Rant & Rave- The Darker the Skies by Bryan Prosek

Hi All! It's been a while since my last post. I've had a busy summer and cheer season, but I'm back with an upcoming release from an author that might sound familiar. I've previously covered Bryan Prosek's A Measure of Serenity, and releasing this month is his new book, The Darker the Skies. Since I've read so many books between my last post and this one, I'm going to skip the quick reviews this time and jump right into The Darker the Skies. The Darker the Skies is a high stakes science fiction story that takes place in the early 2200s. The book is a whirlwind of intergalactic travel, war, and politics. Earth is in the midst of a war with space pirates when a much more serious, and powerful, threat emerges. Jake Saunders is called on to save the Earth, once again, by facing this mighty threat. Little does he know, the threat is inextricably linked to those responsible for killing his father many years prior, and he may end up facing a far more personal nemesis. First let's rant: I had mixed feelings about the multiple point of view in this book. It took me a while to really get a grasp on each of the characters and identify who was a consistent narrator or main character. The many names had me doing a little searching as well. That being said, I really liked getting different information and viewpoints. My only true negative of the book was that some of the characters felt one dimensional. This is particularly true of the main antagonist, though there was a little bit of backstory for them. It felt like many of the narrators had similar personalities and motivators as well, which makes sense to an extent since they are nearly all military men and women, but I'd still like to see more variety and more characterization in general. And Let's rave: I think the love story took up an appropriate amount of the book. It was clear they love each other and were constantly on each others' minds, but the fact that Earth needed saving was firmly their first priority- AS IT SHOULD BE! Another positive of the story was the plot- it was dynamic, engaging, and high stakes. I feel like some books tend to throw in extra fight scenes and drama in order to engage readers (especially in htis genre), but The Darker the Skies was engaging in a more understated and subtle way. I absolutely loved the ending. I think it was both fitting and dramatic, and tied the story together nicely. It may have also hinted at a sequel, but no spoilers, so I can't say anything else. Also, the cover is absolutely beautiful. I would never buy a book just for the cover (*nervously glances at The Damned by Renee Ahdieh on my bookshelf*), but if you're into that- it's a starry sky in shades of black and blue. This was my 40th book this year, and I'm so glad it could be such an excellent read! Overall, it was a well written, fast paced, and epic novel that I'd place among my top science fiction reads for this year. I owe a huge thank you to Bryan Prosek and CamCat Publishing for sending me an advanced reader's copy. You can pick up your own copy when it releases on November 8th, 2022. As always, feel free to comment to discuss the book or my review! Until next time! Dana

Rant & Rave- Riddled Worlds by Phil Coleman

I'm back with the Rant & Rave for another ARC, Riddled Worlds by Phil Coleman. But first, I've got some thoughts on Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor! Hotel Magnifique was, indeed, magnifique! Another Owlcrate book, Hotel Magnifique's atmosphere is incomparable. The best way I can think to describe it is gothic carnival, but even that doesn't do justice to its fantastical nature. I wish the author had taken more time in the book having the main character explore the hotel, for no reason other than myself wanting to see more of it. The plot was immensely entertaining and the characters were interesting and well-developped. So on to Riddled Worlds! Riddled Worlds follows David, a young man tasked with saving the world since he is the only one who can see the holes ripping it apart. His mission to find the source of the holes leads him into a parallel world that is just starting to be taken over by the holes. David quickly learns that this world may be similar to his own, but he must rely on new friends to help him traverse this foreign land. Together, they fight to find the source of the holes and save this world, and hopefully David's as well. So let's rant... My biggest issue with this book was that the characters didn't seem interesting to me. While I liked the characters as they relate to the plot, backstory was scarce, and what little there was seemed very generic. I also wish the characters developed more throughout the book. I felt like the blurb was a bit misleading about there being sinister forces at work, causing the holes. I don't want to get into spoilers, but I wouldn't describe the forces at work as malicious or insidious. In fact, it feels almost natural to me. And let's rave... I think the biggest positive about this book is that it is insanely unique. I've never read anything quite like it, and the ending was certainly a surprise. I think Phil Coleman does an excellent job with sentimental dialogue. In each instance, it was both meaningful and impactful. Finally, I think there is an excellent split point-of-view, without taking the focus away from David as the main character. Overall, I think Phil Coleman's Riddled Worlds is a fun, original read. I'm happy to have a copy grace my shelf. It comes out on June 21st, 2022, so don't forget to grab your own copy! In other news- I've started an Instagram where I post photos of books I've read. I'm hoping to have a few more photos up in the next week or so. If you'd like to check it out, my Instagram username is danas_reading_glasses. As always, feel free to leave a comment! Dana

Rant & Rave- The Head, The Heart, and The Heir by Alice Hanov

Hi all! I'm back with a rant and rave for a book I read in early April (and its prequel novella), Alice Hanov's The Head, The Heart, and The Heir. Before we get to that, however, it's time for a quick recap of my thoughts on the other books I've read since my last post- Ballad & Dagger by Daniel Jose Older and Worldwalker by Jamie Dalton. Ballad & Dagger was an Owlcrate book, and also a novel in the Rick Riordan Presents collection. Riordan's influence is very evident in the book- so much so that it felt like the writing style was a little juevenile for a YA book. While the novel was culture-rich and included a lovable cast of characters, I couldn't get over how lackluster the plot was. I bought Worldwalker primarily because it is beautiful (and the author was offering mystery boxes and I'm a sucker for a good mystery box)- the cover is gorgeous shades of purple, and each chapter heading page has background art. I think the plot of the book flowed well and I liked the main character, Adalyn. However, I found the ending to be mediocre. The Head, The Heart, and The Heir follows Alex. Alex is a princess, but she has been forced to live most of her childhood in hiding after her grandfather murdered her mother. When her grandfather passes, she finally has the freedom to return to her kingdom and her father. As she, and her kingdom, will soon discover, she isn't the adorable princess that once roamed the castle. As her sorceress powers manifest, she discovers that her emotions make her a threat to anyone that gets too close. When she discover's the truth behind her mother's death, she's not sure she can handle being around the family and friends that lied to her. And after all the chaos she's caused since her return, between her manifesting powers and her lack of courtly grace, do they even want her in the castle? So let's rant... The author's voice and word choice weren't my favorite. While the book's content was reminiscent of Arthurian fantasy, the author's voice fell short of that mark. I wanted to get lost in the world of Torian, and sometimes I did, but I kept getting caught up in the semantics of the book. That being said, the often simplistic vocabulary made the book a fast, fun read. Alex almost feels overpowered for the world of Torian, in my opinion. She has magic, a kingdom, fighting and hunting skills, a loving father, incredibly loyal friends, two amazing men trying to woo her... The list goes on. The author does try to temper this in a few ways. For instance, Alex is not the greatest fighter, but she's still proficient. She desn't have full control over her magic, but she can still use it when she needs it. I understand that Alex doesn't have it easy, but she definitely seems to have it all. And let's rave... Before I say this- those of you that know me, I haven't been replaced by aliens. My favorite thing about this book was the romance. It constantly had me swooning! I loved that, while the book primarily followed Alex, periodically there was an "Aaron" chapter. Seeing their love blossom from both sides was a real treat. The love interest, Aaron, is the picture of honor, trustworthiness, and chivalry, without getting in Alex's way of defending herself. Each character in the book is well-developed and clearly thought out. While some characters start with a lot of these traits and backstories, others develop as the book (and I'm sure series) goes on. I'm excited to see where some of the characters go from here. I'm not going to do a complete review of the prequel novella, but I will say that I liked the full novel much more. The characters didn't feel as fully developed in the novella, and I found it hard to find motivation to read it. While the novel was plot-rich, the novella seemed to lack any real direction, similar to slice-of-life novels. So those are my thoughts on The Head, The Heart, and The Heir by Alice Hanov. I really enjoyed it as a fun, light read. It's digital release date is June 14th, and its physical release date is August 2nd, so make sure to grab a copy and let me know what you think in the comments! Dana

Rant & Rave- Silvana's Trial by Astrid V. J.

