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Marianne has never wanted to be a fighter, but with unrest and discord threatening the Twelve Islands, she will have to battle threats both inside and out in an attempt to attain peace for her homeland.
Marianne is now the Viper, but her hopes for peace in the Eastern Isles are being frustrated. The corrupt King remains on the throne, bandits are proving hard to stop and Marianne is not sure who among her crew she can truly trust.
For the islands to prosper, the invisible bond that once existed uniting land and sea must be reinstated. There's only one way that can happen - the return of magic. To do that Marianne must put aside all her fears: she must return to her roots, the Western Isles, and call on the power that runs in her blood.
She must become a Mage.
Only then, can she possibly command the army needed to finally take down the King.
Marianne is now the Viper, but her hopes for peace in the Eastern Isles are being frustrated. The corrupt King remains on the throne, bandits are proving hard to stop and Marianne is not sure who among her crew she can truly trust.
For the islands to prosper, the invisible bond that once existed uniting land and sea must be reinstated. There's only one way that can happen - the return of magic. To do that Marianne must put aside all her fears: she must return to her roots, the Western Isles, and call on the power that runs in her blood.
She must become a Mage.
Only then, can she possibly command the army needed to finally take down the King.
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2020
18 people are currently reading
1917 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
April 21, 2020
Oh my god
OH. MY. GOD.
I have no words for that ending. I mean, I'm sure it's all part of the plan but STILL.
I need Vulture now. I need it. I don't know what to do.
Help.
OH. MY. GOD.
I have no words for that ending. I mean, I'm sure it's all part of the plan but STILL.
I need Vulture now. I need it. I don't know what to do.
Help.
January 31, 2021
right.
that ending belongs up there with the ending of kingsbane.
how could they!
rude now i have to wait 3 months
cry
that ending belongs up there with the ending of kingsbane.
how could they!
rude now i have to wait 3 months
cry
August 2, 2020
Um, wtf was that ending??? And now i have to wait a whole year for the next installment? This is cruel and unusual punishment.
November 26, 2021
This book manages to not suffer from second book syndrome, and does very well with introducing new people and new dangers. However, I felt that the gritty, bloody Pirate feel that the first book had and I loved was lost, and this story started to drift towards fantasy.
The cliffhanger at the end of this book must have been brutal for those who read this when it was released, and it definitely shocked me. The reveal in book 3 as to what happened was a bit... meh.
The cliffhanger at the end of this book must have been brutal for those who read this when it was released, and it definitely shocked me. The reveal in book 3 as to what happened was a bit... meh.
February 26, 2024
Я пів книги дивувалася з "логіки" Мерріан, ще частину вангувала хто ж буде какахою, ну і останні розділи офігівала з того, що відбувається.
Вражена, але не здивована.
Не закинула тільки через рорк і дівчат, які підживлювали мій інтерес своїми слова ми про приголомшливий кінець ( не збрехали).
Але мозку у Мерріан все ще мало.
Під час прочитання пам'ятайте головний посил циклу Багряної королеви: " Зрадити може кожен". 🤫
Вражена, але не здивована.
Не закинула тільки через рорк і дівчат, які підживлювали мій інтерес своїми слова ми про приголомшливий кінець ( не збрехали).
Але мозку у Мерріан все ще мало.
Під час прочитання пам'ятайте головний посил циклу Багряної королеви: " Зрадити може кожен". 🤫
April 30, 2020
SO GOOD.
This series is so underrated, I highly recommend reading them. It's so rich in story, atmosphere and has a badass female protagonist!
I NEED ANSWERS, I need Vulture.
This series is so underrated, I highly recommend reading them. It's so rich in story, atmosphere and has a badass female protagonist!
I NEED ANSWERS, I need Vulture.
September 22, 2020
2.5
Sono molto triste e molto delusa.
Sono molto triste e molto delusa.
July 30, 2020
What a sequel! I was captivated from first page to last. That ending floored me. I cannot WAIT for the conclusion!! Bring it on...
May 4, 2020
.....
Sorry, but what?!
.
.
.
😱
This was another whirlwind adventure packed with new trials, tribulations and a whole host of new characters.
And so many emotions.
And I don't think I'm okay right now....??
Sorry, but what?!
.
.
.
😱
This was another whirlwind adventure packed with new trials, tribulations and a whole host of new characters.
And so many emotions.
And I don't think I'm okay right now....??
January 25, 2024
Мені здається навіть 3 забагато буде. Я розчарована. Дуже. Не тільки сюжет, а й переклад набагато гірший за першу. Головна героїня стала ще тупіша ніж була до цього. Бажання читати третю частину не виникає, але закінчилось так, що точно буду, хоча йтак вже здогадуюсь чим це закінчиться.
September 4, 2021
Headlines:
Busy plot but easy to follow
Can we have a cheer for the animals
Time to grow up
Well, I need to pick up my jaw still from that ending which is clever, amazing and thank goodness I have book three ready to pick up. Everything about Venom was reminiscent of Viper, in that it was fast-paced, a packed plot but it was fresh, the story went all sorts of ways. Occasionally, I wanted to draw breath a bit but the story doesn't relent and pulls you along easily.
Marianne is an immature protagonist (she has every right to be, she's 17) but at times she did fustrate me. All that said, there is self-reflection, realisation and humility. Marianne spent this story following her destiny that was unclear at best, I rolled with the journey and it was a good one. Bronn was less prevalent in this story but he's there lurking.
