Author: thelibraryladiesmn

Serena’s Review: “The Encanto’s Daughter”

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Book: “The Encanto’s Daughter” by Melissa de la Cruz

Publishing Info: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, March 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley

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

Book Description: A young woman claims the throne of a realm inspired by Filipino mythology in this YA romantic fantasy, the first in an enchanting new duet by #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

MJ Rodriguez has spent her life hiding in the human world, keeping a heavy secret. She’s half-encanto. As the only child of King Vivencio of the Sirena Court, she’s also next in line for the throne. And now, upon her estranged father’s sudden death, MJ must claim her place as rightful heir.

In wondrous Biringan, the road to the throne is paved with thorns. Without a reigning monarch, the realm has spiraled into disarray. MJ has to win over a backstabbing council that objects to a half-human ruler. And when it looks like her father’s passing wasn’t natural but possibly inflicted by a curse, she must hunt down the sorceress behind this merciless magic.

In a bind, MJ forges an unlikely alliance with the striking Sir Lucas of the feared Sigbin Court, and soon, she loses her heart to the mysterious knight. But with peril looming over Biringan, the princess must decide if she can both open herself to love and carry the weight of the crown.

Review: So, I’m going to just say this up front: I mistook this author for another “Melissa” author when I initially requested this book on NetGalley. I’ve only read one other book by de la Cruz, and to say it wasn’t a favorite is probably an over-statement. I think it might be one of my lowest rated books on the blog, actually. That said, even after I realized, I still wanted to give this one a shot. Over the last year or so, I can think of a few examples where I’ve really loved books by authors who didn’t work for me the first time around. So, who knows? This could have been another situation where, with a new project, my mind could be changed.

All of that nice intro just to find out…nope, turns out everything that I disliked about the first de la Cruz book was more a feature of her writing than a bug. Ah, well, worth the shot I guess! But, as always, let’s talk a bit at first about the things that did work for me. Really, not much did. But I can see more where things would work for other readers whose tastes differ from mine. I did like the elements that were drawn from Filipino mythology (I especially appreciated the author’s note about this), and I wish there had been even more of these elements included on the whole. By the end, I still felt like we’d only scratched the surface of what could have been a rich fantasy tapestry. I also think that many of the choices made with regards to characterization and plot will appeal more to younger YA readers, so they may find more to like in this book than I did.

But for me, this was really a disaster of a read. Both the characters and the plot felt like cardboard cut outs of the most stereotypical elements of storytelling that on could cobble together. From the ridiculousness of the “magical royal school” setting, to the plot quickly devolving from MJ taking seriously her task to learn to take the throne in only a month’s time to instead partaking in juvenile bickering and drama. And to people these scenes, we have all of the stereotypes you can imagine: quirky best friend? Check. Mysterious romantic interest? Check. Hot girl that the main girl must hate? Check. This last one was most disappointing to see. I vaguely remember having problems with this in the other book by de la Cruz I read, this propensity to making the main female character seem special by degrading the other women around her. It was distasteful then, and it’s pretty depressing to still see it popping up here in YA fiction years later.

Beyond this, it felt like the book didn’t know what it wanted to be. You have, of course, the boarding school aspect. But the story also has elements of a fantasy thriller and then a murder mystery is introduced. And yet, even with all of these elements, I found myself so, so bored while reading this. Not being able to connect to any of the characters is always an uphill battle as far as engagement with a book goes, but it also felt like the pacing of this one was simply very slow. It felt like nothing was really happening for large chunks of the story. And as it went, it was easy to guess exactly where every plot line was going which sucked any tension out of the experience. And then we get to the end and what do we get? A cliffhanger!

I really disliked this book. The writing felt limited, the plotting was questionable, and the characterization could be reduced to stereotypes. All of that said, I know this author is popular with a lot of readers, so if you’re a fan of her previous books, take all of this with a massive grain of salt. Also, if you’re very dedicated to checking out a book that draws from Filipino mythology this might be worth a shot, though, I have to say, I feel like there have to be better examples out there than this. Overall, while I’m glad I gave this author another shot in the service of not having fixed opinions of an author based on one reading experience, after finishing this one, I’ll think I’ll call it quits.

Rating 5: At best it doesn’t stand out from the pack of other YA fantasy stories, and at worst, it’s a muddled mess of stereotypes and predictable plot lines.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Encanto’s Daughter” can be found on this Goodreads list: Asian YA/NA Books 2024:

Kate’s Review: “Worm”

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

Book: “Worm” by Edel Rodriguez

Publishing Info: Metropolitan Books, November 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

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

Book Description: From “America’s illustrator in chief” ( Fast Company ), a graphic memoir of a childhood in Cuba, coming to America on the Mariel boatlift, and a defense of democracy, here and there.

When Edel was nine, Fidel Castro announced his surprising decision to let 125,000 traitors of the revolution, or “worms,” leave the country. The faltering economy and Edel’s family’s vocal discomfort with government surveillance had made their daily lives on a farm outside Havana precarious, and they secretly planned to leave. But before that happened, a dozen soldiers confiscated their home and property and imprisoned them in a detention center near the port of Mariel, where they were held with dissidents and criminals before being marched to a flotilla that miraculously deposited them, overnight, in Florida.

Worm tells a story of a boyhood in the midst of the Cold War, a family’s displacement in exile, and their longing for those they left behind. It also recounts the coming-of-age of an artist and activist, who, witnessing American’s turn from democracy to extremism, struggles to differentiate his adoptive country from the dictatorship he fled. Confronting questions of patriotism and the liminal nature of belonging, Edel Rodriguez ultimately celebrates the immigrants, maligned and overlooked, who guard and invigorate American freedom.

