Words cannot express how much I loved this book. I loved this book so much that I bought a finished copy when I was only 10% into my eARC. (Which was a great decision, it is so damn pretty!) If you enjoy books that feature good sibling relationships, intricate world-building, female friendships, then this book is for you.
“Words pierced like talons, hooking deep.”
My favorite reading experiences are when a book takes me by complete surprise. It isn’t often that I pick up a book without any influence from other readers, but I picked Roar up at just the right time. I don’t even know how to write this review, which is probably why I spent half an hour contemplating which Stormling affinity I would have (⛈️ Skyfire, if you must know). If you enjoy incredibly vast world-building, magic systems, found families, with a dash of morally grey and corrupt characters then you need to pick this one up immediately!
Contagion was one of my top 5 reads of 2018, and this sequel was on my highly anticipated needs list for the year. Immunity delivers a solid, action-packed, and satisfying end to this duology.
Please note that this review contains spoilers for the first book, so proceed with caution if you haven’t read Contagion yet!
Friends, I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did and no one is more disappointed than I am. While I absolutely loved the world-building that Power crafts in her debut novel, unfortunately, I struggled to connect with any of the characters and found it difficult for me to suspend disbelief – but not for the reasons you’d think.
“Wonder what she’ll get, if it’s anything at all. Gills like Mona, blisters like Cat’s, maybe bones like Byatt’s or a hand like Reese’s, but sometimes the Tox doesn’t give you anything – just takes and takes. Leaves you drained and withering.”
Maniscalo’s debut novel is deliciously macabre and a must-read for fans of murder mysteries and historical fiction. While I found the twists to be predictable, this was an enjoyable read and I’m excited to continue the series!
I normally put my content warnings at the bottom of my reviews, but I feel like it is important to note up front that the book opens with a black and white photo of a corpse (there is also a photo of someone that died from leprosy further in the book) and the main character conducting an autopsy. This is a dark and gritty tale that isn’t for the faint of heart and I would hate for someone to pick this up expecting a fun historical fiction story (which it is!) and being turned off by the gore. The bottom of the official book synopsis mentions historical photos but in case this wasn’t what you were thinking…
