Tag: Fantasy

Serena’s Review: “A Crown So Silver”

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Book: “A Crown So Silver” by Lyra Selene

Publishing Info: Orbit, January 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: After her sacrifice on the Ember Moon, Fia is flush with powerful magic and eager to rush into battle against her murderous sister, Eala. However, Fia’s new husband Irian suggests they bide their time and retreat to the Silver Isle, a snowy island at the edge of the fae world.

Ruled by the cunning smith-king, the Silver Isle proves far from a safe haven. Fia and Irian become embroiled in the Tournament of Kings competing for a magical forging of immense power. Their relationship will be put to the test as they navigate their conflicting motivations, shifting allegiances, and ancient magic.

With the end of the tournament looming and Eala’s threat growing, Fia must decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to defeat her sister.

Previously Reviewed: “A Feather So Black”

Review: This was a highly anticipated sequel for me going into 2025! I absolutely loved the first book, “A Feather So Black,” as it took me completely by surprise with its perfectly tuned fairytale vibes and ability to present both a competent heroine as well as a non-cringeworthy love triangle that resolved in a believable manner. There was also the set up for an excellent villain with the twist that came towards the end. And, well…alas.

I’m really going to try to restrain myself from devolving into an incoherent rant with this one. But man, it’s going to be hard! I would have disliked this book on its own, but as a sequel to one that I enjoyed so much?! It’s hard to swallow. To start from the more broad view, I think this is a perfect example of a series that was unnecessarily extended into a trilogy. I’m not sure if it was the publisher or this was always the author’s plan, but something went very wrong with the pacing and story-structure of this series when we got to this book.

Simply put: nothing much happens! We barely see some of the major characters from the first book (including the original love interest who by his own rights seemed to have an interesting arc set up to follow) or even much of the villain. What plot we do have devolves into what feels like an extended side quest with stakes largely disconnected from the greater conflict as a whole. And that’s not even touching the fact that the first third of this book seems to be one long string of spicy scenes, which could be fine on their own if it wasn’t for the incredibly disjointed feeling this brings to the pacing of this novel, to start so heavily in this and only this area.

This point gets to one of my major gripes, which is with the way the romance was handled. Which is to say, it wasn’t handled well at all. I will acknowledge that perhaps it is more challenging to write a romantic pairing after they have committed themselves to one another, but it is by no means impossible! Especially if you’ve already established your characters as individuals with thoughts, fears, and goals outside of the romance, as well as a greater overall threat that they must face together. Relationships don’t simply become smooth sailing the moment they get together, but at the same time, more and more romantasy authors seem to contort their characters into the most contrived positions possible all in pursuit of “tension” while at the the same time forfeiting all believability or consistency within the character themselves.

We have both main character behaving absolutely terribly to one another (often completely out of character on their own) and then, worst of all, we have the introduction of ANOTHER LOVE TRIANGLE! Look, book one got extra props for handling a love triangle in a good way. But now this one gets extra negatives for the sheer gall and lack of creativity on display in going back to the same well twice (not even the same love triangle, mind you! A completely new character is introduced!!) I almost put the book down for good once I saw this happening.

Fia also read as almost completely unrecognizable from the character we met in the first book. There, she had worked hard to gain the abilities she had, and she was aware of her limitations. Here, in one of the very first action scenes we get, we see her behaving like the most foolish of fools, complete with “snarky” comments of bravado followed by immediate regret as she realizes the idiocy of her decisions. In many ways, she suddenly read like the worst of teenage YA protagonists, rather than the adult woman she came across as in the first book.

I’m honestly not sure what happened here. My best guess still goes all the way back to what I said in the beginning, that there simply wasn’t enough story to justify this book. And, lacking any true plot, the author instead stuffed it full of angst between characters (much of which could have been resolved with frank discussions and empathy for one another) and added another ridiculous love triangle into the mix to boot.

If you enjoyed the first book, buckle in for this one! I guess if you really enjoy love triangles and romantic angst in the form of miscommunication, than you may enjoy this more than me. All I can say is that now I’m going into the third book pretty much peeping between my fingers. Will we get the hat trick of a THIRD love triangle??

Rating 5: Maybe it would have been a “6” on its own, but as it’s a massive letdown from the first book…well, here we are.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Crown so Silver” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Upcoming Sequels.

Serena’s Review: “The Night is Defying”

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Book: “The Night is Defying” by Chloe C. Penaranda

Publishing Info: Bramble, January 2025

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

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

Book Description: Shaken from the aftermath of the Libertatem, the newly found star-maiden Astraea is determined to keep her freedom, even at the cost of betraying her heart. But time is running out to recover her memories with the hole it will unveil her killer.

Embarking on a journey to discover her past, Astraea’s awakening power spins the hourglass on a history threatening to repeat itself. While Nyte tries to regain control of the vampires hungry for bloodshed, a sinister plan by his brother to overthrow him sparks a dangerous feud. But are they willing to wear the blood of their kin to see it through?

