lastblossom's reviews
212 reviews

tl;dr
A cute slice of life for fans of the high school glow-up and sweet nerds finding each other. A classic mean girl character promises future drama, but this volume remains light.

Thoughts
The high school glow-up plot isn't new by any means, but there's a reason people keep returning to it. It's fun! In this case, we have two bookish children doing their best to reinvent themselves for high school. The twist here is that they both knew each other before the makeover. While they never interacted in middle school, they did spend their hours reading beside each other in the library. That tenuous shared history is enough for Kusunoki to seek out Keisuke's help. She may have picked a new look for herself, but getting the courage to speak to people is bigger hurdle, and one that only he can help with. Shockingly, he discovers that his own phobia of girls doesn't activate when he's around her. Maybe they'll both be good for each other? (Of course they will.) There are very few surprises to be had in here. Keisuke starts out with a predictably dim view on girls as a whole due how he's been hurt, but his time with Kusunoki makes him reevaluate his stance. Meanwhile, Kusunoki's reasons for changing are little more hidden, with some hints towards bullying, but she's warming up quite a bit around Keisuke. Attractive artwork with clean lines and some exceptionally cute expressions pulls the whole thing together making for a mostly endearing read. The only plot point that keeps this from being entirely saccharine sweet is the girl who hurt Keisuke is also here, and... well, that's about it so far. Her presence and almost cartoonishly villainous name promise complications in the future, but so far she's done very little beyond stand around ominously.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
Research and ingenuity once again prevail in a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy featuring more fae lore, and plenty of familiar faces from previous books.

Thoughts
I fell in love with the first book in the series, the second one brought me much delight, and now the third one has absolutely stuck the landing on the trilogy. I admit, I worry in a series when the final book is lined up to be "the big fight," because we tend to lose a lot of the joy and interpersonal little moments that made the previous books so much fun. Lost Tales neatly avoids this by having the characters skip the "epic battle" altogether. No sweeping armies racing down hilltops to clash, or bloodied fields strewn with corpses. The deposed queen plays a much more subtle game, and it's once again up to Emily's ingenuity and research skills to save the day. The series that started out as academia remains academia to the very end, and it is extremely effective. There's even more lore to dig into, and you can feel the pressure as the clock ticks down to the unknown.

Sadly, we still do lose some of the fun Emily/Wendell moments, as the two of them are separated much more often over the course of this story. It's largely made up for by the ever-growing supporting cast, with the return of characters from the first two books, and the introduction of several more new faces who are all interesting enough to get their own series. Emily's world has grown, and she has friends and colleagues who love and respect her for who she is. It's a touching contrast from her isolated lifestyle in the first book.

For those worried about Shadow,

he does not die in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A video game adaptation that reads like a video game, punctuated with some truly beautiful artwork.

Thoughts
I didn't know this was a video game adaptation when I started reading it, but it only took two pages for me to figure it out. The main character introduces herself as a normal girl from a normal town, and then I turned the page and was greeted with a stunning JRPG heroine design, replete with accessories, extra belts, and cute thigh highs, all lovingly rendered in delicate inks and detailed tones. The rest of the book follows suit, with plenty of beautiful artwork and attractive character designs. Settings are also beautifully illustrated, making a book that feels very good to look at. The story in contrast moves like watching only the cutscenes from a video game. Plot points are doled out in spoonfuls, with missions and battles spacing them out evenly in such a way that you can practically see "New Mission!" alerts pop up on the screen. I think the biggest weakness here is that we miss out on the actual game portions. Alchemy is a core focus of the story, but it gets skipped over regularly because it's gameplay. Fights are handled very quickly, often in a few panels, to make way for the next cutscene. Overall, this largely feels like a book for fans of the game who'd like to relive the story in a more digestible form. As for me, I'm genuinely curious about the game now - so I guess the manga did its job after all!

Thanks to NetGalley and Udon Entertainment for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
More thriller than mystery. A reasonably fun and twisty tale, but be advised that the description and the actual book aren't entirely in line.

Thoughts
This is fourth in a series, a thing I was entirely unaware of when I started it. Thankfully, there was enough catchup woven in that it wasn't a pain point for me to jump into the story. That being said, maybe I would have known better what to expect when the story took a sudden swerve from a very interesting hook to an entirely different plotline. There are two leads here - Rachel and Jacob - and despite the book description spending more time on Rachel, the book itself spends a lot more time on Jacob. The story begins with the death of Damaris Gethin (Rachel's case), but immediately takes a turn to follow the life of another woman, Kiki de Villiers (Jacob's case). Kiki is a person of interest for unspecified reasons. She's got history in this town, and there are a lot of different threads connected to her: the police, organized crime, a mysterious third party? Is Damaris also part of her story? Only somewhat. Jacob and Rachel intersect a few times, more out of coincidence than connection, but the lion's share of the story is about Kiki. There's plenty of cat and mouse in here leaning more into a thriller than a mystery, with a large amount of legwork in Rachel's case being done off the page. It's a shame, because she and the case are incredibly interesting, and I would have liked to follow that thread more. Still, if you want to follow the adventures of a crime reporter tracking down a woman with a mysterious past as she tangles with a crime organization, then this might be the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
A fairy tale retelling with a truly magical world building and atmosphere. Some of the character relationships in the second half could use a little more time to develop.

Thoughts
Erin A. Craig is absolutely incredible at creating atmosphere. Creeping dread, shadowy mysteries, and what lurks in the dark? It's all here in delicious, immersive detail. There's also an indulgent amount of plant life, things that grow, and a touch of cottagecore that my heart loves. Magic and gods feel very real in this space, and the world building feels exactly like a fairy tale come to life. The relationship between Hazel and Death was also surprisingly tender, and I enjoyed all the moments between them. And yet through all of this, the pacing really threw me off. Other reviewers have mentioned that this feels like two books, and I would agree. The first half moves at an even pace, carefully building the world and all the people in it. The second half takes off at a pace that is great for the plot, but not necessarily great for the character relationships. A year passes between chapters, and now two characters are as close as sisters, but we have to take the narration's word for it, because we never get to see it happen. Romance in particular takes a hit with this, as a lot of the character development takes place off screen. It's a trade off to cover a huge amount of plot, and I see why it happened, but I wish we could've spent more time with the characters and their personal lives. And I guess if the worst thing I can say about a book is that I wish we got more, that's probably not a bad thing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A tightly-paced conclusion to the duology with plenty of lore spark the imagination. Don't go in expecting a lot of romance.

Thoughts
Considering how the first book ended, I was really curious to see how this one would go. The previous book in the series was visceral and bloody and terrifying, and this book wastes no time dropping into the same space. And honestly, that's probably what saved it for me. The last book hit me in all the right spots because I love a tournament arc. Sadly, it turns out I do not love a collect-em-all arc, and this plot definitely focuses on collecting the Important Things to get to the end goal. But I stuck with it because Zilan and the Empress are just so great to watch together. They're both cunning and relentless rivals who leave destruction in their wake as they fight, with a surprising amount of intimacy woven into their narrative. It's the most intimacy we get as the romance is practically a footnote at this point. I liked the focus on the main plot, but anyone hoping for more romantic moments like the first book might be let down. This book had to move fast to tie up all the threads from the first book, and move fast it does. A couple reveals come through magical means that feel a bit convenient, but the ending wraps everything up nicely. Overall, a duology recommended for anyone who wants something steeped in Chinese lore with an unforgiving villain and a heroine who's equally brutal.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
Fast-paced heists once again take center stage, with plenty of family complications stitched in.

Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book. It was packed with clever heists, compelling characters, and a fun competition. But I've found that the book after a competition plot tends to fall flat for me. So how does Heist Royale fare? It runs another competition! And honestly, it absolutely works. The gang's all back, although not necessarily in the same configuration, which keeps things fresh, and there's a lot more going on in terms of relationships. Romance, friendship, and family tangles all come into play as characters race across the globe trying to out-steal each other. It's a fast-paced adventure with all the adrenaline of the first, and plenty more character development for everyone. As with the first book, the friendship between Ross and Noelia hit for me more than the romance with Devroe, but there's also a cute secondary romance that I did not see coming. There's also a casino heist in the middle that could practically be a book unto itself, with a new character who I love probably too much. If you liked the first book, this one won't disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A cozy romantasy that spotlights two second chance romances. World building flounders a bit.

