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The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black

A review by Mina Nguyen

A spin-off series to The Folk of the Air series, the second book in this duology continues to follow the story of Oak, the younger brother of Jude and Taryn, and Wren. After Prince Oak’s betrayal, he is imprisoned in the North and bound to the new queen, Wren. As an attempt to save the stolen heir, Jude and Cardan are willing to do anything to retrieve Oak, but Oak will have to decide between regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame by ending her reign.

While I wouldn’t recommend reading this series before reading The Folk of the Air series, this duology in itself is good. It doesn’t compare to the original series, but Holly Black does a stellar job of bringing to life side characters and developing them wholly as the main characters in their spin-off series. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Wren and Oak and how their issues were different and not a replica of what went on between Jude and Cardan. Wren and Oak clearly have their own personalities and aren’t characters that attempt to mimic the original couple. Black is great at writing fantasy with a romance subplot. I really enjoyed the political turmoil in this book as well as in her previous series; she does a great job of showing the stakes; however, this one is a bit more romance-forward compared to her previous series. If you’re reading this and expecting Jude and Cardan, you’ll probably be slightly disappointed but Black makes a point to write Wren and Oak as her main characters, and she does it well. When reading the second book, I honestly couldn’t stop flipping the pages; I was constantly on the edge of my seat, even though it was slightly predictable. I really enjoyed the betrayals, which I wasn’t expecting alongside the well-developed political intrigue. While I wouldn’t recommend this as a stand-alone series, I will say it’s worth giving a read after The Folk of the Air series!

Books similar to The Prisoner’s Throne by Holly Black

● Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

● Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

● Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

● Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

● Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Put The Prisoner’s Throne on hold today!

Funny Story by Emily Henry

A book review by Mina Nguyen

Engaged to Peter, Daphne always loved the way Peter described their story of how they met and fell in love over a flying hat. Knowing that he was “the one,” Daphne uprooted her life to Michigan and merged friend groups. Everything was perfect, until Peter’s bachelor party where he realized he was in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Now, Daphne is stranded in Michigan without her friends or family and a dream job as a children’s librarian and now roommates with Petra’s ex, Miles. Miles is the exact opposite of Daphne, scruffy opposed to Daphne’s organized life. When wedding invitations come in the mail, Daphne and Miles propose a plan to post misleading photos of their adventures together but what happens when these fake adventures start to mean something a little more?

While not my favorite of the Emily Henry romance books, Funny Story deserves a high place for rom-coms. Opposites-attract is a typical rom-com trope, but Emily Henry knows how to turn a cliche trope into something that can be heart-aching and wholly romantic on an incomparable level. The chemistry between Daphne and Miles was off the charts, especially since I wasn’t sold on Miles since he isn’t the stereotypical rom-com-love-interest-type, but I loved the relationship that formed between the both of them. It was mature, open, and communicative. What I really enjoy about Emily Henry’s writing is that she sets realistic expectations for relationships. Within their relationship, there were ups and downs, reflective of real-life relationships; sometimes the arguments are valid but sometimes the arguments are a reflection of how the character’s day went. It’s realistic, but Emily Henry knows how to turn it into a romantic scene. Additionally, I find this book so successful because these characters can survive on their own as individual characters; they’re fully flushed out and developed and don’t lose their personalities when they inevitably fall in love. They’re individuals on their own, and Emily Henry heavily emphasizes that. Also, I find that Emily Henry does a great job of giving her side characters a background that makes them integral to the story. Ashleigh, Daphne’s new friend, is an additional relationship that Daphne must consider in her life because Daphne’s life does not only revolve around her love interest. I loved the friendship between them, especially when they had their own set of problems and the way they both discussed their fears; it was a great way to show their insecurities without it revolving around a man. As an avid fan of New Girl, I found that this book was also reminiscent of Nick Miller and Jesse! While this wouldn’t be the first Emily Henry rom-com I would recommend, I would put it high on my list as a must-read rom-com for the summer!

Books similar to Funny Story by Emily Henry:

● Beach Read by Emily Henry

● The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

● Boyfriend Material by Alexis J. Hall

Put Funny Story on hold today!