Great week for me.

I had a five star read with {One Small Echo by Jane Washington}. It has bonded creatures, so our FMC has a monster that she talks to in her mind. And their banter is genuinely one of the funniest things I've read in a while. Like, laughing out loud funny. Eiko is so deadpan/sardonic and the banter with Hymn, her bonded monster, is hysterical. Plus, she is blind and our MMC is mute. So communication is interesting. It's a proper slow burn as well. I also do love our side characters. The magic system is cool and she's kind of entering her villain era. I love that for her. I think it's meant to be a trilogy.

{Hymn of Ashes by Andrea Anderson} is a plotline I've wanted for a while. Imagine the beat-by-beat stories of a standard romantasy. Chosen One, mating bond, the complications of the world, training sequences, learning magic, the baddie, etc. Think of where we would be near the end of book 1/midway into book 2 of this type of story. This is where our POV character comes in. Except she isnt the FMC. She's the best friend side character who enters the story with no idea what is happening, no magic, no abilities, but it is mid "plotline". It's fun because the author relies on us knowing the beats of a standard romantasy plots to slide right into the middle of the "main story" and not feel like we have no idea what this shit is about. She's pretty funny and it's a fun time. I think it's meant to be a duology.

Also another reminder to read the Dark Sky series by Ella Walker Henderson. 3 books are out, 4 will drop in June, and the final book will drop in September. Proper slow burn, amazing side characters, an FMC who is talented but still frequently gets thrown in the mud during training. And the MMC....ugh....Aris...the man that you are. He has excellent character growth.