Co.

Goodreads summary: Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

Bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance and action make this a riveting page turner for teens.

REVIEW

The Remnant Chronicles is a trilogy I came to like the more and more books were released and I was so pleased with this finale. Indeed, I was truly invested in the whole thing, because I reread the first two books in the series during the summer and enjoyed them even more the second time around, which had made me so excited to read The Beauty of Darkness.

I’m deeply in love with Mary E. Pearson’s writing, which was so poetic and vibrant. Since the first book I’ve been admiring her for The Song of Venda and The Last Testaments of Gaudrel, because it felt like realistic lore, as mysterious and poetic as you would imagine. Pearson transported me to her world easily, which is an amazing gift, because it means I can imagine myself traveling besides the main characters without forcing my mind too much around it.

As this book was 688-pages long, many events occurred and I felt like years had passed for the characters when I closed the book, when it had happened over the course of a few months (well, even if there was a bigger gap between the penultimate and last chapter). I can’t really say much about the plot without spoiling anything, because it’s the third and last book, but I will say that it was intense and I always had to keep reading, because I needed to know what was going to happen to the characters. The author covered a lot of ground, both in her world, but also in the type of plots she used. Some twists were totally unexpected for me and I was shocked at some point, because I hadn’t thought of some possibilities. Moreover, she wrote wonderful action-packed scenes and grasped the atmosphere of a war.

During this trilogy, Lia became such a strong and independent woman and I’m so proud of her, she will definitely remain one of my favourite female characters of all times. Time and time again, she proved that she needed no man to succeed, when it was a man’s world (no, I’m definitely not singing along ;)). She learned to trust her gift and embrace who she needed to become, even if she was ruthless at times, because she was doing what needed to be done. Pauline also went through a lot of character development in this last book, because she realized the truth on some aspects of her life (I don’t want to spoil anyone but it’s hard) and had to become tougher than the sweet girl she used to be (also, can we talk about someone’s name? I loved it <3). In fact, this book was very great at building women’s power, when this world was dominated by men.

However, I feel like it fell a bit short for the two male main characters’ development. While I recognize we saw some of it, I was disappointed a little by Kaden’s chapters, because they were way too short and didn’t help me to understand him. Yes, we learned more about this past, but it was hard to understand his relationships with the other characters, especially Lia and Pauline. Rafe was easier to understand, because his reactions were realistic considering the situation he was in, but I still needed more scenes that involved him.

For the romance, I have to say I figured out early on the path the author had chosen for her characters and was excited to read about it. I was pleased with the outcome, even if I had predicted it, because Pearson wrote it pretty well and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Some scenes were steamy in my opinion and it worked so well, because I was rooting for the characters and wanted more one-to-one time between them. However, I would have liked to see two particular characters falling in love together, because we only saw the result. Nevertheless, the romance was great, even if there was much drama in it.

The ending was pretty much a happily ever after, but for once, I didn’t mind. I loved the places Mary E. Pearson left her characters, because even if she didn’t resolve everything, she left the characters with hope for their future. Moreover, I almost cried with relief and joy when I read the last scene, my little fangirl heart melted, it was so beautiful.

Overall, I’m totally satisfied with this finale and while, like always, I feel bittersweet because it is another series coming to a close, I know I won’t regret it because it ended the right way for the characters (but also like I wanted, haha). The Beauty of Darkness was about Lia finally becoming who she needed to be and I’m glad I saw this transformation during the trilogy. The plot was filled with tension, which made me keep reading, to the point where I read this beast in three days (well, I finished it past midnight so technically it was the fourth day). I read swoon-worthy moments that made me so happy, especially at the end of the novel. I cannot wait to see what Mary E. Pearson will write next, because this trilogy is one of my favourites!

Have you read this trilogy? Do you love it? Have you read the Jenna Fox series by this author?

So much girl power here! | The Darkest Magic

The Darkest Magic (Spirits and Thieves #2) by Morgan Rhodes

Published: June 28th 2016 by Razorbill

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: In the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes's highly acclaimed Falling Kingdoms spin-off series, danger looms and the mystery deepens as two warring evils vie for possession of one elusive, powerful book.

Modern-day Toronto: Sisters Crystal and Becca Hatcher are reunited after reclaiming the Bronze Codex and narrowly escaping death. They have no one to trust but each other, and the only thing keeping them safe is the book that sent Becca's spirit to Ancient Mytica--the same book that their enemies would kill them for. 

