Rule of Wolves review (NO SPOILERS) (In anticipation of Shadow and Bone on Netflix)

A non spoiler (kind of) review of Rule Of Wolves:

Ahhhh the end of yet another Grishaverse book. I had to read it before Shadow and Bone because I don’t want some new additions from the show getting mixed up with the original story in my head. Now that I’ve read this book, I can’t wait for the show.

This book in one word : CRAZY. I’m not even sure if I love it or hate it.

A very short recap of King of Scars: Darkling is back in Yuri’s body. Isaac is dead. Nikolai has made peace with his demon to an extent. Nikolai is going to marry Ehri. Mayu Kir-Kaat is recovering in Raavka. Zoya has the power of Juris.

The book picks up right where we left off in the King of Scars. The book starts off with Queen Makhi receiving the wedding invitation from Nikolai. She is left wondering what went wrong and why her sister, Ehri and Nikolai are still alive.

This book mainly has 3 different plots happening parallelly.

1. Nikolai and Zoya trying to save Raavka from Fjerda’s attacks. They manage to save themselves the first time because of Nina’s warning. Fjerda is not going to stop. As the blurb says, ”  As Fjerda’s massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm – and even the monster within – to win this fight.

2. Nina and Hanne are trying to convince people of Fjerda that Grisha are not evil. They are staging different miracles and Saints are becoming popular. In the middle of this, they get a new mission from Raavka. Find out everything about the Lantsov pretender in Fjerda.

3. Tavgharad, the khergud program, Mayu and everything that happens with Queen makhi and her kingdom. (They’re all spoilers so I don’t want to mention exaclty what.)



Coming to my thoughts, I’m really not sure what I feel. I really liked all the politics in three different (four if you include Ketterdam) kingdoms in this one. It was very intriguing and I would definitely be up for a Grishaverse book with just politics of all the kingdoms in the universe.

I lived for all the Zoya and Nikolai scenes. Man the slow burn is totally worth it. 100% worth it! Nikolai is obsessed with Zoya’s ribbon and when he finally takes it off. That was EVERYTHING.

“Nikolai cut her a glance. She’d tied back her black hair with a dark blue ribbon. It was eminently practical, but it had the unfortunate effect of making him want to untie it.”

I didn’t really care about the death that happens in this book. It felt mostly pointless and served no purpose at all. It was also predictable because of the extra attention the character got in the beginning. If you read, you’ll know.

Also, why is Genya and David sidelined again??? They were sidelined enough by Alina in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. They could have had more significance in this one atleast. They were there ofcourse but made no real addition to the story.

This book had Darkling’s POV. That was very very intriguing. He goes by Aleksander in this book btw. I would have loved more of it but it really didn’t add much to the main plot and felt as an unnecessary POV. Darkling’s fans will absolutely love his arc tho.

“Aleksander couldn’t help but think of the first army he’d built. Yevgeni Lantsov had been king then, and he’d been at war with the Shu for the entirety of his reign. He couldn’t hold the southern border and his forces were stretched to their very limit. Aleksander had gone by a different name then. Leonid. The first Darkling to offer his gifts in service to the king. “

I’m not sure how I feel about Nina and Hanne’s relationship. It went from 0 to 100 real soon. I do like them together but the ending of their story was disappointing. It just did not feel like Nina. The Nina we know wouldn’t just be someone else. I did like Hanne’s arc. She finds herself and what she really wants to be. I don’t really understand why she helps Raavka though. I understand her wanting to help Grisha and their cause but she is now straight up a Raavkan spy. She is Brum’s daughter. How does that happen so easily???

My favourite Nina quote:
“She could almost hear Kaz laughing at her. Shut up, Brekker. Talk to me when you’ve done something about that terrible haircut. Maybe he had by now. She hoped so for Inej’s sake.”

Leigh Bardugo really went hard on the fact that this is the last book in the Grishaverse. (I hope not). You get all the cameos in this – ALL. I was so so so happy about some and some felt forced.

** SPOILER **

A heist by Kaz and Nikolai together felt like everything when it started but it was slightly underwhelming. I understand that it was just a part of the larger story but it could have been more. Their negotiations tho was EVERYTHING. Jasper and Wylan were everything I imagined.

“A word of advice, from one bastard to another: Sometimes it’s best to let the demon have its day.”
The cable dropped and Kaz Brekker was gone.


