Review: Whisper Duology by Lynette Noni

The Whisper Duology ★★★★☆ | Books eight and nine of 2023 | paperback

Lynette Noni has done it again my friends.

Whisper — ★★★★☆

For two and a half years ‘Jane Doe’ or Subject six-eight-four has been held in the secret government facility of Lengard, and during that time she has not uttered a single word. She knows that one wrong word, one single word, could ruin everything.

This was my first sci-fi read in a long while, and I absolutely devoured it! I read this book in one sitting. I truly could not put it down. You start off with absolutely no clue what is going on, and as you keep reading, little snippets are given away until finally, on the last page, you feel all caught up, although you aren’t really and then you’re just feeling lucky that the second book has already been published and you don’t have to wait. The suspense of this book, the fact that you only get slow trickles of the truth, it was addictive.

I thought that the supernatural element of this book was really well thought out, and it felt like something unique. I also loved the main character and her general development throughout the book. It gave me JLA Lux Series vibes which was a bonus, but it had all of Noni’s immersive and captivating writing style and ability to rip out your heart but also smile and laugh as you read. I think one of the things Noni does so well is write an imperfect character. What made this book so gripping was the fact that Jane Doe is imperfect, she’s broken. She has been through hell, and you get the first person account of her life and her trauma. You go with her as she grows. It’s really hard to review a book like this without going things away, since as the reader you’re kept in the dark from the point of view of Jane for the whole book, but another thing that Lynette Noni does is create friendships in books that have the ability to worm their way into your heart and take root. She did this again with the set of characters Jane creates relationships with, and the love interest(s) are of course polar opposite, with one conflicted soul and another dark and adorable. I cannot wait to get into book two.

Weapon — ★★★★☆

All I can say is that I cannot believe how much happened in a single book. As one question got answered three more arose. My main qualm with this book was the lack of Enzo, he is such a ray of sunshine so the fact that he got so little airtime after establishing his friendship with the MC was such a bummer. I loved that although I guessed at a couple of things, I was never really 100% sure what was going on. The new character additions were definitely a highlight, with Keeda, Pandora, Smith, and Arryn, the latter of which quickly became a favourite character of mine. It’s such an odd sensation reading a book with the faintest hint of a feeling that everything isn’t as it seems. Cami is an absolute sweetheart, and after everything the main character and Ward went through in the first book, I really was expecting more from him in this one. I was a little disappointed with his role and the amount of time he was given in the book, but I loved the ending, it had me enraptured.

There was something about reading the main character finally getting to embrace who she is, work though the mysteries of her past, and become a bit of a badass that was such a highlight, although I would have loved to have read more about her developing her powers, and really growing as a Speaker throughout the book. Plus, I feel like there were still a few unanswered questions at the end of it that I would have loved the answers to.

Overall this was a brilliant sci-fi duology that had me absolutely hooked from the first page. Noni gives you just enough info to keep our head out of the water but infuriatingly little that you cannot put it down until all of your questions have been answered. Addictive and another incredible read from Lynette Noni.

Review: The Prison Healer Series by Lynette Noni

The Prison Healer Series ★★★★★ | books five, six, and seven of 2023 | paperback/e-book

This review of the entire series is spoiler free, but it’s also a rave because I loved it so much. Lynette Noni has taken her place firmly as one of my favourite authors of all time. This is the second time that she has made me fall completely in love with reading again, completely in love with a series and with a whole set of characters. This series has consumed my every waking moment since I started it. The emotion that Noni evoked from me while I read this series (in particular the final book) is the reason I read. A re-read so I can annotate all of my favourite parts is definitely in my future. Thankyou, Lynette Noni.

The Prison Healer ★★★★★ — Hooked me from the first page. Kiva is such a great main character. It had a plot that sucked me in, but it was the characters, the found family, Naari, Tipp, and Jayden that sealed the deal for me. Honestly, this book gave me the YA fantasy hit I needed. I hate that, once again, I have waited so long to pick up another great book, especially considering I DEVOURED the Medoran Chronicles. The ending to this made me SO glad that I waited until the entire trilogy had been published though. This book kept me on my toes just enough that I didn't quite know what was coming next, but still managed to rip my heart out and made me verbally ‘aawww’ a few times — all the signs of a good book.

