Tag: 9 Rating

Serena’s Review: “Black Tide Son”

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Book: “Black Tide Son” by H.M. Long

Publishing Info: Titan Books, July 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

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

Book Description: A captured pirate reveals shocking news to Mary and Samuel that sends them in urgent pursuit of Samuel’s twin brother, Benedict, but their search uncovers much more than they bargained for. While evading a cunning new foe, Mary and Samuel must navigate the complexities of their own growing bond as they launch a rescue mission within one of the most secure fortresses on the Mereish Coast.

Previously Reviewed: “Dark Water Daughter”

Review: I remember saying in my review for the first book in this duology that it reminded me of the high that the original “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie delivered. Like the movie, it was just a blast from start to finish. Similarly, it left me hankering for more and I eagerly began waiting for the sequel. Well, we all know how that turned out with those movies (though I will say that I don’t hate the sequel quite as much as others)… But I’m happy to report that this book sequel did not share a similar fate. In fact, I enjoyed it just as much as the first!

I’ve already used the word “blast” to describe this book, and I can tell that it will be a struggle to refrain from simply spamming that word throughout. Because one of the first things that stands out about this sequel is the adventurous romp it is from start to finish. The first book was action packed as well, but it did had to slow down more at times to properly introduced our two main characters. This book doesn’t have to spare the page time for that, so instead the writing whips the reader up in the first few pages and then doesn’t let you go until the final stop! That’s not to say that there aren’t quieter, more reflective moments, but even these are all bookended by sweeping action sequences. Our heroes spend the majority of the book racing from place to place, and, like them, the reader will be left simply trying to keep up with the events around them (but in the best way possible!).

I will say that this book was a bit less boat-focused than the first book. Going in, I’d have said this shift might have knocked the book down a notch, as the emphasis on naval/pirate shenanigan’s was one of the primary appeals of the first book. But the story more than made up for it by focusing a large chunk of the action on our main characters and a few other characters racing first to break Sam’s brother out of a heavily guarded prison and then from the various parties wishing to re-capture them all. The book also expanded on the political maneuverings between the various nations that make up this nautical world, especially their varying levels of understanding of the magic that exists and the ghists.

And, lastly, I can’t not talk about our main characters, Sam and Mary. Man, I love these two so much! For her part, we see Mary’s growing partnership with the ghist she is bound to and the incredibly creative abilities their teamwork produces. These abilities, alongside her own powerful weather singing magic, did have the potential to maker her a bit overpowered, but the author showed incredible restraint in this area, using all of these elements carefully and judiciously throughout. As for Sam, we learn much more about his (and his brother’s) backstory in this book. Indeed, much of the secondary arc is centered around his search for a cure for his poisoned abilities. I also absolutely LOVED the way Sam’s and Mary’s romance progressed. There were so many ways this could have gone wrong, and then every time, right when I began to be concerned, Long would completely nail it. Unlike the first book, Sam and Mary are together throughout most of this book, and the few quiet moments we get are almost all devoted to them feeling out the next steps to their relationship.

This was pretty much the perfect sequel for me. It built on all of the great ideas presented in the first book, allowed its characters to grow both as individuals and as a couple, and expanded the world and magic system in every way. It also wrapped up the story in a completely satisfying manner, though it did seem to leave a crack in the door for future installments. If you enjoyed the first book, this is a worthy sequel in every way. And, generally, I can’t recommend this duology enough to fantasy readers looking for adventure and slow-burn romance!

Rating 9: Chock full of adventure, romance, and an incredibly unique magical world. If you ever thought “hey, I want pirates but with magic!” than this is the duology for you!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Black Tide Son” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Nautical Fantasy and Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2024.

Serena’s Review: “The Witchstone”

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Book: “The Witchstone” by Henry H. Neff

Publishing Info: Blackstone Publishing Inc, June 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

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

Book Description: Meet Laszlo, eight-hundred-year-old demon and Hell’s least productive Curse Keeper. From his office beneath Midtown, he oversees the Drakeford Curse, which involves a pathetic family upstate and a mysterious black stone. It’s a sexy enough assignment—colonial origins, mutating victims, et cetera—but Laszlo has no interest in maximizing the curse’s potential; he’d rather sunbathe in Ibiza, quaff martinis, and hustle the hustlers on Manhattan’s subway. Unfortunately, his division has new management, and Laszlo’s ratings are so abysmal that he’s given six days to shape up or he’ll be melted down and returned to the Primordial Ooze.

Meet Maggie Drakeford, nineteen-year-old Curse Bearer. All she’s ever known is the dreary corner of the Catskills where the Drakeford Curse has devoured her father’s humanity and is rapidly laying claim to her own. The future looks hopeless, until Laszlo appears at the Drakeford farmhouse one October night and informs them that they have six days—and six days only—to break the spell before it becomes permanent. Can Maggie trust the glib and handsome Laszlo? Of course not. But she also can’t pass up an opportunity to save her family, even if it means having a demon as a guide …

Thus begins a breakneck international adventure that takes our unlikely duo from a hot dog stand in Central Park to the mountains of Liechtenstein, a five-star hotel in Zurich, and even the time-traveling vault of a demonic crime boss. As the clock ticks down, tough-as-nails Maggie and conniving Laszlo will uncover a secret so profound that what began as a farcical quest to break a curse will eventually threaten the very Lords of Hell.

