Book Review Tuesday – Page 28 – The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday (7/9/19)-Summer of Salt

Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

This was (yet another) library find. I’d had it on my to-read shelf for a while, but I saw it on the shelf in the teen section of my local library, so I figured that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Magical realism, for me, is often hit-or-miss for me. The ‘miss’ category usually falls into more middle grade books, from what I remember, but if done well, it’s absolutely spectacular. Luckily, Summer of Salt is no exception. Beautiful and atmospheric prose, combined with a plethora of characters to root for and a rich, small-town mythology made Summer of Salt a truly unique read.

Enjoy the review!

Summer of Salt

All her life, Georgina Fernweh has known nothing beyond the tiny island that she calls home. The only residents that aren’t regular are the ornithologists that flock there every summer, looking to see if Annabella, the island’s revered and supposedly three hundred year old bird, will rear her eggs.

But all that’s on Georgina’s mind are two things: her unmanifested powers, which are passed down through the females of the Fernweh family and normally appear early, and college, the first years that she’ll ever be away from the island. For her, these two things are her entire world–but that world is quickly shattered into chaos when Annabella is found dead, miles from her ordinary nesting site. With the help of Prue, the sister of a budding ornithologist, and Mary, her enigmatic twin sister, Georgina sets out to find out the killer of the island’s most well known attraction.

WOOOOOOOOOW. Now that was incredible.

Summer of Salt boasted a distinct brand of magic–rich, intriguing lore, an unforgettable cast of determined and quirky characters, LGBTQ+ representation that felt completely natural, and a plot that had me on my toes…and close to tears in some places. Though this book is a standalone, I didn’t end the book wanting more; the ending was satisfying enough, and wrapped everything up in a way that made sense. All in all, a perfect summer read that I’d recommend to…well, pretty much everyone.

Oh, and did I mention that…I really want Prue in my life? Like, right now? Please?

Thank you so much for reading this review! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and have a wonderful summer!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (7/2/19)-Song of the Dead

Posted on July 2, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of July 2019!

*pulls out stopwatch* *whispers* How much longer until I’m a human puddle of sweat?

*ahem* Aaaaaaaanyway, I FINALLY got around to reading the conclusion to the Reign of the Fallen series not long ago! This installment was EVEN BETTER than book one, almost a full star more so! A riveting conclusion to a fantasy series like no other.

(If you haven’t read book 1 yet, I advise that you do not read this review yet. For my review of Reign of the Fallen, see 9/18/18.)

Enjoy this week’s review!

Song of the Dead (Reign of the Fallen, #2)

After the volley of Shade attacks, Karthia has recovered, and seeks to be better than ever before. Under the rule of Queen Valoria, the borders are opened for the first time in centuries, and necromancy is against the law. For Odessa, this means endless opportunities to explore the world beyond her homeland, but still having to hide her gift of necromancy. She sets off with Meredy to seek adventure beyond Karthia, but soon learns of a new threat to her home, and is forced to return. Will she be able to save her queendom in time–and save her relationship?

WOOOHOO!

Even though it’s sad to know that this is last of the series, Song of the Dead was a beautiful conclusion. The descriptive, gripping prose, combined with unforgettable worldbuilding and…oh, another runner-up for Fictional Couple of the Year (ODESSA AND MEREDY ARE…JUST SO CUTE OH MY GOOOOOOOD), made for a series that truly went off with a magical bang.

With the Reign of the Fallen series finished, I’m not sure what’s next for Marsh. I’m hoping she’ll write some more, because I just ADORE her creepy brand of fantasy. The world needs more of that.

Thanks so much for reading this review! Have a wonderful rest of your day, take care of yourself, and hopefully beat the heat! 😉

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (6/25/19)-The Pioneer

Posted on June 25, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, fellow bookworms, and welcome to the last Book Review Tuesday of June 2019!

(WHOOOOA, are we really already halfway through the year? Sheesh…)

Anyway, this book was one of three books that I bought on my Kindle for Canada. Let me tell you a quick tale of Madeline and the three books…

The first two were just right. The third one was absolute trash. And I wouldn’t be reviewing this book on here if it was trash.

