A Poison Dark and Drowning

Hey whassup, you guys,

I couldn't think of a name. Also, that should be singular. But you know, for the future readers, analysists, and government officials. That's for you. I've rediscovered VeggieTales bops and I'm having such a good time. "No comprendo? I'll show you no comprendo." Classic. Anyway.

So, I finished A Poison Dark and Drowning, the second in the Kindom on Fire trilogy by Jessica Cluess. In this one, Henrietta is living with the love of my life, Blackwood and his sister while trying to keep sorcerer appearances. Also, Rook is fading to the dark side, which we all knew was going to happen, and Rh'elm or whatever the h*ck his name is still wants her by his side. Of course, Henrietta doesn't listen to or trust anyone, so she's still being a magician. Then she finds secrets and stuff.

How do I feel about this book? Well, it was good, just not as good as the first. This has nothing to do with writing, and everything to do with content, as always. Henrietta is out here being dumb. Really dumb. You are going to bring the infected "love of your life" into the home of people who trust you because you stupidly believe he can get better when literally all your magic people say he won't get better and risk everyone's life. On a love that I'm a hundred percent sure wasn't planned, because there were a whole zero signs. Jessica or Jessica's editor or whoever was like, no we don't need a strong independent woman. Saddle her with a mistake, a bomb, unnecessary weight. Which will later give her unnecessary problems. That's a good idea. Then when my ship finally started to sail, it had to be pulled back to the docks because of him. Like, if Blackwood had waited a day it would have worked out. But Henrietta was "in love with Rook." I'd have preferred Magnus to Rook. I like Magnus, Rook is just bad news. And now Jessica is turning the love of my life into a bit of a crazy person, which means that Magnus is going to be the love. . . maybe. But he's my second choice. And no one should be anyone's second choice. Anyway. Maria? She a bad one. I looked at her credentials, and I knew. I knew and I laughed. Lowkey wanted Henrietta to swear off all men and just get with Maria. It would save me the stress of choosing a male. Lambe and Wolff? You've had my blessing since the beginning.

Here's what I think is going to go down in the next book. Henrietta's gonna warp further, because why can't she be a normal magician sorcerer. Integration will happen. We gonna find some witches. Dee and Lilly will live happily ever after. Rook is going to find one last ounce of humanity before he's brutally slaughtered. Mickmelas might finally be our dad. Or he'll be killed. Blackwood is either going to go be a driverless cart or he's getting married and my ship will sail. Magnus is either going to die at war, find another girl/boy, or marry Henrietta, in which I will contemplate whether I even want said ship to sail. That's all I have. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.

Ship: Wolff and Lambe, Blackwood and Henrietta
Why aren't you dead?: Rook, Rhelm
Ugh. Her mind. So powerful: Maria

7/10
~Book Panda

A Shadow Bright and Burning

Hey sorcerers,

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! If you aren't American, Happy Wednesday! Hope you're having a nice time. I'm in a place where I'm stressed but calm at the same time. It's pretty wild.

As you may have guessed, I've finished A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess. Now you may be wondering, bro, what is this book about. Well. It's about my girl Henrietta Howel (of no relation to Daniel Howel) being a fire torch. They all believe her to be the prophesied lady sorcerer that will save England because she can set herself ablaze and not be harmed. Unfortunately, they're wrong. Then there are the men. She is living with a bunch of other sorcerer trainees, all of which are male because "women are too fragile to wield magic" and she begins to feel things whilst trying to keep up the jig.

When the legit book summary said three men will entice her or whatever, I was like. Bruh. Are y'all really out here trying to create the love square? The love quadrilateral? No. Not acceptable. Then I read it, and everything was okay. Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out which boy was who. The summary reads, "One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her." This is all in reference to her heart I think? Or her as a person. Either way, I know who challenged, but I'm not quite sure who betrayed her, because the one who betrayed her was not part of the group I don't think. You see how I avoided that spoiler? Masterful.

