Historical Fiction

Book Review: Once UPOn A River

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“There are stories that may be told aloud, and stories that must be told in whispers, and there are stories that are never told at all.”

On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place where the regulars tell stories to while away dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger with a lifeless body of a child in his arms. A miracle happens as hours later, the girl stirs and returns to life leaving all those around in shock wondering how she came back to life. Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their knowledge to try and solve the mystery of who this young girl is and what happened to her that would leave her for dead only to come back to life hours later. The town is full of questions and that gets deeper as three families arrive claiming that the young girl belongs to them.

I wasn’t sure what to expect but the more I got into the story, the more invested I became with how the story developed. It does cross into different genres of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and magical realism and I was really impressed with how it was done and how smooth the transition was. If handled wrong, I don’t know that I would’ve enjoyed it as much as I did and the addition of fairy tales was what I loved the most. What was really interesting was how the author intertwined reality and supernatural into the story and I thought it was done really well and it’s something that could’ve gone the opposite if not handled the right way. This is a fine line that I think about often and I think most people do and something that is thrilling for them. This book was magical and fun so I highly recommend it!

BOOk reVIEW

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“But in a song or a tale, anything is possible.”

A powerful singer and warrior to be, Libohan’s dying to become a part of an elite warrior band on Swan Island and along with her brother, the two have been training to join the band and while vying for a spot in the band. All while that is going on, the find themselves on a mission as the island trains both singers and warriors and the mission is going to require them to find a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. If the instrument isn’t found for the upcoming coronation, people could revolt as the candidate wouldn’t be accepted and the deeper Libohan goes, the more she realizes that this isn’t an ordinary mission and she is soon forced to make a decision that could end in heartbreak.

As much as i liked the plot as i found it interesting and unique, the lack of well-developed world building and the characters left me feeling very underwhelmed especially with Libohan as I felt like she was a bit of a mary-sue. While she did struggle at times, it felt like she got through things very easy and there wasn’t really any times where I found myself rooting for her. I didn’t feel like i could immerse myself into the world because there still things that were lost on me and I didn’t feel like there was enough development with the characters, they felt a bit one dimensional to me. It sucked because the plot was very interesting but there wasn’t enough development for me and the one plus was the writing so i’m bummed that it didn’t work out for me but I’m sure others will enjoy it.

Book Review

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I may be ruthless but I am not cruel. I think it’s one of the things that Ana likes about me, I do bad things when must but I try to be good.

By day Kiki De Souza and Ana Lezama De Urianza are proper seventeenth century ladies. But when night falls, they trade in their gowns and silk for swords and muskets venturing out into the vibrant, buzzling, crime-ridden streets of Potosi in the Spanish Empire’s Viceroyalty of Peru. They spend their time gambling, crime fighting, and falling desperatly in love with one another. But, on the night Kiki’s engagment to Viceroy’s son is announced, her older brother heir to the family fortune is found murdered. The two embark on a investigation to find what happened to Kiki’s brother and if they’re not too careful, they might find themselves falling into the same trouble as he did.

What a fun retelling of The Three Musketeers with a twist. The majority of the book was very entertaining and faced paced but the one that was missing was the suspense. I didn’t really any danger especially with the villains as you know who they are once they’re mentioned so it was a bit predictable. But, it wasn’t something that really held me back from enjoying the rest of the novel and even though I don’t read YA novels that much anymore, this was a quick and easy read. Though I feel like this could work for older YA and maybe even New Adult cause it does have that kind of feel and I didn’t find anything too cheesy. Ana and Kiki, the two main characters were very fun and i love the banter between the two and although I did like the romance, I think they also work very well by themselves. At first, I found the romance a little rushed because it was very in your face but as time passed on, I started to really enjoy the romance and found it endearing. The chemistry between them sealed the deal for me as I felt that it was very real and even more so that they not only found happiness with each other but themselves. A great read so check it out!!

Book Review: Seraphina

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“Your lies didn’t stop me loving you; your truth hasn’t stopped me either.”

