A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Pages: 418 

Publisher: Harper Collins 

Released: 20th of September 2022 

When Bee Hobbes takes the lead in a squeaky-clean romantic Christmas movie, there are only three rules:

1. Don’t get involved with anyone on set.

2. Don’t tell anyone what you do for a living.

3. Definitely don’t get involved with anyone on set.

3b. Seriously.

Now, she’s filming in Christmas Notch, a small town with Christmas trees and festive tunes all year round.

But Bee’s got a secret identity to hide, and it’s not family-friendly. And her co-star, Nolan Shaw, an ex-boyband member infamous for his own x-rated antics, not only knows it, but is secretly her biggest fan.

When things start to heat up on set, Bee and Nolan must keep this steamy affair under wraps, or risk ruining everything . . .

What I Have to Say 

The chemistry between these characters was phenomenal, I could feel their desire for each other from the moment they met, which I find unusual. I think it helped that there was quite a bit of lust in the beginning. I wasn't so keen on the long  sex scenes, they were a bit too much for this asexual but the rest of the relationship was fantastic. 

I was very happy with the body positivity in this book. I should have expected no less from Dumplin' author, Julie Murphy, but Bee is fat and proud of it. The book was also very gay with the two Bisexual main characters and numerous side characters being LGBTQ+. 

If I could sum up this book in one word, it would be positive. It was sex positive, body positive and diverse. It was a joy to read because it unashamedly championed all of the above and more. It left me feeling like the world could be changed into a more positive place. 

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

Babel (or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang

Pages: 560

Publisher: Harper Voyager 

Released: 23rd of August 2022 

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

Oxford, 1836.

The city of dreaming spires.

It is the centre of all knowledge and progress in the world.

And at its centre is Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. The tower from which all the power of the Empire flows.

Orphaned in Canton and brought to England by a mysterious guardian, Babel seemed like paradise to Robin Swift.

Until it became a prison…

But can a student stand against an empire?

What I Have to Say 

This book. Omg. It was everything I could have asked for. A beautiful and necessary book on the colonialism and racism in British history. Full of magic and knowledge as well as betrayal and pain, Kuang's Babel institute is the perfect example of the horrors of colonialism and the injustices that Britain is built on. 

This book was everything to me, but I can see how it would be a marmite book. Be aware that it is full to the bursting of language facts and language roots with the most complicated magic system I have ever seen. If you love languages as much as I do, then this is the book for you, but if it's not consider how much language nerding you can cope with. Don't be put off too much by the complexity though. Kuang does a really good job of explaining everything. There were a couple of bits that I had to reread to make sure I understood fully and the silver working needed the three examples she gave to explain, but I kept up very well. 

At it's heart though Babel is the story of people and their reactions to the mistreatment they encounter. The characters are really easy to like and feel for. This is definitely a book you will need tissues for! 

This is  a book that's going to stay with me for a long time. 

5 stars 

My thanks go to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing me with this book to review. 

Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

Pages: 257 

Publisher: Orbit 

Released: 21st of July 2022 (first published: October 2020) 

Regency housemaid Euphemia Reeves has acquired a faerie godfather. Unfortunately, he has no idea what he's doing.

Effie has most inconveniently fallen in love with the dashing Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. There's only one problem; Effie is a housemaid, and a housemaid cannot marry a gentleman. It seems that Effie is out of luck until she stumbles into the faerie realm of Lord Blackthorn, who is only too eager to help Effie win Mr Ashbrooke's heart. All he asks in return is that Effie sew ten thousand stitches onto his favourite jacket.

Effie has heard rumours about what happens to those who accept help from faeries, but life as a maid at Hartfield is so awful that she is willing to risk even her immortal soul for a chance at something better. Now, she has one hundred days - and ten thousand stitches - to make Mr Ashbrooke fall in love and propose. . . if Lord Blackthorn doesn't wreck things by accident, that is. For Effie's greatest obstacle might well prove to be Lord Blackthorn's overwhelmingly good intentions.

From the author of HALF A SOUL comes a whimsical fantasy romance with a Cinderella twist. Pick up TEN THOUSAND STITCHES, and dive into another enchanting faerie tale set in Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!

What I Have to Say 

This was honestly a delight to read. I love that Atwater is going back to the roots of faerie stories and making them dark again. In this one, the faerie is not as cruel as the last one. His intentions are always the best! But the cruelty lies in that he honestly hasn't a clue what he's doing or what is good or ill. It was the perfect way to make a faerie into a good love interest without completely abandoning the dark side of the fae. 

I haven't heard any talk of this book, so I don't know if the regency setting has improved at all since Half a Soul, which apparently had some really bad errors. But as someone who doesn't read regency that much at all, that didn't bother me. In this one, we got a look downstairs in one of the big houses and took a look at how the servants lived! I love how in these books we get to see rights being fought for. 

