Tag: ya fantasy

Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

Francesca LucyLeave a comment

It’s that time again! It’s the middle of the year and I’m freaking out for a whole bunch of reasons but, in this post specifically, it’s because of books.

So I checked my GR challenge from last year and, by mid-year 2020, I’d read 22 books (which is a lot more than I expected it to be, to be quite honest). And by mid-year this year, I’ve read 35… so… a win! I’m hoping that means it’ll be easier to answer these questions this year, but I guess we’ll see. So, without further ado, the Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag!

Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2021

Surprisingly, one of the two books I’ve managed to narrow this down to (it’s physically impossible for me to pick just one) is the very first book I read this year. Not surprisingly, if you follow me on Twitter or if you’ve read the book, it’s Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. Ugh, I loved every aspect of this book, from the focus on identity and empowerment, to the romance, to the magic. I’ve apparently read 34 books since this one, but I just cannot get it out of my head.

Book two for this answer is Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim! I got obsessed with this book when I first read it, gave it a rave review (here) with the level of gushing I usually save for Marie Lu books, and then told everyone that would listen how truly incredible this book is… And then Hodder gave me an eARC of the sequel and I fangirled just as much, which leads us onto…

Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2021

Surprise! It’s the beautiful and magical and incredible sequel to Spin the Dawn: Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim. But, also, The Block by Ben Oliver because book one was good but book two was incredible. By the way, my review for Unravel the Dusk is here and my review of The Block is here.

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet (But Want To)

So. Many. Possible. Answers. But I’m breaking my pattern of indecisiveness to say Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart. I won an ARC of this in a giveaway and I also have a sneaking suspicion that there’s one in a book box at my parents’ house… so I’m pretty sure the universe is telling me that I need to read this book. And I will. Hopefully soon.

Most Anticipated Release For the Second Part of the Year

When I drafted this tag, my answer included Once Upon a Broken Heart but I’ve since been blessed enough to read an eARC of this! I can confirm that it is 1000000% worth the hype. But anyway, my answer now is Steelstriker by Marie Lu because I can’t do a tag without including at least one Marie Lu book and because Skyhunter was incredible.

Biggest Disappointment

I’ve been pretty happy with most of the books I’ve read this year, but I guess Of Wicked Blood didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Biggest Surprise

Love in Five Acts by Daniela Krien. This book is not my usual genre at all but I was gifted an ARC so I gave it a go, and I ended up really loving it! My review, if you’re interested, is here.

Favourite New Author

Elizabeth Lim! No explanation needed.

Newest Fictional Crush

It’s been a while since I had a new fictional crush, to be honest… but an eligible book boyfriend that I would recommend is Henry, from From Little Tokyo, With Love. My review of this adorable book can be found here.

Newest Favourite Character

Evangeline from Once Upon a Broken Heart!

Book That Made You Cry

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao literally made me cry in the prologue… And again in Chapter 1, and so on.

Book That Made You Happy

Although you may not expect it from the title: The Sad Ghost Club. This book was so sweet and heart-warming and adorable that it makes me happy just thinking about it.

The Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year

I’m yet to read it, but I treated myself to the Indie Exclusive edition of Circus of Wonders and it’s one of the prettiest books I’ve ever seen. I literally screamed when I opened the package and saw the floral sprayed edges.

What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year?

So many. But, to name a few:

Fire With Fire by Destiny Soria

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

The Upper World by Femi Fadugba

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

Steelstriker by Marie Lu

I’d love to hear how your reading year’s going! Are you on track for your Goodreads Challenge (if you’re taking part)? And what’s your favourite book of 2021 so far?

BOOK REVIEW: IN THE RAVENOUS DARK by AM Strickland

Francesca Lucy2 Comments

I’m back from yet another unintentional blog hiatus today with a review of a book that I am completely desperate to talk about. I finished In the Ravenous Dark earlier this month, after have the eARC sat on my NetGalley shelf for far too long, and I’m honestly ashamed that I haven’t been raving about it on Twitter every second since.

