Song of Blood & Stone caught my attention with a beautiful cover. The heroine looked fierce, the war imminent. I requested a review copy from NetGalley immediately. What Did I Like? Compelling story, like the beginning of a good fairy tale: two kingdoms, eternally at war, separated by a magical barrier, the Mantle. When the …
For a long time, A Curse of Ash and Iron have been on the list of the books I was waiting to be published. I noticed it while it was announced as a Strange Chemistry release. Then the Strange Chemistry got shut down. š I was happy to hear Christine Norris and Curiosity Quills Press …
Historical western novels never attracted me, because I don’t like that era (too dirty and rough for my taste). But lately I’ve given some paranormal novels set in this period a try and I actually quite enjoyed them. So when I saw that Pale Moon Walking is western historical with aliens I was intrigued to …
It happened in September 2019: Yay, autumn is here and the summer heat is (finally) gone. My son started preschool. Now, he is telling everyone that he is the pre-schooler. He shares it proudly, like it’s some noble title. For European Researcher’s Night, my son’s preschool group staged a mini-play in the theater about the …
On first glance, the plot of The Reaper of Iremia sounds like something you have read a hundred times before. Calian and Reneia are friends and freshly graduated from the Military Academy. On their first day as members of a City Guard, they encounter a conspiracy. It will take all their skills (and luck) to …
Its been a while since a book left me with so many mixed feelings as Seveneves did. What Did I Like? Builds on existing technology. Science fiction novels that use the current state of our world as a starting point (or existing science concepts) and then build on it are my favorite kind. For example, …
Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales, so I have a weak spot for its retellings. When I saw that The Beastās Heart was from Beastās point of view, it was a must-read for me. What Did I Like? French names and setting, as a nod to the place of an …
If you like fantasy and follow bookish community at least a little, then you have probably heard about Uprooted. For some time now, five-star reviews are pouring in. I had to read it and find out if Uprooted is as awesome as everyone said. What Did I Like? The twist to dragon tribute cliche. The …
A decade ago, I abandoned the reading of Wheel of Time series when Robert Jordan died. Why didnāt I continue when Brandon Sanderson wrote the rest? That answer would require a deep psychological evaluation of my tendency to neglect series when I make big breaks between books. š The last couple of years, my husband …
You have already heard about The Martian, I can bet my Kindle on it. It won Goodreads Choice Award in 2014 for science fiction (and many others probably). Plus, there is a movie The Martian with yummy Matt Damon in the leading role. When the book gets a lot of hype I am always reluctant …