Rebecca Crunden's Blog, page 21
April 26, 2023
Book Review: Onyx and Ivory (2018)
Onyx and Ivory (Rime Chronicles, #1) by Mindee Arnett
INCOHERENT SQUEALING (IN THE BEST WAY)
Honestly this book is everything I want in a fantasy. And definitely a case of why didn’t I read this sooner?! Good romance, friends who work together, an interesting magic system, ALL THE HORSE LOVE. You can really tell the author is an equestrian – her horse love and knowledge shines through the pages. I loved Kate and Corwin’s relationship so much. It was healthy and wholesome and so satisfy...
Book Review: The Crown’s Game (2016)
The Crown’s Game (The Crown’s Game, #1) by Evelyn Skye
GENERAL SPOILER WARNING
I absolutely devoured this wintry gem of a book. It’s a perfect romance read that takes two gifted magic users drawn into a competition by the Tsar to be the Imperial Enchanter for all of Russia. In this alternate history world, each country has its own source of magic to protect itself. Usually this task falls to one person, who is trained by those who can use small amounts of magic, but none so powerful as...
April 23, 2023
Review Roundup
Wolf Prince of Kstovo: Midwinter Nights by Mark Jonathan Runte
His court was the open winter fields and the dancing green blue lights overhead. The place where he could lift his head and sing to the winter stars.
This short wintry tale follows a family’s encounters with the ‘wolf prince’ who comes to them one winter’s night and extracts a bargain from a woman longing for a child. I thought the premise was very intriguing, but I do wish it had been a little longer and that we saw a bit ...
Book Review: The Bear and the Nightingale (2017)
The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) by Katherine Arden
SPOILER WARNING
“Blood is one thing. The sight is another. But courage—that is rarest of all, Vasilisa Petrovna.”
I absolutely loved Vasya, Morozko and Alyosha. And the white mare and Solovey and the domovoi and the rusalka and all the other magical friends Vasya made. I loved the snowy setting and the mystical feeling and how reading it felt like being transported into a snow globe. This reads like such a lov...
April 22, 2023
Book Review: Scythe (2016)
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1) by Neal Shusterman
This was my second attempt at reading Scythe and this time I flew through it! It wasn’t that I didn’t like it the first time around, but I had the audiobook and I started it before going on a trip and then I fell asleep and thus I remembered absolutely nothing other than Citra and Rowan get picked together and a little bit of Faraday. So I put it on pause until I had more focus. And I went ahead and picked up the paperback because even thoug...
April 16, 2023
Book Review: Whiteout (2004)
SPOILER WARNING
Another read from one of my favs! I truly adore Follett’s writing, whether it’s historical fiction or thrillers, and I’ve had this one for years now and just haven’t had the time to pick it up. But, at last, I’ve dived in! It’s a fast-paced thriller set over the Christmas holidays as a securities officer and her boss contend with two robberies at the lab one night after the other. Overall I think this book is a very well written thriller and anyo...
April 12, 2023
Book Review: Ink and Bone (2015)
Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine
SPOILER WARNING FOR ENTIRE BOOK.
ALL THE SPOILERS.
SO MANY SPOILERS.
And so the very institution we thought would bring the most light to the world has instead drowned it in shadows, and claimed that shadow as full sun. And we, poor blind creatures, have believed the lie.
This book was phenomenal. A wonderfully plotted novel.
The opening of this (both the letters and the prologue) are just so intense and wonderfully done. I was h...
Book Review: Labyrinth (2005)
Labyrinth (Languedoc, #1) by Kate Mosse
GENERAL SPOILER WARNING
I really love that the author’s note includes explanations for the differing languages and the reason for it. There’s a whole note at the start explaining langue d’oïl and langue d’Oc. At the back the author’s even included photographs and a tour of the modern day location for anyone curious. I just think that’s so cool.
The focus on the Cathars immediately intrigued me. I’ve found the Cathars fascinating ever since the...
April 9, 2023
Book Review: The Princess Bride (1973)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
“I love you,” Buttercup said. “I know this must come as something of a surprise, since all I’ve ever done is scorn you and degrade you and taunt you, but I have loved you for several hours now, and every second, more. I thought an hour ago that I loved you more than any woman has ever loved a man, but a half hour after that I knew that what I felt before was nothing compared to what I felt then. But ten minutes after that, I understood that my previou...
April 3, 2023
Comic Review: Haunted Safari (2023)
‘Okay, so I think we need to address the elephant in the room.’
‘Why? He’s in the same room. Wouldn’t we have the same address?’
OH WHEN I TELL YOU I LAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHED. Like, legit a funny comic book!
I was familiar with Burrello’s artwork coming into this because I’m the biggest fan of Michelle Franklin’s Werewolves Don’t Celebrate Hanukkah and Dragons Don’t Celebrate Passover, both of which are just absolutely precious ...
