Tag: 9 Rating

Kate’s Review: “Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees”

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Book: “Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” by Patrick Horvath

Publishing Info: IDW, September 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: Live, laugh, shed blood. Dexter meets Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town in this twisted debut graphic novel!

Don’t. Murder. The locals.

This is small-town serial killer, upstanding citizen, and adorable brown bear Samantha Strong’s cardinal rule. After all, there’s a sea of perfectly ripe potential victims in the big city just beyond the forest, and when you’ve worked as hard as Sam to build a cozy life and a thriving business in a community surrounded by friendly fellow animal folk, warm decor, and the aroma of cedar trees and freshly baked apple pie…the last thing you want is to disturb the peace.

So you can imagine her indignation when one of Woodbrook’s own meets a grisly, mysterious demise—and you wouldn’t blame her for doing anything it takes to hunt down her rival before the town self-destructs and Sheriff Patterson starts (literally) barking up the wrong tree.

Cute critters aren’t immune to crime in this original graphic novel debut by writer-artist Patrick Horvath.

Review: When I was a child one of my favorite toys was a doll house for a set of “Maple Town” toys. For those who are not late Gen X/Elder Millenials, “Maple Town” was a Japanese anime for kids that ran on Nick Jr. I didn’t have cable as a kid, but my grandparents did, and every once in awhile I’d catch an episode here or there, but I LOVED my toy set that involved Patty and Ricky Rabbit and Bobby Bear even without consistent exposure to the show. I hadn’t thought about “Maple Town” in years….. And then I saw the cover and snippets from “Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” by Patrick Horvath. And my IMMEDIATE thought was ‘oh my God it’s ‘Maple Town’ if ‘Maple Town’ was about a serial killer!’ Which obviously meant that I NEEDED TO READ IT.

Me to myself as I threw it in my online shopping cart (source).

As far as a mystery thriller goes with a shady as hell protagonist, “Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees” is top notch, with small town secrets and an anti-heroine who is whip smart and incredibly unnerving. We follow Samantha Bear a small town woman with a good job at the hardware store, some community connections, a love for her small town…. and a drive for brutally murdering unsuspecting people in the Big City that is far away and untouched by her happy life with her neighbors. But when someone starts killing people in Woodbrook, not only does it make Samantha cagey that someone will perhaps find her out during the investigation, it also just pisses her off that the town she loves and has spared is being targeted by a serial killer as sadistic as she is. So we follow Samantha as she conducts and investigation to help her community and keep her own nose clean. That’s just so fun in a nasty kind of way, and Horvath really sets up a well plotted mystery that is only enriched by Samantha, who is simultaneously the very worst but also SO easy to root for. I really enjoyed the pace of her investigation, and the cast of characters who act as suspects and victims made for some well done surprises, as well as well done shocks (and sad moments. A couple really great characters don’t fare so well!). And for the most part the reveals made sense while not feeling obvious, as well as some well placed red herrings that don’t feel cheap or frustrating. It really does read like a “Dexter” arc, as referenced in the description, with Samantha making a great dual detective/villainess.

The mystery itself is pretty well done, but what REALLY makes this book stand out (unsurprisingly so) is the fact that all of the characters are cutesy forest animals that have been drawn in adorable anthropomorphized fashions. It is such a strange dichotomy watching these delightful creatures doing pretty horrifying things, as this book is VIOLENT, but man it really adds to the appeal because it’s so creative. There are also some pretty fun meta bits, one in particular with Samantha being the woods and meeting a bear that is just like a bear a human would meet in the woods. So seeing this serial killer teddy bear-esque bear interact with a more realistic bear was just kinda fun. I MEAN HECK, the whole idea of these cute forest animals being in this situation in GENERAL is fun! What a concept! I brings an already solid serial killer thriller up a few levels.

And Horvath’s graphics are just…. My God. They are visceral and so cute and gory and charming and it’s a bizarre combination that works wonders.

(source: IDW)

“Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” is one of the most unique graphic novel experiences I’ve had this year. If you like serial killer stories, and completely precious animals, this is sure to delight.

Rating 9: Twisted and unnerving but also super fun and somehow kind of adorable in its own ways, “Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” is a bloody thriller with cutesy forest animals doing terrible things.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of now, but if you like the “Dexter” series or really any stories that follow a charismatic killer, this will probably click with you.

Serena’s Review: “Monstrous Nights”

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Book: “Monstrous Nights” by Genoveva Dimova

Publishing Info: Tor Books, October 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

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

Book Description: With her magic reclaimed and her role in the community of Chernograd restored, Kosara’s life should finally be back to normal—but, of course, things can’t possibly be that simple.

She is now in possession of twelve witch’s shadows, which belonged to a series of young, magically powerful women lured into the deadly marriage with the Zmey that Kosara only narrowly escaped as a young woman. Holding them may grant her unprecedented power, but that doesn’t mean they’re always willing to do her bidding.

Across the wall in Belograd, Asen chases the only lead on his latest case, one of several unsolved witch murders, even against the orders of his direct superior and the mayor. He’s convinced the smuggling kingpin Konstantin Karaivanov is behind them, and follows his trail to an underground monster auction—which leads him right back to Chernograd.

There, sinister events follow one after snow falls in midsummer, a witch with two shadows is found dead, monsters that should only appear during the Foul Days have been sighted, and cracks appear in the sky that only Kosara seems able to see. The barrier between worlds thins… and Kosara can’t help but feel her actions are the cause.

Previously Reviewed: “Foul Days”

Review: I’ve been eagerly awaiting this one ever since June when “Foul Days” took me completely by surprise with its excellence! Luckily, that book wrapped up enough that this wasn’t an excruciating wait. And even more luckily, this was one of those rare fast turn-around situations where the sequel came out almost on the heels of the first book! So, did this one live up to the highs that was the first in the duology? Let’s find out!

