Tag: 8 Rating

Kate’s Review: “Northranger”

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Book: “Northranger” by Rey Teciero and Bre Indigo (Ill.)

Publishing Info: HarperAlley, June 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

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

Book Description: In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary–but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas–real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there–in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get… complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

Review: A few years ago our book club read “Northanger Abbey”, making it the third Jane Austen book I’ve read and making me feel that much more cultured. It was fine, I enjoyed the discussion, but outside of “Emma” which I genuinely loved it was just adding an Austen notch to the belt. But when I saw “Northranger”, a graphic novel by Rey Teciero and illustrated by Bre Indigo, cross my feed, and that it was a modern retelling of “Northanger Abbey” with a queer romance, I knew that I HAD to read it.

Teciero easily reinterprets the themes and story of “Northanger Abbey” and remixes them into a modern American setting with queer themes. I loved the new location of rural Texas, and I REALLY loved how Catherine Morland, naive clergyman’s daughter who loves Gothic novels, changes into Cade Muñoz, a closeted queer Latino teen who loves horror movies. Instead of going into social society as a potential bride for suitors in Bath, Cade and his stepfather go to work on a ranch for the summer to help ends meet, and meets the Tyler family. There’s the harsh General, who owns the ranch, and his twin children, Henrietta (who prefers to go by Henri), and Henry. There is, of course, some mysteriousness surrounding Henry and his father, and Cade, being a horror movie buff, lets his mind wander to think the very worst of them, especially once they get to the family vacation home Northranger and tensions run high. In terms of adaptations, “Northranger” is pretty clever with how it brings the other characters into the story, while mining a bit more complexity from them. Antagonists John and Isabella Thorpe are no longer scheming siblings, but a bitter ranch hand named John who struggles with resentment and substance abuse, and his flirty and carefree daughter Bella. Eleanor is now Henri, who is jovial and supportive of both her brother and Cade, and Mr. Allen is now Cade’s stepfather Dale, who served with The General in the military. While they are different from their Austen counterparts, they all feel pretty in line with the base personalities and inspirations, just better fitting in with modern sensibilities.

But what was a bit of a parody of Gothic sensibilities in the source material turns into a far more melancholy (but also very sweet) story about identity, anxieties, and how sometimes people who are always scared due to things they can’t control turn to horror as an escape. Catherine is seen as a naive for this in “Northanger Abbey”, but in “Northranger” Cade has a LOT he is carrying. He’s a closeted queer teen living in rural Texas, where his sexuality could very easily put a target on his back, and his love of horror isn’t so much as fanciful or used as humorous, but is more an exploration of his inner fears. Henry, too, has a lot of things that he is carrying, and his character COULD be seen as suspicious and strange because of how HE is coping with his own inner struggles. Sometimes this could make for moments where I wasn’t completely certain that Cade and Henry were in a healthy burgeoning relationship, or led to moments where I thought that Henry was REALLY in need of some introspection (not to mention thinking this was a bit repetitive at times), but apart from these uneasy moments I did like the romance between the two characters as they explored their feelings and unpacked their personal baggage. The core themes from the Austen story are still here, but Teciero brings new life to it with more complex issues.

And finally, I liked the artwork by Bre Indigo quite a bit. It feels easy going and easy to digest, while having moments of more realistic designs that popped off the page.

Pardon the quality of my picture. (source: HarperAlley)

“Northranger” is a charming and emotional remix of a Jane Austen classic! I would definitely be interested in seeing what else Rey Teciero writes in the future, reimagined classics or not!

Rating 8: A creative and sweet retelling of a classic Gothic romance, “Northranger” is a lovely graphic novel about seeing horrors everywhere and finding peace within yourself.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Northranger” is included on the Goodreads lists “YA Modern Austen Retellings”, and “Queer Books Set in Texas”.

Serena’s Review: “The Dragons of Deepwood Fen”

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Book: “The Dragons of Deepwood Fen” by Bradly P/ Beaulieu

Publishing Info: DAW, December 2023

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

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

Book Description: Lorelei Aurelius is the smartest inquisitor in the mountain city of Ancris. When a mysterious tip leads her to a clandestine meeting between the Church and the hated Red Knives, she uncovers a plot that threatens not only her home but the empire itself.

The trail leads her to Rylan Holbrooke, a notorious thief posing as a dragon singer. Rylan came to Ancris to solve the very same mystery she stumbled onto. Knowing his incarceration could lead to the Red Knives’ achieving their goals, Lorelei makes a fateful she frees him.

Now branded as traitors, the two flee the city on dragonback. In the massive forest known as the Holt, they discover something terrible. The Red Knives are planning to awaken a powerful demigod in the holiest shrine in Ancris, and for some reason the Church is willing to allow it. It forces their return to Ancris, where the unlikely allies must rally the very people who’ve vowed to capture them before it’s too late.

Explore the mountain city of Ancris, where fast-paced adventure and intrigue abound. in this new offering from the author of the acclaimed Song of the Shattered Sands series.

Review: I know many of you may be wondering by now why I haven’t reviewed “Fourth Wing” on the blog yet. On paper, it should be right up my alley! Well, it might surprise some of you, but I don’t love writing super negative reviews for books that others seem to love! That said, I do think there’s something very curious about the ridiculous surge in popularity that that book specifically seemed to inspire (at best, I think it was a fairly generic example of a whole bunch of fantasy/romantasy books that already existed and didn’t get nearly the same reception); it tickles my conspiratorial side, let’s say. But the one very positive thing I can say for sure is that hopefully “Fourth Wing’s” popularity will bring another resurgence of dragons in fantasy fiction. I’m sure this book was well on its way to production before “Fourth Wing” even dropped, but I hope it’s just the tip of the spear as far as a trend goes.

