Book Reviews: August

This month I was able to read 9 books:
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winters
How to solve your own Murder by Kristin Perrin
As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa Katouh
And The Sky Bled by S Hati
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher
Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe

In this video I will be reviewing each of these books. This video does not contain any spoilers. Just my thoughts, rating, and a noteworthy quote.

Transcript

August Wrap up:

Happy September everyone! This month is Kristen Hannah month on the channel, but before we dive into her books. Let me first review the books I read in August. 

Book 1: The Rage of Dragons

If you loved Red Rising, or if you love a fast paced action heavy book, you need to pick up the rage of dragons immediately! I have heard so many good things about this book and it did not disappoint. In this book Tau, the son of the town sheriff for lack of better word, has been training to join the Iashe. Everything is going well for him, he has found the girl of his dreams, and after fighting in his first battle he has decided killing is not for him. That is until Tau is warming up a noble man and he injures him. As a lesser, this means he would be hanged. His father steps into Taus' shoes and instead challenges them for a blood duel. His father is killed and from that moment forward Tau is bent on revenge on the men who kill his father. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, and it doesn’t disappoint. 

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 for pure enjoyment factor alone.

Here is a quote from the book:

“He was not the strongest, the quickest, or the most talented, not by any measure. He knew this and knew he could not control this. However, he could control his effort, the work he put in, and there he would not be beaten.”

Book 2: A Letter to the Luminous Dark

This book was a cozy letter writing fantasy where 2 characters are looking to find out what happened to their siblings who have been missing after a tragic accident. This book takes place on earth but everything but a small part of the earth is underwater. So everyone lives on boats or one of the main characters lives underwater. This book was a perfect combination of mystery and fantasy. If I had a complaint about this book it is that it is a bit slow. Otherwise it was a great journey.

I gave this book 3.5 stars. I loved the main characters and I listened to this book and the cast was excellent.

Here is a quote from the book:

Instead of reading further, I hope you will return this letter to its envelope or, better yet, crumple it into an abstract shape that might look at home on a coral reef.

Book 3: How to solve your own murder

Annie has just been called to a meeting with her great aunt Frances to discuss her inheritance. However, on the way to the meeting France dies. And in order to win her inheritance you have to solve her murder. So Annie and her Uncle Saxon are racing each other to solve Frances’s murder. This thriller mystery has two timelines. One in the present and one in Frances’s past. This book was fun and entertaining. 

I rated this book 4 stars. It is a fun read and I think you would enjoy this if you enjoyed reading the Westin Game or the inheritance Games. 

Here is my favorite quote from the book:

“if TV has taught us anything, it’s that the murder rate in small villages is disproportionately high.”

Book 4: As Long as the lemon tree grows:

This book was heartbreaking, but I am glad I read it. In this book Salama is trapped in the City of Hamas during the Syrian Revolution. The city has been under siege for months so conditions are dire. Salamah and her sister in law who is now 6 months pregnant decide they need to leave. This story was so important. I remember the Syrian revolution occurring when I was in college, but I knew very little about it. It is terrible what the government was doing to these people who just wanted their freedoms. This book also has one of my favorite romances. It was just so pure and beautiful. 

I rated this book 5 out 5. However, make sure to check your triggers before reading this book. Many people die and are treated poorly in the novel and it does take place during a time of war. 

Here is quote from the novel:

“Just on the other side, safety- not freedom. I'm leaving freedom behind, and I can feel the earth's grief when I get out of the car. The tired weeds try to encircle my ankles. begging me to stay. They murmur stories about my ancestors. The ones who stood right where I stand. The ones whose discoveries and civilization encompassed the whole world. The one whose blood runs through my veins. My footprints sink deep into the soil where theirs have long since been washed away. They plead with me: It's your country. This earth belongs to me and my children.”

Book 5 And the Sky Bled by S Haati

This book is a multipov environmental fantasy. This book takes place in a country that is overrun by a powerful yet dangerous substance called callor. It is damaging the people, yet they rely on it to grow their crops and power their technology. The bulk of the book takes place near the island of Temoja. Zain is a leech who works for the slum lord Dev to pay off a debt to him. Irivan is a leader in the slums and is trying to keep his people alive in the worst conditions. Anastia is the daughter of a council leader and is fighting against the slum leaders to get them out of her city. This was book was full of political intrigue and mystery as the three separately try to find the hidden secret of temoja that could change everything.

I will not include a quote because this is an arc copy, but this book should be publish Mid October

6. Re-read of the way of kings 

Brandon Sanderson is a genius. There is truly no better fantasy series than the way of kings. I have an excellent memory, so I do not often reread novels, however this book has so many things going on that it is hard to get it all in one read. 

This book follows 2 main characters as they struggle through their challenges and uncover secrets. Kaladin is a young man who trained as a surgeon and who once fought for Amaran’s army; however, we find him at the beginning of this book as a slave who is just about read to give up. The other main character is a young girl named Shallan who is trying to become ward to a powerful woman named Yenah Kolin in order to steal her soul caster and save her family. Of course with 1000 pages Sanderson also weaves in a number of other lovable characters, but these two our are main ones.

This book is just stunning, and if you have been waiting to read this series now is the time since the 5th and final book in the first set of the stormlight archives comes out in December. You can join the thousands of people who are reading or rereading this series in order to prepare themselves for the next book. 

If I could give this book 20 out of 10 stars I would and the next book is even better.

Here is a quote from the novel:“And so, does the destination matter? Or is it the path we take? I declare that no accomplishment has substance nearly as great as the road used to achieve it. We are not creatures of destinations. It is the journey that shapes us. Our callused feet, our backs strong from carrying the weight of our travels, our eyes open with the fresh delight of experiences lived.”

7. The Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher

In this novel a young girl named Cordelia has grown up with her mother the sorceress Evangaline. Cordelia is not allowed to be her own person. Her mother doesn’t let her shut doors, go to school, talk to people, and sometimes she even takes control of Cordelia’s body. When Evangaline loses her benefactor she has to leave their home and find a rich man to marry her. Hester is an old spinster who is just enjoying her life when Evangline and Cordelia land on her doorstep. Evangline is trying to mary her brother. This was a 2 pov novel that switches between these two women living with this sorceress. My favorite part about this book was the interesting characters. Each was so well written and relatable. I absolutely adored them.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. The magic was interesting and I love a bit of old forgotten magic. I also thought this was an interesting take on an old tale. 

Here is a quote from the novel:

“It was a strange reflection that, like Hester turning the cuffs on her gowns, you were somehow allowed to be poorer if you were rich than if you were actually poor.”

Since I was not able to read many books this month I thought I would end with my September hopefuls: 

I am excited for the new release of T J Klunes book and sequel to the house of the Cerulean Sea called Somewhere Upon the Sea. This book is released on Sept 6th and if it is anything like the first book it will be cozy and charming.

I am also excited for Richard Osman’s book. We Solve Murder that is being published September 12th. Richard Osman writes my favorite murder mystery series, The Thursday Murder Club, and I think that this book will also be exceptional.

I am also working on my reread of the Stormlight Archive series before the new book is released in December, so I will likely finish book 2 and book 3 in that series.