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354 reviews
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A beautiful story that is part philosophical and part fiction, maybe even science fiction? It’s mysterious and leaves a lot in the dark but it’s also heartwarming and holds a mirror up to expectations about we think one should do with one’s life.
The narrator is never named but it’s told from her POV. Shes telling the story of her life as far back as she can remember from the point of view of being in her last days.
The story starts with her and 39 other women living in a cage in a bunker. They don’t have access to much, they don’t remember really how they got here. They don’t know WHY they are being held but they do have memories of what it was like in the “before times”.
The narrator shares what it was like to be growing up as an adolescent among those women. And they all suspect that she was accidentally rounded up with adults and that’s how she got here.
She longs to learn and gain knowledge but the women don’t always tell her things because they don’t think there is a point to her knowing since she’ll never get to experience certain things.
There are men here though they never interact with her. Nobody is ever allowed to touch, so she has no concept of that it’s like to be touched. It goes on like this with her learning new things as she experiences them.
One day an alarm goes off while the guards are bringing in their food and the guards all leave but also leave the door open with the keys. The women are finally able to escape and she learns for the first time what the world is like. She has never known the outside nor experienced a full day (with the sun rising and setting).
The rest of the book continues on with the women going out, exploring and learning to survive on their own. They discover more bunkers but none of them have anyone alive. It seems like they were the only lucky few to survive.
Over time the other women die and it’s just the narrator by herself.
The whole book is quietly beautiful and dark. It’s peaceful and kind of lovely. I was excited to continue reading it even though I didn’t think anything particularly exciting was going to happen. I was also okay when the story just ended with her being like “okay well that’s my story. If someone reads this then I will exist but if nobody reads this then maybe I didn’t. And it doesn’t matter either way.”
The narrator is never named but it’s told from her POV. Shes telling the story of her life as far back as she can remember from the point of view of being in her last days.
The story starts with her and 39 other women living in a cage in a bunker. They don’t have access to much, they don’t remember really how they got here. They don’t know WHY they are being held but they do have memories of what it was like in the “before times”.
The narrator shares what it was like to be growing up as an adolescent among those women. And they all suspect that she was accidentally rounded up with adults and that’s how she got here.
She longs to learn and gain knowledge but the women don’t always tell her things because they don’t think there is a point to her knowing since she’ll never get to experience certain things.
There are men here though they never interact with her. Nobody is ever allowed to touch, so she has no concept of that it’s like to be touched. It goes on like this with her learning new things as she experiences them.
One day an alarm goes off while the guards are bringing in their food and the guards all leave but also leave the door open with the keys. The women are finally able to escape and she learns for the first time what the world is like. She has never known the outside nor experienced a full day (with the sun rising and setting).
The rest of the book continues on with the women going out, exploring and learning to survive on their own. They discover more bunkers but none of them have anyone alive. It seems like they were the only lucky few to survive.
Over time the other women die and it’s just the narrator by herself.
The whole book is quietly beautiful and dark. It’s peaceful and kind of lovely. I was excited to continue reading it even though I didn’t think anything particularly exciting was going to happen. I was also okay when the story just ended with her being like “okay well that’s my story. If someone reads this then I will exist but if nobody reads this then maybe I didn’t. And it doesn’t matter either way.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Moderate: Suicide, Murder
Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi
At the end of the book Lettle finds her power to speak to the fates again and she has a theory that ohbia used to be Humans. Alder can speak a language that the ohbia can understand.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Another great installment of this series. The development of Lettle and where her story goes has been interesting and juicy.
Summary for my own reference:
Spoilers ahead! (Not sure why but the spoiler tag isnt working in this review.)
Several storylines at once:
Summary for my own reference:
Spoilers ahead! (Not sure why but the spoiler tag isnt working in this review.)
Several storylines at once:
Yeerin heading back out to her ex for some intel
Furi, the queen, slaying all the elves who came with Yeerin in chains and essentially inciting a war of Elves against Fey
People are trying to assassinate Lettle. They were operating under the guise of a rebellion crew against the dynasty but in the end it’s just Ryann’s grandfather and his lover trying to kill Lettle because they saw a premonition that Lettle would kill Ryann (the king) one day.
