Review: Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

Title: Fathomfolk [Drowned World #1]
Author: Eliza Chan
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Publication Date: Feb 27, 2024
Publisher: Orbit
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Synopsis:

Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears.
 
But in the semi-flooded city, humans are, quite literally, on peering down from skyscrapers and aerial walkways on the fathomfolk — sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas—who live in the polluted waters below.
 
For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to reform. At last, she has the ear of the city council and a chance to lift the repressive laws that restrict fathomfolk at every turn. But if earning the trust and respect of her human colleagues wasn’t hard enough, everything Mira has worked towards is put in jeopardy when a water dragon is exiled to the city.
 
New arrival Nami is an aristocratic water dragon with an opinion on everything. Frustrated by the lack of progress from Mira’s softly-softly approach in gaining equality, Nami throws her lot in with an anti-human extremist group, leaving Mira to find the headstrong youth before she makes everything worse.
 
And pulling strings behind everything is Cordelia, a second-generation sea-witch determined to do what she must to survive and see her family flourish, even if it means climbing over the bodies of her competitors. Her political game-playing and underground connections could disrupt everything Nami and Mira are fighting for.
 
When the extremists sabotage the annual boat race, violence erupts, as does the clampdown on fathomfolk rights. Even Nami realises her new friends are not what they seem. Both she and Mira must decide if the cost of change is worth it, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.

Review:

Not my first ever gifted book from Orbit being an absolute dud. I have never been so disappointed by an anticipated release. The fact that this is categorised as adult fantasy is criminal.

The world building in Fathomfolk is immaculate – from the political systems, to the Fathomfolk races, to the hierarchal classes within their military and government, to the machinations in the background, to their history and lore – everything is so detailed and well established that you feel like you’ve just popped into this fantastically flawed world. It mirrors ours so well in its discourse around politics, immigration, history, and activism. The fact that this was so well built is a testament to Eliza Chan’s skills.

This skill bled into her characters, to an extent. I appreciated seeing Mira as a biracial half-siren, half-human struggle between worlds. Not human enough to be respected by humans, not Fathomfolk enough to be respected by Fathomfolk. It vibed well with real feelings that mixed people often have to contend with.

Serena was also a very interesting character, as she has her own plans and machinations in the background as she pulled strings and threads together to fulfill her personal goals.

And then there was Nami. Fricking Nami. She’s young and brash and naive, and just happens to be the catalyst to like half the problems in this book. I really wish Nami would just not. As Kai’s younger sister, she’s always been very head strong, up in her righteous anger, and ready for action, and despite mistake after mistake, she never learns to sit down and think critically about anything before acting and it literally kills people. I was so frustrated with her from the start, and it only got worse over time. I feel like there’s a statement somewhere in there about young and impressionable people jumping head first into activism without all the facts, but I’m not even going to look that deep. If that was the lesson I was supposed to take away from this book, then it should’ve been a YA novel.

The fact that half of this book’s plot is people not realizing that their actions have consequences, that knocking down one domino takes out the whole lot, is wild to me. Like that’s not plot, that’s chaos. The only standout to me is the Kai is an angel amongst hellions. He was too good for everyone else in this book.

I’m not even going to touch the end of this book with a ten-foot pole. Thank you, next.

All in all, an absolute disappointment. The setup was strong, but this was a miss for me.

TW: racism (speci-ism?), classism, torture, death, murder, blood, injury detail, drug abuse, addiction, sexism; mentions fetishization, sexual assault

Plot: 1/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 1/5
Overall: 1/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.41/5

Finished copy gifted by Orbit in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin

Title: Rebel Skies
Author: Ann Sei Lin
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Feb 13, 2024
Publisher: Tundra Books
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Synopsis:

Kurara has never known any other life than being a servant onboard the Midori, a flying ship serving the military elite of the Mikoshiman Empire, a vast realm of floating cities. Kurara also has a secret — she can make folded paper figures come to life with a flick of her finger. But when the Midori is attacked and Kurara’s secret turns out to be a power treasured across the empire, a gut-wrenching escape leads her to the gruff Himura, who takes her under his wing. Under Himura’s tutelage, and with the grudging support and friendship of his crew, Kurara learns to hunt shikigami — wild paper spirits sought after by the Princess of Mikoshima.

