Tag: Fantasy

Betrayed

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Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Series Name: House of Night
Volume Number: 2
Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Urban, Vampires
Intended Age Group: YA
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-312-36028-3
Rating: 4.5/5
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Description from the Book

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night finishing school. She finally feels like she belongs, even gets chosen as the Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, she actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

Personal & Info

I reread Marked before starting this one since it’s been almost a year since I read it.

The shop links go to copies of the singular volume, but there are also box sets for the series. So, if you prefer to purchase your books in sets, you can easily find those on the same sites.

This series is definitely a result of the times. P.C. Cast consulted her daughter to help her write the speech to make it more like how teens at the time actually spoke. The series started releasing in 2007. Speech was cringe and insensitive, and political correctness was not as prevalent. If you look at the series with a modern eye, it’s easy to find it offensive. Keep in mind exactly what it is that you are reading. Some things don’t age well. I don’t deny the series has a lot of problems.

Content Warnings

-Teen deaths

-Insensitive language

-Sexual Themes

-Bullying

Characters

Zoey is the main character. She’s sixteen, and her Cherokee heritage through her grandmother is integral to her powers and identity. At this point in the story, she is leader of the Dark Daughters, and a High Priestess in training. Zoey has a special relationship with the goddess Nyx to be her eyes and ears at the House of Night.

Stevie Rae is Zoey’s roommate and best friend from Henrietta, Oklahoma. She’s a true country girl with a love of country music, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots. Zoey considers her a “true Okie” because she speaks with a southern “twang.”

Erin is a pretty blonde girl from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her best friend is her roommate Shaunee, because they are so similar in personality that they call each other twin.

Shaunee is Erin’s roommate and best friend from Connecticut. She considers herself Erin’s non-biological twin.

Damien is the guy friend in the group. He’s from Dallas, Texas, has a sophisticated vocabulary, and is out as gay.

Aphrodite is pretty, blonde, and gifted with disastrous visions of the future. She was the villain in the first book, but plays a much smaller, less evil, part in this one.

Erik is Zoey’s new unofficial boyfriend. He’s about six feet tall and good at acting. Zoey describes his appearance as reminding her of Superman with the hair curl. He’s also apparently the hottest guy at school. Absolutely everyone fawns over him.

Neferet is the High Priestess of the House of Night. She has beautiful red hair and green eyes, an affinity for cats, and a gift for healing. Neferet is also Zoey’s mentor, and she teaches Vampyre sociology class.

Loren Blake is a vampyre Poet Laureate. He’s in his early twenties, and he teaches the school poetry class.

Heath is Zoey’s ex-almost boyfriend from her life before the Change. He’s the star quarterback of the football team, and Zoey is having a hard time cutting him out of her life.

Detective Marx is a police detective investigating the disappearances of teenagers. I have a feeling he’ll be popping up again later in other volumes.

Sylvia Redbird is Zoey’s grandmother. She is the one person in the whole world whom Zoey loves more than anything. They don’t see each other often, but whenever they talk, it’s usually immense emotional support for Zoey.

Other people and cats appear in the story, but the people here are the most important.

Story & Thoughts

Betrayed has a lot of recap. I reread the first book, but it might not have even been necessary. All important or relevant events from the first volume get rehashed to remind the reader what happened. The reminders are all over the story, so for people reading the books consecutively, it’s probably annoying. For people who have a long gap between books, it’s probably helpful.

I already had some inklings about where the story was going to go, so a lot of things didn’t really surprise me. However, I still enjoyed the journey. The storytelling for this series is wonderful, and the characters are easy to relate and get attached to.

My biggest take away from this book is it made me cry. Something tragic happens. I saw it coming a mile away, but that didn’t make it any less sad.

The romance is getting really tangled. There are three love interests and it’s only the second volume. Zoey is breaking a ton of rules, whether accidental or on purpose. I have high hopes for a redemption arc for Aphrodite. In the mean time, based on how it ended, things are going to be very interesting.

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part. 2, Vol. 2 (LN)

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Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden, Vol. 2 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 9781718356047
Rating: 3.5/5
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Description from the Book

As Myne continues her busy life as an apprentice blue shrine maiden, some good news changes everything: Her mother is pregnant! Naturally, she immediately sets out to make a picture book for her future little sibling. But there’s still so much she doesn’t know about the temple that doing anything is a struggle. As always Myne has bitten off more than she can chew, but she charges forward with her love of books giving her strength. She soon faces problems which escalate dramatically as her shrine maiden education continues, the orphanage prepares for winter, and nobles get involved!

Personal & Info

Despite the gap for when I’m posting this review, I actually read this book immediately after the previous one. This series is becoming a comfort read, and it’s hard for me to want to read anything else between volumes. At the time of this post, I have four more volumes available to me, and I need to make myself spread them out a bit better.

Characters

Myne’s Family

Myne, previously Urano Motosu, is the main character. Now that her Devouring is under control, she mainly just suffers from normal poor health.

Tuuli is Myne’s sister. She is one year older than her, and is very responsible and capable for her age. Her current occupation is seamstress’s apprentice.

Effa is Myne and Tuuli’s mother. She dyes clothes for a career.

Gunther is Myne and Tuuli’s father. He works as a soldier who guards the South Gate.

The Gilberta Company

Benno is a wealthy merchant. He is Corinna’s older brother, and Otto’s brother-in-law. Benno currently runs the family fabric store, and takes care of Myne and Lutz in relation to their merchant endeavors.

Mark is Benno’s store manager. He teaches all of the apprentices they take on, and tends to important store matters on Benno’s behalf.

