Tag: reading

This is one of my very few 5-star reads, and one of my favourite books. Somehow, I knew from the back blurb that I would love this book. Admittedly, I often think this about a book and I usually end up being disappointed. But there was something about this one that really called to me. And it was exactly what I wanted it to be.

The story follows Addie, who was born in 1714 France. In a moment of desperation, she makes a bargain with the Dark to live forever, and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. So, she cannot leave a mark or an impression on anyone or anything in the world. Then, 300 years later, she meets a young man in a bookstore in New York who remembers her. The story intertwines the timeline of Addie’s past and her ongoing interactions with the Dark and the present timeline of her relationship with Henry, the bookstore owner.

I really enjoyed this book. It had a gentle quality that made it really easy to read. And it raised some thought-provoking questions about life, love, and legacy.

This was the first book I read by V.E. Schwab and it sent me on a bingey quest to read as many of her books as possible. Her writing style combines beautiful prose with complex ideas and still manages to be accessible. I’ve read a few of her books now, and this is still my favourite. It’s a bit of an outlier in terms of tone and concept, but I love it. I really responded to the poignancy of Addie’s journey, and the way the novel explores her relationships with the only two beings to remember her existence.

Why I think you might like Addie LaRue:

• It’s a standalone novel! There aren’t enough awesome standalone fantasy books in the world. Sometimes, it’s nice to start and finish a story without an enormous commitment.
• Romance. If you like a more mature romance, this is for you. I think it takes a realistic approach to how it portrays Addie’s romantic life. How immediate and strong the feelings would be for her in this scenario, finally meeting someone who can remember her, but also her relationship to the Dark, who is objectively the most important person in her immortal life.
• A little history, but not too much. I love a historical fantasy, but I also don’t want to feel like I’m reading a textbook. This was a nice balance of a few historic events and a look at historic customs, without sacrificing pace and character development.
• Thought-provoking. I just love a book that can be fun and accessible while still being thought-provoking and insightful about the human experience.
• Immortality. This is one of my favourite tropes. I love stories that explore the consequences of immortality, how it would affect a person and what that would really look like.
• Elegant writing. I just found the prose so beautiful. I feel like I can tell from the writing, that V.E. Schwab really loves the English language. And that makes me happy.

This is a really engaging urban fantasy, set in a futuristic version of Toronto where technology and genetic engineering have progressed substantially. It doesn’t read like a dystopia or warning on these advancements. Instead, the futuristic setting is treated like interesting world-building, and a way for the author to free herself from the everyday drudgery of current Toronto, if she chooses. It’s a nice balance of accurate Toronto and fantasy Toronto.

The story follows Voya, a young witch, trying to complete her Calling in order to receive her powers. When, at first, she fails, her ancestor gives her a second chance to complete a trial: Voya must destroy her first love. But the consequence of failure this time would mean that every witch in Voya’s family will be stripped of their magic. 

The magic system is rooted in family and ancestral magic. There’s a large cast of characters, but each of them feels distinct and memorable. It is YA, and normally I don’t love YA books anymore, but this one felt fresh and not too juvenile. The writing blends different elements of storytelling well. First, there’s the intimate character storytelling—Voya’s connection with her family, friends, and love interest. Next there’s the larger community story—how Voya and her family fit into the community of Black witches in Toronto. All tied together with the larger socio-political commentary—how racial inequality, transgenerational trauma, wage disparity, and social injustice would be felt and experienced in this future version of Toronto. It balances all of this, while never feeling like a heavy or disjointed read.

Why I think you might like the Blood Like Magic Duology:

• The emphasis was on character development and character relationships. The relationships really propelled the plot and the story.
• Magic but not too much magic. I love a world where the magic has limits and where reality plays a part. This one was especially cool though, because there was magic, reality, and futurism. So, when magic couldn’t solve something, maybe technology could!
• Reluctant heroine. Voya really struggles to believe in herself and struggles to make decisions. She has to learn to trust herself as the story progresses, and make others trust her as well.
• Mistakes have consequences. The fallout from book one is felt for a long time in book two and the characters have to find a way to move past it without magically fixing everything.
• Friendship theme. Voya does have a romantic storyline, but she also has strong friendship and family bonds that drive a lot of her decisions.
• Duology! If you, like me, are easily overwhelmed by a trilogy, but you also often want a bit more than one book, then Duologies are the new best thing!