Book Review: Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Silver in the Wood, though it is a short story, is actually really darn good one.

Silver in the Wood is about a man named Tobias who was living in the woods peacefully with a dryad named Bramble. He even had a tree in his backyard that I think he was tied to. One day, a man named Silver comes in his wood, and the two of them starts to spend time together, talking and such, until Silver is kidnapped by a Fay named Fabian.

Yeah, Fabian. Weird name for a Fay but I digress.

Then Silver’s mother, Mrs. Silver, comes in, and she and Tobias start to work together, finding monsters and things and putting them away. Even Tobias started to trim up a bit. I didn’t like it, though, when the first time they met. Mrs. Silver wanted Tobias to cut down the tree (and they did, and I hated it that she told him to do that. Like no, that was his HOME, lady. HOME. Tobias is part of the tree). But the shocking thing EVER was that Silver was alive, thanks to the Fay that kept him alive, I think???

But the only freaky part about that was, that Fabian used Silver’s face to get under Tobias’s skin, but it didn’t work, shaking it off. But I did clap at the end when Tobias kissed Silver, and I clapped when they did, because I wanted them to be together. Now I picture them all happy, living in their wood while inbetween helping out people and being together, because that’s all I want. That’s all I want, and I’m going to keep it like that, dammit, because they deserve to be happy.

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: Saga vol. 4-6 by Brian K. Vaughan

Saga, Vol. 6 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here we are, the three books before seven eight and nine-the last volumes of the Saga comics. I am thoroughly enjoying the comics, I love love LOVE the storyline right now, and I also love Hazel, the sweet little angel face who’s baby. She’s just….gaahhhh I can talk about her all day and into the night, she’s so baby I love her. She even cried when Marko came to get her, saying ‘daddy’, even when he brought her back her doll she hadn’t seen in a long time.

And Marko and Alana working together to get to Hazel….the only thing that shocked me was Marko taking those drugs and getting high, and it took him from getting high to realize his purpose in life, to do any and everything for Hazel and make his way back to her...that right there is the reason why MARKO LIVES FUCKING RENT FREE IN MY DAMN MIND. And I was hoping and praying that he and Alana make it to where they can be with Hazel again, and they do, and the last part that cracked me up with when on of the prisoners who was with Hazel and Marko’s mother came through the portal and announced that Alana was pregnant again (which I’m so happy about)

The one storyline I didn’t think I’d like was the one with Prince Robot IV, who I thought was going to be a royal forever, but sadly his father cut him off, and he found his son, and him and his son are living on an island before Marko showed up, asking for help to find his family before he nearly got killed (in which I wanted to RAGE VERY NICELY BRO) but other than that I found it real nice that Prince Robot IV-excuse me Robot IV is now trying to be best dad and I love it??? So much???

The only weird thing about Saga is the Will and the weird spider lady called the Sniper or something like that, and only he can talk to her, I think it is??? Which it’s fine to me, but good lord son. And then his sister died and now he’s talking to her, after he kidnapped and used two lovely journalists to help him (more like force them, but what the hey) but I digress, this comic is so good and I’m going to finish reading them because I love them so, so much.

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Serpent and Dove...a book that for some reason people don’t like and I have no idea why, but that is their opinion-this is mine, and I liked it, to tell you the truth.

I liked the story of a witch marrying a witch hunter, and trying to hide her past because of her mother-I’m writing a fanfic about something like that, all except it’s the father that scares the daughter (and has done terrible things to the couple). But as I read it more, I liked the magic system in the story, and even though the French part confuses me sometimes, I truly did enjoy this book.

I have to say that yes, I’ve fallen for Reid Diggory, and since he’s married, I’m going to look respectfully, because 1.) the man is tall 2.) he’s stiff as a damn board-like really, stiff as a board, but throughout the book you see him grow into a man who really cares for his wife, even when he finds out that she’s a witch and told her that she wasn’t his wife when she was revealed she was one (that one broke my heart when he said that, just...torn into little tiny pieces when he said that.

The sad part was throughout the book was Louise’s mother, Morgane, even though she came at the middle of the book, and holy hell that woman is giving me hella, hella crazy mama/Dahlia from The Originals season two, but good fucking god Dahlia wasn’t this fucking crazy. To stab your own daughter in the throat and then sacrifice her? The fuck, lady, the fuck.