But what does the princess really want with the shikigami? Are they merely enchanted figures without will or thought, or are they beings with souls and minds of their own? As fractures begin to appear both across the empire and within Kurara’s understanding of herself, Kurara will have to decide who she can trust. Her fate, and the fate of her friends — and even the world — may rest on her choice. And time is running out.

Review:

This felt like YA ADSOM meets Pokemon ethics, which is a very specific niche, but it worked.

The real star of this book is the world building – the dynamics of the political system, the concept of paper magic and shikigami, the flying ships and pirate-esque vibes of the crew – it was all so well developed, I felt like I was in the world. This is definitely where the ADSOM comparison come in – the depth of the world-building and the unique magic system made me feel like I was a part of the action.

Pokemon ethics is very specific, but the concept of these magical paper creatures, shikigami, having a master versus having autonomous thoughts feelings and the ethics behind it was a huge part of the story. What gives people the right to have governance over something/someone else? Because they’re magical creature, why aren’t they allowed the right to live freely? It provides interesting insight into a similar kind of ethics system and was a huge part of Kurara’s story line. Honestly, one of the aspects of the story I found most interesting as her own history and shikigami history and autonomy was explored more.

I also liked the three POVs and how they contrasted each other in thought and end-goals, and how they helped to build the world. It felt like we got more of the larger picture as a result of the three POVs as well as different perspectives regarding politics and magic. That being said, I feel like this gave less time for character and relationship building – Kurara’s POV was mostly ethics and Haru focused; Himura’s POV looked more at Kurara’s training and Crafters’ knowledge limitations, as much of their history was lost; and the Interlude POV that was focused on the Sorabito people and the Sohma rebellion. There wasn’t much room for the secondary characters as a result, and it felt like we didn’t really get to the hearts of our three leads either because there was a lot to juggle.

While there was an overarching plot to this book, the end felt abrupt. We were left with a lot of loose ends, and while I know this is a trilogy, I felt like there wasn’t anything solidly settled by the end and it felt unfinished as a result. I definitely will pick up the second book, as I’m so curious about the shikigami and exploring more of that magic system, but I do hope future instalments delve deeper into the characters and their relationships to one another.

TW: fire/fire injury, death, murder, injury detail, animal death (paper animal death, not dog), kidnapping (of sorts), slavery (of magical creatures), militaristic abuse of power; mentions war

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.87/5

ARC gifted by Tundra Books via Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Blood Heir by Amélie Wen Zhao

Title: Blood Heir
Author: Amélie Wen Zhao
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Nov 19, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
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Synopsis:

In the Cyrilian Empire, Affinites are reviled. Their varied gifts to control the world around them are deemed unnatural–even dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, is one of the most terrifying Affinites.

Ana’s ability to control blood has long been kept secret, but when her father, the emperor, is murdered, she is the only suspect. Now, to save her own life, Ana must find her father’s killer. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is one where corruption rules and a greater conspiracy is at work–one that threatens the very balance of Ana’s world.

There is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to the conspiracy’s core: Ramson Quicktongue. Ramson is a cunning crime lord with sinister plans–though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.

Review:

I don’t know how I feel about this one. It presented an interesting depiction of slavery and indenturement positioned in a world outside of the Americas. But the execution kind of fell apart at the end.

Ramson was not the hardened criminal mastermind we were promised. He does think through his plans, but, whether it’s his age or his original privilege, he is outsmarted by basically everyone he comes across. Some of his plans bear fruits, but he really does go through it, at the end of the day, despite all his planning. I did love how his character was fleshed out through flashbacks, but I couldn’t get behind his overall characterization.

