May ARC Reviews!

This month I haven’t read too many ARCs due to being incredibly busy with work, but the two that I did read were very enjoyable! Below I’ve included my reviews of each respective book and other relevant information which I hope will encourage you to pick them up and give them a try!

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This Eternity of Masks and Shadows

 

Synopsis

Some vendettas have more lives than others.

The gods walk among us. Some lurk in the shadows, masquerading as mortals; others embrace their celebrity status, launching careers from Hollywood to Capitol Hill.

One of them just murdered Cairn Delacroix’s mother.

As Cairn sifts through the rubble, she uncovers a conspiracy two decades in the making: a cursed island, the fellowship of gods who journeyed there, and the unspeakable act that intertwined their fates. One by one, the members of that voyage are dying, and Cairn’s investigations land her in the crosshairs of the rogue goddess responsible.

With the help of Nanook, a polar bear god turned detective, Cairn descends into Boston’s underworld of supernatural crime and political aspiration. To avenge her mother and unmask her assassin, she’ll first have to reckon with a gut-wrenching secret that will rewrite the life she thought she knew.

 

Release Date

2 June 2020

 

My Review:

This was a really fun read; it was action- packed and exciting, but it was not without its faults. The element of adventure was great, and it made for a thrilling read! The concept was utterly unique and had a lot of potential, though unfortunately I felt that perhaps the world building was lacking slightly. That said, mythology was integrated into this narrative perfectly and was something that I particularly enjoyed.

This novel also has some good rep. which I appreciated! The main character of this story is a lesbian, and as the novel progresses we see a rather sweet relationship bloom between her and her childhood best friend. Furthermore, the women of this story are strong and presented relatively well, making for a nice read.

My only real qualm about this one was the lack of character development. I was left wishing that the central characters were developed further, and I felt a little detached from them as a result. But overall, this was an fun read, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, action- packed book!

 

 

A Curse of Gold

 

Synopsis

Curses and queens. Pirates and kings. Gods and magic. The final saga of a princess cursed by Midas’s touch, a vengeful Greek god, and a dazzling kingdom in the balance.

After barely surviving thieving, bloodthirsty pirates and a harrowing quest at sea to retrieve her stolen treasure, Kora finds readjusting to palace life just as deadly. Her people openly turn against her, threatening to overthrow her as heir to the throne due to fear of her magical powers. When Dionysus puts out a challenge to kill the girl with the golden touch and burn down her kingdom, it’s not just her future on the throne in danger. Kora’s life and entire kingdom are now on contract.

With no other choice, Kora sets out to find Dionysus, journeying to the mysterious disappearing island of Jipper. If she wants to save her kingdom and have any chance at reversing her father’s curse, she will have to enter into a deadly game with Dionysus, the greatest trickster the world, or the underworld, has ever seen.

 

Release Date

22 September 2020

 

My Review

This was a good sequel and end to this duology, and was another fun adventure book that was relatively easy to read! The prose of this novel was simplistic, and therefore did not distract from the plot or over- complicate the narrative which I appreciated. This was an interesting take on mythology that made for a quick and easy read!

In this novel you see the dynamics and relationships between characters develop further, which I enjoyed reading. However, I did have an issue with the plot and pacing. I felt that the character development was perhaps hindered a little by a plot that had too much going on. This in turn threw the pacing off a little which was a little disappointing.

Overall, this was a quick and fun read. Though it wasn’t without its faults I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested!

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Overall, this month has been good in terms of the ARCs I have read, even if I only managed to read two!

I would love to hear all about the ARCs you’ve read recently in the comments below!