Corinna is Otto’s wife and Benno’s sister. She is a professional seamstress.

Lutz is Myne’s friend. He is the same age as she is, and he looks after her to monitor her health. Thanks to Myne, he is now following his dream to become a merchant.

Otto is Gunther’s coworker. He handles all the important paperwork for the South Gate. Benno is his brother-in-law, because Otto married Benno’s sister, Corinna. He does not appear in this volume.

The Temple

The High Bishop is mentioned, but does not appear. Due to events from Part 1, Volume 3, he hates Myne. He is supposed to be in charge of the temple, but he pushes all responsibilities onto the High Priest.

High Priest Ferdinand is Myne’s guardian at the temple. He is twenty, fairly new to his job, and convolutedly related to the High Bishop.

Fran is one of the High Priest’s best attendants. He is seventeen, and reassigned to Myne upon her joining the temple. By loyalty, he technically works for the High Priest instead of Myne. Fran is assigned to Myne to help her learn and adapt to life in the temple. He is also responsible for watching Myne’s health while she is at the temple.

Gil is about ten. He is assigned to Myne as an attendant, by order of the High Bishop, specifically to cause her trouble. That plan has failed, and he now works hard to help Myne and be useful.

Delia is eight. She is assigned as an attendant to Myne, by order of the High Bishop, to spy on her.

Wilma is one of Myne’s new attendants. She is good at art, and permitted to stay in the orphanage to take care of the children.

Rosina is one of Myne’s new attendants. She has a talent for music, and previously worked for an eccentric blue shrine maiden along with Wilma.

Arno is one of the High Priest’s attendants.

Ehrenfest’s Knight’s Order

Karstedt is the captain of Ehrenfest Knight’s Order.

Damuel is a kind knight.

Shikza is a mean knight who looks down on people of lower status. He apparently used to work at the shrine as a blue priest.

Other

Hugo is the chef Benno hired. He is about twenty, and he is learning to cook in a noble’s kitchen by practicing in Myne’s quarters at the temple.

Ella is the apprentice chef Benno hired. She is in her early teens, and is learning to cook with Hugo in Myne’s quarters at the temple.

Todd is the new chef Benno hired. He starts learning in Myne’s kitchen after Hugo.

Johann is a craftsman at the smithy. He specializes in small detail work that is typically too difficult for others.

Story & Thoughts

This is probably the weakest volume out of the five, so far. The plot isn’t as strong. Most of the story focuses on busy work. Myne makes sure the workshop is productive and attempts several ideas. There’s much less drama.

For the majority of the book, the problem with Rosina is the only real drama. She only ever worked for an eccentric apprentice blue shrine maiden, so she thought that was how life was supposed to be while serving one. Once disillusioned about that, the story focuses heavily on Myne’s projects.

I was going to rate this book a three, because the whirlwind of work going on feels monotonous. I bumped up the rating by half, because the story gets more interesting and intense in the later sections.

Trombe seem to be getting more important and prevalent. The last couple volumes expand on them, and this one shows a trombe at one of it’s worst appearances. It really puts into perspective what kind of danger they’ve been playing with by making paper out of trombe wood.

The epilogue is interesting, too. A second person now knows Myne’s secret. Instead of just knowing about it, they actually see it. I’m curious to find out what they will do with this information.

The last quarter or so of the book recaptured me, and I can’t wait to read more. This series always leaves me wanting more. I can’t fully express how much I adore this series.

The Attendant of an Apprentice Blue Shrine Maiden

This bonus chapter is in Rosina’s perspective. It goes over what her life was like working for apprentice blue shrine maiden Christine, then jumps to the present. We see what her side of things is like for Myne’s ultimatum and what her thought process is like in regards to everyone telling her she needs to participate in work instead of just playing music every waking hour. She genuinely did not know Christine was an eccentric.

Apprentice Chef in the Temple

In this bonus chapter, Ella is teaching gray shrine maidens Nicola and Monika how to cook, because they will be helping her all winter. In Ella’s perspective, we get her backstory, and learn about how she got her current job. It’ also pretty clear she likely has a crush on Hugo.

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part. 2, Vol. 1 (LN)

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Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden, Vol. 1 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 9781718356030
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

With her baptism ceremony complete, Myne begins work in the temple as an apprentice shrine maiden. Awaiting within is what she always wanted: a room full of books! But her new life isn’t quite the dream she was hoping for; she’s surrounded by nobles who scorn her common origins, and even her own servants are causing her trouble. On top of that, she has to constantly battle the weakness of her own body. But with a love for books burning in her heart, Myne gives her all to her new apprentice duties. Thus begins part two of this bingo-fantasy!

Personal & Info

Unlike the first three books in the series, this one doesn’t have a map of the city. However, the character page is more expansive than the ones prior. I was hoping for a map of the temple grounds, but there isn’t one.

Characters

Myne’s Family

Myne, previously Urano Motosu, is the main character. Now that her Devouring is under control, she mainly just suffers from normal poor health.

Tuuli is Myne’s sister. She is one year older than her, and is very responsible and capable for her age. Her current occupation is seamstress’s apprentice.

Effa is Myne and Tuuli’s mother. She dyes clothes for a career.

Gunther is Myne and Tuuli’s father. He works as a soldier who guards the South Gate.

The Gilberta Company

Benno is a wealthy merchant. He is Corinna’s older brother, and Otto’s brother-in-law. Benno currently runs the family fabric store, and takes care of Myne and Lutz in relation to their merchant endeavors.

Mark is Benno’s store manager. He teaches all of the apprentices they take on, and tends to important store matters on Benno’s behalf.

Corinna is Otto’s wife and Benno’s sister. She is a professional seamstress.