Hello All! I'm back with a rant & rave for Silvana's Trial by Astrid V. J. The book is short, and this post will be as well. I've been writing out blog posts for all the books I've read, but a couple authors have requested I hold off on posting until closer to their release date, so over the next month or so, you'll see quite a few posts completely out of order from the order I read them in. That being said, I did read one other book simultaneously with Silvana's Trial, so we'll start with that. Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake contains two novellas in the Three Dark Crowns series. I really enjoyed one of the novellas, The Oracle Queen. This novella follows a queen referenced in the series, who supposedly went mad and became murderous. Of couse, in the novella, we learn that there's more to the story than history tells us. The other wasn't my favorite, but that might be because I had already read the entire series when I read it. While Queens of Fennbirn came out in the middle of the series, I'm glad I read it at the end. This way it feels like a dive back into a world I thought I was done with, without getting too invested in another whole story. On to Silvana's Trial. Silvana's Trial is a character driven romantasy novella, following crown princess Silvana as she is forced by convention into being a guide for the man who tortured and maimed her father. The man, Ned, is truly repentant, but the story shows Silvana's struggle with whether to forgive him or not. So let's rant: Silvana feels very juvenile for an eighteen year old woman. The book does explain that she grew up very sheltered, but it felt like Astrid A.J. picked some traits to be age appropriate or beyond her years and others to be juvenile based solely on advancing the plot. And let's rave: The novella does an excellent job fitting a fully developed romance plot into under 200 pages. I could see the development of the romance, the struggles faced, and the resolution, none of which felt rushed due to the length of the book. The emotions displayed in the book were realistically portrayed. The descriptions contained both a mental reaction and a physical reaction to each emotion, making the emotions easy to follow and even feel yourself as you read the book. So that's a brief overview of my thoughts on Silvana's Trial by Astrid V.J. and Queens of Fennbirn by Kendare Blake. Let me know if you agree in the comments. Up next will likely be The Head, The Heart and The Heir by Alice Hanov, but I know better than to make any promises at this point. As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments! Until next time! Dana

Rant & Rave- Variance by Zoe Abrams

Hi everyone! You've made your way to my Rant & Rave for Zoey Abrams' Variance. This book came out on May 2nd, 2022, and I was fortuante enough to receive an ARC copy of the book to review. But first, let's talk about Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a book that was released in January and has made a big splash on TikTok, so naturally I picked up a copy. One of my fears reading this book was that the eloquence of the book would be beyond me (and that gorgeously designed cover did not help). Despite the book's popularity, I was still pleasantly surprised- the book was certainly elegant, but in an approachable way. The prose was poetic, but easy to follow. The ending was satisfying and simultaneously left me craving more. I couldn't get enough of these characters! All of the main characters were well-developped, although I do wish we had seen more progression of traits throughout the book, as opposed to them either being there or not being there. This book was superb, and I can certainly see what all the hype was about! So on to Variance- this book is a futuristic fantasy romance with a splash of mystery. The main character, Mariana, is the best tracker in the city of Ithaca. Ithaca was one of four cities formed after war destroyed the United States. The city is split into four distict districts, and Mariana specializes in finding people the police has given up on, mostly from the slums. When a file about a growing list of missing girls piques her interest, she steps into a case more involved, and more dangerous, than she could have imagined. So let's rant: One thing that annoyed me in this book was that a lot of the gestures and body movements were unrealistic, in my opinion. To be fair, I'm not a particularly "touchy-feely" person, so perhaps these are things other people do, but they definitely seemed out of place for me. Another thing I found lacdking in this book were the spicy scenes. They were well written- its just that a lot of the "activities" weren't appealing to me personally. And let's rave: I absolutely love the representation in this book! Of course, there is poly representation amongst the main characters, but there are also side characters of all races and sexualities. I really like the length of the chapters in this book! I know that seems kind of weird to be excited about, but they were the perfect length to escape reality without completely leaving the world behind. I also like Mariana as a character. She is a strong female, but without the cold, emotionless exterior that define some female leads. She is good-hearted and approachable, but also smart and unassailable. Though I do wish she had some more development throughout the book, she is well written and amicable. So those are my thoughts on Variance by Zoe Abrams! Don't forget to check out the newly-released book on Amazon and Kindle. It is a fast read and reminds my of the TV shows Fringe and Continuum, which straddle the line between science fiction and crime drama. Up next will likely be Riddled Worlds by Phil Coleman, a science fiction/portal fantasy set to release in mid-June. As always, feel free to leave a comment, even if it's just to say hi! Dana

February/March 2022 Wrap-Up

Hi All! It's been a while since I posted, so it's time to catch everyone up! I don't have a Rant & Rave for you today. For the month of March, I decided not to take on any reviews and work on clearing some books on my physical TBR. (This failed spectacularly, as between the Owlcrate boxes and a couple of preorders, I only cleared off one space on my shelf. I also just pre-ordered a copy of Book of Night by Holly Black, which will soon occupy the lone spot that I had cleared out.) That being said, I wanted to give my brief reviews of the books I've read since my last post so my next blog post isn't insanely long. My next post was going to feature Alice Hanov's The Head, The Heart, and The Heir, but she has requested I hold off on posting until closer to the release date. I'm currently working on a beta with no end in sight, so it will probably be a while before my next Rant & Rave. So without furthur ado: The books I read in February were Oracle of the Sun by L. A Robinson (a beta that hasn't been released yet), The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige, and Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen. I absolutely loved Oracle of the Sun, despite it being in such an early stage of editing. The book is based on Ancient Egyptian mythology, which I've always had a soft spot for. It was dark, with an unparalleled air of mystery regarding the characters and their relationships with the gods. The characters are well-developped and likable, without the need for romantic drama, which was a big plus for me. I'm so excited that I got to play a part in the editing and publication of this book. Working with L. A. Robinson was a delight, and I wish her the best with her book release! No date has been set for the release yet, but when it is I will certainly share it on here for all of you. The Ravens was a fun, witchy book woven with themes of sisterhood and trust. The plot of this book was interesting, but it felt a little shallow to me. Not in the way you'd expect a sorority book to be shallow, but more in the sense that it had an "all is right with the world" feel to it that didn't sit well with me. Perhaps it's simply my pessimism, or my preference for dark fantasy and hopeless endings, but I wasn't a fan of this atmosphere. Despite this, it was a great light, positive, heartwarming read with a crazy twist. Skin of the Sea is an oceanic, West African-inspired fantasy with some dark themes. It was the delayed December Owlcrate book, and it definitely lives up to the expectations I have for Owlcrate books. I really appreciated all the research that went into ensuring this book didn't "step on the toes" of the mythology it's based on. The level of respect for the book's mythological roots is incredible- the author even included notes on the mythology she drew from and why she chose certain myths over others. Without giving anything away, I think that Simi, the main character, made the right choice at the end. (If you know, you know.) The one thing I found mediocre in this book was the romantic side plot. Attempts to build up the love interest and their relationship seemed unnatural to me. While I could see the relationship happening, it wasn't believably portrayed, in my opinion. The books I read in March were Malice by Heather Walter, Only a Monster by Vanessa Len, Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson, and The Eternal Machine by Aelina Isaacs. The ending of Malice was incredible! Even though I knew where the book was heading (it's a fairytale retelling), it was still so exhilarating to see Alyce break free from the mold she was ill fitted for and give in to her powers. The plot and world building were both excellent, but I did feel like the romance was lacking. This might be because Alyce and Aurora see each other so infrequently that it seemed like they skipped over the relationship building part of the story. Regardless, I thought the book was excellent and the ending was perfectly villainous. Only a Monster was the February Owlcrate, and it was exquisite! The book brings the excitement of a heist thriller and the lessons of historical fiction, into a modern(ish) fantasy. In a sentence that borders on breaking my no spoilers rule- the ending was sad, but perfect for the book. The pacing was excellent, and the characters were unique and lovable (or hateable, in some cases). I had mixed feelings about Gideon the Ninth. It was well-written (with plenty of witty banter), had excellent worldbuilding, and the ending was exactly what I was hoping for. However, it was really hard for me to push through the first half of this book. Other than the witty banter, it was practically all worldbuilding, which was extremely dense. I also found it difficult to connect to the characters. It kind of felt like Gideon was too nonchalant about everything- there wasn't enough emotional depth for the characters to ring true to me. I was also disappointed that the witty banter had slowed significantly by halfway through the book. A Forgery of Roses was another Owlcrate book. It had excellent pacing, relatable characters, and an interesting magic system based around art. My only real complaint was that I wish there was more history and worldbuilding to accompany the murder mystery plot. Finally, The Eternal Machine is a dark steampunk fantasy novel. The plot was well-crafted, the spicy sections were magnificent, and the ending was incredible. That being said, the characters were a little hit-or-miss for me. Many had interesting backstories. Some, like Novak, quickly became favorites, while others fell a little short in my opinion. I'm looking forward to reading the accompanying novellas as my physical books while I work on this beta. As a final comment- I've restructured my blog, and I'd really appreciate it if you could hit the follow button on the right-hand side. I can no longer send out automatic emails to new email addresses, so following me and giving me your email is the only way to get on my mailing list. I'm considering broadcasting some of my thoughts on TikTok as well. Let me know if this is something you guys would like to see in the future and I'll consider it more thouroughly. Finally, thank you to all my loyal readers! It means a lot that you keep coming back for more of my bookish opinions. As always, feel free to comment and start a discussion. I love chatting about books (or pretty much anything, to be honest)! Dana