While I had a few quibbles about pacing and such, there was still a lot to like about this book and I do think there is a solid fan base out there who will really love this one. Namely, fans of sprawling, epic fantasy. The world-building is front and center in this one, a fact that is hinted at early on by the inclusion of a two-page spread map. I love maps in books, and this one was not only interesting, but necessary to understanding the geography of the world we were exploring. This also very much feels like classic fantasy fiction, in that the reader is simply plopped down into the story with very little explanation regarding how it all works. I love this style of writing, as I’m happy to go along with a book as it slowly reveals its secrets. However, it’s something be aware of for readers who enjoy more explanation up front.

I also enjoyed the dragons, especially the fact that they were given distinctive personalities, allowing them to function more fully as characters on their own. I also enjoy this sort of dragon rider story where there is a specific bond between the riders and the dragons. Again, like “Fourth Wing,” but, you know, with actually skilled writing. I also really enjoyed the magic system at the heart of this novel. This world has two suns, each emitting different rays of magic that are then soaked up by the dragons’ scales. I also enjoyed the fact that we got to follow a scientist of this world who was studying how these magical elements affected the landscape and the world. I always love it when fantasy books include scholarly pursuits into their world-building, and it worked very well with this book.

That said, this book was definitely a slower read for me. While the reader is plunked right down into the world and into the middle of the characters’ stories, the pacing was still on the slower side. It’s also well-established at this point that I personally struggle with large casts of POV, and this book serves as a good example of why I think this choice can often have a negative effect on the pacing of the story. There’s so much jumping around from one character to the next that the reader is never given a chance to really settle into any one storyline. Instead, as one character’s story seems to be building towards something, the book switches to another POV, cutting the legs out from under any build-up in the pace of the book, forcing the reader to start all over again.

However, overall, I did enjoy this book. The world-building especially felt intricate and well thought out. I enjoyed learning about how the magic system was built into the way this society developed, and, of course, I’m a sucker for fantasy novels that delve into the politics of the various peoples of a new world. For readers who enjoy dragons but who also want world-building that actually makes sense *side-eyes “Fourth Wing” real hard*, definitely check this one out! That said, this is definitely a slower book, so readers should go in with that expectation.

Rating 8: A creative magic system and dragons galore, this is a great choice for readers looking to re-capture that “classic fantasy” feeling.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Dragons of Deepwood Fen” isn’t on any Goodreads lists but it should be on Myths & Mythological Creature Books.

Serena’s Review: “Shadow Baron”

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Book: “Shadow Baron” by Davinia Evans

Publishing Info: Orbit, November 2023

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

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

Book Description: Strap in for a thrilling adventure in the sequel to Davinia Evans’s wickedly entertaining debut fantasy that follows our favorite irreverent alchemists, high society ladies, and swashbuckling street gangs as they wrestle with the nature of reality itself. 

Siyon Velo might be acknowledged as the Alchemist. He may have even stabilized the planes and stopped Bezim from ever shaking into the sea again. But that doesn’t mean he has any idea what’s he doing—and it won’t be long before everyone knows it. 

To make things worse, mythical creatures once confined to operas and myths are spotted around Bezim. A djinn invades Zagiri’s garden party, and whispers of a naga slither across Anahid’s Flower District card tables. Magic is waking up in the Mundane. It’s up to Siyon to figure out a way to stop it, or everything he’s worked hard to save will come crashing down.

Previously Reviewed: “Notorious Sorcerer”

Review: Reading my review for “Notorious Sorcerer,” you wouldn’t be blamed for being a bit surprised that I’m back with a review of the second book in what appears to now be a trilogy. Well, when this one popped up as a review option, I went back to check out my review of the first one and decided that, given the specific struggles I had there, it might be a good idea to give the second book a chance. Notably, I struggled with the pacing of the first book.

The first one sped along in a way that I believe I described as “galloping.” Fast paced story can work well in a lot of ways, but in this case, it hindered my ability to truly connect to the characters. But this is also why I wanted to check out the second book. Character-wise, a decent amount was done in the first book to lay the foundation of who these people are, so I was hopeful that my connection to their stories would root me more firmly in place. And, for the most part, I was right about that, as I did enjoy this book more than the first.

Beyond the fact that I was helped for having already been introduced to this world and these characters, I do think there were some solid improvements in the overall quality of this book. The pacing did actually seem to flow better, being still quick but not so fast-paced that it left me feeling overwhelmed and unable to really settle into the reading experience. I also thought the world-building was improved this go-around. I was interested enough the first time, but I definitely remember wishing that things had been a bit more fleshed out and elaborated upon. And thankfully, that came through here as well. The slower pace also allowed for many of the elements and ideas presented in the first book to truly come to life, and I felt better able to center myself in the world that had been created.

Our main characters spent much more time apart in this second outing. This will likely work well for some readers, and not as well for others. I enjoyed it, as I think their individual storylines, largely disconnected from one another, left me better able to truly appreciate the character building that was going on for each of them. This was probably the aspect of the book that felt most “middle book” like. Some of the plot lines didn’t feel as important as others, but it was clear that the goals of these story points had more to do with moving the characters along a larger arch than it did with the storyline itself. As a character reader, I was happy with this. I also enjoyed the closer focus on the politics of this world and how our characters were needing to work within and without the system to bring improvement to this world.

