Diving Into Sub-Genres: Werewolf Fantasy

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We each have our own preferred genres of choice. Kate loves horrors and thrillers, really anything that will keep her up at night! And Serena enjoys escaping through hidden doors into realms of magic and adventure. We also read mysteries, historical fiction, graphic novels, etc. etc. And that’s not even counting the multitude of sub-genres contained within each greater genre. In this series, one of us will present a list of our favorites from within a given sub-genre of one of our greater preferred genres.

I am once again copying Kate’s theme! She’s did vampire horror, I did vampire fantasy. She did werewolf horror, I did…well, you get the idea. But it truly is funny seeing the places where horror and fantasy overlap. For this reason, Kate and I have had some good luck find authors who write books that we both can appreciate, perhaps for different reasons.

So, unlike werewolves in horror, werewolves in fantasy are often paired with romance. I’m sure there are exceptions, but it’s hard to think of any! Beyond this, there’s always a decent chance that the main character will also end up being a werewolf and the concept will be explored from an insider perspective. Werewolves in fantasy often have much more control over their “curse” than the ones you’d see in horror; more often than not, it’s just another magical power rather than something that has any true downside. They’re also more likely to show up in urban/paranormal fantasy than a straight fantasy novel.

So, let’s get to the list!

“Blood and Chocolate” by Annette Curtis Klause

Thinking back, this may have been the first werewolf book I ever read. I have clear memories of checking it out from the library and whizzing through it. Now, with many years and many other werewolf books under my belt, it still stands out as one of the more unique version of the werewolf story I’ve come across. Mostly this comes down to the way that the romance was handled. I remember being completely shocked by the direction this book took in the end, and I think even now, it subverts some expectations that readers would have going in. Alas, this was then made into a movie where the director completely butchered it. I mean, actually butchered it! Totally changed the ending, undoing all that made the book stand out as unique and depriving the heroine of the conclusion to her personal arch. Truly tragic stuff. So, yes. Read the book but do not, I repeat, DO NOT, watch the movie.

“Written in Red” by Anne Bishop

While this series had a fairly steep and disappointing decline towards the final few books, it stands out for having one of the more unique versions of werewolves in fantasy. The book manages to straddle both the urban fantasy genre as well as a more straight, second-world fantasy novel. In this world, the Others are powerful magical creatures (including werewolves) and the humans are very much living at the grace of these beings. The first few books are particularly strong, following the main character Meg and the very beginnings of her romance with the resident werewolf leader of her small corner of the world.

“Moon Called” by Patricia Briggs

There are a bunch of urban/paranormal fantasy series out there that feature werewolves. I can probably name half a dozen off the top of my head. But I think one of the most popular has been the “Mercy Thomas” series by Patricia Briggs. Mercy herself is a coyote shifter, but her romantic interest(s) are both werewolves. Much of it is stand werewolf fare, but as the series progresses, we get more lore about werewolf society and the role they play in the supernatural society, as well as the “real world.” There’s also a companion series called the “Alpha and Omega” series that features a female werewolf, so if this series is up your alley, there’s more to be had from this world featuring a main character werewolf to boot!

“Shiver” by Maggie Stiefvater

At this point, this author is best known by her “Raven Cycle” series. But before she had that, she produced this interesting YA werewolf series! Given how much creativity was present in the “Raven Cycle” series, it should come as no surprise that Stiefvater also brought a lot of creativity to her interpretation of werewolves. Here, the change between wolf and human is determined by the temperature, not phases of the moon. That being the case, Sam, our werewolf character, is doomed to be wolf for large chunks of each year, with only a few summer months of life as a human boy. And, of course, there’s also Grace, the young woman who meets Sam as a boy but who suspects a similarity between him and a yellow-eyed wolf she’s seen in the woods.

“The Last Werewolf” by Glen Duncan

Up to this point, most of these books have had fairly tame versions of werewolves, especially as compared to their horror compatriots. But here, Duncan gives a fantasy version of werewolves that doesn’t shy away from the violent, chaotic existence that would be life as a werewolf. This book is definitely on the dark side and is more literary than the other picks as well, so if you’re a fantasy reader who leans in that direction, this would be a good one to check out. It also features a male werewolf as the lead character, which also feels a bit unique compared to other titles on this list so far.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J.K. Rowling

Granted, werewolves are way down the list of important fantasy tropes in this series, but I thought to include it because it’s one of the few truly negative-only versions of werewolves in fantasy I have on this list. There’s no upside to being a werewolf in this world; we see Lupin not only struggle with the effects of the transformation itself, but also with the bigotry of this world towards werewolf. As the series continues, a villain werewolf is introduced and is portrayed as one of the more horrific enemies out of many horrific options. Lupin also continues to struggle with his own life choices and the realities of his curse. So, not a central part of the series, but this is definitely a different version of werewolves in fantasy than we’ve seen in the other books on this list.

What werewolf fantasy books have you enjoyed over the years? Let us know in the comments!

Serena’s Review: “Queen of the Night Sky”

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Book: “Queen of the Night Sky” by Amalie Howard

Publishing Info: Avon, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: The Kingdom of Oryndhr has been saved by the will of the Royal Stars. But King Roshan, once Sura’s best friend and chosen love, has changed. She can sense corruption growing in him, and her own magic is being twisted by his command to dangerous ends. As dreams of her strange shadow guardian return in force, she is left unsure of her path—and of her heart.