For the most part, I think this one turned out to be an excellent sequel and follow-up to that first book. I rated “Foul Days” a 10 which is a pretty hard number to follow, and this one got just about as close as you can get. Everything I enjoyed about the first book was back in spades, and I enjoyed some of the new challenges that our characters faced, especially with the brief looks we got into the struggles of these two cities/cultures that had been so long divided now suddenly brought together. And, importantly, while I appreciated these brief touches on subjects like immigration, culture clash, and the general fear of the other, I also liked that the author simply dropped these scenes into the book without letting them take over the story. Instead, the reader is presented with these brief looks that may feel familiar, even if they are happening in a fantasy setting, and left readers to draw their own conclusion. But these are largely events simmering in the background of what remains a very “fantasy adventure” story.

I really enjoyed Kosara’s story and the direction it took in this second entry. Now in possession of not one, but many shadows (the source of a witch’s magic) she is one of the most powerful women in the city. However, these shadows come with their own histories and baggage, being all that remains of the tragic wives and victims of the Zmey, and they don’t lie on Kosara’s shoulders lightly. Through flashbacks into these women’s lives, the book further fleshes out the history of the Zmey and the true terror that he was. Through these characters as well as through further exploration of the Baba Yaga-like character we met in the first book, we get a more detailed history of how the Zmey came to be who he was and, potentially, enlighten a pathway to his ultimate defeat.

I also enjoyed the Kosara’s personal journey. In the first book, we saw her struggle to trust others or to accept help. And here, we largely see the same. Yes, she has learned to trust a bit more, but now with her added power, she feels even more responsibility to solve the cities’ problems all on her own without endangering those she cares about. In this way, Asen was a perfect foil to Kosara’s struggles, serving as contented helper, showing up when he was needed whether she wanted him there or not. I also enjoyed the continued slow-burn romance between these two. As I said in the first book, this is the perfect balance of romance for me: sweet, slow, and a solid second-place to the primary plot.

However, this book marks a distinct shift from the first book in one way: we had chapters from Asen’s perspective. Surprising no one who reads this blog, this did bring it down a bit for me. Mostly because it felt very clear throughout much of the book that there simply wasn’t enough plot (either action itself or important themes explored) that was specific to this character. As I said earlier, this was still very much Kosara’s story. While Asen had a few specific plot angles, they had the distinct feeling of being almost a “side quest” to the larger story. There, but not overly necessary. And, as happens far too often, I don’t feel as if the peak into Asen’s head actually helped the love story, as it removed the necessity to actually show the romance developing, which is the best part and sorely missed when author’s go this route! That said, these chapters were still well written and Asen is an excellent character, so this falls mostly into a personal preference category (with some niggling questions about whether these chapters negatively affected the pacing and plotting with unnecessary subplots.)

Overall, however, this was an incredible sequel! It expanded the lore and history of the world, continued to build out the sweet romance at its heart, and placed due priority on the amazing characters who lead the way, especially Kosara herself. I highly recommend this duology to all fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy original fairytale stories!

Rating 9: A new author to keep an eye on, perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Naomi Novik!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Monstrous Nights” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Eastern European Fantasy and 2024 SFF Books with Female Leads or Co-Leads.

Kate’s Review: “My Vampire Plus One”

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Book: “My Vampire Plus One” by Jenna Levine

Publishing Info: Berkley, September 2024

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

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

Book Description: Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

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

Last year I read and reviewed the romance novel “My Roommate Is A Vampire” by Jenna Levine, which introduced us to Cassie and her vampire roommate turned lover Frederick. I found it to be very sweet and very fun (and very steamy), and quite enjoyed it. One of the standouts, however, was Frederick’s sarcastic fellow vampire friend (frenemy?) Reginald, whose wit and snide remarks consistently made me laugh. So when I saw the cover for the sequel “My Vampire Plus One”, I immediately thought ‘oh my GOD REGGIE IS GETTING A BOOK!’, and requested it post haste. I needed to see what Levine was going to do with his character and a love interest that would surely be able to stand toe to toe with him. And folks, this didn’t disappoint. A fake dating romance is already a trope I love, and when you make a high strung accountant meet a vampire bad boy, I am even MORE desperate to read it.

Since it is Halloween Season and this is in my Horrorpalooza celebration, I will first talk about the general vampire mythos that Levine is continuing here. I am still quite enjoying the way that she is tackling vampires and how they are functioning in this version of our world, as they don’t feel shoe horned in, nor does the world feel very different from our own. Vampires like Reggie have vampiric traits that are familiar, though there are also some twists on them to make them feel unique (sunlight doesn’t kill them but it does cause some pain, different vampires have differing abilities, etc). I also liked the descriptions of “The Collective”, a long functioning vampire cult that is hunting down Reggie for a crime they think he committed centuries ago, but who all feel a bit bumbling and very “What We Do in the Shadows” in their silliness. To make things even more entertaining, one of the many epistolary devices used in this book is them communicating with each other on their hunt, and how their hunt isn’t going super well. There were many laugh out loud moments involving these kinds of chapter breaks (another of note: records from a bullet journaling chat room that Reggie frequents to ask for romantic advice. SO CHARMING). But even MORE intriguing? Levine has introduced the concept of witches in this world now, and boy I hope that if she does do a follow up we get a story centered around Reggie’s old potential lover Zelda, who is now running a hot yoga studio on the west coast.