I loved the characters and the magic we saw in this book a lot. Effie was perfect, just the right balance of anger over the situation and the way she and the other servants are treated and friendship and loyalty towards the other maid and her brother. She wasn't full of bitterness, just righteous anger and it made for a good character. 

I just had such a good time with this book. I love the series and hope the next one is just as good! 

5 stars 

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

 

The Shadow Order by Rebecca F. John

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Firefly Press 

Released: 15th of September 2022 

One year on from the day the shadows shifted - showing people their truest selves rather than just their shapes - best friends Teddy, Betsy and Effie plan to risk all and watch the winter sun rise over Copperwell, in defiance of the Shadow Order.

But from their hidden vantage point the three shocked friends witness a mysterious woman shouting a dire warning, before she is arrested, beaten, and dragged away in handcuffs.

The event leads them on an extraordinary series of dangerous adventures to save their city as they begin to learn the truth about the Shadow Order, the world surrounding Copperwell, and themselves.

What I Have to Say 

This was a good story. The characters were lovely, the plot was mysterious and intriguing and the background was really interesting. I loved seeing the way the government were using the shadows to control everything by restricting their movements in the day time and forcing them to stay out of light for fear of casting a shadow. 

It just felt a bit unplanned. Even when the characters had plenty of time to strategize, it felt like they were making things up as they went along and things just slid into place for them without that much effort. 

I liked the vagabond society a lot. I liked the fact that they rode on deers and lived in nature. It was a nice contrast to the Wellian's society of nighttime and fear. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Firefly Press for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Lies We Tell by Katie Zhao

Pages: 352

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA 

Released: 15th of November 2022 

Anna Xu moving out of her parent's home and into the dorms across town as she starts freshman year at the local, prestigious Brookings University. But her parents and their struggling Chinese bakery, Sweetea, aren't far from campus or from mind, either.

At Brookings, Anna wants to keep up her stellar academic performance and to investigate the unsolved campus murder of her childhood babysitter. While there she also finds a familiar face – her middle-school rival, Chris Lu. The Lus also happen to be the Xu family's business rivals since they opened Sunny's, a trendy new bakery on Sweetea's block. Chris is cute but still someone to be wary of – until a vandal hits Sunny's and Anna matches the racist tag with a clue from her investigation.

Anna grew up in this town, but more and more she feels like maybe she isn't fully at home here -- or maybe it's that there are people here who think she doesn't belong. When a very specific threat is made to Anna, she seeks out help from the only person she can. Anna and Chris team up to find out who is stalking her and take on a dangerous search into the hate crimes happening around campus. Can they root out the ugly history and take on the current threat?

The Lies We Tell is a social activism/we all belong here anthem crossed with a thriller and with a rivals-to-romance relationship set on a college campus. 

What I Have To Say 

The first 200 pages of this book were a delight to read. Then I guessed the ending really easily, which I can never do with mystery books, so I felt it was a bit of an obvious ending. Then the situation with the two bakeries was magically resolved with no real explanation of how it happened. And then when everything was resolved and I was ready to put the book down, there was at least 50 pages more of dance contests and talk about court trials and pressing charges. I just didn't need so much ending on a book! 

It was just such a disappointing because until then it had been a really pleasant read. Really easy to read with strong themes tackling racism and secret societies. The only complaint I had up until the last 100 pages was that she wasn't using her connection to Melissa Hong to get information (because I think people are much more likely to talk if you say you're asking because the girl used to be your babysitter rather than just being nosy). 

All in all, I'm just extremely disappointed. This could have been something great, hell, it WAS something great until the ending. 

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

The Lonely Hearts Rescue by Missouri Vaun, Morgan Lee Miller and Nell Stark

Pages: 300

Publisher: Bold Stroke Books 

Released: 11th of October 2022 

When a hurricane hits the Gulf Coast, the animals at the Lonely Hearts Rescue Shelter need love, and so do the humans who adopt them.

Something About You by Morgan Lee Miller. After rescuing a cat stranded in the hurricane, animal control officer Reese Shepard is adamant about finding shy, timid Apollo the best forever home. When she discovers Apollo giving cheek rubs to Hannah Marsh, Reese’s high school crush, she’s captivated by her all over again.

Force of Nature by Missouri Vaun. Rebekah Hawks has stepped in to help with hurricane disaster relief. Challenges are no match for Rebekah. At least until she agreed to foster an impossible dog. Rebekah has no choice but to seek the aid of handsome local dog trainer Rory Maclaren. But who is training whom?