** SPOILER OVER **

I stand for Zoya supremacy. Her story was more than just satisfactory. That ending was worth reading all of the Grisha books. I loved it but I didn’t like the conflict with Juris. It felt very similar to Nikolai’s demon arc. Speaking of Nikolai, he fought so hard and so long for the crown but is that what he really wanted? As always I thoroughly enjoyed reading Nikolai. He did get the story he deserved in this book. Thank god for that. He was sidelined in his own book in King of Scars.

Though all the plotlines came together in the end, it just felt like one too many characters and stories too keep track. It made sense in Six of Crows because in the end they were all part of the same linear story of the heist but with stories of their own. It was still okay in King of Scars – it had Nikolia and Zoya on one hand and Nina on the other.

Do you see how many things are happening in this? There are tons of POVs. When I was almost at the end of the book, I was really worried that there is no way that all threads can be tied in with satisfactory endings and character arcs. Leigh managed to do it. That alone is amazing. As always, her writing, especially character depth was *chef’s kiss*. (except our waffle queen Nina this time. It’s not fair. 😒)

Leigh just set up for Six of Crows 3 with the ending. That was awesome. I’m all for it!!!!! SOC 3 is what we need to deal with 2021. Leigh Bardugo, I will literally do anything, please give us SOC 3!!!!!


Did you read Rule of Wolves? What did you think about it? How would you rate it?
I would say, I’m not sure but I read it in 2 days because I just couldn’t stop. It is VERY fast paced especially compared to King of Scars.

My conclusion is if you have read all the Grisha books, this is something you don’t want to miss!

In other news, I CAN NOT WAIT for the Shadow and Bone on Netflix. It looks SO SO good. I am so excited for a prequel of SOC where they interact with Alina. April 23 can’t come soon enough!

What did you think about the trailer? I’m very curious if people like the changes to the original story.

Best Reads of 2020

1. Six Of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo

This year I finally picked up this book and absolutely loved it. I feel bad that I didn’t pick it up sooner.

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/10/26/finally-reading-six-of-crows/

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/11/08/omgg-kaz-and-inej-and-matthias-%f0%9f%98%ad-crooked-kingdom-review/

2. If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon

3. Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/07/28/radio-silece-so-fuking-relatable/

4. Villains series by V.E Schwab

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/12/04/villains-series-by-v-e-schwab-a-masterful-tale-of-ambition-jealousy-desire-and-superpowers/

5. Serpent and Dove

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/10/01/serpent-dove-big-titty-liddy/

Unfortunately, the sequel made it into my worst reads of 2020 list.

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/10/09/what-the-fuk-even-happened-in-blood-honey-serpent-dove-2/

This is my list of top 5 reads that I read this year. Which was yours? Are you excited for 2021?

ಆತ್ಮಬಂಧನ – ಸಂಜಯ್ ರಾಜರಾವ್

ಗದ್ಯವು ಅಲ್ಲದ ಪದ್ಯವು ಅಲ್ಲದ ಒಂದು ಹೊಸ ಪ್ರಯೋಗವೇ “ಆತ್ಮಬಂಧನ”. ಲೇಖಕರೇ ಹೇಳುವಂತೆ ಇದು ಕಿರು-ಕಾವ್ಯ-ಕಾದಂಬರಿ. ಪ್ರಯೋಗಾತ್ಮಕವಾದ ಶೈಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಂಡು ಮುಂದೆ ಸಾಗುತ್ತಾ ಓದುಗರಲ್ಲಿ ಕುತೂಹಲವನ್ನು ಕೊನೆಯವರೆಗೂ ಹಿಡಿದಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳ ಬಹುದಾದರು ಇನ್ನು ಶಕ್ತಿಯುತವಾಗಿ ಹಾಗೂ ನಾಟಕೀಯವಾಗಿ ವಿಸ್ತರಿಸಬಹುದಿತ್ತು. ಇದು ಲೇಖಕರ ಮೊದಲನೆಯ ಕಿರುಕಾದಂಬರಿಯಾಗಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಮುಂದಿನ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಶೀಲತೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಸಾಧಿಸಬಹುದೆಂದು ನಂಬಿದ್ದೇನೆ.

