writerres27's reviews
45 reviews

5 stars for this beautiful addition to the Celestial Kingdom Duology. Overall, I was incredibly impressed by the way the author adapted to the voices of each character's POV. In such a small collection of short stories, it is incredibly difficult to feel fully immersed  in a character's mind and view, and yet Sue Lynn Tan does this with ease. The writing, as with the Duology itself, is incredibly beautiful and creates a world within the reader's head that is easy to follow. Because this is a collection of short stories, rather than one continuous plot, I will not be writing a full review. I think it suffices to say that every expectation I had for this collection was met: I got to revisit characters I know and love, I got to experience different perspectives on important events from the duology, and I got to see a *final* final ending that brought me joy and truly felt like closing the storyline. Anyone who loved the Celestial Kingdom Duology will find this collection charming, fulfilling, and emotional, leaving the reader wishing there had been even just one more page to cling to :)

First 5-star read of 2024! Fantastic book. I found the story to be fast paced and engaging, the characters were interesting and well juxtaposed, and the ending certainly has me anticipating a second book. Overall, I found the writing beautiful, the plot fascinating, and the growth of El-Arifi rewarding. This will be a spoiler-free review! Details below.

Plot:
The storyline begins the second the writing does. You're following the story of Yeeran and Lettle, two sister elves exploring an unknown land as Yeeran enters exile. The action is near constant with new events occurring almost every chapter. I found it hard to put the book down, constantly wanting to know what was going to happen next and telling myself "just one more" long after my bedtime. Perhaps the most impressive feat of the plotline is the double plot-twist occurring at the climax of the book. While I had my suspicions about one, I was truly surprised (and went "AHHHHH!!!") at the other one. I was excited by the constant rise and fall of hope presented in the plot as new challenges continued to arise and were overcome, some more than others. It's been a while since I was gripped by a book from the very beginning, thus earning Faebound and El-Arifi my first 5-star rating of the year.

Characters:
Character development in this story was well done for a first book. While all of the main characters experienced a broadening of their knowledge and understanding of the world, some took to it better than others. With characters who are all starkly different, often grating against each other regardless of how much love they share, the reader gets to experience multiple perspectives on the events of the plot as the story goes on. You find yourself sympathetic for, and irritated with, all of the characters for different reasons, which in turn allows you to understand their actions or the reactions of others. While many first books in a series struggle to demonstrate substantial character development before the second book, El-Arifi does a great job of making the characters flexible from the beginning, though their core characteristics are firm and consistent the whole way.

World building, setting, and magic system:
I found the world of Faebound quite fascinating. Not so different from our own, but different enough to keep the reader curious, Faebound explores different roles within a society, as well as different peoples within a greater world, and the conflicts that arise amongst them. The descriptions are beautiful and vivid, allowing the reader to envision the characters' experiences with clarity. The magic system was also incredibly interesting, with details and explanations emerging progressively throughout the book. This allowed readers to learn alongside the main characters, but never left the reader wondering how it all fit together or whether they were missing something. I was extremely satisfied by the explanations and depictions of the world's magic, which remedies the only complaints I had about The Final Strife, another first book in an El-Arifi fantasy series. You can see the growth in El-Arifi as an author, and it is quite pleasing to witness in real time.

I wish I had a better explanation, I just wasn't finding myself settling into the book. I may give it a try again in the future, but I believe the writing style just wasn't for me. I also would recommend looking up trigger warnings before reading, because the book itself has none. I've included my own content warnings, but there may be more as you read further.

4.5 stars overall. This book, and this series as a whole, was an emotional and philosophical rollercoaster. Above all else, I very much respect and appreciate Olivie Blake's ability to raise extremely contradictory yet equally valid feelings and convictions about society, existence, and human nature. I've identified heavily with many of the characters and their various imperfections and convictions across the entire series, and I found this conclusion to be an almost perfect conclusion for each of them. Perfect in the sense that it's *correct* and realistic, not necessarily that it's what we all hoped and dreamed for the characters. Also, as an aside, I recommend reading the acknowledgements if you've followed the series. It's a nice contextualization of why certain choices were made. Specifics (and spoilers) below!!!

Plot:
This is where the 4.5 fails to reach a full 5 stars. As is the risk of writing a story with many POVs, there are certainly circular, repetitive parts of the plot. This can make it confusing to follow the story's timeline and made the pacing inconsistent, though I'm sure that is somewhat intentional given the commentary the book makes about time. I just ultimately felt that, while I was in general agreement with the various plot decisions Blake made, because they felt accurate and authentic to the story, some of them weren't necessarily satisfying. I would also say that the numerous, intertwined conflicts occurring throughout the series and, specifically, this book, was also a challenge. Not an unwelcome one, as I feel they were all sufficiently explored and concluded, but it was definitely a lot going on that some readers may not do as well with as others.

