David Smith

DNF

I hate doing this, but this book was bad. There were the bones of a compelling story here, but I couldn't get past the author putting unnecessary lists multiple times in the book. It felt like he was trying to hit a word count in what could've been a short story.

What do you do when the authorities that are supposed to be protecting the city are murdering your friends? Scamper off into the woods and get drunk with your bard obviously.

Full disclosure - I received a copy of this book as a beta reader.

What KC has done here is special. He's created a world of nuance with morally grey characters that are just doing their best to survive. Are they flawed? Yes. Are their intentions poor? Yes. Are they lazy and potentially just looking to use substances to get through their day? YES! But are they human and somehow the exact hero needed to save the realm? Absolutely.

The villains are massive. The politics, compelling. The world building works.

For fans of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn and James Islington's Licanius trilogy I recommend taking a stab into the world being created here. I think something might be brewing that is worth paying attention to in the future.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book, and was not otherwise compensated for my review. What follows is my honest opinion.

Personal Rating System:
5 stars: Exceptional - I was hooked from beginning to end, and this book stayed with me after putting it down.
4 stars: Thoroughly enjoyed it, a great read with minor flaws.
3 stars: Literal definition of OK. 3 stars is NOT a bad book. It is also not a good book.
2 stars: Didn't enjoy it. Honestly probably should not have finished it.
1 star: Hated it, a terrible book that I couldn't finish.

“People and books. They all have stories, tales they want to tell. Some give them up easier than others”

Overall Impression: The Secret of the 3 Fates is my first step into the world of Ruby Vaughn. What Jess Armstrong has done here is taken the classic detectives like Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and even Sherlock Holmes, and made the protagonist more human. When reading some other reviews of this series I saw Ruby described as smart, intelligent, and driven. What I experienced however was a driven, stubborn, and yes, sometimes impetuous woman. Ruby was flawed in a way that made the story more compelling.

Feel: Overall I found the tone to be fairly light. Think about reading this book relaxing on your couch, or maybe a read in a relaxing bath. There were certainly some spooky, and tense moments, but overall the tone I felt conveyed through the pages was that of a foggy castle in the Scottish Hills. Note that I didn't call it a haunted castle in the Scottish Hills. This book has the vibes of a ballroom crossed with a game of Clue gone awry.

Strengths: Jess Armstrong loves her characters, and it comes through clearly on every page. Ruby is an every-woman that is truly accessible. The enigmatic Mr. Owen is equally human and eccentric, and somehow is the endearing older gentleman we all either have met, or want to meet at some point in our lives.
The feel of the book is also a strength. This book knows what it is, and doesn't try to be anything else.

Weaknesses: The pacing could probably stand to be a bit quicker, especially in the 30-55% portion of the book. I felt the editing couldn't possibly make some plot points a little more clear. Neither complaints are strong though.

Recommendation: Do you want to dream of castles, and ghosts, and mediums while sitting by your candles with a blanket? This book is for you.

Personal Rating System:
5 stars: Exceptional - I was hooked from beginning to end, and this book stayed with me after putting it down.
4 stars: Thoroughly enjoyed it, a great read with minor flaws.
3 stars: Literal definition of OK. 3 stars is NOT a bad book. It is also not a good book.
2 stars: Didn't enjoy it. Honestly probably should not have finished it.
1 star: Hated it, a terrible book that I couldn't finish.
“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains”
Overall Impression: It might be an odd way to start this review, but I felt like I should have liked this book more. On the surface it has all the things I look for in a good book. Political intrigue is everywhere. Action is well written and compelling. It even had a school trope (I love a good school trope). But for whatever reason I enjoyed this a bit less than the 4 star rating would have you believe.
Feel: The vibe for this book was pretty dry. I don't think describing Rin as an inaccessible heroine is fair, but overall this felt like a book that had been poorly translated. When I found out the author was 19 when she wrote this book it made a little more sense.
Strengths: The world for this book is incredible. R.F. Kuang created a giant sweeping landscape full of villains, heroes, and various other poi's that captured my imagination. The magic system is very compelling. The tragedies in the book are very well written, and kept me engaged.
Weaknesses: I honestly don't know. This book just didn't connect with me. It isn't the fault of the author, the book, or the subject. I think if I was a different reader this book would be an easy 5 star rating.
Recommendation: Do you like a bit of military violence immediately after graduation? Do you like a flawed protagonist grasping with her own mortality? Do you like enigmatic teachers that don't say anything while teaching, but say everything in between the words spoken? This book is very very good! Don't let my lukewarm review keep you from picking this one up!

I rate most of the books on this site 4 stars. That feels like a fair and accurate rating of most of the books that I finish. I tend to rate the remainder of the books I finish 5 stars. What this means though is that when a book is beyond a 5 star rating, I don't have the means with which to capture this rating

I just turned the last page of Between Two Fires. This book was a masterpiece. Simultaneously haunting, unnerving, and truly beautiful. It captures everything that makes a journey from cover to cover so special and reminds me as the reader why I love books so much!

Go read this book.

Get scared
Cry
Find Jesus
And cry again

Personal Rating System:
5 stars: Exceptional - I was hooked from beginning to end, and this book stayed with me after putting it down.
4 stars: Thoroughly enjoyed it, a great read with minor flaws.
3 stars: Literal definition of OK. 3 stars is NOT a bad book. It is also not a good book.
2 stars: Didn't enjoy it. Honestly probably should not have finished it.
1 star: Hated it, a terrible book that I couldn't finish.
“Burning was a bad way to go, but my reserves of empathy were usually exhausted on orphans and puppies, a lot higher up the list than arsonists and arseholes.”
Overall Impression: I absolutely loved Blackwing. If Joe Abercombie wrote Mad Max fanfic you would end up with Blackwing. Will this book stay with you after you put it down? No. Will this book change your life? Again, no. But will you drink up every word on every page and turn each page more quickly than the last? Absolutely. This was pure, dark fun from beginning to end.
Feel: Dark. Desolate. Bleak. Hilarious in a twisted macabre sort of way.
Strengths: The vibes! The world! The monsters! The characters! I loved it all.
Weaknesses: No big weaknesses for me here. I think if you're looking for some thought provoking literature you might want to keep looking, but for an immersive fun summer blockbuster of a read, look no further
Recommendation: Do you like big scary monsters and a post apocalyptic wasteland that changes all who enter it? Do you like your heroes drunk, vulgar, and oh so relatable? Do you like a plot that will keep you guessing, and bad guys big enough to give you nightmares? This is the one for you.