Kate’s Review: “Night’s Edge”

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Book: “Night’s Edge” by Liz Kerin

Publishing Info: Tor Nightfire, June 2023

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

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

Book Description: Liz Kerin’s Night’s Edge is a sun-drenched novel about the darkest secrets we hide and how monstrous we can be to the ones we love most.

Having a mom like Izzy meant Mia had to grow up fast. No extracurriculars, no inviting friends over, and definitely no dating. The most important Tell no one of Izzy’s hunger – the kind only blood can satisfy.

But Mia is in her twenties now and longs for a life of her own. One where she doesn’t have to worry about anyone discovering their terrible secret, or breathing down her neck. When Mia meets rebellious musician Jade she dares to hope she’s found a way to leave her home – and her mom – behind.

It just might be Mia’s only chance of getting out alive.

Review: Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Wunderkind PR for sending me an ARC of this novel!

Vampires hold near and dear places in my horror heart, though I am very picky about the way these stories are told. I’m glad that we are kind of past the ‘vampires as super romantic supernatural lovers’ stories from the early 2000s, just as I am always glad to see creators mine within the numerous metaphors you can take from this specific horror tale. So I was very interested when “Night’s Edge” by Liz Kerin ended up in my mailbox for a few reasons. The first is that Tor Nightfire is pretty damn reliable when it comes to horror fiction, so any title they have is sure entertain. The second is that the description is very much a mother/daughter tale, with darker “Rapunzel”-esque implications. And the third is that any unique take on vampires is going to catch my attention. Boy, was did this book live up to my interest and expectations. “Night’s Edge” is fantastic, scary, and heartbreaking.

First off, the vampire (known as Saras) world building is superb in this book. Kerin takes some of the bare bones of vampire mythos (blood thirst, vulnerability to the sun and various elements) and sends them through the lens of a modern disease that has changed and terrified modern real world societies. We get a fabulous background of the Sara epidemic in a very easy to follow and engaging info drop through the eyes of Mia, a young woman whose mother Izzy has been infected and turned into a being that relies on blood to survive, and we get some good explanations as to how a society would have to adapt to dealing with Saras, usually in ways that would isolate them away and are potentially punitive (ie scanned for it before being able to enter a building, or being sent away to facilities that are secretive and perhaps more like prisons). It makes it so that you can absolutely understand why a person like Izzy, who is a single mom with a child who depends on her, would want to hide her condition, and how hiding it makes her life and Mia’s life that much more difficult, stressful, and dangerous, especially as Mia gets older and starts to come into her own. We get the vampire goods with this approach, but we also get to see it within the context of modern society that is trying to grapple with it, and that has led to more problems as more and more Saras start to become angry, isolated, and feral due to their inability to properly feed and keep themselves under control. Think “True Blood” if the fake blood supplement never came to be.

And it’s really the mother daughter dynamic between Izzy and Mia that brings out all the complicated and heart wrenching feelings in “Night’s Edge”. Izzy was changed into a Sara by a crappy boyfriend named Devon, whose poisonous influence on her could be due to his Sara nature where he’s trying to survive and has turned hardened and cynical… or it could be that he’s just another shithead dude who mistreats the women in his life (I feel like it’s probably the latter). And even after they leave Devon behind (though these shitty guys just won’t stay away, will they?), her being a Sara has transformed and damaged her relationship with Mia because Mia has to give up so much to keep Izzy safe, and Izzy doesn’t seem very grateful. She has to keep other people at arm’s length lest they find out at rat them out. She can’t live a normal life on her own due to the reliance her mother has on her. And, most grotesque of all, she has to give Izzy blood from her body every night to keep her from going fully feral. The codependency is there, but the emotional abuse is apparent as well. I love how I completely feel awful for Izzy because she had no say in this. BUT, at the same time, Kerin makes no excuses for the way she manipulates her daughter to keep herself safe and comfortable without thinking about the sacrifices, like LITERAL BLOODLETTING, her child is making for her. It’s so complex and so upsetting and you root for Mia so much, especially as she starts to want more for herself when she meets the charismatic musician Jade, but also has no idea how to function without her mom. It just killed me as I was reading it, especially since I am a mother with a daughter and this kind of thing just cuts to the bone a little more these days.

AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A SEQUEL! Which is good, because this ends on a note that was a sucker punch, but also opens up the door for more. And I can’t wait to see where Kerin takes the next phase of this story, because “Night’s Edge” is phenomenal. Simply phenomenal. READ THIS BOOK!

Review 10: A visceral, scary, and devastating story about vampires, toxic relationships, codependency, and mothers and daughters that hit me right in the feelings over and over again.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Night’s Edge” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward To in 2023”.

Not Just Books: June 2023

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Note: We are going to the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago this coming weekend. So we’re posting our “Not Just Books” post a week earlier than usual so that we can take next Monday to highlight that event.

Serena’s Picks

Apple TV Show: “Slow Horses”

You know, sometimes all it takes to sell you on a concept is a famous name. And show producers know it! My husband and I started watched watching this one based only on our love of Gary Oldman and our mutual appreciation for BBC dramas of any kind. But I think we were both surprised by just how much we enjoyed this spy thriller. All of the acting was superb, and it was also surprisingly funny, something I wasn’t expecting going in. Apple+ is one of those streamers that we subscribe to for soccer game access, but it turns out they have some actually good shows?