A new character, Alder, who roams with the Nomads. This mysterious stranger is the way finder for the nomads. But he also sleepwalks and sleep talks in an unknown language.
It’s revealed that Alder is human. Alder Falls in love with Golan, a lightless stylist to the royal family but mostly Lettle.
At the end of the book Lettle finds her power to speak to the fates again and she has a theory that ohbia used to be Humans. Alder can speak a language that the ohbia can understand.
Weyward by Emilia Hart
dark
emotional
sad
fast-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
4.75
I enjoyed the subtle nods to witch craft and its association with the knowledge of nature and a connection to the natural world. Other stories about witches seem to focus on some force of magic that feels innate. Some of that innate magic was present here but moreso the connection to bloodline and nature was the magic anchor.
There was also a lot of pain, mostly emotional but also physical, and loneliness from the three different converging storylines. The cruelty of men was palpable.
Summary for myself:
Kate is in the current/modern world, escaping an abusive boyfriend who has been essentially keeping her a hostage.
Violet is a teenage girl living with her father and younger brother in their estate. Around WWII.
Altha is a young lady on trial for being a witch in the 1600s. Her story describes her helping a childhood friend abort pregnancies from her abusive husband. I get the sense that Altha was in love with Grace. Altha offers to help Grace get rid of him but Grace wants to make sure it can’t get traced back to her. In the end Altha causes a cow stampede to take him out and make it look like an accident- though she still gets put on trial for being a witch but her mother taught her well (always go to church and be seen so people can’t say that you don’t believe in god, don’t show anyone your real magic, stay away from other people and men especially)
Violet is a naive young girl whose dad kind of hates her - for some unknown reason. He invites their “cousin Frederick” to the house and while he’s there Frederick rapes Violet. She doesn’t tell anyone because she’s wholly unprepared for any type of romantic or sexual anything with men, having lost her mother at a young age and her father being absolutely useless in her education. Dad finds out that Violet is pregnant and locks her away in a cabin that used to belong to Violet’s mom. Violet leaves a note in one of her books stating what Frederick has done - because of course nobody would believe her if she told them.
At the house she learns about what really happened with her mother, who was also a Weyward witch and had a crow companion. She was used by Violet’s dad in a scheme to kill his parents and his older brother in a carriage accident - using her powers - because he claims is the only way to ensure their child would have a secure future. Then he claims she’s hysterical so nobody believes her when she tries to tell anyone what they did, and gets a doctor to perform a hysterectomy which she dies from.
Violet learns the ways of the Weyward witches on her own - she’s always been drawn to insects and plants. She performs an abortion on herself by creating a tincture to drink. Her brother Graeme helps her bury the remains and claim it was a miscarriage. They stay close after their father disowns both of them and leaves the inheritance to Frederick. Violet basically curses Frederick and the estate to be infested with the mayflies until the day she dies.
But before she dies she meets her brother Graeme’s daughter - who ends up being Kate. Weyward women are supposed to be the first born children but since Violet had that abortion (because she wasn’t ready yet) she wouldn’t continue the line. But she could see the line continued in Kate. So she looks after her and leaves the cottage to Kate in her will.
Kate finds out about the inheritance and makes a plan to leave her abusive partner Simon. Violet, having foreseen Simon in a vision, stipulates to her lawyer that when Kate is informed of the inheritance they have to speak with Kate directly and alone.
Kate saves up allowance to buy a separate cell phone (because he is tracking hers) and makes her way to the house after she learns she is pregnant. It takes her a long time to get out of the habit of talking down to herself like he would. She reconnects with her mother, who had moved to Canada once Kate was an adult. Simon had not let them talk to each other either. Her mom makes plans to come back to England for the baby’s birth. Kate learns how to have a backbone and think for herself in Violet’s cabin.
It all ends with Simon finding out where she lives and coming after her. Kate’s fear becomes rage and all these birds and bugs break through the windows and come in through the chimneys to attack Simon, scaring him out of the house.
