kevinscorner book blogger
A medical doctor and an avid reader on the side. I mostly read fantasy with some science fiction. I try to make it a point to have more queer and Asian rep in my reads.
https://www.instagram.com/kevinscorner/
Reviews
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A Circle of Stars by Craig Montgomery
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well A complex YA fantasy debut that gets its characters and relationships right while needing a bit more refinement on the delivery of the narrative |
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A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Minimalistic
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story A Match Made for Thanksgiving is a fluffy and steamy romcom novella with an Asian diaspora perspective. |
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Teacher of the Year by M.A. Wardell
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story |
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Mistletoe & Mishigas by M.A. Wardell
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Mistletoe & Mishigas is a sweet contemporary gay romance between a first grade teacher and the school custodian. I liked how low angst this was, and there was no third act break-up. A delight and a joy to read. |
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The Reanimator's Soul by Kara Jorgensen
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story The Reanimator’s Soul improves on every aspect of The Reanimator’s Heart and I loved every page of it. |
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The Reanimator's Heart by Kara Jorgensen
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story The Reanimator’s Heart is a delightful read and delivers a romantic period fantasy noir. |
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Three Meant To Be by M N Bennet
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Unrelated to the story Three Meant to Be is an adult contemporary “magic school” fantasy that is queer, dark, and grounded. Think a grittier and darker Sky High. |
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How To Sell Your Blood and Fall In Love by D.N. Bryn
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well How to Sell Your Blood & Fall in Love is a sweet Achillean vampire romance between two issue-filled characters who manage to find love. |
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Of Blood, Bones, and Truth by T.M. Ledvina
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story I understood what it was going for, but Of Blood, Bones, and Truth just didn’t pan out. Narratively inconsistent, too focused on a mystery that it spoils by having the villain’s PoV, and an underdeveloped romance. |
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Lord of Ravens (Inheritance, 3) by AK Faulkner
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story Lord of Ravens is gearing up its dark fantasy story while also progressing forward its central romance. |
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Knight of Flames (Inheritance, 2) by AK Faulkner
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Knight of Flames is a natural progression of the story and characters in this queer dark fantasy series that delivers on the dark themes and action and hints at even more. |
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Flames Over Frosthelm (Inquisitors' Guild Book 1) by Dave Dobson
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Flames Over Frosthelm delivers a solidly fun fantasy mystery-slash-adventure with a charming central duo. |
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A Rival Most Vial: Potioneering for Love and Profit by R.K. Ashwick
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Bringing a fantastical touch to a grumpy+sunshine/ rivals-to-lovers romance, A Rival Most Vial is a heartwarming and charming queer cozy fantasy romance. |
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The Many Shades of Midnight by C M Debell
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story The Many Shades of Midnight is one of the best indie fantasies I have ever read and possibly one of my favorite standalone fantasies ever. |
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The Monsters We Feed by Thomas Howard Riley
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story A standalone dark fantasy noir set in a dark and hopeless city, The Monsters We Feed is ultimately a hopeful story of a young man’s redemption. |
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Dust of a Moth's Wing by R. Ramey Guerrero
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Ambiguous Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Dust of a Moth’s Wing has potential as a story, but the book as it is was a struggle to get through and understand. |
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Jack of Thorns (Inheritance, 1) by AK Faulkner
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Jack of Thorns is a dark urban fantasy with two queer and damaged central characters that sets up an interesting contemporary world mixing with mythology. |
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Memories of Blood and Shadow by Aaron S. Jones
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well Memories of Blood and Shadow is a fun, almost-traditional fantasy just with a more diverse setting and is well worth the read. |
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A King's Radiance by L. R. Schulz
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well A King’s Radiance is a fantastic debut filled with magic and power, politics and strife, and ultimately the love and bond between siblings. It tells a complete epic fantasy story that can work both as a standalone and as a series starter. |
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The Blood of the Spear by Mark Timmony
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well The Blood of the Spear is an action-packed epic fantasy series opener that I am sure to follow. |
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Ascendant (Songs of Chaos #1) by Michael R. Miller