Review: So, I was feeling fairly positive about this book when I first requested it, as it was one of two, similar-sounding books that I had slotted for review this spring. Unfortunately, the other one was “How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying” which…I didn’t love. Even worse, that was the one I had more confidence in simply because I’d read other books by the author that I’d enjoyed. On the other hand, this one was largely an unknown. But I’m happy to report that this one came through in every way I wanted!

There’s so much to love about this book, it’s hard to know where to start! But let’s first touch on the world-building and overall tone of the story. I don’t want this review to turn into a 1:1 comparison between this and “Dark Lord,” but this was one aspect of the storytelling that was starkly different between the two. Where the latter was banging the reader over the head with “jokes,” this one had a much better balance between its humor and the other notes the story was hitting. And, notably, when it was funny, it was actually, you know, funny. There were numerous points where I was laughing out loud, even in the middle of otherwise horrifying scenes. Much of this comes down to Lazlo himself, who was an enigma of narcissism, snobbery, and secretly, a being who cared about those around him, despite himself, almost. He is the kind of character that is just a riot to travel through a story alongside.

But, importantly, while the comedic aspects were on point, the laughs, and Lazlo himself, were counterbalanced by the much more serious “straight man” character, Maggie. It is her story where the heart of the plot really lies, the curse that her family has suffered through, and her determination to finally bring it to an end. She was the perfect foil to Lazlo, as well as an avatar to the reader, seeing this world of demons and magic for the first time as well (curse itself aside).

There were also notable side characters, including a work colleague of Lazlo’s, a demon with a shark’s head, who was frankly hilarious. As well as Maggie’s younger brother, Lump, the sort of encyclopedic “smart kid” character who could have quickly fallen into clichés and not much else. Indeed, when we were first introduced to this character and his gimmick, I pretty much dismissed him. But as the story continued, the author included several very heart-felt scenes between brother and sister that solidified Lump as a fully-realized character in his own right. Even down to the simple, child-like fact that he didn’t like Maggie swearing.

The pacing and plotting were also tight throughout. The story drew me in immediately and we were quickly off to the races, travelling through New York and into Europe to track down the curse-breaking components. However, the action never overwhelmed the character arcs at the heart of the story, and the author always managed to neatly transition from focus to the other. And things ultimately came to a head with a true “final battle” type climax at the end of the book where the fantastical elements became larger-than-life.

I loved this book, and it was such a surprise! This is exactly what I was looking for in the realm of fantasy and comedy combined. Notably, while it was funny, it was also heartfelt, tragic, and touched on the twisted nature of different family dynamics. I definitely recommend this one to pretty much all fantasy fans, especially those who are looking for a good dose of humor in their story.

Rating 9: Fantastic! Fast-paced, hilarious, but full of heart!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Witchstone” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet but it should be on Humorous Fantasy Novels.

Kate’s Review: “Horror Movie”


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Book: “Horror Movie” by Paul Tremblay

Publishing Info: William Morrow, June 2024

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

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

Book Description: A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club and The Cabin at the End of the World.

In June 1993, a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks making Horror Movie, a notorious, disturbing, art-house horror flick. The weird part? Only three of the film’s scenes were ever released to the public, but Horror Movie has nevertheless grown a rabid fanbase. Three decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big budget reboot.

The man who played “The Thin Kid” is the only surviving cast member. He remembers all too well the secrets buried within the original screenplay, the bizarre events of the filming, and the dangerous crossed lines on set that resulted in tragedy. As memories flood back in, the boundaries between reality and film, past and present start to blur. But he’s going to help remake the film, even if it means navigating a world of cynical producers, egomaniacal directors, and surreal fan conventions — demons of the past be damned.

But at what cost? 

Horror Movie is an obsessive, psychologically chilling, and suspenseful twist on the “cursed film” that breathlessly builds to an unforgettable, mind-bending conclusion.

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

Hooray hooray, it’s finally time for another Paul Tremblay horror novel!! I always look forward to seeing what this master of horror literature comes up with next, as not only can I count on it being deeply deeply upsetting in a scary sense, I can also count on it being deeply deeply upsetting in a ‘I am experiencing utter despair’ sense. And in “Horror Movie” we get both of those things and then some as we are told the story of a production of a ‘cursed’ horror movie, which starts as a shoe string low budget project and ends up as a tragedy that has to be shut down… only for a reboot in the works years later, with one of the last people involved standing being tapped to participate. This alone was enough to have me on board, but with Tremblay at the helm I knew that this was going to be a ride. And man, I really adored it.

There were so many elements of this book that really, really got under my skin. One reason for this is the narrative structure, as we are kind of flipping back and forth between two. The first is that of the unreliable (as we slowly start to realize) narration of our Unnamed Protagonist who played “The Thin Kid” in the original film as he navigates the new situation of a reboot and reminisces about his time on set with friends and coworkers Valentina (the director), Cleo (the writer), and the other people involved in the production that becomes a new member of the ‘cursed films’ club when tragedy after tragedy befalls so many people connected to the project. What starts out as a pretty straight forward thread that seems like a reminiscing and a slow reveal to the first domino of an incident that closed down the film gradually starts to transform into something very, very odd, and downright unnerving. And then on the other side we get snippets from Cleo’s original script for “Horror Movie”, which starts as a pretty familiar arthouse horror film with a little bit of an inflated sense of itself, but then really, REALLY starts to shift towards something that is, indeed, a bit genius but also bizarre. There is one moment describing a long holding shot towards the end of the book that really, really creeped me out because of how Tremblay drew it out, and I genuinely began to feel anxiety and was nervously giggling to myself as it went on. Tremblay has always been SO good at creating completely nerve wracking moments and beats without spilling into ludicrous or unworkable territory, and “Horror Movie” is another masterclass in this. And it really messed with me.