Lutz is Myne’s friend. He is the same age as she is, and he looks after her to monitor her health. Thanks to Myne, he is now following his dream to become a merchant.

Otto is Gunther’s coworker. He handles all the important paperwork for the South Gate. Benno is his brother-in-law, because Otto married Benno’s sister, Corinna. He does not appear in this volume.

The Temple

The High Bishop is mentioned several times, but does not appear outside of the prologue. Due to events of the previous volume, he hates Myne.

High Priest Ferdinand is Myne’s guardian at the temple. He is twenty, fairly new to his job, and convolutedly related to the High Bishop.

Fran is one of the High Priest’s best attendants. He is seventeen, and reassigned to Myne upon her joining the temple. By loyalty, he technically works for the High Priest instead of Myne. Fran is assigned to Myne to help her learn and adapt to life in the temple.

Gil is about ten. He is assigned to Myne as an attendant, by order of the High Bishop, specifically to cause her trouble.

Delia is eight. She is assigned as an attendant to Myne, by order of the High Bishop, to spy on her.

Arno is one of the High Priest’s attendants.

Other

Karla and Deid are Lutz’s parents.

Hugo is the chef Benno hired. He is about twenty, and he is learning to cook in a noble’s kitchen by practicing in Myne’s quarters at the temple.

Ella is the apprentice chef Benno hired. She is in her early teens, and is learning to cook with Hugo in Myne’s quarters at the temple.

Story & Thoughts

The prologue covers the High Priest discussing Myne’s terms with the High Bishop. We get some background information about both the High Priest and the High Bishop. The High Bishop also sets some terms of his own regarding two out of three of Myne’s attendants. After that, the transitional month passes, and Myne enters the temple in the first chapter.

This volume primarily focuses on Myne’s time adjusting to her new apprenticeship at the temple. Life at the temple is very different from what she was expecting. Of course, Myne, being who she is, can’t help turning the place on its head.

The temple has some strange and down right outrageous ideals. The High Bishop makes the rules, so it’s clear he’s not a good person. For example, the story claims the temple doesn’t consider kids under the age of seven (pre-baptism) to be people. It’s pretty horrible, but Myne gets involved in some clever ways to get around the rules.

I think the volume is interesting. The world inside the temple has its own culture, and in most ways, is completely ignorant of what goes on outside. I like how Myne handles the problems with her attendants, and the new insight about trombe. Some subtle questions arise that have me curious, but Myne doesn’t care about them, so I’ll have to wait and see if any answers crop up later.

A Place Still Far From Here

This bonus chapter is in Tuuli’s perspective. It covers a day when Tuuli brings two coworker friends to the North side of town to observe fashion trends. Tuuli seems to have more ambition than any other apprentice where she works, and instead of getting intimidated by hard designs, she strives to be skilled enough to be able to handle them.

An Attendant’s Self-Awareness

The last bonus chapter is in Gil’s perspective. It takes place on the day when Gunther, Tuuli, and Lutz take the orphans to the forest. During the walk, Gil resolves his determination to be useful to Myne.

Bofuri, Vol. 5 (LN)

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Bofuri, Vol. 5 by Yuumikan, Koin
Series Name: Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense. (Light Novel)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life, Video Games
Intended Age Group: 13+
Publisher: Yen On/Yen Press
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-9753-2360-8
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

After going toe-to-toe with two of the strongest guilds on the entire server, Maple Tree proved itself as a force to be reckoned with when they placed third overall in the latest event. That said, war isn’t all the guilds are good for! Maple and her friends have steadily grown closer to members of the Order of the Holy Sword and Flame Empire as their rivalries give way to something more. With new friends and powers, everyone is more than ready to dive headfirst into the newly released stratum!

Personal & Info

I have no more volumes after this one, so more reviews will be added after I get more.

Characters

Maple Tree

Kaede Honjou, player name Maple, is the main character. She didn’t play video games much until she tried New World Online. At this point, she’s starting to understand how to play games better. She still doesn’t like the pain system, so she puts ALL stat points into her defense.

Risa Shiromine, player name Sally, is Maple’s friend. She introduced Kaede to the game, and decided to follow her lead in making an overpowered build. Her primary stat is agility, and she has a special skill as a gamer to be able to handle fast movement and reaction times without any additional program assistance.

Kasumi is a katana wielding player that Maple and Sally befriended during the second game event. Her build is normal compared to Maple, Mai, and Yui.

Kanade is a mage player that Maple befriended during the second game event. His staff is a Rubik’s cube. He has an amazing memory, which makes him a uniquely skilled player.

Chrome is the Anonymous Great Shielder in the forums and Maple’s friend. He’s one of the best great shielders in the game, and his build is relatively normal compared to Maple.

Iz is a crafter that Maple met through Chrome. She’s one of the best crafters in the game.

Yui and Mai are twins only differentiated by their hair colors of white and black. They are Maple’s newest friends, and chose pure strength builds.

Oboro and Syrup are Sally and Maple’s animal companion rewards from the second event. Oboro is a fox, and Syrup is a turtle.

Flame Empire

Mii is a mage specializing in fire magic, with the nickname Flame Empress. She is a role player who is in too deep to quit.

Marx has the nickname Trapper. His specialty is setting traps, and he is eighth in player rankings.

Misery has the nickname Saint Misery. She’s primarily a healer, but she is tenth in player rankings.

Shin has the nickname Splinter Sword. He has a rivalry with Kasumi.

The Order of the Holy Sword

Pain is the top player on the server. He plays a holy sword knight.

Frederica is a mage specializing in aoe attacks. She has an ongoing rivalry with Sally.