Dare I dream we get to see a witch romance next?? Also, total side track, these two were the best and Joss Whedon did her so dirty. (source)

And I also just loved Reggie and Amelia, and all of the delicious chemistry they have together. For Amelia, it’s her slightly neurotic and incredibly ambitious personality that makes her a little tightly wound, though very endearing all the same. I enjoyed how she is competent and incredibly clever, and loved that by getting entangled with Reggie she starts to learn to loosen up a bit, but not in a way that criticizes her personality or her character. And Reggie? Well. It’s a been pretty common to see two kinds of male vampire potential love interest archetypes in modern vampire literature. There’s the serious, broody, kind of sullen one, and there’s the sarcastic, mischievous, kind of bad boy one. Louis, Bill Compton, and Angel are all the former, while Lestat, Eric Northman, and Spike are all the latter. I have ALWAYS preferred the latter. And if Frederick in “My Roommate is a Vampire” is a Louis/Bill/Angle type, Reggie is DEFINITELY a Lestat/Eric/Spike type. And readers, this means I automatically ADORE HIM. Reggie is funny, he’s a bit mysterious, he’s a BIT of a dope, and he is so endearing in his terribly suppressed sappy/emotional side (he has a scrapbooked bullet journal and if THAT isn’t Spike coded I don’t know WHAT is!!). When you combine that kind of personality with Amelia’s kind of personality it is an instant win, and my gosh do these two have fantastic chemistry. Which, of course, means that the slow burn romance is VERY satisfying as they banter, pine, and eventually consummate. I really loved these two and was so on board with their love story.

I loved “My Vampire Plus One”! Even more so than its predecessor, which is saying something because I also really enjoyed that one too. Jenna Levine continues to be a go to for paranormal romance with a goofy edge!

Rating 9: A delightful and incredibly humorous follow up to a stand out read from last year, “My Vampire Plus One” is sexy and witty and everything I was hoping it would be!

Reader’s Advisory:

“My Vampire Plus One” is included on the Goodreads lists “Spooky Season Reads”, and “Vampires!”.

Serena’s Review: “Buried Deep and Other Stories”

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Book: “Buried Deep and Other Stories” by Naomi Novik

Publishing Info: Del Rey, September 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

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

Book Description: From the dragon-filled Temeraire series and the gothic, magical halls of the Scholomance trilogy to the fairy tale worlds of Spinning Silver and Uprooted, this stunning collection takes us from fairy tale to fantasy, myth to history, and mystery to science fiction as we travel through Naomi Novik’s most beloved stories.

In Buried Deep, we move from ancient Greece and Rome, through the Middle Ages and the Black Death, and into the modern era. We meet Mark Antony, Sherlock Holmes, and Elizabeth Bennet, in ways we have never seen them before. We visit exotic fantasy cities and alien civilizations among the stars.

Though the stories are vastly different, there is a unifying theme: the act of finding and seizing one’s destiny, and the lengths one will go to achieve that—be it turning pirate, captaining a fighting dragon, or shifting from marriage to seek your destiny with a sword.

And in the two tales original to this collection, we first reenter the remade Scholomance in the wake of El’s revolution and see what life is like for the new crop of students. Then, we get a glimpse at the world of Novik’s upcoming series, a deserted land, populated only by silent and enigmatic architectural behemoths whose secrets are yet to be unlocked.

Review: I don’t typically read short story collections because, with all honesty, I very rarely enjoy them. I’m the sort of reader who really wants to sink into a world and (ideally) follow a single POV character who I become wholly invested in over the course of the story. It’s all quite focused in to detailed character work and epic storytelling and worldbuilding, all of which are difficult to convey in the much smaller wordcount allowed to short stories. Beyond this, most of the collections I’ve read in the past were assortments of authors all contributing to one work, which left a lot of variability in quality throughout the entire read. All of this long winded intro to say, this week I’ll be reviewing not only one short story collection, but two! And they are each wildly different experiences.

Today, we’re going to start on the high note! It probably shouldn’t have been so surprising that I ended up loving this book, given the fact that I don’t think I’ve ever rated a Naomi Novik below an 8 (the vast majority of them have been 9s and 10s, even!). But as we’ve just discussed, I struggle with these sorts of collections. But, if anything, with this book Novik has convinced me that in the right hands, I can enjoy a short story collection just as much as the next person!

In fact, in many ways, it felt like this collection of stories was written just for me. Not only was I rewarded for being a reader of all of Novik’s previous series (we have two Temeraire stories, a “Spinning Silver” story, and a “Scholomance” story), but the other tales she tackled were also of peak interest for me. It was almost freakish! There was a Greek re-telling, a “Pride and Prejudice” re-telling, and a “Sherlock Homes” story that focused on Irene Adler! Can it get more perfect than that? Honestly, if I had sat down and picked out series/stories that I would have wanted to read short stories of, these would have been at the top of my list! And they were all done so well!

I don’t want to cover every single story in this collection (though I enjoyed them all, even if I had favorites), but I’ll talk about a few of my favorites. I really loved the aforementioned “Pride and Prejudice” story. Novik managed to not only re-tell the entire novel in an impressively thorough manner, but also adjusted it to fit within her Temeraire world. This version’s Elisabeth Bennet was a dragon rider and much of the tension with Mr. Darcy was derived from the fact that she’s a military member. It was both incredibly unique but also fit perfectly within the boundaries of the original story.

I also really loved returning to the “Scholomance” world. This story takes place after the events of the trilogy, giving readers a look into how the school operates now that El and Orion have done their work. Of course, it was great seeing some familiar faces (though, sadly, not El herself), but the new character to this story was also fantastic! Through her eyes, we see how other magical communities have dealt with the dangers of this world. There was also an added twist to certain aspects of the magic itself, which I felt was both very creative but also felt natural to this pre-existing world.

