Embedded Files
It's time for some candid reviews of my most recent reads. Here, I will give thorough reviews of noteworthy novels which reflect my personal rating on a simple scale of 1-5 stars. Keep in mind that my reviews will discuss spoilers! If you'd like to share your own thoughts on these books, please click the link below each book review to join a warm and friendly online community for readers just like you :) See you there!
What do you think of this book? Did you figure out who was guilty before it was revealed?
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The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
Rating: ★★★★★
This mystery novel had me hooked from the start. It follows the story of a group of four people who, after coincidentally sitting at the same table in the Boston Public Library, hear a woman's terrified scream. Following a news report of the woman's death, the four (Freddie, Marigold, Cain, and Whit) become friends and try their own detective work to find the killer. Freddie meets up with her new friends to discuss, and the first chapter concludes with an ominous line, stating that she had just had her first coffee with a killer.
There was a fascinating multidimensional aspect to the book that I loved. The story, told in Freddie's perspective, was actually being written by an Australian woman named Hannah, and every chapter concluded with an email from her American friend, Leo, offering tidbits of advice pertaining to American culture and specific geographical information regarding the novel's setting.
Despite my lengthy drought of mystery novels, I was convinced I could solve this before the characters did. I read The Woman in the Library in a single sitting, taking meticulous notes as the book went on. Very quickly, my notes on Cain were stacking up tall. Even Leo was on the same page as I, frequently commenting on Hannah's plot strategy concerning Cain's evil character. After a while, it began to feel too obvious to me. Mysteries were supposed to surprise the reader, right? I began to reexamine the other characters, however, everyone else seemed clean of guilt. When Whit was revealed as the killer, I was stunned. I went to check my notes and found... nothing. Yet all the puzzle pieces lined up perfectly.
I can't say for sure if the genius multi-dimension scheme split my focus enough to elude sentencing Whit, if Leo's consistent emails misguided my own detective work, or if the writing was so great that Whit just seemed incapable of such a thing, but I've been unable to get this novel out of my mind. I can't give this one anything less than a five star rating. It deserves it.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Rating: ★★★★★
This novel was so incredibly eye opening from beginning to end (TW?). It told the story of a woman named Nora who attempted suicide. Unexpectedly, she woke up in a strange library, its shelves filled with hundreds of books. An elderly lady who Nora remembered as a librarian from her youth explained that she was "in between" life and death, and every book sitting on the shelves was a portal to a different version of her life, had she made different choices. Nora then explored her Book of Regrets and began entering alternate dimensions in the hopes of finding a life she wanted to stay in.
I loved this idea of what could happen after death, and I felt like I got to know Nora so well as she traveled the multiverse, undoing her regrets and experiencing inner growth. It was such a relief to me when Nora came to the realization that she didn't truly want to die, and as I ventured towards the last 30 or so pages, I realized where her story would conclude. After "trying out" hundreds of her realities, she did in fact find a life in the Midnight Library that she wanted to stay in. She had a wonderful husband, a lovely daughter, a good relationship with both her brother and her best friend, and was supported in pursuing her interest in philosophy. After spending weeks in that "perfect" life, Nora slowly began to feel like she hadn't earned the happiness she felt; that she had cheated her way to that reward. I imagine some readers may not like that, in the end, Nora returned to her root life, but I think it speaks a lot to her change in perspective. She came to an understanding that her potential was so much more than she had ever imagined. She learned that human life is not meant to be without its flaws, disappointments, or hardships.
While the novel's premise may trigger those who have been faced with or affected in some way by mental health struggles, I think The Midnight Library can be appreciated as a powerful and unique frame of reference for mental health awareness, life's purpose, and the rawness of human potential.
What are your thoughts on this book? Do you think it provided an interesting perspective on what the purpose of life is? Howso? How many stars would you give it?
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How would your story play out if Death-Cast called you? Would you be more like Mateo or Rufus? Did the book end like you expected?
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They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
Rating: ★★★★☆
The concept of this novel was very thought provoking, revolving around the recent invention of a system called "Death Cast", or DC, as it is later referred to. DC operators give people a call on their last day alive, letting them know their inevitable doom will greet them sometime in the next 24 hours. It could be two minutes after the news is delivered or 23 hours in the future. Whenever it happens, you can't stop it, only prepare for it. You can spend what's left of your last day saying goodbye to your friends and family, attend your own early funeral, or buy tickets to Make-A-Moment or the Travel Arena, virtual reality companies that provide simulated, risk-free bucket list adventures.
The answer to the most obvious question: yes, they both die at the end. I had a small suspicion that maybe the title was meant to mislead me, but I think I was just trying to hold onto hope, especially as the book went on and I grew attached to the characters. I don't particularly love that the book ended right before Rufus died, since it was very obviously leading up to his death from the beginning. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, it is implied that Rufus would soon meet his end as he crossed the street. However, Victor being the driver was a very subtle touch that I wasn't expecting. Mateo's earlier death was also heartbreaking, which the slight foreshadowing at the beginning of the book did not prepare me for. The book overall was a web of very subtle details that you likely won't pick up on in time, which I think reflects the wider perspective that you don't notice the little things in life until you realize it's too late.
It really begs the question: would you want to know the date of your unavoidable death? How would you live that last day, not knowing how it'll happen? Would you try to stay "safe" like Mateo did his whole life or would you accept it and go live while you can, like Rufus? The story greatly relies on the belief of fate and predetermined outcomes. Once you got the phone call from DC, your end was set in stone. It's hard to say whether the cause was set in stone, or if "buying yourself more time" by being extra careful was a possibility. I suppose that it's up to the reader's own imagination, but considering the way Mateo's death was foreshadowed, I'd say that the cause was also predetermined. Therefore, the boys "buying more time" would just be an illusion to spark hope in the reader. Rude.
The one criticism I have for this book is the very repetitive early-teen-style language. The persistent use of "mad" as an adjective was irritating me (probably more than it should have) and making me inwardly cringe at times. Rufus and Mateo were 17 and 18 respectively, but their vocal mannerisms made them sound closer to 14 or 15, which was causing a bit of dissonance in my head. I checked to make sure the author wasn't British, as that's a common British intensifier, but Silvera is American. However, Silvera has roots in New York, which is also where the book takes place, so if it's common slang for the northern U.S., I'm simply unfamiliar with it. Regardless, the constant use of it wasn't my cup of tea.
Cold Bath Street by A. J. Hartley
Cold Bath Street by A. J. Hartley
Rating: ★★★★☆
Ghost thrillers and horror novels have never peaked my interest, but when pursuing my local bookstore one day, this book's cover caught my eye. While the pictures online may not show it, there's a barely visible ghost lurking behind the boy, shown with a shiny quality that can only be seen in certain lighting. I immediately loved this choice of art on the cover and found myself reading it shortly after.