There were new and old characters in this intallment and I liked most of them. I loved the animals, the snow mares and the vulture in particular. The way the animals were written and Marianne's connection with them, really had me glued.
So, Vulture has to be read pretty much immediately because of that ending and I can't wait to finish this journey.
Busy plot but easy to follow
Can we have a cheer for the animals
Time to grow up
Well, I need to pick up my jaw still from that ending which is clever, amazing and thank goodness I have book three ready to pick up. Everything about Venom was reminiscent of Viper, in that it was fast-paced, a packed plot but it was fresh, the story went all sorts of ways. Occasionally, I wanted to draw breath a bit but the story doesn't relent and pulls you along easily.
Marianne is an immature protagonist (she has every right to be, she's 17) but at times she did fustrate me. All that said, there is self-reflection, realisation and humility. Marianne spent this story following her destiny that was unclear at best, I rolled with the journey and it was a good one. Bronn was less prevalent in this story but he's there lurking.
There were new and old characters in this intallment and I liked most of them. I loved the animals, the snow mares and the vulture in particular. The way the animals were written and Marianne's connection with them, really had me glued.
So, Vulture has to be read pretty much immediately because of that ending and I can't wait to finish this journey.
September 4, 2021
4 Stars
I am really enjoying this series!
Its a great storyline and I never know what is going to happen next. I have pretty much failed to guess at anything so far which I usually can do! The definitely not a slow pace, maybe at times a little TOO fast as I wished at times it was slower so we could have more detail.
The characters are brilliant, I feel really connected to our lead Marianne and although there are a lot of side characters, they are all really individual so you remember each one.
This book had more magic and magical creatures in it which I loved!
The storyline had so many twists and turns I lost count and don't get me started on the mother of all cliffhangers! So darn excited for the next book!
I am really enjoying this series!
Its a great storyline and I never know what is going to happen next. I have pretty much failed to guess at anything so far which I usually can do! The definitely not a slow pace, maybe at times a little TOO fast as I wished at times it was slower so we could have more detail.
The characters are brilliant, I feel really connected to our lead Marianne and although there are a lot of side characters, they are all really individual so you remember each one.
This book had more magic and magical creatures in it which I loved!
The storyline had so many twists and turns I lost count and don't get me started on the mother of all cliffhangers! So darn excited for the next book!
Read
July 10, 2020Hahaha, ten konec, jasně, hahaha. Takhle se to dělá, když chcete, aby si všichni koupili další díl.
April 7, 2021
Well that was a cruel way to end a book. Thankfully book 3 is coming out in 2 daysssss!
March 25, 2025
Ano nebyla to nějaká super jízda ale četlo se to fakt dobře a lepší než první díl
January 24, 2024
Насправді оцінка 3,5/5
Що за нафіг щойно сталось?? Хто так закінчує книжку??
Місцями надзвичайно дратувала тупість Меріан і її вагання, однак що там відбувалось вкінці😱
Окремо хочеться зазначити, що читається книжка легко, хоч і видно, що якість перекладу порівняно з першою частиною впала.
Що за нафіг щойно сталось?? Хто так закінчує книжку??
Місцями надзвичайно дратувала тупість Меріан і її вагання, однак що там відбувалось вкінці😱
Окремо хочеться зазначити, що читається книжка легко, хоч і видно, що якість перекладу порівняно з першою частиною впала.
May 12, 2020
Well that blew me away. I did not see that coming at all and am not sure how I am going to last 11 months until the last book in the trilogy. I love Bex Hogan, even if she does break my heart, I kind of love the way she does it.
April 12, 2020
Omg!! It's even better then the first. But damn the end. A fair warning, this book will kill you. And now I NEED the 3rd asap. Haven't needed another book this desperately in a long time. But damn this book is good.
May 15, 2020
What can I say about Venom that hasn’t already been said?
My blog, my social medias, and even my own mouth cannot stop talking about this series by author Bex Hogan. A rich, vibrant, and violent pirate novel that’s also UKYA fantasy? why aren’t people talking about it more?
Read the rest of the review on hollieeblog.com
My blog, my social medias, and even my own mouth cannot stop talking about this series by author Bex Hogan. A rich, vibrant, and violent pirate novel that’s also UKYA fantasy? why aren’t people talking about it more?
Read the rest of the review on hollieeblog.com
April 1, 2021
I love that this book was about pirates, and magic, and royals. It’s so unique and refreshing. However I didn’t enjoy this as much as I did the first book. The plot path we ended up on was completely different from where we started, and completely different from the chapter before. I was left a little confused. I feel like too much happened , and not all of it made sense. There were a lot of side-plots that pulled us away from the main story arc, which didn't seem to stay consistent either. I hope the last book in the series will explain some of it. But that cliffhanger at the end was great!
August 10, 2020
The one thing that I didn't want to happen happened and I absolutely hated it lol
I started this off enjoying it, the first 50 pages reminded me so much of Viper and I loved it, but as the story went on I found that some of the aspects that had made me love Viper were suddenly making me dislike Venom. I just think that the angst between Bronn and Marianne was so unnecessary. How fickle Bronn treats Marianne is just... not it.
I started this off enjoying it, the first 50 pages reminded me so much of Viper and I loved it, but as the story went on I found that some of the aspects that had made me love Viper were suddenly making me dislike Venom. I just think that the angst between Bronn and Marianne was so unnecessary. How fickle Bronn treats Marianne is just... not it.