Characters and Relationships:
This. This is where the bulk of the story falls. Every important character, as well as every important dynamic between characters, is dealt with one way or another. There are no loose ends, not really anyway, and the only characters whose storylines are left open are done so in a way that still gives the reader sufficient closure. At the end of the day, Blake achieves the goal of humanizing all of the characters, both for their humanity and their lack thereof. They are flawed, they are relatable, and they are real. To take such divisive and controversial characters and find a way to place them all, more or less, on equal footing by the end is a difficult thing to accomplish. Yet here we are. Normally I don't get into the nitty gritty in reviews, but I will give commentary on each of the main characters/relationships I appreciated in this story:
-Callum: The closest to understanding and redemption you could possibly get with this type of character. His ending is perfect, I can't imagine it ending any other way for him. If you'd told me at the beginning of the series that I'd be slightly misty eyed at Callum's death, I would've laughed. But Blake achieves the very difficult feat of using Callum to demonstrate that good and bad are subjective, that good people can do bad things and bad people can do good things, and that who you are and what you stand for can change and evolve from moment to moment. Callum grew on me in a way I could not have ever guessed.
-Parisa: The identity crisis we've all been waiting for. All I've wanted for Parisa all series is a sliver of authenticity, vulnerability, and humanness. We finally get it. To watch Parisa rise and fall throughout this book was affirming, to be quite honest. To watch her lose her poise, to crumple, and to still inevitably persist was validating.
-Reina: To accept the role she pushed so hard against for so long. A painful yet beautiful evolution. And for her to be able to shed her stubbornness, accept help, and embrace what is meant for her by the end was very fulfilling. Maybe it's just because she reminds me of a younger version of myself, but Reina's path was one of the hardest and, ultimately, most satisfying to follow.
-Tristan: Shockingly, I have the least to say about him. I hope (in the universe where the story continues) he gets satisfaction from the changes he's made, the things he's discovered, and the life he's able to lead now.
-Libby: Probably the most divisive character. As a reader who was frustrated by her continuously, but always ultimately understanding of her, I felt satisfied with this as the only logical ending for her. Some things, ultimately, never change, even if the entire world around us does.
-Nico: I cried. So very much. I saw so much of myself in Nico over the course of these books, especially this one. He is relatable, precioso, and deserving of goodness in a way the other characters aren't. Which is, of course, why he had to be the one to die. Despite having an itching feeling that this may happen, I was still shocked when the time finally came. Especially after all that was said between him and Libby the night before, which was perhaps one of the most *real* scenes I've ever read, it was so hard to accept and yet so prophetic.

Complex characters with even more complex relationships. I felt a strong satisfaction simultaneous with a deep ache to see their stories end how they did. As a series based on rage, pain, existential questions and no real answers, I knew I would have conflicting feelings when the end finally came. I'm just relieved none of these feelings were disappointment. I don't think the end could have gone any other way, and I feel Blake probably knew that from the beginning. I think she did a lovely job. I'm very happy to have read this series and look forward to a day down the road where I can read it again with fresh eyes and a different state of mind.

Overall rating: 4 stars
Genre rating (YA Romance): 4.25 stars

Long story short:
I enjoyed this book very much, with my adoration toward the characters growing as the story went on. While there were some aspects that felt a bit juvenile on first impression, the book is ultimately a Young Adult novel and therefore this should not reflect as a criticism. It is appropriate for the intended audience, has a satisfying plot progression, and demonstrates well-crafted character development. This book receives a 4.25 when compared to other YA romances I've read because it is a satisfying, representative story that I enjoyed reading. It only falls short of 5 stars because it did not grab me from the beginning, but rather about halfway through. I give the book a 4 stars overall for the same reason, paired with the fact that it is not my first choice genre. However, I was happy to pick up this story as a step outside of my typical reading habits, and I am likely to return to the genre because of my positive experience with this book.

Plot commentary:
The pacing of the story and the overall duration of the book was perfect. Just short of 300 pages, this is the perfect length for a (presumably) standalone YA romance novel. Enough time was spent setting the stage at the beginning, developing both the characters and the general conflict, while also giving the storyline enough room to flow naturally without getting bogged down in too much detail or repetition. The climax and resolution of the plot were realistic, satisfying, and enjoyable to read. While I was not entirely engaged at the beginning, this is more due to the fact that YA romcoms are not my primary genre, so it always takes some time for me to settle in. Once I hit the midpoint of the book, I devoured the rest of it in no time, eager to see what would happen next.

