Review: The Last Namsara

Read if you like: secondary fantasy with interesting magic systems and beliefs, characters you can root for, and dragons.

The Last Namsara | Kristen Ciccarelli

Series: Iskari

Genre: YA High Fantasy
Released: October 3rd 2017
Pages: 432
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher

In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her. 

This was not what I expected at all. I really like how the main character journeys from villain to hero, from dragon hunter to dragon rider. I could have done without the romance and I didn't love the rebel camp but there were elements I really liked. Character development is amazing, and I like the main character, as well as her cousin. The dragons were pretty awesome, too, though I wish they were more characters than they actually were.

I enjoyed the action and suspense, and this was a really good fantasy book with some memorable moments. The world didn't stand out but I think it'll be expanded on in later books. I liked it.

4.5 stars

Review: The Girl From Everywhere

Read if you like: awesome female characters, high-stakes stories, and irresistible romances (heavy on the snark.)

The Girl From Everywhere | Heidi Heilig

Series: The Girl From Everywhere

Genre: Fantasy, Time Travel, Historical
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.

As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.

But the end to it all looms closer every day.

Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.

For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.

She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.

Or she could disappear.

Why did I take so long to read this? It's SO good! Epic, snarky characters, incredible world building, and writing that's just GORGEOUS. I fell in love with this lush, sweeping story of maps and sailing and love.

Nix is SO COOL, I love her, but Kashmir really hooked me into this book, my sarcastic thief prince. I'm still not sure about the rest of the characters, even though Slate, Nix's dad, has some WILD character development. The world and writing and imagination is where this book stands out, from Hawaii to New York to TERRACOTTA WARRIORS. Just full of awesome (but also sadness and heartbreak and beware this one, it'll sneak up on you!)

5 stars

On hiatus

I won't be posting any reviews for a while, as my laptop is broken and it's really difficult to schedule and compose posts on my tablet. I'll be back as soon as possible and you can follow my reviews on my goodreads as usual.

Review: The Dragon's Hunt

Read if you like: mythology, a new twist on paranormal, and characters with chemistry.

The Dragon's Hunt | Jane Kindred

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: December 1st
Pages: 304
Format: EBook
Source: Publisher, via Netgalley

By day, Leo Ström works as an assistant in a tattoo parlor. By night… Well, he isn't quite sure what happens at night. He just knows that it's best if he restrains himself. 

Ink is more than just superficial decoration to Rhea Carlisle. Her ability to read her clients' souls in their tattoos gives her work its special magic—and it allows her to see that there's more to Leo than his brilliant blue eyes. 

The passion that kindles between them might be Leo's salvation. Or it might be the end of the world…

Look for 2 new titles from Harlequin Nocturne every month!

Harlequin Nocturne: Delve into dark, sensuous and often dangerous territory, where the normal and paranormal collide

The first two thirds of this book? Awesome and interesting and seductive. The last half? I have NO IDEA what happened. I could not tell you.

But I did really enjoy most of this book, and I want to read the books with the side characters (especially Dev,  helloo Dev.) I really liked the main characters, Rhea and Leo, and I LOVE the tattoo sight, which was not what I expected of tattoo magic. The Viking element too is awesome, though I do wish it had hinted at it in the blurb. There are SO MANY old Norse words in this and I honestly can't remember one of them. At one point there were so many in a sentence, I just skipped ahead to a part I could understand. And like I said, I like Leo. He's fun and snarky and interesting but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why there were SIX versions of him. I feel the last few weren't explained well at all. So I got lost but I just sorta went with it and enjoyed the story.

What I liked was the magic, the vision parts, the characters and the romance. The Norse bits really confused me but I'd still recommend this book. I don't get why it's called The Dragon's Hunt though - there's a dragon in ONE scene. I kept waiting for dragons but nope. Vikings.

4 stars

Review: The Becoming of Noah Shaw

Read if you like: superheroes and slow burning mysteries with slight thriller elements

The Becoming of Noah Shaw | Michelle Hodkin

Series: The Shaw Confessions

Genre: Mystery
Release Date: November 7th
Pages: 384
Format: EBook
Source: Publisher, via Edelweiss

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.

And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

Did I seriously go through the whole Mara Dyer trilogy for my ship to sink so spectacularly? Are you KIDDING me? I was looking forward to them being strong, sorting shit out together. And I wish this was the only thing I'm disappointed about.

This is way more contemporary mystery than the creepy paranormal thriller Mara Dyer was, which I didn't expect. Not to say I don't like that genre because I do but... It's pretty slow paced too, despite the awesome beginning. I still love the characters, and Noah, and the history behind the origins of their powers. But the missing Gifted? I literally did not care what happened to them. I'm not sure how I feel about the new character Leo either, even if I like Goose (great name.) There are parts of this that are really good but overall I just did not love it. And for a book I've been dying to get my hands on for over a YEAR, a book I literally squealed to get approved for on Edelweiss ... the disappointment hit me hard.

3 stars