Tag Archives: Books

Let’s Talk About Romance Novels

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We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you this: let’s talk about romance novels.

I owe you all a bunch of book reviews for new and upcoming releases, and I’m sorry the posting is getting a tad erratic the last few weeks. I am still doing my best to get a post out each week, but I’m not guaranteeing what day anything is going to post on… The fact of the matter is I’m having a rough time of it right now. I’m not going to get into details — I’ve talked about my cats situation (see several posts back), and of course the general state of the dumpster fire that is our world is adding to the stress, but there’s also lots of other, more personal kinds of issues going on, and suffice to say, I’m having…difficulties. I am frazzled and exhausted and stressed out and weepy and I would really like to just crawl under my bed and hide for a month or two.

“But Amanda, what does that have to do with talking about romance novels?”

I am so glad you’ve asked that.

This is about romance novels, because romance novels have been routinely saving my sanity and my life for about the last year or so.

I didn’t read much romance as a teen or college student. It wasn’t so much that I was uninterested, but I was reading a lot of massive epic fantasies and then reading a lot of classic literature and “literary” fiction as a grad student, and just never got around to it. I read plenty of fiction that was sort of romance-adjacent — urban fantasy with large romance subplots, some old-school romantic suspense (like Mary Stewart), mystery novels that always have a little time to thread a bit of romance in amongst all the murder-solving, etc. But I didn’t really read anything that was categorically romance, really, until 2021.

So what changed? Well, a few things sort of converged into a perfect storm to form a new obsession. First of all, between the pandemic, work stress, and my own brain-chemistry-fuckery, I have been increasingly unable to stand anything too dark and gritty (I am so SO sick of grimdark, but that’s a separate post), so I was actively searching for things that would be less emotionally oppressive. I could handle drama and angst so long as I felt certain there would be a happy ending, but really I just wanted soft, warm, fluff. Second, I picked up the audiobook of Charlie Homburg’s fantasy novel The Paper Magician. The Paper Magician (first of a trilogy) was technically classified as fantasy when I picked it, but it is very clear in that crossover genre sometimes affectionately called “romantasy.” And I really loved it. So I read/listened to the whole trilogy. There was drama, there was danger, there was an evil murderer to be fought and defeated, but at its heart, it was a really sweet love story.

When I finished the trilogy, Audible in its infinite wisdom said: “well hey! If you liked those, you might like these.” And it handed my The Charm of Magpies trilogy by KJ Charles on a silver platter.

The Paper Magician cracked the door open. The Magpie Lord (first of the Charm of Magpies trilogy) tackled me, threw me over its shoulder, and dragged me heart and soul into a full-blown romance obsession.

The Charm of Magpies trilogy is Victorian England-set historical fantasy romance (the absolute perfect mash-up of genres for me), and features all the magic, murderers, and mayhem you could want, but at its core it is a very steamy romance. While The Paper Magician was sweet and a very non-explicit 1 on the “spice scale,” The Charm of Magpies is a very-explicit 5. With BDSM (and no, this did not faze me, I read fanfic). And holy wow did I love these books.

I read the trilogy for the first time in mid-2021. Since then I have re-read the whole thing 4 or 5 times. I have also now read 13 books written by KJ Charles (out of the 29 She has written!). She tends to write in trilogies (though not always). My other favorite trilogy for KJ Charles is her Will Darling Adventures (1920s historical romance feature spies — another perfect storm of elements for me).

Having read a lot (though nowhere near all) of KJ Charles’ books, I moved on to a bunch of others. These have included a handful of Cat Sebastian books (she has written so many that it’s pretty intimidating, but I will no doubt pick up more of hers eventually), and Olivia Waite’s 3 lesbian historical romances: The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics, Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, and Hellion’s Waltz.

Then, last August when I was re-reading Charm of Magpies for the 2nd or 3rd time, Audible algorithms recommended that I might also like a book called Spellbound by Allie Therin. I routinely thank Christ for Audible’s recommendation algorithms; they have not often done me wrong. Spellbound, first of the Magic in Manhattan trilogy by Allie Therin, is now one of my all-time favorite books. The Magic in Manhattan trilogy is a 1920s historical fantasy romance, featuring magic, speakeasies, and a couple of the most charming MCs you have ever seen. Like Charm of Magpies, I have re-read this trilogy 5 or 6 times. In fact, I just finished a re-read this week. The trilogy has quickly become a very important weapon in my arsenal of “my brain is trying to murder me, help!” Weapons. When the depression and anxiety get really really bad (as they have been the last few weeks) I pick them up again and inhale them.

My other major favorite I have now is also thanks to KJ Charles, tangentially. I watched a zoom talk she did last year, in November I think, and one thing she did was recommend some other romance novels that she loved. The one that stuck out to me the most was a series called Whyborne & Griffin, by transmasc author Jordan L. Hawk. On  the strength of KJ Charles’ word, I ordered the first book as a Christmas present for myself. And read it in a single sitting. And then I couldn’t wait long enough for the next one to order the print copy, so I bought and downloaded the whole series in ebook-format in one go. I read the first five books in five days over Christmas break. And I had read all 11 books in the series by the end of January.

I am currently working my way through the series a second time, ordering the print copies of each book as I go. I’m on book five again.

One thing you will notice if you look up most of these titles is that quite a lot of these (most I think) are indie/self-published romance, not coming from the big publishers. The other thing you’ll notice is that almost all of them are queer romances. And the one kind of stems from the other. I mostly want queer romance, and most queer romance is indie/self-published, so… *shrug* I haven’t done an exact count but I would guess probably 90% of the romance novels I have read have all been queer romance — m/m, f/f, trans and nonbinary, etc. I have nothing against het-romance, but for the most part I’ve decided they just aren’t for me. Give me all the sweet, charming, sappy queer romances you can possibly find!

I really don’t think it is an overstatement to say these books have been keeping me sane about the last year or so. Between my own brain-fuckery, and the state of the world at large, I just can’t handle any more doom and gloom. I need happily-ever-afters. And, damn it, there is no shame in that.

Some people complain about romance tropes, and claim that romance novels are all the same, or they’re badly written, or they’re all carbon copies of each other. But here’s the thing. There are badly written romances, just like there are badly written books in any genre. And yes, they often share a collection of tropes and similar plot lines and such. But that is part of the appeal. That is part of what makes them so comforting and so popular. We know exactly what we signed up for, and that is what we want. That said, people who have not read or written a bunch of romance have no idea how much effort and skill it takes to work within a somewhat-narrow set of audience expectations and parameters and still make every story different and entertaining, every character interesting and charming. Romance authors are the kings and queens of building tension and suspense – of taking a plot where we all know going in that the MCs will end up together and still making us believe that the obstacles are difficult, the tensions are genuine.