In fact, The Pioneer is easily one of the best books that I’ve read this year! An intricate world, edge-of-your-seat action and suspense, and a twisty-turny plot that had me guessing through all 368 pages.

Enjoy the review!

81SGx7+OnJL.jpg

The Pioneer

Jo Watson has been preparing her entire life to colonize another planet, along with her family and a tight group of close friends and colleagues. When she and the others land on Tau Ceti E, it seems like the ideal place to settle down–a picturesque, Earthlike landscape, with an abundance of bizarre and fascinating flora and fauna. But when Jo and her friends find the abandoned camp of another scouting mission, they soon discover that their planet isn’t quite so idyllic as it seems. Whoever settled here before them left in a hurry, and left behind evidence that there’s a darker side to Tau Ceti E, and it’s more dangerous than they could ever have imagined.

OH.

MY.

[censored].

GOD.

This book was an absolute sci-fi gem. The world-building is like nothing I’ve ever seen, the writing is lush and detailed, and the twists are as unpredictable as the new planet that Tyler created. Tau Ceti E is a place that I could get lost in and enjoy every minute of it…but only for about the first quarter. Then it gets pretty freaky. Even so, some of those descriptions were absolutely stunning. And no spoilers, but…THE ENDING. I’m SO excited to see what the sequel brings. 4.75 on Goodreads, a solid 9.5/10 on my personal scale, and a big A+ all around. Thank you so much, Ms. Tyler.

According to EpicReads, the sequel, The Survivor, is slated to come out on March 10, 2020-MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The cover has been revealed (gORGEOUS, AAH), but it’s still marked coverless/untitled on Goodreads (???). I am absolutely HERE FOR IT, LET’S START COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS! WOO!

Thank you so much for reading this review! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves! 🙂

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (6/11/19)-Defy the Fates

Posted on June 11, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

And yes, that’s right…

IT’S HERE.

The conclusion to the Constellation trilogy is HERE! (*ahem* okay technically it came out in April but I just got around to reading it a few weeks ago)

And man, it’s STUNNING. A beautiful conclusion to an unforgettable series.

Before reading this review, though, I suggest you read my other reviews for the previous books in the trilogy, Defy the Stars (see 5/15/18) and Defy the Worlds (see 5/22/18), if you haven’t a) caught up with some of the books or b) haven’t read the series yet. (If the answer if ‘b’ for you, then WHAT ARE YOU DOING? READ. THIS. TRILOGY.)

Enjoy this week’s review!

Defy the Fates (Constellation, #3)

After the disaster that left Noemi Vidal close to death, Abel’s final goal is to save the life of the one he loves. But it won’t be easy–the only way that she could be saved is to replace some of her body parts and organs with robotic material. And the one person in the galaxy that could pull off this procedure is the person who Abel has desperately been trying to run from: none other than Gillian Shearer, daughter of Burton Mansfield, his notorious creator. Shearer is his only chance, but her intentions are more than Abel can see–she wants Abel for herself, as a vessel for Mansfield’s now detached consciousness. Can Abel save Noemi–and himself–from a fate worse than death?

Defy the Fates was a satisfying, beautiful ending to a phenomal series. Though it wasn’t quite on par with Defy the Worlds (basically The Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy), Defy the Fates still retained the intricate writing, intriguing plot, and raw emotion that was so characteristic of the trilogy. The ending perfectly wrapped things up, and didn’t leave me wanting anything more, for what we had was just right. Thank you, Mrs. Gray, for this unforgettable gem of a trilogy. ❤️ Abel and Noemi forever!

Also…something about Abel on this cover–not the other ones, mind you, weird–looks a teensy bit like Dan Stevens. Dunno why, dunno how, it’s just this one cover. Gettin’ some David Haller vibes, guys…

Thank you so much for reading this week’s review! Have a great rest of your day, take care of yourselves, keep on reading, and most of all…enjoy your summer!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (6/4/19)-Aurora Rising (+ a few quick updates and explanations)

Posted on June 4, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

It is I, fellow bibliophiles, back from the dead at last!

Again, so sorry for going M.I.A. for about a month there. AP exams and finals were weighing me down a little bit, and I was a little *busy* about a week ago (by “busy” I mean “converting some of my friends to X-Men before Dark Phoenix comes out”). But hey, I’m back now, and I’ve got a positively INCREDIBLE book to review!

