Here are mini reviews for some of the books I read from July to August 2022. Give them a shot if they sound interesting.

The links lead to the book page on goodreads, from where I've also copied a portion of the blurbs for this post.

The Hands of the Emperor by Victoria Goddard

Blurb

Cliopher Mdang is the personal secretary of the Last Emperor of Astandalas, the Lord of Rising Stars, the Lord Magus of Zunidh, the Sun-on-Earth, the god. One day Cliopher invites the Sun-on-Earth home to the proverbially remote Vangavaye-ve for a holiday. The mere invitation could have seen Cliopher executed for blasphemy. The acceptance upends the world.

Review

A well written slice-of-life book about a civil servant (Kip) going all out to help everybody. About his friends and family. About culture and how they shape our lives.

The start wasn't the easiest to follow. I got more interested when the Emperor accepted Kip's invitation to take a vacation, and the events that followed. The book could've been just about this vacation and I'd have come out happy.

In fact, I did lose a bit of interest as they inevitably had to go back and politics mired the happy feelings. I also got tired of Kip having to prove himself again and again, going on a rant, etc. They were well written and interesting, but there were just way too many of these, right till the end of the book.

Big props to the author for the world building, especially the cultural aspects. The climax really left a big impression, given all that had happened and the way it was presented.

The Zero Blessing by Christopher G. Nuttall

Blurb

Caitlyn Aguirre should have been a magician. Her family certainly expected her to be a magician. But by the time she reached her twelfth birthday, Caitlyn hadn't even managed to cast a single spell! In desperation, her parents send her - and her magical sisters - to Jude’s Sorcerous Academy, her last best chance to discover her powers.

Review

Magical school is one of my favorite tropes and large sections of this book satisfied the everlasting thirst of reading about students and magical experimention.

I've already read a few series where the main character had low/zero magical talent in a world full of magicians. This one had some similarities (especially at the start), but the rest was an interesting take on this trope.

The stakes were all mostly personal, and the author did a good job with different characters despite the book being first person single POV.

What I didn't like were the initial chapters with almost every paragraph showing how being a Zero affected Cat and how very bitter she was. It wasn't a pleasant read. Thankfully, she found a friend who helped each other. Some of the teachers were well written and worthy of being called an educator. But the school as a whole needs some serious overhauling, I wouldn't have lasted a few hours there.

Time to Play: Apocalypse Parenting by Erin Ampersand

Blurb

A few minutes ago, Meghan Moretti's biggest concern was getting the kids' athletic clothes washed in time for practice this evening. Now, it seems that Earth has been forced into participating in some high-stakes intergalactic reality television. All electrical wiring has been slagged, and most combustibles neutralized. Some kind of evil space rodents are appearing on the front lawn, too.

Like any parent, Meghan's first instinct is to keep her young kids safely away from the monsters, but an odd stroke of luck has her coming into some advanced information about this dangerous game. She learns that her kids will have to fight too. What's a mom to do?

Review

I think I should just stay away from Apocalypse style books. Main character being a parent of three kids had caught my attention, so I gave it a try. It still took me two tries to get through this book (stopped after a chapter the first time).

That's just due to my reading tastes though. The book was well written and there were plenty of inventive solutions to the problems arising due to the apocalypse. There were some fun moments too, despite the dangerous situation. A lot of the dark stuff was off screen, but overall it was still uncomfortable for me.

The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis

Blurb

Silke has always been good at spinning the truth and storytelling. So good that just years after arriving as a penniless orphan, she has found her way up to working for the most splendid chocolate makers in the city (oh, and becoming best friends with a dragon). Now her gift for weaving words has caught the eye of the royal family, who want to use her as a spy when the mysterious and dangerous fairy royal family announce they will visit the city. But Silke has her own dark, secret reasons for not trusting fairies.

Review

I found this a slower read compared to "The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart". It was good to see Silke as the main character, while still giving us glimpses of others playing major roles.

The plot wasn't something that held my attention. Probably because I'm jaded from faeries almost always protrayed as deceptive and bordering on malicious. However, I liked the ending and look forward to reading the next one in this series.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Blurb

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance. But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…

Review

A fast paced read. Creative magic with baking. Cute familiars (but deadly to enemies). Well written characters.

I went into the book knowing there are plenty of deaths for a middle grade fantasy novel (which is why it took me so long since adding to TBR). That, and the same old tired tropes of orphans, oppression, etc kept me fully embracing this. Also, based on the book title, I was expecting a lot more of magical guide for defense instead of just a few scenes at the end.