The Gilded Cage ★★★★☆ — now I may not have liked it as much as the first book, but boy was I completely entranced. Lynette Noni had me hanging on her every word. I just kept picking this book up at every available moment. This blog is a Jaren fan club, as it is a Caydon fan club. I think the thing that bothered me was because of how attached I have become to Jaren, to Naari and to Tipp, and Kiva’s inability to choose a side when it was so clear which side she needed to take. I love her spunk and especially in the prison healer, I loved her morals. The way she stood up for the people who needed her help, and her loyalty to those she cared for. I just felt like Kiva was a different person in this second instalment, which, because now I am sucked in hook, line, and sinker, just had me screaming at her to pull it together!! As always, my rating is 100% on vibes and I still absolutely LOVED this book, it was just Kiva’s choices and constant conflicting emotions throughout that bothered me (especially with one side of the conflict clearly not being deserving of her). But god, did it make for incredible reading.

The Blood Traitor ★★★★★ — I think I loved this as much as I loved the first one. The trauma, the healing, the found family, the redemption, the love, the magic. I am finding it hard to put into words how this book affected me. I haven’t felt so strongly about fictional characters in a very long time. The main group of characters in this book, their dynamic together and separately was the highlight. Noni gave us some incredible character arcs, some twists I didn’t see coming, and some truly heartwarming and heartwrenching moments. The suspense of the first 80% of this book (iykyk) had me unable to put it down. It was wonderful being introduced to more of the world, and despite me (as always) wanting more exploration of the world Noni has created, it wasn’t necessary to the greater story. The development of friendships and personal growth in this book was one of the things that struck me the most. The plot was more fast-paced in this one than the previous two, and to say I was hanging off every single word is an understatement. It’s impossible to say more without ruining something so I will have to leave it at that.

If you have read this series, let me know how you found it! Are you as completely obsessed as me?

Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

★★★☆☆.5 | audiobook | book four of 2022

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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is the first book in The Folk of the Air series. The story revolves around a mortal girl named Jude who lives in the world of Faerie. When she and her twin was seven, her mother and father were killed in front of them by her mothers ex-fling and the father to their older half sister Vivienne. He was also a prominent general in the High Court of Faerie. Jude grows up as a mortal in faerie, taking classes with the rest of the faerie gentry. She sees mortals as slaves, drugged to work until exhaustion consumes their mind and body, not to mention the threats right in front of her with her faerie school fellows. As Jude fights for a spot at the High Court, she is consumed with intrigues and deceptions, trickery and bloodshed.

I’m going to be completely honest with you, I didn’t even read the blurb of this book before jumping into it. I was looking for a relatively easy read to listen to, and this one came with good recommendations. I definitely enjoyed the book but not as much as I was hoping I would. There was also something a bit weird about the narration, the volume kept fluctuating and there were some really obvious cuts in the recording, some of which I literally went back and had to listen to again to make sure I was hearing it right. That being said, the narrator did a really wonderful job.

This book starts off with a bang since their parents are literally killed in the prologue I’m pretty sure, but then nothing really happens until part two of the book. You don’t realise that the whole of Part One is basically not necessary until you get into the intensity of the second part. Jude wants to be a knight in the High Court, and her sister Taryn wants to marry a faerie, they’re both trying to fit into Faerie in different ways, but I found Jude’s character a little wishy washy. She didn't feel like a solidified character with purpose behind her actions until Part Two, when I actually started liking her. In contrast, Taryn acted exactly as I expected she would the whole time. I don’t love her character, but I guess she serves her purpose, as do many of the cruel faeries Jude comes into contact with during the course of the book.

I loved the political intrigue of the book, and how although some of it felt quite obvious, there were still events and choices that surprised me. There is a really great set of unique characters in this book which made it an overall enjoyable read, leaving you with the sense that you only know the surface of each of these characters. I have seen Cardan’s name everywhere on instagram, and so far he is definitely an intriguing character that obviously has a lot more going for him than just a drunk, broody, elite faerie who often acts cruelly (but I’m assuming thats just a front for how tortured he actually is). I really liked the rivalry and the ever brewing tension between Jude and Cardan, and I am sure this is only going to increase in intensity as I keep reading. Another part of this story I particularly liked is the Court of Shadows, and the level of intricacy in the intrigues and court politics. I hope these only grow in the next books.

I have a feeling this series is only going to improve with the next books and I am looking forward to starting the next one. Have you read this book / this series? Let me know your thoughts in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Review: Raelia by Lynette Noni

★★★★☆ absolutely loving this series! This review will spoil things for the first book in the series!

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Raelia by Lynette Noni is the second book in her Medoran Chronicles (check out my review for the first in the series here). Alex returns to Medora for her second year at Akarnae, and honestly, everything is taken up a notch in this one! Starting her second year, this time with her close friend group including DC as well (yay!), you know from the beginning that nothing is quite as it seems in. With the fourth years able to try out for Hunter’s class Stealth and Subterfuge (SAS for short), and the introduction of some new characters, it all gets a bit more intense!

