Tag Archives: YA Fantasy

Book Review: Into The Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

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Book: Into The Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Published January 2021 by Page Street Kids|368 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Fantasy

Epic, heartbreaking, and darkly atmospheric, Into the Heartless Wood is the story of impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood.

The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths. For centuries, a witch has harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow her domain.

When Owen Merrick is lured into the witch’s wood, one of her tree-siren daughters, Seren, saves his life instead of ending it. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and every night her longing to become human deepens. But a shift in the stars foretells a dangerous curse, and Seren’s quest to become human will lead them into an ancient war raging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her.

I LOVED Into The Heartless Wood!  It’s so beautiful, and if you haven’t read it, I recommend it!

Honestly, I wasn’t sure about it at first.  But the more I read it, the more I fell in love with it.  It’s beautiful and musical, and Seren’s chapter’s are particularly beautiful and heart wrenching.  Don’t get me wrong, I really liked Owen’s chapters too, but there was just something about Seren’s chapters that I absolutely loved.

Everything fell into place at the end of the book, and I was actually interested to see how everything came together.  And how this war not only came to be, but how it all ended.  It really felt like Owen and Seren were pawns at times, but they did make their own choices.  Owen in particular allowed Seren to see that she did have a choice, and I’m glad Owen finally saw that she wasn’t the monster he thought she was.

I also love the idea of tree sirens.  It sounds strange, because when I hear siren, I think vast oceans and sailors being lured to their death.  It’s basically that, but in a forest instead of an ocean.  The whole story behind Seren and her family is one I really liked reading, and I loved seeing how Seren wanted more.  I loved that she protected Owen, and save him again and again.  I hated seeing her be forced to do things she didn’t want to do, but that she had the chance to do something different.  Be something different.

Now that I’m thinking about it, Seren’s chapters made me think of the Shatter Me series.  Particularly Juliette at the beginning of the series.  I think it’s how it’s formatted, and though Seren’s mind isn’t fractured the way Juliette’s is, there’s just something about the way their thoughts are formed, and how they tell they their story that go pretty well together.  Though their stories are so completely different, it was interesting that there was something similar about how we saw them.

5 stars.  I loved this book, and would happily reread it!

Book Review: The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa

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Book: The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa

Published February 2021 by Inkyard Press|416 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: The Iron Fay: Evenfall #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Wicked faeries and fantastic danger… Welcome to book one of the new trilogy in N ew York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey fantasy series, as infamous prankster Puck finally has a chance to tell his story and stand with allies new and old to save Faery and the world. For fans of Holly Black and Cassandra Clare!

“YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ME…”

Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Prankster, joker, raven, fool… King Oberon’s right-hand jester from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The legends are many, but the truth will now be known, as Puck finally tells his own story and faces a threat from a time before Faery began. A threat that brings him face-to-face with a new enemy…himself.

With the Iron Queen Meghan Chase and her prince consort, Puck’s longtime rival Ash, and allies old and new by his side, Puck begins a fantastical and dangerous adventure not to be missed or forgotten. Evenfall is coming, and with it a reckoning that even their combined powers and wits may not vanquish, as a shadow falls over the lands of Faery and the world slips into chaos.

I really enjoyed this book!  It’s really nice to be back in Faery, and to get Puck’s story.

I loved this world in the Iron Fey series, I loved this world in the Call Of The Forgotten Series, and even though we’re only one book into this trilogy, I already love the world we’re seeing in this series.

Nothing is ever easy, and there’s always an adventure and danger and new threats.  This series is no exception, but I can’t wait to see how Puck, Meghan and Ash deal with Evenfall.  I mean, how do you deal with something that is from before the world of Faery even started?  All I can say is that we will find out.

Just when I thought it wasn’t possible to tell more stories in this world…well, Kagawa proved me wrong!  The first trilogy was always Meghan’s story (plus a book from Ash’s perspective), and the second was always about her brother and son.