November 22, 2022
3.5/5
Venom merupakan buku kedua dari trilogi Isles of Storm and Sorrow. Kisah Marianne kembali berlanjut di buku ini, sekarang dia adalah seorang Viper dan penjaga Kepulauan Dua Belas. Meski begitu kedamaian dan kemakmuran yang diperjuangankannya masih belum terwujud.
Menurut sebuah ramalan, hanya ada satu cara untuk mencapai kedamaian dan kemakmuran pulau-pulau, yaitu dengan kembalinya sihir. Petualangan Marianne belajar mengendalikan kekuatan sihir dalam dirinya pun dimulai. Apakah Marianne berhasil mengendalikan sihir atau justru sihir itu malah mengendalikannya?
___________
Aku baca trilogi ini langsung buku kedua, jadi aku belum baca buku pertamanya dan buku ketiganya yang versi bahasa Indonesia belum terbit. Bingung gak langsung baca buku kedua? Nggak sih, karena sekilas aku bisa nangkep apa yang terjadi di buku pertama, cuma rasanya aku jadi kurang mengenal karakter tokoh-tokohnya aja.
Buat aku yang pertama menarik perhatian dari trilogi ini tuh covernya! Sumpah deh covernya tuh cantik bangeeet! Setelah itu aku cek blurb-nya kan dan trilogi ini tuh menawarkan hal-hal yang bikin aku tertarik di sebuah cerita dengan genre fantasi, seperti: bajak laut, sihir, ramalan, petualangan, kerajaan.
Buku ini lumayan tebal, 447 halaman. Aku paling suka tuh sekitar 100-200 halaman pertama, karakternya menarik dan world building-nya juga oke. Tapi semakin ke sini ceritanya terasa bertele-tele. Udah gitu ini kan pakai sudat pandang orang pertama, Marianne si tokoh utama dalam cerita ini yang awalnya menarik buat aku karena terlihat keren lama-lama malah ngeselin dan kaya si paling menderita dan menanggung beban, harus jadi pahlawan tapi dibantuin malah gak mau.
Terus gaya penulisannya juga lama-lama bikin lelah, terlalu banyak tell dibandingkan show. Udah gitu beberapa hal diulang lagi dan lagi, jadi bosen bacanya. Unsur romance-nya nggak menarik sama sekali dan gak ada chemistry-nya. Padahal aku udah berharap pas di awal, tapi kaya yaudah gitu aja.
Jujur aku agak menyayangkan sih, ceritanya punya banyak potensi tapi eksekusinya kurang oke aja. Mungkin kalau aku baca ini pas masih remaja dulu bakalan suka-suka aja, tapi karena sekarang aku udah dewasa dan banyak baca buku genre fantasi, jadinya baca ini kerasa biasa aja.
Tapi nih ya, endingnya bikin penasaran buat baca buku lanjutannyaaaaa! Jadi, ada kemungkinan nanti aku bakal tetap baca buku ketiganya dan pertamanya, karena penasaran sama endingnya nanti bakalan gimana dan karena covernya yang cakep! Haha
Jadi, apakah buku ini bagus? Bagus tapi gak bagus banget dan seru nyampe bacanya gak bisa berhenti dan bikin suka banget sama cerita dan karakternya. Baca aja kalau kamu tertarik sama cerita yang ada unsur bajak laut, sihir, ramalan, petualangan, kerajaan. Plus kalau kamu orangnya suka beli buku karena covernya yang cantik, cover trilogi ini gak mengecewakan, apa lagi cover buku pertamanya!
Venom merupakan buku kedua dari trilogi Isles of Storm and Sorrow. Kisah Marianne kembali berlanjut di buku ini, sekarang dia adalah seorang Viper dan penjaga Kepulauan Dua Belas. Meski begitu kedamaian dan kemakmuran yang diperjuangankannya masih belum terwujud.
Menurut sebuah ramalan, hanya ada satu cara untuk mencapai kedamaian dan kemakmuran pulau-pulau, yaitu dengan kembalinya sihir. Petualangan Marianne belajar mengendalikan kekuatan sihir dalam dirinya pun dimulai. Apakah Marianne berhasil mengendalikan sihir atau justru sihir itu malah mengendalikannya?
___________
Aku baca trilogi ini langsung buku kedua, jadi aku belum baca buku pertamanya dan buku ketiganya yang versi bahasa Indonesia belum terbit. Bingung gak langsung baca buku kedua? Nggak sih, karena sekilas aku bisa nangkep apa yang terjadi di buku pertama, cuma rasanya aku jadi kurang mengenal karakter tokoh-tokohnya aja.
Buat aku yang pertama menarik perhatian dari trilogi ini tuh covernya! Sumpah deh covernya tuh cantik bangeeet! Setelah itu aku cek blurb-nya kan dan trilogi ini tuh menawarkan hal-hal yang bikin aku tertarik di sebuah cerita dengan genre fantasi, seperti: bajak laut, sihir, ramalan, petualangan, kerajaan.
Buku ini lumayan tebal, 447 halaman. Aku paling suka tuh sekitar 100-200 halaman pertama, karakternya menarik dan world building-nya juga oke. Tapi semakin ke sini ceritanya terasa bertele-tele. Udah gitu ini kan pakai sudat pandang orang pertama, Marianne si tokoh utama dalam cerita ini yang awalnya menarik buat aku karena terlihat keren lama-lama malah ngeselin dan kaya si paling menderita dan menanggung beban, harus jadi pahlawan tapi dibantuin malah gak mau.