Not only do you get more heartwarming scenes with Alex, Bear, Jordan and DC, but you also get to see Alex really start to come to her own in this world. Her close friendships and banter with her friends is honestly one of my favourite aspects of this book. She really embraces the classes, and she's put in so much effort over the summer with her combat training that she’s finally included in her classes as a real member. I love the growing comradeship and genuine friendship between Alex and all of the boys in her combat class, and the slow burn angsty relationship between Kaiden and Alex is keeping me so invested in their growing friendship (by why am I also stressed that somethings gonna happen???). With Alex and her friends stepping foot in the lost city of Meya, and meeting some new friends (Roka, Kyia and Zain), you just know that everything is getting more complicated and intense. It’s this slow build of anticipation and angst to something (and what that is I have no idea, but I just feel like nothing is what it seems).

Overall, this book delves deep into the magic, into the wider world of Medora, the political landscape and the characters. We get introduced to some new characters, and a whole new city, and honestly, I am enjoying the ride. I love that Lynette is just slowly adding things to the world, bit by bit, but giving absolutely nothing away. The introduction of SAS, and having the characters leave the school (apparently unsupervised), and having them in the outside world for parts of this book was a great way to add something new to this story. I once again listened to the audiobook, and I would definitely recommend it! It’s been narrated brilliantly and really brings the story to life. I feel like I can’t say any more without potentially spooling things, so just read this series please!!!!!!

Review: Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb

★★★★☆.5 promising start to the series! I am excited to keep reading.

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What’s the book about?

In the kingdom of the Six Duchies, the Farseer family rule at Buckkeep and they are on the brink of a civil war, and the last thing they needed was Fitz, a bastard son of the King-in-Waiting who then promptly abdicates his right to the crown and leaves with his wife. Fitz, who is raised in the stables of Buckkeep and finds solace in very few places, one being his affinity with animals, is despised by those at the keep. He could also be a problem to the crown one day, so he is taken under the wing of the royal family and taught the ways any young noble boy should be taught. He is also taught to be a weapon for the royal family, and tutored by Chade in the artistry of killing, and in the traditional magic of the Farseer family. With the weight of the royal family on his shoulders, Fitz must survive even when the odds are against him.

All events, no matter how earthshaking or bizarre, are diluted within moments of their occurrence the the continuance of the necessary routines of day-to-day.

My thoughts

It took me a long time to read this (partly because I set it aside for a month to buddy read Red Rising), but boy did I love this book. It reminds me of no other, it’s rife with stunning world-building and backstory. Hobb has found a way to set the scene without info-dumping, but completely immersing you into the world. Each chapter starts with a tidbit of history of their world, and these sections explain customs, laws, political intricacies and everything else you could need to understand the events of the novel without just dumping all the info on you at once. It is gradually divulged to the reader in a sophisticated and completely engrossing way. Hobb’s writing style is beautiful and unique, it’s complex, it’s gritty. She describes. the good and the bad in a way like no other author I have experienced. I am completely invested in the world she has invented, and much of that is due to her writing style. One thing I loved about this world is the custom of naming in the royal family based on the virtues or characteristics they embody. Without knowing anything about a character, you can still get a feel for the type of person they are, and I love it.

Fitz is a liminal character, existing on the boundaries of the lowest of society, whilst simultaneously existing in the world of the royals. In such a structured and political environment, he is an outcast, and he could be deadly. This book not only sets up for greater political intrigue and subterfuge in the coming books, but it is very much a coming of age story for Fitz. He grows from a young child to a young man, he develops from a boy who barely speaks to an articulate and witty character, and he goes from being a bastard, to an indispensable assassin for the royal family. This book isn’t what you may think when you hear ‘secret assassin for the royal family.’ There is very minimal action, it’s a gradual buildup to the last 100 pages where the pace picks up and the stage is set for the next book. The book is nuanced with political intrigue, and there is so much that is yet to be revealed that you just have to keep reading. It was definitely a character-driven story, dotted with an underlying magical element which I am looking forward to learning more about in coming books. Have you read this book, this series or anything by Robin Hobb? What did you think? Let me know in the comments or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨

Most prisons are of our own making. A man makes his own freedom, too.

Review: Red Rising by Pierce Brown

★★★★☆.5 this book was nothing like I expected, and I’m really glad I finally read it after it has sat on my shelf for years.

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what’s the book about?

Darrow is a sixteen-year-old Helldriver of his mining colony of Mars. As a Red, Darrow is of the lowest caste in his society which is not only colour coded, but has expanded throughout space to live on the Moon, Venus, Mercury and Mars. Darrow, his family and all the other Reds mine helium-3 under the impression that one day, Mars will be ready for life and the other colours will join them. But, when Darrow and his wife (they marry young and die young in the mines of Mars) stumble upon a secret, Darrow’s life shifts in a way he could never have guessed. Mars isn’t desolate, but a thriving planet already inhabited by the other colours. The Reds are working for a future that is already here, and Darrow is sent on a mission to infiltrate the highest of their society, the Golds.