Cold Bath Street is about a 14 year old boy named Preston Oldcorn, who lives in Preston, Lancashire, England. On his walk home from Scouts, a large ghostly figure appears out of the darkness, follows him, and after a quick chase, kills him. Preston unexpectedly wakes up as a ghost. He goes on to discover that he has a spectral power where he can appear in the living world, but only for mere minutes at a time. He later learns that the ghost who killed him, the local legend named the Bannister Doll, has the same ability, and is still hunting him down. He must find a way to defeat it and find closure in his death so that he may become "Sincerely Dead", no longer trapped between life and death as a wandering ghost.
The novel drew heavily on real life local ghost sightings and stories, which I loved. Dorothy Bannister—commonly called the Bannister Doll because of her beauty—was a real girl from Preston, Lancashire, who was brutally (and publicly) murdered by her father. Following her death, it was believed that her ghost went on a murder spree where she killed three young boys. People claim to this day that her ghost still terrorizes both locals and visitors. This book's dark twists on death, the afterlife, Merely Dead, and Sincerely Dead had me on the edge of my seat. I read the majority of it in a single day, rushing to discover how the book would end.
I really liked the whole idea of the Merely Dead (aka ghosts), especially the power some had in appearing in the living world. Because I've never been able to decide on whether or not I believe in ghosts, this book bordered a line between purely fiction and some extent of potential truth. From what I've gathered of Preston's ghost legends, I'm tempted to go research them on my own. Overall, Cold Bath Street is a great read which will make you ponder your belief (or lack thereof) of the ghost world.
Did Cold Bath Street change your perspective on life, death, or the importance of living fully? If so, how? Do you believe in ghosts and/or have any ghost stories to share?
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Do you enjoy books with cliffhangers like this one? What are your thoughts on Luther, his intentions, and the way he disappears at the end? Is he a redeemable character or do you think he was shady all the way to the end?
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The Sea of Lost Girls by Carol Goodman
The Sea of Lost Girls by Carol Goodman
Rating: ★★★★☆
With plot twist after plot twist, this book kept me on my toes. The Sea of Lost Girls is the murder mystery of a girl named Lila Zeller. Told in the perspective of the main character, Tess, the story unfolds as both her son, Rudy, and husband, Harmon, quickly become suspects. However, Tess has a secret past that not even Harmon knows of, which unexpectedly comes to the surface almost as soon as the investigation begins. When Tess grows her own suspicions of the events leading up to Lila's death, she must decide whether to face her past or leave her family to their own defenses with the law.
One of the most difficult details in this book that I had to grasp was how much of an unreliable narrator Tess was. Reading about her pregnancy and Rudy's youth while she lived on the island made it very easy to hate Luther from the start. However, at one point, Luther said something to Tess along the lines of "you've always been a good storyteller", which stuck with me for a while. Tess was a writer. It was her passion to tell stories. So how much of this story (again, told in her perspective) was accurate? But then, Luther was a writer as well, so he also could have been "storytelling". Or the truth could have been filtered from Tess' own fractured lens.
Unfortunately, the book's conclusion did not offer many answers. It actually just made me question Luther's character even more. His interactions with Tess, Rudy, and Officer Bantree near the end really threw me off. I truly began to wonder if he had experienced some change of character for the better, but because Tess didn't know, neither did I. For my own satisfaction, I wish I could read the book from Luther's perspective, rather than Tess'. I expect some things would still be murky, though.
The book also ended on the cliffhanger regarding Luther's disappearance, although I suppose it could be assumed that he did drown. However, the lack of body being found is what makes me wonder. He'd disappeared in the water once before and survived; so could his second disappearance end up as another lucky escape or did he commit suicide? And most importantly, why did he admit to killing Lila? Did he just want to do something good for his son and save Rudy's reputation? And if he did choose to give himself up to the water, was it a circumstantial decision as he didn't think he'd survive the freezing temperatures before help arrived, or had his past caught up with him just as it had for Tess? Had he been struggling mentally all those years? Or did he give up his life to avoid the consequences of his confession? So much was left to my imagination. If you want a book that gives you more questions than answers, this one is for you. I'll be thinking about The Sea of Lost Girls for a while.
House of Ash and Shadow by Leia Stone
House of Ash and Shadow by Leia Stone
Rating: ★★★★★
I received this book completely by chance in a free "blind date with a book" package from Tiktok Shop. Despite the book being a surprise, I took one look at the cover and was immediately hooked. It turned into a single-day read which I finished at approximately 4am. One day reads aren't super common for me, but this one was necessary.
The writing in this book was amazing. I love a curse that seems impossible to manage. I'm personally not a very touchy person, but I can't imagine never being able to touch anyone for my whole life. I think the author really conveyed the sadness of it, especially in terms of Fallon and her father, but their special hand hugs were a very sweet compromise.
I definitely think that past all of the fantasy elements of magic, curses, and royalty, the author presented the theme of "you are more than your bloodline" very well, as Fallon struggled to prove herself different than her birth mother, Marissa Bane. It said a lot that she hated being called a "Bane", and had proudly carried her adoptive father's last name for her whole life. She proved that she was nothing like Marissa time and time again, but everyone around her (besides her father, Eden, Hipsie, Avis, and Ayden) seemed incapable of separating her true character from her dark bloodline.
The romance in House of Ash and Shadow was written beautifully. Fallon's dilemma with Ariyon and Ayden was clearly incredibly tricky and confusing for her, and though I had my suspicions, I couldn't say for sure who she would go to in the end. The romance wasn't smutty (which I loved and much preferred), but the chemistry Fallon had with each brother was unquestionable. Sweet Ayden who she would never be able to touch, or seductive (and somewhat bipolar) Ariyon who was the only person in the universe who could touch her without causing excruciating pain. What a predicament.
Two small things I didn't like, but have little to no effect on the five star rating: I noticed 5-ish grammatical errors that had me stumped for a second or two when I read over them, and the ending was quite abrupt, as if there was supposed to be another page or two or another chapter, except there wasn't. Now I'm scrambling to get the second book to figure out what happens next, so look out for the book review for House of War and Bone!
How much do you think it would have affected the outcome of the novel if Fallon didn't have her painful curse? If you were the author and wanted to write some kind of cure for it, what would it be?
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If you've read this novel, what are your thoughts on the pacing of the plot? Do you agree that it was off-putting at times, or did it play out fine in your head? If you haven't read it yet, have you read any other books where the pacing is similar? What was your experience with those? If it takes half of the book to get to the main plot, would it warrant a DNF?
