Jordan

Let me start by saying that what R.F. Kuang has accomplished with this series is phenomenal. Her use of real historical events to tell the story of Rin and her connection to the gods is a work of art. These books deserve to be celebrated, and I completely understand why they are so hyped.

However, I didn't have as strong of a reaction to this series, and specifically this book, as most people have. These books are focused on this war that is going on between these nations, and it gets very technical and very political, which just isn't my thing. (Please keep in mind, this is just a personal preference, not a knock on the writing itself.)

The pacing of this book felt too fast paced. There were some major events that took place that I didn't feel like we had any time to mourn because the other characters had already moved on. While I understand that this is war and it is actually a fast paced environment, I feel like the characters hardly thought twice about some pretty major deaths and events.

Being in Rin's head was not an enjoyable place to be. As she devolves into her powers and becomes constantly paranoid, I was constantly wanting a breather from her. This is the point of this story, and Kuang succeeded on this. I really felt so conflicted the entire story on almost every decision that Rin made. She was at times impossible to sympathize with. The downside to everything being from Rin's perspective is that it felt extremely hard to gain any sort of emotional attachment to everyone that wasn't Kitay. Whenever there were deaths or other awful events taking place, it was hard to feel upset about it because Rin was so distant from everyone. Again, I understand that this is intentional because she is slowly losing touch with reality, but it made the stakes not feel very high for most of the book.

My biggest gripe with the book is all of part 2. The entire goal throughout this part did not pay off for me. When I finished the last page of part 2, I was just like “that's it?” I felt like this entire section was a let down.

The ending was perfect. While I didn't cry like most people, I really felt like the ending was warranted and I walked away from the book feeling like that was the proper ending. I think I suspected that that was going to happen, but I think Kuang executed this perfectly. I felt like it tied everything up really nicely.

All in all, I highly recommend this series to anyone that like historical fantasy. It is dark and emotional. However, know that this book has major trigger and content warnings for Self-harm - Suicide - Violent rape - Sexual assault - Murder - Massacres - Brutalization - Mutilation - Torture - Substance abuse - Abuse - Emotional abuse - Physical abuse - Relationship abuse - Human experimentation - Chemical warfare - Genocide.

This book is a must-read for anyone. This book is a collection of essays from various people with disabilities coming from many different backgrounds. Each essay brings a unique perspective and story to help show the reader the disadvantages society makes people have when they have any sort of disability. This book really taught me how intersectionality discourse widely leaves people with disabilities out of the conversation. It really opened my eyes to a whole group of people that we need to be including in all of these conversations about equality and equity in our communities. Please read this book, especially if you've been fighting for racial/gender/sexuality/etc. equality. Equality won't come for anyone if we don't include people with disabilities in the conversation.

Must read for everyone. This book makes the argument that the relationship between Black and white people in America is similar, if not the same as, the caste systems from India and Nazi Germany. Wilkerson makes her point succinctly with anecdotal evidence as well as facts from all three countries. She points out things like how the discrimination in all 3 countries was codified into law, and how Nazi Germany looked to America's system of discrimination as an example of what they wanted to enforce in their own country. Throughout this book, I was left disgusted and angry, while also incredibly impressed with Wilkerson's thorough research and insight into this topic. I highly recommend this book to literally anyone. It is important for us Americans to understand the world we have created.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is going to be a long review and this is the final book of a trilogy, so I won't get into the plot.

What Fonda Lee has done with this conclusion to this series is remarkable. For a little context, I wasn't blown away by the first 2. I definitely saw their merits and they were enjoyable, but I found them to be a little overhyped. I wasn't even sure I was going to pick this up. But I started to see reviews come in about how incredible it was and decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, because this is definitely one of the best endings to a series I have EVER read.

First off, the undertaking Lee took on by having this book span 20 years is admirable. The way she is able to continuously develop the relationships between the characters, the clans, and the countries while having pretty sizable time jumps is such an incredible feat that I have a hard time wrapping my head around. It seems daunting to go into it, but she makes the information, while complex, digestible in a way that made me feel like I always knew what was going on.