Rant & Rave- The Witch of Fire and Shadows by Bri Mooney

Hello everyone! Over the past week I've managed to read three new books- What We Devour by Linsey Miller, The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman, and The Witch of Fire and Shadows by Bri Mooney. Today's main focus will be The Witch of Fire and Shadows, the first of the Burning Bloodlines Series, which I was very excited to read early. I'll also do a brief synopsis of my thoughts on What We Devour and The Ivory Key. Starting with What We Devour by Linsey Miller- I enjoyed this book. I'm not normally a mood reader, but I was looking for something dark and this really hit the spot. The lore in the book is excellent, and the puzzle is engaging. The one issue I had with this book was that, at some parts, it felt like you didn't know enough of the lore to make predictions until one of the characters thought of an idea and explained the lore behind it. This wouldn't have been such a big deal to me if the book hadn't been advertized as a puzzle to solve. Overall, I'd say that this book is excellent if you're in the mood for something dark, but isn't ideal if you're looking to solve a mystery. The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman was unexpectedly great. Owlcrate books are nearly always good, so I should have set my expectations accordingly, but I was expecting to draw a lot of parallels to Sisters of the Snake. I didn't particularly enjoy Sisters of the Snake. In fact, it was probably my least favorite Owlcrate book so far. My point being, I set my expectations too low. I underestimated how much I would enjoy the archaeology and puzzle side of the book. The politics did seem a little shallow. I don't think it really effected my enjoyment of the book, but if you are someone that enjoys the politics of fantasy kingdoms, it might bother you. I will definitely be reading the next part of the duology when it comes out. So on to our main feature, The Witch of Fire and Shadows by Bri Mooney. This book follows the next elder of a well-known coven, Maeve. She has an affinity for the fire element, though she can control all of the elements on her best days. Until the council of the supernatural deems her ready to be an elder, though, she maintains a fairly normal life. In the novel, witches have exposed themselves to mortals and been, for the most part, accepted by society. Other supernaturals, like vampires and fae, remain mostly hidden. At the beginning of the book, Maueve is fairly happy with her life, although a string of missing witches forces her to have a bodyguard, Aspen, with her at all times. Her boyfriend, Thane, has been pretty jealous of the time she spends with Aspen. However, as the book progresses, she realizes this is the least of her problems. Throughout the book she is attacked, falls in with the wrong crowd, and makes deals she couldn't hope to fulfill. Despite her great power, she finds herself in the middle of a supernatural fight she doesn't even want to be a part of. A quote directly from the description: "TWOFAS is a tale of elemental magic, supernatural courts, and unfolding secrets." So let's rant: My biggest issue with this book is that the pacing felt off. The book was short (under 200 pages). A lot happened in those 200 pages, but it seemed like the majority of the time was spent doing day-to-day interactions. Then, all of a sudden, it would be action-packed for 10 pages, then back to day-to-day. The action-packed sections were heavy in physical action, Maeve's confusion, and learning new things about the courts, while the day-to-day didn't live up to the action sections and seemed boring in comparison. In my opinion, the distribution of new information should occur more during the day-to-day interactions to spice them up, or the day-to-day sections should be cut down considerably. My second issue with the book was that the personalities for each character were exposed primarily from dialogue. This makes sense for characters Maeve is just meeting, because the book is in first person (although even their actions seem to influence Mauve's opinion less than their words do). However, some of the characters are people she's known for years or spent tons of time with. These people could be described using memories or day-to-day encounters where they react instead of just giving a verbal response. And let's rave: I think the most well-done parts of the book were the sections where the main character is mentally compromised (from poison, alcohol, suggestion, stress, etc.). They were described well in the sense that we could see and feel what Maeve was seeing and feeling, but Mooney didn't over explain things. Some authors tend to overexplain during these scenes, and that takes away from the confusion and fear that the main character is suffering from. I want to feel confused and a little fearful with the main character during these scenes, but when I know exactly what is going on and why, the confusion is lost and it becomes more difficult to connect with the character. Another strong part of the book was that there was a good balance between sections of metaphor or intangible feelings and sections of observation. By this, I am referring to the difference between seeing someone watching you and sensing someone watching you, for example. One is concrete and exact using your senses, while the other is more energetic or metaphorical in nature. Mooney does an excellent job of describing each experience from the more pertinent of the two perspectives, as opposed to doing both or using the "wrong" one. Plus, once she chooses a style, she doesnt change it up until a natural switching point. Finally, I'm not sure how much research into witchcraft was conducted, but the book seemed to be at least mildly influenced by real witchcraft practices. Of course, in a fantasy book some liberties are going to be taken, but I don't think it ever crossed a line or became offensive to witches, the coven structure, or witchcraft practices. Overall, I really enjoyed The Witch of Fire and Shadow. I think it is a good example of contemporary fantasy, and the start to an interesting story centered on supernatural courts (which I can't wait to learn more about in the next book). I owe a special thank you to Bri Mooney for sending me the book early so I could share my thoughts with all of you. It will be released February 1st, 2022, for anyone interested in reading it themselves. As always, thanks for reading, feel free to let me know what you think of the book or my analysis in the comments, and reach out if you want to receive email notifications for this blog! Until next time! Dana

Rant & Rave- A Study in Steam by Stephanie K. Clemens AND An Ode to the Odd and the Old by Simon Howard

Hello Lovely Readers! I'm back, yet again, with multiple books under my belt. The list includes Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross (Owlcrate), Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake (the final book in the Three Dark Crowns series), The Alchemists' Council by Cynthea Masson, A Study in Steam by Stephanie K. Clemens and An Ode to the Odd and the Old by Simon Howard. It was a productive month- I might even be missing a few. Per usual, I will give a brief paragraph on my thoughts for the books I chose for myself, and a more detailed Rant & Rave for A Study in Steam by Stephanie K. Clemens. For An Ode to the Odd and the Old by Simon Howard, I will give some more detailed thoughts as well, but the nature of the book (primarily poetry) calls for a different type of evaluation. So let's get to it! I absolutely loved the concept of Dreams Lie Beneath. Some of you that know me personally are probably aware- I have created many a Dungeons & Dragons character with the concept of inflicting psychological damage via nightmares, so the concept of a world where nightmares literally come to life is incredible. That being said, I wish this book had gone deeper into the nightmare concept, and potentially gotten darker. I wanted to see a dark fantasy here, and that just didn't happen. I thought the romance was good, if a bit predictable. It didn't ruin the book for me like romances sometimes do. Regardless, the mysteries of the book were both interesting and well-paced, and the plot was enticing. Despite the minor disappointment, this book definitely still makes my top fifty, but probably falls just short of top ten. The conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series was unpredictable in some ways and exactly what I expected in other ways. Yet again, Blake makes the reader question their own feelings about the characters, which I loved. I have mixed feelings about the conclusion because, while I like a lot of the characters and I'm glad things turned out the way they did, I think the ending could have been better if it wasn't a "happy" ending. I don't consider this a spoiler because there are so many ways this book could have turned out (happy or otherwise) that even with that knowledge it doesn't give anything away. I didn't particularly enjoy The Alchemists' Council. I had high hopes after reading the description, but the book fell short for me. The characters weren't very relatable, and Masson made it difficult to choose what I wanted to see happen in the book. As you learned about the strict nature of the council dimension, it left you confused about what you could even hope for. It almost felt like playing a game with someone that changes the rules as the game progresses. The plot itself also left a little to be desired, but I won't get into spoilers. A Study in Steam is about Pippa, a young steam engineering student. She is one of the first four women accepted to Grantabridge University, but it seems the world is not ready for women at University. Her studies are fraught with sabatoge, and even murder. Of course, the ever-curious Pippa decides to investigate the murder of her professor, quickly discovering that it is likely related to another murder. Both victims were strong supporters of inviting women and commoners to university, a giant social change that could heavily impact the wealthy elites. Wealthy elites, it seems, that have decided to blame her for the murder of her professor. Can Pippa solve the mystery and clear her name before it's too late? Let's rant: This is one of those books where the romance takes away from the book, in my opinion. The progression of the romance is well-written and the steamy parts are good. My issue is the fact that Clemens chose the most vanilla character to be the love interest (not literally- he's actually black, so at least there is some representation there). I liked that she chose someone that's supportive and appreciates Pippa's independance, but that's really the only character trait she gves him, other than being handsome. Now, as an avid fantasy reader, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to dramatic relationships and love interests, but even in a more mundane setting like Brythion, I expect at least a decent personality description. I found myself hoping that he was secretly one of the bad guys. I suppose it's still possible, but we'll see. This might just be my experience with books, but the culprit behind the murders (and likely the sabatoge) seemed pretty predictable. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll steer clear of any plot, but I really hope that in the next books, a more substancial villain (or group of villians) appears. And let's rave: Clemens does a really good job writing all of the ladies of WACK as unique individuals with wide-ranging interests and talents. I liked that their friendship was dynamic, and their contributions to the group and each other weren't solely based on their talent. They all contributed to group ideas, and contributions weren't limited to the "one thing" they were knowledgable about. I'm really excited to see where they go from here-the sky is the limit! I'm also interested to see what happens with the working class additions to the group, and the group's new ideas for salons. I liked how the book was left open to a series, but still felt like the characters accomplished what needed to be done to bring a neat, clean end to this novel. On to An Ode to the Odd and the Old... An Ode to the Odd and the Old is a book of primarily poetry. There is also a short story and a chapter of Simon Howard's upcoming novel included. The themes I noticed throughout the book were aging/time, grief, family, and war. My personal favorite poems were Lost, Monster, and Old Tom. My favorite haiku, written by Howard's wife about their beloved dog, was entitled Jenna. Old Tom is about an aged neighborhood tomcat, his life filled with knowledge of the village, lovers, and streetfights. Despite the clear implications that the tomcat is old, and close to death, the poem ends with a hopeful note about meeting Bast and finding peace in the afterlife. Monster is a much darker poem than Old Tom. It reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, but instead of a happy ending the monster is rejected, perhaps deservedly so. It even says "not the hero of one's story." The poem is short, but powerful. Lost is also a dark poem. It seemed, at least to me, like the writer of the poem was either in limbo or in immense grief. The line "landscape of naught but longing" could bolster either interpretation. Regardless of the interpretation, the poem is disheartening in a way that is, perhaps not relatable, but understandable. Jenna is everything I hope for when reminiscing about my own past dogs. It invites the joyful memories back in, but also honors their death with a gothic beauty. I can't believe she fit all that into 17 syllables! I owe a special thank you to both Stephanie K. Clemens, who sent me an advance copy of her book (release date: February 22nd, 2022), and Simon Howard, who sent me a copy to review. Both books were a joy to read, despite their sometimes less then joyful themes. As always, let me know what you thought of the books or my reviews in the comments! Thanks for checking in! Dana

