Serena’s Review: “Thistlemarsh”

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Book: “Thistlemarsh” by Moorea Corrigan

Publishing Info: Berkley, April 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: In the wake of World War I, the world is a decidedly unmagical place for Mouse Dunne. She once dreamed of becoming a Faerie anthropologist, but with one telegram, her world shattered. At the Battle of the Somme, her cousin’s body disappeared into the mud, and her brother was left with debilitating shell shock. It was time, she knew, to put aside childish dreams.

When Mouse receives news that her uncle has left her the Faerie-blessed Thistlemarsh Hall, a dilapidated manor in the English countryside, she must leave her brother’s side and return to her childhood home to claim her birthright. But there is a catch in her uncle’s will: If Mouse does not rehabilitate the crumbling house in one month’s time, she will forfeit her inheritance and any hope of caring for her brother.

It quickly becomes clear it’s impossible to repair the manor in the allotted time, until a mysterious Faerie appears with a proposition. He offers to restore Thistlemarsh…for a price. Mouse knows better than to trust a Faerie—especially one so insufferably handsome and arrogant—but she is out of options. There are dark and magical forces at work in the house, and Mouse must confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets of her heart or lose Thistlemarsh, and herself, in the process.

Review: While this wasn’t a perfect read, there was a lot to like about this book! It started off strong right off the bat with the setting and time period. While we see historical fantasy often enough, it still seems rare that we see books set during World War I, especially not as explicitly as this one is. The war isn’t simply mentioned; it’s a driving force behind much of the plot and character arc of the main character. We see the lasting effects in the village with its reduced number of young men. We see the complicated juxtaposition of a woman who has the skills and experience of a trade, but is still living in what is very much a man’s world. And we have the harsh realities of what life after war looks like: the loss of loved ones forever, the lingering pain of veterans who will never recover, and the challenges left to those who care for them and must move life forward.

I also really liked the way this more “true to life” historical fiction narrative was tied together within a world that once took for granted the presence of magic and Faeries, beings who have only fairly recently disappeared from the world. Of course, this is a fantasy book first and foremost, so no one but our main character is surprised when a Faerie shows up fairly quickly to involve himself in the mission to restore the dilapidated Thistelmarsh Hall. Speaking of which, I also really liked the general premise: a young woman given an impossible task; a magical being who comes to her aid with an unlikely bargain. It’s all familiar, but in a nice, familiarly pleasant way.

That said, while I appreciated the familiarity of the story being told, the manner in which it played out felt a bit plodding. The pacing in general was too slow for my taste, and there were numerous “day-in-the-life” sort of scenes that felt like throwaways to me, adding little to the story or character development. This sort of “coziness” doesn’t really work well for me personally, but I know others really enjoy it, so it really depends on your own personal preference how well this aspect of the book works for you. For me, the story itself felt like it was dragging, especially towards the middle, and scenes that I believe were meant to draw me in further to the character fell flat.

I also struggled a bit with the characters and the romance. This was a bit surprising when I looked back on my experience of the book, as I really enjoyed Mouse in the beginning of the story. She was smart, grounded, and driven to succeed where she had been meant to fail. But then, towards the middle of the book, she makes one truly wild and unnecessary decision that felt very out of character and was hard to reconcile with the version of Mouse we’d seen before. I also thought the romance played out in a rather strange way. It had some good things to say about consent, but overall, I didn’t find it very compelling by the time we finally got to the resolution at the end of the book.

Overall, I thought this was a nice historical fantasy novel. It was a bit too slow-paced and cozy for my personal taste, but the historical aspects really carried it through some of the weaker elements. Fans of cozy fantasies that move at a slower pace will likely gobble it up!

Rating 8: The pacing was on the slower side, but the strong historical setting and interesting blending of fantasy and Faeries overall left me quite pleased with it!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Thistlemarsh” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Debuts and Edwardian Fantasy.

Kate’s Review: “Bone of My Bone”

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Book: “Bone of My Bone” by Johanna van Veen

Publishing Info: Poisoned Pen Press, May 2026

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher at PLA 2026

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

Book Description: The year is 1635.

Sister Ursula, a young nun fleeing the ruins of her convent, and Elsebeth, a sharp-witted peasant, escape a band of marauding soldiers and disappear into the Bavarian forest. War scorches the land, and no one survives it alone. Amid the devastation, they find something in the arms of a dying the gilded skull of a saint.

It is said that if you reunite the saint’s skull with her body, a wish will be granted. Desperate for salvation, and each with secret desires of their own, Ursula and Elsebeth follow a ragged map across the blighted countryside. But darkness follows them. A necromancer, drawn to the relic’s power. The saint herself, whispering at night. And as the lines between blessing and curse blur, the women must face a harrowing the magic they seek comes at a cost.

At the journey’s end, they’ll face an impossible choice—one that could tear apart everything they know… or bind them to each other forever.

Review: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC of this novel at PLA 2026!

Serena and I had the pleasure to go to the Public Library Association Conference this past April because it was in Minneapolis! How great that we could hop in a car and drive not even fifteen minutes away from my house and attend a book conference (we’ll be driving to ALA this year as well but Chicago is decidedly a longer trip). I restrained myself a bit when it came to ARCs as I knew that ALA was on the horizon, but I was THRILLED to see Johanna van Veen’s newest sapphic horror novel “Bone of My Bone” was available! I have enjoyed her past historical horror novels, and the creepy nun holding a skull on the cover definitely caught my eye. As I read the description I knew that I was going to be in for a treat. A dark and deeply upsetting treat, but a treat nonetheless, because it felt like a nice heady mix of “Evil Dead” and “The Witch” in a lot of ways. So obviously MY THING.