Test of Faith by Nell Stark. Rescuing a dog is a dream come true for Faith Kincaid—and a chance to prove to herself that she really can, in the words of her therapist, “commit to commitment.” When Faith takes her new best friend, Pinoe, to the vet, she can’t stop staring at Dr. Delphine Wu. Del is completely out of Faith’s league. Or is she?

What I Have to Say 

This book has cosy written all over it. It's so warm and full of love. Revolving around the Lonely Hearts Rescue Centre, in a world where everyone seems to be gay (or at least everyone adopting or working at lonely hearts anyway) each story starts with a person agreeing to adopt or foster a pet, only then to meet the woman of their dreams along the way. It was simple and perfect and made for great reading. 

As it's a animal book, obviously I have to dedicate a paragraph on the animals in the book! Though I felt there could be more animal content (because who doesn't need more animal content?), the stories were full of cute moments between the animals and their owners. I would have liked to see more of Apollo the cat's rehabilitation, but Buffy the Cav cross and Cotton the dachshund (what better name is there than cotton??) featured a lot in their respected stories and there were moments that I really loved. 

The romance was simple, I could have done with more conflict in the first story as it all seemed a little easy, but with three short stories in a three hundred page book, there was not much room for elaborate stories. I liked all three main characters and their love interests, so I was fairly easy to please. 

Basically if you're LGBTQ+ (or just like reading about gay characters) and love animals then you couldn't really find a more perfect book to read. 

My thanks go to Bold Stokes Books and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

The Gifts by Liz Hyder (Audiobook)

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Manilla Press 

Released: 10th of February 2022 

October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders.

Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger . . .

THE GIFTS is the astonishing debut adult novel from the lauded author of BEARMOUTH. A gripping and ambitious book told through five different perspectives and set against the luminous backdrop of nineteenth century London, it explores science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society and the dark danger of ambition.

What I Have to Say 

I enjoyed this book, but it didn't leave much of an impression on me. I don't think I'll remember much of it in a few years time. Which is a shame. 

I liked the female characters a lot, and found the male voice interesting and slighting disturbing (in a good way). But I did find that at the start, I couldn't remember which character was which, which is a problem I'm finding a lot with audiobooks that have a lot of different narrators, it's harder to keep them straight in your head, I think than with a traditional book. 

I liked the ending a lot. I feel it concluded nicely while still leaving stuff open for speculation, I just wish I could have been more into the book from the beginning. 

My thanks go to Manilla Press and Netgalley for gifting me this copy for review. 

 

Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley-Jones

Pages: 354 

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton 

Released: 13th of October 2022 

It's the golden rule of pretending to be someone's girlfriend: don't fall for their sister.

After a year from hell, Haf is ready to blow off steam at a Christmas party: a kind stranger, a few too many drinks and suddenly she's kissing Christopher under the mistletoe - in front of his ex-girlfriend.

The next day the news is out that they're apparently a couple, madly in love and coming to Oxlea to spend the festive season with Christopher's family. But Haf doesn't have better holiday plans and to save her new friend from embarrassment, she agrees to pretend to be Christopher's girlfriend for Christmas.

It has the makings of a hilarious anecdote they'll be telling for years. Until Haf meets Christopher's sister: the mysterious, magnetic and utterly irresistible Kit. Maybe love was waiting for Haf in this quiet little town all along . . . 

What I Have to Say 

The perfect book to get the chaotic bisexual in your life for the holidays. It is filled with chaos, hijinks and mixed up as well as a good helping of cosy comfort, Christmas cheer and food descriptions which will have you drooling. 

I just have nothing but praise for this book. I loved every second that I spent reading it and though I'm very late reviewing it since it came out in October, I'm really glad I waited until December to read it so that I could really enjoy the seasonal charm. It has taken it's place as my favourite Christmas book and I am already planning a reread for next year! 

If all of that hasn't got you in the mood for this book, I will say that there is a baby reindeer involved and he is very cute and just as chaotic as the rest of the characters, so you have that to look forward to! 

My thanks go to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Harper Voyager 

Released: 8th of December 2022 

In this stunning debut novel, the maligned and immortal witch of legend known as Baba Yaga will risk all to save her country and her people from Tsar Ivan the Terrible—and the dangerous gods who seek to drive the twisted hearts of men.

As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.

As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.

Olesya Salnikova Gilmore weaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she loves from oppression while also finding her true purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman.

What I Have to Say 

I wanted to love this book so much and parts of it I really did. I just found the start of it so slow. It took a while for me to get into it and even when I was into it, it just felt a bit dense to read. I will say that my dyslexia was playing up a lot while reading it, so that was partly to blame, but it doesn't account for everything. 