For nothing in the past ever stays buried. Friends have turned into foes, brothers have turned into enemies, and what was written in the stars long ago ignites again in two hearts that were never meant to be. Letting Astraea go would save the world from darkness, but Nyte is no hero. It seems no monster is heartless, and no angel is without sin.

Previously Reviewed: “The Stars are Dying”

Review: While I struggled with the first book in this series, I did like the lyrical approach to some of the writing. One of my major complaints also revolved around the passive nature of the heroine, due to her lack of memories. As a sequel, I had high hopes that this last point could be improved upon, so I wanted to see where the story and romance would go!

So, while this didn’t rocket into becoming one of my favorites series ever, I can confirm that I did like it more than the first. Astraea made small steps towards becoming a more compelling heroine with more drive of her own to take control of her life and her choices. Did she still seem to need constant reassurance that she was capable? Yes. There were numerous pep talks throughout. But at least she also seemed to more fully come into her own as a character.

I also think the addition of Nyte’s (I still can’t with that name) POV helped the book. Having another character’s head to occupy, one who was less confused, distrusting, and passive really helped balance out the overall tone of the story. At the same time, however, sometimes it felt like his entire personality was simple adoration of everything Astraea said or did. I don’t enjoy artificial conflict or drama, but it also felt a bit too “gushy” for my taste. Added depth of his own, some more reflection on his relationships with other people, etc. all would have helped flesh him out a bit more.

However, the pacing continues to be a problem with this series. Like the first book, parts of this book really do drag, feeling as if the author is padding out the content with repetitive inner monologues and reflections (see the numerous pep talks). If you actually sit down and diagram out the action of this book, there’s very little actually there. In many ways, I think both books could have been condensed into one, much more tight, and successful narrative. As a fantasy reader, I obviously love series. But if there isn’t enough story to justify multiple books, an excellent stand-alone is always preferable to books that have been stretched too thin to make up a duology/trilogy/what have you.

Overall, this was an ok sequel. If you enjoyed the first book, than I’m sure you’ll love this one. If the first wasn’t really to our taste, this one does improve in some ways, but it also continues to struggle with regards to pacing and the passivity of its lead character.

On a secondary note, I realize that I’ve had a string of rather lackluster reviews now for the last several weeks! It really does seem like there are serious troughs that you hit every once in a while where nothing seems to be really clicking. I do try to space them out when I find myself in a situation like that. However, sometimes it’s unavoidable due to publication dates. Be assured, I’m well into my reading for February and there are several great reads heading your way!

Rating 7: While baby steps were made to allow the heroine more personal agency, the book still struggled with slower pacing and a romance that lacked tension.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Night is Defying” isn’t on any relevant Goodreads lists, but it should be on Romtantasy TBR 2025.

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

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

Publishing Info: Inklore, October 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: The rifts between realms grow ever wider as the temporary shelter Persephone had found in the Underworld is destroyed. Apollo has captured Demeter, turning the fugitive goddess over to Zeus in an attempt to win the king’s favor. Persephone and her mother must now stand trial for concealing Persephone’s unsanctioned act of wrath—though the goddess of spring feels secure with Hades on her side.

But safety is not guaranteed in the world of the gods.

As the trial brings to light truths and betrayals that threaten to upset everything—even Hades and Persephone’s relationship—the other gods face perils of their own.

Eros uncovers Ampelus’s secret during a fight in the Mortal Realm. Thanatos and Daphne’s budding relationship is threatened by a vengeful Apollo. Minthe is trapped in her cursed form until Persephone gains full control over her powers. And Hera is haunted by the specter of Kronos, whose influence in Olympus seems to be growing. . 

This edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award–winning webcomic Lore Olympus features a brand-new, exclusive short story from creator Rachel Smythe and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Review: Guys, the end of 2024 was just a lot. A LOT. Not only was my anxiety exploding, I was also having issues balancing out my reviews and reading paths, to the point where when “Lore Olympus: Volume Seven” by Rachel Smythe came out in October, I just whiffed on fitting it in on my review schedule. This shows how totally scatterbrained I was given how much I LOVE this series. But it’s finally time, and I finally picked it up, and I shouldn’t have waited. Because coming back to Hades, Persephone, Hera, Hecate, and all the Greek deities and their shenanigans was so, SO healing.

My anxiety while I was reading this book (source)

So many wonderful beats in this volume, from the cute to the cathartic to the absolutely devastating. We are seeing Persephone and Hades get closer as she continues to stay with him in the Underworld while Zeus wants to bring her and Demeter to trial for hiding Persephone’s wrath that led to the deaths of many mortals sand permission. So we do have some lovely moments of closeness between Hades and Persephone that still feels appropriate and respectful from both of them, while still building up the romance. But my favorite part of this volume for these two is that Persephone has started the therapy process, and is starting to unpack her anxieties, her tumultuous relationship with her mother, and her sexual assault by Apollo. These scenes were so well handled as Persephone goes through so many emotions and breakthroughs, and I really, really appreciated how Smythe shows how raw and messy but powerful and empowering therapy can be for a person like Persephone. Seeing this kind of portrayal of mental health care in a book is always gratifying, and it fits in with the other themes that Smythe has been touching on from the jump.

