abby_ace_of_books's reviews
607 reviews

Once again, I have highlighted way too many things in an Alice Oseman book.

Solitaire is Tori Spring's story. I didn't realize it was written before Heartstopper, and it kind of has different vibes from the other Heartstopper books I've read, but I really liked it. As always, I highlighted way too many quotes (because Oseman is way too good at calling me out). Also, I better understand Michael Holden now so I guess I need to rewatch season 3 of Heartstopper.
I really hope that the next season of Heartstopper focuses more on Tori's story, because I really enjoyed learning about her character her and her struggles. Solitaire is a mysterious blog project that seems coincidentally close to Tori's life, and she's not sure why. There's some mystery element in trying to discover who started Solitaire, how it's connected to Tori, and what it's next plan is. I didn't completely guess the main plot twist, but the idea did cross my mind at least once. I also thought this book was way darker in terms of content than some of the other books in the "Osemanverse," especially toward the end, so be careful of content warnings if you're planning to read it.
This is a character-focused novel, which I sometimes don't like as much, but I think it worked well for this book. Tori's character was relatable in some ways, and I really sympathized with her. I'd love to read more about her. I also really liked the depth of Michael Holden. He's such an interesting and complex character. I liked learning about Tori's other friends as well, and I was glad to see the Nick and Charlie cameos. (Also, Nick is a confirmed Twilight fan?)
Alice Oseman never fails to produce heartwrenching and simultaneously heartwarming stories, and Solitaire is no exception.

4/5

Let's all be honest: Caldon 100% carried this book.

The Gilded Cage is the second book in the Prison Healer trilogy, and despite the fact that I've read this before, I forgot most of the plot twists until about halfway through the book. Plotwise, I think this was a little better than the first book, but the characters and their stupid decisions ultimately dragged down my rating because whoever said Kiva was supposed to be a villain and ended up being a doormat was entirely right.
In light of the events of the first book, Kiva Meridan - also known as Kiva Corentine, heir to a diluted bloodline - has returned with Jaren to his kingdom. There's a lot of political maneuvering in this, but most of the tension comes from Kiva's indecisiveness and her hiding her true identity from the royal family while feeding their secrets to her sibling. Look, I'm a fan of secret identity stories and the conflicts that come with them, but that can only carry the plot so far. The plot twists are fairly convenient, and the rebels' motivations are pretty weak, but it was fast-paced, and the high tensions kept me intrigued.
And as for characters... Tipp and Oriel are adorable, so we love them. I actually thought Mirryn was really cool, but the Vallentis parents were extremely flat. Naari also felt like she got sidelined. Zuleeka annoys me, but Tor is fine. Again, Jaren felt a bit generic and, likely, overly caring for Kiva? I get being in love and whatnot, but he literally put off the rest of his life for her multiple times. Kiva herself was...girl did not know how to make a good decision to save her life. She goes back on her word so many times and she honestly got kind of annoying. I have a love-hate relationship with Caldon because as much he made scenes actually interesting, he does give weird vibes, and sometimes his cockiness was a little too much.
The stakes are higher than ever in The Gilded Cage as Kiva must decide between her blood family and the Vallentis family that has taken her under their wing.

3.75/5

This book reminded me of, like, a hundred different things, and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. (I'll include the references below my review because there are so many of them).

The Outcast Mage is a high fantasy novel that takes place in a city of glass with an academy of mages. Like I said before, it reminded me of a dozen other books and movies, and I really liked the vibes. The worldbuilding itself took a little bit to get used to, as the book dumps the reader directly into the world without much explanation. I'm still a little unclear on some aspects of the lore, but I understood what was necessary for most of the plot.
Naila is a mage at the academy, but she has a problem...she can't do magic. With threats of exile looming on the horizon, Naila's only hope is the eccentric wizard Haelius Akana, who also happens to be the most powerful living mage. The plot admittedly takes a while to get into (I wasn't invested until 50%, and I didn't really get invested until about 80%), but the ending feels worth it. None of the plot twists felt extremely crazy to me, but the main one didn't really feel predictable. I'm hoping that the pacing issues will be resolved in book two.
Similar to the plot, it took me a while to get attached to the characters. Naila wasn't super intriguing to me because I primarily read YA fantasy, and she fits in well with the protagonists I typically read about, so she wasn't anything special. I didn't mind Ko'ani, and I look forward to seeing where her arc goes in book two. Entonin took a while to adjust to, but I like him now, and the same goes for Karameth. Also, I just want to say I appreciated the mild romance in this because it's a welcome break from heavy romance. Larinne was the underdog because I didn't like her at first, but she was one of my favorites by the end. Haelius was my favorite character just because I'm basic, and I see a sad man with a tragic backstory but silly tendencies, and I immediately love it. Those are the main main characters, but there are enough other characters that I think a dramatis personae could've been beneficial.
The Outcast Mage is a high fantasy novel perfect for fans of academia, political regulation of magic, and found family vibes.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.5/5



