Welcome to my May Wrap-Up! I'm pretty happy with how much I read this month and I did manage to get through my entire TBR plus a few extra books. Overall, I read 15 books which totalled 6354 pages. And here are my reviews and ratings for the month!
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1. The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington ★★★.5
This is the first book in an adult fantasy trilogy that I'd heard very mixed reviews on.In this book, we follow Davian, a student of the Gifted, suffering the consequences of a war fought—and lost—before he was born. Despised by most beyond the school walls, he and those around him are all but prisoners as they attempt to learn control of the Gift. Worse, as Davian struggles with his lessons, he knows that there is further to fall if he cannot pass his final tests. But when Davian discovers he has the ability to wield the forbidden power of the Augurs, he sets into motion a chain of events that will change everything. To the north, an ancient enemy long thought defeated begins to stir. And to the west, a young man whose fate is intertwined with Davian’s wakes up in the forest, covered in blood and with no memory of who he is.
So, this was a difficult one to rate because I definitely enjoyed this book, but it was quite middle-of-the-road for me. It's been compared to books by Brandon Sanderson (and I definitely see that), but the magic system and plot points weren't as strong as they could have been for me. The first thing I want to talk about is the fact that this book is unapologetically confusing because it plays with time and very much throws the reader into the deep-end with very gradual worldbuilding. Thankfully, I knew this going in so I felt prepared, but if you didn't know that then I feel like a lot of what happened in here would be baffling. It was still hard to keep track of all of the characters (especially when a lot of characters have multiple identities/names), so I would've appreciated a glossary or at least a better way of differentiating them. Having read a lot of fantasies, I saw a fair few plots coming, although I was pleasantly surprised by a couple later in the book. I will say that if you're interested in this book for the magic school/trials though, then look elsewhere because that is probably the most minor part of the book.
Davian himself was a bit of a bland character, but we start to see him come into more of his own towards the end of the book and I enjoyed seeing that. I also liked his friends and a few of the side characters he ends up travelling with (not naming names because it would include spoilers). There's a lot of intrigue between many of them and I'm definitely interested to find out the truth and see how everything plays out. I loved the section in the middle of the book and where Davian ended up separated from the group and the place he ended up (it was probably one of my favourite parts). I will say that this book deliberately left so many unanswered questions, which means I'm definitely interested in seeing how the trilogy progresses. I've heard that things really come together in the final two books in a way that makes you want to re-read the trilogy immediately, and I love it when books do this, so it wouldn't surprise me if the next two books get higher ratings. It reminds me of the The Magician's Trilogy by Lev Grossman where I didn't like the first book, but after I read the second two, the first book became a five star because of how clever it was. As I said, I'll definitely be continuing this series and I'm really hoping I enjoy them even more than this one now that I understand the world a bit more.
2. Everything is OK by Debbie Tung ★★★★.5
This is an autobiographical memoir graphic novel exploring Tung's struggle with anxiety and depression. She shares what it’s like navigating life, overthinking every possible worst-case scenario, and constantly feeling like all hope is lost. The book explores her journey to understanding the importance of mental health in her day-to-day life and how she learns to embrace the highs and lows when things feel out of control. Debbie opens up about deeply personal issues and the winding road to recovery, discovers the value of self-love, and rebuilds a more mindful relationship with her mental health.
I've read Tung's previous graphic novels and really loved them, and this one was no different. She perfectly depicts how it feels to be struggling with mental health issues in such a consumable and relatable way that I'm certain anyone reading this will feel a little less alone. Honestly, it's something I wish I'd had about 10 years ago when I was really struggling. Her artwork is simplistic, yet beautiful. Her use of colour was fantastically done throughout - with most of it being in black and white, meaning the moments of colour really shone through and showed the reader the light in the darkness. Overall, a beautifully written graphic memoir and I highly recommend if you've ever struggled with depression or anxiety.
3. Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles ★★★
When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid. The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it's up to Marvin to find him. But when Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells an even more chilling Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean.
