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Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin
Listed at the start of the ARC by the publisher:
mentioned death of family members
grief,
assault
fantasy violence
death
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Xue’s past is marked by a tragedy that left her orphaned and her family name struck from memory in an ancient custom. Taken in by her uncle, he does everything he can to help Xue prosper in a society that treats her as lesser. She’s a talented musician, and he arranges an apprenticeship at the esteemed House of Flowing Waters, a house that provides entertainment from the most skilled entertainers in the kingdom.
While Xue is treated well at the House, her future is bleak. Unlike the other adepts, her low social status means that her only option is to play the qin for rich nobles. A life that would turn her love of music into one of servitude rather than letting her explore her music and travel. So when an unusual noble asks for her to perform for him several times, leading to him offering to buy her contract. It’s unexpected, but Duke Meng is offering Xue a future that she thought would never be possible. It’s a chance she has to take.
Xue has no way of knowing that the estate Duke Meng is taking to her isn’t in the mountains… it’s on the Celestial Plane, and he’s actually the Duke of Dreams, a Celestial who watches over mortal’s dreams. He needs Xue’s help, her music is the only thing that can help unlock secrets that will save the Six Realms from a malevolent evil.
In Song of the Six Realms, Lin has once again created a magical combination of East Asian folklore and fantasy. In the Book of Tea duology, tea and poison were the foundation of her world-building and in this new book Lin has focused on music, poetry and dreams. These themes suffuse every fibre of this book as Lin tells us Xue’s story, weaving her and Meng’s stories together along with their shared love of music and poetry.
This is a romance, however, it is one of many themes and sub-plots in Song of the Six Realms. If it isn’t something you’re a fan of, or like me, you can take it or leave it, then there is plenty more happening. Lin’s world-building is beautiful and filled with wonderful twists and turns that kept my interest piqued from start to finish. The only thing that kept this from being a four-star to me was that I felt the big reveal and related details were a little rushed.
Other than that, everything else was the quality I expected to find in a book by Judy I. Lin, with strong character writing, and backstories that drew me in at every turn. Song of the Six Realms is a must-read!
While Xue is treated well at the House, her future is bleak. Unlike the other adepts, her low social status means that her only option is to play the qin for rich nobles. A life that would turn her love of music into one of servitude rather than letting her explore her music and travel. So when an unusual noble asks for her to perform for him several times, leading to him offering to buy her contract. It’s unexpected, but Duke Meng is offering Xue a future that she thought would never be possible. It’s a chance she has to take.
Xue has no way of knowing that the estate Duke Meng is taking to her isn’t in the mountains… it’s on the Celestial Plane, and he’s actually the Duke of Dreams, a Celestial who watches over mortal’s dreams. He needs Xue’s help, her music is the only thing that can help unlock secrets that will save the Six Realms from a malevolent evil.
In Song of the Six Realms, Lin has once again created a magical combination of East Asian folklore and fantasy. In the Book of Tea duology, tea and poison were the foundation of her world-building and in this new book Lin has focused on music, poetry and dreams. These themes suffuse every fibre of this book as Lin tells us Xue’s story, weaving her and Meng’s stories together along with their shared love of music and poetry.
This is a romance, however, it is one of many themes and sub-plots in Song of the Six Realms. If it isn’t something you’re a fan of, or like me, you can take it or leave it, then there is plenty more happening. Lin’s world-building is beautiful and filled with wonderful twists and turns that kept my interest piqued from start to finish. The only thing that kept this from being a four-star to me was that I felt the big reveal and related details were a little rushed.
Other than that, everything else was the quality I expected to find in a book by Judy I. Lin, with strong character writing, and backstories that drew me in at every turn. Song of the Six Realms is a must-read!
Content Warnings
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan
As listed on the author’s website:
Alcohol
Blackmail
Class discrimination
Coercive control
Confinement of a minority group (historical)
Corrupt government
Death
Kidnapping
Racism
Mild sexual content
Strong language
Verbal and emotional abuse
Violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan is equal parts delight and frustration as she invites the reader to venture into a world where humans live in cities on the ocean alongside the Fathomfolk, people who have sea creature forms and magical abilities. The world-building is superb, and combined with Chan’s gorgeous writing, I felt like I had truly stepped beneath the sea. While some humans have adapted to their new neighbours, others are always looking to build walls between humans and Fathomfolk.
I liked the way that Chan chose to show the history of Tiankawi and current events through the eyes of three women from different ages and places in society. Serena, a human mother of two children and wife of the Minister of Defence, provides a view into high human society. In comparison, Nami is a dragon and considered Fathomfolk royalty, however, she has lived a sheltered life in a sea haven. When she is exiled to Tiankawi she is treated as a lesser being, a far cry from her royal upbringing, and throughout the book she learns a lot of hard truths.
Mira stands with a foot in both worlds. As a half-human, half-siren, she has struggled to find where and how she fits into either world her whole life. She has just been made Captain of the border guard and is painfully aware that the human council that promoted her is waiting for her to screw up so they can blame it on her Fathomfolk side.
Her perspective is imperative to the novel, and if I had any complaints, it is that I felt that her voice was drowned out a bit by Serena and Nami despite the synopsis suggesting that she was the main focus. Rather, it felt that Nami was more the focus, which I have no complaint about and understand it was necessary for the storyline, I’m just not a fan of being misled by a synopsis.
I mentioned that Fathomfolk is frustrating, not due to anything wrong with the novel. Chan approaches topics of marginalisation and alienation through a fantasy lens with a familiarity that is heartbreaking. It is clear that she has poured her own experience into this book, and as a disabled queer reader, many scenes were painfully recognisable.
I appreciated that Chan wove every marginalised identity into her universe. Fathomfolk features a queer normative society and as a result of the pollution humans have caused, Fathomfolk are developing a chronic illness called gill rot from spending time in the polluted water. It shortens their life span and is forcing them out of their natural habitat and onto land.
Fathomfolk is an extraordinary debut that draws on “Under the Sea” nostalgia and elements of fairytales, while also being reminiscent of the movie Waterworld. I don’t want to outright compare Fathomfolk to any of these because what Chan has created is unique and deserves to be viewed on its own merits. Fathomfolk reminds us that there is beauty in difference, but being different is a painful existence.
This is most certainly a must-read for 2024, and the way the book ends promises a dramatic sequel.