References:
Skyward Sword - (video game) - I think because of the academy vibes?
Lisa Frankenstein - (movie) - Ko'ani just gives the vibes of Lisa's stepsister
Crown of Bones - (book by A.K. Wilder) - the main character had similar vibes but also, again, magic school
Harry Potter - the evil government reminded me of the Ministry of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic - (book by V.E. Schwab) - magic collars and elemental affinities
Keeper of the Lost Cities Nightfall - (book by Shannon Messenger) - dome
Shadow and Bone - (book by Leigh Bardugo) - "hollow" magic
The First Binding - (book by R.R. Virdi) - just vibes

This book really made me sad about my own archival job because I don't get to solve mysteries or talk to people who disappeared decades ago.

I don't typically read much contemporary with paranormal elements or magical realism stories, but The Underwood Tapes intrigued me. I don't know exactly what genre to classify it as, but it's a story about dealing with grief and the dark pasts of small towns.
After losing her mother in a tragic car accident, Grace decides to spend the summer in her mother's hometown working at the local archives. She's given the task of listening to audio transcriptions when she realizes that she can share messages with the last boy to work in the archives, Jake Underwood. I liked the mystery elements a lot, and I honestly didn't mind the "drama" parts either. The paranormal aspects were incorporated pretty well, though we never fully address how/why things happen...though I guess that's fine for the genre. I did think the ending was pretty rushed (there's barely even a chapter of resolution), and I didn't cry, but I liked the story as a whole and enjoyed trying to figure out the plot twists.
I also liked most of the characters. I liked Grace as a main character and narrator, and from what I've seen in other reviews, her actions are relatable for someone who is grieving. Jake reminded me of Charles from Dead Boy Detectives for some reason, and I was really intrigued by his personality/reactions to everything. The older secondary characters were also all interesting, especially when they reacted to Grace's accusations and questions. I didn't mind Lara or Griffin, but they didn't get much page time.
Fans of low-stakes mysteries, small-town secrets, and stories of grief will enjoy The Underwood Tapes.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4/5

Apparently, the author said he might make this a series that continues on for dozens of books, and I have to say...that would be absolutely amazing.

A Drop of Corruption is the second book in the Shadow of the Leviathan series, which is one of the series that got me into fantasy mysteries. Not only does this book expand on the worldbuilding, but it delves deep into a mystery that is so much more complicated than just a simple disappearance.
Din and Ana are back, but this time, they've moved north, far away from the Leviathans but close to the Shroud, where the corpses of Leviathans are taken to use for resources. I loved the complexity of the mystery itself and surprised myself by sort of predicting it (I got the right person based on just vibes, but I had no idea how or why). Also, this book encompassed so many different locations and subplots: jungle adventures, political meetings, old cults, and even hints at character backstories. Sometimes the plot did slow down, but there was always an air of suspense that kept me intrigued.
The cast of characters is incredibly entertaining. As always, Ana's eccentricity and her sense of humor make her such an intriguing character. The book dips into her backstory a bit, but it only makes me more curious about what it must be like to see inside her mind. Din's narration, too, is so colorful and amusing. He's a bit angsty (which I love), but he's also grown a certain stubbornness that really enhances his dynamic with Ana. I didn't trust Malo at first, but she quickly grew to be a fun addition to the team.
Fans of The Tainted Cup will not be disappointed by A Drop of Corruption, the newest addition to the series that explores new settings, characters, and mysteries.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

4.5/5

Apparently, the first time I read this, I somehow missed the major age gap romance blooming, and it's literally just a reverse Padme and Anakin.

