My Book Reviews

Category: Fantasy

This category contains any posts published in reference to books of Fantasy genre.

Sita: Warrior of Mithila (Ram Chandra #2) by Amish Tripathi

Sita: Warrior of Mithila (Ram Chandra #2) by Amish Tripathi
Release: May 29th 2017
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Westland
Source: Amazon

Sita Warrior of Mithila Synopsis:

India, 3400 BCE.

India is beset with divisions, resentment and poverty. Firstly, the people hate their rulers. Additionally, they despise their corrupt and selfish elite. Chaos is just one spark away. Outsiders exploit these divisions. Moreover, Raavan, the demon king of Lanka, grows increasingly powerful, sinking his fangs deeper into the hapless Sapt Sindhu.

Two powerful tribes, the protectors of the divine land of India, decide that enough is enough. A saviour is needed. They begin their search.

An abandoned baby is found in a field. Protected by a vulture from a pack of murderous wolves. She is adopted by the ruler of Mithila, a powerless kingdom, ignored by all. Nobody believes this child will amount to much. But they are wrong.

For she is no ordinary girl. She is Sita.

Continue the epic journey with Amish’s latest: A thrilling adventure that chronicles the rise of an orphan, who became the prime minister. And then, a Goddess.

This is the second book in the Ram Chandra Series. A sequel that takes you back. Back before the beginning.

Review:

Watch my video review of Sita Warrior of Mithila by Amish Tripathi!

[embedyt]https://youtu.be/6kAsQkN0mik[/embedyt]

This book was so frustrating and annoying to read. The first 100 or so pages is interesting. However, as soon as the Swayamwar scene starts and Ram enters the picture, the story is exactly the same as the previous book. Since both stories are told from the third person narrative, the author has literally copy pasted paragraphs between the two books. I actually picked up both the books, and read it side by side, and it is exact copy pasting! Overall, even the reader’s time is valuable when they invest it into reading a book. Therefore, it is somewhat of an insult when the author, especially someone of Amish’s stature who has so many fans, does not even respect his readers to write something original, and results on copy pasting the same material from the previous book.

August 2, 2019
Ram Scion of Ikshvaku (Ram Chandra #1) by Amish Tripathi

Ram Scion of Ikshvaku (Ram Chandra #1) by Amish Tripathi
Release: June 22nd 2015
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Westland
Source: Amazon

Ram Scion of Ikshvaku Synopsis:

Ram Rajya. The Perfect Land. But perfection has a price. He paid that price.

3400 BCE. INDIA
Ayodhya is weakened by divisions. A terrible war has taken its toll. The damage runs deep. The demon King of Lanka, Raavan, does not impose his rule on the defeated. He, instead, imposes his trade. Money is sucked out of the empire. The Sapt Sindhu people descend into poverty, despondency and corruption. They cry for a leader to lead them out of the morass. Little do they appreciate that the leader is among them. One whom they know. A tortured and ostracised prince. A prince they tried to break. A prince called Ram.

Particularly, he loves his country, even when his countrymen torment him. He stands alone for the law. His band of brothers, his Sita, and he, against the darkness of chaos.

Will Ram rise above the taint that others heap on him? Also, will his love for Sita sustain him through his struggle? Furthermore, will he defeat the demon Lord Raavan who destroyed his childhood? Moreover, will he fulfil the destiny of the Vishnu?

Begin an epic journey with Amish’s latest: the Ram Chandra Series.

Review:

Watch my video review of Ram Scion of Ikshvaku by Amish Tripathi!

[embedyt]https://youtu.be/Jr9jhsNAyoQ[/embedyt]

I really wanted to like this book. I loved reading the Shiva Trilogy and had high expectations for the Ram Chandra series. Unfortunately, I really had mixed feelings about this book. The author’s writing can only be described as ‘lazy’. Moreover, there are so many inconsistencies to the original. Furthermore, Swayamvar is mixed between two different epics and is cringing to read. Overall, a very disappointing read compared to Shiva Trilogy.

August 2, 2019
The Secret of the Nagas (Shiva Trilogy #2) by Amish Tripathi

The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi
Release: May 22nd 2012
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Westland
Source: Amazon

Secret of the Nagas Synopsis:

Today, He is a God.