When an attempt on her life leads to her rescue on the back of an azdaha, the dragon-like creature she once thought a myth, Sura truly finds herself in uncharted territory—in a land far beyond Oryndhyr’s borders. Everlea is full of magic, ruled by the deadly and enigmatic Night King, Darrius. And to Sura’s shock, Darrius is none other than the man in her dreams…and possibly her soul fated mate.

As a prophecy unfolds, the old gods awaken, and a war between kingdoms looms, Sura has no she must fully embrace her destiny as Starkeeper and the entirety of her power before it’s too late. But all power comes at a cost…and darkness has a way of slithering into the smallest spaces.

Previously Reviewed: “The Starlight Heir”

Review:Once more for the people in the back: no more bait-and-switch in romance/romantasy! I honestly am at the point where it’s incredibly hard to review some romantasy books that I read. Mostly because authors/publishers seem to refuse to properly label their books/series initially, which then leads me to epic levels of rage when I run into tropes and themes that I know that I don’t care for and would otherwise simply have avoided rather than read and end up needing to write a negative review. Because, at the end of the day, book reviews and reading experiences are entirely subjective. I can’t speak to the quality of any particular romantasy book outside my own experience of it. Sure, those who enjoy certain tropes may love it! But how could I say when I am not the reader for that book? I don’t like certain tropes, and thus, I don’t usually like those books, which then leads to negative reviews. Simple.

All of this to say, while I read the first book in this series and didn’t strongly connect with it, I was still interested enough to see where the story would go from there. It wasn’t doing anything extraordinary, but the general set-up was fine, and I was happy enough to see how the romance would play out. Well, color me surprised when I opened up this second book and discovered I was suddenly reading a “why choose” romantasy, not at all what had been set up in the first book.

Like I said, there are plenty of readers who enjoy this trope, and I am by no means saying that it is objectively bad. Just not for me. But here I am, now having committed to reviewing the second in a duology based on the set-up from the first book, which was your fairly standard romantasy fare, only to find it swerve straight into a trope that I avoid so as not to be writing negative reviews for books that just aren’t for me. Well, the publisher/author really has no one to blame for this but themselves. Had I known in the first book that this is where it was going, I would have just passed, and this negative review wouldn’t exist. Hate to do it, but… properly label your dang romantasy titles from the very start!

So, I won’t talk any more about the romance. I didn’t like it. I didn’t care for the characters involved, and I particularly didn’t care for the imbalanced level of connection and history between various pairings, thus making the entire “why choose” premise feel poorly weighted in one direction. The emotional stakes were definitely weighted one way, and the character assassination that had to happen to set up the other romantic interest was frustrating to read. Even by “why choose” standards, I don’t think this one was done particularly well.

Probably not a surprise, but this book goes hard on its spicy scenes. Given the balance between spice and plot is weighted heavily toward the former, I will say that these scenes were written well. I wasn’t terribly invested in the characters involved, but the author did a good job avoiding cringe-worthy descriptions or oddness, something that isn’t always a guarantee with romance. Readers who are enjoying the romance of it all will be pleased, I think, with how the love scenes play out.

However, the book also feels way longer than it needs to be. Actually stepping back and looking at what happens in the plot, it’s very little. And the book itself is not short by any means. I think some healthy editing would have tightened this up into a more streamlined affair and a more enjoyable read all around. While the spice scenes were good for what they were, this balance between romance and plot did feel off, and one or two fewer erotic scenes might have helped the plot feel more relevant.

Shocking no one, I didn’t love this one. I hate having to write negative reviews, especially when I’ve been contacted directly to review a book. But I’m committed to honest feedback first and foremost, so here we are. As I’ve harped on ad nauseam at this point, I really do try my best to simply avoid romantasy reads that contain tropes that I’m not going to enjoy. It’s incredibly frustrating that I can list off a handful of books within the last six months alone where I went in being sold one thing and then ran headfirst into the brick wall of these very same “avoid at any cost” tropes. And here, had I known going in that the duology was taking a hard turn into this trope, I would have simply passed when asked to review this. Alas.

Rating 5: Not for me. “Why choose” fans will likely be pleasantly surprised, but if you thought the first book was representative of where the duology was headed, you’d be wrong.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Queen of the Night Sky” can be found on this Goodreads list: March 2026 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “Mother of Death and Dawn”

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Book: “Mother of Death and Dawn” by Carissa Broadbent

Publishing Info: Bramble, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: In the wake of a crushing defeat, Tisaanah and Maxatarius have been ripped apart. Tisaanah is desperate to rescue Max from his imprisonment, even as her people’s fight for freedom grows more treacherous. But within the walls of Ilyzath, Max’s mind is a shadow of what it once was… leaving his past a mystery and his future at the mercy of Ara’s new, ruthless queen.

Meanwhile, in the Fey lands, Aefe has been dragged back into this world by a king who vows to destroy civilizations in her name. But even as her past returns to claim her, her former self is a stranger.

Tisaanah, Max, and Aefe are thrust into the center of a cataclysm between the human and Fey worlds. The unique magic they share is key to either winning the war, or ending it.

But that power demands sacrifice. Tisaanah may be forced to choose between love and duty. Max cannot forge his future without confronting his past. And Aefe must decide between reclaiming who she was, or embracing who she has become.

The choices they make will either reshape this world forever…or end it.

Previously Reviewed: “Daughter of No Worlds” and “Children of Fallen Gods”

Review: At this point, I’ve read a few different duologies from this author, as well as a few standalones. Looking back, I think the standalones are the strongest of the group, mostly because both of the series fell off a bit in their final book. Still great reads, of course, but with a few hiccups with pacing and plotting. So, while I really enjoyed this book, it does reinforce this idea: this is a good book, but it’s not as strong as the ones that came before it and once again stumbles a bit in its landing.

