Jan 1 2025

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Book Review: Charon’s Claw by R.A. Salvatore

Title: Charon’s Claw

Author: R.A. Salvatore

Series: Neverwinter #3, Legend of Drizzt #25

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Overview: Drizzt draws his swords once more to aid his friends. His lover, Dahlia Sin’felle, can speak of nothing but the moment she will face the Netherese lord Herzgo Alegni once again. Drizzt has already followed a trail of vengeance beside Dahlia. Can he justify one more battle to settle a grudge he does not understand? Artemis Entreri too seeks vengeance. He offers to aid Dahlia in her mission to destroy Alegni. But Charon’s Claw, Alegni’s sentient sword, dominates Entreri’s movements—if not his mind. And then there’s the way Entreri looks at Dahlia. Can Drizzt trust his old foe? -Goodreads

The Review:

I kind of hated this book. And have kind of hated this entire set.

Hated.

I’ve read over twenty books with Drizzt so far and seriously – everything through Ghost King has been superb (assuming we’re giving Icewind Dale a pass). Neverwinter has felt directionless. Aimless. Lacking in any sort of purpose… boring? Which granted is in line with the transitional state of the main character and is probably partially intentional, but that does not mean that I have to enjoy reading about it. Thank goodness for those Drizzt interludes, is all I’m saying.

That leads well into the most prominent problem: not enough Drizzt. Only 20% Drizzt and a whole mess of dozens and dozens of villains with limited shelf lives. What little there was of Drizzt progressed the plot in a meaningful way, but did I really need to slog through 300+ pages for such a small amount of actual story?

What’s left felt like filler plot. Within the prologue and the first couple of chapters, Salvatore introduced over a dozen villains I needed to keep track of if I had any hope of following the plot. Problem is, it’s a Drizzt book. The 25th fricken Drizzt book. And you know most of those villains are going to wind up cannon fodder. So ultimately, having to commit to memory all of those characters felt like a colossal waste of my reading time.

On top of all of that, there’s a new character in this set whom I don’t like even a little.

Those are very specific reasons why Neverwinter has been less than successful for me. I’m really hoping to like the final book more. I was averaging a book or two per year in the Drizzt world until I hit Neverwinter, and it has taken me half a decade just to read the first three. And I still have one more to go!

Recommendations: as I mentioned, everything up to and including Ghost King has been superb – highly recommended (starting with the Dark Elf Trilogy)! It’s only in this Neverwinter set that I’ve personally become grouchy and dissatisfied. Here’s hoping the next set is a better return to form on all of the Salvatore/Drizzt greatness I’m used to. EDIT: I’ve started book #4, the Last Threshold, and it’s SO MUCH BETTER. Finally.

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by Niki Hawkes

Jul 24 2024

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Book Review: Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova

Title: Foul Days

Author: Genoveva Dimova

Series: Witch’s Compendium of Monsters #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Overview: The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre. As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow. Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall. Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands. The clock is ticking, the hunt is on, and Kosara’s priorities should be clear―but is she the hunter or the hunted? And in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the man―the Monster―she’s never been able to escape alone? -Goodreads

The Review:

One of my favorite things I’ve picked up this year – Foul Days is worth a second look!

One of those genre-bending novels, I loved this as both a fantasy and urban fantasy reader. Rich in Slavic folklore, it had an abundance of monsters and great cultural infusion. The marketing was pretty accurate when it advertised “Witcher meets Naomi Novik,” with a similar moodiness and feel of Novik’s works (especially Spinning Silver) and an loads of dangerous magical creature encounters. I found it wildly entertaining.

The book had great pacing, with plenty of exciting moments but also enough slow stretches to form connections with the characters. The characters! All fun profiles, and the relationships between them were especially well done and realistic – I actually felt the connections, which doesn’t happen often.

I also thought the staggering of certain reveals was particularly well-paced. There were several times throughout the book where I went, “oooh, okay, one more chapter.” It made the pages fly by, and had enough substance to the plot to make me feel like I was getting something satisfying. The writing was superb.

Foul Days was oozing with fun-factor. This is one of those books that makes it easy to talk about and recommend. I loved it – with so many great elements and a good sense of humor, after only one book I’m already convinced Dimova is going to be an auto-buy author for me.

