Scan barcode
reka111's reviews
278 reviews
Winter Wren by Miranda Honfleur
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
I read it just to meet my goal for the year, otherwise I don't remember anything of it.
A gyógyító by Lynette Noni
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Cold Queen by K Webster
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.25
I'm sorry for the many trees that had to die for something that can hardly be called a book.
The Witchfinder by J. Todd Kingrea
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Date: 2023/04/09-2023/04/14
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★.25
Spice rating: —
Age rating (I think): 16+
TIGGER WARNINGS: torture, death, profanity
Thank you for the e-copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First, what you can expect from this book:
- enemies to lovers (but rather hate to love)
- found family
- unique world construction
- great wording
- exciting and adventurous
- some chapters end with a cliffhanger or twist
- the battle of good and evil
- morally grey characters
- witches and magic
- 3rd person
- mainly male lead
- medium-paced
- funny speeches
PRELIMINARY:
I'll be honest, this book was very hard for me to absorb (but eventually did) and that was due to the slow start and the names that I didn't even know existed at first (but still, what a cool name Malachi is and very unique, if anyone is interested means messenger of god, which is almost comical here).
The characters grew very close to my heart, especially Teska, I could identify with her a lot and I'm sorry for everything she had to go through. I've always loved strong and fighting women, but she holds a special place in my heart even among them.
When I finished this book, I had so many emotions swirling inside me that I couldn't really name any of them, but I also can't decide how I feel now a day later.
ATTENTION SPOILER (if you haven't read the book, scroll down at your own risk)
THORNE
Okay, shame, no shame, but I only read a few male-lead books, so this was the first one I picked up in a long time and, to be honest, I was quite afraid of it, because it's a little harder for me to identify with male lead characters, because I'm always used to them only the love interests. But I was pleasantly disappointed. Thorne was everything I wanted and expected from this book. He goes through an unusual character development (that's seriously rare) throughout the book and it's remarkable from him. At the beginning of the book, he has the power, and like everyone he uses it, both deterrence and obtaining information, he blindly believes in the church and does not question whether what he is doing is right. With him, you can observe in a terrible good way what happens to a person when he is suddenly deprived of this superiority and has to survive without it. Actually, I don't believe that he is bad, but I wouldn't say that he was good either, because he did a lot of bad things and his hands are not clean - no one's are - but at least he can learn from his mistakes. It is clear that his motivation is replaced by loyalty to friends and love, and along the way he finds something that is really worth fighting for. It was what made him so human; his bad decisions, his loyalty and how he changed. You may see him a stern and evil figure on the outside, but inside is much more complex, capable of empathy and he's fight for those who close to him. Overall, he was a great protagonist, someone I would love to read about anytime.
TESKA
My Ghost, who was so brave, for so long and didn't forget to remain human in a world full of monsters. Like Malachi, she goes through a lot of character development herself; Driven by revenge, she turns from a lost thief into a true warrior and finds the path destined for her by fate. I guessed that she has something to do with witches or brexias (and that Throne witchfinder simply makes things funnier), but not so much. It was obvious from the first moments that she was not normal and that there was something special about her. I loved that she was so determined and brave and persistent but never blind, not only in not following the church, but because she was able to forgive Solomon, which took a lot of strength for her. She has undeniably become one of my favorite female characters with her personality and uniqueness. I look forward to seeing what happens to her.
THE OTHERS
As in (almost) every book, you need a funny secondary character, but here the author managed to make his jokes so well that they were not disturbing. Yes, Warner carried this thing on his back and I'm really grateful to him for that, even in the most tense moments he had a joke up his sleeve and made me laugh. I was so scared that he and Cabbott might not survive, but they did, so now I'm calm and owe that witch my soul.
For me, Hawkes was more of a fighter and protector than a real personality, despite this, I have to mention him because of his loyalty and perseverance, since without him the characters would not have lived (and without Teska).
Dario, well, he was either terribly strong or terribly stupid. Maybe both at the same time, maybe neither, but I know that he did everything for his family and friends, and for that I respect him. He literally - though not willingly - gave up most of her life to find out what happened to his nieces, only to lose them again. Somehow I don't trust that he will be with us for a long time, he will slip by like a butterfly, but I am ready for it, because like him, I have no other choice.
Neris, the brexia (or witch) is the leader of the communion. To be honest, I wanted to get to know her better and her goals and motivations, because she wasn't really driven by anything other than fear, on the contrary, she was very interesting and I hope we can get to know her better in the future.