Overall, I had a fun time with this book and enjoyed it more than the second one. Fans of the first book will likely enjoy the deeper look into this world, though some may be frustrated by how much time our characters spend apart. Readers who had mixed feelings about the first book, may still want to give this second one a go, as I feel it was a stronger story, overall.

Rating 8: An improvement in pacing and world-building, this second book in the trilogy will be a hit for fans of this series!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Shadow Baron” can be found on this Goodreads list: Books I’m Dying to Get My Hands On

Kate’s Review: “My Roommate Is a Vampire”


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Book: “My Roommate Is a Vampire” by Jenna Levine

Publishing Info: Berkley, August 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

Review: I have made something of a tradition on this blog in that the past few Decembers I have reviewed a book that isn’t really within my genres. Namely, I have read and reviewed a romance novel every December, sometimes attempting to make it peripheral to my genres that I usually take on on the blog (actually, three out of four have achieved that, with “The Love Hypothesis” being the exception because I basically said FUCK IT I LOVE IT TOO MUCH TO NOT REVIEW IT!). And this year I decided that it was going to be annual, because I stumbled upon “My Roommate Is a Vampire” by Jenna Levine. Like, come on! I really like vampires, and I like fluffy slow burn romance books. I am admittedly very picky about vampire fiction, especially when romance in involved, but I decided to throw caution to the wind because this one looked like it didn’t REALLY take itself super seriously. So I dove in, hoping for the best, and hoping my pickiness wouldn’t be out in full force. And right away, I realized two things. One, it was definitely going to be fun. And two, like my blogging partner and dear friend Serena before me, I had stumbled into a repurposed Reylo fanfiction.

Like “The Hurricane Wars” and “The Love Hypothesis” before it. Though given that I sought out “The Love Hypothesis” knowing full well its origins, perhaps I’m….. not that innocent. (source)

But given that I loved “The Love Hypothesis” and Serena enjoyed “The Hurricane Wars”, it’s probably not so shocking that I did enjoy “My Roommate Is a Vampire”. What can I say, Reylo fanfic writers haven’t let me down yet!

In terms of a story overall, “My Roommate Is a Vampire” is exactly what you think it’s going to be based on the cheeky title and the adorable cover. Cassie is a struggling artist desperate for a new apartment after being served an eviction notice, and stumbles upon a Craigslist ad that offers a room in a nice place for two hundred a month. She meets her new roommate, Frederick J Fitzwilliam, and while he seems a bit… odd, he’s nice enough and just a titch awkward. Soon she finds out that he’s a vampire (a benign one, however), and their odd couple roommate situation starts to evolve into something more as they become close. It’s fluffy, it’s straightforward, and it’s a breezy read because of that, as well as the enjoyable main characters. It’s mostly from Cassie’s POV, though we do get to see some insight into Frederick through both his endearing letters to Cassie (as that is how they communicate when they first start out due to their opposing schedules), as well as snarky texts between him and his fellow vampire/friend Reggie. I really liked both of them, and thought that the plot had enough conflict to give it some suspense without diving into REALLY ridiculous territory (I mean, we do have a very dramatic plot point involving betrothed vampire customs and an overbearing family, but it was light hearted enough that it never became tiresome). The writing is fun, the story is sweet, it’s basically everything I hope for in a rom com romance novel. And the vampire angle doesn’t take itself so seriously that I find the romance off putting or troublesome, as I sometimes do find vampire romance due to the way the inherent and played up danger is portrayed more as ‘I can fix him with my love’ than ‘no, the potential for him killing you in passion isn’t sexy, guys’. In this, Frederick isn’t weighed down by his impulses, he isn’t tortured by them, and you never get the sense that Cassie could be in any danger (hell, we even get some informed consent moments about the possibility for blood play in the bedroom due to his nature, and it is solely Cassie’s choice on whether to proceed SPECIFICALLY so she feels comfortable and not in danger. Refreshing!). I found that all very satisfying.

And we have to address the more tender and salacious parts of the romance, of course. I love a slow burn story where two characters get to know each other and then it all comes to a head after a long wait, and this book definitely has that. I really liked the forced proximity trope in this, as while it wasn’t hostile by any means it still had two strangers, one of whom is hiding a pretty significant secret, learning about each other and getting closer, first through notes exchanged each morning, and then through a partnership in which Cassie agrees to teach Frederick about the modern world after he took a nearly century long sleep. First of all, I LOVED the letter writing and how it goes from kind of formality to banter to genuine affection. And I loved the chemistry between the two of them as well when they interact in person, the tentative friendship they form is very sweet. Seeing it grow and evolve and seeing their feelings grow and evolve is not only my complete jam in romance novels, but it helped lay the groundwork for a huge pay off when they finally do let their growing passions take over. I know a slow burn doesn’t work for everyone, but it REALLY works for me, and in this? BOY DID IT WORK.

Bless you, Reylos! Keep up the good work! (source)

I quite enjoyed “My Roommate Is a Vampire”! Hooray for a vampire romance that I found more fun than cloying, and for a cute couple that made it easy to root for them!

Rating 8: A cute as hell and sometimes really steamy read, “My Roommate Is a Vampire” is a fun rom com that charmed this very picky vampire aficionado!