Drag has the nickname Groundsplitter. He’s an axe wielder and tends to make Frederica cover his defense while he focuses on DPS. He is fifth in the player rankings.

Dread has the nickname Godspeed. He uses daggers similarly to Sally and appears to be faster than her. He also has a heightened sense of intuition for danger, which helps make him a formidable foe. His ranking from the first event is second.

Story & Thoughts

This volume covers a lot, and I actually have several gripes. First of all, there are two new stratums and two events. The book is not long, so there are significant time skips. It covers everything from roughly October through February. That’s a long time frame! And I don’t mean that in a good way. Despite the multiple content drops, it feels like hardly anything happens.

I think the biggest problem is the story might have too many characters. The first couple volumes are charming because they focus on two friends playing the game and having fun. Now, there is a long list of characters, which means more time has to be spent on individual quests and various group adventures. There are so many time skips, and adventures feel more glossed over. The new characters were interesting for the fourth event in volume four, but now they seem like a hinderance.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the story expanding with new characters. But, right now, they’re all very shallow. I want them to have more in-depth adventures to get to know them better. Chrome had one a while back, and Kasumi gets one in this book, but I don’t think that is enough for them. Most other characters haven’t had any at all, yet, and the group ones don’t quite feel the same since they just walk through everything. The characters have little to no challenge. Boss battles earlier in the series are more interesting and thrilling. The ones here feel a bit lacking in comparison.

The story is still fine and enjoyable. It just feels like there’s a dip in quality at the moment. I hope it goes back up in the next one or two volumes. Also, there are no admin or forum sections. I like those, and actually miss them. With two events and multiple boss battles, I thought there would be at least one, but there isn’t.

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part. 1, Vol. 3 (LN)

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Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 1: Daughter of a Soldier, Vol. 3 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 9781718356023
Rating: 5/5
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Description from the Book

Just as Myne gets her foot in the door of making paper, she collapses due to the sickness known as the Devouring. She’s getting better thanks to her friends and the people around her, but the Devouring remains clouded in mystery. As the world expands, so too does her passion for making books, and that passion could open more doors than she ever imagined!

Personal & Info

This volume was hard to find. It wasn’t in stock anywhere, including online. Only two Barnes & Noble locations in my entire state had a copy, and they were both an hour away in different directions. I ended up driving that hour with a friend to be able to get mine. After that I checked a couple volumes ahead and saw they were going out of stock, so I panic purchased the next two to be safe.

Up until now, there have only been one or two extra stories at the end of each book. This one has six. Three of them take place around the same time, of the same day, on the day of the cake tasting. They all seem significant, and likely all take place during the month Myne was given by the High Priest.

Characters

Myne, previously Urano Motosu, is the main character. She suffers from poor health, in addition to a deathly illness called The Devouring. Despite her poor health, Myne has become a cash cow for anyone who will listen to her marketable ideas.

Tuuli is Myne’s sister. She is one year older than her, and is very responsible and capable for her age. Her current occupation is seamstress’s apprentice.

Effa is Myne and Tuuli’s mother. She dyes clothes for a career.

Gunther is Myne and Tuuli’s father. He works as a soldier who guards the South Gate.

Lutz is Myne’s friend. He is the same age as her, and he looks after her like she’s his little sister. Thanks to Myne, he is now following his dream to become a merchant.

Otto is Gunther’s coworker. He handles all the important paperwork for the South Gate. Benno is his brother-in-law, because Otto married Benno’s sister, Corinna.

Benno is a wealthy merchant. He is Corinna’s older brother, and Otto’s brother-in-law.

Mark is Benno’s store manager. He teaches all of the apprentices they take on, and tends to important store matters on Benno’s behalf.

Corinna is Otto’s wife. She is a professional seamstress.

Freida is the granddaughter of the Merchant Guild’s Guildmaster. She has the Devouring, like Myne, and her family is exceedingly wealthy. Her passion is money, and she considers herself Myne’s best friend.

Leise is the home chef for the Guildmaster’s family. She is enthusiastic about her job and loves learning new recipes.

Story & Thoughts

The prologue starts with Freida’s thoughts while she fetches a magic tool from a safe. This is in reaction to Myne’s collapse at the end of volume two. Chapter one picks up the story with Myne waking up at the Guildmaster’s residence.

This is the most emotional volume in the series, so far. It seems to be the one they try to squeeze in all the hard family conversations. The chapter “Family Meeting” got me all teary eyed and choked up. In that chapter, Myne finally discusses the details of her illness with her family and addresses the only options available regarding her health. I didn’t expect that discussion to hit so hard, but it kicked me right in the feels. Additionally, Lutz finally gets to speak to one of his parents about becoming a merchant and they actually listen.

It’s not the most amazing light novel volume, but while reading it, I was absolutely certain I wanted to rate it a five. It’s flawed, but I had such a good time reading it. The High Bishop’s attitude was so over the top it was practically comical.

The whole church is hilarious. It doesn’t make any sense. Tuuli prayed once, and there was nothing unusual about it. The difference between how Tuuli prayed and how the children are taught at the baptism raises so many questions. Maybe the prayers differ by season or which season people were born in.

I am so hooked on this series. I love all the character interactions, and how even though it feels like the story is progressing slowly, it’s a joy to read. The more I read, the more I love the series. It’s definitely not something everyone would enjoy, but it’s stolen my heart.

Tuuli – Visiting Corinna

The first extra story is in Tuuli’s perspective. Myne, Effa, and Tuuli all go visit Corinna to show her Myne’s baptism dress and hairpin. Corinna expresses interest in the hairpin, so Benno must negotiate with Myne for the exclusive rights to sell them. Because of this, Tuuli sees her little sister at work for the first time and can’t believe her eyes.