“I would have lived in peace. But my enemies brought me war.”

thoughts & feelings

My first thought after gathering all of my emotions after this book is wow. This book has been sitting on my shelf for years, and for some reason, I just never picked it up (despite having the whole trilogy). I personally think that by waiting to read it, I got a lot more out of it. If I read this during the dystopian hype of Divergent, Hunger Games and The Maze Runner, the nuances of it would have been lost on me. Instead, I read it for a spontaneous buddy read hosted by my lovely pal Val at literarypapier on Instagram years after it was published, and it surprised me over and over again. I jumped into this without reading the blurb, so the fact that they were on Mars was a shock to the system (it’s been a while since I’ve read a sci-fi book), but it’s written in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re drowning in an unfamiliar world with this odd terminology. It doesn't take long for the world to make sense. Darrow, our main character, is a Helldiver for the Lambda clan in the Lykos mining colony on Mars. They mine for helium-3, they marry young and they die young. Family, blood, song and dance are at the soul of their people. They are Red, the bottom of the colour caste social hierarchy, and they don’t know they’re slaves. It only takes seven chapters for this book to intensify. I was enjoying the concept of these mining colonies living unawares of the thriving city above, but then Darrow ends up on the surface, and it goes from 0 to 100 very quickly.

“Her words strike my heart. They echo through time from another’s lips. Live for more. More than power. More than Vengeance. More than what we’re given.”

The human race in Red Rising is no longer bound to Earth, but they have travelled, they have spread through the solar system, and they have a strict social hierarchy where your colour determines your role. If you are born Red, you are the lowest rung of the hierarchy. At the top are the Golds, they are the elite of the humans. They lead the armies throughout space, they rule the planets and they are inherently corrupt. The political undercurrent of this book elevates this book. The complexities of the society elevate it from early dystopian novels. It reminds me very much of Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, and the philosophical discussion Erica over at MoanInc has posed if you can’t see the walls or boundaries of your prison, are you a prisoner without free will? As Darrow transitions into the world on the surface of Mars, he battles with that knowledge that his family is still below, but are they truly prisoners if they don’t know what they’re missing out on?

The other aspect of this book that caught me by surprise, but that I really enjoyed, was the incorporation of classical mythology and ancient history. The earliest indication of this is the use of the Greek Alphabet as the names of the mining clans, and their desire to win the laurel at the end of the quarter. Many of the names, especially of the golds, are reminiscent of powerful figures from ancient empires such as Augustus and Octavia. There is a number of mythological connections including names like Pollux, the use of Roman Gods and their characteristics as a way to separate and class Golds, and the titles of Praetor and Imperator. The use of an Agoge for training, and seeing a raven as an omen. Without giving anything away, this book was an amalgamation of Lore, Hunger Games, Percy Jackson, and Divergent as well as Roman History and mythology in all the best ways. It was intense, it was brutal, it was addictive and I cannot wait to continue reading this series. It completely took me by surprise, and being able to see all of the small ways ancient history was woven into this tale of humans in a futures hundreds of years from now was simply brilliant.

Review: A Game of Fate by Scarlett St. Clair

★★★★☆.5 I enjoyed Hades point of view more than Persephone’s. Although, the narrator took a bit to get used to.

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Scarlett St. Clair’s series on Hades and Persephone is like a jigsaw puzzle, and each book you read, you get a bit more clarity on who these characters are. In case you aren’t familiar with Scarlett’s series, she has published three books from Persephone’s point of view (A Touch of Darkness, A Touch of Ruin and a Touch of Malice - the third one I have yet to read), and she is also writing the same stories from Hades point of view (A Game of Fate, A Game of Retribution and A Game of Gods - only the first of these three are out in the world). Then, the final book, A Touch of Chaos, will be the final book with both of their perspectives. Now, I know you may be thinking, wouldn’t that be a bit repetitive reading the exact same book from the other main characters point of view? And may I say that it never felt repetitive. Reading this book felt like a fresh look at a story I was familiar with, but in such a different way it felt like an entirely different story entirely. It's hard to explain, but if you’re worried that it’ll get repetitive, it doesn’t.

“What is evil to one is a fight for freedom to another.”

I really enjoyed reading this book from Hades point of view. A lot of this story from Persephone’s point of view made me frustrated because of how bad they were at communicating with each other, but having Hades’ thoughts on each interaction sort of cleared any annoyance I was feeling towards them, because now I have both sides. Being privy to each of their thoughts is such a special thing as a reader, and it’s something I would love to see more authors do.

