Title: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

Author: Roseanne A. Brown

Series? Yes, 1 of 2

Rating: 4/5 Stars

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I was instantly drawn to A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (henceforth referred to as ASOWAR) the moment I saw its majestic cover. Karina and her billowing green dress, coupled with the powerful typography, is hard to pass. For a debut novel, ASOWAR is accomplished in the complexity of its world building, and the multifaceted characterisation of its two protagonists.

From the start, ASOWAR draws its readers into a detailed and carefully constructed world filled with gods and monsters inspired by West African mythology. Although sorting people into arbitrary groups is an oft-time tired staple of SFF, I enjoyed the alignment system in ASOWAR, and how it was applied to the Champion and other key elements in the book. The history of Ziran and beyond was also intrinsically linked to the plot itself, making its exposition feel natural, although at times overwhelming.

ASOWAR is a fine example of a great YA Fantasy, where the focus is as much on the individual character’s internal journey as it is on grander physical stakes. The two protagonists in ASOWAR, Malik and Karina, had vastly distinctive voices that complemented each other. Karina is fiery yet cynical, Malik is earnest and hopeful, and when they finally meet the two serves as foil for one another. I particularly enjoyed Karina’s chapters, as she was a clear agent driving the forces in her story, owning every flaw and mistake. Malik was also a rare YA hero, sensitive and deeply considerate. His chapters also deal with his anxiety issues particularly well, and I am glad to see a neuroatypical protagonist in a fantasy.

Initially pitched as “What if Jasmine and Aladdin tried to kill each other?”, the romance in this book strive to hit all the expectations that the pitch promises: natural enemies to lovers, pauper and princess, pining and betrayal, the collisions of two vastly different worlds. However, though I enjoyed the characters individually, I found their chemistry lacking when they finally meet. Personally, I am particular about my enemies to lovers, I want there to be as much angst and pain as there is love. Karina and Malik did not have enough history between them to make their conflict believable, and the book had me wondering about their commitments to their respective mother and sister rather than rooting for their romance.

Although I was not wholly invested in the romance, I rooted for all the non-romantic relationships. The book had a way in making you care for the familial relationships, whether it’s the blood bond between Malik and his siblings, or Karina with the servants she grew up with as children. As Malik and Karina’s journey began with their goal to rescue their family members from the clutches of death, the strength of these bonds kept me turning the pages.

ASOWAR also kept me turning the pages with its excellent pacing and synchrony between the two POV chapters. The final 100 pages of the book left me on the edge of my seat and upturned several expectations I had for the book. Needless to say, I eagerly anticipate the sequel.

Overall, this is a YA Fantasy with great worldbuilding and characters, although I did not love the romance. What have you been reading?

Title: Kingdom of Copper

Author: S. A. Chakaraborty

Series? Yes, 1 of 3

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Goodreads | Book Depository | Dymocks | Booktopia

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Harper Voyager Australia in exchange for an honest review.

Note: This review will contain spoilers for the prequel, City of Brass. There will be no spoilers for Kingdom of Copper.

Title: The Wicked King

Author: Holly Black

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Series? Yes, 2 of 3

Goodreads

The Book Depository | Booktopia | Dymocks

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Allen and Unwin in exchange for an honest rview. This review will contain spoilers for the first book, The Cruel Prince. It will be spoiler-free for The Wicked King itself.

Ahhh, back to world of Elfhame, once ruled by faeries who are as cruel as they are capricious. Since the end of The Cruel Prince, Jude Duarte, a mortal girl, now dictate the fate of faerie-land from the shadows. Her proxy is a chaotic and unpredictable King Cardan, who has ideas of his own about the rule of Elfhame. Watching these characters grapple with their newfound positions was an absolute delight, especially as it is accompanied by the deadliest will-they-or-won’t-they known to YA. The result is an addictive page-turner that left me reeling and begging for more by the last pages.

I have not done New Year resolutions in a long time. A reflection of my spending habits, especially in the last three months, have made me realise that I’ve been using retail therapy as a crutch for dealing with stress. For the coming year, I want to develop better financial habits and follow a stricter budget, so I am embarking on a low-buy/no-buy across the board. I won’t bore you guys with my goals for beauty/skincare/clothing etc, but I did want to share my goals book-wise with you.

Why I’m Doing a Low-Buy

Although I have always been a collector of books, but since I joined blogging and bookstagram, I have to admit that my consumption has gone into over-drive. Personally, I don’t have the physical space in my life to store all of these books – and the frequent need to unhaul and donate is a source of constant stress. I can’t help but feel I am being wasteful whenever I do a clean-out, especially if it’s for titles I have not read before. It makes me want to examine the books that I plan to purchase and whether they will become a permanent addition to my collection, or just another source of stress later on. I am currently purchasing/receiving more than I can read, and I felt this needed to change.