Category: Serena’s Reviews

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Book: “The Sun and the Void” by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

Publishing Info: Orbit, July 25

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Reina is desperate.

Stuck living on the edges of society, her only salvation lies in an invitation from a grandmother she’s never known. But the journey is dangerous, and prayer can’t always avert disaster.

Attacked by creatures that stalk the region, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Doña’s magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn—and keep—her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.

Eva Kesare is unwanted.

Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries her best to be perfect and to hide her oddities. But Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her.

Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet, it’s hard to deny power when it has always been denied to you. Eva is walking a dangerous path, one that gets stranger every day. And, in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined.

Review: This was definitely a “cover lust” request for me! I mean, that’s just an awesome cover all around: the vibrancy, the colors, the leopards! I always gravitate towards covers that don’t feature characters (though there are some exceptions) which is kind of funny since my reading preferences are definitely character-centric. I’m a conundrum! Anyways, unfortunately, the book itself didn’t live up to the potential of the cover for this one.

I did like the overall world-building of this book. We do get quite a lot of detail about the various stratifications in the culture, as well as lots of information on the various foods, dialects, and traditions of various people. But even here things quickly began to go off the rails for me. This is a long, long book, over 500 pages, and you feel that right away. While the ideas behind much of the world-building are interesting, the way everything is laid out quickly begins to read as tedious and pace-killing. Yes, I enjoy a meticulously created world. But it is so important that the way that the world is explored and expanded upon is presented in a way that feels natural to the story and doesn’t affect the overall pacing. Here, there were a number of times where the pacing absolutely stalls out as the author takes a jaunt down various world-building lanes. I think a lot of this could have been helped with a stronger, more firm edit of the book as a whole. This would have not only reduced down the world-building to the aspects that are most interesting and necessary, but, ideally, a sure-handed editor could have helped streamline the way some of this information was presented so as to not hamstring the pacing as much as we see here.

I also really struggled to enjoy our two main characters. My complaints really come down to two factors: passivity and a level of naivety that borders on the implausible. Early on in any book, passivity and a naïve nature can be a boon to a character’s arc, something they must recognize and overcover over the course of the story. But here, both of our characters seem to spend the majority of the story bogged down by these two things. Plot points and action are happening to and around them, with each character simply reacting to decisions made by others. Beyond this, the naivety of each quickly becomes less and less understandable. They trust who they should not. They are surprised by reveals that the reader can see a mile away. And they, in general, do not feel like characters who should be helming their own story. Instead, it’s almost as if two background characters in another story suddenly popped up and were helming their own tale, but still don’t really have much to offer for themselves.

I also struggled with the writing itself, though this is clearly a very subjective area. There were moments where I felt like the author was using language that felt anachronistic to the world she had created, words like “troubleshoot,” etc. And while there were some unique descriptions of scenes and objects, I struggled to really connect to any of it. I was simply bored much of the time.

I always have a hard time writing reviews like this where much of my main complaint is that I had a hard time getting through it. There is nothing objectively terrible about it, but the book also didn’t connect for me in any way. I think there was a lot of potential, especially in the world-building and history of this story, but the book was let down by its two lead characters who were difficult to root for as they were so consistently, and obviously, being manipulated by those around them. Readers who are very interested in world-building and who have a higher tolerance for frustrating lead characters may enjoy this one. But I do think there are better books like it out there.

Rating 7: A long book that doesn’t justify its page-length with two lackluster main characters at the helm.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Sun and the Void” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2023 Queer SFF and July 2023 Releases.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Jasad Heir” by Sara Hashem

Publishing Info: Orbit, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

Review: I really wasn’t sure what I would be getting when I requested this book. On one hand, I was very intrigued by the “Egyptian-inspired” aspect of the story (more on that later). But on the other hand, much of what is described in the summary sounds very familiar. How many books have I read in the last few years where magic is outlawed and some heir to some throne somewhere is on the run only to be called upon to once again take up their crown? However, as I said recently, sometimes popular things are popular for a reason, and I was happy to be wrong with my initial concerns with this one! Indeed, I enjoyed it quite a bit!

