The Biased Bibliophile

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: POC, Gay

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not one of my favorite books, but Kalynn Bayron is one of my favorite authors, so when I heard she was writing a retelling, called My Dear Henry, I was excited! Not only did she write an amazing retelling, she highlighted queer, Black voices in her reimagining! I definitely enjoyed My Dear Henry more than I did the original story of Jekyll and Hyde, and it is certainly a retelling that will stay with me for a long time to come!

Gabriel wants to be a lawyer, but being Black in 1885 London, that is not an option for him. Instead, his father urges him to study medicine, where he meets Henry. The two quickly become close friends, and while they can’t openly share it, they develop deeper feelings for one another. After Henry’s father, who is a professor at the medical school, is fired, Gabriel is left lost and confused when Henry suddenly starts giving him the cold shoulder.

I adored so many aspects of this book! As usual, Bayron focused her story around the main character’s Blackness and queerness, which added so much depth to the book! In a painfully real way, Bayron confronted the obstacles relating to intersectionality. She told Gabriel’s story in such an authentic way. I felt my heart break with his at certain points throughout the book.

Furthermore, I think Bayron did a fantastic job of incorporating aspects of the original story while adding her own spin to the retelling. I love that My Dear Henry is not so much about the duality of human nature, but about accepting every part of who you are. Including some of the more nefarious traits of Jekyll in Henry’s father was absolute genius!

The one thing I didn’t enjoy was the relationship between Gabriel and Henry. While it developed a little more as the story progressed, I would have like to read more about them falling in love.

As a whole, My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron is one of the best retellings I’ve ever read! Whether you’re a fan of the original story or not, I highly recommend this book!

Genre: Nonfiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don’t always review the nonfiction books I read, as I think what an author has to say about their life is more important than anything I can say about their book, but I thoroughly enjoyed You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar!

Ruffin and Lamar share stories of racism, mostly those experienced by the latter. They weave in a ton of humor, adding a sense of lightheartedness to an otherwise heavy topic. I appreciated their authenticity. Sometimes the stories were difficult to read, but I think that made them all the more important. Overall, the two authors delivered a hilarious spin on a serious experience. This is definitely a book I think everyone should read!

Genre: MG Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: Gay, Jewish

While I haven’t read a ton of middle grade books, Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros just might be my favorite so far! When Zach finds a magical ring that allows him to talk to animals, he is excited. However, shortly thereafter Ashmedai, the King of Demons, appears and announces that he is the guardian of the ring. Zach and his friends are quickly thrown into an adventure they weren’t expecting.

I loved everything about this book! The plot was very immersive, and I frequently lost myself within the story. It was filled with action and also had complex relationships that moved the story along. Zach was a wonderful protagonist. His point of view felt authentic and realistic, especially in relationship to him being gay. Throughout the whole book I felt as though I was on an adventure with Zach and his friends.

Furthermore, I enjoyed Ashmedai’s character too. I appreciated the way Polydoros depicted the demon king as neither benevolent nor malevolent. I’m not familiar with Jewish mythology and culture, but I liked that the author tied that into the story as well. Likewise, it was interesting to read about a protagonist who identifies as Jewish, but doesn’t consider himself religious.

Overall, this book was one of the most memorable middle grade novels I’ve read! I can’t wait to read the next in the series!

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

New favorite book alert!!! Wow! To say I was impressed with Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim would be a major understatement! If you are a fan of the Daevabad trilogy by Shannon Chakraborty, then you will love this debut book!

The novel follows Imani as she embarks on a journey with her nemesis to find her brother, who she thought was dead. She faces a series of adversities that challenge her view of life and discovers that her brother’s reasons for leaving the Sahir were not so simple. Along the way she must conceal the fact that she illegally bound a djinn to her dagger because he was the only one who knew where her brother went.

The best feature of this novel is that it was completely immersive. I truly felt like I was experiencing everything with Imani. The descriptions were so vivid, and the actions scenes so intense. Ibrahim did a phenomenal job of creating such a realistic and magical world. I was surprised that this is her debut book because she writes like a well-seasoned author.

Furthermore, the characters in the book made the story come to life even more. Imani is such a compelling main character. She is so humanly flawed, yet also lovable. As a reader, I felt my emotions changing with hers, which is a very powerful feeling. Likewise, the supporting characters were three-dimensional and robust. Each one was necessary to the story and helped move it along in a unique way.

