Warriors of Wing and Flame by Sara B. Larson

Title: Warriors of Wing and Flame
Author: Sara B Larson
Published: Published October 27th 2020 by Tor Teen
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The doorway between the magical Visempirum and the human world has been reopened. Paladin are once more living in the citadel where Zuhra and Inara grew up completely isolated by the magical hedge that trapped them there. Amidst the brewing conflict between the Paladin and humans looms the threat of Barloc, who has stolen Inara’s immense power and continues to elude the Paladin who are desperately searching for him.

In this sequel to Sisters of Shadow and Light, Inara and Zuhra must navigate the treacherous paths of self-discovery, their love for each other, and for the boys who have captured their hearts. Together, they search for the strength within themselves to bridge the divide between the two worlds they inhabit, even as war threatens to destroy everything—and everyone—they love.

I’ve really enjoyed the Sisters of Shadow and Light duology. I just found it to be really unique in it’s characters and story. Warriors of Wing and Flame wrapped thing ups nicely.

I don’t know what my deal is with Inara but I don’t exactly like her. I don’t dislike her, like I found her storyline interesting. I enjoyed her navigating her way through her new life. Not just without the roar but from what Barloc had done to her. I just kept feeling like people didn’t give Zuhra enough credit. Like Inara is Ray of Light but dude she wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for Zuhra making sacrifices for her. I don’t know. I do love the fact that the two sisters love one another so much. Especially since they have a complicated relationship with their parents and grandparents really. So it is always nice to see.

On the other hand I love Zuhra. She gives so much and really has the pure heart. I guess I do like that Zuhra and Inara compliment one another in that way. Plus it was sweet to see Zuhra’s expanding relationship with Raidyn as well as her own comfort into her own life. Both girls went from being locked away to having to be involved in some crazy epic battleness.

There is a little more of a sullen tone to this book. The characters experience loss in many different ways. Not every character even has the same things that impact them. Which is another thing that has made me really like this series. You see different personalities fitting together to create this world.

I love the world itself. It’s really interesting the magic and of course the gryphons! I don’t want to give too much away because a lot happens and I don’t want to do any spoilers.

I thought this was a great conclusion. A good duology and an enjoyable read.

You can check out my review for book one HERE

Sara B. Larson is the best-selling and critically acclaimed author of the YA fantasy DEFY trilogy (DEFY, IGNITE, and ENDURE) and the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN duology. Her next YA fantasy, SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT, comes out November 5th from Tor Teen. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband, their four children, and their Maltese, Loki. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction.

She’s online at www.SaraBLarson.com

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GIVEAWAY:

Enter to win five (5) finished copies of Warriors of Wing and Flame by Sara B. Larson! Open USA only. There will be 5 winners.

Giveaway starts: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Giveaway ends: Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 12:00 a.m. CDT

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Send Me Their Souls by Sara Wolf

Title: Send Me Their Souls
Author: Sarah Wolf
Published: November 3rd 2020 by Entangled: Teen
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The finale to the epic Bring Me Their Hearts series reaches its thrilling conclusion, full of intrigue, emotion, and of course romance.

Reunited with Lucien, Malachite, and Fione, Zera finally has the choice of whether or not to regain her humanity and give up her life as a Heartless. But with war raging and an army of valkerax on the loose, she’s never needed immortality more. Will they be able to stop Varia without sacrificing themselves in the process?

Send Me Their Souls is quite the ending to the Bring Me Their Hearts series. It almost felt like something separate from the rest. It continued and wrapped up the story well. It just a lot happens and a lot of world building.

I can’t remember if I felt before that this story gives me Final Fantasy vibes. I thought it would fit perfectly as an RPG game. I loved the world building and how we get to explore different cities and how they all have their unique attributes. I think the first two books were really focused on the characters and their development and this felt more focused on the world, it’s history and of course those pesky trees.

Despite that I felt that this book had a strong focus on world building, I still loved the characters. Again it’s quite the diverse crew and again I think that’s why it reminds me of a videogame. Bringing together a group that comes from different parts of the world, with different talents. We also get to know Malachite a little bit more and maybe why he’s always so prickly. Zera of course does not drop her witty banter, doesn’t matter if she has two eyes or six. The way that her and Lucien work as a team makes me so happy. I love when we drop the romance drama and see the love interest come together and work in a partnership. Also the unbreakable friendships are good to see.

I don’t want to give too much away, again it is a big book and a lot of things happen. I can’t think of any questions that were left unanswered. Well I had one and it has to do with a brain situation but it really has no impact on the story. It’s kind of like when you wonder if someone closes a door after they have opened it.

