Tag: Fantasy

“To Ride A Rising Storm” Review

Posted on by Jen

“To Ride A Rising Storm” (Nampeshiweisit No. 2) by Moniquill Blackgoose

Anequs has not only survived her first year at Kuiper’s Academy but exceeded all of her professors’ admittedly low expectations—and passed all her courses with honors. Now, she and her dragon, Kasaqua, are headed home for the summer, along with Theod, the only other Native student at the Academy.

But what should have been a relaxing break takes a darker turn. Thanks to Anequs’s notoriety, there is an Anglish presence on Masquapaug for the first time ever: a presence which Anequs hates. Anequs will always fight for what she believes in, however, and what she believes in is her people’s right to self-govern and live as they have for generations, without the restrictive yoke of Anglish rules and social customs. And fight she will—even if it means lighting a spark which may flare into civil war.

Review

I thought this was a great sequel to the previous book. I enjoyed the continuation of Anequs’ story and her attempts to do right by her people. There is a lot of conflict in the book from the Anglish who have a negative view of Anequs and her people which comes to a head at the end of the book. This book is very obviously the middle book of a trilogy but I still think there were a lot of good things in it. I loved the continued development of various relationships Anequs has with everyone and the introduction of new characters and possibly allies. I really enjoy all the information in the book and the world building. I liked that we learned more about Anequs’ people and how they view relationships and everything. I eagerly await the next book!

Additional reviews and warnings can be found on the StoryGraph page for “To Ride A Rising Storm”

Book Details

The book cover is blue with a circle in the middle that has leaves and flowers coming off it. On the top left and bottom right of the circle are two flying dragons one pale blue and the other a darker blue than the cover. The title of the book is written one word on each line down the center of the book with the authors name at the bottom.

Author’s Website
Moniquill Blackgoose
Publisher / Date
Del Ray, January 2026
Genre
Alternate History, Fantasy, Young Adult
Page Count

464
Date Completed

February 3, 2026

“Magica Riot Full Bloom” Review

Posted on by Jen

“Magica Riot Full Bloom (Maidensong Magica No. 2)” by Kara Buchanan

Claire Ryland has just about figured this whole magical girl band thing out. The people of Portland really love Magica Riot, so much that they’ve been asked to play a concert at the biggest venue in town! But when not one but two villains decide to make their presence known, Claire, Sara, Cass, Hana, and Nova have to figure out a new approach to their magic and their music…with some help from unexpected friends!

Review

This was an excellent sequel to the first book. I really enjoyed everything about it and it felt like exactly what I needed right now. It was as whimsical and joyful as the original book and I enjoyed the relationships that developed throughout the book. I liked how all of the characters interacted and the way each of them responded to the situations that were happening. I thought this book showed a lot of development for Claire and the others as a team.

Additional Reviews can be found on the StoryGraph page for “Magica Riot Full Bloom” and warnings can be found on the page for the book on the series website linked below.

Book Details

The cover of the book is mostly in dark orange with shades of lighter orange at the top left and bottom right. Two girls are laying down on the cover one from the bottom left side wearing a yellow sleeveless dress and has long purple hair. The other is upside down on the cover from the top right and is wearing a sleeveless purple dress and purple gloves that extend down past her elbows and she has purple hair the title is in the top left corner and the authors name at the bottom right.

Series Website
Magica Riot

Publisher / Date
Storm Maiden, November 2025
Genre
Fantasy
Page Count
400
Date Completed
December 18, 2025

“They Bloom at Night” Review

Posted on by Jen

“They Bloom at Night” by Trang Thanh Tran

Ever since a hurricane devastated the small town of Mercy, Louisiana, a red algae bloom has taken over. Mutated wildlife lurks in the water that rises by the day, but Mercy has always been a place where monsters walk in plain sight. Especially at its heart: the Cove, where Noon’s life was upended long before the storm at a party her older boyfriend insisted on.

Now, Noon is stuck navigating the submerged town with her mom, who believes their family have been reincarnated as sea creatures. Alone with the pain of what happened that night at the cove, Noon buries the truth: she is not the right shape.

When Mercy’s predatory leader demands Noon and her mum capture the creature drowning residents, she reluctantly finds an ally in his deadly hunter of a daughter and friends old and new. As the next storm approaches, Noon must confront the past and decide if it’s time to answer the monster itching at her skin.

Review

I really enjoyed this book and getting to know the characters. Noon is great and I really like the relationships they have with their mother and their friends. I’ve gone back and forth on thinking the writing style was to vague in places but also realizing that it was likely intentional on the part of the author. As much as what has happened in Mercy is important it’s not entirely the main point of the story. Noon figuring out their identity is the more important part of the story and in a lot of ways what has happened has influenced how Noon figurings things out. I really liked the extended friend group that Noon has and the way that group helps with everything.

This interview with the author adds some more context and explanations to the story: Trang Thanh Tran explores identity and transformation in They Bloom at Night.