The same goes for Ana. She’s said to be fierce and a badass, but she loses her battles often too. She doesn’t have a good handle on her power and her own limitations (until suddenly at the end). Again, I loved how her story is built up, but there’s definitely something missing from her.

It was so interesting seeing the Affinites’ different powers. It really helped with the world building and the magic. Again, the slavery and indenturement aspect was so interesting and full of nuance in a way that breaks your heart. Additionally, the rebellion is presented in a way that you want to get behind, but also notes the impact and consequences of overcorrection. There are a lot of questions of morality, particularly what action goes too far? At what point is the hero a villain?

Lastly, the end was so staged. I hated how dramatic it was cause I thought of the solution immediately and it made me mad that everything was just yelling in a court room. Felt flimsy, though, again, I guess it was the age showing, in that Ana believed yelling crimes out in court would really change the tides. I don’t know. This was a miss for me for the most part, but I truly do feel like this will set up the rest of the series well. I’m also curious to see how Amelie’s writing improves as I go through her repertoire.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
World Building: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 2/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.83/5

Review: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Title: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands
Author: Heather Fawcett
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Publication Date: Jan 16, 2023
Publisher: Del Rey
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Synopsis:

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore, and has catalogued many secrets of the Hidden Folk in her encyclopaedia with her infuriatingly charming fellow scholar, Wendell Bambleby, by her side.

But Bambleby is more than just a brilliant and unbearably handsome scholar. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, in search of a door back to his realm.

By lucky happenstance, Emily’s new project, a map of the realms of faerie, will take them on an adventure to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.

But with new friendships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors, and of her own heart.

Review:

My baby (Emily) is learning to love and it is beautiful!

Emily is trying to help Wendall on his quest, which immediately involves the foot of a faerie, her niece (Ariadne), and their grumpy high-handed Dean (Rose). A couple assassination attempts later, they end up in Germany.

This adventure had a lot more relationship building than book 1. Emily is overwhelmingly surrounded by people she doesn’t really know – Ariadne and Rose – but isn’t sure she really likes for different reasons, Wendall and his oddness, a new village of people, and Folk that are angry at their appearance. I enjoyed her one-on-one moments with each character as she starts to (probably accidentally) deepen those relationships.

I did find I wanted to see her ease into her relationship with Wendall. Their moments felt… Odd. Not like the ones in book 1, and I can’t explain what it is. There was always ease to them, but I feel like his personality wasn’t nearly as big as it was in book one and hers wasn’t nearly as cantankerous. I think I wanted to see more of that development on page for me to buy into some of the stuff that happened, but otherwise, I still love them both so much!

We get new Faerie friends, some old ones, and a whole new mystery and adventure in this installment – plus the announcement of book 3!!

All in all, I’m in love with this series and I cannot wait to see what happens next!!

TW: injury detail, violence, blood, animal death (not dog), gore, murder

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.58/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Del Rey via Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong

Title: Foul Heart Huntsman [Foul Lady Fortune #2]
Author: Chloe Gong
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Publication Date: Sept 26, 2023
Publisher: McElderry Books
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Winter is drawing thick in 1932 Shanghai, as is the ever-nearing threat of a Japanese invasion.

Rosalind Lang has suffered the worst possible fate for a national spy: she’s been exposed. With the media storm camped outside her apartment for the infamous Lady Fortune, she’s barely left her bedroom in weeks, plotting her next course of action after Orion was taken and his memories of Rosalind wiped. Though their marriage might have been a sham, his absence hurts her more than any physical wound. She won’t rest until she gets him back.

But with her identity in the open, the task is near impossible. The only way to leave the city and rescue Orion is under the guise of a national tour. It’s easy to convince her superiors that the countryside needs unity more than ever, and who better than an immortal girl to stir pride and strength into the people?

