I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
3.5 stars
Tashi has spent their life training to be an inhabitor, a soldier and a spy who kills usI received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
3.5 stars
Tashi has spent their life training to be an inhabitor, a soldier and a spy who kills using an animal they have bonded with. Tashi is bonded with a fierce and protective golden tiger. When the capital falls to a siege, Tashi flees to a monastery to hide, along with their tiger. However, when the invading army takes over the monastery to use as their own personal hospital, Tashi gets put in a dangerous position. Especially when they catch the eye of Xian, the regiment’s commander. Now Tashi has to spy on Xian, and they discover that Xian has a softer side that the men he commands don’t see.
The Tiger’s Watch is a good high fantasy read, the world building was good and the magic system was subtle, original, and interesting. There wasn’t too much info-dumping and the world building itself was all done very gradually and naturally which was good because a lot of info-dumping can really detract from the story. I would have liked to have known more about the cultures and why the Myeik were invading the Thim.
The Tiger’s Watch also has a genderfluid protagonist, Tashi. There were times when Tashi was misgendered, but it was almost always corrected on-page. Tashi was a… very complicated character and a very morally ambiguous character. They made some really bad choices at times, but there were some really good character development and Tashi did evolve throughout the book. I really liked Pharo, he was supportive, protective, kind and loyal. I would have loved to have seen more of him, but the sequel does seem to be from his POV which is exciting.
One of my favourite aspects of this book was Tashi and their link with their animal, Katala the golden tiger. I think Katala and Tashi were really well balanced and complemented each other really well. Katala was aggressive and protective, whereas Tashi was timid and calm.
The romance was ok, but not necessarily my favourite part. Tashi was in love with their best friend Pharo, and is attracted to Xian. I wasn’t too fond of her relationship with Xian, mainly because how aggressive and sadistic he was at times. Also because Tashi was a servant to Xian so there was this power imbalance which was addressed, but still.
Overall, The Tiger’s Watch was a good and diverse high fantasy with an interesting and original magical concept.
Merged review:
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
3.5 stars
Tashi has spent their life training to be an inhabitor, a soldier and a spy who kills using an animal they have bonded with. Tashi is bonded with a fierce and protective golden tiger. When the capital falls to a siege, Tashi flees to a monastery to hide, along with their tiger. However, when the invading army takes over the monastery to use as their own personal hospital, Tashi gets put in a dangerous position. Especially when they catch the eye of Xian, the regiment’s commander. Now Tashi has to spy on Xian, and they discover that Xian has a softer side that the men he commands don’t see.
The Tiger’s Watch is a good high fantasy read, the world building was good and the magic system was subtle, original, and interesting. There wasn’t too much info-dumping and the world building itself was all done very gradually and naturally which was good because a lot of info-dumping can really detract from the story. I would have liked to have known more about the cultures and why the Myeik were invading the Thim.
The Tiger’s Watch also has a genderfluid protagonist, Tashi. There were times when Tashi was misgendered, but it was almost always corrected on-page. Tashi was a… very complicated character and a very morally ambiguous character. They made some really bad choices at times, but there were some really good character development and Tashi did evolve throughout the book. I really liked Pharo, he was supportive, protective, kind and loyal. I would have loved to have seen more of him, but the sequel does seem to be from his POV which is exciting.
One of my favourite aspects of this book was Tashi and their link with their animal, Katala the golden tiger. I think Katala and Tashi were really well balanced and complemented each other really well. Katala was aggressive and protective, whereas Tashi was timid and calm.
The romance was ok, but not necessarily my favourite part. Tashi was in love with their best friend Pharo, and is attracted to Xian. I wasn’t too fond of her relationship with Xian, mainly because how aggressive and sadistic he was at times. Also because Tashi was a servant to Xian so there was this power imbalance which was addressed, but still.
Overall, The Tiger’s Watch was a good and diverse high fantasy with an interesting and original magical concept....more
disclaimer: I received this free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
rep: indian inspired characters, lesbian m/c's, f/f romance
contedisclaimer: I received this free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
rep: indian inspired characters, lesbian m/c's, f/f romance
content warning: violence, death, execution by burning, gender-based violence, body horror, forced drug use & addiction, homophobia.
The Jasmine Throne is a magical & epic indian inspired fantasy. It is an engrossing story of two women who are fighting for survival in a chaotic world, and who form an unlikely alliance to take back control. It's a story about the horrors of colonisation and the danger of power. It also has some really interesting magic involving plants!
