Sasha

3rd March 2024:

Rifqa is a poetry collection where if you read with the intention to connect and understand the verses gently guide you through the eyes of the people mentioned in them. From the chants of revolution outside a hospital, to the farewell of Palestine's Jasmine, each word is heavier than a mountain.


Final Rating: 5/5 

21 September 2022:

Okay, this book has a lot of things going on. The world building is based off of a mix of real world eastern countries culture. The magic system is present but it doesn't solve all the hurdles and is in fact a major fact in the story's plot. There's also usage of puffers and incredibly detailed and researched sword fights. 

And that's all amazing but, a major, MAJOR flaw of this book is that it's trying too much all at once. While the sword fighting and the culture and history is aptly handled, the characters feel sorely lacking. They say one thing at one moment and something else the other. It's also very hard to get attached or feel some interest to follow them because the book tries to focus on conspiracy and mystery and uses it to cover up why the interactions are not more in depth. Making the relationships feel plastic and orchestrated. Not natural at all. 

The middle of the book also drags a lot and the convoluted prose doesn't exactly help.

What saved it for me, at last, was the third part which made other things make a little more sense. And the ending, without which I wouldn't have given the book this rating. 


Final rating: 2.5/5

13th January 2023:

This was unexpectedly a great read to start off my year. The story follows the tutor of a royal family member navigating the court to help himself and his charge. That said the book doesn't pick up until at least 30% and actually gets going at the half way point.

So while the slow pace maybe a boon it certainly isn't without its enjoyment. There are gritty bits and the setting to explore. A very interesting magic system and equally interesting cast of characters.

Cazaril, the protag, is frankly the exact type of character I like reading about. Cautious to a fault and having his wits about him as much as possible while staying humble. His character is a big part of why this book was as enjoyable for me as it was. The way he's written, he doesn't read like a typical fantasy protagonist. Which works here because then the story sheds light on other characters who feel real and important, and not just there to drive the plot along.

The plot has some spectacular moments and really catches one off guard in the least expected places. Especially towards the end. Everything comes around full circle in a rewarding manner.

The writing style itself is a bit complicated for those like myself who don't have a higher degree of comprehension and native fluency in English but nevertheless it isn't unreadable. Just requires a slower reading pace I would say.

The unsettling parts I would say are the age differences in this book which are admittedly not that great at all. And some queasy descriptions about rape situation and not the act itself.

Other than that I would say it wasn't a half bad read.

Final Rating: 4.25/5.0 

I have a bit of mixed feelings about this book. While I love exploring the world build and the surroundings, the descriptions felt too lengthy. They were with a reason I won't deny that but it keep breaking my attention off the story and I had to read them 2-3 times to understand what was being mentioned because I couldn't comprehend the large amount of info at once. 

As much as the book dragged on it became thrilling in the end. I bit my nails and while scenes kept changing I didn't mind at all because it made sense.


Character I absolutely adored and cheered for in this book was Sabae. I loved her attentiveness and the fact that he keeps the group together. She's smart and strong. 

One interesting thing I noticed about Hugh is that, while what he does in the beginning feels dull it doesn't stay that way. And the reader gets rewarded for their patience plentiful. 

Talia, I'm kinda on the fence on. There's things she does that I love but also things she does that I really, really dislike, that said I heard things happen later in the series so I want to hope that I'll come to like her. 

Goddrick, is someone I'm really really interested in exploring in further books. Especially seeing how his mindset and personality was expanded on in this book. There's also some thing people would love seeing about him at the end I think.

Alustin.... I don't know what to about say with spoiling. In fact I wanna scream.  


TL;DR - It lagged in the beginning but was amazing at the end. ESPECIALLY at the end. Like THE END. 

10th March 2022:

This was straight out the best book of the series for me. Maybe I would change my mind after reading book 5. Or the other future books. But for now this was the best in the series. 

It got really really dark when Ithos was being described. Usually when places like Ithos are talked about in stories is makes me itch so much to read about this history. But that was less with Ithos, not because of bad writing but infact quite the opposite. Everything was described so well. Mage Errant wasn't a series that ever struck out to me as dark but in this particular part of the book, everything was so eerie and horrible. The Ash piles, the darkness and cold, the graffiti that described feelings of the people as they had been trapped by the exile splinter. It was uncharacteristic but not odd. And so well executed that my curiosity was well quenched.Even the matter about the cold minds and the heir!