I liked the way that Chan chose to show the history of Tiankawi and current events through the eyes of three women from different ages and places in society. Serena, a human mother of two children and wife of the Minister of Defence, provides a view into high human society. In comparison, Nami is a dragon and considered Fathomfolk royalty, however, she has lived a sheltered life in a sea haven. When she is exiled to Tiankawi she is treated as a lesser being, a far cry from her royal upbringing, and throughout the book she learns a lot of hard truths.
Mira stands with a foot in both worlds. As a half-human, half-siren, she has struggled to find where and how she fits into either world her whole life. She has just been made Captain of the border guard and is painfully aware that the human council that promoted her is waiting for her to screw up so they can blame it on her Fathomfolk side.
Her perspective is imperative to the novel, and if I had any complaints, it is that I felt that her voice was drowned out a bit by Serena and Nami despite the synopsis suggesting that she was the main focus. Rather, it felt that Nami was more the focus, which I have no complaint about and understand it was necessary for the storyline, I’m just not a fan of being misled by a synopsis.
I mentioned that Fathomfolk is frustrating, not due to anything wrong with the novel. Chan approaches topics of marginalisation and alienation through a fantasy lens with a familiarity that is heartbreaking. It is clear that she has poured her own experience into this book, and as a disabled queer reader, many scenes were painfully recognisable.
I appreciated that Chan wove every marginalised identity into her universe. Fathomfolk features a queer normative society and as a result of the pollution humans have caused, Fathomfolk are developing a chronic illness called gill rot from spending time in the polluted water. It shortens their life span and is forcing them out of their natural habitat and onto land.
Fathomfolk is an extraordinary debut that draws on “Under the Sea” nostalgia and elements of fairytales, while also being reminiscent of the movie Waterworld. I don’t want to outright compare Fathomfolk to any of these because what Chan has created is unique and deserves to be viewed on its own merits. Fathomfolk reminds us that there is beauty in difference, but being different is a painful existence.
This is most certainly a must-read for 2024, and the way the book ends promises a dramatic sequel.
Content Warnings
Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek
This book contains scenes of violence, blood, body horror, decomposing bodies, death, ritual sacrifice, religious zealotry, prejudice, and rumour-mongering.
There are flashback scenes that show an emotionally abusive relationship between a wife and her husband. There is a reference to child abuse (off page).
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Inspired by the Polish wild lands A.B. Poranek explored as a child, Where the Dark Stands Still tells the story of Liska, a young woman fleeing her village for the demon and spirit-filled wood, the Driada. Born with magic in a society ruled by the Church, Liska has lived with the fear of discovery since childhood. At the start of the book, we don’t know what has sent Liska fleeing into the dangerous forest, we just know that she is desperate enough to put all her faith in a mythical flower that will grant her one wish.
Liska intends to use that wish to get rid of her magic for good.
Against all odds, she manages to find the flower and more than she expected. Like all humans who wish to travel through the Driada, she had made an offering to the Leszy, the demon who rules the forest. An offering to grant her protection on her path. Not only does she step off her path, but she is there to steal from him because the flower that she needs to solve all her problems belongs to the Leszy…
He catches her in the act, and offers her a bargain; one year of her life serving him in the Driada, and then he will grant her wish. He will take her magic.
The more time she spends with the Leszy, the more Liska learns about him and her situation. There are secrets on top of secrets, and just when she thinks she has learned everything, she finds there is more to know. When she finds out that there have been other companions, and that they’ve mysteriously vanished, leaving their belongings behind in the Leszy’s mansion, it becomes even more imperative that she uncovers those secrets before her year of servitude is up.
Eerie forest scenes are juxtaposed with the warmth and humour of a sentient manor house and sassy house spirit. Fans of Howl’s Moving Castle will enjoy this one, as will readers who like books with fairytale and folktale vibes. Where the Dark Stands Still successfully encompasses all of these while managing to stand on its own with interesting characters and a strong plot.
While there is a romance that includes ‘the young girl falls in love with an immortal’ trope, this book doesn’t rely completely on it. The romance is just one part of the book, and if you’re not a fan of romances or this trope, there’s plenty more to enjoy. There’s a huge amount of character growth and the ending of this one was very satisfactory. I particularly liked the way that Poranek wrote Liska as a rational heroine who weighs up the information in front of her rather than run screaming just because something difficult is presented to her.
Where the Dark Stands Still is a perfect standalone novel, but I would love to see Poranek return to the world she has created in it. The world-building is so intriguing and has so many possibilities. This is a brilliant debut novel and one that I recommend checking out if you love dark dangerous forests, magic, stubborn demons and sassy characters.
Liska intends to use that wish to get rid of her magic for good.
Against all odds, she manages to find the flower and more than she expected. Like all humans who wish to travel through the Driada, she had made an offering to the Leszy, the demon who rules the forest. An offering to grant her protection on her path. Not only does she step off her path, but she is there to steal from him because the flower that she needs to solve all her problems belongs to the Leszy…
He catches her in the act, and offers her a bargain; one year of her life serving him in the Driada, and then he will grant her wish. He will take her magic.
The more time she spends with the Leszy, the more Liska learns about him and her situation. There are secrets on top of secrets, and just when she thinks she has learned everything, she finds there is more to know. When she finds out that there have been other companions, and that they’ve mysteriously vanished, leaving their belongings behind in the Leszy’s mansion, it becomes even more imperative that she uncovers those secrets before her year of servitude is up.
Eerie forest scenes are juxtaposed with the warmth and humour of a sentient manor house and sassy house spirit. Fans of Howl’s Moving Castle will enjoy this one, as will readers who like books with fairytale and folktale vibes. Where the Dark Stands Still successfully encompasses all of these while managing to stand on its own with interesting characters and a strong plot.
While there is a romance that includes ‘the young girl falls in love with an immortal’ trope, this book doesn’t rely completely on it. The romance is just one part of the book, and if you’re not a fan of romances or this trope, there’s plenty more to enjoy. There’s a huge amount of character growth and the ending of this one was very satisfactory. I particularly liked the way that Poranek wrote Liska as a rational heroine who weighs up the information in front of her rather than run screaming just because something difficult is presented to her.
Where the Dark Stands Still is a perfect standalone novel, but I would love to see Poranek return to the world she has created in it. The world-building is so intriguing and has so many possibilities. This is a brilliant debut novel and one that I recommend checking out if you love dark dangerous forests, magic, stubborn demons and sassy characters.
Content Warnings
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed
This book contains scenes of violence, the threat of violence, blackmail, animal death, animal abuse (whipping), decaying animals, blood, body horror, oppression, colonisation,
Topics discussed on page, although the events happen off page are; child death, death of a parent, child abuse (sexual), and parental neglect.