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Fractured by Renee Propes
Fractured by Renee Propes
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
I found this novel at my local Goodwill and was drawn to it by the front cover. It reminded me of a nonfiction piece I'd written before in the form of a dictionary entry. Inevitably, I brought the book home and began reading it.
I'll be honest, the entire first half was a struggle to get through. There was a lot of backstory, a lot of fluff, and not much action. Laura's grief over her late husband, Henry, was very clearly the main subject, however, I questioned whether anything else would happen in the remainder of the book. Finally though, the pace picked up (quite suddenly I may add) and I was hooked.
Going from a slow, dull grief to a quick succession of drug cartels, kidnappings, sex trafficking, SWAT teams, FBI involvement, and rescue missions, was very mentally stimulating to say the least. It did get to a point though where everything seemed to be happening a little too fast, particularly in the relationship department. I thought it was a little contradicting for Laura to be so full of grief at first, getting constant flashbacks of Henry, having family meetings to discuss life insurance policies, and eating only meals that other people brought her, to flirting with her late husband's financial advisor and becoming intimate with him within a few days. While it all screams "rebound!" to me, it was framed as a type of loving relationship she never got to have with Henry, making me want to root for her but being confused all the same.
Julia and Rod's relationship was very fast as well. She hadn't even officially broken up with Fitz before falling in love with her helicopter pilot in the span of a day or two. Not to mention, they were already talking about marriage and adopting one of the little girls they had just saved before they had even stepped off of the helicopter. It was all so much in such a small span of time. I loved the character development of Laura's daughters, but the pacing just felt so off. It's impossible to say how things are "meant" to happen in a situation such as theirs, but it seemed wrong to me.
That being said, I think the pacing should have been more consistent throughout the story. The first half could have been condensed, and the second half could have been slowed down a little, especially if it's supposed to be a suspense novel. I loved the plot, but the inconsistent speeds in which it all played out knocked a couple stars off my rating.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ★★★★★
I feel very late to the game with this one. Especially lately, I've seen Throne of Glass all over BookTok. I was gifted this book almost two years ago (Christmas 2023) by my mom, and just now read it! If that doesn't give you a glimpse of what my TBR has looked like, I don't know what will.
If you're like me and haven't read Throne of Glass yet, it's about a girl named Celaena Sardothien who was taken in at the age of eight by a man named Arobynn Hamel, the King of Assassins. Arobynn vigorously trains her from childhood to adolescence, and she becomes Adarlan's Assassin. However, she is eventually caught and sent to Endovier, a brutal slave labor camp for political prisoners and magic users. She survives harsh weather and torture in the salt mines for a year, where many, if not most, last no more than a month, until she is rescued and taken to the capital by Prince Dorian and Captain of the Guard, Chaol Westfall. They offer her a chance to participate in the King's contest, where if she became his Champion, would serve as his personal assassin for four years, and thereafter granted her freedom.
I loved the depth of Celaena's character, especially that, knowing her profession, I still found myself rooting for her throughout the book. Despite the fact that she killed people for a living prior to her enslavement in Enodvier, the author humanized her as well, showing glimpses of her childhood trauma, the pain she had endured in Endovier, and her human qualities such as loving music, struggling to play billiards, sticking up for the life of a puppy, and showing occasional vulnerability to characters such as Chaol and Dorian. She felt empathy towards Nehemia's people of Ellywe and the slaves she left behind in Endovier, and she protected her fellow contestant, Nox, saving his life multiple times during their time at the glass castle.
I found Cain's character quite interesting. Even his name itself foreshadowed how evil he would become, however, it was easy to hate him from the start. I would be very interested to know how he learned of the Wyrdmarks and how to use them, or if he really did discover it somehow in his homeland of the White Fang Mountains.
I liked the subtle, slow burn romance that didn't take over the plot, didn't distract, and didn't ever get smutty. I was curious to see how things would play out, as Celaena showed interest in both Dorian and Chaol. However, I had a feeling things wouldn't last with Dorian considering his and Celaena's respective positions. Politically, they could not be together. Chaol however...
I can't wait to see how Celaena handles being the King's assassin and what missions he'll be sending her on. Stay tuned for the next book review!
Do you think Cain could have been a redeemable character at any point before his death, or was he too far gone? Did you root for Celaena and Dorian, or Celaena and Chaol? Do you agree that the romance humanized her character, or is it unnecessary? No spoilers from the rest of the series please!
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What do you make of Celaena's parting words with Chaol? Do you think she will make him regret sending her away? How could she possibly get away with sparing the royal family's lives after being ordered to kill them? Lastly, do you see Celaena and Chaol repairing their relationship, or has it been ruined forever?
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Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ★★★★★
I'm officially obsessed with this series! In this development in the Throne of Glass series, Celaena begins her 4 year contract as the King's Champion. He sends her on missions to dispatch rebels, and she, after a moral conflict, helps them fake their deaths, bringing back the heads of people from sickbays, thus fooling the King. She eventually confides in Nehemia and Chaol, who protect her secret that would otherwise lead to her execution. Dorian discovers he has magic in him, which he cannot control. Celaena's best friend, Nehemia, is killed, and this prompts an immediate downward spiral for Celaena. At the end of the novel, Chaol suggests a plan to the King to send Celaena on a mission to Wendlyn, in an attempt to protect her, following her admission to him of being Fae.
I am so incredibly upset that Nehemia died. And the way in which it happened was so gruesome and horrible. Whether she orchestrated her own death for the benefit of the rest of Erilea or not, Grave was much too violent. The scene where Celaena rushed to Nehemia's aid just to find her already dismembered had me slack jawed. She was even described as "artfully mutilated". Horrifying.
And of course that led to Celaena's falling out with Chaol, and just when things were finally looking up for them. I had a feeling that their relationship was going a little too well, but I wish it hadn't gone as badly as it did. I don't know if I see Celaena fully reconciling and rebuilding her trust with Chaol, especially since he shipped her off to Wendlyn to kill the royal family, who are literally Celaena's own blood. I know she will refuse to kill them, I just don't know how she'll get away with it. I'm worried that the King of Adarlan will uphold his promise to kill Chaol and Nehemia's family if Celaena does not obey his orders. In fact, I know he will if he finds out. I don't believe he will stop at anything to keep his plans in place, including eliminating his own heir if necessary. Dorian said it himself; although he is Adarlan's heir, Hollin could easily take his place.
