Camelot Rising - Kiersten White

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆

Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution - send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife...and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name - and her true identity - is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old - including Arthur's own family - demand things continue as they have been, and the new - those drawn by the dream of Camelot - fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?"

Revelle - Lyssa Mia Smith

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆ 

Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Luxe Revelle, star of her family's fantastical show, knows the splendor is just an illusion. With Prohibition threatening their livelihood, her family struggles to make a living, watering down champagne and patching holes in their sequined costumes. So when the son of Charmant's wealthiest family makes Luxe an offer - all the liquor the Revelles need to stay in business, in exchange for posing as his girl and helping him become mayor - she can't refuse.

The moment Jamison Port sets foot in Charmant, he can't shake the feeling of familiarity. An orphan with as few memories as gemstones, he's desperate to learn what happened to his parents. But as he delves into the island's secrets, he risks angering the wrong person and discovering a truth that just might break his heart.

When Luxe and Jamison accidentally meet, the sparks that fly are more than her magical enchantments. But keeping secrets from powerful people is a dangerous game...one that could destroy them both."

📚📚📚 

I read a lot of books, and I'd say I enjoy the majority of them, but it's been a bit since I read a book that had me as riveted as this one. The initial draw was already there - a historical fantasy set during Prohibition on a mysterious, magical island off the coast of New York, I'll read that book any day. And then I started reading and it was even better than I had expected. The world was gorgeous and intriguing, and the pacing was perfect. Just enough mystery to be tantalizing while information was revealed at exactly the right time to keep you wanting to read one more chapter.

Speaking of reveals, MY GOD, there were a few that got big reactions from me, to the point where I had to try and recap the entire book to my husband when I had about three or four chapters left because I was like "what is happening?! How will they get out of it??" I was reeling for probably the last half of the book. I read this at night before bed, and it was so hard to put it down when I had to go to bed.

Beyond the plot hooks and excitement, I think the thing that ultimately made me fall in love with Revelle was the character building. There was a pretty solid cast that was built out, and I found them all so lovely and endearing! I'm not sure I could pick a favorite if I tried. The book started off feeling like it would primarily focus on Luxe and Jamison, and while most of the action obviously centered around them, the way it became almost an ensemble story was really impressive. Villainous villains, starry-eyed love interests, fiercely dedicated family...all so well-crafted.

I always feel like I do such a bad job with these because I talk around the actual content of the book when I should probably be describing specific things that make me feel the way I do, but just like with every other review that I do this, I don't know how to talk about specifics without spoiling things! All I have to say is if you like magic, if you like intriguing historical fiction, if you like cool stories...read this book.

Rust in the Root - Justina Ireland

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided - between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. Ever since the Great Rust, a catastrophic event that threw America into disarray, the country has been rebuilding for a better future. And everyone knows the future is industry and technology - otherwise known as Mechomancy - not the traditional mystical arts.

Laura disagrees. A talented young queer mage from Pennsylvania, Laura hopped a portal to New York City on her seventeenth birthday with hopes of earning her mage's license. Laura applies for a job with the Bureau of the Arcane's Conservation Corps, a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the damage caused by the Great Rust, and meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past who reluctantly takes Laura on as an apprentice. But as they're sent off on their first mission together, they discover evidence of mystical workings not encountered since the darkest period in America's past, when Black mages were killed for their power - secrets that could threaten their lives and everything they've worked for."

AHHHHHH WOW. I picked this book kind of on a whim for my YA book club, not sure how it would go, and I am so glad it ended up on my radar because it is incredible. I literally just finished it and am still reeling a bit from my journey, so I'm going to give myself a moment to process and then come back and try to review it properly.

Okay, I've taken some time, and I'm here to tell you that I'm still thinking about this book, almost a week after I finished it. The way Justina Ireland weaves magic and fantasy elements into history is masterful, and the subterfuge and plot twists had me on the edge of my seat the entire book. Peregrine and Skylark had me rooting for them right away, and while I had a hard time letting my guard down about anyone else, I couldn't help but love Grimalken, Crystal, etc. The characters, the worldbuilding, the storytelling...out of this world. 

Also, the number of just...MASTERFUL lines in this book. Have you ever read a book and been constantly torn between "This is so gripping, I cannot stop reading" and "holy shit, I need to write this line down NOW because it is amazing"? Read this book and you will have. It felt like every page or two there was a sentence that had me reaching for a pen. I already said that the weaving of reality and fantasy was A+, but seriously, the way Ireland used the tension between the Possibilities and Mechomancy as commentary on real-world conflicts...chef's kiss.

Please read this book. It's so good.