I also really enjoyed the Greek re-telling of the story of the Minotaur. Told from the perspective of the Minotaur’s sister, Novik infused the story with a whole new level of tragedy, but also beauty. The Irene Adler story was also good, though here I did feel that by the end of the story, I had been hoping for a bit more…I don’t know, point to it all. So, too, the “Spinning Silver” story was also good. It was a shortened version (I believe this was the first attempt at the story that was later expanded into the full length novel), but essentially hit the same beats, though had a different ending. While I enjoyed reading this one, it did hit home how much I loved the novel version. This one just didn’t pack the same punch, and I enjoyed the ending of the original novel better.

While none of the stories were misses, I did want a bit more from a few of them. The collection begins with a pirate story which I think is the weakest of the bunch (a bit unfortunate that it’s first). There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, but it also didn’t seem to have a lot new to say or offer. Likewise, there’s a story about fairy wishes gone wrong which I really liked, but then it felt like it ended abruptly, almost feeling as if it was the first chapter to an entire book. I was mostly just mad that I couldn’t keep reading it! And lastly, I also enjoyed the look into the new world that her next series will take place within, but this story itself also felt a bit listless. I wasn’t clear whether these were the characters we would be following in the next book or not, but as it stands, by the time the story ends, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it as a story on its own.

Overall, this was an excellent collection! I think I can even say that it’s my favorite short story collection of all time (take from that what you will, given my general lack of interest/familiarity with the genre). I think most any fantasy fan would find something to like from this book. Though I will say that it’s one of those collections that greatly rewards readers familiar with Novik’s entire catalogue of work; it’s practically a must for fans of her books!

Rating 9: Absolutely fantastic, introducing readers to entire new worlds while also re-warding fans with a return to beloved worlds and characters.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Buried Deep and Other Stories” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Collections of Short Stories and Books I’m Dying to Get My Hands On.

Serena’s Review: “The Games Gods Play”

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

Book: “The Games Gods Play” by Abigail Owen

Publishing Info: Entangled: Red Tower Books, September 2024

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

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

Book Description: The gods love to toy with us mere mortals. And every hundred years, we let them…

I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.

Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won’t notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus’ patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.

The worst god. Hades.

For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible—the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.

So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me—a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders—as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?

I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?

Because Hades is playing by his own rules…and Death will win at any cost.

Review: I’d had my eyes on this one for a bit before the publicist reached out about a potential review. While Kate has been reviewing “Lore Olympus” on the blog, I, too, have been reading and loving the series! And this book sounded very much like the same sort of story but in novel format. Plus, a few years ago I read and enjoyed a YA fantasy title by this author, so I felt fairly confident that she could pull it off. And boy was I right!

There’s so much to like about this one that it’s hard to know where to start. I guess I will begin with a note that while we’ve seen many trends come and go within the fantasy genre, I have to guess that the influence of “The Hunger Games” with its deadly competition has to be the most long-lasting. Since that series came out, has there been a point in fantasy publishing where this theme isn’t consistently showing up? Not that I can think of! That being the case, it’s definitely a packed field, making it more and more difficult for authors to make their take on the topic feel fresh. So credit where credit is due, Owens does a fantastic job of breathing new life to a very tried-and-true formula.

While many aspects of the fantasy competition is familiar (the one competitor who is overly vicious, the magical abilities/gifts that can give a competitor a leg up, the teaming up of various parties to make their way through), the most important part is the creativity behind the tasks themselves. And that’s where this book really shines. We see a decent number of these events, and all of them felt new and exciting. There was a lot of variety between them and the forms of danger and challenge they presented were all interesting. If anything, I wish we had seen even more of these events!

My likening it to “Lore Olympus” was also more on point that I had even suspected. Tonally, the two felt very familiar: funny, romantic, and full of heart. While the love story itself was obviously the focus, I also enjoyed the strong friendships that were explored and established throughout the story. And Lyra is a fantastic lead character around whom to build all of these various relationships. She’s brave, caring, and empathetic to the situations of those around her, even while many of them treat her terribly. And, of course, the dynamic and chemistry built up between her and Hades was perfection.

I don’t want to go into spoilers, as there are a few major twists and turns towards the end of the book, but I also really appreciated the way Owens dealt with the lore of the Greek pantheon. It’s the kind of book where readers are rewarded with little winks and nudges here and there depending on their level of previous knowledge of the famous myths. But at the same time, none of these Easter egg moments are crucial, and the book is equally approachable to readers who may know less going in. I also very much liked the way Persephone’s story was dealt with, which was my major concern when I read the description of this book.

I did have a few stumbling points in my reading experience, however. First and foremost, I failed to truly understand Lyra’s curse on two fronts: both how it worked and why it was necessary to the plot. To the first point, we are told that the curse disallows people to “care” about her. Specifically, this isn’t limited to romantic love. However, as the story progresses, again and again we see characters form connections to her, some so deeply that they are willing to risk their lives to help her. If that’s not “caring,” I don’t know what is! I was honestly expecting a late-game twist where Lyra had misunderstood her curse the entire time and it either never existed in the first place or meant something completely different. However, we didn’t get that. And, in the end, we didn’t really get anything Honestly, if we just took this aspect of the story out, nothing major would change! If Lyra’s character arc needed to focus on her insecurity forming strong relationships, that could happen without a curse and take away some of these major question marks that were left as it currently stands.

I also did not love the late game conflict introduced into the romance. I feel like I just wrote about this recently, but I wish authors felt more comfortable moving away from this strict plotting structure for romance novels. Especially with romantasy titles that have other plot elements built in already, this late-stage conflict point often feels as if it is thrown in simply to check a box and not as something organic to the story itself. Here, the actual conflict didn’t make much sense. And it made even less sense that Lyra would be able to piece together the already nonsensical logic leaps behind it on her own.

