Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima

Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm always a bit hesitant to read a spinoff series in case it somehow lessens the original. I enjoyed this one thoroughly, though. It moves to the next generation after the The Demon King series, and I was sad to see the turmoil and grief that haunted the kingdoms, but I also felt like it was a totally new story.

This series is written a little differently, as companion novels with a single, overarching story. I found it really helpful to know in advance that there are different main characters in the first three books. As I was reading, I also found that the story sometimes backtracks to cover the same period of time with a different character.

So just know that the story is told in a more parallel than linear fashion, and be prepared to be introduced to new characters when you're dying to know what's going to happen to the old ones. Some of the main characters do make appearances in books where they're not the focus, and the final book does pick back up with all of them so you're not left hanging. And like I said, I enjoyed the whole thing.

The Summer Tree - Guy Gavriel Kay

The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Well this was a disappointment after Tigana. If you haven't read Tigana, don't judge Kay by this. I think it could have been interesting, but the style is so flowery and pompous and full of info dumps that my eyes glazed over far too many times. It read like an attempt at being Tolkienesque, with the tone like when Gandalf sets up the back story before the quest, but liberally throughout, and with so much meaningless detail because I didn't know any of the names that were being thrown about.

There were some interesting things in the actual story, even if the entire book read like a prologue. Unfortunately, the distant tone made it hard to connect with the characters, even with some huge things happening to them, and then came the rape and torture. Before that, I would have probably given this 3 stars, but it left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Now I understand why reviewers are always talking about 80s fantasy as being overly flowery and full of rape.

I might still have to give the second book a chance, since it ended right where things are really just starting, and on a cliffhanger.

Siege & Storm - Leigh Bardugo

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have this flaw, and know I'm not alone because there are plenty of us suckers who love the bad boys. I really, really want the intriguing bad guy to turn out not so bad. To have the option to be evil, but have a noble core.

There's something wrong with me when a bad guy perpetrates unforgivable wrongs, and yet I can overlook it and continue to hope he will turn around and prove to be redeemable. And continue to wish the actual, already-noble good guy out of the way.

I don't learn... I'm still hoping for book 3...

Shadow Scale - Rachel Hartman

Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Before reading this, I thought maybe all the low ratings were due to high expectations, and I lowered mine, telling myself that I didn't mind if Seraphina was traveling a lot - she would meet new people and learn new things. But that didn't help. I still found myself beginning to hate this book during the second half but didn't understand why.

I was still expecting a generally positive fantasy story with worthy characters, new and old friendships, knowledge gathered and used for good, self-discovery, and triumph against the bad dragons and the bad people who don't like half dragons.

What bothered me about this book was that all the good characters and relationships were systematically poisoned or stripped away. There was so much potential, but the whole story became centered around a character who had been abused as a child and is now determined to punish the entire world with their insidious, advanced powers. They're mentally and emotionally abusive in that mind-twisty way that makes you question your own sanity.

This manipulative character takes over the entire book, derails all plot points, and steals all hope. They are so powerful that no one else can achieve anything. It's both frustrating and disturbing. I hated that I was experiencing this. It was far too close to ugly reality for me. The constant tearing down and the very personal vindictiveness really weighed on me. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

At least the right people triumph in the end. But the ending isn't nearly good enough. There's still too much loss. What was this, YA grimdark fantasy in disguise?

Lord of the Fire Lands - Dave Duncan

Lord of the Fire Lands by Dave Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The way this book began didn't do it any favors. It promised a different book, one in a similar vein to the first, where the King comes and claims a Blade, and then that Blade serves through danger and adventure, etc. This is not that story.

It wasn't long before events veered off, but once that familiar beginning built my expectations, it felt to me like the story was going off-course. For a long time, I couldn't figure out what the point of this long flashback was, and I was anxious to get back to the real story in the present.

It wasn't until about half way through that I accepted that this detour was the real story. Then I began to enjoy it, and now I think it's a better story than the one I expected. I'm glad I stuck it out and I'm looking forward to seeing the fallout for the series as a whole.

Update: It had been several years since I read The Gilded Chain, but several reviews compare the two endings, so I had to go back and remind myself how that one ended. Let's just say Duncan has no problems rewriting his own history! Now I'm even more curious about where he'll take it next.

The Shock of Night - Patrick W. Carr

The Shock of Night by Patrick W. Carr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

With dark books like this, it's the ending that determines whether I rate up or down. The key element I need is hope. Without it, my imagination can't expel the sense of doom and gloom when I return to real life.