When the tour goes wrong, however, everything Rosalind once knew is thrown up in the air. Taking refuge outside Shanghai, old ghosts come into the open and adversaries turn to allies. To save Orion, they must find a cure to his mother’s traitorous invention and take this dangerous chemical weapon away from impending foreign invasion—but the clock is ticking, and if Rosalind fails, it’s not only Orion she loses, but her nation itself.

Review:

PTERODACTYL SCREECHING

I cannot believe this series is done.

I feel like I have been propelled through the last few years by this series. Like life might suck, but there’s still more Secret Shanghai to read. I don’t even know what to do now that this series. I feel like these characters have become family and while I adore this conclusion to such a tumultuous series, I still want MORE (Queen Chloe, please send us a collection of shorts stories around Alisa, I am begging you).

This definitely felt more like a final farewell. but it still had some of Chloe Gong’s trademark twists. With all the characters, new and old, coming together for one last fight, this felt like the perfect send off. That being said, the amount of cackling I did as character came together and secrets came to life was unholy. I was grinning for most of the book and 560 pages flew by just like that.

I appreciated the depth with which the story dives into Chinese politics, while still balancing a number of fantastical elements. It was so interesting seeing both kind of come to a close with the end of the series, though history tells us that there was definitely more to the war.

I don’t know what else to say without spoiling some thing from all the other books. All I can say is that this series has been an absolute ride and I loved every second of it. I’m sad to see the end of this era, but I will definitely come back to these characters in the future because this series left its mark on me and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting it anytime soon.

Also, Hong sibling supremacy forever, oh my gosh. The charisma and chaos in that family has me in a choke hold.

Rep: Chinese cast, bisexual MC, transexual MC, demisexual MC

TW: violence, torture, kidnapping, transphobia, gore, needles, injury detail, blood, gun violence, death, human experiments

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.45/5

ARC gifted by Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review

Review: This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson

Title: This Dark Descent [#1]
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Genre: YA Romantasy
Publication Date: Sept 26, 2023
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Mikira Rusel’s family has long been famous for breeding enchanted horses, but their prestige is no match for their rising debts. To save her ranch, Mikira has only one option: she must win the Illinir, a treacherous horserace whose riders either finish maimed or murdered. Yet each year, competitors return, tempted by its alluring prize money and unparalleled prestige.

Mikira’s mission soon unites her with Arielle Kadar, an impressive yet illicit enchanter just beginning to come into her true power, and Damien Adair, a dashing young lord in the midst of a fierce succession battle. Both have hidden reasons of their own to help Mikira — as well as their own blood feuds to avenge…

Steeped in Jewish folklore, This Dark Descent is a pulse-pounding new fantasy full of forbidden magic, sizzling romance, and epic stakes. In a world as dangerous as this, will the need for vengeance butcher Mikira’s chances of winning the Illinir … or will another rider’s dagger?

Review:

Kalyn Josephson is a second-chance author for me. While I enjoyed the concept of Storm Crow, I found the world building lacking and the character relationships tenuous at best. While This Dark Descent showed a lot of improvement in Kalyn’s writing, I still found it to be slightly deficient in these areas.

This Dark Descent is told from two POVs: Mikira, a generational horse breeder who makes a dangerous deal to save her father, and Arielle, a Kinnish enchanter whose cultural magic has been outlawed by those currently wresting for power. I did enjoy both POVs for different reasons – Mikira’s pushed the plot more, while Arielle’s POV contributed more to world building.

So, let’s talk about plot and world building. The trigger event that gets the ball rolling on the plot is Mikira’s dad being taken away. Similar to Storm Crow, I thought this was too early. I didn’t get to know her father, I didn’t know much of their plights, and I didn’t have a strong grasp of their world, so I didn’t feel much emotion when he was indentured by the Kelbras in the first chapter. The idea of horse breeding and enchantments never felt fully fleshed out, even by the end of the story and the world’s fight for verillion felt like there was little foundation. I’m still left wondering what people use verillion for, outside of what we see Arielle use it for (which is forbidden magic). I didn’t fully get the stakes, I guess.

