Kamila reads

Three Oaths

Sat, 11 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

“Three Oath” is the fourth instalment of A Daidoji Shin Mystery series. I adore the protagonist in this series, and I always looking forward to getting back and see new adventures of a clever Crane. This time, Shin’s new hobby of solving complicated cases brings him literally into the Lions’ den. He is approached by his acquaintance Akodo Minami (who you might know from previous books) and asked to investigate a long-lost member of the Lion Clan, Itagawa Mosu, who miraculously came back from the dead just in time to marry Minami’s cousin. Or did he? Is it the matchmaker’s...

Vision

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0100

“Vision” by Wrenna Stone combines urban and portal fantasy, mixing the real and alternative worlds. The protagonist, Eva, is the author of a fantasy novel series she created on the base of unprecedently vivid dreams she’s been having. The troubles start when the night visions stop, and suddenly, she’s finding herself anxious and unable to finish her story. But this will be the least of her worries because her sleepy little town gets plagued by bizarre and unsettling events that seem suspiciously similar to what happened in her made-up world.

Before we venture any further, a word of warning. “Vision”...

The Heart of Iuchiban

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0100

“The Heart of Iuchiban” by Even Dicken is a novel set in The Legend of the Five Rings universe, combining feudal Japan with magic and fantasy elements. If you follow my profile for a while, you probably know that I love this universe and always eagerly read all the wonderful books set in this world.

This story is pretty dark, with overwhelming forces of pure, eldritch evil lurking just behind the corner, waiting to swallow the whole world. You can expect armies of undead marching to destroy the world, twisted curses and elaborate and cruel dungeons full of nasty surprises....

The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0100

“The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England”. That title is a handful, isn’t it? But it’s very fitting for the book. The second book of Brandon Sanderson’s secret project differs entirely from anything the author has written. First, it’s not set in Cosmere, and it’s a true stand-alone story. What’s also new is that the story mixes sci-fi and fantasy. I’ve seen varied opinions on social media regarding this book, where many o Sanderson’s die-hard fans were not overly impressed by it. So, is it worth the hype?

The book is narrated in first person PoV by an unlucky...

Tress of the Emerald Sea

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 +0100

“Tress of the Emerald Sea” by Brandon Sanderson is a standalone novel from the Cosmere universe. It’s a light-hearted story full of adventures, wonders, and profound truths about life. For those familiar with the author’s other works, the whole book is told in the voice of the well-known and loved world-hopping character.

Tress is a very ordinary girl who lives in a very peculiar (for us) world – on a small island that no one ever leaves, surrounded by a sea of verdant spores that could be very deadly. She is perfectly happy with her life; her main joy is...

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0100

“The Sinister Booksellers of Bath” by Garth Nix is the continuation of “The Left-Handed Booksellers of London”. I loved the first book in the series primarily because of its originality, light-heartedness and excellent worldbuilding blending our modern world with a slightly magical alternative.

The story continues not long after the first book’s ending, with Susan Arkshaw trying (and failing) to live as a regular art student despite her mythical heritage. But even though she tries to keep dates with her boyfriend Merlin to a minimum, she still gets pulled into yet another supernatural case of Booksellers.

What I like about...

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” is a fantasy novel by V. E. Schwab based on the Faustian bargain theme. Addie LaRue, desperate to escape forced marriage and to live her whole life in a tiny village, pleads for help to whatever god could help her. One of them answers and offers a deal, which she accepts without blinking an eye. But as it usually happens, it’s not precisely what Addie was hoping for. She escapes the life the village planned for her, but the price is that she will forever be forgotten by anyone she meets as soon as...

Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“Children of Virtue and Vengeance” is the second book in the “Legacy of Orïsha” trilogy by Tomi Adeyemi. I loved the first book in the series because of all the incredible worldbuilding and amazingly diverse magic system, so I was very excited to dive into the sequel.

The first book in the series left us with a fantastic triumph when Zélie and Amari brought magic back to Orïsha. But, of course, it didn’t play out as they expected. Magic not only returned to oppressed maji but also the nobles with magic ancestry, the ones that had been oppressing them for...

The Flower Path

Sat, 10 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“The Flower Path” is book three in “A Daidoji Shin Mystery” series by Josh Reynolds based in the universe of The Legend of the Five Rings. I’m always happy to dive into another adventure with Shin as a protagonist. He is such a fun and complex character to read that each story is a pleasure.