But now we get Puck’s story!  I’m glad we finally get his story, because he’s been through a lot.  He’s changed a lot over the centuries, and I liked learning more about his past.  I really hope we learn more about Puck’s past in the rest of the series.  Puck really deserves to be happy, and I hope he finds happiness and peace.  Whether it’s with Nyx, someone else or just himself,  I hope he finds it.  My guess is that he’ll end up with Nyx.  But only because I’ve read pretty much all of her books, and I have a good sense of where things are going to go.  I could be wrong, but Nyx and Puck are interesting together.

And Grim!  I love that cat so much it’s not even funny.  I doubt we’ll get ever get a series from Grim’s perspective, but I’d take a novella at this point.  Grim does not show up enough, that’s for sure.

I’m glad we get to see what’s going on in the Iron Court, and that we get to catch up with Meghan, Ash and Kierran.  It’s good to have the gang back together, though I don’t like where things are headed.  I’m sure things will end up fine but getting there will be a journey.  It always is, and I’m just along for the ride.

4 stars.  I don’t know why, but I didn’t love this book.  I still really, really liked it, and it’s good to be back with Puck, Grim and everyone else!

Book Review: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

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Book: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

Published June 2020 by Tor Teen|288 pages

Where I Got It: I own the hardcover

Series: A Song Below Water #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.

I liked this one!  Not as much as I wanted to, and it took some time for me to get into it.

I struggled with this one, especially at first.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we got to follow both Effie and Tavia, and how much they needed each other.  But I found Effie’s story particularly confusing at first, and for the life of me, I could not figure out why she was living with Tavia.  It didn’t make sense to me initially, though it became much more clear in the end.

I hated how people saw sirens, and how just the possibility that someone was a siren meant they deserved what happened to them.  It’s something we see throughout the book, and it made me both sad and angry to see how people were treated because of it.  It made me think of the Salem Witch Trials, but I’m sure there are a lot of comparisons/parallels you could draw.

I don’t blame Tavia for trying to remain silent and not give herself away.  We really see her struggle with that, and how her dad in particular worries about her and what will happen if people find out that she’s a siren.  You see that people are scared of others using their voice, and do whatever they can to make sure that people aren’t using their voice.  I hate that this is a world that Tavia lives in, and I especially hate that this is something we see in our current world.  Morrow does a really good job at combining racial injustice and police brutality with fantasy elements.

I love the take on sirens, though, and I love this alternate Portland.  It’s a world where sirens are real, and I can’t help but wonder what other mythological creatures are real, considering sprites and gorgons are mentioned, and we have sirens.  We get a little bit of the unique history in this book, and it makes me want to know more, because I really liked what we saw in this book.  Hopefully, we’ll get more in the next book.  Even though I know it won’t be as much as I probably want to know, I’ll take what I can get, and I’m curious to see what happens next for Tavia and Effie.

They just want to be themselves and not hide who they are.  They’re tired of hiding and hurting and want to be accepted for who they are.  They were there for each other, and did what they could to protect each other while trying to be themselves in a world that wants them to be different.  They’re trying to be themselves in a world that doesn’t accept people for who they are, and they, together, learn to be themselves in a world that hates differences and people being themselves and speaking up.

3 stars.  There are some things I really liked and even loved, but I definitely had a hard time getting into this book at first.

Book Review: A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

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Book: A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Published June 2020 by Balzer + Bray|480 pages

Where I Got It: I own the hardcover

Series: A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic…requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.

I liked A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin!  It took me a while to get through it, and I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would, but I’m still glad I read it.

I liked that Malik cared so much about his sisters.  They are really important to him, and he just wants things to be better for both his family and himself.  I’m not sure how I feel about Karina but I felt for her.  I can understand why she’d want to resurrect her mother- she just didn’t feel ready to step into her mother’s shoes.  It couldn’t have been easy, having to be the heir after the death of her sister, and the unexpected death of her mother.

Things are not what they seem, and Karina learns a lot about what’s really go on, and what’s holding her country together.  Things go very, very wrong, of course, and things are going to change pretty drastically.  But I think they’ll get there.  It makes you wonder what’s going to happen next, with everything that happened in this book.  There were some twists and turns along the way, and those things make me curious about what Karina is really up against, and how it’s going to work out.

