The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna | Book Review

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The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
Series: Deathless #2
Published by Delacorte Press on May 31, 2022
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 464
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexism, Misogyny, Body Horror, Racism, Death, Disownment, Torture, Mutilation, Starvation, Trauma, Sexual Violence, Death of Parent
Rating:

It's been six months since Deka freed the goddesses in the ancient kingdom of Otera and discovered who she really is... but war is waging across the kingdom, and the real battle has only just begun. For there is a dark force growing in Otera—a merciless power that Deka and her army must stop. Yet hidden secrets threaten to destroy everything Deka has known. And with her own gifts changing, Deka must discover if she holds the key to saving Otera... or if she might be its greatest threat.

There is a definite improvement in Forna's writing in the second book of the Deathless series, The Merciless Ones, which takes place six months after the events of book one. Despite the improvement in the overall writing, this is the weakest book in the trilogy.

I read all three books back-to-back, so there was no time for me to forget what had happened in previous books, but The Merciless Ones made me feel like I had missed something incredibly important in The Gilded Ones. Suddenly, our ragtag team of rebels is looking for Arcane objects of great power, and we, as readers, are just expected to know what they are and why they are important. Forna eventually gives us a little bit of background knowledge on these objects, but otherwise, we are thrown into the ocean without a life jacket and expected to swim. I did not like this shift from book one, and the objects felt as if they were contrived simply to drive the plot in the direction Forna eventually wanted it to go. I think mentioning these arcane objects in the first book would have been beneficial, so it wasn't so abrupt in book two.

Thankfully, I felt the pacing was better in The Merciless Ones compared to The Gilded Ones, where the story had fits and starts. The Merciless Ones was incredibly fast paced, introducing and fleshing out the world and characters of Otera along the way. Our cast of characters greatly expands in book two, but Forna does such a great job fleshing out their backstories and personalities that I had no problem keeping track of everyone. Sometimes there are so many side characters I get lost in the sauce, but that wasn't the case here.

Furthermore, Forna expands on the themes of trauma and our response to it. Several of our girls have experienced terrible cruelties that have influenced and driven their futures. These horrors are introduced in a tasteful way, and we work through these events with the characters to grow and expand with them. I loved the commentary on mental health, trauma, and overcoming adversity, and felt it helped me connect with each of the characters in a more meaningful way.

However, I liked Deka, our main character, less in this book than in the previous one. She is so overpowered, with new powers arriving at just the right moment, that the story sometimes felt contrived. On top of this, Deka is so confused and unsure of her own power that she is often insufferable. Everyone else seems to be growing and maturing, but Deka is stuck in this perpetual state of childhood. Because of this, the love story takes a backseat, which I was fine with. However, there are enough cute moments between Deka and Keita to keep the love alive. It felt more real in The Merciless Ones than it did previously. 

“There’s nothing worse than ordinary men.”

Despite the inherent flaws, I loved Forna's commentary on misogyny and the patriarchy. While there is certainly a twist at the end that shifts some of the blame, it's obvious the current oppressive system is entirely the fault of ordinary men thinking they are something great. Forna's representation of the patriarchy and its harms is a perfect overlay with our current world. I'm all for eating terrible men, and Forna certainly ate. On top of this, we get a variety of queer characters, humor, friendship, and female-bonding. At the end of the day, it's Deka's relationship with the women in her life that truly matters.

A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid | Book Review

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A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid
Series: A Study in Drowning #1
Published by Harper Collins on November 5, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, Dark Academia
Pages: 432
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Misogyny, Violence, Drug Use, Abuse, Mental Illness, Death, Sexism, Racism
Rating:

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny. But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

2025 certainly feels like my dark academia era as I continue to dive deeper into the genre. I ate A Study in Drowning up, and while there were certainly some issues, I deeply enjoyed Reid's storytelling. The best way to describe A Study in Drowning is a dark academia version of Crimson Peak. If you loved the film Crimson Peak, you'll love this story. The dark and decrepit house is haunted by an otherworldly presence while the once wealthy owners seek to save it, potentially through nefarious means. The Fairy King haunts Hiraeth Manor in such a way that it often feels like you are slipping into madness with Effy. I loved every minute in Hiraeth Manor.

