TL;DR: Probably just not for me.Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher! Plot: Snow White wakes up in what should be a horrific world and has to take it back… and ehh?Characters: Ugh, my least favorite type of MC.Setting: There was a lot of promise, but not a great execution.Fantasy/Romance: The fantasy was fine,... Continue Reading →
The First Step by Tao Wong
TL;DR: An incredibly fun start to a progression fantasy.Source: NetGalley, so many thanks to the publisher! Plot: Long Wu Ying never planned on becoming a cultivator but then the army calls and plans change.Characters: I love a good level headed MC and that’s what we get here.Setting: Lovely, not too strong but strong enough to... Continue Reading →
The Passing of the Dragon and Other Stories by Ken Liu
TL;DR: An absolute banger of a collection.Source: Saga Press! Thank you so much to the publisher! Plot: All the stories in this focus on being understood or how words can fail.Characters: So often characters in short stories fall flat. That is not the case here.Setting: I enjoyed so many of these. Ken Liu is a... Continue Reading →
A Song To Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
TL;DR: A bit too short, with not a lot of sense.Source: NetGalley, thank you to the publisher! Plot: Xishi is recruited as a spy and spends 10 years smiling at folks.Characters: Perhaps it was the length, or the writing? But I didn’t enjoy them.Setting: A fairly standard feeling world for the story unfortunately. I was... Continue Reading →
The Floating World by Axie Oh
TL;DR: A good YA fantasy, especially for a younger audience.Source: Netgalley, thank you to the publisher! Plot: Kids had goals, kids met, liked each other and kind of continued goals (not really, but enough I suppose).Characters: I think perhaps the characters felt a bit distant, but they were okay.Setting: It was okay, I don’t know... Continue Reading →
The Wicked and the Damned by Rebecca Robinson
TL;DR: This was like… 75% fillerSource: NetGalley, thank you so much! Plot: Vassa gets kidnapped and we get a lot of filler before a bang of an ending.Characters: Vassa looses a lot of her kickassery in this and we don’t get nearly enough Reid time. I couldn’t stand most of the other characters (Roman).Setting: A... Continue Reading →
Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado
TL;DR: A coming of age story for two very different characters.Source: Netgalley, thank you to the publisher! Plot: One part revenge, one part politicalCharacters: A bit on the standard side for me, but not bad.Setting: A lovely setting, but I don’t know if I could clearly visualize a lot of it.Fantasy: I generally enjoy a... Continue Reading →
Something Wicked by Falon Ballard
TL;DR: A lot of work on the sex, not so much on the actual plot.Source: NetGalley, thank you so much! Plot: There is an attempt at a political engine here, but I think the story was written for the sex and the characters.Characters: These two read identical in their voice. They had different ideas and... Continue Reading →
Empire of Flame and Thorns by Marion Blackwood
TL;DR: More of the same tropes and a cliffhanger ending with no satisfaction. Source: NetGalley, thank you so much! Plot: Silver haired fae girl enters trials to get freedom, black haired broody man gets horny. Characters: I can’t say much for them because honestly there wasn’t much too them. Setting: Felt very much like every... Continue Reading →
Kill All Wizards (The Barbaric Ledgers #1) by Jedediah Berry
TL;DR: This felt like Conan had an acid trip in a wizard city. Source: NetGalley, thank you so much! Plot: Gotch is trying to avenge his brother in a city run by wizards, the weird follows Characters: Gotch was our best character, but I really liked the variety we were introduced to Setting: This city... Continue Reading →