Finally, there was the perfect amount of romance in the book. I am typically not a fan of books where the main character has more than one potential love interest, but that is hinted at in Spice Road, and I ended up loving it. Either way, it seems like Imani’s love story will play into the enemies-to-lovers trope, and I think Ibrahim is setting it up flawlessly. Personally, I am team Qaymani (Imani and Qayn) all the way!

Overall, I literally can’t wait for the next book in this series! Spice Road is going to have a special place on my bookshelf for sure!

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

When I saw that Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston was a fantasy novel based on Celtic folklore, I was intrigued! The novel follows Neve, a princess who is second in line for the throne, but no one sees her as worthy of ruling Eire. Fascinated with her land’s history and her fierce, and maybe slightly maniacal, ancestress known as the Scathach, Neve becomes enthralled with the idea of being a warrior. However, a chain of events leads her to being forced into considering the possibility that she will one day rule Eire.

I felt really conflicted about this book for the majority of it. It starts off pretty slow, and doesn’t really pick up until about halfway through. I would have liked to see more interaction between the characters in the first half of the book, and definitely more actions scenes.

That being said, the second half of the novel was fantastic! There were a few plot twists that I didn’t see coming, and I was happy with how the story ended. The relationships between the characters were interesting, and I enjoyed seeing Neve grow as a person.

Neve’s love for her people and sense of justice added a lot to the story. Her motivations seemed sincere, and as a reader, I couldn’t help but to root for her. I was intrigued by the idea that she did not want to be a queen, but wanted to be a king instead. I get that the author was likely trying to suggest that women are just as worthy and capable of ruling as men, but I almost would have preferred Neve to change the perceptions and connotations around the word “queen” than to strive towards being a “king.” Perhaps this is the feminist in me, but Neve’s adoption of the latter term indicates that she must be like a man in order to rule, whereas embracing the title of queen maybe would have changed her peoples’ perspectives and shown that she didn’t need to change anything about herself.

Overall, I’m not sure if there will be a sequel to this book. The ending kind of leaves open that possibility. However, I don’t know if I would read it or not. On the one hand, I did find this book to be a little slow, and on the other, I was content with the ending of this novel. As a whole, it’s not necessarily one of my favorite books, but it was worth the read!

Genre: Urban Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a way to start out 2023! While urban fantasy and vampires aren’t typically my favorite things, I wholeheartedly enjoyed City of Nightmares by Rebecca Shaeffer!

The story follows Ness, a 19-year-old self-proclaimed coward, which is not a great thing to be in a world where people turn into their worst nightmares when they dream. Trying to avoid being kicked out of her current residence, Ness ends up being involved in a life-threatening conspiracy theory with Cy, a nightmare-turned vampire.

I will start off by saying that I had high expectations for this book since it was compared to Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Although I wouldn’t quite say that it achieves the genius that Taylor does, it was a fantastic story! I would certainly recommend it, especially for people who enjoy fantasy, but maybe don’t read a lot of urban fantasy.

One aspect of the novel that I appreciated was Ness’s character development. She starts off as a bit immature, and for that reason, I think this book fits in the YA category, despite her age. Ness is a coward, and she’s not afraid to admit that. Part of what I loved about her was her authenticity. Why are all our protagonists fearless, strong people? The way that Ness embraced her cowardness, but also grew as a person was realistic and added a lot of depth to her story.

Additionally, there wasn’t necessarily romance in the book, but it definitely hinted at it. I’m excited to see what Shaeffer does with the next book in this series, as I’m hoping Ness and Cy develop a romantic relationship. The way we see their friendship progress over the course of this book was fun, and added a lot of tension to the novel. I liked that Ness starts off distrusting Cy, but the two are kind of thrown together through circumstances.

Finally, perhaps my favorite part of the book was the fantastical elements. The premise behind the story, that people turn into nightmares when they dream, was intriguing, and I think the author took that to interesting and unique places.

As a whole, I will certainly be adding City of Nightmares to my collection, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Genre: Retelling Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

After being disappointed by As Old as Time by Liz Braswell, I was nervous that the author wouldn’t be able to do my second favorite Disney Princess justice either in A Whole New World, but I must admit that it was not bad! If you don’t already know, the Disney Twisted Tales series follow the characters we know and love, but incorporate an unexpected twist. In this book, the twist was that Jafar rubbed the lamp before Aladdin.