4000 years ago, He was just a man.

The hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend Brahaspati and now stalks his wife Sati. Shiva, the Tibetan immigrant who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain.

Firstly, the evidence of the malevolent rise of evil is everywhere. A kingdom is dying and held ransom for a miracle drug. Someone murders the crown prince. The Vasudevs Shivas philosopher guides betray his unquestioning faith as they take the aid of the dark side. Additionally, even the perfect empire, Meluha is riddled with a terrible secret in Maika, the city of births. Unknown to Shiva, a master puppeteer is playing a grand game.

In a journey that will take him across the length and breadth of ancient India, Shiva searches for the truth in a land of deadly mysteries only to find that nothing is what it seems.

Similarly, Fierce battles are fought. Moreover,there are Surprising alliances forged. Furthermore, unbelievable secrets will be revealed in this second book of the Shiva Trilogy, the sequel to the #1 national bestseller, The Immortals of Meluha.

Review:

Watch my video review of Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi!

[embedyt]https://youtu.be/N1oRIQn2Ve4[/embedyt]

I thought “The Secret of the Nagas” was awesome and so much better than its predecessor! I feel that the author has made so many improvements to the storyline in comparison to the first book.Overall, the story was gripping and very entertaining so I enjoyed reading it a lot. Additionally, it has a lot of twists and turns, and again ends in such a big cliffhanger that you immediately want to pick out the next book and find out what happens next.

August 2, 2019
Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars #1) by Elizabeth Lim

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
Release: July 9th 2019
Format: Kindle
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: Amazon

Spin the Dawn Synopsis:

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land. However, as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan. Edan’s piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge. This is to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be. Moreover, it has to be from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

Review:

Watch my video review of Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim!

[embedyt]https://youtu.be/H7vP8UmTz9A[/embedyt]

I initially picked up this book because I loved the cover design and the blurb sounded interesting. However, even the book cover doesn’t do justice as the story is so amazing! Maia is a great role model and does her best to provide for her family. Additionally, the world building is out of the world and I love the quests that she endures. Overall, simply loved reading this one and I cannot wait for Book 2 in the series

August 2, 2019
The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan

The Titan’s Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan
Release: May 5th 2007
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Amazon

Titan’s Curse Synopsis:

It’s not everyday you find yourself in combat with a half-lion, half-human.

But when you’re the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive…

Review:

Watch my video review of The Titan’s Curse by Rick Riordan!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcPGwJ2QZQs[/embedyt]

I really missed Annabeth being in the forefront of this story. There are a lot of new characters introduced in this book like Thalia, Zoe, Artemis, Bianca, Nico etc. but still I missed the dynamic of Percy, Annabeth and Grover. It was very difficult to take into the new characters as well, as most of them are so annoying in the start. I did not like Thalia at all as I think she came off as a very smug person and was trying to overshadow Percy. At times I wished she had remained a tree, or if it was her who was trapped instead of Annabeth. Then you have Bianca who randomly decides to join the hunt even though she knows Nico is all she has and she cannot protect him once she joins. She comes off as very self-centered and I did not like her.

But there are some characters that I actually liked. I loved Apollo! I thought he was so cool and chilled for a God and kind of goofy at the same time. He is hilarious at times and I loved the haiku he blurts out. I also loved Blackjack, the Black Pegasus character who helps Percy and transports him everywhere. I thought Zoe’s character was also very interesting. At first, I really did not like her as I thought she came off as a snob. But she grew on my and it was so tragic on what happens to her at the end. It was heartbreaking to read Zoe’s scenes towards the end.

The ending also shocked me because we also find out who Nico is and the powers he possesses. There is also an interesting character that Percy meets called Rachel, who I cannot wait to read more about in the next book. Oh, and lets not forget how cool Dr.Chase (Annabeth’s father) is for making an appearance to rescue them!

Coming to the plot, there are so many action packed scenarios that the team find themselves in, whether it is fighting skeletons in the Hoover Dam, or defeating Talos in the Junkyard of the Gods. Rick Riordan again manages to add humor really well to the adventure where they all make about “the Dam Snack Bar” and “Dam French Fries”. And lets not forget Bessie the Ophiotaurus who keeps mooing a lot. Any scene with Bessie just made me laugh out loud! The book also progresses nicely with Percy and Kronos, making you want to pick up the next book. So, there is a LOT that happens in this book. This book was really good in that it felt more grounded and serious to the series, and there is a lot of character development.