Ancient Mytica: Maddox grapples to keep his newly discovered powers under control, while the ruthless goddess Valoria hunts him down. 

Modern-day Toronto: Farrell embraces his dark side as he unwittingly falls further under the spell of Markus, the mastermind leader of the nefarious Hawkspear Society, who will stop at nothing to find Crys and Becca--and the remarkable book in their possession. 

New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes takes readers into exhilarating new high-fantasy territory with volume two of the Book of Spirits and Thieves series, an epic contemporary saga perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander.

REVIEW

I'm a huge fan of the Falling Kingdoms series, so when the Spirits and Thieves trilogy was announced, I was pretty excited, as it's a prequel of the main series. While I really disliked the cover of the first book, they improved a lot with this one, it was pretty badass and I had serious girl power vibes from it.

When I started this book, I didn't remember very well what had happened in the first book, except the key plot points. Nevertheless, Morgan Rhodes did recaps along with the story, which helped me a lot, because I hadn't find any recap of A Book of Spirits and Thieves on the Internet. However, my issue was that it took a lot of time to get through every character's point of view, because they were four of them. At the beginning of the story, I felt like the plot was moving very slowly because of that, but it picked up quickly.

This trilogy is set a thousand years before the Falling Kingdoms series and it set so much in place for the Mytica I've come to know and love. The Darkest Magic indeed gave a bigger place to the two goddesses, Cleiona and Valoria, but also the Watchers, which is part of Mytica's mythology/series in the original series. Moreover, this instalment developed the magic even further, especially for Maddox and his death magic, but also for Becca, because of her parentage. What I love the most about the world Morgan Rhodes created is the fact Mytica is intertwined with modern-day Toronto, which involves secret societies. The author went even farther in that aspect, about how loyal you can be to someone and to a cause, which was really interesting and challenging for Farell's character.

I was really invested in most characters' storylines in this book and I came to appreciate some of them a bit more, just like Farell. I felt so much girl power in this book, for the Hatcher sisters, but also from the secondary characters like their families or the goddesses. Morgan Rhodes is also great at writing romances in my opinion and I'm way more invested in Farell/Crystal than in Maddox/Becca, because there is this hate becoming love relationship trope happening, which reminds me of Cleo and Magnus in Falling Kingdoms, who are my OTP.

The plot was very entertaining to follow and I can't even tell if it was more interesting in Mytica or in Toronto, which was a good thing. It was cruel to leave small cliff-hangers at the end of each chapter though, because how was I even supposed to go to sleep? This novel introduced a new antagonist, who was very scary and I wasn't expecting him to appear really, because I didn't remember any hints from this in the first book. The ending left my mouth hanging open and I just need the next book in the trilogy now.

Overall, this book was everything I wanted, except that it took me awhile to get into it, as the chapters were pretty long and it followed four characters. Nevertheless, I was very invested in all the storylines and I cannot wait to read the last book in the trilogy, because it'll be explosive!

Other:

• Review of A Book of Spirits and Thieves

Have you read this book yet? What did you think of it? Are you a fan of the Falling Kingdoms series? Are you excited for Crystal Storm?

A solid start to a new series | Ruined

Ruined (Ruined #1) by Amy Tintera

Published: May 3rd 2016 by HarperTeen

Genre: young adult, fantasy, high fantasy

Goodreads summary: A revenge that will consume her. A love that will ruin her.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

REVIEW

I was quite excited for this one, since high fantasy is my favourite genre, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was hooked into the story from the very first pages and read it quickly. I think it was a strong instalment in a new trilogy.

This book focused a lot on revenge and that’s an aspect I really liked, especially when Em questioned her motives at some point, because she didn’t want to kill Cas anymore. This book explored the character’s boundaries, questioning justice and how far you should go to get revenge, which was pretty interesting. I found the story to be gripping and fast-paced, the first scene being a murder, and then a character being stabbed during a wedding. I was literally glued to the pages, because I needed to know what happened next. In Ruined, I also found the court politics I loved, since the first half of the book takes place in the palace. This first book ended in a tough place for our characters and I’m excited to see where their journey will take them.

Em was such an interesting main character, driven by revenge, which I could totally understand, considering what had happened to her family. I liked the idea that she was the princess of a kingdom were magic prevailed above the rest, and yet she had no magical powers. It actually changed from the special snowflake main character, because here, Em’s people didn’t even want her to rule, for her lack of magical powers. Nevertheless, she clearly showed that her powers lied elsewhere, since she was pretty strong and badass. I loved her fighting scenes and how she was presented as one of the best warriors, because she trained so much.