Review: Every once in awhile my Mom will send me a link to an article through the New York Times that has a review of a book that she thinks that would interest me. More often than not I’ve already read it or it was at least on my radar, but sometimes she will send one my way that is totally novel. In this case it was “Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey” by Edel Rodriguez. Perhaps you know of Rodriguez as an artist, specifically the artist behind the viral and infamous Trump artwork that has been on the likes of Der Spiegel and Time Magazine. Rodriguez felt it important to call out Trump on his dangerous and totalitarian tendencies, something he recognized even during the 2016 Primaries when a Trump Presidency was seen as merely a fantasy (we all know how that went). Rodriguez knows this because his family fled Cuba in the 1980s, after his family was being watched, surveilled, and threatened by the Government. “Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey” is that story, as well as story about life in a totalitarian regime, and how even a country that seems filled with idealism can fall into that trap.

Rodriguez combines modern Cuban history, starting with the Cuban Revolution, and moves through it until the 80s, tracking his family’s experience living under Castro in the town of El Gabriel. His father was a photographer while his mother stayed at home, but joined up with the local CDR, a group that was made up of Cuban citizens that would essentially ‘keep an eye’ on the community for any anti-regime activities or sentiments. Edel and his sister grew up with a meager education, and with parents who were constantly worried about watching what they said or did, all while trying to keep their family alive under pretty poor conditions due to poverty and corruption. We follow Edel through various childhood anecdotes and experiences, from the mundane involving friends and family, to the disturbing (such as the time Edel contracted a parasite that went through his legs, and the local hospital didn’t have enough medicine to treat him). As times become more dire as Edel grows older, his family make the choice to leave when Fidel allowed anyone who wanted to leave to leave so long as they could find a boat (and so long as they weren’t killed in the process whether it be by the Government or their own communities, who saw them as traitors and ‘worms’). It’s a deeply harrowing and emotional memoir, and as someone who knows very little about the Cuban Revolution and had certain ideas about Cuban immigration in my mind, this was pretty educational and eye opening (little did I know that the Cuban Immigrant community has MANY reasons to leave, not just because they were Batista loyalists). It also tracks the story of what adjusting to America was like for the family, not only through the eyes of Edel, but also through the eyes of his parents, who came with nothing and had to find their way to provide for their children in a wholly new environment. His parents are so well depicted in all of their complexities, and Rodriguez also touches a bit on how the traumas of escaping this kind of life can spill over into a new life with new challenges.

But this isn’t only a memoir about escaping a totalitarian regime: it is also a warning about the rise of totalitarianism through the eyes of someone who lived it, and how romanticizing or ignoring it is so, so dangerous. Rodriguez doesn’t only take those who romanticize Castro’s Cuba to task, he also REALLY digs into the way that America is embracing their own totalitarian tendencies, as Trump became President and his stink has infected so many other people (or perhaps just let them let their own stink loose). The connections that he draws between the life his family fled and how it all has to start somewhere is bleak and really alarming, and the way he compares the lies of January 6th and the Unite the Right Rally and other far right rage and venom to the violence he saw back home is really, really stark. And we’d best pay attention.

And the artwork is just astounding. It’s visceral and surreal in some ways, but always knows how to cut to the bone. In mostly blacks, whites, greens, and reds, it has a unique and signature style that is reminiscent of Rodriguez’s political works, but which still feels very personal. There is a LOT of text in this book, it almost feels like more of a memoir with an artistic backdrop on each page, but it never feels overwhelming and is still very easy to read.

(source: Metropolitan Books)

“Worm” is a fantastic memoir with an artistic and emotional edge. It’s so important to learn history, especially from those who lived it, and to remember that just because things feel abstract or like they couldn’t happen in your own life, that there will always be people to tell you that you may be wrong. Edel Rodriguez is here to do that.

Rating 9: A harrowing and deeply personal memoir about fleeing totalitarianism, and the looming threat of it in a new home, “Worm” is a fantastic graphic memoir from an outspoken artist.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Worm” is included on the Goodreads lists “NPR’s Books We Love 2023: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels”, and “Memoirs Published in Year: 2023”.

Book Club Review: “Much Ado About Nada”

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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. Our current theme is Centuries, where we were given a random century and had to pick a book based during that time period.  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: “Much Ado About Nada” by Uzma Jalaluddin

Publishing Info: Berkley, June 2023

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Century: 21st

Book Description: Nada Syed is stuck. On the cusp of thirty, she’s still living at home with her brothers and parents in the Golden Crescent neighbourhood of Toronto, resolutely ignoring her mother’s unsubtle pleas to get married already. While Nada has a good job as an engineer, it’s a far cry from realizing her start-up dreams for her tech baby, Ask Apa, the app that launched with a whimper instead of a bang because of a double-crossing business partner. Nothing in her life has turned out the way it was supposed to, and Nada feels like a failure. Something needs to change, but the past is holding on too tightly to let her move forward.

Nada’s best friend Haleema is determined to pry her from her shell…and what better place than at the giant annual Muslim conference held downtown, where Nada can finally meet Haleema’s fiancé, Zayn. And did Haleema mention Zayn’s brother Baz will be there?

What Haleema doesn’t know is that Nada and Baz have a past–some of it good, some of it bad and all of it secret. At the conference, that past all comes hurtling at Nada, bringing new complications and a moment of reckoning. Can Nada truly say goodbye to once was or should she hold tight to her dreams and find their new beginnings?

Kate’s Thoughts

We all know that I am probably the least Jane Austen knowledgable person in our book club, as I always mention it whenever we tackle something Austen related because I can almost guarantee that I won’t have the context of the story in my mind. And this is very much the case in terms of “Persuasion”, as unlike the likes of “Pride and Prejudice”, “Emma”, “Sense and Sensibility”, and “Northanger Abbey”, not only have I not read it (or a zombie iteration of it), I haven’t seen ANY adaptations of it. So I was going in pretty much clueless with “Much Ado About Nada”, with no knowledge and only a Wikipedia summary to guide me. And that was just the first in a series of things that didn’t really click for me with this book.

First the good. I am always looking to expand my romance knowledge, especially when it is from more diverse perspectives which can lead to themes that may not be seen in other romances I’ve read before. And in this case, I really enjoyed following Nada, our modern Muslim protagonist who is trying to navigate a few pretty substantial setbacks in her life, such as a career defining idea being stolen from her, as well as running into an old flame named Baz at a Muslim convention. I think I’ve only read one other romance novel that has a modern Muslim couple, and which explores the dynamics of their romance through their cultural values and expectations, and I love having more at the ready for when I do find myself recommending books to others or to colleagues who are looking for certain stories for their community. This is all great.

