The Fiction Feature

King of Fools by Amanda Foody

One Sentence Summary:

Sequel to Ace of Shades features even more gangs and political intrigue.

My Review:

Well. First of all, Narinder was done dirty. He’s my favorite character but he barely has time on the page. [MILD SPOILER I GUESS BUT NOT REALLY] I feel like his only purpose was to be Levi’s bad decision. [SPOILER OVER]

Now, on a more professional note, the plot. I really didn’t like the speed of everything. I completely understand that some of the elements needed time to take effect but the jumps were instantaneous and only mentioned a few times. I think it may be because I was so used to the stretched out ten days of Ace of Shades, but regardless, I didn’t like it.

Another thing that bothered me was Enne and Levi’s characterization. Enne was portrayed as a born criminal despite only having criminal experience in the last few months. Meanwhile, everyone kept saying what a good person with a “heart of gold” Levi was. I get that they’re different people and have evolved differently but I just don’t see how these statements are so accurate that everyone says them! I just really hated that.

Otherwise, I loved the book. The plot besides the time jumps flowed smoothly, everything made sense, and it was so captivating. I had my guesses for everything and one of the smaller ones was correct but there’s still so much mystery. The “who’s working with who” was a little confusing but overall the introduction of new characters and the politics with renewed importance were a good choice. While there were things I didn’t like, they didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book.

I would recommend this book to people who like Six of Crows and The Gilded Wolves. Additionally, it’s a wonderful sequel that I think fans of Ace of Shades have enjoyed and will enjoy. Queen of Volts is absolutely on my TBR!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

One-Sentence Summary:

Finale to the Shades of Magic series with a great deal of possession and punching.

My Review:

Well then. From page one on, I was first and foremost hurt. The unnecessary harm to my favorite characters was cruel, but at the same time made me even more invested in the story. I wish there was a little more romance but this series was never for romance. I did like Kell a bit better in A Conjuring of Light, but I still love Holland, Rhy, and Alucard the most.

As a finale, I thought that this book was amazing. I think in terms of my favorites Shades of Magic book, this would pull ahead of A Darker Shade of Magic. I didn’t completely love the ending, mainly because Alucard never killed his human pile of sh*t of a brother (which I don’t consider a spoiler), but it was certainly satisfying.

This definitely channeled the heartbreak, intensity, and importance of a finale. I really don’t know if I’ll be reading the Threads of Power books when they’re released because I don’t like things getting opened back up after being closed in a satisfying way, but I’ll be missing the characters until then. I commend V.E. Schwab, and while I wouldn’t consider this one of my favorites series, it was certainly a good one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5.

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

One-Sentence Summary:

After the disappearance of her adoptive mother, Enne Salta leaves the comforts of her home to go to the notorious City of Sin, New Reynes, and joins forces with teenage gang lord Levi Glaisyer so she can find her mother (hopefully alive) and Levi can pay off a dangerous scam.

My Review:

Oh. My. God. First of all, I loved how dark this book was. The entire story just gave off a mysterious and ambiguous feeling that I was captured and enthralled by.

All of the characters were either likable or understandable, the world was so incredible. Levi and Enne are wonderful, as are all of the side characters. I’ve seen this compared to Six of Crows a lot and while the most similar aspect is the involvement of gangs, I do think they give off the same vibe.

I don’t really have a lot to say, which I think is a good thing in this case. My only problem was the romance and that was only because I don’t like slow burn romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (Again)

Hello! Unfortunately I don’t really have any new reviews to post today. However, I’m currently rereading Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles so I thought I’d repost my review of the ARC since the book itself was recently released!

*This book was provided as a digital galley by NetGalley and St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

My Review:

Overall, I thought this book was great. After getting approved, I couldn’t wait to get started on this book and I finished it very fast. I’m so lucky I got a copy of this. This book featured complex characters and a very captivating plot. No matter what part I was at in this book, I couldn’t wait to dig deeper. One thing that I liked was that everyone had their flaws. Not a single character was perfect or stereotypical and I loved that so much. I’d never really read a book like this before but I’m so glad I got to read this one. The magic system of “born or acquired” and the deep pasts of the main characters along with the looming shadows of their pasts made for an amazing story. I eagerly await the sequel.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys something revolving around entertainment. The female lead is a talented dancer and magician, and a wonderful artist. The fantasy elements flowed smoothly throughout the story so naturally I would recommend this to others who’ve read the genre too.