A single word is enough for Rann; Darth Vader and everything will make sense.
Merrick was a revolutionary, a leader and a fool. But honestly I got used to his presence and it was terrible when he disappeared and what they did to him. He deserved much, much better. He believed so much in a better future so much, and he wanted it so much and it didn't work out for him, but I hope Throne will do it for him and bring them a free world, one in which there is no church, no rules and free people.
LOVE STORY
Okay, so I couldn't stick enemies to lovers on this no matter how much I wanted to. They weren't really enemies (or not long enough to be called enemies), but the fact is that they didn't get along well in the beginning. Although for me this out-of-the-air love was a bit rushed, it wasn't that terrible, not as much as I've experienced in other books, here at least they got time and probably more, because nothing really happened. I wouldn't really say that they are together, rather they just stomp in front of the other and expect that the other will notice this.
Totally random comment:
Ok, Teska has red hair (just like witches used to) but that's not the strange thing, it's that Elaine had it too (according to Merrick) but I have no idea who she is and what happened to her. I mean, she's proven to have something to do with Throne and uhhh I feel like this is a painful memory for him. But I'm still very interested in who or what exactly she was.
THE PLOT PACE/CONCEPT/ETC
One of my problems - as I mentioned - was caused by the slow start, but I understand why it was necessary; to get to know the situation and the characters, regardless, that's why I had to remove it from the rating.
The plot itself actually kicks in around 20%, so it clearly deserves the flag of slowness at the beginning, but from there it gallops like a wild horse and I honestly liked that we never stopped for a moment until the end and there was always something going on when I say that action is needed, that's exactly what I mean.
The wording, however, was beautiful, in the strictest sense of the word. I liked that author didn't just throw the words out there, but gave them real meaning and gave exactly as many descriptions of the things that the reader absolutely needs in order to understand the plot.
Okay, a map really helped a lot to define where we were going, but since I've never been very particular about them, I just let my brain fill in the places and imagine Departia itself, but this is definitely a plus point.
The world structure itself was very good, magic, witches, different creatures, etc., in a word, stayed true to its name and remained fantasy and did not change into something else.
FINAL WORD
So I finished this book thinking that I will definitely come back here in the future, as there is a second book and soon a third. Although I'm a little worried about the title, because in the previous book everything fell apart because of the Crimson Fathers and the Crusaders. I am very curious about their goals and what they want (or why they need Teska so much).
RECOMMENDATION
I definitely recommend reading it, because it guides you to a world where magic and monsters come to life, friendships are made and run away, secrets come to the destructive surface and dreams turn to dust. First of all, fantasy fans may like this book, but I strongly recommend it to anyone, because it is not worth missing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse
Jack árnyékában by Diana Hunt
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Мара и Морок. 500 лет назад by Лия Арден
I think I'll be quick with that, because as much as I loved this book series, thinking back on it didn't leave such a deep impression on me. However I liked it, it transported me to a new world, back to another life. I've always wanted to know the prequels to the original story, and it answered almost all of our questions.
Veledara was an extremely brave and independent female character - and she still is in my eyes, but there are still things about her that I don't necessarily identify with, but I think that's okay. I loved Iray, by the way, but not as much as Alexander (he has my heart), actually, I don't remember much of him, but I do know that he was a great friend and protector.
The plot, as I said, only added to, but did not take away from the original books. It was a bit more extensive and we got new details, new creatures and secrets. I'm not saying it was handled well, because no, there were parts I was bored with, but overall it wasn't bad. The pace was good, maybe a little slow, but that's why I don't deduct much. The end, I don't know - and I don't want to - where to put it, just why would you write this.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
But I will only be yours if you become mine.
I think I'll be quick with that, because as much as I loved this book series, thinking back on it didn't leave such a deep impression on me. However I liked it, it transported me to a new world, back to another life. I've always wanted to know the prequels to the original story, and it answered almost all of our questions.
Veledara was an extremely brave and independent female character - and she still is in my eyes, but there are still things about her that I don't necessarily identify with, but I think that's okay. I loved Iray, by the way, but not as much as Alexander (he has my heart), actually, I don't remember much of him, but I do know that he was a great friend and protector.
