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All in Fiction
Without hesitation: Cantoras is a masterpiece of a novel. It’s brimming with humanity, turmoil, heart (-warming and -breaking), hope, and beauty.
This book has gotten a lot of hype, and it’s easy to see why. It’s well written, uniquely narrated, and a great story. There’s no denying the master-level work of Elizabeth Gilbert!
The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a delightful, whimsical, magical story and a beautiful debut novel to have emerged from Alix Harrow’s heart.
The book is written in the form of a sort-of script, as it’s a mock collection of interview snippets from the members of the band and their friends and families. The audiobook cast and voice acting really went above and beyond to bring the story to life.
This was an absolutely epic conclusion to a trilogy that reminded me why I love to read stories about magic. Because at its core, the Shades of Magic trilogy is about magic.
The Dearly Beloved is a masterpiece of literary fiction. There’s not a word out of place. It’s a gorgeous examination of what it means to exist side by side. I was hypnotized, heartbroken from the first page.
This book was light, fun, and exactly what I needed after reading several heavy, emotional books in a row. It will take you on an adventure to a different culture, tug on your heart strings a bit, and leave you with a smile.
If you've heard anything about this book, you don't need me to tell you that it's phenomenal. I read it in a single sitting, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
Black Leopard, Red Wolf is a big, heavy, adult, epic fantasy novel that is truly without compare. I liked it and I’m glad that I read it, but it took a really, really long time and a lot of patience with myself to wade through the narrative. Roxanne Gay put it perfectly in her review: “Beautifully intense prose that doesn’t allow for lazy reading.”
The Confessions of Frannie Langtonis heartbreaking, moving, enraging, surprising, and much more. It addresses so many different issues — race, class, slavery, mental health, substance abuse, same-gender relationships, feminism.
Sometimes the summary blurb on a book does the perfect job of summing it up — in the case of Hollow Kingdom, those words are “a humorous, big-hearted, and boundlessly beautiful romp.”
Rating: 4.5/5 | Alright. Book two of this trilogy, and it's sunk its claws in even deeper. This world, these characters — I am so in love. V.E. Schwab is a master storyteller who really knows how to get out of her own way and build something you want to live in forever.
Rating: 4/5 | I enjoyed The Philosopher's Flight. It was worth the read and I was happy to read the sequel. I'm glad I did — because The Philosopher's War was even better. Gone are the college days and courting of first love; this was a story of camaraderie, trauma, war, and the greater good. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 4.5/5 | I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. I have loved all of Leigh Bardugo's past books, and while I knew that Ninth House was going to be really, really different, I trusted her to bring me something great. And both of those things are true: This book was WAY different than any of her other books, and it was also great work. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 4.5/5 | A Darker Shade of Magic is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. Don't get me wrong, I love fantasy, but this one was just so light (in writing style, not subject matter) and enchanting and magical. I instantly fell in love with the world and its characters — even the bad ones. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 3.75/5 | Just like Dark Matter, Recursion was a science-rich and super-thrilling sci-fi thriller. If nothing sounds better to you than those two genres put together, then this is definitely your book. I whipped through it, intrigued and introspective in the beginning and more and more eager to see how everything would resolve itself as I got close to the end. Genre fiction at its best. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 5/5 | OK y'all. I'm going to need you to get a copy of this book, buckle your seatbelt, read it as fast as you can, and then immediately message me so that we can talk about it. Because holy moly, this was WILD. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 3/5 | The Burning Chambers was an entertaining read that managed to keep all ~600 pages engaging, no small feat. Overall, I found the writing a tiny bit less mature (some telling, not showing etc), but still a completely worthwhile read. The author had the bravery to touch on some very heavy, important topics from a character-development perspective as well, which is always appreciated. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 4/5 | The Philosopher's Flight was a really fun read. It was light without being frivolous, fantastical without being ridiculous, and thought-provoking without being too much. I'm definitely looking forward to reading book #2. (Click the post to read more.)
Rating: 4/5 | It's hard to write a review about this book without spoilers, because all I want to do is talk about my ~feelings.~ For those unfamiliar, King of Scars is book 1 of a new duology set in the Grishaverse, following the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. I love these characters so much, and getting so many of them back into my life was a true delight. (Click the post to read more.)