Taken as a whole, I enjoyed this book! It focuses more on an uprising and rebellion as opposed to the relationship Aladdin and Jasmine develop, but I appreciated that change. For one, I don’t think it would’ve made sense for this book to focus on their relationship, as the turn of events placed their priorities elsewhere. In fact, I would have been happy if Jasmine and Aladdin’s relationship remained completely platonic, as their love for one another felt underdeveloped in the book.

Similarly, I really enjoyed the way Braswell depicts Jasmine, particularly her efforts to connect with all of her people. In the movie, Jasmine cares about her people, but we don’t really get to see her interact with the people of Agrabah beyond one or two occasional scenes. In this book, she truly takes the time to get to know people, especially those living in poverty.

One aspect that I thought was missing from the novel was the focus on feminism. The fact that Jasmine is a girl and must marry a prince is kind of a big deal in the movie. While I understand that it is not as relevant in this book, I think the author missed out on an opportunity to deepen the themes in the book. I would have liked to see Jasmine take on feminist issues, and I think the problem of her ruling as an unmarried woman still could have been addressed in the book.

Overall, I definitely liked A Whole New World! While there are some things that were missing, Braswell clearly added a lot of depth and darkness to the original story!

Genre: Classic Rating: ⭐⭐

I mentioned in my review of Oliver Twist that classics are either a hit or a miss for me, and if Oliver Twist was a hit, Dracula by Bram Stoker was a miss. I was interested in reading the book because I wanted to see where our modern conceptions of vampires came from, and that aspect of the novel was definitely interesting.

That being said, that was just about the only part of the book that I enjoyed. The pace was mind-numbingly slow, and the plot was relatively uneventful. Stoker could have gone in so many interesting directions since he wrote it as an epistolary novel, but instead he had endless pages of droning on about unimportant details.

Similarly, I didn’t enjoy the fact that so many of Dracula’s characteristics and behaviors were not explained. Much of the novel was very ambiguous, to the point of causing boredom.

As a whole, while Dracula wasn’t quite as torturous as The Catcher in the Rye, it certainly didn’t impress me.

Genre: Classic Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Classics have always been a hit or a miss for me, but I absolutely loved Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. I actually listened to the audiobook, and I flew through it. Afterwards, I was surprised to see that it is a longer book because I was completely immersed in the novel.

I loved the themes throughout the book, particularly those of generosity and kindness. I thought the plot made sense, and didn’t seem too far-fetched, but was still filled with hardships. I also watched the 1922 movie, and found the book to be far superior, as the movie left out important details.

Similarly, Dickens’ writing made the novel truly stand out. While I can see how some readers might find it a little slow, I think the writing made up for the slower pace. On top of that, I think many slow-paced books get a bad rap, and although I usually prefer fast-paced novels, a well-written slow-paced one will always have a place on my bookshelf.

As a whole, I was very pleasantly surprised by Oliver Twist, and I’m hoping to read more by Dickens soon!

Genre: YA Contemporary, YA Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Since her mother passed away when she was a child, Andie has only ever wanted one thing: to join the same secret society her mother did in college. Thankfully, Andie is accepted into the college of her dreams as a transfer student, but everything is not as ideal as she imagined. She must learn to cope with a long distance relationship, a previously absent father trying to connect again, schoolwork that is piling up, finding a place to fit in at her new school, and the huge pressure of living up to her mother’s legacy.

I will admit that this book started out a little rough for me. Andie is a complicated main character to say the least, and I found her a little annoying towards the beginning of the novel. That being said, Andie’s character growth throughout the book ended up being my favorite part! Andie starts off as judgy, idealistic, and overly positive, to the point of being toxic. While these attributes weren’t very appealing, I think they ended up highlighting the ways in which Andie grows throughout the course of the novel.

Additionally, I enjoyed the depth of this book a lot! Andie’s grief for her mother plays a huge role in the novel, and I found that it added a lot to the story. She basically bases her entire life choices on what she thinks her mother would’ve done, and it was great to see her slowly realize that she does not have to be her mother to live up to her mother’s legacy. Similarly, I loved the way different characters connected with one another by sharing about loved ones they lost. At one point, Andie mentions that learning about things she didn’t previously know about her mother feels like discovering treasure. This, along with other sentiments she shares, were really relatable.

