THE BATTLE DRUM by Saara El-Arifi

Once again, a rich writing style with multiple points of view effortlessly brings this world and story to life. The intricate worldbuilding within this blew me away as it was gradually uncovered, layer by layer, like an onion. I may not have understood every detail, but I was deeply impressed by how every aspect, from the blood colours to the land, magic and creatures, was skillfully expanded.

ASSISTANT TO THE VILLAIN by Hannah Nicole Maeher

Writing: 🌟🌟
With a loose historical setting, random creatures and unexplained magical powers, the world-building in this story lacked the depth needed to make much of an impression on me. I also struggled to find the simplistic, fairytale-style narrative engaging, especially since the humour fused into it generally fell flat for me. Despite all this, there were some vivid scenes that stood out to me, and it was very satisfying to have dual points of view from both Evie and the Villain.

MALICE by John Gwynne

I completely adored the descriptive writing style with its simple, vivid prose. Multiple points of view (POVs) are also neatly used to introduce the world’s rich history, mystical creatures and political landscape. However, I initially struggled with the constantly shifting POVs and information dumps, though these gradually became less jarring as the story progressed.