A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #4)  by Sarah J. Maas, 757 p.

"Nesta Archeron has always been prickly – proud, swift to anger and slow to forgive. And since the war – since being made High Fae against her will – she's struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court.

The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta's every turn. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. And when they are forced to train in battle together, sparks become flame.

As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must fight monsters from within and without if they are to stand a chance of halting the enemies of their court. But the ultimate risk will be searching for acceptance – and healing – in each other's arms."--Goodreads blurb 

As this was a re-read, here is my original review - "Well Maas knew what she was doing when she set everybody up to hate Nesta. Write a whole book about her and get people to feel sorry for her and feel guilty into liking her. Well it generally worked. Nesta makes a lot of decisions in this book that are frustrating, but her character development, romantic relationship and friendship developments are great in this book. I really enjoyed it." After this re-read, I feel like I like Nesta even more, and I feel like there's a love triangle brewing for Elaine.  

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

 

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas, 705 p.

"FEYRE WILL BRING VENGEANCE.

She has left the Night Court - and her High Lord - and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin is making deals with the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees, and Feyre is determined to uncover his plans. But to do so she must weave a web of lies, and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.As mighty armies grapple for power, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords - and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

BUT WHILE WAR RAGES, IT IS HER HEART THAT WILL FACE THE GREATEST BATTLE." --Amazon blurb

This was a re-read for me, and I never mind catching up with Maas series. I feel like my my previous review stukk stands  - "I feel like this has been the best book for character development, though I felt there was quite a bit of filler in this book. Nesta is really, really hard to like, and Elaine grated on me a bit, too. How can she be so innocent with sisters like hers?" After this re-read, I feel like I like Nesta a lot more, and I feel like there's a love triangle brewing for Elaine. 

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

The Ex Hex (The Ex Hex #1) by Erin Sterling, 308 pages

"Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all. 

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late." --Goodreads blurb

The synopsis of this story sounded great, but just didn't end up being a good read for me. I think some of it had to do with the audiobook narrator, but a lot of it had to do with the writing and stuttering plot as well. 

Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long

 

Dark Water Daughter (The Winter Sea #1) by H.M. Long, 457 p.

"A stormsinger and pirate hunter join forces against a deathless pirate lord in this swashbuckling Jacobean adventure on the high-seas. Launching the Winter Sea series, full of magic, betrayal, redemption and fearsome women, for readers of Adrienne Young, R. J. Barker and Naomi Novik.

Mary Firth is a Stormsinger: a woman whose voice can still hurricanes and shatter armadas. Faced with servitude to pirate lord Silvanus Lirr, Mary offers her skills to his arch-rival in exchange for protection - and, more importantly, his help sending Lirr to a watery grave. But her new ally has a vendetta of his own, and Mary's dreams are dark and full of ghistings, spectral creatures who inhabit the ancient forests of her homeland and the figureheads of ships. 

Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer serving aboard The Hart, an infamous privateer commissioned to bring Lirr to justice. He will stop at nothing to capture Lirr, restore his good name and reclaim the only thing that stands between himself and madness: a talisman stolen by Mary. Finally, driven into the eternal ice at the limits of their world, Mary and Samuel must choose their loyalties and battle forces older and more powerful than the pirates who would make them slaves."--Goodreads blurb

I really liked the fresh story with engrossing world building and not just magic, but storm magic! Great action, storyline, and likeable characters. I am looking forward to more in this series!

The Curse of Saints by Kate Dramis

The Curse of Saints (The Curse of Saints #1) by Kate Dramis, 480 p.

"As an elite spy and the Queen's Third-in-Command, Aya has dedicated herself to a life of discipline and duty, using her gods-given abilities to keep dark magic from ever returning to the realm. Her oath ensures she will always act to protect those she fights alongside—including Will, the Queen's Enforcer and Aya's bitter rival.

Forced by circumstance to work together, Aya and Will struggle to come to an uneasy truce. But when tragedy strikes, Aya instinctively reacts, unleashing a power that hasn't been seen in over 500 years. Shaken, she's confronted with an impossible truth: one that threatens the precious grip she keeps on her control. One that forces her to work with Will to discover who—or what—she really is. And one that could turn her into a weapon in a war she doesn't know how to win." --Goodreads

I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was...fine. I would have liked to see even more character and world development, though some might say that it was well-developed. I didn't mind the trope-heavy storyline, really. It had some of my favorites: chosen one, enemy to lovers, secret powers. But Aya, despite having moved up in the ranks because of her different prowess, makes bad decision after bad decision, can't get herself out of sticky situations, and generally doesn't prove to me that she deserves the rank. The miscommunication trope is one of my least-favorite, but whatever trope this is, the "I'm a powerful woman but the man still has to come save me every time" is worse. 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

 

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros

"Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret. Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die."--Goodreads

This seemed to be the "it book" of the summer, and it was right up my ally, so I dove right in. I feel like it deserved the hype. It was well-written, with great world building and a great female lead. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand

A Crown of Ivy and Glass (The Middlemist Trilogy #1) by Claire Legrand, 560 p.

"Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She's young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.

Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong. Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d'Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She'll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families' blood feud—slay the demon, end the feud. But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last."--Amazon

While this took me a while to get through, and sometimes I felt like I needed to make myself listen, I nonetheless really enjoyed this book. I've read Legrand before and was eager to try another. The story was exciting and engrossing most of the time, though I found some of the dialogue a bit "corny." I especially enjoyed the character development in regards to the sisters and father. This will be a strong series, I believe, and I will pick up the next one when it's released!

 

Ledge by Stacey McEwan

Ledge (The Glacian Trilogy #1) by Stacey McEwan, 271 p.

CW:  gratuitous violence & death; death of a minor; suicide; attempted sexual assault

"After being randomly selected as a human sacrifice, instead of death, Dawsyn finds herself on a quest to save her people from their icy prison...

In a place known as the Ledge, a civilization is trapped by a vast chasm and sheer mountain face. There is no way for anyone to escape the frozen wasteland without befalling a deathly drop. They know nothing of the outside world except that it is where the Glacians reside – mystical and vicious winged creatures who bring meagre rations in exchange for a periodic human sacrifice.

Dawsyn, ax wielder and only remaining member of her family, has so far avoided the annual culling, but her luck has run out. She is chosen and ripped from her icy home, the only world she knows. No one knows what will happen to her on the other side, least of all Dawsyn. Murdered? Enslaved? Worse?

Fortunately, a half-Glacian called Ryon offers to help them both escape, but how can she trust one of the very creatures that plagued her life? Dawsyn is a survivor, and she is not afraid to cut anyone down to live.

With a slow-burning romance, high stakes and even higher rewards, this richly created new fantasy series by popular TikToker Stacey McEwan will keep you gripped to the very end."--Goodreads blurb

I found this hilariouis author through TikTok ("Booktok") and while she is very funny, this book is not a comedy at all.  This is a very original world with pretty good worldbuilding and interesting characters. While there were some plot holes, I was definitely kept intrigued throughout the book. Enemies to lovers story to a tee! I will read McEwan again for sure!

Legends & Lattes by Travis Badree

Legends & Lattes by Travis Badree, 318 p.

"High Fantasy with a double-shot of self-reinvention...

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.

However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth."--Goodreads blurb

This was just a fun, lovely book. This genre, "cozy fantasy" is kind of new for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun characters, fun storyline, and a great read. I just wish it had been longer!