There are a lot of different connections in this book- I didn’t see all of them right away, but looking back, they did make sense, and it was something that made me sad for Karina.  It really affected and changed things for her, and to find out who did it and why…it had to have been a shock to be betrayed like that.  I’m kind of wondering what I’d pick up on if I did a re-read of this book but maybe before the next book comes out, I’ll do a re-read.

This was another book I struggled to get through, and this was a book where I found myself reading a few chapters at a time.  I had a really hard time focusing on this book.  It is what it is, and that’s just how it worked out, because I did want to like this book more.  Still, the world is interesting, and like I said before, you can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen next.

Something about it made me think of Children Of Blood And Bone- I’m not sure what it is, but I think, if you really liked that book, you’ll like this one.  They do go pretty well together!  I don’t know if it’s the setting or the magic, or what, but it’s a pretty good read-alike for that book.

3 stars.  I liked A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin, but I struggled to get through it.  Still, I liked the world and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Book Review: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

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Book: Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

Published August 2020 by Amulet Books|368 pages

Where I Got It: I own the hardcover

Series: Raybearer #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?

Raybearer was a book I was really excited about, but it ended up being just okay for me.

I struggled with this book- I’d read a few chapters at a time, and then have to put it down.  I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the mood for this book, or if maybe I needed to listen to it on audio, or what was going on, because I really wanted to like it more than I actually did.

I love the idea of the book, though.  I mean, a council of 11, who help the prince rule the land, and have this magical bond?  It’s pretty cool.  And the fact that they can get sick if they’re too far apart?  That’s really different, but also interesting.  I mean, it forces them to not go running off to do their own thing, and make sure they’re close to the Crown Prince.  The fact that they’re all chosen is children is interesting too.  It’s one way to ensure the council is loyal to the prince.  Easier to form a bond if they’re all children.  It’s a little horrifying, in all honesty, especially given what happens throughout the book, and the task Tarisai is given.

And what we learn about Raybearers makes it a little more horrifying and scary.  It’s amazing what information rulers do (and do not) want out there and how different things could be if that knowledge was known.

I did feel for Tarisai, though.  Things were not easy for her- with her childhood, and everything she learns about her family.  I felt for her, trying to find her own path while also wanting to protect Dayo, and carrying out the task the Lady gave her.  She just wanted to belong, which makes so much sense considering how she grew up.  She wants love and family and friends and people who care about her.  Being part of the council offers her that chance.  We grow up with her, though it felt like we missed quite a few years.

The setting is amazing!  In particular, the sounds described in this book made the book come alive.  And even now, there are things described in the book that I can still picture.  Still, there are a lot of people and places and other bits of information that I had a hard time keeping track of.

I did get through the last few chapters pretty fast- that was when I got really into the book, and I’m a little sad it took me so long to get into this book, especially because of the things I did like.

2 stars.  I really wanted to like this book more, but it ended up being just okay for me.  I’m still looking forward to reading the next book in this series, because I want to know what happens.  Even though it wasn’t for me, I still think it’s worth checking out.

Book Review: A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe

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Book: A Golden Fury by Samantha Cohoe

Published October 2020 by Wednesday Books|352 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Thea Hope longs to be an alchemist out of the shadow of her famous mother. The two of them are close to creating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone—whose properties include immortality and can turn any metal into gold—but just when the promise of the Stone’s riches is in their grasp, Thea’s mother destroys the Stone in a sudden fit of violent madness.

While combing through her mother’s notes, Thea learns that there’s a curse on the Stone that causes anyone who tries to make it to lose their sanity. With the threat of the French Revolution looming, Thea is sent to Oxford for her safety, to live with the father who doesn’t know she exists.

But in Oxford, there are alchemists after the Stone who don’t believe Thea’s warning about the curse—instead, they’ll stop at nothing to steal Thea’s knowledge of how to create the Stone. But Thea can only run for so long, and soon she will have to choose: create the Stone and sacrifice her sanity, or let the people she loves die.

I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve written any reviews…or even picked up a book!  I’m feeling a little rusty after so long, but A Golden Fury was a good book to get back into reading and reviewing.  I liked it, and I thought the concept was really cool!