Me suppressing a panic attack until I can be alone after putting down the book after one specific scene. (source)

But this is also a really interesting take on the idea of art creation and how it can consume the creator, but also how art can come to life due to the belief in it, whether or not it’s from the creator itself or from the audience that it finds. There are some obvious explorations of this, mostly as “The Thin Kid” has to basically be method during the production and is isolated from everyone else and even goes to extreme lengths to get into character. But we also kind of see this through Valentina and Cleo’s methods as they are filming, as they have such grand ideas and lofty heights for their creation and how they want it to turn out. And even the way that the movie garners a following in spite of the fact it was never completed and never officially released, but through a few scenes being posted to YouTube which somehow brings not only the fanbase to life, but also other things that perhaps didn’t have the power they wield until a love of the art itself spread far and wide. It’s such an interesting examination of the power of art, for better or for worse. You get the sense that our protagonist probably wouldn’t be on the path he ends up on were it not for the film he was a part of, and not just because of what happened on the set.

Another fantastic novel from Paul Tremblay. I really loved “Horror Movie” in all its weird, nerve-wracking glory. I always look forward to Tremblay’s twisted horror tales, and highly recommend that horror fans check him out if you haven’t already!

Rating 9: A strange, deeply disturbing meditation on the creation of art, the way a myth can build, and how creation can influence destiny.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Horror Movie” is included on the Goodreads lists “Lost Films & Cursed Movies”, and “Found Footage”.

Serena’s Review: “Heavenbreaker”

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Book: “Heavenbreaker” by Sara Wolf

Publishing Info: Entangled: Red Tower Books, May 2024

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

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

Book Description: Bravery isn’t what you do. It’s what you endure.

The duke of the powerful House Hauteclare is the first to die. With my dagger in his back. He didn’t see it coming. Didn’t anticipate the bastard daughter who was supposed to die with her mother—on his order. He should have left us with the rest of the Station’s starving, commoner rubbish.

Now there’s nothing left. Just icy-white rage and a need to make House Hauteclare pay. Every damn one of them. Even if it means riding Heavenbreaker—one of the few enormous machines left over from the War—and jousting against the fiercest nobles in the system.

Each win means another one of my enemies dies. And here, in the cold terror of space, the machine and I move as one, intent on destroying each adversary—even if it’s someone I care about. Even if it’s someone I’m falling for.

Only I’m not alone. Not anymore. Because there’s something in the machine with me. Something horrifying. Something…more. And it won’t be stopped.

Review: I’ve been waiting and waiting for the romantasy buzz to shift to include more science fiction as well. We’ve had a few examples (“Calamity” and the upcoming sequel come to mind), but there still isn’t much out there. But I’ve had my eyes on this one for a few months, as it seems to promise to be just what I’ve been looking for! True, the romance seems secondary in the blurb, but it’s coming out from Red Tower, which is Entangled’s SFF imprint, so one imagines a love story will be prominent somehow. All of this to say, I was incredibly excited when I was approached to review this title, and here we are!

Let’s get two things out of the way from the start: 1.) the blurb is accurate as far as the balance between the romance and the rest of the story goes (which is to say, the romance is quite light) and 2.) man, I loved this book and have zero complaints about any of point #1! I’ll talk more about the romance a bit later, but this is one of those strange situations where I’m worried that this book might be missed by several readers who would love it simply because it’s coming from an imprint that is known to focus heavily (almost exclusively!) on steamy romance stories! And while I think those readers will still enjoy this one (though there really is no spice involved), this is also the kind of science fiction story that I think would appeal to many fans of the larger genre, particularly readers who enjoyed “Red Rising” or “The Will of the Many!” Rather than romance comparisons, these are the true read-alikes for this book and I so hope that it makes its way out into the broader SF reading crowd!

Like those two books, this one is heavy on action, full of blockbuster moments, features nobles and their political maneuverings, all told from the perspective of a hero who seeks to tear it all down, and uncovers even deeper truths while she’s at it! Seriously, the twists and turns, the reveals and surprises just kept coming from the start all the way to the end! There were perhaps a few things that I could guess, but the way that it all worked together was so well-thought out and interesting. The history and culture of the space station all perfectly align to create the systems that our heroes are trapped within, with recognizable power dynamics with regards to wealth and status, but new twists with regards to the history of humankind and a dangerous enemy that was fought centuries ago. Other than book read-alikes, this one was an intriguing combination of “Pacific Rim” and “A Knight’s Tale,” as well, two things I don’t think I’d ever have put together in my head, but somehow, here, it works!

I also really loved all of the characters we followed in this book. Yes, plural. But this is one of those examples that I always point to when I think of multiple POVs done right. There is still one, distinct leading character who is driving the story, whose personal arc is the foundation of the book, and who receives the vast majority of the page time. The other characters are all peppered in between, offering unique glimpses into other aspects of this world, brief windows into the mindsets of love interests, rivals, and unknown forces. All of this works together to broaden the perspective of the reader, while also allowing us to focus deeply on the main character arc at its heart.