That being said, Arielle is Kinnish, a people inspired by Jewish culture and myths. You could see how much love and care Kalyn Josephson fed into building up the Kinnish people and their culture. It was definitely a love letter to her own culture and it paid off. That side of the world was extremely lush and well formed, and if there’s anything I’ll take away from this book, it’s that. I really enjoyed learning more about the magic and mythology of Kinnism and then tenants of her magic. It was great seeing her character develop with her powers and I really liked that aspect of the story.

In terms of relationships, I appreciated that we had a demi MC, even if the discussion around it was very textbook. I found that her relationship was also kind of founded on an invisible foundation as I didn’t see the relationship develop. We’re told it did, but there are few interactions between Arielle and her LI that are actually played out on page in a way that I can be like, “ah yes, there’s the emotional connection.” Same with Mikira. There’s an implication that she’s bisexual and there are two love interests for her, but we don’t see a lot of the connection. It’s all kind of skimmed over and I wish we were able to get into the intimate interactions and see the connections more.

As a whole, I found the story fast-paced with the races and the looming deadlines. There was a lot of distrust and mystery that also lent itself to intrigue that kept the plot and the characters constantly moving. This was definitely more of a tell rather than show story, and it didn’t gel with my tastes as much as I wish it did. That being said, if you liked The Shadows Between Us and Storm Crows, this is definitely in that same vein! I’m curious to see what’s next as the setup for book 2 implies a totally different story than book one, which is intriguing in and of itself!

Rep: bisexual MC, demisexual MC, Jewish folklore

TW: death, blood, violence, injury detail, poverty, torture; mentions death of an animal (not dog)

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.15/5

eARC and finished copy gifted by Fierce Reads via Colored Pages Book Tours in exchanged for an honest review.

Review: Cooking with Monsters by Jordan Alsaga, illust. Vivian Truong

Title: Cooking with Monsters [#1]
Author: Jordan Alsaga, illust. Vivian Truong
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Sept 5, 2023
Publisher: IDW Publishing
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Fast-paced monster fights and burgeoning high school romances are both on the menu in this exciting young adult debut from Jordan Alsaqa and Vivian Truong.

Hana Ozawa is the newest face at the Gourmand Academy of Culinary Combat, a school that will teach her how to fight monsters AND how to turn them into delicious meals. Hana is a natural, but so are her classmates, and she struggles to keep up—she’s gotta stand out, especially if she wants to impress the warrior chef who saved her life as a child. Throw in a crush on a formidable lady rival and a dash of multicultural cuisine, and this unique and hilarious story is sure to hit the spot!

Cooking with Monsters is Naruto with a cast of LGBTQ+ characters. It’s Percy Jackson or Harry Potter without a straight white man in the pilot seat. It’s perfect for every young reader out there who doesn’t feel like they get to see themselves represented in the fantastical adventures they read.

Review:

I originally requested this graphic novel because it reminded me of Battle Chef Brigade, which has a very similar concept – fighting monsters and then making food out of them. The true farm-to-table, if you well. Nothing says fresh like freshly slain.

While I loved the concept and the world-building, I feel like I would have enjoyed this story more if we were following new grads instead of teenagers just starting out on their journey as master chefs. I found the interpersonal drama took away from my fascination of the world itself, and the reasons for the arguments felt more petty and internal. The way graphic novels work, the internal conflict just didn’t come through well enough that we got to see their growth in their own voice, rather than through their interpersonal relationships with others. The basis for the initial disagreement made sense, because we saw one perspective, but I feel like we, as readers, missed out on a lot of that internal struggle and development that might have worked better in a prose-based story.

In terms of the art and the world-building, I think I would’ve loved more exploration of the types of monsters and their fighting practices, learning more about the history of what they were doing, rather than be trapped in the mundane world of miscommunication and misunderstandings. What we do see of the monsters though has a lot of potential and I’m excited to see how the story develops and the world grows as these characters grow into their skill and are let out into the world. Definitely something to keep an eye on in the future.