The characters as always out did themselves. As the story got dark it effect the relationships but personally it was handled very, very well. 
Though I would admit the 4 four apprentices may at times appear unnaturally mature, but it is certainly not a huge problem for me cause I'm not fan of immature characters. 

Another fact I loved about these books is that the matureness of the characters infact made me rethink the normal mindset to have in fantasies. Cause if you're always up facing one battle on another, why not have the people save time over pointless and needless miscommunication and just have healthy relationships?

The ending made me have so many emotions and really was mind blowing.

I can't really talk about any cons because I really did love this book a lot.

My final rating is 5/5

12th March 2022:

Book 5 was more tenser and had more moral conflict than the earlier books in the series as it wasn't the focus.

Lost City of Ithos and Siege of Skyhold is where things get solidified more plot wise and give the reader an idea of where things are heading as they get more serious and darker. 

Nevertheless all the books this far weren't something I didn't enjoy. There were light when starting out yes, but precisely the reason I enjoyed them. Even if the later books get more serious and darker there are still some elements that aren't lost, mainly the friendship and understanding between the crew. 

But I do understand that things may seem more awkward or unexplained to some readers as much as there will be others who enjoy for those very same reasons that feel different to them.

Siege of Skyhold I thoroughly enjoyed. A consistent theme till now has been the progression in magic as fitting the genre, which in each book and this one was perfectly executed.

John Bierce is particularly good at “show don't tell”. That shined in the previous book and here things change a bit in the sense that pacing is well balanced but the tension is well maintained and well built into the details. 

In the end, I felt a lot and lot of emotions and the ending was once again shockingly incredible.
Can't wait to read book 6 when it comes out. 

I won't deny though these books need some better editing. But it isn't as bad as to the point that it's impossible to read. Just a little nitpick.


My final rating, is 5/5. 

July 14th 2022:


The book was basically just a set up for the next one. Slow paced and lots of details. But there also parts I appreciated and enjoyed a lot. One thing I like best about this series is that it is really good with endings. Every book so far has ended so well, spurning me into devouring the next one. 

I can't wait for book 7.

Edit:
After rereading certain chapters of this book, I l realised I loved it even more than my first time through it.

New rating: 4/5

Repetitive and bland. Charlie N Holmberg's books do start off very interesting but they have a tendency of either reading like a short outline or being very unoriginal and motivation-less plot wise. Things happen because she wants them to, conflicts go on and on for books when everything could be wrapped up in just one 500 page book. 

09 June 2022:

It plays on a certain theme but keeps it very lighthearted and touching. There is predictably but it's not too bad. It's better to read this yourself than to describe what it is.

Rating: 3/5. Really enjoyable and wholesome.

28/02/2023:

This is probably gonna be a book that I don't think I'll ever be able to re-read. At least not without erasing my memories of having read it for the first time and also because I am not good at re reading. And it was a complete impulse read.

That aside, this book was honestly really good. It isn't perfect but it is good and solid. Following Remmy as he tried to build Camelot and his Merry Men, I even forgot what Camelot was and Merry Men from initially. It's probably the most real, fun and emotional depiction of a historical setting I have ever read till date personally. 

As for the writing, gotta say, this book doesn't hold back on its toilet humor at all. Whatsoever. (So do beware if you get grossed out easily). What it does best though, is show people in a different time and setting as their own thing and not mere clippings from an old newspaper found in the archives of a library. Remmy very much a person living in mid 1900s but he has his own mind and struggles. There's humor to him and there's also deep emotions. I was laughing and crying all while lamenting that the book is going to end at some point. And that's the thing you want from a story. Not just recreation if its drawn from a time past, of confirmation of biases and stereotypes built from uninformed rumors, but letting the characters speak for themselves. That's what happened here.

Objectively speaking the end felt a little lackluster. But this book won't leave my mind any time soon.

Final Rating: 4/5

While there is plenty of humor at play and good relatability factors, there' definitely are moments when things feel too try-hard.

I read it during a time of personal confusion so there is bit of attachment to this book for me. 

It is a book who's enjoy or lack of, depends very much on the reader's tastes and mood.

