Review: Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco

Court of Wanderers by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided and ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I opted to listen to the final publication version of the audiobook. As always all opinions are my own.

This picks up where book one leaves off, Remy and his vampire companions Malekh and Xioadan are pitted against the Night Empress and are working to broker peace between the vampires and the human realms. Strange abominations are still plaguing the realm, and the trio must ally with the other vampire courts to defeat the Night Empress and her growing contingent. Remy's romantic relationship continues to deepen with the vampire pair as learns more about the vampire court and their customs. He also learns more about his mother and how his parents met.

There was alot going on in this book. I loved Silver Under Nightfall, but this fell a bit short. As with book 1 it was far too long, but unlike book 1 it lacked the engaging pacing and action to keep the reader interested. This keeps up with the court politics, but it was lacking the character development I was expecting from Remy and his partners. It mainly focused on the physical aspects of their relationship, which is fine, but I wanted to see more of their emotional connection develop on the page. I was expecting a bit more of a complex plot with the various court leaders, the Night Empress, and the human contingent. Things kind of resolve conveniently without the action we saw in the first book. There are too many characters to keep track of, and I feel that took away from the tension and suspense we felt in book 1.

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Review: Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I am really behind on reviews and opted to borrow the audiobook from the library instead.  I really enjoyed the narrator for this, he did a good job bringing Remy and the rest of the cast to life.  As always all opinions are my own.  This book was released back in September 2022 and is available in multiple formats via multiple retailers.

I really enjoyed this adult paranormal romance.  It is a tad on the long side, but the pace and action are there the entire time to keep you engaged the entire time.  I've read several of the author's YA books and this is definitely m ore on the adult side when it comes to the intimate scenes and the violence and horror aspects.  This book has a bit of everything going on there is court intrigue, a little bit of a mystery aspect, some science, and of course vampires and vampire hunters.  It thing Chupeco did a good job telling the tale and brining it all together in the end.  I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

This follows Remy, son of a duke and vampire hunter.  Due to the suspicious circumstances of his birth and his father's status amongst the Reapers (the vampire hunters) Remy is an outcast among the Reapers.   He is sent to do the jobs no one wants to do, and he is good at it.  He longs for his father's approval, so when the opportunity comes along to serve the Queen and make an alliance with a vampire lord and lady who are brokering peace between humans and vampires Remy is tasked to accompany them.  The land is plagued with a new strain of vampire that is impossible to kill and the unlikely trio is determined to uncover the source of this new strain and stop the spread.  As Remy gets to know his companions Zidan and Xiaodan, they all begin to develop feelings for each other which only complicates their mission as they uncover the truth behind the plague and who is pulling the strings.

I thought this had good world building and good character development.  Remy started out a bit unsure of himself.  As the story progresses he becomes a bit more comfortable with himself and his desires, especially as he learns of all of the deceit and betrayal that has surrounded his life.  I thought the paranormal/fantasy elements were well done.  I haven't read a good vampire book in a long time and I really enjoyed this one.  I liked the concept of the covens/courts and look forward to seeing how that plays out as the rest of the story unfolds.  I also appreciated the scientific aspect of the book.  I always like when there is a flushed out reason, realistic or not, for what is happening and the author gives us that with respect to the Rot.

While I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Remy, Zidan, and Xiaodan, I could have done without the sex scenes between them.  I don't feel that they really added to the plot other than to add a level of smut to the book and make it more adult.  They aren't super graphic so the level of spice is pretty low, so I feel like those scenes could have almost been closed door or fade to black. The relationship that develops between the three of them didn't really need the lust filled intimate scenes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I'm very much looking forward to Court of Wanderers.  I'm only disappointed that it took me so long to read this.

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Review: Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was really fun, and the chapter headings were some of the best I've seen. Chupeco takes fairy tale elements from some of the most beloved stories and uses them as elements in this adventure. She also weaves in her Filipino heritage and traditions into the story and characters in such a big way. I will say as someone not versed in that culture, I often had no idea what the characters were talking about when they were making reference to certain foods or things that would seem very natural to someone part of the culture. A bit of an explanation of what they were doing, eating, or wearing would have been helpful. It did make me go look all that stuff up, so if that was her goal, she succeeded in teaching me something.

