tonyaf's reviews
316 reviews

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

A Betrayal of Storms was originally independently published and available through Kindle Unlimited. It, and all later books in the series, were bought by Angry Robot and are now being re-released. I did not read the series when it was originally posted, so I can't give details on any major changes but I did enjoy the book and I think fans of spicy male/male romance books will like it!

The book starts with Robin, our main character who is half-Fey, being kidnapped from his bed in the middle of the night. He quickly learns that his abduction is by an anti-Fey hate group. These first few chapters were surprisingly dark due to this horrifying political climate. Robin is soon saved and taken to Wychwood where the Fey (and other magical beings) live. He learns some life-changing information about his heritage and meets Erix, who will be his new personal guard.

Erix and Robin are immediately drawn to each other and have some fun banter. Erix is mysterious but incredibly protective of Robin - and not just because it's his job. Robin leans on Erix as one of his only trusted allies in a world he doesn't fully understand yet. The two are charming and I thought their dynamic was sweet and steamy.

While their relationship is playing out, there is a big political plot that Erix, Robin, and their friends must navigate. As with the politics in the human world, the politics of the Fae are also pretty dire. The two worlds are at a very dangerous crossroads. Robin is key to either preventing war or watching both of his people descend into bloodshed.

The romance between Robin/Erix is in its early stages in this book, as is the political story. Progress is made on both fronts but it's clear this is just the start of a much bigger story. The ending left me really interested in where the story could be heading in the future. I'm glad that the second book in the series releases so soon!

A Betrayal of Storms is a fast-paced political story woven into a very fun and spicy romance. The story follows some similar beats to other fantasy romances but it's told in a way that I found to be unputdownable. It's perfect for fans of "romantasy" who wish there were more queer options in the genre!

Content Warnings

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Sorcery and Small Magics might be my absolute favorite read of the year! I absolutely devoured this book and loved everything about it.

First, the worldbuilding and magic system are both creative and really well done. Locations include a prestigious magic school, a rural countryside filled with people who use magic to make simple livings, and a dangerous forest filled with terrifying monsters. All of these settings are lush and described well. I felt fully immersed in this world while reading! The magic system is also unique and ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story. Sorcerers are divided into either Scrivers (people who can write spells) or Casters (who cast spells). This division was inventive and it added a lot to the story. There's also some music-based magic that plays a really cool role in the story.

The characters are also really great. At the start of the story, Leo is a loveable screwup who lacks confidence in his magic abilities. He's from a wealthy and esteemed family that has high expectations for him. Sebastian, on the other hand, is from a working-class family and is an excellent student and spellcaster who takes his abilities (and most things) very seriously.

Their opposite personalities have caused conflict between the two at school and they start the story as rivals. A spell-gone-wrong demands that the two work together and their story truly begins to develop here.

I adored their dynamic from start to finish. Their dynamic in the first half of the book reminded me of the Harry/Draco fanfiction I read as a teenager. Their evolution in the second half was even more interesting and led to a lot of depth and complexity in their relationship.

I will caution that this is a true slow burn! So don't go in expecting feelings to be fully realized or spicy scenes to happen. Sorcery and Small Magics lays the groundwork for what should become a really amazing relationship in later books but there are a lot of misconceptions to overcome and growth that has to happen first. This series feels like it could finally be the amazing queer slow-burn love story that so many queer fans across so many fandoms have longed for. I, for one, am fully on board this ship and I'm ridiculously excited to see where it goes!

Along with the relationship growth, both Leo and Grimm have great character moments. Both young men are more complicated than they seem and I loved slowly discovering more about them.

In addition, there's also a whole cast of supporting characters that I enjoyed and look forward to seeing more of in future books. Some interesting political and moral issues are also set up.

I can't recommend Sorcery and Small Magics enough. I enjoyed reading this immensely and I can not wait for the sequel. If future books in this series match the quality of this book, I think this could easily become my new favorite series!

Content Warnings

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This isn't perfect but I enjoyed it a lot! I love the gothic atmosphere, the magic system, and the world-building. The plot takes some surprising turns and the ending has me needing to read the sequel ASAP!

Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is so absurd and funny and I am obsessed with it!

This had me hooked from the very first page. I genuinely had so much fun reading it that I didn't want it to be over. I procrastinated reading the final few chapters all day because I wasn't ready to leave these ridiculous characters or their wacky hijinks. Avra, especially, is such a unique and fun main character. He made me laugh out loud (literally) and I love him so much!

This is a new all-time favorite.

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

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adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

A really great YA fantasy with great characters and a really sweet romance.

Content Warnings

Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I was expecting this to be a fast-paced thriller but it's more of a family drama about terrible people who make really stupid choices.

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Baby X by Kira Peikoff

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Baby X is one of my favorite thrillers of 2024. It's a character-focused and twisty thriller with science-fiction elements that had me fully absorbed in the world and the characters' lives after a few short chapters.

The blurb compares Baby X to Black Mirror, which is a very good comparison. Reading Baby X felt like watching one of the best episodes of Black Mirror.

The story follows three main POV characters: Ember, Quinn, and Lily. Ember is working as a new kind of security guard whose job is to protect her clients' DNA. Quinn is a professional surrogate. Lily is a new journalist who is digging into an old case for a story. All three women's stories show how the technology of the era has impacted the world in both good, complicated, and horrifying ways.

Baby X has some great twists and turns! It's also full of great characters and is set in a truly fascinating world that feels disturbingly possible.

Content Warnings

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was incredible and thought-provoking, with a fascinating main character! Although some scenes were hard to stomach, I still found it difficult to put down because it was so compelling.

I wish this had been a little longer. Annie is really fascinating and I would have loved to see her growth continue for a little longer.

Content Warnings

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was deeply unsettling but also extremely captivating.

Content Warnings

Fall for Him by Andie Burke

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I really enjoyed Fall For Him. I've read some great romance books this year and this one is certainly going on my list of favorites. I always love it when a romance can make me laugh, cry, and swoon along with the characters. I want to feel like I went on a full emotional journey by the end! Fall For Him gave me all those feelings.

Dylan and Derek are great characters and their evolution throughout the book was well done. Some scenes seriously made me want to cheer because I felt so proud of their fictional growth.

I also loved the cast of supporting characters, Gus, and the book's humor. I really had the best time reading this! It's delightful and the ending made me shed some happy tears.

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tonyaf's reviews 316 reviews

tonyaf's reviews
316 reviews