One of the best things about having a whole book from Hades point of view, is for his inner thoughts on his progressing relationship with Persephone, and a new insight into the world of the gods that we don’t get with Persephone. Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, but none of the other gods know who she is or that she is a goddess. So, in Persephone’s books, we get her life in the mortal world, detached from the issues and antics of the gods (and there are a lot). With Hades, however, we get to see most of the olympians in this book, and we get an early glimpse into their relationships and issues that will surely be a larger part of later books. This book shows us that Hades is so much more than the god of the underworld who owns a nightclub. He deals with so much behind the scenes that Persephone doesn’t get to see, and you start to understand the layers to the god in this book.

I loved the dynamic between Hades, Hecate and Hermes. There is both a mutual respect and a deep friendship between the three of them, even though Hermes is like an annoying little brother (well… nephew) to Hades. They have all been living for thousands of years, and you could really feel the depth of their relationships, and the history between them all which I loved. Hades and Hecate are such a fun duo, and any scene that had them in it were always super enjoyable to read. And of course, every appearance Hermes makes reminds me of why he is my absolute favourite character in this series.

“Don’t ruin this for me. I might be dreaming, but I’m about to live out one of my top five fantasies—” Hades slapped the god, who looked shocked. “This isn’t a dream, Hermes.” They stared at one another, and in the silence, Hades raised a brow. “Top five, huh?”

This series created by Scarlett St. Clair is so much fun. She has obviously done A LOT of research on Greek mythology, and then used it to inform her urban setting, and her interpretation of the characters. I absolutely loved listening to this, and I am super keen to sink my teeth into A Touch of Malice!

Review: A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair

★★★★☆

A Touch of Ruin is book 2 in the Hades and Persephone series by Scarlett St. Clair, and, once again, I listened to the audiobook. This time though, I listened to it at 1.2x speed and it was SO MUCH better! The narrator drawled less, and it seemed like there was more enthusiasm in her narration. Whether it’s due to the fact that I sped it up, or if she was just better this time I’m not sure, but if you decide to listen to the audiobook, definitely speed it up! I have been really enjoying listening to books, it’s easy to make notes and the emotion and extra layer of performance you get is so wonderful. Another point here is that this book is written SO WELL! I love the writing style and I would recommend this series to everyone!

Much like book 1, I still have VERY conflicting emotions with this book (and series). In saying that, this book and whole series so far is incredibly binge-worthy and addictive and I am mildly obsessed with this series 😍 I was hoping that after the events of book one, Persephone would begin to grow as a person, to trust Hades, and continue to improve her communication skills with the man she claims to love. I hoped to see her healing from her mothers’ treatment of her, and growing into her newfound power and position next to Hades. What I got instead was an increasingly annoying, stupid, bratty, and insecure Persephone, who seemed to learn absolutely nothing from the events of Book 1. I can understand the insecurity she continues to feel, she was locked up by her mother for so long, and was taught to believe that she had to work hard for love and affection, and if she did something wrong it would be taken away. I understand how this can mess with a person, but this doesn’t have to make a person PLAIN STUPID?

“The first rule of men, Persephone, is that they’re all idiots.”

Scarlett St. Clair

In the last, maybe 2 chapters did I begin to actually warm to Persephone, but I don’t think she actually learned from any of her mistakes?? (And there were A LOT she could have learned from). I think she feels guilty and feels remorse, but I also think she still feels bad for herself more than actually learning from the mistakes she has made. This brings me to the question of why Hades deals with her? I know that they’re fated to be together blah blah, but they’re both immortal? Why not let her grow up a bit rather than dealing with her absolute crap. Persephone uses 98% of this book to lie to Hades, break the multiple promises she has made to him, and then wonder why he leaves her to her own space? She never gives him the chance to explain himself, and although he makes mistakes, at least he is trying? He has MILLENIA of habits he needs to unlearn, and the fact that Persephone expects him to be perfect within months of meeting is so selfish and self-absorbed. I was really hoping their communication would improve in this one, and that’s one more thing that I didn’t get. I got more weird, passive-aggressive sex scenes and arguments that were never resolved. However, every time Hades asks Persephone if she is well makes my heart melt.

I definitely don’t agree with Jaison’s treatment of Persephone though. Yes, he is Lexa’s boyfriend, but Persephone has been best friends with her for YEARS, and the fact that Jaison is Lexa’s significant other does NOT undermine the relationship between the friends. Like, I’m sorry but his attitude was atrocious and I’m pretty sure he never apologised. I also found this subplot (or actual plot?) quite out of place. This leads me to the issue of the plot? Where was it? Someone tell me where it was, because I have no idea. There was a lot of sex, and there was a lot of brooding and whining but not a lot of actual events or communication. There were a bunch of subplots that I felt were left open, but probably not important enough to be resolved in the next book, and the fact that at one point, Helen was left in the lobby waiting for Persophne and then never mentioned again? I don’t vibe.