(Oh, and HAPPY HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! 🏳️‍🌈)

Everyone’s got their dream book. For all bibliophiles, there’s always that one book that we sorely wish that we’d written, that we re-read endlessly without getting tired of it. There’s a few books for me that I feel that way about. Think…Heart of Iron, and a few years back, the Search for WondLa series. Now, Aurora Rising has stolen the title of dream book…yes, surpassing Heart of Iron.

And I thought that was the best book in the universe. MAN.

Aurora Rising is, in short, everything that I could possibly want in a book–downright lovable characters, a fast-paced, intricate plot, and some classic, high-stakes space adventure.

Without further ado, here’s the first Book Review Tuesday in…like, a month? Wow, I’m really in rare form…

Aurora Rising

Tyler Jones thinks he has it made–he’s about to graduate at the top of his class from the Aurora Academy, a school that trains humans and aliens alike for interstellar humanitarian missions. But on the day of his graduation, he finds a defunct ship drifting out in space. In it, he finds Auri O’Malley, a girl who has been frozen in a cryogenic pod for 220 years.

After rescuing Auri, Tyler is late to graduation, and ends up with a ragtag crew of misfits and delinquents, all of which will accompany him on his missions: Scarlett, his twin sister, Cat, his childhood friend, Finian, Zila, Kal, and now Auri. Though the unlikely group seems destined for anything but greatness, they soon find themselves embedded in a mystery involving the mysterious planet that Auri and many other human colonists were set to settle. And Auri herself is an enigma–with each passing day, new powers wake within her, putting a target on her back that everyone in the Milky Way Galaxy can see from miles away.

Now, presenting the reactions of my last brain cells, upon finishing this book:

AAAAAAH!!!

Aurora Rising truly has it all–aside from the factors that I stated above (incredible world-building, characters TO DIE FOR, and ✨SPACE FUN✨), there’s also:

-Not only do we have great characters, but the chemistry between them is FANTASTIC

-BEAUTIFUL writing. Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are honestly gods…

-No spoilers, but MY DREAM SHIP IS *squeezes two fingers almost completely together* THIS CLOSE TO BECOMING A REALITY

-DIVERSITY! Let me elaborate–Zila is African-American (or British? I dunno, they didn’t specify, but she’s definitely poc), Auri is mixed race (half Irish, half Chinese), and Finian is definitely LGBTQ+ (again, no explicit explanations, but I think he’s either bisexual or pansexual), and also has a disability that requires him to wear a special suit for mobility. (MAN, and I didn’t think you could get such good representation with an alien, for God’s sakes, and here we are…and I’m HAPPY FOR IT)

I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again. DREAM. BOOK. AN ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE. PLEASE, GO READ IT. I’d rate it a solid…however many stars there are in the known universe out of 10. I kid you not. 😉

Kaufman and Kristoff have confirmed that this is going to be a trilogy, but as this book only came out about a month ago, we have no information other than that. (*cries while re-reading it and waiting for 2020*)

I hope you enjoyed this week’s review! Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Oh, and don’t forget…DARK PHOENIX COMES OUT ON FRIDAY!!! I’m seeing it on Saturday, so I’ll DEFINITELY get to a review at some point…AAAH!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/23/19)-Once and Future

Posted on April 23, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

First things first. Happy World Book Day to all you bibliophiles, first of all!

Second, Happy Birthday (and…death day too, poor guy) to the Bard, William Shakespeare!

Can’t not mention that. We’ve read Romeo and Juliet and Othello in my English class this year, which I ADORED, and I look forward to getting into even more.

Now, onto this week’s review.

I went to my favorite bookstore the other day, and as soon as I saw Once and Future on the shelf, I knew that I HAD to buy it. I’d heard SO many good things about it, and what’s not exciting about a retelling of the tale of King Arthur that a) features a poc, LGBTQ+ girl as King (Queen?) Arthur, and b) is set in SPACE? I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

Already, this is one of the best books that I’ve read this year, and even though it’s only April, definitely one of the best YA books of 2019. (Or should I say…20-BI-TEEN???) (Sorry, low-hanging fruit there.)

Enjoy the review!