Rant & Rave- The Ivy League Chronicles: 9 Squares by E.K. Prescott

Hello Everyone! This past month has been pretty slow-going on the reading front. I finished Jade Fire Gold by June C. Tan, the Owlcrate book from last month, as well as The Ivy League Chronicles: 9 Squares by E.K. Prescott from Paper Raven Books. This book was a break from my usual fantasy novels- a 1920's period murder mystery. Jade Fire Gold was of the calibre I've come to expect from Owlcrate. The plot was engaging and the characters were well-written. I particularly like that the characters bore the weight of their ancestry. I wish the book had ended a few chapters earlier. Spoiler alert- skip the parentheses if you dont want spoilers. (Why can't any of these characters sacrifice themselves and then STAY DEAD? They don't have to come back to life. Just have an epilogue that closes out the storyline without them.) Anyways, my only other complaint is that I wish the worldbuilding was more involved. I felt like there was a lot of name dropping and not enough fleshing out of the regions. E.K Prescott's The Ivy League Chronicles: 9 Squares follows Professor Detective Richard Wikki and Maize Judson as they attempt to solve a fifty year old mystery in the early 1920's. Professor Richard Wikki is missing the excitement of his life a detective, so when the opporunity to investigate a skeleton found on the beach arises he jumps at the opportunity. He soon discovers that there is much more to the story than a simple murder. Richard and Maize soon find themselves in imminent danger as they begin to piece together an elaborate conspiracy. So let's rant... My biggest complaint about this book was the complete lack of connection with the characters. It seemed like the characters and their actions were analyzed or judged, instead of simply described. This might have been driven by the 3rd person narration, or just the word choice. Either way, in my opinion, it took away from the reader's ability to relate to the characters. On the other hand, the characters all seemed psychologically accurate to me, just not relatable. My other issue with this book is the slow start. Part of this was on me- I tend to lose some of my reading motivation around this time of year, so I was already reading slowly. However, a lot of it had to do with my inability to connect with the characters and the fact that, up until Professor Wikki's trip to Boston, the book felt slow. There were brief parts, such as the very beginning section with Mr. Davenport and the discovery of the skeleton, that upped the excitement a bit, but it quickly died down again in the dribble. Hopefully, this was only to introduce the setting and personality of some of the key players so it won't be present in future books. And let's rave... I think this book does an excellent job of portraying the 1920's and the town of New Haven. The setting is clearly well-researched, and I really appreciated learning real facts about a specific time and place. I don't get that opportunity often as an avid fantasy reader. Another positive in this book was the plot. Without giving too much away, the plot was interesting and the end result was worth the slower start. Although, I don't think the slow start was necessary for the plot to shine. I'm undecided about reading the next book in the series, The Ivy League Chronicles: The Sins of Man, which came out in early October. While I've enjoyed this brief break from fantasy books, I'm not sure that period mysteries are for me. Let me know in the comments if you have read any of these books, and what you thought about them or my review. I love hearing from you guys! Dana

Rant & Rave- Contest of Queens by Jordan H. Bartlett

Hi All! I'm checking in with another two books under my belt- Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone from Last month's Owlcrate box and Contest of Queens by Jordan H. Bartlett. I'll be brief with my thoughts on Lakesedge. I loved the gothic vibe of this novel. It was dark, but in a beautiful way. The sections about the corruptiuon shift from a realistic writing style to a flowing, poetic writing style. While I typically enjoyed this secondary style, Clipstone had a tendency to repeat herself in these sections, which felt almost lazy to me (even though I'm sure the point was to emphasize the repeated adjectives). My biggest complaint about the book was that I wish it had ended exactly one chapter earlier. It would have left more to the reader's imagination, and, in my opinion, concluded the book at a more appropriate point in the story. Today's Rant & Rave will be on a book coming out next January (2022)-Contest of Queens by Jordan H. Bartlett. I was honored to be able to read and review the book early, as well as email back and forth directly with author Jordan H. Bartlett. She even answered a few interview questions for me to put up here on the blog! Contest of Queens takes place in Frea, a world divided into two realms separated by their physical location. The wealthy Upper Realm towers over the poorer Lower Realm. Not surprisingly, the upper echelon of society, such as nobles and royals, reside in the Upper Realm, while everyone else is relegated to the Lower Realm. Passage between the two realms is rare, but when the Queen comes to the Lower Realm for a visit, it is made clear just how unhappy the Lower Realm is with the arrangement. Jacs, the main character of the book lives in the Lower Realm, on her family farm, but is quickly discovered and apprenticed by the master inventor in her village. She uses the knowledge acquired there to begin a relationship with Connor, an Upperite boy who sent a message over a waterfall and on to the Lower Realm in a boat. They build their relationship on the back of message-toting ships and hot air baloons over the next few years. Eventually, Jacs realizes that if she wants to prove to the queendom that Frea is better off united, and meet Connor, she will need to make it to the upper realm and win queenship in the contest of queens. So let's Rant... My biggest (and really only) complaint about this book was that it was so predictable. Being able to predict the ending of a book isn't an inherent negative for me, but in this case, it felt like it didn't have much in the way of unpredictable or clever occurances on the path to the ending either. There were definitely plenty of events in the plot, but none of these were unique to this story. It felt like the solutions to each problem were taken from similar situations in other novels. Regardless, the ending and flow of the story were definitely appropriate for the book and its message. To me, this book was closer to a middle grade novel than a young adult novel, given the amount of innocence and lack of skepticism in the main characters. I think it could have been improved as a young adult book with some more instances that break from the optimistic, whimsical nature of the book. And Let's Rave... My favorite part about this book was that Jacs had her priorities straight. As someone who reads quite a bit of young adult books, it is soooo refreshing to see a strong female lead who prioritizes her family, her friends, and her mission above the romantic interest. I really liked the quirky, fantastical atmosphere of the novel. With the clever inventor theme, the literal castle in the sky, Jacs' general optimism, and the development of the relationship between Jacs and Connor, Bartlett really captured and combined some of the best parts of fantasy and steampunk. One of the other things I liked about Contest of Queens is that the contest itself isn't violent. It is a twist on the usual "battle for the throne" trope, and being non-violent allows the book to remain focused on unification, as well as maintain the whimsical air established in the novel. I think it was an excellent choice on the author's part. I wanted to give you guys a little information about Jordan H. Bartlett and her book. Here is a link to her website, where she has links to buy books, an author bio, and some other good stuff, like a collection of fairytales:https://jordanhbartlett.com/ You can buy Contest of Queens (release date in January 2022) from the following link:https://camcatbooks.com/Books/C/Contest-of-Queens Now on to the questions Jordan H. Bartlett was kind enough to answer for us! 1. The only real "magic" in Contest of Queens is scry crystals. Do you picture Frea having magic and magic users, or are scry crystals more like a form of science or invention that has yet to be explained? The only magic elements I wanted to include in Frea were the scry crystals and the Griffins. With both we have seen a fraction of their potential in the first novel and their uses (and abuses) will definitely be explored in later novels. I wouldn't necessarily call the crystals a scientific invention, but because Jacs is very science minded, they will likely be explored in a more scientific manner (to align with how she views the world). 2. We saw some of your thoughts on women versus men in power throughout the book. Have you found that, as female representation in government in the real world continues to increase, your ideas have been realistic? I hope so! I definitely drew from real female rulers and researched matriarchal societies for inspiration, but I think too that, since my world doesn't have foundation in a patriarchy, I feel I wasn't tethered by it, whereas females in power in our world still very much have to navigate our patriarchal values/systems/prejudices. 3. What is your favorite fairytale (and version, if applicable), and why should we all read it? Oh great question, I love fairy tales in general, and I'm a huge Disney fan. I love both iterations of the little mermaid (Hans Christian Andersen's original and the Disney version). Mostly because both deal with the idea of belonging. I moved around a lot as a kid and often felt like a fish out of water, so I really related to her story. I also love that in both the original and in the Disney version, the mermaid finds a sense of belonging at the end (either with the spirits of the sky, or in the human world with the blessing of her family). However, while I love fairytales, some of the messages in the originals about gender and love are a bit outdated (obviously, they were written for a different time) so I recently published a collection of 9 fairytales titled, The Rose Petal Princess, that I'm really proud of and that I hope is a bit more relatable for the modern reader (more information on my website). Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Jordan! Thanks for reading, and, as always feel free to comment your thoughts on the books or on my evaluations below- I love hearing from you guys! Dana