This YA contemporary is a powerful and moving portrait of youth and family and speaks to the serious issues of today - from gun control to the Black Lives Matter movement. While it's true I enjoyed this book, I also don't really think that's quite the right word because it was so difficult and heartbreaking to read. Seeing so many outwardly racist characters and the prejudice Marvin and his friends faced every single day was horrible. And the police brutality that repeatedly occurred really opened my eyes even more. When you hear about racism and police brutality, you want to think it's a minority of people that are still like that; sadly, that's not true and Coles shows that so clearly with how often these things happened to Marvin and the people in his community. Everyone has a story. I liked seeing Marvin's interactions with his family and it was really nice to see such caring letters from his dad. I also loved the community and friendships around him, because it felt like everyone was supporting him. One thing I found odd about this book is that in the synopsis we learn that Tyler dies. However, that plot point doesn't happen until over 50% of the book. While I understand the build up of looking for Tyler, it also felt strange from a reader's perspective since we already knew he was dead. It meant that the moment of finding out had less impact rather than more. They only other issue I had was that I wished we'd seen the outcome of the court case; however, I do understand the decision not to since it could affect the tone of the book pretty drastically. Overall, this was a powerful book and I think it covers incredibly important topics. I will say that I've probably read other books that cover this same theme and enjoyed them a bit more, but I think that's just to do with my personal taste.
4. Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman ★★★★
This is the fourth book I've read by Fredrik Backman and he's done it again; a fantastically beautiful book that made me cry. As with a lot of Backman's books this is a contemporary following an older character, Britt-Marie. She can’t stand mess. A disorganised cutlery drawer ranks high on her list of unforgivable sins. She is not one to judge others—no matter how ill-mannered, unkempt, or morally suspect they might be. It’s just that sometimes people interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not her intention. But hidden inside the socially awkward, fussy busybody is a woman who has more imagination, bigger dreams, and a warmer heart that anyone around her realises. When Britt-Marie walks out on her cheating husband and has to fend for herself in the miserable backwater town of Borg—of which the kindest thing one can say is that it has a road going through it—she finds work as the caretaker of a soon-to-be demolished recreation centre. Most alarming of all, she’s given the impossible task of leading the supremely untalented children’s football team to victory. In this small town of misfits, can Britt-Marie find a place where she truly belongs?
Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for this one because I thought the subject matter revolving around football would be less interesting, but I'm happy to say I was wrong. I will say that Britt-Marie wasn't a fun character to follow to begin with because it honestly felt like she was lacking common sense and it could be very frustrating to read; however, it is something that gets explored later in the book and we do end up seeing how Britt-Marie became who she is, which I appreciated. I loved so many of the characters we meet. Sven was incredibly sweet, and the way Sammy cared for his siblings and friends was so beautiful. I loved seeing this forgotten little community because it reminds me so much of many places in my local area too; somewhere that no-one funds and where no-one wants to help the people there anymore. It was so sad, but also heartwarming to see all of their stories and how they welcome Britt-Marie into their lives. The ending really broke me and I didn't see it coming at all; it was one of those truly heartbreaking moments. I will say that I wish something else had happened right at the end and I was frustrated by the power Ken had over people, but overall, this was a beautiful, heartbreaking novel, and I recommend it as much as I would any of his books.
5. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr Julie Smith ★★★★★
Filled with secrets from a therapist's toolkit, this non-fiction book teaches you how to fortify and maintain your mental health, even in the most trying of times. Dr Julie Smith's advice and powerful coping techniques can help with managing anxiety, dealing with criticism, coping with depression, building self-confidence, finding motivation, and learning to forgive yourself.
I was incredibly surprised and happy with this book. I've read a few similar books and always found them lacking in some ways, or offering advice that wasn't practical or sustainable without money or time. However, this book offers incredible and practical advice on so many situations and different mental illnesses. It often felt like it knew my exact situation and it told me exactly what I needed to hear. The advice is well-sourced and doesn't shirk around the fact that sometimes people are unable to reduce stressors in their life or be able to afford therapy by instead offering advice that can easily be followed despite that. It was very useful at helping someone identify their own emotions and how it can impact your mental well-being, which is often the first step to understanding and working through your mental illness, whether that's anxiety, depression, or something else. The writing was clear and concise, and the exercises were all things I would actually do; Smith frames them in such a way where you understand how these exercises will actually help you. There were definitely a couple of sections that were a bit repetitive, but I think reading the sections in isolated chunks would help many people, so I definitely understand why that was the case. If you've every struggled with stress, anxiety, or depression, I definitely recommend picking this up and trying out some of the advice in the book.
6. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire ★★★★.5
This is the eight book in one of my favourite series of all time. If you haven't head of the Wayward Children series, then it's a set of companion novellas that follow children that find their doorway, and the struggles they have when they return. In this book we follow Antoinette who has lost her father - metaphorically - and finds a door to a Shop where all lost things go. But he’s not in the shop, and she’ll never see him again. And when Antsy finds herself lost (literally, this time), she finds that however many doors open for her, leaving the Shop for good might not be as simple as it sounds. And stepping through those doors exacts a price.
This was a truly heartbreaking installment in the series. The topics it deals with are potentially some of the most difficult we've come across so far. It truly encapsulates the loss of innocence that some children have to go through all too early and the price that comes along with it. I didn't see the cost coming, nor the secrets that were kept by the adults involved. I did love this world though; being able to see all the markets (and the brief Jack and Jill cameo) was beautiful, and it really reminded me of In An Absent Dream. I loved the shop and it's personality too. I felt for Antsy so much and was furious on her behalf when so many bad things happened to her. The ending was so bittersweet - as with all Seanan McGuire's books - and I really hope we see her in future installments. Overall, a fantastic addition to this world.
7. An Echo of Things to Come by James Islington ★★★★
The sequel to The Shadow of What Was Lost and the second book in the Licanius trilogy. I won't describe the plot other than to say it pretty much directly follows the events in the first book. I definitely liked this one a lot more than the first book. Not only did it help make a lot of the first book to make sense, it also came with a full recape and glossary, which was hugely appreciated. The glossary was a fantastic addition as it meant I could figure out who certain people with multiple names were when they reappeared. We got to see a few of the characters grow a lot; Wirr especially was fascinating to follow. However, some other characters like Asha felt like things were just happening to them rather than them developing themselves.
There were a lot of twists in this and I loved them; some I saw coming and a few I did not (I mean, why does Nethgalla get me every. single. time?). I also loved the entire storyline with Rohan and I wish it had gone on a bit longer, because he was such a twisted and interesting character. I loved seeing Caeden getting his memories back - these were probably the most interesting parts of the book. However, even with the detail getting filled in, there were definitely still a fair few moments of confusion in this one. There was one point where I felt like I had a good grasp of everything and then suddenly everything became confusing again towards the end. That Epilogue also packed a punch and I'm incredibly interested to see how it all plays out and comes together in the final book.
8. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid ★★★★★
So, Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favourite authors; I had read 5 of her books previous to this one and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is easily one of my favourite books of all time. Because I'm not big on music, I wasn't sure how I would feel about this one, but I'm happy to say that this is also up there as a new favourite. Similar to The Seven Husbands, this book also follows fictional characters in the past. It's 1979 and Daisy Jones and The Six split up. Together, they had redefined the 70’s music scene, creating an iconic sound that rocked the world. Apart, they baffled a world that had hung on their every verse. This book is an attempt to piece together a clear portrait of the band’s rise to fame and their abrupt and infamous split. The oral history is a compilation of interviews, emails, transcripts, and lyrics, all pertaining to the personal and professional lives of the members of the band The Six and singer Daisy Jones. All of which is to say that while this is the first and only authorised account from all represented perspectives, it should be noted that, in matters both big and small, reasonable people disagree. The truth often lies, unclaimed, in the middle.
Once again, Taylor Jenkins Reid has made me care so much for a fictional band and characters that never existed to the point where I wanted to look them up and start listening to their music (although thankfully it has a TV show so it's bit easier this time). I was worried at first that Daisy would end up being a manic pixie dream girl type character, but instead we see someone who is both truly, authentically herself, but also struggling with a severe drug addiction. The way the book handles drug addiction from two different perspectives is also beautifully handled and I thought it was so well done to see how Billy and Daisy responded to their situations. I loved the whole group and their dynamic; the tensions, the cameraderie, the undercurrent of everyone thinking something different about the exact same event. The female friendships in here were so well done too; there was so much power between them, even when they didn't agree about how to do something, there was no tearing each other down at all.
