Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 7-15-25 Adult - Fantasy |
The Jasad Crown- Sara Hashem: Sylvia has spent the majority of her life running from who she is. All hope of her becoming the Jasad heir burnt to the ground along with the rest of her family and kingdom years prior. But after a powerful display of magic, Sylvia is captured by a rogue group of Jasadi known as the Urabi. They believe Sylvia to be the key to rebuilding their kingdom back to its former glory. Sylvia is one of the most powerful Jasadis in years, but her magic has been bound since she was a child, leaving her unable to understand or control it properly. That coupled with her alliance with Arin, the heir to Jasad's greatest enemy, makes earning the Urabi's trust difficult. Meanwhile, Arin must navigate his father's wishes for rebellion and his sense of honor, leading him to face harsh truths about his past. With war brewing on the horizon, Sylvia's in a race against time to raise the Jasadi fortress to save her people before her magic spirals her into madness.
I binged this series back-to-back and what a ride. I know there are mixed reviews surrounding this series, but I loved it. The world-building was lush, the magic was interesting, and the characters, while more on the morally gray side, are ones you can't help rooting for. I liked watching Sylvia go from a reluctant leader to someone willing to risk her life for her people. Her growth throughout the story was so satisfying to watch. She also wasn't one to open herself up to others, which made her interactions with Arin all the more swoon-worthy. The respect and passion they had for one another was *chefs kiss*. I mean, that epilogue? Arin's yearning? I cannot. Aside from the characters, I found the pacing engaging and action-packed. There was never a dull moment, and I kept flipping the pages, needing to know how Hashem would wrap it all up. There were a few tidbits I would've liked to have seen expanded upon, but other than that, I thought this was a solid conclusion.
I binged this series back-to-back and what a ride. I know there are mixed reviews surrounding this series, but I loved it. The world-building was lush, the magic was interesting, and the characters, while more on the morally gray side, are ones you can't help rooting for. I liked watching Sylvia go from a reluctant leader to someone willing to risk her life for her people. Her growth throughout the story was so satisfying to watch. She also wasn't one to open herself up to others, which made her interactions with Arin all the more swoon-worthy. The respect and passion they had for one another was *chefs kiss*. I mean, that epilogue? Arin's yearning? I cannot. Aside from the characters, I found the pacing engaging and action-packed. There was never a dull moment, and I kept flipping the pages, needing to know how Hashem would wrap it all up. There were a few tidbits I would've liked to have seen expanded upon, but other than that, I thought this was a solid conclusion.
Rating: 4/5
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| Pub Date: 6-3-25 YA - Fantasy |
Lady's Knight- Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner: Gwen has always felt the need to hide her true self from the world. She hides the fact that the majority of her blacksmith father's wares were made by her hands; she hides the fact that she's attracted to girls, but most importantly, she hides the fact that she dreams of becoming a knight. On the other hand, Lady Isobelle has never hidden from anything. She's the envy of everyone at the castle and has been chosen as the grand prize for the Tournament of Dragonslayers. But Isobelle doesn't want to be won, especially by a man. When Isobelle uncovers Gwen's desire, they hatch a plan for Gwen to joust in the tournament disguised as Sir Gawain. Isobelle will gain her freedom, and Gwen will get her glory. It sounds simple enough, but the girls quickly learn their scheme is anything but, especially when dragons are thrown into the mix.
Ugh, I wanted to love this so badly. The premise sounded right up my alley, but sadly, it fell short of my expectations. I saw it compared to the Lady Janies series, and while the writing style was similar in cheekiness, I found it grating here. It had its humorous moments, but it felt like the authors were trying too hard. I did enjoy the two main characters, Gwen and Isobelle. I liked the 'Girl power'-ness of their determination to live the lives they wanted. Their romance was also pretty cute. My biggest gripe is against the plot. I didn't care about any of it, and that's saying a lot since I'm usually all for a competition element in fantasy. My Spotify audiobook hours ran out halfway through, and so did my will to continue, but I kept pushing through, hoping it would get interesting. If you're in the mood for a lighter, more predictable YA fantasy, then it might be worth it to check out, but it wasn't for me.
Ugh, I wanted to love this so badly. The premise sounded right up my alley, but sadly, it fell short of my expectations. I saw it compared to the Lady Janies series, and while the writing style was similar in cheekiness, I found it grating here. It had its humorous moments, but it felt like the authors were trying too hard. I did enjoy the two main characters, Gwen and Isobelle. I liked the 'Girl power'-ness of their determination to live the lives they wanted. Their romance was also pretty cute. My biggest gripe is against the plot. I didn't care about any of it, and that's saying a lot since I'm usually all for a competition element in fantasy. My Spotify audiobook hours ran out halfway through, and so did my will to continue, but I kept pushing through, hoping it would get interesting. If you're in the mood for a lighter, more predictable YA fantasy, then it might be worth it to check out, but it wasn't for me.
Rating: 2/5
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| Pub Date: 9-9-25 Adult - Romance |
Wild Card- Elsie Silver: Bash Rousseau has just learned he has a grown son he never knew existed. On his way back home from that awkward first encounter, he gets stuck at the airport due to bad weather and ends up spending the night roaming the terminals with Gwen Dawson. Gwen is a free spirit, always up for an adventure and going wherever the wind takes her. Neither has ever felt connected to someone else in such a short amount of time, but when neither hears from the other, they figure it wasn't meant to be. When they do meet again, Gwen is dating Bash's son. As if fate wasn't cruel enough, a single Gwen shows up as the new yoga instructor in town, and due to a meddling old man, becomes Bash's new roommate. The tension is palpable between the pair, and Bash refuses to complicate the fragile relationship he's building with his son, but maybe the risk is worth the reward.
I was hesitant to pick this up simply because I'm not a huge fan of the ex-boyfriend's dad trope, but I should've known if anyone could convert me, it'd be Elsie Silver. I ate this book up. Bash is probably the surliest of all the Rose Hill MMCs, and I loved him for it. Gwen perfectly summed him up when she described him as not nice but kind. He's willing to drop everything for those he cares about, but he'll do it with a scowl on his face. He's been dealt a lot of crummy hands, and I just wanted something to go right for him. His relationship with Gwen felt healing for both of them, and I loved watching it grow. I also loved watching Clyde be a little meddling matchmaker. He brought so much lightness to the story, and I loved watching the three of them form this sweet little family. The third act conflict obviously got a little dicey with Bash's son, but I liked how everything wrapped up. I'm sad to see this series end, but I'm so excited to see whatever Silver has coming next.
Rating: 4/5
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