sol_journal's reviews
87 reviews

*Thank you Laura Weymouth for the arc! All thoughts and opinions on this title are my own!*
Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 15 September 2023

4.6 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars.

Another phenomenal piece that’s *perfect* for the upcoming fall season! Laura Weymouth delivers a beautiful piece as always, featuring ghosts, haunted homes, and a darker secret sitting at its heart. ‘The Voice Upstairs’ isn’t too spooky in its horror and gory meter- it’s rather tame and good for people who want spooky season vibes without the heavy spooks! It’s more like a mystery- and I certainly couldn’t put it down once the threads began to unravel.

For this title, there are two points of view- Wilhelmina (Wil) Price, and Edison (Ed) Summerfield. I think what’s interesting about having two focuses for this book is that we see the story coming together from two very *not* put together people who each have a strong role in the overall mystery. As usual, the characters have so much life and depth into them, which is no surprise as Weymouth’s previous works always show the full scope of characters- including the ugly sides of them that make them more human and relatable. For this particular story though, there was a bit more of a working cast that was featured. There were a few names and connecting storylines that had me feeling like a detective a few times trying to piece it all together. While this is good- keeps things interesting- it kind of left a bit more wanting. I almost wish the book was a little longer so some key points could be played out more.
That has to be one of my only dislikes- this book wasn’t nearly as long as I’d personally want considering what’s being untangled! It wasn’t exactly ‘rushed’, but it was really a personal preference to see *more* from this creative scene and world that we are given! It’s almost like a game of chess where you’d *want* more time to see all those options before you, but you don’t have nearly as many seconds with it as you’d like!

While its not a magic system per se, Wil’s ability to see ghosts was such an interesting take! It’s not the usual fully conscious spirits nagging at the middleman for attention, but rather half-sentient souls who know they have a message to say but just aren’t tethered to the physical world enough to get it through. I think this interesting take on an in-between world leads back to me wanting to see more. I’ve read a few paranormal and spirit filled stories, but none that view the land of the dead like Wil experienced. It wasn’t scary, but there was a sort of eeriness in this other world that left me wanting to see more of it.

I keep saying that I was left wanting more, but ‘The Voice Upstairs’ wrapped up *perfectly* for a standalone. I didn’t find too many loose threads to pull on, no lacking in the characters- it was just another enjoyable read from Laura Weymouth that I didn’t want to see end! I’m genuinely trying so hard to be unbiased when I say this too, but I have a select few authors who are my favorites, and Laura Weymouth certainly is on that list for me. I was super lucky to snag an arc even though I already know I’ll be re-reading this when my pre-order arrives.

*Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honesty review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 15 September 2023

3.4 (rounded down to 3) out of 5 stars.

This wasn’t a favorite read of mine. I don’t know if it just caught me in a slump or what, but I found myself not really enjoying this as much as I thought I would- and I kinda hate that! ‘Flower and Thorn’ has such an interesting idea. I love the magical flowers theme where each flower has a different property to them (healing, manipulating, etc) but I kind of wish the more vague ones were explained more? Or maybe I just missed it, but like the silver spider lily has the ability to win wars but how? We know jasmine heals and we see our main character make a tincture with it. Hibiscus controls yet the petal of the bluestar counters it- so how does the spider lily work? Or is it just something that *is* and we as readers have to just go with it?
I’m definitely asking for more here than what I normally would, but when it plays a huge part of the story, I’d like a bit more understanding behind it. Like the lotus too- beyond it being rare and ‘must never be found’, we don’t really understand much about it either (though for this one, that’s kind of the point I guess?)

The characters were… they were okay. I found Irinya to contradict herself a lot. She’d say or believe one thing, but easily do the opposite. The kickoff to everything was also just- unbelievable? I won’t ruin too much, but it does happen within the first few chapters. I just found Irinya’s decisions to be very annoying sometimes. She does grow to be a bit better, kind of learning after betrayals and all, but there’s still moments enough that made me put the book down. The other characters also fell a little flat to me. I guess I wanted to see more interactions that helped sway and make each other? Some of the characters felt like they were there just for the sake of pushing the story along, which happens! It doesn’t make them *bad* characters, just left me wanting more from them somehow.