But the downside is that 1) having no knowledge of “Persuasion” made it hard to find the comparisons and analogs, which is half the fun of these kinds of adaptations, and 2) the romance between Nada and Baz was a bit hard to buy. I think that Jalaluddin was fairly successful and translating the main romantic conflict in “Persuasion” to this more modern story (no spoilers from me here), and I generally liked the inner conflict of Nada and her somewhat prickly personality, but the chemistry wasn’t really there for me. And on top of that, this is a more chaste romance, and while that isn’t inherently a bad thing when it comes to romances for me, as while I do like a slow burn with a sexy pay off I also enjoy PG rated cuteness from time to time, if there’s no chemistry for said cuteness it just isn’t going to click for me.

I wholly get who the target audience is for “Much Ado About Nada”, but it isn’t me. This is a classic ‘Your Mileage May Vary” situation.

Serena’s Thoughts

Hi, it’s me! The resident “Jane Austen” expert! Not only have read all of the Jane Austen novels, but I devoted an entire year of the blog to reviewing the books and various adaptations. So, to say I’m familiar with “Persuasion” is an understatement. But in this case, I’ll say that Kate really didn’t miss out on much being unfamiliar with the story! Other than a few character names that are pulled from the original story and the broadest definition of “loose” references to the story, this book wasn’t served at all by being marketed as a “Persuasion” adaptation. Not to mention the wild decision to give it this title, clearly implying that this should be an adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing,” not “Persuasion. Seriously, it’s crazy to me that anyone thought this was a good idea!

I’ll agree with Kate about the book being a useful lens through which to learn more about modern Muslim culture and dynamics, and some of Nada’s exploration of the challenges before her were definitely interesting. It’s also useful from a librarian perspective to have book like this to point readers towards when they’re looking for romances that are closed door or prioritize different values with regards to intimacy and marriage.

That said, I didn’t particularly enjoy this read. Not only is this simply not my preferred style for a romance story, but I struggled to really like Nada or Baz. At various points I thought each of them could do better than the other. Nada, in particular, was perhaps the harder for me to swallow, simply because this had been marketed as a “Persuasion” adaptation. The original character, Anne, is one of the most solidly “good” heroine of all of Austen’s leads, perhaps rivaled only by Eleanor from “Sense and Sensibility.” That being the case, it was hard for me to reconcile that character as an inspiration for Nada, a woman who could come across as a bully at times and as someone who blamed those around her for her own situation at others. Neither of these traits could ever be laid at the feet of Anne Elliot. Now, Captain Wentworth was a more conflicted character, so some of Baz’s more frustrating moments could be argued as more in line with the original. But regardless, purely from an enjoyment perspective, I struggled to care about either of these two, either alone or together.

Overall, I didn’t love this one. It’s useful for reader’s advisory purposes for specific readers, but I’d not likely recommend it to general romance fans.

Kate’s Rating 5: I’m not as familiar with the source material and it wasn’t really for me as a romance, but I definitely know exactly who I would recommend this to and that’s always a plus.

Serena’s Rating 5: In this case, knowledge of the source material wasn’t necessary; and when readers do have it, they may find themselves more annoyed than anything with some of the major changes here that made an originally beloved heroine less likable in her new form.

Book Club Questions

  1. Did you think this was a successful retelling of “Persuasion”? Why or why not?
  2. What were your thoughts on some of the themes within this novel, like trauma, relationship dynamics, and secrets within families?
  3. What did you think of Nada and Baz’s relationship? Did you think it was an intriguing romance?
  4. How do you think that this novel fits within 21st Century Literature, specifically the romance genre? Are there aspects that you feel represent romance themes in the 21st Century?
  5. If there were more books in this series following other characters, would you read them?

Reader’s Advisory

“Much Ado About Nada” is included on the Goodreads lists “Derivatives of Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion'”, and “South Asian Contemporary Fiction”.

Next Book Club Pick: “The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne” by Elsa Hart

Serena’s Review: “Salt & Broom”

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Book: “Salt & Broom” by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Publishing Info: 47North, December 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: A gifted healer unravels the mysteries of a cursed estate—and its enigmatic owner—in a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre .

“Salt and broom, make this room
Safe and tight, against the night.”

Trunks packed with potions and cures, Jane Aire sets out on a crisp, clear morning in October to face the greatest challenge of her sheltered girls’-school existence. A shadow lies over Thornfield Hall and its reclusive master, Edward Rochester. And he’s hired her only as a last resort. Jane stumbles again and again as she tries to establish a rapport with her prickly new employer, but he becomes the least of her worries as a mysterious force seems to work against her. The threats mount around both Jane and Rochester—who’s becoming more intriguing and appealing to her by the day. Jane begins to fear her herb healing and protective charms may not be enough to save the man she’s growing to love from a threat darker and more dangerous than either of them imagined.

Review: No, your memory is not failing you: Kate, not me, was the one to include this book in her Highlights post back in December! But this is a perfect example of the sort of book that has cross-over appeal for Kate and I. For one thing, we both love “Jane Eyre” and thusly any “Jane Eyre” retellings are automatically appealing to us both. From there, I imagine she looked at this one and saw “witchy cozy horror,” and I looked at it and saw “witchy cozy fantasy,” and in truth, it’s a little bit of both. Never fear, however, I didn’t poach this one from her! She confirmed that she didn’t have a full review planned, so I was in the clear!

“Jane Eyre” is a tough nut to crack as far as re-tellings go. I think both Jane and Mr. Rochester are fairly complicated characters in their own right, and their romance is by no means straight forward or easy. But I have to commend Fisher for the version she presents here! This book walks the perfect tight-rope of hitting the main story beats that one expects from a “Jane Eyre” story, while also completely re-imagining large chunks of the story to fit in a fantasy world where witches, ghosts, and fairies exist. It would be very easy for either side of this balance to shift and throw the entire book into disarray, but that’s not a concern here! Instead, the book confidently moves forward in the world its has created, trusting the reader to strike this balance as well. I was also impressed with the overall style and tone of the writing, as capturing the specific “voice” and manner of speaking can be a challenge when adapting older works like this. Again, this ability to capture this tone was all the more impressive since you had to pair this sort of “period piece” voice with all kinds of fantasy terms about witches and magic.