The plot, as I said, only added to, but did not take away from the original books. It was a bit more extensive and we got new details, new creatures and secrets. I'm not saying it was handled well, because no, there were parts I was bored with, but overall it wasn't bad. The pace was good, maybe a little slow, but that's why I don't deduct much. The end, I don't know - and I don't want to - where to put it, just why would you write this.
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Galatea: A Short Story by Madeline Miller
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
I can write down my feelings for this book with just one piece of music:
Paris Paloma - Labour
Paris Paloma - Labour
The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner
After reading the Queen's vow, there was no question that I read this too, and gods how well I did! The book was a masterpiece, with my favorite queen in the lead role, so why not love it?
Johanna (or Juana), the corner of my heart, is a rebellious and passionate woman torn apart by the world of men, starting with her father, with her husband, and finally her son. In this book, I felt a lot more fiction for her character than in other books, but it was importat to us to love her. And no, I don't believe she was really crazy, she probably did have mental illness, but not all the way, not forever and not so strongly, even Henry (the VIII) himself said (knowing her personally) that she was completely normal and rumors about her madness were spread only by her relatives to keep power. Either way, she never deserved what she got. Philip, as in real life, was a memorable person, so to speak, but not in a good way. He deprived his wife of everything. I know I shouldn't judge him, but I can't forgive him, and I never will. Power is dangerous and unpredictable, and he was too weak for it.
The plot was easy, well understood and enjoyable, although here I felt the fictional elements were more than enough, the writer remained faithful to history, in a word, perfect. The wording was wonderful as always, only the ending felt a bit quick, but I feel like it's present in every book.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
You may come as a proud prince today young Habsburg. But you shall travel many more roads in Castile in death than you ever will in life.
After reading the Queen's vow, there was no question that I read this too, and gods how well I did! The book was a masterpiece, with my favorite queen in the lead role, so why not love it?
Johanna (or Juana), the corner of my heart, is a rebellious and passionate woman torn apart by the world of men, starting with her father, with her husband, and finally her son. In this book, I felt a lot more fiction for her character than in other books, but it was importat to us to love her. And no, I don't believe she was really crazy, she probably did have mental illness, but not all the way, not forever and not so strongly, even Henry (the VIII) himself said (knowing her personally) that she was completely normal and rumors about her madness were spread only by her relatives to keep power. Either way, she never deserved what she got. Philip, as in real life, was a memorable person, so to speak, but not in a good way. He deprived his wife of everything. I know I shouldn't judge him, but I can't forgive him, and I never will. Power is dangerous and unpredictable, and he was too weak for it.
The plot was easy, well understood and enjoyable, although here I felt the fictional elements were more than enough, the writer remained faithful to history, in a word, perfect. The wording was wonderful as always, only the ending felt a bit quick, but I feel like it's present in every book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
The Queen's Vow: A Novel of Isabella of Castile by C.W. Gortner
OK, it was the book that dragged me into the history books this year, and I'm tremendously grateful to it for that. I fell in love with it incredibly, and after reading it, I felt so empty that I had to let go.
Isabella and Ferdinand were well crafted and closely following historical events, descriptions and looks, in short, I didn't have a word for them. Their personalities were obviously a bit let go when it came to fantasy, but that's all the trouble.
The plot was well understood and extremely exciting. The whole thing covered several years right from the beginning to the end of Isabella's life, but it wasn't disturbing at all, in fact I liked that the writer covered several years. The pace was right, just enough not to be distracting, and I really liked the phrasing. The ending ended so well with the discovery of Columbus, of course everyone knows what happened after that, but it still gives a sense of freedom.
Overall, it was a good book that I will definitely reread again in the future!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The world is only as small as we see it, my lady. Imagination knows no limits.
OK, it was the book that dragged me into the history books this year, and I'm tremendously grateful to it for that. I fell in love with it incredibly, and after reading it, I felt so empty that I had to let go.
Isabella and Ferdinand were well crafted and closely following historical events, descriptions and looks, in short, I didn't have a word for them. Their personalities were obviously a bit let go when it came to fantasy, but that's all the trouble.
The plot was well understood and extremely exciting. The whole thing covered several years right from the beginning to the end of Isabella's life, but it wasn't disturbing at all, in fact I liked that the writer covered several years. The pace was right, just enough not to be distracting, and I really liked the phrasing. The ending ended so well with the discovery of Columbus, of course everyone knows what happened after that, but it still gives a sense of freedom.
Overall, it was a good book that I will definitely reread again in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Pregnancy and War
Minor: Blood