Loved the writing style, loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (the author’s first book that’s unrelated but has similar vibes), and love the cozy magical world, but the premise and characters didn’t grab me here. I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between the characters and though it was well-foreshadowed, I didn’t love the resolution. (no rating)
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It is so very rare that I start a book expecting not to like it and end up loving it. I legitimately cannot remember the last time it happened, but this book completely won me over. The silly enemies-vs-lovers, the witty pitch-perfect banter, an intriguing premise, likable, flawed characters, great writing, and a goofy sort of darkness. I still wish I hadn’t known beforehand that this started as fan fiction because at first I feel like I was trying to guess what everything was originally and it kept me from getting engaged right away, but that aside, I totally think this book stands great on its own, and I can’t wait to read the sequel! Recommended for anyone looking for a goofy enemies-to-lovers vibe in a fantasy setting.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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This was definitely a five-star read for me! I enjoyed the way the world unfolded, the secrets were uncovered, and the characters definitely stood out. Though I definitely predicted a few of the twists, they came off very satisfying. It was grittier than I was expecting, and I wish Kiva had been a little more active in the trial and the climax, but I’m curious (and a little apprehensive) to see where the sequel takes us. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a fresh, well-written YA fantasy that’s a little on the darker side.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Finished reading this aloud to my 7-year-old & 9-year-old for their bookdragon club. At page 50, I wasn’t sure they were going to make it. (I forgot how slowly it starts. Like seriously it takes the 50-page first chapter to get out of the living room, and three pages of it is Thorin just giving this massive 3-page info dump of all info dumps that’s like: “here’s everything that’s happened for the last century.”)
But by the end, this was their favorite book we read all summer. They all had a great time gushing about it at the book club meeting, so it turned out to be an awesome one to end on. (We also watched some clips of both the animated Hobbit movie and the Peter Jackson movies, and they were a little appalled how unfaithful the PJ’s Eagle scene was to the original material, purists that they are. In general, I think it’ll be some time before they’re ready for the Peter Jackson trilogy.)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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What I liked:
– Beautiful writing.
– The world-building! I loved the idea of courier post between worlds.
– Loved the magic system beaded on calligraphy & ink
– Tristan & Nan! I loved how the side characters popped from the page
– A nice mystery that keeps you guessing
What I didn’t like:
– Maeve wasn’t my favorite protagonist. I didn’t dislike her, but I wished she’d played a more active role in events.
– Slower pace than I usually prefer (but keep in mind I like my books breakneck.)
Recommended for those looking for a fantasy that feels fresh with a sweet, slowburn romance subplot
⭐⭐⭐⭐½
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So this book reads like vampires + Hunger Games. I liked the characters, it kept my attention throughout, the narration is great, and the twists, while not totally unexpected, were executed well. Honestly, I finished this book approximately five seconds ago, and I’m processing on my keyboard here as I try to figure out why this wasn’t a five-star read for me. I feel like it should be, but maybe I’m just in a reading slump? I don’t know, but I probably won’t pick up the sequel. I can only assume I’ve been broken as a reader somehow. That said, if you like vampires, dystopia, dark magic, and a little spice, you’ll probably love this one.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Loved the dark atmosphere, heartwarming themes, sweet romance, and strong found family in this enchanting fantasy with super strong Howl’s Moving Castle vibes. Definitely recommend for fantasy fans looking for a mix of gothic and cozy! And the audiobook is narrated by Carol Beth Anderson who is just absolutely lovely!
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Loved the hook and the premise, but I thought we lost a lot of tension in the middle. I feel like I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I would’ve liked, and I got a little frustrated with the characters not really utilizing the powerful books to their full potential. Or taking steps to defend / protect themselves when someone is actively trying to un-alive them over the course of years. I nearly DNF’d a couple times, but came back to it at the encouragement of a friend. To be fair, the full-circle elements of time travel were satisfying and the narrator was great.
⭐⭐⭐½
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Okay this is my last Rick Riordan book review for a while. Even though my kids are still fully immersed in the Rick Riordan universe, I think I need a breather from MG. (Not because I didn’t enjoy this one, but just because we’re on Riordan Book 8, and that’s *a lot* for me.)
In general though, I don’t have a ton to say about this series. These characters do act a little older than their counter parts in Percy Jackson & the Olympians which I enjoyed, and my 7yo & 9yo continue to be hooked on this series. This is a solid continuation of the Percy Jackson series (in which Percy Jackson & co plays a solid role) and I really liked the action, development, and universe-expansion in this one! My 9yo inhaled this series and has now moved onto Apollo’s trials, but he will have to forge on ahead without me, because I need a change-up! Still, I do love all the Percy Jackson and Greek God our house is decked out in now, so this of course gets:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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So we read these two immediately after finishing Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but in retrospect we should’ve (at a minimum) read Heroes of Olympus first. Derp. It wasn’t a huge deal, but Percy does reference characters and events from Heroes of Olympus in passing.
Chalice of the Gods:
The stakes are much lower in this series, and even though Percy is 17, he still pretty much seems like the same Percy from the original series. Once again this is fantastic news for my 7yo & 8yo who have now both binged all 7 Percy Jackson books (and are waiting for book 8.) But for me it makes the Percy’s adventures start to seem a little episodic, but if you read the first series and wanted more Percy, Grover, & Annabeth, this series is for you!
Wrath of the Triple Goddess:
My 7yo and 8yo have been loving this series so I’ve been trying to keep up with them, but I don’t like this trilogy as much as the original Five. The stakes are way lower, the quests seem episodic, and I don’t feel like we get a ton of character growth.
But if you love Percy Jackson, then you will probably love these. My 7 and 8yos certainly do. Four stars from me. Five from them, and they are happily reading Heroes of Olympus and Trials of Apollo while they wait for Percy’s Senior Adventures #3. Since there’s two of them and one of me, we’ll call it five stars here:
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