A Great Magic System and unique take on Magical Realism
I promised to avenge my parents.
But their killer is still on the loose, and he’s stolen more than my parents’ lives. Now, as he draws closer to his mysterious goals, he’s poised to destroy what little I have left.
I promised to translate an ancient grimoire.
But it holds the secrets of my family—and the secret history of demon summoning. I fear its answers as much as I need them. Who was the foremother of Demonica…and who am I?
I promised to send my demon home.
But the way he watches me, the way he protects me, the way he touches me—how can I cast him away forever? I swore I would do this for him, but can I? Should I?
But I promised—and I will keep my promises even if they cost me my heart, my soul, and my life.
This series was adorable. I loved our main Miss Nerd, who was forced to become a power to save herself, and especially loved the slow-burn romance I kept changing my mind on. Some days, I thought, ‘Don’t do it!’ while others had me hope things worked out. I also enjoyed that the romance angle didn’t overshadow the story. I appreciated the entire world and magic system. Definitely my favorite of the series.
The Queen of Nothing, Book 3 of The Folk of The Air series
By Holly Black
5 Stars
This one made all the others worth it
I don’t usually review anything but the first in a series, and I rarely review bestsellers, but after finishing The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black, I want to talk about it. Maybe I’m feeling sentimental, and nostalgic-Christmas is coming, a season that brings all the feels out of me-but whatever the reason, this book made me happy.
Book 1 in the series, The Cruel Prince, was all right. I happened to get an audio copy from the library (my experience with this series is all in audio format, which I know can change much about the “reading” experience), and though I was not a fan of Jude, and felt the entire storyline petty and absurd, I made it through to the end. I believe I gave it 3 stars.
Obviously, I was curious enough to wait for book 2. I think it was Cardan that kept me in it. His cruelty was such an obvious front, and Jude’s jumbled feelings for him seemed worth seeing through to the end. Also, I like having an audiobook to listen to on standby, so rather than make a decision on something else, I stuck with it. Okay! I got sucked into the teen angst of it. Isn’t that why we read these books? #sorrynotsorry
Book 2 was better. I genuinely could not anticipate what the hell anyone was up to, and the end literally had me asking, “What just happened.” So much so, even through Book 3, I forgot the main rule of fairy-the Fae can’t lie-that I continued to wonder if it was all a con. Part of me was excited about this antiromance stance. If this con was what it seemed on the outside, this series would not end like I thought (hoped?).
Going into Book 3 (here’s where I get into spoilers), I figured we’d see Cardan and Jude reconcile and get together. It’s the nature of the genre. But read my last paragraph. I was so curious about how that might be possible. There was nothing I could see that would allow the pair to ever trust each other, regardless of their feelings. Maybe this wouldn’t be a happily ever after story. Ironically, this was a book where I hoped for it. Where Throne of Glass sorely disappointed me by not having a more gritty, heart-jerking ending, I was rooting for it in The Folk of The Air.
“Will you just let yourself be rescued?” This quote explains another reason for my enjoyment of this book. Jude really needs no one to save her. There was a moment, maybe two, when I was actually a little annoyed with how the author took liberties with Jude’s character to make her so unsure and lost. I’d like to think Jude’s time in Book 2 might have washed that out of her. Sure, she found herself elevated beyond what she might have dreamed, but she kept saying it to herself throughout: I am the High Queen of Fairy. She was angry she couldn’t draw on the title, and when Jude finally could, she didn’t know what to do? At least she would have known how to pretend; she would understand the need to posture. I digress. I meant to talk about how awesome Jude is. In Book 1, I found Jude a little much, but even getting in way over her head, she rocks it. Staying firm against the pressure to give up some power to Madoc in Book 2 showed a will of steel. I was rooting for her to tell him what was going on. I guess I should never be made a spy, or advisor to any crown, especially not a High Queen.
I did want to see a bit more development of Jude’s magic, her tie to the land, but there’s only so much paper to print books on, and I guess, at the end of the day, it wasn’t really relevant. Still, when has more magic ever been a bad thing?
