Greetings, readers! Happy (almost) summer! It’s Molly. I’m usually here to talk to you about STAR WARS or give you my latest recipe. Today I’m going to talk to you about my other passion: books. Actually, I’m here to talk to you about one book in particular: Mindee Arnett’s Onyx and Ivory. If you love YA fantasy books and if you’re looking for something to add to your summer reading list, then this book is for you. Check out my book review below!
Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett
They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king of Rime.
Cast out of the nobility, Kate now works for the royal courier service. Only the most skilled ride for the Relay and only the fastest survive, for when night falls, the drakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: She is a wilder, born with forbidden magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals.
And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by drakes in broad daylight—the only survivor Corwin Tormaine, the son of the king. Her first love, the boy she swore to forget after he condemned her father to death.
With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin must put the past behind them to face this new threat and an even darker menace stirring in the kingdom.
Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett Book Review
I received a copy of Mindee Arnett’s Onyx and Ivory in my very first FairyLoot box in May. I’m the type of person who never buys a book without either:
- A, having read it first
- B, having read a different book in the series
- and/or C, having read a different book by the same author (and loving said book).
This habit saves me from wasting good money on bad books, so I was a bit nervous about purchasing a book box. However, I’m really glad I did it. Had I not, I probably never would have discovered Mindee Arnett’s Onyx and Ivory.
Onyx and Ivory is pleasing both aesthetically and content-wise. I mean, just look at it!
The Onyx and Ivory that came in the FairyLoot boxes is a FairyLoot exclusive – it came with sprayed pages! The book itself is white, and the pages are sprayed black, which just completely enhances the whole aesthetic. I mean, hello, the book itself is onyx and ivory! The black and white also makes the book a uror. (And you’ll find out what a uror is once you read the book!)
Mindee Arnett weaves a compelling story about the struggles between knowing what’s right and what should be right. Kate and Corwin both struggle with the different circumstances that bind them. While many readers may not find themselves in possession of forbidden magic, I know there will be plenty of readers who, like Kate, have felt ostracized based on circumstances they can’t control. Likewise, I know there will be readers who can identify with Corwin’s struggle between doing what he’s expected to do and maintain his reputation, and doing what is right yet lose his standing.
The story is a natural flow of events. Some of scenes are more exciting than others, but I didn’t find a single scene boring. Some reviewers feel the book lags a bit in some places, but I don’t feel that way. I think, as with all books that have more than one POV, sometimes one character’s story is more exciting than another’s at times. You’ll find yourself wanting to know what happens next to one character, then find that you’re back in the head of the other character. But don’t worry: both Kate and Corwin have interesting perspectives that make for one great story. In fact, I thought that having the two characters narrate left for little room for boring scenes.
One of the stronger aspects of Onyx and Ivory is the world. Mindee Arnett managed to create a world that is as real as it is beautiful. It’s not the best world building I’ve ever encountered (sorry, Leigh Bardugo set the bar way high for me). However, it’s better than a lot of books that have different worlds. In fact, the world of Ivory and Onyx is more real than the worlds of some of the popular, best-selling books I’ve read and are supposedly known for their world building.
I can’t finish this book review without mentioning one other thing I love about Onyx and Ivory. Mindee Arnett loves horses, and that love translates so well into the novel. This is especially exciting for me because I’ve loved horses almost as long as I’ve loved books. I thoroughly enjoyed the attention to details that Mindee Arnett gives not only to her story and characters, but to the horses as well.
Add Onyx and Ivory to Your Summer Reading List
I definitely recommend adding Onyx and Ivory to your summer reading list (or any reading list!). You should especially add it to your reading list if you love YA fantasy books. It is definitely one of the best YA books I’ve ever read. If you love books with believable characters who must overcome the odds , a well-rounded plot that compels you to read more, and a fantasy world you can practically see, hear, and touch, definitely pick up a copy of Onyx and Ivory today! You can purchase your copy via Amazon and B&N.
Visit the official Onyx and Ivory website to find out more.
Fun fact: Mindee Arnett is from Ohio, like me! Onyx and Ivory was written in Ohio, printed somewhere else is the US, shipped over to England for the folks at FairyLoot, and made it’s way back to Ohio for me. That’s some journey! Let me know where your copy ends up by leaving me a comment!
Leave a Reply