This book features a tyrant who rules through oppression, fear and brutality. Some scenes discuss what he has done to people (events off page), and this includes sexual assault, forced pregnancy, torture, executions, war, and mass murder.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Full disclosure, this was not a book that I requested and was sent to me by the publisher on Edelweiss. It sounded interesting, and I decided to give it a try, however, I wasn’t aware that it was a novella until I had finished it. I’m mentioning both of these facts as I feel they do affect my review of this book.
Lured in by the cover and the promise of a forbidden forest filled with unknown dangers, I have to admit that The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed was an interesting and thought-provoking read.
Veris is the only woman who has ever ventured into the north forest and returned alive. When the children of the Tyrant, the man who rules with fear and oppression, go missing, she is given an ultimatum; return to the forest and find them or her family will die. Unlike the children of the village, the Tyrant’s children have grown up sheltered and unaware of the dangers of the north forest. The chances of even finding them alive are slim, but Veris has to at least try.
Mohamed creates a haunting visual as Veris’ journeys through the otherworldly forest, a place that constantly changes as it tries to prevent her from finding the two children. Information about Veris and her world is woven through the journey, and it works with the dark world that Mohamed has built.
While I enjoyed The Butcher of the Forest, I didn’t feel that the story was concluded at the end of the book. Part of this could be attributed to me not realising this was a novella while reading it, however, I think that it’s also the way it ended. A few days before picking up The Butcher of the Forest, I read a review for another novella by Mohamed, where the reviewer mentioned that the novella had the feeling of a prequel. Incidentally, it turned out that it was a prequel, and a full novel is out later this year. I have no idea if that is the case for this novella, obviously, it just has that feeling to me.
This especially comes from The Butcher of the Forest not feeling like it is telling Veris’ story, despite being from her perspective and telling her journey. For me, it feels as though we’re being shown the impact that one person can have on someone’s early life. But at the same time, I almost feel as though that is Mohamed’s point. In another story, Veris would have a bit part to play. She wouldn’t be the hero, she would be one of many minor characters who were part of the main character’s backstory.
As I said, this is a thought-provoking read. I just like my stories to have a more satisfying ending and if they leave me hanging with more questions they are about the story or world-building, not whether the story has been completed. I’ve only read short stories by Mohamed before now so I don’t know whether this is her style or just the style used in this novella.
Lured in by the cover and the promise of a forbidden forest filled with unknown dangers, I have to admit that The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed was an interesting and thought-provoking read.
Veris is the only woman who has ever ventured into the north forest and returned alive. When the children of the Tyrant, the man who rules with fear and oppression, go missing, she is given an ultimatum; return to the forest and find them or her family will die. Unlike the children of the village, the Tyrant’s children have grown up sheltered and unaware of the dangers of the north forest. The chances of even finding them alive are slim, but Veris has to at least try.
Mohamed creates a haunting visual as Veris’ journeys through the otherworldly forest, a place that constantly changes as it tries to prevent her from finding the two children. Information about Veris and her world is woven through the journey, and it works with the dark world that Mohamed has built.
While I enjoyed The Butcher of the Forest, I didn’t feel that the story was concluded at the end of the book. Part of this could be attributed to me not realising this was a novella while reading it, however, I think that it’s also the way it ended. A few days before picking up The Butcher of the Forest, I read a review for another novella by Mohamed, where the reviewer mentioned that the novella had the feeling of a prequel. Incidentally, it turned out that it was a prequel, and a full novel is out later this year. I have no idea if that is the case for this novella, obviously, it just has that feeling to me.
This especially comes from The Butcher of the Forest not feeling like it is telling Veris’ story, despite being from her perspective and telling her journey. For me, it feels as though we’re being shown the impact that one person can have on someone’s early life. But at the same time, I almost feel as though that is Mohamed’s point. In another story, Veris would have a bit part to play. She wouldn’t be the hero, she would be one of many minor characters who were part of the main character’s backstory.
As I said, this is a thought-provoking read. I just like my stories to have a more satisfying ending and if they leave me hanging with more questions they are about the story or world-building, not whether the story has been completed. I’ve only read short stories by Mohamed before now so I don’t know whether this is her style or just the style used in this novella.
Content Warnings
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown
This book contains scenes of memory wiping, torture, violent deaths, violence, self-harm, blood, body horror, death of wildlife (animals and insects), mass murder, and experimentation on people using magical books resulting in pain, torture and death. Some scenes also mention addiction, drug use, and drug running.
There are scenes discussing the death of a loved one from lung cancer, and these include the discussion and depiction of grief and the details of the loved one’s illness.
One of the books featured can create despair, and it is used by the villain to corrupt a child with despair for the rest of their life. When discussing the possibilities of the Book of Doors, some characters discuss it being used to enter women’s bathrooms, commit crimes in other countries and other heinous crimes.
There are two particularly unpleasant male characters. The first is a violent, repulsive misogynist who frequently makes sexist comments, referring to women as bitch. The other is a religious zealot, and a Nazi, who wants to buy magical books because they are “the devil’s work”.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I’m a sucker for books about magical books, so The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown easily caught my attention. In Brown’s debut novel, Cassie is working her usual shift in a bookshop when she’s left a gift by a regular customer. The book is filled with odd writings and strange illustrations and has a message to Cassie informing her that telling her that this is the Book of Doors and that any door is every door. On the way home, she can’t get the message out of her head; does that mean what she thinks it means? No, that would be ridiculous, right? A book can’t open doors… can it?
When she gets home, she tells her friend and roommate Izzy about the book, and they find out that the does open doors. The two women don’t realise that their magical book is one of many, and that particular book is one that people would kill to get their hands on. Thrown into a dark and mysterious world, only one thing is for certain; Cassie and Izzy’s lives will never be the same again.
The synopsis for The Book of Doors hints at a lot; mystery, magic, dark powers, violence, and some unnamed evil. What it doesn’t mention is there’s a whole lot of time travel thrown in as well, and it is very well done. Brown has written an intense story that captures the essence of science fiction, the whimsy of fantasy and the thrill of mysteries. With interesting and charismatic characters, this is a book that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end. As mentioned, this book gets pretty dark and there is one particular character who is very repulsive (see content warnings for details). Overall, it’s a very clever story that isn’t afraid to show that people come in all shapes and sizes, with very different motivations and personalities.
The only thing that stopped this from being a five-star for me was that I felt the explanation about the creation of the books was a little lacking. Brown put a huge amount of detail into every other aspect of the Book of Doors, with every scene linking together perfectly. Yet with the books’ origin story, it felt like he dropped the ball a bit, and decided less was more. That would have worked if that approach had been taken with other areas of the book. Instead, it just felt out of place to me.