Reader’s Advisory:

“My Roommate Is a Vampire” is included on the Goodreads lists “Reylo Fanfics Turned Into Published Books”, and “Hey, Vampire!”.

Year of Sanderson: “The Sunlit Man”

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“Year of Sanderson” is an on-going, monthly series that will post on the last Friday of each month in which I will cover various Brandon Sanderson-related things. This will largely be comprised of book reviews (some from his back catalog and some from the books being released this year), as well as assorted other topics like reviews of the items in the swag boxes that will be coming out as part of Sanderson’s Kickstarted campaign. Frankly, we’ll just have to see what we get from this series, very much like the Kickstarter itself!

Book: “The Sunlit Man” by Brandon Sanderson

Publishing Info: Dragonsteel Entertainment, October 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: own it!

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

Book Description: Years ago he had comrades in arms and a cause to believe in, but now the man who calls himself Nomad knows only a life on the run. Forced to hop from world to world in the Cosmere whenever the relentless Night Brigade gets too close, Nomad lands on a new planet and is instantly caught up in the struggle between a tyrant and the rebels who want only to escape being turned into mindless slaves—all under the constant threat of a sunrise whose heat will melt the very stones. Unable to understand the language, can he navigate the conflict and gain enough power to leap offworld before his mind or body pay the ultimate price?

Review: Here we are at last, the bittersweet final book of the four new releases from Brandon Sanderon we received this year! I’ll have one more post in this review series, but that will be a post focused on the book boxes I received over the course of the year, so this will be the last official book review of my “Year of Sanderson” series. There have been highs (both “Yumi” and “Tress”) and there have been lows (looking at you “Wizard’s Guide”); where does this last book fall on the spectrum?

As always with these special editions, I want to start off by once again commenting on the high value we’re getting here. These books are simply gorgeous, no two ways about it. Not only does the cover art on the book itself perfectly illustrate the type of sci-fi/Mad Max style book that you’re about to read, but throughout the book, there are so many beautiful spreads. This book is unique to the other three we’ve seen in that it features artwork by many different artists, rather than just a single artist who illustrates the entire project. I think this was an excellent choice; it was lovely to see so many examples of the type of talent that exists out there and the very different approaches that these artists take when depicting the same characters and world. As always, as I was reading, I was always looking forward to the next illustration that I would come across.

Now, this book does stand out from the other three in one very important way. While technically one could read this book without having any prior exposure to Sanderson’s larger catalog, I do think this that would significantly impact the experience of the book. Like the other three, there are references to other stories and worlds peppered throughout this book. But unlike those, this one is very centered around the characters, magic system, and world found in “The Stormlight Archive.” There are so many references, in fact, that I do think it would be a struggle to piece together certain parts of this book without some understanding of that series. Beyond that, this book is infinitely more rewarding to fans who are caught up on the “Stormlight” books. It seems to take place some number of years in the future from where that series has currently left off, so the diligent fan has a plethora of opportunities to try to piece together clues as to what the future has to offer there.

The main character himself, Nomad, is directly connected to that series in a way that will only really hit for fans of the “Stormlight” books. That said, as I was reading this book, I did find myself becoming increasingly frustrated by the delayed reveal of just who Nomad really is. It’s strongly implied early in the book that this is a character that Cosmere fans will recognize, but then the story itself holds off on this reveal for quite some time. For me, instead of increasing the suspense, this central mystery proved to be more of a distraction than a delayed gratification situation. I found myself so busy trying to piece things together who exactly Nomad was that I was often disconnected from the actual story I was reading. Instead, had this reveal come earlier, I could have appreciated these connections to the “Stormlight” books without this mystery eating up my attention span.

When I did focus more on the story at hand, I very much enjoyed it. Sanderson mentions that he was partially inspired by “Mad Max” when writing this book, and that is very evident. Like “Mad Max: Fury Road,” this book has a frenetic energy to it, with the pacing driving forward relentlessly. This does create an exciting reading experience, but I’ll also admit that I had to take more breaks while reading this book than usual simply because the nonstop nature of the story doesn’t give you any breaks itself. As always, though, I’m continually impressed by the sheer creativity of Sanderson’s work. He manages to capture the same energy as “Fury Road” but does so in such a unique manner: the idea of a planet where the entire population must constantly out-run the deadly sunlight.

I very much enjoyed this last book in the secret projects bundle! As a big fan of Sanderson’s work, I enjoyed a book that was very clearly written first and foremost for readers who are all-in on the author’s larger Cosmere series. However, for readers who are less familiar, this book might be more of a struggle.

Rating 8: Relentless and fast-paced, this book will leave you out-of-breath as you try to keep up!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Sunlit Man” is on a bunch of not useful Goodreads lists but it should also be on Best Action/Fantasy Books.

Kate’s Review: “Never Whistle At Night”

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

Book: “Never Whistle At Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology” by Shane Hawk (Ed.) & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (Ed.)

Publishing Info: Vintage, September 2023

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 bold, clever, and sublimely sinister collection that dares to ask the question: “Are you ready to be un-settled?” Featuring stories by:

Norris Black • Amber Blaeser-Wardzala • Phoenix Boudreau • Cherie Dimaline • Carson Faust • Kelli Jo Ford • Kate Hart • Shane Hawk • Brandon Hobson • Darcie Little Badger • Conley Lyons • Nick Medina • Tiffany Morris • Tommy Orange • Mona Susan Power • Marcie R. Rendon • Waubgeshig Rice • Rebecca Roanhorse • Andrea L. Rogers • Morgan Talty • D.H. Trujillo • Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. • Richard Van Camp • David Heska Wanbli Weiden • Royce Young Wolf • Mathilda Zeller

Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home.

