Soulbound by Heather Brewer

Release Date: July 5th

Publisher: Penguin

Series: Legacy of Tril (bk. 1)

Genera: Fantasy

Subjects: Warriors, healers, soldiers, boarding schools

Length: 394 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

Summary/ product description: “What's worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you're treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there's the evil king who's determined to rule the world unless you can stop him...
Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who's stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can't be broken...and blood is the strongest bond of all.”

My Rating: êêêêê

My Review: Wow. I did not expect to like this book so much. So different from other fantasy, yet familiar. The dialogue and narration makes it seem like it could be set in the present, rather than some fantasy world. It almost seemed dystopian, like it was set in the future where there is no technology, but it’s not. This book reminds me of Vampire Academy because it’s set in a boarding school for 2 kinds of secret, skilled peoples: The Barrons and Healers. But whereas in vampire academy, the subservient class where the half-vampire, warriors and guardians, in this book the warriors, or Barrons are the more important class and the Healer are subservient. And Tril is the world they live in. There are Unskilled people who have no idea that Barrons and Healers exist, mostly because they don’t interact very much. This book had amazing world building, but really, why would there be French toast in Tril? The Japanese basis for this fantasy world included katanas and some names of places/words.  Barrons are sort of like samurais.

Kaya is a strong, stubborn and witty character, a healer who would like to fight. She doesn’t like be treated like a second class citizen/delicate flower. She’d rather take care of herself. She end up at Shadow academy as blackmail to her parents and is bound to Trayton, a Barron (who’s really hot and nice), a few days after her arrival. Trayton is a rule-follower, and never goes against Protocol, so Kaya seeks out someone else to train her. Maddox, her guard, doesn’t know how to fight (because she was never taught). Darius agrees to train her. Darius is a “dek” to Kaya. I honestly knew who he was from the start, that part was predictable, though it isn’t revealed till the very end. Darius reminds me a lot of Dimitri from VA, but much younger, same age as Kaya. Their relationship doesn’t fully develop yet, and I hope to see more in the next book.

This book had tons of action and romance. It is the tough-girl-vs.-the-world kind of story. I recommend it to fans of Mead’s Vampire Academy series, Armentrout’s Half-Blood series, or anyone who liked the new book by Leigh Bardugo: Shadow and Bone (bk. 1 of Grisha triology). I love the new modern fantasy genera. It’s like dystopian, but ever more creative.

Cover Art Review: Really awesome cover. Love the metallic series name, and sword. Awesome sword. I love the photo of the girl holding the katana. It represents the book well.

~Haley G

Unforsaken by Sophie Littlefield

Series: Banished (bk. 2)

Genera: Paranormal Romance

Subjects: Healers, seers, psychic ability, magic, supernatural, zombies

Length: 277 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

Summary/ product description: “Hailey Tarbell is no typical girl. As one of the Banished who arrived from Ireland generations ago, Hailey has the power to heal—and, as she recently learned, to create zombies if she heals someone too late. But now, Hailey is finally getting a chance at a normal life. After realizing the good and bad sides of her power, Hailey has survived the unimaginable to settle with her aunt, Prairie, and her little brother, Chub, in the suburbs of Milwaukee. Finally Hailey has a loving family, nice clothes, and real friends. But her safe little world is blown apart when she tries to contact her secret boyfriend, Kaz—and alerts the incredibly dangerous man who's looking for her to her true whereabouts.”

My Rating: ê ê ê 1/2

My Review: This sequel was fast paced, and thrilling, but maybe a little too fast. I started it in the late afternoon, finished it before 1 am. And that wasn’t even in one sitting. It was probably written to be a quick book, a page turner. The chapters were short, the text size was larger. I can’t remember what I thought of the first book.

I was confused what was going on in the beginning. Mostly because she doesn’t recap the what happened last time until later. I thought it was cool that they were in Milwaukee. I’ve never been downtown there, but I did drive past it and also go to the State Fair there.

I like that a have a few things in common with this series. My name Haley, one letter from Hailey, but still the same name. I live near Chicago, so that was also a great setting to me. I love books I can relate to.

I don’t know if there will be a 3^rd book because the ending wrapped up nicely. I won’t spoil it, but it seems most of the story get resolved. But I won’t be surprised if there is a 3^rd book.

I do recommend this series because it’s different from a lot of paranormal book I’ve read. There’s a lot of action and adventure, and the fear of being caught. It’s mixed with science fiction and thriller elements.

Cover Art Review: Similar to the 1^st book’s cover, so they‘re unified. The model on this one also looks vaguely Asian. I don’t know why. It must be the eyes shape.

~Haley G