Final rating: 3.75/5.00

I tried my best to read this book and enjoy it but it was a huge effort. A HUGE EFFORT.I never felt as frustrated reading about characters as the ones in this book. The MC is constantly irritated and frustrated. It's not bad that she complains. It's what she does despite having those complaints. The love interest is a pathetic gruff man always on about how powerful he is and how he has to kill the MC only to get his sickly ass repeatedly saved by the MC. And the MC of all things is pinning after a guy who is not only the worse ever man to be interested in (cause hello death threats) the guy has no redeeming factor to him. He trusts an insane ex lover to help him only to find out that she betrayed him. If that isn't rage inducing for you then honestly good for you. Enjoy what you enjoy. I on the other hand did not enjoy the menacing headache and unnecessary rage this book made me go through. None of it was worth it. I hate these characters so much. I rather read about the insane diabolical ex lover as she skewers through her latest victim. Or maybe not as I'm pretty sure she'll be made into some plastic rage inducing character as well. Oh and this shiz continues in 2 more books. A trilogy when everything could fit in just one book. Nah uh. Buh bye. 

Final rating: -1

This book was just weird as heck. Not for me. 

As to what was weird about it, The strange obsession this book has with sex, nudity and constantly thinking that finding out past possible romances of a dead character is somehow “self- discovery” for her husband. Why is everyone spilling their guts to Arthur? It wasn't done in a natural manner and clearly forced by the author. Example: When he calls the Indian guy, the giver of the first charm, he keeps talking about how the wife might have had a relationship with someone even if he did hear that she recently passed away and the person he is spilling all that to the dead woman's husband. (HE IS INDIAN. AN INDIAN PERSON WOULD NEVER DO THAT. HINTING AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS LIKE SOCIAL SUICIDE AND HUSHED UPON HERE!!!How do I know? Cause I'm Indian myself.)Excuse me? Why would you do that when you just heard she died and he is grieving for her? There was nothing to indicate he was rambling either. Most disturbing was all the scene where Arthur shared a room in a hostel with girls who did leave when he entered but later the girls came back drunk and with a guy. Two people had sex and Arthur somehow later felt at ease hearing other people breathing around him as he slept when earlier he was so uncomfortable. Even if wasn't graphically descriptive being so incredibly left field and just plain disturbing.Later when he goes to France to find out the about the charm send from a boutique, he and the owner some how develop attraction in the span of a few hours. How come a lady who just found out her good friend has died wants to try spending a night with said DEAD friend's grieving husband? She even becomes slightly offended at Arthur's polite rejection and hints at Miriam's not graceful past. ......Did character that just got introduced for a few paragraphs suddenly have a long time interaction with the protagonist and now wants to disgrace his dead wife? Did that actually happen?Should I say the author thinks too lightly of anyone that's not a main character or too lightly of French women? I don't even know at this point. I also definitely don't get why Arthur ended up naked modelling when he went to find out about a paint palette charm at an art college. And again another guy working there endings up spilling his guts about his tumultuous relationship with his lawyer wife but it's all good and dandy because good sex.Just no. The idea of introducing various relationship perspectives this way was too forced. It was just too gross and disgusting. Like the idea that a plain and normal relationship of two people just meeting and falling in love is too normal and therefore just not possible.


TL; DR - This book is obsessed with sexual themes and nudity and takes very weird turns. INCREDIBLY weird turns. Tries too hard and thinks a quiet and happy marriage is too bland. 

I don't understand how any of this was supposed to be about healing and self discovery. 

5th March 2022:


The ending might have a bit too optimistic I would admit that. But I was reminded a lot of the online freelance world so it wasn't that unrealistic. 

I did like that Anda became more confident at the end, more willing to branch out. 

The world's a big capitalistic mess but even then I guess a little ray of hope and sunshine every now and then isn't so bad.

I loved the characters, the characters growth and the story. I even wanted to read more. But what I couldn't forgive is the bad Ghana rep and I'm not even from there. It's little but that's the sign of an author. They make intricate stories out of little details that blow you away. So when an author doesn't do their research you can say no matter how nice the plot of their stories are or how lovely the characters, it doesn't mean much when they're writing contemporary lit and conveniently forget to not properly explain one very real place.

I will very much be bothered. 

This isn't the 20th century where writers didn't have access to research much of what they wanted to write about. We have the internet, and there are beta readers and editors. Respect others as you do your own please.

8/10/2023 


This was a very short and arbitrary book. Infact it was so short that it suffered extremely from not having any natural progression of events. 

Every went like this
Apprentice protagonist meets kind and sweet teacher → crazy lady barges in and steals his heart →protagonist learns about his whole life while getting the heart back and confesses→ fight, gets heart back→ done

To me it read like an outline with sparse details. Things were happening because the author said so, not because it was a natural progression of the story. 

I couldn't immerse myself in it despite the interest in the magic system. 

Final Rating: 1 Star

I don't think a book could make me hurt this much. Crying yes but actually hurt? Not until I read this one. 

