THE LAST BLOODCARVER by Vanessa Le

A simple, casual writing style with good prose and details smoothly brings this story to life. I was particularly impressed by the bloodcarving ability of the main character, which was brilliantly presented and explored. However, the worldbuilding felt somewhat thin and underdeveloped, especially since some concepts, like the constabulary, were mentioned but played no role in the story.

THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo

The formal, beautiful writing style smoothly establishes an atmospheric world with historical, religious, and magical aspects. Direct foreshadowing is also neatly used to build intrigue and suspense. Sadly, I was underwhelmed by the world-building and magic system, which could have used more depth. The multiple points of view also added little to the story, and the third-person narrative made me feel distanced from the characters.