“Create the life you want, Persephone, and stop listening to everyone else.”

Scarlett St. Clair

What I DO vibe with, is pretty much all of the secondary characters; Hermes, Hecate, Sybil, Thanatos, and even Apollo. In the beginning, as I’m sure that St. Clair wanted, I felt for Sybil and hated Apollo. Throughout the course of Persephone writing slanderous articles about a god after being specifically asked not to (???), Apollo started to grow on me. I’m not completely sold on the fact that after millennia of being a god and acting how he has, Persephone does like, three things, and Apollo decides he wants to change? But, apart from this, he started to grow on me. Hermes is still 100% my favourite character in this book, he is the sassy comedic relief we really need in this book after pages and pages of constant whining and literally NOTHING HAPPENING. We definitely didn’t get enough of Hecate in this one (thanks to Persephone being so stubborn and ignoring the underworld altogether).

So, with another chaotic review completed, it is safe to say that I will keep reading this series and I TRULY hope that Persephone is redeemed in the next one. Keeping this review non-spoiler was so difficult, especially due to the number of random small subplots sprinkled through the chaotic book (that’s right, I reckon my review and this whole book are both chaotic). I got 2 chapters of bonus content at the end of the audiobook from Hades’ point of view, and I want to read the series from his POV SO BAD! I’ve enjoyed the three chapters I’ve been blessed in his point of view more than I’ve enjoyed most of this book in Persephone’s. If you’ve read this book, what are your thoughts? Did you like it more than book one? Let me know here, or find me over at @kell_read on Instagram!

Review: A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

★★★☆☆.75

A Touch of Darkness is the first book in the Hades and Persephone series by Scarlett St. Clair. It’s a loose retelling of the abduction of Persephone by the Lord of the Underworld in Greek Mythology, re-written in an urban, contemporary setting. I listened to the audiobook, which I wouldn’t necessarily recommend because I didn’t really vibe with the narrator, but the story definitely has its merits!

This book is definitely an easy read. It’s addictive and binge-worthy, and I raced through it in 4 days. The story follows Persephone, the Goddess of Spring who has been hidden from the rest of the gods by her mother Demeter, the Goddess of Vegetation. She has been allowed to leave the confines of Demeter’s greenhouse to attend university and live a normal life glamoured as a mortal, and has been brought up being told to stay away from the gods, especially Hades. This book covers just over 6 months, and Persephone doesn't just ~not~ stay away from gods, she ends up becoming very acquainted with many! St. Clair has made many changes to the initial myth to make it work for her story and her setting, and honestly, I was SO here for it!

Even knowing the myth of Persephone and Hades, this book is filled with imagination and I really enjoyed the urban setting (although it took me a bit to get used to). The biggest issue I had with this book was Persephone. Honestly, most of the notes I made whilst reading this book was just my frustration over the Goddess of Spring. One of the biggest issues I had with her was her inconsistent and wishy-washy personality. I understand that this is a character who has only been allowed into the real world for the last four years, but she was constantly contradicting herself, and just not making a lot of sense. Persephone’s character seems to have been written purposefully to aid in the whole ‘miscommunication’ trope, but instead of actually having issues of miscommunication, she just doesn’t tell Hades anything? Some of the things she thinks were just so DUMB, she was sometimes so self-absorbed, and she seemed to actively listen and believe everyone else (including gods she’s just met), over Hades, and it makes absolutely no sense.

“Oh, darling”

Scarlett St. Clair

Anyway, she was honestly my biggest problem with this book. Her, and the ‘insta love’ vibe I got. However, with the insta love, that is definitely stemming from the roots of Greek Mythology so that, I accept begrudgingly. What I LOVED about this book was Hades, Hecate, literally everyone that works for Hades and the Underworld. Getting to slowly see how Hades lives his life, find out what makes him happy, and who he is as a person behind all of the garbage nonsense that is spread around was my favourite part of this book. He withdrew from the public eye for thousands of years, and so, in his wake, rumours and gossip grew and mutated into nothing but lies about his character, and his motives. And the thing is, the reader can see this from the first encounter between Persephone and Hades, but it still takes Persephone, like, the WHOLE DAMN BOOK to get with the program. *sigh*

“If they feel you’re worthy of celebration, don’t you think that’s enough?”