Let me talk about some people. Rook? Terrifying. He is literally going to kill people in the future books. On my mama. George? A prick. Then a sweetheart. I love him, but earlier he could suck my left dick. Do like how he developed as a character. Julian, I wanted to love, but I knew he was bad for my heart. He's a lot. Wolff and Lambe? I knew it. That's all I have to say. Arthur was sweet. I liked him. Henrietta was bad, like in the black way, not in the negative way. She was just trying to protect and do right by her friend. That's all she wanted and I respect that loyalty. The ending? I have mixed feelings. Between the loyalty and desperation and how I know he will kill people. But anyway.

I didn't read another subpar book! It wasn't as heart-wrenchingly beautiful as Strange the Dreamer, but it wasn't bad. I enjoyed it. Ready to read the next one. On time this time.

Ship:. . . ummmm, Wolff and Lambe
Snake: shhhh spoilers

8/10
~Book Panda

Muse of Nightmares

Hiya muses,

Listen. Did I say I was super excited to read this book? Yes, and I was. Was I still afraid it wouldn't be as good, even though it had, like, 4.5 stars on Goodreads? Yes. So I did what I do best and procrastinated. I finished New Girl, which is pretty good if you're into comedy stuff. In reality, I finished this book in three days, despite the timing of this post.

Muse of Nightmares is the second magical book in the duology. Assuming you read Strange the Dreamer, you know Lazlo, my husband, is now a god, and Sarai is a ghost. Minya is dead set on revenge, using Sarai as a hostage, the humans down below the citadel are trying to figure out how to go on functioning in light of recent events, and something else ominous I can't tell you about because that's one h*ck of a spoiler. It's all going down and I was not ready, even though I should have been.

Okay. There's so much. So many feelings, you don't understand. I read 300 pages yesterday. It's been a very long time since I read books that made my heart squeeze and beat fast and make me want to cradle the book in my lap instead of putting it back in my bag during class. A very long time. God, I've been reading crappy books lately. I shouldn't put up with this. But I will. I'm such a pushover, someone save me.

By lesya blackbird ink

Anyway, this book is so good. All the good things in the last book? Still relevant. People got better. Character arcs were created. Character development occurred. Thyon? I have so many questions. So many questions that I'd like answered by one Laini Taylor. I'd also like a world question answered by the madam, but alas, I don't have access. All in all, I think I'm going to buy these books. I'm going to reread Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and hopefully, I'll read better books. Here's some art of Sarai, because I couldn't find a picture I liked of Lazlo. Have a nice day. Go read some good books.

I forgive you: all the snakes (anyone can be anyone else's monster)
Ship: Lazlo and Sarai, Thyon and Ruza, Eril-Fane and Azareen,

10/10
Series: 10/10(!)
~Book Panda

Strange the Dreamer

Hello dreamers,

I've found love. Some say love doesn't exist. Some say soulmates do not exist. Well, I am here to tell you that they're all wrong. But maybe they're right, for the love of my life is Lazlo Strange, and he is the protagonist of this glorious book I just finished.

Strange the Dreamer is a tale of men and gods. Lazlo Strange is an orphan. He lived for stories, especially the story of a long forgotten story. His heart broke when the name of the city was forgotten, but its mysteries lived on in his head. As he grew older, he was freed from the oppressive orphanage of the monks and lived with the librarians. His passion for Weep, or the Unseen City, flourished even as his peers looked down on him and his fascination as foolish. Then the Godslayer came to town, and his questions and his hope grew. How does a forgotten create a Godslayer? What gods needed slaying for him to warrant the name? And how does a name disappear out of all minds and books? Who knows, but the citizens of the Unseen City.

This book. Ugh. Laini Taylor's mind is so powerful. I can not explain to you all the warm and fuzzy feelings I had while reading this book. They say the perfect man doesn't exist, but they haven't met Lazlo. This pure innocent man. I can't. He reads everything, but not the scholarly texts like the others, no. He's out here reading fairytales and legends and I'm over here, sobbing. He has no bad intentions. He's just trying to help and has enough hope to practically will the Unseen City into being. I love him. And now I'll never love again.