With these minor flaws in mind, I should maybe rate this book an 8. However, I simply had too much fun reading this one to leave it that! I read this one in about two sessions and was having a blast the entire time. There was adventure, romance, and drama. Fair warning, however, it does end on a fairly massive cliffhanger, so readers should be aware of that going in (I’m talking to you, Aunt Mary!).

Rating 9: If you’re wallowing in the loss of “Lore Olympus,” never fear! Abigail Owens is here with a fantastic new take on the Greek gods and everyone’s favorite dark and broody love interest, the God of the Underworld himself!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Games Gods Play” isn’t on any relevant Goodreads lists, but it should be on Greek Mythology.

Serena’s Review: “Asunder”

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

Book: “Asunder” by Kerstin Hall

Publishing Info: Tor, August 2024

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

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

Book Description: We choose our own gods here.

Karys Eska is a deathspeaker, locked into an irrevocable compact with Sabaster, a terrifying eldritch entity—three-faced, hundred-winged, unforgiving—who has granted her the ability to communicate with the newly departed. She pays the rent by using her abilities to investigate suspicious deaths around the troubled city she calls home. When a job goes sideways and connects her to a dying stranger with dangerous secrets, her entire world is upended.

Ferain is willing to pay a ludicrous sum of money for her help. To save him, Karys inadvertently binds him to her shadow, an act that may doom them both. If they want to survive, they will need to learn to trust one another. Together, they journey to the heart of a faded empire, all the while haunted by arcane horrors and the unquiet ghosts of their pasts.

And all too soon, Karys knows her debts will come due.

Review: I requested this one on a bit of a whim. I was vaguely familiar with the author, knowing that she’d released at least one or two other books, but I hadn’t read any of them. This cover, while excellent, doesn’t really give many clues as to what type of fantasy novel this was. And the book description is wild with talk of various types of magical beings (death speakers), fantasy creatures (eldritch entities) and long-reaching spells (binding someone to a shadow, what?). And man, was this an instance where not knowing going in really paid off! This was a crazy ride of a book and I loved every bit of it!

There’s so much to love about this book that I don’t know where to start. But I think I’ll begin with the general type of fantasy novel that this book is. I’m not sure if this is an “official” subgenre of fantasy, but I’d label this book and books like it as “hard fantasy.” As in, the fantasy version of “hard science fiction.” For example, last year I read and loved Martha Wells’ “Witch King.” I loved it so much that I included it (or tried to? I can’t remember) in one of our “Another Take” list where we link to other reviewers who also enjoyed the same book. Problem was, I kept coming across reviewers who struggled with the book because of the complicated world-building and the fact that the reader is essentially plopped into the story with no explanations or answers in sight, left to piece it together over the course of the book. So, where “hard science fiction” leans heavily on the scientific details of it all, I’d say that “hard fantasy” is the type of fantasy that presents a very foreign world, full of totally unfamiliar elements, cultures, and religions that readers are left to piece together largely on their own.

This book is very much that, and, like “Witch King,” I loved it. For one thing, I think this style of storytelling often makes the most sense for fantasy stories like this. In this book, we’re following one main character, Karys, as she goes on a quest to various locations in various countries and, essentially, has a bunch of mini-adventures while gathering up a party of friends. But because we’re following her so closely, and she’s a member of this world, her explanations of what she sees around her are fairly straightforward and undetailed.

She blasély comments on these enchanted dog-like creatures that essentially operate as a free taxi system in her home city. She mentions the various deity-like beings that have warred over the past decades, with one now practically extinct and a new order in place with beings that are only partially understood. She casually describes cultures and customs where it is understood that one simply climbs within a ensorcelled spider-thing that operates like a train. It’s all incredibly creative, incredibly strange, and incredibly straight-forwardly presented. This is all familiar to Karys; she has no reason to go into long monologues about the how and why of it all. As such, the reader is left to piece together these elements over the course of the book, slowly filling out the broad strokes of this world and the true stakes involved. I enjoy fantasy stories that test the limits of the imagination like this one does. That said, this is definitely not an approachable fantasy story, and I can see some readers being turned off by the complexity of it all.

As I mentioned, while there is a larger mystery and quest involved (Karys’s mission to return the man she bound to her shadow to his rightful body), the plot swings through a multitude of shorter “side quests.” All of these were worked in to the larger plot in small ways, but they also felt like interesting little mini stories in their own right. And, most importantly, they gave the reader more insights into the strangeness of this world and its people.

While I like the plot and the fantasy world, none of this would have worked without a strong leading character, and Karys is exactly the sort of leading lady I enjoy. She’s fiercely independent (often to a problematic level), and much of the story follows her personal arc of coming to trust and rely on the friends she meets along the way. Her past is riddled with trauma, and yet her approach to life is a fierce will to live, even in the face of the most dire of circumstances. Her fairly tightly-wound character is balanced well by her shadow companion, Ferain, who is a more light-hearted and open individual. That said, for a character that spends almost the entire book in a shadow-like state, Ferain’s own story turned out to be more rich than I had expected. Plus, the cherry on the top, I loved the sweet, slow-burn romance that developed between them.

I’m really tempted to give this book a 10 rating. However, I will say that while I enjoyed all of the mini adventures on their own, there were a few points where I felt like these side stories broke up the overall pacing of the story. And there was one that I didn’t really understand the point of, though I may have missed some important detail (like I said, the author doesn’t spoon feed it to you, so if you missed a line, oops!). I also felt like the ending was rather abrupt and felt a bit like a cliffhanger. Normally, this wouldn’t really bother me, but as of writing this, this book seems to be being marketed as a stand-alone, which, if true, makes the ending slightly unsatisfying. That said, I still highly recommend this to fantasy readers, especially those who want to go hard into the crazier side of fantasy world-building and are happy to go along on a mildly confusing, but well worth it, ride!