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is stunning, especially when you realise that this is a debut. If this is Brown’s first book, I can’t wait to see what he does next.
When she gets home, she tells her friend and roommate Izzy about the book, and they find out that the does open doors. The two women don’t realise that their magical book is one of many, and that particular book is one that people would kill to get their hands on. Thrown into a dark and mysterious world, only one thing is for certain; Cassie and Izzy’s lives will never be the same again.
The synopsis for The Book of Doors hints at a lot; mystery, magic, dark powers, violence, and some unnamed evil. What it doesn’t mention is there’s a whole lot of time travel thrown in as well, and it is very well done. Brown has written an intense story that captures the essence of science fiction, the whimsy of fantasy and the thrill of mysteries. With interesting and charismatic characters, this is a book that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end. As mentioned, this book gets pretty dark and there is one particular character who is very repulsive (see content warnings for details). Overall, it’s a very clever story that isn’t afraid to show that people come in all shapes and sizes, with very different motivations and personalities.
The only thing that stopped this from being a five-star for me was that I felt the explanation about the creation of the books was a little lacking. Brown put a huge amount of detail into every other aspect of the Book of Doors, with every scene linking together perfectly. Yet with the books’ origin story, it felt like he dropped the ball a bit, and decided less was more. That would have worked if that approach had been taken with other areas of the book. Instead, it just felt out of place to me.
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown is stunning, especially when you realise that this is a debut. If this is Brown’s first book, I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Content Warnings
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Bennett may believe he has the best of intentions, however, as with all non-disabled authors he is writing from the perspective of an outsider and there lies the issue. This method of writing a disabled character as someone who is a person who “has problems”, and referring to them as “real people with real problems” shows a complete lack of understanding of disabled and neurodivergent identity. You can’t write a disabled and/or neurodivergent character as a normal person because their lives are not normal.
As a result, you have a disabled character and a neurodivergent character that is not fully realised in their identities. There is a very nice scene towards the end of the novel where Din and Ana talk about being different, and quite frankly it rang completely hollow. It felt more like inspiration p0rn, where non-disabled people can celebrate because these two “weird” quirky characters have finally found each other! That’s because that’s the way Bennett has written them.
I felt that both Din’s learning disability and Ana’s autism were used as plot devices. Ana is constantly described as being anti-social, and different, not being able to handle “stimulation”, particular eating habits, a deep desire for justice and other autistic traits. It is not until the end that Bennett takes the time to acknowledge that this is a disability, in fact, he avoids any language that identifies any disabilities throughout the book.
But maybe the language doesn’t exist in The Tainted Cup universe. I hear you say. Might I remind you that the author controls the universe? Disabled authors have managed it, and I highly recommend checking out Hell Sans by Ever Dundas and the short stories in Nothing Without Us and Nothing Without Us Too for great examples. It says a lot when a non-disabled author chooses to exclude it.
I was also not happy about the way Din’s bisexual identity was written, which considering more than one review I read referred to him as gay, shows just how unclear his bisexuality was made. There is one scene where Din becomes aroused by a woman, and while pheromones are involved, they enhance arousal; they can’t make someone attracted to a certain gender. The sexual content of this scene doesn’t bother me, it’s the fact that it feeds stereotypes of bisexuality.
It’s easy to get swept up in the world-building and mystery of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, especially with the promise of more to come in the next book. It’s a solid three stars for me, however, once I started to see the problems with the representation I couldn’t unsee them. This is one series that isn’t for me, and I won’t be continuing with it.
I want to remind anyone who disagrees with anything in this review that every reader brings their views and experiences to each book they read. Your reading of this book may be very different from mine.
This book contains scenes of death, poisoning, violence, knife violence, body horror, gaslighting, prejudice, bullying, classism, genocide, and eugenics. Society is based on the idea of serving the Empire through the use of scientific graphs that shorten lives, and cause infertility, mental health conditions and other horrific side effects. Citizens accept this way of life due to an ideology that it is needed to keep the whole Empire safe.
There is a scene where a character is drugged by pheromones and touched against their will. Drugs, smoking and alcohol feature throughout the book.
There is a reference to the sexual assault of servants by a powerful figure (off page), the mention of animal death and dissection (events off page, remains on page), and a flashback memory to canning.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I was very excited to read a book that combined two of my favourite genres, unfortunately, this one didn’t end up going the way I’d hoped. The first thing I noticed about The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett was how elaborate and immersive the science and nature of the world I had stepped into. He has created a fascinating world that realises the idea of a completely organic society, and it is something else. If The Tainted Cup was purely a science fiction novel then I would be satisfied, however, it is much more ambitious than that and that is where it begins to show its cracks for me.
I’ve seen this book compared to Sherlock Holmes and Knives Out, and I want to talk about those two comps before I go any further. I saw the Knives Out comp while reading the book and I spent the entire time trying to figure out how it related, especially as there is a mirror character in Knives Out. By the end of the book, I ascertained that the person meant that it was a whodunnit with a clever detective who doesn’t take any crap and sees a lot. For those of us who read or watch a lot of crime, that’s a pretty familiar archetype.
The comparison to Sherlock Holmes is much more on point. Ana is very like Sherlock in the sense that she is considered an anti-social genius who cares more about the case rather than social niceties. She also dabbles in “moodies”, mood-enhancing grafts, this universe’s equivalent of illegal drugs. Unlike Sherlock, Ana deeply cares about justice rather than just solving a puzzle, and she’s not a drug addict. I would also hesitate to compare Din, her assistant, to John Watson, other than to note that they have a partnership.
Having read the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, I found the level of intricacy of the cases to be lacking. I remember reading A Study in Scarlet and The Adventure of the Speckled Band and being blown away by the out-of-the-box creativity of Conan Doyle’s writing. I didn’t find that in The Tainted Cup, and instead found that the answers to the mystery were clearly signposted to the reader. It was a little disappointing when the big reveals came along, and I had already worked them out long before.
The original fascination with Bennett’s world-building began to fade the more I read The Tainted Cup, for a few reasons. One, the transhumanist world he has created is hugely eugenicist. Organic grafts are used to achieve peak performance and to change the human body in a myriad of ways so that people can better serve the Empire, wiping out any physical weakness. What they can’t change are “weaknesses” that are already part of a person’s brain, things that are unique to them. For example, Din has a learning disability and Ana is autistic-coded. Their brains are naturally different to their peers.