TV Show: “The Crowded Room”

I really knew nothing about this show either and was again drawn in by the big name actors headlining it. While Tom Holland is obviously best known for his role as Spiderman, I’ve seen him in a few more serious dramas, and it’s clear that he’s quite talented beyond the superhero stuff. This was a very interesting show. I feel like one of my few superpowers is the ability to quickly predict twists and surprises in shows and books, so I was able to guess this one’s main conceit within the first 15 minutes. But that still made it an interesting experience for sure! If you’re looking for something different to watch, this is definitely a unique show.

Activity: Trivia Mafia

Back in the days before we had kids, Kate and I and our husbands and a few other friends had a weekly trivia night at a local pub. Obviously, this has been out of the cards for some time. But this year, my husband and I decided that now was the time to figure out this whole babysitter thing. So now that we have a great person who comes and watches our boys, we’ve been able to slowly get back out into the world. And one thing we’re doing over the summer is trying out trivia again. Obviously, now being reduced to only the two of us, we don’t do nearly as well. But it’s still fun, for sure!

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Empress Ki”

This is a bit of a crazy swerve for me, as I literally stumbled upon a clip from the South Korean historical drama “Empress Ki” on social media during one of my frequent meaningless scrolls. But I was so intrigued by the ornate costuming, the dramatic moment at hand, and the very dramatic but also very compelling acting by the people on the screen, that I went on a hunt to find this show. Ha Ji-won plays Seung-nyang, a Goryeo (a state of Korea during the time period) woman who was sent as a tribute to Yuan (a Mongol controlled state of China) when she was a child. After escaping her captors, she disguised herself as a boy and became a thief and warrior, and eventually finds herself in the court of Ta Hwan, the son of the Yuan Emperor. As Seung-nyang does everything she can to survive, she climbs the ladder, and positions herself as one of Ta Hwan’s consorts, though she still thinks of her first love Wang Yoo, who is in line to be king in Goryeo. This show is soapy, beautiful, and the time, place, and plot has me hooked.

Film: “The Birdcage”

This isn’t a film that is by any means new to me, as I’ve been a fan of the comedy of errors “The Birdcage” for a very long time. But this month our local Alamo Drafthouse had a special screening as one of their ‘brunch’ films, so some friends and I decided to go and see it on the big screen. And for being a movie that is almost thirty years old, it still holds up really well and has numerous laugh out loud moments. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane play long term partners Armand and Albert, who run and are the star of a Miami drag club called The Birdcage. When Armand’s son Val comes home from college and announces that he’s engaged, and his fiancée is the daughter of a far right Senator, he asks Armand to pretend to be straight and conservative to meet the girl’s parents. Hilarity ensues. I still have a VERY hard time dealing with the ungrateful weenie son (how DARE he be SO MEAN to his parents, especially Albert, who is basically his mother?!?!), but Nathan Lane, Robin Williams, and Hank Azaria as flamboyant house keeper Agador always have me in stitches. Seeing in on the big screen with friends and a brunch spread was perfect.

TV Show: “Shiny Happy People”

We’re ending on a bleak and upsetting note, but I would be remiss if I were to leave the docuseries “Shiny Happy People” off my list for June, as Serena and I got together to watch it and binged it all in one distressing night. “Shiny Happy People” is a documentary series that looks into Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles, or IBLP, a fundamentalist Christian organization (though I’d argue cult) that is part of the mainstream consciousness thanks to TLC and the Quiverfull Duggar Family, whose show on TLC put their large family and conservative Christian values on cable TV. They presented themselves as moral and loving and perfect within their Christian led lives. Well, as it turned out their oldest son Josh is a sexual predator, and abused his sisters in childhood with no consequences and whose acts were covered up by his family. And he was eventually sent to prison for violent CSAM. But the docuseries, while using the Duggars as a jumping off point for the hidden violence and abuse, more so examines the IBLP as a cult and movement, and gives platform to numerous survivors who are now speaking out against the horrendous abuses, as well as the group’s ultimate mission to make the United States (and also the world) a society driven by far right Christian values and doctrine. It’s well done and enlightening, but it’s a rough ride.

Serena’s Review: “Something Close to Magic”

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Book: “Something Close to Magic” by Emma Mills

Publishing Info: Atheneum, June 2023

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

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

Book Description: It’s not all sugar and spice at Basil’s Bakery, where seventeen-year-old Aurelie is an overworked, underappreciated apprentice. Still, the job offers stability, which no-nonsense Aurelie values highly, so she keeps her head down and doesn’t dare to dream big—until a stranger walks in and hands her a set of Seeking stones. In a country where Seeking was old-fashioned even before magic went out of style, it’s a rare skill, but Aurelie has it.

The stranger, who turns out to be a remarkably bothersome bounty hunter named Iliana, asks for Aurelie’s help rescuing someone from the dangerous Underwood—which sounds suspiciously like an adventure. When the someone turns out to be Prince Hapless, the charming-but-aptly-named prince, Aurelie’s careful life is upended. Suddenly, she finds herself on a quest filled with magic portals, a troll older than many trees (and a few rocks), and dangerous palace intrigue.