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: sapphic (lesbian, I think) m/c, sapphic li, f/disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: sapphic (lesbian, I think) m/c, sapphic li, f/f romance, non-binary side character
The Winter Duke follows Ekata, who comes from the ruling family of Kylma Above - an icy city known for its connection to Kylma Below, who provide her family with magic. When her entire family fall under a strange sleeping sickness, Ekata is forced into the role of Grand Duke, a role she never wanted, and a role she is not prepared for. Ekata is forced into a world of danger, magic, and intrigue and she must do her best to come out of it alive.
Give me a snarky ruler and her charming wife trying to navigate a political and magical mess ANY DAY.
The Winter Duke is a solid political fantasy, and while I enjoyed it immensely, it could have been so much better. Ekata was a brilliant main character - she was witty, intelligent, stubborn, and impulsive but she was completely out of her depth. She's an extremely flawed and complex character and I really enjoyed her character arc throughout the novel, and how she came to understand and learn how to effectively wield her power, I just wished it happened a little sooner and we had more of that Ekata. Inkar was a favourite character of mine and in my personal opinion, a character that was massively underutilized. Their romance was top notch though, I loved every single one of their scenes.
The Winter Duke is a very plot and character-driven book, and so it won't be everyone's cup of tea. I am a huge fan of books which focus on politics and political intrigue, so it wasn't an issue for me. I enjoyed the plot, but there was so much more potential for the story, but I had a lot of fun reading this book so not too much of an issue! I loved the setting and it was extremely atmospheric.
The Winter Duke is a must read for those looking for a good YA political fantasy, and for those who like sapphic fantasy too....more
disclaimer: i received this free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
rep: black bi m/c, sapphic m/c (lesbian but never redisclaimer: i received this free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
rep: black bi m/c, sapphic m/c (lesbian but never really states on page), gay m/c
Queen of Volts was an epic conclusion to an epic series, and one of the very few series that I have actually finished and I think that just boils down to it having such a compelling story, an innovative world, and some really nuanced characters and some really great character dynamics, relationships, and romances.
I really enjoy reading about morally ambiguous characters and this is filled to the brim with them. My favourite character from this series is a hard one to pick, but I think I lean quite heavily towards Lola - our sapphic, grumpy, history nerd, and while I didn't necessarily enjoy her arc in this novel, her chapters were the ones I looked forward to the most because I just enjoy her as a character.
I really enjoyed the well-crafted story, and it is a consistently good aspect of this series - loads of moving parts, minor characters that play an important role, small trivial mysteries that are actually crucial to the whole story. So, I did really enjoy the mystery and the game unfolding and playing out, and all the little threads coming together. An excellent conclusion to an excellent series. A hugely enjoyable read that I'd highly recommend....more
disclaimer: i received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: british indo-guyanese lesbian m/c, lesbian lovdisclaimer: i received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rep: british indo-guyanese lesbian m/c, lesbian love interest, british indo-guyanese side characters
content warnings: death
Afterlove follows the bittersweet love story between Ash and Poppy, a journey of first love, but also a journey filled with tragedy, but also one full of hope. It's a sad story for sure, but it is also hopeful and heartwarming too.
Afterlove is also a 'paranormal' book, but in a really subtle sense, but also not in a subtle sense. It's kind of hard to describe. The first half of the novel is completely regular, it follows this beautiful and blossoming love between Ash and Poppy, but halfway through, the paranormal aspect is introduced, but it still takes a backseat to this love story. Ash becomes a grim reaper but struggles to leave her old life, and struggles to let death separate her from the girl she loves. I really loved this paranormal aspect - not really dead but not really alive, and like, grim reapers? More of this in YA, please.
It's a really subtle blend of contemporary romance with the paranormal, and Byrne does it splendidly.
Afterlove is a captivating love story filled to the brim with emotion, and an absolutely brilliant addition to the ukya market. It has a beautiful cover, and a beautiful story inside to match. ...more
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
rep: biracial Muslim m/c
'I have my own voice. I have my own st
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
rep: biracial Muslim m/c
'I have my own voice. I have my own story. I have my own name. It's Khayyam'.
Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know follows Khayyam, who is spending the summer in Paris. Devastated by a rejection of her essay to get into Chicago School of Art Institute, Khayyam is determined to try again – to prove her theory that Alexandre Dumas was gifted a painting by Eugène Delacroix. While investigating, she meets one of Dumas’ descendants and is determined more than ever to uncover what she believes to be a piece of missing history. Soon, she comes across the mention of a woman named Leila and becomes determined to uncover her story – the story of a woman who was just a name in others lives.
