eiion's reviews
75 reviews

Icarus was a gripping almost-thriller; not quite terrifying but not quite easy, it was perfectly emotional and tense all at the same time. a story that navigated trauma, self discovery, love, and most importantly: rebellion. the son of an art thief, who just wants to be his own person, grappling with issues that no one seems to understand (not even himself).
the plot was super interesting, I love some good thievery in a story, which this was full of, in the best way possible, and it was packed full with secrets of familial mysteries and betrayal that we got to unweave alongside the characters.

this book felt very "loose", for lack of a better word. character development and portrayal was a bit forced and flat in places. I felt like certain characters existed to fit an archetype and to support Icarus' story, but past that, they didn't have the same substance that real people do. Icarus' relationship with his father, his friends, and Helios was all so fascinatingly strange that it just hooked me. however, this was likely also due in part to the formatting and the short chapters.
Icarus is composed of the most chapters I've ever seen in a book. some chapters are words long, others span a few pages. it was a really new and fresh way to read a story, adding a level of disjointedness and frenzy to an already fast-paced book. Icarus as a character almost felt supported by how short and messy the chapters could be, and I do think it supported the story, despite the fact that the plot felt rushed or choppy at some points.

chapters included, this was a book that I like to label a "vibes read" - the plot wasn't strong enough for me to let it speak for itself. it wasn't grounded enough in reality, which made it fall back on the emotions and the energy it created in the reader. I don't think that the book leaned into it enough. what drew me in about Icarus was how relentlessly strange it seemed, and how I felt while reading it. but I don't think the book embraced that.
I would have liked to see it either dig its claw into something more concrete, or to lean a lot more heavily into the emotional and vibe-like state that it curated. as it stood, it hovered right in the middle, which make some choices (on the author's part) or some scenes hard to get behind. 

and I can't do a review here without mentioning how stunning the writing was. there were so many moments that had me setting the book down, taking a moment, reading the section again, and again, before I could finally move on. it took my breath away how beautifully it was written and how flawlessly the prose molded into the story.

I had a great time reading this book, and do encourage others to give it a go! 

I loved this book. From unique and in depth characters to a rich and interesting world, I was just so taken in by everyone and everything. 

Linus, Arthur, and all of the children were so well developed and real, but so different in their own right.
It was a really lovely read, but it wasn't a throwaway book or lacking in substance. Tackling themes like acceptance, prejudice, and conforming to a society that doesn't respect you, it hit a lot closer than I expected to. 

Everything was just so close to my heart, so meaningful, and I have to admit that I was more invested than I had any business being. The sweetest, most heartwarming story about finding family, love, and acceptance where you never thought it would be hiding. 

This book tore out my heart, stomped on it, gave it a kiss, and then shoved it back into my chest. I devoured it, cried so hard, and have still been thinking about it days later. 

Madeline Miller's writing is poetic and captivating. Imagery, battles, and descriptions jumped from the page, painting a gorgeous image of Achilles, Patroclus, and all the years they shared together, through high and low. Everything felt so emotion heavy, like that was what the plot fell back on, rather than the characters or the story. In some ways, this was really great. It made everything feel important, tied in to the characters and what decisions they made, and really tugged at your heartstrings when you let it.

But I did feel somewhat disappointed in the characters and their development. This wasn't necessarily helped by the writing style seeming detached in places or the fact that it fell back on emotions and poetic writing so much. Patroclus, despite being the main character, felt a bit flat and bland. Unless he was with Achilles, what did he have to show for himself? Achilles could stand on his own, but Patroclus and Achilles never spoke about their emotions, and really just hardly spoke to each other about anything important, which made it hard to connect with both of them, and made many of Achilles' decisions feel like they came out of left field. The book was so focused on their relationship and on getting to the end goal that it almost forgot that each half of a whole is still a substantial, standalone piece. 

Yet, still, the plot felt fleshed out, real, and choices seemed to matter. Knowing what they were hurtling towards didn't make it any easier, and if you really paid attention, you could pick up the pieces of what went wrong and where. This was a Greek Epic, through and through.
And then, of course, I sobbed at the end. Sobbed. Like, unable to function for a good half hour afterwards. 

It's worth reading if just to feel the emotions and lose yourself in the world for a little bit. As much as it hurts, it also heals, and I did genuinely really love it. 

Every review or summary of this book I have ever seen has boiled down to the same thing: Book shaped. Vibes only. 5 stars.
And you know what? I fully agree. This book was shaped just like a book, it had vibes, and it was great.

It's really hard to leave a proper review on this book, because there's so much and yet so little to actually talk about.
The focal point of the story is the writing style & how our MC chooses to write his journal entries. It's polarizing - it's not easy to read, it's not flowery or descriptive, in fact, it's kind of just super weird. I loved it. Many people don't. The fact of it is, is that if you don't like the style of writing, the book will not work for you, because the writing style is the book. But I loved the style, and I think that just gave me an in to really loving this book. 