ಇಂದ್ರಜ, ಇಂದ್ರ, ಯಮಾಧರ್ಮರಾಯನಂತಹ ಪೌರಾಣಿಕ ಪಾತ್ರಗಳಿಂದ ಓದುಗರಿಗೆ ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾ ಹೋಗುವ ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಮೊದಲಿಗೆ ಇದು ನಮಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಥೆಯೆಂದೆನಿಸತೊಡಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಪೌರಾಣಿಕ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಇರಬಹುದೆಂಬ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಯನ್ನೆತ್ತುತ್ತದೆ. ಮನುಜ ಲೋಕದ ಪಾತ್ರಗಳ ಪ್ರವೇಶದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಪೌರಾಣಿಕವಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಅರಿವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ‘ಕೂಗುಮಾರಿ’ ಪರಿಕಲ್ಪನೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಕಥೆ ‘ನಾಳೆ ಬಾ’ ಎನ್ನುವ ವಾಕ್ಯದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕೆಲವು ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಪ್ರಚಲಿತವಾಗಿದ್ದ ಸಂಗತಿಯನ್ನು ನೆನಪಿಗೆ ತರುತ್ತದೆ. ಅದರ ಸುತ್ತ ಹೆಣೆಯಲಾದ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಹೇಳುವಾಗ ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಇಂದ್ರಜಾಳ ಸಂಸಾರ, ಮಂದಾಕಿನಿಯ ಕಥೆ, ಭದ್ರನ ಕಥೆ, ದೇವಲೋಕದ ಕಥೆ ಇವುಗಳ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಗೊಂಡಲವನ್ನುಂಟುಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಯಾರ ಕಥೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ, ಈ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯದಲ್ಲಿ ವೇನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಎಂದು ಒಂದು ಕ್ಷಣ ಯೋಚಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ.

ಮೊದಲೇ ಕಿರುಕಾದಂಬರಿಯಾಗಿರುವ ಇದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ, ಪರಿಚ್ಛೇದಗಳ ಬಳಕೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಗೊಂದಲವನ್ನುಂಟು ಮಾಡುವುದಾದರೂ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ಓದಿದಾಗ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ಒಂದೇ ಕಥೆಯ ಭಾಗವೆಂದು ಅರಿವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಲೇಖಕರು ಎಲ್ಲದರಲ್ಲೂ ಹೊಸತನವನ್ನು ಹೇಳಲು ಹೊರಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮುಂದಿನ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಯೋಗಶೀಲತೆಯು ನೈಜವಾಗಿದ್ದು ಹೇಳುವ ಕಥೆಯನ್ನು ಗೊಂದಲಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಅಭಿವ್ಯಕ್ತಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಯನ್ನು ಗಳಿಸಲಿ ಎಂದು ಹಾರೈಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

Ferryman by Claire McFall – great premise, bad execution

The blurb of the book Ferryman by Claire McFall is very intriguing and interesting. I was so excited to read it. Unfortunately, the book is weirdly preachy and unnecessarily long.

Blurb:

Dylan has escaped a horrific train crash unscathed.

Except she hasn’t.

The bleak landscape around her isn’t Scotland. It’s a wasteland haunted by wraiths searching for human souls.

And the stranger waiting for her isn’t an ordinary boy. Tristan is a Ferryman, tasked with transporting her soul safely to the afterlife, a journey he’s made a thousand times before.

Except this time, something’s different.

Torn between love and destiny, Dylan realises she can’t let Tristan go, nor can she stay with him. Eventually, inevitably, the wraiths would capture her soul and she would be lost forever.

Can true love overcome the boundaries of death?

Review:

Good things first : the concept of love after death, imagination of the world between life and death and a beautiful book cover.

The book has so much unnecessary details and the writing felt dry. It takes so much time for Dylan to finally board that trian. The author was trying to paint a mental picture of her situation but it didn’t feel adequate. It is evident that this is a debut.

There are some weirdy Christian preachy things throughout the book. Tristan actually tells “pure souls = virgins” at one point. God!

In the beginning, Dylan is bullied because her bra is visible. I really don’t think any girl would laugh at another girl for that. Girls usually help others. I don’t know, it felt way too exaggerated. The writing of teenagers also felt weird.

The story also becomes repetitive easily. They are traveling and something happens and they manage to escape easily. Happens over and over agian.

I have to say that the premise of the book is very very interesting. Love after death is very intriguing for us all. It is the only reason I’ll continue reading this series.