I first read Furyborn a few years ago, but I never finished the series. I saw it sitting on my shelf and decided it was time for a reread (and maybe I'd actually finish the trilogy this time) because I remembered pretty much nothing about the book. As I reread, I started to remember why I hadn't picked up this book again sooner...
The premise itself is pretty cool; there are two prophesized queens - a Sun Queen and a Blood Queen - and while one will save the world, the other will destroy it. I think everyone agrees that the prologue is the best part of this book because it's one of those stories separated by time but connected in some ways. We know from the prologue how Rielle's story will end, and while I typically love that trope, it seems to work against the story because there aren't any stakes. Rielle is supposed to be enduring these seven deadly trials, but the action is lackluster and incredibly repetitive. Eliana, on the other hand, is your basic YA assassin struggling with her morality (and lack thereof). Her story, while wielding a bit higher stakes, was really trope-y and didn't offer much nuance. In general, the plot twists were relatively predictable, too.
I also realized how much I don't like the characters. Rielle was the worst of the two because everything about her story felt two-dimensional to me. Audric's only purpose is to offer something for Rielle to lust after, and he literally has no personality. Ludivine was a bit more interesting, but only because she's so agreeable it's suspicious. I remembered really liking Simon the first time, but he gave me the major ick. Eliana was okay, but again, she's so trope-y. The same goes for Remy, and any character with the name Navi is immediately disliked for no reason.
Although I intend to keep reading soon (and hopefully finish the trilogy), Furyborn is a generic fantasy novel that offers interesting points mostly through parallels between the characters.

3.25/5

I'm not going to rate this because it's just a novella and my opinions on it are more due to its form than anything else, so it wouldn't be fair.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor is a quick novella from the Sorcery of Thorns universe, and it really focuses on a short mystery/quest.
Thorn Manor has trapped its inhabitants inside, and with the Midwinter Ball approaching - which Nathaniel is supposed to host - they need to figure out why. One of the things I liked about the first book was that it didn't focus too much on romance, but the novella was more indulgent and that's part of the reason I'm not rating it...Elisabeth's inner monologue started to get on my nerves a bit. I've also said it before, but I'll say it again: I'm not a huge fan of cozy/low-stakes fantasy. That's another reason why I won't rate this novella because it was obviously not going to be very high-stakes from the beginning.
I did appreciate the Silas backstory, though. We still don't know much about him (especially thanks to the epilogue), but we do get a few hints throughout the story, and he's still my absolute favorite character from this series.
I really hope the author continues the series soon because I am desperate for answers about Silas.

Do you ever get so mad at how a book ends that you refuse to finish the series? Apparently, that's me.

I remembered very little about Kingsbane going into my second read-through, but then I read one review, and it spoiled literally everything. Still, I want to actually finish this trilogy so I read this book anyway and somehow missed entire romantic subplots the first time...
Both of the storylines in this book were a bit underwhelming, in my opinion. I understand the parallels between Rielle and Elian's journeys, but it felt really repetitive. Rielle is navigating a world where she is now the Sun Queen and Eliana is navigating a world where everyone believes she's the Sun Queen. Both are searching for ways to control their powers, both are having issues with betrayal from close friends, and both intend to refuse their destinies. As I said before, we know how Rielle's arc ends, so her story itself is my least favorite of the two. Eliana's arc intrigues me, but the last chapter from her POV infuriates me for a wide variety of reasons, and it's why I never came back to this series the first time.
None of my opinions on the characters really changed. Rielle is probably my least favorite character because her two traits are horny and indecisive. She kisses three different people and mentions wanting a threesome with the two who are related...I didn't pick up on the incest the first time, I guess. Audric is still boring, Lu is...weird, and Corien just gets on my nerves. Eliana is more enjoyable to read about, but I don't really find her story that intriguing. Simon gave me the ick a lot, and Remy was really the only person worth reading about, although I didn't mind Harkan in the end. I'm also mildly disappointed that despite both protagonists being bi women, they both end up with men.
I still intend to read book three, but Kingsbane is the sequel to Furyborn and promises an interesting finale to a trilogy about what it means to defy fate.

3.25/5

Books like this are why I'm scared of adult fantasy.

Sons of Darkness has its roots in Indian mythology in a story that many compare to Game of Thrones (which I have yet to brave). It's a thick book with dense prose and so many POVs that I think reviews claiming they read this without any confusion have to be lying just a bit... Look, I picked up this book after requesting the second on a whim from Netgalley, and while I did appreciate it, my brain is a little bit full right now. It doesn't help that I seem to be digging myself deeper into a reading slump, but I just wanted to mention all this so that everyone can take this review with a grain of salt.
This is a political fantasy story, the kind I have the hardest time following. We're introduced to dozens of characters that take nearly half the book to flesh out to the point where it feels like the plot can truly begin. I feel like I can't even describe what happens because when things DO happen, it's the end of the book and I would be spoiling things. I think if you have a background in the mythology this book is based on, you'll probably enjoy this much more than I did, but I had a hard time following what was happening - and that was WITH me consulting the dramatis personae every five pages.
Speaking of the dramatis personae...I really felt like I could barely tell the characters apart. Karna and Mati intrigued me from the beginning, but then they disappeared for a hundred pages. I really didn't care for Shishupal, Shakuni, or Krishna (who had a super cool wife, but no, we had to get his POV). Nala's chapters were probably my favorite, maybe because she was the only female POV we got that actually felt relevant to the plot. There are so many other characters that I can't fit into this review, but if I didn't mention them, I probably didn't care for them.
Am I going to read the next book? Yes (mostly because I already have it on Netgalley). But I think I wasn't the intended audience for Sons of Darkness.