Surpassing my expectations, Piranesi did have an overarching plot. It wasn't the easiest to follow, especially in the first half of the book, but once we got to that point, it was easy to sink into and get lost in. Equal parts touching and unsettling, I never felt like I knew what was coming next, found myself dragged into this world and mystery with an iron grip. 

For fans of the mysterious, nervewracking, sometimes charming and thrilling, Piranesi is the book for you. 

A Marvellous Light was recommended to me by a friend, and where I went in expecting an easy, silly read about two men in a low magic, Edwardian time period, I came out with a surprisingly fleshed out fantasy world with a fun romantic arc to match. 

I saw another review earlier that suggested that this book was written like a really well done fanfiction, and I have to say: I completely agree. In the best way possible, it mirrored writing I feel like I've seen before, easy to digest and emphasized in all the right places. I got along with the style really well, and while it wasn't as flowery or descriptive as some fantasy novels can be, I found myself appreciative of its simplicity because it just made for a laid back read. 

The pacing was a bit back and forth, but not too bad. The first half felt really slow, the second half seemed just a bit too fast, too many loose ends being tied up too quickly. I'm aware that this is part of a trilogy, but I feel like it did a really good job at leaving the ending open enough to prompt a further storyline in the next books while still giving us a complete and fulfilling plot in this one. It focused on the story without ignoring the romance, and the romance didn't overshadow the plot at all. 

Can I just say it? Robin and Edwin were absolutely made for each other. Their relationship felt like it was quite based in physical attraction, but I also will admit that I knew what I was signing up for going into an adult romance novel. And that's not to say that I didn't enjoy it - I feel like plenty of their scenes both SFW and NSFW did a good job at setting up their relationship and conveying their emotions. I did enjoy getting to indulge in these two, very clearly in love & a really fun pairing. 

I debated it for a little bit, but I do think I'm going to continue with the trilogy! I just like Marske's writing too much, and it's a good book/series to sink your teeth into if you're looking for something low commitment and indulgent.

I've certainly aged out of some of the main YA book circles, and this really proved it for me.

There's not a lot to say in this review. It wasn't a bad story by any means, it just didn't do anything for me, and didn't stick in my mind.

The characters were interesting, but lacked the depth I see in other YA/fantasy books, and the same can be said for the worldbuilding. Typically, when these things feel underdeveloped, the romance tends to shine, but this wasn't exactly the case in this book, I feel. It was a perfectly fine romance, but felt forced at best, stale at worst. Maybe it was the whole "mafia boss" thing that just icked me out, or maybe that's just because I had no stakes in any of the characters. I didn't care what happened to them, what they did, and it made the whole reading process feel a bit forced. I'll admit I skimmed the last 100 or so pages, because at some point, I was just not feeling it anymore. 

I'm aware that this reads as a quite negative review, but I promise I didn't hate the book. It wasn't for me, and I absolutely recognize that. I still had some amount of enjoyment from reading the book, it was an easy, fun YA read, and while I personally won't continue with the duology, this is 100% a series I think others can enjoy, and I definitely see why. 

What the hell??? This was BEAUTIFUL.

I can't write a review for this book and I won't. Trust me when I say I cried, and that if you can spare the time to read a masterfully crafted 30 pages, you need to. 

The Ones We Burn is a story about a witch, who has been chosen to marry a prince for a treaty that has tentatively managed tensions between the ordinary people and those with magic for years. Ranka, a bloodwitch, does not want this fate. So when her people suggest that she play along with the ruse, only to kill the would-be king, Ranka jumps at the opportunity, both to give her people back some power, and to investigate a mysterious illness that has been slowly infecting witches further and further North. 

If you know me, you know I love worldbuilding, and this book is one of the best worlds I have ever seen to be created from scratch. It's imaginative, inventive, consistent, and delivered to us not as a dump, but slowly, as we traverse the world. I honestly loved uncovering it, and felt really immersed in the land that Ranka was living in and discovering at the same time. The world was also super diverse, which was both refreshing and really interesting, I liked reading about how power could be linked to gender while still making space for trans, NB, and other genderqueer witches.
The plot fell right alongside the worldbuilding. It was fleshed out, consistently interesting, and was just so tense. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and really did not want to put it down. It was so easy to get sucked into it.

Character wise, everyone felt so real and important. Never just there to further the story, people developed and changed in the background, and Ranka developed so many relationships, not just the one between her and her love interest. A romantic subplot, for sure, with just enough that left me wanting more. 
My only criticism on that front was that we didn't see enough of Ranka and her love interest to fully grasp their complex relationship and how those emotions changed, ebbed, and resurged. We needed to really trust that a lot of that development happened between the lines, it wasn't given to us immediately. 