These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this collection!

Up until quite recently I would always preface my review of short story collections and anthologies with some version of ‘I don’t really like short stories collections, but I wanted to try out _______ because of _____’. But in recent years, I’ve been enjoying a good number of the short story collections and anthologies I’ve picked up, and have therein become far more willing to give them a go. Especially if the collection appeals to me for one reason or another. And it is these reasons that I picked up “Never Whistle At Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology”, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. Not only have I had greater success with short story anthologies, this one also showcases dark fiction, be it horror, thriller, or dark fantasy, by Indigenous authors. I had read works by some of the authors, but a lot of them were new to me, and I was very eager to hop in and see what the experience was going to be like. And it was intense, but overall positive!

As usual with short stories collections, I will talk about my three favorite stories in the anthology, and then review the work as a whole.

“Kushtuka” by Mathilda Zeller: A young Indigenous woman is pressured to go work for a powerful white man for a dinner party, even though he is manipulative and predatory. But as he and his colleagues feast and put her down, a mysterious creature that looks like her stalks her and the house they are all residing in. This one was one of the stories that was the most straight up horror, with a shape shifting Kushtuka being one threat, but another threat being white people who are more than happy to take advantage of Indigenous people, especially women, when they have power over them. And man, the descriptions of the Kushtuka were TERRIFYING. This was the first story in the collection and it really started it off with a bang.

“Navajos Don’t Wear Elk Teeth” by Conley Lyons: A gay man living in a family summer home for the season meets a mysterious neighbor, with whom he starts an affair. Their relationship becomes intense, and the lover starts to behave in more erratic and violent ways, including showing off a tooth collection with some very strange teeth. This one was just a slow burn of creepiness, with our protagonist finding himself in a frog in a pot of boiling water kind of situation and as unsettling or flat our terrifying things happen and escalate. And there is really just something about a weirdo that collects teeth that really gets under my skin. Throw in some themes about queer identity and the ways that colonialism can appear in unexpected ways, and you have some great symbolism to add to the creep factor.

“Sundays” by David Heska Wanbli Weiden: A recent widower who has been carrying the trauma of sexual abuse at a Catholic boarding school decides that he is going to confront his abuser and take his revenge. While ruminating about his past, his marriage, and the horrific things he experienced at the school, he finds himself face to face with his rapist, and has to make a choice. This one was my favorite of the collection, and it was absolutely one of the hardest ones to read due to the visceral nature and the topics of child sexual abuse and the overall horror stories of the Boarding Schools. Weiden is such a powerhouse of gritty and realistic and DARK thriller stories, and this one was not only very suspenseful, it was also very emotional as it takes on the very real awful realities about the Catholic Boarding Schools that abused and destroyed so many Indigenous families and children. It’s SO upsetting and it’s content warnings all around, but it’s just astounding.

When looking at the collection as a whole, I really liked the variety not only in the types of genres and sub genres that are represented, but also in the writing styles of all the authors and how it reflects their visions and experiences as Indigenous people in the U.S. and Canada in modern society. Some of them were a bit too intense for me, or triggered me for various reasons and that made it so I had a harder time enjoying them, while others sometimes felt a little uneven. BUT, as a whole? It’s pretty good. It has opened my eyes to a number of authors whom I had never heard of and am going to pursue and read more from. For people who like horror, dark fantasy, and/or thrillers, there will almost certainly be something to enjoy in this collection. And I will always promote and showcase stories by Indigenous authors, especially in genres that have been pretty damn white and European in terms of what gets the focus and what gets promoted. What better time than right now to check this out?

“Never Whistle At Night” is another successful anthology experience for me, and it’s a horror and thriller collection that should be sought after by fans of the genres. It has variety and unique perspectives, and I urge people to check it out!

Rating 8: A whole slew of dark tales from so many talented authors, “Never Whistle At Night” is a must read not only for the variety, but the Indigenous voices it showcases.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Never Whistle At Night” is included on the Goodreads list “All Indigenous Peoples 4”.

Serena’s Review: “The Hurricane Wars”

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Book: “The Hurricane Wars” by Thea Guanzon

Publishing Info: HarperVoyager, October 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from ALAAC 2023

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

Book Description: All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire’s shadows.

Prince Alaric, the emperor’s only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire’s rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion–one that could save their world…or destroy it.

An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.

Review: This is another highly anticipated read for the fall. How do I know? Well, let’s just say that the booth at ALA that had these ARCs was…um…

At the time, I didn’t know why, but I have since discovered that this book was developed from a very popular fanfiction story. And, the world being what it is, of course that fanfiction was Reylo. We’ll get into that more a bit later. All of this being the case, I was a bit apprehensive when I started the book. Me and hyped books don’t have a great track record, and believe it or not, I don’t always love being the downer who rains on fan parades. But the clouds have parted, miracles happen, and I, in fact, enjoyed this one quite a bit!

Overall, I think this book has a lot to recommend it. At the same time, I’m not above admitting that I think this might also be a case of “right book, right mood” for me, as there are definitely aspects of this story that I think, in other books, I’d be focusing on more critically.

