I’ll admit that urban fantasy is one of the genres of speculative fiction that I am the least familiar with. For the longest time, I would see the covers in bookstores and just assume that they were like the fantasy romance novels that I grew up watching my grandmother tear through, one after another. I have since learned that this is not (always) the case.
Fantasy
Review: The Sadeiest by Austrian Spencer
I want to start this review off by pointing out a few important trigger warnings. The Sadeiest is about death and describes people dying in many different ways in detail (including death by suicide, disease, drowning, etc). If that is a trigger or even just an upsetting topic to you, please do not continue.
Review: The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower #1) by Stephen King
The Gunslinger is an experimental book for sure, but there is no better way to start your quest to the Dark Tower than this.
Blog Tour: Holes in the Veil (The Goblets Immortal #2) by Beth Overmyer
Holes in the Veil epitomizes the classic middle book of a series: it expands the world and introduces some new characters and a bit of a mini-narrative while continuing with overall narrative for the main protagonists, as well. That is not to say it is boring or overly trope-y, because it is not. Holes in the Veil takes The Goblets Immortal series to a new level, and I was very happy in the direction of story.
Review: Oh, That Shotgun Sky (The Songs of Sefate #1.5) by Sarah Chorn
Like before, Sarah has managed to sift through the weeds of my soul, take hold of my feelings, and completely rip them from my chest. To be fair to the author, I had an idea of what to expect coming in to this fresh out of her previous novel.
Review: Of Honey and Wildfires (The Songs of Sefate #1) by Sarah Chorn
Of Honey and Wildfires is a rather short book, by fantasy standards anyway, weighing in at just over 300 pages. That’s not to say that this is a bad thing. Quite the opposite, in fact, because I don’t think I could have withstood reading much more than that. Let me explain.
Review: Villainous by Stonie Williams
After reading the graphic novel Villainous, I had mixed feelings. The story itself had all the tropes of a new superhero team/character coming together, but it felt rushed. I would’ve loved to get a bit more about Matilda’s relationship with her parents, to set the tone of her obligations to succeed. Also, every character from the Coalition or Villains felt one-sided or lacked depth, superficial. I understand this is hard to accomplish in comics or graphic novels, but a page or two on each character might have just provided motivations, personalities and some foundations for their character arcs. Like Showdown seemed to be a womanizer. It might have been a better read to see it in action (more than a frame or two), so we hate him as much as Matilda does early on. Also, some characters’ powers weren’t clear in the little time we spent with them, therefore when big action occurred, it was hard to understand the stakes in between them.
Review: Call of the Bone Ships (The Tide Child Trilogy #2)
The Call of the Bone Ships is part 2 in R.J. Barker’s The Tide Child Trilogy, and, in my opinion, while it does represent an expansion on the first book in the series, The Bone Ships, and presents some similarities it is also very different in a lot of ways. That being said, I still found it to be a very enjoyable read.
Review: The Warded Man (Demon Cycle #1) by Peter V. Brett
The Warded Man, published as The Painted Man in the UK, is one of the best epic fantasy books that I have read in a long time. Like most of the things I read, for one reason or another I put off reading this one entirely too long. Because of my manic compulsion to buy everything I see that even remotely piques my interest, I bought this book several years ago and it has languished in my TBR ever since.
Review: Never Die (Mortal Techniques #1) by Rob J. Hayes
Never Die combines the best parts of Wuxia cinema and Shōnen anime with the golden era of role-playing games and a splash of Dungeons & Dragons. The plot revolves around a young boy and the heroes of legend that are bound to serve him.
Review: Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen #1) by Steven Erikson
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Gardens of the Moon. Steven Erikson, along with his friend and collaborator Ian Esselmont, has created something truly remarkable. This serves as a great introduction to the sprawling world of Malazan Book of the Fallen and the carrots that Erikson dangles in front of you at every turn only makes you hunger for more.