It’s never really explained why Irinya can talk to flowers/hear them. I would’ve loved that aspect to play more into the story actually as *that* was also interesting. The dialogue tags got a bit repetitive. I specifically wrote ‘this girl wants to shout a lot- let👏🏼her👏🏼shout👏🏼’ in my review notes if that says anything. There was more tell not show when it came to the speaking side of the story. That’s where characters lacked I think, or where it just became a little repetitive to me.

All in all, it sounds like I’m thrashing this story but it’s pretty okay! I really just think it caught me in a bad slump between reads and that’s where my over-criticalness of it stemmed. I don’t really see myself re-reading this, but I’m grateful nonetheless for the opportunity to read and review it. I think it’s a fine read, and I just wish I could’ve loved it more.

Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Posted on: 7 September 2023

This was such a cute read! Catherine Bakewell described this as being the ‘book of her heart’ in the FaeCrate letter and honestly- it was such a loving novel with kind words tucked between each page. This book has a lot of low reviews for the reason of it being compared to ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ a lot. I have the bad habit of holding books to other book expectations as well, but I’ve been trying to get better at not doing that. So taking Howl’s off the mind while reading this, you get a little comfort story about a girl just trying to heal and find kindness in a world that hasn’t exactly been very kind to her.

The magic system is very simple and basic. There’s no need to understand how the ins and the outs of it work to a T. It just *is* the way things here are working- every witch having a different specialty, how the Council is the commanding order here. There were a few loosely tied connections and pieces of the story that didn’t fit quite seamlessly in as it could have been done though.

Character wise, it was okay too. If you see yourself in the always anxious, always nervous Clara, then the characters will easily find a home in your heart. If you aren’t as insecure or shy, then it may be a bit harder to find that connection because Clara’s story is based on this insecurity of her magic and herself. Her story is built on the solid support and love from her father, and how she’s desperate to fix it after accidentally placing a curse upon him. This story also features a plus-size main character, a hispanic character, and just the bundle of depression and anxiety that even the kindest of hearts can hold. This book was certainly a love-letter into healing oneself and finding oneself done in a way that could be reminiscent to Ghibli movies with its style and prose. But again, if you can’t really relate/see this and feel this, it’s a lot harder to enjoy the book.

The writing style wasn’t my favorite, but it was nice! It read a bit simpler, but I also wouldn’t entirely knock it down to middle grade/younger YA level just because of it. Again, this is a nice and easy read because it’s not so fleshed out and detailed, it makes it almost a comfort novel when you need a pick-me-up.

All in all, I can see how others weren’t entirely happy with ‘Flowerheart’. I think there was too much a standard held up to it to be just like Howl’s Moving Castle- or other Ghibli movies/inspired books in general that when it fell a little short, people were too critical against it. Catherine Bakewell delivers a beautiful novel about simply quelling that angry little voice in your head that likes to tell you doubts over and over. It’s a beautiful novel about friendship, parental love, and just feeling comfortable in one’s own skin! I totally accidentally skipped over the content warnings for this book though, but that was entirely a self-fault. The book in its entirety beyond that little scene that threw me off was like finding acceptance and self- it’s not too often that plus-sized main characters are featured in fantasy novels so it was certainly a taste of home that made me love this book all the more.

Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph

Posted on: 1 September 2023

Wow.

Just- wow

‘The Sun and the Void’ was entirely a book that I didn’t know I needed. Gabriela Romero Lacruz says that this was a book born from the desire to see her culture represented in a high fantasy setting- and this was a book that easily found a home in this Laitna’s heart too. From delectable descriptions of food to a world inspired by various locations of South America, ‘The Sun and the Void’ is a fantasy adult novel that transports you to another world.

Right off the bat- I LOVE stores with different points of views. We only see Reina and Eva, our main characters of the book. Reina is a half-nozariel being who has lost everything she has save for her final teether to a family- her grandmother and notorious sorceress Doña Ursulina. After an accident occurs with some tinniebals on the way to the Águilia manor, Reina is stuck relying on the magic of her grandmother to live. Eva is a quarter valco and a smudge to her family name because of it. She longs for freedom though, to not always be told what to do and what expectations to meet.