Dylan was the Mary Sue protagonist. I really enjoyed the character of Tristan and can’t wait to learn more about his long life.

This is soon going to be a film. I am so excited to see how the world between life and death will be depicted on screen.

The ending of the book was good.

In conclusion, this book was okayish and I am looking forward to read the next book.

Thanks to Pirate Books for this copy.

Qotd: Which is your latest fantasy read?

Villains series by V E Schwab: A masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, desire, and superpowers.

V E Schwab is my new favorite author. I loved A darker shade of magic series and decided to read the Villains series. It is so good. Oh also she is coming up with a third book in this series!!! I’m so excited.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In Villains, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.

Vicious (Villains #1)

Blurb:

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Review:

I love stories with multiple timelines and point of views. The story kicks off with Victor and switches between present and past (college days). Sydney is definitely my favorite character.

Victor and Eli are both genius lonely bestfriends until a science experiment goes horribly wrong. Anyone who goes through a traumatic near death experience will develop a superpower based on their last thoughts. These people are called ExtraOrdinary or EO.

Victor and Eli are both EOs. But they believe in different things. They both think they are justice and out to get each otherm Eli thinks all Eos are wrong and shouldn’t exist. He goes on to track and kill EOs. Victor believes EOs are human too.

The writing of VE Schwab is beautiful as always. Every line is quotable. I actually don’t know how else to review the series.

The build up to the end is totally worth. I am really curious how all the characters will come back together for the next book. I just wished Sydney realized what a horrible person her sister Sydney was.

Vengeful (Villains #2)

Blurb:

Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there’s Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn’t know about his most recent act of vengeance.

Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.

Review:

If this is a trilogy and not a duology, I’m so excited. I don’t know how all the characters can be brought back together again.

Again, the ending was worth the build up.

This book was amazing because

1. We finally got Eli Ever’s back story. It was depressing but we now know how Eli became Eli.

2. We get new characters who have more pride than both Victor and Eli.

3. June is my new favorite character. I badly want her back story in the sequel. Please Victoria Please.

I don’t know how else to convince you to read this series if the blurb doesn’t.

If you love revenge stories, you will love this. The clash between two egotistical geniuses is the story of this series. Doesn’t it sound familiar to Light and L from Deathnote?

If you love Deathnote, you will definitely enjoy this.

Have you read this series? If you have whose team are you on? Team Victor or Team Eli?

V E Schwab is an author I discovered this year and I’ve already read most of her books.

Who is your favorite author that you dislike this year?

November Wrap up (Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was an average read)

Time is passing : not leaden stepping
But sprinting on winged feet,
Quick silver slipping by.

I can’t believe November went by so fast. 2020 is coming to an end soon. Omg!

I read only 5 books in November put of which 2 were review copies and 1 audiobook. It was a bad reading month. I hope to read better in December.

1. Vengeful (Villains Series 2)

I love VE Schwab and all her books. I loved loved this series.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The sequel to VICIOUS, V.E. Schwab’s first adult novel.

Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there’s Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn’t know about his most recent act of vengeance.

Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.

Expect a review of the series soon.

2. A Dark Queen Rises

🌟🌟🌟

Returning to Ashok K. Banker’s brilliant #OwnVoices, epic fantasy world of the Burnt Empire, first introduced in Upon a Burning Throne, A Dark Queen Rises features Krushita and Karni, two women on quests to protect the innocent and bring down tyrants.

Checkout my review

https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2020/11/17/a-dark-queen-rises-retelling-of-the-great-epic-mahabharata/

3. Ferryman

All I’m saying is that a rant review is coming soon.

🌟🌟

Dylan has escaped a horrific train crash unscathed.

Except she hasn’t.

The bleak landscape around her isn’t Scotland. It’s a wasteland haunted by wraiths searching for human souls.

And the stranger waiting for her isn’t an ordinary boy. Tristan is a Ferryman, tasked with transporting her soul safely to the afterlife, a journey he’s made a thousand times before.

Except this time, something’s different.

Torn between love and destiny, Dylan realises she can’t let Tristan go, nor can she stay with him. Eventually, inevitably, the wraiths would capture her soul and she would be lost forever.

Can true love overcome the boundaries of death?

4. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

This was my most anticipated reads for this month. It turned out to be an average read.