But let’s start with the unqualified good things, and that is mostly the characters! Max and Tisaanah remain excellent, both as separate characters experiencing their own arcs throughout this story and as a couple working toward their romantic resolution. And, like both of the previous books, this story doesn’t go easy on them. Both experience some truly traumatic things, and it’s only through the force of their will (and in Tisaanah’s case, her unceasing hope) that they pull through. They are motivated not only by the betterment of those around them, but also to get through their challenges to be there for one another. Amidst all of the darkness and trauma, there’s a truly lovely romance here, and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

As for the other characters, I have mixed feelings. I truly appreciate the inclusion of the villain arcs for Aefe and Caudan. It’s rare for an author to truly make me understand and sympathize with a villainous character. There’s a bunch of drama and angst here, which is an interesting contrast to Max and Tisaanah’s steady, solid love. However, I also felt like Aefe’s chapters were retreading a lot of ground from the first book, hitting repetitive emotional beats and, overall, simply a bit lackluster in comparison to the rest. Perhaps some simple editing—cutting these down to what was truly necessary—would have helped.

I also think the pacing was fairly uneven. The story starts off incredibly slowly and takes a while to truly build momentum. By the midpoint of the book, things begin to pick up. But then, once we get to this point, the book becomes a whirlwind in which one thing after another happens back-to-back in a way that left me looking for an emotional touchstone to connect back to the characters, the obvious heart of the story. Much of what I’ve just written sounds almost word-for-word like my experience reading her latest book in the Nyaxia series. It’s an odd thing, to be both too slow and also too much at times in the same book.

However, this was still a solid read and an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. I really loved following Tisaanah and Max’s story especially, and I think their romance is one of my favorites from Broadbent. If you enjoyed the first two, this is definitely a must-read! And, overall, this is a great fantasy romance trilogy for those looking for love stories that don’t skimp on the world-building and epic stakes of fantasy novels.

Rating 8: A bit of uneven pacing throughout, but the strong characters and swoon-worthy romance make it all well worth it!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mother of Death and Dawn” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026.

Kate’s Review: “A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets”

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Book: “A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets” (Saffron Everleigh Mysteries #3) by Kate Khavari

Publishing Info: Crooked Lane Books, June 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: London, 1923. Returning from Paris, botanical researcher Saffron Everleigh finds that her former love interest Alexander Ashton’s brother, Adrian, is being investigated for murder. A Russian scientist working for the English government has been poisoned, and expired in Adrian’s train compartment. Alexander asks Saffron to put in a good word for Adrian with Inspector Green. Despite her unresolved feelings for Alexander, Saffron begins to unravel mysteries surrounding the dead scientist.

As if a murder case weren’t enough, her best friend Elizabeth’s war-hero brother, Nick, arrives in town and takes an immediate interest in Saffron. Saffron learns Alexander has been keeping secrets from her, including a connection to Nick, who Saffron and Elizabeth begin to suspect is more than he seems.

When another scientist is found dead, Saffron agrees to go undercover at the government laboratory. Risking her career and her safety, she learns there are many more interested parties and dangerous secrets to uncover than she’d realized. But some secrets, Saffron will find, are better left undiscovered.

Review: I took a bit of a break from the Saffron Everleigh Mysteries after reading “A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality”. I didn’t really do it deliberately (I mean not totally…), as I think it was more a matter of lots of other books coming out and just getting lost in the shuffle. But now that Kate Khavari’s fifth book in the series is coming out this summer (and after being asked to read it… stay tuned!), I decided that it was time to get back on the horse. And so I picked up “A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets”, another botany STEMinist mystery with botanist Saffron Everleigh at the forefront in post WW1 London! And it was fun picking it back up, I’m happy to report.

Saffron gets pulled into another plant/poison based mystery when her old beau Alexander reaches out, saying his brother Adrian is suspected of murder after a man he’s traveling in a train car with drops dead of poisoning. Alexander hopes that Saffron will be able to help clear Adrian, and even though she is still a bit stung by Alexander she agrees to help. I admit that I missed Saffron and her flatmate/best friend Elizabeth. I felt right back into their banter again, and liked how they support each other not only in the mystery at hand but also in their day to day lives. Given that the second storyline of this book involves the sudden reappearance of Elizabeth’s brother Nick and how suspicious Elizabeth is of it, it was interesting seeing how these two friends deal with the mystery at hand as unexpected details come together (also it was a real hoot seeing Elizabeth and Saffron and Michael Lee from the previous book go to a night club of sketchy repute in hopes of finding information. Yes we’ll talk about Lee in a bit). And it does all tie in with Alexander’s worries fairly well. In fact, the mystery itself with dead scientists and a lab with unknown research was entertaining.

And the setting is still so perfect for me. We are now in 1923 London, and while WWI is behind them we are still seeing how it affected not only Saffron and Elizabeth and those around them, what with Elizabeth’s brother Nick cropping up unexpectedly and stirring up the grief of losing Wesley, Elizabeth’s brother and Saffron’s sweetheart, we also see the way that scientific research was affected post-War. Specifically in how the lab Saffron joins on the down low and the kinds of research it is doing with the memory of mass death still fresh. It’s fun how Khavari took a science thriller premise, that so much in the present focuses on scary new tech and the dangers of it running amok, and translates that kind of fear to a fear of tech one hundred years prior. That is what made this particular mystery stand out for me.