Many romance novels are a masterclass in character motivations, relationship development, and tension. A good romance novel makes us BELIEVE. And that takes enormous skill.

And on the plus side: you get charming MCs, swoon-worthy love confessions, and (with certain writers) some really REALLY good sex scenes. What’s not to love, seriously? So I might be a fairly recent convert, but you can pry my romance novels from my cold dead hands. I dare you. 

I’m going to try to pull together some reviews of some of my favorites, but I doubt I will have the time or energy to write in-depth about all of the romance novels I’ve read. At the very least, I think I’ll try to pull together a full list of all the ones I’ve read so far (if I can remember them all) and share that, with relevant info such as sub-genre, main relationship (m/m, f/m, f/f, etc), and “spice” level. So you can look forward to that in the coming week or two (aren’t you all so lucky! lol), and in the meantime, yes I owe you folks so more new release reviews. Sorry!

Book Review: Last Call at the Nightingale

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(Apologies for the delay!)

I think I’ve said this before, but Katharine Schellman is an absolute delight on social media. She is so kind and generous with her fans. There is, of course, a certain amount of patience and politeness expected from authors when they interact with fans on social media, but that’s not what I mean. I mean she is genuine and kind and friendly and generous with her time. I have had a couple “conversations” with her on twitter, which mostly consisted of me raving about how much I loved her three Lily Adler books (reviews of which can be found here), and her telling me how much she appreciated the support.

Well, during one of these conversations she asked me if I would be interested in an ARC of her next new release book, Last Call at the Nightingale, which is not part of her Lily Adler series but the start of a new mystery series set in the 1920s. Reader, I’m sure you can imagine what my response was!

Of course I jumped at the chance! Mostly because I love absolutely everything she has written so far, and also because I am actually obsessed with the 1920s and love historical fiction set in the 20s. She asked for my mailing address, and I gave it to her, and then a couple weeks ago the ARC arrived in the mail. She even sent a nice little note with it, which I will treasure.

It took some effort to get the quiet time and space needed to sit down and read it. I knew I was going to need a whole free evening because, based on previous experience, a Katharine Schellman novel is a read-in-one-sitting novel. I did that with both books 2 and 3 of the Lily Adler series, and it is clearly going to be the standard for these. Finally, I did find the time, and true to my prediction, I read the entire book in one sitting.

So, here’s my review, lol!

Title: Last Call at the Nightingale
Author: Katharine Schellman
Release Date: 7 June 2022
How I Got It: gift from the author
Rating: 5 out of 5!

Last Call at the Nightingale is a new mystery set in New York in 1924, and follows the misadventures of Vivian Kelly as she stumbles into a murder mystery, gets in over her head, and flirts her way both in and out of trouble. Vivian Kelly and her older, prim-and-proper sister Florence, are both Irish-descent and orphans, and therefore poor, disdained, and in desperate need of any respectability they can muster. But Florence has enough respectability for the both of them, and Vivian much prefers to be the wild child quietly working as a seamstress during the day, while spending her nights dancing with abandon at the Nightingale, the speakeasy that feels more like her home than any other place she has ever been. During one of her many late nights at the Nightingale, Vivian and her best friend Bea, a waitress at the speakeasy, accidentally stumble across a dead body. And not just any dead body – judging from his expensive clothes and the secrecy around his death, this dead body was someone important.

At first, Vivian intends to stay well clear of the trouble. Then, she gets caught up in a raid at the speakeasy. Poor and unwilling to call her sister for help, she is bailed out by the owner of the Nightingale herself: the dangerously alluring Honor Huxley. Honor has a deal for Vivian: in exchange for the bail money, Honor would like Vivian to snoop for her, get in close with anyone who might know about the dead man, and find out who killed him. This will be especially easy for Vivian, Honor claims, because Vivian likes to make friends and knows everyone who frequents the speakeasy, and because Vivian was just that night dancing with one of the men Honor suspects was involved – the charming Leo Green, newly arrived from Chicago.

And so Vivian finds herself questioning maids, sneaking into the offices of wealthy women, being attacked and threatened by brutes, and flirting with the increasingly attractive Leo, all in the name of finding a killer and paying off a debt.

This book was SO MUCH FUN. The 20s New York setting is well executed and believable, details and ambience applied with a deft touch. The smoky speakeasy, the crooked cops, the realities of living as a poor woman in the middle of the glitz and glamor of the Jazz Age. The characters themselves were absolutely the highlight. I adored Vivian – the absolute definition of disaster bi who is constantly being pulled in different directions by her attractions to both Honor and Leo (you and me both, girl!), and her smart mouth that got her in and out of trouble on quite a few occasions. Vivian’s best friend, Bea, was also a highlight – a well-educated black woman working at a speakeasy to support her mother and keep her siblings in school. There was also Danny Chen, a Chinese immigrant who works as Honor’s bartender and second-in-command at the speakeasy.

And then, of course, there were Honor and Leo, the two equally attractive people pulling Vivian in different directions. Honor is dangerous and intelligent and more than a little manipulative and absolutely SEXY. Leo is gentle and charming and honorable, with an aura of safety about it. Like Vivian, I was pretty in love with them both by the end.

I was kind of in love with all of the characters actually. I was live-tweeting a bit while I read the book, and I think some of these tweets are pretty indicative:

On top of all that was the mystery itself. And BOY was it twisty! I thought I had it figured out about halfway through, but I realized I was wrong at about the ¾ mark. Then at about the 80% mark the CHARACTERS think they have it solved, but I KNEW they were wrong – both because it didn’t feel right, and because there were (of course) like 30 or 40 pages left… (lol). When the final pieces came together and Vivian had it all figured out I was shocked. Did not see it coming at all.

Here, my tweets are pretty good gauge there as well:

This novel was HIGHLY enjoyable. I really loved all the principal characters. And I really hope the book does well enough to guarantee a second installment (and hopefully many more of that *fingers crossed*). The book releases on June 7th. The supply chain being what it is, I highly recommend pre-ordering, but alas, I know that is not always possible. In any case, if you enjoy a good twisty mystery novel and historical fiction set in the Jazz Age, you should definitely pick this one up!

What I’m Currently Reading!

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Hello folks, and sorry for the minor delay! Busy days, busy days. I have a couple book reviews I need to get written soon, and should have one for you next weekend. For today, here’s some of the books I’ve been reading lately. Plus a couple book playlists, because anyone who knows me knows I love a fun book-themed playlist!