These two are our driving narratives for the story. I’ve seen a few other reviews call them naive a lot of times- and yes, honestly they were. There were times where I had to put the book down because something happened that annoyed or irritated me all because they didn’t think everything out through. But that’s the thing- that naiveness is part of the character and backs up the whole idea of those molds they are trying to break. It adds a layer to the change that very much happens throughout the book and that, I hope, will lead into the second book. 

There was such a nice level of layering to all the characters though. Gabriela Romero Lacruz does well in unraveling these dynamics for the readers. She did not shy away from showing the full scope of emotions and aches, something that I genuinely love to see in books. I love when characters are dismantled and you can vividly see their growth and change (although one character is still on thin ice, iykyk)

What I also enjoyed about ‘The Sun and the Void’ was how the information was handled and the good magic system. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, it’s pretty clear that I LOVE a good magic system and this book certainly has one that I vastly enjoyed! While explaining it all though, there wasn’t really a sense of information dumping? There was a mix of both show *and* tell that made the story flow nicely while unveiling how everything worked.

It is a bit on the slower paced side though. There is a little mix of higher action scenes, but there is more lore-building and character building done than constant action. I, personally, didn’t mind that all too much, but it really isn’t a read for everybody. I hope that there will be more in the second book though (especially with that ending I mean- wow) and more interactions with two characters specifically who grew to be more highlighted characters by the end of it. Honestly though, I really enjoyed this read! I didn’t know how much I needed to see bits of a culture similar to my own represented in this amazingly done fantasy series. I *cannot wait* to see what’s to come for these characters that I’ve come around to love!

Posted to: Goodreads and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 20 August 2023
4.4 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.

Stories always begin the same way: There was and there was not.

Do you ever *finally* get around to that book that’s been on your TBR for a while and when you finish that last sentence, sit there and ask yourself “man, why did I wait so long to read this?”
‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ is that book for me.

Melissa Bashardoust weaves together a tale for those who feel all too ‘poisonous, monstrous, or bristling with thorns’ using a mix of different elements from different fairytales- and I hate how long it took for me to come around to reading this. I fell so in love with the story of the poisonous princess who was the monster in her own fairytale- and we all know that the monsters don’t get the happy endings.
Or do they?
Soraya is the cursed princess who hides herself away within the walls of her own castle while her family goes on existing beyond the cold walls of their home. All because the blood of a div runs in her veins, making her touch deadly, the princess tucks herself out of sight and becomes the ghost of the kingdom where only rumors circulate around her and why she hides away. 

I really think the idea of this story was *so* interesting. There was so much promise to it and the writing was exceptionally beautiful. I mean, I absolutely loved the details and the way characters are written out. All too often, I found myself in the bristling thorns of Soraya and related a bit too much to the push and pull she felt while debating whether she wanted to be the Soraya her family knew, or wanted to lean into her own desires and finally be free.

Despite its beautiful language, the descriptions and the world-building, I do think that ‘Girl, Serpent, Thorn’ lacked a bit in the overall story itself. Many others have said that the overall idea fell short, and I can really see that too. Some parts of Soraya’s journey were mapped out well, and others were left kind of wanting (especially with Parvaneh I’d say). At the same time though, this personally didn’t take too much away from my own reading experience. I still fell wholeheartedly in love with the girl who saw herself a monstrous princess and learned that she could be both and find wholeness within that.

*Thank you Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 10 August 2023

4.1 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.

‘Atana and the Firebird’ was such a lovely story with a cute art style to illustrate its tale. This is aimed for a younger audience (definitely more middle grade, maybe even young adult range) yet I still found so much to love about this easy read!
When I first requested this book, I didn’t know that it was set to be a duology, so as I neared the end, I was getting worried that it would be a rushed finish to the story- then I saw it was expecting a second installment. Thankfully, there is no rushed wrap-up to this tale, giving readers enough time with this main trio that you kind of grow to love while reading! 
The characters started to go through bits of growth in this first part of the story, showing naiveness in a world that they didn’t fully understand nor explore yet until they meet with the mysterious Witch Queen. Here, Cosmos comes in- another friend for the, now, trio and a helpful ally as the truth of what they sought starts to unravel. 