I am positive that Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know will be a hit for those who enjoy reading about art and art history. It delves into the works of Alexandre Dumas, Eugène Delacroix, and Lord Byron – hence the title. I don’t know a lot about poets or artists, and obviously a lot of it was fictionalized, but it was an element I enjoyed. There are two alternative timelines happening in Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know, one follows our amateur art historian Khayyam uncovering secrets and histories, and the other follows a woman named Leila – a woman who lived two hundred years ago in the Ottoman empire. I really enjoyed these interwoven stories.
Our protagonist Khayyam is great – she’s inquisitive and persistent but also reckless and romantic. She’s passionate and protective about Leila and her story. I also really loved her exploration of her identity:
“I live in between spaces. The borders between nations, the invisible hypen between words, the wide chasm between “one of us” and me alone. French American. Indian American. Muslim American. Biracial. Interfaith. Child of immigrants.
I really enjoyed the French setting – it was vivid and atmospheric, and also romantic. Her romance with Alexandre Dumas, a descendant of the Alexandre Dumas was *adorable*.
Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know is a book about stories and about histories. It is about how we all have stories to tell and it’s about who remembers us and about who doesn’t. It’s about how we are all connected, in the end. It looks into women and how their histories and their stories tend to be forgotten, how history, especially women’s history, is rewritten predominantly by men. It is a story about truth, having agency, and being heard.
The reason I am only giving this 3 stars is that the middle of the novel was a little slow and less enticing than the beginning and the end so it struggled to hold my attention for a little while. Ultimately, though, Mad, Bad & Dangerous to know is a fun novel about stories, history, art, and has a little treasure hunt.
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
rep: black bi m/c, Japanese sapphic li, black side characters
Caradisclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
rep: black bi m/c, Japanese sapphic li, black side characters
Cara is a traverser of worlds, a traverser of the multiverse. The only downside is that in order to visit a world, their counterpart must already be dead. In all of the 382 worlds that have been unlocked, Cara is dead in all but 8. Cara is from the Ashtown, a wasteland that was hard to survive – if it wasn’t the lack of resources that killed you, it was violence. The job of being a traverser means she can live in the safety of Wiley City. When one of the 8 remaining Cara’s dies under suspicious circumstances, Cara is thrust into a world that reveal secrets that puts the entire multiverse in danger.
The Space Between Worlds was what I was hoping for and more. It was an intriguing and compelling novel about parallel universes and doppelgängers. It takes place in a sort of dystopian world with a brilliant blend of science fiction where there is a huge class divide between Wiley City and Ashtown. Wiley City takes care of its citizens, it is a place for the rich and a place for extravagance. It views the Mad Max-esque setting of Ashtown as ‘exotic’ and treats as a sort of tourist attraction, appropriating their culture but always looking down on them.
‘Wiley City is like the sun, and Ashtown a black hole; it’s impossible to hover in between without being torn apart.’
The Space Between Worlds has some really great nuanced discussions about class, abuse, identity, race, and colonisation and also about survival. Those from Ashtown are the ideal traversers because citizens from Wiley City have a life expectancy that is too high, and those from Ashtown tend to survive purely because of luck. This meant that there was an opportunity to have those discussions about class and who is typically from those lower classes – black and brown people. The social commentary was spot on.
Cara, our protagonist is fucking glorious – she’s so complex and flawed, she was such an intriguing character to follow. She’s sarcastic, angry, and torn between her connection to Ashtown and her desperation to be useful to Wiley City. She is determined, cunning, and stubborn. She’s a survivor and a liar. I just loved her and her story so much. She has such a great character arc throughout this novel that she truly is the best part of The Space Between Worlds.
‘Why have I survived? Because I am a creature more devious than all the other mes put together… I survive the desert like a coyote survives, like all tricksters do. “Luck, I guess,” I say, because the first thing a monster learns is when to lie.’
The Space Between Worlds also has some superb relationships. I absolutely adored Cara’s relationship with her step-sister Esther – it was a powerful relationship. I also enjoyed her relationship with her loving mentor Jean, who was also a father figure to her. But my favourite relationship was with Dell, her watcher – the person who watches her when she traversers and keeps her as safe as is possible. I loved their relationship and the tension was palpable.
‘Of course, humanity couldn’t just look. We had to enter. We had to touch and taste and take. But the universe said no.’
