The Saturday Review is a weekly meme hosted by me (Taylor Fenner's Bookish World) where fellow book bloggers and readers can share what books they've recently reviewed.
Soul In Darkness by Wendy Higgins
But gods are known for their jealousy.
Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts.
Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely.
Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.
Adult Historical Fantasy. Standalone.
My Review:
I feel conflicted about this one. I usually love this author's books, even going so far as to say I'd read and love anything she wrote. Then I read Soul in Darkness.I'll start off by saying that even though I love mythology, I'm not familiar with the Cupid and Psyche myth. When I first heard about this book I was excited about the premise and I still think it's kind of a cool idea and I liked the setting, I just was not fond of Psyche. I found her really immature and annoying at times. In the beginning of the novel it gets old real quick that Psyche's thought wave is basically "everyone thinks I'm beautiful so I can get away with anything" and even though she claims to hate being treated that way she uses it to her advantage.
Despite this being by my favorite author I nearly DNF'd it a couple time, finally forcing myself to get to the halfway point before deciding to keep going or stop.
At times the story dragged and was a bit predictable but it does get better (more exciting) toward the end of the book which redeemed it enough for me to give it 3 stars.
My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟
3 of 5 Stars!
Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle
Blurb:
Kingdom Cold by Brittni Chenelle
Attempted murder, that's how sixteen-year-old Princess Charlotte's engagement starts. It seems like the only thing she has in common with Prince Young of Vires is their mutual discontent.
When her kingdom's attacked, Charlotte's parents renegotiate her hand in marriage to a handsome stranger with a sinister plan. With the people Charlotte loves dying around her, and her kingdom's future at stake, the only person she can turn to is the prince she betrayed. But, should she save her kingdom or her heart?
One must fall.
My Review:
As far as fantasies go, Kingdom Cold is relatively short. It switches between the perspectives of Princess Charlotte, her fiancé, and two other characters throughout the story. If you're looking for the basic requirements for an enjoyable read you'll find them: humor, adventure, action, and romance.
But if you peel those things away and take a closer look at the story, you'll see a princess that acts like a child throwing a temper tantrum, a queen who is basically a rotten human being, and a prince who wants to prove his worth.
The villain in this one almost gets overshadowed by Charlotte's mother's behavior toward her - a stark contrast to her father's indulgences.
Overall, I liked aspects of this book while at other times I just wanted to hurry up and get through it and the ending made me say "are you serious?" out loud.
My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟
3 of 5 Stars!
The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1) by Roshani Chokshi
Blurb:
From New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi comes The Gilded Wolves, a novel set in Paris during a time of extraordinary change—one that is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous desires...
No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.
It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.
To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.
Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history—but only if they can stay alive.
My Review:
What can I say about this book? I absolutely loved it, from the first chapter on. I'd been skeptical about picking this one up since I haven't read anything by the author previously but this book was everything I could hope for and more.
Take the dynamic and diverse characters of Six of Crows place them in the city of lights, Paris, during the industrial revolution, toss in a plan to steal an irreplaceable artifact, sexual tension, and a forgotten sect out to start the beginning of the end of civilization as they knew it and you come out with this gem of a book.
I loved the characters and shipped Laila and Severin something fierce while wondering about the Enrique/Zofia/Hypnos dynamic. Zofia has what sounds like Aspergers syndrome but around Enrique she blooms and then there is Hypnos who adds the humor. Will Enrique go for Hypnos or Zofia - or why not both??
Then add these characters to the glittering, gorgeous world of magic and the social climate of Paris in the late 1880s and wow... I cannot gush about this one enough. I can't wait for the next book so I can see what will happen next.
My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
5 of 5 Stars!
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