Tag: fantasy
Frozen Hearts and Death Magic review
Note: I received an ARC and am leaving an honest, voluntary review. Parts of this book depict a violent, abusive situation.
This book was so much fun! Though Frozen Hearts and Death Magic is inspired by telanovelas, I didn’t find it overly dramatic. The characters, each a royal of kingdoms living in fear of a fae invasion or, in River’s case, an actual fae, were so lovely to get to know, and the intrigues were all interesting and absorbing (better still, readers are on the side of the one kingdom that suspects the bad guys). Because of the modern language and characters, this was a great book to read after Ashley Shuttleworth’s A Dark and Hollow Star.
I really enjoyed the magic system, which is hereditary and usually limited to one ability per character. Ironworkers can manipulate metal (Fel is so accomplished, he can fly; he also was born without hands and has learned to use metal ones seamlessly; he deals with ableism in a bit of fantasy representation). Leah is a necromancer grappling with fascinating dream magic. Naia is just beginning to discover her magic, and her relationship with mysterious fae River gave me the tingles from chapter one.
I would easily rate this book higher, but the writing changed in one of the storylines and there were flashbacks inserted late in the plot, interrupting all the exciting things that were happening. Combined with a lot of copy editing issues there that got distracting for me, I found myself getting a bit frustrated.
A controlling, abusive situation that another character found themselves in was an extremely stressful surprise that others may also find hard to read. (Thankfully, the characters are awesomely magical enough that it doesn’t last long and they otherwise have plenty of agency.) It was well worth reading through these parts for me because I enjoyed everything else so much.
If you are the kind of reader who minds modern language in a high fantasy setting, this may not be for you (I did find it particularly well-suited to the teenage characters, and bristled a bit when the adults slipped into it at times). All that being said, I will happily pick up book two and see what happens to these wonderful characters and their developing magic.
Overall, I thought Frozen Hearts and Death Magic was un-put-downable.
My rating:
4/5
To learn more about this author, visit dayleitao.com.
Paperbacks now available!
Are you as excited as I am? Paperbacks of Girl of Shadow and Glass and Girl of Glass and Fury are now available on Amazon! Order your copies here.
Signed copies should be available later this month, along with series and bookish merch. But more on that later!
For now…Yay!
Cheers,
CKB
8 fantasy books with delicious cliffhangers
Whether it’s a plot twist that blows a story wide open or an arc that leads to a wider plot, cliffhangers get a reaction. Whether you hate them or love the torture, cliffhangers appear in many popular books. Personally, I love them–if they’re done right.
Here’s a list of some of my favorites.
Warning: This list contains spoilers (though I’ve tried to keep them vague).
Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1), by Leigh Bardugo – They’ve done it! Or have they? Things go south real quick as book one in the Duology comes to a pretty abrupt halt. This one left me worried for my favorite characters and needing Crooked Kingdom fast.
Bride of the Shadow King, by Sylvia Mercedes – The two would-be lovers could not be more star-crossed in this brilliant romantic fantasy. Just when you think they’ll catch a break, a single chapter changes the game completely. (Find my review here.)
The Wicked King, by Holly Black – Will Jude and Cardan work things out, or will the boy king go the way of King Joffrey? After a mega plot twist, you’ll learn…that you need to read book three!
Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3), by Sarah J. Maas – Celaena Sardothien has an emotional breakthrough, and a lot goes wrong or outright fizzles. But as the plot is about to move her back to the primary setting as this lengthy book ends. Come on! (My review.)
An Enchantment of Thorns (A Court of Fairy Tales #1), by Helena Rookwood and Elm Vince – In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, there’s no relief in sight for heroine Aster and prickly fae beast Thorne. With their tale now complete at three books, at least you won’t have to shout at words like I did. (My review here.)
For the Wolf (Wilderwood #1), by Hannah Whitten – We’re far from done with Wilderwood guardian Eamon and the unlucky Red by the time For the Wolf is finished. Thankfully, the book’s sweet and swoony romance provides a /bit/ of closure. (My review.)