I’ve already mentioned about how I enjoyed the world and the social commentary but I also really enjoyed the science fiction aspect, and I really enjoyed the subtle addition of the spiritual too and I loved the addition of Nyame and the questions of is she real, it she not?
The Space Between Worlds is a book about survival, identity, class, and race. It has some great social commentary, a formidable protagonist, and an intense f/f romance. It is a science fiction novel that I highly recommend.
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
content warnings: rape, domestic abuse, murder, violence, drug usedisclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
content warnings: rape, domestic abuse, murder, violence, drug use, addiction
rep: biracial side characters (black, white), lesbian side character
Mayhem was... a weird one, not necessarily in a bad way as I do love a weird book but it didn't always work. There were a lot of things to like about Mayhem - it's fierce and loving protagonist, the reclamation of power, and a family history full of... magic? Mayhem is a Brayburn and in the coastal town of Santa Maria, California her family are something, feared and revered due to a secret mystery - some sort of magic, a power that runs through the female lineage in her family. It's a story about grief, love, and family, and about recovering from addiction and abuse and about overcoming and learning ways to cope with fear and vulnerability. Like I said, it has it's good bits but considering the story, it was not as atmospheric as it could have been so the weirdness didn't always... work?
The Bone Shard Daughter is an epic fantasy, slow-paced but compelling, with a slow-burn mystery, plenty of magic, a cute animal companion, and a brewing rebellion.
The Bone Shard Daughter follows numerous different character from their perspectives. We have Lin, who is heir to the empire. She feels as though her father doesn't think her worthy enough to learn what they call 'bone-shard magic', magic that uses shards of bones from the empire's people to create constructs - animal-like creatures with orders given using magic on the bones within them. Tired of waiting, she sets out to learn these secrets on her own. Then we have Jovis, a smuggler, who is searching for his missing wife taken from him years ago. He searches the endless sea looking for a ship with blue sails. He's soon dragged into something bigger - a sinking island, a strange creature, and a resistance wanting to tear down the empire. Then we have Phalue and her partner Ranami. Phalue is the daughter and heir to Nephilanu Island's governor. Phalue and Ranami clash repeatedly over their beliefs. Ranami believes that Phalue should do more to help the people of her island, rather than avoid it. When Phalue discovers that Ranami is conspiring with the Shardless Few to take down the empire, Phalue has to confront her privilege. Finally, we have Sand, lost on an island with forgotten memories.
I think one of the things I really loved about The Bone Shard Daughter was how all of these threads and separate storylines all come together.
The Bone Shard Daughter also features some really great worldbuilding and a really intriguing magic system using people's bones. I really enjoyed reading Lin discovering how to use this magic in secret, and using her father's creations for her own agenda, and the mystery surrounding this magic, and how it is being used. I enjoyed Phalue and Ranami's storyline, but I felt like this got pushed to the background a little bit which was a shame.
If you are looking for a magical fantasy with intricate worldbuilding, and a mystery brimming with secrets then The Bone Shard Daughter is a book for you. ...more
disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ryx is the granddaughter of a Witch Lord of Vaskandar. Witch Ldisclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ryx is the granddaughter of a Witch Lord of Vaskandar. Witch Lords and their magic are tied to the land of their realm and it is their duty to protect the land and its people – it is a magic of life. In Gloamingard, her grandmother's castle in Morgrain, her ancestors have guarded a dark tower for millenniums, its secret and its magic guarded – although they don’t know why. They know one thing, ‘Nothing must unseal the Door’. One day, however, Ryx catches a political envoy attempting to enter and one thing leads to another and the door is opened and its magic is, momentarily, unleashed. This leads to a political and magical disaster which Ryx, and an organisation that deals in magical emergencies, attempts to navigate.
rep: bi m/c, non-binary side character, lesbian side characters, side f/f romance
I requested The Obsidian Tower on a whim and I’m so glad I did. My favourite part, that I loved, was the politics. It isn’t a YA book – our protagonist is 21 – but it definitely has cross-over appeal so don’t let that put you off. The Obsidian Tower had a little rocky start, but it soon dragged me in. It’s a very slow-paced book. It is very much about the unstable political environment on the continent of Eruvia between Vaskandar and The Serene Empire. It is about our main character, Ryx, trying to avert war with diplomacy. Tensions are high and war is brewing. I really felt the urgency of what Ryx was trying to achieve. It is also a book full of high stakes – personal, political, and also magical.
The world-building was fantastic. I loved the idea of Witch Lords and the connection to the land, I also really enjoyed the discussions about the differences in how both Vaskandar and The Serene Empire treated mages and those with magic. The Rookery was also an interesting organisation – an independent group formed to investigate magical artifacts and emergencies. I loved it – all of it.
Ryx, as stated before, is the daughter of the Witch Lord of Morgrain, a domain of Vaskandar. Her grandmother- The Lady of Owls – controls the land in her domain through magic. Ryx, however, doesn’t possess this magic – her magic is full of destruction and death. Everything she touches dies. She is the family outcast. Despite this, she has managed to carve a place in her realm with her political skills, and while she will never be able to protect her people using the land like her grandmother, she can protect them using her skills at diplomacy. And that was what I truly loved about Ryx and her passion to protect her people, I loved her smarts, her drive, and her fortitude. I loved the friendships she gained with the Rookery, and I really adored the super slow-burn m/f enemies to lovers romance.
One of my favourite relationships in The Obsidian Tower was Ryx relationship with her grandmother. I don’t really want to accidentally spoil anything, but it is wonderfully complex and I just really enjoyed it.
Overall, I would highly recommend The Obsidian Tower for fans of fantasy politics, magic, and complicated family dynamics....more
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A Song Below Water follows both Tavia and Effie in the aftermath disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A Song Below Water follows both Tavia and Effie in the aftermath of the murder of a Black woman who was, apparently, also a siren. Tavia is forced to keep her siren identity under wraps because not only is it dangerous to be a Black woman, but also a siren. But when she accidentally lets her voice out during a police traffic stop, her secret no longer feels like a secret. Effie’s past soon comes back to haunt her and she has to try and uncover the secret as to what she is. As both girls discover their magical identities and what it means to them, they also face the challenges of today’s racism and sexism.
rep: black m/c’s, latino side character
content warnings: the murder of a Black woman, racism, police brutality
‘Black and female and a siren is just layers upon layers of trauma’.
A Song Below Water is a compelling novel about racism, and, more specifically, misogynoir. It is filled with interesting mythology set in an alternative Portland and has a wonderful relationship between Effie and Tavia – best friends but actually more like sisters. The beginning was a little difficult to get into due to the presence of mythological beings in a world like our own where it appears to be the norm but once I found my footing I was dragged into a compelling and important story about the dangers and injustices Black women face.
A Song Below Water is set in an alternative Portland where sirens, gargoyles, eloko’s, sprites, and mermaids exist and it is the norm of the world. However, not all are treated equally. Tavia is a siren, and her voice has power and that is why sirens are considered dangerous. She is also Black. In a world where being a Black woman is dangerous enough, she feels it is even more important to keep her siren identity secret. I loved Tavia and I really loved going on this journey with her where she truly discovers who she is and her place in the world and I loved watching her use her power for activism and to let the world know that siren’s and Black Lives Matter.
Effie was also a favourite. Her story focused on trying to figure out what she is. She is haunted by her past and struggles to escape it, but that past is catching up and she is struggling to outrun it. The mystery surrounding Effie and her mythical identity was really compelling and interesting. Her friendship with Tavia goes futher than just being best friends, there is a real sense of sisterhood between the two and I really loved the unconditional love and support the two had for each other.
A Song Below Water calls out racism and misogynoir. It puts a spotlight on the injustices that Black women face in not just this alternative Portland but in our own real world. We see it all over the news, and this book truly screams that Black Lives Matter. It calls out the hypocrisy and safety of white allies, discusses police brutality, and it also discusses the importance of protest and the anger that they feel at all the injustice and violence Black people face and the need to do something.
‘The sun is shining but there’s gonna be a storm. My skin is goose-pimpled, an unseen sharpness dancing in the air and prickling me everywhere I’m exposed.’
disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Seven Prophets have guided civilisation for centuries with disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Seven Prophets have guided civilisation for centuries with their prophecies – they ended wars and united nations using their gifts of foretelling. However, one day, they suddenly vanished. With lack of guidance, the world descends into fear and chaos and a new power rises. There was, however, one final secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new and final prophet. This prophecy mentions harbingers-who will either be the world’s salvation, or it’s destruction.
rep: gay m/c, brown m/c’s
content warnings: violence, death, childhood abuse, ptsd, depictions of drowning & being burned
I’ve been on such a roll with fantasy recently, i’ve read some excellent ones, such as The Midnight Lie, Queen of Coin and Whispers, and Girl, Serpent, Thorn. I had heard some mixed things about this so went into There Will Come a Darkness with lower expectations but, suprisingly, I really enjoyed it. In the UK, There Will Come a Darkness is being marketed as an adult fantasy novel, but I know in the US it is being marketed as a YA fantasy but it will definitely appeal to fans of both!