I knew this was in an interview format, but I had no idea that it wasn't a traditional interview format. The way we get lines from different people to show what they were thinking or saying, and the way it was often different things being remembered was beautifully done. I especially loved the moments where someone clearly lied or where someone was very angry, but the other person thought everything was great; it added a tone of humour to the story. I will say it was a little hard to keep all the band members straight in my head near the start because of the format; not being able to get a solid description except through interview snippets, nor do we see them acting in a certain way until later in the story. It was only later that I started piecing together who was with who and who played what instrument, but that may have been a me thing. I didn't see the 'twist' coming at all and I hadn't even been thinking about it, so when it came out, it made me want to re-read the book again and look for the hints. I found the ending very bittersweet and I wish we'd seen just a bit more, but overall I think this book was so well done and Reid is spectacular at making me care about things I never thought I would.
9. Light Years by Kass Morgan (re-read) ★★★★
One of my favourite tropes has always been a trial, competition, or school setting, and that is equally true with fantasy as it is with sci-fi. Nyxia is still one of my favourite books in this genre and Light Years is also very similar. This is a YA, sci-fi and it was a re-read for me. In this world, the Quatra Fleet Academy is reeling from the latest attack by a mysterious enemy and is finally admitting students from every planet in the solar system after centuries of exclusivity. Hotshot pilot Vesper, an ambitious Tridian citizen, dreams of becoming a captain - but when she loses her spot to a brilliant, wisecracking boy from the wrong side of the asteroid belt, it makes her question everything she thought she knew. Growing up on the toxic planet Deva, Cormak will take any chance he can get to escape his dead-end life and join the Academy - even if he has to steal someone's identity to do it. Arran was always considered an outsider on icy Chetire, always dreaming of something more than a life working in the mines. Now an incoming cadet, Arran is looking for a place to belong - he just never thought that place would be in the arms of a Tridian boy. And Orelia is hiding a dark secret - she's infiltrated the Academy to complete a mission, one that threatens the security of everyone there. But if anyone finds out who she really is, it'll be her life on the line.
I decided to re-read this book so I could finally read the final book in this duology. It's a very good 4 star read; the writing is addictive, it's a super quick read, and the competition aspect is really well done. I think Cormak is my favourite character; I love the relationship with his brother and how he tries to change his life. Arran is also very sweet and the relationship he develops with Dash is adorable. Of course, the book is also filled with the typical mean kids at school trope and everyone keeping secrets from one another. I feel like it could be frustrating at times, but I liked that everyone's secrets are so different to one another, which means everyone has their own agenda for being at the Academy. The Academy itself is fun and interesting. It's not wholly unique as a story or a setting, but I still love it and this is just a fun book. My main frustration with this book is just the teenage angst. Their supposed to be between 16-20 years old, but some of them act about 14. The relationship with Zafir that happens is probably the weirdest and made the least sense. There's a lot of miscommunication and getting made at one another for very little reason. The only reason it didn't bother me too much is that it's such a quick read, the angst doesn't usually last for too long. Overall, a quick, enjoyable read; if you're a fan of competitions, sci-fi, and school settings, then definitely give it a try.
10. Pet Sematary by Stephen King ★★★★.5
I am slowly getting there with reading King's backlist and this is definitely one of the older books on my TBR from him. In this book, we follow Dr. Louis Creed and his family who move to a small town in Maine for a new job. Rambling, old, unsmart and comfortable. A place where the family could settle; the children grow and play and explore. The rolling hills and meadows of Maine seemed a world away from the fume-choked dangers of Chicago. Only the occasional big truck out on the two-lane highway, grinding up through the gears, hammering down the long gradients, growled out an intrusive note of threat. But behind the house and away from the road: that was safe. Just a carefully clear path up into the woods where generations of local children have processed with the solemn innocence of the young, taking with them their dear departed pets for burial. A sad place maybe, but safe. Surely a safe place. Not a place to seep into your dreams, to wake you, sweating with fear and foreboding. And sometimes Dead is Better.
This wasn't a particularly scary horror book in the typical sense, but it was a dark and traumatising read. As always, King's characters are realistic and so full of life. This book had suprisingly few characters really and a lot of the story took place in one small area with just a few people. I loved Judd a lot (even though I couldn't stop picturing the character from South Park), and his wife was so sweet. King really explores what death means to different people and how people's upbringings can affect that. The conversations around death and grieving were difficult to read, but incredibly interesting.
