Tag: review

Reviews

Legendary Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Legendary Review

81unYzab9VLI am pleasantly surprised.

In this sequel we actually follow the perspective of Donatella. Caraval has just ended and Scarlett is still figuring out everything she thought she knew was a lie. Tella has to worry about trying to keep her sister from finding out the real truth why they are at Caraval. An unknown ‘friend’ she has been corresponding with actually set up the whole thing and now wants payment for her actions. Legend has announced a new Caraval mere days after the last in honour of the Empress’s birthday and Tella has to win it in order to get what she needs.

I didn’t like Tella in the last book. I think because I didn’t have enough time to form a bond with her. We really only have a few scenes with her at the start and then at the end and I thought she was a bit spoilt and arrogant. However, in this instalment everything is explained and I finally think I understand her. Love for her family is what really propels her forward, that and I think a little bit of the second child syndrome where you want to prove everyone wrong. She is very single-minded and won’t stop until she achieves what she needs to.

I love that we get more of a backstory not only to Scarlett and Donatella’s lives but also Caraval and the Fates. I thought that was an interesting element and the way that it ties to all of them kept me intrigued throughout the book. There is definite growth in terms of the magical element and why Legend is so powerful and what kind of magic he has, which I appreciated! I thought they kind of skated over that part in the last book and I found it quite lacking.

I thought the setting was very whimsical. The castle really brought about a kind of fairy-tale vibe but was also quite ominous at the same time. I get the same dark and mysterious tones in this book and there was a sense of urgency weaved throughout the plotline as the book progressed! It was very fast paced which I enjoy. The countdown of the days and Tella’s heart really kept me invested in the book and required me to continue to read.

The mystery aspect around Legend and who he could possibly be was also a plot point I really enjoyed. Even from the first book I like how they kept his identity a secret and absolutely no one would give a straight answer as to who he was. We definitely get more about him in this book and are able to really pin point a few characters that he could be. I had a feeling about who he might be but alas I was incorrect. I did like the fact that he is finally unmasked and we know for sure who he is, but also is it for real or is it just another act?

⭐️4.5/5 Finally a sequel I enjoyed more than the first book, hasn’t happened in a while!

Reviews

Thick as Thieves Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on Thick as Thieves Review

y648We follow a new protagonist in this last book of the series. Kamet is a slave to a very important man in the empire. He keeps his master’s books and accounts and is considered to be a very important slave himself. He has accumulated a few possessions and has a considerable about of personal power in his role which he relishes. That is until an unknown soldier’s comes and offers an escape from his life as a slave, and whispered warnings of poison and murder destroys all of his plans.

I like that everyone’s identity is kept hidden throughout the course of the book. It kept me engaged in the plot as I wanted to figure out who everyone was. We find out the identity of Kamet’s master pretty quickly and I had a feeling about who the Attolian was but it wasn’t confirmed until nearly the end of the book (I was right!)

Kamet I liked him but he wasn’t a favourite of mine in this series. I like that we get a different perspective of what a slave’s life is like in the Empire. All the mannerisms and behaviour is carefully monitored by everyone around them and they can be punished for even the most minor infringements. I liked that we see Kamet constantly vigilant and schooling the Attolian on how a slave should be acting and why he can’t sit next to him or share his food.

Even now five books later I am still getting surprised by Gen and I love that. Even though the main focus of this book isn’t even on him he still has such a commanding presence throughout the plot. Every book really highlights a different trait of his and I loved that once again he has proved how valuable he is and why he chooses to befriend certain people.

The pace was a little bit up and down and at times I did struggle to retain my focus on the book. I think maybe the journey was a little too long for me. It just kind of felt like they were just walking for a lot of chapters and remarking on the scenery which I like for establishing the scene but it became a bit boring for me. There wasn’t enough action.

Even the whole storytelling element that I enjoyed in previous books I found myself kind of skimming in this instalment. I read maybe the first two all the way through and then the rest I wasn’t all that interested in. They were again a little too long for me and they didn’t really bring anything to the storyline.

It wasn’t bad but I didn’t find myself enjoying this as much as the other books in the series. It was just kind of ok. That’s it…

⭐️3/5 I liked it, nothing wrong with it, just not a favourite!

Reviews

The Rose and the Dagger Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Rose and the Dagger Review

51fuyxthzglSoooo I didn’t love this as much as The Wrath and the Dawn…

This book continues straight after the last book finishes off. Tariq has whisked Shazi off into the desert after the storm that has razed Rey. Shazi has to deal with the consequences of loving the Caliph and siding with the murderous boy king.

Don’t get me wrong it was still a great book regardless yet it didn’t completely meet my expectations. This has kind of been happening to me a lot as well, I will start a new series and the first novel will sweep me off my feel and then as I continue on the rest of the books don’t give that same feeling.

Shazi though still being very witty and tenacious I felt like at times she kind of acted a bit arrogantly. Like when she first met the Sheik and she refused to relinquish her weapons and demanded the guards to let go of her. I just felt like that was totally unnecessary and made a big fuss over nothing. She was in the presence of Tariq who would let nothing happen to her and she was a guest of the Badawi Clan who had housed and protected her family. Also when she first met Artan someone Musa said could potentially help her break the curse she was rude too as soon as she met him. Granted he was discourteous at the time but she took offense too quickly and that grated me nerves a little.