We are also getting some more depth and richness for some of our other characters, whether it’s Eros and his changing relationship with Ampelus (who is Psyche in disguise, as suggested by Aphrodite), or Hera starting to have horrifying visions of Kronos (and setting up another potential arc in this story, as we know that Kronos’s strength is growing in spite of his imprisonment). I also really, REALLY loved getting more backstory on the relationship between Hades and Hera, as while I of course ship Hades and Persephone, the connection between these two is tragic even if it’s come to a certain comfortable understanding (and yes, Zeus was involved). We also get more interesting inversions of the original myths that these characters come from, with an especially harrowing and alarming take on the Daphne and Apollo myth that left me completely floored. Smythe is so good at pulling the themes from the source material and adapting it to fit this story, and I am continuously impressed by it.

I’m still absolutely loving “Lore Olympus”. We have ended on another cliffhanger, of course, but luckily it’s only a couple months before the next one comes out!

Rating 10: STOP DEVASTATING ME, RACHEL SMYTHE! This volume has so many heart wrenching beats, but hope is always present as well. Just fantastic.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume 7” is included on the Goodreads list “Great Graphic Novels Released in 2024”.

Previously Reviewed:

Serena’s Review: “Prophesy”

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Book: “Prophesy” by M.L. Fergus

Publishing Info: Tundra Books, January 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: The only life Persephone has ever known has been one of servitude, and she dreams of a life of freedom, buoyed by a spirit and sense of humor that have never wavered. When a chance encounter with a handsome thief offers her a chance to leave, she grabs it with both hands . . . and the thief, Azriel, will just have to keep up.

But Azriel is not everything he seems, and he believes Persephone holds the key to a greater freedom for himself and his people, who have been hunted for years by the king’s regent, an evil and sadistic man who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. Azriel has a plan to defeat him, and he needs Persephone — but does Persephone need him?

As her journey brings her deeper and deeper into a cruel and dangerous world, Persephone must quickly learn who to trust . . . and whether an impossibly broad-shouldered thief holds the key to her future, or her ruin.

Review: While I’m always more hesitant than excited when a book is comped to one of Stephanie Garber’s titles (this one mentions “Once Upon a Broken Heart” in its marketing materials), I was also intrigued by the vague comparisons to “The Princess Bride” that I found floating around. It’s a hard target to hit, but when authors manage to balance humor, romance, and fantasy altogether, those end up being some of my all time favorite reads. And this one definitely sounded like it had potential!

Let’s start with some pros! One thing that this book definitely goes hard on is the quippy dialogue. Now, I’m quite picky about quippy dialogue, so the fact that this didn’t immediately put me off the book is a definite mark in its favor! Moreover, as much of the romance between these characters rotates around their quirky banter with one another, readers who enjoy this style of interaction are going to gobble this one up. While I did find myself getting a bit tired of it as it went on, there are definitely readers out there who will appreciate this style.

Further, I liked the addition of chapters from the villain’s perspective. This wasn’t something I was expecting, and I think it added a much needed note of seriousness to the affair. This character is truly vile, and I appreciated the fact that the author fully committed to writing this sort of character and devoting this amount of page time to him.

That said, the book as a whole failed to really land. Part of this is due to the pacing. The book starts off fast, but not in a good way. We meet Persephone and then literally three pages into the book, bam! Azriel shows up and their quippiness takes off at a gallop. I barely had time to meet the heroine or hear anything about this world before I was thrown into the scene of these two’s first meeting. Usually when you get a first meeting like this, you at least know and care about one of the characters. Through knowing them, the reader is given a window into how to interpret the this newly introduced character and the interactions between them.

But Persphone was just as much an unknown to Azriel when they met, so this didn’t give me any insight into either of their characters. Is she usually trusting or untrusting? Is she more chaotic or lawful in her approach to situations like this? As the story continued, of course, I got to know both of these characters better. But the sudden introduction of them both so early in the book put me on the backfoot right from the start. I’ll also add that I think some of the fun was taken out of the quippy dialogue due to these choices, as well. Due to this, the book always felt a bit lacking in its world-building and characterization. As the story continued and the pacing slowed down some, I appreciated the author’s attempts to more fully flesh these bits out. But in many ways it was too little, too late.

The pacing picked up again towards the end, with a lot of plot points hitting quickly all within the last few chapters. There were a couple of twists and turns here that I don’t think quite tracked with some of the information we had previously, but it’s also clear that everything was being set up for the sequel. We’ll see if I get around to checking that out, but there’s a decent chance that my estimation of this one could rise based on the execution of the next book. Overall, I’d say this was just an ok novel. In some ways it read as unexpectedly middle grade (both in the sheer number of animal companions and with the tone of the dialogue at various points). But I also think that it will appeal to a specific sort of fantasy reader who likes fast dialogue and quirky characters.