I was positively grinning from ear to ear! (source)

Our story has two protagonists with two perspective chapter types. The first is Sister Ursula, a nun who escaped from her nunnery leaving her sisters behind as mercenaries and soldiers descended. The second is Elsebeth, a peasant who has lost everything in the wake of the war due to violence from the soldiers. The two women team up, and then find what appears to be a Saint’s skull after meeting a dying man in the forest who has it in his possession. Believing that they could reunite it with its body and in turn receive wishes as reward (as they both have things they are desperate for), they go on a journey, the skull speaking to Elsebeth in her dreams. What they don’t know is a necromancer, assisted by a shambling corpse he has enslaved, is also in pursuit. I loved van Veen’s supernatural monsters of choice in this book (more on the real life monsters in a bit), with the main focus being split into two camps: necromancers/witches, and possessed dead called Nachzehers that necromancers use to achieve their own ends. The witchcraft is so appropriate for the time with the fears of witchcraft being incredibly prevalent, and I loved how creepy the necromancer was. As for his Nachzeher Otto, he is a former soldier who is being used against his will, though it becomes clear that he deserves whatever hell the necromancer brings to him (and the necromancer seems to think so too). The witchcraft was so creepy but powerful, and the Nachzeher, a folk monster from German culture, felt so Kandarian Demon Deadite in a lot of ways that I REALLY liked it. And don’t worry; there are other creepy creatures in these pages, though van Veen had me rather emotional with a couple of them due to the horrible ends that some met in life.

And van Veen’s choice of taking place during the Thirty Year’s War is such a dark but fantastic one. I don’t know as much about German history as I would like, especially during this time period, but to me this read as very unflinching and realistic in the horrors that a war that potentially killed 35% of the population would bring forth. This is probably one of the most brutal books I’ve read recently when it comes to the honest approach to the hell that civilians go through during wartime, with starvation, isolation, land loss, murder, and rape being pretty prevalent in the story (though the rape is mostly off page and referred to as opposed to depicted; this book also has a great list of trigger warnings in the back). A lot of the trauma experienced by Ursula and Elsebeth is haunting and emotional, and we explore their journeys of unpacking it and trying to work through it in ways that feel deeply tender and empathetic. Elsebeth in particular has had a terrible go of it, and her crisis of faith in contrast to Ursula faith as a nun bring up interesting and philosophical points as they are trying to reunite a potentially holy skull with its body in hopes of getting one wish. As mentioned I couldn’t help but think about Robert Eggers’s film “The Witch” at times in this book, as witchcraft is certainly a huge theme, but it also tackles just how much brutality women in dire circumstances had to endure, and how loss in one’s faith or the temptation to turn to something new is wholly understandable.

And I also just loved Ursula and Elsebeth’s burgeoning relationship. Their companionship starts due to shared trauma and determination, but then it turns into something so much more and I loved their growing romance. They just complement each other so well, and as they become more and more devoted the stakes just get higher and higher as they are in constant danger. I loved their love story.

“Bone of My Bone” is phenomenal. I cannot recommend it enough to horror fans. If you haven’t read anything by Johanna van Veen, consider this your sign to start.

Rating 9: Brutal and creepy while also being philosophical and tender, “Bone of My Bone” is van Veen’s best story yet. Just incredible.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Bone of My Bone” is included on the Goodreads lists “Queer Books Set Pre-1800”, and “Horror Releases Coming in 2026”.

Beach Reads: Summer 2026

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Back for 2026, here is a list of some more favorite beach reads! Perhaps a little early, but Memorial Day is the traditional kick off to Summer, after all, and that’s just a week away. “Beach read” is a very fast and loose term for books people read over the beautiful summer months when we really should be outside “doing things” but are instead reading…maybe outside. Some people see these months as an opportunity to slog through long classics (we’re looking at you “Moby Dick”) before the busy-ness of the fall starts up, but for the sake of this list, we’re limiting our choices to fast paced, mostly feel good books (though there’s some obvious leeway here for Kate’s horror tastes!) that could be easily brought along on vacations. So, still a very loose definition, but hey, we had to start somewhere! We will select one title for each of the genres we most read.

Serena’s Picks

Fantasy Title: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Illona Andrews

This was a fairly obvious pick for me, as the one word that always comes to mind when I think about my experience reading this book is “fun.” This is all the more impressive because all told, it’s a fairly hefty novel, with a ton of world-building and a wide cast of characters (though there is only one POV character). That said, the concept itself is such a blast (a portal fantasy where a woman travels into her favorite fantasy novel and finds that she can’t die there) that I feel like I whipped through my read in only a few sittings! Andrews takes several familiar fantasy tropes and leans into them so hard that they almost feel completely fresh and new again by the time you get to the explosive end of this first book. There’s also a lovely romance, and Maggie herself is a fantastic protagonist. Definitely add this one to your vacation pile if you enjoy action-packed fantasy with a strong romance subplot!