🌟🌟🌟.5

I really enjoyed the concept but the book was very slow. Way too slow for my taste.

Addie LaRue trades her life for immortality. The catch is no one will remember her. The story just became too repetitive too soon.

It takes so much time for the plot to start. Omg so so slow. The writing is very quotable though.

The ending was amazinggg.

Unfortunately, it was just an average read on the whole.

5. To Kill a Kingdom

This book was amazing. One of the best reads of the year.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

The audiobook made it so much better. It was amazing. It’s so hard to review a good book. If you are looking for enemies to lovers, you have to pick up this book up!

How many books did you read in November? Which was your favorite?

Making It Big – The Inspiring Story of Nepal’s First Billionare in his own words

The man behind the immensely popular Wai Wai noodles (Wai Wai has sold more than a billion packets in India alone), Binod Chaudhary is one of Asia’s most prominent businessmen. President of the Chaudhary Group which deals in banking, insurane, finance and housing, he has invested in hotels and real estate and collaborates among others with India’s Taj Group. IN 2013, he became the first Nepali entrepreneur to be listed as a dollar billionaire by Forbes.

Mr Chaudhary’s story offers lessons on turning dreams into reality, and is a must-read for all upcoming entrepreneurs. His passion for growing his business, in the face of stiff challenges, is legendary. This memoir, already a massive bestseller in Nepal, tells Binod Chaudhary’s inspiring success story in his own words.

“Business is the most important thing to a businessman. I did what the regime politics of that hour compelled me to do. Everybody dominated me when I wanted to mind my own business. My investments and my determination came to naught. I became slightly shrewd for survival’s sake. They tried to do politics. We, as entrepreneurs, have to do this to survive in the ruthless realm of politics. “

– Binod Chaudhary, Making It Big

I rarely read non fiction especially autobiographies. This was a really inspiring read. The book covers the entire story of Binod Chaudhary in his own words.

The book provided a great insigt into the culture of Nepal. I badly want to visit Nepal one day. It was also interesting to learn about the wealthy of Nepal.

The politics of Nepal did get boring. I just didn’t know much about the politics or parties to enjoy it. Overall, the book could have been shorter. There were many things that seemed unnecessary. It is a 411 page and it could have been maybe 300 pages. The pictures in the book were definitely an added bonus.

Regardless, I enjoyed reading the book.

“A person feels moat dejected when, after a long journey, he falls flat on his face only a few steps short of his destination. I was like a student who could not pass an exam despite studying for an entire year. “

– Binod Chaudhary, Making It Big

I want to succeed as an entrepreneur one day and this book opened my eyes to many things. If you are looking to be a entrepreneur, look at this success story.

If you enjoy autobiographies, this is definitely for you.

Thanks to the author for the review copy.

Which was your latest inspiring read?

A dark queen rises – Retelling of the great epic – Mahabharata

Returning to Ashok K. Banker’s brilliant #OwnVoices, epic fantasy world of the Burnt Empire, first introduced in Upon a Burning Throne, A Dark Queen Rises features Krushita and Karni, two women on quests to protect the innocent and bring down tyrants.

A dark queen rises is the third part in the series, The Burnt Empire Saga, after Upon a buring throne Part I and Part II.

Blurb:

Queen Aqreen of Aquila leaves her husband Jarsun and flees across the Red Desert. She is determined to keep her daughter from being used by Jarsun to stake his claim to the Burning Throne of Hastinaga, seat of the all-powerful Burnt Empire. But Jarsun is powerful and vengeful, and can summon legions of demoniac forces at will. The Red Desert is vast, and the journey epic.
 
Aqreen and Krushita’s caravan of ten thousand wagons will take several years to reach the only safe harbor, the queendom of Reygar. Jarsun’s pursuit is relentless and his vengeance terrible, but hope shines from the growing powers of little Krushita herself, along with the four-armed twin-bodied Vanjhani wagon train leader and their band of valiant desert militia. Fierce battles are in store.
 
There are other players in this great game of demigods and mortals, each pursuing their own agendas. The powerful seer-mage Vessa seeks to join Krushita’s talents with that of Drishya, an avatar destined to confront and kill Tyrak, Jarsun’s diabolical son-in-law. Ladislew the assassin aligns with Tyrak for her own reasons. All paths culminate in a feverish finale on the hot sands of Reygar, as father, mother, and daughter confront each other in one final showdown.