Rating 7: Had potential, especially for readers who enjoy lots of dialogue, but the pacing was off and some of the tone of the writing read veered closer to middle grade than young adult.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Prophesy” can be found on this Goodreads list: YA Novels of 2025.

Serena’s Review: “The Legend of Meneka”

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Book: “The Legend of Meneka” by Kritika H. Rao

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, January 2025

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

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

Book Description: Across the mortal and immortal realms, celestial dancers known as apsaras are revered for their beauty, allure, and enchanting magic. But Meneka knows that is not all they are. Trained as a weapon—a warrior—Meneka despises leaving each of her marks in thrall to her potent illusions. With every seduction Lord Indra, king of heaven, demands of her for his political gain, she craves her freedom more and more.

When a mortal sage’s growing powers threaten Indra’s supremacy in his own realm, Meneka seizes a rare opportunity. She strikes a deal—if she can seduce this dangerous man, Indra will allow her to forgo future missions. But upon meeting the sage, Kaushika, Meneka finds herself captivated by his energy, ignited by his empathy and passion, even though he threatens everything she’s ever known. Can she overthrow the man who is—little by little—stealing her heart, or is Kaushika seducing her instead? As war looms in the skies, Meneka must choose between her duty to protect her home, and the sage who is showing her what true love can mean.

Review: I feel like I’ve scheduled several Asian folklore fantasy stories all for review within a few weeks. It’s so funny how some of these trends work where certain types of stories all seem to come out around the same time, and then you won’t see hide nor hair of them again for months and months. (Obviously “Asian” fantasy is a bit of a nonsequitur since there are so many very different cultures, histories, and peoples that make up a huge swath of land.) This will be three out of four of my last reviews in this “category!” I’ve had a lot of positive experiences however with many of these stories in past, all the more exciting for the fact that I often know very little about the original fables and characters the story is drawing from. So, too, with this book. I went in with just the basic summary and was excited to see what we got!

Unfortunately, I’m 0-3 for really clicking with any of them. They’ve all had some definite strengths, and then very different stumbling blocks. But let’s start with the positive. Right when I picked up this book, I knew that barring anything egregious, I was going to at the very least enjoy the process of reading this book. Even within the first few pages, the author’s style of writing is made clear: lyrical, whimsical, and perfectly fitting the type of fairytale-like fantasy story that she was developing here. The pacing could get slow at times, but even during these lulls, the writing itself was still a joy to experience. It perfectly matched the emphasis on beauty that is so central to many of the themes of this book.

However, as I’ve already alluded to, the pacing of this book was a major drawback. It started off well enough, but then it quickly stalled. While the writing excelled at drawing out picturesque scenes and turns of phrase, it struggled to convey any sense of action or movement on the page. Instead, I felt several places removed from the story. This can’t all be laid at the foot of the pacing, however. There was also a tendency to slide into a “telling” rather than “showing” style. As Meneka’s powers grow, the reader was simply informed of these changes, rather than organically witnessing how these changes affected her or manifested in meaningful ways.

I also struggled to enjoy Meneka herself. Conceptually, she works as a character and it makes sense for her to be stuck in a rather depressed, negative headspace. However, as the book continued, it became more and more frustrating to retread this ground, with much of her inner thoughts turning into what felt like a constant buzzing of whining. Beyond that, for all the focus on weaponized beauty and manipulated love, the actual romance at the heart of this story landed with a thud. I didn’t feel any true connection between these two and simply couldn’t become invested in their story.

Overall, this was a bit of a let down for me. However, given the strength of the writing style in general, I’ll definitely check out some of the author’s other books. (Without knowing it, I already had one of her former titles on my TBR list, so I’ll probably start there). If you’re a fan of this author, this is probably one to check out. However, if you’re needing to get picky and are a reader who prioritizes characterization in your books, this might not be the best one for you.

Rating 7: Whimsical and lyrical writing carries this book a long way, but not quite far enough to overcome some of the short-comings in the characterization.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Legend of Meneka” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Asian Mythology Inspired Books and Myth Feminist Retelling.

Serena’s Review: “Carving Shadows into Gold”

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

Book: “Carving Shadows into Gold”

Publishing Info: Bloomsbury YA, January 2025

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

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

Book Description: The King’s Courier Tycho has made a treacherous bargain. Now beholden to the magical scraver who saved King Gray’s life, one false move could end everything.

Jax escaped his life in Briarlock and traveled with Tycho to Emberfall. But life outside his small village brings unexpected challenges–and unlikely adversaries.

After years of hating the royal family and their magic, Callyn never expected to be at the Queen’s side, with magic on her fingertips. But at the royal court, she can’t trust anyone–including the man she thought she loved.

