Review: The Demon Awakens by R.A. Salvatore

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There is part of me that misses long fantasy novels like this, and then there is the other part of me that remembers why I don’t read them that often. They are quite involved and long. While this one didn’t have as many characters as, say, Game of Thrones does, it is still a lot. The first part of the novel was a bit slow as it had a lot of world-building to set up the stacks of the series. It was told mostly from the POV of three characters, Elbryan and his childhood, Jilly, aka Pony, and monk Avelyn. They all bring a different perspective to the story, but all agree that the evil must be stopped. A great beast has been awakening after centuries, and with him, the worst of man comes out. He feeds off of our cruelty and greed. Elbryan and Pony witness their whole village murdered by Goblins, but they go their separate ways. Elbryan trains with Elves to become a ranger, and Pony takes a long road to becoming a soldier. Avelyn is a true believer who has powers even his monastery doesn’t understand. The story really doesn’t pick up until they all finally team up. Elbryan and Pony I liked immediately, but Avelyn took some time to warm up to. Once I did, he became one of my favorite characters in the book. It’s your typical story of ordinary people who have lived extraordinary lives and must meet up and defeat the evil in the world. This is the first book of the series, and as much as I enjoyed it, I am not sure I am going to read the others. While I am curious as to where the series goes next since it seemingly won the day, I am not sure I am curious enough. So, yes, it’s a good book. I am glad that I read it.

What I’m Listening to Now: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Read by Alma Cuervo, Robin Miles, and Julia Whelan)

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I have no idea what this is about but everyone in my knitting group loved it, so I’m excited it’s finally available from my library!

Beth’s Favorite Books of 2024!!!

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I read a lot of good books this year. Like many of us, books were a much-needed respite from all the things going on in the world. So, I am forever grateful to all the authors who created the amazing worlds I visited this year.

In no particular order. Here are the books that I loved the most in 2024!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang – This was such an excellent book. It was a tough read, I am not going to lie because I saw a little bit more of myself in the main character than I would care to admit but that’s a good thing. It’s good to be uncomfortable from time to time because that’s how you learn and ultimately grow. So yes, read this book. Especially if you are a liberally leaning white woman.

What the River Knows and Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez – These were a fun series. It really is a mix of The Mummy (1999 version) and Death of the Nile. I loved the dynamic between the main character and her love interest. It was a mix of adventure, romance and mystery. What the River Knows was so much fun, I had to immediately read the sequel Where the Library Hides. It just hit all the right notes for me.

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan – What if you could become a character in your favorite story? Sounds like fun, right? It is, at least to me. Rae may disagree as to where she ends up at the end of the book, but it is so much fun. A lot of humor and all the fantasy tropes that readers expect. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out.

Assistant to the Villain and Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer – Both of these books were so funny. I think I picked this up on a whim because it sounded interesting, and I am so glad that I did. It is just the right kind of humor I like. It is so ridiculous I love it.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy – The only non-fiction title on my list. Okay, it might have been the only non-fiction book I read this year, but I digress. Jennette’s story is heartbreaking because so much of the pain in her life was caused by her mother. How she handling it all now is admirable. I only wish the best for her.

The Familiar – Leigh Bardugo – Magic, mystery, betrayal. It is all here. I loved the atmosphere of the story. Leigh Bardugo is such a great writer. She paints such great portraits in her books. If you are looking for a standalone fantasy novel, You can’t go wrong with this one.

Spoiler Alert, All the Feels and Ship wrecked by Olivia Dade – I love them all. The Spoiler Alert trilogy follows three different couples from a TV show. All of them are relatable and easy to cheer for. I also love the fan fiction part of the stories.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi – Another hilarious book. I have never read John Scalzi before but I might have to after this. The absurdity of the books is amazing. Like I need this to be a movie or TV show because it would be awesome.

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan – I was introduced to Sophie Jordan from her first dragon books, so I was happy she’s back to writing dragons. There are some similarities to the last series, but I am not mad about it. It was a very fast read, and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a good thing the sequel is coming out next year.

Those were my favorite books of this year. After going through my list, I see a theme of comedic books. I obviously needed the laughs, and I am probably going to need the laughs next year. What were your favorite books of this year?

What I’m Reading Now: The Demon Awakens by R.A. Salvatore

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This was a free giveaway at NY Comic-Con this year, and I have never read R.A. Salvatore before, so I thought I would give it a try. I didn’t realize it was an older series, but at least I won’t have to wait for the sequels to come out.