Hey again guys!
I have another review ready for this week's Friday Reads and this one also counts towards my 105 Challenge as part of the books from the TBR pile category!
Chantress Alchemy by Amy Butler Greenfield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read Chantress last year as one of my Alyssa Recommends and enjoyed it well enough, then it took me a lil while to get this book and it's been sitting in the TBR pile for quite some time, but finally I started it a few days ago, and although it didn't grab me instantly and I had to put it aside to finish some other books, once I got back to it, I read it in one sitting!
I had some issues with Lucy at first because she was such a mix of unsure and reckless at the same time, that she was a bit frustrating! I began to grow more fond of Lucy when she started to be cautious about who to trust but still tried to play it wisely enough to get information to keep herself safe.
As the title clearly illustrates, there is alchemy involved in this book, and Lucy has to deal with feeling like she has enemies coming from all sides and very lil ways to defend herself if any other than her wits.
We meet some new characters, like Gabriel and Sybil that keep us guessing about them being friends or foes and their motivations, and Sybil in particular made me wish time and again that she would really be an ally and not another antagonistic female character. We also meet old characters, both foes and allies and there comes a point where even the friends aren't exactly as friendly, and the foes... the foes get even more frightening that ever before! I so hated Wexham with a passion!
I loved how Amy managed to be historically faithful with the position of women in the society in her books but also how she managed to give some power back to them and ways to navigate a would where they're at a disadvantage. And I loved that she made Lucy stubborn enough to not bow to the oppresion but deal with it very cleverly.
Nat and Lucy's relationship went through a lot of hardship on this book, even if they still worked great together and shared fantastic chemistry, but things do end in a very painful way for both of them! But it was done so very well and very true to character that I just felt it made sense, even if it was a very painful ending to read!
This book was both a fantastic sequel and a book that can stand on its own with its own plot that gets resolved and finished, although there are plenty of threads left unresolved (like Lucy +Nat!!) to make us want to grab the final book sooner than later! Very well deserved 3.5 to 4 stars for this one!
View all my reviews
I have another review ready for this week's Friday Reads and this one also counts towards my 105 Challenge as part of the books from the TBR pile category!
Chantress Alchemy by Amy Butler GreenfieldMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read Chantress last year as one of my Alyssa Recommends and enjoyed it well enough, then it took me a lil while to get this book and it's been sitting in the TBR pile for quite some time, but finally I started it a few days ago, and although it didn't grab me instantly and I had to put it aside to finish some other books, once I got back to it, I read it in one sitting!
I had some issues with Lucy at first because she was such a mix of unsure and reckless at the same time, that she was a bit frustrating! I began to grow more fond of Lucy when she started to be cautious about who to trust but still tried to play it wisely enough to get information to keep herself safe.
As the title clearly illustrates, there is alchemy involved in this book, and Lucy has to deal with feeling like she has enemies coming from all sides and very lil ways to defend herself if any other than her wits.
We meet some new characters, like Gabriel and Sybil that keep us guessing about them being friends or foes and their motivations, and Sybil in particular made me wish time and again that she would really be an ally and not another antagonistic female character. We also meet old characters, both foes and allies and there comes a point where even the friends aren't exactly as friendly, and the foes... the foes get even more frightening that ever before! I so hated Wexham with a passion!
I loved how Amy managed to be historically faithful with the position of women in the society in her books but also how she managed to give some power back to them and ways to navigate a would where they're at a disadvantage. And I loved that she made Lucy stubborn enough to not bow to the oppresion but deal with it very cleverly.
Nat and Lucy's relationship went through a lot of hardship on this book, even if they still worked great together and shared fantastic chemistry, but things do end in a very painful way for both of them! But it was done so very well and very true to character that I just felt it made sense, even if it was a very painful ending to read!
This book was both a fantastic sequel and a book that can stand on its own with its own plot that gets resolved and finished, although there are plenty of threads left unresolved (like Lucy +Nat!!) to make us want to grab the final book sooner than later! Very well deserved 3.5 to 4 stars for this one!
View all my reviews
I have the very first book of this series, which has been sitting in my Kindle for maybe two years now (lol I suck, don't I). I'm happy to know that the sequel was deserving of 3.5 - 4 stars! For me, that's enough to consider a book for reading. I do am worried about her being indecisive and reckless at the same time... that's a very frustrating combination, so I hope it won't bother me as much.
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
Since the final book is coming out later this month, I do recommend you start the series now, Faye! ;)
DeleteYAYAYAYAYAYAY! I'm glad you liked this one. I think I liked the first one better but this one was a good sequel. I'm reading Chantress Fury next, I believe! Pretty VERY excited :D
ReplyDeleteExcellent review, Pili!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Oh yeah, Chantress Fury was very exciting and very much deserved 4 stars for me!!
DeleteUgh, I've been wanting to read this for so long! I've been hearing so many great things about this, but never got around to it. I'm so glad you like it though :)
ReplyDeleteAsma @ IceyBooks
Thank you Asma! And since the final book in the trilogy comes out later this month... you're still in time to start reading the series! ;)
DeleteI enjoyed Chantress but I didn't love, love it. So I haven't known if I wanted to read this one or not. I might wait and see how you feel about the final book before making my decision. Great review Pili!
ReplyDeleteThe last book is the best of the trilogy for sure, Kristen!
DeleteI've had Chantress on kindle for so so long and it is until now that I remembered I have it and that I must read it. I have heard some mixed reviews that won't stop me from digging it out. I. So glad your enjoyed this book though despit a rough start. Great review, Pili. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Emma! It always took me a lil while to get into the first two books of the trilogy, not so with the last one!
DeleteI was gifted the first book and haven't been around to reading it yet but I'm glad that book 2 was a promising sequel and that it didn't disappoint! Not too sure about this Lucy character though, being reckless and unsure? Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteNice review, Pili <33
Thank you Melanie! Give Chantress a try and see what you think of her! She's not too reckless, just acts without thinking sometimes!
DeleteI remember the first in the series, I think I have a copy on Kindle. I like the sound of the alchemy and of the great shared chemistry, but man it sounds like it would be painful! Wonderful review Pili, glad that you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, the wait for book 3 is not cool at all with that ending! I was very happy to have the ARC of it ready!
DeleteGorgeous review Pili. <3 Though I do wonder how you managed to give this book a 4 star.. It sounds like it would be a 2 or 1 star for me, lol :D The romance drama thing seems so annoying :( Ugh. Not books for me, lol. But I'm glad you ended up reading it, and liking it :D Yay for that. <3 I hope you'll like the next book :) Happy reading sweetie. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you sweetie! I wouldn't call the romance drama annoying since it was true to the characters and rather well done!
Delete