Chupeco uses this novel to make a lot of social commentary and political statements. There are quite a few references to racial inequality, political corruption, and moral compass. While this does take place partially in a fairytale setting, there are some parallels with the real world. I think this is important for young readers especially if it gets them talking about big topics.

Because the author chose to utilize familiar fairy tale characters that we already know, there are a lot of characters to keep track of. I often find that when there are so many characters, they end up lacking development. This was the case here. I would have loved to see more development in the Bandersnatchers in particular. I hope to see them develop further in the next book. The plot meanders around quite a bit, causing the pace to lose steam in places. Everytime the group seems to be focused on their current task something derails them and no one seems to quite be in charge to get them back on track.

Overall, I really like the concept of this story and I'm looking forward to where it goes next. There are quite a lot of unanswered questions. The end was pretty unexpected, it was a pretty great twist that I don't think anyone saw coming.

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Review: The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. Disclaimer, I did listen to the published version of the audiobook. The 4 narrators did a fantastic job with the audio and I highly recommend it. I'm not a huge fan of multi-perspective books, but this one was done really well and the multi-voice narration really helps distinguish which perspective you are following. That being said I really loved this. I really don't have any complaints other than I wanted a little more of the mythology to be explained.

I've read and really enjoyed Chupeco's Bone Witch trilogy so when I saw that she was coming out with a mythology based YA fantasy that was pitched as Frozen meets Mad Max I was all in. The author claims it's more like Mad Max meets Avatar the Last Airbender, which made me want to read it even m more because that seemed even more appealing, and I think that description is a little more accurate. The Frozen aspect comes in because we follow 2 sisters, but I don't think it is a fair comparison as they believe each other to be dead, Unlike Ana and Elsa, there isn't a sisterly bond driving them to save each other and the kingdom, they are on their own very separate journeys. Each sister has a companion/love interest that helps them on their way to the abyss where they are both set on healing the break that their respective mothers supposedly created. We hear the story told from both the sisters and both of their companions.

The sisters are goddesses like their mothers, and they have elemental powers. Neither girl knows that her sister survived the world breaking which each of their mothers blames on the other. Each side of the break, one light and one dark, has Devoted, people who have elemental powers and serve their respective goddess. When strange things start happening to the sisters, they both decide they need to do their part and heal the breach their mothers created. Their journey to the abyss is fraught with danger, but they each have a loyal companion to accompany them as more strange things happen and they begin to learn snippets of the truth about their mothers and the goddesses that came before them.

I would have liked more of the backstory on the mothers and more on the mythology of the world. Clearly there is more to the story of how the world broke, who their father is, and how and why they survived. I have lots of unanswered questions that I hope are cleared up in the next book. Knowing that is how Chupeco resolved things in her previous series I kind of expect that all will be revealed eventually, I'm just anxiously awaiting the next book.

If you are a YA fantasy lover, I'd give this one a read. It hit all of the fantasy check marks for me. This has a really unique elemental magic system and the landscape on both sides of the break is pretty unique as well. I think the author did an excellent job with the world building considering she had to create two different distinct sides with different abilities for the people who live there. And finally, there is romance but it doesn't overtake the plot. It isn't the main focus of the book.

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Review: The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco

The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You know, I read this a while ago but realized I never posted my review.  It was all ready to go but was sitting in draft all this time. 

I listened to the audiobook for the 3rd and final installment of The Bone Witch series and it was very well done.  The first and second book were on the longer side, and these are slower paced fantasy books.  If you like faster paced fantasy books but this series still sounds interesting I say give the audio a try, it's worth it.

This was the perfect ending to the series. As we alternate between the perspectives of the Bard and Tea, the full story is finally revealed. This story has slowly been unfolding since The Bone Witch, but all of those unanswered questions and loose threads finally come together in this final installment and we finally come to find out why Tea was exiled and what her true purpose is.

