Heroes of Havensong has that spark. If I picked this up as a kid, I’m certain I’d have devoured it in a day. I loved this book as an adult and can barely find anything to criticize about it.

Megan Reyes does a wonderful job with this book. It balances the perspectives of four different characters, and I loved all of them. All of the characters feel rich and lively. They have their own stories and you can sympathize with them, even when two characters have opposite worldviews.

I was impressed by how much depth there is to this world. There are enough surface-level explanations that younger kids would like it, but also depth that older readers would enjoy when it comes to the characters and their struggles.

The magic is incredibly unique. From poofy clouds of hiccupping magic to dragons growing feathers, this magical world is full of surprises. I did wish there was a better explanation of how magic works- it’s a bit confusing what spells can be cast and what the limits are. But since it’s the start of a series it’ll likely be explained in more detail if there’s future books.

I hope this series continues, since it ends on a serious cliffhanger. Admittedly, I almost felt like it was too much of a cliffhanger and not enough was resolved. But I liked the rest of the book so much, I don’t mind the ending. It was so easy to get invested in this world!

Highly recommend this to any young readers looking for more fantastic fantasy books, especially if they love Percy Jackson or Skandar and the Unicorn Thief. It’s also perfect for any parents looking for a book they’ll genuinely enjoy reading to their kids!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation by Linda Villarosa

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emotional informative reflective

A Pale Box on the Distant Shore by P.J. Nwosu

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op and NetGalley for the ARC.

"What's dead is dead and all shall die... and live again."

I adore dark fantasies, and the description along with the beautiful cover drew me to this book. I really hoped this book could deliver on its promises of a bloody mystery in a magical setting, and it blew away my expectations! I read it in less than a day.

PJ Nwosu paints a tragically dark fantasy world, and her talented writing brings it to life. The setting felt so real, from climbing dead giant bones to searching plague-ridden streets for clues to a murderer. Some scenes made my skin crawl, and it was the perfect amount of creepiness.

Following Honnan as he tried to piece together the mystery, especially as others doubted him, was riveting to read. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see who would succumb to the black lung, a deadly disease spreading through the city, and who might be the next victim of the mysterious killer.

There are kingdom politics (and I always love that in fantasy) which really enrich the world. Honnan's story is tied up relatively neatly at the end, but there are still enough loose ends about the world to make me excited for the next book. The fantasy world that PJ Nwosu built was one of the best I've read in a while, and I can't wait to see more of Death City.

While I loved Honnan and his grandnannie- she's my favorite character, I loved her wizened old vibes- I did struggle to connect with the rest of the cast a bit. It made certain scenes less impactful because I don't think I got as attached to those characters as I should've, which is the only reason I can't give it five stars. But it's the start of the series, and I think with another book or two I could grow to love the whole cast as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and could easily recommend to anyone who enjoys dark mysteries mixed with fantasy.

Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

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adventurous emotional fast-paced