So without further ado, what Amanda is currently reading:

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings – this book is releasing in June, and I’m reading the arc right now. This book is EXCELLENT! It features a magical New Orleans where magic is performed through music, ghosts haunt the city, and graffiti has come to life and wanders the streets driving people mad if they walk through the paint. I have no idea how it’s going to end! You can definitely expect a review when I finish this book.

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet by Thich Nhat Hanh – this is the last book that came out before Thich Nhat Hanh’s death in January, though it actually a collection of some previous talks, writings, interviews, etc that had been compiled by his students following his stroke a few years ago. I have a hardcover copy of this book, but I am  also listening to the audiobook right now, particularly while I work.

Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne – this is also an arc I’m reading, and the book will be out in July. It’s a feminist, semi-historically-grounded take on the Rapunzel fairytale. I’m not very far into yet, but it is very good so far and I’m curious to see how the author will twist the traditional elements of the tale.

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars by Lina Rather – I read and reviewed the first novella, Sisters of the Vast Black, last year and loved it. This novella is a direct continuation so, of course, I had to grab it! I haven’t actually started this one yet, it’s next on the pile as soon as I finish one of the above, lol.

Last Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman – I actually JUST finished this one (another arc for a book releasing in June) and this will likely by the review I get written up for next week!

So that’s what I’m currently reading. You can likely expect reviews for most, if not all, of these (time depending, of course). In the meantime, here’s a couple of the book playlists I’ve put together lately, just for the fun of it!

Playlist for Nettle & Bone – here’s the playlist I made to go with Nettle & Bone, which I just reviewed a couple weeks ago. This book officially released last Tuesday, so if you haven’t bought it yet, GET THEE HENCE!

Playlist for Spindle Splintered – I didn’t actually write a review of Spindle Splintered by Alix Harrow because I read it last year when the blog was dead in the water. But the sequel is coming out soon, so I might read that and then review both together… possibly. In the meantime, have a playlist!

Playlist for King of Infinite Space – here’s another one for a book I read last year and didn’t review. King of Infinite Space by Lindsay Faye is a queer, modern-day, magical realist take on Hamlet, and it is EXCELLENT. I cried so bad at the end! I pulled this playlist together for it right after finishing the book. Enjoy!

Ok, that’s all from me for today! Expect a review next Saturday!

Re-Reading The Immortals Quartet by Tamora Pierce

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I recently re-read the entirety of The Immortals Quartet by Tamora Pierce, one of the parts that makes up her massive Tortall universe. I have been a fan of Tamora Pierce’s work since I first read the Magic Circle series (ironically one of only a small number of books NOT in her Tortall series), when I was in middle school. I can’t quite remember when I first picked these up — I’m guessing probably 7th grade, so around 1997.

Of course, after reading and loving the Magic Circle books I went back to pick up her first quartet: Song of the Lioness, which is the first installment in the Tortall universe. And loved those as well. I have since read every single book Tamora Pierce has released. Most of them multiple times. But my favorites have always been, and remain, The Immortals Quartet, the four books that immediately followed Song of the Lioness and really first opened up the setting from that first series into the far reaching universe it is now.

The four books in this quartet consists of: Wild Magic, Wolf-Speaker, Emperor Mage, and Realm of the Gods. It features the main character Daine Sarrasri, a 13 year old girl (in the first book) who discovers that she has a special kind of magic that allows her to speak with animals and understand their thoughts and behaviors from a uniquely insider perspective. She THINKS like “The People” (what animals collectively call themselves). Daine is an orphan, her mother and grandfather murdered by raiders in her small village, and the book opens with her gaining employment with a pony trader named Onua who taking a herd of ponies from Daine’s home country of Galla, to Tortall (where most of Pierce’s books are set). The first book follows Daine as she befriends Onua, the powerful mage Numair Salmalin who becomes her friend and teacher, and a whole bevy of characters in Tortall. In this first book, we also see the emergence of magical beings called Immortals (beings like centaurs and dragons but also horrifying creatures like human-spider hybrids called spidrens and Daine’s nemesis the carrion-eating Stormwings) who, though not gods themselves, were trapped in the realm of the gods by human mages centuries ago but who have mysteriously escaped their confinement.

I originally had the books with these covers, but they were sadly destroyed during flooding from Hurricane Ike in 2008

Throughout the series, Daine gains control of her magical ability and learns not only to speak with animals but actually shapeshift into them. She and her friends discover how the immortals escaped the realm of the gods, and befriend quite a few of the immortals, including a basilisk, a baby dragon that Daine adopts, and (much to Daine’s surprise and chagrin) even a Stormwing. The third book features Daine “losing her temper” (understatement of the decade) which remains one of my favorite parts of the entire series. In the fourth book they must wage full-out war against their enemies (both human and immortal), and Daine learns that her father was a minor hunt-god (which is how she comes by her magical ability), and she and Numair are temporarily trapped in the realm of the gods and must travel the dangerous terrain to return home.

I re-bought the books with these covers a few years ago. I don’t love these designs… I like the originals much better, but what can ya do…?

I love these books for a lot of reasons. Whereas most of the books in the Tortall series deal with lords and kings and knights, this series brings in much more focus on the commoner. Though Daine ends up befriending the king and queen of Tortall, and several nobles and knights (including the most famous lady-knight, Alanna — main character of the Song of the Lioness), Daine herself is a commoner, as is Numair (despite his fame now as a powerful mage), and Daine brings that much needed perspective to all these “fancy folk.”

I also love getting the fascinating perspective of the animals that Daine is friends with. Pierce showcases quite a lot of research (and obviously plenty of imagination) in giving us the inner voices and lives of horses and ponies, wolves, birds, squirrels, and all sorts of other animals. The addition of all the different immortals is a ton of fun as well — I love a big menagerie of magical creatures. I think it was a really nice development as well for Daine (and most of the characters) to assign moral qualities to each species of immortal as a whole, only to then slowly learn that these immortals are just as nuanced, as much a mix of good and bad, as humans themselves are. It was a powerful lesson to learn for the characters, and a nice way to introduce that kind of nuance to the target middle-grade/YA audience (particularly back in the 90s).

Perhaps most of all though, I am a SUCKER for the romance that is laced through the last two books between Daine and Numair. I will admit that this romance would probably not fly if it was written/published today. Daine is 13 and Numair is something like 26 when they meet. They are 16 and ~29 in the fourth book. Such an age gap, when one party is under 18 years old, would send up all kinds of red flags today. And I’ll admit that even just shifting Daine two years forward, so that she’s 18 by the last book, would probably look better on paper.