I also think this approach worked well for the romance. As I said, the love story is definitely secondary to the main plot following Synali’s quest for revenge, her travails in the jousting competition, and her discovery of the truth of the station’s history and its technology. Even just listing it off there, it’s easy to see how the book had more than enough plot to go around without adding in a complicated romance. Instead, we have a fairly simple, reserved love story that is very much still at its beginning stages. Synali’s focus is largely elsewhere, but we feel the draw between these two characters. And, while we didn’t have many chapters from Jax’s perspective, what we did have was very important to more fully flesh out a character who could have come off as a bit of a himbo/playboy. Even with only a few chapters, we see the pain of his childhood and begin to understand the unique draw he feels towards Synali, helping to save the love story from feeling a bit like an “instalove” situation on his part.

As you can probably tell by now, I really loved this book! It was so fast-paced and fun, I stayed up way to late reading it several nights in a row! The only downside is that it ends on a fairly major cliffhanger (and there are still some questions, at least in my mind, about exactly what is going on and the choices of some characters from the past). But, at the same time, these are effective hooks to get me amped up to pick up the second book as soon as possible! If you’re here for just the romance, you might be disappointed. But on the other hand, I think this is an excellent book for a much broader group of science fiction readers, especially those who enjoy action-packed reads like “Red Rising!”

Rating 9: What a crowed-pleaser! Another blockbuster in the making, perfect for fans of “Red Rising” and “The Will of the Many.”

Reader’s Advisory:

“Heavenbreaker” can be found on this Goodreads list: Upcoming Romantasy Releases 2024

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

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Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume Six” by Rachel Smythe

Publishing Info: Inklore, May 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: “We have to make an example of her.”

Chaos reigns in Olympus as Zeus publicly declares Persephone a traitor and issues a warrant for her arrest. But Hades defies his brother’s decree, sheltering Persephone in the Underworld—and as the pair spend more time together, they are able to speak openly about their pasts. The goddess of spring admits the truth behind the bloody secret that led to Zeus’s ire, and the king of the Underworld shares the trauma he suffered at the hands of his power-hungry father, Kronos.

But as Hades and Persephone’s relationship grows stronger, others begin to fall apart. The bond between Hades and Zeus is stretched to its limit, threatening to fracture the peace between their realms. Persephone and Artemis’s friendship hangs by a thread as the goddess of the hunt slowly uncovers the vile truth about her twin, Apollo. A line is being drawn in the heavens, putting everyone’s loyalties into question as all the gods are forced to choose sides.

And as the cracks in the foundation of the pantheon spread, something darker and more earth-shattering might soon be released. . . .

Review: I’m starting to really enjoy being able to count down to new “Lore Olympus” volumes as they have come out, usually one in the Spring and one in the Fall. It’s nice having a guaranteed amazing read to look forward to, and this Spring we are now on “Lore Olympus: Volume Six”. I try not to let myself bank too heavily on the quality of a highly anticipated read, but in the case of Rachel Smythe and her amazing reimagining of Greek Mythology I am pretty sure that I have no need to worry. She knows what she is doing. And what she is doing is putting some of my favorite deities through the ringer. Like, repeatedly. And skillfully. So on we go into the newest “Lore Olympus” collection, and man, did it once again blow me away.

When we left off, we saw Zeus demanding that Persephone and Demeter be returned to Olympus as fugitives so that Persephone could be punished for her crime of smiting morals, with Demeter punished for covering it up. Persephone ran into hiding, and Hades went looking for her. We don’t take too much time dilly dallying about Persephone on the run, and once Hades does reunite with her he now has some choices to make. He can either be loyal to his brother, who is also his ally in their alliance as Gods, or he can be loyal to Persephone, the woman he is falling in love with. It’s a great conflict and it’s a really good way to showing what a fucking narcissistic buffoon Zeus is, as the Gods all argue (over zoom call) as to what should be done next. Also, this zoom call is hilarious even thought it’s discussing some pretty heavy stuff. I especially liked Artemis being stuck on mute and not realizing it, and Hera just chain smoking in disdain for her husband and peeking into his frame every once in awhile. Smythe still has so many hilarious moments even as the story gets more and more intense and high stakes, and it never feels out of place or jarring.

In this volume, we are finally starting to get some full on answers about Persephone’s secret as the Bringer of Death. Earlier we got one version of the story, in that it was said that she massacred a number of mortals for pulling flowers in a forbidden area, which resulted in the deaths of many of Persephone’s flower nymph friends. What I really loved was that that initial explanation had been originally hyped up and sensationalized, and we had another version that seemed far more reasonable, if still disturbing. But Smythe decided that go even deeper, and to explore the idea that perceptions and realities might not line up still, and by letting Persephone tell it in her own words, and to open up to Hades about this, was a clever twist on its own. But this also leads to us learning more about Hades, and his own traumatic past of being swallowed and imprisoned by his father Kronos, and how that has affected his life going forward. In the previous volume Hades mentions that he didn’t really KNOW Persephone, and in this volume they now know each other in incredibly intimate ways, and their relationship is evolving and growing apace in a healthy way because of it. It is making this romance a slow burn for sure, but it’s also showing how two damaged people CAN find love and intimacy in spite of their baggage, and in a healthy way, and that they deserve to heal and be loved. It’s pretty clear to me that so much of “Lore Olympus” is about unpacking and healing from trauma, and I love seeing these two heal together.

It’s also the attention and expansion of the supporting characters that has always made Smythe stand out, and in this volume we not only expand upon previous characters and their motivations, but we also get to see new interactions between the characters that clearly set up or harken back to the source mythology. I really love seeing nods to tertiary players like Echo and Daphne, and Smythe opts to make these originally quite passive characters into three dimensional beings that I have fully come to care about (and which makes me nervous for their fates as the series goes on). The thing that really caught me by surprise was how suddenly invested I was in the burgeoning romance between Daphne, a flower nymph who is striving to be a fitness and beauty influencer, and Thanatos, God of Death who has been a resentful lackey to Hades and who has been plotting against Persephone with Minthe and Thetis. I never would have imagined these two interacting, and yet Smythe has built it up in a way that feels wholly natural, and gives Daphne the agency that she doesn’t get in the original myth (though as mentioned above, I’m very worried about where this is going).