There was also a lot of pain, mostly emotional but also physical, and loneliness from the three different converging storylines. The cruelty of men was palpable.
Summary for myself:
Kate is in the current/modern world, escaping an abusive boyfriend who has been essentially keeping her a hostage.
Violet is a teenage girl living with her father and younger brother in their estate. Around WWII.
Altha is a young lady on trial for being a witch in the 1600s. Her story describes her helping a childhood friend abort pregnancies from her abusive husband. I get the sense that Altha was in love with Grace. Altha offers to help Grace get rid of him but Grace wants to make sure it can’t get traced back to her. In the end Altha causes a cow stampede to take him out and make it look like an accident- though she still gets put on trial for being a witch but her mother taught her well (always go to church and be seen so people can’t say that you don’t believe in god, don’t show anyone your real magic, stay away from other people and men especially)
Violet is a naive young girl whose dad kind of hates her - for some unknown reason. He invites their “cousin Frederick” to the house and while he’s there Frederick rapes Violet. She doesn’t tell anyone because she’s wholly unprepared for any type of romantic or sexual anything with men, having lost her mother at a young age and her father being absolutely useless in her education. Dad finds out that Violet is pregnant and locks her away in a cabin that used to belong to Violet’s mom. Violet leaves a note in one of her books stating what Frederick has done - because of course nobody would believe her if she told them.
At the house she learns about what really happened with her mother, who was also a Weyward witch and had a crow companion. She was used by Violet’s dad in a scheme to kill his parents and his older brother in a carriage accident - using her powers - because he claims is the only way to ensure their child would have a secure future. Then he claims she’s hysterical so nobody believes her when she tries to tell anyone what they did, and gets a doctor to perform a hysterectomy which she dies from.
Violet learns the ways of the Weyward witches on her own - she’s always been drawn to insects and plants. She performs an abortion on herself by creating a tincture to drink. Her brother Graeme helps her bury the remains and claim it was a miscarriage. They stay close after their father disowns both of them and leaves the inheritance to Frederick. Violet basically curses Frederick and the estate to be infested with the mayflies until the day she dies.
But before she dies she meets her brother Graeme’s daughter - who ends up being Kate. Weyward women are supposed to be the first born children but since Violet had that abortion (because she wasn’t ready yet) she wouldn’t continue the line. But she could see the line continued in Kate. So she looks after her and leaves the cottage to Kate in her will.
Kate finds out about the inheritance and makes a plan to leave her abusive partner Simon. Violet, having foreseen Simon in a vision, stipulates to her lawyer that when Kate is informed of the inheritance they have to speak with Kate directly and alone.
Kate saves up allowance to buy a separate cell phone (because he is tracking hers) and makes her way to the house after she learns she is pregnant. It takes her a long time to get out of the habit of talking down to herself like he would. She reconnects with her mother, who had moved to Canada once Kate was an adult. Simon had not let them talk to each other either. Her mom makes plans to come back to England for the baby’s birth. Kate learns how to have a backbone and think for herself in Violet’s cabin.
It all ends with Simon finding out where she lives and coming after her. Kate’s fear becomes rage and all these birds and bugs break through the windows and come in through the chimneys to attack Simon, scaring him out of the house.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence
Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror by Xueting Christine Ni
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed this collection of horror stories and the notes from the editor after each. It was enlightening to hear what she thought was good or intriguing about each plot, setting, or the characters - all that context was helpful to understand the cultural context.
The stories that stuck with me the most were:
“Have You Heard of Ancient Glory?” In which a couple moves into a newly built apartment building to find that nobody else seems to be living there despite being told all the units have been sold. Apparently the cost of buying an apartment to house the cremated remains of dead relatives made it so people would fill these buildings with remains - it’s bad luck to live with the remains of the dead in one’s own home.
“Forbidden Rooms” was very Saw. Two people wake up locked in an apartment and have to do whatever this voice on the other end of a cellphone says. The voice gives them institutions on things they can do to try to get rescued but it’s always just out of reach. The way the two people are linked is that there’s a man who leaves his father and 3yr old son in an apartment and when the old man dies abruptly, there’s no one around to take care of the child. The child cries but nobody checks on him because they feel like it’s none of their business so the kid dies too. The woman in the story shared an apartment with them - though it’s separated by a door or something similar. Both of them are being held responsible by an unknown person and being tortured into playing a “game” for their survival. The moral of people “minding their own business” could result in people not caring enough about each other.
