Tag: book reviews

Review: To Dream in Darkness

Published on by Erica

Description

Two gods strike a bargain that leads them on a journey with devastating consequences in this lush historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang.

China in the age of brilliance, where gods freely wander the three realms. Amongst them is the cruel and beautiful Death God, who has never failed to collect a soul on time. Until now. For when he seeks out Rujia, the noble god of healing—and the only god he is fated to kill with his own hands—she makes him an offer he can’t refuse: she will help lift the excruciating, century-old curse placed upon him if he gives her a one-month reprieve.

Rujia knows she isn’t as noble as everyone believes. Her deal with Death is merely an excuse to buy herself time while she figures out an escape plan. But when her plan causes the Celestial Palace’s collapse and the beloved crown prince’s disappearance, she and Death are both held responsible. The only way to avoid the wrath of all the other gods is to travel across the realms and safely retrieve the crown prince themselves.

Yet the journey proves far more treacherous than expected. As the unlikely alliance between them blooms into more, and Death’s resolve to kill Rujia weakens by the day, neither can outrun their intertwined fate without devastating consequences: A mysterious plague. An empire-destroying flood. A thousand deaths—and rising—to restore the balance Rujia’s disrupted. And if Rujia continues to live despite the will of the Heavens, this is only the beginning…

My Review:

When I saw this beauty up on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. (I’ve read A Song to Drown Rivers, so I knew Ann Liang is a gifted storyteller, even if I wasn’t happy with the ending of that book.) And this one looked to be right up my alley as far as books go. Romance. Multiple Realms.

So let me get what I didn’t like about this book out of the way. There’s multiple f bombs in the second half of the book. One of the things I prefer is what I read is, the language that I might hear in my daily life, is not what I read. It totally threw me out of the story. But by then I was so invested in what was happening, really wanting to know what the Death God was going to do next, well, I kept reading.

Now for what I loved.

The writing is beautiful. The yearning is there. You literally fall in love with Rujia and Death. You can understand what brought them to where they are, why they are making the choices they do. This isn’t a one of them is evil one is good enemies to lovers, it’s a two sides of a single coin romance. Beautifully done. And the ending is one that will have you wiping some tears away.

And I personally don’t believe that Junyi failed his tribulations.

If you are a fan of Chinese dramas, this book will surely delight you. You’ll see bits of your favorite characters, settings, and tropes inside the pages.

And this time, the ending is satisfying.

Review: Fishbone Cinderella

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

1940s Hong Kong
When Japanese soldiers invade her hometown, Ha Yut Ying makes an unlikely escape—by turning invisible. But her miraculous survival is only the beginning. After the war is over, she’s sent to Hong Kong to live with her distant father and glamorous stepmother, who end her dreams of becoming a singer and turn her into the family’s servant. As the years pass, Yut Ying learns the hard truths of betrayal and ambition, of forbidden love and devastating loss, and discovers that sometimes the only way to endure is to disappear.

1960s San Francisco
Marigold has always had a knack for uncovering secrets, but nothing prepares her for the day she accidentally witnesses her mother vanish before her eyes. The moment fractures their bond, leaving questions that shadow her entire childhood. But when her mother’s condition suddenly deteriorates, Marigold is convinced she’s the only person who can save her. To do so, she must journey into the secrets her mother never shared and uncover the tragic, fairytale-tinged history their family has fought to forget.

A story of mothers and daughters, the scars they inherit and the magic that binds them, Fishbone Cinderella is a tender and enchanting exploration of what it means, at last, to be seen.

My Review:

This ended up being a beautiful story about forgiveness and family healing. But I did almost give up reading it. I’m familiar with Elizabeth Lim for her Young Adult fantasy novels, which I have adored. So this was was a bit disappointing for me, but the story itself turns out to be well worth reading.

Content warning: Multiple f bombs, which I was not prepared for. One case of using the Lord’s name as a swear, and one spicy scene. (It left out graphic details though, but was more than I care to read.)

I received and ARC from the publisher.

Review: The Bachelor and the Bride

Published on by Erica

Synopsis:

London, 1866

Dr. Barnabus Milligan has always felt called to help people, whether that means setting a broken bone or rescuing the impoverished women of London from their desperate lives on the streets as part of his work with the Dread Penny Society.

Three years ago, he helped rescue Gemma Kincaid by marrying her in secret to protect her from her family, notorious grave robbers who were intent on keeping her working in the trade.

But their unconventional relationship is nearly over before it begins when, six months after they exchange vows, Gemma realizes her love for Barnabus is unrequited. To protect her heart, she leaves, telling Barnabus to contact her if his feelings for her ever grow beyond a sense of duty.

When Gemma finally receives a letter from Barnabus, inviting her to return home, she hopes to find a true connection between them. But she quickly learns that he only wants her help to foil the Kincaids, who have been terrorizing the boroughs of London, eager to gain both money and power.

Heartbroken once more, Gemma agrees to help, but she warns Barnabus that she will not stay for long, and once she goes, he’ll never see her again.

Yet as the couple follow the clues that seem to connect the Kincaids to the Mastiff, the leader of London’s underground criminal network, Gemma and Barnabus both realize they might make a better match than either of them suspected. Perhaps the marriage that had once saved Gemma’s life, might prove the means of saving Barnabus—and his lonely heart—as well.

But before the once-confirmed bachelor can properly court his secret bride, they’ll need to evade the dangerous forces that are drawing ever closer to the hopeful lovers and the entire Dread Penny Society itself.

My Review:

I totally loved this book. I loved the growing relationship between Barnabus and Gemma. Everything was woven together very nicely. Highly recommend reading this.

This book has is all: romance, suspense, mystery, and interwoven Penny Dreadfuls! Even if you haven’t read any other of the series, you’ll enjoy this one.

I received an ARC from Shadow Mountain.

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