Scarlett St. Clair

Hecate, the souls in the underworld, and all the gods that are portrayed in this book were so wonderful! I thought Hermes was so brilliant, and Thanatos made such an impact, even though he was only in it for a short time. The friendship that grows between Hecate and Persephone was brilliant, almost as heartwarming and Lexa and how unconditionally she loves her friend! Definitely an underrated character. This book was also VERY steamy. Like, surprisingly so. This is your warning 😂 If you want to know more about Scarlett’s research, inspirations and development of the book, then I would definitely recommend you watch Erica’s interview(s) with her over on Youtube!

So, if you’re looking for an easy read, steamy, greek mythology retelling, then this is definitely the book for you! I got so much more invested in the relationship than I was anticipating (obviously because of Hades), and I am so excited to continue on with the series. You’ll also find many, many tidbits from Greek mythology all throughout the book including common names and other myths! I love it when authors incorporate as many references and nuances as possible! In saying that, I’m definitely more excited to read the Hades perspective than the Persephone. Have you read this book? Which perspective do you prefer?

Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

★★★★☆

Hello friends and welcome back to another chaotic review (non-spoiler)! Although, as always, this will have spoilers for the previous books in the series! 

Okay, so, I came into this book after rereading the rest of the series with medium expectations. I really like SJM’s writing style and the world she’s built but I was really unsure about Nesta. So far we have been mostly in the mind of Feyre, with a couple of jumps to Rhys and then we got a few different POVs in the novella (which I loved and want more of ASAP), so I think my trepidation for a book focussed on Nesta is because so far, her motivations were a mystery. She acted like a self-entitled brat, she was cold, rude and didn’t lift a finger to help Feyre when she was younger and kept the family alive, and didn’t get that much better even after she and Elain were turned into Fae. Although it seemed in ACOMAF that she was improving, it was obvious that the war and the death of her father caused a drastic decrease in her mental health. 

This book really made me understand Nesta. It made me understand the choices she made when she was human, and her outlook on life. It was obvious in ACOFAS that she was struggling, but this book really showed how bad she got. This book was massive, both in physical size and what it covered with Nesta. She went through SO much in this book, and although she really bugged me in the beginning, she has become a character that I actually really like (which is a huge surprise).

“I cannot survive without reading.” 

Sarah J Maas

This redemption arc is EVERYTHING that I hoped for, and that definitely has something to do with having Cassian as a main focus and a POV, and Nesta creating her own found family as Feyre did. I really enjoyed Cassian’s POV, it gave his character so much more depth, and he is such a sweet and honourable male and I think that this book was so wonderful in that it allowed us to get so much more of an insight on who he is, and his motivations and history. It was wonderful. 

The new characters in this book, the priestesses, Emerie and Gwyn was so great. I loved having these three women, all who had gone through such hardships, find each other and allow themselves to grow and heal together. Like, YES. And the House! I have to say, the friendship between Nesta and the House was one of my favourite aspects of this book. 

“The cold of the gaps between stars, the cold of a world before light.”

Sarah J Maas

One point I want to make, is the incorporation of ancient history elements and even legendary history. The Myrmidon mountains were one, and also it seemed like Maas used the rough legend of Arthur, Gwyn, and Lancelot at one point which I liked! There was definitely more, but I can’t remember!!! 

The book was so long though, I docked a star off my rating for a few reasons, one, is how LONG it is. I feel like there could have been 100/150 words less and have been just as powerful. I feel like there was a bit of filler in there, but it probably could have been a bit shorter. There was also an issue with repetition, up until about the 120-page mark, I really felt like there was a lot of unnecessary repetition in the thoughts of Nesta + Cassian and it was super frustrating and made the beginning tedious. I also didn’t really vibe that much with the sex scenes, but the angst and tension it caused for the overall story was pretty brilliant. This aspect definitely got better though, as the book went on and the characters grew and healed and developed!

Anyway, I enjoyed this more than I thought! I thought the writing was as good as always, the world-building is always spot on, the characters were all well fleshed out and the events of this book were all new and unique and made me want to keep reading it! All in all, a wonderful read and I would recommend it to anyone who may be having doubts about a book from Nesta’s POV!! 

Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight (Re-read) by Sarah J Maas

★★★★☆

As always, this review is spoiler free (although, nothing much really happens so there isn’t much to spoil), but this review WILL discuss happenings from the previous books. So, if you haven’t read them all yet and you don’t want to be spoiled for any part, please don’t read this review until you’re all caught up!

I think this novella was the perfect way to end the Feyre/Rhysand main plot in this series. I understand why people would not vibe with this, they’re right, nothing really happens. It’s more of a bridge. The ending of one focus, and the beginning of a new one and I thought they ended Feyre and Rhysand’s story really beautifully (although I am sure they will make plenty of appearances in the next one!) I am eager for the next book (hopefully) to delve into the internal processes of characters like Elain, Mor and Az are going through, of course in addition to Cas and Nesta which I can only assume are the two POVs in the book? Not sure, but these characters went through war. They went through such horrific events, Elain and Nesta were ripped from their lives and turned into something completely new, and Mor has been struggling with herself, her identity for 500 years. I want to see development! I want to see these characters learning and growing and healing dammit.   