That said, I believe there’s room to discuss the age issues within their own context. Pierce is writing within the context of a medieval-ish (albeit a fantasy version) world, and it is discussed within the book series that having a girl married at 14 or 15 is perfectly within the realm of possibility and reasonable expectation. We accept this in other contexts — consider, for instance, that in Pride and Prejudice, Lydia is 15 years old when she marries Wickham, which is not only legal but relatively normal at that point in history. In addition, it is made very clear that Numair himself is painfully aware of the age difference, which is why he doesn’t say anything until Daine herself presses the issue. Also: as a kid reading these books, I was also very in love with Numair Salmalin, so I was hardly going to fault Daine for being too young for him. And the way the relationship develops between them over the course of the books, especially the last two, is just so sweet and cute that you can’t help but be enchanted (well, I can’t help it at any rate).

It had been quite a while since the last time I had re-read these books. But I’m finding myself in a major re-reading mood lately — I think because between work-stress and general-state-of-the-world stress, my anxiety has been at record highs and re-reading comfort books is just safer right now. I read each book in about a day, so the whole quartet in less than a week. And I gotta say, I love them just as much now at the age of 36 (nearly 37 – my birthday is in 2 weeks, fun fact!), as I did when I was 12. Some books never lose their enchantment and joy, no matter how old you get, or how many times you read them. This series is clearly one of them, for me at least.

3 Charming Graphic Novels by Ethan M. Aldridge

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[Note: apologies for the delay on posting this review! I had it mostly written well in advance, but then I forgot to finish cleaning it up and adding images and getting it scheduled to post on Saturday as usual. *sigh*]

For a change of pace, I thought I’d talk a bit about a few graphic novels I’ve read in the last few months. I’ve been following this artist/comics illustrator on Twitter named Ethan M. Aldridge (@ethanmaldridge) for AGES. I really love his style — all hand-drawn line art and watercolor with this really great dreamy quality to it.

He sells prints online, and I’ve been meaning to grab a few but funds are tight so I have to keep frivolous purchases to a minimum. But I did finally grab his first two graphic novels last autumn: Estranged, and Estranged: The Changeling King. And I loved those so much I went ahead and pre-ordered his most recent publication, the new graphic novel The Legend of Brightblade.

Title: Estranged, & Estranged: The Changeling King
Author: Ethan M. Aldridge
Release Dates: 2018, 2019
How I Got Them: bought them from my local comic shop
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

In Estranged Vol 1, the main characters are Edmund and The Childe — Edmund is a changeling, a magical being sent to replace a human infant by his biological mother, the Queen of the Fae. Edmund knows what he is, that he is not human, but he has long kept that secret from his human parents and older sister for fear of their reaction. He desperately wants to keep the secret safe, but also he wants to know why his biological parents sent him away in the first place. The Childe is the human that Edmund was sent to replace, who has been living among the Fae all his life as a kind of foster-son/pet for the royal family. He has spent his life trying his best to earn the respect and affection of the Fae, but they largely dismiss him as just a cute, powerless oddity.

When the King and Queen of the Fae are attacked and overthrown by a powerful sorceress named Hawthorne, The Childe escapes to the surface world of the humans and, with his companion the wax golem Wick, enlists the help of Edmund and his/their sister Alexis. They must work together to struggle past the complexities of their shared families and destinies, and save the fae kingdom of the World Below from Hawthorne.

Estranged Vol 2: The Changeling King, brings us back months later, with The Childe and Edmund switching back to their original worlds after the end of the previous volume. The Childe has now reclaimed his name, Edmund. And the changeling once known as Edmund is now called Cinder. Cinder has become the new king of the World Below, but when the magic begins to drain from their world, Cinder returns to his adoptive family for help. Together, Cinder, Edmund, and their sister Alexis — as well as Cinder/Edmund’s very confused human parents — must travel through the labyrinthine World Below to fight enemies old and new, and find a way to restore magic to the kingdom.

These two graphic novels are so wonderful. The relationship that develops between the three “siblings” – Cinder, Edmund, and Alexis — is truly delightful and one of my favorite things. I particularly love Alexis: she loves both the brother she was raised with and the biological one she comes to know over the course of Vol 1. She is protective, caring, and kick-ass (and she starts to learn some magic in the 2nd volume, which is awesome!). The art style remains beautiful throughout, and the creativity of some of the fae creature designs are very cool. I also really love the ending of Vol 2 (I’m not giving it away! You’ll have to read to find out!). I’m really hoping Aldridge writes a third volume, but there’s been no news on that yet.

Title: The Legend of Brightblade
Author: Ethan M. Aldridge
Release Date: March 2022
How I Got It: ordered online
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Ethan M. Aldridge’s newest graphic novel, The Legend of Brightblade, is not in the same universe as the two Estranged graphic novels. It takes place in a high fantasy realm, clearly inspired by Dungeons and Dragons aesthetics, and features a team of adventuring bards. This graphic novel opens with a little backstory: the hero Brightblade and her two companions saved the land from a highly powerful dragon, bringing about a new era of peace. Years later, Brightblade is the ruler of the land, attempting to forge a treaty with the trolls with whom they have long feuded. Brightblade has three children: two daughters and a son, whom she expects to fulfill their roles as rulers and peacemakers, but the son, Prince Alto wants nothing more than to be a bard and go on adventures.

So, he runs away. With little knowledge of the outside world and only his instrument and the magic he can control by playing, he dashes off and forms his own little troupe with two other misfit bards: a self-taught troll bard, and an apprentice blacksmith who would much rather play her violin. These three intrepid bards run into trouble, accidentally uncover a plot to sew chaos at the human-troll treaty-signing, and discover that their misfit natures are precisely what they need to win.

Like the two Estranged graphic novels, The Legend of Brightblade is hand-drawn and watercolor, in a beautiful fairy-tale-like style that I just can’t stop raving about. All of these graphic novels are technically middle-grade, and though they are not (for the most part) explicitly queer, they have that feeling. If that makes sense. All three graphic novels have similar themes threaded through them as well: issues of family obligation versus personal goals and desires, featuring characters who are all trying to find their own identities and be true to themselves. Each one is a quick read, great for a nice relaxing afternoon with a cup of tea. They are utterly delightful and light-hearted and fun, all about finding yourself and forging your own path. They make me smile, and I highly recommend all three!