Cas was Em’s perfect match, he was such a kind boy that was trying to understand others, like the Ruined, when they had been hunted down in his kingdom for years. While I really liked him, I found him to be pretty typical, he wasn’t really different from the other hundred princes I read about before.

The world was interesting, with its four kingdoms reduced to two since Lera conquered two of them. I especially enjoyed the idea of a kingdom made of warriors and I’m excited to visit this one in the sequels. There were so many scenes involving fighting -even training- which I loved so much. However, I found that the world-building lacked concerning the Ruined, which was a bit strange considering it’s the title of the book. The author never explained them, we just knew they had powers and were above humans, which I found to be pretty shallow for a fantasy book.

I really enjoyed the romance, which wasn’t instalove at all, since the characters didn’t want to marry each other. Because they were forced into that situation, they came to know each other, then rely on each other, and fell in love in the process. It was a slow-burn romance, which I always enjoy. Moreover, their love is quite challenged because they’re supposed to be enemies but I’m a sucker for that! It was a good romance and I sure hope we won’t have a love triangle.

Overall, Ruined was a solid start to a new trilogy and I’m really excited for the sequel. I’m not saying I was blown away by the content though, but I quite liked that the book focused on revenge and had a gripping plot and interesting characters. If you’re a fan of Throne of Glass, Falling Kingdoms and the likes, you should check it out! I think I might check out Amy Tintera’s other works, because she proved me she was a good writer.

Have you read Ruined yet? What did you think of it? Did you read the Reboot duology?

I'm having my first book hangover, send help | A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Published: May 3rd 2016 by Bloomsbury Children's Books

Genre: new adult, fantasy, retelling

Goodreads summary: Feyre is immortal.

After rescuing her lover Tamlin from a wicked Faerie Queen, she returns to the Spring Court possessing the powers of the High Fae. But Feyre cannot forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people - nor the bargain she made with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.

As Feyre is drawn ever deeper into Rhysand's dark web of politics and passion, war is looming and an evil far greater than any queen threatens to destroy everything Feyre has fought for. She must confront her past, embrace her gifts and decide her fate.

She must surrender her heart to heal a world torn in two.

REVIEW

This is just Sarah J. Maas' best book yet. Now, I just want to reread the four Throne of Glass books. A Court of Mist and Fury is huge and here is the thing: I read it in less than 24 hours. From the moment I opened it, I almost couldn’t do anything else, but read. I stayed up until 2 a.m. -because I needed a steamy scene first- and had to reason with myself, because I needed sleep, but if I had been on holidays, I wouldn’t have slept all night.

A Court of Mist and Fury picked up three months after the ending of the first book and we saw Feyre dealing with PTSD and depression, which was pretty realistic. The book was a little slow in the beginning, I admit it, but it was to show all her character development since Under the Mountain. Because she grew up a lot, her views on the Spring Court and Tamlin were quite different, and actually, I could understand her. She felt like the world was moving too fast around her and that she hadn’t adjusted to it yet. During the whole novel, Feyre also trained because of her new powers and because she needed to make a difference, and I admired her so much.

This second book expanded the world so much. In A Court of Thorns and Roses, Feyre didn’t see much of the world because of the threat and controlling issues of someone *coughs*. Seeing other parts of this world truly showed how Sarah J. Maas excelled at world-building and implied that the issues were so much bigger. The retelling aspect were pretty loose in this one, but I loved the aspect of acceptance, no matter what the other did. When the first book was more romance-driven, the plot took the main stage in this one. I could definitely say that the stakes were so much higher and it showed in all the politics. Some plot twists had me screaming out loud, until finally, I sobbed because of the ending. The third book will totally be intense.

Sarah J. Maas also introduced us to some new and interesting characters. When I wrote my review for the first book, I was saying that Rhysand was the most interesting character, and we finally got his backstory (aka mostly chapter 54 <3), which made everything click into place. Like I said, I found he made questionable decisions in ACOTAR, but it was finally explained… And I think I would have done the same thing that he did. Also, he’s just so sexy, caring and powerful. Just like that, he joined my book boyfriends gang (I need to revise my list btw). We also meet his friends and I loved them so much. They had these family dynamics I love and they were quite sassy and funny. The author took the time to explain each of their backstory, so they felt really fleshed out. Among them, there were some strong and independent women, Maas truly knows how to write this type of characters. I would have liked to see more of Lucien, but we didn’t see Tamlin for 90% of the book so it made sense. But still, I needed Lucien’s sass (also we have a similar name, so there’s that!).