Furthermore, I thought the humor throughout the novel added a bit of lightheartedness to what would have otherwise been a somewhat depressing story. The characters all felt very three-dimensional and had a sense of humor unique to them.

Finally, I love a book that incorporates the title into the story in a meaningful way, and Emma Lord did this flawlessly in Begin Again. I won’t share details because it’s a feeling that is best experienced on your own while reading the book, but the way the title was tied into the story was perfect!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! If you like YA Contemporary or Romance, I highly recommend it!

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: Neurodiverse

Do you ever read a book and feel like you’ve just gone on an epic, life-changing adventure? Well, that’s how I felt about Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman!

The novel follows Seelie, a changeling who ran away from home with her twin sister, but desperately wants to find a way back. The two find themselves in a precarious situation after they steal an enchanted compass from the powerful Leira Wildfall. Unbeknownst to them, the mysterious Raze and Olani were also trying to steal the artifact. Now that Seelie’s magic accidentally caused the item to be imbedded in her hand, her and her sister are somewhat unwilling participants on the journey to find the treasure.

My favorite aspect of this novel is that Seelie is autistic, which is shown through her being a changeling. We really don’t see autistic characters enough in literature, and it was refreshing to see myself in a character. Housman mentioned that her own life likely would have been different if she had seen autistic characters in the novels she read, and she is making that happen for autistic people everywhere.

So many of Seelie’s mannerisms were relatable. As someone who was only recently diagnosed as neurodiverse, it is comforting to read about Seelie’s journey, and know that I’m not alone. That I’m not the only one who doesn’t feel comfortable opening up to strangers, who needs a while to process how I’m feeling, who can’t always verbalize what I mean, and who is sometimes okay with a hug or a pat on the back, but sometimes not.

On top of that, the way the other characters loved Seelie, not despite her autism, but because of it, gave me chills. So often we see diagnoses as something that others must get past to love someone, but in reality they can make us love someone even more. We can find joy in the ways we are different, and maybe some day, see autism as a neutral or positive attribute about someone, instead of as a diagnosis.

Additionally, the adventure in this novel was fantastic! There’s everything from faeries to shapeshifters to changelings to dragons, and the plot is robust, yet not too overwhelming. I thought the plot complemented the relationships that develop throughout the novel well, and I appreciated how the suspense built all the way to the end of the book.

Overall, there are not many books where I feel the need to message the author immediately after finishing the novel, but this was one of those rarities! I had to use all of my self-control to wait until an appropriate time to send messages, but I am very happy to report that there will be a sequel, and I will certainly be anxiously awaiting its publication!

Genre: YA Historical Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ve officially read all of Ruta Sepetys’ books now, and trust me when I say, if you haven’t read her books, you’re missing out! By no means am I a big fan of historical fiction, but Sepetys’ books are everything you could want in a novel!

Her latest book, I Must Betray You, takes place in Romania in 1989, when the country was being ruled by a communist dictator who had the Western world duped into thinking he was a good leader. The novel follows Cristian, a young man who is compelled to inform for the secret police in order to save his sick grandfather. As the book progresses, he finds out that no one is who they seem to be, and Romania is closer to a revolution than he ever imagined.

There’s not a single thing I would change about this book! It’s clear Sepetys did extensive research (as is apparent in all her books) on the time period. Some of the details were incredibly shocking, such as the fact that 1 in 10 citizens were informing for the secret police.

Additionally, Cristian was a phenomenal character! There were many instances where Cristian wonders if aspects of his life that he has come to accept are common in other countries. I thought this was very telling, and highlighted the way Romanians were isolated. Cristian’s relationships with the other characters were compelling and complex. I loved the way Sepetys portrayed this fire inside him, driving him to change things and fight for freedom.

Similarly, the themes in the novel were very strong, particularly the theme of paranoia. It was fitting that Cristian was an informant for the secret police, as that gives readers a unique perspective of being attached to the character while they engage in somewhat nefarious behavior. This truly showed how anyone could be an informant, and that it didn’t necessarily make them a bad person, just a person who wants to survive.

Finally, the emotional connection I felt with this book was unparalleled! Like Sepetys’ other novels, I Must Betray You is heartbreakingly beautiful. Before reading this one, I would have said The Fountains of Silence was my favorite book by her, but now I’m not sure that I can choose between these two! In my opinion, this book is nothing short of literary genius!

