Goodbye to Blogger and Hello to a New Era of the Whispering of the Pages

 So today is the day that The Whispering of the Pages moves from Blogger to Wordpress. I hope you all have enjoyed a beautiful era on blogger and will follow me for a wonderful new future at Wordpress. 

I'm leaving this blog up for posterity but you can find the new one at thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk. 

Thanks for your ongoing support on this site and here's to many more years on the new one! 

thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk

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. 

Ryan and Avery by David Levithan (audiobook)

 

Pages: 322

Publisher: Electric Monkey 

Narrator: Jamie K. Brown 

Released: 12th of September 2023 

When a blue-haired boy (Ryan) meets a pink-haired boy (Avery) at a dance–a queer prom–both feel an inexplicable but powerful connection. Follow them through their first ten dates as they bridge their initial shyness and fall in love–through snowstorms, groundings, meeting parents (Avery’s) and not (Ryan’s), cast parties, heartbreak, and every day and date in between.

What I Have to Say 

This book was pure queer joy. It was sweet, it was romantic and it was filled with the joy of new relationships. I loved Avery and Ryan so much as characters, balancing their lives in high school with their relationship despite the roadblocks that Ryan's parents put in their way. 

It was really really good to see a trans boy in a queer romance book. Trans representation is still sorely lacking in LGBTQ+ fiction and it's really good that in the last year there've been a couple I've come across. It makes me hope that we're making progress. 

Honestly, this book was just so relaxing to read. The narration was wonderful, really fitting the characters well and it was just a great audiobook to curl up and listen to. 

5 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Electric Monkey for providing me with a gifted copy of this audiobook for review. 

Once a Monster by Robert Dinsdale (audiobook)

Pages: 512

Narrator: Justin Avoth

Publisher: Macmillan

Released: 21st of September 2023 

London, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges – searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.

But one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It’s not the first corpse she’s encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell’s fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath – and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever...

What I Have to Say 

I liked this book a lot, but it wasn't special to me in the way that the Toymakers was. The Toymakers tore out my heart and left me thinking about it for years after, but this one didn't have the same effect as much as I wanted it to. 

I love Dinsdale's characters so much. Obviously the complicated character of Minos is noteworthy, as he's the central character in the book. His complexity the nice man who befriends Nell and the monster hidden deep deep inside are constantly at war. But actually my favourite character was Nell. Her story of learning what's right and how to stand up against Murdstone who doesn't have her, and certainly not Minos', best interests at heart. I loved her journey and her absolute faith in Minos. 

The narrator was good, but not noteworthy. I liked the voice that he did for Minos, as it combined the man and the monster really well together and gave hints about his character, but other than that, none of the characters voices really stood out for me. 

I definitely want to read some more of Dinsdale's novels because I did enjoy this a lot, but I'm sad it wasn't as good as the Toymakers. 

3.5 stars 

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

Launch Date For The Whispering of the Pages 2.0

 Hi guys, 

Just popping in to let you all know that everything is set up for the new Wordpress hosted site and it will be launching on Monday the 19th of February. 

I wanted to give anyone who doesn't cope with change (like me) time to get used to the idea of moving, before it actually happens. 

The new URL will be thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk so feel free to bookmark it ready for the launch! 

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. 

Meet Me at the Surface by Jodie Matthews

Pages: 272

Publisher: Fourth Estate 

Released: 15th of February 2024 

EVERYTHING THAT COMES FROM THE GROUND HAS TO GO BACK DOWN, EVENTUALLY…

Merryn grew up on the wilds of Bodmin moor, raised by her mother and her aunt in an old farmhouse. Here, the locals never leave the decaying village, fear for the future of their farms and cling desperately to the folkloric tales that are woven into their history. Except Merryn, who has escaped to Manchester for university, briefly untethering herself from her past.

When Merryn returns home for the memorial service of her ex-girlfriend Claud, she finds her childhood home stranger and more secretive than ever. She’s sure that her mother is hiding something. The villagers are hunting on the moors at night, but for what? And then there’s a notebook, found in an old chest of drawers, full of long-forgotten folklore than seems to be linked somehow to Claud…

What I Have to Say 

Unfortunately this one missed the mark. I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but it just didn't draw me in. On paper, it is everything I love in a book, but the reality of it didn't match up. I think the thing I found most off-putting was the unpleasant descriptions. I don't really want to read detailed descriptions of skinning eels, thanks. 