Science Fiction Title: “Seek the Traitor’s Son” by Veronica Roth

This one blends genres between science fiction and fantasy, enough so that I felt justified in promoting it again here! It is the start to a series, but on its own, it’s still a fast-paced, action-packed story with a surprising level of depth and commentary on grief, destiny, and free will. There are three main characters, though two of them make up much of the backbone of the story and also are included in the romantic subplot. Honestly, I pretty much loved everything about this book and think that anyone who enjoys fantasy or science fiction should give it a shot. And I don’t want to hear a word about “Divergent” as a reason to not give this one a shot, that was over a decade ago, people! I kid, I kid. But still…

Historical Fiction/Mystery Title: “His Majesty’s Dragon” by Naomi Novik

Yes, yes, the word “dragon” is right there in the title of my “historical fiction” selection. But what can I say, I am who I am, and that’s primarily a fantasy reader. That said, my reading experience is often at its peak when genres are blended, and that’s the case here. Dragons aside, if I was going to point to a comp title for this book, it would be “Master and Commander” way before anything like “Game of Thrones.” That’s because, while the dragons are also characters and the connection between the main character and his dragon is central to the story, the actual role and use of dragons as a concept in this book is essentially imagining these great beasts as warships in the sky. Much of the story is about warfare tactics, the structure of managing these great beasts and their massive crews, and many of the other day-to-day topics one would often find in historical fiction focused on naval warfare. Beyond this, the focus of the plot is very much grounded in its historical setting and the Napoleonic Wars. Novik does an excellent job of recreating the world and history we know so closely that you almost forget that dragons weren’t always in there! She also masters that particular style of writing that reads as “historical” first and foremost. I also strongly recommend the audiobook version of this book and the rest of the series, as I think the narrator does a fantastic job capturing the tone of everything.

Romance Title: “The Second Death of Locke” by V. L. Bovalino

This was such a lovely fantasy romance, and I feel like it somehow went by largely unnoticed last fall, which is such a shame! Not only does it feature a lady knight, but the romance is also a friends-to-lovers story, which is a nice breath of fresh air from the million and one enemies/rivals-to-lovers romances that are currently overwhelming the genre. The love story is a slow burn, but so satisfying in its yearning and building tension. While the love story itself takes a bit to get going, the two characters are so affectionate and devoted right from the start that I was highly invested practically from the first page. There’s also an interesting fantasy world built up here with a complicated history that is very much tied to our heroine. This book is a stand-alone, but there are more books to come featuring other characters in this world. Definitely check this one out if you’re looking for a romance novel that bucks current trends!

Kate’s Picks

Horror Title: “The Mean Ones” by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Horror is always a bit of a harder one to tackle for a beach read, as I feel like so much of what people want from beach reads includes something that feels low stakes and not so heavy, and horror can be HEAVY and HIGH STAKES just by nature of the genre. But I picked “The Mean Ones” because of setting (camping be it at a summer camp or in the woods), and because the main character is so easy to root for and it makes the pages turn so fast. This was one of my favorite reads last year, and I found it fun, spooky, and very summer-y with its themes and vibes.

Thriller Title: “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke

This one is getting a lot of chatter surrounding it lately and people have a LOT of opinions, but I found it to be SO damn fun and enjoyable. And it’s such a fast paced thriller with such biting satire that I think a lot of people who like soap and drama will find it to be a fun read too. Trad wife fiction is really having a moment right now, and Natalie’s faux veneer as a trad wife influencer is scathing and dramatic… even before she wakes up potentially in the time period she pretends to love so much! This is the exact kind of page turner that is perfect for vacation and beach reading!

Graphic Novel Title: “The Girl from the Sea” by Lee Knox Ostertag

Not only does this one take place at the ocean itself, it’s also a sweet and touching fantasy romance! Morgan lives on an island and is ready to leave for good, as she feels like an outsider and is hiding a secret about her sexuality from everyone around her. Then she meets Keltie, a girl who comes out of the ocean and is actually a selkie. The girls form a connection and fall in love, which means that Morgan needs to start being honest in ways she isn’t ready for. This book is charming and quick, and the love story is very adorable.

Non-Fiction Title: “Vagabond” by Tim Curry

I love Tim Curry and have loved Tim Curry since “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” changed my life in ninth grade. I had been familiar with his work before that thanks to “Ferngully” and “Muppet Treasure Island”, and “Rocky Horror” was the life changing experience that defined him for me, but the man has such an illustrious career and impact on pop culture he’s a living legend. Because of my love for him I read his memoir “Vagabond” last fall and just adored it. He’s candid and not overly sentimental, but has so much to say about his life as an actor. It’s charming and touching and a little bit catty, and it’s a quick and lovely read perfect for poolside! Especially if Curry is a formative part of your life.

Serena’s Review: “A Kiss of Crimson Ash”

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Book: “A Kiss of Crimson Ash” by Anuja Varghese

Publishing Info: Orbit, May 2026

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

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

Book Description: Nandapore is a city of secrets and spellcasters where seduction reigns and a power-hungry king is never satisfied, plotting to unleash a weapon that has only lived in myth… until now.

To stop him, an ancient goddess seeks out a newly crowned queen, a heartsick prince, a common thief, and a courtesan with magic in her blood. Together, they chart a course through brothels, temples, taverns, and palaces, setting a trap for the empire’s most powerful men.

Linked by desire, destiny, and a dangerous foe, they each must decide…

Review: This was a mixed bag of a read for me, partly because it felt like the book was mis-marketed as a romantasy when it was more fantasy-focused, truly. But then at the same time, the book felt the need to include repeated and often unnecessary (either for plot purposes or character development purposes) spicy scenes that felt like they were shoe-horned in simply to chase trends and/or reinforce that this book is an adult book instead of YA. For the former, I think all books are worse off for trying to capture what are only brief moments of popularity that will likely either date your book immediately or fall off so quickly as to be useless. And as for the latter…

That is, simply write your book with adult characters and trust your audience.

What I liked most was probably the mythology and the ties to Indian culture and history. I especially enjoyed the blending of elements that seemed to come from actual folklore alongside a pantheon of deities that were created specifically for this world. I think this sort of approach for fantasy folklore is often the most successful, where authors don’t feel too tied down to recreating exact myths or using deities from actual religions within their fantasy story. I think a bit more could have been done with them, ultimately, but the general approach was good.