First off, let’s get my little note about the inspiration for this book out of the way. Most likely this was a completely personal failing on my part, because I don’t think I know enough about Egyptian culture, religion, or history to truly appreciate the “inspired by” aspects of this story. Instead, I mostly fixated on the fact that there is a large river that is central to the geography of the various kingdoms which was obviously a stand-in for the Nile. I was able to recognize the near-personification of this river as a clear call-back to the relationship the regions surrounding the Nile had/have to that great waterway. But, other than that, I really felt like a lot of the Egyptian aspects were going over my head. Readers who are more familiar may get more out of these aspects of the story than I did. Honestly, if that line hadn’t been right there in the summary of the book, I don’t think I would have made the connection, even with the all-important river.

Even without perhaps fully appreciating these aspects of the story, I really enjoyed this book! Much of this comes down to how much I enjoyed the main character. Here was a truly flawed and complex individual who was also incredibly sympathetic and understandable. Her life has been one of horror, pain, and loneliness. Her memories are scattered and her ability to rely on or trust anyone but herself has been broken many times. Out of this rises a woman who knows that she makes selfish choices, but while she berates herself for this quality, much of the book is spent with her diligently examining why people make heroic choices, even in the face of horrible odds or against their better interest.

Beyond this, she was simply a fun character to spend time with. The dialogue was funny at times and heart-breaking at others. And, best of all, we got to see her in action in a number of bad-ass action set pieces. I also enjoyed her very slow-burn relationship with the man that should be her natural enemy. This was a true “slow burn” in the sense that months pass over the course of this story, and the characters truly do go through the ringer to slowly make their way towards understanding and caring for one another. This is exactly how you pull off this sort of relationship. Anything other than this meticulous and slow build simply reads as unrealistic between characters like these who have no reason to like or trust one another quickly. I also really liked the romantic hero, Arin, on his own. I do have a think for the quiet, meticulously powerful ones, and he checked a lot of boxes for my reading preferences.

There was also a lot put into the world-building and history of this world. And I’ll be honest, even halfway through, I was still struggling to keep straight exactly which gods were connected with which kingdoms, how the various cultures were different from one another, and how exactly this world was laid out. I read this book on my Kindle, so I do think this was one of those situations where having a map would have helped me quite a lot. Especially given the fixation on maps that Arin himself is referenced as having!

The story does end on a fairly substantial cliff hanger. And there are a lot of dangling mysteries to be had, not only about both of our main characters, but about what truly happened in the history of this world, both recent and long ago. But I think it’s well worth the torment, and any fans of detailed, fantasy worlds and compelling heroines should definitely check this one out!

Rating 9: What a wonder! A debut that is rich in world-building and lead by a fantastic, feisty heroine, Hashem checks all the boxes as a SFF author to keep your eyes on!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Jasad Heir” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Egyptian Mythology.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Immortal Longings” by Chloe Gong

Publishing Info: Gallery / Saga Press, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.

Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.

Review: I was excited when I saw this book coming out from Chloe Gong. For one thing, the idea of a reimaging of Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” into an epic fantasy story is incredibly appealing, right up the alley of my own particular preferences. But I was also interested to see what Gong had to offer in this, her adult fantasy debut. I know she’s an immensely popular YA fantasy author, but I’ve struggled to connect to her work in the past. However, I do recognize the overall strength of her writing, so if paired with a more adult approach to storytelling and a shift away from YA tropes, would I have better luck?