This book was dark enough that I'm struggling with it today. I was upset about some of the character losses, as well as the narrowing path that Willet is being forced down. I probably won't continue the series because I'm afraid of how much worse it can get and who else will die before it gets better, assuming it ever does. Reading reviews for book two, it looks like hopelessness continues to be a key element. Grim, gritty, dark... these are all key words that don't bode well for me.

If you don't have the same issues, this is an absorbing medieval-ish fantasy with an interesting magic system, characters that are easy to know and love, and a mystery to solve. It's a good story, but the tone is much darker than in the more traditional fantasy by Carr that I enjoyed (A Cast of Stones). Too dark for me, I think.

Although marketed as Christian Fantasy, I haven't found this or any of Carr's other work to be obviously Christian. I'm sure the themes and inspirations are grounded there, but he's not hitting you over the head with it. Most obvious is the lack of gore (but not violence) and other adult content that is common in other dark fantasies, which I don't mind at all.

Assassin's Fate - Robin Hobb

Assassin's Fate by Robin Hobb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't think I've ever been rendered such an emotional mess by a book. I am completely wrung out. I'm actually not sure how to move on with my life.

It was a perfect ending on so many levels, so many things from all the previous series tied together and brought to a rightful conclusion, but I still can't accept that it's the end. Maybe it won't be, although some things are without a doubt finished.

My initial reaction still stands. There really are no words.

Oath of Fealty - Elizabeth Moon

Oath of Fealty by Elizabeth Moon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed every moment of reading this book. It had a cozy feeling of homecoming to it that I didn't want to rush through. I enjoyed the multiple viewpoints, and was disappointed every time the viewpoint switched, but then got sucked into the new one very quickly. I can't think of a time that I was bored. It's very much a 'setting the stage' novel, but I felt no impatience. I just really enjoyed the experience of following the characters as they figured out their new roles and set things to rights wherever they could.

I love that all the main characters are honorable and deserving, even though they still have a lot to learn and plenty of growing to do. Some readers may think they're too good, but I find it so refreshing in these days of grim and morally gray fantasy. These are characters that I can like and root for.

Between Two Thorns - Emma Newman

Between Two Thorns by Emma Newman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was not at all what I was expecting, and I was surprised that I ended up liking it. First of all, I thought it was going to be a historical fantasy set in Regency-era Bath. Instead, what I got was a modern urban-ish fantasy with a portal world called the Nether that's stuck in the past as far as social expectations go. So it's a Regency-like setting, but one that's aware of the modern world, and sticks its nose up at it for being mundane.

The clash of modern and 19th C values intrigued me, especially as it doesn't idealize the good old days as most Austen-esque stories do. Instead, it highlights the absolute lack of rights of women in that time. I'm curious to see if future installments bring about some modernization in the society of the Nether - I'm sure some kind of upheaval is set to take place and am looking forward to it.

I was also intrigued by the glimpses of other parts of society in the different worlds, and various types of magic, and then there's the greater mystery embarked upon by the the arbiter and gargoyle that has barely been touched. Again I'm eager to discover what changes will take place in the future to these aspects of society.

One of the main characters, Cathy, was a bit over the top in her inability to conform to her society's expectations or even to be civil. She doesn't even know how to pretend just a little bit, which I thought was unwise - and also irritating. But at the same time, I have a feeling it's going to be instrumental in some of this upheaval I'm looking forward to.

In the Ruins - Kate Elliott

In the Ruins by Kate Elliott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In the Ruins was definitely a transition book. The cataclysm took place at the end of the last book, and now what? Now the face of the world has changed, and so have allegiances. Power vacuums must be filled, and broken empires must band together or take advantage of the chaos.

Ultimately, this was a large-scale moving of chess pieces into place for the coming confrontation over what the world will look like. Whose religious vision will win out? The fanatics, the heretics? Which empire will be the strongest? Will people find peace or continue to slaughter each other over ancient grudges and differences?

A Court of Mist & Fury - Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't really sold on the romance in the first book, but I love the direction that it took in this one. It felt authentic and realistic to me. There are real relationships and issues here, not just fairy tales. And the world grows wider along with the complexity of the plot and characters. I loved it. I'm glad I waited so I can follow up soon with book 3.

My only complaint is how often Feyre was sick for the first half or so - that is not something I enjoy reading about. Hence an alert for the squeamish. I did get past it though.