I did enjoy how the author had blended the mythical story of Baba Yaga and the old Russian gods with the real historical events of Ivan the Terrible. I've seen a few interpretations of Baba Yaga and this is definitely my favourite (and definitely read the author note at the back for more info of where she got her inspiration). I really enjoyed seeing the conflict between the old ways and the new religion. 

All in all, there are parts of this book that I will look back on fondly and it got me very interested in the pre-christian Russian culture, but I just didn't enjoy it enough. If it looks interesting to you, definitely give it a try, because I do think it was worth reading even if I didn't enjoy it as much as I feel I should have. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with this copy for review. 

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent

Pages: 352 

Publisher: HQ Digital 

Released: 12rh of October 2022 

Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

Have you ever walked home at night, keys in hand, ready to throw a punch in self-defence? That’s how it all started. The killing spree, I mean.

I sort of tripped into this role… Literally. The first one was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I pushed him, he stumbled, and fell onto his own broken wine bottle. Oops. It was such a waste of a good house white.

But now I can’t seem to stop and nor do I want to… I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it.

What I Have to Say 

This book is perfect for any feminist who loves a good contemporary story. If you are angry and upset about any of the misogyny in the world and want to live vicariously through a funny and lighthearted novel, this is for you. 

I loved how it didn't take itself too seriously. Kitty is an influencer. She an instagram star and is vegan. Vegan but gets her thills from killing men in a variety of ways. And despite the subject matter it was a very easy to read, quite cosy book. It was really nice to sink into and have something that was relatable and just not too realistic. 

The characters were probably a bit shallow, but in this sort of book, that didn't really matter. They weren't meant to be really deep, thought out characters, it's just not that sort of book. 

This book was just exactly what I needed right now. 

 

My thanks go to HQ Digital and Negalley for gifting me this copy for review. 

 

The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard

Pages: 336 

Publisher: Gollancz 

Released: 24th of November 2022 

Xích Si: bot maker, data analyst, mother, scavenger. But those days are over now-her ship has just been captured by the Red Banner pirate fleet, famous for their double-dealing and cruelty. Xích Si expects to be tortured to death-only for the pirates' enigmatic leader, Rice Fish, to arrive with a different and shocking proposition: an arranged marriage between Xích Si and herself.

Rice Fish: sentient ship, leader of the infamous Red Banner pirate fleet, wife of the Red Scholar. Or at least, she was the latter before her wife died under suspicious circumstances. Now isolated and alone, Rice Fish wants Xích Si's help to find out who struck against them and why. Marrying Xích Si means Rice Fish can offer Xích Si protection, in exchange for Xích Si's technical fluency: a business arrangement with nothing more to it.

But as the investigation goes on, Rice Fish and Xích Si find themselves falling for each other. As the interstellar war against piracy intensifies and the five fleets start fighting each other, they will have to make a stand-and to decide what kind of future they have together...

An exciting space opera and a beautiful romance, from an exceptional SF author.

What I Have to Say 

This book had a really fascinating world that I really wanted to explore and find out more about BUT NOTHING WAS EXPLAINED. I wanted to know how everything worked. I wanted context for certain thing. This story had LIVING SHIPS that were at least slightly biological in their make up, but do I know how the ship fits together? No. Not even a little bit. They have something called the "mind" that seems to be the biological element, but I cannot even tell you what it looks like. It was just shoved into the scene and left there unexplained. 

You may be saying "that's all right, I'm sure I can cope with that" but let me tell you, it was also the most complex and elaborate sci fi world I've ever seen, so much was so different from our world. So much needed an explanation and not one single explanation was given. I had to guess every single thing. 

Honestly  I have not much else to say. The love story was sweet I guess, but I was so distracted trying to work out how everything actually worked or even looked like so I didn't really get to enjoy it. 

I so very nearly DNFd it. I would have if it hadn't been so short. 

My thanks go to Gollancs and Netgalley for gifting me this copy for review. 

The Weather Woman by Sally Gardner

Pages: 496 

Publisher: Head of Zeus 

Released: 10th of November 2022 

Neva Friezland is born into a world of trickery and illusion, where fortunes can be won and lost on the turn of a card.

She is also born with an extraordinary gift. She can predict the weather. In Regency England, where the proper goal for a gentlewoman is marriage and only God knows the weather, this is dangerous. It is also potentially very lucrative.

In order to debate with the men of science and move about freely, Neva adopts a sophisticated male disguise. She foretells the weather from inside an automaton created by her brilliant clockmaker father.

But what will happen when the disguised Neva falls in love with a charismatic young man?

It can be very dangerous to be ahead of your time. Especially as a woman. 

