“Alexia Maccon, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears; leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.
But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. So even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can. She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.
CHANGELESS is the second book of the Parasol Protectorate series: a comedy of manners set in Victorian London, full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.” –Goodreads
My Review:
I am going to keep this short since, at the time of writing, I have read the next book and am onto the next.
I love Gail Carriger, but damn she writes A LOT.
All of these reviews are going to sound the same because I love her books and they are all similar. They are all really well done and have the same sort of plot line.
That being said, a lot of her books seem to blend together, so I am not 100% on all the events in this book, hence why I am keeping this short.
The saddest part of this book for me was how we slowly got away from the romance portion of the book. There was no more slow-burn like the first. The characters are happily together. That is always great, but there is not a huge extent of books anymore. There is no waiting to get together tension, there is just them being loving.
We got introduced to beloved characters from the prequel series Etiquette and Espionage in this book. I was so excited to see familiar characters again.
I wonder who else she will bring in.
Carriger is so witty and fun. Her writing is always amazing and she definitely deserves the read. Check out my review of Soulless, the first book in this series if you are interested in starting.
Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.
A Choice…
Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.
A Secret…
But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.” -Goodreads
My Review:
*Spoilers for the first book most likely*
This book was everything!
I did not like From Blood and Ash. The writing was sloppy and I had way too many questions and it angered me.
But, in this book, it all came together. The writing became more concrete and defined. I understood more about the creatures in this world. We got a map in this novel. The worldbuilding was way more in-depth in this book.
The romance was amazing. It was kind of lovers to enemies to lovers and I loved it. Casteel and Poppy’s romance was unique. They were so frustrating, but the frustration is all a part of the fun.
The world became a four-dimensional world. I felt like it was paper-thin and not super defined in the last book. In this one, I felt like I understood the history and the layout of the world a lot better.
I will say that this critique of it is not very developed in the last book could be because Poppy does not know much about the world around her. We do not get some information because she is not supposed to know that information. I did think the way it was written was confusing though.
This book had a better structure. I hated how the last book had no time jumps unless someone fell asleep. In this book, we speed through unnecessary events a lot faster.
I also was in shock over the ending. I have the next book, but I have not started reading it because I want my genuine reaction to the book.
I love the turn this book has taken. I have gotten more invested and am ready to see where this goes.
Published June 4th 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 456
“All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.” –Goodreads
My Review:
This is my new favorite book.
I kid you not. I am obsessed. I just finished listening to the audiobook and I was appalled.
back when I swore that Harry Potter and Throne of Glass were forever going to be my favorite books. Yeah, apparently I lied and have demoted both of them to my favorite series of books.
This standalone was seriously the best.
I am at a loss for words. I am writing this right after finishing because wow I need to process.
I seriously am at a loss for words. No book could compare to this.
How do I review a book this good?
I have never read a book with such vivid details and such a stunning plot. The characters were lovable and attractive. The entire time I was at a loss for words.
Elisabeth is a kind and cunning young lady who lives in a library, which has been my dream ever since I was a little girl. She goes on this crazy adventure all to protect the most sacred thing to her heart, books.
She is the best character I have ever read. She cares about each person she meets but never forgets where she came from. She loves to read and feels at home wherever books exist.
Nathaniel, her dashing sorcerer companion, is my new favorite book boyfriend. The romance is a slow burn that had me aching for them to realize what they meant to each other.
Silas is a strikingly beautiful demon with a heart for his companions. He is my favorite character, not just in this book but of all of them. He surprised me so many times and made me fall in love with him.
The plot was so amazing. I have not read a book similar to it before. It was so refreshing. A lot of the fantasy books I have been reading lately have felt like endless copies of the same book. This one was so different it shocked me.
The book had twists and turns. My mind was changed many times. I was sitting there piecing clues along with Elisabeth.
UGH I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH
I love this book so much. I don’t think I have ever given a book five stars on here, or if so I have not given very many. This book deserves more than five stars, but my rating system doesn’t allow for any more.
Published September 5th 2017 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Pages: 660
“Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea’s last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.
After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.
In this sweeping parallel novel to the New York Times bestselling Empire of Storms, Chaol, Nesryn, and Yrene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience if they wish to save their friends. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, deep in the shadows of mighty mountains where warriors soar on legendary ruks, long-awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival—or doom them all . . .” –Goodreads
My Review:
Okay, to everyone out here who has finished the ToG series and ACOTAR AND Crescent City, leave me alone. I know I am late. To put into perspective how long I have been trying to finish this series, I finished Queen of Shadows before Tower of Dawn came out, and then I stopped reading for like four years. But, I am now jumping back into the game. I re-read all the books. I just did a review of Empire of storms. And here I am done with Tower of Dawn.
What a long road it has been.
And it isn’t over yet. I still go tone more book to finish. It is going to be a crazy time.