Overall, I liked this book much more than “The Sea of Monsters” but not as good as the first book “The Lightning Thief”. But the Titan’s Curse is a complete entertainer and a perfect continuation to the series, and I would rate it 5/5 stars.

July 22, 2019
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) by Rick Riordan
Release: April 1st 2006
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Amazon

Sea of Monsters Synopsis:

The heroic son of Poseidon makes an action-packed comeback in the second must-read installment of Rick Riordan’s amazing young readers series. Starring Percy Jackson, a “half blood” whose mother is human and whose father is the God of the Sea, Riordan’s series combines cliffhanger adventure and Greek mythology lessons that results in true page-turners that get better with each installment.

In this episode, The Sea of Monsters, Percy sets out to retrieve the Golden Fleece before his summer camp is destroyed, surpassing the first book’s drama and setting the stage for more thrills to come.

Review:

Watch my video review of The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHTQqEb6CLQ[/embedyt]

Again, this is a wonderful and exciting novel to the Percy Jackson series. It is light-hearted, fun, adventurous, suspenseful and contains a lot of twists and turns. As the characters and the situations have already been introduced in book 1, the author directly jumps into the story-line. In my review of The Lightning Thief, I mentioned that there was too much happening, one after the other. But in The Sea of Monsters, I feel that Riordan has balanced the action and adventure along with the character development perfectly.

Another reason why I loved this book was because of Tyson! He is a wonderful addition to the cast and I love his relation with Percy. I loved how he is so childlike and positive, and his love for the Hippocampi, I hope he stays for the rest of the series. Moreover, I also loved the part where Percy and the gang meet C.C. and she turns him into a guinea pig. I also liked how the team has to work with Clarisse even though she is very annoying. Honestly, I liked Clarisse in this book as I thought she had more layers to her than what she just portrays. Grover is hilarious even when he is in trouble, and I was laughing loudly when he tried to hide from the cyclops by wearing a wedding veil.

The only thing I felt this book was lacking was in its villain. Sure, we get to know more about Kronos and the long term plan of the Titans, but the bad guy in this book is the Cyclops Polyphemus, and he seemed more silly and scary. The book felt light-hearted at times, and it was hard to take the team seriously when they are battling him. Even Tantalus seems more comical than creepy, as he tries to reach for food that slips away from him. Due to this, I felt like Sea of Monsters was more of a filler book to the series.

However, the book is completely entertaining and a great continuation to the series. The story ends with a cliffhanger where you just want to pick up the next book and continue reading. There is also more groundwork laid between Percy and Kronos, and I can’t wait to read how that follows. The author has beautifully blended humor with adventure with strong characters and that is what makes the series so entertaining.

Overall, I would give the sea of monsters a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

July 21, 2019
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan
Release: March 1st 2006
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Source: Amazon

Lightning Thief Synopsis:

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse – Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe.

She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena – Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Review:

Watch my video review of The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efnB3NC8UuA[/embedyt]

What can I say? I loved reading this book and it was it was an amazing start to the series. There is never a dull moment in the book! From the first chapter, we immediately get sucked into the adventure where Percy fights his monster teacher. Each and every chapter had something exciting happening in Percy’s life, like his encounter with the Oracle, his experience in camp Half Blood, meeting Medusa, escaping Echidna from the Gateway Arch, and my personal favorite, when he goes to the Underworld to meet Hades. The author knows just how to keep you hooked and I found myself glued to the pages.

Coming to the characters, I also love the friendship between Percy, Annabeth and Grover. I think the three of them make an amazing team and really root for each other. Grover, in fact is my favorite character in this book! He loves food and he is hilarious, what’s not to like? The world building is simply amazing with so many details to Greek Mythology. I love how the author has describes the history of the characters in a funny and imaginative manner. In general, I loved Riordan’s simplistic style of writing, and the way he focused on action, adventure and history.

