Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

Title: Fire Touched

Author: Patricia Briggs

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Mercy Thompson # 9

320 Pages, Hardcover

Publication: March 8, 2016

Source: Personal Library

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Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

MY THOUGHTS

The last Mercy book that went in-depth on the Fae was the third installment, Iron Kissed. But the Fae take center stage once again in the ninth installment, Fire Touched, when Zee is broken out of Underhill along with a human child touched by the Fae who is seeking sanctuary with Mercy and Adam from the Gray Lords.

I'm surprised to say this, but I think Fire Touched is my favorite Mercy novel in the series so far and I'm only a little more than halfway through. I loved seeing many of the key players again. We have Zee, Tad, and the entire pack, but we're also introduced to new characters such as the other Gray Lords, Baba Yaga, and Aiden, the human child.

To be frank, this far into the series, I was afraid the story would start to feel repetitive or monotonous, but that wasn't the case at all. I love that I can still enjoy the series and continue to be surprised by it. The last time I read a Mercy book, her relationship with the pack was still rocky, and in Fire Touched we still see some of that strain while also watching those relationships slowly improve.

It was cool to see Adam's pack making unprecedented changes that could affect all packs across the U.S., although I'm sure that will bring even more trouble in future books. The Fae politics were also interesting. Many of the Fae were hoping to go to war with the humans, indirectly through Adam and Mercy, so we got to see how that all played out and how it affected the Marrok.

Another thing I appreciate about this book and the series overall is seeing the evolution of Mercy and Adam's relationship. Most of the time, especially in newer books, we don't get to see the "after" in happily ever after once the lead couple finally gets together. Stories usually end too early. And even when we do get to see it, it's often poorly done, treated as unimportant, or pushed to the back burner.

That's not the case here, though. Seeing their relationship continue to grow and strengthen is so refreshing. I love how honest and open their communication is. They're mature, supportive, and always have each other's backs. It's just wonderful to see in fantasy books.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series, and I hope this is the last time we see Christy because she is nothing but bad juju and drama.

The Lesser Devil by Christoper Ruocchio

Title: The Lesser Devil
Author: Christoper Ruocchio

Genre: Scifi Fantasy

Series: The Sun Eater #1.5

Publication: February 1, 2020, 85 pages

Source: Libby 

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Crispin Marlowe grew up in his brother’s shadow, but Hadrian is gone, and his grandmother—the duchess of Delos—is dying. Answering her summons, Crispin takes off on what should be a routine flight to the ducal palace from the castle at Devil’s Rest. But he is flying into a trap. There are whispers of treachery among the duchess’s many daughters, rumors of hidden knives in the planet’s court . . . if he can even make it there. With no one coming to save him and only his sister, Sabine, and a few injured guardsmen to protect him, House Marlowe’s least famous son must make his heroic stand, and contend not only the foes arrayed against his house, but with the cultists who dwell in the mountains above his family’s ancestral home . . . .

MY THOUGHTS

I'm further along in the Sun Eater universe, but I've been wanting to return to this novella focused on Hadrian's younger brother, Crispin. It's been a while, and I sometimes forget that Hadrian has siblings. It was nice to get a glimpse into another part of Hadrian's family and see what was happening while he was out there fighting for his life and the Empire.

I'm glad I read this novella because I wouldn't have known how much Crispin cared about what Hadrian thought of him or that he actually looked up to his older brother. It was kind of sad to see how deeply he craved a familial relationship.

After an assassination attempt on him and his sister, we see Crispin step up not only to defend them both but also to protect a group of villagers who came to their aid after their crash. I enjoyed seeing this side of Crispin, especially since Hadrian's POV often made him seem like a spoiled, lazy prince. The author explored religion a bit, which I thought was interesting.

It was a nice and quick read, and a great addition to the Sun Eater series.

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Title: The Prison Healer
Author: Lynette Noni

Genre: YA Fantasy

Series: The Prison Healer # 1

Publication: April 13, 2021, 416 pages

Source: Personal Library 

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Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.

When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

MY THOUGHTS

I had The Prison Healer trilogy on my shelf for almost five years. I've been meaning to get to it for ages. Anytime I see people asking for book recommendations, this series is always mentioned. I finally made it a priority to read it.

Readers are immediately dropped into the story and introduced to our protagonist, Kiva, who works as a healer in Zalindov Prison. We witness the corruption and abuse within its walls and learn that Kiva has been there since she was eight years old, working alongside her father, the prison's former healer, before eventually inheriting the role herself. Prison life becomes more interesting when the Rebel Queen is brought to Zalindov and an elemental trial is held in honor of her capture. With a threat hanging over her head, Kiva volunteers to take the Queen's place.

First off, I thought it was strange to have a prison where children and adults reside together. And despite being her father's protégé, it wasn't believable that the adults, especially the prison warden, would allow a child to administer medical care to inmates. A major part of the book revolves around the trials, and I have to say they were some of the lamest and most boring trials I've read in fantasy. If you've read fantasy before, you've probably encountered your fair share of trials, and these simply didn't feel high-stakes. There was no real sense of urgency, and it didn't help that Kiva kept receiving help from all directions while seemingly only needing to show up and endure them.

Throughout the book, Kiva repeatedly passes secret messages to her family, and it became incredibly annoying to have the same letter repeated over and over again. It happened so frequently that it constantly pulled me out of the story. I didn't immediately put two and two together regarding Kiva's identity, but in hindsight, I probably should have, considering how much emphasis was placed on those messages. Then again, I was so often distracted by their repetition that I wasn't paying attention to the clues.

