Review - All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1) by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

 

 

Title: All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)

Author: Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

Pages: 400

Publisher: Gollancz

Release Date: 9th November 2021

Blurb from Goodreads:

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world―one thought long depleted.

But this year a scandalous tell-all book has exposed the tournament and thrust the seven new champions into the worldwide spotlight. The book also granted them valuable information previous champions never had―insight into the other families’ strategies, secrets, and weaknesses. And most important, it gave them a choice: accept their fate or rewrite their legacy.

Either way, this is a story that must be penned in blood.

 

 

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 My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley*

The city of Ilvernath has a dark secret, one that has now been revealed to the outside world - every generation, seven families must compete in a tournament where the last competitor standing wins their family access to the highly sought after high magick. It is a fight to the death, one that some of the competitors are reluctant to take part in, but others dream of glory and bringing honour to their families.

However, this year is different, because what if the tournament doesn't have to be won? What if the curse on Ilvernath can be broken? The competitors just need to stay alive long enough to try . . .

Going into this book, I was intrigued to see where it would go, and I ended up enjoying it.

There were several protagonists, with chapters focusing on them, and I found the ones about Alistair and Isobel the most interesting. I liked that the characters were morally grey and didn't always do what I expected.

I liked the concepts of the spellrings, spellboards and the different magick.

The book took a little while to get going, but once it did, I liked what I was reading. While I wasn't gripped, I did want to keep reading, although I did start to flag towards the end.

The writing style was easy to follow.

I'm unsure if I will read the next book as the ending didn't leave me wanting more.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

 

 

Review - Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan

 

 

Title: Jade Fire Gold

Author: June C.L. Tan

Pages: 464

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release date: 12th October 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Girls of Paper and Fire meets The Tiger at Midnight in June CL Tan’s stunning debut, inspired by Chinese mythology, with rich magic and an epic slow-burn romance.

In an empire on the brink of war . . .

Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.

Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.

When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities.

But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

Ferocious action, shadowy intrigue, and a captivating romance collide in June CL Tan’s debut, a stunning homage to the Xianxia novel with a tender, beating heart, perfect for fans of The Bone Witch and We Hunt the Flame.

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton*

Ahn has few memories of her past, and no family except for the kind elderly woman who took Ahn in and raised Ahn as if she were her own granddaughter.

Altan is the true heir to the throne, his life destroyed when his father, the Emperor, was murdered. Now, Altan seeks revenge and will do whatever it takes to regain the throne.

When Ahn and Altan cross paths, Ahn learns that she has a magic that could save her people or destroy everything.

Will Altan retake the throne?

Can Ahn learn to control her abilities and use them for good?

Going into this book, I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to love it or be blown away, as YA fantasies have been a bit samey for me recently. However, while it was the case that this didn't exceed my quite low expectations, there were elements that I did like.

Ahn and Altan were both likeable and relatable at times, but there were side characters that stood out to me more.

The setting was interesting, as was the lore/mythology and the concept of the expanding desert.

The plot was enjoyable overall, but also quite average as I wasn't gripped or overly invested in what happened, and nothing particularly shocked me. I was actually a little confused at the beginning, but that was partly my fault as I had misunderstood/presumed something that wasn't in the plot.

I felt that the book didn't need to be as long as it was, as it did drag a little.

The writing style was easy to follow.

I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but I wasn't expecting it to be a new favourite.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.