In particular, I really enjoyed the adaptations and liberties the author took with the original story. All of the main plot beats were hit (and even a few minor ones, the sort that will definitely please the fans!), but the author didn’t hold back from truly making this one her own. Several familiar characters are completely re-imagined, while others play roles that are relatively unchanged. Some fairly major plot lines are also changed, but in ways that still hold true to exploring the themes and love story of the original. This include the plot line regarding Mr. Rochester’s wife. Obviously, I don’t want to go into spoilers, but I was very impressed by how this was re-done! And, again, the magical elements tied into all of this in ways that were truly surprising! Going in, I had it in my mind that it would mostly be the same story but with Jane doing a bit of magic here and there. Nope! Major fantasy elements all over the place, but in the best ways!

I also really enjoyed this version of Jane and Rochester. Jane, especially, was a fantastic leading lady. This version captured the same spirit of independence and resolve that we see in the original, but the story also allowed her to explore themes regarding female friendships, motherhood, and family in ways that the original didn’t. Rochester was also excellent, capturing much of the same dark and broody motifs that we expect from this classic romantic hero. That said, I liked some of the updates we got to this version as the original had moments where he came off as a bit, well, jerkish. This Rochester is still reserved and mysterious, but also updated in small ways to appeal to modern romance readers. I especially loved all of the scenes where he and Jane team up to solve the magical mysteries surrounding them.

Overall, I really loved this book! It managed to take a beloved classic story and retain all that makes it great while also adding a fun fantasy spin to the proceedings. I’ll definitely be looking through this author’s back catalog to see what else she’s written and will keep any eye out for anything coming in the future! If you enjoy magical re-imaginings of classic stories, definitely check this one out!

Rating 9: Darkly romantic and mysterious, a perfect book for all “Jane Eyre” fans!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Salt & Broom” is on any relevant Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Jane Eyre Retellings.

Kate’s Review: “Forgotten Sisters”

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Book: “Forgotten Sisters: A Novel” by Cynthia Pelayo

Publishing Info: Thomas & Mercer, March 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

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

Book Description: A city’s haunted history and fairy-tale horrors converge for two women in an addictive novel of psychological suspense by a multiple Bram Stoker Award–nominated author.

Sisters Anna and Jennie live in a historic bungalow on the Chicago River. They’re tethered to a disquieting past, and with nowhere else to go, nothing can part them from their family home. Not the maddening creaks and disembodied voices that rattle the old walls. Not the inexplicable drownings in the area, or the increasing number of bodies that float by Anna’s window.

To stave off loneliness, Anna has a podcast, spinning ghostly tales of Chicago’s tragic history. But when Anna captures the attention of an ardent male listener, she awakens to the possibilities of a world outside.

As their relationship grows, so do Jennie’s fears. More and more people are going missing in the river. And then two detectives come calling.

They’re looking for a link between the mysteries of the river and what’s housed on the bank. Even Anna and Jennie don’t understand how dreadful it is—and still can be—when the truth about their unsettled lives begins to surface.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel!

I’ve been following Cynthia Pelayo on social media for a few years now, and that was where I first caught wind of her newest novel “Forgotten Sisters”. I had hopes that there would perhaps be very early ARCs of it at ALA last year, and while that didn’t come to fruition (hey, a girl can dream and I DID get “Loteria” and “The Shoemaker’s Magician”), I waited patiently for this “Little Mermaid” inspired dark fantasy horror novel. I was pumped when I saw that it was available on NetGalley, and when my request went through I was very eager to start. Pelayo is one of the more unique horror authors out there right now, a multi- Bram Stoker Award winner, and this one was REALLY tantalizing.

While I thought that “Children of Chicago” was more full on malevolent horror, “Forgotten Sisters” leans more into dark fantasy, with references to “The Little Mermaid” being crafted into a melancholy tale about sisters Anna and Jennie. Through Anna’s perspective we learn about the terrible loss that they have endured, the way that they have clung to each other, and the river side house that they have been living in since their childhood, which may be housing a number of ghosts as well as grief and haunting memories. Anna has been running a podcast about the haunted history of Chicago, and while she loves her sister and can’t see herself leaving their troubled home, she does seem to long for more, in spite of Jennie clinging all the more at any hint of Anna pulling away (which becomes all the more complicated when Anna meets a man named Peter through her podcast). When we start we know that Anna isn’t necessarily reliable due to the unknown unresolved trauma she has endured, but Pelayo does a good job of easing into the peeling back of the tragedies that these women have had to live with, and what cost their enmeshment has taken and how that warps Anna’s perceptions. It’s dreamy and weird and uneasy, and it was both mesmerizing and unsettling at once, and while I pieced together bits and pieces just based on hints laid out and a knowledge of the history of Chicago, I thought that it was a well done dark fairy tale at heart. That said, sometimes I got lost in the flowery and dreamlike elements of this part of the story, which could take me out of it once in awhile.

I did like the police procedural parts quite a bit as well. I am a huge sucker for a procedural, and Pelayo succeeds at writing gritty and cynical dialogue and setting up interesting and tense crime beats. In this book we have Detectives Kowalski and Rodriguez, a seasoned long timer and an idealistic rookie, who are investigating the mysterious deaths of young men who are found drowned in the Chicago River under strange circumstances. It has hints of the Happy Face Killer theory, and with the criminal history of Chicago always lurking (after all this is the city of John Wayne Gacy and H.H. Holmes, amongst others) you get a more sinister vibe and a sense of dread as these two detectives try to piece things together. I liked their dynamic, and I liked seeing them slowly circle in on a potential serial killer, and the connection to Anna and Jennie and the River itself. It comes together really well and makes for a satisfying combination of dark fantasy and cop thriller, balancing each other out in ways that caught me by surprise.