Genre: Nonfiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: A-Spec

After receiving a promotional email from Goodreads, which recommended Ace Voices by Eris Young, I knew I wanted to read it immediately! I’m always looking for more books by and about a-spec people, and I was excited to find another nonfiction book on the topic. I never imagined it would turn out to be one of my favorite nonfiction books of all-time!

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was that it doesn’t read like a textbook. Sometimes nonfiction books can feel really boring, but this book was filled with emotion and soul! I loved that the author spoke to a large group of a-spec people when writing the book, incorporating their different experiences to show a more comprehensive look into what it’s like to be a-spec.

Additionally, Young provided helpful interpretations of different terminology that is frequently used in the a-spec community. I found it very helpful to have multiple clear perspectives on these terms. While I had already heard many of them, I think this feature would appeal to people who are not very familiar with the a-spec community. Likewise, those who have had more experience with the a-spec community will likely enjoy the diverse experiences and nuances that Young references in relation to each term.

On top of that, there were discussion questions at the end of each chapter that really added to the feeling of reflectiveness and introspection. I love that Young wants readers to think, not only about what being ace means, but also about many different aspects of orientation and gender identity. The questions were simultaneously thought-provoking and easy to understand.

The thing that made this book really stand out was the emotions, from those who participated in the creation of the book, from the author themself, and from me as a reader. This made the book very powerful, and I found comfort in many of the things that were shared by other ace people. So many experiences described in the book, from having a fear of being alone forever to not feeling an urge to dive into microlabels, really resonated with me, and made me feel a deeper connection to the a-spec community.

Overall, this is a book that I will be recommending for a long time to come! I’m hoping to add a signed copy to my a-spec bookshelf soon, and I know I will feel a sense of wholesomeness and hope every time I see it on my shelf!

Genre: YA Mystery Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: Anxiety, Ace

Mystery is not my favorite genre, but I’m convinced that if Maureen Johnson wrote all the mystery books, it might be! Nine Liars is the fifth book in the Truly Devious series, and somehow it was even better than book 4, The Box in the Woods.

The novel follows Stevie and her friends to the United Kingdom, where they are supposed to be learning about history and furthering their studies. When David’s friend Izzy mentions that her aunt was connected to a murder mystery in the English countryside during the 1990s, Stevie’s interest is peaked, and her friends know it’s only a matter of time before she’s on the case.

If I’m being completely honest, the original three books in the Truly Devious series were not phenomenal reads for me. Don’t get me wrong, they were 3-star reads, which is a good book in my opinion. However, this series is one that gets increasingly better over time. When I received an ARC of The Box in the Woods, I’d figured I would try it, but wasn’t wholeheartedly invested in the series. After reading it, I was willing to read more in the series. Now, after reading Nine Liars, I need more books in this series! It completely blew me out of the water!

One thing I love about these novels is that they typically have two alternating storylines. We read a little about the mystery that happened in the past, then we read about Stevie’s life now. This pattern makes the books so compelling in my opinion. As a reader, I found myself more invested in the mystery timeline at the beginning, but the more I read the more invested I was in the present timeline as well.

Furthermore, the mystery in this novel was riveting! The suspense built well over the course of book, and I literally couldn’t stop reading. I couldn’t guess any of the big reveals, yet the series of events was also completely plausible. The cast of characters were dynamic and added a lot to the story. I sometimes feel like authors write very similar characters when they need more murder suspects, but that was not the case with Nine Liars.

Additionally, the characters that we already knew and loved were developed further. I adore the fact that Stevie is a flawed, yet relatable character. Truthfully I don’t think we see enough of this in novels, especially YA novels. We somehow expect the characters to be perfect or stereotypically morally grey, but in many ways, Stevie is just an average teenager who makes mistakes just like anyone else. Her character development throughout this novel drew my emotions into the story even more, and as always, I appreciate the authenticity of reading about a character with anxiety.

Finally, the cherry on top of the cake, there is an ace (asexual) character in this book! This is kind of funny because, at the beginning of this book, I was reading about this character and thought, “Wow, they really seem like they could be ace!” However, it had not been mentioned in the previous books, so I was happily shocked when this character comes out as ace later in the novel. I don’t want to spoil who it is, but I felt like this identity lines up with what we know about this character from the previous novels, and I was so elated to see this representation!