The characters also didn't really capture my attention. It seemed their only interesting points were the relationships to each other. I didn't get much of a sense of who they were as people. Claud and Merryn's relationship was very toxic, which is okay when it's done well, but all I saw in this was Claud's absolute cruelty towards Merryn. 

This just wasn't what I wanted from this book. 

Two Stars 

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

Paper Dragons: Fight for the Hidden Realm by Siobhan McDermott

Pages: 315

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 1st of February 2024 

An extraordinary destiny unfolds . . .

Twelve-year-old Zhi Ging has always been an outcast. Until she receives an invitation to Hok Woh, an underwater school that offers her the chance to become immortal, and to finally belong.

There, she battles in hair-raising boat races, meets ageshifting tutors and competes in thrilling trials.

But there are rumours of a growing dark force . . . and students who fail the trials are disappearing. Can Zhi Ging uncover the truth before it's too late?

What I Have to Say 

This book had everything I love in Children's books combined to make one beautiful book. It was comforting and relaxing to read while also taking me on a wonderous adventure to explore a new creative and imaginative fantasy world, which I fell in love with straight away. 

The thing I loved most was Hok Woh. The society of the Cyo B’Ahon was so interesting, having people who have attained immortality doing research and inducting others into their ranks. I loved the jellyfish that they used to communicate, because that seemed like a really cool idea. 

The only thing that was missing for me, was that I would have liked to see more of the paper dragons that are alluded to in the title. I'm sure we'll get to see more of what they are as Zhi Ging explores her magic more, but they were very lacking for a book with such an interesting title. 

That's my hope for the next book, which I will definitely be rushing out to buy! That and more Malo because I loved him so much. 

 

4.5 stars 

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

The Whispering of the Pages is Moving!

 This is just a quick update to tell you all that I'm moving to Wordpress! 

This change is honestly long overdue, since a lot of functions of blogger are broken or not working such as my mailing list.  I would love love to not have to move but because of this and because I can do a lot more with a Wordpress platform, I've decided to take the leap. 

I love what I've been building on Wordpress and can't wait to share it all with you. I'm just waiting for a few more things to slot into place so the change will probably be coming sometime later this month and I hope you all are as excited as I am. 

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. 

 

An Education in Malice by S. T. Gibson

Pages: 288

Publisher: Orbit 

Released: 15th of February 2024 

Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua's College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold.

On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.

But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and dark magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.

What I Have to Say 

This book hooked me in and didn't let go until the end. It did everything that Dowry of Blood failed to do and honestly I have to wonder if it's because I read it in print instead of audio. 

The writing was sublime. It was poetic, it was enthralling, it was just deeply beautiful to read. I was captivated by the characters. Capricious nature of De Lafontaine, abusing her power and setting these girls against each other was just so interesting to see. None of the relationships in this book were in the slightest way healthy, but that was rather the point. 

I loved the dark academic setting so much. I enjoyed the poetry and the academic rivalry so much that honestly I wouldn't have missed it one bit if the vampires hadn't shown up. However, the vampires did add something to this enthralling story and I was happy to see it take place in the same universe as Dowry of Blood. 

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially if you like dark academia, but it's certainly one for the Vampire fans. 

5 stars 

My thanks goes to Orbit and Netgalley 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. 

My Big Fat Desi Wedding ed. Prerna Pickett

Pages: 282 

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books 

Released: 18th of January 2024 

Romance. Drama. And plenty of spice. You are invited to . . . MY BIG, FAT DESI WEDDING.

A prophecy of disaster.

A world where your soulmate's thoughts appear on your skin.

A boy forbidden from attending his brother's wedding.

A supernatural love that spans centuries.

And one particular auntie who loves to meddle.

So, send in your RSVP, put on your best outfit, and take a front row seat as enemies become friends, friends become lovers, sceptics are convinced by the power of romance, and guests fall head over heels - even if they're not the ones saying 'I do'.