Oh and new characters too! New characters that are fully representative of their original characterization, but still feel like their original intent. The biggest one in this Volume is that we finally get to meet Hephaestus, one of Zeus and Hera’s sons who, in the original myth, was ostracized from Olympus by Hera due to his disability (two club feet and inability to walk), but became a master craftsman and blacksmith. In this, it seems that he has extricated himself of his own choosing, and has an estrangement with his parents that is a bit more muddled. Perhaps it’s because he is an amputee, but you get the sense that it’s more about emotional unavailability from his parents (and the more we learn about Hera’s backstory, the more it becomes clear that being a neglected wife to Zeus is the LEAST of her traumas, which almost certainly affects her relationships with everyone). He is also more of a computer and tech wiz as opposed to a metallurgist, and I really, really loved that update. Oh, and now Leto is here too, aka the mother of Apollo and Artemis, and it’s pretty clear that HER appearance is going to set up the another big antagonistic arc for Apollo in this story. God he’s just the worst, and now we know that his mother played a part in that.

I’ve once again gone on and on in a review for this series, but “Lore Olympus: Volume Six” is another home run from Smythe. I’m always worried that it’s going to fall off, or start showing cracks, but man, it’s still going strong. I’m still wholly enamored.

Rating 9: New revelations, new relationships, and new threats are all emerging, but Smythe keeps the joy, humor, and heart in play.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume Six” isn’t included on many Goodreads lists just yet, but it would fit in on “Hades and Persephone”.

Serena’s Review: “When Among Crows”

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

Book: “When Among Crows” by Veronica Roth

Publishing Info: Tor, May 2024

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

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

Book Description: Pain is Dymitr’s calling. To slay the monsters he’s been raised to kill, he had to split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. Every time he draws it, he gets blood on his hands.

Pain is Ala’s inheritance. When her mother died, a family curse to witness horrors committed by the Holy Order was passed onto her. The curse will claim her life, as it did her mother’s, unless she can find a cure.

One fateful night in Chicago, Dymitr comes to Ala with a bargain: her help in finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga in exchange for an enchanted flower that just might cure her. Desperate, and unaware of what Dymitr really is, Ala agrees.

But they only have one day before the flower dies . . . and Ala’s hopes of breaking the curse along with it.

Review: I feel like I say this every time I review a Veronica Roth book, but I’m continuously surprised by the trajectory I’ve taken with regards to reading her books. I was not a fan of “Divergent,” to the point that I didn’t even finish the trilogy. And then I completely skipped her next few books before picking up “Chosen Ones” and finding that I absolutely loved it! Since then, I’ve read several books by her and really enjoyed them all! So now, here we are: an author who originally wrote a trilogy I couldn’t even finish is now a “must read” writer for me, someone whose new books are immediately prioritized on my TBR list. Strange how these things work!

Beyond the fact that I enjoy Roth as a writer now, this novella would always appeal to me. I enjoy this sort of urban fantasy that pulls together lesser known fantasy beings and re-figures them into a current environment. On top of that, Baba Yaga is always a winning factor! And all of this lived up perfectly to my expectations! What added to the already interesting fantasy beings was the way their societies and abilities were woven into the setting of Chicago. This was one of those books where a sense of place was visceral and really added to the overall experience. I’ve only been to Chicago a handful of times, but the descriptions of the various neighborhoods and locations of the city really added to the overall feel of the story.

As for the magical beings, I really enjoyed the main three that we experienced, all who fed off of various human emotions: sadness, anger, and fear. The creativity that went into imaging how these types of beings would exist alongside humans in a seamless manner was incredible, and I enjoyed the slow exploration of how this little underworld and society existed alongside the bustling human city. On top of this, we have the monster hunters with their own horrific magic. This was all helped by focusing the story on our three main characters, all three of whom come from various parts of this world and can give us new insights as the story progresses. They also have burgeoning connections that are built and revealed between them.

I also really enjoyed the themes of pain, regret, and how we live with the choices we’ve made. For such a short book, this story really packs a wallop with the depths with which it explores some of these darker themes. We see this exploration come with the balance struck between pain and power, as well as pain as penitence. Between these deeper topics, the excellent world-building, and the incredibly complex and sympathetic characters, this book is a case study in how much a skilled writer can do, even with a very short page count.

On one hand, this book feels like a perfectly packaged story, complete with all of the elements one looks for in a full-length novel. So, of course, I don’t want unnecessarily added pages just to make it longer. But on the other hand, man, I wish we could explore this world and characters more! Perhaps, if we’re very lucky, we’ll get another book in this world. But as it stands, I definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a new take on what the urban fantasy genre can offer!

Rating 9: Fantastic! With a rich setting and sympathetic characters, Roth proves just how much fantasy world-building you can do even with a short page count!

Reader’s Advisory:

“When Among Crows” can be found on this Goodreads list, Can’t Wait Books of 2024, and should be on this list, Baba Yaga.

Serena’s Review: “A Letter to the Luminous Deep”

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Book: “A Letter to the Luminous Deep” by Slyvie Cathrall

Publishing Info: Orbit, April 2023

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

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

Book Description: A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.

