Fantasy, Romance & Dystopian
Book Reviews
May 2025
Rating: 4.5 ★ (book 2) and 4.0 ★ (book 3)
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Review: This review covers books 2 and 3 from The Daevabad Trilogy. The book 1 review can be found in the April 2025 roundup.
Okay, let me start by saying that I genuinely enjoyed The Daevabad Trilogy, but not for the same reasons that I usually enjoy fiction. This was not a series that made me feel like I experienced niche emotions through characters, made me feel particularly seen or unlocked more empathy for different kinds of people.
However, this was a series that reminded me that there is true magic in skilful storytelling. The fantasy landscape was incredibly immersive, and the plot never felt predictable. I absolutely loved that I was wholeheartedly plunged into this epic tale. Also, as someone who has never visited the Middle East, it was exciting to feel culturally immersed, too.
Sadly, I was never converted into a fan of Ali. I still think his character arc was largely from child idiot to adult idiot. But that’s the beauty of good storytelling; you don’t need likeable characters for readers to be invested.
Unfiltered Thoughts: Ali finally gets a wake-up call from his brother. The plots be twisting. Nahri continues to have questionable taste in men (but for different reasons). Consider me wildly entertained. But dare I say that the ending dragged a little bit?
“I’m tired of everyone in this city feeding on vengeance. I’m tired of teaching our children to hate and fear other children because their parents are our enemies. And I’m sick and tired of acting like the only way to save our people is to cut down all who might oppose us, as if our enemies won’t return the favor the instant power shifts.”
“If you rule by violence, you should expect to be removed by violence.”
“That made it worse, this passing of a barbed baton between women who, no matter how clever, how powerful, would always be known by the men to whom they were attached.”
Rating: 4.75 ★
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
Review: Sabaa Tahir strikes again with an absolute banger! The work she did on these characters (especially with Quil)… ma’am, that was some artistry. And the plot twist around chapter 19? Stunning.
If you’re the kind of reader who just wants it all, this book is perfect for you. The plot is gripping, the characters are vibrant, the magic is dazzling, and there is never a dull moment. Sabaa Tahir has the most incredible talent for writing easily-digestible fantasy without dumbing it down. Seriously, I loved every minute of this.
Also worth mentioning that Heir is part of a new series that is separate from An Ember in the Ashes, but it is also a direct follow-on from that series. It can be read without first reading An Ember in the Ashes. But personally, I loved knowing the full backstories of some of the characters, and An Ember in the Ashes is a fantastic quartet anyway (full review here), so why not read it first?
Unfiltered Thoughts: If I were to be thrown into a fictional world, this honestly might be my top pick.
“When you sacrifice other people’s children on the altar of your ambition, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll be willing to sacrifice your own.”
Rating: 4.0 ★
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Review: The setting of The Road is rather dark and sometimes horrific, but the writing is truly exquisite. It follows a young boy and his father walking along a road in a post-apocalyptic backdrop, trying to survive when faced with several dangers.
However, there is something about the book’s tone that is still somewhat hopeful. The child’s innocence emanates from the story, even when faced with things that no child should ever experience, and there is a very sincere tenderness in the father-son relationship.
The part that struck me the most was how the child viewed morality. There was an intense clarity that I think is very distinctive of a child’s mind. They seem to have an innate ability to boil down decisions into obvious categories of good and bad, without allowing the perception of complexity to cloud that categorisation. Something to mull over maybe…
Unfiltered Thoughts: The ending was sad, but it wasn’t as traumatic as it could’ve been, and for that I’m grateful.
“Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave.”
“He walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it.”
“Then they set out along the blacktop in the gunmetal light, shuffling through the ash, each the other’s world entire.”
Rating: 3.5 ★
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Romance
Review: I am obsessed with the premise of this book. Essentially, Dracula’s wife writes him a letter explaining why she killed him. I didn’t end up loving the entirety of the book as much as I’d hoped, but I still really enjoyed it. It’s hard not to enjoy a raging vampire woman exacting revenge on her abusive husband.
If you’re looking for a quick read that is jam-packed with love, violence, betrayal and all flavours of toxicity, this is for you. This also made me want to read the original Dracula at some point, too.
Unfiltered Thoughts: Carnal.
“You did not let me keep my name, so I will strip you of yours. In this world you are what I say you are, and I say you are a ghost, a long night’s fever dream that I have finally woken up from. I say you are the smoke-wisp memory of a flame, thawing ice suffering under an early spring sun, a chalk ledger of debts being wiped clean. I say you do not have a name.”
“You liked me best when I was like an oil painting; perfectly arranged and silent.”