Review:

I greatly enjoyed reading the first two books and I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately, this was a bit of dissappointment.

Checkout the review of the first one here. https://ahthebookfeels.home.blog/2019/07/09/a-tale-as-old-as-time/

I’m very intrigued by Mahabharata and love reading different versions and new takes on it. The first two books were fact paced thriller retelling of the Mahabharata. This book just felt too drawn out. It is a 632 page book and took me a lot of time to read it.

In this book, we finally get to the birth of Krishna and Draupadi. I enjoyed those parts but the bit with Aqrueen and Krushita felt too drawn out with unnecessary information and same things repeated again and again. I struggled to get through the middle of the book. It definitely got interesting in the end. Even parts with Vasurava got repetitive repetitive really soon in the first half of the book. Tyrak (or Kamsa) was my favorite character to read in the book.

I won’t talk more about the plot so I can keep this a spoiler free review.

I had hoped to read more about all the characters we were intoduced to in the previous books. Their stories ended on cliff hangers. It’s also difficult to remember so many names, backstories and all the details.

I’m really curious where this story goes and looking forward to read the next book in the series. Hopefully, it will have a memory refresher. I do know that Mahabharata is a vast story with so many substories but the timeline in this feels very confusing.

As always, the writing of Ashok K Banker is very crisp and interesting. I did have to google some words. This book might have been a 4 star read for me if it was shorter and more to the point to the story. It could also have been cut into two parts like the last one.

If you are looking for an interesting retelling of Mahabharata in a whole new fantasy setting, The Burnt Empire Saga is for you.

🌟🌟🌟

Which is your favorite retelling?

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the copy.

A conversation with the author of ‘Escape and Fly’

A conversation with the author of the book ‘Escape and Fly’, Bhaishali Deb.

Checkout her debut poetry book, ‘Escape and Fly’ here.

1. What inspired you to write? Have you always wanted to be a poet?

I believe that inspiration comes from within. You can look upto someone, you can make someone your role model, but, the wave to write is something which others can’t embed in you. If you have the right words, magic happens from within. And the right words I guess, is the inspiration. I’ve always wanted to be a poet, since I finished my school and that wish of mine got fulfilled in 2020. ‘Escape and Fly’ is my debut poetry book.

2. What poems or poets have most influenced you?

‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth’
This poem ‘The Road not Taken’ by Robert Frost is my long time favourite and it really have influenced me a lot.

3. Can you share with us one poem that is special to you in some way from the book and why is it special?

All the poems I’ve written in my book ‘Escape and Fly’ hold a special spot in my heart. But if I am asked to mention one among all of them, I’ll go for the poem ‘CHILDHOOD’ which I’ve written dedicating to the lost days of childhood.
‘Around the fragrant turn of the road
I found my childhood smiling
Riding on a cycle in a misty morning
How bright the golden days glowed
And the little joys echoed!’

4. If you could go back in time and change something about your book, what would you change?

I would perhaps add some more poems to it. 😀

5. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Keep on writing even if you make mistakes. Because it is from those little mistakes we learn.

6. What was the best and the worst part of your publishing journey?
Tell us something about your journey with BecomeShakespeare.com. How have you enjoyed your publishing experience so far?

Best part is I think, getting the glimpse of the published book and holding it in your hand. The feeling of getting to see your published book is priceless.

And I am glad I don’t have any worst experience in this publishing journey.

The journey with BecomeShakespeare.com have been really amazing. I’ve enjoyed the
whole publishing process with them. They kept me updated with each and every little thing about the project and it’s truly praiseworthy.

7. Writing can be exhausting and stressful. Any tips for aspiring writers?

Writing can be exhausting and stressful only if you don’t enjoy it. If you enjoy writing, I am sure you can you will progress more. So, enjoy it, and keep writing.

8. What does literary success look like to you?

Getting good reviews is how I judge literary success, also, self- satisfaction and contentment are other two parameters for it.
Although, literary success may be viewed differently by different people but this is how I feel, how I think literary success is.

9. Are you working on anything at present that you would like to share with your readers about?

Currently I am working on a Novel, which I have recently started. And I would be glad to share with you all about it once it is done.

10. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

I actually wrote this book ‘Escape and Fly’ based on various dimensions of life. What I would like my readers to take away from this book is their view on life. I want them to see more of the positives of life than the negatives. This is all.

