Readers should probably have read The Alloy of Law before beginning this book. It sets up these characters and the world and time they inhabit really well. I shall try to refrain from spoiling said book too much, but if you haven’t read it, that’s where you want to start. Well, to be really accurate, you should probably start with Mistborn: the Final Empire, the first book in the trilogy that establishes the whole of this world, but that’s more for those who want a […]
A marriage of convenience story done right
4.5 stars Ildiko is a human woman, the less than favoured niece of the Gauri king. To cement an important political alliance she’s been promised in marriage to Prince Brishen of Bast-Haradis, a Kai warrior and the younger son to the ruthless ruling couple. Humans and Kai, for all that they share similar anatomical traits are very different, both in looks and cultural values. The Kai have black, unreadable eyes, sharp features, grey skin, long claws and a mouth full of sharp fangs and are […]
A very different type of romance novel
Where are the half star options? This is really a 3.5 star book, but I’m always generous and rounded up. This is book 1 in a series of 4, and I bought the whole four book bundle without ever having read this author because the descriptions sounded like so much fun. They are historical romances set in the Victorian era, BUT with non-traditional heroes and heroines, settings outside of England, and there are magical elements involved. This first story takes place in Mongolia, and the […]
There are no exploding airships in this book. But it’s still fun, and MUCH better than the cover would suggest
Spoiler warning! This is book 2 in this series, and as such, this review will contain certain spoilers for the plot of book 1, Kiss of Steel. My review for this book also explains quite a lot about the setting and world-building for this series, so you may want to read/re-read that one first, to remind yourself of the world these books take place in . Or just, you know, read the first book. This review will still be here when you’re done. William Carver […]
Why didn’t I read this sooner!?
This is straight up going to be one of those reviews where I don’t do the book justice, in this case it’s mostly because I feel kind of overwhelmed by what I just read. I wish I had time to sit down and re-read it, pen in hand, and then attend a series of lecture classes with likeminded people where we totally dissect it and wallow around in its lovely nuance. Maybe I just miss grad school. (The people and the atmosphere and the stimulating discussion, […]
The silly cover really isn’t representative of the contents of this book
WARNING! There are some spoilers for the plot of this book in the review, so if you prefer to go into a book knowing nothing about it, you may want to skip this. Kestrel is the only daughter of Valorian general Trajan. They live in the province of Herran, formerly a bustling independent nation, invaded, conquered, enslaved and now occupied on orders from the Valorian emperor. The surviving Herrani are slaves, bought and sold at the mercy of the Valorians. As a Valorian woman, Kestrel […]