This time the author serves us a classic whodunit tale. The affair starts in Foxfire Theatre, which Shin acquired in the previous book, and the grand opening night is supposed to decide whether this venture would be successful. But the stakes become even higher when...

The Lost Metal

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“The Lost Metal” is the fourth and the last book in The Mistborn Saga (Era Two) series by Brandon Sanderson. I don’t think the series needs any introduction for the fans, as if you haven’t read any of those books, I suggest you start at the beginning. That said, this review might have some minor spoilers for previous books (as it would be impossible to avoid them, as the world in Era Two is a direct consequence of the end of Era One). There will be no spoilers for “The Lost Metal”, so if you are up to date with...

Lost Gods

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“Lost Gods” by Tim Hardie is the third book in the epic Viking-inspired fantasy saga “The Brotherhood of the Eagle”. I had the pleasure of reading the previous two books, so I was very excited when the author asked if I was up to review the next instalment.

What I love about this series the most is the complex worldbuilding. The world is enormous, and there are so many clans and factions that it was hard to wrap your head around it initially. But once you get into it, it becomes fascinating. Sometimes in books, we see that the side...

To Chart The Clouds

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100

To Chart the Clouds by Evan Dicken is a novel from the Legend of the Five Rings world. The main character is Miya Isami, a young cartography clerk. I was immediately intrigued by that theme because I find cartography fascinating, and it’s not often we can see it as a profession described at length in novels. The author studied the development of cartography in non-western societies (specifically Japan), and his vast knowledge of the topic shows in the story right from the first pages. It was so different from, for example, Shadow and Bone, where the protagonist’s (Alina) job was...

Shadowed by Moonlight

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0100

“Shadowed by Moonlight” by Kryssa Stevenson is a fantasy novel based on Pacific Islands folklore. The first time I stumbled upon this story was on Wattpad, where I read a couple of chapters and was so enchanted with it that I reached out to the author immediately to tell her how awesome this book sounds. A couple of weeks later, I learned that Kryssa is working hard to self-publish her book. She contacted me to ask if I wanted to review the book’s ARC. I didn’t have to be asked twice!

What first caught my eye was the setting. I...

Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 2 Liberation

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

The second volume of Horizon comic, “Liberation”, features Aloy’s other beloved companion – Erend. He’s a kind of goofy friend with a big hammer and a huge heart that is very easy to like. I always found conversations with him funny.

Once again, we’re getting a different story from what we know from the game. Erend and Aloy are on the hunt for a man involved in Oseram’s sister’s death. While they pursue their prey, Erend tells a story of Meridian’s liberation, Ersa’s role in it, and what eventually led to her death. Part of this tale was mentioned in...

Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 1 The Sunhawk

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Today I come to you with something different – a comic review. I usually only write reviews for books, but when I saw that Titan Comics was looking for reviewers for the Horizon Zero Down comics, I couldn’t resist. I’m a massive fan of this series, and it’s one of my favourite games, so picking up those comics was an obvious choice.

Horizon Zero Dawn is an action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published in 2017. Its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, came out in February this year. The setting is a post-apocalyptic world, where dangerous animal-like machines rule...

Efekt Pandy

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

“Efekt Pandy” autorstwa Marty Kisiel to kolejna część komedii kryminalnej “Dywan z Wkładką”. Po wielce emocjonujących morderczych intrygach Teresa Trawna miała powrócić do spokojnego, może nie bezstresowego, ale z pewnością beztrupowego życia. Ale czy na pewno? Okazuje się, że trup może się człowiekowi przytrafić nawet na relaksacyjnym wypadzie to SPA!

Po książki Marty Kisiel zawsze sięgam z przyjemnością, gdyż autorka ma poczucie humoru które idealnie trafia w mój gust i nigdy nie zawodzi. Tak też było przypadku “Efektu Pandy”. Już po skończeniu “Dywany z Wkładką” nie mogłam się doczekać kolejnej odsłony przygód Tereski, która jest moją bratnią duszą, przebojowej Miry...

Seven Mercies

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“Seven Mercies” is the second and last book in the “Seven Devils” series by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May. I instantly liked the title and the connotation behind it.

When the book starts, the characters are in a pickle. After an explosive end of the first book, most of the Novantae resistance is in shambles, and Seven Devils must scramble for their lives and avoid Tholosians soldiers and bounty hunters. But even overwhelming odds could not thwart the rebels’ desire to fight against the tyranny and help people that the empire enslaved.

All seven characters have their point of view...

Outcast

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“Outcast” by Louise Carey is the second book in the dystopian sci-fi thriller series “Inscape”. A story picks up a few months after the previous book’s ending. Despite all her hard work in bringing down the corrupted superior, Tanta is relegated to work amongst community guardians. But after an attack on InTech HQ, she is pulled back to the special forces unit to solve the case.

I loved the dystopian world the author created for her story. A few big corporations are the rulers, and you can either work for them or perish out in the wastelands without food, medicine,...

Between Two Worlds

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“Between Two Worlds” is a debut historical fiction novel by Cheyenne van Langevelde. Enid, the daughter of the tribe’s chief, is captured by the Romans and shipped off to Rome as a slave. She will have to find a way to cope with her new, very different reality.

From the beginning, we get the good feeling of being in ancient times, as the novel is skillfully written using archaic pronouns and other words we don’t use anymore. It does take some getting used to (at least for me, as I don’t read historical fiction often), but it certainly has its...

A Town Called River

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

“A Town Called River” by Igor Rendić is an urban fantasy novel with action set in Croatia and based on less popular Slavic mythology. It’s sort of The Witcher meeting friendly neighbourhood Spiderman in our modern world.

Paul is returning to Croatia after so many years that he hardly even speaks his native tongue. He wanted to wrap up everything quickly – listen to the testament of his late grandmother and deal with whatever she left behind – and then move on with his life. Unfortunately for him, Lena had particular plans for her favourite grandson. When Paul finally arrives...

Cytonic

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

“Cytonic” by Brandon Sanderson is the third book in YA Space Opera series “Skyward”. The review includes spoilers to the first two books, so if you haven’t read them yet, please skip it.

The book starts with an immediate tense scene, where Spensa is trying to escape from Superiority’s soldiers chasing her. But instead of hyperjump straight home to Detritus, she chooses to venture into the nowhere to learn more about the delvers to gain an advantage in the upcoming conflict. In short, once again, we get a whole new world to discover.

I missed Spensa and M-Bot’s banter. It’s...

Wampirze Cesarstwo

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

“Wampirze Cesarstwo” Jay’a Kristoffa to pierwszy tom najnowszej serii autora o tym samym tytule. Autor serwuje nam mroczną opowieść mającą na celu odesłać w zapomnienie romantyczny obraz wampirów, jaki zaserwowała nam ostatnimi czasy popkultura i powrócić do klasycznej wizji żądnych krwi potworów z legend i opowieści z dawnych czasów. Jak dla mnie wykonał on kawał dobrej roboty.

Już na pierwszych stronach książki poznajemy Gabriela de León, ostatniego z członków bractwa srebroświętych, który jest więźniem swoich zaprzysiężonych wrogów – wampirów. Zostaje on zmuszony do podzielenia się swoją historią z cesarskim historykiem. I tu przechodzimy do specyficznej, nieliniowej narracji (akcja powieści przenosi...

A Vow so Bold and Deadly

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“A Vow so Bold and Deadly” to trzecia a zarazem ostatnia książka z serii “The Cursebreakers”. Ponieważ dobrze czytało mi się poprzednie tomy byłam bardzo ciekawa jak ten cykl się zakończy. Słowo ostrzeżenia, ta recenzja będzie zawierać spoilery do pierwszych dwóch części, więc jeśli jeszcze ich nie czytaliście, to polecam zrobić to zanim zapoznacie się z moją recenzją.

“A Heart so Fierce and Broken” zostawiło nas w bardzo niepokojącej sytuacji. Syl Shallow z nowo wybraną królową Lią Marą i Greyem u jej boku postawiło Emberfall ultimatum – sześćdziesiąt dni na kapitulacje. Jeśli Rhen odrzuci te warunki, armia Syl Shallow ruszy...

Gry Nemezis

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“Gry Nemezis” to piąta część cyklu “Ekspansja” autorstwa Jamesa S. A. Corey. I cóż to za niesamowita odsłona - chyba moja ulubiona do tej pory!

