JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons

What if you weren’t the hero?

Kihrin grew up on tales of long-lost princes and grand quests – despite being raised in a brothel, making money as a musician and street thief. One day he overreaches by targeting an absent noble’s mansion, hunting for jewels. There he witnesses a prince performing a terrifying dark-magic ritual. Kihrin flees but he’s marked by a demon and his life will never be the same again.

That night also leads to him being claimed as a lost son of that prince’s royal house. But far from living the dream, Kihrin finds himself practically a prisoner, at the mercy of his new family’s power plays and ambitions. He must also discover why his murderous father finds Kihrin more valuable alive than dead. Soon Kihrin attempts to escape his relative’s dangerous schemes, but finds himself in far deeper waters.

He becomes tangled in a plot to kill the Emperor, rob the Imperial Vaults, claim a god-slaying sword and free bound demons to wreak havoc across the land. Kihrin also discovers the old tales lied about many things: dragons, demons, gods, prophecies, true love – and the hero always winning. But maybe Kihrin isn’t fated to save the empire. He’s destined to destroy it.

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons is the first book in a new epic fantasy series, following a musician and thief as he learns of his true heritage as royalty.

Each chapter in the novel switches between two POVs — the poor young Kihrin, and Talon, a monstrous mimic who has the ability to eat people’s brains and then impersonate them, mirroring their actions, personality, memories and physicality with ease. The dual parallel storylines allow for increased tension and fast-paced action, enticing the reader.

We meet Kihrin in a jail cell, awaiting his certain death. He is being guarded by Talon, and the two enter a conversation where Kihrin begins telling Talon his life story. Throughout Kihrin’s story, Talon interjects with their own memories and stories, and thus begins a truly incredible, fast-paced, break-neck story that fantasy readers will love.

“She didn’t look like a monster. Talon looked like a girl in her twenties with wheat-gold skin and soft brown hair. Most men would give their eye-teeth to spend an evening with someone so beautiful. Most men didn’t know of her talent for shaping her body into forms crafted from pure terror.”

The plot is enthralling, the prose is sharp, the dialogue is realistic and the character development is authentic and believable to the reader. The story moves steadily throughout the book, and whilst The Ruin of Kings is over 550 pages with very small text, my attention never wavered.

One of the biggest strengths in the book is the world-building — The Known World is filled with witches, demons, ghosts, sorcerers and just about every other mythical creature you can think of, and Jenn juggles all these creatures seamlessly and with ease.

The three-dimensional and fully-fledged setting is a balanced combination of history and mythology that gives the plot depth and makes the setting feel like a real world. The Known World will draw the reader in and keep them entertained.

“That stopped me cold. Khaemezra was right, of course. The necklace couldn’t be taken by force; it had to be freely given. I forced my hand away from the stone.”

The Ruin of Kings is a perfect example of the unreliable narrator. Kihrin’s tale is subjective, telling what he believes are the important details of the story while avoiding some pivotal moments that are only revealed later on. Talon twists the truth and sometimes it’ll be hundreds of pages later when we discover that she’s been lying the reader. This stylistic technique is not always executed well, but Jenn Lyons has done an impeccable job of weaving this technique into a captivating story line.

Small negative, but I found the genealogy in the story to be a bit overwhelming. A large cast of characters pass through the book and Jenn often mentions their lineage and other characters they may be related to. Often, this was a bit much to comprehend and it was easy to be confused, especially when secrets are revealed later in the book and you need to reassess what you believed you knew.

Additionally, some of the characters could’ve been fleshed out further because they felt a bit two-dimensional, but given this is the first book in a series, I imagine more development will be embedded in later down the track.

“I watched the battle going on under the waves. Even though the ship outpaced the original site of the whales and their attacker, I saw shapes moving in the water, sometimes jumping above it. Through it all, the long slithery tentacles slammed up above the waves to come crashing back down. The creature that owned those arms had to be enormous.”

A fantastic first novel in a new series. The Ruin of Kings sets up events for an equally impressive sequel, with surprising twists and events at the end of the book. Pacing and tension is heightened as we get closer to the end of the book, and the actual ending is climactic and seductive.

Highly recommended for fantasy fans.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Ruin of Kings: A Chorus of Dragons 1
Jenn Lyons
February 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Girls of Storm and Shadow by Natasha Ngan

The Girls of Paper and Fire did the impossible. They escaped. But out in the unforgiving wild, hunted like prey, Lei and Wren learn that the most terrifying prisons have no walls.