Some research shows that Bennett likes to include disabled characters in his writing. In this article, he talks about it in more detail, and referring to Orson Scott Card’s writing he states;
I’ve seen this book compared to Sherlock Holmes and Knives Out, and I want to talk about those two comps before I go any further. I saw the Knives Out comp while reading the book and I spent the entire time trying to figure out how it related, especially as there is a mirror character in Knives Out. By the end of the book, I ascertained that the person meant that it was a whodunnit with a clever detective who doesn’t take any crap and sees a lot. For those of us who read or watch a lot of crime, that’s a pretty familiar archetype.
The comparison to Sherlock Holmes is much more on point. Ana is very like Sherlock in the sense that she is considered an anti-social genius who cares more about the case rather than social niceties. She also dabbles in “moodies”, mood-enhancing grafts, this universe’s equivalent of illegal drugs. Unlike Sherlock, Ana deeply cares about justice rather than just solving a puzzle, and she’s not a drug addict. I would also hesitate to compare Din, her assistant, to John Watson, other than to note that they have a partnership.
Having read the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, I found the level of intricacy of the cases to be lacking. I remember reading A Study in Scarlet and The Adventure of the Speckled Band and being blown away by the out-of-the-box creativity of Conan Doyle’s writing. I didn’t find that in The Tainted Cup, and instead found that the answers to the mystery were clearly signposted to the reader. It was a little disappointing when the big reveals came along, and I had already worked them out long before.
The original fascination with Bennett’s world-building began to fade the more I read The Tainted Cup, for a few reasons. One, the transhumanist world he has created is hugely eugenicist. Organic grafts are used to achieve peak performance and to change the human body in a myriad of ways so that people can better serve the Empire, wiping out any physical weakness. What they can’t change are “weaknesses” that are already part of a person’s brain, things that are unique to them. For example, Din has a learning disability and Ana is autistic-coded. Their brains are naturally different to their peers.
Some research shows that Bennett likes to include disabled characters in his writing. In this article, he talks about it in more detail, and referring to Orson Scott Card’s writing he states;
I remember reading about these disabled characters in his stories, and never once feeling, well, pity for them. They weren’t cripples. They weren’t helpless. They got by. And we all get by, don’t we? Sometimes just barely, but we get by. Now that I’m older, and writing my own stuff, I see now that the reason his disabled characters work is that he didn’t start by writing them as disabled characters. He started by writing them as characters, as real people with real problems – the same way that the fantastical, powerful characters work the best. Sometimes they got over those problems. Sometimes – maybe a lot of the time – they didn’t. And I felt for them because I knew them because they were real.
Bennett may believe he has the best of intentions, however, as with all non-disabled authors he is writing from the perspective of an outsider and there lies the issue. This method of writing a disabled character as someone who is a person who “has problems”, and referring to them as “real people with real problems” shows a complete lack of understanding of disabled and neurodivergent identity. You can’t write a disabled and/or neurodivergent character as a normal person because their lives are not normal.
As a result, you have a disabled character and a neurodivergent character that is not fully realised in their identities. There is a very nice scene towards the end of the novel where Din and Ana talk about being different, and quite frankly it rang completely hollow. It felt more like inspiration p0rn, where non-disabled people can celebrate because these two “weird” quirky characters have finally found each other! That’s because that’s the way Bennett has written them.
I felt that both Din’s learning disability and Ana’s autism were used as plot devices. Ana is constantly described as being anti-social, and different, not being able to handle “stimulation”, particular eating habits, a deep desire for justice and other autistic traits. It is not until the end that Bennett takes the time to acknowledge that this is a disability, in fact, he avoids any language that identifies any disabilities throughout the book.
But maybe the language doesn’t exist in The Tainted Cup universe. I hear you say. Might I remind you that the author controls the universe? Disabled authors have managed it, and I highly recommend checking out Hell Sans by Ever Dundas and the short stories in Nothing Without Us and Nothing Without Us Too for great examples. It says a lot when a non-disabled author chooses to exclude it.
I was also not happy about the way Din’s bisexual identity was written, which considering more than one review I read referred to him as gay, shows just how unclear his bisexuality was made. There is one scene where Din becomes aroused by a woman, and while pheromones are involved, they enhance arousal; they can’t make someone attracted to a certain gender. The sexual content of this scene doesn’t bother me, it’s the fact that it feeds stereotypes of bisexuality.
It’s easy to get swept up in the world-building and mystery of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, especially with the promise of more to come in the next book. It’s a solid three stars for me, however, once I started to see the problems with the representation I couldn’t unsee them. This is one series that isn’t for me, and I won’t be continuing with it.
I want to remind anyone who disagrees with anything in this review that every reader brings their views and experiences to each book they read. Your reading of this book may be very different from mine.
Content Warnings
The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G. Slatter
This book contains various scenes and mentions of violence and death. These include a woman being burned alive, poisoning, serial killer murdering pregnant women (off page), mass murder (off page), child death (off page), baby loss (off page, discussed frequently on page), and euthanasia (off page).
There is a scene of attempted sexual assault and references to sexual assault (off page). A plague that happened before the events of the book and resulted in many deaths is discussed multiple times.
Additional scenes include blood, ritual bloodletting, suicidal ideation, and child abuse (sexual).
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G. Slatter is set in the same universe as The Path of Thorns, All the Murmuring Bones and some of her short story collections. Each one can be read independently and in any order. In The Briar Book of the Dead, Slatter tells the story of the town of Silverton and the Briar family of witches that have run the town for generations. Using their magic, they have kept their citizens safe and healthy and helped the town prosper.
Ellie Briar is an anomaly in her family. Unlike her cousins, she was born without magic, and it’s a difference she feels throughout her life. Despite her lack of magic, she’s raised to take over as steward, to maintain the admin duties which include one of the most important tasks of all; ensuring that forged letters are sent to the church. She’s determined to prove she can do her job well, despite not having the magical abilities of her cousins, and when their grandmother dies suddenly, Ellie and her cousins are thrust into their roles earlier than expected.
It’s a challenging time for all of them, and things become even more chaotic for Ellie when a knock on the head at her grandmother’s funeral brings with it the ability to see the dead. It appears that the magicless Briar is not so magicless after all, and as the first speaker for the dead in over three hundred years, Ellie is in demand. This is all rather confusing for Ellie because everyone knows that Gilly Briar banished all the ghosts of Silverton… didn’t she?
As she tries to untangle the mysteries of the past, Ellie has the chaos of the present to contend with as well. There is unrest in town as secrets are revealed. Something else is going on in the outlier farms, and people are going missing. Trying to juggle everything along with her new responsibilities as steward and speaker of the dead, Ellie needs to work out who she can trust quickly before something terrible happens.