Even more dangerous are the feelings she’s starting to have for Hapless. The more time Aurelie spends with him, the less she can stand the thought of going back to her solitary but dependable life at the bakery. Must she choose between losing her apprenticeship—or her heart?

Review: I was very excited to receive a copy of this one for review from the publisher! I haven’t read anything else by this author, as I understand that this is her first foray into fantasy from contemporary style fiction. But I know that she’s fairly popular in that genre. Plus, I’ve had some good success with cozy fantasies lately, and who can go wrong with a story that features a protagonist who is an apprentice baker?!

There was a lot to like about this book, but for me, who often looks to character first in my enjoyment, I really think Mills knocked it out of the park. As I said, I haven’t read any of her other books, but I guess that she is known for writing great friends groups and found families. Both were nicely on display here. All four of the characters were well-drawn, sympathetic, and had excellent chemistry with one another. I find, often, that authors struggle with groups of characters like these to make individuals stand out from one another. Here, we have very different personality traits, different struggles, and different strengths that all nicely play off one another. There is also a lot of really great, snappy, sarcastic dialogue between the characters, something that I particularly enjoy.

The romance as also sweet and definitely on the cozy side. It was much more the kind of romance that is about slowly starting to realize you may love someone and then the conclusion being that understanding becoming clear. There were a lot of very cute and sweet scenes, and I think this will definitely appeal to those looking for a lower spice level in their love stories.

I also enjoyed this world (the trolls and their understanding of age was a fun concept!) and the magical elements. All of it is fairly simple and sweet, but I think that fits perfectly with the overall tone of this story. Epic fantasy this is not, and that’s ok! The pacing and plotting were also quick and snappy. I was able to finish this one up in only a few sit-downs. Perhaps the whole thing was a bit too surface level, overall, but I’m of a mind to not count that against it too much. There are definitely readers who enjoy these more approachable fantasy stories, and not everything has to include epic drama and sprawling worlds.

Rating 8: A sweet, fun, cozy mystery with a heart-felt heroine who you can’t help but root for! And whom you wish would make you baked goods!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Something Close to Magic” is on this Goodreads list: YA Releases June 2023

Serena’s Review: “The Book of Gems”

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Book: “The Book of Gems” by Fran Wilde

Publishing Info: Tor, June 2023

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

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

Book Description: Some truths are shatterproof…

It’s been centuries since the Jeweled Valley and its magical gems were destroyed. In the republics that rose from its ashes, scientists craft synthetic jewels to heat homes, power gadgetry, and wage war.

Dr. Devina Brunai is one of these scientists. She also is the only person who believes true gems still exist. The recent unearthing of the Palace of Gems gives her the perfect opportunity to find them and prove her naysayers wrong.

Her chance is snatched away at the last moment when her mentor steals her research and wins the trip for himself. Soon, his messages from the field transform into bizarre ramblings about a book, a Prince, and an enemy borne of the dark. Now Dev must enter the Valley, find her mentor, and save her research before they, like gems, become relics of a time long forgotten.

Review: First of all, thanks to Emily over at Tor for sending me an ARC of this title! I know Fran Wilde to be a very prolific SFF writer, but for whatever reason I hadn’t gotten around to reading one of her books yet. So this felt like as good of a time as any. I will say I wasn’t aware that this book was part of a series, but after some quick perusing, it seemed like it could also be read as a stand-alone, so I dove right in!

One of the harder things, sometimes, when picking up a SFF title that is part of a series but has also been marketed as a stand-alone is trying to center oneself in the world and any magic system that may or may not be present. Unlike contemporary or historical fiction, the reader cannot rely on a knowledge of our own world to fill in any gaps that may have been missed from previous books. So I think it’s a mark of Wilde’s talent that it was a fairly smooth process orienting myself with this world. Necessary information flowed out in a natural, timely way without any info-dumping early in the novel, and the patient reader will be rewarded by looking up about halfway through the read and realizing that they already do know everything they need to about this series even without any obvious “telling” sections.

Beyond how the information was given, I enjoyed the world and magic that was laid out here. The gems and the way they operate is clever and unique. I also really enjoyed the blending of several genres that we see here. Fantasy, of course, but there were also strong hints of the mystery and historical genres. As our main character is also a research, this book also hits on the currently quite popular “fantasy academia” subgenre. I’ve really enjoyed this resurgence and very much enjoyed this nice blending of many types of stories.

I also liked the character well enough. Though here I will say is where the story fell a bit flat for me. There was nothing wrong with any of them, but I also never felt supremely invested in our main character’s story or that of any of the side characters. Here, perhaps, is where more familiarity with the first two books could have helped, as a better sense and expectation of overall tone could have aided in my feeling invested in these stories. However, the characters were still interesting and competently portrayed, so fans of the first two books will likely be very pleased with what we get here.

Overall, this was a solid novella, and one that speaks to an interesting wider world. I’ll definitely have to go back and check out the first two books in the series!

Rating 7: Short, sweet, and with a vibrant world and magic system. The only flaw was my inability to feel incredibly invested in some of the characters.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Books of Gems” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but here are the other books in the series!