Lei, the naive country girl who became a royal courtesan, is now known as the Moonchosen, the commoner who managed to do what no one else could. But slaying the cruel Demon King wasn’t the end of the plan – it’s just the beginning. Now Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans. The journey is made even more treacherous thanks to a heavy bounty on Lei’s head, as well as insidious doubts that threaten to tear Lei and Wren apart from within.

Meanwhile, an evil plot to eliminate the rebel uprising is taking shape, fueled by dark magic and vengeance. Will Lei succeed in her quest to overthrow the monarchy and protect her love for Wren, or will she fall victim to the sinister magic that seeks to destroy her?

Girls of Storm and Shadow is the sequel to the New York Times bestselling Girls of Paper and Fire, by Natasha Ngan. Events pick up exactly where the first book finished — Lei has just stabbed and slayed the King and she and her beloved Wren have escaped the palace.

Once again, Natasha’s writing is incredible — she’s so good at crafting prose that flows seamlessly and evokes emotion in the reader.

The series explores a few significant themes — it explores the notion of doing terrible things in order to achieve a good outcome, and it also explores trauma and how trauma remains with the victim long after their suffering has ended. Lei may have escaped the King’s clutches, but she’s still traumatised and haunted by the sexual violence that she endured under the King’s rule.

“Shivers pluck my skin as the words sink in. Naja tore me away while I was still attacking him. When Wren and I were escaping the grove, Kenzo keeping her occupied in battle, I had seen the King’s body on the ground, blood splattered and immobile.”

Setting is one of the strengths of the series, alongside characterisation and illustrating trauma compassionately and realistically. Girls of Storm and Shadow moves quickly through different locations, from vast deserts to snowy mountaintops and everywhere in between.

Lei’s characterisation and growth in this novel builds upon the foundations that were set in Girls of Paper and Fire. Lei is determined, strong, bold and she trusts her own judgement. She trusts others too, but she doesn’t forget what her purpose is.

In the first book, Lei was very much imprisoned — physically and mentally — by men. In this book, Lei has the freedom to forge her own path alongside her love, Wren. This book shows Lei standing up against men who seek to control and manipulate her.

“The sun is setting by the time we arrive at the Fukho Grasslands. Golden light washes over the undulating plains. It’s no wonder this region is nicknamed the Amber Sea, with the winds blowing the grass, filling the air with a rushing sound like running water, and the soft dips and lifts of the hillocks mimicking the roll of waves, all tinted in gold.”

Girls of Storm and Shadow explores the concept of good vs. evil, and how complex and complicated those two concepts can sometimes be. Lei has done things in her past she’s not proud of, and so has Wren. Can they forgive each other? Can they forgive themselves?

Romance is a strong element to this sequel and series fans will adore the connection building between Lei and Wren.

Admittedly, Girls of Storm and Shadow suffers a little from second-book syndrome. Nothing too significant really happens in the book and it very much feels like a filler book from Book 1 to Book 3. Could this series actually just be a duology? Probably. Regardless, this is a story about healing and recovering and rising up against those that oppress others.

“Across the campfire, Caen and Merrin are deep in conversation, discussing tomorrow’s route. Wren has been quiet for most of the meal. I cuddle closer.”

Natasha is incredibly skilled at writing evocative, explosive prose and bringing together an incredibly suite of characters that readers can’t help but fall in love with. This series is recommended for fans of fantasy and young adult fiction. It’s gearing up to be an explosive finale in 2020.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girl of Paper and Fire #2)
Natasha Ngan
November 2019
Hachette Book Publishers

The Wailing Woman by Maria Lewis

Good girls don’t talk back. Good girls don’t cry. Good girls don’t scream.

Sadie Burke has been forced to be a good girl her entire life. As a banshee, she’s the bottom of the ladder when it comes to the supernatural hierarchy. Weak. Condemned. Powerless.

Silent. That’s what she and her six sisters have been told their entire lives, since their species was first banished from Ireland. Yet when a figure from her childhood unexpectedly arrives on the scene, Sadie finds it harder than ever to toe the line.

Texas Contos is the son of their greatest oppressor. He’s also someone she’s inexplicably drawn to, and as they grow closer, Sadie begins to question what banshees have been told for centuries about their gifts.

But the truth comes at a cost. With Sadie and Tex forced to run for their lives, their journey leads them to new friends, old enemies, and finally to her true voice – one that could shatter the supernatural world forever.

The Wailing Woman is another urban fantasy novel from Australian author Maria Lewis, this time turning our attention to the legend of Banshees — a supernatural creature not very common in fantasy novels.

Maria Lewis’ fifth novel, The Wailing Woman is about Sadie Burke and her voice, literally. When she is a young girl, it is discovered that Sadie Burke’s banshee scream has the ability to hurt — maybe even kill — others and so her voice is taken from her. She lives her life as a mute. The Wailing Woman is about Sadie reclaiming her voice and her identity, and punishing those who took it away from her as a child.

