[BOOK REVIEW] This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.00 stars

Genres: Science Fiction, LGBT

Trigger warnings: war, violence

“Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war.”

August 2020 Wrap-Up and September 2020 TBR

Hello! After finishing summer school in July, I finally had the time to sit down and read a ton of books. This month, I read a total of 17 books! While a portion of them were graphic novels, I read way more than what I usually read. I hope I can keep up this pace in September before school resumes again. This month’s reads consisted of mainly rereads: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and Saga. I reread PJO and HoO for ~nostalgia~ while I reread Saga because, well, I really missed it. I also read three new books this month, two of which I really enjoyed. 

Here are the books I read in the month of August!

Books mentioned:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (Books 1-5)

The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan (Books 1-5)

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Vol. 1-4)

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

[SERIES REREAD] The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.00 stars

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology

Trigger warnings: violence, death

“Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,

To storm or fire the world must fall.

An oath to keep with a final breath,

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.”

Hello! In addition to reading PJO, I also reread the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan! It has been about 5 years since I read the last book, but I did manage to remember most of the important plot points in this series! As with PJO, I focused more on the plot and character development rather than the writing style this time (since this series is also middle grade). 

[SERIES REREAD] Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

 

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.5 stars

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mythology

Trigger warnings: violence, death

“Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction — Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.” (Summary of the first book, The Lightning Thief)

In response to the announcement for a Disney+ series, and also for nostalgia’s sake, I decided to reread Percy Jackson and the Olympians! It’s been a while since I’ve read any of Rick Riordan’s books and I plan to also reread The Heroes of Olympus and start The Trials of Apollo. I don’t read any middle grade books anymore but this series has such a big place in my heart because it’s the series that got me into reading in the first place! I absolutely adore all the characters and the themes throughout this series (and those after it as well). I decided that I wouldn’t focus much on Riordan’s writing style (since it’s written for middle grade readers) and rather focus on the characters, their development and interactions with one another, and themes present. 

[ARC] The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

 

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.25 stars

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, LGBT

Trigger warnings: violence 

“The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.

Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people.” 

*Thank you Goodreads for this ARC!

[BOOK REVIEW] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Rating: ★★★★★ 5 stars

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology

Trigger warnings: war themes, slavery, rape, character death, human sacrificing

“Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.”

[BOOK REVIEW] On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.25 Stars

Genre: Fiction, LGBT

Trigger warnings: bullying, abuse, drug addiction, mental illness, homophobia

“A letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born — a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam — and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation.”

[BOOK REVIEW] Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.25 stars

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction

Trigger warnings: depression, implied suicide

“Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.”

August 2020 TBR

Hello again! I hope everyone’s July went well! I finally finished summer school, so I think I’ll be able to read more books this month (and actually get through my TBR for once). I don’t have a lot of new reads planned for this month since I’m going to reread a couple of my favorite series! The (only) new read this month will be a book I’ll be buddy-reading with a friend! I just hope to relax and read some nostalgic books this month :D

Here are the books I plan to read this month!

Books Mentioned:

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Percy Jackson & the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan

Saga Vol. 1-9 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

July 2020 Wrap-Up

Hello it's been a while! Although I only got through half of this month’s TBR, I managed to finish 4 books and 3 volumes of a graphic novel! I sort of fell into a reading slump mid-July (and perhaps got distracted by video games again…). Nevertheless I found two new favorite books and branched out of my comfort zone to read some contemporaries! While I do enjoy some of the contemporary genre, I realized it takes me forever to get through these books compared to fantasy books. I still plan to read more contemporaries in the future, but ] I probably won’t read more than two in a single month.

Here are the books I read in the month of July!

Books Mentioned:

The Wicked + The Divine Volumes 2, 3, & 4 by Keiron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

*this was written before I wrote a full book review for each one, so I apologize in advance if I don’t have too much to say or if some thoughts are incoherent!

My Rating System

I say that I have a rating system but I really don’t lmao. I find that how I rate a book depends on what exactly I’m reading the book for and my expectations of that book!

In general, my rating system is:

★☆☆☆☆ 1 star:

I really disliked (and maybe even hate) and did not enjoy reading this book and wish I had never read it. I would not recommend this book to anyone. A 1.25 stars, 1.50 stars, and 1.75 stars rating would mean I still dislike the book and wouldn't recommend it, but there were a few redeeming qualities of this book.