Sick Cat Update, PLUS a few book thoughts

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Hello, first of all I wanted to share an update about my baby boy, Mr. Erasmus Flattery. He had his surgery last Friday, and we picked him up from surgery that evening. The surgery was extensive and, frankly, horrifying to hear about. They quite literally made him a new urethra and the vet said he will essentially “pee like a girl” now. But the vet said the surgery went very well. He woke up from the anesthesia just fine, purring and being his adorable self, and all the vet techs were enamored with him (as they well should be! He’s the sweetest thing!).

He is NOT happy about the cone.

The real trick is going to be the next 2 weeks. We have to keep a cone on him for 2 whole weeks (cat owners will know how difficult this is!) and keep him from running around too much (we have a large crate for him for at least the first few days). It is vital that he not have any infection or pull his stitches. If he licks his stitches it could cause an infection or cause the new urethra to close up, which would be almost certainly life-threatening. So the next 2 weeks are going to be stressful. But if we get him safely past the next 2 weeks he should be totally fine, excepting for a permanent diet change to a prescription urinary health food.

My mother and I crunched the numbers, and we figure that between the two of us, with three cats with various medical issues, we have paid the vet approximately $10k in the last month. So, budgets are very very tight right now.

I won’t harp on it much more, I promise, but I would like to share my new kofi again, just in case. If you can spare even a couple bucks toward the care and feeding of 12 cats, including several sick kitties, it would be greatly appreciated. My kofi is at https://ko-fi.com/nightforestbooks

In other news, I’m in a bit of a reading slump right now. I’m still reading, but it is going very slowly right now, and I’m also doing a lot of RE-reading. When my stress and anxiety levels are really bad, re-reading all my comforting favorites is about all I can handle. So I will definitely still have posts up the next couple weeks, but they will probably not be for new and upcoming releases. In the works, I have a book review of a few middle-grade graphic novels by Ethan M. Aldridge, a reminiscence about reading Tamora Pierce’s Immortals Quartet, and perhaps a discussion of some romance novels I’ve been devouring the last year or so.

I also wanted to hear everyone’s thoughts on something I’m planning on: I’ve been thinking about doing a big read-though and discussion for The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir in preparation for the release of Nona the Ninth in September. I’ve already read Gideon, so that would be a re-read for me, but I had not yet gotten to Harrow so that would be new for me. So my thought is that I would re-read and discuss Gideon the Ninth throughout the month of July, and then Harrow the Ninth in August, and finally jump into Nona when it is released in mid-September. I would invite people to read along with me and split each book into about fourths (a fourth for each week of the month), and then I would do some in-depth discussion and some guesses for what might be coming in Nona. Is this something anyone would be interested in? Would people like to join me on a read-through?

Relatedly, have you seen the full Nona the Ninth poem that Tor.com revealed? Here it is:

One of my best friends (who first badgered me into reading The Locked Tomb books) and I were freaking out over this poem, trying to figure out what it MEANS, what clues are in it, or what clues are in the previous books that might explain it! Our reactions pretty much looked like this:

If you had any reactions to the poem, please feel free to share! I’d love to know we’re not the only ones freaking out. Also, any thoughts on the possibility of a Locked Tomb read-through? Let me know!

Double-Review: Lily Adler Mysteries 2-3

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Back in March 2020, right at the beginning of the pandemic, I read an ARC for Katharine Schellman’s debut novel and the first of the Lily Adler Mysteries: The Body in the Garden. I devoured it in 3 days. And it was a revelation for me for a couple reasons. First, I just love a good historical mystery, and this was a very good historical mystery novel. Second, I’d been dealing with an inability to read for going on 5 or 6 years in 2020 due to extremely severe depression. While the cloud had been starting to lift in mid-2019, and my brain was finally starting to reanimate a bit, reading (except for audiobooks, which had literally saved my life from about 2014-onward) was still proving almost-impossible. And then I read The Body in the Garden, and it was like a strong wind blowing the clouds away to reveal clear skies. It was like the floodgates opening wide.

I don’t know if it was just a matter of good timing, and that my brain was just about ready to open up again anyway. I don’t know that another book might not have had the same effect. Frankly, it doesn’t really matter. Lily Adler is forever cemented in my mind as an integral element of my ongoing recovery. (It’s also just a really really good book).

So, of course, when the second installment, Silence in the Library, released in August 2021, I leapt for it. And I read it in a single night, in a single sitting in fact. And then I got my hands on an ARC of the third book about a month ago (and read that book in one sitting as well).

So, I thought I would do a double-review of books two and three as I continue to try and convince everyone I know to buy and read these books. My review for the first book can be found here: “Book Review: The Body in the Garden.”

Title: Silence in the Library
Author: Katharine Schellman
Release Date: August 2021
How I Got It: bought from indie mystery bookstore, Murder by the Book
Rating: Five Stars

Let’s begin with the basic plot premise. Silence in the Library opens a few months after the events of the first novel, with Lily having to face possibly her most difficult challenge: dealing with a visit from her father. When Lily’s father demands that she pay a visit to one of his oldest friends, who has recently re-married, the visit quickly goes to hell when the husband is murdered, leaving the new bride in hysterics and the dead man’s adult son (from a previous marriage) the most likely suspect. Add in a shifty cousin who may or may not have been in need of more money, a maid who is murdered before she can tell Lily something she knew, and Lily’s father hindering her at every turn, things get wildly out of hand.

What the first book did well, the second book built upon beautifully. The writing is crisp, the research and historical context impeccable, the mystery compelling, and the characters charming. The core mystery of the novel is clever and twisty, though I confess I like to make a game of seeing if I can solve the mystery before the characters (my mother and I also compete like this when watching murder mystery tv shows – of which we watch a lot), and I succeeded this time. Clearly, I can’t spell it out here without giving everything away, but I told my mother my theory well in advance and was right.

The main character, Lily Adler, is a brilliant, stubborn, somewhat reckless woman, and I love her. I want to be her when I grow up (yes, I am grown up, I am almost 37, but shush, let me have this). In the first book, we see her shaking off the paralysis of her widowhood, and in the second book we see her really stepping into this role she has chosen for herself.

But, of course, there is also the complication of her emotionally-cold, judgmental, domineering father, who has arrived to disapprove of everything she does. Her father’s awful treatment and verbal lashings seem to shake Lily on a few occasions, and she has to fight off the knee-jerk reaction to revert to her more timid childhood-self. Watching the ways Lily alternately defies and bends to her father’s moods is highly relatable (at least to those of us who have parents with… shall we say, powerful personalities?) and deeply inspiring.