Alas, no. But before I get into what didn’t work, I want to, as always, focus on the things that do work. And one of them is the simple fact that if you have enjoyed Chloe Gong’s work in the past, you will definitely enjoy this book. Many of the aspects of her storytelling strengths are on equal show here. Her writing is solid. Her world-building is interesting. There are a lot of political through lines that weave in and out of the story. And the characters are multi-faceted, dramatic, and prone to on-again, off-again romances. If this all sounds like a backhanded compliment, it kind of is. Many of these things are also where I struggled with this author in her YA work. But the converse side of it is that this is all what’s made her incredibly popular as a writer, so can I fault her for giving her fans more of what they want, if packaged now in an “adult” fantasy novel? No, no I cannot.

But, all of that said, I didn’t particularly enjoy this book. In almost every aspect of the story telling I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated as the story went on. What starts out as interesting world-building quickly began to feel like unnecessary and a bit rambling paragraphs upon paragraphs of scene-setting. This is a long book, and I quickly began to feel the need to skim as I read along. Further, she introduces some interesting and unique fantasy elements early in the story, the ability to essentially take over the body of another while that person’s identity then goes dormant. But what seems to be an interesting concept quickly fell into confusion and doubt for me. How exactly does this world function with this sort of body-hopping? It’s never addressed really how this powerful and dangerous tool would affect literally every aspect of society. Further, there are some serious issues of consent when one person is in another’s body that are simply never addressed.

And look, I still liked the idea over all, but this is where I am going to expect more from you as an adult fantasy author than I might as someone writing YA. I’m a big proponent of not writing down to young adult audiences. But that said, there is a case to be made that an author be allowed a bit more lenience in the realm of plot-holes and detailed explanations for how aspects of their story work within a larger world or society when they are writing for teenage audiences. But if your book is marketed as adult fantasy, I am going to expect the author to have fully grappled with the ins and outs of the fantasy devices they are using, especially one as central as this “body swapping” is to this particular story.

Beyond this, I was very disappointed with the main characters. I’m beginning to get the feeling that Gong is either only capable or only willing to write the same sorts of characters in all of her books. Indeed, the central two characters in this book are almost identical (if aged up) copies of the main leads in her “These Violent Delights” duology. Again, if you enjoyed those characters there, you’ll probably like them again here. But that’s not what I was looking for when I picked up this book. Indeed, in the author’s interview at the end of my early review copy, Gong essentially admits to this repetition of story, saying that in this adult book she wanted to adapt the same enemies-to-lovers romance that she already did once in her YA duology but just amp it up to enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, etc. Not only is this exactly the sort of romantic plotline and angst that most particularly drives me nuts, it’s disappointing to see Gong essentially decide to write the same exact dynamic and think that increasing the angst level is what will elevate it to adult fantasy.

Overall, I really struggled to enjoy this book. To me, it felt like Gong simply doubled down on her same old bag of tricks and called it adult fantasy. That said, I’ve adjusted my rating from what, for me, would have been a 6, to a 7 because I do think this book will appeal to a lot of fantasy readers. As I’ve now said ad nauseum, if you’ve liked Gong’s previous work, you’re sure to like this one, too, as it’s, largely, much of the same.

Rating 7: Fans of Gong’s previous books will be delighted to find that she’s stuck to her roots in this, her adult fantasy debut. Those looking for something fresh from this author, less so.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Immortal Longings” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Asian Folklore/Mythology/Influence and Upcoming 2023 SFF Books With Female Leads or Co-Leads.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Curse of Saints” by Kate Dramis

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org| Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: As an elite spy and the Queen’s Third-in-Command, Aya has dedicated herself to a life of discipline and duty, using her gods-given abilities to keep dark magic from ever returning to the realm. Her oath ensures she will always act to protect those she fights alongside—including Will, the Queen’s Enforcer and Aya’s bitter rival.

Forced by circumstance to work together, Aya and Will struggle to come to an uneasy truce. But when tragedy strikes, Aya instinctively reacts, unleashing a power that hasn’t been seen in over 500 years. Shaken, she’s confronted with an impossible truth: one that threatens the precious grip she keeps on her control. One that forces her to work with Will to discover who—or what—she really is. And one that could turn her into a weapon in a war she doesn’t know how to win.