The story itself was OK. I wasn’t blown away by anything that was happening (indeed, there were several moments where side characters would randomly show up with the exact thing needed for a given situation or conflict), but I also was interested enough throughout to keep going. The writing itself was fairly limited with regard to its imagery as well, which was unfortunate, as if there is one word that comes to mind when I picture India, it is “lush.” It would have been nice if the writing could have better risen to the inspiration it was calling upon.

The characters were likewise fine. I didn’t hate them, but they also all felt fairly flat. And it’s here where I really hold the spicy scenes against the book. My personal preference is for a limited number of spicy scenes, used in a way that moves the characters or relationship forward. But that’s just my own taste. However, books are also limited to a certain page count, and the inclusion of certain scenes means taking page time away from other aspects of the story. If a good handful of these spicy scenes had been taken out, and the story refocused on developing these characters more fully, not only would the book itself be better, but the spicy scenes that remained would have hit with more of an impact.

So, overall, this was just an OK read. I don’t feel like I wasted my time reading it, as I got through it quickly and it had flashes of fantasy elements that I did enjoy. However, the overuse of spice, the flat characters, and the limited word craft didn’t ever let me become fully invested. That said, if you’re looking for a more spice-focused Indian fantasy story, this still might be a good read for you!

Rating 7: It never quite reached the potential that you could see glimmering behind the unnecessary spice scenes.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Kiss of Crimson Ash ” isn’t currently on any Goodreads lists but it is on: Romantasy TBR 2026

Kate’s Review: “A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge”

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Book: “A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #4)” by Kate Khavari

Publishing Info: Crooked Lane Books, June 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

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

Book Description: Saffron Everleigh returns to Ellington Manor after her grandfather suffers a heart attack. Back in her childhood home for the first time in years, Saffron faces tense family relationships made worse by the presence of the enigmatic Bill Wyatt, hired on as a doctor to the ailing Lord Easting. But the man is no doctor—in reality, he is a mysterious figure involved in the trafficking of dangerous government secrets, and his presence at Ellington can only mean trouble.

When their neighbors, the Hales, invite a spiritual medium into the village who starts angling for Saffron’s mother’s attention, Saffron realizes that there is more afoot in her hometown than she originally thought. Not to mention inviting Alexander to Ellington has put their budding relationship under her family’s microscope.

As tensions rise at Ellington, Bill demands that Saffron hand over old research documents belonging to her late father. With her relatives under his power as their ‘doctor,’ Saffron fears she may be forced to surrender the files along with her hopes of ever understanding her father’s obscure legacy. Nothing and no one is as they seem at Ellington. It’s through the perfumed haze of the séance’s smoke that Saffron must search for the truth before it’s too late.

Review: It is once again time to return to post WWI England and into the world of crime and botany! As I mentioned last time I reviewed this series, I am going to read and review the most recent Saffron Everleigh mystery by Kate Khavari when it comes out next month, but I needed to play catch up! So now I’m taking on “A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge”, in which our plant minded heroine Saffron Everleigh has to return to her family estate due to her grandfather having a heart attack, and finds that a dangerous nemesis has seamlessly placed himself there as well. And it may be true that a lot of mystery readers like a nemesis, but this time around it didn’t really work for me.

But first the positives! This biggest part of this book that worked for me was the plot about spiritualism, which had a huge resurgence after World War I due to the fact that so many soldiers died in a horrific way. Khavari has mentioned the losses that our characters, be they Saffron or her friend Elizabeth, have had to endure, with Saffron’s own father being killed in the trenches as well as her childhood sweetheart Wesley, who also happened to be Elizabeth’s brother. When Saffron, Alexander, and Elizabeth return to Ellington they find out that Elizabeth’s parents, the Hales, have hired a medium to have a seance to try and communicate with Wesley to make sure he is at peace. While none of our main characters believe in it and know the woman is a fraud, this was not uncommon during this time to see grifters who took advantage of people’s grief for monetary purposes. I really enjoyed how Khavari brought this in and made it one of the big mysteries, as they KNOW she is lying, but she sure seems to be on the level.

I also always enjoy the relationships between Saffron and her loved ones. The first and most pertinent in this book for me is her friendship with Elizabeth, who is dealing with the fallout from her suitor in the last book being a lying murderous criminal. She is deeply hurt by these revelations and isn’t doing so hot, and I enjoyed how Khavari doesn’t make this an easy experience for her and how it is causing strain between her and Saffron, who is trying to be a good friend but has her own problems. Eliza is still my favorite character in these books (with Lee being a close second, and he DOES show up here for a bit!), and it was kind of refreshing having her be more than the free spirited snarky friend. As for Alexander, I’m still not his biggest fan, but now that we are done with the will they or won’t they and he is just being a supportive boyfriend (who has to impress her incredibly judgmental family, specifically her grandparents the Lord and Lady Easting) who has his own knowledge and skills to add to the plot. I also liked the setting of the aristocratic manor of Saffron’s family, as it felt a little bit “Downton Abbey” as she deals with her snooty grandmother and her ailing grandfather, as well as the secrets that her mother Violet seems to be hiding.

But there was the other aspect of this book that had a huge theme and plot point, and that is the nefarious character of Bill, who showed up in the previous book as an antagonist and has managed to weasel his way into Saffron’s circle by masquereding as a doctor for the Lord Easting. He was introduced a bit out of the blue in the previous book, and in this book we find out he wants research from that Saffron’s father left behind. He is set up as an ultimate nemesis for Saffron, and the idea of wanting research secrets is interesting enough, but I felt like his presence made for the least amount of botany themes that we’ve seen in this series. I also didn’t enjoy their battles of the wits as much as I had hoped I would, because we’ve seen the Sherlock and Moriarty nemesis trope so many times and unless you really reclaim it, it just kind of comes off as hackneyed these days. Having the two mysteries at hand and one of them being so focused on Bill just threw the pacing off and made it feel like it dragged on and on.