And “Death of Nala” where a kid kills a kitten that his mom had brought home. It’s being recalled from her perspective. She keeps having nightmares about the kid putting a plastic bag over the kittens head because it keeps meowing and he wanted to dampen the sound with the bag. At least that’s what he says. She can’t forget it and she eventually goes to see a psychiatrist. She overhears the doctor and her husband talking about how “she’s still” thinking about this, like it’s been so long. Eventually her husband reminds her that it wasn’t a kitten. She remembers that they had a baby girl named Cindy and they nicknamed her Nala (after the Lion King) and her son did indeed kill the baby the first time the mom left the kids with a nanny. Fucking horrifying and gut-wrenching.
The stories that stuck with me the most were:
“Have You Heard of Ancient Glory?” In which a couple moves into a newly built apartment building to find that nobody else seems to be living there despite being told all the units have been sold. Apparently the cost of buying an apartment to house the cremated remains of dead relatives made it so people would fill these buildings with remains - it’s bad luck to live with the remains of the dead in one’s own home.
“Forbidden Rooms” was very Saw. Two people wake up locked in an apartment and have to do whatever this voice on the other end of a cellphone says. The voice gives them institutions on things they can do to try to get rescued but it’s always just out of reach. The way the two people are linked is that there’s a man who leaves his father and 3yr old son in an apartment and when the old man dies abruptly, there’s no one around to take care of the child. The child cries but nobody checks on him because they feel like it’s none of their business so the kid dies too. The woman in the story shared an apartment with them - though it’s separated by a door or something similar. Both of them are being held responsible by an unknown person and being tortured into playing a “game” for their survival. The moral of people “minding their own business” could result in people not caring enough about each other.
And “Death of Nala” where a kid kills a kitten that his mom had brought home. It’s being recalled from her perspective. She keeps having nightmares about the kid putting a plastic bag over the kittens head because it keeps meowing and he wanted to dampen the sound with the bag. At least that’s what he says. She can’t forget it and she eventually goes to see a psychiatrist. She overhears the doctor and her husband talking about how “she’s still” thinking about this, like it’s been so long. Eventually her husband reminds her that it wasn’t a kitten. She remembers that they had a baby girl named Cindy and they nicknamed her Nala (after the Lion King) and her son did indeed kill the baby the first time the mom left the kids with a nanny. Fucking horrifying and gut-wrenching.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Gore, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Abandonment
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This installment was more exciting than the previous ones. Also the sex was more tolerable in this one - maybe because there was less of it or perhaps because I’ve gotten more used to it.
I dont normally have a problem with spicy scenes, what makes them unbearable in this series is that they are also coupled with intense “this is the ONLY person I will ever love” vibes. Maybe for some folks it’s a nice fantasy but it feels cringey to memaybe because I have been there and it’s not true.
There’s even more world exploration and I feel Violet finally has more opportunities to prove that she’s actually worth the hype (I had been skeptical before).
Spoilers ahead in this summary for my own reference:
Violet’s ex Halden (not sure how it’s spelled since I listened to the audiobook) aka the Prince, comes to town and Xaiden is weirdly jealous - maybe because he’s bad with talking about feelings and doesn’t think he needs to because he can fight. Red flag.
The council or whatever decide that they need to travel around, gathering allies for the upcoming war against the Venim so they send out Halden, Violet and some other riff raff that they choose. On their first diplomatic mission Halden royally fucks up (get it? Royally?) and ends up getting his guard and fuck buddy beheaded and served up for dinner by the king or whomever they try negotiating with. Violet has to save his ass with Andarna and Taryn threatening his white jaguars.
Once they return, it is decided that Halden will not lead these missions and instead, his younger brother will take over and violet will lead his safety entourage. Violet agrees but ONLY if she can choose the squad because she needs people she trusts so she bring. Xaiden and Mira among others.