I'm very impressed so far with the constant action throughout the books. I love that there is always something happening, but it doesn't feel annoying or overly chaotic. The big picture issue of the King taking over Elirea is always looming, while the "smaller" problems like Celaena secretly disobeying her contract or her relationships with Chaol and Dorian are still present, begging for a resolution. We're getting more of the backstory with Chaol's family and Celaena's heritage. And Dorian possesses magic! This is a huge development and will no doubt be very important in the big picture. I suspect he may even eventually have to use his power against his father.
With how things are going so far, Throne of Glass might actually become my favorite series of all time.
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ★★★★★
In Heir of Fire, the story splits into three simultaneous plots; Celaena's time spent in Wendlyn, Chaol and Dorian in Adarlan, and the introduction of witches, specifically Manon Blackbeak and her Thirteen. Celaena's Aunt Maeve (Ancient Fae Queen) orders her blood bound warrior and Fae prince Rowan to train Celaena in Fae magic, a power she had been terrified of during her childhood, until the King banished magic and it was stifled inside of her. After several months of brutal training, Celaena struggles and then masters her power and Fae shifting, and forms a complicated bond with Rowan. Meanwhile, Prince Dorian is barely succeeding at hiding his magic from his father, and Chaol is conspiring with rebels after realizing the true evil nature of the King. Additionally, the King is building an army for the inevitable war to come, allying with witches and providing them with wyverns to train, use, and keep as a gift.
I am very interested in Rowan's character, especially his relationship with Celaena, who finally accepted her name of Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, Queen-to-be of Terrasen. I was inwardly cringing with every harsh beating Rowan gave her during training, his cold and cruel words towards her, and the ceaseless kitchen duties he ordered her to do, usually following hours of her unsuccessful shifting and dueling. The pivotal moment where Aelin experienced a near-fatal burnout of her magic sparked a very intriguing shift in their relationship. That, paired with him learning who she really was and all she had endured, seemed to change his behavior towards her instantly. Although he blamed his "fussiness" over her afterwards (as Aelin described it) to be a Fae male's primal instinct to protect a vulnerable female, it's later revealed through his own past that he began to perceive Aelin as a reflection of himself. I really appreciated that Rowan still kept true to his character in that he continued to be a harsh trainer for Aelin, but their dialogue became more playful and even flirty.
I was impressed that Chaol of all men, faithful and loyal Chaol, joined the rebellion against the King. He had worked so hard to attain his position as Captain of the Guard, and was trusted by the King after many years of serving him. He had given up his title as Lord of Anielle to stay close to his best friend Dorian and to do his father's bidding. His character development in this book was very important as he began to understand that his true loyalty was with Dorian, not his evil father. This made me like his character more, but I've come across a lot of hate for Chaol in the Throne of Glass fandum, so I'm worried that there will be more from him that might change my mind about it.
From what I've seen so far of the Valg, all I can say about Dorian is that I am truly terrified and not very hopeful that he can be safely rescued from its hold on him. If it is possible though, I expect that Aelin will probably be the only one capable of magic strong enough to separate the two without killing Dorian in the process.
I wish the witch's part had been a little more action-oriented, as the other POV's were. The arduous task of training the wyverns felt a little dull at times, although it most definitely provided a magnitude of the witch's history, covens, rules, and specific relationships they had (if any) between each other. I'm starting to like Manon a lot and I think she will become an important character later in the series. I have a small suspicion that she may eventually turn against her expectations of being cold hearted and evil, although that would no doubt cost her dearly. The detail that I am most hooked on is how the wyverns came to exist. It's revealed that they were made by the King somehow, but most of his creations have started with experiments on humans and demi-Fae, which makes me wonder if the wyverns' making will come to light or if it will remain a mystery.
What's your opinion of Chaol so far in the series? Does his character seem to appear in a different light during this book? Is it possible that we saw him through Celaena's rose-tinted glasses and that we'll perceive him differently from now on? Could Rowan be "endgame" with Celaena, or do you think we're being fed more romance just to thicken the plot? Does the romance even matter?
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What do you think of Manon's changing views? Do you think she can defy having no heart by doing what's right? Will she do it and risk losing everything she's ever known, and will her Thirteen continue to stand by her?
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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ★★★★★
THE PLOT THICKENS! In Queen of Shadows, Aelin returns to Rifthold under her previous guise of Celaena Sardothien and slinks around the city, meeting with Arobynn, Chaol, Lysandra, and others, gathering information and being informed of the current state of Rifthold (which has not been good at all). The King has completely taken control of everything, organizing daily public executions, sending his Valg-infiltrated son on special projects (usually torturing suspected rebels), and is planning a deadly trap for her cousin Aedion's own execution on the Prince's birthday. Aelin, against her better judgment, allies with Arobynn, along with Chaol and his rebel group, Lysandra, and Rowan, who makes a surprise arrival from Wendlyn to help protect her. They pull off a near impossible rescue of Aedion, take out Arobynn after predictably betraying Aelin, and meticulously form a dangerous plan to free magic, kill the King, and save Dorian.
WOW. This book was so intense from the first page to the last. Every time I read something like "every possibility regarding the plan had been accounted for", I just knew that something was going to go terribly wrong. Murphy's law! If something can go wrong, it will. And it's the perfect way to thicken the plot of any book.
I'm loving the excessive flirting between Aelin and Rowan during their down time. It's very refreshing to see them taking their relationship slow, especially with their circumstances and what it could mean for the two of them to be romantically involved. On the precipice of a war, their enemies could surely capture, hurt, or kill one of them to get to the other, so it's only smart for Aelin to keep at least a thread of independence from Rowan. Regardless, it's frustrating to see them keep each other at arm's length for those reasons, when they clearly have a special bond and a deep attraction between them.
On a more serious note, I'm truly disgusted by what the King has been up to, especially regarding the witch + Valg breeding. Seeing Elide's realization through the casual/regular appearance of the witches' bloodied clothes in the laundry and her glimpse behind that door was so scary. Manon has definitely entered a new perspective of not only the King and his endless horrors, but her own grandmother for being completely unbothered by it. The breeding, along with Asterin's heartbreaking story of her secret loss, has turned the tides for Manon. I think she may try to convince the witches, or her Thirteen at the very least, to side with Aelin when the war finally begins, even if it means losing her honor, her place in the Witch clan, and her homeland. I think she would trade it to do the right thing. At least, I hope so.
Although I was a little suspicious of Lysandra when she was first introduced during the previous book, I've grown to be very appreciative of her friendship with Aelin. I love their banter and how much they care for each other, even if they are both just totally trauma bonded because of Arobynn. I'm also immensely relieved that both Arobynn and the King have been killed. Even if their deaths don't change the inevitability of the upcoming war, their absence can only be good. As long as there's no secret spell to bring the King back to life, that is.