The whole idea of the Philosopher’s Stone cursing people is really cool, and that was, hands down, my favorite thing about the book.  People lose their sanity if they get far enough along, and it was both frustrating and not at all surprising that no one believed Thea when she told everyone who wanted the Stone what would happen.  I don’t blame her for not wanting her loved ones die, and sacrificing your sanity is a terrible way to get them back.  If no one knew that her mom made it, had notes, and that Thea could make it, she’d be fine.  But we also wouldn’t have a book, so there is that.  Or, at least, it would be a very different book.

It’s scary to think that the Stone takes what it wants from you once you get to a certain step in the process of making it, but I also really liked that.  Yes, there’s immortality and turning metals into gold and silver but trying to get that comes at a price.  Cohoe does a great job at showing what that price is, and how some people are willing to sacrifice everything for their chance to have something so powerful.

I’d rather keep my sanity, thank you very much.

But for some reason, the Stone really likes Thea, and she ends up being fine.  She starts to have a relationship with the father she never knew, and her relationship with her mother changes drastically by the end of the book.  To live in her mother’s shadow must have been horrible, and not a great person to have as a mother.  Now that the Stone is not in the picture, maybe things will be better.  Maybe Thea just needs to be away from her mother, and they can write letters with the occasional visit.  They have a lot of things they need to work through, and it seems like doing that away from each other is a good move.

We don’t see much of Thea’s relationship with her father, and her going to Oxford was quite the surprise for him.  I do get his concern, at least initially, that saying she was his daughter could change things for him career-wise.  Though I understand why he’d say she was his niece, it was also frustrating that he wouldn’t acknowledge her.  He does change his mind about that, in the end, and I hope they end up having a good relationship.

I didn’t care for Will at all.  He ended up being pretty terrible, though, and in the end, I just didn’t get why she went to such lengths to protect him.  Granted, there was a lot about him that she didn’t know, but considering he told people she could make the Stone…that was the first of many things that he did that was absolutely terrible.

I haven’t really talked about Thea much.  I liked her, and she really was determined to do what she had to for the people she cared about- whether it was her mother, Will, or Dominic, she wanted to make sure they were okay.  She was willing to sacrifice so much for them, even when it wasn’t deserved.  In my opinion, anyway.  Still, I want things to be okay for her, and hopefully, they will be.

3 stars.  I liked A Golden Fury, and it was entertaining and interesting.  It was a good book to start of the year and get back into reviewing!

Book Review: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

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Book: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

Published July 2020 by Flatiron Books|336 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Fantasy

A captivating and utterly original fairy tale about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch, and who discovers what power might lie in such a curse…

There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.

I liked Girl, Serpent, Thorn!  It’s definitely different but in a good way.

I felt for Soraya, who lived hidden away from everything and everyone.  For a lot of the book, we get bits and pieces of the story, but it’s not until we get close to the end that we get the whole story.  I get why her mom did what she did, but at the same time, I think a lot of the book could have been avoided if Soraya knew the whole story from the beginning.  But that’s just how things go, I think.

I am glad things worked for Soraya, and it was definitely a journey.  I don’t blame her for doing what she did.  It makes a lot of sense, considering she didn’t have the whole story until it was too late.  It was pretty predictable at times, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying the book.  I liked seeing her figure things out, and be okay with the fact that her touch can kill people.  Something about the fact that her touch is poisonous seemed really familiar, but I have no idea why.  I’m sure I’ll figure it out at some point, but that time is definitely not now.

I really liked the world, and there’s part of me that wants more books set in this world.  It feels like there are so many stories to tell.  At the same time, though, I thought that the story was contained in the book pretty well.  We don’t get every little detail, but that’s fine because it felt like we got enough of the world to know what’s going on.  I was reminded of Sleeping Beauty when I was reading it, and I think it’s because she’s hidden away for such a long time because of a prophecy.

I know this is completely random, but I can’t help but wonder how she was taken care of as a child.  She killed her nurse when she was a few days old, and I’m really curious how they manage to take care of someone who could kill them just by touching them.  It’s definitely not important in the grand scheme of things but it is something that I thought about a lot while reading the book.