★★☆☆☆ 2 stars:

I don’t dislike the book to the point of it being a 1 star, but I would still not recommend it to anyone. A 2.25 stars, 2.50 stars, and 2.75 stars rating would mean there were a couple of things I liked about the book but overall I still did not enjoy nor like it.

July 2020 TBR

I managed to read 4 books in June! Yay! Although I didn’t manage to get through my entire June TBR, I hope to finish off most of it in July and read a couple of new books! My goal this month is to read at least 6 books :D I usually don’t have a general theme or mood for my monthly TBRs, but for July I have decided to read books that are more emotional and reflective than what I usually read (aka these books will make me cry and feel sad). I don’t usually read these types of books but I find myself wanting to read them to like, you know, feel something sometimes. Below are the books that I will (hopefully) get to this month; I also realize these books will be by authors who are new to me!

Books Mentioned:

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

June 2020 Wrap Up

Hello! This month was pretty difficult in terms of reading as I had final exams the first two weeks of June and a one week break before starting summer school. I also got way too distracted by mobage and Animal Crossing and may have spent more time playing games than reading (whoops). And with everything going on in the world, it was sometimes difficult to fully immerse myself mentally in a book.  Please check https://currentinfo.carrd.co/ to find petitions and gofundmes to support those facing global tragedies.

I managed to read a total of 4 books this month and will be continuing to read one book into July. Although I didn’t get through my June TBR, I’m still happy I managed to get through most of it! I hope to read at least 6 books next month (though who knows… there’s the Animal Crossing July update coming…)!

Books Mentioned:

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi

Circe by Madeline Miller

The Wicked + The Divine Volume 1 by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

The Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag 2020

It's halfway through the year already!!

I started reading more books last December and have been steadily reading more as this year progressed!

Since I went a few years without reading new books, I was really interested to see how my taste in books has changed since I was younger. I still love reading fantasy books and I don't think I'll ever stop reading them. There is just something about this genre of books that provide a lot of comfort and enjoyment when I read them. I also learned that I am interested in new adult books and contemporaries and I am hoping to read more books of these genres in the future!

I honestly haven't read that many books so far this year, but I still wanted to participate in this tag!! I read 12 books so there might be some overlap! So yeah here we go!

[BOOK REVIEW] Circe by Madeline Miller

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.25 stars

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Trigger Warnings: violence, rape, sexual abuse, war themes

Synopsis:

“In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.”

[BOOK REVIEW] Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 stars

Genres: Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction

“Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there's Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn't know about his most recent act of vengeance.

Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.”

[BOOK REVIEW] The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5 stars

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, LGBT

Synopsis:

“With the heart of an Atwood tale and the visuals of a classic Asian period drama The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a tightly and lushly written narrative about empire, storytelling, and the anger of women.

A young royal from the far north is sent south for a political marriage. Alone and sometimes reviled, she has only her servants on her side. This evocative debut chronicles her rise to power through the eyes of her handmaiden, at once feminist high fantasy and a thrilling indictment of monarchy.”

I really enjoyed reading this book! Although it was only about 100 pages, Nghi Vo impressively expressed a great deal within those pages. The prose was beautiful, though I was a bit confused at the beginning since I jumped into the book without reading the synopsis beforehand. Nevertheless, I was still pulled into the story, with its riveting storyline and flashbacks. I really loved how there were stories within the stories told: stories of resilience, rebellion, and feminism. However, I read this book over a couple of weeks due to school, so the story didn’t have as strong an impact on me than if I were to read it in one sitting. I feel like because of this I don’t have anything else to say, beside that it is a beautifully written and interesting book with a diverse cast! I am excited to read where Chih’s journey takes them next!

- lian

[BOOK REVIEW] The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

Rating: ★★★★★ 4.75 stars

Genres: Grimdark, Historical Fantasy

Trigger warnings: war (violence and gore), drug use, rape

Synopsis:

“In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.

With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.”

June 2020 TBR

I have a couple of books I plan to read this month! I probably won't start reading until mid-June, so I might not get through this list but we'll see. Below are the books I plan to read this month with the synopsis and my expectations! :)

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

I am SO excited to read the sequel to Vicious! I absolutely fell in love with Schwab’s writing style and this series. I enjoyed the plot, the characters, and the world of Vicious; it took a lot of effort to not get through the book in one sitting. I don’t really know much about what the second book will be like but I am very sure it’s going to meet my expectations!

[BOOK REVIEW] The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.50 stars 

Genres: Grimdark, Historical Fantasy

Trigger warnings: war, gore, self-harm, rape, drug use, racism, genocide, body horror

Synopsis:

“When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.”