“A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge” had its ups and downs, and I hope we get a bit more back into direct botanical research and themes for the next book.

Rating 6: I enjoyed the spiritualism storyline and Saffron’s relationships are still enjoyable, but wasn’t as into this new ‘prolonged nemesis’ angle that we got with Bill as it really bogged the rest of the story down.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge” is included on the Goodreads list “‘Revenge’ in the Title”.

Previously Reviewed:

Serena’s Review: “The Tapestry of Fate”

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Book: “The Tapestry of Fate” by Shannon Chakraborty

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, May 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: Amina al-Sirafi thinks she’s struck gold. Tasked with hunting down arcane artifacts for the council of immortal peris, she can savor the occasional rollicking adventure on the high seas with her cherished criminal companions while still returning home to raise her beloved daughter, Marjana. But when Raksh, the spirit of discord with whom she is reluctantly wed, provokes the council’s wrath, Amina is charged with a seemingly impossible quest: steal a spindle capable of rewriting fate from a mysterious sorceress on an island no one can escape.

Forced to leave Marjana—who is increasingly frustrated at being peddled what are clearly lies about her mother’s life and her own past—Amina finds her mission almost immediately thrown into peril. But deadly storms, an erratic poison mistress, and old enemies are the least of her worries. For the peris’ story is unraveling, hinting at a far deadlier game whose rules Amina must swiftly puzzle out. A game that sets her against an adversary more cunning and powerful than she has ever faced.

A game that not everyone on her crew wants her to win.

Review: Insert “old lady Titanic gif” here, or something of that effect! But seriously, it’s felt like forever and a day since the first book in this series came out. I know the author has had a lot going on, so I’m sympathetic. But my greedy, book-loving heart kept obsessively checking the Goodreads page for the last few years, hoping for an update. And at last, here we are. And it was well worth the wait!

The story picks up a few months after the first book, and I’ll say right at the top, this was the most challenging part of this book for me. On one hand, I appreciate that the author just jumped right into the action; and for future readers who pick this one up immediately after the first book, this will work even better. But for the rest of us who are reading this now, after it’s been a few years since the first book, some of this transition was rough. Not only was I trying to piece together my memory of the plot of the first book (some of which is crucial to understanding the main character’s current predicament), but I was also struggling with more simple things, like remembering just who everyone was and what their stories were. Perhaps some sort of prologue or even “cast of characters” supporting materials somewhere in the book would have helped. As it stands, the book does very little to reintroduce you to these characters or the current stakes, so for me at least, it took a bit to feel like I was really caught up with exactly what was going on.

That said, even in the midst of my confusion, this was simply an excellently written book and a fun time to read. Amina is a great narrator with a unique voice who immediately drew me back into the story. And beyond that, the plot doesn’t skimp on the action, starting out with an exciting action scene and then delving quickly into the main plot of the story and the various mini-quests that make up that storyline. It was easy enough to simply let myself get caught up in what was going on on the page and trust that it would all come back to me. If possible, I recommend other readers take the same approach: it will all come to you eventually, just enjoy the ride in the meantime!

I also really liked the central plot of this story and the secondary story that was woven throughout the book in chapters that follow another character. I can’t go into much here without getting into spoilers, but there were some really great themes of motherhood, rage, and the gray line when victimhood can turn into villainy. There were some really touching scenes here that were darker than I expected. But this darkness was always balanced nicely by Amina’s narrative that was so strongly rooted in her core characteristics: her determination, bravery, and loyalty to those she loves.

I also really like the storyline we got between Amina and her friend, a woman who is as distrusting as they come. While I was equal parts frustrated as I was intrigued, this storyline took a close look at the complex nature of friendship, as well as the dark underside of self-sacrifice and atonement.

The core mystery and focus of the adventure of the story was also excellent. The magical components were all so unique and interwoven (ha!) in interesting ways, often taking turns that I hadn’t expected. Again, some of these twists and turns were fairly dark, but some of these heavier moments were as beautiful as they were heart-wrenching.

I will say that the middle portion of the book is where I lost the single point in my rating, dropping it from a 10 to a 9. There was a brief period in the middle of the book where it felt like the plot was spinning its wheels. Most of the major players had been well established, the mystery set up, and then it felt like the story took a few too many turns through Amina’s confusion and frustration before getting moving again. But I’ll also say that this slowdown in the pacing at this point in the story also worked very well, narratively, for Amina’s own experience of her situation.

The book does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, I will say. The main plotline is fully wrapped up, but on the very last page, the author drops a major bombshell into the current situation. That being the case, I can only hope that the next book comes quickly! If you were a fan of the first book, I highly recommend you check this one out! I’m sure it will be a massive hit with all fantasy fans!

Rating 9: Full of swashbuckling adventure and sweeping vistas, “The Tapestry of Fate” will catch you up in its rollicking good time before punching you with an emotional hammer of a mother’s rage. Simply fantastic!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Tapestry of Fate” can be found on these Goodreads lists: All Books with “Tapestry” in the Title and Arabian, Egyptian, and Indian Fantasy.

Kate’s Review: “To The Last Gram”

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Book: “To The Last Gram” by Shreya Davies & Vanessa Wong (Ill.)