With Will at her side and untold power at her fingertips, Aya will have to decide: Has she been sent to save the realm she loves…or destroy it?

Review: I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I saw it (though, to be fair, I saw the UK cover which has an awesome golden wolf motif which I think is a much better fit than this cover, but oh well). The description itself is also right up my alley. Always love a good rivals/enemies-to-lovers story. Add on top of that a badass spy heroine who, whoops, discovers she has new powers and is more than she seems. Does this sound like a very tried and true plot description for fantasy stories, especially romantic fantasy? Yes, it does. Did this put me off in any way whatsoever? Absolutely not. Sometimes things are popular for the simple fact that they’re awesome, and that’s all I have to say on that.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. But there was still quite a lot to like about it. For one thing, I thought the world-building and history of this world was fascinating. Our main characters (the story was multi POV, which was something I wasn’t expecting and more on that later) each are born with powerful abilities. But due to a horrible war that required a terrible sacrifice years and years ago, magic users must always work for the protection and betterment of those around them and are never allowed to rule. I really enjoyed the slow reveal about how this particular history has influenced the various characters in this book, and how so many decisions are based around the fears of a similar power rising or a similar sacrifice being needed.

I also liked the action elements of the story, particularly in the beginning of the book when quite a lot happens in quick succession. We had a few early scenes where we see Aya’s skill as a spy master at work, and we also get some intense magic wolves action scenes. Which, of course, who doesn’t love magic wolves? Unfortunately, some of the strengths of this early section lead directly to some of my struggles with the rest of the book. For one thing, said magic wolves quickly disappear from the entire story, which left me wondering why they were included at all? I mean, they’re introduced as having bonds to Aya, Will, etc., and show up in several early scenes as important, unique creatures, and then they just…disappear for the rest of the book. You could literally take them out of this story and it would make zero difference to the overall plot.

Further, I was very disappointed to see Aya’s character quickly fall off her strong start as a master spy. After her magic flares up in unexpected ways, she seems to lose all sense of her original abilities. As the story continues, she and Will travel to a foreign court where they are supposed to be working to bring their allies onside for a brewing conflict. Aya, as a spy, should have invaluable abilities to bring to this mission. But, instead, she spends the entire time fretting about her powers and fighting with Will. Indeed, she blunders several times in ways that make no sense for a woman we are meant to believe is one of the top three advisors to her queen and a master of her craft.

This wasn’t helped by my increasing frustration with these fights between Aya and Will. Their rivalry and animosity starts off well enough, but as the story continued, it began to feel increasingly unbelievable and silly. Aya is a grown adult and a woman who, being a spy, should have an incredible read of people. So the number of times she flips back and forth from trusting Will to literally threatening to kill him (seriously, she does this flip flop at least 4 times over the course of the book, and, I can’t emphasize this enough, the “flop” side includes literal death threats/murder attempts even though she was trusting him just pages before) starts to become a serious detriment to my ability to respect her as a character.

For his part, I could never quite understand Will’s reasons for such extreme levels of secrecy. Once all of the truths are revealed, it’s never quite clear why he had to keep Aya so much in the dark to the point where he was almost intentionally making her hate and distrust him. So, yes, neither of these two characters really worked that well for me at various points. Which was made all the more frustrating because I think they each started off very strong and had a lot of potential!

Also, bizarrely, a third POV character and the sad hints of a love triangle showed up on the page about two thirds of the way into the book. This was honestly so abrupt a shift in the story that I had to flip forward a ways to confirm that yes, indeed, we were introducing a third POV and this wasn’t just an interlude. This was near the two thirds/half way point of the book, if I remember correctly, so it was just a really strange and abrupt shift. I didn’t have any problems with this third character on his own, but there was simply no recovering from the fact that his story started up so significantly behind the other two. We already were firmly in the heads of Aya and Will, and now here was this third character that was meant to compete with the two of them with his own chapters. It was an odd choice. I think it would have worked better had he been introduced right in the beginning alongside Aya and Will, thus creating an even playing field between the three. Or, honestly, left him out entirely. I’m not quite convinced that his POV really even added much to the story as a whole.