One of my favourite aspects of There Will Come a Darkness is the magic and the Prophets. After the Prophets dissapeared, the Witnesses grew in power, led by the Hierophant. The Witnesses despise the Graced-people who have magic- as they tend to be rulers and in the Witnesses eyes, opressors. I really enjoyed the complexities of the magic and the detail that went into the history of the world. World-building is incredibly important for a novel like this, but Katy Rose Pool definitely has a talent for it.
There Will Come a Darkness features an ensemble cast and I really love books that do this well. Our characters, who are connected by an apocalyptic prophecy, are as follows:
Hassan, a prince exiled from his kingdom. Ephyra, a ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand Jude, a paladin, a once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart Anton, a reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone but he’s also running from his past and finally, Beru, a dying girl filled with grief and guilt and on the verge of giving up
Each of these characters really do bring something special to this story and as the story goes on, you discover how each are linked to the propecy. I really enjoyed how each individual storyline sort of intertwines with each other. I absolutely adored the sibling relationship between Ephyra and Beru and I loved Ephyra’s moral ambiguity- she will do anything for her sister no matter the cost but Beru is struggling to shoulder the guilt she feels. I enjoyed their interactions with Anton too. Jude- a favourite of mine – is a holy warrior brought up with one single goal, to protect the final prophet. However, he struggles to put his duty before his heart. I really love paladins, especially paladins that will stop at nothing to protect those they care about. (It is also strongly implied Jude is also gay). Anton, a scared and soft boy!! I love him. My least favourite is Hassan, his chapters were the least compelling, it’s just such a shame he seemed to have the most!
There Will Come a Darkness is a compelling and immersive fantasy adventure featuring paladins, rogues, princes, and seers. Highly recommend for fans of the genre....more
Disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Dangerous Remedy follows Camille and her battalion as they attDisclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Dangerous Remedy follows Camille and her battalion as they attempt daring rescues of those about to meet a bloody end at the blade of a guillotine. Camille is a revolutionary’s daughter, but she is not necessarily a friend of the Revolution. When their most recent rescue doesn’t go to plan, and they find themselves in the company of a scared but powerful girl, the team now find themselves in the sights of both the Royalists and the Revolutionaries. But who is she really? and who can she trust?
rep: bi m/c, black m/c, biracial lesbian m/c, gay m/c
trigger warnings: violence, death, human experimentations, gore
Dangerous Remedy, while quite serious and dark at times, was just a purely fun read. A f/f relationship? A bi love triangle? found family? a dark & mysterious girl? lots of witty humour? lots of swashbuckling action? the french revolution???? It’s hard not to fall in love with this book.
I really do love a good opening, and Dangerous Remedy had a really great introduction to each character – action-packed and humorous. It really drags you into the story and from the very first page, you are already rooting for this ragtag group of do-gooders.
Dangerous Remedy takes place during the French Revolution and the reign of terror led by Robespierre – a time when anyone who was suspected as not being loyal to the Revolution could be arrested and killed via guillotine. Dunn managed to create a really atmospheric and captivating setting that really drags you into the story. There was an added element of ‘magic’, but it was quite subtle and, in a way, realistic.
The writing style was easy to read so that made it a nice, quick, and enjoyable read. It’s a fast-paced novel full of twists and turns, and as a reader, you are dragged along for a fast, intense, and thrilling ride.
I loved each and every character, and there was a really great f/f relationship between Camille and Ada, complex and fully fleshed out. Each with their own wants, needs, and their own doubts about the relationship. What I would have loved more of though, is maybe a little more time spent exploring the friendships between the other characters, and also exploring Al, Guil, and Olympe in a little more depth too.
Overall, Dangerous Remedy is an exciting and fun adventure featuring a brilliant ragtag team trying to uncover the truth and protect a new friend while fighting off both royalists and revolutionaries.
Disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After her uncle’s passing, Lia has become Queen. It is what sheDisclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
After her uncle’s passing, Lia has become Queen. It is what she has been waiting her entire life for, to rule how she wishes to rule. To change things. Her country is bankrupt, and dangers are everywhere – in her court, in parliament, and from their neighbouring countries. If she wants to push through her reforms, she needs to beat the Court at it’s own games, and for that, she needs a spy-master. Xania has been on a quest for revenge ever since her father died. She believes it to be murder, and she knows exactly who did it. So when the opportunity comes along to become the Queen’s spy-master to take down the man responsible for her father’s death, she doesn’t hesitate.
rep: lesbian m/c’s, brown m/c, gay, lesbian, and bi side characters
Queen of Coin and Whispers is a brilliant fantasy novel full of secrets, sabotage, and political intrigue. Queen of Coin and Whispers follows both Lia, a newly crowned and idealistic queen, and Xania, her newly appointed spy-master out for vengeance. The relationship between the two becomes one of mutual trust and respect, and soon becomes an intense love story between the two women. Lia and Xania were just so fucking great, individually and as a couple. I’ve been reading so many great fantasies with sapphic romances recently and I’m so here for it.
I absolutely adored the political intrigue, a divided Parliament and Court all determined to see the new Queen fail? the discussions into power and how difficult it can be to push reforms through? the secrets, deceit, and betrayals? it was some good stuff. But what I loved most is the different ways that women navigated through the environment. The women in this novel are ambitious, unapologetic, ruthless, driven, intelligent, witty, kind, and soft. They are multi-faceted and so many hold power! I loved how it showed different ways in gaining power, some were brash, some were deceitful, some honest, some women were feared and some were underestimated, some handled power behind the scenes, while some were visible. Women being underestimated and using that to their advantage will always be my favourite thing.
Queen of Coin and Whispers was a long book, but honestly? Not long enough. I would LOVE it if Helen Corcoran revisited this world in future books, I’d love the read some novels set in the neighbouring countries.
I would recommend Queen of Coin and Whispers to anyone who liked The Priory of the Orange Tree but are looking for something with less pages!! Also, for obvious reasons, I would highly recommend if you enjoy sapphic romances and fantasies....more
Disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Camino Rios can’t wait for summer, because it is when her father Disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Camino Rios can’t wait for summer, because it is when her father comes to visit her in the Dominican Republic. But when she gets to the airport to meet her father, she is met by crowds of crying people. In New York, Yahaira Rios is called out of class and into the principle’s office where her mother is waiting for her. Her fathers plane has crashed and he, unfortunately, has died. Clap When You Land is an emotional and moving story about two sisters learning of the existence of each other.
content warning: plane crash, death of a parent, grief, threat of rape, attempted sexual assault
rep: Dominican m/c’s, lesbian m/c, black LI
Clap When You Land is my first Elizabeth Acevedo novel, but I’ve heard phenomenal things about her as a writer — my co-blogger Lauren has read both The Poet X and With The Fire On High and has nothing but good things to say. I went into Clap When You Land kind of expecting to love it and oh boy, it did not disappoint. Clap When You Land is told in verse and I love verse, but don’t read it often.
Clap When You Land has an emotive narrative; it’s sharp and it’s poignant. It’s heartwarming and heart-breaking at the same time. It is about uncovering secrets, finding the truth, discovering family and community, and also it’s a story about discovering yourself in the darkest of times. It’s about loss but it’s also about gaining something too – hope, love, family. At its heart, it is a story of sisterhood.
I loved both Camino and Yahaira and I really loved their relationship. It’s a complicated one, for obvious reasons, but I enjoyed watching them discover each other, share their grief and their anger, and also come to realise that their father was not perfect, but he loved them both unconditionally.
They each both had their own struggles. Yahaira had never visited her parent’s country, and she struggled with what that meant for her identity:
‘If you asked me what I was, & you meant in terms of culture, I’d say Dominican. No Hesitation, no question about it. You can find the island stamped all over me, but what would the island find if I was there? Can you claim a home that does not know you, much less claim you as its own?’
There was also a f/f romance with Dre. It was only a small part, but lovely – supportive and cute and it was best friends to lovers!
Camino also had her own struggles in the Dominican Republic. With her father’s protection gone, the local pimp sets his eyes on Camino. He’s cruel and predatory. All Camino wants is to escape – to study pre-med in the United States.
Like I mentioned earlier, I loved the relationship between Camino and Yahaira, but I also loved the role that both Camino’s aunt and Yahaira mother played in both the girls lives. I loved the community spirit and I loved how it highlighted the endurance and strength of women.