Seraphina Domingus has many reasons to fear humans and dragons as they haven’t been able to make peace with one another and live in harmony. The dragons are able to shape shift into humans and lend their mathematical minds to humans in different areas of interest including music, politics, academics and so on. But, tensions are high even as the treaty’s anniversary is just around the corner. Seraphina who is an unusually gifted musician who joins the court as a member of the royal family is found murdered and she finds herself in the thick of the investigation along with Prince Lucian Keggs, the principal investigator. Seraphina’ is desperate to keep her secret safe of where she gets her musical gift from and if revealed, it could lead to deadly consequences for her.

This was such an interesting plot and something that I’d never consider unique or something that I would like since it contains Math and that was my least favorite subject in school. I wasn’t very good at it and I found it very frustrating so anytime I had to do anything with math, I hated it. But, the way the author intertwined this concept with the story and how it developed over the course of the book made it very unique and I found myself unable to put the book down. It follows Seraphina, who is conflicted as she has every right to be and scared that people will find out her secret. I found her character very relatable as the inner conflict she had is something that we all struggle with and deeper into the story, we do see a lot of growth in terms of her character and being more assertive. We get to know her and where she comes with flashbacks that were done very well and didn’t detract from the plot of the story and I liked how everything came out in the end. This was a really fun book so I highly recommend it!

Book Review: She WHo BECAME THE SUN

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“However tired I am, however hard it is: I know I can keep going, because I’m alive.”

In 1345, China lives under harsh mongle rule and for the starving peasants of Central Plains, greatest is only found in stories.When the Choboga’s eight born son Zhu, is given a fate of greatness and while everyone is misfited by this fate, they aren’t surprised that his clever and capable sister is given a fate of nothingness. But, all that changes when tragedy hits and leaves the two siblings orphaned, it is Zhu who succumbed to despair and dies leaving his sister alone, afraid, and desperate to not die by the same fate. Propelled by her desire to survive, she will do whatever is necessary to stay alive no matter the cost to stay hidden from her fate.

I’m glad that I finally got around to reading this because I did really enjoy it even though it did have some flaws and issues regarding the pacing, writing, and too many characters so we’ll start with that. While I did enjoy how the story progressed, I had trouble with pacing and felt as though the story should’ve focused more on Zhu. It was hard to keep up at times because I had to backread and see if I had missed something when a new character was introduced. When there are so many characters in a book, it can be hard to stay invested because of the lack of development and can at times steer people away. The other stuff made up for it as I very much enjoyed Zhu’s character and how she progressed though the book. So even with the flaws, I did enjoy the book so if it sounds like something you’re interested in, please check it out for yourself!

The Silvered Serpents

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“Then again, the names we are born with can end up meaning so little. The names we give ourselves, well, perhaps that’s the truth of us.”

Severin and his crew might have successfully thwarted the fallen house, one victory that has come at a terrible cost. A cost that haunts them all leaving Severin desperate to make amends, he pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant it’s possessor the power of God. Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew whether a myth is really a myth at all. As hidden secrets come to light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves but what they may find out will lead them down paths they never expected.

Besides the writing, what really stands out in particular with this book is the diversity and Chokshi really does a good job with fleshing them out and giving them growth from the first book. I struggled to like Lalia in the first one as I wasn’t sold on her narrative but she grew on me as I got to know her more in this book. The characters are all emotionally engaging and have their own struggles and flaws which helps with understanding their motives. Out of all the characters, my favorite is the relatable queen, Zofia who is such an interesting and emotionally intelligent character. This book is where you see a lot of group dynamics develop just as much as the characters and that is always a treat to see. The only thing I hated was the cliffhanger at the end, I remember when I read it for the first time, I threw the book across the room. But, since I reread this closer to the release of the new book, I wasn’t as angry.

I will have a review of the third and final book very soon, stay tuned!

The Gilded Wolves

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“Make yourself a myth and live within it, so that you belong to no one but yourself.”