Kate’s Review: “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It”

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Book: “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” by Katy Brent

Publishing Info: Harper Collins, June 2023

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

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

Book Description: Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

He was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I hadn’t intended to kill him of course. But I wasn’t displeased when I did and, despite the mess I made, I appeared to get away with it.

That’s where my addiction started…

I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted story about friendship, love, and murder. Fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, How to Kill Your Family and Killing Eve will love this wickedly clever novel!

Review: Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me an ARC of this novel!

I’m going to get on my soapbox a minute, but I promise it won’t last long and I promise it has a point. I get frustrated by the literary box that the concept of ‘women’s fiction/chick lit’ gets put in. It’s pretty silly that sometime’s a book that centers on a woman and perhaps more emotional themes (love, loss, self exploration) is given this label, especially when that label can imply ‘less than’ to certain subsets of readers. That said, I do enjoy the occasional women’s fiction book, which has a pretty predictable formula and a general sense of comfort around it. So when I started reading “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” by Katy Brent, I smirked to myself. Because this book has very women’s fiction-esque themes, but centers upon a woman who, when she isn’t cavorting with her friends or living a lavish lifestyle, is killing men who have been abusers in their past and present. Sometimes in very graphic ways. And if that doesn’t satirize the preconceived notions of women’s fiction, I don’t know what does!

I would say that if you threw “Sex and the City”, “Dexter”, and “Promising Young Woman” into a blender and hit the on button, you would more or less get “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It”. Which is, on the whole, a rather charming concept for those who enjoy twisted thrills with some black humor to boot. It makes for a pretty fun read, with a fizzy humor and sarcastic bite that firmly places the power in a character who doesn’t want to deal with victimization, whether it’s towards herself, her friends, or women as a whole, any longer. And goes to extreme means to stave it off. Kitty is an interesting protagonist in that she is oozing with privilege due to her wealth, beauty, and social clout due to her successful influencer lifestyle, but covertly slaughters men she as discovered or deemed to be predators while hiding behind these things. Her first person perspective can be a little twee and repetitive at times, and I’m not sure that we really delve too far into her character so as to make her deeply complex, but as the story stands she’s enjoyable and just a bit wicked in a very fun way. There is definitely something cathartic about seeing crappy abusive dudes getting bumped off, so while Kitty could definitely have had some room to grow and evolve, it’s escapist fun at the end of the day and that’s just fine.

There is also a mystery at hand, as Kitty, being a well loved and well known influencer, has a stalker that is lurking about. A stalker who seems to know that Kitty is out and about slaughtering shitheads and has been holding it over her head. I liked having this added layer of stakes for Kitty, as it does make things all the more complicated for her. I also found myself genuinely surprised by some of the reveals and twists that came along with this subplot, as it goes from general ‘oh geeze, stalkers are always a problem’ to ‘oh boy, the stalker knows what she’s up to!’. I was a little surprised that Kitty herself didn’t seem super concerned about it, viewing it more as a nuisance that this anonymous person being in her business than someone who could very easily turn her in or at least tip someone off about her. I’m not certain if this was supposed to be reflective of Kitty’s general sociopathy, or that it was a point that could have used more development, but it was always present and it added to the overall tension.

“How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” is the kind of quippy and engaging thriller that will certainly appeal to fans of the genre who also like a little bit of sudsy ‘chick lit’ to be in their reading piles. As someone who fits that description, I found it to be a pretty fun read for summer.

Rating 7: Witty and banter filled with some fun satire, “How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” has a dark premise and fizzy execution.

Reader’s Advisory:

“How to Kill Men and Get Away With It” is included on the Goodreads lists “Not a Handbook”, and “[ATY 2023]: Murder!”.

Serena’s Review: “Garden of the Cursed”

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Book: “Garden of the Cursed” by Katy Rose Pool

Publishing Info: Henry Holt and Co., June 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: Since fleeing the gilded halls of Evergarden for the muck-filled canals of the Marshes, Marlow Briggs has made a name for herself as the best godsdamn cursebreaker in Caraza City. But no matter how many cases she solves, she is still haunted by the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

When Adrius Falcrest, Marlow’s old friend and scion of one of Caraza’s most affluent spell-making families, asks her to help break a life-threatening curse, Marlow wants nothing to do with the boy who spurned her a year ago. But a new lead in her mother’s case makes Marlow realize that the only way to get the answers she desperately seeks is to help Adrius and return to Evergarden society—even if it means suffering through a fake love affair with him to avoid drawing suspicion from the conniving Five Families.

As the investigation draws Marlow into a web of deadly secrets and powerful enemies, a shocking truth emerges: Adrius’s curse and her mother’s disappearance may just be clues to an even larger mystery, one that could unravel the very foundations of Caraza and magic itself.

Review: There was so much to draw me in to first picking up this book that I’m not even sure what was my main motivation! Was is the cool, cyberpunk cover that stands out from the typical YA fantasy crowd? Was it the author, Katy Rose Poole, who has definitely proven herself as a powerhouse in YA fantasy fiction? Or was it the comparison to “Veronica Mars,” with the promise of a teenage investigator and her enemies-to-lovers romance? Any single one of these aspects would have had me racing to pick this one up. But all together? Immediately there!