I loved Send Me Their Souls and I have loved this series. I feel like it doesn’t get as much love as it deserves. From the witty character interactions, to the engaging story and of course the interesting world. I would highly recommend picking this up if you love fantasy and want something a little more unique.

The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

Title: The Black Kids
Author: Christina Hammonds Reed
Published: Published August 4th 2020 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Los Angeles, 1992

Ashley Bennett and her friends are living the charmed life. It’s the end of senior year and they’re spending more time at the beach than in the classroom. They can already feel the sunny days and endless possibilities of summer.

Everything changes one afternoon in April, when four LAPD officers are acquitted after beating a black man named Rodney King half to death. Suddenly, Ashley’s not just one of the girls. She’s one of the black kids.

As violent protests engulf LA and the city burns, Ashley tries to continue on as if life were normal. Even as her self-destructive sister gets dangerously involved in the riots. Even as the model black family façade her wealthy and prominent parents have built starts to crumble. Even as her best friends help spread a rumor that could completely derail the future of her classmate and fellow black kid, LaShawn Johnson.

With her world splintering around her, Ashley, along with the rest of LA, is left to question who is the us? And who is the them?

The Black Kids is a great coming of age story that really captures teenage life in the 90s. It’s impactful with its perspectives during the 1992 Rodney King trial.

This story revolves around Ashely and it’s really about her final months as a senior in high school. She’s just trying to make it through when the Rodney King trial and verdict comes down. She starts to take a different look at her life, at her friends and where she feels like she belongs. Her growth and understanding are really the center of the book. I loved Ashely because she felt like a real teenager to me. That some of her experiences, like the friends drifting apart and even the boy debacle reminded me of High School. Her mistakes don’t make her.

There are so many things in this story that reminded me of high school. There are things that happen like cheating, which I know some people do not like that in books. I know that’s a part of life, it happened to me in High School. Should it happen, of course not. Lots of things shouldn’t happen but I would hope that would not steer you from the book because that’s not the most important message here.

I really liked how there are so many different perspectives. We have Ashely who attends a predominantly white private school and her friends are also all white. There are other black students. Her sister Jo is older and believes in fighting for your rights. She also mentions communism a lot. There is Ashley’s Uncle and Cousin who live in her father’s old neighborhood. Trying to protect their family store from rioters. LaShawn is a scholarship student and star athlete. We get to see what the 1992 LA riots mean to each of this characters and I think it’s so good to read about.

The book is well written and interesting. This is one to pick up.

Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud

Title: Court of Lions
Author: Somaiya Daud
Published: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Flatiron Books
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Court of Lions is the long-awaited second and final installment in the “smart, sexy, and devilishly clever” Mirage series by Somaiya Daud (Renée Ahdieh, New York Times bestselling author of The Beautiful)!

On a planet on the brink of revolution, Amani has been forced into isolation. She’s been torn from the boy she loves and has given up contact with her fellow rebels to protect her family. In taking risks for the rebel cause, Amani may have lost Maram’s trust forever. But the princess is more complex than she seems, and now Amani is once more at her capricious nature. One wrong move could see her executed for high treason.

On the eve of Maram’s marriage to Idris comes an unexpected proposal: in exchange for taking her place in the festivities, Maram will keep Amani’s rebel associations a secret. Alone and desperate, Amani is thrust into the center of the court, navigating the dangerous factions on the princess's behalf. But the court is not what she expects. As a risky plan grows in her mind, and with the rebels poised to make their stand, Amani begins to believe her world might have a future. But every choice she makes comes with a cost. Can Amani risk the ones she loves the most for a war she's not sure she can win?

This is a perfect finish to the Mirage duology. This is one of those series that I hope more people pick up and appreciate.

I love how when I’m reading about this world sometimes I feel like it’s a Fantasy and then they get into a spaceship and I’m like oh ya the Sci-Fi aspect. The two genres are so well merged that it delights me.

The story is filled with politics. After all it is a story of Maram trying to take the throne and Amani trying to save her people. I absolutely love the writing style, I think it really made this part of the story more interesting. I was fascinated by the alliances being made and the courts being navigated. I was really impressed by the different things characters said and how they operated.

As far as characters are concerned. We really see Maram and Amani bloom in their own ways. They give one another strength, even when they are at odds.

Amani character development was so great to read. Remembering her from Mirage to who she has become is just amazing. She’s drawn from her experience of being Maram’s double. As herself she had seen first hand the destruction the Vath can cause. When she pretends to be Maram she sees how the politics of the Vath work. She becomes this well rounded formidable woman who finds strength in her love for people. She has some really great lines in the story that had me riveted.