One of the things that always strikes me when I read a Pelayo book is that she so clearly loves the city of Chicago, and that love comes through her tales even if they are about the darker histories of this city. As a Midwesterner I’ve been to Chicago multiple times, and it’s always a joy seeing the references to various locations and historical footnotes, as she so effortlessly sprinkles them in as well as making her book just so grounded in the city itself. This really comes through in both the hard boiled cop procedural aspects, as well as through the pieces we see of Anna’s podcast. Pelayo has such a strong knack for writing and developing a sense of time and place, and it makes the city shine, even if it’s the darker sides of the history.

“Forgotten Sisters” is another well done dark fantasy horror tale from Cynthia Pelayo. I’m always intrigued by what she writes, and this haunting story is sure to please her fans.

Rating 8: An eerie and melancholy dark fairy tale meets a gritty no nonsense procedural, “Forgotten Sisters” is another tribute to Chicago from Cynthia Pelayo!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Forgotten Sisters” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward To in 2024”.

Serena’s Review: “A Feather So Black”

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

Book: “A Feather So Black” by Lyra Selene

Publishing Info: Orbit, March 2024

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

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

Book Description: In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen’s daughter and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg.

Most despise Fia’s fae blood. But the queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the real princess Eala is bound to Tír na nÓg, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.

When a hidden gate to the realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the queen to retrieve the princess and break her curse. But she doesn’t go with her is prince Rogan, Fia’s dearest childhood friend—and Eala’s betrothed.

As they journey through the forests of the Folk, where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince…and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.

Soon, Fia begins to question the truth of her mission. But time is running out to break her sister’s curse. And unraveling the secrets of the past might destroy everything she has come to love.

Review: While Disney reigns supreme as far as fairytale movies go, for my sister and I, the collection of favorites wasn’t complete without including “Anastasia” and “The Swan Princess.” And, as far as the latter goes, the original fairytale itself has flown under the radar as far as fiction re-tellings go. I’m not sure I can even think of one off the top of my head? I feel like Mercedes Lackey might have done one at one point, but it’s definitely a lesser told story. All of that to say, I was incredibly excited when I discovered this book coming out this spring. Now, did it live up to admittedly high expectations?

Short answer, yes, yes it did! I loved almost everything about this book in fact! From the main character and her fierce, broken story, to the whimsical but dangerous Fae world that she explores, to the manner in which the story unfolds over an entire year, to the exemplary manner in which the author deals with the love triangle (proof that it’s possible!). On top of this all, the writing was confident and sure throughout, nicely balancing the vicious but beautiful nature of fairytales alongside the intricacies of depicting the complicated familial dynamics at play in Fia’s life. Telling a story that takes place over an entire year, with month-long breaks between trips to the Fae world is a complicated technique. It would be easy for the pace to languish between these trips or to feel as if time is not passing in a natural way. Instead, I was very impressed with the way the author balanced her more obviously exciting trips to the other world alongside the much greater period of time that Fia spends waiting back in the “real world.”

But this decision to draw out the story in this way over an entire year worked in more ways than just form. By giving the story this amount of time to breathe, Fia’s slow understanding about the truths regarding the people around her played out in a believable way. It’s always frustrating when main characters have grown up being told certain things their entire lives, trusting close family members or whomever, and then are told some alternate story by a relatively new source and easily throw off everything they knew before and all other feelings of loyalty or love that would be challenged. It’s just not believable. Instead, here, Fia’s journey is one of excruciating realizations about how she has been used by those around her and how her views of herself have been poisoned from the start.

On top of this, the use of this year-long approach to the story also allowed for the love triangle to play out in a believable way. Again, she didn’t just “get over” her feelings for the prince when she met some dark Fae guy in the other world. I feel like I’ve read that story a million times. No, instead a good chunk of the story is devoted to exploring the relationship between Fia and the prince, thoroughly exploring their complicated history, their wishes for the future, and the realities of their situation. On top of that, the reader can always look forward to the incredibly compelling and increasingly romantic scenes in the Fae world with the Fae lord. Here, too, Fia’s trust and understanding of this character grows naturally. No insta-love here! I will say, my one critique comes towards the end where Fia makes a few fairly questionable decisions and put her relationships with those around her at risk. But, while I was partly frustrated by this, it also was believable that Fia, with her complicated history of trust and deception, would be make some of these decisions. And even here, I really enjoyed the way this particular arc was resolved.

I also really liked the overall plot of the story. Yes, there are definite bits from the original “Swan Princess”/”Swan Lake” story. But this is also a wholly unique story. It was appropriately grim and dark, like all good fairytales are, had confusing curses at its heart all driven by a ticking clock by which they needed to be solved, and explored a complicated world and history between the humans and the Fae world. I was also incredibly surprised by some of the turns it took towards the end. I had a few ideas about a certain things that did play out the way I expected, but others were a complete shock! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series (though this one also concludes in a way that feels satisfying). Readers who enjoy fairytale fantasies should definitely check this one out!

Rating 9: A breath of fresh air in a crowded room of Fae fantasy stories! Dark, whimsical, and romantic, this book has it all!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Feather So Black” isn’t on any relevant Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Swan Lake Retellings.

Kate’s Review: “Peril in Pink”

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Book: “Peril in Pink” by Sydney Leigh

Publishing Info: Crooked Lane Books, March 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I was sent an eARC by the author via NetGalley.

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

Book Description: Everything is coming up rosé for innkeeper Jess Byrne until a murder on opening weekend gives her B&B’s killer vibe a whole new meaning. Schitt’s Creek meets Only Murders in the Building in this sparkling debut mystery.

It’s the grand opening of The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley, and owner Jess Byrne has prepared the ultimate, Insta-worthy welcome, complete with her ex-boyfriend—reality singing sensation Lars Armstrong—performing live. As guests check in and mimosas are poured, Lars arrives with his stepdad-turned-manager Bob in tow. But things go south when Bob is found dead, and Lars is the prime suspect.

