A review by nicolemhewitt
The Wise and the Wicked by Rebecca Podos

This is a folkloric fantasy with excellent LGBT rep (the storyline involving a transgender character was definitely my favorite thread of the book). I was intrigued by the mystery of Ruby's family's gift, but unfortunately the first 50% of the book felt like backstory to me, so it was hard to truly engage with the characters. The second half of the book picked up immensely, but then the ending felt a little rushed--and if this doesn't end up with a sequel, I have a feeling the open ending will be a disappointment to many readers. Hopefully Podos will have the opportunity to continue the story to satisfy those readers who are eager to know Ruby's fate!