Apart from loving the vibes, I appreciated Reid's portrayal of trauma, particularly that of Effy. Not only is she dealing with misogyny, but she is also trying to prove herself in a world that thinks she slept her way to the top and that, because she is pretty, she is asking for it. There are multiple times Effy is put into a situation she did not ask for simply because she is a beautiful young girl/woman. While it absolutely broke my heart what Effy suffered, it's a story we both share; one I know many women unfortunately share. Effy consistently proves everyone wrong, and I loved every minute of it.

Despite how strong and noteworthy Effy is, she is not without her flaws. You would think a character who is constantly belittled and underestimated would not be prejudiced, but here we are. I mean, this isn't an uncommon trope, as it's incredibly common in real life. White women, despite experiencing prejudice, will still center white supremacy, and that's exactly what Effy does. Preston, while white, is half Argantian. Argant and Llyr are rival nations, not just politically but culturally as well. Llyrians strongly believe their "Storytellers," known as Sleepers, magically protect Llyr. Llyrians believe themselves to be more intelligent, rational, and superior in every way to Argantians and, unfortunately, Effy sings this tune loudly. 

The conflict between these two nations is underdeveloped, which actually didn't bother me because both nations seemed to have reached somewhat of a stalemate. The prejudices still existed, but much of the battling was fading, and the war was fading from the public mindset. Because it was fading, our main characters didn't expound on it, allowing more pressing matters, even if trivial, to be the main focus.

What I did not like was Effy's disregard for intersectionality and her constant pestering of Preston. She uses racist stereotypes and insults, despite Preston being in a similar situation to hers. The disparaging doesn't end until she falls in love with him, but she never addresses her prejudice nor grows as a person. This reeks of, "I have a black friend, so I can't be racist." Because she fell in love with a half-Argantian man, suddenly she can't be racist. Yeah, that's not how that works, and it made me uncomfortable. I am hoping this is addressed in the next book, which is set to release later this year.

A Study in Drowning is certainly not for everyone. Many other reviewers have mentioned they were bored or couldn't connect with the characters. I can definitely see why that would be the case, but I still found the eerie setting, mystery, looming destruction, and the characters to be enthralling.

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson | Book Review

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Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Series: The Mistborn Saga #1
Published by Tor Books on July 17, 2006
Genres: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 576
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Abuse, Death, Genocide, Murder, Prostitution, Sexual Assault, Slavery, Gore, Torture, Violence, Classism

Rating:

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark. Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Then Kelsier reveals his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot. But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets. She will have to learn trust if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Mistborn: The Final Empire is my introduction to Sanderson, and what an introduction it was! I can see why he is so highly recommended in fantasy spaces and can't wait to read more of his works. The world-building, character development, magical system, and story are all top tier. I have little to say that others haven't already said before, so if you have seen other raving reviews, then you have certainly seen mine.

The Final Empire takes place after the installation of a tyrant, despite apparent rebellions in the past. A ragtag team of rebels comes up with a crazy scheme to rob and defeat the Empire to free the Skaa from their oppressors. There's certainly nothing unique about the themes and tropes in this story, but it's done in such a beautiful way that it's hard not to love it. What really pushed it over the edge for me was the magic system, which really is like nothing else out there.

Some people have mocked the system as just "eating metals," but it's so much more than that. From a scientific and witchy perspective, the idea that like attracts like and that metals have different vibrational powers was a fantastic basis for a magic system. Sanderson incorporated Hermetic principles with modern physics and chemistry to create a fantastical magic system that works in profound ways. I finished reading Mistborn in February, and I am still thinking about it.

On top of a beautiful magic system, the world-building is effortless and spans the entire book. Sanderson does not simply tell us what the world is like; he immerses us in it. We learn and explore as our main character, Vin, does. Vin has been so sheltered her entire life, struggling to survive in the slums of the city, that when she begins exploring the wide world around her, we too explore it with her. But it is not just Vin through which we see the world; we are also seeing it through the eyes of Vin's mentor and leader of the rebels, Kelsier. Through Kel, we are able to adventure out into the agricultural districts to see just how differently Skaa in the city live versus Skaa in the fields.

