The Beholder by Anna Bright

Hello, my darling readers!
Today I want to talk about The Beholder, another stunning book that I received via subscription box. So let’s see what the excitement is all about!

The Beholder on Goodreads

The Plot:

Selah’s life is in tatters. Everything she had longed for gone down the drain. When her marriage proposal is rejected, Selah’s stepmother ships her off to find a suitable husband. After all, she is the daughter of Potomac’s leader, so this is her job. What will she encounter on the quest that sends her all the way to England, Norge, and even darker realms?

The Rating:

So, I’m not a fan of romance books, but this one has won me over. It’s not too sappy (although it gets close sometimes) and there is more going on than just a princess swooning over some cute guy.

I love that Anna Bright drew her inspiration from so many different sources. No spoilers here – you’ll see for yourself should you decide to pick up the book. Let me just tell you that it’s a lot of fun discovering those little things that obviously influenced her. She doesn’t go over the top with this or produce what feels like a cheap copy. Instead Bright creates something that is unique and fun to explore.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Hey guys!
Another day, another book review. As I am going through my pile of books I received with subscription boxes, I found this one to stand out. The cover art is stunning, and my edition has sprayed edges that sparkle. If that hadn’t been enough to get me excited, the story being set in a library surely did the trick!

Sorcery of Thorns on Goodreads

The Plot:

Elisabeth’s believes are challenged when somebody breaks into the library – her home – and releases a dangerous grimoire. A book filled with magic that has gone rogue is a strong opponent to face, but Elisabeth is willing to make a stand…

The Rating:

I’ll keep it short: I loved it. Well, I’m not 100% sure about the end but otherwise, it is a wonderful book.

There’s humor, there’s tragedy, there are plot twists, libraries, talking books, and magic. What else could you want?
Margaret Rogerson’s world is enchanting and different than what I’ve encountered to far. I wish I could jump right in!

The Lost Sisters by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air #1.5)

Hello, my beloved readers!
I devoured The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King and can hardly wait for Queen of Nothing to be released. Well, I just found out that Holly Black gave us this little short story, set just after the first book!

The Lost Sisters on Goodreads

The Plot:

In short: this is Taryn’s take on what went down in The Cruel Prince. It’s something between an explanation and an apology written by her.

The Rating:

So, here’s the deal: is this an absolute must-read? No. Does it add much to the story? No. Will those who enjoyed the first book love it? Sure thing.

Even if you don’t end up digging this novella, nothing is lost. It’s really short you won’t even need an entire afternoon to read the thing. If you want to give it a go, you should make sure to read it right after The Cruel Prince. I read it a few months after finishing both full-length novels and I really had to concentrate to keep the timeline straight and not mix stuff up.

Jade City by Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga #1)

Hello, my darling readers!
So, I recently got into book subscription boxes and this is the very first novel I got in one of them! I have a bunch of reviews coming up, all about the books I got in these boxes.
Today, I want to talk about Jade City by Fonda Lee, a story very different from what you might be used to!

Jade City on Goodreads

The Plot:

Green-Bone clans used to consist of honorable men and women who used their Jade amplified powers to protect the island of Kekon.
Nowadays those clans resemble crime syndicates – of course, they are at war with each other…

The Rating:

I really wanted to like this book. The premise got me really excited but I had a hard time getting into the story.
I don’t even know why! The idea is quite unique and due to the Asian vibes, it is really different from any other book I’ve read so far.

The worldbuilding is interesting enough and I liked the whole Jade thing. It took me some time, however, to fully understand how the system is supposed to work and to tell all the people apart.

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle #4)

Hello there!
Here we are. This is the end. I finally finished The Raven Cycle books by Maggie Stiefvater. I was in love from the first page on so let’s find out whether The Raven King was a worthy end to this series!

The Raven King on Goodreads

The Plot:

Blue and the guys are closer than ever to find Glendower. However, their quest has become more pressing as something dark is on the move as well…

The Rating:

Okay. This was not exactly what I had expected. To be honest, I don’t even know what it was that I had expected. Maybe something grander?
I felt like I was running out of pages but there was still so much stuff that needed to be dealt with. The book isn’t any longer than the ones before and – let me warn you – stuff really goes down in the last few pages.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that the other parts of the book were too long, dragging on or anything like that. That’s not the case at all. I enjoyed The Raven King tremendously. I just wish the ending wouldn’t have been so rushed and we would have gotten some more explanation. The way it is I’m not even sure it makes 100% sense.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater (The Raven Cycle #3)

Hello, my darling readers!
As I am binge-reading the Raven Cycle books by Maggie Stiefvater, I just finished part 3. I am beyond excited about these novels and can’t wait to get started with the final installment. But let’s talk about Blue Lily, Lily Blue before!

Blue Lily, Lily Blue on Goodreads

The Plot (from Goodreads):

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.

The Rating:

I could not be any more in love with these books than I already am.
The story gets more intricate with each chapter and I have no idea where this whole thing might end.
Will they wake Glendower? Or even find him? I don’t know! However, more characters and plotlines were introduced and they are coming together now, promising a great finale.

Blue is one of my favorite young adult female characters. She doesn’t feel like the regular stereotypical YA heroine but is so unique, smart, and weird, I desperately want to be friends with her.
The same is true for her Raven Boys. All of them have such a distinct vibe to them and Stiefvater knows how to touch upon clichés without making things feel too obvious. She just takes a tiny bit and then makes things her own.