“Slatter writes witches like none other,” reads the quote on the front of the cover of The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G. Slatter from author Cassandra Knaw, and I couldn’t agree more. This was another great book from Slatter, and I was glued to every moment. The slower pace works well with the story, drawing out the suspense as she sprinkles mystery and suspense through like a pro. Mixing gothic horror with fantasy and thriller, Slatter has found a winning combination.
What I like about Slatter’s books is that she gives the reader just enough details to work out some or most of what is happening, enough to get the imagination pumping. By the time the big reveal comes around, you’re even more desperate to know what’s happening to see if you guessed right! Or, as was the case for me, to fill in the missing piece of the puzzle I had slowly been piecing together as I read.
The Briar Book of the Dead is a wonderful addition to Slatter’s growing universe, filled with multi-layered characters and rich prose. This deliciously dark and gothic novel is a must-read.
Ellie Briar is an anomaly in her family. Unlike her cousins, she was born without magic, and it’s a difference she feels throughout her life. Despite her lack of magic, she’s raised to take over as steward, to maintain the admin duties which include one of the most important tasks of all; ensuring that forged letters are sent to the church. She’s determined to prove she can do her job well, despite not having the magical abilities of her cousins, and when their grandmother dies suddenly, Ellie and her cousins are thrust into their roles earlier than expected.
It’s a challenging time for all of them, and things become even more chaotic for Ellie when a knock on the head at her grandmother’s funeral brings with it the ability to see the dead. It appears that the magicless Briar is not so magicless after all, and as the first speaker for the dead in over three hundred years, Ellie is in demand. This is all rather confusing for Ellie because everyone knows that Gilly Briar banished all the ghosts of Silverton… didn’t she?
As she tries to untangle the mysteries of the past, Ellie has the chaos of the present to contend with as well. There is unrest in town as secrets are revealed. Something else is going on in the outlier farms, and people are going missing. Trying to juggle everything along with her new responsibilities as steward and speaker of the dead, Ellie needs to work out who she can trust quickly before something terrible happens.
“Slatter writes witches like none other,” reads the quote on the front of the cover of The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G. Slatter from author Cassandra Knaw, and I couldn’t agree more. This was another great book from Slatter, and I was glued to every moment. The slower pace works well with the story, drawing out the suspense as she sprinkles mystery and suspense through like a pro. Mixing gothic horror with fantasy and thriller, Slatter has found a winning combination.
What I like about Slatter’s books is that she gives the reader just enough details to work out some or most of what is happening, enough to get the imagination pumping. By the time the big reveal comes around, you’re even more desperate to know what’s happening to see if you guessed right! Or, as was the case for me, to fill in the missing piece of the puzzle I had slowly been piecing together as I read.
The Briar Book of the Dead is a wonderful addition to Slatter’s growing universe, filled with multi-layered characters and rich prose. This deliciously dark and gothic novel is a must-read.
Content Warnings
The Cursed Rose by Leslie Vedder
From the author’s website:
• Fantasy violence
• Weapons
• Past abusive / manipulative relationship
• Abusive parent figure
• Offscreen / remembered death of a wolf (SPOILER: Not Cinzel!)
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
As with all my reviews for books that are parts of a trilogy or series, this review contains spoilers for the previous books.
In The Cursed Rose, the final book of The Bone Spindle trilogy, Leslie Vedder brings us a book with high stakes, strong emotions and the most dangerous treasure hunt yet. At the end of The Severed Thread, Briar Rose falls victim to his curse and to save him Fi goes with him and the Spindle Witch, leaving her friends behind. Fi’s own curse had brought destruction to the great witch city of Everlynd, and at the start of the third novel, the forces of Everlynd are still recovering. Everything seems dire as Fi desperately tries to delay the Spindle Witch, pretending that she is still working on the Rose Witch’s code when she has already deciphered some of it.
Meanwhile, Shane and her companions are frantic with worry, having not heard anything from Fi. A vision from the Seer Witch at least gives them something to work on. They set out on the hunt for a mirror containing another fragment of the Lord of Butterflies to find out how to complete the butterfly pin to create a weapon to defeat the Spindle Witch.
As Fi works, her end trapped in an ancient tower that appears to have a connection to The Spindle Witch, Shane and the others work on the pin. In the end, all roads lead to one ruin for both of them, and the partners reunite for the toughest adventure yet; the Tomb of the Queen Aurora. Realising that they need to work together to survive the tomb, Fi and Shane agree to a truce for the length of the tomb. But what will happen at the end of it?
I have loved every book of this trilogy, and The Cursed Rose was no exception. Vedder has delivered a perfect conclusion to a trilogy about friendship, love and destiny. Right to the end, I had fun picking up on all the fairytale Easter Eggs that she’s dotted throughout. Once again, the reader is treated to a splendid adventure with daring treasure-hunting scenes. Vedder has left the best to last and the Tomb of Queen Aurora is not just dangerous with edge-of-your-seat action scenes, it also showcases her brilliant skill for combining magic and treasure-hunting.
I don’t know how Vedder did it, but she managed to outdo the exceptional world-building of the previous books in The Cursed Rose. There was one particular reveal that had me gasping and cursing in shock. Of all the things I expected to happen in this book, that was not it. The excellent world-building is matched by the strong characters, character development and powerful fight scenes. There are a couple of particular showdowns that are painful yet enthralling to watch.
I am sad to see Fi, Shane, Briar, Red, Cinzel and Perrin go and I would love Vedder to return to their world again in the future. For now, I am very happy at the way The Bone Spindle ended and can’t wait to see what else Leslie Vedder’s imagination will bring to life.
In The Cursed Rose, the final book of The Bone Spindle trilogy, Leslie Vedder brings us a book with high stakes, strong emotions and the most dangerous treasure hunt yet. At the end of The Severed Thread, Briar Rose falls victim to his curse and to save him Fi goes with him and the Spindle Witch, leaving her friends behind. Fi’s own curse had brought destruction to the great witch city of Everlynd, and at the start of the third novel, the forces of Everlynd are still recovering. Everything seems dire as Fi desperately tries to delay the Spindle Witch, pretending that she is still working on the Rose Witch’s code when she has already deciphered some of it.
Meanwhile, Shane and her companions are frantic with worry, having not heard anything from Fi. A vision from the Seer Witch at least gives them something to work on. They set out on the hunt for a mirror containing another fragment of the Lord of Butterflies to find out how to complete the butterfly pin to create a weapon to defeat the Spindle Witch.