3.25/5

Excuse me, but what the actual heck was that ending?

I finally did it. I read Lightbringer and finished the Empirium trilogy...and I think this has to be one of the most infuriating endings to a series that I've ever read. I'll go into details with spoilers following my review. Look, I went into this book with pretty low expectations just because I didn't love the first two books, and while the beginning of the book was much better than expected, I still can't get past the incest-y vibes between Lu and Audric, among other things.
Both Rielle and Eliana are prisoners of Corien, albeit in two entirely different times. The emporium is consuming Rielle's mind. Meanwhile, Corien intends to use Eliana to reawaken Simon's power and travel back in time to see Rielle again. The first part of this book was extremely interesting to me because it flipped the script from the previous books, and overall, the tension was just much higher. The second half was okay, but I'm still mad about the ending. It didn't go how I expected, which was fine, but there was barely any closure for half the characters, and the implications were never considered.
I honestly tolerated the characters a little more in this one, too. Lu is an intriguing character because I can't tell if her love for Audric and Rielle is romantic or familial...because she's really confusing. Rielle continued to get on my nerves, but Audric grew on me a lot because who knew a betrayal was all it took to give him a semblance of a personality? I liked Eliana's arc in this book, though I wish we got to spend more time with Remy. I have mixed feelings about everything going on with Simon. There were a handful of POV chapters from other characters, but they really felt unnecessary...
I'm so glad I finally finished this series, and honestly, I think Lightbringer is the best book in the trilogy (disregarding the ending).

3.5/5

Spoilers
Here it is, my rant about the ending.
To quickly summarize what I got from it, Eliana goes back in time with Remy (to act as a translator). Simon cries out as she slips into the past after Eliana hears gunshots, implying (to me) that he died. Eliana and Remy just happen to drop back to the exact night when Rielle is supposed to kill Audric, but Eliana intervenes and somehow convinces Rielle that she should kill Corien instead. Rielle ends up destroying Corien and Ludivine, essentially destroying all angels by default. Eliana and Remy disappear, Rielle gives birth to Eliana, and then Rielle kills herself closing the Gate and ending magic until Eliana will inevitably fix it.
I have a LOT of issues with this.
First of all, so much of this ending does not make sense to me. Remy just miraculously understands the old language because he's been training to become an assassin for months - which we never address, by the way. Literally, a few chapters from Remy's POV would've been extremely beneficial to the plot. But ignoring that, why not just have the languages be the same? I understand the evolution of language logistically, but Remy's presence had no other contribution to the end of the book.
Also, the whole time travel thing doesn't really work out in my mind. If Eliana saving Audric and the world by going back in time prevents her from ever having gone to the future in the first place, does that not create a paradox? Because if Eliana never ended up in the future, she would never have gone back in time, which means she would have ended up in the future.
Not to mention the lack of closure in general. We never find out what happens to the people in the future. Navi and Ysabet only ended up together because of Eliana, so do they not get their happy ending because of the time travel? Simon gets a bit more closure because of Eliana's time travel, as he ends up in the past as a child again. I have mixed feelings on this because that means adult Simon's suffering - while it did have a point - was entirely forgotten and no one recognizes his role in saving the world.
Probably my biggest complaint is what has been done with Remy's character. He's always just been a device in Eliana's story, but I thought that Jessamyn training him might give him a bigger role to play...and in a way, it does. But also, the lack of closure on his part really ticks me off. Remy lost both of his parents to a girl who he believed was his sister. He was tortured and abused to the point of feeling guilty for being alive because he could be used against Eliana. Dude literally went to the past at, like, ten and fought his way through armies, all to be wiped from existence. I guess we can assume that he lives happily ever after with his parents, as Eliana is probably indirectly responsible for his parents' fates...but it would take half an epilogue to address this.
That's what it all comes down to; an epilogue devoted to the people of the future could've solved most of my problems with the ending. Do I still think they chose the most difficult solution possible? Yes, but I would've been more okay with it if we got any payoff for literally all of the characters...especially because the current ending implies that Eliana is STILL going to have to step into her role as Sun Queen, which means she didn't actually fix anything.
If you're going to make history inevitable, don't pretend that you did anything to change it...