A book review by Mina

I was honestly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I had issues with the Shatter Me series because I felt like the romance plot was too heavy and that the fantasy world-building lacked because of that. This Woven Kingdom had a better balance between romance and world-building, and the book took time to introduce its characters before getting involved with other characters. I like the subtlety of the fantasy aspect, but Mafi does a great job of explaining how the world works. This is an improvement from her previous books. The pacing was also quite nice. It didn’t feel too rushed, but it explained the premise of the book. There was a slight twist towards the end. I could sense it coming, but I wasn’t sure how it would be executed, and I found that Mafi did it quite well. I do, however, wish there were more character relationship developments in terms of friendship. Some of it felt rushed compared to the more romantic plots of the book. I do find that some of the characters are similarly set up to the way Shatter Me was written, not necessarily by character replication but the way the characters react and act with others. I feel like Mafi is using a recipe but changing the characteristics and making the plot fantasy rather than dystopian. I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with that, but this might appeal better to fans of Shatter Me who fell in love with the characters and would like to see them again “in different fonts.” I also really enjoyed the duel perspectives from two of the main characters. It helped flush out the plot more and gave the characters more development and individuality. There are also some killer quotes in here!
I’m definitely still intrigued, and I will be picking up the next books in the series. I would recommend this book to readers who like character-driven plots as opposed to world-building plots. I do think that it’s less character-driven than her previous books, but her characters are what is still prioritized. The pace is slow but it starts to speed up, and I find the plot to be interesting. If you enjoyed Shatter Me, I guarantee that you would enjoy her new series. I would also recommend this book to older teens as a YA book!

Put This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi on hold here.

Books similar to This Woven Kingdom:

● Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
● Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber
● One Dark Window by Rachel Giling

A book review by Mina Nguyen

I’ve never read a book similar to this plot, and I loved every second of it. Nena is a daughter of a rancher in Mexico during the 1840s, and her home is constantly threatened by Anglo settlers from up north. However, there is something else that hides near the ranch: a vampire. Nena was attacked nine years ago, which prompts Nestor’s run from the ranch,
which he moves ranch-to-ranch to forget about Nena’s death. When the U.S. attacked Mexico in 1846, they crossed paths, Nena as a healer and Nestor as a vaquero.

This has definitely become one of my top books for 2025. I loved how nuanced the characters were. They were constantly making mistakes. I feel like a lot of books have this issue with miscommunication, and it typically is very one-sided, but this book embraces that both sides made mistakes, and it’s up to both characters to see if they can move on together. I also found that even though this book, under my impression, was geared a little more romance heavy, the world-building was done magnificently. I fell in love with the way the descriptions were done, and this book was so much more than a romance. It involves family through various generations and how people’s decisions are impacted by the future of the family, making their love story much more involved for the audience. It involves culture and what home is. I did find that the vampires weren’t as creepy as I thought they would be. I also thought they would be a bigger plot of the book. I would say that the book is balanced and that I wouldn’t call this a character-driven book, but I definitely wouldn’t call it a vampire-heavy book. It’s not as gory as I was expecting, but I don’t find horror as a reading genre I enjoyed. I was immediately drawn from the first chapter, and I finished this book within one sitting. The chemistry between Nestor and Nena was so well done. It was really easy for me to believe that they truly did love and respect each other, and that their relationship was worth fighting for. This book is dark, atmospheric, and romantic, and I would recommend this to anyone. I would find it hard for someone not to enjoy reading this!

Put Vampires of El Norte on hold here.

Books similar to Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas

● Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
● Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
● The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova

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

A book review by Mina Nguyen

Big Brother is always watching. In a totalitarian future society, everyone must be careful
of the way they act. They must fully dedicate themselves to the revolution under Big Brother.
Winston Smith’s job is to rewrite history, but he doesn’t necessarily dedicate himself to the
cause. He strays further away after meeting Julia, who changes his perception. In an attempt to
rebel, Winston further puts his identity up for risk, making him and Julia a bigger liability to Big
Brother and others also dedicated to the cause.
I am not a person who opts for a classic. I typically find the language to be dated, and it
takes me a while to get into. I have attempted at least twice to get into 1984, but I always end up
falling asleep within the first twenty pages, but I decided to give it one last attempt, and I
definitely enjoyed it way more. I did enjoy Animal Farm when it was a required read in high
school, but I’ve never reached for a George Orwell novel besides 1984. I will say that reading
1984 now more than when I was younger made me enjoy it more because I’ve had more
experiences in forming my own thoughts and opinions outside of my peers and family. I found
the writing to be very addictive. Orwell writes from a narrative that is extremely detached. You
want to feel empathy for the characters, but Orwell is so meticulous in the way he writes that you
feel no sympathy for any of what the characters are going through. It reads like a statement or
fact. Additionally, I like that 1984 is extremely predictable. When reading this, the inevitable will
happen. It sheds light on how certain events are predictable in reading but are not as clear-cut in
real life. It is extremely fascinating to see how society is so aware of certain events and how it’s
portrayed through reading but will sometimes be oblivious to current events, which is why it’s
extremely important to be reading books like this. Books like this force readers to challenge what
they’ve thought growing up and allow them to reflect on their character and their belief system.
While I wouldn’t necessarily pick this book up for a second read, I would definitely recommend
it as a book everyone should read once in their life. Some books are only meant to be read once,
and 1984 is one of them!
Books similar to 1984:
● Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
● 12 Angry Men by Reginald rose
● Lord of the Flies by William Golding
● We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

Put 1984 on hold today