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ★★★★☆
In this Throne of Glass prequel, Celaena's backstory with Arobynn and Sam is the highlight. Split into five shorter novellas, The Assassin's Blade describes Celaena's work relationship with the King of Assassins and the forming of an enemies-to-lovers romance with her fellow assassin, Sam Cortland. Together, the two foil Arobynn's slave trade agreement with the Pirate Lord of Skull's Bay and pay dearly for it. After both are beaten to a pulp by their master upon their return, Celaena is sent to the harsh Red Desert to train with the Silent Assassins as punishment. When she returns with a letter of approval from the Mute Master and a hefty sum of riches, she immediately makes plans to pay off all of her debts to Arobynn and move into her own apartment. Celaena begins a romance with Sam, and after one last assignment, Sam is captured, brutally tortured, and killed. Arobynn then arranges for Celaena to also be captured and taken to the slave labor camp, Endovier, where most survive less than a month.
Before I share my thoughts on the book, I'd like to address the elephant in the room. This was definitely a bit of a weird spot in the series to read the prequel! I've been buying these books off of Amazon, and for some reason The Assassin's Blade is listed as the last book in the series. I only realized it shortly after starting Queen of Shadows, so I got this one right away to read.
While I do think that the series could survive without this prequel, it does help connect a lot of dots. It really exposes just how manipulative Arobynn had always been to those he "loved", which makes it a lot easier to understand why Celaena was so hesitant to work with him again in Queen of Shadows. And of course, we get to see Celaena's relationship with Sam from the very beginning all the way to its gruesome end.
I think for Sam's death to have a greater impact and for it to be proportional to the trauma Celaena struggles with throughout the rest of the series, their relationship needed more... well, just more. More time, possibly. When I saw how much they hated each other at the beginning of the book, even wishing death upon the other, I assumed I was in for a very long slow burn to work up towards any type of romantic connection. Then suddenly, Sam broke down and threatened to kill Arobynn as Celaena was being beaten for her part in freeing the slaves on Skull's Bay. When Celaena returned from her month of punishment in the Red Desert, we saw from both of their POV's that they were having romantic thoughts of one another, and then a few chapters later, they were planning a future together, so for me, it just felt like the timeline of their relationship was a little bit off.
As much as it pains me to say it, I think that Sam's torture itself should have been written in. And I say this as a writer, not a reader! Describing all of those terrible details from Sam's POV would be absolutely devastating to read, especially if (knowing Sam) he wished Celaena would come rescue him, or felt guilt for hoping she'd risk the same ending for his benefit. I'm left wondering (as morbid as it is) what his final thoughts were, if he had any through the pain. Did he wish for death near the end? Did he feel dread for Celaena's safety? Did he regret that they wouldn't get that future together like they planned? Because the writing goes from "why isn't Sam home yet?" to "Sam is dead", we don't get that punch in the gut from knowing his experience through his own perspective. Without those details, his torture almost doesn't quite feel real. Regardless, Sam's ending (orchestrated by Arobynn, might I add!) was a horrifying ending to what could have been a good and lasting relationship with Celaena.
How do you feel about the pacing of Celaena and Sam's relationship? As a reader, do you think that Sam's death would have had a greater impact if his torture was written in, or does the way it happened work just as well?
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Have you ever done a tandem read with a different series? If so, how did it compare to EOS and TOD? If not, what was your experience reading these two on their own? What are your thoughts on Chaol and the part he played in TOD? Was he wrong for pursuing Yrene? Convince me!
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Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas (Tandem Read)
Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas (Tandem Read)
Rating: ★★★★☆
In this 1,200 page duo, war begins to wage. All events in Empire of Storms (EOS) and Tower of Dawn (TOD) occur simultaneously, combining to form a huge back and forth POV between Aelin and her travelling court and Chaol with his own mission in Antica. In EOS, Aelin begins calling in life-debts as the evil forces of both Queen Maeve and Erawan get dangerously close to attaining the Wrydkeys from her clutches. In short, hurried notes, she secretly sends messages to anyone she can think of, to plead for alliances and armies. On the Southern Continent in TOD, Chaol and Nesyrn attempt to ally with the Khagan, but he is near impossible to even meet with, as the kingdom is grieving the sudden loss of one of their young princesses. Chaol is met with the Healer on High's soon-to-be Heir, Yrene Towers, to restore use to his paralyzed legs. But when the task proves more difficult than anyone imagined and dark forces begin to attack in the safe haven of the Torre, things begin to amplify quickly.
This was my first experience with a tandem book read, and what a duo to have chosen. These absolute bricks of books took me a hot minute to get through, but now that I'm at the tail end of it, I do feel that reading these two in tandem was likely a way better experience than reading one after the other. By referencing a tandem reader's guide that I found online, I flipped between the books fairly easily, although sometimes I got too into it and accidentally read further in one book when I was supposed to have switched to the other. Because there is so much action in EOS, the slower pace of TOD was a great way to break things up and take a breather. Unfortunately, it also sometimes annoyed me to have to switch to TOD in the middle of some crazy combat and bloodshed. Because of this, I was left with some unreal cliffhangers when switching between books, so it took a lot of discipline to stick to the reading guide.
In terms of the books' content, where do I even begin? There is so much happening at once, so many characters to keep tabs on, and so many lives on the line at any given moment. I love the familial connections we're getting, with Aedion and his father, Gavriel, and although it's just now being pursued, Lysandra and her shapeshifter uncle. Hoevever, towards the end of TOD, I was getting character overload when Galan Ashryver (Aelin's first cousin) arrived following Aelin's capture. I expect Galan to have a larger part in the following book, but it seemed very sudden to throw him in the mix right as the book was coming to an end.
I'm sincerely impressed with Aelin's ability to plan and scheme, but it's definitely one of her flaws that she always keeps her court blind to her ploys. Rowan seems able to brush it off, saying that he likes when she surprises him, but it's clear that it weighs on her friends when they're all risking their lives (and the fate of the world) and not being clued in on some major, major details of how things will play out.
On a different note, there was more romance in these two books than the rest of the previous installments combined, and honestly, I love the character development, but some of it seemed like filler content. Between Aelin + Rowan, Aedion + Lysandra, Dorian + Manon, Lorcan + Elide, Chaol + Yrene, and Nesyrn + Sartaq, there was so much tension between the characters, especially the ones who took things into the bedroom... often. I'm not the biggest fan of sex scenes in general, but I think the depth of emotion behind many of the scenes saved me from cringing too much. I actually much preferred the subtle romance between Aedion and Lysandra over the frequent activities of Chaol and Yrene.