The best part of the book: the characters. I enjoyed the characters in previous books, but in this book, with the amount of time that passed, I really felt such an attachment to these characters that we've seen grow up from young adulthood. Hilo is one of the most well crafted characters I've ever read in a book series. Shae and Hilo's relationship is one of my favorite in the books. They go through so many ups and downs. One of the strongest themes throughout these books is the importance of family. While these people are surrounded by violence and impossible decisions, they always make sure their family is safe. Anden's entire arc is also masterfully created. His relationship to Hilo also felt so real and intense. Ayt Mada is one of the best antagonists in fiction. She is ruthless, but as the reader, you know that if you were reading from her POV, you would think this way about Hilo. No one in this book is “good”. But you still find yourself rooting for the Kaul family.

The plot was slow moving at first, which is fitting considering they were in a “slow war”. However, Lee doesn't let you get bored. There were still incredibly written fight scenes throughout, as well as enough tension between characters to keep you reading. By the end, I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. I still am feeling emotionally drained and can't stop getting sad every time I think of it. Any author that can get me to feel so strongly for their characters is A+ in my book.

I would recommend this book to literally anyone. This is going on my list of top trilogies of all time.

“The clan is my blood and the Pillar is it's master.”

TW: ableism, alcohol, alcoholism, amputation, animal abuse, assault, attempted murder, blood, bones, branding, cheating, drugs, emotional abuse, fire, gore, gun violence, hospitalization, kidnapping, murder, physical abuse, profanity, prostitution, PTSD, sexism, sexually explicit scenes, sexual assault, suicide, terrorism, torture, violence, war

This book was much much much better than “The Gunslinger”. It has given me a budding hope that I may actually like this series.

We follow Roland as he goes through 3 different doors to get what he needs to find the tower as prophesied. We meet 3 new characters: Eddie, Odetta/Detta, and Jack. Getting to experience these unique personalities was very interesting to read. The characterization in this book is really what makes this book so successful. We get to see new relationships bloom and grow, while also seeing these characters struggle through their inner demons.

I have 2 big gripes with this book. The first is the caricature that King has made Detta. I understand that this was intentional, but having been written by a white person, it felt incredibly hard to read her parts. The way the dialogue was written and the excessive use of slurs was difficult, to say the least. Again, I know that this was an intentional move by King to create the dichotomy, but I felt that it could've been done more tastefully. My second gripe is the constant use of insta-love in these books. First, we saw it with Jake in the previous book. Then, in this book, we see it again throughout all of the characters. Everyone hardly knows each other, yet they are all constantly professing their love. It felt disingenuous and awkward to me. It brought me out of the story multiple times.

The plot was ok. I think the concept was pretty cool, but I feel like a lot of the action, while fun, isn't completely necessary to the story. I could be completely wrong, so I guess we'll see as I continue the series.

Overall so far, I think this series is worth the read. Even though I really disliked “The Gunslinger”, this book made it feel worth it to me. I hope the rest of the series continues to improve as I go along.

TW: racial slurs, homophobic slurs, racial stereotypes, drug use, drug overdose, explicit sexual content, death, gore, amputation, decapitation, assault, gun violence hospitalization, needles, fatphobia

Guys. This book.

This story follows 4 different POVs; Xiala, a woman exiled from her home land whose song can calm water; Serapio, a man who was destined from birth to seek revenge for his people; Narampa, the Sun Priest; and Okoa, a warrior of the carrion crow clan. I don't want to explain too much of the plot for fear of spoilers.

This book is incredible. Based in the pre-colonial Americas, this fantasy novel delivers something fresh and different from any other fantasy novel I've read to date. The characters are diverse and interesting. I listened to this via audiobook almost all in one sitting because I was completely enraptured. All of the characters are morally grey with conflicting goals in life, but the reader is still made to root for all of them. The relationships formed and the struggles they endure are beautiful and brutal. Serapio's character is so complex and dark, leaving me wanting to know every single detail of his life. This first book feels like it barely dips into each character's backstory, making me incredibly excited for the next one. (Not to mention that cliffhanger ending...) I would highly recommend this book. I'm waiting with bated breath for the next one.

Wowowowowowow. This book is a masterpiece. I've been more strict with myself lately about what constitutes as a five star read, and this book really fits the bill.

“Legendborn” follows a young woman named Bree whose mother just passed away, so she decides to go to an early college program at the same college her mother attended. There, she finds a secret society of magic users that dates back hundreds of years, originating with King Arthur. Throughout the book, Bree has to learn about her mother's past, while also learning about the history of her family living through slavery and how that relates to the powers she wields.

It's hard for me to put into words why I enjoyed this book so much, but I'll try. The representation in this book is superb. You have multiple LGBTQ+ people throughout the story. You also get to see a lot of the microaggressions that Bree has to face on a day to day basis, especially being part of an all-white secret society. The complexities that we learn about Bree's family tree are harrowing, and they help the reader really see how slavery still directly impacts the lives of Black people in America to this day.

This book is also really fun and the relationships formed are special and deep. All of the people that stand by Bree throughout the book you instantly fall in love with and want to also be their friend.

Tracy Deonn created a work of art with this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone that thinks they would enjoy a King Arthur retelling that is inclusive and unique.

I went into this book with high expectations. Everyone I follow was raving about it, and how could I not be excited for a 1920's-Shanghai-gangster-Romeo and Juliet retelling? Ultimately, I was pretty disappointed in the book.

Throughout the story, there were a few major plot twists and reveals. However, I was able to see all but one of them coming. This is not a brag. I am normally always surprised by plot twists because I never try to figure out a story. I like being surprised. But this one had such obvious reveals, I assumed the characters already suspected or knew these things. The concept of the plot was interesting enough. I just think that the reveals were too predictable and were let downs when shown.

The romantic relationship wasn't believable to me. I think this is just me outgrowing some YA stories. It was just hard for me to believe that these 2 teens fell in love at age 14-15 and were still feeling it 4 years later. Also, the reason for their split was too easily forgiven in my opinion once revealed. It almost felt instant even though there was death involved.

Ultimately, I think the concept of this book was really fun and the writing was pretty good. However, I think the book fell far short of my expectations.

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Throughout this novel, we follow multiple POVs through this world that is devoid of magic. This changes when one day, a person no one thought was real shows up in their city weilding a magic that was supposed to be a myth. We follow multiple people as they battle with the ramifications of this magic being unleashed. The book is inspired by pre-colonial West African cultures, which creates such a rich, interesting backdrop for this story.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It was very interesting, fresh, and unique. However, I didn't care for the characters as much. Being a character driven reader, this can really pull me out of a story. There were multiple points where I felt a little bored because I didn't feel as much of the stakes as the characters. The action scenes really made up for this at points, though. There was so much fighting and violence without it becoming just gore. The fighting was interesting and dynamic.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It is very different from other fantasy stories out there right now.

TW: violence, gore, torture, possession, death, animal death, blood, bones, colorism, racism, slavery

Woooooooowwwww. This book was incredible. I haven't read a really really good book in a bit, but this book shattered that streak.

This book follows multiple POVs. In this world, the emperor uses shards of children's scalps that they are required to “donate” to create constructs. He etches commands onto these bone shards and inserts them into bodies of different animals that are assembled together. We follow multiple people living in this harrowing world as they try to fight corruption.

I knew from the get go I would enjoy this book. Within the first few chapters, I was already invested in the characters, and as I learned all of their stories I became even more engrossed. The characters are all very different, but very relatable in different ways. The whole story was unpredictable and exciting. There was violence, romance, journeys, and heartbreak. I can't believe this is a debut novel. It is so well written and realized. I know this review is a little vague but I don't want to spoil a single thing! This is what fantasy is all about. Everyone interested in fantasy should definitely read this book!

TW: blood, child death, death of a loved one, drowning, experimentation (human/animal), murder, parental abuse, violence

Guys, this book was so cute. The story follows a geologist who writes fanfiction about one of her favorite stories, as well as an actor who stars in the show based on those stories. He also writes fanfiction about the story, improving upon what the show misses out on. These two have been internet friends for years. They later meet in real life without realizing they are the same people they talk to daily on the internet. Obviously, romance ensues.

The societal discussions that happen in this book are so important. The male protagonist is dyslexic, making people assume he isn't intelligent and gets roles based on his good looks. The female protagonist is fat and has dealt with people trying to change her throughout her entire life, even her family. These two help each other get through these barriers society has put up for them and it was beautiful to read. Also, this story definitely doesn't lack in the steamy department. I highly recommend this book to romance fans!

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the beginning of this book, I was really unsure if I would like it. The format of the story is an older woman being interviewed about her life story. Typically, this is not a format I particularly enjoy. However, around 40% through, I really began getting invested in the story and where it was going. I'm honestly surprised at how much I liked this book. It's not very character driven, which is one of my first qualifications of a good book.

This book follows Mouse, a young girl born in a circus family. She is an outcast and a loner who later becomes a funambulist. She recounts her life story, detailing the history of her parents, as well as the woman who came to raise her. I won't go into to much detail about the plot so as not to spoil anything.

The plot of this story was captivating. I went into it thinking this was a YA book about a cute circus. Boy was I wrong. It is a very dark book, with a character laden with a dark past. The characters felt a little distant from the reader, which I think is due to the narrator, as well as the interview format of the book. However, that didn't make the plot any less poignant.

One of my biggest gripes with this book is the rampant fatphobia throughout. The narrator constantly brings up weight in regards to other characters, making it known how gross she thinks fat people are. It ended up being distracting and gross.

I would recommend this book to someone looking for a dark circus story about a woman trying to navigate life when she wasn't given much to begin with.


TW: alcohol, alcoholism, assault, blood, child abuse, child neglect, emotional abuse, fatphobia, hallucinations, misogyny, needles, physical abuse, pregnancy, prostitution, rape (on the page), sexim, sexual assault, sexually explicit scenes, starvation, suicide (on the page), war

This book was just absolutely bizarre.

This book opens on 1 of only 2 humans alive. This man, Piranesi, is living in this world that is just hallways and statues and changing tides. He meets once every week with the Other, the only other living human. Otherwise, they don't interact. Piranesi is just living his life when something comes up that throws a wrench in his entire perception of the world.

This book was so weird. The entire concept takes a bit to wrap your head around. I went into the story knowing absolutely nothing about the story, and I'm glad I did. My biggest critique with the book is the length. I just really wish it was a little longer because I didn't really feel that invested in Piranesi as a character. However, the story was very engaging and I couldn't put it down. I read it all in about 2 days and was reading every chance I got.

Overall, a fun, weird, interesting book that explores the human drive to survive, and also live a meaningful life. I would recommend as a quick read to any, even if you don't typically read fantasy.

This book follows the story of Tarisai, a young girl who was raised in isolation by an absent mother named The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital to join the competition to be chosen to be part of the Crown Prince's Chosen Eleven. Tarisai is drawn to these children, looking for a closeness she's never had. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish she made that compels Tarisai to kill the Crown Prince.

This book was really fun. The story is fresh and interesting, and the theme of chosen family is strong and beautiful. The reader gets to watch as Tarisai and her family all grow up together, learning about their roles as future leaders of this country. As a character, Tarisai is flawed and relatable, having to learn lessons the hard way. There were multiple twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and the antagonists were all real people with complex backstories. I would recommend this book to people that enjoy YA fantasy, and I will be picking up the second when it comes out.

2.5

This book is similar to “The Crucible”, following an extremely religious community that sees any sins done by women as witchcraft. The leader, The Prophet, has many wives and leads this community with a religious fervor. Our heroine, Immanuelle, is the daughter of one of these witches. When a series of afflictions start affecting this community, Immanuelle is led on a path of horrors to figure out how to stop these plagues.

This book wasn't scary, but was spooky. However, for a book that is supposed to be full of horror, I was bored a few times. I think the story is a fresh take on a typical religion/witches based story. The themes throughout the book of feminism, family, sacrifice, and strength were executed well for the most part. Towards the end, the book became a little preachy for me, and I wish the ending had been a little more brutal. However, I think the story and the messages portrayed created an intense, thought-provoking novel. I would recommend this to people that are interested in spooky witch stories.

This fantasy historical novella is a retelling of the brutal reign of the Ku Klux Klan. In this retelling, the Klan are actual monsters, and they're able to spread and grow immensely after the creation of the film “Birth of a Nation”. Maryse, a woman who has experienced a lot of violence in her life time, has a magic sword that she uses to defeat these monsters. What follows is a dark, dangerous story about hate and terror.

This book was chilling and masterfully crafted. The characters are so well rounded and fleshed out for so short of a book. Every one has their own inner demons and motivations, while all being united in one singular goal. The historical ties in this book are what make the book especially dark. References to real life events as told through this tale of monsters makes the reader really grasp how disgusting these moments in history were. The use of dreams to explore further the demons was expertly created. Everything felt so rich and dark and real, no matter how fantastical the story got.

This book isn't for the feint of heart, but I would recommend to anyone. It is dark, scary, hopeful, and gripping. Please check the content warnings before hand.

TW: arson, body horror, death, dismemberment, gore, KKK, lynching, murder, n-word, oppression, racism, torture (implied), violence, whipping

I went into this book knowing nothing about it. Which is why I was quite surprised to quickly learn it was about a bank robbery and hostage situation. This book feels farcical at times, but is ultimately so important. It explores the human psyche through comedy and tragedy simultaneously. I won't go too far into plot because I think going in blind really adds to the experience.

This book is full of hilarious interactions that feel so nonsensical yet so profound. The book is full of contradictions and plot twists and emotion. You really learn that we are all just human, trying to figure out life however we can. No one really has it all figured out. I know this review is confusing, but this book is confusing! I highly recommend it to literally any human being. You'll love it.

Trigger Warnings: discussions of suicide throughout

This book begins about a year after the end of Oathbringer. Dalinar and Jasnah are trying to win a war that feels interminable. Navani is trying to figure out the secrets of Urithiru. Kaladin is struggling with his mental health and how to keep on fighting. Shallan and Adolin are trying to unite the spren and the humans to help win the war, while Shallan struggles with her own past.

The character building we got in Navani and Kaladin's characters is exemplary. Sanderson is a master at character. He makes characters feels so real and relatable. Navani deals with Imposter Syndrome that was worsened by her relationship with Gavilar. She doesn't consider herself a scholar, but a patron to scholars. Her faith in herself is put to the test as she is forced to work on her own to find a solution to fixing their tower. This book propelled Navani to one of my favorite characters.

Kaladin's plot line really showcased the ups and downs of living with depression. It shows that no matter your status or wealth, depression can effect anyone. His evolving relationship with Syl is always such a joy to read. I do think that every book has been a little repetitive with his story. The arc in each book feels very similar.

The pacing of the book for the most part was engaging. I do think that Sanderson can become pretty long-winded about things that aren't necessary. For example, I don't think the in depth descriptions of the science behind fabrials was necessary. A brief overview of them would've been enough. There were a few areas that felt a little dragged out, but none were long enough that I wanted to put the book down.

I think the flashback chapters of Venli and Eshonai, while adding depth to their characters, didn't really feel necessary to me. I don't feel much connection to either of them.

I think Shallan's big reveal at the end was rushed through, and I don't think the stakes were high enough. Her plot was a little disappointing to me, and she is normally one of my favorite characters to read about.

The ending. Oh my gosh, the ending. Sanderson really pulled through in making me SO ANXIOUS for the fifth book. If you know, you know.

All in all, this book was a huge success. The tie-ins to the rest of the Cosmere were so enlightening and really built this world to be so much bigger than originally perceived. I am so excited for the next book.

In this world based on Hungarian history and Jewish mythology, we follow Évike, a wolf girl from a small village, who hasn't been blessed with magic like everyone else in the village. When the woodsmen come to take one of them, the village easily agrees to send Évike along with them as their sacrifice, making the woodsmen believe she is a Seer. What follows is a dark, sad story full of love, acceptance, and violence.

The premise of this story is a good one. It is full of rich lore, with magical creatures, dark forests, and political intrigue. However, I think this story fell short in a few ways. There was so much lore that had to be told to the reader, that there would be an intense scene that was interrupted by a story. It would pull me out of the story and ruin suspense. There was also so much lore that there was no way I would've been able to keep track of all of it. I also feel like besides Évike, most of the characters felt relatively 2 dimensional. The love interest, while having some character development, didn't seem to have much personality. The romance reminded me a lot of a darker telling of Nina and Matthias, but I didn't like these characters as much. The plot was fine, but because it kept getting interrupted by the stories, it felt disjointed. The ending was exciting and suspenseful, but because I didn't feel much attachment to the characters, it didn't feel like the stakes were that high.

I will definitely try out more by this author. There is definitely potential in this story, there were just some short comings. I am still excited to see more from this author.

TW: ableism, amputation, animal death, antisemitism, blood, body horror, bullying, cannibalism, child death, death, death of a parent, dismemberment, domestic abuse, emesis, emotional abuse, genocide, gore, homophobia, immolation, murder, physical abuse, racism, religious bigotry, self-harm, sex, torture

I know I said that I'm going to be stricter about 5 star reads, but I really have just been reading incredible books this month.

This is one of my first big explorations into sci-fi. My only other experience is probably “Ender's Game” and Sanderson's “Skyward” series. I've always thought that I wasn't into how complex sci-fi gets. Boy was I wrong. This book is a masterpiece. It also got me obsessed with learning more about space and I've already checked out 5 books from my library to learn more.

This book follows Kira, a scientist who studies different planets. Her world, and the entire universe, are turned upside down when she discovers an alien species. We follow her on a path where she tries to quell what she has released.

Because of the release of this alien species, we explore so many emotions with Kira. We explore deep grief, confusion, elation, curiosity, among so many more. The explorations of grief were the most poignant to me. The longer Kira takes to learns more about this alien species, Paolini really doesn't shy away from creating consequences for this time taken. The relationships she creates, and loses, on this journey are so profound and meaningful, and they fully impact the story throughout.

The worldbuilding is fascinating. It's apparent that Paolini really did his research on astrophysics and astronomy. He's created this huge, expansive universe of settled space that is so in depth and so technical without being overwhelming. The worldbuilding alone had me falling down multiple wikipedia holes as I tried to learn more about how space works.

The ending was satisfying and bittersweet. I think it was a fitting ending for such an epic tale. I look forward to reading what Paolini writes in the future, and I recommend this book to sci-fi fans, and non-sci-fi fans alike.

This book follows Nora, a depressed woman who doesn't have the will to live anymore. One night, she decides she is going to take her own life. But when she tries, she ends up in The Midnight Library. When given the chance to try out different versions of her life where she did things differently, she is confronted with the reality of what is really wrong in her life.

This book was pretty good. While the ending was incredibly predictable and the story telling felt preachy at times, I was still thoroughly entertained throughout. Nora is super funny and her reactions to each individual environment she is placed in left me laughing and cringing along with her. There were some great moments of realization and perfect, quotable lines that were really inspiring sprinkled throughout. The biggest let-down for me was how predictable the ending was. By the end of Nora's second “life” she visits, I figured out how the book will end. It made the stakes seem really low. But I do believe the metaphor of The Midnight Library itself was very successful and inspirational.

All in all, I would recommend this book if you need a pick me up or a little inspiration in life.

TW: alcoholism, depression, drug abuse, overdose, suicide

As one of my most anticipated books of 2021, this book definitely didn't disappoint. What a fulfilling ending to a series. Hafsah Faizal created a world that felt dark and scary, yet so full of hope.

The most successful aspect of this story for me was the zumra. This found family narrative made my heart feel warm and fuzzy. Even when they made mistakes, they were all there for each other. I love all four of them so much.

The setting of this story is so picturesque and beautiful. Every description was so vivid and colorful. The darkness inside of each character just made everyone feel so real and relatable.

A lot of this story is internal within each character, so there were definitely slower parts of the book. However, I really appreciated the care that went into showing every facet of each character.

I highly recommend this duology to anyone that loves fantasy. Hafsah Faizal is an inspiration that can teach us much about ourselves and the way we interact with the world.

This was a fun book. We get to see these teens all a little older and a little more mature. We get to see the plot line of these books kind of come to a close, while seeing the prophecy become fulfilled. I thought it was a satisfying conclusion to the series, and also set up the next series nicely. I'm excited to get into the next series because I've heard they're a little more mature. One of my biggest obstacles in this series was that they were obviously written for a much younger audience, so I had a hard time connecting. I feel like if I had read these when I was this age, I would've been absolutely enamored with it. Today, I still definitely respect the story and understand it's hype, I just couldn't connect as well. Still definitely worth the read!

TW: death, demons, depression, fire, loss of loved ones, skeletons, violence, war themes

This book starts with a large time jump of around 3 years from the end of “Foundryside”. It starts off action packed and never really slows down. The entire novel is less than I week I believe. This book improved over the first book since we didn't have to have the entire magic system broken down for us again. We already know the gist of how magic works, so we can really hop right into it. The drawback for me was that certain parts felt slow. I think part of that is because I had a hard time connecting to these characters throughout both books so far. I understand their motivations and I love the setting of this book, but I have a hard time caring about the ultimate fates of these characters.
As for the plot, this book was WILD. This magic system is so complex and malleable, and it is so exciting to have no idea what they are going to be able to accomplish next. The villain characters are flawed and complex. The twists and turns this plot took were unpredictable and fun. The ending blew my mind and left me anxious for book 3, which has no release date yet.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I think the plot and the magic system are incredibly well thought out and imaginative. However, this won't be added to my favorites because I just couldn't connect to the characters in the way I want to in my books.