Leise – Confectionary Recipe

This second story is in Leise’s perspective. It explains her background and motivations. She speaks to Myne before the cake tasting to get more information on how to make the cakes better.

Benno – Pound Cake Sampling

The third story is in Benno’s perspective. He attends the cake tasting and forms a rivalry with Leise as he vows to try to keep all of Myne’s recipe’s for himself, even if he has to train his own chef to do it.

Mark – The Master and I

The next story is in Mark’s perspective. It takes place immediately after the cake tasting. Mark’s backstory is revealed, as well as additional information on how merchant apprenticeship works. Their system uses contracts based around apprentices either being classified as “lehange” or “leherl.”

Benno discusses future business plans in this chapter that might become relevant or important later. Lutz is tangled up in anything Benno plans, so whatever he decides will likely effect him greatly.

The Life as an Apprentice Merchant

This extra story chapter is in Lutz’s perspective. It follows him through a normal day of his apprenticeship, from wake until sleep. He has some things harder than other apprentices, but some things are easier, so he seems to be managing just fine.

The Roots of the Guildmaster’s Worries

This last extra chapter takes place during the cake tasting. It’s in Guildmaster Gustav’s perspective. Everything we know about the Guildmaster has been provided by Benno. This chapter gives us the Guildmaster’s side of things. He expresses his frustrations and concerns regarding Benno’s many seemingly greedy, selfish, and reckless behaviors, while his assistant points out to him what things must be like from Benno’s point of view to make sure the Guildmaster understands the social blunders he’s made. It’s really kind of sad, because the Guildmaster has good intentions.

The Wish List

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The Wish List by Eoin Colfer
Genres: Adventure, Demons, Fantasy, Ghosts, Supernatural
Intended Age Group: Middle Grade
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition: Hardcover
ISBN: 0-7868-1863-8
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Meg Finn is in trouble. Cast out of her home by her stepfather after her mom’s death, Meg is a wanderer, a troublemaker. But after her latest stunt, finding a place to sleep is the least of her worries. Belch, Meg’s partner in crime, has gotten her involved in the attempted robbery of an elderly man, Lowrie McCall. But things go horribly wrong. After an accidental explosion, Meg’s spirit is flung into limbo, and a race begins between the demonic and the divine to win Meg’s soul.

Meg’s really not a bad kid, but she hasn’t exactly been an angel either, so the tally of her good and evil deeds is dead even. Her only chance of tipping the scales to salvation is to go back to Earth and do good—specifically, to help Lowrie McCall. He’s got many regrets in his life to set right—a “wish list”— not much time left to do it. But even if Meg can persuade Lowrie to get mixed up with her, she’s going to have to deal with an even scarier, undead Belch—who’s now definitely on the side of the Devil.

A wild journey to the unexpected here-after, The Wish List is a heartwarming tale of a young girl’s last chance, and the love she will need to—quite literally—redeem herself.

Personal & Info

All I know about this book going into it is that it’s written by the same author as Artemis Fowl, which I have not read, but have heard good things about. This book seems almost out of print and is apparently not very popular, because it seems a little harder to find online. Barnes & Noble doesn’t even have it listed on their website as far as I can tell.

Characters

Meg Finn is the main character. The book has conflicting information about her age. She’s either twelve or fourteen. She has recently become known as a bit of a troublemaker.

Belch is kind of Meg’s associate or co-conspirator. He is sixteen, and a far worse troublemaker than she is, but he lacks intelligence. As the story progresses he becomes her enemy.

Franko Kelly is Meg’s step father. He reminds me a lot of “Smelly Gabe” from The Lightning Thief. If you’re not familiar with that, he’s basically a lazy mean slob.

Lowrie McCall is an old man with a heart condition with whom Meg must make amends with in order to save her soul.

Satan is, well, Satan. He’s the ruler of a hell and all that jazz.

Beelzebub is one of Satan’s senior demons. He takes orders directly from the devil himself and is under threat of losing his job.

Myishi is Satan’s tech support person. He wears designer suits and has a goatee similarly to his boss.

Elph is a computer program created by Myishi. His name stands for EctoLink and Personal Help Program. He appears as a floating hologram.

Saint Peter is the attendant who guards the Pearly Gates of Heaven. He basically makes the final decision on who gets in as far as this story is concerned.

Flit is a creature called a tunnel scraper or a mite. Mites are spirits of creatures who get stuck in limbo and must work a tedious job collecting baskets of soul residue in the spiritual tunnel system to earn a chance at reevaluation for entry to Heaven.

Story & Thoughts

I don’t have any strong feelings about this book. I like it well enough. It has all the traits and vibes for the age group. It’s corny in all the ways you would expect.

There are a few memorable things that might be worth mentioning. The main one, I think, is Belch. He has some body horror things happen to him. It’s not scary in the format of this book, but if seen on screen, I can see how it might be a bit frightening to some kids. The book wants Belch to be considered scary, an abomination, but it also wants him to be comic relief. It wasn’t funny to me, but I can understand how it would be to the intended age group.

The inconsistent age thing for Meg bugs me, and not just because of the age itself. So, first of all, there are several instances in the book where something is explained to her, and she is asked if she understands. In all of these instances, she says she doesn’t understand because she’s only fourteen.

It’s like a cop out response to avoid trying to understand, and at the same time making it sound like she is incapable of understanding due to her age. At least, that’s how I choose to interpret it. But, it seems unrealistic to me. I don’t think kids would bother with that kind of response. I have never heard of kids ever trying to make themselves seem less intelligent or inferior just because they are young. Realistically, it’s always the exact opposite.