Rant & Rave- A Measure of Serenity by Bryan Prosek

Hi all! I'm still pretty busy, between work and coaching youth cheerleading, but I wanted to pop on and check in on my reading progress. I've now finished the first three books of the Three Dark Crowns series, as well as Sisters of the Snake, This Poison Heart, and A Lesson in Vengeance from Owlcrate boxes, The Secret of the Green Anole from Paper Raven Books, Ink Iron and Glass, and The Beautiful. I won't be doing a full Rant & Rave for these books, but I will give a quick comment for each. For the Three Dark Crowns Series, I'm still really enjoying the characters, and think the books and plot are fast paced and interesting. I did, however, feel like the plot of the third book kind of came out of nowhere. Sisters of the Snake was okay in terms of characters, but I felt like the history and lore wasn't as well thought out (or at least as well depicted) as it could have been. This Poison Heart is my personal favorite Owlcrate so far. With the combination of likable characters, some awesome magic, and a topic I really enjoy (potions and poisons), I couldn't put it down! I also absolutely loved A Lesson in Vengeance- the way it had me second guessing myself throughout the book was amazing. You can tell it was written by a psychologist. The Secret of the Green Anole was my favorite Paper Raven book so far. (It's also great for spooky season!) As for Ink, Iron and Glass, I think the world is creative and fun to learn about. The one complaint I had was that it felt a little juvenile for a young adult book, at least to me. I'll be honest- I bought The Beautiful because I liked the cover of its sequel, The Damned. It has an excellent setting, that I wish was utilized more in the plot and described in more detail, especially with the beautiful, poetic writing style featured in the novel. I thought the romance was hit-or-miss. Some parts had me swooning and others felt forced to me. The plot was mediocre, in my opinion, although I liked the ending. Today's Rant & Rave will be on a book coming out next month- A Measure of Serenity by Bryan Prosek. I was honored to be able to read and review the book early, as well as email back and forth directly with author Bryan Prosek. I even got to ask him a few questions to put here on the blog! A Measure of Serenity follows Serenity Ashdown, a neurodivergent eighteen year old senior at Harvard University. Her father has been conducting secretive government research for years, and one day, while searching for her father in his lab, she falls through a portal to an alternate universe. She quickly discovers that many things on this Earth are different, including constant war and the complete annihilation of the planet's resources. Serenity is swiftly caught by the government in this new world, dubbed "the Feds" by Resistance members, but she changes hands again and ends up with the Resistance. While with the Resistance, Serenity finally figures out the whole story- that the government wants to invade her Earth for resources, and decides to help them with their mission to overthrow the Feds and close the portal between worlds for good. So Let's Rant... I felt like the overarching theme (main character stands up to a much stronger government) was lacking in ingenuity. The surface level plot of Serenity and her activities was interesting and engaging, but I wish there was some kind of spin on the overarching theme to help it stand out against all the other books with that theme (especially within the sci-fi category). I would have liked to see the true motivations for the Feds, past all the excuses they give Serenity. There are people in this world (and parallel universes, I'm sure) that are just plain evil and only want power, but they are few and far between. Sure, one can argue that there's only a few evil high-up Feds and everyone else are just following orders, but I still feel like the reader could use a little more context , even if they are going to end up siding with the Resistance anyways. And Let's Rave... I loved the ending. No spoilers, of course, but I thought the ending fit the book well and left some important things to the reader's imagination. I felt like the characters, Serenity and side characters alike, were realistic. They had dreams, they had motivating backstories, and they had unique personalities. I think the writing style was concise and easy-to-follow. It wasn't poetically written or filled with advanced vocabulary, but it was appropriate for the average young adult sci-fi reader. I wanted to give you guys a little information about Bryan Prosek and his books. Here is a link to his website, where he has links to buy books, an author bio, and some other good stuff:https://bryankprosek.com You can buy A Measure of Serenity (release date November 2nd) from the following link:https://camcatbooks.com/Books/A/A-Measure-of-Serenity Now on to the questions Bryan Prosek was kind enough to answer for us! 1. Do you think that the "other" Serenity could have advocated for peace, given everything that had happened to her? No, I don’t think the other Serenity could have advocated for peace. Like you said, with everything she saw and had been through, I think her heart would have become too cold to be willing to accept peace short of wiping out the feds. That was an advantage that our Serenity had over the other Serenity. Our Serenity had been hurt by the feds, but not like the other Serenity had been. Also, our Serenity’s personality was better suited to advocate for peace. I don’t think peace would have even been in the other Serenity’s vocabulary. 2. In your opinion, would discovering that there are parallel universes be good or bad for humanity? Very good question. I think it could go either way, but for the most part, I think it would be good. Of course, the discovery of a parallel universe bent on invading our universe would not be good. But otherwise, if the new universes were thriving more than ours, they might be able to provide some technology or discipline that would help our universe. And if the new universes were in worse shape than ours, then people here could realize how good they have it. 3. What's your favorite book, and why should we all read it? This is a tough one. I would say my favorite young adult book (since I write young adult) is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. You should read it because it has a little bit of everything. It touches on many young adult tropes (love triangle, enemies to lovers, etc.), and it has action, romance, and of course teens having to deal with some very serious issues (kill or be killed). My favorite overall book is Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz. You should read it because it dives so deep into the protagonist’s mind that you actually feel like you have become him. Gregg’s writing is superb. He develops his characters and the plot masterfully and pulls you right into the story. What wonderful insight! Thanks for reading, and, as always feel free to comment your thoughts on the books or on my evaluations below- I love hearing from you guys! Dana

Rant & Rave- Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake AND The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson AND Power of Four: Island of Exiles by Seven Borup

 Hello All! 

Sorry for the radio silence this past month. I've been extra busy at work with the paving season in full swing and a small promotion, but I did manage to finish three books! Today's Rant & Rave will include Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake, The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson, and Power of Four: Island of Exiles by Seven Borup.  Since this post will be WAAAAYYY too long if I don't cut it short, I'm going to do one rant and one rave for each book.  (I could probably write a super long Rant & Rave just about Three Dark Crowns, so please comment and discuss it with me!)

Three Dark Crowns follows three magical queens vying for the same crown in a yearlong battle to the death.  This is the first book in the series and mostly takes place before the fighting starts.  This book focuses on worldbuilding and getting to know the three queens- Katherine, Arsinoe, and Mirabella.  Katherine is a demure poisoner.  Poisoners can eat poison without getting sick or dying, and have held power on the island of Fennbirn for quite a while at the time of the book, though Katherine shows little potential as a poisoner.  Arsinoe is a determined naturalist. Naturalists have a way with plants and wildlife, and usually have an animal familiar, though Arsinoe has yet to show any sign of a familiar.  Mirabella is a kindhearted elemental. She can control storms and elements to her whims, and is a favorite to win the yearlong battle, but she doesn't want to hurt the sisters she remembers from early childhood.  

The Year of the Witching follows Imanuelle, a young woman living in a puritanical society as it suffers through four plagues- blood, blight, darkness, and slaughter.  Imanuelle discovers that there is much more to the history of Bethel, and the story of her witch mother, than the church is letting on, and she struggles to find the key to breaking the cycle of plagues before it's too late for herself, her family, and all of Bethel.  

The main character of Power of Four: Island of Exiles is Deerface, a young rabbit just coming into colony life.  The colony is comprised of patrollers, who fight off threats to the colony, collectors, who gather the colony's food, Healers, who aid the injured and sick, and messengers, who act as the main line of communication within the colony and its land.  Deerface is disappointed to be chosen as a messenger, but quickly learns that his job is very important.  When he and his teacher go to far into the woods one day, Deerface meets his father, an exile of the colony.  It seems that Deerface's father has banded the exiles together, and is now their leader.  As would be expected, Deerface has some conflicted feelings and difficult decisions to make.  

First the raves:

Three Dark Crowns does an excellent job of making the reader like all three queens.  Throughout the book,  I cheered for each queen at some point, leaving me conflicted about who I really want to see become queen in the end.  Luckily, I don't have to choose just yet. 

Throughout The Year of the Witching, there are not-so-subtle statements fighting racism, sexism, classism, and the hypocrisy of religion. The entire novel is a thinly veiled look at issues prevalent in our society. (It even feels more like a historical fiction book than a fantasy book!)  Imanuelle's conflict, between her upbringing and the problems she sees within the church, is eerily relatable, and not in a way that makes me proud to be a member of American society.  However, I loved that about this book.  It really made me think about society, how it needs to change, and how I can make those changes happen.

In the first Power of Four book, I really liked the way the rabbit society was set up.  It was organized, but not sophisticated.  I felt like this was a good representation of what I expect from rabbits.