This is one of those unique books where the comparison to a different popular franchise is definitely warranted. Remember that period of time a few years ago where some how every. single. YA. fantasy was somehow just like “Six of Crows?” Most of the time, publishers were clearly just trying to cash in on the popularity of a different series, regardless of how well it really paired with the book they were actually pushing. But let me say, this book not only earns its comparison to “Veronica Mars,” but it might even go a bit beyond? Let’s just say, if you’re very familiar with this popular TV series, you’re going to recognize A LOT of characters in this book, the history of our main lead, and even some of the plot points that play out throughout this book. I can lean two ways on this, frankly. I think, ultimately, that it works out fine. But there are moments were the similarities are almost so close that the book juuuuust brushes up against being some sort of alt-world fanfic of “Veronica Mars.”

But the world-building and magic system, I think, do enough to save it as an original work. While I could have used perhaps a bit more about just how exactly people learn to employ the curse-magic that is at the heart of the fantasy portions of this book, I was also pleased enough to just enjoy the creative, action-packed scenes in which this magic was used. Similarly, the world-building was interesting, if not fully realized. There were a few scenes, in particular the description of a university/library, that really stood out as fantastical and whimsical. But there were other moments where I had a hard time envisioning the type of world we were meant to be picturing, with a strange balance of old-world and modern technologies.

I really liked Marlow, for the most part. I loved that the book leaned into the “investigator” aspect of her character. She really is very much like Veronica Mars, and this is where the comparison can never be seen as a detraction, as both the original character and this “inspired by” version are incredibly likable and sympathetic. Marlow, like Veronica, is very capable, smart, and creative. But she also struggles with trusting others, and, over the course of the story, we see how isolating herself like this leads her to harm those around her as well as herself.

I will say that in the first action scene of the book where we meet Marlow, she gets into some trouble (because of course she does!) and then the description immediately goes to her tearing up and about to cry when confronted by a gangster. Now, look, I’ve gone on rants in the past about all the different kinds of strengths that can be found in heroines. I’m also all for embracing emotion and not treating it as a weakness. The problem here is that I think this description of Marlow early in the book (and then it comes up again later too with her near-crying in another scary situation) doesn’t sit naturally with the character we see throughout the rest of the book. It threw me out a little bit, ultimately, both times it came up.

I found the mystery itself to be a bit predictable, and I was able to guess the villain fairly quickly. I also struggled a bit with the romance. At times, the situation for them to “fake date” felt too forced. And then, while I appreciate that Marlow’s main arc had to do with her being forced to confront the realities of her inability to trust those around her, it was difficult to not want to shake her when she was so oblivious to the very obvious intentions and feelings of Adrius.

Rating 8: A fun, fast read that will definitely appeal to fantasy readers who are looking for a whip-smart leading lady and a slow-burn romance full of angst and drama.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Garden of the Cursed” can be found on this Goodreads list: YA Novels of 2023

Kate’s Review: “Lore Olympus: Volume Four”


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Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume Four” by Rachel Smyth

Publishing Info: Random House Worlds, June 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first. But that’s easier said than done.

Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can–like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera–he still feels lonely and adrift.

Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone’s dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods.

Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.

This edition of Rachel Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Review: The problem when I binge read an ongoing series is that once I have consumed everything there is to consume, I then have to wait for the next batch of new content to drop. And I am not good at waiting. But eventually the wait ends, and in this case we now have “Lore Olympus: Volume 4”! This series is so wonderful and amazing and I am so glad that we are going forward in the series, because it’s still juicy, it’s still sexy, it’s still heartfelt, and it’s still hilarious. Rachel Smythe has a lot of characters and storylines to juggle and it feels like she just keeps adding more, but she is still absolutely killing it. KILLING IT I SAY!

We’ll start with Hades, as when we left him his heart had been once again stomped on by his on again, off again girlfriend Minthe, who had been manipulated by her frenemy Thetis to stand him up on a date that she had coordinated. So when we see Hades again, he is trying to understand what Minthe’s deal was, and we get to see the VERY toxic aspects of their relationship as the fallout comes down all around the both of them. Minthe is a very interesting character to me, as while she is just AWFUL to Hades in this moment, I really like that Smythe, once again, decides to explore how nuanced she is, while also calling her out on how wrong she is in this moment. Minthe is one of those characters who could easily just be a two dimensional bitch, but instead we get to see how much she struggles with herself and how much she regrets that way she behaves, and can’t seem to control her reactions and volatile nature. And it was the perfect way to segue into Hades own trauma and how that has plagued him for so long, and how it has shaped how he reacts to romantic relationships. Or really any relationships. It gives insight into both characters, and I loved that.

And Persephone is just having a horrible time of it right now too. She is still dealing with the fallout from when Apollo raped her, and now to make matters worse the classmates are no longer trusting her because of her close relationship with Hades (as Hades, being Hades, sought out revenge on the tabloid reporter who published the picture of the two of them that made Persephone’s life very difficult, who was friends with one of her peers). She’s ostracized at school, is still trying to stay out of a murky relationship with Hades, and Apollo just keeps. Dropping. By. But this is what makes Persephone’s story finally turn from the initial naïve young goddess who is sweet and demure. Because now Persephone is angry. VERY angry. And we are getting more and more hints as to what an angry Persephone may mean, with her fury at Apollo overflowing and hinting at previous rage.