So… first things first, thank you to Hodder for the eARC of this book!

In the Ravenous Dark follows Rovan, a young bloodmage who, after her powers are discovered and abruptly used against her, turns against the city she grew up in to seek revenge and spark a revolution. She quickly finds herself teaming up with various members of a fascinating royal family, a guardian spirit that she openly despises and a whole host of other dangerous allies to fight against the nation’s dangerous rulers, both in the land of the living and the land of the dead.

Young adult fantasy is easily my most-read genre, but I can honestly say that I have never read anything quite like this. It’s unique, darkly intense and set in such a well-woven world that I was completely sucked in as soon as I started reading. The setting was quite typical of a royal, fantasy YA, but the atmosphere was so unsettling and the blood magic so… graphic, that I was completely unprepared going in for what the book ended up being.

Rovan’s moral ambiguity and her warring desires to do what’s right for her loved ones whilst also seeking power and vengeance made her a fascinating protagonist, and I found myself falling so deeply in love with Japha, Lydia and Ivrilos as well that I couldn’t pick a favourite character from their team of rebels. I love antiheroes, and both Ivrilos and Rovan came across as these, with their motives varying from freedom and revolution to brutal revenge. The amount of representation of LGBTQ+ characters and relationships in this book was also really great, as it included positive representation of pansexuality, lesbianism, asexuality, a major non-binary character and a polyamorous relationship.

The story was incredibly fast-paced, and there wasn’t a single page that didn’t include any intense action, intense romance or intense gore. It’s certainly not an easy read or a book for the squeamish, but it’s so perfect for fans of dark YA fantasy that I know I’ll be recommending it to anyone who will listen.

Rating: 5/5

BOOK REVIEW: Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Francesca Lucy14 Comments

First things first, THANK YOU to Hodder for 1) giving me an e-ARC of Spin the Dawn and 2) giving me a e-ARC of Unravel the Dusk (because it is absolutely my number 1 TBR priority now).

Spin the Dawn follows Maia, a young girl who takes her brother’s place in a competition to become the new Imperial Tailor, in an attempt to restore her family’s name and achieve a lifelong, impossible dream. After an intense competition to prove herself to the Emperor and his reluctant soon-to-be wife, Maia is tasked with making the most breathtakingly magical dresses, stitched from the sun, the moon and the stars, and she finds herself on a quest, alongside the palace’s mysterious Enchanter, to do the impossible and alter more in the palace than she ever could have imagined.

I knew before I started this book that I would love it but I had no idea just how much. It combined my loves of enchanting, magical YA, with a love of fashion and elements of Mulan, and it was absolutely one of the most engrossing books I’ve read this year. Maia was strong-willed, determined and completely selfless, so she was a really exciting character to root for as she went on her quest. Edan, similarly, was determined and wise, so with him as a guide and Maia as a heroine, they made a fascinating duo. Add their obvious chemistry to that and reading about their journey became entertaining and addictive on so many levels.

The magical elements of this book are vital to the story, and the descriptions and imagery that came with these were incredibly well done. What initially felt implausible quickly became completely believable, and the scenes with Maia working her magic were simple but yet also so captivating that I found them just as entertaining as the more action-packed scenes in the book. Imagining the breathtaking designs that the tailors put together was so easy and I somehow envy the characters who got to wear the beautiful pieces that were put together throughout.

So many things (cover included because look at it) contributed to my requesting this, and I’m so so glad I did; it was a whirlwind of a story that kept me hooked from start to end. The romance was swoon-worthy, the magic was enchanting, and the action was so constant that it made Spin the Dawn impossible to put down. I loved how it included minor elements of various fairytales without becoming at all predictable, and I’m already desperately awaiting the answers that I’m hoping for in Unravel the Dusk.

Rating: 5/5