A.J. Maguire

Category: Book Review

  • A REAL Summer Reading List – 2025

    In response to the Chicago Sun Times debacle where they have printed an AI generated list of books for Summer Reading, which includes books that DO NOT exist, I thought I would be a little cheeky and send out a REAL Summer Reading List.

    Or at least, MY Summer Reading List, which is curated by my personal tastes and some of them are literally waiting on my TBR pile. I lean heavily Fantasy / Romantasy / and Science Fiction in my reading.

    FIRST UP – Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews.

    This is for my Romantasy friends. It is a happy blend of Vikings and Magic following Roark Ashwood and Lyra Bien and you can bet it has all the yummy Romantasy elements we open these books to find.

    You can check it out HERE

    SECOND – A Taste for Lies by LC Whitehouse

    I devoured this book in a day and a half. It is new and I enjoyed the world the author built. This is also a Romantasy (hey, I like what I like) but its pacing alone is impeccable and the characters on the page were absolutely vibrant.

    You can check it out HERE

    THIRD – Litany for a Broken World by LJ Cohen

    Admittedly, this one is on my TBR. I have enjoyed this author before, particularly her novel Future Tense and the amazing Halcyone Space Series, so I am excited to see what loveliness is in store for me with her newest novel.

    You can check it out HERE

    FOURTH – The Maya Bust (Boneguard 4) by E. Chris Ambrose

    Again, this is from my TBR pile and now that I’m looking I see I have SO MANY to catch up on with the Boneguard series. I loved Indiana Jones when I was growing up, so of course I’m going to love Grant Casey and the thrillers that Ambrose writes. We get history and action and a whole lot of fun in these novels.

    You can check out the Boneguard series HERE

    FIFTH – The Crimson Moth series by Kristen Circcarelli

    I read the first novel, Heartless Hunter, and love the mix of magic and Scarlett Pimpernel that was presented, so its second book, Rebel Witch, is patiently waiting for its turn on my TBR pile. I’m putting them both on here because, if you haven’t read the first one then you’re seriously missing out.

    You can check them out HERE

    Actually, now that I’m looking at my TBR pile it is starting to grow teeth and I fear for my life. I have a lot of reading to do!

    But hey, Chicago Sun Times… There are at least 5 actual, real life novels by actual real life people you could have put in your list instead of consulting a robot. Please hear the creatives in the room when we say that Art, and the consumption of Art, is a purely HUMAN experience. Stop trying to cut the humanity out of it.

    (P.S. My own novel, Blood of the Witch Heir, debuts in June, so it could ALSO count as a Summer Reading Book. If, you know, you like fantasy. And romance. And witches kicking some serious butt.)

  • Book Review – The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen

    This book made me laugh out loud several times, in the absolute best of ways.

    The Hades/Lyra dynamic was just… (chef’s kiss) when it came to sass. And the visual of Hades wearing a t-shirt that says, Sure, you can pet my dog, will remain with me for the rest of my life.

    That might be a mild spoiler, but it’s pretty early in the book so I’m gonna give it to you anyway.

    At any rate, thank you, Ms. Owen, for that one. I had to share it with my family and they all got a good laugh too.

    Six out of five stars. I can only give it 5 on Goodreads, but know that if I could, I’d give just… all of the stars. For making me laugh.

    My family was most displeased because I read the book in a day, which meant they had to fend for themselves insofar as food/cleaning around the house. I think they’d try to knock some stars off the review precisely because of that, but they’re not the ones who went on this journey so they don’t get a voice.

    The narrative was effortless, the characters vivid, and the gods… precisely how one would imagine the Greek Pantheon. I was worried I would roll my eyes at Hades being the good guy because the whole “bad guy is the good guy” seems to be a trope everyone is grabbing hold of these days but I didn’t.

    Don’t ask me why, because I don’t really know. Ms. Owen used some form of writing magic to make the trope feel fresh to me.

    Yes, there is spice. So if you need to know that walking in, you’ve been duly warned.

    At any rate, my proverbial hat’s off to the author. This was beautifully executed and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

    All. The. Stars.

    Happy Reading!

    PURCHASE LINK – THE GAMES GODS PLAY BY ABIGAIL OWEN

  • Book Review – Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

    I’ve had my eye on this book for a while now, so I was pleased when I was able to pick it up. It took me approximately three days to read, which is about average for the work week. The prose was smooth and easy, the pacing quick, and I enjoyed most of the characters. I also enjoyed the feel of criminals thrown together toward a set goal, with a lot of mistrust going around.

    For the most part, I loved this novel. It felt like a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre and kept me engaged throughout.

    Two things bothered me though, which is why I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars instead of a full 5 star review.

    First… Aeri felt out of place/time. Every other character on the page, when we were in their POV, felt like they lived in that world. Aeri, on the other hand, felt like she had been plucked out of a high school here in modern times. Every time it was in her POV, I felt disjointed and yanked out of the narrative.

    Second… the spymaster didn’t really get to earn the badassery discussed on the page. Sure, we get a moment where he runs through a warehouse murderfying bad guys (trying not to give spoilers here, I feel like that’s vague enough) but particularly when we reach the climax of the book, he doesn’t really get to do anything.

    I mean, he put the whole thing together and organized things (as spymasters do) but he was also proclaimed a demon with the blade (fun points for the flaming sword, by the way) and we just didn’t get a chance to see him put pedal to the metal when it mattered the most.

    At any rate, I enjoyed the book and look forward to its sequel.

    4 out of 5 Stars.

    Happy Reading!

    PURCHASE LINK – FIVE BROKEN BLADES