One thing that really stood out to me was the talk of race and identity – where you do belong and who are you if you’re away from your motherland or born somewhere else? What do you call home? Who are you if you’re not who people think you are? I really enjoyed the culture-building through these conversations and their food, and its relevance to those who have experienced the same. It felt like a very valuable conversation to have both through a racial lens and that of the LGBTQ+ experience. I feel like some of those conversations could have been bigger (some came as a surprise, which is never good), but I appreciated their inclusion nonetheless.

I would 100% return to this world. The conflict wasn’t one I felt had been developed or earned, so it took away from my enjoyment of the graphic novel as a whole, but I’m already excited to read the sequels slated for this series!

TW: violence (hunting), racism, bullying, injury; mentions death and fictional animal deaths

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Art: 4/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.83/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by IDW Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Spotlight + Excerpt: Remember Me by Mary Balogh

Title: Remember Me [Ravenswood #1]
Author: Mary Balogh
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Publisher: Berkley
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage. Then her brother caught their father out in a clandestine affair and denounced him publicly. The whole family was disgraced, and Philippa’s hopes grew dim, then were fully shattered when she overheard the dashing, handsome Marquess of Roath viciously insult her upon learning of her father’s identity. Only years later does Philippa find the courage to go to London at last to meet the ton. She is an instant success and enjoys a close friendship with the granddaughter of a duke. Only one man can spoil everything for her, but surely he will not be in London this year.

The Duke of Wilby is nearing death and has tasked his grandson and heir, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath, with marrying and producing a son before it is too late. Lucas, who usually shuns London, goes there early in the Season in the hope of finding an eligible bride before his grandparents come and find one for him. He is instantly attracted to his sister’s new friend, until that young lady asks a simple question: “Remember me?” And suddenly he does remember her, as well as the reason why the daughter of the Earl of Stratton is the one woman he can never marry—even if his heart tells him she is the only woman he wants.

Unfortunately for Philippa and Lucas, the autocratic duke and his duchess have other ideas and believe them to be perfect for each other. They will simply not take no for an answer. Telling Philippa the full truth is the hardest thing Lucas has ever faced, and the discovery of it will change them both before they discover the healing power of love.

Excerpt:

Voices hummed all around them and glass and china clinked as the other guests feasted upon the sumptuous tea set out before them. Spoons scraped upon dishes of fruit trifle. Philippa glanced down at her plate and was surprised to see that the cucumber sandwich had disappeared. She even had the taste of it in her mouth.

But would this tea, to which she had looked forward with such eager anticipation, never be over? She felt as though she were suffocating. The room seemed unnaturally stuffy.

“I have just realized to my shame that I have not yet spoken with at least one third of our guests,” Jenny said as she set her napkin down on the table. “I was so absorbed in my conversation with Pippa before you arrived, Luc, that I neglected everyone else. And I kept you from mingling too, Pippa, though I know you have very few acquaintances in London and came here to make some. I do apologize.”

“We can put your first concern to rest without further delay, Jenny,” Sir Gerald said, getting to his feet. “I see your wheeled chair in the corner here beside the mantel. Let me get you into it, and we will move about together from table to table, greeting people we have not already spoken with.”

He was fetching the chair as he spoke. He bent over his cousin and, with what was obviously practiced ease, lifted her into it.

“That is kind of you, Gerald,” Jenny said. “But now I am abandoning Pippa after begging her to stay with me. Luc, will you be so good as to give her your company until everyone begins to move about again?”

“It will be my pleasure,” he said while Philippa smiled and her heart thumped uncomfortably and she felt robbed of breath.

The Marquess of Roath was on his feet, moving his chair out of the way so the wheeled chair could pass behind it, and bending to tuck the hem of his sister’s dress about her ankles so it would not catch beneath a wheel.