Terus gaya penulisannya juga lama-lama bikin lelah, terlalu banyak tell dibandingkan show. Udah gitu beberapa hal diulang lagi dan lagi, jadi bosen bacanya. Unsur romance-nya nggak menarik sama sekali dan gak ada chemistry-nya. Padahal aku udah berharap pas di awal, tapi kaya yaudah gitu aja.
Jujur aku agak menyayangkan sih, ceritanya punya banyak potensi tapi eksekusinya kurang oke aja. Mungkin kalau aku baca ini pas masih remaja dulu bakalan suka-suka aja, tapi karena sekarang aku udah dewasa dan banyak baca buku genre fantasi, jadinya baca ini kerasa biasa aja.
Tapi nih ya, endingnya bikin penasaran buat baca buku lanjutannyaaaaa! Jadi, ada kemungkinan nanti aku bakal tetap baca buku ketiganya dan pertamanya, karena penasaran sama endingnya nanti bakalan gimana dan karena covernya yang cakep! Haha
Jadi, apakah buku ini bagus? Bagus tapi gak bagus banget dan seru nyampe bacanya gak bisa berhenti dan bikin suka banget sama cerita dan karakternya. Baca aja kalau kamu tertarik sama cerita yang ada unsur bajak laut, sihir, ramalan, petualangan, kerajaan. Plus kalau kamu orangnya suka beli buku karena covernya yang cantik, cover trilogi ini gak mengecewakan, apa lagi cover buku pertamanya!
February 26, 2021
Finished reading: February 25th 2021
“The magic in my blood calls for others' blood to be spilled. Retribution. Maybe it's time I listened.”
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
April 29, 2020
Oh my god.
Review will come shortly when I can form words
Okay I'm ready...
This book blew me away. Normally, I find that the second book in a series tends to be weaker then the first but this was not the case! Venom was such a strong sequel with new challenges and the introduction of new characters, especially Olwyn, Ravyn, Jax and Raoul, who only appears briefly.
You learn a lot more about Marianne's heritage in this book and I found myself loving her character even more than I thought was possible. She's such a strong, badass female character with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She's having to make tough and life changing decisions in this book but she knows it is for the good of the isles and the future. She's a fierce and empowering character who is incredibly relatable.
At 50 pages into this book I was well and truly hooked. Bex Hogan has such an amazing way of storytelling that you cannot help but want to keep reading (I stayed up into the early hours to finish this beauty because I could not put it down). Venom was an emotional rollercoaster of a read. It will break your heart then mend it only to throw it out of a window. The moment you think things are going okay for Marianna and her crew Bex Hogan throws a curve ball and you have no idea where they stand or if they'll survive.
Oh and that ending?! Not acceptable! I need Vulture now, which doesn't come out till next April! So that means if you still haven't picked up this series you have plenty of time to catch up!
This book was perfect in every sense of the world. It ticks all the things I look for in a YA fantasy series. I am now sitting here impatiently waiting for Vulture. I mean it's only a year...
Review will come shortly when I can form words
Okay I'm ready...
This book blew me away. Normally, I find that the second book in a series tends to be weaker then the first but this was not the case! Venom was such a strong sequel with new challenges and the introduction of new characters, especially Olwyn, Ravyn, Jax and Raoul, who only appears briefly.
You learn a lot more about Marianne's heritage in this book and I found myself loving her character even more than I thought was possible. She's such a strong, badass female character with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She's having to make tough and life changing decisions in this book but she knows it is for the good of the isles and the future. She's a fierce and empowering character who is incredibly relatable.
At 50 pages into this book I was well and truly hooked. Bex Hogan has such an amazing way of storytelling that you cannot help but want to keep reading (I stayed up into the early hours to finish this beauty because I could not put it down). Venom was an emotional rollercoaster of a read. It will break your heart then mend it only to throw it out of a window. The moment you think things are going okay for Marianna and her crew Bex Hogan throws a curve ball and you have no idea where they stand or if they'll survive.
Oh and that ending?! Not acceptable! I need Vulture now, which doesn't come out till next April! So that means if you still haven't picked up this series you have plenty of time to catch up!
This book was perfect in every sense of the world. It ticks all the things I look for in a YA fantasy series. I am now sitting here impatiently waiting for Vulture. I mean it's only a year...
May 2, 2020
Last night I finished Venom and I am not okay. There isn’t much I can say about the story as it is full of twists and plots and secrets, but it went in a direction that I was 100% not expecting and I am not okay.
Bex Hogan has nothing to fear from Venom being the middle of the trilogy book, this has just as much excitement as Viper, maybe even more so. It is a relentless whirling tsunami of a book, never letting up. Marianne is always on her toes, having to check her back constantly and her time on the Maiden certainly serves her well here – if you’ve read the Mortal Coil series it has a similarly consistent heart pounding feel, but with added foreboding. Despite feeling so unsure of herself for so much of the story, I actually found that Marianne had amazing focus, no matter what was thrown at her and the distractions she faced the one constant was that she wanted to bring peace. She has wonderful humanity and kindness, kindness that repays her both in kind but sadly also in those who would take advantage of that. Whilst it is her strongest and most endearing quality it leaves her more open to manipulation, although that is not a weakness and many mistake it for such at their peril.