I laughed and cried. Often both at the same time. And felt the loss and grief of the characters as my own. 

As Ove spent time with Parvaneh and Patrick's family, their daughters and his other neighbours, I kept thinking, ‘Sonja would have loved this.'I wished for her to be alive like Ove. And I fell in love with her glimpses in the books.

I doubt I would ever have an experience like this again. 

My only regret is that I couldn't spend more time with the characters. The ending felt too detached from the chapter before even if I didn't mind reading. 

But all in all, this book truly is amazing and I'm so thankful for the experience.

12th May 2023:

I throughly enjoyed myself so so much. The well timed hits at cliched trope and even then the clever usage of them. Every story that starts with unlikeliest of heroes has that point to make, ‘don't underestimate what you don't know about well' but Guards Guards is so much more than just unlikelist of heroes. It brings the characters to life so much. 

They're lame, they're annoying, angsty, thieving even. But there's things only some can do when even their betters fail. And yet people themselves are not outright villains, not counting some exceptions. Everyone's just angry and scared.

It's all so clevery put that I couldn't have enough of it. 


Final rating: 5/5

There were many logical flaws that bugged the hell out of me.

2.5 for the ending because it got interesting.

23rd december 2022:


Raybearer is full of great lore. I enjoyed some parts of it but truthfully speaking the execution of the story the book was trying to conceive was fatally weak. It builds an interesting foundation but fails to follow through on it. 

It tries to tell many things in one book. A civil conflict due to cultural differences between the people, a centuries long conflict with a spiritual kingdom, complicated relationships surrounding the main character, and the main character's personal struggles.

The problem is, while there are parts, one thing seldom connects to the next thing. Issues in some chapters arise suddenly without letting the reader ponder upon the details of the previous scene unless its the end of a part. A lot of things end up being the fault of the MC at the accusation of the other characters, making motive of the story weak. And at one point there is a sudden introduction of romance between two characters that came completely out of nowhere.

The things I did enjoy were the bonds of the main character with her found family but I kept wishing for better explanations for everything else as the flow didn't feel natural.

Final Rating: 2.5/5

19th March 2022:

I didn't expect to like this a lot but I actually did. It didn't feel like an MG book. The main character is emphatic and good at analysing himself and people around him. 

The twist was very interesting and the slow pace worked because it created good amount of suspense. 

Looking forward to reading the next book. 

26/09/2023

I feared finishing this for the longest time because I thought it was quite the depressing read but actually it was a lot more. 

The book alluded to depression and many serious topics like drugs and it was very frank and real in the way only a fantasy book could be when it talks about things in the real world in its own image. 

The most worth while aspect of this book was following Arren on his journey. It was not that he grew ultimately wise as he was confronted with each of his weaknesses but rather the admittance that though his journey is great he is also but a man. I couldn't have loved it more. 

While I wouldn't recommend someone to read this during a depressive episode like I was in, I would certainly say this is an enjoyable read for those wanting something relatable. 

Final rating: 5/5

It wasn't mind-blowing and out of this word but it was definitely clever and entertaining. I can't wait to get to the next book!

I really enjoyed this. Lovely romance especially since I love seeing healthy romances. 

However. I have to say that plot wise it could have been more clever. There's comparisons of two different cultures one that forbids lgbtq folks' existence and the other that embraces. 
The good part about this other culture that is, Tithenai's culture, lots of diversity lots, more emotionally healthy folks, freedom of expression etc. 

My dissatisfaction comes with the political aspect. The system is still hierarchical. There isn't much light shed on how freedom of expression would work alongside with governance in a system where ranks and orders still exist and I feel like a very fun opportunity for something that could have been cleverly crafted was missed. Yes there's the sequel but considering the plot of this book I was left quite disappointed at the final reveal. 

8th July 2022:

Wow okay where do I begin.

This book has a lot going for it but also has some very obvious flaws. Especially in the beginning. The pros are the beautiful lore and the fascinating magic system. If this duology ever has a book based solely on exploring the lore and the magic I could get lost in it for days. It was that beautifully written and arranged.

Yet its glaring flaws are in the character interactions. Some things are clearly happening because the author is pushing it to be so. It completely took me out of the story and I very much disliked that part. I also hated the instant attraction elements at play here. 

It could be just my suspension of disbelief not being that low but I couldn't believe the interactions were natural and the protagonist's desperation behind her actions seemed weak many a times. I couldn't be convinced.

The plot really staggers until the very last moment though understandably since this doesn't feel like a plot focused book. 


My final rating: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars.