A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand

 

Title: A Crown of Ivy and Glass
Author: Claire Legrand
Publish Date: May 9, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review.

Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She's young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.

Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.

Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d'Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She'll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families' blood feud—slay the demon, end the feud.

But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last.

Penelope's Review

I wanted to love this book so much more, but unfortunately it just didn't hit the mark for me. I felt like it was really long but didn't need to be? Don't get me wrong, I love a good, long book when it's well done and holds my attention, but I found myself able to put this book down and wasn't really overjoyed at the prospect of picking it back up again.

The book starts off good - we get a little bit of background, we meet the characters, we get a good story set up. Gemma seemed like she was going to be a really interesting character to follow through this book (and she was!), but I didn't really like Talan. Unfortunately, disliking the main male lead does not bode well for a romance. I was actually more interested in Farrin's love life than I was Gemma's lol. And we only get VERY TINY glimpses and hints at that aspect of Farrin but it seems like it could be an EPIC story. 

Anyway. After the beginning, things sort of seemed to just spiral out of control. The story seemed all over the place, and I was sort of confused and little bit bored for a lot of it. It felt very stop and go, and I just couldn't get into a flow with this book. The romance didn't work for me, not just because I didn't like Talan, but because there was no substance to it. It was very insta-love, and then the relationship was just all over the place, and not in a good way.

I think there are definitely people who are going to like this book, but it just wasn't for me unfortunately. If there was another book from Farrin's POV, I think I would definitely read that. Very curious to see what happens with her and Ryder. But in terms of Gemma's story, I don't really feel like I need to know more. 

Rating: 2.5/5 Devils

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford Book Review!

 

Title: The Poison Season   
Author: Mara Rutherford
Publish Date: December 6th, 2022
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review! 

Leelo has spent her whole life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles with the knowledge that her brother will be exiled and forced to live with the outsiders unless he gains enchantment powers before his next birthday.

Then comes the day that Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake. She knows she is supposed to leave him to his fate, but, instead, she betrays her family, her best friend, and her whole community by helping nurse the young man, Jaren, back to health, understanding that discovery could lead to unthinkable consequences for both of them.

As they grow closer, Leelo and Jaren discover that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society, her people, and herself.

Penelope's Review

This was such a fun, magical fantasy that I think a lot of different age groups will be able to enjoy. It has a unique magic system, an enchanted forest and poisonous lake, and some great characters. There's also the matter of a budding, forbidden romance. Definitely something for everyone. 

Leelo is our main female lead and she lives on a secluded island with her people, surrounded by a poisonous lake to protect them from outsiders. There's also a creepy, enchanted forest that must be fed animals in order to keep protecting the inhabitants. The people use magic in their song to lure animals to the forest for it to devour. 

Jaren is a young man who lives in the small town across the lake with his family. He has heard stories about the island and it's people but is skeptical of how truthful these stories are. Until one night, he finds himself in an impossible situation and Leelo is the one who comes to his aid. Now Jaren is hiding on the island with Leelo his only source for food and companionship, and his only hope of getting home alive. 

I really liked the writing style in this book - it flows really well and the characters are full of layered intricacies that make unravelling them something to look forward to. I really liked all of the different family bonds throughout the story, and the romance was also nice to watch unfold.

I will say that the flow of the storyline is somewhat predictable, but honestly that's not necessarily a bad thing. All depends on your preference - it really is a great book overall. The ending ties things up nicely though I have heard the author might have some bonus content about one of Jaren's sisters which I would be VERY excited to read lol. Overall, I'm glad I picked this one up and think it will appeal to a wide audience!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

The Crimson Fathers by J. Todd Kingrea ARC Review!

 

Title: The Crimson Fathers (The Deiparian Saga #2)
Author: J. Todd Kingrea
Publish Date: November 1st, 2022
Publisher: BHC Press
Source: Huge thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC for review!

In a post-apocalyptic world where tyranny and medieval torture reign supreme and witch burnings are an everyday occurrence, a top Witchfinder must confront the very Church he serves when he learns of its dark past and twisted plans for the future.

With the Fifth Order in complete control of the Church of the Deiparous, Malachi Thorne and his friends must find "The Flame," a powerful weapon which may be the only chance they have of halting the evil of the Crimson Fathers.

Penelope's Review

I was so excited to see where this book would take us after the ending of The Witchfinder. The book starts a little while after the ending of the first book, and we've got different groups in different locations. 

Malachi Thorne is now the leader of the resistance and Teska Vaun is coming to terms with her place in the Communion as a Nahoru'brexia. Together, the two of them have a very rocky road ahead filled with danger and adventure. We also have the return of some of my favorite supporting characters - Dario, Cabbott, Hawkes, and Warner to name a few! The Fifth Order has taken control of the Church, and there's a price on Malachi's head... things are heating up to say the least!

This book gives everything you would expect from a well-written fantasy novel. It has great characters with some excellent development and fantastic world-building as we go along. Since this is a post-apocalyptic Earth, there's a bunch of clever location references thrown in that I absolutely loved!

I also really enjoyed the parallels - while this book is fantasy, we see a lot of power and corruption that can easily be seen in today's world. The fight for freedom is one that we have seen so many times throughout history and you can't help but root for Thorne and his friends to come out of all of this victorious. 

I really like when an author is able to tell more than one story and bring them together seamlessly and that's exactly what happens in The Crimson Fathers. We have Malachi, Teska, Amelia and Tua'Ahtaki on one path, and Hawkes, Warner, and Dario on another path. And then we have some brief looks into the goings on of The Crimson Fathers. We get to see how each of these paths converge and it made for a really enjoyable experience putting it all together!

The only thing that sort of threw me out of the reading experience was that we would switch from one point of view to another with no warning. Now I'm not sure if this is just an ARC issue, and that the final copy will have some indication when we're switching POV's but for me, it made some chapters a bit difficult. There were times when it would change even from one paragraph to the next so something to keep in mind!

Overall though, this was a great addition to the series and it looks like we have much to look forward to in the next installment. I'm excited to see where Malachi Thorne and his friends end up in their fight for freedom! 

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah ARC Review!

 

Title: Monsters Born and Made
Author: Tanvi Berwah
Publish Date: September 6th, 2022
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review!

Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island. They have to, or else their family will starve.

In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral's family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. The winning contender receives gold and glory. The others―if they're lucky―survive.

When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family's financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can't afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. Koral's only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.

But every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister's―before the whole island burns.

She grew up battling the monsters that live in the black seas, but it couldn't prepare her to face the cunning cruelty of the ruling elite.

Penelope's Review

Wow! This was so much more than I was expecting! For a debut novel, it was quite well done. There's a review I read that compared it to both The Scorpio Races and The Hunger Games and I think that's right on the mark! 

Now in the beginning, I found myself struggling with getting a picture of the world this was set in, and what all of the creatures looked like. There was alot of info and I couldn't quite get a good sense of imagery. As the book went on however, I started to really enjoy the world-building and descriptions. It absolutely got easier to imagine and immerse myself. 

I love that this is a competition, I love that the underdog is trying to get a leg up in the world, and I love that we have such fascinating sea creatures! Koral is our main female lead, and all she wants is to to save her sister and give her family a better life. I liked her character, and I liked her younger sister. Would have loved to hear more about her brother but that's ok!

The story itself was actually really neat, and unique enough to keep my interest. There's lots of action, and a bit of romance? Kind of? It's not really central to the plot... but it's there subtly. You'll see what I mean when you read it. 

Overall, this was a pretty good read. Definitely good for a debut novel - I look forward to seeing how this author's writing grows and evolves from here. Enjoyable read though!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede Book Review!

 

Title: This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra #1)
Author: Emily Thiede
Publish Date: June 28th, 2022
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!

Penelope's Review

Wow. I am super impressed with this book - the writing style is excellent, I had no idea I was reading a debut! This is one of those rare books where the middle was actually my favorite part of the book! I didn't find any spots slow or lagging, we have excitement and intrigue from the beginning right to the very end. 

I loved the characters in this book - Alessa was such a great female lead. She had to undergo so much when she became the Finestra and yet she keeps her head up and her humor on. And DANTE. Omigosh Dante.... he takes the typical broody, quiet, sarcastic male lead and makes it so, so much better. I ADORED their sexy humor and witty banter. Dante is easily one of my favorite book boyfriends of 2022! In terms of side characters, I liked each and every Fonte in their own way - they were all unique and all added something different to the story.

In terms of the plot itself, the pacing was great, the story unique enough to set it apart from other YA fantasies. Yet it still had some great, well-loved tropes! I am unsure how I feel about the ending... I definitely liked it, but I'm curious to see where things go from here. Overall, fantastic debut! 

Rating: 4.5/5 Devils!

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez Book Review!

 

Title: Together We Burn
Author: Isabel Ibanez 
Publish Date: May 31st, 2022
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see her father fight in their arena, which will one day be hers.

But disaster strikes during their five hundredth anniversary show, and in the carnage, Zarela’s father is horribly injured. Facing punishment from the Dragon Guild, Zarela must keep the arena—her ancestral home and inheritance —safe from their greedy hands. She has no choice but to take her father’s place as the next Dragonador. When the infuriatingly handsome dragon hunter, Arturo Díaz de Montserrat, withholds his help, she refuses to take no for an answer.

But even if he agrees, there’s someone out to ruin the Zalvidar family, and Zarela will have to do whatever it takes in order to prevent the Dragon Guild from taking away her birthright.

An ancient city plagued by dragons. A flamenco dancer determined to save her ancestral home. A dragon hunter refusing to teach her his ways. They don't want each other, but they need each other, and without him her world will burn.

Penelope's Review

I saw dragons and I knew I had to read this, but aside from that I wasn't really sure what to expect going in! This ended up being a really great read filled with culture, romance, adventure and intrigue! (and of course... lots of dragons!)

Zarela is a fiery, stubborn main character who will stop at nothing to save her family's legacy and restore their good name - including facing the monsters that plague her with fear as the next Dragonadore (people who fight dragons in arenas while people watch and cheer them on). Given that she has no experience fighting dragons, she hires a dragon hunter to teach her - enter Arturo!

Arturo is dry and sarcastic, and doesn't show alot of emotion - it makes for a great enemies to lovers trope! Watching him peel back little tiny layers at a time to show Zarela what's hiding underneath was my favorite part of the book! 

The magic system was a fun little twist to the book, and even though some things were predictable, it was still a great read! Unique storyline, great main characters, and a swoon-worthy romance all make this a read I recommend! There are quite a few Spanish words thrown into the mix and unfortunately it's not always 100% clear what they mean so bear that in mind if you (like me) don't speak Spanish! You may have to Google a few words lol!

Overall, this is a fun, easy read. I like the writing style, and will be looking into the author's other books in the future!

Rating: 4/5 Devils!

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas Book Review!

 

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publish Date: May 2nd, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Purchased my own copy!

FEYRE WILL BRING VENGEANCE.

She has left the Night Court - and her High Lord - and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin is making deals with the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees, and Feyre is determined to uncover his plans. But to do so she must weave a web of lies, and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As mighty armies grapple for power, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords - and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

BUT WHILE WAR RAGES, IT IS HER HEART THAT WILL FACE THE GREATEST BATTLE.

Penelope's Review

Wow... yet another 5 star read. That's three for three with this series lol! Usually, even with a really fantastic series, I find that there's a 4 star in there somewhere.. but so far these books are KILLING it. I will say that I was a little iffy at the start - it was a bit on the slow side, and I felt myself going into "meh..." mode.. and then BOOM. Book saved lol. 

So this book is all about the battle - Hybern's forces are ready to go and the good guys are struggling to get a leg up. Alot of strategy, war talk, etc. in this one (and mayyyybbeeee it couldv'e been a slightly shorter book) but I'm still happy with it! Feyre is her usual strong, independent, badass self. Rhysand is sweet, loyal, and willing to sacrifice anything and everything to save his family. And then we have all of our LOVELY side characters - Nesta and Elain, Mor, Cassian, and Azriel, Amren and Lucien, and so on. I love that Maas has so many characters and yet each and every one of them is so distinct and unique. I never struggle to recall someone's name or their purpose - I know them all and love all of their different personalities.

In terms of plot, there is SO MUCH that goes on in this book... obviously I won't go into detail to avoid spoilers (for all of the readers who are late to the game like me lol!) but I'l just say that the revelations and twists and turns this book takes are INSANE. The last half of this book is definitely a page-turner. We don't leave off on any kind of cliff-hanger so I actually wasn't sure where this series was going, but it looks like we are switching gears in the next book and Nesta is taking center stage! I'm SO excited to get into her head lol I feel like she's going to be such a dynamic character. Anyway! This book was amazing, this series is amazing, and I will forever be a Sarah J. Maas fan. See you guys for the next one!

Rating: 5/5 Devils!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas Book Review!

 

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publish Date: May 3rd, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Purchased my own copy!

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Penelope's Review

OMG. I literally can't even with this series.... I thought the first book was good. Great. Fantastic even! But this book? This book blows the first book out of the water! Holy shit it has everything I need and want in a book - absolutely amazing characters, great plot, great writing, adventure, growth, romance, tension, and so on. You name it, this book has it! Yet again, I come here to say - Sarah J. Maas is so NOT overrated in my opinion. This series deserves ALL the hype.

So let's start with characters. I am LOVING Feyre yet again here - the growth, the maturity, the range of emotions... all so, so good. She really comes into her own here, realizing who she is, what she wants, and what she needs. Yes, she has some help in getting there but she does most of the grunt work. Honestly, when the inevitable Feyre/Rhys drama unfolded (you know, the scene where the main couple discovers something about the other that makes them storm away and stop speaking to the other) I was like oh here we go. Another completely over-dramatic, unrealistic way of handling things. But it DIDN'T TURN OUT LIKE THAT! Feyre realized what he had done wrong, and realized what she had done wrong, and was just so completely adult about the whole thing! I loved the maturity, it just made the conflict seem so much more realistic.

Rhysand... oh Rhys. I am a die-hard fan. Forever and always. I thought I was Team Tamlin... though I did have some doubts even in the first book... but now I'm like Tamlin who??? GIVE ME RHYS! And we get Rhys.... boy oh boy do we ever get Rhys... SUCH a well-written character. Honestly, he's just so perfect. Ugh, I love it. 

And all of our side characters? I genuinely love every single one. They are all so MEMORABLE! Which is really rare honestly, usually I only really remember the main characters and maybe one or two supporting characters... but this book gives stellar qualities to each and every one of them. Mor, Cassian, Azriel, Lucien, Amren, etc. There's so many characters and yet they are all written really well. I think Maas' strength really lies in her ability to write excellent characters!

Anyway, in terms of plot - amazing. I FLEW through this book, not a signle page had me slowing down, or bored in any way. I needed to know what was going to happen next at ALL times. And that ending?! Dear God I didn't even know what to do with myself... so I picked up ACOWAR and kept reading lmao! But seriously, I can't say enough good things about this. Excellent series, only two books in and already taking a spot in my top 5 faves.

Rating: 5/5 Devils!