Cast apart, Tycho, Jax, and Callyn must learn to wield the magic that is dividing their kingdom. As the magical scravers attack from the north and the king’s rivals gain strength, time is running out.

War is looming. Love is tested. And magic could be the only answer. . .

Review: We’re back with another one of those strange cases where I end up reviewing a book in a series that I’ve read but not reviewed before on the blog. Like the other instances, this often happens when I receive a physical ARC of the book and want to give it the full treatment of a complete review rather than just an Instagram cover reveal or what have you. So, here we are, taking on the second book in the “Forging Silver Into Stars” series!

I won’t give a full review of the first book, obviously, but as a brief summary: I liked it for the most part! I’ve had a very hit-and-miss experience reading Kemmerer’s books. They always sound right up my alley, but then sometimes fail to deliver on the character front. The first book in this series did a lot of things right, especially with the introduction of a banger of a cast. That being the case, I was excited to jump into this second book and see where the story went from there!

Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to the first one (I would have rated that one around 8). But let’s start with some of the good things. I was excited to return to this world and explore where the story went. And I did like some of the turns the story introduced. However, they were also few and far between. The first book had a fast, zippy feel to the pacing, allowing me to whip through it in only a few reading sessions. This one, while I could objectively point to things happening on the page, often felt much more bogged down, seeming to stall out at random points throughout, making the book all too easy to be set down.

As for the characters, in the first book I enjoyed them all fairly equally (a rare and praise-worthy thing, especially for a reader like me who often struggles with ensemble casts!). Here, however, I definitely found myself gravitating towards Callyn’s story. Oddly, this wasn’t necessarily because her character had any incredible growth or huge plot beats. Instead, of the characters, she was the only one who seemed to retain the level of competence and characterization that we saw in the first book. Tycho, in particular, felt like such a lesser version of the character we met in the first book. It was really odd! When before he had been incredibly compelling, here, he just seemed to…fade. Further, other characters became downright unlikable, like Grey.

As for the romance, it, too, felt greatly reduced from the first book. There were crumbs to be found if you really squinted, but if you’re going into this sequel looking for a lot of movement in this area, I think you’ll probably be disappointed.

Overall, this one feels like a classic example of second book syndrome. There simply wasn’t enough plot to flesh out the entire book. So instead, the characters are done dirty to simply get words on the page. This is definitely something I’ve seen before from Kemmerer (struggles with sustained characterization across a series). But she’s also really come through in the past, so I’ll likely still check out the next in the series. If you’re a fan of her books, you’ll probably want to read this one just to stay up-to-date with the series. But at this point, it’s definitely the weakest so far.

Rating 7: A bit too slow on every front and missing some of the spark from the first book. Or, perhaps, I’m simply growing out of Kemmerer’s style of YA.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Carving Shadows into Gold” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Silver and Gold and YA Novels of 2025.

Serena’s Review: “Immortal”

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

Book: “Immortal” Sue Lynn Tan

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, January 2025

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

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

Book Description: As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal… even if it means losing her heart.

Review: While I haven’t read “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” yet, it’s been on my TBR pile for a while due to the fairly universal acclaim it was met with. That being the case, I was excited to see a stand-alone book coming out by this author this winter that I could use as a dip into this world without committing to the original duology. This can be a bit of a hit or miss plan, however, as there are only a few authors I can name who seem to produce books at the same quality level every time. Others (the normal people, one might say) will often have stronger and weaker entries in their output.

You may have guessed, from this hedging right out of the gate that I didn’t love this one as much as I had hoped. But, per above hedging, I’m still hoping to give the original duology a shot, as the author has some clear strengths that maybe just didn’t come together for this particular book. So let’s start with those positives! For one thing, I think the writing was fairly strong throughout. There was a blessed refrain from modern lingo or overly “quippy” dialogue between characters. The world was described using lush language, so much so that I think it was these descriptive moments that were the true high points of the book. However, even here, as the story continued, I felt as if I was wanting more, with some of these world-building elements and larger plot points seeming to subside beneath the weak romance at the stories heart.

As readers of this blog know, I’m a character reader. You write a great character, and I’m willing to ignore numerous other potential flaws in a book. However, the inverse is also true, where it doesn’t matter how great your world is, how high the stakes of the plot may be…if your main characters don’t hit, I’m probably going to end up not enjoying the book. And that was the biggest problem here. The book starts with a scene that is clearly meant to establish much about Liyen’s character, giving the reader the starting point to become invested in her and her travails. However, I don’t think this event really hit as hard as it needed to (I had just met most of these characters and this world, so I didn’t really care too much about any of these players.) And then Liyen was written in such a way that even if this event had worked, it would have needed to be much more powerful to combat the sheer annoyance and frustration I felt reading from Liyen’s perspective. The best I can say is that this is a very familiar character: plucky heroine who learns she’s all powerful! And, given how often I run across this protagonist, I guess there are a decent number of readers for whom that may be enough. But readers who do enjoy this character type deserve more. More of an effort to create some original and less “paint by numbers.”

