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laicsouza's reviews
63 reviews
Flamefall by Rosaria Munda
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Usually, I read to relax. But the Aurelian Cycle gets me super tense all the time. I am either eating up for hours or almost, like, "procrastinating" getting back to it even though I LOVED this book.
Since Flamefall is the series' second book, there will be spoilers from Fireborne in this review. Also, Annie, I freaking love you girl. Calliopolis don't deserve you.
SO, Lee returned from the battle with his cousin, Julia, really messed up in the head - super understandable. Things get worse when he learns that Atreus wanted him dead all along. Important reminder: he is still a deeply traumatized teenager, so, yeah, he gets confused about what to do moving forward, and a new resistant movement growing in the city is like a siren call to him.
Annie shoulders way too much for a 17-year-old in this book. Lee named her Firstrider in his place, and now she is fighting so many battles that, honestly, I feel suffocated with anxiety when I try putting myself in her shoes. She needs to battle New Pythos to prevent the return of the fallen Triarchy that wants to see her (and any others like her) back into servitude. Annie also needs to enforce the new (fucking unjust) ration government program, which makes her a target for public hate. And, finally, she battles just to exist. The level of prejudice and sexism she lives through daily is inhumane.
And now, a surprise: our dual POV becomes a triple POV. We are introduced to Griff, a low-borne dragon rider who works as a squire and servant to the Triarchy families occupying New Pythos. His life is a tightrope that he crosses with no end in sight. The Triarchy needs the low-borne Dragonriders but hates their existence.
Rosalia Munda has a masterful way of writing about emotions and violence that comes from it. People are desperate, hungry, traumatized, or just raised with such horrible beliefs that they might justify their deeds in their heads. I want to learn how to do that.
Also, she is a queen of plot twists. I was not expecting the end.
Since Flamefall is the series' second book, there will be spoilers from Fireborne in this review. Also, Annie, I freaking love you girl. Calliopolis don't deserve you.
SO, Lee returned from the battle with his cousin, Julia, really messed up in the head - super understandable. Things get worse when he learns that Atreus wanted him dead all along. Important reminder: he is still a deeply traumatized teenager, so, yeah, he gets confused about what to do moving forward, and a new resistant movement growing in the city is like a siren call to him.
Annie shoulders way too much for a 17-year-old in this book. Lee named her Firstrider in his place, and now she is fighting so many battles that, honestly, I feel suffocated with anxiety when I try putting myself in her shoes. She needs to battle New Pythos to prevent the return of the fallen Triarchy that wants to see her (and any others like her) back into servitude. Annie also needs to enforce the new (fucking unjust) ration government program, which makes her a target for public hate. And, finally, she battles just to exist. The level of prejudice and sexism she lives through daily is inhumane.
And now, a surprise: our dual POV becomes a triple POV. We are introduced to Griff, a low-borne dragon rider who works as a squire and servant to the Triarchy families occupying New Pythos. His life is a tightrope that he crosses with no end in sight. The Triarchy needs the low-borne Dragonriders but hates their existence.
Rosalia Munda has a masterful way of writing about emotions and violence that comes from it. People are desperate, hungry, traumatized, or just raised with such horrible beliefs that they might justify their deeds in their heads. I want to learn how to do that.
Also, she is a queen of plot twists. I was not expecting the end.
Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is so, so good. So well written. It is one of those books that make you want to write but simultaneously make you doubt your ability to do something remotely as good as this.
Annie and Lee were both children when a violent revolution overthrew the triarchy regime - when three dragonborn families tyrannically dominated a serf-based society. They meet in an orphanage and, together, survive a brutal childhood, go through the new meritocratic regime's educational system and are able to enter the new military branch - the Guardians - dragonriders training to protect the Island of Calliopolis.
Even though they share this similar seven-year journey, Annie and Lee have diametral distinct origins: Annie was part of the serf class, the lowest cast of the former regime, and witnessed her family's execution by Dragonfire. Lee was born Leo, and he was the youngest son - and single survivor - of a family from one of the three aristocratic lineages that ruled Calliopolis before the revolution.
I don't want to talk more about the story cause I want to avoid spoilers.
Rosaria Munda is so amazing. She mixes these very mundane coming-of-age issues with the heaviness of former traumas. You see how the world is different for people depending on the privileges they have from birth and how change is not a light switch. It is like trying to remove oil from a surface without any soap to help. It is messy and basically impossible. It demands so much elbow grease and leaves all these dirty rags behind.
The last thing I want to mention is how effectively Munda uses flashbacks to tell the story. I could see the scenes like a movie. Memory focused on the heat that branded your memories years prior or the scent of blood - the emotion of the moment defining what you will carry with you throughout your life.
OH, for the spicy lovers: not spicy, but the way our girl describes longing... You can feel it.
Annie and Lee were both children when a violent revolution overthrew the triarchy regime - when three dragonborn families tyrannically dominated a serf-based society. They meet in an orphanage and, together, survive a brutal childhood, go through the new meritocratic regime's educational system and are able to enter the new military branch - the Guardians - dragonriders training to protect the Island of Calliopolis.
Even though they share this similar seven-year journey, Annie and Lee have diametral distinct origins: Annie was part of the serf class, the lowest cast of the former regime, and witnessed her family's execution by Dragonfire. Lee was born Leo, and he was the youngest son - and single survivor - of a family from one of the three aristocratic lineages that ruled Calliopolis before the revolution.