I had the chance to pick up an early copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio about halfway through the book, and narrator Zura Johnson was an excellent match for the tone and mood of the story. With her accented delivery, she elevated the text even more, making for an immersive experience. I particularly liked how she performed the dry humor between characters – great back and forth exchanges! I definitely recommend the audiobook route. :)

There honestly wasn’t anything I didn’t like about Foul Days. The second half of this duology, Monstrous Nights, comes out October 22, 2024, and you’d better believe I’m already hounding for a copy!

Recommendations: for a fun-filled, culturally-infused, monster-tastic story, look no further! Foul Days was one of the best debus I’ve read in ages. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next!

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3

I’d like to thank the publicists at TOR for providing me with review and finished copies of Foul Days and Macmillan Audio on Netgalley for the chance to read/listen/review this very exciting new title!

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by Niki Hawkes

Jul 16 2024

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Novella Review: The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond

Title: The Fireborne Blade

Author: Charlotte Bond

Series: The Fireborne Blade #1

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2/5 stars

The Overview: Kill the dragon. Find the blade. Reclaim her honor. It’s that, or end up like countless knights before her, as a puddle of gore and molten armor. Maddileh is a knight. There aren’t many women in her line of work, and it often feels like the sneering and contempt from her peers is harder to stomach than the actual dragon slaying. But she’s a knight, and made of sterner stuff. A minor infraction forces her to redeem her honor in the most dramatic way possible, she must retrieve the fabled Fireborne Blade from its keeper, legendary dragon the White Lady, or die trying. If history tells us anything, it’s that “die trying” is where to wager your coin. Maddileh’s tale contains a rich history of dragons, ill-fated knights, scheming squires, and sapphic love, with deceptions and double-crosses that will keep you guessing right up to its dramatic conclusion. Ultimately, The Fireborne Blade is about the roles we refuse to accept, and of the place we make for ourselves in the world. -Overview

The Review:

Not what I was expecting and a bit unconventional, this was an interesting novella. I wish it had been a little more engaging.

What it had going for it was a plethora of original dragonlore ideas – stuff I’ve never seen done quite like this. So while it was an absolute standout in concept, it fell short for me in execution and pacing.

The story bounced back and forth between past events and the current happenings with the MC. The bounce happened so often that it effectively stole all momentum from the tale, and as a result I found myself struggling to pay attention. Some of the flashback scenes ultimately ended up enhancing the overall arc of the story, but not all. From a creative standpoint, I like the woven storyline and thought it was a great way to integrate all of the components, but overall, as I said, I wish it had been a little more engaging.

The MC was a bit stereotypical and I feel like I’ve read her profile countless times before. She seemed more like a vessel of perpetuating the plot rather than a character with a lot of depth and dynamics. However my biggest issue was her behavior. This novella read like a literary fiction (starring dragons) and was seemingly trying to present a few themes throughout. The MC said and did things that harmed the message plumping the narrative and also appeared inconsistent with character. It felt like she was trying to be too many things in conflict with each other. And not in an interesting, oh, this character has a lot of duality way, but more in an I’m not sure she’s fully developed kind of way.

For such a short story, I was hoping it would have more of a momentum, better character connection, and a more consistent message. In lieu of all that, I’m at least grateful for an interesting style and plot structure and liked the fresh, gritty take on dragons -> a subject in which I am obsessed, so the uniqueness was appreciated.

I experienced this story on audio and the narrator, Helen McAlpine, was adept and pleasant to listen to. I’m not sure if it was just the arc version of the audio I received or just something about the way it was recorded, but it felt about .25 slower than average, so you’ll fly through it!

Recommendations: this is a creative novella that I found entertaining in concept and technique even though it failed to draw me in. Still worth a look if you’d like a fresh take on dragonlore.

I’d like to thank Macmillan Audio, Charlotte Bond, and NetGalley for the chance to listen to and review an early copy of this novella.

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3

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by Niki Hawkes

Jun 7 2024

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Book Review: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Title: Iron Flame

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Series: Empyrean #2

Genre: Romance Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky. Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves. Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year. Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end. -Goodreads

The Review:

Worth reading as a fantasy-lover? I think so… with provisions.

