whimsydearest

Raine can both see and speak to the dead—a trait many would kill her for since gravesight is associated with the reviled Faded. However, when she uncovers a deadly stolen artifact, she’s brought into the fortress-monastery of Draoihn for questioning and unwittingly pulled into an ancient conflict. There she must unravel the mystery behind how the relic was stolen while trying to hide her own powers. Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald presents a Scottish-inspired dark fantasy that brims with vivid worldbuilding. Quite literally. The magic users in this book worship all the colors of the rainbow that are emitted from the Light Above while fearing the faded grey world of the Night Below. However, I think I primarily took issue with the middle of the book. There's a lull in action because Raine is in comfy new place and there isn't as much of a sense of danger and tension. The main plot takes a backseat and is replaced with petty relationship drama about who has a crush on who. I...

The Starless Crown by James Rollins is a fast-paced arcanepunk novel that blends together sci-fi and fantasy to create a unique world filled with myth, alchemy, and astrology. The story is told through alternating perspectives: Nyx: a blind student living in a cloistery who dreams of an apocalyptic moon crashing into Urth. Raifth: a prisoner thief sentenced to working a mine. There he discovers a mysterious bronze statue that comes to life. Kanthe: A disgraced prince who lives in his older twin's shadow, but he finds a new calling when he and his tutor discover that one moon has been drawing progressively closer to their planet. Together this ragtag group join forces to try and save the world against seemingly insurmountable odds. To start things off, I think by far the highlights of The Starless Crown for me are Rollins' gripping prose and its intricate worldbuilding. However, I took some issues with the story’s pacing and character writing. One, there wasn’t much of a myster...

The bastard son of a duke, Alwyn was abandoned in the woods as a child only to be picked up and raised by a band of outlaws. He’s led a life of misfortune, killing and thieving, ... and yet somehow, he manages to cheat the hangman's noose each time. Now, as luck or fate would have it, he’s finds himself caught in the midst of civil war and fighting under the banner of a noblewoman who claims that she foresees a second demon scourge unless the imposter king is dethroned. The Pariah by Anthony Ryan introduces the first in a gripping new grimdark epic fantasy series called the Covenant of Steel . I have to admit, this is a book that grew on me. The beginning of the story feels slow and unfocused and was a chore for me to get through. I nearly DNF’ed this book. However, I’m glad I persevered because around the quarter mark, the story finally hits its stride and I was fully invested. I think for me, the key selling point is how well-written and complex its characters are. They’re flawed...

I have a confession to make. This is my first time reading a book set in the  Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne  universe. I was almost hesitant to  The Empire's Ruin  by Brian Staveley at first since it is a spin off series and I’ve been afraid to commit to yet another huge epic fantasy series. However, I’m glad I made the plunge. Staveley paints a richly-imagined world and well-fleshed out characters, and despite its honking 700+ length, the pace does not relent and never once did I find myself bored with the story. This book is the first in a new trilogy and takes place 5 years after the events of  The Last Mortal Bond.  The Annurian Empire is deteriorating, and the story alternates between 3 converging storylines: Gwenna: A disgraced commander is sent to a deadly continent in search of prized war bird eggs in order to change the tides of war. However, the land itself is twisted with a strange sickness that transforms all life it touches and anyone who...

In a daring heist, thieves make off with a dangerous magical artifact: the death mask of Louis Charbon—imbued with the spirit and knowledge of the notorious serial killer. Now a copycat killer stalks the streets, replicating Charbon’s signature calling card by arranging his victims into “blossoms” … albeit with their own unique twist.   Regulator Krona Hirvath is in a race against time to try and find the perpetrator, and in the process, she uncovers terrible truths.   The Helm of Midnight by Marina Lostetter has a lot going on. It’s an ambitious, genre-defying novel that blends steampunk, crime procedural, and epic fantasy. The worldbuilding is innovative and intricate and it also has a darn cool emotion-based magic system to boot.   However, all this comes as a bit of a double-edged sword. This is the first in a trilogy and it did very much feel like an introduction and like it was setting up for a much grander story. It was very lore and exposition hea...