The story unfolds from Oraya’s point of view in a simple writing style that is easy to follow. Although the numerous action scenes and characters are vividly detailed, the soft world-building lacks the rich details that would have brought it fully to life. Besides this, much of the world-building is told and not shown, which left me wanting more from the fascinating concepts involving vicious vampires, deities, magic and a complex political system.
Fiction
Fiction book reviews
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THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL-SIRAFI by Shannon Chakraborty
Amina’s sassy narrative quickly grabbed my attention, and I loved the humour this brought to the story. I was also pulled in by the fascinating world, with its rich mythology, culture, history and religion. While this world-building is presented in information dumps, these were easy to follow and strengthened by vivid descriptions which brought the world to life.
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BLOOD DEBTS by Terry J. Benton-Walker
The fascinating world is packed with a rich magic system and history. This information is gradually given across the story making the world-building easy to follow and take in. I also enjoyed the multiple points of view (POVs) as they allow for a slightly broader scope, but some add little to the story.
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CHAIN OF THORNS by Cassandra Clare
Through multiple third-person points of view (POVs), the descriptive writing style provides a detailed depiction of the characters and world. While this broad scope allows the story to delve into the complicated relationships between the characters, it also gives a slow, sluggish pace. The highlight for me was the slight comic relief dispersed throughout the story, as this made me smile and reminded me of why I first liked this series.
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YINKA, WHERE IS YOUR HUZBAND? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
The relaxed, casual writing style is strengthened by vivid descriptions that keep the story engaging and immersive. I also loved the media elements, such as text messages, emails and internet searches, which made the story more interesting.
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GIDEON THE NINTH by Tamsyn Muir
The descriptive writing style is made even more engaging through a quirky and witty third-person narrative from Gideon’s point of view. Not only was the sarcastic, easygoing humour so entertaining that I was constantly laughing, but it also made Gideon’s character relatable and easy to like. While I also loved the captivating world, I craved a deeper exploration of the Houses and magic system.
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GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner
The immersive writing style, with its lush descriptions and multiple points of view, quickly pulled me into the story. Even more captivating was the atmospheric world brimming with history and a fascinating gods system that enriches the story.
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FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros
Bringing the story to life is a lush, descriptive writing style that constantly details the setting and characters without impacting the story’s pace. Equally impressive is the rich, unique world that is easy to grasp yet complex, with a delightful blend of magic, dragons and politics. Cliffhanger chapter endings are also skillfully used, making it difficult to put this book down.