For the romance, my feels are ALL OVER THE PLACE. If you don’t know Sarah J. Maas’ twists on the romance, there will spoilers for that in the next sentences (so skip the next two paragraphs!). But truly, many readers had no doubt on what would happen. At the end of the first book, I was more rooting for Rhysand than Tamlin, but I needed explanations first and they made sense. It also made me respect Rhys even more, because of all he had to endure. Moreover, for her romances, Maas writes characters that already have experiences (thanks God, no innocent maiden here!) and don’t find true love the first time around, and it made sense, because that’s not how it happens in real life. I wouldn’t say there is a love triangle, it’s just that Feyre’s growth made her aware of problematic comportments Tamlin had. She also despised herself at some point, because she was falling for someone else. I truly don’t think Tamlin’s character was destroyed for the romance, I think that Feyre just opened her eyes. Also, I had totally seen the big revelation coming after the first book, but my shipper heart was so happy!

Here, it was a slow-burning romance that made sense, between characters who saw each other as equals. I loved seeing them bickering for so long and there was so much chemistry and sexual tension between them. I was on the edge of my seat because I wanted the steamy scenes to happen so badly and that’s 99% the reason I stayed up until 2 a.m. (I went into bed straight up after) and it was so good. Be warned that it’s more graphic than in the first book though, but I really didn’t mind, considering the characters. Nevertheless, saying “to fuck someone” isn’t sexy Rhys (you still were though, but this phrase is awful).

Overall, A Court of Mist and Fury was much better than the first book. I know that some readers didn’t like that one, mostly because it was so romance-driven, but have no fear, for this one isn’t like that. The plot was way more developed and the characters had a goal. Of course, there was still romance, but this tension will make anyone wanting for it to happen. Maas introduced some amazing characters and I can’t wait to see where their storylines will go. The ending made me cry so much and I just need the third one now, but at the same time, I don’t want to because it will be the end? I don’t know, just read this amazing fantasy novel. 

Other:

• My review for A Court of Thorns and Roses

Have you read A Court of Mist and Fury yet? Do you love this series? Which one of Sarah's books is your favourite?

Can I keep the characters? | The Mirror King

The Mirror King (The Orphan Queen #2) by Jodi Meadows

Published: April 5th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies.

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right. 

HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.

REVIEW

There, I’ll say it and be done with it: The Mirror King has one of the prettiest covers I have ever seen. But well, so far Jodi Meadows has been pretty lucky with her book covers. But anyway, I would like to say that I loved this book as much as I loved the cover, or even more. It’s one of my favourites of the year, by far. The Mirror King is 544 pages long and I read it in a day. Granted, I was on holidays, but I simply couldn’t put it down.

The Mirror King picks up right after the ending of The Orphan Queen and I’m happy I had only read the book in December, or I wouldn’t have remembered much. The characters had to dealt with a lot of consequences, mainly because another character is going at war for Wil, but also because of the wraith. For me, the pacing was even, because the author alternated action scenes and slower scenes, but all of them made the story progress. While I read this book, I laughed, I cried, I smiled. Well, I mostly sobbed for a few chapters towards the end, and my heart hasn’t recovered yet.

In Jodi Meadows’ books, no one is safe, ever, and I really appreciate that, because it makes it all the more realistic. Of course, it means I’m crying my eyes out during the whole process (it was almost midnight so no one saw me at least) but it’s so worth it. Moreover, the world expanded a little and I was pleased. But I think there would be room for a spin-off or something, since there is still ground to be covered.

For me, the strength of this book was its characters. I cared for each one of them, I understood them, even the antagonists. Also, every time we had a Black Knife moment, it was the best. During The Mirror King, Wilhelmina had to question everything she did, because people didn’t like her, her feelings were a mess and she wasn’t sure she would be a good queen. I liked how she struggled to find who she was during the book, just like Tobiah did, which made them feel more realistic. Moreover, I might want to add Tobiah to my book boyfriends list. Two revelations about the characters shocked me, because I wasn’t expecting them at all.

The romance was swoon-worthy. Of course, it was complicated between the two characters, but I loved how they come to term with their feelings, and it was worth the wait. I could totally feel their chemistry and the rest of the characters also felt it, haha. I also really enjoyed the friendship aspect in this one, for example between Tobiah and James, Wilhelmina and Melanie, and so on. It was an important theme during the whole book, and it was a good thing, because it isn’t always about romance.