I liked Isra a lot, I enjoyed that we get to delve a lot deeper into her character and get a feel for who she is. I loved her honesty and compassion for her family. She is very loyal yet will still question her sisters’ motives and wants to be treated as her equal not her little sister.

The book was still very entertaining and the pacing was pretty good. At some stages it was a little slow and I did find myself skimming a little just to get through certain scenes. Though there were a lot of twists and shocking revelations thrown in throughout the plot and that kept me invested and reading on.

The magical element still wasn’t thoroughly explained either. There was no reasoning as to why Jahander and Shazi have this power and not Isra. Where it comes from or really what it is, just that it exists. I liked that there was a little bit of a history told about Artan’s family and the lore behind their magic but still it wasn’t enough for me.

All the elements are there, the characters, the plot, the setting, yet it wasn’t executed enough for me. I appreciated the ending, I liked that I was totally blindsided by several character and their motives, yet I wasn’t left with any overwhelming feelings at the end like I did with The Wrath and the Dawn.

⭐️3/5 Good not great!

Reviews

The Death of Mrs Westaway Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on The Death of Mrs Westaway Review

* A BIT SPOILERY*

36373481This was amazing!

The main protagonist Hal has been struggling on her own ever since her mum died from a hit and run at the front of her house. She has had to resort to getting a loan of some unsavoury people and now they are coming to collect. With no money and hardly any work she thinks it’s a godsend when she receives a letter addressed to her from a lawyer who is an executor for the estate of a woman he claims is her grandmother. Hal knows this woman is not her grandmother and they must have gotten her name mixed up with someone else, but what if she went anyway?

 I was absolutely enthralled from the offset. I love that we get an introduction to Hal by herself and learn a lot about her and her struggles. I love that we see her fraught and run down and pushed to the limits enough for her to even consider deceiving these people. The fact that throughout the course of meeting the lawyer and then Mrs Warren and the family she still has misgivings about what she is doing and I think that that kind of manifested physically. Always being cold in that house and not eating enough and passing out and having a fever after the will was finally read out. I like that she follows her conscience in the end and actually tells the brothers the truth, which eventually leads her to discover her own truths.

The familial side of the book really drew me in as well. The little secrets and the way they interacted with each other had me thoroughly entertained! The grief that they exhibit when they find out that their sister was dead felt real to me and I appreciated that they all grieved for her differently, it showed how much depth these characters have and it really helped me to distinguish between them. The letters were a nice bridge between the past and the present as well. I found myself immersing into the family history and really trying to figure out the mystery of Maud and where she has gone.

The overall tone of the book was very dark and foreboding and also very cold, be it the weather or the house and even Mrs Warren. I finished this book in basically one sitting and I was swept into this story by Ruth Ware’s immensely detailed and descriptive prose. I loved every second of this book. The mystery elements really kept me on my toes; the pacing was perfect and the plot twists… OMG! I did not see anything coming and I was very much surprised and satisfied with how this book ended!

⭐️5/5 Mysterious, dark and chilling!!!

Reviews

The Wrath and the Dawn Review

by amyleighreads2 Comments on The Wrath and the Dawn Review

One of m91g2v-zrtdly favourite books of the year so far!!!

We follow the story of a young king who is a monster. Every day he marries a new girl and then at dawn she is put to death. When Shahrzad’s best friend is the king’s latest victim she vows to have her revenge and volunteers to be his new bride.

I loved Shahrzad’s tenacity and quick wit. I thought she was funny and clever and completely immovable. She is already struggling with the death of her best friend and choosing to put herself in the same position and entirely in the hands of her friends’ murderer I found to be very courageous. I loved her arc within the story, starting off quite detached and filled with rage and almost obsessing about figuring out the secrets of the king and why he had to murder all of these girls. Then to see her struggle internally with her feelings and the guilt that is brought about because of that really had me invested.

Khalid I was really drawn to from the start. I wanted to not like him because of what he did, but the mystery surrounding why definitely had me intrigued! I liked how he is so observant and attentive to Shazi’s needs and he isn’t afraid to admit to what he has done and won’t hide from it. He fully embraces his past and the way that he finally divulged the true story to Shazi showed his absolute trust and commitment to her.

For some reason I didn’t really warm to Tariq. I think because we don’t get to see him and Shazi together and see how their relationship really is. We are just kind of told that they are in love and not shown it. I love how dedicated he is to Shazi, especially once he has heard what she has done and proceeds to speed off to the capital to rescue her. I thought that was very noble of him and showed the depth of his love. But I didn’t necessary feel that reciprocated by Shazi… all I got from her is kind is guilt that she has feeling for the man who murdered her best friend, not really anything about the many years they have supposedly been in love.

There is so much collusion and schemes weaving throughout the story and the pacing really helped set the scene for the book. I loved the slow build up of anticipation and tension throughout the course of the storyline and I was super entertained during all of it! The setting is wonderful as well, the Middle Eastern cultural elements add distinction and depth to the book which I highly appreciated.

The magical elements of the story weren’t really explained forthright. I appreciated what we did get to see but I kind of want more. I can see Shazi learning to hone her abilities and maybe, just maybe be the one to absolve Khalid…

I have a lot of questions that need answering and I definitely have one or two theories about what is going to happen next! I love that this is a duology as well because this first book really set the tone perfectly and I am itching to continue on with The Rose and the Dagger!

⭐️5/5 Renee Ahdieh might be one of my new favourite authors!!!