While all this is happening in real time, we are also given glimpses into the Lord Ruler's past and how he came to be through journal entries. I love exploring the past in such a way, given snippets of information periodically throughout the story as it either becomes available or is necessary to understand the plot.

The story ends with a bang. We suffer great loss as well as great revelations. There is a major twist at the end, more than one in fact, but the story wraps up in a nice bow, allowing this to act as a stand-alone if you want. It wraps up so nicely that I haven't felt the need to pick up books two and three yet, instead focusing on other books that have been sitting on my shelf longer. If you are afraid to dive into the Sandserson-verse, don't be. Mistborn: The Final Empire is s great starting place and won't leave you feeling like you have to read 10 more books to understand what is going on.

I highly recommend fantasy readers pick up The Final Empire sooner rather than later. Make the jump! You won't regret it!

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna | Book Review

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The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
Series: Deathless #1
Published by Delacorta Press on May 1, 2020
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Sexism, Misogyny, Body Horror, Racism, Death, Disownment, Torture, Mutilation, Starvation, Trauma, Sexual Violence, Death of Parent
Rating:

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death. Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat. Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.

The Gilded Ones is the first in the Deathless Trilogy by Namina Forna. Unfortunately, you can also tell this is Forna's debut, as the writing, characters, and pacing seem slightly off. That isn't to say the book is bad (I rated it 3.75 stars), just don't go in expecting a masterpiece.

The story opens with Deka fearing her upcoming blood ceremony, where girls are tested to see if their blood runs red or gold. Red means you are "normal" and can continue living, but gold means you are a demon and must be sentenced to death immediately. Girls are tested once they reach puberty because by that point, their demon blood begins to manifest. Of course, Deka's blood runs gold. I wouldn't say this magic system is particularly new, because special blood exists in multiple fantasy realms, but the execution of it is different.

This gold blood gives the girls greater strength, healing abilities, etc, which makes them a threat to the patriarchy. The commentary on patriarchal systems and the harm it does to everyone is part of the reason I rated The Gilded Ones as high as I did. Women, whether they have red or gold blood, are treated as secondary citizens, with even the men facing retribution if they show any signs of weakness. This is exactly how patriarchy hurts everyone, and Forna does a fantastic job setting this premise up in The Gilded Ones.

On top of this, there is an excellent, complex, and diverse cast from a wide range of ethnicities. Forna flawlessly integrates multiple cultures into one story with her world-building. Furthermore, there is ample queer representation, which isn't uncommon in girl-power type books. Each character was fleshed out, creating a dynamic cast I very quickly connected with. I absolutely loved Britta, a joyful redhead with a great sense of humor, who quickly becomes Deka's best friend. She had me laughing more often than not. 

Furthermore, it's through Britta that menstruation is actually mentioned in the story, more than once, mind you! I don't know about you, but something that always bothers me about books and movies is that menstruation is very rarely ever addressed. This is a real "issue" people with a uterus deal with, and one that should play a role in their story. Unless we are dealing with pre-menstrual children or people with a uterus who have undergone so much trauma, stress, and malnourishment, they no longer menstruate, bleeding once a month is going to pose problems while you try to save the world. Most people with a uterus experience cramps, heavy bleeding, fatigue, moodiness, and increased appetite. Some even run fevers and cramp so badly they have difficulty moving. This is going to affect their ability to save the world! It should be included in the narrative! Forna does just that, without making it something revolting or disturbing. Instead, she normalizes it.

Apart from the demon blood plaguing our main character, we are also dealing with deities and monsters, both good and bad. The Deathshrikes are a consistent threat to our main characters and the main villain in The Gilded Ones. However, the book ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the reader questioning everything they thought they knew.

So why did I say this wasn't a masterpiece? As mentioned previously, there are some pacing issues. It is certainly fast-paced, and I devoured the book in 2 or 3 days, but sometimes the story stuttered in fits and starts. This uneven pacing was jarring at times and even pulled me out of the story.

Furthermore, Deka isn't that lovable of a main character. Sometimes I liked her, and other times she fell into the "chosen one" trope a little too hard. She is selfish and downright dumb at times. I was fairly frustrated with her overall, but her friends made things more bearable. I also have to keep in mind that this is a 16-year-old girl with limited knowledge and experience due to the environment in which she was raised.