And that brings tidings of great joy, because due to her abject rage being so visceral, Ares is here after taking notice. Which is so funny to me because I NEVER cared for Ares back in the day when I was obsessing over Greek Mythology, but in this he is HILARIOUS and such a dick but did I mention HILARIOUS? Smythe’s skills are so on point because she really does take all of these Greek Gods and Goddesses and keeps them true to their natures while also making all of them very entertaining and funny with very relatable moments. I hate Zeus for how he treats Hera and Hades, but I also LOVE it when he drops by Hades house insisting on brunch. Ares is a macho dunce who is aggressive to the extreme, but he also makes me laugh and he is a great ally to his mother Hera. In fact, the only character that is just plain despicable is Apollo, but given that that itself is a bit of a subversion from his original mythological profile, it’s great.

Okay I also really, really need to gush and talk about the Hades/Hera relationship in this Volume. It had been very much implied that there is SOMETHING going on between these two, and this one finally reveals that they, occasionally, hook up when they are feeling glum or unappreciated. I mean, that on it’s own is super hot in my book, as I love both Hades and Hera in this and there is absolutely potential there. But Smythe, being the very cruel sadist that she is, decides to take it one step further, and starts to create a backstory between the two of them that makes their sometimes romantic relationship all the more bittersweet. I won’t go into details because you just gotta see it start to unfold, but god DAMMIT do I think it’s going to be rough as we learn more. I love how Smythe adds so many complexities to these relationships and how she makes at least some of them, like Hades and Hera, feel somewhat healthy in the midst of so many unhealthy ones (see above. ARG, Minthe, you’re killing me girlfriend!).

I love this series so much. I know that the webtoon is long long long, which only means that we are going to have SO many volumes to consume, and I, for one, am THRILLED with how it is progressing. Next one is out in October! Be still my impatient heart.

Rating 9: This series continues to shine brightly and to make me laugh on one page while tearing my heart out on another.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume 4” is included on the Goodreads lists “2023 Greek Mythology Retelling Books”, and “The Ultimate Hades and Persephone Directory”.

Book Club Review: “The Raven and the Reindeer”

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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 retellings and re-imaginings.  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: “The Raven and the Reindeer” by T. Kingfisher

Publishing Info: Argyll Productions, July 2017

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Retelling/Re-imagining: “The Snow Queen”

Book Description: When Gerta’s friend Kay is stolen away by the mysterious Snow Queen, it’s up to Gerta to find him. Her journey will take her through a dangerous land of snow and witchcraft, accompanied only by a bandit and a talking raven. Can she win her friend’s release, or will following her heart take her to unexpected places?

A strange, sly retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “Snow Queen,” by T. Kingfisher, author of “Bryony and Roses” and “The Seventh Bride.”

Kate’s Thoughts

I have very little familiarity with fairy tales that go beyond The Brothers Grimm, and while I know the basics of “The Snow Queen”, I never read it as a kid and I don’t know a lot of the details (if we’re being vulnerable on the blog today, my information mostly came from Tumblr posts when “Frozen” came out). But I did know that I like T. Kingfisher, and I liked the past reimagining she did, “What Moves the Dead”. So when Serena picked “The Raven and the Reindeer” I was on board. No questions asked.

I thought that “The Raven and the Reindeer” was not only a creative and unique reimagining of “The Snow Queen” based on my knowledge, I also thought that it was heartfelt and at times very funny. Which is something that I expect from Kingfisher these days. I really liked Gerta’s character arc, as she starts out as a starry eyed and somewhat naïve teenager who thinks she is in love with her life long friend Kay, who is very noncommittal to her as, really, any sort of significant person in his life. After he’s kidnapped by the Snow Queen and Gerta goes on a quest to save him, she starts her own personal journey of self discovery, with the help of a snarky raven named Mousebones with whom she can communicate, as well as that of Janna, a bandit girl with a heart of gold. I loved seeing Gerta start to realize that she may not necessarily need Kay to love her to feel whole and complete, and also starting to realize that perhaps her attractions are towards someone else. Kingfisher also makes such a fun character out of Mousebones, whose snarky attitude adds most of the humor and had me chuckling over and over again.

I really enjoyed “The Raven and the Reindeer”! T. Kingfisher has such a knack for charming stories that feel very original, and this would be a great place to start with her catalog if you haven’t already!

Serena’s Thoughts

This was a pretty easy book club pick for me. I knew I wanted to do a fairytale re-telling, and then, obviously, I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by T. Kingfisher. Beyond that, “The Snow Queen” is a tough nut to crack as far as re-tellings go and I haven’t read too many of them (unlike the endless versions of “Beauty and the Beast” and “Cinderella” stories to be found!)

As predicted, I really liked Kingfisher’s take on this story. I’m pretty familiar with the original, so it was easy to recognize the many similarities as well as the points of divergence. In particular, I really liked the switch made to Gerta and Kay’s relationship, with Gerta slowly beginning to understand that while she still wanted to save her friend, Kay might not be where it’s at as far as love interests go. Instead, Kingfisher also reimagines the bandit girl who in this story serves as not only the true love interest, but also as a companion for Gerta on the second half of her journey.

