Arguably, fantasy is one of the best book genres out there. But what is even better than fantasy? High fantasy: with a world so different to our own that we would do anything to get to experience the magic. If that is exactly what you are looking for, captivating fantasy worlds and intricate plots, then these book reviews are perfect for you.
Our rating system:
1/5: It’s so bad I wanna give you a 0, but I can’t so I’ll give you a 1
2/5: Wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy
3/5: I plead the fifth
4/5: Snap girl, I think you dropped something… my JAW
5/5: I would sell all of my organs for this book
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
5/5
In a world of fire-breathing wyrms and nations divided, the return of the dreaded and deadly Nameless One threatens ordinary life. Some believe that as long as a living descendent of their first king sits on the throne the Nameless one cannot reawaken, but magic has its mysterious ways and not everything is as it seems. Ead Duryan must protect the queen. Tané must face a set of tests to become a dragonrider. And the world must prepare for the return of evil.
The Priory of the Orange Tree was one of the few books I’ve read recently that truly felt like a fantasy novel. The worldbuilding is so magical and unique that it captured me right away. When I saw that there was a whole glossary in the back for made-up fantasy terms, I just knew that it was going to be a good one. From dragons to a mysterious, deadly sickness, this book has all the classic fantasy elements and much more. The story follows four main characters, of which I definitely had favourites. However, I was pleasantly surprised, as while I initially favoured certain characters, Ead ultimately stole the show for me. I felt like she had developed more than the other characters, which was nice since she has a truly interesting spirit – but many of the characters in this novel were refreshingly rich, which makes me wish some of them (like Loth and Niclay especially) were afforded more development for themselves, as they definitely deserved it. And I can’t forget Tané, the breath-taking dragon rider. As well as a wonderful cast of characters, the plot was full of intrigue with never a boring moment. I definitely recommend Priory for fantasy lovers- though it is a chunky book of just over 800 pages, it is worth it in my opinion (and the cover is gorgeous).
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
5/5
Celaena Sardothien, a vicious assassin in a world with no magic, is summoned to the castle. She has the opportunity to win her freedom if she is able to defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a battle of ability. However, as competitors start getting picked off by an unknown evil, it becomes evident that there may be something dwelling in this castle of glass. Celaena’s mission is no longer to win her freedom but to survive and root out this evil before the world is destroyed.
Throne of Glass is easily one of my all-time favorite books. From the first line – “After a year of slavery in the Salt Mines of Endovier, Celaena Sardothien was accustomed to being escorted everywhere in shackles and at sword-point.” – I was captured. There is something about the depth of the characters, the main protagonist Celaena in particular, and the intricacy of the world-building that leads Throne of Glass to be a thoroughly engrossing fantasy. The sheer expanse of the world created such a vivid impression that I was genuinely enveloped in the story. I also fell in love with Celaena. That is not to say that she was a “perfect” character but she was strong and independent yet went through character development arcing through tragedy, love, and self-discovery. The plot itself is also ever-evolving, never quite revealing itself in full and filled with plot twists. This is one of the few books that I feel has every element of a good book. I genuinely envy anyone who gets to read this for the first time, placing itself at a high five stars.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
5/5
In a world divided by blood, the Reds are commoners while the Silver elite possess god-like power. The main character, Mare Barrow, is both aware and angrily accepting of this reality, resigned to petty theft in the poverty-stricken Stilts she lives in. However, one day she finds herself working in the Silver palace until discovering that, despite her red blood, she possesses a lethal power. The Silvers decide to hide her in plain sight, deeming her a threat to their position of dominance over the Reds. She lives as a “long-lost Silver princess” with the knowledge that a wrong move would lead to her death. Nonetheless, she works to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But she has entered a world of betrayal and lies, one far from familiar, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance.
Red Queen was simply put addictive. I am still chasing to this day the relationship dynamics created in this book and the complexity of the characters, particularly the villain. A lot of stories use the “misunderstood villain” trope but this is probably one of the few books where I felt both empathy and disdain for the villain. This trope was made even more interesting by Mare, the main character, having similarly conflicted feelings. The element of manipulation was also thoroughly fascinating as it added another dimension to the dynamic between the “good side” and the “bad side” that wasn’t exclusive to violence or warfare. I also loved the plot because it didn’t necessarily follow the traditional arcs commonly found in YA fantasy. Instead, the progression felt almost real, and, instead of simply following plot twists (of which there are many in this series), it reacted to them. I cannot recommend this fantasy enough.
Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
5/5
When Evangeline Fox discovers that her true love is about to marry someone else, she is desperate to stop the wedding. She strikes a deal with the Prince of Hearts, setting down a trail of the dangers of bargaining with immortal, wicked beings. The Prince of Hearts is all too familiar with tragic endings, living with the curse of his kiss being deadly unless it is to his one true love. But will Evangeline find her happily after or a tragedy once she completes her debts to the Prince of Hearts?
This book left me speechless countless times both with gut-wrenching plot twists and the vivid magic that is present throughout the whole trilogy. Once I finished Once Upon a Broken Heart, I rushed to read the next two books in a matter of just a few days- the plot was that hooking. The magic system was one of the most original I’ve read so far, with immortal beings called Fates and a shroud of magic around the Magnificent North that is the stuff of fairytales. Evangeline was such a queen, not letting anything get in the way of her very own fairytale. I loved how while she was a strong, independent character, she didn’t critique the simple pleasures of dressing up in beautiful gowns and having the chance to become a literal princess. And don’t even get me started on Jacks. He was described as having done awful things from the start but his charisma and humour had me squealing to myself every time he spoke with Evangeline. The romance subplot (a slow burn across the three books) really secured Once Upon a Broken Heart a place as one of my top romantasy books ever, with great banter and tension. Finishing the trilogy left me craving for more of Evangeline and Jacks, but after the tortuous, tragic plot points, I was just happy that they got their happy ending. For a better reading experience, I do recommend reading Caraval first (which I also liked) as it is a connected series that takes place before Once Upon a Broken Heart, but I’ve heard that the trilogy is still enjoyable without having read the prior series.