The love story also felt out of place. All of a sudden, Deka and Keita were in love, and Keita would do anything to protect her. Yeah, okay, great, but you just met, and you have literally had no interaction with each other. Why are you suddenly deeply in love?

Despite these flaws, I really enjoyed The Gilded Ones and quickly jumped into the sequels, desperate to see where the story was taking us.

The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor | Book Review

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The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor
Series: The Broken Citadel #1
Published by Henry Hold and Co. on February 4, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 368
Format: Hardback
Source: OwlCrate

Content Warnings: Animal Death, Animal Torture, Death, Murder, Domestic Abuse, Grief, Parental Neglect, Bodily Harm, Child Abuse
Rating:

Will he steal her heart... or her chance at the throne? Daughter and heir to the throne, Mancella Cliff yearns for a life without bloodshed. But as a child, she emerged from the Broken Citadel with the power to summon animals—only after killing them with her bare hands. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father, the ruler of the realm, has forced upon her to strengthen their power. Silver is a charming thief struggling to survive in a world torn apart by Mancella’s father’s reign. When a mysterious benefactor recruits him for the heist of a lifetime, a chance to rob the castle, Silver relishes the opportunity for a real future—and revenge. But he'll have to manipulate Mance and earn her trust to pull it off. As the deception and carnage mount, Mance must find a way to save her realm without becoming the ruthless monster she's been bred to be. And when Silver discovers that his actions are fueling the violence that Mance wants to prevent, he'll have to choose between his ambition and the girl he’s falling for.

Where to begin. I was an emotional wreck after the first chapter, sure I was going to DNF The Beasts We Bury because I could not handle the heartbreaking description of Mance's fight and ultimate triumph over a very sacred mother jaguar. I love animals so profoundly that I refuse to eat them and perpetuate their mass torture and slaughter. Any animal torture and death is a big turn-off for me, and I was concerned the entire book was going to be filled with more heartbreak, but I am glad I stuck it out.

Mancella, or Mance for short, is gifted with a very unique power-- if she kills an animal, she is able to absorb its spirit and its strength into herself, but only if she kills it with her bare hands, an even fight if you will. While other royal powers are fairly common in other fantasy books, such as blood magic, control over others, etc, I haven't seen anything quite like Mance's. This makes for a truly unique magical system and a damn good time when things hit the fan. I'm not going to lie, it was difficult to reconcile how Mance received her gifts, but it's just as hard on our heroine as it is on the reader. Mance does not want this gift. She hates killing animals, even refusing to eat meat because of it. She doesn't want the throne, her gift, or anything else that comes with being the heir apparent, and I don't blame her.

The story unfolds naturally, with dual perspectives between Mance and an orphan turned rogue, Silver. Silver and his friends are attempting to push back against the throne, not to free the oppressed, but to freely exist themselves. Silver takes on a job to infiltrate the throne and gather information for a mysterious buyer, and meets Mance as a result. It's an "enemies-to-lovers" story arc between Mance and Silver, but it didn't really feel like they were ever true enemies. It was very one-sided hatred that quickly dissolved once they got to know each other.

Their love blossoms very quickly, but it's not surprising considering the traumas both of them have been through. If anything, a great loss causes us to cling to anything and everything the best we can. Despite how short The Beast We Bury is, I fell so in love with both Mance and Silver. They are two children trying to do the best they can in a very cruel world. Both are full of such anger and rage, yet both desperately want to be loved, as any broken child does.

The world-building is not completely fleshed out, but I fully expect this to be reconciled in the next book(s), as this is only the first book. I did not realize this was going to be part of a series until later, which altered my rating a bit. This is an excellent first book, but the follow-up needs to do some serious work to keep the series alive. I think some reviewers failed to recognize this in their own reviews, so take this how you will.