The characters I adored in the first book: Captain Jack Hartley, Ofelia, and the Bowstreet Runner Simon Page are all in attendance for the second book. The Captain is as witty and charming and protective of Lily as he was in the first book (and may possibly be developing less-than-platonic feelings for his best friend’s widow). Ofelia, now happily married, continues to be a supportive both as a friend and as a cohort in Lily’s mystery-solving pursuits. And Simon Page, who started out by resenting Lily, has developed a begrudging respect and appreciate for Lily and her skills.

In the middle of the plot-madness, Lily is faced with several red herrings, and a very handsome and charming former soldier that she must (clumsily) attempt to flirt with for information. We also get a glimpse into Simon Page’s personal life and a few scenes from his perspective — something I had not even realized I needed until I had it. (I already respected Simon Page, now I really love him).

Throughout the novel are several disabled and neurodivergent characters of different backgrounds and abilities who are all written with complexity and empathy, and not painted with broad strokes and stereotypes. There are, of course, instances of these characters being treated with derision and cruelty in sadly-historically-accurate ways, but at no point does the text (or the main characters) excuse or condone this behavior, and the perpetrators face consequences for their bigotry.

Just as in the first novel, one of the best parts is the dialogue, which is at turns sharp, warm, and downright hilarious at some points. Lily, Captain Jack Hartley, and Ofelia in particular, all play off each other so well with their differing flavors of sarcasm, dry wit, and gentle teasing. (I continue to adore Jack Hartley.)

And the ending is satisfying while also packing a potent emotional punch.

Title: Death at the Manor
Author: Katharine Schellman
Release Date: 9 August 2022
How I Got It: ARC provided by publisher
Rating: 4.5 Stars

In the third book of the Lily Adler Mysteries series, we go farther afield as Lily Adler leaves London for a few months visiting friends and family in the country. The novel deftly shifts tone in an homage to Regency-era Gothic Literature (think Castle of Otranto or The Woman in White), as Lily must confront a supposedly-haunted country estate in the village where her aunt lives, and attempts to solve a murder that everyone else is content to attribute to a ghost.

In this installment, after Captain Jack Hartley leaves to return to his ship (having been stuck on land for so long due to extended repairs), Lily leaves London to visit her aunt in a small village in the country, bringing her Ofelia and Ofelia’s (ridiculously sweet) husband Ned along with her. Her aunt and her aunt’s friend/companion have been living as two “respectable unmarried women” in a small cottage for decades, and are the only family Lily actually likes. But once there, Lily and her friends accidentally find themselves entangled in yet another murder. While touring a nearby manor to hear about the rumors of a ghost haunting the estate, the Lady of the manor is discovered dead in her locked bedroom, with only her two adult children and four servants (the others having left because of the ghost) as the possible suspects.

At first determined to leave the matter to the authorities, Lily quickly changes her mind when the local authorities admit defeat in the face of the locked door, and accept that the purported ghost must be the cause of death. So Lily and Ofelia, with the grudging assistance of Ned and Lily’s aunt, decide to the solve the murder themselves. An added complication comes from the fact that the charming widowed soldier from the previous book, the ever-attractive Matthew Spencer, happens to live in the same village, and offers his assistance as well, much to Ofelia’s consternation.

The mystery of this installment was especially fun for me because I love a good locked-room mystery, and this one is very well done. The characters run through every possible suspect with increasing confusion and uncertain, and it is a ton of fun to watch the whole thing unfold and try to play along. (I guessed right, again, by the way, but it took me longer than usual and I wasn’t too far ahead of Lily figuring it out lol).

The nods to the gothic genre were also a ton of fun (particularly because as an English Lit grad school I read and studied Regency and Victorian era gothic novels and love them anyway!) I mean, who doesn’t love ghost stories, and creepy dark hallways and billowy white curtains and ominous men standing in shadows and secret passages?

Like Silence in the Library, Death at the Manor gives us an opportunity to see and learn more about different characters. This time we get some concentrated attention paid to Ofelia and her husband Ned, both of whom I adore. We also see a lot more of the charming widower Matthew Spencer. And Lily’s aunt and her aunt’s friend were both delightful as well. (There’s some queer rep in there as well, but spoilers!)

I did, however, feel that the story misses Jack (just as the characters do). When I was starting to read the book, I announced on twitter that if Jack did not make some dramatic mid-book return I was going to be distraught. And reader: I was distraught. For one thing, I simply love that character. For another, he adds so much humor and snark to the dialogue, and does such a good job of keeping Lily on her toes (while Ofelia keeps him on his, lol). That said, I still read the entire book in one setting and loved it and have no real complaints. (The 4.5 stars rating is an only semi-serious, kinda-joking protest on Jack’s behalf.) I also missed Simon Page, who likewise does not make an appearance in this installment.

When I was lamenting the loss of Jack on Twitter, the author, Katharine Schellman, kindly assured me he would return in the next one. Thank goodness. (By the way, Katharine Schellman is an absolute delight on social media as well. She is so kind and generous and friendly with her fans/followers, which is by no means required.) We also know that she has been contracted for a 4th and 5th book (at minimum, I hope), but that they won’t be out for some time.

The worst part about reading arcs far ahead of release date, especially for books in a series, is that you have ALL THAT MUCH LONGER to wait for the next one. Le Sigh. I suppose I’ll probably just re-read all three books at some point this summer…

Book Review: Nettle & Bone

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Title: Nettle & Bone
Author: T. Kingfisher
Release Date: 26 April 2022
How I Got It: received an ARC from publisher
Stars: 5 out of 5 (maybe 6 out of 5, I can do that, right? I mean, it’s my blog)

Today’s book review is for a book that is a currently the top contender for my favorite new release book of the year (obviously, its plenty early still, but…). Ursula Vernon, publishing under the pen name T. Kingfisher, has written quite a few very popular, well-received, and award-winning novels (her recent middle-grade novel A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking won several awards including the Locus, the Nebula, and the Mythopoeic Awards), so I knew she would be good. But I hadn’t yet read any of her works before I received the ARC for this one, Nettle & Bone.

Nettle & Bone is a dark fairy tale for adults, that borrows heavily from a myriad of fairy tale traditions and features many of the elements we would expect such as: princesses, damsels-in-distress, princes, knights, witches, fairy godmothers, curses, impossible tasks, and plenty of magic. Yet Kingfisher takes these familiar well-worn tropes, and twists them into new shapes and puts them to new purposes. The result is a story that feels both familiar and brand new, both magical and horrific.

