Rating: 3.5 STARS Genre: YA/Fantasy Series/Standalone: The Bright & The Pale Duology #1 How I got this book: Bought (FairyLoot March 2021) Seventeen-year-old Valeria is one of the only survivors of the freeze, a dark magical hold Knnot Mountain unleashed over her village. Everyone, including her family, is trapped in an unbreakable sheet of ice. Ever since, she’s been on the run from the Czar, who is determined to imprison any who managed to escape. Valeria finds refuge with the Thieves Guild, doing odd jobs with her best friend Alik, the only piece of home she has left. That is, until he is brutally murdered. A year later, she discovers Alik is alive and being held against his will. To buy his freedom, she must lead a group of cutthroats and thieves on a perilous expedition to the very mountain that claimed her family. Only something sinister slumbers in the heart of Knnot. And it has waited years for release. TW: Death (of a family member), discrimination, false imprisonment/slavery, childhood trauma, work camps
I REALLY did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! I received a copy of this absolutely gorgeous book in my March 'Frozen Fables' box from FairyLoot. It's pitched as a, sort of, The Bear and the Nightingale meets Shadow and Bone style book and it sounded fantastic, so I was really excited to join in with the FairyLoot read along. Naturally, as is my way, I joined the read along a couple of days late BUT the pace in this book is so fast and the writing so easy to fall into, that I caught up pretty quickly. Valeria is a seventeen-year-old assassin, taken in by the leader of the thieves guild and trained to steal secrets (mostly). She escaped from her home when a terrible plague broke out, killing her entire family. Alone and hunted by the czar's army, she seeks refuge with the assassin's guild where she builds a life for herself, stealing secrets. I started getting Throne of Glass vibes straight away and found Valeria to be a compelling, and resourceful character. We're introduced to Valeria inside the thieve's guild as she's given a new mission from guild leader, Luiza, a woman Valeria sees as her surrogate mother, who took her in as a child when she had no one else to turn to and who is her only confidant since her best-friend and partner Alik was murdered a year ago. Naturally, the job goes wrong and Valeria finds herself cornered by strangers and faced with the unexpected news that Alik is alive, and he wants to see her. Not sure how she feels, or what to expect, Valeria sets out on a journey to find Alik and return to her homeland. She's not ready to confront the memories she has of Alik or her home, and dreads the voice that calls to her in her dreams, pulling her back to the mountain at the centre of it all. The romance in this book is sweet, and I really liked the fact that it didn't overshadow Valeria or her strength. She's very capable and doesn't rely on the lover interest to 'save' her, which was great to read. This book is a fast-paced, race against the clock adventure with tension that builds fantastically, to the point of being really creepy, the closer Valeria gets to the mountain. Honestly, do not read the scenes in the mines at night! (I got chills.) It's a story of friendship, love and inner strength underlined by an ancient battle between gods. The ending was fantastic, and while I almost expected it, it was a great cliffhanger that's left me really excited for the next instalment. I really want to see Valeria come into her own now and have high hopes for the finale. If you love friends-to-lovers romance, assassins, dangerous adventures, rebellions, and ghosts, you're sure to love The Bright & The Pale by Jessica Rubinkowski. Comments are closed.
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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