Furthermore, I loved Mance's character development. When the story begins, Mance is naive and disconnected from the world, spending all of her time cruelly sheltered away. Her father is incredibly abusive, not just to Mance but to her mother and sister as well. He even tortures the staff. When it comes to villains, Mance's father takes the cake for the worst father. I absolutely hated the man and could not wait for him to get exactly what he deserved. However, as the story unfolds, Mance's eyes are opened to the cruelty her people are also forced to endure, the endless wars, taxes, stealing of children, false imprisonment, etc. She does everything she can to break the system, knowing in her heart that no one should have to suffer the way she has. I love that the cruelty she faced made her a more generous person, not a spiteful one. Mance's character development is to be applauded.

Finally, the twist at the end was fantastic. I'm not going to say I didn't see it coming, but I certainly didn't see all of it coming the way it did. I cannot wait to see where the story takes us in the next book! The love, political intrigue, the magic system...I am excited to see where Taylor takes us.

This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole | Book Review

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This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole 
Series: Divine Traitors #2
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on February 4, 2025
Genres: YA Fantasy, LGBT, BIPOC
Pages: 416
Format: Hardback
Source: Purchased

Content Warnings: Racism, Suicide, War, Blood, Loss of Limbs, PTSD, Colonialism, Torture
Rating:

Faron Vincent was once the saint of San Irie. Now, she’s done the unthinkable: betrayed her country. Alone, disgraced, and kidnapped, Faron is forced to help Iya grow his bloody empire. With her soul bonded to a ruthless killer, Faron has become an enemy to her people… and she fears they might be right. Elara Vincent—the new Empyrean—must undo the damage her sister has caused. San Irie has been brought back to the brink of war as Iya proclaims no nation will be safe from his brutal invasion. But how can Elara save her sister, her best friend, her country, and her world when she’s already cracking under the pressure? This heart-pounding conclusion to the Divine Traitors duology pushes these unforgettable heroines to their breaking point and beyond. Because when the lines between hero and villain are blurred, deadly sacrifices must be made.

This Ends in Embers is the epic conclusion to the Divine Traitors duology by Kamilah Cole, and what a finale it is. Since this is the second book in the duology, this post may contain some spoilers from the first book, so if you would like to avoid them, I would suggest skipping to the last paragraph for my overall thoughts.

This Ends in Embers continues to expand on the characters and world-building of So Let Them Burn, helping build that deeper connection with the characters. We are introduced to the other kingdoms as they team up with our ragtag team to help defeat Iya and fix what Faron started. Cole briefly explores how colonialism does not exist within a vacuum, but spreads like a disease, infecting all it touches. Even isolation is not enough to protect one's country from its atrocities, as other rules begin to realize this, they prepare to do what is necessary to protect their people.

The story picks up exactly where the previous one ended, which was on a cliffhanger, so the reader is not left trying to fill in the gaps. There is very little that happens off-page between books 1 and 2, making this duology seamless. I greatly appreciated this because I hate when there is a gap between books, and then some of the conclusion occurs off the page, and we are left to try and figure it out as the next story unfolds.

The pacing of This Ends in Embers is an improvement over the previous book, with scenes feeling more fleshed out overall...except for the ending. Unfortunately, the ending was completely rushed, leaving me rather stunned, to be honest. I figured the major final battle would take longer than it did, with Iya's inevitable defeat prolonged. I mean, there is a two-book build-up to this battle, and it ends in just a couple of pages? What?!

It is during this very brief final battle that one of our characters sacrifices themselves, and I have to say, I wasn't very emotional about it. I thought this character's death would have hit me harder, but it fell flat for me. The reuniting of other characters, however, was an emotional rollercoaster for me, so take that as you will.

While the writing sometimes felt repetitive or childish, you must remember this is a young adult book, not an adult one, that is dealing with some very heavy themes. Honestly, much of the themes Cole addresses reminds me of those found in R.F. Kuang's Babel, which I plan to review later this year. Cole presents the destruction of colonialism, racism, white supremacy, and the fight for freedom in such a way that young adults can process and understand.

Finally, I loved how seamlessly and without thought queerness was accepted. It wasn't shocking or socially unacceptable; it just was. This is exactly what our world needs to be like, with queerness simply existing.

Overall, I felt This Ends in Embers was a great conclusion to the duology, full of insights and lessons young and old alike need to hear in this day and age. With everything going on in the world, we could all use some joy.