Rating 9: A perfect example of hard fantasy at its best, with a world that feels completely foreign and rich to be explored, especially alongside a fantastic cast of characters.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Asunder” isn’t on many Goodreads lists, but it is on Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2024.

Serena’s Review: “A Ruse of Shadows”

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Book: “A Ruse of Shadows” by Sherry Thomas

Publishing Info: Berkley, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

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

Book Description: Charlotte’s success on the RMS Provence has afforded her a certain measure of time and assurance. Taking advantage of that, she has been busy, plotting to prise the man her sister loves from Moriarty’s iron grip.

Disruption, however, comes from an unexpected quarter. Lord Bancroft Ashburton, disgraced and imprisoned as a result of Charlotte’s prior investigations, nevertheless manages to press Charlotte into service: Underwood, his most loyal henchman, is missing and Lord Bancroft wants Charlotte to find Underwood, dead or alive.

But then Lord Bancroft himself turns up dead and Charlotte, more than anyone else, meets the trifecta criteria of motive, means, and opportunity. Never mind rescuing anyone else, with the law breathing down her neck, can Charlotte save herself from prosecution for murder?

Previously Reviewed: “A Study in Scarlet Women” and “A Conspiracy in Belgravia” and “The Hollow of Fear” and “The Art of Theft” and “Murder on Cold Street” and “Miss Moriarty, I Presume?” and “A Tempest at Sea”

Review: Better late than never! (Though it can be assured that I would eventually get to the latest “Charlotte Holmes” mystery novel!) As much as I love reading new releases, it does become a challenge trying to make sure to leave review room for my beloved on-going series. And at this point, this is probably one of the longer running series that I’m reviewing that is currently still be added to! And, while there have been ups and and downs throughout this series, there have never been any true duds. Indeed, the series has been on a bit of an uptick recently, so I was excited to check out this latest entry!

While those familiar with the series will find many familiar aspects to this story (all of our favorite characters, a return to England, and the use of tried-and-true villains from the past), one of the primary things that stood out about this book was how fresh it felt! And for the *checks notes* 8th book in a mystery series, that’s quite something! There are two primary factors, I believe. First, and to a lesser extent, the first real mystery the reader is introduced to is one in which Charlotte herself is the primary suspect. This is, of course, a rich setup for the story. And while this subplot isn’t really the primary plot of the book, it does provide a unique framing for the entire story, one in which Charlotte is on the other side of the interview, the subject rather than the investigator. No one is surprised to find that she shines just as well in this setting as in her regular role

But the second change was the broken up manner in which the story is told. The book shifts back and forth from various time periods. One being the aforementioned interview in which Charlotte is being questioned about her role in this murder. But the second follows all of the events that lead up to this situation, with a few smaller jumps around in time found within. And, of course, by the time we get to the end of the story and the pieces start falling in place, the reader (and many other characters!) realize that Charlotte, as always, was playing a much deeper game the entire time, with a wholly separate timeline of events playing into the how and why of everything that happened throughout the story. This all lead to a very compelling mystery. There were simply so many layers to the story that every time I began to feel as if I had some theories about one mystery, we would shift focus to the next layer and I would be as befuddled as ever! It was a very “onion-like” read in all of the best ways!

Perhaps less new was the cast of characters, though here too the book shone! While I enjoy Livia Holmes and the important role she plays in Charlotte’s life, there have been times throughout the series when I felt that her chapters felt unnecessary to the larger story. Here, we still follows her story for a few chapters here and there, but I felt like the balance between her smaller subplot and the larger story as a whole was better handled. I also really enjoyed seeing some familiar faces pop up in very unexpected ways! There were a few call-backs to characters from several books ago who ended up playing much larger roles in this book. And, of course, Bancroft is always a good time in all of his snobby glory!

And, of course, I still very much enjoy the slowly developing relationship between Charlotte and Lord Ingram. Some of the more floundering books seemed to struggle to know where to take this relationship, but in these last few stronger entries, this relationship feels more steady and as if its progressing in a natural manner. It’s the slowest of slow burns, but in this way, it still feels very true to a character like Charlotte who understands her important relationships with other people in both a much deeper, but also more difficult to communicate, manner.

Overall, I really loved this one! In fact, it’s probably one of my favorites out of the entire series! The central mystery was compelling, the balance of characters felt right, and we once again were able to revel in all that makes Charlotte Holmes such an intriguing character to follow. If you’re a fan of these books, this one is a solid entry in what I hope continues to be a long-running series.

Rating 9: Successful in every way I could wish, this was a perfect balance of mystery, character work, and a fantastic central character!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Ruse of Shadows” is on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Books of 2024

Book Club Review: “Superman Smashes the Klan”

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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. This June we celebrated our 10 year anniversary of book club. So in celebration of that milestone, we are re-visiting authors we read way back in those first few years of our book club. 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: “Superman Smashes the Klan” by Gene Luen Yang & Gurihiru (Ill.)

Publishing Info: DC Zoom, May 2020

Where Did We Get This Book: Kate owns it; Serena got it from the library!

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

Repeat Author: Gene Luen Yang

Book Description: The year is 1946, and the Lee family has moved from Chinatown to Downtown Metropolis. While Dr. Lee is eager to begin his new position at the Metropolis Health Department, his two kids, Roberta and Tommy, are more excited about being closer to the famous superhero Superman!

Tommy adjusts quickly to the fast pace of their new neighborhood, befriending Jimmy Olsen and joining the club baseball team, while his younger sister Roberta feels out of place when she fails to fit in with the neighborhood kids. She’s awkward, quiet, and self-conscious of how she looks different from the kids around her, so she sticks to watching people instead of talking to them.

