3-stars

‘A Fate Inked in Blood’ was an easy read, but it had little depth and a lust-filled romance that overshadowed everything else.

‘A Song to Drown Rivers’ had the potential to be a compelling tale, but I was disappointed by the surface-level, angst-filled execution.

‘The City of Brass’ had so much promise, but the drawn-out, confusing execution and numerous YA tropes gradually smothered my interest.

‘Five Broken Blades’ turned out to be quite different from what I expected, with a heavy focus on the main characters and their romantic relationships. Sadly, I was not fond of the characters or romance.

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.