Non-Spoiler-ish Review:

“War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains.”

This book is not for the faint of heart: it’s classified as grimdark and has several trigger warnings (which are listed above). I love this book for so many reasons: the writing style, the setting, the story, and the character development. I was instantly hooked when I first read it and I had to constrain myself from reading it all in one sitting. 

I really fell in love with Kuang’s writing style (although this might have been because I read this novel right after reading ACOTAR and the vast differences between writing styles made me appreciate this book even more). I realized early into the book that Kuang’s depiction of war between Nikan and Mugen is strongly influenced by the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s, and specifically the Nanjing Massacre. The horrors of war are gruesome, and Kuang is able to depict this well while also building the plot at the same time. She is also really good at building tension, and I found myself not knowing when to feel excited or terrified, as I wondered if Kuang was going to pull a twist or turn in the plot that would leave me speechless yet wanting more. 

Series Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas

Overall rating: ★★★☆☆ 2.50 stars

This is my first time writing a book/series review, so please bear with me if the structure of the review is a little bit over the place! That said, I am in no way a writer; writing is not my strength and I am trying to improve on writing about my thoughts and feelings through these book reviews. This blog functions as a way for me to improve my writing while also sharing my thoughts about some books I’ve been reading recently! :)

I don’t really know how to cohesively write a series review yet, so I’ll first write my review for each of the three books and then conclude with my thoughts on the series as a whole.

Below are links to each book review (with spoilers).

A Court of Thorns and Roses (Book 1)

A Court of Mist and Fury (Book 2)

A Court of Wings and Ruin (Book 3)

As a whole, I give ACOTAR 2.50 stars out of 5 stars. The relationship development between Feyre and Rhysand, as well as Feyre’s own character development, were what made this series truly enjoyable. The plot was okay, with some twists and turns keeping me interested but not engaged enough. The pacing and writing itself were subpar and detracted much of my enjoyment of reading this series. SJM can build characters and relationships between characters well, but she lacks in other aspects that could’ve made this series much better than it is now. Tbh, A Court of Mist and Fury is the only ACOTAR book in my heart.

- lian

Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.25 stars)

Synopsis:

“Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.”

This book turned out to be exactly as people described. It took me forever (approximately a week or two) to get through this last book, and part of me regrets even reading it in the first place. There wasn’t much I liked about this book besides maybe a few parts of it. Everything else after was just… not it. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book where Feyre is as petty as she can be towards Tamlin. I lived for Feyre deceiving Tamlin and being petty toward him and his betrayal and overall shittiness as a person. She sacrificed so much to save him and in return he abused her and betrayed and sold out her sisters and Prythian. It was also nice to see Feyre go against Ianthe and just overall be a petty person for valid reasons! (Fuck those bitches up Feyre!!)

I also enjoyed how this book was a bit more plot focused compared to the other two. It gave more direction to where the story was going (but the plot itself is another story I’ll get to soon). I also enjoyed Feyre and the Night Court getting super badass old gods on their side to join them in the war. The process of convincing those gods to fight alongside them was also really fun to read. The only other thing I liked about this book was Mor coming out as bisexual! We love a bisexual queen! 

But in all honesty the critiques heavily outweigh the praises in this review. The plot itself just wasn’t good and I felt like there were some plot holes and inconsistencies in the magic system. Why would SJM hype up all these strong, old gods to have them die moments into the final battle? How is it that when the other High Lords resurrected Rhysand, he didn’t get their powers like Feyre did? And what the hell is Amren supposed to be? There were so many unanswered questions that detracted some of my enjoyment of this book.

In terms of writing, it was so much worse than the previous books. The battle scenes felt rushed and it became apparent that SJM doesn’t really know how to write good battle scenes. Sentences were choppy and terse, making it harder to read and get through the book. And I was so fucking tired of the word “mate.” It was overused (around 200 times according to one GR user) and at one point it felt cringey; even now I can barely look at the word without dying a little inside. The fact that SJM tried to give Tamlin a redemption arc… bitch I think NOT. Him telling Feyre to “be happy” doesn’t erase his manipulativeness and abusiveness and doesn’t come close to excusing his actions toward her. Lastly, the way Mor’s sexuality was written bothered me. Just because she is bisexual doesn’t mean she is up for threesomes?? Like definitely bisexuality doesn’t work that way, and the way SJM wrote it showed how SJM herself is cis. There were some enjoyable moments but there were so many problems I had with this book that it took all my willpower to get through it.

- lian