While the Lees try to adjust to their new lives, an evil is stirring in Metropolis: the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan targets the Lee family, beginning a string of terrorist attacks. They kidnap Tommy, attack the Daily Planet, and even threaten the local YMCA. But with the help of Roberta’s keen skills of observation, Superman is able to fight the Klan’s terror, while exposing those in power who support them–and Roberta and Superman learn to embrace their own unique features that set them apart.

Kate’s Thoughts

This isn’t the first time I’ve read this book, as I’m sure some of you will remember that I reviewed it a couple years ago (and it even ended up on my Best Of list that year). But I knew that when I was going to select an author to revisit I was going to to Gene Luen Yang, and “Superman Smashes the Klan” just seemed like the correct choice. And my opinion hasn’t changed too much since I first read it. I still really love this graphic novel.

Yang takes a very heavy (but still all too relevant) story about racism and prejudice in America, f0llowing the Lees, a Chinese American who have just moved to a predominantly white neighborhood in Metropolis after living in Chinatown, in the 1940s. As they all have their own strategies (and struggles) in adjusting, it doesn’t help that the Klan of the Fiery Cross (a clear analog to the KKK) has started targeting them. Meanwhile, Superman befriends the Lees, and his still coming to terms with his own identity, as an alien who has tried to pass as human when he is Clark Kent, and who is revered in his Superman identity, though he knows that people could shift on him at the drop of a hat. I loved the comparing and contrasting of the Lees and Superman and their inner conflicts about how to assimilate and how to be ‘ideal’ without being threatening. Yang actually took a previous story from the Superman radio show and expanded it in this story, and he makes it so easily accessible to his target audience, making it very digestable and very relatable and readable. And as I said, the themes in this book of racism and bigotry and Othering are still far too relevant, which makes it all the more necessary reading for kids, and packaged so well with such a fantastic interpretation of a beloved comic character who always symbolizes the very best of us.

“Superman Smashes the Klan” is still a fantastic read. I enjoyed it just as much this time as the first time, and it fostered from great conversations in our book club.

Serena’s Thoughts:

Unlike Kate, I hadn’t read this one before. But like Kate, I am a massive Superman fan, so was excited to check it out! And I can definitely see what all the fuss was about! This was an excellent graphic novel in pretty much every way.

The story manages to take on some very heavy themes (pretty easy to guess which based on the title alone) but does so in a manner that is both approachable to kids and useful to adults. Even more impressive, for covering some difficult topics, the reading experience is still an expression of joy and hope. I think this is incredibly important for any Superman story and was pleased to see how well the overall tone of Superman was captured. This probably shouldn’t be a surprise as I know that the author has written other Superman stories as well.

I particularly enjoyed the exploration of the immigrant experience and how Superman’s own alien origins played into this. As most Superman fans know, the character was originally presented without the ability to fly, only the ability to “jump over tall buildings.” Here, that idea is taken on and presented as Superman’s concerns of expressing his full abilities due to an incident when he was younger in which the people of Smallville reacted with fear to the full range of his “otherness.” It was such an interesting way of tackling not only an interesting fact about the character but of the many challenges of the immigrant experience.

I also very much appreciated the historical aspects of the story, especially author’s note at the end that went into more details about the origins of the story itself. This is a great read for any Superman fan and well worth a read!

Kate’s Rating 9: Still a great read and still all too relevant, “Superman Smashes the Klan” is a fantastic piece of historical fiction and a wonderful look at the immigrant experience in the face of prejudice, whether you are from Earth or Krypton.

Serena’s Rating 8: Tackling tough topics while maintaining the sense of hope in humankind that is so crucial to the Superman mythos.

Book Club Questions

  1. What did you think of the story of the Lee Family and how it brings together a story of culture, assimilation, racism, and identity?
  2. Were you familiar with some of the timelines described in this book in regards to the KKK in this country’s history? Did any of these revelations surprise you?
  3. What were your thoughts on the comparison and contrast between Superman’s experience as an Other and that of the Lee family?
  4. Did you enjoy how Yang incorporated Superman’s original leaping powers into this story, as well as other powers that evolved over time?
  5. What were your thoughts on the reveal of the identity behind the Grand Mogul? What do you think Yang was trying to say with that twist?
  6. Let’s talk about the different kinds of racism and bigotry in this book, from out and out Klansmen to more ‘acceptable’ and covert forms of racism (i.e. Chuck’s mom, even Mr. Lee’s prejudice against Black people). Thoughts on that?
  7. Who would you recommend this book to? How would you use it as a connector to today’s social issues?

Reader’s Advisory

“Superman Smashes the Klan” is included on the Goodreads lists “Superheroes, Comics, and Social Justice”, and “Best of Superman”.

Next Book Club Pick: “Summer Days and Summer Nights” by Stephanie Perkins (Ed.)

Serena’s Review: “A Sorceress Comes to Call”

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Book: “A Sorceress Comes to Call” by T. Kingfisher

Publishing Info: Tor, August 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn’t allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.

Review: I can’t emphasize enough just how much self-control it has taken to diligently get through my June and July books before reading this one. Thanks to NetGalley/Edelweiss/publishers, I have the opportunity to read these books sometimes months in advance, and man is it tempting to skip right to my most-anticipated titles! But, at last, here we are! Another T. Kingfisher book to review!

It’s hard for me to say which type of Kingfisher book I like best. I’ve love all of the original fantasy books that she’s written that exist within one world (there are several different series and a few stand-alones all in this same world). I’ve enjoyed her horror stories, several of which Kate and I have joint reviewed on the blog. And then, of course, I’ve gobbled up her fairy-tale re-imagings. This book is one of the latter, this time seeing Kingfisher tackle a loose re-telling of “The Goose Girl.”