My only minor gripe about this story was it felt very overwhelming at times. I love how fast paced it is, but sometimes it felt like too much was happening. At times I felt like I just could not catch up to what was going on. Also, I was cringing a bit when the characters say that the western world is the greatest in the world, and the American force is greatest of all. I don’t want to get into a political debate here, but I didn’t think it was necessary to explicitly emphasize that on a children’s book, as it might corrupt the ideologies of younger readers.

Overall, the Lightning Thief is the perfect start to the series and sets up the groundwork for the remaining books, and I would give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

July 20, 2019
The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas

The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas
Release: September 18th 2018
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: Netgalley

The Good Demon Synopsis:

True Detective meets The Exorcist in this gripping YA mystery debut about one girl’s exorcism—and her desperate quest to reunite with her demon

Clare has been miserable since her exorcism. The preacher that rid her of evil didn’t understand that her demon—simply known as Her—was like a sister to Clare. Now, Clare will do almost anything to get Her back. After a chance encounter with the son of the preacher who exorcised her, Clare goes on an adventure through the dark underbelly of her small Southern town, discovering its deep-seated occult roots. As she searches for Her, she must question the fine lines between good and evil, love and hate, and religion and free will. Vivid and sharp, The Good Demon tells the unusual story of friendship amid dark Gothic horror.

Review:

A big thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for sending me an advanced e-copy of “The Good Demon” in exchange for my review.

I love reading thrillers and horror books, but I tend to stay clear of possession story-lines as they really creep me out. For the same reason, I was skeptical to read “The Good Demon” as I thought I would not enjoy it. As I did not have very high expectations of this novel, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would have!

To begin with, the story is really not your typical gory, horror, possession story-line. It is actually haunting, beautiful, creepy, and mysterious tale all put into one. I loved the concept of how Clare, the main character, misses her spirit “Her” and wants to be possessed again. Moreover, I really enjoyed Clare as a character overall, and the different emotions she goes through. I loved her flashbacks with ‘Her’, her complex relationship with her family and her first love with Roy. It was interesting to read how she goes through different emotions while trying to solve the mystery of who the ‘One wish Man’ is, how he is connected to Kevin, and how he can help her get ‘Her’ back. We gradually see Clare grow into a mature person during the course of the story.

That is not to say that the book doesn’t have its scary moments. One particular scene that sent chills down my spine is when Clare gets locked in with Luther Simpkins. I don’t know why, the image of him coming after her was terrifying. The where also other gripping moments like when Clare meets Gaspar, or when she sees Miss Mathis without her glasses. I was at the edge of my seat with Kevin’s flashback and how he connects to the Paradise Society. There are just so many things happening in this book and each chapter offers something new and intriguing. The author has done an amazing job in giving equal importance to the plot and the interaction between the characters. I would like to check out his other novels to see if they are equally good

Overall, I really enjoyed “The Good Demon” a lot and would give it 5/5 stars for its unique take on possession.

June 28, 2019
The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos

The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos
Release: May 28th 2019
Format: Ebook
Publisher: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Source: Amazon

The Wise and the Wicked Synopsis:

Ruby Chernyavsky has been told the stories since she was a child: The women in her family, once possessed of great magical abilities to remake lives and stave off death itself, were forced to flee their Russian home for America in order to escape the fearful men who sought to destroy them. Such has it always been, Ruby’s been told, for powerful women. Today, these stories seem no more real to Ruby than folktales, except for the smallest bit of power left in their blood: when each of them comes of age, she will have a vision of who she will be when she dies—a destiny as inescapable as it is inevitable. Ruby is no exception, and neither is her mother, although she ran from her fate years ago, abandoning Ruby and her sisters. It’s a fool’s errand, because they all know the truth: there is no escaping one’s Time.

Until Ruby’s great-aunt Polina passes away, and, for the first time, a Chernyavsky’s death does not match her vision. Suddenly, things Ruby never thought she’d be allowed to hope for—life, love, time—seem possible. But as she and her cousin Cece begin to dig into the family’s history to find out whether they, too, can change their fates, they learn that nothing comes without a cost. Especially not hope.

