Mara is one of the last countries in the world that has not been conquered by the Karensa Federation. As Karensa grows ever stronger, Mara is left relying on the Strikers, a group of elite warriors who would die to protect their country, as its last line of defense. Talin, a refugee who fled to Mara after Federation soldiers destroyed her home in the country of Basea, is one of these Strikers. One day, a mysterious prisoner is dragged back to Mara from the front lines, but no information can be extracted from him and an execution is planned.
Ever wondered what happens after "And they all lived happily ever after"? Emma Theriault is here to tell you in her 352 page novel that combines the tale as old as time of Beauty and her Beast with the French Revolution. At a time when Europe is on the brink of civil war, following America on the path of revolution, Belle must qualm the fears and fury of her kingdom while rooting out treason within her own royal circles.
The Dark Tide is a book with excellent characters, amazing storytelling, and a plot that'll make you never want to put it down. In a setting where mundane people and magical events collide, once you start reading you won't be able to stop.
For me, the most compelling part of the book wasn't the existence and secrecy of magic itself, but the lack of acceptance around it. While normally the world of a book having magic isn't something too impressive. The way that this book had magic exist but villanized by the general public was a unique twist that I don't normally see and I was really intrigued to see how it turned out.
I didn't read the first book, but Last Pick: Born to Run was gripping and beautiful. It checked all of my boxes: murderous aliens (and more importantly, a not-so-murderous one), people banding together to find hope in the dark times, empathy, and, well, two friends falling in love. I was disappointed that it ended.
The Bird and The Blade is set in the ancient Mongolian empire. Jinghua, our protagonist, is a slave in the Khipkhak Khanate, that is, until the kingdom is taken over by enemy forces and the only people able to escape are the Khan (King), the prince, and Jinghua. Together they journey across the kingdom, fleeing pursuing forces. With no other options, Khalaf plans to marry Turandokht, the cunning and beautiful daughter of the Great Khan. Easier said than done.
Loki: Where Mischief Lies expands off of the popular character from the Marvel Universe, following Loki in his misadventures on Midgard (or Earth, as we know it) far before the events of the first Thor movie and The Avengers.
The second book in Veronica Roth's Divergent series, Insurgent, is good, but it's underwhelming compared to its predecessor. As a war between the factions surges, Tris must make harsh decisions to save the people around her. This book was a rollercoaster, and while it wasn't boring by any means, it didn't quite capture my attention as Divergent did.
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is a companion book to Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series, this time following High King Cardan, one of the series’ more compelling characters.