Publishing Info: Difference Engine, April 2026

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from the publisher

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

Book Description: Through her school days, where she must negotiate a precarious balancing act between her culture and fitting in, to her teenage years where appetites must be managed to keep up appearances, to her early adulthood where responsibilities feel overwhelming, Divya journeys from feelings of emptiness to finally finding fulfillment within.

To the Last Gram is an honest and hopeful story of feeling at odds with and finding a home in one’s community, family, and body, and of the yet-unfurling journey to embrace the fullness of life.

Review: Thank you to Difference Engine for sending me an eARC of this graphic novel!

A few years ago I decided that I wanted to lose some weight. I’ve always had a tricky relationship with my body, and while I had found myself feeling generally okay for a long time, in the past few years I’ve been more self conscious as having a child, being in my early 40s, and probably being in perimenopause or on the verge of it has made my body change in ways that felt upsetting to me as an elder Millennial who absolutely has self perception issues. So I signed up for a diet plan that touted itself as being flexible, giving you a calorie range to fall into to lose weight but still be able to maintain a healthy caloric intake. Well, me being me decided ‘why not just shave a few hundred calories off of that and never get in the range and always stay below it?! That’s the ticket!’ Spoiler alert: it was not the ticket and I found myself in a bad place mentally and verging on physically, and dropped the program. I came to the conclusion that I’m a little too susceptible to disordered eating and quit while I was ahead. I kept thinking about this moment in time while I was reading “To The Last Gram” by Shreya Davies. Because while I have never found myself dealing with a full blown eating disorder, the fact that it can and does happen doesn’t shock me. I went into this book steeling myself for an emotional story, and it absolutely was.

This is a fictional tale, but one gets the sense that it’s a bit personal as well. We follow Divya, a teenager girl who is trying to fit in at school in a culture that she isn’t familiar with, and who stands out not only due to her skin color but also because of her body size. She’s larger than her peers, she stands out in her gymnastics class, and even her pediatrician says that she’s obese and needs to eat better even though her mother prepares pretty typical homemade meals. As she tries to conform more to the beauty standards her new home finds acceptable, and as she becomes a teenager, she starts greatly restricting her caloric intake, and starts exercising excessively, until she is in full blown anorexia and fully obsessed about her weight. Divya’s story is incredibly emotional at times, but never treads into exploitative or (and I hate to say it in regards to EDs but I can’t think of another word) melodramatic, making it very easy to relate to Divya and to understand how she got to the point where she is alarmingly thin. Davies portrays the obsessiveness in a really well done way, whether it’s Divya shrinking before our eyes during work out montages or the imagery of food looking evil and scary in her mind’s eye. It definitely captures the complicated nature of EDs and how it is also a mental struggle that a person can get caught in.

I also appreciated that this story is fairly realistic and candid about eating disorders and how difficult they can be to work through, and that recovery isn’t always linear. We see the origins of Divya’s anorexia as a way she hopes to fit in and be more well liked, dropping calories and obsessing over exercise, but it isn’t a straight forward ‘she loses weight, develops anorexia, gets help, and lives happily ever after’. If anything it shows that she struggles with her disordered eating and body image on and off, sometimes falling back into anorexia, sometimes being able to stave it off for a bit, but never being fully ‘cured’. I felt like it reflects the reality of eating disorders, and while I’m sure that there are people who feel like they have been able to leave it behind, there are probably others who feel like it’s going to be a constant issue that needs mitigating and attention. I thought that showing this aspect gave the book a nice mix of hope and bittersweetness.

And finally, the artwork by Vanessa Wong worked pretty well for me. It’s a very unique style that I thought at first wouldn’t fit in with the topic, but it became pretty clear that it was going to capture the tone well with the designs and color schemes.

(source: Difference Engine)

“To the Last Gram” is a candid and hopeful graphic novel. It’s an emotional one too, but that makes it all the better.

Rating 8: A thoughtful and bittersweet but hopeful story about disordered eating, a search for belonging, and the non-linear path of healing from an eating disorder.

Reader’s Advisory:

“To the Last Gram” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of yet, but it would fit in on “Body Image in Graphic Lit”.

Book Club Review: “When the Tides Held the Moon”

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We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Re-visiting some of our past themes, we’re once again pulling random words from a hat and finding a book that matches the prompts. For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

Book: “When the Tides Held the Moon” by Venessa Vida Kelley

Publishing Info: Erewhon Books, April 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: We own it

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

Prompt Word: Moon

Book Description: In Coney Island, true love rises to the surface. With lush illustrations and buoyant prose, Venessa Vida Kelley forges an unforgettable New York fairytale.

Benigno “Benny” Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can’t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds the eccentric sideshow proprietor who commissioned it. He invites Benny to join the show’s eclectic cast and share in their shocking secret: the tank will cage their newest exhibit, a live merman stolen from the salty banks of the East River.

More than a mythic marvel, Benny soon comes to know the merman Río as a kindred spirit, wise and more compassionate than any human he’s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny’s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of Río’s captivity—and his own.

Releasing Río could mean losing his found family, his new home, and his soulmate forever. Yet Benny’s courageous choice may just reveal a love strong enough to free them both.

Kate’s Thoughts

I’ve been to Coney Island a few times in my life, having strolled on the beach and walked through Luna Park. There’s something special about Coney, and there is something that just feels so profoundly ‘New York City’ about it. When our book club chose “When the Tides Held the Moon” by Venessa Vida Kelley I was already on board because of a queer romance between a blacksmith and a merman, but the 1910s Coney Island setting made it all the more tantalizing. It just feels like a New York story.