Maram also develops in the story and we actually get to hear from her POV. I really liked the character that is introduced into her life and how that has some impact on her. Also despite her anger with Amani, she also has the seed of what love of a sister can be like sprouting in her. Amani shows her another way things can be and Maram finds that strength that Amani always knew was there.

The romance is sweet but again the two badass ladies are the main focus of the story. There are also other characters we are introduced to and more culture that I loved learning about. The descriptions of the celebrations, food and clothes made me wish I could visit their world.

If you enjoyed Mirage this is the perfect way to end the duology. The characters work hard and make sacrifices and find their ending.

Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars #2)
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf
Release Date: July 7th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

The thrilling sequel to SPIN THE DAWN, a magical series steeped in Chinese culture.
Maia Tamarin’s journey to sew the dresses of the sun, the moon and the stars has taken a grievous toll. She returns to a kingdom on the brink of war. The boy she loves is gone, and she is forced to don the dress of the sun and assume the place of the emperor’s bride-to-be to keep the peace.
But the war raging around Maia is nothing compared to the battle within. Ever since she was touched by the demon Bandur, she has been changing . . . glancing in the mirror to see her own eyes glowing red, losing control of her magic, her body, her mind. It’s only a matter of time before Maia loses herself completely, but she will stop at nothing to find Edan, protect her family, and bring lasting peace to her country.
YA fantasy readers will love the sizzling forbidden romance, mystery, and intrigue of UNRAVEL THE DUSK.

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Wow so Unravel the Dusk is quite the sequel to Spin the Dawn. It was crazy every step of the way. I really didn’t know what Maia’s fate was going to be until we went there. This the second book so beware there might be unavoidable spoilers for the first book in this review.

So I feel like the synopsis doesn’t do justice to the intensity of this plot. Maia did indeed sew the dresses of Amana but she paid a grave price. She paid it out of love though for her family, her country and Edan. I love Maia because she has changed so much from when we met her in the first book. She’s not perfect by any means. She makes mistakes but she also has found a new confidence and a new purpose.I think it’s really interesting how she is able to see beyond the surface of people. Including maybe some of the ones that come across as the worst like Khanujin, Sarnai and Xina. She doesn’t excuse their misdeeds but she is also able to find their value. I also love how she loves A’landi and the people in it.

Like I said the plot is intense and fast paced. I kept wondering what Maia would do next. I did get frustrated with her sometimes and her actions. In the grand scheme of things it all led to where she needed to be. She just kept managing to get herself stuck in situations. I felt the ending was really heartfelt as well. The conversations that occur and how things wrap up.

I really loved Unravel the Dusk. I don’t want to give anything away because it is such a great sequel to Spin the Dawn. I wish there could be more but again the ending was perfectly executed.

Elizabeth Lim grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, "Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that's kinda cool!" But after one of her teachers told her she had "too much voice" in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English.
Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and she turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel -- for kicks, at first, then things became serious -- and she hasn't looked back since.
Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the color turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She grew up in Northern California, with a brief stint in Tokyo, Japan, but now lives in New York City with her husband and their daughter.
Elizabeth graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in music and a secondary in East Asian Studies. She completed her graduate degrees (MM, DMA) at The Juilliard School.
She is represented by Gina Maccoby of the Gina Maccoby Literary Agency.

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The Crow Rider by Kalyn Josephson

The Crow Rider (The Storm Crow #2)
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: July 7th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Princess Thia, her allies, and her crow, Res, are planning a rebellion to defeat Queen Razel and Illucia once and for all. Thia must convince the neighboring kingdoms to come to her aid, and Res’s show of strength is the only thing that can help her.

But so many obstacles stand in her way. Res excels at his training, until he loses control of his magic, harming Thia in the process. She is also pursued by Prince Ericen, heir to the Illucian throne and the one person she can’t trust but can’t seem to stay away from.

As the rebel group prepares for war, Res’s magic grows more unstable. Thia has to decide if she can rely on herself and their bond enough to lead the rebellion and become the crow rider she was meant to be.

Goodreads : Amazon : B&N : BD

The Crow Rider is the exciting sequel to The Storm Crow. As we join Thia in her fight to save her kingdom.

It has been a while since I’ve read The Storm Crow and even though The Crow Rider picks up where it left off, there isn’t any info dumping from the first book. Even so my memory is jogged pretty easily while reading. Kalyn Josephson does a good job of putting in little reminders that don’t make it feel like you are reading a summary of the first book. I definitely prefer that since a series like this can easily be binged.