Honestly, I’m not as familiar with this fairtyale as I am with others, but in some ways that may have worked in my favor. Not only did I not have expectations about which story beats needed to be hit when, but I was also better able to flow with the shifts in focus that Kingfisher took in the story. That said, there are elements that she takes from the original and twists in very…um…disturbing ways! If you’re familiar with the original story, you’ll remember that the talking horse companion ends up meeting a fairly grisly fate. Kingfisher saw that version of the story and decided to raise the creepiness factor to about an 11! (Another side note: I love reading her author note’s at the end because they are often just as entertaining as the book itself. This time it was particularly funny because as I read this book, I found myself getting stuck on the thought that this author sure does write a lot of creepy horses. And then low and behold, in her author’s note she goes “You may be wondering just what my problem with horses is…” Why, yes, I was! I won’t spoil the explanation, but it’s as amusing as everything else from her!)

One of the things that most impresses me about Kingfisher’s work is the manner in which she balances many different tones all in one, fairly contained book. In this story, we not only have the trappings of a re-told fairytale, but we have comedy, we have tragedy, we have romance, and we have a healthy dose of horror. And none of these elements over shine the others! I will say, the horror aspects stand out particularly well in this one. Not only with the aforementioned horse, but also with the sorceress herself and her disturbing powers. Up to the very end, I was on the edge of my seat worrying how our characters were going to get out of this situation!

I also loved all of the characters. And again, I’m impressed by how Kingfisher works against stereotypes in this area. I personally often struggle with child/middle school aged main characters, but Cordelia was a fantastic lead character. She was believably written for her age while also serving an important role within the story. It’s all too easy to have young characters in books like this who are either side-lined because there is nothing for them to contribute, or are written in a way that makes them come off as a person much older than they are. Not so here!

But I loved Hester most of all, the 50-year old woman who first suspects that there is something strange about Cordelia and her beautiful mother. This was perhaps less of a surprise, as I’ve now read several older women characters written by this author and they have all been fantastic! I also very much enjoyed the love story here, though it was definitely a sub plot to the challenge of the dealing with Cordelia’s mother. That said, while I loved the romance, this is also where the book fell from a 10 to a 9. Throughout the book, we get great insight into Hester’s mindset and the mental challenges she’s faced with aging and her perception of herself as a romantic partner. This was all excellent and incredibly relatable. But as the story continued, I never felt like this was truly resolved. The romantic interest is never brought into what Hester is thinking, and as this has impacted their decades-long one-and-off relationship, it really felt like he deserved to understand what was going on here. We didn’t need to have a “Hallmark moment” type scene, but some sort of resolution on this front would have really tied it together.

So, no surprise here, I loved this book! I’ve had my pre-order in for months now, and I as justified as ever in continuing to buy her books the second they come available! Fans of fairytale re-tellings should definitely check this one out, as well as any/all Kingfisher fans out there!

Rating 9: Truly a master storyteller! Kingfisher makes the process of jumping from genre to genre look easy!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Sorceress Comes to Call” can be found on these Goodreads lists: My favorite Fairytale Fantasy novels. and The Goose Girl Retellings.

Serena’s Review: “The Dead Cat Tail Assassins”

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Book: “The Dead Cat Tail Assassins” by P. Djeli Clark

Publishing Info: Tordotcom, August 2024

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

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

Book Description: Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins―resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories―have only three unbreakable vows.

First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade.

Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark.

The third and the once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy. When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.

Review: I got to meet this author back when Kate and I went to ALA in Chicago in 2023, so he’s been on my list of writers to check out for a bit. Not to mention, I’m always interested in a fantasy story featuring assassins, so this book was an obvious request for me! Plus, the title is intriguing as heck!

This was one of those books that felt familiar and a bit like a homecoming in the best of ways. This isn’t to say that the story, characters, or world were unoriginal, more so it was the fact that they all so neatly referenced many other familiar, beloved traits found in similar fantasy stories. Eveen, in particular, while still very much her own character, also reminded me of other beloved similar characters (Keesan from “Godkiller” comes to mind). She was that perfect combination of hardened, rather sarcastic warrior woman who finds her straight-forward approach to the world suddenly challenged. She was funny, powerful, and charismatic, and I would read more books about her any day of the week!

I also really enjoyed the world-building that went into this book. It’s a novella, so the author had to be judicious with how to build in the framework of this world while not cutting into the fast-paced action of the story. The entire story takes place over a 24-hour period of time, and yet between all of the fighting and running and scheming scenes, I still felt as if I understood this world of undead assassins and the powerful families who would wield them for their own goals. The concept of the undead assassins was also very interesting; it was one of those ideas you find in fantasy stories that are deceptively simple and yet brilliant when played out on the page.

While some of these fantasy elements and characters (both main and side) felt vaguely familiar (again, in the best way), the ending of this book packs a major punch with the way it resolves the greater conflict. I can truly say I didn’t see that last twist coming at all, and not only was it clever, but it perfectly wrapped up many of the threads of the story that had begun to feel impossibly knotted.

I also really enjoyed the numerous side characters sprinkled throughout the book. Eveen will always be my favorite, but her greatness was supported by the variety of other “Dead Cat Tail Assassins” we meet throughout the story, each with their own unique fight style. Rounding out the cast was the target of Eveen’s assassination mission, a young woman with a connection to Eveen’s forgotten past that is shocking and propels the entire story forwards.

I enjoyed the heck out of this story! I sat down and read it one sitting (this is helped by it being a fairly short story), completely drawn in by the fast-moving plot and hilarious main character. I definitely recommend this one for all fantasy readers, especially those looking for an action-packed story that features a compelling leading lady!

Rating 9: Crackling with action and humor, I finished the last page wishing for only one thing: more!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Dead Cat Tail Assassins” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Best Outside-the-box Speculative Fiction and Adult Fantasy/Sci-fi/Speculative Novellas by BIPOC Authors