As a side quest they are also searching for the clan or dragons that would be Andarna’s family. So they go from aisle to home to aisle again looking for allies and the 7th breed of dragon.
Along the way they also find the place that Xaiden’s mom is from. She wants to have a relationship but he doesn’t want anything to do with her. At dinner she has had the cook make chocolate cake- his favorite - but it turns out it was poisoned by her husband. What they didn’t know is that Violet also poisoned them before dinner by serving a tea. So they have a standoff where they threaten each other but in the end Violet wins, because obviously she would.
On another aisle they do find Andarna’s kin. They don’t normally bond with humans and deem Andarna unfit because she bonded with a humans and Violet let her do that as a hatchling into adolescence. Also took her out into dangerous scenarios. Andarna is very sad
In the end there’s a big fight with Wyvern and the silver haired Theophenes? who tries to get Violet to convert to the dark side.
Violet, Xaiden, and their dragons end up going missing for awhile. At the end Violet returns to the keep where people are celebrating their victory. She doesn’t have any memory how she got an engagement ring on her finger. She asks Rhi about it and Rhi says she’s just doing what Violet told her to do.
I dont normally have a problem with spicy scenes, what makes them unbearable in this series is that they are also coupled with intense “this is the ONLY person I will ever love” vibes. Maybe for some folks it’s a nice fantasy but it feels cringey to me
There’s even more world exploration and I feel Violet finally has more opportunities to prove that she’s actually worth the hype (I had been skeptical before).
Spoilers ahead in this summary for my own reference:
The council or whatever decide that they need to travel around, gathering allies for the upcoming war against the Venim so they send out Halden, Violet and some other riff raff that they choose. On their first diplomatic mission Halden royally fucks up (get it? Royally?) and ends up getting his guard and fuck buddy beheaded and served up for dinner by the king or whomever they try negotiating with. Violet has to save his ass with Andarna and Taryn threatening his white jaguars.
Once they return, it is decided that Halden will not lead these missions and instead, his younger brother will take over and violet will lead his safety entourage. Violet agrees but ONLY if she can choose the squad because she needs people she trusts so she bring. Xaiden and Mira among others.
As a side quest they are also searching for the clan or dragons that would be Andarna’s family. So they go from aisle to home to aisle again looking for allies and the 7th breed of dragon.
Along the way they also find the place that Xaiden’s mom is from. She wants to have a relationship but he doesn’t want anything to do with her. At dinner she has had the cook make chocolate cake- his favorite - but it turns out it was poisoned by her husband. What they didn’t know is that Violet also poisoned them before dinner by serving a tea. So they have a standoff where they threaten each other but in the end Violet wins, because obviously she would.
On another aisle they do find Andarna’s kin. They don’t normally bond with humans and deem Andarna unfit because she bonded with a humans and Violet let her do that as a hatchling into adolescence. Also took her out into dangerous scenarios. Andarna is very sad
In the end there’s a big fight with Wyvern and the silver haired Theophenes? who tries to get Violet to convert to the dark side.
Violet, Xaiden, and their dragons end up going missing for awhile. At the end Violet returns to the keep where people are celebrating their victory. She doesn’t have any memory how she got an engagement ring on her finger. She asks Rhi about it and Rhi says she’s just doing what Violet told her to do.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A good book for YA readers but not exactly something with a great story or learnings/morals.
There are a lot of times when I had to remind myself that, despite this being a story rooted in reality, the MC makes extremely unsafe decisions when investigating a potential murder. Classic stupid teenager hubris I guess? Otherwise, it’s fine.
Basically a true crime novel where a teenage girl plays detective Pikachu. She keeps choosing to not bring her partner, Ravi nor even tell him what she is planning to do. It seems like he’s pretty all-in so I’m not sure why she keeps making dumb choices to potentially get murdered. Like, if you’re so smart, plan ahead! Have a plan and then a backup plan!
There are a lot of times when I had to remind myself that, despite this being a story rooted in reality, the MC makes extremely unsafe decisions when investigating a potential murder. Classic stupid teenager hubris I guess? Otherwise, it’s fine.
