Hey there everyone! I can’t believe it is already February. Feels like yesterday was the new year. Here’s a quick wrapup of everything I read this month. Don’t worry, reviews are coming. Happy February everyone!

The Fall of Númenor

I love the world of Tolkien. This was no different. Part history and non-fiction, this is a tale of Númenor includes text and ideas from J.R.R.Tolkien as well as traditional storytelling to bring to life the tale of Númenor and the role they played in the battle for Middle-Earth. Truly mesmerizing, a slow read, it only adds to the richness that is Tolkien’s legacy.

The Stardust Thief

Not only inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, but the tale also takes place afterward. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Qadir and Loulie. This was such an amazing book, and I need the sequel in my hands, like, now.

Ember Queen

Such a great ending to the trilogy. What I loved was how Theo really came into her role as queen. She and Soren have such a great dynamic, and to see Kress, her once-hear-sister, become the ultimate villain made for such a compelling twist. Kress was formidable, calculating. Both girls became different versions of themselves from the first book, stronger in different ways. Can we have a three-season show of this, please?

The Silence that Binds Us

This book. Such an incredible novel. The Silence that Binds Us deals with mental illness (depression, suicide), grief, racism, classism, and light-skinned privilege. Ho tied everything together in such a neat and powerful way making the story incredibly compelling, thoughtful, and gut-wrenching.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

The best part of this novel was the magic system. Don’t get me wrong, the dynamic between Lan and Zen was well done, a little rushed on the romance aspect of it, but overall strong enough to draw in the reader, but it was the magic system. The first YA xianxia fantasy to be published in America (wow!) this is a tale inspired by Zhao’s culture, bringing together Chinese mythology, Taoism, Buddhism, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese folk religion, Chinese alchemy, and other traditional Chinese elements. Seems like a lot, but it all worked together in perfect balance.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess

This was incredible! Such an excellent novel, Tan was able to bring to life the tale of Chang’e and give the immortal realm like. Following Xingyin, while on the run, she becomes a part of the Celestial Court as a companion to the prince, only to fall in love with him. Then she becomes a warrior! That was brilliant! I loved watching Xingyin become this fierce archer. It just tugs at my heart since Artemis is also an archer and moon goddess in Greek Mythos. I love my female archers! But the writing, the storytelling, it was breathtaking. Such a hard book to put down.

Gilded

Marissa Meyer is the Queen of Retellings. Just don’t argue with me. I loved the Lunar Chronicles. I loved Heartless (that book still breaks my heart), and I loved Gilded. My gods, though, this book got dark near the end! I was not expecting that, but that’s part of Meyer’s brilliance. She tells a story, and from beginning to end, it is enchanting.

The Honeys

This was a bit of a strange one. I loved that Mars, our MC, was gender-fluid, challenging the archiac nature of the camp they go to in order to solve his sisters death. That opening was a wild one and definitely had me hooked, but as far as plot twists go, I was not expecting this story to take the direction it took. Caught me off guard, but in a good way. Its nice when a story is completely unpredictable.

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