While the first book had more novelty components, this sequel was actually a much more satisfying read on the whole. I think because it had a better balance of components and fewer wtf? plotting moments. It definitely reads more like a YA novel with sexual content than a fantasy novel featuring younger characters. I don’t think it will appeal to the hard-core-high-fantasy-only readers, but anyone who even remotely likes YA fantasy (I like it more than remotely) will probably enjoy it. And the romance crowd? This has got their names all over it, but I could see the first book hitting right notes more than the second book in that regard. Overall, one of the reasons this book is so popular is because of how much cross-genre appeal it has. What’s drawing ME to it? The dragons and other fantasy components, the school settings (those will always get a second look), and the fun-factor.

Thankfully, I was mostly able to turn off my critical brain in this one. There were still a couple of “how does THIS plan make any sense?” situations, but overall I got into the flow much easier than with the first book. In Fourth Wing, right from the very beginning, I thought the setup was stupid. Even after all the eventual explanations, I still can’t wrap my head around why it makes sense for any of these people to be in such powerful, close-proximity situations to begin with. But if you change that then you have to rethink your entire plot, so perhaps it’s best to just hope no one questions it too closely… ? Don’t even get me started on the core of how the school functions. Whatever. Anyway, Yarros lost my confidence early on, and while she hasn’t precisely gained any back, she’s done a good job making me care less and less about the semantics of it all. It helps that nothing blatantly knocked me off-kilter in Iron Flame, so I could finally just relax into the fun of it and experience it with some of the same delight I know others have gotten out of it since the first book. I practically flew through Iron Flame! And it ain’t short. That speaks to some great pacing.

Let’s talk about the love story -> it felt a lost less “hit you over the head,” and to my surprise, did NOT take the aggravatingly immature direction I thought it was headed. There were a few of those moments, but the author hung a lantern on it and pulled it off. The MC was able to focus a bit more on things other than the gorgeous specimen. Hence, more balance. Some of the dialogue back and forth was so saccharine and perfect that it wasn’t realistic at all, but I might be too cynical a reader for it in the first place. I just think it would add more depth to the love interest’s character to not always be the talking head of total fixation on this girl, because right now he doesn’t feel or read like a rounded character to me. Just a wish-fulfillment.

I still love the dragons in this series, even though they played a slightly lesser role in this book. Some of the most memorable ideas of the series lay with them, and I do like that we’ve gotten a few surprises in each book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book thoroughly and even felt invested enough to look up how many are planned in the series (5.).

Recommendations: if you like dragons, school settings, and fast-paced plots… and don’t mind explicit sexual content (bring it), give this series a try! I especially love the dragons. <3

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Bee! <3

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by Niki Hawkes

Apr 17 2024

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Book Review: Trials of Empire by Richard Swan

Title: Trials of Empire

Author: Richard Swan

Series: Empire of the Wolf #3

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The Overview: The third novel in an epic fantasy trilogy, which follows the tale of Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice – a detective, judge and executioner all in one. THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HAND. The Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there’s life in the great beast yet. To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies – to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova. Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane—but such allegiances carry a heavy price. As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice . . . or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny. -Goodreads

The Review:

Not quite as slam-dunk as the second book, but still a satisfying ending to a great trilogy.

I don’t often regard middle books in a series as the best, but I’ll continue to talk endlessly about how much I loved Tyranny of Faith. And it’s not that the story peaked in that book, as this final installment still had a fantastic momentum, culmination of events, and a great ending. It’s that it had less of those slow, deep character connections. It was also more bleak, not leaving much room for that great humor that tipped the second book from good to phenomenal. There were glimmers of those elements, but they were few and far between.

I liked the exploration of character and morality – a common theme in this series. This really good examination of sticking to the letter of the law vs the spirit. Is it just to break the law when it’s for a greater purpose? And who determines that purpose as righteous? I love how it looked at both sides of that argument and illustrated how it can be used for both good and evil (and a lot of in-between). A nice food for thought that added substance to an already entertaining story.

The main character, Vonvalt (who isn’t actually the POV character, but I still consider him the star of the show) was incredibly unlikable, and not written in a way where you can tell the author is making an unlikable character more appealing to the reader in a “but you’d like him if you could just get to know him” way by showing redeeming qualities. I loved it. As a result, he was one of the most interesting characters I’ve read about in ages. And seeing him through Helena’s eyes made it work even better, as it didn’t provide the reader any means to judge him by but off his actions. It’s such a creative series in that regard, with style and voice, and one of the reasons I’m looking forward to reading more from the author in the future.