3 stars.  I liked Girl, Serpent, Thorn and I enjoyed reading it, but I didn’t love it.

Book Review: The Crow Rider by Kalyn Josephson

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Book: The Crow Rider by Kalyn Josephson

Published July 2020 by Sourcebooks Fire|368 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: The Storm Crow #2

Genre: YA Fantasy

The thrilling conclusion to the epic Storm Crow duology that follows a fallen princess as she tries to bring back the magical elemental crows taken from her people.

Thia, her allies, and her crow, Res, are planning a rebellion to defeat Queen Razel and Illucia once and for all. Thia must convince the neighboring kingdoms to come to her aid, and Res’ show of strength is the only thing that can help her.

But so many obstacles stand in her way. Res excels at his training, until he loses control of his magic, harming Thia in the process. She is also pursued by Prince Ericen, heir to the Illucian throne and the one person she can’t trust but can’t seem to stay away from.

As the rebel group prepares for war, Res’ magic grows more unstable. Thia has to decide if she can rely on herself and their bond enough to lead the rebellion and become the crow rider she was meant to be. 

I liked The Crow Rider!  After reading the first book for book club last year, I knew I wanted to read this book to see what happened next.

I didn’t like this book as much as The Storm Crow.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I read it.  I’m glad we got to see what happened to Thia and Res, and that Razel is no longer in the picture.  I’m glad we got to see the neighboring kingdoms, and that things are going to be better for everyone.

I think I just wanted more from the book, but I don’t know what.  We learn about an entirely new, mysterious group that no one thinks exists.  But not surprisingly, they really do exist.  It was even less of a surprise was that Thia was connected to them.  In this book, we see how special Thia and Res really are, and while it makes sense for this book, I wasn’t overly enthused about it.  If you hate the super-special chosen one trope, this is not the book for you.  I usually don’t mind it, but it really bothered me in this book, for some reason.

Everything with the crows and their magic felt really superficial, and I wanted more of that.  I wanted more of hatching the crow eggs and seeing them grow the way we saw it with Res.  It wasn’t going to happen until Razel was deal with, of course, and I know this series is about what happened to Rhodaire after they lost their crows.  But I felt like we barely got anything about them, which is weird considering the fact that they’re so important to Rhodaire and how Rhodaire functions.

With The Storm Crow, and with this book, I love how Josephson dealt with Thia’s depression.  It felt very real, and very natural, and I really liked seeing that over time.  I also really liked Res- though I didn’t love how he had all the powers, I thought Res was awesome, and he really had quite the personality.  He made it pretty clear what he thought and what he wanted.  And he does have a good bond with Thia.

In all honestly, this is a series that would have benefited from another book.  With two, things felt really rushed, and it would have been a really good bridge between The Storm Crow and a non-existent third book.  I think having some time to let things develop naturally would have been good.

Still, I’d recommend this duology for the depression representation and Res alone.

3 stars.  I liked The Crow Rider, but I also have some reservations about it.

Book Review: Diamond City by Francesca Flores

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Book: Diamond City by Francesca Flores

Published January 2020 by Wednesday Books|400 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: The City Of Diamond And Steel #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Good things don’t happen to girls who come from nothing…unless they risk everything.

Fierce and ambitious, Aina Solís as sharp as her blade and as mysterious as the blood magic she protects. After the murder of her parents, Aina takes a job as an assassin to survive and finds a new family in those like her: the unwanted and forgotten.

Her boss is brutal and cold, with a questionable sense of morality, but he provides a place for people with nowhere else to go. And makes sure they stay there.

DIAMOND CITY: built by magic, ruled by tyrants, and in desperate need of saving. It is a world full of dark forces and hidden agendas, old rivalries and lethal new enemies.

To claim a future for herself in a world that doesn’t want her to survive, Aina will have to win a game of murder and conspiracy—and risk losing everything.

Full of action, romance and dark magic, book one of Francesca Flores’ breathtaking fantasy duology will leave readers eager for more!

I thought Diamond City was just okay.  I’m not sure why, but I had a really hard time getting through this book.