Lose yourself in eight swoon-worthy and dreamy stories guaranteed to bring out the hopeless romantic in every reader. With a never-ending buffet of mouth-watering food, extravagant outfit changes and lots of drama!

What I Have to Say 

This was such a lovely read. It was a short story collection where I enjoyed pretty much every story. It was very relaxing and romantic and it was honestly just such a joy to read. I don't know why but desi teen romance is one of my favourite genres to relax to, with most of the stories in this book revolving around teenagers or people in early adulthood. 

Two of my particular favourite stories were Fate's Favourites, which played very much with the idea of soul mates and the idea that the thoughts of your soul mate would end up manifesting on your body and A Very Bloody Halyanam, which brought vampires into the mix. 

I really liked exploring the mix of cultures and the differences and similarities between the different marriage ceremonies. 

In all, it was a good, fun, relaxing read. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hodder Children's Books for providing me a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

Pages: 382 

Publisher: Atom 

Released: 16th of January 2024 

Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She's a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbours.

When she's forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn't expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon-or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.

As Faron's desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other's lives, as well as the fate of their world.

What I Have to Say 

So this was a really interesting book for many reasons. For one, it dealt with characters who had been chosen ones in their backstories. It showed a main character who had been chosen by the gods, gone to war and then come home along with a hidden queen who had discovered her heritage and been pushed onto the throne at a young age. It was really interesting that the author decided to have these things in the past and gave me echoings of a gifted child to disaster teenager storyline. 

It also felt at times very much like a queer Forth Wing. Which was fantastic because Queer and dragons is definitely the genre for me. I really enjoyed the complexity of Elara's relationship considering the bond that ties her to both the dragon and her love interest and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it develops in future books. 

This book was also such an easy read. I got caught up in the story so fast and both Elara and Faron's voices were easy to relate to. The politics was interesting and exciting and didn't bog down the plot one bit and I just really enjoyed the story as a whole. 

4.5 stars 

My thanks goes to Atom and Netgalley 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. 

The Knowing by Emma Hinds

Pages: 304 

Publisher: Bedford Square Publishers 

Released: 18th of January 2024 

In the slums of 19th-century New York.

A tattooed mystic fights for her life.

Her survival hangs on the turn of a tarot card.

Powerful, intoxicating and full of suspense. The Knowing is a darkly spellbinding novel about a girl fighting for her survival in the decaying criminal underworlds. It is a hard-hitting story of love, obsession and betrayal.

Whilst working as a living canvas for an abusive tattoo artist in the slums of 19th-century New York, Flora meets Minnie, an enigmatic circus performer who offers her love and refuge in an opulent townhouse that is home to the menacing and predatory Mr Chester Merton. Flora earns her keep reading tarot cards for his guests whilst struggling to harness her gift, the Knowing - an ability to summon the dead. Caught in a dark love triangle between Minnie and Chester, Flora begins to unravel the secrets inside their house. Then at her first public séance in the infamous cathouse Hotel du Woods, Flora hears the spirit of a murdered boy prostitute and exposes his killer, setting off a train of events that leaves her fighting for her life.

The Knowing is a stunning debut inspired by real historical characters including Maud Wagner, one of the first known female tattoo artists, New York gang the Dead Rabbits, and characters from PT Barnum's circus in the 1800s.

Something Powerful Is Coming.

TW: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Ableism, Confinement, Drug use, Sexism, Pedophilia, Racism

What I Have to Say 

This book was full of trauma and while it was done really well, I would advise any reader to check the trigger warnings above carefully. There was a content warning at the start of the book, but it didn't even mention the pedophilia, which I would have thought a pretty big trigger. There are also zero healthy relationships in this book, so if you're looking for romance, perhaps go elsewhere. 

Though the trauma was very authentic, I wasn't so keen on the plot. It didn't seem very cohesive at all. Like the author was kind of directionless. I also wasn't that keen on the characters, so there wasn't anything that was really driving me to keep reading. 