Clap When You Land is a story of two girls seperated by countries but brought together by tragedy. A novel I would highly recommend if you enjoy verse novels and if you enjoy powerful and emotive stories....more
disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Nirrim lives in the Ward, a walled off city within a city where odisclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Nirrim lives in the Ward, a walled off city within a city where oppression and inequality thrive . She is Half Kith – they are forbidden from wearing colour, tasting food with flavour, or doing anything above their class. If rules are broken, a tithe must be paid, whether it is hair, blood, or even body parts. It’s grim and it’s punishing, but they accept it. When Nirrim meets Sid, a traveller from across the sea, she tempts Nirrim to question everything she has ever known and to uncover the secrets of the Ward.
The Midnight Lie is a brilliantly written fantasy novel full of magic, secrets, and hidden histories. The Midnight Lie is a very character-driven story and is far from action-heavy, but there is a compelling mystery which is expertly weaved throughout the story that has a delightful and shocking reveal towards the end – I can’t wait for the next book!!
‘It is a midnight lie, she said. A kind of lie told for someone else’s sake, a lie that sits between goodness and wrong, just as midnight is the moment between night and morning. Or a lie that is not technically false, like a misleading truth.’
The Midnight Lie has one of the best slow-burn romances I’ve ever read. It is a f/f romance between Nirrim, our protagonist, and Sid, a traveller. The two have an intense relationship full of longing, stolen glances, witty conversations, playful banter, and lots of sexual tension.There is a class imbalance between the two. Nirrim is used to simplicity because it is all she has ever known, she doesn’t question the rules because no one else does. Yet when Sid comes along, her whole worldview changes. Sid, who is laid back, feigns indifference, takes certain luxuries for granted, and trades in secrets, encourages Nirrim to question everything around her.
The Midnight Lie also delves deep into class divisions and inequality, which is usually a hit with me. It shows the higher classes, mainly High Kith, indulging in extravagant luxuries that are made by or from the lowest class, the Half-Kith. A phrase that is used often is ‘it is as it is‘ – this is the reason no one questions the divisions. Towards the end it is revealed how this class sytem came into being and it was riveting, I really enjoyed the reveal.
The secrets that Nirrim and Sid are attempting to uncover is that of magic – is it actually magic, where does it come from, who controls it? I really adored this aspect and how it related to Nirrim and how it impacted upon her character arc. I enjoyed the mythology and the pantheon of gods. Excellent and innovative worldbuilding.
The Midnight Lie is a book I would highly recommend to those looking for a sapphic romance in a high fantasy setting but also for those who crave a good fantasy novel about secrets, deception, and magic....more
Disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess curDisclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. Soraya has been hidden away from the world, safe only when she is in her gardens tending to her roses. She is not allowed outside her room, but has become accustomed to sneaking out anyway. When a demon is caught who may hold the answers to breaking her curse.
content warning: imprisonment, death
rep: bi brown m/c, persian inspired setting
Girl, Serpent, Thorn is a Persian inspired fairy tale about a princess who was cursed to be poisonous to the touch. It is a story brimming with intrigue, lies, betrayal, power, and monsters. It features a slow-burn f/f romance between two morally grey characters. It was actually a book that finally dragged me out of a months long reading slump.
There were so many great things about Girl, Serpent, Thorn and it is a book easy to praise. If you enjoy novels full of secrets and betrayals then this is the book for you. There is plot twist after plot twist, and reveals that you never see coming.
One of the best aspects of Girl, Serpent, Thorn though was Soraya and her character arc and the development she goes through. Her story, ultimately, is one about power and about her curse. At the start of the novel, Soraya, who is cursed to be deadly to the touch, sees her curse as just that – a curse that stops her living her life to her true potentional. It is horrible, cruel, and makes her a monster.
But what I truly loved about this story was how she becomes to question what this curse actually is to her because it actually gives her one thing she strives for – power. Power to protect herself, power to make people fear her, power to get what she wants, power to make her own choices. I loved this internal conflict she had – did that want for power make her a monster? One thing I love, is morally ambiguous characters!! In the end, what made her most powerful was the power of choice, which I loved.
There is also a brillaint f/f romance between two morally gray characters, our main character Soraya, and a demon – both characters feel like they need to atone for their sins. But what I loved most about the two was how they made each other feel safe and unashamed to be who they truly are: ‘What she needed tonight was another monster’.
Overall, another brilliant sapphic fantasy that you need on your tbr pile....more
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