The love interest was the same. Yet again, we get a dark and brooding hero who (surprise!) turns out to be misunderstood and who harbors a heart of gold. Worse, he and Liyen seem to fall almost immediately in love (seriously, I think it was around the 1/3 mark of the book that their feelings began to really take hold). And, while the book wasn’t overly quippy, there were enough cheesy proclamations of devotion (especially the ones that came early) to have me rolling my eyes. I enjoy romance, so I can get behind speeches of passion. But I have to buy it! And I didn’t here. And then, as I continued reading, the author threw in a twist towards the end that seemingly retroactively explains their instant connection. But honestly, this was the insult that really broke the experience for me. All this twist told me was that the author understood how ridiculous the characters’ love story was and that she plopped in this explanation towards the end to somehow make the entire thing plausible. Which just feels lazy. Again, romantasy readers deserve better than this.

So, I know that this got rant-y towards the end. But I think part of the problem was how much potential I saw in the general quality of the prose writing and the interesting world-building. To have all of that going for the book, and to then people it with these generic lead characters whom we’ve all read before and who fall in love immediately for no good reason (other than an obviously contrived reason given towards the end), was very frustrating. All of this said, I do still plan on giving the original duology a chance. For one thing, the fact that it is a duology and not a stand-alone book gives me hope that the romance plays out in a more extended manner. Fans of the original duology might want to check this one out, and if you’re unbothered by instalove, then definitely give it a go! But if you’re looking for something that feels fresh or pushes the boundaries at all, this probably isn’t it.

Rating 7: An interesting world and some lush prose was undone by the same lead characters we’ve read a million times before in romantasy fiction.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Immortal” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Fantasy and 2025 Fantasy Novels.

Serena’s Review: “Water Moon”

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Book: “Water Moon” by Samantha Otto Yambao

Publishing Info: Del Rey, January 2025

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

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

Book Description: On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.

Review: This is one of those cases where a simple concept, if interesting enough, is all it takes to hook readers in. And here, the idea of a pawnshop that deal’s in one’s regrets is just such a hook! I mean, c’mon, who wouldn’t want to read a book about that? Beyond the philosophical angles of regret and how that interacts with life’s ultimate path, there are some fairly basic points of interest. Namely, why does this pawnshop want to purchase regrets? And what do they do with these regrets after they have them?

I’ll say right from the start, while the book does engage with these topics in small ways, there was less of this than I had hoped for. Instead, the book was much more centered around the whimsical nature of this fantasy world that borders our own. Now, we all know that I enjoy whimsical, fairy-tale like fantasy, so, on the whole, I did like a lot of what we got in this area, as we followed the main characters as they travelled from one location to another. The comparisons to Studio Ghibli are well-earned. Be it tattoos that prescribe one’s fate or travelling through puddles, there were so many quirky, yet lovely, pieces of fantasy imagery.

At the same time, however, the book never seem to fully take hold of any of these concepts and really do anything with it. Bear with the analogy, but the book reminded me a bit of travelling through a cloudscape. The clouds were gorgeous to look at and every turn produced a new visually wonderous scene to behold. However, if you ever stop and try to touch one, or stand on one, or interact in any way, you’d find yourself left with a fistful of nothing. Similarly, whenever I stepped back from the sheer creativity of magical elements being described, I’d find myself wanting for more. The plot would begin to feel shaky, the world-building even more so. Yes, this world is made up of amazing ideas, but how do any of these things truly build a society or culture or have history? It just began to feel a bit thin, when one really tried to find a sense of place or a firm footing in the book.

Similarly, the characters were also endearing when I first met them. Hana’s life has been one of fated choices and a known result. Her life has been tattooed on her body for years and how she feels about becoming the next proprietor of the pawnshop is of little regard. This set up, the exploration of fate and choice, was rich with possibility. For his part, Keishin felt like a weaker character from the start. He simply accepts everything around him with an almost laughable ease and the insta-love came in hard from this side as well.

But even with Hana, the character I enjoyed more, as the story dove more into the action (if it can really be called “action” as it felt most of the time as if the story was simply leap-frogging from one whimsy set piece to another as quickly as possible in an attempt to squeeze in all of the author’s ideas), I felt more and more disconnected from the story. In a similar way to the plot and world-building, as the story progressed, I felt like, in reality, there was simply very little “there” there for these characters. They are introduced, and then, for the most part, they remain that way throughout the book, as they quickly fall in love based on…nothing much…almost instantly.

This book left me in a bit of quandary when trying to write this review and rate it. On one hand, in the beginning of the book, I really loved the concept, the world-building, and the characters we were following. I haven’t mentioned it yet, but I also really liked the non-traditional way the story played out, especially in the beginning, with many jumps between various side characters and time periods. However, as the story continued, I increasingly felt myself disconnected from the characters and plot. Things were ostensibly happening on the page, but I found myself becoming bored and inclined towards skimming. It was an odd sensation. I also think the characters were fairly one dimensional, a trait that wasn’t helped by the fast-developing love story. All of this said, if you enjoyed whimsical fantasy stories or Studio Ghibli in particular, this is still probably one to check out!