I wish this story would have been longer! I absolutely adored the main cast we have and the little twists and turns in this first half. With the expectation of more to come though, Vivian Zhou will *definitely* have me awaiting for the next part of this to release. This was such a cute read that I honestly think many readers can come to enjoy. It’s certainly not a standalone that I see other reviewers made the mistake of believing as well, but it was such a nice paced read that the length and the cliffhanger of it wasn’t terrible! Besides waiting for the next book to see where our characters will go from here, I think this is the perfect read for those seeking something fun and easy with a nice story to its art and great characters to follow along with!

*Thank you BookSirens! I received this ARC for free and am voluntarily leaving an honest review!*

Posted to: BookSirens, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph

Posted on: 7 August 2023

4.2 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.

This is my first read from N.C Scrimgeour, but the summary seemed interesting and by the end of it, I was *hooked*. I saw the title on BookSirens and figured I’d try it as I liked the maritime theme in ‘The Isles of the Gods’ so I figured I’d try another sea-based setting.

This did not disappoint.

Scrimgeour has amazing detail and scene setting. It was a little slow for me at the beginning and I struggled find the rhythm of it, but once I found my footing, I couldn’t put this one down (roughly started around the midway point). I think I really enjoyed the magic system here too, along with the lore mingled in.

There’s a nice little romance that’s pretty obvious to pinpoint out from the beginning, but I personally didn’t like it all too well. Spoilers here until the end of this paragraph!!! Darce guarded the royal family (and I think he is roughly around 6 years older than Isla if I understood the mention of it well). That’s not weird, it’s kind of my favorite trope when it’s done right (legal age gaps, ya know?), but there wasn’t much a build-up for the chemistry there. They go from Isla being the ‘wolf cub’ who was an annoyance to keep in line and Darce being this overbearing guard to suddenly they’re catching each other’s gazes and being over-protective in a different sense than before. I *did* like the implied dynamic though, don’t get me wrong, just think the flow of it could’ve been a bit smoother or painted out more.

There were a few times where some relationships were kind of fleshed out more and other times, the bonds kind of implied to have grown from what they endured together. It wasn’t too rough, but the little jumps were there. There was also this secret to why Isla hated/felt uncomfortable with other nobles that was always mentioned, but avoided every time. We kind of find out why she dislikes one character eventually, but it doesn’t really make up for much of the disappointment and hate she’s bringing up a lot before (or maybe it did, but it happened during the slower bits where I was still finding my footing within the story’s pace and writing). I also wish we’d know more about the Sea Kith, as the ones we do get to see are so interesting that I was left wanting to know more about the relationship they end up having with our main group.

Overall, though, I think I will be excitedly awaiting the second book to this! There was a twist towards the end that I didn’t entirely guess, but it left me wanting more. There was enough resolved, yet enough left behind to still unravel, and I think it’s safe to say I’m a fan of whatever else is yet to come from this selkie story!

*Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 28 July 2023

4.4 (rounded down to 4) out of 5 stars.

‘Silver Nitrate’ was a book that when I first saw the summary, I was a little iffy on if it was one I’d like. Now, I *loved* a few of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s previous books- ‘Gods of Jade and Shadow’, ‘The Beautiful Ones’, and ‘Velvet Was The Night’. I knew her writing style well to know that I’d most likely *enjoy* her books regardless. I just figured that this new read would be a mood-read kind of book where I’d pick it up when I found myself *craving* a cursed movie title centering Nazi occultism, rough main characters, and stuff of fiction bleeding into two normal people’s reality. When I got approved for this eARC after all, I decided to just jump right in and, man, was it a *phenomenal* read at the end. 

‘Silver Nitrate’ shows the ugly of characters as well as it shows their ability to work together in the face of other’s ugly. Monserrat and Tristán were a duo that I found myself in love with from the start. They had a dynamic that grew and burned into what was the ending scene and I *loved* it SO much. There was just something about their flaws- one’s cowardice and the other’s unhealthy dive into what she finds interesting- being highlighted and then *actually* working through them at some point that grabbed me.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the magic system. I know the premise was in-story built by not so good people, but Silvia Moreno-Garcia creates this interesting system that almost had me like Monserrat in that I wanted to know more! I don’t know how much of real world occultism was used to help base the magic in ‘Silver Nitrate’ though, but the entwining of it *and* the idea of movies being more magic than what meets the eye was enthralling.
I think I’ve got a major book hangover with ‘Silver Nitrate’ though because I want more reads *just* like it. I want to know what happens after the ending and I honestly just need more Monserrat and Tristán! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy so I can read it all over again (and annotate it this time!)

*Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!*
Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph
Posted on: 21 July 2023

4 out of 5 stars.

I requested this after I read the free 1-5 chapter preview on NetGalley and realized I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I just didn’t take into account that I’m certainly not a romance first type of reader! That’s the only reason it took me so long to get through this read as I realized that the storyline was interesting, but the romance taking the front seat wasn’t really a writing style I, personally, enjoyed.

Putting my personal preferences aside- this was a good read! Angelina Lopez mixes some magic with the modern and it had me hooked to figure out what was happening and how it would play out.
Even the romance side was painted in a way that I could enjoy as somebody who doesn’t regularly read books that don’t fade to black. I loved the powerful main lead, loved the sister bonding, and, as a latina, loved the all-to-known family support even despite some differences we may have. I think that’s a large reason why I stuck it through despite it not being my typical read- because I love a good story with strong female characters and pairing it with a sort of tense yet supportive sisterhood relationship that mirrors my own siblings was a nice touch. Not to mention, we love a good romantic partner who knows what their significant other needs. This book genuinely made me want to go back and read the first in this (correct me if I’m wrong) interconnected series!

‘Full Moon Over Freedom’ was a delectable read that blended romance and a dramatic story wonderfully- and I’m kind of glad that this was my introduction into romance-focused reads as it’s truly made me interested to find a few more I may vibe with.

Posted to: NetGalley, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph

Posted on: 8 July 2023

Before Shiori, there was Channari- and Elizabeth Lim does an *amazing* job giving us the past of the stepmother who was once Serpent Queen.

When I saw the NetGalley listing, I KNEW I had to request this title and honestly, I hate that I did because it’s made me want to pause *all* of my current reads to go back and re-read the rest of the books that are a part of the Legends of Lor’yan. I mean, getting a taste of Channari and seeing her past? Beautiful, I absolutely *devoured* this book as quickly as I was able to.

It sounds like I’m entirely biased for this rating, and I’m trying hard not to be, so I’ll get to a few nitpicky parts.

The characters were wonderful! I loved being able to see more of Hokzuh, of Channi, and even a little surprise appearance from a certain emperor. I know a lot of importance was placed on Vanna and how beautiful she was, how she literally *glowed*, but I think this was more often brought up as a reminder to why things tipped the way they had- and why Channari fought so hard to free Vanna from this selection and everything that came after.

There were a few little plot points too that were murky, though I really think that I was so excited to read this that I skipped some key words and moments in my haste to see how it would end. (Mild Spoilers up until the end of the next paragraph!)

Like, I can’t entirely remember the reason the Serpent King bit Channari besides being there when the Witch Demon was. I kind of also wish Nakri was explained more/touched on more though she was also more a side character- just an interesting one in my opinion!

Overall, ‘Her Radiant Curse’ lived up to every idea I thought it would be. The flows of time/scene changes were a bit patchy here and there for brief moments, but to unravel Channi’s story and how she became Raikama was *amazing*. Even though readers of the Six Crimson Cranes duology know just how this story will end, you can’t help but sink into the words and hope that somehow, someway, the ending will re-write itself. I loved every page of this book, and I really cannot wait to re-read it whenever my pre-order arrives!