Review: While I used to think I didn’t enjoy epistolary-style stories, I’ve read a number of really great ones over the last few years to the point where I’m now wondering if I had originally just read a few not so great ones and judged the entire format just on that. As it stands, the “Emily Wilde” series has done a lot to reform my opinion, and this one sounded very similar, not only using a similar format but also leaning heavily into the academia side of fantasy and science fiction. Let’s dive in (heh, how clever)!

I think this will be one of those books that might be a struggle for the average fantasy reader, but will also garner devoted fans who also adore it! This largely comes down to the overall style and tone of the writing. Like I said, “Emily Wilde” is definitely a comparable title, but in comparison to this one, that is “epistolary academia fantasy lite!” Pretty much take the tone and style of that book and magnify it and you will get this story! There’s simply more of everything: more focus on the intricacies, oddities, and cultures of academia, more complicated and verbose sentence structure and specialized vocabulary, and even more commitment to the epistolary style. In “Emily Wilde,” many times her journal entries would read as a straight narrative. Here, the author is fully invested in telling a story only through letters and supporting documents, so the narrative plays out in a more distanced way.

And I loved all of this! I love authors who can so naturally capture this sort of long-form, “old fashion” style of writing where sentences are long and word choices are elaborate. I also really enjoyed the slow reveals of the many mysteries and secrets at the heart of the story. Not only do we have the remove of learning this story through the more limited form of what letter writers choose to share with one another, but we also are piecing together what happened in the past as the siblings of another pair of characters work to compile the correspondence of two characters who have passed away.

I really enjoyed all the characters we have here, both pairs of writers feeling fully realized and interesting. E, I think, rose to the top simply for how well the author managed to portray a character who lives with high levels of anxiety that affect how she lives her life. In the past, I’ve often found myself frustrated and disappointed by the rather surface level portrayal of characters like these, but the topic is so perfectly explore in E, both honestly depicting her struggles, but also not defining her by this trait. I also really enjoyed Sophy, her younger sister who has her own adventure and must later work through E’s past letters to try to discover what happened to her. Sophy is a much more action-oriented character, and the contrast between them was nice, as well as the loving, strong sisterly relationship we see between them.

I’ll also make a small plug here with regards to the genre of this book. I’ve seen a lot of reviewers calling this fantasy, but I think this is a perfect example of a science fiction novel that doesn’t take place in space. Too often, it feels like readers and marketers think that “science fiction” and “space” are synonymous, but this book perfectly highlights why science fiction needs to be remembered as being a broader category. In almost every way, this book much more closely aligns with the conventions of science fiction over fantasy, especially with its academic focus, which is very scientific in nature. Not only that, but the history of this world and the mysteries we discover all fall in better line with science fiction than fantasy (in many ways, it reminds of the movie “The Abyss.”) This isn’t necessarily a hugely important distinction, but I do think science fiction readers might miss this one due to the fact that it’s being called a fantasy story much of the time. Anyways, there’s my TED talk on that topic!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I was surprised to find that it’s the start of the series, and it does end on a mild cliffhanger. But there were so many interesting twists and turns (both with the larger mystery and with a few character turns that really took me by surprise) that I can’t wait to see where things go from here! Readers who enjoy rather long-winded, heavily academic fiction will likely enjoy this one! Also those looking for a lovely slow-burn romance!

Rating 9: Cathrall embraces the full beauty of the epistolary novel, creating a vivid, immersive world and peopling it with characters I’d follow into the darkest depths!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Letter to the Luminous Deep” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Related to the Sea

Serena’s Review: “Funny Story”

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Book: “Funny Story” by Emily Henry

Publishing Info: Berkley, April 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

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

Book Description: Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Review: I really don’t read contemporary romance other than my two exceptions: Emily Henry’s books and now, more and more, Ali Hazelwood’s books (though here we’ve had the best case scenario where she’s also written a paranormal romance!). But Henry was my first love as far as the genre goes, so I always schedule in time to review her new books when I see them coming out. Let’s dive in!

First of all, I would like to congratulate Emily Henry on her wise decision to make her heroine a children’s librarian. There is no better way to make yourself more beloved in librarians’ eyes (a profession that notably buys a lot of books both personally and professionally) than to write a character who works for libraries or in other ways goes on and on about how great libraries are. That said, I don’t think this is a cynical move by authors either. It’s not hard to imagine that most authors grew up with a love of reading, and often libraries play a central role in that development, and thus hold a lot of nostalgic power for adult writers.

All of that to say, beyond the central romance plot line, I loved reading about Daphne’s experience as a children’s librarian. I also appreciated that her profession was worked centrally into the story, and not just as another “character trait” that is just loosely draped on her shoulders but never shown. Indeed, the long work of putting together a large community event at her library serves as a time piece by which the rest of the book is measured. There were also some very cute moments where Daphne’s friends and love interest come to her storytimes and are all duly impressed. *sigh* Every children’s librarian’s dream: adults to appreciate the work that goes into storytime!

But, all of that aside, most readers will be picking this one up for the romance, not the library side plot. And, of course, Henry delivers with flying colors! I loved this take on fake dating (very different from her previous foray into this trope with “Happy Place”) as well as the forced proximity aspect of the story. All of the cute and satisfying scenes that readers often expect from these tropes play out in adorable, and yet still fresh-feeling, ways. However, I think the real strength to not only the romance but the book itself comes in the exploration of how these two characters are attempting to re-build their lives after their ex’s cheat on them with each other. It’s a kind of ridiculous concept at its core, and yet Henry tackles it all with such a careful and sincere manner that the reader can’t help but buy in totally. I also really enjoyed how much this re-building was seen on an individual level for both Daphne and Miles, beyond their coming together as a couple. It was nice to see them both grappling with their own life choices that lead them to where they were, rather than simply using a new relationship as a band-aid to not deal with the previous one.