Omgg Kaz and Inej!!! And Matthias 😭 (Crooked Kingdom review)

Six of Crows was an amazing book on its own but Crooked Kingdom was a blessing I didn’t know I needed. It left me heartbroken and hopeful in the end. The book was just so so so so good. I rarely say this but it was totally worth the hype.

Welcome to the world of the Grisha.

Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties.

A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets – a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

If anyone is hesitant to pick up the duology because of the the hype, trust me that for once the hype is totally worth it.

Has anyone noticed this whole city is looking for us, mad at us, or wants to kill us?”
“So?” said Kaz.
“Well, usually it’s just half the city.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

The book picks up exactly where we left off. Inej has been captured by Van Eck and the crew is weakened but don’t worry because Kaz’s brain is still intact. I will not spoil the story so I won’t be telling exactly what they plan and how they do it.

I can’t believe that Inej actually believed that Kaz wouldn’t come for her if her legs are broken. She doubted that anyone would care to save her. It broke my heart. Kaz and Inej are two people who have gone through so much in life that they can’t even touch each other without going through hell. It is what makes them such rich characters and their growth through the books is remarkable.

I lived for Kaz and Inej scenes. If Leigh Bardugo ever decides to revisit their story again, I’d literally buy 10 copies of it.

I would have 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.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

This quote from the Inej is everything! I love the series because our heroes are nothings and nobodies but nothings and nobodies who are ready to take on the world.

Maybe there were people who lived those lives. Maybe this girl was one of them. But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. 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.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

Also also, Kaz called Jesper Jordie!!!??? Omg the implications of that. Kaz considers Jesper his brother. Kaz is so hard on him because he doesn’t want Jesper to be as naïve as Jordie.

This book finally gives us the story for Wylan that we needed. His character had so much development this book but I did hope it would have been nice to have his perspective even in the first book, Six of Crows. I definitely cried when he goes to his mother’s grave.

You’re stupid about a lot of things, Wylan, but you are not stupid. And if I ever hear you call yourself a moron again, I’m going to tell Matthias you tried to kiss Nina. With tongue.”
Wylan wiped his nose on his sleeve. “He’ll never believe it.”
“Then I’ll tell Nina you tried to kiss Matthias. With tongue.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

Wylan seriously became my favorite character. Jesper and Wylan are just so adorable. Their pairing also seems meaningful because you get two opposite kinds of fathers reacting differently in similar situations and how much it changes for the children. The story arc of Wylan and his mother was really great.

He thumbed quickly through the ledger and said, “When people see a cripple walking down the street, leaning on his cane, what do they feel?” Wylan looked away. People always did when Kaz talked about his limp, as if he didn’t know what he was or how the world saw him. “They feel pity. Now, what do they think when they see me coming?”
Wylan’s mouth quirked up at the corner. “They think they’d better cross the street.”
Kaz tossed the ledger back in the safe. “You’re not weak because you can’t read. You’re weak because you’re afraid of people seeing your weakness. You’re letting shame decide who you are.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

HUGE SPOILER ALERT

I can’t even start talking about Nina and Matthias without ending up crying.

Meeting you was a disaster.”
She raised a brow. “Thank you.”
Djel, he was terrible at this. He stumbled on, trying to make her understand. “But I am grateful for that disaster. I needed a catastrophe to shake me from the life I knew. You were an earthquake, a landslide.”
“I,” she said, planting a hand on her hip, “am a delicate flower.”
“You aren’t a flower, you’re every blossom in the wood blooming at once. You are a tidal wave. You’re a stampede. You are overwhelming.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

I guess his death makes sense but it is still really sad. He had actual plans to change the world and live the life he wanted with Nina. 😭😭

I wasn’t disappointed even a bit. I watched readywithcindy’s video review and I agree that maybe Matthias was the shadow of the person who killed him. Every character in the book had a shadow or was a shadow for someone like Inej and Dunyasha and Kaz and Pekka Rollins. I was really curious about how the story of Pekka Rollins would end.

I don’t hold a grudge. I cradle it. I coddle it. I feed it fine cuts of meat and send it to the best schools. I nurture my grudges, Rollins.

Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

This book was the perfect read. If you were on the fence about picking up this book, I hope I’ve convinced you to pick up the duology.

Have you read this series? Who is your favorite character?

Which is your favorite fantasy book/series?