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Ascendant is a charming dragon fantasy that blends classic story beats and tropes with more modern style and techniques. |
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Dreams of the Dying by Nicolas Lietzau
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well |
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A Drowned Kingdom by P.L. Stuart
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story A Drowned Kingdom is a long but engaging first installment with a compellingly conflicting lead that promises of more to come. |
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The Oracle Stone by Talli L. Morgan
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story The Oracle Stone is an epic fantasy with a lot of charm, but it just needed quite a bit more work on the storytelling. |
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Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. Nair
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Duckett & Dyer: Dicks for Hire is a funny and silly work of science fiction (almost a parody of it) with a specific audience in mind. |
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Ringlander: The Path and the Way by Michael S. Jackson
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well Ringlander: The Path and the Way is a fast-paced, richly filled, and complex epic fantasy that just takes some time to fully grasp. |
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Spirits of Vengeance by Rob J. Hayes
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well I still consider Pawn’s Gambit to be the best of the three main books so far, but Spirit of Vengeance still had a lot to offer. It was just a bit too long and only really drew me in on its final third. |
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Soul Wizard: Awakening by Wesley CP
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Minimalistic
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Soul Wizard: Awakening certainly has a good story to tell, but the telling really let it down. This really needs more work before it’s ready to be out. |
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Perception Check by Astrid Knight
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story Perception Check is a quest fantasy series starter about an RPG come to life with a queer cast that is fun, action-packed, and charming. |
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METANOIA The Fifth Yanai: Book One by Juniper Lake Fitzgerald
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story I quite liked the story and its elements, but the writing itself needed a bit more work. |
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Lesser Known Monsters by Rory Michaelson
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Lesser Known Monsters is a dark urban fantasy with an entirely queer central cast that has some laughs and horror and delivers on its titular promise of more obscure monsters. |
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Awakening: The Commune’s Curse Book 1 by Lucy A. McLaren
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Held up by a diverse cast and compelling storytelling, Awakening is a good series opener for an epic fantasy series that feels more adult than the YA it’s supposed to be. |
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The Trials of Ashmount by John Palladino
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well The Trials of Ashmount is all build up to a grimdark story that doesn’t tie together yet. Your enjoyment will be dependent on your willingness to invest in its gray characters or the as-yet-to-be-clear main narrative. |
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Prince of the Sorrows by Kellen Graves
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Prince of the Sorrows is a queer fey fantasy romance that was darker than I was expecting. |
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Obsidian: Awakening by Sienna Frost
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Obsidian: Awakening is a brilliant debut dark fantasy, and I am eagerly awaiting a sequel. |
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His Ragged Company by Rance D. Denton
Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well His Ragged Company is a weird fantasy western that delivers on the weird, the humor, and more than a touch of darkness. |
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Orconomics (The Dark Profit Saga #1) by J. Zachary Pike
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well What do you get when you mix fantasy and The Big Short? Orconomics apparently. What a strange and fun book this was. |
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Paternus: Rise of Gods (Paternus Trilogy #1) by Dyrk Ashton
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Paternus: Rise of Gods is an action-packed, information-heavy urban fantasy that some might find a bit overwhelming. |
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Never Die (Mortal Techniques #1) by Rob J. Hayes
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well Never Die is really action-driven, filled with duels and fighting and has a very straightforward quest-type story. |
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We Men of Ash and Shadows by HL Tinsley
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well We Men of Ash and Shadow is a gritty and atmospheric grimdark fantasy (although with very minimal magical elements) of violence, politics, and revolution. |
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Legacy of the Brightwash by Krystle Matar
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story The book effectively tackles some powerful themes and subject matter, but leaves any resolution for future installments. |
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Shadow of a Dead God (Mennik Thorn #1) by Patrick Samphire
Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story Shadow of a Dead God has strong Dresden Files vibes, but as a flintlock fantasy rather than an urban fantasy. Mennik “Nik” Thorn reminded me so much of Harry Dresden actually, not only in his mage-for-hire status, but also his wit, dry humor, and down-in-the-dumps attitude. |