Reading Round Up (88)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. 

Super short update to get me back on the right schedule!

27th August

I read 19% of Fire and Chasm by Chelsea M, Campbell and I think I'll end up really liking this, if only it would get going already...

28th August

I read 39% of Fire & Chasm today, and I do like it, but I'm not loving it.

29th August

I wanted to finish Fire & Chasm today but I got so far and wanted to stop. I read 30% though.

30th August

I finished Fire & Chasm finally, and it was alright. It had all the elements of an awesome book but I just never loved any of it.

Books finished this week: 1
Books DNF'd this week: 0

For review:

You know I'm not linking all these. I am way too lazy for that. But here's what I got from Harper Collins, and imprints:

Witch Hunter (5 STARS)

The Vanishing Island (3 STARS)

Fire & Chasm (ARC Review)

Fire & Chasm | Chelsea M. Campbell

Published by: Skyscape, September 22nd 2015

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Witches (Well, wizards...)

Pages: 172

Format: Ebook

Source: Skyscape, via Netgalley

Azeril is a ward of the Church, and their most cunning weapon. By day he hides in plain sight as a student, but with his beloved obsidian knife, he also kills wizards. Az has no memory of his life before the Church, until one night, when a wizard recognizes him from his past. The killer in Az never misses his mark, but he can’t destroy the only potential link to his life before this. For the first time, Az has a lead on who he used to be—if only he could escape the watchful eye of the High Priest long enough to investigate.

Azeril discovers that the line between good and evil—the primal forces of the Fire and the Chasm—is as shifting as his own moral compass. And the truth about who he is will put his entire world in danger.

This book had all the elements for an amazing book, but it just didn't click with me personally. I liked plenty - the characters and their motives were easy to understand, the threat was fairly unique, and I didn't mind the world/lore of the Fire and the Chasm. Some points felt a little overly religious like the ending where the MC overcame the Chasm (bad, corruption, sin) by accepting Fire (pure, wholesomeness.) For a book about a church I expected less of that, for some reason. 

But I did like a lot about this - the magic was fairly unique, having been gifted from the Fire, I loved the moments of darkness from the boy, and I'd never read anything like Az's addiction to Obsidian. Az and Leora's relationship was sweet, and I liked how they were friends at the beginning, instead of a growing romance. 

But nothing about this book really stood out to me. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't anything new, and I can't imagine I'll remember it.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world-building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★☆☆

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