The Gilded Wolves starts out in 1889 Paris when the city is on the cusp of power and industry and the exposition universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In the city, no one keeps tabs on the dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Severin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission. A mission that will deliver Severin with the prize that he never thought he would able to get: his true inheritance. To make this mission successful, Severin recruits Lalia, Hypnos, Zofia, and Enrique as they embark on a journey that will change the course of their lives and test the bonds of loyalty that they to each other.

Ah rereading this book made me realize how much I love Chokshi’s writing and how much it’s improved. She has a way with words and how her world-building is developed is truly amazing. It makes you feel like you’re actually in the world that she’s created. The premise is what hooked me in as I’m sucker for heist stories just like Six Of Crows, but this is very different than Leigh Bardugo’s band of misfits. What I really loved about the book were the characters especially Zofia and Hypnos as they were unique, interesting, and well written. There was a lot of development with each of the characters so it’s hard to pick a favorite and the dynamics between the group was great with banter, flirtation, and realizing that they have more in common than they first thought. This is truly a delight but I will say that the pacing in the beginning is slow but it does pick up and you find yourself turning the page in anticipation of what will happen next.

I am reviewing the second book next so stay tuned!

The Girl The Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

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Rating: 3/5

They weren’t afraid of battle. They were afraid of losing what they loved. And that’s what made them brave in battle.

The Girl The Sea Gave Back follows Tova, a young warrior who has always lived among the Svell, the people who found her when she washed ashore. Although the memories of her home and clan have faded away, the sacred symbols and stavs inked all over her body mark as her the one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. But before, she knows it the two clans among Svell are at odds with each other for the first time in history and Tova is pulled between the two.

Having read previous books by Adrienne Young, I was looking forward to reading this and I feel a bit let down. I have always enjoyed how her world-building is shown in her books and I didn’t feel that way with this book. But, I’ll get to that in a bit. First, the cover is what reeled me in as it’s beautiful and I was very interested to read about vikings and I found Tova an interesting protagonist. She had moments of vulnerability and toughness and it was handled really well which makes it easier to relate. One of the biggest blocks for me to fall completely in love with it was the ending, it felt very rushed to me and I was a bit disappointed. I felt like the book could’ve been a bit longer and spread out but it just felt like she was trying to cram everything in and I lost interest. But, it will be a hit for others and that’s wonderful so if this sounds up your ally, then check it out!

Sistersong by Lucy Holland

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Rating: 4/5

“Someone once told me that the only names that matter are the ones we take for ourselves.”

Sistersong tells the story of three sisters, Riva who was scarred in a terrible fire and fears that she will never heal, Keyne who battles to be seen as the King’s son, who was born a woman and Sinne, the youngest of the group who years for romance.

Historical Fiction and I don’t really get along so this was a nice surprise as I found it interesting and enjoyable. Seeing the different perspectives from the sisters is one of the pluses of the book as I got to see life through their eyes and how it was different. In addition, their contrasting personalities are what made them interesting and well written characters as the more I read, the more I wanted to know about them.

Out of the sisters, I related to Keyne the most with their struggle to feel accepted not only with their true identity but by their father, the King and others. Their struggles of wanting to be seen as a man despite being born in a man’s body. I appreciated how Holland portrayed it as it felt very real even if it was a different time period. Kenye’s journey is relevant to what many people go through especially in our society right now. I hope that readers will treat them with the kindness, compassion and empathy they deserve.

The writing was another layer that helped make the characters feel very real and raw. Holland’s prose is captivating and painting the mood and headspace of the characters and helped readers understand them better. I felt like I understood what the characters were up against and it made the pacing of the book feel right. It wasn’t fast pacing or slow, right in the middle which is perfect. This book is more character-driven than plot driven which that sometimes be hit or miss and this is was a hit.

It did take some time to get used to different POV’s but this was an enthralling, emotional, raw and entertaining tale of love, betrayal, acceptance, following your destiny.