I also really enjoyed the quirky animals found throughout the story. This is another staple of Kingfisher’s work, and it melded perfectly with this fairytale that already has a number of animals featured within it. The raven, of course, was hilarious and excellent, as well as the exuberant, magical otters that pull the Snow Queen’s sleigh. But, I have to say, the reindeer, for all that he’s only around for a very short bit, really hit me in the feels. I’ll admit that there were tears.

Overall, this was a fun re-imaging of the classic tale, and I think it will appeal to all fairytale re-telling fans!

Kate’s Rating 8: This is a charming and funny re-imagining of a fairy tale that I wasn’t super familiar with.

Serena’s Rating 8: Sweet and heartfelt, this is an excellent re-telling of “The Snow Queen.”

Book Club Questions

  1. How familiar are you with the original story? Was there a change that stood-out to you?
  2. Kingfisher re-imagines the relationships at the heart of this story. What do you think of her portrayal of Gerta and Kay’s frienship?
  3. There were a number of mini adventures throughout this story, which one did you enjoy the most and why?
  4. Which animal companion was your favorite and why?
  5. This story focuses on themes of courage and self-esteem. In what ways did the author tackle these topics and was it effective?

Reader’s Advisory

“The Raven and the Reindeer” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Popular The Snow Queen Retellings Books.

Next Book Club Pick: “Music from Another World”

Serena’s Review: “Psyche and Eros”

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Book: “Psyche and Eros” by Luna McNamara

Publishing Info: William Morrow, June 2023

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

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

Book Description: A prophecy claims that Psyche, princess of Mycenae, will conquer a monster feared by the gods. Beloved by her family but at odds with her society’s expectations for women, Psyche trains to become a hero, mastering blade and bow.

When Psyche angers Aphrodite, the love goddess enlists Eros, god of desire, to help deliver a cruel curse. Eros is the last born of the eldest gods, dry-witted and jaded, unsure of his place in the cosmos. The last thing he wants is to become involved in the chaos of the mortal world, but when he pricks himself with the arrow intended for Psyche, Eros is doomed to yearn for a woman who will be torn from him the moment their eyes meet.

A joyous and subversive tale of gods, monsters, and the human heart and soul, Psyche and Eros dazzles the senses while exploring notions of trust, sacrifice, and what it truly means to be a hero. With unforgettably vivid characters, spellbinding prose, and delicious tension, Luna McNamara has crafted a shimmering and propulsive debut novel about a love so strong it defies the will of Olympus.

Review: Continuing to follow the ongoing trend of reimaging Greek/Roman mythology, I knew I had to check out this book when I saw it slotted for publication this summer. I also love the myth of Psyche and Eros, one of the few stories that doesn’t seem to end in abject tragedy. I was also feeling particularly optimistic going into this one after the awesome reading experience that was “Atalanta.” Before reading that one, I had been worrying that “Circe” might have been more of an exception than the rule. But the strength of that book refreshed my confidence that there were strong books to still be found, even in the midst of this boom in popularity where every other book seems to be of the same sort.

Alas, as it turns out, the comparison to “Atalanta” didn’t work in this book’s favor as much as I had hoped. I would have had struggles with this book either way, but I think reading it so quickly after didn’t help. And this speaks to my biggest frustration with this story, and that’s the characterization of Psyche herself. Being fairly familiar with the original tale, I had some strong ideas of the type of character Psyche was originally portrayed to be. And that was a normal, soft-hearted woman who finds the inner strength to fight for her love when she finds herself in extraordinary situations. She is a heroine much like the ones that I love so much from Juliet Mariller’s books. There is an author who excels at writing heroines who value the strengths of “traditional” women’s roles, caring for the home, focusing on healing, midwifery, embroidery, etc. But they are just as strong when fighting for those they love.

This is the character that Psyche is presented as in the original story. So imagine my frustration when, here, she has been re-worked into the typical outgoing, fighter woman that we so typically see. I loved Atalanta for being this sort of character, and it is true to her origins. But to re-make Psyche, a character whose strengths are very different and represent how all women, not just natural warriors, can fight for those they love, into that same sort of heroine? No, dislike. It’s not only a waste of an opportunity to place value on all women, but it makes Psyche just your same-old, average heroine we’ve all read a million times before.

So that was a long rant on one very specific aspect of the story. But for me, who places such a value on characterization in my stories, this was incredibly disappointing. Granted, this is a hugely subjective take, and I, too, enjoy the warrior woman character, so readers with different expectations of this book may not even blink at these changes. There are also a lot of changes to the story itself. The author, of course, chooses to set this during the siege of Troy, a decision that is fine, I guess, but draws a lot of timelines into conflict if you know much about the various gods and stories involved. There are also a lot of changes to the general pantheon and who is related to who and how. Again, if you’re not overly familiar, this may all work fine for you. It just didn’t for me.

Overall, I was very frustrated with this read. That said, I also think that there are large groups of readers who will simply gobble this book up and enjoy the heck out of it. The writing is solid, the love story is, of course, there. And the characters, on their own, are fine. They just aren’t the ones I was expecting or wanting.

Rating 6: Turning Psyche into a “warrior girl boss” is not the vibe I was here for, but if you’re not looking for a close re-telling of the original, you could still enjoy this story!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Psyche and Eros” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Retellings of greek and roman myths and Bows, Arrows, Spears.