I mean...I was so angry that I wanted??? To Scream??? Like what the hell?? Why U do that for??? But at least Reid was there to stop her (and also, press F in the chat for the Archbishop...that I don’t really like because he was an asshole, but he found out he was Lou’s father) but I have to say my favorite part of this book is when the witches attacked the Chassures and also when Reid and the others walk into the Dame Blanches’ home in those funny disguises. But the one thing that shocked me was when Reid could see a pattern and just acted on it, and it was revealed that he can see magic, and that he’s also a male witch, which I found exciting because it was so unexpected to see really.

But can we talk about sweet Ansel? Sweet, adorable Ansel, who didn’t trust Lou at first, but the more he was around her, the more I wanted to protect this boy. Even when Reid and Lou had a fight, he wanted to go after her (and he almost did) but after meeting up with Coco, Beau and Madame Labelle (Reid’s mama, by the by) and plotting to get Lou out of Chateau le Blanc and I loved it??? So much??? That I wanted more??? (Which I do have Blood and Honey, but I’m going to read it next year).

I cannot wait and see where this story goes and how Morgane survives, and if they beat her, because this was actually pretty damned good, if I say so myself.

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: Pray for Death (Will Tanner #6) by William A. Johnstone

Pray for Death by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pray for Death is just a straight up ‘get the bad guys and lock em up’ type book, but at the same time it’s also about the bad guys trying to get away from him and also trying to outsmart him. But sadly as time goes on, Will Tanner always outsmart the criminals as much as he can, even when he’s just trying to make sure everyone is safe.

But I find it kinda funny that he’s about to miss his own wedding, which when I read that made me go ‘ooohhhhhhh’ because he’s been chasing Ward Hawkins and Tiny MceGee, but I hope once I get done with this book that he does, because I really want him to get married. I also do like the fact that he acts like a marshall of the law and giving people the choice.

And the Hawkins gang...I started to give them the side eye because there’s something about them that I don’t like-I mean, Fanny basically shot Tiny McGee in the back of the shoulder because she couldn’t get a clear shot, and she told her boys to chase down the Marshall and string him up, which is really, really bad, though it was funny when Hawkins tried to maneuver him and tried to overpower him, but it doesn’t even work.

Then when they got back into town (he and Hawkins), and they had to see Doc, Hawkins THOUGHT that he could escape one last time, but at the end, it didn’t work as he got stabbed in the neck by Doc’s cook, and then got shot, which was bad on his part because he didn’t expect the cook to stab him in the neck.. But in the end, he got what he deserves, and Will came home, only to get punched in the face by Sophie when he came back, but at least he got married at the end.

I think this one is my least favorite one because yes there was a lot of action in it, and he was trying to get the bad guys and bring them back home. The last couple books of his were about rustlin’ cattle and fighting the bad guys, but this one changed the pace and I love it so, so much. I liked the lingo that I’ve been hearing almost all my life, like likker (liquor), and other words I can’t remember.

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: Ruin and Rising (Grishaverse #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book three.

Holy hell, I’m on book three.

And book three is slowly but surely killing me.

Why, you ask, is book three killing me?

Well one, Mal and Alina are currently with the Apparat, who, for the love of god, reminds me of Wormtail from Harry Potter, but worse, much, much worse, in the White Cathedral. The Apparat has been styling Alina as Sankta Alina and pretty much controlling her from the start, even when she didn’t have her powers. So one day Mal and the others decided to trick the Apparat and she got her powers back (yay) after she was tending to Genya’s eye (which thanks to Daddy Darkling….well...you know). Once Alina put the fear of the God back into him and told him to be in his rooms, she left the White Cathedral with her friends to try and find the firebird…

All except she can now call and see the Darkling now.

Through the bond they have.

Which shouldn’t have shocked me but it did as I read it.

And she kept it from her friends, even when Nikolai found them again on a new boat and traveled to get as far away as they can from the Darkling, only to find out that he really wanted Alina back. And he would do anything to get her back, even going to Keramazin to kill everyone she ever known, like Ana Kulya, telling her:

“I will strip away all that you know, all that your love, until you have no shelter but me.”

This quote will forever be in my mind, even as I write it down in my journal because it was that good of a line for a villain to say. And then on the boat when the Darkling found them and turned Nikolai into a monster….I turned to the left because I went OH NO MONSTER BOYFRIEND OH NO and then after that we found out something big. Really big.

One, is that Baghra is Morozova’s daughter (I felt like throughout the book we were focused on him and the Darkling) and...that Mal is the third amplifier for Alina. He’s the firebird.

And Alina is swearing up and down that she will never kill him because she loves him.

Which honestly, I’m going all the way to the ending, which sucked. So, so much.