I will say that my big quibble that kind of marked down the experience for me is a petty one, and it’s one that plays a huge part in the story that kind of spoils some lingering questions from the previous book (and honestly, it’s also probably why I put off reading this one for as long as I did because I just knew it was going to happen). I want to talk about it but know that it’s a big ol’

(source)

Recall in my last review, I talked about Saffron finding herself in a bit of a potential love triangle, with the two points being old love interest Alexander (who had been away on a scientific excursion and came back super bitter about her for some reason) and Michael Lee, her forensic partner in poisonings last book. I thought that Saffron had much more chemistry with Lee, as the work together well and he always bolstered her intelligence while also trusting her judgement. Plus he was just more fun and less of an ass than Alexander, who was being a total jerk to her in the last book. Well, this book quashed it pretty fast and it’s made clear that Alexander is the one for her, and I was PRETTY irritated by that, mostly because HE WAS STILL BEING SUCH A WHINEY BABY TO HER IN THIS BOOK. He asks for her help with his brother, refuses to tell her why, and leaves out SO MANY DETAILS that she would need to know to be able to help him and gets all sour when she calls him out on it. WHY is this the guy that she is destined to be with? He’s such a drip. I do hope that Lee continues to show up because he’s a hoot, and maybe he and Elizabeth will start something up (honestly? That would be iconic).

So irritating romance nonsense aside, overall I enjoyed “A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets”. It had some interesting stakes, set up a clear path forward, and had some more science-y shenanigans with an unique historical lens.

Rating 7: A compelling mystery that still has a unique hook, “A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets” is another fun thriller with Saffron Everleigh and her friends buoying the story.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets” is included on the Goodreads list “Best Fiction Books About Plants”.

Previously Reviewed:

Serena’s Review: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me”

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Book: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Ilona Andrews

Publishing Info: Tor, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren. It’s a city she knows intimately from the pages of a famously unfinished dark fantasy series – one she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading, while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic and mayhem? Her encyclopaedic knowledge of the plot, the setting and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love – a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to return home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes – and attentions – of duelling princes, dukes and villains. This all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the ending she’s seen on the a cataclysmic war.

Review: To this day, Andrews’ Kate Daniels series is my favorite urban fantasy series. For one thing, she knew when to end the darn thing (side-eyeing the Mercy Thompson series right now). But it was also a solid run of books with very few missteps along the way. What’s more, not only was Kate herself an excellent heroine, but the romantic interest was excellent, and the love story managed to retain drama and tension without resorting to contrived angst. All of this to say, I was thrilled when I saw that Andrews was starting up a new series, and this time in one of my favorite subgenres of fantasy: portal/epic fantasy!

There’s so much to love about this book that I barely know where to start! But let’s just start with the world-building. This book makes one of the best uses of the “portal fantasy” concept that I’ve seen in a while. Andrews doesn’t get too bogged down in the “how” of it all, simply starting up the story several days after the fact, with our heroine doing quite poorly living on the streets. The realization that she can’t die is a welcome, if terrifying and painful, game-changer. But what’s so fun about this set-up is subtle nods and jabs to epic fantasy and G.R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones that are scattered throughout this story.

Much of the world-building is explained and built out through our heroine’s encyclopedic knowledge of the original books, the first two in a trilogy that now seems destined to never be finished, as its author seemingly abandoned it (you see what we’re doing there). Maggie’s wealth of information comes from the plethora of POV characters who were given chapters in the original books (sometimes only a single chapter), insights which she uses to gain the upper hand when meeting these people in this world. Again, sound familiar? For those familiar with some of the criticisms of Game of Thrones, so much of this was laugh-out-loud funny while also perfectly working within the scope of this book. It’s not just lip service; Andrews nimbly weaves together these references and inside jokes alongside equally important plot points.

What’s more, even some of the greater scope of this world sounded familiar, with numerous families all vying for power and control, even down to an aloof, brutal, and, crucially, necessary lord from the north who is on touchy ground with the throne. But before you worry that it’s all just copying other fantasy novels, while it’s apparent that the author is making some key references with the “book within a book” that Maggie has read, this story itself is completely new and fresh. She herself begins to realize the limits of the knowledge she gathered from the books, necessitating re-evaluating characters/people she thought she understood.

The pacing is excellent. This is a long book, but I read it in only a few days. It starts off in the middle of the action and really never lets up, in the best of ways. What’s more, I’m impressed with Andrews’ ability to balance a lighter overall tone (something in the manner and styling of the writing, perhaps) while also dealing with some incredibly dark themes and scenes. Maggie’s whole “can’t die” thing is explored in all of the worst ways. Readers should definitely not go into this expecting a cozy fantasy, regardless of what that cover art is selling.

And, of course, the characters were all excellent. Maggie is similar to Kate in all of the best ways: smart, independent, and understanding of her limits and the necessity of building up a crew around herself. This group is made up of a wide cast of fantastic side characters, of which it would be hard for me to pick favorites. And, of course, a rock-solid love interest.

I have to say, while reading this book, I almost had a “romantasy PTSD” moment. From the beginning, Maggie meets a number of good-looking male characters. There was one that felt like he was set up as the main love interest, but as I was reading, I kept getting shivers of worry that the rug was going to be pulled out from under me and one of the “dark, bad boys” who made an appearance a time or two would pull the old “bait and switch” that I hate so much. I can’t get into too many details, as there are some surprising twists and turns, but I’m hopeful that Andrews has set up a primary romance here, and I’m excited to see it play out going forward. Please, PLEASE, do not give me another fake-out, for the love of everything. As it stands, I really enjoy the romance we had here and want to see how things play out going forward.