Even after starting this series back in 2016, I still have not been spoiled the ending of Kingdom of Ash. It scares me a little because do people just not want to talk about it because it is that horrifying? Or was it just so good the book community is still in shock? Or am I just not in the right circles?
I DONT ACTUALLY WANT TO KNOW. DO NOT SPOIL IT AT ALL. I HAVE BEEN LIVING PEACEFULLY AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SPOILER FREE.
Anyways,
Tower of Dawn.
What an exciting book.
When I tell you how much I disliked Chaol at the beginning and how much I loved him at the end. Was that a universal thing or just me? I feel like the fourth book just made him seem like an asshole and he just never recovered from that. Until now.
I am glad we got this whole other perspective to the story. It was kind of nice to going back to only having three POVs. I love Maas and her POVs but Empire of Storms and Queen of Shadows was insane with the switching. This was a nice break. But, I am sure the Kingdom of Ash is going to have all the OG POVs and Nesryn and Yrene and Manon and Elide and Lochan and literally everyone who has a name in the story.
Gotta love it
Also, I did not think that this story would be such a big part of the whole series. I was told once a few months after it came out that it was utterly unnecessary to read. UM WHAT? This gave us like the biggest plot twist ever and if I had to just get that summarized my Kingdom of Ash, I would have been PISSED.
So, if you are reading ToG please read this book. Don’t let people lie to you.
You learn kind of really important information like almost vital information to the entire war that is happening. When the whole thing drops about Maeve my jaw hit the floor. It was insane. And when Yrene did the thing.
OH MY GOD SHE SO SWAG!!!
I am really trying to keep this spoiler-free but I cant say much without ruining it. As usual.
Also, can we talk about Yrene. What a beautiful person! She was so nice. I thought she had an amazing personality. She was described so beautifully and she was so badass!!
Lets go back to Chaol’s character development in the story. I think he starts off as an arrogant ass and ends up as a less arrogant ass. But, all improvement is good. And who doesn’t love an arrogant ass, am I right?
Also, while looking for fanart I found this. WHAT THE HELL? Is this real or did someone just make this. I couldn’t find any art credits. I…….This would have looked so well on my shelf instead of the shield. BUT I AM NOT DOGGING ON THE SHIELD, just saying I would have preferred a person on the cover.
Tower of Dawn cover but with a man
Also I found this really cute art piece. I am going to show it but it contains a little spoilers (even though it is obvious that they get together in the end).
Chaol and Yrene fanart by Meabhusd
How talented is that.
I love it so much.
I love their whole story arc. I also love that Chaol hated himself for a moment because he kissed Yrene. It just makes me happy to see him get some revenge.
Ugh, the whole story was amazing. I honestly think this beats out Crown of Midnight for my favorite book in the series. It is so good. The emotions are raw and intense. It deals with really hard issues in life. It has some badass women in there. It leads up to the ending really well. The beginning was a little slow and the ending was not as satisfying as I would have liked but, you cant have the new love birds die just yet can you?
Wink Wink
Anyways, I think I am done for today. I am trying to figure out if more people will read my stuff on the weekends or if posting on the weekdays is alright. I just see the weekends as my time to write. But, I can change it up depending on what people prefer.
“Set at a boys boarding school in New England during the early years of World War II, A Separate Peace is a harrowing and luminous parable of the dark side of adolescence. Gene is a lonely, introverted intellectual. Phineas is a handsome, taunting, daredevil athlete. What happens between the two friends one summer, like the war itself, banishes the innocence of these boys and their world.” –Goodreads
“Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.” –Goodread
I had 5 books in my TBR this month but I just started school again which was hard to balance my time with all my activities. I hope this month will be different and I will be able to finish all the books on my TBR list for October.
October TBR:
The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Magaret Stohl
Destined for Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon
Shadows of Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon
That is all for this blog. I am excited to read these books and I hope that I finish all of them.
“Veronica doesn’t think she’s going crazy. But why can’t anyone else see the mysterious blond boy who keeps popping up wherever she goes? When her best friend, Mackenna, invites her to spend the summer in Scotland, Veronica jumps at the opportunity to leave her complicated life behind for a few months.
But the Scottish countryside holds other plans.
Not only has the imaginary kilted boy followed her to Alloway, she and Mackenna uncover a strange set of rings and a very unnerving letter from Mackenna’s great aunt—and when the girls test the instructions Aunt Gracie left behind, they find themselves transported to a land that defies explanation. Doon seems like a real-life fairy tale, complete with one prince who has eyes for Mackenna and another who looks suspiciously like the boy from Veronica’s daydreams. But Doon has a dark underbelly as well. The two girls could have everything they’ve longed for…or they could end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that has become a nightmare.” –Goodreads
Author: John Knowles
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Author: Carey Corp. Lorie Langdon