I loved so much about this book. The setting is the first thing, as there is such a romantic and fairy tale aspect to 1910s Coney Island, and a circus that is teeming with found family potential. The idea of a ‘freak show’ having people living on the edges of society and finding connection and companionship with one another is always a story that’s going to hit me in the feels, and Kelley adds in the fantasy element of merman Rió and has even more of a punch. I loved the way that Benny finds love and companionship not just with Rió, but also with a group of people who feel Othered in ways that, while not being fully the same, resonate for Benny, who is a fish out of water in his own way thanks to coming to New York from Puerto Rico and dealing with racism and xenophobia. The way that he connects with people who also feel on the outside for various reasons, be it race, sexuality, gender expression, and other things, was a genuinely heartwarming aspect of this book.

I also really loved the romance between Rió and Benny, with the slow build up of their love story really capturing the tenderness and beauty of their connection. It really reminded me of “The Shape of Water” (and I know that isn’t a unique comparison, but that’s because it’s APT). We see it through both of their eyes to some degree, as while Benny has most of the POV we do get some interspersed chapters of Rió’s thoughts and feelings as well. I liked how they challenged each other and lifted each other up, also connecting because of feeling so alone in the world. It’s the kind of aching romance that will just capture a reader and sweep them away, and it was one of the most effective romances I’ve connected to in recent memory (hilariously enough, another one like this was in “Trad Wife” and it also involved a human and an otherworldly being). Both Benny and Rió bring such passion and joy to the relationship as it unfolds and the circumstances become all the more heightened due to Rió’s captivity and issues that Benny is having with his own role in that. I was fully invested.

I loved “When the Tides Held the Moon”. It’s dreamy and romantic and touching and buoyant. I can’t recommend it enough.

Serena’s Thoughts

While I don’t have as many connections to New York City as Kate (I’ve been once for about 24 hours, much of which was spent bar hopping with my sister because it was pouring rain, the ferry to the Statue of Liberty was closed due to hurricane damage, and we were constantly waiting to meet up with an overly busy friend who was delayed), it’s still a city that has a clear “presence,” for lack of a better word. And this book followed one of my favorite storylines for fantasy fiction, where the author manages to merge the fantastical right alongside the very real, very human world that we know. So on one hand, yes, you have a love story featuring a merman. But you also have a love letter to a very specific time and place, New York City in 1910s. This was especially appealing to me as I also enjoy historical fiction, and this is a time period and location (somehow I don’t read many historical fiction pieces that take place in the U.S.) that I was less familiar with.

The writing was also lovely. I’m a sucker for lyrical, whimsical storytelling and this one had it in spades. The style of writing only accentuated the primary themes of the story, those of love, found family, and what makes up a home. There were many lovely passages that had me stopping to re-read and truly appreciate the author’s skill.

The story is definitely on the slower side, which I think worked well, especially with the emphasis on the atmospheric nature of the storytelling and the slow burn romance that developed between our main characters. But for readers who are looking for a faster pace, this probably isn’t that. I’d also want to note that while “monster romance” is a big subgenre in romantasy currently, this doesn’t really fall into the same category. The love story here was much more intimate in the emotional sense and all the more beautiful for it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! I had had it on my TBR for a while now, but hadn’t gotten around to prioritizing it. So yet another win for bookclub!

Kate’s Rating 9: A lovely and deeply romantic story about love, belonging, found family, and connection with a dreamy backdrop of 1910s Coney Island. I loved this book.

Serena’s Rating 9: Atmospheric and lyrical, this is a perfect blending of fantasy, historical fiction, and romance! Sure to be a hit with a variety of readers!

Book Club Questions

  1. What did you think of the time and place setting of this novel? Did you learn anything new about Puerto Rico or New York during this time period?
  2. Benny and Rió come from two different worlds but are drawn to each other. Why do you think that they had such a connection?
  3. Were you invested in the love story between Benny and Rió as the story went on? What other relationships in the book were interesting to you?
  4. Throughout the book we have mostly the POV of Benny, but we sometimes get more dreamy narrations of Rió’s perspectives. Did you like these snippets?
  5. What were your thoughts on the other side characters? Did any stand out to you?
  6. What circus stories from literature or pop culture could be compared to this book? Do you have any favorite circus stories?

Reader’s Advisory

“When the Tides Held the Moon” is included on the Goodreads lists “Best Queer Romantasy Books”, and “Gay Pirates and Sea Creatures”.

Next Book Club Pick: “The Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula K. Le Guin

Serena’s Review: “Storm Breaker”

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Book: “Storm Breaker” by Nisha J. Tuli

Publishing Info: Entangled: Mayhem Books, May 2026

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

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

Book Description: For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.

But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.

When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.

Review: It’s fun that dystopian novels are having a bit of a resurgence, it seems. Kate, of course, is doing her timely Hunger Games read-through, and there have been several new romance/romantasy dystopian books coming out that I’ve enjoyed reading. Not least of which was Seek the Traitor’s Son by the OG Veronica Roth, which I read and loved recently! That being the case, I was excited to check out another such novel when the publisher approached me about reviewing this book.

So, while this book didn’t blow me away, I will say that it is a dystopian novel that will please those who deeply love dystopian novels. That is, if you’re familiar with the tropes and storylines that come with this sort of book and that’s your jam, well, this one has that all in spades. On the other hand, this isn’t the most original story that’s ever existed, so if you’re looking for a fresh take on the dystopian romance story, this probably isn’t it.

To start with what I liked, I feel like this book was very fast-paced, very readable, and very approachable to readers who aren’t necessarily super familiar with genre conventions. The world-building isn’t super complex, but it’s easy to understand what’s going on here and who the major players are. This, of course, leaves a lot of room in the story for characterization and the romance plotline to take over as the main features. Thus, how well this book works for you will largely come down to how you feel about Poet and the MMC.