The Queen of Nothing made me glad I stuck with the series, even when I considered turning it off for other things. A modern take on the Fae Courts, a little present-day mixed with magical, some teen angst and enemies-to-lovers twisted in with sibling rivalry and grand fights, makes the series worth being swallowed up in.
The English Civil War. The Royalists of King Charles I, and Cromwell’s Parliamentarians, battle, both eager to lay claim to a tattered country, where life has become cheap and death trivial.
Though, for the lowly commoner, a greater, far more devious, war rages. It threatens the souls of the weak, timid and needy. Seeking refuge in the Lord’s word, God fearing folk employ the skills of one man, the Witchfinder. His success speaks of his talent, to seek out, punish and rid the countryside of Witches, the Devil’s Whores.
2016 – A paranormal team are called to investigate, as poltergeist activity brings terror to one family. Under the cover of darkness, in silent suburbia, an endless night of battle against evil ensues, until finally, a new day dawns.
I appreciated the classic witch trials tale of this story, and especially loved the way it all came together. Even so, I felt there was a little too much obscurity in the backstory. An appropriate storytelling technique, especially in this genre, I found it disjointed rather than suspenseful.
If you love a creepy, witchy tale, read this. Despite the flaws, it was worth the time.
If time shattered, taking away everything you loved, how far would you go to get it all back?…
Arriving at a lodge in Norfolk for a long weekend retreat, a group of friends meet for a thirtieth birthday celebration.
Before the weekend is over, five of them will die.
Trapped in a thirty-three-hour time-loop, only Hal and Kara have the ability to alter fate, and prevent the deaths of their friends.
But in order to unravel the secrets hidden within their own past, they must first learn how to adapt to the new rules of their reality.
Time, however, is a relentless force. One which will stop at nothing to ensure that events unfold exactly as destiny dictates.
With time no longer on their side, Hal and Kara will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to free themselves from their perpetual prison, and exactly what they are prepared to sacrifice to defeat an enemy that has already won.
Only one thing is certain…
Every action has a consequence.
Fir Lodge is a time travel adventure thriller, set amidst the unlikely backdrop of Norfolk, England.
Join Hal and Kara, as they attempt to restart the past, to change their future.
I am a sucker for anything time travel-related, so when I heard about Fir Lodge, by Sean McMahon I didn’t even read the blurb, I just dove right in.
A little slow to start, this tale picks up with new twists on old ideas that keeps you turning pages in the hopes of discovering the rules along with Kara and Hal.
Laugh-out-loud moments meld with suspenseful anticipation as we wonder just what is happening, and what happened to put our unlikely heroes in this predicament. The answer to what happened was a surprise twist that added another element to the tale and truely bolstered the tale into superb.
Sad I didn’t learn the answers to the universe in the end, I’m excited to get into book 2 where I hope to learn more, as well as see a darker side to the strange powers one might receive when they meet an untimely death.
Dalan, a six-teen-year-old orphan, can’t wait for the day he can leave the orphanage and return to his hometown to find the truth behind his father’s death. He thinks he’s found the way to escape his life as a poor orphan when he finds a bright red gemstone in the middle of the woods. Instead, it puts his life at risk.
He hopes the gemstone will provide a way to go back to the wealthy lifestyle he knew as a commander’s son, but the suspicious magic it contains keeps anyone from buying it. Not only does it fail to yield riches, but it haunts him with dreams telling him to take the gemstone further than he’s ever traveled: Hashna.
Dalan has never visited the country that is home to the tiny, green-eyed people who filled the gemstone with magic, but when winged beasts armed with sharp talons and teeth—who are supposed to be mythical—attack him, he is driven to take the gemstone to Hashna to find answers.
The gemstone turns out to play a vital part in the affairs of the entire county, and Dalan is charged with its safety. Dalan sees the opportunity to follow in his father’s footsteps and gain fame and glory from the task. But his quest for recognition may be the downfall of a country.
This was just a great, classic, fun story. I especially appreciated the flaws of Dalan, how at times you just wanted to slap him. He was so real and allowed for some great character development that left me rooting for him in a way I seldom do so consciously.
Author C.M. Martens 