Tag: Books: Fantasy

Review: The Bone Shard Daughter

Posted 28 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire #1)
By: Andrea Stewart
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Orbit Books (Netgalley)

The emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands.

Lin is the emperor’s daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright – and save her people.

I first came across this book on NetGalley and the premise and the book cover grabbed my attention (look at that cover art!). I later found out that this book has quite a bit of hype ahead of its release, lol. I was approved an eARC of this book from the publishers. This book will be released on 08 September 2020.

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Review: The Vanished Queen

Posted 24 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

The Vanished Queen
By: Lisbeth Campbell
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Saga Press (Netgalley)

When a country is held in thrall to a vicious, despotic king, it’s up to one woman to take him down.

Long ago, Queen Mirantha vanished. King Karolje claimed it was an assassination by a neighboring king, but everyone knew it was a lie. He had Disappeared her himself.

But after finding the missing queen’s diary, Anza—impassioned by her father’s unjust execution and inspired by Mirantha’s words—joins the resistance group to overthrow the king. When an encounter with Prince Esvar thrusts her into a dangerous game of court politics, one misstep could lead to a fate worse than death.

Esvar is the second son to an evil king. Trapped under his thumb and desperate for a way out, a chance meeting with Anza gives him the opportunity to join the resistance. Together, they might have the leverage to move against the king—but if they fail, their deaths could mean a total loss of freedom for generations to follow.

I found out about this book in NetGalley. It had been a long time since I had browsed and seen what was coming out for release. The premise of this book intrigued me, a mix of intrigue and family dynamics and dynastic issues in a fantasy novel. I was approved an eARC of this book from the publishers. This book will be released on 18 August 2020.

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Review: The Seventh Perfection

Posted 21 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 1 Comment

The Seventh Perfection
By: Daniel Polansky
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Tor.com (Netgalley)

When a woman with perfect memory sets out to solve a riddle, the threads she tugs on could bring a whole city crashing down. The God-King who made her is at risk, and his other servants will do anything to stop her.

To become the God-King’s Amanuensis, Manet had to master all seven perfections, developing her body and mind to the peak of human performance. She remembers everything that has happened to her, in absolute clarity, a gift that will surely drive her mad. But before she goes, Manet must unravel a secret which threatens not only the carefully prepared myths of the God-King’s ascent, but her own identity and the nature of truth itself.

It was the cover art that caught my attention first–like, look at that cover! *heart eyes* Anyway, the premise also sounded really interesting, really intrigued me. I was approved an eARC to read by the publishers via NetGalley. This book will be released on 22 September 2020.

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Review: The Kingdom of Liars

Posted 14 August, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 2 Comments

The Kingdom of Liars (The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings #1)
By: Nick Martell
Format/Source: Advanced reading copy courtesy of Saga Press (Netgalley)

Michael is branded a traitor as a child because of the murder of the king’s nine-year-old son, by his father David Kingman. Ten years later on Michael lives a hardscrabble life, with his sister Gwen, performing crimes with his friends against minor royals in a weak attempt at striking back at the world that rejects him and his family.

In a world where memory is the coin that pays for magic, Michael knows something is there in the hot white emptiness of his mind. So when the opportunity arrives to get folded back into court, via the most politically dangerous member of the kingdom’s royal council, Michael takes it, desperate to find a way back to his past. He discovers a royal family that is spiraling into a self-serving dictatorship as gun-wielding rebels clash against magically trained militia.

What the truth holds is a set of shocking revelations that will completely change the Hollows, if Michael and his friends and family can survive long enough to see it.

I was updating some reviews that I had meant to send ages ago to NetGalley when I decided to wander around a bit and see what books were coming out. The book cover to this novel piqued my attention and I decided to give it a try. Thank you to Saga Press for letting me read this book. This book was released on 23 June 2020.

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Review: The Awakened Kingdom

Posted 14 July, 2020 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

The Awakened Kingdom (Inheritance Trilogy #3.5)
By: N.K. Jemisin
Format/Source: Trade paperback; was a Christmas gift

SOME TRUTHS MUST BE LEARNED THE HARD WAY…

As the first new godling born in thousands of years, Shill’s got big shoes to fill. She’s well on her way when she defies her parents and sneaks off to the mortal realm, which is no place for an impressionable young god. In short order she steals a demon’s grandchild, gets herself embroiled in a secret underground magical dance competition, and offends her oldest and most powerful sibling.

But for Eino, the young Darren man whom Shill has befriended, the god-child’s silly games are serious business. Trapped in an arranged marriage and prohibited from pursuing his dreams, he has had enough. He will choose his own fate, even if he must betray a friend in the process — and Shill might just have to grow up faster than she thinks.

The omnibus includes a novella that takes place in the world of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Which is fun because there’s so much more you could write about in this world. Some spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the trilogy!

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