The book is split well between West and East, the West is the mystery and it does feel, well it feels more magical which is unsurprising, the islands have a completely different tone to the East, but it is clear that the hardship is spreading across all the isles. Marianne’s time in the mountains was my favourite part of her time in the Western Isles. Following on from a unusual but touching reunion, her journey brings her into contact with some truly beautiful creatures and some great new characters, but it is the political games that she finds herself in, drawing a frightening parallel of what she has left in the East, that signal is where the story takes a turn. There is a lot of darkness in the closing stages and Marianne’s trials left me utterly bereft and ultimately heartbroken. My breath was catching, I was turning each page with increasing trepidation not believing what I was reading. The writing is truly phenomenal, the emotion it wrought was incredible and left me choked with tears. Remember how much I said I was not okay?
Venom is an outstanding follow up to Viper and Bex Hogan is a wonderful talent, I enjoyed every single breathtaking page but now I have to try and find a coping mechanism until book 3 is released, wish me luck!
Bex Hogan has nothing to fear from Venom being the middle of the trilogy book, this has just as much excitement as Viper, maybe even more so. It is a relentless whirling tsunami of a book, never letting up. Marianne is always on her toes, having to check her back constantly and her time on the Maiden certainly serves her well here – if you’ve read the Mortal Coil series it has a similarly consistent heart pounding feel, but with added foreboding. Despite feeling so unsure of herself for so much of the story, I actually found that Marianne had amazing focus, no matter what was thrown at her and the distractions she faced the one constant was that she wanted to bring peace. She has wonderful humanity and kindness, kindness that repays her both in kind but sadly also in those who would take advantage of that. Whilst it is her strongest and most endearing quality it leaves her more open to manipulation, although that is not a weakness and many mistake it for such at their peril.
The book is split well between West and East, the West is the mystery and it does feel, well it feels more magical which is unsurprising, the islands have a completely different tone to the East, but it is clear that the hardship is spreading across all the isles. Marianne’s time in the mountains was my favourite part of her time in the Western Isles. Following on from a unusual but touching reunion, her journey brings her into contact with some truly beautiful creatures and some great new characters, but it is the political games that she finds herself in, drawing a frightening parallel of what she has left in the East, that signal is where the story takes a turn. There is a lot of darkness in the closing stages and Marianne’s trials left me utterly bereft and ultimately heartbroken. My breath was catching, I was turning each page with increasing trepidation not believing what I was reading. The writing is truly phenomenal, the emotion it wrought was incredible and left me choked with tears. Remember how much I said I was not okay?
Venom is an outstanding follow up to Viper and Bex Hogan is a wonderful talent, I enjoyed every single breathtaking page but now I have to try and find a coping mechanism until book 3 is released, wish me luck!
July 21, 2020
A superb second installment in the Isles of Storm and Sorrow. Can't not wait until the third book comes out.
November 17, 2024
★★
❝A storm is coming. A wild fury that will devour earth and sea.❞
(This review may contain spoilers for Viper.)
I wish I loved this sequel as much as everyone else seems to... Venom was an enjoyable read, but that was pretty much all there was to it.
Let’s start with our main character Marianne. I already wasn’t the biggest fan of her, but in this instalment she was outright annoying. I appreciate that she wants to help people, but she was so hotheaded all the time and just rushed into situations without thinking things through. That made it really hard for me to care about her.
As for the plot, Marianne is mostly travelling around the Western Isles and meeting new people. It almost felt like a new story entirely, as we also left everyone we know from Viper behind. Generally, I don’t like it when authors do that to a series.
I hoped to learn more about magic in this book, but I was disappointed on that front. Marianne just does everything on instinct. And basically everything magical that happens to Marianne is because she is the heir to the throne and she is so special. Everywhere she goes she encounters another myth or legend that somehow connects to her, and everyone she meets is immediately in awe of her because of it. This got old really quickly...
I did like exploring the new isles, the world building in this book is very unique. Though, I kept wanting to know what was going on in the East. This story would have benefited from having multiple point-of-views.
Lastly, I couldn’t connect with the writing. This whole book is basically telling instead of showing. Marianne’s entire inner monologue is just repeating what we’ve just learned and stating the obvious. I didn’t have this problem with the first one, but maybe that was because I enjoyed the story more.
Venom is by no means a bad book, though. I have a lot of criticisms, but this story has a lot of potential. I just hope it has the middle-book-syndrome and the next one will be better, because I definitely am picking up Vulture. I’ve made it this far, I want to see how things turn out!
❝A storm is coming. A wild fury that will devour earth and sea.❞
(This review may contain spoilers for Viper.)
I wish I loved this sequel as much as everyone else seems to... Venom was an enjoyable read, but that was pretty much all there was to it.
Let’s start with our main character Marianne. I already wasn’t the biggest fan of her, but in this instalment she was outright annoying. I appreciate that she wants to help people, but she was so hotheaded all the time and just rushed into situations without thinking things through. That made it really hard for me to care about her.
As for the plot, Marianne is mostly travelling around the Western Isles and meeting new people. It almost felt like a new story entirely, as we also left everyone we know from Viper behind. Generally, I don’t like it when authors do that to a series.
I hoped to learn more about magic in this book, but I was disappointed on that front. Marianne just does everything on instinct. And basically everything magical that happens to Marianne is because she is the heir to the throne and she is so special. Everywhere she goes she encounters another myth or legend that somehow connects to her, and everyone she meets is immediately in awe of her because of it. This got old really quickly...