As for the number of her age itself, I can’t help wondering if maybe she was including the two years she has been dead. That wouldn’t be right, because she can’t age if she’s dead, but it might feel more natural because it’s the number accurate to her birth. The main reason it bugs me is because she was supposedly fourteen for the whole book, but then the information way later about her time of death only adds up to twelve. I just don’t know if it was her counting from her birth while dead, or if something was overlooked in editing.

Aside from these few things, the book is good. I don’t know if I’ll bother reading it again, but it seems like a good children’s/middle grade book. There are demons in the story, and Saint Peter, but you don’t have to know a lot about the bible or anything to enjoy or comprehend the story.

Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part. 1, Vol. 2 (LN)

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Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! Part 1: Daughter of a Soldier, Vol. 2 by Miya Kazuki, You Shiina
Series Name: Ascendance of a Bookworm: I’ll do anything to become a librarian! (Light Novel)
Genres: Fantasy, Isekai
Intended Age Group: Teen
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 9781718356016
Rating: 4.5/5
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Description from the Book

It has been a year since our hero was reborn into a new world in the body of Myne, a sickly little girl from a poor family. She’s been doing her best to fulfill her dream of making books, but her plans have been foiled at every turn.

But now Myne has a deal with Benno the merchant: With her friend Lutz’s help, she will make a paper prototype that he can sell in his shop. In exchange, he will take her and Lutz on as apprentices. But making the prototype is filled with its own challenges, and can she trust a conniving merchant like Benno? And the most important question is, does Myne have the deadly sickness known as “The Devouring”?

Personal & Info

I wanted to read this immediately after the first volume. It’s that good.

There is a mini-poster at the front of the book. The poster is not perforated, so I wouldn’t bother removing it. It’s big enough to fold out once, and has two sides. One side is the same picture as the cover, and the back is a cute picture of all the important characters pertaining to this volume.

Characters

Myne, previously Urano Motosu, is the main character. She is a twenty-two-year-old book nerd in the body of a young child. Myne suffers from poor health, and could rarely leave the house or do normal household chores. Her health is much better now, but she still gets sick far more often and easier than everyone else, and her physical strength is practically nonexistent.

Tuuli is Myne’s sister. She is one year older than her, and is very responsible and capable for her age. Her current occupation is seamstress’s apprentice.

Effa is Myne and Tuuli’s mother. She dyes clothes for a career.

Gunther is Myne and Tuuli’s father. He works as a soldier who guards the South Gate.

Lutz is Myne’s friend. He is the same age as her, and he looks after her like she’s his little sister.

Otto is Gunther’s coworker. He handles all the important paperwork for the South Gate. Benno is his brother-in-law, because Otto married Benno’s sister, Corinna.

Benno is a wealthy merchant. He is Corinna’s older brother, and Otto’s brother-in-law.

Corinna is the matriarch of her family and Otto’s wife. She is a professional seamstress.

Freida is the granddaughter of the Merchant Guild’s Guildmaster. Her family is exceedingly wealthy, and she has a passion for money. She and her grandfather badly want to recruit Myne to work at their store.

Story & Thoughts

The prologue starts with Tuuli helping her mother make lunch, while Myne and Lutz are at their meeting with Otto and Benno. Chapter one starts with Myne and Lutz walking back from the meeting. There is absolutely no gap from when volume one ends to volume two beginning. I love when books just drop off and pick up in the same spot for the next volume.

Myne and Lutz have a good dynamic. Lutz is the only person in the whole city willing to spend his time looking after Myne almost every day. Her sickly condition is pretty serious, but their interactions make for some funny moments. It keeps things light enough that her illness doesn’t make the story gloomy, but whenever her condition worsens, there’s sufficient tension.

The money system finally gets an explanation. If I’m remembering correctly, there are seven different coins for currency: three different types of coppers, two types of silvers, and two types of golds. Their values have an explanation in the book, but it kind of lets you fill in the blank for the last three coins. There is a huge difference in some of the coin values. The smallest coin is worth ten, and the biggest coin, by their rule of adding a zero each increment, is worth 10,000,000. It’s pretty crazy to have a single coin worth that much.

I am in love with this series. It’s kind of funny that Myne is becoming a big bread winner for her household within a very short amount of time. What I like the most about this volume is that someone actually realized she’s not the “real” Myne. That interaction was so tense but so sweet. Again, I’m disappointed I don’t have the next volume right away. At the moment I’m typing this, it’s sold out everywhere.

Corinna’s Married Life

This is a bonus chapter in Corinna’s perspective. It covers her looking at the hairpins Myne provides to sell, and reflecting on her whirlwind romance with Otto. We heard a little about that from Otto before, but this chapter shows us a little more in depth, and from Corinna’s side of things, so we know what she was going through at the time.

Gossiping by the Well

The second bonus chapter is in Effa’s perspective. It takes place during a time when she’s doing laundry by the well with the other wives. She speculates about Myne’s change in behavior in the past year and compares her to Gunther. Apparently she considers Myne and Gunther to be similar.

A Court of Silver Flames

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A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 4
Genres: Enemies to Lovers, Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-799-0
Rating: 4/5
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Description from the Book

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly—proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And since the war—since being made High Fae against her will—she’s struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court.

The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta’s every turn. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and it only burns hotter as they are forced to work closely together.

As the threat of war casts its shadow over them once again, Nesta and Cassian must battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance—and healing—in each other’s arms.