Screen Shot 2019-04-23 at 5.03.29 PM.png

Once and Future

For all of her life, Ari has known nothing but being on the run. She remembers little of her homeworld, and now lives on a space station with her older brother, trying to evade the clutches of the Mercer Corporation, who control nearly everything they can get their hands on in the galaxy. In a desperate attempt to escape the station and find their kidnapped parents. Ari crash lands her brother’s ship on a place called Earth. Upon arriving, she discovers a sword embedded deep within a stone…

…and pulls it out with little effort.

Ari is the 42nd reincarnation of King Arthur, and she is now tasked with saving her galaxy from the iron grip of the Mercer Corporation. With the help of a backwards-aging Merlin, her brother and friends, Ari must rise to the challenge, and bring peace and unity to a galaxy that desperately needs it.

Well…this is pretty much how my last two brain cells acted while I read this book…

I laughed, I cried, I internally AWWWWW’d SO much…all the feels are present here. A fresh, inventive retelling of a classic tale, with a well-executed twist. I loved seeing each and every element pop up in its new form, everything from the Knights of the Round Table to Merlin (God, Merlin…he’s probably my favorite). The characters were lovable in every possible way, the plot kept me at the edge of my seat, and the writing was simultaneously witty and heartwarming. Plus, fabulous representation (poc, LGBTQ+, etc.) in most aspects. 5 stars on Goodreads, and I’d say about 9-9.5 on my rating scale. SOLID A.

I believe this is going to be a duology, and the next installment, The Sword in the Stars, is set to be released next year. *excited squealing*

Thank you so much for reading this, and have an excellent day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/9/19)-Last of Her Name

Posted on April 10, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

I’ve begun to notice that I’m a bit of a sucker for retellings. Most of my library “hauls” include at least one retelling them. Sometimes I read them consciously, sometimes I don’t know that they’re retellings until I read somebody’s review on Goodreads. Some I absolutely adore, some I loathe with a passion. Some are very well executed, and some fall embarassingly flat. You get the idea.

I’ve also begun to notice that I’m immediately attracted to sci-fi retellings of the story of Anastasia. (*coughcough*HEART OF IRON*coughcough*) As far as retellings go, these ones are few and far between, but when they’re good, they’re good. Heart of Iron might just be my favorite book of all time (coming close with Frankenstein, Carry On, A Monster Calls, Neverwhere, To Kill a Mockingbird, and a few others), and Last of Her Name was no exception. Beautifully crafted and action packed, this one left me on the edge of my seat, grinning from ear to ear.

Enjoy the review!

Last of Her Name

Stacia has heard the stories many times over; sixteen years ago, the ruling family of the Belt of Jewels were all assassinated, and from the ashes rose the tyrannical government that still stands to this day. Stacia has led a quiet, peaceful life in her parent’s vineyard, with her two childhood friends, Pol and Clio. But that quiet life is soon disrupted when the director of the cruel Union government arrives on her planet, intending to snuff out the loyalists-those who still support the murdered empire. What’s more is that the director claims that the princess of the empire is still alive, and she has gone by Stacia ever since.

Now on the run from the Union, Stacia and Pol mount a daring mission across the galaxy to save Clio–and to discover Stacia’s true identity.

Oh, where do I begin?

First off, I ADORED the world-building. The Belt of Jewels is such an intricately-crafted galaxy, with a rich history, and…alright, not quite aliens, but we’ve got a pretty fantastic myriad of “adapted humans”. Although I wish that we’d gotten a more in-depth look at the various species, I loved seeing their individual cultures, planets, and how they fit into the grand scheme of the Belt of Jewels.

Plus, there’s an aquatic species of adapted humans that…okay, yeah, I imagined them all looking like Abe Sapien.

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4a7470525043474e665a505857413d3d2d3635323030383135322e313536353065363033393733376134633538383733343630303636392e676966.gif

The characters were all so lovable, and I found myself nearly crying for them-on multiple occasions. I didn’t love some of them at first, but almost every one of them grew on me quickly. The plot was wonderfully fast-paced, intricate, and engaging, with a perfect ending that tied everything together quite nicely, I’ll say. All in all, a solid 4.25/5, which lands at about an 8.5 to a 9 on my book rating scale. Highly recommend it!