What I Have to Say 

This book was a celebration of what it means to be different. It showed characters who didn't fit in with society but still find a life and a home in a beautiful unconventional family. It shows acceptance and found family and gives hope to anyone who sees the world differently. 

I really liked the book for the most part. I liked the characters and the way they interacted with society. I liked Neva and her male persona. But the ended didn't hit quite right. I felt that so many things fell into place in the story, all the legal stuff just sort of righting itself by chance more than anything else and so I found it hard to believe that the characters were in any actual danger. Everything had worked out so far so why shouldn't they continue to work out? It just ruined a book that I was really enjoying up until that point. 

I was glad to see there was a mention of someone living in a gender that they were not assigned at birth while Neva was learning how to act and behave as a guy. I felt that was a good head nod to the trans community. But I was disappointed that the only other LGBTQ+ representation was the villains in a very unhealthy relationship. Especially in a book that's so much about respecting what is different, I expected me. 

I also felt that the author leaned too much into giving people a happy ending with a partner and children. It really felt as though the only happy ending was through marriage and kids. 

3.5 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and House of Zeus for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske (audiobook)

Pages: 400 

Publisher: Tor 

Released: 10th of November 2022 

Magic! Murder! Shipboard romance! The second entry in Freya Marske's beloved The Last Binding trilogy, the queer historical fantasy series that began with A Marvellous Light

The most interesting things in Maud Blyth's life have happened to her brother Robin, but she's ready to join any cause, especially if it involves magical secrets that may threaten the whole of the British Isles. Bound for New York on the R.M.S. Lyric, she's ready for an adventure.

What she actually finds is a dead body, a disrespectful parrot, and a beautiful stranger in Violet Debenham, who is everything—a magician, an actress, a scandal—Maud has been trained to fear and has learned to desire. Surrounded by the open sea and a ship full of loathsome, aristocratic suspects, they must solve a murder and untangle a conspiracy that began generations before them. 

What I Have to Say 

This book fell completely flat for me and I honestly don't know why. I really liked A Marvellous Light, I adore sapphic romances, I love a good mystery, but this didn't hit the spot and there's nothing in there that explains it. I didn't dislike the characters, in fact I really liked Violet a lot. I was interested in the magic society and exploring the way it intersects with regular society in a way that we didn't get to see in A Marvellous Light. 

I suppose the main thing was that I didn't get very into the relationship, which is a big part of the book. There were three really long sex scenes, which I just found left me bored, though that's not unusual, I'm not really one for spicy books. And there was just no heat in the relationship. I didn't feel the passion and the love that I love to feel. It felt too easy and not very romantic. 

I'm very disappointed because I was ready to really love this book. I was looking forward to it so much. 

3 stars 

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

 

Ocean's Echo

Pages: 464 

Publisher: Orbit 

Released: 3rd of November 2022 

When Tennal - a rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster - is caught using his telepathic powers for illegal activities, the military decides to bind his mind to someone whose coercive powers are strong enough to control him.

Enter Lieutenant Surit, the child of a disgraced general. Out of a desperate need to restore a pension to his other parent, Lieutenant Surit agrees to be bound to Tennal and keep him conscripted in the army, a task that seems impossible even for someone with Surit's ability to control minds.

Tennal just wants to escape, but Surit isn't all that he seems. And their bond may just be the key to their freedom.

What I Have to Say 

This book caught my attention at the start, but I got bored of it. It started out with very fanfic tropes and if it had continued in that vein, I think I would have really liked it, but for me there wasn't enough about the relationship between the two guys. It didn't have much romance in it. They were just getting to know each other and then suddenly they were in love? It just didn't hit for me. 

I was really interested in the syncing and the way it would work for two minds to sync as well, so the fact that they put that off for so long disappointed me. It raised interesting issues about conscription and consent though and that was good to see. 

In all, I just wasn't that into the book. I guess I was reading it for a romance when it was more political than that. But some bits were interesting. 

 

3 stars 

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

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Tor 

Released: 10th of November 2022 

High Fantasy with a double-shot of self-reinvention

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.

However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth. 

What I Have to Say 

This was just what the fantasy genre needed. A nice refreshing tale about an orc who opens a coffee shop, this book hit the spot quite nicely and made me crave coffee and cinnamon buns in the process. I would love this to bring new stories to the fantasy genre, because there's so much scope for slice of life stories in fantasy and sci fi books. It's a chance to explore worlds in more calm relaxing ways without the protagonist being whisked off to  save the world. I just absolutely love this idea. 

The story itself was great too, though it was probably the uniqueness that made me rate it so highly, it had a strong plot and a really loveable cast of characters. My favourite was Thimble the rattkin, but the other characters are notable as well. It was really easy to see the friendship and camaraderie that formed between the characters. 

If I had to make one complaint it's that the romance wasn't introduced until really late into the book. I'd have liked a stronger romance especially since it was sapphic which is always my favourite type of romance and the two characters worked so well together. If it had been a little more slow burn this book would have been absolutely perfect. 

5 stars 

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

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Pages: 576 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's UK 

Released:  8th of November 2022 

The shadows have risen, and the line is law.

All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new:

A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion.

But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected.

When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she can’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.

What I Have to Say 

I love these books so much!! I love Bree and Alice. I love the world of Legendborn and Bloodcasters and how the problems of race and privilege are woven into the story, without bogging it down. I love the tension and the action and just learning more about this world. I don't love the cliffhangers, which leave me hanging so often, but they definitely do their job to keep me reading! 

This book was a good sequel, it wasn't quite as good as Legendborn but I still enjoyed it immensely. I loved learning more about the world and seeing it expand as they moved out of Legendborn territory and into the wider world of magic users. And I definitely loved seeing more of Alice as she is so badass and perfect. I also really loved how dark it got with the regents.  I can't wait to see Bree kick their asses. 

My only hang-up really was that Bree didn't fight many of her own battles. She had all this training in weaponry and fighting, but because she can't call ether she can't fight at all? I felt that was a bit of a cop out. Especially when seeing Alice trotting around all happy with being able to protect herself because she has a pair of brass knuckles. I just don't like seeing Bree sidelined like that and made to be something to be protected rather than the awesome powerful girl she has the potential to be. 

Other than that though, I really loved it. I can't wait for the next instalment! 

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

The Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan

Pages: 480 

Publisher: Harper Voyager 

Released: 10th of November 2022 

The stunning sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess delves deeper into beloved Chinese mythology, concluding the epic story of Xingyin—the daughter of Chang’e, and the mortal archer, Houyi—as she battles a grave new threat to the realm, in this powerful tale of love, sacrifice, and hope.

After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin thrives in the enchanting tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon, and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power.

While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a perilous confrontation. Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would.

As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation – to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love… even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

The epic conclusion to her sweeping Celestial Kingdom series, Sue Lynn Tan’s tale of Xingyin, the daughter of the moon goddess, delves deeper into beloved Chinese myths, weaving them into a wholly new and magical story. 

What I Have to Say 

These books are everything to me. Chinese mythology, political intrigue, a strong female main character, what more would you want? These books are beautiful and an absolute joy to read. 

While the mythology is probably my favourite part and have made me want to learn more about the myths that inspired the story, I want to talk most here about the writing. To me the writing is perfect. It describes things in such a richly detailed and invocative way so that you can picture the scene so clearly. I had to stop several times just to reread stuff and appreciate the beauty of the text. 

I also loved the political intrigue, how there were so many different factors and Xingyin had to navigate all the loyalties and conflicts between the different nations while working to save the world. 

I will be an avid reader of whatever Sue Lynn Tan writes next and I will definitely be rereading these books over and over again. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with this copy for review. 

The October Witches by

Pages: 352 

Publisher: UCLan Publishing 

Released: 1st of September 2022 

There’s so much to love about October – Halloween, pumpkin everything and MAGIC. Especially magic. But for nervous young witch Clemmie, this October might see the stars descend on her for the first time, bringing with them a whole month of chaotic new power. She’s spent twelve years watching her mum, aunts and cousin receive their October power and knows that, for the Merlyns, magic can get very messy.

And there are those who want to harness their magic and make it last beyond October. It’s a bold experiment, until Clemmie and her coven find themselves in mortal danger. What price must be paid for magic that never ends? Or for having magic at all? 

What I Have to Say 

I think I went into this in the wrong mood. I wanted something warm and cosy with nice autumnal vibes. Which in a lot of way this was, but I would have liked a smaller adventure. A witch getting used to her powers, not a huge war between the Merlyns and the Morgans. 

The actual story was very good. I loved the feelings of family it invokes as well as the unlikely alliances. I loved the sense of hope in the bonds of friendship that it brought up. Also Bobby. Bobby was perfect and I want a Bobby of my very own. 

In all, it wasn't what I was looking for but it was still a good book. Perfect for anyone looking for action and adventure and high stakes. Recommended to drink with a nice warm mug of soup by you. Pumpkin flavour optional. 

 

4 Stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and UCLan Publishing for providing me with this copy for review. 

Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

Pages: 318 

Publisher: One More Chapter 

Released: 1st of October 2022 

It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus…

Essie Winterscale lives in a huge and ever-changing house in the village of Good Winter, in deepest, darkest Essex. She lives with various witches of various ages, one of whom is still a bit salty about having been burned at the stake in 1635, one who keeps accidentally casting fertility spells, and one who knits things that create the future.

All Essie ever wanted was to have a normal life but in the end she found herself drawn back to Beldam House because she just can’t stop her witchiness (although the ability to instantly chill wine is pretty awesome, even she has to admit).

Into this coven of chaos stumbles gorgeous, clueless Josh, their new landlord – and he’s just discovered his tenants haven’t paid rent since the 1700s! As Josh is drawn further into the lives of the inhabitants of Beldam House, Essie is determined to keep him at broomstick’s length. That is, until a family secret, lying hidden for centuries, puts Josh firmly under her spell…

What I Have to Say 

To say this book wasn't for me is an understatement. I really was not interested in this story at all. At first I was interested in the relationship between Essie and Josh but it was just a bit predictable and dull. Except for one key element, I could see the drama coming from a mile off and the thing that I did see was more plot based than relationship. 

The house was interesting and I would have loved to have found out more about it and spent more time there but the plot took us away too fast. The witchhunting bits, I found a bit hammed up and the bit where they just abandoned the plot for a sex break just irritated me. 

It takes a really good romance to pique my interest and this just wasn't it. 

Two stars

My thanks go to One More Chapter and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review. 

Twice Hexed by Julia Tuffs

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Orion Children's Books 

Released: 23rd of June 2022 

Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Sex Education - Jessie Jones has just discovered she's a witch, but she still has to deal with the patriarchy. A feisty, funny YA series about discovering your place ... and your power.

After a summer of surfing, sunbathing and fine-tuning her new witchy skills, Jessie starts Year 11 feeling hopeful. She feels like her life-ducks are finally in a row - and at school, she has her sisterhood of Summer, Libby and Tabitha supporting her. Callum Henderson and his toxic masculinity minions have eased off enough for it the girls to feel like they can breathe again, so this year should be a breeze, right?

Wrong.

New year, new troubles.

Mysterious new girl Sloane has just arrived ... and did she mention she's a witch?

Twice the powers, twice the problems...

The funny, angsty, punchy YA series is perfect for fans of Holly Bourne.

What I Have to Say 

Jess is back and she's in trouble. This time it isn't just new powers she's got to deal with. New girl Sloane is on the scene and she is baaaad news. 

I loved how these books take normal teenage issues and add in magic. The first book was sexism and bullying. This time it's friendships and mean girls. It was perfect the way that Sloane was introduced and started throwing up red flags straight away. It's a familiar story and with a bit of dark magic it gives it just that hint of the supernatural. 

I said in my previous book that it was a bit predictable and how that was actually quite nice. And this one is much the same. Toxic new girl comes and starts separating the main character from her friends. It was relaxing as I read it, because I knew that it would all turn out okay in the end. I knew that Jess was good at heart and will do the right thing. 

The only thing I wasn't keen on was the animal death, but that does come hand in hand with dark magic, so I was prepared for it. I was also a bit disappointed because it looked at the start like they would talk about the actual issues men face (toxic masculinity for example) and expand on the feminist message, especially with Sloane being so anti- man, but they didn't. 

4 stars 

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

 

White As Witching

Pages: 268 

Publisher: Victory Editing 

Released: 4th of October 2022 

A Grimm-esque fairy tale retelling that readers call "darkly beautiful" and "an atmospheric delight."

The Selection is a lie. The five girls chosen each year do not vanish into a life of royal luxury, as most believe. Snow knows this because she knows her aunt Lyric—the Witch-Queen of Cresilea—murderess and usurper.

When the Selection comes to the remote village where Snow has hidden since her father’s murder, she puts herself forward, trusting in her scarred face to hide her identity, and enters the castle she fled seven years ago—a place now haunted by unnatural whispers and eerie shadows.

But more is at stake than Snow’s revenge, or even the fates of five girls, and she must learn all she can about Lyric’s magic—and her own—before it’s too late.

Rich and darkly enchanting, White as Witching takes you into a perilous world of fairy tale where you must break the first rule:

Do not go into the woods at night.

Do not follow the faerie lights.

Do not dance and do not sing—set no foot in the faerie ring.

What I Have to Say 

This book was better than I expected. I really liked the ideas put forth from the blurb but I wasn't sure how well it would be executed. But it was cleverly written, full of riddles and foreshadowing and it wove the original elements of the fairy tale in with the new stuff really well. 

The only thing I didn't like was the ableism towards the end. The author did a good job of making the point that her scar was a big part of her identity and made a point about sacrifice. But the message was still clear that she had to be "pretty" and perfect in order to rule and get her happy ending. 

In all honesty, it completely ruined the book for me. A book that I was really enjoying, which I'll admit had a clever ending, but I couldn't get past the magical cure. I ended the book feeling really disappointed and betrayed. 

 

3 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Victory Editing for providing me with this copy for review. 

The Last Storyteller by Donna Barba Higuera

Pages: 336 

Publisher: Piccadilly Press 

Released: 1st of September 2022 

An unforgettable journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human. The incredible Newbery Medal-winning novel from Donna Barba Higuera.

Habia una vez...

There lived a girl named Petra Pena, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth will soon be destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race.

Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard - or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?

What I Have to Say 

This book felt important. It presents big ideas about learning from mistakes and dictatorships, showing Petra fighting against brainwashing and a society that would try and erase all differences and it showed the power of stories, as a powerful force that can fight back against such things. Woven with beautiful south American folklore, it was a beautiful story full of power and difference. 

For a story that had so much culture and imagination in it, it actually took place in a small amount of time, in a small space. So much of it happens on the spaceship or on the tiny bit of the planet that they're trying to inhabit, but it really didn't feel like that. It was so bursting with life and stories, that I found it really absorbed me and took me away from reality for a while. 

The folklore was fascinating and the Spanish phrases that were a big part of the stories she told were an important part of that. It was wonderful to see her taking her heritage with her so far from Earth. I enjoyed the stories she told and her relationship with them immensely. 

4.5 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Piccadilly Press for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One

Pages: 320 

Publisher: Firefly Press 

Released: 18th of October 2022 

A funny, feminist, and queer contemporary middle grade debut about 12-year-old loner Hazel Hill, who after one of her classmates is harassed online, devises a plan to catch the school's golden boy in the act.

Seventh grader Hazel Hill is too busy for friends. No, really. She needs to focus on winning the school-wide speech competition and beating her nemesis, the popular and smart Ella Quinn, after last year's embarrassing hyperbole/hyperbowl mishap that cost her first place.

But when Hazel discovers Ella is being harassed by golden boy Tyler Harris, she has to choose between winning and doing the right thing. No one would believe that a nice boy like Tyler would harass and intimidate a nice girl like Ella, but Hazel knows the truth--and she's determined to prove it, even if it means risking everything.

Deeply relatable and surprisingly humorous, Hazel Hill Is Gonna Win This One is a wonderfully empowering story about friendship, finding your voice, and standing up for what you believe in.

What I Have to Say 

A fantastic feminist story for the younger generation, Hazel Hill unashamedly calls out sexism and misogyny in an elementary school setting. It shows injustice and ageism, making you want to scream and throw the book across the room at certain points because of how the teachers just aren't seeing it! 

There are honestly parts of this book that are gonna stay with me for a long time. I felt so much for these kids. The way the teachers just didn't listen to them at all, punishing them for speaking out, but still calling themselves feminist just got to me. It was beautifully written. 

I think this is just a perfect book for kids to introduce them to these important topics. Showing them what to do in the face of sexual harassment and generally standing up to classmates in general. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Firefly press for providing me with this copy for review. 

 

Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo

Pages: 416

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 10th of October 2022 

Return to the world of TO KILL A KINGDOM for a brand-new fantasy adventure about a young witch groomed to steal souls for an immortal king and the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied.

For sixteen years, Selestra has been trapped in her tower on the Floating Mountain, preparing to take her mother's place as the King's Witch, who foretells deaths in the Festival of Predictions. Outrunning your fate earns a wish and the chance to steal the King's immortality. But die and your soul is forfeit. And though thousands have tried, nobody has ever beaten death.

A soldier in the King's army, Nox is an unlikely candidate for the Festival, but, driven by revenge, he is determined to steal the King's immortality and kill the entirety of his court, starting with Selestra.

Yet when Selestra touches Nox in her very first prediction, their fates become entwined, and death seeks to take both their souls. Only by working together can they survive long enough to escape the dark fate and the immortal King that now hunts them.

A feast of storytelling, featuring breathtaking journeys, nail-biting battles and powerful magic.

What I Have to Say 

I loved To Kill a Kingdom so much, but every other one of Alexandra Christo's books have disappointed me. I just can't seem to capture the magic that I had when I first read To Kill a Kingdom. It's a pity because she is genuinely a good writer. 

I did like some parts of it very much though. The magic system was my especial favourite. How the way her mother teaches her magic tied up in death and darkness, but then Selestra's journey teaches her a different way to use her magic and how to find balance. 

I liked the sassy enemies-to-lovers romance, but it all felt a bit predictable. It's possible I've just read too much enemies to lovers, but it just didn't hit right for me at all. 

All in all, I think I liked what this book said in terms of magic and character progression, but the execution felt a bit off for me.

 

3.5 stars

My thanks go to Hot Key Books and Netgalley for providing me this copy for review.