After a desperate plea from Lars, and knowing the reputation of her B&B is at stake, Jess agrees to help clear Lars’ name, but the more she digs, the less sure she is that he’s innocent. Especially when he’s found at the scene of another murder.

With the guests under lockdown, the B&B in the press for all the wrong reasons, and a killer on the loose, Jess is in over her head. With the help of her best friend and business partner Kat, Jess is determined to uncover the truth before Lars is put behind bars and The Pearl is permanently cancelled.

Review: Thank you to Sydney Leigh for sending me an eARC of this novel via NetGalley!

It may seem kind of funny that the blogger whose focus tends to trend towards horror, thriller, and the darker things in literature, is the one who has some consistent cozy mystery reviews going through her posts. It seems kind of funny to me, even! But I realize that I do like to cast a wide net in my genres, and if a book works for me, it works, even if it’s not as expected. So when Sydney Leigh reached out with her novel that was being compared to both “Schitt’s Creek” and “Only Murders in the Building” (both comfy and cozy shows I really enjoy) I felt like I had to read it! Thus I was sent a copy of “Peril in Pink”, a book about a cute bed and breakfast, an eccentric small town, a charming set of heroines, and a scandalous murder at the opening of their new business venture.

The mystery itself is fairly straightforward with familiar beats for a whodunnit. Jess Byrne and business partner/best friend Kat have opened up The Pearl, a bed and breakfast in their small town of Hudson Valley. When Jess manages to book her ex boyfriend Lars to perform, whose star is on the rise due to being on a popular musical reality show, she hopes it will serve as a fantastic opening weekend, but when Lars’s manager/stepfather George is found dead on the property, it sets off a murder investigation where her new business is a crime scene and her ex boyfriend is the main suspect. Leigh has a huge cast of characters, many of whom are suspects, and knows how to throw in clues and red herrings and multiple twists to create a mystery that kept me guessing. I always love an amateur sleuth who can be a BIT in over their head, and Jess and Kat fit that trope to a T. I also loved the descriptions of The Pearl and their business model, as hey, a cozy mystery needs a hook and this one has a really bubbly one in this adorable Bed and Breakfast.

But it’s the characters that really sell this story for me, as any cast of players in a cozy mystery should. I really enjoyed Jess as our main character, with her hopes and ambitions being lifted up in the story and her investment in this first murder making her easy to root for and become invested in as readers. I really loved her relationship with business partner and best friend Kat, who is a fun sarcastic foil to her earnest nature as they team up to try and save their business as well as Jess’s ex boyfriend from a murder charge. Leigh is very much paying tribute to true crime bestie dynamics here, even referencing “My Favorite Murder” as inspiration for Jess and Kat in their amateur detective ways (as a kind of dormant Murderino myself it made me nostalgic for the show and I may pick it back up!). But even the supporting characters have a certain charm about them, whether it’s Jess’s pragmatic brother Nate and his zen-minded yoga instructor wife Sarah, or Jess’s hippy aunt, or some of Jess and Kat’s high school rivals, and may more. One of the things that I do like about cozy mysteries is that if you have a sparkling cast of familiar characters, it makes for an all the more engaging story.

All in all, I found “Peril in Pink” to be charming and fizzy, an entertaining mystery that sets the stage for the potential for more bed and breakfast adventures with two fun heroines. I hope we see more of Jess and Kat and whatever crime befalls Hudson Valley!

Rating 8: A fun and cheeky cozy mystery with some Murderino flair, “Peril in Pink” is an entertaining series debut that I intend to follow forward for more charming capers.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Peril in Pink” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of yet, but it would fit in on the list “Hotels, Motels, Inns, B’nBs and Guesthouses”.

Diving Into Sub-Genres: Vampire 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.

The canny reader might do a double-take when seeing this post. “Wait, didn’t these guys already do a ‘Sub-Genres’ post focused on vampires?” Well, tricky tricky, yes and no! Kate featured Vampire Horror as one of her picks a few years ago, but vampires are such a popular supernatural being that they make their way across all sorts of genres, including tons of fantasy, so here we are!

When attempting to differentiate between horror and fantasy vampires, I think its important to consider the overall tone and objective of the story. Is it meant to inspire fear as its primary goal, create and build tension and dread? Or are the vampires more incidental to story more focused on its fantasy or romance elements? What themes is the book exploring and how well do they align with the themes generally found in fantasy vs. horror? Beyond this, how exactly are the vampires themselves presented and what roles are they playing in the story?

While the horrific side of vampires is obvious, the fantasy side often takes on a few different dimensions. Yes, they are “fantasy creatures” like werewolves or ghosts, both of which show up in horror, the latter all the time! But sometimes these creatures stray outside the realm of serving as points of fear, horror, dread, and overt warning to society about various ills or tendencies. Instead, they become the heroes themselves, or, in the case of vampires, more often than not, love interests! It’s pretty easy to see why this latter is the case. The act of drinking another’s blood is clearly intimate, wrapping two beings up in one another about as closely as one can be. And, obviously, it’s one, albeit big and rather horrific, step away from kissing.

But vampires also pop up as the leading characters themselves, often exploring themes regarding isolation, estrangement, and the act of violence for survival. There is also an entire subgenre of paranormal fantasy fiction and urban fantasy that always seems to include societies made up of various supernatural communities all co-existing, and vampires (and often werewolves as their natural enemies) are almost always an included group. They have tons of lore and are an easy group of characters to slot into a story who can serve as both menaces as well as powerful allies.

Recently, we’ve seen a resurgence of vampires popping up in all sorts of fantasy stories. Romantasy, of course, is an easy place to spot this, but vampires have also been showing up more and more in adult and YA fantasies. A few examples include a “Tempest of Tea,” “A Multitude of Dreams,” and “Masters of Death.” Obviously, there are tons of books out there, and I’d argue that “Interview with a Vampire” and the other books in that series which Kate included in her list could also be included here. But I tried to cover a variety of examples in this list of how vampires have been used in fantasy fiction.