Last of Her Name is a standalone (*single tear slides down cheek*), but I think that the ending is satisfying enough. It’s a shame that the galaxy probably won’t be explained in more detail, but I’m happy with what we’ve got.

Thanks so much for reading this review, and have a great rest of your day! And for those of you in the path of winter storm Wesley…please stay warm and take care of yourselves.

And for those of you who want another retelling and haven’t read this book/review, check out my review for Heart of Iron (see 8/14/18)!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/2/19)-Ink, Iron and Glass

Posted on April 3, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of April 2019! No jokes, that was all yesterday.

Anyway, this was one of the (many) library books that I devoured in…about a day.

I had too much time on my hands.

This was one of those books where I just glanced on my Goodreads to-read list, saw the pretty cover (aDORE those watercolors), and put it on hold at the library, with absolutely zero expectations. But I must say, Ink, Iron, and Glass was an inventive, unputdownable book!

Enjoy the review!

Ink, Iron, and Glass

In an alternate version or our own world, a pen, armed with the right people, words, books, and intellect, can create an entirely new world. These worlds are created with the power of scriptology, and can house bizarre ecosystems, and even populations of unique people. Elsa and her scriptologist mother Jumi are not of this world; they dwell in a world created by other scriptologists; Jumi and Elsa are in charge of making sure their world is a well-oiled machine, with no faults, glitches, or catastrophes. But in a startling turn of events, Jumi is kidnapped, their house is ransacked and destroyed, and Elsa is forced to flee to Earth for answers. Her path of revenge leads her into 19th century Italy, where she teams up with a group of teenage alchemists and mechanists to track down her mother’s kidnapper. Will her mother–and the world that they lived in–be saved before her secrets are uncovered?

It’s difficult to place a genre on this book. At first glance, it seems as though it might be fantasy. I mean, that’s what the library labeled it as, so I’m not really gonna argue with that…

But as I got further and further into the book, it seemed to be a mix of science fiction, fantasy, with a little bit of historical steampunk thrown in.

And I know what you’re thinking, oh, dear lord, STEAMPUNK…yeah, those sort of elements were present, but they were a small fraction, and didn’t dominate the book. Don’t worry, no top-hats-gears-and-goggles overload.

All things considered, I think that’s a really good quality for a book to have. To have a book that can’t automatically be shoved into one genre is to have something made up of many different parts, working well in sync. It is to be something new, something original. And Ink, Iron, and Glass certainly was all of those things–wildly inventive, with fantastic world-building and lovable characters to work with all of the crazy and wondrous inventions and details.

Whether you’re a fan of sci-fi, fantasy, or something else entirely, I’d most definitely recommend this read. No matter what genre you hail from, you’re sure to enjoy at least something about this book.

I just found out, like…ten minutes ago when I googled the cover that yes, there is a sequel! It’s called Mist, Metal, and Ash and it came out in late February of this year. I’ll have to get to that pretty soon. And it seems as though the author has intended for this series to be a duology, so this may be it. Huh.

Well, thank you so much for reading, and have a great rest of your day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (3/26/19)-The Black Coats

Posted on March 26, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the last Book Review Tuesday of March 2019! I know I’ve said this…oh, thousands of times already, but it feels like this year’s gone by so fast. It feels like yesterday that it was the middle of January, and I was ankle-deep in snow as the wind bit at my cheeks.

Alright, that was an admittedly dramatic description, but that’s Colorado January in a nutshell. Cold, bitter, borderline brutal.

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I’m beginning to realize the treasure trove of feminist YA literature I’ve stumbled upon lately. I’m pretty sure I read this one on International Women’s Day, and boy, it was the PERFECT book for the occasion. Contemporary, with a slight fantasy twist, exploring all sides of feminism in a way that is perfectly suited to this day and age. The Black Coats eternally kept me on the edge of my seat, and I hope that all who read this feel the same way.

Enjoy the review! 🙂

The Black Coats

Ever since her cousin, Natalie, was murdered, Thea has been eager to exact her revenge. But with the killer having gone free and the case gone unnoticed, she struggles to find a way to come to terms with it.

But she isn’t alone.