Personal & Info

This book is in two perspectives instead of just one. It’s a change from the rest of the series. The only other book in the series like this is A Court of Frost and Starlight, which has several perspectives. Nesta is the main character for this book, but the love interest, Cassian, also has his perspective included.

The map at the front of this book is much prettier than the maps in the other books.

The friend who gifted me the ACOTAR box set was on this book when I started the series. They fell into a reading slump, and I somehow managed to pass them and finish the last book in the set before them. Now I’m the one waiting on them to be able to talk about it. The tables have turned.

Content Warnings

-Depression
-Suicidal thoughts
-Sexual Assault
-Grief
-Abuse

Characters

Feyre is the High Lady of the Night Court, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker. She likes to paint, and she doesn’t actually do much in this book, even though she has been the main character in the series until now.

Elain is the middle child in her family. She likes to garden, and is generally considered the pretty sister. She’s become more assertive as her character has developed, but her love life still has a long way to go.

Nesta is the eldest sister in her family, and the main character of this book. She tends to have an unsavory personality, and likes to read.

Rhysand is High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Cassian is Rhysand’s general. He’s the love interest for the book, which is to be expected since he and Nesta have always had a sort of tension.

Amren is Rhysand’s second in command. She was Nesta’s friend after the dip in the cauldron, but as of ACOFAS, that is no longer the case.

Azriel is Rhysand’s Shadowsinger/Spy, and fills military based roles along with Cassian.

Mor is Rhysand’s third in command. She handles affairs regarding the Court of Nightmares when Rhys and Feyre are not present. She also functions as an envoy to other Fae nations.

Eris is the heir to the Autumn Court. He has a sordid history with Mor, and is a tentative ally to the Night Court.

Gwyn is a priestess who lives in the library under the House of Wind. She likes to sing, and befriends Nesta.

Emerie is an Illyrian female with clipped wings introduced in ACOSAF who runs her own store in Illyria. She is also Nesta’s friend.

Several priestesses from the library are mentioned throughout the book, but Gwyn is the most important.

Vassa, Lucien, and Jurian are not terribly important in this book.

Story & Thoughts

Let me start by saying I have always liked Nesta. She’s a complicated person, with a lot of baggage, who comes off as detestable. But that’s not why I like her. In the first book, something about the core of her character resonated with me.

In this book, Nesta is in a place where she needs to grow. She lacks trust and communication skills, and she falls into the idea that nobody can possibly understand what she’s going through, even though both of her sisters have also had to make the human to Fae adjustment. What it really comes down to is she doesn’t want to be happy. This book might hit close to home for some, because it covers feelings of depression and worthlessness, while still wanting to be loved, but feeling like it isn’t something deserved. The story is Nesta’s journey to recovery, and a heartwarming tale of sisterhood.

On the other side of things, there are so many sex scenes, and they are far more explicit than any of the other volumes. Nesta is a fan of smut novels, so I think it’s written that way to mesh with her personal perspective. Cassian is just as dirty as she is. Sometimes the book feels more like an erotica than a romance.

I enjoyed the story. It’s lengthy, and a bit slow to start, but the pace is what it needs to tell Nesta’s story properly. Her progress is slow, and at times feels like not much is happening, but it’s all important. It feels natural when you start to notice the growth and how it occurs.

I do have some gripes. My biggest one probably being that I think Nesta should be with someone else. After learning more about Nesta, I think Cassian is what she needs for her recovery, but not what she should have in a partner. They just don’t mesh in a way that interests me. I don’t think he is stimulating enough for her in some ways she might prefer. There’s a certain kind of banter that’s missing. It’s hard to explain.

There is no cliffhanger in this book. Everything is wrapped up nicely. I would have liked to see the aftermath of the Illyrian weirdness cleaned up at the end, but maybe that will be covered a in another book. Someone somewhere should be in trouble after all that.

Bofuri, Vol. 4 (LN)

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Bofuri, Vol. 4 by Yuumikan, Koin
Series Name: Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense. (Light Novel)
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Sci-Fi, Slice of Life, Video Games
Intended Age Group: 13+
Publisher: Yen On/Yen Press
Edition: Paperback 
ISBN: 978-1-9753-2358-5
Rating: 3.5/5
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Description from the Book

With new allies and skills at the ready, Maple Tree embarks on their first event! The obvious favorites to take the crown are the big guilds like Flame Empire and the Order of the Holy Sword, each boasting well over a hundred members and some of the best players who topped the ranks in previous events. To make matters worse, everyone on the server has been stocking up on anti-Maple skills and items after her rise to infamy. For any hope of victory, Maple Tree will have to overcome incredible odds and shatter all expectations—or wipe out everybody else trying!

Personal & Info

I’m still not impressed with the cheap paper the publisher uses for this series. Three out of four volumes so far have some kind of damage just from normal handling or shipping. Be careful with the physical copies. They are not nearly as durable as the average book.

Characters

Maple Tree

Kaede Honjou, player name Maple, is the main character. She didn’t play video games much until she tried New World Online. The game has a pain system that allows the player to actually feel pain when they take damage. Because of this feature, Maple puts ALL stat points into her defense. Since starting the game, Maple has become an absolute horror to other players.

Risa Shiromine, player name Sally, is Maple’s friend. She introduced Kaede to the game, and decided to follow her lead in making an overpowered build. Her primary stat is agility, and she has a special skill as a gamer to be able to handle fast movement and reaction times without any additional program assistance. Like Maple, she has established a horrifying reputation to other players.

Kasumi is a katana weilding player that Maple and Sally befriended during the second game event. She has yet to be infected by Maple’s weirdness.