I did like exploring the new isles, the world building in this book is very unique. Though, I kept wanting to know what was going on in the East. This story would have benefited from having multiple point-of-views.
Lastly, I couldn’t connect with the writing. This whole book is basically telling instead of showing. Marianne’s entire inner monologue is just repeating what we’ve just learned and stating the obvious. I didn’t have this problem with the first one, but maybe that was because I enjoyed the story more.
Venom is by no means a bad book, though. I have a lot of criticisms, but this story has a lot of potential. I just hope it has the middle-book-syndrome and the next one will be better, because I definitely am picking up Vulture. I’ve made it this far, I want to see how things turn out!
September 20, 2020
After being a bit let down by Viper, I really, really wanted to love Venom as much as everyone seems to. However, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t. Though I found the story moderately interesting, I simply did not care enough about Marianne to want to know what happened to her next, and something with the writing style just did not sit right with me. I don’t know if it was because of the first person, present tense narration, but parts of the book dragged while others seemed too rushed, and I felt like there was too much telling compared to showing when it came to descriptions. The cliffhanger at the end felt forced and off-kilter, as well, and frankly left me a bit perplexed with its suddenness.
Overall, it was a decent book, but nothing to write home about in my case. So it’s a 3.5⭐️ read for me. I’ll still read Vulture when it comes out to see the story through, but I’m afraid this particular series won’t make it onto my favourites shelf.
Overall, it was a decent book, but nothing to write home about in my case. So it’s a 3.5⭐️ read for me. I’ll still read Vulture when it comes out to see the story through, but I’m afraid this particular series won’t make it onto my favourites shelf.
April 17, 2020
‘“For too long the islands have suffered, have been left to fend for themselves through terrible adversity.” I pause. “Well, not any more. This is my vow: I will never stop fighting for you.”‘
It’s been around a year since I read and loved Viper, the first instalment of Bex Hogan’s swashbuckling fantasy adventure trilogy. By the end of Viper, the protagonist, Marianne, is the leader of a gang of fierce sea-faring assassins, but has discovered she has some unexpected royal lineage, which gives her a unique vantage point to unite the opposing Eastern and Western isles. As well as this – as if she didn’t have enough on her plate – she’s suddenly realised she can tap into her hidden magic powers. Since leaving Marianne at this point, I’ve had time to reflect on the plot – interesting, fast-placed, traumatic (I will never recover from the Floral Isle. EVER.) – and the characters – all well-rounded, three-dimensional, and occupying places in my heart (I was fortunate to meet Bex Hogan at YALC last year, and I basically begged her to let Torin and Sharpe be safe and happy. Her response? Evil cackling.), and get excited for Book 2.
Let’s just say that in my innocent excitement, I was wildly unprepared for the sheer emotional rollercoaster that was Venom.
Bex Hogan established a world and its lore in Book 1. In Book 2, she cracked her knuckles and went: ‘Right. LET’S MAKE IT INTERESTING.’ By interesting, she means hurting all your favourite characters and tearing your heart to shreds, but in an incredibly satisfying way.
I very contentedly read Venom in two sittings, as it does not let up for a single moment. Within the first fifty pages, having settled down to read and unwind before going to bed, I was wheezing and clutching at my tattered heartstrings, and by the one-hundred-page mark, I realised I would definitely not be going to bed at a reasonable hour.
I think where a lot of fantasy – both YA and adult – tends to stagnate for me is in the exposition, where plots are drawn out in long passages about journeys of self-discovery, and characters repetitively mull over their destinies for pages on end. Fortunately, Venom doesn’t suffer from this at all. The pacing is excellent; the high-octane action scenes are spread evenly throughout the book, and are interspersed with scenes of dialogue and streams of consciousness that keep the plot moving, while occasionally allowing the reader time to recover. Every page is utilised to move the story onwards, and to build on the wider trilogy arc, which, having been hinted at in Viper, is now in full-swing. Indeed, Marianne’s plot to unite the Eastern and Western isles is in progress… but despite her best intentions, things just keep seeming to get in the way:
[100% accurate depiction of standard Marianne behaviour]
Marianne: (Minding own business)
Random Citizen: (Screams loudly) HELP ME!
Marianne: (Looks left) (looks right) …Oh FFS.
(Marianne parkours off ship to assist Random Citizen, and somehow manages to make everything worse)
As a protagonist, Marianne is generally a very relatable character. She makes smart decisions and appalling ones in equal measure, though her rationale behind these choices is always refreshingly believable. At no point does she surrender entirely to ‘lost royalty’ and ‘chosen one’ fantasy tropes; instead of acting predictably, Marianne is a realistic person making decisions that make sense for her. This is not to say that I don’t enjoy predictable fantasy plots – only that Marianne convincingly errs between good and bad on a level that makes sense with her past trauma, and unlike some protagonists, she doesn’t leap at the opportunity to lead, and nor is she able to just walk into a position of power. The burden of saving the world isn’t necessarily her problem, but she makes it her problem. Much like Jude from the Cruel Prince series, Marianne claws her way to the top the hard, gritty, satisfying way. She’s fierce, unrelenting, and does not take kindly to being underestimated by men three times her size. Her loyalty to her crew and her found family is unwavering, and despite being fated to save the world, everything she does admirably boils down to protecting those she loves (and who the reader, inevitably, loves too): Prince Torin; Sharpe, Torin’s lover; Bronn, her partner. That said, like Jude, Marianne definitely deserves a break.