The main character is Marra, a princess and third daughter of the royal family. When Marra is a child, her eldest sister is married off to a prince in a political marriage meant to protect their tiny harbor kingdom from the two much larger, more powerful kingdoms on either border. Then, when that eldest sister dies during an accident only a year later, Marra’s second sister is married to the same prince, for the same goals. At that point, Marra is shipped off to a convent — ostensibly for her protection, but really because the prince fears she may marry and have an heir before HE does. There, Marra is raised as an “almost-not-quite” nun for the next fifteen years, learning embroidery, gardening, and midwifery and living a peaceful if isolated life.

Everything Marra thinks she knows about life comes crashing down around her ears when, at the age of thirty, she finally comes to understand the truth about her sisters: the prince is evil and abusive and brutal,Marra’s eldest sister was beaten to death in a rage, and the middle sister, Kania, is in danger of the same fate. The only thing that has saved Kania’s life so far is her constant pregnancies, which keep ending in miscarriage, but during which the prince controls his more violent tendencies in hopes of producing an heir. When Marra finally understands the full extent of her sister’s predicament, she comes to a decision: the prince must die.

Thus begins an epic quest, during which Marra finds a wise and powerful grave-witch called the dust-wife (who’s familiar is a chicken possessed by a demon) who gives her three impossible tasks. In her quest, she also collects the loyalest and bestest of dogs, a disgraced knight, and her mediocre fairy godmother. Together, they set out to defy the roles prescribed to them, face a powerful magic that protects the prince, and endeavor to do the truly impossible: kill an evil prince and come out the other side alive.

Lyrical, dream-like, and sharp as a razor, this novel will cut through you with its heartbreak, beauty, wisdom, and hope. It asks the reader to consider how far one is willing to go for family and duty, what the difference is between justice and revenge, and what to do when the thing you hate most about yourself is precisely the thing that is needed. 

Marra is one of those characters that will stick with you long after you finish reading. She considers herself simple and not particularly intelligent or useful, and yet she is resourceful and brave and stubborn. Her determination and her rage are palpable. I simply adored her. I also really loved the other members of her ragtag team of ersatz assassins, particularly the dust-wife and her demon chicken.

The novel also features some of the best sentences I’ve read in quite a long time, including an opening-line that shot through me like an arrow. When I started reading this ARC, I opened the ebook, read the first line and STOPPED. And just sat there for a minute. And then I texted the first line to my best friend in a frenzy. Here, let me show you:

“The trees were full of crows and the woods were full of madmen. The pit was full of bones and her hands were full of wires.”

If that doesn’t stop you in your tracks like a lightning bolt, I just don’t know what to say to you.

Here are a couple of other lines that struck me like lightning as well:

“He isn’t my prince,” Marra said acidly.
“If you plan to kill him, he is. Your victim. Your prince. All the same. You sink a knife in someone’s guts, you’re bound to them in that moment. Watch a murderer go through the world and you’ll see all his victims trailing behind him on black cords, shades of ghosts waiting for their chance.”

And:

“Lots of people deserve to die,” said the dust-wife finally, “not everybody deserves to be a killer.”

I mean, OOF! Here’s another:

“She had the ruined fragment of the godmother’s tapestry, but unless it started glowing or talking, it didn’t seem like it was going to do any good. Another of life’s little intelligence tests, and as usual, Marra had failed to even learn the question.”

And just one more (sorry, these just PIERCE ME):

“Agnes wiped her eyes. “Dammit,” she whispered. “I have to go be impressive. I have to go be the wicked godmother. I can’t cry.”
“She’s at peace now,” said Fenris.
Agnes gave him an ironic glance. “She’s been at peace for centuries, I think. I still get to cry about it.”

WORDS OF WISDOM MY FRIENDS.

Ok, I won’t bombard you with anymore quotes, I think you all get the point. This book is filled with such amazing lines at turn poetic, pithy, and fucking brilliant. I absolutely devoured this book. It is very likely going to stay at the top of my fave reads of the year list for quite awhile at least. Everyone needs to buy and read it and be likewise amazed and flummoxed.

[CW: domestic/spousal abuse, violence, a semi-graphic description of magical teeth-pulling, and vague mentions of cannibalism; also, for those who need to know about the pets: the dog survives]

Exciting February and March New Releases!

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As part of my job I have to keep track of upcoming book releases — usually months in advance (I’m currently reading arcs for JUNE). Here are some new releases from February and March that have been on my radar. (This is obviously not every book release from February and March. There are a couple very impressive blogs that keep track of that, but I am not one of them. I don’t have that much brain power…) These are just the ones that I am personally excited about.

Temple of No God by H.M. Long — released Feb 1st (this is the sequel to Hall of Smoke, which I reviewed in December 2020 here.)

“After a brutal war between the gods, Hessa – High Priestess of the Eangen – has brokered a fragile peace. Through great sacrifice, she has forged an alliance between warring tribes and introduced her people to the true god.

But a new threat is growing across the southern border. In the remnants of the once-great Arpa Empire, three factions are vying for the imperial throne, and the vast well of raw magical power only accessible to the Arpa Emperor. Already beating back former Arpa legionaries at her borders, Hessa knows she cannot let this chance slip by. She must intervene, for the safety of her people.

With the peace she has sacrificed so much for at stake, Hessa must venture into the heart of enemy territory, where warring Arpa factions are not the only danger she must face. A sinister new cult is on the rise, one with the power to suck the life from everything it touches. With enemies on every side and her fragile alliance beginning to waver, Hessa must decide who to trust – no matter what it may cost her…”

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist — released Feb 22nd

“Med school dropout Lena is desperate for a job, any job, to help her parents, who are approaching bankruptcy after her father was injured and laid off nearly simultaneously. So when she is offered a position, against all odds, working for one of Boston’s most elite families, the illustrious and secretive Verdeaus, she knows she must accept it—no matter how bizarre the interview or how vague the job description.

By day, she is assistant to the family doctor and his charge, Jonathan, the sickly, poetic, drunken heir to the family empire, who is as difficult as his illness is mysterious. By night, Lena discovers the more sinister side of the family, as she works overtime at their lavish parties, helping to hide their self-destructive tendencies . . . and trying not to fall for Jonathan’s alluring sister, Audrey. But when she stumbles upon the knowledge that the Verdeau patriarch is the one responsible for the ruin of her own family, Lena vows to get revenge—a poison-filled quest that leads her further into this hedonistic world than she ever bargained for, forcing her to decide how much—and who—she’s willing to sacrifice for payback.”

Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake — released Feb 22nd (there were a LOT of Feb 22nd releases…)

“When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all.

Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to…”

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh — released Feb 22nd

“Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village—and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon—may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.

Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin—as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits—Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.”

Sisters of the Forsaken Stars by Lina Rather — released Feb 22nd (this is a novella, and the sequel to Sisters of the Vast Black, which I reviewed last year here.)

“Not long ago, Earth’s colonies and space stations threw off the yoke of planet Earth’s tyrannical rule. Decades later, trouble is brewing in the Four Systems, and Old Earth is flexing its power in a bid to regain control over its lost territories.

The Order of Saint Rita—whose mission is to provide aid and mercy to those in need—bore witness to and defied Central Governance’s atrocities on the remote planet Phyosonga III. The sisters have been running ever since, staying under the radar while still trying to honor their calling. 

Despite the sisters’ secrecy, the story of their defiance is spreading like wildfire, spearheaded by a growing anti-Earth religious movement calling for revolution. Faced with staying silent or speaking up, the Order of Saint Rita must decide the role they will play—and what hand they will have—in reshaping the galaxy.”

Gallant by V.E. Schwab — released March 1st

“Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?”

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft — released March 8th

“When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. If Margaret wins the hunt, it may finally bring her mother home. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist–yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he’s landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it’s like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt – if they survive that long.”

Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds — released March 22nd

“Seattle, 1929—a bitterly divided city overflowing with wealth, violence, and magic.

A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.

The widowed owner of a speakeasy encounters an opportunity to make her husband’s murderer pay while she tries to keep her shapeshifter brother safe. A notorious thief slips into the city to complete a delicate and dangerous job that will leave chaos in its wake. One thing is for certain—comeuppance, eventually, waits for everyone.”

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May — released March 29th

“In the aftermath of World War I, a naive woman is swept into a glittering world filled with dark magic, romance, and murder in this lush and decadent debut.

On Crow Island, people whisper, real magic lurks just below the surface. Neither real magic nor faux magic interests Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s only on the island to settle her late father’s estate and, hopefully, reconnect with her long-absent best friend, Beatrice, who fled their dreary lives for a more glamorous one. 

Yet Crow Island is brimming with temptation, and the biggest one may be her enigmatic new neighbor. 

Mysterious and alluring, Emmeline Delacroix is a figure shadowed by rumors of witchcraft. And when Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline at one of the island’s extravagant parties, she is drawn into a glittering, haunted world. A world where the boundaries of wickedness are tested, and the cost of illicit magic might be death.”

Book Review: A River Enchanted

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Title: A River Enchanted
Author: Rebecca Ross
Release Date: 2 February 2022
How I Got It: received an ARC through work
Stars: 5 out of 5

Let me just say that the somewhat lackluster cover does not do justice to the story it contains…

Rebecca Ross, author of several popular YA novels such as Sisters of Sword & Song, and Dreams Lie Beneath (among others), gives us her first adult fantasy novel here with A River Enchanted. This novel is the first in a duology (no word yet on when precisely the sequel will be released but to be fair, this did JUST come out), and is inspired by Gaelic/Scottish folklore. It is a beautiful, lyrical novel set on a magical island (that I imagine looks a little like the Hebrides, or the Isle of Skye) that reads like a grown-up fairy tale.

The Hebrides, an archipelago of Scotland

In this story, a young man named Jack Tamerlaine, who was banished from the island a decade before and stayed on the mainland to train as a bard, is summoned home from his position teaching at a university. Despite his resentments and misgivings, he answers the call because his Laird (leader of his clan) claims to need him. However, when he arrives home, on the magical island called Cadence, he discovers two things: the first is that despite the deep hurts the island’s people had caused him, it still feels irrevocably like HOME, and the second is that things are far more dire than he could have guessed.

The daughter and heiress of the clan Laird, Adaira, is actually the one who secretly called Jack home. A fact that infuriates Jack, as Adaira was his rival and tormentor as a child. But Jack is forced to listen when she explains that young girls are disappearing from their families without trace or explanation, and she has called him home to fulfill his role as bard and help her uncover the mysteries of the island that might help them recover the missing girls. In their clan, the bard of the clan is a both a political and magical role, and only he has the skill to do what is required — calling up the magical spirits of the island to demand answers. To complicate matters, no one is sure of the missing girls are the result of spirits gone violent, or the clan on the other side of the island, with whom the Tamerlaine’s have had a deadly feud for generations.

Over the course of their investigation, Jack and Adaira must confront their past history together. As they face down the powerful spirits of the island, they unravel secrets buried deep in their pasts — secrets that will change everything they thought they knew about their clan and themselves. And in the process they will also confront their own feelings, and develop a bond neither of them could have ever predicted.

Beyond the two (very interesting and entertaining) main characters, there are a handful of other characters who receive a lot of “screen time” and attention, and whose complexities bring so much depth to the story as a whole. There is Adaira’s cousin, the captain of the guard, who is burdened by hate and shame. And there is the captain’s second wife, who loves him but is afraid he only married her as a caretaker for his daughter from his first marriage. And there is Jack’s little sister, who he did not know existed until his return to the island, and who immediately becomes his greatest source of love and anxiety (for fear that she will vanish like the other girls have). And Jack’s mother, who possesses a magic that allows her to weave secrets into cloth, and who possesses a dire secret of her own.

There’s a lot to love about this book. It will be a treat for anyone who enjoys Scottish-infused fantasy, and loves a fast-paced adventure story. It also features a compelling rivals-to-lovers romance subplot, which is always a delight. Particularly because Ross does such a great job conveying the hidden depths of emotion in both Jack and Adaira long before either one of them are willing to admit to themselves. Both characters are intelligent and stubborn and loyal, and when they finally start getting on the same page it is an absolute joy to read/witness.

Perhaps even more than the love story, however, I appreciated the underlying themes about the power of music — as something that binds communities, and both hides and speaks truths, and as a kind of magic all to itself. Anyone who is a musician, or really loves music, will feel these ideas deeply.

At its heart of hearts, though, this is a story about secrets: secrets that bind people together, and tear them apart; secrets that weigh down a soul and a community. And about sacrifices: the sacrifices one is willing to make for power, and the sacrifices one is willing to make for love, all kinds of love that can save not only individuals but whole communities.

Just be prepared for a less-than-happy ending, which will hopefully (*fingers crossed*) come out alright in the sequel.

Though I have a long way to go, and many many books to read between now and the end of the year, I wouldn’t be surprised if this book ends up in my Top 5 favorite reads for 2022. Just saying.