I also love Sarai, who we meet later, She's like a secondary main character, but still a main. I like her transformation from vengeful goddess to unsure girl to empathetic queen. Her mind? Also powerful. Her siblings? Minya can suck my left dick. She's clearly an antagonist (I don't think that's spoiling) and I despise her with all fibers of my being. No one likes a grudge. Ruby is really annoying. I can't quite put my finger on why she bothers me so much, but she does and I can't deal with her. Feral was cool, then he was boring. He was just drifting along, letting stuff happen. Not caring one way or another. This story could not have him and the only change would be lesbians, which is always good. Sparrow is a sweetheart, and I wanted nothing but good things for her.

Laini is out here just creating beautiful things. The writing? Gorgeous. I want to go read the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series again because this was beautiful. Between Lazlo and the writing, I loved it so much. Even though it took me a minute to get through it, every time I picked it up, my heart was squeezing with good feelings. I think I might buy this, which is saying so much. AND! There's another. I'm ready to be swept away.

I could go on for days about this book because I loved everything about it. Buuttt, I'm trying to read the next one. So get ready, for some hot fire content. . . later.

Also, I knew. Not everything, but I knew Lazlo was more than what they made him out to be. Stupid monks. ALSO! Laini, how dare you. But I should have known.

Ship: Sarai and Lazlo, Lazlo and me :p, Eril-Fane and Azareen, Tzara and Calixte
You're cool: Ruza, Calixte, Eril-Fane (my dad)
I don't like you?????: Thyron Nero
Die: Minya

10/10
~Book Panda

All the Wind in the World

Hey whassup you guys,

Have I gone off the radar for like a couple weeks? Maybe. I tried to read this book, then I just gave up (sorry, Octavia Butler, I tried), and then I had to get through this one. Now a hot rage is burning inside me. I have words.

The book I finished today is All the Wind in the World by Samantha Mabry. I picked this up because it had a pretty cover and I thought it sounded interesting. It's about this girl, Sarah Jac and her boyfriend James trying to make it in what sounds like a post-apocalyptic world. The world seems to be drying out and the most stable work to find is cutting the hearts out of maguey, or agave plants. They don't broadcast the fact that they love each other, instead choosing to manipulate the people in the fields they work at until they move on.

I almost stopped reading this book, because they were calling themselves cousins. That's kind of a nope for me, despite the love I cherish for Magnus of Falling Kingdoms. He was lonely. But, that was cleared up, though not fast enough. If I was more impulsive, I would have never finished it. Then I got bored. This book isn't that long, and yet I struggled to get through it. This read a lot like a slow-burn fanfic to me or a fluff piece but without the cuddling and soft feelings. None of the things that happened to them while they were working was all that shocking, or I didn't care much. The stakes weren't that high.

Then. And then. He is a snake, and I banish him to whatever hole he crawled out of. The ending? Based off what he did? Ridiculous. Unrealistic. No one should settle for that baby back bullcrap. Livid. I am livid. And I can't even explain because it's the end of the book. That's the whole plot twist/climax of the story. Ugh.

I wasn't a big fan of this book. It kind of dragged on for me and I wasn't really interested. The writing was pretty good, but that was it. I wanted fluff, and I didn't get it, for obvious reasons. I also didn't really care about the characters. Like. . . spoilers. Some spoilers are too big for even me to spill. This was a pretty eh book. Pretty cover though.

5/10
~Book Panda

War Storm

Hiya wardog,

Guess who took over a week to finish a 662-page book like a weakling? This chick. In my defense, I had to do work. School work. It was awful and I never wanna do it again. The work, not the reading. I'll always read. Always.

I finally finished the final book of the Red Queen series: War Storm. This book was a roller coaster of events. There are two sides to the upcoming war, but everyone is making side plans and ready to betray everyone at the soonest sign of trouble. The Cal's Norta/The Rift/Scarlet Guard/Montfort side is one side. Half of this alliance doesn't want another king in Norta. The other part still wants Red's to be slaves. The other side is Maven's Norta/Lakeland/Piedmont. Maven's entirely insane, the Lakelander's are power hungry, and Piedmont just wants revenge against Montfort. This book is basically about like war strategy with also learning about "new" characters and how not black and white this war is.