The Theft of Sunlight (Dauntless Path #2), by Intisar Khanani – As a country girl turned princess’s lady-in-waiting with mobility challenges, it takes time for heroine Rae to find her place. Not long after she does, a wicked plot twist pushes the plot into another book due this summer. Such delicious torture! (Find my review here.)
Skin of the Sea (Skin of the Sea #1), by Natasha Bowen – This Yoruba legends-based mermaid’s odyssey manages to end in a satisfying way, despite the greater adventure only beginning. (My review here.)
Trivia: How well do you know the Six of Crows duology characters?
Love Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology? (Of course you do! You’re here!) Test your knowledge of the unforgettable characters below!
- What kind of Grisha is Kuwei Yul-Bo?
A. Heartrender
B. Fabrikator
C. Inferni
D. Tailor2. Which of these Grisha skills does Nina have at the beginning of Six of Crows?
A. Tailor
B. Heartrender
C. Healer
D. All of the above3. Where does Pekka Rollins keep his office?
A. The Kaelish Prince
B. The Emerald Palace
C. The Black Veil
D. Sweet Reef4. Which of these characters is NOT a Grisha?
A. Zoya
B. Genya
C. Jesper
D. Colm5. Which one of these characters join a consortium of jurda traders according to Kaz’s plan?
A. Jarl Brum
B. Karl Dryden
C. Mister Crimson
D. Cornelius Smeet6. Which of these roles or disguises does Jesper NOT assume as part of a plan?
A. Zemeni delegate
B. Mister Crimson
C. Jurda farmer
D. Gambler
C. Inferni
- D. All of the above (these are all Corporalki skills)
- B. The Emerald Palace
- D. Colm (Fahey)
- B. Karl Dryden
- C. Jurda farmer
Less than 4 questions right: You’re a Six of Crows novice! Maybe it’s time for a re-read!
4 questions right: You’re familiar with the duology, but the details have gotten fuzzy!
5 questions right: You’re almost an expert!
6 questions right: Are you Leigh Bardugo? No? Just a really huge fan? My friend, you are in the right place!
So how did you do?
9 Fantastic Quotes from the Six of Crows Duology
Crooked Kingdom is my favorite of the two books in Leigh Bardugo’s brilliant Six of Crows Duology. I had so many highlights! In all fairness to Six of Crows, I’ve plucked out some of my favorites from that book to include in this list, too.
Here they are: Nine fantastic quotes from the Six of Crows Duology.
- What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to ring magic from the ordinary. – Crooked Kingdom
2. She’d laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and gotten drunk on it every night, he would have. It terrified him. – Six of Crows
3. He felt free, dangerous, like lightning rolling over the prairie. – Crooked Kingdom
4. “I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together–knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.” – Crooked Kingdom
5. I’m a business man,” he’d told her. “No more, no less.”
“You’re a thief, Kaz.”
“Isn’t that what I just said?” – Six of Crows
6. “That was how you survived when you weren’t chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.” – Crooked Kingdom
7. “Nina glanced from Inej to Kaz and saw they both wore the same expression. Nina knew that look. It came after the shipwreck, when the tide moved against you and the sky had gone dark. It was the first sight of land, the hope of shelter and even salvation that might await you on a distant shore.” – Crooked Kingdom
8. He needed to tell her…what? That she was lovely and brave and better than anything he deserved. That he was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that he couldn’t pull himself together into some semblance of a man for her. That without meaning to, he’d begun to lean on her, to look for her, to need her near. – Six of Crows
9. “Stop treating your pain like it’s something you imagined. If you see the wound is real, then you can heal it.” – Crooked Kingdom
Kaz Brekker and my Fjerdan heist level character hangover
Caution: This post contains spoilers for Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
Ever had a book hangover? How about a character hangover?
I’ve got one, and it’s because of Kaz Brekker.
Six of Crows introduces readers to the gritty underworld of Ketterdam, from scheming merchants to the gambling empires of the Barrel. As a top underling in a gang called the Dregs, Kaz Brekker is a half mythical figure–which is exactly how he designed his image. There aren’t many anti-heroes that intentional.
Throughout the Six of Crows duology, the story slowly prizes up Kaz’s carefully crafted mask. He’s only a marginally likeable character, his intellectual feats pulling off impossible victories like magic. He’s vicious, living up to his nicknames: Dirtyhands and the Bastard of the Barrel.