Book: “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer

Let’s just get this one out of the way, as it’s probably one of the first books to come to most people’s minds when they think of vampires in fantasy stories. And it also likely holds the strange position of being both one of the most massively popular vampire stories out there and the reason that we’re only now, around fifteen years later, finally seeing vampires show up again in YA fiction. It was beloved, and then it became such a joke that I think YA publisher were immediately binning any pitches that even hinted at vampires. But it still deserves its spot on this for the massive popularity at the time! Meyer definitely brought her own version of vampires to the world, and if it’s one that is largely laughed out now, there’s no denying the success of this series. We also see in this series both vampires as a romantic interest as well as Bella’s own experiences as a vampire herself. Would I recommend this series nowadays to readers looking for vampire stories? No. But, again, you can’t honestly create a list like this and not include this book, so there ya go!

Book: “Certain Dark Things” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of those authors who perfectly straddles the line between fantasy and horror, with many of her books teetering right on the edge where they could fall easily into either category. But “Certain Dark Things,” while definitely creepy at times, very much also reads like an urban fantasy at its finest. One of the main characters, Atl, is a vampire who is on-the-run from a rival vampire gang, and over the course of the book she befriends a street kid named Domingo. This book has some of the more creative and interesting versions (yes, plural!) of vampires that I can ever remember reading! And Moreno-Garcia does an excellent job of weaving this lore throughout the story while also exploring the history of Mexico and telling a fast-paced, dangerous story of an unlikely friendship. It’s definitely one to check out if you’re looking for a fresh take on vampires.

Book: “A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harness

While I personally didn’t love this story (I struggled with a few of the early aspects of the romance), it’s a massively popular series and a nice example of a fantasy story that includes a world peopled by a variety of supernatural beings. The main character is a descendent from a long line of witches (shocker, I know, given the title!) and during her research at Oxford, she strays across an ancient manuscript that opens up an whole can of worms with many different groups all fighting for access, including a mysterious vampire. This trilogy is several years old at this point, but I think it’s probably due for a resurgence of interest given the popularity of “dark academia” currently, a sub-genre that this would definitely fall in as well.

Book: “Bride” by Ali Hazelwood

This is a very recent addition to the subgenre, but I think it’s important to include for one very unique reason: it’s a romance, but the woman is the vampire instead of the male love interest! There are four books on this list that include prominent romances, and in three out of the four, it’s the man who is the vampire. And even there, I think this 75% mark is probably low for the average of male vs. female as vampires in romance. So yes, “Bride” stands out in that it is told from the POV of Misery, a vampire, who finds herself in an arranged marriage with the leader of her people’s mortal enemies, the werewolves. This is another staple of urban fantasies in general, the vampires vs. werewolves mythology. This book follows that typical script fairly closely, but the romance at its heart is clearly the priority of the book, and it was fun reading a story like this from the perspective of a female vampire, rather than the other way around.

Book: “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova

I would say that the primary genre for this one would be historical fiction, with either “horror” or “fantasy” coming second, as the vampires are very much in the background of much of the book. Instead, most of the story follows characters as they travel across Europe trying to piece together the mystery of Vlad the Impaler (the real-world ruler who is said to be the inspiration for Dracula). I absolutely love this book. It’s one that I read years and years ago now, but that always comes to mind when people are looking for recommendations. It’s the kind of story that I feel like almost any kind of reader will enjoy in some way!

Book: “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” by Carissa Broadbent

Most of the books on this list exist in our real world (with some obvious magical additions!), but this book serves as a great example of a secondary world vampire story! The society that makes up this world is comprised of two different sects of vampires with the relatively powerless human species caught between them. It’s a romantasy story, however, that follows one such human woman’s attempts to gain some power in a world set against her. And, of course, the vampire she falls in love with along the way! This one really took me by surprise with how much I enjoyed it! It’s a great example of a romantasy book that doesn’t skimp on the world-building and fantasy elements of the story, while still have a great love story at its heart.

What are some of your favorite historical thrillers? Let us know in the comments!

Blog Tour and Book Excerpt: “Six Moons Seven Gods”

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

Occasionally we are approached with the opportunity to promote books that may be of interest to our readers. And occasionally in lieu of a full review of the book, we will let it speak for itself by posting an excerpt from it. Enjoy!

Book: “Six Moons Seven Gods” by Robert A. Walker

Publishing Info: Fairytale Publishing, October 2023

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

Book Description: “One must be careful practicing deception. The easiest to deceive will always be one’s self.” The skilled thieves of the Takers Guild plot to overthrow the kingdoms of Baelon, but when their plans are thwarted by a prescient woman and her brooding daughter, they must turn to the League of Assassins for assistance. Meanwhile, retired royal guard Rolft Aerns returns to the palace of King Axil with an old score to settle. When they all cross paths–and swords–in the dark shadows of Fostead’s south end, nothing is as it seems and the murder count rises quickly. The long fingers of the Guild reach everywhere, and one overly ambitious thief is all it takes to spark a chain of events that will haunt the world of Baelon for many years to come.

Excerpt:

Sibil sat on a bed in a servant’s quarters, her head spinning. Had it not been for previous visits to the palace with Princess Lewen, she would not have known where she was. The steward had escorted her briskly to the room some time ago, leaving her to entertain herself. There seemed no end to the mystery surrounding her mother. Supposed premonitions of death had been unnerving enough, but now… an audience with the king? At his request! It was surreal, and Sibil’s wildest conjectures did not begin to explain it. Her attempt to seize control of her own life seemed waylaid once again. She was imagining herself a bit of flotsam from a shipwreck, at the mercy of the ocean’s currents, when the steward returned, shutting the door angrily behind himself.

“Where is my mother?” she asked as he approached.

“With the king.”

Without warning, the steward sat so close to her their thighs touched.

“I should like to see her.” Sibil started to rise.

“In due time.”

The steward caught her arm and pulled her back to the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“If your mother were more forthcoming, you would not be so inconvenienced.”

“How do you mean?” Sibil’s eyes darted toward the door.

“The woman’s hiding something. Perhaps you’d like to tell me what that is.”

“My mother has nothing to hide from the king!”

“I could be convinced of that, I suppose.” The steward loosened his hold and placed a palm against Sibil’s cheek.