Rating 7: Solid writing and creative world-building carry a lot of weight, however the book flounders a bit on its weaker characters and plotting.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Water Moon” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Cozy Book Cafe Vibes and Books that inspired or are similar to Studio Ghibli / Hayao Miyazaki films.

Book Club Review: “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”

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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. Re-visiting some of our past themes, we’re once again reading books that have had film/TV adaptations and then comparing the two mediums. 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: “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” by Stephen King

Publishing Info: Thorndike Press, 1982

Where Did I Get this Book: the library!

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

Book Description: Suspenseful, mysterious, and heart-wrenching, Stephen King’s extraordinary novella, populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, tells a powerful tale of crushing despair and liberating hope through the eyes of Ellis “Red” Redding. Red’s a guy who can get you whatever you want here in Maine’s corrupt and hard-edged Shawshank State Penitentiary (for a price, of course), but the one thing he doesn’t count on is an unexpected friendship forged with fellow inmate Andy Dufresne—an inscrutable one-time banker perhaps falsely convicted of brutal, calculated murder who will go on to transform everyone’s lives within these prison walls.

What We Watched: “The Shawshank Redemption” movie

Kate’s Thoughts

When we opted to revisit our “Adaptations” theme for our Book Club, I knew that it was finally time to subject my lady pals to some Stephen King. I didn’t want to throw them into the deep end of King’s horror landscape, as I am one of the few people who really loves straight up horror in the group, but I did want to showcase his writing style. So “Rita Hayworth and Shawkshank Redemption” made the most sense to me. One, the movie is a classic, one that I’ve seen many times as it’s one of my husband’s favorites (I really love it as well). And two, it’s a great taste of King is a small package that can be easily taken on even by those who don’t particularly like horror. It was my second time reading it, and I loved it just as much this time around. I think I loved it even more than my first read.

Oh how I love this story. It’s so simple, so straightforward and matter of fact. King has such a way with creating characters who just speak to the reader, and I really adore Red’s voice and the way that the story really brings to life Shawshank, the prisoners, the horrific circumstances and systems at play, and the importance of hope in the face of hopelessness and finding your community you can find solace within. What I really love about this book is that King creates an objectively thrilling story with high stakes and lots of potential for drama and tragedy, but it flows so well and is so compelling as we learn about Andy and Red and their friendship in a quiet and calm kind of way. Yes, there are moments of terribleness, where people are lost, where people die, where lives are basically over and suffering within the walls of this terrible prison and the sociopaths who run it. But there are also moments of humor, of light, of camaraderie and joy. King finds the complexities in Red and Andy (while Andy still remains a bit of a mystery, which just adds to the compelling aspects of this novella), and really makes it so as a reader you connect with them both and hope that they make it to Zihuatanejo and away from Shawshank Prison. I think that on my first read I considered myself more a fan of the movie while still loving both. But this time around the theme of hope, and the grittiness and ambiguity of hope, really resonated with me. I now think I like book and film the same.

“Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” is a fantastic story. A masterpiece from Stephen King.

Serena’s Thoughts

I’m probably the stereotypical reader of this book, in that I had watched the movie years ago but never got around to reading the actual novella until now. That said, I’ve really enjoyed all the Stephen King books I’ve read (I leave his true horror books to Kate and just skim along through the more thriller/fantasy stuff) so I had high hopes going in. And I wasn’t wrong! I absolutely loved this book!

For being such a short book, it’s impressive just how much is fit into this small number of pages. Not only do we have the actual prison break itself, but the story also thoroughly explores the horrors of the prison system, its inner workings and societies, and how, even over decades and decades, much of this remains unchanged. On top of that, the story follows two incredible characters. First, the narrator, Red. And then, through his eyes, we meet Andy. It obviously all comes down to Red’s voice, as had that not connected with readers, the entire book wouldn’t have worked. Through him, we get a window into the lives of these inmates. He’s both empathetic of the horrors, but also incredibly straight-forward and frank about the realities of simply going on in the face of it all. We also come to understand the biggest challenge of prison life: maintaining any sense of hope in a hopeless place.

What stood out for me between the book and the movie (though there were many things, and I can’t get to them all here) was the depiction of Andy. I think the character worked incredibly well in the movie, but after reading the book, I can also see how Andy was given the “Hollywood treatment.” The book version is actually even more compelling, giving us a glimpse of an incredibly smart, complex, and unique man. While the Andy of the movie had some of your typical “movie magic” hero moments, the Andy of the book shone more in his steadfast unknowability. Even Red, his best friend, admits to feeling as if he only ever scratched the surface of what’s going on in Andy’s head. And by the end of the book, the reader feels the same way.

