Tag: YA book

Reviews

Namesake Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Namesake Review

*SPOILER ALERT*

With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and the rest of the crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when Fable becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination, she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems.

Fable in this book just goes from one predicament to the next. I feel as though she is very much in over her head for the majority of the storyline, but she does manage to pull it together and ultimately get everything she wants, albeit at the expense of the other crew members of the Marigold. I appreciate that they called her out for her selfishness and she does acknowledge that.

We get to learn a lot more about the dredging in this book which I appreciated. Seeing the whole process of the diving and all the variables that go with it. I liked seeing how Fay and Koy establish a bit of a mutual respect as Jevalis even though they had their differences in the past. With that connection coming fill circle when they create a trade port in Jevali.

West really goes above and beyond the protective and loving boyfriend trope. He made some decisions in this book that were just too full on and should have been discussed with everyone beforehand. Especially when he wouldn’t let the crew vote on whether or not to join Fay to find Midnight and then signing Holland’s contract on Fay’s behalf. His heart is in the right place but he just keeps alienating everyone in an attempt to protect/save them which wasn’t really necessary.

The relationship between Fable and Saint is what bumped up my rating for sure! We are never really know what Saint’s motivations are throughout the course of the duology, does he actually love Fay or does he scorn her for being alive when Isolde perished? We are finally given all the answers to the questions that kept building up in the plot as to why he did what he did. Clove was a great source of information and made us realise that Saint was actually in the midst of running more schemes than what we initially thought. When everything came to a head at the meeting and he finally stood up and acknowledged Fable as his daughter was a beautiful moment that had me glassy eyed for sure!

⭐️ 3/5 stars Daring, adventurous and swashbuckling!

Reviews

Fable Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on Fable Review

For seventeen-year-old Fable, the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home she has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her.

I really like Fable’s character, though I feel she does need that little bit more growth and development. When we learn about her story and how she has had to stay alive for so long I definitely feel sympathy for her yet she does all the things she knows she shouldn’t do any has to flee from Jeval for her life. I am very curious about her powers and how her mother taught her, I wish we would have found out a bit more about that but hopefully in the next book all is revealed.

West is one of those broody male love interests in YA books that I just happen to love. He is rude and standoffish and lays down the law with Fable right from the start and yet he has a softer side that we learn about throughout the course of the plot that just makes you fall for him. He is very secretive and I am curious as to how he brokered the deal with Saint in the first place and what he will do next! The relationship did kind of feel a little rushed even though not a lot happens. There was a bit of tension between the two of them but not enough for me to quite believe the depth of their feelings.

I am very intrigued by the crew of the Marigold and how they all came together. West really seems to trust each of them with their lives and it is really shown in the plot. They were all so wary and untrusting of Fable at the start that I wonder how what happened with their previous dredger. I feel like they are so much more I want to learn about each of them and I really hope we delve more into their characters in the next book.

Overall I love the premise and tone of the story, it’s very cutthroat and unyielding. The stakes are continually raised and I was definitely reading with anticipation about what was going to happen next! There are still so many questions I have in regards to the world, the magic system and these characters and I am hopeful that the next book delivers!

⭐️4/5 stars I was taken on a journey and enjoyed every minute!

Updates

✨Witchlands Series Reread✨

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on ✨Witchlands Series Reread✨

windwitch

Windwitch still maintains the very fast pace that Truthwitch set but it was just that little bit less exciting. The majority of the book is just Safi and Iseult moving further and further away from each other and though they are striving to reunite their circumstances just keep pushing them apart. There is also a good chunck of the book where they are both just travelling through areas, and though we get to see more of the world it’s not very interesting. I still don’t really trust Vaness and though Safi has decided to trust her I can’t help but think that she isn’t going to hold up her side of the bargain. The addition of Vivia’s perspective added another layer of depth to the storyline and was a way to almost challenge Merik’s very one sided view of his sister and what she is doing for their people. Aeduan is still my favourite of all of these characters and I really enjoyed how multifaceted he is. This book overall was entertaining and quick to read, I do feel like it isn’t as thrilling as the first book but it’s definitely building upon the foundation that was laid in Truthwitch and we are discovering so much more about this world and the magic.

Updates

✨Witchlands Series Reread✨

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on ✨Witchlands Series Reread✨

I am so very behind on my reread of this series but I have just completed the first book Truthwitch today which is actually the release day for Witchshadow coincidentally. I was supposed to have already finished and reread the series so I can pick up Witchshadow straight away but alas that did not occur. I did however, have such a fun time being back in this world and reunited with Iseult and Safi again. Similar to my first reading experience with this book it just jumps straight into the action and it takes me a little while to be accustomed to the writing style. I love the build up of the world and learning about the different realms and the truce. The differences between the different nations and how delicate the peace truce is and just how everyone is waiting for it to dissolve. There are a lot of characters and titles thrown at us as well which again took me a while to wrap my head around again as it’s been a while since I read this series. I highly enjoyed my reread though and I am definitely going to try and continue on with Windwitch as soon as possible!

Reviews

Stormcaster Review

by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment on Stormcaster Review

*Some Spoilers Below!*

Vagabond seafarer Evan Strangward can move the ocean and the wind, but his magical abilities seem paltry in comparison to Empress Celestine’s. As Celestine’s bloodsworn armies grow, Evan travels to the Fells to warn the queendom of her imminent invasion. If he can’t convince the Gray Wolf queen to take a stand, he knows that the Seven Realms will fall. Among the dead will be the one person Evan can’t stand to lose.

I loved the inclusion of Evan’s storyline in this instalment in the series. It was nice to get some background about his character and see what brought him to Arden. He was only in the first book for such a short amount of time that I almost forgot who he was and didn’t think he would be as integral to the series as he was which was a nice surprise. To see him have such a similar upbringing as the other magemarked and how his story differed from the others was very interesting and highly engaging. It was also so nice to get more of an insight into Destin before he became the Assassin of Arden and the relationship he built with Evan and how it was snatched away.

Lila is again a bit of a mystery. She pops up just about everywhere in the plot and is one of the only characters to have interactions with all of the other main characters. She seems to be deep into her spy persona and even though I think her main loyalties lie with the Gray Wolf Throne I can’t help but think the Southern Islands are going to come into play and we are going to find out more about her other family.

The world is once again expanding and we are seeing some of the other continents in this world. I liked seeing how different Carthis is to the Seven Realms and how they refer to them as wetlanders and how they connected them through the pirates. Again I am loving this side plot with the Empress and her city on the Northern Islands. We are definitely given more answers as to why she is chasing the magemarked but I am not 100% sold on what she told Lyss. I have a feeling there is still more to the story and we are going to have a massive twist in the next book.

I am loving that we are finally getting some interaction between all the characters. Having Ash back in the mix campaigning to find his sister at Fellsmarch, Lyss and Jenna on Celestegarde figuring out the Empress’s plans and then Destin and Hal back in Arden. Everyone is starting to interconnect and the action is starting to heat up. Plans are in motion and I have a feeling like this last book is going to be explosive!

⭐️5/5 stars I’m loving everything about this series so far!