The only thing that holds this back from being a “10 rating” is the fact that there were a handful of times where we had the narrative writing out terms like “oof” and “yikes,” which I always hate. It wasn’t too often, thankfully, but I do think the book would have been stronger to have avoided it altogether. In some ways, it felt like a carryover from urban fantasy, where this sort of narration is more prevalent. You see it less in epic fantasy, and this one would have been better without it.

That said, this is by no means a deal-breaker, and I highly recommend this one to pretty much any fantasy fan! Readers familiar with epic fantasy and Game of Thrones will perhaps enjoy the meta commentary the most, but this is a romp of a good time that shouldn’t be missed!

Rating 9: A banger of a good time! Andrews brings the fun to epic fantasy, while also delivering solid characters and fantastic world-building.

Reader’s Advisory:

“This Book Will Not Kill Me” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2026 and 2026 Most Anticipated Romantasy & Fantasy Romance Releases.

Kate’s Review: “Crafting for Sinners”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Crafting for Sinners” by Jenny Kiefer

Publication Info: Quirk Books, October 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: A queer woman must fight her way out of a big-box craft store run by a diabolical religious cult in this gripping survival horror novel by Jenny Kiefer, author of This Wretched Valley

Ruth is trapped. She’s stuck in her small, religious hometown of Kill Devil, Kentucky, stuck in the closet, and stuck living paycheck to paycheck. After her manager finds out that she lives with her girlfriend, Ruth is fired from her job as a cashier at New Creations—a craft store owned by the church that dominates life in the town. 

In an act of revenge, Ruth attempts to shoplift some yarn but is caught red-handed by a New Creations cashier. Instead of calling the police, the employees lock her in the store—and attack her. When Ruth is forced to stab out one of their eyes with a knitting needle, she realizes she’s facing far bigger trouble than a simple shoplifting charge. As Ruth fights for her life, she plunges deeper into the tangled web of the New Creationists, who are hiding a terrible secret that threatens not only her, but the entire town.

This relentless horror novel will have you on the edge of your seat as it hurtles towards a breathtaking conclusion. Will Ruth escape? Or will the shocking secret at the heart of the cult die with her?

Review: One of my dearest friends David is an archaeologist and archaeology professor in California. Every summer he goes to Greece to work on excavations, and has also participated in excavations in Egypt in the past. He is also a gay man who is very out and proud about who he is. And with these two things in mind it is probably no shock that he has a HUGE (understandable and justified) chip on his shoulder about Hobby Lobby, a craft store that is not only deeply zealous in its Christian religiosity/anti-LGBTQIA+ stances, but whose president has also stolen MANY ancient artifacts from the Middle East because he feels that he is entitled to them because RELIGION! In fact, all of my crafting friends (and I have numerous!) despise Hobby Lobby because of these nasty facts, and I steer incredibly clear when I find myself in need of crafting supplies. Which is not so often, but I have an artsy kid and I used to do cosplay! I can sort of craft!

The last time I did a craft night with friends my creation was…. barely passable. (source)

With all of this in mind I snatched up a copy of “Crafting for Sinners” by Jenny Kiefer while on a mutual aid donation at a local book store, because the idea of a Hobby Lobby-esque crafting empire melded with a far right and cult-y church doing cult religious horror things was REALLY enticing. The satire alone was rich with opportunity! So you can probably guess that I was kind of disappointed when it didn’t hit the way I had hoped it would.

First, the things that I liked. The Hobby Lobby commentary is stellar. The way that the New Creationist Church runs the small town of Kill Devil is creepy and believable, with the only two out lesbians in town, Ruth, and Abigail, constantly under surveillance and constantly being pushed to become ‘saved’ to the point of targeted harassment. While the idea of a big box religious crafting empire trying to do cult rituals and blood sacrifice is certainly over the top, the bare bones ideas of a religious group/community harassing and harming those who are outside their ideas of acceptable and hiding their bigotry behind Godliness isn’t at all farfetched (hey, we have zealous military leaders saying that we are in a Holy War right now, after all, God I hate this timeline so much). We get snippets about the New Creationist beliefs through Ruth’s perspective, but also through hints of articles and transcripts throughout the narrative, with references to mysterious disappearances of queer people, stories of religious artifacts that have disappeared from the Middle East over the years, and through the way that Ruth is starting to be hunted down for sacrifice whilst in the walls of her old employer, sending her on a survival mission in the walls of a crafting store and the depths that it hides. All of this worked very well for me.

But there were some stumbles. I do think that the pacing was a bit off, as this book felt REALLY long, longer than it should have felt for a cultist horror tale. Ruth spends a lot of time hiding and ducking her tormentors, but it felt fairly repetitive and a bit like a slog. The suspense would wane, then build, then lose steam again, and it felt a bit like it could have been tightened up to keep the tension taut and consistent. On top of that, I didn’t really feel like I got to know Ruth or Abigail very well as the story went on. I liked them enough, and I was definitely rooting for them to escape the bigoted small town, before AND after the whole doomsday Christian cultist angle came through, but I never felt like I wanted more depth and exploration of their characters and their relationship so I could be more invested. I was rooting for them more on principle than I was for them as characters, and I would have loved to be able to rooting for them because of both of those things.

So “Crafting for Sinners” was a bit of a mixed bag. Great premise, middle of the road execution. I will definitely recommend it to my crafting friends though, as I know they will enjoy the quirks that come with it.

Rating 6: Loved the commentary and the bare bones of the cult/religious horror elements, but I wish that Ruth and Abigail were more interesting as characters.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Crafting for Sinners” is included on the Goodreads lists “Sapphic Horror”, and “Queer Books Set in Kentucky”.