When he sat down again, he did not move his chair back to where it had been. It was now closer to Philippa than before. She was aware again of the voices around them, seeming to enclose them in a cocoon of silence, which neither of them broke for a few moments. Their eyes met. His were brown, but not very dark. There were hints of green in them. He opened his mouth to speak, but she forestalled him. She had learned something in the last seven or eight months, since Devlin’s return home from the wars. She had learned the importance of speaking truth rather than suppressing it and living with the illusion that all would be well in her world if only she kept quiet about what was not well.

“Remember me?” she said.

* * * * *

The sound of many voices talking at once had grown louder as more of the guests finished eating. A few had risen from their places and were moving about to talk with fellow guests at other tables. Lady Philippa Ware had spoken quietly. Lucas was not quite sure he had heard her correctly.

But all through tea, while the four of them had chatted amiably and shared family anecdotes and laughed over them—his and Jenny’s and Gerald’s on the one hand, Lady Philippa’s on the other—he had been dragging up a distant memory from that place in the mind where one stuffs away gaffes one would dearly love to obliterate altogether if only it were possible. It was a memory from four or five years ago of going to spend Easter with James Rutledge, a friend from his Oxford years. James lived with his parents and siblings somewhere close to the village of…Boscombe? Lucas thought that was the name. It was in Hampshire anyway. When he had accepted the invitation, he had had no idea that the Earl of Stratton lived at Ravenswood Hall, a mere stone’s throw from the village. He had discovered it within a day or two of his arrival, however. James had taken him—because he had thought it would amuse Lucas—to watch a crowd of his neighbors practice maypole dancing in someone’s large barn, or what was supposedly a barn. It had clearly not seen either animals or hay for many a year, if ever.

Lady Philippa was not going to speak again, it seemed, until he did. But her eyes—those large, very blue eyes—did not waver from his own. And though she had spoken quietly, she had also spoken quite distinctly. He did not need to have her repeat the words.

Remember me?

“Have we met before, Lady Philippa?” he asked. But he had the ghastly feeling that they had.

Excerpted from Remember Me by Mary Balogh Copyright © 2023 by Mary Balogh. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

About the Author:

Mary Balogh has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series. Learn more online at www.marybalogh.com.

Review: The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan

Title: The Buried and the Bound
Author: Rochelle Hassan
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication Date: Jan 24, 2023
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
GoodReads

Synopsis:

As the only hedgewitch in Blackthorn, Massachusetts—an uncommonly magical place—Aziza El-Amin has bargained with wood nymphs, rescued palm-sized fairies from house cats, banished flesh-eating shadows from the local park. But when a dark entity awakens in the forest outside of town, eroding the invisible boundary between the human world and fairyland, run-of-the-mill fae mischief turns into outright aggression, and the danger—to herself and others—becomes too great for her to handle alone.

Leo Merritt is no stranger to magical catastrophes. On his sixteenth birthday, a dormant curse kicked in and ripped away all his memories of his true love. A miserable year has passed since then. He’s road-tripped up and down the East Coast looking for a way to get his memories back and hit one dead end after another. He doesn’t even know his true love’s name, but he feels the absence in his life, and it’s haunting.

Desperate for answers, he makes a pact with Aziza: he’ll provide much-needed backup on her nightly patrols, and in exchange, she’ll help him break the curse.

When the creature in the woods sets its sights on them, their survival depends on the aid of a mysterious young necromancer they’re not certain they can trust. But they’ll have to work together to eradicate the new threat and take back their hometown… even if it forces them to uncover deeply buried secrets and make devastating sacrifices.

Review:

If you’re in the market for a lush, dark, fairy fantasy, this is the book for you.

I was absolutely surprised by how invested in the story and characters I became. I loved the found family vibes of the three leads and that we got to see everything from their different perspectives. Each POV was interesting, necessary, and drove the plot or characters forward and I loved it.

Aziza is a blunt and determined hedgewitch. She protects Blackthorn with her magic, sealing up openings to Elphame and sending fae back to their world of magic.

