breabooks's reviews
172 reviews

A beautiful ending to an epic fantasy trilogy. Certain parts had me in tears. I’m still amazed at how Amber Werner can cram so much story into only one book. The exploration of found family, accepting love when you really need it, and forgiveness was fantastic. I highly suggest this series if you’re looking for EPIC fantasy, no spice, wild creatures and worlds, good vs evil, and dragons!!

And that epilogue? I’m ready for the next series, please!

Another fun story in this series! This had way more creepy Bioshock vibes and I’m here for it.

I adore Maketes. Ace is very very relatable. Again, why does this kind of book have to have such thoughtful themes? 

There were a few parts that, aside from being a fantasy novel that’s totally defying the laws of nature, just didn’t make sense. How did that man survive so long without the other people barging in but Ace could walk right in? I also didn’t like how fast this one was. Gimme that slow burn.

This is a fantastic dark fantasy with gothic vibes. It is so unlike most of the books I have read recently. The apocalyptic type world is creepy but so interesting. The dedication and prologue pulled me in and I could not put this book down. As someone who’s often easily distracted while reading I can say I wasn’t distracted by much, even reading late into the night until my eyes couldn’t stay open. 

Edira is a threadmender in a world filled with a horrible disease called blight. She must hide her ability to heal the sick by mending their broken threads of life for fear of being taken by the Evers. The Evers, immortal beings with immense magic, lord over the country of Glaes. The Ferngloves are the specific family that control’s Edira’s city. The Ferngloves took her aunt when they discovered she was a threadmender. Edira must help make ends meet with her two brothers all while hiding her identity because blight killed the rest of her family… until her brothers fall ill with blight. Orin Fernglove promises to stave off the progression of the disease in exchange for Edira’s help in researching a cure for blight. Edira is thrust into the Fernglove estate with a family that is kniving, secretive, and extremely powerful. She is warned to trust no one, but her heart tells her otherwise. 

The story is muah, chef’s kiss! Edira is constantly questioning the Fernglove’s motives. The characters are dynamic, especially Edira. She is full of sass, plus she gets a cute animal companion. The sarcastic interactions between the Fernglove family are so entertaining. The imagery is immersive and beautiful but absolutely disgusting. I really enjoyed how Edira’s magic works. 

Edira is constantly giving of herself to help others, but slowly learning to let herself live. I admire her character’s steadfast determination to protect her brothers all while learning the secrets of the Ferngloves. 

This was the first ending I’ve read in a while that was actually satisfying. It’s my understanding that this is a duology, but I’m not left with the sour taste of most cliffhangers in the end. 

I will be suggesting to book to anyone and everyone. Thank you Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eARC.

This was a fun spin on Calico Jack with magic, mythology, and romance!

The writing is fun, fast paced, and relatable even though it’s set in 1700s Nassau. I absolutely adored every character. Anne was fun and determined. Jack was SO fun - he’s one of those goofs I would want to befriend in real life. The cat companion was just the cherry on top. ALL of the crew characters were well-developed. The magic mixed with mythology was unique- I really enjoyed how the story pulled from multiple mythos. The romance was full of tension and spice (so this is def an adult book). 

I need more of Jack and Rhode!!

Thank you RR Book Tours and the author for the gifted eARC

Wow. What a whirlwind! This book put me through a slew of emotions, even making me cry a little bit.

This story is hard to summarize. At almost 700 pages long, the story is complicated and hard to minimize to a few sentences, but I’ll try!! A kingdom is overcome by a curse that randomly puts people in an everlasting sleep. The provinces of the kingdom are at odds with each other, each vying for more magical power. Rose is from a providence of Alchemist but is an outcast because of her past. She’s forced into a trial in which she never even expected to compete. Rose must overcome her past to bring down that which keeps the curse alive.

The world building is insane. The writing is immersive, making you feel like you’re part of the dual narrators’ psyche. The author can spend a long time on the character’s inner turmoil, but it makes the story that much better. I will say that the story started off pretty slow and doesn’t really pick up until at least the 30% point. I believe this is sort of expected with such a long and complicated world and story. The magic is fantastic. Each province contains a different speciality of magic. 

I freaking LOVE how Lacey develops her characters. The main characters are very emotionally intelligent. We readers get to watch them work through their problems, feelings, and trauma in their head. THIS is what made me cry- the specific (spoilery so vague) revelations of letting one’s walls down to let others in. 

The last 100ish pages were brutal. Great, but brutal. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. 

I cannot wait for the next in the series of interconnected standalone. 

Thank you to the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Foul Days walked (sprinted?) so Monstrous Nights could run. Dimova created an enthralling story that was impossible to put down. This was full of dry humor, fascinating Bulgarian folklore/magic, and a pinch of romance. And a freaking giant chicken. 

The way I was able to immediately dive into the story without feeling lost speaks volumes to how well developed the characters were in the first book. This book was non-stop plot. One resolution would lead to more questions until it was all tied up nicely in the end. Kosara continued her self-discovery in her journey to find the root of the strange new happenings in Chernograd. Asen’s struggle to reconcile his past was sad but believable. The fantasy (almost gothic) murder-mystery type vibes prevail throughout with just a little sprinkle of a tiny romance sub-plot. 

This was a great duology that I will recommend to all fantasy lovers. Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the eARC!

This is one of those books that I delayed finishing because of the inevitable book hangover. I devoured the last 100 pages but felt instant regret once I knew I would not be in Mistei anymore. Servant of Earth is easily one of my top books of the year.

Kenna finds herself trapped in the underground fae court of Mistei after some major trauma. Her best friend dies, thus confirming her town’s bogus faith in the fae. Kenna must rely on her own wit and a sentient dagger as she’s forced to assist her new mistress in 6 deadly trials. She quickly finds herself torn between different allegiances as she’s caught in the middle of a secret rebellion against the heinous fae king. 

Servant of Earth is very dark. The plot is immersive - full of twists with little bits of foreshadowing breadcrumbs. The fae, while wildly different from other stories in class and description, are cruel and conniving. The story is heavy on politics that reflect universal truths such as a house (or court) divided cannot stand. The world-building is beautiful and macabre. The fae live underground in a complex court that’s stunningly attractive and terrifying at the same time. 

Kenna is one of my favorite main characters this year. I found myself heavily invested in her success. Kenna will stop at nothing to protect those she loves. While she understands the necessity of alliances and playing along to further her objectives, she still saves herself. I’ve never hated a protagonist as much as King Osric. The other main characters are not what they seem, each developing/changing drastically by the end. 

With that, I need book 2. Immediately. 

Thank you Sarah Hawley for the (traveling) arc!