Overall, there is not a single thing I didn’t love about this novel! Maureen Johnson, I sincerely hope you plan on writing another book in this series because I need it yesterday!

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rep: Social Anxiety

Every time I think I’ve read the best of Tricia Levenseller, she releases another book that is even better than her last! Master of Iron is the second book in Levenseller’s Bladesmith duology, and it picks up right where the last book left off.

This book is one of those rarities that are so amazing they leave me speechless. There isn’t a single thing about this novel that I didn’t absolutely love, but my favorite aspect was the way Ziva’s social anxiety was portrayed. I have never read a book that so accurately depicts what it’s like to have social anxiety. I also loved how Ziva’s friends and family didn’t force her to change, but recognized her social anxiety as part of who she is.

Additionally, Master of Iron offers everything you could want in a fantasy novel. There is plenty of action, yet it didn’t overtake the plot. The supporting characters added so much depth to the plot as well. The romance in the novel was the perfect amount in my opinion. I adored Ziva and Kellyn!

Overall, Master of Iron was a phenomenal follow-up to Blade of Secrets! As if Tricia Levenseller didn’t already have me as a lifelong reader, she would after this wonderful duology!

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

It’s been a while since I finished a book in less than two days, so I’m so happy I finally decided to pick up Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor because I literally couldn’t put it down!

The story follows Jani and her sister, Zosa, who are enthralled by the mysterious magic of the famous Hotel Magnifique; a hotel that travels to a different place every night, and is full of magical people. When Hotel Magnifique comes to their town, Jani and Zosa will do anything to get a job at the hotel and leave their dull lives behind. When Zosa is offered a job and Jani is not, Jani is desperate to do anything so she can stay with her little sister, but she quickly learns that the hotel is not the perfect paradise she imagined.

I was absolutely immersed throughout the entirety of Hotel Magnifique! There is an element of mystery that really added a lot to the story and made the plot flow really well. On top of that, while the major events in the novel were a little predictable, I found most of the book unique. Specifically, the way Jani solves problems throughout the novel was wonderful!

Additionally, I loved Jani’s relationship with her sister. It made the tension in the novel much more urgent and I wish more fantasy books incorporated family. Likewise, Jani’s other relationships also added depth to the story. The found family trope was great, but I would have liked to see how it could have developed across more books.

Overall, I absolutely loved Hotel Magnifique, and I can’t wait to read whatever Taylor writes next!

Genre: YA Fantasy Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every now and then I read the first book in a series and I feel as though I need the next one immediately! After reading Amethyst Pledge by Leonie Rogers, I was dying to read the sequel, Dark Days, which is out now. Thankfully, Hague Publishing graciously sent me an eARC, fulfilling my urgent need to continue the series!

This is kind of a unique situation, since I won’t publish my review of Amethyst Pledge until June, with Blackberry Book Tours. So, I won’t spoil anything from book one, but I’m sure you can guess how I feel about it since I read the sequel!

Dark Days picks up a few months after the events in Amethyst Pledge, and I must say, it was just as riveting as the first book in the series. The main character, Kazari, shows a lot of growth throughout the novel. While book one subtlety emphasizes the physical trials Kazari goes through, book two deals with the emotional challenges Kazari faces. She slowly learns more about what it means to be a Hunter for the Lady, and the effects that has on her personal relationships. Similarly, she starts to come to terms with the events that took place in Amethyst Pledge.

Furthermore, the plot in Dark Days flowed really well. It really made me feel like I was going through the experiences with the characters, and Rogers’s writing kept my mind present throughout the novel. While the writing was occasionally a bit repetitive, as a whole, it was vividly descriptive and detail-oriented.

Finally, the aspect of the book I enjoyed the most was the way in which it alluded to the real world. While I felt a little conflicted about the Lady after reading book one, I appreciated the way that Kazari’s relationship with the Lady and understanding of the world evolved in Dark Days. Although I still don’t necessarily like the religious undertones, I love the way that Kazari’s belief in the Lady reflects the way we view the Truth in our world. I am excited to see what Rogers does with these ideas in book three!

Overall, I highly recommend reading Amethyst Pledge so you can immediately start Dark Days! They are such fun and surprisingly deep books! I’m so grateful to have had the chance to read an eARC of Dark Days, but now I am left urgently wanting to read the third book. Unfortunately, I think I’ll have to wait a little longer this time, but I’m sure book three will be worth the wait!