I also appreciated the way that Petra and Peter were dealt with. They only make brief appearances here and there, but their presence was felt strongly through much of the narrative. But instead of taking the easy way out and writing them each as soulless villains, Henry was more realistic in their portrayal. They aren’t given a pass on their more despicable moments, but by the end of the novel, the reader, alongside Daphne and Miles, comes to view them more with pity as the rather broken people they are, than as horrible beings who would just hurt their loved ones for fun.

And, of course, I very much enjoyed Daphne and Miles and their romance. It builds up nicely, and I also felt that the necessary third act conflict felt believable and in line with both of their characters (rather than shoed-in for necessity’s sake, as you so often see in romance stories). I will say, that while I loved Miles, he probably wasn’t my favorite of Henry’s romantic leads. But this is just a personal preference thing for sure. He is often described as a bit of a “golden retriever” of a man, and as much as he’s lovable, I tend to gravitate towards the more serious romantic heroes, if given my druthers.

This was another solid romance from Emily Henry. It delivers in all of the areas I’ve come to expect from her, and I’m sure it will please all of her many fans as well as any new contemporary romance readers who pick it up!

Rating 9: Sweet, heart-wrenching, and achingly romantic, Henry proves once again why she’s the GOAT of contemporary romance!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Funny Story” can be found on this (and many others just like it) Goodreads list: 2024 Contemporary Romance Releases

Serena’s Review: “Dark Water Daughter”

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Book: “Dark Water Daughter” by H.M. Long

Publishing Info: Titan Books, July 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Mary Firth is a Stormsinger: a woman whose voice can still hurricanes and shatter armadas. Faced with servitude to pirate lord Silvanus Lirr, Mary offers her skills to his arch-rival in exchange for protection – and, more importantly, his help sending Lirr to a watery grave. But her new ally has a vendetta of his own, and Mary’s dreams are dark and full of ghistings, spectral creatures who inhabit the ancient forests of her homeland and the figureheads of ships.

Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer serving aboard The Hart, an infamous privateer commissioned to bring Lirr to justice. He will stop at nothing to capture Lirr, restore his good name and reclaim the only thing that stands between himself and madness: a talisman stolen by Mary.

Finally, driven into the eternal ice at the limits of their world, Mary and Samuel must choose their loyalties and battle forces older and more powerful than the pirates who would make them slaves.

Review: I’ve been wanting to get back to H.M. Long’s books for a while now, and even had this mentally slotted as one to review last summer when it came out. Obviously, that didn’t happen. But better late than never! And as the sequel is scheduled to drop this coming July, I can even say I’m getting this review out of the way several months in advance! We’ll see if I can be timely about getting to that one! Though, given how much I enjoyed this book, I think think the chances are high!

I feel like there was a very brief blip where pirate fantasy stories were trending, around when Adrienne Young wrote her “Fable” duology. But it didn’t quite take off in the same way we’ve seen with other incredibly popular trends (the vampire one currently is a good example, where every third book you see will be a vampire book in some way or another). It’s too bad though, as I think that pirate stories or even just sea-fairing adventure stories are a perfect match for a lot of classic fantasy fiction. They both often involve quests of some sort that move from location to location; there are often larger parties of characters who all have their own motivations and loyalties; and, of course, lots of fight scenes! Long was able to hone in on all of these elements perfectly in this book.

For the fantasy elements, I really liked the world we have here. Not only is Mary’s weather singing ability super interesting on its own, but I enjoyed the way this kind of ability was worked into the organization of this society and the history behind how Stormsingers have historically been treated. Especially for a very nautical group of countries, we can easily see how Stormsingers would be in the sort of demand they are, as well as how their abilities could be exploited by those around them. Beyond the Stormsinging, however, there were a lot of other excellent fantasy elements. I feel like we only scratched the surface of Samuel’s own abilities, with some big swings coming towards the end of the book (I’m especially excited to see where his story goes in the next book). And on top of all of this, we have the ghistlings. These beings felt like a bit of an after thought in both the book summary and in the beginning of the story, but man, that was a bait and switch! There were some truly shocking twists and turns in this arena throughout the book.

I also really enjoyed Mary and Samuel as characters. Each had a rich and compelling back story that was slowly revealed, and I particularly enjoyed the extreme slow burn of their growing relationship. We’re talking slooooowww. After reading a bunch of romantasy books recently, I very much appreciated the return to fantasy where there is a romance, but it is definitely a subplot to not only the greater plot but also to the individual character arcs. As an aside, I had a moment reading this book where I realized I may have been reading a bit too much romantasy recently when the villain was first introduced and I found myself wondering if he was being introduced as a second spoke in a developing love triangle (there is a bare whiff of a love triangle, to be fair, but not with this character.) Sometimes villains are just villains, Serena! Once I re-oriented myself to the real world of most fantasy fiction, I appreciated just how villainous this character really was, and how clearly everyone around him saw this fact.

I also really enjoyed the many various side characters we met. There were several different ships with their own crews and captains that wove in and out of this story, and I enjoyed how all of these moving parts worked together to build to the ultimate show-down. There were some great twists and turns with these side characters as well, with swapping loyalties and a shifting scope of who were the good guys and bad guys at any given moment. It all felt very “Pirates of the Caribbean” in the best way.