I hover right between 4.25 and 4.5 stars for this book. 
The worldbuilding bumps it up immensely: if you're a fan of an intricate and in depth world, this is a great book for you. But what sort of gives me pause on pushing it all the way to 4.5 is what the book tackled, and how I didn't respond to it.
There's a lot in here about abuse, being used by those you love, manipulation, and really needing to rediscover your own worth. So many times, the characters would speak and say things that were so kind, so sweet, about putting yourself first, about not needing to be what everyone else has shaped you into. Ranka got to choose her own path, something she desperately needed to do. I unfortunately, just didn't resonate with what they were saying as much as I wanted to. It was a personal gripe with it, but it keeps me from giving it that full 4.5 stars, because it just wasn't as powerful as I wanted it to be. 

It's a great book, that I think all fantasy fans should give a try, especially those who love a good sapphic romance. 

Thank you to BookSirens and Nikky Lee for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! 

The Rarkyn's Familiar centered around an unlikely friendship, formed by the bonds of magic and the looming threat of certain doom. Lyss and Skaar were such loveable characters, and it was really nice to see a book like this that focused on their platonic, friendly connection in a natural way.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It has an easy to read writing style that slots right in with other YA and high fantasy authors, while still bringing its own sort of identity to the table. Paired with an intricate and well thought out world, I felt really immersed in it. This book didn't feel like any others I've read - it was so unique in its concept, in the plot, the magic system, and the way characters interacted with the world. Information was conveyed to us really organically; there weren't long backstory dumps or dumbed down explanations, the characters just talked in a way that was natural, easy to believe, and communicated to the audience really well what world we were dealing with. I genuinely can't praise the worldbuilding enough or the execution of its delivery to the reader. It was so complex, backed up in all the right places, and just felt so fresh and new.

For the first good 75% of the book, this had the makings to be a really fascinating new take on the fantasy genre. The last 25% or so didn't have the same magic as the first part(s). It felt a lot more generic, I noticed a change to the writing style a little bit, and I didn't love the way that Lyss' character development was portrayed to us, it felt a little detached and a bit too 'chosen one'-esque for my taste.

Despite that, I loved the concept too much to write this off. The world was just so stunning (I will never stop saying that), and I think that there's a lot of potential here for this is be both recovered and built on. I had a really great time reading it, and I think most fantasy lovers will too.

After seeing all the hype about this book on instagram, tiktok, and practically every book circle on social media, my hopes were high. This, unfortunately, did not live up to it.
At it's core, it was a really interesting premise: Author dies, her friend steals her manuscript, pretends to be Asian. Except... she doesn't.

The characters are all insufferable. I didn't care for any of them. June is an absolutely unlikeable character. I know we aren't supposed to like her, but when reading a book from someone's POV, you tend to want to have something to root for or at least have fun reading about a bad person. June was neither of those things.
She kept trying to justify things that were unjustifiable, in a mad attempt to rid herself of blame and soothe her guilty conscience. And while I understand that June didn't want to be a villain, it almost would have made the book more enjoyable if she did what she did maliciously, so we could see those thoughts and really see her hatred for Athena shine through. As it was, the writing and the characters felt so juvenile and flat, with nothing backing them up or turning them into real people.

The book, despite being only 300-something pages, felt way too long. Probably because the plot was just a repeat of the same conflict twice, with some "close calls" in between that had little to no stakes in the main book.

June's decision to publish another book while having stolen the book (again) from Athena was mental. Not just on her end, but on the story's end. Because why are we having the SAME conflict happen two times in a row? And why would she be so stupid not to cover her tracks better the second time? It's baffling to me that June seems to be able to write a full book, but leaves in an entire paragraph that she didn't write? Girl, just put it into ChatGPT and reword it. It was stupid, I thought, and made me really frustrated because I didn't feel like we were reading anything new.

Additionally, I feel like the title "Yellowface" was almost misleading. I expected June to actually legitimately pretend to be Asian. Instead, her publishing company just pushed the name "Juniper Song" on her, and that was... kind of the extent of it. Many people assumed she was Asian, but she never once agreed with that or leaned into it. That was the angle I wanted, that I thought would have been the most interesting.
And don't get me started on the end.

Someone from June's publishing team that had been fired because of a conflict she had with June came back and... checks notes... hacked into June's dead friend's instagram account to start posting grotesquely photoshopped pictures of Athena dead or dying just to taunt June into thinking she's being haunted? Sorry? Is NO ONE ELSE seeing how INSANE that is? Again: Every. Single. Character. Is just such a horrible person and I didn't have anyone I truly liked. And then June gets pushed off a roof, and... yeah.

This was a book I wish I had DNF-ed, but kept pushing, because I wanted it to get better. It unfortunately did not.