The Wailing Woman expands on the supernatural and urban fantasy worlds of Maria Lewis’ previous novels, but you don’t need to have read any of them to be able to follow this — The Wailing Woman is enough of a standalone novel that any reader can pick it up and be swept up in its storyline.

“Tasmanian devil shifters had been running a trafficking operation out of Australia for nearly a century now and no matter how many the Praetorian Guard were able to find and stamp out, another always popped up.”

The book is set in Sydney, but moves across a few different international locations, heightening the tension and the pacing and propelling the story forward.

The Wailing Woman switches POV between Sadie and love interest Tex, whose father was responsible for taking away Sadie’s voice. They team up after being separated for 10 years to uncover the truth about Sadie’s capabilities. Tex had been sent away by his father to train as an Askari — like a policeman/guard for the supernatural world — but now that he’s returned he realises the Askari are not as honourable as they make out to be.

Maria Lewis weaves between the supernatural world and the real world with ease and clarity. As a Sydney resident, it was rather fun to read these exciting plot points that were set in and around where I live. The setting is realistic, believable and incredibly engaging.

“Sadie held up her fingers in an okay symbol, not offended in the slightest. In truth, it was just nice to meet someone who didn’t know who she was or anything about her ‘condition’. It made her feel…regular, almost.”

A strong theme in the book is the oppression of women by men, and more specifically, how men use their power and their dominance to silence women and make them feel like they can’t use their voice to speak out against those who are evil.

The writing is incredibly strong throughout the novel. Maria Lewis is skilled at building intrigue and writing humour; she’s fantastic at writing romance and sexual tension, and all of the characters in The Wailing Woman are three-dimensional and interesting to read.

Side note: there was a pesky little thing that bothered me in the book — the pop culture references within the dialogue were quite corny.

“We gotta protect this pregnancy like a Jenner sister.”

“Take that, Ariana Grande’s whistle register.”

Despite this, which only happens a few times in the novel, I enjoyed The Wailing Woman. Fast-paced, enthralling, exciting and just a great time. I sincerely hope there’s a sequel, because there were a few things left unsaid and I’d love to keep exploring the world of the banshees. I’d recommend this to readers of fantasy, horror, thriller and young adult novels.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Wailing Woman
Maria Lewis
November 2019
Hachette Book Publishers

The Toll by Neal Shusterman

The explosive conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Arc of a Scythe series.

It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Greyson Tolliver.

In this pulse-pounding finale to Neal Shusterman’s internationally bestselling trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.

The Toll is the third and final book in Neal Shusterman’s YA fantasy series Arc of a Scythe. Events pick up three years after book two — Thunderhead — left off, where Rowan and Citra disappeared.

Brief recap: scythes are in charge of controlling the human population by killing, and the population relies on the all-knowing A.I of the Thunderhead.

The Toll builds on everything that we’d learnt in the first two books, but brings different elements to the story. Scythe Goddard is the villain of the story, rising to power in The Toll and killing humans for his own personal gain. A religious sect also comes into power, manipulating people for their own needs.

Overall, The Toll is a satisfying conclusion to the series. It ties in all of the threads that were introduced in the first two book, providing readers with a sense of closure regarding our main characters, Greyson, Rowan and Citra.

There are three parallel storylines predominantly running throughout the book — focusing on Greyson, Rowan and Citra, and Faraday — but they meet up towards the end where the characters reunite for the conclusion. Each chapter switches POV between different characters, keeping the reader intrigued in each of their journeys and how their story will intersect with the others.

“Salvage was a painstakingly slow process. It took three months of digging through the submerged debris until they found that outer vault.”

Once again, the characters in the book are incredibly authentic and relatable, drawing the reader in and making us sympathise for them and their plight.

In terms of character development, Greyson Tolliver grows the most over the course of the novel and his character does go into an unexpected direction. This won’t necessarily surprise viewers but adds further depth to the character. Additionally, Rowan and Citra grow and mature a lot over the course of the novel.

Other strengths of the novel include dialogue, particularly between Greyson and the AI, and the world building. Neal Shusterman captures an incredible system and organisation with this series, which feels really unique in the genre. Neal also captures a greater span of time in this book than in Scythe and Thunderhead, giving context to the world and its makeup and allowing the reader to understand more about the setting.

Special shout out goes to the revelation about the Luna colony and the Mars colony — what a fabulous twist!

“Loriana found that keeping busy was the best way to avoid panicking at their current situation, and, in a vacuum of leadership, most people were willing to take direction from her — something they probably never would have done in the comfort of the AI offices.”