For me, however, I thought Poet was a weaker example of a female main character. In many ways, she read as very familiar and very YA, using the worse interpretation of that term. Many YA heroines are excellent, but there is also an unfortunate habit of writing them to be inconsistent, inscrutable, and rather unlikable. And we saw that all here. Poet makes decision after decision that not only makes no sense for her as a character but also makes no sense for pretty much anyone ever. It could be argued that this is part of her growth, but if so, I found it to be an unsatisfying arc. Look, adults continue to learn and grow too. But Poet was learning some pretty basic lessons that had me viewing her as a sixteen-year-old teen (on the young side, even) rather than an adult woman.

The romance was also just OK. It was a hard sell when I was struggling so much already to enjoy Poet, and unfortunately, the MMC didn’t do enough to compensate. I didn’t hate him by any means (which should probably be chalked up to a huge win given how I feel about other MMC characters in romantasies), but he was also just kind of there much of the time.

I know this author is fairly beloved for her YA books, and maybe I’d feel better about her writing if I had started there. Unfortunately, I went into this one with the promise of reading an adult dystopian romance, and with that came different expectations, especially with regards to characterization. Ultimately, it’s hard to read an adult spicy romance novel when the main character feels like she’s 16.

Rating 7: Fans of this author will likely love this. But it read as too YA for what I was expecting going in, especially with regards to the portrayal of the FMC.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Storm Breaker” can be found on these Goodreads lists: YA Dystopian Books With Female Lead and Apocalypses and Dystopias.

Kate’s Review: “Welcome to Hell”

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Book: “Welcome to Hell: From the West Bank to Gaza” by Mohammad Sabaaneh

Publishing Info: Street Noise Books, June 2026

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from the publisher

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

Book Description: A new graphic novel memoir chronicling the recent horrific days in Palestine, from Mohammad Sabaaneh, the winner of the Palestine Book Award.

This powerful graphic novel sheds light on the reality of life in both the West Bank and Gaza during this terrifying time. Told from the perspective of the author’s brother’s experience in prison and that of those in Gaza struggling to survive displacement, starvation, and attack.

In October of 2023, Sabaaneh went on a tour in Europe to promote his book about life under occupation in Palestine. Whether a Palestinian is inside a detention center or in any city or village, they are all in a big prison. The book ends with one message: ‘we will not leave.’ Upon his return to Palestine, he was trapped within the walls of his home—unable to see his aging parents, or his brother, who was locked away in an Israeli detention center.

So begins this vital story of struggle and survival.

Review: Thank you to Street Noise Books for sending me an eARC of this graphic memoir!

Memoirs are always a bit harder for me to evaluate because I never feel super comfortable critiquing a person’s lived experience, but what I do like to look for his how candid a memoir is and how it makes me feel. And because of this it’s probably not super surprising that many of the books that I’ve read about the Israel/Palestine conflict over the years that have resonated with me have been in graphic memoir or journalism form. Whether it was Joe Saccos’s book “Palestine”, or, interestingly enough, two books by “American Splendor’s Harvey Pekar, “Our Cancer Year” (written with his wife Joyce Brabner) and “Not the Israel My Parents Promised Me” (which was published after his death), I’ve found comics to be the things that have resonated most with this topic. So I was eager to check out “Welcome to Hell” by Mohammad Sabaaneh, expecting it to have a similar impact as the previous ones, and I was mostly right. Perhaps even more as this was written by a man who has been living the current genocide first hand, and speaks the truth that he, his family, and many others are facing at the moment.

“Welcome to Hell” is a short book, but within it’s fewer pages are a lot of gut punches and a lot of truths that are difficult to digest but also important to acknowledge. Sabaaneh is telling two different stories here; the first is that of his brother Thamer, who is a prisoner in an Israeli prison, and the second is that of numerous Palestinian families living in Gaza during the bombings done by Israel after October 7th, 2023. Sabaaneh draws comparisons between the way that his brother has to live in the literal prison, with violence, starvation, torture, and abuse being heaped upon him and his fellow prisoners, and the constant movement, starvation, fear, and violence that civilians living their lives in Gaza have to face, showing that the two realities aren’t terribly different and both are horrific. It’s not a very long graphic memoir, but Sabaaneh doesn’t waste a page and has a lot of important and devastating things to say, and does so effectively. Sabaaneh centers his brother as well as other people, though he does address his own experiences after October 7th and how getting home was perilous and then how restricted he was as well, unable to visit his family for months. It’s a harrowing and incredibly personal story, and it was a difficult read even though it’s absolutely a necessary one, especially as things just keep escalating in the Middle East at the moment and the death toll going up.

The art in this book is so incredibly unique it immediately stood out. It’s very much a cubist style, which makes the Israeli IDF/guards at the prison all the more surrealistic and monstrous, but also finds a way to find the vulnerability of Thamer and others who are being abused and displaced. At first I didn’t really know what I thought of the style (I am not a person who has a lot of knowledge of or connection to the cubist style and its history), but as the story went on and through my various revisits before reviewing it really grew on me. It made some of the violence less graphic, but didn’t take away the emotional impact.

(source: Street Noise Books)

“Welcome to Hell” is a timely and powerful graphic memoir. It’s a difficult read, but one that feels incredibly necessary to understand and reckon with.

Rating 9: A powerful and deeply personal read about the people of Palestine who experience trauma, violence, and displacement at the hands of an oppressive regime and their fight to survive.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Welcome to Hell” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of yet, but it would fit in on “Palestine Reading List”.