Basically a true crime novel where a teenage girl plays detective Pikachu. She keeps choosing to not bring her partner, Ravi nor even tell him what she is planning to do. It seems like he’s pretty all-in so I’m not sure why she keeps making dumb choices to potentially get murdered. Like, if you’re so smart, plan ahead! Have a plan and then a backup plan!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault, Murder
Minor: Drug use
The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Another great addition to the series. More lands explored and more of the lore revealed, a lot of twists. Now I can’t wait until the next book!
Including summary for myself
Sylah crosses the ocean with The Elders (and Jond but that is unplanned) to find the mainland. Sylah and Jond end up captured and taken prisoner by what seem like slave traders. They manage to escape and eventually find out that those people were being harvested for bone marrow. In this land, the people The Elders sought have a better magic than just runework that was used back where they came from, it’s called deathwork here and it’s more powerful.
Sylah is excited that she found these folks. They (Sylah and Jond) learn about the Zalam (Salaam?) which is the name that these people gave to the islanders with red blood. Jond also reveals that he knew some of the folks that Anoor is dealing with are also part of the secret rebellion (The Sandstorm) and fearing for Anoor’s life, Sylah leaves the magic mainland immediately to sail back to Anoor - leaving on the cusp of a battle that the counsel was planning.
Meanwhile back at home Anoor has set up her shadow court with Goryn, Kwame, and Hassa… as well as someone who Goryn found and recommended. She needs them after Anoor finds her mother, Ooka, murdered in her office and is framed for the murder. Anoor has to use her shadow court to help prove her innocence since she’s put on house arrest until her trial. The whole time it feels like Anoor is basically being played by everyone, first her shadow court, then the wardens disciples (don’t know why she trusts them) and then her grandmother, Yona (also not sure why she trusts her either). Yona turns out to be the psychotic religious freak who left the mainland with her brother - she calls herself The Wife.
Hassa and Kwame’s relationship blossoms in this book. But on a fact finding mission, to learn how Leo (Sylah’s adoptive mother and Anoor’s biological mother) died, they get separated. Kwame is caught as they discover that the government is harvesting bone marrow at “treatment” centers. Leo died from a tide wind out in the street. Kwame is ripped on a rack and poor Hassa couldn’t do anything about it. But she’s definitely angry now. After the ripping a grio (storyteller) hands her a book. It’s very mysterious.
At the end, Yona reveals herself to be Nayeli, and that she’d been looking for Anoor - the prophesied “child of fire” - for the whole time. Ooka, Yona’s daughter and the former Warden of Justice, had been a twin and apparently Loot, the Warden of Crime, was the other twin. She had sacrificed Loot to the tide wind when he was born but apparently he had been saved. Anyway, now the disciples/the sandstorm agents, and Anoor are with Yona/Nayeli/The Wife and Wife wants to sail back to the mainland (just as Sylah had arrived back in town)
Including summary for myself
Sylah crosses the ocean with The Elders (and Jond but that is unplanned) to find the mainland. Sylah and Jond end up captured and taken prisoner by what seem like slave traders. They manage to escape and eventually find out that those people were being harvested for bone marrow. In this land, the people The Elders sought have a better magic than just runework that was used back where they came from, it’s called deathwork here and it’s more powerful.
Sylah is excited that she found these folks. They (Sylah and Jond) learn about the Zalam (Salaam?) which is the name that these people gave to the islanders with red blood. Jond also reveals that he knew some of the folks that Anoor is dealing with are also part of the secret rebellion (The Sandstorm) and fearing for Anoor’s life, Sylah leaves the magic mainland immediately to sail back to Anoor - leaving on the cusp of a battle that the counsel was planning.
Meanwhile back at home Anoor has set up her shadow court with Goryn, Kwame, and Hassa… as well as someone who Goryn found and recommended. She needs them after Anoor finds her mother, Ooka, murdered in her office and is framed for the murder. Anoor has to use her shadow court to help prove her innocence since she’s put on house arrest until her trial. The whole time it feels like Anoor is basically being played by everyone, first her shadow court, then the wardens disciples (don’t know why she trusts them) and then her grandmother, Yona (also not sure why she trusts her either). Yona turns out to be the psychotic religious freak who left the mainland with her brother - she calls herself The Wife.