Louis was probably one of the best of King's protagonists. Even when his decisions are incredibly questionable, you totally understand why he's doing what he's doing and, in many ways, you're rooting for him. The language used towards the end really pulls the reader along with Louis, willing him to go. I thought the ending of this one was very good; the way you see that someone has gone too far, but you don't see a way back for them and you kind of don't mind? The deaths that happened all made sense and didn't feel shoehorned in. I also just couldn't put it down in the final 100 pages and just needed to know what would happen next. Overall, this was an incredibly dark and twisted book, and I recommend it to any King or horror fan.
11. Supernova by Kass Morgan ★★.5
This is the YA sci-fi sequel to Light Years (the review of which you can see above). While this book was okay, I unfortunately didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much as the first book. A big part of that was that the competition/school aspect was pretty much entirely absent and it was something I'd enjoyed a lot in the first one. Also, the teenage angst was just way too much this time. The break-up between Cormak and Vesper was so frustrating when he could have just told her the issue immediately and solved it. And, again, the whole situation with Zafir was so unrealistic; I didn't believe a single part of that relationship. This book started delving into the wider view of the solar system and politics of the worlds and, while I appreciated that, I found it very weird how involved the students were when they must have had thousands of graduated and qualified people. Why are are they asking teenagers that have been there less that a year to deal with military tactics and secrets? It also feels like Admiral Haze had a personality transplant in this book. She was a completely different person to the first book and her harshness with Vesper in the first book is never actually explained? Speaking of things that were never explained, Rees just dropped off the face of the earth at the end, which felt pretty weird.
The actual plot was a little bland and focused mostly on the characters making issues for themselves. The story wrapped up pretty quickly and nicely too and that was fine, but it didn't make it incredibly interesting. Overall, it was a decent sequel, but it had too many tropes I didn't enjoy. I think younger audiences would probably enjoy this more, so I do still recommend it, but it wasn't for me.
12. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ★★★★★
I read this book for my work book club this month. I'd been hesitant to pick it up because I'd heard mixed reviews and I've only really enjoyed Haig's non-fiction books. However, I'm happy to say that I loved this one. In this book, there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
This was so poignant and beautifully written. It very much has a mixture of A Wonderful Life mixed with The Butterfly Effect. I love seeing the What Ifs of parallel universes and this book truly delivered on that front. We first see Nora in the life she's struggling with, and then we get to see the infinite possibilities of the ways her life could have gone. Not only that, but we get to see her discover new things about herself and her life that she was never able to see previously. I feel like this is such a short book that I don't want to talk much about what the various worlds were, but I will say that I'm glad we got to see the multiple extreme possibilities for Nora. The dive into depression, addiction, and anxiety is incredibly well done, and Nora becomes such a relatable character. While the ending wasn't at all surprising, it was heartwarming and everything that I wanted it to be. I highly recommend this to anyone that needs an uplifting book, but I'd definitely read the trigger warnings before you go into it.
13. Anna K by Jenny Lee ★★★★
Oh boy, did this book surprise me. This is a YA Contemporary retelling of Anna Karenina, written in a Gossip Girl-esque style. Meet Anna K. At seventeen, she is at the top of Manhattan and Greenwich society (even if she prefers the company of her horses and Newfoundland dogs); she has the perfect (if perfectly boring) boyfriend, Alexander W.; and she has always made her Korean-American father proud (even if he can be a little controlling). Meanwhile, Anna's brother, Steven, and his girlfriend, Lolly, are trying to weather an sexting scandal; Lolly’s little sister, Kimmie, is struggling to recalibrate to normal life after an injury derails her ice dancing career; and Steven’s best friend, Dustin, is madly (and one-sidedly) in love with Kimmie. As her friends struggle with the pitfalls of ordinary teenage life, Anna always seems to be able to sail gracefully above it all. That is until the night she meets Alexia “Count” Vronsky at Grand Central. A notorious playboy who has bounced around boarding schools and who lives for his own pleasure, Alexia is everything Anna is not. But he has never been in love until he meets Anna, and maybe she hasn’t, either.