And the rants: 

Three Dark Crowns has an ending that is supposed to be a bit of a twist, but I think it was extremely predictable.  (There's two surprises, actually, but one is more unexpected, and therefore nothing to rant about.) The way the book was set up, along with some other factors, really gave it away for me.  That's all I can say without spoilers, but feel free to let me know what you thought if you read the book!

As for The Year of the Witching- the threat level in this book didn't seem very high.  The description made the book seem very doom and gloom-y, but as I was reading, I almost never felt like the main character was in any danger.  This took a lot away from the book, in my opinion.  

Power of Four: Island of Exiles is another Paper Raven book I felt was a little immature for adult audiences, but it also has some content that is questionable for younger children.  This gives it a pretty small audience range of about 11-16 years old.

Up next will be my June Owlcrate book, which was a little late getting here, Sisters of the Snake by Sarena and Sasha Nanua.  As always, feel free to comment and share my blog with other fantasy lovers!

Dana

Rant & Rave- The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He

 Hi All!

This is my Rant & Rave for The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He.  This was the latest Owlcrate book, though I got a bit of a late start on this one.

The Ones We're Meant to Find follows two very different main characters- Cee, a free-spirited woman trapped on a long-forgotten island with a robot and faint memories of her sister, and Kasey, a reformed criminal science genius dealing with the loss of both science and her sister.  The book takes place in an apocalyptic post-climate crisis world.  Through Cee's story, we see the destroyed world as we know it, and through Casey's, we see a novel science-based way of living.  Both stories are captivating in their own way, and all I can say about the book as a whole is "wow!"

So let's rave!

The twist in this book- amazing!  It was perfectly hinted at in a way that still leaves you dumbfounded when you figure it out.  I kept asking myself "how did I miss this, there were so many hints?"  The answer, of course, is that the hints were subtle and a little confusing until everything clicks into place. Joan He does an excellent job both concealing and finally revealing the twist in the book.  Is she planning to switch to mysteries anytime soon?  (I hope not, because I don't really read mysteries!)

The book flows nicely.  It's almost like reading poetry in two very different styles- Cee's chapters are emotional, passionate, and social, while Kasey's are thought-provoking and filled with world-building and problem solving.  However, throughout both chapters, Joan He's beautifully flowing authorial voice shines through.  

And my (admittedly scant) rant:

I really wanted to jump into every detail of this world.  Joan He does a good job of limiting what information the reader needs, but I almost felt like it was a little too limited.  Yes, it provided what was necessary for the book, but I think that a little more about Kasey's world in particular might have added to the flavor of the book, and made the world itself as memorable as the plot.  

Overall, I think this book takes the top spot of all the Owlcrate books I've gotten so far.  (Sorry Sweet and Bitter Magic; I loved your characters more, but the plot of this one is just TOO good.)  I don't really think a sequel to this book would be worthwhile, but I will certainly be following Joan He's career and checking out future books.  I might decide to do a more elaborate review of this book with spoilers sometime soon, but I don't want to make any promises yet.  

Up next is Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake. A friend recommended it to me and I can see why! It has all the dark fantasy, magic, and courtly intrigue I could ask for.  As always, feel free to leave comments about the book or my thoughts on the book in the comments!

Dana

Rant & Rave- The Seventh World: Search for the Lost Keeper Book One by A.S McMillen

 Hello Everyone!

I'm back with my Rant & Rave for The Seventh World: Search for the Lost Keeper (Book One) by A.S McMillen.  This is the second book I'm reviewing for Paper Raven Books.

This book follows Evie, starting with her time in an orphanage, through her adoption, until a little after her 16th birthday.  Evie, as it turns out, is a descendant of Magnus (who features in the prologue), a great man, who knows the truth about Earth and the many galaxies, and was working to protect them.  Evie starts to learn the truth during a heritage trip to Ireland, where she meets another descendant of Magnus.  Her new friend helps Evie discover her true potential, as a savior of Earth and the rest of the Devas galaxy.  

So lets rave:

The writing in the book is straightforward and easy to follow.  I found myself getting lost in Evie's world after only a few seconds, and, at times, had a hard time pulling myself out of the rich fantasy world.  The vocabulary is not exceptional, but the use of everyday language adds to the ease of transition into the book. 

While the worldbuilding itself was nothing special (although it was unique), each part was well-described and left just the right amount to the reader's imagination.  A.S. McMillen does an excellent job of weaving the necessary descriptions into the plot without creating blocks of solely description.  Both as an avid reader and as someone that struggles with writing like this myself, I can appreciate when it's done right.

This novel is excellent for preteen and teenage readers, as well as adults that want a read with less intellectual strain.  My last book involved a lot of focus and thinking to understand the plot and repercussions of each character's actions.  The Seventh World doesn't take as much mental energy to get through, and is therefore a more versatile book.  I can pick it up without having to carve aside tons of time to dedicate to its pages.  

On to the ranting:

So this is related to my last rave comment, but sometimes the plot felt overexplained. While McMillen does a great job describing people and places, she sometimes uses Evie's thought process to "dumb down" the plot for the reader.  There is a thin line to tread here- the plot is elaborate and designed to take place over several books, so it's complicated- but I think it could have been explained less and still been sufficient.  At the very least, leave some room for the reader to brainstorm their own ideas about what is going on before explaining.  

Evie's thoughts seem elementary for her age.  I didn't notice much mental development between young, recently adopted Evie, and sixteen year old Evie.  Her thoughts don't seem any more elaborate, and her emotions are very defined, which also adds to the perception that Evie isn't a fully developed 16 year old character. It's possible that this is done to maintain her "innocent" image (which is pertinent to the plot), but, in my opinion, she can be innocent without sterilizing her thoughts and emotions of all hints of teenage behavior. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and, like I mentioned, it was a good mental break after my last novel.  I will certainly read (and review) the sequel at some point.  I think A.S. McMillen is a promising new author, and I'll certainly look into any books she puts out in the future.  

My next book will be another Owlcrate book, The Ones We're Meant to Find, by Joan He. Remember to let me know if you'd like to be added to the email address list and get content notifications in the future!

Thanks for reading and, as always, let me know what you thought of the book or my review in the comments!

Dana

Rant & Rave- Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

 Hello Everyone!

It's that time again- this time I'll be reviewing Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart.  This was another Owlcrate book, from their rivals-themed box. This book took me over two weeks to read, but was definitely worth it!

Witches Steeped in Gold follows Jazmyne Cariot and Iraya Adair.  Both rulers by birth, they vie for the same throne.  Jazmyne is the daughter of the current ruler of Aiyca, the doyenne, but is frustrated by her mother's practices.  Countless times, her mother has sacrificed her fellow Alumbrar order members (including Jazmyne's sister) for reasons Jazmyne sees as unnecessary.  Iraya is the daughter of the previous rulers of Aiyca, killed by the current leaders in a brutal takeover. She was recently freed from prison, and seeks revenge, as well as to help her order, the Obeah.  However different they may be, Jazmyne and Iraya understand each other's value in bringing down the current doyenne, and enter an unlikely, and admittedly unfriendly, alliance. 

So let's get to the raving!

First, I loved how well-woven the relationship between politics and emotion was in this book.  Ciannon Smart illustrated this through the use of two main characters at opposite ends of both the emotional and the political spectrum. In the novel, we see time and time again how emotion influences political decisions, and the less obvious vice versa.  

Both Iraya and Jazmyne are fully realized characters, and make understandable decisions based on their emotions and knowledge.  The places where their duality were most obvious were when each character reached a crossroads and had to make a decision.  You could tell that they were heavily influenced by the beliefs and customs of their own order.  In a way, they both fit a typical fantasy novel protagonist (Jazmyne the enterprising revolutionary, Iraya the passionate orphan seeking revenge).  You find yourself rooting for both characters at different points in the book, and conflicted feelings abound.  

The language used in this book is a step up from most other young adult novels I've read.  This was a pleasant surprise, but it did periodically slow my reading speed a bit.

And the ranting:

One of the biggest problems I had with this book (and the reason it took so long to read) was the use of made up words.  I read a lot of fantasy- I know that made-up words come with the territory- but it's taken to a new level in this book.  Some made up words appear to have a dual meaning, and others are briefly described once and then not used again for another hundred pages.  I found myself having to go back and look up words multiple times.  I honestly like made up words.  I think they can add to the worldbuilding and give character to a novel.  However, even I have a limit to the amount of made up words I can handle in a book, and this novel exceeds it.

I thought the systems of magic in this book were hard to follow.  What little description there was, it seemed like it was spread out over the entire book.  I would read one piece of information, but then wouldn't learn anything else about it until much later.  I think that both this and the problem above had to do with the writing style of the book.  I'm sure it was designed to create intrigue, but instead it created confusion, at least for me.  

This one is more of a suggestion than a rant, but I wish I had known more about island culture when I read this.  As it stands, I know very little about Jamaican culture and history.  I think that I missed some subtle references I might have really appreciated by not knowing this information beforehand.  Obviously this is nothing wrong with the book, just my own lack of knowledge.