Flame of Sevenwaters - Juliet Marillier

Flame of Sevenwaters by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

No, it's not the same caliber as the original Sevenwaters trilogy, but that's a pretty high standard to live up to. The later three books are more along the lines of YA Fantasy, not as complex or deeply emotional, but still superior to others in their class. I ate all three of them up, and I still hope she'll come back to this world again at some point because it will be like coming home again.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Harry Potter is Harry Potter, but I struggled to like this final book for several reasons. They're the same things that bothered me the first time I read it, but the final confrontation and brilliant revelations and reversals of certain characters wiped them from my memory back then. Now the second time, I find that these reasons linger.

1. So many deaths. Right from the beginning, starting with (view spoiler)[Hedwig (hide spoiler)]. Somehow that really got to me this time!
2. So much speculation about Dumbledore and his true motivations and shortcomings. I do like how this was resolved in the end, but didn't enjoy the maligning of Dumbledore, or Harry's doubts about him.
3. So much time spent with only Harry, Ron and Hermione running around the forest. I miss their interactions with other characters and the wizarding world.
4. No Hogwarts until 75%. This is kind of the same as the previous point except that Hogwarts simply deserves its own line. I've realized that the setting is a huge part of my enjoyment of this series, and I was impatient with the book until the story returned there. I missed all of the extra characters - teachers, ghosts, portrait-dwellers, fellow students - as well as the magic of the castle itself.

I still love the series. There's nothing else like it. It's darker than I would have liked, even knowing where it was going the second time around, but like I said, I just wanted to live at Hogwarts and not watch the whole world being destroyed, along with so many people that Harry could possibly consider family.

The ending is really great. It's one of those endings that is actually epic, and some of the minor characters have great moments in the battle at Hogwarts. But I found this finale bitter enough that I might avoid any future re-reads and stick to the earlier books for the nostalgia of simply hanging out at Hogwarts.

Restoration - Carol Berg

Restoration by Carol Berg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy! From almost the first page, I was holding my breath. There was no slow build here. It just jumped right in and punched me in the gut, then ran away. Seyonne goes through so much. More than ever before. Aleksander too. The empire undergoes some upheavals that bring him into his own transformation. I loved that he is much more prominent than he was in the second book. Seyonne and Aleksander's friendship... just wow. Heartwrenching at times, but also so worth it.

This book built on both the first and the second of the series, but wasn't just a continuation. It was a synthesis of everything that came before, and a new height of revelation. Each part of the trilogy stood so well on its own, but together they're so much more. And just in case you're reading the description for the first book and thinking it's all about demons, it's really not. Not even close. Nothing is ever quite as it seems.

I feel as if I've been hollowed out and filled back up. Fantastic.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my second time reading The Goblet of Fire, and I still (mostly) loved it. The Weasleys' house, the Quidditch World Cup, being at Hogwarts, the tournament, and seeing Harry actually struggle to learn charms and curses - these were all so fun. I love this world, and loved seeing new parts of it.

BUT, it's getting dark. I found myself dreading certain parts, knowing what was coming. And with prior knowledge, events seemed even more sinister than before. (view spoiler)[I enjoyed Mad-Eye Moody the first time around, but this time I saw his actions in a completely different light. (hide spoiler)] People are betraying and cursing each other left and right, and even good wizards and witches are just generally being ugly people. Not to mention the killings. This is not a children's adventure story anymore.

Honestly, this is where I begin to miss the wonder and charm of the wizarding world that balanced the dark in the first three books. Now everything starts to become tainted by realistic meanness, adolescent angst, real violence and death. So sad. But of course, there's still so much that's wonderful and new too. I love the story, but hate some of the things that happen in it. I'm so conflicted!

Cast In Secret - Michelle Sagara

Cast In Secret by Michelle Sagara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

These books read like police procedurals with a smart-mouthed officer with a blinding weakness for children, but in a world overflowing with mysterious magic and cool species. So not really action-oriented, but gripping if you enjoy investigations that involve talking to witnesses and putting the pieces together. All of that builds to the end, when I find myself reading so fast I forget to blink. All without swords! (However, there are knives.)

The investigations are centered on crimes, but the more fascinating mysteries are the magic and world with its multiple species, and these really take center stage. Each book so far has illuminated a new aspect of the world and magic, becoming more intriguing as the picture clears. I don't always understand everything at first, but I get a general idea and carry on, and it becomes more clear as it goes. I love that it feels like there's so much left to learn in future books, too.

This book in particular illuminates the Tha'alani, one of the mortal races. I really enjoyed them much more than I expected!

