Review: The Queen's Assassin

The Queen's Assassin by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Caledon is bound to the Queen by a blood vow. He must find the missing Deian Scrolls that were taken many years ago. He is also the best at what he does, which is why he is the one and only Queen’s Assassin. Shadow wants to join the Guild. She has been training her entire life and wants to follow in the footsteps of the strong women who raised her. Because magic is now forbidden, she has learned to control her powers and keep them secret. After events bring Shadow and Cal together, they forge an alliance as assassin and apprentice to bring down this new threat to Renovia. In a world full of secrets, who can they trust? What truths will they uncover along the way?

The Queen’s Assassin is the first book in the Queen’s Secret series. This fantasy-romance will grab reader’s attention at the start and de la Cruz has crafted characters that are easy to love and hate. I must tell readers that the romance portion is not overwhelming, so if you are looking for more of a fantasy, this book will still satisfy. It has action, adventure and a lot of intrigue. The story is told in alternating voices of the two main characters, yet readers will find the story more full from this experience and it will be enjoyed by readers who enjoyed Maas’ Throne of Glass series. I appreciated this first book and look forward to the next book in the series. Too bad we must wait for a title and release date.


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Review: The Wicked King

The Wicked King by Holly Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oak is hiding in the human world until he is old enough to return to Faerie and assume his role as king. Jude has bound herself to the wicked king, Cardan, in order to keep her brother safe. Even though she is bound to Cardan, he isn’t controlled. He takes every opportunity to embarrass Jude and undermine the little power she has. To make matters worse, there is someone in Faerie who plans to betray her and would love nothing less than to take her life and the lives of those she loves. Will Jude discover who the traitor is before someone dies? Will she continue to fight the feelings she is beginning to have toward Cardan?

The Wicked King is the second book in The Folk of the Air series. The events in this book take place shortly after the ending of The Cruel Prince and Black doesn’t spend much time reviewing the events. Yet the review wasn’t needed. I quickly remembered who the main players were and what their backstories were. The backstabbing is continuous and it is definitely hard to remember who is friend and who is foe. Many second books fall flat, but this one holds its own and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, The Queen of Nothing.


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Review: Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Diana feels as if she is constantly trying to prove herself. All of her warrior sisters have died in battle before becoming an Amazon, but she was molded out of clay and wants to prove her warrior status to everyone. When she finally has the chance to beat the other warriors in a race, she sees a boat wreck and risks everything to save a mortal girl. This is not any mortal girl; she is a Warbringer. Alia comes from a long line of women who are directly descended from Helen of Troy and their presence brings war to the world. These two unlikely allies are now on a quest to break this curse before Alia is either killed or the next world war breaks out.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel with the same name. I read the original novel about a year ago and was still able to fully enjoy this version without feeling like anything was left out. Bardugo’s novel and graphic novel version of Diana’s first adventure are both wonderful reads. The graphics were extremely well done and added additional details that might go overlooked in a traditional novel. It doesn’t matter if you are an avid Wonder Woman fan or this is your first foray, this book should not be missed.


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Review: The Toll

The Toll by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rowan and Citra disappeared over three years ago and questions have still gone unanswered. During this same time, the Thunderhead has stopped talking to everyone except Grayson Tolliver. Since Grayson is the only one who knows what the Thunderhead wants, he has been turned into a prophet, The Toll, whether he wants to be one or not. Scythe Goddard is encouraging unrestricted gleanings and Rowan and Citra are working in the background to undermine his plans. What will be the result of this world gone haywire?

The Toll is the third and final book in the Arc of Scythe trilogy. Shusterman has taken organized religion and political superpowers to a new level and he explores the corruption that is underlying most human motivation. The action is constant as are the multiple narrators that encompass the story. The Toll is a great ending to a fast-paced read, even if it is long in pages.


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Review: Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Zélie and Amari have done the impossible and brought magic back into their land. The next task might be just as difficult. They need to bring together the maji, but since the nobles with magic in their ancestry also got their magic back, it is becoming harder. If Zélie doesn’t unite the kingdom then a civil war might become the only option. Will Orïsha be able to overcome magic being wielded? Will Zélie and Amari be able to unite the people?

Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the second book in the Legacy of Orïsha series. This fantasy novel has everything a reader will want. It has magic and adventure with quite a bit of family rivalry mixed in. Adeyemi has taken the world that she built in the first novel and expanded the story and the characters. Zélie and Amari truly thought bringing magic back would fix all their issues, but nothing is ever simple and they continue to fight for what they think is right. I recommend this book to all fantasy readers, but please read the first book before delving into this one.


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Review: Chosen

Chosen by Kiersten White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nina has taken the castle used by the Watchers and is using it for displaced demons. This arrangement is far from perfect and now that Artemis is gone and the castle has so few people living in it, Nina is quite busy. It doesn’t help that when she got her Slayer powers back from Leo they included some side effects. This new layer of darkness is causing her to question her motives as she approaches the newest threat. Will Nina be able to overcome this darkness pulling at her soul? Is another near-apocalypse on its way?

Chosen is the second book in the Slayer series. The events in this novel take place shortly after the first book and the characters barely have time to catch their breath before more discord is thrown at them. This story is full of family drama, social conflict, and fantastic fighting. White has taken the world of Buffy and given readers the chance to enjoy more of the adventure. The story found in this book can be enjoyed, even if readers haven’t read/watched anything about Buffy.


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Review: Ninth House

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alex’s life can be called many things, but not uneventful. She dropped out of high school years earlier and was hanging out with a drug dealer and working jobs that were never going to take her anywhere. When she wakes up in a hospital bed and is given an offer to attend Yale on a full ride, she wonders why and how. Her sponsors give her one primary task; monitor the secret societies that interact on the campus. The people who network in these societies are the future leaders of the world. Many will run Wall Street or become major stars in Hollywood. What exactly are these societies doing in these windowless spaces? Is there a reason Alex was the perfect person to intermingle?

Ninth House is the first book in the Alex Stern series. This is Bardugo’s adult debut and it is great. I think it is listed as a book for adults because of the age of most of the characters, but readers who have enjoyed Bardugo’s young adult novels will still enjoy this new series. It has the occult, murder and a journey of self-discovery. All of these features come together to make a tale worth reading. There is a firm ending to this novel, yet there is also a clear path for a series to be penned. I look forward to the second book to be released.


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