The first thing I'll say is that you'll probably enjoy this book a lot more if you don't know the plot of Anna Karenina; it means a lot of the major plot points will come as a huge surprise (as one especially did for me). Don't get me wrong, this is chock full of teenage angst, but the way the book was written meant that those things weren't dwelt on for frustrating amount of time for me. Jenny Lee writes in an almost detached manner for a lot the book and it's definitely reminiciscent of books from the eighteenth and nineteenth century. You also often have the characters acting and saying things that feel more from that time period, although their wealth definitely helps to sell that idea more. The start of the book feels very Gossip Girl and, to be honest, I loved that. Seeing all these rich teenagers just feels so absurd, but it's pretty fun to read about. It was great seeing Vronsky and Anna circle one another and not knowing who could really trust who. While it was obvious who did the awful thing at the end of the book, it felt right; although I wish we'd seen them get their come-uppance. Dustin's storyline is equal parts tragic and heartwarming, and it was so nice to see Steven's growth as a person throughout. I liked that the book wasn't filled with girl-on-girl hate and the sibling relationships were all really lovely. Overall, I think this is a fantastically well-done book. I understand why some people didn't enjoy it, but I pretty much read it in a day and found it unputdownable. I will say that I probably won't read the sequel becuse I feel like this works well as a standalone, but let me know if you think the sequel is as good as the first book if you've read it!
14. Skandar and the Phantom Rider by A.F. Steadman ★★★
I'm sad to say that I was a bit disappointed by this sequel to Skandar the Unicorn Thief. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, but I definitely didn't find it as fun or as interesting as I did the first book. As Skandar and his friends enter their second year at the Eyrie, a new threat arises. Immortal wild unicorns are somehow being killed, a prophecy warns of terrible danger, and elemental destruction begins to ravage the Island. Meanwhile, Skandar’s sister, Kenna, longs to join him – and Skandar is determined to help her, no matter what.
So, firstly, I still love this world and the magic system. However, I have the same complaint as I did in the first book - we never get any downtime to enjoy the world as a reader. Too many important plot points kept happening one after the other and it left me feeling like I had no breathing room between them. Where was the day-to-day that we see in similar middle grades with a school setting? A lot of it could've been toned down at the start of the book and then built up towards the end. Also, Skandar and his friends made some spectacularly bad decisions in this one. Bobby was horribly frustrating, but equally Skandar was constantly trying to rush into danger like he enjoyed it? And don't get me started on his refusal to use Spirit in the tournament for literally no reason when he's been fine using the spirit element all year. He was genuinely risking being thrown out of school for that. The whole situation with Kenna was also annoying, but mostly because it was very predictable. The ending was very obvious too, although I think it was meant to be a surprise. Overall, I still love this world and the characters are interesting; I just felt like this one had a lot of extra unecessary conflict and didn't give the reader enough time to enjoy the world before everything happened again.
15. The Light of All That Falls by James Islington ★★★★
This is the final book in the adult fantasy Licanius trilogy. This was mixed bag for me. I ended up loving the characters - especially Wiir, Asha, and Davian - and seeing how far they've come since the first book was great. The overall direction of the book and the pacing felt really good too. I loved where Davian was for a lot of the story - that place and the characters they meet there are some of the best we see. I will say that I didn't like that Aelric and Dezia's storyline was never really explained fully. I know there's an author's note at the back, but it felt like we needed that information before this book really because it just felt like such a deus est machina. The ending itself was a bit muddled and confusing, especially the final fights. I wasn't altogether sure what was happening or what the aims were some of the time. It definitely all came together in the Epilogue and, although I saw part of it coming, another part came as a pleasant surprise. I really wish we could see more of the Venerate backstories too, but it's more that I would like an entire book on them rather than adding more to this book. Overall, it was a pretty solid ending, but I felt like it needed a bit more to to explain some of the things that happened. If you enjoy an epic fantasy then I do recommend trying this, but be warned that not much will make sense until the final book!
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And those are all the books I read in May! I'm pretty happy considering how busy I was with work last month. I managed to finish the entire Licanius trilogy, which was my main aim. How did your May reading go? Have you read any of the books mentioned above?
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