Months after the death of her cousin, Thea discovers a black envelope with an invitation from a mysterious society that call themselves the Black Coats. They are a highly reclusive organization of women, all of whom have been hurt by men, that bring killers to justice and make the guilty answer for their crimes. At first, Thea is eager to join, intent on bringing her cousin’s killer to justice. But the more she delves into the history of the Black Coats, the more she realizes that the line between justice and needless revenge is thinner than ever. Can Thea avenge Natalie’s death without getting herself in too deep?

I’m really ashamed of how average my expectations were of this book. I expected it to be at least halfway-decent, a nice mystery to satiate myself after my continuous sci-fi/fantasy binge.

In the end, this is what my brain said to me about my assumptions:

WOW. The Black Coats really has it all–phenomal and heart wrenching writing, startlingly real characters with heart and emotion, a plot that kept me on my toes, absolutely perfect chemistry, and a relevant theme that not only was necessary to touch on, but wasn’t delivered in a way that was preachy. Whether you’re looking for fiction, mystery, feminism, or even a little romance, The Black Coats is an essential for all of you bookworms out there. Every single one of you. 9/10 on my rating scale, and probably a solid A. Incredible job, Mrs. Oakes, this one’s a gem.

Well, I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and a lovely spring break! I promise to post more than BRTs in the time that is to come–I’ve got a few ideas, and I’ll probably come back after Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park with some good stories and pictures. See you soon, fellow bibliophiles! 😉

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (3/12/19)-King of Scars

Posted on March 12, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Alright, I know it’s been a little while, but finally welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of March 2019!

This book is/was easily one of the most anticipated books of the year, and it only released in JANUARY. Understandably, of course; I mean, who wouldn’t want a book centered around NIKOLAI LANTSOV? C’mon…

Aaaaanyway, I was surprised to find it already available at the library, just shy of a month after it had been released. So, naturally, I IMMEDIATELY put it on hold. I’d been waiting for this book for at least…hmm, probably a good six months, so I was beyond excited. I expected classic Leigh Bardugo fantasticness, but…

MAN, KING OF SCARS TRULY BLEW IT OUT OF THE WATER. 5 stars on Goodreads, 10 stars on my personal rating scale. No rounding down to 4.75 or anything. Just a solid 5.

If you do read it (which I HIGHLY recommend), I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Enjoy this week’s review!

NOTE: If you’re interested in reading this book, it occurs after the events of the Grisha Trilogy and the Six of Crows duology; both are also referenced throughout the book. Read both series before you read this.

King of Scars

In the blink of an eye, Nikolai Lantsov has risen from an infamous privateer to the king of Ravka. On the outside, he seems to have it made; he’s popular among the people of Ravka, and after the war to conquer the Darkling and his armies, Ravka seems to be at peace. But Nikolai is struggling with both internal and external forces that threaten to topple not just his reputation, but his country as well. The demonic entity inside him possesses him more and more, and the results grow more catastrophic with each day. Additionally, a threat that Ravka thought was gone for good threatens to rise once more, and if it does, it may mean the end of the country as they know it. Will Nikolai be able to juggle his personal conflict and the future of his country all at once?

Nikolai was always one of my favorite characters in the original Grisha trilogy (for my reviews on those three, see 7/3/18, 7/24/18, & 8/21/18), and I was ecstatic when I found out that there would be an entire book dedicated to him. (Who wouldn’t be, though?)

I was not disappointed in the least. Jumping back into Leigh Bardugo’s carefully crafted book felt warm and fuzzy, almost like reuniting with an old friend. The beautiful world, the simultaneously heartbreaking and magical prose, the crackling chemistry of the characters, and especially the witty, absolutely gut-busting banter. OH MY GOD, through all of the generally disturbing action scenes, there was always a truckload of hysterical one-liners throughout. (Mostly from the likes of Nikolai, of course.) In short, everything you could ever want in a book, period.

It has been confirmed that this will be part of a duology (!!!!!!!!), but we don’t have any details other than that. (Naturally, as the book just came out a little over two months ago…) In the meantime, we’ll just have to…re-read every single book in the Grishaverse to satiate ourselves while we wait for that…and the Netflix adaptation, whenever that’s coming out. Should be interesting, at the very least.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this review! Thank you for stopping by, and have a great rest of your day/week!