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.
Book reviews
All book reviews
- Book reviews
- ...
WHERE SLEEPING GIRLS LIE by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
The descriptive writing style is simple yet filled with vivid descriptions that make the narrative eerie and atmospheric. However, the heavy-handed foreshadowing made some of the tension and suspense fall flat for me.
- Book reviews
- ...
THE PRISONER’S THRONE by Holly Black
The casual, easy-to-follow writing style contains vivid descriptions that smoothly establish the fascinating world of Elfhame, with its various creatures and landscapes. The narrative is also presented from Oak’s witty point of view, which constantly brought a smile to my face, but I craved Suran’s perspective as well.
- Book reviews
- ...
THE SILVERBLOOD PROMISE by James Logan
Although I initially struggled to find the formal writing style and third-person narrative engaging, I was soon engrossed in the story due to the strong prose and wit. The world-building was also well-developed and fascinating, with a creative magic system, diverse creatures, and intricate politics.
- Book reviews
- ...
THE UNBROKEN by C. L. Clark
Though I found the third-person narrative slightly confusing, I loved the vibrant descriptions that brought the desert setting and complex world brimming with culture and brutal politics to life. However, the magic system was underwhelming, as it seemed to be a convenient plot device and was poorly explained.
- Book reviews
- ...
DAUGHTERS OF NRI by Reni K. Amayo
The rich descriptions, touches of humour and cliffhanger chapter endings made it incredibly easy for me to lose myself in this story. I also loved the smooth world-building and fascinating world, even though some aspects were confusing and underdeveloped.
- Book reviews
- ...
FANGIRL DOWN by Tessa Bailey
The casual writing style is filled with great descriptions, making this an easy and entertaining read. I also loved the dual points of view, as this made the story very satisfying.
- Book reviews
- ...
A TEMPEST OF TEA by Hafsah Faizal
Although the third-person narrative initially made it hard for me to immerse myself in this story, I was impressed by the captivating, vivid descriptions that effortlessly brought the characters and world to life. I was also fascinated by the intriguing and creative world that was established. However, I struggled with the clunky worldbuilding information dumps and wished some concepts, like the tea house, had been better developed.
