51miBYV+mkL

The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

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5 Stars (5 / 5)

The Trials of Apollo #3
Damn Riordan, I was not expecting that! The Burning Maze is a game changer, and one that I definitely did not see coming. Now that I think back on it, Riordan’s always seems to throw a curveball in book 3 (at least in his 5 book series). I can’t really say much else about this without spoilers (for this book and his other series), so we’ll leave it at that.

As always, you can’t help but love Apollo’s wit and self-deprecating attitude. He’s not a hero, but is constantly thrown into these heroic situations. His character and relationship with mortality has grown in leaps and bounds through this series, and his development is just so heartwarming to see. The events of The Burning Maze are likely to change Apollo forever, and I just can’t wait to see where this series ultimately takes him.

As always, I loved getting cameos from some of our favorite characters from past series: Grover, Piper, Jason, and even Coach Hedge make a comeback in this one. It’s always great to catch up with our old friends and see what they are up to.

I’m not sure how I’m going to make it till next Fall for the sequel!

51miBYV+mkL

Rogue by Julie Kagawa

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3.5 Stars (3.5 / 5)

Talon #2
Rogue is quite the change of pace from its predecessor, Talon. Our heroes are on the run from both Talon and St. George, and they do make quite the motley crew. While being constantly “on the run” did make for a bit of a tedious plot, I think it was a necessary step in the progression of our characters. I think that Ember is finally starting to realize what going rogue really means, and is ready to start fighting back.

I really loved the snippets of Cobalt’s backstory. It was great seeing where he came from and how his little underground came to be. And I can’t help but love Wes’ witty retorts and snarky attitude. And I was glad to get some more chapters from Dante’s POV. I still haven’t quite figured out how I feel about him, but it’s nice to get some insight into where he’s coming from.

By the end, we start to get a hint of the danger that lies on the horizon. I’m curious to see what the future holds for our small band of heroes.

51miBYV+mkL

This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

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4.5 Stars (4.5 / 5)

Monsters of Verity #1

“Mind over body over bodies on the floor over tallies seared day by day by day into skin until cracked and broke and bled into the beat of gunfire and the melody of pain and the world was made of savage music…”

What a unique and fascinating premise. Imagine a world where the very worst of our sins birthed literal monsters. This is the world of This Savage Song. But it’s also not that simple. Not all monsters are created equal, and just because it is decidedly wicked acts that create them, they may not all be wicked by nature. And August is one such monster…

And then you have Kate, working all her life to live up to the brutal and ruthless reputation of her father. Trying to prove she deserves a place by his side, in the only “home” she has left. But though she puts on a hard and vicious front, does she really have what it takes to rule this savage world.

Schwabs worldbuilding is subtle. It happens slowly over time, instead of being thrust at you all at once. Instead it is inferred as we get to know the characters and see them interact with the world. Told from alternative points-of-view, we see a divided city from both sides of the wall, from both perspectives of a war. And then our characters, who should be divided, are thrown together by circumstance. And we learn to see what makes a human and what makes a monster, and how the lines blur.

And then you have passages like the above, which is so beautiful that I just can’t stop thinking about it. I’m not usually a fan of stream of consciousness, but in the context of the book this passage elicited such beautiful and powerful imagery that I can not stop thinking about it. And that is a powerful thing!

So read This Savage Song. It does not disappoint!

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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

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4 Stars (4 / 5)

The Folk of the Air #1

“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”

Holly Black never fails to surprise me when it comes to fey stories. Just when I think I’ve figured out what she will do, she comes up with something new and different and every bit as thrilling as what came before. The Cruel Prince was just as dark and bloody as I expected, but what I didn’t expect was how political the book would be. Really delving into the manipulation of fey politics was unexpected, but oh so interesting. There were so many twists and turns in this novel that I didn’t see coming, and that is more than most stories can boast!

Jude is quite the heroine…definitely not good, but not quite bad either. She straddles the line between, becoming the creature she needs to be to survive the machinations of the fey courts, and to learn to manipulate them herself. Cardan is not quite what I expected either, I look forward to learning more about him as the series progresses. And I can’t help but love his quirky wit. For fans of Black’s other fey novels, there’s also a the little cameo from your favorite characters to look forward to.

There is not much that I can say about The Cruel Prince without spoilers, but it is a must read for fans of Black’s work and faerie lovers alike. I’m very much look forward to seeing what the rest of the series holds.

51miBYV+mkL

Aerie by Maria Dahvana Headley

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3.5 Stars (3.5 / 5)

Magonia #2
Aerie revisits our favorite character’s from Magonia and sets them once more on the path to saving the world. It’s hard to go back to normal after what our character’s went through in Magonia, but you come to find they are doing just that…well trying to anyway. Aza and Jason have jumped head first into their relationship, but Aza’s wanderlust and Jason’s paranoia of being left alone are a constant chasm between them. While somewhat disappointed, I’m not at all surprised by the extreme lengths we see Jason go through to “protect” Aza, even when he regrets them in the end.

Jason goes through quite the journey in this book, but its Eli that was really the stand-out for me. We don’t delve too much into her character in Magonia, but in Aerie we get a little glimpse into what Eli went through when she lost her sister, and what she’s prepared to do now to keep her. I was pleasantly surprised by and came to appreciate her new-found gusto. We learn a lot more about Zul’s past and how she became the destructive and hateful creature that she is, which sheds a great light on Aza’s history. Our ending is bittersweet, yet satisfying, as one chapter of Aza’s life closes and another is ready to begin.

Overall, Aerie is a story about love and loss; family both new and old. It’s about finding your place and learning your truth. It is beautifully written and a pleasure to read, with unique and exciting mythology. I look forward to more from this author.