So why am I so weirdly obsessed with this character?
Kaz Brekker has a leg injury that leaves him with mobility issues. It’s a little odd in terms of representation because 1) it causes pain but doesn’t seem to hinder him in critical moments and 2) he actually could rid himself of it with a skilled Grisha tailor’s help. He considers it such a part of himself, though, that he doesn’t think of it when he has the chance.
There’s also something fiercely endearing about the moments he fails: when he finally reveals some of his feelings to Inej and when he passes out in the truck in Fjerda. Kaz has his painful backstory to be sure, but I don’t think that’s what makes him an unforgettable character.
It’s the way others view him that does it. From Inej’s challenge that makes him face his flaws, to the way they brighten when they spot his “scheming face.” He’s loyal to those loyal to him, the dark knight sweeping in for the rescue in a merciless city. He’s a super hero with a soft spot, clever and not at all charming, especially with a character like Jesper on the scene. Kaz even gives out second chances.
At the same time, he’s not all that complex: Kaz is totally driven by revenge and ambition. His most lovable moments come when he tries to do normal human things. For all his faults and miraculous heists, it’s this quality I love most about his character: the boy who knows he isn’t ordinary, but for others’ sake, makes the attempt anyway.
And that’s why I won’t forget Kaz Brekker anytime soon.
Want more Six of Crows-themed posts?
Trivia: Do you know Kaz Brekker?
Protected: The Fishermen’s Princess Chapter Fourteen
Protected: The Fishermen’s Princess Chapter Thirteen
10 books to read after Six of Crows
Wish you had more Six of Crows? I’ve compiled a list of books to fill that Kaz-shaped hole in your heart after finishing Crooked Kingdom.
When I think of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology, the words gritty, dark, clever and underworld come to mind. If you’re searching for another read full of nimble thieves and/or intrigue, read on!
The Book of Night, by Holly Black – Expert thief Charlie is trying to go straight, but when her shadow-filled version of Eastern Massachussetts is upended by strange murders, the underworld comes for Charlie. This wonderfully gritty story of shadow magic and unexpected love is a riveting urban fantasy.
A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwabb – One of two perspectives in this portal fantasy belongs to thief and pirate wannabe Lila; the other to a dimension-walking honorary royal who smuggles for the thrill of it.
The Theft of Sunlight, by Intisar Khanani – Country girl Rae must work with (and against) thieving rings in the capital in order to find abducted children from throughout Menaiya, including the sister of her closest friend. (You can find my full review here on the blog.)
The Prince and the Poisoner, by Helena Rookwood – A sassy young thief and carnival potionmaker must slip poison to a princess, or else be sent back to the abusive troupe she’s fled from. (Find my review of this indie fantasy here.)
Night Angel (Night Angel Trilogy), by Brent Weeks – If you loved the gritty underworld of the Barrel, you’ll want to meet Kylar and the slew of villains he can’t quite escape.
Half a King, by Joe Abercrombie – A prince becomes a slave who must claw his way back to his kingdom and throne after a betrayal. Fans of Six of Crows will appreciate the intrigue.
Tapestry of Night, by Elm Vince – Cassia is a late bloomer magically, and the perfect person to play government spy and help free rebels before they’re moved to a new prison. (Read my review here.)
The City of Brass, by S.A. Chakraborty – Nahri is a thief and hustler in Cairo–until the day an ifrit chases her and a djinn comes to her defense. As It turns out, the djinni city of Daevabad has enough intrigue going on to keep even Kaz Brekker on his toes. (My review here.)
The Assassin Bride (currently on Kindle Vella), by Anastasis Blythe – An assassin is plucked from her foxhole and dropped into a deadly competition to be Queen–one she can’t escape without surviving each of the dangerous and clever challenges.
A Dark and Hollow Star, by Ashley Shuttleworth – This contemporary fantasy set mostly in a fae-filled Toronto has all the wit of Six of Crows, plus a crime to solve and a heist-like mission to find the culprit. A Dark and Hollow Star is also full of LGBTQ+ rep, fun nerd culture references and an unforgettable fallen Fury.