So those are my opinions on Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart.  I'm very interested to see what comes next for Iraya and Jazmyne.  The book was clearly designed with a sequel or series in mind, and I will definitely pick up the next book when it comes out.  Hopefully it will clear up some of the confusion I had with the magic systems and language, and add more to this dramatic plot.  In the meantime, I'll read up on island culture and daydream about visiting Jamaica!

A reminder for those of you reading this on email- this feature will no longer be available in a couple months.  Please reach out if you'd like to continue reading my reviews.  If you leave your email in the comments, I'll add it to my list and promptly delete the comment.  If you know me personally, message me with your email address (or just tell it to me) so I can put it on my list.

My next Rant & Rave will be for The Seventh World: Search for the Lost Keeper, another book I'll be reviewing for Paper Raven Books!  Thanks for reading, and don't forget to let me know what you thought in the comments!

Dana

Rant & Rave- Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw

 Hello everyone! 

You've made your way to my Rant & Rave for Grave Importance by Vivian Shaw.  

Grave Importance is the third book in the Dr. Greta Helsing series. Check out my previous post about the series for information on the first two books, but beware- there's spoilers. Dr. Greta Helsing is a doctor for all manner of supernatural beings- ghouls, vampires, vampyres (there's a difference), demons, mummies, banshees, etc.  In the third installment of her adventures, she is asked to take a temporary medical director position at a luxurious medical spa and resort for mummies. She discovers that something strange has been causing bouts of fatigue and dizziness in her mummy patients.  Needless to say, there's more going on than meets the eye. 

So let's rave:

I loved the way Vivian Shaw weaved multiple plotlines together to provide a seamless story.  Like her second book, I thought this book brought the plotlines together well.  I still prefer the story of the second book, but, in my opinion, this novel does a better job of hinting at relationships between different viewpoints.

I loved the inclusion of some actual medicine and Egyptian culture in this book.  It felt more like a dive into the day-to-day of a supernatural doctor, which is why I chose the series to begin with.  It connected the dots between magic, in this case based on Ancient Egyptian culture, and modern medicine.  This bridged a gap that, until this book, was kind of overlooked.  

And some ranting:

Similar to the first book, I feel like the resolution of the story was a little too "out of nowhere."  It felt almost like Greta got herself into something that was too big for her to solve, so Vivian Shaw wrote a cop out for her to get out of it.  I can't really elaborate on this without major spoilers, but if you read the books, I think you'll agree with this part of my assessment.

I like the voice of this book.  It's rational and evaluative, but snarky, with some humor thrown in.  I know, this isn't ranting, but bear with me.  I've found that this is hit or miss with readers of the series.  Here's the real ranting- I wish that the voice varied a little more between characters.  It felt obvious to me that all the characters were penned by the same person.   

And some final announcements:

My next book will be Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart.  This book comes from my rival-themed Owlcrate box.  These boxes are always an exciting part of my month! There is rarely more than one item in the box that I don't use or enjoy in some way, which was a reservation I had about getting the boxes, and I highly recommend them (and no, they aren't paying me to say that). 

A friend of mine from my time in the Peace Corps, Danielle Timmons, just published a memoir called God, Love and Mototaxis. I've read it and, with the exception of a few grammatical errors, it's a good, fast read.  It's available on Amazon for anyone that's interested in supporting her on her latest venture. 

If you are getting notifications for this blog via email, you will stop receiving email notifications for new content in July.  Since I'm not particularly tech savvy, I can't figure out how to export your email addresses to a list I can use to continue sending emails.  If you'd like to continue receiving emails, please let me know your email address, either in the comments section or in person.  Once your address has been added to the list, I will delete the comment, so don't worry about it being online forever.

Dana

Rant & Rave- Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley

 Hello, Hello!

It's that time again- when I tell you my (almost) spoiler-free thoughts on Adrienne Tooley's Sweet and Bitter Magic!  I say almost because there is a couple minor spoilers in this one.  Don't worry though, I'll give you plenty of warning so you can skip over it if you don't want any information on the book.  I have to be honest, I absolutely loved this book, so my ranting column is going to be a little thin on this one.  I finished the book in about four days, if that's any indication. 

Sweet and Bitter magic is the story of an unlikely pair- Tamsin the witch and Wren the source.  Tamsin is a witch banished from her homeland and cursed to never feel love.  Tamsin's backstory is complicated (and too much of a spoiler to put in here), but she now resides in a small town, making a living performing feats of magic for the townsfolk in exchange for a taste of their love.  Wren is a source, a person made of magic that witches can draw power from, but who, themselves, cannot use magic.  Sources are rare, and Wren has spent her entire life hiding from the world of magic so she can care for her ailing father, who happens to blame witches and all things magic for her brother's and mother's deaths.  The unlikely duo pair up when Wren's father catches a deadly plague caused by dark magic; their goal- stop the spread of the plague by catching the person responsible. 

Lets get to the raving:

I could not get enough of these characters! Throughout the book Wren grows from naivety and compliance to self-prioritizing and recognition of her own strength.  Tamsin is grouchy, snarky, and, in my opinion, hilarious.  She appears cold and spiteful, but that is sort of to be expected from someone who has spent the last half a decade without being able to enjoy any of the best parts of life.  Both characters are likable and relatable on some level.  The side characters are less well-developed, but the plot centers so heavily on Tamsin and Wren that I don't think it deters from the book much.  

Minor Spoiler #1 (Skip this paragraph if you don't want any spoilers.)- This has an LGBT relationship that is completely accepted by society! The relationship is well-written, and doesn't seem like it was just thrown in to be inclusive, like some I've seen.

I think the writing in this book is excellent.  It has the perfect relationship between being straightforward and flowing well.  The vocabulary is fairly simple, but it never fails to get the point across.  I never felt like the author's voice caused me to need to slow down at all, or ever shattered the illusion of being in a fantasy world.

And now the (admittedly short) ranting:

I felt like the plot of this book, while interesting, was poorly developed.  By this, I mean that most of the book's storyline was told to you by one of the characters before you had a chance to be surprised by discovering it "in action."  I just felt like the author revealed their hand too early.  To be fair, this is pretty common in a debut novel, and it didn't severely impact how interesting the book was, but it was a little disappointing in a book I otherwise really enjoyed. 

The only other thing, and this is more of a suggestion than a criticism, is that I wish the worldbuilding included a little more information, as opposed to only what's strictly necessary to the plot. I know that not everyone will agree with this, but the anthropologist in me always wants more culture. This is especially true in a fairly generic high fantasy world seeking to stand out among great settings like Middle Earth, Sitia and Ixia, Oz, Eruvia, Westeros and Essos, and many others. 

So, a question I sometimes get is "do you want to read a sequel?" With Sweet and Bitter Magic, the answer is a resounding YES.  I want to see Tamsin and Wren again; I want to see Adrienne Tooley's plot development improve; I want to see more of the world Tooley has created.

Minor Spoiler #2 (Skip this paragraph if you don't want any spoilers.)- I'm not usually the type to just hope for a happy ending (in fact, I typically prefer darker endings, or at least a solid middle ground), but I spent this entire book wanting what's best for the characters.  I wanted them to be happy, and I was ecstatic when they finally were in the end.  I can't wait to see them face the world fully united in the next book.  (Fingers crossed that there is one!)

So that is my honest(ly raving) review of Sweet and Bitter Magic, Adrienne Tooley's debut novel! Up next is the third book in Vivian Shaw's Dr. Greta Helsing series, Grave Importance.  For those of you that need some background on the series, I have a previous blog post about the first two books.  That post does have spoilers.  As always, feel free to comment your thought about the book or my review! See you soon!

Dana

Rant & Rave- Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, Translated by Julia Meitov Hersey

 Hi All!

Here is the much-anticipated, spoiler free, Rant & Rave for Vita Nostra, by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, and translated by Julia Meitov Hersey.  

Vita Nostra centers around Sasha, a seemingly ordinary sixteen-year old Russian girl who is preparing to attend university.  During the summer break before her senior year, she meets a man who makes several strange requests of her.  When she doesn't comply, bad things happen to people she cares about.  As a reward for completing these strange requests, she receives special coins that later serve as the entrance fee to the Institute of Special Technologies, located in the small town of Torpa.  No one has ever heard of the school, and despite Sasha's objections, the man requests that she attend the school.  She does so, in order to protect her family, although they despise the idea.  The book follows Sasha's first two and a half years at the institute, where she quickly learns that the school is anything but normal.  The books can't be read, the lessons are obscure, and nothing can be memorized. She starts to notice changes in herself, and they aren't all for the better.  Vita Nostra is a dark fantasy novel, using psychological suspense and terror to both humanize and dehumanize Sasha in the eyes of the reader.

Let's get to the raving:

My favorite part of the book, by far, was the transcendental encounters Sasha experiences.  They are perfectly described so the reader can understand what's happening, but the experience is not relatable to real life.  Without giving too much away, there are multiple times when these encounters occur in the books, and each one is given a unique description.  

