Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Karou is caught in a war between angels and demons (the ultimate simplified description). And Karou is a main character I love to cheer for. She's just so witty and full of angst on a totally relatable level. She's having the mother of all identity crises and feeling the ultimate tug of war between the human world and a dimension inhabited by the strange creatures that raised her.

Pair that awesome premise with Laini Taylor's incredibly lush writing, and the story is just fantastic. I kept turning page after page not only to immerse myself in Taylor's beautiful prose but… show more.

I adored the imagery and descriptions in this book (the entire trilogy, really), and I loved the fresh take on angels and demons, who really aren’t angels and demons. Not in a religious sense, anyway.

I usually like my books with more spice, but the author has woven a masterful story across different worlds. It also includes enemies to lovers, which is my all-time favorite trope, so I can forgive the lack of steam.

I loved the teeth, the chimera, and the sparks in the angel's wings. It’s one of those stories I wished I could have written, but no… show more.

I remember the mystery of why the main character steals teeth, completely stumping me and then being mind-blown by the reveal. I found this to be so creative and fun, but at the same time, the stakes are still very real and, oftentimes, heart-breaking.

The magical creatures are some of the best I’ve encountered in fantasy to this day. There’s mythology, tragedy, mystery, and twists aplenty. It's a wild ride and one I’ve revisited many times over.

This is a brilliant urban fantasy about 17-year-old Karou, a spunky blue-haired teenager who lives with a foot in two worlds – our own, and one inhabited by all manner of monsters, good and mad. Amidst the wreckage of an ongoing war, Karou finds love with the angelic Akiva, the two fast becoming a kind of Romeo & Juliet in this sophisticated tale full of mythology and magic, which moves seamlessly from the streets of Prague to an intricate otherworld of the author’s own creation, without missing a step. It’s epic and swoony, and utterly unputdownable! 

I can’t say enough good things about this trilogy! It’s so beautiful and imaginative. It’s probably one of my top faves of all time! You know when you’re just drifting from “okay” book to “okay” book and then you find that one? The one that sinks its claws into you and you can’t put it down for anything? The one that, after you’ve finished, leaves a hole in your life that your rebound book just won’t fill? This was that one for me. 

This book is, hands down, one of the most creative I’ve ever read. It follows Karou, an art student and demon’s assistant, and is set in Prague. Her life is shrouded in mystery, though, as she’s called “home” to perform errands for her inhuman family. Deeply original, detailed, and masterful in its delivery, Daughter of Smoke and Bone will forever remain one of my favorite reads!

Not only is this story a different take on the angels versus demons saga, but it shows each race in a different light. I also love the characters and world-building. The characters are intense and believable, with the quirks of the human characters being just as well written as the fantastical ones, especially some of the minor ones. The worlds are so descriptive that you’re instantly transported there.

It is the backstory of this high fantasy world of angels and demons where masks play a critical role. Two star-crossed lovers meet at a masquerade, their actions rippling into a future on the brink of a supernatural war. The beautiful writing, interesting characters, and complex world-building drew me in and I couldn’t put it down.