Review: The Dark Angel

The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Ruth, still reeling from the events of the end of the last book, is living day to day, trying to hang out. An old friend calls her up and invites her to help with some bones in Italy, so she packs up Kate, Shona, and Louis and heads to Italy... where of course, murder happens. Meanwhile, back in Norfolk, one of Nelson's cadre of historical arrests is released, and stuff happens at home as well.

I enjoyed watching Ruth getting to explore the little Italian town, be on vacation, and get to meet some new characters. The relationships from prior books all develop a little more, and we get some depth added to at least one character who previously had very little page time. And while some of the events at the end were expected (because of well-written build up throughout the course of the novel), one big thing was completely unexpected, at least to me.

Yet again, a Ruth Galloway novel that doesn't disappoint - it's like Elly Griffiths knows what she's doing! ;) Thank goodness she does. And thank goodness the publishers keep coming back for more. I know I'm ready for the next one!

View all my reviews

Review: The Plastic Magician

The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and 47North for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Holmberg's Paper Magician series did something really cool: it introduced a very unique and very fun magic system. This standalone follow-up/spin-off book follows the adventures of Ceony in the first three books and this time, it's through the very poor-sighted eyes of Alvie, a fledgling Polymaker (plastic magician) who is taking an apprenticeship in England, far across the sea from her home in the US. She's smart as a whip, and she's strong in her own way, but she doesn't suffer from the same quick-to-jump-into-trouble nature as Ceony did. She's logical and methodical, and a very good protagonist.

While the twist wasn't all that shocking (I mean, we'd figured out the twists pretty early on, hadn't we? *wink*), the magic was a fun ride, and the story had some cool ideas.

All in all, I enjoyed it.

View all my reviews

Review: Feed

Feed by Mira Grant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this because, well, Seanan, but I felt like it was way too long, lots of long-winded explanations.

I did end up *liking* it though, so 3.5 stars... but it didn't feel like a "round up" situation.

View all my reviews

Review: Grey Sister

Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mark Lawrence, you've done it again. I raved about Red Sister (ps, thanks for sharing my blog post on your Facebook page! I got a bunch of views! WOOHOO!), well, because it was deserved. Like I said in my review for that, I struggle with high/epic/dark/true fantasy because it tends to be slower and harder for me to get into... and harder for me to forgive overused tropes and predictable plots.

So I said in my Red Sister review that Lawrence created a pretty easy to understand world (still true), a cast of characters with personality, depth, and vitality (he kicked that up another notch!), a cool magic system (gets even more badass)... and he does all of these things again in book two... all the while basically destroying the world he created in book one and building a new reality for our characters. This one, unlike the first, doesn't involve being safe inside the walls of the convent. This new world is DANGEROUS and full of enemies.

I also loved that we got chapters from the POV of Abbess Glass, and got to see her story unfold alongside Nona's.

All in all, to those who ask if this is "better than the first," I'll have to reply it's equal. I can't compare the two because it's so different, it so completely demolishes the world of the first book and deeply affects Nona to her very core.

That ending though? Mark, you're killing me here. Write faster. I need to know ALL THE THINGS. RIGHT NOW. *GIMME*

View all my reviews

Review: Dark Queen

Dark Queen by Faith Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nope, I just couldn't wait to write and post my review...Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Faith, you've destroyed me. You wrote this masterpiece, filled to the brim with countless emotions. You created these characters that I've come to care about over the years. You have been guiding them towards this showdown with the European Vamps for the last half of the series. But what you haven't been doing us is preparing us for JUST HOW HARD IT WOULD BE. You didn't prepare me to have my heart shattered, then pieced back together, then shattered again. You didn't prepare me for new revelations, for devastating losses, for elated moments of love and family.

But one thing you did prepare me for? The next book. :) Thank goodness this wasn't the end. Thank goodness we've got more. Thank goodness that we get to see where this new path, this new journey, this entirely new world you're going to rebuild from the one you just demolished will lead.

I'll be there. I can't wait.

If you haven't picked up Jane Yellowrock yet, what are you waiting for? Start with Skinwalker and prepare to binge.

(On a similar note, thank goodness we'll have a new Nell book while we wait for the next Jane one!)

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go try to find some way to process these myriad emotions that I just can't seem to get a grip on... even though I finished the book yesterday... and still can't seem to handle them all.

---
Review to come closer to release date, but OH. DEAR. GOD.

This masterpiece was emotionally overwhelming. She went places I didn't think she'd dare to go, and she did it well.

SO GLAD WE GET TWO MORE BOOKS NOW.

View all my reviews