What? Me? Joining a readathon? Believe it my friends! Wikathon was created by Filipino content creators and is celebrating Filipino authors! Don’t mind me as I am incredibly excited about this.
Read moreBeneath the Moon: Wikathon TBR
(Caffeine Book Tour) Book Review: Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim feat. International Book Giveaway
A+ | There aren’t enough words in any language that I can speak — English, Tagalog, and German — that can describe how much I adored this book. It is simply spectacular, beautiful, lush, and stupendous. It is a million times these words. Elizabeth Lim’s writing shines and there is no rest in this novel. Maia is absolutely my favorite protagonist, hands down. And I didn’t think I would love Lady Sarnai more than I did in the last novel. It is everything I want in a book, but especially everything I want to see in a sequel/conclusion to a series.
This is a spoiler-free review as part of the Caffeine Book Tours #UnravelTheDuskTour. Make sure to check out the details for the international giveaway below!
Read moreBook Review: The Silence of Bones by June Hur
B+ | It is well-paced and a well-plotted mystery YA novel. The characters are compelling. The historical setting is wonderfully researched and it shows in the writing because Hur brought Joseon Korea to life through her characters and descriptions of the setting. Hur does a fantastic job with its plot as it explores loyalty and family.
Read moreBook Review: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress, #1) by Julie C. Dao
A-/B+ | This book is another perfect example of how villain origin stories should be done. While the worldbuilding is pretty damn cool, what really makes this book work for me are the characters themselves, specifically Xifeng. However, the pacing can be far too slow at times, making it a drag to read when it does. Still, I think that Dao comes out strong in this debut novel.
Read moreBook Review: Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
C-/D+ | While this book has a great premise, its execution was choppy and poor. The book’s saving grace is the writing. However, beautiful diction can’t hide the fact that there was no structure to this book, that the pacing was all over the place, and that the characters and their relationship didn’t feel genuine.
This review will contain some spoilers.
Read moreBook Review: The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen #1) by K.S. Villoso
A-/B+ | Despite the fact that Talyien was one of the most frustrating characters I have read this year, I truly enjoyed this magnificent, character-driven novel with its lush Filipino-coded world. Talyien is surely one of the most interesting characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. The worldbuilding is woven into the story in such a superb way that I could vividly see, smell, feel, hear, and taste the universe. This adult fantasy novel is unapologetically Filipino and it reflects so much of both the good and bad aspects of Filipino society. It is a thrill ride full of heartbreak, betrayal, love, family, duty, and politics.
Read moreBook Review: The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1) by Rin Chupeco
A+/A | A mesmerizing, rich foundational novel dedicated to worldbuilding an introducing the characters, Rin Chupeco’s The Bone Witch envelops you in Tea’s world, in Tea’s story, and in Tea herself. It lays the groundwork through the intricate worldbuilding and to the characters that live and thrive in the world. It is almost like a villain’s origin story — focused solely on establishing who Tea is, the world around her, the people around her, and the magic she wields. Despite there being no plot, this is moot when compared to just how masterfully Rin builds up this world and hooks you to it and its stories.
Read moreBook Review: The Never Tilting World (The Never Tilting World #1) by Rin Chupeco
A- | A lush, enthralling fantasy novel with world building to absolutely die for, compelling characters with distinctive voices and an intriguing plot with mysteries that leave you wanting more, The Never Tilting World refused to let me go until I finished the entire book. Rin Chupeco’s writing, story development, and worldbuilding get better and better with every book she writes.
Read moreBook Review: The Suffering (The Girl from the Well #2) by Rin Chupeco
A/A- | This book is solid. It maintains that Fatal Frame-esque feel that I love but also brings more meat (aka more scares) that I had been looking for from the first book.
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