I don't want to talk more about the story cause I want to avoid spoilers.
Rosaria Munda is so amazing. She mixes these very mundane coming-of-age issues with the heaviness of former traumas. You see how the world is different for people depending on the privileges they have from birth and how change is not a light switch. It is like trying to remove oil from a surface without any soap to help. It is messy and basically impossible. It demands so much elbow grease and leaves all these dirty rags behind.
The last thing I want to mention is how effectively Munda uses flashbacks to tell the story. I could see the scenes like a movie. Memory focused on the heat that branded your memories years prior or the scent of blood - the emotion of the moment defining what you will carry with you throughout your life.
OH, for the spicy lovers: not spicy, but the way our girl describes longing... You can feel it.
Pucking Around by Emily Rath
Did not finish book. Stopped at 75%.
Guess who is working on Rays' defence? Mystery boy. Which, you know, it could be a cool premise with the whole "no fraternising clause", but our lovely doc has zero self-control. Jake even less. There is also his best friend and equipment manager, Caleb and the giant goaler, the finish Ilmari.
This is a why-choose story, so there is no spoiler in saying that she will get all three guys.
Ah, and "Hot Doc" - the team's very profesh nickname for Rachel - is perfect, but for the fact she is the daughter of a very famous Rock singer and was very exposed during her teenage years. But honestly, I feel like all the trauma and complications from her childhood are basically solved and have little to no impact on her grown-up life (at least until 75% of the book; if it pops up later, I am sorry, it is 400 pages too late).
There is soooo much slut shaming with the bunny pucks. SO MUCH. I can't with this.
There is a list of kinks at the beginning of the book. I won't comment if I don't like something cause kink-shaming is not my thing. Honestly, if everyone consented and is happy, I don't care.
What I care about is reducing the minds of guys to this really possessive basic mentality that seeing a person they like with another man's jersey (from the polyamorous relationship) interferes with their game (we are talking about elite professionals here, no one is a horny teenager). Also, everyone accepts everything Rachel wants, and they hurt themselves because of that, but then they have a 15-minute talk, and all is good in the Hockey Harem. I can't comment personally on polyamory relationships, but I can tell the communication is bad in this relationship - with two, three or four people.
I love a good smut, but I feel like the book gets cringier by the minute, so even though it gets kinkier, it also gets less hot. There is just so much "I am yours" demanding in bed a girl can take.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 75%.
I like hockey romance. I love a good smut. But I hated "Pucking Around". I pushed and skimmed, but at 75%, I gave up and felt like I lost my time.
The plot starts in a previous small novel (that I read the day before) where the MC Rachel, a sports doctor, is having a rough day after her brother's wedding (because she learned she didn't get chosen for a specific fellowship) when she meets Jake, a hot athlete guy. They don't share any major details like names and professions and have a pretty hot night together. It is actually fun - but has an annoying "this is not just a hookup, but a cosmic meeting" side.
So, new book, new life. Someone breaks an arm, and Rachel is the first on the fellowship's waiting list. So she packed her life and moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to work with a new NHL hockey team - the Rays.
The plot starts in a previous small novel (that I read the day before) where the MC Rachel, a sports doctor, is having a rough day after her brother's wedding (because she learned she didn't get chosen for a specific fellowship) when she meets Jake, a hot athlete guy. They don't share any major details like names and professions and have a pretty hot night together. It is actually fun - but has an annoying "this is not just a hookup, but a cosmic meeting" side.
So, new book, new life. Someone breaks an arm, and Rachel is the first on the fellowship's waiting list. So she packed her life and moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to work with a new NHL hockey team - the Rays.
Guess who is working on Rays' defence? Mystery boy. Which, you know, it could be a cool premise with the whole "no fraternising clause", but our lovely doc has zero self-control. Jake even less. There is also his best friend and equipment manager, Caleb and the giant goaler, the finish Ilmari.
This is a why-choose story, so there is no spoiler in saying that she will get all three guys.
Ah, and "Hot Doc" - the team's very profesh nickname for Rachel - is perfect, but for the fact she is the daughter of a very famous Rock singer and was very exposed during her teenage years. But honestly, I feel like all the trauma and complications from her childhood are basically solved and have little to no impact on her grown-up life (at least until 75% of the book; if it pops up later, I am sorry, it is 400 pages too late).
There is soooo much slut shaming with the bunny pucks. SO MUCH. I can't with this.
There is a list of kinks at the beginning of the book. I won't comment if I don't like something cause kink-shaming is not my thing. Honestly, if everyone consented and is happy, I don't care.
What I care about is reducing the minds of guys to this really possessive basic mentality that seeing a person they like with another man's jersey (from the polyamorous relationship) interferes with their game (we are talking about elite professionals here, no one is a horny teenager). Also, everyone accepts everything Rachel wants, and they hurt themselves because of that, but then they have a 15-minute talk, and all is good in the Hockey Harem. I can't comment personally on polyamory relationships, but I can tell the communication is bad in this relationship - with two, three or four people.
I love a good smut, but I feel like the book gets cringier by the minute, so even though it gets kinkier, it also gets less hot. There is just so much "I am yours" demanding in bed a girl can take.
Dark Night Golden Dawn by Allison Carr Waechter
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 55%.
I think that there is a lot of unacessary information in between the important bits of the story. A lot telling, not so much showing.
Love In A Time Of The Zombie Apocalypse by rizzlewrites
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Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0