As Fi works, her end trapped in an ancient tower that appears to have a connection to The Spindle Witch, Shane and the others work on the pin. In the end, all roads lead to one ruin for both of them, and the partners reunite for the toughest adventure yet; the Tomb of the Queen Aurora. Realising that they need to work together to survive the tomb, Fi and Shane agree to a truce for the length of the tomb. But what will happen at the end of it?
I have loved every book of this trilogy, and The Cursed Rose was no exception. Vedder has delivered a perfect conclusion to a trilogy about friendship, love and destiny. Right to the end, I had fun picking up on all the fairytale Easter Eggs that she’s dotted throughout. Once again, the reader is treated to a splendid adventure with daring treasure-hunting scenes. Vedder has left the best to last and the Tomb of Queen Aurora is not just dangerous with edge-of-your-seat action scenes, it also showcases her brilliant skill for combining magic and treasure-hunting.
I don’t know how Vedder did it, but she managed to outdo the exceptional world-building of the previous books in The Cursed Rose. There was one particular reveal that had me gasping and cursing in shock. Of all the things I expected to happen in this book, that was not it. The excellent world-building is matched by the strong characters, character development and powerful fight scenes. There are a couple of particular showdowns that are painful yet enthralling to watch.
I am sad to see Fi, Shane, Briar, Red, Cinzel and Perrin go and I would love Vedder to return to their world again in the future. For now, I am very happy at the way The Bone Spindle ended and can’t wait to see what else Leslie Vedder’s imagination will bring to life.
Content Warnings
Love Will Tear Us Apart by C.K. McDonnell
This book contains scenes of brainwashing, kidnapping, gore, blood, violence, head explosions, and exploitation of people seeking therapy. There is a reference to an emotionally abusive relationship (off-page) where a husband cheats on his wife and gaslights her into believing that her noticing him looking at other women was just “in her head”.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This review contains spoilers for the previous book so if you have not read it please do not look beneath the spoiler tag!
The start of Love Will Tear Us Apart comes as a bit of a shock as Hannah has resigned suddenly with the intent of restarting her marriage with her cheating husband. It’s a pretty flimsy excuse and normally one that the rest of the Stranger Times team would probably question – if they didn’t have more going on. Not only is Bancroft acting stranger than normal, but one of their guest columnists has disappeared randomly.
The problem is that the columnist never actually existed nor did the stories that they wrote, they were both a fabrication of Stranger Times journalist Ox. Yet someone has kidnapped a very real person…. did one of Ox’s wild stories actually hit on a truth and can the Stranger Times team save the poor chap before it’s too late?
Meanwhile, what are Hannah and Bancroft up to and is Hannah’s replacement a spy or an ally in disguise?
Delivering another book full of chaos and hilarity, in Love Will Tear Us Apart C.K. McDonnell brings the subplot of Bancroft’s wife to a close. Is she alive or dead? I’m not going to spoil that for you. I will say that it is a satisfying conclusion that kept me on the edge of my seat. There is so much happening in this third instalment of the Stranger Times series that it may seem as though it’s too much, however, as usual McDonnell has a plan that comes together very nicely.
It was wonderful to see Hannah off on her own, offering her a chance to shine solo and gain some much-needed confidence. McDonnell introduces a great range of secondary characters in Love Will Tear Us Apart, and his aptitude for writing colourful characters is particularly notable with Moira who Hannah notes “was a great big dollop of Glaswegian perspective, unafraid to point out that not only was the emperor not wearing any clothes but he was also aggressively waving his genitalia about”. I laughed out loud so many times during Moira’s scenes.
Betty and Cathy were equally fabulous, and I adored the scenes with Betty and Stella. I hope we have not seen the last of those two formidable ladies. We also get to see a lot more of the mysterious Mrs Hawnforth and learn more about her which was great.
While the Stranger Times series has never shied away from difficult topics or dark material, this is a much darker book compared to the previous two so please check the content warnings before reading. With a deft hand, McDonnell uses humour to navigate these topics with care proving that comedy can be used effectively without the need to be nasty.
The start of Love Will Tear Us Apart comes as a bit of a shock as Hannah has resigned suddenly with the intent of restarting her marriage with her cheating husband. It’s a pretty flimsy excuse and normally one that the rest of the Stranger Times team would probably question – if they didn’t have more going on. Not only is Bancroft acting stranger than normal, but one of their guest columnists has disappeared randomly.
The problem is that the columnist never actually existed nor did the stories that they wrote, they were both a fabrication of Stranger Times journalist Ox. Yet someone has kidnapped a very real person…. did one of Ox’s wild stories actually hit on a truth and can the Stranger Times team save the poor chap before it’s too late?
Meanwhile, what are Hannah and Bancroft up to and is Hannah’s replacement a spy or an ally in disguise?
Delivering another book full of chaos and hilarity, in Love Will Tear Us Apart C.K. McDonnell brings the subplot of Bancroft’s wife to a close. Is she alive or dead? I’m not going to spoil that for you. I will say that it is a satisfying conclusion that kept me on the edge of my seat. There is so much happening in this third instalment of the Stranger Times series that it may seem as though it’s too much, however, as usual McDonnell has a plan that comes together very nicely.
It was wonderful to see Hannah off on her own, offering her a chance to shine solo and gain some much-needed confidence. McDonnell introduces a great range of secondary characters in Love Will Tear Us Apart, and his aptitude for writing colourful characters is particularly notable with Moira who Hannah notes “was a great big dollop of Glaswegian perspective, unafraid to point out that not only was the emperor not wearing any clothes but he was also aggressively waving his genitalia about”. I laughed out loud so many times during Moira’s scenes.
Betty and Cathy were equally fabulous, and I adored the scenes with Betty and Stella. I hope we have not seen the last of those two formidable ladies. We also get to see a lot more of the mysterious Mrs Hawnforth and learn more about her which was great.
While the Stranger Times series has never shied away from difficult topics or dark material, this is a much darker book compared to the previous two so please check the content warnings before reading. With a deft hand, McDonnell uses humour to navigate these topics with care proving that comedy can be used effectively without the need to be nasty.
Content Warnings
Relight My Fire by C.K. McDonnell
This book contains scenes of death, blood, gore, violence, kidnapping, experimentation, desecration of corpses, graverobbing, drug use, vomit, and cannibalism.
The corpses of various undead celebrities and famous people appear. The choice of individuals as well as how they appear in the book may appear as insensitive to some readers. Keep in mind that this is a comedy novel.