Another Take: Winter 2026

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Don’t just take it from us, other readers like these books, too! And we have decided that we would like to showcase other reviewers and bloggers that have their own thoughts and feelings about books that we have loved. Here are a few of the books we’ve enjoyed recently and what other bloggers have to say about them.

Book: “The House Saphir” by Marissa Meyer

Book Description: Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien’s great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu’s ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.

Serena’s Review (9 Rating)

The Bookcave Blog (4 Stars)

Past Midnight (4 Stars)

What I Should Have Said (4 Stars)

Book: “The Shattered King” by Charlie N. Holmberg

Book Description: The kingdom of Cansere is on the brink of war. Young men are conscripted from their homes, and a royal decree from the queen has made healing the only legal form of craftlock. Nym, a healer and beekeeper, is the sole provider for her family of seven now that her younger brother has been sent to the warfront. But when a letter comes from the queen, summoning Nym to the palace to heal Prince Renn, the kingdom’s ailing shut-in, Nym finds herself making the tumultuous journey from her family’s apiary to the capital city. Nym is determined to fail the queen’s mission and return to her younger siblings as soon as she can.

But escaping the castle’s hold isn’t as easy as failing a simple test. Prince Renn is cold and distant, and his illness is nothing like Nym has ever seen before, nothing she could ever imagine treating. In a moment of connection with Prince Renn, Nym manages to remedy the faintest symptom of his ailment―only to discover that no healer before has made such progress. Forced to become the prince’s official healer and a ward of the castle, and with her only hope of returning to her family hinging on the prince’s recovery, Nym must navigate the castle’s cruel and twisted court and uncover the haunting truth behind Prince Renn’s illness―even as she finds herself irrevocably drawn to him.

Serena’s Review (10 Rating)

Cantina Book Club (4 Stars)

Miles of Comfort and Books

Raindrop Reflection (10 Rating)

Book: “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity

Book Description: Three years ago, Leena Al-Sayer awoke with a terrible power. She can see the dead.

Since then, she has hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse she will be locked away in an asylum.

When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible CHOICE: Let him die or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has—her secret.

The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumors of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw—or lose her freedom to the Saint forever.

As Leena’s search takes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things—hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery.

As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed—and some secrets are better left buried with them.

Serena’s Review (9 Rating)

FanFiAddict

The Next Chapter

R.S. Reads (4.5 Stars)

Book: “The Place Where They Buried Your Heart” by Christina Henry

Book Description: A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel, perfect for fans of The Last House on Needless Street and Tell Me I’m Worthless.

On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.

Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.

The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.

Kate’s Review (9 Rating)

Books, Bones, & Buffy (5 Stars)

OpenBook Posts (4.5 Stars)

Just Read It Already (4.5 Stars)

Book: “Trad Wife” by Saratoga Schaefer

Book Description: Every #tradwife needs a baby. She’ll get one at any cost.

When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key component: a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband Graham have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never grow out of its infancy.

When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true. 

Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever posted—so what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a traditional wife is worth it.

Rosemary’s Baby for the digital age, this disturbing horror novel is one you’ll want to devour in just one bite.

Kate’s Review (10 Rating)

FanFi Addict

Cannon Ball Read

Write on the World

Book: “On Sundays She Picked Flowers” by Yah-Yah Scholfield

Book Description: In this sinister and surreal Southern Gothic debut, a woman escapes into the uncanny woods of southern Georgia and must contend with ghosts, haints, and most dangerous of all, the truth about herself.

When Judith Rice fled her childhood home, she thought she’d severed her abusive mother’s hold on her. She didn’t have a plan or destination, just a desperate need to escape. Drawn to the forests of southern Georgia, Jude finds shelter in a house as haunted by its violent history as she is by her own.

Jude embraces the eccentricities of the dilapidated house, soothing its ghosts and haints, honoring its blood-soaked land. And over the next thirteen years, Jude blossoms from her bitter beginnings into a wisewoman, a healer.

But her hard-won peace is threatened when an enigmatic woman shows up on her doorstep. The woman is beautiful but unsettling, captivating but uncanny. Ensnared by her desire for this stranger, Jude is caught off guard by brutal urges suddenly simmering beneath her skin. As the woman stirs up memories of her escape years ago, Jude must confront the calls of violence rooted in her bloodline.

Haunting and thought-provoking, On Sunday She Picked Flowers explores retribution, family trauma, and the power of building oneself back up after breaking down.

Kate’s Review (8 Rating)

The Lesbrary

The Blerd Library

Diversity in Horror Fiction

Serena’s Review: “The Book of Fallen Leaves”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “The Book of Fallen Leaves” by A. S. Tamaki

Publishing Info: Orbit, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Sen Hoshiakari is an exiled prince of a clan that lost everything in his father’s failed rebellion. Deprived of his birthright, Sen is determined to restore his family’s lands and honor at any cost.  Rui is a peasant girl who saved Sen’s life on the night his family were put to the sword. But now, she is adrift and unsure of her place in the world, not knowing that the gods themselves have plans for her …

As civil war throws the empire into chaos, and demons seek vengeance on the living, Sen and Rui must fight for both their clan and their shared future … But vengeance demands a bloody price.

Review: There was a lot to enjoy about this book, especially if you enjoy epic/political fantasy à la Game of Thrones. And I mean that with all the pros and cons that come with that book series. This is a dense, detailed story, packed with a number of POVs, all of whom give brief glimpses behind an ever-expanding array of curtains. Likewise, the plot itself takes time to build, carefully crafting all the moving pieces before beginning to move in the latter half. It’s not a book for the faint of heart or those looking for an action-packed romp, but if you are the right reader for it, you’re going to really enjoy it!

