The Asylum where obsession for music and books lives.
I don’t mean to sound like I only have complaints - there is a lot to love about Kitsune, and though the story might need a little ironing out here and there, it was a very cool retelling of The Little Mermaid. This would be worth checking out if you are at all interested in retellings, or just looking for some fun stories involving yokais.
Team RockStarlit BookAsylum reviews the SPFBO 5 finalist, Spark City by Robert J Power. Thoughts and opinions are all our own.
Team RockStarlit BookAsylum reviews the SPFBO 5 finalist, A Tale of Stars and Shadow by Lisa Cassidy. Thoughts and opinions are all our own.
As others said before me, Lancelot is definitely an incredible book everyone should read. A timeless tale in a new light you won’t forget anytime soon. What would you sacrifice for love?
Team RockStarlit BookAsylum reviews the SPFBO 5 finalist, Beggar's Rebellion by Levi Jacobs. Thoughts and opinions are all our own.
Team RockStarlit BookAsylum reviews the SPFBO 5 finalist, Blood of Heirs by Alicia Wanstall-Burke. Thoughts and opinions are all our own.
Blight Marked sets the bar one step higher yet and though the story concludes nicely, it also sets up the next installment to be something we can look forward to. Blight Marked is a fast, witty and emotional roller-coaster ride and I can't wait to see what the next stop will bring.
Team RockStarlit BookAsylum reviews the SPFBO 5 finalist, Never Die by Rob J. Hayes. Thoughts and opinions are all our own.
Storytellers is about personal demons, about the rougher side of life which isn't improved by the Icelandic weather. It's about people, about choices and the lies (stories) we tell ourselves. It's about a lot of things, really, and the more time you spend in Larssen's world the more it makes you think.
Dark Fire has everything which makes it a masterwork: intrigue, murder mystery, compelling and unconventional characters (Matthew Shardlake is a hunchback for instance, oh and there is a black apothecary, Guy who used to be a monk), and richly detailed world.
I almost wished I could have read this anthology before Sorcerous Rivalry just because there was such a bittersweet feel to the whole book, with getting to see their hopes and dreams and knowing the turn their lives take.
All in all, this is nice addition to the series if you are looking to round out the sibling’s characters or just need an excuse to revisit the world.
I can always count on Jeffrey Kohanek’s books for fast paced entertainment and this didn’t disappoint. With lots of twisty behind the scenes plots as the balance of power shifts from one wizard to another, there are quite a few surprises along the way including the appearance of a magic-based dragon! Always good fun.
Faithless has a lot to offer for those who are looking for a good grimdark fantasy where the events are confined to one or two places - though they are vast places to be fair. Austin-King really has a touch for making you uncomfortable but unable to turn away or put down the book. There is always something you don't see coming from behind a turn.
All in all, this is a good entry into the series with lots of interesting turns to the plot and some good character growth, maybe not a huge step in relationship growth for the two of them, but there is one and that’s a good sign.
Overall I did enjoy Rivers of London. It had some really good ideas and the mystery kept me guessing until the endgame, but the characters fell a bit flat for me. I think there is a lot of room for improvement in the series, but Rivers of London being the first book, it definitely set the base for a great series. I can see why many people seem to love it, and though we need to work on each other a bit more, I believe we'll get there in the end.
Please keep in mind these are personal thoughts only. This book has already been eliminated from the competition, but at least one of us liked it enough to write a full review.
If you love grimdark, you look for a book with self-absorbed pirates, plenty of action, blood and adventure, then Where Loyalties Lie is for you. It's witty, it's brutal, it's bloody, it's dark and it's impossible to put down. There is plenty of rum, fight, plotting against each other, secrets well-kept, magic and interesting enough characters.
I Was A Teenage Weredeer is a rather light, fun read with pop cultural references from Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Buffy and many others fan probably will deerly love and enjoy. Those who like YA will find this an enjoyable read with a snarky heroine, several supernatural species and a mystery that holds a few twists.
Some Distant Sunrise is a powerfully emotional, dark tale of addiction, second chances, choices and life. One the writing makes even more real, where you can almost feel the needle's cold, metallic touch on your arm, the biting cold of the night and feel the pressure of the world as it closes on you, taste the desperation in the air.
Song is an action driven dark fantasy with a medieval like setting, mages fighting for revenge, for the nation, for everything worth figthing for.