I loved this book, and while it wasn’t perfect, it was close to it. I think it was executed very well and I couldn’t be mad at how anything was done.

Overall, I would give this book…

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Synopsis:

It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift–back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games–an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries–a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

Review:

With Schwab’s books, I can never deny the quality. Everything is truly there, it’s just a matter of the characters and plot for me.

First of all, I definitely liked A Darker Shade of Magic better. However, the concept of the Element Games intrigued me, so I enthusiastically read more. The Element Games themselves were some of my favorite parts of the book, but everything leading up to it just felt like it was only there to lead up to it. I read one review saying that it took three hundred pages to get interesting and thought, “It’s interesting where I am!” In case you’re wondering, I was over three hundred pages in.

Next, the characters. My favorites were Holland, Rhy, and Alucard, mainly because they were the only ones I liked. I would absolutely read an entire book about Rhy and Alucard, but Kell and Lila? To me Kell is impressive but a little boring and Lila needs to stop referring to herself as “one of a kind”. We understood that a while ago. I was so happy to see Holland again because he seems to be the character with the most substance.

Even though I’ve said all of this, I still really liked it. I’ll definitely be reading the final book, A Conjuring of Light, and Schwab’s short story about Rhy and Alucard in A Universe of Wishes. I would certainly recommend it to people who liked Kell and Lila in A Darker Shade of Magic or want Rhy to be a little more relevant.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin

Goodreads Synopsis:

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.

To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.

The hotly anticipated sequel to the New York Times and IndieBound bestseller Serpent & Dove—packed with even steamier romance and darker magic—is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

My Review:

In a way, I was dreading the release of this book. I knew it would be great, but relationship troubles and the introduction of werewolves aren’t usually things that draw me into a book; they practically repel me. I’m happy to report that they did the absolute opposite in this case.

While Serpent & Dove was the perfect introduction into the world of witches and Chasseurs, Blood & Honey had the characters and reader explore beyond the walls of Cesarine to meet new people and species. Every character was a new mystery, which might frustrate some, but only entranced me further.

One of the greatest trials of Lou and Reid’s relationship is Lou’s evolution to become more and more like the very person she’s trying to destroy. Reid’s concern and Lou’s doubt casts a shadow over the blissful partnership they thought their relationship to be in Serpent & Dove. The characters’ personal struggles aren’t usually of interest to me, but Shelby Mahurin made it too relevant to ignore and too dramatic to look away from.

I didn’t love the sequel as much as Serpent & Dove, but it certainly blew past my expectations by far. Anyone who loved Serpent & Dove will easily be satisfied by the romance and adventure so plentifully portrayed in Blood & Honey!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

My Review:

I first read Serpent & Dove in February and recently reread it to prepare for the sequel, Blood & Honey (review to come). When I first read the book, I liked it, but I got caught up in it and read too quickly to understand the plot and worldbuilding. I’m glad I reread it so I can truly appreciate it.

I’m not sure how often I say this, but fake relationships and enemies to lovers are some of my favorite romance tropes, so a fake relationship destined to fail because the two are mortal enemies and only one of them knows it? GOLD. Even though these tropes are definitely familiar, Mahurin brought a new feeling to them and a new dynamic. Too often in romance young women are portrayed as overly innocent, but Lou didn’t even bother pretending. She’s a character I now unabashedly love!

One thing I also enjoyed was the Dame Blanches’ magic. The quite literal concept that their magic has a price equal to the result was an idea that I’ve rarely seen, and the different ways it was applied were really interesting. The Dame Rouges have a different magic, one primarily focused on blood, but neither magic system seems easier than another: the Dame Blanches have a cost, the Dame Rouges need other ingredients for most spells.

Reid and other characters were very religious, but Mahurin didn’t make those characters’ beliefs overly good or evil, only how they applied them.

Everything really came together in a great way and set up perfectly for the sequel, which came out yesterday (September 1st)!

I would recommend this book to people who like YA romances a little on the older side and enemies to lovers with high stakes. Lou and Reid are charming, understandable characters who shines just as brightly in Blood & Honey.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn – Advanced Copy

*This book was provided as a physical galley from a San Diego Comic Con giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy Legendborn offers the dark allure of City of Bones with a modern-day twist on a classic legend and a lot of Southern Black Girl Magic.

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

My Review:

Legendborn drew me in from the very beginning. Deonn’s writing from the prologue wove an intricate tapestry depicting Bree’s grief and regret at the death of her mother. The loss Bree feels is a big part of the story and she even perceives that part of herself to be a different person than “Before-Bree”, but it doesn’t make her anything less. Her drive to find out everything she could about her mother’s death made her even more powerful, in mind and body.