I also thought Kiva and Jaren's relationship leaned too heavily into insta-lust, especially with how often Kiva went on about how attractive he was and how jealous she became for no real reason. I didn't particularly care about or connect with any of the characters. As far as FMCs go, Kiva felt like a bit of a MarySue. The only saving grace of the book was the two, three-ish? twists at the end. They piqued my interest enough to make me want to continue the series. Although now I see Kiva as a manipulative snake. I kept wondering why she gave Jaren such a hard time for not revealing his identity, after all, he barely knew her but here she is keeping massive secrets of her own and lying to everyone around her.

Despite how aggravating I found parts of the story; it wasn't all bad. It's rare where I rate low and still want to continue...just to see what happens next and because I already own all the books.

Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth

Title: Seek the Traitor's Son
Author: Veronica Roth

Genre: Sci-fi Fantasy

Series: The Burning Empire # 1

Publication: May 12, 2023, 418 pages

Source: Libby 

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Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.

She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.

But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.

In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.

Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.

MY THOUGHTS

Seek the Traitor's Son has all the makings of a great novel. The plot was interesting, the worldbuilding was unlike anything I've ever read, and the pacing and twists were pretty good. Perhaps I went in with expectations that were too high, considering all I'd heard were rave reviews. Sadly, though, this book didn't live up to the hype for me.

The blend of dystopian, fantasy, and science fiction wasn't nearly as odd a combination as I expected. Earth is no longer inhabitable, so humanity now resides on some sort of space station or in a neighboring galaxy. Among them is an alien race that believes in the Fever, which felt almost like a religion. Once infected, a person dies and can then resurrect with powers. The people of Cedre do not believe in the Fever and have largely isolated themselves from the Talusar to avoid infection. At the center of this conflict are two women and a man, all tied to a prophecy that could either save or doom their people.

The book started off strong. I was intrigued by the so-called prophecy, and the opening scene at the Cenobium was chaos in the best possible way. I remember thinking that if this was any indication of how the rest of the book would be, then I was in for a great read. Unfortunately, things went downhill for me once it started feeling like a soap opera revolving around the three leads. What really didn't work for me were the characters. Elegy (awful name, geeze) literally meets her assigned knight for five minutes, maybe ten if we're counting the ceremony before he's captured. They then spend four entire years apart. Years. Elegy receives word that he's still alive and embarks on a deadly mission to rescue him from Rava Vidar's home. Naturally, the mission succeeds.

From there, we watch the knight struggle to reintegrate into society. Understandably, that's difficult after being a P.O.W, and the new Sword doesn't trust him. Suddenly, readers are expected to believe that Elegy and her knight are deeply in love after only a few days or weeks together? Please. This book boasts a sweeping romance, but there was absolutely none. It was insta-love in the worst way. There was no foundation, no relationship development, and nothing meaningful to build on. Just because they're part of a prophecy doesn't automatically create a believable romance. Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't fall in love with his captor, Rava. At least she was with him for four years. You know... Stockholm syndrome and all. None of it made sense to me. I never felt any real connection between Elegy and Theren. Their relationship wasn't realistic or remotely believable. I also didn't like Elegy or most of the supporting cast. Frankly, I found nearly all of them poorly developed. The only remotely interesting character was Theren, and even then, only barely.

By the time I reached the end, I had already figured out who Theren was and what his connection to the man and woman in the plant vision would be. Because of that, it was easy to predict where the story was heading. The ending felt anticlimactic. The only scene that truly engaged me was the brief flashback of Theren's time at Rava's compound. Everything else just felt... bleh. I won't be continuing with the series. Despite the book being well written and the concept being ambitious, the execution felt dull and flat. This was my first Roth novel, and it will likely be my last.

The Road of Bones by Demi Winters

Title: The Road of Bones
Author: Demi Winters

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Ashen # 1

Publication: June 27, 2023, 561 pages

Source: Libby 

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Silla Nordvig is running for her life.

The queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous quest: travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

Will Silla make it safely to Kopa? Or will she fall prey to the perils of the Road of Bones?

MY THOUGHTS

I've seen The Road of Bones recommended time and time again. The synopsis sounded interesting, but the few Viking fantasies I've read over the years have been disappointing. They often feel as though an amateur writer is trying to convince the reader that this book is Viking-inspired when, in reality, it couldn't feel further from it. That was not the case with The Road of Bones.

I enjoyed The Road of Bones much more than I expected. It was so easy to get wrapped up in the world and characters. Winters doesn't rely on generic supernatural creatures; instead, she uses or perhaps creates her own monsters to inhabit the world. The fact that I couldn't tell which was which is a good thing because it means they felt believable within the worldbuilding. The concept of galdra/galdur (people with powers) was also cool. I thought the book was well written and easy to follow. The plot, romance, and action were all balanced nicely. I never felt the story drag, and the twists toward the end were so good that they completely caught me off guard.

Silla was an unexpected surprise. From the moment readers meet her, we see a smart young woman who is kind but neither accustomed to nor fond of the violence in her world. She's definitely not a fighter. Yet she does whatever it takes to reach her destination, even sneaking into the notorious Bloodaxe Crew's wagon, a group of ruthless, mercenary-like monster hunters. I loved watching Silla's growth throughout the book. She doesn't let the world change who she is; she remains authentically herself from beginning to end. Even when things get difficult, she doesn't shy away from them and takes responsibility for her mistakes. It was refreshing to see a different take on a strong FMC.

I loved the crew so much that, after only a few chapters, it felt like I'd known these characters my whole life. Let me just say: I knew, KNEW, Jonas was an a-hole from the moment he discovered Silla hiding in the back of the wagon. If anyone ever wonders what a narcissist looks like, Jonas is the perfect example. Despite knowing that, I was still taken aback by the turn of events toward the end of the book.

I can't wait to start the next book in the series, and I already have it ready to go. Great writing, a compelling story, and memorable characters. I'm glad I read it.