This installment alternates again between the past and the present telling Tea's story. In the present it appears that she is still intent on revenge and destruction. In the past she is the obedient Asha who is trying to save those she cares about, fall in love, and save the world from unruly demons. Along her travels she uncovers some interesting information about the history of Asha and their magic that causes Tea to begin to question things. I don't want to spoil anything because you just have to read it to find out what happens. I also love the relationships that were developed in this. There are so many great friendships and relationships developed in this book.

This story is full of legends and magic and characters you can't help but love. I really loved how this all came together and I'm really satisfied with the ending. This was such a satisfying conclusion to such a wonderful series.

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Top 5 Wednesday: Most Anticipated 2019 Releases

This week's topic:

Most Anticipated 2019 Releases 

Pretty self-explanatory. 

There are a bunch of good books coming out this year.  I've got my eye on a couple of series that have new books coming out this year.  These are just a few I'm really looking forward to in 2019.  What are you anticipated releases for the new year?

• The Dragon Republic by RF Kuang
• I loved the Poppy War and can't wait to see what happens next.  This was a brutal, epic fantasy and I really loved it.  The sequel has big shoes to fill, but I expect it will.
• This is expected to come out in May.
• 
• Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
• I really love the Witchlands series.  I'm looking forward to getting to know Aeduan more, and follow Safi and Iseult on their adventures.
• This is expected out in February.   I highly recommend the audiobooks if you are an audio person.
• 
• Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
• Jen is one of my favorite authors, and her Dark Elements series is possibly my favorite of her YA series.  This is a spin off to the original series and will focus on Zayne, one of the main characters from the original series.  
• This is expected out in June.
• 
• Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco
• This is a great fantasy series.  I'm really looking forward to finding out how Tea manages to use her powers as a Bone Witch to get revenge on those who have wronged her.
• This is expected out in March.
• 
• Kingsbane by Claire Legrand
• This is the sequel to Furyborn.  This is such an interesting series.  The first book left us with just enough information to be satisfied, but wanting more.  I'm looking forward to learning more about Rielle, Corien, Simon, and Eliana and how this story ends.
• This is expected out in May.
• 

Review: The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco

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

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.  This book will be released on March 20th, but I've seen people post that its already out in some stores. 

This sequel picks up where The Bone Witch left off. However, I struggled with past material. There isn't much mention of past events. A sentence or two about what the daeva look like or what they are, who some of the characters are would have been helpful. Most readers including myself read The Bone Witch over a year ago, so unless you just read it and continued onto The Heart Forger with the information fresh in your mind you'd be asking yourself who and what they are talking about. The author does not give many context clues and I found myself going back to my copy of the first book to look up information. I also struggled with the dialog, some of that was the formatting of the ARC, I can't hold that against the book because that will get fixed in editing. While the final ebook and the print copies won't have this issue, I often lost track of which character was speaking. There are alot of characters involved and the author often leaves out mention of who is talking. Overall, those complaints are very minor and I really enjoyed this. I actually liked it more than the first book. I found the first book's pace to be very slow, you can check out my review here.  The first book set up alot of the world, the magic system, and the characters, while this one gets more to the plot.  Chupeco's pacing is slower in this book as well, but that is not a bad thing.  I enjoyed the writing and the magic. 

The Heart Forger has much more action than The Bone Witch. We get most of the back story on why Tea was exiled, but we don't get all of it.  Some of the story is left for the next installment. We get enough to understand her motivations. The story is told like it was in the first book, alternating chapters between Tea's perspective in the past and the current perspective of the Bard who she's brought along to chronicle the truth of what she's doing to right the wrongs of the past. In the present, Tea along with her deava, or demon like creatures, she intends to take revenge on those who betrayed her and sent her into exile. We learn that all is not what it seems through the telling of the story. Tea is portrayed as an anti-hero through most of the Bard's scenes, and you truly believe she has given over to the dark side of her magic until the end. In the past, we see Tea as a young asha, a kind of Geisha and witch, who is impulsive and strong willed. She acts before she thinks and pays the consequences later. She is also possesses dark powers and her mentor has taken ill, which is a plot point in the story, and hasn't had much training on her powers. She is powerful and the lure of the dark calls to her and threatens to change her and turn her into something sinister.