I really didn’t want Alina to end up with Mal, I really didn’t. Yes he was the firebird, yes he did so many wonderful things throughout the story (like tracking) but...Mal is boring. So, so boring. I thought she would’ve at least chosen Nikolai or the Darkling (but that’s just me, I’ll choose the Darkling and me and him would be married without me even thinking about it, and I won’t have no regrets at all) but Mal? Boring old Mal? I don’t even see them being together, much less them having anything similar in common. But I mean, it was nice and all. They opened up a little orphanage and being all cute and a couple….BUT WHY THOUGH, LEIGH BARDUGO, WHY????

I wanted something else for them, this wasn’t it!!!!

But you know what, it’s all good, because I have the duolgy (got the first book,of it, King of Scars) and I pre ordered the new one, and I have the Book of the Saints, so maybe I can do a nice book marathon when Ruin of Wolves comes out (and I can’t wait for that, honestly).

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: The Shadowglass, a Bone Witch Novel by Rin Chupeco

The Shadow Glass by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The last book of the Bone Witch series...and, to me, the great series of 2020. This book broke me in many ways, and I’m sad that I have to say goodbye to my friends. But I’m sad that Tea and Kalen had to die (which sucked, by the way, really sucked). But the ending where the Bard was at the statue and two people showed up, I wondered if it was really them.

But also, the final battle between them and the Faceless, including Althy, who I thought was their friend but it turned out she was tricking them for so, so long. Like I don’t know why she did that, but she did. And also the Oracle, who turned out was Druji, which I was shocked about when I read it, and tried to turn Tea bad. And I also couldn’t believe that Althy would blight pretty much everyone, including Lady Likh.

But can we talk about Likh for a second? Whom I love and adore so much? She thought that she was born the wrong gender and really wanted to be a asha, but since she was a boy, she couldn’t be one, which was fucked up in my opinion. I’m glad Tea understood and called her Lady Likh, and I’m glad she told her feelings to Khalahd, and that they were together, though I got worried that it would be too late for them to be together. And I also wish there was a spell that’ll let Likh change her gender from a boy to a girl, because then she’ll finally live her truth and be with the boy she loved.

And Fox….Fox, Fox, Fox. You know that Tea didn’t mean to kill your sister Daisy, and you pretty much shut her out throughout the whole book, which sucked by the way. But I’m glad that in the end, you turned back human and married Princess Inessa. You honestly deserve all the happiness in the world.

I have to say, my favorite part throughout this book series is the story inbetween the actual story. We follow Tea in her journey to become an asha, then a Dark asha, then pretty much beating the crap out of the Faceless while at the same time, we read about how she took in the shadowglass, defeats the Faceless again, and disappears on her azi with Kalen on her side.

But can we talk about Kalen’s death, please?? LIKE NO, I DON’T ACCEPT THIS. I DON’T ACCEPT THIS AT ALL. I hated reading his death and all I wanted was for him and Tea to be together, BUT NO IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, I’M SO MAD I COULD SPIT. And the visions when she went through the mountain, and she failed because she couldn’t save Kalen? BOY WAS I MAD ABOUT THAT. But then he was fine and then they died together. Dang it.

I’m so glad that I found this book series and read it all. This would have to be my favorite series, hands down, of 2020. I don’t think any other book series would compare to this one, but honestly I don’t think I will. This book was so well put together and so well written that I couldn’t put it down-I had to devour every word of it. I would like to see these characters one day-maybe in a short story or what. But I want to see them again, because I miss them now, so much.

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: Saga (Vol. 1-3) by Brian K. Vaughan

Saga, Vol. 3 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have never read the comic Saga in my life. Haven’t even touched it. Haven’t placed a finger on it.

But when Anna said it was the book club pick of the month, I picked it up and…

And…

MARKO LIVES RENT FREE IN MY MIND.

Marko is best space dad, the best husband, and yes, I’ve fallen in his lap and I can’t get up, but sadly he’s married so we’ll just have to be friends. Darn it. But I’ll be okay because Hazel, his and Alana’s daughter, is such a cutie pie that I love so, so much. Such a bean. I can’t help but to awe each time she comes onto the page.

I love the family dynamic between Marko and Alana as they decide what’s best for their baby girl Hazel. I find it so real and raw that these two people who ran off and got married, is thinking about their plans and making sure Hazel is first, no questions asked. I also love the fact that Marko’s mother is accepting of them and is willing to take care of Hazel. Even their ghostly babysitter is along for the ride and I love every bit of it.