This was an excellent book! If you’ve watched and enjoyed the movie, I definitely recommend giving this one a go! It’s a short read that you can finish up in one sit-down and is well worth the time its given.

Kate’s Rating 9 : Even better the second time around. This book is filled with heart, tragedy, and hope, and it really shines, showing off King’s skills as a writer across multiple genres.

Serena’s Rating 9: A whopper of a punch packed in such a small book, exploring the horrors of prison life and the perseverance of the human spirit.

Book Club Questions:

  1. What were your thoughts about the book being about Andy, but being from Red’s perspective? How do you think it would have been different had it been from Andy’s?
  2. We find out from the first pages that a lot of these characters (outside of Andy) are very much guilty of the crimes they committed. Did that affect the narrative and how you felt about them as characters?
  3. What did you think King was saying about atonement and imprisonment within the walls of Shawshank? About isolation and community? Grudging acceptance of abuse and resistance?
  4. Zihuatanejo is the end goal for Andy after he leaves Shawshankl and becomes a place that Andy and Red hope to meet up in someday. What do you think Zihuatanejo symbolizes for these two men?
  5. The movie and the book have some clear differences. What were some that really stood out to you? Did you find any preferable over the other?
  6. In the book our narrator Red is a white man of Irish descent, but in the film he is played by Morgan Freeman, a Black man. How do you think changing his race changes the context of the character of Red?
  7. In the movie it’s clear that Red made it to Zihuatanejo and was reunited with Andy, but in the book King opts to leave it open ended whether he makes it to the beach to see his friend. Why do you think King wanted to make it more ambiguous?

Reader’s Advisory

“Rita Hayworth and Shashank Redemption” can be found on these Goodreads lists: World’s Greatest Novellas and I Only Watched the Movie!

Next Book Club Pick: “Delicious in Dungeon” Vols. 1 & 2

Serena’s Review: “The Thirteenth Child”

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Book: “The Thirteenth Child” by Erin A. Craig

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, September 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: from the library!

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

Book Description: Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

Review: It may be January of 2025, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still doing the handwork of December. That is, working my way through the back catalog of Fall 2024 titles that I didn’t get around to reading and reviewing in a timely manner! Even though I didn’t get to it until months later, I’d been looking forward to this one quite a lot. Not only did it sound like a great, unique fairytale fantasy story, but I’d heard a lot of good things about the author. So, without any more preamble, on to the review!

I love fairytale fantasies. And while I always enjoy fairytale re-tellings, there’s always something special about an original tale, especially if the author nails the sometimes indecipherable qualities that truly make a story feel like a fairytale. And that was definitely the case here! One thing that I always think of as distinct to fairytales is the blending of dark and light elements, and we had that in spades here. There’s the more straight-forward coming-of-age story for Hazel and a sweet slow burn romance towards the end, but on the other hand, this book verges on horror with some of its more grim elements.

And here, in particular, is where the story shines. Not only are some of these aspects truly creepy, but the book doesn’t shy away from grappling with some very tough moral questions. It’s essentially one long “trolley problem” of a plotline, with Hazel coming down on different sides of the equation at different points. Sometimes this inconsistency on her part could be frustrating, especially when she’s fully in the know with regards to the intricacies of these decisions. But at the same time, no amount of understanding would take the horror out of being the one to make these choices.

Another hallmark of fairytales is that the lead character often has a truly awful home life, and such is the case with Hazel. This story unfolds in a unique way, following Hazel through her life from a small child up through adulthood, with each time period being given fairly significant chunks of the book. That being the case, we get a decent amount of time with child Hazel during which we see how she grows to be the young woman and adult she becomes. There are various familial roles explored, from the neglect and abuse from her parents, to the closest brother she has who is taken away only to be a stranger when she meets him again later, to the complex relationship she has with the god of Death who is her godfather. This last one was particularly well done, as it could have easily fallen into a few trope holes. Instead, we get a relationship that is as conflicted and challenging as families can be, mixing both love, frustration, disappointment, and even rage altogether. Through this lens, the book explores the expectations of parents, and the ways in which love can turn into a burden.

I also enjoyed the romance, but this definitely didn’t come into play until the last half of the story. Given the time jumps, it avoids instalove, but just barely. It’s by no means the focal point of the story, but what we do get is sweet and I enjoyed the way the story swerved at key moments to avoid becoming mired in some of the current romantasy tropes.

Towards the end of the book, some of the reveals and plot turns were a bit predictable, perhaps, which is the only thing holding this back from a 10 for me! And the reader’s tolerance for some of Hazel’s continual struggles in the face of a decision that she already knows the consequences of will also vary. However, for me, I thought this was an excellent original fairytale, and now I can’t wait to go back and read the author’s other books!

Rating 9: A wholly original fairytale fantasy, chock full of all of my favorite things!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Thirteenth Child” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Gothic Fairytale Fantasy and Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2024.