As far as writing style goes, Venom is not necessarily a flowery, descriptive book, but it doesn’t need to be. The pace is maintained by snappy dialogue and the fast-moving plot, but throughout, the worldbuilding is wonderful, the peril is convincing, and the characters are incredibly well-rounded. One thing that stood out for me is how Bex Hogan manages to make every single new character she introduces instantly likeable and relevant, to the point where it feels like they were part of the narrative all along. New characters Olwyn and Ravyn get a special shout-out, as I absolutely adored them, but I found myself feeling even for Lilah and Raoul, who only appear fleetingly. I always have a lot of admiration for authors who can do this; side-characters can easily come across as distractions if they’re not sufficiently fleshed-out or believable.
Taking all this into account, Venom left me pretty breathless. I think it’s easy to give a book a high rating when you’re completely hooked to the point of binge-reading it, but even upon reflection, it is an incredibly strong book, and I’m completely full of praise for it. Needless to say, I’ll be impatiently counting down the days until the release of the trilogy finale, Vulture. I won’t say exactly what I muttered when I saw the release date was a year away, as it was fairly explicit, but let’s just say I instantly knew I would struggle to wait (especially after that ending!). I’ll also be continuing to beg Bex Hogan to keep Torin and Sharpe safe, regardless of how much evil cackling I receive in response. A girl can dream.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’d like to thank 5 Get Bookish from @HachetteKids for the reading copy.
It’s been around a year since I read and loved Viper, the first instalment of Bex Hogan’s swashbuckling fantasy adventure trilogy. By the end of Viper, the protagonist, Marianne, is the leader of a gang of fierce sea-faring assassins, but has discovered she has some unexpected royal lineage, which gives her a unique vantage point to unite the opposing Eastern and Western isles. As well as this – as if she didn’t have enough on her plate – she’s suddenly realised she can tap into her hidden magic powers. Since leaving Marianne at this point, I’ve had time to reflect on the plot – interesting, fast-placed, traumatic (I will never recover from the Floral Isle. EVER.) – and the characters – all well-rounded, three-dimensional, and occupying places in my heart (I was fortunate to meet Bex Hogan at YALC last year, and I basically begged her to let Torin and Sharpe be safe and happy. Her response? Evil cackling.), and get excited for Book 2.
Let’s just say that in my innocent excitement, I was wildly unprepared for the sheer emotional rollercoaster that was Venom.
Bex Hogan established a world and its lore in Book 1. In Book 2, she cracked her knuckles and went: ‘Right. LET’S MAKE IT INTERESTING.’ By interesting, she means hurting all your favourite characters and tearing your heart to shreds, but in an incredibly satisfying way.
I very contentedly read Venom in two sittings, as it does not let up for a single moment. Within the first fifty pages, having settled down to read and unwind before going to bed, I was wheezing and clutching at my tattered heartstrings, and by the one-hundred-page mark, I realised I would definitely not be going to bed at a reasonable hour.
I think where a lot of fantasy – both YA and adult – tends to stagnate for me is in the exposition, where plots are drawn out in long passages about journeys of self-discovery, and characters repetitively mull over their destinies for pages on end. Fortunately, Venom doesn’t suffer from this at all. The pacing is excellent; the high-octane action scenes are spread evenly throughout the book, and are interspersed with scenes of dialogue and streams of consciousness that keep the plot moving, while occasionally allowing the reader time to recover. Every page is utilised to move the story onwards, and to build on the wider trilogy arc, which, having been hinted at in Viper, is now in full-swing. Indeed, Marianne’s plot to unite the Eastern and Western isles is in progress… but despite her best intentions, things just keep seeming to get in the way:
[100% accurate depiction of standard Marianne behaviour]
Marianne: (Minding own business)
Random Citizen: (Screams loudly) HELP ME!
Marianne: (Looks left) (looks right) …Oh FFS.
(Marianne parkours off ship to assist Random Citizen, and somehow manages to make everything worse)
As a protagonist, Marianne is generally a very relatable character. She makes smart decisions and appalling ones in equal measure, though her rationale behind these choices is always refreshingly believable. At no point does she surrender entirely to ‘lost royalty’ and ‘chosen one’ fantasy tropes; instead of acting predictably, Marianne is a realistic person making decisions that make sense for her. This is not to say that I don’t enjoy predictable fantasy plots – only that Marianne convincingly errs between good and bad on a level that makes sense with her past trauma, and unlike some protagonists, she doesn’t leap at the opportunity to lead, and nor is she able to just walk into a position of power. The burden of saving the world isn’t necessarily her problem, but she makes it her problem. Much like Jude from the Cruel Prince series, Marianne claws her way to the top the hard, gritty, satisfying way. She’s fierce, unrelenting, and does not take kindly to being underestimated by men three times her size. Her loyalty to her crew and her found family is unwavering, and despite being fated to save the world, everything she does admirably boils down to protecting those she loves (and who the reader, inevitably, loves too): Prince Torin; Sharpe, Torin’s lover; Bronn, her partner. That said, like Jude, Marianne definitely deserves a break.