Review:

Watch my video review of The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjJMxfoVLpg[/embedyt]

I initially picked up this book because I loved the cover design of it! It is simplistic, gorgeous and reminds me of the old fairy tales. The plot is unique and interesting and held my interest for the most part. I had heard of the basic tale of Baba Yaga before but did not really know much about Russian folk tales. This book sparked my interest for reading more about Russian folk tales in general.

I think the main aspect I liked about this story was that it was focused more on family and how they protect each other and the secrets they keep, instead of the usual teenage angst and romance. The author shows the problems and hardship that Ruby has with her family members, but how they also love each other at the same time. The author also put in some LGBTQ themes, where one of the characters is transgender, and there is a lesbian couple, making the story more interesting.

All the supporting characters like Cece, Dov and Thalia are likeable and realistic for most part. I really liked Cece’s character more than Ruby. While Ruby comes off as very smart and savvy at times, I did not really find her a great protagonist. She seemed very confused, and was always asking Dov or Cece to help her with her problems. Actually I liked all the supporting cast more than the main character as they seemed to have more depth.

However, there are precisely three things that I did not like about the story.

Number 1: The number of characters in the flashback. There were just too many characters in the flashback stories, and I could not keep track as to who each one was. I feel the author could have just stuck to the three main ones like Polina, Eveline and Annie. But then the author throws in Vladlena, Galina, Vera, Anfisa and other characters, and their names also sound alike. So I had to go back and forth to recollect how each character connects to one another.

Number 2: There were just too many sub-stories within the plot, told in flashbacks. This is still okay if the backstory connects to the main plot right? But, the story contains subplots of a podcast that Ruby listens to, which is interesting, but does not connect to the main plot at all. The author also gives a flashbash of Dov’s life, which again has no relevance to the plot.

Number 3: The ending was just disappointing. The author does not provide any conclusions as to what happens to any of the characters at all. The main theme was for Ruby to learn whether she would die as per her vision, or overcome it. But, the ending has a big question mark, and we have to decipher it ourselves, which was frustrating.

Overall, “The Wise and the Wicked” had its ups and downs, but in the end, it was mediocre.

June 14, 2019
Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro

Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro
Release: February 12th 2019
Format: Ebook
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Amazon

Watch Hollow Synopsis:

Deep within the enchanted woods in the town of Watch Hollow stands the once-grand Blackford House, whose halls hold a magical secret: a giant cuckoo clock that does much more than tell time. But when the clock’s gears cease to turn, an evil presence lurking among the trees begins to come out of the shadows.

When Lucy and Oliver Tinker arrive in Watch Hollow, they have no idea that anything is wrong. A mysterious stranger has made their father an offer that’s too good for him to refuse. All Mr. Tinker needs to do is fix the clock at Blackford House and fistfuls of gold coins are his to keep.

It doesn’t take long, however, for the children to realize that there is more to Blackford House than meets the eye. And before they can entirely understand the strange world they’ve stumbled into, Lucy and Oliver must join forces with a host of magical clock animals to defeat the Garr—a vicious monster that not only wants Blackford House for itself, but also seeks to destroy everything the Tinkers hold dear.

Review:

Watch my video review of Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFznmiR1c-8[/embedyt]

This was such a fun an exciting book to read. It has the perfect touch of adventure magic, mystery and suspense while not being too scary to scar younger readers.

Lucy and Oliver are nice main characters who have their own positive traits. The two are complete opposites, where Lucy is young and her dialogue is straight forward, and Oliver is older and tries to be the head of the family and more complex. But I like how Lucy is braver than her brother, even though she is younger than him, and it feels like she is protecting the family. The characters are charming and lovable, and I especially fell in love with the Torsten the Dog. The villains are also very eerie and powerful, and you don’t know what they would do next. The author maintains the suspense well where even I couldn’t figure out how the crow was related to the villain.

There are a few minor aspects in the story that I felt could have been better. For instance, as there are not many characters, I could easily figure out who the giant monster was. In terms of the magical clock creatures, the story only focuses on the dog, cat and the rat but we really don’t get to interact with the other creatures. It also seems a bit unrealistic how the dad suddenly accepts everything that is going on in without much questions. But, overall, the story is so enjoyable that you don’t really focus much on these things.

So, finally, Watch Hollow is a wonderful novel which has a creepy mansion, scary villains and a lovable protagonist, and I would give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

March 2, 2019