As the story unfolds both in the past and the present, Tea is accompanied by familiar faces. She has many friends who are trying to keep her from going dark, and many enemies who would love her to join the dark. The group of asha that accompany Tea on her mission save her mentor and the mystery of the sleeping sickness that has infected the beloved Prince each have their own parts to play in Tea's story. As the group travel they uncover many political plots and fight some pretty good battles. There are plenty of twists and turns that keep you guessing. There are even some pretty good romances that develop among the group.

Overall, I think this was a great fantasy. I can't wait to see where it goes in the next book. Based on where it leaves off it is shaping up to be a fairly epic conclusion. I really think this is a great sequel and I highly recommend the series.

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Review: The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The Bone Witch.  The story was very interesting, a girl who can use dark magic instead of light magic.  She can raise the dead, and she's got an attitude.  Tea our main character isn't porcelain doll to be put on display, she's powerful but lacks control.   I felt the writing was well done, but the book itself was flawed. The book is good for about the first half then it drags on for quite sometime where nothing happens. There is a weak attempt at a love triangle that doesn't really materialize, I think we'll see more of that in the next book. There is one really good plot twist, that I didn't see coming, and one I figured out early on. My biggest issue is the ending. The story builds up to some epic thing that is supposed to happen, but it never occurs. I huge pet peeve of mine is books that don't stand alone and close completely. I want to feel closure when I close a book, and be compelled to read the next book. I have to read the next book to find out what happens, I'm given no choice. I have no clue what happens next, and that irks me. There are a lot of loose ends that weren't wrapped up in this book and I hope that they are tied up in the next book.

The Bone Witch follows our main character Tea, who discovers her affinity for magic at her brother's funeral.  Tea discovers she is an asha and can control magic, but she is also a bone witch and can control the dead.  Tea begin's her journey to learn control over her abilites with the help of fellow Bone Witch, Lady Mykaela, and recently raised from the dead brother, Fox.  Mykaela takes Tea to the Willows, a place where asha like Tea, learn the arts of music, singing, dancing, history, fighting, social graces, and how to control their magic.  Asha, similar to a Geisha, are things of beauty in appearance and ability to entertain as much as they are able to control the elements and wield magic.  Being a Bone Witch means that Tea and Mykaela can control dark magic where as the other girls can control light magic like the elements.

The story stalls out shortly after Tea and Mykaela arrive at The Willows and Tea is accepted into the House Valerian to begin her asha training.  Tea is taken on as a house maid as part of her asha trials to teach her obedience.  Tea causes causes some accidental trouble, which puts her in the limelight and her training is sped up.  This is where the story kind of becomes repetitive, Tea just takes lessons for a while and doesn't really do anything but asha training, none of it specific to her dark nature or her being a Bone Witch.  Mykaela is off fighting daeva (demons) or recovering from fighting and doesn't really teach Tea anything.  Tea gets adopted by some older asha and they begin teaching her but this goes on for a while but again they don't really do anything for quite some time.  Eventually they actually go fight a dragon, and that is where the story gets interesting again and the pace picks up again.

The chapters alternate between Tea's past learning to be a Bone Witch and her present time in exile.  You never are sure if she is guilty of her the crimes she is accused of.  She was sought out by a bard during her time in exile and she is telling him her story.  The chapters are very short, but help tell of things past and things to come.  In between, the chapters tell Tea's story as a child and her journey to become a powerful asha.  I normally don't like flashbacks/flashforwards, but I felt this was done well where the future time chapters were short enough that they didn't detract from the main story and they gave just enough info so as not to spoil the story yet to be told.  These chapters tell the story of Tea's exile and seem to be ramping up to her doing something epic.  This leads me to my biggest issue with this book.  The epic thing never happens.  She can raise the dead, and she spends many of these alternating chapters, telling the bard her story, but we never find out why she was exiled, or what she is going to do.  You have to read the next book to find out.  After all the anticipation, you don't even have a hint of what she is going to go do with the creatures she's raised from the dead.  I'm left wanting at the end with no closure.  I am interested in reading the next book and hope that all the loose ends are tied up.

    

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