I really felt for Aina, and I hated Kohl for everything he did to her.  He’s just a completely horrible person, and I don’t know if he felt guilty for what he did, or if he took her under his wing after taking away everything from Aina because it’s his thing, but either way, it was completely and utterly horrible.  Also, she just couldn’t let him go, no matter what he did.  I don’t get it but maybe Aina felt like she owed because he took her off the streets?

Back to Aina, though.  She has had a rough life, and I wanted everything to be okay for her.  It seems like things are looking up at the end of the book, but considering this is the first book in a series, I know there’s a lot more heartbreak in Aina’s future.  Things seem good now, but I know they’re not going to stay that way.  I know, in the end, things will be just fine for Aina, but what is she going to lose along the way?  She’s already lost so much, and I know the journey to the end of this series will be interesting.

Even though I didn’t love this book, I am still curious to see how things work out for Aina.  I definitely plan on reading the sequel, because I do like Aina, and I’m rooting for her.

I don’t know how I feel about the world- all I can tell you is that magic and diamonds are outlawed, but diamonds seem to be all over the place because of a black market.  Oh, and there’s a specific religion that’s forbidden as well.  I honestly couldn’t tell you anything more specific than that, so obviously, a lot of the world and magic did not make a big impression.

2 stars.  I liked Aina, and I do want things to work out for her.  Enough that I’m probably going to read the sequel, but for whatever reason, I just had a hard time liking it.

Book Review: The Boundless by Anna Bright

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Book: The Boundless by Anna Bright

Published June 2020 by HarperTeen|512 pages

Where I Got It: I own the hardcover

Series: The Beholder #2

Genre: YA Fantasy

This breathtaking sequel to The Beholder will take you on a journey into a darkly sparkling fairy tale, perfect for fans of The Selection and Caraval.

When Selah found true love with Prince Torden of Norway, she never imagined she’d have to leave him behind. All because the Beholder’s true mission was a secret Selah’s crew didn’t trust her to keep: transporting weapons to the rebels fighting against the brutal tsarytsya, whose shadow looms over their next port of Shvartsval’d. A place Selah hoped she’d never go.

But gone is the girl who departed Potomac filled with fear. With a stockpile of weapons belowdecks and her heart hanging in the balance, Selah is determined to see the Beholder’s quest to its end.

I LOVED The Boundless!  It’s such a great sequel, and I didn’t think I’d like it as much as the first book.  I ended up liking it more!

I just loved the story, and in this book, we see Selah go into the heart of Baba Yaga’s home.  It’s definitely not a warm and welcoming place.  In fact, it’s probably the worst place Selah, or anyone else, could be.  What the tsarytysa does to hold onto her power…it’s horrible and not good at all.  Making her happy isn’t possible, and even the slightest wrong move can mean death.  I mean, you want her favor, but it seems like its so easy to lose.

I’m glad things worked out for Selah.  She found love, things are back to normal in Potomac, and people who do horrible things get punished for it.  I’m glad Selah’s stepmother is no longer in the picture, and I’m not at all surprised at what she did.  I can understand why she did it, which doesn’t mean that what she did was okay.  It’s not at all okay.  But I am glad that everyone knew what she did, and that Selah didn’t lose her father because of it.

Selah is such a different character in this book.  She’s grown and changed so much, and she has the strength and capability to do what she needed to do to get back home to her family.  She not the quiet, unsure girl we see in The Beholder, that’s for sure.  Though I hated how she treated Lang- I felt like she led him on, and I think he deserved better.  With Torden, though, it’s not like anyone else had a chance, but I still felt bad for Lang, who seemed to have feelings for someone who didn’t return those same feelings.

I just really loved this story.  I never knew what was going to happen next, and I really liked how we saw different stories woven in.  We don’t see nearly as many as The Beholder, but the one that stands out is one that reminded me of the 12 dancing princesses.  I really like how Bright incorporated that into the story and I think she did a great job at incorporating a lot of different stories into these books.  It was fun to see the variety of stories in the book, and you saw it right down to the names of the characters.

I’m really glad I read this one!  It was what I needed, and it’s totally worth reading.

5 stars.  I loved The Boundless, and it’s even better than the first book in the series!