Skip to main content

Featured

Book Review: The Drowning Place by Sarah Hilary

This was my first experience reading Sarah Hilary, and I went into it hoping to discover a new detective series to follow. Overall, this turned out to be an enjoyable read, though one that clearly feels like a series opener. The beginning was on the slower side, focusing heavily on introductions, backstory, and the private lives of the characters. While this is often necessary in the first book of a series, it did make the pacing feel a bit drawn out at times. One aspect that didn’t fully work for me was the inclusion of characters seeing and speaking to ghosts. I understand the intention behind it, showing how the past lingers and haunts, but I personally felt there were more effective ways this could have been conveyed. Where the book really worked for me was in its twists and character work. The writing was strong, the mystery kept me engaged, and both the DI and DS felt layered and well-developed. By the end, I was invested enough to want to see where the series goes next. Overall,...
Post a Comment
Read more
Labels

Review: My Dear Illusion by Sarah Ready — A Fantasy Debut That Broke Me

 

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.


Summary:

My Dear Illusion follows Mari Locke, who grew up in Hell Gate - the darkest corner of New York City. She has a rare gift: she can unravel illusions, which makes her both dangerous and hunted in a world ruled by conjurers who bend reality itself. When Mari is forced into the brutal Hundred Year Games, she must ally with Finn Alterra, a half-conjurer who’s considered the weakest contender of them all. Her mission is simple on paper: help him win, then destroy him. But in a world built on lies and illusions, Mari quickly realizes nothing is what it seems - not her enemies, not her allies, not even her own heart.


My review:

If you know me, you know I love Sarah Ready. I fell in love with Josh and Gemma and then devoured her other romances. So when I saw she was releasing a fantasy novel (and almost 900 pages at that), I was intrigued but nervous.


And I’ll be real: after about 20%, I wasn’t sure I’d continue. There’s a lot of worldbuilding front-loaded, it felt more told than shown at first, and I usually prefer it to unravel more organically. But because it was Sarah, I peeked at a few other reviews, decided to push on… and I’m so glad I did.


Once I got deeper, I realized every detail mattered. By the end, I wouldn’t have cut a single page. The world is layered and intricate, illusions within illusions, betrayals stacked on betrayals. I found myself second-guessing everything, who to trust, what was real, and even what I wanted to be true.


Mari is a heroine I rooted for from the beginning, and Finn… oh, Finn. Complicated, broken, flawed. Their slow-burn connection is everything I love: subtle, tense, tender, and yes - so much better for not being overrun with spice. The romance works because it feels both impossible and inevitable.


And then there’s the Wind. I never thought I’d fall in love with the Wind as a character, but I did. It gives the book a unique voice that’s poetic and haunting.


The ending left me with tears in my eyes and a desperate need for the next book. This is Sarah Ready’s fantasy debut, and she absolutely pulled it off.


⭐ 5 stars. New favorite. Please, Sarah, tell us when the sequel is coming.


If you like my reviews you can also follow me on 

Goodreads 👉🏼 Click here

and

Instagram 👉🏼 @readingchapters1 


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment