Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

 Pages: 416

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Released: 29th of February 2024

Raised in a small village near the spirit-wood, Liska Radost knows that Magic is monstrous, and its practitioners, monsters.

After a deadly mistake, Liska delves into the dangerous spirit-wood, guarded by a demon to steal a mythical fern flower. Pluck it, and she can use its one wish to banish her own power.
Everyone who has sought the fern flower has fallen prey to the horrors of the Czantory, so when Liska is caught by the demon warden of the wood - The Leszy - a bargain seems better than death: one year of servitude in exchange for the fern flower and its wish.

Whisked away to his crumbling manor, Liska soon makes an unsettling discovery. She is not the first person to strike this bargain. And If Liska wants to survive the year and return home, she must unravel her taciturn host’s spool of secrets and face the ghosts—figurative and literal—of his past.

Something wakes in the woods, killing off villagers one by one. Something that Frightens even The Leszy … something that cannot be defeated unless Liska embraces the monster she’s always feared becoming.

What I Have to Say

I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of the Winternight Trilogy, a series I love, but with a stronger romance. And the romance was delicious. I loved the way the author built up the relationship between the Leszy and Liska. It didn't feel rushed like a lot of books these days seem to do.

I really liked the world a lot. A world where there's a shapeshifting house spirit waiting for you when you get home who will treat you kindly if you give it a little bread and honey. Jaga was definitely one of my favourite characters, but I loved how everyone in this book was something different. No one was quite human.

And the ending was perfect. It's hard to end a book, especially a standalone, which I think this is. But this was just perfection. The last line especially. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Penguin for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

Pages: 439

Publisher: Orbit 

Released: 29th of February 2024 

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. And the fathomfolk are tired of it. When a water-dragon and a half siren join forces, the path to equality is filled with violence, secrets, and political intrigue. And they both must decide if the cost of change is worth it, or if Tiankawi should be left to drown.

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved the different types of Fathomfolk and the idea of a half sunken city. Everything added up to create a really interesting society that I was really excited to explore. I was especially interested in the sea witches, because there was so much to explore with their deals and ink. 

The themes of immigration and prejudice as well as the dangers of radicalisation that made up the book, were really well done. My heart ached for Nami as she was being manipulated by the Driftbacks. I wondered while reading if maybe we should have seen how much she was being manipulated so early on, but it did mean I was alert to all the signs and could really see how it was happening. 

The ending was really intriguing. I'm really looking forward to see where Tiankawi will go from here and what's in store next for the characters. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

Pages: 392

Publisher: Bantam

Released: 15th of February 2024 

If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?

In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book - an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door .

What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.

But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals - individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons - a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because some doors should never be opened.

What I Have to Say 

I loved the concept of this book so much. Books having different powers and the magic to do different things. I liked what was done with it. It didn't disappoint me in that regard at all. It made me think of all the things I could do if I had the Book of Doors. Going anywhere I pleased. Which is what a book like this is meant to do. It makes you think about what you'd do if you had the powers in the book and takes you away into a new world. 

I also liked the way it all fitted together. It was a really good standalone read. Everything was explained and it all fitted neatly together. I wasn't confused or left wondering about any of it. I liked the ending, I felt it tied up all the loose ends nicely and though while I'd like to see another book with this magic and these characters, it didn't feel like it needed one. 

The only problem I had with it is that it needed a sensitivity reader in some parts. The author tried really hard to include diverse characters, but he didn't treat them as well as they should have been treated. He fell into the trap of having the female main character look in the mirror and describe her boobs for one thing, which is something I hate to see. I was also particularly shocked to see him describe a black man as an animal. He meant it because he was evil, but considering the history of how black people and especially black men can be treated, it felt entirely inappropriate.  A sensitivity reader could have picked up on these things and made it a much better book. 

All in all though, I enjoyed it a lot, despite it's flaws. 

3 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Bantam for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

 

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Pages: 401 

Publisher: Quercus 

Released: 13th of February 2024 

Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi , or life force, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .

Manchuria, 1908.

A young woman is found frozen in the snow. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes involved, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.

Meanwhile, a family that owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments, but not the curse that afflicts them―their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. Now the only grandson of the family is twenty-three. When a mysterious woman enters their household, their luck seems to change. Or does it? Is their new servant a simple young woman from the north or a fox spirit bent on her own revenge?

What I Have to Say 

I love love love stories about foxes based around Asian mythology. I love the idea of the mischievous fox spirits, shape shifters and trouble makers that go into human society and cause chaos. This telling was based around the Chinese mythology and differed in many ways from the Japanese tellings I've read before, but I enjoyed seeing the similarities. 

I loved Snow's character in this. It was masterfully woven to bring in the wildness of the fox and combine it with human emotion to make her relatable. I enjoyed how the author kept reminding the reader that she was in fact a fox with the base personality traits of mischievousness and troublemaking. She's unlike any character I've seen before. 

I also liked how this story wasn't so romance based. This was a fox spirit who had already been married and wasn't really interested in the romance side of things. And though there was hints at romance, it was a more steadfast kind of love. It was just very different to a lot of the things I read. 

This is honestly just a really great read that I'd recommend to anyone! 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Quercus and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi

Pages: 294 

Publisher: Gollancz

Released: 8th of February 2024 

Shigidi is a disgruntled nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering the prayers of his few remaining believers to survive long enough to buy his next drink. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes.

Together, they attempt to break free of the obligations and restrictions that have bound him to his godhood, and navigate the parameters of their new relationship in the shadow of her past. But the elder gods have other plans for Shigidi, and they are not all aligned - or good.

From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter strange creatures, rival gods and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a spectacular heist that spans two realms . . . and could turn their own worlds upside down . . .

What I Have to Say 

I'll be honest here, I really was only interested in this book for the heist and the introduction to the Yoruba gods. The latter was done really well. I enjoyed getting to know about the gods and the culture and I thought the idea of a spirit company was really interesting. But the heist, which was the main draw, only took up about 20% of the book. Most of the book was flashbacks to introduce characters or set up certain things and I just wanted the writer to get on with it and get to the actual heist! 

As I said, the gods were really interesting and I found the different descriptions of the characters interesting as well. I love how they melded different religions into it and made a space where everyone's gods could exist together. 

I really wish I could have been less bored by this. It was such a great idea and had real potential for excitement. It just didn't hit the mark for me. 

2 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Gollancz for providing me with this copy for review. 

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

Pages: 352

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books 

Released: 22nd of February 2024 

From Hafsah Faizal, New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame, comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated new fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling upon a band of misfits, Arthie formulates a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not every member of her crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

What I Have to Say 

With a vivid and detailed world and a ragtag cast of characters, this book is a gripping and fun to read. I enjoyed learning about White Roaring and the humans and vampires that make it home. I loved the idea of Spindrift, a teashop that turns it's hands to feeding vampires after dark and the Athereum, an elite club for White Roaring's vampire residents. 

As the title suggests, the is a theme of tea in this book. I was worried it would be lacking, but tea came up enough times to satisfy me. I enjoyed the tea snobbery that the characters in the books showed, as naturally they would know the correct way to brew tea. 

There were surprises in this book that I really didn't see coming. The twists and turns in this book really made it. There was one particular moment at the end that I didn't see coming at all but when it was revealed, a whole lot of things made sense. It was one of those moments that I love about reading. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Macmillan Books for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Faber & Faber 

Released: 6th of February 2024 

For Ash Woods, practicing alchemy is a crime.

Only an elite few are legally permitted to study the science of magic—so when Ash is rejected by Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead, forced to learn alchemy in secret.

When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he's about to be arrested—but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash's secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power.

As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists—Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it.

What I Have to Say 

The magic was really interesting in this book. I loved the idea of everyone being connected and made of source and how something as simple and natural as breathing can be actually alchemy. It was interesting to see the different tiers and affinity that the different characters could access with alchemy. 

I wasn't so keen on the romance, but I loved the polyamory aspect of it. I love that I'm seeing more and more polyamory in books and seeing characters believe that a person can love more than one person at once. What I didn't like was how quickly the characters could go from sleeping with one another to betraying one another and vice versa. 

The ending left me a bit unsatisfied. It felt like it was too easy. I hate when they build up something to be unstoppable and then just have a character magically solving it with what seems like no effort. 

It was a good world and a good magic system though, so I enjoyed it.

3 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Faber and Faber for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Something Wicked and Spell Bound by Gretchen Rue

Something Wicked 

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Aria 

Released: 14th of September 2023 

Recipe for a potion to demolish life as you know it:

Step one: pack up your life and move to your aunt’s old house in a small, sleepy town.

Step two: discover that she was a witch.

Step three: discover that you’re also a witch.

Step four: Add a sprinkle of butterflies for your childhood friend (who’s suddenly incredibly hot), a dash of prying neighbours who want you to leave their town and never come back, and – the key ingredient – a murder on the steps of your aunt’s old tea shop (which, as it happens, is also a magic apothecary).

Voila. Your spell is complete.

Spell Bound 

Pages: 314  

Publisher: Aria 

Released: 1st of February 2024 

Since moving to Raven Creek, Phoebe Winchester has had a lot on her plate.

She’s renovating the Victorian manor she inherited from her Aunt Eudora, running a tea shop (and secret magical apothecary), and learning to be a witch. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale, and suspicion falls on her, even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.

Forced to take action to clear her name, Phoebe enlists Rich Lofting, handsome private detective and childhood friend, to assist with her investigation, all while sorting out her unresolved feelings for him.

Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed both of these books a lot. Tea, books and cats are a really good combination and adding in a murder mystery and a sprinkling of witchcraft pretty much made it the story for me. It was really nice just immersing myself in the little town of Raven Creek. It had a very Gilmore Girls vibe to it that I really enjoyed. 

During the first book, I found that there weren't enough mystery elements involved. It seemed like the mystery was something that was happening to Phoebe rather than her going out and investigating. The second book really made up for it though. The only thing I would change is, I would like more witchcraft. Again the second book did more of this, but I still felt it was a big lacking

There were also plenty of books and plenty of cat moments. The cat was not an incidental character in the books, he was central to all of the action, especially in the second book, which I found really great. So often there's a cat on the cover and the cat is just there in the background. But not with Bob! Bob is definitely a main character. 

I hope there are more of these books because I'm not quite ready to leave Raven Creek just yet! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Aria for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. 

City of Stardust by Georgia Summers (audiobook)

Pages: 352

Publisher: Hodderscape 

Narrator: Kitty Parker 

Released: 25th of January 2024 

A young woman descends into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge to break her family's curse in this spellbinding contemporary fantasy debut.

For centuries, generations of Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor, a woman named Penelope, never ages, never grows sick – and never forgives a debt.

Violet Everly was just a child when her mother Marianne vanished on a stormy night, determined to break the curse. And when Penelope cannot find her, she issues an Violet has ten years to find Marianne, or she will take her place. Violet is the last of the Everly line, the last to suffer from the curse. Unless she can break it first.

To do so, she must descend into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge. She must also contend with Penelope’s quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted – and yet whose knowledge of a world beyond her own is too valuable to avoid.

Tied to a very literal deadline, Violet will travel the edges of the world to find Marianne and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began.

What I Have to Say 

I just love books like this with multiple worlds and epic quests. The description of the worlds and the society they lived in were just wonderful. I loved how dark it got towards the end as well, the lengths that Penelope was willing to go to just to get Violet. 

This book felt like a modern day fairytale. The way it was written and the writing itself gave it a dreamlike quality that added to this. Even when they were using phones and working in a cafe, it felt like a book from another age, another world and everything tied into this. 

The narration was very good. Again it had a lovely dreamlike quality to it that added to the text and made it all the more delicious to read. I would definitely pick up a book from this narrator again.  

The Astrals were my favourite. They were so dark and all powerful. It gave them a real dangerous quality to them whether they were aiding or hindering Violet's progress. 

This is definitely one for fans of The Night Circus or His Dark Materials. 

4.5 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Hodderscape for providing me with a gifted copy of this audiobook for review. 

Faebound by Saara El- Arifi

Pages: 496 

Publisher: Harper Voyager 

Released: 18th of January 2024 

DIVIDED BY BLOOD.

IMPRISONED BY FATE.

BOUND BY DESIRE.

WELCOME TO THE INTOXICATING WORLD OF THE FAE.

Yeeran is a warrior in the elven army and has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future.

When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the impossible: the fae court.

The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world – torn between their loyalty to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts. . .

What I Had to Say 

This book was everything. I loved every word of it. I will always always love a book where someone has a connection with an animal companion, but I also liked the way they explored how that bond made them see animals differently, how the fae wouldn't eat animals because they saw them as creatures worthy of life. 

I loved the divided loyalties in this book. How the different characters felt about the war. Yeeran the soldier who's loyalty is to her leader and former lover. Her sister, Lettle who sees the war in a very different way. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book and how this effects the story. 

I have so many questions about the humans and whether they're really as dead as the characters in the story believe. I can't wait to see how the prophecies turn out. I'm just so excited for the next book, there's so much potential for this series and I really, really can't wait. 

5 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with a gifted copy for review. 

 

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Pages: 352 

Publisher: Orbit 

Released: 11th of January 2024 

When mysterious faeries from other realms appear at her university, curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde must uncover their secrets before it’s too late in this heartwarming, enchanting second installment of the Emily Wilde series.

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore—she just wrote the world’s first comprehensive of encylopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Folk on her adventures . . . and also from her fellow scholar and former rival, Wendell Bambleby.

Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, and in search of a door back to his realm. So despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and danger.

And she also has a new project to focus a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by Bambleby’s mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambley’s realm, and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.

But with new relationships 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.

What I Have to Say 

This was a great sequel. It sank me back deep in the world of Emily Wilde. I loved many of the same things as I did from the first book, the science of it all and the fact that Emily's character was an introvert and sometimes got cranky, which is rare to see in books! 

It wasn't quite as good as the first though that might be nostalgia talking. The first one had a cosy charm to the cabin that Emily and Bambleby were staying in that just sang to my heart. This one, though it came close, was just missing a tiny bit from the first book. 

I still loved it so much though. While not quite hitting the high standards the first book left, it did still have plenty of charm and whimsy that contrasted nicely with the action and led it to be a beautiful book. 

I can't wait for the next book in the series! 

 5 stars 

My thanks goes to Orbit and Netgalley for providing me with a gifted copy of this book for review. 

 

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Pages: 352

Publisher: Penguin Books 

Released: 6th of July 2023 

In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.

Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.

But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.

But the investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

What I Have to Say 

This is honestly one of the most interesting interpretations of Greek mythology I've ever seen. I was interested from when I first heard about it because the author herself is Greek and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint! The world she created was so fascinating and so fun to read. 

I was especially interested in the fact that this was showing a different side to Greek mythology. I've not seen much fantasy that has been written about the children of the Fates before. I loved the creativity that went into how Io and her sisters viewed the threads. With that and the other powers that people had, it was just a really interesting world to explore. 

I liked the characters and the plot was really tense. It was one of those books that has a lot of cliff hangers on the ends of chapters though, so be warned! You won't want to stop reading! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Penguin for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Pages: 352

Publisher: Pushkin's Children's Books 

Released: 14th of November 2022 

Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

What I Have to Say 

I've really enjoyed reading this duology. I really liked Daughter of the Pirate King because it introduced me to a character I really liked. Alosa is strong, ruthless and has the intrigue of having her Siren side as well as her pirate side. I'm pleased to say that she was just as brilliant in the second book as the first. 

I really liked Alosa's duel nature. The fact that she struggles with her siren nature while still finding it useful in certain situation. I think struggling with aspects of ourselves is something we can all relate to. I was glad to see that this was built upon in this book and that part of her story was that she faced that head on. 

One thing I would have liked to be different was that I felt like there was no build up to her disillusionment with her father. He was an abusive bastard, but she carried on being happy to follow his orders until one singular thing changed and I would have liked a build up of things instead. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Pushkin's Children's Books for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Spirits Abroad by Zen Cho

Pages: 347 

Publisher: Tor 

Released: 17th August 2023 

Taking us from the mundane to the magical, this award-winning collection will entertain and delight.

Drawing inspiration from Asian myth and folklore, Zen Cho guides the reader through enchanted realms inhabited by dragons, vampires and incorrigible grandmothers. These nineteen sparkling stories are full of joy, humour and tenderness.

We’ll meet an elderly ex-member of parliament, who recalls her youthful romance with an orang bunian. This was forbidden. Not because her lover was an invisible jungle spirit, but because she was Muslim and he was not. Then a teenage vampire struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love . . . and eating people. A mischievous matriarch returns from the dead to disrupt her own funeral rites, pitting granddaughter against granddaughter. An earth spirit becomes entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord. And Chang E, the Chinese moon goddess, spins off into outer space – the ultimate metaphor for diaspora.

Enjoy this journey into magical new worlds of the imagination.

What I Have to Say 

This was a really strong selection of short stories. Comparing it to A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic which I reviewed earlier in the year, I think they're both really strong, really interesting anthologies of Malaysian fantasy. I feel like Spoonful was easier to relax into and just read. Spirits Abroad, I found I had to look up more though. It was nice because I learnt more Malay and Hokkien words, so I think it really depends what you're in the mood for. 

I enjoyed many stories from this book, but some of my particular favourites were Rising Lion - The Lion Bows, Prudence and the Dragon, The Perserverance of Angela's Past Life, Monkey King, Faerie Queen, Liyana and Four Generations of Chang E. 

I really liked the ones that had British culture as well as Malaysian because I think it highlights the dual nationality of the author really well and gives a nice mix to the two cultures. It gave me a familiar touchstone and let me see my own culture entwined with that of Malaysia. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates

Pages: 400

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's UK 

Released: 9th of November 2023 

What if the Knights of the Round Table had been women?

This afternoon Cass's older sister will be married. Soon she will be too. Gone will be days of running through fields and feeling the earth between her toes. So when a beautiful leather-clad woman rides up and offers to take her away, Cass doesn't hesitate to join her.

Cass is introduced to the Sisterhood of Silk Knights - a group of women training to fight and working to right the wrongs of men. Cass is drawn into a world of ancient feuds, glorious battles, and deadly intrigue, where soon discovers she holds a power that could change the destiny of her sisterhood.

'An interesting thing happens, when a man is defeated in combat by a woman.'

'He tells nobody.'

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed this a lot, but I felt at times that it could have been stronger on the plot. It felt more character focused with Cass going through her training as a squire. At the end, it was easy to see where it led up to, but while reading I was left wondering where it was going sometimes. 

I really liked the characters. Cass was possibly not the strongest, but some of the older knights had more defined characteristics and it was fun seeing them interact, especially with the world around them. I loved how they used stereotypically feminine traits almost as a weapon to use against the men that would threaten them. 

The ending intrigued me and I can't wait to see what happens with that, but I do wish it could have come a bit earlier in the book, if I'm honest. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

 

A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli (audiobook)

Pages: 344

Publisher: Dreamscape Lore 

Released: 14th of November 2023 

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.

 

Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.

 

As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.

 

Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.

 

But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined. 

 

She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love? 

 

What I Have to Say 

This is political intrigue done right! 

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I think they did a really great job with the audio and it was also just a really fun book. Some books that are filled with political drama like this can get a bit boring, but this wasn't at all. I was really rooting for all of Mingshin's plans. 

I think the thing that I most liked was Mingshin's character. She was smart. Like really smart. Right from the start she was working to outmanoeuvre her enemies even when she was lying in the snow about to be killed by her betrothed.

If there was one thing I'd change about this book though, I would have made the time travel a bigger thing in the plot. I felt it was really underutilised. By going back in time Mingshin should have had more prior knowledge of events but while there was a tiny bit of that at the start, I felt the author had her early actions changing too much stuff so that she couldn't predict it a lot of the time. 

I really did love this book and this narrator though. I'll be interested in reading more in the series. 

 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Dreamscape Lore for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Mermaids Never Drown ed. Zoriad Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

Pages: 320

Publisher: Titan Books 

Released: 26th of September 2023 

14 Young Adult short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors make a splash in Mermaids Never Drown - the second collection in the Untold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker - exploring mermaids like we've never seen them before!

A Vietnamese mermaid caught between two worlds. A siren who falls for Poseidon's son. A boy secretly pining for the merboy who saved him years ago. A storm that brings humans and mermaids together. Generations of family secrets and pain.

Find all these stories and more in this gripping new collection that will reel you in from the very first page! Welcome to an ocean of hurt, fear, confusion, rage, hope, humor, discovery, and love in its many forms.

Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Mermaids Never Drown features beloved authors like Darcie Little Badger, Kalynn Bayron, Preeti Chhibber, Rebecca Coffindaffer, Julie C. Dao, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Adriana Herrera, June Hur, Katherine Locke, Kerri Maniscalco, Julie Murphy, Gretchen Schreiber, and Julian Winters.

What I Have to Say 

This was a really strong short story anthology. It had many different types of stories and many different styles of writing, all featuring mermaids, sirens or the cultural equivalent! I had a great time reading it and really enjoyed some of the stories. There weren't any stories I absolutely hated in this one, which is always a good sign! 

 Some of my particular favourites were The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy, The Merrow by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker and Jinju's Pearls by June Hur, but there were many other good ones that really stood out for me! 

I liked sirens a lot, so it made me really happy to see Sirens feature so much in this book. I was glad that they really went into the dark sides of myths as well as having some lighter stories. 

If there's a mermaid obsessed reader in your life, this would be the perfect book for them! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix

Pages: 356 

Publisher: Usborne 

Released: 28th of September 2023 

Life in the Swamplands is tough for twelve-year-old orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she is an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child thought to bring misfortune. And when Adia manifests mysterious powers, accidentally destroying her village, she starts to think they might be right.

Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone at the school can figure out what is wrong with her and fix it. But she doesn't expect to stumble across a bunch of squabbling deities with a secret...

Joining forces with a snarky Goddess, a 500 year old warrior girl and a status-obsessed soldier boy, Adia goes on a mission through hidden realms to save her kingdom. But if she is to succeed, she must learn to wield her mysterious powers and figure out who she really is.

Discover an action-packed new series from a brilliantly exciting debut author, perfect for fans of SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL and NEVERMOOR.

What I Have to Say 

A great book for younger readers! Adventure, action, girls with magic and fighting skills, this book even has a cute cat. I think this series has a lot of potential to be something great. I loved the mystery and the prophecies, the use of loopholes in magic to fight against evil. It was really clever. 

I think these are characters that I could grow to love as much as some of the characters from my childhood. Though there is one character who I really disliked, the others I liked a lot. I really believe that they can capture the hearts and minds of today's children. 

It's great to see an afrofantasy as a children's book that's filled with Nigerian culture and Igbo traditions. I can't wait to see more from this author in the future. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Usborne for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

 

 

A Spoonful of Malaysian Magic ed. Anna Tan

Pages: 306 

Publisher: Teaspoon Publishing 

Released: 23rd of November 2023 

A burong descends from Tansang Kenyalang in the midst of a dire catastrophe. A shapeshifter frees Kedah from the dreaded Raja Bersiong only to uncover a darker secret. A woman learns to channel her family’s food magic. A young huntress of supernatural creatures charts her own path of love.

This anthology of short stories offers fresh takes on Malaysian folklore and fairy tales, adds enchantment to the ordinary, and bursts with new, wonderful flavours. Stir a little spoonful of magic into your tea, whether you’re from these shores or from far away.

What I Have to Say 

I really enjoyed this short story collection. I think there were only two stories that I disliked in the whole collection! Unfortunately one of them was the very first story in the book, so it was a little hard to get into at first, but once I was past that one, it was great. 

I loved the diversity in the stories. Malaysia is such an interesting country in that it has people from so many different cultures who make their home there. It gave such a variety to the stories that you don't see in cultures that aren't so diverse. 

My favourite story in the book was probably Remembering How to Cook by Sharmilla Ganesan, but I also loved Rosetta and the Fairy-in-Training a lot and Rivers and Lakes and Visitor in the Night # as well. Like I said though, this was a really strong set of stories so many were noteworthy! 

This is truly a great way to explore Malaysian culture. 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Teaspoon Publishing for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley

Pages: 432

Publisher: Gollancz 

Released:  30th of November 2023 

Calladia Cunnington curses the day she met Astaroth the demon, but when he shows up memoryless, why does she find him so helpless . . . and sort of hot?

Calladia Cunnington knows she’s rough around the edges, despite being the heir to one of small-town Glimmer Falls’ founding witch families. While her gym obsession is a great outlet for her anxieties and anger, her hot temper still gets the best of her and manifests in bar brawls. When Calladia saves someone from a demon attack one night, though, she’s happy to put her magic and rage to good use . . . until she realizes the man she saved is none other than Astaroth, the ruthless demon who orchestrated a soul bargain on her best friend.

Astaroth is a legendary soul bargainer and one of the nine members of the demon high council—except he can’t remember any of this. Suffering from amnesia after being banished to the mortal plane, Astaroth doesn’t know why a demon named Moloch is after him, nor why the muscular, angry, hot-in-a-terrifying-way witch who saved him hates him so much.

Unable to leave anyone in such a vulnerable state—even the most despicable demon—Calladia grudgingly decides to help him. (Besides, punching an amnesiac would be in poor taste.) The two set out on an uneasy road trip to find the witch who might be able to restore Astaroth’s memory so they can learn how to defeat Moloch. Calladia vows that once Astaroth is cured, she’ll kick his ass, but the more time she spends with the snarky yet utterly charming demon, the more she realizes she likes this new, improved Astaroth . . . and maybe she doesn’t want him to recover his memories, after all.

What I Have to Say 

I wasn't sure how this one would be after seeing Astaroth's character in A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon, but it worked better than I thought. The only problem I found was that Astaroth had a complete personality change in order to fall in love. 

It made sense in the plot and he still had some of the same sass and snobbery that the original Astaroth had. And I don't think the plot would have ever worked with the original Astaroth. But I found myself wondering at several points whether amnesia really would have so much of an effect. 

I liked both characters though and the enemies-to-lovers style of their relationship was satisfying., I love this world and I was really glad to spend more time in it. 

Looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book! 

4 stars 

My thanks goes to Netgalley and Gollancz for providing me with this gifted copy for review.