"Book Reviews" Archive

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

A book review by Mina Nguyen

A man who has the capabilities to burn kingdoms to the ground is raising an army
containing unimaginable beings. With a stolen sword and a newly wedded queen, he is set on
destruction and power. Corayne an-Amarat can feel it; there is a strange darkness. An immortal
and an assassin knock on Corayne’s door, urging her to save the world as the last of an ancient
lineage. Corayne finds herself on a journey completing unusual tasks to prevent all-out war as
she also navigates a world she’s never been accustomed to.
This book has a lot of world-building. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, but the
world-building is complex and there are a lot of factors at play for a young adult fantasy. I was
pretty confused until the first 100 pages because a lot of it is left to mystery, which sets it up to
be further explained in future chapters. I would even say that within the first book, the
world-building hasn’t been fully set, which I think was slightly aggravating since it is 500+ pages
of setting up the plot and developing the villains and heroes. The descriptions could be more
vivid for how intricate the world-building is. As a fan of the Red Queen series, I was interested in
what Realm Breaker had to offer. While I don’t think that Realm Breaker is better than Red
Queen, there are technically two other books to read. I did really enjoy the characters, especially
Sorn, the assassin. The entire book is told through six characters, but not everyone whose
perspective gets read is the hero, which was interesting to read. I liked the connection between
all the characters and their povs. Seeing a character in a different character’s pov helps build and
develop their personality. I also really liked how realistic Corayne’s skills are. Initially, she’s
really sheltered, so she lacks a lot of survival skills needed. I liked that Aveyard made it
incredibly known that Corayne’s skills were not fully developed, and she was still a beginner. She
didn’t pick up anything fast, but she took the time to learn. It’s so much more realistic than
becoming a master at the sword within two weeks, and I enjoyed watching the process unfold.
Additionally, the politics are what really comes to light in this book. In Red Queen, it was the
love triangle and the premise was developed around those three main characters; however,
Realm Breaker has very little romance and sets up the political drama with a few hints of
romance. While I don’t think that this book is for everyone, I would definitely recommend it for
readers who enjoyed all the books within The Red Queen Series or those who want more politics
than romance with heavy world-building!
Books similar to Realm Breaker:
● Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
● A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
● A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab
● City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
● The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

Put “Realm Breaker” on hold today

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

A book review by Mina

Shiori’anma is the princess of Kiata, and she has a secret: forbidden magic runs through
her. Typically, she conceals it well but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, she loses
control and stalls the wedding she never wanted. However, it catches the attention of Raikama,
her stepmother. A sorceress herself, Raikama banishes Shiori and turns her brothers into
cranes, placing a curse on Shiori that if she were to ever speak, each word that escapes her
mouth will cause the death of one of her brothers. Cast out of Kiata, Shirori is now a regular
citizen, forced to work while searching for her brother. While searching for her brothers, Shiori
uncovers a conspiracy for the throne where Shiori will have to decide whether the throne or her
brothers are her priority.
As a huge fan of Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk, I had high hopes for Six Crimson
Cranes, and I was not disappointed. While reading Spin the Dawn during early high school, I
fell in love with her story writing and her ability to describe fantasy so intricately and beautifully.
Now reading Six Crimson Cranes as an adult in college, I found the writing to still be intricate
and delicate, even if I find it a bit juvenile. I would’ve loved Six Crimson Cranes if I were still in
high school, but I did find the book still enjoyable. I really enjoyed the plot and the inspirations
that inspired the book; however, I did find that the main character got really lucky most of the
time she ran into trouble. It played off as her figuring it out, but I find that it was luck or chance
that she was able to figure it out, so I felt that it slightly diminished her strong resolve. The plot
was really consistent, and I really enjoyed the character development. Some of the plot twists
were a little predictable, but it was still a great read nonetheless. Additionally, I really enjoyed
the magic aspect in the fantasy world. While the romance was well-written, I love the
importance of family in this book. You can tell that Shiori prioritizes her brothers and that her
love is extensive for them, and it shows through what she goes through in order to find them.
Also, I found that this book defied stereotypes, especially through certain characters that made
me rethink their entire personas. I don’t see many adult readers enjoying this series, but I could
see a middle schooler wanting to transition from juvenile fiction to young adult, and this would
be a great book to start off with!
Books similar to Six Crimson Cranes:
● If You Could see the Sun by Ann Liang
● Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
● Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

Put Six Crimson Cranes on hold today