As mentioned, the book doesn’t spare much concern for quick pacing. The story starts off fairly slowly, taking its time to set the political stage. At first, it was fairly overwhelming with the sheer scope of the situation and the parties involved. The reader must place a lot of faith in the fact that things that may not be clear immediately will be revealed through later chapters. And, for the most part, this does work, even if it is a challenge to get through the first half of the book due to the slower pacing.

While I think this pacing and structure is standard for this sort of book, I do think that this one did struggle a bit with including some of the flavor that is necessary to hook readers in through these early chapters. I never felt like I was getting quite enough of the culture behind this world. It’s hard to quite put my finger on what was missing here, but I was often left with the feeling of wanting something more. I will say, I was pleased to see the book take a hard turn from the too-typical approach to sexism in medieval fantasy. Here, the women are often powerful, intimidating warriors and commanders as well, and any sexism shot their way is rightly identified as ridiculous in that light.

While we do have a lot of POV characters, there are two primary ones mentioned in the book description. I enjoyed both of these quite a lot! They each had interesting arcs and growth throughout the story, particularly Rui. I also enjoyed the deep friendship that grew between these two, though I’m not sure the story did quite enough to properly show us this development. All told, we see very few interactions between these two and are more often told that time passes during which their bonds are further solidified. So while I loved the end result, I felt a bit cheated in the manner in which we got there.

Overall, this was a solid start to a series! While there were a few things here and there that held me back from absolutely adoring it (slower pacing and some weaker moments in character work), I’m definitely invested enough to want to see where things go from here! I would recommend this for fans of political fantasy most especially, as the slower pacing and detailed political maneuvering of the first half will likely land best with this subgenre’s fans.

Rating 8: Rich in political detail and morally gray characters, readers should try to stick through the slower pacing of the first half for the payoff in the latter part!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Book of Fallen Leaves” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026

Serena’s Review: “Entwined”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Entwined” by H.M. Long

Publishing Info: Titan Books, March 2926

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Ottilie Rushforth hides from the mighty Sorcerer’s Guild as secretary to a has-been detective. She is Entwined – threads of magic run beneath her skin, and the Guild would trap her in service.

But Ottilie has a plan to escape the Guild forever with her estranged fiancé, the enigmatic poet, soldier and smuggler Lewis Illing. All she must do is track down a mysterious artefact, claim the bounty, and leave the city forever. But Ottilie’s sisters – Pretoria, a quick-witted sorceress and thief recently emerged from exile, and Madge, a guild mage to the core, appear to make equally unwelcome offers. A new life at the cost of everything she has ever wanted, or prestige and safety in a gilded cage.

With her life on the line, Ottilie must track down the artifact in a city torn apart by prejudice and violence, and choose between the two sides of herself – the fugitive and the Entwined.

Review: H.M. Long is a “must-read” author for me at this point, so I went into this book with high hopes. And, mostly, it lived up to those expectations. It’s perhaps not my favorite of her books, but all the important points are there, and I had a fun time reading it.

To start with the positives, Long’s writing is solid, as always. She has an excellent way of instantly creating a connection between her characters and the reader. Even more impressive, all three series I’ve read from her have included deep lore making up her worlds, and she manages to slowly, clearly convey this information to the reader as the story progresses without info-dumping or overwhelming the plot.

Here, I really enjoyed the magic system and the complicated nature of magic users within this society. Long slowly reveals the long history of this world, where power has shifted, and with it, opinions on the “otherness” of those with abilities. Many of the themes of this book revolve around rebellion, bigotry, and the fear of those who are different. Honestly, I was pretty surprised by how dark this went in regard to these themes. This is a dangerous world, with only limited options available to those born with magic—often quite tragic in their own right. If they stray beyond these strict lines, more than cruel words or looks await them. Death is a very real possibility.

Beyond that, I thought the magic itself was so interesting. There were several creative magical abilities that I don’t think I’ve ever come across before, such as the ability to paint away memories or emotions into a piece of art. So odd! And yet, one of the more deeply painful threads of the story. I also really liked the way the magic presented on people’s bodies, each ability tied to a specific time of day that would reveal these “threads” on their skin. In this way, Long neatly sidestepped a common problem with books with this basic premise. I’ve read a bunch of fantasy novels where magic users are persecuted, and the question always is: why don’t they just… not use their magic in front of people? It often seems as if it would be quite easy to go unnoticed in these other stories. But here, the characters have to go to great lengths to disguise themselves and be aware of the time of day. However, their magic is also at its most potent at this time, introducing a nice conflict to their management of this problem.

I also really liked the main character. She starts off very focused on her own plans to escape her circumstances, regardless of anything else. As the story progresses, we learn more about her childhood and early years and what made her the way she is now. However, as the story continues, her arc is one of coming to terms with the reality of living in this dark, painful world and questioning whether running is even a viable option.

However, while I liked the primary story and the buildup to what is coming next, the book did struggle a bit in the pacing. There were a handful of story beats that began to feel like a “rinse and repeat” situation. For example, I can count numerous times where Ottilie was captured, had to escape, and then was on the run before this all happened once again. Toward the final third of the book, when this all happened once again, I did find it a bit tiring.