Po pierwsze, wszystkie rozdziały są z perspektywy załogi Rosysnanta, których uwielbiam, gdyż są oni najlepszym elementem całej sagi. Gdy po perypetiach na Nowej Ziemi w końcu docierają na stację Tycho, biedny Rosynat jest wrakiem. Ponieważ naprawa statku będzie się ciągnąć miesiącami, bohaterowie postanawiają w międzyczasie uporządkować prywatne sprawy. Akurat tak zabawnie się składa, że wszyscy wpadają na ten pomysł równocześnie, w efekcie pozostawiając biednego Holdena samego. Jednak wkrótce ma miejsce jeden z najgorszych w historii...

Sundered Souls

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

S”undered Souls” is the second book in the Viking inspired epic fantasy series “The Brotherhood of the Eagle” by Tim Hardie. I was lucky enough to receive the ARC from the author and was excited to continue the story of Rothgar and his companions.

Unlike “Hall of Bones”, the sequel starts with a lot more tension. The Vorund Clan has seized control of most land in Laskar, crushing all those who refused to bend the knee for self-proclaimed King of the North, Adalrkir Asmarrson. Rothgar joined Johan Jokellsward, and with their newly formed Brotherhood of the Eagle, they fight against...

The Look of a King

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“The Look of a King” by Tom Dumbrell is the first book in a medieval-inspired series “Pillars of Piece”. The story is based in an original world where four nations are occupying the main continent. They all live in peace since the treaty was signed eight years before, but unfortunately, harmony will not last much longer, and violence will once again spread through the land.

The tale follows two young men, Augustus, a pampered heir to the throne, who is a selfish prick, and Cyrus, an orphan living in the small village who love telling stories of bravery and chivalry....

Gorączka Ciboli

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“Gorączka Ciboli” to czwarta część serii “Ekspansja”. Gdy tylko otwarły się wrota do nowych układów gwiezdnych, pierwsi odważni śmiałkowie wyruszyli w nieznane by skolonizować obiecujące, nowo odkryte planety. Jedną z nich jest Ilus. Pasiarze jako pierwsi docierają na jej powierzchnię i od razu zaczynają budowę swojej kolonii. Pomimo, że warunki są podobne jak na Ziemi, to życie tam nie jest łatwe. Jednak dzięki bogatym złożom cennej rudy osadnicy są w stanie zarobić dość, by zapewnić sobie wszelkie niezbędne surowce, których na planecie brakuje. Problem pojawia się jednak wraz z przybyciem statku Ziemskiej korporacji, która nabyła legalnie wyłączność do eksploatacji planety...

Death's Kiss

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“Death’s Kiss” by Joshua Reynolds is the second book in “A Daidoji Shin Mystery” series based in the world from “Legend of the Five Rings”. I enjoyed the first novel in the series and was waiting eagerly to meet with a witty Crane again.

The story starts a few months after the conclusion of the investigation from “Poison River”. Shin is busy rebuilding the Foxfire Theatre, but deep down, he is already bored with his newest undertaking. When a friend from the Unicorn Clan asks him for a favour, he is more than happy to travel into a distant city...

The Blacktongue Thief

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“The Blacktongue Thief” autorstwa Christophera Buehlmana to debiut autora, jeśli chodzi o fantastykę (dotychczasowe książki to głównie horrory). Sama okładka urzekła mnie od pierwszego wejrzenia, więc niezmiernie się ucieszyłam, kiedy wydawnictwo Gollancz zaproponowało mi udział w Blog Tourze z tą książką.

Powieść jest bardzo specyficzna. Po kilku pierwszych rozdziałach byłam raczej zniesmaczona. Głównym bohaterem jest Kinch Na Shannack, który jest złodziejem Gildii, i to on opowiada nam całą historię. Powiedzieć, że jest on niewyrafinowany to niedopowiedzenie. Od samego początku jesteśmy bombardowani prostackimi żartami i metaforami prosto z rynsztoka. Ani mnie one nie śmieszyły ani nie były specjalnie interesujące. Jednak sam...

The Broken God

Fri, 21 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“The Broken God” is the third book of “The Black Iron Legacy” fantasy series by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan. This review will contain spoilers to the first two books because I can’t write anything of essence without it, so if you haven’t started this series yet, I advise you to go and read my review of “The Gutter Prayer” first, and then decide if you want to read it.

Every book in “The Black Iron Legacy” has a different central theme. “The Gutter Prayer” mainly evolved around a heist and took place in Guerdon, with only minor mentions of what is happening...