All of this said, I probably will continue with this series. The writing itself was strong, the world-building was intriguing, and even though I struggled with Aya and Will at times, I do feel that the author’s character work was pretty decent. I was frustrated with this particular story, but there seems to be a lot of room for growth and there were a few side characters who I would love to read more about in future books. If you’re a fan of romantic fantasy, especially if you enjoy angsty enemies-t0-lovers story arcs, this might be a good one for you!

Rating 7: While a bit wobbly on the character front, this romantic fantasy will likely still appeal to those looking for an interesting fantasy world and an angst-ridden love story!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Curse of Saints” isn’t on many Goodreads lists, but it is on Best books of May, 2023 (the UK version was published in May).

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Thief Liar Lady” by D. L. Soria

Publishing Info: Del Rey, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: I’m not who you think I am.

My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen–as the rumors insisted–in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make.

My stepsisters and I had been trained for this–to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we want in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after.

But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince–the wrong prince–distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created…and that could prove fatal.

Review: I was both excited and nervous when I first picked up this book. On one hand, I love fairytale retellings, and it seems like it’s been a bit since I’ve read one lately. On the other hand, “Cinderella” has always been a particularly hard nut to crack, as far as I’m concerned. There’s just so little “there” there. I mean, she meets the guy for three nights and then they get married. Kind of a tough sell for modern audiences who want a bit more foundation to their romances. “Ella Enchanted” did it well. But that book is also middle grade fiction and decades old at this point. And this one is not only not middle grade, but it’s not even YA (the usual haven of fairytale retelling). Nope, straight adult fantasy! But wow, was I impressed with this book!

There were a lot of really smart choices that I think the author made right off the bat that got this book off to a good start. For one thing, the story opens up after Cinderella/Ash has won her prince. After the balls. After the glass slipper. From there, we also swiftly learn that this fairytale romance is not what it seems. Ash herself is not what she seems. Instead of the picture perfect maid-turned-princess, she’s a spy with her own agendas. And I say agendas, plural, because there are layers to the schemes behind her journey to the palace. As the story progresses, we have a few jumps backward in time, so we do see some of the actual ball and events seen in the traditional fairytale. But even here, there are twists and turns behind how these events played out and what was truly going on behind the scenes. All of this gave the story an incredibly fresh, unique feel. Yes, you can clearly see the influences from the original. But 90% of the book is its own story.

This leads to the second choice the author made that I think was incredibly smart: changes to our main characters. Ash, of course, is no Disney princess. Her history, while containing many of the same bullet points from the original story, is one that has shaped a very different woman. Indeed, she’s partly aligned with her “evil” stepmother to further their own hatched plans. But further, she has her own political motivations, fighting for her mother’s homeland, a country that has suffered greatly under the pressure and power of this realm’s king. She’s brave, brash, and a truly morally grey character. She makes no excuses for the fact that she is bespelling and using the prince for her own ends. I enjoyed her entire arc throughout this story. It is a journey of accountability, of compromise, and of understanding just what sacrifices she is willing to make for the sake of a cause.

I also really enjoyed the fact that the romance was changed around. Instead of the prince (who is both sympathetic for being manipulated by Ash but also incredibly unlikable at different points), the love story is shifted to a different character. I really loved the slow burn nature of this romance. And even more than that, I enjoyed how the development of this romance forced Ash to confront some of the realities behind the choices she was making and the people she was working alongside. Beyond the shifts to Ash and her prince, I really like the roles the evil step-sisters played in the story. We don’t get tons of page time with them, but I think there was some really interesting commentary to be found there about sibling relationships, especially those formed in abusive households.