I do feel the need to touch upon Chaol specifically, as I've heard a lot of talk from TOD readers who dislike his character and find him boring. While I do agree that there are 100% other characters who I find more interesting, I feel that Chaol's trauma is very overlooked. He had to overcome so much within himself to be able to purge the Valg magic from his spinal injury. He had to come to terms with the fact that all of his men had been brutally tortured and killed and that they died protecting him. He felt constant guilt and shame for running after Sorscha's murder in Queen of Shadows, and blamed himself for Dorian's enslavement to the Valg. By choosing healing in the Southern Continent, he was forced to accept the fact that he still could not protect his King as he so wished he could. He had no family to support him, and barely a shred of hope in the promise that he could bring an army back with him.
That being said, I am on the fence about the way he treated Nesyrn, and it's only because it worked out for both of them that I can't quite decide. I think that their relationship was more complicated that it should have been. They seemed to be in a very off and on situationship that neither seemed wholly happy in. The nature of their relationship makes it very tricky for me to be able to slap blame on Chaol without a second thought. I don't think he was right to pursue Yrene while Nesyrn was gone, but Nesyrn did the same with Sartaq, and they both ended up happy with the outcomes.
Lastly, it goes without saying that the ending of EOS was completely horrifying to read. Maas gave me so much hope that Rowan and the wyverns would arrive at the perfect moment before the worst happened, and then... the worst actually happened. I'm truly terrified for what Aelin is going to exprience, and how she'll possibly come out of it with a shred of herself left inside of her. The whipping scene was horror-level writing, and calling those lashes "nothing" compared to Endovier was sickening, knowing how much her enslavement affected her already. I have a special sort of hate for Cairn, and a terrible feeling that I've only seen the very beginning of his twisted character.
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
Rating: ★★★★★
In the 950 or so pages of this final novel in the Throne of Glass series, the previous 7 books come to their conclusion. Two months into Rowan's near-impossible rescue mission, Aelin escapes Maeve's clutches on her own and miraculously runs into Lorcan and the others waiting for her. Rowan gives his thanks to Aelin's torturer, Cairn, by skinning him alive, then catches back up to his wife to find her completely broken. She screams, cries, has nightmares, and refuses to use even a drop of her fire magic for anyone, even for Rowan or herself. She fakes her swagger and attitude around the others but struggles to return to "normality", knowing that she will have to face Maeve again soon, kill Erawan, and sacrifice herself to forge the lock. The novel follows the harsh battles that Aedion leads with the Bane, some of which they do not win. The final chapter of the war is a massive battle lasting more than two weeks, as Aedion, Lysandra, Manon and her Thirteen, the Crochans, and the rest of the Bane fight against the Ironteeth, Morath's Valg armies, and the witch towers. Just when Meave and Erawan appear to decimate what's left of Orynth's defenses, Aelin and the rest of her court come to their aid. Even then, they are outnumbered. Aelin forged the lock but lost almost all of her powers, meaning her aid was almost certainly a suicide mission. Against all odds, Yrene kills Erawan and Aelin kills Maeve. She lives to see a world at peace again, and rebuilds her home city with the help of her court.
This book was just as devastating as I feared it would be. I've spent the past five months reading about Aelin's adventures. I've seen her go from slave to assassin to queen, and she has grown so much. She's changed so many lives. Through her cunning scheming, she called in life debts, brought allies together, and kept her friends safe, even when it cost her so much pain and suffering.
It crushed me to see the cost of war; the people I got to know, killed. The Thirteen's sacrifice was devastating. They were loyal to Manon to the very end, and didn't think twice when faced with death. I had the smallest sliver of hope that Asterin would at least survive, but sadly their plan required them all to die. There was no room for survivors, and I know it destroyed Manon.
I really wish Gavriel didn't die. He had so much life left to live, even without considering his immortality. He should have been able to pursue his relationship with Aedion. It feels like fate brought them together after so much time just to tear them apart again, permanently. I can't imagine the guilt Aedion feels, knowing Gavriel sacrificed himself to save his son. His death was just so painful to read.
I think that the worst part of reading Kingdom of Ash, and honestly the whole series, is that Maas is incredibly talented in writing scenes of desperation, helplessness, and suffering. Through Aelin's torture, Maas gave the reader the worst feeling of helplessness. Forcing Fenrys to watch Cairn tear her apart over and over again, the two of them creating a desperate silent code while they shared in their suffering made it hurt so much more. Aelin could do nothing to ease her agony. Fenrys could do nothing to help her.
When Anielle was under attack, there were no chances that the dam would break. It was going to break and it would wipe everyone out. It might not even spare the few who made it behind the safety of the walls in time. Elide knew this, and she still raced towards it to find Lorcan. She ran towards death and didn't care.
When Aelin tricked Dorian and pushed him away during the forging of the lock, he and Rowan both knew it would kill her. There was no stopping it, no undoing it, no saving her. Rowan clung to his mating bond knowing it would grow thinner and thinner until it broke, and he'd never feel Aelin again. He could do nothing at all to save his wife. I can't unsee him kneeling on the ground in front of her, clutching his chest as he felt their bond breaking.
In the battle of Orynth, it was obvious that their defenses would never be enough to take on Morath's 100,000 soldier Valg army. The walls would never hold, the gates wouldn't keep the enemies out, there was no escape route that anyone could take. Evangeline was a child, and she knew she would die. Chaol and Yrene's life bond made their survival very very slim. After two weeks of battle, Aedion and Lysandra knew Orynth would fall, and they would both die. Aelin would never get to see her home outside of the war, and everything she had gone through to save it would be for nothing.
I just can't get over how well all of those scenes were written. I found myself crying multiple times. I could feel the suffering as if it were me in the midst of pain and not the characters. The writing left no possibility for a good ending whatsoever. When Orynth was victorious, I couldn't believe it. The characters felt so real that I was proud of them. It didn't matter to me that it was words on a page or that the characters were in a fantasy world. I had spent months with them and saw all of their growth and their innermost fears and desires. I saw the best and worst of people. I saw flaws and mistakes and redemption. This novel and this series was so well put together. I'd give it ten stars if I could.
What is your opinion on the strength of Maas' writing in this final Throne of Glass novel? Did any of the scenes I mentioned affect you the way they did for me? Which death was the most heartbreaking? Any final thoughts on the series as a whole?
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How did Rose Under Fire differ from other Holocaust memoirs/novels, like the well known Night by Elie Wiesel? What parts of this story moved you? Did you like how the novel was divided in sections, and that the first two were from Rose's own diary?