It’s always a tough job to re-interpret a previously existing story, but I think this one gives a good template for how it’s done. I haven’t read the original story, and while I can easily see where changes were made, I can also fairly confidently say that if I had read this book blind, I wouldn’t have questioned anything I was reading. The world-building felt complete. The magic system felt fully fleshed out and worked on the strength of its own concept, no “Force” references needed. I also thought the conflict and building romantic tension between the two main characters built in a natural way, not relying on any previously established buy-in of these two as Rey and Kylo cutouts.

The story is split between their POVS, but we spend much more of our time in Talasyn’s head, making her feel like the primary character with only brief glimpses of Alaric. As someone who struggles with dual POV, I appreciated this uneven approach to page time, as it better allowed me to understand Talasyn’s own story and arc. If the next book switches to a bigger focus on Alaraic, that would be a nice balance, too. As it is, Talasyn’s journey in this story is very much centered around loyalty, trust, and the tensions between the family you’re born to and the family you choose. All of this felt very well-established and really centered Talasyn’s conflicts throughout the story, beyond just her relationship with Alarcic. This is one example of how I think this book succeeded for me where other very hyped books have not.

Readers of fan fiction may recognize some of the stylizations of the writing in this book, especially in the way that the romance is built up and ebbs and flows throughout. But I think that the solid world-building and the centering of Talasyn’s history as a solider and her drive to protect those she claims as her own elevates the story beyond some of the limitations often found in books that get too bogged down in the central romantic conflict. Instead, because I felt invested in the larger story, it was easier for me to also become invested in the romance, which had its fair share of drama and angst, something that is usually an immediate turn off for me. But, like the best fan fiction, I was fully in it, fully caught up in the whirl wind of these two.

Beyond that, I appreciated how dark the author allowed this book to be. Both Alaric and Talasyn are soldiers. They have killed people and witnessed horrors. Even more importantly, the book doesn’t fail to take a hard look at Alaric’s role in the destructive force that is his country, a tyrannical institution that has razed everything before it, all in the name of “the greater good.” I especially appreciated the fact that much of this goes unresolved by the end of this book. These are big topics and for Talasyn to somehow get over it, or even for Alaric to open his eyes to the reality around him, all in the first book would have done some severe damage to the believability of the tale. Instead, the story commits’ to the ongoing saga that it is, with this book very much reading as just the jumping off platform for the larger conflict, both world-wide and between these two.

So, where does that leave us? Well, I’m currently debating whether I can resist spoiling myself by reading the original fanfiction or trying to hold out for the second book. So far, so good, but we’ll see how it goes as the months pass. Readers of the original story I’m sure will enjoy this, as well as fantasy lovers who enjoy dramatic, slow-burn romances. However, I can admit that, objectively, this does lean in to the angst and miscommunication as far as the love story goes, so if those are pet peeves of yours, you might need to beware. For me, I guess the rest of it worked so well that, for once, I didn’t mind and simply enjoyed the ride!

Rating 8: Electrifying, with sparks flying not only on the battle field but also within a swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers romance!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Hurricane Wars ” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2023 and Published fan fiction

Book Club Review: “Born a Crime”

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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 song inspirations, where we were given a random song from a random genre and had to pick a book based on the song.  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: “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah

Publishing Info: One World, June 2016

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Song Inspiration: “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard

Book Description: The memoir of one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.

Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

Kate’s Thoughts

This wasn’t my first time reading Trevor Noah’s memoir “Born a Crime”, as I read it around the time it came out, but it was fun revisiting it for book club for a couple of reasons. The first was that we always have pretty good conversations during our meetings, and I was interested to see what people had to say. The second and more pressing was that when I last read this book it was before I was a mom, and now that I am a mom I was curious to see if that would change my perceptions of the novel. And it did, for the most part.

One of the strongest aspects about this book is how Noah presents his childhood in South Africa in the waning and post-years of Apartheid, and how he finds humor, vulnerability, and introspection in his story of being a biracial child in a system that criminalized his very existence. He doesn’t hold back on describing how discriminatory, oppressive, and horrible it was, but as a comedian he also is able to pull out humor, whether it’s dark humor or just the general humor of growing up and the moments of joy and happiness he did have (as let’s be real, even in horrible societal situations, there is still joy and life to be lived). I still found this to be a really good and accessible take for the unfamiliar on Apartheid, South African colonialism, and the ways those things interacted and whose effects are still being felt today.

And yes, it was different reading it this time through the lens of being a mother. Noah was clearly very influenced by his fiery mother, who did so much and sacrificed so much and stood up to SO MUCH to keep Noah safe amongst a lot of hardship, danger, and heartache. I loved reading the various anecdotes that he had about her, and while I think that she and I are VERY different people with very different approaches to parenting (a lot of this has to do with my privileges as a white woman with a white child in the U.S.), Noah makes it clear that the choices that she made were rooted in the racist society that they were living in, and were just the reality of their situation. It’s moving, heart wrenching, hopeful, and humorous all at once, and his love and respect for his Mom jumps off the page as they both navigate hardships and triumphs.

“Born a Crime” is a great memoir that I enjoyed reading a second time. If you haven’t really taken the jump into memoirs but are curious to do so, this is a good one to start with, as it has a lot of depth, heart, and, yes, humor.