Hassa and Kwame’s relationship blossoms in this book. But on a fact finding mission, to learn how Leo (Sylah’s adoptive mother and Anoor’s biological mother) died, they get separated. Kwame is caught as they discover that the government is harvesting bone marrow at “treatment” centers. Leo died from a tide wind out in the street. Kwame is ripped on a rack and poor Hassa couldn’t do anything about it. But she’s definitely angry now. After the ripping a grio (storyteller) hands her a book. It’s very mysterious.
At the end, Yona reveals herself to be Nayeli, and that she’d been looking for Anoor - the prophesied “child of fire” - for the whole time. Ooka, Yona’s daughter and the former Warden of Justice, had been a twin and apparently Loot, the Warden of Crime, was the other twin. She had sacrificed Loot to the tide wind when he was born but apparently he had been saved. Anyway, now the disciples/the sandstorm agents, and Anoor are with Yona/Nayeli/The Wife and Wife wants to sail back to the mainland (just as Sylah had arrived back in town)
Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Another book where a woman finds out she’s a witch at an older age (I read « Rewitched » by Lucy Jane Wood earlier this year) and is not immediately chuffed, which I find so annoying and not relatable. I would be pretty excited and happy but I guess some people may not - sure, they can exist I guess.
I also felt like the MC’s feminism was so dominant and weird because it had to be named and called out - it felt weird. Don’t get me wrong, I am a feminist but I don’t go around telling myself what’s right and wrong because of feminism.
Summary for myself:
Emerson, the main character is annoyingly confident. I was not really sure what the point of that was. Do confident people go around talking to themselves like that?
Anyway, she’s owns a book store in a fake town called St Ciprian - basically near St Louis since they talk about the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. She finds out she’s a witch and that her friends are also all witches and she was mind wiped as a teenager. But things are coming back to her now.
Upon learning about this she is kind of annoying and cranky. I didn’t get the response. There’s an evil coven around, led by the most powerful witch, the one about mind wiped her.
She and her friend save the town from being flooded and then have to face off either the coven leaders. I assume there’s a second book.
I also felt like the MC’s feminism was so dominant and weird because it had to be named and called out - it felt weird. Don’t get me wrong, I am a feminist but I don’t go around telling myself what’s right and wrong because of feminism.
Summary for myself:
Anyway, she’s owns a book store in a fake town called St Ciprian - basically near St Louis since they talk about the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. She finds out she’s a witch and that her friends are also all witches and she was mind wiped as a teenager. But things are coming back to her now.
Upon learning about this she is kind of annoying and cranky. I didn’t get the response. There’s an evil coven around, led by the most powerful witch, the one about mind wiped her.
She and her friend save the town from being flooded and then have to face off either the coven leaders. I assume there’s a second book.
How We End by LM Juniper
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Good pacing, lovable characters (and one that developed), and good horror. Got caught up in the diversity of the characters at first but I also overall felt the horror and « zombie » parts were well paced and built tension well. Also emotionally engaging.
I loved that there were a few hints at Jake being afab before the big reveal. Also loved the idea of him being a hot 🥵😮💨 Asian man.
Definitely cried when Francis died. That really got to me so I think the author did the good job of building her character and their relationships.
Definitely cried when Francis died. That really got to me so I think the author did the good job of building her character and their relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Another very tender and loving TJ Klune book about flawed people who continue to try to do the right thing - in the face of terrible people who want to do bad things. This book picks up where House on the Cerulean Sea left off but maybe a year or so later?
A new foster comes to the house and there’s some very shitty govt folks who are trying to break up the whole family.
I loved the author’s notes at the end about being the anti-JK Rowling. F*ck a TERF.
A new foster comes to the house and there’s some very shitty govt folks who are trying to break up the whole family.
I loved the author’s notes at the end about being the anti-JK Rowling. F*ck a TERF.