But, like I said, I was invested enough in this intriguing world and magic system, and in Ottilie herself, to be excited to see where the story goes from here. The romance, such that there is, is a very secondary element, so I think it’s important that readers don’t go into this expecting any sort of romantasy situation. There is an interesting subplot to be found there, and I’m curious to see how it will play out going forward. But the central relationships of the book rest solidly on the shoulders of Ottilie and her two sisters.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this one! Like I said, it’s probably not my favorite of Long’s books, but it was a fun time for sure, and I’m always happy to find an original-feeling world and magic system in adult fantasy. Definitely recommend this one for similar fans!

Rating 8: While the pacing was a bit wobbly at times with repeated plot points, I really enjoyed the writing, world-building, and main character! Excited to check out the second book!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Entwined” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Romance Duets and Victorian Fantasy.

Kate’s Review: “Ducks”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands” by Kate Beaton

Publishing Info: Drawn and Quarterly, September 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Before there was Kate Beaton, New York Times bestselling cartoonist of Hark A Vagrant fame, there was Katie Beaton of the Cape Breton Beatons, specifically Mabou, a tight-knit seaside community where the lobster is as abundant as beaches, fiddles, and Gaelic folk songs. After university, Beaton heads out west to take advantage of Alberta’s oil rush, part of the long tradition of East Coasters who seek gainful employment elsewhere when they can’t find it in the homeland they love so much. With the singular goal of paying off her student loans, what the journey will actually cost Beaton will be far more than she anticipates.

Arriving in Fort McMurray, Beaton finds work in the lucrative camps owned and operated by the world’s largest oil companies. Being one of the few women among thousands of men, the culture shock is palpable. It does not hit home until she moves to a spartan, isolated worksite for higher pay. She encounters the harsh reality of life in the oil sands where trauma is an everyday occurrence yet never discussed. Her wounds may never heal.

Beaton’s natural cartooning prowess is on full display as she draws colossal machinery and mammoth vehicles set against a sublime Albertan backdrop of wildlife, Northern Lights, and Rocky Mountains. Her first full-length graphic narrative, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on its egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.

Review: In February I ended up going to see “Les Miserables” with my husband and some friends, and as I always do when seeing “Les Mis” I mentioned to the group my favorite “Hark, a Vagrant!” comic set that has Javert at the forefront. There’s just something about him burning down the Life Café in “Rent” that just tickles me. One of my friends mentioned Beaton’s graphic memoir “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands”, saying that he really enjoyed it and that I should check it out. I had intended to do so back when it first came out a few years ago, but for whatever reason I didn’t get around to it, but made a note to head to the library and get it as soon as I could. And shortly thereafter I had it in hand and was ready to dive in, not totally sure what to expect but certain it would be something different from the whimsical cartoons I’ve known Beaton for over the years. And I have to say, my friend was right, it was very good.

“Ducks” is the story of Kate Beaton’s time after college where, worried about a lack of financial opportunities in her home of Cape Breton Island and the looming student loans post college, she took a job in the oil sands in Fort McMurray, Alberta, knowing the pay would be higher and the time to getting out of debt would be faster. While she isn’t prepared at all for what the oil sands will be like, she has to adjust to a huge change in her life, with jarring experiences, harsh conditions, and an experience unlike anything she’s had until this point. I found her story to be incredibly poignant and sobering, as while she finds connection and does seem to find her groove, she has to deal with cold management, misogynistic male co-workers (made all the worse due to a huge lack of other women, making her even more of a target), and grueling yet monotonous work. Throw in the bleakness of the way the beauty of the natural world around her is being stripped down and exploited for oil profits and we have an unflinching account of climate destruction that also brings financial opportunities to so many who are in desperate need of it. I don’t know that much about Canada and its history with oil and natural resources, but I felt like I learned a fair amount from this book in a way that was very accessible.

What I really loved the most about this memoir is that Beaton is very measured and thoughtful when telling her story, and is able to acknowledge the nuances of the oil sands and her time there while also examining and holding multiple truths. It’s true that the oil sands provided financial opportunities that she was having a hard time achieving elsewhere after her education was through and her student loans were looming, but it’s also true that she had some horrific experiences with misogyny, gross comments, and even sexual assault that went unacknowledged and without justice. She does a good job of showing the terrible men that she worked with there who objectified and wounded her, but also shows the good people there who did their best and supported her. She acknowledges the horrible climate and environmental harms that these oil sands bring to Alberta, with chemical spills, higher cancer rates, and nasty day to day symptoms, while showing the great beauty of being out in that part of the world and in the nature surrounding it. She shows the gross men and doesn’t excuse their vile behaviors and the sometimes all too unfortunate ways they would turn to drugs to get through their shifts, but also acknowledges how hard it can be for the workers who are so isolated from greater society that regression is almost unpreventable. She also takes great care to address the way that these oil sands affect Indigenous communities, be it how it can infect their water and affect their environment, or the way that Indigenous women can be so vulnerable to violence from the people who work there. It’s all very heavy and the themes are difficult, but the conversations surrounding it are necessary and I appreciate how she was able to parse out all of the nuance that comes with it.

And the art is what I would expect from Beaton, while also capturing some really well done emotional beats and some lovely depictions of the place that was such a pivotal moment in her life.

(source)

“Ducks” is a fantastic and personal graphic memoir that I highly recommend. I learned so much about a very specific aspect of Canada that leaks into greater realities, and I thought it was simply sublime.

Rating 9: A deeply personal and nuanced graphic memoir that tells a story of financial opportunity that comes with a cost, climate destruction, and Canada itself, “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands” was informative, interesting, and emotional.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Ducks” is included on the Goodreads lists “Graphic Memoirs”, and “Oh, Canada!”.