Thoughts
Dang. Gonna have to file this one under "not for me." The world is tongue-in-cheek modern: there are cell phones, video calls, web boards, streaming TV, Uber, and fandom conventions, all painted over with the thinnest veneer of magic explanation. (Other reviewers liken it to Shrek.) And while I don't mind a playful nod, it mostly made me wonder why there weren't magical analogs for other modern things. In a world with internet, why is everyone still fighting with swords? Why are they still riding horses and camping in a forest instead of using a magical flying "not airplane?" Why can't they track down the villain after ten years? Shouldn't they also have magical satellite imaging or CC TV by now? Am I overthinking this? Of course I am! But I prefer world building in a fantasy story to hold a certain amount of consistency, and no amount of coy winking at the camera about fantasy Amazon deliveries is going to make me stop wondering why the queen didn't kit out our heroes with a fantasy GPS tracker they could stick on the bad guy. I'm well aware I'm the curmudgeon here, and I am sorry. But the flippant approach to the world sure did make it feel like the part about the world ending doesn't matter that much. Fight scenes feel perfunctory compared to the time and energy spent on lovemaking scenes. One of the biggest wins happens off screen and is summarized in a single sentence later. And perhaps that's the point. Sure the world may end tomorrow, but what about the relationships? What about the people? What about the LOVE? We've got two second chance pairings here, with plenty of history, drama and a quick hit of spice. They're all likable characters, so your enjoyment will hang entirely on how you feel about second chance romance. Unfortunately, I am ambivalent, so it's another miss. But if you love firey anger that melts into firey passion, or pages upon pages of sexy yearning, there's plenty in here for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

tl;dr
A sexy book packed with romance, opera drama, organized crime, and an interesting (albeit only somewhat fleshed out) magic system.

Thoughts
This is a very seductive book. Sexy, even? There's a lot going on in here, but the passages most tenderly and delicately written are dedicated to two very attractive humans and Cleo's feelings about them. The narrative is extremely clear about the differences between physical attraction and romantic attraction. Dahlia is alluring and seductive. She's fire and ice, power and danger, all wrapped in shadows. Cleo's yearning for her is instantaneous, a pulsing in her very body. Nuriel in contrast is withdrawn, standoffish, and it takes a lot longer for the two of them to warm up to each other as they crack through each other's outer defenses. Outside of that, we have a story that takes place largely in an opera house. It's an interesting gamble since the author clearly cares a lot about the opera, but the MC truly does not. This is baked into the plot and the character, not an oversight, and it pays off, but there are definitely spaces where I found myself wondering why I should care if Cleo didn't. The world building is done in broad strokes, with just enough detail to explain the magic system, but very little history beyond that. It was enough for me, but I could see lore lovers wanting some extra detail. This book is also a standalone, with a crack in the door juuuuust in case, but as a whole it wraps up everything very well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tundra books for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

tl;dr
A strong conclusion to the duology, with some neat plot twists and a dramatic romance.

Thoughts
This book starts right after the ending of the first book, and jumps straight back into the story without stopping for a breath (so if it's been a while since you read the last one, or you haven't read it at all, go do that first). But if you're ready for all the fast-paced action from the previous book to continue, then it's all in here. The stakes are higher, and you can feel the tension immediately as our already exhausted characters have a larger battle in front of them with enemies on even more fronts. It's a race to the finish line that doesn't let up, with players coming and going, so there are a lot of threads to keep up with. Arthurian legend again features strongly, but loosely, with some really cool twists and surprises woven in.  The first person POV that worked really well in the first book might be a bit of a detriment here, as the group splits up quite a bit, and a ton of action winds up happening off screen. The most obviously missed chance is the secondary romance, that develops largely out of sight from the MC, and it's one that I would have loved to watch unfold. That being said, readers hoping for a conclusion to the primary romance set up in the first book will be happy to see the same bittersweet mix of tender moments and traumatic backstories for our young heroes, all leading to a very hopeful ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for an advance copy! All thoughts in this review are my own.