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Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
Rating: ★★★★☆
Rose Under Fire is a WW2 Holocaust story detailing the experience of fictional Rose Justice and her capture by the Nazis. While ferrying a plane from Paris to England, Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Rose is ambushed by multiple planes and forced to land. Upon landing safely, Rose is blindly sent to the women's Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany. Although Ravensbrück is a work camp, not an extermination camp, plenty of lives are lost due to extreme temperatures, starvation, thirst, and downright brutality by SS Officers. Rose meets another pilot named Irina, a French novelist named Lisette, and Polish "Rabbits" Róża and Karolina. Rose forms strong trauma bonds with her Camp family, and through the six months she spends at Ravensbrück, she fights the harsh life she has come to know as a prisoner.
I noticed very quickly that, unlike many, if not most, WW2 novels I've read before, Rose Under Fire was not about Auschwitz. I really feel like it gave me a new perspective from a different concentration camp, widening the expanse of the horrors that made up the Holocaust.
I'll admit, it took me a little longer to get hooked to the story than I was expecting. The book was split into three parts: Southampton, Ravensbrück, and Nuremburg. In simpler terms, before, during, and after imprisonment at the concentration camp. It wasn't until Ravensbrück that I really got drawn in. The exposition of Southampton was somewhat slow and there was less buildup than I was anticipating. While Celia's death at the very beginning definitely felt like a warning of what was to come, it had less of an effect on me as the reader because I did not come to know her.
During the Ravensbrück section, I was reading wide eyed nearly the entire time. There was no spare moment of safety for Rose and her Camp family, and I worried that at any moment, they would all wind up dead. It was a thriller of the most terrifying kind. I've read enough Holocaust novels to know that just when a character thinks they're safe or immune, they are sent to their deaths.
Also, the novel depicted the horrors of the experiments really well. It's very disturbing to think about what those "doctors" did to so many of the girls at Ravensbrück. And as terrible as it was, the "Rabbits", as the victims were called, wore that as something like a badge. I think one of them said that they pretty much had immunity at the Camp because they had undergone those gruesome operations. They'd had parts of their bones and muscles ripped open, removed, stuffed with bacteria, and sewn back together. If they survived the sickness and fever that came from it, they were crippled for life. But at least it meant that they wouldn't be sent to the gas chambers. And then most of them still were. It was terrible.
On an entirely different note, I am so in love with Rose's poetry. It really gave her so much character and I truly believed that her poems saved a lot of lives at Ravensbrück. Her poems of hope, her stories of Nick, even the recipes she shared became a coping mechanism. They needed something good to talk about. Could they do anything with a half written recipe, scribbled down onto a scrap of forbidden paper with a forbidden stump of a pencil? Of course not. But it was a piece of someone's home, even if it wasn't their own. And they wanted to pretend, even for a second, that they weren't dying of hunger or being beaten for something as small as coughing. Also, does it need to be said that I'm absolutely devastated about Karolina's death? She deserved to make it out. They all did.
One line that really stuck with me was during a part where Rose realized that because her friend Róża had been captured at just 14 years old, she had no sense of self. Rose said, "When I told anyone at the Camp who I was, I'd say, 'I'm Rose Justice. I'm a pilot.' When Róża first told me who she was, she'd said, 'I'm Polish Political Prisoner 7705. I'm a Rabbit.'" It was such a sad line to read. And for so many of the survivors, I have no doubt that it was deeply difficult to move on from that identity that had been forced upon them. Especially for the younger ones that barely had one beforehand.
This was such a moving read. Even though it was not a biography of someone's real story, it was based on those horrific events. In the author's note, Wein shared that so many of the details she wrote about were entirely factual. This novel is not one I'll be forgetting anytime soon.
Did Brasse's story reveal any new horrors that you weren't aware of during the Holocaust? What were your thoughts when reading through this novel? Was it the type of book that had you on the edge of your seat, or did you have to break it into smaller sections to get through it?
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The Auschwitz Photographer by Luca Crippa & Maurizio Onnis
The Auschwitz Photographer by Luca Crippa & Maurizio Onnis
Rating: ★★★★★
The Auschwitz Photographer tells the real life story of a Polish man named Wilhelm Brasse who is captured on his way to join the resistance in France. After refusing to join the German Reich, Brasse is sent to Auschwitz, where his professional photography skills land him a job as the camp's official photographer, earning him special privileges that keep him alive for nearly five years - barely. While he receives comfortable lodging, extra food, and showers (freedoms that almost no other prisoner gets), he is consistently reminded that his life is not in his own hands, and that he can be extinguished at any moment. As his photography skills improve with the introduction of new equipment, Brasse is forced to capture and develop more than 50,000 pictures of prisoners and SS Officers alike, including the victims of countless horrific experiments conducted by Dr. Josef Mengele and Dr. Clauberg, among others.
The first thing I have to say about this novel is how unnervingly descriptive the experiments were written. I've never stumbled across a book that actually revealed the depth of the torture inflicted on prisoners. Throughout a recent read of mine called Rose Under Fire, it more so described the aftermath of it, which was entirely terrible in nature, but The Auschwitz Photographer told the story of the experiments as Brasse was being forced to watch and photograph them. Dr. Mengele's interest in twins was bad enough, but Dr. Friedrich Entress' morbid fascination with tattoos and Dr. Clauberg's gynecological experiments really bothered me. There are certain scenes that I don't want to write about that have actually haunted me since reading through them, but that is the nature of these novels about the Holocaust.
It's so important to note that because Brasse was Auschwitz's official photographer, his work contributed tremendously to the surviving pictures and footage of life in the concentration camp. His story was so inspiring to read, because his skills, along with his bravery and defiance, are the reason that so many of the victims identities were preserved and are remembered today.
If I'm being honest though, the ending to the novel was very unsatisfactory for me, which I fear sounds a little insensitive if taken out of context, but I think that there is meaning to be found in the unusual final sentence. It read: "Brasse remembered a saying that his uncle Lech had taught him, 'Always remember that neither the good Lord nor a photographer can ever make a woman completely happy'" (p. 313). The Auschwitz Photographer was written based off of BBC's documentary Auschwitz: The Nazis and the 'Final Solution', and this final sentence was actually Brasse's concluding statement in their interview. There is a note in the back of the novel that attempts to explain why he would end with such a thing, and although I may not understand it myself, it shows how something as traumatic as Auschwitz can change a person and the way they think.
This book especially reignited my anger at how so many of the hands that dealt the worst pain were never brought to justice following the war. Dr. Mengele, for example, fled to South America, where he lived the rest of his life in peace and luxury, and Dr. Kremer was actually sentenced to death, however, his sentenced was lessened to life imprisonment, and then he was somehow freed in 1960.
As much as this book was an unnerving read, it was that way because it was so honestly told in all of its horror. This is no light story, but it's one of immense significance and such an eye opener to the crimes of World War 2.