Leo is cursed. He very much has golden retriever energy and is extremely loyal. Joining up with Aziza to learn more about magic, he’s determined to find a way to break his curse.

Tristan – oh, Tristan. He was the lost soul of the story. He also had the darkest storyline – his coming out led to homelessness, he skirts of the line of dark magic, and there was a lot of dead people around him… he really got the short end of the stick there.

All three together, working off each other, really created a fantastic adventure. The world-building was amazing (though there was sometimes a little too much of it) and I loved seeing all the different type of fairies they encountered through the story – shades, nymphs, wind sprites, and more.

With the character too, there were some descriptions of their circumstances that were repetitive, which both helped to build on previous comments, but sometimes also made me want to skim them. Also, heads up, if you’re looking for a romance, this has romantic elements, but there isn’t even a kiss, so do with that what you will. There is some romantic lamenting, but I strongly suspect much of the romance will be in the next installment.

I loved how this book ended, and I am already looking forward to the sequel – this book ends satisfyingly, but there is a bit of set up for their next adventure and I’m so excited to see where it takes them.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastical story. The world, the characters, and the magic of The Buried and the Bound had me enthralled from start to finish and I look forward to seeing what’s next!

TW: blood, dismemberment, death, murder, death by an animal (magic dogs), injury detail, torture (magic), gaslighting, self-mutilation, religious bigotry, fire/fire injury, mentions death of parents

Rep: Lebanese FMC, gay MMC, bi MMC

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.39/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Roaring Brook Press and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group via Colored Pages Tours in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune

Title: The Extraordinaries
Author: TJ Klune
Genre: YA Urban Sci-fi/Fantasy
Publication Date: Jul 14, 2020
Publisher: Tor Teen
GoodReads

Synopsis:

Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. TJ Klune’s YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is a queer coming-of-age story about a fanboy with ADHD and the heroes he loves.

Nick Bell? Not extraordinary. But being the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinaries fandom is a superpower, right?

After a chance encounter with Shadow Star, Nova City’s mightiest hero (and Nick’s biggest crush), Nick sets out to make himself extraordinary. And he’ll do it with or without the reluctant help of Seth Gray, Nick’s best friend (and maybe the love of his life).

Review:

This book was CHAOS. I wanted to DNF from the prologue alone, and now that I’ve binged it, I am thoroughly invested in the characters and their stories and am on the verge of instantly picking up its sequel.

Nick is absolutely everywhere. If I knew how to, I’d insert a gif of Britta from Community yelling, “High on my own drama!?” cause that’s Nick. He has ADHD and we meet him while he’s hyper fixating on Shadow Star – a batman-esque hero who has power over shadows (Batman could only dream). Nick is chaotic, has grandiose ideas that often get him in trouble, and loyal friends who stick with him despite his wild ideas and slight self-centered-ness.

At its core, this book is very YA and, as such, fairly cringey at times. There are a lot of cheesy lines and moments that made me want to crawl into my shirt out of second-hand embarrassment; but these cheesy moments were also often hilarious and left me grinning like an idiot as I listened to their wild ideas and adventures. Then there were entirely deep and serious moments that made me tear up, especially between Nick and his dad. Klune, as ever, is a dynamic writer, and he made this book everything he wanted it to be – nothing about this was bad writing, only intentional storytelling and I have to give him credit for that.

I loved Nick’s friends – they’re odd, wild, and fiercely loyal. Their banter and wit had me laughing and grinning, and their absolute sass made it so easy to love them. I don’t know how else to describe it, but they felt so authetic – like exactly how friends are in high school – that it just worked.

To sum up this book, picture Sky High but gay. It’s a wild ride and absolutely worth the read!

TW: violence, injury detail, multiple panic attacks on page (three total), drug use (mostly medical), kidnapping, mentions death of parents (two in a train crash, one in a bank heist)

Rep: MC has ADHD, gay MCs, lesbian secondary characters

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.1/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.