I left The Mirror King satisfied with the ending, to be honest. I felt like my heart was full, because of all the love I had for this book. Yes, there are some loose ends, but what I wanted to be resolved now is and it ended on hope. That’s what matters. The other day, I saw people asking for an epilogue on Twitter, and I’m like ‘Why not?’ but I don’t think it’s necessary. I can picture part of what happens next, and it makes me happy.

Overall, I loved this duology and Jodi Meadows is becoming one of my favourite authors. Since December, I’m making my way through her books and I only have Infinite (last book in the Newsoul trilogy) left, which makes me sad. At least there will be My Lady Jane in June, but after that I shall wait for Fallen Isles. Anyway, I found that The Mirror King was an amazing conclusion, where I cared so much about the characters that I’m not ready to let them go yet. It didn’t happen to me in a long time, to be honest. 

Have you read this one yet? Any of Jodi Meadows' other books? Which book is the best one you've read so far this year?*

*I could pick like five, but it's between A Gathering of Shadows and Lady Midnight for me.

Healing or killing: how would you save the world? | Dark Triumph & Scent of Magic

Dark Triumph (His Fair Assassin #2) by Robin LaFevers

Published: April 2nd 2013 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Genre: young adult, historical, fantasy

Goodreads summary: When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons.

But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...

REVIEW

Like the author said in her note, this story was more personal than political, which I totally felt while reading, but I still love both books equally. Indeed, the spirit of the story stayed the same, because at first, Sybella was on an assignment, but then it became much more than that. If I was thrown away into the world right again, I found it to be slower to pick up.

I really liked learning about Sybella’s backstory, even though it was so awful, because I really got to know her. Still, it was a situation that felt realistic for this era. But I couldn’t really connect with her, with all the masks she put on her face, she felt like an actress most of the time, it was more towards the end of the book that I really cared about her. I enjoyed her relationship with Beast, I found that it grew naturally and I actually shipped them, they were quite alike.

Plot-wise, Dark Triumph went farther into the timeline, I thought it would follow the same one than in Grave Mercy, so I was quite pleased by that. The plot was thrilling and I really enjoyed following it, it also expanded the world a bit, because the characters went to different cities, the author also included the charbonnerie and other convents like Saint Mer. The characters felt closer to the people, while in Grave Mercy, they were closer to the court.

Other:

• Review of Grave Mercy 

Scent of Magic (Healer #2) by Maria V. Snyder

Published: December 20th 2012 by MIRA

Genre: fantasy

Goodreads summary: The army of the dead are coming…

Avry of Kazan, the last Healer of the mystical Fifteen Realms, has a power that can’t be matched. But in the minds of her friends and foe alike, Avry no longer exists. Now, as the psychotic King Tohon builds an army mightier than any that has been seen before—a league of undead soldiers—Avry must face her toughest, most terrifying battle alone. Fighting to be reunited with her family and her lover Kerrick, Avry must infiltrate Tohon’s troops. But does she have the power, the rare magic; to do what legend says is impossible?

REVIEW

Sadly, I didn’t like Scent of Magic as much as Touch of Power, I had a hard time getting through it and had to push myself to read it. In this one, the author chose to have two points of view, which made sense because the characters were separated, but I wasn’t really looking forward to read his chapters, they quite bored me. Moreover, Avry’s point of view was written in first person and Kerrick’s in third person, which always threw me off. Still, I liked the development about the healers.

I found the plot to be slow-moving, because for two thirds of the book, the characters were just preparing for war. I wasn’t at the edge of my seat, but there were some twists I didn’t expect, that still made me happy. I was surprised by the ending, though, so that’s a good thing.

I really liked the secondary characters introduced in Scent of Magic, especially the ones from the camp, because some characters we met in the first one weren’t there, it was refreshing. I really, really didn’t like Tohon, just like in the first one, but it’s not really a surprise. Some of his actions were childish, for example he just wants to own Avry to piss Kerrick. Moreover, it was a good thing that Avry and Kerrick were separated during the whole book, because it kind of ‘stopped’ the romance for a while, which meant no drama (for once). I hope I’ll like the third book more than this one. 

Other:

• Review of Scent of Magic

Have you read any of these books/series? What did you think of them? Would YOU be an assassin or a healer?

An impressive start to a new fantasy series | Flamecaster

Flamecaster (Shattered Realms #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

Published: April 5th 2016 by HarperCollins

Genre: young adult, fantasy

Goodreads summary: The first in a thrilling new four-book fantasy series from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima, set in the same world as her beloved Seven Realms series, a generation later.

Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now Ash is closer than he’s ever been to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. As a healer, can Ash use his powers not to save a life but to take it? 

Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told that the mysterious magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught.

Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series a generation later, this is a thrilling story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death.

REVIEW

I read the Seven Realms series a year and a half ago and I found it amazing, so I was really excited for this one – I added it on Goodreads November 1st 2014 – which says a lot. When I got it in the mail, I hurried to finish the book I was currently reading, then jumped on it quickly. Long story short: if you’re a fantasy fan, read this one!

I loved getting back into the world, because it felt familiar (the first chapters were set in the Fells) and yet like a new world, because the characters visited new places and it was set more or less twenty years later. The world felt realistic, because when we left the characters in The Crimson Crown, the situation wasn’t entirely stable, and it still wasn’t the case two decades later. It was still a world at war, more than ever, hence the title of the series, Shattered Realms. Cinda Williams Chima didn’t stay long in the places the reader already knew, like the Fells or Oden’s Ford, which was fine by me, because I discovered the kingdom of Arden and heard of the Northern Islands (which was so mysterious and exciting).

In the world-building, some little details bothered me, like the facts the months were the same as ours, when it’s a high fantasy one, and the use of French by the author, with a typo (La Ancienne instead of L’Ancienne) when I don’t even understand how the characters could know French… I guess it was used for a different society, but still.

Plot-wise, the author chose to do temporal ellipses, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. If I found it more realistic, it confused me a lot, because the author just mentioned time had passed in a sentence. Still, it allowed her to write backstory to the characters, which was quite relevant to the rest of the story, but heart-breaking in both cases. This book contained multiple points of view but mostly Adrian’s. While I liked his arc a lot and I know that we will get more of Jenna’s in the next book, I’m wondering why the author chose to call this book ‘Flamecaster’, because it’s relevant to Jenna, not Adrian, but oh well.

The story moved fast enough for my taste, but yes, it was a big book. I was pleasantly surprised when the author included healers, but also pirates and (highlight for the spoiler) dragons. Some of the twists were quite unexpected, which made me love the book even more. I guessed one of the big ones early on though, but I think it’s only the second time I read this twist (and it was in French YA fiction, so…). The ending of the book made me so eager for the next one, even though it didn’t end on a cliff-hanger. I’m looking forward to see what’s going on in the Fells, but also in the Northern Islands (who is this Empress Celestine?).

I found the characters to be one of the best parts of the story, I loved them so much. Like I mentioned, the author started the story when they were twelve or thirteen, to tell traumatizing events that shaped them. Because of that, I felt a deep connection to them very quickly.

Adrian felt like a perfect mix of his parents, I loved it. If he was a mage, he was also a healer, an aspect of his arc I really enjoyed. I was a little confused by how he changed just by meeting Jenna though. I hope I’ll get to see him with his family soon, because I’m excited to see their dynamics. Jenna was such an interesting character, we didn't get a lot of her point of view, but her arc is totally set up for the next book. I had guessed what was going on with her but I don't care, it was still pretty awesome! Jenna was a resourceful girl, but we didn’t get to see it much in the second part of the book because of the situation she was in, but I’m sure we will see that aspect of her more in the sequel.

When I read a character was named Lila I immediately thought of the awesomeness that was Lila Bard in A Darker Shade of Magic and this one was also amazing. And a smuggler. And a person of colour so finally some fantasy authors are trying to include diverse characters in this genre. Finally, Destin and Evan were mysterious and ambivalent, I really want to have more backstory about them (especially after the epilogue).

As you can say, I’m pretty enthusiastic about these characters because I found them fleshed out and relatable. But, I had a problem with… The romance. I’m sorry, but it was just a big case instalove. The main characters met and by the end of the chapter (or the next one), they just wanted to be together and do everything for the other. I’m sorry, but no. I’m so sad about this instalove, you guys, because in Seven Realms, the relationship between the main characters wasn’t instalove-y at all.

Overall, it was a fantastic first book in Cinda Williams Chima’s new series, with amazing characters and an expanded world. Since it’s a spin-off series, I think you can start with this one, but you’ll be spoiled for the ending of Seven Realms and I’m not sure you’ll have enough world-building to start one. The only thing that bothered me was the instalove, but the rest of the books was so great that it makes it a 4.5 stars book.

Did you read the Seven Realms series? Were you a fan of it? Have you read Flamecaster yet? Do you want to?