Kate’s Review: “Illusions of Isolation”

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Book: “Illusions of Isolation” by Brennan LaFaro

Publishing Info: French Press, March 2023

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

Where You Can Get This Book: Amazon

Book Description: Is anyone ever really alone?

When a young man’s wife goes away for the weekend, he lies awake all night wondering what the otherworldly sound in the attic is and why only he can hear it.

After her husband’s death, a mother who interacts with her son exclusively through stationery notes grapples with the strange ways her lost love seems to be haunting them both.

And inch by inch, room by room, a young girl’s home is overtaken by a savage jungle, even while her parents are being gradually replaced by somewhat…wilder housemates.

In this debut collection Brennan LaFaro, the author of NOOSE and SLATTERY FALLS, brings you these stories of creeping dread and much, much more. Contained within are thirteen tales of horror, humor, and heart, (including nine which have never before seen the light of day) and an introduction by the legendary Jonathan Janz.

Is anyone ever really alone? Or are they merely suffering… ILLUSIONS OF ISOLATION

Review: Thank you to French Press for sending me an eCopy of this short stories collection!

One of my favorite things is when a book shows up in my inbox or comes across my path that is unknown, and it catches my eye even though I’m unfamiliar with the author due to the description and hype work done around it. That is really the situation I had with “Illusions of Isolation” by Brennan LaFaro, a collection of horror short stories that were completely new to me. I’m someone who really likes routine and control over many aspects of my life, so taking chances on books, while novel and fun at times, is also a little stressful for me. But reading the description of this book, I knew that I wanted to give it a chance because it just struck me in the right away. And I ended up really enjoying it.

Before we begin, one of the things that I really REALLY loved about this collection is that each story has an author’s note at the end, which provides some context and insight into the story itself. As someone who likes to write for myself on occasion, I always like seeing the process that other authors use when writing their own stories. I found it very enlightening and interesting in this collection, and seeing where LaFaro gets his inspirations and how he crafted these short stories was such a treat. It also provided some good background or thought process information of some of the more disturbing tales (I really liked having it for “Dressed for Success”, the first story in the bunch that has violence within a school setting. It really contextualizes the content so it doesn’t feel exploitative or distasteful). It feels a bit like the author’s notes behind the stories in the “Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark Books” in a way, and I really enjoyed it.

So I’ll tackle this like I do all short stories collections: I will talk about my favorite three stories, and then talk about the collection as a whole.

“Year of the Black Rainbow”: There were a few stories in this collection that used topical issues to help fuel the horror aspects (given that social anxieties influence horror a lot it’s not shock), and “Year of the Black Rainbow” was one of those and my first favorite of the collection. Alex, a non-binary teen whose parents have kicked them out of their home, has found themself alone and living in an unhoused community in an old abandoned hospital. While others have avoided the basement for its strange happenings, Alex has made it their home. But when intruders threaten them, the basement’s reputation comes to the forefront. I love a haunted house story, I love a story about a marginalized person finding a place to call home, and I love a story that has a nice heaping helping of comeuppance for shit heads. And this story has all of that.

“A Shine in the Woods”: Isolation cabin horror is always going to be top notch for me, and if you bring in some really unique elements and I am totally roped in. A family is having a vacation in a winter cabin setting, but something keeps knocking over their garbage cans and making a mess outside. As the snow comes down harder and the unknown threat becomes more pressing, the family starts to wonder if they are going to leave their vacation alive. I’m not going to say any spoilers here, but I LOVED where LaFarro went with this one! I had an idea as to what was maybe going on, but as the tension built and the stakes were raised he went in a completely different direction and I thought that it was so creative and so out there in the best way.

“The Lights”: Break out the tissues for this one folks. A neighborhood nice guy named Gus, known for his kind disposition and his love of the grill, is suddenly rendered catatonic in his backyard chair with a relaxed smile on his face. His wife has kept it secret until neighbors come by concerned, and he only speaks of ‘the lights’. As Gus remains in this entranced state, his wife, and his neighbors, start to realize the impact this quiet but gentle man had on their lives. This one is probably the least horror-esque story in the collection and a bit more Sci-Fi, but I thought that it was so lovely and a glimpse into the way loved ones impact our lives. It’s a bit ambiguous, but the ending is filled with so much genuine, bittersweet pathos that it brought tears to my eyes.

And truly, I thought that all of the stories in this book were pretty well crafted and well imagined. None of them felt like clunkers to me, and I thought that LaFaro really explored a lot of different sub genres and did them justice for the most part. There was definitely something to like about all these stories, and again, the author’s note for EACH story was so, so awesome. The tone could shift from splatter punk brutality to bittersweet pathos and the shift isn’t jarring or distracting. It’s just nice seeing different themes and tonality flowing well in an anthology, especially when there is such a dichotomy and it’s from a single author.

There is definitely something for everyone in “Illusions of Isolation”. I am going to be keeping an eye on Brennan LaFaro going forward, because this collection is filled with lots of goodies.

Rating 8: A well rounded and very strong collection of horror stories that span a number of sub genres and aesthetics, “Illusions of Isolation” really ought to be on any horror aficionado’s radar!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Illusions of Isolation” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it would fit in on the list “Short Horror/SciFi Collections”.