The rich, fresh world takes readers to unruly waters, lush land and everything in between. Further enriching this is a gritty historical setting filled with mythical creatures and magic. Each aspect of this complex setting is gradually established in well-timed, bite-sized pieces with a smooth and vivid writing style.
Fiction
Fiction book reviews
- Book reviews
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THIS WICKED FATE by Kalynn Bayron
The picturesque writing laced with witty humour made this an easy, engaging read. What’s more, the fascinating magic and Greek mythology aspects of the world are further developed in this sequel, enriching the story. My only issue was that the constant deluge of unnecessary details, like how noise-cancelling headphones work, gradually weakened the tension and slowed the story.
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THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The smooth writing style laced with heart and foreboding was very engaging. Besides this, time jumps between and within past and present events are flawlessly done. I also loved the news articles distributed within the story, as these were a fun way of presenting information.
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THE SERPENT AND THE WINGS OF NIGHT by Carissa Broadbent
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.
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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.