One thing I will say for this book, is it had a disabled woman in the role of love interest, which I have never seen before. It's why I picked up the book in the first place and although there was some mistreatment and ableist language used, it was more a reflection of the times and the lack of language they had to describe people gently, than the author just using slurs for no reason. Minnie had agency, she had a strong character and she wasn't seen at all as lesser or unattractive because of her disability. I was really, really encouraged by how she was portrayed. Just be careful if you're disabled yourself or if you're sensitive because there are slurs. 

If you're looking a dark read, with an authentic view of trauma, then this could be the book for you. 

 

3 stars 

My thanks go to Bedford Square Publishers and Netgalley for providing me with this gifted copy for review. 

 

The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi- Pearson

Pages: 432

Publisher: Gollancz 

Released: 18th of January 2023 

A century-spanning space fantasy novel that will take you on a whirlwind adventure, from a Regency Era love affair between a time-traveller and the prince waiting for him in the past, to a rescue mission in the 60th century, where a girl desperately races against time as she searches for the sister the emperor stole.

6066: In Emperor Thracin’s brave new galaxy, humans are not citizens. Instead, they are indentured labourers, working to repay the debt they unwittingly incurred when they settled on Gahraan - a desert planet already owned by the emperor himself. Asha Akindele knows she’s just another voiceless cog working the assembly lines that fuel his vast imperial war machine. Her only rebellion: studying stolen aeronautics manuals in the dead of night. But then a cloaked stranger arrives to deliver an impossible message, and her life changes in an instant.

1812: Obi Amadi is done with time-travelling. Never mind the fact he doesn’t know how to cure himself of the temporal sickness he caught whilst anchoring his soul to Regency London, the one that unmakes him further with every jump. Or if the prince he loves will ever love him back. Or why his father disappeared. He is done. Until he hears about the ghost of a girl in the British Museum. A girl from another time.

When Obi’s path tangles with Asha’s and a prophecy awakens in the cold darkness of space, they must voyage through the stars, racing against time, tyranny, and the legacy of three heroes from an ancient religion who may be awakening, reincarnated in ways beyond comprehension.

What I Have to Say 

Prophecy, time travel and gay romance, this book has everything. It had so many threads that I was surprised they managed to fit it all in one book! But they did and it turned out to be a great one. There was a moment when everything was coming together, when I was really blown away by the scope of what was happening. It felt epic. 

I loved Obi and the threads from 1812 a lot. Even though, because of his temporal sickness, they couldn't use the time travel much for the resolution of the plot, I felt it gave him a really interesting backstory. I loved the little references like the one to the cat bus from Totoro, the little reminders that he was from more than just one time period. 

The prophecy, while confusing at first, also added a huge element to the book. Right from the first excerpt, I was excited to see where it would all fit in and become relevant and there was so many places where I could speculate as to what would happen. It was so great to see it all fit together. 

I'm really looking forward to the next book, which will hopefully have more prophecy and more time travel and even more fun. 

4 stars 

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

 

More Than a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban

Pages: 384

Publisher: Penguin

Released: 9th of January 2024 

Love is more than just a game for two.

It’s 1857, and anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, or she and her mother will be out on the street.

Gwen, on the other hand, is on her fourth season and counting, with absolutely no intention of finding a husband, possibly ever. She has plenty of security as the only daughter of a rakish earl, from whom she’s inherited her penchant for drinking too much and dancing ‘til dawn.

Beth and Gwen are enchanted with each other on sight. And it doesn’t take long for Gwen to hatch her latest scheme: rather than join the husband hunt, they should set up Gwen’s father and Beth’s newly-widowed mother.

They had a fling years ago, after all…

A swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance in which two debutantes distract themselves from having to seek husbands by setting up their widowed parents, and instead find their perfect match in each other—the lesbian Bridgerton you never knew you needed!

What I Have to Say 

This book was really good but there was a section in the middle that was really depressing. Obviously life was hard for gay people at this time, but reading the realities of it, really hurt. I'm afraid that it spoilt my enjoyment of the book a bit. 

Until that point though, I really enjoyed seeing the romance play out. I really liked the two characters, but especially Gwen and her whole family. I loved how they were just skirting with scandal the whole time because of how much they really didn't fit into society. 

On the whole, apart from being a tad depressing, it was a really refreshing take on the regency period and I'd love to see more from this author. 

 3.5 stars 

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