The writing was also incredibly strong. The book both made me laugh out loud, but was also incredibly sad at various points. Indeed, my one complaint about the book comes down to a bit of a dissonance in tone. I like the fact that the book went to some dark places (honestly, way darker than I was ever expecting). But then the switch in tone from light, funny, and action-packed to incredibly tragic, and back and forth…it became a bit hard at times to fully make that switch when the story took a sudden swerve one way or the other.

But even with this minor quibble, I was so pleased with this book! I had a blast reading it, and it’s definitely the sort of story that I can see myself re-reading many times in the future.

Rating 9: Fresh, vibrant, and bringing us a morally grey “Cinderella” who you can’t help but root for!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Thief Liar Lady” isn’t on any relevant Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Cinderella Retellings.

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Thick as Thieves” by M. J. Kuhn

Publishing Info: Gallery / Saga Press, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org |Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Ryia Cautella, a.k.a. the Butcher of Carrowick, and her motley crew have succeeded in the ultimate heist…with the most dire possible consequences. A terrifyingly powerful tool has fallen into the hands of Callum Clem, the criminal leader of the Saints, who was already one of the most dangerous men alive. With the newfound ability to force magic-wielding Adepts to his will, he is unstoppable.

With their group scattered throughout the five kingdoms of Thamorr—and not all on the same side of the fight—things seem hopeless. But can Ryia get the gang back together for one last job? Or will chess-worthy power plays and shifting loyalties change Thamorr as they know it?

Previously Reviewed: “Among Thieves”

Review: This was another of those nice situations where I’d held off on reading the first book for long enough that I was able to read this one right after the first. In this book’s case, this was helpful because there is a large cast of characters all trying to backstab one another and all keeping certain secrets from this person but not that person and and and…it can get quite confusing, quite quickly! So I do recommend those picking this book up after the year long wait to re-familiarize yourself a bit before diving into this one, just to keep everything straight!

One thing that really stands out about this series so far is the pace of the story and the action. While I think, on the whole, the first one was a bit more fast paced, there’s just no under-stating the snappy style of writing on display here. For a fairly lengthy book, I whipped right through this one pretty quickly. I also really enjoyed getting to see a bit more of this world. We travelled some in the first book as well, but we got even more new locations in this one, which I appreciated.

I really enjoyed all of our characters once again (surprisingly, while I still do have favorites, I don’t actively dislike any of them, though Tristan can have his moments). It was nice feeling as if I was getting a bit more depth for many of them as so much of the first book was taken up introducing this large cast. Now that we know a bit more about the backstories and motivations of several of them, the story was really able to dig into some of the meatier aspects of their characters. That said, I did feel like a few of their “special skills,” like Ian’s ability with disguises, did fall to the way side and could have been used more fully.

Part of this was due to the fact that our cast of characters were all split up into smaller groups for most of the story. That’s probably my biggest complaint of this book. Part of what made me enjoy the first book so much was the dynamic at play between this group of individuals. As it is, while the pairings we get here are still good, I did miss some of the quips, suspicions, and challenges that made up the larger group’s interplay. While eventually these groups do weave back together in a large, climatic ending, I wish we had spent more time with them together.

This book also felt a lot darker than the first. I’m not sure whether this is a good or bad thing, ultimately. On one hand, I have a hard time complaining about bringing in a more serious tone to some of the true horrors at work in this world. But on the other hand, I really enjoyed the fast, fun nature of the first book. Here, there were some truly surprising tragedies to be found, and I sure hope some of them don’t stick!

I think if you enjoyed the first book, it’s likely you’ll enjoy this one as well. There were a few loose ends that speak to the continuance of the series, but it also ended in a way that wasn’t a cliff hanger by any means.

Rating 8: A bit darker than the first, but still a fast, fun romp of a ride!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Thick as Thieves” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Fantasy books with heists