I remember having so many frustrations with Thia in TSC and thinking she wasn’t giving Ericen enough credit. It’s funny how TCR starts with those same feelings for me. Where I wasn’t sure if I was ever endeared to Thia previously. I did start to really like her in this sequel. We see her learning and developing as a human. As she understands that not everyone is perfect. She’s mad her own mistakes and ignorance is not always a defense.

I still love Ericen. I don’t think there was enough of him in this story. I would have loved to see Kiva and him get into it more. I love the way they can play off one another. In a non-romantic way. In the we both care about Thia and are just dealing with the other way.

The thing I really liked about this second half of the story is Res. I think he really endeared me to the idea of these crow riders. He’s like some combination of cat, dog and with some human like tendencies that made him sweet.

As far as the plot is concerned. I did enjoy it. There is one aspect that felt a little rushed and I think that’s because it was a sequel instead of trilogy. It was something that could have had a deeper delve but also I was fine with it not. I understood what the element was and their impact. I did really like how so much of the ar is driven by revenge and not because I like revenge. I just think people can get lost in emotions sometimes. Fueled by different things and the fact that Raziel had not just a purpose of gaining power for no reason. She had something that made her the way she is.

There is plenty of action in the story. Being that they are brushing with war. So if you enjoy the battle scene there are few for you here.

I did really enjoy it and I felt like it does wrap up the story. It’s also nice to have it be a two book series that is a fun fantasy to read if you're not looking for something that’s intense and takes a lot of books to complete.

Kalyn Josephson currently works as a Technical Writer in the tech industry, which leaves room for too many bad puns about technically being a writer. Though she grew up in San Luis Obispo, California, she graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in Biology and a degree in English (Creative Writing). Currently, she lives in the Bay Area with four awesome friends (because it’s the Bay Area and she’d like to be able to retire one day) and two black cats (who are more like a tiny dragon and an ever tinier owl). THE STORM CROW is her debut novel.

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PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN
If you pre-order TCR submit their receipts, they can choose a bonus scene from either Kiva or Ericen's POV, and be entered to win a TSC bookmark + character cards. Open US and CAN only.


Also, if you order TSC (hardcover OR paperback) or TCR from Kaylyn’s local indie store, Keplers Books, before July 7th they can get a signed, personalized copy. Readers need to say in the order comments if they wanted it personalized through.

Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee

Forest of Souls (Shamanborn #1)
Author: Lori M. Lee
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Release Date: June 23rd 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

Sirscha Ashwyn comes from nothing, but she’s intent on becoming something. After years of training to become the queen’s next royal spy, her plans are derailed when shamans attack and kill her best friend Saengo.

And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.

Unveiled as the first soulguide in living memory, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King. For centuries, he has used his influence over the Dead Wood—an ancient forest possessed by souls—to enforce peace between the kingdoms. Now, with the trees growing wild and untamed, only a soulguide can restrain them. As war looms, Sirscha must master her newly awakened abilities before the trees shatter the brittle peace, or worse, claim Saengo, the friend she would die for.

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Forest of Souls was a book that once I started reading, I could not put down. I just needed to know what was going to happen.

I loved the plot and thought of this as a fast paced adventure. I read the book in a day because I needed to know what was going to happen. I actually think I read Lori’s other books in a day as well. I just think her writing style really appeals to me. There is definitely an elimination of mystery to the story as well as a plot that branches in a couple directions. Although some questions are answered in this first book there are still more that need to be sorted. The ending of the book left you hanging but also felt like a comfortable cliffhanger. If there can be such a thing.

There isn’t really romance in Forest of Souls but there is potential for romance. Which I liked even better. Say if in the next book some things developed it would be so natural because of the ground work in this book. At the same time if nothing develops, I wouldn’t be upset either because that would also seem natural.

I loved the friendship and familial bond between Sirscha and Saengo. No matter what they have one another's backs and even though there are things they have to work through. They are able to put those things on the back burner in order to conquer more pressing problems. I think because it feels like they know they have to hatch some stuff out but they also know they can make it through it because their bond is strong.

There are other side characters that I really liked. Meilek, Theyen and Phaut, were all characters that added their own special touches. I felt like Kendara and Ronin are a little more enigmatic and I hope there is more revealed in the next book.

Like I said I don’t want to spoil the plot because there are things that are mysterious and revealed throughout the story. I did really enjoy Forest of Souls and I’m really excited for the next book and to see what road all the characters end up following.

Lori M. Lee is the author of FOREST OF SOULS, first in the Shamanborn series, as well as GATES OF THREAD AND STONE and THE INFINITE. She’s also a contributor to the anthologies A THOUSAND BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS and COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES. She considers herself a unicorn aficionado, enjoys marathoning TV shows, and loves to write about magic, manipulation, and family.

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