Serena’s Thoughts

I also really enjoyed this one! I made sure to get the audiobook version, as it was too much to resist getting to listen to Noah himself narrate this story. He’s a wonderful voice actor and really brought the text to life in a way that added to the already powerful stories. As Kate said, this book is a tricky balancing act between humor and tragedy. Being a comedian, it’s clear that Noah’s approach to his story was to lean into his own talents and career in this way. But the story also covers some truly horrific incidents of his past and the realities of life in South Africa during this time. There were definitely scenes that were difficult to get through, but then Noah always managed to balance these with a well-timed, more comedic anecdotes. In this way, the reader is better able to absorb the entire tale without getting bogged down in only the darker moments.

Also like Kate, it was interesting reading this book from the perspective of motherhood. There truly is a new level of terror that comes form having a child. Yes, you have much new responsibility. But it also quickly becomes clear just how little control you truly have over them and their lives. You can do the best job in the world and still not control for what goes on around them or, even, the choices that the child ( or adult child) will make as they grow up. And, of course, this is coming from a parent who lives in one of the most wealthy, safe countries in the world. Very different than the challenges Noah’s mother faced trying to raise her son in a part of the world that was very dangerous for him. Her decisions were often of the sort that are difficult to understand from parents in the U.S. who do not face the conditions she was living under, but I think that’s part of what makes it an important read. Yes, apartheid is now over, but there are many parts of the world where parents face similarly dire situations every day.

Overall, I thought this was a very effecting read. The ability to balance the heavier notes of his life while also bringing out the humor to be found in every day situations was truly impressive. I definitely recommend this read for anyone who enjoys memoirs!

Kate’s Rating 8: At times a very funny but also very emotional and personal memoir about a young man growing up in very difficult circumstances, and being raised by a mother whose strength enables growth, change, and, ultimately, liberation for both of them.

Serena’s Rating 8: The ability to pair laugh-out-loud humor with truly harrowing tales of the past has to be rare indeed; Trevor Noah makes it look easy!

Book Club Questions

  1. Much of Noah’s story explores a very specific point in South African history. How familiar were you with this history? What did you learn that was new?
  2. Noah’s mother plays a huge role in his life, with her approach to parenting very much shaped by the dangers her son faced in the world. What stood out to you about Noah’s family life?
  3. The story is framed with one very important aspect of Noah’s life, with his mother and his step-father. How did the bookended style of this this tale affect your experience of the book?
  4. Noah is an excellent comedian, however the book also touches on very dark themes and scenes. How well did you thing these different tones stood out to you? Were there any stories that stood out as especially humorous or dark?
  5. Identity plays a big role in this book, and Noah touches on this in many ways, including how language shapes us. Do you find yourself speaking in different ways in different situations? Did you relate to any of these anecdotes?

Reader’s Advisory

“Born a Crime” is included on the Goodreads lists Best Audiobooks Ever and Best Memoir / Biography / Autobiography.

Next Book Club Pick: “The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch” by Melinda Taub

Serena’s Review: “Calamity”

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Book: “Calamity” by Constance Fay

Publishing Info: Bramble, November 2023

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

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

Book Description: She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member…

Temperance Reed, banished from the wealthy and dangerous Fifteen Families, just wants to keep her crew together after their feckless captain ran off with the intern. But she’s drowning in debt and revolutionary new engine technology is about to make her beloved ship obsolete.

Enter Arcadio Escajeda. Second child of the terrifying Escajeda Family, he’s the thorn in Temper’s side as they’re sent off on a scouting mission on the backwater desert planet of Herschel 2. They throw sparks every time they meet but Temper’s suspicions of his ulterior motives only serve to fuel the flames between them.

Despite volcanic eruptions, secret cultists, and deadly galactic fighters, the greatest threat on this mission may be to Temper’s heart.

Review: I was so excited when I heard that Tor was rolling out a new imprint, Bramble, a smaller offshoot that would focus on romantic SFF. And this book is exactly why! While there is a whole subgenre now called “romantasy” due to the popularity of romantic fantasy fiction, there seems to be some strange hold out on the science fiction front. Where are my love stories in space? I mean, I get that “romantascific” doesn’t roll off the tongue in quite the same way, but c’mon! But here we are, a good example of just what we’re all missing out on by forgetting that romance can also happen in space.

Honestly, it’s pretty impressive that this book works at all. It’s trying to do a lot of things all at once, many of which are hard to accomplish well even on their own. We have Temper’s story, that of a captain coming into her own as a leader, but we also have that paired against a romance, something that too often ends up hindering the strength of its female member. Beyond that, the story is introducing us to an entire universe with its own political structures that definitely do play into the plot of the book. And lastly, this is the first book in a series, so the story must do a lot of heavy lifting to properly lay out the various crew members of the ship who are likely to feature in their own stories going forward. It’s like black magic (except that’s the wrong genre, sooo) that it all works, but it does!

So, in that order, let’s start with Temper. I really loved this main character! Seriously, she was checking all of the right boxes for me. She was a strong woman, but we also see her make mistakes, and her journey is one of both learning to trust those around her, but also letting others help her when she is prone to going-it-alone. The development of the romance was paced perfectly, neither falling into any insta-love/lust traps or being too drawn out to feel complete. Just when I was beginning to become concerned that her distrust was going to be played up one too many times, the story would swerve into moments of vulnerability and honesty. I also loved the fact that the natural chemistry between the two was first seen in their instant ability to work together as a team under high pressure situations, rather than on the romance front which came later. There was also all of the required quippiness that we love to see in a romance, but this levity also didn’t cut away from the deeper, more heartfelt moments.

