Tag: Amanda Foody

Book Lists

Quarterly Reading Recommendation

by amyleighreads2 Comments on Quarterly Reading Recommendation

I can’t believe it’s already been another three months since my last recommendation post! This is going to be my second instalment for 2022 and this month I only picked 5 books to list since I didn’t read as much during those three months and these were the only books I wanted to recommend. If you want to check out my first quarterly reading recommendations click HERE!

My recommendations for April – May – June are:

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark

Well Matched by Jen DeLuca

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Reviews

All of Us Villains Review

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*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins. Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death. The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world–one thought long depleted.

At first it was a little bit confusing trying to differentiate between all of the different characters, however as the plot continued and we got to learn more about each of them it did get easier. I love the fact that this was a multiple perspective book, I wasn’t expecting that and it definitely gave us a lot more context and history about Ilvernath and each family!

Alistair even though he has very villainous traits I kind of wanted him to be a bit more ruthless and less relatable. I understand his grief after losing his brother (that was a great twist) but I wanted that to kind of turn him murderous and up the stakes more. He is given kind of a redemption too soon and his relationship with Isobel humanised him more than what I thought he should.

Isobel wasn’t a favourite of mine. She resented the fact that she had to be a champion for over a year and isolated herself from her friends over something that was going to be publicised anyway. I thought she treated her mother terribly and let her father manipulate and coerce her into joining and then won’t jump at the chance to try and break the curse and believe Briony.

Briony I thought was a little delusional. The way she handled the whole situation with her sister was unnerving and I am dying to find out what Ines has to say to her. She was very much on board with the tournament right up until was wasn’t chosen and then it was all about saving her sister and brining everything down, the change just comes about a little to fast.

Overall the premise felt unique, the world building was quite contained just to Ilvernath but the history of the tournament gave the book a lot of depth and intrigue. I loved the fact that this book didn’t shy away from any gory details between the different family and the lengths they will go to control the high magick. There were some shocking and very juicy twists that just kept me wanting to read more!

⭐️4/5 stars I was here for the ruthlessness!

Tags

Contradictions Book Tag

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Once again Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books is making me aware of some fun books tags that I have to give a go! This was originated by  Daniela at Only If For a Page on BookTube.

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong – Fantasy is my favourite genre but this book just didn’t do it for me

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward – I’m just getting in to horror books and this one was great!

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – the Chosen One trope is one of my favourites but this book wasn’t good for me

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – the Damsel in Distress tropes is one of my least favourites but this iteration did it for me!

Leigh Bardugo has been a consistent favourite but Ninth House was a let down

I didn’t like Middlegame but I loved Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

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Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody – there is so much more that could of been done with this cover

Reviews

Queen of Volts Review

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*Series Finale Spoilers*

Return to the City of Sin, where the perilous final game is about to begin…The players? Twenty-two of the most powerful, most notorious people in New Reynes. With no choice but to play, Enne and Levi are desperate to forge new alliances and bargain for their safety. But any misstep could turn deadly when a far more dangerous opponent appears on the board — one plucked straight from the city’s most gruesome legends. While Levi hides behind a mask of false promises, Enne is finally forced out from behind hers and as the game takes its final, vicious turn, these two must decide once and for all whether to be partners or enemies.

Enne honestly didn’t really do anything that blew me away in this final instalment to the series. She definitely goes on a roller coaster ride of emotions and self discovery throughout the course of the plot but I can’t say she was my favourite of the characters. When she was at her worst and was about to shoot Justin really soured her for me, Lola was her first and best friend and she was really about to kill him in front of everyone because she wanted to rush out and be a hero. I can understand she was very much in danger of being lynched by the people for being the last Mizer but some of the actions she took to get what she wants rubbed me the wrong way. I wish she just would of been more honest with everyone (especially Levi).

Levi also felt a bit lost for me in this book, thinking back he didn’t really do anything that is jumping out at me. Sure he was preoccupied with dealing with his emotions about Jac and how that translates for his obvious love for Enne but in terms of the new shadow game he wasn’t really a major factor in figuring out how to beat Bryce. I appreciated how the story kind of came full circle and it had to be him and Enne in the end who had to kill the Bargainer and how he has had to re-evaluate everything now that he is stuck in New Reynes.

I feel like all of the side characters really stole the show in this book. Lola making a bargain and finding out the truth about Enne and her heritage was a great twist. I like the fact that we see Lola on the outs with Enne and form a connection with Arabella because of it and how that plays out. Sophia trying to gain back the knowledge of what her side magic and inadvertently making friends with Poppy and Delaney. I liked their dynamic and it was easy to differentiate between them. Narinder I totally forgot he even existed but I was glad that he was able to influence Harvey and get him out from Bryce’s spell.

To be completely honest I forgot who Bryce was so the fact that he was the architect behind everything in this whole series didn’t make an impact on me at all. He obviously didn’t make enough of an impression on me when I read the last two books that I must of thought he was insignificant which I don’t know if that was purposely done by Amanda Foody or it’s just been too long since I read the other books. I feel like because that connection with him wasn’t there I didn’t really feel like his reasonings behind everything was enough. I do like the way everything was explained though and I wasn’t left with any questions but in the end it just felt a pointless to me.

⭐️3/5 stars A little anticlimactic for me

Readathons

Buzzword Reading Challenge

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If you are unaware what the Buzzword Readathon/Challenge is see my prior post HERE. Last month the buzzword was any of the 5W1H (who, what, where, when, why, how) and I ended up completing Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire which I really enjoyed!!

With February you can pick a book with pronouns/possession words (me, you, she, her, he, him, their, we us) and my options are:

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