The prominent characters in the book are are well-written, with quirks and peculiarities that make sense for the character and the situation.  A common example is smoking, but pacing, going for walks or jogs, and cleaning are also used. There aren't many parts in the book that elicit a positive response, but hugging to show relief is utilized quite a bit.  I think the authors did an excellent job of pairing each main character's personality with an appropriate response to a situation.  For example, when Sasha gets into trouble with her teachers, the strict, unfeeling one smokes and yells at Sasha, while the calmer, more emotional one paces the room looking for a solution.   

This book felt almost timeless, as though it could exist in any time and place.  There are some things that restrict it to fairly modern times, such as the fact that cell phones exist or the clothing descriptions, but even these only restrict it to sometime in the last thirty years or so.  Much of the activities and classes are not bound by a specific time.  Torpa is still described as an old fashioned town, and the Institute, even more so.  I think this gives the school a certain amount of credence and mystery.  Overall, I think the timelessness adds to the darkness surrounding the book and ushers in the right psychological thriller vibe.

Finally, I think the translation is excellent.  It goes beyond merely words, to maintain the intended atmosphere throughout the book.  You can tell the book takes place in Russia, and see some Russian foods and customs, but nothing feels "out of place" as a reader from the USA.  This is an issue I've had with some other translated novels, where a custom is named but isn't explained, and therefore doesn't make sense to me without doing some outside research. Vita Nostra doesn't make many culture-specific references, but when it does, Julia Meitov Hersey explains or describes instead of merely translating the words.  

And the ranting:

I, personally, did not like the authors' voice in this novel.  This is 100% personal preference, and might have been influenced by the translation as well, but- It felt disjointed at the paragraph and section level.  Sometimes it would jump from one topic to another, seemingly randomly, or move between transcendental scenes and normal life within one sentence.  Occasionally, this was used well, such as to hint at causality, but most of the time it just felt like the reader is jumping around.  At the sentence level, I often found myself having to reread a sentence because my internal voice or tone didn't sync up with what was on the page.

Another problem I had with the book was that most of the time it felt like a "slice of life."  While this is fine in most cases, it's not what I look for in a fantasy book.  The plot was slow going and, at times, boring.  This was likely designed to build suspense, but I found it functioned in quite the opposite manner- it made me want to put the book down and do something else.  The only thing that kept me going was my own sense of curiosity.  

And, perhaps the biggest problem I had with the book, is that it didn't have much of a conclusion.  My curiosity kept me going for 400 pages, only to find out that there was no satisfying ending.  I was looking for answers, and found none.  

So my sum-up of this review is short and sweet: Do I think the book is interesting and am I glad I read it? Yes.  Am I pleased with the culmination of the book? No.  But on a more serious note- the writing of this book reminds me of The Vorrh by Brian Catling.  It is a type of fantasy that focuses more on spiritual and psychological growth than a well-planned plot.  Personally, I prefer an exciting story with a perfect conclusion.  However, I do see the value in books that focus more specifically on character growth, especially in a genre that is dominated by fanciful and ostentatious plots.  

Thanks for reading! Up next is Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley, from my witch-themed Owlcrate box.  Let me know what you think of Vita Nostra, or my review, in the comments!

Dana

Rant & Rave- The Prophesy by Phil Asmundson

 Hi Everyone!

I'm here with my spoiler-free Rant & Rave for The Prophesy by Phil Asmundson.  This is the first book in the Tuar Tums Trilogy, and the first book I'm Reviewing for Paper Raven Books!

The Tuar Tums trilogy combines mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. With a basis in southwestern Native American myths, the book follows Alexa and her friends as they attempt to discover what happened to her father.  Jeff, Alexa's father, was a treasure hunter who went missing exploring the desert for treasure twelve years ago.  Early in the book, her father returns, with some notable medical anomalies, prompting Alexa, her best friend Sharon, and her boyfriend Jack, to solve the mystery of where her father has been the last 12 years.

Lets get to the raving:

I think this book had a good balance between time spent on information that is pertinent to the plot, and time spent on parts that are intended for character development or relationship-building.  The book starts out slower, with the reader getting to know Alexa's private life and her unique voice.  This beginning has just enough mystery to keep the reader interested in getting answers.  After this, the book shifts into solving the mystery with a longer plot-heavy section.  Finally, the book jumps into an ending of self discovery and recognition of the antagonists for the trilogy, with an excellent balance between plot-driven and character-driven parts.  Like all stories, the author is tasked with fitting in both plot and character development.  Phil Asmundson does a great job of making sure neither outweighs the other.   Additionally, he ensures that there is more development of both types to be done in the rest of the trilogy.  

Normally, I don't like when a book switches between perspectives with no discernable pattern.  However, The Prophesy utilizes this technique well, ensuring that the reader has just the right amount of information, even when the characters individually don't. That being said, there are parts where it took a few sentences to pick up on which perspective you were reading from, forcing the reader to restart the section after discovering the point of view.  This is particularly common through the last hundred pages or so, when all the characters are in different parts of the desert and scenery differs very little (at least to a northerner like me).

I find that some books in a series end at a point where there is either a concrete conclusion or no conclusion at all.  The Prophesy does an excellent job of concluding in a manner that is both satisfying in a small way, and unsatisfying enough for the reader to want to continue the series.  This is hard to explain without spoilers, but I'm sure other series-readers will understand what I mean by that. 

I love that the book uses real Native American legends as its basis, and the respect it shows for Native American characters, often portraying them as wise and noble! The Tuar Tums are the Hill People in Native American lore, and this book revamps their story, giving it a science fiction twist in addition to its fantastical one. I do wish the original lore was included in the story, perhaps as a poem in the beginning of the book or in parts as a chapter heading. 

This is a short one- the language is easy-to-read and the story doesn't involve too much thinking.  There is very little multilayer plot introduced in this book, although there might be more in the following two novels as it digs deeper into the science fiction side of things.   

Now to the ranting:

By far, the most frustrating thing about this book was how unrealistic the relationships seem.  This may very well be just me and my experiences, but there seems to be a lot of gestures and behaviors that don't seem authentic in The Prophesy.  Some spoiler-free examples include Alexa blowing kisses at everyone and anyone, Jack kissing an old woman he barely knows on the cheek, and Alexa and Jack's entire relationship.  Alexa and Jack get together, after a few brief conversations, with no history, and instantly move into the comfortable stage of a relationship that typically comes much later.  It feels completely rushed and unnatural.  While Alexa's relationship with Sharon is more on point, it still feels abnormal at points throughout the book. 

Another thing I disliked in this book was that there were some grammatical errors.  I understand that things sometimes get missed in the editing stage, and I would only mention this if there were several errors.  The nature of the errors in The Prophesy ranged from missing periods to missing entire words. While I realize that this is a little nitpicky, I felt like some of the errors were significant enough to slow the reader down, and therefore are worthy of mention.

Finally (and again, I'm being nitpicky), the book describes the Richter Scale as ending at ten.  While it's true that the most powerful earthquake has only clocked in at about an 8.9, the scale is logarithmic with no end. I understand not wanting to go into elaborate scientific details as it would take away from the story, but I firmly believe that, at the very least, the information given needs to be true.  Plus, in this case, one additional sentence or even a restructure of the current sentence could give the same dire sense using information that is actually accurate. 

So those ae my thoughts on the first book of the Tuar Tums Trilogy, The Prophesy, by Phil Asmundson.  Up next will be Vita Nostra, by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, translated by Julia Meitov Hersey.  So far its been interesting and mysterious, so I can't wait to share it with everyone!

As always, feel free to read along and to share your thoughts in the comments!

Dana

A Quick Post About Me (and an update on my reading list)

 Hi all! 

Since it's been a couple years since I first started this blog, I figured I'd give a personal update along with information about my next couple books.  

I still work in a lab as a certified asphalt binder technician, and I am in training to become a laboratory manager in the next couple years. On the home front, I have a wonderful boyfriend (who leaves supportive comments on here without realizing I know it's him), a superb group of friends, and of course my two favorite kitties, Magpie and Calley.  

In my free time, besides reading, I enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons, MTG and Legends of Runeterra (when I'm in the right mood), and cooperative board games.  I also appreciate a weekly yoga class and jog a couple times a week, although I'm not sure I would say that I "enjoy" jogging.  Streaming services and the occasional video game are another way I spend my free time.  This past year I coached a youth cheer and dance team as well, and that was exciting because it gave me an opportunity to do something I love- choreographing dance routines- as well as help teach values and self-worth to promising young women. 

 But, back to the topic at hand- reading.  I am currently reading a book I will be reviewing for Paper Raven Books called The Prophesy.  It is the first book in the Tuar Tums Trilogy by Phil Asmundson. It is a cross between sci-fi, mystery, and fantasy.  You can expect to see a Rant & Rave about it in the next week or so. After that, I will be reading Vita Nostra by Mariana and Sergey Dyachenko, and translated (from Russian) by Julia Meitov Hersey.  This book has excellent reviews, and has been described as "dark Harry Potter on steroids with a hefty dose of metaphysics."  Honestly, with that description, who wouldn't want to read it?  That Rant & Rave will be further out, and the book may even inspire a full analysis post.

As always, feel free to read along with me if you think a book sounds interesting and share your thoughts in the comments! 

Dana