Kanade is a mage player that Maple befriended during the second game event. His staff is a Rubik’s cube. He has an ability that lets him store spells for later use, which makes him a bit overpowered as a mage.

Chrome is the Anonymous Great Shielder in the forums and Maple’s friend. He’s also one of the best great shielders in the game. He has been infected by Maple’s weird luck and managed to get some overpowered gear and skills of his own.

Iz is a crafter that Maple met through Chrome. She’s one of the best in the game. With her new gear and skills, she’s also likely considered overpowered.

Yui and Mai are twins only differentiated by their hair colors of white and black. They are Maple’s newest friends, and chose pure strength builds.

Oboro and Syrup are Sally and Maple’s animal companion rewards from the second event. Oboro is a fox, and Syrup is a turtle.

The Order of the Holy Sword

Pain is the top player on the server. He plays a holy sword knight.

Frederica is a mage. She tried to get intel on Sally before the event and has a bit of a rivalry with her.

Drag has the nickname Groundsplitter. He’s an axe wielder and tends to make Frederica cover his defense while he focuses on DPS. He is fifth in the player rankings.

Dread has the nickname Godspeed. He uses daggers similarly to Sally and appears to be faster than her. He also has a heightened sense of intuition for danger, which helps make him a formidable foe. His ranking from the first event is second.

Flame Empire

Mii has the nickname Flame Empress. She is a mage specializing in fire magic. I would guess the guild is named after her.

Marx has the nickname Trapper. His specialty is setting traps, and he is eighth in player rankings.

Misery has the nickname Saint Misery. She’s primarily a healer, but she is tenth in player rankings.

Shin has the nickname Splinter Sword. His rival is Kasumi, because he lost to her in the first event.

Story & Thoughts

The entirety of this volume is the fourth game event. It covers a lot with a large amount of characters. More information about and inclusion of other top ten players are shown. Most of them are in the three guilds the description mentions: The Order of the Holy Sword, Flame Empire, and Maple Tree.

I like the story well enough. The event is interesting and entertaining. The addition of so many other characters makes things feel even busier.

My main issue with the volume is that, despite the expansiveness of the event, it still seems too easy for Maple Tree. In volume three, they reveal what the event will be, as well as all of the terms and conditions. The fact each character can die a certain number of times before being removed from the event left me thinking Maple Tree would suffer more deaths throughout. The actual number of deaths in the book is well below my expectations, and thus leaves me feeling like the story lacks enough tension to truly be satisfying.

Aside from that one thing, various parts of the book had me smiling and giggling. Maple is comically overpowered. If Maple Tree had a harder time, I think my rating would be higher. It can be difficult to have overpowered characters and still keep the right amount of tension. I think the balance is a little off in that regard.

A Court of Frost and Starlight

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A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
Series Name: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Volume Number: 3.5
Genres: Fae, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Intended Age Group: Adult
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Edition: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-63557-562-0
Rating: 3/5
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Description from the Book

Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching, and, with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concern for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated—scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

Bridging the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin with the later books in the series, A Court of Frost and Starlight explores the long-lasting effects of a devastating war and the fierce love between friends.

Personal & Info

This book is written differently than the others. It has various perspectives from different characters. Feyre, Rhysand, Cassian, Mor, and Nesta all have at least one chapter in their perspective. The weird thing, in my opinion, is that only Feyre and Rhys are in first person. The rest are in third.

Characters

Feyre is the High Lady of the Night Court, and commonly known as Feyre Cursebreaker. She likes to paint.

Elain is the middle child in her family. She likes to garden as a hobby, and is generally considered the pretty sister.

Nesta is the eldest sister in her family. She tends to have an unsavory personality, and likes to read.

Rhysand is High Lord of the Night Court, and Feyre’s mate. His special skill involves mind manipulation.

Mor, Amren, Cassian, and Azriel are Rhys’ and Feyre’s friends and members of their Court inner circle. Amren is second in command. Mor is third, and handles affairs with the Court of Nightmares in Rhys and Feyre’s stead. Cassian and Azriel fill more military specialized roles.

Lucien is High Fae and no longer strictly connected to any one Court.

A few new characters appear in this book, but I don’t know how much they’ll come up later. Ressina and Aranea are Feyre’s new friends from the Rainbow. Ressina is a painter, and Aranea is a weaver.

Story & Thoughts

As the description implies, this is very much a transitional volume. It takes place during the holiday season of Winter Solstice, which is basically Christmas to the Night Court, minus any religious or Santa aspects. It also covers some unfinished details regarding A Court of Wings and Ruin. Some of the things it mentions are: where Jurian is and what he’s doing, whether or not they tried to break Vassa’s curse and if they were able, how kingdoms and armies are faring after the final battle, and verification that Bryaxis is still missing.

This book is a bit slow. The first seventy or so pages are not very interesting. It does pick up eventually and get back to the same feel as the other books. Romance is not a heavy aspect in this one, aside from some updates regarding Feyre and Rhys’ relationship. The plot mostly expresses that everyone is coping with the events of the war as best they can.

The idle time over the holiday highlights the group’s personalities and quirks both as individuals and teams. For example, one of my favorite scenes involves Feyre and Cassian decorating for the holiday and the reactions of others when they see it. It’s nothing super serious, but scenes like that one do well expressing how well they know each other and how well they mesh as friends. The different perspectives also give more insights into personal aspects of characters we’ve only seen from Feyre’s view, so far.

I can’t help being disappointed that several characters aren’t currently getting along. Some of them make sense because of bigger events that happened, but some of them are just because someone says the wrong thing with good intentions. I’m sure a lot of these things will be addressed or resolved in the next book.