Reading about how Veralis and it’s people were recuperating and rebuilding after war is something that goes beyond this fantasy world, to the world we’re living in. Each of these characters is dealing with their demons in their own way, so I have a feeling that this novella was a way to prepare readers for the next one which may (by the sounds of it) be less major event-based, and more character-driven?? (I would definitely vibe with that). 

“To the blessed darkness from which we are born, and to which we return.” 

Sarah J Maas

What I want out of the next book that this novella made me realise: I want to know what the vulgar expression is thanks!!! I also want Azriel to speak more and just be given more page time!! I love his unique type of humour, and I am SO curious about him and his shadows. I think that if we get to see from his POV, it’s really going to make his character shine in a way it wasn’t given a chance in the previous books. This book also showed how tender and gentle the budding friendship between Elain and Azriel is, and I want MORE thank you very much xo  

Obviously, I am excited to continue to follow Rhys and Feyre and their journey together, but the rest of the characters are all so unique and interesting, I am keen to see what happens next. Okay, so this review was sort of both my thoughts for this novella (I thought it was a lovely way to conclude the arc of Feyre and Rhysand), and introduce the focus for the next books, and also a review for how I think this might work with the next book and my hopes for it. SO basically, this has been just as chaotic as my other reviews, but you should all be used to that by now, right? 

“Stars flickered around us, sweet darkness sweeping in. As if we were the only souls in a galaxy.” 

Sarah J Maas

Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas (Re-read)

★★★★☆.5

This was another re-read in lead up to A Court of Silver Flames, which has very recently come out! The difference between this one and the previous two books is that I have only ever read this one once, and honestly, I could barely remember anything that happened… I realised as I was reading it that it was probably because not a lot actually happened. (There will be spoilers for the previous two books in this review, but will be spoiler-free for A Court of Wings and Ruin!) 

This book felt much more character and politically driven than the previous two books. There were less major events, and more small choices and character interactions which fuelled the majority of it. For me, I really didn’t mind it. I love a book that is heavily character-driven, but I understand other people’s issues that not enough happened until like, the last 100 pages. With that being said, I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel, with Feyre working as a double agent in the Spring Court. It was such a thrill, and the changing relationships and dynamics between the characters was so interesting, compared to the beginning of ACOMAF. 

I loved seeing more of the world, and finally being introduced properly to all of the High Lords. All of their different and unique characteristics, and how they work within their courts was one of my favourite aspects, and the politics between them was tense but also humorous. The most character development and focus though, was definitely on Elain and Nesta. After being forced to turn into Fae at the ending of ACOMAF, seeing how the two dealt with this massive change in their lives in such different ways was really well done. 

Kindness can thrive even amongst cruelty.

Sarah J Maas

One of my biggest peeves in this book is the use of the word ‘Hybern’. We have heard the King of Hybern in previous books, and it has been shortened to ‘Hybern’ when characters are talking about the king, but in THIS book!!! It meant SO MANY things. It was the king, a place, his armies?? and his people in general?? It made absolutely no sense?? I feel like Maas just lost the plot with that particular aspect of the book, it was so confusing!! Is it a place??? Is it the name of this man?? The name of his army?? Please, someone, let me know what is going on 😂

I find it wild, that Lucien left on his mission (keeping the specifics quiet cause spoilers), and then everyone just forgot about him and didn’t communicate with him at all until he showed up later. Not to mention, the ending! Honestly, many aspects of the ending were out of character and hard to believe (yes, it’s a high fantasy novel, but you know what I mean!) It was anticlimactic in a way I forgot about during my first reading of it, and that definitely impacted my final rating which I downgraded to a 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

Night Triumphant- and the Stars Eternal.

Sarah J Maas

I still really enjoyed this book, and this entire series, but ACOMAF is 100% my favourite book of this series. I will be reading A Court of Frost and Starlight before finally moving on to A Court of Silver Flames. I love books with multiple POV’s which is what I would have LOVED from this series, even just this last book! Each character had their place in this finale to the initial trilogy, and it would have been so wonderful to see some of it from a different point of view (although to be fair, Feyre steadily got more interesting and less annoying as the books went on). This is probably the aspect I am most excited about A Court of Frost and Starlight (which will be a re-read) and A Court of Silver Flames. Let me know what you think of this book!! Of course, if you have spoilers you want to rant about, find me on Insta @kell_read!