For all that this is a romance, there was also a solid plot to this book with all of the requisite world-building that comes with it. I was honestly surprised by just how into the actual plot of the book I became. There was one action-packed scene after another, plus a lot of comedy gold interspersed within as we saw the team tackle the challenges before them. Which leads me to the last aspect of the book that truly impressed me: the crew themselves.

This book was billed as a read-alike for “Firefly.” Now, that’s a big claim to make and, honestly, one that has been tossed around quite a lot for science fiction new releases, mostly without any basis in reality. But I have to say, this is probably the first time where I truly feel like that comparison is warranted! This truly had the same level of group dynamics and chemistry for which “Firefly” was best known. I understood who all of these characters were individually, but I loved them best when they were interacting with each other. The book was also successful in making me very interested in all of their individual romances that are sure to come. I have a pretty good guess as to who the next couple will be (just checked Goodreads, and I see that it’s been updated since I originally read this book and, indeed, the next book is about this couple!) and I can’t wait to check out their story!

Overall, this was a blast of a book to read! It’s definitely not “hard” science fiction, but I was also surprised to find just how much excellent plotting and world-building went into a book that was being released from a romance imprint. I feel like that sounds like a backhand insult to romance, but, let’s be honest, the love story is the primary bit of romance novels, with the plot coming in sometimes as an after thought. But here, the balance is perfect between love story and, well, actual story. Definitely check this one out if you enjoy science fiction adventures and space opera with an emphasis on romance!

Rating 8: If comparisons to “Firefly” are ever warranted, this is it! A romp of an adventure paired with a swoon-worthy romance, I can’t wait to see what this crew gets up to next time!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Calamity” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Get Your Firefly Space Opera Fix.

Serena’s Review: “The King -Killing Queen”

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Book: “The King-Killing Queen” by Shawn Speakman

Publishing Info: Grim Oak Press, October 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!https://amzn.to/46p7y5w

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

Book Description: In this first book of a new trilogy author Anna Smith Spark calls “a dark love letter to high fantasy,” a woman discovers her unknown past carries with it a terrible future.

When Alafair Goode lay wounded during his quest to destroy Mordreadth the Great Darkness, a witch magicked and saved the future High King’s life to fulfill his destiny. Thereafter, all born to his line also cannot die, to be only undone by natural death.

Decades later, Sylvie Raventress is the devoted apprentice to the Master Historian stepbrother of the High King. It is a life of scholarly pursuit and privilege where one day she will take her instructor’s place and write her own histories. But beside Alafair’s deathbed, Sylvie and his scions learn a surprising truth—she is no orphan but is his named heir. Worse, when he dies, the witch’s curse is no more, leaving all of them suddenly mortal and vulnerable.

With her siblings loathing Sylvie’s selection and vying for her throne, she must rely on a Fae guide, a disgraced former First Knight, and a cantankerous light-weaver to restore the fracturing kingdom and become High Queen. And yet the thing none of them know is destiny has its own part to play too.

Review: I always love supporting authors who publish through smaller publishers, so I was excited to jump on the opportunity to read and review this book when I saw that it was coming out this fall. The cover is simply gorgeous, and a title like that is sure to catch the eye! While the book description itself sounded a bit generic as far as high fantasy goes, there’s also nothing wrong with going back to the basics if it’s done well! And other than few quibbles here and there, I think this was a solid fantasy read.

Right away, the overall tone of this book will hit nicely for classic fantasy readers. While the word “trope” gets thrown around a lot with much derision, often things only become tropes because some core part of the concept appeals to large swaths of readers. Such is the case with this book. We have family curses, orphans who are long-lost heirs, historic battles between Fae and humankind, and, of course, a good ole political battle between siblings all vying for a throne. All of these elements, while familiar, fit together neatly, pulling the reader into an almost nostalgic story that gallops from one scene of intrigue and danger to the next. The book is on the shorter side, but tons of plot and action is stuffed within the pages that we have.

What stood out most of all, however, was the main character, Sylvie. Not only was it also a breath of fresh air to be reading a fantasy novel that wasn’t comprised of a million and one POVs, but Sylvie herself was a fantastic leading lady. While some of the plot of the book wasn’t overly surprising, Sylvie often was. We are introduced to a fairly reserved, bookish sort of character who envisions a quiet future for herself. However, her ability to morph into a clear-eyed, and at times ruthless, heir to the throne who takes the responsibilities and sacrifices of that role seriously was incredibly impressive. It didn’t read as a character switch, which was also quite impressive. Somehow both versions of Sylvie fit alongside one another well, all anchored by her strong sense of commitment to those she loves and her role in the world. It seems like a strange thing to say, but I was so pleased that the author didn’t back down from some of the more ruthless moments that Sylvie must take part in. She doesn’t quibble, she doesn’t waver. It was refreshing, to say the least, to read a female character coming into power who doesn’t feel the need to apologize for the same decisions that a male counterpart would make without blinking an eye.

All of that said, towards the middle of the book, there were a few writing choices that began to grate on me a bit. There were a few moments that I was thrown out of the book by the repetition of facts or by the writing falling too closely to the “telling” side of things, rather than the “showing.” A few more edits could have potentially ironed out a few of these issues, but still, overall I found this to be a very enjoyable read. If you’re looking for a classic-feeling high fantasy novel, definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: A jubilant return to classic high fantasy, Sylvie’s story is one of action, betrayal, and the strength it takes to rise to the challenges set before you.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The King-Killing Queen” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Fantasy Royalty.