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Broken Dove (Silver Elite, #2)
Dani Francis
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Promising start to a new series! 3.75, rounded up.
Deathbringer is set at Gorhail Institute of Magic where mages are divided into 3 different houses (each with a different magic type). Multiple murders kick off a mystery involving family and school secrets, and the love story is presented as a faux enemies-to-lovers situation.
There is necromancy and blood magic, ghosts, living snakes and other relics that grant different powers, hidden areas, and other cool worldbuilding details that aren't introduced until the end.
Despite loving all of the aforementioned elements, I did find Deathbringer a bit slow-going to find its footing and really take off. It drags at the start and overcomplicates itself trying to explain the nuances of each house and how magic works and the bad blood between different entities. And the murder mystery at its heart takes a long time to make any progress (same as the romance between Viola and Sylas). The romance slooooowly develops before suddenly flipping from straight-up adversaries into undying insta-love territory.
But the cliffhanger hooked me! I will be reading on to see what happens next. The epigraphs at the start of each chapter offer lots of intrigue and world lore that I'm curious to find out more in the sequel.
Would definitely recommend for fans of slower-paced dark academia romantasy.
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Deathbringer (Deathbringer, #1)
Sonia Tagliareni
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Deathbringer (Deathbringer, #1)
Sonia Tagliareni
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Ghost Station
S.A. Barnes
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Ghost Station
S.A. Barnes
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I grew up reading culinary murder mysteries, so when I wandered through a B&N decades later and spotted Death by Dumpling (which featured a half Asian woman like myself), of course I snatched it up!
This is my preferred cozy genre. Give me at least one murder, a min of two more attempted murders, a hot detective, and delicious food to drool over, and I will be happy.
So glad to add Vivien Chien to my list of comfort authors!
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Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #1)
Vivien Chien
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Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #1)
Vivien Chien
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How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States
Daniel Immerwahr
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Dear Monica Lewinsky
Julia Langbein
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