All right, first of all, I completely forgot Iris, Maven's Lakelander queen, was a factor. Like, when she started having chapters, I was like, oh wow. I forgot you existed dude. And she was out here scheming and stuff. It was wild. This book was so. . . much. So much happened, like I don't even know how to summarize it without completely spoiling everything. Not like I usually do, that's just character points, not plot points. It's just. . . idk, dude. That was a lot, I'm tired. I woke up today at nine. Today is Sunday, by the way. If I'm not home, Sunday is a stay in bed till 1pm day. I'm supposed to have this big here's how I felt, and this is my view of the series as a whole, but alas, I do not. Book was great, series was great. Wow. I wish there was a bit more fluff at the end, but that's all you're getting out of me.

By: Ioweana

 Here's Mare, being great.

Ship: Evangeline and Elane, Cal and Mare, Kilorn and Cam

Heart: Kilorn, Cal, Mare, Barrow squad, Julian, Farley

Why are you alive: Ptolemus

8.5/10

Series: 8.4/10

~Book Panda

King's Cage (revisited)

Hey rewrites,

I've reviewed this book before, but "review" is a very strong word for what I wrote. I'm not sure why I even published it, but whatever. Here's some good ole fashioned ranting.

Today I finished. . . King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard. Mare has been given herself up as a prisoner to save her people. Maven, the little bastard, has her locked up but is puppeting her around. The Scarlet Guard, God bless them, are. . . I kind of forget. I guess they were making military moves and surveilling everyone. Preparing for war and all that jazz. So much happens in this book, I'm not really sure how to sum it up. You can smash that link if vague and confusing summaries don't cut it for you.

I have so many questions for Victoria. First being: why did it take a whole 200 pages for someone to rescue Mare? How dare you. My second question is, why did we see from Cameron's perspective instead of, oh, I don't know, Cal's? I mean, did it show me Mare's faults? Yes. Did I see the storming of Corvium even though I quickly forgot that the action was taking over Corvium? Yes. But I didn't see Cal being a bit of a snake, despite my love for him. I wouldn't have fallen back in love with him if I knew he was going to be a snake. Maybe. I'd have liked to see Cal's perspective regardless I think. Then the dramatic irony would have been extreme. I'm a sucker for dramatic irony.

To my character reviews, because that's what me "reviewing" books really is. Mare. Oh, Mare. I was hoping and praying someone would get you out or you would escape before any Stockholm syndrome kicked in. And now you have PTSD, but still want to fight for the cause. And now your heart is shattered because power is a potent drug. I believe in your ability to thrive, with or without a man. Kilorn may have moved on, but there are a couple of lightning boys available. The one I liked winked at you. Maven. Suck my left dick. Cameron, you kind of annoy me but I understand you. Cal. You break my heart. I'll never love again (ha!). You're a strong boy, but you're a weak boy. You should've been raised by black parents. Evangeline, you gay dick. I fully support you in all of your gayness, but why must you be horrible in all ways? If you weren't so entitled and awful, I would like you. I suggest you and Elane run off to broken England or something and live in a cottage.

The final book is coming up, so I've decided to make a few predictions. I read something that insinuated something terrible, and refuse to think of that. Maven is either going to be rehabilitated or die horribly. Evangeline is going to switch sides in order to stay with her girl. I think Cal is going to regret his decision and try and find a way out of it but be manipulated. Heartbroken, Mare is either going to be a strong independent woman or be scooped up by someone else. Preferably a white-haired lightning boy. Or maybe she'll find herself a girlfriend too. Kilorn is going to move on, probably with a newblood girl. Maybe Ada? Maybe Gisa. Farley will be a badass general and mom. Clara is going to be so spoiled, even during a war. She will also call the Colenol either dad or grandpa. The "Kingdom of the Rift" is clearly going to fall. That's all I can think of for now.

I rant a lot about these books, but I do truly enjoy them. I wouldn't care if I didn't. See you in 4-6 business days.

Ship: Cal and Mare, Evangeline and Elane
Snakes: who isn't a snake TBH

8/10
~Book Panda