I definitely appreciated Bree’s unique goals. She didn’t care for tradition, especially ones like those of the Legendborn, who rejected her at almost every turn because of her race and gender. Bree obviously resented this, and her main purpose for trying to join the Legendborn was to find out what she needed to know and then watch their organization topple, and her motives were very understandable.

I was hesitant about the concept of Arthurian legend, mainly because I only know about it what I’ve heard in retellings (which wasn’t much), but I loved what was done. Tracy Deonn used the rules of the legends to build a world that even those who have no prior knowledge, like me, could understand. I always appreciate a character who’s also a newbie who can learn about the world along with the reader! I was confused at first, but I actually understood almost all of what Deonn was saying by the end of it.

I also loved the development of the romance. I don’t like love triangles, but I did like both Nick and Sel, and while I definitely have a preference, it really seemed like a romance that could go either way, and I’m excited to see if anything changes in the second book. While the romance is certainly part of the plot, mainly because one of the other Pages insists that Bree could only become a Page or eventually a Squire because of her connection to Nick, Bree is clearly very independent and doesn’t need Sel or Nick to be successful.

This is definitely a great book for fans of Cassandra Clare, or even people who didn’t like her books for very specific reasons (I personally didn’t like her books). Legendborn has so much mystery and so many plot twists. It’s an amazing for anyone who likes urban fantasy, new takes on magic, and powerful characters that inspire others in and outside of their book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!

Waiting On Wednesday – Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald

Basically everything I’ve posted since creating this blog has been a review, so it’s time to branch out! Today I’m trying a “Waiting on Wednesday” post to feature a book I can’t wait to read this year!

Goodreads Synopsis:

A dark, queer YA fantasy that’s perfect for fans of the Three Dark Crowns series and Wicked Saints. After Emanuela Ragno kills the one person in Occhia who can create water, she must find a way to save her city from dying of thirst.

Emanuela Ragno always gets what she wants. With her daring mind and socialite schemes, she refuses to be the demure young lady everyone wants her to be. In her most ambitious move yet, she’s about to marry Alessandro Morandi, her childhood best friend and the heir to the wealthiest house in Occhia. Emanuela doesn’t care that she and her groom are both gay, because she doesn’t want a love match. She wants power, and through Ale, she’ll have it all.

But Emanuela has a secret that could shatter her plans. In the city of Occhia, the only source of water is the watercrea, a mysterious being who uses magic to make water from blood. When their first bruise-like omen appears on their skin, all Occhians must surrender themselves to the watercrea to be drained of life. Everyone throughout history has given themselves up for the greater good. Everyone except Emanuela. She’s kept the tiny omen on her hip out of sight for years.

When the watercrea exposes Emanuela during her wedding ceremony and takes her to be sacrificed, Emanuela fights back…and kills her. Now Occhia has no one to make their water and no idea how to get more. In a race against time, Emanuela and Ale must travel through the mysterious, blood-red veil that surrounds their city to uncover the secrets of the watercrea’s magic and find a way to save their people-no matter what it takes.

Why I’m Excited!:

I don’t have an ARC of Beyond the Ruby Veil, but I’m so excited to read it in October!

I found out about this book from Janella Angeles after I read Where Dreams Descend a while ago, and I’ve been intrigued ever since. I really love dark fantasy and Beyond the Ruby Veil sounds extremely dark and gruesome. I’ve also heard it compared to Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan, which I absolutely love.

I’ve seen a lot of things about Beyond the Ruby Veil involving unlikeable female leads, which I usually really love to see. There’s also slow burn romance with an enemies to lovers plot, which is one of the best combinations. I could also always have more LGBTQ+ books on my TBR.

The world Emanuela lives in sounds intriguing and so do the characters. Overall, this book just looks delightfully dark and I can’t wait to read it when it comes out!

IMPORTANT UPDATES!

Two things I have to say in this post:

1. I’m back! My vacation is over so I’ll be posting normally, most likely on Wednesdays and Saturdays again. I did actually post a lot even while I was gone so luckily I’m still on track with the reviews I would’ve put out anyways.

2. There is now an Instagram account for the blog! You can find me on Instagram @thefictionfeature . It’s predominantly a bookstagram account but I will post on there when there are any new blog posts and in general, so go over and give me a follow!