I also love the storyline with The Will and Slave Girl, aka Sophie. He just wants to be best dad to her, even when she was controlled and stabbed him in the neck. She even apologized once she stepped back. I was also shocked at the budding relationship between The Will and Gwendolyn, Marko’s ex-fiancee, though right now the Will is out of remission while Gwendolyn is confronting Marko about how to save him.

Though I didn’t like the fact that she called Alana a fat bitch and killed the author of the book, which sucked, by the way. Also I don’t know why, but I don’t like Prince Robot IV, but I’m slowly but surely liking him a bit-JUST A BIT. Not a lot, which is fine with me. Maybe in the next few books he’ll grow on me, The Will gets saved, Marko and Alana and Hazel become family and I finally just let all of them live rent free in my head, because they do need to live rent free in my head forever because I love them and I would do anything for them darn it.

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: Hit Me With Your Best Scot by Suzanne Enoch

Hit Me With Your Best Scot by Suzanne Enoch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*Arc sent for review

Hit Me With Your Best Scot...um...see…

*taps mike* Hello, My name is Brittany B, and...and...and I’ve fallen in love with Coll MacTaggert and I want to marry him.

So yeah...Coll MacTaggert, the Viscount of Glendarril...tall. Hot as hell. Talks in a deep brogue. I can’t understand half the stuff he’s saying, but I don’t care...I can listen to him talk all day and never get bored whatsoever. And he fights with his hands, which is a good thing. But what does a Highlander like him do when he walks backstage during a play and falls for an actress named Persephone Jones?

Basically: “Och,Máthair,I’m going to marry her!”

*cue gasps and groans and omg whys*

BUT it actually works out with them, because they fall in love...after finding out that Persephone is being targeted for something, and honestly, it’s pretty stupid really, and then we find out that Persephone Jones is Temperance Hartwood, a woman who was once supposed to get married to an old man, but he was horrible so she left and became an actress.

And somehow, someway...someone is trying to kill her.

Maybe because of the Shakespearian characters she plays….or because she’s the daughter of a lord...but whatever it is, someone is trying to kill her. Coll, even though he’s supposed to be looking for a wife, is actually trying to help her figure it out before he actually finds one, actually falls in love with her, and the two are about to get married at the end (or announced that they are)

I loved this book so much that glad that I’ve gotten an arc because the book was SO GOOD. I loved the characters and action and everything (yes, including Coll. Did I mention him? No? Okay, then I’m mentioning him again because HE’S MY HUSBAND NOW OKAY I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.)

View all my reviews

 

Book Review: The Heart Forger (Bone Witch #2) by Rin Chupeco

The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay...book two…you had me at book one. I loved book one. BOOK TWO, YOU GOT ME INVESTED.

Book two continues from Book One, where Tea and her friends are going to the Kingdom of Daanoris, trying to find the Heart Forger, who is missing. And on top of that, people, including Prince Kance, are falling into some kind of sickness. So they go to another kingdom to find the Heart Forger, but when they get there, they find out about so many things…

One, is that the Emperor, Emperor Shifang, wants to marry Princess Inessa, even though Princess Inessa is currently with Fox. Two, that Tansoong may or may not be working with the Faceless, but it turns out that he’s innocent, and that Bayzoi was actually working for the Faceless, and three….and this is important….Mikaelya’s heartsglass was with King Telemaine the WHOLE ENTIRE TIME.

I mean, Tea tried to ask King Vance where her heartglass is, and they started asking random questions, where he would say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. But the shocking part out of all of this was when Aneah and King Telemaine appeared, pretty much revealing that they were lovers and they wanted to kill everyone in that room. But they didn’t, and Tea got her revenge on the king by making him insane, thus making the prince exile Tea from doing what she did.

But once again, the world building of this book is pretty damned good, I must say. Each place she describes in this book are places I would like to go someday. I’ve also loved the little romances in the book, though the one that shocked me the most was Kalen and Tea. The reason why they shocked me because Kalen is a Deathseeker, and I thought he really didn’t like Tea, but it turns out that he does like Tea and even kisses her. He even goes out of his way to be exiled with her (I think he does), which I think is so cute.

I didn’t like the fact that she had her azi taken from her, but at the end the azi pretty much listens to Tea now without her controlling her or anything. I found that pretty darn awesome actually, and it sucks that now she’s not going to be in Ankyo anymore. I mean, Ananeah and the stupid king deserves what they did to Mikaelya, I’m sorry.

Still love this book series. I’m going to read the last book and cry because this book series is! So! Good!

View all my reviews