book_scent's reviews
1002 reviews

 2nd read: 5 stars!

This is how you deliver a sequel!!

Of Darkness and Light does a fantastic job of taking everything that made book 1 work so well and amping it up a 100-fold. The world feels more grounded, the scope more epic, and the characters even more real.

Right from the beginning, we get thrown back into the midst of everything. The book is filled with high-stakes, heart-pounding action sequences that make you feel like you are right there with everybody. Having read it before, I (thought I) knew what to expect going in, but it actually did not ease my anxiety or diminish my pain during certain scenes in the slightest. On the contrary, my deeper connection to the characters only added to my worry & distress.

The characters here are some of my favorites in all of fantasy. I couldn't be more invested in their journeys, and friendships, and overall arcs. Not to mention the animal companions that have my heart. Even the side characters feel like real people with their own lived experiences that color the way they react and interact in this world. The introduction of new POVs in this book was very cleverly done and it was so interesting to see how everyone was struggling in their own way, no matter which side they're on.

I loved that we got more viewpoints from the different fractions, which allowed for more insight into the conflict. It not only provided context to both sides, but also helped expand the world and explore new places & cultures in an organic way. The lore and history woven into the story also added more background and dimension to the world.

So much happens in this book, and while the plot, at times, moves along at a break-neck speed, some quieter moments and slower chapters throughout create just the right balance, so it never feels overwhelming.

There's a reveal at the end of the last chapter that shocked me the first time around. Knowing what I know now, it was really fun to see all the little hints along the way, and in general to pick up on clues throughout the book for things to come. I love how there's always more to discover and I already can't wait to reread this book again. But first, there are still 2 more novellas and a book waiting to be read again. God, I love this series!!

1st read: 5 stars!

Oh, my goodness! What a sequel, what a jump in epicness!! RTC :) 

Going into The Outcast Mage I expected to dive into a world and tale of much grander scale. Instead it turned out to be a story (or beginning of one) that was more contained and on the simpler side, which took some adjusting. Still, the story hooked me enough early on to keep me interested and get me through the slower start.

The plot was very much front and center here, but the pace at which it moved forward dragged at times, and there was a lot of tell, particularly in the beginning, with the way information was introduced. I usually prefer to experience the world with and through the characters, the connection I have to them tends to have the biggest impact on how I absorb a story. And while I liked some of the characters and even started to feel a little bit invested, especially in Haelius, there was still some sort of detachment towards most of them. I love tropes like found family and stories with mentor/mentee type relationships, and I could see the building blocks here, however, the execution didn't fully land for me. Another quibble I had was that some character choices and plot points felt somewhat inconsistent or not developed enough beforehand, which led to some frustration.

Having said that, there was also something about the story that made it very intriguing and a breeze to get through. The magic system felt familiar, yet different, and I liked a lot of the ideas the author had. I guess, my biggest criticism is that there just wasn't enough - enough world building, background, character depth & development. But I am hopeful that all these elements will be explored further and expanded upon in the next installment, and I'm certainly looking forward to finding out!

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Book 2 was even more entertaining! The way the stories are told and the humor interspersed throughout just work really well. Also, Fred is too adorable. 

What a lovely story! The Rhino Keeper combines history & fiction in such a believable way that it feels like everything must've happened exactly as told here.

The story unfolds through 2 timelines, and while I liked both, the plot in the present didn't feel as strong to me. I felt way more drawn to the events of the past - precious little (and later not so little, haha) Clara may have had something to do with that. ^^

It was fun to accompany Clara & her humans on their adventures to & through Europe (and what a surprise to see Vienna, my hometown, make an appearance ^^) and watch them bond through it all. I really enjoyed this beautiful & heart-warming tale!

 Oooh, this is definitely a favorite in the series!! I loved that the romance in here was more of a slow burn. There was a lot of teasing between Ihsan and Nesrin, but also so many heartfelt moments that helped establish a connection between the two before they even knew whether they could trust one another.

Ice & Ivy also had more of the political maneuvering again and managed to drive the overarching plot forward, which added tension, depth, and substance to the story - it was the perfect blend of romance and fantasy.

Things went a bit quickly towards the end, and I think I would've liked to see them "talk it out" a bit more ... I don't know, something felt a tiny bit unresolved there, but those are only minor quibbles. ^^ Overall, this was an engrossing & unputdownable read that I couldn't get enough of. And after some hints at what may or may not be going on with another pair, I am dying to pick up the next book(s)!! 

 Finally read my first Agatha Christie - and it certainly won't be my last!

This was a suspenseful murder mystery that had me guessing till the very end. I thought I had it figured out early on, but the plot was rife with clever misdirects that kept me doubting myself.

I can see why this is a classic and am very much looking forward to reading more from AC! 

3rd read: 5 stars!

No surprise there ^^

2nd read: 5 stars!

Again, WOW! Loved the reread as I could appreciate some of the details even more this time around. I got nothing more to add, it's an all-time favorite book/novella of mine.

1st read: 5 stars!

WOW!!! What a perfect first read of the year! I was hooked from page 1!! 😱

It’s astounding how much story, world-building, and characterization Ryan was able to squeeze into this little novella. He actually managed to make me care for the characters within just a few pages, and I would’ve loved to just keep reading, and learn more about everything happening in this world and to these characters. Also, I enjoyed the writing style a lot more in this one, you can tell that there’s been a level of improvement from Of Blood and Fire (which was written first and great already). The prose flowed so nicely and made it easy to visualize everything in my head.

I have to say, my excitement level for book 2 has reached its max after reading this novella. My copy of Of Darkness and Light can’t come soon enough. I will have to devour it as soon as it arrives!!

It’s been a few days since I finished this book and I’m still not sure how to rate it, but I guess this is where I’m at for now!

The Devil and the Dark Water was my very first buddy read and I had a truly fantastic time throughout, discussing all the details, coming up with theories, speculating about the supernatural part of it all … It was also a very welcome change from all the fantasy I usually read. I loved the Holmes & Watson vibes that I got right from the start, and couldn’t wait to learn more about everything & everyone, and see where the story goes. The characters were all very compelling, especially Pipps, Arent, and Sara, and I was rooting for them to uncover all the secrets on board. The mystery of it all really drew me in, it got even creepy at times, and I was sure this was gonna be a 5 star read!

But, oh well … here we are. I guess this book is a great example of how an ending can influence the overall reading experience and make you question everything. At least that’s how it was for me. The last few chapters and how everything was resolved felt so out of place and out of character, so very different from the rest of the book, I had a hard time comprehending it all—still do! To say I’m disappointed is putting it mildly. I just can’t get over it after all the anticipation and the expectations I had for the ending leading up to it. Rating the book lower than this wouldn’t be fair to the huge chunk of it that was fantastic & utterly enjoyable. But for the aforementioned reasons, I also can’t bring myself to go any higher.

I’m still very much interested in reading The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle which is also on my TBR and I’ve seen many people enjoy. Let’s hope the ending there is more to my taste ^^

DNFing it for now … It’s been way too long since I started this one and I haven’t really been interested in picking it up again. Maybe next year ^^