I loved this book! It managed to balance so many things all at once without dropping a single plate. There was action, there was danger, there was loyalty and betrayal, love and friendship, and, of course, a large dose of magic in a creative secondary world. After reading this book, I can fairly confidently move Long into my “must read” category for fantasy authors currently writing. If you enjoy fantasy adventures, and especially pirate stories, definitely check this one out!

Rating 9: A perfect combination of a high stakes pirate adventure and a fantasy-fueled quest of discovery. I couldn’t put it down!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Dark Water Daughter” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Nautical Fantasy and Gunpowder Fantasy.

Kate’s Review: “The Angel of Indian Lake”

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Book: “The Angel of Indian Lake” by Stephen Graham Jones

Publishing Info: S&S/ Saga Press, March 2024

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

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

Book Description: The final installment in the most lauded trilogy in the history of horror novels picks up four years after Don’t Fear the Reaper as Jade returns to Proofrock, Idaho, to build a life after the years of sacrifice—only to find the Lake Witch is waiting for her in New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones’s finale.

It’s been four years in prison since Jade Daniels last saw her hometown of Proofrock, Idaho, the day she took the fall, protecting her friend Letha and her family from incrimination. Since then, her reputation, and the town, have changed dramatically. There’s a lot of unfinished business in Proofrock, from serial killer cultists to the rich trying to buy Western authenticity. But there’s one aspect of Proofrock no one wants to confront…until Jade comes back to town. The curse of the Lake Witch is waiting, and now is the time for the final stand.

New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones has crafted an epic horror trilogy of generational trauma from the Indigenous to the townies rooted in the mountains of Idaho. It is a story of the American west written in blood.

Review: Thank you to Saga Press for sending me an eARC of this via NetGalley!

When I first picked up “My Heart Is a Chainsaw” by Stephen Graham Jones, I didn’t really know what to expect, but I thought that it would at the very least be a fun meta horror story with an abundance of references to the genre I love most. And it was. BUT, it was also the start of a trilogy that would expand upon and defy conventions of the slasher genre while still showing complete adoration for it. And we have now come to the end of Proofrock, and the end of Jade Daniels, final girl for the ages, with “The Angel of Indian Lake”. By the time I had it in my hands on my Kindle, I was very, VERY excited to start it, but also nervous. Was Stephen Graham Jones going to stick the landing of this series? What a fool I was for questioning him. Because “The Angel of Indian Lake” is a worthy end to a love letter to slashers and their final girls everywhere.

Jade can officially join the exalted ranks of Laurie, Sidney, Nancy, and Sally when all is said and done. (source)

Jade Daniels remains the MVP of not only this trilogy, but one of Jones’s best characters of all, and it was so great seeing her character arc from the beginning of the trilogy up until and through this book. I love how she has persevered, how she is still a HUGE weirdo in her own way, how she is still scrappy but vulnerable and goes beyond the expected qualities of a heroine in a slasher film. In “The Angel of Indian Lake” she is trying to live a normal life as a teacher, she is going to therapy, she is acting as a godmother to her best friend Letha’s daughter Adie. But Proofrock’s demons keep pulling her back in, and as a whole new cycle of horrific murders, as well as a new gentrification cycle, AS WELL AS A FOREST FIRE, threatens the town, Jade, once again, has to step up. And this time you can tell how weary she is, even if she is always going to go forth and fight.

In terms of the horror action, there is a LOT in this book, almost like there are just so many slasher beats and meta themes that are all fighting to come through. There are cursed objects, decapitations, the return of previous killers, things rising from the lake that are long thought dead. Like I said, it’s a LOT, and it can skew towards chaotic, but it’s done in a way that feels like a wink and nudge to the way that the end of a trilogy (before the reboot or requel, of course) needs to pull out all the stops to keep a fan on their toes. My head was spinning a bit, partly because of all the curves and twists, partly because Jones’s writing style can be steeped in more literary styles that I like but have a harder time parsing through for whatever reason. But it’s also very enjoyable and worth the parsing out.

And, of course, the horror references. I’m repeating myself a bit here as in each and every “Indian Lake” book there are so many references to slasher films and horror tales in general, and “The Angel of Indian Lake” keeps that tradition going. I like to think that I am more versed than the average horror fan in the genre, but man, Jones always puts me to shame while also filling me with awe, not only with the flat out reference points that Jade alludes to, but also with the story devices and character choices and moments that ALSO made references. But in this final entry to the trilogy, many of the references feel almost bittersweet as Jade has to face so many demons, be they supernatural beasties wreaking havoc in the town, or the trauma and despair that she has had to face over and over again, only to keep on fighting while not quite accepting that she, too, is worthy of the final girl title. Jones knows what he is doing with his genre choices, and Jade is a final girl inside and out, and even beyond what that generally means in the broader trope. It’s just so meaningful, how he ties it all together.

“The Angel of Indian Lake” is a gory and emotional final tale for Jade and the town of Proofrock. I don’t generally get choked up during slasher stories, but Stephen Graham Jones has put so much heart into this I was absolutely crying by the end. What an accomplishment this trilogy is.

Rating 9: A complex and multilayered end to a trilogy that is a Valentine to a sub-genre that isn’t known for complexity, “The Angel of Indian Lake” brings Jade Daniels full circle, and redefines what it means to be a ‘Final Girl’.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Angel of Indian Lake” isn’t included on many Goodreads lists yet, but it would fit in on “Slasher Fiction”.