If you listed out all of the components in the first two books and told me to pick my least favorite one, it would’ve been the supernatural stuff. I generally like supernatural, but it felt kind of out of place in the first book and took the story away from the legal conflicts and interpersonal character work I was enjoying so much. Unfortunately, supernatural is what Trials of Empire focused on almost exclusively. It was integrated a lot more seamlessly the further I read, and overall I enjoyed it, but my lack of enthusiasm for the story to take that direction might be another reason why I didn’t enjoy this as much as I could have. Totally a preferential thing. Also, I could’ve used more time with the wolf men…

Overall, I’m happy to have read this series and, as mentioned, I can’t wait to see what the author will come out with next!

Recommendations: if you’re in for a well-balanced, totally engaging trilogy with interesting character work and moments of pure brilliance – give this a try!

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, and Spinflight! <3

I’d like to thank Orbit Books, Richard Swan, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Trials of Empire!

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by Niki Hawkes

Apr 2 2024

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Book Review: Demons of Good and Evil by Kim Harrison

Title: Demons of Good and Evil

Author: Kim Harrison

Series: The Hollows #17

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Rachel Morgan will learn that the price of loyalty is blood… Rachel Morgan, witch-born demon, suspected that protecting the paranormal citizens of Cincinnati as the demon subrosa would be trouble. But it’s rapidly becoming way more trouble than even she could have imagined. While Rachel and her friends may have vanquished the trickster demon Hodin, his mysterious associate known only as “The Mage” is eager to finish what Hodin started, beginning with taking down Rachel’s power structure piece by piece. When he frames Rachel for the death of a powerful coven member and the vampire leaders in DC threaten to send a new master vampire to take the city in hand, Rachel’s friends Ivy and Pike are forced into hiding, and even her lover, Trent, finds himself under fire. With her world falling apart, Rachel desperately needs help. But with all of her supporters under attack, her only hope is to make a deal with the unlikeliest of allies… –Goodreads

The Review:

I could’ve used more demon action, but I still really enjoyed this book!

At book 17 in the Hollows series, Harrison hasn’t lost any steam, and in fact only seems to be getting stronger. There’s such a depth to her characters and world at this point that I feel more connected to them than any others in the genre. The series has a slow-burn plot - she takes her time, she lays the groundwork, and she builds momentum in a way that felt unparalleled until the most recent Dresden releases.

This series is all about celebrating amazing side characters and fun creatures. It’s so creative! I especially love the demons. Enigmatic, moody, self-serving, and delightfully unpredictable – as all good demons should be. I appreciate that they haven’t lost any of their poignancy as the series progressed.

And the spellwork!! For a series about a witch, there’s actually a ton of practicing magic. The spell crafting is detailed, complex, and highlighted often. I love learning about magical things in any context, and this series hits that craving beautifully. This particular installment didn’t highlight it as much as usual, but it was still good.

That said Demons of Good and Evil felt like a bridge novel. It tied up a bunch of loose ends and set the stage to come for one of my personal favorite story threads to finally get a moment… it’s going to be so good. I don’t actually know how many books are planned (or even if there’s yet a set number), but it definitely feels like we’re building towards one hell of a series-culmination banger of a ending. Book 18, “Demon’s Bluff” already has a cover and is slated for October 22, 2024. And she even has a new series-starter, “Three Kinds of Lucky” of the Shadow Age series that came out March 5th. All I’m saying is, I love Harrison – she’s such a trusted author that I’ll be devouring ANYTHING she chooses to write. Auto-buy status: MVP.

Overall, if you’re into a slow-burning, character-driven series that gradually builds to neck-breaking excitement that will knock your socks off… this might be a great pick. It shares a lot of the same attributes as some of my favorite high-fantasy works, which is doubtless why I like it so much.

Recommendations: You can either start the series with Dead Witch Walking -> a great story with just the barest glimmers of the amazingness to come (be patient), or even start with The Turn, a prequel novel that highlights the author’s skills beautifully while also plumping up the world-building and laying the foundation for the entire series. Love.

I’d like to thank Berkley Publishing Group, Kim Harrison, and Netgalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of Demons of Good and Evil (I’m late).

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, and Elizabeth! <3

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