Genre: Fantasy

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Just Ella was one of my FAVORITE books growing up, and the reason is so obvious to me. There is so much girl power in this book, especially because it’s a middle grade book about princesses. Something to note: the cover rebranding for this book is a hot mess. The original cover (which I’ve used in this review) shows a medieval-garbed princess with a tearaway to reveal her in common garb. This tearaway affect so much better exemplifies the book and show Ella’s struggle. The rebranded version is a modern looking ballerina princess on a pastel cover and is so misleading […]

Posted December 3, 2019 in Reviews // 2 Comments //

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

This is my second read through of Midnight Thief and being perfectly honest, I still enjoyed it. It isn’t perfect, though, so lets start with one of the things I didn’t like. For one, there’s a very clear love triangle forming. Kyra grew up with Flick, who helped get her out of the gutter and develop her trade. But then there’s Tristam, the sweet, good-hearted young knight from a noble family. Kyra doesn’t spend a lot of time harping over, “Oh my, fellas, whoever shall I kiss?” but the tension between the boys is definitely there. I imagine this will develop […]

Posted November 26, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns hit me immediately with some fantastic high fantasy vibes and I was so excited to start it! I knew going in that this book would have a “chosen one” and I really like how Rae Carson worked with the trope to make it feel less exhausted. I wouldn’t say it was a perfect book, but it was pretty good! The setting in this book was refreshing in its variety. We have two coastal kingdoms, with prosperous tradeports, and yet, there’s no focus on the sea. We spend most our time in deserts or forests. […]

Posted November 21, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //

The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

I will not by any means say this is a masterpiece of a book. I see flaws in the love story, in the … likelihood of situations I guess? But I also really, really liked it because it had a lot of things that I feel like I don’t see very often, particularly in YA Fantasy. First of all, we have a protagonist who is very unsure of herself. Listen guys, I’m all for fierce, confident heroines. I love me a strong female protagonist. But after a while, it gets old, you know? Lia constantly struggles with her decisions and worries that […]

Posted October 22, 2019 in Reviews // 4 Comments //

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon is one of those books I feel a strong connection to, because I read it over and over again in my youth. I grew up with both Eragon and Eldest, even though I didn’t finish the cycle until I was an adult. The story of the dragon rider and the evil king captured my imagination, as tales of good and evil are wont to do. There is a bittersweet sadness to coming back to a book I loved so much as a high schooler only to find it riddled with flaws. I want so desperately to be in love with Eragon the […]

Posted October 17, 2019 in Reviews // 2 Comments //

Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon

While I appreciate a few of the unique and creative ideas in Gravemaidens, there are a few things that made me pause. At its bare bones, this is an interesting book with characters that could be loved. But it doesn’t quite get to that raving fan point. Gravemaidens is a forgettable book, and honestly? I’m disappointed. In a rare event for me, I let myself wait a day to write this review. Usually, I’m scheduling these reviews within hours of finishing. Gravemaidens required some additional thought, because I needed to find the right words to express the weird feeling I had […]

Posted October 16, 2019 in Reviews // 0 Comments //