There is a scene that discusses an attempted sexual assault (off page), physical assault and transphobia (off page). There is also a brief mention of a character’s childhood bullying.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This review contains spoilers for the previous book, so if you have not read it please do not look beneath the spoiler tag!
In the previous book, the Stranger Times team had a lot of close calls, and as they attempt to put it all behind them, the universe has other ideas. As Stella tries to get to grips with University, her place on a journalism course courtesy of Bancroft’s guilt, a man falls from the sky in front of her. Moments before his death, he was seen floating, which is odd even for the Stranger Times team. As the newspaper of weird news, they’re already on the case, but it becomes even more important that they find out what happened when The Founders think that Stella was involved. After everything that has happened, they’re just itching for an excuse to get their hands on her, and no one will let that happen.
Of course, nothing ever goes smoothly for the gang, and Bancroft’s past has come back to haunt him, quite literally. While Simon forgave the editor for his role in the desecration of his spirit, it seems that other powers are less than charitable. Those who watch over the dead have decided to give him one more chance to atone. With just a name to go on and very little time to identify the problem and fix it, Bancroft sets the team on it with only Hannah knowing how dire the situation truly is.
As the title suggests, Relight My Fire has a healthy dish of musical nostalgia as C.K. McDonnell also throws in an indie rock singer from Hannah’s teenage years. He perfectly captures the embarrassing moment of coming face to face with the idol of teenage adoration that was postered all over her bedroom wall and used more than once to practise kissing on. I’m sure I won’t be the only one who felt seen when Hannah word-vomited spectacularly.
I wasn’t sure how this book would be, considering a lot happened in the last one to wrap up various sub-plots. It didn’t just see us finding out the truth about Bancroft’s wife, it also in a roundabout way finally settled Hannah in as assistant editor. Up until that point, she wasn’t quite sure if the Stranger Times was where she belonged, and her secret mission with Mrs Hawnforth gave her a much-needed boost of confidence. There was a noticeable change in her in this book, and while she had her normal flustered moments, it was great to see her talking to Stella about university in a big sisterly way without needlessly putting herself down.
Compared to the previous books, this one is a four-star for me, and that’s not to say it was bad in any way, it just didn’t quite hit all the points that the others have. In a way, Love Will Tear Us Apart felt like the equivalent of a TV mid-season finale and in Relight My Fire McDonnell starts to lay the ground for new sub-plots. There’s still plenty of chaos and action, including an incredible battle scene that I won’t ever forget, however, I felt that character development was more the aim of the game here. Again, not a bad thing, it was just slightly different and promises wonderful chaos and danger for the team in the next book.
Once again, McDonnell introduced some wonderful new characters, and I am hoping that they reappear again. Toni is too glorious not to be seen ever again. I adored her, and the dressing down she gave to the complaining customer was one of my favourite scenes in the book. Plus, how could I not love a character who introduces themselves as “That’s Toni with an I […] because I will insist on making a disability into a brand.”? I loved that McDonnell created a character that used their trauma and resulting disability in such a positive way.
It seems as though one of them at least looks to be a new permanent fixture, and I can’t wait to see more of Brian. He is exactly the type of character I would expect to find in a Stranger Times novel.
I realised while reading Relight My Fire that The Stranger Times series has become a comfort read for me. Sadly, I read so quickly that the new novel is done, and I’m stuck waiting for the next one all over again. With the way this one ended, I’ve got a lot to think about between now and the next book!
In the previous book, the Stranger Times team had a lot of close calls, and as they attempt to put it all behind them, the universe has other ideas. As Stella tries to get to grips with University, her place on a journalism course courtesy of Bancroft’s guilt, a man falls from the sky in front of her. Moments before his death, he was seen floating, which is odd even for the Stranger Times team. As the newspaper of weird news, they’re already on the case, but it becomes even more important that they find out what happened when The Founders think that Stella was involved. After everything that has happened, they’re just itching for an excuse to get their hands on her, and no one will let that happen.
Of course, nothing ever goes smoothly for the gang, and Bancroft’s past has come back to haunt him, quite literally. While Simon forgave the editor for his role in the desecration of his spirit, it seems that other powers are less than charitable. Those who watch over the dead have decided to give him one more chance to atone. With just a name to go on and very little time to identify the problem and fix it, Bancroft sets the team on it with only Hannah knowing how dire the situation truly is.
As the title suggests, Relight My Fire has a healthy dish of musical nostalgia as C.K. McDonnell also throws in an indie rock singer from Hannah’s teenage years. He perfectly captures the embarrassing moment of coming face to face with the idol of teenage adoration that was postered all over her bedroom wall and used more than once to practise kissing on. I’m sure I won’t be the only one who felt seen when Hannah word-vomited spectacularly.
I wasn’t sure how this book would be, considering a lot happened in the last one to wrap up various sub-plots. It didn’t just see us finding out the truth about Bancroft’s wife, it also in a roundabout way finally settled Hannah in as assistant editor. Up until that point, she wasn’t quite sure if the Stranger Times was where she belonged, and her secret mission with Mrs Hawnforth gave her a much-needed boost of confidence. There was a noticeable change in her in this book, and while she had her normal flustered moments, it was great to see her talking to Stella about university in a big sisterly way without needlessly putting herself down.
Compared to the previous books, this one is a four-star for me, and that’s not to say it was bad in any way, it just didn’t quite hit all the points that the others have. In a way, Love Will Tear Us Apart felt like the equivalent of a TV mid-season finale and in Relight My Fire McDonnell starts to lay the ground for new sub-plots. There’s still plenty of chaos and action, including an incredible battle scene that I won’t ever forget, however, I felt that character development was more the aim of the game here. Again, not a bad thing, it was just slightly different and promises wonderful chaos and danger for the team in the next book.
Once again, McDonnell introduced some wonderful new characters, and I am hoping that they reappear again. Toni is too glorious not to be seen ever again. I adored her, and the dressing down she gave to the complaining customer was one of my favourite scenes in the book. Plus, how could I not love a character who introduces themselves as “That’s Toni with an I […] because I will insist on making a disability into a brand.”? I loved that McDonnell created a character that used their trauma and resulting disability in such a positive way.
It seems as though one of them at least looks to be a new permanent fixture, and I can’t wait to see more of Brian. He is exactly the type of character I would expect to find in a Stranger Times novel.
I realised while reading Relight My Fire that The Stranger Times series has become a comfort read for me. Sadly, I read so quickly that the new novel is done, and I’m stuck waiting for the next one all over again. With the way this one ended, I’ve got a lot to think about between now and the next book!
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