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.

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.