House of War and Bone by Leia Stone
House of War and Bone by Leia Stone
Rating: ★★★★☆
In House of War and Bone, the second book of Leia Stone's Gilded City series, Fallon's story continues. Because she accidentally sent Ariyon to the Realm of Eternity, she is responsible for figuring out how to bring him back in one piece and switch their powers back to their righteous owners. The entire Gilded City thinks that Fallon killed Ariyon and stole his powers, so she is treated like a traitor and murderer of their precious heir. Queen Solana threatens her with a permanent jail cell and breathes down her neck at every waking moment, waiting for her son to reappear. Unfortunately, bringing him back is much harder than anyone imagined, and now Fallon doesn't even have her Undying Fire to help defend the Academy when it's ruthlessly attacked multiple times by Marissa and her Nightlings. She learns to use Ariyon's healer powers, and her friends do everything in their power to help her with her quest. She visits an Ealder Fae named Emmeric, who tells her how to rescue Ariyon, but it will cost her. She must give up her second life as a Nightling, which she happily accepts. He also tells Fallon her future, which is a punch to the gut. She returns to the Gilded City, rescues Ariyon, and after trading away her second life, experiences her worst nightmare. Fallon goes dark.
House of War and Bone was really action-oriented, much more than the first novel of the series, House of Ash and Shadow. The quick pace certainly kept me hooked, from Fallon's near-impossible demand to bring back Ariyon, to her father's injury at work, to her attempted murder by Blair, and more.
I think there were two main developments throughout this novel: Fallon's relationship with Queen Solana, and Fallon eventually succumbing to the darkness taking over her. Solana's development was huge. We got a ton of back story that provided a lot of understanding to her character. Showing Fallon her memories changed her (and my) entire view of Solana. Fallon went from absolute fury upon learning that Solana was the source of her lifelong curse, to becoming tentative friends with her in the span of a single chapter. It's important to note that Fallon went through this roller coaster of emotions because of her innate compassion for other people. It sets her apart from others, like Marissa, who multiple characters had said was "dark from the start". Forgiving someone for causing you a lifetime of pain, which you would still experience for the rest of your life, is a monumental choice that most would probably not make if they were in her place. It was Fallon's understanding and forgiveness that softened her heart towards her, and built a trust that she had never imagined she would share with her.
It's so upsetting that Fallon went dark. It was literally her worst fear ever since learning of her ancestry and powers. I had no idea that giving up her second life would accelerate the darkness the way it did, but it was sad to see how quickly she changed and acted out towards her friends. It still says so much about her character that she chose to run away as soon as she confirmed she was going dark. Rather than stick around and hurt those around her, she did the selfless thing and left everything she loved behind so that everyone would be safe. Knowing her father and her friends though, I don't imagine they'll just accept her choice and stay put. I think they'll go after her, although that depends on what Master Clark does with Fallon since he's already caught up with her.
Overall, this was a really great second installment of the Gilded City series. I noticed some grammatical errors throughout the book, which I thought was unusual. There were some in book one as well. It doesn't change my rating very much, as the story has progressed very well, but it's still something to note.
What do you think about the growth of Fallon and Queen Solana's relationship? Now that Fallon has gone dark, injured a student, and run away, what do you think Solana will do? Will she send guards to bring Fallon back and imprison her? Will she hurt Fallon's father or friends for information on her whereabouts? Do you think she will have any compassion towards Fallon, following the development of their friendship?
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What did you think of Fallon's final battle with Marissa and the Nightlings? Did you foresee any way that she would not have to give up her life for the cause? How do you think it will change Ariyon's future, now that he is banned from fighting the Grim? Do you think he'll ever come to regret breaking those rules when he is faced with injured people that he cannot save?
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House of Light and Ether by Leia Stone
House of Light and Ether by Leia Stone
Rating: ★★★★☆
In the finale of The Gilded City series, there is no time for fun and games. The Gilded City is being attacked ruthlessly, in what Fallon realizes is not to fear monger, but to eradicate. Marissa doesn't plan to rule over the city's people; she wants to wipe everyone out, give her Nightlings human bodies, and rule over them. Fallon knows due to Emmeric's fortune that she will give up her life and defeat the Nightlings, but it's actually through Blair's mother, another Ealder Fae, that she learns how. When things start happening just as the prophesies described, Fallon realizes that she truly will end up dying in just a matter of time. She comes to terms with it, and despite Yanric's suggestions, she refuses to tell anyone, not even her best friend, boyfriend, or father. She does tell Queen Solana, and the two of them plan to save the city from certain disaster. Equipped with the Shadow Blade, a one-of-a-kind weapon for defeating Nightlings, Fallon and Solana sneak away from the Gilded City and all that they love on a suicide mission to catch the Nightlings unaware. As prophesied, Fallon defeats them with her sword, and it takes her life. However, when she arrives at the bridge leading to the Bottomless Pit, Ariyon appears through one of Eden's portals and takes her to the Grim, where he barely wins a fight against him, one that was against the rules. Ariyon is banned from fighting the Grim ever again, but Fallon is saved and all is well.
Certainly what stood out most to me in this novel is the idea of Fallon's life ticking down day by day. It's conveyed very well how much of a toll it took on her mental health, knowing that she might be experiencing certain things for the last time. Even though Ariyon's Maven magic kept her darkness at bay, she couldn't help but feel immense sadness at the thought of being robbed of a long life. She gave up her second life to save Ariyon in the previous novel, and sacrificed her current one for the entire city. She gave everything she had for the good of everyone else.
The hug party almost made me cry, especially because Eden figured out why it was happening, but everyone else was oblivious. It definitely seemed like everyone was pumped and excited, while Eden was overwhelmed with sadness, and Fallon with acceptance. I'm a little surprised that no one besides Ariyon caught on. I thought maybe Ayden would at least.
I honestly did not see a happy ending as a possibility, so it was a relief that everything worked out. Leading up to Fallon's final battle with the Nightlings, it seemed like things were really looking up for everyone else. Fallon's father and Eden's mother got engaged, Queen Solana also offered her father a wonderful job as one of her cooks, Eden was guaranteed a spot in Queen Solana's brigade, Ayden confessed his feelings for Eden and they started dating, and even Solana found happiness again with her new relationship. I assumed that all of their good fortune was written in for the purpose of making Fallon feel okay with the fact that her death was inevitable and that she would have to leave them all behind. But maybe it was written that way to throw the reader off into thinking there was no hope for Fallon, which is certainly what I thought.
Either way, I've given the series a 4/5 stars for its great storytelling and character development. It's hard to believe that everything happened within the span of a single year! Harry Potter could never.
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