As far as writing style goes, Venom is not necessarily a flowery, descriptive book, but it doesn’t need to be. The pace is maintained by snappy dialogue and the fast-moving plot, but throughout, the worldbuilding is wonderful, the peril is convincing, and the characters are incredibly well-rounded. One thing that stood out for me is how Bex Hogan manages to make every single new character she introduces instantly likeable and relevant, to the point where it feels like they were part of the narrative all along. New characters Olwyn and Ravyn get a special shout-out, as I absolutely adored them, but I found myself feeling even for Lilah and Raoul, who only appear fleetingly. I always have a lot of admiration for authors who can do this; side-characters can easily come across as distractions if they’re not sufficiently fleshed-out or believable.
Taking all this into account, Venom left me pretty breathless. I think it’s easy to give a book a high rating when you’re completely hooked to the point of binge-reading it, but even upon reflection, it is an incredibly strong book, and I’m completely full of praise for it. Needless to say, I’ll be impatiently counting down the days until the release of the trilogy finale, Vulture. I won’t say exactly what I muttered when I saw the release date was a year away, as it was fairly explicit, but let’s just say I instantly knew I would struggle to wait (especially after that ending!). I’ll also be continuing to beg Bex Hogan to keep Torin and Sharpe safe, regardless of how much evil cackling I receive in response. A girl can dream.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’d like to thank 5 Get Bookish from @HachetteKids for the reading copy.
April 19, 2020
Venom was a fun, swashbuckling and magical sequel that I really enjoyed. A perfect follow up to the wonderful Viper, Venom saw Marianne discovers new aspects of herself and growing up, full of even more surprises and plot twists than book one.
I really like Marianne. She’s not perfect, but I felt myself rooting for her deeply. It was clear how much she felt the need to find people she belonged with, and I really loved that the was able to find that. Her character development in this book was really great, you can see how she is maturing and growing up. Despite having so many responsibilities at such a young age, I also loved the few peeks of her past her incredible fighting skills and the decisions she’s made - vulnerable, she’s an empathetic and loyal person who loves easily.
The secondary characters were awesome too. Torin has always been one of my favourites, so I’m upset he was only in the very first part of the book, but we were introduced to lots of new and awesome secondary characters. I absolutely adore Olwyn and the Guardians. Little tangent, when I first saw Olwyn and Astrid on page together I was,,,sapphics? Because they got on quite well…but I always ship f/f couples that never happen…and then it was clarified that they were a couple and I was like thank you Bex for delivering the gays, even if they’re quite minor characters.
The plot was intense and twisty, full of action and adventure. There were constant surprises and plot twists that totally surprised me! There was a little chunk in the middle which I struggled to get through, as it was quite slow and meandered, but apart from that the plot was constantly captivating and very well paced! There were so many plot twists that left me like WHAT THE HELL, especially the end one. Bex really knows how to leave you on the edge of your seat. I loved the further depth we got about The Twelve Isles, as the world Bex has created is one of my favourite aspects of this series. It’s so luscious, unique and interesting, and I loved venturing into the West and discovering more awesome and strange Isles! The world of the Twelve Isles is really well built and immersive, with so many things that make it unique.
Despite all of these awesome things, I didn’t love Venom quite as much as Viper, but I think it’s just because my reading taste has changed a lot in that time and nothing to do with the book, because I have no criticism for this book except wondering why the hell there wasn’t an epilogue to explain some THINGS!!! Venom was an immersive, gorgeous and surprising story of adventure, magic and finding yourself. This series is an absolute must read for fans of YA fantasy :)
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really loved this, full review to come soon! that ending, what the HELL
I really like Marianne. She’s not perfect, but I felt myself rooting for her deeply. It was clear how much she felt the need to find people she belonged with, and I really loved that the was able to find that. Her character development in this book was really great, you can see how she is maturing and growing up. Despite having so many responsibilities at such a young age, I also loved the few peeks of her past her incredible fighting skills and the decisions she’s made - vulnerable, she’s an empathetic and loyal person who loves easily.
The secondary characters were awesome too. Torin has always been one of my favourites, so I’m upset he was only in the very first part of the book, but we were introduced to lots of new and awesome secondary characters. I absolutely adore Olwyn and the Guardians. Little tangent, when I first saw Olwyn and Astrid on page together I was,,,sapphics? Because they got on quite well…but I always ship f/f couples that never happen…and then it was clarified that they were a couple and I was like thank you Bex for delivering the gays, even if they’re quite minor characters.
The plot was intense and twisty, full of action and adventure. There were constant surprises and plot twists that totally surprised me! There was a little chunk in the middle which I struggled to get through, as it was quite slow and meandered, but apart from that the plot was constantly captivating and very well paced! There were so many plot twists that left me like WHAT THE HELL, especially the end one. Bex really knows how to leave you on the edge of your seat. I loved the further depth we got about The Twelve Isles, as the world Bex has created is one of my favourite aspects of this series. It’s so luscious, unique and interesting, and I loved venturing into the West and discovering more awesome and strange Isles! The world of the Twelve Isles is really well built and immersive, with so many things that make it unique.
Despite all of these awesome things, I didn’t love Venom quite as much as Viper, but I think it’s just because my reading taste has changed a lot in that time and nothing to do with the book, because I have no criticism for this book except wondering why the hell there wasn’t an epilogue to explain some THINGS!!! Venom was an immersive, gorgeous and surprising story of adventure, magic and finding yourself. This series is an absolute must read for fans of YA fantasy :)
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really loved this, full review to come soon! that ending, what the HELL
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