Kaylin is still impulsive and driven mostly by instinct when it comes to magic, but she's learning. She's also learning to keep her mouth shut occasionally. To say anymore than that would be to spoil it, so I won't. Enjoy.

The Burning Stone - Kate Elliott

The Burning Stone by Kate Elliott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This started out as a 5-star, couldn't put it down, book. It gave me just what I had been looking for in book 2. Then... well, sprawl set in. Plot threads multiplied, and complications began breeding. This is good. This is complex. But as the sprawl unfolded before me, I found myself wishing for a tighter focus on the characters that I care about.

All of the characters, even minor ones, are so well-drawn and nuanced, and they change realistically with events. I dislike so many of them, and the ones I like aren't perfect, but are subject to their own flaws as well as to drastically changing fates. It almost made me dizzy how quickly tides could turn. It makes me impatient to see where it's all going.

I do appreciate the textures of the world-building that all these characters bring, but I really just want more of Liath, Alain, Hanna and Rosvita (I love that old woman!). I don't care much for Ivar's story (I don't like him or his group of friends), or for the visions of the Eika chief (although I know it will be important at some point). There are so many tantalizing hints about important things, I am impatient to solve it all. But, it seems I will have to bide my time because this is going to take a while.

Since it was just a bit too slow in parts and spreading out a bit too much, it ended up not being that 5 star read after all. It's such a hardship to settle for 4, but it was still very good.

A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is not YA. First of all, the heroine is 19. Second, it is lacking the cliches that I've come to dread when picking up a YA book - at least aside from the immature stupidity of the heroine, who insists on doing things she's been counseled / asked / told not to, seemingly oblivious to the danger. Also, the romance is quite adult, so let's at least go with New Adult if we have to label it anything.

This is an engrossing fairy tale retelling that turns into something much more. It's Beauty and the Beast, so the romance is predictable, but it's also about the Fae, whose world is beautiful, magical, wild and violent. The world and its conflicts are revealed at just the right pace to bring it alive. Then the ugly violence of the conflict overtakes the pleasant little romance with a brutality that I found a bit of a shock.

It's a solid start to a series that has me wanting to know more about the world and the Fae, both hopeful and afraid of what will happen to them.

The Death of Dulgath - Michael J. Sullivan

The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another fun adventure with Royce and Hadrian! I enjoy seeing how their friendship develops over time, especially how Royce comes to trust Hadrian, and how Hadrian learns to be more cautious from Royce. I can't help missing some of the other cast from Riyria Revelations, but we do meet some interesting new characters, the court artist being my favorite here.

This tale also reveals more about elves, something I always wondered about in the original series. I hope we get to learn even more in the future. The extra background made this more than just another job for the boys, filling out the world and giving it a paranormal element that I really liked. It's definitely a worthwhile addition to the Chronicles for any Riyria fan.

There were a couple of tidbits about myths from the past, which I have a sneaking suspicion are relevant to the new series coming out soon. I'm looking forward to getting to know a whole new era and new characters in this world.

Fox's Bride - A.E. Marling

Fox's Bride by A.E. Marling
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Fox's Bride is unusual, at times bordering on bizarre. Just the title gives that away. Yes, a woman is really supposed to marry a fox - the fox is an incarnation of one of the gods, but for all other purposes, it's a fox.

Then we have an enchantress (the bride) who can only work magic in her sleep, and spends much of the time struggling to stay awake. She infuses jewels with various purposes while asleep, and these jewels can be used in the waking world to protect, etc. The magic system is kind of interesting, and the story gets there too, when the enchantress uncovers an ancient evil that she has to deal with in order to free herself.

The story takes place in an Egyptian-like city, with pyramids that are the tombs of gods. I think. The city and world is still fuzzy to me. Some of the imagery was difficult to decipher, and I felt like I needed to turn upside down to get it. Like I said, it borders on bizarre!

I found the first half of the book hard to get into, especially because the world-building was so off-the-wall. It was also difficult to relate to a somnolent main character who was mostly passive at first. But sometime during the second half, I finally got into the story and stopped being confused. I believe that happened right around the time that the enchantress began to take action and throw a lot of jewels around. I quite enjoyed the tomb-raiding scenes.

If you're looking for a fantasy that's different, this could be for you. I don't think the writing style is for me, though. I prefer to see a world clearly, with all its detail, and that never happened here. After finishing the book, I still find it confused and hazy, like I never saw it come into focus. I still have questions about some loose ends as well, argh. Still, I'm glad I persevered to the end, and that I care enough to wonder about those loose ends.