Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 2-6-24 Adult - Fantasy |
The Tainted Cup- Robert Jackson Bennett: Dinios Kol works as an engraver, someone who has been magically altered to possess a perfect memory, for the eccentrically brilliant investigator, Ana Dolabra. Din's job is to be Ana's eyes and ears and record every bit of crime scenes, as Ana typically spends her time holed up in her home blindfolded. When a high-ranking Imperial officer is found dead with a tree growing out of his body, Din and Ana get tasked with finding the culprit. Ana is thrilled by the prospect of such an interesting case, but Din is unsure. But when more bodies start turning up, the pair discover a scheme that threatens the very safety of the Empire.
I've only read a few books by RJB, but I enjoy how he crafts his worlds. They're always unique and interesting to learn about, and this was no exception. I'm a sucker for an eccentric detective, so I liked Ana right from the start. She's clever, quirky, and always two steps ahead of everyone else. Din didn't feel fully fleshed out, but there were moments I could see how sneaky and crafty he could be. I'm hoping his character continues to grow and develop as the series progresses. I liked the Sherlock-Watson dynamic the pair had, but I would love to see more emotion to endear myself to them. As for the plot, I thought the mystery was intriguing and never knew which direction RJB would go. I did start getting a little bored towards the end because it felt like it dragged a bit too long, but I liked it. Overall, I thought it was a fun blend of fantasy and a murder mystery, and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book.
I've only read a few books by RJB, but I enjoy how he crafts his worlds. They're always unique and interesting to learn about, and this was no exception. I'm a sucker for an eccentric detective, so I liked Ana right from the start. She's clever, quirky, and always two steps ahead of everyone else. Din didn't feel fully fleshed out, but there were moments I could see how sneaky and crafty he could be. I'm hoping his character continues to grow and develop as the series progresses. I liked the Sherlock-Watson dynamic the pair had, but I would love to see more emotion to endear myself to them. As for the plot, I thought the mystery was intriguing and never knew which direction RJB would go. I did start getting a little bored towards the end because it felt like it dragged a bit too long, but I liked it. Overall, I thought it was a fun blend of fantasy and a murder mystery, and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book.
Rating: 3.5/5
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| Pub Date: 5-20-25 Adult - Historical Fiction |
Rules for Ruin- Mimi Matthews: Orphaned as a young girl, Miss Euphemia Flite was taken in by a headmistress of an academy and taught the ways of the world. But along with etiquette lessons, Effie was also taught how to take down the patriarchy. Effie was one of the best and brightest students, so when a corrupt politician threatens women's rights, she's given a proposition: infiltrate his inner circle and take him down by any means necessary, and she'll earn her freedom. The mission should be easy enough, but Effie wasn't counting on Gabriel Royce. As much as Gabriel despises the viscount, he needs the man's influence to protect his betting empire from police interference. Gabriel might be taken with Effie's brains and beauty, but he refuses to let her muck up all his plans. As Effie and Gabriel enter into a battle of wits, they can't deny the growing attraction between them, and Effie must decide if she's willing to break the rules for love.
I've only read one other book by this author that I thought was okay, so I didn't have high hopes going into this one. The first few chapters were a little slow, and I wasn't sure if I was connecting with the story, but then it was like a switch flipped, and I was sucked in. I enjoyed our two main characters. Both Effie and Gabriel were no strangers to doing whatever it took to survive, making them compelling to follow. They both had such sharp edges, and I liked seeing them rattle one another. They truly felt like two sides of the same coin. The way their relationship progressed was so satisfying to watch. I also liked the vigilante aspects of the plot, but I wished we had seen a little more action from Effie's part. There was some lock picking here and there, but I wanted to see her put her full training into effect. Still, I love the premise of this series, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.
Rating: 4/5
I've only read one other book by this author that I thought was okay, so I didn't have high hopes going into this one. The first few chapters were a little slow, and I wasn't sure if I was connecting with the story, but then it was like a switch flipped, and I was sucked in. I enjoyed our two main characters. Both Effie and Gabriel were no strangers to doing whatever it took to survive, making them compelling to follow. They both had such sharp edges, and I liked seeing them rattle one another. They truly felt like two sides of the same coin. The way their relationship progressed was so satisfying to watch. I also liked the vigilante aspects of the plot, but I wished we had seen a little more action from Effie's part. There was some lock picking here and there, but I wanted to see her put her full training into effect. Still, I love the premise of this series, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.
Rating: 4/5
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| Pub Date: 7-18-23 Adult - Fantasy |
The Jasad Heir- Sara Hashem: Ten years ago, the royal family of Jasad was all killed after their kingdom was burned to the ground, or at least that's the story Sylvia is sticking to. As the lost heir, all Sylvia wants is to keep her head down and survive. She doesn't want to think about how armies of Nizahl troops invaded her lands, and continue to torture and kill any Jasadi they come across. When Arin, Nizahl's heir, tracks a band of rogue Jasadi to Sylvia's village, it gets harder to hide who she is, especially when she unleashes her magic in front of him in a fit of anger. Instead of killing Sylvia, Arin offers her a deal: if she helps lure the rebels by competing as Nizahl's champion in a deadly game, she'll be granted freedom for the rest of her days. Sylvia knows she must keep Arin from discovering her true identity, but finds that her hatred for him dwindles the more time they spend together. Sylvia is playing a dangerous game, and soon she'll have to choose between the life she wants and the life she left behind.
I've seen a lot of mixed reviews of this book, and most of my mutuals either loved it or DNF'ed it, so I wasn't sure where I would land. Thankfully, I enjoyed it. Despite some pacing issues, Hashem's writing was pretty bingeable. A lot was going on between the politicking of all these feuding kingdoms, the trial element, and Sylvia and Arin's tense relationship. There was almost too much going on, but I found I didn't mind so much. Aside from the writing, I also enjoyed our characters. Sylvia was strong-willed and defiant. I loved her snarky demeanor, and she reminded me a little of Aelin from Throne of Glass. Arin was your typical closed-off, broody MMC with a secret soft side. I'm interested to see where their relationship and the plot will go from here, especially after the ending.
I've seen a lot of mixed reviews of this book, and most of my mutuals either loved it or DNF'ed it, so I wasn't sure where I would land. Thankfully, I enjoyed it. Despite some pacing issues, Hashem's writing was pretty bingeable. A lot was going on between the politicking of all these feuding kingdoms, the trial element, and Sylvia and Arin's tense relationship. There was almost too much going on, but I found I didn't mind so much. Aside from the writing, I also enjoyed our characters. Sylvia was strong-willed and defiant. I loved her snarky demeanor, and she reminded me a little of Aelin from Throne of Glass. Arin was your typical closed-off, broody MMC with a secret soft side. I'm interested to see where their relationship and the plot will go from here, especially after the ending.
Rating: 4/5
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