Additional reviews and warnings at the StoryGraph page for “They Bloom at Night”.

Book Details

The cover of They Bloom at Night depicts a young person under water with a few bubbles around them. They have black hair and are wearing a white shirt. There red streaks of algae floating around the right side of the cover. The authors name is at the top with the title at the bottom

Author’s Website
Trang Thanh Tran
Publisher / Date
Bloomsbury YA, March 2025
Genre
Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult
Page Count
262
Date Completed
Completed December 4, 2025

“The Ending Fire” Review

Posted on by Jen

“The Ending Fire” (The Ending Fire Trilogy No. 3) by Saara El-Arifi

The Wardens’ Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the “Truthsayer” is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.

Across the sea the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond’s role as Major General sees him training their soldiers for combat, but it’s matters of the heart that prove to be the hardest battlefield.

The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor’s doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam set off on their last voyage–one few expect to return from.

Review

I thought this was a good conclusion to the trilogy with a lot of things happening all at once. I really enjoyed the different point of views in the book and the way things developed for the characters. There were several things happening throughout the book to bring things to the final confrontation and I thought it was well done. I did like the ending and I felt like it was a good one for most of the characters involved. That said I was a little baffled by the ending for two of the characters and felt like it was a little too vague in the sense that we don’t fully know what happened to them.

Additional reviews and warnings can be found on the StoryGraph page for “The Ending Fire”.

Book Details

The cover is taken up by a white tile pattern that has a gold stripe through the bottom half and gold fire at the top right and bottom left corners. The title is written in the center the authors name at the bottom.

Author’s Website
Saara El-Arifi
Publisher / Date
Del Ray, September 2024
Genre
Fantasy
Page Count
464
Completion Date
September 26, 2025

“The Battle Drum” Review

Posted on by Jen

“The Battle Drum” (The Ending Fire Trilogy No. 2) by Saara El-Arifi

Anoor is the first blue-blooded ruler of the Wardens’ Empire. But when she is accused of a murder she didn’t commit, her reign is thrown into turmoil. She must solve the mystery and clear her name without the support of her beloved, Sylah.

Hassa’s web of secrets grows ever thicker as she finds herself on a trail of crimes in the city. Her searching uncovers the extent of the atrocities of the empire’s past and present. Now, she must guard both her heart and her land.

Sylah braves new lands to find a solution for the hurricane that threatens to destroy her home. But in finding answers, she must make a decision, does she sacrifice her old life in order to raise up her sword once more?

The three women find their answers, but they’re not the answers they wanted. The drumbeat of change thrums throughout the world.

Review

I thought this was a good sequel to the first book. I enjoyed learning more about the characters and seeing how they were working to find their answers. Naturally being the middle book of a trilogy it was mostly information gathering and building on prior knowledge before the conclusion. Some things were more frustrating than others but I enjoyed it.

Additional reviews and warnings can be found on the StoryGraph page for “The Battle Drum”.

Book Details

The cover is taken up by a white with blue tinge tial pattern that has a blue strip through the bottom half and a blue design at the top The tile is written in the center the authors name at the bottom

Author’s Website
Saara El-Arifi
Publisher / Date
Del Ray, May 2023
Genre
Fantasy
Page Count
544
Completion Date
August 21, 2025

“Magica Riot” Review

Posted on by Jen

“Magica Riot (Maidensong Magica No. 1)” by Kara Buchanan

Claire always wanted to be a girl. She never dreamed she’d be a magical girl.

The last night of Claire Ryland’s old life was pretty normal, aside from the alley fight with interdimensional monsters. Fortunately, the drummer of her favorite local band transformed into a magical girl and saved her.

Then Claire became a magical girl as well. Things got a little complicated after that.

Now Claire is juggling two new lives: living as a girl and as a member of Portland’s super-secret supernatural defense squad, the hard-rocking magical girls known as Magica Riot!

Review

Much more light hearted than my usual read but also a lot of fun to read. I really enjoyed all the characters, especially Claire and her coming out stories (as Trans and as a Superhero). It’s a very whimsical and joyful story with influences from Anime and Cartoon media though it also reminded me a lot of the original Power Rangers show which I used to watch. It would be interesting to see this book done as an Anime show. There are a couple plot points that might seem a bit overly light hearted with regard to events in the story but it made sense for the type of book that it was. Overall, I felt like it did exactly what it set to do – tell a light hearted fun story about being able to be who you are while saving the world. There’s a sequel in the works and I’m looking forward to it!

Additional reviews and warnings can be found on the StoryGraph Page for “Magica Riot”

Book Details

The Magica Riot cover is a purple sky with purple and pink clouds and a bridge in the background. In the center of the cover is a cartoon image of a girl in mid jump to attack. She has purple hair and a dark purple shirt over a white shirt and a dark purple skirt with dark purple boots.

Series Website
Magica Riot
Publisher / Date
Storm Maiden, November 2024
Genre
Fantasy
Page Count
227
Completion Date
August 2, 2025