savage_book_review's reviews
282 reviews

I won this in a Storygraph giveaway, which I entered because I liked the sound of the blurb. The story definitely went in a different direction to my expectations, but it absolutely had me on an emotional rollercoaster! You could almost imagine this really was taking place in Ancient Rome, but for the little touches that take this into the realm of fantasy. And as you'd expect for a book focused on recreating scenes from the Colusseum, it gets pretty dark in places, so definitely check your trigger warnings if you're that way inclined.

Although it should be hard to get into the mind of a character who has been conditioned purely to obey and serve, the writing makes it so incredibly easy to reconcile that complete and utter control Lion has over his mind, despite the complete lack of control he has over his body. And despite his having very few lines of dialogue and the book being written in the third person, the insight into his character is crystal clear. Needless to say, I felt like I was in his head for much of the book. And as his perspective changes, your heart gets pulled into the mix as well. If for no other reason, you should read the book for this masterful bit of character writing. 

You root for Lion due to his status, but his status does mean he commits some horrific acts (even if they're not all explicitly described). So although he might be described as the blond-haired Adonis and his quiet, gentle behaviour in some scenes might leave you with a very appealing impression, I do understand Olira's hesitancy in accepting him into her life and home. However, given her background, I had expected something of a softer personality from her when it comes to Lion; for someone who doesn't believe in slavery, man she's a hard taskmaster! Yes, there's a reason for it, but her negative attitude felt like it went on for a bit too long before she thought to actually talk to the guy. And genuinely I was just waiting for the master/slave romance trope to kick in. But then you realise that's probably not going to happen and that's a whole other layer of sadness.

The clever thing is that following Lion's character gives you (and the author) a bit of an on-ramp for worldbuilding. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's all there and very very easy to picture and follow, but because you're following from Lion's limited perspective, the immediate focus is on his experiences and so the outside world is built up slowly, layer by layer. It's a rich, varied world and even the smaller details fall seamlessly into place. I didn't need to question anything; I was simply transported. 

The one thing it did take me a moment to reconcile was the dual POV/dual timeline narrative. In the case of the latter, it's not immediately obvious that you're going to be jumping between two time periods, so I did have to take a moment to adjust when I realised. But thereafter, again, it really works well. This is a case where I can't imagine the story being any clearer or better if it were written chronologically; the dual build just adds to the atmosphere of the story.

This is not a light and fluffy read by any stretch of the imagination, but it's very easy to read and I'm interested to see the sequel.

*Please note, I was provided an ARC copy by the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.*

I think I knew I was in love with this world within about the first three chapters. And every subsequent chapter just reinforced the fact. It's dark, dangerous and full of deceit, with a fast paced, heart-pounding plot and characters that jump off the page. The only reason I didn't finish this in a single sitting was because I was desperate for sleep last night, but I had to force myself to put this down!

The story starts with a bang, and never really lets up. There are a couple of quieter moments sprinkled throughout, but even within those the tension (whether surrounding the overall plot or the sexual chemistry between the characters) is being ramped up. You spend the entire book almost feeling like one of the characters, constantly on edge and waiting for the next shock to come from the shadows. While there is a lot of violence throughout - not surprising when the main plot device feels akin to a darker Triwizard Tournament (but better), or a Hunger Games for adults - the descriptions are really well done to walk that line between graphic and yet not horrific. Likewise, you follow the characters in never really being wholly comfortable in the environment. With elements of magic, time travel and unseen threats, as well as the people you know who actually are out to get you, it doesn't give you the same jump scare as a horror book might, but it certainly keeps you on your toes!

I loved the attitude of our MMC, Hector. Confident almost to the point of recklessness, snarky and just the right amount of bloodlust! And yet the character has been given such depth and nuance, with various moments of vulnerability and emotion that make him fascinating to read. As with all of this author's books (or at least, the ones I've read and have seen advertised), the book is led by LGBTQ+ characters, and while this is made abundantly clear almost immediately (seriously, may as well be big pink flashing neon signs!), even if it wasn't the relationship development is just gorgeous. And I have to admit, watching a male and female lead working together and knowing it won't turn romantic feels really refreshing! The relationship between Hector and Romy is feisty and a bit of a battle of wills, and is so much fun to read. 

Some of the secondary characters feel a little familiar - it may be because I've just done my Fourth Wing reread, but there is one character who definitely has a whiff of Jack f*****g Barlowe about them - but if they do have such traits it only helped me sink further into the story because I already felt comfortable with the idea of who these people were. 

Although the magic system is not explained in huge amounts of detail, it's still really easy to pick up and follow. As a result, the world coalesces really easily in your mind, and you're not left with confusion or questions about how things work. It's just a book that picks you up and carries you along without your brain having to do too much work to keep up. 

There is only one reason this book doesn't get the full five stars, and it's trivial yet important. The blurb of the book and the marketing almost give too much away. I went in already having a rough idea of what to expect, so when the build up in the book ran contrary to that belief, the climax should have been a great twist/reveal/shock. And if you're picking this up cold, it will be (or, at least, if you guess what's going to happen you'll get a sense of satisfaction out of it). But some of the bits and pieces I've seen went further than just a 'rough idea' and so reduced the effect. I absolutely understand wanting to market the book and engage people's interest, but it's a shame that it could be at the expense of the impact of the storyline. 

Seriously though, if you like MM dark magical fantasy, go and buy this when it comes out!

Well that was underwhelming. I am genuinely so disappointed in this series; for a topic that has so much room for fun interpretation and scope to tailor for an audience of any age, it should have been a dream for a master of telling historical tales with a twist. But it feels like it's a story that's been dashed out in five minutes to fulfil a publishing obligation rather than being a story the author truly wanted to tell. 

Once again, the set up is practically identical to the first two books; a parent and child con-artist team arrive in Eden City to fleece the locals, and they run into Prometheus, still on his quest to find a true human hero. The structure is the same too, with the Eden City events alternating with those in Olympus before slowing coming together. We've gone back to a boy MC this time, and as a result there's a serving/slave girl who makes an appearance for him to befriend and save. Again, all very familiar (that plot device appears in the Tudor Terros series too). Not sure why the girl in the last book didn't get a serving/slave boy equivalent, but whatever. So the markers are all there. But that's all that seems to be there.

The plot this time feels even thinner than before, and relies heavily either on repeats of the scenes from the previous books just tweaked to suit the new characters, or humour that probably does work for the appropriate age group. There's just no real substance to it. I did enjoy the introduction of various monsters from Greek myth into the plot, but they were literally just obstacles between the MC and his goal, and each were dismissed or dispatched within a couple of pages. They could have had so much more importance within the plot, but by this stage it feels more like we're aiming for cheap laughs.

After three books, I was at least hoping for a decent payoff. But I was left disappointed there too. It's probably the most honest and insightful piece of writing in the whole trilogy, but that doesn't stop it from leaving you feeling shortchanged. In my opinion, it basically negated the entire purpose of the books. So, so frustrating!

I think I'll stick with what I know from this author from now on, as I don't want to tarnish his otherwise stellar reputation as a force for kids' (and big kids') entertainment and education. This was a very strange blip in his back-catalogue!

Well this was a little bit kooky and a little bit spooky, but a fun, lighthearted series starter that offers some great visuals, a fair few giggles and just a sprinkling of murder-mystery... so it really has something for everyone! When Mina starts work at her local bookshop, she just thinks her gorgeous-but-surly boss Heathcliff and his equally hunky flatmate, James Moriarty, have unfortunate if oddly fitting names. But as we all know, sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction...

Now, this was a first for me in that I switched from the audiobook to the ebook about 25% of the way through (yay for SYK days!). While I was really enjoying the story and the scene setting, unfortunately I just could not get on with the narrator. I enjoyed her take on the characters' voices, and when she was playing a role she was wonderful. But when she wasn't doing dialogue, it sounded like someone learning to read aloud. She would stress words in strange places, and every time she said the word 'a' or 'the', it sounded like it was the most important word in the sentence - a stilted pause before, an elongation to 'ayyy' or 'thee' and another stilted pause, like she wasn't quite sure what the next word was. It got to the point that it was detracting from my enjoyment and distracting me from the actual story and writing. But, once I started reading the ebook and was able to use my own internal monologue to follow along, it became far more engaging.

The writing is a little rough and ready, but it's got a feel-good factor to it that just sparks joy. It flowed well and the book zoomed by at pace, giving me everything I needed to enjoy a couple of hours of escapism while setting up the premise of the wider series. Most importantly, it doesn't take itself too seriously! Yes, the plot revolves around a murder, but it really is secondary to getting to know the characters and drawing the reader into their inevitable attraction to Heathcliff, Morrie and Quoth (you'll see 😉), so it doesn't really bother me too much that the culprit is pretty obvious from fairly early on. 

Speaking of the boys; well, I'm sold on Morrie from the first second he appears. And yes, I'm seeing Andrew Scott - if you're not then there's something not quite right with you! 🤣  I've never read Wuthering Heights so have no frame of reference for the 'real' Heathcliff, but I'm less convinced by him at the moment. When he is being  sweet he's great, but that's not often and he just hasn't 'spoken' to me yet. And I want to know more about Quoth, but I'm picturing a Kingfisher-esque look in my mind for him so he can definitely stay!

I like how the author has populated the village with proper OTT characters too. Because, let's face it, every village has them! Maybe not these characters specifically, but they're there! Even Mina's mother is recognisable - even if you don't know someone like her directly, it's not hard to conjure up an image of someone like her. Despite the madcap plot, somehow these random people with their insane foibles serve to make the setting more believable. Although there were a couple of oddities that didn't sit quite right with me - the village setting with a council estate of the ilk described doesn't quite fit in my head, and the 'market' sounds more like a bigger convenience store. But different strokes for different folks!

I think every bookworm will be able to relate to Mina in some way, but the addition of her declining sight and the acceptance she finds from the boys when not expecting it is lovely. The whole book opens up her character to allow the reader to feel that additional anxiety that discrimination and even basic things like inadequate lighting can cause. It's clear this is an element of the character written from the heart and the experiences of the author herself, and it's beautifully done.

My TBR pile is currently out of control and there is a certain dragon book coming out next week that I have to read quickly so I don't get spoiled, so it may take me a little time to return to this series, but I'm definitely planning on it! Highbrow literature this isn't, but if you're just looking for a good time, it's well worth a try!

I'll be honest, I was a little disappointed by this book. It's a cute little story for kids, but I'm not entirely sure there's enough in here to keep even their attention fully focused. The author is usually so good at finding the sweet spot mid-way between education and entertainment, but in this case it feels like he's missed the mark on both counts. 

It just comes across as a watered down rewrite of the first book, except while the story follows on its being told by a completely new character, who basically has the same traits and backstory as the original. It feels like the similarities were used as a quick shorthand to get the story moving without having to develop the new characters very much, and their actions become very repetitive very quickly, so there's not actually that much to enjoy of them. The fact that the premise of Prometheus' story has already been set up means that layer of the story is also removed, and so while he is the lynchpin of the plot, he doesn't have all that much to do in this one, which is a shame because he is by far the mist interesting character!

There are two new elements introduced here. The first is a potted retelling of the Trojan War, which is mainly used as a set up to continual jokes about how, in the ten years of the war, Helen's beauty has gone from being able to launch a thousand ships to ever decreasing numbers. We do meet Achilles and Paris as squabbling rivals, and it portrays Zeus and Hera as bored Gods who are just playing  with the human population for their own amusement. It does do a little to introduce the myth to the book's target audience, but again not in the same depth or tone that you'd usually expect from the author. And while I am no expert, I do love a good Greek myth retelling and some of the elements used in here are completely new to me... so I do wonder if the author has chosen to stray fully from the source material and just make up his own events to suit?

The second element are the 'Wild Ones' who have surrounded Eden City. Although it doesn't state it explicitly, the names of the characters and other inferences suggest to me that they are based on Native Americans. Unfortunately, while the role they are meant to play in the story should be quite important, that whole aspect feels very glossed over and they fade into the background really quickly. Again, I feel like this was a missed opportunity - there is so much more that could have been done to develop the plot and the characters here.

There are clear signposts towards a 'big reveal' in book three, which I do have handy as the library has just delivered it for me and I do want to finish the series. But ultimately this book seems to be purely a bridge from the set up to the finale, with very little point in and of itself. Perhaps it would have been better as a duology? I don't know. I keep coming back to the fact that I'm not the 'right' age for this book, but then again this is also true for his 'Tudor Terrors' or 'Horrible Histories' series, and I still love those! Perhaps I'm now learning why I hadn't heard of this series until recently... Ah well!

Well, that's the reread complete with just 9 days to go until Onyx Storm! And I certainly needed the refresher! I will admit that I don't enjoy Iron Flame quite as much as I do Fourth Wing, but as always the Graphic Audio format comes to its rescue and makes things so much more digestible for my brain. And to hear 'My house. My chair. My woman' in glorious technicolour (oh, you know what I mean...) makes it worth it all on its own!

The calibre of the voice actors in this series continues to be the main draw for me. Every actor portrays their part so well and has me more invested in the plight of not just Xaden and Violet, but all of the secondary characters too. It's not that I didn't notice them when reading the physical book, but they just feel so much more prevalent within the story when it's experienced in this format. And of course, the chemistry between Violet and Xaden only gets hotter in this part of the tale...

The main thing that the GA couldn't improve for me is the worldbuilding. The immediacy of Basgaith and Eritia are absolutely great and I can see both of those locations in my mind's eye, and of course the 'set up' of everything works incredibly well. But I've never been completely clear on the geography, and the further into this book I got the more confused I felt. Likewise, the background to the current conflict makes my head spin a little bit, and even things like the set up kn the sections, squads and wings become more fuzzy as time passes. I feel like a physical reread would be worthwhile at some stage, perhaps even with (shock horror) some annotations being made to help me keep things straight.

And yet, there are elements of the writing that shine through and that are enhanced further by this format. The moments between Xaden and Violet hashing out their relationship is really well done (even if I'm not always convinced by Violet's demands), and of course the last scene with the two of them is just a gut-puncher. Andarna's contrary teenage sass and Tairn's eye rolling ways are always funny, but when you can have that side by side with those touching moments of Andarna protecting the squad, or Tairn's defending of Violet, my understanding of dragon-kind became so much more than it was after reading the physical book.

Looking forward to seeing what book three brings!

The story of Rory Bloodstone continues in this second omnibus edition of the Royals of Villain Academy series, with even more secrets, surprises sexytimes in store. The main focus remains on the pentacle of scions, but expands beyond Blood U to take in the wider world, both mage and nary, to take you on a ride where the outcome isn't certain for any of them. This is more emotionally charged than the first half, both in terms of your investment in the characters and the overarching narrative, there are moments that really draw you in to examining your own stance on various happenings in the real world, and moments that make you wish you lived in fiction!

As before, the pace is very quick, with the whole story really being more than the sum of its parts. But what I liked about this was the various elements of uncertainty throughout. The author has done a fantastic job at keeping the options open every step of the way, so that it's completely possible for the various scenarios to have multiple outcomes. I found myself wanting to keep reading so I could get all the answers, from whether all of the pentacle would make it to the end and would there be a HEA, to whether certain characters would turn out to be heros or villains. Again, the omnibus is over 1,000 pages but it is definitely not a hard read and it really does fly by!

This book also has the advantage that, even though it essentially follows straight on, the characters all seem to come into their own a little more, presenting much more maturely and facing the problems of the outside world as adults rather than the petty middle school childishness that went on in books 1-4. I found this made all of the main characters far more likeable, and when coupled with their individual moments in the spotlight, made them all more well rounded too. They probably could have done with a little bit more development to really flesh them out as they don't come across in my head as vividly as others, but they're engaging enough for you to envy Rory her position, and to recoil from the barons. 

The chemistry between Rory and the boys cranks up a notch here, with the appeal of each only improving as the story progresses. This book has helped me understand the appeal of the reverse harem, although I'm still trying to get my head around the logistics of four guys at the same time, especially with no crossing swords... may need to go back and read those bits again... 😉. 

There is what feels like a little bit of catastrophising social commentary within (well, maybe it's not catastrophising if it feels like we're heading that way!), but it's also a great illustration of the power of people, young and old, when they band together to take a stand about issue they believe in and the way the power of the minority in charge could be brought to bear on those who disagree. In some respects, I felt that this element was glossed over a bit too quickly, which detracted from the effectiveness of Rory's machinations. Likewise, the ending felt somewhat rushed and a little bit of a disappointment after the long old build up; it all just slotted into place a little too quickly and neatly.

Overall, I prefer this book to the first one, but the series as a whole was well worth a read and I'm definitely making sure the author is on my list to go and meet at RARE25!

Blaming my bestie for this! My first RARE25 author read of the year, and the first dip of the toe into the world of reverse harem. And I feel like this was a good place to begin! A series with a fairly straightforward setup, but with lots of underlying action and intrigue to keep things interesting, a little bit of magic and fantasy to keep me within my comfort zone, and some great characters! It also helped that this is an omnibus edition of the first half of the series, meaning it was easy to get really into the story without interruption.

I will admit that I probably wouldn't have liked it as much if I was reading the books separately. While each one does have an individual story to tell, the overarching narrative is far more prevalent and so, to me, it works far better as one big book (even if that book is over 1,000 pages!). The pacing is still fast despite the length, but it is tempered by the fact you are able to focus on the series arc and thus it has a nice build to it, both in terms of dramatic and romantic tension. Wjereas each individual section flies by and I think if I'd been reading them individually I'd have found each one 'something of nothing'. 

Our main character, Rory, is a protagonist who stands at odds with the world she's dropped into and so the perspective you get is skewed through her eyes from the getgo. While the story absolutely gives justification for this, it's so easy to see past it, which does make her come across as a little naive and blinkered. Her character does develop well, but even by the time you reach the end and she has modified her opinions, there is still that underlying bias which feels even more out of place than it did at the start. I'm certainly interested to see how this continues to develop jn the second half of the series.

It does read very much like teen crushes and playground politics for much of the story; despite it being set at a university and all the characters being of age, everyone seems to act like they're still in school. So when things turn more adult, the writing makes it work but there is something of a disconnect between those moments and the rest of the goings-on. That being said, there are some beautiful moments of 'quiet', where Rory and one of the boys are alone together and having an honest conversation or a moment away from their stresses. 

Speaking of the boys, I don't blame Rory for not wanting to choose! The author has done really well at developing each of the characters so that the bullying at the outset leaves you with that lingering sense of mistrust and the 'bad boy' appeal, but at the same time gradually revealing their layers to give some reasoning for why they are how they are. And all of the boys are developed evenly; it's easy to share Rory's developing feelings as everything seems to progress naturally (if a bit quickly). I guess this is a pretty standard response to an RH/why choose book, but I'd just have convinced myself that Rory would be best paired with one character, when the author would completely flip the script and I'd find myself rooting for another of the guys! Genuine can't pick a favourite (although I will admit I'm still not totally sold on Malcolm, but I think that's the point!). 

For a chonky tome, this was a really nice, easy read (albeit with a few flashes of darkness), perfect for switching off your brain and just being carried along. I guess I'd better go download the second half now! 

This book makes me wish I was more of an analytical reader. There are so many theories that stem from here about what might happen in Onyx Storm, but I'm blissfully unaware of the majority of them because I'm just along for the ride. Likewise, where Fourth Wing does a fabulous job at setting up the world you're immersing yourself into without overloading you, this first half of Iron Flame builds on that and starts to paint a more detailed picture of the country and continent the action is taking place in. Its history, geography and traditions are all woven really well into the narrative, but it's here where I lose the thread. I feel like I need a Battle Brief map to keep everything straight! It's so well done and the writing could easily persuade me that this place exists, but my brain is too busy being distracted by dragons and a shadow daddy to actually process it. 

That being said, the graphic audio does make the story in general far easier to follow, plus the fact that I'm reading it following straight on from Fourth Wing without a break means I have actually been able to keep all of the characters and relationships straight in my head as well. The performances are all great, and I'm finally 'there' with Gabriel Michael as Xaden, so that made it even more enjoyable. His performance, and that of Khaya Fraites as Violet, kicks up another notch in this instalment and the heat between their characters, whether the pent up frustrations, snarky flirting or indeed in the resolution of all that sexual tension, is scorching.

As an aside, I was proud of (and maybe slightly worried for) myself for immediately recognising Anthony Palmini's one line, but then realised I'm going to have to listen again as somehow I missed Jon Vertullo's dulcet tones somewhere in here... if anyone can point me in the right direction, it'd be much appreciated!

There is again enough action and intrigue in this first half to keep the audio engaging and pacy, and enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. It's also found a stopping point that feels quite natural within the narrative, rather than mid-scene as with the last book. Overall, it's a tight and well crafted production that draws on the excitement of the source material and manages to improve upon it by bringing it to life in such an enthralling way.

Well, here we are again. Another year, another Clarkson book to add to the collection. Only this time it was a Christmas present so I didn't spend my own hard-earned cash on it. But yep, still a sucker. 

I think what gets me is the books seem to be getting thinner, and there are more and more blank pages, pages with illustrations (albeit still beautifully drawn ones) rather than the content you've paid for and, this year, a shed load of advertising of his previous books at the back (which, as we've previously established, I already own) followed by yet more empty pages. It's getting to the point where it feels like I would just be better off buying the newspaper of a weekend as it'd be better value for money!

The articles themselves are fine; while I've given up on the idea that they will be as humorous as they were in days gone by, there are a couple of moments which induce a light giggle, and he does actually raise some properly good points about the impact of political decisions on farming. There is an article which mentions that there are 'no death duties on farmland' and I was hoping that the book might extend enough to cover his involvement in the protests against the new Government's decision to change this (driven by professional curiosity), but alas not. So, yet again, there's a hook for me to get the next one. Likewise, only when you get to the very last article does he mention that he's bought a pub, so the adventures of The Farmer's Dog will also have to wait.

As a result, the majority of the articles don't feel very personal, which again detracts from the whole point of my reading. I like hearing about his triumphs and failures, his schemes and successes, and his take on life. There is even one article in here that is essentially a car review - it mentions the farm briefly at the start, but that's it. Which brings me back to my argument that, if he's writing a weekly column and this is the best they can do to pull together his writings about the farm, surely it would be better if they went back to the 'World According to Clarkson' days and just put together a compendium of all his articles from the year?

It is worth a read though, and I'm very grateful to my brother and sister-in-law for buying it for me. And it gets me off and running for 2025!