“There are many ways for you to prove your loyalty to the throne.” His hand brushed her breast as he withdrew it. “Are you prepared to do so?”

Before Sibil could respond, he leaned in, his lips seeking hers. Sibil pushed him away, struggling to stand. “How dare you!”

“Need I remind you where you are?”

The steward rose, positioning himself between her and the door.

“Or who you’re talking to?”

“I mean no disrespect, m’lord, but if you—“

“Take off your blouse.”

“What?!”“Like mother, like daughter. Take off your blouse and let us see what you are hiding there.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” said Sibil breathlessly. “And if you lay another hand on me—“

The steward grasped her sleeve. Sibil twisted violently away, her blouse ripping at the shoulder seam. The steward grinned.

“You see? One way or the other!” He started to laugh, sobering quickly at the sight of the dagger Sibil produced. “Put that away before you hurt yourself.”

“Take me to my mother!” Sibil waved the dagger at him.

“Did I not warn you about making demands?”

The steward lashed out, recoiling as Sibil’s blade pricked his arm. He swore loudly as he inspected the spot of crimson staining his white blouse.

“You’ll not soon forget what I’m going to do to you.”

“Touch me and I’ll kill you!” Sibil lurched past the steward and onto the bed, clambering quickly over it, but he intercepted her before she could reach the door. He kicked a stool separating them toward her. Sibil grabbed it and flung it back at him. The stool sailed past the steward’s head and crashed against the door.

“Make all the noise you want,” the steward said. “No one cares!”

Kate’s Review: “Thirst”

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Book: “Thirst” by Marina Yuszczuk and Heather Cleary (Translation)

Publishing Info: Dutton, March 2024

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

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

Book Description: Across two different time periods, two women confront fear, loneliness, mortality, and a haunting yearning that will not let them rest. A breakout, genre-blurring novel from one of the most exciting new voices of Latin America’s feminist Gothic.

It is the twilight of Europe’s bloody bacchanals, of murder and feasting without end. In the nineteenth century, a vampire arrives from Europe to the coast of Buenos Aires and, for the second time in her life, watches as villages transform into a cosmopolitan city, one that will soon be ravaged by yellow fever. She must adapt, intermingle with humans, and be discreet.

In present-day Buenos Aires, a woman finds herself at an impasse as she grapples with her mother’s terminal illness and her own relationship with motherhood. When she first encounters the vampire in a cemetery, something ignites within the two women—and they cross a threshold from which there’s no turning back.

With echoes of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and written in the vein of feminist Gothic writers like Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier, and Carmen Maria Machado, Thirst plays with the boundaries of genre while exploring the limits of female agency, the consuming power of desire, and the fragile vitality of even the most immortal of creatures.

Review: Thank you to Dutton for sending me this eARC via NetGalley!

As many people know, I love vampire horror, but along with that loves comes a pretty picky set of standards. I would love to frame it as ‘passionate’ but I’m sure part of it is being a bit of an elitist/a bit bratty when it comes to vampiric tales. But I couldn’t help but have my attention snagged when access to an eARC of Marina Yuszczuk’s “Thirst” arrived in my inbox. The cover is already eye catching, for one. For another, a horror novel about a female vampire that has a historical element, as well as Sapphic themes, just sounds INCREDIBLY tantalizing. I kept thinking about “The Hunger” and the characters of Darla and Drusilla from “Buffy”. I was hopeful going in.

Honestly just give me an entire prequel book series about these two with Spike and Angellus all being very sexually fluid together. (source)

The first half of this book was amazing. I loved the way that we follow our nameless Vampire from her transformation, to her liberation from her sire, to her need to escape once people in Europe start hunting her and her kind down, to her arrival and time in Buenos Aires. It is such a compelling arc and background for her, examining how she became a vampire and how she slowly accepts it and turns into a predator with a shade of seductive longing. The time and place is so well formed and presented, and the eeriness and horror moments are very well done. I LOVE predatory vampires in vampire fiction, and ones that have a little bit of dangerous eroticism is always a great harkening back to the way vampire lore has always had shades of longing and desire within it. And the explorations of feminine longing and feminine power and agency in this section is so interesting as we see her prey on her victims while also feeling a need for connection as she moves through her existence as times change. I also really enjoyed the setting of Buenos Aires during the Yellow Fever plague and how mass death and illness could make for both a good place to fade into the background, but also a dangerous place as hysteria ramps up and her cover could be blown. I found Part One to be so, so interesting and enthralling.

Which made it even more disappointing when Part Two was a bit lackluster. In this part we have Alma, a modern day woman living in Buenos Aires who is grappling with a divorce, her sensitive son Santiago, and now the impending death of her mother. She soon finds out that the family has had a key to a mausoleum passed down for generations, and now she has to figure out if she’s going to sell the mausoleum or what. I’m sure you can guess who is living in that tomb, which is ABSOLUTELY a great set up. But my problem with Alma’s story was that, while it’s a pretty standard examination of an unhappy woman at a crossroads, I didn’t feel like it tied in SUPER well with the Vampire’s story, as when it goes come together there isn’t much exploration of it before the book was done. I appreciated trying to draw a dichotomy between the feminine struggles that the vampire faced, even as a vampire but also before, as well as the struggles that Alma was experiencing as a woman in the modern times. But there wasn’t enough time with the Vampire and Alma actually connecting and interacting, and because of this certain choices made and plot points that shook out didn’t really work for me because not enough time was spent building up to them. I think that had there been a third part from both Alma’s and the Vampire’s perspectives to see a full picture, as well as more interaction and relationship building, would have really fixed this. But as it was it just felt a bit abrupt.

Overall, “Thirst” is fantastic in the first half and ultimately evens out to a still entertaining read, even if I wanted more from it. I will absolutely be checking out more from Marina Yuszczuk in the future if we get more translations of ehr works.

Rating 7: A fabulous first half followed by a not as fleshed out second half made for a meet in the middle read. But I REALLY loved the historical moments and the concept itself.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Thirst” is included on the Goodreads lists “Girly Pop But Make It Insane”, and “Weird Woman Book Club”.