Beyond the stars, two gods vie for rule of the world. One stands for Nature – the belief that everything is stamped in flesh from the start. The other, Nurture – the belief that all is potential, that the true self is coaxed out through love and living. And so, they take a bet. Each immortal selects a set of twins as their champions. The twins that prevail in contest will decide which immortal rules…
Author: azucchi
Storyteller, bookseller and reviewer. Enjoy my thoughts and short stories.
Review: Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
For the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar's throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities. Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that's what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends.
The Good to Meetcha Tag!
This is a fun new blog tag created by the one and only Book Forager, and you can see the original post on her blog - also give her a follow, you will never be disappointed! She is one of my favourite bloggers, and is lovely to talk books with... So, without further ado, here… Continue reading The Good to Meetcha Tag!
Review: A Dark & Starless Forest by Sarah Hollowell
Derry and her eight siblings live in an isolated house by the lake, separated from the rest of the world by an eerie and menacing forest. Frank, the man who raised them after their families abandoned them, says it’s for their own good. After all, the world isn’t safe for people with magic. And Derry feels safe—most of the time. Until the night her eldest sister disappears. Jane and Derry swore to each other that they’d never go into the forest, not after their last trip ended in blood, but Derry is sure she saw Jane walk into the trees. When another sibling goes missing and Frank’s true colors start to show, feeling safe is no longer an option. Derry will risk anything to protect the family she has left. Even if that means returning to the forest that has started calling to Derry in her missing siblings’ voices. As Derry spends more time amidst the trees, her magic grows more powerful . . . and so does the darkness inside her, the viciousness she wants to pretend doesn’t exist. But saving her siblings from the forest and from Frank might mean embracing the darkness. And that just might be the most dangerous thing of all.
Review: Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn
Ryia 'the Butcher' Cautella has earned her reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade in the city - not to mention the sharpest tongue. But Ryia Cautella is not her real name. A deadly secret has kept Ryia in hiding, running from city to city, doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the formidable Guildmaster - sovereign ruler of the five kingdoms. But even the most powerful men can be defeated. One last impossible job is all that stands between Ryia and her freedom - but even the Butcher can't do it alone. She teams up with the Saints, a crew of uniquely skilled miscreants, smugglers and thieves, to carry off a death-defying heist into the most tightly guarded island in the kingdoms - the Guildmaster's stronghold. Unfortunately for Ryia, her new allies are nearly as selfish as she is, and they all have plans of their own...
August Wrap Up
August saw me go back to full time at work, which is why this blog has been a little quieter lately, as I only have time to dedicate to writing on days off, and my reading time has also diminished, though I do read most evenings and during work breaks. Despite that, I did hit… Continue reading August Wrap Up
Review: The Pariah by Anthony Ryan
Born in the troubled kingdom of Albermaine, Alwyn Scribe is raised as an outlaw. Quick of wit and deft with a blade, Alwyn is content with the comradeship of his fellow thieves. Yet an act of betrayal sets him on a new path of blood and vengeance, which leads him to a soldier's life in the king's army. Fighting under the command of Lady Evadine Courlain, a noblewoman beset by visions of a demonic apocalypse, Alwyn must survive war and the deadly intrigues of the nobility if he hopes to claim his vengeance. But as human and arcane forces gather to oppose Evadine's rise, Alwyn faces a choice: can he be a warrior, or will he always be an outlaw?
Review: The Iron Crown by L.L. MacRae
Fenn’s first and only memory is finding himself in the middle of a forest, face to face with a dragon spirit mocking him, all knowledge gone apart from his own name. Lost and confused, his only hope for answers is Calidra—a woman living on the edge of the world with her partner. Forced to return home when her father dies, Calidra has put off facing her estranged mother for seven years, and she begrudgingly helps Fenn, forging papers for him so he can avoid the Queen’s Inquisitors. But her mother is the least of her worries when they discover an ancient enemy is rising again. It should be impossible with the Iron Crown in power—and Fenn is terrified he might unwittingly be playing a part in the war’s resurgence. Surrounded by vengeful spirits and powerful magic, Fenn’s desperate attempt to find his way home might well alter the fate of Tassar, and every power in it.
Review: The Boy With Fire by Aparna Verma
Yassen Knight was the Arohassin’s most notorious assassin until a horrible accident. Now, he’s on the run from both the authorities and his former employer. But when Yassen seeks refuge with an old friend, he’s offered an irresistible deal: defend the heir of Ravence from the Arohassin, and earn his freedom. Elena Ravence prepares to ascend the throne. Trained since birth in statecraft, warfare, and the desert ways, Elena knows she is ready. She only lacks one thing: the ability to hold Fire. With the coronation only weeks away, she must learn quickly or lose her kingdom. Leo Ravence is not yet ready to give up the crown. There’s still too much work to be done, too many battles to be won. But when an ancient prophecy threatens to undo his lifetime of work, Leo wages war on the heavens themselves to protect his legacy.
Top Ten Tuesday: Give the Sidekick Some Love
I am definitely guilty of falling in love with the side characters in novels, especially in SFF, so I’m excited that I get to talk about them for this TTT! I’m not entirely sure if there is something specific about a minor character that attracts me, but I think the thing they all have in common is the way they each walk that line of being incredibly badass and soft-hearted at the same time, and it causes me to think “wow I wish I could be them” at the same time as thinking “I wish they could just hold me”, with a bonus feeling of “I just wish I could hold them” when they have tragic events occur.