There were parts of the book that were quite predictable, and there was also obvious signposting scattered throughout the novel. This might frustrate readers but ultimately, won’t deter them. Younger readers may not pick up on this, but adult readers probably will.

Additionally, the pacing was a little slow at times and could’ve been sped up. It’s a very long book, sitting at over 600 pages, and I do think it could’ve been trimmed a little.

Despite that, this is an enjoyable finale to the series and readers will be pleasantly surprised with where Neal has taken the story.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Toll: Arc of a Scythe #3
Neal Shusterman
November 2019
Walker Books Australia

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

All’s fair in love and anarchy …

Nova and Adrian are struggling to keep their secret identities concealed while the battle rages on between their alter egos and their allies. But their greatest fears are about to come to life. Secrets, lies and betrayals are revealed as anarchy once again threatens to reclaim Gatlon City.

Supernova is the third and final instalment in Marissa Meyer’s Renegades Trilogy, set within the world of superheroes and super-villains.

This review is riddled with spoilers, not just for the series thus far but of Supernova. It’s hard to review this critically without being specific on the examples. Only read on if you’ve read Supernova, or if you’re happy being spoiled.

You can read my review of Renegades HERE and my review of Archenemies HERE.

Sitting at 550 pages, Supernova is a beast of a book. The story picks up almost immediately after Archenemies left off — Nova/Nightmare has stolen Ace Anarchy’s helmet, used Agent N to strip Frostbite, Gargoyle and Aftershock of their powers, and witnessed Max Everhart nearly bleed to death after Frostbite unintentionally stabbed him.

Nova is still in doubt over her true objective, and where her true loyalties lie. She’s falling hard for Adrian Everhart, and she’s developed true friendships with the other Renegades. But she owes Ace Anarchy her life, right? She’s a conflicted character, and she remains conflicted for the majority of the book.

“To a lot of prodigy parents, Max would have been seen as a threat long before he was seen as a child worth loving. For months, after, Max had lived with a civilian foster family who cared for him until Hugh and Simon could figure out what to do. From the start, Hugh had felt it was important for him to be kept close.”

The pacing, dialogue and world-building have always been the strengths of the Renegades Trilogy. Marissa Meyer is really skilled at constructing relatable characters who you can’t help but empathise with or sympathise for. There are moments in Supernova where Nova is a bit unlikeable and her actions are unrealistic — like when she tries to convince Ace Anarchy and the rest of the crew that they should just leave Gatlon City and set up camp somewhere else — but for most of the novel, you’re rooting for her.

Both sides of the war — Renegades and Anarchists — are fighting for what they believe is right. And both sides have beliefs and values that the reader could understand. It’s not black and white, and there are moments of the book that are very grey. It’s easy for the characters to lose sight of what’s important, and how to achieve their end goal.

“Nova was eager to put this charade behind her. As soon as she left headquarters with the fake helmet tucked into a plain tote bag, she marched straight for Blackmire Station, one of the defunct stations on the old Gatlon City subway line.”

Structurally, Supernova falls short. Nova’s secret identity as Nightmare is discovered by Adrian and the gang pretty early on. Understandably, he’s pissed. Nova is immediately imprisoned in Cragmoor Penitentiary, where Ace Anarchy and other dangerous villains are held. This is where the book starts to get really good. You think Nova will work out a way to escape. Maybe she’ll break out Ace as well?

But, the resulting plot line is a disappointment. She claims innocence, Adrian is worried he is wrong, and then one of Nova’s allies dons her suit and delivers a cringe-worthy speech to Adrian that Nova has been framed and….Adrian believes them. And thus, Nova is released from prison and all returns to normal.

It’s a soft plot point — it feels like the author wrote herself into a corner and took the easy way out. It also gives the reader whiplash and severe disappointment, because of all the ways the plot could’ve gone, mistaken identity and the classic ‘I was framed’ storyline was the weakest option.

Another weak element of the book are the action/fighting scenes. I felt myself growing bored whenever they came up, perhaps because they were too long and stretched over multiple chapters. Perhaps because the writing wasn’t as tight and polished as it needs to be during a fight scene.

“Dazed, Nova looked down to see one hive with a footprint shoved into its papery shell in the centre of the room. She’d moved so fast, she hadn’t even noticed stepping on it. The bees who had called it home were swarming around, apparently enraged, but they were not the insects that worried her.”

A solid conclusion to an explosive and action-packed series. Even with a few questionable plot points and unrealistic, far-fetched moments, Supernova will please fans of the series.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Supernova
Marissa Meyer
November 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

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