Character commentary:
The main character, Juliette, experienced multiple forms of character development over the course of the book. Both internally and interpersonally, Juliette was challenged in some ways and reaffirmed in others. Priya, as the secondary main character, also experienced these developments, albeit on a smaller scale. Other side characters were not within the main focus enough to go through such development, but I did not feel that I was missing anything without that. The book is ultimately character-driven, and Juliette and Priya are the focus. The characters were relatable for the intended audience, though the stubborn nature of Juliette was a challenge to read sometimes. This is authentic, however, given her age and circumstances, and reminds me of myself as a late teen. So, while uncomfortable at times, this was exactly how the character was supposed to be portrayed and Baldwin pulled it off genuinely and without overdoing it. The dynamics between characters evolved naturally, with no changes in the relationships catching me off guard. I felt that the pacing of the conflict/dynamic between Juliette and Priya was reasonable, and I was eager in the way that the reader of a slow-burn should be, not too much excess build up but not going by too quickly either.

Total rating: 3.75

Overview:
I enjoyed this book and found it to be a good follow-up to the first book, Fourth Wing. I am happy with the development of the plot and its pacing, but was disappointed in the amount of time spent on some aspects that felt like a waste of pages. I am looking forward to continuing the series, but I do hope Yarros takes her time with this next book, as there were aspects of this one that felt rushed and unrefined.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Plot commentary:
Great pacing. The characters' world is thrown into disarray at the end of Fourth Wing, and the fast-paced chaos of Iron Flame is exactly what one should expect to follow that. I was engaged the entire way, eager to see what would happen next. I found the duration of the book to be acceptable, though there are certainly a handful of repetitive scenes regarding Xaden and Violet's dynamic, as well as those involving Cat, that I feel were not necessary/took up too much time. The conflict in this book was complex, looking at the internal conflicts within both Violet and Xaden throughout the whole book as well as the conflict between them, the greater conflict of Aretia against Basgiath/Navarre, the conflict-turned-alliance between Aretia and Poromiel, and the big-picture conflict of all of these parties against the dark wielders. There were a variety of dynamics and plot points to pay attention to, and I feel all of them were adequately addressed, even if certain aspects could have been developed a bit more clearly and others may not have needed as much attention as they received.

Character commentary:
The vast majority of the characters felt that they were in the midst of an evolution, which is what I would expect in a second book of a series. While some characters felt a bit overdone, such as Cat, I found all of the characters that carried over from the first book were facing new and continued challenges that, while developing their character, posed significant moral questions for the characters to work through. I found the characters to be consistent, nothing felt extremely out of place for any of them. I found general relatability in the character, though it is always a challenge when your main characters, in this case Violet and Xaden, are being stubborn and make you want to yell at them. I found the character development of the dragons, as well as the relationships between the dragons and their riders, to be one of my favorite aspects. Learning more about this dynamic certainly influenced my rating of the book.

Setting/World-Building commentary:
The one significant flaw with this book, likely due to the speed at which it was released, is that I found myself having to go back to earlier sections of the book, as well as all the way back to the first book, to better understand new developments in the magic system and the world. While I was still engaged, there were definitely moments where things that were likely obvious to the author were lost in translation to the reader. I could have used a bit more re-contextualizing at the beginning, and I would have appreciated some of the new discoveries made by Violet, Jesinia, Dain, Rhi, and Xaden being expanded upon.

Misc./Other commentary:
I did need to reread paragraphs, or even pages, multiple times along the way because they were not written in the most digestible way. Once again, this is likely due to the fast pace at which the book was published, and I think it would be valuable for Yarros to take her time on the rest of the series to ensure readability and flow is a bit stronger. I did not have these issues with the first book, so I'm optimistic that they won't continue. I'm eager to see where she takes the rest of the series, especially given the fact that she has once again served us a cliffhanger ending, in multiple regards this time.

4.5 stars overall. A delightful, quick read. I significantly enjoyed the message from this short, informative graphic novel. I felt that very important, validating information was conveyed in a safe way for people of all ages to engage with and understand.

Breathe is an informational, creative non-fiction graphic novel based on academic research. The study, and the novel, focus on the practices of individuals who use a binder as a method of gender affirmation and expression. The majority of individuals who use binders are transmasculine folks, though there is representation across all body types, gender identities, and ages. Breathe discusses common approaches to binding, then proceeds to highlight the risks associated with certain practices and the safety steps that should be taken to alleviate those risks.

As this is an early version, there were a few grammatical errors throughout that will be fixed before the actual release. Additionally, I am excited to see what color can add to the graphics. The art is already beautiful and expressive, so I look forward to seeing this be taken to the next level as the graphics are finalized.

I learned a lot, I felt seen and validated as a non-binary person who sometimes binds, and I feel that I could share this as a resource across different social groups, age groups, and identities.