The rich, fresh world takes readers to unruly waters, lush land and everything in between. Further enriching this is a gritty historical setting filled with mythical creatures and magic. Each aspect of this complex setting is gradually established in well-timed, bite-sized pieces with a smooth and vivid writing style.
Almost 4-stars
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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.
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THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL-SIRAFI by Shannon Chakraborty
Amina’s sassy narrative quickly grabbed my attention, and I loved the humour this brought to the story. I was also pulled in by the fascinating world, with its rich mythology, culture, history and religion. While this world-building is presented in information dumps, these were easy to follow and strengthened by vivid descriptions which brought the world to life.
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BLOOD DEBTS by Terry J. Benton-Walker
The fascinating world is packed with a rich magic system and history. This information is gradually given across the story making the world-building easy to follow and take in. I also enjoyed the multiple points of view (POVs) as they allow for a slightly broader scope, but some add little to the story.
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CHAIN OF THORNS by Cassandra Clare
Through multiple third-person points of view (POVs), the descriptive writing style provides a detailed depiction of the characters and world. While this broad scope allows the story to delve into the complicated relationships between the characters, it also gives a slow, sluggish pace. The highlight for me was the slight comic relief dispersed throughout the story, as this made me smile and reminded me of why I first liked this series.
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FRENCH HOLIDAY by Sarah Ready
The story is brought to life through a simple yet rich writing style and setting that is easy to immerse into. I also loved the sassy and melodramatic narrative from Merry’s point of view, as it was entertaining and constantly made me laugh.
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THE STOLEN HEIR by Holly Black
As expected from Holly Black, the narrative is evocative with a dark, mystical atmosphere. Not only is the fascinating world of Elfhame resurrected, but it is infused with new details and creatures that make it irresistible. I also enjoyed the rawness of Suran’s point of view, even though I would have loved to have Oak’s perspective too.
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QUEENIE by Candice Carty-Williams
The casual writing style infused with satire was a pleasant surprise that had me laughing numerous times despite the challenging storyline. Queenie’s first-person narrative also drew me in, and several flashbacks were skillfully used to strengthen the story. I especially loved the text messaging, emails and lists, which made the writing more engaging and creative.